‘India’s Home Minister Claims Congress Moving Forward With The “Agenda Of The Muslim League”, Sharia Law For Minorities
New Age Islam News Bureau
27 April 2024
Union Home Minister Amit
Shah with Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister
Mohan Yadav in Guna district on Friday. PTI
------
·
‘India’s Home Minister Claims
Congress Moving Forward With The “Agenda Of The Muslim League”, Sharia Law For
Minorities
·
Islam As State Religion - The
Provision Not Contradictory To Constitution: Bangladesh High Court
·
Burkina Faso Junta Bans BBC, VOA
From Broadcasting
·
US Campus Crackdown: 500
Pro-Palestinian Protesters Arrested
·
Pro-Palestine Protests Spread To
Europe As Students Occupy Campus In Paris
----
India
·
In Kerala's Palayam, Religious
Institutions Stand As Icons Of Harmony Sharing Walls
·
Upset Over Congress Not Fielding
Any Muslim Candidate In Maharashtra, Maharashtra Congress Working President
Writes To Kharge
·
India-bound oil tanker Andromeda
Star hit by missiles In Red Sea, say Yemen's Houthis
·
NIA chargesheets another accused
in 2022 ISIS-inspired Coimbatore car bomb blast case
·
Castes from Muslim communities
‘intentionally’ included in backward classes, claims BJP
----
South Asia
·
Dhaka, Bangkok to work together
on Rohingya issue: foreign minister
·
Amnesty International calls for
release of four journalists in Afghanistan
·
Malaysia Assists Afghanistan in
Cybersecurity: Taliban Interior Ministry
·
46 Years On, Impact of
Republic-Toppling Coup in Afghanistan Considered
·
Scholars: People's Democratic
Party Coup Caused Long-Lasting Instability
·
Acting Interior Minister
Emphasizes Need to Expand Relations With World
·
What Pakistan can see, BNP
cannot: Quader
----
Africa
·
UN Warns Of 'Alarming Reports' Of
Escalation In North Darfur
·
Troops kill 216 terrorists,
arrest 332 criminals in one week, says DHQ
·
1 year after conflict, UN human
rights chief gravely concerned at upsurge in Sudan violence
·
WHO warns health system in Haiti
'on brink of collapse' due to ongoing violence
·
Nigeria receives 50 tonnes of
dates donation from Saudi Arabia
·
Thousands could die as Rapid
Support Forces close in Al-Fashir in Sudan's Darfur province
---
North America
·
Infamous Bin Laden Mansion Where
Neighbors Witnessed Family Airlifted After 9/11 Is Demolished
·
US Holding Off On Penalties For
IDF’s Netzah Yehuda Unit Over West Bank Rights Abuses
·
US says it downed two Houthi
drones, anti-ship missile as rebels renew attacks
·
CAIR-CT Questions Delayed Police
Response to Threats Targeting Mosque After Prayers
----
Europe
·
Jewish campaign group led by
Gideon Falter cancels London march over safety concerns
·
Berlin police clear
pro-Palestinian camp from parliament lawn
·
Asylum Seeker, Khaled Hajsaad Of
Birmingham, Convicted On 'Supporting Terrorist Group' For Wearing Hamas
Headband In London
·
Top UN court to rule on
Germany/Nicaragua Gaza genocide case
·
Germany's president sets up
roundtable about Gaza without inviting Palestinians
·
Germany clears pro-Gaza camp as
US-style demos spread across Europe
---
Pakistan
·
Pakistan Confident Ties With Iran
Won’t Hurt US Relationship
·
PPP asks Muttahida to support
police in fight against street crime in Karachi
·
IHC judges’ ‘unanimous view’ to
check meddling conveyed to SC
·
Pakistan pushes for stopping
Israeli war machine
·
PM to attend World Economic
Forum, Gaza meetings in Riyadh
·
Imran rules out any ‘deal’ in
message for PTI’s 28th Foundation Day
·
Pakistan extends registered
Afghan refugees’ stay till June 30
----
Mideast
·
Hamas Says It Received Israel’s
Response To Its Ceasefire Proposal
·
Israeli soldiers kill two
Palestinian gunmen in West Bank, military says
·
Hezbollah fires 30 rockets at
north after IDF drone strike kills allied terrorists
·
Erdogan terms Hamas 'National
Resistance of Palestine'
·
Hezbollah says persistence in
aggression against Lebanon is not without a price
·
Thousands of Palestinians attend
Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque despite Israeli restrictions
·
UN official says it could take 14
years to clear rubble from Gaza
·
Egypt takes key role in renewed
diplomatic push for truce in Gaza
----
Southeast Asia
·
MADANI Harmony Initiative Aims To
FosterMalaysians’ Understanding In Diversity - Aaron
·
China To Host Hamas, Fatah For
Palestinian Unity Talks
·
Philippine Police Kill An Abu
Sayyaf Militant Implicated In 15 Beheadings And Other Atrocities
·
China describes Iran as
‘strategic partner' in West Asia
·
Thailand and 17 other countries
call for immediate release of hostages in Gaza
·
PM Anwar To Attend World Economic
ForumSpecial Meeting In Saudi Arabia
·
South East Asia must not become
safe haven for human traffickers: FM
----
Arab World
·
Saudi Arabia To Host Arab, EU
Diplomats For Talks On Gaza War
·
Yemeni armed forces strike
British oil tanker, shoot down US MQ-9 drone
·
Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
praises Iraqi authorities for arresting fraudsters touting fake Hajj trips
·
Nearly 6m perform prayers at Prophet’s
Mosque in 1 week
·
Ministry Uncovers Misuse Of
Mosque Utilities During Inspection
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hm-congress-muslim-league-sharia-minorities/d/132214
-----
‘India’s
Home Minister Claims Congress Moving Forward With The “Agenda Of The Muslim League”,
Sharia Law For Minorities
Union Home Minister Amit
Shah with Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister
Mohan Yadav in Guna district on Friday. PTI
------
April 27, 2024
Union
Home Minister Amit Shah Friday claimed that the Congress was moving forward
with the “agenda of the Muslim League” and that it was planning a “separate law
for minorities”.
Addressing
a public rally in Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara district, Shah said: “They (Congress)
have said they will make a separate law for minorities. Tell me, should the
country function on the basis of Sharia? Should triple Talaq be reintroduced?”
“Rahul
baba (Congress leader Rahul Gandhi), neither the people will elect you, nor
will triple Talaq be reintroduced. We will not allow anyone to touch CAA
(Citizenship Amendment Act), triple talaq and (abrogation of) Article 370,” he
said.
Bemetara
is part of Durg Lok Sabha constituency which goes to poll on May 7.
Campaigning
for BJP’s Durg candidate Vijay Baghel, the Home Minister blamed the Congress
for the death of BhuneshwarSahu, a resident of Biranpur who was killed in a
communal clash near his residence in 2023. His father Ishwar Sahu, with no
political background, won the Assembly election from Saja constituency on a BJP
ticket last November.
Highlighting
the achievements of the Narendra Modi government, Shah said the prime minister
has ended terrorism and safeguarded the country. “Give a third term to PM Modi
and we will end Naxalism in two years.” As per Chhattisgarh police, about 80
Maoists have been killed this year so far.
Indirectly
attacking former CM Baghel, he said: “Narendra Modi has been chief minister and
prime minister for 23 years, but no corruption charges were levelled against
him, while on the other hand, there are leaders of Congress and UPA who
committed scams worth `12 lakh crore. Now dressed in new clothes of ‘INDI’
alliance, they have been seeking votes.”
Giving
examples of Ram Mandir inauguration and Abrogation of 370, Shah said, “Modi-ji
has done what nobody could do for a thousand years.”
He
said: “When I stood with the Kashmir Bill in Parliament, Rahul baba said do not
remove it (Article 370). He said blood will flow like river if it happens. Five
years have passed and not even a stone has been hurled.”
Earlier,
speaking at rallies in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna and Rajgarh districts, Shah
reiterated the BJP guarantee “to implement the Uniform Civil Code across the
country”. “In its manifesto, Congress said they will re-implement personal
laws. You tell me, can this country run on Sharia? As long as BJP is there, we
will not let it happen. This country will be run by UCC. This is the spirit of
the Constitution. We brought UCC in Utatrakhand and this is our guarantee, we
will implement the UCC across the country” said Shah.
Attacking
former CM Digvijaya Singh, he said during his tenure, Madhya Pradesh was
considered a Naxal-affected state. “Diggy Raja had left Rajgarh and gone to
Bhopal, and today he is seeking votes from the people of Rajgarh. It was on
Diggy Raja’s advice that Rahul Gandhi included the promise of bringing personal
laws for minorities in his manifesto,” Shah said.
Source:
indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/can-country-run-on-sharia-amit-shah-claims-congress-wants-separate-law-for-minorities-9293101/
-----
Islam
As State Religion -The Provision Not Contradictory To Constitution: Bangladesh High
Court
File photo of Bangladesh High Court
-----
Apr
27, 2024
The
High Court in the full text of a verdict has observed that the provision --
Islam as the state religion -- is not contradictory to the constitution.
Article
2A of the constitution says, "The state religion of the Republic is Islam,
but the State shall ensure equal status and equal right in the practice of the
Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and other religions."
In
the full text of judgement, the HC said, "Article 2A of the Constitution,
impugned herein, in our view, neither offends the basic principles of the
Constitution, as contained in the preamble nor offends any other provision of
the Constitution."
"....
Therefore, it is our considered view that the impugned amendment through
Article 2A recognizing Islam as state religion is not ultra vires to the
Constitution," a special HC bench of three judges headed by Justice Naima
Haider said in the 52-page full text of verdict, which was released on April
21.
The
other two judges are Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal.
On
March 28, 2016, the bench had delivered the verdict after rejecting a writ
petition filed 37 years ago challenging the legality of a constitutional
provision in this regard.
Fifteen
distinguished citizens had filed the petition with the HC in 1988, challenging
the amendment that gave Islam the status of state religion.
The
petitioners have no jurisdiction to move such a petition, the HC bench that
binned it said while passing its ruling.
The
then government led by military ruler HM Ershad had inserted a section in the
eighth amendment to the constitution making "Islam" state religion on
June 9, 1988.
The
petitioners were Begum Sufia Kamal, former chief justice Kemal Uddin Hossain,
Khan Sarwar Murshid, Prof Kabir Chowdhury, Prof Dr Mosharraf Hossain, Maj Gen
(retd) Chitta Ranjan Datta (Bir Uttam), Prof Serajul Islam Choudhury,
Badaruddin Umar, journalist Faiz Ahmed, Dr Borhan Uddin Khan Jahangir, Prof
Anisuzzaman, Justice Devesh Chandra Bhattacharjee, Justice KM Sobhan, Syed
Istiaq Ahmed, and Kalim Sharafi.
The
HC on June 11, 2011 issued a rule asking the government to explain why the part
of the eighth amendment to the constitution that had made "Islam"
state religion should not be declared illegal.
The
government did not respond to the rule.
On
June 30, 2011, the parliament passed a bill on the constitution's 15th
amendment retaining Islam's status as state religion. The amendment, however,
restored "secularism" as one of the four fundamental principles of
the state which had been omitted by a martial law regime after the 1975
changeover.
Following
an application filed by the petitioners, the HC in December 2011 issued a
supplementary rule asking the government to explain why the part of the 15th
amendment to the constitution that gave "Islam" the status of state
religion should not be declared illegal.
They
said there was no scope to keep "Islam" as state religion after the
Supreme Court had declared illegal the fifth amendment and restored
"secularism" in the constitution.
The
amendment validated all laws made by military rulers following assassination of
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members in
1975.
In
the verdict's full text, the HC bench said, "As an attempt to simplify the
issue, we have discussed the arguments advanced in our judgement. We have
refrained from setting out specific submissions made by the Counsels for the
petitioners and respondents because the constitutionality issue should be dealt
with "as a whole".
"The
conferment of status of 'State Religion' on its own does not tantamount to an
action on the part of State to grant political status in favour of Islam.
"Article
2A must be read as a whole and once read, it becomes obvious that the insertion
of the concept of Islam being the state religion does not, on its own, affect
the constitutional rights of others having different religious beliefs. It does
not affect the basic structure of the Constitution and also does not render the
Constitution redundant.
The
impugned amendment also does not offend the concept of secularism, as provided
for in the Constitution," the HC judges said in the full text of
judgement.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/islam-state-religion-the-provision-not-contradictory-constitution-3596331
----
Burkina
Faso Junta Bans BBC, VOA From Broadcasting
Ibrahim Traore seized power in Burkina Faso in a
September 2022 coup © OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP/File
------
26 April 2024
Burkina
Faso Junta-led government has temporarily halted the transmission of the BBC
and Voice of America radio networks due to the broadcast of a report alleging
the army’s involvement in attacks on civilians during the fight against
jihadists.
Naija
News reports that the BBC and Voice of America are among the recent
international media outlets affected by the actions taken since Captain Ibrahim
Traore assumed control of the West African nation in a coup in September 2022.
The
communications authority (CSC) announced in a statement late Thursday that “the
programmes of these two international radio networks broadcasting from
Ouagadougou have been suspended for a period of two weeks.”
It
further explained that the decision to suspend BBC Africa and VOA was made due
to the broadcasting and publication of a report on their digital platforms
accusing the Burkina army of abuses against the civilian population.
The
CSC criticized the report for containing hasty and biased declarations without
concrete evidence against the Burkinabe army.
Human
Rights Watch reported that soldiers in Burkina Faso’s jihadist-hit north had
killed at least 223 villagers, including 56 children, in two revenge attacks on
February 25.
Burkinabe
authorities have not responded to the allegations when contacted by AFP.
Naija
News reports that the country has been facing attacks from groups associated
with Al-Qaeda and Islamic State since a jihadist insurgency spilt over from
neighbouring Mali in 2015, resulting in approximately 20,000 deaths and around
two million displaced individuals.
VOA
said on Friday it had sought reactions to the HRW report “from several
Burkinabe officials” but received no response and intended “to continue to
cover activities in the country fully and fairly.”
Junta’s
Official Warning
The
Communications Authority of Burkina Faso has instructed internet service
providers to block access to the websites and digital platforms of the BBC,
VOA, and HRW within the country.
The
authority criticized the BBC and VOA for spreading disinformation that could
harm the Burkinabe army’s reputation and potentially lead to public disorder.
Media
outlets were warned against sharing the controversial content, with the threat
of sanctions for those who disobey.
It
could be recalled that Burkina Faso has previously taken action against French
media organizations, including suspensions, bans, and expulsions of foreign
journalists.
Since
Traore came to power, Burkina Faso has been moving away from its former
colonial ruler, France, which controlled the country until 1960.
In
recent months, the government has suspended the operations of French media
outlet JeuneAfrique and French TV channel LCI due to articles that caused
tensions within the military.
In
March 2023, the France 24 news channel’s broadcasts were suspended, following
the earlier suspension of Radio France Internationale (RFI). This action was
prompted by the accusation that both public media outlets had been relaying
messages from jihadist leaders.
The
subsequent month witnessed the expulsion of correspondents from French
newspapers Liberation and Le Monde.
However,
SadibouMarong, a representative from media watchdog Reporters Without Borders
(RSF), has strongly criticized the suspensions of VOA and BBC, deeming them as
“abusive” and a clear violation of the right to information.
According
to Marong, the media outlets had merely disseminated “information of general
interest for the Burkinabe population.”
Source:
naijanews.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/04/26/burkina-faso-junta-bans-bbc-voa-from-broadcasting/
----
US
Campus Crackdown: 500 Pro-Palestinian Protesters Arrested
Police arrest pro-Palestinian students on the campus
of the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, on April 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
-----
26
April 2024
US
police have arrested more than 500 protesters during a crackdown against
pro-Palestinian protesters on university campuses across the country on
Thursday.
Anti-riot
police used chemical irritants and tasers against protesters, who set up camps
in defiance of police warnings from Massachusetts to California, to protest
against Israel's savage war against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Protesters
were arrested at schools including the Ohio State University, the University of
Minnesota, Indiana University and Princeton University.
At
Emory University in Atlanta, police clashed with protesters, including students
from other Atlanta universities and area activists and arrested dozens of
protesters, including faculty members.
Videos
are shared on social media, showing officers using tear gas, tasers and
handcuffs to detain protesters.
Emory's
vice president for public safety Cheryl Elliott said in a statement that law
enforcement "released chemical irritants into the ground" to disperse
the crowd after protesters ignored multiple warnings.
She
said 28 protesters had been arrested, including 20 members of the Emory
community, "some of whom have been released."
"We
are working with responding agencies to expedite the release of any Emory
community members who remain in custody.”
At
Emerson College in Boston, police also tore down an encampment there and
arrested more than 100 demonstrators early Thursday morning.
Police
detained 93 people at the University of Southern California.
