SC Orders Trial Court to Refrain From Issuing Any Orders Regarding The Survey Of A Mughal-Era Mosque in Sambhal
New Age Islam News Bureau
29 November 2024
The management committee of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal had approached the Supreme Court on November 28, seeking to challenge the district court’s November 19 order that mandated the mosque survey.
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· SC Orders Trial Court to Refrains From Issuing Any Orders Regarding The Survey Of A Mughal-Era Mosque in Sambhal
· Bangladeshi Music Festival Promoting Religious Tolerance Canceled Amid Islamist Threats
· UK Muslim MPs ‘Singled Out’ For Opposing Upcoming Assisted Dying Bill Vote
· Johor Govt Denies Persecuting Islamic Groups, Says Action Against GISBH Based On Deviant Teachings, Says State Exco
· Gaza Journalists Win Video Award For ‘Powerful’ War Coverage
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India
· Muslim Personal Law Board urges Chief Justice to intervene amid rising claims on mosques, dargahs
· Kashmir's Ajmer Finger At Ex-CJID.Y. Chandrachud: Leaders Warn Of Rising Communal Tensions
· J&K: ADGP warns of severe consequences for those harbouring terrorists
· Wanted LeT Operative Brought Back From Rwanda; CBI, NIA Work Together
· Malik view sought on jail court: CBI tells SC about travel 'pretext' of J&K separatist
· Behind BJP’s stunning win in UP bye-poll, police coercion and dodgy voter slips, claim Muslim voters
· Protests by Hindu and Muslim organisations choke streets of Kolkata
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South Asia
· Could the Islamic Emirate be the Inspiration for a New Crime Against Humanity? Prospects for the gender apartheid campaign
· Jamaat-e-Islami Delegation In Meeting With Yunus
· Minister Haqqani Discusses Returnee Challenges with IOM Chief of Mission
· Iran seeks global financial support for hosting Afghan migrants
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Europe
· A Spectrum Of Threats: Islamist Extremism Online In Germany Post-October 7
· Islamic group accuses Milei government of ‘censorship’ as TV show is pulled from air
· Finland Reverses Quota Refugee Policy, Accepts Half From Muslim-Majority Countries
· Young Muslims In Scotland 'Disillusioned' By Mainstream Politics
· Head of Scots Muslim Police Association found guilty of embezzling from organisation
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Southeast Asia
· Court To Hear Bid To Restore Muslim Status Of Loh's Kids In February
· Parents of autistic boy Zayn Rayyan bid to have child neglect charge withdrawn
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Mideast
· Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire unlikely to hold: UK ex-spy chief
· Israeli Military Says Lebanese Residents Are Prohibited To Move South To Several Villages
· 44,330 Gazans killed in more than 13 months of war
· UK signs deals with Iraq aimed at curbing irregular immigration
· Some Lebanon hospitals look set to restart quickly after ceasefire, WHO says
· Lebanon says 2 hurt as Israeli troops fire on people returning south after truce with Hezbollah
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Arab World
· Saudi Arabia To Host UN Internet Governance Forum In Riyadh
· How AI could help keep Saudi Arabia’s homes safer
· Saudi Reforms Have ‘Reinforced Unwavering Principles Of Justice, Equality,’ Says Kingdom’s Human Rights Commission
· Saudi Feast Food Festival celebrates culinary journey through Kingdom’s rich heritage and diverse flavors
· Saudi Arabia, Brazil partner on space technology
· Saudi FM meets with GCC ministers ahead of Supreme Council session in Kuwait
· Riyadh fintech forum ‘a turning point’ in Swiss-Saudi partnership
· Saudi Arabia sends 25th relief plane to Lebanon
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Pakistan
· PTI ‘Split’ As Leaders Try To Fix Blame For Debacle
· Ringleader among four terrorists neutralised in KP’s Bagh IBO
· 12 more dead in Kurram as ceasefire fails to stop hostilities
· 4 terrorists killed in Khyber, says ISPR
· Premier wants dedicated riot force to tackle violent protests
· Seven illegal commercial markets, three homes sealed in Rawalpindi
· Shooting is soldiers’ defining characteristic: army chief
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North America
· How Kamala Harris Thumbed Her Nose at Arab American and Muslim Voters
· Trump Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth’s books foreground anti-Muslim rhetoric
· Canada watchdog sues Google over alleged anti-competitive conduct
· US teenage conscription demand ‘makes no sense’ – Zelensky aide
· Bomb threats target Democratic Congress members from Connecticut
· Trump victory not a mandate for radical change, top election forecaster says
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Africa
· Nigerians No Longer Have Confidence In Lawmakers – Ndume
· Boko Haram Ambush Claims Lives Of Four NSCDC Officers In Niger
· DSS Arrests Kano Activist, Zubair
· Dozens killed after landslides bury 40 homes in eastern Uganda
· Nigeria seeks to boost economic ties with France as Tinubu visits Paris
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/court-survey-mughal-era-mosque-sambhal/d/133864
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SC Orders Trial Court to Refrains From Issuing Any Orders Regarding The Survey Of A Mughal-Era Mosque in Sambhal
Business Today Desk
Nov 29, 2024
The management committee of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal had approached the Supreme Court on November 28, seeking to challenge the district court’s November 19 order that mandated the mosque survey.
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On November 29, the Supreme Court instructed the trial court in Sambhal to refrain from issuing any orders regarding the survey of a Mughal-era mosque. The court also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure peace and harmony in the violence-stricken town.
A bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, ordered the Allahabad High Court to address the Muslim side's petition within three working days of its filing.
“We trust that the trial court will not proceed with the matter until the High Court reviews and issues an order,” the bench stated.
The court further directed the state government to maintain peace in Sambhal and establish a peace committee that includes members from both communities. It also instructed the trial court not to review any reports related to the mosque survey until the High Court had taken up the case.
The bench advised the Muslim petitioners to challenge the district court's order in the High Court and scheduled a hearing for the week beginning January 6.
The management committee of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal had approached the Supreme Court on November 28, seeking to challenge the district court’s November 19 order that mandated the mosque survey. They also requested an immediate stay on the operation of this order.
Tensions in Sambhal escalated after the court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid on November 19, prompted by claims that a Harihar temple once stood at the site. This led to violent protests on November 24, with clashes between demonstrators and security forces, resulting in stone pelting, arson, and four fatalities, with many others injured.
Five people were killed in the unrest, and more than 20 police officers sustained injuries. Gunfire was reported during the clashes, and investigations are underway to identify its source.
Protesters hurled stones, shouted slogans, and attempted to set vehicles on fire near the mosque, forcing the police to respond with tear gas and batons. The violence has triggered a political blame game, with the ruling BJP and opposition Samajwadi Party trading accusations over the incident.
"Namaz prayers have been offered peacefully. There is normalcy and peace everywhere..." Shrish Chandra, Additional SP, said.
(With inputs from PTI)
Source:businesstoday.in
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https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/sambhal-violence-supreme-court-trial-court-allahabad-high-court-mosque-mosque-survey-uttar-pradesh-government-sambhal-455617-2024-11-29
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Bangladeshi Music Festival Promoting Religious Tolerance Canceled Amid Islamist Threats
28 November, 2024
Followers of Lalon Shah have been branded as ‘heretics’ by some
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A BANGLADESHI mystic sect promoting religious tolerance cancelled their popular music festival after Islamist threats, becoming the latest victim of turbulent religious relations since a student-led August revolution.
The overthrow of long-time autocratic prime minister Sheikh Hasina has seen a spate of protests in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, including a surge in Islamist groups emboldened to take to the streets after years of being suppressed.
In the immediate chaotic days following Hasina’s ouster, there were a string of reprisals on Hindus – seen by some as disproportionate supporters of her regime – as well as attacks on Muslim Sufi shrines by Islamist hardliners.
Devotees of Lalon Shah, a 17th-century Bengali social reformer whose moving songs of religious tolerance remain hugely influential, had organised a two-day festival or mela in the city of Narayanganj later this month.
More than 10,000 people attended the event last year, listening to musicians promoting the sect’s philosophy – a mix of Hinduism and Sufism rather than one specific religion – which angered some Islamist hardliners.
The Narayanganj deputy commissioner, Mohammad Mahmudul Hoque, said city authorities had not approved the programme due to concerns about potential violence after assessing security risks. “This area is a stronghold of groups with opposing views,” Hoque said.
Festival organiser Shah Jalal said it was the first time he had to cancel.
Abdul Awal, a committee leader of Hefazat-e-Islam – a coalition of Islamist organisations with significant influence – led marches earlier this month demanding the festival be stopped.
“We cannot allow activities that contradict the true spirit of Islam,” Awal said.
“In the name of celebration, they promote indecency, with women singing and dancing, gambling, and the smoking of weed (cannabis),” he alleged.
Lalon’s followers, ascetic “Baul” singers who wander on foot from town to town singing and begging for alms, are branded heretics by some Islamists.
“The cancellation of Lalon Mela is a bad omen for all of us,” said cultural activist Rafiur Rabbi.
“It is disheartening that the government is yielding to majority pressure. Does this mean minorities will no longer have a voice?”
But the interim government’s cultural affairs advisor, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, said they were doing what they could.
“Sheikh Hasina’s fall and her fleeing the country created a vacuum that led to a series of incidents, but we have managed to regain control,” he said. (AFP)
Source:easterneye.biz
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UK Muslim MPs ‘singled out’ for opposing upcoming assisted dying bill vote
28 November, 2024
Labour Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has been singled out by Lord Falconer over opposition to the Assisted Dying Bill [Getty]
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As the UK prepares for a landmark vote on the controversial assisted dying bill, Muslim MPs have found themselves under scrutiny, with some being allegedly “singled out” for their opposition to the proposed legislation.
The bill, which is due for a vote in the House of Commons on Friday, would legalise assisted death for terminally ill adults in England and Wales under strict conditions.
The controversy erupted after Lord Charlie Falconer, a member of the House of Lords and former Labour cabinet minister, accused Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood of “imposing her religious beliefs on everybody else” by opposing the bill.
His comments have sparked a wave of criticism, with some political figures accusing Lord Falconer of targeting Muslim MPs for the stances while overlooking similar positions held by non-Muslim MPs.
Former Labour NEC member and prominent anti-racism activist Mish Rahman voiced his concerns The New Arab, arguing that Falconer’s comments perpetuate harmful stereotypes about Muslim politicians.
‘A dangerous precedent for Muslim politicians’
“The framing of Shabana Mahmood’s position as "imposing her religious beliefs" reinforces harmful stereotypes implying that a Muslim MP’s actions are dictated by religion rather than moral, ethical, or legal considerations, which other MPs are assumed to make independently.
“This narrative sets a dangerous precedent for how Muslim women in leadership are perceived and treated,” Mr Rahman says.
He claimed that non-Muslim MPs, such as Health Secretary Wes Streeting – who has openly identified as a devout Christian – have not faced similar scrutiny for their views on the assisted dying bill.
“This double standard undermines the legitimacy of Muslim MPs’ perspectives, whether secular or faith-based, and suggests that their opinions are less valid or more suspect than those of their non-Muslim counterparts,” he adds.
The comments, he said, reflect a broader pattern of Islamophobia within political discourse, particularly from figures like Falconer, whose political background is tied to the "hostile environment" created by the Labour Party during the leadership of Tony Blair.
The Assisted Dying Bill, proposed by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater in mid-October, aims to allow assisted death for adults who are terminally ill, provided they are over 18, have mental capacity, and have six months or less to live, with the consent of two medical professionals.
The legislation has sparked fierce debate across the political spectrum, with strong opposition from religious groups and some medical professionals, while others argue it offers a compassionate choice for those suffering from terminal conditions.
Singling out Muslims?
Zara Mohammed, president of the Muslim Council of Britain, the UK’s most prominent Muslim organisation, also weighed in on the controversy.
She questioned whether Lord Falconer’s objection to religious perspectives in public debate applies equally to all politicians of faith.
“One must ask whether his position that religious views should be excluded from the debate applies only to Muslim public figures or to all MPs whose faith informs their stance on the Assisted Dying Bill,” Ms Mohammed tells The New Arab.
The debate around the bill has been complicated by the wider issue of religious influence in politics, particularly regarding Muslim MPs.
Critics argue that singling out Muslim politicians for their faith-based views fosters a climate of exclusion, undermining their ability to represent their constituents based on personal conscience, whether religious or secular.
Mr Rahman emphasised that the Labour Party, which claims to stand for anti-racism and equality, has not adequately addressed the issue of Islamophobia within its ranks.
He said: “In the Labour Party's hierarchy of racism, Islamophobia isn't taken as seriously. If Mr Falconer had made a similar comment about a Christian or Jewish or someone of any other faith, Keir Starmer’s response would have been very different.”
As the vote on the assisted dying bill looms, the role of Muslim MPs in the debate has become a flashpoint, raising broader questions about the intersection of faith, politics, and public policy in the UK.
With the vote set to take place tomorrow, all eyes will be on the government’s response to the growing criticism and whether the voices of Muslim MPs will continue to be marginalised or respected in the national conversation.
Source:newarab.com
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https://www.newarab.com/news/uk-muslim-mps-singled-out-opposing-assisted-dying-bill
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Johor govt denies persecuting Islamic groups, says action against GISBH based on deviant teachings, says state exco
28 Nov 2024
By Ben Tan
Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said that investigations conducted by the police and the Mufti’s Department found that GISBH was using its businesses for deviant teachings, November 28, 2024. –– Picture courtesy of Johor state government
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ISKANDAR PUTERI, Nov 28 –– The Johor government has maintained that it has never deliberately persecuted the businesses of Islamic organisations in the state, including those of GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH), unless it has been proven to be against the officially mandated teachings.
Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said that investigations conducted by the police and the Mufti’s Department found that GISBH were using their businesses for deviant teachings.
He said the state government took action against the organisation after discovering that there were instances of neglect involving children and women.
“We have met the children who are up to 18 years old at the Social Welfare Department building, where some of them were used as forced labour.
“Islam has never taught its followers to mistreat women. We have not even touched on the allegations of sexual harassment, where police investigations have found that it has happened,” he said at the Johor state legislative assembly session in Kota Iskandar here today.
Mohd Fared (BN-Semerah) was responding to a supplementary question by Datuk Jefridin Atan (BN-Kukup) regarding efforts made by the Johor Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ) in addressing the issue of deviant teachings and also child neglect as well as forced labour in the state.
Mohd Fared said guidelines pertaining to issues related to heretical and deviant teachings have been discussed at a committee at the Johor Islamic Religious Council (MAINJ) meeting on August 23.
He pointed out that the committee’s role is to identify issues of deviant teachings that have arisen in the state and recommend immediate action.
“The authorities will play a role from the perspective of restoring faith, Shariah law and also legal action at the federal level,” he said.
Based in that, Mohd Fared said the state government has always insisted that any religious teacher who wants to share knowledge in Johor must first obtain a certificate and also respect the laws.
He advised those interested in sharing their religious knowledge in Johor to apply for certification.
“There are cases where certain individuals apply for certification, but refuse to appear when called for an interview. They give the excuse that they are already popular and are featured on television or in newspapers.
“No matter how famous you are, the conditions of certification must still be complied with,” he said.
On Monday, Johor became the latest state to ban the teachings, beliefs, and practices of GISBH followers, in line with the ruling by the Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia.
Johor Mufti Datuk Yahya Ahmad was reported to have said that the GISBH movement was found to be contradictory to Islamic teachings and faith.
He said the decision has been presented to the Johor Regent Tunku Mahkota Ismail and is being gazetted, allowing enforcement action to be carried out soon.
Previously, Perlis, Selangor, Pahang, Sabah, Melaka, and Penang issued fatwas, declaring the teachings of GISBH as deviant and unlawful.
Source:.malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/11/28/johor-govt-denies-persecuting-islamic-groups-says-action-against-gisbh-based-on-deviant-teachings-says-state-exco/158300
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Gaza journalists win video award for ‘powerful’ war coverage
November 29, 2024
Youssef Hassouna (L) and Belal Alsabbagh. (AFP photos)
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LONDON: Gaza video correspondents Belal Alsabbagh and Youssef Hassouna on Thursday won a Rory Peck award for their “powerful” coverage of the brutal war in the Palestinian territory for Agence France-Presse.
The prize has been awarded since 1995 in memory of video journalist Rory Peck, who was killed in Moscow in 1993, to highlight the work of freelance video journalists.
Alsabbagh, 33, and Hassouna, 47, were presented the “News” award for their work on the devastating conflict set off by last year’s October 7 attack on Israel.
“Belal and Youssef’s work is remarkable for its range of emotions, we understood the dreadful scale of destruction in their drone shots and in the relentless attack,” the jury said in a tribute.
“This is visual reporting of the highest order. It’s not just a checklist of breaking news events, but powerful storytelling with empathy, courage and talent,” it added.
Among the heart-wrenching images entered in the contest were sequences of a man desperately searching for a relative in the debris after a strike, a woman howling in grief over a body in a hospital and Gaza residents queuing for food.
Alsabbagh, who left Gaza in April with his wife and daughter, was in London for the ceremony. In September, he was also awarded a prestigious Bayeux-Calvados prize for war correspondents.
“Despite my overflowing joy tonight, I have a heavy heart because members of my family and friends are still in Gaza, facing hunger, fear and still facing bombs,” said Alsabbagh, who has worked for AFP since 2017.
Hassouna, who has contributed to AFP since 2014 and is still in Gaza, has had to move home 10 times since the start of the war.
He has been one of the key independent video journalists working for AFP during the conflict.
“Everybody at AFP is tremendously proud of Belal and the work of his colleagues in Gaza. This award is a deserved recompense for his excellent journalism under seemingly impossible conditions,” said AFP global news director Phil Chetwynd.
“This prize rewards the courage of Belal and Youssef whose images for AFP showed television stations around the world the reality of the conflict in Gaza and the consequences for its civilian population,” said Guillaume Meyer, deputy news director for video and audio.
“I am very happy that their commitment and the quality of their work in incredibly difficult conditions has been recognized,” Meyer added.
“The Rory Peck award gives a precious support to freelance journalists without whom we could not work in numerous countries,” he said.
This is the sixth time since 2014 that an AFP correspondent has won a Rory Peck prize.
Among this year’s three finalists was Luckenson Jean, a freelancer for AFP covering the crisis in Haiti, where armed gangs have run amok.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2581141/middle-east
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India
Muslim Personal Law Board urges Chief Justice to intervene amid rising claims on mosques, dargahs
Nov 28, 2024
NEW DELHI: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has raised alarm over a surge in claims against mosques and dargahs being entertained in courts across India, urging Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna to take suo motu action.
The board said that such cases undermine the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which prohibits altering the status of religious sites as of August 15, 1947.
In a statement, AIMPLB spokesperson SQR Ilyas criticised these claims as a "blatant mockery" of the law and Constitution, calling for stricter judicial scrutiny. He warned that failing to enforce the Act could have grave consequences for communal harmony.
"Following the unresolved issue of Sambhal's Jama Masjid, a new claim has emerged, asserting that the world-renowned Ajmer dargah is the Sankat Mochan Mahadev Temple. Unfortunately, the West Civil Court in Ajmer has accepted this petition for hearing and issued notices to the parties involved," Ilyas said.
This case follows similar disputes involving the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, the Shahi Eidgah in Mathura, the Bhojshala mosque in Madhya Pradesh, and the Teele Wali Masjid in Lucknow. Ilyas noted that the ongoing legal proceedings defy the Supreme Court’s guidance in the Babri Masjid case, which underscored the sanctity of the 1991 law.
"The petitioners claim the land of the Ajmer dargah originally housed a Shiva temple where rituals like jal abhishek were performed. Despite the law, courts continue to entertain such claims," he said.
Ilyas appealed to the judiciary to prevent the lower courts from enabling further disputes. He also called on the central and state governments to enforce the 1991 Act, stressing that any lapses could lead to "an explosive situation across the country."
The AIMPLB's response comes days after four people died in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, following communal violence triggered by a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The petitioners claimed the mosque was built after demolishing a temple.
Source:indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/muslim-personal-law-board-urges-chief-justice-to-intervene-amid-rising-claims-on-mosques-dargahs/articleshow/115777407.cms
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Kashmir's Ajmer Finger At Ex-CJID.Y. Chandrachud: Leaders Warn Of Rising Communal Tensions
Muzaffar Raina
29.11.24
A recent Rajasthan court decision to admit a petition claiming that the Ajmer dargah was built on the remains of a Hindu shrine has sparked widespread outrage in Kashmir, with some senior leaders accusing former Supreme Court Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud for opening a floodgate of lawsuits.
