Holi at Dargah: Hindus, Muslims Play Holi at Sufi Haji Waris Ali Shah Shrine Dewa Sharif in UP
New Age Islam News Bureau
10 March 2023
Holi at Sufi shrine Dewa
Sharif
-----
• Imran Khan Booked For Murder, Terrorism in Lahore,
80th Case against Ousted PM
• Governor of Balkh, Known for Fighting Against
Islamic State Jihadists, Killed In Suicide Attack, Claimed By IS
• Republican and Democrat alike Back Iran Protests to
Topple Mullahs’ Government
• Germany Church Shooting: Rise of Neo-Nazi &
Islamist Extremism in Country Explained
India
• Muslim Man, Naseeb Qureshi, Lynched in Bihar, After
Village Sarpanch Accused Him of Carrying Beef
• BJP’s Muslim Outreach For 2024: ‘1 Nation, 1 DNA’ In
Muzaffarnagar, Selfie Scheme, G20 Sufi Nights
• Tendency of categorisation of terrorism based on
motivations behind terrorist acts is 'dangerous': India
• Modi, Hasina to launch pipeline to export diesel to
Bangladesh
• Bihar: Minor Girls Raped By 2 Including Son Of
Ex-Sarpanch In Begusarai
--------
Pakistan
• 'Pakistan 'very close' to signing IMF staff level
agreement'
• Ties with army no different under new brass: Imran
• Punjab police hunting men who brought slain PTI
activist to hospital
• Military restores ex-army officer’s properties
‘seized’ by Musharraf govt
• Libya boat wreck: six more bodies reach Pakistan
• Quetta judicial magistrate issues arrest warrants
for Imran
• Three more terrorists killed in NW operation: ISPR
• Pakistan urges world to continue humanitarian aid to
Afghanistan
--------
South Asia
• China, Russia, Pakistan Back Taliban, Urge West To
Lift Freeze on Afghanistan Assets
• Iran Calls for Formation of Inclusive Government in
Afghanistan
• Canada to Allow Aid Organization to Operate in
Afghanistan
• OIC Representative Meets FM Muttaqi, Discusses
Afghanistan
• Taliban takes advantage of Pakistan economic crisis
to boost Afghanistan's coffers
--------
Mideast
• Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu Flies to Rome as Meloni
Condemns Swastika
• Nuclear Iran would change history, Netanyahu tells
TV labelled ‘terrorist’ by Tehran
• Tel Aviv Attack: 3 Injured; Calls for De-escalation
ahead of Passover, Ramadan Ignored
• Iran's Intelligence Ministry: Root Causes of Some
Schoolgirl Poisonings Incidents Discovered
• Hamas gunman wounds three in Tel Aviv attack before
police kill him
• Israel’s president says government should abandon
proposed judiciary overhaul
• Italy minister backs Israeli call to recognize
Jerusalem as capital
• Israeli reservist colonel dismissed over judicial
reform protest
--------
Europe
• William and Kate Visit Muslim Centre and Praise
Fundraising By ‘Amazing’ Community
• Manchester Mosque Attended By Suicide Bomber Salman
Abedi Investigated By Charity Watchdog
• Swedish parliament postpones new anti-terror bill to
May
--------
Africa
• Boko Haram Kills 26 in Surprise Attacks in Nigeria’s
Northeast
• Insightful Comments: Nigerian Supreme Council for
Islamic Affairs Wades In, Asks Security Agencies to Be Decisive
• Muslim Groups Congratulate President-Elect, Tinubu
• Tunisia’s President Saied scraps post-revolution
city councils
• Facing uproar, Tunisian president denies he’s
stoking racism
• 14 dead, 54 rescued off Tunisia in migrant boat
sinking
• Kenya’s opposition leader declares nationwide
protests against President Ruto
--------
North America
• US Targets ‘Shadow Banking’ Network Helping Iran
Evade Sanctions
• Pentagon Chief Holds Talks Overshadowed By Violence,
Protests
• Pentagon chief pushes Netanyahu to reduce
anti-Palestinian violence
• US says diplomacy 'won't be our last resort' if Iran
reluctant to negotiate over its nuclear program
• US defense secretary praises Egypt's role in easing
Israeli-Palestinian tension
• US House votes against resolution to pull American
troops out of Syria
• US Senate committee votes to end authorization for
war on Iraq
• US sanctions 'China-based network helping Iran
procure drones'
• US sanctions 39 entities facilitating Iran’s
oil-related banking operations
--------
Arab World
• Nasrallah: End of Israel Close; Resistance Ready for
Main Battle
• Saudi Judiciary Undergoing Rapid Modernization, Says
Board of Grievances Head
• Saudi Arabia ready to facilitate dialogue between
Russia, Ukraine: FM
• No Loudspeakers, Iftar Inside Mosques: Saudi Arabia
Imposes Restrictions on Ramadan Practices This Year
• Culture Ministry to Organize Ramadan Season
Activities To Revive Cultural Heritage Of Holy Month
• Muslim World League chief meets with Archbishop of
Canterbury
• Permits for Umrah Visits during Ramadan Available
Through Nusuk App
• Islamic State kills three, steals sheep in central
Syria
--------
Southeast Asia
• Muhyiddin Yassin: Ex-Malaysia PM charged with
corruption over Covid spending
• Penang Islamic council refutes Zainul Asri’s mosque
allegations
• Malaysia's parliament approves 2023 budget at policy
stage
• Indonesia unveils construction site of new capital
city
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/holi-dargah-hindus-muslims-sufi-haji-dewa-sharif/d/129293
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Holi at Dargah: Hindus, Muslims Play Holi at Sufi Haji
Waris Ali Shah Shrine Dewa Sharif in UP
Holi at Sufi shrine Dewa
Sharif
-----
Mar 9, 2023
BARABANKI: In line with the age-old tradition, Holi
was celebrated at the Dargah of 19th century Sufi saint Haji Waris Ali Shah in
Dewa town of Barabanki district, 25 kilometres from state capital Lucknow, by
scores of Hindus of Muslims who showered each other with flower petals, abeer
and gulal, on Wednesday.
The only Sufi shrine in the country where Holi is
played, Dewa Sharif is known for its Hindu-Muslim unity with the priests here
wearing traditional Hindu yellow robes (pitambar).
It is not recorded as to when this tradition started
here, but it should be over a century old.
Wamiq Warsi, head of Halqai Fuqrai Warsi Astana Aliya
Dewa Sharif, a committee of Sufi saints, said, “Dewa Sharif is a place of
universal brotherhood and peace. The message of Paigham-e-Mohabbat that goes
from here since the time of Haji Waris Ali Shah is very clear and poignant –
that the one who loves us is ours. And today, on the basis of that, thousands
of people come to Dewa Sharif to celebrate Holi and then pay their respects to
the holy deity. This tradition has been going on since the time of our
ancestors. In today’s time, this Holi celebration of Dewa Sharif sets a great
example of unity and brotherhood in the country.”
The Holi juloos (procession) commences in the morning
from the Qaumi Ekta Dwar in Dewa with flowers. It circles the town and then
reaches the mausoleum around noon. By this time, gathers on the premises and
Holi is played with rose petals, gulaal and abeer.
Anurag Tiwari, a local who has played Holi at the
shrine for many years, said, “Devotion and love are parts of all faiths. Here
at the dargah of Haji sa’ab (as the sufi saint is referred to), we profess our
love for a kind elderly who has watched our back for over a century. We share
our joys, fears and grief with him.”
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Imran Khan Booked For Murder, Terrorism In Lahore,
80th Case Against Ousted PM
Former Pakistan PM Imran
Khan (REUTERS)
------
Mar 10, 2023
LAHORE: The police in Lahore on Thursday booked
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and 400 others on charges of murder
and terrorism during their clash with police personnel during the party's rally
that left one activist dead and scores injured. This is the 80th case against
ousted PM Khan registered by the PML-N-led coalition government during its 11
months of rule.
Police on Wednesday allegedly killed PTI activist Ali
Bilal and injured over a dozen during a crackdown outside Khan's residence from
where they were to take out a pro-judiciary rally. Over 100 PTI workers were
also arrested. The FIR said 11 police officials were injured in the clash with
PTI workers who hurled stones at them. The FIR said six PTI workers also
suffered injuries.
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said instead of registering
an FIR against the policemen for killing the PTI worker on the complaint of his
family, the police have booked Khan and 400 others in his murder.
Khan uploaded the torture of PTI workers on social
media and said: "This is what the corrupt and murderous cabal of crooks
have wrought on the nation. They have violated our constitution, fundamental
rights, and rule of law. Innocent, unarmed PTI workers, including women, were
targets of police violence and brutality..."
PTI had announced that it would register a murder case
against Punjab caretaker CM Mohsin Naqvi, interior minister Rana Sanaullah,
Punjab IGP Usman Anwar, and Lahore police chief Bilal Saddique Kamyana.
Meanwhile, the Punjab IGP has formed a two-member committee to conduct an
inquiry into the police clash with PTI workers.
Police on Wednesday fired tear gas and used water
cannons to disperse PTI activists. The party claimed its "peaceful"
workers were arrested after reports that the provincial capital had been placed
under Section 144, banning public gatherings. After the clashes, Khan called
off the rally from his residence to Data Darbar.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Governor of Balkh, Known for Fighting Against Islamic
State Jihadists, Killed In Suicide Attack, Claimed By IS
Taliban security personnel
block a road in Mazar-i-Sharif on Thursday after the suicide attack at the
office of the provincial governor. Photograph: Atif Aryan/AFP/Getty Images
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Mar 9, 2023
MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan: The Taliban governor of
Afghanistan's Balkh province, known for fighting against Islamic State
jihadists, was killed in a suicide attack at his office on Thursday, officials
said.
The killing, a day after he met top government
officials visiting from Kabul, makes Mohammad Dawood Muzammil one of the
highest-ranking figures slain since the Taliban stormed back to power in 2021.
Violence across Afghanistan has dramatically dropped
since the Taliban seized control, but the security situation has again
deteriorated with IS claiming several deadly attacks.
"Two people, including Mohammad Dawood Muzammil,
the governor of Balkh, have been killed in an explosion this morning,"
local police spokesman Asif Waziri told AFP, adding that the blast happened on
the second floor of his office, in the provincial capital Mazar-i-Sharif.
"It was a suicide attack. We don't have
information as to how the suicide bomber reached the office of the
governor," he said, adding that two people were also wounded.
Authorities deployed extra security at the
governorate, who forbade journalists from taking photos, an AFP correspondent
reported from near the site of the blast.
Muzammil was "martyred in an explosion by the
enemies of Islam", tweeted government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
Muzammil was initially appointed governor of the
eastern province of Nangarhar, where he led the fight against IS jihadists,
before being moved to Balkh last year.
On Wednesday, he met two deputy prime ministers and
other senior officials visiting Balkh to review a major irrigation project in
northern Afghanistan, according to a government statement.
IS has emerged as the biggest security challenge to
the Taliban government since last year, carrying out attacks against Afghan
civilians as well as foreigners and foreign interests.
Several attacks have rocked Balkh, including in
Mazar-i-Sharif last year, some claimed by IS.
In January, a suicide bomber killed at least 10 people
when he blew himself up near the foreign ministry in Kabul, in an attack
claimed by IS.
The Taliban and IS share an austere Sunni Islamist
ideology, but the latter are fighting to establish a global
"caliphate" instead of the Taliban's more inward-looking goal of
ruling an independent Afghanistan.
At least five Chinese nationals were wounded in
December when gunmen stormed a hotel popular with businesspeople in Kabul.
That raid was claimed by IS, as was an attack on
Pakistan's embassy in Kabul in December that Islamabad denounced as an
"assassination attempt" against its ambassador.
Two Russian embassy staff members were killed in a
suicide bombing outside their mission in September in another attack claimed by
IS.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Republican and Democrat alike Back Iran Protests to
Topple Mullahs’ Government
Rep. Tom McClintock
(R-Calif.) sponsors House Resolution 100 — along with 145 Republican and 76
Democratic colleagues.
Organization of Iranian
American Communities
------
By Josh Christenson
March 9, 2023
A bipartisan House majority signed on to a resolution
Thursday condemning decades of human rights violations and state-sponsored
terrorism by Iran, while also expressing support for ongoing protests aimed at
toppling the Tehran government.
“Two hundred twenty-two members of the 435-member
House, Republican and Democrat alike, now stand side-by-side with the people of
Iran who struggle to rid themselves of the theocratic thugs who have oppressed
them for far too long,” said Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), who sponsors House
Resolution 100 — along with 145 Republican and 76 Democratic colleagues.
“The Iranian people have had enough of the human
rights abuses, the utter incompetence of the mullahs, and the thuggery of their
IRGC,” McClintock told supporters at a congressional press conference,
referring to the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. “Their message is
clear: we have had enough, and we will take no more. We don’t have to live
under the thumb of dictators but can instead take our rightful place among the
free people of the world, and enjoy the human rights, human dignities, human
liberties and prosperity that is the hallmark of free societies.”
The resolution expresses support for opposition leader
Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan for Iran, which would usher in a series of
democratic reforms, as well as provide for religious, ethnic, and gender-based
equality. It also calls for an investigation into the executions of thousands
of political prisoners in 1988.
The announcement comes months after protests erupted
in the Gulf state over the September 2022 killing of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old
Kurdish woman who allegedly broke strict hijab rules and was apparently beaten
to death by the regime’s so-called “morality police.”
In the months since, the Iranian government has killed
more than 500 of its own citizens — nearly 100 of whom were women and children.
International backlash to the regime’s harsh crackdown on protesters led
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to say he would “offer amnesty and reduce the
sentences” for “tens of thousands” more who had been jailed, according to
state-backed media.
Alireza Jafarzadeh, who first revealed the existence
of secret Iranian nuclear sites in 2002, told The Post the resolution was
“unprecedented” and has “angered” both Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the
Ayatollah himself.
“It sends a strong message to the Iranian regime that
no matter what Tehran does, Congress is on the side of the people of Iran,” he
said.
“We must continue applying pressure on the Iranian
regime,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) told The Post. “H. Res. 100 adds our voice to
the international condemnation of the ruling Mullahs. It is an important step
towards promoting freedom and democracy in Iran.”
The congressional coalition issued the strongest US
support to date for Iranian protesters, as President Biden vowed his
administration would “free Iran” in November, only to have those remarks walked
back days later by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
“The president was expressing our solidarity with the
protesters as he has been doing from the very onset,” she told reporters aboard
Air Force One.
A bipartisan letter led by Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY)
two months before had pushed the Treasury Department to preserve internet
access for Iranian demonstrators.
Mitra Samani, who spent almost five years as an
Iranian political prisoner in the 1980s, told The Post that social media has
especially helped lead the calls for regime change.
“Whatever happened forty years ago inside Iranian
prisons, it’s happening again,” she said. “It’s been forty-plus years that
Iranian women are at the forefront of this fight. But at the time that I was in
prison, there was no social media. Everything happened behind those tall walls
in prison … Now because of the technology, because of the cell phones, because
of social media the whole world knows in one second.”
Source: New York Post
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://nypost.com/2023/03/09/bipartisan-house-majority-supports-iran-protests/
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Germany Church Shooting: Rise of Neo-Nazi &
Islamist Extremism in Country Explained
A view of a police tape at
the scene following a deadly shooting, in Hamburg, Germany, March 10, 2023.
REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
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MARCH 10, 2023
Several people have been killed in a shooting at a
Jehovah’s Witness centre in Hamburg, with the gunman believed to be among the
dead, German police said Thursday. Police have not given a death toll, but
multiple local media outlets reported that the shooting had left seven dead and
eight seriously injured. “At the moment there is no reliable information on the
motive of the crime," police said, urging people not to speculate.
An alarm for “extreme danger" in the area had
been sounded using a catastrophe warning app, but Germany’s Federal Office for
Civil Protection lifted it shortly after 3 am local time.
In the non-descript, three-storey building, police
said an event had been taking place on Thursday evening. Jehovah’s Witnesses
had gathered for a weekly Bible study meeting, according to local daily
Hamburger Abendblatt.
There are about 175,000 people in Germany, including
3,800 in Hamburg, who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, a US Christian movement set up
in the late 19th century that preaches non-violence and is known for
door-to-door evangelism.
Rise Of Extremism In Germany
Germany has been rocked by several attacks in recent
years, both by jihadists and far-right extremists. Among the deadliest
committed by Islamist extremists was a truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas
market in December 2016 that killed 12 people, AFP reported. The Tunisian
attacker, a failed asylum seeker, was a supporter of the Islamic State jihadist
group. Europe’s most populous nation remains a target for jihadist groups in
particular because of its participation in the anti-Islamic State coalition in
Iraq and Syria.
According to a report by TRT World, rights groups
noted record-breaking numbers of far-right attacks against “ethnic and
religious minorities in 2020. As per government statistics, the report says,
23,000 far-right extremist attacks were recorded in 2020 – nearly 20 percent
more than the year before.
Between 2013 and 2021, the number of Islamists
considered dangerous in the country had multiplied by five to 615, according to
interior ministry data. But Germany has also been hit by several far-right
assaults in recent years, sparking accusations that the government was not
doing enough to stamp out neo-Nazi violence.
In February 2020, a far-right extremist shot dead 10
people and wounded five others in the central German city of Hanau. And in
2019, two people were killed after a neo-Nazi tried to storm a synagogue in Halle
on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
‘Violent Coup Fantasies’
A few months, the country had grappled with a plan to
overthrow the German government and authorities had arrested 25 people for
planning the radical right-wing coup. Federal prosecutors said some 3,000
officers conducted searches at 130 sites in 11 of Germany’s 16 states against
adherents of the so-called Reich Citizens movement. Some movement members
reject Germany’s postwar constitution and have called for bringing down the
government.
Justice Minister Marco Buschmann described the raids
as an “anti-terrorism operation,” adding that the suspects may have planned an
armed attack on institutions of the state.
Germany’s top security official said the group was
“driven by violent coup fantasies and conspiracy ideologies.”
