Chief Imam of All India Imam Organization Attends Ayodhya Ram Mandir Event, Says Biggest Religion Is Humanity
New Age Islam News Bureau
23 January 2024
Dr Imam Umer
Ahmed Ilyasi, Chief Imam of All India Imam Organization, at the Ayodhya Ram
Temple consecration ceremony. (ANI)
-----
·
Chief Imam
of All India Imam Organization Attends Ayodhya Ram Mandir Event, Says Biggest
Religion Is Humanity
·
Westfield
Town Council Recognizes January as Muslim Heritage Month
·
Hazaras in
Afghanistan Being Targeted Deliberately: UNAMA
·
Libyan
Mufti Reminds Turkish President of the Duty of Muslim Rulers toward Gaza
·
Saudi
Arabia Commits To Achieving Highest Global Standards In Terms Of Human Rights
------
India
·
After Ram
Mandir Event, PM Modi Visits KuberTila, A Symbol Of Hindu-Muslim Unity
·
Man Held for
Fake Photo Of Muslim Flags On Ram Temple In Karnataka
·
'Attempt to
Instigate Indian Muslims'Who Took Part in Celebrations: Govt Officials Issue
Swift Rebuttal as Pakistan 'Condemns' Ram Temple
·
Rohingya
refugees file PIL urging Delhi HC to curb hate speech on Meta platforms
·
Hindus,
Muslims together offer special prayers in Karnataka
-----
North America
·
Gaza
Activists Urge Voters To Write ‘Ceasefire’ On US Primary Ballots
·
Yemen
Asserts No Lull In Anti-Israel Strikes After US, UK Launch Pro-Tel Aviv Attacks
·
Police
investigating after West Philadelphia mosque vandalized
·
CAIR-NY
Welcomes NYC DOE Efforts to Combat Islamophobia, Awaits Details on
Implementation
·
US,
British forces carry out new strikes in Yemen
-----
South Asia
·
Kabir:
Islamic Emirate for Free Speech Within Islamic Rule
·
Russia,
China, Iran and Pakistan to meet on Afghanistan in late January: Kabulov
·
Applicants
for Islamic Emirate Forces Increasing: Official
·
Current
Govt Not Comprised of 'One Tribe’: Nadim
·
No
democracy left as PM chooses opposition party: BNP leader Nazrul
·
UN calls
for more funding for Rohingyas, host communities
·
Ansarullah
Bangla Team chief out of prison
·
Bangladesh,
Libya for safe migration, preventing trafficking
------
Africa
·
“Nigeria
now has a listening president” – CAN urges Christians to pray for Tinubu
·
Over 1900
Repentant Boko Haram Terrorists Released Back Into Communities – Nigerian
Defence Headquarters
·
MURIC asks
Ayedatiwa to appoint Muslim as deputy
·
Six firms
involved in Sudan war sanctioned by EU council
----
Arab World
·
Saudi FM
attends EU council meeting discussing Gaza war
·
Saudi aid
campaign collects $165m for Gaza
·
Saudi
Arabia: 280 Million Offered Prayers At Prophet’s Mosque In Medina Last Year
-----
Europe
·
'We Are In
A Global Battle Against Radical Islam,' Belgium FM Katz Tells EU Affairs
Council
·
Britain
‘Disappointed’ By Netanyahu’s Stance On Palestinian Statehood
·
Demonstrators
Protest London Stadium Hosting Arms Fair With Firms That Sell Weapons To Israel
·
Germany
temporarily waives residence permit requirement for Israelis
·
Sentencing
hearing resumes for man found guilty in London attack on Muslim family
·
Islamist
teen arrested in Germany after stealing bomb-making chemicals from high school,
confessed to wanting to blow up building
----
Pakistan
·
Pakistan
Foreign Office Condemns Consecration Of 'Ram Temple' On Site Of Demolished
Babri Mosque
·
Pakistan
Official Again Alleges Threats Coming From Afghan Soil
·
Info
Minister lauds Turkiye’s role in defusing Pak-Iran tensions
·
Imran
moves IHC for bail in Toshakhana, £190 million corruption cases
-----
Mideast
·
Hezbollah
Rejects Latest Israeli Ceasefire Proposals
·
Iran’s
Leader calls on Muslim countries to cut off vital arteries of Israeli regime
·
ISIS
supporters arrested after planning Jerusalem terror attack
·
Israel
‘Helpless’ On Battlefield, Attacks Syria, Lebanon To Deflect ‘Disgraceful’ Gaza
Defeat: Iran
·
Hamdan
condemns classification of Ansarullah as terrorist group
·
Over half
a million Gazans at risk of death from starvation
·
21 Israeli
Soldiers Killed In Deadliest Attack Since War Began
·
WHO chief
‘deeply concerned’ as Israel storms a Gaza hospital, lay siege to another
·
Israel
‘starving’ Gaza, ‘destroying’ food system, warns UN expert
·
Iran
cannot dare attack powerful states: Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government
-----
Southeast Asia
·
Two
Malaysian Detainees In Guantanamo May Return To Malaysia By Year End
·
Madani,
SMJ good basis to strengthen Malaysia-China ties, says diplomat
·
Minister
tells organisers: Be more sensitive when planning events leading up to Ramadan
·
In
Thailand, farmers caught between poverty, Israel-Hamas war
·
7.1
earthquake strikes western China, but no casualties reported yet from sparsely
populated area
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/imam-ayodhya-ram-mandir-religion-humanity/d/131574
------
Chief Imam Of All India Imam Organization
Attends Ayodhya Ram Mandir Event, Says Biggest Religion Is Humanity
Dr Imam Umer
Ahmed Ilyasi, Chief Imam of All India Imam Organization, at the Ayodhya Ram
Temple consecration ceremony. (ANI)
-----
January 22, 2024
As the country witnessed the Ayodhya Ram
Temple’s ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, Dr Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Chief Imam of
All India Imam Organization (AIIO), on Monday maintained that the biggest
religion is humanity.
Speaking to ANI from the widely-attended
ceremony in Ayodhya, Ilyasi said, “This is the face of new India. Our biggest
religion is humanity. For us, the nation is first.”
The AIIO claims to represent half-a-million
imams across 3 lakh mosques in India. It also claims to be the “largest Muslim
organisation in India”. Ilyasi, meanwhile, is no stranger to meetings with
members of the ruling dispensation. He has interacted with Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on several occasions, after their first meeting in 2018, and also
met Home Minister Amit Shah. Ilyasi has also had meetings with spiritual
leaders such as Jagadish Vasudev (Sadhguru) and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, among
others. He met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in September 2022, after which he called
the latter ‘rashtra pita’.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile,
said the consecration of the idol of Ram Lalla at the magnificent Ram temple
marks the advent of a new era and called upon people to build the foundation of
a strong, grand and divine India of the next 1,000 years.
Addressing a gathering after the
consecration ceremony, Modi said this occasion is not of mere triumph but of
humility. The Ram Temple will be witness to the dawn of a prosperous and developed
India, he said. “Today, our Ram has arrived. After a long wait for ages, our
Ram has arrived. Our Ram Lalla will no longer live in a tent. Our Ram Lalla
will stay in a magnificent temple,” Modi said in his 36-minute-long speech.
The prime minister took part in the
consecration ceremony inside the sanctum sanctorum of the grand Ram temple,
made possible by a historic Supreme Court judgment in 2019 on the Ram
Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit. Modi also offered prayers at KuberTila and
showered flower petals on the construction workers of the Ram Temple.
The temple, built in the traditional
Nagara style of architecture, spans 380 feet in length (east-west), 250 feet in
width and 161 feet in height. It is supported by 392 pillars and has 44 doors.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/chief-imam-ilyasi-ayodhya-ram-mandir-event-biggest-religion-humanity-9122111/
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Westfield Town Council Recognizes
January as Muslim Heritage Month
Westfield Town Council
------
January 22, 2024
WESTFIELD, NJ — January is now
designated as Muslim Heritage Month in Westfield.
The local proclamation by Westfield's
town council follows a state-wide resolution that designates January as Muslim
Heritage Month in New Jersey.
Mayor Shelley Brindle said at the town's
Jan. 16 council meeting that she received a request by residents to acknowledge
Muslim Heritage Month in Westfield. She thanked the residents directly for
their input.
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the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
“I want to say thank you for bringing
this to our attention,” Brindle said. “I think it's the first time ever we’ve
declared January Muslim Heritage Month.”
Mayor Brindle read aloud the proclamation,
which recognizes the economic, cultural and societal contributions of Muslim
Americans throughout New Jersey.
“There are over 300,000 Muslim Americans
in New Jersey, representing one of the largest Muslim American communities in
the United States,” Brindle said.
“The town of Westfield supports the
rights of all its residents and calls upon our community to eliminate prejudice
and bigotry everywhere. We celebrate the great diversity of all of our citizens
and extend the promise of our country to all.”
Following the proclamation, a Westfield
resident who spoke from her seat thanked the town council for the
acknowledgment.
“I’m a very new resident of Westfield. I
just moved here from Jersey City a few months ago,” said the resident, who did
not state her name. “One of the reasons we chose Westfield in our quest was
obviously for diversity and its great schools. We just wanted to highlight
that, diversity and inclusion … I truly feel that Westfield is inclusive by
your proclamation.”