And
at The University of Texas at Austin, 60 protesters were arrested.
In
the event, faculty members gathered at a rally and called for the school's
president, Jay Hartzell, to resign after he praised law enforcement for
exercising restraint against the protestors.
The
latest arrests which followed others at Columbia, Yale, Brown and New York
University, came as a growing number of students joined the protests after
President Joe Biden approved $26 billion in war aid to Israel on Wednesday.
Across
the United States, groups of students and activists are now demanding the
leadership of their universities to cut financial ties with Israel, whose
brutal war on the Gaza Strip has killed more than 34,300 people since early
October.
Source:
presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/04/26/724420/US-500-arrested-pro-Palestinian-campus-protests-
---
Pro-Palestine
Protests Spread To Europe As Students Occupy Campus In Paris
A student walks past th entrance of Sciences-Po
university in Paris Friday, April 26, 2024. Students in Paris inspired by Gaza
solidarity encampments at campuses in the United States blocked access to a
campus building at a prestigious French university Friday, prompting
administrators to move all classes online. The pro-Palestinian protest at the
Paris Institute of Political Studies, known as Sciences Po, came two days after
police broke up a separate demonstration at one of the university’s
amphitheaters. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
------
27
April 2024
Students
in Paris blocked access to a campus building at a French university on Friday,
as pro-Palestine demonstrations reach Europe.
The
students occupied the central campus building of the Paris Institute of
Political Studies, known as Sciences Po, and dozens of others blocked its
entrance, echoing protest action at American universities.
Students
inspired by Gaza solidarity encampments at campuses in the United States
blocked access to a campus building at the prestigious French university on
Friday.
They
blocked the entrance with trash cans, wooden platforms and other items.
The
occupation of the Paris university campus came after police broke up a separate
protest at the university’s amphitheater outside one of its Paris campuses.
Scores
of student protesters gathered at the building’s windows, chanting slogans and
holding placards reading “We are all Palestinians,” in defiance of
administrators who students say called the police on their peers two days
earlier.
Pro-Palestinian
student protesters had occupied the amphitheater outside one of the
university’s Paris campuses on Wednesday evening.
The
US-style student protests, which began over the months-long Israeli regime’s
genocidal war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, kicked off in
the United States and have now spread to European capitals as well as Australia.
In
the German capital Berlin, several people were arrested as police violently
cleared a camp of Gaza war protesters at the German parliament.
Pro-Palestinian
activists are demanding a permanent ceasefire, an end to the Israeli
atrocities, and an arms embargo of the Tel Aviv regime.
The
Israeli regime launched the war on Gaza on October 7 last year. The genocidal
war has killed more than 34,356 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Source:
presstv.ir
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/04/27/724437/France-Paris-University-Campus-Protest-Gaza
----
India
In Kerala's Palayam, Religious Institutions Stand As Icons Of Harmony Sharing Walls
APRIL
27, 2024
Highlighting
the communal harmony of Kerala, the picture of Palayam Juma Masjid and
PalayamGanapathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram sharing a common wall has
surfaced on social media. Adding to this symbolism of co-existence, a hallmark
of Kerala’s social structure, is a church named St. Joseph’s Latin Catholic
Metropolitan Cathedral Palayam. According to Local 18 Thiruvananthapuram, the
restoration work of the PalayamGanapathy Temple is currently underway and is
small in size. With the construction of a new ornamental mandapam in Ganapati
temple, the temple, mosque and church’s height will reach the same level. For
those who don’t know, In the Hindu temple, the mandapam is a porch-like
structure through the (gopuram) (ornate gateway) leading to the temple.
For
those unversed, the history of the Palayam Juma Masjid goes back to 1813 AD,
when it was constructed as a small mosque, initially. Over the years, additions
and renovations were made, keeping the mosque relevant through the changing
times. This mosque is right in the heart of the city and devotees visit here
from far and wide.
It
is not an unusual sight here to see people step out of one place of worship
(after submitting their expressions of gratitude, as the case may be, to the
Powers). They, then enter the places of the next one to repeat the process and
have a staunch belief that when the prayers are submitted to two or more
powers, their case turns stronger.
Due
to this peaceful co-existing nature between the devotees, the festivals of each
respective religion have all been carried out peacefully for a long time. To
date, no one has encroached upon the property of another. Followers of all
three religions participate and cooperate wholeheartedly for the festivities of
the others.
Besides
these religious institutions, another shrine that is of significant importance
in Kerala is the PattalaPalli, which means the Soldier’s Mosque. It is located
near the Palayam market and is situated opposite the Muthalakkulam ground in
the heart of Kozhikode city. As per the reports, the mosque was built for
soldiers.
Explore
Live updates on the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 News . Check Lok Sabha Election
2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
Source:
news18.com
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https://www.news18.com/india/in-keralas-palayam-religious-institutions-stand-as-icons-of-harmony-sharing-walls-8868585.html
---
India
Upset
Over Congress Not Fielding Any Muslim Candidate In Maharashtra, Maharashtra
Congress Working President Writes To Kharge
27.04.24
Maharashtra
Congress working president Naseem Khan on Friday expressed disappointment over
the party or the Opposition bloc MVA not fielding any Muslim candidate for the
Lok Sabha polls in the state and told AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge he was
pulling out of campaigning.
In
a letter to Kharge, Khan said he will not campaign for party candidates for
remaining phases of the Lok Sabha polls and is also resigning from the state
Congress campaign committee.
The
former state minister said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), of which the Congress
is a key constituent, has not nominated a single Muslim candidate in
Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar
Pradesh (80).
Many
Muslim organisations, leaders and also party workers from all over Maharashtra
were expecting the Congress to nominate at least one candidate from the
minority community, but unfortunately this has not happened, he noted.
Now,
they are asking "Congress ko Muslim vote chahiye, candidate kyunnahi (why
Congress wants Muslim votes, but does not want to field any Muslim
candidate)?" said the 60-year-old politician.
"I
am also upset with this unfair decision of the Congress party. Before this,
whenever the party gave me election responsibility in Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka,
Telangana, West Bengal, Maharashtra and other states I executed it gracefully
and with my full efforts," said Khan in the letter.
"I
have no answers to Muslims and their organisations in Maharashtra raising such
issues (not fielding candidate from the community). Therefore, I have decided
not to campaign for the party during the Lok Sabha elections 2024," he
said.
Khan
said he is also resigning from the Maharashtra Congress Campaign Committee.
The
Congress is contesting 17 out the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in alliance
with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). They are
constituents of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Speaking
separately to PTI, Khan said the Congress it seems has deviated from its long
held ideology of inclusivity.
The
former cabinet minister said he was inundated with calls from organisations
representing minorities and party workers from these social groups, asking why
the Congress has ignored them while allotting tickets for elections in
Maharashtra.
"I
am unable to face questions of why injustice has been done (to minority
groups). The party has deviated from its inclusive ideology and giving
representation to all communities," said a miffed Khan.
The
Maharashtra Congress working president was in race for a ticket from Mumbai
North Central, but the party chose city unit president Varsha Gaikwad for the
constituency.
Khan
had lost the 2019 assembly elections from Chandivali in Mumbai by 409 votes.
Except
for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff
and has been published from a syndicated feed.
Source:
telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/elections/lok-sabha-election-2024/upset-over-congress-not-fielding-any-muslim-candidate-in-maharashtra-senior-leader-naseem-khan-writes-to-mallikarjun-kharge/cid/2016108
----
India-bound
oil tanker Andromeda Star hit by missiles In Red Sea, say Yemen's Houthis
27.04.24
Yemen's
Houthis said on Saturday their missiles hit the Andromeda Star oil tanker in
the Red Sea, as they continue attacking commercial ships in the area in a show
of support for Palestinians fighting Israel in the Gaza war.
The
ship's master reported damage to the vessel, British maritime security firm
Ambrey said.
Houthi
spokesman Yahya Sarea said the Panama-flagged ship was British owned, but
shipping data shows it was recently sold, according to LSEG data and Ambrey.
Its
current owner is Seychelles-registered. The tanker is engaged in Russia-linked
trade. It was en route from Primorsk, Russia, to Vadinar, India, Ambrey said.
Iran-aligned
Houthi militants have launched repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red
Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden since November, forcing shippers to
re-route cargo to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa and
stoking fears the Israel-Hamas war could spread and destabilize the Middle
East.
The
attack on the Andromeda Star comes after a brief pause in the Houthis' campaign
that targets ships with ties to Israel, the United States and Britain.
The
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier sailed out of the Red Sea via the
Suez Canal on Friday after assisting a U.S.-led coalition to protect commercial
shipping.
The
Houthis on Friday said they downed an American MQ-9 drone in airspace of
Yemen's Saada province.
Source:
telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/india-bound-oil-tanker-andromeda-star-hit-by-missiles-in-red-sea-say-yemens-houthis/cid/2016093
----
NIA
chargesheets another accused in 2022 ISIS-inspired Coimbatore car bomb blast
case
27.04.24
The
National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday chargesheeted Thaha Naseer,
another accused in the 2022 ISIS-inspired Coimbatore car bomb blast case, an
official statement said.
Naseer
and his associates had conspired to wage war against the government of India
and also to kill Indians in order to destabilise the country and create
communal disharmony, it said.
Naseer
is the 14th accused to be chargesheeted in the case under relevant sections of
the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful
Activities (Prevention) Act.
"NIA
on Friday filed its third supplementary chargesheet in the case relating to an
explosion in front of the heritage ArulmiguKottaiSangameshwararThirukovil
Temple at Eswaran Kovil Street in Ukkadam, Coimbatore," said the statement
issued by the probe agency.
The
blast was triggered on October 23, 2022 by a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive
Device (VBIED), driven by accused JameshaMubeen, who was killed in the blast.
The
explosion was aimed at avenging the alleged incarceration of Mohammed Azaruddin
in prison, the NIA said.
Azaruddin
was arrested in 2019 for propagating the ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria) ideology and had abetted his associates and hatched the conspiracy to
target Kafirs (non-believers of Islam) while inside the prison, it added.
The
NIA investigations have revealed that Naseer was a close associate of
JameshaMubeen and Umar Faaruq, the Amir or leader of the terror attack.
Umar
Faaruq had recruited like-minded individuals, including the deceased accused
JameshaMubeen, along with Mohammed Thoufeek and Naseer, the statement said.
He
had gathered the recruits in a secluded region, Jalakumadavu alias Jothimadavu,
in the core forest zone of Sathyamangalam Reserve Forest, Erode district, and
planted an ISIS flag in the region and declared it as their ilaka/province, it
added.
The
recruits were provided jungle training by Umar, who had also assigned roles to
the accused persons for carrying out the blast, the NIA said.
As
per the NIA investigations, Mohammed Thoufeek and Naseer had visited the house
of JameshaMubeen a week before the blast and had planned to use the explosives
to carry out a series of terror attacks.
"The
larger aim of the conspiracy was to wage war against the government of India by
targeting its various branches, i.e., general administration, police,
judiciary, etc. and also to target and kill Indians in order to destabilise the
country and create communal disharmony," it said.
Except
for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff
and has been published from a syndicated feed.
Source:
telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/national-investigation-agency-chargesheets-another-accused-in-2022-isis-inspired-coimbatore-car-bomb-blast-case/cid/2016100
-----
Castes
from Muslim communities ‘intentionally’ included in backward classes, claims
BJP
Apr
26, 2024
Ahead
of the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA
Shahnawaz Hussain said some castes from the Muslim community were intentionally
included in the backward community under the reservation system allotted under
the Mandal Commission.
"In
the reservation system given under the Mandal Commission, some people
intentionally included some castes from the Muslim community in the backward
classes calling them Pasmandas, which deprived other castes of their
rights," Hussain said speaking to ANI on Friday.
Slamming
the Congress for practising vote bank politics, Hussain said, "PM Modi's
schemes are for the poor regardless of their religion. But the Congress does
not want to serve the poor but practices vote bank politics. This is what PM
Modi said categorically."
Hitting
out at the Congress for its alleged intention to redistribute wealth, the BJP
MLA said, "Manmohan Singh has said that Muslims have the first right to
the country's resources. If you impose an inheritance tax on someone's property
and seize 55 per cent of his property and distribute it, whom are you going to
distribute this wealth? PM Modi said that all schemes are for poor,
irrespective of his caste or religion."
Responding
to a question by the reporter whether the Muslim population in the Seemanchal
region of Bihar will be voting for the BJP, Hussain said, "Seemanchal's
poor, backwards are with PM Modi. In Seemanchal some people ask for votes
giving instigating slogans. However, PM Modi asks for votes after working for
people."
On
Supreme Court rejecting all petitions seeking 100 per cent verification of
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) votes with their Voter Verifiable Paper Audit
Trail (VVPAT) slips, Hussain said, "There was a conspiracy in the Supreme
Court which was rejected today."
The
BJP has fielded its sitting MP Pradeep Kumar Singh from Araria Lok Sabha
constituency. Singh has been pitted against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)
candidate Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam.
"Even
in this heat, waves of people have gathered here. We will win with an even
bigger margin than the last time," Singh said speaking to ANI on Friday.
Responding
to a question on whether he will be able to get votes from the Muslim
community, Singh said, "People irrespective of whether they are poor or
rich will vote for development. People have understood that they should think
beyond castes and vote for development."
On
the challenges ahead of him ahead of the polls, the BJP candidate said,
"There is no challenge. People vote for candidates and make them win.
People will decide. They are ready to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister
again...Based on the work we have done we will cross more than 400 seats and
win all 40 seats in Bihar."
In
the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Singh defeated RJD's Sarfaraz Alam with a margin of
1,37,241 votes from Araria.
In
Bihar, the BJP won 17 seats, the Janata Dal-United won 16, the Lok Janshakti
Party won six and the Congress won one seat in 2019.
Source:
hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/castes-from-muslim-communities-intentionally-included-in-backward-classes-claims-bjp-101714154307316.html
----
South Asia
Dhaka,
Bangkok to work together on Rohingya issue: foreign minister
Apr
26, 2024
Foreign
Minister Hasan Mahmud said this after a bilateral meeting between Bangladesh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Thai counterpart SretthaThavisin at
Government House (Thai Prime Minister's Office) in Bangkok.
"To
resolve this problem, the two countries have expressed willingness to work
together," he said, adding that both the countries are suffering due to
the burden.
The
foreign minister Bangladesh is sheltering 1.3 million Rohingyas and this
created problems for Bangladesh.
He
said the bilateral meeting was held in a very cordial manner and the two
leaders expressed interest to deepen, broaden and strengthen the ties.
Bangladesh
is ready to offer a dedicated economic zone for the Thai investors if they
express willingness to have that.
Bangladesh
and Thailand today signed five bilateral documents on visa exemption,
cooperation on energy, tourism and customs matters, and negotiation of free
trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
PM's
Speech Writer Nazrul Islam was also present at the foreign minister's briefing.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/dhaka-bangkok-work-together-rohingya-issue-foreign-minister-3595911
----
Amnesty
International calls for release of four journalists in Afghanistan
Fidel
Rahmati
April
27, 2024
Amnesty
International has called for the release of four journalists in Ghazni and
Khost provinces, as well as the cancellation of the order to stop the
broadcasts of “Noor” and “Barya” TV channels in Afghanistan.
In
a statement released on Friday, April 26th, the organization urged the
prevention of attacks on media and emphasized that no journalist should be
detained for carrying out their duties.
The
Afghan Journalists Center reported on Thursday, April 25th, that three
journalists in Khost province had been arrested on charges of broadcasting
music and making phone calls to women via radio in the province. The
organization also highlighted Habibullah Taseer, a reporter for “Radio Azadi”
in Ghazni province, and called for their release.
Meanwhile,
the Media Violations and Complaints Commission suspended the broadcasts of Noor
and Barya TV channels last week for not adhering to journalistic principles and
national values.
The
organization’s statement states: “The freedom of expression in Afghanistan is
complex, and as of August 2023, more than 80% of female journalists have left
media outlets.”
Following
the regime change in Afghanistan in August 2021, oppressive policies have
targeted journalists and media outlets, leading to a significant halt in media
operations. According to the NIA report, 50% of media outlets in the country
have ceased functioning, exacerbating concerns about media freedom.
The
impact of these policies has been particularly severe for journalists, with
over 80% of female journalists and 50% of male journalists losing their jobs.
Despite widespread criticism, the Taliban has yet to address the issues faced
by the media and journalists, further exacerbating concerns about human rights
and media freedom in Afghanistan.
The
situation remains dire for media freedom and human rights in Afghanistan, with
oppressive policies persisting even amid mounting criticism. Despite calls for
attention to the plight of journalists and media workers, the Taliban has not
taken significant steps to address these concerns, prolonging the challenges
faced by the media industry in the country.