The decision triggered angry reactions on a day Kashmir’s Islamic scholars led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq opposed fresh amendments to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and sought a meeting with the chairperson of the joint parliamentary committee examining the bill.
Valley parties vented their anger against Chandrachud, who had kicked up a storm in October when he recalled how he sat in front of a deity “to find a solution” in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute.
A court in Ajmer on Wednesday issued notices to the Union minority affairs ministry, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the Ajmer Dargah Committee seeking their response to a petition that sought a physical survey of the dargah.
“Thanks to a former Chief Justice of India, a Pandora’s box has been opened, sparking a contentious debate about minority religious places. Despite a Supreme Court ruling that status quo should be maintained as it existed in 1947, his judgment has paved the way for surveys of these sites, potentially leading to increased tension between Hindus and Muslims,” former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti posted on X.
Mehbooba said the recent violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, was also a direct result of this judgment.
“First mosques and now Muslim shrines like Ajmer Sharif are being targeted, which can result in further bloodshed. The question remains who will take responsibility for perpetuating this communal violence reminiscent of the Partition days,” she said.
Mehbooba did not mention the former CJI by name, but her daughter and media adviser Iltija Mufti was more straightforward.
“Justice Chandrachud sermonised all of India with moral platitudes but was actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing. His lasting legacy will remain opening the floodgates to the Places of Worship Act solely to earn a plum position post-retirement,” she wrote.
Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone called the lawsuit on the dargah a shocker, regretting India was stuck in such issues in the age of artificial intelligence.
“And as Indians let us be honest. We have not contributed to any technological revolution. Yes, we have the resources to make use of them by buying them. But scientific innovation. No. None. Not even remotely. Our Indian tech revolution is as users, not as inventors,” he said.
“Our desire for invention seems to be all invested in our obsession to invent hidden temples. And make no mistake. A statistically significant section of the population is applauding it. And yes the more the educated the more temple-searchers they tend to be,” he added.
Lone said he had recently visited Dubai and saw “magnificence in the form of architecture of the temples that have been built here”.
“What an oasis of tolerance and mutual respect Dubai has turned out to be. So good it is. Literally every nationality is here and in how an orderly manner they live,” he said.
The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema, a collective of religious organisations in Jammu and Kashmir headed by Hurriyat chief Farooq, said the amendments proposed in the waqf bill had sparked significant concerns and anxiety “within the community due to their potential impact on religious, social and charitable institutions”.
The outfit has written to Jagdambika Pal, the joint panel chairperson, for a meeting. The letter said the bill could undermine the autonomy and fundamental purpose of waqf properties.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/kashmirs-ajmer-finger-at-ex-chief-justice-of-india-d-y-chandrachud-leaders-warn-of-rising-communal-tensions/cid/2066824
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J&K: ADGP warns of severe consequences for those harbouring terrorists
29 Nov 2024
CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: A case has been registered against six doctors of a private hospital in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for allegedly misleading the father of a child who died under their care, police said on Friday.
The accused doctors also allegedly tampered with the evidence, they said.
According to a release by the police, a five-year-old kid was admitted to Vedant Hospital in the city's Sutgirni area on April 26. The boy underwent surgery at the hospital the same day. The child died on May 6 after being under treatment for nearly 10 days.
The boy's father Avinash Aghav has alleged that his son died due to wrong treatment at the hospital.
He also claimed that evidence was destroyed and papers related to the treatment were not given to him, the release said.
The complainant has accused the hospital of tampering with the CCTV footage of the premises from April 26 to April 28, the release said.
The doctors Arjun Pawar, Shaikh Ilyas, Ajay Kale, Abhijit Deshmukh, Tushar Chavhan and Nitin Adhane were booked on Wednesday for causing death by negligence and destruction of evidence under the Indian Penal Code, the release added.
The police release did not explain the time gap between the death of the child and the registration of the case against the doctors.
Source:newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Nov/29/ajmer-dargahs-spiritual-head-calls-for-religious-unity-in-area-amid-petition-in-rajasthan-court
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Wanted LeT operative brought back from Rwanda; CBI, NIA work together
Mukesh Ranjan
29 Nov 2024
NEW DELHI: The CBI in coordination with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) extradited Salman Rehman Khan — a member of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) who was wanted in a terror case in India — from Rwanda through Interpol channels, officials said on Thursday.
Khan was facing an Interpol Red Notice for his alleged role in providing arms, ammunition and explosives for terrorist activities in Bengaluru.
In a statement, a CBI spokesperson said, “The Global Operations Centre of the agency has closely coordinated with the NIA and Interpol National Central Bureau in Kigali for the return to India from Rwanda of Salman Rehman Khan, wanted by the NIA for terror-related offences.”
The NIA had lodged a case in 2023 related to criminal conspiracy to spread terror in Bengaluru, the officials said, adding that an FIR was also registered at Hebbal police station in Bengaluru.
Khan, who was previously imprisoned in a POCSO case (2018-22), had allegedly facilitated the collection and distribution of explosives for other terror accused after being recruited and radicalised during his incarceration by T Naseer, a life convict in a terror case, the NIA found in its probe.
Naseer had allegedly orchestrated the radicalisation and subsequent criminal activities to further LeT operations in the country besides plotting his escape en route to the court from the prison, it had alleged.
When the terror module was busted, Khan managed to give NIA the slip and fled the country. The anti-terror agency filed a charge sheet against him under stringent anti-terror law UAPA and the IPC and court declared him a fugitive.
“The CBI, on NIA’s request, had got a Red Notice issued from Interpol on August 2, 2024. It was circulated to all law enforcement agencies globally to track the wanted criminal,” the CBI statement read.
Radicalised in prison
Salman Rehman Khan was imprisoned in a POCSO case during 2018-22. The NIA probe found that during his incarceration, he met T Naseer, a life convict in a terror case. Naseer recruited and radicalised Khan, who later began facilitating the collection and distribution of explosives for other terror operatives belonging to LeT.
Source:newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Nov/29/wanted-let-operative-brought-back-from-rwanda-cbi-nia-work-together
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Malik view sought on jail court: CBI tells SC about travel 'pretext' of J&K separatist
Our Bureau
29.11.24
The Supreme Court on Thursday sought the response of separatist leader Yasin Malik and other co-accused on the CBI’s plea for their cross-examination in a makeshift court hall within Delhi’s Tihar jail.
Yasin is an accused in the 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, the daughter of then Union home minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. The CBI has raised security concerns over producing Malik in a Srinagar court.
The apex court, after taking on record the application and affidavit filed by the CBI which stated that necessary infrastructure was in place at Tihar, posted the matter for further hearing on December 18.
The CBI has pleaded against transferring Malik to Srinagar citing his alleged links with international terrorist organisations and that he was a “national threat” whose presence in Jammu and Kashmir could endanger public safety and complicate security arrangments.
The agency alleged that Malik was deliberately avoiding legal assistance to facilitate his presence in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the CBI, the separatist leader and many militants had in past cases engaged lawyers of their choice to defend themselves and Malik’s decision to argue his case himself was a ploy to compel the authorities to take him to Jammu and Kashmir.
“It appears that Malik is fully aware that he would never be taken to Jammu and Kashmir except under the pretext of attending the court proceedings personally,” the agency submitted before the court, adding that it was precisely for this reason he was trying to avoid the services
of lawyers.
“We have placed on record the fact that there already exists a fully functional court in the jail with all the facilities of video-conferencing if needed.... In the past, proceedings have taken place in that courtroom in jail,” solicitor-general Tushar Mehta told the bench on behalf of the CBI.
After hearing Mehta, the bench issued formal notices to Malik and other co-accused for their replies.
At the last hearing on November 21, the court had expressed doubts over how Malik could be cross-examined through video conferencing from Kashmir because of connectivity issues. After the doubts raised by the bench, Mehta on Thursday placed before the court an affidavit stating that all necessary infrastructure is available at Tihar.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/yasin-malik-view-sought-on-jail-court-central-bureau-of-investigation-tells-supreme-court-about-travel-pretext-of-jammu-and-kashmir-separatist/cid/2066827
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Behind BJP’s stunning win in UP bye-poll, police coercion and dodgy voter slips, claim Muslim voters
Ayush Tiwari
November 29, 2024
At 9 am on November 20, Mohsin Haque*, 30, walked out of his home in Hameerpur village in Uttar Pradesh’s Kundarki constituency to cast his vote.
Kundarki was holding a bye-election to elect an MLA after its former legislator, Zia ur Rehman Barq, was elected member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year.
The polling centre, as always, was the village’s primary school.
But that morning, there was an unusual sight on the concrete road that cuts through the village. Nearly 60 police officials stood outside the village mosque. Most of them were from three local police stations – Mundha Pande, Katghar and Bhojpur.
“They were checking everyone’s IDs and letting in only a few people,” Haque recalled. “The police official who checked mine told me to come after 10 am.”
Election Commission rules dictate that only election officials can check identity cards during an election, and not police officials.
When Haque returned at 11 am, another police official told him to come after 1 pm. By now, word had spread that the police were only letting Hindu voters into the polling centre and wielding sticks on anyone who argued, Haque said.
“I reached the booth at 1.30 pm, but Rinku and Yaadram, the BJP booth presidents in our village, told me to not even try touching the voter lists. So I went home,” said Haque, who ended up not voting.
He was not alone.
Several residents of Hameerpur told Scroll that the police barred Muslims from voting that day.
According to Election Commission of India data, Hameerpur has 2,205 registered voters. Residents say that about 80% of them are Muslim and the remaining are Dalit.
constituency with around 63% Muslim voters, Kundarki is a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party. In the last decade, the Bharatiya Janata Party has never managed a vote share more than 37.9%.
But the results of the bye-poll, when they were announced on November 23, threw up a massive surprise.
The BJP’s Ramveer Singh won by a landslide, with the party’s vote share doubling to an unprecedented 76.6%. Singh’s winning margin over Mohammad Rizwan, the Samajwadi Party candidate, was 1.4 lakh votes.
Singh, a Thakur who contested and lost Kundarki in 2012 and 2017, attributed his success to pulling in Muslim votes. He told Hindustan Times that of the 1.7 lakh votes he got, 82,000 came from Muslims.
he Samajwadi Party has contested the result. On voting day itself, Rizwan had demanded a repoll and accused the administration of voter suppression.
oradabad district magistrate Anuj Singh denied the SP’s claims. “The election is going on peacefully here,” he said. “Some complaints were lodged by a particular party, which were confirmed by the officials, but no truth was found in them.”
Scroll travelled to Kundarki to investigate the allegations.
In five villages we visited, most Muslim voters said that they could not cast their votes in the bye-election, pointing to obstruction and intimidation by police officials, who allegedly turned away Muslim voters from the polling stations.
We found that in two polling stations in Muslim-dominant Gurer village, not a single vote was counted, according to official data, even though voters said they voted there on November 20.
Others said that they did not receive their voter information slips.
Strikingly, those who did get voter slips said that the police officials only let in voters with a special voting slip that was allegedly distributed by the BJP cadre.
Allegations of voter suppression are not new to western Uttar Pradesh. They came up during the 2022 bye-election in Rampur parliamentary constituency, which the BJP won. Scroll had reported on police officials storming polling stations and assaulting voters in Muslim-dominant villages in Sambhal Lok Sabha constituency – which includes the Kundarki assembly – during the 2024 general elections, which the Samajwadi Party won.
In Sambhal, most voters returned to vote later in the day. But in Kundarki this time, they could not, because of alleged police presence near the polling centres around-the-clock. “We have been turned into slaves,” rued Haque. “They have taken away our right to vote.”
On polling day, the ECI suspended three police officials in Moradabad district, which includes Kundarki, warning that “any kind of biased attitude during voting will not be tolerated”.
Scroll emailed Uttar Pradesh’s chief electoral officer about allegations of voter suppression. The story will be updated if he responds.
What the data shows
Official data captures the striking difference in how Kundari voted in this bye-poll.
Booth-wise data obtained from the returning officer by Scroll shows that compared to the Lok Sabha elections this year, the BJP votes increased and the Samajwadi Party votes decreased in nearly each of the 436 polling stations in Kundarki – regardless of whether the turnout increased or decreased, or roughly remained the same.
Compared to the general elections, the BJP increased its votes in 429 polling stations in the bye-election, registering a dramatic increase in most booths. In one extreme instance, in the Muslim-dominant village of Lalvara, its vote share has climbed from 3.9% to 89.7%.
In Hameerpur, where Mohsin Haque was allegedly stopped from voting, a similar trend was visible.
In the village’s polling stations 185 and 186, the turnout fell from 75.9% and 70.1% during the Lok Sabha election to 20.6% and 15.9% during the bye-election.
The Samajwadi Party, which won the booths with 539 and 593 votes during the elections in May, was reduced to just 13 and 4 votes, respectively. The Bahujan Samaj Party, which won 145 and 137 votes six months ago, fell to 2 and 1 vote, while the Azad Samaj Party got 27 and 8 votes.
The BJP came out on top, increasing its vote tally from 119 and 43 in the Lok Sabha election to 194 and 162 this time.
The ‘pink’ slips
Voter information slips contain voter details – name, gender, polling station and similar information. They are printed by the district election officer and distributed by booth-level officers before polling day.
The slips are checked by election officials before residents are allowed to cast their votes.
In Hameerpur, residents told Scroll that Vicky Singh, the son of BJP candidate Ramveer Singh, distributed square-shaped voting slips, cut out of white paper, with pink borders, to the village’s Dalit voters.
Vicky is the vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in Moradabad, the youth wing of the Hindutva party.
“The police only allowed voters with those slips to vote,” said Arslan Hasan*, a butcher in Hameerpur. “Vicky had dozens of them.”
Haque and Hasan say that Vicky was accompanied by 10-15 young men who went inside the polling stations. “They were not from this village,” said Haque.
Scroll phone and texted Vicky Singh repeatedly to ask about the allegations. He had not respond till the time of publication.
In Veerpur village, a Muslim-dominant village with 4,608 registered voters, 5 km from Hameerpur, several residents said they had a similar experience.
Aslam, who owns a shop in the village, said his entire family “got pink slips” this time. The family, he said, has connections with the local BJP unit. “About a decade ago, my chacha was elected the chief of this village,” he explained. “He was close to Ramveer [Singh] and the BJP.”
Of the five men sipping tea at his shop, none had received the pink slips – and none of them had been able to vote.
The pink slips were used as voter information slips, said Aslam. “They were distributed by Ramveer’s men on voting day, but not to those who are inclined to vote for the Samajwadi Party,” he added.
The slips in Kundarki, seen by Scroll, fall short of the guidelines set by the Election Commission of India, which say that they should contain QR codes with details of the voters and should be half the size of an A4 sheet of paper. Any “unauthorised distribution/ possession of” voter information slip is considered a violation of the Representation of People Act, 1951, and the Indian Penal Code.
Veerpur resident Riyazul Hasan, 60, also said he and his family received pink slips and were allowed to vote. “I’ve been associated with Ramveer Singh for two decades,” said Riyazul. “Everyone who voted here did so because of the pink slips distributed by Singh’s people. Others had their IDs taken before the election, or were turned away from the booth.”
Among those who received the authorised voting slips was Sameer Ahmed, 54, and his family. But Ahmed alleged he was turned away from the polling booth by police officials, despite having a voter information slip issued by the Election Commission of India. “The SHO [Station House Officer] of Mundha Pande police station was also there during the checking,” he said. “I’ve never seen such an election in my life.”
Ahmed told Scroll that he took his Aadhaar card to the polling station on November 20 because he did not have his voter identity card.
The ration dealer in Veerpur, Mohammad Rashid, had collected voter identity cards a week before the bye-election, he added. “He [Rashid] said that we would receive ration this month only if one member in the family submits their voter ID,” he said. “We received the ration on November 24, but I still haven’t received my ID.”
Haque and Hasan said that the same situation played out in Hameerpur, where many voters were forced to part with their voter identity cards by a ration dealer a week before the bye-poll. “I’m afraid that they were used to cast votes in our name,” said Haque.
Musharraf, a Samajwadi Party worker in Veerpur, alleged that Rashid had been pressured by the district administration to collect hundreds of voter identity cards. But the ration dealer denied the claim. “I did not collect the voter IDs, nor did I face any pressure,” said Rashid. “Our whole village wanted the BJP to win.”
like Hameerpur, Veerpur’s turnout dipped significantly on polling day, rocketing up the BJP vote share while bringing down the Samajwadi Party’s.
Muslims in Hameerpur and Veerpur identify as sheikhzadas, a Muslim caste that BJP functionaries label “Muslim Rajputs”. They purportedly voted for the BJP’s Singh, a Hindu Rajput, because of his caste.
But voters in both villages denied any such affiliations. “The world can come to an end, but BJP can’t win in this village,” said Rifaqat, 41, a Veerpur resident. “We’ll find out the real mood in 2027.”
The high turnout villages
Despite a dramatic fall in voter turnouts in several villages, the Kundarki assembly ended up with a cumulative turnout of 57.8% – the highest among the nine seats in Uttar Pradesh that were up for bye-elections. This is possibly because several villages also recorded very high turnouts.
One of them is Sirsa Inayatpur, a village next to the Moradabad bypass, with 3,090 registered voters – 60% Hindus, mostly Lodhi Rajputs and Sainis, and 40% Muslims.
Gajram, 41, a Lodhi Rajput voter, told Scroll that most Hindus in the village had voted for the BJP. “The main issue here is that we don’t have a pukka road to cross the bypass and go to Moradabad,” he explained. “Ramveer [Singh] said that if he doesn’t build the road after becoming MLA, we shouldn’t let him into the village. So people chose him over [Samajwadi Party candidate] Rizwan.”
But Muslims here say they could not vote, like 78-year-old Mohammad Suka. “I did not get my voter slip, so I went to the booth to get one,” he said. “The police officials there asked me to go away, and when I insisted, I received lathi blows.”
Nawab Ali, 64, also said that no one in his family or extended family got voter slips before polling day. “Only Hindus here had the pink slips and only they have voted,” he said. “Some of them boasted that they had voted multiple times.”
Scroll contacted Yogesh Saxena and Sheetal Tyagi, the booth level officers in Sirsa Inayatpur responsible for distributing the slips. “We couldn’t distribute the voting slips this time because we didn’t get it from above,” said Saxena. Tyagi said she got the slips and distributed them among Hindu and Muslim voters “provided they were present at their homes”.
Despite Muslims claiming that they did not vote, the voter turnout in Sirsa Inayatpur during the bye-election was the highest since 2019. Booth-wise data shows that the BJP cornered almost all the votes, with the Samajwadi Party falling below 1% vote share.
And yet, there are villages in Kundarki where Muslim voters said that they voted without obstruction from the police. Like in Muslim-dominant Daulra, 25 km from Sirsa Inayatput, which has 2,599 registered voters. There appeared to be resentment against the Samajwadi Party candidate Mohammad Rizwan here.
“This bye-election has been fought under police pressure in most places, but not here,” said Shaukat Ali, 62, who runs a shop in Daulra. “I voted for the BJP this time because Rizwan has been elected MLA thrice from this seat but he has done no work in our village. He’s a party hopper fighting elections for money.”
The voter turnout in Daulra did not fall sharply in the bye-election, but the vote share in the village was no different from others: the BJP rose while the SP crashed.
The zero-vote polling booths
The most curious polling stations in the bye-election were in Gurer village, 30 km away from Daulra. It has 5,260 registered voters. About 60% are Muslims voter but 40% Dalit voters.
Official booth-wise data shows that zero votes were counted in two of the six polling stations in Gurer – polling stations 351 and 352, which have 1,887 registered voters.
Amit Kumar, the booth level officer at polling station 352, said that his booth had a turnout of 55%-60% on polling day, that is, between 670 and 730 votes were cast. “I was there. The voting happened normally,” he said. “I don’t understand how one could say that no votes were cast in our booth.”
An official from the Election Commission of India, however, told Scroll that 152 votes were polled at station number 351 and 418 votes at polling station 352. But they were not counted because mock poll results had not been deleted from the electronic voting machines before polling. “When the margin in the constituency is big, we do not count the votes,” said the official. “When the contest is close, we count the VVPAT slips.”
Muslim voters in Gurer alleged that they were singled out for obstruction by nearly 200 police officials from Dedauli police station in Amroha district, and the nearby Dingarpur chowki, from 8 am to 6 pm on November 20.
Ghulam Rabbani, a 26-year-old resident, said that he managed to vote at polling station 352 at 2 pm, when the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen candidate, Mohammad Varish, arrived in the village and persuaded police officials to let voters in. “They [police] let us vote for some time, but they were abusive,” recalled Rabbani.