‘RISE OF AFD’
Lukas Hermsmeir, writing for the New York Times on the
rise of right-wing extremism in Germany, has called the rise of the AfD, a sign
of a ‘problem in Germany’. The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is a German
far-right populist party, founded in 2013.
As per a report by Al Jazeera, the AfD began as an
anti-euro party. “This is a very important moment in German history… They are
trying to exploit people’s fears and make them bigger," Julian Gopffarth,
researcher at the London School of Economics’ European Institute was quoted as
saying by Al Jazeera.
As per the report, the party had formed in response to
the European debt crisis which marked the years preceding its launch, were
against German-backed bailouts of Europe’s struggling southern economies, like
Greece.
A number of Eurosceptic academics endorsed their
manifesto, and had supported the party’s manifesto, which called for the
dissolution of the euro currency and ‘less centralisation of power in
Brussels,’ the report says.
In 2017, the party failed to win the needed five
percent of votes to gain representation in the German parliament, but made a
mark by winning 4.7 per cent votes.
Hermsmeir writes that AfD has developed into an ‘even
more extremist and antidemocratic force’. He says the party is led by people
such as Bjorn Hocke, who can be described legally as a fascist as per a court
ruling.
He says the party has its strongholds in eastern
states like Thuringia and Saxony, “regions where unemployment is higher than in
the west, public infrastructure has been dismantled, and young people move away
when they get the chance."
According to him, after the dissolution of the Germany
Democratic Republic in 1990, the “economic abandonment" that hit eastern
Germany was an entirely different picture from what was promised by former
chancellor Helmut Kohl. He calls it a major factor in AfD’s popularity.
A Right-Wing Rise In Military Too
The rise of right-wing conspiracy and feeling has also
been reported in the German military. Berlin-based journalist Peter Kuras told NPR,We’ve
seen, you know, for ages not only that there have been these sort of series of
serious conspiracies within the German military. We’ve also seen that the -
exactly the organizations and agencies that should be responsible for observing
them have been failing to do so and failing to act against them."
“And while part of that is certainly that these are
complex issues and not easy investigations to carry out, it’s also hard to
avoid the feeling that there’s some real complicity or some real sympathy with
these figures within many parts of the military and police establishment in
Germany," he says.
Source: News18
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original story:
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India
Muslim Man, Naseeb Qureshi, Lynched in Bihar, After
Village Sarpanch Accused Him of Carrying Beef
New Delhi: A Muslim man in Bihar’s Saran district was
reportedly lynched by a mob on Tuesday after being accused of carrying beef.
Naseeb Qureshi’s nephew Firoz Ahmed Qureshi told The
Telegraph that the Sarpanch of Jogia village told people in the area “we were
carrying meat and asked them to beat us”. By meat the sarpanch was alluding to
beef, Firoz added, the sale and consumption of which is illegal in Bihar.
“While entering the village, we saw the sarpanch and a
few youths with him. He (the sarpanch) told them we were carrying meat and
asked them to beat us,” Firoz said. “Our vehicle (a moped) had slowed down. I
jumped off and escaped. Some of the youths chased me.”
An FIR had been registered under IPC Sections 302
(murder), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention)
and 379 (theft – because some money Naseeb was carrying is missing). The
sarpanch, Sushil Singh, and two others – Ravi Sah and Ujwal Sharma – have been
arrested.
According to NDTV, Naseeb (the channel has said his
name is Naseem) and Firoz were on their way to meet some acquaintances when
they were accosted by the mob. While Firoz managed to escape, Naseeb was beaten
with wooden sticks. After beating him, the police said, the mob handed Naseeb
over to the police in Rasulpur village.
He was then taken to hospital, police said, but died
during treatment.
Firoz, The Telegraph reported, has alleged that the
police did not act swiftly enough on Tuesday morning. After he escaped, he made
his way to the Rasulpur police station by foot. There, he was told that the
police had already gone to Jogia, and taken Naseeb to Daraunda police station
in Siwan, in whose area the victim’s village of Hasanpura falls.
“(At Rasulpur police station), a person claiming to be
the mukhiya of Rasulpur said my uncle was feeling unwell and had been taken to
Daraunda,” Firoz said. Why he was taken to another police station instead of a
hospital is a question that remains.
“When I started arguing, the man claiming to be the
mukhiya asked me to shut up and said he had saved my uncle despite his act of
carrying beef,” Firoz said, according to The Telegraph. “The police personnel
present were not helping me, either. I moved out because I did not feel safe
there. I went to Daraunda police station.”
At Daraunda, Firoz was told that his uncle had been
taken to a nearby hospital. When he went there, he found out that his uncle had
been sent to Siwan Sadar Hospital, about 20 km away. “The doctors at Siwan
Sadar Hospital referred him to Patna. He died on the way,” Firoz said.
Source: The Wire
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BJP’s Muslim outreach for 2024: ‘1 Nation, 1 DNA’ in Muzaffarnagar,
selfie scheme, G20 Sufi nights
SHANKER ARNIMESH
10 March, 2023
New Delhi: Nearly a decade after the deadly communal
riots in western Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar, the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) is hoping to salve Hindu-Muslim divides in the region by hosting a “sneh
sammelan” (gathering of love) titled Ek Desh, Ek DNA (One Country, One DNA). To
be held next month, this will be the first of 12 such events that the party
plans to host in predominantly Muslim constituencies ahead of the 2024 Lok
Sabha election.
“We are hosting the first such meeting in a
Muslim-dominated area so that our message is loud and clear,” Kunwar Basit Ali,
the president of the UP BJP Minority Morcha, told ThePrint.
“Muzaffarnagar was also chosen because it is the land
of Chaudhary Charan Singh, who experimented with the idea of Jat-Muslim unity,
but which was later hijacked by the Congress and Samajwadi Party. The party
wants to restore unity among Muslims who view the BJP as an enemy, and heal
divisions created by opposition parties,” he added.
These lofty goals apart, election arithmetic is also a
factor, said state BJP leaders.
“The BJP faced stiff resistance from the SP-RLD
(Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal) combine in the last Lok Sabha and assembly
elections. They drew support from the RLD’s Jat base and the SP’s Muslim base.
The BJP now has to break the unity of the SP-RLD and woo Muslim voters towards
the party,” said a BJP leader from western UP.
While the BJP swept all 14 Lok Sabha seats from
western UP in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, its tally reduced in 2019 as the
SP-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) alliance won six constituencies. The BSP won the
Nagina, Amroha, Bijnor, and Saharanpur seats, and the SP bagged Moradabad and
Sambhal.
Similarly, while the BJP had won 100 of the 126 seats
across the 24 districts of western UP in the 2017 assembly election, its tally
dropped to 85 in the 2022 state polls. The RLD — now led by Jayant Chaudhary,
the grandson of Chaudhary Charan Singh — alone had won eight seats.
In addition to sneh sammelans, the BJP’s Muslim
outreach efforts include identifying Modi mitras (friends of Modi) among
minority communities and organising Sufi music performances in constituencies
as well as for G20 delegates.
“Very few Muslims generally vote for the BJP, but the
Rampur election shows that a section of the community did come out to support
the party,” said a Muslim BJP leader from UP. “By continuous outreach, we can
at least weaken Muslim consolidation towards any other party and also increase
our share of the votes.”
Last December, the BJP candidate won an assembly
byelection in Rampur — a Muslim-majority constituency and the stronghold of SP
leader Azam Khan — by over 34,000 votes. The byelection was necessitated by
Khan’s disqualification due to a hate speech conviction.
Jat-Muslim ‘brotherhood’ in western UP
Choosing Muzaffarnagar as the venue of the first sneh
sammelan seems to be a well-though-out move. The district falls in what is
known as the sugarcane belt of UP and has a significant population of Muslim
and Jat farmers.
So far, the BJP’s poll rhetoric in the region has
often harked back to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots and been geared towards
polarisation. But with the SP and RLD gaining ground, this time the BJP seems
to be trying a new strategy to make greater inroads.
“Muslims and Hindus, including the Jat, Rajput,
Gujjar, and Tyagi communities, have lived together in western Uttar Pradesh for
centuries. So, why is there still division along the lines of caste and
community? Our DNA is the same, and we should accept leaders like Yogi
Adityanath, Rajnath Singh, and Sanjeev Balyan regardless of their caste or
community,” said Ali.
According to him, there are 80,000 Muslim Rajputs and
1 lakh Muslim Jats in Muzaffarnagar. In the adjoining Saharanpur and Shamli
districts, he claimed, there are 1.8 lakh Muslim Rajputs and 1 lakh Muslim
Gujjars respectively.
“The government recognises all religions as equal, and
when the prime minister of our country says that Muslims are our brothers and
the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) emphasises that our DNA is the same,
divisions among communities should come to an end,” he added.
Among the leaders invited to the Muzaffarnagar sneh
sammelan are Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP state president Chaudhary
Bhupendra Singh, and Muzaffarnagar MP and Minister of State Sanjeev Balyan. A
BJP leader who is involved in preparations for the event said that prominent
Muslim leaders are expected to be a part of the proceedings.
Sufi push, selfies from ‘Modi mitras’
At the BJP national executive meet in January, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi had urged party leaders to organise ‘Sufi nights’ as a
way of reaching out to Muslims. This idea is now being implemented.
The BJP Minority Morcha is not only planning Sufi sammelans
(gatherings) but is also preparing to host musical nights for G20 delegates at
different venues.
On 15 March, minority leaders of the party will meet
in Delhi to create an organisational structure for Sufi outreach.
Jamal Siddiqui, national president of the BJP Minority
Morcha, told ThePrint: “In this meeting, we will discuss the organising of Sufi
sammelans, Sufi nights, and nukkad (street corner) meetings. We will also
recruit in-charges for these events across the country and involve Sufi leaders.”
Sufism is a mystical branch of Islam that seeks a
direct personal relationship with God through spiritual practices, including
devotional songs.
According to Siddiqui, the BJP Minority Morcha has
already identified in-charges for the “Modi mitra programme” in 65
constituencies.
“In the Modi mitra programme, we will select people
from minority communities who have received benefits from government welfare
programmes as well as those who support PM Modi. We are identifying these
beneficiaries from various Lok Sabha constituencies (with a sizeable minority
population) and we will start a programme for them to post their selfies (on
social media),” Siddiqui explained.
So far, the BJP has identified 65 Lok Sabha
constituencies in 10 states and Union territories where religious minorities
comprise more than 30 per cent of the population.
Among the seats identified, there are 13 each from UP
and West Bengal, six each from Kerala and Assam, five from Jammu, four from
Bihar, three from Madhya Pradesh, two each from Telangana and Haryana, and one
each from Maharashtra and Lakshadweep.
The UP constituencies include include Bijnor, Amroha,
Kairana, Nagina, Sambhal, Muzaffarnagar, and Rampur.
BJP Minority Morcha sources said that 5,000 minority
beneficiaries or Modi supporters will be selected from each of these
constituencies to post their selfies and will likely be encouraged to
participate in a May rally in Delhi that will be addressed by the PM.
‘Speeches alone won’t suffice’
These outreach measures follow close on the heels of
Modi telling BJP leaders at the party national executive meet that they should
connect with Bohras, Pasmanda Muslims (depressed classes), and others in the
community without expecting votes in return.
Then, at a Dawoodi Bohra event in Mumbai last month,
Modi announced that he was there as a “family member” rather than a prime
minister and extolled the “unprecedented atmosphere of trust” that had been
built up over the last few years.
Echoing Modi, BJP Minority Morcha national general
secretary Sabir Ali told ThePrint that just giving speeches will not be enough
to warm Muslims towards the party.
“A lack of education is contributing to a sense of
alienation in the community. Merely giving speeches will not be enough to end
animosity towards the BJP. We must reach out to these communities at their
doorsteps with open arms and engage them in conversation,” he said.
Source: The Print
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Tendency of categorisation of terrorism based on
motivations behind terrorist acts is 'dangerous': India
Mar 10, 2023
UNITED NATIONS: India has said that the tendency to
categorise terrorism on the basis of motivations behind terrorist acts is
“dangerous” and asserted that all kinds of terror attacks, whether motivated by
Islamophobia, anti-Sikh, anti-Buddhist or anti-Hindu prejudices, are
condemnable.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador
Ruchira Kamboj said on Thursday that the international community needs to stand
guard against new terminologies and false priorities that can dilute its focus
of combatting the scourge of terrorism.
“The tendency of categorisation of terrorism based on
the motivations behind terrorist acts is dangerous and goes against the
accepted principles that 'terrorism in all its forms and manifestations should
be condemned and there cannot be any justification for any act of terrorism,
whatsoever',” she said at the First Reading of the Draft Resolution on 8th
Review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GCTS).
Underlining that there cannot be good or bad
terrorists, Kamboj said such an approach “will only take us back to the
pre-9/11 era of labelling terrorists as ‘Your Terrorists' and ‘My Terrorists'
and erase the collective gains the international community has made over the
last two decades.
“Moreover, some of the terminologies such as right or
right-wing extremism, or far right or far left extremism opens the gate for
misuse of these terms by vested interests. We, therefore, need to be wary of
providing a variety of classifications, which may militate against the concept
of democracy itself,” she said.
India also asserted that states that provide shelter
to terrorists should be called out and held accountable for their deeds, a
veiled reference to Pakistan.
The UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is a
"unique global instrument” to enhance national, regional and international
efforts to counter-terrorism. Through its adoption by consensus in 2006, all UN
member states agreed for the first time to a common strategic and operational
approach to fighting terrorism.
“The Strategy does not only send a clear message that
terrorism is unacceptable in all its forms and manifestations but it also
resolves to take practical steps, individually and collectively, to prevent and
combat terrorism," according to the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism.
The UN General Assembly reviews the Global
Counter-Terrorism Strategy every two years, "making it a living document
attuned to Member States' counter-terrorism priorities”.
Kamboj stressed that it is important to protect the
secular nature of the strategy. She said India strongly condemns all kinds of
terrorist attacks irrespective of religion, belief, culture, race or ethnicity.
“We strongly condemn terrorist attacks motivated by
Islamophobia, Christianphobia, Anti-Semitism, Anti-Sikh, Anti-Buddhist,
Anti-Hindu prejudices,” she said.
She noted that the 7th Review of the strategy took
into account attacks motivated by Islamophobia, Christianphobia and anti-Semitism
only while failing to address the rest.
“A more sagacious approach would be to keep this
reference broad, abandoning thereby a list-based approach in the current
Review,” she said.
The UNGA resolution adopted in June 2021 on the 7th
Review had recognized "with deep concern the overall rise in instances of
discrimination, intolerance and violence, regardless of the actors, directed
against members of religious and other communities in various parts of the
world, including cases motivated by Islamophobia, antisemitism,
Christianophobia and prejudice against persons of any other religion or
belief.”
Kamboj expressed concern that the threat of terrorism
is persistent and rising, in particular, in Africa and Asia.
“As if we had less on our plate, the online space has
become another frontier for terrorist groups to achieve their nefarious goals.
The easy accessibility, affordability, anonymity, untraceability, and universal
reach offered by new and emerging communications, financial, and other technologies,
have played out as an exogenous multiplier factor exacerbating the terrorist
threat manyfold,” she said.
She also noted that the Special Meeting of the
Counter-Terrorism Committee, held in India in October last year and the Delhi
Declaration adopted on countering the use of new and emerging technologies for
terrorist purposes has highlighted this threat and also the need for a holistic
approach to address this threat.
Kamboj appealed that "we may preserve the unity
of unequivocal support to the strategy and not surrender the “consensus” to
exclusivist and narrow approaches. A unified, multilateral action against
terrorism has never been so inevitable as it is today."
The global strategy is composed of four pillars-
addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism; measures to
prevent and combat terrorism; measures to build states' capacity to prevent and
combat terrorism and strengthen the role of the United Nations system in that
regard; and measures to ensure respect for human rights for all and the rule of
law as the fundamental basis for the fight against terrorism.
Kamboj said it is important to preserve the balance
among all pillars and attempts to dilute the language of the second and third
pillars will be a “self-defeating goal”, she said.
Source: Times Of India
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Modi, Hasina to launch pipeline to export diesel to
Bangladesh
Mar 10, 2023
NEW DELHI: PM Modi and Sheikh Hasina will virtually
inaugurate the cross-border India-Bangladesh friendship pipeline, through which
India will export diesel to the neighbouring country on March 18, Bangladesh
foreign minister AK Abdul Momen announced on Thursday.
Source: Times Of India
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of the original story:
--------
Bihar: Minor Girls Raped By 2 Including Son Of
Ex-Sarpanch In Begusarai
9th March 2023
Begusarai district of Bihar was tensed after reports
emerged that two girls, aged 6 and 7 years were allegedly raped by the son of a
former Sarpanch while others were playing Holi.
According to the press release, the girls belong to
another community, while the accused is a Hindu.
According to Begusarai police, the minors were playing
in a school near Panchdir Chowk when they were approached by the accused
Rajkumar alias Chhotu Mahato and his friend. Both of them were drunk. They
raped the two girls and left.
When the villagers learned of the incident, tension
gripped the village. Many angry Muslims, including family members of the
victims, demanded the two accused to be arrested immediately.
On information, a team of Begusarai police officials
reached the spot and tried to calm the angry villagers down. They promised to
conduct a speedy and just inquiry.
Meanwhile, the girls have been admitted to the Sadar
Hospital for treatment. Reports suggest that they are in critical condition.
Source: Siasat Daily
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Pakistan
'Pakistan
'very close' to signing IMF staff level agreement'
Mar
9, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday his country was "very
close" to signing a staff level agreement with the International Monetary
Fund, a critical lifeline for taming a balance of payment crisis."We seem
to be very close to signing the staff level agreement, hopefully, God willing,
in the next few days," Dar said at a seminar in Islamabad.
"I
and my team are absolutely committed to complete this program to the best of
our ability," he said, adding: "We have been in the review and I
think it has taken longer than it should have in my opinion."
