Longstanding Demand of Hindutva Organisations: Aligarh Likely to Be Renamed as Harigarh

New Age Islam News Bureau

08 November 2023

  

India

·         We Can’t Be Neutral When Section of People Face Genocidal Aggression, Says Kerala CM On Israel-Palestine Conflict

·         Gyanvapi Survey: ASI Hands Over Objects Found on Mosque Premises to District Official In

Varanasi

·         ‘Nationalist symbol’ in Kashmir, Eknath Shinde unveils Shivaji statue in Kupwara

·         RSS-linked Muslim Rashtriya Mancha holds Tiranga Yatra in Kanpur

·         India has always been a Hindu Rashtra: RSS leader Hosabale

·         Kashmiri Muslim Family Prepares Thousands of DiwaliDiyas For The Hindu Festival

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North America

·         Biden Opposes Reoccupation of Gaza; 'Israel and US Do Not Have to Agree on Every Single Issue,' says White House

·         Blinken, senior diplomats seek G7 unity on Israel-Hamas war and other global crises

·         ‘Black Lives 4 Palestine’: US activists find common cause

·         As Israeli war on Gaza rages on, US says still not drawing any red lines for Israel

·         Israel-Hamas War: Young Muslim and Jewish People Scared of Going Out at Night, Warns Youth Programme Chief

·         Biden understands Arab and Muslim concerns over Gaza toll, White House says

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Mideast

·         US Support for Child-Killing Israeli Regime to Complicate Regional Security: Iran’s Defence Minister

·         900,000 Palestinians Face Israeli Onslaught, Those Fleeing Recount Terrifying Journey

·         Islamic Countries Duty-Bound To Stop ‘Egregious’ Israeli War On Gaza: Muslim Scholars

·         Iraq Announces Fuel Donation to Gaza Hospitals

·         Cultural event at Dhamar University in support of Palestinian cause‏

·         First group of 20-25 Canadians evacuated from Gaza into Egypt — Ottawa

·         Newborn baby found alive near ruins of bombed out mosque in Gaza

·         Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 10,328 including 4,237 children, 2,719 women

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Europe

·         Hate crimes against Muslims rise in Germany after Israel-Palestine conflict

·         Mexico Rules Out Severing Ties with Israel Over Gaza, Calls for Peace

·         French opposition MPs call for cease-fire in Gaza

·         UK Labour MP Imran Hussain resigns in support of Gaza ceasefire

·         Over 40% of Muslim men in Germany report about daily racism: Study

·         Article 19 calls for dismissal of charges against journalist on trial for insulting Islam

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Arab World

·         Saudi cabinet praises launch of fundraising campaign for Gaza

·         Saudi, Austrian foreign ministers discuss escalation of violence in Gaza

·         Saudi Arabia showcases culinary tourism at London fair

·         Arab-African Summit postponed amid Gaza unrest

·         KSrelief team arrives in Cairo to discuss Saudi aid delivery mechanism in Gaza

·         Over 6 million people perform prayers at Prophet's Mosque in a week

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Pakistan

·         PM Seeks World Intervention In Stopping Israel’s Aggression Against Palestinians

·         Sindh to send illegal immigrants back to Afghanistan by train

·         Pakistan sends another aid consignment for Gazans

·         Pakistan has taken the lead in defending, propagating Palestinian position: UN envoy Munir Akram

·         Mushaal reiterates Pakistan’s support to legitimate rights of Kashmiris, Palestinians

·         Three witnesses testify against Imran, Qureshi

·         Al-Khidmat dispatches relief goods for people of Gaza

·         Imran moves SC against indictment in cipher case

·         Jilani express solidarity with Palestinian FM on phone

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South Asia

·         Majority Of Afghan Migrants Expelled from Pakistan Are Children: UN Report

·         Pakistan pressuring Afghanistan with migrant deportations: Muttaqi

·         UAE extends assistance to Afghan migrants expelled from Pakistan

·         7 People Killed, 20 Wounded in Blast in Kabul

·         Mullah Baradar in Iran Calls for Increased Political, Economic Ties

·         Comprehensive Cultural Programs Planned for Panjshir Province: Khairkhwah

·         ISIL claims Kabul bus attack targeting Shia Muslims

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Southeast Asia

·         G7’s Top Diplomats Prepare Statement on Gaza Conflict

·         Ahead Of Federal Court Ruling, PerikatanSeeks to Rally Muslim Support Against Legal Bid Challenging Kelantan’s Shariah Criminal Code

·         PM Anwar says Malaysia will do its best to speak out for Palestine at Apec 2023 meet in US

·         PAS ulama chief warned over insulting remarks

·         Minister: Increase In Saudi's VAT Rate, Exchange Rate Among Reasons For Higher Cost Of Haj

·         Misguided ‘Israel boycott’ impacting innocent workers, businesses in M’sia

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Africa

·         Reps Lament Resurgence of Boko Haram Terrorists in Borno, Yobe

·         Kano Islamic Police, Hisbah Dismisses Top Official, Declares Him Wanted for Encouraging Immorality

·         Mali: airstrikes kill several civilians

·         Tunisia: 5 Convicted Terrorists Captured and Escaped from Prison

·         Hajj Institute graduates second batch of 54 students

·         Israel-Hamas war: Senate nudges FG on ceasefire call

·         Forty people killed in Kenya, Somalia as heavy rains and flash floods displace thousands

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:   https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hindutva-organisations-aligarh/d/131070

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Longstanding Demand of Hindutva Organisations: Aligarh Likely to Be Renamed as Harigarh

 

 

08.11.23

Piyush Srivastava

The civic authorities of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh have passed a resolution to change the name of the district to Harigarh, a longstanding demand of Hindutva organisations.

Prashant Singhal, the mayor of the Aligarh Nagar Nigam, said: “The proposal to change the name from Aligarh to Harigarh was tabled at the meeting of the Nigam on Monday and passed on Tuesday with the support of the majority of the corporators.”

“We are sending the resolution to the state government so that the decision can be made official,” Singhal said.

Forty-five BJP members and four Independents in the 90-member Nagar Nigam or municipal corporation supported the move.

Satish Gautam, the BJP MP of Aligarh, said: “We are moving forward with our agenda of establishing and strengthening Sanatan tradition in the country. This demand was raised first many decades ago. Many people organised signature campaigns for this but it is the first time that the municipal corporation has agreed to it.”

The zilla panchayat of Aligarh had passed a similar resolution and sent it to the state government in August 2021.

Gautam said: “The zilla panchayat had passed this more than two years ago but since the Nagar Nigam has also done so now, it would be easy for the Yogi Adityanath government to take the final decision. However, it is entirely up to the chief minister and his cabinet to decide when and how to implement this.”

Aligarh is home to Aligarh Muslim University. When the BJP government had changed to name of Allahabad to Prayagraj in January 2019, the executive council of the University of Allahabad had voted against changing its name.

In Aligarh on August 21 this year, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had referred to locals as “Harigarh walon (residents of Harigarh)”.

“Arre Harigarh walon, tezawazmein bolo, Jai Sri Ram (Residents of Harigarh, chant loudly — Jai Sri Ram),” the BJP leader had said at a public meeting.

Lord Krishna is called Hari. Mathura, which is considered the birthplace of Krishna, is 66km south of Aligarh.

Changing the Muslim-sounding names of cities has been a key agenda of the BJP government.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/uttar-pradesh-aligarh-likely-to-renamed-as-harigarh-as-civic-authorites-give-go-ahead/cid/1978379

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US Says 'Horrible To See' Images Of Gaza's Children Being Removed From Rubble

 

Photo: aa.com

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Michael Hernandez

07.11.2023

It is "horrible to see" Palestinian children being pulled out of the rubble in the besieged Gaza Strip, the White House said Tuesday amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes across the coastal enclave and a broadening ground invasion.

"It is sad to see, it's horrible to see the images of young kids being pulled out of rubble, and so many of them not making it," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.

"Hamas is putting those children and their families in greater danger by not letting them go, by encouraging them to stay, by sheltering in their homes, by building tunnels under their hospitals, and by holding children hostages," he said, referring to a portion of the more than 200 people Hamas took hostage one month ago.

Asked if the US placed any restriction on how weapons it provides Israel can be used in Gaza, Kirby said: "We provide security assistance to any foreign nation, including Israel, with the full expectation that those weapons will be used in keeping with the law of armed conflict."

"That's no different here for Israel than it is for anybody else," he said. "We're going to keep urging them to be as discriminant and careful and cautious as possible."

Israel launched air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group, Hamas, on Oct. 7 that killed more than 1,400 people in Israel. At least 10,328 Palestinians, including 4,237 children and 2,719 women, have been killed in Gaza.

Amid the soaring death toll, basic necessities are increasingly running out in Gaza after Israel imposed a "full siege" on the enclave that has ground humanitarian aid deliveries to a near halt.

In the month since the war began, just over 500 trucks -- what would have constituted a day's worth of deliveries prior to the war-- have arrived in Gaza.

Source: aa.com.tr

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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-says-horrible-to-see-images-of-gazas-children-being-removed-from-rubble/3046855

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Turkish Parliament Boycotts Coca-Cola and Nestle Over Israel Support

 

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (AP)

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November 7, 2023

The Turkish parliament has decided to stop selling products from Coca-Cola and Nestle in its campus restaurants, cafeterias and tea houses, citing their alleged support for the Israeli war on Gaza.

The parliament issued a statement on Tuesday, saying that the decision was made by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, who acted on public demand. The statement did not name the companies, but a source told Reuters that Coca-Cola beverages and Nestle instant coffee were the only brands affected by the boycott.

The move comes amid a wave of social media campaigns in Turkey, calling for people to shun Israeli goods and Western companies that back the Israeli military operation in the Palestinian enclave. Turkey has been one of the most vocal critics of the Israeli occupation, condemning them as genocide and terrorism.

The boycott also reflects the deteriorating diplomatic and economic ties between Turkey and the Israeli occupation, which have reached a new low since the start of the war in Gaza. On Saturday, Turkey said it had recalled its ambassador to the Israeli occupation for consultations over the Israeli sustained bombing of civilians in the Gaza Strip and the worsening humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave.

Last month, Israeli diplomats had left Turkey for security reasons after many pro-Palestinian demonstrations erupted across the country. Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs later said it had recalled the diplomats to assess the state of bilateral relations.

According to the Turkish trade minister, Omer Bolat, trade between Turkey and the Israeli occupation has dropped by half since the start of the war, compared with the same period last year. Bolat made the comments during an official visit to Kuwait on Monday. He said that Turkey was looking for alternative markets and partners in the region.

Source: daysofpalestine.ps

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https://daysofpalestine.ps/turkish-parliament-boycotts-coca-cola-and-nestle-over-israel-support/

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‘No Legal Mechanism’ To Ban Pro-Palestine March on Armistice Day, Say London Police

 

A pro-Palestinian protest march planned for Armistice Day in the UK will go ahead, the head of London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed on Tuesday. (Reuters)

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November 08, 2023

LONDON: A pro-Palestinian protest march planned for Armistice Day in the UK will go ahead, the head of London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed on Tuesday.

Sir Mark Rowley said there was no “legal mechanism” to ban such a gathering or static protest but his officers would keep protesters away from the Cenotaph in Whitehall, Central London, where remembrance and armistice events will also take place on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 11. However, the approach of officers will change if the demonstrators attempt to move toward that part of the city, he added.

“If, over the next few days, the intelligence evolves further and we get to such a high threshold — it’s only been done once in a decade — where we need to say to the home secretary we need to ban the march element, then of course we will do,” Rowley said. “But that’s a last resort we haven’t reached.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman had urged Rowley to prevent any protest from taking place on Saturday.

Sunak said the “provocative and disrespectful” march should not go ahead on the day when many Britons pause at 11:00 a.m. for a two-minute silence to remember those who gave their lives in conflicts. Braverman said it was “entirely unacceptable to desecrate Armistice Day with a hate march through London.”

Rowley said he has spoken to organizers of the protest, who gave assurances that it would remain “well away” from the Cenotaph in Whitehall. They said the march will wait until after the traditional two-minute silence at 11 a.m. before setting off from Hyde Park and moving toward the US embassy.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2405141/world

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Saudi Arabia Says Will Host Arab and Islamic Summits to Discuss Gaza Conflict

 

Photo: DD News

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08-11-2023

Saudi Arabia will host summits of Arab and Islamic nations in coming days to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Saudi Arabia's investment minister said on Wednesday.

"We will see, this week, in the next few days Saudi Arabia convening an emergency Arab summit in Riyadh," said Saudi investment minister Khalid Al-Falih, at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore.

"In a few days you will see Saudi Arabia convening an Islamic summit," he said.

"In the short term, the objective of bringing these three summits and other gatherings under the leadership of Saudi Arabia would be to drive towards peaceful resolution of the conflict."

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will travel to Saudi Arabia on Sunday for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit, Etemadonline news reported, the first visit by an Iranian head of state since Tehran and Riyadh ended years of hostility under a China-brokered deal in March.

Falih also said Saudi Arabia would convene a summit with African nations, without specifying a date. Late on Tuesday Saudi Arabia's foreign affairs ministry had issued a statement saying that meeting, which had been set for the weekend, would be postponed in order to focus on the other two summits.

Source: ddnews.gov.in

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https://ddnews.gov.in/international/saudi-arabia-says-will-host-arab-and-islamic-summits-discuss-gaza-conflict

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 India

We Can’t Be Neutral When Section Of People Face Genocidal Aggression, Says Kerala CM On Israel-Palestine Conflict

November 7, 2023

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday expressed solidarity with the people of war-ravaged Palestine and said one cannot remain neutral when a section of people were facing genocidal aggression.

The CM also alleged that Israel was targeting Palestine with the support of the US.

“Our Palestinian brothers are suffering. We all know that with the support of America, Israel is targeting Palestine and the people there are facing genocidal aggression. We cannot take a neutral stand. We need to express our solidarity with the people of Palestine,” Vijayan said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the concluding ceremony of the ‘Keraleeyam’ 2023 celebration which showcased the state’s progress, achievements, and cultural heritage to the world.

Addressing the gathering here, Vijayan said the massive participation of the people shows that Keraleeyam was a huge success.

The CM also said the government will consider the suggestions and directions received during the 25 seminars that took place during the last seven days, as part of the event.

The week-long event was inaugurated on Kerala Piravi Day on November 1.

Senior BJP leader O Rajagopal attended the event and witnessed the concluding ceremony.

Meanwhile, opposition Congress-led UDF and the BJP boycotted the event altogether alleging that the Keralayeeam was a ‘financial extravaganza’.

The Chief Minister, in his speech, reiterated that the Keraleeyam festival will be continued in coming years.

The programme was organised within a short time period of 75 days, he pointed out.

“We assure you that all the suggestions and directions that came from the seminars organised here will be considered for the further development of Kerala and its society,” Vijayan said.

He stressed the need for more central assistance for further development in many sectors including the coastal area and its community.

Vijayan also called for a change in the union government’s National Rubber Policy in order to protect the interests of rubber farmers and the sector.

Finance Minister K Balagopal, who spoke at the event said the Kanakakunnu venue of the Keralayeem alone witnessed a footfall of over a lakh every day.

“It shows that lakhs of people visited Keraleeyam and it will be a platform for the further development of the state,” he said.

In an apparent reference to the Congress party, Balagopal said those who criticise the event should at least raise their voice against the central government, which was ‘refusing’ to pay what is due to the state government.

With 42 venues, 25 seminars aimed at shaping the future of New Kerala, exhibitions, food festivals, and grand art performances, the festival showcased Kerala’s commitment to secularism, unity, and unique culture, according to the government.

During his concluding day speech, Vijayan elaborated on the southern state’s notable accomplishments in various fields, including the cultural renaissance, land reform, people-centric planning, poverty amelioration, universal literacy, accessible public healthcare, housing provisions for all, and so on.

Source: indianexpress.com

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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kerala/kerala-cm-cant-be-neutral-on-israel-palestine-conflict-9017798/

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Gyanvapi survey: ASI hands over objects found on mosque premises to district official in Varanasi

07th November 2023

LUCKNOW: In compliance with the Varanasi district court directives, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) on Monday submitted all the objects found during a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises to the additional district magistrate (ADM-Protocol), Varanasi, the officer nominated by Varanasi district magistrate S Rajalingam.

 The Varanasi district court had on September 14 issued instructions to the ASI to submit whatever objects and materials were obtained from the site in question.

The ADM-Protocol received the objects from ASI officials in the presence of officials of the district administration.

While issuing the order in September, Varanasi district court judge Dr  AKVishvesha had said that the objects and materials related to the facts of the case or related to Hindu religion and worship system or those that may be important in the disposal of the case from historical or archaeological point of view, be handed over to the district magistrate or an officer nominated by him by the ASI so that those objects could be kept safe. The court had said that those (objects) would be presented before the court whenever the court summoned them.

