Anti-Conversion Laws in India: No Apex Court Hearing for 18 Months On Pleas from 8 States
New Age Islam News Bureau
01 Aug 2024
Since 2020, several BJP-ruled states have passed
stringent anti-conversion laws that outlaws religious conversion solely for the
purpose of marriage.
-----------
·
Anti-Conversion Laws in India: No Apex Court
Hearing for 18 Months On Pleas from 8 States
·
Pakistan Brands Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
'Fitna al-Khawarij', Its Associates 'Khariji'
·
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, accused as The Main
Plotter of 9/11 Attacks, agrees to Plead Guilty
·
Hezbollah: Haniyah Martyrdom to Increase
Resistance Fighters Resolve To Continue Jihad Path
·
Saudi Arabia to Participate In 2024 K-Pop World
Festival
India
·
Six Arrested for Throwing Beer Bottles into The
Firdosi Masjid, Raichur: Police
·
Bengal Minister Should Withdraw 'Need to Spread
Islam’ Comment, Says BJP, Stages Walkout
·
Wayanad: In Meppadi’s Juma Masjid Burial
Ground, There Are No Mourners for The Dead; ‘Entire Families Wiped Out’
·
Taste of Life: When Hindu, Muslim Pilgrims Were
Blamed For Global Spread Of CholeraOn July 4, 1918
·
75 Camps in Forests, Eye On Tunnels, And
Weapons with Village Defence Committees – Centre’s Plan To Tackle Terror In Jammu
·
Act on 'Israel arms suppliers': Eminent
personalities write to defence minister Rajnath Singh
·
Jammu and Kashmir government grants proprietary
rights on state land to thousands of Hindu Pakistan 'refugees'
--------
Pakistan
·
Foreign Journalist Seeking Audience with Imran ‘Deported’
·
Controversial elections act amendment rushed
through NA panel
·
Four security men martyred in Pishin, Khyber
attacks
·
Three killed in ‘encounter’ with Elite Force in
Bahawalpur
·
Balochistan lawmakers push for political
dialogue
·
Pakistan 'deeply shocked' by Ismail Haniyeh's
assassination
·
Three martyred as terrorists’ target police
checkpoint in Khyber
·
Pakistan, UAE agree to strengthen bilateral
ties
--------
North America
·
Gaza, Islamophobia, Family and the Environment
Are the Top Issues for Muslim-American Voters in 2024
·
N.J. Bar Forcibly Threw Me Out For Wearing
Muslim Turban, Man Says In Lawsuit: Justice Fitzgerald
·
Man Killed In 'Execution-Style' Shooting Was On
His Way To Mosque, Police Say
·
CAIR-NJ to Hold 3rd Annual Muslim Youth
Leadership Intensive in Trenton
·
Mosque attacked, police injured in far-right
riot after 3 girls killed in mass stabbing in England
--------
Mideast
·
Jihad condemns aggression on Lebanon as Nazi
excess to ignite entire region
·
Upcoming speech by Sayyid. Nasr Allah regarding
political position of Hezbollah on assassination of Fuad Shukr
·
From Gaza to Kyiv, a Palestinian doctor lives
between two wars
·
Calls for revenge at Iran funeral for Hamas
chief Haniyeh
·
Hezbollah leader’s body found in rubble
following airstrike
·
Killing of Hamas political leader points to
diverging paths for Israel, US, on ceasefire
------
Arab World
·
‘Lady of Trees’ Are Nature’s Sentinels in
Sarawat Mountains
·
Saudi space commission teams up with Boeing for
aerospace engineering training program
·
Saudi royal reserve celebrates ranger
contributions
·
Global experts to discuss future of education
at LEARN conference in Riyadh
·
KSrelief chief, Palestinian minister discuss
Saudi aid efforts
·
Conference at Ithra will explore Islamic arts
and crafts
--------
Africa
·
Boko Haram Suicide Attack Kills 19, Injures
Dozens In Borno Village
·
Persecution Continues in Nigeria as Terrorists
Attack Police Station
·
Kenya Lists 1st Islamic Bonds Worth $23M to
Support Affordable Housing Agenda
·
Libyan Fatwa House and HCS mourn death of
Ismail Haniyeh
·
Police Prevent Bomb Attack In Lagos
·
August 1: Armed Protesters Will Be Considered
Criminals – NSCDC Warns
·
Heavy Security At National Assembly As
Lawmakers Hold Emergency Session
--------
Southeast Asia
·
Stop Acting As Instruments Of The Oppressive
Zionist Israeli Regime, Anwar Warns Meta
·
Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination: Gov’t wants
Meta to explain removal of PM’s posts
·
Indonesia president-elect Prabowo says seeks
stronger ties with ‘great friend’ Russia
·
Solidarity with Palestine gathering at Axiata
Arena this Sunday - Fahmi
·
Haniyeh’s assassination may trigger regional
war in the middle east, senate told
--------
South Asia
·
Taliban Calls Ismail Haniyeh’s Death A “Great
Loss”
·
Women’s Rights Activists urge US Congress to
recognize Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan
·
Afghanistan’s trade imbalance: $1.8 billion in
exports, $8 billion in imports
·
Afghanistan Embassies in London and Brussels
continue consular services
·
Significance of breastfeeding in raising
healthy children in Afghanistan
--------
Europe
·
Darah Organizes Two Holy Mosques Exhibition,
Arabic Manuscripts Seminar in Turkmenistan
·
Permission granted for disused school to be
turned into a mosque with classrooms
·
NHS staff enjoy treat as local mosque provides
lunch
·
Local heroes help repair damaged mosque wall
and clean neighbourhood after riots in Southport last night
·
Incorrect claims about Muslims in England
recirculating on Facebook
·
Southport stabbing: Five people arrested after
hundreds join far right riot outside mosque
·
Moscow accuses Israel of ‘gross violation’ of
international law
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
Anti-Conversion
Laws in India: No Apex Court Hearing for 18 Months On Pleas from 8 States
August
1, 2024
Since
2020, several BJP-ruled states have passed stringent anti-conversion laws that
outlaws religious conversion solely for the purpose of marriage.
-------------
Nearly
18 months after the Supreme Court transferred to itself the constitutional
challenge to the anti-conversion laws from eight states, including Uttar
Pradesh, the batch of petitions is yet to be heard.
On 16
January, 2023, a three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India allowed
lawyers to transfer petitions pending before respective high courts to the top
court.
“Mr
Kapil Sibal, senior counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents (challenge
against the Gujarat law), states that in view of the pendency of the
proceedings before diverse High Courts involving cognate issues, a transfer
petition would be filed before this court for the purpose of clubbing and
transferring the petitions for adjudication before this Court. We stand over
these proceedings to 30 January, 2023. In the event that a transfer petition is
filed in the meantime, it shall be listed with the present batch of petitions
on the next date of listing,” the SC had said in its order.
While
pleas from Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand,
Karnataka and UP were transferred, a challenge against the Haryana law was
added in July 2023. However, despite the transfer petitions filed, the cases
have not been heard since. Official records of the case status shows that in
six hearings since January 2023, the SC has only added newer cases connected to
the issue to the batch.
Since
2020, several BJP-ruled states have passed stringent anti-conversion laws that
outlaws religious conversion solely for the purpose of marriage. While a common
feature of all these laws is requiring prior approval of the state for
conversions, declaration of inter-faith marriages without state approval as
“null and void” and reversing the burden of proof on the man that a conversion
of the woman is lawful. These laws also prescribe penal consequences, including
a jail term of five to ten years.
These
laws then came up for challenge before various high courts. In August 2021, the
Gujarat High Court stayed certain provisions of the Gujarat Freedom of Religion
(Amendment) Act, 2021 in an interim order from the reverse burden of proof, ban
on inter-faith marriages involving a conversion and the provision allowing
families to challenge such a marriage. The Gujarat government had moved an
appeal in the SC and it was during one such hearing that the idea of
transferring all cases to SC was made.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/anti-conversion-laws-no-apex-court-hearing-for-18-months-on-pleas-from-8-states-9487731/
--------
Pakistan
BrandsTehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan'Fitna al-Khawarij', Its Associates 'Khariji'
July 31,
2024
A
representational image of armed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants. —
AFP/File
--------------
The
federal government on Wednesday moved to take on the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) on the ideological front and labelled it as "Fitna
al-Khawarij".
The
government also made it mandatory for all institutions to use
"Khariji" before the names of perpetrators of terrorist attacks on
Pakistan, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior.
The
notification, which comes at a time when terrorists have intensified attacks on
armed forces, intends to expose the real "ideology" of the banned
militant outfits, which it asserts have "distorted the image of Islam
under the guise of religion."
According
to the notification, titles such as 'Mufti' and 'Hafiz' will not be used for
individuals associated with terrorist organisations, while in all
correspondence and documents, the term "Khariji" will be written and
read before their names.
The
notification adds that the TTP terrorists have no genuine interest in the
religion and such "corrupt elements" are referred to as "Fitna
al-Khawarij."
The
ministry directed all government institutions to implement the order
immediately and use the terms in their letters and documents.
Separately,
the interior ministry banned two more terrorist outfits, including the Hafiz
Gul Bahadur Group (HGBG) and Majeed Brigade (MB).
The
interior ministry approved the recommendations to ban the militant groups after
monitoring them for two years, according to the notification.
Following
the interior ministry's nod, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA)
added the aforementioned groups to the proscribed organisations' list.
Pakistan
witnessed a surge in terror activities over the past few months, particularly
in its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan provinces.
According
to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) Annual Security report,
during the second quarter of 2024, the country suffered 380 violence-linked
fatalities and 220 injuries. These stats include casualties of civilians,
security personnel, and outlaws, it said.
As a
result of as many as 240 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror
operations, a mentioned.
The KP
and Balochistan, both of which share borders with neighbouring Afghanistan,
have faced the brunt of terrorist attacks and reported nearly 92% of all
fatalities and 87% of attacks — with the former suffering 67% and the latter
25% of all fatalities in the second quarter of 2024.
The
federal government, intending to cope with rising terrorism, including
cross-border infiltration, last month launched operation
"Azm-e-Istehkam," a renewed national anti-terror drive as part of the
National Action.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1215300-pakistan-brands-ttp-fitna-al-khawarij-its-associates-khariji
--------
Khalid
Sheikh Mohammed, accused as the main plotter of 9/11 attacks, agrees to plead
guilty
August
01, 2024
This
photo obtained 01 March, 2003 shows Khalid Sheikh Mohammed shortly after his
capture. (AFP)
-------------
WASHINGTON:
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, accused as the mastermind of Al-Qaeda’s Sept. 11, 2001,
attacks on the United States, has agreed to plead guilty, the Defense
Department said Wednesday. The development points to a long-delayed resolution
in an attack that killed thousands and altered the course of the United States
and much of the Middle East.
Mohammed
and two accomplices, Walid Bin Attash and Mustafa Al-Hawsawi, are expected to
enter the pleas at the military commission at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as soon as
next week.
Defense
lawyers have requested the men receive life sentences in exchange for the
guilty pleas, according to letters from the federal government received by
relatives of some of the nearly 3,000 people killed outright on the morning of
Sept. 11.
Terry
Strada, the head of one group of families of the nearly 3,000 direct victims of
the 9/11 attacks, invoked the dozens of relatives who have died while awaiting
justice for the killings when she heard news of the plea agreement.
“They
were cowards when they planned the attack,” she said of the defendants. “And
they’re cowards today.”
Pentagon
officials declined to immediately release the full terms of the plea bargains.
The US
agreement with the men comes more than 16 years after their prosecution began
for Al-Qaeda’s attack. It comes more than 20 years after militants commandeered
four commercial airliners to use as fuel-filled missiles, flying them into the
World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon.
Al-Qaeda
hijackers headed a fourth plane to Washington, but crew members and passengers
tried to storm the cockpit, and the plane crashed into a Pennsylvania field.
The
attack triggered what President George W. Bush’s administration called its war
on terror, prompting the US military invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq and
years of US operations against armed extremist groups elsewhere in the Middle
East.
The
attack and US retaliation brought the overthrow of two governments outright,
devastated communities and countries caught in the battle, and played a role in
inspiring the 2011 Arab Spring popular uprisings against authoritarian Middle
East governments.
At home,
the attacks inspired a sharply more militaristic and nationalist turn to
American society and culture.
US
authorities point to Mohammed as the source of the idea to use planes as
weapons. He allegedly received approval from Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden,
whom US forces killed in 2011, to craft what became the 9/11 hijackings and
killings.
Authorities
captured Mohammed in 2003. Mohammed was subjected to waterboarding 183 times
while in CIA custody before coming to Guantanamo, and targeted by other forms
of torture and coercive questioning.
The use
of torture has proven one of the most formidable obstacles in US efforts to try
the men in the military commission at Guantanamo, owing to the inadmissibility
of evidence linked to abuse. Torture has accounted for much of the delay of the
proceedings, along with the courtroom’s location a plane ride away from the
United States.
Daphne
Eviatar, a director at the Amnesty International USA rights group, said
Wednesday she welcomed news of some accountability in the attacks.
She
urged the Biden administration to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center,
which holds people taken into custody in the so-called war on terror. Many have
since been cleared, but are awaiting approval to leave for other countries.
Additionally,
Eviatar said, “the Biden administration must also take all necessary measures
to ensure that a program of state-sanctioned enforced disappearance, torture
and other ill-treatment will never be perpetrated by the United States again.”
Strada,
national chairperson of a group of families of victims called 9/11 Families
United, had been at Manhattan federal court for a hearing on one of many civil
lawsuits when she heard news of the plea agreement.
Strada
said many families have just wanted to see the men admit guilt.
“For me
personally, I wanted to see a trial,” she said. “And they just took away the
justice I was expecting, a trial and the punishment.”
Michael
Burke, one of the family members receiving the government notice of the plea
bargain, condemned the long wait for justice, and the outcome.
“It took
months or a year at the Nuremberg trials,” said Burke, whose fire captain
brother Billy died in the collapse of the World Trade Center’s North Tower. “To
me, it always been disgraceful that these guys, 23 years later, have not been
convicted and punished for their attacks, or the crime. I never understood how
it took so long.”
“I think
people would be shocked if you could go back in time and tell the people who
just watched the towers go down, ‘Oh, hey, in 23 years, these guys who are
responsible for this crime we just witnessed are going to be getting plea deals
so they can avoid death and serve life in prison,” he said.
Burke’s
brother, New York City fire captain Billy Burke, ordered his men out but
remained on the 27th floor of the North Tower with two men who’d stayed behind:
a quadriplegic who, because the elevators had gone out, was essentially stuck
there in his wheelchair and that man’s friend.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2560351/world
--------
Hezbollah:
Haniyah martyrdom to increase resistance fighters resolve to continue jihad
path
31 Jul
2024
BEIRUT
July 31. 2024 (Saba) - The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon "Hezbollah"
on Wednesday said Martyr Ismail Haniyah was one of the great resistance leaders
in our present era who stood with all courage in the face of the American
hegemony project and the Zionist occupation, carried their blood on their
palms, were ready to be martyred for the sake of the cause in which they
believed and were always waiting for this martyrdom all along the way.
"The
martyrdom of the leader Haniyah (may God be pleased with him) will increase the
determination and stubbornness of the resistance fighters in all arenas of
resistance to continue the path of jihad, and will make their resolve stronger
in confronting the Zionist enemy, the killer of women and children, the
perpetrator of genocide in Gaza, and the usurper of the land of Palestine and
its sanctities the nation, Hezbollah said in a statement.
"We
in Hezbollah share with our dear brothers in the Hamas movement all the
feelings of pain over the loss of this great leader, feelings of anger over the
crimes of the enemy, feelings of pride that the leaders in our movements are
leading their people and their mujahideen to martyrdom, and feelings of
confidence in the divine promise of victory for his believing and mujahidin
servants, he added.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3354726.htm
--------
Saudi
Arabia to participate in 2024 K-pop World Festival
July 31,
2024
To meet
the demand for K-pop music and culture in Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom hosted its
first-ever South Korean music and culture festival, KCON, in Riyadh in 2022.
(X:@kconsaudiarabia)
-------------
RIYADH:
In partnership with the Saudi Entertainment Academy, the Embassy of South Korea
in Saudi Arabia is set to hold the final preliminary round of its first-ever
participation in the K-pop World Festival in JAX district on Saturday.
In the
first preliminary round, held at the academy’s hall earlier this week, 30 teams
from all over the Kingdom, including Jeddah, participated.
Out of
these, only 10 made it to the final preliminary round, which will be held on
Saturday, Aug. 3 in JAX.
Winners
of the competition will move forward to the finals of the K-pop festival that
will be held in Changwon, South Korea, in October.
The
preliminary round of the competition was organized by the South Korean Embassy
represented by Ambassador Choi Byung-Hyuk and headed by Director-General Kim
Jong-Ho, with LG Electronics Saudi Arabia as a sponsor.
According
to an official statement, through the festival, the embassy aims to showcase
how relations between Saudi Arabia and South Korea have advanced from economic
cooperation to include cultural partnership, connecting people through their
passion for K-pop.
The
qualifying teams are set to perform K-pop dances at JAX, a creative hub for
artists in the heart of the former industrial heritage site in Diriyah.
The
K-pop World Festival, held annually in Changwon, has welcomed performers from
all around the world including Kuwait, Singapore, the US, Spain, Ireland,
Canada, and Cuba.
K-pop
has surged in popularity in the Kingdom, especially among Gen-Z and Gen Alpha.
To meet
the demand for K-pop music and culture in Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom hosted its
first-ever South Korean music and culture festival, KCON, in Riyadh in 2022.
The
inaugural festival featured K-pop artists Rain, Sunmi, and Hyolyn, as well as
bands including Pentagon, Secret Number, P1Harmony, The Boyz, Ateez, NewJeans,
Oneus, STAYC, and TO1.
The
second edition of the festival featured performers including Everglow,
Highlight, Hyolyn, Kard, Riize, and Super Junior-D&E.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2560271/saudi-arabia
--------
India
Six
Arrested For Throwing Beer Bottles Into The Firdosi Masjid, Raichur :Police
Aug 01,
2024
Six
people have been arrested and a minor has been detained for allegedly hurling
beer bottles into the Firdosi Masjid in Sirawara town, Raichur district, a
police officer said.
The
officer said that the incident took place on Tuesday night behind the town’s
bus stand. Following the incident, the police arrested six people and detained
a minor. The arrested people are NB Sagar (23), R Basava (24), KN Vijay (25),
BR Ranganath (25), NS Suresh (22), BK Sabaiah (22). All are reported to be
residents of Sirawara.
Sirawara
police inspector B Guruchandra said: “The incident occurred at around 8:30 pm.
A group of seven-eight people consumed alcohol near the mosque and threw the
bottles inside without any reason. We received a phone call from the mosque
immediately after the incident and rushed to the spot. Though the perpetrators
fled the scene, we were able to apprehend them soon after.”
“We have
arrested the six accused and booked them under BNS section 193 (Promoting
enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race) 351(2) (punishment
for criminal intimidation). They were produced before the JMFC court on
Wednesday, which remanded all the accused to 14 days of judicial custody,” he
added.
The
breaking of beer bottles inside the mosque and the damage to the mosque’s
Darpa, a raised platform used for prayer and sermons, incensed the local Muslim
community.
In
response, hundreds of community members gathered at the mosque, demanding
immediate action against the culprits.
Upon
receiving reports of the incident, the law enforcement officials engaged in
discussions with local Muslim leaders to address the community’s grievances and
to prevent the escalation of the protest.
During
the discussions, police officers assured the community leaders that those
responsible would be brought to justice without delay.
Mohammed
Siraj, a mosque committee member, expressed relief at the police’s quick
response and said: “The timely intervention and arrest of the accused defused
the tension in the area.”