Source: tapinto.net
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/westfield/sections/government/articles/westfield-town-council-recognizes-january-as-muslim-heritage-month
-----
Hazaras In Afghanistan Being Targeted
Deliberately: UNAMA
Photo: Khaama Press
------
Fidel Rahmati
January 22, 2024
The United Nations Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan (UNAMA) in its latest report on the human rights situation in
Afghanistan, covering the months of October and December 2023, has documented
several targeted attacks against Hazaras and stated that the perpetrators of
some of these attacks remain unidentified.
This UNAMA report, titled “Human Rights
Situation in Afghanistan,” has been compiled by the Human Rights section of the
organization within the framework of its mandate from the United Nations
Security Council.
According to this report, targeted
attacks against Hazaras continue to persist in various parts of Afghanistan. In
just the months of October and November 2023, at least 5 separate attacks
against Hazaras were planned and carried out.
Three deadly attacks against Hazaras in
Pul-e Khumri (during a gathering of worshippers) and Kabul (at a sports club
and a bus station) on October 13, October 26, and November 7, 2023, resulted in
the killing and injuring of at least 126 individuals (40 killed and 86
injured).
While ISIS claimed responsibility for
all three of these deadly attacks, the UNAMA report mentions the mysterious
targeting of Hazaras in Herat as the main factor in these attacks remaining
unidentified and unknown.
The United Nations has just released a
report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, at a time when global
protests continue in response to what is perceived as the genocide of Hazaras,
with demonstrations taking place in nearly 40 cities across different countries
around the world.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.khaama.com/hazaras-in-afghanistan-being-targeted-deliberately-unama/
-----
Libyan Mufti Reminds Turkish President
Of The Duty Of Muslim Rulers Toward Gaza
22/01/2024
ABDULKADERASSAD
The Libyan Mufti, Sheikh Al-Sadiq
Al-Gharyani, participated in an Islamic ceremony at the Sulaymaniyah Mosque in
the Turkish city of Istanbul in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan. The ceremony was organized by the Turkish Ibn Haldun University.
In a conversation on the sidelines of
the ceremony that took place on Friday, the Libyan Mufti reminded the Turkish
President of what is happening in the Gaza Strip in occupied Palestine and what
Muslim rulers must do in that regard.
He also reminded Erdogan of the duty of
support, and that the people of Gaza are waiting for "Mutassim’s chivalry
to support them."
It is noteworthy that the Ministry of
Health in the Gaza Strip announced Sunday, the 107th day of the Zionist
aggression against the Strip, that the number of victims of the aggression had
risen to 25,105 martyrs, and 62,681 wounded; at a time when the central Gaza
Strip is witnessing fierce clashes between the resistance and the occupation
army.
Source: libyaobserver.ly
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://libyaobserver.ly/news/libyan-mufti-reminds-turkish-president-duty-muslim-rulers-toward-gaza
-----
Saudi Arabia Commits To Achieving
Highest Global Standards In Terms Of Human Rights
Hala bint
Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri, the president of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, at the
Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. (SPA)
-------
January 23, 2024
LONDON: Hala bint Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri,
the president of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, has spoken of the Kingdom’s
commitment to meeting the highest global standards in promoting and protecting
human rights, as part of its Vision 2030.
Al-Tuwaijri reiterated the goal in her
opening statement to the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights
Council in Geneva on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Tuwaijri said: “The Kingdom’s
government attaches great importance to the UPR mechanism and takes it
seriously.”
She highlighted that the Kingdom
submitted national reports and initiated effective mechanisms to track the
implementation of recommendations.
Al-Tuwaijri also emphasized the
Kingdom’s efforts to engage stakeholders and host high-level delegations from
relevant entities.
She explained that Saudi Arabia had
supported and implemented the majority of recommendations presented during the
previous three review cycles, with the Kingdom implementing 85 percent of 450.
Al-Tuwaijri said the Kingdom had made
significant and qualitative improvements in various areas of human rights under
Saudi Vision 2030.
She added that these reforms were
consistent with international standards and founded on the principle that
humans should be the focal point, subject, and beneficiaries of development.
She said that the reforms had been
implemented at legislative, judicial, executive, and procedural levels,
addressing all human rights and related concerns. This demonstrated the
application of the principle that human rights were complementary and
indivisible.
She emphasized the creation of an
effective legal and institutional framework for promoting and protecting human
rights.
Efforts have additionally been made to
improve compliance with regional and international human rights standards, in
line with the Kingdom’s obligations under conventions.
Al-Tuwaijri pointed to 50 reforms
regarding women’s rights and spoke of efforts to combat violence against women
and girls, including the amendment of the Law of Protection from Abuse in 2022.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
launched an initiative aimed at protecting children in the cyber world in 2020.
Additionally, education in the Kingdom
is compulsory until the age of 15.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2446391/saudi-arabia
----
India
After Ram Mandir event, PM Modi visits
Kuber Tila, a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity
Jan 22, 2024
The world got a glimpse of the idol of
Ram Lalla after Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed the 'pranpratishtha' or
consecration ceremony on Monday. "Ram Temple's construction is a
reflection of Indian society's maturity. It's an occasion of not merely triumph
but humility too," PM Modi said during his spech after the consecration
ceremony.
After the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at
the Ram Mandir, PM Modi visited the KuberTila in Ayodhya and offered prayers at
the Shiv temple.
HOW DID KUBER TILA GET ITS NAME?
The KuberTila, located in the
southwestern part of the Ram Janmabhoomi complex, houses the ancient temple of
Lord Shiva, which was recently restored.
A bronze idol of 'Jatayu', the giant
vulture-like mythical bird that valiantly fought Ravan to stop him from
abducting Sita, has also been installed at the historic KuberTila.
The tila, or small hill, is named after
Kuber, the God of wealth. It is believed that Kuber came to the tila and was
the first to worship Lord Ram. He is said to also have established a Shivling
near the birthplace of Lord Ram.
Later, idols of nine deities, including
Kuber, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Parvati, were established there. Thus, the place
is also called 'Nine Ratna'.
Apart from being a religious place,
KuberTila also holds historical importance and played a key role during the
Indian freedom struggle. The KuberTila, a stone's throw away from the Babri
Masjid demolition site, is also hailed as a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity.
ROLE OF KUBER TILA IN INDIA'S
INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT
In fact, the KuberTila saw the First War
of Independence, with Hindus and Muslims joining hands against the British.
On June 30, 1857, a unified army of
Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs of the 22 Bengal Native Infantry clashed with the
British in the Battle of Chinhat, which is known as the First War of
Independence.
The battle, which saw Hindus and Muslims
launching their offensive carrying Lord Mahadev (Shiva) and Islamic flags,
ended with the defeat of the British East India Army led by Henry Lawrence.
A similar revolt broke out in
neighbouring Faizabad. This time, the 22 Bengal Native Infantry received
support from sadhus and maulvis to ward off the British. In this battle,
Hanumangarhi Mahant Ram Charan Das and Maulvi Amir Ali played a key role in
uniting both the communities and jointly taking on the British forces.
The deal between Baba Ram Charan Das and
Amir Ali frustrated the British government. The valiant resistance put up by
the Hindus and Muslims saw Faizabad remaining free from British rule betwen
July 1857 and March 1958.
However, on March 3, 1958, the British
stormed Lucknow and captured it. Faizabad, too, was captured days later.
The British, seeking revenge for their
loss a year ago, hanged the leaders of the Faizabad revolt -- Mahant Ram Charan
Das and Maulvi Amir Ali -- from a tamarind tree at KuberTila on March 18, 1858.
Months later, locals started building
Hindu and Muslim memorials in the memory of Mahant Ram Charan Das and Amir Ali
at the Tila. However, the British were against it and saw the unity between the
two communities as a threat to their existence.
Seeing the opposition to the memorials,
a group of peasants, under the leadership of Pandit Shambhu Prasad, led an
armed rebellion against the British but were killed. In November that year,
Shambhu Prasad was also hanged by the British.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ram-mandir-ayodhya-pm-modi-kuber-tila-hindu-muslim-unity-independence-freedom-movement-2492122-2024-01-22
----
Man Held For Fake Photo Of Muslim Flags
On Ram Temple In Karnataka
Jan 23, 2024
A 33-year-old man was arrested in Gadag
district for creating and circulating a fake picture of the newly inaugurated
Ram Temple in Ayodhya
A 33-year-old man has been arrested and
sent to judicial custody in Gadag district for creating and circulating a fake
photo depicting Muslim flags flying over the newly inaugurated Ram Temple in
Ayodhya, police said on Monday.
The arrest comes after the controversial
image surfaced on social media, triggering outrage and sparking protests from
organisations.
The arrested Muslim youth, identified as
Tajuddin Dafedar, allegedly manipulated an image to depict Muslim flags over
the temple. Pro-Hindu groups brought this matter to the attention of the
police, and staged a protest in front of the police station on Sunday,
demanding arrest of the accused.
“Soon after receiving the complaint, we
arrested the accused identified as Tajuddin Dafedar,” said Somana Gowda,
inspector at Gajendragad police station. “We have booked him under IPC sections
295A (malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings) and 153A (promoting
enmity between groups). We produced him before the JMFC court, which remanded
him to judicial custody for 14 days.”
The Gajendragad police subsequently
deleted the offending post. A screenshot of the manipulated image circulated
widely on social media, leading to tensions. Pro-Hindu organisations have
called for legal action against the individual responsible for creating and
sharing the fake photo.