A few days ago, the ASI completed the survey of Gyanvapi mosque complex, excluding the sealed area comprising ablution pond protected by the order of the Supreme Court.

Thereafter, the ASI contacted the district magistrate with a list of the objects and material found during the survey and informed him about the completion of the exercise.

On the instructions of district magistrate S Rajalingam, additional district magistrate (Protocol) Bachchu Singh inspected the treasury and arrangements were made to keep all the objects there (in the treasury).

On Monday, the ADM protocol received all the objects that had been found during the scientific survey of Gyanvapi mosque premises.

The court had also asked the ASI survey team to make a list of all the materials found during the scientific survey on the Gyanvapi mosque premises. The ASI was also asked to submit a copy of that list in the court and hand over a copy to the district magistrate.

The court had passed the order on a bunch of three applications filed by Rakhi Singh, plaintiff number 1 in Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case. The applications were filed in August this year.

On November 2, ASI filed an application in the Varanasi district court, seeking 15 more days to submit report of the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque premises. On behalf of the ASI, standing government counsel for the Centre Amit Srivastava filed the application and had informed the court that the ASI completed scientific investigation/survey at the site.

A team of archeologists, archeological chemists, epigraphists, surveyors, photographers and other technical persons were engaged in data analysis and compilation of the findings for the preparation of the report.

Accepting the request, the Varanasi district court judge Dr AK Vishvesya had granted the requested 15-day time to the ASI, asking the superintending archaeologist, Sarnath circle, to ensure that the survey report was submitted in court by November 17.

Source: newindianexpress.com

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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/nov/07/gyanvapi-survey-asi-hands-over-objects-found-on-mosque-premises-to-district-official-in-varanasi-2630924.html

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‘Nationalist symbol’ in Kashmir, Eknath Shinde unveils Shivaji statue in Kupwara

08.11.23

Muzaffar Raina

“Naya Kashmir” on Tuesday got a new “nationalist” symbol — a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled by Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde in the border Kupwara district.

Accompanying Shinde were lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, Maharashtra cultural affairs minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, Major General Girish Kalia, GOC, Vajr Division, and other senior army and civil officers.

Shivaji, a 17th-century Maratha king, is positioned by the Right wing as a “Hindu icon” who fought Muslim Mughal rulers, although he is widely seen as a secular king belonging to a marginalised caste.

Kashmir had little appetite for statues installed at public places before the 2019 scrapping of special status, but the list has been gradually growing in recent years. Among the few that existed before was a bust of Major Somnath Sharma, who had died fighting tribal invaders from Pakistan in 1947.

The 10ft statue of the Maratha warrior king riding a horse was installed at a Maratha Light Infantry Regiment camp in Kupwara. Special prayers held by a priest marked the occasion.

A video on Monday showed dozens of army men cheering and chasing a pick-up truck carrying the statue in celebrations in Kupwara.

The statue is a joint initiative of the Pune-based NGO Amhi Punekar and the 41 Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army (Maratha Li).

LG Sinha praised the NGO for the “historic initiative” and said the statue would be a source of inspiration “for people and the bravehearts of the army”.

“Shivaji was a born leader who scripted a new history of India through his mesmerising victory against the enemy,” Sinha said.

He called for celebrating a Shivaji festival in Kupwara on November 7 every year.

Shinde said it was “indeed commendable that this statue is being erected at Kupwara in the same year as the 350th anniversary of the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji”.

Among all chief ministers, Shinde, the Shiv Sena leader and BJP ally who is battling protests by Marathas for reservation in his home state, has been taking particular interest in Kashmir.

He visited Kashmir in June to urge LG Sinha to grant land to his state for the construction of a Maharashtra Bhavan in Kashmir. No state has a Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/nationalist-symbol-in-kashmir-eknath-shinde-unveils-chhatrapati-shivaji-statue-in-kupwara/cid/1978386

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RSS-linked Muslim Rashtriya Mancha holds Tiranga Yatra in Kanpur

November 08, 2023

The Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an organisation related to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), organised a Tiranga Yatra in Kanpur on Tuesday in support of its demand to make Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) a part of India. It added that even after 75 years of independence, a long-pending desire of “nationalist India” is yet to be fulfilled. In the march attended mostly by Muslim activists of the organisation demanded that the government should intensify its efforts to provide justice and freedom to the people living in PoK.

“It has been more than 75 years of independence, the country is celebrating Amrit Mahotsav. But the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are demanding to join India. India should make efforts to provide justice and freedom to the people living there and free them from occupation. Tiranga Yatra was taken out in Kanpur over the cause. We will continuously demand this,” said Mohammad Afzal, national convener, of the manch.

The organisation was formed in 2002 in the presence of former RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan to grow dialogue with Muslim community and bring the community closer to Hindus in India. It fully support many of the issues raised by the RSS-linked outfits, like ban on cow slaughter. A senior RSS full-time pracharak (activist), Indresh Kumar, is a key figure in the organisational structure of the organisation.

Source: thehindu.com

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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rss-linked-muslim-rashtriya-mancha-holds-tiranga-yatra-in-kanpur/article67509094.ece

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India has always been a Hindu Rashtra: RSS leader Hosabale

November 08, 2023

Ishita Mishra

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on November 7 said construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya was a movement of national pride organised by the RSS and its volunteers. The temple is being inaugurated on January 22, 2024 and the trust has invited RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the event. The Sangh is planning a mass mobilisation movement for the “historic” day which aims to ensure participation of every household.

Events planned

“The RSS has confirmed to the Ram temple trust that as part of the Ram temple inauguration, we will organise religious and cultural events across the entire country from January 1 to 14. From January 14, the temple trust will perform a week-long ritual for inauguration. The Pranpratistha (installation of the deity) will take place on January 22. As millions of Swayamsewaks cannot reach Ayodhya on the day, to ensure participation, RSS workers will share a picture of the Ram temple with devotees along with Akshat [rice] that was offered to the deity,” said Mr Hosbale who was speaking to media in Gujarat’s Kutch district on the last day of the Sangh’s three-day All India Executive Board meeting.

RSS volunteers will also ask people to visit the Ram temple in the days following thes inauguration, he said.

Mr Hosbale said the RSS is also planning to connect with people living in border villages to ensure that those living in those area are alert to the possibility of attack.

“’We discussed the development and security of border villages. Those living there have already migrated or are migrating to other places due to lack of amenities. It’s not the duty of soldiers alone to protect the country. People need to participate. We will ensure that those living in border villagers are vigilant so that they can participate in National security.”

Hindu Rashtra

Answering a question about when India will become a “Hindu Rashtra”, Mr Hosbale said the Sangh believes that there is no need to turn India into a “Hindu Rashtra” or Hindu nation because the country has always been one.

‘’India is already a Hindu Rashtra and it will remain so. Dr Hedgewar [founder of RSS] had once said that as long as there is a Hindu in this country, this country is a Hindu nation. The Constitution talks about a state system, which is different. As a nation, India was, India is and India will remain a Hindu Rashtra,’‘ Mr. Hosabale said.

Mr Hosabale said one of the biggest challenges facing the country is the conspiracy to divide it between “north and south”.

‘’Some people say that south India is different from north India. A conspiracy is being hatched at the political and intellectual level to cut off the south. People must come forward to oppose it and make sure that such people do not succeed,’‘ he said.

On “love Jihad”, the RSS leader said the issue had two aspects — awareness and fighting legal cases. The RSS is also working on rehabilitation of women who freed themselves from such relationships but were not accepted by their families, he said.

Source: thehindu.com

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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-has-always-been-a-hindu-rashtra-hosabale/article67510038.ece

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Kashmiri Muslim family prepares thousands of Diwalidiyas for the Hindu festival

Nov 07, 2023

While the whole country is illuminated by millions of 'diyas' (clay lamps) on the festival of Diwali, thousands of them are made by a Kashmiri Muslim family. For weeks, the Kumar family in Srinagar has been making Diwali diyas and has already dispatched over 20 thousand so far.

With the Diwali festival around the corner, the Kashmiri Muslim potter family has been working day and night to make Diwali clay lamps as orders are pouring in from across the country. Over 20000 clay lamps have been made and dispatched so far and they are still getting fresh orders every day. Omar Kumar and his whole family have been in the business of pottery for decades and have been responsible for reviving and preserving the art of pottery in Kashmir.

''We started making Diwali diyas last year, and we got a huge response. This year, we have already made around 20000 Diwali Diya's and we are still getting fresh orders. We are getting orders from Jammu and other parts and states of the country. We have sent them to Kulgam where we have a distributor who sends it across India. We can't differentiate between Hindus and Muslims, we all live together happily, and we also buy things from other communities when it's our festival. This year we had a great response from locals too,'' said Omar Kumar, the potter.

Omar has distributed hundreds of Diwali lamps for free within the Hindu community in his locality. Omar says that buying local is how the young entrepreneurs in the country can be helped. After receiving the order, he believes it's a push to the 'Make in India' concept.

Omar has not only become a great example of brotherhood within the communities but has also helped in saving and preserving the art of pottery. Omar has also introduced new techniques and designs in the art form.

Source: wionews.com

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https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kashmiri-muslim-family-prepares-thousand-of-diwali-diyas-for-the-festival-656110

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North America

 

Biden opposes reoccupation of Gaza; 'Israel and US do not have to agree on every single issue,' says White House

 08th November 2023

President Biden believes that “reoccupation [of Gaza] by Israeli forces isn't the right thing to do,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby has been quoted as saying, by The Wall Street Journal.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby was on Tuesday responding to comments by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu earlier.

“Israel and the United States are Friends and we do not have to agree on every single word,” and, “Netanyahu and Biden are not always exactly in the same place on every issue,” Kirby said. According to The Guardian, Netanyahu told ABC News that Gaza should be governed by “those who don’t want to continue the way of Hamas,” without elaborating.

“I think Israel will, for an indefinite period, have the overall security responsibility because we’ve seen what happens when we don’t have it. When we don’t have that security responsibility, what we have is the eruption of Hamas terror on a scale that we couldn’t imagine,” Netanyahu said.

Kirby told reporters that Israel and the United States do not have to agree on every single issue.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that US Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia has shared a post on X voicing support for Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib after the US House of Representatives voted to censure her.

“Congressional censures are exceedingly rare—especially for political speech,” said Garcia, a Democrat who represents Chicago.

“The censure of [Rashida Tlaib] repeats a pattern of silencing and endangering women of color in Congress who are standing up for our shared humanity,” he added.

According to CNN, the House passed a GOP-led resolution on Tuesday to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib over comments critical of Israel and in support of Palestinians amid Israel’s war against Hamas.

Source: newindianexpress.com

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Blinken, senior diplomats seek G7 unity on Israel-Hamas war and other global crises

Nov 8, 2023

TOKYO: The Group of 7 leading industrial democracies worked to forge a unified stance on the Israel-Hamas war at intensive meetings in Tokyo on Wednesday, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other senior diplomats looking to contain a worsening humanitarian crisis and stop a spillover of fighting into the wider Middle East.

The second and final day of the G7 Foreign Minister talks intersects with a flurry of global crises. While the devastating month-long conflict in Gaza and the humanitarian suffering that has followed Israel's response to the deadly October 7 Hamas attack lead the agenda, the envoys are also dealing with Russia's war in Ukraine, North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes and China's growing aggression in territorial disputes with its neighbours.

Blinken, who arrived in Tokyo after a whirlwind tour of the Middle East, said it's crucial to find a unified stance on the war in Israel, similar to what diplomats have done over Ukraine and other major issues. The ministers are also trying to keep existing differences on Gaza from deepening.

"This is a very important moment as well for the G7 to come together in the face of this crisis and to speak, as we do, with one clear voice," Blinken told Japanese foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa, shortly after talks Tuesday with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

In Tokyo, Blinken and foreign ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Italy will be seeking common ground in part to prevent the Gaza war from further destabilizing already shaky security in the broader Middle East and seeking to maintain existing positions on other matters.

An early consensus on Gaza appeared to be building as at least four of the G7 members made statements in favor of strong common stance. And US officials said they were expecting the group to release a communique featuring a common position after the meetings end on Wednesday.

Kishida said “the unity of G7 is needed more than ever with the situation in Israel and Palestine, the situation in Ukraine, and the challenges in the Indo-Pacific region,” his office said in a statement, adding that the prime minister “highly appreciates the leadership and diplomatic efforts by the Biden administration concerning this issue.”

“You have our utmost support,” Kamikawa told Blinken.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that "as G7 countries, we are making clear that Israel has the right and the duty to protect its population and its people in the framework of international law". She said that she has been discussing with many partners “how we can finally get humanitarian cease-fires off the ground, in terms of time and also geographically.”

Britain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told a select group of journalists, including The Associated Press, that his government only supports a geographically specific 'humanitarian pause' and not a wider cease-fire.

“Firstly, we have seen and heard absolutely nothing that makes us believe that Hamas leadership is serious about (a) cease-fire,” he said, adding that a cease-fire would hamper Israel's ability to defend itself.

Blinken's efforts include pushing to significantly expand the amount of humanitarian aid being sent to Gaza, getting Israel to agree to “pauses” in its military operation to allow that assistance to get in and more civilians to get out, beginning planning for a post-conflict governance and security structure in the territory and preventing the war from spreading.

Blinken described all of these as 'a work in progress' and acknowledged deep divisions over the pause concept. Israel remains unconvinced and Arab and Muslim nations are demanding an immediate full cease-fire, something the United States opposes. There has also been resistance to discussing Gaza's future, with the Arab states insisting that the immediate humanitarian crisis must be addressed first.

Securing agreement from G7 members, none of which border or are directly involved in the conflict, may be a slightly less daunting challenge for Blinken.

Yet some small cracks have emerged over Gaza, which has inflamed international public opinion. Democracies are not immune from intense passions that have manifested themselves in massive pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel demonstrations in G7 capitals and elsewhere.

Last month in the UN Security Council, France voted in favor of a resolution calling for a humanitarian truce in Gaza that was vetoed by the United States because it didn't go far enough in condemning Hamas' attack on Israel, which ignited the war. Britain abstained in that vote.

Several days later in the UN General Assembly, a non-binding US-Canadian resolution that would have condemned Hamas failed, while a separate resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire overwhelmingly passed. The U.S. voted against the second resolution while France voted in favor. Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy and Japan all abstained.

Since before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the G7 has held together in defense of the international order that emerged from the destruction of World War II. Despite some fraying around the edges, the group has preserved a unified front in condemning and opposing Russia's war.

The group similarly has been of one voice in demanding that North Korea halt its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, that China exercise its growing international clout responsibly, and also in calling for cooperative actions to combat pandemics, synthetic opioids, and threats from the misuse of artificial intelligence.

Blinken arrived in Tokyo from Turkey, the last stop on a four-day trip through the Mideast that began with visits to Israel, Jordan, the West Bank, Cyprus and Iraq. From Japan, he will travel to South Korea and then on to India.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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’Black Lives 4 Palestine’: US activists find common cause

November 08, 2023

NEW YORK: Marching in Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 was the first time AnnEliza Canning-Skinner “experienced what solidarity is,” she says.

Fast-forward three years and the 28-year-old has been a regular on the streets of New York, marching in support of Palestinians as Israel’s bombing campaign of the Gaza Strip hits the one month-mark.

Israel launched the offensive, which the UN warns is creating a humanitarian “catastrophe,” after brutal Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7.

Canning-Skinner is one of thousands of demonstrators across the United States who’ve turned out for protests, with appeals including a cease-fire of deadly violence in Gaza and an end to US funding of the Israeli military.

And increasingly demonstrators stateside are drawing clear connections between the Palestinian and Black liberation movements.

At a recent protest in Brooklyn, Canning-Skinner, a Black woman, marched alongside fellow protesters who hoisted signs with messages including “Black Lives 4 Palestine” and “White Silence Is Violence.”

“It all correlates,” Canning-Skinner told AFP.

The historic roots of solidarity between Black organizers and Palestinians run deep, but both activists and scholars say events in recent years have crystallized the parallels for protesters.

“In terms of doing the kind of ideological work to convince people that Palestine is an issue that they ought to take up, I think Black Lives Matter has been tremendously important,” Derek Ide, a historian at the University of Michigan focused on the topic, told AFP.

“There are more people out in the streets and that is definitely a result of the kind of organizing that Black activists have been doing alongside Palestinian groups and organizations.”

Dating back to the 19th century, some Black nationalist thinkers found inspiration in the Zionist cause for a Jewish state, seeing an analog of their own vision for a Black homeland.

But with the mid-20th century emergence of the Black Power and anti-war movements, “it became much more common in African American activist circles to understand the Palestinians as an oppressed people,” explained Sam Klug, an African American studies historian focused on decolonization.

The 1967 Six-Day War marked an important turning point, he said, noting the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNICC) — a major organizing force during the US Civil Rights Movement — published a primer that “took a really strong pro-Palestinian stance.”

It “described a kind of shared condition of oppression and occupation among African Americans, Palestinians and a kind of global colonial community.”

Decades later, the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri triggered mass protests over racism and state violence, as the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement started gaining national attention.