Source: hindustantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/six-arrested-for-throwing-beer-bottles-into-mosque-police-101722453346900.html
--------
Bengal
Minister Should Withdraw 'Need to Spread Islam’ Comment, Says BJP, Stages
Walkout
31.07.24
BJP MLAs
in the West Bengal Assembly on Wednesday staged walkouts every time senior
minister Firhad Hakim rose to reply to questions in the House, protesting the
TMC leader’s comment at a recent event that there is a “need to spread Islam
among non-Muslims”.
The
saffron party legislators left the House three times during the day.
Hakim,
the urban development minister, claimed that his comments have no relation to
politics as well as the society and he would remain secular as he has been.
The BJP
MLAs, led by chief whip Shankar Ghosh, demanded that Hakim withdraw that
comment.
“I have
been a secular person throughout my life. Whatever comments I had made at a
religious programme has nothing to do with politics and the society. I’ll
remain secular and non-communal till the last breath of my life,” Hakim said.
Amid
this speech of Hakim, who is also the Kolkata mayor, BJP MLAs staged a walkout
for the third time.
Dubbing
this as “unconstitutional” and “unprecedented”, Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay
urged the saffron party legislators to follow the decorum of the Assembly.
TMC MLAs
protested against multiple walkouts of the BJP MLAs.
Agriculture
Minister Shobhandeb Chatterjee said that in his 30-plus years’ of political
career, he has never seen any opposition party act like this.
“Remarks
made by somebody at a programme outside have no link to the House. This should
not be discussed here,” Chattopadhyay said.
He
claimed that the people of Bengal would vote the BJP out of the state in the
assembly elections due in 2026.
Hakim’s
comment made at the 'All India Quran Competition' held earlier this month
stirred a controversy.
“Those
who are not born in Islam are unfortunate. They are born with misfortune. We
have to bring them under the fold of Islam,” Hakim had said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/west-bengal-minister-should-withdraw-need-to-spread-islam-comment-says-bharatiya-janata-party-stages-walkout/cid/2037637
--------
Wayanad:
In Meppadi’s Juma Masjid Burial Ground, There Are No Mourners for The Dead;
‘Entire Families Wiped Out’
July 31,
2024
At the
hillock burial ground at Juma Masjid in Wayanad’s Meppadi, funeral prayers
thasbeeth and thalkeen have been ringing out ceaselessly since Tuesday. Here,
around 50 volunteers drawn from various mahallu committees are digging graves,
preparing to find a place for the unending stream of dead bodies being brought
in by ambulances.
It’s
been over 24 hours since massive landslides swept through several villages in
the Wayanad, leaving at least 144 dead. Most of the victims at this burial
ground — dotted with coffee plants — are from Mundakkai and Chooralmala, where
entire families and even neighbourhoods have been wiped off in one fell swoop.
A mosque
too has been buried in Mundakkai. As a result, many of these bodies are being
brought to Juma Masjid in Meppadi.
According
to Juma Masjid Committee Vice-President Musthafa Moulavi, 30 bodies have been
buried already and volunteers are digging 50 more graves. Three or four graves
are prepared in a single pit for the burial of the families.
Volunteers
are also standing in to bury those with no family or relatives left.
“We have
taken the initiative. Some of the victims are entire families. Bodies are
brought one after another after being identified and completing all legal
formalities. Sometimes, there would be only a distant relative to stand near a
grave,” he says, just as an announcement behind him alerts volunteers of the
arrival of another body.
Manaf,
one such volunteer, talks about the people left with no mourners. “We don’t
want to leave these people as orphans and so we’re taking up the roles of the
relatives in their final journey,” he said. “Many of them, who were neighbours,
have their final resting place next to each other.”
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/entire-families-wiped-out-meppadi-juma-masjid-burial-ground-mourners-dead-9486926/
--------
Taste
OfLife: When Hindu, Muslim Pilgrims Were Blamed For Global Spread Of CholeraOn
July 4, 1918
Aug 01,
2024
Pune: On
July 4, 1918, VS Risbud, head of the sanitation department of the Poona
Municipality, visited the New English School in Sadashiv Peth. There, with the
help of other teachers, he demonstrated in front of students how to boil water
and milk for drinking. He explained chlorination and how alum could be used to
purify water. He told them that if students could advise their parents and
families to follow those safe practices, they could stay away from the deadly
cholera. Booklets written in Marathi asserting the importance of hygiene were
distributed to students.
Cholera
is an acute diarrhoeal disease transmitted primarily by ingestion of faecally
contaminated water. Besides water, foods have also been recognised as an
important vehicle for transmission of the disease. With undisputed origins in
South Asia, it became a pandemic from 1817 onwards. Colonial rule in the
nineteenth century blamed Indians’ lack of a sense of sanitation and hygiene
for periodic outbreaks of not only cholera, but also plague, smallpox, and
malaria.
Cholera
epidemics in the last two centuries have generated varying responses by
different groups in society. The distinction between social classes, religions,
and nations could be understood through a prism of the disease and its
relationship with food and hygiene.
Initial
widespread incidences of cholera were recorded in Poona in 1817 and 1823. Civil
surgeon Dr Walter assiduously aided his limited establishment even as the
mortality averaged daily from twenty to thirty. He arranged to provide the
victims with the “cholera mixture” and rice water at every chowk in the city.
The
fourth cholera pandemic that began in India in 1863 attacked Europe, and later
the Americas, via the Mediterranean. The sea traffic between the Port of Aden
and the Red Sea sent the disease into Jeddah. In 1865, fifteen thousand
pilgrims died during the Hajj.
This put
a spotlight on Hindu and Muslim pilgrims who were blamed for the global spread
of the disease. It also popularised the (now outdated) theory of “miasma” that
inferred that “dirty” and heavily populated cities of the East that were
heavily trafficked by pilgrims were a health threat to Western Europeans who
had abandoned pilgrimage several centuries earlier.
Those
supporting the “miasma” theory called for better sanitation in India and other
European colonies. Attendees of The Third International Commission on Cholera,
held in Istanbul on February 13, 1866, unanimously agreed that Indians greatly
contributed to the spread of the disease and that the government had to act
immediately to arrest it by maintaining hygiene. The “Indianisation” of the
disease was complete.
Opponents
of the “miasma” theory advocated quarantine as a measure to restrain cholera.
Pilgrims and traders were prohibited from travelling during cholera outbreaks.
Indians, on the other hand, believed that cholera became a widespread problem
due to British military campaigns. It often happened that detachments marching
in India, on arriving at certain encampments, became attacked with the disease.
The outbreak of 1817, concurrent with the war against the Maratha Empire, and
that of 1857, concurrent with the mutiny were cited as examples. However, the
causes of the disease were largely unknown and speculative.
Surgeon-General
William James Moore of the Bombay Presidency wrote in “A Manual of Family
Medicine for India” in 1874 – “(Cholera) is generally admitted to be an
invisible poison, which may be transmitted from adjacent places through the
air; which may be conveyed from place to place by human beings, or by other agencies;
and which may contaminate drinking water or food, and may thus be taken into
the system”. It was he who pitched for better sanitation measures, including
water purification at cantonments, not out of love for Indians, but because the
disease was killing the British troops.
By the
late nineteenth century, the new understanding held that a living germ caused
cholera that was carried in the gut, and in the faecal matter and vomit of a
cholera patient. The dejecta infected water supplies and new victims. Thus, it
was now understood that the movement of infected people from one place to
another spread the disease. No wonder pilgrimages were considered breeding
grounds for epidemics.
Cholera
made an appearance in July and August every year in and around Poona in the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Lectures promoting good sanitation
practices were organised in Poona, Alandi, Solapur, and Pandharpur before and
during the “Ashadhi” and “Kartiki” fairs in the early 1900s.
The
Poona Municipality Health Department placed an advertisement every year a
little before “Devashayani Ashadhi Ekadashi” cautioning citizens about the
importance of drinking clean water to avoid cholera. By then, it was recognised
that as the disease spread within the community, secondary transmission via
food and food handlers and person-to-person increased.
Pilgrims
returning from Pandharpur were asked to report to the authorities if they
showed any symptoms of the disease. Do not drink water from wells, boil water
and milk, do not eat sweets with house flies hovering over them, wash hands
before eating, do not eat streetside food, get vaccinated, they were told by
the Poona Municipality. Women were asked to not use water from wells for
cooking and drinking. Hands were to be washed with mild carbolic acid before
cooking meals. Potassium permanganate and alum were distributed in Poona during
the monsoons. The chemical was looked at with suspicion by many natives who
thought that the pink-purple powder would cause impotence.
Pilgrims
flocked to Alandi on “Ashadh Vadya Ekadashi”. They believed that their
pilgrimage to Pandharpur was incomplete without visiting the shrine of Saint
Dnyaneshwar. While most pilgrims walked to Alandi, few chose to travel by a
special shuttle bus service from Shaniwarwada. They carried drinking water with
them in brass pots. In 1933, PD Kulkarni, President of Alandi Municipality, and
sanitary inspector Tambolkar assured pilgrims that they had taken adequate
measures to provide clean water and in a bid to assure them, drank the same
water in front of them.
Though
sanitary “raids” had largely ceased after the plague outbreak of 1897 in the
Bombay Presidency, officials from the Poona Municipality and the sanitary
department made surprise visits to houses and “wadas” they suspected of storing
polluted water. From the early twentieth century, Poona Municipality officials
began to examine the condition of public water supplies and private wells to
examine contamination. In the 1930s, owners of filthy wells and houses with leaky
drainages were shamed publicly by printing their names in newspapers.
Reports
from Marathi newspapers indicate that it was widely believed that cholera was
caused by eating rotten fruits, especially mango. Raids were conducted at Ray
Market (Mahatma Phule Mandai) to confiscate rotten fruits and vegetables.
Some
Europeans living in nineteenth-century India believed that cholera was caused
by the consumption of veal, raw milk taken with fish, or shellfish, and all
dishes cooked with milk; such as rice pudding, cream puffs, and ice cream.
Unripe and overripe fruit, especially if taken with large draughts of ice
water, would also cause it, according to them. Hence, these foods were avoided
during the cholera outbreak in cantonments and European settlements in India.
Some
medical practitioners in Europe advised adding a tablespoonful of dilute
sulphuric acid to every gallon of drinking water as it was thought to possess
the “power” of destroying the “infectious material of cholera”. A little sugar
was to be added, if the water was distasteful. However, in 1921, doctors at the
Sassoon Hospital cautioned people against adding acid to drinking water.
European
doctors in Poona instructed children suffering from cholera to be put on a diet
of raw white of egg, gelatin, barley water, and chicken or meat broth. Milk was
not to be given until diarrhoea had stopped. For adults, tincture of opium was
thought to be a somewhat effective treatment. It was combined with large doses
of calomel. After the vomiting had ceased, cold water or iced lemonade was
given from time to time. Linseed tea with a little gum acacia was also
suggested. Sago gruel and arrowroot porridge were prescribed during the
recovery.
Till the
1940s, cholera killed around half the people who became sick, and no one knew
how to cure it. It symbolised native vulnerability in the face of poverty and
underdevelopment. It became a vehicle for Western colonists to assert their
dominance and imperialism. It also brought forth the role of food as medicine.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/pune-news/taste-of-life-when-hindu-muslim-pilgrims-were-blamed-for-global-spread-of-cholera-101722451843131.html
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75 camps
in forests, eye on tunnels, and weapons with village defence committees –
Centre’s plan to tackle terror in Jammu
August
1, 2024
Over 75
camps with personnel of the Special Operations Group (SOG) in forest areas;
regular training for Village Defence Committees (VDCs) with traditional as well
as semi-automatic weapons; and an increased deployment of BSF personnel on the
border with a special focus on tunnels – these are some of the key points of a
security plan the Centre has prepared for Jammu, The Indian Express has learnt.
In the
wake of an uptick in terror attacks in the region, including many that
inflicted casualties on security forces, multiple meetings were held by Union
Home Minister Amit Shah and senior ministry officials with National Security
Advisor Ajit Doval, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and senior
officials from the Army and CRPF.
According
to a source, questioning of those suspected to have provided logistics to
terrorists suggests a group of 30-40 persons from Pakistan, belonging to the
Jaish-e-Mohammed, have infiltrated into Jammu and are hiding in the forests of
Kathua, Doda, Udhampur, Kishtwar and Samba.
“Most of
the people approached by them are local cattle traders. They take down their
details and give them Rs 500-1,000, and ask for enough food to be packed for
seven days,” said a source.
The
Jammu region shares 485 kilometres of the border with Pakistan, interspersed
with dense forests and mountainous terrain.
According
to sources, strategic points have been identified to set up SOG camps, where
personnel will be deployed from the local police, CRPF and Army. “They will
conduct daily patrolling to look for terrorists,” a source said.
Significantly,
it has also been decided to restart regular training for VDCs in using weapons
such as the traditional .303 rifles and semi-automatic SLRs. “It also came to
light that terrorists are using the personal hotspot connections of villagers
to make VoIP (voice over internet protocol) calls to their handlers in
Pakistan. Efforts will be made to spread awareness among villagers not to share
their internet hotspot or WiFi password with any stranger. Punitive action will
be taken if they do,” said a source.
Recently,
the Centre also ordered the extraction of two BSF battalions, comprising more
than 2,000 personnel, from Odisha to beef up security in the Jammu region.
“The
decision was taken to strengthen the deployment in the border areas,
specifically around tunnels to prevent infiltration. The troops of these two
units are expected to be based in Samba and near the Jammu-Punjab border,” a
source said.
The BSF
guards more than 2,289 kilometres of the International Boundary that runs along
Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat in India’s western flank. The Jammu area
is vulnerable to cross-border tunnels and its dense forests and mountainous
terrain make it an ideal ground for terrorists to launch attacks against
civilians and security forces.
On
Tuesday, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai told the Lok
Sabha that the Centre has a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism. “The
approach of the government is to dismantle the terror ecosystem. Security
measures are being strengthened to sustain peace and stability in J&K. The
strategies adopted and action taken for containing acts of terror incidents in
Jammu and Kashmir include effective, continuous and sustained actions against
terrorists and support structures; dismantling of terror ecosystem using whole
of government approach; crackdown on terror finance such as seizure/attachment
of properties belonging to terrorists and their associates under relevant
section of the law; and banning of anti-national organisations,” he said.
Rai also
said preventive operations involve identifying the strategic supporters of
terrorism and initiating investigations to expose their mechanisms of aiding
and abetting terrorism. He said that a “multi-pronged strategy to prevent
infiltration” is being followed, including “enhancement of counter insurgency
grid, special focus on modernisation and strengthening of security equipment,
intensified cordon and search operations to effectively deal with challenges
posed by terrorist organisations, sharing of intelligence inputs on a real-time
basis among all security forces operating in Jammu and Kashmir, and day and
night area domination”.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/camps-forests-tunnels-weapons-defence-committees-terror-jammu-9486654/
--------
Act on
'Israel arms suppliers': Eminent personalities write to defence minister
Rajnath Singh
01.08.24
Retired
judges, bureaucrats and other eminent personalities have written to defence
minister Rajnath Singh seeking the cancellation of licences to companies supplying
arms to Israel amid the Gaza war, saying it is a serious violation of India’s
obligations under international law.
“We are
writing to you as concerned citizens, alarmed at the continued grant of export
licences and permissions to various Indian companies, for the supply of
military arms and munitions to Israel, since the war on Gaza began,” the letter
said.
The
International Court of Justice (ICJ), the letter mentioned, has ruled that
Israel has violated obligations under the Genocide Convention and was in
illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.
“In
light of these rulings, any supply of military material to Israel would amount
to a violation of India’s obligations under international humanitarian law and
the mandate of Article 21 read with Article 51 (c) of the Constitution of
India. We urge you, therefore, to cancel the concerned export licences and halt
the granting of any new licences to companies supplying military equipment to
Israel,” the letter said.
So far,
India has neither confirmed nor denied supplying weapons to Israel.
Pointing
out reports and information available in the public domain, the letter said at
least three companies in India had been granted licences to export arms and
military equipment to Israel during the ongoing war and after the ICJ rulings.
“These
licences have been obtained from either the Directorate General of Foreign
Trade or the Department of Defence Production that authorise export of arms and
munitions for military use and dual use purposes,” the letter said. “Having
voted in favour of a UN resolution on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in
December 2023, India’s abstention from voting on a resolution calling for
ceasefire and an arms embargo on Israel in April 2024, raises serious questions
regarding India’s possible complicity in aiding the war despite the ICJ ruling
on genocide.”
The
letter also highlighted that the grant of licences “constitutes a serious
violation of India’s obligations under international law and our own
Constitution”.
“International
law aside, we consider such exports to be morally objectionable, indeed
abominable. We demand, therefore, that India should immediately suspend its
collaboration in the delivery of military material to Israel. Further, India
must immediately make every effort to ensure that weapons already delivered to
Israel are not used to contribute to acts of genocide or violations of
international humanitarian law,” it said. “The details of export licences,
including the country to which exports are being made, should continue to be in
the public domain, as was available on the website earlier. You are therefore
requested to review and cancel/suspend all existing licences for supply of
military arms and munitions by Indian companies to Israel.”
The
signatories included former Supreme Court judges, Justices Ruma Pal, B.
Sudarshan Reddy and S.N. Variava, former chief information commissioner Wajahat
Habibullah, author Arundhati Roy, social activists Harsh Mander and Aruna Roy
and economist Jean Dreze.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/act-on-israel-arms-suppliers-eminent-personalities-write-to-defence-minister-rajnath-singh/cid/2037719
--------
Jammu
and Kashmir government grants proprietary rights on state land to thousands of
Hindu Pakistan 'refugees'
01.08.24
The
Jammu and Kashmir government has granted proprietary rights on state land to
thousands of Hindu families who had migrated from Pakistan to Jammu in the wake
of the 1947 Partition, offering yet another concession to them after giving
them the right to buy land and get jobs in the Union Territory.
The
government has also greenlighted the construction of 6,000 new transit homes
for Kashmiri migrant government employees, mostly Kashmiri Pandits, as part of
an initiative to incentivise their return to the Valley.
West
Pakistan refugees — named after the former territory that is now known as
Pakistan — have been living in Jammu, mainly in Jammu city, Kathua, Samba and
Rajouri districts since 1947.
They
were not entitled to state government jobs or own property because of
restrictions on outsiders put by Article 370 over fears that they were a step
in the direction of changing the Muslim majority character of Jammu and
Kashmir.
Already
granted domicile rights after the 2019 scrapping of special status, the
lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha-led administrative council on Tuesday made them
the owners of the land on which they have lived for decades. The meeting was
attended by Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, adviser to the Jammu and Kashmir government;
chief secretary Atal Dulloo and principal secretary to the LG, Mandeep K.
Bhandari.
An
official spokesman said they were conferred proprietary rights in addition to
those families who were displaced by the 1965 war — internally relocated from
border areas to interior areas. People displaced by the 1947 and 1971 wars had
already availed themselves of the concession.
The
spokesman called it a significant decision to end discrimination against the
“displaced persons” from West Pakistan. They have been traditionally called
refugees but the ruling dispensation calls them displaced persons (DPs). Many
of them had got domicile rights before 2019 through the backdoor.
“This
shall significantly empower thousands of families across Jammu region. It is
pertinent to mention that post re-organisation in 2019, domicile rights have
been conferred by the government of India to the West Pakistan displaced
persons,” the spokesman said.
“The
decision fulfils demands of all connected families, which have been requesting
ownership rights for the past so many decades. Vesting of proprietary rights to
West Pakistan displaced persons on state land would bring them on a par with
the displaced persons of PoJK (Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir) and their
long-pending demand will also be fulfilled”.