An
agreement would release $1.1 billion to the cash-strapped South Asian economy.
Islamabad
has been hosting an IMF mission since early February to negotiate the terms of
a deal, including the adoption of policy measures to manage its fiscal deficit
ahead of annual budget due around June. The funds are part of a $6.5 billion
bailout package the IMF approved in 2019, which analysts say is critical if
Pakistan is to avoid defaulting on external debt obligations.
The
deal would unlock other bilateral and multilateral financing avenues for
Pakistan to shore up its foreign exchange reserves, which have fallen to a
lowly four weeks worth of import cover.
Islamabad
has met most of the lender's demands to clear the review. The last one yet to
be fulfilled on the list is an assurance on external financing to fund its
balance of payment gap for the current fiscal year, which ends on June 30.
Long-time
ally China is the only country that has announced refinancing of a $2 billion
loan, and Pakistan's central bank has already received $1.2 billion of that
amount.
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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Ties
with army no different under new brass: Imran
Mansoor
Malik
March
10, 2023
LAHORE:
Soon after Lahore police booked him in a case under anti-terrorism law and a
Quetta court issued non-bailable warrants for him, PTI Chairman Imran Khan on
Thursday ruled out talks with “looters of national wealth”, but offered
conditional negotiations with anyone amongst the powers that be.
However,
when asked if anything has changed for him after the change of command in the
army, he said nothing had changed, rather the “excesses” against him and his
party were increasing.
“My
political rivals want to play the match with PTI after removing its captain, considering
it will improve their chances to win the match,” he told BBC Urdu.
Referring
to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Mr Khan said, “We fear that the
government is planning for some high-profile murder to move out of the election
process”.
In
separate engagements on Thursday, the former prime minister elaborated that as
a politician, he could go into parleys “but only for the purpose of holding the
general elections across the country in one go as polls for the two provinces
have already been announced”.
Mr
Khan said he doesn’t need to talk to anyone because he does not need any
“crutches” as the people of Pakistan stood by his party against all odds.
Explaining
his original stance on meeting the army chief, Mr Khan said elections in Punjab
and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were already on the cards. “There is no other issue that
I want to discuss with any political force or the establishment except the free
and fair elections to drive the country out of current political and economic
crises,” he emphasised.
Chiding
the PDM and interim governments in the Centre and Punjab over the violence
perpetrated against PTI workers, he said the incumbent rulers were running away
from elections and that was why they imposed Section 144 and banned their
election rally hours before it was scheduled.
When
asked who will lead the party in case of his arrest, Mr Khan said Shah Mehmood
Qureshi had the mandate to run the party, adding there was a proper hierarchy
system in PTI that would function automatically.
In
a televised address on Thursday, Mr Khan said, “The Sicilian mafia is trying to
create division in the top court”. They were planning to launch a campaign
against the Chief Justice of Pakistan. “We will not let this plan of the
government be successful,” he asserted.
The
PTI chief asked the nation that they must continue their fight against the
tyranny, even if he was not there to lead them.
In
his meeting with journalists, the PTI chief said the March 8 attack was a
sequel of last year’s May 25 “state barbarism”.
Case
against PTI leaders
Meanwhile,
Lahore police registered an FIR against more than 400 PTI leaders and workers,
including Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry, Farrukh Habib, Hammad Azhar, Mahmood
Rasheed and Ijaz Chaudhry under various sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act and
PPC for critically injuring 13 police personnel and damaging public property.
The
case was registered at the Race Course police station on the complaint of
‘injured’ DSP Sabir Ali, who alleged that a charged mob of 400 PTI workers
turned violent and carried out multiple attacks on the police on Wednesday at
the behest of party chairman and other senior leaders. As a result, the
official said, several PTI workers were also injured due to violent attacks of
their own fellows from PTI.
Police
also mentioned the ‘death’ of PTI worker Ali Bilal in the FIR, minimising
chances of lodging a separate case for his murder as was being demanded by his
father and the PTI leadership.
Separately,
in Quetta, the court of Judicial Magistrate-1 Bashir Ahmed Bazai issued
non-bilabial warrants for the PTI chairman in a case of hate speech against
state institutions and officers.
Police
approached the judicial magistrate and sought warrants for Mr Khan on the basis
of an FIR registered against him in the Bijli Road police station on March 6 on
the complaint of a citizen, Abdul Khali Kakar, a resident of Nawan Killi.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1741382/ties-with-army-no-different-under-new-brass-imran
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Punjab
police hunting men who brought slain PTI activist to hospital
Asif
Chaudhry
March
10, 2023
LAHORE:
PTI worker Ali Bilal, also known as Zille Shah, was laid to rest on Thursday as
a high-powered fact-finding committee constituted to probe his death remained
on the hunt for the two suspects who brought him to Services Hospital.
Headed
by Punjab Police Elite Force DIG Sadiq Ali, the committee visited the hospital,
reviewed CCTV footage and questioned medics and other staff from the hospital’s
emergency department who tended to Bilal.
CCTV
footage revealed that two persons brought a badly-injured Bilal to the hospital
in a private 4x4 vehicle, but they subsequently disappeared after he was
pronounced dead. A police source said the committee would enlist the help of
the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department to get ownership details of the
vehicle used by the suspects.
The
postmortem report of the slain PTI worker also suggests that he was subjected
to “massive blunt trauma”, while a fracture to his skull and subsequent
bleeding has been cited as the cause of death. The report also noted damage to
his liver, spleen and testes, which led to profuse bleeding.
According
to provincial police chief Dr Usman Anwar, they would be focusing on tracking
down the car and the two suspects who shifted Ali Bilal to the hospital and
that safe city cameras would be used for this purpose.
Talking
to Dawn, the inspector general said that a clip of Bilal in a prison van, which
has been doing the rounds on social media, was an old video. However, he said
that police were looking into that angle nevertheless.
“I
have also directed the committee to investigate the excessive abuse of power by
the police, if any,” Dr Usman said, referring to the clashes between law
enforcers and PTI workers on Canal Road on Wednesday.
However,
when asked to comment on another video shared by a journalist, which claims to
show Bilal in a police van parked near Zaman Park on Wednesday, a police source
said that they were still looking into the authenticity of the fresh clip and
could not say anything for certain.
According
to its ToRs, the committee is supposed to find the answers to some key
questions, including what were the circumstances that led to Bilal’s death; was
deceased in police custody and who took him to hospital.
The
committee has also been directed to investigate the circumstances that led to
the gathering of political workers near Zaman Park, the legal status of the PTI
assembly, and the circumstances led to clashes between police and workers of
the political party.
Funeral
Funeral
prayers for the slain Bilal were held at Baba Ground People House, Islampura,
attended by a large number of PTI leaders and workers.
In
addition, in absentia funeral prayers were also offered for the departed in
various cities and towns across the country, on the call of PTI chief Imran
Khan.
In
Lahore, the funeral was attended by senators Ejaz Chaudhry, Waleed Iqbal and
Azam Swati, as well as party’s senior leaders Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Shafqat
Mahmood, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Mahmoodur Rasheed, Hammad Azhar and others.
PTI
Central Punjab president Dr Yasmin Rashid and other women leaders also visited the
slain worker’s residence to condole with his family.
In
Islamabad, PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the innocent and unarmed
Bilal was “our hero” and vowed that his sacrifice would not be in vain.
FIR
Separately,
Bilal’s father Liaqat Ali has filed an application with Race Course police to
lodge a murder case.
In
the complaint, Bilal’s father has nominated Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah,
Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, IG Dr Usman Anwar, Lahore Capital
City Police Officer (CCPO) Bilal Siddique Kamyana and two inspectors, besides
40 police personnel, holding them responsible for the alleged murder of his
son.
In
the complaint, Mr Ali alleged that police arrested his son and brutally
tortured him, which led to his death.
Interestingly,
Bilal’s death is also mentioned in the FIR filed against Imran Khan and other
PTI leaders and workers.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1741381
--------
Military
restores ex-army officer’s properties ‘seized’ by Musharraf govt
Malik
Asad
March
10, 2023
RAWALPINDI:
The military restored the properties of a retired major general confiscated by
the government of former president Pervez Musharraf after a lawyer informed the
Lahore High Court on Thursday that his client and the General Headquarters had
“resolved the issue amicably”.
Subsequently,
the LHC’s Rawalpindi bench disposed of the petition of Ahsan Ahmed, who had
served as Sindh’s health minister in 2002.
The
petition was pending in the LHC since 2015.
Retired
Maj Gen Ahmed said in his petition that since he had opposed the referendum
held by Gen Musharraf in 2002, the former president turned “vindictive” and
deprived him of all his retirement benefits by cancelling the allotment of a
50-acre piece of land in Bahawalnagar, as well as plots in Karachi and
Rawalpindi DHAs.
The
petitioner cited the federation of Pakistan, through the defence secretary, the
Adjutant General of Pakistan Army, and the GHQ as respondents.
Ahsan
Ahmed said he had joined the Army Medical Corps in 1965 and retired on Sept
13, 1999. He was allotted 50 acres of agricultural land in Bahawalnagar and
residential plots in Rawalpindi and Karachi under rules of the Army’s
housing scheme.
After
retirement from the Army, Mr Ahmed was appointed as director general in the
federal health ministry in Oct 1999.
The
petitioner was inducted into the Sindh cabinet as health minister in 2002.
He
developed differences with Pervez Musharraf after declining his request for
deputing a large number of employees of his ministry for duty in the Oct 2002
elections so that the former president could execute his plan to carry out
“large-scale rigging”.
“Pressure
was put on me through then governor of Sindh and secret agencies to cooperate
with Gen Musharraf in his plan to prevent the Peoples Party and the Pakistan
Muslim League-N from gaining majority in the National Assembly,” Mr Ahmed said.
“I
considered it an anti-state move and refused to play any subversive role in
the 2002 elections.”
Days
after the elections, the petitioner tendered his resignation as provincial
minister, but instead of accepting or rejecting the resignation, the Sindh
government issued a notification stating that since Ahsan Ahmed “has not
discharged his duties in accordance with the rules, he has been removed from
the cabinet with immediate effect”.
The
allotments of agricultural land in Bahawalnagar and the two residential plots
were cancelled by the authorities concerned in 2003.
“But
the former dictator’s vengeance never ended and secret agencies started giving
me death threats. This left me with no choice but to leave the country for the
United Kingdom on Nov 29, 2003,” the petitioner said.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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--------
Libya
boat wreck: six more bodies reach Pakistan
March
10, 2023
GUJRAT:
Six more bodies of victims of Libya boat wreck were brought to their native
areas on Thursday.
Four
of them belonged to Gujrat and two to Bhimbher district of Azad Jammu and
Kashmir. The bodies were received by the heirs at the Lahore airport and then
driven to their hometowns by ambulances.
Earlier,
four bodies belonging to Gujrat and one each to Gujjar Khan town of Rawalpindi
and Muridke town of Sheikhupura reached their destinations a couple of days
ago.
The
Federal Investigation Agency’s Gujrat circle has so far registered 10 cases
against human traffickers involved in sending the victims illegally to Italy
via Dubai and Libya. Four of them have been arrested.
The
bodies of Husnain Mian of Gegian (Bareela Sharif), Hafiz Zain Ali of Bajo,
Mudassar Iqbal of Kharian Khurd and Shaban Ali of Bhangranwala were driven to
their natives areas in Gujrat district whereas the bodies of Muneeb and Ali
Hasham of Barehng village of Bhimbher also reached their native locations.
Sources
in the families of victims said that the bodies were flown to Lahore from Saudi
Arabia.
Gujrat
FIA deputy director Ghulam Sarwar Warraich told Dawn that traffickers Adnan of
Kharian, Zahid Suniara of Gujrat, Raja Raheel of Kotla and Sufian Mazhar of
Fatehpur had been arrested.
He
said three of the suspects had been detained at FIA’s Gujrat lockup on physical
remand whereas Zahid Suniara was sent to the district jail on judicial remand.
He
said main traffickers Hamza of Gujrat city and Afaq of Mararrian village were
settled somewhere abroad and efforts were on trace them.
Sources
in the FIA said some of the cases were lodged on the complaints of the heirs while
a few were registered on the complaint of an FIA official after their families
declined to join legal proceedings against the human traffickers.
As
per the cases lodged with the FIA, the human traffickers had reportedly
received Rs 1.5mn to 2 million from each client.
Sources
in families of victims said that most of the human traffickers had gone under
ground and were not in their contact since the tragic incident occurred in
Libya.
According
to a Foreign Office briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, 15 Pakistanis had been
confirmed dead.
The
FO spokesperson said four deaths were confirmed in Italy while two were still
missing.
“I
will not combine them because these were two different boat incidents,” the
spokesperson said.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1741320/libya-boat-wreck-six-more-bodies-reach-pakistan
--------
Quetta
judicial magistrate issues arrest warrants for Imran
Ghalib
Nihad
March
9, 2023
A
Quetta judicial magistrate on Thursday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for
PTI Chairman Imran Khan in a case related to alleged remarks against state
institutions and their offices, and spreading hatred against them.
The
warrant dated March 9, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, instructed
the police to arrest Imran and present him before the court.
On
March 6, a first information report (FIR) was registered against the former
prime minister at the Bijli Road police station in Quetta by citizen Abdul
Khalil Kakar.
In
the FIR, which Dawn.com has seen, Kakar said that Imran addressed the public
from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore on March 5, in which he levelled “baseless
allegations against the state institutions”.
He
alleged that the ex-premier’s statement was tantamount to “destroying public
peace and order”. Imran has harmed the credibility of the institutions, the
complainant claimed.
The
complaint invoked sections 124-A (sedition), 153-A (giving provocation with
intent to cause a riot if rioting is committed; if not committed) and 505
(statements conducing to public mischief) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
It
also included Section 20 (Offences against the dignity of a natural person) of
the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016.
Imran’s
speech
On
March 5, an Islamabad police team sent to Lahore to arrest Imran for skipping
proceedings in the Toshakhana case returned empty-handed after the PTI chairman
evaded the arrest.
Shortly
after the police returned, the PTI chief addressed his supporters at his Zaman
Park residence where the contingent supported by the Lahore police had arrived
to take him to the federal capital.
Eventually,
the team decided to call off the “operation” since PTI leader Shibli Faraz, who
is also Imran’s chief of staff, informed that the PTI chairman was “not
available”.
Addressing
party leaders and workers on the lawn of his residence, the PTI chief said his
lawyers would write a letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan explaining that
he was facing life threats.
“I
am being called to appear before the courts in ‘farcical’ cases like a
terrorism case with regard to a protest outside the Election Commission of
Pakistan office while I was at my home,” Imran said.
“I
appeared before the Lahore High Court and courts in Islamabad but no security
was provided to me,” he complained.
Referring
to the Toshakhana case, the former premier said proceedings should be
televised. “If proceedings of the Toshakhana case are aired on TV, people will
know that Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari are the real dacoits, and the only
person who did not do anything against the law will turn out to be Imran Khan,”
he claimed.
The
PTI chief said he feared attempts on his life until Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and the spy agency officer dubbed as
‘Dirty Harry’ remained in power.
He
even called ‘Dirty Harry’ a psychopath for his alleged torture of PTI leaders,
including Senator Azam Swati and Shahbaz Gill. “Besides these three, there is
one more person who is involved in attempts on my life,” he hinted, without
naming anyone.
The
PTI chairman said the PDM government was out to create fear in his party
through arrests and torture but they defused all such tactics by courting
arrests.
He
claimed that he was about to give a call for the court arrest movement across
the country but the Supreme Court ruling which paved the way for general
elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stopped him from doing so.
Imran
said that Shehbaz Sharif was about to be sentenced in an Rs16 billion FIA case
and Rs8 billion NAB case but he was “made the prime minister through a regime
change conspiracy”.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1741245/quetta-judicial-magistrate-issues-arrest-warrants-for-imran
--------
Three
more terrorists killed in NW operation: ISPR
March
9, 2023
RAWALPINDI:
Three more terrorists were gunned down by security forces in a clearance
operation following an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in general area of
Datta Khel in North Waziristan a day earlier.
According
to ISPR press release, an intelligence-based operation (IBO) – conducted in
general area Datta Khel of North Waziristan District – was followed by a
sanitisation of the area by security forces.
“During
intense exchange of fire, three more terrorists were killed,” the ISPR said,
taking the total death count in ongoing clearance operation to nine.
The
ISPR said area locals “appreciated the security forces response and expressed
their full support to eliminate menace of terrorism from the area”.
A
day earlier, the security forces killed six terrorists in an intelligence-based
operation (IBO) in North Waziristan’s Datakhel area.
The
exchange of fire comes amid a surge in terrorist activities across the country
since the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with
the government in November 2022.
Last
week, security forces gunned down one terrorist during an Intelligence-Based
Operation (IBO) in the general area of Mir Ali, North Waziristan district.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/03/09/three-more-terrorists-killed-in-nw-operation-ispr/
--------
Pakistan
urges world to continue humanitarian aid to Afghanistan
March
9, 2023
UNITED
NATIONS: Pakistan has warned against reducing or ending humanitarian aid to
Afghanistan, which would cause harm to the millions of people currently living
in poverty.
Speaking
at the UN Security Council, Ambassador Munir Akram stressed the importance of
providing ongoing assistance to support the human rights of the Afghan people.
He also expressed concern over the recent restrictions placed on women and
girls’ rights and called for the Taliban government to find a solution in line
with Islamic principles.
Ambassador
Akram called for full funding of the UN Secretary-General’s $4.2 billion
recovery plan for Afghanistan, and emphasized the need for a more comprehensive
international effort to revive the Afghan economy and financial sector.
He
expressed concern over the terrorist attacks emanating from Afghanistan and
urged the Afghan interim government to fulfil its assurances that Afghanistan’s
territory would not be used for terrorism against neighbouring countries,
including Pakistan.
Despite
the challenges, Ambassador Akram stressed the importance of continuing
engagement with the Afghan interim government to achieve the international
community’s objectives for human rights, inclusive governance, and an end to
terrorism.