That same summer Israel launched a seven-week military campaign against Gaza: “Seeing these two things happen simultaneously... solidified that these were united struggles” for many activists, historian Ide said.

“We saw a kind of flurry of action and dialogue between protesters in Ferguson as well as Palestinians in Gaza... sharing tactics and strategies and stories of repression and resistance to oppression.”

The 2020 police murder of George Floyd even further galvanized anti-racism efforts in the United States, sparking an enormous protest movement.

Once more, Palestinians posted advice online on how to deal with tactics deployed by riot police, including rubber-coated bullets and tear gas.

For Klug, “it’s hard to imagine” the current protests in the United States reaching their current scope without BLM.

“It’s certainly not the only factor,” he said. “But I do think it’s an important one.”

Several recent demonstrators interviewed by AFP drew connections between Israeli law enforcement and US police, in particular pointing to programs that see US officers train alongside Israeli counterparts.

Prior to the current war, Israel already had been carrying out stepped-up military raids, some including deadly force against civilians.

Klug pointed to “a clear shared visual language that people can see when Israeli security services are brutalizing Palestinian civilians, that Americans have become very familiar with from the scenes of white police officers committing acts of violence against African American civilians.”

Such factors can help explain in part why American public opinion on the Palestinian cause, particularly among young people, has warmed in recent years, in a country whose governmental support for Israel is unwavering.

Klug said the uprising over George Floyd and the BLM activism that preceded it has shifted the Palestinian conversation for many Black activists — but also more broadly “among younger Americans of all races.”

He pointed to growing activism on the left among anti-Zionist Jewish groups, including Jewish Voice for Peace and If Not Now, both of which have taken a strong organizing role in recent weeks.

For Jo Behanzin, who cited BLM organizing as inspiration for marching in a recent Manhattan demonstration for Gaza, it’s a question of “global solidarity.”

The 25-year-old noted the international support for BLM in 2020: “I want to reciprocate that, as part of the continued global movement against white supremacy and colonialism.”

Source: arabnews.com

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As Israeli war on Gaza rages on, US says still not drawing any red lines for Israel

08 November 2023

The United States has said it was still not drawing any red lines for Israel, which has killed upwards of 10,000 people during a yet-ongoing war against the Gaza Strip.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby made the remarks at a press briefing on Tuesday.

In late October, the official had said that the US administration was not drawing any red lines for Israel despite mounting civilian fatalities from the war.

Kirby was asked during the presser, "Is that still the case that the administration has no red lines?" to which he answered, "That's still the case."

"It's also true that airstrikes continue, and it's also true that civilians keep dying from these airstrikes," he also noted.

The remarks came on the 32nd day of a genocidal war by the Israeli regime on besieged Gaza.

The war started after the territory's resistance movements waged a surprise attack against the occupying entity, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm, in response to its decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the death toll from indiscriminate Israeli bombardments has surpassed 10,300 people, including over 6,500 children and women.

The UN secretary general says the Gaza Strip is turning into "a graveyard for children."

Reporters also asked Kirby whether the US had raised the prospect of suspending or reducing its aid to Israel given the rising casualties.

"We’re going to make sure they continue to have what they need," the spokesperson said in response.

The US is planning transfer of $320 million worth of precision bombs to Israel amid the regime

The United States, Israel's biggest and oldest ally, has provided the regime with thousands of arms consignments since the initiation of the war.

On Thursday, the US House of Representatives passed a standalone $14.3-billion military assistance package for Israel. The legislation, however, is yet to clear the Senate.

Washington, which has backed Tel Aviv's ferocious attacks on Gaza as a means of "self-defense," has also been casting its veto against the United Nations Security Council resolutions that call on the occupying regime to cease its aggression.

Source: presstv.ir

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Israel-Hamas war: Young Muslim and Jewish people scared of going out at night, warns youth programme chief

 8th Nov 2023

Ben Lynch

A youth programme leader in London has warned young Muslim and Jewish people are scared about going out at night due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Faheem Khan, founder of the Future Leaders programme and assistant headteacher at Woodbridge High School, said that while there are safe spaces for young people affected by the Israel-Hamas war, he has found many are “worried and concerned” in London.

The Met Police announced last month that cases of antisemitism and Islamophobia in the capital had risen by 1,353% and 140% between October 1 and October 18, compared to the same period last year. Several Jewish schools have also had to temporarily shut due to concerns about student safety.

The Future Leaders programme, which is backed by the mayor’s Shared Endeavour Fund, works with young people aged 16 to 18 in weekly sessions over the course of a year.

Mr Khan said that “through those weekly sessions we educate young people about the different types of hate and intolerance that exist in our community, we engage them to feel a deep sense of civic responsibility to want to counter that, and we empower them to be advocates for community cohesion, equality and diversity”.

Speaking to LondonWorld at an event last week organised by several anti-hate and anti-discrimination projects, Mr Khan said the focus for Future Leaders currently is the conflict in the Middle East.

“Just last night [November 2] we had a session where we connected via Zoom with an Israeli that lives 30 minutes from the Gaza border and a Palestinian that lives in the West Bank, and our young people heard first-hand accounts from these people who live in the region about what the impact has been for them and what we can do on this side of the world to help them and to achieve peace,” he said.

He added he has found young people who are part of the programme, both Jewish and Muslim, are currently scared to go out at night, and that global events are creating polarisation among communities in the capital.

On how Future Leaders can help in such instances, Mr Khan said: “We bring together very different young people to build empathy, to build cohesion and to build unity. It’s a safe space for them to have some of those difficult conversations that they may not be able to have at school or at home, and through those you build that kind of community cohesion that allows them to go out and be ambassadors and further that work and create that ripple effect that leads to unity.”

Future Leaders was not the only project at the event supported by the mayor’s Shared Endeavour Fund, which offers grants to schemes countering extremism in London, with each of those present having received backing.

The mayor himself, Sadiq Khan, even made an appearance, sitting in on some of the workshops run throughout the morning.

Commenting on the conflict and its impact on Londoners, Mr Khan called for those who are not Jewish or Muslim in the capital to show allyship with those affected.

“One of the things that I think is really important is for those that aren’t Jewish, those that aren’t Muslim show allyship, empathy, solidarity with those that are,” he said.

“How many of us know, for example, that normally there are some schools that require protection, CCTV, security guards for no other reason than they’re Jewish schools? How many people know there are some places of worship in our city that require security, CCTV, protection for no other reason but because they’re synagogues?

“And so understanding that makes you a better neighbour, colleague and friend, but is also really reassuring for those Jewish Londoners as well.”

A pro-Palestine march is expected to go ahead this Saturday (November 11), Armistice Day, despite requests by the government and the Met Police for the organisers to call it off.

The coalition of groups behind it, which includes the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Muslim Association of Britain, have refused, pointing to the Met’s admission the protests so-far have been “overwhelmingly peaceful with low levels of arrest”.

Source: londonworld.com

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Biden understands Arab and Muslim concerns over Gaza toll, White House says

Nov 08, 2023

President Joe Biden understands the fear and anxiety of Arabs and Muslims in the US and around the world and is “steadfastly” pushing Israel to try to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip, the White House has told The National.

Speaking one month since the October 7 Hamas attacks on southern Israel, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday also ruled out US troops fighting in Gaza and said there were no signs Iran has jumped into the conflict “with both feet”, despite a surge in attacks by Tehran-linked groups in Iraq and Syria.

In the weeks since Hamas killed about 1,400 people in Israel and took 240 more hostage, Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip to try to eradicate the group.

Hamas health authorities say more than 10,300 people have been killed, most of them women and children, raising questions as to the legitimacy and proportionality of the Israeli response.

Mr Kirby said the White House believes that Hamas should never be allowed to govern Gaza again and that Israel must be able to defend itself.

But Mr Biden “also understands the fear, the anxiety, the mourning in the Arab community and the Muslim community here and around the world for the civilian casualties”, Mr Kirby said.

“It's heartbreaking to see the images coming out of Gaza, of little babies being pulled from the rubble and being killed by these air strikes, and that is why he has maintained steadfastly in every conversation that he has with the Prime Minister [Benjamin Netanyahu], the need to do everything possible to protect innocent civilian life.”

Mr Biden spoke to Mr Netanyahu on Monday and discussed “temporary and localised pauses” in strikes on the Gaza Strip.

When asked if the US is satisfied that Israel is striking legitimate military targets, Mr Kirby said: “We are not going to react in real time to every strike or every tactical operation that the Israelis conduct”.

The President is facing mounting anger at home and abroad over his handling of the conflict and his administration’s refusal to call for a ceasefire, instead trying to persuade Israel to enact more loosely defined “pauses”.

The Pentagon requires no monitoring of how US bombs are used in Gaza and Mr Kirby reiterated the US position that it is “still the case” that there are no “red lines” in how Israel conducts its operations in the Palestinian territory.

Mr Kirby said the White House still does not take Hamas authorities’ civilian casualty numbers “at face value”, but said “many, many thousands” had been killed.

A growing number of Mr Biden’s fellow Democrats are calling for a ceasefire, and on Saturday tens of thousands of protesters in Washington marched in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, demanding US support for a ceasefire.

Arab and Muslim-American voters in key states, including Michigan, say they will not support Mr Biden in 2024, a loss of support that could prove critical.

Mr Biden has drawn ire for comments questioning the death toll in Gaza, even as schools, hospitals and apartment buildings collapse under Israeli strikes.

Iran-backed attacks

The US is trying to avoid the Israel-Gaza war becoming a broader regional conflict but attacks launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon have already increased, and Iran-backed militias are attacking American forces in Iraq and Syria on a near daily basis.

American forces in Iraq were hit with two more attacks in the past 24 hours, a Defence Department official confirmed to The National on Tuesday, bringing the number of strikes on US and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria to 40 since mid-October, with 22 in Iraq and 18 in Syria so far.

Nonetheless, Mr Kirby said the US does not assess other groups or nations are determined to broaden the conflict.

“While there has been some rocket attacks, certainly across the northern border of Israel, from Lebanon … We still would not judge that any other actor, including Iran, has jumped in with both feet here to try to really escalate the conflict,” Mr Kirby said.

No US boots on the ground

Washington is Israel’s largest benefactor, funding its military with $3.3 billion annually. Congress is currently seeking another $14.3 billion in emergency funding.

The US has sent air defence systems, aircraft carriers and troops to the Middle East in recent weeks, but officials have stressed they are there to protect US forces in the region and deter other countries or groups from getting involved in the Israel-Gaza war.

The Pentagon says it has special operations forces working in Israel, primarily to assist in hostage recovery efforts. Last week, the US confirmed it is flying unarmed drones over Gaza to try to aid in these operations.

Mr Kirby said this should not be seen as a sign that the US will eventually deploy troops to help the Israelis in their ground operations in Gaza.

“The use of unmanned aerial assets is strictly to help provide a measure of situational awareness about hostages and where they might be,” Mr Kirby said.

“It should not be construed by anybody as some sort of precursor to US boots on the ground. There is no plan, no intention to put American soldiers on the ground in Gaza.”

Source: thenationalnews.com

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Mideast

 

US Support for Child-Killing Israeli Regime to Complicate Regional Security: Iran’s Defence Minister

08 November 2023'

Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani says the recent Palestinian operation in the occupied territories exposed the “fake power” of the child-killing Israeli regime, warning that the US and the West’s support for Tel Aviv has complicated the situation in the region.

Ashtiani said Palestinian operations, including Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, rely on the capabilities of resistance fighters and their spirit of resilience after several decades of sanctions and harassment.

“As a completely Palestinian operation, Operation Al-Aqsa Storm was successful, had great achievements, and clearly exposed the fake power of the Zionist regime,” he added in a meeting with Turkish Ambassador to Tehran HicabiKirlangic on Tuesday.

The Gaza-based Hamas resistance movement launched Operation Al-Aqsa Storm on October 7 in response to Israel’s violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East al-Quds and growing settler violence against Palestinians.

The surprise raid left 1,400 Israelis dead, shattering the myth of the illegitimate regime’s invincibility.

In response, Tel Aviv launched a deadly onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip. It has so far killed 10,305 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 25,000 others.

The regime has also imposed a “complete siege” on the coastal enclave, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

The Iranian defense minister said that the occupying entity will not achieve any of its "objectives" in Gaza, and that the support of the US and the West for the crimes of the child-killing Zionist regime has complicated the security conditions in the region.

He also called on Muslim governments to take practical measures against Israel such as imposing economic sanctions and an embargo on the regime as well as halting the export of energy and fuel to it.

“It is definitely necessary for these countries, especially the major ones in the region, to act more decisively and coordinately in this regard as a religious and humanitarian duty,” Ashtiani said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian meets with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan to discuss efforts needed for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and ways to end Israeli crimes in the besieged enclave amid the regime’s ongoing aggression.

In the meeting, the Iranian defense minister emphasized the cultural and historical commonalities between Iran and Turkey, noting that the expansion of bilateral cooperation benefits the entire region and the Muslim world.

Referring to the developments in the Caucasus region, Ashtiani said that stability and security in West Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus are of critical importance for both Iran and Turkey.

The Islamic Republic’s fundamental policy is to preserve the territorial integrity of all the states in the region, he asserted.

Ashtiani further urged respect for the political sovereignty of regional countries, stressing that the Iran-Turkey cooperation can be effective in creating stability and security in the region and countering separatist moves.

“We strongly believe that changing the historical and geopolitical borders in the region will be harmful and destructive to the regional security,” he said.

Source: presstv.ir

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900,000 Palestinians face Israeli onslaught, those fleeing recount terrifying journey

November 07, 2023

JEDDAH/GAZA: Up to 900,000 Palestinian civilians remained in northern Gaza and Gaza City on Tuesday surrounded by Israeli tanks and troops preparing for a military onslaught.

Israel urged civilians to flee south and offered a four-hour window to travel, but southern Gaza also came under attack. At least 23 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah.

“We are civilians,” said Ahmed Ayesh, who was rescued from the rubble of a house in Khan Younis where 11 people were killed. “This is the bravery of the so-called Israel — they show their might and power against civilians, babies inside, kids inside, and elderly.”

As he spoke, rescuers at the house used their hands to try to free a girl buried up to her waist in debris.

Adam Fayez Zeyara, a Gaza City resident who headed south, said: “The most dangerous trip of my life. We saw the tanks from point blank. We saw decomposed body parts. We saw death.”

Israel said its forces were pushing deep into Gaza City, where tanks were positioned on the outskirts for a storming of Gaza’s urban heartland.

From early on in the war, now in its second month, the army has urged civilians to move south, including by announcing brief windows for what it said would be safe passage through Salah Al-Din, which runs through the center of the besieged enclave.

But tens of thousands of civilians have remained in the north, many sheltering in hospitals or UN facilities.

Those who have stayed say they are deterred by overcrowding in the south, along with dwindling water and food supplies, and continued Israeli airstrikes in what are supposed to be safe areas.

On Monday, Health Ministry in Gaza spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra dismissed the Israeli offers of safe passage as “nothing but death corridors.”

He said bodies have lined the road for days, and called for the International Committee of the Red Cross to accompany local ambulances to retrieve the dead.

Israel’s military said that, at one point, troops came under Hamas fire when trying to open the road temporarily for civilians.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed the army’s claims in an interview with ABC News broadcast late Monday.

“We are fighting an enemy that is particularly brutal. They are using their civilians as human shields, and while we are asking the Palestinian civilian population to leave the war zone, they are preventing them at gunpoint,” Netanyahu said.

The claims could not be verified independently.

“For the first time in decades, IDF is fighting in the heart of Gaza City. At the heart of terrorism,” said Maj.Gen. Yaron Finkelman, head of the military’s southern command. “Every day and every hour the forces are killing militants, exposing tunnels and destroying weapons and continuing onward to enemy centers.”

The military wing of Hamas said its fighters were inflicting heavy losses and damage on advancing Israeli forces.

The war began on Oct. 7 when Hamas fighters burst across the fence enclosing Gaza and killed 1,400 Israelis and abducted more than 200. Since then, Israel has unrelentingly bombarded Gaza, killing more than 10,000 people, around 40 percent of them children. “It has been one full month of carnage, of incessant suffering, bloodshed, destruction, outrage and despair” UN human rights chief Volcker Turk said.

Discussing longer term plans for the first time, Netanyahu said Israel would take security responsibility for Gaza “for an indefinite period.”

Simcha Rothman, a member of Netanyahu’s far-right extremist coalition, said: “Our forces must not shed blood to give the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority wrapped in a bow. Only full Israeli control and a complete demilitarisation of the strip will restore security.”

But White House spokesman John Kirby said US President Joe Biden opposed Israeli reoccupation. “It’s not good for Israel, it’s not good for the Israeli people,” he said.

Source: arabnews.com

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Islamic countries duty-bound to stop ‘egregious’ Israeli war on Gaza: Muslim scholars

08 November 2023

An international organization of Muslim scholars has called on Islamic countries to undertake their duties to stop the “egregious” Israeli war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip and prevent a total destruction of the territory.

