Hazrat Nizamuddin-Based Mosque and Madrasa slated to Be Demolished After a Month
New Age Islam News Bureau
14 Jun 2024
·
Hazrat Nizamuddin-Based Mosque and Madrasa
slated to Be Demolished After a Month
·
'Warped and Twisted' Islamist Preacher Anjem Choudary
Took On 'Caretaker' Role In Terrorist Group, Trial Hears
·
Ten Years After the Yazidi Genocide, Has Iraq
Helped Islamic State Evade Justice?
·
Pakistan UN Envoy Seeks Result-Oriented
Dialogue Between Pakistan, India
·
11 Individuals Publicly Lashed in Kandahar for
Charges Including Theft and Extramarital Relationships
India
·
Muslim Clerics and Intellectuals Hail Supreme
Court’s Stay On Controversial Film, Hamare Baarah’
·
Lok Sabha Elections 2024| Incidents of attacks
on Muslims on rise post polls, claims Owaisi
--------
Europe
·
Plan To Convert Disused 1950s-Built Leicester
Pub Into Mosque Approved
·
Islamic State-Linked Rebels In East DR Congo
Kill Dozens: Local Authorities
·
Keith Mason reinstated as Workers Party
candidate after apology to Muslims
·
Muslim World League Extends Deepest Condolences
to Kuwait After Tragic Building Fire
·
Germany warns of Islamist threat on eve of Euro
2024 tournament
·
Canada: Muslim family’s home set on fire due to
support for Palestine
------
Arab World
·
Al-Jubeir reviews Saudi Arabia’s climate
efforts at FII Brazil summit
·
Pilgrims reminded of benefits provided by
Tawakkalna app during Hajj
·
Saudi leaders send condolences to leader of
Malawi over death of vice president
·
More than 35 million bottles of Zamzam water
delivered to pilgrims
----
Pakistan
·
Imran Gets Clean Chit in Another ‘Azadi March’
Case
·
Shehbaz asks ex-ally Fazl to join ruling
coalition
·
Three members of Ahmadya community detained
under MPO in Chakwal
·
Iddat case: IHC orders sessions court to decide
on suspension of Imran, Bushra’s sentence in 10 days
·
Detention of ex-spy facing espionage charge
challenged in LHC
·
Pakistan, US investing in people-centric
diplomacy: Masood
·
SIFC efforts proving to be pivotal in bringing
foreign investors in country
--------
South Asia
·
Italy donates over $3 million to Afghanistan
·
Türkiye sends another shipment of humanitarian
aid to Herat quake-affected families
·
Ministry of Refugees Signs $4.3M USD
Cooperation Agreements with Development Organizations
·
Implementing Digital Systems in Offices is a
Top Priority for IEA: Deputy PM Hanafi
--------
North America
·
Maryland Muslim Group Calls for Action Against
Censorship of Pro-Hamas College Protests
·
Minnesota man who fought Islamic State group is
sentenced to 10 years in prison
·
Addressing Cancer Screening Behaviours in the
Muslim Community in Washington
·
Minnesota man who joined Islamic State group is
sentenced to 10 years in prison
·
EHang performs first eVTOL test flight in
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
--------
Mideast
·
Pilgrims Begin Hajj in Mecca, with 1,000 Gazans
Joining At Invitation Of Saudi King
·
Leaving Labour: How Palestine policy is shaping
the Muslim votes in Britain
·
Bosnia and Herzegovina to unearth ruins of
16th-century Ottoman mosque
·
Palestinian calls for bond in Al-Aqsa Mosque to
repel Zionist attacks
·
Israeli soldiers turn mosque in Gaza’s Rafah
into ‘cooking place’
--------
Africa
·
All About Friday's Deadline forSouth Africa To
Form A Coalition And Elect A President
·
Cambridge returns 39 artifacts to Uganda on
loan
·
Wole Soyinka: Muslims waiting for you in 2027 –
Omokri to Peter Obi
·
South Africa's ANC says it has broad agreement
with main opposition, others
·
South Africa parliament to hold inaugural
session, elect President
--------
Southeast Asia
·
Indonesia to Evacuate 1,000 Injured
Palestinians for Treatment: Prabowo
·
Hajj Agency under Religious Affairs Minister Is
Not Something New: Expert
·
Prabowo Thanks Saudi Crown Prince for Smooth
Sailing Hajj Season
·
Open to discussing partnerships on English teaching
programs - US Ambassador
·
TPS Targeted Promotion Programme can help
nuclear tech adoption in potential sectors
·
Prabowo Congratulates Mexico’s First Woman
President Sheinbaum
·
Indonesia Deports Over 1,700 Foreigners in Five
Months
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
Hazrat
Nizamuddin-Based Mosque and Madrasa slated to Be Demolished After a Month
Jun 14,
2024
New
Delhi: Delhi High Court has given a month’s time to the caretaker of a mosque
and madrasa to vacate the Hazrat Nizamuddin-based premises, slated to be
demolished by the civic bodies.
The high
court, on Wednesday, asked Delhi Development Authority and a local religious
body to grant one month’s time to the petitioner, Faizyab Masjid and Madrasa,
saying no further time will be extended to vacate the premises. The mosque and
madrasa are situated near ISBT bus depot at Sarai Kale Khan in Hazrat
Nizamuddin. The court was hearing a plea seeking to declare the action of Delhi
Police and DDA officials of planning demolition of the masjid on June 13 to be
illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional.
However,
the authorities told the court that Delhi religious committee has decided to
remove unauthorised religious structures from public land, including the said
structure. Opposing the move, the petitioner sought to direct the authorities
to supply a copy of the order and minutes of meeting and other file noting
related to the decision to demolish the structure and grant appropriate time to
the petitioner to avail legal remedies.
The plea
sought that till such time no coercive action be taken against the masjid and
madrasa. However, during the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel sought the
court’s indulgence to grant time to vacate the premises within one month. The
court then recorded the statement of the mosque’s caretaker and authorised
representative that they should vacate the premises within one month and no one
would make any further endeavour to stall the drive undertaken by the
authorities.
The
court allowed the petitioner’s request to withdraw the plea and added that the
petitioner should abide by the undertaking given by their caretaker and
authorised representative.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/caretaker-of-mosque-gets-a-month-to-vacate-premises/articleshow/110979640.cms
--------
'Warped
and twisted' Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary took on 'caretaker' role in
terrorist group, trial hears
ANJEM
CHOUDARY SPEAKING TO THE MEDIA
PA WIRE
-------------
Islamist
preacher Anjem Choudary took a “caretaker role” in directing banned terrorist
organisation Al-Muhajiroun (ALM), a trial has heard.
The
57-year-old, of Ilford, east London, is also accused of being a member of the
proscribed organisation for “many years” and encouraging support for it through
online meetings.
Prosecutor
Tom Little KC, opening the trial at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, said that
Choudary had a “warped and twisted mindset”.
He said:
“Anjem Choudary has been a member of that organisation for many years and he
also directed that terrorist organisation for a significant period of time from
2014 onwards and more recently he has also encouraged support for that
organisation by addressing online meetings of the Islamic Thinkers Society.
“At the
time that he did so, the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS) was, we say, part and
parcel of the same terrorist organisation, so that is ALM.
“Anjem
Choudary did much of that, we say, whilst the spiritual leader of ALM was
incarcerated in prison in the Lebanon. So in the absence of his leader, Anjem
Choudary took a caretaker role at ALM for some of the time.”
The
court heard terror organisations “may lurk in the shadows” to avoid being
identified.
Mr
Little told jurors: “During the period that you will be considering, ALM was
not always active.
“There
were times when arrests and interventions limited what they were able to do.
“But we
suggest, Anjem Choudary never gave up. He bided, we say, his time.
“Similarly,
there were also occasions when the Islamic Thinkers Society may have been
distinct from ALM.
“But it
was not distinct from ALM when Anjem Choudary was regularly and passionately
lecturing to ITS in 2022 and the first half of 2023.”
Also on
trial is Khaled Hussein, 29, from Canada, who prosecutors say was a “follower
and dedicated supporter” of Choudary.
He has
pleaded not guilty to membership of ALM, while Choudary denies directing a
terrorist organisation, being a member of a proscribed organisation and
addressing meetings to encourage support for a proscribed organisation.
Mr
Little continued: “These two defendants were, we say, members of and belonged
to ALM.
“They
both have a radical mindset. They both share that warped and twisted mindset.”
The
trial continues.
Source: standard.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/islam-preacher-anjem-choudary-trial-ilford-london-al-muhajiroun-b1164243.html
--------
Ten
years after the Yazidi genocide, has Iraq helped Islamic state evade justice?
13 June,
2024
This
summer marks ten years since the Islamic State declared itself a “caliphate”
and launched a brutal campaign of violence in Iraq, including a genocidal
assault on the Yazidi minority in August 2014.
More
than six years since the territorial defeat of the Islamic State in Iraq, only
nine members of the terrorist group have been convicted of international
atrocity crimes for their roles there.
Not one
of these prosecutions has occurred inside Iraq.
Despite
this major deficit in criminal accountability, the United Nations (UN) mission
to collect and preserve evidence of crimes committed by Islamic State in Iraq
is being forced to shut prematurely this September before the completion of its
mandate.
Only
three months away and with no plan yet in place, survivors’ networks and
international human rights lawyers fear loss of access to millions of pieces of
evidence critical to the pursuit of justice.
They say
the closure of the mission is part of a larger failure of the international
community to ensure holistic justice for some of the gravest crimes in recent
history.
Natia
Navrouzov has been engaged in evidence-gathering and survivor advocacy since
2015. A Yazidi from Georgia, she now heads the prominent organisation Yazda
which formed in the weeks following attacks on the Yazidi homeland, Sinjar.
Yazda
was one of many civil society groups that advocated for the creation of the UN
investigation mission.
“Seeing
it closed so abruptly and without proper communication or plan is distressing
to the communities we serve,” she said, during a seminar last month bringing
together NGOs, lawyers and human rights bodies concerned about the
shutdown.
Invited
by the Iraqi government in 2017 and stationed in Baghdad, the UN mission — UN
Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by
Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD) — aimed to help prepare the relevant Iraqi authorities as
well as those in third countries to investigate and prosecute Islamic State
crimes under international law.
Along
with capacity building, assistance in the exhumation of mass grave sites and
identification of remains, UNITAD has been amassing evidence, reaching 40
terabytes of documentary, forensic and digital materials by the spring of 2024.
But the
Iraqi government has now withdrawn its invitation, reportedly following a
souring of relations, according to Reuters.
“We are
now racing against time to organise a plan for the orderly closure of UNITAD,”
said Ana Peyró Llopis, the new head of the mission, as she briefed NGOs during
the May seminar.
A
burning question is what will happen to the evidence it has collected.
Although
the intention of the mission was to support international criminal trials in
Iraq, concerns over fair trial rights and the use of the death penalty, which
violate UN rules, have prevented much of the materials collected by UNITAD from
being handed over. Many survivors have also not consented for their testimonies
to be shared with Iraqi authorities.
Furthermore,
Iraq has not passed legislation to prosecute international crimes on its
territory.
This
impasse means there is a chance much of the evidence could simply be archived,
rendering it unusable in criminal proceedings.
“The
risk is that [the evidence] ends up, literally, in a basement in New York,”
Navrouzov told The New Arab.
Advocates
anxiously await a decision by the Security Council on the proposed creation of
an “active repository” within the UN where the evidence could be securely
preserved and remain accessible to third states.
Beyond
Iraq, loss of the evidence would impede trials in foreign courts, thus far the
only jurisdictions in which UNITAD’s work has been used to prosecute
international crimes like genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
UNITAD
has received 246 requests for evidence from 20 third states and has supported
15 cases that led to convictions, mainly in Europe.
Germany
alone has convicted eight Islamic State members for international crimes
against the Yazidis.
“German
prosecutors [have] coordinated closely with UNITAD to gather evidence for the
successful prosecution of ISIS [Islamic State] members, including for
genocide,” said Nadine Reiner, a lawyer with the office of Amal Clooney, who
was involved in the first case in the world to convict an Islamic State member
of genocide in 2021.
“From
our conversations with national prosecutors, we know they are particularly
concerned about their access to witnesses and coordination to get witness
testimony,” she told The New Arab.
The
"ticking time bomb" of Islamic State convictions
Just
this January, prosecutors in Lisbon succeeded in handing down a conviction of
war crimes to an Iraqi Islamic State member seeking safe haven in Europe. The
conviction, a first for Portugal, was achieved through collaboration with
UNITAD and the Iraqi judiciary to identify and facilitate the participation of
13 witnesses in Iraq.
Trials
for international crimes are upcoming in the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and
France, and investigations are ongoing in the UK. As more Islamic State
fighters return home from camps in Syria, these prosecutions were only expected
to increase.
Despite
the significance of convictions in Europe, these are a stop-gap measure for a
broader, coordinated mechanism and justice taking place in Iraq, survivors’
groups say.
“It’s
kind of a drop in the sea of all these atrocity crimes,” said Bojan Gavrilovic,
a lawyer at the Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights, to The New Arab. “This cannot
really meet the justice needs of the people and address the crimes that were
really systematic and massive.”
The
Jiyan Foundation is working to support the establishment of survivor-centred
mechanisms for international criminal trials to take place in Iraq, the site
where the crimes happened, and the home still to several hundred thousand
Yazidis, most of whom remain displaced.
