Judge Who Permitted Hindu Prayers In Sealed Gyanvapi Mosque Basement Appointed Lokpal Of UP University

New Age Islam News Bureau

29 February 2024

 

Gyanvapi Masjid complex in Varanasi

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·         Judge Who Permitted Hindu Prayers In Sealed Gyanvapi Mosque Basement Appointed Lokpal Of UP University

·         Pakistan SC Asks: What Is The Role Of An Approver In Light Of Islamic Teachings?

·         Biden Claims Saudi Arabia And Six Other Arab States Ready To Recognize Israel

·         More Than Half Of Tory Members In Poll Say Islam A Threat To British Way Of Life

·         Ghana Passes Bill Making Identifying As LGBTQ+ Illegal

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India

·         Gyanvapi Mosque: Hindu Side Files Plea Seeking To Stop Muslims Entry To “Vyas Tehkhana” for Namaz

·         Lucknow’s Teele Wali Masjid Case: Muslim Party Dealt Blow By Court, Case Referred To Lower Court

·         Muslim Convict Zia-Ul Hasan Donates Jail Salary To Ayodhya Ram Mandir

·         LeT Bomb-Maker Abdul Karim Tunda Acquitted In 1993 Serial Blast Case for the Lack of Evidence

·         India hits out at Pakistan for raking up Kashmir issue at UNHRC

·         Supreme Court to hear in March plea seeking release of detained Rohingya refugees

·         Government bans two factions of Jammu & Kashmir outfit Muslim Conference, Jammu and Kashmir under UAPA

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Pakistan

·         Army Chief General Emphasis Social Harmony, Nationwide Consensus To Curb Intolerance

·         Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl To Boycott Elections For KP Chief Minister And PA Speaker

·         PM disapproves of Imran’s IMF letter terming this move as 'highly irresponsible'

·         Six militants killed in North Waziristan operation: ISPR

·         Pakistanis among UN peacekeepers pulling out from Congo

·         Case related to protests, vandalism on May 9: IK, Asad, Faisal acquitted

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North America

·         Ex-White House Official Lisa Curtis, Policy Advisor In The Trump Administration, Calls For Revisiting Doha Accord With Taliban

·         US Asks Israel to Let Muslims Worship At Al-Aqsa Mosque During Holy Month of Ramadan

·         US wants Israeli assurances on using weapons by mid-March

·         CAIR Welcomes Congressional Letter on Lack of Press Freedom in Gaza, Journalist Murders

·         American Jews detect decline in US support for Israeli war effort - survey

·         US considering airdropping aid into Gaza as land deliveries become increasingly hard

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Europe

·         Russia’s UN Envoy Says US Giving Israel ‘License To Kill’ Palestinians

·         Britain’s New Protest Laws ‘Unconstitutional’, Rights Group Tells London Court

·         Russia says Israeli plan on Gaza hinders sustainable peace

·         Palestine’s Vatican Envoy Highlights Approach Of Holiest Days In Christian And Muslim Calendars Amid Calls For Gaza Ceasefire

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Africa

·         Economic Hardship: “Life Was Better Under Boko Haram” – Families Of Repentant Terrorists Lament

·         Over 30 Worshippers Missing As Bandits Reportedly Attack Zamfara Mosque

·         Libya Has No Plans To Make Peace With Israel, Eastern Libyan Minister Says

·         South Africa Says Following Up On Israel's Non-Compliance With ICJ Ruling

·         Several Malian Soldiers Killed In Large-Scale Attack By Suspected Jihadis

·         South Sudan blames fighting in neighbouring Sudan and attacks in the Red Sea for its crisis

·         UN Court Awards Ugandan Victims $56 Million In Reparations For Crimes Committed By Convicted Commander

·         South Sudan grapples with half million Sudanese refugees fleeing war

·         UN seeks $674M for aid as millions of Haitians suffer from violence

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Arab World

·         Riyadh In Race With Top Global Cities To Hire New Talent, Says Mayor

·         Arab Parliament Denounces Israel For Constructing Watchtower On Al-Aqsa’s Western Wall

·         Yemenis Are More Enthusiastic & Determined To Continue Movement & Holy Jihad In Supporting Palestine

·         Al-Qahar Mountains in Jizan Submerged under the Sea Millions of Years Ago

·         Yemen Warns British Cargo Ship May Sink Following Houthi Attack

·         'Red Sea National Academy' Established to Support the Tourism Sector in the Kingdom

·         Saudi crown prince, French president discuss cooperation

·         Saudi deputy minister meets Organization of African, Caribbean, & Pacific States chief

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South Asia

·         Afghan Soil Poses No Threat To Any Country, Taliban Deputy PM Tells Pakistani Religious Leaders

·         Bangladesh Committed To Uphold Democratic Principles: Foreign Minister

·         Muttaqi Hopes for Improved Relations with New Govt in Pakistan

·         Uzbekistan's Recent Anti-Religious Measures Present A Worrisome Trend For Its Muslims

·         Kabir: Islamic Emirate Seeks Good Relations With Neighbours

·         3,500 tons of Soybeans and Wheat stranded at Afghanistan-Pakistan border: WFP

·         President of Turkmenistan ‘satisfied’ with Afghanistan situation

·         Iran to block border with Afghanistan with concrete wall

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Mideast

·         Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh Claims Flexibility In Truce Talks, Calls For Ramadan March On Jerusalem

·         Netanyahu, Police Wait Until Last Minute For Ramadan Temple Mount Decision

·         Netanyahu Counters Biden's Concerns Of Support Declining For Israel Over Rising Gaza Deaths

·         Palestinian FM Says Hamas Knows It Cannot Be In New Government

·         Palestinian resistance targets enemy vehicles, soldiers in southern Gaza Strip

·         Hamas calls on UN agencies to deliver health emergency, food supplies to northern Gaza strip

·         Tens of settlers re-storm into Holy Aqsa Mosque yards

·         Syria confronts Israeli airstrike near Damascus: Report

·         'Starvation as method of warfare': Gaza facing ‘mass killing of children in slow motion’

·         Food aid reaches north Gaza for first time in weeks. Israeli hostages’ families push for release

·         Türkiye presents ambitious investment strategy in London summit

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Southeast Asia

·         China Says Intel Law Is Being Violated In Gaza, Calls For Immediate Ceasefire

·         Selangor Sultan Rebukes PAS President Hadi Over ‘Cynical, Misleading’ Remarks On Country’s Shariah Law

·         Malaysia Reaffirms Commitment To Humanitarian Assistance In Syria In Meeting With IFRC Chief

·         Indonesia Strengthens Dialogue, Moderation For World Peace: VP Amin

·         Malaysia regrets objection to Palestine’s observer status at conference on disarmament

·         Anwar: No one, including ministers and deputy ministers immune from MACC probe

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:    https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hindu-prayers-gyanvapi-mosque-lokpal/d/131821

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Judge Who Permitted Hindu Prayers In Sealed Gyanvapi Mosque Basement Appointed Lokpal Of UP University

 

Gyanvapi Masjid complex in Varanasi

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29.02.24

Retired judge Ajaya Krishna Vishvesha has been appointed the Lokpal of a public university in Lucknow, The Wire reported. His appointment comes nearly a month after he allowed Hindus to offer prayers in the sealed basement of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi.

Vishvesha was on February 27 appointed as the Lokpal of the Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, a government university of which Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath is the chairperson. He was appointed for a term of three years.

A university Lokpal, or an ombudsman, is appointed to address student grievances.

University spokesperson YashwantViroday said that Vishvesha was appointed in accordance with University Grants Commission guidelines, The Wire reported. The guidelines say that a university Lokpal should be a retired vice-chancellor, a retired professor or a retired district judge, he said.

The former judge will be the first person to hold the post at the university.

Vishvesha retired as the Varanasi district judge on January 31. He passed the order allowing Hindu prayers in the Gyanvapi mosque basement on the day of his retirement.

The Varanasi district court allowed Hindus to offer prayers in the basement of the complex after an Archaeological Survey of India report claimed that a Hindu temple existed at the site of the Gyanvapi, and was destroyed in the 17th century during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

The findings of the archaeological survey had been made public through the court on January 25.

The Gyanvapi mosque complex has four cellars in its basement. One of them is still owned by the Vyas family of priests who used to live there. They argued that, as hereditary priests, they should be allowed to offer prayers in that cellar.

The district court had ordered that the arrangements for Hindu prayers, including the removal of barricades, be completed within a week. The prayers should be conducted by priests of the neighbouring Kashi Vishwanath temple, it had ruled.

The Allahabad High Court had on February 2 refused to grant an interim stay on the Varanasi district court order. On Monday, it rejected a petition filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee, which manages the mosque, challenging the district court’s order.

On the same day that Vishvesha was named as the Lokpal of the Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, President Draupadi Murmu appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice AM Khanwilkar as the Chairperson of the Lokpal, which is an anti-corruption body.

Justice Khanwilkar led the bench that upheld a Special Investigation Team report exonerating Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riots case. He also led the bench that in 2022 upheld the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2020. The Act was brought in to regulate foreign funds received by NGOs.

Source: scroll.in

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Pakistan SC Asks: What Is The Role Of An Approver In Light Of Islamic Teachings?

 

Pakistan Supreme Court

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2024-02-29

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court questioned whether it can amend the questions referred by the President of Pakistan, and in light of the Islamic teachings what is the role of the approver?

A nine-member SC bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, and Justice Musarrat Hilali, on Wednesday, heard a Presidential Reference.

Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan told the court that the federal government will go by the submission of former Justice Manzoor Ahmed Malik, a former judge of the Supreme Court.

The bench directed the attorney general that after getting instructions from the government, he should inform on the next date under what circumstances Masood Mehmood, who was initially an accused in the murder case of Nawabzada Muhammad Ahmed Khan Kasuri, later became an approver against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case.

The court was informed that after the judgments in the Bhutto case, Masood Mehmood went to America and died in California in 2022.

The chief justice asked Justice Manzoor why this case was not heard in the last 10 years.

However, Justice Manzoor did not respond. The CJP asked the same from Farooq H Naek, who represented Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Ahmed Raza Kasuri, a complainant before the Lahore High Court in the Bhutto case, asked the court; “Have we crossed the bridge of admissibility of Reference,” adding Justice Manzoor has gone into the nitty-gritty of the case, which shows rather as a friend of court he argued like the defence counsel.

The chief justice stated in the presence of everyone, including you, they had appointed the amici, but he did not object to his (Justice Manzoor) nomination at that time.

Justice Manzoor concluded his submission, at the end, he said first, the court has to assume the jurisdiction and then it could respond to the questions of law, referred by the President. He questioned whether the trial can be conducted and concluded when the judge is biased.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said we all agree that there was miscarriage of justice, but inquired, can it be fixed under Article 186 of the constitution or can be done in other jurisdictions like curative jurisdiction.

“We have no shame in correcting the wrong/ errors.” He proposed that the Parliament can legislate on it.

The chief justice remarked: do we leave as precedent that the High Court can conduct murder trial, and without confirmation, there can be a conviction, and without court order, a case, which is earlier closed on its order can be reopened.

The CJP said he had understood the questions; therefore, would not put much emphasis on the language. “We need to understand the substance of the questions,” he further said.

Justice Yahya said they would not go into the merit of the case, but they have to see whether the requirement of Article 4 was met and the due process was complied with in the trial of Bhutto. “We would see whether the process in it (Bhutto case) was in accordance with the law or not?”

The chief justice inquired from Farooq H Naek, who represented the chairman PPP, who drafted the questions in Presidential Reference. Naek responded that it was drafted by Babar Awan, who was the law minister at that time.

The chief justice then inquired where he is now. Naek replied he has left the PPP and joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

The chief justice said no one had assisted the court on Islamic principles. He asked what the value of an approver in Islam is, adding if the Islamic jurisdiction is not applicable in this case then why do the Court follow the UK or USA jurisdiction.

Justice Faez said suppose two persons decide to kill someone, then how one could be sentenced, and the other is freed without any punishment. The CJP noted that in order to form an opinion on the questions of law the judges sometimes have to go into the facts of the matter.

Justice Yahya remarked that he does not want to substitute the Lahore High Court judgment in Bhutto’s case, but would like to see the facts of it, regarding the matter.

Justice Hilali questioned how without confirmation there could be conviction. How the five judges of the High Court in the Bhutto case assumed the jurisdiction and heard the case and the FIA investigated the case.

Aitzaz Ahsan asked the court to give an opinion that the conviction was unlawful and unconstitutional, due to discretion and bias.

The environment was vicious as there was institutional bias against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the PPP, he added.

Upon that, Justice Yahya said the Supreme Court in appeal of Bhutto had dealt with this issue and declared that there was no bias. He asked Aitzaz not to generalise that the institution (judiciary) was biased and that Ziaul Haq, being the Martial Administrator, was controlling the judges. He said out of seven judges of the Supreme Court three had dissented with the majority judgment.

The case was adjourned until March 4.

Source: brecorder.com

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Biden Claims Saudi Arabia And Six Other Arab States Ready To Recognize Israel

 

US President Joe Biden and Netanyahu

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Feb 28, 2024

TEHRAN, Feb. 28 (MNA) – US President Joe Biden claims that Saudi Arabia is ready to recognize Israel.

Biden claimed that Israel “would not engage in activities” during Ramadan, in order to secure the release of prisoners.

"That gives us time to begin to move in directions that a lot of Arab countries are prepared to move in. For example, Saudi Arabia is ready to recognize Israel. Jordan is. Egypt -- there are six other states. I’ve been working with Qatar," Biden claimed.

Biden said he hoped to have a ceasefire in the conflict. However, there has been little indication of progress in line with that pace, NBC reported.

Israel risked losing support from the rest of the world, the US president said.

Israel waged its brutal war on besieged Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out an unprecedented operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured at least 68,883 others.

Israel has imposed a complete siege on the densely populated territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

Source: mehrnews.com

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More Than Half Of Tory Members In Poll Say Islam A Threat To British Way Of Life

 

‘It’s clear that Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment runs deep in the Conservative party,’ Hope Not Hate’s Nick Lowles said. Photograph: Mary Turner/Getty Images

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Kiran Stacey Political correspondent

28 February 2024

More than half of Conservative party members believe Islam is a threat to the British way of life, according to a poll that sheds light on the hostility with which large parts of the party view the country’s second biggest religion.

The poll of 521 Conservative members by Opinium found that 58% say Islam poses a threat to this country – double the proportion of the overall population who believe the same. It found that 52% believe the increasingly prominent conspiracy theory that parts of European cities are under sharia law and are “no-go” areas for non-Muslims.

The findings give an insight into why senior members of the party have refused to condemn the recent comments by Lee Anderson about the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, as Islamophobic.

They also suggest the party is shifting to the right on immigration and religion in a way that could prove critical in deciding who will be leader if Rishi Sunak steps down after the election.

Nick Lowles, the founder of Hope Not Hate, which commissioned the poll, wrote in an opinion piece in the Guardian: “It’s clear from the events of the past week that Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment runs deep in the Conservative party – but [this poll] illustrates the problem starkly.”

Anderson’s comments last weekend sparked anger among some in the Tory party but received impassioned defence from many others.

Anderson, who was the deputy party chair, said on GB News that he thought Khan, one of the country’s most prominent Muslim politicians, was being controlled by Islamists. Sunak removed the Tory whip from Anderson as a result but has refused to say the comments constitute Islamophobia.

Downing Street said on Tuesday: “At a moment when tensions are running high, it is right for people to expect a high level of consideration to be given by politicians to the words they use.”

Other prominent Conservatives have defended Anderson, including the former home secretary Suella Braverman who said on Monday that the row over his comments constituted “hysteria”.

Anderson himself has since doubled down on what he said, refusing to apologise and attacking Khan for not banning pro-Palestinian marches in London.

Meanwhile, evidence is mounting that grassroots Tory members are backing Anderson over Sunak. The Guardian revealed on Monday that members of the Conservative Democratic Organisation had sent each other WhatsApp messages calling Sunak a “snake” for suspending Anderson and argued that Anderson should be allowed to return.

The Opinium poll also found Tory members are twice as likely to have a negative view of immigrants as a positive one, significantly more likely to have a negative view of feminists than a positive one, and slightly more likely to have a negative view of LGBT+ people than a positive one.

Nearly three-quarters believed that immigration had been bad for Britain and that multiculturalism was not working, while 40% believed feminism had gone too far, compared with 28% who did not.

A comparison with findings from a poll that Hope Not Hate commissioned in 2020 suggests these opinions are hardening. Four years ago 47% of Tory members said they believed Islam posed a threat to the British way of life.

That 2020 poll was commissioned for the Singh review, an inquiry into Islamophobia within the Conservative party, which found there was no evidence of institutional Islamophobia in the party.

Some have criticised that review in recent days for being too narrowly focused. Sajjad Karim, a former Tory MEP, told the Guardian’s First Edition newsletter this week: “I can go back to about 2012 or 2013 when I first started to detect some of this type of talk. We haven’t got here suddenly. But the party really has to get a grip of it now.”

He added: “[The Singh review] ended up sending a signal to the party membership that was basically ‘Muslims are fair game’.”

Lowles said: “Based on the views of Conservative members, it’s clear why Anderson, Braverman et al feel increasingly emboldened to push the boundaries of decency and speak negatively of Muslims, immigrants and multiculturalism more generally. The battle for the soul of the Conservative party has begun, and so far the radical right is winning.”

While many Tory members hold hardline views on cultural and societal issues, they are not backing the candidates who arguably most represent those positions.

The poll found that Braverman is only second favourite among members to be the next Tory leader with 16% support, while Kemi Badenoch, the combative business secretary, is third with 8%. The most popular candidate is instead the more centrist Penny Mordaunt, who commands the support of 22% of members.

Source: yahoo.com

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Ghana Passes Bill Making Identifying As LGBTQ+ Illegal

 

Photo: AFP/BBC.com

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February 28, 2024

Ghana’s parliament has passed the highly contentious Anti-LGBTQ+ bill after about three years of deliberations.

The new bill imposes a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone convicted of identifying as LGBTQ+.

It also imposes a maximum five-year jail term for forming or funding LGBTQ+ groups.

The bill was approved unanimously on Wednesday following the completion of the third reading. Proposed amendments to the bill were rejected by the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, during the session.

Lawmakers heckled down attempts to replace prison sentences with community service and counselling.

It is the latest sign of growing opposition to LGBTQ+ rights in the conservative West African nation.

The bill is now slated to be forwarded to President Akufo-Addo for his assent for it to be signed into law.

The president has in the past said that he would do so if the majority of Ghanaians want him to.

Last month Amnesty International warned that the bill "poses significant threats to the fundamental rights and freedoms" of LGBTQ+ people.

Activists fear there will now be witch-hunts against members of the LGBTQ+ community and those who campaign for their rights, and say some will have to go into hiding.