The police department has assured a
thorough investigation into the matter.
In another incident, on the occasion of
the inauguration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, worship and homa (a ritual in
offerings are made to fire) were performed in a mosque in Hunsikatti village in
Gadag district. Hindu and Muslim leaders of the village in Naragunda taluk
collaborated to complete the programme, people aware of the matter said.
They conducted Rudrabhishekam and
adorned the image of Bharat Mata. Puja was offered to the photo of Bharat Mata
in the presence of Aali God, who is worshipped during the month of Ramzan.
Villagers, including mosque committee members, participated in the programme.
Source: hindustantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/bengaluru-news/man-held-for-fake-photo-of-muslim-flags-on-ram-temple-in-karnataka-101705950922631.html
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'Attempt To Instigate Indian Muslims'Who
Took Part In Celebrations: Govt Officials Issue Swift Rebuttal As Pakistan
'Condemns' Ram Temple
JANUARY 22, 2024
Manoj Gupta
Pakistan has no business in Ayodhya’s
Ram Mandir, but it tried to instigate Indian Muslims on the day the entire
country came together in celebrations, top government sources in New Delhi told
CNN-News18 on Monday, after Islamabad condemned the construction of the temple.
“We are not a banana republic like them
— where judiciary is fixed and works on the directions of the ISI (Pakistani
spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence),” foreign ministry officials said, in a
reference to Pakistan’s much-criticised judicial system. The officials
underlined the long court proceedings that preceded the construction of the
temple — and added that India’s top court had heard the matter. In fact, it was
the Indian Supreme Court that granted the entire disputed land in Ayodhya to
deity Ram Lalla, and directed the Centre to allot a five-acre plot to Muslims
for a mosque in November 2019.
“This case has undergone many decades of
judicial scrutiny. It has gone through all courts, including the apex court. No
major judgment was by a single bench, and minority judges were also involved in
the verdict,” the officials cited above said, highlighting the fair and
decades-long judicial review of the high-profile case.
The officials added that Pakistan was
trying to create trouble by provoking Indian Muslims who took part in
celebrations in the Uttar Pradesh city of Ayodhya, where the deity’s
pranpratishtha ceremony took place in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on Monday. The officials said India has given space to all religions. They
also asked Pakistan to save Hindu places of worship, a reference to attacks on
temples.
India’s sharp retort came after the
Pakistan government condemned the “construction and consecration” of the Ram
Temple on the “site of the demolished Babri Mosque”, which was torn down by a
mob on December 6, 1992. It also criticised India’s judiciary for allowing the
temple at the site.
“A temple built on the site of a
demolished mosque will remain a blot on the face of India’s democracy for the
times to come…The rising tide of ‘Hindutva’ ideology in India poses a serious
threat to religious harmony and regional peace…The international community
should take cognisance of the growing Islamophobia, hate speech and hate crimes
in India,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement, drawing a sharp and
swift rebuttal from India.
Source: news18.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.news18.com/world/attempt-to-instigate-indian-muslims-govt-officials-issue-swift-rebuttal-as-pakistan-condemns-ram-temple-8750361.html
----
Rohingya refugees file PIL urging Delhi
HC to curb hate speech on Meta platforms
January 22, 2024
NEW DELHI : Two Rohingya refugees,
Mohammad Hamim and Kawsar Mohammed, have filed a Public Interest Litigation
(PIL) in the Delhi High Court, seeking intervention to address the issue of
hateful and inflammatory content against the Rohingya community on Facebook
(now Meta).
The PIL calls for directions to Meta to
cease the spread of such content and dismantle algorithms that promote hate
speech and violence against minority communities.
Advocate Kawalpreet Kaur, representing
the petitioners, has alleged that misinformation and harmful content
originating in India target Rohingya refugees on Facebook, and the platform
appears to intentionally neglect acting against such content.
The PIL says that Facebook’s algorithms
contribute to the promotion of such harmful content.
The petition stresses the highly
politicised nature of the Rohingya refugee presence in India, stating that the
community is disproportionately targeted with content portraying them as a
threat, often using terms such as ‘terrorists’ and ‘infiltrators.’
The plea refers to a 2019 study by
Equality Lab, revealing that a significant percentage of Islamophobic posts on
Facebook in India specifically targeted Rohingya, despite their minimal
representation in India’s Muslim population.
The PIL argues that Facebook’s failure
to act against hate speech poses a threat to the lives of Rohingyas, violating their
right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The petitioners contend that Meta is
also in violation of Section 79(3) of the Information Technology Act read with
Rule 3 of the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules 2011,
which outlines the due diligence to be observed by intermediaries.
Hamim and Mohammed seek court directions
to Meta to suspend accounts promoting hate against the Rohingya community and
to transparently report how it applies content moderation policies on flagged
content.
The plea further demands an
India-specific report on hate speech content moderation, specifying removal
decisions, appeals, and outcomes. — IANS
Source: muslimmirror.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://muslimmirror.com/eng/rohingya-refugees-file-pil-urging-delhi-hc-to-curb-hate-speech-on-meta-platforms/
----
Hindus, Muslims together offer special
prayers in Karnataka
22nd January 2024
Koppal: Hindus and Muslims offered
special ‘puja’ together at a local Shri Ram temple in Koppal city of Karnataka
on Monday.
The leaders from both communities
gathered at Shri Ram Mandir in Bhagyanagar locality of Koppal city and
participated in the worship with devotion. Muslims stood with the Hindu leaders
and took ‘aarti’ and ‘prasada’ after the worshipping with devoutness.
The gesture was appreciated and hailed
by the people across the state. The photos and videos in this regard have gone
viral on social media.
Meanwhile, the police department has beefed
up security in the premises of the major temples in Bengaluru. The police were
also carrying out patrolling to ensure no untoward incident takes place as a
large number of devotees were flocking temples, especially Hanuman and Ram
temples in the IT city.
Source: siasat.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.siasat.com/hindus-muslims-together-offer-special-prayers-in-karnataka-2961375/
-----
North America
Gaza activists urge voters to write
‘ceasefire’ on US primary ballots
January 23, 2024
TILTON, United States: Peace activists
are urging US voters considering candidates for November’s presidential
election to instead write “ceasefire” on their ballots in protest over Joe
Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
“Vote Ceasefire” — a coalition of local
anti-war groups — says the effort allows Americans to give voice to their anger
at the Democratic president over the mounting toll of civilian deaths in Gaza
as Israel responds to the deadly October 7 Hamas attacks.
Voters in New Hampshire will pick their
preferred candidate in either the Democratic or Republican nominating contests
on Tuesday but the push is aimed at progressives wishing to put the White House
on notice.
“For the last three months, as the world
has watched the war in Gaza continue to worsen, the Biden administration has
refused all demands to call for a ceasefire and to end US support for Israel,”
the campaign posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“So we’re taking our fight to the place
Democrats care about the most — the polls. While Joe Biden will almost
certainly win the Democratic nomination later this year, he must know that the
road to get there will be long and hard if he refuses to listen to his
constituents.”
The October 7 attack resulted in the
death of around 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP
tally based on the latest official Israeli figures.
In response, Israel has carried out a
relentless air, land and sea offensive that has killed at least 25,295 people
in Gaza, around 70 percent of them women, children and adolescents, according
to the latest toll issued Monday by the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
“Vote Ceasefire” organizers have not
indicated what kind of turnout would constitute a success for the campaign and
it is unclear how much affect it will have.
Biden himself is not on the ballot and
is largely ignoring the contest, after New Hampshire officials clashed with the
national party over scheduling.
A separate campaign is urging supporters
to write Biden’s name on the ballot in exactly the same manner that “Vote
Ceasefire” is promoting.
The outcome will not affect the
nomination process in any case, as the Democratic National Committee has
declared the New Hampshire primary illegitimate.
Biden is expected to win the nomination
comfortably.
“I’m doing this as over 80 percent of
Democratic voters are in favor of a ceasefire for Gaza and are opposed to the
continuing slaughter of civilian men, women and children in Palestine, with the
United States-supplied weapons,” campaign volunteer and former Democratic state
representative Chris Balch said in a video posted to X.
But self-help author Marianne
Williamson, who is on the Democratic ballot, said the “Vote Ceasefire” campaign
was doing nothing to help the citizens of Gaza.
“A way to actually help create a
ceasefire would be to vote for a candidate who has called for one from the very
beginning,” she posted in response to the campaign’s social media statements.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2446466/world
-----
Yemen asserts no lull in anti-Israel
strikes after US, UK launch pro-Tel Aviv attacks
23 January 2024
The United States and the United Kingdom
have carried out a new round of military strikes across Yemen as Yemeni forces
continue retaliatory attacks in the Red Sea on Israeli-owned ships or merchant
vessels destined to the occupied territories over unrelenting Israeli onslaught
against the Gaza Strip.
On Monday, US and British forces
launched strikes at eight different locations in Yemen, with support from
Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, according to a joint statement
signed by the six countries.
A senior US military official, speaking
on condition of anonymity, said roughly 25 to 30 munitions were fired,
including from warplanes launched from a US aircraft carrier.
So far, eight rounds of strikes over the
past month have failed to stop attacks by Yemeni Armed Forces against shipping
linked to the Israeli regime.