“We are
convinced that many other countries are working on criminal prosecution,
however, none of this will give the same feeling as justice taking place in our
own country, for survivors and all those affected,” echoed Hassan Jameel, a
lawyer working with the Coalition for Just Reparations, an alliance of more
than 30 NGOs representing not only Yazidis but also other religious minorities,
Sunnis and Shias targeted by Islamic State.
But
there are major obstacles to this.
During
the war on Islamic State and following the liberation of territory in 2017,
tens of thousands of fighters were captured and imprisoned in Iraq. By 2019, Iraq’s
judiciary had already processed some 20,000 terrorism-related cases. Many have
been sentenced on charges of membership in a terrorist group, charges survivors
say do not capture the gravity and extent of the crimes committed.
These
trials have been marred by allegations of serious human rights violations,
including routine use of “torture-tainted ‘confessions’.”
Last
winter, federal Iraq resumed mass executions. Some 8,000 prisoners are on death
row, according to human rights groups.
“There
are many issues there and this is not something that we are supportive of,”
said Gavrilovic. Furthermore, the current process does not allow for meaningful
participation of survivors. “They don’t even know the trials are happening,” he
said.
Has the
international community failed the Yazidis?
Another
roadblock is the lack of a legal framework in Iraq to prosecute international
crimes. A draft law to address this is languishing in government offices.
While
the Kurdistan Regional Government has pushed for the creation of a specialised
tribunal for Islamic State crimes, in 2021 a proposal to establish such a court
in the Kurdistan region was declared unconstitutional by the Iraqi Federal
Supreme Court.
The
regional government also created an evidence-gathering body in 2014 to build
cases for international crimes, but thus far their evidence can mainly not be
used in Iraq. They are in the process of making agreements with several third
states to directly share evidence once UNITAD has gone.
Human
rights lawyers and survivors’ groups say the closure of UNITAD is part of a
broader failure not only of Iraq but of the international community to ensure
justice for victims of the global terror group.
At its
peak, Islamic State attracted over 40,000 people from more than 80 countries.
Today,
some 56,000 men, women and children with perceived affiliation to Islamic State
are being held in detention facilities and camps in northeast Syria, according
to recent research by Amnesty International.
Along
with grave abuses towards these populations, Amnesty says trials being carried
out by the US-backed SDF and affiliated authorities rely on forced confessions
to convict suspects for terrorism membership but not for individual crimes
committed.
“Just
like in Iraq, thousands of people have been tried on vague counter-terrorism
charges, such as affiliation or membership,” said Nicolette Waldman, an advisor
with Amnesty. “And just like in Iraq, not one person in this detention system
has been held accountable for crimes under international law – including war
crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.”
Countries
whose nationals fought for Islamic State have been slow to bring them home.
Those who are repatriated are mainly women and their children.
With the
exception of Germany, returning Islamic State members are often not charged
with crimes committed while abroad, but only for joining a foreign terror
organisation.
The
absence of a holistic and coordinated international response represents “a
colossal failure of the international community and the international justice
system,” said Amnesty’s Waldman.
Proposals
put forward by NGOs under the Coalition for Just Reparations and other
advocates include a hybrid tribunal in Iraq in partnership with the UN, a
mechanism through the UN General Assembly similar to what has been established
for crimes in Syria, and other ideas.
“There
are examples that exist, so it’s not too difficult now to learn from other
courts,” said Silke Studzinsky, a German legal expert who represented victims
at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal and now works with the Kurdistan evidence-gathering
body. But international political interest is very low.
“I would
say since the war started in Ukraine, this [the Yazidi genocide] has been
completely forgotten.”
“It’s
really a pity,” she said, likening the tens of thousands of Islamic State
members and their children languishing in camps and prisons, without meaningful
justice or rehabilitation, to a “ticking bomb.”
Source: newarab.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.newarab.com/analysis/has-iraq-helped-islamic-state-evade-justice-yazidi-genocide
--------
Pakistan
UN Envoy Seeks Result-Oriented Dialogue Between Pakistan, India
June 14,
2024
Pakistan’s
Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan. —World Affairs Council of
Philadelphia/ File
--------------
WASHINGTON:
Underscoring the need to have a result-oriented structured dialogue between
Pakistan and India, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan has
said the neighbouring countries should create that kind of atmosphere for
talking to each other.
He made
these remarks addressing a gathering at World Affairs Council of Philadelphia
on Thursday.
On
Pak-India relations, the ambassador told the gathering that there hasn’t been
any structured dialogue between the two countries since 2014.
Pointing
out strategic imbalance in South Asia and US tilt towards India, Khan urged the
US government to follow a balanced approach. “US heavy tilt towards India is
accentuating strategic imbalance which is fraught with serious risks,” he said.
The
ambassador also emphasised on full restoration of Foreign Military Financing
(FMF) and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and assistance to fight continued
threats from terrorists.
On this
occasion, Khan gave a detailed perspective on Pak-US relations, war on terror,
re-calibration of Pak-US relationship post withdrawal period, Pakistan-India
relations and the issues of regional stability. The ambassador especially
focused on highlighting existing investment and trade opportunities between
Pakistan and the United States that provided new sinews to the relationship.
Ambassador
seeks boost in investment
He asked
the American companies to boost their investment portfolios, particularly in
tech startups, renewable energy, agriculture and extractive industries in
Pakistan.
The
ambassador said this while highlighting the existing potential of Pakistan and
bright future prospects.
Ambassador
Khan offered US companies to manufacture in Pakistan, where they could find 240
million consumers.
“Pakistan
is a big market for American manufacturers. If you manufacture state of the art
products, you have 240 million consumers in Pakistan,” he said.
Pakistan
willing to act as bridge between US, China
Referring
to the historic role played by Pakistan in bringing China and US closer to each
other in early 70s, Khan said Pakistan was willing to play the role of economic
bridge between the two countries in the present age.
The
Pakistani envoy reiterated Pakistan’s relations with China were not at the
expense of its ties with the US.
Khan wants
strengthened economic partnership
Adding
his perspective to the most recent collaboration of the two countries in war
against terror, Khan said, “Pakistan was blamed at times for the Mission
failure. Although, I personally believe that we have accomplished a lot in the
war against terrorism. We collaborated and together we broke the backbone of
terrorist organisations. Al-Qaeda is not where it was in 2001-02. There is
awareness all around the world about the asymmetric threat of terrorism to
international civilisation and how to tackle it."
He said
that in late 2021 and early 2022, the leadership of Pakistan and US decided to
recalibrate their relationship. They decided that “while we will continue our
cooperation in counter terrorism, promote regional stability, maintain a
dialogue, we would like to secure the region from any nuclear instability and
so on.”
“But at
the same time, we would try to invest our time and energy in strengthening
economic partnership between Pakistan and the United States,” he continued.
“And we
have been succeeding in the areas of trade and investment, renewable energy,
green technologies, combating climate change, health care, education and
others,” he observed.
“When I
came here in 2022, the number of Pak students in American universities was
7,000. Now it is more than 10,000,” he said.
He also
highlighted renewal of agreement between the two countries for cooperation in
science and technology.
“We are
investing in people centered diplomacy so that there are more exchanges of students,
academics and entrepreneurs and tech entrepreneurs in particular,” he said.
Referring
to some most recent initiatives, especially the Green Alliance, the Ambassador
also paid compliments to the efforts of the US ambassador in Pakistan for his proactive
approach in promoting cooperation and fostering greater understanding between
the two countries.
“Ambassador
Donald Blome has been a good partner and a good ambassador in promoting Pak-US
relations,” Khan said.
On
situation in Middle East, the ambassador opined that the US should demonstrate
its leadership and assert itself.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1200328-pakistan-envoy-seeks-result-oriented-structured-dialogue-between-pakistan-india
--------
11
Individuals Publicly Lashed in Kandahar for Charges Including Theft and
Extramarital Relationships
June 14,
2024
The
Afghanistan Supreme Court has announced that 11 individuals were publicly
lashed in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province.
According
to a statement from the Taliban Supreme Court, this sentence was carried out on
Thursday, June 13, based on the verdict of the criminal court of Spin Boldak
district, Kandahar province.
The
statement mentions that these individuals were punished with 25 to 30 lashes
for charges including theft and extramarital relationships.
The
Supreme Court of sentenced two individuals to one year of imprisonment and 25
lashes, three individuals to one year of imprisonment and 30 lashes, four
individuals to two years of imprisonment and 25 lashes, and two others to three
years of imprisonment and 30 lashes.
Yesterday,
the Taliban Supreme Court’s spokesman confirmed that in the past three days, 15
individuals were publicly lashed in Sarpul, Kandahar, and Paktia provinces.
According
to reports, nearly 100 individuals have been publicly punished in various
provinces in the past 10 days.
Human
rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and
the United Nations, have condemned public punishments as a form of human rights
violation.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/11-individuals-publicly-lashed-in-kandahar-province/
--------
India
Muslim
Clerics and Intellectuals Hail Supreme Court’s Stay On Controversial Film,
Hamare Baarah’
June 14,
2024
Ziya Us
Salam
The
Supreme Court’s decision staying the release of the controversial film, Hamare
Baarahhas been hailed by Muslim intellectuals and religious leaders, calling it
a “commendable” step “in keeping with the spirit of the Constitution”.
Speaking
to The Hindu, noted writer-activist and former member of the Planning
Commission, Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, said, “The court’s decision is commendable.
Hamare Baarah is an instrument to denigrate Islam, to deepen hatred, and
distort the teachings of the Quran. Islam accords greatest dignity and power to
women. This deliberate distortion was rightly rejected by the Court. May the
people of India stand together against this deliberate ignominy.”
Supporting
the Supreme Court verdict, Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, president of All India
Majlis-e-Mushawarat, umbrella organisation of leading Muslim bodies, said,
“Today’s stay order issued by the Supreme Court about the controversial film
Hamaare Barah [previously called Hum Do, Hamare Baarah] is encouraging. The
court has directed that the film should not be released until a petition
against it in Bombay High Court is disposed of.” He criticised the film for
presenting a stereotypical image of the Muslim community not abiding by norms
of family planning.
Mr. Khan
drew attention to a spate of films promoting either Islamophobia or Hindutva
politics. “This is the latest in a series of hate films aimed at defaming the
Indian Muslim community using fake and concocted ‘facts’ like The Kashmir
Files, The Kerala Story,and 72 Hoorain etc. These films have one agenda: to
criminalise Muslims and polarise society in service of the Hindutva agenda. It is
hoped that today’s stay order on one such hate film will discourage others who
are working on similar projects. In any case, people should go to courts
whenever such attempts are made to divide our society,” Mr. Khan said.
His
words got loud support from the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. “We welcome the Supreme
Court’s decision to stay the release of the film. However, we do not know yet
what the final verdict would be,” said Malik Moatasim, vice president,
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. He also urged the filmmakers to avoid making films which
distort the facts, and instead concentrate on films on the burning issues of
the day, including unemployment and inflation. “The film is just propaganda. It
is an Islamophobic film likely to impact communal relations. It presents women
too in a bad light. Maybe a hundred years ago, women could have had so many
children. In today’s India the fertility rates of Muslims have declined sharply
as indeed of all communities,” Mr. Moatasim said.
Earlier,
the Supreme Court today stayed the June 14 release of Annu Kapoor’s movie
Hamare Baarah following allegations that the film is derogatory to the Islamic
faith as well married Muslim women. A vacation bench comprising Justices Vikram
Nath and Sandeep Mehta took note of the submissions of lawyer Fauzia Shakil,
who represented the petitioner Azhar Basha Tamboli, and asked the Bombay High
Court to take an expeditious decision on the plea.
Source: thehindu.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/muslim-clerics-and-intellectuals-hail-supreme-courts-stay-on-controversial-film/article68286393.ece
--------
Lok
Sabha Elections 2024| Incidents of attacks on Muslims on rise post polls, claims
Owaisi
13 June
2024
Hyderabad:
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday alleged that incidents of attacks
on Muslims were increasing in several parts of the country after the recent Lok
Sabha election.
In a
post on social media platform X, the Hyderabad MP asked whether the Sangh
Parivar was taking "revenge against Muslims".
Owaisi
claimed "After the election results, incidents of attacks on Muslims are
increasing in many parts of the country. Two Maulanas were murdered in Uttar
Pradesh, Muslim houses were bulldozed in Akbarnagar, two Muslims were lynched
in Chhattisgarh...
"Is
the Sangh Parivar taking revenge against Muslims?" the AIMIM chief further
asked.
Source: deccanherald.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/india/lok-sabha-elections-2024-incidents-of-attacks-on-muslims-on-rise-post-polls-claims-owaisi-3065203
-------
Europe
Plan To
Convert Disused1950s-Built LeicesterPub Into Mosque Approved
14 June
2024
Plans to
convert a disused Leicester pub into a mosque and community centre have been
given the go-ahead.
Leicester
City Council's planning committee approved a scheme to renovate the derelict
Mayflower pub, in Thurnby Lodge, at a meeting on Tuesday.
The
1950s-built pub closed in 2018 and has been repeatedly targeted by vandals and
arsonists, councillors were told.
More
than 300 people wrote to planning officers supporting the proposal to bring the
building back into use.
Applicant
Gervas Properties Ltd said the community was "crying out for a centre to
accommodate their social, spiritual and physical wellbeing".
About 40
people raised objections to the proposal.
The
concerns included that the move would create parking problems on nearby streets
at times of worship and noise from events and functions.
The
applicant said it could provide additional parking spaces on site if needed and
stewards to manage traffic.