The bill proposes a jail term of up to 10 years for anyone involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy campaigns aimed at children.

It also encourages the public to report members of the LGBTQ+ community to authorities for "necessary action".

Source: africanews.com

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 India

 Gyanvapi Mosque: Hindu Side Files Plea Seeking To Stop Muslims Entry To “Vyas Tehkhana” for Namaz

28th February 2024

Varanasi: The Varanasi district court on Wednesday fixed March 19 for hearing a plea seeking to stop the entry to the terrace of “Vyas Tehkhana” located in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi complex.

The plea filed by the Hindu side said the cellar’s terrace is very old and weak and there is a possibility of an accident when Muslims offer Namaz on it.

Hindu side’s counsel Madan Mohan Yadav said that in-charge District Judge Anil Kumar has fixed March 19 for hearing the petition which also seeks repair of the cellar’s pillars.

The fresh plea was filed days after the Allahabad High Court said Hindu prayers will continue in the “Vyas Tehkhana” of the Gyanvapi mosque, while dismissing the mosque committee’s plea that had challenged the district court’s order to this effect.

Yadav said that Muslims taking a walk and offering namaz on the cellar’s terrace is not good for the old structure which should be repaired.

On January 31, the district court ruled that a Hindu priest can perform prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of the mosque.

The prayers are now being conducted by a Hindu priest nominated by the Kashi Vishwanath temple trust and the petitioner, who has claimed that his grandfather offered puja in the cellar till December 1993.

‘Source: siasat.com

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Lucknow’s Teele Wali Masjid Case: Muslim Party Dealt Blow By Court, Case Referred To Lower Court

29.02.24

The legal proceedings concerning the Teele Wali Masjid in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, are currently underway. In a significant development, the Muslim party has faced a setback from the court of ADJ I. The appeal of the Muslim side has been dismissed by both the Court of Additional District Sessions and the Court of First Instance. Reportedly, the case filed by the Hindu side was deemed non-maintainable by the Muslim party. Following this decision by the upper court, the case will now be transferred back to the lower court for further proceedings. Meanwhile, Shishir Chaturvedi, the spokesperson for the Hindu Mahasabha, expressed satisfaction, viewing the ruling on Laxman Tila as a significant victory for Hindus.

Shishir Chaturvedi, the national spokesperson for the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, emphasized that Lucknow, known as Lakshman Nagari, is home to the ancient Sanatan heritage site of Lakshman Tila. He alleged that Muslim individuals have converted it into a mound mosque, resulting in the displacement of Hindus and the denial of their right to worship. Chaturvedi further claimed that Hindus were deprived of their temple in the process. Nripendra Pandey had initiated legal action on this matter.

Despite attempts by the Muslim parties to argue that the case was not maintainable, their petition was rejected. The Muslim parties had approached the court of ADJ I for a revision, which was also dismissed. Furthermore, the court ruled that the case is suitable for trial. Chaturvedi stated that the case will now proceed in the lower court. He also highlighted that following the Ayodhya verdict, efforts are being made to reclaim other Sanatani heritage sites such as Mathura, Kashi, Laxman Tila, Taj Mahal, and Qutub Minar.

Source: muslimmirror.com

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Muslim ConvictZia-Ul HasanDonates Jail Salary To Ayodhya Ram Mandir

February 28, 2024

Puja Awasthi

Zia-ul Hasan, a convict lodged in the Fatehpur jail, has offered his earnings of a month for Ayodhya’s Ram temple.

Hasan, who earns Rs 1,075 by sweeping the jail, requested the jailer to send his salary to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The cheque dated January 17 was received by the Trust on Wednesday.

With the cheque is a letter addressed to the jail superintendent that reads, “Of my own will I wish to donate the salary earned from my mazdoori (manual labour) to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. You are requested to make a cheque in the name of the Trust’.

Though the Trust had no further details on Hasan, VHP spokesperson Sharad Sharma said that the cheque was an example of communal harmony.

“Our Muslim brother’s offering is praiseworthy. He might be of a different religion but then Ram is everyone’s spiritual leader and does not belong to just one religion. The Lord’s life story and its lessons are the backbone of this nation. The mere thought of him inspires one to do good deeds,” said Sharma.

The new temple is also being visited by several Muslims after its inauguration on January 22.

It is noteworthy that the Urdu poet Mohammed Iqbal had labelled Ram ‘Imam-e-Hind’ who exemplifies the essence and spirit of India.

Source: theweek.in

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LeT Bomb-Maker Abdul Karim Tunda Acquitted In 1993 Serial Blast Case for the Lack of Evidence

29 Feb 2024

JAIPUR: A special court in Rajasthan's Ajmer Thursday acquitted Abdul Karim Tunda in the 1993 serial blasts case, observing the prosecution could not provide enough evidence to prove the charges.

Two other accused, Irfan and Hamiduddin, have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court.

The 81-year-old Tunda, a close aide of wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, was accused of carrying out blasts in five trains in different cities in December 1993 to mark the first anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition.

Two people were killed and several injured in the blasts.

"The court has acquitted Abdul Karim Tunda of all the charges framed against him.

The prosecution could not provide enough evidences to prove the charges," his petitioner ShafquatullahSultani told reporters in Ajmer.

The TADA court had framed charges against Tunda, the main accused, and Irfan alias Pappu and Hamiduddi, on September 30, 2021, over the blasts in passenger trains in Lucknow, Kanpur, Hyderabad, Surat and Mumbai on the intervening night of December 5-6, 1993.

Irfan and Hamiduddin have been sentenced to life imprisonment for planting the bombs, their counsel Abdul Rashid told reporters.

Source: newindianexpress.com

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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Feb/29/let-bomb-maker-abdul-karim-tunda-acquitted-in-1993-serial-blast-case

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India hits out at Pakistan for raking up Kashmir issue at UNHRC

February 29, 2024

In a strong retort to debt-trapped Pakistan after it raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), India has said it cannot pay any attention to a country which is soaked in red due to the bloodshed from terrorism that it sponsors around the world.

First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in Geneva Anupama Singh exercised India’s Right of Reply at the ongoing high-level segment of the 55th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on February 28.

India exercised the Right of Reply to respond to Turkiye and Pakistan after the two countries made references to Kashmir in their statements at the high-level segment.

“Firstly, we regret the comment made by Turkiye on a matter that is an internal affair of India and hope that it would refrain from making unsolicited comments on our internal matters in the future,” Ms. Singh said.

Coming down heavily on Pakistan, India said that “we cannot pay any further attention to a country that speaks while being soaked in red — the red of the bloodshed from the terrorism it sponsors around the world; the red of its debt-riddled national balance sheets; and the red of the shame its own people feel for their government having failed to serve their actual interests.”

A country that hosts and even celebrates UN Security Council-sanctioned terrorists, “commenting on India whose pluralistic ethos and democratic credentials are exemplars for the world, is a contrast for everyone to see,” she said, in an apparent reference to terror outfit leaders such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar enjoying the backing of the government in Pakistan.

Hitting out at Pakistan for the “extensive references” to India, Ms. Singh said it is deeply unfortunate for the Council's platform to have once again been misused to make patently false allegations against India. “We are constrained to respond,” Ms. Singh said.

Ms. Singh asserted that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India and the constitutional measures taken by the Indian government to ensure socio-economic development and good governance in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are matters of internal to India. She said Pakistan has no locus standi to pronounce on matters that are internal to India.

Ms. Singh said that Pakistan is a country that has institutionalised the systemic persecution of its own minorities and has a truly abysmal human rights record. “Commenting on India, which is demonstratively making great strides in achieving economic progress and social justice, is not merely ironical, but perverse.” She cited the "glaring example" of large-scale brutality perpetrated against the minority Christian communities in Jaranwala city in Pakistan in August 2023, when 19 churches were gutted, and 89 Christian houses burnt down.

Source: thehindu.com

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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-hits-out-at-pakistan-for-raking-up-kashmir-issue-at-unhrc/article67899032.ece

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Supreme Court to hear in March plea seeking release of detained Rohingya refugees

February 29, 2024

The Supreme Court on February 29 agreed to hear in March a plea seeking direction to the government to release Rohingya refugees who have been "illegally and arbitrarily" detained in jails and detention centres across the country.

A Bench of Justice B. R. Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta agreed to list the plea after advocate Prashant Bhushan mentioned the matter, saying the case has not been posted for hearing.

Mr. Bhushan submitted that despite the issuance of notice to the Centre, the Union of India has not filed its reply till date. He told the top court that the matter needs an urgent hearing as many Rohingya refugees have been languishing in various parts of the country. The apex court said it will post the matter in March.

The top court on October 10 last year issued notice to the Centre and sought its response within four weeks.

Mr. Bhushan, appearing for petitioner Priyali Sur, had submitted that many Rohingya refugees have been detained in facilities across the country and sought their release to protect their right to life and equality before the law under Article 21 and Article 14 of the Constitution.

Ms. Sur's plea said the Rohingyas are an ethnic minority from the Rakhine state in Myanmar and they have been described by the United Nations as the world's most persecuted ethnic minority.

"They have a history of statelessness since 1980, primarily as a consequence of the 1982 Citizenship Law enacted in Mynamar, which effectively stripped them of their citizenship," it said.

The plea said that Rohingya refugees have fled to neighbouring countries, including India, to escape persecution that has been dubbed by the United Nations and the International Court of Justice as genocide and crime against humanity.

It said despite this background of persecution and discrimination, Rohingya refugees in India are officially labelled as "illegal immigrants" and face inhumane treatment and restrictions.

"These include arbitrary arrests and unlawful detentions, limits on freedom of movement outside camps, limited access to education, limited or no access to basic healthcare and legal services or any formal employment opportunities," the plea said.

Hundreds of Rohingya refugees, including pregnant women and minors, have been detained unlawfully and indefinitely in jails and detention centres across India, despite the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recognising their status as refugees, it added.

he plea sought direction to the Centre to release the Rohingyas who have been detained illegally and arbitrarily in jails and detention centres or juvenile homes, either without assigning a reason or for violation of the provisions of the Foreigners Act.

It also sought direction to the government to refrain from arbitrarily detaining any Rohingya, accusing them of being illegal immigrants or under the Foreigners Act.

Source: thehindu.com

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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-to-hear-in-march-plea-seeking-release-of-detained-rohingya-refugees/article67898852.ece

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Government bans two factions of Jammu & Kashmir outfit Muslim Conference, Jammu and Kashmir under UAPA

February 28, 2024

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday declared two factions of the Muslim Conference, Jammu and Kashmir (MCJK), led by Abdul Ghani Bhat and Ghulam Nabi Sumji, respectively, as an “unlawful association under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted on social media platform X that “these outfits have been engaging in activities against the sovereignty and integrity of the nation”. Both factions have been banned for five years.

The two groups, which are a constituent of the Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), have not been active for several years.

In 2017, Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhat, who had been the head of the APHC, was removed as the president of the Muslim Conference after meeting with the Government of India’s special representative, the late Dineshwar Sharma, and expressing his willingness to talk to the Centre. He is considered to be a moderate and the group has negligible presence.

Ghulam Nabi Sumji, a former MLA, resigned in 1989 to join the Hurriyat.

A notification by the MHA said MCJK-B, chaired by Bhat, has linkages with banned terrorist organisations and has supported terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. It said that members of the MCJK-B have been indulging in generating feelings of hatred and disaffection against India to separate Jammu and Kashmir from the Union of India, and its leaders have raised funds through various sources, including Pakistan and its proxy organisations, for perpetrating unlawful activities, including supporting terrorist activities and sustained pelting of stones on Indian security forces.

“The MCJK-B and its members by their activities show sheer disrespect towards the constitutional authority and constitutional set up of the country; And whereas, MCJK-B by giving clarion call to boycott elections on multiple occasions, has also attempted to subvert the will of people and democratic process in J&K,” the notification said.

MCJK-S, the other outfit chaired by Ghulam Nabi Sumji, is known for its anti-India and pro-Pakistan propaganda, the MHA said in its notification.

“Members of the MCJK-S have remained involved in supporting terrorist activities and providing logistic support to terrorists in J&K, the leaders and members have been involved in raising funds through various sources including Pakistan and its proxy organisations for perpetrating unlawful activities, including supporting terrorist activities, sustained stone-pelting on Security Forces in J&K...And whereas, MCJK-S is involved in promoting, aiding and abetting secession of J&K from India by involving in anti-national and subversive activities; sowing seeds of disaffection amongst people; exhorting people to destabilise law and order...promoting hatred against established Government by giving clarion call to boycott elections on multiple occasions in J&K,” the notification said.’ Source: thehindu.com

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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/two-factions-of-muslim-conference-jk-banned-by-home-ministry/article67896485.ece

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Pakistan

 

Army Chief GeneralEmphasis Social Harmony, Nationwide Consensus To Curb Intolerance

February 28, 2024

Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir has lauded Lady Police Officer Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi for diffusing a volatile situation and protecting a woman from a violent mob at Ichra Bazaar Lahore.

He was talking to Assistant Superintendent of Police Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi who called on him in Rawalpindi today.

The Army Chief underscored the importance of social harmony and the need for nationwide consensus on curbing intolerance.

He further emphasized upon the rule of law and advised against taking law in one's hands when legal avenues are available for addressing concerns and grievances.

Syed Asim Munir underlined Islam's eternal message of kindness and benevolence as the arbitrary actions on the basis of heresy undermine outlook of the society.

Acknowledging the vital role being played by Pakistani women in all walks of life since independence, he said they have distinguished themselves at home and abroad, by virtue of their talent, tenacity and commitment.

The Army Chief said women are an invaluable part of Pakistan's society and their respect is enshrined in our religion as well as our social ethos.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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https://radio.gov.pk/28-02-2024/coas-underscores-need-for-nationwide-consensus-on-curbing-intolerance

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Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl To Boycott Elections For KP Chief Minister And PA Speaker

February 29, 2024

PESHAWAR: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl on Wednesday announced that it would boycott the elections for the offices of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister and the provincial assembly’s speaker and deputy speaker.

The house will elect its speaker and deputy speaker today (Thursday).

“We [JUI-F] have decided not to take part in the elections for the chief minister, speaker, and deputy speaker.

We are going to boycott this electoral exercise,” senior JUI-F leader and former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani told reporters after the oath-taking ceremony for MPAs.

Durrani says other parties requested to join protests against poll ‘rigging’

Mr Durrani said that the JUI-F informed the other opposition parties in the provincial assembly in a meeting on Wednesday about its intention to boycott elections.

He said that his party had the majority of seats in the Balochistan Assembly and could even install its own chief minister in the province, but it preferred to sit on the opposition benches.

The JUI-F leader said that his party turned down a PML-N proposal to join the federal government and would continue to raise voice against election “rigging” on the floor of the house as well as in street protests.

He said that political parties were holding demonstrations against poll “rigging” across the country, and even it was protested by the PTI, which won polls in KP.

“Religious forces are on the streets across the country [against polling rigging], while nationalist parties are staging protests in Sindh and Balochistan. The Awami National Party is also protesting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where our party is set to announce its protest schedule,” he said.

Mr Durrani said that his party was in contact with others with requests to join protests.

He complained about violence on election day and alleged that voters were taken away at gunpoint and ballot boxes were stuffed with bogus votes.

The JUI-F leader claimed that he had videos showing his rivals stamp ballot papers.

He took a dig at PTI workers sitting in the visitors’ gallery during the oath-taking ceremony in the assembly over their rowdy behaviour and said that the house appeared to be a “cattle market.”

Mr Durrani said that in such circumstances, any respectable person would think twice before becoming part of the house.

“Culture and traditions take hundreds of years to take shape before they drive the world. When a nation moves away from its culture and religion, then it can’t survive for long,” he said.

The JUI-F leader said under the new government, the inflation rate would hit an all-time high.

In the provincial assembly, the PML-N and JUI-F have nine seats, including seven general seats and two reserved for women.

On Tuesday, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that his party would neither become part of the government nor take part in the opposition leader’s election.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1817975/jui-f-to-boycott-elections-for-chief-minister-and-pa-speaker

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PM disapproves of Imran’s IMF letterterming this move as 'highly irresponsible'

February 29, 2024

ISLAMABAD:

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has expressed his disapproval of PTI chief Imran Khan’s letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), terming this move as 'highly irresponsible'.

Appearing on a talk show of a private TV channel, the prime minister said the letter was sent at a time when the caretaker government had significantly worked for economic revival, with relevant indicators showing positive trends and achieving various financial targets.

He mentioned that negotiations with the IMF are underway for a $6-billion-dollar agreement, which is crucial for the economic health of the country. Moreover, different multilateral agreements also depend on it.

He said that there are appropriate forums for electoral disputes, and PTI’s decision to write a letter to the IMF was unjustified and highly irresponsible. However, he noted that in tangible terms, the letter would have no effects, but it would have political costs for the PTI.

Responding to a question, Kakar stated that he had appeared before the Islamabad High Court in the Baloch missing persons’ case to demonstrate that the interim set-up was functioning under a constitutional order. “Court orders should be respected, and I appeared before it to reiterate the same stance and set a precedent,” he added.

Source: tribune.com.pk

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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2457965/pm-disapproves-of-imrans-imf-letter

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Six militants killed in North Waziristan operation: ISPR

 February 29, 2024

Umer Farooq

PESHAWAR: Six militants were killed, and a soldier sustained injuries in an exchange of fire between security forces and militants in North Waziristan, the military’s media affairs wing said on Wednesday.

An ISPR statement said the security forces conducted an IBO on reported presence of militants, adding that intense firing took place during the operation. The statement mentioned that as a result, six militants were killed, while a soldier sustained injuries.

“Weapons, ammunition, and explosives were also recovered from the killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities, including target killing as well as extortion and abduction of innocent civilians,” it added.

The statement also noted that a sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other militant found in the area, adding that locals appreciated the operation and expressed their full support to eliminate the menace of militancy.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1817901/six-militants-killed-in-north-waziristan-operation-ispr

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Pakistanis among UN peacekeepers pulling out from Congo

February 29, 2024

KAMANYOLA: The United Nations on Wednesday kicked off the withdrawal of MONUSCO peacekeeping forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo by handing over a first UN base to national police, an AFP team saw.

During an official ceremony at the Kamanyola base, close to the Rwandan and Burundian borders, the flags of the UN and Pakistan, the country of origin of the peacekeepers in charge, were replaced by those of the DRC.

The DRC demanded the withdrawal despite UN concerns about rampant violence in the east of the country.

Kinshasa considers the UN force to be ineffective in protecting civilians from the armed groups and militias that have plagued the east of the vast country for three decades.

UN force set to leave its 14 bases and hand them over to DRC security forces before May

The UN Security Council voted in December to accede to Kinshasa’s demand for a gradual pullout by the MONUSCO mission, which arrived in 1999. The UN force currently fields around 13,500 soldiers and 2,000 police across the three eastern provinces of Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu.