He
emphasized the need for Afghanistan’s immediate neighbours to work together to
restore normalcy and stability in the country, with the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) playing a vital role in the effort.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
South Asia
China,
Russia, Pakistan back Taliban, urge West to lift freeze on Afghanistan assets
Ajeyo
Basu
March
09, 2023
Tashkent
(Uzbekistan): China and Pakistan joined Russia and two other nations in asking
the West to lift the freeze on the assets owned by Afghanistan’s central bank.
These
three countries were joined by Tajikistan and Turkmenistan for a summit in
Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent to discuss a host of issues facing Afghanistan.
“The
representatives of these countries emphasised that the return of the money of
the Central Bank of Afghanistan should be used primarily to pay the salaries
of… school teachers and doctors, and at the same time to support the part of
the population which is in a difficult situation,” Uzbek special representative
Ismatilla Ergashev was quoted as saying by Dawn.
“They
also emphasised that nearly 25 million people in Afghanistan are starving and
deprived of food,” he added.
Representatives
from the Taliban regime of Afghanistan were reportedly not present at the
meeting.
Source:
Firstpost
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Iran
Calls for Formation of Inclusive Government in Afghanistan
By
Fidel Rahmati
March
9, 2023
Iranian
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian stated that while Tehran does not
recognize the Afghan interim administration, it will continue cooperating with
Afghanistan.
The
foreign minister of Iran, Abdollahian, at a press conference with his Turkish
counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, called for the formation of an inclusive
government in Afghanistan.
“We
do not recognize (it), and we hope to have negotiations with the officials of
the Islamic Emirate and see the formation of an inclusive government soon,”
ToloNews quoted Abdollahian as saying.
Earlier,
the Taliban government advised its neighbours to refrain from interfering in
Afghanistan’s domestic matters to maintain good relations with all of them,
said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman of the Taliban administration.
However,
with the fall of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s return to power in
August of last year, the situation for human rights in Afghanistan has
worsened.
A
recent report by United Nations stated that the Afghanistan situation is a
severe matter of concern regarding women’s rights.
It
also added that half of the population in Afghanistan is confined to their
homes amid a severe humanitarian and economic crisis.
The
Taliban government was urged in the statement to immediately revoke all decrees
about women’s employment and education to serve the Afghan people’s needs.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/iran-calls-for-formation-of-inclusive-government-in-afghanistan/
--------
Canada
to Allow Aid Organization to Operate in Afghanistan
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
March
10, 2023
The
Canadian government on Thursday announced that ‘terrorism financing laws’ will
be amended to allow Canadian humanitarian aid organizations to help needy
families in Afghanistan, following pressure from aid agencies.
Currently,
Canadian aid organizations have ceased operations in Afghanistan due to some
legal constraints which are in conflict with the established laws in Canada.
Over
the past year and a half, humanitarian aid organizations have repeatedly
complained about the Canadian government’s strict regulations. According to the
aid organizations will have to pay taxes to the Taliban authorities while
operating in Afghanistan.
Since
Canada considers the Taliban as a de facto regime that forcefully seized power,
operating under the group’s regime, will cause legal issues for aid agencies,
as per the terrorism financing laws. To amend the laws, the government sent a
bill to the parliament on Thursday.
As
per the suggested bill, in order to operate in Afghanistan, humanitarian
organizations will have to apply for an exemption from anti-terrorist laws,
according to CBC news. After a thorough assessment, the Minister of Public
Safety of Canada will either accept or reject the application.
Therefore,
Canadian organizations will not have the full freedom to operate in
Afghanistan.
Marco
E. L. Mendicino, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety said that amending the laws
does not mean engaging with the Taliban, and as per the Canadian laws, the
group will remain a de facto regime, not a legitimate government to represent
Afghanistan.
Mr.
Mendicino further added the Taliban have demonstrated that they do not value
human rights and have committed “massive violations” against people, especially
Afghan women and girls.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/canada-to-allow-aid-organization-to-operate-in-afghanistan/
--------
OIC
Representative Meets FM Muttaqi, Discusses Afghanistan
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
March
9, 2023
The
special representative of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Tarig
Ali Bakheet met with the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Amir Khan
Muttaqi on Wednesday in Kandahar and discussed women’s status.
During
the meeting, the OIC Ambassador discussed the follow-up on the implementation
of the resolution of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan. Mr.
Bakheet also shed light on the organization’s support towards the people of
Afghanistan, with particular emphasis on reviewing the decisions restricting
the rights of women and girls to education and work.
The
foreign ministry of Afghanistan in a statement said the meeting also focused on
the expansion of political, economic, and social relations between OIC and the
Afghan interim government.
Furthermore,
OIC Ambassador assured minister Muttaqi of the Islamic organization’s
long-lasting support for Afghanistan across different areas, be it humanitarian
aid, education, healthcare, and more.
“A
special delegation of OIC will visit Afghanistan in the near future to assess
the needs in different sectors and to provide more humanitarian aid to the
people of Afghanistan during these difficult times,” Mr. Bakheet said.
Meanwhile,
on Wednesday, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, in a
conference at the UN headquarters in New York expressed his concern and that of
the OIC regarding Afghan women and girls who have been deprived of their basic
rights to education and work.
“Pakistan
and other Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries express their
deep disappointment at the restrictions imposed on the human rights of women
and girls, especially their right to education and work, in Afghanistan,”
Minister Bilawal said.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/oic-representative-meets-fm-muttaqi-discusses-afghanistan/
--------
Taliban
takes advantage of Pakistan economic crisis to boost Afghanistan's coffers
Ajeyo
Basu
March
10, 2023
Kabul:
Even as neighbouring Pakistan struggles with an economic crisis, Afghanistan
seems to be doing relatively well on the economy front despite being embroiled
in a humanitarian crisis.
With
the Taliban collecting tax from businesses across Afghanistan and trucks
carrying goods across the Durand Line – the de facto border with Pakistan – the
current Afghan regime in Kabul is doing well as far as revenue is concerned.
According
to media reports, around 60 percent of the revenue being collected by the
Taliban regime in Kabul is from trucks carrying goods across the border between
Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Even
as Afghanistan remains frozen deep in a second winter of humanitarian turmoil
since the Taliban seized Kabul in August 2021, cash is changing hands at a
surprising pace.
The
Taliban rulers of Afghanistan have proved to be adept at collecting tax and –
if reports are to be believed – apparently without the corruption associated
with the previous administration in Kabul.
Last
month, the World Bank had reported that the Taliban had collected revenue
amounting to 136 billion Afghani ($1.5 billion) from across Afghanistan during
the first nine months of 2022. This is almost equal to tax collection during
the final full year of the US-backed regime in Kabul.
“It
has been reported quite consistently that they’re doing quite well on revenue,
and that too is happening when economic activity is quite subdued,” an official
with a foreign organisation in Afghanistan was quoted as saying by news agency
AFP.
“It
was a shock.”
However,
with the United Nations (UN) warning that half the population of Afghanistan
facing severe hunger, the figures related to tax collection by the Taliban have
raised many questions.
Taliban
taking advantage of Pakistan economic crisis
According
to the World Bank, around 60 per cent of the Taliban revenue is funded by
custom duty from trucks plying between Afghanistan and Pakistan. This revenue
is raised at dusty, tumbledown checkpoints such as Torkham in the eastern
province of Nangarhar, where truckers pay cash for rubber-stamped official
paperwork.
Freight
coming to Afghanistan is mostly food — oranges, potatoes and World Food
Programme (WFP) flour — but the trucks going into Pakistan are loaded with
chromite and coal.
Pakistan
has been badly hit by the global energy crisis caused by the war between Russia
and Ukraine at a time when a severe economic crisis has decimated the country’s
foreign exchange reserves. The Taliban have been quick to take advantage of
Pakistan’s economic woes.
According
to a 2022 report by research group XCEPT, with Pakistan brokering a deal to pay
for Afghan coal in rupees — cutting out usual suppliers in South Africa and
Indonesia – Afghanistan’s coal exports to Pakistan have likely doubled under
the Taliban government. This has earned the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan $160
million in tax which is thrice what the previous administration in Kabul was
capable of.
But
the mining industry relies heavily on child labour, with punishingly low pay
and the barest safety measures.
“This
has been their strategy from day one — to increase revenue no matter what,”
former deputy commerce and industry minister Sulaiman Bin Shah told AFP.
The
Taliban’s lodestar has always been law and order — albeit on their
ultra-conservative terms — and there are signs Kabul’s coffers have benefitted
from a crackdown on corruption which leeched the US-backed government for 20
years.
Afghanistan
climbed 24 places up Transparency International’s corruption perception ranking
last year, a rare case of a metric improving for the country.
“Afghanistan
has that capacity, which now we are collecting,” said finance ministry
spokesman Ahmad Wali Haqmal. “The main problem was the corruption.”
But
analyst Torek Farhadi sees it another way.
“They
are more effective because people are scared of them,” he said. “The Taliban
have an iron grip on the administration. They have the guns, and nobody can
steal any money.”
Taliban
transforming from insurgents to bureaucrats
The
Taliban’s transition from insurgents to bureaucrats is not entirely surprising.
During
their 20-year guerilla war, they established a shadow government in many areas
they controlled, including courts, regional governors and a tax system to fill
their war chest.
Afghanistan’s
customs director Abdul Matin Saeed once ran shadow toll booths for the
insurgency in Farah province, bordering Iran, and Balkh, bordering Uzbekistan,
roving the territory on raspy motorbikes to evade capture.
“We
didn’t have complete control over the roads … but still we were meeting our
ends,” he told AFP.
This
experience was “very handy” when the republic fell and he took office in Kabul,
he says.
The
government’s ability to raise revenue has far-reaching implications.
The
international community has pressured the regime over restrictions on women’s
rights with financial sanctions, but their ability to raise domestic revenue
grants them greater independence.
It
also presents a dilemma for donors — does providing humanitarian support free
up the Taliban administration to pursue discretionary aims such as quashing
dissent?
But
perhaps the most glaring issue is the lack of clarity over how all this cash is
spent.
Last
year, the Taliban government issued an annual budget outlining 231 billion
Afghanis of spending, but scant further detail.
Source:
Firstpost
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Mideast
Israel’s
Benjamin Netanyahu flies to Rome as Meloni condemns swastika
09
March ,2023
Far-right
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni condemned antisemitic graffiti directed at her
main rival on Thursday, ahead of a visit to Italy by Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, his first since Meloni’s victory last year.
The
graffiti, which included a swastika, appeared on a wall in the city of Viterbo
and was directed at Elly Schlein, the new leader of the opposition Democratic
Party. Schlein, whose American father is Jewish, has been the target of
antisemitic attacks throughout her political career.
In
a statement, Meloni expressed solidarity with Schlein, calling her a victim of
a “shameful and indecent act,” and saying the “offensive” graffiti “is to be
condemned with absolute firmness.”
Her
office issued the statement as Netanyahu was heading to Italy on Thursday to
meet with Meloni, hoping to leave behind one of Israel’s worst domestic
political crises but facing the potential for protests in Rome as well.
Netanyahu’s
planned overhaul of the judiciary has sparked two months of nationwide
protests, with opposition surging and business leaders saying the overhaul will
be ruinous for the country.
Netanyahu
and his allies say the powers of the country's unelected judiciary must be
curbed. His opponents say the changes will destroy the country's system of
checks and balances and push it toward authoritarianism. They also say
Netanyahu, on trial on corruption charges, has a conflict of interest.
The
Israeli leader was forced to travel by helicopter to the Tel Aviv airport
Thursday to catch his flight to Rome after protesters blocked his route to the
airport. After arriving in Rome, he is to visit the Jewish Museum in Rome’s
ghetto and meet with the city’s Jewish community.
In
a brief statement before taking off, Netanyahu said rallying international
pressure against Iran's nuclear program was the main goal of his meeting with
Meloni. He also expressed hope that that a compromise could be reached with his
domestic opponents on the judicial overhaul.
Protests
against his judicial overhaul were planned for Friday in Rome, according to the
Saving Israeli Democracy group.
Pro-Palestinian
protesters also planned a demonstration Thursday to denounce recent Israeli
operations against Palestinians that have amounted to the worst violence in the
occupied West Bank in years.
In
an interview published Thursday in Rome daily La Repubblica, Netanyahu said the
protests were evidence of the strength of Israel’s democracy.
He
said that during his visit he hoped to improve relations with Italy, including
on the economic front, and suggested Israel could provide Italy with natural
gas as Italy seeks to diversify its energy imports to reduce reliance on
Russia.
Asked
about the neo-fascist roots of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, Netanyahu said
he paid attention to whether such political forces “have learned the lessons of
history.”
“I
have no doubt that Meloni and other leaders of her party have learned it, as
they clearly condemn antisemitism and anti-Zionism. This is fundamental,” he
said.
Meloni,
whose right-wing coalition won national elections in September, has made
several gestures reaching out to the Jewish community amid questions about her
party, which has its roots in the post-World War II neo-fascist Italian Social
Movement. She has repeatedly spoken out against antisemitism and met with
members of the Jewish community.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Nuclear
Iran would change history, Netanyahu tells TV labelled ‘terrorist’ by Tehran
10
March ,2023
“History
will change” if Iran becomes a nuclear-armed state, Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu warned in an interview with a Persian-language TV network
that Tehran has labelled a “terrorist organization.”
In
an interview Iran International TV aired on Thursday, Netanyahu said that that
the prospect of a regime “committed to the destruction” of his country
possessing nuclear weapons was unthinkable.
“Imagine
if they have the weapons of the greatest terror, nuclear weapons with which
they can hold the entire world hostage. So I say to Western leaders, to world
leaders: history will change if Iran [gets] nuclear weapons,” he said.
In
November, Iran’s Intelligence Minister described Iran International as a
“terrorist organization.” The station announced last month that it would
relocate from London to Washington on the advice of UK police, citing alleged
threats from Iran.
“The
imperative now is to free the Iranian people, both for their own sake but also
for our common security,” the Israeli leader said. “We cannot let this radical
Islamic terrorist regime that oppresses its people [and] terrorizes everyone
else have the weapons of mass death. This will change history and we have to
stop it before it happens.”
Netanyahu
called for “crippling sanctions” against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC) and for a “credible military response and a military threat against the
potential development of nuclear weapons” by Iran.
He
warned that if the Islamic Republic acquired nuclear weapons, it would feel
“invulnerable” and seek to “buy immunity” from being overthrown.
“Once
they have nuclear weapons … they’ll feel that they’re there forever. And one of
the things that they want through the acquisition of nuclear weapons is … to be
able to be free from the threat of being deposed. They think they’ll buy immunity,”
he said.
This
week, the US, Britain, France and Germany expressed concern over Iran’s
production of uranium enriched to 84 percent purity, just under the 90 percent
needed to produce a nuclear bomb, and called for an explanation from Iran.
Tehran
insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only and that it has not
attempted to enrich uranium beyond 60 percent purity.
Diplomatic
efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, which
Netanyahu opposes, have stalled since last year.
The
2015 deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, offered
Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. Netanyahu
believes the deal is too generous to Tehran.
Former
US President Donald Trump, who also thought the deal was too soft on Iran,
withdrew Washington from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sweeping sanctions on
Tehran.
Iran
responded by expanding its nuclear program, breaching most of the deal’s
restrictions.
Grossi
comments ‘totally wrong’
Netanyahu
criticized comments made by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) Rafael Grossi, who during a visit to Tehran earlier this month said that
any military attack on nuclear facilities would be considered illegal.
“(Grossi)
said something totally wrong and inappropriate. There is nothing more
legitimate than preventing a regime that openly calls for your destruction from
having the weapons to achieve that goal,” said Netanyahu.
“We
will maintain our right to defend ourselves and in so doing defend many others,
including the people of Iran,” he added.
He
said that whether there will be a direct military conflict between Israel and
Iran depends on Tehran.
Netanyahu
added that the recent protest movement in Iran had “unmasked the true nature”
of the Iranian regime, which he described as the “common enemy” of Iranians and
Israelis. He expressed the hope that a different government in Tehran would
lead to a friendship between Israel and Iran “surpass[ing] anything that we can
imagine.”
Iran
experienced months of protests following the death in police custody of Mahsa
Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman who died on September 16 shortly
after her arrest by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly breaching the
country’s strict dress rules for women.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Tel
Aviv Attack: 3 Injured; Calls for De-escalation ahead of Passover, Ramadan
Ignored
MARCH
10, 2023
Three
people were shot and wounded in Tel Aviv on Thursday in an attack carried out
by a member of the armed wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, Israeli police
said.
The
shooting took place at about 8:40 pm (1840 GMT) on Dizengoff Avenue, a popular
nightlife spot in the centre of Tel Aviv, where a Palestinian attack killed
three people in April 2022.
“The
three victims of today’s attack in Tel Aviv are still alive, correcting the
earlier statement that one of them had been declared dead," Israeli police
spokesman Dean Elsdunne told AFP.
In
a statement, Hamas said the attack had been carried out by a member of its
armed wing.
Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on an official visit to Rome, wished “a
speedy recovery to the injured" in a brief televised statement.
Israeli
police said a suspect had shot at a pedestrian before being neutralised by
officers.
“I
heard gunshots and saw people running away. I immediately loaded my gun and ran
towards" the scene, David Friedmann, a police officer who helped shoot the
assailant, told AFP.
At
one point, “I fired three rounds at him, [a colleague] also fired three rounds,
and when he fell, he was shot again so he wouldn’t get up again," he
added.
Israel’s
Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir congratulated “the police officer
who, in a courageous act, eliminated the heinous terrorist and saved many
lives".
The
Magen David Adom emergency response service said the three wounded had been
rushed to hospital.
“We
evacuated the three with gunshot wounds, one of them in critical condition, one
seriously wounded, and one lightly wounded," Magen David Adom director Eli
Bin told Israel’s Kan television.