The
committee also approved a condition preventing the playing of an amplified call
to pray.
Abdul
Osman, city councillor for the area, said: "Overall the majority of people
want to see some sort of development on there.
"I
am glad to see a community centre and place of worship on the table. It will
add value for the area."
Under
the approved plans, a multi-purpose hall will be created in the building with
classrooms to teach up to 75 students in the evenings.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cl77xgw29w2o
--------
Islamic
State-linked rebels in east DR Congo kill dozens: local authorities
13 June,
2024
An
attack blamed on Islamic State-linked rebels has left dozens of people dead in
eastern DR Congo's Beni region, local authorities said on Thursday.
Colonel
Alain Kiwewa Mitela, a local official in Lubero territory where the overnight
attack struck, told AFP that 42 bodies had been found.
It
brings to nearly 150 the number of people killed since the start of the month
by rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), according to figures from
local authorities and civil groups.
A civil
society leader, Seba Paluku, told AFP there were 41 bodies including some that
were "tied up" and "decapitated".
He said
he had gone to the site with soldiers. "The bodies are lying still on the
ground, there's no means of transporting them because vehicles can't get
there."
Samuel
Kakule, a civil society leader in Mangurujipa, not far from the site of the
attack, said that "around 2:00 pm yesterday, we were told of the presence
of the enemy" and that later "they fired on the peaceful population
and the bodies began arriving at the hospital".
Between
June 1 and 11, the Islamic State group claimed about 15 attacks on villages and
roads near Beni that have killed 125 people, almost all of them civilians.
A local
official estimated the number to be 109 while a security official said it stood
at 138.
The ADF,
historically a Ugandan Muslim majority rebel coalition, has established a presence
over the past three decades in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, killing
thousands of civilians.
It
pledged allegiance in 2019 to the Islamic State group, which portrays the ADF
as its central African branch.
Since
the end of 2021, the Congolese and Ugandan armies have conducted joint
operations against the ADF in North Kivu and neighbouring Ituri province but
have so far failed to stop the deadly attacks on civilians.
The east
of the country has been plagued by violence by armed groups for decades.
The
Rwanda-backed M23 (March 23 Movement) resumed its armed campaign in the region
at the end of 2021, seizing swathes of territory in North Kivu, as intensified
fighting continues to displace tens of thousands of people.
Source: newarab.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.newarab.com/news/islamic-state-linked-rebels-east-dr-congo-kill-dozens
--------
Keith
Mason reinstated as Workers Party candidate after apology to Muslims
13th
June 2024
In an
interview with 5Pillars, the ex rugby league star said: “It was very naive of
me and irresponsible of me to get into a slanging match with somebody on
Twitter… Looking back it was stupid of me to do that and I do apologise if I
did offend anybody… I wanted to clear my name and assure people that I am not
an Islamophobe.”
Mason
added that a friend of his had given him a Quran and pledged to “educate
himself on the religion.”
You can
watch our full interview with Keith Mason here.
In the
tweets from six months ago (now deleted), Mason insulted Islam and Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh).
The
staunch Christian accused Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) of being a “false prophet”
and said “Islam without lies dies.”
After
the tweets were made public by 5Pillars, Workers Party leader Galloway sacked
Mason. The Workers party relies on the Muslim vote for much of its support.
But
following an appeal by 5Pillars editor Roshan Muhammed Salih, Galloway reversed
his decision.
Mason,
42, is a former rugby league footballer who played in three Challenge Cup
finals, winning one in 2004 for St Helens.
He won
two caps for Wales at international level, and also played for Great Britain
and England Under-21s.
At the
end of the 2013 season, Mason retired from playing rugby league in order to
pursue a career as an actor.
Source: 5pillarsuk.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://5pillarsuk.com/2024/06/13/keith-mason-reinstated-as-workers-party-candidate-after-apology-to-muslims/
--------
Muslim
World League Extends Deepest Condolences to Kuwait After Tragic Building Fire
The
Muslim World League (MWL) expressed its sincere condolences and profound
sympathy to the State of Kuwait's leadership, government, and people in the
wake of the devastating building fire in Al-Mangaf.
In a
statement issued by the league, Secretary-General of the MWL and Chairman of
the Organization of Muslim Scholars Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa offered condolences to
the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.
Source: english.aawsat.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5030556-muslim-world-league-extends-deepest-condolences-kuwait-after-tragic-building-fire
--------
Germany
warns of Islamist threat on eve of Euro 2024 tournament
13 June
2024
BERLIN
(Reuters) - Germany welcomed police officers from across Europe on Thursday to
bolster its defences against potential threats at the Euro 2024 soccer
tournament, with Interior Minister Nancy Faeser promising vigilance on the eve
of the opening match.
"Our
focus of course is above all on the threat of Islamist terrorism, hooligans and
their offences, everyday crime, violent criminals, but this time also on cyber
attacks," Faeser said at a ceremony for around 350 foreign police officers
dispatched for the event.
Groups
such as the Islamic State have already called for attacks at the month-long
tournament, which begins with the host country's Group A opener against
Scotland on Friday.
"Our
security authorities therefore have the Islamist scene firmly in their
sights," Faeser said, while adding that authorities were not currently
aware of any specific plots.
Germany
expects 2.7 million people to attend matches in stadiums across the country and
some 12 million in its fan zones for outdoor viewing, including on a long
stretch of turf laid out in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
The fan
zones were popular during the 2006 World Cup in Germany, but it remains to be
seen whether the public mood at this event can rise above simmering tensions at
a time of conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East, and as the far right sees
its support surge in Europe.
"Some
people are trying to bring these conflicts into our country," the minister
warned, adding that propaganda and hate speech on German streets would not be
tolerated.
Some
22,000 police officers will be working each day at the tournament.
German
security authorities are also working with international partners to identify
potential threats and the country has ramped up its border controls.
(Reporting
by Rachel More; editing by Matthias Williams and Toby Davis)
Source: uk.news.yahoo.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/germany-warns-islamist-threat-eve-125335221.html
--------
Canada:
Muslim family’s home set on fire due to support for Palestine
June 13,
2024
Police
in Canada are treating an arson attack on a Muslim family’s home as a hate
crime as the family had been outspoken about their support for Palestinian rights.
Fire
crews responded to reports of a fire at a house in London, Ontario, at around
10.40pm on Saturday night. According to London Fire Department chief Kirk
Loveland, no one was home at the time and no injuries were reported.
The
family had been targeted on numerous occasions over the past few months, police
said, with signs expressing support for Palestine being stolen.
“It is
indeed an Islamophobic hate crime, but it is also an anti-Palestine hate
crime,” the owner of the home said. “It is sad to see our home in native
Canada, our country, reach that dangerous level of taking away our freedom of
speech.”
According
to the Globe and Mail, police estimated the damages to the house to be about
$30,000 ($21,830), although the man said that’s not his focus right now. “I
lost a very valuable thing, which is peace. It’s not a matter of how many
dollars.”
Raising
the attack in parliament yesterday, MP Lindsay Mathyssen, who represents
London-Fanshawe, said: “The police are investigating this crime as hate motivated
as the family publicly expressed support for Palestinian human rights.
Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism and all forms of hate must be condemned
wherever it occurs.” She called on the government to take action to protect
these communities.
Police
have made no arrests since the attack but have released a photograph of a
suspect.
Source: middleeastmonitor.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240613-canada-muslim-familys-home-set-on-fire-due-to-support-for-palestine/
--------
Arab World
Al-Jubeir
reviews Saudi Arabia’s climate efforts at FII Brazil summit
June 14,
2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s climate envoy Adel Al-Jubeir said the Kingdom is one of the
largest investors in clean energy and has huge projects aimed at reducing the
effects of climate change and initiatives to enhance global climate action.
Al-Jubeir,
who is also the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Cabinet member, added
that these projects include a waste recycling program, Middle East Green
Initiative, and one of the largest hydrogen schemes in the world, which is
being established in NEOM.
During
the Future Investment Initiative Institute’s Priority Summit in Brazil, he
tackled the Kingdom’s role and efforts in energy development, and its goal to
be one of the largest exporters of all types of energy, including clean,
renewable and traditional energy.
He
reviewed the most prominent objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 and its focus
on improving the quality of life, empowering youth and attracting investments
to achieve stability, growth and prosperity in the Kingdom.
Al-Jubeir
said the Kingdom is working to intensify its communication and rapprochement
with the world to face climate challenges, as it is located between three
continents, and is surrounded by the most important waterways. It is also one
of the important countries in energy markets, and one of the investors in
global markets.
FII
Priority is a program that consists of summits, initiatives, and resolutions,
focusing on humanity’s priorities, concerns, and hopes. The Rio de Janeiro
summit is designed to deliver impactful change by transforming ideas into
tangible solutions, according to the institute.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2530261/saudi-arabia
--------
Pilgrims
reminded of benefits provided by Tawakkalna app during Hajj
June 13,
2024
MAKKAH:
Authorities have reminded pilgrims that the Saudi Data and Artificial
Intelligence Authority’s Tawakkalna app provides access to several digital
services that can help them during Hajj.
The app
provides support for seven languages: Arabic, English, Filipino, Indonesian,
Bangladeshi, Urdu and Hindi. The services it provides include the latest
information and alerts for pilgrims as they perform Hajj rituals; weather
updates for Makkah and Madinah provided by the National Center of Meteorology;
readings from the Qur’an; help to determine the qibla, the direction to face
the Kaaba for prayer; and prayer timings.
Pilgrims
can also use Tawakkalna to display their digital Hajj card (Nusuk), while Hajj
workers can access entry permits for holy sites. A “rituals” section gives
pilgrims with Hajj permit the option to obtain a permit for Umrah, and provides
other services such as a “Help Me” section, a distress call function, and a way
to check volunteers’ credentials.
Authorities
said the app has 32 million users, provides 315 electronic services, and can be
used in more than 77 countries. The annual Hajj pilgrimage will begin on
Friday, June 14 and continue until Wednesday, June 19.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2530186/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
leaders send condolences to leader of Malawi over death of vice president
June 13,
2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sent a message of condolence and sympathy to
Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera following the deaths of Vice President
Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others in a plane crash.
The king
wrote: “We received news of the death of the vice president of the Republic of
Malawi, Mr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, and his companions, and we express to your
excellency and your friendly people our deepest condolences and sincere
sympathy.”
Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a similar message to the president, the Saudi
Press Agency reported.
The
deaths of Chilima and the others were confirmed on Tuesday when the wreckage of
the small military plane in which they were traveling was discovered in a
mountainous region in the north of the country. Contact with the aircraft had
been lost the previous day. The victims also included former first lady Shanil
Dzimbiri, the ex-wife of former Malawian President Bakili Muluzi, and three
military crew members.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2530176/saudi-arabia
--------
More
than 35 million bottles of Zamzam water delivered to pilgrims
RIYADH:
Al-Zamazma Company has distributed more than 35 million bottles of Zamzam water
to residences and reception centers across Makkah, reported Saudi Press Agency
on Friday.
The
gesture is part of ongoing efforts to ensure pilgrims have easy access to the
sacred water throughout their Hajj journey.
Yasser
bin Sulaiman Shushu, board member of Al-Zamazma Company, praised the dedication
of the teams which delivered the water.
Distribution
is via the Zamzam digital platform, which integrates with the Ministry of Hajj
and Umrah’s Nusuk platform, he said.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2530386/saudi-arabia
--------
Pakistan
Imran
gets clean chit in another ‘Azadi March’ case
June 14,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
A local court in Islamabad on Thursday acquitted former prime minister Imran
Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and others in a case registered
with the Industrial Area police station in connection with the ‘Azadi March’.
Judicial
Magistrate Malik Imran ordered their acquittal for want of evidence. The police
registered the FIR against Mr Khan, Mr Qureshi, Sheikh Rashid, Sadaqat Abbasi,
and Ali Nawaz Awan over violation of Section 144 and vandalism.
It may
be mentioned that the PTI leadership was booked in over a dozen FIRs in
connection with the Azadi March on May 25, 2022, which was launched following
the ouster of the PTI government through a no-confidence move.
Identical
FIRs in different police stations of Islamabad were registered under Sections
109 (abetment), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful
assembly), 186 (obstructing public service), 188 (disobedience), 353 (assault
on public servant), 427 (causing damage) and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive
substance with intent to cause damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The
former prime minister has already been acquitted by courts in multiple cases
registered by the Karachi Company and Khanna police.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1839781/imran-gets-clean-chit-in-another-azadi-march-case
--------
Shehbaz
asks ex-ally Fazl to join ruling coalition
June 14,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday invited JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur
Rehman to become part of the ruling coalition led by the PML-N, as he visited
the residence of his former ally to inquire about his well-being.
The
premier also proposed the formation of a committee to address the prevailing
political issues and asked the Maulana to join it. A source in the PM’s office
confirmed that the JUI-F leader was asked to join the ruling alliance and also
play his part by joining a proposed committee to resolve political tensions in
the country.
A JUI-F
spokesperson also confirmed this development. He said the Maulana refused to
join the government at the request of the premier.
“I don’t
think it’s true (that the JUI-F will join the government). Seeking power is not
a part of our politics. We already had a better offer before the formation of
the present government,” he claimed.
It may
be noted that Maulana Fazl led an opposition alliance, namely the Pakistan
Democratic Movement, during the PTI government. The PDM later formed a
government in the Centre, led by PM Shehbaz Sharif, after the ouster of Imran
Khan via a no-confidence motion in April 2022.