The AIMIM candidate confirmed this. “They let in 15-20 people in after I came, but Muslim voters were stopped and sent back from the polling station before I came, and after I left,” he said. “I went to at least 10 villages that day. It was the same situation everywhere.”
The voting trend in Gurer is not much different from other villages in Kundarki.
Mohammad Akram*, 50, a BJP worker in Gurer, told Scroll that he was allowed to vote because he argued with a police official, and because of his association with the Hindutva party. “I took many voters with me to the booth and the police did not let them in,” he said. “It was shocking. I believe Ramveer could have won without such tactics. Now people mock me saying what’s the use of my association with the party when I couldn’t help them vote. Humari naak kat gayi gaon mai.” My reputation in the village has been damaged.
Shaukat Ali in Daulra, the rare Muslim voter who voted for the BJP, was not optimistic about the party’s future in Kundarki. “The way this election happened, the BJP should not assume it will keep winning here,” he said. “The SP will win in 2027. It’s just a matter of two and half years for Ramveer.”
Source:scroll.in
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Protests by Hindu and Muslim organisations choke streets of Kolkata
November 28, 2024
SHRABANA CHATTERJEE
Processions by Hindu groups and Muslim organisations choked the streets of Kolkata on Thursday (November 28, 2024). The protest by Hindu groups was against the ongoing crisis in Bangladesh, whereas Muslim organisations were protesting against the Waqf Amendment Bill proposed by the Centre.
West Bengal State Jamiat-e-Ulama organised a public protest at Esplanade, in the heart of the city. Muslims from across the city arrived in large numbers to protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill and also demanded a free Palestinian State. Siddiqullah Chowdhury, president of the Jamiat-e-Ulama group in Bengal and Minister of Mass Education Extension and Library Services of West Bengal addressed the meeting. Mr. Chowdhury said that the Constitution of India has brought freedom to every citizen, and if anyone wanted to tamper with the Constitution, there would be protests. He stated, “In the Waqf Amendment Bill, the government has directly attacked the Constitution. This is to rob Muslims of their rights and destroy all Waqf properties.”
Sheikh Hasina speaks out for the first time after fall of her government, seeks release of ISKCON leader ‘without delay’
He said that the Central government was trying to divide the country based on religion and only a united fight would put an end to such an attempt.
Khobayeb Amin, representing the Basirhat Dargah Sharif, told the gathering, “I want to tell Abhishek Banerjee that he should walk out of Parliament with all his MPs and fight. We are with you on this. We are ready to head to Delhi and protest with you.”
On the other hand, within two hours of the Islamic group meeting, a Hindu group rally started unfolding in another part of the city. It was organised by the Bangiya Hindu Jagaran group. Hundreds of supporters walked from the Sealdah Railway Station to the Bangladesh High Commission to seek the immediate release of the Bangladesh unit of ISKCON’s priest Chinmoy Krishna Das. The protesters also demanded the safety and security of Hindus and Hindu properties in Bangladesh.
Several Hindu religious leaders and supporters took to the streets as police formed barricades and stopped the rally from reaching the High Commission. The situation became tense as clashes erupted when barricades were breached. A battle of strength transpired as police used the baton after two barricades were breached.
Religious leader Swami Paramatma said the common people were being attacked in Bangladesh. He also said, “Mohammad Yunus wants to make Bangladesh an Islamic State and also destroy the peaceful co-existence of Hindus and Muslims in India.”
Bangladesh issue falls under Centre’s jurisdiction, we will not interfere, says Mamata
Similar protest marches were organised across West Bengal by various Hindu groups. Several priests at ISKCON also organised kirtans (chanting)as a form of protest.
A few representatives were finally allowed to enter the Bangladesh High Commission and express their grievances. Acharya Sanjay Shastri, after submitting a request, to the Assistant Deputy High Commissioner, said, “They have listened to our grievances. They have assured us that they will carry our voices to the Bangladesh government.”
Source:thehindu.com
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South Asia
Could the Islamic Emirate be the Inspiration for a New Crime Against Humanity? Prospects for the gender apartheid campaign
29 Nov 2024
In the spring of 2023, a campaign was launched to create a new international crime of gender apartheid. Campaigners argue that the oppression of women and girls is so total and severe in Afghanistan and Iran that it is akin to the systematic and hierarchical racist oppression practised by apartheid South Africa. Their hope is that gender apartheid will be included in a new Crimes Against Humanity Convention, which happens to be scheduled for negotiation in the coming years. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) shows no sign of moderating its policies towards Afghan women in the face of widespread global criticism, which it dismisses as foreign interference in domestic and religious matters. AAN’s Rachel Reid considers the campaign, the legal issues and how codification might happen.
In March 2023, a group of Afghan and Iranian women launched the End Gender Apartheid campaign, which seeks to codify a new international crime of gender apartheid.[1] “The Taliban have sought not only to erase women from public life, but to extinguish our basic humanity,” women’s rights campaigner Zubaida Akbar told the United Nations Security Council on International Women’s Day, when the campaign launched. “There is one term that accurately describes the situation of Afghan women today – gender apartheid.”[2]
The term ‘apartheid’ originated in South Africa, where it described the system of racial segregation and discrimination towards black South Africans and other non-white South Africans by the minority white government. It lasted from 1948 to 1990 (for more on this history, see here). In 1976, apartheid was established as an international crime against humanity and defined by the Apartheid Convention as:
Campaigners argue that this same language fits the situation of Afghan women and girls if ‘gender’ is substituted for ‘racial group’. Gender persecution is already criminalised (see a discussion of it in relation to Afghanistan by Ehsan Qaane for AAN here). However, campaigners argue that it does not sufficiently capture the deliberate, ideological and systematic nature of discrimination and segregation seen in Afghanistan and Iran.[3]
Gathering support: from protestors to top UN officials
The campaign quickly took off, including inside Afghanistan where some women protestors incorporated the call for gender apartheid into their protests (see here). Key officials soon started to adopt the language. In June 2023, the demand for codifying gender apartheid was joined by UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan Richard Bennett and the UN’s Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls in a joint report presented to the Human Rights Council. They argued:
[G]ender apartheid could be understood as inhumane acts committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one gender group over any other gender group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime. This is an accurate description of the situation documented in the present report, in which systematic discrimination against women and girls is at the heart of Taliban ideology and rule.
At the Human Rights Council session, their call drew important support from South Africa’s representative, who called on “the international community to take action against what the report describes as ‘gender apartheid’, much like it did in support of South Africa’s struggle against racial apartheid.” South Africa’s endorsement carried huge weight given how intertwined the term apartheid is with the struggle against racial apartheid there (though as discussed later, its support has since waned).
Another important voice in favour of codification was the Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, who in September 2023 told the UN Security Council:
[L]end your full support to an intergovernmental process to explicitly codify gender apartheid in international law. The tools the international community has at its disposal were not created to respond to mass, state-sponsored gender oppression. This systematic and planned assault on women’s rights is foundational to the Taliban’s vision of state and society and it must be named, defined, and proscribed in our global norms, so that we can respond appropriately.
The roll call of human rights grandees continued to grow, with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk offering his support for codification in a speech in October 2024. In the same month, support also came from the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in its General Recommendation 40 (accessible here).
Iran and Afghanistan
The End Gender Apartheid campaign was jointly launched by Afghan and Iranian women. Yet, many of those advocating for codification have highlighted the actions of the IEA, rather than the Iranian government. Even the legal brief of the End Gender Apartheid campaign itself only cites Emirate policies. While there are similarities in the experiences of women and girls in Iran and Afghanistan, Iranian campaigners are the first to acknowledge that the situation in Afghanistan is, quite clearly, more extreme.
Iranians, however, point to a range of restrictions on women and girls, not least the ‘chastity and hijab law’,[4]described by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran described in September 2023 as a form of gender apartheid, which imposes harsh punishments for violations of the compulsory dress code for women.[5] It also expands the authority of the intelligence agency, the judiciary and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to identify and prosecute violations (see this brief from Human Rights Watch). While Iranian women have greater freedoms overall – including to education and freedom of movement – their government has been brutal in punishing rule-breakers. After Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Amini died in custody on 16 September 2022 after having been arrested on allegations of violating the hijab rule, protests sprang up, spearheaded by women and centred on women’s rights within a wider call for civil rights. The Iranian authorities killed hundreds of protesters, men and women, and detained thousands more, some of whom were later executed (see Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch reports).
Despite Iran’s authoritarian fundamentalism resonating with campaigners, it is the policies of the IEA that has propelled their effort. Since 2021, the list of Emirate laws and practices that discriminate against women and girls in Afghanistan has steadily grown, from denying access to education for older girls to restrictions on freedom of movement, speech and employment (see here a list by the US Institute of Peace). In the face of protests by Afghan women, resolutions from the Security Council and statements from UN experts and special rapporteurs, the European (and other) parliaments condemning the mistreatment of women and girls, the IEA has dug in. Emirate officials have consistently dismissed accusations that the Emirate violates women’s human rights. For example, in a tweet on 26 September 2024, deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said:
The Afghanistan Islamic Emirate is blamed for violation of human rights and gender apartheid by some countries and factions. Human rights are protected in Afghanistan and no one is discriminated against.
Officials often argue that the Emirate is merely upholding religious values, sometimes also invoking cultural or Afghan norms. Emirate Minister of Higher Education Nida Muhammad Nadim, for example, on 4 December 2022, lambasted “Western-style” schooling for women as “against Islam and Afghan values” (see BBC Persian reporting). This was just before girls were banned from universities. In other comments by the minister, also cited in the same BBC Persian report, he referred to two earlier Afghan kings and how they had encouraged women’s education. King Amanullah (r1999-1929) had introduced the idea of women’s schooling, he said, from “the West and the infidels,” and had brought “a version of prostitution and blasphemy to Afghanistan.” The Emirate, he said, was just doing the same.[6]
IEA officials also frequently invoke Afghan sovereignty to defend their policies on women and girls, insisting that any criticism is an attempt to interfere in Afghanistan’s domestic affairs. Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, for example, responding to a reporter’s question as to whether women’s rights would be on the agenda of the Doha III conference, said: “We acknowledge women are facing issues, but they are internal Afghan matters and need to be addressed locally within the framework of Islamic Sharia.” He told reporters that “IEA meetings, such as the one in Doha or with other countries, have nothing to do with the lives of our sisters, nor will we allow them to interfere in our internal affairs” (reported by Voice of America).
In response to IEA implacability and resistance to domestic or international pressure to amend its laws and policies on women and girls, Afghan women’s rights defenders have increasingly looked to international legal measures for relief and demanded international support in this effort. This has been seen not only in the gender apartheid campaign, but in the attempt to take Afghanistan to the International Court of Justice, explored by this author in an October report for AAN.
Legal and political arguments for having a new law
Proponents for the codification of the new crime argue that it addresses a gap in international law and that neither the crime against humanity of gender persecution nor the prohibitions on gender discrimination under international human rights law are sufficient to deal with the situation in Afghanistan. They say only gender apartheid captures the elements of animus and intent and is able to capture both the totality and the gravity of oppression. These are looked at in turn, below.
Reflecting the animus and intent
Proponents argue that gender apartheid, unlike other legal frameworks, captures the underlying ideology that considers women inferior to men and makes this a central guiding principle in the exercise of state power, just as black South Africans were cast as racially inferior and governed accordingly. One of the leading voices in favour of codifying gender apartheid is Karima Bennoune, a law professor and former UN Special Rapporteur for Cultural Rights, who writes that for the Taleban, “domination of women is a core element of the group’s ideology and a key prong of its governing platform.” Such animus is what legal scholar Patricia Williams referred to in the South African context as being “so deeply painful and assaultive” that it constitutes “spirit murder.” The crime of gender persecution, like racial persecution, does not require the presence of a motivating hatred or animus. Similarly, gender discrimination under international human rights law does not require intent to be present.
Reflecting the totality of the crimes
Proponents argue that the totality of the Taleban’s oppression of Afghan women and girls – its systematic and institutionalised nature – is better captured by apartheid than persecution. The crime of gender persecution can potentially be applied to severe abuses against women and girls, including widespread denials of education and freedom of movement or forced marriage, but it does not require that the persecution is institutionalised across the system of governance. An individual could, for example, be prosecuted on the basis of a narrow subset of acts that come under gender persecution, such as forced sterilisation, if it met the contextual requirements of all crimes against humanity.[7] This idea was captured by the written comments of the government of Malta in October 2023 in relation to the Draft Crimes Against Humanity Convention:
The codification of the crime of gender apartheid will enable victims and survivors – present and future – to hold perpetrators to account for the totality of crimes committed by systematized oppression which the crime of gender persecution alone cannot and does not capture.
It is worth noting that gender persecution has been sorely underutilised – there has been only one charge of gender-based persecution ever brought to trial at the International Criminal Court (which largely failed, for reasons explained in this analysis). The court is taking steps to rectify this neglect – in December 2022, it released a new policy on gender persecution, and a year later, released a revised policy on gender-based crimes. Consequently, the discussion about the distinction between gender apartheid and gender persecution takes place without much case law.
Reflecting the gravity of crimes
A distinction that intersects with the arguments that only gender apartheid captures the elements of animus and can capture the totality and the gravity of oppression is that its codification would better convey the gravity of the harms, in terms of the severity of individual and collective acts. Human rights commissioner Volker Turk, when lending his support to the codification, spoke of gender apartheid better capturing “the extent and severity” of the impacts of “institutionalised regimes of systematic oppression and domination of women.”
Complicity by second states
Another benefit of codifying gender apartheid, say proponents, is that it would clarify the obligations of second states and international organisations, including the UN, because there would be a duty to avoid complicity in apartheid. The prohibition on apartheid contained in the Apartheid Convention, in addition to numerous resolutions at the UN General Assembly and UN Security Council condemning apartheid and reiterating states’ obligations, is seen as having made a significant contribution to ending the apartheid regime in South Africa. This was described in a 21 February 2024 letter of support to the gender apartheid campaign from South African jurists:
The international community responded comprehensively to the crime of racial apartheid, forcing accountability on the South Africa apartheid state, and imposing the obligation of member states at the United Nations to eradicate the institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination of black South Africans. Broadening the definition of the crime of apartheid to include gender would enable a structured global approach that is responsive to the institutionalized systems of domination and oppression of women, girls and others.
Similarly, Karima Bennoune argued at the Security Council in September 2023 that a “powerful aspect of the ‘gender apartheid approach’ is that no Member State can be complicit in or normalize the Taliban’s actions, as was the case with racial apartheid in South Africa.” One of the women spearheading the campaign, an Iranian lawyer at the Atlantic Council, Nushin Sarkarati, believes codification of the new law could provide a degree of clarity about state engagement that is lacking at present: “When we call for principled engagement it’s not clear how the General Assembly can make that happen. To hold other states responsible, in terms of trade, interactions, even humanitarian aid, we need to create more proper monitoring mechanisms.”
International Legal Equity
Finally, campaigners argue that a simple question of equity in international law is at stake, a point made to AAN by Human Rights Watch’s Heather Barr: “The question experts and scholars keep asking is ‘Why should crimes that are identical be ignored if it’s about gender rather than race.’” If the need was felt to criminalise both racial apartheid and racial persecution, Barr asked, surely the same should be true for gender apartheid and gender persecution. Nushin Sarkarati told AAN she is familiar with this double standard: “Any time you try to improve gender justice norms the push back is – why isn’t what you have already enough? But nobody says – why do you need racial apartheid when you already have racial persecution and discrimination.”[8]
Support from LGBTQI+ groups
Support for codification has also come from Afghan and international LGBTQI+[9] activists, who hope that persecution on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity would also fall under ‘gender apartheid’. Civil society groups have documented a worsening of abuses against LGBT people in Afghanistan since 2021, particularly those in same-sex relationships. However, an article supporting codification by an activist from the Afghan LGBT Organisation (ALO) and a women’s rights NGO Madre, also raised concerns about the risks of creating and interpreting new crimes involving the term ‘gender’ amid an increasingly fraught global discourse about definitions of sex and gender. Madre published an open letter to UN Secretary General António Guterres in September 2024, requesting a global study on the crime of apartheid to address this and other definitional concerns which one of the authors told AAN they expect “may be positively received” and be “completed within a year”.[10] This is well within the timeframe that codification of gender apartheid entails, as explained below.
Political Obstacles: Back pedalling from South Africa
One potential political obstacle to the campaign emerged in 2024, when South Africa withdrew its support. This was a blow to campaigners since throughout 2023, it had been a prominent state supporters of codification in official venues, lending a degree of legitimacy that no other state could provide. At the Human Rights Council in June 2023 when Bennett and the Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls report that supported codifying gender apartheid was discussed, the South African representative had spoken in favour, saying:
As a country that prizes the promotion and protection of the human rights of women and girls, my delegation therefore calls on the international community take action against what the report describes as “gender apartheid”, much like it did in support of South Africa’s struggle against racial apartheid.
Again, on 22 September 2023, South Africa co-sponsored a side event on gender apartheid at the UN General Assembly. A delegation from the End Gender Apartheid campaign, including Pakistani feminist campaigner Malala Yousafzai and Afghan campaigner Metra Mehran, visited South Africa in early December 2023. Mehran told AAN that their meetings in South Africa were very positive:
Based on the interactions we had in South Africa and with South African missions, everyone is very supportive. They echo our arguments, and the arguments that the women of Afghanistan make, that what is happening in Afghanistan is apartheid – it is systemic and institutionalised.
The ground shifted soon after this visit. By the time the Human Rights Council discussed gender apartheid again in June 2024, South Africa had reversed its position, expressing concern that the inclusion of gender apartheid might ‘dilute’ the original meaning of apartheid (see this summary of discussions).
What seems to have triggered this shift was South Africa throwing all its diplomatic weight into a legal challenge against Israel for its alleged genocide against the Palestinians; on 29 December 2023, it launched a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
The historical context for South Africa’s action was the alliance between Israel and apartheid South Africa and the decades-long common cause felt by the African National Congress (ANC) towards the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Palestinians in general. Since the end of white minority rule, the ANC as the governing party, has consistently used the term ‘apartheid’ to describe the Palestinians’ situation (documented in this timeline of the term in relation to Israel/Palestine; see also this Guardian article). This is also a position that has found recent legal backing at the International Court of Justice.[11]
The ICJ case was a bold move for South Africa. An editorial in The Conversation[12] argued that it has brought a politically weak government much-needed popular domestic support and burnished its image on the international stage. Mehran speculated that the South African government might be concerned that the gender apartheid campaign could “overshadow” the genocide case it is making against Israel at the ICJ. It may also feel it needs to use its political capital to garner support for the ICJ case, including, but not limited to, Muslim-majority states that might support Palestine but prefer to avoid the ramifications of gender apartheid being codified for conservative Islamic states.
Asylum, Potential Second State Responsibility and UN concerns
Another issue that may be problematic for campaigners is whether states fear that their asylum obligations might be affected by codifying gender apartheid. An article by human rights lawyer Mélissa Cornet cites a “European diplomat” admitting that many countries are concerned about “the political consequences of recognising gender apartheid, especially because it would bring pressure to grant unconditional asylum to Afghan women and girls.” It is not clear how much credence this position holds in practice, given that the European Court of Justice, the UN agency for refugees, and a growing list of countries have already said that Afghan women and girls should automatically be granted asylum based on the persecution they face as a class of people (as discussed in this AAN article). However, since one of the appeals for activists of codifying gender apartheid is that its recognition imposes greater responsibilities on second states, given the context of a growing hostility voiced by many Western states towards asylum seekers, this may be a factor in whether they support the gender apartheid campaign.
Another setback for campaigners appears to have come from the UN Secretary-General. AAN has heard from several sources that his office has circulated a memorandum, requesting UN staff to refrain from using the term ‘gender apartheid’. This does not appear to reflect a disagreement with the term itself, but a fear that by using it there could be implications for UN operations, even without it being codified in law.
Supporters of the gender apartheid campaign have speculated to AAN that for the UN to recognise that it is operating in a country where gender apartheid is practised would require it to distance itself for fear of being regarded as complicit with that apartheid regime. There has been a tense debate about degrees of diplomatic engagement and how humanitarian aid can be equitably delivered since the Emirate emerged in 2021, and UNAMA is already involved in a delicate dance around the employment of women in Afghanistan, where Emirate law banning the UN from employing women sharply diverges from the UN’s own equal opportunity employment obligations. The UN was also criticised for accepting IEA conditions for the June 2024 Doha III, in particular, that the only Afghans present would be its officials, with no other Afghans, including no women or civil society present (censure came from states, civil society and in this opinion editorial by UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett). For the UN to recognise gender apartheid would only strengthen the case of those who argue against its engagement with the Emirate.