‘DE-ESCALATE’
On
Thursday, three armed Palestinians were killed in an Israeli military operation
in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
Several
Palestinian armed groups had called on Tuesday for revenge for the recent
deaths of six Palestinians in an Israeli army raid in the northern West Bank.
During
a brief visit to Tel Aviv on Thursday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called
for “the need to de-escalate, to lower tensions and to restore calm, especially
before the holidays of Passover and Ramadan."
In
Beitar Illit, a Jewish settlement in the West Bank southwest of Jerusalem, the
army said bomb disposal experts had detonated a suspicious package found on a
bus Thursday evening.
Source:
News18
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Iran's
Intelligence Ministry: Root Causes of Some Schoolgirl Poisonings Incidents
Discovered
2023-March-9
The
ministry of intelligence issued a statement on Wednesday night, assuring the
Iranian nation that it will make all-out efforts to complete the ongoing probe
into recent health problems of schoolgirls.
The
statement emphasized that the intelligence ministry will provide the Iranian
people with the results of investigations on different issues.
"On
the health problems of some schoolgirls at some schools throughout Iran in
recent weeks, the officers of the ministry kicked off investigating on the
issue from the beginning in Qom city and the investigations have been used by
other related entities," the statement read.
"However,
the root causes of certain previous incidents were discovered, but the results
cannot be generalized to all other cases; so, an interval is needed to reach
precise results," it added.
Following
the strong decree by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed
Ali Khamenei on the follow-up of the school incidents, as well as President Ebrahim
Rayeesi’s presence in the intelligence ministry, the country's forces assure
that they will use all equipment and technical capabilities in order to
finalize the probe into the incidents, according to the statement.
The
intelligence agents have been facing several challenges and complicated cases
so far, and they made all-out efforts and sacrifices to stand against
insecurity,it said.
The
Iranian Intelligence Ministry also urged the Iranian people, especially parents
of the students not to pay attention to foreign media hype and propaganda,
which try to disturb tranquility of the Iranian society, it added.
The
Iranian Interior Minister has reported that the country's security agents have
detained several individuals in connection with the mysterious poisonings of
female students.
Hundreds
of cases of respiratory distress have been reported in the past months among
Iranian schoolgirls in several cities, with some needing hospital treatment. In
most cases, students suffered respiratory problems, nausea, fatigue and
dizziness.
Mohammad
Hassan Asafari, a member of the parliamentary fact-finding committee, has
confirmed that around 230 schools in 25 out of Iran’s 31 provinces have been
affected, and that more than 5,000 schoolgirls and boys have been poisoned.
On
Monday, Ayatollah Khamenei called on Iranian officials to seriously investigate
the case, and urged authorities to hand the perpetrators behind the heinous
crime the severest punishment possible.
The
Leader described the poison attacks affecting hundreds of girls at schools
across several cities in Iran as "a major and unforgivable crime".
"If
it is proved that the students were poisoned, the perpetrators of this crime
should be severely punished," he underlined.
The
Supreme Leader underscored that “no amnesty” will be offered to such people.
Denouncing
the mysterious poisoning cases across Iran as a "crime and an inhumane
act" committed by the enemies, President Rayeesi has also called for
accurate and timely information on the incidents.
Iran's
president warned on Sunday that the act is “another link in the chain of the
enemy’s plots” which has been carried out to create chaos in the country,
manipulate public opinion, and instill fear among the students.
The
chief executive said the enemy, as part of a psychological war, is “seeking to
create stress and anxiety among students and parents so that chaos is formed”.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Hamas
gunman wounds three in Tel Aviv attack before police kill him
09
March ,2023
A
Palestinian gunman opened fire in Tel Aviv on Thursday, wounding three people
before being killed by police in what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
labelled a “terror attack” amid rising unrest in the West Bank.
The
militant group Hamas claimed the shooter, a 23-year-old from the occupied West
Bank, as a member.
Police
cordoned off a corner of Dizengoff street in the city center where the attack
took place. A restaurant was empty after customers apparently fled mid-meal,
Reuters footage showed.
Medics
treated the wounded on the sidewalk nearby.
The
shooting followed a spate of attacks by Palestinians around Jerusalem and in
the West Bank that have killed 13 Israelis and a Ukrainian woman since late
January.
Over
the past year, Israeli forces have made thousands of arrests in the West Bank
and killed more than 200 Palestinians, including both fighters and civilians.
More than 40 Israelis have died in attacks by Palestinians over the same
period.
“There
has been another terror attack in the heart of Tel Aviv tonight,” Netanyahu
said after being updated on events during a visit to Italy.
“We
strengthen the security forces and the police who are fighting terrorists this
night and every night.”
West
Bank gunbattle
Earlier
on Thursday, Israeli forces killed three gunmen from the militant Islamic Jihad
group in a gunbattle in the West Bank. Hamas said the Tel Aviv shooting was a
response to that.
“The
heroic operation is a natural response to the crimes conducted by the
occupation,” Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said.
The
three hurt by the Tel Aviv shooting were rushed to hospital, one in serious
condition. Police officers killed the assailant, according to Israel's national
security minister.
The
attack came hours after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ended a brief visit
to Israel where he called on all sides to de-escalate the violence.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Israel’s
president says government should abandon proposed judiciary overhaul
09
March ,2023
Israeli
President Isaac Herzog said on Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s government should abandon proposed legislation to overhaul the
country’s judiciary in favor of a model with broad national support.
The
government’s proposal has sparked mass protests across Israel and Herzog has
been mediating between the sides.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Italy
minister backs Israeli call to recognize Jerusalem as capital
09
March ,2023
Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he would ask Italy to
recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the country, obtaining immediate support
from Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.
Netanyahu,
who is facing protests at home against his government’s plan to overhaul the
Israeli judiciary, arrives in Italy on Thursday for a three-day visit. He will
meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday.
“I
believe the time has come for Rome to recognize Jerusalem as the ancestral
capital of the Jewish people for three thousand years, as the United States did
with a gesture of great friendship,” Netanyahu said in an interview with
Italy’s la Repubblica newspaper.
Israel
claims Jerusalem as its capital but it is not recognized as such by most
countries and its status under international law is disputed pending a
resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Salvini,
who leads the rightist ruling League party, immediately backed Netanyahu’s
call. “I firmly say yes to Jerusalem capital of Israel, in the name of peace,
history and truth,” he posted on Twitter.
In
an interview with Reuters in August last year, before she became prime
minister, Meloni was more cautious, saying she had no plans to follow the US
decision to shift its embassy to Jerusalem.
“It
is a diplomatic matter and should be evaluated together with the Foreign
Ministry,” Meloni said.
The
Israeli parliament passed a law in 1980 declaring the “complete and united”
city of Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel. The United Nations regards East
Jerusalem as occupied, and the city’s status as disputed until resolved by
negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem as
the capital of a future Palestinian state.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Israeli
reservist colonel dismissed over judicial reform protest
09
March ,2023
The
Israeli air force said on Thursday that it had dismissed a reservist officer in
the military for trying to orchestrate group walkouts from training flights as
part of a spreading protest at judicial reforms planned by the government.
In
its first disciplinary measure during the political crisis roiling Israel, the
military said in a statement that the colonel, whose name as not been
published, “behaved ... in a manner unbecoming of his officer’s rank and
station.”
Separately,
air force chief Major-General Tomer Bar said the colonel “took upon himself
inappropriate authority in his contact with the IAF pilots. Unionizing to
synchronize absence from service, though coming from good intentions, is
forbidden.”
Thirty-seven
reservist pilots and navigators from an F-15 squadron said on Sunday they would
skip a training day to “devote our time to dialogue and reflection for the sake
of democracy and national unity.”
Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition plans changes to the
judiciary that would include curbing Supreme Court powers. Netanyahu says this
will restore balance between branches of government but critics see it as an
effort to hollow out judicial independence.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Europe
William
and Kate visit Muslim centre and praise fundraising by ‘amazing’ community
By
Victoria Ward
9
March 2023
The
Prince and Princess of Wales have praised an “amazing” community that raised
£30,000 for families left homeless after the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
The
couple visited a Muslim centre in Hayes, west London, to meet aid workers
recently returned from the disaster zone and thank those involved in the
fundraising effort.
Lead
fundraiser, Zia Rehman, said they had broken their own 30-year fundraising
record.
“Within
two hours we were able to raise £18,000,” he said.
“Normally
it is anything between £10,000 and £12,000. But this time the community came
forward amazingly. Altogether we have raised £30,000 for Turkey and Syria.”
Prince
William was so impressed that he joked he would like to recruit them himself,
telling Mr Rehman: “It is amazing. About £100 million has been raised in the
first two weeks.”
He
asked: “When you do this community fundraising, what are you saying to the
community? A lot of people have got relatives in some of these areas?”
Mr
Rehman told him: “We have a mixed community. When we fundraise, it is not only
for the Muslims. When we have a cause, the community will just come forward.”
The
Princess, who wore an Alexander McQueen black pleated dress and a black and
white headscarf, said: “It shows the strength of the community when you are
coming together and supporting each other.”
In
a lighter moment, the couple joined two schoolgirls who made hundreds of
origami cranes to raise funds for the appeal – and guided the royals as they
created the birds from paper.
Dila
Haya, 14, and Lina Alkutubi, 15, made 700 cranes - a symbol of hope - as part
of a fundraising effort by Waldegrave School in Twickenham which raised
£10,000.
Dila
told the Prince and Princess: “It is really important to fold cranes together,
because it means that the more people fold one crane together, the more power
they have.”
Source:
Telegraph UK
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Manchester
Mosque Attended By Suicide Bomber Salman Abedi Investigated By Charity Watchdog
By
Jack Hardy
9
March 2023
The
mosque attended by the Manchester Arena bomber is to be investigated by the
charity watchdog.
The
public inquiry into the atrocity last week concluded that Didsbury Mosque had
played down its links to Salman Abedi and showed a “wilful blindness” to
support within its congregation for the conflict in Libya.
Sir
John Saunders also found that the evidence of Fawzi Haffar, the mosque’s
chairman, was “unreliable” and that the mosque suffered from “weak leadership”.
The
Charity Commission has now announced it is “actively considering” the findings
of the inquiry and has “opened a regulatory compliance case to assess concerns
raised” about Didsbury Mosque.
A
spokesman said the watchdog had previously met with trustees at the mosque and
consequently issued “advice and guidance”, as well as an action plan to improve
its management and administration, with which it complied.
Sir
John’s third and final report into the suicide bombing, which left 22 dead in
May 2017, examined Abedi’s links within the local community and attendance at
two mosques in Manchester.
While
it found that the Al-Furqan Mosque “played no part in the radicalisation” of
Abedi or his brother Hashem, the picture at Didsbury was “more complicated” and
there were areas for improvement.
The
report said that Mohammed El-Saeti, a former imam, was “generally truthful and
reliable” but that Fawzi Haffar, the mosque’s chairman, was “unreliable and, at
some points, his evidence lacked credibility”.
Sir
John noted: “My impression was of a man who was describing what he wished the
position had been, rather than what it in fact was.”
Mr
Haffar had claimed that Abedi had rarely attended the mosque since he was a
child and only discovered after the attack that the attacker’s father had
previously held a call to prayer at the mosque.
However,
Sir John said that Mr Haffar had “tended to downplay the strength of the links
between the Abedi family and Didsbury Mosque in the years leading up to the
attack” and that he was satisfied the Abedi brothers had attended the mosque
for a “lengthy period”.
Sir
John said that he accepted evidence Abedi gave El-Saeti a “hateful look”
following a sermon criticising the Islamic State and al Qaeda in Libya.
His
family had joined a campaign for the imam to be sacked, which the inquiry said
“demonstrates the strength of connection between the Abedis and the mosque” and
how the political situation in Libya was “a prominent issue within its
premises”.
A
video from July 2015 of a meeting in the mosque, later seized by police, showed
Abedi’s father Ramadan playing a “prominent role”, but Mr Haffar said he could
not identify the person involved.
“This
footage represents strong evidence linking the Abedi family to Didsbury
Mosque,” the inquiry said.
“Even
if it is the case that in the immediate aftermath of the attack, the leadership
of Didsbury Mosque did not have an understanding of the strength of the Abedi
family’s links to the mosque, in the course of engaging with the Inquiry the
leadership should have investigated matters more thoroughly and provided a more
complete and accurate account of the Abedis’ connection.”
Following
the report’s publication, the mosque said in the statement it did not agree
with many of the inquiry’s conclusions.
Source:
Telegraph UK
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Swedish
parliament postpones new anti-terror bill to May
Atila
Altuntas, Mehmet Solmaz
09.03.2023
An
anti-terror legislation that was scheduled to pass in the Swedish parliament on
Thursday has been postponed till May 3. The government initially planned the
law to go into force on June 1.
According
to Swedish media, the new counterterrorism bill will target the financing,
aiding and propagation of terrorist groups. Traveling abroad to join or assist
a terrorist group will also be penalized if the law goes into effect.
Speaking
to Anadolu, Swedish parliament's press secretary Carina Larrson said the
legislation is being seen by the Justice Committee.
Commenting
on the government’s previous announcements that the law will be voted on March
7, and then on March 9 with a two-day delay, Carina said the government plans do
not always match with the working schedule of the parliament.
Speaking
to reporters following a meeting with the NATO Secretary-General Jens
Stoltenberg in Stockholm, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Sweden would
fulfill its commitments towards Türkiye once the bill passes the parliament.
In
order to approve its NATO membership bid, Ankara demands the Nordic country to
take concrete actions to combat terrorist groups PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist
Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt in
Türkiye.
Sweden
passed an anti-terror law last November, hoping that Ankara would approve
Stockholm’s bid to join the transatlantic alliance. Türkiye says that the
adopted laws were not sufficient enough and nothing much had been done to stop
the activities of the terrorist groups.
While
Türkiye was unsatisfied with the vague approach of Sweden, Ankara postponed a
trilateral meeting after Swedish authorities allowed a Danish far-right
politician to burn a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm
on Jan. 21.
The
talks then restarted with a foreign ministerial-level meeting in Brussels on
Thursday. Stockholm reiterated its determination to take the steps required
under a trilateral memorandum signed in June by Sweden, Finland, and Türkiye
during a NATO Summit held in Madrid.
In
the face of criticism, Sweden's chief negotiator for NATO accession Oscar
Stenstrom recently told Anadolu that their stance on terrorism is no longer the
same.
"Yes,
we have changed. And we have realized better the security concerns of Türkiye.
This will also improve the security of Sweden.
"Sweden
should and will never be a safe haven for any terrorist, and that's why we're
also increasing our cooperation between our security services. We're dedicating
more funds to these services and defense. We will be happy to cooperate
together in NATO," Stenstrom said.
Türkiye
has provided a list of wanted individuals to Sweden and is expecting the
Scandinavian nation to take swift action to show that its demands are being
truly realized. However, none of the convicts had been handed over to Türkiye
yet.
Turkish
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu recently said he acknowledges Sweden made
changes to its laws on terrorism and is also pledging to pass a new bill, but
what Türkiye demands is a concrete action.
"There
are pledges (by Sweden and Finland) to NATO membership. It is not possible for
us to say 'yes' to Sweden's NATO membership without seeing these steps.
Everyone should see clearly that Sweden, particularly, is not fulfilling its
obligations. That's the reason why we said 'yes' for the meeting to be held in
Brussels,” Cavusoglu said.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/swedish-parliament-postpones-new-anti-terror-bill-to-may/2841513
--------
Africa
Boko
Haram kills 26 in surprise attacks in Nigeria’s northeast
Olanrewaju
Kola
10.03.2023
MAIDUGURI.
Nigeria
At
least 26 people have been killed in surprise attacks by Boko Haram terrorists
in Nigeria’s volatile northeastern state of Borno, police said Thursday.
Borno
Police Commissioner Abdu Umar told reporters the terrorists carried out
separate attacks on a police base in the town of Magumeri and on dozens of
fishermen in the town of Dikwa in Borno, which was once captured by Boko Haram.
"In
Dikwa, Boko Haram killed 25 fishermen. One person was also injured," said
Umar.
He
said a large number of terrorists attacked a police special team in Magumeri,
some 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the scene of the first incident.
"Boko
Haram attacked our location. They were in large number. We exchanged fire with
them. We lost one of our men, but the attack was repelled," he said.
He
said a police patrol vehicle stolen by the terrorists was recovered through the
intervention of the military forces in the area.
The
fishermen in Dikwa were scavenging for metal and iron from houses destroyed in
previous attacks by terrorists in remote villages in the area for fishing tools
when Boko Haram ambushed them.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Insightful
Comments: Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs Wades In, Asks Security
Agencies to Be Decisive
By
Waliat Musa
10
March 2023
The
Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of
its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III,
has advised Nigerians to refrain from inciteful comments and threats to life
over the just concluded 2023 presidential elections.
In
a statement, yesterday, by Deputy Secretary-General and Director of
Administration of the group, Prof. Salisu Shehu and Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu,
he warned those making inflaming comments to desist, stressing that Nigeria
remains an indivisible nation.
The
group commended the leadership and officials of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) for professionalism in the conduct of the
elections. It noted innovations introduced by the Commission, especially use of
the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), though there were daunting
challenges experienced.
According
to the group, the display of professionalism has not only improved the
electoral process but also added to credibility of the results. It said there
has been outpouring of commendations by members of the public, including
non-governmental organisations and international bodies.
According
to the statement, the level of unwarranted provocation and unnecessary heating
up of the polity is worrisome and capable of creating disunity and threatening
the security of the nation. It appealed to all Nigerians to exercise decorum,
be peaceful, prayerful and law-abiding in the face of current unwarranted
provocations.
The
group called on politicians who feel aggrieved by the outcome of the elections
to seek redress through appropriate legal channels, as provided for in the
Electoral Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, rather
than resort to violence and unlawful acts.
The
statement reads in part: “The Council has observed with serious concern the
high level of unsubstantiated claims, threats and incitement emanating from
certain quarters of the country, especially from people who ought to be
preachers of peace and serve as moral compass for the society, consequent to
the declaration of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as
winner of the 2023 presidential election.