JUI-F
spokesperson says offer turned down by party chief
Task
Management System
Separately,
PM Shehbaz instructed federal secretaries and heads of departments to
personally utilise the Task Management System (TMS). He issued these
instructions while chairing a meeting to assess the implementation progress of
directives requiring federal ministries and departments to use the Task
Management System.
The TMS
is a modern software of international standards used to monitor instructions
issued by the prime minister to federal ministries, and progress in this
regard.
In a
separate meeting on tax reforms, digitisation of the economy, and measures to
boost revenues, the PM vowed to launch a crackdown against tax evaders and
their facilitators.
Emphasising
the importance of the Federal Board of Revenue, the prime minister said the tax
watchdog played an important role in “running the economic wheel” and pledged
to provide all necessary resources for its human resource development and
digitisation. He claimed during the budget preparations, he had issued “clear
directives to bring more people in the tax net and that the elite should be
made to pay their due taxes”.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1839766/shehbaz-asks-ex-ally-fazl-to-join-ruling-coalition
--------
Three
members of Ahmadya community detained under MPO in Chakwal
June 14,
2024
CHAKWAL:
The district administration of Chakwal has put three leading members of Ahmadya
community under one-month detention allegedly to prevent them from offering
sacrifice of animals on the occasion of upcoming Eidul Azha.
Chakwal’s
Deputy Commissioner Quratul Ain Malik issued three separate orders for the
detention of the three men on June 10 and the police later arrested them and
sent them to Jhelum prison.
All
three men belong to Dulmial village which witnessed a mob attack on a worship
place of the same community in December 2016 resulting in the death of two
persons. The worship place, a historic mosque built in the middle of the 19th
century, had been sealed by the local administration after the attack and its
fate still hangs in balance.
DC Malik
in her orders, copies of which are available with Dawn, has stated that she
received a report from the district police officer in which the latter alleged
that all the three men “may cause deterioration for law and order situation in
the area” and requested for the issuance of their detention orders under
Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order 1960.
The
matter was discussed in the District Intelligence Committee held on June 10
which unanimously recommended that in order to prevent the sectarian conflict
as well as law and order situation, all these three persons be detained.
Talking
to Dawn, a spokesperson of Jamaat-e-Ahmadya Amir Mehmood said all three persons
had been called for a meeting with the police officials and the assistant
commissioner Choa Saidan Shah regarding the upcoming Eidul Azah on Monday.
“There
was also the presence of the complainants (opponents of the Ahmadya community)
in that meeting. Immense pressure was placed on the Ahmadya delegation not to
perform the Qurbani. Furthermore, while being harassed they were told to submit
a surety bond stating that neither them nor any other Ahmadi in the district
will perform Qurbani”, he said.
Meanwhile,
Amnesty International through a tweet urged the Punjab government to
immediately release the three men and ensure that the Ahmadya community was
provided protection, particularly during Eidul Azha to ensure they are able to
peacefully exercise their religious beliefs.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1839795/three-members-of-ahmadya-community-detained-under-mpo-in-chakwal
--------
Iddat
case: IHC orders sessions court to decide on suspension of Imran, Bushra’s
sentence in 10 days
June 13,
2024
The
Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered a sessions court to make a
decision in 10 days on pleas by PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi
for the suspension of their sentence in the iddat case.
IHC
Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb also ordered the sessions court to decide on
their pleas against their convictions in the case in one month.
The
couple were convicted by a senior civil judge on February 3 for contracting
marriage during Bushra Bibi’s Iddat period. They were sentenced to seven years
in jail with a fine of Rs500,000 each.
They
challenged the conviction before district and sessions judge Shahrukh Arjumand,
who recused himself at a time when the hearing had been concluded and the court
was supposed to announce the verdict.
Subsequently,
the case was transferred to Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ)
Mohammad Afzal Majoka. However, the counsel for Bushra Bibi had filed a
petition before the IHC seeking her release on bail and suspension of her
sentence.
The
registrar’s office raised some administrative objections to the petition
because the petitioner was seeking the same relief from a sessions court.
While
hearing the arguments of her counsel on the petition a day ago, Justice Aurangzeb
had removed the administrative objections. He also remarked that the reason for
which Judge Arjumand had recused himself was “not justified”.
The
judge presided over a hearing today on Imran’s plea to send back the case from
ADSJ Majoka to Judge Arjumand.
Advocate
Salman Akram Raja — who appeared on behalf of the PTI founder — argued that
there were two session judges in Islamabad but the case was transferred to an
ADSJ.
He said
that the case should be sent back to Judge Arjumand, who had a written verdict
prepared, or the IHC itself should hear the appeals against the sentence,
adding that if that was not possible then the case should be sent to a session
judge, not an ADSJ.
“A time
frame should also be fixed for sending [the case] to sessions judge West,” Raja
said.
He said,
after being questioned by the judge about what he required a time frame for,
that a time frame should be provided to hear the appeal within the stipulated
time.
The
counsel for Khawar Maneka, Raja Rizwan Abbasi, said that the couple was
convicted in the trial court for which an appeal was then heard by a session
court.
He said
his client had expressed no confidence which was dismissed but Judge Arjumand
had subsequently recused himself after Maneka again expressed a lack of confidence.
Abbasi
said the high court had then made a decision based on Judge Arjumand’s action,
adding that a decision concerning the judicial side could not be decided by a
single judge.
Justice
Aurangzeb said that things were clarified in the judge’s order sheet and the
IHC chief justice had decided upon the issue. “What will happen even if this
case is returned,” he asked,
Abbasi
requested the court to declare the application inadmissible.
The
court ordered Judge Majoka to deliver an order in the case within 10 days on
the pleas of suspension of sentence of the PTI founder and his spouse.
He also
directed the judge to decide upon the primary appeals against the convictions
within the month.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1839695/iddat-case-ihc-orders-sessions-court-to-decide-on-suspension-of-imran-bushras-sentence-in-10-days
--------
Detention
of ex-spy facing espionage charge challenged in LHC
June 14,
2024
RAWALPINDI:
Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench has
questioned the indefinite detention of a former intelligence official by
military authorities and sought detailed records of the proceedings against the
man, who faces espionage charges.
The
inquiry came during the hearing of a petition filed by Saima Hassan, the wife
of the detained official, Hassan Bin Aftab.
Ms
Hassan, represented by her counsel Inamur Rahim, stated in the petition that
her husband, a retired military officer who served for 27 years, had not
returned home after leaving for his routine activities on Sept 19, 2023.
She
claimed that he was taken into custody under the Official Secrets Act and the
Pakistan Army Act.
She
stated that “in case of any allegation of violation of the Official Secrets
Act, the said Act provides a mechanism for the arrest as well as the trial of
the offences”, but Mr Aftab had been denied meaningful access to his family and
legal counsel and was being kept in illegal custody.
Justice
Khan inquired about the date Mr Aftab was taken into custody.
Mr Rahim
confirmed that Mr Aftab had been detained since Sept 19 and had not been
produced before a magistrate as required by law.
Justice
Khan questioned as to why the military authorities could not detain any suspect
for an indefinite period.
Additional
Attorney General Sajid Ilyas Bhatti defended the military’s actions, stating
that Mr Aftab, as a military officer, was arrested under relevant provisions of
the Pakistan Army and Official Secrets Acts.
He informed
the court that Mr Aftab had been presented before the relevant commanding
officer and was under investigation.
Justice
Khan sought the details about the proceeding against Mr Aftab.
Mr
Bhatti pointed out that the officer is being dealt in accordance with Section
73 that states: “Any person subject to this Act who is charged with any offence
may be taken into military custody.”
Subsection
2 of this Section says, “Any such person may be ordered into military custody
by any superior officer.”
The
hearing was adjourned, with Justice Khan stating that the court would review
the relevant legal provisions before making a decision on the petition.
During
his military career, Mr Aftab served with the country’s premier intelligence
agency and the Pakistan High Commission in London as a consular.
After
retirement, he was involved with consultancy firms specialising in security,
counterterrorism, strategic planning and government relations.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1839782/detention-of-ex-spy-facing-espionage-charge-challenged-in-lhc
--------
Pakistan,
US investing in people-centric diplomacy: Masood
June 14,
2024
Pakistan’s
Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan says Pakistan and the United States
are investing in people centered diplomacy so that there are more exchanges of
students, academics and entrepreneurs and tech entrepreneurs in particular.
He was
addressing a gathering of scholars, policy-makers, legislators, entrepreneurs,
business leaders and professionals at World Affairs Council of Philadelphia,
Washington.
He said
Pakistan is a big market with 240 million consumers for American manufacturers
having a big cohort of growing human capital. He said Pakistan is pivotal to
the ecosystem that comprises the Central Asian states, Afghanistan, Iran,
Turkey, Gulf states, Middle East, and North Africa. He urged US businesses to increase their
investment portfolios, particularly in tech startups, renewable energy,
agriculture and extractive industries.
Masood
Khan, on the occasion, gave a detailed perspective on Pak-US relations, war on
terror, re-calibration of Pak-US relationship post withdrawal period,
Pakistan-India relations and the issues of regional stability.
Tracing
roots of Pak-US relations, especially US support during initial days of
Pakistan and robust partnership of the two countries both in times of war and
peace, the Ambassador presented a holistic view of relationship spanning over
seven decades.
About
war-on-terror, the Ambassador said both collaborated and together we broke the
backbone of terrorist organizations. He said that in late 2021 and early 2022,
the leadership of Pakistan and United States decided to recalibrate their
relationship and decided that while we will continue our cooperation in counter
terrorism, promote regional stability, maintain a dialogue, we would like to
secure the region from any nuclear instability and so on.
He,
regarding Pak-US economic partnership, said we would try to invest our time and
energy in strengthening economic partnership between Pakistan and the United
States. He said we have been succeeding in the areas of trade and investment,
renewable energy, green technologies, combating climate change, health care,
education and others.
On
cooperation in science and technology, he said renewal of agreement between the
two countries.
Referring
to some most recent initiatives, especially the Green Alliance, the Ambassador
also paid compliments to the efforts of US Ambassador in Pakistan for his
proactive approach in promoting cooperation and fostering greater understanding
between the two countries.
Talking
about Pakistan’s relations with China, the Ambassador reiterated that
Pakistan’s relations with China are not at the expense of its ties with the
United States. Referring to the historic role played by Pakistan in bringing China
and US closer to each other in early 70s, he said that Pakistan was willing to
play the role of economic bridge between the two countries in the present age.
On
Pak-India relations, Masood Khan said the gathering that there hasn’t been any
structured dialogue between the two countries since 2014. Underscoring the need
to have a result-oriented structured dialogue, he said we should create that
kind of atmosphere for talking to each other.
Pointing
out strategic imbalance in South Asia and US tilt towards India, Masood Khan
urged US government to follow a balanced approach saying that US heavy tilt
towards India is accentuating strategic imbalance which is fraught with serious
risks.
The
Ambassador also emphasized on full restoration of Foreign Military Financing
and Foreign Military Sales and assistance to fight continued threats from
terrorists.
On
situation in Middle East, the Ambassador opined that the United States should
demonstrate its leadership and assert itself.
The
Ambassador invited the gathering to visit Pakistan and experience for
themselves the breathtaking beauty of the country and traditional hospitality
of Pakistani nation. He said Pakistan has 7500 glaciers which are second in
number only to the polar region. He also
highlighted that 70% of soccer balls used across the globe are produced in
Sialkot, Pakistan.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/14-06-2024/pakistan-us-investing-in-people-centric-diplomacy-masood
--------
SIFC
efforts proving to be pivotal in bringing foreign investors in country
June 14,
2024
The
efforts on the part of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) are
proving to be pivotal in bringing foreign investors in the country.
The
successful completion of Reko Diq transaction is a testament to the fruitful
efforts of SIFC.
In view
of the need for Bankable Feasibility Study for capital investment, it has been
decided to hire professional experts with the support of SIFC.
A feasibility
study provides the basic information that investors need for any type of
investment and is helpful in attracting capital investment.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/14-06-2024/sifc-efforts-proving-to-be-pivotal-in-bringing-foreign-investors-in-country
--------
South Asia
Italy
donates over $3 million to Afghanistan
June 14,
2024
The
United Nations Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan announced that Italy has contributed
$3.1 million to various sectors in Afghanistan.
The fund
disclosed this initial contribution from Italy to Afghanistan via its X page on
Thursday, June 13.
The UN
Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan emphasized that these funds will support
efforts to empower women, address climate change, and provide durable solutions
for refugees and returnees in the country.
Global
aid contributions have increased in recent days following humanitarian needs
and requests from international organizations to assist those in need in
Afghanistan.
Previously,
the UN Trust Fund for Afghanistan had reported Denmark’s $7.29 million
contribution to the country.
The
European Union has allocated approximately €125 million to humanitarian and
relief organizations in Afghanistan to prevent famine risks.
According
to the United Nations, nearly 25 million people in Afghanistan are in need of
humanitarian aid.