Labha
Ram Gandhi, a prominent leader of West Pakistan refugees, said 5,764 families
had come to Jammu and Kashmir from West Pakistan during the Partition and their
number has since swelled to 22,170 families. They were allotted four acres of
agricultural land per family and they settled in the districts of Jammu.
“The
government decision will give us ownership rights over 46,666 kanals (5,833
acres) of land. This will benefit 20 per cent of families because 80 per cent
of families are living on evacuee land. We hope the government will grant us
proprietary rights on that land as well,” Labha Ram told The Telegraph.
Labha
Ram was referring to land that was owned by Muslims in Jammu who were
reportedly forced to leave the region or killed during riots in 1947.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-government-grants-proprietary-rights-on-state-land-to-thousands-of-hindu-pakistan-refugees/cid/2037716
--------
Pakistan
Foreign
journalist seeking audience with Imran ‘deported’
August
1, 2024
ISLAMABAD:
A British-American author and journalist, who had been trying to secure a
meeting with incarcerated former PM Imran Khan, was told by law enforcement
agencies on Wednesday that his visa had been cancelled and he had five hours to
leave the country.
Charles
Glass, 73, is an author, journalist, broadcaster, and publisher who
specialises in the Middle East and World War II. He has served prominent media
organisations such as Newsweek, ABC TV, and The Telegraph, among others, and
currently works as a freelance journalist.
Sources
said that Mr Glass, who was recently spotted outside Adiala jail alongside Mr
Khan’s sister Aleema, was at the residence of Islamabad-based senior journalist
Zahid Hussain when they were visited by a large police contingent.
Around
noon on Wednesday, a team led by an assistant superintendent of police (ASP)
arrived, initially saying they wanted to meet the foreign journalist. They then
informed Mr Glass that his visa had been cancelled, and after arguing for
nearly an hour, the ASP reportedly told the journalist he had to leave the
country by 5pm.
“Mr
Glass wondered how he would secure a flight and said his luggage is still at
[his lodgings]. The ASP offered to accompany him to the hotel to collect his
luggage and informed him that there was a flight to Abu Dhabi available at 4pm,
which he should take to leave the country. The ASP said he had a clear order to
deport the journalist,” sources said.
Sources
said that Mr Glass was initially taken to his lodgings to collect his luggage,
and then deported to the Middle East.
Shahzad
Akbar, a former aide of ex-PM Imran Khan, also mentioned this on social media.
“There are reports of the deportation of British journalist Charles Glass who
was visiting Pakistan to see @ImranKhanPTI at Adiala prison,” he wrote on X,
formerly Twitter.
Sources
said that Mr Glass had been trying to secure an interview with the incarcerated
PTI founder, and it was possible that his tourist visa was cancelled because of
this.
However,
Kohsar SHO Shafqat Faiz denied any such activity within their jurisdiction.
Dawn
reached out to IGP Ali Nasir Rizvi for comment on the issue, but he did not
respond.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1849289/foreign-journalist-seeking-audience-with-imran-deported
--------
Controversial
elections act amendment rushed through NA panel
August
1, 2024
ISLAMABAD:
As the government struggles to prevent the emergence of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf
as the single largest party in the National Assembly, a controversial bill
seeking to bar the PTI-backed ‘independent’ legislators from joining the party
was rushed through the NA Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, on
Wednesday.
The
committee met a day after the bill was introduced in the assembly by PML-N
lawmaker Bilal Azhar Kayani.
Shahida
Akhtar of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) opted to abstain from voting. She,
however, observed that such a legislation would weaken the parliament and
criticised the government for bulldozing legislation when it wants.
Law
Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar briefed the committee on the proposed amendment to
sections 66 and 106 of the Elections Act 2017 XXXIII of 2017 and insertion of
Section 104A in the Act. The amendment aims to provide clarity in the law
according to the true spirit of the Constitution, he said.
The
minister said that the bill has been designed to explicitly provide for that no
independent candidate or candidates shall exercise his/their right to join a
political party at a subsequent stage after the period specified for the
purpose in the Constitution and Law, and that the consent of an independent
candidate once given for joining a political party for the purpose of clause
(6) of Article 51 or clause (3) of Article 106 shall be irrevocable.
He said
lawmaking is the job of parliament, and courts can only interpret the
Constitution. He said parliament can enact a law where it sees its jurisdiction
is being encroached upon and the Constitution is being re-written. He said the
bill would remove many confusions.
The
defence of a private member bill by the law minister surprised PTI’s Ali
Muhammad Khan, who sought to know if the government wanted to adopt it.
In
response to Mr Ali Muhammad’s remarks, Mr Kayani — who had moved the bill —
said a political party which fails to provide the list of its candidates for
reserved seats within the legal timeline loses the right to claim these seats.
He said if an independent candidate after his victory joins a political party,
cannot join another party afterwards.
Sahibzada
Sibghatullah asked if it was the decision of the Election Commission of
Pakistan (ECP) or somebody else to deprive the PTI of its poll symbol.
Khurram
Shahzad Virk was of the view that the bill was not in the interest of
institutions and people of the country.
Mr Ali
Muhammad asked under which law the symbol of ‘bat’ was removed from the ballot
paper. He also asked why the ECP had recognised PTI after the Supreme Court
verdict.
The
meeting was attended by MNAs Raja Osama Sarwar, Shaikh Aftab Ahmed, Raja
Qamar-ul-Islam, Mahmood Bashir Virk, Saad Waseem, Khurram Virk, Malik Shah,
Naveed Aamir, Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Sahibzada Sibghatullah, Ali Muhammad Khan,
Hameed Hussain and Shahida Begum.
Minister
for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazeer Tarar, secretaries of the Ministry of
Parliamentary Affairs and ECP, Additional Secretary Mohammed Israr and joint
Secretary Muhammad Aslam from the Ministry of Law and Justice and other senior
officers also attended the meeting.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
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--------
Four
security men martyred in Pishin, Khyber attacks
August
1, 2024
Pishin
was rocked by two gun attacks within a span of eight hours, which claimed the
lives of two Levies officials and left the traffic police constable wounded.
The
attackers used automatic weapons on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday to
target a security check post in the Milizai area of Pishin district, police
said. The Levies personnel, Yasin Alyas and Abdul Qadeer, embraced martyrdom in
the shooting, the officials said, adding that the security personnel rushed to
the site and shifted the bodies to the district hospital.
The
second attack in Pishin was carried out just within a span of eight hours while
officials were engaged in initial investigation and arrangements for the
funeral of the martyrs. Armed men riding motorcycles targeted a traffic
policeman performing his duty at Jan Adha area of the busy Pishin Bazaar.
Attacks
carried out at midnight on check posts of Levies and KP police
The
constable, who received multiple bullet injuries, was immediately shifted to
Pishin district hospital.
Officials
said a search operation was launched in Pishin and surrounding areas to trace
out the elements involved in the armed attacks.
Pishin
Deputy Commissioner Jumma Dad Khan Mandokhail and other senior officials,
meanwhile, attended the funeral of the Levies personnel, who were later buried
in a local graveyard with full official honour.
Three
killed in Khyber
Another
midnight attack on a check post, this time in the Landi Kotal area of Khyber
district, claimed the lives of two policemen and a civilian, besides leaving a
police official and several others injured, officials said.
They
said an unknown number of militants opened fire on the Charwazgai check post,
situated on the main Torkhum Highway, near the Landi Kotal army camp.
They
said that police sub-inspector Alamzeb Afridi and constable Sher Alam along
with a civilian Naib Shah were martyred on the spot, while the official in
charge of the security post Kumandan Afridi and a watchman of a nearby petrol
pump received injuries in the indiscriminate firing.
Police
officials said that after the retaliatory firing by the police present at the
check post, the attackers managed to escape.
A
contingent of additional police force immediately reached the spot and
conducted a search operation, besides increasing patrol. The injured police
official and civilian were then rushed to hospital in Peshawar for treatment.
The main
road leading to Torkham, however, remained open on Wednesday morning.
Funerals
of both policemen and a civilian were later offered at Tatara ground.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
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--------
Three
killed in ‘encounter’ with Elite Force in Bahawalpur
August
1, 2024
BAHAWALPUR:
Three dacoity suspects were allegedly killed in an encounter with Elite Force
at Madina Chowk on Mailsi Road in Khairpur Tamewali, about 45kms from here on
Tuesday night.
According
to a police spokesman, three unidentified armed suspects looted valuables from
a shop and were fleeing away on a motorcycle when locals informed police about
the incident.
Acting
swiftly, the police and Elite Force personnel chased the suspect.
He
claimed that the suspects opened fire on the Elite Force vehicle which was
retaliated, and during the crossfire all the there were killed.
The
police found the looted items and a motorcycle near the unidentified suspects’
bodies,
which
were shifted to the Khairpur Tamewali THQ Hospital.
The
police also registered an FIR (No.704/24) under sections 324, 353, 186, and 427
of the PPC on the complaint of Elite Force in charge Muhammad Sajjad.
GANGS
BUSTED: Lodhran police claimed to have busted 22 crime gangs and recovered
stolen property and valuables worth about Rs40 million from their 60 arrested
members during the last two-and-a-half-months.
At a
press conference, Lodhran DPO Kamran Mumtaz said 61 snatched motorcycles and
Rs3.7 million were recovered from the suspects’ possession. He said the
recovered booty was returned to the owners.
He also
claimed that during this period as many as 566 proclaimed offender (POs) and
360 drug traffickers were arrested in the district.
SEALED:
A safety team of the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) in a raid sealed a factory,
after recovering candies which were found injurious to health.
The PFA
team slapped Rs50,000 fine on the owner.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1849271/three-killed-in-encounter-with-elite-force-in-bahawalpur
--------
Balochistan
lawmakers push for political dialogue
July 31,
2024
QUETTA:
Amid a lingering stalemate and exchange of blame, lawmakers from both sides of
the political divide in the Balochistan Assembly on Tuesday called upon the
government and the leadership of Gwadar protests to resolve all issues through
negotiations in a democratic manner.
The
situation in the port city of Gwadar has been tense since Saturday, with the
protesters and authorities blaming each other for the violence that has led to
casualties on both sides. On Monday, the military said a soldier was martyred
and 16 other security personnel, including an officer, were injured in firing
by “an unruly mob” in Gwadar during clashes between the forces and supporters
of the Balochistan Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
However,
BYC leader Dr Mahrang Baloch claimed that hundreds of their supporters had been
arrested over the past two days.
Taking
part in a debate on the matter, BNP-Awami President Mir Asadullah Baloch
questioned the state of democracy, where people are barred from holding
meetings. He said the protesters are unarmed, and the government should refrain
from using force.
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Government
urged to refrain from using force against Gwadar protesters
He
criticised the use of containers and violence against people, asking what has
been achieved.
He
lamented that wrong policies have led to the country’s global defamation.
Mr
Baloch said arms are meant for the enemy, not for the people, adding that the
entire world is watching Gwadar, and every Baloch household has a martyr,
leading to widespread resentment and people joining the armed resistance. He
said negotiations should be held with Dr Mahrang to address the prevailing
situation.
National
Party’s Khair Jan Baloch said his party supports the right to peaceful protest,
as enshrined in the Constitution, and condemns all forms of violence that
foster hatred. He emphasised that the solution to Balochistan’s crisis requires
collective effort.
The
government must address the underlying issues, as failure to engage the youth
constructively will exacerbate the situation, he said, adding that for a
lasting peace, the province should be governed through political means, rather
than force.
PPP
lawmaker Meena Majeed emphasised that freedom of expression does not entitle
individuals to speak on behalf of others while disrespecting them. She strongly
condemned the use of derogatory language against Baloch women, saying it’s a
violation of Balochistan’s values. She urged all members of the assembly to
take a stand and not remain silent spectators in the face of such injustices.
Opposition
leader Mir Younis Aziz Zehri condemned the politics of hatred, emphasising that
resolving Balochistan’s issues requires a choice between violence and
negotiations. He stressed that negotiations are the only viable solution, and
urged the government to engage in democratic negotiations and release arrested
individuals as a goodwill gesture.
Provincial
Minister for Irrigation Mir Sadiq Umrani said the PPP stands firmly against
terrorism, extending an invitation to the opposition and protesters to join
hands in contributing to Pakistan’s development and prosperity. He condemned
the anti-Pakistan slogans raised in Gwadar, reaffirming the PPP’s commitment to
finding solutions through dialogue.
MPA
Maulana Hidyatur Rehman said Gwadar is currently facing turmoil. He strongly
condemned the shooting of women, resulting in three casualties. “We condemn the
killings, regardless of whether they are committed by the government or the
Baloch Liberation Army,” the Maulana said.
He said
the chief minister had announced that highways would remain open, but the next
day containers were placed on all highways across Balochistan. He lamented that
the use of force has turned Balochistan into a graveyard, with a curfew in
place in Gwadar. “We will protect CPEC, but it cannot be protected by bullets.”
MPA Mir
Zabid Ali Reki proposed forming a committee consisting of respected tribal
elders to facilitate negotiations as only dialogue can resolve issues. He
called for releasing all detainees and suggested shutting down social media,
which he blamed for disrupting the system.
Kalsoom
Niaz of the National Party questioned the ban on gatherings in Gwadar,
contrasting it with the allowance of similar events in Islamabad. She
criticised the provincial government’s complete lockdown, leading to food
shortages, and demanded the release of all arrested individuals.
Ms Niaz
emphasised the importance of peaceful politics and resolving Balochistan’s
issues through dialogue to eliminate the culture of violence.
BAP
lawmaker Farah Azim Shah observed that protests often erupt whenever
Balochistan makes progress. “Slogans against our institutions and government
were raised in Gwadar.”
The
assembly session was adjourned until Thursday afternoon.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1849095/balochistan-lawmakers-push-for-political-dialogue
--------
Pakistan
'deeply shocked' by Ismail Haniyeh's assassination
July 31,
2024
Pakistan,
in the wake of the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail
Haniyeh, Wednesday expressed serious concern over the growing Israeli adventurism
in the region.
In a
statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the spokesperson
condemned the killing of the Palestinian leader, further viewing Israel's
latest acts as a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region and
undermine efforts for peace.
"We
are deeply shocked by the timing of this reckless act, coinciding with the
inauguration of the President of Iran, an event attended by several foreign
dignitaries, including the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan," the
ministry said in its statement.
The
spokesperson mentioned that Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations including extrajudicial and extraterritorial killings
irrespective of the motives.
Islamabad
also extended its condolences to Haniyeh's family and the people of Palestine.
Haniyeh,
the leader of the Palestinian resistance group, who was in Iran to attend the
swearing in ceremony of the reformist president Masoud Pezeshkian was killed at
his residence.
Iran's
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in a statement, said that Hamas chief
and one of his bodyguards were killed after their residence in Tehran was
targeted.
The
country's state-run news agency IRNA said Haniyeh was attacked via an air-borne
guided projectile that struck a house in the north of Tehran at around 2am
local time.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1215215-pakistan-deeply-shocked-by-ismail-haniyehs-assassination
--------
Three
martyred as terrorists target police checkpoint in Khyber
July 31,
2024
KHYBER:
At least two police personnel and a civilian were martyred Wednesday after
terrorists targeted a checkpoint in Khyber district's Charwazagai area, said
the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police.
Terrorists,
according to District Police Officer (DPO) Saleem Abbas, launched a gun attack
at a police checkpoint on the Pak-Afghan highway near the Landi Kotal Bazar.
Those
martyred in the attack, as per the police, included Assistant Sub Inspector
(ASI) Alamzeb, while the injured included one policemen and a civilian.
Following
the attack, the terrorists fled the scene.
According
to the police, the civilians martyred and injured in the attack were passersby.
The policemen and civilians were initially rushed to the Landi Kotal Hospital
for immediate medical assistance, but were later shifted to the Hayatabad
Medical Complex in Peshawar due to their critical condition.
The
police station, attacked by the terrorists, was established on the Pak-Afghan highway
at a distance of three kilometers from the Landi Kotal Bazar.
According
to the DPO, security was placed on high alert throughout the district in the
wake of the incident.
The
attack on police personnel comes at a time when Pakistan, particularly its KP
and Balochistan provinces, are witnessing a surge in terror activities for the
past few months.
During
the second quarter of 2024, the country encountered 380 violence-linked
fatalities and 220 injuries which included causalities of civilians, security
personnel, and outlaws as a result of as many as 240 incidents of terror
attacks and counter-terror operations, a Centre for Research and Security
Studies (CRSS) Annual Security report mentioned.
KP and
Balochistan, both of which share borders with neighbouring Afghanistan, have
faced the brunt of terrorist attacks and reported nearly 92% of all fatalities
and 87% of attacks — wherein the former suffered 67% and the latter 25% of all
fatalities in the second quarter of 2024.
The
federal government, with the aim to cope with rising terrorism, including
cross-border infiltration, the federal government last month approved launching
a strategic campaign "Azm-e-Istehkam", a renewed national anti-terror
drive as part of the National Action Plan.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1215166-three-martyred-as-terrorists-target-police-checkpoint-in-khyber
--------
Pakistan,
UAE agree to strengthen bilateral ties
August
01, 2024
UAE
Ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi called on Minister
for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan in Islamabad.
They
discussed bilateral trade and investment opportunities between the two
countries.
Talking
to him, the Minister underscored the longstanding and amicable relations
between Pakistan and the UAE, emphasizing the need to expedite key investment
projects.
Jam
Kamal highlighted the manifold benefits that the Karachi-Pipri Freight Corridor
Project would bring to Pakistan.
Speaking
on the occasion, the UAE Ambassador emphasized that the two countries have
enjoyed long-standing, fraternal relations and expressed confidence that these
ties will continue to grow stronger overtime.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/01-08-2024/jam-kamal-emphasizes-to-accelerate-pak-uae-key-investment-projects
--------
North America
Gaza,
Islamophobia, Family and the Environment Are the Top Issues for Muslim-American
Voters in 2024
July 31,
2024
For
months, as the war in Gaza raged on and student protests overtook American
campuses, the question of just how much President Joe Biden’s steadfast support
for Israel amid the war’s escalation would cost Democrats fueled endless debate.
Many
speculated that the anger that fueled the protests would come home to roost in
November, as Muslim Americans in key swing states who had voted for Biden in
2020 would stay home, or worse, vote for Republican former President Donald
Trump. Those fears appeared to pan out in state elections and primaries, as
Muslim Americans chose to write in other candidates or voted “uncommitted” in
protest.
Now with
the presidential race in disarray after Biden abandoned his reelection bid,
observers are wondering whether Vice President Kamala Harris can reclaim those
voters lost to the war in Gaza.
A new
poll has shed light on the depths of Muslim-American disillusionment with the
Democrats’ policies on the war in Gaza. But it also shows that many have not
chosen to vote for Trump and may yet be swayed by the Harris campaign as it
struggles to define its message on the conflict.
The
study, which was conducted by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
(ISPU) in partnership with Change Research and Emgage Foundation shortly before
Biden dropped out of the race, offers both an insight and opportunity for the
Democrats: an insight into how crucial Gaza has been to Muslim
American-perceptions of the presidential race and an opportunity to offer a
Kamala Harris candidacy as a “face-saving” measure, potentially bringing
disaffected Muslim voters back to vote for a Democratic president.
The war
has especially upset Muslims who voted for Biden in 2020, the majority of whom
said before his departure that they did not plan to vote for him in 2024 as a
result of his policies, according to the report.
In 2020,
65% of Muslim voters chose Biden over Trump. That percentage may have played a
pivotal role in the results of three swing states that Biden won and that
essentially decided the race — Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia.