“The
Council appeals to all Nigerians to exercise decorum, be peaceful, prayerful
and law-abiding in the face of the current unwarranted provocations. It also
calls on security agencies to be proactive and rise to their responsibilities
by decisively dealing with unlawful utterances and actions of such elements and
individuals, no matter their status, who have continued to fan the embers of
disunity and discord in the country. ”
Source:
Guardian Nigeria
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Muslim
groups congratulate President-elect, Tinubu
By
Shakirah Adunola
10
March 2023
ANSAR-UD-DEEN
Society of Nigeria, The Companion (Association of Muslim men in business and
professions) and the Chief Imam of Lagos State have congratulated the
President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his victory in the Presidential
election.
The
groups felicitated with all Nigerians on the successful conduct of the
Presidential and National Assembly elections, especially for their doggedness
and resilience while the results of the polls were being awaited.
The
Ansar-Ud-Deen Society, in a statement signed by ADS National Publicity
Secretary, Muhammed Sola Hassan, appealed to those who were unable to win to
remain calm and be conscious of the fact that we have no other country but
Nigeria.
“It
is not uncommon that elections do bring dissatisfaction and grievances even in
advanced democracies, but such dissatisfaction and grievances are pursued
within the ambits of the law and our own should not be different, so as not to
breed unintended consequences, which may be detrimental to the continued
survival of Nigeria,” the group stated.
It
urged political stakeholders to be careful and exercise caution in their
behaviours and utterances in the interest of a peaceful transition of political
power.
“We
equally appeal to all our politicians to extend an olive branch to their
counterparts across the divide, sue for peace to allow for monumental
development of the country.”
The
group congratulated INEC for its efforts so far and implored it to muster
courage and determination to ensure the successful completion of all the
electoral processes. “We also appeal to them to continue doing everything
humanly possible to improve the election processes.
“We,
especially congratulate the president-elect and urge him to put machinery in
motion to reconcile with all aggrieved contestants to move the country forward
as there is strength in unity.
“On
this note, we are of the firm belief that the most important issues confronting
the country are economic and security issues. We pray that Almighty Allah will
help the president-elect and his team to achieve the aspirations of all
Nigerians, as we hope for a better country for us and generations yet unborn,”
the group said.
A
statement issued by The National Amir of Companion, Engr. Kamil Olalekan and
the General Secretary, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir said Nigerians no doubt
deserve commendation for resisting all diabolical attempts at aborting the country’s
democratic process amidst calls for cancellation of the process by some
disgruntled elements.
The
Companion, however, saluted the courage mustered by the outgoing President,
Muhammadu Buhari to carry out electoral reforms, which culminated in the introduction
of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the bravery of the
Chairman of the Independent NationalElectoral Commission (INEC) to complete the
collation exercise in the face of intimidation, threats and insults.
“We
advise parties dissatisfied with outcome to explore the constitutional
mechanism to redress their grievances instead of resulting to self-help,”
Olalekan said.
While
extolling the virtues and hands of fellowship extended by Tinubu to his
co-contestants Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr Peter Obi and Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso
among others, the Muslim group enjoins them and indeed all Nigerians to rally
round the president-elect in the determination to reposition the country for
renewed hope for a secured and economically viable nation.
The
group reiterated that since it is only Allaah that enthrones leadership, it is
expedient for Tinubu to be magnanimous in victory while his co-contestants in
the election concede defeat in the spirit of sportsmanship.
It
said: “We urged all Nigerians from all political zones of the country to
cooperate with, and support the chosen one, to engender mass determination for
even national development.”
The
Companion urges the president-elect to consider competence, national spread and
adequate youth representation in the composition of his cabinet, while praying
to Almighty Allah to grant him the strength and wisdom to actualise the
‘Renewed Hope” slogan adopted in his electioneering campaign.
The
Chief Imam of Lagos State, Sheikh Sulaimon Oluwatoyin Abou-Nolla, said Tinubu’s
victory was a reward for long years of hard work and consistency in pursuing a
worthy goal.
According
to him, Tinubu’s emergence should excite Nigerians because his presidency would
impact positively the socio-economic development of the country.
Tinubu,
he said, has good exposure to how to improve the Internally Generated Revenue
(IGR) without inconveniencing the downtrodden.
He
urged Nigerians,especially the political class to join hands with him to move
the country forward.
Sheikh
Sulaimon beseeched Allah to grant Tinubu the wisdom, guidance, strength and
courage to deliver on his promises.
The
Lagos Chief Imam, however, enjoined the president-elect to select those who
would work with him carefully, adding that his appointees could make or mar his
administration.
Source:
Guardian Nigeria
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://guardian.ng/features/friday-worship/muslim-groups-congratulate-president-elect-tinubu/
--------
Tunisia’s
President Saied scraps post-revolution city councils
09
March ,2023
Tunisian
President Kais Saied on Thursday moved to dissolve the country’s elected
municipal councils, seen as a key democratic gain after the 2011 revolt that
sparked the Arab Spring.
Saied
sacked the government in a 2021 power grab, and has since scrapped the
post-revolution constitution, neutered parliament and seized far-reaching
executive powers in what opponents say is a return to autocracy.
In
a video published overnight into Thursday, Saied said a bill would soon be
examined to “dissolve all local council and replace them with special
delegations.”
The
mandate of some 350 sitting mayors and municipal councilors was to expire in
late April, theoretically meaning an election would take place.
The
current councils were the product of a 2018 election won by independent lists
and the Ennahdha party - which has dominated Tunisian politics since the revolution
and is Saied’s arch-enemy.
Many
councils have since seen bitter internal power struggles and by-elections.
In
the video Saied said the country would “continue to march towards victory,”
before accusing his critics of “playing the victim.”
“Today
they demonstrate freely and claim there is tyranny as they march under police
protection,” he said, referring to recent anti-government protests during which
the police was deployed.
More
than 20 political figures have been arrested in the North African country in
recent weeks, mainly outspoken opponents of Saied.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Facing
uproar, Tunisian president denies he’s stoking racism
March
09, 2023
TUNIS:
Tunisia’s president has rejected accusations that he is stoking anti-Black
racism, saying that he has sub-Saharan African friends and that his comments
last month targeting migrants were misinterpreted by his enemies.
President
Kais Saied drew international criticism and concern with those comments, in
which he ordered a crackdown on sub-Saharan African migrants and lashed out at
a perceived plot to erase Tunisia’s identity. The comments fanned racist abuse
targeting Black people in Tunisia, and prompted some African countries to
evacuate their citizens.
On
Wednesday evening, at a meeting with the president of Guinea-Bissau, Saied
denounced what he called a “malicious interpretation’’ of his comments, and
issued a “blatant denial’’ that he is racist.
“I
am African, and proud to be so,” he said in televised comments. He said some of
his family members are married to sub-Saharan Africans and that he had friends
in law school who were Africans. He also described Africans as “brothers.’’
He
stuck by his call for a crackdown on illegal migration, however, and did not
say anything to curb racist sentiment that has surged online and in the
country’s streets.
And
as Tunisian authorities have stepped up arrests of migrants without residency
documents in recent weeks, Saied insisted that they are just upholding the law.
Saied
has consolidated power and dismantled democratic gains in Tunisia since 2021,
and in recent weeks several opposition figures have been arrested.
Both
the European Union and the United States have voiced their concern about
Saied’s position toward migrants and said they were closely watching
developments.
The
World Bank earlier this week advised its staff that it was temporarily pausing
its Country Partnership Framework with Tunisia — one aspect of its work with
the North African country, citing its “core values of inclusion, respect and
anti-racism in all shapes and forms.”
More
than 100 migrants are camped outside the International Organization for
Migration office in Tunisia. The UN agency said Wednesday it is working
non-stop to help them.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2265846/middle-east
--------
14
dead, 54 rescued off Tunisia in migrant boat sinking
March
10, 2023
TUNIS,
Tunisia: At least 14 Africans died and 54 were rescued when a boat in which
they were trying to reach Europe sank off the coast of Tunisia, the Tunisian
National Guard said Thursday.
The
14 bodies were recovered overnight in the Mediterranean Sea off Tunisia’s
central Sfax region, National Guard spokesperson Houssameddine Jbabli told the
Associated Press. The National Guard said the migrants were from sub-Saharan
Africa but did not release their nationalities.
On
the same night, coast guard vessels thwarted 14 other boats carrying a total of
435 migrants attempting a similar journey from central and southern regions of
Tunisia, Jbabli said.
People
fleeing conflict or poverty routinely take boats from Tunisian shores toward
Europe, even though the central Mediterranean is the most dangerous migration
route in the world, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Many are from sub-Saharan Africa, but Tunisians and people of other
nationalities are also among those risking the journey.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2265921/middle-east
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Kenya’s
opposition leader declares nationwide protests against President Ruto
Andrew
Wasike
10.03.2023
NAIROBI,
Kenya
Kenya's
opposition leader Raila Odinga on Thursday announced the start of nationwide
protests against President William Ruto.
The
move comes after Odinga's 14-day ultimatum to the government to reduce the cost
of living and open the 2022 presidential election servers lapsed Wednesday at
midnight.
Speaking
to hundreds of his supporters Thursday, Odinga launched the Movement for
Defense of Democracy (MDD), an initiative he said was aimed at challenging the
current regime.
“We
have launched peaceful campaigns of defiance, peaceful picketing, protests,
boycotts, strikes, disobedience, petitions, sit-ins and peaceful
demonstrations, and it starts now,” he said.
He
expressed disappointment with Ruto's administration, accusing it of failing to
deliver on its election promises, thereby subjecting Kenyans to economic
hardship.
The
opposition leader said the planned protests would be peaceful but warned that
his supporters would not be intimidated.
He
declared March 20 as the date for the "mother of all protests," which
is expected to bring the country to a standstill.
The
announcement of the protests has caused jitters in the country, with businesses
and ordinary citizens fearing for their safety.
Some
have expressed concerns that the demonstrations could escalate into violence,
as has been witnessed in the past.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
North America
US
targets ‘shadow banking’ network helping Iran evade sanctions
10
March ,2023
The
United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on 39 entities that Washington said
facilitate Iran’s access to the global financial system, describing them as a
“shadow banking” network that moves billions of dollars.
The
US Treasury Department in a statement said those targeted had granted companies
previously slapped with Iran-related sanctions, such as Persian Gulf
Petrochemical Industry Commercial Co (PGPICC) and Triliance Petrochemical Co
Ltd, access to the international financial system and helped them hide their
trade with foreign customers.
The
latest US move against Iran comes as efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal
have stalled, while ties between the Islamic Republic and the West have become
increasingly strained as Iranians keep up anti-government protests.
Washington
has targeted Chinese companies over the export of Iran’s petrochemicals as the
prospects of reviving the nuclear pact have dimmed.
“Iran
cultivates complex sanctions evasion networks where foreign buyers, exchange
houses, and dozens of front companies cooperatively help sanctioned Iranian
companies to continue to trade,” said Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo.
He
said the new measures showed the US commitment to enforcing sanctions and its
“ability to disrupt Iran’s foreign financial networks, which it uses to launder
funds.”
Liu
Pengyu, spokesman for China’s embassy in Washington said the US actions had no
basis in international law and were “typical unilateral sanctions and illegal
‘long-arm jurisdiction’ that were detrimental to Chinese interests.
“We
deplore and reject this move,” he said, adding China had “actively promoted
peace talks and sought a political solution” in Ukraine, while the United
States “has been fanning the flame and fueling the fight with more weaponry.”
Iran’s
mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.
Thursday’s
move freezes any US assets of those designated and generally bars Americans
from dealing with them. Those that engage in certain transactions with them
also risk being hit by sanctions.
Many
of the entities designated on Thursday are based in the UAE and Hong Kong,
according to the Treasury website. The Treasury accused companies operating out
of Hong Kong - including Foraben Trading Limited, Hongkong Well International
Trading Limited, and Salita Trade Limited - of transferring millions of dollars
related to petrochemical sales to China.
The
Treasury Department’s top sanctions official, Brian Nelson, traveled to the UAE
earlier this year, where he planned to warn officials about “poor sanctions
compliance,” a department spokesperson said at the time.
Nelson
also visited Turkey on the trip to warn that Washington will continue to
aggressively enforce its sanctions.
Among
those designated on Thursday were two Turkey-based entities, as well as
Iran-based Mehr Petrochemical Company.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Pentagon
chief holds talks overshadowed by violence, protests
09
Mar 2023
TEL
AVIV: Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin held talks in Israel today as flaring
violence killed three suspected Palestinian militants and protesters again
rallied against the hard-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Thousands
of Israelis opposed to the government’s controversial legal reform plans
blocked roads in and around Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, forcing an 11th-hour
change of venue for Austin’s talks, throwing an international spotlight on
Israel’s domestic divisions.
Just
hours before Austin’s arrival, three suspected Palestinian militants were shot
dead by undercover agents of Israel’s border police in the occupied West Bank
despite a UN call for restraint to halt the “cycle of violence” that has
gripped the territory this year.
Austin’s
meeting with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant was moved from the defence
ministry in Tel Aviv to near Ben Gurion airport in the face of large protests
at the airport and near the ministry.
Netanyahu
also met the Pentagon chief at the same venue, his office said.
Their
talks came ahead of Netanyahu’s planned departure for Rome later today, which protesters
had sought to obstruct using their vehicles to block access roads to the
airport.
One
of them, Ori Gal, 18, said he was protesting against “the dictatorship emerging
from the sewers” and “threatening Israeli democracy”.
Near
the defence ministry in Tel Aviv, protesters on foot blocked a major
thoroughfare, an AFP photographer reported.
Smaller
demonstrations were taking place at various locations around the country,
forcing Netanyahu to travel to the airport by helicopter instead of by car.
Nine
straight weeks of protests have been held by opponents of the reform plans,
which would give politicians greater power over the courts. They have drawn
tens of thousands of demonstrators who regard the proposals as a threat to
democracy.
Israel’s
far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he had instructed
police to prevent protesters from blocking roads.
“Demonstrate,
yell, it’s a democracy,” he said. “But anarchy won’t be tolerated.
“I
won’t have the lives of 70,000 people ruined,” he said, referring to the
estimated number of passengers booked to depart from the airport on Thursday.
Dozens
of travellers were seen heading to the departures area on foot with their
luggage, weaving their way through the stationary lines of protesters’ cars.
Mounting
West Bank violence
The
mounting violence in the West Bank has coincided with the tenure of Netanyahu’s
coalition government, which took office in December and is regarded as the most
right-wing in Israeli history.
On
Thursday morning, the Palestinian health ministry announced the “martyrdom” of
three men shot by Israeli forces in Jaba, near the flashpoint northern city of
Jenin.
The
health ministry identified the dead men as Sufyan Fakhoury, 26, Ahmed
Fashafsha, 22, and Nayef Malaysha, 25. It did not provide further details.
Israeli
police said special forces accompanied by soldiers had been in Jaba to arrest
suspects involved in shooting attacks against soldiers in the area, including
Fakhoury and Fashafsha.
It
said the pair were operatives of militant group Islamic Jihad.
“During
the operation, shots were fired at the border police undercover officers from
the wanted men’s car. Border police undercover officers responded with fire,
and killed the three armed men in the car,” police said, adding that Malaysha
was also a suspected militant.
“A
number of guns and explosive devices were found in the vehicle,” the police
statement said.
In
a statement, Islamic Jihad condemned Israel for the “heinous assassination” in
Jaba.
A
Tuesday raid by the Israeli military in Jenin left seven Palestinians dead,
including a member of Hamas accused of killing two Israeli settlers last month.
UN
Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland called on both Israel and the
Palestinians Wednesday “to observe calm and restraint”, saying the “cycle of
violence… must be stopped immediately.”
The
Palestinian health ministry identified the seventh fatality from Tuesday’s raid
as Walid Nassar, 14.
Some
observers fear further violence particularly around Jerusalem’s holy sites
during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which begins in late March, and the
Jewish holiday of Passover in April.
Since
the start of the year, the conflict has claimed the lives of 75 Palestinian
adults and children, including militants and civilians.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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--------
Pentagon
chief pushes Netanyahu to reduce anti-Palestinian violence
MOHAMMED
NAJIB
March
09, 2023
RAMALLAH:
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Israeli leaders on Thursday to take
steps to reduce tensions in the occupied West Bank, amid growing worries in
Washington that the situation could distract the allies from their efforts to
counter threats from Iran.
The
Pentagon chief, who is on a regional tour, landed at Ben Gurion Airport for a
visit that had been hastily rescheduled due to a surge in street protests
against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to overhaul the
judiciary.
Hours
earlier, Israeli forces killed three Palestinian militants in the West Bank in
the latest outbreak of violence in the region.
A
Pentagon statement about Austin’s meeting with Netanyahu said: “Secretary
Austin called for a halt in unilateral actions that undermine the enduring goal
of two states, with Palestinians and Israelis enjoying equal measures of
freedom, security, opportunity, justice, and dignity.”
Austin
and Netanyahu’s meeting at the airport lasted for more than an hour.
“Secretary
Austin is perfectly capable of having conversations about both issues [West
Bank and Iran],” a senior US defense official, preferring anonymity, told
Reuters.
However,
the official added that Israel’s preoccupation with the West Bank “detracts
from our ability to focus on what the strategic threat is right now, and that is
Iran’s dangerous nuclear advances and continuing regional and global
aggression.”
Palestinians
in Jenin expressed outrage over the killing of three Palestinians in the
village of Jaba, south of Jenin, early on Thursday.
The
killings brought the number of Palestinians killed by Israelis since the
beginning of the year to 78, including 14 children and a woman, 33 of them from
the Jenin area.
Palestinian
Authority officials and leaders strongly condemned Israel’s belligerence, and
vowed retaliation.
Jenin
Gov. Maj. Gen. Akram Rajoub told Arab News that the aim of the disproportionate
use of force against Jenin was to break Palestinian will and to intimidate
residents in the rest of the cities so that they would not resist the
occupation.