Source:
khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/amnesty-international-calls-for-release-of-four-journalists-in-afghanistan/
----
Malaysia
Assists Afghanistan in Cybersecurity: Taliban Interior Ministry
Fidel
Rahmati
April
26, 2024
The
Taliban’s Ministry of Interior announced a meeting between Serajuddin Haqqani
and representatives from the ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Defense,
and the Special Representative of the Prime Minister of Malaysia in Kabul.
According
to the ministry, Malaysia is assisting Afghanistan in the areas of cyber
security and digital crimes.
The
Taliban’s Ministry of Interior stated in a newsletter on Friday, April 26th,
that Serajuddin Haqqani expressed the Taliban’s desire for close relations with
the entire world, especially with Islamic countries.
He
regarded Malaysia as an advanced Islamic country and desired to benefit from
its experiences.
According
to the newsletter, discussions were held during this meeting on joint efforts
between the Taliban and Malaysia in combating drug trafficking, police
training, and cooperation in other sectors. Details of these discussions have
not yet been disclosed.
The
Taliban’s Ministry of Defense also announced that Mullah Yaqoob, the Minister
of Defense of the Taliban, also met with this high-level Malaysian delegation
in Kabul. Yaqoob claimed during this meeting that there is no war in
Afghanistan.
In
September 2023, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged the Taliban to
abandon its discriminatory policies against women and girls.
The
rise of ISIS in Afghanistan and the broader region has intensified security
concerns for both the Taliban and neighboring countries. ISIS has escalated its
attacks in Afghanistan, posing a significant challenge to the Taliban’s
authority and stability within the country.
This
increase in ISIS activity not only threatens the security situation in
Afghanistan but also raises alarms for neighboring countries, which fear the
spillover of violence and extremism across their borders.
Recently,
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban, claimed that
three neighboring countries support and train ISIS to destabilize the situation
in Afghanistan. According to the report, he referred to Pakistan, Iran, and
Tajikistan. As of now, none of these three countries have responded to these
allegations.
Source:
khaama.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/malaysia-assists-afghanistan-in-cybersecurity-taliban-interior-ministry/
----
46
Years On, Impact of Republic-Toppling Coup in Afghanistan Considered
MitraMajeedy
April
26, 2024
The
coup on Saur 7, 1357 (solar calendar), led to the rise of the People's
Democratic Party of Afghanistan and the fall of the country's first republic
regime.
This
event, which happened 46 years ago Friday, had a significant impact on the
lives of the Afghan people and, according to politicians, no stable regime has
been established in Afghanistan in the more than four decades since.
Salim
Paigir, a political analyst, stated: “After the coup by Sardar Mohammad Daoud
Khan, no stable regime has been formed in Afghanistan because, firstly, no
groundwork was laid for it, and secondly, foreign ideologies were employed.”
The
governance under the communist regime was not without its troubles, and after their
rise to power in Afghanistan, disagreements emerged among the leaders of this
party.
Khalil
Ahmad Nadem, a military affairs analyst, said: “Hafizullah Amin was prominent
in these disputes and eventually led to the removal of Taraki from power,
exiling several including BabrakKarmal and Dr. Najibullah, and others were
imprisoned on various pretexts like General Shahpour and Ali Akbar, with many
more being killed.”
The
overthrow of this regime was not easy, and during the ten years of war,
millions were displaced from the country, and hundreds of thousands more were
killed; but what should be done to prevent such events from repeating in the
country?
Moeen
Gul Samkani, a political analyst, said: “We must always consider the era of the
People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan as a lesson for today and the future.
A one-party, single-ideology government has no chance of success in Afghanistan
and cannot ease the lives of its people.”
Since
Saur 7, 1357 (solar calendar), more than ten governments have come to power in
Afghanistan, and in the latest event on Asad 15, 1401 (solar calendar), after
the collapse of the republican system, the Islamic Emirate assumed control of
Afghanistan for the second time.
Source:
tolonews.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188510
---
Scholars:
People's Democratic Party Coup Caused Long-Lasting Instability
April
26, 2024
Some
Shiite scholars in Kabul described the People's Democratic Party coup of Saur
7, 1357 (solar calendar) as a day of instability in Afghanistan.
Those
who gathered in Kabul to mark Saur 7, 1357 (solar calendar) -- exactly 46 years
ago on Friday -- said that the coup led to years of war, insecurity, poverty,
and underdevelopment in the country.
The
scholars added that the citizens of the country have always been committed and
have never yielded to the schemes of enemies.
Abdul
Qadir Alami, a religious scholar, said: “All the problems, wars, destruction,
displacement, and chaos that have occurred in this country in the past
half-century stem from that infamous communist coup of Saur 7, 1357 (solar
calendar) in this honorable land of Afghanistan.”
They
once again declared their support for the Islamic Emirate and called for
attention to the rights of all citizens equally in the country.
Amir
Rahimi, a member of the Shiite Council of Afghanistan, said: “If you have
criticisms and are seeking your legitimate rights, the Islamic government has
its leadership, go gather and make your voice heard.”
These
scholars also emphasized that the enemies of the Afghan people have always
tried to divide the various ethnic groups in the country through different
means; however, they have not been successful.
Source:
tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188511
----
Acting
Interior Minister Emphasizes Need to Expand Relations With World
April
26, 2024
Khalifa
Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Acting Minister of Interior, expressed a desire to expand
relations with the world during a meeting with a Malaysian delegation.
Haqqani
assured the delegation of the security situation across the country.
Abdul
Mateen Qani, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, said: “We seek good
relations and interaction with all countries of the world, especially the
Islamic world. Malaysia is one of the developed Islamic countries with which we
share many commonalities; we should cooperate with each other.”
Mawlawi
Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the acting Minister of Defense, also assured the
delegation that Daesh no longer physically exists in Afghanistan and that the
Islamic Emirate will not allow Afghan soil to be used against other countries.
A
military expert said: “So far, the Islamic Emirate has maintained its balance
in its foreign policy and preserved its independence; however, apart from
China, other countries have not yet engaged formally with the Islamic Emirate,
and we are waiting for this issue to be better resolved.”
Kamran
Aman, a military affairs expert, said, “We do not protect anyone else’s borders
but our own in both cases when someone comes or goes, and this is our duty.”
Previously,
the Malaysian delegation, during a meeting with the acting minister of Foreign
Affairs and the deputy prime minister for political affairs, Mawlawi Abdul
Kabir, stated that the purpose of their visit to Kabul was to expand Malaysia's
relations with the Islamic Emirate, and they pledged to make efforts toward
enhancing the Islamic Emirate's interactions with the world.
Source:
tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188516
----
What
Pakistan can see, BNP cannot: Quader
Apr
26, 2024
Awami
League General Secretary ObaidulQuader today said BNP always see darkness in
the daylight and that's why they could not see the development of the country.
"Although
Pakistan admires the development of Bangladesh, the opposition could not see
the development as they [BNP] see darkness in the daylight," he said.
Quader,
also Road Transport and Bridges Minister, made this comment while addressing a
press briefing organised at the Awami League President Sheikh Hasina's
political office at Dhanmondi in the capital this afternoon.
Calling
the BNP leaders to take real lessons from a recent speech made by Pakistani
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the AL general secretary said Pakistani premier
feels shame when he sees the progress and height of Bangladesh.
"Once
East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, was a burden to them ...but now it has made a
lot of progress and I feel shame to see such development," said Quader
quoting Pakistani PM as saying.
BNP
usually makes propaganda, so there is a lot of real true lessons for BNP to
take from the statement made by the Pakistani prime minister, he added.
Pakistani
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the economic development of Bangladesh in
his address at a view exchange meeting with the representatives of the business
community at the residence of the chief minister of Sindh province in Karachi
yesterday.
"They
feel shame now to see the economic growth of Bangladesh while 'East Pakistan'
was thought a burden for the Pakistan. But they [East Pakistan now Bangladesh]
have made a surprised progress in industrial growth," said Shehbaz Sharif
in his address.
Highlighting
the current conflicting situation across the world, the AL general secretary
said, "We are watching with concern that the Russia-Ukraine and
Israel-Palestine-Hamas conflict has overheated the global situation."
Under
the circumstances, Quader said "Our leader Sheikh Hasina has taken strict
position against the war. She called upon the world leaders to stand against
all kinds of aggression and to say 'no' to wars," he said.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/what-pakistan-can-see-bnp-cannot-quader-3595971
---
Africa
UN
warns of 'alarming reports' of escalation in North Darfur
MerveGülAydoganAglarci
26.04.2024
The
UN on Friday issued a stark warning on the escalating situation in El Fasher,
the capital of North Darfur in Sudan, saying the area is "already on the
brink of famine."
"We
are receiving increasingly alarming reports of a dramatic escalation of tensions
between armed actors in El Fasher, North Darfur," UN spokesperson Stephane
Dujarric said in a statement.
Dujarric
said the paramilitary "Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are reportedly
encircling El Fasher, suggesting a coordinated move to attack the city may be
imminent," adding that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are positioning
themselves, raising concerns of a large-scale confrontation.?
Noting
that such an attack on the city would cause "devastating consequences for
the civilian population," the UN spokesperson also reminded that
"this escalation of tensions is in an area already on the brink of
famine."
"The
Secretary-General reiterates his call on all Parties to refrain from fighting
in the El Fasher area," he added.
El
Fasher serves as the administrative center of the Darfur region comprising five
states. It is the largest city in Darfur and the only one among the capitals of
the other states in the region that has not fallen into the hands of the
paramilitary RSF.
The
Sudanese army controls El Fasher, and it is supported by armed movements that
signed the Juba peace agreement with the government in 2020. Among these
movements are the Sudan Liberation Movement led by MinniMinnawi and the Justice
and Equality Movement led by Gibril Ibrahim.
Since
mid-April 2023, the Sudanese army, led by Sovereignty Council head Abdel Fattah
al-Burhan, and the RSF have been engaged in a war. The conflict has resulted in
the death of nearly 15,000 people and displaced more than 8 million people,
according to UN figures.
Source:
aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/un-warns-of-alarming-reports-of-escalation-in-north-darfur/3203448
----
Troops
kill 216 terrorists, arrest 332 criminals in one week, says DHQ
Musa
Umar Bologi, Abuja
April
27, 2024
The
Defence Headquarters says troops on operation across the country killed 216
terrorists and arrested 332 criminals in the past week.
It
said troops also rescued 161 kidnap victims.
The
Director Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, announced this in a
statement yesterday.
Gen.
Buba said troops recovered 234 assorted weapons comprising 131 AK47 rifles, 3
PKT guns, one M16 rifle, 43 locally fabricated gun, 21 Dane guns, one 105mm
gun, two automatic pump action guns, 18 locally fabricated pistols, 8 single
barrel guns, two automatic pump action guns, one LG4 bomb, one MG skeleton,
three explosive IED case, one MOWAG APC.
He
said troops also recovered 5,994 assorted ammunition, comprising 3,120 rounds
of 7.62mm special ammo, 2,195 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 211 rounds of 9mm ammo, 99
rounds of 7.62 x 25mm ammo, 467 live cartridges, one rifle butt, 15 magazines,
among others.
Speaking
on operations in the Niger Delta region, the defence spokesperson said troops
in the Niger Delta area recovered 533,127 litres of stolen crude oil and 24,520
litres of illegally refined diesel.
Gen.
Buba said troops also arrested 24 oil thieves.
Source:
thenationonlineng.net
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https://thenationonlineng.net/troops-kill-216-terrorists-arrest-332-criminals-in-one-week-says-dhq-2/
---
1
year after conflict, UN human rights chief gravely concerned at upsurge in
Sudan violence
Peter
Kenny
26.04.2024
The
UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk said Friday he is gravely concerned by the
escalating violence in Sudan's El-Fasher city in North Darfur, where dozens of
people have been killed in the past two weeks.
Rights
Office spokesperson SeifMagango told a UN news conference that Turk made his
call as hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid
Support Forces (RSF) have intensified.
"Reports
indicate that both parties have launched indiscriminate attacks using explosive
weapons with wide-area effects, such as mortar shells and rockets fired from
fighter jets, in residential districts," Turk noted.
One
year after the conflict started, at least 43 people, including women and
children, were killed as fighting was taking place between the SAF and RSF –
backed by their respective allied militia – since April 14, when the RSF began
its push into El-Fasher.
"Civilians
are trapped in the city, the only one in Darfur still in the hands of the SAF,
afraid of being killed should they attempt to flee," said Turk.
The
UN has described the situation in Sudan as the largest internal displacement
crisis globally.
Shortage
of supplies
The
UN rights chief said a severe shortage of essential supplies compounds Sudan’s
dire situation.
Deliveries
of commercial goods and humanitarian aid have been heavily constrained by the
fighting, and delivery trucks are unable to freely transit through
RSF-controlled territory.
Earlier,
UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten and
Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs coordinator Joyce Msuya
had said in a statement that they are appalled by sexual violence against women
and girls.
"After
one year of hostilities in Sudan, we are appealing for more international
engagement to combat sexual violence against women and girls in the
country," they noted.
"These
barbaric acts, which echo the horrors witnessed in Darfur two decades ago, must
spur immediate action."
They
said reports of sexual violence reveal the war's disproportionate impact on
women and girls.
Allegations
of rape, forced marriages, sexual slavery, and trafficking of women and girls –
especially in Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan – continue to be recorded.
"Millions
of civilians are especially at risk as they flee conflict areas in search of
shelter, inside Sudan and in neighboring countries," Patten and Msuya also
said.
"However,
the true scale of this crisis remains unseen, a result of severe underreporting
due to stigma, fear of reprisals, and a lack of confidence in national
institutions."
Source:
aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/1-year-after-conflict-un-human-rights-chief-gravely-concerned-at-upsurge-in-sudan-violence/3203026
---
WHO
warns health system in Haiti 'on brink of collapse' due to ongoing violence
BeyzaBinnurDönmez
26.04.2024
The
World Health Organization (WHO) chief on Friday warned that the health system
in Haiti is "on the brink of collapse" due to ongoing violence.
"WHO
is deeply concerned about the impact of violence on hospitals and health
centers in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, where less than 50% of
facilities are functioning at normal capacity," TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus
said on X.
Tedros
also stressed that the ones that remain functional are "running out of
supplies."
"This
means people are being deprived of access to basic health care," he said
and highlighted the "urgent need" for increased support and funding
from the international community so that lifesaving services can be provided
and critical supplies delivered.
A
political deadlock and surging gang violence in the country escalated after
President JovenelMoise's assassination in 2021.
Since
Feb. 29, armed men have burned police stations, attacked government offices,
airports and raided the country’s two biggest prisons, releasing more than
4,000 inmates.
More
than 2,500 people have been killed or injured from January to March and more
than 95,000 have fled the nation’s capital since early March.
Source:
aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/who-warns-health-system-in-haiti-on-brink-of-collapse-due-to-ongoing-violence/3203617
----
Nigeria
receives 50 tonnes of dates donation from Saudi Arabia
KazeemBiriowo
April
26, 2024
Nigeria
government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received no fewer than
50 tonnes of dates donation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The
50 tonnes dates donation was on Friday handed over to the Ministry of
Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for onward distribution to
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and victims of natural disasters across the
country.
Speaking
at the official presentation of the dates fruits, which is otherwise known as
dabino in Hausa language, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Amb. AdamuLamuwa, expressed confidence in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs,
which he believes knows better, in terms of distribution to the needies.
“As a Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, you know
where it pinches more, for us as a Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have liaised
with the Saudi Government, we received these cartoons of fifty tonnes of dates
and this is a formal handing over. You see, we have delivered the message to
you, and receive them with all gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,”
Lamuwa said while presenting the item.
The
Permanent Secretary added that the relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia did not just start with the donation as there has been decades -long brotherly
bond between the two nations.
He
noted that the donation was targeted towards Ramadan due to the significance of
dates fruits to fasting but it was however delayed due to logistics challenges.
“They
are distributing it, country by country, perhaps in alphabetical order. Before
it reached Nigeria, the month of Ramadan ended. So we are just getting them
like a month or some weeks after, but ideally we should have gotten this during
Ramadan.”
Receiving
the humanitarian aid on behalf of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the
Permanent Secretary to the ministry, Abel OlumuyiwaEnitan assured the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of doing the needful to ensure it reaches the intended
beneficiaries.
“On
behalf of the management and staff of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian
Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, we thank the Honourable Minister of Foreign
Affairs and the entire management and staff for this gesture, for being the
link for this particular item to be delivered to the Ministry for onward
distribution to the needies, in the camps and outside the camps.
“We
assure you that we’ll do the needful. We’ll make sure that the distribution is
properly done. And the intended beneficiaries actually have these items given
to them. We will not disappoint,” Eniyan promised.