US officials allege the strikes have
degraded the ability of Yemeni forces to carry out complex attacks. However,
they have declined to offer any specific figures as to the number of missiles,
radar, drones or other military capabilities destroyed so far.
‘US, UK strikes cannot stop attacks on
Israel-bound ships’
Senior officials from Yemen’s Ansarullah
resistance movement have strongly condemned the latest US and UK strikes
against the Arab country, stressing that such assaults will not deter Yemeni
Armed Forces from pressing ahead with their operations against ships bound to
Israeli ports.
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of
Ansarullah's political bureau, stated that, “We will continue our military
operations against the Zionist enemy no matter how aggressively they might
bombard Yemen.”
“Our strikes will go on as long
[Israeli] atrocities and genocide in Gaza persist,” he noted.
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a senior member
of the Yemeni Supreme Political Council, also said the United States and the
United Kingdom cannot stop Yemeni forces launching maritime operations in Red
Sea against Israeli interests.
“The latest US-British strikes are aimed
at discouraging Yemen from supporting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Americans
and Britons should realize that we are retaliating, and that the world
‘surrender’ does not exist in our lexicon,” Houthi asserted.
US military cargo ship targeted in Gulf
of Aden
The latest US and UK strikes came after
the spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces said the country’s naval units had
struck an American military cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden with several
missiles.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a
statement that the attack successfully targeted OCEAN Jazz, describing the
strike as a victory for the oppressed Palestinian nation and a proportionate
response to the American-British aggression against Yemen.
Mohammed Abdulsalam, the Ansarullah
spokesman, made the comment in an interview with Reuters.
The statement reiterated that Yemeni
forces will continue to block Israeli ships or vessels heading to the ports in
the occupied Palestinian lands until the Tel Aviv regime’s aggression stops and
the siege on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is lifted.
Saree emphasized that Yemeni Armed
Forces will take all defensive and offensive measures within the right of
self-dense and in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza.
He noted that Yemeni Armed Forces will
continue to respond to any American or British act of aggression against their
homeland, and will targets all sources of threat in the Red Sea and the Arab
Sea.
Israeli shipping companies have already
decided to reroute their vessels in fear of attacks by Yemeni forces.
Yemenis have declared their open support
for Palestine’s struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime
launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7 after the territory’s
Palestinian resistance movements carried out a surprise retaliatory attack,
dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.
The relentless Israeli military campaign
against Gaza has killed at least 24,620 people, most of them women and
children. Another 61,830 individuals have been wounded.
Reports revealed that Israeli shipping
companies have already decided to reroute their vessels in fear of attacks by
Yemeni forces.
Yemeni forces have also launched missile
and drone attacks on targets in the Israeli-occupied territories after the
regime’s aggression on Gaza.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/01/23/718728/US,-British-forces-carry-out-new-strikes-across-Yemen-over-pro-Palestine-strikes
-----
Police investigating after West
Philadelphia mosque vandalized
Mehreen Syed
January 23, 2024
Masjid Al-Jamia, a mosque located at the
intersection of 42nd and Walnut streets, was vandalized on Dec. 29th, prompting
police investigation.
The incident, which was captured on a
security camera, is the third time a mosque has been vandalized in Philadelphia
in the past two months. The mosque was defaced with graffiti depicting biased
statements against the Muslim community.
Members of Penn’s Muslim Student
Association founded this mosque in 1988. Since then, the mosque has served as a
vital component of the West Philadelphia community, hosting around 700-1000
Muslims for the weekly Jumu’ah prayer.
“The vandals wrote phrases including
‘Give [peace sign] a chance’ and other symbols, including a Star of David, on
the doors and walls of the mosque,” CAIR-Philadelphia, the Council on American-Islamic
Relations stated, according to NBC.
CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director
Ahmet Teklioglu described the violation as "unacceptable," telling
NBC that the council is "calling on Philadelphia communities to stand
united in the face of today’s hateful, dehumanizing rhetoric against Muslims.”
“We are seeing this as an outcome of the
dehumanization of Muslims broadly in what’s going on in Palestine,” Dr.
Tekeliogu said. He sees a correlation between a rise in these incidents and the
war in Gaza.
Two other similar incidents recently
occurred in and outside Philadelphia at the Khair Community Center in November
2023 and the United Muslim Islamic Center in October 2023, CAIR reported.
“Our office continues to see an
unprecedented uptick in reports alleging bias incidents and discrimination,”
Dr. Tekelioglu said in a statement released by CAIR. “Law enforcement
authorities must investigate this vandalism as a hate crime.”
Masjid Al-Jamia representative Shuja
Moore also commented on the incident in the statement, writing that
"should they come forward and admit to their mistake, we will be ready to
have an informative and restorative conversation with this individual.”
CAIR also called on civic, political,
and interfaith leaders to show their solidarity by sending letters to their
address at 4228 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Recently, organizations
such as Jewish Voices for Peace Philly have shown their support following the
vandalism through a community letter-writing event.
The suspect was caught on surveillance
footage wearing blue jeans and a red coat. The police continue to investigate
this incident.
Source: thedp.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.thedp.com/article/2024/01/penn-mosque-vandalized-west-philadelphia
------
CAIR-NY Welcomes NYC DOE Efforts to
Combat Islamophobia, Awaits Details on Implementation
Ismail Allison
January 22, 2024
The New York chapter of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) today welcomed the New York City
Department of Education (DOE)’s efforts to combat Islamophobia in public
schools and said it awaits details on implementation.
The NYC DOE announced a plan in response
to a recent rise in incidents of Islamophobia, and other safety concerns. While
NYC DOE has been engaged with the Muslim Community in meetings to hear
concerns, CAIR-NY cautiously awaits further details on the execution of the announced
plan to “meet the moment head-on”.
In a statement, CAIR-NY Executive
Director AfafNasher said:
“We appreciate the efforts of the DOE to
engage directly with Muslim stakeholders to hear about our concerns. However,
until we see what results from those dialogues, we will remain cautiously
optimistic. The content of any trainings, the identity of the facilitators, and
the uniform and just execution of the disciplinary code are particular issues
of concern.
“We have seen massive disparity in
treatment toward students and teachers who show the slightest pro-Palestine
solidarity. The NYC DOE’s plan needs to be implemented with keen attention to
respecting everyone’s ability to engage in free speech and political engagement
that is befitting of educational institutions.”
She further noted that in 2023, CAIR-NY
saw 555 requests for legal assistance, of which, 239 were directly related to
Palestinian solidarity, representing 43% of its requests. CAIR-NY’s 2022 Report “Feeling the Hate: Bias
and Hate Crimes Experienced by Muslim New Yorkers” found that 34% of Bias
Incidents and Hate Crimes occurred in educational institutions. Of those
Muslims who knew someone who either experienced a hate crime or bias incident,
32% reported that the person they knew who experienced one or the other was a
minor.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ny-welcomes-nyc-doe-efforts-to-combat-islamophobia-awaits-details-on-implementation/
---
US, British forces carry out new strikes
in Yemen
23 Jan 2024
WASHINGTON, Jan 23 — US and British
forces carried out a fresh round of strikes yesterday in Yemen, targeting a
Houthi underground storage site as well as missile and surveillance capabilities
used by the Iran-aligned group against Red Sea shipping, the Pentagon said.
The Houthis, who control the most
populous parts of Yemen, have said their attacks are in solidarity with
Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza.
The Houthi attacks have disrupted global
shipping and stoked fears of global inflation. They have also deepened concern
that fallout from the Israel-Hamas war could destabilise the Middle East.
In the latest response, US and British
forces carried out strikes at eight different locations in Yemen, with support
from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, according to a joint
statement signed by the six countries.
A senior US military official, speaking
on condition of anonymity, said roughly 25 to 30 munitions were fired, including
from warplanes launched from a US aircraft carrier.
So far, eight rounds of strikes over the
past month have failed to stop Houthi attacks against shipping.
US officials say the strikes have
degraded the Houthis’ ability to carry out complex attacks. But they have
declined to offer any specific figures as to the number of missiles, radar,
drones or other military capabilities destroyed so far.
“We are having the intended effect,” the
US military official told Pentagon reporters.
British Defence Minister Grant Shapps
said in a statement that the latest strikes were carried out in self-defence.
“This action will deal another blow to
their limited stockpiles and ability to threaten global trade,” Shapps said.
President Joe Biden said last week that
air strikes would continue even as he acknowledged they may not be halting the
Houthi attacks.
Last week, the Houthis launched two
anti-ship ballistic missiles at a US-owned tanker ship that hit the water near
the vessel but caused no injuries or damage.
Biden’s emerging strategy on Yemen aims
to weaken the Houthi militants but stops well short of trying to defeat the
group or directly address Iran, the Houthis’ main sponsor, experts say.
The strategy — a blend of limited
military strikes and sanctions — appears aimed at preventing a wider Middle
East conflict even as Washington seeks to punish the Houthis for their attacks
on Red Sea shipping.
Container vessels have been pausing or
diverting from the Red Sea that leads to the Suez Canal, the fastest freight
route from Asia to Europe. Many ships have been forced to take the longer route
via the Cape of Good Hope instead. — Reuters
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2024/01/23/us-british-forces-carry-out-new-strikes-in-yemen/114014
----
South Asia
Kabir: Islamic Emirate for Free Speech
Within Islamic Rule
Nazir Shinwari
Jan 23, 2024
The Deputy PM for Political Affairs,
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, said that the Islamic Emirate is committed to the freedom
of speech in accordance with Islamic rules.