It is
worth noting that humanitarian needs in Afghanistan have increased due to the
return of over one million Afghan migrants and recent floods in the country.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/italy-donates-over-3-million-to-afghanistan/
--------
Türkiye
sends another shipment of humanitarian aid to Herat quake-affected families
KABUL:
The Turkish government sent another shipment of 620 tons of humanitarian aid to
the earthquake-affected families in the country’s western province of Herat,
the office of the provincial Red Crescent Society said in a statement
Wednesday. The aids included flour, tents, blankets, wheelchairs, health
packages and essential household items that arrived in Herat through Turghondi
port and were handed over to the officials of the provincial Red Crescent
Society, the statement said. Meanwhile, Mawlavi Abdul Latif Sabet the
operational deputy of the general secretary of the provincial Red Cres cent
Society said: “This was the ninth aid shipment of humanitarian assistance for
the earthquake-affected families that is handed over to the department.” A 6.3
magnitude earthquake had struck the province resulting in over 1,400 deaths and
the destruction of thousands of homes In October last year in Herat. The Kabul
Times
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/turkiye-sends-another-shipment-of-humanitarian-aid-to-herat-quake-affected-families/
--------
Ministry
of Refugees Signs $4.3M USD Cooperation Agreements with Development
Organizations
2024-06-13
KABUL(BNA):
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations signed eight cooperation agreements
worth over 4.3 million USD with various social and economic development
organizations.
These
agreements were signed with institutions such as Women for Afghan Women,
Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (CHA), and other organizations.
According
to a press release from the Ministry, these organizations will utilize the
funds for various projects in the provinces of Balkh, Samangan, Jawzjan,
Faryab, Baghlan, Takhar, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Sar-e Pol, Kabul, Kandahar,
Helmand, Zabul, Uruzgan, Nimroz, Herat, Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar, Nuristan,
and Khost.
The
agreements were signed by Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Rashid, the Deputy Minister of
Refugees and Repatriations, along with representatives from the mentioned
organizations.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/ministry-of-refugees-signs-4-3m-usd-cooperation-agreements-with-development-organizations/
--------
Implementing
Digital Systems in Offices is a Top Priority for IEA: Deputy PM Hanafi
2024-06-13
KABUL(BNA):
The Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Mawlawi Abdul Salam
Hanafi, recently convened with representatives from various chambers across the
country, alongside the Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin
Azizi.
During
the meeting, Khanjan Alokozay and Haji Shirin Agha Sakhi, speaking on behalf of
the others, emphasized the need to simplify administrative processes for
traders and investors. They also underscored the importance of strengthening
and expanding the digital system for evaluating commercial documents.
Meanwhile,
the Deputy PM for Administrative Affairs praised the efforts and contributions
of traders and investors during the meeting. He stated that the Islamic Emirate
is committed to creating favorable commercial conditions in the country and
providing all necessary facilities for traders and investors.
He further
emphasized that establishing a comprehensive digital system within the
administrative departments is a top priority. He assured that the responsible
officials are diligently advancing efforts to develop and implement this
system, aiming to enhance efficiency, transparency, and ease of access for
traders and investors.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/implementing-digital-systems-in-offices-is-a-top-priority-for-iea-deputy-pm-hanafi/
--------
North America
Maryland
Muslim Group Calls for Action Against Censorship of Pro-Hamas College Protests
June 13,
2024
BALTIMORE,
MD – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Maryland has teamed up
with the ACLU of Maryland and other organizations to press the Howard County
Human Rights Commission for updates on an ongoing investigation. This probe
concerns allegations of censorship and discrimination within the Howard County
Public School System (HCPSS), particularly against Arab and Muslim students at
River Hill High School.
The
coalition’s engagement follows reports over the last seven months of
administrative actions at River Hill High, including the forced removal of
social media posts about Palestine and bans on using terms like “Palestine,”
“Gaza,” or “siege” during peaceful school demonstrations. “The commission has a
duty to address these growing concerns within the community,” stated CAIR’s
Maryland Director, Zainab Chaudry.
CAIR
Maryland’s Outreach Coordinator, Kim Syuardi, expressed concerns about the lack
of action, emphasizing the importance of amplifying the voices of students who
have experienced censorship. On June 4, the ACLU of Maryland highlighted
several incidents in a press release and demanded that HCPSS protect the First
Amendment rights of these students and address the harms they have faced.
Further
intensifying the advocacy, on June 11, CAIR and its partners signed a letter
initiated by Howard County for a Free Palestine, urging the Human Rights
Commission to update the public on the status of its investigation. This
initiative coincides with a recent CAIR report titled ‘Hostile,’ which
discusses the broader context of free speech violations and discrimination
against students advocating for Palestinian rights in educational settings
nationwide.
Source: shorenewsnetwork.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/2024/06/13/maryland-muslim-group-calls-for-action-against-censorship-of-pro-hamas-college-protests/
--------
Minnesota
man who fought Islamic State group is sentenced to 10 years in prison
June 13,
2024
MINNEAPOLIS
— A Minnesota man who once fought for the Islamic State group in Syria after
becoming radicalized expressed remorse and wept in open court Thursday as he
was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
Abelhamid
Al-Madioum, 27, cooperated with federal authorities ahead of Thursday’s
hearing, which prosecutors factored into their recommendation for a lower
sentence than the statutory maximum of 20 years.
U.S.
District Judge Ann Montgomery said among the cases she has presided over in her
40 years on the bench, Al-Madioum’s was “extraordinary.” She cited his
confounding path from a loving Minnesota home to one of the world’s most
notorious terror organizations and his subsequent collaboration with the
government he betrayed.
When
Al-Madioum rose to speak before being sentenced, he thanked the U.S. government
for giving him another chance. He then turned to address his parents and two
young sons, who were rescued from a Syrian orphanage and brought to America
with the help of federal authorities.
“I know
I put you through so much, and I did with the belief that it was my religious
duty,” Al-Madioum said while fighting back tears. “That’s no excuse. My first
duty should have been to you.”
Al-Madioum,
a naturalized U.S. citizen, was among several Minnesotans suspected of leaving
the U.S. to join the Islamic State group, along with thousands of fighters from
other countries worldwide. Roughly three dozen people are known to have left
Minnesota to join militant groups in Somalia or Syria. In 2016, nine Minnesota
men were sentenced on federal charges of conspiring to join IS.
But
Al-Madioum is one of the relatively few Americans who have been brought back to
the U.S. who actually fought for the group. According to a defense sentencing
memo, he’s one of 11 adults as of 2023 to be formally repatriated to the U.S.
from the conflict in Syria and Iraq to face charges for terrorist-related
crimes and alleged affiliations with IS. Others received sentences ranging from
four years to life plus 70 years.
Prosecutors
had asked for a 12-year sentence, arguing that Al-Madioum’s suffering did not
make his crimes any less serious. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Winter said
Al-Madioum self-radicalized online and helped IS, also known as ISIS, carry out
its goals.
“Young
men just like him all over the world … allowed ISIS to flourish,” Winter said.
Manvir
Atwal, Al-Madioum’s attorney requested a seven-year sentence. She said
Al-Madioum was taken in as an impressionable teenager by a well-oiled
propaganda machine. He rejected extremist ideology years ago and had helped the
government in other terrorism cases, which prosecutors confirmed.
Montgomery
opted for a 10-year sentence, weighing sentencing guidelines with Al-Madioum’s
cooperation and letters on his behalf, including one from an unnamed former
U.S. ambassador. He has already served over five years and might get credit for
that time, Atwal said.
Al-Madioum
grew up in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park in a loving and
nonreligious family, the defense memo said. He joined IS because he wanted to
help Muslims he believed were being slaughtered by Syrian President Bashar
Assad’s regime in that country’s civil war. IS recruiters persuaded him “to
test his faith and become a real Muslim.”
Al-Madioum
was 18 in 2014 when IS recruited him. The college student slipped away from his
family on a visit to their native Morocco in 2015. Making his way to Syria, he
became a soldier for IS until he was maimed in an explosion in Iraq. His leg
was shattered and his arm had to be amputated. Unable to fight, he used his
computer skills to serve the group.
Source: washingtontimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/jun/13/minnesota-man-who-fought-islamic-state-group-is-se/
--------
Addressing
Cancer Screening Behaviors in the Muslim Community in Washington
WASHINGTON
(June 13, 2024) — An important study has revealed crucial insights into the
cancer screening behaviors of Muslims in the Washington, D.C., area,
highlighting the influence of cultural and religious beliefs on health
practices. The study, conducted in collaboration with key faith leaders from
four mosques in the region, underscores the need for culturally and religiously
sensitive health initiatives to improve cancer screening rates among Muslims.
The
findings were published in the Journal of Cancer Education.
The
Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, which includes parts of Virginia and
Maryland (DMV), is home to one of the largest and most diverse Muslim
communities in the United States. Despite this, cancer screening behaviors
within this community remain under-researched. To address this gap, a
comprehensive needs assessment was conducted with 203 participants recruited
through community outreach and engagement efforts. This collaborative approach
ensured that the questions posed were both religiously and culturally
sensitive.
Key
findings from the study include an overall lower rate of screening among the
Muslim population surveyed than in the DMV:
Mammogram
Screenings: 56% of women surveyed reported receiving a mammogram screening, a
much lower rate than overall in the DMV (D.C.: 80%; Virginia: 76.2%; and
Maryland: 81.2%)
Cervical
Cancer Screenings: 83% of women reported receiving screening for cervical
cancer (comparable to the overall rate in the DMV)
Prostate
Cancer Screenings: 45% of men reported receiving a prostate cancer antigen test
(a higher rate than overall in D.C., but lower than in Virginia and Maryland)
Colorectal
Cancer Screenings: 35% of both men and women reported receiving a screening for
colorectal cancer with colonoscopy, a much lower rate than overall in the DMV
area (D.C.: 82%; Virginia: 67.6%; and Maryland: 72.5%).
The
study also revealed that many participants relied on their faith to guide their
cancer screening decisions. Women were more likely than men to rely on their
faith when dealing with health concerns.
“Findings
from our study highlight that religious and cultural beliefs may play a role in
influencing health behaviors; however, to better understand those roles, we
need to continue to engage with the Muslim community in the DMV area in order
to create an avenue for providing health education in a religiously and
culturally sensitive way,” said Aisha Choudhri, MPH, CHES, community health
educator at the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention at Georgetown
University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C.
Participants
expressed a strong interest in having health initiatives related to cancer
education, screening and survivorship integrated within mosques. This
preference suggests that mosques could serve as vital centers for health
education and intervention, leveraging the trust and influence of faith leaders
to promote better health outcomes.
The
study’s findings emphasize the need for ongoing engagement with key faith
leaders to effectively leverage religious beliefs in promoting health education
and cancer screening. By understanding the spiritual and religious
underpinnings that drive or inhibit health-seeking behaviors, health care
providers can tailor their approaches to better meet the needs of the Muslim
community.
As the
Muslim population in the U.S. is expected to grow significantly in the coming
decades, addressing health care disparities and ensuring culturally and
religiously sensitive health care services will become increasingly important.
“In working
closely with the Muslim community in the DMV area to better understand and
address their cancer-related health needs, we hope these efforts can help
inform education and outreach about health, prevention and cancer screening
practices to broader communities throughout the U.S.,” Choudhri said.
Source: lombardi.georgetown.edu
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://lombardi.georgetown.edu/news-release/addressing-cancer-screening-behaviors-in-the-muslim-community-in-washington/
--------
Minnesota
man who joined Islamic State group is sentenced to 10 years in prison
June 13,
2024
MINNEAPOLIS
(AP) — A Minnesota man who once fought for the Islamic State group in Syria
after becoming radicalized expressed remorse and wept in open court Thursday as
he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
Abelhamid
Al-Madioum, 27, cooperated with federal authorities ahead of Thursday’s
hearing, which prosecutors factored into their recommendation for a lower
sentence than the statutory maximum of 20 years.
U.S.
District Judge Ann Montgomery said among the cases she has presided over in her
40 years on the bench, Al-Madioum’s was “extraordinary.” She cited his
confounding path from a loving Minnesota home to one of the world’s most
notorious terror organizations and his subsequent collaboration with the
government he betrayed.
When
Al-Madioum rose to speak before being sentenced, he thanked the U.S. government
for giving him another chance. He then turned to address his parents and two
young sons, who were rescued from a Syrian orphanage and brought to America
with the help of federal authorities.
“I know
I put you through so much, and I did with the belief that it was my religious
duty,” Al-Madioum said while fighting back tears. “That’s no excuse. My first
duty should have been to you.”
Al-Madioum,
a naturalized U.S. citizen, was among several Minnesotans suspected of leaving
the U.S. to join the Islamic State group, along with thousands of fighters from
other countries worldwide. Roughly three dozen people are known to have left
Minnesota to join militant groups in Somalia or Syria. In 2016, nine Minnesota
men were sentenced on federal charges of conspiring to join IS.
But
Al-Madioum is one of the relatively few Americans who have been brought back to
the U.S. who actually fought for the group. According to a defense sentencing
memo, he’s one of 11 adults as of 2023 to be formally repatriated to the U.S.
from the conflict in Syria and Iraq to face charges for terrorist-related crimes
and alleged affiliations with IS. Others received sentences ranging from four
years to life plus 70 years.
Prosecutors
had asked for a 12-year sentence, arguing that Al-Madioum’s suffering did not
make his crimes any less serious. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Winter said
Al-Madioum self-radicalized online and helped IS, also known as ISIS, carry out
its goals.
“Young
men just like him all over the world … allowed ISIS to flourish,” Winter said.
Manvir
Atwal, Al-Madioum’s attorney requested a seven-year sentence. She said
Al-Madioum was taken in as an impressionable teenager by a well-oiled
propaganda machine. He rejected extremist ideology years ago and had helped the
government in other terrorism cases, which prosecutors confirmed.
Montgomery
opted for a 10-year sentence, weighing sentencing guidelines with Al-Madioum’s
cooperation and letters on his behalf, including one from an unnamed former
U.S. ambassador. He has already served over five years and might get credit for
that time, Atwal said.