But the
recent poll found that only 12% of Muslim voters said, when Biden was still the
presumptive Democratic nominee, that they intended to vote for him. The data
also suggests that the Muslim turn away from Biden has not translated into
votes for Trump, though if large numbers of them vote for other candidates the
result may still be a boon for Trump.
Gaza is
the primary reason that Muslims who voted for Biden say they would not vote for
him again.
Perhaps
most relevant to the campaign of Harris, is the fact that the majority of
Muslim voters say a permanent cease-fire in Gaza will strengthen the likelihood
of their vote for a candidate regardless of party affiliation.
Muslims
are the most likely religious group to identify as “independent” voters.
Among
the study’s conclusions is that the data “suggests the Muslim migration away
from Biden is primarily animated by anger at his Gaza policy.” Almost 9 out of
10 Muslim voters who had planned to vote for Biden and a similar proportion of
Muslim swing voters say a permanent cease-fire in Gaza would make them more
likely to vote for a candidate who supports it. And almost three-quarters of
Muslims who voted for Trump in 2020 say a permanent cease-fire would make them
more likely to vote for him in 2024. The latter population marks a departure
from the general Trump voter, where almost half say they feel indifferent about
a cease-fire. (About 1 in 4 say it would increase the likelihood of them voting
for Trump, while another 1 in 5 say it would decrease the likelihood, making
the effect almost a net zero.)
Muslim
support for Trump was low in 2020 — about 18% — and this portion remains
relatively stable as 22% said they planned to vote for the former president.
Muslims
who support Trump hold views consistent with Muslim voters overall when it
comes to a permanent Gaza cease-fire, with 72% supporting it. But they break
with their party on the issue as well as on countering Islamophobia (non-Muslim
Trump supporters are generally indifferent about these), and on aid to Israel,
strongly supported by non-Muslim Trump voters.
But they
are on par with the general Trump voter when it comes to social issues such as
traditional family and gender roles.
The
report also found that regardless of party affiliation, the majority of Muslim
voters care about environmental issues. This puts Muslim voters who support
Trump somewhat at odds with general Trump voters, of whom 1 in 4 say
environmental policies would lessen their support for a candidate.
Before
Biden dropped out of the race, there was a spirited conversation within the
American Muslim community about how to punish the president for his handling of
Gaza. One response was the “Abandon Biden” movement, which urged Muslim
Americans to “actively campaign against” Biden’s reelection, especially in key
swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Egyptian-American
comedian Bassem Youssef gave visceral expression to this view when he told the
BBC in February that he wanted Biden to lose over Gaza.
“I don’t
care about Trump winning, but I want Joe Biden to lose,” said Youssef. “The
Democrats are blackmailing us. It’s like if you don’t vote for Biden, Trump
will come,” he added.
Another
approach was the “uncommitted” voter campaign aimed at applying voter pressure
on Biden to call for a cease-fire. By checking an “uncommitted” box in
Democratic Party primaries rather than casting their votes for Biden, these
voters withheld their support for the president, effectively sending him the
message that they were open to voting for him in the general election, the
large caveat being that he would have to win their support by changing course
on the war. In Michigan, over 100,000 people, close to 13% of the total Democratic
vote — far exceeding the margin of Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump in that
swing state — voted “uncommitted.” This movement quickly spread to other
battleground states, such as Wisconsin, where “uninstructed” (Wisconsin’s
equivalent of “uncommitted”) garnered more than 47,000 votes in the Democratic
primary — more than twice the margin by which Biden won the state in the
general election four years ago.
This
mobilization sent shockwaves through the Biden campaign and greatly affected
the Democratic Party, as New Lines reported in May.
With the
vote expected to be tight in swing states, Democrats will be wondering whether
the change of their candidate offers a potential way back to the White House in
2024. As the survey demonstrates, Muslim voters who have deserted the Democrats
have not gone over to Trump but instead to third parties, suggesting that a
Harris presidential run could offer them a way to vote Democratic without
supporting Biden personally.
There
remain a sizable number of “Never Bidens” who feel the president’s conduct
during the Gaza war merits punishment, which could now extend to Democrats in
general. Biden carries a lot of baggage as a result of the war, not merely in
terms of his policies, but also because of his comportment. Many Muslim voters
say they felt unheard and unseen by the president since the war in Gaza
started. They feel he showed insufficient sympathy to the suffering and death
of Palestinian civilians as he sometimes used his platform to parrot Israeli
far-right propaganda points that dehumanized Palestinians en masse.
Some
Muslim leaders have been privately willing to give Harris the benefit of the
doubt. Since she started her presidential campaign, Harris has tried to tread a
delicate path over Gaza — not criticizing the sitting president but indicating
she will take a harder line on Israel and push for a peaceful solution. She
declined to preside over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress
and let it be known after her meeting with the Israeli prime minister that she
would “not be silent” over the suffering of Palestinians in the war.
Harris
has reportedly urged the White House to take a more sympathetic stance toward
the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. While criticizing the perceived excesses
of some pro-Palestinian protesters in the U.S., she has also taken a more
nuanced line on the protest movement as a whole, stating in a recent interview
that the protesters are “showing exactly what the human emotion should be, as a
response to Gaza.”
In an
appearance with Netanyahu during his recent visit to Washington, Harris also
gave a statement that seemed to put the onus on the Israeli leader to conclude
a cease-fire agreement in Gaza. While offering Israel “ironclad support,”
Harris also spoke at length about the suffering of Palestinians.
“The
images of dead children and desperate hungry people fleeing for safety,
sometimes displaced for the second, third or fourth time. We cannot look away
in the face of these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the
suffering, and I will not be silent,” Harris said.
Harris
has also drawn criticism from some Israeli officials over her statements on the
war, including calls for a cease-fire.
“Madam
candidate, there will be no cessation of hostilities,” Israeli National
Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote on the social media platform X.
Trump
has echoed these attacks over her stance on Israel-Palestine. In an interview
on WABC radio on July 30, Trump claimed that Harris looked uncomfortable while
meeting last week with Netanyahu.
“You can
see the disdain,” he said, adding, “Number one, she doesn’t like Israel. Number
two, she doesn’t like Jewish people. You know it, I know it and everybody knows
it and nobody wants to say it.” (Trump didn’t mention that Harris’ husband is
Jewish.)
All
rhetoric aside, whether a change of approach from the Democrats will realign
them with the voters they lost over Biden’s policy remains to be seen.
Source: newlinesmag.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/gaza-islamophobia-family-and-the-environment-are-the-top-issues-for-muslim-american-voters-in-2024/
--------
N.J. Bar
Forcibly Threw Me Out For Wearing Muslim Turban, Man Says In Lawsuit: Justice
Fitzgerald
Jul. 31,
2024
A Muslim
man has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the owners of the Homestead Bar
& Kitchen in Morristown accusing the establishment of forcibly removing him
from the bar for wearing a turban in observance of his religion.
Justice
Fitzgerald, 21, regularly wears his turban in public and in private to follow
the look of the Prophet Mohammed, according to the lawsuit filed on July 24 in
Superior Court of Morris County.
When he
tried to enter the Homestead Bar on Dehart Street, he was stopped at the door
by a manager who demanded he remove the turban, alleges the suit. The manager
told Fitzgerald only baseball caps were allowed, the lawsuit said.
The
Homestead Bar & Kitchen, located in downtown Morristown, bills itself as “a
popular late-night or happy hour hangout” and “the perfect place to gather.”
The
lawsuit, however, states bar workers assaulted Fitzgerald and threw him out
into the street, where he was met by waiting police officers.
In an
email to NJ Advance Media on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Homestead Bar
& Kitchen, which is owned by Dehart Associates LLC, denied the allegations
in the suit.
“We
don’t discriminate at all. Suffice to say, there are other sides to this
story,” the spokesperson said.
The
lawsuit alleges that before entering the establishment, Fitzgerald tried to
explain the religious significance of his turban, but he was forced to remove
the head covering before workers would let him inside.
Once
inside, Fitzgerald entered the bathroom and determined that he had been
discriminated against and placed the turban back on his head, the suit states.
After
sitting at a table, the manager tapped Fitzgerald on the shoulder and told him
to get out.
“After
being told the leave the bar, Justice requested a glass of water, which was
denied,” the suit says.
The
manager and another worker then grabbed Fitzgerald by the arm and tried to
force him out of the bar, according to the suit.
“In
removing him, (the defendants) slammed Justice’s left arm, left hand, and left
side of his head into the wall, which caused a laceration to his right elbow,
and burst a blood vessel in his right eye,” the suit alleges.
Once
outside, Fitzgerald was met by local police officers and bar employees accused
him of “causing trouble,” according to the lawsuit.
Police
declined to issue Fitzgerald a summons or charge him with any offense,
according to the suit.
“Immediately
after this incident, Justice left the area of the Homestead Bar & Kitchen,
and suffered extreme emotional distress, which was caused by the
discrimination, as well as the physical injuries suffered,” the suit says.
Fitzergald’s
lawsuit alleges assault and battery, negligence, and a violation of the New
Jersey Law Against Discrimination based on Fitzgerald’s religion, claiming the
business failed to train employees on anti-discrimination policies.
The
lawsuit also alleges civil liability for a bias crime, claiming that the
workers’ actions were motivated by religious bias.
In
addition to monetary damages, Fitzgerald’s attorneys are asking for an order
requiring the business to adopt anti-discrimination policies and allow
religious headdresses in the establishment.
Source: nj.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.nj.com/morris/2024/07/nj-bar-forcibly-threw-me-out-for-wearing-muslim-turban-man-says-in-lawsuit.html
--------
Man
Killed In 'Execution-Style' Shooting Was On His Way To Mosque, Police Say
Jul 31,
2024
A
43-year-old man was fatally shot Tuesday on his way to a prayer service at his mosque
in north Philadelphia in what police described as an “execution-type homicide.”
Police
identified Raheem Jefferson as the victim of the fatal shooting in the Al-Aqsa
Islamic Society parking lot, according to The Associated Press.
Surveillance
footage showed Jefferson walking toward the mosque with another man around 5
p.m. before a shooter ran up behind them and opened fire from a few feet away,
Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told reporters on Tuesday.
Jefferson
could then be seen falling to the ground as the shooter stood over him and
continued to fire a total of 17 shots at him, according to Small.
The
shooter then got into a dark sedan before driving off, Smalls said. Authorities
discovered Jefferson with a gunshot wound to the head and several gunshot
wounds to his torso. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
No
suspect has been identified or motive has been released. The Philadelphia
Police Department told HuffPost in an email on Wednesday that it had no further
updates.
Pennsylvania
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) addressed the incident on social media, saying that he’s
been to Al-Aqsa Islamic Society several times and is praying for the community.
“Violence
outside of a house of worship is deeply painful and traumatizing for those
simply showing up to worship and practice their faith,” he said.
Source: huffpost.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/philadelphia-mosque-shooting_n_66aa97dce4b029f42a088f83
--------
CAIR-NJ
to Hold 3rd Annual Muslim Youth Leadership Intensive in Trenton
July 31,
2024
On
August 2 to August 3, the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR-NJ), a chapter of the Nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and
advocacy organization, will hold its 3rd annual Muslim Youth Leadership
Intensive (MYLI) at the State House in Trenton.
This
year, CAIR-NJ is organizing its first overnight trip for MYLI, a program
designed to empower Muslim high school students with the knowledge and skills
to become future leaders in government, law, and media.
WHAT:
3rd Annual Muslim Youth Leadership Intensive
WHEN:
August 2 to August 3. Media opportunities include:
Jummah
(Congregational) Prayer: Friday, August 2, 12:15 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Understanding Civic Engagement Session:
Friday, August 2, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Conflict
Resolution and Problem-Solving: Saturday, August 3, 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Trenton
State House Scavenger Hunt: Friday, August 2, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
WHERE:
Trenton State House. Exact location upon request.
CONTACT:
Aya Elamroussi, 551-208-5482, aelamrousi@cair.com
Some 30
Muslim high school students will participate in this year’s program, the theme
of which is “Heroes of Tomorrow: Empowering Young Leaders.” Students will
participate in workshops and sessions on community organizing, leadership
development, public speaking and the importance of civic engagement and
advocacy.
“CAIR-NJ
is thrilled to organize its first overnight trip to the New Jersey State House
for this year’s Muslim Youth Leadership Intensive. We are excited to provide
crucial insight on leadership and advocacy efforts that are essential for the
betterment of our community,” said CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut.
“CAIR-NJ is proud to offer this program to our youth to help them become more
effective and impactful leaders starting in their local communities.”
CAIR is
America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization, with a
mission to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote
justice, and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-nj-to-hold-3rd-annual-muslim-youth-leadership-intensive-in-trenton/
--------
Mosque
attacked, police injured in far-right riot after 3 girls killed in mass
stabbing in England
July 31,
2024
(CN) —
Great Britain was in a state of shock Wednesday after far-right anti-immigrant
rioters injured more than 50 police officers and attacked a mosque in
Southport, a northwest English seaside town where three girls were killed by an
unidentified 17-year-old in a gruesome mass stabbing Monday.
The riot
broke out Tuesday evening only a few hours after a vigil was held for the three
girls slain in Monday's attacks at a Taylor Swift-themed summer dance and yoga
class. Ten other people were injured, among whom five children and two adults
remained in critical condition.
The
newly elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, faced his
first serious domestic test with the riot exposing widespread fears over
security and immigration amid a shuddering economy and a strengthening far
right. He paid tribute to the victims, police and emergency workers on Tuesday
by laying flowers in Southport.
“Those
who have hijacked the vigil for the victims with violence and thuggery have
insulted the community as it grieves,” Starmer said on X. “They will feel the
full force of the law.”
Police
said they had arrested four men.
Rioters
hurled bricks, trash cans and other projectiles at police and tried to ransack
a local mosque, forcing the imam to barricade himself inside. At least one
police van was set on fire and 54 officers were injured, eight seriously,
police said. A store was also looted and the Southport Islamic Society Mosque
was damaged.
Residents
described the scenes to journalists as “absolute mayhem,” “a war zone” and
“scary.”
“I think
I can speak for the entirety of the Southport community when I say those were
not our people,” said Richard Townes, a Southport resident, speaking on Sky
News television. “Wherever they've come from, whatever their intentions, they
were looking for some kind of excuse to incite violence.”
The
scenes of mayhem in Southport were similar to those that erupted last November
in Dublin, Ireland. Those riots, fueled by online outrage and stoked by
far-right agitators, also came after stabbings in the Irish capital.
After
the Southport stabbings, rumors and false information spread online about the
attacker's identity, filling a vacuum left by authorities who withheld details
about the teenager, citing privacy laws for people under the age of 18.
British
media have reported that the attacker lived in a town near Southport, he was
born in Cardiff and that his parents were born in Rwanda.
Merseyside
Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said she was “disgusted and appalled” by
the violence against her officers. She said those involved came from outside
Southport, a town near Liverpool.
“This is
not Southport. This is a close-knit, family-tight community,” she said,
speaking to journalists. “They were there purely for hooliganism and thuggery
in terms of bringing that level of violence and that behavior onto the streets
of Southport.”
Ibrahim
Hussein, the chairman of the Southport Islamic Society Mosque, told the
Guardian that he “barricaded” himself inside the building with eight worshipers
after rioters attacked the mosque.
“It
really was terrifying and it was uncalled for,” he told the newspaper.
Authorities
blamed the English Defense League, an Islamophobic and violent street movement,
and its former leader, Tommy Robinson, for being behind the riot.
On
Wednesday, Labour leaders suggested they would examine whether the group should
be outlawed, British media reported.
In
social media statements, Robinson — whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon —
declared the English Defense League was disbanded long ago and that Islam
should be banned instead.
In his
posts, Robinson praised the rioters and said they reflected anger over safety,
immigration and dishonesty displayed by politicians and the media.
“Basically
if you riot they listen to you,” he said on Telegram, a social media platform,
under a post showing video with hundreds of people confronting police in
Southport.
The
attacker was held on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. As of Wednesday,
police had not revealed a possible motive.
Merseyside
police said they were bracing for more rioting Wednesday night and that
officers from nearby districts had been brought in.
About
two dozen children, mostly girls, were attending a Taylor Swift-themed summer
vacation workshop on Monday when the teen armed with a knife entered the studio
and began a vicious attack, police said. Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot
Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6, died from their injuries.
“Every
single person in some way is connected with those three little girls who lost
their lives,” Townes said. His daughter went to school with two of the victims,
he said.
“Everyone
in the whole town is feeling the tragedy of it,” he said. “It's something that
you would have never expected to happen in somewhere like here.”
Britain
is struggling with a rise in knife crime with the latest example on Tuesday
when a machete street fight erupted outside a theme park in the seaside town of
Southend. Calls are growing for the government to crack down on bladed weapons.
Britain’s
worst attack on children occurred in 1996, when 43-year-old Thomas Hamilton
shot 16 kindergartners and their teacher dead in a school gymnasium in
Dunblane, Scotland. The United Kingdom subsequently banned the private
ownership of almost all handguns.
Courthouse
News reporter Cain Burdeau is based in the European Union.
Source: courthousenews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.courthousenews.com/mosque-attacked-police-injured-in-far-right-riot-after-3-girls-killed-in-mass-stabbing-in-england/
--------
Mideast
Jihad
condemns aggression on Lebanon as Nazi excess to ignite entire region
31 Jul
2024
GAZA
July 31. 2024 (Saba) – Palestine's Islamic Jihad Movement on Wednesday strongly
condemned the Zionist treacherous aggression on Lebanon, its land and people,
dubbing the assault as an "excess of the Nazi government to ignite the
entire region and prepare to commit new massacres against the peoples of our
nation."
In a
statement, the Movement expressed its "solidarity with the brotherly
Lebanese people, and its standing by Lebanon, its people and its resistance in
confronting the criminal policies that the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip
and the occupied West Bank are suffering from."
Source: saba.ye
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Upcoming
speech by Sayyid. Nasr Allah regarding political position of Hezbollah on
assassination of Fuad Shukr
31 Jul
2024
BEIRUT July
31. 2024 (Saba) - Media close to the Lebanese "Hezbollah said that the
party's secretary-general, Sayyid Hassan Nasr Allah, will deliver a speech
tomorrow, Thursday, at five o'clock Beirut time.
The
"Hezbollah" said in a statement to mourn the leader Fuad Shukr:
"Sayyid. Nasr Allah will announce our political position tomorrow on this
crime during the funeral of Commander Shukr."
This
comes after Hezbollah announced the martyrdom of commander Shukr following a
Zionist raid targeting the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut in
the Haret Hreik area.
For its
part, the Zionist enemy army announced the implementation of a
"precision" attack in the Lebanese capital Beirut that resulted in
the martyrdom of a leader in Hezbollah responsible for "the killing of
children in Majdal Shams and many Zionist citizens." According to him.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3354713.htm
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From
Gaza to Kyiv, a Palestinian doctor lives between two wars
August
01, 2024
KYIV: In
war-torn Ukraine, he is Alya Shabaanovich Gali, a popular doctor with a line of
patients waiting to see him. To his family thousands of kilometers away in the
besieged Gaza Strip, he is Alaa Shabaan Abu Ghali, the one who left.
For the
past 30 years, these identities rarely had cause to merge: Gali moved away amid
instability in Gaza, settled into his new home in Kyiv, adopted a different
name to better suit the local tongue, and married a Ukranian woman. Through
calls, he kept up with his mother and siblings in Gaza’s southernmost city,
Rafah. But mostly, their lives played out in parallel.
In
February 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine threw Gali’s life into chaos, with
air raids and missile attacks. Nearly 20 months later, the war between Israel
and Hamas turned his hometown into a hellscape, uprooting his family.
Both are
violent conflicts that have upset regional and global power balances, but they
can seem worlds apart as they rage on. Ukraine has lambasted allies for coming
to Israel’s defense while its own troops languished on the frontlines.