The Deputy PM for Political Affairs in a
meeting with private media representatives also considered the activity and
presence of media in the country important.
“The Islamic Emirate supports media and
the media is provided with a wide working area in accordance with islamic
rules, and there are no restrictions on them except religious restrictions,”
Mohammad Hassan Haqyar, head of the media directorate of the political deputy
PM, told TOLOnews.
Meanwhile, some journalists and
media-supporting organizations, besides the request for the approval of the
mass media law, asked the Islamic Emirate to address the economic issues of the
media.
“The Islamic Emirate must make the
destiny of the mass media law and access to the information clear, and without
this law the media will face several problems,” said Masroor Lutfi, a member of
the Afghanistan National Journalists Union (ANJU).
“I want the government to take care of
the media and journalists, so they can continue their work in a good manner,”
said Fawad Nazari, a journalist.
But the spokesman of the Islamic
Emirate, Zabihullah Mujahid, said that the media law is processed and is being
approved.
“Work on the media law continues and is
being approved, it should have already been approved but Amirul Momineen
(Islamic Emirate’s leader) has too much work, that’s why it took much time,”
Zabihullah Mujahid added.
This comes as the Ministry of
Information and Culture has said that nearly 30 media organizations have been
established since the Islamic Emirate came to power.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187092
----
Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan to meet
on Afghanistan in late January: Kabulov
Fidel Rahmati
January 23, 2024
Russia, China, Iran, and Pakistan are
gearing up for a crucial meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, with plans
indicating that it may convene by the end of January.
This significant diplomatic effort has
been confirmed by Russia’s presidential envoy for Afghanistan, ZamirKabulov,
underscoring the importance of regional cooperation in addressing the complex
challenges facing Afghanistan, as reported by Tass on Monday.
“The meeting is being prepared. It will
take place,” Kabulov mentioned that the exact dates and location will be shared
later. But he added “that there’s hope” it might happen before January ends.
Kabulov emphasized that the recent
exchange of strikes between Iran and Pakistan would not hinder the preparations
for the upcoming meeting on Afghanistan.
Responding to concerns about the
strikes, Kabulov confidently stated, “No, there are no such concerns,”
indicating that the diplomatic efforts remain unaffected.
The agenda for the meeting will focus on
several key issues, including fostering cooperation with Afghanistan’s current
authorities to establish an inclusive government and combat terrorism and
drug-related crime.
On January 16, Iran conducted airstrikes
against the Jaish al-Zulm terrorist group’s headquarters inside Pakistani
territory, causing tensions between the two countries. Pakistan condemned the
action as a violation of its airspace.
Pakistan’s National Security Committee,
under the leadership of acting Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, expressed
optimism that Pakistan and Iran can resolve their differences through dialogue
and diplomacy, strengthening their historical relations in the process.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.khaama.com/russia-china-iran-and-pakistan-to-meet-on-afghanistan-in-late-january-kabulov/
-----
Applicants for Islamic Emirate Forces
Increasing: Official
NaweedSamadi
January 22, 2024
Abdul Hakim Hemat Akhundzada, the
commander of the Police Academy of the Ministry of Interior, said that the
number of applicants to join the Islamic Emirate’s forces has tripled.
The commander of the academy said that
this year the provinces will be prioritized.
“Some provinces like Zabul (will be
prioritized), the province from where only 7 people have been recruited into
the Police Academy, 9 people from Paktia and 29 people from Jawzjan province
were recruited in the past ten years,” Abdul Hakim Hemat Akhundzada said.
According to Akhundzada, the number of
the selected people for the Police Academy will be announced after the exam.
Officials in Police Academy recruit
individuals who have completed their 12th grade (or further education), as well
as those who were previously enrolled but unable to complete due to the
takeover of Kabul.
“There is the measurement of height as
the height is considered, they are processed and then referred to the health
commission after their measurement of height,” said Mohammad Rasool a trainer
in the academy.
The Ministry of Interior said there are
efforts to recruit disciplined and professional people to the security forces.
“Our police should be professional,
disciplined, and uniformed. As you see,
there are hundreds of police in the capital and provinces and more units who
have been trained in short-term and long-term training,” said Abdul MatinQani,
the spokesman of the Ministry of Interior.
“We want the Islamic Emirate to carry
out this process in a transparent manner and to select each person in the
academy according to his merits,” said an applicant to the Police Academy.
Abdul Hakim Akhundzada also added that
efforts to upgrade the academy into a university continue within the framework
of the Ministry of Interior.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187084
----
Current Govt Not Comprised of 'One
Tribe’: Nadim
January 22, 2024
The acting minister of higher education,
Neda Mohammad Nadim, said that the current government is not only related to
one tribe and one side, but that all tribes have a role in it.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of a
number of Quran memorizers in Jawzjan, He added that the Islamic Emirate is
working towards the reconstruction and progress of the country in a fair way
and that this country is free, safe, independent and its borders are protected.
Nadim asked the people to maintain unity
and mutual acceptance in order to prevent division.
The acting minister of higher education
said: "Don't give the enemies of our religion the opportunity to come back
and bring misery and terror between us and you. This government is not related
to just one tribe, sect and language. This government is the government of all
Muslims."
In this event, local officials and some
religious scholars emphasized unity and mutual acceptance and preventing
divisions in the country.
Gul Haidar Shafaq, governor of Jawzjan,
said: "This government wants your cooperation again, it wants your
cooperation, support and mutual acceptance.”
"Let's be a practical example to
implement the Sharia law. If the Islamic law is implemented, security business
and all the work will be good," said a religious scholar.
Noorullah Ansar, the General Directorate
of Natural Disasters and Firefighting at the Ministry of Interior, said:
"All their fathers and ancestors have gained strength from brotherhood and
have always stood up against external enemies, and no one can separate
them."
Meanwhile, the Acting Minister of Higher
Education said that the Islamic Emirate has already started work on more
development projects in the north of the country.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187075
----
No democracy left as PM chooses
opposition party: BNP leader Nazrul
Jan 23, 2024
BNP standing committee member Nazrul
Islam Khan today said there was no democracy left in the country as the prime
minister chooses the opposition party and the winners and losers of elections.
"Does Bangladesh belong to any
particular person or party? No, it belongs to the people. This is a country
freed through a war. People did not give anyone permission to damage the
country's institutions and undermine its people," Nazrul said at a
discussion organised by the Democratic Left Unity in the capital.
He claimed that the current MPs are only
praising the government.
"Politicians are no longer being
elected as MPs these days. Rather, industrialists and businesspeople are
becoming members of parliament. But will they work to control prices of
essential goods if they turn into lawmakers?" Nazrul asked.
Nazrul also accused the government of
detaining activists on false and fabricated cases.
"Our [BNP's] movement is logical
and needs to be more organised," he said, calling for "saving
democracy in Bangladesh".
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read the
text of the original story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/90-percent-elected-mps-have-over-tk-1-crore-assets-shujan-3526136
----
UN calls for more funding for Rohingyas,
host communities
Jan 23, 2024
The United Nations has called for
solidarity and more funding for the Rohingyas and their host communities in
Cox's Bazar.
"The refugees need our solidarity,
and the host communities need our solidarity. We need increased funding for all
of that," Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General StéphaneDujarric told
reporters at a regular media briefing in New York on January 22.
He said no refugee should be repatriated
against their will.
It needs to be done voluntarily and in a
manner that preserves their dignity and their safety, said the spokesperson.
"It is clear for us that the
situation in Myanmar currently does not meet the necessary requirements. What
we do need is increased global solidarity for those communities that are
generously hosting Rohingya refugees, like the community in Cox's Bazar, which
the Secretary-General has visited," Dujarric said.
The spokesperson said UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina as he does to heads of governments or states when they're re-elected.
"What we have said in the past from
this podium, what the Human Rights High Commissioner has said remains
unchanged," he added.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.thedailystar.net/rohingya-influx/news/redouble-rohingya-repatriation-efforts-3523986
------
Ansarullah Bangla Team chief out of
prison
Jan 23, 2024
Mufti Jashimuddin Rahmani, chief of the
Ansarullah Bangla Team, an Al-Qaeda-inspired militant outfit now known as Ansar
al Islam, was released from the Kashimpur High Security Central Jail in Gazipur
on Sunday.
Counterterrorism officials and
prosecution lawyers expressed concerns over the release of the prominent
militant leader. They believe it would elevate the militancy threat and impede
trials of cases filed against him under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
"We released Rahmani around 1:15pm
on Sunday as he obtained bail in all cases filed against him," Subrata
Kumar Bala, senior jail superintendent of Kashimpur jail, told The Daily Star last
night.
Rahmani was arrested on August 12, 2013,
in Barguna, along with 30 members of his outfit, in connection with inciting
people to commit violence.
He had been in jail since then.
Six cases were filed against him, and
the police pressed charges against him in all the cases.
On December 31, 2015, a Dhaka court
sentenced him to five years in jail in a case filed with Pallabi Police Station
over the murder of blogger Rajib Haider.
Rahmani has served the time.
Two cases filed with Mohammadpur Police Station,
one with Gulshan Police Station, one with Barguna Sadar Police Station, and one
with Uttara Paschim Police Station are pending trial.