AAN has not seen a copy of the memorandum and is unclear about the scope of the censorship it orders, but it would, at the very least, cover those staff who work directly for the Secretary-General, such as his Special Representative (SRSG). It would not, however, curtail the freedom of Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett, who holds a UN mandate but is independent of the UN (including not receiving a UN salary).
Overall, the alleged intervention by the Secretary-General is an irritant to the campaign. However, it can also be seen as confirmation of one of its driving ideas, that the language of apartheid itself has power in the real world.
How do you make a new international crime?
There would be two main pathways towards codifying gender apartheid. One is to amend the definition of racial apartheid under article 7(2)(h) of the Rome Statute, for which there are periodic opportunities for signatories. The other is to include gender apartheid in a new treaty that is due to be negotiated in the coming years on Crimes Against Humanity (CAH). The latter is the most promising route since the campaign to codify gender apartheid has emerged at a time when the process of creating a new treaty – that includes the crime of racial apartheid – is already underway. The hope for campaigners is that the definition of apartheid already contained in the draft treaty can be extended, or duplicated in large part, to include gender apartheid. Crimes against humanity are already codified under Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the ICC to include murder, extermination, enslavement, imprisonment, torture, sexual violence, and the crime of apartheid, when they take place within the context of a large-scale attack on civilians. Adoption of the CAH treaty would bring crimes against humanity in line with existing stand-alone treaties for other crimes – genocide, war crimes, torture and enforced disappearances.[13]
On 22 November 2024, the Sixth Committee of the UN General Assembly, which is responsible for legal issues, approved by consensus a proposal for a Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity (UN press release here). It set out a timebound process involving preparatory sessions in 2026 and 2027, with negotiations in 2028 and 2029 (see AP report). That may seem like a distant horizon, but we are already several years into the process (discussions about the treaty began well before 2019, when the UN’s International Law Commission first completed draft articles).
So far, the focus has been on the treaty as a whole rather than substantive discussions about individual articles, such as gender apartheid, but campaigners have been able to put down a marker for the negotiations. With the help of comments and written submissions from supportive states, gender apartheid, which was not in the original draft articles from the Law Commission, is now included in the summaries of discussions and written commentary that will, alongside the original draft articles, be part of the negotiations. So far, campaigners say, so good.
During the treaty discussions, Afghanistan, represented by a former Republic official, advocated for the codification of gender apartheid, as did Australia, Chile, Malta and Mexico, while Austria, Brazil, Iceland, the Philippines and the United States expressed a willingness to engage in future discussions about the concept (the discussions can be watched here). Only one state – Cameroon – argued that gender persecution was sufficient.
Conclusion
The debate about codification may feel like it happens in a separate realm from the reality of life in Afghanistan. For the Emirate, it may just be a note in the chorus of condemnation from around the world, dismissed as yet more international interference or hypocrisy.
Campaigners have a long road ahead to win broad enough state support to make codification a reality. Realistically, it could be many years before a new Crimes Against Humanity Treaty comes into force, with more years before prosecutors might try to test it. In the meantime, however, HRW’s Heather Barr thinks the campaign itself has played a mobilizing role:
While we are on the path, Afghan women have seen enormous benefits from the gender apartheid campaign. It has galvanised and united Afghan women’s rights defenders in a way that almost nothing else has. I keep hearing women’s rights defenders say they all agree on this.
Mehran agrees:
It’s really the one thing that all women I speak to agree on. There is so much tension on so many issues, but regardless of differences between generations, or language differences or where you come from or where you live, we all agree on the need for a gender apartheid to be recognised. … In fact, there’s frustration from some women protestors I’ve talked to as to why it is not codified already.
The reported actions of the Secretary-General suggest the term gender apartheid itself has power. There is a growing list of states, senior UN mandate holders and officials, jurists and rights advocates that now frequently use the term in relation to Afghanistan. This suggests that, however long codification might take, the term resonates so widely that it is already entering the human rights lexicon.
Source:analysts.org
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/en/reports/rights-freedom/could-the-islamic-emirate-be-the-inspiration-for-a-new-crime-against-humanity-prospects-for-the-gender-apartheid-campaign/
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Jamaat-e-Islami Delegation In Meeting With Yunus
2024-11-28
KABUL (BNA): The Administrative Commission held its latest meeting today, Thursday chaired by Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs.
According to Bakhtar News Agency, the session began with progress reports from designated committees on their assigned tasks.
The commission then conducted in-depth discussions on issues related to the Ministries of Interior Affairs, Industry and Commerce, Finance, and Education, leading to necessary decisions.
The meeting concluded with a directive establishing a dedicated committee to further evaluate matters concerning the Ministry of Public Health.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/deputy-pm-mawlawi-hanafi-chairs-administrative-commission-meeting/
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Minister Haqqani Discusses Returnee Challenges with IOM Chief of Mission
2024-11-28
KABUL(BNA): Acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, held an introductory meeting with Mi Hyung Park, the Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Afghanistan, at his office.
According to a statement from the Ministry, discussions focused on addressing the challenges faced by returnees, streamlining humanitarian assistance, expediting winter aid, and enhancing coordination between the two sides.
Minister Haqqani congratulated Mi Hyung Park on her new assignment and highlighted the urgent needs of the increasing number of returnees, including shelter, education, healthcare, and economic support. He urged IOM to fulfill its responsibilities by prioritizing fundamental solutions for these issues rather than focusing solely on emergency aid.
In response, Mi Hyung Park emphasized that the IOM operates in numerous countries worldwide but finds the Afghan government’s attention to refugees encouraging. She assured the Ministry of IOM’s continued efforts to improve and enhance its activities, acknowledging that collaboration with the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation is crucial for achieving success.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/minister-haqqani-discusses-returnee-challenges-%da%af-iom-chief-of-mission/
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Iran seeks global financial support for hosting Afghan migrants
By Fidel Rahmati
November 29, 2024
Nader Yar Ahmadi, the head of the Center for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants of the Islamic Republic, states that Afghan refugees are not just an issue for Iran.
He urged Jani Raappana, the Finnish Ambassador in Tehran, to encourage countries around the world to fulfill their international responsibilities toward Afghan refugees.
According to Fars News Agency, Nader Yar Ahmadi stated, “The issue of Afghan refugees is not just the problem of of Iran; as the first destination for refugees, we are dealing with a global issue.”
The Iranian official asked the Finnish Ambassador to convey the challenges faced by the “six million refugees” from Afghanistan in Iran to the international community.
He also pointed out the “enormous costs” that Afghan refugees impose on Iran, particularly in terms of fuel subsidies, bread, and energy, emphasizing that the Islamic Republic has already contributed its share in assisting Afghan refugees.
These statements come at a time when Iranian forces are detaining and deporting hundreds of Afghan migrants daily. Iran has announced that it plans to deport two million Afghan migrants by the end of this year.
The international community must come together to share the responsibility of providing humanitarian aid, ensuring the safety and dignity of Afghan refugees, and helping countries to tackle the issues of refugees.
Source:khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/iran-seeks-global-financial-support-for-hosting-afghan-migrants/
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Europe
A spectrum of threats: Islamist extremism online in Germany post-October 7
28 November 2024
By: Jakob Guhl
This Dispatch examines the risks presented to Germany by the contemporary online landscape of Islamist extremism. It highlights the increased prevalence of illegal terrorist content online, the ease of accessibility of such content to minors and the role of extremist online subcultures. It also provides a qualitative analysis of key propaganda narratives among Islamist extremists that do not promote violence, whose messaging has found a more receptive audience over the past year. The Dispatch concludes with a series of recommendations on how to counter illegal as well as legal but harmful content in a manner which respects Germany’s commitment to liberal democracy and human rights.
Increasing prevalence of illegal terrorist content on social media platforms
Over the past 12 months, Germany has suffered two deadly Islamist extremist attacks (Mannheim and Solingen)[i] and a steady stream of foiled Islamist extremist plots. In many of these cases, social media appears to have played a significant role in the radicalisation process or the attack planning. This correlates with ISD research showing that terrorist content is again more easily available to social media users, including young people, mirroring the mid-2010s when so-called Islamic State (IS) was able to operate relatively freely on mainstream social media platforms.
While comprehensive research reports on the prevalence of German-language illegal terrorist content are lacking, independent analysts have corroborated ISD’s research, arguing that German IS content is widely available on platforms such as TikTok. One probable cause is increasingly inconsistent moderation, as platforms roll back their investment in trust and safety, particularly in languages outside English.
Accessibility of content to minors
In several cases over the past year, minors were arrested in connection to terrorist offences, highlighting an increasing concern for authorities[ii]. As a generation whose political views and identity have been defined online, it is unsurprising that social media, platforms and messaging apps played a crucial role in the lead up to and during all of their attack plots.
Their radicalisation appears to have been further facilitated by the ease with which minors can access graphic and even terrorist content on major online platforms. Despite TikTok’s claim to have more “robust policies” on kids safety and terrorist content, research by ISD found more than 300 posts or videos portraying extremely graphic, distressing or violent imagery around the Israel-Hamas conflict which could be accessed by users as young as 13 on Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. Our research also found that minors can easily access Islamist terrorist content using basic English search terms referencing well-known IS-associated individuals.
Islamist extremist online subcultures
Beyond content with explicit affiliation to proscribed terrorist organisations, extremist online subcultures have contributed to radicalisation processes. For years, this trend was primarily associated with extreme-right terrorism through imageboards such as 4chan and 8kun, as well as accelerationist currents such as the Terrorgram network. However, younger Islamist extremists are likewise increasingly shaped by online subcultures that combine extremist ideologies with references to internet, gaming and youth culture, memes, and transgressive humour.
These trends are also increasingly reflected in the intersection between online extremist activity and offline violence. Following the stabbing of a Jewish man perpetrated by a 15-year-old in Zürich in March 2024, it was revealed the attacker had published a pledge of loyalty to IS. His online footprint also showed clear signs of influence from the Islamist extremist online subcultures first highlighted in ISD’s 2021 research on the Islamogram network (which merges Salafi-jihadist ideas with alt-right memes and gaming subcultures).
Non-violent Islamist extremists finding a receptive audience
In August 2024, US pop star Taylor Swift cancelled a series of concerts in Vienna after authorities arrested three teenagers in connection to an alleged plot to “kill as many people as possible” at the events. The three suspects were between 15 and 19 years old and reportedly “radicalised themselves on the internet”. German-language outlets have cited unnamed intelligence sources indicating that at least one suspect was radicalised in part by content from German Salafi preacher Abdul Baraa. Channels belonging to Baraa and other German Islamist extremist preachers across TikTok, YouTube, Spotify and Instagram have tens of thousands of followers. The Vienna case highlights how linguistic overlaps across the German-speaking region (primarily consisting of Austria, Germany and Switzerland) allow Islamist extremists to engage across borders, especially through online influencers.
Previous ISD research has highlighted that much contemporary Salafi online content and Islamist extremist propaganda comes from groups and individuals such as Baraa who do not directly incite their followers to commit acts of violence. Nevertheless, their ideology may still serve as a gateway to radicalisation. The rigid, black-and-white, dogmatic and sectarian views promoted by non-violent Islamist extremists also present a broader set of potential harms including:
For example, the Hizb ut-Tahrir-inspired group Muslim Interaktiv held a protest in Hamburg in April 2024 to challenge allegedly biased media reporting against Muslims and around the Israel-Hamas conflict. Protestors called for a “Caliphate” which they believe could militarily intervene to protect Muslims from oppression. Hizb ut-Tahrir was banned in Germany in 2003 as an “extremist group”; the UK banned it as a “terrorist group” in 2024 although the group is expected to legally challenge this. However, its ideology is widely disseminated by German offshoots such as Muslim Interaktiv that are highly active on social media.
Muslim Interaktiv’s social media output attempts to appeal to audiences beyond its core constituency, exploiting common foreign policy grievances among German Muslims (especially by highlighting perceived German hypocrisy on these issues). Examples include the oppression of Muslims in Palestine, Xinjiang and Myanmar, but also Germany’s close relations to authoritarian rulers in Muslim-majority countries. Muslim Interaktiv seeks to undermine the credibility of liberal values and to present Germany’s democratic institutions as hollow and biased against Muslims.
Limiting the impact of Islamist extremist online content
Public debate around how to tackle Islamist extremism over the past year has often primarily focused on adopting tougher stances on migration. Many of the proposals also risk undermining freedom of expression, assembly and association: for example, following the Muslim Interaktiv protest, several politicians and commentators called for measures including the banning of the group even though no laws seem to have been broken during the protest.
There were also calls for the revocation of German citizenship for dual citizens involved with the group and the deportation of foreign citizens (it is unclear how many people without German citizenship are involved with Muslim Interaktiv). This comes in the context of increasingly illiberal measures to curtail pro-Palestine activism, including local authorities banningprotests, the conflation of pro-Palestinian political symbols with those of Hamas, travel bans on those involved with protests, and the cancellation and defunding of events.
This underlines the urgent need for accurate and precise language when addressing the challenges from Islamist extremism. [iii] Islamist extremists advocate for an exclusionary and totalitarian Islamic state, using both violent and non-violent means to subjugate religious outgroups. This must not be conflated with Islam as a religion, different forms of (Islam-inspired) social conservatism or advocacy for Palestinian self-determination. Aligning definitions with academic standards will enhance understanding and facilitate effective communication across sectors.
Beyond semantics, it is also important that German efforts to combat the appeal of Islamist extremism reinforce the country’s commitment to liberal democracy and human rights. The following section provides a series of proportionate and targeted recommendations for measures to reduce the availability of illegal content and the impact of legal but harmful material.
Firstly, it is crucial to enforce the legal obligations on platforms under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to consistently remove illegal terrorist content. Federal and state governments should increase funding for independent research to close the current knowledge gap regarding the prevalence of German-language illegal Islamist terrorist content. The obligations to algorithmic transparency under the DSA also need to be enforced. These include the role of algorithms in suggesting search terms for Islamist extremist groups and ideologies, as well as the amplification of clearly illegal content. Greater data access for researchers, as mandated under the DSA, will help legislators, independent auditors and the public to understand the prevalence of illegal extremist content available online.
Secondly, it is vital to support more preventative measures to combat legal but harmful Islamist extremist content. Policies to curb the reach and influence of borderline content are essential to address the ideological milieu in which violent extremism sits. At the same time, it is essential to balance public safety with the right to freedom of expression. Platforms should evaluate whether borderline content could be de-amplified rather than removed, as part of their obligations under the DSA to assess the risks from the spread of legal but harmful content on their platforms.
Lastly, authorities should explore a substantial program to foster Muslim life in Germany (equivalent to similar programs around combatting antisemitism and fostering Jewish life). This could undermine the appeal of Islamist extremist groups, who instrumentalise and exploit experiences of anti-Muslim incidents, discourse and structural discrimination in Germany in their propaganda. Such a program would include long-term research on anti-Muslim attitudes and incidents, potentially by reviving the anti-Muslim racism commission (disbanded in 2023). It could also involve the promotion of initiatives to counter exclusion and discrimination against Muslims. As part of such a programme, the Federal Government should enhance and consolidate Germany’s strategic communication capabilities to emphasise the diversity of Muslim life in Germany, in line with existing structures for countering information manipulation and disinformation. Research suggests that strategic communications campaigns rooted in promoting an open, tolerant, pluralistic and democratic society, rather than takedowns of extremist influencers who are adept at navigating thresholds for illegal speech or attempts to directly address their arguments, could effectively undermine the appeal of Islamist extremist propagandists.
Conclusion
In most Islamist extremist attacks and plots in Germany since October 7, digital communication and social media content played a key role in the lead-up. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the platforms, content, networks and narratives of Islamist extremists online. This Dispatch analysed a range of risks posed by contemporary Islamist extremist content and networks online and made a series of recommendations on how to counter illegal as well as legal but harmful Islamist extremist content affecting Germany.
As Islamist extremists attempt to hijack broader domestic and foreign policy grievances, efforts to undermine Islamist extremists’ influence should avoid alienating Muslim communities. They should also emphasise human rights-based approaches to countering Islamist extremism both domestically and internationally, centred around freedom of religion, thought, conscience and speech.
In an increasingly interconnected world, violent conflict in one part affects domestic politics in another. In turn, when democratic governments fail to protect individual rights at home or to call out crimes against humanity abroad, they weaken the entire rights-based order. This, ultimately, undermines their own counter-extremism efforts.
Source:isdglobal.org
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.isdglobal.org/digital_dispatches/a-spectrum-of-threats-islamist-extremism-online-in-germany-post-october-7/
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Islamic group accuses Milei government of ‘censorship’ as TV show is pulled from air
28 November 2024
Acensorship row has erupted after an Islamic civil association accused President Javier Milei’s government of deliberately taking a weekly show dedicated to the faith off the public airwaves.
In a series of social media posts, the Centro Islámico de la República Argentina (CIRA) highlighted the removal of its regular Sunday morning show, El Cálamo, from the listings of free-to-air TV Pública.
The programme “was removed from TV Pública’s programming without any explanation,” said the NGO.
“Freedom of expression is a fundamental right to live in a fair and open society, and is an essential component of democracy,” it added.
“The decision to remove the programme without any reason for such a measure constitutes an act of discrimination, censorship and Islamophobia that harms and undermines interreligious dialogue and coexistence,” said the CIRA statement.
The culture and education show, which has been broadcast every Sunday at 8am since 2011, promotes the Muslim community and the Islamic faith. The wider community provides the content, with the state channel facilitating the broadcast.
Government officials say the show’s removal is temporary and that it could return to the air.
Presidential Spokesperson Manuel Adorni revealed this week in response to questioning that the programme was on “pause” as the Milei administration revamps programming. Its removal is due to “a revision of the grid” and not for reasons of censorship.
However, when asked about the programme's potential return, he avoided committing himself: “It's a decision to be taken by the station's authorities.”
But according to the civil association, the decision to take it off-air is unfounded and deliberate, possibly as a result of external pressure. Islamic authorities consider the move to be an act of censorship linked to Argentina’s new political alignment with Israel in the Milei era.
CIRA official Martín Saade speculated that the order to take the programme off-air appeared to have come “from the highest levels” of government, reinforcing, he said, the perception of hostility towards his community in line with President Milei's international stance.
“This administration's violence towards us is not a style, it is a method,” he alleged.
Since taking office last December, Milei has introduced massive public spending cuts. His government wants to sell off state media outlets and the President has tasked Adorni and Diego Chaher, the trustee of TV Pública, with overseeing the process.
The controversy is not new. El Cálamo was suspended back in March for two months due to an alleged debt related to musical rights that CIRA assured had been paid. On that occasion, the programme returned to the screen after negotiations.
To support its case, CIRA highlighted that other religious programming on state TV – including shows such as Claves para un mundo mejor, La santa misa, Ángelus and Shalom AMIA – have continued to be broadcast normally, reinforcing the Muslim community's sense of unease.
Source:batimes.com.ar
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https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/islamic-group-accuses-milei-government-of-censorship-as-tv-show-is-pulled-from-air.phtml
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Finland reverses quota refugee policy, accepts half from Muslim-majority countries
28 November 2024
Finland will take in 500 quota refugees next year as part of the UNHCR's resettlement programme, the Interior Ministry confirmed in a press statement released on Thursday.
The statement also revealed the allocation of the quota, meaning which refugee groups will be included.
"Finland will receive 150 Afghan refugees from Iran, 120 Congolese refugees from Rwanda, 100 Syrian refugees from Turkey and 50 Venezuelan refugees from Peru under next year's refugee quota. In addition, Finland will receive 30 refugees who have been evacuated from Libya to Rwanda and 50 persons from any nationality or region who require evacuation in emergency cases," the ministry's statement said.
The decision represents a reversal in previous policy, as Finnish media had reported earlier in the autumn that Interior Minister Mari Rantanen (Finns) and acting interior minister Lulu Ranne (Finns) had directed ministry officials to prepare to exclude quota refugees from Muslim-majority countries, while increasing the quota for Christian-majority nations.
This led to Finland's Non-Discrimination Ombudsman issuing a warning that such a move would likely be discriminatory on religious grounds, before the ministry said last week that it would review its plans.
In Thursday's press release, the ministry noted that this decision was made because of "suspicions surrounding the previous preparation" but declined to comment further while the investigation by the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman is ongoing.
Emphasis on vulnerable groups
The background to the allocation of the quota places was made on the basis of a proposal submitted to Finnish authorities by the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, and the ministry said a particular emphasis was placed on vulnerable groups.
"The government's asylum policy is based on helping the most vulnerable people, which is why special attention is paid to children, women and people with disabilities," the statement noted.