The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), in a fatwa (Islamic decree) released on Tuesday evening and read out by its Secretary General Ali al-Qaradaghi, asked statesmen in Islamic countries to take on their responsibilities in the face of the Israeli aggression against Gaza, adopt immediate actions at this critical juncture, fully support Palestinians, and avoid wholesale destruction of Gaza and obliteration of its population.

The fatwa added that all Muslims are religiously, politically, legally and ethically duty-bound to assert their solidarity with Palestinians, emphasizing that Islamic states and their armed forces are expected to rapidly and effectively halt the Tel Aviv regime’s aggression.

It also stressed the need for collaboration and coordination among Arab and Muslim nations, particularly the four neighboring countries of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, to work out an international equation and protect Palestinians against Israeli oppression.

The IUMS, which is headquartered in Qatar, reiterated the call for struggle against Israel and censured the international community’s silence and inaction towards Israel’s shameless atrocities against the people of Gaza.

The union finally described the dispatch of humanitarian aid to Palestine as a religious duty and primary responsibility of Muslims and the international community.

Israel waged the war on Gaza after the territory’s resistance movements carried out a surprise attack against the occupying entity, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm, in response to unrelenting Israeli crimes against Palestinians.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, the death toll from indiscriminate Israeli bombardments has surpassed 10,300 people, including over 6,500 children and women.

Source: presstv.ir

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Iraq announces fuel donation to Gaza hospitals

[08/November/2023]

BAGHDAD November 08. 2023 (Saba) - The Iraqi Council of Ministers decided to donate ten million liters of fuel to hospitals in the Gaza Strip, in light of the continued aggression and Zionist siege.

The Council said in a statement on Tuesday evening the decision came in solidarity with the Gaza Strip and in order to alleviate the suffering of the brothers of the Palestinian people.

In an interview with al-Mayadeen, World Health Organization spokesman Christian Landmeier confirmed that there is a fuel shortage in the Gaza Strip, and stated that many children need electrically operated incubators.

In turn, Regional Director of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean Ahmed Al-Mandhari said “The ongoing aggression against hospitals and the continued closure of the Rafah crossing are among the most prominent challenges that prevent us from implementing our health plans.”

For his part, spokesman for the United Nations Aid Office Jens Laerke said that the Zionist enemy always prevents the entry of fuel into Gaza, adding: “We do not have any positive news about whether it is possible for fuel to enter.”

Source: saba.ye

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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3278900.htm

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Cultural event at Dhamar University in support of Palestinian cause‏

[08/November/2023]

DHAMAR November 07. 2023 (Saba) -Dhamar University organized a cultural awareness event in support of the Palestinian cause.

During the event, the Dean of the Faculty of Computers and Informatics at Dhamar University, Dr. Bashir Al-Maqaleh, confirmed that the “Al-Aqsa Flood” epic is a decisive historical battle in the history of the Arab-Zionist conflict.

He referred to the military operations carried out by the Yemeni armed forces against the Zionist enemy, in support of the Palestinian people.

Source: saba.ye

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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3278884.htm

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First group of 20-25 Canadians evacuated from Gaza into Egypt — Ottawa

November 07, 2023

OTTAWA: A first group of 20 to 25 Canadians was evacuated out of Gaza through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt on Tuesday and another 80 people are expected to leave later in the day, Canada’s foreign ministry said.

“Canadian officials are on the Egyptian side of the border welcoming them and ready to bring them to safety to Cairo,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that “the situation is quite fluid and unpredictable.”

Canada said Israel told it last week that more than 400 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and eligible family members would be able to leave Gaza in the coming days. The Rafah crossing though was closed on Nov. 4 and 5 and reopened late on Monday.

International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen earlier told reporters that the first group was “now safe and sound in Egypt and we’re very, very happy.”

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2404946/world

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Newborn baby found alive near ruins of bombed out mosque in Gaza

Gergana Krasteva

8 Nov 2023

Rescuers in Gaza discovered a newborn alive near a mosque – in the midst of devastation – despite direct attacks from Israel.

Under intense bombardment, the boy, who is believed to be a day or two old, was rushed to Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest in the Strip.

A healthcare worker was seen carrying the baby, wrapped tightly in a white cloth, not long after being found by first responders in the early hours of Tuesday.

Click here for the latest updates on the Israel-Hamas war from our live blog

Footage by Sky News showed the child suckling on his tiny fingers out of hunger, with his eyes still closed.

‘He was found by the driver of an ambulance this mourning, near a mosque where there were bombardments yesterday,’ a doctor at Al-Shifa said.

‘We do not know whether his family is alive or not. Now, the baby is in the hands of Dr Nasser Bulbul, Head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).’

His family’s whereabouts, or if they are alive or dead, remain unknown – the same situation for many other children in the enclave.

In Al-Shifa, staff are looking after four newborns whose family members are killed or missing, despite being hugely overwhelmed by the growing number of injured desperate for medical help.

Pregnant women living in a state of terror as Israeli bombardments around them intensify are bearing the brunt of the conflict.

According to the United Nations Population Fund in Palestine, there are 50,000 expectant mums in the Gaza Strip who are unable to obtain basic health services.

More than 180 of them are giving birth every day, the World Health Organisation warned.

At least 15% of them are likely to suffer pregnancy or birth-related complications and need additional medical care.

With 14 hospitals and 45 primary health care centres closed, women are having to give birth in shelters, in their homes, in the streets amid mountains of rubble.

Those fortunate enough to be making it to a healthcare facilities face worsening sanitation and the rising risk of infection and medical complications.

Hospitals across the Palestinian territory also warn that fuel supplies are running dry amid the total blockade.

Once the generators stop, newborn babies dependent on electric incubators for survival could die within minutes.
Source: metro.co.uk

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https://metro.co.uk/2023/11/08/gaza-rescuers-find-newborn-baby-alive-near-the-ruins-of-a-mosque-19790322/?ito=newsnow-feed

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Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 10,328 including 4,237 children, 2,719 women

November 7, 2023

ANKARA : The Palestinian Health Ministry said on Tuesday that the death toll from Israeli’s ongoing intensified onslaught on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has jumped to 10,328 people.

Among the killed are 4,237 children and 2,719 women, Gaza-based Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said at a press conference.

More than 25,956 others have also been injured as a result of Israeli forces’ attacks on Gaza, he added.

The spokesman urged the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to protect health facilities and ambulances from Israeli attacks.

Israel launched air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

Besides the large number of casualties and massive displacements, basic supplies are running low for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents due to the Israeli siege. — AA

Source: muslimmirror.com

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https://muslimmirror.com/eng/palestinian-death-toll-in-gaza-rises-to-10328-including-4237-children-2719-women/

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Europe

 

Hate crimes against Muslims rise in Germany after Israel-Palestine conflict

November 7, 2023

Anti-Muslim hate crimes and attacks against mosques have significantly increased in Germany since the escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, according to a report by the country’s largest Muslim organisation.

Eyup Kalyon, secretary general of the Turkish-Muslim group DITIB, has said propaganda by far-right politicians, and biased media coverage of the recent developments, have fueled anti-Muslim sentiment in the country.

"According to a report of our anti-discrimination office, there have been 81 attacks against mosques since the beginning of this year. Nearly half of them were recorded after October 7," he told Anadolu, adding that more and more mosques are receiving racist threats.

Quran desecration

Kalyon said that in northwestern Germany, unknown perpetrators sent racist messages, burned pages of Islam’s holy book Quran, threw pig’s meat and faeces towards the mosques, and drew Nazi symbols on the walls of several mosques.

He called on the government and authorities to take effective measures to ensure their security.

"We expect from the state to ensure the security of our mosques, as they are expected to do for other places of worship, churches and synagogues. For us to practice our religion freely, the security of our mosques must be ensured," he stressed.

Kalyon also said that they are receiving reports of growing racist incidents and verbal attacks against Muslim women in hijab on the streets.

With a population of over 84 million people, Germany has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. Among the country’s nearly 5.3 million Muslims, 3 million are of Turkish origin.

Source: trtworld.com

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https://www.trtworld.com/europe/hate-crimes-against-muslims-rise-in-germany-after-israel-palestine-conflict-15725391

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Mexico rules out severing ties with Israel over Gaza, calls for peace

 November 7, 2023

MEXICO CITY: Mexico's leftist president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday ruled out breaking diplomatic relations with Israel over the conflict in Gaza, urging political leaders to work for a peaceful solution to the dispute.

Lopez Obrador has staked out a more moderate position than some other Latin American leftists, with Colombia, Chile and Honduras recalling their ambassadors to Israel over its strikes on Gaza. Bolivia broke off diplomatic ties altogether.

Asked for his view on the latest developments in Gaza at a regular press conference, Lopez Obrador reiterated that Mexico wanted to remain neutral, and called for more international efforts to put an end to the violence in the region.

Hundreds dead as Israel responds with airstrikes to Hamas shock attack

"We - and I want to be very clear when I say this - are not going to break relations with Israel, or take a position beyond calling for peace," Lopez Obrador said.

"Everything that is happening is very sad, very painful, very inhumane," he added. "Irrationality is what is predominating. Of course I am for peace and for a ceasefire."

Mexico's government condemned the attacks by Hamas against Israel on Oct. 7, but has also urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza and is pressing for a two-state solution.

Mexican diplomat Alicia Buenrostro, speaking last week at a U.N. emergency special session on Gaza, called for Israel to end the occupation of Palestinian territories.

Source: brecorder.com

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https://www.brecorder.com/news/40272144/mexico-rules-out-severing-ties-with-israel-over-gaza-calls-for-peace

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French opposition MPs call for cease-fire in Gaza

Esra Taskin  |

07.11.2023

Lawmakers from French opposition parties have reiterated their call in parliament for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

Mathilde Panot, a lawmaker for La France Insoumise, hosted Palestinian Ambassador to Paris Hala Abou Hassira in the lower house of French parliament amid relentless attacks on the besieged enclave.

"I assure you and the Palestinian people of the full solidarity of my parliamentary group," she said on X, referring to the ambassador.

In her post on X, Abou Hassira said that along with La France Insoumise, The Greens and French Communist Party called for a cease-fire in parliament.

The ambassador thanked the MPs for their solidarity and stance to save innocent lives.

She also shared a photo of her along with the MPs while holding a sign, which read: "End the massacre in Gaza and the West Bank. Immediate cease-fire."

Source: aa.com.tr

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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/french-opposition-mps-call-for-cease-fire-in-gaza/3046860

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UK Labour MP Imran Hussain resigns in support of Gaza ceasefire

08 November 2023

A Labour frontbencher has resigned from the main British opposition party, mounting pressure on the party leader Keir Starmer over his refusal to back a ceasefire in Gaza.

UK's media outlets reported on Wednesday that Shadow Minister for the New Deal for Working People, Imran Hussain, said he had been “deeply troubled”  by Starmer's call for continued Israeli strikes against the hapless people in the blockaded Palestinian territory.

The Bradford East MP Hussain wrote a letter to the UK Labour Party's leader, criticizing his former boss for endorsing the brutal actions of the Apartheid Zionist Israeli regime forces’ implementation of genocide in the Gaza Strip, bombing the besieged area, blocking the supply of water, food, medicine and power to the surrounded Palestinian land, killing more than 10,000 people, including 4,000 children, in the war.

The UN secretary general says the Gaza Strip is turning into "a graveyard for children."

In the letter addressed to Starmer, who rejected the huge public callings for a truce in Gaza, Hussain wrote, “The cutting of food, water, power, and medicine to Palestinians in Gaza is an act of collective punishment that violates international law.

“Like many others, I was therefore deeply troubled by the comments you made... You appeared to endorse such actions by the Israeli military.”

Hussain said he would continue to push for a ceasefire from the backbenches of parliament.

The resignation of Hussain comes as other members resign due to the party leader's support of Israel. Burnley Council leader Afrasiab Anwar stepped down from the party along with ten others.

Anwar said “blindly following Rishi Sunak” was “not acceptable”.

Separately, Pendle Borough Council leader Asjad Mahmood rebuked Starmer because he had “failed to listen” to calls for a ceasefire to “stop the innocent loss of lives”.

Mahmood insisted that Keir should resign to “allow someone who has compassion to lead our party”.

Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian groups in the UK continue to hold mass rallies in support of Gaza.

UK protest organizers said in a statement on Monday that they would continue to march on full throttle for Gaza until a ceasefire has been put in place in the besieged Palestinian territory under relentless fire from the Israeli occupation forces.

No. 10’s spokesperson reacted by saying the prime minister considers as “provocative and disrespectful” the scheduling of a march in London on Armistice Day, which is on November 11, despite the British Government's fierce opposition to the move.

In the meantime, the UK government is set to hold an emergency committee to consider the local impact of the Gaza war.

The UK prime minister’s spokesperson said the committee would address important issues around “community cohesion”.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/11/08/714224/BRITISH-SHADOW-MINISTER-HUSSAIN-FRONTBENCHER-UK-MP-RESIGN-FROM-LABOUR-OVER-STARMERS-GAZA-CEASEFIRE-STANCE

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Over 40% of Muslim men in Germany report about daily racism: Study

07.11.2023

More than 40% of Muslim men are experiencing racism in everyday life in Germany, according to a study released on Tuesday.

According to the report published by the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (Dezim) in Berlin, some 41.2% of Muslim men are affected by racism.

Muslims often experience discrimination as well in public offices and dealing with authorities, including police.

More than a third of Muslim men (39%) reported about more frequent experiences of discrimination and racism in the police, while 51% referred to negative experiences in public offices and talking to authorities.

Among Muslim women, 46% said that they had often experienced discrimination in offices and authorities. When it comes to contact with the police, the corresponding proportion was 25%.

Furthermore, Germany’s health care system is not free from discrimination either.

“Discrimination takes place here in different places. For example, people who are racially marked are given worse appointments and their suffering is less heard,” said the director of Dezim Institute, Frank Kalter.

On Monday, the center-left government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed concern over mounting anti-Muslim racism in the country since the start of the Gaza war on Oct. 7.

Any attacks on Muslims in Germany, for religious or other reasons, are “absolutely unacceptable,” government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said at a news conference in Berlin.

“The nearly 5 million Muslims in Germany have every right to be protected …,” he added.

The Berlin-based Alliance Against Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hate (CLAIM) warned last week of growing anti-Muslim racism amid the escalating Israel-Palestine conflict in Gaza.

“We are witnessing an intensification of anti-Muslim racism in Germany. This is something we should all be concerned about and needs to be taken seriously,” said Rima Hanano, head of the nongovernmental organization.

“We must not allow inhumane positions to be further normalized and thereby jeopardize social cohesion. All people must be protected from racist, antisemitic and other inhumane violence and threats,” she added.

CLAIM has documented 53 cases of anti-Muslim threats, violence and discrimination in the last two-and-a-half weeks alone, including 10 attacks on mosques.

It can be assumed that there are a serious number of unreported anti-Muslim incidents that have not yet been reported or recorded, for example, this applies also to anti-Muslim hate speech on social networks.

CLAIM called for far-reaching measures to combat anti-Muslim racism and to protect those affected.

“Combating anti-Muslim racism, antisemitism and other misanthropic ideologies is more crucial than ever for our democracy and the cohesion of society. The need for action is acute,” according to the NGO.

Source: aa.com.tr

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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/over-40-of-muslim-men-in-germany-report-about-daily-racism-study/3046781

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Article 19 calls for dismissal of charges against journalist on trial for insulting Islam

November 7, 2023

Article 19, a London-based international organization defending free expression worldwide, has called for the dismissal of criminal charges against a journalist who is standing trial due to a tweet about the ban on alcoholic beverages in Islam.

Journalist Baransel Ağca is charged with “publicly denigrating religious values” in his 2020 tweet. If convicted, he faces between six and 12 months in prison under Article 216/3 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

Prior to a hearing at an İstanbul court on Wednesday, Article 19 submitted an expert opinion that examined the legitimacy of the charges leveled against Ağca in line with international and European human rights standards and regarding the right to freedom of expression.

The organization said Ağca humorously referenced the historical context of the prohibition of alcohol in Islam in his tweet, which was identified by the so-called “virtual patrolling” – a method whereby law enforcement systematically monitors social media to detect perceived illegal or harmful content.

“ARTICLE 19 considers that Ağca’s criminal prosecution violates his right to freedom of expression. We believe that Article 216/3 of the Turkish Penal Code, which forms the basis of Ağca’s prosecution, is incompatible with international and European human rights standards as it fails to satisfy the criteria of legality, necessity and proportionality and should therefore be repealed,” said the group.

Article 19 also called for an end to unlawful surveillance practices that undermine the principles of a democratic society.

Ağca, who currently lives in Germany, is being tried in absentia.

Under the rule of the Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey, it is common for people to face charges of denigrating religious values.

Last year famous Turkish pop singer Sezen Aksu faced legal proceedings due to the lyrics of one of her songs from 2017 on charges of denigrating religious values.