Earlier
on Friday, the donation was presented by the Saudi ambassador to Nigeria,
Faisal Alghamdi and was received
by
the deputy director of the Middle East and Gulf Division, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MFA), MurtalaJimoh, on behalf of the Nigerian government.
According
to Alghamdi, the Saudi government, through King Salman’s Humanitarian Aid and
Relief Centre (KSRelief), has provided necessary humanitarian assistance to
Nigeria in different sectors of the economy.
The
ambassador said it was part of the country’s continued commitment to alleviate
the sufferings of people in distress.
Source:
tribuneonlineng.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tribuneonlineng.com/nigeria-receives-50-tonnes-of-dates-donation-from-saudi-arabia/
----
Thousands
could die as Rapid Support Forces close in Al-Fashir in Sudan's Darfur province
26
April, 2024
The
capital of the Sudanese state North Darfur is facing an imminent catastrophe
that is threatening some 800,000 people, as the paramilitary Rapid Support
Forces (RSF) closes in on the last stronghold of rival Sudanese Armed Forces
(SAF) following weeks of battles.
Sudanese
activists and international researchers warned on Thursday that the city of
Al-Fashir is "about to be under siege" as the RSF gains ground in the
surrounding province, terrorising villages and conducting intense bombing
campaigns against the Sudanese army.
RSF
is attempting to gain control of the city from the SAF and have begun closing
in with its troops preparing for a full-scale invasion, according to
researchers.
Al-Fashir
is the last major city in the huge western Darfur region not yet under the
control of the RSF which has taken control of four other Darfur state capitals
over the past year. Some 700,000 internally displaced people fled to camps in
Al-Fashir having escaped violence in other regions.
The
latest round of violence began in the African country in April 2023 and
snowballed into a civil war when long-simmering tensions between the military,
led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the RSF paramilitary commanded by Mohammed
Hamdan Dagalo, broke out into street battles in the capital, Khartoum.
The
RSF has been blamed for mass killings of civilians - which are often ethnically
driven - and numerous human rights violation, including terrifying levels of
sexual violence.
The
war has uprooted swathes of the population and humanitarian workers have
described the conditions as among the worst in the world.
The
UN said that some 20 million people in Sudan are struggling to find enough food
to eat and that famine is now widespread.
Last
week, UN officials warned the Security Council that 800,000 people in Al-Fashir
were in "extreme and immediate danger" as fighting was moving closer.
There
are fears fighting in the city could trigger inter-communal violence throughout
the Darfur province which surfaced during conflicts in the 2000s, and could
spill into neighbouring Chad.
Adam
Mousa, director of Darfur Victims Support and Sudan Defenders, said that in
April the RSF and aligned Arab militias fought with the Sudanese army and
attacked 15 villages in the east of Darfur, forcing thousands to flee to
al-Shagra town and the Zamzam displacement camp in Al-Fashir.
"Most
of the displaced have no water, food or medicine, and at the same time the
attacks are continuing," Mousa said during an online media briefing on
Thursday which included activists, Sudanese civilians, researchers, and aid
workers.
Mousa,
who is from Darfur, said his organisation has requested to begin a ceasefire
initiative and sent letters to SAF and RSF and are "waiting for a
response".
Some
eleven villages there have been burnt in recent days, according to Nathaniel
Raymond, executive director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale School of
Public Health.
It
has been challenging for journalists and humanitarians to gain on the ground
access since the outbreak of war and as a result, observers have been relying
on open-source intelligence to track the conflict.
Raymond's
Humanitarian Research Lab has been closely documenting the RSF and SAF
movements using open-source data and satellite imagery, and last week sounded
the alarm to the international community about RSF’s imminent attack on Al-Fashir.
"We
have a city about to be under siege," Raymond said.
RSF
fighters are about eight kilometres from the main SAF infantry base and
open-source reports and imagery collected in the past day shows RSF fighters
moving on the city from multiple directions, Raymond explained.
"The
situation for those in Al-Fashir will likely get significantly worse in the
coming hours and days," he said.
"At
this point, civilians and the Sudan Armed Forces do not have a clear escape
route to exit Al Fashir. We call this phenomenon, in our business, a kill box.
"The
space for intervention is probably gone," he added.
Raymond
fears that if the RSF behave in line with the mass atrocities conducted over
the past year, the number of casualties in the region could exceed the 110,000
deaths of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
It
is estimated that some 14,000 people have been killed in the war since last
April, though some projections are far larger.
The
RSF, which is formed of Janjaweed fighters aligned with former Sudanese
President Omar al-Bashir, have conducted ruthless campaigns against civilians
and there are fears they will conduct massacres in Al-Fashir.
There
have been widespread human rights violations documented by RSF fighters,
including cases of sexual violence against women and girls.
Allegations
of rape, forced marriage, sex trafficking in Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan have
been recorded. Rights groups say the truce scale of the crisis remains unknown
due to underreporting and fear of reprisals.
Some
1.1 million people are internally displaced in Sudan while more than 3 million
are refugees in neighbouring Chad, Eritrea and Egypt, according to figures from
the UN refugee agency.
Hala
Al-Karib, Sudan Regional Director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the
Horn of Africa, said that the anticipated invasion of Al-Fashir has been a
"ticking time bomb" considering the number of local militias present
in the city.
She
said the city has been an important hub for activists and human rights defenders
and hosts many displaced families. The only hospital in Sudan for survivors of
sexual violence is in the city, Al-Karib said.
The
war has taken a spiral in recent months due to foreign interference, which
observers say has prolonged the conflict and fuelled new levels of danger.
RSF's
leader is reportedly receiving support from Russian mercenaries and allied Arab
communities coming from the Horn of Africa, as well as Libya.
US
officials recently said the UAE was providing financial and military support to
RSF, which has been accused of committing crimes against humanity. Iran and
Egypt are believed to be supporting Sudan's army with military drones.
Earlier
this month, France hosted a donor aid conference to mark one year since the
outbreak of war and garner much needed attention to the humanitarian disaster.
Western
officials are seeking an end to the
fighting through diplomacy, but critics say it has done little to defuse the
violence.
Source:
newarab.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newarab.com/news/mass-casualties-feared-rsf-encircles-sudans-al-fashir
---
North America
Infamous
bin Laden mansion where neighbors witnessed family airlifted after 9/11 is
demolished
April
26, 2024
A
Central Florida mansion with a notorious past is facing the wrecking ball.
Once
owned by Khalil bin Laden, brother to Al-Qaeda’s co-founder and terrorist
mastermind Osama bin Laden, the Oakland mansion situated just off West Colonial
Drive is now undergoing demolition.
Reported
by NBC affiliate WESH, the history-laden estate was snapped up by Khalil in the
1980s.
However,
Khalil’s family swiftly departed the vacation abode in the immediate wake of
the 9/11 attacks, leaving the mansion to face its fate.
Residents
in the neighborhood have witnessed the mansion’s transformation over the years.
“I’ve
seen it be abandoned, I’ve seen it when there were people living in it, I saw
it when it was a wedding venue,” one neighbor, who only shared her first name
as Tara, told the outlet.
“We
were on the lake today, and we saw the crane, we heard the noise and we could
just tell that it was finally the day that it was getting torn down,” she
added.
The
most notable event occurred on Sept. 19, 2001, when Tara’s mother saw Khalil’s
family being airlifted out of the mansion, bound for Saudi Arabia.
“When
the bin Ladens were airlifted out of this house, that’s when she found out, so
we kind of grew up knowing it,” Tara said.
Since
then, the residence has passed through different hands, remaining vacant and
abandoned for years.
County
records obtained by WESH reveal that the property changed ownership as recently
as 2021, when it was acquired by an LLC.
This
LLC wasted no time in filing a notice in January to commence “improvements” to
the property, signaling the beginning of the end for the infamous mansion.
By
Wednesday afternoon, approximately one-fifth of the property lay in ruins,
scattered with brick fragments and splintered boards. The full demolition of
the site is anticipated to span several weeks.
“We’ll
probably be here about 2 1/2 weeks,” Kerry Bazinet from Rock and Roll
Demolition told the outlet. Their demolition efforts commenced on Tuesday
afternoon, targeting several structures on the premises.
“You
have a garage, then a stable and then the main residence here,” Bazinet added.
Additionally, there’s a compact basement area that resembles more of a secure
chamber than a typical cellar.
The
principal at Cornerstone Group, the brains behind the LLC, disclosed to WESH
that while formal plans for the space are yet to be submitted, the vision for
the property includes a mix of commercial space, preserved lakefront acres and
multi-family housing.
“I
know a lot of people say it,” Tara said, “They don’t build houses like this
anymore.”
Meanwhile,
another home owned by another one of bin Laden’s brothers, Ibrahim bin Laden,
has been unable to find a buyer after nearly three years on the market and
several price cuts.
Located
in Bel-Air in Los Angeles, Ibrahim, who has owned the property for nearly four
decades, also abandoned the home following the 9/11 attacks.
Made
up of seven bedrooms and five baths, his home occupies more than 7,100 square
feet and stands on more than 2 acres of land.
Source:
nypost.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://nypost.com/2024/04/26/real-estate/florida-mansion-tied-to-bin-laden-family-is-demolished/
----
US
holding off on penalties for IDF’s Netzah Yehuda unit over West Bank rights
abuses
26
April 2024
The
US has determined that an Israeli military unit committed gross human-rights
abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank before the war in Gaza began six
months ago, but it will hold off on any decision about aid to the battalion
while it reviews new information provided by Israel, US Secretary of State
Antony Blinken said in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
The
undated letter, obtained by The Associated Press on Friday, defers a decision
by the US whether to impose a first-ever block on US aid to an Israeli military
unit over its treatment of Palestinians. Israeli leaders, anticipating the US
decision this week, have angrily protested any such aid restrictions.
Blinken
stressed that US military support for Israel’s defense against Hamas and other
threats would not be affected by the State Department’s final decision on the
one unit. Johnson muscled through legislation providing $26 billion in
additional funds for Israel’s defense and for relief of the growing
humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
The
legislation, signed by US President Joe Biden, will send $17 billion in wartime
assistance to Israel and $9 billion in humanitarian relief to citizens of Gaza
and other war-torn regions — with Biden specifying at a White House event to
announce the signing on Wednesday that the package “includes $1 billion for
additional humanitarian aid in Gaza.”
The
allegations of rights abuses by IDF units took place before war erupted in Gaza
on October 7, with Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel, in which terrorists
murdered some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped 253.
The
reports earlier this week that said the US would take action against Netzah
Yehuda were strongly condemned by Israeli leadership with Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and other ministers in the
government publicly calling on the US not to go ahead with the sanctions.
Meanwhile,
Israeli officials, including Gallant and war cabinet minister Benny Gantz, held
separate talks with Blinken this week in an effort to prevent Washington from
going ahead with slapping sanctions on Netzah Yehuda, a Kfir infantry brigade
battalion designed for religious troops that is largely comprised of
ultra-Orthodox nationalists.
The
consideration to sanction Netzah Yehuda came following a State Department probe
into the battalion and several of the others in the Israeli security forces for
well over a year due to alleged human rights violations.
The
battalion has been at the center of several controversies in the past connected
to right-wing extremism and violence against Palestinians, notably including
the 2022 death of Omar As’ad, a 78-year-old Palestinian-American who died after
being detained, handcuffed, blindfolded and later abandoned in near-freezing
conditions by soldiers of the battalion.
Following
this incident and other reports of alleged abuse Palestinians suffered at the
hands of the battalion’s soldiers, the IDF decided to move it out of the West
Bank in December 2022 so they would no longer be in contact with Palestinians.
No
steps were taken, however, to hold specific soldiers accountable for the
repeated incidents of misconduct against Palestinians that ran rampant in
Netzah Yehuda, a US official told The Times of Israel earlier this week,
explaining the unprecedented decision to consider sanctioning an Israeli
military unit.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-said-mulling-no-penalties-on-idfs-netzah-yehuda-unit-over-west-bank-rights-abuses/
----
US
says it downed two Houthi drones, anti-ship missile as rebels renew attacks
26
April 2024
DUBAI,
United Arab Emirates — The United States military said Friday that coalition
forces “engaged and destroyed” two drones in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen
after the Iran-backed rebels launched a ballistic missile into the Gulf of
Aden.
The
anti-ship missile launched on Thursday did not lead to any injuries or damage,
US Central Command (CENTCOM), said in a statement on X.
Hours
later, the US military “successfully engaged and destroyed one unmanned surface
vessel (USV) and one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in Houthi-controlled areas
of Yemen,” CENTCOM said.
Thursday
marked the second consecutive day of attacks by the Houthis following a lull in
strikes in recent weeks. American officials have speculated that the rebels may
be running out of weapons as a result of both the US-led campaign against them
and their steady firing of drones and missiles in the last months.
The
rebels have launched dozens of missile and drone strikes targeting shipping
since November, saying they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians during
the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Thursday’s
missile attack targeted the Liberia-flagged cargo ship MSC DARWIN VI in the Gulf
of Aden, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center, which is run by a
Western-led naval coalition.
“The
vessel was not hit,” the organization said Friday.
The
Houthis claimed the strike, alleging that the ship was Israeli-owned.
“The
operation has achieved its objectives successfully,” Houthi military spokesman
Yahya Saree said on X on Thursday, without providing evidence.
Saree
also said the Houthis “fired a number of ballistic and winged missiles” toward
Israel, though there were no reports of incoming projectiles in the country.
The
Houthis have made repeated claims that turned out to be false during their
yearslong war in Yemen.
The
Houthis, who control much of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, are part of an “axis of
resistance” of Iran allies and proxies targeting Israel in protest at its war
against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
On
Wednesday, the rebels attempted an attack on MV Yorktown, a US-flagged shipping
vessel, CENTCOM said.
The
Houthi attacks have drawn reprisal strikes from the US and Britain since
January, as well as the deployment of Western naval forces to counter strikes
on ships plying the busy commercial routes.
The
Houthis have said they will continue their attacks until Israel ends its war in
Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there, according to the
Strip’s Hamas-run health ministry. The figure, which cannot be independently
verified, does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, and includes
some 13,000 Hamas gunmen Israel says it has killed in battle. Israel also says
it killed some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on October 7.
Two
hundred and sixty-one IDF soldiers have been killed in the Gaza offensive.
The
war began after thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel on
October 7, to kill nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and take over 250
hostages.
Most
of the ships targeted by the Houthis have had little or no direct connection to
Israel, the US or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired
missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been
intercepted.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-says-it-downed-two-houthi-drones-anti-ship-missile-as-rebels-renew-attacks/
----
CAIR-CT
Questions Delayed Police Response to Threats Targeting Mosque After Prayers
Ibrahim
Hooper
April
26, 2024
The
Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR-Connecticut) today raised concerns about the response time of the
Bridgeport Police Department following alleged threats targeting Masjid An-Noor
in Bridgeport, Connecticut. [NOTE: “Masjid” is the Arabic word for “mosque.]
According
to eyewitnesses, today after congregational (Jummah) prayers had concluded, a
white male drove up to the mosque in a white work van and reportedly made
threats to congregants, labeling them as “terrorists” and threatening their
lives. Despite the severity of the threats, the initial police response took
approximately 25 minutes after a 911 call was made, requiring a second call
before officers arrived at the scene.
“We
urgently need clarification on the delayed response by Bridgeport police to a
situation that posed a significant danger,” said Farhan Memon, Chairman of
CAIR-CT. “At a time of heightened global tensions, particularly concerning the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, such incidents can escalate quickly. It’s crucial
to address how inflammatory international issues are influencing local
attitudes and potentially endangering lives here.”
He
urged houses of worship to utilize CAIR’s Best Practices for Mosque and
Community Safety guide, which contains security advice applicable to
institutions of all faiths.
Washington,
D.C., based CAIR’s latest civil rights report released earlier this month
revealed the highest number of bias complaints ever received in its 30-year
history.
In
response to these events, CAIR-CT, along with local Muslim communities, plans
to seek meetings with both the Mayor of Bridgeport and the Chief of Police to
discuss enhancing police protection and ensuring safety for all mosques in the
area, safeguarding against such types of harassment and threats.
BACKGROUNDER:
This
is not the first instance of targeted harassment toward Masjid An-Noor. In
March, during the holy month of Ramadan, the mosque was disturbed twice by the
placement of pork packages, an act deeply disrespectful to Muslim practices.
These incidents remain unresolved with no suspects apprehended.
SEE:
CAIR calls for federal probe after Bridgeport mosque targeted in potential bias
incidents
The
Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CT) is a
non-profit organization dedicated to promoting understanding and mutual respect
among all people, particularly regarding issues related to Islam and Muslims in
America.
CAIR’s
mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote
justice, and empower American Muslims.
La
misión de CAIR esproteger las libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del
Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a
losmusulmanesenlosEstadosUnidos.