The final decision was made following consultation with the Finnish Immigration Service Migri, the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo) as well as the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Motion of no-confidence in Minister Rantanen
Later on Thursday, the opposition Left Alliance and Green Party filed a motion of no confidence in Interior Minister Rantanen, citing her handling of the refugee quota process.
The motion was submitted by Left Alliance leader Minja Koskela and Greens MP Fatim Diarra during a plenary session in parliament on Thursday afternoon.
The investigation by the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman seeks to determine if Minister Rantanen and acting-Minister Ranne sought to favour refugees from Christian-majority countries during the planning process.
Source:yle.fi
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
Minister Rantanen has denied that there was a plan to select refugees on the basis of religion.
https://yle.fi/a/74-20127990
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Young Muslims in Scotland 'disillusioned' by mainstream politics
28th November
By Mark McDougall
Young Muslims in Scotland are disillusioned by mainstream politics in the country but are becoming increasingly more involved with local and global issues.
Researchers spoke to Muslims aged between 14 and 18 who lived in Glasgow to understand the extend to which their engagement with politics was shaped by personal experience.
A similar study in 2017 found that young Muslims participated in politics in some form and had been inspired by Scottish nationalism, but had concerns about media and political representations.
There was also a recognition from them that everyday experiences of Islamophobia made participation in public life a challenge for many.
The new study, which was carried out by Newcastle University alongside the Institute for Economic and Social Inclusion at the University of Sunderland, found Scottish politics and Scottish independence were less of an issue although there was a generally positive view of more Muslim politicians in leading roles at Westminster.
Humza Yousaf became the first Muslim First Minister of Scotland while Anas Sarwar leads the Labour Party.
Many participants in the research doubted whether that would make a difference and were unsure that taking part in elections could bring lasting change.
They also feared that work in areas such as anti-racism and public safety hadn’t moved forward over the course of the last decade.
Instead, young Muslims discussed about how they play an active role in their communities while others took part in awareness raising in relation to anti-racism, migrant rights and Islamophobia.
This was often done through local mosques, schools or community groups and included issues ranging from cystic fibrosis research to disaster relief following earthquakes in Syria and Turkey.
The issues in Palestine in particular have also increased awareness and interest in global issues.
Many young Muslims felt there was a racist double standard in a lot o the coverage of the conflict in Palestine and felt there was negative, unbalanced and unsympathetic reporting of Muslims in mainstream media.
Many young female participants said they had experienced Islamophobic bullying at school and it was often related to religious clothing such as headscarves and hijabs.
Professor Peter Hopkins, professor of social geography at Newcastle University, said: “This research took place against the backdrop of Black Lives Matter, the pandemic, the cost of living crisis and increased global instability, so it was not surprising that young Muslims felt that global politics was threaded through their lives through their own identity and family background.”
Dr Robin Finlay, Partnerships Manager and Research Associate in the Institute for Economic and Social Inclusion, University of Sunderland, added: “Comparing this report to our 2017 research highlights the evolving nature of young Muslims’ political interests.
“In 2017, many young people were strongly motivated by the prospect of Scottish independence, whereas our recent findings reveal a declining engagement with independence debates. Nonetheless, the research underscores the enduring issue of Islamophobia in the everyday lives of young Muslims’.
Dr Joel White, Postdoctoral Research Associate at Newcastle University noted: “Our research demonstrates that many young Muslims in Scotland feel let down by mainstream political parties and those in power, particularly in terms of the gap between political rhetoric around anti-racism and the lack of concrete actions to address this in their schools and communities.
“They connected this to what they saw as a shameful political silence around Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which for many of them represented a key formative moment of engaging in protest and activism.”
The report was launched at an event hosted by Community Policy Forum and attended by key figures including Dr Zabir Ahmed, MP for Glasgow South West, and Linsay Taylor, Chair of Interfaith Scotland and Trustee of the Muslim Council of Scotland.
Source:heraldscotland.com
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Head of Scots Muslim Police Association found guilty of embezzling from organisation
28 NOV 2024
The former head of the Scottish Muslim Police Association (SMPA) has been ordered to repay £8000 in compensation to the organisation after being convicted of embezzlement.
Asma Ali, 47, of Glasgow, stole that sum from the SMPA and used the money to pay for flights and rail travel to London as well as hotel stays and a shopping trip to Harrods.
She was sentenced at Glasgow Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to a charge of embezzlement. She was also ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work within a 12-month period under supervision.
The offences took place between March 2017 and June 2019.
Fraser Gibson, Procurator Fiscal for Glasgow and Strathkelvin, said: “Asma Ali flagrantly abused the trust placed in her by the members of the Scottish Muslim Police Association (SPMA) to look after their interests. Instead, she used her position to embezzle funds that should have been set aside to help the association and used that money for her personal use.
“This case demonstrates that those who seek to exploit others for their own personal gain will be held to account for their crimes. We will always prosecute in such cases when it is in the public interest and where there is evidence to do so.”
The court heard how Ali, a founding member of the organisation which was based at Maryhill Police Station in Glasgow, was elected as chairperson in 2016. In 2017, she proposed a procedural change which would allow cheques to be issued with a single signature.
At the same time, a facility was set up allowing the SPMA bank account to be managed through online banking. Between 2017 and 2019, several association officials raised concerns over the organisation’s finances after two treasurers had stepped down.
These concerns centred on a high volume of payments made directly from the association’s account to Ali without receipts or vouching. In August 2019, Ali stepped down from her position as chairperson and 11 days later SPMA officials alerted Police Scotland’s head of professional standards over her management of the organisation.
An investigation then revealed £8,000 had been transferred from the SPMA’s account into a Bank of Scotland account belonging to the accused. An analysis of Ali’s bank transactions showed she was heavily in debt.
Source:scottishdailyexpress.co.uk
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Southeast Asia
Court to hear bid to restore Muslim status of Loh's kids in February
Nov 29, 2024
The Federal Court has set Feb 20 to hear the Perlis government’s review to reinstate the Muslim status of Loh Siew Hong’s three unilaterally converted children.
The state administration’s lawyer Danial Farhan Zainul Rijal told Malaysiakini this after the Federal Court’s case management of the review earlier today.
Perlis is seeking the apex court to...
Source:malaysiakini.com
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Parents of autistic boy Zayn Rayyan bid to have child neglect charge withdrawn
By Malay Mail
29 Nov 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — The parents of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin, an autistic boy who was found dead after they reported him missing, have applied for their charge of child neglect withdrawn.
According to Sinar Harian, lawyer Fahmi Abd Moin, who is representing Zaim Ikhwan Zahari and his wife, Ismanira Abdul Manaf, said the defence submitted a representation to the Attorney General’s Chambers on Nov 19.
Zayn Rayyan was reported missing on December 5 last year, before his body was found a day later in a stream near his home at Idaman Damansara Damai Apartments.
After preliminary investigations into his suspected murder, authorities decided on June 13 to charge his two parents with neglect over the incident.
The charge is made under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 and read in conjunction with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both, upon conviction.
No others have been charged in relation to his death.
The police investigation report was also leaked online, triggering a national controversy at the time.
Source:malaymail.com
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Mideast
Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire unlikely to hold: UK ex-spy chief
November 28, 2024
LONDON: The ceasefire deal struck this week between Israel and Hezbollah is unlikely to hold, a former head of MI6 has warned.
Richard Dearlove, who headed the British intelligence service from 1999 to 2004, told Sky News that the deal, which came into effect on Wednesday, is a “retreaded agreement from 2006.”
That initial deal was designed to keep Hezbollah away from the border region with Israel, overseen by the Lebanese military and the UN, but in effect it “did absolutely nothing,” he said.
This week’s deal suits both Israel and Hezbollah “in the short to medium term,” Dearlove said, adding: “The Israelis must know how much of the infrastructure of Hezbollah they’ve taken down … They haven’t taken it down completely, but maybe the Lebanese state can reassert some of its authority as the government of Lebanon and keep Hezbollah to an extent under control. We just have to wait and see what happens.”
He said the ceasefire deal will be a blow to Hezbollah’s backer Iran, leaving the latter “exposed” with one of its allies temporarily incapacitated.
But he warned that this could escalate into “direct” confrontation between Israel and Iran were the latter to launch another ballistic missile attack.
Source:arabnews.com
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Israeli military says Lebanese residents are prohibited to move south to several villages
November 29, 2024
DUBAI: Lebanese residents are prohibited from moving south to a line of villages and their surroundings until further notice, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X on Friday.
Israel said it opened fire on Thursday toward what it called “suspects” with vehicles arriving at several areas in the southern zone, saying it was a breach of the truce with Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, which came into effect on Wednesday.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah in turn accused Israel of violating the deal.
“The Israeli enemy is attacking those returning to the border villages,” Fadlallah told reporters, adding “there are violations today by Israel, even in this form.”
The Israeli military also said on Thursday the air force struck a facility used by Hezbollah to store mid-range rockets in southern Lebanon, the first such attack since the ceasefire took effect on Wednesday morning.
In his recent post, Adraee called on Lebanese residents to not return to more than 60 southern villages, saying anyone who moves south of the specified line “puts themselves in danger.”
The Lebanese army earlier accused Israel of violating the ceasefire several times on Wednesday and Thursday.
The exchange of accusations highlighted the fragility of the ceasefire, which was brokered by the United States and France to end the conflict, fought in parallel with the Gaza war. The truce lasts for 60 days in the hope of reaching a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Source:arabnews.com
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44,330 Gazans killed in more than 13 months of war
November 28, 2024
GAZA CITY: The Health Ministry in Gaza said on Thursday that at least 44,330 people have been killed in more than 13 months of war between Israel and Palestinian militants.
The toll includes 48 deaths in the previous 24 hours, according to the ministry, which said 104,933 people have been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Medics said Israeli military strikes killed at least 17 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Thursday as forces stepped up bombardments on central areas and pushed tanks deeper in the north and south of the enclave.
Six people were killed in two separate airstrikes on a house and near the hospital of Kamal Adwan in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip, while four others were killed when an Israeli strike hit a motorcycle in Khan Younis in the south.
In Nuseirat, one of the Gaza Strip’s eight historic refugee camps, Israeli planes carried out several airstrikes, destroying a multi-floor building and hitting roads outside mosques.
At least seven people were killed in some of those strikes, health officials said.
Medics said at least two people, a woman and a child, were killed in tank shelling that hit western areas of Nuseirat, while an air strike killed five others in a house nearby. In Rafah, near the border with Egypt, tanks pushed deeper into the northern-west area of the city, residents said.
Months of attempts to negotiate a ceasefire have yielded scant progress, and negotiations are now on hold.
Source:arabnews.com
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UK signs deals with Iraq aimed at curbing irregular immigration
November 28, 2024
LONDON: The UK government said Thursday it had struck a “world-first security agreement” and other cooperation deals with Iraq to target people-smuggling gangs and strengthen its border security.
Interior minister Yvette Cooper said the pacts sent “a clear signal to the criminal smuggling gangs that we are determined to work across the globe to go after them.”
They follow a visit this week by Cooper to Iraq and its autonomous Kurdistan region, when she met federal and regional government officials.
“Organized criminals operate across borders, so law enforcement needs to operate across borders too,” she said in a statement.
Cooper noted people-smuggling gangs’ operations “stretch back through Northern France, Germany, across Europe, to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and beyond.”
“The increasingly global nature of organized immigration crime means that even countries that are thousands of miles apart must work more closely together,” she added.
The pacts include a joint UK-Iraq “statement on border security” committing both countries to work more closely in tackling people smuggling and border security.
The two countries signed another statement on migration to speed up the returns of people who have no right to be in the UK and help reintegration programs to support returnees.
As part of the agreements, London will also provide up to £300,000 ($380,000) for Iraqi law enforcement training in border security.
It will be focused on countering organized immigration crime and narcotics, and increasing the capacity and capability of Iraq’s border enforcement.
The UK has pledged another £200,000 to support projects in the Kurdistan region, “which will enhance capabilities concerning irregular migration and border security, including a new taskforce.”
Other measures within the agreements include a communications campaign “to counter the misinformation and myths that people-smugglers post online.”
Cooper’s interior ministry said collectively they were “the biggest operational package to tackle serious organized crime and people smuggling between the two countries ever.”
Source:arabnews.com
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Some Lebanon hospitals look set to restart quickly after ceasefire, WHO says
November 28, 2024
GENEVA: A World Health Organization official voiced optimism on Thursday that some of the health facilities in Lebanon shuttered during more than a year of conflict would soon be operational again, if the ceasefire holds.
“Probably some of our hospitals will take some time, but some hospitals probably will be able to restart very quickly,” Abdinasir Abubakar, WHO representative in Lebanon, told an online press conference after a damage assessment this week.
“So we are very hopeful,” he added, saying four hospitals in and around Beirut were among those that could restart quickly.
Source:arabnews.com
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Lebanon says 2 hurt as Israeli troops fire on people returning south after truce with Hezbollah
November 28, 2024
BEIRUT: At least two people were wounded by Israeli fire in southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to state media. The Israeli military said it had fired at people trying to return to certain areas on the second day of a ceasefire with Hezbollah.
The agreement, brokered by the United States and France, includes an initial two-month ceasefire in which Hezbollah militants are to withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border. The buffer zone would be patrolled by Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said two people were wounded by Israeli fire in Markaba, close to the border, without providing further details. It said Israel fired artillery in three other locations near the border. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
An Associated Press reporter in northern Israel near the border heard Israeli drones buzzing overhead and the sound of artillery strikes from the Lebanese side.
The Israeli military said in a statement that “several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire.” It said troops “opened fire toward them” and would “actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement.”
Israeli officials have said forces will be withdrawn gradually as it ensures that the agreement is being enforced. Israel has warned people not to return to areas where troops are deployed, and says it reserves the right to strike Hezbollah if it violates the terms of the truce.
A Lebanese military official said Lebanese troops would gradually deploy in the south as Israeli troops withdraw. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.
The ceasefire agreement announced late Tuesday ended 14 months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that began a day after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, when the Lebanese militant group began firing rockets, drones and missiles in solidarity.
Israel retaliated with airstrikes, and the conflict steadily intensified for nearly a year before boiling over into all-out war in mid-September. The war in Gaza is still raging with no end in sight.
More than 3,760 people were killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon during the conflict, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The fighting killed more than 70 people in Israel — over half of them civilians — as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon.
Some 1.2 million people were displaced in Lebanon, and thousands began streaming back to their homes on Wednesday despite warnings from the Lebanese military and the Israeli army to stay out of certain areas. Some 50,000 people were displaced on the Israeli side, but few have returned and the communities near the northern border are still largely deserted.
In Menara, an Israeli community on the border with views into Lebanon, around three quarters of homes are damaged, some with collapsed roofs and burnt-out interiors. A few residents could be seen gathering their belongings on Thursday before leaving again.
Source:arabnews.com
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia to host UN Internet Governance Forum in Riyadh
November 29, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will host the Internet Governance Forum 2024 next month at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh.
International tech experts will discuss internet policies at the 19th edition of the UN Internet Governance Forum, which will be held between Dec. 15-19 with the theme “Building our Multistakeholder Digital Future.”
The forum is expected to attract more than 10,000 participants from 160 countries, and over 1,000 international speakers, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Abdullah Al-Swaha, the Saudi minister of communications and information technology, said the forum was “an exceptional platform in the era of artificial intelligence to enhance international digital cooperation between governments, the private sector, the nonprofit sector, pioneers, and innovators.”
He added it represented an opportunity to exchange ideas to achieve economic growth, prosperity for societies and a sustainable digital future to serve humanity.
The event will host 300 sessions and workshops, during which participants will discuss the latest internet governance policies and emerging digital challenges while sharing best practices in the field.
The forum will revolve around four main topics: innovation and risk in the digital space; development and sustainability; promoting human rights and inclusiveness; and improving the digital governance of the internet, the SPA added.
Source:arabnews.com
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How AI could help keep Saudi Arabia’s homes safer
GHADI JOUDAH
November 28, 2024
RIYADH: As part of Saudi Arabia’s push to establish itself as a leader in the data-driven, AI-powered economy, the Kingdom is harnessing the transformative potential of artificial intelligence to revolutionize homes.
AI and machine-learning technologies are making houses and apartment smarter, more efficient and easier to live in. They are also making them safer.
Real-time monitoring of security video, identifying threats, automated alerts to residents and integration with other smart home devices will completely change how homeowners protect their properties.
Industry leaders such as the tech firm Smart Citizens are expanding into Saudi Arabia following their success elsewhere.
The UAE-based firm says that it delivers innovative, cutting-edge solutions, particularly in smart-home automation.
“Smart Citizens believes AI will drive the most compelling advancements in home security and safety in Saudi Arabia,” Ashraf Nouri, Smart Citizens CEO, told Arab News.
He explained that the integration of AI with a network of devices that could connect and exchange data (known as the “Internet of things”), enhanced home security by enabling real-time monitoring and smart threat detection.
Smart Citizens’ expansion strategy, Nouri said, was crafted to “be in tune with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which wants living standards to match modern concepts and foster innovation in technology.”
AI is projected to contribute more than $135 billion to Saudi Arabia’s economy by 2030, making up 12.4 percent of the Kingdom’s gross domestic product, according to accounting firm PwC.
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority was set up in 2019 to help drive the Kingdom’s AI capabilities and make it a global leader in data-driven economies.
Saudi Arabia is also ramping up AI investment, looking to cement its position as one of the world’s main investors in the technology.
The embrace of home AI technology fits with the Kingdom’s mission to become a leader in smart city development. A key example is NEOM, the futuristic mega-city project that integrates advanced technologies and smart home solutions to foster connectivity and sustainability.
Elaborating on how AI is reshaping residential security in the Middle East, Nouri said that his company had developed a comprehensive AI-enabled security ecosystem.
The system, he said, offered a “new generation of smart home security.”
This included AI-driven intrusion detection, voice-activated security controls and predictive maintenance.
Nouri said: “We involve our AI technologies in the following domains: Computer vision for video surveillance and object detection, natural language processing for voice interaction and analysis, and neural networks for driving predictive analytics on maintenance and anomaly detection.”
As Smart Citizens prepares to enter the Saudi market, Nouri said that the company was committed to teaching its consumers about the new technologies it offered.
“Smart Citizens adopts an integrated approach in consumer education for the adoption of advanced technologies, especially in home security and safety, in Saudi Arabia,” he said.
The company’s strategies, he added, include public awareness campaigns, workshops and seminars, partnerships with educational institutions, and incentive programs to drive engagement and adoption.
These initiatives, Nouri said, aligned with the ambitions of Vision 2030 for digital transformation and the development of smart cities.
He added: “Through such programs, the company aspires to encourage a technological society that shall be ready for innovations in home security and safety.”
Nouri explained that his company was “implementing an AI-enabled behavioral analytics system that filters the routine household activities from potential threats.” This, he said, enhanced the accuracy of threat detection.
This was achieved through the integration of “Internet of things” devices, which are essential to the system’s overall effectiveness.
Nouri said: “IoT devices are collecting key data from sensors, smart locks and cameras to build the backbone of our system. The processing and analysis of this data in real-time happen through our AI models.”
Emphasizing that Smart Citizens prioritized user experience, he added: “We design interfaces that are easy to navigate, allowing users to control and monitor their smart home systems effortlessly.”
The company’s AI systems were able to learn individual preferences over time, enabling tailored automation that aligned with each homeowner’s lifestyle, he said.
Nouri said that robust measures were in place to address privacy concerns swiftly and effectively.
“We have multiple approaches to address privacy and security at our systems: Encryption protocols, localized data processing and compliance with UK standards, UAE standards,” he said, noting that his company was also working to ensure full compliance with Saudi regulations.
In the UAE, people were increasingly embracing AI-powered technologies in luxury apartments and homes, he added, describing homeowners there as “keen adopters of high-tech innovations to enhance their lifestyles and ensure comfort.”
Looking ahead, Nouri is optimistic about AI’s growing role in home security, believing that AI will become increasingly autonomous and seamlessly integrated into daily life.
“Solutions like the smart energy management and lighting solutions provided by Smart Citizens will evolve to provide even more personalized and predictive capabilities,” Nouri said.
Smart homes are also seen as a more sustainable solution to mitigate climate change, and Saudi Arabia is adopting a whole-of-society approach to reduce carbon emissions by 278 million tonnes annually by 2030.
A 2019 study published in Environment International found that household energy consumption accounted for one-third of global carbon emissions, and home automation had the potential to reduce these emissions by 12.78 percent.
Nouri said that emerging home security trends, such as biometric security enhancements and edge computing, which processes data on devices closer to the user, will allow for faster, more private operations.
And the impact of these solutions is measurable, providing “up to a 40 percent reduction in false alarms,” he said.