Al-Madioum
grew up in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park in a loving and
nonreligious family, the defense memo said. He joined IS because he wanted to
help Muslims he believed were being slaughtered by Syrian President Bashar
Assad’s regime in that country’s civil war. IS recruiters persuaded him “to
test his faith and become a real Muslim.”
Al-Madioum
was 18 in 2014 when IS recruited him. The college student slipped away from his
family on a visit to their native Morocco in 2015. Making his way to Syria, he
became a soldier for IS until he was maimed in an explosion in Iraq. His leg
was shattered and his arm had to be amputated. Unable to fight, he used his
computer skills to serve the group.
While
still a member of IS, he married and had children with two women.
He had
thought his second wife and their daughter had died. But in court Thursday,
Al-Madioum said he had heard there is a chance she and their daughter might
still be alive. That possibility remains under investigation, Atwal said.
Al-Madioum’s
first wife died in his arms after she was shot in front of him by either rebel
forces or an IS fighter in 2019, the defense said. Al-Madioum said in court
that he dug a trench and buried her.
The day
after that shooting, he walked with his sons and surrendered to the Kurdish-led
Syrian Democratic Forces, which held him under conditions the defense described
as “heinous” for 18 months until the FBI returned him to the U.S.
He
pleaded guilty in 2021 to providing material support to a designated terrorist
organization. His sons were eventually found in a Syrian orphanage, the
culmination of what he and Montgomery described as a unique effort from U.S.
diplomats and other officials.
Al-Madioum’s
parents were awarded custody of his sons after they arrived in America. Sitting
in the court’s gallery Thursday, his sons, ages 7 and 9, sat on their
grandparents’ laps and smiled at their father as he turned to face them.
Source: kob.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.kob.com/news/us-and-world-news/minnesota-man-who-joined-islamic-state-group-is-sentenced-to-10-years-in-prison/
--------
EHang
performs first eVTOL test flight in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
EHang
has completed a demonstration flight of its EH216-S pilotless electric vertical
take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The
flight, which took place on June 12, 2024, flew in a low-risk, pre-designated
section of airspace, providing an opportunity to evaluate this eVTOL aircraft’s
capabilities in a real setting.
Saudi
Arabia aims to become one of the first countries in the world to introduce
commercial eVTOL service within the framework of its Vision 2030 economic
transformation strategy.
The
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Roadmap presented by the General Authority of Civil
Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia in early 2024 contemplates the introduction of
the first eVTOL services in several locations throughout the Kingdom as early
as 2026.
It is
within this context, that Saudi authorities are looking at the possibility of
using eVTOLs as a way to facilitate mobility and avoid traffic congestion
during the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Several
Saudi government bodies, including the General Authority of Civil Aviation
(GACA), the Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services, the Ministry of Hajj
and the Ministry of Interior, collaborated with Front End, which is the partner
of EHang in Saudi Arabia, in preparation of the trial flight.
EHang was
one of the exhibitors showcasing its technology at the Advanced Air Mobility
Pavilion of the Future Aviation Forum, which took place in Riyadh on May 20-22,
2024, alongside other eVTOL developers such as Joby Aviation and Archer from
the United States, and Germany’s Volocopter.
Source: aerotime.aero
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/ehang-performs-first-evtol-test-flight-in-mecca-saudi-arabia
--------
Mideast
Pilgrims
begin hajj in Mecca, with 1,000 Gazans joining at invitation of Saudi king
MINA,
Saudi Arabia (AP) — In sweltering temperatures, Muslim pilgrims in Mecca
converged on a vast tent camp in the desert on Friday, officially opening the
annual Hajj pilgrimage. Ahead of their trip, they circled the cube-shaped Kaaba
in the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site.
More
than 1.5 million pilgrims from around the world have already amassed in and
around Mecca for the Hajj, and the number is still growing as more pilgrims
from inside Saudi Arabia joined. Saudi authorities expected the number of
pilgrims to exceed 2 million this year.
This
year’s Hajj came against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza
Strip, which began on October 7, when thousands of terrorists poured into southern
Israel.
Palestinians
in Gaza were not able to travel to Mecca for Hajj this year, as Egypt has
closed the Rafah crossing since Israel extended its ground offensive to the
strip’s southern city of Rafah last month.
Palestinian
authorities said 4,200 pilgrims from the West Bank arrived in Mecca for Hajj,
and Saudi authorities said 1,000 more from the families of Palestinians killed
or wounded in the war in Gaza also arrived to perform Hajj at the invitation of
King Salman of Saudi Arabia. The 1,000 invitees were already outside Gaza —
mostly in Egypt — before the closure of the Rafah crossing.
This
year’s Hajj also saw Syrian pilgrims traveling to Mecca on direct flights from
Damascus for the first time in more than a decade. The move was part of an ongoing
thaw in relations between Saudi Arabia and conflict-stricken Syria. Syrians in
rebel-held areas used to cross the border into neighboring Turkey on their
exhausting trip to Mecca for Hajj.
“This is
the natural thing: Pilgrims go to Hajj directly from their home countries,”
said Abdel-Aziz al-Ashqar, a Syrian coordinator of the group of pilgrims who
left Damascus this year for Hajj.
The
pilgrimage is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, and all Muslims are required to
make the five-day Hajj at least once in their lives if they are physically and
financially able to do it.
It is a
moving spiritual experience for pilgrims who believe it absolves sins and
brings them closer to God while uniting the world’s more than 2 billion
Muslims. It’s also a chance to pray for peace in many conflict-stricken Arab
and Muslim countries, including Yemen and Sudan, where more than a year of war
between rival generals created the world’s largest displacement crisis.
For many
Muslims, the Hajj is the only major journey that they make in their life. Some
spend years saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the journey
in their 50s and 60s after they have raised their children.
The
rituals during the Hajj largely commemorate the Quran’s accounts of Prophet
Ibrahim, his son Prophet Ismail and Ismail’s mother Hajar — or Abraham and
Ismael as they are named in the Bible.
Male
pilgrims wear an ihram, two unstitched sheets of white cloth that resemble a
shroud, while women dress in conservative, loose-fitting clothing with
headscarves, and forgo makeup and perfume. They have been doing the ritual
circuit around the cube-shaped Kaaba, counter-clockwise in the seven-minaret
Grand Mosque since arriving in Mecca over recent days.
Muslim
worshipers pray around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque
in Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca on June 12, 2024, ahead of the annual Hajj
pilgrimage. (Fadel Senna/AFP)
Saudi
authorities have adopted security restrictions in and around Mecca, with
checkpoints set up on roads leading to the city to prevent those who don’t have
Hajj permits from reaching the holy sites.
Security
authorities have arrested many people who attempted to take pilgrims to Mecca
despite them not having Hajj permits, said Lt. Gen. Muhammad al-Bassami, head
of the Hajj Security Committee. Most of them were expelled from the country,
while travel agents faced jail for up to six months, according to the Interior
Ministry.
On
Friday, the pilgrims made their way to Mina, officially opening the Hajj. They
then will move for a daylong vigil Saturday on Mount Arafat, a desert hill
where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have delivered his final speech, known as
the Farewell Sermon. Healthy pilgrims make the trip on foot, others use bus or
train.
Pilgrims
leave after offering prayers outside the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj
pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, early Friday, June 14, 2024. (AP/Rafiq
Maqbool)
The time
of year when the Hajj takes place varies, given that Hajj is set for five days
in the second week of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month in the Islamic lunar
calendar.
Most of
the Hajj rituals are held outdoors with little if any shade. When it falls in
the summer months, temperatures can soar to over 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
The Health Ministry has cautioned that temperatures in the holy sites could
reach 48 Celsius (118 Fahrenheit). Many pilgrims carried umbrellas against the
burning sun.
After
Saturday’s worship in Arafat, pilgrims will travel a few kilometers (miles) to
a site known as Muzdalifa to collect pebbles to use in the symbolic stoning of
pillars representing the devil back in Mina.
Pilgrims
then return to Mina for three days, coinciding with the festive Eid al-Adha
holiday, when financially able Muslims around the world slaughter livestock and
distribute the meat to the poor. Afterward, they return to Mecca for the final
circumambulation, known as Farewell Tawaf.
In
recent years, the annual pilgrimage has returned to its monumental scale after
three years of heavy restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic. Last
year, more than 1.8 million pilgrims performed Hajj, approaching the 2019 level
when more than 2.4 million pilgrims participated in the pilgrimage.
Source: timesofisrael.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/pilgrims-begin-hajj-in-mecca-with-1000-gazans-joining-at-invitation-of-saudi-king/
--------
Leaving
Labour: How Palestine policy is shaping the Muslim votes in Britain
13.06.2024
As the
UK gears up for upcoming general elections early next month, the country's
Muslim community, comprising of 4 million people or nearly 6% of the
electorate, finds itself at a critical juncture, poised to leave their mark on
the political landscape.
Many
Muslim voters are now reconsidering their traditional allegiance to Labour in
the July 4 elections over their dissatisfaction with its stance on
international issues, particularly Palestine.
The
opposition party's position on Gaza has evolved since Palestinian group Hamas
attacked Israel in October last year, as support for Israel saw an initial
surge.
However,
since February, the party has been calling for an immediate cease-fire, along
with the release of all Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
Despite
the shift, Labour's initial stance has led to a decline in support among Muslim
voters.
A recent
poll by Hyphen revealed a marked shift, with many voters considering an
independent pro-Palestine candidate as a viable alternative to Labour.
The
survey highlights that 44% of Muslim voters place the Gaza conflict among their
top five election concerns.
Of
these, an overwhelming 86% are open to voting for an independent candidate
focused on this issue. For 21% of Muslim voters, the conflict is the single
most important election issue.
This
growing concern is reflected in the general population as well.
Among
the 12% of voters who rank the Israel-Palestine conflict among their top five
concerns, 64% expressed a willingness to support an independent pro-Palestine
candidate.
The
Liberal Democrats and Greens have experienced a 3% and 2% increase in Muslim
voter support, respectively.
-'En
masse' Muslim departure from Labour
Abubakr
Nanabawa, a 24-year-old coordinator for campaign group The Muslim Vote,
emphasized the gravity of the situation.
"The
general election will be, in our opinion, a historic election, where, for the
first time in UK history, Muslims will abandon the Labour Party en masse,"
he stated.
Nanabawa
acknowledged that while Labour is likely to win the next election despite the
exodus, he warned that the party's future success could hinge on addressing the
concerns of Muslim voters.
"If
they want to have the votes of the Muslim community, they're going to have to
earn it. Maybe they don't need those votes in 2024, but in 2029 and 2034, they
won't be able to win elections or majorities without having policies and
leadership responsive to the asks of Muslim communities."
This
sentiment reflects widespread discontent within the Muslim community, driven by
Labour's stance on international issues, particularly Palestine.
The
community's growing perception of being marginalized within the party is only
hastening the search for alternative political representation.
Nanabawa
criticized Labour's internal dynamics, suggesting that the party's current
leadership is not conducive to diverse opinions.
"It's
quite clear that the Labour Party is trying to purge left-wing people,
pro-Palestinian voices from the party," he noted.
"Keir
Starmer is a ruler who does not really enjoy having much opposition within his
MPs. A secure and confident leader would want and admire differences of opinion
... But instead, we have a leader who wants MPs who all agree with him and do
as he asks."
'Broken
duopoly'
According
to Nanabawa, 86% of Muslims voted for Labour in the UK's 2019 elections. But
the outcome of local election held earlier this year suggest that this number
could fall dramatically in areas with a high Muslim population.
Nanabawa
pointed out that despite Labour gaining seats and votes across the country in
the recent local elections, the party saw declining support in constituencies
where Muslims make up 20% or more of the population.
"Will
the Labour Party still win this election? Absolutely," Nanabawa said.
"However, they will struggle to secure a number of key seats where there
are concentrated Muslim populations. This shift is not just a temporary trend
but could extend over the next five, 10, 15, or even 20 years."
He
emphasized that this change is driven by broader dissatisfaction not only among
Muslim voters but also among other marginalized groups.
Nanabawa
criticized both Labour and the Tories for their "broken duopoly" and
lack of substantial policy differences.
"Communities
are tired of being ignored," he stated, highlighting the poor treatment of
member of Parliament Diane Abbott and the neglect of Black and working-class
communities. "This duopoly cannot continue much longer. If the Labour and Conservative
governments continue to disregard these communities, they will find it
increasingly difficult to win key seats."
Going
for Greens
Taslima,
resident from Kent who plans to vote in the upcoming elections, expressed her
frustration with Labour leader Starmer's perceived lack of support for
Palestine.
"I
think lots of people in our community ... are going into Green party as a third
option," she said, explaining that this is caused primarily by the Labour
leader's stance.
Taslima
emphasized the Muslim community's desire for fair treatment, as they feel
marginalized in the current political climate. "We don't think we are
treated as fairly as we should ... The biggest reason is Palestine."
Magda, a
Londoner from Westminster Council, echoed similar concerns. She remains
undecided about who to vote for, stressing the importance of addressing issues
like Palestine, immigration, and public health care. "We've been out on
the streets screaming about Palestine ... no one's listening," she
remarked.
Magda
criticized Starmer's handling of these issues, noting that many Muslim voters
are now looking at independent candidates or the Green Party. "It's a
shame, because I've always been a Labour supporter, but this time around, I
don't think so," she said.