He got bail from the Anti-Terrorism
Special Tribunal of Dhaka in two cases in 2020 and 2022. He received bail from
the High Court in the other three cases in 2022, 2023, and January 10 of this
year.
Md Asaduzzaman, chief of the
Counter-Terrorism and Transitional Crime unit, told The Daily Star last night
that his release was an issue of concern for them.
"We are now trying to track down
Rahmani and he will be under our monitoring. And we believe we will be able to
avert any untoward situations," he added.
Golam Sharuar Khan, assistant public
prosecutor of the Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal in Dhaka, believes that the
release of Rahmani would impact the ongoing trials.
"As Rahmani has been released on
bail … it is likely to impact the trials. Prosecution witnesses may become
afraid of going to court to testify against the accused," Golam told The
Daily Star last night.
"We will try to produce the
witnesses before the court and complete the trials of the pending cases as soon
as possible."
The Ansarullah Bangla Team came to the
fore after the killing of blogger Rajib Haider on February 15, 2013. The group
was banned in May 2015.
The outfit was found involved in the
killing of four bloggers and writers. It was also found involved in the murders
of XulhazMannan, an LGBT rights activist, and his friend
KhandokerMahbubRabbyTonoy in 2016.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/ansarullah-bangla-team-chief-out-prison-3525831
-----
Bangladesh, Libya for safe migration,
preventing trafficking
Jan 22, 2024
Bangladesh and Libya today discussed key
areas of addressing safe and regular migration and preventing human
trafficking.
Both sides also discussed discouraging
irregular channels of migration and sending Bangladeshi migrant workers to
Libya's labour market.
Libyan Ambassador to Bangladesh
Abdulmutalib SM Suliman paid a courtesy call on State Minister for Expatriates'
Welfare and Overseas Employment Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury at the latter's
office in the capital, said a press release.
The envoy congratulated the new
government on behalf of the Libyan government and stressed for continuing the
brotherly relationship between the two countries, it added.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.thedailystar.net/nrb/migration/news/bangladesh-libya-safe-migration-preventing-trafficking-3525456
------
Africa
“Nigeria now has a listening president”
– CAN urges Christians to pray for Tinubu
Goodness Adaoyiche
January 22, 2024
The Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN) assured President Bola Tinubu of the support and prayers of all
Nigerians.
CAN president, Most Reverend Daniel
Okoh, also lauded President Tinubu’s “great sense of inclusiveness” shown
towards all Nigerians regardless of their religious or political leanings.
Describing Tinubu as a “listening
president”, the CAN leader said his inclusive approach to appointments has
greatly increased the confidence of Nigerians in the present administration.
Okoh advised the President to continue
on this path of inclusion, which has been evident from the beginning of his
administration.
“Sincerely what we found out is that the
President is actually sensitive to all the challenges we have, we see that he
is aware,” Okoh said.
“We see him making very positive steps
even from the beginning of his administration by the way he has made
appointments so far. He has come with a great sense of inclusiveness and
Nigerians have a sense of belonging.
“As Nigerians in this govt, I tell you
that his pronouncement so far and his body language has increased the
confidence of Nigerians in Nigeria. We believe that if given the chance he will
do a lot more, we are praying that the Lord will strengthen his hands to be
able to do a lot more and we are praying that the lord will strengthen his
hands to do a lot more and turn around the fortunes of this country.
“We know that there are a lot of
challenges but what we tell our people is that this is just the beginning of
this administration. What we are facing now didn’t just start today but several
years back and it will take a while to turn around these things.
“The important thing is that there is an
intentional step that the President has taken and he is taking to reverse the
trend of events, especially in the area of governance.”
The CAN president urged Nigerians who
seem to have lost hope due to the economic downturn to be patient, noting that the challenges
facing the country we’re as a result of several years of misrule.
Source: politicsnigeria.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://politicsnigeria.com/nigeria-now-has-a-listening-president-can-urges-christians-to-pray-for-tinubu/
----
Over 1900 Repentant Boko Haram
Terrorists Released Back Into Communities – Nigerian Defence Headquarters
January 23, 2024
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen.
Christopher Musa, made this known in Abuja on Monday when he delivered a
lecture titled: “Non-Kinetic Operations and the Nigerian Armed Forces,” at the
opening session of a national security course on “Psychological Operations and
Strategic Communication (PSYOPS)”organised by the Defence Intelligence Agency
(DIA).
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters,
Abuja, has stated that no fewer than 1935 repentant Boko Haram terrorists were
released from the Bulumkutu camp in Borno State back into the Nigerian society
between 2016 and 2022 after undergoing deradicalisation.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen.
Christopher Musa, made this known in Abuja on Monday when he delivered a lecture
titled: “Non-Kinetic Operations and the Nigerian Armed Forces,” at the opening
session of a national security course on “Psychological Operations and
Strategic Communication (PSYOPS)”organised by the Defence Intelligence Agency
(DIA).
The programme was held with the theme,
“Winning Hearts and Minds for National Cohesion and Development”.
The CDS, who was represented by Rear
Admiral Daupreye Matthew, Director of Training, Defence Headquarters, asserted
that the military had not contemplated scrapping the non-kinetic approach as
part of the efforts being used to solve insecurity challenges.
He explained that the use of non-kinetic
efforts under Operation Safe Corridor had led to the surrender of more than
2,000 Boko Haran members between 2016 and 2017.
According to him, 67 per cent of those
who surrendered were of the AbubakarShekau faction of the insurgents, adding
that 1,543 repentant terrorists graduated from MallamSidi Camp in Gombe State
and 1,935 were released from Bulumkutu camp in Borno between 2016 and 2022.
General Musa noted that from July 2021
to May 4, 2022 alone, no fewer than 51,828 terrorists and their family members
surrendered, out of which 13,360 were fighters, stressing that 106,000
terrorists and their family members had so far surrendered in the North East.
The five-day programme was said to have
been organised to boost security experts’ understanding of the dynamics of
psychological operations and strategic communication.
Source: saharareporters.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://saharareporters.com/2024/01/23/over-1900-repentant-boko-haram-terrorists-released-back-communities-nigerian-defence
----
MURIC asks Ayedatiwa to appoint Muslim
as deputy
January 22, 2024
Timothy Enietan-Matthews
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has
called on Ondo State Governor, Lucky Ayedatiwa, to heed the call for a Muslim
deputy governor in the state.
MURIC Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq
Akintola, made the call on Sunday in a statement.
Akinola said: “The office of deputy
governor has been vacant since the assumption of office of Governor Lucky
Ayedatiwa. As a multi-religious state with a large Muslim population, the new
governor will be injecting a heavy dose of interfaith tolerance and inclusivity
by picking a Muslim as his deputy.
“Muslims in Ondo State have a long
history of political alienation, economic marginalisation and social
ostracisation. Their complaints have become legendary but nobody ever listened.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa will be charting an
entirely new course if he can change all these by giving Muslims in Ondo State
special attention this time around.”
According to him, the governor has no
problem identifying suitable candidates as eminently qualified Muslims abound
in all sectors of the state and as some of them have been active in Ondo
politics.
Aiyedatiwa, a Christian was a deputy to
late RotimiAkeredolu who also was a Christian.
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Source: ripplesnigeria.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/muric-asks-ayedatiwa-to-appoint-muslim-as-deputy/
----
Six firms involved in Sudan war
sanctioned by EU council
January 22, 2024
The European Council has adopted
sanctions against six entities involved in the war in Sudan. The horn of Africa
nation's regular army (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
have been fighting since last April.
The Council said in a statement Monday
that the six entities were responsible for "supporting activities
undermining the stability and political transition of Sudan".
Among those listed are two companies
involved in the manufacture of weapons and vehicles for the SAF (Defense
Industries System and SMT Engineering).
The bloodshed in Sudan has continued to
escalate despite international attempts to forge a lasting ceasefire. The war
has uprooted more than 7.5 million people from their homes and created a
humanitarian crisis.
In November, the European Union
condemned an escalation of violence in Sudan's Darfur region, warning of the
danger of another genocide after conflict there between 2003-08 killed some
300,000 people and displaced more than two million.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/01/22/six-firms-involved-in-sudan-war-sanctioned-by-eu-council/
-----
Arab World
Saudi FM attends EU council meeting
discussing Gaza war
January 22, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince
Faisal bin Farhan attended an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on
Monday where the focus was on the Gaza crisis, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Chaired by JosepBorrell, the High
Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
the meeting highlighted the pressing need for a ceasefire and addressed the
humanitarian crisis impacting the residents of the Gaza Strip.
Prominent figures participated in the
meeting, including the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed
Abu Al-Ghait, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Expatriate Affairs of Jordan, Ayman Al-Safadi, and the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Egypt, SamehShukri.
On Thursday, the European Parliament
adopted a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza on condition
that Hamas be dismantled and all hostages it holds be released.
On the sidelines of the event, Prince
Faisal met with his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne.
The two officials discussed ways to
strengthen bilateral ties in various fields as well as regional and
international issues of mutual interest.
Prince Faisal also met with Jordanian
Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi to exchange views on the latest developments in
Gaza and the security and humanitarian impacts of the war there.