The song, titled “Living Is Something Amazing,” included a sentence that says, “Say hi to that ignorant Adam and Eve,” which was considered an insult of religious values.

Source: turkishminute.com

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https://www.turkishminute.com/2023/11/07/article-19-call-for-dismissal-of-charge-against-journalist-on-trial-for-insulting-islam/

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Arab World

 

Saudi cabinet praises launch of fundraising campaign for Gaza

November 07, 2023

RIYADH: The Saudi cabinet meeting on Tuesday reiterated the Kingdom’s continued stance in supporting the Palestinian people, including the launching of a popular donation campaign to help and provide relief to civillians in Gaza.

During the meeting the ministers reviewed recent talks between the Kingdom and other countries, within the framework of consolidating cooperation relations and serving common interests at the regional and international levels.

The council of ministers said Saudi Arabia remained actively engaged with regional and international stakeholders, working toward an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a just and comprehensive peace resolution for the Palestinian issue.

The council of ministers also approved a memorandum of understanding on political consultations between the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2404766/saudi-arabia

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Saudi, Austrian foreign ministers discuss escalation of violence in Gaza

November 07, 2023

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call on Tuesday with Austria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Schallenberg to address the situation in Gaza.

The two spoke about a number of issues during the call, including the need for the international community to fulfill its obligations to stop military escalation in the enclave. Their discussions revolved around finding a solution that would prevent the further loss of civilian lives and address the long-standing aspirations of the Palestinian people.

They also reviewed bilateral relations between the Saudi Arabia and Austria, and emphasized the importance of enhancing friendly ties to the mutual benefit of both countries and their citizens.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2404731/saudi-arabia

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Saudi Arabia showcases culinary tourism at London fair

November 07, 2023

RIYADH: The Culinary Arts Commission, in partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority, is participating in the World Travel Market exhibition in London from Nov. 6 to 8.

The commission aims to boost culinary tourism in Saudi Arabia through culinary arts tours across the Kingdom, attracting international visitors.

The commission is showcasing the culinary arts tours project at the exhibition, promoting culinary tourism in the Kingdom and highlighting Saudi dishes and products to interested visitors in the culinary profession.

Meanwhile, Saudia airline launched a dedicated Umrah website in the American and Canadian markets at the World Travel Market in London, as part of their mission to expand globally and support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goal of accommodating 30 million Umrah performers.

Saudia’s Umrah websites, umrahbysaudia.us and umrahbysaudia.ca, streamline Umrah package planning and booking for North American travelers, enhancing accessibility and convenience.

The platform provides extensive info on Umrah, including rituals, visas, accommodation, and transportation. It also offers personalized guest support for a seamless Umrah experience.

On Monday, Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb opened the Saudi pavilion at the London exhibition, emphasizing Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a top global tourist destination with rich culture, natural beauty, and attractions.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2404791/saudi-arabia

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Arab-African Summit postponed amid Gaza unrest

November 07, 2023

RIYADH: The forthcoming fifth Arab-African Summit, which had been scheduled for Nov. 11, was postponed on Tuesday due to the current developments in Gaza, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The ministry added that the decision had been made following consultation between the League of Arab States and the African Union Commission.

It said the postponement to a later date was announced “in order to ensure that political events in the region did not affect the Arab-African partnership.”

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has announced that an extraordinary summit will be held on Nov. 12 in Riyadh to discuss the crisis in Gaza.

The event is to be held at the request of the current chairman, Saudi Arabia, said a statement issued by the OIC.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2404891/saudi-arabia

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KSrelief team arrives in Cairo to discuss Saudi aid delivery mechanism in Gaza

November 07, 2023

RIYADH — A specialized team from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) arrived in Cairo, capital of Egypt, on Tuesday to discuss the mechanism for the delivery of Saudi aid to the Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza Strip.

This is in implementation of the directive of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to launch a popular fundraising campaign through the Sahem platform of KSrelief to provide relief supplies to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The King and Crown Prince issued a directive in this regard and donated SR50 million last Thursday.

The KSrelief team met Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Osama Ahmed Naqli and discussed ways to facilitate and accelerate mechanisms and procedures for transporting and dispatching of shelter materials, food baskets, and medical materials and supplies to those affected in the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing as quickly as possible, and that was on the basis of the humanitarian priorities.

Source: saudigazette.com.sa

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https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/637474/SAUDI-ARABIA/KSrelief-team-arrives-in-Cairo-to-discuss-Saudi-aid-delivery-mechanism-in-Gaza

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Over 6 million people perform prayers at Prophet's Mosque in a week

November 08, 2023

MADINAH — As many as 6,252,097 worshippers have performed prayers at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah in a week, which is an increase of more than half a million over the previous week.

Various departments working in the General Authority for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques are intensifying their field and guidance efforts to serve worshippers throughout the Prophet’s Mosque.

The organizational measures implemented by the Crowd Management at the Prophet’s Mosque enabled 134,547 worshippers to pray in the Rawdah Al Sharif with peace and reassurance.

A total of 493,147 visitors had the honor to greet the Prophet, PBUH, during the past week.

The Prophet’s Mosque is witnessing an increase in the density of worshippers. Therefore, the operating authorities are making several efforts, including services provided by the Guidance Department, to educate worshippers in various languages through a staff that provides awareness to visitors in their languages in five locations in the mosque, including Gates 336, 328, 364, 301, and 316.

It also includes field services that are held around the clock, supervising the regularity of sterilization, cleaning, and offering water programs, organizing entry and exit, in addition to continuously monitoring weather conditions to protect worshippers during rain and from the hot sun, as well as the awareness programs through printed publications and e-screens.

Source: saudigazette.com.sa

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https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/637490/SAUDI-ARABIA/Over-6-million-people-perform-prayers-at-Prophets-Mosque-in-a-week

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Pakistan

 

PM seeks world intervention in stopping Israel’s aggression against Palestinians

November 07, 2023

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has stressed the need for the international community to play an urgent role in stopping Israel’s aggression against Palestinians.

He said this during a meeting with his Special Representative for Religious Harmony and Pakistan diaspora in Middle East and Islamic Countries, Maulana Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi in Islamabad on Tuesday.

They held detailed discussion on the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and denounced the genocide and atrocities on innocent Palestinians in Gaza by Israeli forces.

Both welcomed the upcoming meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to be held in Jeddah on the deteriorating situation of Palestine.

The Prime Minister on the occasion lauded Maulana Tahir Ashrafi for his efforts for the welfare of Pakistanis residing in the Middle East and other Islamic countries.

Maulana Ashrafi paid tribute to the interim government’s steps to promote inter-faith harmony.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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https://www.radio.gov.pk/07-11-2023/anwaar-ul-haq-kakar-maulana-tahir-ashrafi-discuss-deteriorating-situation-in-middle-east

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Sindh to send illegal immigrants back to Afghanistan by train

November 8, 2023

Imtiaz Ali

KARACHI: The deportation of illegal immigrants from Sindh was suspended for one day on Tuesday after the government decided to send them back to their country by train, instead of buses.

South-DIG Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that around 80 illegal Afghan immigrants were brought to Afghan transit centres established in Sultanabad, but they could not be sent to the Chaman border crossing through buses on Tuesday.

The decision to deport them in large numbers by trains was taken in a meeting held between railways officials, the Karachi commissioner, the DIG-South and other authorities.

The DIG said it was decided in the meeting that a total of 760 immigrants would be sent to Balochistan by train on Wednesday (today).

He said that a special train would be sent to the Chaman border in the evening and all deputy commissioners and SSPs in Karachi had been directed to send at least 800 illegal immigrants to the transit centres till Wednesday afternoon for verification before their onward journey to Afghanistan.

With more than 700 undocumented Afghan immigrants, first train to leave Karachi for Balochistan today

The senior officer, who looked after the transit centres, said that so far only 450 illegal immigrants had been sent to their home country from Sindh via buses since Nov 1 when a countrywide crackdown was launched for repatriation of undocumented foreigners.

He said that the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) had provided mobile vans, which had expedited the work of verification of foreigners.

Meanwhile, sources said that at a high-level meeting held in Islamabad on Tuesday, the Sindh home secretary informed the participants that most of foreigners brought to the transit points were in possession of some documents like Proof of Registration Card (PoR) or Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) and screening of their identity documents was time-consuming.

He proposed that Nadra should be asked to provide quick and on-spot verification facility so that no doubt would remain regarding the identity and status of persons brought to the transit points.

It was also decided in the meeting that data of ‘fake’ computerised national identity cards shall be shared with provinces in consultation with all stakeholders.

The sources said that it was pointed out in the meeting that the pace of repatriation had slowed down because of ‘certain factors’ and underlined the importance of addressing them.

It was decided that the schedule of transporting deportees to crossing points shall be held in ‘abeyance’ and the provincial governments would deport illegal foreigners on a daily basis subject to prior clearance from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for provision of security and border clearance.

The meeting was informed that the stated number of illegal foreigners appeared to be estimated on the ‘higher side’, which was ‘creating problems’ in mapping and related efforts and energy was wasted.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1787353/sindh-to-send-illegal-immigrants-back-to-afghanistan-by-train

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Pakistan sends another aid consignment for Gazans

November 8, 2023

RAWALPINDI: A special flight carrying the second consignment of relief goods from Pakistan for the people of occupied Gaza left from Islamabad airport on Tuesday.

The relief consignment consists of hygiene kits, me­dicines and food packages. The first relief consi­g­­nment was sent on Oct 19.

The flight was seen off at the airport by Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jila­­ni and Minister for Human Rights Khalil George on Tuesday. Palestinian Am­­b­­­assador in Islamabad Ahmad Jawad Rabei and senior officials of the Mi­­nistry of Foreign Affairs and National Disaster Management Authority were also present during the send-off at the airport.

Speaking on the occasion, the foreign minister expressed Pakistan’s full solidarity with the Palesti­nian brothers and sisters and condemned Israel’s brutal, disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force against civilians, es­­pecially women and child­ren besieged in Gaza.

Mr Jilani underlined the urgency of bringing an immediate end to Israeli aggression and lifting of the siege of Gaza.

He called for upholding the principles of justice and humanity and facilitation of the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

Kakar, Ashrafi discuss Gaza

Earlier, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar during a meeting with his Special Re­­pr­esentative for Religious Harmony and Pakistan diaspora in Middle East and Islamic Countries, Maulana Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi discussed the de­­teriorating situation in the Middle East and denou­n­ced the genocide and atr­o­cities in Gaza by Israeli forces.

PM Kakar highlighted the need for the international community to play an urgent role in stopping Israel’s aggression against Palestinians.

He also praised Mau­lana Ashrafi for his efforts for the welfare of Pakistanis residing in the Middle East and other Islamic countries.

At the meeting they also welcomed the upcoming meeting of the Orga­ni­sation of Islamic Coope­ration to be held in Jeddah on the deteriorating situation of Palestine.

Source: dawn.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.dawn.com/news/1787396/pakistan-sends-another-aid-consignment-for-gazans

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Pakistan has taken the lead in defending, propagating Palestinian position: UN envoy Munir Akram

November 7, 2023

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Munir Akram has stated that Islamabad has “taken the lead” in “defending and propagating the Palestinian position” as Israel continues its bombardment of the Gaza Strip following the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7.

“I think we have done so quite successfully in articulating the position of the Palestinians […] and we continue to be involved as a lead country among the Arab and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries to find ways of trying to bring this unfortunate and tragic war to an end. We will continue that effort,” he said in an interview with DawnNews English.

Hamas launched a surprise offensive on Israel on Oct 7, killing over 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping more than 200, according to Israeli officials. Since then, Israel has relentlessly bombarded Gaza and sent in ground troops in an assault that has killed more than 10,000 people, mostly women and children.

Mass protests have erupted across the world against the “collective punishment” punishment unleashed on Palestinians. While Western leaders have continued to pledge support for Israel’s actions, other nations have begun recalling their ambassadors and diplomats from Israel.

Asked about the UN’s “limited ability” to act on the ongoing crisis and the “frustrations” within the body, Akram said, “I think the sentiment within the UN is basically, across the board, everyone is in some measure or the other condemnatory of Israeli actions and the bombardment that is continuing.”

He noted that many Muslim and Arab countries had called Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide”.

“I think if one reads the Genocide Convention this would fit into a definition of genocide. So there is widespread concern about what the Israelis are doing.”

At the same time, Akram said the UN Security Council (UNSC) was “paralysed due to certain powers on the council who have prevented the call for a ceasefire”.

However, Akram said the UN General Assembly (UNGA) had acted and adopted a resolution calling for a ceasefire put forward by the Arab world and countries belonging to the OIC.

He said that the resolution had called for a humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities, called for humanitarian aid for Gaza and also opposed the Israeli effort to displace the Palestinians.

“What we are trying to do now is to press the UN secretary general and UN organisations to press for the implementation of this resolution. So, the UNGA has spoken even if the UNSC has been unable to speak.”

Akram said that even those countries which had not supported the resolution shared “our opinion in their conscience but their political positions are constrained by strategic and political relationships with Israel and its friends”.

He said that he had asked during a UN debate for countries to “examine their conscience”. “This is [a] genocide. And we must call it out and we must press Israel to stop its campaign of bombardment and military action against helpless Palestinian civilians.”

The ambassador said that if ultimately the UNSC failed to dispense its responsibility in the matter then it would have to be seen what the UNGA could do.

He said that UNGA had “residual powers in the maintenance of international peace and security, especially when the UNSC is unable to act”. He recalled the 1950 resolution called “Uniting for Peace”, saying that it had been used to establish a UN peacekeeping force.

“So the UNGA has powers. The question is how much support we can gather for a decisive enforcement action by the UNGA. We will try […] there are major powers who will oppose it but we will try to see what we can get through the UNGA even if the UNSC is unable to.”

When asked to give an idea of what actions the UNGA could take, Akram said that these could include an oil export embargo, termination of trade relations, termination of civil aviation and several other actions to “pressurise and penalise” Israel for its actions in Gaza.

“It is a question of whether the OIC and Arab countries can agree on a set of actions and then we will bring these actions to the UNGA and see if we can get them [passed] through it. This is the diplomatic campaign that will have to be mounted in order to get some of these measures adopted by the UNGA.”

Questioned about the “lack of urgency” from the Arab world while other countries had recalled their ambassadors to Israel, Akram said, “I think some of the Arab countries have also done so […] so I think it is going to be a kind of international move and I don’t think we should distinguish between who’s done what.”

He said the “decisive power” in the matter lay with the US, pointing out that it had eventually come around to calling for a humanitarian pause in Gaza.

He expressed the hope that this pressure would result in containing Israel and bringing the conflict to an end.

Asked about a ceasefire, Akram, “Eventually this thing has to stop, it cannot continue as such.”

The UN envoy saw pressure on Israel mounting down the line, adding that Tel Aviv would have to weigh the cost of its military campaign in Gaza.

“If there was any reasonable government in Tel Aviv, they would see a cost-benefit of this war and bring it to an end. Unfortunately, the Israeli leaders at this time, are extremists and this is the problem.”

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1787290/pakistan-has-taken-the-lead-in-defending-propagating-palestinian-position-un-envoy-munir-akram

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Mushaal reiterates Pakistan’s support to legitimate rights of Kashmiris, Palestinians

November 08, 2023

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Human Rights and Women Empowerment Mushaal Hussein Mullick has called upon the leadership of OIC to take practical steps to save her incarcerated husband Yasin Malik’s life and of all oppressed Kashmiris and Palestinians.

Speaking at an International Conference on Women in Islam at Jeddah, she said Pakistan takes pride as one of the staunchest supporters of women rights and women leadership.

Mushal Mullick said Yasin Malik is innocent along with thousands of other Kashmiri Hurriyat leaders and political Prisoners locked up in jails of India.

She said Pakistan is committed towards supporting the legitimate freedom struggle of the Kashmirs and call for immediate resolution of Kashmir dispute as per the UN resolutions.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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https://www.radio.gov.pk/08-11-2023/mushaal-reiterates-pakistans-support-to-legitimate-rights-of-kashmiris-palestinians

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Three witnesses testify against Imran, Qureshi

November 08, 2023

 Awais Yousafzai & Khalid Iqbal

ISLAMABAD: Three witnesses recorded their statements in the cipher case against former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Adiala Jail on Tuesday.

Special Court of Official Secrets Act Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain heard the case. During the hearing, Barristers Salman Safdar, Taimur, Gohar Ali Khan and others while Special Prosecutors Shah Khawar, Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi and Raja Rizwan Abbasi appeared in the court. The court called three more witnesses in the next hearing.

The hearing of the case was adjourned until November 10. Before recording the statements and cross-examination, the lawyers met Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Besides, the PTI chairman met with his wife, Bushra Bibi, and sisters, Aleema Khan, Noreen Khanum and Uzma Khan, in the jail.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s daughter, Mehrabano, talking to the media outside the jail, demanded justice and fair trial. “Let the family in; no one can have security concerns from their family. Fair trial is my father’s right and as a daughter I have the right to see the trial,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court’s Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb asked the attorney general of Pakistan to ensure that the cipher case trial was not conducted in an inappropriate manner, otherwise it might collapse like a house of cards.