Source:
cair.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ct-questions-delayed-police-response-to-threats-targeting-mosque-after-prayers/
---
Europe
Jewish
campaign group led by Gideon Falter cancels London march over safety concerns
April
26, 2024
LONDON:
The organizers of a march in protest against antisemitism, planned for Saturday
in London, “reluctantly” announced on Friday that they were canceling the
demonstration.
The
Campaign Against Antisemitism said it was forced by safety concerns to call off
its “Walk Together” march, which was scheduled to coincide with the latest in a
series of pro-Palestine marches in the British capital. The organization said
it had expected thousands of people to take part but threats from “hostile
actors” posed a safety risk.
“We
have received numerous threats and our monitoring has identified hostile actors
who seem to have intended to come to any meeting locations that we announced,”
the CAA said.
“The
risk to the safety of those who wished to walk openly as Jews in London
tomorrow as part of this initiative has therefore become too great.
“We
are no less angry about these marches than our Jewish community and its allies.
We want to walk.”
The
group added that it wants the Metropolitan Police not only to “manage marches”
but “police” them.
Last
weekend, a video that circulated on social media sparked controversy as it
showed a confrontation between the CAA’s chief executive, Gideon Falter, and a
Metropolitan Police officer who appeared to be preventing him from crossing the
road in the vicinity of a pro-Palestine march in London because he was “openly
Jewish” and his presence was “antagonizing.”
Falter,
who was threatened with arrest if he did not leave the area, criticized the
police for their actions during the incident and claimed there were now “no-go
zones for Jews” in London amid a rise in antisemitic sentiment arising from
Israel’s war on Gaza following the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas.
Police
chiefs apologized twice for the officer’s choice of words. However, a former
senior police officer said on Monday that the initial, short version of the
video most people saw online “did not fully represent the situation.”
A
longer version showed the officer expressing concern about Falter’s actions
because he appeared to be deliberately attempting to provoke the
pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2500051/world
----
Berlin
police clear pro-Palestinian camp from parliament lawn
April
26, 2024
BERLIN:
Berlin police on Friday began clearing a pro-Palestinian camp set up in front
of the German parliament by activists demanding the government stop arms
exports to Israel and end what they say is the criminalization of the
Palestinian solidarity movement.
Police
dismantled tents, forcibly removed protesters and blocked the surrounding area
to stop others arriving.
The
action followed clashes between demonstrators and police on US campuses and a
blockade at Paris’s Sciences Po university, part of international protests to
decry Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and Western support for Israel.
The
Berlin camp ‘BesetzungGegenBesatzung’ — ‘Occupy Against Occupation’ — began on
April 8, coinciding with the start of International Court of Justice hearings
in Nicaragua’s case against Germany for providing military aid to Israel.
“The
idea was to draw attention to that and ... to the German complicity and active
enabling of the Israeli genocide in Gaza,” the camp organizer, Jara Nassar,
told Reuters.
Israel
strongly denies accusations that its offensive in Gaza, which aims to destroy
the Palestinian militant group Hamas, constitutes a genocide.
Nassar
and a dozen protesters sat on the ground, chanting pro-Palestinian slogans and
songs as police with loudspeakers called on them to leave.
“We
look at what is happening in the US ... with admiration. There is no reason to
believe we should stop now,” said Udi Raz, a PhD student at Berlin’s Free
University and a member of the Jewish Voice association.
Raz,
who wore a Jewish kippah with the Palestinian flag colors and held his phone in
a live social media broadcast of the clearance, said Jewish activists had
joined the camp and held a candle-lit Passover dinner there this week.
Police
said the prohibition order for the camp, which had been granted authorization
at the start of the protest, was due to repeated violations committed by some
protesters, including the use of unconstitutional symbols and forbidden
slogans.
“Protection
of gatherings cannot be guaranteed at this point because public safety and
order are significantly at risk,” police spokesperson AnjaDierschkesaid said,
adding tents had to be moved daily under local regulations to maintain the
lawn.
“For
the German government, grass matters more than the lives of more than 40,000
innocent people in Gaza murdered by the Israeli military,” Raz said.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2499996/world
----
Asylum
Seeker, Khaled HajsaadOf Birmingham, Convicted On 'Supporting Terrorist Group'
For Wearing Hamas Headband In London
YUVAL
BARNEA
APRIL
27, 2024
Khaled
Hajsaad was found guilty of "arousing suspicion he was supporting a
proscribed terrorist group" after he was caught wearing a Hamas headband
to a pro-Palestine protest in central London, according to a Crown Prosecution
Service statement on Thursday.
He
was described by the UK media as an asylum seeker who arrived in the country a
year ago.
Hajsaad,
a resident of Birmingham, was at a protest in London on November 25, 2023, when
he was reported to the police for wearing a green headband with the Islamic
profession of faith (Shahada) printed on it.
Hamas's
primary color is green, and it uses the Shahada as a symbol; on this basis,
London police seized the headband and arrested Hajsaad on the spot.
Saudi
or Hamas flag?
He
admitted to wearing the headband but denied supporting Hamas and claimed that
the headband was actually the Saudi Arabian flag, which is similar in
appearance.
During
the proceedings, Hajsaad's lawyer argued that the headband, due to the Shahada,
expressed his client's faith and that he had a right to express that faith.
The
prosecution's expert in Arabic and Islamic studies disputed this, saying that
in the context of a pro-Palestinian march, it would not be expected to see
flags or other national symbols of Saudi Arabia, given that it is not normally
associated with the Palestinian cause.
The
expert elaborated, saying that the headband lacked the sword found on the Saudi
flag, which is further evidence that it was not a Saudi headband.
Hajsaad
was convicted of wearing an item of clothing to arouse reasonable suspicion
that he is a supporter of a proscribed organization, in this case, Hamas.
“Wearing
such items in public creates a risk of encouraging others to support
Hamas," the CPS said in a statement.
He
is expected to be sentenced in June.
Source:
jpost.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-798838
----
Top
UN court to rule on Germany/Nicaragua Gaza genocide case
2024-04-27
THE
HAGUE: The top UN court said it will rule Tuesday on charges by Nicaragua that
Germany is breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention by supplying weapons to
Israel for the Gaza war.
Nicaragua
has hauled Germany before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to demand
judges impose emergency measures to stop Berlin from providing Israel with
weapons and other assistance.
The
ICJ said Friday it would hand down its order at 3:00 pm (1300 GMT) on April 30,
with presiding judge Nawaf Salam reading out the ruling.
Top
lawyers from the two countries clashed earlier this month at the court, with
Nicaragua saying Germany was “pathetic” to be both providing weapons to Israel
and aid to Gazans.
Berlin
retorted that Israel’s security was at the “core” of its foreign policy and
argued that Nicaragua had “grossly distorted” Germany’s supply of military aid
to Israel.
“The
moment we look closely, Nicaragua’s accusations fall apart,” Christian Tams, a
representative for Germany, told the court.
Nicaragua
requested five emergency measures, including that Germany “immediately suspend
its aid to Israel, in particular its military assistance including military
equipment.”
The
war began with an unprecedented Hamas attack that resulted in the deaths of
about 1,170 people in Israel, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official
figures.
Israel
vowed to destroy Hamas, with a retaliatory offensive that has killed at least
34,356 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run
territory’s health ministry.
Source:
brecorder.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40300574/top-un-court-to-rule-on-germanynicaragua-gaza-genocide-case
----
Germany's
president sets up roundtable about Gaza without inviting Palestinians
26
April, 2024
Germany's
president set up a roundtable to discuss events in the Middle East, including
Gaza, without any Palestinians included.
The
event titled 'How do we talk about the war in the Middle East?' will see
Germany's president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, discussing the topic with Meron
Mendel, director of the Anne Frank Educational Centre, journalist and podcaster
Tilo Jung and Melody Sucharewicz, a political advisor and expert on
German-Israeli relations.
However,
many critics have noticed the absence of Palestinians voices in the event,
especially given the context of Israel's war on Gaza.
Berlin
has been widely criticised for the unconditional support it has shown Israel
during its assault on Gaza, which has killed around 35,000 people, and banning
Palestinian protests and conferences in at home.
"The
German president wants to discuss 'how we talk about the war in the Middle
East' in a round table without any Palestinian voice -> actually a good
demonstration of how the German discourse works and who remains at the
margins," one user wrote on X.
Additionally,
some also noted that Sucharewicz, a former foreign affairs adviser to Israeli
war cabinet minister Benny Gantz, is known for her strong pro-Israel views and
was one of the winners of Israel's popular show, The Ambassador, where hundreds
of contestants engage in heated hasbara (Israeli propaganda) before an audience
and judges.
The
former advisor has also written articles defending Israel's actions in Gaza,
contributing to the blog Politically Incorrect, which the Office of the
Protection of the Constitution in Germany has declared "extremist."
Crackdown
on protests
Germany
has been taking extreme measures to crack down on pro-Palestinian activism,
most notably shutting down the Palestine Congress and barring one of the events
speakers, Dr Ghassan Abu Sittah, from entering the country.
The
country deployed 900 police officers across Berlin to enforce the ban. Officers
stormed the building, switched off the electricity, shut down the live stream
of speakers, and ordered the 250 attendees to leave.
It
has also clamped down on pro-Palestine activism, with the German police
hassling protesters and restricting chants and Muslim prayers.
Germany
has been one of Israel's strongest allies even before 7 October, with its
staunch support being part of its atonement for the Holocaust.
Source:
newarab.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newarab.com/news/germany-presidents-gaza-roundtable-without-any-palestinians
----
Germany
clears pro-Gaza camp as US-style demos spread across Europe
26 April 2024
The
German police have cleared a pro-Palestinian camp in Berlin amid a growing
number of such protests across Europe that have been following the model of
student tent protests throughout the United States’ universities.
The
law enforcement confronted the protesters that had camped outside the German
parliament and chancellery in the capital on Friday.
The
Berlin camp, named “BesetzungGegenBesatzung (Occupy Against Occupation),” had
begun on April 8.
The
participants had been calling for an end to the Israeli regime’s ongoing
genocidal war on the Gaza Strip and Berlin’s generous arms support for Tel Aviv
amid the brutal military onslaught.
More
than 34,300 Palestinians have been killed and over 77,200 others wounded in the
war that the regime began following a retaliatory operation by the Palestinian
territory’s resistance movements.
German
authorities issued a prohibition order against the camp, alleging that some of
the protesters had committed “violations,” including “the use of
unconstitutional symbols and forbidden slogans,” Reuters reported.
The
protesters included Udi Raz, a PhD student at Berlin's Free University, who has
been confronted by German authorities for his anti-Zionism activism and
organization of pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
"Those
who are in power here in Germany and accuse us as allegedly anti-Semites, as
extremists…[are] nothing less but a government of genocide lovers,”? Raz said.
On
Wednesday, authorities at Sciences Po, a prestigious Paris university, called
in the police to end pro-Palestinian students’ occupation of part of the
campus.
The
developments come amid underway encampments on campuses from coast to coast
across the US, including Columbia University, Yale University, Brown University
in Providence, Rhode Island, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, and California State
Polytechnic in Humboldt.
The
American students are asking their universities to cut ties with the Israeli
regime, while trying to press Washington to drop its ample political, military,
and intelligence support for the war.
US
officials have come down hard on the protests, bringing in troopers to confront
the participants and making hundreds of arrests.
Source:
presstv.ir
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/04/26/724414/Germany-police-crackdown-camp-Israel-Gaza-war
----
Pakistan
Pakistan
confident ties with Iran won’t hurt US relationship
April
26, 2024
Kamran
Yousaf
ISLAMABAD:The
foreign office on Friday said Pakistan was confident its ties with Iran won’t
affect the relationship with “friends and partners” including the United States
as it stressed that the country does not believe in “zero-sum” relationships.
Iranian
President Ebrahim Raisi undertook a three-day visit to Pakistan recently and
both countries agreed to deepen their cooperation in diverse areas including
expediting talks on free trade agreement as well as gas pipeline.
The
US has repeatedly warned Pakistan of potential risks of getting close to Iran.
At
the weekly briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch insisted
that Pakistan does not believe in zero-sum relationships.
“Expansion
of our relations with one country should not be considered as coming at the
expense of our relationship with another,” she stressed.
“Pakistan
is confident that its relationship with its friends and partners, including the
United States, are robust enough to move forward on their own merit, and
notwithstanding any other relationships that Pakistan has with other countries
in our national interest,” she added.
She
noted that Pakistan had trade relations with its neighbour Iran. “And we have,
as I mentioned earlier, we have a Preferential Trade agreement between Pakistan
and Iran. The border regions of Pakistan and Iran benefit from local trade and
this trade takes place mostly in barter form.”
“You
would recall, there are border markets, these are sustenance markets to help
the local traders. This basically helps the economy of the poor regions along
the border of Pakistan and Iran,” the spokesperson said.
She
added that Pakistan and the United States have a robust dialogue and several
channels of communication and Islamabad would continue to engage with them and
explain the importance that Pakistan accords to its relations with its
neighbours and the need for this cooperation so as to have the Pakistan-Iran
border, as a border of peace, security and prosperity.
On
the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, the spokesperson said Pakistan would pursue the
project in its own national interests.
“Pakistan
has energy needs. Pakistan will take decisions on the basis of its national
interest in fulfilling its energy requirements, taking into account the
international environment, taking into account the UN sanctions, if any, and
issues relating to trade with other countries, including in the energy domain,”
she said.
The
multibillion-dollar project returned to the spotlight after Pakistan recently
committed to commencing work on its side of the border. The US has cautioned
that the project carries the risk of provoking sanctions.
Pakistani
officials, however, are adamant that the question of sanctions would arise only
once the pipeline is connected with Iran. At this stage, officials say,
Pakistan is only laying the pipeline on its side of the border.
Meanwhile,
Pakistan has voiced grave concerns over the discovery of mass graves at two
major hospitals in Gaza that shocked the human conscience.
“Pakistan
joins the call by the United Nations for a clear, transparent and credible
investigation of mass graves and the massacre of men, women and children by the
Israeli occupation forces. Pakistan vehemently condemns Israel’s barbarianism
and its war crimes against the people of Gaza,” Baloch said.
“We
underline the urgency of an unconditional ceasefire to protect civilians from
further carnage. An independent and impartial investigation must be held to
ascertain the facts, fix responsibility and punish the perpetrators of war
crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
“We
urge the international community, especially the backers of Israel, to take
urgent measures to bring an end to the war on the people of Gaza, to lift the
siege, to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian assistance and to hold to
account the perpetrators of the Gaza genocide,” the spokesperson said.
Source:
tribune.com.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464100/pakistan-confident-ties-with-iran-wont-hurt-us-relationship
----
PPP
asks Muttahida to support police in fight against street crime in Karachi
April
27, 2024
Imtiaz
Ali
KARACHI:
In a rare show of unity, lawmakers belonging to the opposition Muttahida Qaumi
Movement-Pakistan and ruling Pakistan Peoples Party put aside their differences
and sat together with top police authorities to find a solution to the menace
of street crime in the metropolis.
An
11-member delegation of the MQM-P, led by Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh
Assembly Ali Khurshidi called on Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar at the
Central Police Office, where Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon
gave a comprehensive briefing on street crime.
Karachi
Mayor Murtaza Wahab, ministers Jam Khan Shoro and Dost Ali Rahimoon of the PPP
were also present. The two sides discussed ‘growing’ street crimes in the city
and sought an effective policing system to curb the menace.
During
the meeting, the home minister sought cooperation from the MQM-P , asking the
delegation to come forward and support the police in their efforts to protect
life and property of the people.
Opposition
leader Khurshidi said that the MQM-P wanted a political and administrative
solution of the problem of street crime.
Talking
to the media after the meeting, MrKhurshidi said that killing of youths during
street crimes was not a ‘political’ but ‘humanitarian issue’.
“We
do not want partisan politics over this issue, but we want a political and
administrative solution to this menace, therefore we came for the meeting,” he
said, adding that no party should give an ‘ethnic’ colour to the issue of
street crime.
“We
will not let the citizens suffer because of negligence of the police or the
government,” he added.
The
opposition leader warned that if street crime were not controlled, they would
be compelled to stage a “political protest”.
Responding
to a question, MrKhurshidi said that the delegation asked the home minister to
give preference to ‘local officers’ in appointing SHOs in Karachi.
He
said the home minister was also asked to introduce ‘community policing’ in the
metropolis.
IGP
admits surge in cars, motorbike snatching
During
the briefing, the IGP admitted that there was a surge in snatching of cars and
motorcycles in Karachi, but brushed aside the impression about any rise in
snatching of cell phones and theft of four-wheelers and two-wheelers, calming
that due to ‘efforts’ of the law-enforcement agency the rate of street crimes
in the metropolis was not growing, but rather ‘declining’.