“These AI-powered solutions provided by us make a residence safer through real-time threat detection, personalized security, and seamlessly integrated automation, ensuring constant protection,” Nouri said.
This new AI technology enhances home security while giving residents greater peace of mind and control over their living spaces.
Smart Citizens is just one example of a company entering the Saudi market with AI powered solutions for people’s daily lives.
Many more will follow, deploying data-driven technology that will transform how we live.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi Reforms Have ‘Reinforced Unwavering Principles Of Justice, Equality,’ Says Kingdom’s Human Rights Commission
November 28, 2024
GENEVA: Saudi Arabia has implemented sustained reforms that have reinforced its unwavering principles of justice and equality, the president of the Kingdom’s Human Rights Commission said on Wednesday.
Since the launch of Vision 2030, the Kingdom has “witnessed unprecedented openness to diverse races, cultures and religions,” said Hala bint Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri.
She is heading the Kingdom’s delegation to the 114th session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Tuwaijri said: “The Kingdom’s territory is now home to over 13 million residents of more than 60 nationalities, constituting over 40 percent of the population.”
She added that these residents enjoy equal rights and protection from racial discrimination.
The HRC chief highlighted the issuance and amendment of regulations promoting protection from discrimination.
She said that national policy to encourage equal opportunities and treatment in employment and occupation is a key initiative to eliminate labor market discrimination.
Al-Tuwaijri highlighted national policy to prevent child labor. She also pointed to the establishment of labor courts as a qualitative advancement in the realm of labor justice.
The late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman established the Kingdom on the bedrock principles of justice, equality and the rejection of racism and discrimination, she said.
Under the Saudi leadership, a contemporary interpretation of these steadfast principles has led to the development of a comprehensive legislative, institutional and judicial framework to combat racism and racial discrimination, she added.
Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Saudi delegation to the CERD session said that many regulations and bylaws in the Kingdom have been amended to achieve equality between men and women.
These include the Travel Documents Law, Civil Status Law, Labor Law and Social Insurance Law.
As a result, by the third quarter of 2024, women’s participation in the labor market reached 35.4 percent, with a change rate of 108 percent since 2017, surpassing Vision 2030 targets, the statement said.
“The number of women serving as chairpersons or vice-chairpersons of boards reached 327, and the number of women board members reached 1005. Women held 43.8 percent of mid and senior management positions in the private sector.
“The number of female ambassadors abroad stood at six, with 204 female diplomats and 246 women working in international institutions abroad,” the statement said.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi Feast Food Festival celebrates culinary journey through Kingdom’s rich heritage and diverse flavors
AFSHAN AZIZ
November 28, 2024
JEDDAH: The Saudi Feast Food Festival, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Culinary Arts Commission, has officially begun its fourth event at the Abadi Al-Johar Theater in Jeddah, running from Nov. 27 to Dec. 6.
The festival features a lineup of activities spread across seven distinct zones. One of the main attractions is the culinary arts heritage area, divided into 13 sections that represent different regions of Saudi Arabia. Each section highlights regional specialties, offering diverse culinary traditions from Jazan, Makkah, Al-Jouf, Qassim, Medina, Hail, Tabuk, Riyadh and Al-Baha, with more than 195 food stalls.
The highlight of the festival is the competition zone, where professional chefs face off in cooking competitions that showcase Saudi national and regional dishes, including jareesh and maqshush, the Saudi national dsh.
Chefs from all over the Kingdom will compete in daily challenges, with one or two competitions held each day throughout the festival, and with a cash prize of SR20,000 ($5,323) for the winner of each competition.
Turkan Sharawi, a judge in the competition and an expert in cuisine, patisserie and boulangerie, told Arab News: “This competition is a great opportunity to highlight our authentic Saudi food and cuisine. It’s not about creativity but about preserving traditional dishes and showcasing them to the world. When judging, I focused on techniques, how well the dishes reflected traditional recipes passed down through generations.”
Turki Badawi, an inflight chef for Saudia Airlines and first-time judge, said: “Judging has been a difficult task, as all the participants are incredibly talented. The chefs are presenting food in creative and internationally appealing ways. For my judging, I primarily focused on taste.”
Children in the kids zone can participate in hands-on workshops to learn about Saudi cuisine, art and culture — with activities such as cooking lessons, storytelling at “Grandmother’s Stories” corner, and interactive environmental awareness programs.
For those looking to enhance their culinary skills, the workshops zone offers up to 30 cooking workshops, where professional chefs teach everything from making traditional Saudi sweets to savory dishes.
Participating in the festival, Ahmad Zaki Kamel, founder of Azka Foods and azkabasket.com, said: “We are in all 13 zones. Thanks to the support of the Culinary Arts Commission, Azkabasket is participating at the festival with a large selection of products from our network of farms and producers representing all 13 regions of Saudi Arabia. This is both a celebration of the vast range of organic and natural local foods and a testament that AZKA’s goal of ethical food system self-sufficiency is an achievable objective.”
Sharif Alruwaili, representing the Al-Jouf region, said: “Al-Jouf is renowned for its olive oil, olives and a variety of dates. We also offer a distinctive blend of za’atar, made with a mix of different herbs and spices. I’ve brought products from my own farm, as well as others, to showcase here at the festival. It’s been truly rewarding to interact with visitors and educate them about Al-Jouf’s renowned produce.”
Fahad Ibrahim, founder of Maamoul Um Saleh Al-Ayed, said: “I’m here from Qassim with over 45 different types of traditional Saudi biscuits, especially Maamoul made with olive oil and sugar-free options for a healthier choice. We are excited to present our products to the public.”
Fayza Alshaeri, a local chef, presented a buffet of traditional food from Al-Qassim and said: “Cooking is my passion, and being a chef is something I truly love. This buffet represents authentic food from Al-Qassim, and it’s wonderful to see people enjoying it, especially those who have never tasted these dishes before.”
Similarly, Mohammed Kassarah, a chef from Madinah, showcased a spread including traditional Kabuli rice with chicken and meat, meat sambusas, and sweets. He said: “Our meat and chicken are fresh, sourced directly from Madinah. It feels great when visitors recognize the quality and freshness of our ingredients and praise the dishes we’ve prepared.”
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi Arabia, Brazil partner on space technology
November 28, 2024
RIYADH: The Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission has launched an initiative for a research study in space sustainability in collaboration with Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency.
It is the result of a previous agreement between the two parties.
The scheme will promote the sustainable use of orbital resources and enable the use of modern technologies in space data analysis.
It was launched on the platform of the 2024 International Forum on Non-Terrestrial Networks, where Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi, governor of the commission, invited the international community to take part and support research on space sustainability for the benefit of future generations.
The scheme is part of the commission’s efforts to enhance international partnerships and leverage its expertise in communications, space and technology.
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Saudi FM meets with GCC ministers ahead of Supreme Council session in Kuwait
November 28, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan took part on Thursday in a preparatory ministerial meeting ahead of a GCC Supreme Council session due to take place in Kuwait on Sunday.
The meeting was chaired by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Faisal discussed with his counterparts the latest developments in regional and international issues, including the Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip, achieving a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue and the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon.
The GCC ministers also discussed the progress in implementing the decisions agreed upon during the former 44th session of the GCC Supreme Council, as well as dialogue and strategic cooperation among GCC members and international organizations.
Prince Sultan bin Saad, Saudi ambassador to Kuwait; Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, Saudi undersecretary of multilateral international affairs; Mohammed Al-Yahya, an adviser to Prince Faisal; Walid Al-Samaeel, the director-general of Prince Faisal’s office; and Anas Al-Wassidi, the director of the GCC department in the Foreign Ministry, attended the meeting.
Prince Faisal will attend on Sunday the 45th session of the GCC Supreme Council in Kuwait City. The session will include leaders and top officials from GCC countries, including Oman, Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain.
Earlier on Thursday, Prince Faisal was received at Kuwait International Airport by his Kuwaiti counterpart; Prince Sultan; and the secretary general of the GCC, Jasem Al-Budaiwi.
Source:arabnews.com
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Riyadh fintech forum ‘a turning point’ in Swiss-Saudi partnership
November 28, 2024
RIYADH: The Switzerland Embassy in coordination with the Saudi Ministry of Investment and Fintech Saudi organized the first Saudi-Swiss Fintech Forum in Riyadh.
Swiss and Saudi experts took part in the event on Nov. 25-26 under the theme “Connecting Leaders across Borders.”
The forum provided a platform for the exchange of ideas and the rethinking of traditional financial models.
Switzerland is an established financial hub and Saudi Arabia has the largest financial services industry in the Middle East.
Swiss Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yasmine Chatila Zwahlen, said the forum marked a turning point in the development of the partnership between Switzerland and Saudi Arabia.
Nezar Al-Haidar, CEO of Fintech Saudi, said the collaboration between Fintech Saudi and its Swiss counterparts creates opportunities for knowledge sharing, and paves the way for access to new markets.
The leaders are working to make Saudi Arabia a global fintech hub, and this collaboration deepens the ties between our ecosystems, he added.
Arab News met Saudi and Swiss experts at the forum, who discussed finance, market opportunities and the importance of Swiss expertise in Saudi Arabia’s fintech development.
Yazeed Al-Shamsi, co-founder and CEO of Ejari, said: “Our perception of Swiss cooperation is positive. Fintech is the sector that has received the most funding in Saudi Arabia in the last three or four years. There is still room for growth.”
Al-Shamsi said that the banking and insurance sectors contribute significantly to gross domestic product, and there are still opportunities in wealth management, investment, financing, and alternative financing.
Abdulmajeed Al-Askar, CEO of MoneyMoon, told Arab News that Saudi companies see Swiss-Saudi cooperation as a chance to bridge two diverse but complementary markets.
Switzerland has a long history of financial expertise, while Saudi Arabia is becoming a hub of entrepreneurial energy and digital adoption.
This collaboration is about building long-term partnerships that enable both sides to innovate and scale faster, Al-Askar said.
Saudi Arabia has many talented financial leaders and professionals, he added.
“By combining expertise with a forward-thinking approach, we can create an ecosystem that sets new benchmarks. Saudi Arabian leaders can design solutions tailored to the population’s needs. With new talent, we are creating an entirely new financial paradigm for the region.”
Eva Selamlar, head of the Swiss Financial Innovation Office, said that Swiss companies can contribute their expertise to help Saudi Vision 2030.
Andreas Iten, CEO of Tinety, said: “There are many opportunities in this market. The regulatory framework is favorable, so Swiss companies should look at it because there are great opportunities and a big need for digital solutions.”
The forum explored the opportunity for Switzerland and the Kingdom to advance their ambitions in the financial technology sector, in line with Vision 2030.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi Arabia sends 25th relief plane to Lebanon
November 28, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s 26th relief aircraft loaded with humanitarian aid including food, medical supplies and shelter equipment arrived at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Thursday, state news agency SPA reported.
The plane, operated by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, departed King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh earlier in the day as part of a continuing effort to transport hundreds of tonnes of medical supplies and food aid for Lebanese families displaced by the conflict.
A earlier statement from the Saudi aid agency KSrelief said the aid deliveries showed that the Kingdom was “standing with needy and affected countries … in the face of crises and difficulties.”
Source:arabnews.com
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Pakistan
PTI ‘split’ as leaders try to fix blame for debacle
Mansoor Malik
November 29, 2024
• Raja resigns as secretary general; SIC’s Hamid quits core, political committees to escape ‘infighting’
• Insiders say Bushra Bibi’s ‘inflexible’ instructions, lack of guidance on how to cope with changing situation doomed ‘final call’ march
LAHORE: In the wake of allegations and recriminations among party leaders over the ‘failure’ of PTI’s final protest call in Islamabad, the party’s secretary general and the leader of the Sunni Ittehand Council — the party’s main ally in the National Assembly — announced their decision to step down from party office.
Salman Akram Raja submitted his resignation to incumbent party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who confirmed its receipt on Thursday. However, he maintained that the decision to accept or reject the resignation would be made by party founder Imran Khan in the days to come.
Until then, Mr Raja has been asked to continue performing his duties.
Separately, SIC chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza also announced his decision to step down from the party’s core and political committees, adding that he would present his resignation from the National Assembly to the incarcerated party founder.
“I will continue working with the PTI and Imran Khan but I am resigning from the party’s committees to stay away from its internal conflicts,” he said.
Sources also said that Mr Raza had conveyed to party leaders that the confrontation amongst party ranks “was hurting Imran Khan and his cause”.
The resignations follow two days of heated discussion in the party’s two main political committees, which met on Wednesday and Thursday and were dominated by attempts to fix responsibility for the party’s retreat from Islamabad.
Blame game
Sources said the political and core committee’s guns were trained on Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja, as he was censured for his complete failure in mobilising the masses and bringing out any rally from Lahore to reinforce the workers from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter who were pushing towards D-Chowk.
However, sources privy to developments told Dawn that Mr Raja was already demoralised as former first lady Bushra Bibi was calling the shots and had allegedly insulted several party leaders in meetings held in Peshawar ahead of the Nov 24 protest.
Mr Raja also faced harsh and offensive commentary on his video message from a day earlier, where he presented “excuses” for not making it out of Lahore.
Party sources told Dawn that the core and political committees continued discussing the party’s debacle in the wake of “flawed planning, no vision to respond in unexpected situations” on Thursday, as well as talking about a future political strategy.
Other party insiders told Dawn that leaders from Punjab were insistent that Bushra Bibi’s “water-tight orders” to all ticket-holders and office-bearers put them on the back foot and compelled them to follow instructions without any questions.
“Bushra Bibi’s demand that every MPA and MNA should mobilise and bring 5,000 and 10,000 people, respectively, besides instructions not to mobilise from Punjab a couple of days ahead of Nov 24 — the ‘final call’ day — also largely contributed to the party’s retreat,” a source said.
Although leaders in Punjab had been working on mobilising the masses, their path to Islamabad was blocked after the provincial government sealed every city, imposed Section 144 and made all-out efforts to arrest anyone trying to sneak out, said a party leader from Punjab.
He also claimed that the leadership did not guide its focal persons on how to adapt to the changing situation during the three days of the protest.
Sources said that saner voices within the party had been requesting the leadership to divert to Sangjani and await more people from Punjab as they developed a fresh strategy in the wake of the threats hurled by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
“As the instructions had stopped coming from Bushra Bibi and Ali Amin Gandapur’s container at around 5pm on Nov 26, some senior leaders again requested that it would be dangerous for party workers to surge ahead, but they could not get assent from the central container,” a party leader on the ground told Dawn.
‘Staggered approach’
In an interview with ARY News on Thursday night, Sahibzada Hamid Raza had a similar gripe.
He claimed that they had suggested a staggered approach to mobilisation of workers for the ‘final call’ protest, explaining that if the caravan from KP was supposed to set out on Nov 24, then only those northern parts of Punjab (located closer to the capital) should be mobilized alongside them.
Then, in a second wave, caravans from south, east and central Punjab should move out the next day, i.e. Nov 25.
“We should have slowed down, and taken negotiations forward,” he said, when asked about the differences that prompted him to distance himself from the core committee.
“I am not prepared to take the blame for someone else’s mistakes,” he said, adding that decisions that had been taken were not implemented.
Mr Raza also claimed that by the time he and his supporters reached the capital after circumventing roadblocks and law enforcement, the KP caravan at Blue Area had already been dispersed.
A senior leader told Dawn that Mr Raja and Mr Raza’s resignations were just the beginning, as leaders from the Sindh chapter as well as various regions of Punjab had verbally announced their intention to tender their resignations.
Meanwhile, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser on Thursday refuted rumours that he had been chosen to replace Barrister Gohar as the new party chairman.
He also said that a decision regarding Mr Raja’s resignation would be taken after consulting former PM Khan.
Source:dawn.com
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Ringleader among four terrorists neutralised in KP’s Bagh IBO
November 28, 2024
RAWALPINDI: Security forces have gunned down four terrorists, including their ringleader Batoor, during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the military’s media wing said on Thursday.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the security forces conducted the IBO in the general area Bagh, Khyber district on the reported presence of terrorists on November 27.
“During the conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged khwarij location, as a result of which, four khwarij including Kharji ring leader Batoor, were sent to hell, while three khwarij got injured.”
The ISPR said that the sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area, as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.
In their separate messages, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the security forces for killing the terrorists.
They commended the officers and personnel of the security forces for the successful operation against terrorists in the Khyber district.
President Zardari praised the role of the security forces in the war against terrorism and reiterated the resolve to completely eradicate this menace.
PM Shehbaz said that the entire nation stands with the security forces against terrorism.
He affirmed that the war against terrorism will continue until this menace is completely wiped out from the country.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also congratulated the security forces for conducting the successful operation against the terrorists. He said they are proud of the capabilities of their security forces, adding that the brave forces thwarted nefarious intentions of terrorists.
It is pertinent to mention here that the third quarter (July-September) of 2024 saw a sharp increase in fatalities of terrorist violence and counter-terrorism campaigns, with a 90% surge in violence, according to a report issued by Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).
A total of 722 people were killed, including civilians, security personnel, and outlaws, while 615 others were wounded in as many as 328 incidents recorded during the period under review.
Nearly 97% of these fatalities occurred in KP and Balochistan — marking the highest percentage in a decade, and over 92% of these incidents of terror attacks and security forces’ operations were recorded in the same provinces.
The total fatalities from three quarters of this year have now surpassed the total fatalities recorded for the entire 2023; the number of fatalities rose to at least 1,534 in the first three quarters compared to 1,523 in 2023.
Meanwhile, terrorist groups continue to reorganise and beef up their ranks. Most of the terror attacks remained unclaimed by terrorist or insurgent groups, likely for tactical reasons, as per the report.
Source:thenews.com.pk
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12 more dead in Kurram as ceasefire fails to stop hostilities
Javid Hussain
November 29, 2024
KURRAM: The death toll from clashes in Kurram district increased to 90 on Thursday, as a ceasefire agreement failed to prevent hostilities that have been continuing on and off for more than a week.
In fresh clashes, 12 persons were killed and 18 others injured as intermittent firing continued in upper and lower parts of the district, officials said.
Armed clashes started in the district last week when a convoy of passenger vehicles came under attack in Lower Kurram, killing more than 40 people.
An official report available with Dawn said firing took place between Jalmay and Chadrewal villages and Talo Kunj on Thursday.
The clashes entered the second week on Thursday as one person was killed in Ghozghari, Upper Kurram. Sporadic gunfights continued in Ghozgahri, Matasangar, Maqbal and Kunj Alizai areas.
A mortar shell also hit the Bassu Camp of Frontier Constabulary (116 Wing) in Upper Kurram. Two FC personnel were injured in the attack.
During the day, Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsood, local elders and police hoisted white flags on their vehicles in an effort to implement the ceasefire in Balesh Khel and Sangeena.
However, their goal to deploy policemen in trenches occupied by the warring sides failed due to persistent firing.
In Lower Kurram, Assistant Commissioner Hafeezur Rehman, Superintendent of Police Jehanzeb, ex-MNA Fakhar Zaman Bangash, JUI-F MPA Riaz Shaheen, wing commander and local elders attempted to implement the ceasefire in Khar Kalay and Marganaye Cheena areas.
Their efforts also failed to stop firing, which continued in Bagan, Alizai, Khar Kalay and Baleechkhel areas.
A grand jirga led by the Kohat division commissioner and members from Kohat, Hangu and Orakzai districts was holding talks on Thursday, a day after the warring sides agreed to extend the week-long ceasefire, ending on Nov 30, for another 10 days.
Exchange of hostages
It was agreed in the ceasefire agreement that by Thursday, both sides would vacate the trenches, which would be taken over by the army and paramilitary forces. They would also exchange bodies and hostages during the cessation of hostilities.
The official report also said the warring sides exchanged hostages and released dead bodies, which they had confiscated during the clashes.
Local elders, including ex-MNA Bangash, handed over the four female and a male hostage to Kurram Militia (113 Wing) in the presence of the wing commander and Lower Kurram AC. The hostages belonged to the Goddar area from where they were kidnapped and taken to Sateen, Lower Kurram.
Similarly, one of the warring parties handed over the dead body of Azizullah s/o Essa Khan to the district administration. It was later given to the relatives.
Kurram District Health Officer Dr Qaisar Abbas has said that the health facilities in lower and upper Kurram were facing an acute shortage of medicines due to road closures.
National Assembly Member Hameed Hussain has warned the conflict would expand across the country if steps were not taken to stop armed clashes.
Source:dawn.com
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4 terrorists killed in Khyber, says ISPR
Ibrahim Shinwari | Saleem Shahid
November 29, 2024
KHYBER/QUETTA: Four terrorists, including a ‘commander’, were killed during an operation in the Khyber district, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.