An IHC bench, comprising Justice Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, heard the intra -court appeal filed by Imran Khan against his jail trial and the appointment of the special court’s judge in the cipher case.

The attorney general assured the bench that no rights of the accused in the cipher case would be violated. Meanwhile, the court turned down a request to stop the cipher case’s trial proceedings, without hearing him.

The appellant’s counsel, Salman Akram Raja, requested the IHC to order an open trial in the cipher case, maintaining that the PTI chief was accused of making public the content of the cipher, but the same classified document was not made part of the charge sheet in the case. The court adjourned the matter till November 14, after the attorney general sought time to submit his arguments.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1126989-three-witnesses-testify-against-imran-qureshi

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Al-Khidmat dispatches relief goods for people of Gaza

November 08, 2023

ISLAMABAD: The Al-Khidmat Foundation Pakistan (AKFP) has dispatched relief goods for people of Palestine on a chartered plane.

The AKFP President Dr Hafeezur Rehman, while taking to media before departure of aircraft, said that Boeing aircraft carrying relief goods including food items, medicines and other items left for Al-Arish airport of Egypt.

The AKFP official said that relief goods are being sent for people of Palestine suffering from aggression and hostilities of Israel through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Dr Hafeezur Rehman said that the foundation was in a position to send five aircraft load of relief goods for people of Palestine through NDMA. He said that so far 2,245 doctors and paramedics have registered themselves with the foundation volunteering themselves to leave for Gaza for treatment of over 25,000 patients and injured people.

He said that medical teams would perform their professional duties in Egypt if they are allowed to enter Gaza. “As alternate, we will try to establish field hospital in Egypt near Gaza,” he said.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1127036-al-khidmat-dispatches-relief-goods-for-people-of-gaza

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Imran moves SC against indictment in cipher case

November 08, 2023

Hasnaat Malik

ISLAMABAD:\PTI chairman and deposed premier Imran Khan has moved the Supreme Court challenging his indictment in the diplomatic cypher case.

Imran has filed a petition in the SC through his lawyers Hamid Khan and Salman Safdar requesting that the framing of a charge against him by a special court formed under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 on October 23, 2023 should be declared illegal, unlawful and violative of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (as well as Articles 4 and 10- A of the Constitution.

On October 26, the Islamabad High Court already dismissed a similar petition filed by the PTI chief.

Senior lawyers consider that the engagement of Advocate Hamid Khan is significant in this case. Hamid is the head of the Professional Lawyers Group. He was also among the lawyers of several superior bars, which had challenged the presidential reference for the removal of incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa.

"The learned trial court [special court] has undeniably framed a charge that is flawed and inaccurate, and such errors will undoubtedly have severe repercussions. These defects are not correctable and have caused substantial prejudice to the petitioner [Imran], necessitating [the] kind intervention of this honourable court [SC],” the petition read.

The PTI chief in his plea contended that a “prejudiced” court case was being conducted against him even though he had served as the 22nd prime minister of the country and was fully entitled to the “immunity” from being tried in an “illegal” trial based on the allegations merely to the extent of his lawful act carried out during his tenure as the premier.

“The petitioner and the co-accused [Shah Mahmood Qureshi], who has served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs twice, have been provided the immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973. Therefore, the exercise of persecuting the petitioner and the co-accused through commencing the trial under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 is unquestionably null and void in the eyes of law," the plea added.

The PTI chief claimed that in April 2022, he was ousted from his position through a “meticulously orchestrated scheme”.

“The subsequent arbitrary actions and highhandedness displayed by his political opponents, who assumed control of the federal government, undeniably reflect a clear case of political victimisation against the petitioner and his party," it petition read.

"[The] evident haste has significantly compromised the fairness of the proceedings, as is discernible in the actions of the learned trial court. Regrettably, the learned trial court failed to adhere to the mandatory requirement of providing a minimum of one week (7 days) between the date of supplying case documents and the framing of charges in a criminal trial,” it added.

The petition stated that this “oversight” was particularly “troubling” considering that the case involved a former prime minister and a former foreign minister and revolved around a “novel and intricate” issue concerning a cypher telegram.

“Given the complexity of the matter and the need for a comprehensive understanding of a century-old law, all parties involved, including the accused, who must comprehend the charges, the judge, responsible for framing them, and the counsel, responsible for advising the client, ought to exercise care and caution. However, it is evident that the learned trial court rushed to hastily frame the charges and expedite the trial," it continued.

Imran argued that special court had framed the charge being “completely ignorant” of the safeguards available to an accused in the country’s criminal justice system.

“Earlier as well, the same court authorised [the] secret arrest and secret remand without the production of the accused in blatant violation of Section 167 CrPC, 1898. Again, quite shockingly after supplying copies on 17.10.2023 in sheer haste, the trial court framed [the] charge on 23.10.2023 which was promptly brought into the notice of [the] Islamabad High Court,” the plea read.

The PTI chairman contended in the plea that the haste displayed, along with the rush to expeditiously frame the charge, raised a legitimate question about the motivation behind the actions of special court.

“This undue haste alone is sufficient to establish the illegality of [the] charge framed against the petitioner on 23.10.2023. A serious grievance, gone unattended by the Learned Islamabad High Court," the petition continued.

Imran in the petition further argued that another critical issue that demanded consideration was the “blatant illegality” committed by framing the charge without providing the primary documentary evidence central to the entire prosecution’s case.

“This evidence, as detailed in the FIR, remand application, and challan, revolves around the alleged unauthorised use of a cypher telegram. The omission to supply this cypher document, which constitutes a pivotal component of the mandatory requirements outlined in Section 241-A, is a grave violation,” it stated.

“Failure to provide crucial, relevant documents pertaining to the main allegation is altogether missing and charge has been framed without supplying the most relevant document and related evidence. This [is] tantamount to ‘persecution’ as opposed to ‘prosecution’ for an offence. Evidence can never be kept secret from the accused or the court," it continued.

The PTI chief contended that serious prejudice had been caused to him and Qureshi facing the trial.

“The law reserved for [the] prosecution of armed forces for revealing national secrets with ‘enemy states’ is being overstretched and clearly misapplied to the case of a former prime minister and [an former] foreign minister of Pakistan. The trial judge as well as the learned high court have completely overlooked that neither the law (Official Secrets Act, 1923) nor its section 5 and 9 are attracted in the instant case.

"No criminality can be attributed to the petitioners who are being politically victimised and a defective and erroneous charge after forming [a] wholly incorrect understanding of the special law has been framed against the petitioner and others with the primary object to keep the petitioner behind the bars and at bay from the political scene. The bias and pressure on the court is visible from an examination of the interim order dated 17.10.2023 in which the trial court in advance indirectly bars all application and remedies available to an accused for early… acquittal in the wake of [a] defective charge having no substance," it read.

[The] petitioner is deeply perturbed by the mode, approach, and practices adopted by the learned trial court in the trial of this offence. The first glaring illegality committed was the conduct of secret remand hearings for the petitioner without his knowledge and without producing the accused during these proceedings.

"In fact, the petitioner, his legal team, and his family were completely unaware of his arrest on 15.08.2023, which transpired in the utmost secrecy. This was followed by a clandestine remand hearing on 16.08.2023, wherein the accused was not produced, clearly violating Section 167 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1898, and well-established legal principles as outlined in the 'Ghulam Sarwar' Case, reported in 1984," it concluded.

Source: tribune.com.pk

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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2445407/imran-moves-sc-against-indictment-in-cipher-case

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Jilani express solidarity with Palestinian FM on phone

2023-11-08

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Tuesday telephoned Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyadh Al Malki and expressed Pakistan’s solidarity with Palestinian people in the face of Israeli aggression.

Jilani, in a post on social media platform X, said: “I called HE Riyadh Al Malki, FM of Palestine to offer condolences of people and govt of Pakistan; Told him that Palestinians aren't alone in [the] face of Israeli aggression and that Pak stands in solidarity with them.”

Jilani said that Foreign Minister Malki expressed gratitude for the support and humanitarian assistance.

Source: brecorder.com

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https://www.brecorder.com/news/40272162/jilani-express-solidarity-with-palestinian-fm-on-phone

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South Asia

 

Majority of Afghan migrants expelled from Pakistan are children: UN Report

Fidel Rahmati

November 8, 2023

The United Nations Coordination Office for Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) has reported that over 20,000 Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan from the Turkham and Spin Boldak borders within just three days. According to OCHA, more than 60% of these returnees are children.

This organization, which is associated with the United Nations, has characterized the condition of the migrants expelled from Pakistan as “heartbreaking” according to its recent evaluation.

On Tuesday, the institution shared on the X social media platform that numerous Afghan migrants have been journeying during daylight hours and are uncertain about their return destinations.

The organization states that an urgent budget is required to assist migrants stranded at the border. Pakistan has been hosting millions of Afghan migrants for several decades.

However, Pakistani authorities announced last month that due to increasing insecurity and the involvement of some Afghan nationals in cooperation with non-state armed groups and organizing attacks, undocumented migrants must return to their country.

It is estimated that around 1.7 million Afghans without valid residence documents live in Pakistan, and they are now at risk of harassment, detention, and forced deportation to Afghanistan.

Despite the persistent calls from international organizations and human rights bodies to halt the mass deportation of Afghan refugees, Pakistan has intensified its efforts to apprehend and expel them.

Recent reports indicate that around 200,000 undocumented Afghan residents have already been sent back to their homeland from Pakistan.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/majority-of-afghan-migrants-expelled-from-pakistan-are-children-un-report/

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Pakistan pressuring Afghanistan with migrant deportations: Muttaqi

Fidel Rahmati

November 7, 2023

The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has accused Pakistan of using the expulsion of immigrants as a means to humiliate Kabul.

Despite expressing their concerns to Pakistani military leaders and foreign affairs officials, no action has been taken to suspend the decision.

Muttaqi believes that Pakistan’s deportation of immigrants is an attempt to exert pressure on Kabul, but he asserts that Afghanistan will not succumb to such pressure.

He emphasized that Pakistan’s decision to deport Afghan refugees and migrants is unilateral, even though concerns have been shared with both civil and military authorities in Pakistan.

In an interview with the BBC, Amir Khan Muttaqi, expressed his concerns with Pakistan’s unilateral decision to deport Afghan refugees and migrants. Despite sharing their concerns with both civilian and military authorities in Pakistan, the decision to expel these vulnerable populations remains in effect, further straining the already complex relationship between the two neighbouring countries.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has raised alarms about the severe problems and dangers faced by a significant number of Afghans forced to leave Pakistan. The situation highlights the challenges and vulnerabilities these returning migrants encounter.

Despite the difficulties faced by Afghan immigrants returning from Pakistan, recent statistics indicate a significant flow of people returning to Afghanistan. Approximately 174,000 people have returned through Torkham, Gholam Khan, and Angoor Ada crossings, while another 45,000 have returned via the Chaman-Spinboldak crossings.

The ongoing deportation issue underscores the complex relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the challenges faced by Afghan migrants. It also sheds light on the efforts of international organizations like UNHCR to address the humanitarian concerns arising from these migrations.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-pressuring-afghanistan-with-migrant-deportations-muttaqi/

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UAE extends assistance to Afghan migrants expelled from Pakistan

Fidel Rahmati

November 7, 2023

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations of Afghanistan has announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has assisted in the form of 20,000 tents to migrants recently expelled from Pakistan.

On Tuesday, the Ministry, in a newsletter, stated that the aid shipment from the United Arab Emirates, comprising 20,000 tents, arrived at Kabul International Airport last night.

Muhammad Arsala Kharoti, the appointed official responsible for financial and administrative affairs at the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations, expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the United Arab Emirates. He emphasized that returnees forcibly displaced from their homes require further support.

The head of the Ministry stressed the need for the international community to pay special attention to the Afghan migrants’ situation. He urged countries worldwide to assist Afghanistan in addressing these challenges and providing aid to those in need.

Following the unprecedented return of Afghan migrants from Pakistan, the Taliban administration has stated that their migration affairs offices are registering them and referring them to the United Nations agencies for assistance.

The efforts of the Ministry of Migrant Affairs, coupled with international cooperation, aim to alleviate the plight of Afghan migrants and facilitate their reintegration into society.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/uae-extends-assistance-to-afghan-migrants-expelled-from-pakistan/

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7 People Killed, 20 Wounded in Blast in Kabul

November 7, 2023

At least seven people were killed and 20 others were wounded in a blast that targeted a transportation bus in the Dasht-e Barchi area of Kabul, Kabul security department’s spokesman, Khalid Zadran said.

The security forces have arrived in the area.

Earlier, the residents told TOLOnews that ambulances were carrying the victims to the hospital from the site of the blast.

Witnesses told TOLOnews that the number of casualties are expected to be higher.

“We were drinking juice in this shop, when a blast occurred. We then saw the ambulances were moving here. There was a crowd and the streets were closed for traffic. It looks like the casualties will be higher. The number of wounded is said to be 20, and 10 were killed,” said an eye witness.

“The sound of the blast was high and there were high casualties,” said an eyewitness.

No one has claimed the blast yet.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185928

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Mullah Baradar in Iran Calls for Increased Political, Economic Ties

November 7, 2023

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy PM for economic affairs, in his meeting with Energy and Agricultural Jihad ministers of Iran, emphasized the development of political, economic, and commercial relations with Tehran.

The office of the Deputy PM for economic affairs wrote on X that Abdul Ghani Baradar in a meeting with Iran's Energy minister mentioned the visit of the Iranian delegation from the Helmand river and said that the water of the river has declined several times in recent years.

Baradar said in this meeting that the Iranian delegation has also accepted the reduction of water in the Helmand river.

"They were given explanations about the drought in Afghanistan and the region, and they agreed that drought affected the whole region, including the Helmand river, and we are facing severe dehydration,” Zabihullah Mujahid said.

Iran's technical cooperation in producing electricity in Afghanistan, investments and fighting with drought were also parts of the discussion.

Some economic analysts have called Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar's meetings with Iranian officials important in addressing some of the challenges between Kabul and Tehran.

"Hopes will be eased in Afghanistan's economic and trade relations,” Shaker Yaqubi, Economic analyst told TOLOnews.

"Conferences, discourse and the exchange of ideas can benefit the countries involved, including how Afghanistan can be a bridge between Iran and Central Asian countries,” said Abdul ZohorMudaber, an analyst.

Earlier, Abdul Ghani Baradar in a meeting with the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, In addition to political and economic relations, discussed better coordination at the border between the two countries, water management, transit and increased Afghan exports and imports through Iran.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185924

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Comprehensive Cultural Programs Planned for Panjshir Province: Khairkhwah

2023-11-07

KABUL (BNA): Mullah Khairullah Khairkhwah, the Acting Minister of Information and Culture, has announced a comprehensive plan for the implementation of cultural programs in Panjshir province during a meeting with Mawlana Nasrullah Malekzada, the Director of Information and Culture of Panjshir.

Malekzada shared information about the functions and achievements of the relevant department with the Acting Minister and also highlighted some of the challenges faced by the department.

He requested the cooperation of the Ministry of Information and Culture’s leadership in addressing these issues.

Mullah Khairkhwah expressed his views on enhancing cultural affairs in Panjshir and pledged to expand cultural programs in the province.

He expressed satisfaction with the cultural programs organized by the Department of Information and Culture in Panjshir in coordination with the ministry and praised a recent religious educational program as very fruitful.

Mawlavi Zia-ul-Haq Haqmal, the Director of Bakhtar News Agency and Acting Deputy of Publications of the Ministry of Information and Culture, also met with Malekzada to discuss the development of publications and cultural affairs in the province.

Source: bakhtarnews.af

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https://bakhtarnews.af/en/comprehensive-cultural-programs-planned-for-panjshir-province-khairkhwah/

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ISIL claims Kabul bus attack targeting Shia Muslims

8 Nov 2023

The ISIL (ISIS) group has claimed responsibility for a deadly bus attack targeting the Shia Hazara community in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul.

The blast in the Dasht-e-Barchi district, a Hazara stronghold, killed seven people and wounded 20, police said on Tuesday. The attack was the second targeting the oppressed community in recent weeks.

Security officials have begun investigating the incident, said police spokesman Khalid Zadran.

ISIL took credit for the attack, saying via its Amaq news outlet that it had “detonated an explosive device” on a bus carrying Shia Muslims, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.

The group claimed a deadly explosion in a sports club in the same neighbourhood that killed four people and critically wounded seven in late October, according to Taliban authorities.

The number of bomb blasts and suicide attacks has reduced dramatically since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, removing the United States-backed government. However, a number of armed groups – including the regional chapter of ISIL- remain a threat.