The
IGP said that till April 24, a total of 48 people were shot dead in street
crimes whose 46 cases were registered.
He
said 12 other murder cases had been included which did not belong to street
crimes.
He
said out of 46 cases, 27 cases had been ‘traced or solved’ while 13 suspected
street criminals were shot dead in ‘encounters’ while 33 others, including 27
in injured condition, were arrested.
He
said of the 12 other murder cases that a section of media had reported as
robbery related killings, eight of them had been ‘traced’ and it transpired
that they were the outcome of other crimes, not robbery.
256
street crimes per day reported in 2023
Giving
comparative data, the IG said in the last year of 2023, 256 street crimes
(which included snatching of cars, bikes, cell phones and theft of
four-wheelers and two-wheelers) per day were reported but in current year of
2024 till April 24, the said five heads of the street crimes were continuously
declining.
He
pointed out that in January 2024, 252 street crimes per day were reported, 251
in Feb, 243 in March and so far till April 24, a total of 174 street crimes
reported per day as per data of the Citizens Police Liaison Committee and the
police.
The
IGP admitted that snatching of cars and motorcycles were on the rise, but
snatching of cell phones and theft of four-wheelers and two-wheelers were on
decline.
He
pointed out that last year from January to April 24, 2023, a total of 8,912
cell phones were snatched, but during the same corresponding period this year,
6,940 mobile phones were snatched, thus there was a reduction of 1,972 cell
phones.
“By
making comparative analysis of street crimes, I don’t want to show that we’re
‘satisfied’ with the crimes but we feel sorry over the loss of innocent lives
and want to tell the people that the police are making concerted efforts to
eliminate this menace,” observed the IG.
‘Cops
with ties to riverine dacoits not given posting in Karachi’
The
IGP said that the MQM-P lawmakers had raised the issue of policemen suspected
of having links with dacoit gangs in riverine area.
He
said he informed them that none of them had been given posting in Karachi. They
were transferred to the police headquarters in Karachi to face inquiries over
their alleged criminal activities.
“These
policemen have the right to defend themselves,” said the IG. Different officers
have been appointed for inquiries against them. If the transferred policemen
are found involved in criminal activities, they will be ‘challaned’ (formerly
charge-sheeted).
He
said none of the policemen transferred from Shikarpur had been given posting in
Karachi.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1829851/ppp-asks-muttahida-to-support-police-in-fight-against-street-crime-in-karachi
-----
IHC
judges’ ‘unanimous view’ to check meddling conveyed to SC
April
27, 2024
Ansar
Abbasi
ISLAMABAD:
The unanimous view of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges to check alleged
meddling of intelligence officials in judicial affairs was sent to the
Registrar Supreme Court on Thursday.
Sources
said it was suggested by the IHC judges that in case of any interference in
judicial matters from any operative of any intelligence agency or institution,
the administration committee of the IHC will decide whether to take up the
matter with the agency/institution concerned or refer the case to judicial side
under Article 204 for contempt of court proceedings. If the administration
committee decides, both the options can also be availed.
In
case of any meddling into the judicial affairs, the judge concerned of IHC will
report the matter in writing to the IHC CJ within seven days of the occurrence
of such an incident. The district court judges of Islamabad will also report
such matters within seven days to the inspection judges. However, in case a
district court judge does not report the matter, he will be charged of
misconduct and will face disciplinary proceedings. There is no such proposal
for the IHC judges.
According
to the sources, there is nothing mentioned in the letter about the alleged
incidents that the six judges had mentioned in their letter, addressed to
members of the Supreme Judicial Council. The letter was also made public. It is
said that neither there is any proposal made to probe the alleged incidents as
quoted by the IHC judges nor is any evidence shared with the SC with regard to
the allegations made.
A
full court meeting of the IHC met a few days back and decided to introduce
measures to put an end to the alleged meddling of intelligence officials in
judicial affairs. A statement issued by the registrar IHC, according to media
reports, had said that the judges expressed their view on the matter in a
“pleasant manner” and the “unanimous view” of the judges would be submitted to
the Supreme Court in the suomotu case.
According
to a story reported in Dawn, all the high court judges were unanimous that they
would not tolerate interference by any intelligence agency in the proceedings
of the high court, district courts and special courts. The full court, it was
reported, had also decided to reactivate its inspection teams and empower
inspection judges to enable them to tackle the complaints of judicial officers
of subordinate judiciary against any interference and pressure. The judges also
decided to give an institutional response against any interference.
The
Supreme Court, during the hearing of a suomotu case on the judges’ letter, had
sought proposals from the bar associations and high courts to counter meddling
in judicial affairs.
On
Thursday, the Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa said that no incident of
interference in judicial matter had occurred since he took charge of the top
court. The CJP explained that the recent complaints by the IHC judges referred
to events that transpired before he was sworn in as the CJP.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1182621-intel-agencies-meddling-judge-facing-interference-to-report-matter-within-seven-days
----
Pakistan
pushes for stopping Israeli war machine
April
27, 2024
UNITED
NATIONS:Pakistan has called on the United Nations and the world community to
consider “further measures” against Israel to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and an
end to its “plausible genocide” of the Palestinian people in the besieged
enclave.
Speaking
in the United Nations Security Council’s ministerial-level debate on the Middle
East situation, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, deputy permanent representative of
Pakistan to the UN, did not specify the measures but pointed out that Israel’s
war in Gaza has spread the conflict to adjacent regions and further escalation
must be prevented.
“Yet,
unless Israel’s war machine is stopped from further slaughter in Gaza, there is
an ever-present danger that war and violence will spread and possibly engulf
the entire Middle East and beyond,” the Pakistani envoy said.
“Today,”
he went on to say that the 15-member Council has “three urgent responsibilities
– to halt Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza; to prevent the further spread and
escalation of war; and to revive the peace process towards a two-State solution
to establish durable peace and security in the Middle East.
Addressing
the regional ramifications of the Gaza conflict, Ambassador Jadoon cautioned
against the conflict’s spread to neighbouring areas such as the West Bank,
Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran. He urged all parties to exercise
restraint to prevent further escalation.
Ambassador
Jadoon also underscored the timeliness of Palestine’s re-submitted application
for UN membership, which, he said, is in accordance with regional initiatives
advocating for a two-State solution.
Expressing
disappointment over the UN Security Council veto on Algeria’s draft resolution
for Palestine’s full UN membership, he pointed to the overwhelming support
signalling Palestine’s rightful place in the international community.
Ambassador
Jadoon reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for Palestine’s quest for
self-determination, emphasizing that UN membership is a crucial step towards
rectifying historical injustices and fostering conditions for meaningful negotiations”
Pakistan’, he said, was committed to a two-State settlement based on the 1967
borders, with Al-Quds as the capital of a Palestinian State.
On
the opening day of the debate, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged an
end to the deadly cycle of retaliation and called on the international
community to work together to avert a full-scale regional conflict, first by
ending hostilities in Gaza and ultimately by realizing the two-State solution.
“This
moment of maximum peril must be a time for maximum restraint,” said the UN
chief.
Detailing
limited progress and ongoing challenges despite Israel’s recent commitments to
improve aid delivery, he said.
Palestinians
are facing widespread starvation and Israel must fully and actively facilitate
humanitarian operations immediately.
“The
ultimate goal remains a two-state solution,” he said, stressing: “The
international community has a responsibility and a moral obligation to help
make this happen.”
Spotlighting
other conflicts in the region, including in the occupied West Bank, Lebanon and
the Red Sea, he said: “We have a shared moral obligation to advance a
comprehensive Middle East de-escalation effort, in order to reduce risks,
increase stability, and pave the way towards peace and prosperity for the countries
and people of the region and beyond.”
Source:
tribune.com.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464169/pakistan-pushes-for-stopping-israeli-war-machine
----
PM
to attend World Economic Forum, Gaza meetings in Riyadh
April
27, 2024
ISLAMABAD:
As top Arab and European diplomats are expected to begin arriving in the Saudi
capital this weekend for an economic summit and meetings on Gaza, Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to participate in a special session on
“Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development”.
The
special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on “Global Collaboration,
Growth and Energy for Development” in Riyadh is scheduled for April 28 and 29.
The
prime minister, accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, would travel to
Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and WEF
Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz
Zahra Baloch told the media on Friday.
According
to FO spokesperson, the high-level participation in the WEF would provide an
opportunity to highlight Pakistan’s priorities in global health architecture,
inclusive growth, regional collaboration and balance between growth and energy
consumption, besides interacting with the participating world leaders and heads
of international organisations.
Also,
a Gaza-focused session in Riyadh on Monday is set to feature newly appointed
Palestinian PM Mohammed Mustafa, Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouly and Sigrid Kaag,
the United Nations aid coordinator for the Gaza Strip.
Besides
the Turkish, Jordanian and Egyptian foreign ministers, French Foreign Minister
Stephane Sejourne and German Foreign Minister AnnalenaBaerbock are among the
foreign diplomats travelling to Riyadh during the summit for talks on Gaza.
The
prime minister would also attend the 15th session of the Islamic Summit
Conference under the slogan Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for
Sustainable Development, on May 4 and 5 in Gambia, after Foreign Minister Ishaq
Dar’s participation in the preparatory meeting of the Council of Foreign
Ministers on May 2-3.
The
FO spokesperson said the PM would express Pakistan’s grave concern on genocide
in Gaza, advocate for their right to self-determination, the imperative of
solidarity, besides deliberating on Islamophobia, terrorism, and the challenges
faced by the world, particularly the Muslim world. She added that the prime
minister would also hold bilateral meetings with the Muslim world leaders.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1829903/pm-to-attend-world-economic-forum-gaza-meetings-in-riyadh
---
Imran
rules out any ‘deal’ in message for PTI’s 28th Foundation Day
April
27, 2024
PTI
founder Imran Khan ruled out any “deal” in a message released on Friday for the
party’s 28th Foundation Day.
The
PTI marked its 28th Foundation Day on April 25 (Thursday). In a message
released today on Imran’s account on social media platform X to mark the
occasion, he said that the “worst dictatorship” was imposed on the country
which was becoming the basis for the “destruction of the economy, government
rule, democracy and judiciary”.
He
called on every individual to play their role in stopping this descent towards
the country’s ruin.
“It
is my message for the nation that I will give any sacrifice required for actual
freedom but will never compromise on my or my nation’s freedom.”
Saying
that he was kept behind bars for the past nine months due to “fake [and]
concocted cases”, Imran said: “I will remain in jail if I have to for nine more
years, or more, but I will never strike a deal with those who have enslaved my
nation.”
The
message was issued shortly after PTI leader Shehryar Afridi claimed while
talking on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’ that the party would have talks
but not with the PPP or the PML-N after their recent overtures.
“We
will talk with the army chief, the DG I[SI] and the army because the need of
the hour is to [prioritise] the country’s security.”
Terming
the two parties as a “rejected lot”, Afridi reiterated that the party would
talk with the army chief for Pakistan’s freedom and future because the country
“needs” Imran.
He
said the two parties only had one option to abandon their mandate and then the
PTI would decide whether to move forward with them or not.
Afridi
claimed that it was Imran’s wish “since the first day for us to engage [with
the military leadership] but there was no response forthcoming”.
He
said if any “response” had come then it would have been brought before the
public.
Earlier
this week, PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had claimed that Imran was being
pressured to accept a “deal”. Rejecting speculations about secret talks with
the establishment, Barrister Gohar had made it clear that the party was neither
interested in nor holding talks with anyone.
Defence
Minister Khawaja Asif had rejected the assertion of a deal in an interview
published on Wednesday.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1829793/imran-rules-out-any-deal-in-message-for-ptis-28th-foundation-day
----
Pakistan
extends registered Afghan refugees’ stay till June 30
April 27, 2024
Pakistan’s
government on Friday extended the stay of Afghan refugees in the country till
June 30, amid repatriation of illegal foreign nationals.
There
are around 1.3 million registered Afghans living in Pakistan, according to a
spokesman for UN refugee agency UNHCR in Islamabad, Dawn newspaper reported.
“On
the recommendation of the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions, the federal
cabinet approved the extension of the validity of PoR cards of Afghan refugees
from April 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024,” said an official statement, issued by
the Prime Minister’s Office.
The
PoR cardholders will be repatriated in the third phase of the plan that will
begin after the repatriation of “illegal foreign nationals” residing in
Pakistan is completed, the statement added.
The
PoR card holders avail schools, bank accounts and other facilities in Pakistan.
Repatriation
of undocumented refugees began on November 1 and continues. More than 500,000
Afghans have been expelled so far.
Source:
ariananews.af
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.ariananews.af/pakistan-extends-registered-afghan-refugees-stay-till-june-30/
----
Mideast
Hamas
says it received Israel’s response to its ceasefire proposal
April
27, 2024
CAIRO:
Hamas said it had received on Saturday Israel’s official response to its latest
ceasefire proposal and will study it before submitting its reply, the group’s deputy
Gaza chief said in a statement.
“Hamas
has received today the official response of the Zionist occupation to the
proposal presented to the Egyptian and the Qatari mediators on April 13,”
Khalil Al-Hayya, who is currently based in Qatar, said in a statement published
by the group.
After
more than six months of war with Israel in Gaza, the negotiations remain
deadlocked, with Hamas sticking to its demands that any agreement must end the
war.
An
Egyptian delegation visited Israel for discussion with Israeli officials on
Friday, looking for a way to restart talks to end the conflict and return
remaining hostages taken when Hamas fighters stormed into Israeli towns on Oct.
7, an official briefed on the meetings said.
The
official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Israel had no new proposals
to make, although it was willing to consider a limited truce in which 33
hostages would be released by Hamas, instead of the 40 previously under
discussion.
On
Thursday, the United States and 17 other countries appealed to Hamas to release
all of its hostages as a pathway to end the crisis.
Hamas
has vowed not to relent to international pressure but in a statement it issued
on Friday it said it was “open to any ideas or proposals that take into account
the needs and rights of our people.”
However,
it stuck to its key demands that Israel has rejected, and criticized the joint
statement issued by the USand others for not calling for a permanent ceasefire
and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
White
House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Friday he saw fresh
momentum in talks to end the war and return the remaining hostages.
Citing
two Israeli officials, Axios reported that Israel told the Egyptian mediators
on Friday that it was ready to give hostage negotiations “one last chance” to
reach a deal with Hamas before moving forward with an invasion of Rafah, the
last refuge for around a million Palestinians who fled Israeli forces further
north in Gaza earlier in the war.
Meanwhile,
in Rafah, Palestinian health officials said an Israeli air strike on a house
killed at least five people and wounded others.
Hamas
fighters stormed into Israeli towns on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and
capturing 253 hostages. Israel has sworn to annihilate Hamas in an onslaught
that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2500121/middle-east
----
Israeli
soldiers kill two Palestinian gunmen in West Bank, military says
April
27, 2024
RAMALLAH,
West Bank: Israeli soldiers killed two Palestinian gunmen who opened fire at
them from a vehicle in the occupied West Bank, the military said on Saturday.
The
military released a photo of two automatic rifles that it said were used by
several gunmen to shoot at the soldiers, at an outpost near the flashpoint
Palestinian city of Jenin.
The
official Palestinian news agency Wafa said security officials confirmed two
deaths and the health ministry said two other men were wounded.
There
was no other immediate comment from Palestinian officials in the West Bank,
where violence has been on the rise as Israel presses its war against
Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza.
Israel
launched its offensive in Gaza after Hamas led an attack on southern Israel on
Oct. 7 in which 1,200 people were killed and 253 taken hostage. More than
34,000 Palestinians have since been killed and most of the population
displaced.
Violence
in the West Bank, which had already been on the rise before the war, has since
flared with stepped up Israeli raids and Palestinian street attacks.
The
West Bank and Gaza, territories Israel captured in the 1967 war, are among the
territories which the Palestinians seek for a state. US-brokered peace talks collapsed
a decade ago.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2500196/middle-east
----
Hezbollah
fires 30 rockets at north after IDF drone strike kills allied terrorists
EMANUEL
FABIAN
26
April 2024
Hezbollah
launched a barrage of rockets at northern Israel on Friday night, hours after
two members of an allied terror group were killed in an Israeli drone strike in
southern Lebanon.
According
to the Israel Defense Forces, some 30 rockets were launched in the attack,
targeting the Mount Hermon area.
The
Iron Dome air defense system intercepted some of the rockets, while others
apparently hit open areas. There were no reports of injuries or damage.
Sirens
did not sound in any towns, but alerts were activated in open areas and army
bases on the mountain.
Hezbollah
claimed responsibility for the barrage, saying it targeted Israeli army bases
in the area with dozens of Katyusha rockets.
Hezbollah
said the attack was a response to the killing of two members of the allied
al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya terror group in an IDF drone strike earlier Friday.
A
barrage of some 30 rockets were launched from Lebanon at the Mount Hermon area
a short while ago, according to the IDF.