Palestinians have decried double standards in international support. In each
place, rampant bombardment and heavy fighting have killedtens of thousands and
wiped out entire towns.
In
Gali’s life, the wars converge. A month ago, his nephew was killed in an
Israeli strike while foraging for food. Weeks later, a Russian missile tore
through the private clinic where he’s worked for most of his professional life.
Colleagues and patients died at his feet.
“I was
in a war there, and now I am in a war here,” said Gali, 48, standing inside the
hollowed-out wing of the medical center as workers swept away glass and debris.
“Half of my heart and mind are here, and the other half is there.
“You
witness the war and destruction with your family in Palestine, and see the war
and destruction with your own eyes, here in Ukraine.”
Gaza to
Kyiv
There’s
an Arabic saying to describe a family’s youngest child — the last grape in the
bunch. Gali’s mother would say the last is the sweetest; the youngest of 10, he
was her favorite.
When
Gali was 9, his father died. Money was tight, but Gali excelled in school and
dreamed of becoming a doctor — specializing in fertility, after seeing
relatives struggle to conceive.
In 1987,
the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, erupted in Gaza and the West Bank.
Gali joined the youth arm of the Fatah Movement, a party espousing a
nationalist ideology, long before the Islamist Hamas group would take root. One
by one, friends were arrested and interrogated; some went to prison, others
took up arms.
Gali had
a choice: Stay and risk the same fate, or leave.
There
was good news: an opportunity to study medicine in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Gali
bade tearful goodbyes to his family, not knowing if he’d see them again.
He
traveled to Moscow, expecting to catch a train. Instead, he learned Almaty was
no longer an option. But there was a spot in Kyiv.
And so a
young Gali arrived in Ukraine in 1992, just after the Soviet Union’s collapse.
It was
like leaving one bedlam for another, he said: “The country was in a state of
chaos, with no law and very difficult living conditions.”
Many
peers left. Gali stayed, enrolling in medical school.
New
life, new name
In the
Ukrainian language, there’s no equivalent for Arabic’s notoriously difficult
glottal consonants. So in Kyiv, Alaa became Alya. He assumed a patronymic
middle name, adding the usual suffix to his father’s name — Shabaanovich.
While
learning Russian — spoken by most Ukrainians who’d lived under the Soviet Union
— Gali struggled with errands. Neighbors helped. Through them, he met his wife.
They would have three children.
He
finished medical school, becoming a gynecologist specializing in fertility. His
career’s early days were long, seeing dozens of patients. Eventually, he landed
at a practice at the Adonis medical center, where he thrived.
When
Gali drives to work, listening to songs in Arabic, he passes Kyiv’s Maidan, a
square where anti-government protests set the stage for Russia’s seizure of
Crimea in 2014. There was a war in Gaza that year, too, he remembers.
Gali
mouths the lyrics as Ukrainian street signs whiz by: “You keep crushing us, oh
world.”
Wars
collide
On July
8, Gali was at work, but his mind was on Gaza.
A week
earlier, a relative reached out — Gali’s 12-year old niece had been killed as
Israeli tanks advanced to the edge of the Mawasi camp for displaced
Palestinians, northwest of Rafah. Like tens of thousands of Gazans, his family
had fled there on foot after Israel designated it a humanitarian zone.
Gali had
already been mourning. A nephew, Fathi, was killed the previous month. Gali saw
it himself, he said, on television — his nephew’s lifeless body on the screen,
headlines flashing in Arabic. He described the image and Fathi’s clothes to a
relative, who confirmed it was him.
Their
deaths weighed heavily on Gali. For nine months, he’d lived in fear for his
family, of a text message saying they’d all been killed.
In the
medical center that day, air raids rang out all morning. Before greeting his
next patient, he shared a few words with the center director. She’d just driven
by Okhmadyt Children’s Hospital, struck hours earlier by a missile — a terrible
sight, Ukraine’s largest pediatric facility in ruins, she told him. He told her
about the deaths of his niece and nephew, the darkness of his grief.
Not long
after, Gali’s world went even darker.
A
Russian missile came hurtling toward the center, triggering an explosion that
obliterated the third and fourth floors.
Gali
worked on the fourth. In the dense cloud of debris, he sought out shadowy
figures covered in blood. He saw a patient and, using his phone for light,
pulled her out from under the collapsed roof, as colleagues and others died
around him — nine killed in all.
He led
the woman to his office to wait for rescuers. Amid bodies on the floor, he
found a colleague, Viktor Bragutsa, bleeding profusely. Gali couldn’t
resuscitate him.
A room
holding patients’ documents had been reduced to debris, their records spanning
decades up in smoke.
He felt
pangs of deja vu.
For
months, he’d seen images of Gaza’s war. It was as if they’d somehow bled into
his life in Ukraine.
“Nothing
is sacred,” he said. “Killing doctors, killing children, killing civilians —
this is the picture we are faced with.”
Only
pain
Two
weeks later, Gali stood in the same spot, gazing at bombed-out walls as workers
sifted through rubble. “What can I feel?” he said “Pain. Nothing else.”
The
center director’s office is destroyed. So is the reception area. Ultrasound
machines and operating tables lay haphazardly.
He had
stayed in Ukraine, didn’t evacuate his family — he took comfort in his office,
in helping patients. And still, he said, he’ll stay.
In Gaza,
he knows, there’s no safe place for his family to evacuate.
Communicating
isn’t easy, with telecommunications blackouts. Weeks go by without word, until
a nephew or niece finds enough signal to tell him they’re alive.
“No
matter how difficult and impossible the situation is,” he said, “their words
are always filled with laughter, patience and gratitude to God.
“I am
here, feeling the weight.”
Source: arabnews.com
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--------
Calls
for revenge at Iran funeral for Hamas chief Haniyeh
August
01, 2024
TEHRAN:
Iran held funeral processions on Thursday with calls for revenge after the
killing in Tehran of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in a strike blamed on
Israel.
The
Islamic republic’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led prayers for
Haniyeh ahead of his burial in Qatar, having earlier threatened a “harsh
punishment” for his killing.
In
Tehran’s city center, thousands of mourning crowds carrying posters of Haniyeh
and Palestinian flags gathered for the ceremony at Tehran University before a
procession, according to an AFP correspondent.
Haniyeh’s
death was announced the day before by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who said he
and his bodyguard were killed in a strike on their accommodation in the Iranian
capital at 2:00 a.m. (2230 GMT) on Wednesday.
It came
just hours after Israel targeted and killed top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr
in a retaliatory strike on the Lebanese capital Beirut, sending fears of a
wider regional war soaring in fallout from the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Israel
has declined to comment on the Tehran strike.
Iran’s
state TV showed the coffins of Haniyeh and his bodyguards covered in
Palestinian flags during the ceremony attended by senior Iranian officials.
President
Masoud Pezeshkian and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief, General Hossein
Salami, were present. Haniyeh had been visiting Tehran for Pezeshkian’s
inauguration ceremony on Tuesday.
Senior
Hamas figure Khalil Al-Hayya, the movement’s foreign relations chief, vowed
during the funeral ceremony that “Ismail Haniyeh’s slogan, ‘We will not
recognize Israel,’ will remain an immortal slogan” and “we will pursue Israel
until it is uprooted from the land of Palestine.”
Iran’s
conservative parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran “will
certainly carry out the supreme leader’s order (to avenge Haniyeh.)”
“It is
our duty to respond at the right time and in the right place,” he said in a
speech with crowds chanting “Death to Israel, Death to America!”
The
caskets, with a black-and-white pattern resembling a Palestinian keffiyeh
scarf, were borne on a flower-bedecked truck through leafy streets where
cooling water mists sprayed the flag-waving crowds.
Khamenei,
who has the final say in Iran’s political affairs, said after Haniyeh’s death
that it was “our duty to seek revenge for his blood as he was martyred in the
territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The
Islamic republic has not yet officially published any information on the exact
location of the strike.
Pezeshkian
said Wednesday that “the Zionists (Israel) will soon see the consequences of
their cowardly and terrorist act.”
The
international community, however, called for de-escalation and a focus on
securing a ceasefire in Gaza — which Haniyeh had, according to a Hamas official
previously, accused Israel of obstructing.
UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the strikes in Tehran and Beirut
represented a “dangerous escalation.”
All
efforts, he said, should be “leading to a ceasefire” in Gaza and the release of
hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel which began
nearly 10 months of war.
The
prime minister of key ceasefire broker Qatar said Haniyeh’s killing had thrown
the whole mediation process into doubt.
“How can
mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other
side?” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said in a post on social media
site X.
US
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday called on “all parties” in the
Middle East to “stop escalatory actions.”
Earlier
he said a ceasefire in Gaza was still the “imperative,” though White House
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the twin killings of
Haniyeh and Shukr “don’t help” regional tensions.
While
Iran has blamed the attack on its arch-foe, Israel has declined to comment on
Haniyeh’s death. It did, however, claim the killing of Shukr, whom it blamed
for a weekend rocket strike that killed 12 youths in the Israeli-annexed Golan
Heights.
The
killings come with regional tensions already inflamed by the war in Gaza, a
conflict that has drawn in Iran-backed militant groups in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq
and Yemen.
One of
those groups, Yemen’s Houthi rebels, “declared three days of mourning” for
Haniyeh, with political leader Mahdi Al-Mashat expressing “condolences to the
Palestinian people and Hamas” over his killing, according to the group’s Saba
news agency.
The
United Nations Security Council also convened an emergency meeting Wednesday at
Iran’s request to discuss the strike.
Hamas
has for months been indirectly negotiating a truce and hostage-prisoner
exchange deal with Israel, in talks facilitated by Egypt, Qatar and the United
States.
Analysts
told AFP that Haniyeh was a moderating influence within the Islamist group, and
that while he would be replaced, the dynamics within Hamas could change.
Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas in retaliation for
the October 7 attack that ignited war in Gaza.
That
attack resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people, mostly civilians, according to
an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Militants
also seized 251 hostages, 111 of whom are still held captive in Gaza, including
39 the military says are dead.
Concern
grew among Israelis over the fate of those still held in Gaza.
Haniyeh’s
killing “was a mistake as it threatens the possibility of having a hostage
deal,” said Anat Noy, a resident of the coastal city of Haifa.
Israel’s
retaliatory campaign against Hamas has killed at least 39,445 people in Gaza,
according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
Source: arabnews.com
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Hezbollah
leader’s body found in rubble following airstrike
July 31,
2024
BEIRUT:
Hezbollah civil defense teams on Wednesday found the body of senior commander
Fouad Shukr, who was killed in an Israeli drone strike the previous night in
the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The
militant group had confirmed Shukr’s presence in the targeted building earlier
in the day after a blackout that lasted throughout Tuesday night.
Conflicting
reports emerged regarding the fate of the prominent Hezbollah leader. Security
information shared at the site of the attack suggested that Shukr was the main
target of the airstrike.
Diplomatic
communications with Lebanon intensified in the wake of Shukr’s death. Political
observers linked the scale of the response to the attack with the killing of
Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas political bureau chief, in Tehran early on Wednesday.
Relief
and civil defense teams continued to remove debris from the upper floors of the
Beirut residential building, which partially collapsed after it was struck by
three missiles fired by the Israeli combat drone.
Journalists
and photographers were not allowed near the site, which was cordoned off by
Hezbollah members. Debris was cleared from the surrounding streets, and roads
were reopened.
At least
four other people are though to have died in the attack: Wasila Baydoun from
the southern town of Chehabiyeh; and Hanan Hakim and her two children, Sarah,
6, and Hassan Fadlallah,10, from the southern town of Aainata.
Most of
those injured in the blast were discharged from hospital after receiving treatment,
with a few remaining under medical care.
In its
morning statement, Hezbollah said that “civil defense teams have been
diligently working to remove the debris since the incident occurred, but
progress is slow due to the condition of the destroyed floors. We are still
awaiting the outcome of this operation concerning the fate of the esteemed
leader and other citizens at this location, so that the necessary action can be
taken.”
The
Israeli attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs was widely condemned by Lebanese
politicians and parties, with demands for “urgent international, regional, and
UN action to stop the Israeli killing machine.”
A
ministerial delegation visited the site after an extraordinary Cabinet session
chaired by Najib Mikati, the caretaker prime minister, who strongly condemned
the attack, warning that “matters will escalate for the worse if the enemy
continues with its recklessness and murderous, criminal insanity, and if the
concerned countries and the international community do not quickly intervene to
curb this dangerous escalation.”
Mikati
also condemned the killing of Haniyeh, describing it as a “serious threat that
could expand the circle of global concern in the region.”
Ziad
Makary, the caretaker information minister, said that the Lebanese Cabinet
“remains in open session to monitor any developments.”
He added
that the prime minister’s office is making “vigorous diplomatic efforts aimed
at promoting peace transparently and unequivocally.”
Makary
added: “It is natural for everyone to fear the possibility of war.”
Separately,
the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix; UN
Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert; and the UNIFIL
Commander, Gen. Aroldo Lazaro, discussed with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri
and Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib “ways to contain the escalation to
prevent the expansion of the war.”
Meanwhile,
the attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs sparked concern and confusion among
travelers at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport.
Travel
and tourism companies said that many scheduled trips to Lebanon next week had
been canceled.
The head
of the Association of Travel and Tourism Agents, Jan Aboud, said that a week
ago Lebanon was receiving around 14,000 passenger arrivals daily, with at least
85 flights per day. However, yesterday the number of passenger arrivals dropped
to 9,500.
Source: arabnews.com
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Killing
of Hamas political leader points to diverging paths for Israel, US, on
ceasefire
July 31,
2024
WASHINGTON:
Israel’s suspected killing of Hamas’ political leader in the heart of Tehran,
coming after a week in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahupromised US
lawmakers he would continue his war against Hamas until “total victory,” points
to an Israeli leader ever more openly at odds with Biden administration efforts
to calm the region through diplomacy.
US
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking on an Asia trip, was left to tell
reporters there that Americans had not been aware of or involved in the attack
on Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, whose roles included overseeing
Hamas’ side in US-led mediation to bring a ceasefire and release of hostages in
the Gaza war.
The US
remains focused on a ceasefire in the 9-month-old Israeli war in Gaza “as the
best way to bring the temperature down everywhere,” Blinken said after
Haniyeh’s killing.
The
targeting, and timing, of the overnight strike may have all but destroyed US
hopes for now.
“I just
don’t see how a ceasefire is feasible right now with the assassination of the
person you would have been negotiating with,” said Vali Nasr, a former US
diplomat now at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International
Studies.
If the
expected cycles of retaliation and counter-retaliation ahead start unspooling
as feared, Haniyeh’s killing could mark the end of Biden administration’s hopes
of restraining escalatory actions as Israel targets what Netanyahu calls Iran’s
“axis of terror,” in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks in Israel.
And with
the US political campaign entering its final months, it will be more difficult
for the Biden administration to break away — if it wants to — from an ally it
is bound to through historical, security, economic and political ties.
The
killing of Haniyeh, and another suspected Israeli strike on a senior Hezbollah
leader in the Lebanese capital of Beirut hours earlier, came on the heels of
Netanyahu’s return home from a nearly weeklong trip to the US, his first
foreign trip of the war.
The
Biden administration had said it hoped to use the visit to overcome some of the
remaining obstacles in negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza and to free
Israeli, American and other foreign hostages held by Hamas and other militants.
President
Joe Biden has been Israel’s most vital backer in the war, keeping up shipments
of arms and other military aid while defending Israel against any international
action over the deaths of more than 39,000 Palestinians in the Israeli offensive.
But
Biden has also put his political weight behind efforts to secure the ceasefire
and hostage release, including publicly declaring that the two sides had both
agreed to a framework and urging them to seal the deal.
Netanyahu
told a joint meeting of Congress during his visit that Israel was determined to
win nothing less than “total victory” against Hamas. Asked directly by
journalists on the point later, he said that Israel hoped for a ceasefire soon
and was working for one.
Following
the visit, Biden administration officials dodged questions about reports that
Israel’s far-right government had newly raised additional conditions for any
ceasefire deals.
Haniyeh
had been openly living in Doha, Qatar, for the months since the Oct. 7 attack.
But he wasn’t attacked until he was in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s
president. Nasr said Iran will see it as a direct Israeli attack on its
sovereignty, and respond.
“If you
wanted to have a ceasefire, if Haniyeh was in your sights, you might have said,
‘I’ll kill him in a few months. Not now,” said Nasr, who said it suggested
overt undermining of ceasefire negotiations by Netanyahu.
Netanyahu’s
far-right government says Israel is fighting in Gaza to destroy Iran-allied
Hamas as a military and governing power there. Israel warns that it is also
prepared to expand its fight further to include an offensive in Lebanon, if
necessary to stop what have been near-daily exchanges of rocket fire between
Lebanon-based Hezbollah and Israel.
Hezbollah
is by far the most powerful of the Iran-allied groups in the Middle East.
Analysts and diplomats warn of any such expansion of hostilities touching off
uncontrollable conflicts throughout the region that would draw in the United
States as Israel’s ally. The US, France and others have urged Israel and Iran
and its allies to resolve tensions through negotiations.
In a
letter to foreign diplomats made public Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Minister
Israel Katz said that Israel “is not interested in all-out war,” but that the
only way to avoid it would be to implement a 2006 UN resolution calling for a
demilitarized zone along Israel’s border with Lebanon and an end of hostilities
with Hezbollah.
US
national security adviser John Kirby, who earlier this week called fears of
major escalation from the killing of the Hezbollah official in Beirut
“exaggerated,” told reporters that the news of the more momentous strike on the
Hamas leader in Tehran “doesn’t help ... with the temperature going down in the
region. We’re obviously concerned.”
At the
same time, Kirby said, “We also haven’t seen any indication...that this process
has been completely torpedoed. We still believe that this is a worthy
endeavor...and a deal can be had.” The US had a team in the region Wednesday
for negotiations, he said.
“We
don’t want to see an escalation. And everything we’ve been doing since the 7th
of October has been trying to manage that risk,” he said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Arab World
‘Lady
ofTrees’ Are Nature’s Sentinels InSarawat Mountains
August
01, 2024
TAIF:
The juniper tree, revered as the “Lady of Trees” and a symbol of lush forests
and towering mountains in Saudi Arabia, plays a pivotal role in maintaining the
delicate balance of terrestrial ecosystems.
Serving
as a refuge for wildlife, these ancient trees have stood the test of time,
creating vital habitats across the provinces of Taif, Al-Baha and Asir, the
Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Under
the watchful care of the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and
Combating Desertification, the venerable junipers are nurtured to ensure their
longevity and safeguard natural resources.
Preventing
detrimental practices and fostering continuous guidance and awareness,
especially amidst the influx of tourists to the Al-Hada and Al-Shafa villages
in the Makkah region, remains a top priority.
Dr.
Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, director-general of research and innovation at the NCVC, emphasized
the significance of the juniper tree and the threats it faces. This includes
the significant degradation of juniper environments in the Kingdom’s
southwestern highlands due to human activities and climatic factors.
This
degradation has led to dieback in junipers, visible in degraded areas with
lifeless trees.
Al-Ghamdi
said that despite being a new entity, the NCVC is actively involved in
rehabilitation efforts. It aims to address the causes of degradation and expand
forest coverage with juniper trees, in line with the Saudi Green Initiative’s
goal of planting 10 billion trees in the Kingdom.
Dr.
Saleh Al-Shaeel, a botany enthusiast, said that juniper trees in the Sarawat
Mountains embody the region’s natural beauty and resilience, nurture a rich biodiversity
and have significant influence on the local climate.
Thriving
in various environments, these steadfast evergreens embody the essence of the
area’s ecosystem.