While
also acknowledging this dilemma, Gulam Husain thinks Labour is still the lesser
of two evils.
"If
you have two bad men, and if you have to select one, then you have to choose
the less bad person ... I'm thinking to cast my vote in Labour," he said.
He
recognized the party's internal conflict over supporting Israel and Palestine,
in what will be a complex decision for many Muslims in Britain.
Source: aa.com.tr
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/leaving-labour-how-palestine-policy-is-shaping-the-muslim-votes-in-britain/3249352
--------
Bosnia
and Herzegovina to unearth ruins of 16th-century Ottoman mosque
13.06.2024
Bosnia
and Herzegovina is set to unearth the ruins of a 16th-century Ottoman mosque in
the capital Sarajevo.
The
Kalin Haci Ali mosque, one of the oldest in the capital, was built in classical
Ottoman style in 1535.
However,
it was demolished for unknown reasons during the Yugoslav period in 1947 and
its ruins lay under rubble for decades.
The
Islamic Union Foundations Administration of Bosnia is carrying out the
archaeological work, which will soon be completed. The Turkish Cooperation and
Coordination Agency (TIKA) also supported the project launched in 2018.
The archeological
site with the ruins of the mosque will be opened as an archaeological park
after the studies.
The area
will also include visuals and information showing the state of the mosque
before its demolition.
Senaid
Zajimovic, director of the Islamic Union Foundations Administration, told
Anadolu that the complex survived until 1947, together with the mosque, school,
fountain, and other buildings. Other buildings were built over a part of the
demolished mosque, he added.
"There
are many similar structures in Sarajevo. A total of 30 structures were
demolished after the Ottomans left the region. We want to revitalize these
areas, present them to the public, and preserve our rich history and culture.
We want to share it with our people,'' said Zajimovic.
Architects
Narcisa Basic Gakovic and Selva Karacevic Kapic are working with their team on
the project to unearth the ruins of the mosque.
Gakovic
said Ottoman-era buildings will be featured in the archaeological park.
"We
aim to make visitors experience what it was like to live in the Ottoman era and
introduce this sacred area. The works are progressing in a disciplined manner
according to our plans,'' said Gakovic.
She
added that they plan to complete the work in August.
Over 20
Ottoman mosques destroyed in Sarajevo
More
than 20 Ottoman mosques, including the Kalin Haci Ali mosque, were destroyed or
demolished in Sarajevo during the Austro-Hungarian Empire and later Yugoslavia,
which ruled after the Ottoman Empire left the region.
The
demolitions changed the identity of the city and shopping malls, buildings, or
hotels were built in place of these structures of historic and architectural
importance.
Source: aa.com.tr
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/bosnia-and-herzegovina-to-unearth-ruins-of-16th-century-ottoman-mosque/3249436
--------
Palestinian
calls for bond in Al-Aqsa Mosque to repel Zionist attacks
[13/June/2024]
OCCUPIED
QUDS June 13. 2024 (Saba) - Palestinian calls for a bond in the blessed Al-Aqsa
Mosque continue on Thursday, to repel the attacks of the Zionist enemy and
settlers and their increasing ambitions to control it and impose new
Judaization facts.
According
to the Palestinian Information Center, the Jerusalemite youth movement called
for mobilization and travel to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in the first ten days
of Dhu al-Hijjah and the days of Eid Al-Adha.
The
movement stressed the necessity of mobilizing to confront the ambitions of the
settler groups and their ongoing Judaization plans against him, and to be a
victory for the sacrifices of the steadfast and resisting Palestinian people in
Gaza.
“Gaza is
crying out for you, and Aqsa is groaning... so answer the call,” the movement
added, stressing the necessity of mobilizing to support Gaza and Al-Aqsa.
The
Zionist enemy forces imposed military measures and strict restrictions on the
gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City in occupied Quds city.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3340152.htm
--------
Israeli
soldiers turn mosque in Gaza’s Rafah into ‘cooking place’
13.06.2024
Israeli
soldiers have turned a mosque in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip into a
cooking place, a video showed on Thursday.
The
clip, circulated by an Israeli soldier on social media, showed the Muslim
worship place being used by soldiers to serve meals.
It
features large tables inside the mosque on which Israeli soldiers placed
various types of food items.
A
sticker affixed to a cardboard food box used by soldiers is also shown with a
production date showing May 22, which is likely the time when the video was
shot.
Israeli
military vehicles also appear stationed inside the Rafah border crossing near
the mosque.
Israel
has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on
Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas despite a UN Security Council
resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.
More
than 37,200 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and
children, and more than 84,900 others injured, according to local health
authorities.
Eight
months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling
blockade of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel
stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest
ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its military operation in Rafah,
where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was
invaded on May 6.
Source: aa.com.tr
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-soldiers-turn-mosque-in-gaza-s-rafah-into-cooking-place-/3249271#:~:text=GAZA%20CITY%2C%20Palestine,by%20soldiers%20to%20serve%20meals.
--------
Africa
All
about Friday's deadline for South Africa to form a coalition and elect a
president
South
Africa's parliament is due to elect a president on Friday and major political
parties are still ironing out the final details of a coalition deal that may or
may not allow Cyril Ramaphosa to return for a second term as president. most
industrialized economy in Africa.
Mr
Ramaphosa's party, the African National Congress , said it would hold a meeting
of its top officials in Cape Town on Thursday evening, just 12 hours before
Parliament meets in the city and begins the process.
South
Africa has been in a political impasse since the ANC lost its 30-year majority
in an election two weeks ago, forcing it to reach out to other parties to find
some form of agreement in order to co-govern for the first time. The ANC's
priority is to re-elect Mr Ramaphosa, but it will need help from other
lawmakers as it no longer has a parliamentary majority .
No final
agreement between the parties has been announced and the ANC's internal
leadership must also formally approve any coalition.
How is
the president elected?
South
Africans elect a new Parliament every five years, voting for parties which are
allocated seats based on their vote share. These deputies then elect the
president. With the ANC in the majority since the end of white majority rule
under apartheid in 1994, the election of the president was previously only a
formality and the ANC leader was always elected.
This
time it's different. Mr Ramaphosa, 71, could yet secure a smooth second term if
he is the only candidate nominated by Parliament on Friday - he would then be
automatically re-elected. But if one or more other candidates are nominated, a
vote will follow and the ANC will need its coalition partners to guarantee Mr
Ramaphosa's re-election.
Pieces
of the puzzle
The
Inkatha Freedom Party announced on Wednesday evening that it would join the
ANC's proposed "national unity government" , the first piece of the
coalition puzzle. He backed Mr Ramaphosa for a second term. However, the IFP
holds only 17 seats in the 400-seat lower house of parliament, which elects the
president, and the ANC needs more seats to reach the critical point of a joint
majority.
The
Democratic Alliance , the main opposition party, now holds the key with its 87
seats, the second largest number of seats behind the ANC's 159. The DA has not
confirmed its entry into the unity government, although it has previously said
it is willing to do so. She says she just needs to work out the details with
the ANC. This is a crucial negotiation , and those talks are expected to continue
on Thursday. An ANC-DA-IFP deal appears to be at the heart of any coalition at
present.
However,
the DA has been the most critical voice of the ANC over the past 20 years and
bringing the two parties together to govern together is complicated. There is
also some resistance within the ANC to reaching a deal with a party it has seen
as its main political enemy for so long.
Opposition
to the coalition
Two
other major parties, former President Jacob Zuma's new MK party and the
far-left Economic Freedom Fighters party , have said they will not join a unity
government. The MK also tried to have the parliament session interrupted in
court, but lost its case. MK says its 58 new lawmakers will boycott Friday's
first sitting of the new Parliament, but this is not expected to impact the
president's vote.
The
South African Constitution states that at least a third of Parliament's 400 MPs
must be present for a quorum to be present and votes to take place. The ANC
alone holds more than a third of the seats.
Process
The
chief justice will oversee the first part of the parliamentary session, during
which lawmakers will take the oath of office before electing the president and
vice president. Next comes the election of the president.
Eighteen
political parties are represented in the South African Parliament for this
five-year term, from the ANC, with 159 seats, to the Pan African Congress of
Azania, the GOOD party and the United Africans Transformation party, with one
seat each.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/13/all-about-fridays-deadline-for-south-africa-to-form-a-coalition-and-elect-a-president/
--------
Cambridge
returns 39 artifacts to Uganda on loan
After
decades away, 39 Ugandan objects return home.
The
University of Cambridge returned 39 Ugandan items which range from tribal
regalia to pottery to the East African country on Saturday (Jun. 8).
Some of
the objects were shown exclusively to AP journalists on Wednesday (Jun. 12).
The
items remain the property of the collection of the Museum of Archaeology and
Anthropology at Cambridge, which is loaning them to Uganda for an initial
period of three years, said Mark Elliott, the museum's senior curator in
anthropology.
Elliott
described it as "very much a museum-to-museum collaboration" that
stems from years of talks about the possibility of returning objects deemed
“exceptionally powerful and exceptionally sensitive to communities whose
belongings they were.”
The
objects, selected by Ugandan curators, represent a small fraction of about
1,500 ethnographic objects from Uganda that Cambridge has owned for a century.
Cambridge acquired most as donations from private collections, and many were
given by an Anglican missionary active in Uganda in the 1890s and early 20th
century.
Uganda
gained independence from the UK in 1962.
The next
step is to “research their contemporary significance and to help make decisions
about their future,” Elliott said.
Accountability
The
Uganda Museum in the capital, Kampala, is expected to put on a temporary
exhibition of the objects next year.
Uganda’s
agreement with Cambridge is renewable, allowing for the possibility of a
permanent loan and perhaps local ownership, said Jackline Nyiracyiza, Ugandan government
commissioner in charge of museums and monuments.
“Sixty
years that have passed for us now to get 39 objects,” she said. “We are working
now with the Cambridge team to ... see that we talk to other museums and be
able to repatriate others maybe next year or within the near future.”
Ugandan
officials, seeking such restitution, first traveled to Cambridge in 2022 as
more African governments started to demand accountability over items of
aesthetic or cultural value that were looted before and during the colonial
era.
Elsewhere
in Africa, including the West African nation of Nigeria, there have been
successful restitution events in recent years.
“This is
the biggest single movement of objects returned to the African continent” in
recent years, Nelson Abiti, principal curator of the Uganda Museum, said.
He hoped
the move could prove exemplary for other museums with ethnographic items from
Uganda.
Restitution
remains a struggle for African governments, and the African Union has put the
return of looted cultural property on its agenda. The continental body aims to
have a common policy on the issue.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/13/cambridge-returns-39-ugandan-artifacts-on-loan/
--------
Wole
Soyinka: Muslims waiting for you in 2027 – Omokri to Peter Obi
June 13,
2024
Social
critic, Reno Omokri has warned the former Labour Party, LP, presidential
candidate, Peter Obi that Muslims are waiting for him, ahead of the 2027
elections.
Omokri
was reacting to Obi’s remark against Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka over the issue
of disrespect.
The
former Anambra State governor had said he would like the younger generations to
respect him when he is Soyinka’s age. His comment was an aftermath of Soyinka’s
claim that Obi was unfit to govern Nigeria.
He
alleged that Obi was inciting his supporters to attack and insult him online.
But, the
former LP presidential candidate said he has never incited Obidients or the
younger ones to say anything against anyone.
Omokri,
posting on his X handle, said “Peter Obi says Wole Soyinka should behave in a
way that makes people respect him. I would laugh, if not that it is so
ridiculous for a man who declared religious war on Muslims to say that Wole
Soyinka is not behaving in a manner deserving of respect. Maybe Peter Obi wants
Professor Soyinka to ‘respectfully’ join him in his Yes Daddy religious war.
Anyway, Muslims are waiting for him in 2027.”
Source: dailypost.ng
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://dailypost.ng/2024/06/13/wole-soyinka-muslims-waiting-for-you-in-2027-omokri-to-peter-obi/
--------
South
Africa's ANC says it has broad agreement with main opposition, others
South
Africa’s African National Congress party said Thursday that it has a broad
agreement with the main opposition and other parties to form a coalition
government and end a political deadlock after the ANC lost its 30-year majority
in an election two weeks ago.
The
announcement came on the eve of the first sitting of South Africa’s new
Parliament, when lawmakers will elect a president.
The ANC
needs help from other parties to re-elect President Cyril Ramaphosa for a
second and final term.
The ANC
lost its long-held parliamentary majority in the May 29 vote.
ANC
Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula told reporters that the main opposition
Democratic Alliance and others had agreed on the “fundamental” principle of
forming a “government of national unity” with the ANC, but he noted that finer
details of the agreement had not been finalized yet.
"So
that to us represent a major breakthrough," he said.
Mbalula
said the framework of the agreement would likely be made public on Friday.
A broad
agreement was the first priority for the ANC to get Ramaphosa reelected with
the help of others.
The negotiations faced a deadline to reach a
general agreement because South Africa's constitution dictates that Parliament
has to sit for the first time and elect a president within 14 days of the
national election results being officially declared.
The
deadline is Sunday and Parliament was called to convene on Friday to meet that
deadline.
While Mbalula
named several parties that had agreed to the principle of joining the unity
government, the Democratic Alliance is the most crucial.
The ANC
won the largest share of the vote in the election with 40% and the DA the
second largest share with 21%. Together they would hold a clear majority in
Parliament and be able to govern and elect Ramaphosa — if that's the agreement.
One of
the smaller parties, the Inkatha Freedom Party, had already announced Wednesday
night that it would join the unity government.