Rajoub
said the Israeli military measures constituted a collective punishment for
Palestinians.
He
added: “The Israelis must realize that no matter how much terror they use
against the Palestinian people, they will not be able to break their will.”
Meanwhile,
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has stressed the importance of
reaching a just solution to the Palestinian cause to achieve stability in the
Middle East.
During
a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart in Moscow, the Saudi
minister praised the Russian position on the Palestinian cause and its
continued support for international resolutions and the Arab peace initiative.
He
said the situation in Palestine was worrying due to the dangerous escalation by
Israel, which made it imperative to search for a way to restore the path of
dialogue to achieve peace.
Palestinian
activists have posted a video of gunmen shooting down a Thor drone during the
Jenin operation.
Palestinian
fighters target Israeli drones in the West Bank, and the Thor flies at low altitudes
to photograph potential target areas.
Israeli
forces last October used more than 20 drones in Al-Yasmina neighborhood, in the
old city of Nablus, to target the Lions’ Den group, resulting in several
casualties.
Separately,
an internal debate is going on among Palestinians about the effectiveness of
their protests against Israel.
Abdul-Muneim
Wahdan, assistant vice president of the Fatah movement, told Arab News that
strikes were an ancient method of protest and no longer effective.
He
said: “It is indeed important to express our anger at the fall of martyrs, but
if these martyrs were alive, they would not be happy to see that we declare a
strike to express our respect for them.
“When
we close the city, we protest against whom? We only punish Palestinian society
and add to its burdens. A strike is no longer an appropriate form of expressing
our anger at the fall of the martyrs.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2265321/middle-east
--------
US
says diplomacy 'won't be our last resort' if Iran reluctant to negotiate over
its nuclear program
Servet
Günerigök
10.03.2023
WASHINGTON
The
US said Thursday that diplomacy is its primary means of halting Iran's nuclear
program but not the last option if Tehran remains reluctant to negotiate over
it.
"Diplomacy
is always going to be our first resort, but if we aren’t met with a willing
partner on the other end, it won’t be our last resort," State Department
spokesman Ned Price told reporters.
"So
we’re always engaged in consultations with allies and partners around the world
about this challenge because it is a challenge that has implications for our
friends around the world," he said.
The
remarks came in response to a question by Anadolu on Israeli Defense Minister
Yoav Gallant's comments during a press conference with US Defense Secretary
Lloyd Austin.
"The
Iranian nuclear threat requires us to be prepared for every course of
action," Gallant said.
Asked
whether the US shares the same assessment, Price said Washington shares the
assessment that Iran’s nuclear program is an urgent challenge.
"We
have a solemn commitment that Iran will never acquire a nuclear weapon. We are
determined to make good on that commitment. We believe the most effective means
by which to fulfill that commitment is through diplomacy," he added.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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--------
US
defense secretary praises Egypt's role in easing Israeli-Palestinian tension
Mohammad
Rajawi
09.03.2023
US
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has hailed Egypt's role in easing tensions
between Israel and Palestinians.
Austin
met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Wednesday as part
of a regional tour that also included Jordan. Egyptian Defense Minister Lt.
Gen. Mohamed Zaki attended the meeting.
During
the meeting, the US defense secretary reaffirmed “the United States' commitment
to the bilateral relationship and exchange views on shared regional and global
security challenges,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
Austin
“praised Egypt's regional and global leadership, in particular thanking the
President for Egypt's role mediating Israeli-Palestinian tensions,” the
statement said.
According
to the statement, talks between the two sides dwelt on developments regarding
"Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, its global economic
consequences, and the threat that this conflict poses to the rules-based
international order.”
“The
Secretary highlighted US solidarity with Egypt in the face of the economic
hardship caused by Russia's brutal, unprovoked, and unjustified war,” it added.
Austin
“emphasized the United States' enduring commitment to the region and reinforced
that progress on fundamental freedoms and human rights further strengthens our
bilateral relationship,” the statement said.
The
Pentagon chief also met with his Egyptian counterpart during which he “praised
Egypt for taking command of the Combined Maritime Forces' Task Force 153, which
focuses on Red Sea security”.
Austin
highlighted the “upcoming combined exercise, BRIGHT STAR 23, as a demonstration
of Egypt's leadership and the strength of continued US-Egypt cooperation to
improve regional security and credible deterrence.”
He
also affirmed “his commitment to enhancing interoperability between US and
Egyptian armed forces,” the statement said.
In
Dec. 2022, Egyptian naval forces assumed new international missions in the Red
Sea, including the Bab al-Mandab and the Gulf of Aden, after assuming command
of Task Force 153 for the first time, which was established by the US in April
2022.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
US
House votes against resolution to pull American troops out of Syria
Rabia
İclal Turan
09.03.2023
By
Rabia İclal Turan
WASHINGTON
(AA) - The US House of Representatives voted Wednesday against a resolution
directing the Biden administration to withdraw all US troops from Syria.
The
war powers resolution was submitted by Florida Republican Matt Gaetz and was
rejected in a 103-321 vote, with 47 Republicans and 56 Democrats voting
"Yes."
The
bill cited section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, directing President Joe
Biden to remove US armed forces from Syria within 180 days after the adoption
of the resolution.
Among
the Republicans who backed Gaetz's resolution were Marjorie Taylor Greene of
Georgia, Andy Biggs of Arizona and Anna Paulina Luna of Florida.
In
his address to the House, Gaetz questioned how Syria has become "the great
platform of great power competition in the world."
Recalling
that security forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad opened fire when
anti-government protests erupted in the country in 2011, he said there were
"a whole lot of weapons and money being sent from the rich Gulf monarchies
through Jordan into Syria."
Accusing
Iran of "activating Hezbollah" and "invading Syria," he
noted that Russia is also "pitching their vision of the world as a regime
preservation force."
He
added that Israel cut "a deal with Russia to keep Iran out of southern
Syria."
"Now,
all of a sudden you've got the Kurds who declare war on Syria, and it makes it
a little messy that the Kurds are also in conflict with Turkey, which is a NATO
ally," he continued.
Adding
that the US got involved in “this mess in Syria” in 2015, he said: "And
since we have been there, we have seen Americans die, we have seen tens of
billions of dollars wasted."
On
the fight against Daesh/ISIS, Gaetz said he would encourage his colleagues to
"go read the inspector general's report of the last quarter, which
indicates that ISIS is not a threat to the homeland,” also noting that Türkiye
is conducting operations against Daesh/ISIS in Syria.
"I
do not believe what stands between a caliphate and not a caliphate are the 900
Americans who have been sent to this hellscape with no definition of victory,
no clear objective, and purely existing as a vestige to the regime-change
failed foreign policies of multiple former presidents," he said.
Some
900 US troops are currently deployed in Syria, and US Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley visited northern Syria this weekend.
According
to US media reports, reporters traveling with Milley asked if he believed the
deployment of around 900 US troops to Syria was worth the risk.
“If
you think that that's important, then the answer is 'Yes,’” he said.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
US
Senate committee votes to end authorization for war on Iraq
10
March 2023
The
US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has voted to advance a bill that seeks to
repeal two authorizations for past US invasions of Iraq, preparing the ground
for a possible vote in full Senate before the 20th anniversary of the last
invasion.
Voting
13-8 on Wednesday, the committee approved the bill to repeal the 1991 and 2002
Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMFs) against Iraq.
The
full Senate is expected to vote on the bill in the next few weeks which will
coincide with the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq on March 19,
2003.
“This
is about ending endless wars and reasserting Congress’ Constitutional role in
matters of war, peace, and diplomacy,” Democrat Tim Kaine, one of the sponsors
of the legislation, tweeted.
The
bill appears to enjoy the support of Senate leadership, as Senate Democratic
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer highlighted last week the “need to put the Iraq
War behind us once and for all.”
The
Biden administration claimed in December 2021 that the US combat mission in
Iraq has ended. He said, however, that 2,500 troops will remain on Iraqi soil
on an “advise and assist” mission.
The
2002 resolution, dubbed the “Authorization for the Use of Military Force”
(AUMF), was overwhelmingly passed by the US Congress, granting the American
president permission to wage military action – without the need for any
Congressional approval – as laid out in the specific terms set in the
legislative measure.
The
resolution was used by former US president George W. Bush to invade Iraq in
2003. However, the next presidents also used that despite the war in Iraq
having ended.
One
of the latest instances of reference to this resolution was in early January
2020, when ex-president Donald Trump ordered the assassination of Iran’s top
anti-terror commander, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, along with the
deputy chief of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
There
have been several campaigns to repeal the AUMFs in the past few years.
Efforts
for repealing the resolution come as there is still a wider-ranging 2001 AUMF
in place which was adopted in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
Also
on Wednesday, Republican Senator Rand Paul proposed an amendment to repeal the
2001 authorization, which was rejected by a 20-1 vote.
“It
was originally intended to go after those who attacked us on 9/11, yet
presidents have, for over two decades, abused the AUMF to justify military
operations in at least 22 countries and against groups that did not exist on
9/11,” Paul tweeted.
The
congressional authorization has been applied entirely in Muslim-majority
countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen.
Source:
Press TV
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/03/10/699612/US-senate-committee-repeal-AUMF
--------
US
sanctions 'China-based network helping Iran procure drones'
09
March 2023
The
United States has imposed sanctions on an alleged China-based network over,
claiming it is helping Iran procure unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
The
US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) slapped
the sanctions on Thursday against "a network of five companies and one
individual for supporting Iran’s UAV procurement efforts," the Treasury
said in a statement.
The
network "is responsible for the sale and shipment of thousands of
aerospace components, including components that can be used for UAV
applications," it added.
In
July 2021, The Wall Street Journal reported that the US was planning a
sanctions campaign against Iran’s defensive drones and guided missiles program,
six months after the administration of President Joe Biden was sworn in.
Citing
unnamed US officials, the daily said at the time that the sanctions were aimed
at disrupting the development of Iran’s weapons program, which, the Islamic
Republic has invariably defined as a purely defensive program that does not
pose any threat to any foreign country.
Washington
targeted Iran's UAV industry last time in January, imposing sanctions against
an Iranian drone manufacturer under the unsubstantiated and disproven pretext
that the Islamic Republic had provided Russia with the UAVs to be used by
Moscow against Ukraine.
The
Islamic Republic has, on repeated occasions, roundly rejected Washington's
allegations.
Last
December, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani
said Ukrainian officials had failed to provide any evidence for their claim
that Russia was using Iranian drones in its war on Ukraine.
Source:
Press TV
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/03/09/699599/Iran-United-States-sanctions-drones-China
--------
US
sanctions 39 entities facilitating Iran’s oil-related banking operations
09
March 2023
The
US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on dozens of entities accused of
helping Iran evade Washington’s bans on Iran’s access to the global financial
system.
The
sanctions announced on Thursday covered 39 entities, including many based in
the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, according to the Treasury website.
The
designated entities have been accused of granting Iranian and foreign companies
involved in the trade of Iranian oil and petroleum products an access to the
international banking system.
The
Treasury described the entities as a “shadow banking” network that helped
Iran-related companies hide their trade with foreign customers.
Iranian
officials have yet to comment on the new sanctions. The Reuters news agency,
which first reported on the bans, said it had not received any immediate
response to a request for comment from Iran's mission to the United Nations in
New York.
That
comes as Iranian government has downplays the impact of US sanctions on its
ability to export oil and petroleum products and to receive payments for the
shipments.
Latest
statement by Iranian Oil Ministry and reports by international tanker tracking
services show that Iran has been shipping record amounts of oil to Asian
customers since late 2022.
Sales
of Iranian petroleum products and petrochemicals have also increased over the
last year with customs figures showing the country has earned tens of billions
of dollars from such exports.
However,
US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo claimed in a Thursday statement that
the new sanctions are a sign of US “ability to disrupt Iran's foreign financial
networks.”
Source:
Press TV
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/03/09/699598/US-Treasury-sanctions-entities-Iran-banking-access
--------
Arab World
Nasrallah:
End of Israel close; resistance ready for main battle
09
March 2023
Hezbollah
Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah says the resistance front in the
region is more powerful than ever despite a myriad of challenging facing it and
ready for the main battle.
"Despite
the challenges that the axis of resistance is facing today, it has become more
coherent and stronger and is ready with a strong will to respond to any major
aggression of the Zionist regime that targets the region," he said.
Nasrallah
made the remarks in a private meeting with about 200 intellectual, political
and media figures from Arab and Islamic countries in Beirut on Wednesday night,
Iran's Nournews reported.
Nasrallah
said although the enemy is trying to influence the minds of the youth with a
cognitive warfare, the main battle is the battle for the freedom of Palestine.
"We
are fully prepared for this battle and we are waiting for the zero hour,"
he said.
Nasrallah
touched on the political turmoil in Israel where hundreds of thousands have
taken to the streets in recent months to vent anger at the extremist direction
of the entity.
"A
big war is taking place in Occupied Palestine, and considering the scale of
what the Zionist regime is facing, the end of this fake regime is so close that
it may happen at this stage," he said.
Protests
have taken place across the occupied territories over the past two months.
On
Thursday, military forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters who had blocked
traffic into the departures area at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.
They
arrested several people during "the day of resistance" protests which
were timed to coincide with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin's arrival and prime
minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trip abroad.
Austin
had to hastily reschedule the visit due to a surge in street protests against
Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the judiciary.
On
Thursday, Nasrallah said the United States has failed miserably to implement
its plots in the Middle East region, referring the US-led invasions of
Afghanistan and Iraq where Washington did not achieve any of its goals.
“America
failed in Iraq and Afghanistan; and its project in the Middle East fell short
accordingly,” he said.
Nasrallah
touched on a de facto sanctions regime which the US and its allies are
implementing against Lebanon, warning that the aim is to have the Lebanese
people lose hope and submit to Western demands.
The
so-called Caesar Act imposed by the US has hindered the Arab country’s economic
cooperation with its neighbors. Meanwhile, creditors under the US influence
such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have conditioned the release of
billions of dollars in emergency loans to specific reforms.
"We
must not give up. Don't expect us to give up. We also say to those who threaten
us with murder and siege that we will not surrender with murder and our will
will not be shaken in any way. We believe that there is a solution,"
Nasrallah said.
"We
should not submit to international and regional conditions, because those who
surrendered were not saved," he added.
Nasrallah
recalled that the Israeli enemy sought to instill a spirit of despair and
desolation among the Lebanese nation following the 1982 invasion of the Arab
country.
“The
Lebanese resistance front, however, started from a position of hope, and stated
it could wipe out the Israeli clout. The resistance front rekindled hope among
the Lebanese people, and it was the main reason behind straight victories in
the fight against the Israeli enemy,” the Hezbollah chief said.
Nasrallah
pointed to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon in May 2000
and Israel's defeat in the 33-day military onslaught against Lebanon back in
the summer of 2006 as two major achievements of such a strong belief in the
Axis of Resistance.
The
Hezbollah leader also made a reference to the 1985 car bombings in the western
Beirut suburb of Bir al-Abed, stating that the US was behind the failed
assassination attempt against Shia cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah,
which killed 80 people and injured 200 others.
“The
US perpetrated the Bir Al-Abed massacre, in which most of the victims were
civilians. Some of the fatalities included pregnant women and they were killed
on the International Women’s Day,” he said.
Source:
Press TV
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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--------
Saudi
judiciary undergoing rapid modernization, says Board of Grievances head
March
09, 2023
RIYADH:
Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Yousef, the head of Saudi Arabia’s Board of Grievances
and chairman of the Saudi Administrative Judicial Council, has noted the
tangible development and rapid modernization of the judiciary during the era of
King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Speaking
at the School of Law at the Southern Methodist University in the US, Al-Yousef
said judicial systems were being created and digitized, while legislation was
being developed in line with the Kingdom’s commercial and cultural openness.
He
also spoke of the qualitative shift that the Saudi judiciary has undergone
through the digitization of all the steps of the litigation and administrative
services.
Al-Yousef
focused in his speech on describing creative developments undertaken by the
Saudi judiciary, in terms of modernizing systems, improving outputs, and
reducing litigation periods.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2265686/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
Arabia ready to facilitate dialogue between Russia, Ukraine: FM
09
March ,2023
Saudi
Arabia is ready to facilitate dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, the
Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Thursday.
“The
Kingdom is ready to mediate to resolve the crisis in Ukraine,” Prince Faisal
said during a press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in
Moscow.
Prior
to the conference, the Saudi foreign minister and Lavrov discussed
international developments, including the war in Ukraine, bilateral ties, and
the stability of oil markets.
Both
ministers voiced the importance of furthering these ties, with the Saudi
diplomat noting that Saudi Arabia seeks to strengthen and develop relations
with Russia on all levels.
“We
[also] confirm our keenness to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in all fields,”
Lavrov said during the press conference.
Regarding
cooperation within OPEC+, Lavrov said that they had confirmed consistent
implementation of commitments, while Prince Faisal reaffirmed the Kingdom’s
keenness to maintain the stability of the global oil market.
Asked
about the situation in Yemen, Prince Faisal said the Kingdom seeks to launch an
intra-Yemeni dialogue to end the conflict.
“We
seek to reach a permanent ceasefire in Yemen and then launch a political
process,” he told reporters.
Commending
Saudi Arabia’s efforts to resolve conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and Yemen,
Lavrov blamed Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s refusal to hold
dialogue with Moscow as the reason for the continuing aggression.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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--------
No
Loudspeakers, Iftar Inside Mosques: Saudi Arabia Imposes Restrictions on
Ramadan Practices This Year
MARCH
09, 2023
There
will be no loudspeakers, no itikaf without ID, no broadcast of prayers and no
iftar inside mosques as Saudi Arabia announced a set of rules and restrictions
on the practice of the holy month of Ramadan this year.
Minister
of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance Sheikh Dr Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz
Al-Alsheikh gave 10-point directions as Ramadan is approaching for the year
1444 AH.
The
government also requested worshipers not to bring children to mosques as this
would disturb the worshipers and cause them to lose their reverence.