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Saudi
space commission teams up with Boeing for aerospace engineering training
program
July 31,
2024
RIYADH:
The Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission has launched a
training program for aerospace engineering students, in collaboration with
Boeing.
The
month-long program aims to provide participants with valuable hands-on
experience with space technologies and give them the chance to develop their
skills in aerospace engineering and sciences, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Industry
giant Boeing said it is participating in the program to help cultivate local
talent and equip students and graduates with practical knowledge and experience
in these important fields.
The
space commission added that the initiative is intended to foster the
professional growth of students and enhance their skills in space technologies,
to better prepare them for the job market.
The
program will take place in two phases. The first will be a theoretical phase at
a Boeing facility in Texas, where students will explore advanced architectural
design studies, including those relating to lunar and Martian missions, with
insights provided by NASA.
During
the second, practical phase, participants will work at a Boeing site in Alabama
on real-world projects such as the development of a carbon dioxide-removal
system for use in lunar and Martian environments.
This
initiative is part of broader efforts by the space commission to work with
local and international partners, tapping into a diverse range of expertise to
enhance the Kingdom’s capabilities in the space sector while investing in the
education and training of the next generation of professionals, to help the
nation progress and boost the development of promising young talents.
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Saudi
royal reserve celebrates ranger contributions
July 31,
2024
RIYADH:
A campaign to raise awareness about rangers’ contributions to protecting the
environment, wildlife and historical monuments has been launched by the Imam
Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority.
The
start of the initiative, July 31, was also World Ranger Day.
The
reserve’s rangers protect, monitor and control the area with daily patrols and
monitoring, as well as working to prevent illegal activities such as grazing,
poaching and tree felling. They also help scientific research teams and those
carrying out academic studies.
To date,
the authority has trained more than 100 rangers and staff over 8,000 hours as
part of the Kingdom’s biggest environmental protection and monitoring program.
It also uses more than 40 drones, smart devices, artificial intelligence
software and data science.
The
rangers’ capabilities will be further enhanced through specialized training in
areas such as environment monitoring, first aid, disaster management, emergency
and crisis management, and using technology for environmental protection.
Source: arabnews.com
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Global
experts to discuss future of education at LEARN conference in Riyadh
July 31,
2024
RIYADH:
Riyadh is set to host the educational conference LEARN 2024 on Oct. 6-7.
The
two-day event aligns with Saudi Vision 2030’s goals to improve the quality of
life through educational excellence.
LEARN
2024 will feature more than 120 speakers from global government sectors,
industry leaders, and academic pioneers, with around 2,000 attendees, including
key stakeholders and industry influencers.
The
conference will explore education’s role in achieving the targets of Saudi
Vision 2030, focusing on fostering a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and
an ambitious nation.
Sessions
will address advancing education to meet global economic needs; integrating
arts into the curriculum; and fostering innovation and critical thinking for a
creative economy.
Key
subjects for discussion include “Investment for Impact,” which looks at
strategic investments, decentralization, and privatization in education; “The
Future Workforce,” which addresses evolving workplace demands; and “GenAI and
Beyond,” which will examine the impact of artificial intelligence on learning.
The
event will update educational curriculums with the latest trends and
technologies, and offer professional development for educators.
LEARN
2024 will also feature an exhibition showcasing leading companies in education,
training, and assistive technologies, providing networking opportunities and
innovative solutions.
The
conference aims to foster global collaboration among policymakers, educators,
innovators, and leading educational firms, enhancing international cooperation
in the sector.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2560221/saudi-arabia
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KSrelief
chief, Palestinian minister discuss Saudi aid efforts
July 31,
2024
RIYADH:
Chief of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center Abdullah bin
Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah met Palestinian Minister of State for Relief Affairs
Bassil Nasser on Wednesday in Riyadh, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The
meeting focused on shared interests in humanitarian and relief efforts,
particularly those aimed at alleviating the hardships faced by the Palestinian
people in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The discussions
highlighted developments in these relief initiatives.
The
Palestinian minister expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia and KSrelief for the
support provided to the people of Gaza, saying that the aid underscores the
deep fraternal ties between the two nations and their peoples.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2560206/saudi-arabia
--------
Conference
at Ithra will explore Islamic arts and crafts
July 31,
2024
DHAHRAN:
The second Islamic Art Conference will be hosted at the King Abdulaziz Center
for World Culture between Nov. 25-30, in partnership with the Abdullatif
Al-Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture.
The
event, which is titled “In Praise of the Artisan: A Reassessment of
Contemporary Islamic Arts & Crafts Practice,” explores Islamic works.
Visitors
can expect lectures, panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, film
screenings, and demonstrations.
The
event aims to celebrate and showcase the heritage, traditions, and emerging
trends of Islamic arts and crafts from the Arab world.
In
addition to the conference, Ithra is hosting an exhibition called “In Praise of
the Artisan,” in partnership with the Al-Sabah Collection of the Dar Al-Athar
Al-Islamiyyah in Kuwait. The exhibition will feature historic and contemporary
works, including the largest hand-carved stone screen since the Taj Mahal, and
eight commissioned pieces by master craftspeople from Saudi Arabia, Morocco,
India, Spain, Egypt, Turkiye, Uzbekistan, and Malaysia.
Abdullah
Al-Rashid, director of Ithra, said: “The Islamic Art Conference is a global
platform for shining the light on Islamic arts and crafts, in line with Ithra’s
mission to celebrate cultural heritage, enable talent development and support
creative expression, all powered by partnerships with renowned institutions.
“The
synergies of conducting both events in parallel will provide a uniquely
interactive and immersive experience designed to educate visitors about Islamic
handicrafts and artisans from the Middle East and beyond.”
Mashary
Al-Naim, the secretary-general of the Abdullatif Al-Fozan Award for Mosque
Architecture, said: “This conference and exhibition support our ongoing efforts
to unearth new ideas from around the world for designing mosques and
encouraging innovative planning, design and technical ideas that can form a new
identity for Islamic art.
“Islamic
art no longer discusses works of art and architecture as tangible creations,
but rather looks at them in the context of work, crafts, and daily practices.”
The
event will also address new initiatives to preserve traditional craft skills,
help artisans find markets and adapt to global challenges. It will explore the
role of relationships in craft production, traditional materials and methods,
and the use of crafts for social change in developing Islamic countries.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2560091/saudi-arabia
--------
Africa
Boko
Haram suicide attack kills 19, Iinjures dozens in Borno village
August
1, 2024
Maiduguri
–No fewer than 19 civilians have been killed and dozens injured in a suicide
attack, which occurred in Kawuri village of Konduga Local Government Area of
Borno State. Kawuri is about 50 50-kilometre drive from Maiduguri and located
on the Maiduguri -Konduga- Bama Road.
The
latest blasts came barely 24 hours when an Accountant working with the Local
Education Authority in the Damboa Local Government Area of the state, Shettima
Mustapha lost his life when their vehicle stumbled on an Improvised Explosive
Devices, IEDs, on the Maiduguri -Damboa-Biu federal highway in Borno with
others injured.
Also,
about a month ago, multiple suicide bombings took place in Gwoza Local
Government Area of the state, leaving 32 people dead with over 100 injured.
Security
agencies have since issued a public warning for people to be careful of any
gatherings at the moment.
Just
last week, a Police Station in Jakana community of Konduga near the Maiduguri
metropolis was attacked by terrorists, which led to the killing of a police
driver and his alleged girlfriend, after setting ablaze two security patrol
vehicles, and later carted away motorcycles, arms and ammunitions belonging to
the police.
A
sources who spoke to our Correspondent, yesterday, night said: “There were
mysterious bomb blasts which took place at a mini market in Kawuri about 8p.m.,
leaving over 19 people dead with an unspecified number of civilians injured.
“The
injured ones have been evacuated to Maiduguri undisclosed hospital for
treatment. The community is now left at the mercy of God as they scamper for
safety.”
Efforts
to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Daso for confirmation
proved abortive, but a stakeholder in Kawuri, who was not authorized to talk to
the press confirmed the incident.
He,
however, called on the government and the security agencies to wake up from
their slumber and check the renewed attacks by insurgents.
Source: vanguardngr.com
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https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/08/boko-haram-suicide-attack-kills-19-iinjures-dozens-in-borno-village/
--------
Persecution
Continues in Nigeria as Terrorists Attack Police Station
7/31/2024
Nigeria (International Christian Concern) — In recent weeks, Nigeria has faced
severe violence and insecurity, highlighting a deepening crisis for Christians.
Suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked a police station in Borno State,
killing two and seizing weapons. In Plateau State, radical Fulani herders
ravaged farmland, worsening long-standing disputes. And across Nigeria,
banditry and abductions continue to plague communities and affect Christians.
Boko
Haram Raid Kills Policeman and Woman in Borno State
On July
28, suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked the Jakana Police Station in
Konduga County, Borno State, killing a police officer and a woman. The raid,
which began around 1:00 a.m. and continued for two hours, destroyed two patrol
vehicles and a motorcycle. The attackers overpowered the police, looted the
station, and caused substantial damage. Local government chairman Hon Abbas Ali
Abari confirmed the incident and promised further details.
Boko
Haram, an extremist Islamic group opposing Western ideology, has a notorious
history of violence, including the murder of tens of thousands of Christians,
the destruction of churches, and the abduction of young girls for forced
conversions and marriages.
Survivor
of Chibok Abduction Shares Harrowing Testimony
Ihyi
Abdul, recently freed from Boko Haram captivity, recounted her traumatic
experience. Abducted in April 2014 and married eight men during her captivity;
Abdul now has three children and is three months pregnant. Her rescue was part
of a broader operation by the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, which also
freed 332 other captives. Abdul’s story highlights the severe persecution faced
by Christians in Nigeria’s northeast.
Radical
Fulani Herdsmen Attack Farms in Plateau State
On July
23, radical Fulani herders ravaged farmland in Miango, Bassa county, Plateau
State, destroying crops planted with Guinea Corn (Sorghum). This attack is part
of a troubling pattern of destruction that began in 2018. The affected farmer,
whose land has been increasingly converted into grazing routes, expressed deep
frustration. The lack of effective intervention worsens tensions and threatens
local livelihoods.
Muslim
Terrorists Enforce Extortion in Kaduna State
In
Kaduna State, more than 30 Christian-majority communities in Kachia county are
trapped by a Muslim terrorists referred to as bandits, armed criminal gangs
that extort locals. This extortion system forces residents displaced by attacks
in 2022 to pay fees to bandits for the right to farm and live freely. This
pattern of exploitation, previously seen in northwestern states, is now
affecting central Nigeria. The system deprived Christians from farming. Despite
paying the levy, more Christian farmers were abducted by the Muslim terrorists
demanding huge ransoms.
Abductions
and Forced Marriages of Christian Girls
The
Stefanos Foundation recently reported increasing cases of abductions and forced
marriages of underage Christian girls in northern Nigeria. A notable case
involved Cecelia Mathias, abducted and married to a 55-year-old man after being
forcibly converted to Islam. This troubling trend underscores the urgent need
for action to protect vulnerable girls.
Increasing
Kidnappings in Southeastern Nigeria
In the
southeastern region, kidnappings have escalated. On July 16, students traveling
from Awka to Ebonyi were abducted by kidnappers believed to be running through
several states. The rise in these incidents shows a worsening security
situation in the region.
Source: persecution.org
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https://www.persecution.org/2024/07/31/persecution-continues-in-nigeria-as-terrorists-attack-police-station/
--------
Kenya
lists 1st Islamic bonds worth $23M to support affordable housing agenda
01.08.2024
NAIROBI,
Kenya
Kenya on
Wednesday listed the nation's first Islamic bonds worth $23 million.
The
listing was done at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), where President
William Ruto inaugurated Sukuk, or Islamic, bonds by Linzi Finco Trust Islamic.
The
innovative financial product aims to support Ruto's affordable housing agenda
by providing alternative funding options to conventional methods.
At the
launch ceremony, Ruto noted that the importance of the Shariah-compliant bonds
is promoting financial inclusion and expanding market access.
"We
are introducing new, diversified and innovative financial instruments at the
Nairobi Securities Exchange that will help unlock broader investment
opportunities and further our Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,"
he said.
"The
landmark issuance of the Shariah-compliant Linzi Sukuk will not only promote
financial inclusion, but it will also broaden market access, aligning with the
global move towards more stable and robust economic growth."
Ruto
said the Kenyan government aims to tap into the growing pool of Islamic
finance, providing more resources for critical infrastructure projects,
particularly in the housing sector.
During
the launch, NSE Chief Executive Officer Frank Mwiti said the new bonds will
open new Shariah-compliant markets for Kenya, bringing in more investors.
Ruto's
administration has been actively pursuing various projects to address the
housing shortage in Kenya.
The
affordable housing initiative is a key component of his Bottom-Up Economic
Transformation Agenda, which seeks to improve living conditions for all Kenyans
by making home ownership more accessible.
Recent
projects under this initiative include the construction of thousands of
affordable housing units across the country, aiming to meet the high demand for
affordable homes.
According
to a report from African Business and Fitch Ratings, Africa's three largest
economies -- Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt – raised a total of $3.045 billion
through Sukuk issuances since last year.
Source: aa.com.tr
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the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/kenya-lists-1st-islamic-bonds-worth-23m-to-support-affordable-housing-agenda/3291764
--------
Libyan
Fatwa House and HCS mourn death of Ismail Haniyeh
31/07/2024
The
Libyan Fatwa House and the High Council of State (HCS) mourned the death of
martyr Ismail Haniyeh: the head of political bureau of Hamas.
The
Fatwa House described Haniyeh as having “joined his sons, grandchildren and comrades
and achieved what he wished for after a long journey of fighting.”
The HCS
offered condolences to the Islamic world in general, to the Palestinian people,
and to Hamas in particular, for the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh.
On
Wednesday morning, Hamas announced the assassination of Haniyeh in the Iranian
capital, saying in a statement that he died “as a result of a treacherous
Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran.”
Source: libyaobserver.ly
Please click the following URL to read
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https://libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/libyan-fatwa-house-and-hcs-mourn-death-ismail-haniyeh#google_vignette
--------
Police
Prevent Bomb Attack In Lagos
31 July
2024
The
Lagos State Police Command, on Wednesday, disclosed that its operatives foiled
a bomb attack in Ikeja, the seat of the state government.
The
disclosure comes less than 24 hours before a planned nationwide protest against
harsh government policies.
The
device, which was wrapped in a bag, was dropped by the roadside from an
unregistered vehicle along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way.
The bomb
was later deactivated by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command anti-bomb
squad, as confirmed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin
Hundeyin.
The
Command spokesperson explained during a virtual press briefing on the incident
that a vigilant police officer reported around 4 pm that while on his way along
Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way Ikeja, he sighted an unregistered white Corolla car
parked on the main road close to the gate of the Police Mobile Force’s 23
Barracks in Ikeja.
The
police officer also reported that a young man alighted from the car and
carefully dropped a bag by the side of the fence of the Nigeria Customs Service
Federal Operations Unit (FOU) in Ikeja before returning to the car and later
zoomed off.
“Based
on the report, a team of EOD-CBRN from the base was quickly mobilised to the
scene to identify the object and render same safe if confirmed to be IED.
“On
arrival, it was discovered to be IED. Subsequently, the area was cordoned off.
SOP adopted IED rendered safe and thereafter taken to a safe distance for
detonation,” SP Hundeyin said.
He added
that the residual of the IED was collected for further analysis and efforts are
underway to track the owner of the vehicle.
The
spokesperson said the incident raises concerns about the safety of Lagos
residents ahead of the planned protest.
“This
raises concern about mass gathering of people and safety issues in Lagos
State,” Hundeyin said.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/07/31/breaking-police-prevent-bomb-attack-in-lagos/
---------
August
1: Armed Protesters Will Be Considered Criminals – NSCDC Warns
31 July
2024
The
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Plateau State has announced
that it will treat anyone found carrying a weapon during the upcoming
nationwide protest as a criminal.
Speaking
to officers and personnel in Jos on Wednesday, NSCDC Commandant Alexander
Barunde emphasized the importance of maintaining order during demonstrations.
While
acknowledging the citizens’ right to protest government policies, Barunde urged
organizers to ensure that the protest remains peaceful and does not provide an
opportunity for troublemakers to create chaos.
He
warned that anyone using the protest as a cover for looting or vandalizing
national and private properties would face severe consequences.
Barunde
also reminded the people of Plateau to prioritize the state’s interests when
participating in the protest and remain mindful of the potential uncertainties
it might bring.
“I’m
calling on the organisers of the planned protest not to create a restive
situation or give room for mischief makers to unleash anarchy on the society.
“It must
be violence-free and the protesters must eschew every negative tendency to
create anarchy; there is room for dialogue with government over every concern.
“Any
protester wielding weapon of any kind will be treated as a criminal element
with different motive; such a person will be arrested and decisively dealt with
in accordance with the law.
“Every
law abiding and patriotic citizen of Plateau should have the interest of the
state in dealing with the protest and the uncertainties associated with it,” he
said.
In
addition, Barunde instructed NSCDC officers and personnel to respect the rule
of law, uphold ethical standards, and ensure the dignity of individuals while
managing the protesters.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.naijanews.com/2024/07/31/august-1-armed-protesters-will-be-considered-criminals-nscdc-warns/
--------
Heavy
Security At National Assembly As Lawmakers Hold Emergency Session
31 July
2024
A heavy
security presence has been established in and around the National Assembly
Complex in Abuja as lawmakers convene for an emergency plenary session today.
In a
departure from the usual practice, the Sergeant-At-Arms has barricaded the
entrance to the National Assembly, requiring identification cards for entry at
the MOPOL Gate.
The
heightened security measures are reportedly intended to prevent protesters from
gathering at the venue.
The Red
and Green Chambers had announced the emergency session for today on Sunday,
citing the need to address critical matters requiring immediate legislative
attention.
According
to a statement issued on Monday by the spokesperson for the House of
Representatives, Rotimi Akin, the Wednesday plenary will focus on pressing
issues.
“The
House of Representatives wishes to announce that, pursuant to the directive of
the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, PhD., a plenary session has been scheduled for
Wednesday, July 31, 2024. Honourable members have been duly summoned from their
respective constituencies to attend this crucial session,” the statement read.
This
directive was communicated through an internal memorandum issued by the Clerk
of the House, Dr Yahaya Danzaria, Esq., on Sunday.
Akin
noted that it is customary for the House to reconvene from recess to address
urgent national issues.
Similarly,
a memo from the Clerk of the Senate, Francis Akubueze, to Senators indicated
that the Red Chamber would also be sitting on Wednesday. The memo stated, “The
President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON,
has directed that an emergency plenary sitting of the Senate be convened.”
The
plenary will commence at noon.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/07/31/just-in-heavy-security-at-national-assembly-as-lawmakers-hold-emergency-session/
--------
Southeast Asia
Stop
acting as instruments of the oppressive Zionist Israeli regime, Anwar warns
Meta
01-08-
2024
PETALING
JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has issued a stern warning
against social media platform Meta for removing his social media post
expressing condolences for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
“Meta
has once again acted disgracefully and insulted the struggle of the Palestinian
people by removing video posts and condolences, as well as criticisms regarding
the murder of the late Ismail Haniyeh,” he stated on his Facebook account.
“It is
absurd to consider posts honouring a fighter striving to liberate his homeland
from oppression and suffering as dangerous.”
He
wrote: “My stern warning to Meta: Cease this display of cowardice and stop
acting as instruments of the oppressive Zionist Israeli regime!”
The
Prime Minister’s posts expressing his condolences to Hamas official Dr. Basem
Naim over the death of Ismail were removed from Meta-owned platforms, Facebook
and Instagram.
On
Instagram, the content was removed because it referenced “dangerous individuals
and organisations.”