The “disengagement plan” is due to take place in three phases with completion depending on regular assessments.

Phase one is to see the departure of military peacekeepers from South Kivu by the end of April and civilian staff by June 30. Before May, the UN force is to leave its 14 bases in the province and hand them over to DRC security forces.

It’s a “historic moment”, interim MONUSCO commander in chief Diouf Khar said in a speech. “We began with Kamanyola because there is stability here which allows us to leave,” the head of MONUSCO Bintou Keita told reporters.

After South Kivu, the second and third pullout phases will cover Ituri and North Kivu, with regular assessments of progress.

DRC Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula has made it clear he wants the withdrawal completed by the end of this year, though the UN Security Council has not fixed a date.

‘Security vacuum’

The UN has insisted the DRC security forces must be reinforced and take care of civilians at the same time as MONUSCO pulls out.

Around six million people have been displaced by the fighting in DRC.

In Kamanyola, with a population of about 100,000, opinions appeared divided on the eve of the first step in the pullout. OmbeniNtaboba, head of a local youth council, said he was not too concerned.

Every evening, he said, “we see them out in their armoured vehicles around the Ruzizi plain”, where armed groups operate along the border.

“But the level of insecurity is still the same, with armed robberies and kidnappings.”

“We salute the Congolese government’s decision,” said MibondaShingire, a rights activist, who admitted fearing the impact on the local economy because of the many people employed by MONUSCO.

Others, like Joe Wendo, said they were worried about a “security vacuum” once the Pakistani troops deployed to Kamanyola have gone.

“Their presence at least protected us from the Rwandan invaders,” he said.

The withdrawal comes with North Kivu facing the resurgent Tutsi-led M23 rebels who have seized swathes of territory.

Intense fighting resumed last month around the city of Goma, North Kivu’s capital. But local people shout down the UN troops more than they praise them.

And MONUSCO has recently felt the need to point out that it “supports Congo’s armed forces… defends its positions… facilitates secure passage for civilians”.

“The departure of the MONUSCO blue helmets concerns us, at a time when the country is at war with the rebels backed by our Rwandan neighbours,” said Beatrice Tubatunziye, who leads a development association in Kamanyola. She said she wanted to believe that Congolese forces “will quickly be able to fill the void”.

Kinshasa, the United Nations and Western countries say Rwanda supports M23 in a bid to control vast mineral resources in the region, an allegation Kigali denies.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1817886/pakistanis-among-un-peacekeepers-pulling-out-from-congo

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Case related to protests, vandalism on May 9: IK, Asad, Faisal acquitted

2024-02-29

ISLAMABAD: A local court on Wednesday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and other leaders in a case related to protests and vandalism on May 9.

Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Shabbir while hearing the case acquitted Khan, former federal minister Asad Umar, and Senator Faisal Javed from the case.

During the hearings, PTI lawyers, Sardar Masroof, Amina Ali, and Mohsin Ghaffar appeared before the court.

The court ruled that the accused could not be punished and that pursuing the trial would be a waste of time, therefore, the acquittal requests of Imran Khan, Asad Umar, and Raja Khurram Shahzad are accepted. The court also approved the acquittal application of Ali Nawaz Awan, Abid Hussain, and Zaheer Khan.

The accused, Asad Umar, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Faisal Javed are on bail and can withdraw their bonds.

It should be noted that the case against the accused was registered on May 26, 2023, at Tarnol police station.

Source: brecorder.com

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https://www.brecorder.com/news/40291255/case-related-to-protests-vandalism-on-may-9-ik-asad-faisal-acquitted

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North America

 

Ex-White House OfficialLisa Curtis, Policy Advisor In The Trump Administration, Calls For Revisiting Doha Accord With Taliban

Fidel Rahmati

February 29, 2024

Lisa Curtis, a former White House official, says Washington should set aside the Doha agreement and pursue new avenues of “conditional engagement” with the Taliban.

Curtis, who was a senior policy advisor in the Trump administration at the time of the Doha agreement signing in February 2020, played a role in U.S. policy towards Afghanistan.

In an interview with Afghanistan International, she described the Doha agreement as “very weak,” arguing that it favored the Taliban.

She stated that the Doha agreement had been “very much in favor of the Taliban,” even refraining from asking the group to sever its ties with terrorist organizations.

According to her, the Doha agreement merely required the Taliban to refrain from allowing terrorists to attack against U.S. interests.

She asserts that this agreement has emboldened the Taliban, labeling it as “very weak.”

Lisa Curtis stated: “On the fourth anniversary of the Doha agreement, I believe it’s time to set it aside and find new ways to engage with the Taliban, conditional engagement that puts pressure on them to respect the rights of women and girls.”

This former White House official emphasized that the Doha agreement did not secure U.S. security interests in Afghanistan and the region, and terrorist threats in Afghanistan have intensified.

Ms. Curtis said that the ISIS-Khorasan branch is a global threat, as well as the resurgence of the Taliban in Pakistan and some Middle Eastern terrorist groups in Afghanistan, are becoming stronger.

This former White House official stated that America is “not safer” after signing the Doha agreement and is not in a better position.

She emphasized that the international community is not taking sufficient actions to hold the Taliban accountable for their behaviors.

The Doha agreement was signed between the U.S. and the Taliban on February 29, 2020.

This agreement was reached after eighteen months of negotiations between the U.S. delegation led by Zalmay Khalilzad and the Taliban delegation led by Mullah Baradar.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/ex-white-house-official-calls-for-revisiting-doha-accord-with-taliban/

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US Asks Israel to Let Muslims Worship At Al-Aqsa Mosque During Holy Month of Ramadan

FEBRUARY 29, 2024

The United States has urged Israel to allow Muslims to worship at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem during Ramadan, after a minister proposed banning Palestinians from the West Bank from praying there.

“As it pertains to Al-Aqsa, we continue to urge Israel to facilitate access to Temple Mount for peaceful worshippers during Ramadan consistent with past practice,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Wednesday, using the Jewish term for the site, the holiest in Judaism.

“That’s not just the right thing to do, it’s not just a matter of granting people religious freedom that they deserve and to which they have a right, but it’s also a matter that directly is important to Israel’s security,” he said. “It is not in Israel’s security interest to inflame tensions in the West Bank or in the broader region.” Israel has been assessing how to address worship in Jerusalem during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month that will start on March 10 or 11.

The month of fasting comes as Israel wages a military campaign in the Gaza Strip in response to the deadly Hamas attack inside Israel on October 7. Hamas has called for a mass movement on Al-Aqsa for the start of Ramadan. “We call on our people in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the occupied interior (Israel) to travel to Al-Aqsa from the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan, in groups or alone, to pray there to break the siege on it,” Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said in a televised statement Wednesday.

Last week, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said that Palestinian residents of the West Bank “should not be allowed” entry to Jerusalem to pray during Ramadan. “We cannot take risks,” he said, adding: “We cannot have women and children hostage in Gaza and allow celebrations for Hamas on the Temple Mount.” Meanwhile, the US has been pressing for a deal before Ramadan begins in which Israel would halt strikes in the Gaza Strip and hostages snatched on October 7 would be freed.

Source: news18.com

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https://www.news18.com/world/us-urges-israel-to-let-muslims-worship-at-al-aqsa-mosque-during-ramadan-8797182.html

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US wants Israeli assurances on using weapons by mid-March

Feb 28, 2024

TEHRAN, Feb. 28 (MNA) – The Biden administration gave Israel until mid-March to sign a letter, provided by the US on Tuesday, that gives assurances it will abide by international law while using US weapons and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The assurances are now a requirement under a memorandum issued earlier this month by President Biden. While it doesn't single out Israel, the new policy came after some Democratic senators expressed concern over the Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

If the assurances aren't provided by the deadline, US weapon transfers to the country will be paused, Axios reported.

The memorandum was issued by the White House after pressure from Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and other senators who wanted to add these requirements as an amendment to the Senate supplemental funding bill.

Israel waged its brutal war on besieged Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out an unprecedented operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured at least 68,883 others.

Israel has imposed a complete siege on the densely populated territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

Source: mehrnews.com

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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/212432/US-wants-Israeli-assurances-on-using-weapons-by-mid-March

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CAIR Welcomes Congressional Letter on Lack of Press Freedom in Gaza, Journalist Murders

Ismail Allison

February 28, 2024

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a letter sent to Secretary Blinken – led by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) – and including 23 other members of Congress expressing their concern for the high death toll of journalists and significant challenges to press freedom in Gaza.

The letter was signed by the following members of Congress: Reps. Beyer (D-VA), Blumenauer (D-OR), Carson (D-IN), Castro (D-TX), Chu (D-CA), Cohen (D-TN), Dean (D-PA), Doggett (D-TX), Frost (D-TX), Grijalva (D-AZ), Jacobs (D-CA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Keating (D-MA), Khanna (D-CA), Kildee (D-MI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Lofgren (D-CA), McGovern (D-MA), Norton (D-DC), Quigley (D-IL), Raskin (D-MD), and Watson Coleman (D-NJ).

The letter stated in part:

“With more journalists killed in three months than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year, we remain concerned that not enough steps have been taken to safeguard the lives of the civilian population in Gaza, including journalists.”

The letter comes as more than 50 UK-based journalists sent an open letter to the Israeli and Egyptian embassies calling for “free and unfettered access” to Gaza for foreign media.

In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Department Director Robert McCaw said,

“As Israel’s far-right government continues to carry out the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, the war is claiming the lives of innocent journalists at an alarming rate. The Biden administration cannot continue to turn a blind eye to Israeli war crimes. Now is the time for concrete measures to ensure the safety and freedom of the press in the region.”

Source: cair.com

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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-congressional-letter-on-lack-of-press-freedom-in-gaza-journalist-murders/

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American Jews detect decline in US support for Israeli war effort - survey

FEBRUARY 29, 2024

A recent study conducted by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) shed light on changing attitudes among American Jews concerning US backing for Israel.

The survey, known as the KolHa'am: Voice of the People index, showed a significant decline in American Jews' perception of US support for Israel's war efforts. Notably, among politically centrist Jews, the percentage that felt that "the US does not support Israel enough" surged from 55% to 67% in the past month.

The findings further indicated that most American Jews view Israel's actions during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war as either appropriately measured or not aggressive enough. Fewer respondents expressed the opinion that Israel was overly aggressive. This sentiment is particularly pronounced among politically centrist and conservative-leaning groups.

Regarding the 2024 election, the survey revealed that a majority of American Jews intend to vote for Joe Biden in the upcoming presidential elections, considering him a more favorable candidate for nurturing Israel-US relations. Interestingly, Israel's role emerged as a significant factor influencing voting decisions, especially among liberal-leaning and centrist Jews, according to the survey.

Israel-Hamas war will be a key factor in how Americans vote

Despite Israel's importance as a voting factor, the study emphasized that support for Israel may not decisively determine voting behavior. However, the confluence of rising concerns about antisemitism and the Israel-Hamas conflict has intensified interest in how American Jews will cast their ballots in November.

Interestingly, American Jews rated the importance of Israel's "moral security policy" and its "Jewish character" higher than their counterparts in Israel.

Source: jpost.com

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https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-789501

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US considering airdropping aid into Gaza as land deliveries become increasingly hard

29.02.2024

US President Joe Biden’s administration is considering airdropping aid from US military planes into the Gaza Strip as land deliveries become increasingly difficult, an American official told Reuters on Wednesday.

The Axios news site, which first reported the US was considering airdrops, cited US officials acknowledging such action would not be particularly effective, and that any large amounts of aid can only be moved in by land.

“The situation is really bad. We are unable to get enough aid [in] by truck so we need desperate measures like airdrops,” a US official said.

Also Wednesday, a Canadian cabinet minister said Ottawa was working to airdrop humanitarian aid to Gaza as soon as possible, as it explores new options to deliver aid.

Canadian International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen said the provision of airdrops in partnership with like-minded countries in the region, such as Jordan, was on the table. Jordan and other foreign nations have already airdropped supplies over southern Gaza.

Hussen said last week that the provision of aid is nowhere near what’s needed and a tedious inspection process was slowing down the movement of supplies brought in by truck. He made the comments following a trip to the Rafah border crossing, the only way in or out of Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war was sparked by the terror group’s October 7 atrocities, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 253 taken hostage.

The comments on potential US and Canadian airdrops came after Israeli officials said aid convoys carrying food reached northern Gaza this week, the first major delivery in a month to the devastated, isolated area, where the UN has warned of worsening starvation among hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have not fled south amid the fighting.

A convoy of 31 trucks carrying food entered northern Gaza on Wednesday, the Israeli military office that oversees Palestinian civilian affairs said. The office, known by the acronym COGAT, said nearly 20 other trucks entered the north on Monday and Tuesday. Associated Press footage showed people carrying sacks of flour from the distribution site.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the deliveries. The UN was not involved, said a spokesperson for the UN’s humanitarian coordination office, EriKeneko.

As of Sunday, the UN had been unable to deliver food to northern Gaza since January 23, according to Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees that has led the aid effort during the war. On February 18, the World Food Program attempted a delivery to the north for the first time in three weeks, but much of the convoy’s cargo was taken en route by desperate Palestinians, and it was only able to distribute a small amount in the north. Two days later, the WFP announced it was pausing deliveries to the north because of the chaos.

Since launching its campaign against Hamas in response to the October 7 attack, Israel has barred entry of food, water, medicine and other supplies except for a trickle of aid entering the south from Egypt at the Rafah crossing and Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing. Despite international calls to allow in more aid, the number of supply trucks entering has dropped dramatically in recent weeks.

COGAT said Wednesday that Israel does not impose limits on the amount of aid entering. Israel has blamed UN agencies for the bottleneck, saying hundreds of trucks are waiting on the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom for aid workers to collect them.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Wednesday countered saying large trucks entering Gaza have to be unloaded and reloaded onto smaller Palestinian trucks, but there aren’t enough of them and there’s a lack of security to distribute aid in Gaza. The Hamas-run police in Gaza stopped protecting convoys after Israeli strikes on them near the crossing. There is also “insufficient coordination” from Israel on security and deconfliction, which the UN says puts the lives of staff and other humanitarian workers at risk.

“That’s why we’ve repeatedly asked for a humanitarian ceasefire,” he said. The UN has called for Israel to open crossings in the north to aid deliveries and guarantee safe corridors for convoys.

Along with blaming the UN for the fall-off in aid deliveries, Israel has called for the dismantling of UNRWA and its replacement with another entity after providing evidence that UNRWA employees participated in the October 7 attacks, that Hamas has used the UN organization’s facilities for terror purposes, and amid claims that a number of the organization’s workers are linked to Hamas.

Inside Gaza, desperate residents have halted convoys to seize aid from trucks as footage has shown gunmen, believed to be members of Hamas, stealing trucks delivering humanitarian aid from Egypt.

Israel has also long said that Hamas stockpiled supplies and kept them from increasingly desperate civilians.

Source: timesofisrael.com

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https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-considering-airdropping-aid-into-gaza-as-land-deliveries-become-increasingly-hard/

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Europe

 

Russia’s UN Envoy Says US Giving Israel ‘License To Kill’ Palestinians

28 February 2024

Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations says an alternative draft resolution Washington has proposed on the situation in the besieged Gaza Strip simply paves the way for more Palestinian civilian deaths.

“This is not an alternative at all, but another license to kill Palestinian civilians that the US is determined to give Israel by submitting it to the UN Security Council this time. We urge the members of the Council not to support this destructive endeavor,” VasilyNebenzia said in a speech at the Security Council on Wednesday.

“The alternative draft Security Council resolution on Gaza proposed by the US does not contain a call for a ceasefire and is aimed at extending the UN umbrella over the Israeli operation in the strip.”

Nebenzia said the United States was accountable for Israel’s campaign of death and destruction in the Palestinian territory.

“By blocking international efforts to stop the violence in Gaza, Washington bears full responsibility for the unprecedented number of civilian victims of this escalation, the number of which has already approached 30,000. This is the price of the American veto in the UN Council,” the Russian diplomat said.

He said the “only and vital imperative to prevent mass starvation in Gaza” was to halt hostilities and press Israel to comply with international humanitarian law.

“However, all attempts by the Council to adopt such a decision have been blocked by the US, which has used its veto four times. Against the backdrop of tens of thousands of dead and starving people in Gaza, the US delegation continues to cynically argue that a ceasefire is almost dangerous because it will undermine some fragile US diplomacy on the ground.”

On February 20, the US once again blocked adoption by the Security Council of a draft resolution for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Thirteen of the 15 members of the Council, including Russia and China, voted in favor of the document submitted by Algeria. Britain abstained.

Nebenzia said ceasefire “is important first and foremost for the creation of safe, uninterrupted humanitarian corridors.”

“In addition to the delivery of aid through them, it is necessary to establish the evacuation of seriously ill people who, in the absence of treatment, face imminent death in Gaza.”

The Russian official also said the Security Council should take punitive measures against the countries that obstruct humanitarian access to Gaza.

“It is also important not to forget that the Security Council has the right to consider imposing sanctions against those who obstruct humanitarian access to those in need.”

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/02/28/720978/Russia-UN-Israel-Gaza

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Britain’s New Protest Laws ‘Unconstitutional’, Rights Group Tells London Court

February 29, 2024

LONDON: Britain unlawfully gave police wider powers to impose conditions on peaceful protests which cause “more than minor” disruption to the public, lawyers for a civil rights organisation told a London court on Wednesday.

Human rights group Liberty is taking on the government over changes to public order laws made last year, which it says gave the police almost unlimited powers to shut down protests.

The case at London’s High Court comes amid a wider crackdown on protest movements in Britain and across Europe, as environmental activists have used direct action protests to demand urgent government action against climate change.

Liberty’s legal action focuses on the Public Order Act, under which the police can impose conditions on a protest if it could cause “serious disruption to the life of the community”.The law was amended by then interior minister Suella Braverman last year, so police could impose conditions in cases where a protest could cause “more than minor” disruption.Liberty says the decision by Braverman - an outspoken critic of several protest movements and human rights laws - was unlawful and undemocratic.

Its lawyer Jude Bunting said the changes were “constitutionally unprecedented” because they had already been rejected by Britain’s parliament.He added in court filings that the new powers “have led to the criminalisation of protest activity which would not otherwise have been capable of criminalisation,” citing the arrest of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg last year.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1162745-britain-s-new-protest-laws-unconstitutional-rights-group-tells-london-court

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Russia says Israeli plan on Gaza hinders sustainable peace

Elena Teslova

28.02.2024

Russia said on Wednesday that it will be "difficult" to achieve sustainable peace in the region based on Israel's plan on Gaza.