Some
of the rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome, while others apparently hit
open areas.
There
are no reports of injuries in the attack.
The
IDF said it had targeted a senior member of al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya, or Islamic
Group, who was driving on a highway near the town of Meidoun, some 20
kilometers (12 miles) from the Israeli border.
Mosab
Khalaf, according to the IDF, “led and advanced many attacks” from Lebanon
against Israeli targets, mostly in the Mount Dov area.
The
IDF said Khalaf was also coordinating attacks with Hamas’s Lebanon branch, and
that his “elimination was carried out to cause a blow to the terror
organization’s abilities to advance and carry out terror acts that it has
planned recently against the State of Israel in the northern border area.”
In
a statement, al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya confirmed the deaths of Mosab Khalaf, as
well as of a second member, Bilal Khalaf, saying they were commanders in the
group’s armed wing, the al-Fajr Forces.
The
exchange of fire came less than a day after Hezbollah carried out a deadly
missile attack on Mount Dov, killing an IDF contractor.
Sharif
Sawaed had been carrying out “infrastructure activity” for the IDF in the Mount
Dov area.
The
activity was part of efforts by the IDF to improve its defenses on the border.
Currently, there is no border fence in the Mount Dov area, also known as Shebaa
Farms — an area claimed by Lebanon — which houses several military positions
and no towns.
Also
on Friday, Israeli fighter jets carried out strikes against buildings where
Hezbollah operatives were gathered, in the southern Lebanon towns of TayrHarfa
and Ayta ash-Shab, the IDF said.
Tanks
also shelled areas near Yarine and Dhayra to “remove threats,” the military
added.
Since
October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military
posts along the border on a near-daily basis, with the group saying it is doing
so to support Gaza amid the war there.
So
far, the skirmishes on the border have resulted in nine civilian deaths on the
Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 11 IDF soldiers and reservists. There
have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.
Hezbollah
has named 288 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing
skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. In Lebanon, another 56
operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and at least 60
civilians, three of whom were journalists, have been killed.
Israel
has threatened to go to war to force Hezbollah away from the border if it does
not retreat and continues to threaten northern communities, from where some
70,000 people were evacuated to avoid the fighting.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/hezbollah-fires-30-rockets-at-north-after-idf-drone-strike-kills-allied-terrorists/
----
Erdogan
terms Hamas 'National Resistance of Palestine'
Apr
27, 2024
TEHRAN,
Apr. 27 (MNA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described Hamas as
the Palestinian National Resistance who defend their homeland against
occupiers.
"We
cannot be among those who falsely accuse Hamas of being a terrorist
organization just because Israel and its Western supporters want it so,”
President Erdogan said, adding, “We will continue to see our Hamas brothers,
who defend their homeland against occupiers, as the National Resistance of
Palestine.”
Erdogan
reiterated that Turkey will continue its efforts for the establishment of an
independent and sovereign Palestinian state, Anadolu Agency reported.
Erdogan
further said that by using the Oct.7 attack by Hamas as an excuse, no one can
“justify killing newborn babies in incubators, raining bombs on civilians,
killing people waiting in line for a loaf of bread, deliberately targeting
mosques, churches, schools, and hospitals, turning Gaza into a massive
graveyard, and not adhering to the minimum standards of international law.
Elsewhere
in his remarks, Erdogan slams 'fascist' response to US student protests over
Gaza.
The
US police have arrested scores in many American universities in recent days as
pro-Palestinian student protests spread throughout the US.
Israel
waged a genocidal war on the besieged Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian
Hamas Resistance group carried out a historic operation against the occupying
entity in retaliation for the regime’s intensified atrocities against the
Palestinian people.
Israel
has imposed a complete siege on the densely populated territory, cutting off
fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians
living there.
Source:
mehrnews.com
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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/214400/Erdogan-terms-Hamas-National-Resistance-of-Palestine
---
Hezbollah
says persistence in aggression against Lebanon is not without a price
[26/April/2024]
BEIRUT
April 26. 2024 (Saba) - Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of the
Lebanese Hezbollah Sheikh Ali Damoush has confirmed that continuing the
aggression against Lebanon is not without a price.
Damoush
stressed that “after more than 200 days of confrontations with the Zionist
enemy, and despite the bombing, dangers and threats, we find the steadfastness
of our people and the strength of their presence in the field and in the
funeral of the martyrs even in the front villages,” considering ...our people
have expelled the factor of fear from their souls, and they are fully prepared
to confront this enemy with all strength and courage, and this is what
contributes to deterring the enemy and thwarting its aggression against
Lebanon.”
During
the Friday sermon, he saw that continuing the aggression against Lebanon is not
without a price, as for every aggression there is a direct and decisive
response, and the resistance increased its targeting and responses in quantity,
quality and extent to deter the enemy, and its assault marches and missiles
reached the vicinity of the city of Haifa, and hit military targets and Golani
Brigade headquarters and others.
Damoush
stressed that these are field messages that the enemy understands, and they
confirm that the resistance is ready to confront any attempt to expand the
front, in terms of depth, targets, and even the type of weapons used.
He
pointed out that the fronts supporting Gaza are continuing their operations
from Lebanon to Yemen, and all American and Zionist attempts to stop these
operations have failed. These fronts are determined not to leave Gaza alone,
and all old and new pressures and threats will not change anything in their
decision to continue supporting Gaza.
Source:
saba.ye
Please
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3324326.htm
---
Thousands
of Palestinians attend Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque despite Israeli
restrictions
Rania
R.a.Abushamala
26.04.2024
At
least 45,000 Palestinian Muslims offered prayers at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque
on Friday during a week that saw repeated incursions by hundreds of illegal
Israeli settlers coinciding with the Jewish Passover holiday.
“45,000
faithful performed Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the Islamic Endowments
Authority in Jerusalem said.
Since
Hamas’ attack on settlements adjacent to the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, Israel
imposed significant restrictions on Palestinians from the West Bank entering
Jerusalem, making it difficult for them to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The
Israeli army and illegal settlers escalated their attacks in the West Bank,
including Jerusalem, resulting in the killing of 489 Palestinians and the
injury of around 4,900, according to Palestinian resources.
Since
the beginning of the Jewish Passover holiday, which started on Monday evening
and lasts a week, hundreds of illegal settlers have been daily storming Al-Aqsa
Mosque under tight police protection, causing severe tension in various parts
of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Illegal
settlers do not enter Al-Aqsa Mosque on Fridays and Saturdays due to the
so-called “Sabbath” in Jewish religion.
Palestinians
argue that Israel is intensifying rapid measures to Judaize Jerusalem,
including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erase its Arab and Islamic identity.
Since
2003, Israel has allowed illegal settlers into the flashpoint compound almost
on a daily basis with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays.
Al-Aqsa
Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the
"Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in
ancient times.
Israel
occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli
War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the
international community.
Source:
aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/thousands-of-palestinians-attend-friday-prayer-at-al-aqsa-mosque-despite-israeli-restrictions/3203425
----
UN
official says it could take 14 years to clear rubble from Gaza
Mehmet
Alaca
26.04.2024
The
extensive amount of rubble left by Israel's devastating war in the Gaza Strip
could take about 14 years to remove, a UN official said on Friday.
PehrLodhammar,
an official with the United Nations Mine Action Service, told a briefing in
Geneva that the war had left an estimated 37 million tons of debris in the
densely populated territory.
According
to the media office in Gaza, Israeli attacks have destroyed as many as 70,000
houses, and damaged 290,000 others, rendering them uninhabitable. The
structures hit also include government buildings, hospitals, schools, mosques,
churches, and historical sites.
Israel
has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023
which killed some 1,200 people.
Besides
killing more than 34,000 Palestinians since then, the Israeli military campaign
has turned much of the enclave of 2.3 million people into ruins, leaving most
civilians homeless, hungry, and at risk of disease.
Source:
aa.com.tr
Please
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/un-official-says-it-could-take-14-years-to-clear-rubble-from-gaza/3203432
----
Egypt
takes key role in renewed diplomatic push for truce in Gaza
April
26, 2024
CAIRO:
A high-level Egyptian delegation was in Israel for talks on Friday amid a new
diplomatic push for a truce in the Gaza war and the release of Israeli hostages
held by Hamas.
The
visit followed a trip to Cairo on Thursday by Israeli army chief Lt. Gen.
HerziHalevi and Shin Bet domestic intelligence service head Ronen Bar.
Officials
in Israel described the latest moves as “an attempt by Egypt to restart the
talks” after previous mediation efforts led by Qatar broke down. They told the
Egyptian delegation that Israel was ready to give hostage negotiations “one
last chance” to reach a deal before moving forward with an invasion of the
southern city of Rafah.
“Israel
told Egypt that it is serious about preparations for the operation in Rafah and
that it will not let Hamas drag its feet,” one official said.
Egypt
is concerned about a potential influx of Palestinian refugees from Gaza if the
war continues with the long-threatened Israeli offensive into Rafah, and has
taken an increasingly active role in the negotiations.
“The
Egyptians are really picking up the mantle on this. Egypt wants to see
progress, not least because it’s worried about a prospective Rafah operation,”
the official said.
Israel
was increasingly looking past Qatar as a main broker, according to the
official, after it failed to respond to Israeli demands to expel Hamas leaders
from its territory or curb their finances.
“Qatar
is still involved but in a lesser capacity,” the official said. “It’s clear to
everyone they failed to deliver, even when it came to expelling Hamas or even
shutting down their bank accounts.”
Hamas
officials said they still considered Qatar a key mediator, alongside Egypt.
White
House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said he saw fresh momentum in the
talks.
“I
believe that there is a renewed effort … to try to find a way forward,” he said
“Do I think that there is … new life in these hostage talks? I believe there
is.”
No
new proposals
An
official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Israel had no new proposals
to make, although it was willing to consider a limited truce in which 33
hostages would be released by Hamas, instead of the 40 previously under
discussion.
“There
are no current hostage talks between Israel and Hamas, nor is there a new
Israeli offer in that regard,” the official said. “What there is, is an attempt
by Egypt to restart the talks with an Egyptian proposal that would entail the
release of 33 hostages — women, elderly and infirm.”
According
to Israeli media reports, Israeli intelligence officials believe there are 33
female, elderly and sick hostages left alive in Gaza, out of a total of 133
still being held by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups.
There
was no decision on how long any truce would last but if such an exchange were
agreed, the pause in fighting would be “definitely less than six weeks,” the
official said.
The
visit by the Egyptian delegation came a day after the United States and 17
other countries appealed to Hamas to release all of its hostages as a pathway
to end the crisis in Gaza. Hamas vowed not to relent to international pressure.
Hamas
said it was “open to any ideas or proposals that take into account the needs
and rights of our people.” However it stuck to central demands Israel has
rejected, and said it criticized the statement for not calling for a permanent
ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2499711/middle-east
----
Southeast Asia
MADANI
Harmony Initiative Aims To FosterMalaysians’ Understanding In Diversity - Aaron
27-04-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: The Ministry of National Unity today launched the MADANI Harmony
Initiative aimed at enhancing Malaysians’ understanding of the country’s
religious, cultural, and customs diversity, said its Minister, Datuk Aaron Ago
Dagang.
He
emphasised that executing it through a range of planned programmes, including
field visits and forums, centered on the core principles of national
integration—’Understanding, Respect, and Acceptance’—aims to uphold a culture
of harmony among communities.
“Diversity,
a historical legacy of Malaysia’s societal fabric, warrants celebration and
preservation for fostering unity and harmony. Despite the challenges diversity
presents in strengthening unity, when managed effectively, it becomes the
nation’s strength, shaping a harmonious and united Malaysian society,“ he said
at the launch of the MADANI Harmony Initiative here today.
To
mark the launch of the initiative, Aaron and his deputy, K. Saraswathy, joined
approximately 100 participants in visiting seven places of worship, including
mosques, temples, shrines, and churches in Brickfields, as a symbolic gesture
of unity and solidarity among Malaysians.
Such
visits have been conducted in several locations nationwide and will continue in
Sabah in May, Sarawak and Perlis in June, and Melaka in November.
Aaron
also mentioned that his ministry is finalising the organisation of the World
Tolerance Day celebration to be held in Melaka on Nov 16.
Source:
thesun.my
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local_news/madani-harmony-aims-to-foster-understanding-in-diversity-aaron-AI12389678
----
China
to host Hamas, Fatah for Palestinian unity talks
April 27, 2024
China
will host Palestinian unity talks between Hamas and its rivals Fatah, the two
groups and a Beijing-based diplomat said on Friday, a notable Chinese foray
into Palestinian diplomacy amid the war in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas,
which controls Gaza, is the group whose fighters stormed into Israeli towns on
Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages. Israel has sworn to
annihilate Hamas in an onslaught that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians.
Fatah
is the movement of Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Western-backed Palestinian
Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli occupied West Bank.
The
two rival Palestinian factions have failed to heal their political disputes
since Hamas fighters expelled Fatah from Gaza in a short war in 2007. Washington
is wary of moves to reconcile the two groups, as it supports the PA but has
banned Hamas as terrorists.
A
Fatah official told Reuters a delegation, led by the group’s senior official
Azzam Al-Ahmed, had left for China. A Hamas official said the faction’s team
for the talks, led by senior Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk, would be flying
there later on Friday.
“We
support strengthening the authority of the Palestinian National Authority, and
support all Palestinian factions in achieving reconciliation and increasing
solidarity through dialogue and consultation,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Wang Wenbin at a regular briefing on Friday, without confirming
the meeting.
The
visit will be the first time a Hamas delegation is publicly known to have gone
to China since the start of the war in Gaza. A Chinese diplomat, Wang Kejian,
met Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar last month, according to the Chinese
foreign ministry.
The
Beijing-based diplomat, who had been briefed on the matter, said the talks
aimed to support efforts to reconcile the two Palestinian rival groups.
China
has lately demonstrated growing diplomatic influence in the Middle East, where
it enjoys strong ties with Arab nations and Iran. Last year, Beijing brokered a
breakthrough peace deal between longstanding regional foes Saudi Arabia and
Iran.
U.S.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he discussed with Chinese President Xi
Jinping and other officials in Beijing on Friday how China can play a
constructive role in global crises, including the Middle East.
Chinese
officials have ramped up advocacy for the Palestinians in international forums
in recent months, calling for a larger-scale Israeli-Palestinian peace
conference and a specific timetable to implement a two-state solution.
In
February, Beijing urged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to give its
opinion on the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories, which it said
was illegal.
More
recently, China has been pushing for Palestine to join the United Nations,
which Beijing’s top diplomat Wang Yi said last week would “rectify a prolonged
historical injustice”.
Source:
ariananews.af
Please
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https://www.ariananews.af/china-to-host-hamas-fatah-for-palestinian-unity-talks/
-----
Philippine
police kill an Abu Sayyaf militant implicated in 15 beheadings and other
atrocities
April
26, 2024
MANILA:
Philippine forces killed an Abu Sayyaf militant, who had been implicated in
past beheadings, including of 10 Filipino marines and two kidnapped Vietnamese,
in a clash in the south, police officials said Friday.
Philippine
police, backed by military intelligence agents, killed NawapiAbdulsaid in a
brief gunbattle Wednesday night in the remote coastal town of Hadji Mohammad
Ajul on Basilan island after weeks of surveillance, security officials said.
Abu
Sayyaf is a small but violent armed Muslim group, which has been blacklisted by
the US and the Philippines as a terrorist organization for ransom kidnappings,
beheadings, bombings and other bloody attacks. It has been considerably
weakened by battle setbacks, surrenders and infighting, but remains a security
threat particularly in the southern Philippines, home to minority Muslims in
the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.
Abdulsaid,
who used the nom de guerre Khatan, was one of several Abu Sayyaf militants who
aligned themselves with the Daesh group.
A
confidential police report said that Abdulsaid had been implicated in at least
15 beheadings in Basilan, including of 10 Philippine marines in Al-Barka town
in 2007 and two of six kidnapped Vietnamese sailors near Sumisip town in 2016.
The Vietnamese were seized from a passing cargo ship.
He
was also involved in attacks against government forces in 2022 and a bombing in
November that killed two pro-government militiamen and wounded two others in
Basilan, the report said.
Abdulsaid
was placed under surveillance in February, but police forces couldn’t immediately
move to make a arrest because of the “hostile nature” of the area where he was
eventually gunned down, according to the report.
On
Monday, Philippine troops killed the leader of another Muslim rebel group and
11 of his men blamed for past bombings and extortion in a separate clash in a
marshy hinterland in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town in southern Maguindanao del Sur
province, the military said.
Seven
soldiers were wounded in the clash with the members of the Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters.
The
Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters are among a few small
armed groups still struggling to wage a separatist uprising in the southern
Philippines.