The ANC,
the party of Nelson Mandela, had governed South Africa ever since the end of
the apartheid system of white minority rule in 1994.
But it
lost that dominance in this year’s election in an historic change in the
country’s politics.
South
Africa has never had a coalition government at national level in its three
decades as a democracy since the end of apartheid.
Mbalula
said the ANC had discussions with all 17 other parties that are represented in
Parliament, including the smallest ones with just one seat. They were all
invited to join the unity government, he said. Some have refused.
Two
other major parties, the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters and the new MK Party
of former President Jacob Zuma — once the leader of the ANC — have said they
will not be part of the government of national unity.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/14/south-africas-anc-says-it-has-broad-agreement-with-main-opposition-others/
--------
South
Africa parliament to hold inaugural session, elect President
Lawmakers
were expected to elect the country's president Friday after being sworn in at
the first sitting of Parliament.
The lawmakers
are also expected to elect Parliament's new speaker and deputy speaker, choices
that will be determined by negotiations that have taken place between the ANC
and opposition parties since the country's election results were declared
nearly two weeks ago.
Parties
are under pressure to conclude negotiations by Thursday to fulfill the
constitutional requirement to swear in lawmakers and elect the president within
14 days of election results being declared.
The
African National Congress won 40% of the national vote during the country's
highly contested election, followed by the Democratic Alliance, or DA, with
just over 21% and the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe Party with about 15% of the
vote in their first-ever election.
The ANC
has opted to form a national unity government that will include most political
parties that contested the election instead of a straightforward coalition with
a few parties.
The
South African Constitution says only one-third of Parliament’s 400 lawmakers
need to be present for a quorum and for the vote to elect the president to
proceed.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/13/south-africa-parliament-to-hold-inaugural-session-elect-president/
--------
Southeast Asia
Indonesia
to Evacuate 1,000 Injured Palestinians for Treatment: Prabowo
June 13, 2024
Jakarta.
Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto announced on Thursday that the government
will evacuate 1,000 victims of the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza,
Palestine, for medical treatment in Indonesia.
His
remarks came after he attended a high-profile meeting in Jordan discussing
humanitarian assistance for Palestine.
Israel
is currently conducting a full-scale military campaign in Gaza in response to
the October 7 attack by Hamas on southern Israel that killed around 1,200
people.
"We
are taking steps to channel assistance to Palestine. Indonesia has announced
our readiness to evacuate 1,000 patients for medical treatment in Indonesia.
They will be returned to Gaza after recovering and once the situation there is
back to normal," Prabowo said in a news conference at the State Palace in
Jakarta.
"Indonesia
is the one with a concrete plan during the meeting. We are also ready to
accommodate 1,000 [Palestinian] children suffering from war trauma to study
here and return them at the appropriate time. Other countries respect our
plan," he added.
The
president-elect said leaders of Muslim boarding schools in East and West Java
have agreed to take care of Palestinian children orphaned by the war.
In
addition, Indonesia plans to send doctors and nurses to operate a makeshift
field hospital in Gaza.
"If
permitted, we will send a Hercules aircraft to drop humanitarian assistance
from the air and a floating hospital," Prabowo said.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-to-evacuate-1000-injured-palestinians-for-treatment-prabowo
--------
Hajj
Agency under Religious Affairs Minister Is Not Something New: Expert
June 13,
2024
Jakarta.
A state administrative Djohermansyah Djohar recently called for the establishment
of an agency dedicated to handling the hajj pilgrimage and have it part of the
Religious Affairs Ministry.
The
Religious Affairs Ministry today has a directorate-general for Hajj and umrah.
However, the directorate-general tends to adopt a “bureaucratic approach” in
its hajj management rather than prioritizing its services, Djohar claimed.
And this
is why the government should change the directorate-general to a separate hajj
body whose employees shall come from the Hajj Fund Management Agency (BPKH). The
government then can integrate this hajj agency with the Religious Affairs
Ministry. The religious affairs minister should lead this yet-to-be-built
agency in an ex officio capacity, according to Djohar.
But
Djohar said that this system was nothing new.
The
integration of ministries and agencies has already taken place in some bodies.
For instance, the National Development Planning Agency is now integrated with
the ministry of the same name. National Development Planning Minister Suharso
Monoarfa is also the chair of this agency. The same goes for the Investment
Coordination Board with its ministry. Indonesia has also integrated its
national land agency under the agrarian affairs ministry.
"The
‘embryos’ came from personnel at BPKH. We can merge the BPKH with the Hajj
directorate-general. Once merged, we can make a hajj agency with the religious
affairs minister as its head, … and it will be more service-oriented and cut
the bureaucratic red tape, Djohar said.
Djohar
added: “But this system calls for everyone to work together. It should also be
well-supported by the minister.”
According
to Djohar, such a merger can help prevent the dualism in hajj management. It
can also solve many problems, including better management of the pilgrims’
accommodation and addressing hajj scams. The government will also have more
authority to manage the hajj funds, which amount to Rp 160 trillion ($9.8
billion).
“A
directorate-general structure is inflexible. Having an agency will make it more
flexible, and shall be able to respond to what the pilgrims need. We need an
out-of-the-box format. The existing format cannot deal with the hajj problems,
and I think creating a standalone ministry is quite costly,” Djohar said.
Djohar's
remarks came after House of Representatives member Said Abdullah proposed the
idea of establishing a standalone hajj ministry.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://jakartaglobe.id/news/hajj-agency-under-religious-affairs-minister-is-not-something-new-expert
--------
Prabowo
Thanks Saudi Crown Prince for Smooth Sailing Hajj Season
June 13,
2024
Jakarta.
President-elect Prabowo Subianto recently thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman (MBS) for a smooth sailing hajj season, as hundreds of thousands of
Indonesians fly to Mecca to perform the annual religious ritual.
On
Wednesday evening local time, MBS hosted Prabowo in Jeddah. As the visit
coincided with the hajj season, Prabowo brought up how the Saudi government had
been helping the Indonesian pilgrims.
“I would
like to express my sincere gratitude to Your Majesty for ensuring the safety of
Indonesian pilgrims until they complete their hajj journeys here in Saudi
Arabia,” Prabowo told MBS, as reported by a recent ministerial press statement.
The
soon-to-be Indonesian leader also praised Saudi’s initiative to streamline the
pilgrimage process -- a program popularly known as the Mecca Route. The scheme
aims at enhancing the pilgrimage experience for worshippers from Indonesia and
Malaysia, among other countries. Pilgrims and their luggage are directly
transported to their accommodation in Mecca and Medina upon arriving in Saudi
Arabia, enabling them to skip the long queues at the airport. Saudi also claims
that pilgrims under this initiative only spend a few minutes at the immigration
counters.
Indonesia
is a Muslim-majority country. The Saudi government granted Indonesia an
additional hajj pilgrimage quota of 20,000 people. This allows Indonesia to
send 241,000 pilgrims this year. The Religious Affairs Ministry claims that
this is the largest number of hajj pilgrims Indonesia has ever sent in history.
About 213,320 of the pilgrims will take part in the government-managed,
“regular” hajj pilgrimage. Some 27,680 people are going to Mecca using private
travel agency services.
Prabowo
is set to assume power this October alongside his vice president-elect Gibran
Rakabuming Raka. According to his election campaign manifesto, Prabowo seeks to
establish a hajj savings body as a means to enable a “quality pilgrimage”.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
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Open to
discussing partnerships on English teaching programs - US Ambassador
14-06-
2024
KOTA
KINABALU: The United States is always open to discussing partnerships with
Malaysia to implement English teaching programs and other initiatives that can
benefit both countries, said US Ambassador to Malaysia Edgard D. Kagan.
He said
the strong bond between the nations over the years has resulted in numerous
successful programs, such as the English Teaching Assistant (ETA) course and
other exchange initiatives.
However,
Kagan emphasised the importance of truly understanding the needs of the people
in both countries and determining what the governments and other parties can do
to fulfill these needs effectively.
“It is
fair to say a lot of people raise this (english teaching programs) with me but
as for now we don’t have a plan yet. What we are trying to do is figure out
what people want and what we can do. We have existing programs and a lot of
exchange programs.
“We have
English programs, premier programs like ETA but that was stopped due to
COVID-19 by the request of the Malaysian government. I think we recognize there
is interest in that, we want to see what we can do.
“I think
the key is that we need to speak candidly with each other about what we want
and what we can do. Anything we undertake must be a genuine partnership between
our two countries,” he told reporters at the launch of the American Green
Corner at the State Library in Tanjung Aru last night.
The
launch was officiated by Sabah Science, Technology and Innovation Minister
Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif on behalf of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji
Noor.
Mohd
Arifin highlighted that Sabah has greatly benefited from the US-Malaysia
partnership, particularly through English teaching programs. He expressed hope
for the revival of the ETA course to assist the younger generation, especially
in rural areas, in mastering the language.
“It is
highly beneficial for our children in Sabah as we prioritize the development of
English, science, and technology. Their expertise as native speakers of the
language can greatly assist us in this endeavor. We welcome their involvement
wholeheartedly,“ he said.
In
addition to English, Mohd Ariffin also expressed a hope for US assistance in
fostering interest and knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) among Sabah’s younger generation through partnership or
exchange programs.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/local-news/open-to-discussing-partnerships-on-english-teaching-programs-us-ambassador-HB12577220
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TPS
Targeted Promotion Programme can help nuclear tech adoption in potential
sectors
13-06-
2024
ALOR
SETAR: The Technology Preview and Showcase (TPS) of the Targeted Promotion
Programme will help increase the level of adoption of nuclear technology in
potential sectors.
Science,
Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI) secretary-general Datuk Ts. Dr.
Aminuddin Hassim said the programme was also able to increase interest in
learning Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
“TPS is
one of the ongoing platforms of the Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuklear Malaysia)
in the framework of promoting peaceful and safe nuclear technology products,
services and training to the people and industry.
“Through
this programme, the research and development results from Nuklear Malaysia
researchers can be highlighted across various fields such as the application of
nuclear technology in the agro-agriculture sector, radiation processing
technology, industrial applications, environmental management, medicine
applications, radiation health and safety, nuclear engineering and training,“
he said.
He was
speaking the TPS Targeted Promotion Programme Series 2 and launch of the
Nuclear Paddy Gallery by the Raja Muda of Kedah Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah
Sultan Sallehuddin at the Kedah Paddy Museum near here today.
According
to Aminuddin, visitors to the Kedah Paddy Museum will have the opportunity to
obtain information and (find out) the role of Nuklear Malaysia in the
production of the new paddy seed variety, NMR 152, throughout the two days of
the programme (June 13 and 14).
He added
that through the MOSTI Strategic Research Fund (SRF) project, two more new
national paddy varieties are targeted to be produced by the end of 2026 using
advanced drip irrigation.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/local-news/tps-targeted-promotion-programme-can-help-nuclear-tech-adoption-in-potential-sectors-CB12576150
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Prabowo
Congratulates Mexico’s First Woman President Sheinbaum
June 14,
2024
Jakarta.
President-elect Prabowo Subianto sent his congratulatory message Friday to Claudia
Sheinbaum, a Mexican politician who is set to be the country’s first woman
president.
For the
first time in Mexico’s 200-year history, a woman will assume the top government
position. Like Prabowo, Sheinbaum will officially take office this October,
although the former Mexico City mayor will begin her presidential
responsibilities at the beginning of the month.
“I
extend my warmest congratulations to the President-elect of the Republic of
Mexico, Her Excellency Claudia Sheinbaum on her notable victory in the 2024
Mexican General Election,” Prabowo wrote on the social media platform X.
“Indonesia
eagerly awaits enhanced collaboration with Mexico on many strategic issues, as
well as advancing global prosperity within our partnership,” Prabowo said.
Both
Indonesia and Mexico are members of the G20 forum. Indonesia held the G20
presidency in 2022, with the summit taking place in the tourist haven of Bali.
While most countries were represented by their leaders, Mexico sent its then
Foreign Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard to fly to the Bali summit.
Mexico
is also part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD). Indonesia’s goal to get into this group has been topping Jakarta’s
foreign policy agenda.
Government
data showed that Indonesia-Mexico trade had been rising over the past years.
Bilateral trade volume amounted to $1.6 billion in 2021, then rose to $2
billion the following year before it reached $2.5 billion in 2023.
Both
Sheinbaum and Prabowo secured landslide wins in their respective elections.
Preliminary results showed that Sheinbaum captured between 58 and 60 percent of
the votes in the election. Prabowo amassed 96.2 million votes, meaning that the
defense minister got almost 58.59 percent of the votes.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
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https://jakartaglobe.id/news/prabowo-congratulates-mexicos-first-woman-president-sheinbaum
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Indonesia
Deports Over 1,700 Foreigners in Five Months
June 14,
2024
Tangerang.
The monthly number of foreigners being deported from Indonesia has increased by
94 percent so far this year compared to last year’s figures, a senior official
said on Thursday.
Between
January and May, the number of deportees totaled 1,761 foreigners, averaging
352 deportees per month, said Silmy Karim, the director general of immigration
at the Justice Ministry.
"This
monthly figure represents a 94.4 percent rise from an average of 181 deportees
per month in 2023,” Silmy said.
According
to immigration data, a total of 2,174 foreigners were deported throughout last
year, mostly for visa violations.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
Please click the following URL to read
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https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-deports-over-1700-foreigners-in-five-months
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hazrat-nizamuddin-mosque-madrasa/d/132511