Responding to a question by Anadolu at a news conference in Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized that the ministry has not seen the entire document presenting Israel's plan on Gaza, however, according to available data it contradicts the existing international legal basis for the Palestinian-Israeli settlement.

"History proves that any initiatives on the Middle East settlement if they go against the decisions of the UN Security Council, which provide for the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, coexisting in peace and security with Israel, are doomed to fail," she stressed.

Zakharova called the establishment of a sustainable cease-fire in Gaza "the priority task" because it is "an imperative step" to create the conditions necessary to launch a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

"To this end, together with like-minded people, we are making every effort in the UN Security Council. Unfortunately, the US is blocking these efforts there," she regretted.

Equally important is to ensure political and geographical unity of the Palestinians, of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank of the Jordan River, as well as the implementation of the Russian initiative on conducting ministerial consultations of key external players involved in the problems of the Middle East settlement, the spokeswoman underscored.

"Without achieving such unity, the situation in the conflict zone risks returning to the status quo before Oct. 7, which will inevitably lead to new outbreaks of violence, new victims and will continue to destabilize the entire Middle East," she said.

Israel has launched a war on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed nearly 29,954 and injured over 70,000 with mass destruction.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Source: aa.com.tr

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Palestine’s Vatican Envoy Highlights Approach Of Holiest Days In Christian And Muslim Calendars Amid Calls For Gaza Ceasefire

February 28, 2024

ROME – The Palestinian Ambassador to the Holy See met with the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States on 26 Feb. to discuss the ongoing war in Gaza, stressing the need for immediate humanitarian assistance and calling for a ceasefire ahead of the holiest days on the Christian and Muslim calendars.

“There is a real crisis in Gaza with regard to the famine and (there is) no food, no water, no medicines, no hospitals, no schools…the children, the mothers, and the elderly are the ones who are highly paying the price,” Issa Kassissieh told British Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

As the Muslim holy month Ramadan and the Christian feast of Easter approach, “we hope that by this day there will be a ceasefire, so that especially the people in Gaza would see at the end of the tunnel a glimpse of hope, if there was any hope,” Kassissieh told Crux in a separate interview.

Kassissieh also urged Israel to pay heed to the appeals of the international community and “even their allies”, saying they should remember that “they’re living in the Middle East, among Arab and Muslim worlds, so extremism won’t get any results for anyone”.

The current situation, he said, requires “good leadership, and it needs wisdom; wisdom amidst this difficult situation we’re all in”.

Kassissieh thanked Gallagher for the Pope’s appeals for peace in Gaza and for statements made by other senior Vatican officials on the war, and for the “relentless” efforts of the Holy See to push for a lasting peace in the Holy Land.

Recent statements made by the Vatican on Gaza include Vatican Secretary of State Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who described Israel’s retaliation against the 7 Oct. surprise attack by Hamas near the end of 2023 as disproportionate – his comments drew the ire of Israel’s embassy to the Holy See, which initially called Parolin’s comments “deplorable“ before toning down their criticism to “regrettable”.

The conversation between Kassissieh and Gallagher also touched on the special status of Jerusalem and the need to ensure access to holy sites, such as the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, especially with both Ramadan and Easter approaching, to ensure that Jerusalem remains the spiritual heart of the monotheistic religions.

In his capacity as dean of the Arab ambassadors to the Holy See, Kassissieh delivered a letter to Gallagher on behalf of the League of Arab States Accredited to the Holy See, detailing current regional developments and stressing the importance of supporting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), at a time when the organisation is responsible for the bulk of the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip, providing a lifeline to millions of Palestinian refugees throughout the region.

In his interview with Crux, Kassissieh noted that the International Court of Justice in January urged Israel to prevent a potential genocide in Gaza, and echoed Pope Francis’s repeated condemnation of war “as a defeat” for all involved.

Regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Kassissieh said he told Gallagher that at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, trucks full of humanitarian aid are blocked while inside Gaza there is “famine and the situation is completely chaotic, and the health system is completely collapsing”.

“There is no place for the people to go, while outside we have more than 2,000 lorries full of medical aid and food and structures, and they cannot get in,” Kassissieh elaborated.

Kassissieh said there ought to be a stronger will by the international community, and the Western world in particular, to ensure that the people of Gaza have access to humanitarian aid:

“Everyone is watching the TV, and they see it in the eyes of the children, the suffering. Our children have enough suffering, the trauma they’re in is unthinkable. The catastrophe we’re in needs years and years to heal.

“Gaza has become a graveyard for our children. So, we need to have the world leaders shake up their conscience, as is the case with the Holy Father,” he said, voicing hope that “with God’s will, this carnage would stop”.

Kassissieh praised the Church’s network of charitable organisations and institutions such as the Pontifical Missions and Caritas, as well as efforts by the Latin Patriarchate, to help those in need, and he lauded the Pope for being in constant contact with the pastor of Gaza’s Holy Family Catholic parish, which is currently sheltering around 600 people amid calls for evacuation.

“They’re living in horror; they hear bombardments and the [noise] of the military machines,” he said, adding that “nowadays this [noise] is higher than the [ringing] of the bells, and the Holy See wants to see immediate ceasefire and to give hope for the people.”

Also discussed during the meeting with Gallagher were the restrictions on holy sites in Jerusalem, given the approach of Ramadan and Easter.

“We expect that Israel under the Geneva Convention would facilitate, [rather than] complicate,” he said, adding that access to the holy sites “is a basic right for the faithful, to reach their holy shrines and pray without any restrictions”.

Kassissieh said he asked Gallagher to help ensure Christians in Bethlehem, Ramallah and other parts of the West Bank can enter Jerusalem without restrictions and “practice their belief and celebrate Easter”. Having free and secure access to their places of worship is a long-established right, he said, saying restrictions “would create more anger, more frustration, more hatred”.

The needs and ambitions of everyone should be respected, “or else the future would be so gloomy”, he said, adding, “there should be someone there like His Holiness to keep the hope and to keep the light on, the candle on, not to push things to more deterioration”.

In terms of the Holy See’s role in the current conflict, Kassissieh said he urged the Church to continue “their constructive efforts with their partners, with the world leaders, to ensure a ceasefire and humanitarian aid”, and to help develop a roadmap with an endgame, including a clear timeframe to reach a two-state solution.

Kassissieh insisted that other states ought to follow the Holy See’s decision and recognise the State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, which he said is the only way to achieve a comprehensive peace.

He also said the Holy See’s advocacy for maintaining the “historic and legal” status quo of Jerusalem and its holy sites is important, and that its status must be internationally guaranteed given the special importance of Jerusalem for monotheistic religions.

The special relationship between Pope Francis and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was also highlighted during the conversation.

Regarding the status of Jerusalem, Kassissieh said: “This, I think, needs to be more developed and mainly with the local Church, with the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem, so that they would have a united vision for the future of Jerusalem.”

“Here there is a crucial role for the Holy See,” he said, saying Church discussion in this regard must be based on the United Nations’ resolutions related to the Palestinian question.

Kassissieh also spoke of rising discrimination against Christians in the Holy Land, saying, “the Christian presence in East Jerusalem is not at its best. There are many incidents taking place now by the extremist settlers.”

He said that he and Gallagher agreed on the need to “maintain the beauty of the mosaic of the Old City of Jerusalem, and to ensure that the Christian heritage is preserved in this area”.

Gallagher’s message to the people of Palestine, he said, was to remind them of the Pope’s repeated prayers and calls for a ceasefire, and to assure them that the Holy See is aware of their suffering.

The need to hold elections in Palestine was also discussed, Kassissieh said, saying he agreed with Gallagher on this point, but cautioned that “no one can talk about the timeline for elections within a political roadmap before we have a ceasefire and a serious humanitarian intervention”.

The Vatican is having to navigate the conflicting interests in the war, with the Jewish community criticising the Vatican’s stance and messaging both on the conflict in general and on Israel’s right to defend itself; though ultimately Jewish concerns extend far beyond the confines of Rome.

“Verbal skirmishes with the Vatican are not centre-stage,” Peter Oppenheimer, a retired Oxford academic and former President of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, told the Catholic Herald. “What leaves the community both baffled and alarmed is the realisation that the world’s oldest prejudice, which they had thought on the verge of extinction, is alive and well and living in a street near them.”

Source: catholicherald.co.uk

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https://catholicherald.co.uk/palestines-vatican-envoy-highlights-approach-of-holiest-days-in-christian-and-muslim-calendars-amid-calls-for-gaza-ceasefire/

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Africa

 

Economic Hardship: “Life Was Better Under Boko Haram” – Families Of Repentant Terrorists Lament

Jerry Wright-Ukwu

February 29, 2024

Displaced persons in Borno State have expressed their frustration and threatened to return to areas controlled by the terrorist group Boko Haram.

The displaced individuals, who sought refuge in camps due to the insurgency, cited hunger and harsh living conditions as their primary reasons for contemplating such a drastic move.

Reports indicate that several Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and even family members of repentant Boko Haram fighters have voiced similar threats.

The common complaint revolves around the alleged neglect by authorities, particularly in providing daily essentials such as food and other necessities.

Claiming that life was comparatively better under Boko Haram occupation, some IDPs and family members of repentant insurgents argue that the present circumstances in the camps are unbearable.

The lack of necessities and the absence of available farmlands for cultivation have fueled discontent among the displaced population.

A resident in one of the IDP camps, expressing the prevailing sentiment, lamented, “We took the decision to leave our families behind and relocate to the Boko Haram-controlled area because it is all about dying whether here or there.”

The families of repentant Boko Haram fighters echo these sentiments, asserting that the hardships in the camps have left them with no option but to consider returning to the territories controlled by the insurgent group.

Reacting to the development, Borno State Governor BabaganaUmaraZulum dismissed the complaints as baseless, stating, “Those who want to return to Boko Haram in the bush are free to do so.”

Source: politicsnigeria.com

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https://politicsnigeria.com/economic-hardship-life-was-better-under-boko-haram-families-of-repentant-terrorists-lament/

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Over 30 Worshippers Missing As Bandits Reportedly Attack ZamfaraMosque

February 29, 2024

No fewer than 30 worshipers have been reportedly abducted from a mosque in Tsafe town, the headquarters of Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

DAILY POST gathered that the unfortunate incident occurred on Thursday morning when the terrorists invaded the facility while worshippers were observing their morning prayers.

Our correspondent reliably gathered that the assailants, who have been terrorising the area, invaded the mosque, shooting sporadically with sophisticated weapons before whisking the victims into the forest.

Efforts by DAILY POST to reach the state police command proved abortive at the time of writing this report as the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yazid Abubakar, did not pick his calls.

Source: dailypost.ng

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Libya Has No Plans To Make Peace With Israel, Eastern Libyan Minister Says

GIDEON KOUTS

FEBRUARY 28, 2024

PARIS, France - Libya supports South Africa's genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and is opposed to any normalization agreement with Israel, the foreign minister of the unrecognized eastern Libyan government Abdulhadi al-Hweij, told Maariv in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.

"We support the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," Hweij said in a rare interview with Israeli media. "We are members of the Arab League, the Islamic Cooperation Council, and the African Union. We reject any bilateral agreement with Israel," he added.

Hadji announced his candidacy after the North African country's High National Elections Commission announced plans to hold local elections in 97 municipalities across the country in 2024, noting that the Government of National Unity has yet to provide the budget for this process.

Hadji's strict anti-Israel rhetoric comes following the scandal involving his counterpart from the recognized central government, NajlaMangoush, who was fired last year after Israel's then-foreign minister Eli Cohen leaked the news of a secret meeting held between the two in Rome.

The event, which had been billed as historic, created an uproar in Tripoli and a diplomatic debacle in Jerusalem. The issue was not the meeting itself, which was held in secret, but a decision by Cohen on Sunday evening to publicize that they had held a face-to-face conversation with an eye toward normalizing ties between the two nations, which have no diplomatic relations.

Mangoush was forced to flee to Turkey to escape public ire.

Speaking to Maariv, Hadji stated that the unrecognized government led by Libyan Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Omar Haftar and supported by Russia, harbors "good ties" with the United States, further claiming a warming of relat

ions with Turkey, which engaged in combat with the Haftar government back in 2019.
Source: jpost.com

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https://www.jpost.com/international/article-789437

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South Africa Says Following Up On Israel's Non-Compliance With ICJ Ruling

 28 February 2024

South Africa says it has contacted the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to pursue Israel's non-compliance with the top court’s ruling on the prohibition of genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

In a call with the ICJ, South African foreign minister, NalediPandor, raised concerns about Israel's refusal to implement the initial ruling of the world’s highest court on the prohibition of genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

"Israel affirms our view that it actually has the intention to destroy the people of Palestine," Pandor said in an exclusive interview with Al Mayadeen, on Tuesday.

While emphasizing that her country intends to proceed with objective arguments regarding the belief that "genocide" is taking place in the Gaza Strip, Pandor said that a number of countries have also announced that they will join the case against the Israeli regime.

“I believe the rulings of the court have been ignored,” Pandor was quoted as saying.

Furthermore, she exclaimed that the legal papers for the upcoming court session have been prepared, but there was yet to be a date to be announced for the hearing.

Earlier in January, South Africa was the one to drag the Zionist regime to the top court, based in Hague, Netherlands, which had then ordered, out of several measures, the occupying regime to immediately stop its genocide in Gaza.

Between January 26, when the ICJ ordered Israel to prevent genocide, and February 24, Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,500 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health .

On Monday, Israel submitted a report to the court over the measures it claimed it had taken to prevent genocide in Gaza, which was filed hours before the deadline for its submission.

In one of its deceiving acts, the occupation regime reported that it was implementing the ICJ orders, and detailed the steps it claimed it had taken to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Source: presstv.ir

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Several Malian Soldiers Killed In Large-Scale Attack By Suspected Jihadis

February 28, 2024

BAMAKO: Several Malian soldiers died on Wednesday in a large-scale attack by suspected jihadists on a military outpost in the remote west of the landlocked West African nation.

“More than 100 jihadists attacked an army position at Kwala,” said an elected representative of the nearby town of Mourdiah, 300 kilometers (180 miles) north of the capital Bamako.

“Several soldiers were killed, the jihadists took over the place before leaving without a problem,” he said, asking to remain anonymous.

A local political official confirmed to AFP the same version of events, adding that the army “camp was first hit with a car bomb.”

A second elected official said there had been a lot of gunfire and government troops returned to the base after the jihadists left.

The army reported the assault in a statement, making no mention of casualties in its ranks and claiming to have “found and destroyed” a large number of “terrorists.”

AFP was unable to verify the claims from the various sources in the remote zone.

Mali’s military junta pushed out a French anti-jihadist force in 2022 amid deteriorating relations following military coups in 2020 and 2021.

Mali has since pivoted toward Russia, both politically and militarily.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2468486/world

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South Sudan blames fighting in neighbouring Sudan and attacks in the Red Sea for its crisis

February 28, 2024

South Sudan's government on Tuesday blamed the country's economic crisis in part on the fighting in neighbouring Sudan and the instability in the Red Sea, where Yemen's Houthi rebels have been attacking international shipping.

With most government workers not having been paid for the past of five months and the cost of living skyrocketing, Information Minister Michael MakueiLueth told reporters that outside factors have impacted South Sudan's oil exports — the country's main source of revenue.

The news conference by Lueth was meant to provide an update on South Sudan's sluggish economy since the 2018 signing of a peace deal that ended the country's own internal conflict.

Lueth also said that oil wells, which were water-logged by heavy floods over the past rainy season, are not yet fully operational.

The low levels of productivity have been compounded by the fact that the pipeline taking South Sudan's crude through Sudan to its main Red Sea hub, Port Sudan, has been blocked in areas where there is fighting, he said.

But even if the crude oil were to reach Port Sudan, it would still not be possible to ship it because of the ongoing threats to shipping in the Red Sea, Leuth said.

"So, apart from low production, there are physical difficulties confronting the oil sector," he said. "The combination of all these factors has seriously affected" South Sudan.

Neighboring Sudan plunged into chaos in mid-April when clashes erupted in the capital, Khartoum, between rival Sudanese forces — the country's military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and a paramilitary faction known as the Rapid Support Forces, under the command of Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo.

The fighting quickly spread across the African country, especially urban areas but also the restive western Darfur region, and has so far killed at least 12,000 people and sent over 8 million fleeing from their homes.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 following decades of civil war that cost million of lives. Soon after independence, South Sudan fought its own civil war from 2013 to 2018, when rivals President SalvaKiir and Vice President RiekMachar signed a power-sharing agreement and formed a coalition government.

South Sudan, a landlocked country, produces around 150,000 barrels of fuel a day and uses Sudanese pipelines to transfer its oil to the global market in an agreement with the government of Sudan. Sudan pockets $23 per barrel as transit fees for oil exports from South Sudan.

Source: africanews.com

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https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/28/south-sudan-blames-fighting-in-neighbouring-sudan-and-attacks-in-the-red-sea-for-its-crisi/

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UN Court Awards Ugandan Victims $56 Million In Reparations For Crimes Committed By Convicted Commander

Hamza Kyeyune

28.02.2024

Judges at the International Criminal Court ruled Wednesday that nearly 50,000 victims of a convicted notorious commander in the Ugandan rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), should receive more than €52 million ($56 million) in total compensation.

Those covered by the ruling include former child soldiers and children born as a result of rapes and forced pregnancies.

The judges said that the commander, Dominic Ongwen, did not have the resources to pay the compensation and instead asked the tribunal's Trust Fund for Victims to help cover the cost.

“Tens of thousands of individuals suffered tremendous harm due to the unimaginable atrocities committed" when rebel fighters, led by Ongwen, attacked four camps for displaced people in northern Uganda, said presiding Judge Bertram Schmitt.

"Similarly, over 100 women and girls and thousands of children, boys and girls under the age of 15 suffered profound, multifaceted harm as a result of being kidnapped. Many were later subjected to sexual and gender based crimes and/or forced to serve as LRA soldiers, being kept in captivity with cruel methods of physical and psychological coercion,” he said.

“The chamber concludes that the direct victims of the attacks, the direct victims of sexual and gender based crimes and the children born out of those crimes, as well as the former child soldiers, suffered serious and long-lasting physical, moral and material harm,” said Schmitt.

He urged “states, organizations, corporations and private individuals to support the trust funds for victims' mission and efforts and contribute to its fundraising activities.”

Schmitt said victims would each receive €750 as a “symbolic award” while other reparations would come in the form of community-based rehabilitation programs.

Activists welcomed Ongwen’s convictions for offenses against women, which included rape, forced pregnancy and sexual slavery.

Ongwen was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2021 on 60 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including rape, murder and child abduction.

He is serving his sentence in Norway.