Itikaf
is the practice in Islam where people from the community seclude themselves
during the final 10 days of Ramadan in a Masjid with the intention of solely
dedicating their time to the worship of Allah.
Here
are 10 points from the order:
As
per the order, imams and muezzin should not be absent in the holy month of
Ramadan. If necessary, they should assign the person performing the work for
the period of absence and this mandate shall be with the approval of the
Ministry’s branch in the region and the one on behalf has undertaken not to
breach the responsibility. Absence shall not exceed the allowable period.
Adherence
to Umm al-Qura Calendar, emphasis on raising the adhan “call for prayer of the
Asha prayer on time in Ramadan, and the iqamah" performance of prayers
according to the approved period for each prayer.
Taking
into account people’s conditions in Tarawih prayers, the completion of
Tahajjud’s prayers in the last 10 days of Ramadan with enough time before Fajr
adhan so it won’t be hardship on worshippers.
Abiding
by the Prophet’s guidance in Qunot “Duaa supplication at Tarawih Prayer and
non-prolongation, and being limited to Jawame Duaa and the sahih supplications,
and avoid hymns and intonation.
The
importance of reading some useful books on the mosque group, according to
circulars which regulates that.
Adhering
to the directives issued regarding the controls for installing cameras in
mosques, not using them to photograph the imam and worshipers during the
performance of the prayers, and not transmitting the prayers or broadcasting
them in the media of all kinds.
That
the imam be responsible for authorizing the itikaaf, verifying that there are no
violations from them, knowing the data of the itikaaf, and requesting the
approval of the sponsor approved for non-Saudis, according to the directives
notified in advance regarding the ‘tikaaf controls.
Not
collecting financial donations for projects to iftar the fast (and others).
Iftar
for the fasting people - if any - should be in the places prepared for that in
the courtyards of the mosque, and under the responsibility of the imam and the
muezzin, and that the one responsible for iftar the fast for the fasting person
should clean the place immediately after finishing the iftar, and not create
any temporary rooms or tents and the like to hold the iftar in them.
Source:
News18
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Culture
Ministry to organize Ramadan Season activities to revive cultural heritage of
holy month
March
09, 2023
RIYADH
— The Ministry of Culture is preparing to organize the activities of Ramadan
Season 1444 AH across Saudi Arabia in order to revive the historical cultural
heritage associated with the holy month.
The
activities will be organized as part of a comprehensive cultural program in 14
cities distributed around 10 regions of Saudi Arabia. More than 38 locations
will host lively, cultural, social and creative events throughout the holy
month of Ramadan.
Ramadan
Season aims to celebrate the customs of Saudi society in the fasting month,
introduce the authentic Saudi cuisine and present Ramadan culture in all its
rich details in innovative ways, in addition to virtually sharing with the
Islamic world a set of local cultural experiences.
The
Season will also include a variety of activities, such as: live performances,
handicrafts, riddles and competitions, sports tournaments, entertainment
activities, historical exhibitions, and popular games, in addition to iftar and
suhoor areas.
The
Season will be celebrated with due respect to the unique character of Ramadan,
based on the spatial cultural identity of the cities of Saudi Arabia. Its
activities will start in Jeddah, which is considered as the gateway to the Two
Holy Mosques. There will be diverse activities at Al-Balad Gate (Historic
Jeddah), such as Ramadan stories, and many more.
Each
event will include a range of activities including charity work, exhibitions on
the history of Jeddah, restoration of historic mosques, printing of the Qur’an,
popular restaurants, and others.
Source:
Saudi Gazette
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Muslim
World League chief meets with Archbishop of Canterbury
March
09, 2023
RIYADH:
Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World
League, met with Justin Welby, archbishop of Canterbury, at his invitation at
Lambeth Palace, London.
Saudi
Arabia believes that religious harmony is the basis for coexistence, as it aims
to combat hate speech in all its forms.
Following
the meeting, Al-Issa tweeted: “Our views aligned on common issues. Especially,
the need for religious leaders to cooperate on countering extremism and misuse
of religion in politics and to promote shared values.”
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2265821/saudi-arabia
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Permits
for Umrah visits during Ramadan available through Nusuk app
MOHAMMED
AL-KINANI
March
09, 2023
RIYADH:
Citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia and pilgrims from many other countries
can now obtain permits to perform Umrah during Ramadan through the Saudi
Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s Nusuk app.
The
ministry said the platform helps domestic and international pilgrims to find
available Umrah dates during the holy month, based on the capacity of the Grand
Mosque, choose the most suitable for their needs and obtain the necessary
permits. The app can be downloaded from the Apple Store and Google Play.
To
be eligible for a permit, pilgrims arriving from other countries must be in
possession of a valid visa, the ministry said. It added that citizens and
residents of the Kingdom can also obtain permits through the Tawakkalna app,
provided that they do not have COVID-19 and have not been in contact with any
infected persons.
The
ministry urged all who wish to perform Umrah during Ramadan to ensure they
obtain the required permits and stick to the specified date, to help avoid
overcrowding. Pilgrims are only permitted to perform the ritual once during
Ramadan.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2265726/saudi-arabia
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Islamic
State kills three, steals sheep in central Syria
March
9, 2023
The
Islamic State (IS) killed three people and stole hundreds of sheep in central
Syria on Thursday, according to local reports.
IS
attacked a group of people grazing sheep in the Salamiyah area east of the
central city of Hama, shooting them with machine guns. The guerrilla group
killed three people in the attack and stole more than 1,000 sheep, bringing
them to the desert in eastern Syria, Syria’s official news outlet SANA.
The
London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the incident.
Why
it matters: IS lost its last territory in Syria in 2019, but the group
continues to carry out attacks in the country. In February, IS fighters opened
fire on truffle hunters in eastern Syria, killing dozens, Agence France-Presse
reported at the time.
The
US-led anti-IS coalition said it arrested 198 and killed two “operatives”
during missions in Syria in January, according to a press release.
Al-Monitor
reported last October that IS was able to carry out more attacks against
Kurdish-led forces in the northeast, in part due to lax security measures by
the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the area.
A
March 2022 report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace noted
that IS has switched to carrying out attacks that “are not necessarily
contingent on territorial control.”
“ISIS
is using a pattern of tactics that are very similar to the ones they adopted
prior to 2010 when they relied on traditional combat, attrition attacks and
guerrilla wars,” read the report.
Source:
Al Monitor
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/03/islamic-state-kills-three-steals-sheep-central-syria
--------
Southeast Asia
Muhyiddin
Yassin: Ex-Malaysia PM charged with corruption over Covid spending
By
Frances Mao & Jonathan Head
Malaysia's
former prime minister who led during the height of the pandemic has been
charged with corruption - a move that ratchets up already bitter political
tensions.
Muhyiddin
Yassin, 75, was arrested just months after losing an election to PM Anwar
Ibrahim in November.
The
former PM has been accused of bribery and money laundering through his
government's Covid spending fund.
He
rejects the allegations, which his supporters say are politically driven.
The
criminal case aimed at the leader of the conservative opposition alliance comes
ahead of crucial state elections in July.
Mr
Muhyiddin is now the second former Malaysian prime minister to face corruption
charges, after Najib Razak was jailed to 12 years for corruption involving the
state's 1MDB investment firm.
Now
the leader of a Malay-ethnic, Muslim alliance, Mr Muhyiddin ran the country
from 2020 to 2021 for 17 months.
He
has a long-time rivalry with current PM Anwar. The two have a history of
political betrayals that has fuelled a long enmity.
Multiple
charges of bribery and money laundering were laid against the former leader in
a Kuala Lumpur court on Friday.
Prosecutors
have accused him of sourcing $51m (£42m) in bribes from companies who hoped to
benefit from an emergency government spending programme. They have also alleged
two instances of money laundering through the fund.
If
convicted he faces 20 years in prison. Mr Muhyiddin entered a not guilty plea
in court on Friday and was released on bail - although his passport was
withheld.
The
opposition leader was charged just a day appearing at an anti-corruption
watchdog's probe into the allegations.
The
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission launched the probe in February, freezing
his party's bank accounts. Two former party leaders have also been arrested on
corruption charges.
The
incident further fuels tensions in Malaysian politics.
Mr
Muhyiddin's conservative ethnic-Malay, Muslim alliance was most popular among
the country's majority Malay voter population in November's election.
But
PM Anwar Ibrahim eventually secured power with a progressive, multi-ethnic
coalition - after joining up with the once all-powerful but now disgraced
United Malays National Organisation party (UMNO) which has been tainted by
corruption. Anwar's deputy, the current UMNO leader, is also facing corruption
charges.
July's
state elections are being widely seen as a test of support for the current
prime minister.
That
has added to the strong belief among many of Mr Muhyiddin's supporters that his
prosecution is political.
The
case is being viewed by many Malaysians through the prism of intense rivalries
which have shaken the country's politics since the historic defeat five years
ago of the once unbeatable UMNO.
Source:
BBC
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-64911538
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Penang
Islamic council refutes Zainul Asri’s mosque allegations
09
Mar 2023
GEORGE
TOWN, March 9 — The Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP) today strongly
refuted allegations by an independent preacher, Zainul Asri Mohd Romli, that a
mosque in the state has now been turned into a place of worship for
non-Muslims.
MAINPP
chairman, Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman, described the allegations as
baseless and seen as creating misunderstandings between races and religions in
the state.
He
said that MAINPP had recently received a TikTok video clip featuring Zainul
Asri delivering his lecture on Feb 14, when the misleading statement was
issued.
“His
(Zainul Asri) statement was: there is a mosque in Penang which has been turned
into a temple. It used to belong to the Indian Muslim community. I don’t even
know what happened; today it has become a place of worship for non-Muslims,”
“MAINPP
strongly denies the wild accusation. As a matter of fact, referring to the
Interim Register of the said lot, there were 20 original trustees for Kong Hock
Keong Temple through the Court Order (Assignment of a Right) Volume 2, Fol. 61
on Dec 8, 1973,” he said in a statement today.
Ahmad
Zakiyuddin, who is also Deputy Chief Minister 1, said that there was a change
of trustees due to death, and that Lot 523 was derived from Lot 71 (2) TS. 19,
Northeast district, and the land has grade one status.
“Originally,
(referring to Deed Poll dated July 10, 1888), this land was owned by the
trustees for Kong Hock Keong Temple, No. 30 Pitt Street, through Grant No. 2420
(1838), which is a grant from the Public Seal of the Colony, by the Governor
and Commander-in-Chief of the Straits Settlements, Cecil C. Smith,” he said.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Malaysia's
parliament approves 2023 budget at policy stage
Amir
Yusof
09
Mar 2023
KUALA
LUMPUR: Malaysia’s speaker of parliament declared the 2023 Budget passed at the
policy stage on Thursday (Mar 9).
The
budget was passed with a majority voice vote.
The
2023 budget is the first budget tabled by the government led by Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim, who is also the country’s finance minister.
When
the vote was called, most of the lawmakers from parties within Mr Anwar’s unity
government were present. In comparison, only a handful of MPs from the
opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition were seen in parliament.
PN
leaders, including Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Muhyiddin
Yassin as well as Parti Islam Se-Malaysia president Abdul Hadi Awang were not
present in the parliament when the vote
was called.
In
his speech wrapping up the budget debate on Thursday, Mr Anwar reiterated the
government’s commitment to reduce national debt and aid those in poverty.
He
also rebuffed comments by opposition MPs that some of the policies were unfair
towards residents living in states controlled by PN.
“Believe
me, I will ensure that the entire government machinery is focused on
eradicating poverty from this year on,” said Mr Anwar.
“They
(PN) were in government for three years. Look at the three budgets that they
presented, the budget which I have tabled is way better than any of the budgets
they put forth, including for the (opposition controlled) states of Kelantan,
Terengganu, Perlis and Kedah. So to say we are evil is just not right.”
Earlier
on Thursday, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) confirmed that Mr
Muhyiddin had been detained after he was summoned to give his statement in
connection to investigations into the Jana Wibawa programme.
It
added that Mr Muhyiddin will be charged with several counts of corruption as
well as money laundering on Friday.
With
the budget now approved at the policy stage, debate at the committee stage will
take place from next Monday to Mar 28, according to a calendar of events posted
on the parliament website. During the committee stage, the budget for each
ministry would be scrutinised in detail.
If
passed at the committee stage, a third reading of the budget will be held in
the Lower House before it goes to the Senate and is then submitted to the
Malaysian king for royal assent.
The
expansionary budget of RM388.1 billion (US$87.50 billion) was first tabled by
Mr Anwar on Feb 24.
It
is the largest in the country’s history, surpassing the RM322.1 billion that
was tabled for the 2022 budget under former prime minister Ismail Sabri
Yaakob’s administration.
“This
administration is taking an expansionary approach for the 2023 Budget in an
effort to support economic growth so that its benefits can be enjoyed by all
citizens,” said Mr Anwar in his speech during the tabling of the budget.
He
outlined that out of the RM388.1 billion, RM289.1 billion will be allocated for
operating expenditure and RM99 billion set aside for development expenditure -
including RM2 billion reserved for contingencies.
A
slew of measures aimed at lowering the cost of living amid high inflation as
well as more progressive taxes were also announced by Mr Anwar.
Source:
Channel News Asia
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Indonesia
unveils construction site of new capital city
March
09, 2023
PENAJAM
PASER UTARA, Indonesia: Orange-red ground has been broken in the jungle of East
Borneo, where the Indonesian government has begun construction of its new
capital city.
Officials
promise a “sustainable forest city” that puts the environment at the heart of
development and aims to be carbon-neutral by 2045. But the project has been
plagued by criticism from environmentalists and Indigenous communities, who say
it degrades the environment, further shrinks the habitat of endangered animals
such as orangutans and displaces Indigenous people that rely on the land for
their livelihoods.
Indonesia
began construction of the new capital in mid 2022, after President Joko Widodo
announced that Jakarta — the congested, polluted current capital that is prone
to earthquakes and rapidly sinking into the Java Sea — would be retired from
capital status.
Plans
for the new capital — about twice the size of New York City — are grandeur.
Officials tout the creation of a futuristic green city centered on forest,
parks and food production that utilizes renewable energy resources, “smart”
waste management and green buildings.
“We
have to think beyond what is happening today and try to tackle (things) that
are futuristic,” said Bambang Susantono, chairman of Nusantara National Capital
Authority, speaking about the city’s design and ability to answer future
challenges.
Digital
renderings shared by the government show a city surrounded by forest, with
people walking on tree-lined sidewalks and buildings with plant-covered rooftops
surrounded by walking paths, ponds, clean creeks and lush forest.
Building
architecture is inspired by modern urban towers combined with traditional
Indonesian architecture: the presidential palace in the shape of a garuda — a
mythical bird and the national symbol of Indonesia — and other buildings that
give a stylistic nod to traditional architecture used by Indigenous groups
around the archipelago.
In
its current state, the new city is far from the tidy finish presented by its
planners, but there is progress. Basuki Hadimuljono, Indonesia’s minister for
public works and housing, said in February that the city’s infrastructure is 14
percent completed.
Some
7,000 construction workers are clearing, plowing and building the first phases
of the site. Worker dormitories, basic roads and a helipad are already being
used. Construction of key buildings — such as the presidential palace — is
expected to be completed by August 2024.
Sites
visited by The Associated Press in early March showed mounds of freshly turned
earth with excavators and cranes around them. At least one site has a sign with
a QR code that visitors can scan to see 3D visuals of what the area will look
like when finished; others have printed signboards showing what’s to come.
The
government has said it’s working to be considerate of the environment. Signs of
a more-conscious approach to construction are visible: patches of trees remain
fenced-off to protect them from machinery, a plant nursery has already started
for the replanting process officials promise and industrial forest surrounds
the site.
But
with construction set to ramp up this year, environmentalists warn building a
metropolis will speed up deforestation in one of the world’s largest and oldest
stretches of tropical rainforest. Forests, called the lungs of the world, suck
in planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and are home to numerous
wildlife species. The island has already been compromised by palm oil
plantations and coal mines.
Dwi
Sawung, an infrastructure specialist at the Indonesian Forum for Living
Environment, an environmental nongovernmental organization that has been
monitoring the new capital project, said that the government’s plans lack
consideration of the region’s unique wildlife like orangutans and sun bears.
The new city cuts through an important animal corridor.
“The
animals should be relocated first and then build the construction,” he said.
“But since they need to hurry up, they just built the area without relocating
the animals first.”
Experts
have also expressed concerns about how the new capital will be powered. While
the government vows the city will rely on a “smart energy” system, groups worry
that some of the region’s coal-fired power plants could be used in the short
term.
Indonesia
has significant energy potential from solar, hydropower, geothermal, wind and
other sources, but only some 12 percent of them are tapped, according to the
International Renewable Energy Agency. And while user-friendly public transport
might keep cars off the city’s roads, there will likely be extensive air travel
between the new capital and Jakarta, about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) away.
Indigenous
groups that reside in the region and already lost parts of their land fear that
urban sprawl from the new capital could make things even worse.
Officials
have vowed to respect Indigenous rights and compensate those losing their
homes. Local officials said they would verify all land claims and accept
documents of proof of ownership, but much of the area is passed down through families
without paperwork and not all tribal areas are formally recognized.
“We
do not want to be relocated. We do not want they move our graves of our
ancestors, or make changes or remove our historical site,” said Sibukdin, an
Indigenous community leader, who like many in the country only uses one name
and lives in Sepaku, a ward very close to the construction area.
Susantono
said that Indigenous residents have “a couple of options for them to be
included in the process” including compensation, relocation or share ownership
of stores that will open.
“We
are going to always persuade them and tell them about the future of the city,”
he said. “Hopefully they will understand that this is for the sake of
everybody.”
But
as Indonesia continues to court investors, construction is moving forward, with
the government planning to inaugurate the city on Aug. 17 next year to coincide
with Indonesia’s Independence Day.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2265951/world
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