Afghanistan’s Hazaras and other Shia Muslim communities have faced decades of abuse and state-sponsored discrimination, including by the ruling Taliban. The oppression includes arbitrary arrests, discriminatory taxation, displacement from their traditional territory, and summary executions, according to United Nations officials.

Afghanistan is estimated to have a population of some six million Shia Muslims, the overwhelming majority of whom are Hazara.

Source: aljazeera.com

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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/8/isil-claims-credit-for-kabul-bus-attack-targeting-shias

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Southeast Asia

 

G7’s top diplomats prepare statement on Gaza conflict

November 08, 2023

TOKYO: G7 foreign ministers are set to issue a joint statement on the Israel-Hamas war on Wednesday and are expected to call for temporary pauses in fighting to allow humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.

It would mark only the second joint statement from the group of wealthy nations on the crisis since gunmen from the Palestinian group Hamas sparked the conflict with an Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel.

The communique, to be issued near the end of a two-day meeting in Tokyo, is also likely to reiterate that G7 support for Ukraine in its war with Russia remains undimmed despite the spiralling conflict in the Middle East.

“We hope to be able to present a united G7 position on the situation in the Middle East in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement, which we understand is currently being coordinated,” said Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno.

The issue of humanitarian pauses in the conflict was raised at a working dinner attended by ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and the European Union on Tuesday, host Japan said in a statement.

Wednesday’s communique is expected to include a call for such pauses, temporary breaks in fighting to allow aid into the besieged enclave, several Japanese media outlets reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would consider “tactical little pauses” but, alongside its close ally the United States and other Western countries, has rejected calls for a ceasefire it says would allow Hamas to regroup.

The G7 has appeared to struggle to agree on a firm, united approach to Israel’s war in Gaza, raising questions over its relevance as a force to tackle major crises.

The only other G7 statement came after a meeting of its finance ministers on Oct. 12 and amounted to a few, brief sentences. Other group members have issued joint statements.

War with Hamas to cost Israel above $50bn

G7 divisions have also been evident at the United Nations, with France voting in favour of a resolution calling for a humanitarian truce in the conflict on Oct. 26, the US opposing it and the group’s other members abstaining.

Long-term plan

The ministers on Tuesday also discussed what happens after the Gaza conflict recedes and how to revitalise peace efforts in the Middle East, Japan said in its statement.

It gave no details of options being discussed if the Hamas group is ousted from Gaza as the result of the Israeli bombardment of the Palestinian enclave.

Israel has been vague about its long-term plans for Gaza. In some of the first direct comments on the subject, Netanyahu said this week that Israel would seek to have security responsibility for Gaza “for an indefinite period”.

But Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told the Wall Street Journal that Israel wanted the territory to be under an international coalition, including the US, European Union and Muslim-majority countries, or administered by Gaza political leaders.

Diplomats in Washington, the United Nations, the Middle East and beyond have also started weighing the options.

Discussions include the deployment of a multinational force to post-conflict Gaza, an interim Palestinian-led administration that would exclude Hamas politicians, a stopgap security and governance role for neighbouring Arab states and temporary UN supervision of the territory, Reuters reported this month.

Source: brecorder.com

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https://www.brecorder.com/news/40272262/g7s-top-diplomats-prepare-statement-on-gaza-conflict

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Ahead of Federal Court ruling, Perikatan seeks to rally Muslim support against legal bid challenging Kelantan’s Shariah criminal code

 Soo Wern Jun

 08 Nov 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) is seeking to drum up Muslim support in defence of controversial Shariah criminal laws in PAS-led Kelantan ahead of a Federal Court decision scheduled to be delivered this month.

PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the coalition will hold three separate gatherings in Kelantan, Terengganu and Putrajaya on November 16, 18 and 20 respectively.

“We want to invite all Muslims who are concerned about this issue to join the rallies.

“We are actually quite disappointed that no one from the government met with a group of non-governmental organisations when their representatives came earlier to submit a memorandum in protest of the Nik Elin case.

“This issue transcends across all political parties, by right everyone should be together in this,” he said in a press conference at Parliament today.

He said the Federal Court is scheduled to deliver its decision on November 20 and that PN will hold a prayer gathering outside the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya on that day.

Tuan Ibrahim was referring to a constitutional challenge filed by lawyer Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid and her daughter Tengku Yasmin Natasha Tengku Abdul Rahman in May to nullify and void 20 provisions in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019.

The mother-daughter pair claimed the Kelantan legislative assembly has no powers to make criminal laws, and cited Article 4(4) of the Federal Constitution.

Under Article 4(4), the validity of any laws made by the Parliament or state legislature can be questioned in court.

In August, a panel of nine Federal Court judges heard a constituency review of 20 provisions in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 as part of the proceedings for Nik Elin’s case and was reported saying that there was no dispute arising over Islam as the official religion of the federation in the hearing.

PAS leaders, including its president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang who is Marang MP, and secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan who is also Kota Baru MP, have repeatedly accused the federal government of not standing up for Islam even after the federal Islamic affairs minister said the Anwar administration’s stand is not to intervene in court cases.

Takiyiddin, a former law minister, has claimed that if the constitutional challenge were allowed to proceed, it would nullify not only Kelantan’s Shariah criminal enactments but all of the other states in the country.

He also claimed that the outcome would mean that state legislative assemblies do not have the authority to enact Shariah criminal laws.

Takiyuddin has described the court case to challenging religion, race and the royal institution — dubbed the 3Rs — which the police have warned the public not to question.

Source: malaymail.com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/11/08/ahead-of-federal-court-ruling-perikatan-seeks-to-rally-muslim-support-against-legal-bid-challenging-kelantans-shariah-criminal-code/100933

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PM Anwar says Malaysia will do its best to speak out for Palestine at Apec 2023 meet in US

08 Nov 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Malaysia will fulfil its responsibilities to the best of its ability in voicing its views on the Palestinian-Israeli crisis at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders’ Week in San Francisco, California, next week.

However, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said certain developments related to the crisis need to be discussed first.

“We will discuss some developments, and we will carry out our responsibilities to the best of our ability,” he told reporters briefly after opening the MPOB International Palm Oil Congress and Exhibition (PIPOC) 2023 here today.

Anwar said this in response to whether he would use the Apec 2023 platform to address the issue of Israeli brutality against the Palestinians.

Yesterday, Anwar confirmed that he would be attending the Apec 2023 amid demands for him not to.

He said the decision to participate in the conference was to protect the country’s interests from various angles of diplomatic, security and economic relations.

At the same time, he said he would not budge in defending justice and supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people.

Apec is a regional economic forum established in 1989 to capitalise on the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific, and this year, it will take place in San Francisco from November 11 to 17.

Meanwhile, PIPOC 2023, which is taking place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from yesterday until tomorrow, has gathered over 100 speakers and around 2,000 participants from around the world.

PIPOC 2023 serves as a platform for sharing insights, economic trends, and the latest technology exchange in the palm oil industry, involving more than 400 exhibitors. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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PAS ulama chief warned over insulting remarks

08 Nov 2023

KUALA LUMPUR: The Prime Minister has lambasted PAS ulama chief Datuk Ahmad Yahya for alleging that the government is following Western and Israeli narratives in the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said stern action would be taken against those who continue to make such allegations against the government, which he described as insulting.

He told the ulama chief not to use PAS online portal Harakahdaily to link him with Israel.

“This is a ‘biadap’ (rude) statement by someone wearing the ‘serban’ (Islamic headgear). I strongly deny such claims and if it is repeated, I will take stern action against such slander,” Anwar said during the Prime Minister’s Question Time.

He was referring to an article by Ahmad published by Harakahdaily on Monday which was accompanied by a photo of Anwar with an image of the Israel flag behind him.

The portal later replaced it with a combination photo of the Palestinian and Israeli flags.

Anwar said the government was working relentlessly to help the Palestinians.

“We have asked the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to hold a summit.

“We also lobbied China, Russia, Brazil, Ireland, Bolivia and there were discussions with Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and the Netherlands ambassador, as well as (a meeting) next week with Chinese vice-president Han Zheng,” said Anwar.

The Prime Minister reiterated Malaysia’s strong support for the Palestinian cause and all political parties should set aside their differences to unite for this cause.

“Regardless of the differences among the parties, we should support this cause so that Malaysia and the world knows that all of us are supporting the Palestinian cause in one voice,” he added.

Source: thestar.com.my

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https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/11/08/pas-ulama-chief-warned-over-insulting-remarks

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Minister: Increase in Saudi's VAT rate, exchange rate among reasons for higher cost of haj

Qistina Sallehuddin, Mandy Leong

 November 8, 2023

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat was told that the increase in the cost of performing the haj is due to a significant increase in the value-added tax (VAT) rate in Saudi Arabia from five per cent to 15 per cent since 2020.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said ther factors include the inflation rates and taxation in Saudi, the exchange rate between the Malaysian ringgit, Saudi Riyal and United States Dollar; and ongoing expansion projects in Makkah and Madinah.

He said the increase in haj costs was unavoidable as it is subjected to factors beyond the control of Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH).

"TH is always attentive and meticulously reviews the costs of the haj due to the new regulations and taxes introduced by the Saudi government.

"Additionally, there are fees imposed by Saudi authorities for various services provided for the welfare and comfort of haj pilgrims in the holy land.

"The significant increase in the VAT rate from 5 per cent to 15 per cent since July 2020 is also one of the noticeable causes of the cost escalation," he said during minister's question time in Dewan Rakyat, today.

Na'im said this in response to Mohd Shafizan Kepli (GPS-BatangLupar) on factors contributing to the increase in the cost of performing the haj, as well as the new conditions and qualifications set.

Na'im added that TH, however, is continuously making efforts to control the increase in haj costs, including through the signing of long-term agreements with the Saudi government on flights, accommodations, meal provisions and other services.

"Throughout the agreement, fixed prices can be achieved for a certain period and not be increased each year.

"Meanwhile, the terms and qualifications for performing Hajj in 2023 are the same as the previous Hajj season, unless new regulations are being enforced by the Saudi government."

In October, TH announced an estimated increase in the cost of performing Hajj by up to 11 per cent next year (1445H/2024M).

Its chairman Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar reportedly said the significant factors were beyond TH's control as it involved accommodation, transportation, flights, meals, and various service charges.

He added that the increase in costs was also a result of the current economic situation following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Source: nst.com.my

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https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/11/976161/minister-increase-saudis-vat-rate-exchange-rate-among-reasons-higher-cost

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Misguided ‘Israel boycott’ impacting innocent workers, businesses in M’sia

08 Nov 2023

PETALING JAYA – While the call to boycott brands with alleged ties to Israel has received support here as a sign of solidarity with the Palestinians, a large number of Malaysians are left in despair and fear of losing their livelihoods.

A chat with several employees from McDonald’s outlets, which were the worst affected by the boycott, revealed that a large number of employees are now in fear of losing their livelihoods.

Also impacted are hearing-impaired McDonald’s workers Iswan and Fati, who said in sign language that they are praying for the boycott to end soon.

“Very few employers are willing to accept those with disabilities like us and we are grateful to McDonald’s for giving us this opportunity.

“While we support the cause (for Palestine), what about our families?” they asked.

McDonald’s Malaysia not supporting Israel

A McDonald’s branch manager who identified himself as Ridzwan pointed out that there are over 21,000 employees working in the food chain’s outlets nationwide, and the majority of them are Muslims.

“Why are we being punished? Some have labelled us as supporters of the Jews and many of my colleagues have been subjected to severe mental pressure.

“Some of our staff who return home after work in public transport have been verbally abused as they are wearing the McDonald’s uniform.

“This is ridiculous and unfortunately not their first time either. I have been with McDonald’s for over 20 years and each time there is a conflict between Palestine and Israel, McDonald’s will be dragged in,” he said.

His colleague, Zubaidah, said a number of staff members are now suffering from depression as they are worried about their families and commitments.

“Why can’t people understand that we have nothing to do with the conflict? We are just a business entity and we are not taking any sides.

“People must understand that McDonald’s Malaysia is in no way supporting Israel or any other country. In fact, McDonald’s Malaysia just donated RM1 million to the Palestinian Humanitarian Fund.

“Please stop this nonsense. What is the point of supporting Palestine when Muslims here in your own country are suffering and at risk of losing their jobs,” she said.

Boycott causing Malaysian Muslims to suffer

A barista at a Starbucks outlet in Petaling Jaya and a Grab Food delivery rider shared similar sentiments.

Damien, who has been with Starbucks for more than 10 years, said his staff were equally impacted by the boycott while business has dropped from about RM25,000 daily to less than RM10,000.

“To be honest, a majority of our staff are Muslims, and they are the ones most impacted.

“A number are very young and working part-time to fund their education. They come from poor families and are working here to make ends meet while they study.

“Over the last few days, some of them have broken down and are absolutely depressed over the whole thing.

“Why are Malaysians being so blind to this? This has nothing to do with us... we need to eat and so do our families,” he said.

Razak, a Grab Food rider, said his income has dropped by almost half since orders to several fast food outlets, mainly McDonald’s, have dropped.

“I don’t understand why my family has to suffer over what is going on in Israel-Palestine. What wrong did my little children do?

“The best form of assistance would be to donate what we can and to spend time in prayer. This boycott is harming a large number of Malaysians,” he added. – The Vibes, November 8, 2023

Source: thevibes.com

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https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/99861/misguided-israel-boycott-impacting-innocent-workers-businesses-in-msia

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Africa

 

Reps lament resurgence of Boko Haram terrorists in Borno, Yobe

Kehinde Akintola

 November 7, 2023

Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday expressed concerns over resurgence of Boko Haram terrorists in Borno and Yobe States.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance on the ‘Need for urgent military intervention and rescue of missing farmers of Koshebe, Karkut and Bulabilin in Jere Mafa Local Government Area attacked by Boko Haram terrorists’, as well as Terrorist attack on some villages in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State, sponsored by Hon. Ahmed Satomi and Hon. Shettima Ali.

In his lead debate, Hon. Satomi who called for the House intervention, disclosed that the “heavily armed Boko Haram terrorists attacked Zabarmari farmers working in their rice fields in the villages of Koshebe, Karkut and Bulabilin of Jere Mafa Local Government Area killing several of them.

“The House is worried that this attack was carried out by terrorists less than 20 kilometers from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

“Further worried by the dynamic and strategy deployed by these terrorist attackers who were on motorcycles, divided themselves into three groups and attacked not with guns but rather used cutlasses and knives to stab and butcher the victims.

“The House notes that currently Security forces and Civilian Joint Task Force groups in the Nigerian North East of Borno have recovered 9 dead bodies while search continues in a bid to find more people who are still missing.

“The House is alarmed that in spite of the terrorist attack of Saturday, 4th November and the current search and rescue operations which is still ongoing , another attack and massacre of about 50 persons was again carried out in the night of Sunday, 5th November, 2023.

“The House is further alarmed that if urgent and drastic steps are not taken, the area may be overrun by terrorists with attendant dire consequences,” he noted.

To this end, the House mandated the Army to immediately mobilize troops to the affected areas to neutralize the terrorists and restore normalcy to the villages.

In the same vein, the House mandated Nigerian military to fortify security in Geidam and Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State, with a view to secure the communities and in order to forestall future attacks.

Hon. Shettima Ali who co-sponsored the motion lamented that there was a terrorist attack in NguroKayaiya, a Community under KusurDamakarwa Ward in between Gumsa and Kusur towns of Geidam LGA, Yobe State on Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st October, 2023.

According to him, the terrorists who were allegedly on a revenge mission, went to NguroKayaiya riding on about 15 motorbikes with sophisticated weapons, paraded and killed 16 male villagers at the outskirts of the village and later burnt down the village including houses, vehicles and tricycles.

The lawmakers also urge the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), North East Development Commission (NEDC) and Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to as a matter of urgency mobilize humanitarian and relief materials to the affected villages.

While ruling, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas who presided over the plenary, mandated the joint Committees on Army and Disaster and Emergency Preparedness to ensure compliance.

Source: tribuneonlineng.com

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Kano Islamic Police, Hisbah Dismisses Top Official, Declares Him Wanted For Encouraging Immorality

November 7, 2023

The Kano State Hisbah Board has sacked one of its top officials for compromising and sabotaging the current fight against immorality and social vices in the state.

The board is also known as morality police or an Islamic religious police force.

This was revealed by the Commandant General of Hisbah, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa while speaking to journalists on Tuesday.

According to The PUNCH, the board recently launched an operation to tackle social vices within the metropolis of Kano and beyond, under Operation Kau da Badala, which means an operation against immorality in the state.

Sheikh Aminu Daurawa added that at least five other officers were also under investigation, explaining that the dismissed official was found conniving with bad elements to perpetrate immoralities in the state.

Daurawa was quoted by The PUNCH as saying: “Upon my assumption of office, I hit the ground running by sanitising the board of bad eggs as the board is no longer the same as it used to be.

“We have dismissed a Deputy Superintendent of Hisbah and declared him wanted. Wherever he is found he should be arrested and prosecuted.”