Source: aa.com.tr

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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/un-court-awards-ugandan-victims-56-million-in-reparations-for-crimes-committed-by-convicted-commander-/3150480

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South Sudan grapples with half million Sudanese refugees fleeing war

28.02.2024

A new truck has arrived in the South Sudanese town of Renk, packed with dozens of elderly men, women and children, their exhausted faces betraying the strain of their traumatic journey out of war-ravaged Sudan.

They are among more than half a million people who have crossed the border into South Sudan, which is struggling to accommodate the new arrivals.

Renk is just 10 kilometres (six miles) from Sudan, where fighting broke out in April last year between army chief Abdel Fattah al Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed HamdanDaglo, commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Since then, Renk's two UN-run transit centres have been overwhelmed by an uninterrupted influx of frightened people, fleeing for their lives.

The journey is rife with danger, said Fatima Mohammed, a 33-year-old teacher who escaped with her husband and five children from El-Obeid city in central Sudan.

"The bullets were entering our house. We were trapped between crossfire in our own street. So we understood that we needed to leave for the good of our kids," she said, describing the situation in Sudan as "unsustainable".

It took them five days to make their escape, with Sudanese soldiers and RSF fighters "making (it) difficult for us to leave the country".

"They took all our phones at one checkpoint, a lot of our money (at) another one. We saw abuses happening at those checkpoints," she said.

'Stuck here'

Since the start of the conflict, nearly eight million people, half of them children, have fled Sudan.

Around 560,000 of them have taken refuge in South Sudan, according to the United Nations, which estimates that around 1,500 new arrivals turn up in the country every day.

Many spend months waiting in the transit camps, hopeful that someday soon they will be able to return home.

Iman David fled fighting in Sudan's capital Khartoum with her then three-month-old daughter, leaving her husband behind.

"It was supposed to be a short stay, but I am still stuck here in Renk after seven months," the 20-year-old said.

"My hope is to go back to Khartoum and reunite with my husband but I don't know his fate."

The war has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians, according to UN figures.

Around 25 million people, more than half of Sudan's population, need humanitarian assistance, while around 3.8 million children under the age of five are suffering from malnutrition, the UN says.

'Better than Khartoum'

While many in Renk long to return home, others hope to travel onwards to the town of Malakal in Upper Nile state, which is also hosting a huge number of refugees.

At Renk port, hundreds of people lined up under the oppressive glare of the midday sun, waiting hours to hop aboard the metal boats which make the trip at least twice a week.

As she waited, Lina Juna, a 27-year-old mother of four, said her final destination was the South Sudanese capital Juba.

"I have nothing to do in Juba, no family members or friends, no business or work to take care of because I have spent all my life in Sudan," she said.

"But I still expect Juba to be much better than Khartoum," she added, recalling days spent struggling to find food as heavy fighting rocked the city.

Several hours later, she managed to board a boat, one of two carrying some 300 people each.

"Today is a good day for us," said Deng Samson, who works for the International Organization for Migration.

"Some weeks we have seen ourselves completely overwhelmed," he said, adding that the approaching monsoon made him nervous.

"We are truly afraid of what will happen when the rainy season comes, with waters rising from the river and disrupting the normal functioning of the port."

With up to 10 trucks and buses turning up in Renk every day, the UN is trying to mobilise the international community, launching an appeal for $4.1 billion this month to respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs.

Source: trtworld.com

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UN seeks $674M for aid as millions of Haitians suffer from violence

[29/February/2024]

Indiscriminate violence in Haiti is escalating — especially in the capital and surrounding region — with armed gangs carrying out killings and acts of sexual violence, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in the conflict-wracked Caribbean nation has said.

On Wednesday, Ulrika Richardson told UN reporters in a virtual press conference from the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, that “ the level of violence that people are exposed to is inhuman.”

In her many years working for the United Nations, Richardson said, “I’ve seen things here that I’ve never seen in my life,” that go beyond “your worst nightmare.”

It’s the suffering and pain that men, women and children are subjected to, she said, pointing to a 50 percent increase in sexual violence between 2022 and 2023, and the 314,000 Haitians who have now fled their homes to escape the violence, many living on the streets and in schools, and in need of humanitarian aid.

Richardson said 5.5 million Haitians are in need of assistance, including 4.4 million — about 40 percent of the population — facing “huge food insecurity.”

The UN just launched its humanitarian appeal for this year and is seeking $674 million, with about half the money earmarked for food.

Even though needs are higher this year, Richardson said the appeal is lower than the $720 million appeal for 2023, which was only 34 percent funded.

She explained that the UN political mission in Haiti has “tried to be much more targeted,” and has seen that UN cooperation with local organisations has worked and is now looking at how it can better rely on those organisations.

Restoring peace to Haiti

Gangs have grown more powerful and political instability has increased since the 2021 assassination of Haitian President JovenelMoise, who had faced protests calling for his resignation over corruption charges and claims that his five-year term had expired.

More than 8,400 people were reported killed, injured or kidnapped in 2023 — more than double the number reported in 2022. The gangs continue to fight over territory, and are estimated to control up to 80 percent of Port-au-Prince.

Kenya agreed to lead a multinational force in Haiti that was authorized by the UN Security Council in October to help restore peace and security, and said it would send 1,000 police officers.

However, it’s unclear when or if a deployment will occur because a court in Kenya ruled in January that the deployment is unconstitutional. The East African nation’s government has said it is appealing the ruling.

On Monday, the United States government reiterated its support to help restore peace and calm to Haiti, saying it will provide money, equipment and logistical support to a multinational force whose deployment remains uncertain.

Asked about support from Haitians for a multinational force, she replied: “If you would ask people on the street if they need assistance to deal with a gang violence, they will say yes.”

Source: trtworld.com

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Arab World

 

Riyadh In Race With Top Global Cities To Hire New Talent, Says Mayor

February 28, 2024

REINA TAKLA

MIGUEL HADCHITY

RIYADH: The Saudi capital finds itself in global competition with cities like New York and Tokyo for a skilled workforce, according to its mayor.

With a population exceeding 7 million, the city is experiencing an ongoing transformation as it becomes a hub for attracting talent and boosting entrepreneurship.

In an interview with Arab News at the Human Capability Initiative taking place from Feb. 28 -29, Riyadh Mayor Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf said: “Competition for talent is no longer regional or local. It’s global. We’re competing with New York, with Tokyo, with Paris, with Chicago. So it’s a global competition.”

He added: “Riyadh is going through massive changes. It’s historic in its scale, in its scope, and its impact. We realize in Riyadh that the trigger behind all of this is having the right workforce, having the right talent, having the right engine behind what we are doing.”

The mayor delved into the city’s strategic framework, saying: “We have designated a lot of efforts in the city to attract and to retain and to develop the right workforce, which is aligned with the theme of what happens today.”

Speaking of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, he said it is not an endpoint but a milestone in the longer trajectory.

Prince Faisal revealed that designated programs look at attracting, retaining, and developing the workforce with specific projects and key performance indicators.

“For us, this is the key enabler that will unleash everything else that’s happening in the city,” he commented.

Reflecting on the global landscape, Prince Faisal highlighted the importance of job opportunities as a catalyst for attracting a skilled workforce.

“If you look at attracting the right workforce and attracting talent, there are multiple layers to that. The main trigger is job opportunities. Usually, talent moves for job opportunities and for this the current changes and the transformation, the current vision is taking care of it. We have an abundance of the right jobs for the right caliber,” he remarked.

Furthermore, the mayor outlined the fundamental factors that individuals consider when deciding on a location for relocation or settling down, saying: “You think about safety, housing, education, and health. And in all four aspects, there are concrete efforts to build on the good foundation that we have in the city today and to take it to the next level.”

He added: “The second layer is the quality of life where people would like to go for the necessities, but they will stay because of the quality of life.”

Discussing doubling the capital’s inhabitants number, Prince Faisal said: “It’s not a goal in itself. It’s an assumption that’s based on our sort of plans and details,” adding: “I think reaching 15 million (inhabitants) is not a goal in itself, but it’s an assumption based on historical trends.”

He explained that in the past 40 to 50 years, the number of inhabitants in Riyadh has been doubling almost every 10 years, which occurred without anticipation.

“What we’ve done this time is saying, OK, we’ve doubled for the past decades, let’s assume we’re going to double again in the next decade and work for that to provide infrastructure, provide and boost the economy, work on projects to accommodate for that,” he said.

In a panel titled “Shaping places, shaping our future to attract talent and foster innovation” at the forum, the mayor shared perspectives on the city’s trajectory and strategies for nurturing talent and innovation.

Prince Faisal also provided insights into the recruitment process, emphasizing the significance of competency as a baseline requirement, saying: “Every candidate and person and CV that you look at passes the filter of competency, or else you wouldn’t even see the CV.”

He added: “Once you see and you meet that person, they’re competent, there is no question about that, so you look for added layers.”

The top official explained further: “What I personally look for are two things. One, I look very clearly at culture. I think culture is very important in organizations. I think it is what makes or breaks successful organizations.”

He added: “Number two, that I really look for are soft skills. We agreed that every person that you meet is competent, but what distinguishes an executive from a leader are soft skills.”

The mayor underscored the importance of passion and purpose in one’s career trajectory, highlighting that it is “very important to love what you do,” because it’s “very critical to operate in a space where you enjoy.”

Discussing global tendencies affecting the workforce, Prince Faisal highlighted that “there are multiple trends that are impacting the workforce in general, one of them is AI, but others, such as transportation, such as globalization, those and many more. Those are all trends that are changing the narratives and trends of workforces. What’s happening is that talent has a much wider pool to choose from.”

Prince Faisal highlighted Riyadh’s unique blend of tradition and modernity, offering a compelling proposition for prospective talents.

He said: “We are a global city, but with roots, with cultural heritage, with traditions. And I think that combination and that juxtaposition together is what creates a competitive advantage for Riyadh.”

The Human Capability Initiative seeks to enhance and elevate capabilities universally while delving into opportunities across diverse domains such as skill development and the future of work, as well as education, talent, and technology.

The event will also bring together policymakers, thought leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs to catalyze international collaboration and maximize resilience while exploring opportunities and promoting innovative policy design and solutions.

The forum is hosting 7,000 participants from more than 70 countries, according to the mayor.

Source: arabnews.com

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Arab Parliament Denounces Israel For Constructing Watchtower On Al-Aqsa’s Western Wall

February 28, 2024

GOBRAN MOHAMED

CAIRO: The Cairo-based Arab Parliament has condemned the construction of a watchtower on the western wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the installation of surveillance cameras on it by Israeli authorities.

It held Israel accountable for the consequences of such practices, saying it “exceeded all limits of provoking Muslims around the world and expanding the circle of ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people.”

It added that the “occupation’s measures are invalid, illegitimate, illegal, and a blatant violation of international law and UN and UNESCO resolutions, in light of the genocidal war and ethnic cleansing” in Gaza.

The organization said that the “Israeli occupation aims to change the historical, political, demographic, and legal reality of the occupied city of Jerusalem and its sanctities and to erase the Palestinian Arab identity.”

The Arab Parliament called for urgent international intervention to end Israeli violations at Islam’s third holiest site and to take all measures to stop the “ethnic cleansing to which the Palestinian people are subjected.”

On Sunday, Israeli forces installed surveillance cameras on the watchtower they built on the western wall of the mosque, according to the Palestinian WAFA news agency.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the move and denounced the Israeli forces’ daily incursions into the mosque compound and Israeli attempts to “change the historical, political, demographic, and legal reality of Jerusalem.”

Source: arabnews.com

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Yemenis Are More Enthusiastic & Determined To Continue Movement & Holy Jihad In Supporting Palestine

[28/February/2024]

SANA'A February 28.2024 (Saba) - With greater enthusiasm and greater determination, the Yemeni people continue to go out in their millions to all squares in the capitals of the provinces and districts in massive public marches, affirming the solidity of Yemen's official and popular position in support of the Palestinians and the jihad and resistance movements in confronting the Zionist enemy , its American and Western backers.

In parallel with the Yemeni armed forces’ escalation of their military operations on land and sea to target Israeli, American and British ships, the Yemeni masses are escalating their remarkable and dazzling presence to express their readiness to do anything that would strengthen the steadfastness of the brotherly Palestinians and their heroic resistance.

The descendants of Ansar respond to the call of Commander Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi to rally for the sake of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Al-Quds and the calls for help from the brothers in Gaza, realizing at the same time that what their leader is calling them to is the right and correct position dictated by religious, faith, humanitarian and moral duty towards the Muslim and oppressed people of Palestine.

It is evident through the calls of the revolution leader and those poignant expressions with which he addresses the masses of the Yemeni people to continue the widespread mobilization and exit, the extent of his awareness of the religious, faith and humanitarian duty to support the brothers in Gaza, at all levels, and to continue embodying Yemen’s great position towards the Palestinians through effective and fruitful action in the field.

The ongoing mass demonstration of millions embodies the extent of the connection and close relationship between the people and the leader, as well as the unity of the cause and destiny with the Palestinians . It also embodies the state of awareness and insight that the steadfast people of Yemen have reached after all the enemy’s conspiracies and their efforts to control the nation and subjugate its people were revealed to them.

The Yemeni people and leadership express in words, actions and positions that they share with the brothers in Palestine their pain, sorrows and great suffering as a result of the brutal Zionist aggression, which continues its criminal behavior in exterminating children, women and civilians in Gaza en masse and by all means of death, including bombing, starvation, epidemics and others.

Because this position will remain an honorable lesson in freedom, pride and dignity, and generations will be proud of it for thousands of years, as Mr. Leader described it, it requires more effort , popular action and the same amount of Yemen’s escalating offensive operations by air, land and sea.

That is why the revolution leader described Yemen’s position as honorable and historic because the Yemeni people, according to the testimony of the Palestinians themselves and all the free people of the world, distinguished themselves from other Arab and Islamic peoples who stood by and did not offer anything to the oppressed Palestinians, who are part of the Islamic nation and deserve its help, and support, but they failed them. It left him easy prey for the Zionists and Americans to do whatever they wanted with him.

But what is worse than that is some Arab governments and regimes sided with the Zionist enemy and had a complicit and supportive position, which encouraged it , increased its boldness in continuing its crimes and tightening its siege against the Palestinians. This shameful position was equated with the support and political cover that Americans provide to the criminal entity.

As the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsened and the scale of the tragedy increased, Sayyed Leader felt the greater responsibility on Muslims before others to take serious and effective action to stop the tragedy and prevent the criminal enemy from achieving its malicious goals of liquidating the remaining people of Gaza and thus liquidating the entire Palestinian cause.

Despite the effectiveness of the Yemeni role and position and its significant impact on the entity of the Zionist and American enemy, especially Yemen’s maritime position, which stopped 40 percent of the enemy’s maritime commercial traffic, and led to a contraction of its economy and a decline in its exports and imports, the people of Palestine need more of these positions, even if they do not reach the level of the Yemeni position.

The Palestinians expect Arab countries, especially those that have huge capabilities and waste billions of dollars on trivial matters, to provide even a little food aid to feed the children of Gaza and save them from starvation, but they do not respond.

As a result of this betrayal, the revolution leader is keen to establish an argument against those countries and regimes affiliated with the nation, and in his speeches he asks about the reasons that prevent them from taking action, or from having an honorable , positive role, even in the humanitarian file, by delivering food, and medicine to the people of Gaza and alleviating what they are exposed to. Tragedy, injustice and crime.

As for the Yemeni people, they will continue to fight the battle of the promised conquest and the holy jihad, because that is the position that befits them as a dear people with an honorable history, a record of struggle, and a great contribution to human and Islamic history.

The more the criminal Zionist enemy increases its arrogance and brutality towards the brotherly Palestinian people, the more the position of the revolutionary leadership and the Yemeni armed forces escalates, the more the popular movement increases, the more the demands of the masses rise to carry out more and more operations at the military level.

In contrast to the American-Zionist escalation, the number of military operations carried out by the Yemeni armed forces against Israeli targets in the occupied territories reached 183 missiles and drones, while naval operations escalated in quantity ,quality, missiles, drones and military boats were activated, as well as the introduction of submarine weapons into those operations. Bringing the number of ships targeted at sea to more than 48 ships, despite the enemy’s reduced movement, camouflage, and withholding information about them.

In addition to all of the above, the Revolution Leader confirmed in his last speech that the operations supporting Gaza in the Red and Arabian seas, Aden Gulf , and Bab al-Mandab Strait will continue on an upward path, which means that the coming days will be full of surprises unless the Zionist enemy stops its arrogance , stops its aggression and siege of the people of the Gaza Strip.

Source: saba.ye

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Al-Qahar Mountains in Jizan Submerged under the Sea Millions of Years Ago

28 Feb, 2024

Based on signs and evidence discovered on the peaks of Al-Qahar Mountains, which are situated northeast of the Jazan region and approximately 130 kilometres from Jizan, a multitude of geological findings suggest that the Al-Reeth Governorate mountains may have been underwater for hundreds of millions of years, forming the seabed.

 The professor at Jazan University's Department of Biology and College of Science, Dr. Zaraq bin Issa Al-Faifi, conducted research in the region and found that Al-Qahar Mountains might have been underwater for a long time. He cited the presence of fossils and structures from marine creatures like stone corals as proof of this. The sand and limestone formations that Dr. Al-Faifi pointed out are part of the sedimentary layers of various colours and may be readily broken up by hand. These features are complemented by the many indications and indicators found on the peaks of those mountains.

 He emphasized the need for additional research on the historical estimation of that time, the state of Al-Qahar Mountains during that period, and the marine map of that era, urging geologists and experts to delve deeper into this remarkable section of the Sarawat Mountains.

 At an altitude of over 2,000 metres above sea level, Al-Qahar Mountains are home to a wide variety of geological features, including peculiar conical shapes, distinctive sedimentary and limestone rock formations, deep canyons, and steep slopes. The mountains also encompass several inhabited towns and cities. They are rich with ancient artefacts, such as inscriptions and drawings, which add to the mountains' attractiveness for history buffs and mountaineers. Al-Qahar Mountains, also known as Mount Zahwan, are named after them because their rough terrain and steep slopes intimidate anybody attempting to ascend them.

 The Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) has stated that the presence of fossils in Al-Qahar Mountains and other ancient environments can be proven through the study of sedimentary rocks and the fossils they contain. They also mentioned that a geological map depicting these formations and earlier geological studies in the area allowed them to deduce these ancient environments. According to the SGS, this sedimentation took place in low-lying areas during deep geological eras, and the region was eventually raised to its present level due to a number of geological processes.

Source: alriyadhdaily.com

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Yemen Warns British Cargo Ship May Sink Following Houthi Attack

Rania R.a.Abushamala

29.02.2024

A British container ship is in danger of sinking off Yemen’s western coast after being hit by Houthi missiles earlier this month, a Yemeni official warned Wednesday.

On Feb. 18, the Houthi group announced targeting the cargo ship Rubymar in the Gulf of Aden with several naval missiles, causing severe damage.