A
notification from Facebook stated that the prime minister’s post was removed
for containing elements that praised or supported people or organisations
defined as dangerous.
The
notification shared in a screenshot in his post today said, “It appears you
shared or sent symbols, praise, or support of people and organisations that we
define as dangerous, or followed them.”
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
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https://thesun.my/local-news/stop-acting-as-instruments-of-the-oppressive-zionist-israeli-regime-anwar-warns-meta-HL12802849
--------
Ismail
Haniyeh’s assassination: Gov’t wants Meta to explain removal of PM’s posts
01-08-
2024
PUTRAJAYA:The
government is requesting Meta Platforms Inc (Meta) to explain why only posts by
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding the assassination of Hamas
Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh were targeted and removed.
Communications
Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government regrets the taking down of the posts
and is awaiting an explanation on whether the removal was done automatically by
Meta or based on complaints received from the public.
“All
social media platforms have their own procedures or community guidelines and
standards, and they may take down posts based on their respective guidelines.
We will wait for Meta’s explanation,“ he said in a press conference here today.
Fahmi,
who is also the Unity Government spokesman, said so far, no media organisations
have had their posts about the Prime Minister’s comments on conversations with
representatives of Hamas or the killing of Haniyeh taken down, except for
Bernama Radio.
“If
there are any media colleagues who experience this (post removals), please
inform the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to
reinstate the posts,” he said.
Regarding
the heinous killing of Haniyeh, who was also a former Palestinian Prime
Minister, Fahmi said the government views the incident as an attempt to
sabotage the ongoing peace and ceasefire process.
“Yesterday,
the Cabinet meeting unanimously condemned Haniyeh’s murder as extremely brutal
and barbaric,“ he said.
According
to Fahmi, the government will send a representative of a Malaysian mission
(Malawakil) to attend Haniyeh’s funeral, which will be held in Qatar today.
“The
Cabinet could not send a representative to Haniyeh’s funeral because it will be
held today, so there was not enough time. Therefore, a Malawakil representative
will attend on behalf of the government,“ he said.
Iranian
media reported that Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting his
accommodation in northern Tehran around 2 am local time yesterday.
Haniyeh
was in Tehran for the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s new president.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/ismail-haniyeh-s-assassination-gov-t-wants-meta-to-explain-removal-of-pm-s-posts-ML12803834
--------
Indonesia
president-elect Prabowo says seeks stronger ties with ‘great friend’ Russia
August
01, 2024
JAKARTA:
Indonesia’s President-elect Prabowo Subianto said his upcoming administration
would maintain ties with “great friend” Russia after meeting President Vladimir
Putin, adding that he hoped for stronger cooperation on defense, energy and
education.
Prabowo,
who is currently defense minister, is set to take over the presidency from Joko
Widodo in October. He is currently on a trip to Moscow and met Putin on
Wednesday.
“We
consider Russia as a great friend,” he said in a statement from the defense
ministry.
“I would
like to continue to maintain and enhance this relationship. In our history we
remember Russia has always helped us in many aspects when we were in difficulties.”
Prabowo
also expressed his intent to continue a partnership in defense and nuclear
energy, and to send Indonesian students to Russia to study medicine.
The trip
to Moscow comes months after Prabowo went to Beijing to meet President Xi
Jinping to affirm Indonesia’s “policy of friendship” with China.
Prabowo
has said he will forge ties with any country, be it China or the United States,
in his non-alignment foreign policy.
Putin
was quoted by Russian state news agency TASS Russia as saying Russia was ready
to “scale up supplies of agricultural products, implement investment projects
in the field of energy, transport, and infrastructure.”
Kremlin
spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was quoted by TASS as saying that Indonesia’s role
in the war in Ukraine, which Putin calls a special operation, is “growing
significantly nowadays.”
Last
year, Prabowo proposed a peaceful settlement for the war that includes a
ceasefire and a demilitarised zone in an address to the Shangri-La Dialogue
security summit in Singapore.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2560401/world
--------
Solidarity
with Palestine gathering at Axiata Arena this Sunday - Fahmi
01-08-
2024
PUTRAJAYA:
A gathering in solidarity with Palestine will be held at Axiata Arena, Bukit
Jalil, this Sunday, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.
He said
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to attend the gathering,
which is expected to begin at 8 pm.
“We are
providing the space for all parties to come together to show solidarity for
Palestine and we hope this will send a clear signal to the international
community that Malaysia’s stance on the Palestinian issue has not changed and
that we will continue to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people,” he
told a press conference here today.
Fahmi,
who is also the government’s spokesperson, said all quarters including members
of Parliament and senators, regardless of their political beliefs, are invited
to the gathering.
Prior to
this, the Solidarity with Gaza gathering held at Masjid Negara in Kuala Lumpur
saw political leaders from both the government and the opposition blocs come
together to show solidarity and voice their support for the people of
Palestine.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/solidarity-with-palestine-gathering-at-axiata-arena-this-sunday-fahmi-DL12804007
--------
Haniyeh’s
assassination may trigger regional war in the middle east, senate told
01-08-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: The assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh has
some huge implications for global stability and peace with the threat of
triggering a regional war in the Middle East, the Dewan Negara was told today.
Foreign
Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the entire Malaysian Cabinet and the
people stand in solidarity with the Palestinians and strongly condemn the
brutal killing of Haniyeh.
“The
killing has directly contributed to the escalation of the war. It further
breeds the prospect of a war in Gaza and dragged various countries in the
Middle East to the battlefield.
“This
will make the world face a more acute global security crisis and threaten the
growth and stability of the world economy as well as human wellbeing,” he said
when reading his statement for the motion of solidarity with the Palestinian
people at the Senate sitting.
The
statement was in response to the brutal killing of Haniyeh, who was also the
former Prime Minister of Palestine, in an airstrike that targeted his residence
in Tehran, Iran, yesterday.
Mohamad
said the assassination of Haniyeh had also hampered efforts to reach a
ceasefire in Gaza and create lasting peace in Palestine.
“How can
the ceasefire efforts continue when the main player and negotiator of the
ceasefire talks was brutally killed? All this clearly shows the real goal of
the Israeli regime, which is to continue the agenda of genocide, atrocities and
violence against the Palestinian people.
“What
was killed yesterday was not only a top Palestinian leader but also a prospect
for a long-lasting peace,” he said.
Mohamad
said the Malaysian Government also believes that, with Haniyeh’s death, efforts
to prevent the conflict in Palestine from escalating have not only failed but
have indeed reached a dead end.
He said
the government also anticipated an unstoppable reaction to Haniyeh’s
assassination, which will definitely cause more casualties, destruction and
suffering.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/haniyeh-s-assassination-may-trigger-regional-war-in-the-middle-east-senate-told-HL12803675
--------
South Asia
Taliban
calls Ismail Haniyeh’s death a “Great Loss”
July 31,
2024
The
Taliban has condemned the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s
political bureau, calling it a “great loss for the Islamic Ummah and the
jihadist movement.”
In a
statement, the group emphasized that supporting Palestine and Hamas is both an
Islamic and humanitarian duty.
On
Wednesday, July 31st, the Taliban issued a declaration stating that “Ismail
Haniyeh was a wise and capable Palestinian Muslim who made significant
sacrifices in his successful struggle and jihad, remaining faithful to his
cause.” According to the Taliban, “Martyrdom is the greatest victory for a
Muslim and a mujahid.”
The
group praised Haniyeh for teaching his followers the values of resistance,
sacrifice, patience, endurance, and struggle.
The
Taliban extended its condolences to the Palestinian people and reaffirmed its
commitment to defending Palestine and Hamas as part of their Islamic and
humanitarian responsibilities.
They
urged Muslim and Arab countries to make every effort to stop Israeli attacks,
warning that continued “Israeli crimes” will lead to further instability in the
region, holding Israel and its supporters accountable for any consequences.
Meanwhile,
Ismail Haniyeh also met with Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s deputy prime minister,
in Tehran on Tuesday during the inauguration ceremony of Massoud Pezeshkian.
Ismail
Haniyeh was killed in an attack in Tehran on Tuesday night.
The
assassination of Ismail Haniyeh marks a significant event in the ongoing
conflict involving Palestine and Israel.
The
Taliban’s strong condemnation and call for regional solidarity highlight the
deep connections between militant groups and the broader geopolitical tensions
in the Middle East. This event underscores the ongoing volatility and the need
for increased diplomatic efforts to address the persistent conflicts in the
region.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-calls-ismail-haniyehs-death-a-great-loss/
--------
Women’s
Rights Activists urge US Congress to recognize Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan
July 31,
2024
Three
women’s rights activists from the United States have called for the Taliban’s
gender apartheid in Afghanistan to be recognized as a crime against humanity.
The activists, Heather Barr, Wahida Amiri, and Mitra Mehran, emphasized the
severe lack of justice for Afghan women and girls.
During a
special session of the U.S. Congress on human rights in Afghanistan, the
activists painted a grim picture of the situation faced by Afghan women and
girls. They criticized the ineffective diplomatic efforts that have failed to
improve their conditions.
Heather
Barr of Human Rights Watch pointed out that both the UN Special Rapporteur and
Afghan human rights activists have called for the Taliban’s treatment of women
to be recognized as gender apartheid. She stressed that this recognition should
be incorporated into international legal frameworks.
Barr
described the plight of Afghan women as shocking and alarming. She noted that
private discussions between Western diplomats and the Taliban have not led to
any significant improvements. She condemned the exclusion of women
representatives from the third Doha meeting as a major victory for the Taliban.
Wahida
Amiri urged U.S. Congress members to take action based on human dignity and
international human rights conventions. She called for the U.S. government to
recognize Taliban crimes against Afghan women as crimes against humanity under
Articles 7 and 8 of the Rome Statute.
Amiri
appealed to the committee to officially acknowledge gender apartheid in
Afghanistan and recognize the Taliban as leaders of such a regime. She
emphasized that her plea reflects the voices of Afghan people, including women
and children.
Amiri
also highlighted that U.S. support has facilitated the Taliban’s repression of
women and girls. She criticized the U.S. for engaging in negotiations with the
Taliban despite warnings from Afghan women and democratic forces, which led to
a peace agreement.
She
further criticized the U.S. government for providing millions of dollars in
humanitarian aid to the Taliban despite their oppressive policies. Amiri urged
Congress to prevent taxpayer money from being used to support the Taliban.
Mitra
Mehran addressed Congress, detailing how the Taliban has increasingly
restricted the rights of women and girls since taking power. She pointed out
the removal of women’s employment, education, freedom of expression, and access
to healthcare and social activities.
Mehran
called on Congress to recognize gender apartheid as a crime against humanity
and condemned the Taliban’s actions against women’s rights organizations. She
highlighted Amnesty International’s reports of the detention and torture of protesting
women.
The
urgent appeal from these activists highlights the severe human rights
violations perpetrated by the Taliban. Recognizing these actions as crimes
against humanity could pressure the international community to take decisive
steps to address the ongoing crisis and support Afghan women and girls in their
fight for justice and equality.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/womens-rights-activists-urge-us-congress-to-recognize-gender-apartheid-in-afghanistan/
---------
Afghanistan’s
trade imbalance: $1.8 billion in exports, $8 billion in imports
July 31,
2024
The
Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan has announced that the country
has conducted $10 billion in trade over the past year.
In a
statement released on Wednesday, July 31st, the ministry highlighted the
achievements of the past year, detailing that this total includes $1.8 billion
in exports and over $8 billion in imports.
However,
this imbalance is a concerning indicator of the country’s economic health. The
disproportionate ratio of imports to exports suggests a troubling dependency on
foreign goods and services, which may undermine local industries and contribute
to a persistent trade deficit.
The statement
also noted significant increases in exports to various countries, with
Kazakhstan up by 2.5%, China by 16%, Iran by 19%, Turkey by 53%, and Russia by
54%. Additionally, the ministry reported that 100 new production factories have
started operations, approximately 1,000 industrial companies have been issued
licenses, and over 23,000 investment licenses have been renewed.
Furthermore,
the Ministry of Industry and Commerce stated that over the past year, direct
employment opportunities have been created for 646,015 individuals, while
indirect opportunities have reached around 4.4 million. The ministry attributed
these job opportunities to the empowerment of small and medium enterprises and
various agreements.
Previously,
the National Statistics and Information Authority had reported that
Afghanistan’s export and import value for the fiscal year 1402 reached $10.3
billion.
Meanwhile,
there is a significant imbalance between exports and imports. This discrepancy
not only raises questions about the sustainability of economic growth but also
signals potential vulnerabilities in Afghanistan’s trade strategy and economic
stability. Addressing these disparities will be crucial for achieving a more
balanced and resilient economy.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/afghanistans-trade-imbalance-1-8-billion-in-export-8-billion-in-imports/
--------
Afghanistan
Embassies in London and Brussels continue consular services
July 31,
2024
Zalmai
Rasoul, the Afghanistan Ambassador to London, has responded to the suspension
of consular activities by some Afghan consulates in European countries, stating
that the Afghan consulate in the United Kingdom will continue its operations
without interruption.
In a
statement released on Tuesday, July 30th, he affirmed the embassy’s commitment
to supporting the rights and interests of Afghan citizens abroad.
Ambassador
Rasoul emphasized that “the Afghanistan Embassy in London firmly declares that
all consular and diplomatic services will continue without any disruption.” He
added that “we are committed to supporting the rights and interests of Afghan
citizens abroad and will utilize all our resources and facilities to provide
the best possible services.”
Yesterday,
the Taliban Foreign Ministry announced that the activities of 14 Afghanistan
diplomatic and consular missions in European countries, which operate without
coordination with the ministry, were deemed “unauthorized and a clear violation
of accepted principles.”
The
ministry’s statement indicated that the Afghanistan missions in London,
Belgium, Berlin, Bonn, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Greece, Poland,
Sweden, Norway, Canada, and Australia were considered invalid due to their
refusal to cooperate and coordinate with the ministry.
In
response, Nazifullah Salarzi, the Afghanistan Ambassador to Belgium, has
confirmed that consular services at all Afghanistan consular missions in
Belgium and the European Union will continue. He asserted that the Afghanistan
Embassy in Belgium remains recognized by the host country.
The
conflicting statements from Afghanistan’s diplomatic representatives highlight
ongoing issues within Afghanistan’s foreign service operations. Despite the
Taliban administration’s decision to invalidate certain consular activities,
key representatives, such as those in London and Brussels, maintain their
commitment to uninterrupted service.
This
comes amid the fact that no countries currently recognize the Taliban regime in
Afghanistan as a legitimate government.
The
resolution of these discrepancies will be crucial in ensuring the effective
representation and support of Afghanistan citizens abroad.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-embassies-in-london-and-brussels-continue-consular-services/
--------
Significance
of breastfeeding in raising healthy children in Afghanistan
August
1, 2024
By:
Sayed Asef Fekrat
Breastfeeding
is widely acknowledged as a cornerstone of infant health and development,
offering numerous benefits for both children and mothers. In Afghanistan, where
health challenges are prevalent and access to medical resources can be limited,
the significance of breastfeeding becomes even more pronounced. Promoting
breastfeeding not only addresses nutritional needs but also contributes to
overall health and well-being, playing a crucial role in improving child health
outcomes in the country. Breastfeeding is celebrated for its comprehensive
benefits, particularly in developing countries like Afghanistan. Breast milk is
uniquely suited to an infant’s needs, providing the ideal balance of nutrients
required for healthy growth and development. It contains proteins, fats,
vitamins, and minerals in proportions perfectly tailored to the infant’s needs,
which helps in optimal physical and cognitive development. One of the most
critical advantages of breastfeeding is its role in enhancing the immune
system. Breast milk is rich in antibodies and immune cells that help protect
infants from infections and diseases, a significant benefit in a country where
access to healthcare services may be limited. For instance, breastfed infants
are less susceptible to gastrointestinal infections, respiratory diseases, and
other common illnesses, which can be particularly beneficial in areas with
limited access to medical care. The benefits of breastfeeding extend to mothers
as well. For Afghan women, breastfeeding offers a natural way to support
postpartum recovery. It helps in the contraction of the uterus, reduces the
risk of postpartum hemorrhage, and assists in spacing pregnancies, which can
contribute to better maternal health and family planning. Moreover,
breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, providing
long-term health benefits for mothers. Despite the known benefits, several
barriers hinder breastfeeding practices in Afghanistan. Cultural beliefs, lack
of awareness, and socioeconomic factors play significant roles. For instance,
some traditional practices may discourage exclusive breastfeeding or promote
the use of alternatives such as animal milk or pre-prepared formulas, which may
not be nutritionally adequate and can lead to health issues. Another challenge
is the lack of support for breastfeeding mothers. In many communities, women
may not have access to breastfeeding-friendly environments or sufficient
support from healthcare professionals. Education and resources on proper
breastfeeding techniques and the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding are often
limited, leading to misinformation and misconceptions. Addressing these
barriers requires a multi-faceted approach involving education, community
support, and healthcare improvements. Educating mothers and families about the
importance of breastfeeding is crucial. The Ministry of Public Health and the
local and international organizations working in health can play a significant
role in disseminating information about the benefits of breastfeeding and dispelling
myths that may lead to the use of unsuitable alternatives. Healthcare providers
in Afghanistan should be equipped to offer support and guidance on
breastfeeding practices. This includes training for midwives, nurses, and
doctors on promoting and supporting breastfeeding. Hospitals and clinics should
implement practices that encourage breastfeeding, such as initiating
breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and ensuring that mothers receive
adequate support and counseling. Community support is also vital. Establishing
breastfeeding support groups and peer counseling programs can help provide
mothers with the encouragement and practical advice they need. Such initiatives
can foster a supportive environment where breastfeeding is normalized and encouraged,
contributing to better health outcomes for both mothers and infants. Government
and non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan have a crucial role in
promoting breastfeeding through policy and infrastructure support. Policies
that promote breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, establish breastfeeding rooms
in public places, and provide maternity leave can create environments that
support breastfeeding mothers. Additionally, integrating breastfeeding
education into public health policies and programs can enhance awareness and
support. Investment in healthcare infrastructure is essential for improving
maternal and child health. Ensuring that healthcare facilities are equipped to
support breastfeeding and that healthcare workers are trained to provide
appropriate guidance is critical. Furthermore, improving access to clean water
and nutrition can address some of the challenges associated with breastfeeding
and infant health. In Afghanistan, breastfeeding is a vital practice with the
potential to significantly improve child health and development. By providing
essential nutrients, enhancing immune protection, and supporting maternal
health, breastfeeding offers numerous benefits that are particularly important
in a country with limited healthcare resources. Overcoming barriers to
breastfeeding through education, community support, and policy changes can help
ensure that more children in Afghanistan grow up healthy and strong.
Emphasizing and supporting breastfeeding is not only a matter of health but also
a crucial step toward building a healthier future for the country.
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/significance-of-breastfeeding-in-raising-healthy-children-in-afghanistan/
--------
Europe
Darah
Organizes Two Holy Mosques Exhibition, Arabic Manuscripts Seminar in
Turkmenistan
The King
Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, "Darah," organized a
seminar on "Arabic manuscripts in Turkmenistan" in partnership with
the Saudi embassy in Ashgabat. The seminar began Wednesday and runs through
August 4.
The
inaugural session of the seminar was conducted under the patronage of
Turkmenistan Minister of Culture Atageldi Shamyradov. Present at the event were
Saudi ambassador to Turkmenistan Said bin Osman Al-Suwaid; Darah chief
executive Turki Al-Shuwaier; and director of the Magtymguly Institute of
Language, Literature and National Manuscripts in Turkmenistan Dawud
Orazsahedov.