A statement issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in the Bagh area, on the reported presence of terrorists.
Forces engaged the terrorists at their hideout and managed to gun down four of them, it said. Their ringleader, identified as Batoor, was killed while three others were injured.
A sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists in the area, it said.
Turbat explosion
Separately, a security man was martyred and two others were injured in an explosion in the Absar area of Turbat, according to officials.
An improvised explosive device went off when the bomb disposal squad team was sweeping the area to clear landmines.
The powerful explosion was followed by firing by unidentified attackers.
The martyred officer and injured were moved to the Turbat district hospital. The deceased was identified as Shahid Ramzan, while the injured included Shams and Amanullah.
In a separate attack, armed men opened fire at a barber shop in Door Ghati area of Gwadar.
The bullets shattered shops’ window panes, but the owner and other people sitting in the shop remained unhurt.
Source:dawn.com
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Premier wants dedicated riot force to tackle violent protests
Syed Irfan Raza
November 29, 2024
• Option to impose Governor’s Rule in KP discussed at cabinet meeting, but no decision yet
• PM Shehbaz orders immediate legal action against marchers who resorted to violence
• Highlights security, economic challenges; says ‘homegrown’ plan in the works to fix economy
• Welcomes Lebanon ceasefire, condoles loss of life in Malaysia floods
ISLAMABAD: Two days after the government used force to disperse thousands of PTI protesters who had descended on the federal capital to demand the release of party founder Imran Khan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed the authorities concerned to establish a dedicated anti-riot force to deal with future protests.
The protesters were led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Imran’s spouse Bushra Bibi, and several of them reportedly lost their lives following a late-night crackdown by the law enforcement agencies.
However, there are conflicting details about the number of deaths.
In a meeting regarding the law and order situation in the wake of the PTI rally, the prime minister said there was a need for a dedicated force to deal with mobs and protesters.
Since the PTI protesters over the recent months have been led by the KP chief minister, the federal cabinet in its meeting had also deliberated the imposition of the governor’s rule in the province but the suggestion floated by a lone minister did not gain much traction.
A source told Dawn that after his speech, the prime minister sought the point of view of all cabinet members and one of the federal ministers urged the cabinet to impose the governor’s rule in KP.
He was of the view that Chief Minister Gandapur often attacked the federal capital, in which he used state resources and the provincial government’s machinery.
The minister suggested that in order to get rid of PTI attacks, such a choice was the only option. However, the meeting did not make any concrete decision on the suggestion, the source added.
During the meeting on law and order, the PM was briefed on the recent attacks by protesters on public property, police, and Rangers personnel. PM Shehbaz was of the view that an anti-riot force must be equipped with modern gadgets and professional training and quoted examples of some other states where special anti-riot forces had been formed to deal with riots and violent protests.
“Those involved in historical corruption and conspiracies to bankrupt the country to save their government have been caught by the law. Instead of taking the legal route, attempts were repeatedly made to spread chaos across the country by marching on Islamabad,” he added.
He said legal action should be taken against those who damaged public and private property, as well as identified armed individuals, while also asking the officials concerned to improve the prosecution system.
“The entire nation pays tribute to the security personnel who were martyred while performing their duties during the march,” he added. He directed for a comprehensive strategy to prevent any march on Islamabad or any other city for personal gains.
Separately, the prime minister addressed the 26th National Security Workshop at the National Defence University on Thursday, wherein he reiterated the government’s resolve to transform Pakistan’s economic landscape. He said the national security of the country had a direct link to the economic security.
“If we are economically strong, our exports are growing fast, the industrial sector is expanding…then our economic security will automatically strengthen our critical security,” said the prime minister, emphasising the government’s commitment to execute a ‘Charter of Economy’.
He said he floated this idea in 2018 as an opposition leader, and now “We are fully prepared to execute this”.
He stressed the need to privatise all the state-owned entities, saying, “The government’s mandate is only to facilitate the private businesses.” “We should completely do away with the businesses to save trillions of rupees,” he said, adding that all institutions were on the same page and he and the army chief were fully aligned on this issue.
Congratulating the audience over the strong performance of the Pakistan Stock Exchange which crossed 100,000 points on Thursday, the prime minister said this was the result of team effort and close coordination between the federal government and various stakeholders.
“This is also about business sentiments and we believe that Pakistan is slowly and steadily moving in the right direction.”
The prime minister said this was the fact that over a period of time spanning a decade, the economic progress slowed down rather than deteriorated due to various factors.
He said the country was still facing many challenges. “We all know that in June 2023 it was touch and go as Pakistan was on the verge of default due to a variety of reasons that we all know.”
The prime minister highlighted that the government managed to bring the economy out of crisis due to a successful standby agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
According to the prime minister, the government was preparing a “homegrown plan” that would be implemented in letter and spirit. “I will do my best along with my colleagues to implement this plan in letter and spirit and transform Pakistan’s economic landscape.”
Security challenges
Other than economic challenges, the prime minister said the country was also facing security challenges. He said around 80,000 people had sacrificed their lives in the fight against terrorism and the economic losses touched $130 billion.
“What happened in Parachinar just a few days ago, innocent people lost their lives from both sides,” he said. He resolved to protect the country’s future with the support of all stakeholders. “Together we have to move forward and this can only happen through unity of action.”
During the question-answer session, the prime minister said without a quantum jump to boost economic growth, the external debt gap could not be bridged. He said in order to get rid of the external debt, “we will have to generate our own resources”.
Regarding the internal debt challenge, the prime minister said the biggest problem was in the power sector, as the power circular debt had touched Rs2.5 trillion and the circular debt in the gas sector was also growing due to leakages, gaps in management and system, and theft. “We are making efforts to resolve these issues but it will take time.”
About tax evasion, the premier lamented that tax evasion to the tune of trillions of rupees was being reported that must stop.
Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
In a statement shared on X social media platform, the prime minister welcomed the announcement of ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
“We welcome the announcement of ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah and hope that the announcement leads to a permanent cessation of hostilities in Lebanon. We wish the people of Lebanon peace and security in their country.”
Later, the PM expressed his heartfelt solidarity and condolences with Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim and the people of Malaysia over the destruction caused by the floods in their country.
Source:dawn.com
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Seven illegal commercial markets, three homes sealed in Rawalpindi
November 29, 2024
RAWALPINDI: Acting on the directives of the Director General, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Kinza Murtaza, the RDA enforcement squad conducted targeted operations against unauthorised commercial cum residential buildings on Dhamial Kalyal Road, G.T. Road and Chak Beli Khan Road, Rawalpindi.
During the operation, the squad sealed seven illegal and unauthorised commercial markets and three homes, according to an RDA spokesperson.
The operation was carried out by the Enforcement Squad, which included the Assistant Director of Building Control, Building Inspectors, and other officials, with the support of the Dhamial and Rawat police.
The owners of the properties and homes were found in violation of approved building plans and maps. Despite prior notices issued by the RDA, the owners continued to flout regulations, breaching the Punjab Development of Cities Act 1976 and the RDA Building and Zoning Regulations 2021 by constructing illegal commercial buildings without obtaining the necessary approvals or No Objection Certificates (NOCs).
DG RDA, Kinza Murtaza, has directed the Land Use & Building Control (LU&BC) Wing to enforce stringent measures against encroachments, unauthorized constructions, and illegal commercial activities. The Building Control Wing has also been instructed to assess fees and charges associated with the approval of illegal residential and commercial buildings, commercialization, and related building plans, with the goal of regularizing all such structures within RDA’s jurisdiction.
The RDA urges the general public to take moral responsibility in removing any form of encroachment to avoid further penalties and losses.
Source:dawn.com
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Shooting is soldiers’ defining characteristic: army chief
Hamid Asghar
November 29, 2024
GUJAR KHAN: Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir said on Thursday that shooting is a defining characteristic of a professional soldier and it must remain at the heart of military training.
According to the ISPR, the army chief was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 44th Pakistan Army Rifle Association central meet, which took place at the Army Marksmanship Unit in Jhelum on Thursday.
The ISPR said the shooting competition took place from Oct 14 to Nov 28 during the central meet where more than 2,000 shooters from various branches of military, including army, navy, air force and Rangers from Sindh and Punjab, took part.
Gen Asim Munir and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu distributed trophies and medals among winners and runners-up.
Pakistan Army emerged victorious in three inter-services matches, while Pakistan Air Force won the CAS match. Pakistan Army clinched the overall Championship Trophy. Pakistan Army also secured victory in the FTR team trophy.
The President’s Cup National Challenge match trophy was awarded to Naik Waseem Ahmed Khan who represented Pakistan Army.
Pakistan Air Force won the Prime Minister Skills at Arms Big Bore National Challenge. The Azad Kashmir Regiment won the first prize in the para-firing matches for the infantry squad.
Sepoy Aftab Ahmed of the Punjab Regiment was awarded the prestigious ‘The Master at Arms’ Trophy, recognising him as the highest achiever in military shooting.
‘The Best Shot Match Trophy’ was awarded to Lance Dafadar Muhammad Imran of Cavalry and Havaldar Fateh Ullah Khan of EME Battalion for Groups 2 and 3, respectively. The army chief commended the shooters for their outstanding standards of marksmanship.
Source:dawn.com
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North America
How Kamala Harris Thumbed Her Nose at Arab American and Muslim Voters
NOVEMBER 29, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris made many mistakes during her run for the White House. One that stood out was Harris’ callous disregard for Muslim and Arab American voters. Harris won a miniscule 20% of Muslim voters according to an exit poll commissioned by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The same poll showed former president Donald Trump capturing 21% of Muslim votes while Green Party candidate Jill Stein won an eye-popping 53%.
Harris’ wipeout among Arab American and Muslim voters was not inevitable. Four years ago, Arab American and Muslim voters turned out overwhelmingly for Joe Biden. Biden won 69% of Muslim votes, according to a pollconducted by CAIR. The 3,000,000 Arab American voters in the US cast “more than half” of their ballots for Biden,Time magazine reported.
In 2020, Joe Biden won Michigan, a swing state which is home to the country’s largest concentration of Muslims. In the 2024 election, Harris came in third in Michigan behind Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Republican Donald Trump.
In the city of Dearborn, which is majority Arab American, Harris did even worse. The election totals in Dearborn went 42.6% for Trump and 36.3% for Harris. Remaining votes went to Jill Stein.
Why did Harris fare so poorly among Arab American and Muslim voters? You know the answer. It’s the Biden Administration’s unqualified support for Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, which so far has killed at least 43,000 Palestinians and has now spread to Lebanon. Israel’s decimation of Palestine is only possible with US arms. “Genocide Joe” has been happy to provide them—no strings attached.
The Biden Administration also provides Israel with diplomatic cover. On November 21, the US vetoed a draft resolution in the UN Security Council which called for, inter alia, an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and an end to Israel’s blocking humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. The other 14 nations on the Security Council all voted in favor of the resolution. Harris could have (and should have) called for a cease-fire and arms embargo. She didn’t. Jill Stein did.
A Schoolmarm from Hell
Harris’ unqualified support for Israel was bad enough. Harris and the Democrats made their electoral prospects even dimmer with actions which showed callous disregard—even hostility—towards the reasonable concerns of Arab American and Muslim voters.
Dr. Ahmed Ghanim, an Egyptian immigrant who the Detroit Metro Times describes as a “prominent Muslim Democrat,” was ejected from a Harris campaign rally in Royal Oak, Michigan on October 24. Dr. Ghanim, who had been invited to the invitation-only rally, was given no explanation. He was not being disruptive. Two waiting policemen told Dr. Ghanim bluntly that he could either leave under his own power or be carted away in the back seat of their patrol car.
Dr. Ghanim told the Detroit News: “I guess that’s how the Democratic Party deals with Muslims. They’re not important to them. … Maybe the Democratic Party doesn’t want people like me and my kind in the party.”
On November 21, Dr. Ghanim brought a civil rights lawsuit for religious and racial discrimination along with other counts against the venue of the event in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He deserves to prevail.
At another rally in Michigan, this one on August 7, the vice president morphed into a schoolmarm from Hell. Harris scolded a group of pro-Palestine demonstrators who had interrupted her, telling them: “If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking.” (And if it happens again she’ll hit ‘em with a ruler.)
Rather than appeal to the Democrats’ traditional working class base, Harris made an unsuccessful bid for Republican votes. At campaign rallies in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, Harris brought to the stage former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney (Kaleda Rahman, “Muslim Americans Say Kamela Harris Embracing Liz Cheney Cost Her Election,” Newsweek.com, Nov. 6, 2024). Thus did Harris thumb her nose at Arab and Muslim voters. In case anyone needs reminding, Liz Cheney is the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, one of the principal architects of the US war on Iraq. A statement from CAIR’s National Executive Director Nihad Awad called the former congresswoman a “war criminal enthusiast.” In the end, Harris lost not only Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, but the four other battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Nevada. Six of those states went for Biden in 2020.
The Vice President refused to meet with representatives from the Uncommitted movement. The movement was formed in an attempt to pressure President Biden to abandon his unqualified support for Israel by having voters vote “Uncommitted” in the Democratic primaries.
Snubbing the Uncommitted movement just once wasn’t enough for the Democrats. They had to snub the Uncommitted movement a second time. Uncommitted submitted a list of suggestions for Pro-Palestine figures to speak at the Democratic National Convention. The Democrats rejected all of them. Pro-Israel speakers, however, did address the convention.
One of the speakers the Democratic National Committee rejected was Georgia state Representative Ruwa Romman, a Palestinian immigrant from Jordan. She told Mother Jones magazine: “If an elected official in a swing state who is Palestinian cannot make it on that stage nobody else can.”[1] Nobody did.
Commentator Mehdi Hasan was correct when he said that not only did Harris not court the Muslim and Arab America vote, Harris “actively spurned it.”
Don’t Blame Muslims and Arab Americans
Muslim and Arab American voters did not swing the election to Trump. You might not know that if you follow social media. Following Harris’ defeat, some Harris supporters took to X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms to blame Muslims and Arab Americans in the vilest possible language for Harris’ defeat.
The truth is that Democrats have only themselves to blame for Harris’ defeat. Democrats abandoned the working class. Ordinary Americans are being crushed under the weight of sky-high costs of necessities like groceries, gasoline, and housing. Meanwhile, Democrats are wandering around half asleep in their own neoliberal la-la land, exclaiming how great things are. They are oblivious to the pain working class Americans are experiencing.
Source:counterpunch.org
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.counterpunch.org/2024/11/29/how-kamala-harris-thumbed-her-nose-at-arab-american-and-muslim-voters/
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Trump Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth’s books foreground anti-Muslim rhetoric
Jason Wilson
Thu 28 Nov 2024
Donald Trump’s defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth, who has the crusader motto “deus vult” tattooed on his arm, has put bigoted anti-Muslim rhetoric at the center of several of his published books, according to a Guardian review of the materials.
Hegseth, especially in 2020’s American Crusade, depicts Islam as a natural, historic enemy of the west; presents distorted versions of Muslim doctrine in “great replacement”-style racist conspiracy theories; treats leftists and Muslims as bound together in their efforts to subvert the US; and idolises medieval crusaders.
Experts say that Hegseth’s view of Islam is riven with falsehoods, misconceptions and far-right conspiracy theories. Yet Hegseth, if his nomination is successful, will head the world’s largest military force at a time of conflict and instability in the Middle East.
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s Pentagon pick, sparks alarm over far-right extremism
The Guardian has previously reported that in his 2020 book Hegseth calls for an “American Crusade”, targeting both “internal” or “domestic enemies” and the enemies of Israel. Hegseth also connected the two, writing: “We have domestic enemies, and we have international allies … it’s time to reach out to people who value the same principles, relearn lessons from them, and form stronger bonds.”
‘False, totally wrong’
In American Crusade, Hegseth presents the medieval crusades as a model for Christian-Muslim relations, but one historian of the period says his presentation of the history of that period is “just totally wrong”.
In a chapter entitled Make the Crusade Great Again, Hegseth writes: “By the eleventh century, Christianity in the Mediterranean region, including the holy sites in Jerusalem, was so besieged by Islam that Christians had a stark choice: to wage defensive war or continue to allow Islam’s expansion and face existential war at home in Europe,” adding: “The leftists of today would have argued for ‘diplomacy’ … We know how that would have turned out.”
Hegseth continues: “The pope, the Catholic Church, and European Christians chose to fight – and the crusades were born,” and “Pope Urban II urged the faithful to fight the Muslims with his famous battle cry on their lips: ‘Deus vult!,’ or ‘God wills it!’”
Hegseth has a tattoo of the same crusader slogan, which is also associated with Christian nationalism, white supremacist and other far-right tendencies.
For Hegseth, the crusaders’ short-lived victories in the Holy Land means they can be credited with safeguarding modern values. “Enjoy Western civilization? Freedom? Equal justice under the law? Thank a crusader,” having written the same thing again earlier in the chapter.
Matthew Gabriele is a professor of medieval studies in the Department of Religion and Culture at Virginia Tech, and the author, with David Perry, of Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe.
In a telephone conversation, he said that Hegseth’s picture of Muslim encroachment in the 11th century was misplaced.
“There were absolutely no incursions into mainland Europe,” he said, adding “If anything, Islam was kind of on the retreat in Iberia and other places as well. So there was no large geopolitical shift or any kind of immediate threat of Islam taking over Europe.”
On Hegseth’s presentation of the crusades as a victory for the west against Islam, Gabriele said: “The Crusaders lost. They lost everything.
“The idea that they kind of like emerged victorious is absolutely false.
“This narrative of the crusades as a defensive war, where if the Christians didn’t launch this offensive towards Jerusalem that Europe would be overrun has been a bog-standard narrative on the right: it’s something that was espoused by Anders Breivik, the Norwegian mass murderer, in 2011 and by the Christchurch shooter a few years ago.”
Trump’s promise to loosen crypto regulations may be boon for extremist groups
“The British were invaded, and they didn’t even know it”
Elsewhere in American Crusade, Hegseth repeatedly characterizes Muslim immigration to Europe as an “invasion” in a way that mimics racist “great replacement”-style conspiracy theories about immigrants displacing white populations.
At one point he tries to connect – an expert says falsely – an aspect of Islamic history with the purported “capture” of Europe.
Hegseth writes: “In Islamist circles, there’s a principle known as hegira,” and then claims: “This term refers to the nonviolent capture of a non-Muslim country.”
Hegseth writes: “Hegira is a cultural, physical, psychological, political, and eventually religious takeover. History is replete with examples of this; and because history is not over, it’s happening in the most inconceivable places right now.”
Hegseth posits the US as an example where, he claims: “Radical mosques and schools are allowed to operate. Religious police control certain sections of many towns. Sharia councils dot the underground landscape. Pervasive political correctness prevents dissent against disastrous policies such as open borders and nonassimilation.”
Adducing proof, Hegseth bizarrely writes: “Take the British cities of London, Birmingham, Leeds, Blackburn, Sheffield, Oxford, Luton, Oldham, and Rochdale. What do they all have in common? They have all had Muslim mayors.”
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For Hegseth, this shows: “The British were invaded, and they didn’t even know it. In one generation – absent radical policy change – the United Kingdom will be neither united nor a Western kingdom. The United Kingdom is done for.”
He adds: “The same can be said across Europe, especially following the disastrous open-borders, pro-migrant policies of the past few decades. Countries such as Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands threw open their doors to Muslim ‘refugees’ and will never be the same because of it.”
According to Hegseth, countries that do not restrict Muslim immigration ignore that “Islam itself is not compatible with Western forms of government. On the other hand, countries that want to stay free … are fighting like hell to block Islam’s spread.”
Jasmin Zine is professor of Sociology and Muslim Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, and the author of a book-length report, The Canadian Islamophobia Industry: Mapping Islamophobia’s Ecosystem in the Great White North.
Zine said Hegseth’s narrative appeared to be an “Islamophobic conspiracy theory distorting the practice of ‘hijra’ or the migration of the Prophet Muhammad and early Muslims from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD looking for safety from persecution”, which “is now being used to promote the xenophobic idea of a Muslim ‘takeover’ of the west”.
Zine added: “These ideas are also linked to white nationalist demographic replacement conspiracies about Muslim birth rates in the west (AKA ‘demographic jihad’) and scare stories about ‘creeping shariah’, which have spawned retaliatory ‘crusader’ narratives in far-right subcultures.”
‘Hard-core leftism provides the best gateway for Islamism’
At other points in American Crusade, Hegseth appears to try to scapegoat Muslims for familiar conservative grievances, in narratives that suggest Muslims and leftists are colluding to undermine the US.