Due to strong winds and waves, the ship veered from the Gulf of Aden to off the coast of Mocha overlooking the southern Red Sea, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, said the official.

In a statement to Anadolu, Al Hudaydah Governor Al-Hassan Taher said the British ship Rubymar veered 16 miles (25.7 kilometers) from the western coast opposite the city of Mocha after being pushed by strong winds and waves, warning of its sinking.

After visiting the location of the ship on Tuesday accompanied by environmental officials and specialists, Taher said the ship “is in a tragic situation and is on the verge of sinking after water leaked into the engine room, which will lead to a major environmental disaster if it sinks.”

He warned that “if this is not avoided, the ship will inevitably sink, leading to an environmental catastrophe for marine life and the residents of Al-Hudaydah province in general, as more than 90% of the population rely on fishing for their livelihood.”

He pointed out that the government is taking measures with the relevant authorities to safely pull the ship out of Yemen's regional waters.

The Rubymar was targeted by the Houthis while carrying large quantities of ammonia and oil, according to the official Yemeni news agency Saba.

Earlier on Wednesday, the British Embassy in Yemen said on X that “the Houthis are threatening another environmental disaster with the reckless attack on the MV Rubymar. The vessel is now at risk of leaking into the Red Sea. We call on the Houthis to stop their attacks.”

In solidarity with Gaza, which is facing a devastating Israeli war with American support, the Houthis have targeted Israeli cargo ships or those affiliated with them in the Red Sea with missiles and drones, vowing to continue their operations until the end of the war.

After airstrikes by the US and UK on Houthi targets in Yemen and tensions taking a notable escalatory turn in January, the Houthis announced that they consider all American and British ships military targets.

Source: aa.com.tr

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'Red Sea National Academy' Established to Support the Tourism Sector in the Kingdom

28 Feb, 2024

Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the establishment of "the Red Sea National Academy" (TRSNA) was announced during the Human Capability Initiative held in Riyadh to implement joint programs between the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, Colleges of Excellence and Red Sea Global, to qualify trainees with technical specializations that align with the demands of the labor market in the region. TRSNA will be established and operated in Al-Wajh and develop joint training programs that are aligned with the needs of the labor market.

 The academy's objective is to train 10,000 participants by 2030, preparing young Saudis for diverse roles within the tourism sector. The signing of the agreement was sponsored by the Minister of Education, Yousef Al-Benyan. The agreement involved the Vice Governor of Planning & Business Development at the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, Reem Al-Muqbel, CEO of Colleges of Excellence, Engr. Ayman Al-Abdullah, and the Group CEO of Red Sea Global, John Pagano.

Reem Al-Muqbel underscored the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation's commitment to developing national human resources through various training programs and building strategic partnerships with the private sector to address the labor market's needs for qualified human resources.

 CEO of Colleges of Excellence, Eng. Ayman Al-Abdullah, expressed confidence in TRSNA's ability to supply the tourism sector with qualified Saudis. He emphasized that TRSNA will create a stimulating training environment to enhance creative and innovative skills among trainees, becoming a leading center for education and training in the field of tourism, thereby enhancing the Kingdom's position as a global tourist destination.

 Highlighting TRSNA as part of the Strategic Partnership Institutes in the Kingdom emphasizes its commitment to providing high-quality training programs tailored to the evolving demands of the labor market.

 CEO Pagano commented that, as one of the core projects in making Vision 2030 a reality, RSG is at the vanguard of the Kingdom's burgeoning tourism industry. Presently, it has two hotels open, with an additional four resorts scheduled to open by the end of this year and 19 hotels across The Red Sea and Amaala opening next year. TRSNA will ensure RSG has a ready pipeline of trained talent to service these hotels and connected infrastructure.

Source: alriyadhdaily.com

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Saudi crown prince, French president discuss cooperation

February 29, 2024

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a call from French President Emmanuel Macron, the Saudi Press Agency said early Thursday.

The pair discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation in all fields, in addition to issues of mutual interest.

They also exchanged views on several regional and international issues and the efforts made regarding them to achieve security and stability.

Source:

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Saudi deputy minister meets Organization of African, Caribbean, & Pacific States chief

February 28, 2024

Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji on Wednesday received Secretary-General of the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States Georges Chikoti, in Riyadh.

During the meeting, they discussed issues of mutual concern and ways to further boost cooperation between the Kingdom and member countries of the OACPS.

In a separate meeting, Saudi Deputy Minister for Consular Affairs Ambassador Ali Al-Yousef held talks with the Mexican envoy to Saudi Arabia, Anibal Gomez Toledo, and reviewed relations between the two nations.

Source: arabnews.com

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South Asia

 

Afghan Soil Poses No Threat To Any Country, Taliban Deputy PM Tells Pakistani Religious Leaders

February 28, 2024

Tahir Khan

Taliban Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs Maulvi Abdul Kabir has said that the Afghan soil will not pose a threat to any country, it emerged on Wednesday.

He passed these remarks during a meeting with Maulana Hamidul Haq — the chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) — in Kabul, according to Maulvi Kabir’s office.

The JUI-S leader led a delegation of Pakistani religious scholars on a five-day visit to Afghanistan. Haq, son of Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, is the deputy head of Darul Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khattak, where several Afghan Taliban leaders have studied.

JUI-S leader Israr Madni, who was a member of the delegation and heads the International Research Council for Religious Affairs, said the visit to the neighbouring country concluded today. He added that the visit was part of “religious diplomacy” which was welcomed by the Afghan side.

During the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, Maulvi Kabir termed the role of scholars in improving relations between the two countries as “very important”, a statement issued by his office said.

“Complete peace has been established in Afghanistan and no one is permitted to carry out subversive activities,” it quoted the Afghan deputy prime minister as telling the Pakistani delegation.

“Islamic Emirate wants good relations with all neighbours and does not allow anyone to pose a threat to any country from Afghan soil,” he added.

Separately, JUI-S chief Hamidul Haq told Dawn.com that visits by religious scholars to Afghanistan helped remove the mistrust between the neighbouring countries.

“We told Afghan leaders that these visits will resolve difficulties in bilateral relations,” the JUI-S leader said, adding that his delegation invited Afghan officials and scholars to visit Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Afghan government’s statement quoted Haq as saying that he was happy at the establishment of the Islamic system in Kabul.

“Pakistani religious scholars and people want cordial relations between the two countries,” he said and expressed hope that political and economic relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan will be further expanded.

The JUI-S leader further condemned the freezing of Afghanistan assets and said that such “unilateral and cruel acts harm Afghans”.

He said JUI-S leaders held interactive sessions with Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister Religious Affairs Moulana Noor Muhammad Saqib, former higher education minister Moulana Abdul Baqi Haqqani, Pakistan charge d’ affaires Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani, and others senior officials of the Afghan foreign ministry.

During the five-day visit, the delegation also travelled to Afghanistan’s Paktia, Logar, Khost provinces and other areas.

The visit comes at a time when relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have suffered due to a spike in terrorist attacks, mostly claimed by the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP).

Islamabad has stated that the TTP and other groups use Afghan soil against Pakistan. While the Afghan Taliban have denied the charge, authorities remain unconvinced and have demanded action against the TTP, its sanctuaries, and the handover of its leaders.

The ties between the two neighbours took a further hit when Pakistan started deporting illegal Afghans. Nearly half a million undocumented Afghans have so far left Pakistan since November 1, last year.

‘Softening differences’

Commenting on the meeting, Pakistan’s former ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan said that the Pakistani delegation’s visit to the neighbouring country was important for addressing the stumbling issues in the ties between Islamabad and Kabul.

“Hopefully this visit as part of ongoing Ulema diplomacy will help in softening the differences between the two sides on a common approach for dealing with the challenge posed by TTP’s [Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan] cross-border terrorism in Pakistan from their hideouts in Afghanistan,” he told Dawn.com.

“If the visit yields constructive interaction, one would expect it can pave the way for restarting the institutional dialogue between the two countries on a comprehensive agenda including security, trade and movement of people,” he said.

Mansoor further stated that it was important that the two sides work out a way of not making hostile comments about each other as seen in the recent past.

In January, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman visited Afghanistan and also held talks with the Taliban supreme leader Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada in Kandahar.

Source: dawn.com

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Bangladesh Committed To Uphold Democratic Principles: Foreign Minister

 Feb 29, 2024

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday reaffirmed Bangladesh government's commitment to uphold the democratic principles as he spoke at the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The minister in a video message to the Council said that the recently held 12th parliamentary election in Bangladesh was conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.

The session began in Geneva on 26 February and will continue till 05 April.

Along with civil and political rights, the Bangladesh government is working relentlessly to realise economic and social rights of the people by accelerating the pace of development, he said.

"Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's vision to uphold the principles of equality, inclusivity, democracy, and human rights inspires us to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms for all our citizens,'' Hasan Mahmud said.

The foreign minister strongly condemned the indiscriminate killing of civilians in Palestine and called for an immediate end of Israeli aggressions.

Denouncing the repeated act of public desecration of Holy Quran and Islamophobia, he emphasised on the peaceful coexistence of peoples of various faiths.

Mahmud called upon the Human Rights Council to deliver on its promises to uphold human rights in line with the principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity, and non-selectivity.

He underscored concerted efforts of all parties to ensure sustainable repatriation of the Rohingya to Rakhine in Myanmar with safety and dignity.

Warning that the prolonged stay of Rohingya in Bangladesh would have serious consequences for the regional stability and security, he urged international community for their consistent focus on resolving the Rohingya crisis.

Source: thedailystar.net

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Muttaqi Hopes for Improved Relations with New Govt in Pakistan

February 28, 2024

The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in a special interview with TOLOnews said that he is hopeful that the relations between Kabul and Islamabad will improve with the emergence of a new government in Pakistan.

Amir Khan Muttaqi emphasized that the caretaker government of Afghanistan seeks good relations with all countries, especially neighboring countries.

"We hope that after the elections in Pakistan and the formation of a new government, as some high-ranking officials have made positive remarks about, the situation will improve. Most importantly, the people on both sides are very poor, their economy and security are important, and we have cooperated in all sectors," Muttaqi said.

The senior official of the Islamic Emirate said the deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan <<<was>>> a political pressure tactic and emphasized that the presence of Afghan refugees in Pakistan poses no threat to that country.

"If these refugees were a threat to security, they have been there for 40 years, why were they not a threat with this time? Now millions of people are there, why are they not a threat? These reasons cannot be justified," he stated.

The acting foreign minister also stressed that regional countries have concluded that Afghanistan is no longer a threat to them.

"When a representative from Moscow comes here, along with representatives from Beijing and all regional countries, and sits around a table, it sends a message to the world that there is now security in Afghanistan and there is confidence, and the region is happy with Afghanistan, and people from neighboring countries should take steps in this direction," he said.

This follows the forced deportation of nearly half a million Afghans, with Pakistan setting a deadline for the remaining Afghan refugees to leave the country by the end of February.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-187615

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Uzbekistan's Recent Anti-Religious Measures Present A Worrisome Trend For Its Muslims

29 February 2024

NurbekBekmurzaev

On February 2, the police in Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, arrested at least 10 bearded men and took them to a police station, where they were forced to shave off their beards under the threat of imprisonment. The incident occurred at the Malika market, specializing in selling home appliances and electronics, when the shop owners returned to their workplace after attending Friday prayer at the nearby mosque.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Uzbek service Radio Ozodlik, which reported this story, highlighted that this was one of several such raids that have taken place at the market over the last several years. According to those arrested during these raids, they were forced to remove their beards because of religious reasons. This is the latest incident of an increasingly worrying trend that has seen the Uzbek authorities adopt anti-religious measures, violating the freedom of religion and the right to practice one’s religion.

In September 2023, it was reported that the authorities shut down at least 10 restaurants in Tashkent because they positioned themselves as halal and did not sell alcohol to customers. Their owners revealed receiving informal hints from the authorities that they would be allowed to reopen if they agreed to sell alcohol. There have also been reports about the law-enforcement agencies asking shop owners who sell Islamic literature, perfumes and clothing to change their stores’ Islamic names and remove Arabic signs from their windows.

These incidents took place shortly after the government meeting on the “growing religious radicalism” in the country, held in the beginning of September 2023. It was chaired by the Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and focused on issues related to praying in the workplace, polygamy based on Sharia, and officials’ attendance of religious events. At the meeting Aripov allegedly issued an ultimatum to the officials, stating that they cannot simultaneously work and practice religion in the civil service.

This is not the first time Muslims in Uzbekistan, who make up 94 percent of the population, face persecution due to their beliefs. The recent draconian measures harken back to the rule of the first president Islam Karimov, which lasted from 1991 until his death in 2016. Karimov’s rule was characterized by systematic violation of freedom of religion and arrest and torture of citizens for any public display of religiosity, which was conflated with extremism. This placed Uzbekistan on the US Commission for International Religious Freedom’s list of the worst offenders of religious freedoms in the world, where it remained until 2020.

Here is a YouTube video with stories of the survivors of religious repressions carried out during Karimov's rule.

Uzbekistan’s removal from this dreadful list was due to the reforms implemented by the current president ShavkatMirziyoyev after this arrival to power in 2016. Notable positive developments that have taken place since then include the closure of the infamous Jaslyk prison, where political and religious prisoners were kept and tortured, amnestying and releasing those charged with extremism, and removing 16,000 people from the security services’ “blacklists,” which contained names of religious individuals the authorities suspected of being extremists.

However, the religious reforms seem to have already peaked without the prospect of any further legal and institutional changes in sight. While there is a consensus that the situation with regards to religious freedoms is significantly better under Mirziyoyev, it is undeniable that there is also a lot of room for improvement. In this regard, the recent backsliding is a worrisome trend for Uzbek Muslims eager to openly practice their religion.

Source: globalvoices.org

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https://globalvoices.org/2024/02/29/uzbekistans-recent-anti-religious-measures-present-a-worrisome-trend-for-its-muslims/

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Kabir: Islamic Emirate Seeks Good Relations With Neighbours

Nazir Shinwari

February 29, 2024

The Deputy PM for Political Affairs, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, in a meeting with Mawlana Hamid Ul Haq, one of the leaders of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan, said that the Islamic Emirate wants good relations with all its neighboring countries and that there is no threat to any country from Afghan soil.

According to the statement of the Arg, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir also said in this meeting that the Islamic Emirate does not allow anyone to engage in destructive activities in the country.

The Deputy PM for Political Affairs considers the role of scholars crucial in improving relations between Kabul and Islamabad.

“Mawlawi Sahib told this delegation that the Islamic Emirate wants good relations with all neighboring countries and does not allow anyone to pose a threat to others from Afghan soil," said HamdullahFitrat, the deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate.

According to HamdullahFitrat, Hamid Ul Haq also emphasized greater cooperation between Kabul and Islamabad in this meeting.

He added that the Pakistani delegation in the meeting stated that the peoples of both countries share Islamic, cultural, and social values and that political relations between Kabul and Islamabad should not only focus on economic cooperation but also expand to benefit the people of both countries.

Meanwhile, some political analysts said good relations and positive interactions between Afghanistan and Pakistan are important.

"We care about Pakistan and Pakistan cares about us, and this is possible when there are good relations and continued trade between the two countries, However, Pakistan has never fulfilled its promises and commitments, "Amanullah Hotaki, a political analyst, told TOLOnews.

"The important thing is that these two countries have goodwill towards each other so that positive results can be achieved," said Sayed Akbar Agha, a political analyst.

According to the deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, Hamid Ul Haq said the blocked assets of Afghanistan by countries is a “unilateral and cruel action," in the meeting.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187616

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3,500 tons of Soybeans and Wheat stranded at Afghanistan-Pakistan border: WFP

Fidel Rahmati

February 28, 2024

Around 3,500 tons of soybean-wheat mixture is currently stranded at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, according to the World Food Program (WFP). This delay is hindering the distribution of crucial food supplies to those in need.

The WFP said, “Further delay in transit [soybean wheat mix] is a significant risk for about 378,000 pregnant women who will be helped under the malnutrition treatment program.”

The World Food Program (WFP) has issued alarming forecasts indicating that a staggering 15.8 million individuals in Afghanistan will face severe food insecurity between November 2023 and March 2024. Among them, 3.6 million people are expected to be in dire emergencies.

Adding to the severity of the crisis, WFP reports that four million Afghans, including 3.2 million children under five years old, are currently grappling with acute malnutrition. This dire situation underscores the urgent need for effective and swift humanitarian intervention.

Despite challenges, the WFP has been actively involved in delivering aid to Afghanistan. By January, they had successfully dispatched over 25,000 metric tons of mixed food, achieving 99 percent of their set target. Additionally, approximately 43,000 metric tons of food are now stocked in WFP warehouses within the country.

However, logistical hurdles persist as around 34,000 metric tons of food remain stranded in WFP warehouses abroad, awaiting transfer to Afghanistan. The delay in crossing the border adds to the complexity of the situation, exacerbating the plight of millions already suffering from food insecurity and malnutrition.

These statistics paint a grim picture of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. With 23.7 million Afghans in need of aid this year, the shortfall in coverage by aid organizations further compounds the challenges. The lack of clarity regarding the reasons for the border delays only adds to the urgency of addressing the crisis effectively.

Meanwhile, the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has reached alarming levels since the Taliban assumed control of the country. Millions are facing severe food insecurity and acute malnutrition, with aid efforts hampered by logistical challenges. Urgent and concerted action is essential to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people and prevent further escalation of this crisis.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/3500-tons-of-soybeans-and-wheat-stranded-at-afghanistan-pakistan-border-wfp/

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President of Turkmenistan ‘satisfied’ with Afghanistan situation

February 29, 2024

On the last day of his visit to Turkmenistan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, Amir Khan Muttaqi met with the president of Turkmenistan, GurbangulyBerdimuhamedow for talks on a number of issues.

Muttaqi presented information to Turkmenistan’s leader about security, stability and new opportunities for investment in Afghanistan.

Muttaqi thanked Berdimuhamedow for paying special attention to cooperation and good relations with Afghanistan and said both countries have been able to make good progress in many fields.

Berdimuhamedow said he is satisfied with Afghanistan. He said that he is paying special attention to gas and electricity transmission to Afghanistan and will also make efforts in the development of railway lines.

Berdimuhamedow said an expo of Afghanistan’s goods in Ashgabat next week was very important and historic and emphasized that both sides should make good use of it.

He promised to create facilities in areas of trade with Afghanistan.

This comes after Muttaqi met with the Deputy Minister of the Council of Ministers of Turkmenistan, BaterAmanov for talks on oil and gas affairs.

During meeting, the two sides held comprehensive discussions on TAPI and the supply of LPG to Afghanistan.

Muttaqi said that following the visit of the Turkmen foreign minister to Herat, work on the implementation of TAPI project has been expedited in Afghanistan.