Shamyradov
extended a warm welcome to the Saudi delegation and highlighted an exhibition,
held along with the seminar, that is displaying the heritage of the Two Holy
Mosques over time, including the aesthetics of manuscripts and their historical
significance.
He
hailed these proceedings as a symbolic step that signifies the ongoing efforts
towards cultural understanding between both nations while reflecting their
strong and amicable relations. He also emphasized the distinctive position of
Saudi Arabia in Turkmenistan's foreign policy.
Shamyradov
highlighted the significance of the exhibition focusing on the Two Holy Mosques
in introducing Islamic sanctities as well as national, cultural, and
civilizational values from the Kingdom to the Turkmen people and the world.
The
exhibition dedicated to the Two Holy Mosques featured various sections,
including displays highlighting the Year of the Camel, Arabic calligraphy, and
Saudi coffee traditions.
Saudi
Ambassador Al-Suwaid underscored the mutual commitment of both nations to boost
their deep ties, commending Darah for its efforts in preserving and showcasing
the historical documentation of the Kingdom within the context of Islamic
history.
Orazsahedov
expressed his appreciation for Saudi Arabia's organization of the seminar,
emphasizing its cultural significance in acquainting the Turkmen community with
the rich heritage and cultural identity of Saudi Arabia through the lens of
cultural exchange.
The
event witnessed the screening of a documentary film focusing on the relations
between Saudi Arabia and Turkmenistan.
Source: english.aawsat.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://english.aawsat.com/culture/5046011-darah-organizes-two-holy-mosques-exhibition-arabic-manuscripts-seminar-turkmenistan
--------
Permission
granted for disused school to be turned into a mosque with classrooms
The
Essex Street development, formerly home to Walsall Local History Centre, will
also see the old caretaker’s two-storey house turned into a ground floor
mortuary and first floor flat.
Plans
for the proposal received seven letters of objections from residents.
Their
concerns included parking, traffic congestion, noise and disturbance. Essex
Street faces parking problems like many roads across the borough.
The
terraced houses built in the Edwardian era weren’t made to accommodate modern
levels of car ownership.
Due to
traffic concerns, planning officers recommended the application be refused.
However,
members of the planning committee pointed out most visitors would be travelling
to the proposed facility on foot.
The
application also had a strong case with bringing a building vacant since 2019,
back into use.
It was
heard at the planning committee meeting last week the internal structure of the
building would largely remain the same, the external windows would be
reinstated into a similar style and there would be no call to prayer speakers
on the external walls of the building.
The
proposed mortuary would be sufficient for small gatherings only and bigger
gatherings would need to take place at a larger site.
The land
backs onto the former Abu Bakr Boys’ school and the vacant school, which is
currently boarded up, is a hot spot for anti-social behaviour.
Councillor
Mike Bird was keen to point out that before its recent closure, it accommodated
300 children. He felt the current proposal would see a reduction in traffic
issues in comparison to the boys’ school.
Councillor
Aftab Nawaz moved to approve the application. He said: “I listened carefully to
the arguments made, I feel like the argument particularly on highways doesn’t
take into account several things.
"Such
as the community of Muslims which would attend this mosque are within walking
distance.
"Why
would people travel to this mosque when they’re going past several mosques from
their own communities? It’s like going past Tescos on your doorstep and going
into the town centre Tescos.
“It’s
not like a school, where students go at 8am and come back at 4pm.
"You
go at 5pm or 6pm and do one hour. Those kids will, again, come from the local
area.
“We need
to take into account that it’s bringing a building back into use.
"There’s
lots of anti-social behaviour that goes on in the school behind this centre.
"It’s
not in use, people go in and take it apart and do what they shouldn’t do. This
is bringing an old building back into use.”
Councillors
voted unanimously to approve the proposal, against officers recommendations.
Source: expressandstar.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/walsall/2024/08/01/edwardian-school-to-become-mosque/
-------
NHS
staff enjoy treat as local mosque provides lunch
Around
20 staff from Walsall Palliative Care Centre tucked into free food and drink,
freshly baked samosas and sweet treats, at the Goscote Lane facility to mark
Eid al-Adha, a Muslim celebration of sacrifice, which took place on June 16.
The UKIM
Aisha Mosque in Walsall, which attracts between 1,000 and 1,500 worshippers to
its Palfrey headquarters every Friday, supplied the treats on Wednesday and
gave Walsall Healthcare colleagues the chance to take a break and enjoy the
refreshments.
Worshipper
Nawazish Arif, External Relations-in-Charge at the mosque, helped organise the
event via the Union of Muslim Organisations (UMO) and Well Wishers, Walsall
Healthcare NHS Trust’s charity.
She
said: “We do a lot of outreach community work where we volunteer to help in the
community for those who provide a vital services in the wider community.
"Eid
is all about sharing food with family, friends and the community and spending
time together.
“In
terms of palliative care, we need to appreciate the work the staff do because
it’s not easy for them.
"What
they do is a very important part of the NHS for the community.”
Fellow
worshipper Shehla Ziaee said she had a positive experience of the Palliative
Care Centre, as her sister-in-law’s sister Shabila Mahmood died in 2017 after
being cared for there.
She
said: “We do this partly to celebrate Eid but also to acknowledge the staff and
the dedication they put into what they do.
“We’ve
had a really good response too as staff were peering through the window then
joining us so it’s been nice.
“We’ve
chatted to them and they’re really grateful for what we have done.
"They
have asked when we’re coming back so it’s good to be appreciated and
acknowledged.
“I
remember Shabila spending her last days at the centre and she looked so calm
and at ease.
“We
stayed with her on her last day and the staff were so considerate and
accommodating.
"They
gave us a bed so the siblings could alternate spending time with Shabila and
didn’t rush us.”
Katy
Menear, deputy Palliative Care Lead, said: “It’s really important to have the
local community celebrate the importance of Eid.
"It’s
great to have a celebration supported by local people and with some lovely food
as well!”
Charlotte
Morris, clinical team lead on Fair Oaks Daycare Centre, said: “It’s lovely to
have samosas bought for us but also to engage with the community and integrate
more with people and to find out how they want to help us.”
Georgie
Westley, Well Wishers’ fundraising manager, said: “We have a really good
relationship with the mosque and it was lovely of the worshippers to think of
our staff and put on a spread for them. Colleagues really appreciate their generosity
and we thank them.”
Source: expressandstar.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/walsall/2024/08/01/nhs-staff-enjoy-treat-as-local-mosque-provides-lunch/
--------
Local
heroes help repair damaged mosque wall and clean neighbourhood after riots in
Southport last night
20:28 31
An army
of local heroes have taken to the streets of Southport today (31 July) after
riots erupted in the seaside town following a deadly incident at a Taylor
Swift-themed dance event.
Three
young girls - Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9
- tragically passed away following a horrific knife attack on Monday (29 July),
Merseyside Police said.
Another
five children remain in a critical condition in wake of the heinous act which
has rocked the UK, while two adults who were also present are also still in a
serious condition.
Armed
police swooped the scene in Merseyside along with 13 ambulances and the fire
service, before a major incident was declared by the force.
A
17-year-old suspect is currently in custody after being arrested on suspicion
of murder and attempted murder.
Tensions
then boiled over in Southport last night (30 July), as hundreds of rioters took
to the streets.
Footage
shared on social media shows how cars were set alight, wheelie bins were
torched, local businesses were damaged and bricks were hurled at a mosque in
the area.
According
to police, 53 officers were injured in the disturbance while four men were
arrested.
Three
police dogs, Zoe, Ike and Quga, were also hurt, chief constable Serena Kennedy
said.
She said
that the rioters were motivated 'purely for hooliganism and thuggery' and
suggested that up to 300 people had been involved in the incident.
Jenni
Stancombe, who is the mother of seven-year-old victim Elsie, shared a Facebook
post calling for calm, urging people to 'please stop the violence'.
"The
police have been nothing but heroic these last 24 hours and they and we don’t
need this," she wrote.
Now, in
heartwarming scenes, the community has incredibly come together to support one
another and clean up the chaos which rioters left in their tracks.
Clutching
brushes and shovels, gangs of locals were seen scooping up debris and rubbish
from the roads.
Touchingly,
residents rallied together to neaten up a damaged brick wall at a nearby mosque
- with mosque chair Ibrahim Hussein saying he was left 'humbled' by the
generosity he had received.
The fire
service have helped to replace smashed windows at the mosque today too, the BBC
reported.
Local
companies have also been pitching in with the mammoth clean up and repairs
throughout the day on Wednesday, while residents of all ages have been offering
their assistance.
Youngster
Sebastian Taylor, 10, joined in on the clean-up with his younger sister and mum
Gemma after witnessing the chaos unfold close to their home as rioters run
amok.
He said:
"Last night was just horrible, so we were like, 'You know what, we should
help'. Because everyone was helping.
"We
were sweeping up bricks and metal and bottles, and we were sweeping up burnt
pieces of bins which had been on fire. It was really scary."
According
to local news outlet On The Spot (OTS) News, one local said of their
motivations for the clean up: "We’re fixing the damage that these scumbags
did."
The
publication reported that around 100 people turned up to lend a hand at the
mosque and that crowds continued to swell throughout the day, so much so, that
latecomers were informed that 'much of the work has already been done'.
Locals
have also launched a fundraiser for the owner of Windsor Mini Mart, Chanaka
Balasuryla, after it was allegedly looted last night for £10,000 of stock.
A
'peaceful, solemn and respectful' vigil for those who lost their lives in the
tragedy has reportedly since been held today.
Praising
locals for their assistance in restoring the area, chief constable Kennedy said
their actions depicted 'the very best of the communities of Southport'.
Health
secretary Wes Streeting added: "This is who we are as a country."
Source: ladbible.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-news/southport-stabbing-attack-riots-rioting-update-651467-20240731
---------
Incorrect
claims about Muslims in England recirculating on Facebook
31 JULY
2024
A viral
post that’s been circulating in some form for at least seven years makes
several claims about Muslims in the UK, many of which are either untrue or
unevidenced.
It’s
very similar to a post we’ve seen and checked multiple times since 2017,
including as recently as May this year.
False or
misleading claims about specific religious groups have the potential to harm
individuals and groups. Online claims can spread fast and far and are difficult
to contain and correct. Internet companies must take responsibility to ensure
that they have clear and transparent policies on the treatment of
misinformation on their platforms, and then apply them consistently.
Muslim
mayors
The post
first claims that the mayors of London, Birmingham, Leeds, Blackburn,
Sheffield, Oxford, Luton, Oldham and Rochdale are all Muslim.
It’s
true that all of these places have had mayors who are Muslim at some point, but
not all of them currently do.
The
religion of any given mayor generally isn’t held as a matter of public record,
but knowledge of some, such as Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, are known. Likewise,
the Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen has publicly spoken about being Muslim,
while the current Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Chaman Lal, is from a Sikh family.
Muslims
claiming state support
The post
also makes a number of claims about Muslim men and women and their use of state
support.
It
suggests 78% of Muslim women and 63% of Muslim men “don’t work and are on free
benefits/housing”.
It’s not
clear what time period these figures refer to. But according to 2021 census
data, 37% of Muslim women and 59.9% of Muslim men were employed, figures which
are clearly inconsistent with those given in the Facebook post.
We’ve
not been able to find official data breaking down those claiming Universal
Credit and other benefits by their religion. The government says that this data
is unavailable. Questions on religion are included in the equality survey made
available to claimants, but it is not compulsory.
Of those
who responded to the 2021 census and said all those in their household
identified as Muslim, 27.8% in England lived in social housing, but this
doesn’t mean the accommodation is free.
The post
then makes a claim suggesting the Muslim families with 6-8 children are
“planning to go on free benefits/housing”.
It’s
hard to know exactly what this means, but there doesn’t appear to be good data
to support the idea that Muslim families have an average of 6-8 children.
The
Office for National Statistics (ONS) told us in May 2024 that working out the
average number of children per household is not straightforward. It said, to
the best of their workings, that in Muslim-only single family households with
dependent children, there were an average of 2.6 children at the time of the
2021 census, though this figure excludes multi-generational households, and
assumes that households of eight people or more include exactly eight people.
Mosques
One of
the claims the post makes is that there are “over 3,000 Muslim Mosques”.
The ONS
does not collect data on the number of places of worship, including mosques,
but the government estimated in 2018 there were “1,500 mosques and prayer halls
in England”, and in 2020 the Muslim Council of Britain said, in written
evidence to a Lords select committee, there were “about 1,200 mosques” in
Britain.
The
organisation Muslims in Britain maintains a database of mosques in the UK. As
of 31 July 2024, there are 2,149 premises across the UK that are used for
Islamic worship, 1,993 of which are in England.
These
figures include spaces such as hired halls, chaplaincies or dedicated prayer
rooms, as well as temporary premises, those still under construction and those
that are planned or proposed.
Sharia
courts and councils
The post
claims there are more than 130 sharia courts and more than 50 sharia councils.
There is
no official count of how many of these exist in the UK, although a 2018 Home
Office review found that there were between 30 and 85 sharia councils in
England and Wales.
Sharia
councils (sometimes referred to as sharia courts) are not formal courts of law,
and have “no legal status and no legal binding authority under civil law”,
according to the Home Office.
“No-go”
areas
Another
claim is that there are “Muslims-Only No-Go Areas Across the UK”.
As we’ve
explained before, there are no areas in the UK where UK law doesn’t apply or
where police can’t do their work (except perhaps diplomatic premises), and no
evidence of geographical areas that exclude individuals on the basis of
religion.
Halal
meat in schools
One
claim in the post suggests that “all UK schools are only serving Halal meat”.
That’s
not correct. Government rules on school food in England don’t specify that food
which meets religious dietary requirements must be served. Individual schools
may choose to provide halal meat if they wish, but there’s no obligation for
all schools to do so.
The
government said previously it does not hold information on the number of
schools that only provide halal meals, and we’ve previously found examples of
schools in Scotland and England with pork—which is not halal—on their menus.
Source: fullfact.org
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://fullfact.org/online/repeated-claims-about-muslims-in-england/
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Southport
stabbing: Five people arrested after hundreds join far right riot outside
mosque
31 JUL
2024
Five men
have been arrested after more than 50 police officers were injured in a night
of rioting after the murders of three children in Southport.
Frontline
cops were hit with bricks and bottles and cars were set alight, including a
police van, as people swarmed outside a local mosque after false rumours spread
online about the murder suspect. Violence broke out after the deaths of Bebe
King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, in a
knife attack at a summer holiday Taylor Swift dance workshop.
Three
police dogs were injured and eight Merseyside Police officers sustained serious
injuries including fractures, lacerations, a suspected broken nose and
concussion. Other officers suffered head injuries, serious facial injuries and
one was knocked unconscious. Police confirmed three men have been arrested on
suspicion of violent disorder, and another on suspicion of Affray and
Possession of a bladed article.
Merseyside
police said garden walls were broken down by protesters who threw the bricks at
officers and the local mosque. Cars and wheelie bins were set alight, and a
convenience store looted.
Merseyside
police said garden walls were broken down by protesters who threw the bricks at
officers and the local mosque. Cars and wheelie bins were set alight, and a
convenience store looted. A section 60 order, that gives police greater stop
and search powers, has been out in place, as well as a section 34 measure that
gives them powers to stop anti-social behaviour.
Assistant
Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: “The wanton violence and destruction we saw is
the very last thing the people of Southport need having been rocked by the
awful events of Monday. The disrespect toward grieving families and the
community is despicable, and I want to reassure residents in Southport that we
will have a significantly increased police presence in the town in the coming
days.”
Police
dogs Zoe and Ike have sustained leg injuries from bricks thrown at them. A
third dog, PD Quga, who was bitten, strangled and kicked by an offender at the
beginning of this month, has tonight suffered burns to her back leg. Merseyside
Police said in a statement: "As a result of the disorder, a 24-hour
Section 60 Order has been introduced in the area (see attached), running from
19.54pm today and extra officers will remain in the area to provide a visible
presence to reassure communities.
"The
Order, under S60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, gives
officers enhanced stop and search powers to stop individuals in the area and is
designed to minimise serious violence. A Section 34 Order has also been
introduced under the Anti-Social Behaviour & Policing Act 2014, giving
officers powers to direct people who are engaging in antisocial behaviour or
are likely to become involved in such incidents. These powers will not be used
for anyone visiting the area and going about their daily business.
"Under
the legislation, officers have the power to seize any item, including vehicles,
used in the commission of anti-social behaviour. Should a person who has
previously been directed to leave the area return, an offence would be
committed, which they may ultimately be arrested for."
Merseyside
Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said three people were arrested on
Tuesday night. Further arrests were made on Wednesday, including one
39-year-old man who was recognised by police from online footage. He was taken
to hospital by police, and is reported to have racially abused a fellow patient
while at the hospital.
Assistant
Chief Constable Alex Goss said: “Merseyside Police has faced serious violence
in Southport and I am so proud to have witnessed off-duty officers (many of
whom had not long finished a full shift) parade back on duty to support their
colleagues who had displayed such courage whilst under constant and sustained
attack. I would also like to thank officers from Greater Manchester Police,
Cheshire Police, Lancashire Police and North Wales Police who also provided
mutual aid and support.
“Sadly,
offenders have destroyed garden walls so they could use the bricks to attack
our officers and have set cars belonging to the public on fire, and damaged
cars parked in the Mosque car park. This is no way to treat a community, least
of all a community that is still reeling from the events of Monday.
“We
would appeal to anyone who has information or video footage of those involved
in this shocking behaviour to come forward so we can identify and arrest those
responsible. Anyone with information can DM @MerPolCC or contact Crimestoppers
on 0800 555 111.”
Source: mirror.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/breaking-southport-stabbing-three-people-33364051
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Moscow
accuses Israel of ‘gross violation’ of international law
31 Jul,
2024
The
bombing of Beirut by Israel this week breaches the very basic rules of
international law and risks sparking a major conflict in the Middle East, the
Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Earlier, West Jerusalem confirmed a
targeted attack on a Hezbollah commander in the Lebanese capital.
The
strike hit a residential area near one of Beirut’s biggest hospitals, the
ministry’s deputy spokesman, Andrey Nastasyin, told journalists during a
briefing in Moscow. Several people, including a woman and two children were
killed in the strike, which left the hospital “badly damaged” and more than 80
people injured, he said.
“We
consider it unacceptable to carry out such military operations, particularly in
the densely populated areas, that risk massive civilian casualties and
destruction of civilian infrastructure,” the diplomat said.
Israeli
actions are nothing but a “gross violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and basic
norms of international law,” the deputy spokesman stated. He also warned that
the incident could further stir up tensions in the region and urged all the
sides to exercise maximum restraint in the wake of the attack.
According
to the diplomat, no Russian citizens were injured in the attack. He also called
on the Russian nationals to avoid traveling to Lebanon in the wake of the
developments.
The
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike on Tuesday and said that it
targeted the Hezbollah commander responsible for a missile attack on a village
in the Golan Heights that occurred last Saturday.
Twelve
people died in the Druze village of Majdal Shams, mostly children, when a
rocket hit a football pitch. West Jerusalem blamed the incident on Hezbollah,
adding that the group had “crossed the red line” with this strike. The
Lebanon-based Shia militant group denied responsibility but warned that it
would respond to any Israeli strike.
Israel
and Hezbollah have been exchanging rocket and drone strikes for months amid
West Jerusalem’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, which led to a spike in
tensions between Israel and the Lebanon-based group as well. The cross-border
attacks had led to the evacuation of almost 200,000 residents on both sides of
the border.
West
Jerusalem has repeatedly threatened a military operation against Hezbollah. In
June, President Isaac Herzog said that the group’s “terrorist aggression must
be stopped.”
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/601931-israel-gross-violation-international-law/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/conversion-laws-india-court-states-hearing/d/132844