The meetings were attended by
Abdulrahman Al-Daoud, director general of the foreign minister's office, Saudi
Ambassador to the EU Haifa Al-Jedea and Mohammed Al-Yahya, adviser to the
foreign minister.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2446241/saudi-arabia
----
Saudi aid campaign collects $165m for
Gaza
January 22, 2024
RIYADH: A fundraising campaign in Saudi
Arabia has raised over SR619 million ($165 million) for the people of Gaza.
The initiative was launched on Nov. 2,
2023, by the Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief through the Sahem platform for
charitable donations, as ordered by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman.
By Monday, more than 1.6 million people
had accessed the platform to make donations.
Those who wish to contribute can
download the Sahem app from Apple’s App Store or Google Play, visit
sahem.ksrelief.org, or transfer funds directly into the campaign’s Al-Rajhi
Bank account (SA5580000504608018899998).
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to
Egypt, Osama Nugali, met with Alfonso Verdu Perez, the head of the
International Committee of the Red Cross in the African nation.
They discussed ongoing cooperation
between the Kingdom and the Red Cross, focusing on medical assistance provided
by Saudi Arabia to those in need in the Gaza Strip.
In November, KSrelief signed a SR37.5
million ($10 million) cooperation agreement in Cairo with the International
Committee of the Red Cross to aid Palestinians in Gaza.
This partnership focuses on supporting
hospitals, bringing in medical staff, and addressing the needs of the wounded
and those with burns.
KSrelief also provides intensive care
items and ambulances, facilitates access to clean water, and raises awareness
about the dangers of explosive waste.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2446061/saudi-arabia
-----
Saudi Arabia: 280 million offered
prayers at Prophet’s Mosque in Medina last year
January 23, 2024
Cairo: More than 280 million Muslims
prayed at the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second holiest site in the Saudi city
of Medina, in 2023, according to official figures.
The worshippers performed prayers amid a
spiritual atmosphere and an integrated network of services provided by the
General Authority for Care of the Prophet’s Mosque, a state agency in charge of
the place, the Saudi news agency SPA reported.
The agency said it has endeavoured to
provide services of the highest standards to facilitate things for the faithful
and help them undertake worshipping with ease and comfort.
The mosque houses Al Rawda Al Sharifa,
where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) is located.
After performing Umrah or minor
pilgrimage at the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site, in Mecca, many pilgrims
would flock to Medina to offer prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque and visit other
Islamic landmarks in the city.
Saudi Arabia expects around 10 million
Muslims from abroad to perform Umrah during the current season that began more
than six months ago.
The numbers of Umrah pilgrims hit record
13.5 million last year, Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al Rabiah said
this month.
Last April, Saudi authorities unveiled a
gilded brass barrier surrounding the Sacred Chamber at the Prophet’s Mosque.
The barrier replaced a wooden barrier to
preserve the visual identity and architectural pattern of the Mosque, officials
said at the time.
The barrier has posts fixed to the
bottom base by internal props, guaranteeing its immovability under pressure of
human density and easy maintenance.
Source: gulfnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-arabia-280-million-offered-prayers-at-prophets-mosque-in-medina-last-year-1.100604066
-----
Europe
'We Are In A Global Battle Against
Radical Islam,' BelgiumFM Katz Tells EU Affairs Council
RINA BASSIST
JANUARY 22, 2024
BRUSSELS, Belgium – Foreign Minister
Israel Katz addressed the European Union Foreign Ministers Council in Brussels
on Monday to discuss two main issues; return of hostages and Israeli security.
Displaying photographs, he urged the
need to “bringing back home our hostages, including young baby KfirBibas (one
last week) and these four young women – you can see them in the picture before
and after what they (Hamas) did to them. So clearly, it’s urgent and very
important to bring them back soon,” stressed Katz.
The second topic for discussion, noted
the minister, was restoring Israel’s security after the October 7 Hamas attack,
especially to the communities in the south.
Katz is the first Israeli foreign
minister to address the EU’s foreign affairs council since YairLapidtraveled to
Brussels in July 2021. Former foreign minister Eli Cohen met with senior EU
officials and with EU’s foreign affairs chief JosepBorrell last May to mend
ties but did not address the council.
October 7 and the war against Hamas
Opening his remarks at the European
Foreign Ministers’ Council, Katz expressed gratitude for the support and
solidarity Israel has received from the EU and its member states. He hailed
specifically the resolution adopted last week by the European Parliament in
Strasbourg, conditioning any ceasefire in Gaza on the dismantling of Hamas and
the return of the hostages held in the Strip – a position similar to that of
Israel.
Katz also said, “We are in a global
battle against radical Islam, led by Iran and its proxies, targeting Israel,
our Arab allies, and the broader free world, including Europe. Israel stands at
the forefront of this fight.”
Addressing the 'day after,' Katz told
the European ministers, “Our goal is clear: the demilitarization and
stabilization of Gaza, with Israel maintaining security control to protect our
people. Achieving this will open doors to new regional opportunities, allowing
us to foster economic and humanitarian initiatives that benefit everyone,
including the people of Gaza.”
With that, Katz showed the ministers a
short video clip reflecting his vision for Israel and the Middle East. The clip
depicted two projects Katz has been advancing for several years now, mainly in
his capacities as transportation minister and energy minister.
The first is for the establishment of a
Middle East railway connecting Israel to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the
Emirates. The second is for the construction of an artificial island off Gazan
shores. Such an island could harbor a maritime port, an airport, a desalination
plant, and an industrial zone.
Katz stressed that rehabilitating Gaza
can only come after Hamas is eliminated and Israeli hostages held in Gaza are
freed.
The Katz visit comes against the
backdrop of harsh criticism leveled at Israel by Borrell. The European
commissioner said Monday morning, before Katz’s speech, that the sides must
return to discussing Palestinian statehood. “We have to stop talking about
peace and start talking more concretely about the two-state solution. Because
peace could take many forms. What kind of peace are we talking about? So let’s
talk about what we want to do. And what we want to do is to build a two-state
solution,” said Borrell.
In the past few days, Borrell reiterated
his position that the international community must impose a solution to the
Israel-Hamas conflict as the warring sides are unable to come to terms. On
January 3, Borrell said “I believe that we have learned in these 30 years that
the solution has to be imposed from outside because the two parties will never
be able to reach an agreement,” warning that “if this tragedy doesn’t end soon,
the entire Middle East might end up in flames.”
Opinions on imposing a solution
The majority of the EU member countries
do not believe that a solution should be imposed on the two sides. Still,
France has been increasingly calling for a humanitarian ceasefire that should
lead to a full ceasefire and the ending of the war to spare the lives of
civilians. After addressing the council, Katz is expected to hold bilateral
meetings with 10 to 12 European foreign ministers, including with France’s
newly-appointed StéphaneSéjourné.
The European Council invited not only
Katz to this monthly meeting, but also the Palestinian, Jordanian, and Egyptian
foreign ministers. No meetings are expected between Katz and any of these
ministers, and they will not be in the same room when each addresses the
Council.
The European Union is also meeting with
Egypt Tuesday in its association council – the framework for relations between
the sides – celebrating 20 years to this agreement. In the meeting between Cohen
and Borrell last May, Israel and the European Union agreed they would resume
their association council meetings, frozen for the past decade.
Source: jpost.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-783199
----
Britain ‘disappointed’ by Netanyahu’s
stance on Palestinian statehood
January 22, 2024
LONDON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s opposition to a future sovereign Palestinian state is “disappointing,”
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s office said on Monday, reiterating British
support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden
have disagreed over the future creation of an independent Palestinian state,
with Netanyahu saying at the weekend he would not compromise on “full Israeli
security control of all territory west of the Jordan River.”
Asked about Netanyahu’s comments,
Sunak’s spokesman told reporters: “It’s disappointing to hear this from the
Israeli prime minister.”
“The UK’s position remains (that) a
two-state solution, with a viable and sovereign Palestinian state living
alongside a safe and secure Israel, is the best route to lasting peace,” the
spokesman said.
The two-state solution has long been the
fundamental framework of international efforts to resolve the conflict but the
peace process has been moribund for years.
Britain has backed Israel’s right to
retaliate against Hamas after the group’s deadly Oct. 7 assault on southern
Israel.
Sunak’s government has also called for
Israel to respect humanitarian law and pauses in the fighting in the Gaza Strip
to allow more aid into the besieged enclave. It wants a “sustainable ceasefire”
based on the release of hostages by Hamas, in order to limit civilian
casualties.
“Clearly, there will be a long road to
recovery and lasting security in the occupied Palestinian territories and
Israel,” the spokesman said. “But we will continue our long term support for
the two-state solution for as long as it takes.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2446186/world
-----
Demonstrators protest London stadium
hosting arms fair with firms that sell weapons to Israel
BurakBir
22.01.2024
Demonstrators in London on Monday
protested a local stadium hosting an arms fair with firms that make weapons
Israel uses against Gaza.
Gathered in front of Twickenham Rugby
Stadium, the protesters decried the UK's Rugby Football Union letting the
stadium in southwest London host the International Armoured Vehicle Fair.
Protesters said that the fair and a
similar event next month will be attended by companies that make weapons used
by Israel.
Carrying Palestinian flags, the crowd
held signs reading "Stop arming Israel," "Genocide
enablers," and "Drop goals not bombs."
Along with the famed slogan "From
the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," they also chanted
“Netanyahu you will see, Palestine will be free” and "Judaism yes, Zionism
no, the state of Israel has to go."
The group also criticized the stadium
hosting the fair, saying: "Twickenham Stadium you cannot hide, we will
charge you with genocide."