Additionally, Muttaqi said that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan remains firmly committed to the implementation of the TAPI project, expressing the hope that the first phase of the extension of pipeline to Herat province would start soon.

FM Muttaqi said that Herat province is a densely populated province of Afghanistan and with implementation of the TAPI project, Herat can provide a good market for Turkmenistan’s gas.

The Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Turkmenistan said that the supply of energy, especially the TAPI project, is a core priority for the Government of Turkmenistan. He said that the extension of TAPI project to Herat province is also of special importance to the government.

Expressing gratitude for the efforts of the government of Afghanistan in regards with the TAPI project, BaterArmanov called the commitment and efforts of the Islamic Emirate significant, expressing hope that the work on the agreements regarding TAPI project will be completed soon so that the TAPI pipeline can be inaugurated in the territory of Afghanistan.

Source: ariananews.af

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https://www.ariananews.af/president-of-turkmenistan-satisfied-with-afghanistan-situation/

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Iran to block border with Afghanistan with concrete wall

Fidel Rahmati

February 28, 2024

The ambassador and special representative of Iran for Afghanistan stated that it is planned for the border blockade of that country with Afghanistan to be in the form of a concrete wall.

KazemiQomi, Iran’s special representative for Afghanistan, in an interview with the Iranian news agency ISNA regarding the issue of physical blockade of the border between Iran and Afghanistan, said that studies are underway on how to physically block the border.

The interview was published on Wednesday, February 28th. He stated that the border blockade between the two countries is intended to be in the form of a concrete wall.

Qomi added that this action “is among the important tasks that need to be done. Although it has high costs, the benefits derived from this blockade are very profitable because border security is essential for national sovereignty.”

Iran’s special representative for Afghanistan further stated that Iran has been working on this directive (border blockade) for years and initial designs have been made for it.

This Iranian diplomat reminded us that the border blockade with Afghanistan is not solely due to preventing the entry of illegal immigrants and combating human and drug trafficking, etc.

He said, “Considering that the enemies of the people are seeking to strike us in various ways, including through the mobilization of proxy terrorist forces, we are not necessarily confronted with the demarcated borders of the two countries but with various terrorist elements at the border, which are supported by major powers that currently use both soft and hard power simultaneously to strike at us; therefore, we must take our border security and control more seriously.”

Qomi added that while Iran seeks security at the border with Afghanistan, it also aims to economically develop the border and is pursuing several complementary projects in this regard.

Iran’s special representative for Afghanistan also discussed Iran’s water rights and related issues in this exclusive interview, stating that receiving water rights is a demand for the rights of the Iranian people and government.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/iran-to-block-border-with-afghanistan-with-concrete-wall/

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Mideast

 

Hamas ChiefIsmail Haniyeh Claims Flexibility In Truce Talks, Calls For Ramadan March On Jerusalem

28 February 2024

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh claimed on Wednesday the Islamist terror group was showing flexibility in negotiations with Israel over a potential hostage release deal but was at the same time ready to continue fighting.

In a televised speech, Haniyeh also called on Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank to march to Al-Aqsa Mosque to pray on the first day of Ramadan on March 10, seemingly raising the stakes in the indirect talks for a truce agreement.

Jerusalem’s Temple Mount is the holiest place in Judaism, where two biblical Temples once stood, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque located there is the third-holiest site in Islam, making it a central flashpoint of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel said on Monday it would allow Ramadan prayers at the mosque during the upcoming holy month but said there would be limits according to security needs, setting the stage for possible clashes if crowds of Palestinians take up Haniyeh’s call.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant accused Hamas on Tuesday of attempting to “take Ramadan, with an emphasis on the Temple Mount and Jerusalem, and turn it into the second phase of its plan that began on October 7.”

US President Joe Biden said Monday he hoped that a deal between Israel and Hamas would be agreed upon by next Monday, allowing for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas since the shock October 7 attack on Israel.

Despite Biden’s optimism, Israel and Hamas appear to be far from seeing eye-to-eye on the terms of the deal, which purportedly includes a six-week pause in fighting and the release of some 40 hostages in exchange for 400 Palestinian security prisoners held by Israel.

An unsourced Army Radio report on Wednesday morning said Hamas representatives had termed the proposed outline presented by mediators “a Zionist document,” and objected to the fact that it did not accede to Hamas’s demand for an end to the war (a nonstarter for Israel), did not include an Israeli agreement for the full return to northern Gaza of internally displaced residents, and envisaged what the group saw as too few Palestinian security prisoners being freed in return for Israeli hostages.

At the same time, Hamas has reportedly yet to provide Israel with a list of the living hostages it holds, and Israeli sources have said that negotiations cannot proceed without it.

Source: timesofisrael.com

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https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-chief-claims-flexibility-in-truce-talks-calls-for-ramadan-march-on-jerusalem/

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Netanyahu, Police Wait Until Last Minute For Ramadan Temple Mount Decision

 SHLOMI HELLER

FEBRUARY 29, 2024

Two weeks until Ramadan, and the concern over fermenting unrest due to intentions to limit the ascent of Israeli Arabs to the Temple Mount is preoccupying security authorities in the Israel Police, IDF and the Shin Bet. Attempts to stir up trouble every Friday since the outbreak of the war have not been particularly successful and apart from the occasional tension in east Jerusalem between Arabs and Israel Police, relative calm is maintained.

The procrastination in decision-making regarding restrictions on Muslim worshippers ascending to the Temple Mount until the last minute has become a consistent pattern among decision-makers in recent years, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the forefront. Last year, against the backdrop of an escalation in the area due to Palestinian terrorism, the security cabinet was required to decide whether to allow the entry of Palestinians from the West Bank to the Temple Mount.

Ultimately, a day before the beginning of Ramadan, approval was given, and thousands of Palestinians were allowed to enter through the security crossings around Jerusalem for prayers on the Temple Mount, on the recommendation of security officials that this would lead to a calming of the situation.

In practice, for a week, hundreds of Arabs rioted on the Temple Mount area, and every night police forces broke into the area after being attacked with stones and objects by the rioters, who barricaded themselves in mosques until their arrest by the police.

These riots were extensively covered in the Arab world, but after a few days, calm was restored in the Temple Mount area with the arrest and removal of the rioters. Meanwhile, the police maintain a thunderous silence regarding the expected scenarios this month, as well as the recommendations presented in security meetings, mainly, various restrictions aimed specifically towards some of the Arab citizens of Israel.

The focus on these restriction proposals has pushed aside an issue no less burning and sensitive, which is whether this year Palestinians from the West Bank will be allowed to enter the Temple Mount, after half a year since the attacks of October 7, and the nearly hermetic closure of the entry of Palestinian workers across the Green Line. The IDF and the Shin Bet will have to decide on this matter, as opposition to it is broader than security reasons, given the massacres that took place in the Gaza border region.

Police must make Temple Mount decision

While operational preparations for the month of Ramadan are nearing completion, with the deployment of thousands of police officers and the reinforcement of security rings around the Old City and the Temple Mount, there are those who warn Police Commissioner KobiShabtai of unrest in the area if the organization does not clarify how the police will operate this month and whether there will be restrictions on Muslim worshippers ascending the Mount.

"We warn against an escalation that may erupt due to irresponsible conduct, both on the ground and in racist or Islamophobic statements. The police must act to calm the situation," demanded the non-governmental organization Abrahamic Initiatives. In a letter sent Wednesday to Shabtai, they stated, "We demand to establish clear instructions regarding the conduct of the police in Jerusalem towards the worshipers, and to convey these instructions to every officer on the ground. It must be emphasized that the right to worship is a fundamental right to which all citizens of the state are entitled, and it is the police's duty to enable this.

"If there is a legal decision to restrict prayer (for example in number, age, or gender) in a mosque, it is the responsibility of the police to publish clear information in advance to the public in order to prevent disappointment and frustration among believers who will arrive in Jerusalem but will be denied entry to the mosque," the organization wrote.

Before Shabtai stands a not-so-simple dilemma. On one hand, there is the adamant position of the responsible minister, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, to impose restrictions on the ascent of Muslim worshippers to the Temple Mount. On the other hand, there are warnings from the IDF and the Shin Bet against an escalation, not just in Jerusalem, but across the country, alongside the police’s readiness in case riots break out. The scenes from the May, 2021 riots, and the anarchy that reigned under his command in the mixed cities, are something that Shabtai prefers to push away.

Now he will need to decide how the police’s position will be presented in the discussions over the next two weeks before the decision-makers. Israel Police stated, "We regret that, regarding a sensitive and complex issue which is being discussed in classified discussions at the political level and before any decisions have been made on the matter, there are parties expressing positions that are unclear what they are based on, and they have the potential to harm the process and excite the spirits. We emphasize that the Israel Police will present its official positions before the political echelons and not through the media, and will continue to do everything in its power to maintain the balance between freedom of worship and the peace and security of the public."

Source: jpost.com

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https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-789515

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Netanyahu Counters Biden's Concerns Of Support Declining For Israel Over Rising Gaza Deaths

EnesCanlı

28.02.2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu countered on Tuesday US President Joe Biden's concern that ongoing civilian casualties in Gaza could diminish international backing for Israel by affirming strong support from the American public.

“Israel has had the overwhelming support of the vast majority of nations. If it keeps this up with this incredibly conservative government they have, and (National Security Minister Itamar) Ben-Gvir and others, they’re going to lose support from around the world, and that is not in Israel’s interest,” Biden said in a live interview on NBC on Monday.

“There are too many innocent people that are being killed,” he added.

In response, Netanyahu stated on Tuesday: “Since the beginning of the war, I have been leading a political campaign whose purpose is to curb the pressures intended to end the war before its time, and on the other hand also to gain support for Israel.”

He also pointed out the findings of the Harvard Harris Poll which highlights that 82% of Americans backing Israel support their resolve to pursue military action until achieving victory.

“That means four out of five citizens in the United States support Israel, and not Hamas,” Netanyahu said.

“This gives us two more strength to continue the campaign until complete victory,” he added.

On Feb. 9, Netanyahu instructed the Israeli military to devise a plan for the “evacuation’’ of Rafah, where displaced Palestinians were seeking refuge, and to prepare for potential military action in this region for “war cabinets.’’   

Rafah, a haven for displaced Palestinians

Before the Israeli attacks, Rafah city, located on the Gaza-Egypt border in the southern region, accommodated around 280,000 Palestinians.

However, following the assaults on Oct. 7, nearly 1.9 million out of the Gaza Strip's 2.3 million inhabitants were displaced.

The majority of displaced Palestinians sought safety in Rafah, a location previously deemed "secure" by Israel. With an influx of people from the northern areas, Rafah's population surged more than fivefold to reach 1.5 million.

Due to insufficient housing, most of the Palestinians who sought refuge in Rafah are facing hardships, trying to survive in makeshift camps composed of tents.

Israeli forces often conduct airstrikes on Rafah city. There are concerns that if Israel initiates a ground assault on Rafah, civilians in the Gaza Strip will have nowhere to seek refuge. 

Source: aa.com.tr

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Palestinian FM Says Hamas Knows It Cannot Be In New Government

February 28, 2024

GENEVA: Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki said Wednesday he believes Hamas understands why it should not be part of a new government in the Palestinian territories.

Maliki told a press conference that a “technocratic” government was needed, without the group which is fighting a bitter war against Israel.

“The time now is not for a national coalition government,” Al-Maliki said.

“The time now is not for a government where Hamas will be part of it, because, in this case, then it will be boycotted by a number of countries, as happened before,” he told the UN correspondents’ association.

“We don’t want to be in a situation like that. We want to be accepted and engaging fully with the international community,” he explained.

Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh announced Monday the resignation of his government, which rules parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, citing the need for change after the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza ends.

A decree from Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said the government will stay on in an interim capacity until a new one is formed.

Maliki said the priority was engaging the international community on to help provide emergency relief to Palestinians, and then looking at how Gaza could be reconstructed.

“Later, when the situation is right, then we could contemplate that option. But what comes first is how to salvage the situation. How to salvage innocent Palestinian lives. How to stop this insane war and how to be able to protect Palestinian people,” he said.

“That’s why I think Hamas should understand this, and I do believe that they are in support of the idea to establish, today, a technocratic government.

“A government that is based on experts, individuals who are completely committed to take up the reins and the responsibility for this period — a difficult one — and to move the whole country into a period of transition into a stable kind of situation where, at the end, we might be able to think about elections.

“And after elections, the outcome of the elections will determine the type of government that will govern the state of Palestine later.”

Maliki is in Geneva to attend the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The war in Gaza began after Hamas launched an attack on October 7 that killed about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures.

Hamas militants also took hostages, 130 of whom remain in Gaza.

Israel’s retaliatory bombardment and ground offensive in Gaza have killed at least 29,954 people, most of them women and children, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2468231/middle-east

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Palestinian resistance targets enemy vehicles, soldiers in southern Gaza Strip

[29/February/2024]

GAZA February 29. 2024 (Saba) - The Palestinian resistance has continued its intense battles and its confrontation with the Zionist enemy forces that are trying to penetrate into many areas inside the Gaza Strip.

Al-Mayadeen reported that the resistance is engaged in fierce clashes in the southern and eastern regions, at Dawla Junction and al-Sikka Street in al-Zaytounneighborhood in Gaza.

In turn, Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades reported from its fighters who returned from the battle lines that they clashed with a special Zionist force from a zero distance and killed a Zionist soldier and wounded another, near Shafi’i Mosque, west of the city of Khan Yunis, South Gaza Strip.

The Islamic fighters said they targeted two Zionist "Merkava 4" tanks, with two "al-Yassin 105" and "Tandum" shells, on the project road west of the city of Khan Yunis.

Likewise, al-Quds Brigades announced that its fighters clashed with a Zionist foot force consisting of four soldiers, killing and wounding its members in the southeastern Qarara area, in the city of Khan Yunis.

In the same fighting axis, the fighters targeted a Zionist "Merkava" tank and a "D9" bulldozer with "Tandum" and "RPG" shells, in the axis of confronting the attempted Zionist advance, west of the city of Khan Yunis.

The fighters also announced that it had bombed, with a barrage of mortar shells, a gathering of Zionist enemy forces on Tenth Street, south of al-Zaytounneighborhood in Gaza City.

They broadcast scenes of the Zionist Quadcopter aircraft, which they controlled and shot down while carrying out intelligence missions east of Khan Yunis.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said that its fighters targeted two Zionist military vehicles with RPG-type shells west of the city of Khan Yunis.

In Gaza City and its outskirts, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades announced that its fighters engaged in fierce clashes with enemy forces with appropriate weapons in the advance axis in the vicinity of Dawlat Junction, south of al-Zaytounneighborhood.

Source: saba.ye

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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3308977.htm

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Hamas calls on UN agencies to deliver health emergency, food supplies to northern Gaza strip

[29/February/2024]

GAZA February 29. 2024 (Saba) - Hamas has confirmed that the announcement Kamal Adwan Hospital would be out of service exacerbates the health and humanitarian situation of the population in the northern Gaza Strip.

In a statement, Hamas called on all concerned parties and UN agencies to take urgent action to deliver emergency food supplies to the besieged northern Gaza Strip.

The statement also stressed that “Palestinian citizens in the northern Gaza Strip are being subjected to systematic starvation by the criminal enemy, which does not observe any humanitarian standards or moral controls in its comprehensive war on the Palestinian people.”

It said that the international community and the United Nations “are required to assume their responsibilities in taking the necessary measures to stop the genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.”

For his part, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza reported that the hospital was out of service, starting on Wednesday, due to running out of fuel.

The hospital director confirmed that if the hospital stops operating, thousands will be deprived of their right to obtain medical service.

He pointed out that many patients died as a result of the lack of medicine, food, and fuel.

Source: saba.ye

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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3308975.htm

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Tens of settlers re-storm into Holy Aqsa Mosque yards

[28/February/2024]

OCCUPIED AL-QUS February 28. 2024 (Saba) -Tens of Zionist settlers on Wednesday raided again the Holy Aqsa Mosque's yards, intensely guarded by Zionist police.

The settlers stormed into the Mosque's al-Maghariba Gate, practiced Talmud services and took provocative walks across its yards, WAFA news agency quoted local sources as saying.

Zionist forces often erect barriers and place obstructions to hinder the Palestinians and deny their access to the Mosque for prayers.

Separately, settlers attacked civil vehicles between the two villages of Osairah and Owreef south Nablus.

Zionist security erected a barrier between the two villages and opened live bullets to terrify drivers and force vehicles to detour, security sources said, with no reports on casualties.

Source: saba.ye

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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3308811.htm

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Syria confronts Israeli airstrike near Damascus: Report

28 February 2024

The Syrian military reportedly confronts an Israeli airstrike on a suburb of the Arab country's capital of Damascus.

The act of aggression was carried out on Wednesday from the direction of the country's Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported, citing a military source.

The source specified the time of the attack as several locations close to the capital and its time as roughly 21:35 local time (20:35 GMT).

"The Syrian Army's air defense [units] confronted the missiles and brought down most of them," the source said, adding that the airstrike had just resulted in some "material damage."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a so-called monitor, said the incoming Israeli projectiles had hit "two locations" near Damascus.

Syria and the Israeli regime are technically at war due to the latter’s 1967-present occupation of the Golan Heights.

The regime has carried out hundreds of attacks against the country after 2011, when the Arab nation found itself in the grip of rampant foreign-backed militancy and terrorism.

Tel Aviv has significantly ramped up the strikes since last October, when it began a genocidal war against the Gaza Strip, in what has been described by observers, as a reckless bid threatening to fan tensions throughout the region.

On Sunday, at least three people were killed when an Israeli unnamed aerial vehicle carried out a strike against the western Syrian province of Homs, close to the border with Lebanon.

Damascus has repeatedly complained to the United Nations over the Israeli assaults, urging the world body's Security Council to take action against Tel Aviv’s crimes. Its demands have, however, fallen on deaf ears.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/02/28/720986/Syria-Israel-airstrike-Damascus

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'Starvation as method of warfare': Gaza facing ‘mass killing of children in slow motion’

29 February 2024

The international charity organization "Save the Children" has voiced concern over the high death toll of children in the Gaza Strip, saying the besieged territory is facing a “mass killing of children in slow motion” as Israel continues to block safe delivery of aid.

Jason Lee, Save the Children's country director in the occupied Palestinian territories, made the remarks on Wednesday, warning that time is running out for children in Gaza, particularly in northern areas, where they are at the highest risk of starvation due to a tight Israeli siege.

“What we are witnessing in Gaza is a mass killing of children in slow motion because there is no food left and nothing getting to them. They are dying because the world has failed to protect them, and now families are fleeing to Israel’s next military target to avoid starvation, caught in a death trap,” Lee said.

He went on to say that the international community must take serious action to prevent starvation in the blockaded territory.  