He explained that the officer in question was paid by hotel owners so that Hisbah would not raid their facilities during its operations.

The Hisbah Commander continued: “So when we carried out the raid operation, the hoteliers where such atrocities were carried out became jittery that Hisbah had changed.

“They paid him money not to carry out operations on their hotel. There was one among the hotel operators who asked us what we wanted them to do for us to support us.”

Source: saharareporters.com

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https://saharareporters.com/2023/11/07/kano-islamic-police-hisbah-dismisses-top-official-declares-him-wanted-encouraging

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Mali: airstrikes kill several civilians

07 Nov 2023

Several civilians, including children, were killed Tuesday in strikes attributed to the Malian army in Kidal, a possible foreshadowing of the battle to come for this bastion of the Tuareg rebellion and a major sovereignty issue for the central state.

The Permanent Strategic Framework (CSP), an alliance of predominantly Tuareg armed groups, reported in a press release 14 deaths, including eight children gathered in front of a school and six notables, killed according to the CSP by Turkish-made drones from the Malian army.

Residents and witnesses, speaking mostly on condition of anonymity for their safety, spoke of six, seven or nine deaths, without having an overview of each of them.

“Six people including children were killed by airstrikes by the Malian army. In the hospital, we have wounded,” said a health worker. A video consulted by AFP shows six remains lying next to each other.

No reaction was initially obtained from the Malian authorities. The army indicated on social networks on Saturday that it had "neutralized" the day before with its air assets a certain number of targets which were preparing operations inside the camp recently evacuated by the UN mission (Minusma).

Tuesday's acts of war, the first murderers in Kidal itself since the Tuareg rebellion resumed hostilities with the State in August, confirm fears of a confrontation in which the several tens of thousands of inhabitants of the city, historic center of independence insurgencies and a crossroads on the road to Algeria, has been brewing for some time.

The insubordination of Kidal and its region, where the army suffered humiliating defeats between 2012 and 2014, is an old source of irritation in Bamako.

The colonels who took charge of the country by force in 2020 have made the restoration of territorial sovereignty their mantra.

However, Kidal is controlled by rebels who, after rising in 2012, agreed to cease fire in 2014, but have just taken up arms again.

The independence uprising of 2012 coincided with the entry into action of radical Islamist groups. The jihadists have never stopped fighting the central state and any foreign presence, plunging Mali into a security, political and human crisis which has spread to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Call to Turkey

Since August, the north has once again been the scene of an escalation between the actors present (regular army, rebels, jihadists). The withdrawal of the UN Mission, pushed out by the junta, triggered a race for control of the territory, with the central authorities demanding the restitution of the camps, the rebels opposing it and the jihadists trying to do so. take advantage of this to strengthen their hold.

The evacuation by Minusma of its Kidal camp promised to be the most flammable.

Anticipating the departure of Minusma, a large army convoy left on October 2 towards Kidal.

But the UN mission, constrained by the deterioration in security, accelerated its withdrawal and left its Kidal camp last week. The separatist rebellion immediately took control, ahead of the army.

The haste in the disengagement of Minusma irritated the junta, which wanted to make this departure coincide with the arrival of the army. The obstacles put by the junta on the evacuation forced Minusma to destroy part of its equipment because it was unable to remove it, the mission said. But she also left some behind.

A resident who worked for Minusma indicated that Tuesday's victims included residents who had gathered in front of the camp to collect equipment.

The CSP assured for its part that one of the drone strikes had hit a group of children in front of a school near the camp.

The CSP said it was asking the Turkish authorities “to review their policy of selling drones to the junta” and to the Russian paramilitary group Wagner with which it cooperates according to the CSP.

Minusma, whose numbers numbered around 15,000 soldiers and police and more than 180 members of whom were killed in hostile acts, is supposed to have left by December 31. Since July, it has withdrawn nearly 6,000 civilian and uniformed personnel from Mali.

Source: africanews.com

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https://www.africanews.com/2023/11/07/mali-airstrikes-kill-several-civilians/

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Tunisia: 5 Convicted Terrorists Captured And Escaped From Prison

07 Nov 2023

Five convicted terrorists who escaped from a prison near Tunis a week ago have been arrested, the Tunisian Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday.

"Various units of the national security, national guard (police, editor's note) and army forces were able to arrest four recently escaped terrorists at 5:00 am (4:00 GMT) on November 7," the ministry said.

According to the statement, the four were "entrenched on Mount Boukornine", a densely wooded area around 600 meters above sea level, some 30 km southeast of the capital.

The Ministry of the Interior also confirmed reports circulating on local media and social networks that "the first terrorist named Ahmed Melki was arrested on November 5 (Sunday) with the help of citizens in the Ettadhamen district", a deprived and densely populated area of Tunis.

When their spectacular escape from Tunisia's largest prison, in Mornaguia, north-west of Tunis, was announced last Tuesday, the Ministry had indicated that they were "dangerous individuals, liable (or already sentenced) to prison terms linked to terrorist cases".

Mr. Melki, nicknamed "The Somalian", was notably involved in the assassinations of left-wing opposition politicians in Tunis in 2013, claimed by extremist Islamists.

Source: africanews.com

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https://www.africanews.com/2023/11/07/tunisia-5-convicted-terrorists-captured-and-escaped-from-prison-official/

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Hajj Institute graduates second batch of 54 students

Saliu Gbadamosi 

November 7, 2023

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) midwifed Hajj Institute of Nigeria (HIN), on Tuesday, graduated its second batch of students who completed their training programme leading to the award of professional certificates to 54 participants.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at the Hajj House in Abuja, NAHCON Acting Chairman/CEO, Mallam Jalal Ahmad Arabi, challenged the graduands to translate their knowledge into positive development that would ensure improved performance and better deals for Nigerian pilgrims.

Arabi asserted that the graduation could not have come at a better time than now when the Saudi authorities had set a timeline for the conclusion of preparations and arrangements for the 2024 Hajj exercise.

While congratulating them for acquiring knowledge of Hajj management, the chairman said they had been equipped with valuable skills to effectively manage Hajj and Umrah.

“My warmest congratulations to you all. I want to commend your commitment, dedication and thirst to acquire knowledge which has seen you complete your programme successfully.

“As an alumni of this Institute, you are now equipped with valuable skills and knowledge that are crucial for the effective management of Hajj and Umrah operations,” the NAHCON chairman said.

He added, “As professionals, I therefore charge you to develop strategies on how to deliver effective and efficient service to pilgrims. It is a task that must be done.

“Secondly, you need to find what strategy to adopt- short, medium, or long-term strategy to ensure a hassle-free pilgrimage for all our Muslim brothers and sisters.

“As you are aware, preparations for Hajj 2024 have begun. It is our responsibility that Muslims from Nigeria successfully perform the Hajj.

“The Saudi authority has provided calendar with timeline. Let us therefore work diligently and with dedication to meet the deadline.”

The NAHCON boss further urged the graduands to use their knowledge to find solution to the socio-economic situation of the country as, according to him, “the Nigerian economy is going through a turbulent time.

“I, therefore, tasked you to come up with a plan to ensure that Hajj and Umrah industry becomes a significant contributor to the socio-economic wellbeing of the country.”

Speaking earlier, the HIN Rector, Professor Nasir Maitulare, congratulated the graduands on the successful completion of the course on Strategic Management of Hajj and Umrah Operation.

He informed that the course was designed to enhance the capacities of Hajj and Umrah managers in the country as well as drive positive changes in the Nigerian Hajj and Umrah industry, while focusing primarily on pilgrims’ satisfaction at every stage and constantly seeking the pleasure of Allah (SWT).

The rector said that the need for competent and qualified staff made the institute take strategic steps towards creating courses and modules that would help graduands in professionalising the administration of Hajj in Nigeria.

According to him, students of the institute had the opportunity to learn from the best minds and facilitators and learned strategy, management and leadership from both Islamic and contemporary perspectives that are capable of helping to improve the administration of Hajj in Nigeria.

He then urged graduands to utilise their knowledge to help improve the administration of Hajj and subsequently delivery of efficient and effective service to pilgrims.

In his goodwill message, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, commended NAHCON’s initiative in establishing the Hajj Institute of Nigeria.

He therefore called on Hajj administrators to be diligent and sincere in the discharge of their duties and ensuring that pilgrims’ welfare is at the apex of the decision-making which will in turn help the Hajj body in delivering effective and efficient service to the guests of Allah.

The graduation ceremony, according to NAHCON Deputy Director, Information and Publications, Mousa Ubandawaki, was the climax of the one-month physical and virtual study for the commission and state Muslim pilgrims welfare board officials who undertook professional training in Strategic Management of Hajj and Umrah.

Apart from Prof Na’Allah, a former NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar, was among the dignitaries that attended the ceremony.

Source: tribuneonlineng.com

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Israel-Hamas war: Senate nudges FG on ceasefire call

08 November 2023 

 John Akubo (Abuja) and Ngozi Egenuka (Lagos)  

One month after the Israel-Hamas war, the Senate has asked the Federal Government to collaborate with other countries and the United Nations (UN) in calling for a ceasefire in conflict. The Nigerian government is yet to take a position on the war between Israel and Palestine.

Since October 7, the Israeli military has relentlessly bombarded Gaza when Hamas militants launched an attack that left 1,400 dead in Israel. According to the Hamas-run health ministry yesterday, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 10,000 people — including more than 4,000 children.

Referencing the Nigerian civil war and the concomitant horror encountered by Nigerians, the Senate equally urged the UN to revisit the issue of a two-state solution as a proposed framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as earlier agreed by the United Nations since 1948. The two-state solution calls for establishment of an independent state for Palestinians alongside that of Israel.

In a motion moved by Senator Abdulrahman Kawu from Kano South yesterday, the Senate after an extensive debate, described the emerging figures of death and displacement from the war as horrendous. Lending their voices to the international community, the lawmakers condemned the killings on both sides while suing for peace, particularly to avoid a degeneration into World War III.

Senator Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi), who presented the motion, said the casualty figures in the ongoing war were horrifying, stating that since the recent conflict started, 18 places of worship had been destroyed, 22,600 residential units damaged, 19 medical centres, 90 education facilities, 70 industrial facilities and 49 media offices razed.

He said in recent years, there has been a renewed effort to negotiate a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians but these talks have so far failed to produce a lasting agreement.

Kawu said if urgent steps are not taken to address the situation, the battle may spread to neighbouring countries and then to the allies of Israel and Palestine, which may further result in the loss of more lives and property.

Senators who contributed to the debate, including Barau Jibrin (Kano), Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia) and Sani Musa (Niger), all condemned the killings on both sides and called for immediate end to the hostilities.

Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, said: “What we need now is a ceasefire so that people who are being killed every day will no longer be killed. So many have lost their lives; so many children have been left orphaned.

“All you see on television about the conflict are dead bodies and so forth. This is not acceptable. All this is not good for the modern world.

“We should add our voices to those of responsible people all over the world that Palestine and Israel should come together and accept the two-state solution for permanent peace to prevail in that region of the world.”

Abaribe said “having experienced the Nigerian civil war in 1967 as a child, an eye for an eye will lead to everybody not having eyes at all. I call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the conflict.”

This call comes 24 hours after the UN amplified the need for an urgent ceasefire, describing Gaza as a graveyard for children.

Also, yesterday, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) urged all parties involved to agree to a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and “work toward a lasting peace”.

Posting to social media, the WHO director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “How long will this human catastrophe last? History will judge us all by what we do to end this tragedy. We again call for the immediate release of the hostages.”

On Monday, Tedros joined the heads of several major UN bodies in a united call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. “Enough is enough. This must stop now,” a joint statement said.

“An entire population is besieged and under attack, denied access to the essentials for survival, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship. This is unacceptable,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, Israelis across the country observed a minute of silence yesterday to commemorate the victims of Hamas’s October 7 massacre. The minute of silence marked the start of memorial ceremonies across the country, but unlike Holocaust Remembrance Day and Memorial Day, it was not accompanied by a siren.

Following the silence, flags across Israel were lowered to half-staff and mourners sang the national anthem, Hatikvah.

On October 7, thousands of Hamas terrorists burst into southern Israel, slaughtering some 1,400 people in their homes, on the street and at an outdoor music festival in the deadliest terror attack in Israel’s history. Among the dead were also hundreds of soldiers and police, some killed defending communities and some in military bases that were overrun. At least 247 people, mostly civilians, were taken hostage, including young children and the infirm; four were released and one was rescued.

Prior to Tuesday’s memorial events, a Defense Ministry ceremony was held on Monday night in the State Hall of Remembrance at Mount Herzl, Israel’s largest military cemetery, where the newly engraved names of 349 people killed on October 7 were unveiled on the walls of the commemorative building. At the same time, the faces of the hostages held in Gaza were projected across the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City.

For the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, it claimed that 10,328 Palestinians have been killed within the Gaza Strip by Israeli military actions since 7 October. The number, it says, includes 4,237 children. The number of people wounded has been increased to 25,965, according to the health ministry spokesperson, Dr Ashraf al-Qudra.

In the statement, the health ministry also said that it appealed for international intervention to prevent the bombing of hospitals. Al-Qudra also claimed that Israel had turned the evacuation corridors it had announced into traps for the displaced.

The Israeli military has repeatedly called for Gazan residents to move to the south of the territory, while continuing to bombard the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis. It has not been possible for journalists to independently verify the casualty figures being issued in Gaza.

A senior Hamas leader has refused to acknowledge that his group killed civilians in Israel, claiming only conscripts were targeted. Moussa Abu Marzouk told the BBC that “women, children and civilians were exempted” from Hamas’s attacks. This is in contrast to the wealth of evidence of Hamas men shooting unarmed adults and children.

The proof includes video from Hamas body cameras and first-hand testimony given to international news networks.

Marzouk, the group’s deputy political leader, who is subject to an asset freeze in the UK under counter-terrorism regulations, was interviewed in the Gulf. He is the most senior member to speak since the October 7 atrocities.

On the scores of hostages being held inside the territory, he said that they were not able to be freed while Israel was bombing Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry says 10,000 people have been killed since Israel started operations last month. “We will release them. But we need to stop the fighting,” he said.

Yesterday, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he would consider “tactical little pauses” in Gaza fighting to facilitate the entry of aid or the exit of hostages, but again rejected calls for a general ceasefire.

Marzouk recently travelled to Moscow to discuss eight Russian-Israeli dual citizens snatched on October 7 by Hamas, a proscribed terror organisation in many countries including the UK and America. He said Hamas members in Gaza had “looked for and found two female hostages” from Russia but were unable to release them because of the conflict.

They could only realistically release hostages, he said, if “the Israelis stop the fighting so we can hand them over to the Red Cross”.

Marzouk claimed that Mohamed el-Deif, the leader of Hamas’s Qassam Brigades military wing, had ordered his men to spare civilians.

“El-Deif clearly told his fighters ‘don’t kill a woman, don’t kill a child and don’t kill an old man’,” he said.

Source: guardian.ng

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https://guardian.ng/news/israel-hamas-war-senate-nudges-fg-on-ceasefire-call/

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Forty people killed in Kenya, Somalia as heavy rains and flash floods displace thousands

November 07, 2023

Heavy rains and flash flooding have killed at least 40 people and displaced tens of thousands in Kenya and Somalia, aid agencies have reported.

In Somalia, the government declared an emergency after the extreme weather killed at least 25 people and destroyed homes, roads and bridges. Emergency and rescue workers were trying to reach an estimated 2,400 residents trapped by floodwaters in the Luuq district of southern Somalia's Jubaland state.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned of a high risk of flooding along the Juba and Shabelle rivers and called for the evacuation of people living along the entire stretch of the Juba.

“The Somalia Disaster Management Agency is swiftly responding to the crisis, with plans to dispatch a flight to Dollow and transport two boats from Kismayo to Luuq and one to Baardhere to assist with evacuations,” Hassan Isse, the agency's managing director, told The Associated Press.

“The magnitude of the current floods is likely to deteriorate in the next few days due to the emergence of more water from upstream in the Ethiopian Highlands," Mr. Isse said.

The heavy rains follow four consecutive years of drought that pushed Somalia to the brink of famine.

In neighbouring Kenya, the Kenya Red Cross said the death toll had risen to 15 since the heavy rains began on Friday, with the port city of Mombasa and the north-eastern counties of Mandera and Wajir the worst affected.

As of Sunday, flash floods had destroyed 241 acres of farmland and killed 1,067 livestock, the Kenya Red Cross reported.

Weather forecasters in Kenya started warning in September that rains would be heavier than usual during the short rainy season between October and December.

President William Ruto contradicted the forecast, telling Kenyans that the experts had revised their advice and that “there would be no devastating El Nino flooding.” Heavy rains and flooding have also been reported in the Somali region of Ethiopia where thousands have been forced to flee their homes after houses and farmlands were destroyed by flood waters.

Source: thehindu.com

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https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/forty-people-killed-in-kenya-somalia-as-heavy-rains-and-flash-floods-displace-thousands/article67507252.ece

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