In case of a Biden victory in 2020, Hegseth predicted that an “anti-Israel and pro-Islamist foreign policy” would be introduced along with “speech codes instead of free speech, bye-bye Second Amendment” and “naked socialism, government-run everything, Common Core education for everyone, a tiny military, and abortion on demand – even postbirth”.
Hegseth also tries to connect his narrative with gripes about supposed censorship on social media platforms. “Who are the first people being banned on social media?” he asks, answering: “Not intolerant jihadists or filthy leftists but outspoken conservatives.”
At times he seems to admire what he imagines to be the thoroughgoing religious zealotry of Muslims compared with an increasingly secular west.
“Almost every single Muslim child grows up listening to, and learning to read from, the Quran,” Hegseth writes. “Contrast this with our secular American schools – in which the Bible is nowhere to be found – and you’ll understand why Muslims’ worldview is more coherent than ours.”
At another point in the book he engages in a lengthy diatribe about the Council for American Islamic Relations (Cair), which has been a bugbear for US conservatives since the “war on terror”, and claims Democrats are helping the organization cement a radical “Islamist” agenda.
“Groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and [Cair] have advanced the radical mission of Islamism for decades,” Hegseth claims, adding: “In the past two years alone, more than one hundred members of Congress – including Ilhan Omar, Adam Schiff, Rashida Tlaib, Elizabeth Warren, and Amy Klobuchar – have signed letters endorsing CAIR.”
Hegseth then singles out “Socialist Bernie Sanders”, who he claims is “a favorite among Muslim Americans due to his support for Palestinian causes and distaste for Israel”.
Sanders has repeatedly publicly supported Israel’s right to defend itself, even after the commencement of the current war in Gaza, while also saying: “Innocent Palestinians also have a right to life and security,” and calling for humanitarian pauses and ceasefires, and last week leading efforts to restrict the sale of offensive weapons to Israel on the grounds that it was in violation of the international laws of war.
Some of Sanders’s positions since 7 October 2023 have drawn criticism from the left, who have seen them as insufficiently critical of Israel and insufficiently supportive of Palestine.
Hegseth meanwhile, as previously reported in the Guardian, is unconditionally supportive of Israel, and has appeared to argue that the US military should ignore the Geneva conventions in favor of “winning our wars according to our own rules”.
According to Hegseth in American Crusade, though: “Leaders of CAIR speak very highly of Bernie because his hard-core leftism provides the best gateway for their Islamism.”
Source:theguardian.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/28/pete-hegseth-trump-anti-muslim-book
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Canada watchdog sues Google over alleged anti-competitive conduct
29 NOV 2024
Canada's Competition Bureau is suing Google for alleged anti-competitive conduct in its online advertising.
In a statement, the country's antitrust watchdog alleged Google had illegally linked two advertising tools to maintain market supremacy and used this dominant position to distort ad auctions by preferring its own tools.
The agency said it had filed an application with the Competition Tribunal, a court-like independent body, that would require Google to sell two of its ad technology tools.
In a statement Google said the complaint out of Canada "ignores the intense competition where ad buyers and sellers have plenty of choice and we look forward to making our case in court".
"Our advertising technology tools help websites and apps fund their content, and enable businesses of all sizes to effectively reach new customers," said Dan Taylor, vice-president of global advertising.
This case centres on online web advertisements - the ads shown to users while visiting other websites.
Digital ad inventory - the space website publishers make available for sale - is often bought and sold through automated auctions using digital platforms.
These platforms are known as ad tech tools, while the entire set of tools used through the purchasing process are known as the ad tech stack.
According to the Competition Bureau, an investigation found that Google had "abused its dominant position" as the biggest ad tech stack in Canada.
“Through a series of calculated decisions, taken over the course of multiple years, Google has excluded competitors and entrenched itself at the center of online advertising,” the Competition Bureau said in its notice announcing the suit of Thursday.
“Google’s near-total control of the ad-tech [software] is a function of premeditated design and conduct, rather than superior competitive performance or happenstance.”
The agency said it was asking the Competition Tribunal to force Google to sell two of its ad tech tools, and pay a fine of as much as 3% of the company’s global revenue "to promote compliance" with Canada's competition laws.
Google has 45 days to file its response with the tribunal.
The case comes a week after the US justice department and a group of states demanded Google sells Chrome, the world's most popular web browser - just one of a series of remedies meant to stop the tech giant from maintaining its monopoly in online search.
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd7n1rx04l1o
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US teenage conscription demand ‘makes no sense’ – Zelensky aide
28 Nov, 2024
The US is acting unreasonably by pushing Ukraine to lower its mobilization age as Kiev lacks weapons to arm its existing troops, Dmitry Litvin, an aide to Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, has said.
AP and Reuters reported on Wednesday that Washington has been urging Ukraine to begin conscripting men as young as 18 in order to source sufficient manpower to resist Russia on the battlefield. The current minimum fighting age that Kiev imposes is 25.
“It does not make sense to see calls for Ukraine to lower the mobilization age, presumably in order to draft more people, when we can see that previously announced equipment is not arriving on time. Because of these delays, Ukraine lacks weapons to equip already mobilized soldiers,” Litvin wrote on X on Thursday.
The US and its allies have access to all relevant data and can “compare promises to actual deliveries” themselves, he added.
Litvin, who was previously Zelensky’s speechwriter and became an aide in September, insisted that “Ukraine cannot be expected to compensate for delays in logistics or hesitation in support with the youth of our men on the front line.”
According to AP and Reuters, a senior official from the administration of outgoing US President Joe Biden, who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity, has claimed that Ukraine needed to lower mobilization age because it is not drafting or training enough troops to replace its battlefield losses.
“The need right now is manpower. The Russians are in fact making progress, steady progress, in the east, and they are beginning to push back Ukrainian lines in Kursk... Mobilization and more manpower could make a significant difference at this time as we look at the battlefield today,” the official said.
Earlier on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Zelensky and his government “have no right to push people to their deaths and drive them to slaughter.”
Any orders given by the current Ukrainian authorities are “criminal” because “they did not hold an election, they are completely illegitimate,” he insisted.
Zelensky remains in power in Ukraine despite his term in office having officially expired in May. He scrapped the presidential election, citing the martial law he imposed early in the conflict with Russia.
Putin insisted that Russian troops “are fighting for their Motherland, for the future of Russia and their children, and therefore no deliveries of even the most advanced weapons to the Ukrainian territory will change the situation on the battlefield.”
Source:rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/608353-ukraine-us-mobilization-zelensky/
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Bomb threats target Democratic Congress members from Connecticut
28 Nov 2024
Several Democratic members of Congress from Connecticut have been targeted by bomb threats on their homes, the lawmakers or their offices said on Thursday.
Jim Himes, Joe Courtney and John Larson all reported that their homes were the subject of bomb threats. Police who responded said they found no evidence of a bomb on the lawmakers’ properties.
This happened a day after a number of Donald Trump’s most prominent cabinet picks and appointees reported that they had received bomb threats and “swatting attacks”, in which perpetrators initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a victim under false pretences.
Courtney’s Vernon home received a bomb threat while his wife and children were there, his office said.
Himes said on Thursday morning he was notified of the threat against his home during a Thanksgiving celebration with his family. The US Capitol police and Greenwich and Stamford police departments responded.
Himes extended his family’s “utmost gratitude to our local law enforcement officers for their immediate action to ensure our safety”. He added: “There is no place for political violence in this country, and I hope that we may all continue through the holiday season with peace and civility.”
Larson also said on Thursday that East Hartford police responded to a bomb threat against his home.
The threats follow an election season marked by violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing him in the ear and killing one of his supporters. The Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course in Florida, when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing.
Among those who received threats on Wednesday were New York representative Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the UN; Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general; Oregon representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who Trump chose to lead the Department of Labor, and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
Source:theguardian.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/28/bomb-threats-target-democratic-congress-members-from-connecticut
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Trump victory not a mandate for radical change, top election forecaster says
28 Nov 2024
Thu 28 Nov 2024
Despite Donald Trump’s decisive victory in the presidential election, a political scientist who developed a model that correctly predicted his sweep of battleground states warns that voters have not necessarily given the president-elect a mandate to make radical changes.
In a paper released with little fanfare three weeks before the vote, Cornell University professor of government Peter Enns and his co-authors accurately forecast that Trump would win all seven swing states, based on a model they built that uses state-level presidential approval ratings and indicators of economic health.
In an interview with the Guardian, Enns said his model’s conclusions suggest voters chose Trump not because they want to see his divisive policies implemented, but rather because they were frustrated with the state of the economy during Joe Biden’s presidency, an obstacle Kamala Harris was not popular enough to overcome.
“If this election can be explained by what voters thought of Biden and Harris and economic conditions, it really goes against the notion of a mandate for major change from Trump,” said Enns.
“If Trump was looking to maximize support, being cautious about changes that are massive changes would be what the model suggests is the optimal strategy.”
On the campaign trail, Trump promised norm-shattering measures to accomplish his objectives, ranging from deploying the military to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants to levying trade tariffs against allies that do not cooperate with his administration.
On 5 November, voters responded by giving Trump an overwhelming victory in the electoral college, and also by making him the first Republican to win the popular vote in 20 years.
Both outcomes were predicted in the paper released on 15 October by Enns, Jonathan Colner of New York University, Anusha Kumar of Yale University School of Medicine and Julius Lagodny of German media firm El Pato. At the time, polls of the seven swing states showed Trump and Harris tied, usually within their margin of error, signaling that the election was either’s to win.
Rather than focusing on the candidates’ support nationwide or in the swing states, Enns and his co-authors built a model that combines two types of data: presidential approval ratings from all 50 states using data from Verasight, the survey firm he co-founded, among others, and a Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia index measuring state-level real income, manufacturing and labor market conditions. Both sets of data were compiled more than 100 days before the vote.
Enns first deployed the model in the 2020 presidential election, where it correctly predicted the outcome in 49 states, with the exception of Georgia. This year, Enns and his co-authors wrote that Harris, who took over as the Democratic nominee for Biden in late July, was on track to lose both the popular vote and the electoral college, including battleground states Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Georgia.
“If Harris wins the election, we will not know exactly why, but we will know her victory surmounted conditions so disadvantageous to the Democratic party that the incumbent president dropped out of the race. She will have added major momentum to the Democratic campaign and/or Trump and the Republican party will have squandered a sizable advantage,” Enns and his co-authors wrote.
The forecast wound up being accurate, though, with ballot counting continuing in a few states, Trump seems set for a plurality victory in the popular vote, not the 50.3% majority they predicted.
Then there’s the question of whether Biden would have done better if he had stayed in the race. The 82-year-old president has been unpopular through most of his term as Americans weathered the highest inflation rate since the 1980s, even as the labor market recovered strongly from the Covid pandemic. Biden was also dogged by concerns about his age and fitness for office, which culminated in a terrible debate performance against Trump in June that led him to drop out of the race weeks later.
“Given Biden’s low approval ratings and economic conditions, our model forecasted less than a one in 10 chance of a Biden victory if he had stayed in the race. Even after accounting for Harris’s approval ratings, which are notably higher than Biden’s, the Democrats face an uphill battle,” the authors wrote.
If Harris had a chance to overcome the disadvantages she entered the race with, Enns said it would have required convincing voters she would be a very different president than her boss – which it appears she failed to do.
“There’s some economic headwinds, there’s the Biden incumbency headwinds. And what I think that suggests is, given these headwinds that Harris faced, the optimal strategy would have been to differentiate herself more from Biden,” Enns said.
But the vice-president’s fate may have been sealed in the years that preceded her bid for the White House, when she failed to build the sort of public profile that would have pushed her approval ratings up to the level that she needed them to be.
“If she had been more popular, you can think about what could have happened to make our forecast wrong. So the fact that 100 days out, our forecast was so accurate, that really enhanced the campaign, had minimal effect on the outcome,” Enns said.
“The task at hand was to outperform the forecast, and her campaign wasn’t able to do that.”
Source:theguardian.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/28/trump-victory-election-forecast
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Africa
Nigerians No Longer Have Confidence In Lawmakers – Ndume
29 November 2024
By Justina Otio
The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has lamented that Nigerians no longer have confidence in the country’s lawmakers.
Speaking on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ndume argued that the parliament has deviated from the people’s expectations.
The former Senate Chief Whip called for the protection of the legislature.
He said, “It is not about these reforms but I am concerned, that institution is supposed to be protected.
“Out of 109 of us, only 25 of us made it back to the Senate. It means we have lost the confidence of the people. Out of those that didn’t come back, almost all wanted to come back except for few that wanted to be governors.
“Instead of sticking to what is true and right, if you deviate for whatever reason will be tantamount to the confidence given to you by the people.”
Speaking on the uproar in the senate regarding the tax reform bills, Ndume described it as an ambush.
Naija News reports that there was a disturbance in the Senate on Wednesday after Ndume protested the entry of Zacch Adedeji, chair of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), into the red chamber.
Adedeji’s briefing was not outlined in the order paper of the upper legislative chamber, and that prompted Opeyemi Bamidele, majority leader, to move a motion for the suspension of the senate rules.
In response, while citing the rules of the senate, Ndume said visitors were not allowed into the red chamber to speak if the item was not listed on the order paper.
When asked if it was listed on the day’s proceedings during the interview, he said: “That is why I raised the matter. If not, why not?”
“Zacch and Taiwo Oyedele, brilliant guys, I respect them for their intellect but not the way they are doing this thing,” he added.
Source:naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/11/29/nigerians-no-longer-have-confidence-in-lawmakers-ndume/
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Boko Haram Ambush Claims Lives Of Four NSCDC Officers In Niger
28 November 2024
Four officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been confirmed dead following an ambush by Boko Haram insurgents during an inspection of national grid installations in Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State.
The attack, which occurred on November 18, 2024, near the boundary between Niger and Kaduna states, also left one officer missing, while two others managed to return to base unharmed.
The NSCDC spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi, confirmed the incident in a statement on Thursday.
The officers were reportedly on a routine inspection of critical national grid infrastructure when the insurgents launched their attack.
Afolabi said, “Recall that seven personnel of the Corps’ Special Squad drawn from the National headquarters, FCT and Kaduna State Command respectively were declared missing in action when they were ambushed in boundaries between Niger and Kaduna states by the Boko Haram insurgents during an inspection tour of the National Grid Installation.
“As of today, out of the seven missing officers, four dead bodies had been recovered; two men returned back to base unhurt while one personnel is still missing in action.”
According to the statement, the NSCDC Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Audi, extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and expressed solidarity with the injured officers.
Visiting the wounded personnel at a medical facility on Thursday, Audi commended their bravery and assured them of the Corps’ unwavering support, including full coverage of medical expenses and other welfare needs.
Audi described the incident as a tragic loss and condemned the terrorist attack, highlighting the risks officers face in their duties.
He noted the exceptional courage displayed by the personnel in defending national assets and directed immediate financial and logistical support to ensure the injured received proper care.
He also pledged to expedite insurance benefits for the affected families.
As investigations continue into the ambush, Audi urged members of the Corps to remain vigilant and undeterred by the loss.
He called on the public to support the Corps and other security agencies in their efforts to combat insecurity and protect the lives and property of Nigerians.
He added, “The personnel demonstrated an unwavering determination and commitment to the service of their fatherland; hence, they deserve all the support they can get from the organisation and the government they swore allegiance to.
“The visit was necessary to know how they are fairing and to encourage those directly affected and all personnel at large that the leadership of the Corps places a very high premium on their welfare and will never abandon them, especially in a situation like this.”
The attack occurred on November 18 in the Farin-Kasa area of Chukun Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
The team, consisting of nine officers and 71 other ranks from various NSCDC commands, had completed surveillance activities in Shiroro and was en route to their base when they were attacked.
The ambush came as the team escorted stranded expatriates, found in the bush around Dagwachi Village, who were returning from a mining site.
Over 200 heavily armed insurgents reportedly attacked the convoy from the top of a hill, opening fire with sophisticated weapons.
Despite being outnumbered, the NSCDC operatives successfully repelled the attack, neutralising more than 50 insurgents during the crossfire.
Source:naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/11/28/boko-haram-ambush-claims-lives-of-four-nscdc-officers-in-niger/
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DSS Arrests Kano Activist, Zubair
28 November 2024
Operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) have apprehended a notable activist from Kano, Zubair Zubair.
Zubair, known for his outspoken criticism of the administration led by President Bola Tinubu, was allegedly detained in Kano and subsequently taken to Abuja.
In response to this incident, Barrister Harun Magashi, the attorney representing Zubair, disclosed that the DSS has moved his client to the Nigerian Police Headquarters in Abuja.
“Zubair was arrested yesterday by the DSS in Kano. Initially, he was held by the DSS, but they handed him over to the police in Abuja,” Channels Television quoted Magashi to have explained.
When asked about the reason for the arrest, Magashi stated, “We are yet to confirm the charges against him. However, we suspect it is connected to his active participation in the End Bad Governance protests and his outspoken stance against the current administration.”
Also commenting on the development, another activist and close associate, Nura Muhammad, said: “Zubair has been fearless in his advocacy for the people and has consistently criticized the policies of the Tinubu administration. His arrest does not come as a surprise, but it is a clear attack on free speech.”
Naija News reports that Zubair is a prominent figure within the Take It Back Movement, an organization recognized for its leadership in activism and civic engagement across Nigeria.
At the time of this report, attempts to obtain comments from the DSS and the Police Headquarters have not yielded results.
The activist community in Kano and other regions has urgently demanded Zubair’s release, expressing serious concerns regarding his safety and the increasing repression of dissent in the nation.
Source:naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2024/11/28/dss-arrests-kano-activist-zubair/
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Dozens killed after landslides bury 40 homes in eastern Uganda
28 November 2024
At least 15 people have died and 113 others are missing after landslides buried homes in six villages in eastern Uganda, police said Thursday.
Another 15 injured people have been rescued and admitted to Buluganya Health Center.
The Uganda Red Cross Society said Thursday that 13 bodies had been recovered after landslides buried 40 homes and the rescue effort was continuing. Local media reported that authorities expect the death toll could rise to 30.
Heavy rains triggered landslides in the mountainous district of Bulambuli, 280 kilometers east of Kampala, the capital, on Wednesday night.
Local officials told a journalist in the area that an excavator would be brought to assist in the rescue efforts, but the roads were covered in mud and rain was still falling.
The impacted area is about 50 acres with homesteads and farmlands spread downhill.
Photos and videos of people digging through mud in search of victims were shared on social media. Some of the houses were completely covered by mud while others only had a roof showing above the ground.
The Daily Monitor newspaper reported that most of the bodies recovered so far were those of children.
Bulambuli District Woman MP Irene Muloni said that the government intends to relocate residents from the landslide-prone area.
“Waterfalls are everywhere, and the rainfall is excessive. Let people be evacuated immediately,” she said, urging everyone to seek refuge with relatives and “leave this dangerous place.”
The prime minister’s office issued a disaster alert on Wednesday stating that heavy rains across the country had cut off major roads.
Two rescue boats capsized on Wednesday during a rescue mission on River Nile where Pakwach bridge was submerged.
Source:africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/11/28/dozens-killed-after-landslides-bury-40-homes-in-eastern-uganda/
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Nigeria seeks to boost economic ties with France as Tinubu visits Paris
28 November 2024
For the first time in 24 years, a Nigerian President began a state visit to France on Thursday to boost economic ties and attract foreign investments.
The visit is symbolic to Nigeria's leadership as it marks the first appearance of a sitting president at Champs-Élysées in two decades.
Bola Tinubu chaired meetings at the Elysée Palace aimed at bolstering his country's position as a top trade partner for France.
"We've been working on stabilizing the security system in Nigeria, and we are getting closer and closer. We are doing better now in the area of security. I assure all the investors here that Nigeria is open for business and I thank you for your collaboration," Tinubu said.
France's Emmanuel Macron is pushing to expand his country’s strategic ties beyond its traditional sphere of influence in the wake of a series of coups and power shifts that have seen several countries from Mali to Niger move away from their former colonial ruler.
France is seeking to strengthen economic ties with Africa, as the visit sets up the two presidents for meetings at the “Franco-Nigerian Business Council” forum.
"To us, economic partnerships place France as a partner in the long run to work, with you, on your country's food safety, the extraction and value maximization of the critical ore your country has, and as a partner, with our industries, in your defense and security strategy - that's three priorities we want to commit to," Macron said.
Ties between France and the continent are beginning to falter after Niger’s military junta banned the French aid group Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development, or Acted, from working in the country in mid-November.
The Ministry of the Interior signed a decree withdrawing the nonprofit organization’s license to operate, without providing reasons for the decision.
Source:africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/11/28/nigeria-seeks-to-boost-economic-ties-with-france-as-tinubu-visits-paris/
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