“Whenever we learn lessons from the past, we resolve to never again let “atrocity crimes” unfold. The test is now right in front of us. Children are being starved while trucks of food are denied access and continued fighting prevent delivery of the little aid coming into Gaza. We are failing that test,” Lee said. 

“Unless action is taken by the international community, to uphold their responsibilities under the Geneva Conventions and prevent the most serious crimes of international concern – including the use of starvation as a method of warfare - history will and should judge us all,” he added.

Lee further noted that Save the Children is calling for an immediate, definitive ceasefire to save and protect the lives of kids in Gaza, as well as the safe deliver of humanitarian aid supplies to the territory.

He also urged all donor governments and the rest of the international community to resume and scale up funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) as quickly as possible.

Seven children die at Kamal Adwan Hospital

The latest development comes as at least seven children have died at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza city of Jabalia due to malnutrition and dehydration, according to the director of the hospital.

The Health Ministry said that two children also died at the al-Shifa Hospital for the same reason.

The Israeli military has restricted the delivery of humanitarian supplies to northern Gaza for weeks, and thousands of children are going without sufficient food and medication.

Since early October, the Tel Aviv regime has cut the free flow of water, food, fuel, and power to the Gaza Strip, placing restrictions on the international aid sent to the region.

The prevention of aid convoys came as aid agencies like UNRWA are struggling to help Gazans who are under the incessant Israeli bombardments.

Nearly 30,000 people, including 14,000 children, have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its latest aggression on Gaza in early October.

Source: presstv.ir

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Food aid reaches north Gaza for first time in weeks. Israeli hostages’ families push for release

February 29, 2024

RAFAH, Gaza Strip: Aid convoys carrying food reached northern Gaza this week, Israeli officials said Wednesday, the first major delivery in a month to the devastated, isolated area, where the UN has warned of worsening starvation among hundreds of thousands of Palestinians amid Israel’s offensive.

The increasing alarm over hunger across Gaza has fueled international calls for a ceasefire as the US, Egypt and Qatar work to secure a deal between Israel and Hamas for a pause in fighting and the release of some of the hostages seized by Hamas in its Oct. 7 attack.

Mediators hope to reach an agreement before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan starts around March 10. But so far, Israel and Hamas have remained far apart in public on their demands.

Increasing the pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a deal, families of hostages on Wednesday launched a four-day march from southern Israel to Jerusalem to demand their loved ones be set free. Some of the around 100 hostages freed during a ceasefire in late November are joining the march, which is to end near Netanyahu’s official residence.

The plight of the hostages has deeply shaken Israelis, who see in them an enduring symbol of the state’s failure to protect its citizens from Hamas’ assault. In its Oct. 7 attack, the Palestinian militant group abducted roughly 250 people, according to Israeli authorities, including men, women, children and older adults. After the November releases, some 130 hostages remain, and Israel says about a quarter of them are dead.

Israel’s assault on Gaza, which it says aims at destroying Hamas after its attack, has killed more than 29,900 Palestinians. UN officials warn of further mass casualties if it follows through on vows to attack the southernmost city of Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million has taken refuge. They also say a Rafah offensive could collapse the aid operation that has already been crippled in the fighting.

Across Gaza, more than 576,000 people – a quarter of the population – are a step away from famine, the UN says. But northern Gaza in particular has been gutted by hunger. The north has largely been cut off and much of it has been leveled since Israeli ground troops invaded in late October. Several hundred thousand Palestinians are believed to remain there, and many have been reduced to eating animal fodder to survive. The UN says one in 6 children under 2 in the north suffer from acute malnutrition and wasting.

A convoy of 31 trucks carrying food entered northern Gaza on Wednesday, the Israeli military office that oversees Palestinian civilian affairs said. The office, known by the acronym COGAT, said nearly 20 other trucks entered the north on Monday and Tuesday. Associated Press footage showed people carrying sacks of flour from the distribution site.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the deliveries. The UN was not involved, said a spokesperson for the UN’s humanitarian coordination office, EriKeneko.

As of Sunday, the UN had been unable to deliver food to northern Gaza since Jan. 23, according to Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees that has led the aid effort during the war. On Feb. 18, the World Food Program attempted a delivery to the north for the first time in three weeks, but much of the convoy’s cargo was taken en route by desperate Palestinians, and it was only able to distribute a small amount in the north. Two days later, the WFP announced it was pausing deliveries to the north because of the chaos.

Since launching its assault on Gaza following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, Israel has barred entry of food, water, medicine and other supplies except for a trickle of aid entering the south from Egypt at the Rafah crossing and Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing. Despite international calls to allow in more aid, the number of supply trucks entering has dropped dramatically in recent weeks.

COGAT said Wednesday that Israel does not impose limits on the amount of aid entering. Israel has blamed UN agencies for the bottleneck, saying hundreds of trucks are waiting on the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom for aid workers to collect them.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Wednesday countered saying large trucks entering Gaza have to be unloaded and reloaded onto smaller Palestinian trucks, but there aren’t enough of them and there’s a lack of security to distribute aid in Gaza. Police in Gaza stopped protecting convoys after Israeli strikes on them near the crossing. There is also “insufficient coordination” from Israel on security and deconfliction, which puts the lives of UN staff and other humanitarian workers at risk.

“That’s why we’ve repeatedly asked for a humanitarian ceasefire,” he said. The UN has called for Israel to open crossings in the north to aid deliveries and guarantee safe corridors for convoys.

The director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza said the number of children who have died in recent days from severe malnutrition and dehydration had risen to four.

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya said that operations at the hospital will shut off starting Wednesday due to fuel shortages. “Dialysis, intensive care, childcare, and surgeries will stop. Therefore, we will witness more deaths in the coming days,” he said.

But the pain from the lack of supplies extends across Gaza. Project Hope, a humanitarian group that runs a clinic in the central town of Deir Al-Balah, said 21 percent of the pregnant women and 11 percent of the children under 5 it has treated in the last three weeks are suffering from malnutrition.

The Gaza Health Ministry said the death toll from Israel’s offensive had risen to 29,954 people, with 70,325 wounded. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants, but it says two-thirds of the dead were children and women.

In its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, Hamas and other Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mainly civilians.

Source: arabnews.com

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Türkiye presents ambitious investment strategy in London summit

[29/February/2024]

Turkish Presidency’s Investment Office has presented Türkiye's "International Direct Investment Strategy: 2024-2028" to global investors during the Brand Finance Global Soft Power Summit 2024 in London.

Türkiye's stable economy and resilient structure position the country as an attractive destination for international investment, the head of the Investment Office, BurakDaglioglu, said at the event on Wednesday.

He emphasised Türkiye's role as a leading investment hub in its region, pointing to its strong economic performance over the past two decades.

Daglioglu also discussed the importance of international direct investments in fostering a thriving economic environment and outlined the structural reforms implemented by the Presidential Investment Office to facilitate the investment process in Türkiye.

"As the Presidential Investment Office, we are committed to disseminating Türkiye's vast opportunities to global investors. Today, in London, we had the privilege to engage with an esteemed audience, amplifying our investment diplomacy efforts," he said.

Steady economic growth

Underlining Türkiye's unparalleled success in attracting investments, Daglioglu revealed that over 700 international companies are currently operating in technoparks and R&D centres, with more than 80,000 international companies providing diverse services across various sectors.

The cumulative international investments in Türkiye over the past two decades have surpassed an impressive $260 billion mark, he underlined.

Looking ahead, Daglioglu unveiled the forthcoming “International Direct Investment Strategy: 2024-2028,” which aims to propel Türkiye's share in the global international direct investment market to 1.5 percent, a significant leap from the current 1 percent share.

In his address, Daglioglu underscored Türkiye's steady economic growth over the past two decades, emphasising its pivotal role as a hub for international investment in the region.

With a focus on fostering a conducive environment for foreign investors, he explained the Presidential Investment Office's initiatives and structural reforms aimed at facilitating international investment in Türkiye.

Source: trtworld.com

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Southeast Asia

 

China Says Intel Law Is Being Violated In Gaza, Calls For Immediate Ceasefire

[29/February/2024]

BEIJING February 29. 2024 (Saba) - Chargé d'Affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations Dai Bing has confirmed that Baadeh will make "relentless efforts to restore peace, save lives, and ensure the arrival of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip."

Dai Bing said in his speech before the UN Security Council What is happening in Gaza “violates international law and exceeds the minimum level of human morality and conscience.”

He added "People lack basic safety guarantees and survival supplies, and are constantly confronted with “The danger of death, hunger and disease, and they live in fear and despair every day.”

Dai Bing pointed out that the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolutions 2712 and 2720, which call for the entry of aid and the release of prisoners. However, “due to deliberate obstructions, the entry of humanitarian supplies into Gaza faced many difficulties.”

He called on the Zionist entity to seriously fulfill its obligations, as the occupying power under the Geneva Convention, to fully cooperate in implementing Security Council resolutions, to open all land, sea and air access routes, and to ensure the safe, rapid and unhindered access and entry of humanitarian supplies.

Dai Bing stressed that the Zionist entity must strictly adhere to the requirements of the deconfliction mechanism, ensure the safety of humanitarian agencies and their workers, and must provide the necessary facilities for humanitarian agencies to provide assistance in Gaza.

He pointed out that the International Court of Justice ordered that Israel take measures to prevent genocide and provide the population of Gaza with basic services and humanitarian aid.

The Chargé d'Affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations stated that UNRWA is the "lifeline" for the residents of Gaza, and its role is "indispensable and irreplaceable."

He also stressed that "an immediate ceasefire is the necessary precondition to protect civilians, provide assistance and mitigate the humanitarian catastrophe."

Source: saba.ye

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Selangor Sultan Rebukes PAS President Hadi Over ‘Cynical, Misleading’ Remarks On Country’s Shariah Law

29 Feb 2024

Justin Ong

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 29 — Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today directly censured PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang over an open letter urging the Malay Rulers, among others, to defend Islam in the country, calling this an affront the country’s royal institution.

In a statement released online, the Selangor Royal Office said the Sultan was extremely disappointed with Hadi’s statement, the contents of which showed that the PAS president did not read a letter the Sultan Sharafuddin sent him before that.

“Hadi’s cynical remarks indirectly connecting the sultan’s decree to the attitude of Rulers who must be concerned with the afterlife and not pursue worldly interests alone, was most inappropriate and ill-mannered, given the Malay culture to always be respectful and polite when expressing views and advice to the Malay Rulers,” the Sultan said.

“Hadi’s remarks not only mislead but could also cause disquiet that could eventually lead to the fracturing of Muslim unity, especially among the Malays in the country.”

The Sultan told Hadi to be more careful in future remarks on the topic, telling the PAS president to put in the effort to understand the Sultan’s messages before offering responses.

He also questioned Hadi’s sudden interest in questioning the Federal Constitution’s position as the supreme law of the land, noting that it enshrined Islam as the religion of the federation in1957 and has not altered this in any way the entire time.

“His Highness advises Tan Sri Hadi to be more careful in the future so that he does not again insults the Malay Rulers through his remarks that could divide the Muslims in the country.

“His Highness also decrees that all politicians and political leaders must not manipulate Islam and smear the pure religion for the political interests of their parties.”

After the Federal Court ruled in favour of a petition to invalidate 16 from 18 provisions of the Kelantan Shariah criminal enactment earlier this month, Hadi lashed out at the judges, suggesting they remain shackled by colonial mentality.

He followed this up with the letter cited here by the Sultan of Selangor, in which he denounced the Federal Constitution the product of colonisers who wanted to deceive Muslims into surrendering Islam’s authority.

Hadi also said it was incumbent on scholars, lawyers, judges, federal and state lawmakers as well as Malay Rulers to correct this, with a pointed passage that said Rulers must set their sites on the afterlife over worldly interests.

The Sultan of Selangor is also chairman of the National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs.

Source: malaymail.com

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Indonesia Strengthens Dialogue, Moderation For World Peace: VP Amin

 February 28, 2024

Wellington, New Zealand (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, at a public lecture at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, shared Indonesia's experiences in strengthening interfaith dialogue and religious moderation to realize world peace.

"Indonesia and New Zealand share the same value of highly respecting diversity, including religious diversity," Amin stated at the public lecture on Wednesday.

The vice president highlighted Indonesia's commitment to playing an active role in interfaith dialogue on its foreign policy for the last two years.

Indonesia cooperates with other countries and the international community to encourage common understanding among religions globally, he added.

Amin affirmed that Indonesia, with its diversity, has a strong modal quality to encourage interfaith relations among nations.

"We have a population of 278 million in 17 thousand islands, six recognized religious faiths, 1,300 ethnic groups, and 718 regional languages," he noted.

At the public lecture attended by more than 100 students and the academic community of Victoria University of Wellington, the vice president elaborated on Indonesia's experience in managing its diversity to prevent disunity.

Related news: Ministry targets religious moderation villages in 34 provinces by 2024

Amin highlighted that interfaith dialogue has been an entrenched aspect of Indonesia's society as the first and foremost method of resolving issues.

"We have the Communication Forum of Inter-Religious Communities, whose members comprise religious organizations in Indonesia, to avoid religious conflict and resolve internal disputes among religious groups," the vice president stated.

Indonesia also upholds the national foundation that emphasizes unity and harmony, he stated.

"Those values are stated in the Pancasila ideology, the 1945 Constitution, and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia as the consensus of our national founders who came from nationalist and religious backgrounds," Amin highlighted.

He said that Indonesia also prohibits any regulation that seeks to discriminate against religions in all aspects, such as politics and law, economy, and culture.

Religious figures and civil society also have an important role to play in various public aspects, so they are constantly involved in disseminating information on religious tolerance and moderation, he added.

"Indonesia's two major Muslim organizations of Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah have also been recently awarded the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity from the United Arab Emirates for their dedication and commitment to advancing moderation, brotherhood, and peace," Amin remarked.

Source: antaranews.com

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Malaysia regrets objection to Palestine’s observer status at conference on disarmament

29-02- 2024

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia deeply regretted that Palestine’s application to participate as an observer state at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) for the 2024 session was objected to by some delegations.

Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin, when delivering the country’s statement at the 2024 Session of the conference in Geneva on Wednesday, said Malaysia is of the view that Palestine has equal rights to participate in the work of the conference.

He noted that Palestine is a Permanent Observer State of the United Nations and a State Party to disarmament agreements, namely the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) and Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which were negotiated and adopted by the CD.

“Malaysia underlines the importance of the principles of inclusivity and multilateralism in the work of the conference,“ he said.

Mohamad said Malaysia further called for the expansion of the Conference’s membership for a wider engagement within the international community.

He said Malaysia also called on member states to agree on a Programme of Work, noting that it is vital for CD to overcome all obstacles before it could fulfil its mandate of negotiating disarmament and non-proliferation instruments.

The current global crisis in international peace and security desperately requires a CD that is functioning and effective, he said.

“However, the inability of CD Member States to agree on a Programme of Work has resulted in a prolonged impasse of more than two decades,“ he said.

To this end, Mohamad said Malaysia will continue to engage constructively with other member states of the conference and support all efforts that contribute towards general and complete disarmament.

“On that note, we call for all member states to urgently demonstrate greater political will, build trust amongst one another, as well as exercise utmost flexibility to advance the substantive work of the conference,“ he said.

Mohamad said the Malaysian delegation underscored that agreeing to a Programme of Work does not prejudge the results of treaty negotiations in the future.

He said Malaysia remained a steadfast proponent of nuclear disarmament due to the devastating effects of nuclear weapons not only on humans but also on the environment.

“Malaysia strongly reaffirms that the total elimination of nuclear weapons is the absolute guarantee against their use or threat of use,“ he said.

Mohamad is leading the Malaysian delegation to the High-Level Segment of the Human Rights Council and High-Level Segment of the CD, from Feb 27 to 29 in Geneva, Switzerland.

At the Human Rights Council, Mohamad met with the High Commissioner of Human Rights, Volker Turk, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The ministry said both sides engaged in discussions regarding strengthening cooperation between Malaysia and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) across various human rights issues, including collaboration through its regional office in Bangkok.

The Deputy Foreign Minister also expressed that Malaysia welcomes the High Commissioner’s inaugural visit to the country later this year. – Bernama

Source: thesun.my

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Anwar: No one, including ministers and deputy ministers immune from MACC probe

AdibPovera

 February 29, 2024

KUALA LUMPUR: Ministers and deputy ministers in the unity government will not be exempted from being scrutinised and investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) if suspected of being involved in any form of corruption and abuse of power. offences, said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also pledged that the ministers and deputy ministers investigated by the MACC for their suspected involvement in corruption and abuse of power would be asked to step down from their position in a "compulsory" manner.

Anwar, who has been vocal about efforts to eradicate any form of corruption in the country, said the MACC is monitoring all the tenders approved by every ministry and agencies in the federal administration.

"I have issued a clear reminder on this.

"I have also said that (the MACC) do not need to ask for my permission if commission wanted to initiate action (against ministers and deputy ministers involved in corruption and abuse of power).

"It is compulsory (for the ministers and deputy ministers suspected to be involved in corruption and abuse of power) to be dropped (from the unity government).

"This is the way in order for us to save the country (from continuing to be gripped by corruption)," said Anwar in his speech at the National Anti-Corruption Summit 2024 here today.

Themed "EmbedingIntergrity and Good Governance in Human Capital Development", some 1,300 people attended the summit, which was jointly organised by the Human Resources Development Corporation with the MACC.

Present were Human Resources Minister Steven Sim, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and Local Government Development Minister NgaKor Ming.

Also in attendance was MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.

Anwar, in his speech, also challenged critics of his administration to present evidence of suspected involvement in corruption and abuse of powers involving ministers and deputy ministers in the federal administration under his leadership.

"Since we came into power, the federal administration has been (verbally) attacked from every corner.

"To that, I have said this both in and outside of the Parliament... provide me with one proof that prime minister and ministers (involvement in corruption) and I will ask Tan Sri Azam to investigate this..

"If there is any, I want them to be investigated and arrested...,"he said. At the event, Anwar also highlighted the need for more programmes and initiatives to educate the people on the detrimental impact of corruption and abuse of power towards the development of the country and the welfare and livelihood of the people.

Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, described the general understanding on the impact of corruption was still extremely "mendatar" (low) and "dangkal" (superficial).

"There is seem to be a 'disconnect' on this. More efforts needed to tell them on how billions ringgit embezzled by irresponsible quarters will affect the rights of the people.

"More explanation need to educate them on how the billions of ringgit stolen will have its impact, let says, the (review in the) allowance or increment to the salaries of civil servants," he said.

On the summit, Anwar said he hoped that more of such events could be held in the country.

"We must render a strong meaning that this country. And the Madani government will pursue this agenda without fear and favour."

Source: nst.com.my

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