The
largest armed separatist group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, signed a
2014 peace pact with the government that eased decades of sporadic fighting.
Moro
Islamic Liberation Front rebel commanders became parliamentarians and
administrators of a five-province Muslim autonomous region in a transition
arrangement after signing the peace deal. They are preparing for a regular
election scheduled for next year.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2499936/world
----
China
describes Iran as ‘strategic partner' in West Asia
26
April 2024
China's
special envoy to the Middle East says Iran is a “special partner” of Beijing in
West Asia, appreciating Tehran’s measures in the region.
Zhai
Jun made the remarks on Friday during a meeting with Iran’s Deputy Foreign
Minister for Political Affairs Ali BagheriKani in Moscow, on the sidelines of
the Consultations of Deputy Foreign Ministers/Special Envoys of the BRICS group
of emerging economies on the Middle East Affairs.
Zhai
condemned the Israeli regime’s recent terrorist attack against the Iranian
diplomatic premises in Syria and thanked Tehran for its actions in defense of
the Palestinians’ rights, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.
China
is Iran’s largest trade partner. Both countries are subject to different levels
of illegal sanctions imposed by the US.
They
have enjoyed close ties in recent years, particularly after the United States
reinstated sanctions on the Iranian economy in 2018 after unilaterally
withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal.
Iran
and China, two countries that are in structural conflicts with the current
world order, have signed a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
Agreement" which is centered on geo-economic goals.
The
two countries signed the landmark 25-year partnership agreement in March 2021
in an attempt to strengthen their long-standing economic and political
alliance.
The
deal was announced during President Xi’s visit to Tehran back in 2016. It sets
the outlines of China-Iran cooperation in political, cultural, security,
defense, regional, and international domains for the next 25 years.
Iran,
Russia discuss bilateral ties
Earlier
on Friday, BagheriKnai held talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and
Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East Mikhail Bogdanov.
The
two sides discussed bilateral relations between Tehran and Moscow as well as
regional issues.
In
an address to the BRICS meeting on Thursday, the Iranian official called on the
member states to play a role in putting an immediate stop to Israeli crimes
against Palestinians during the regime’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.
He
also underlined the need for sending humanitarian aid to Gaza, urging the
complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the besieged Palestinian territory.
Source:
presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/04/26/724395/China-Iran-strategic-partner-West-Asia-
-----
Thailand
and 17 other countries call for immediate release of hostages in Gaza
26 Apr 2024
BANGKOK
(Bernama): Eighteen countries’ leaders, in a joint statement on Thursday, have
called for the immediate release of all hostages, including their own citizens
held by Hamas in Gaza.
They
are from Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark,
France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand,
the United Kingdom and the United States.
The
joint statement, which was made available and posted on Thailand’s Foreign
Ministry website, stated that the fate of the hostages and the civilian
population in Gaza, who are protected under international law, is of
international concern.
"We
strongly support the ongoing mediation efforts to bring our people home. We
reiterate our call to Hamas to release the hostages, and let us end this crisis
so that collectively we can focus our efforts on bringing peace and stability
to the region," they said.
The
leaders emphasised that the deal on the table to release the hostages would
bring an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza, that would facilitate a
surge of additional necessary humanitarian assistance to be delivered
throughout Gaza, and lead to the credible end of hostilities.
"Gazans
would be able to return to their homes and their land with preparations
beforehand to ensure shelter and humanitarian provisions,” they said.
Thailand's
Prime Minister SretthaThavisin, in a post on X, formerly Twitter, called for
the immediate release of all hostages, including eight Thai nationals.
"I
view this matter as an urgent humanitarian issue and will continue to do my
utmost for the safety and the release of our Thai nationals, so that they can
return home as soon as possible," he said. – Bernama
Source:
thestar.com.my
Please
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https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2024/04/26/thailand-and-17-other-countries-call-for-immediate-release-of-hostages-in-gaza
----
PM
Anwar To Attend World Economic ForumSpecial Meeting In Saudi Arabia
27-04-
2024
PUTRAJAYA:
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will embark on a working visit to
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to participate in a special meeting of the World Economic
Forum (WEF), from today to April 29.
According
to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, Anwar has been invited by Saudi Crown
Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. He will be accompanied by
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Minister of Investment, Trade,
and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz during this visit.
It
said the special meeting, themed “Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for
Development” will be attended by heads of state and government, as well as
business leaders.
“Discussions
will cover topics such as sustainable development, energy security, trade and
investment, and current geopolitical issues.
“The
Prime Minister will participate in a panel session during the opening of the
Special Meeting alongside other leaders titled “A New Vision for Global
Development”, the statement said.
The
ministry, widely known as Wisma Putra said the WEF programme includes a Joint
Regional Strategy Dialogue on ASEAN – Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in view
of Malaysia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025, during which Anwar is expected to
deliver the opening remarks.
The
statement said another key highlight of the working visit is Country Strategy
Dialogue, in which Anwar will engage with prominent business leaders to explore
economic opportunities in Malaysia.
“This
curated session will provide insights into Malaysia’s strategic priorities and
initiatives, focusing on economic and fiscal growth, as well as trade and
investment opportunities.
“The
Prime Minister is also expected to meet with other heads of state and
government to strengthen bilateral relations, enhance cooperation in various
fields of mutual interest, and discuss issues of regional and global
importance,” it said.
This
working visit will further solidify the longstanding close relations between
Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, and further strengthen the personal bond of
friendship between the leaders, said Wisma Putra.
Source:
thesun.my
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local_news/pm-anwar-to-attend-wef-special-meeting-in-saudi-arabia-BI12388786
----
South
East Asia must not become safe haven for human traffickers: FM
April 27, 2024
Jakarta
(ANTARA) - Foreign Minister RetnoMarsudi affirmed that Indonesia must join
multilateral efforts to prevent South East Asia from becoming a safe haven for
human traffickers targeting Indonesian citizens.
"It
is so important for us to cooperate to ensure that our region will not become
the safe haven for human traffickers," the minister stated at the 2023
Hassan Wirajuda Indonesian Protection Award event here, Friday evening.
Marsudi
highlighted a rising trend of recruiting foreigners, including Indonesians, to
be employed in online scam operations in Southeast Asia over these past years.
Indonesian
workers were vulnerable to becoming victims of human trafficking operations and
got exploited by those running online scam businesses, she pointed out.
Marsudi
recorded 3,428 cases of Indonesians being dragged into online scam operations,
mostly in Southeast Asia, since 2021.
The
number of cases increases significantly with each passing year, and 40 percent
of them are evidently related to human trafficking operations, she stated.
In
solving the problem, Marsudi underlined the importance of preventive measures
to save Indonesians from falling into the traps of perpetrators of this
transnational crime.
To
this end, she suggested that preventive elements get included in the endeavors
to protect Indonesian citizens rather than just handling and resolving cases.
Preventive
efforts include public education regarding a safe migration process and
effective pre-departure program for prospective Indonesian migrant workers, she
stated.
Intensive
coordination among related ministries and agencies at the levels of central and
regional governments as well as collaboration with non-governmental
organizations is also deemed necessary, Marsudi stated.
Regarding
the 2023 Hassan Wirajuda Indonesian Protection Award event, 23 winners received
the awards from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry for their excellent
contributions to the protection of Indonesians abroad.
One
of the winners was Adjunct Senior Commissioner Ni Made Pujewati, a police
officer from the West Nusa Tenggara police headquarters.
Pujewati
had significantly contributed to the resolution of 55 reported human
trafficking cases involving 94 suspects in 2023.
The
Indonesian Foreign Ministry's Director for the Protection of Citizens and Legal
Entities JudhaNugraha earlier revealed that the total number of online scam
cases involving Indonesians, recorded from 2020 to March 2024, stood at 3,704.
Some
1,114 of the recorded cases occurred in Cambodia, while the remaining 2,590
cases were found in countries, such as Myanmar, the Philippines, Laos,
Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates, he remarked.
Source:
antaranews.com
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https://en.antaranews.com/news/311937/south-east-asia-must-not-become-safe-haven-for-human-traffickers-fm
----
Arab World
Saudi
Arabia to host Arab, EU diplomats for talks on Gaza war
26
April 2024
Top
Arab and European diplomats are expected to begin arriving in the Saudi capital
this weekend for an economic summit and meetings on the war in Gaza, diplomatic
officials said on Friday.
The
two-day World Economic Forum special meeting, scheduled to begin in Riyadh on
Sunday, includes in its official program appearances by the Saudi, Jordanian,
Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministers.
A
Gaza-focused session on Monday is set to feature newly appointed Palestinian
Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and
Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations aid coordinator for the Gaza Strip.
French
Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne is among European officials traveling to
Riyadh during the summit for talks on the war, which erupted with Hamas’s
unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel in which terrorists murdered
some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 253 hostages.
“Discussions
with European, American and regional counterparts on Gaza and the regional
situation are planned in Riyadh,” a diplomatic source said on Friday.
Sejourne’s
objectives for the trip include working towards the release of the hostages
seized during the Hamas attack and achieving a lasting ceasefire, said
Christophe Lemoine, spokesperson for the French foreign ministry.
He
will also travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories and plans to
“reiterate to the Israelis our firm opposition to an offensive on Rafah,”
Lemoine said, referring to the southern city where much of Gaza’s population
has sought refuge.
German
Foreign Minister AnnalenaBaerbock is due to arrive Monday in Riyadh to meet
officials including Kaag and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, foreign
minister of the United Arab Emirates, said spokesperson Sebastian Fischer.
“The
visit will be about working on the many different flashpoints of the crisis in
the Middle East, on de-escalation and on making progress towards a peaceful
future,” Fischer told reporters in Berlin on Friday.
“As
you all know, the Gulf states also have an important role to play here.”
Saudi
Arabia’s neighbor Qatar hosts a Hamas political office and has served as a
mediator in talks that have so far failed to secure a durable ceasefire and the
release of the 129 hostages who remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza.
Saudi
Arabia has never recognized Israel, but before the Hamas attack, United States
President Joe Biden’s administration was hoping it would do so as part of a
landmark deal that would also see Riyadh and Washington ramp up their security
partnership.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/saudi-arabia-to-host-arab-eu-diplomats-for-talks-on-gaza-war/
---
Yemeni
armed forces strike British oil tanker, shoot down US MQ-9 drone
26
April 2024
The
spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces says it has carried out new operations
against American and British targets in retaliation for their aggression on the
country.
Brigadier
General Yahya Saree said on Friday that Yemen’s naval forces struck a British
oil tanker in the Red Sea with missiles.
Saree
also said the military also shot down an American MQ-9 drone in Sa’ada
province.
He
added that the new operations were also a show of solidarity with Palestinians
in the Gaza Strip, amid the Israeli genocide there.
“The
Yemeni Armed Forces salute all the people of Yemen for their faithful response
to the call of the fighter leader SayyedAbdulmalik Badr El-Din Al-Houthi, may
Allah protect him, in their unprecedented large-scale interaction in support of
our oppressed brothers in the Gaza Strip, affirming support for the Armed
Forces in their military operations against the ‘Israeli’ enemy and against the
American-British aggression supporting it in the Red and Arabian Seas and the
Indian Ocean,” Saree said.
He
stressed that the Yemeni armed forces will continue operations in the Red and
Arabian Seas as well as the Indian Ocean until the Western-backed Israeli
genocide comes to a halt.
Since
the start of the brutal campaign in Gaza, the regime has killed more than 34,300
Palestinians and injured over 77,000 others. It has cut off fuel, electricity,
food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.
The
Yemeni Armed Forces have been targeting Israeli vessels or those “associated”
with the occupying regime in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea since October 7,
2023.
The
regime ignited its bloody war machine in the besieged Palestinian territory on
that October day in response to Operation Al-Aqsa Storm conducted by the
resistance movement Hamas.
The
maritime attacks have forced some of the world’s biggest shipping and oil
companies to suspend transit through one of the world’s most important maritime
trade routes.
Tankers
are instead adding thousands of miles to international shipping routes by
sailing around the continent of Africa rather than going through the Suez
Canal.
The
pro-Palestine maritime campaign has also prompted airstrikes by the US and its
allies on Yemen – in violation of the Yemeni sovereignty and international law.
In
consequence, Yemen’s armed forces have declared US and British vessels as
legitimate targets.
Source:
presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/04/26/724427/Yemeni-armed-forces-strike-British-oil-tanker-in-Red-Sea
----
Ministry
of Hajj and Umrah praises Iraqi authorities for arresting fraudsters touting
fake Hajj trips
April
26, 2024
RIYADH:
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah expressed its gratitude for actions taken by the
Supreme Commission for Hajj and Umrah in the Republic of Iraq that resulted in
the prosecution of more than 25 companies fraudulently engaged in commercial
Hajj operations.
A
ministry source in the statement also warned prospective pilgrims to beware of
unauthorized Hajj offers being promoted this year, primarily through social
media.
Participation
in Hajj requires pilgrims to obtain a legitimate Hajj visa issued by the
authorities in the Kingdom in coordination with Hajj affairs offices in their
respective countries, or via the Nusuk Hajj platform for those countries that
do not have an official Hajj office.
The
source said that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is monitoring advertisements
from companies and campaigns, as well as identifying fake accounts on social
networks allegedly offering Hajj packages at enticing prices.
The
ministry made it clear that visas for Umrah, tourism, work, family visits,
transit, and other categories do not grant eligibility to perform Hajj. It
urged pilgrims to be careful not to fall victim to companies and others
claiming to offer commercial Hajj campaigns or other misleading initiatives.
“Regulations
must be followed and legally documented permits, as represented by the official
Hajj visa, must be issued, so a safe, secure, well-managed Hajj program and fair
representation to all nationalities is provided,” Mohsen Tutla, head of the
World Hajj and Umrah Convention, told Arab News.
“Hajj
is a mega event with more than 2 million worshippers. Can one imagine, if order
was not imposed and (the event) not regulated, chaos would ensue,” he added.
In
the statement, the ministry calls for everyone’s cooperation to help combat and
report fraudulent companies and campaigns, and to seek information only by
visiting its official website and engaging with its channels on social
networks.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2499906/saudi-arabia
----
Nearly
6m perform prayers at Prophet’s Mosque in 1 week
April 26, 2024
Cairo:
The Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second holiest site, received 5.9 million
worshippers last week getting access to a seamless network of services, a Saudi
state agency said.
The
mosque in the Saudi city of Medina houses Al Rawda Al Sharifa, where the tomb
of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is located.
The
General Authority for Care and Management of the Prophet’s Mosque added in a
report that the figure comprised a total of 254,209 worshippers who performed
prayers at Al Rawda Al Sharifa in line with regulations for crowd management
and separate schedules for men and women.
Saudi
authorities have repeatedly stressed that visitors to Al Rawda Al Sharifa have
to make prior reservations before arriving at the revered site, and to show up
according to the fixed appointment.
During
that week, some 157,464 visitors from different nationalities benefitted from
the multilingual communication services available to non-speaking worshippers,
the agency said in its report. In addition, more than 180,880 bottles of the
blessed Zamzam water as well as 226,193 fast-ending meals were distributed to
the faithful in designated Iftar places at the mosque, the Saudi news agency
SPA reported.
After
undertaking rites of Umrah or minor pilgrimage at the Grand Mosque, Islam’s
holiest site in Mecca, many pilgrims would flock to the Prophet’s Mosque to
pray and visit Al Rawda Al Sharifa.
Saudi
Arabia has set the Islamic month of DhulQadah 29 corresponding to June 6 as the
final day for Umrah pilgrims to leave the kingdom, as part of preparations for
this year’s Hajj pilgrimage season due later in June.
More
than 280 million Muslims prayed at the Prophet’s Mosque in 2023, according to
official figures.
Source:
gulfnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/nearly-6m-perform-prayers-at-prophets-mosque-in-1-week-1.1714131791637
----
Ministry
uncovers misuse of mosque utilities during inspection
April
26, 2024
JEDDAH
— In a recent inspection tour in Jeddah, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah
and Guidance identified several infringements involving the misuse of
electricity and water utilities designated for mosques.
The
ministry's regulatory teams discovered that a commercial tower was illicitly
connected to seven electricity meters registered under the ministry’s name,
using the electricity to power various rented shops and their services
including elevators.
Further
infringements were noted in a commercial complex, where electricity designated
for a mosque was being diverted.
Additionally,
there was the misuse of utilities intended for the women's prayer area within
the same mosque. Another violation involved a mosque's meter being used to
supply power to a rented commercial building owned by a company.
The
ministry acted promptly by dispatching maintenance teams to remove these
infringements and take necessary precautions to prevent future violations.
Source:
saudigazette.com.sa
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/642418/SAUDI-ARABIA/Ministry-uncovers-misuse-of-mosque-utilities-during-inspection
---
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hm-congress-muslim-league-sharia-minorities/d/132214