The protesters also left rugby balls
painted blood red in front of the stadium.
Speaking to Anadolu, 25-year-old
protester Anara said that she was protesting for the over 25,000 people in Gaza
that have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7.
"I’m here for the dad that I saw
today on Instagram, clawing his way through piles of rubble, just to bury his
7-month-old daughter. This is why I'm here," she explained.
Anara said she could not understand the
indifference to children starving in Gaza and even having their limbs amputated
without anesthesia, saying: "It's one of the most disgusting things that
I've ever had to witness.”
She added: "And even if we’re not
Palestinian, we must stand for Palestine, we must.”
Anara also said every company that is
selling in Israel right now, every company that is buying products from Israel,
"they are all complicit in this."
"If we stand together we can make a
difference," she said.
'It's a shame, unhuman, barbaric'
Sol, from Palestine Solidarity Campaign
(PSC) Richmond and Kingston, told Anadolu that Twickenham Stadium "has
blood on their hands."
On the 25,000 civilians killed by
Israel, most of them women and children, she said: “It's a shame. Shame on
Twickenham Stadium … It’s unhuman, it’s barbaric."
On the British government’s failure to
call for a permanent cease-fire, Sol said this "is outrageous,” adding
that “humanity has gone.”
“Twickenham Stadium with all its arms,
weapons, all its delivery coming into this building today, have blood on their
hands," she said, raising her hands in blood-red gloves.
"We want it to stop, cease-fire
now," added Sol.
Ahead of the start of the fair, the
group Palestine Action sprayed in red on a stadium gate: “Free Gaza."
Israel launched a deadly offensive on
the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at
least 25,295 Palestinians and injuring 63,000. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are
believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
The Israeli offensive has left 85% of
Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean
water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged
or destroyed, according to the UN.
Source: aa.com.tr
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the text of the original story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/demonstrators-protest-london-stadium-hosting-arms-fair-with-firms-that-sell-weapons-to-israel/3115860
------
Germany temporarily waives residence
permit requirement for Israelis
22 Jan 2024
BERLIN, Jan 22 — Israeli nationals
residing in Germany can remain in the country until April 26 without having to
apply for a residence permit or an extension to their visa-free stay following
the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, the German Interior Ministry said
today.
Israeli citizens can stay in Germany for
90 days without a visa. From January. 26 to April 26, they will now be exempt
from the requirement for a residence permit to stay, the ministry added.
“With our regulation, we are enabling
Israeli citizens to stay in Germany for a further three months without having
to apply for a residence permit. This is pragmatic and unbureaucratic help for
people who we want to support in this difficult situation,” said Interior
Minister Nancy Faeser. — Reuters
Source: malaymail.com
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the text of the original story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2024/01/22/germany-temporarily-waives-residence-permit-requirement-for-israelis/113948
----
Sentencing hearing resumes for man found
guilty in London attack on Muslim family
Jan 23, 2024
LONDON, Ont. — A sentencing hearing is
set to resume today for a man who killed four members of a Muslim family in
London, Ont.
Nathaniel Veltman, 23, was found guilty
in November of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted
murder for hitting the Afzaal family with his truck while they were out for a
walk on June 6, 2021.
Justice Renee Pomerance, who oversaw the
trial, is expected to hear arguments today from the Crown and Veltman’s defence
on whether his attack amounted to an act of terrorism.
Veltman’s trial was the first where
Canada’s terrorism laws were put before a jury in a first-degree murder trial.
Pomerance had instructed the jury that
they could convict Veltman of first-degree murder if they unanimously agreed
prosecutors had established he intended to kill the victims, and planned and
deliberated his attack. She also told jurors they could reach that same verdict
if they found that the killings were terrorist activity.
The terror component wasn’t a separate
charge, and juries don’t explain how they reach their verdict, so it’s unclear
what role – if any – the terror allegations played in their decision.
Pomerance may make findings on that
issue as part of the sentencing process.
Forty-six-year-old Salman Afzaal; his
44-year-old wife, Madiha Salman; their 15-year-old daughter, Yumna; and her
74-year-old grandmother, Talat Afzaal, were killed in the attack, while the
couple’s nine-year-old son was seriously hurt but survived.
The boy who survived the attack
addressed a sentencing hearing earlier this month in a statement that brought
many in court to tears.
The boy, whose name has been withheld to
protect his privacy, said he missed his mother’s food, going to prayers at the
mosque with his father and making art with his grandmother. He also said he
would love to fight with his sister “one last time.”
Also at the earlier sentencing hearing,
which heard many emotional victim impact statements, a relative of the family
recalled picking up clothes from her grand-niece’s bedroom floor a day after
the murders and “desperately seeking solace” in her scent for the final time.
Hina Islam told the sentencing hearing that she lost her sense of safety after
the attack.
Prosecutors had argued at Veltman’s
trial that the attack was an act of terrorism by a self-professed white
nationalist while defence lawyers argued Veltman didn’t have criminal intent to
kill the victims and didn’t deliberate and plan the attack.
During the trial, Veltman testified that
he was influenced by the writings of a gunman who committed the 2019 mass
killings of 51 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in New Zealand.
He also said he had been considering
using his pickup truck, which he bought a month earlier, to carry out an attack
and looked up information online about what happens when pedestrians get struck
by cars at various speeds.
He told the jury that he felt an “urge”
to hit the Afzaal family after seeing them walking on a sidewalk, adding that
he knew they were Muslims from the clothes they were wearing and he noticed
that the man in the group had a beard.
Jurors had also seen video of Veltman
telling a detective that his attack had been motivated by white nationalist
beliefs. Court also heard that he wrote a manifesto in the weeks before the
attack, describing himself as a white nationalist and peddling unfounded
conspiracy theories about Muslims.
Veltman’s trial was heard in Windsor,
Ont., but the sentencing proceedings, including victim impact statements, are
taking place in London.
This report by The Canadian Press was
first published Jan. 23, 2024.
Source: battlefordsnow.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://battlefordsnow.com/2024/01/23/sentencing-hearing-resumes-for-man-found-guilty-in-london-attack-on-muslim-family/
-----
Islamist teen arrested in Germany after
stealing bomb-making chemicals from high school, confessed to wanting to blow
up building
January 22, 2024
A suspected Islamist teenager in Germany
has been arrested by authorities after stealing chemicals from the local high
school to make a bomb and blow up a building.
The 17-year-old broke into the
Geschwister comprehensive school in Detmold, North Rhine-Westphalia, for the
second time on Thursday evening and was detained by state police on Friday
morning, according to the Detmold public prosecutor’s office.
“We are currently investigating
suspicions of preparing an explosive explosion,” the office confirmed as cited
by Der Spiegel.
According to the news outlet, state
police seized iron (III) oxide and aluminum grit, as well as pipettes and test
tubes from the teen. During a search of his bedroom, officers also found 750
milliliters of sulfuric acid.
When questioned by police, the suspect
is understood to have confessed to wanting to blow up an unnamed building but
insisted he did not plan to kill people.
The minor was reportedly already known
to intelligence agencies as a potentially radicalized Islamist, and security
services had acquired intelligence of him regularly visiting a mosque often
frequented by Chechen Salafists.
Further investigation is currently
underway to examine his cell phone and uncover any accomplices.
The incident is the latest in a number
of thwarted terror attacks across Germany in the past month.
The ISIS splinter group was reportedly
offered the surface-to-air rocket launcher on the black market by an individual
fighting in the army in the Donetsk Basin
Nine foreign nationals were arrested in
Germany and the Netherlands in December 2023 for planning Islamist terror
attacks after entering Western Europe via Ukraine in 2022. The suspects were
known affiliates of the Islamic State of the Khorasan Province (ISPK), a
regional offshoot of the Islamic State terror group in Central Asia.
Late last month, state police in Cologne
received intelligence about a credible terror attack planned on Cologne
Cathedral around Christmas, leading to armed police guarding the Christian
landmark and churchgoers being searched upon entry to Christmas Mass.
In May last year, two Syrian brothers
were arrested in Hamburg on suspicion of plotting to blow up a fully occupied
Swedish church.
Source: rmx.news
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the text of the original story
https://rmx.news/crime/islamist-teen-arrested-in-germany-after-stealing-bomb-making-chemicals-from-high-school-confessed-to-wanting-to-blow-up-building/
----
Pakistan
Pakistan Foreign Office Condemns
Consecration Of 'Ram Temple' On Site Of Demolished Babri Mosque
January 22, 2024
Pakistan has condemned the construction
and consecration of the 'Ram Temple' on the site of the demolished Babri Mosque
in the Indian city of Ayodhya.
The Foreign Office in a statement today,
said the centuries-old mosque was demolished on 6 December 1992 by a mob of
extremists. Deplorably, India's superior judiciary not only acquitted the criminals
responsible for this despicable act but also allowed the construction of a
temple on the site of the demolished mosque.
The Foreign Office said the developments
of the last 31 years, leading to today's consecration ceremony, are indicative
of growing majoritarianism in India. These constitute an important facet of the
ongoing efforts for social, economic and political marginalization of the
Indian Muslims.
The statement further said a temple
built on the site of a demolished mosque will remain a blot on the face of
India's democracy for the times to come. Notably, there is a growing list of
mosques, including the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Eidgah Mosque
in Mathura, facing a similar threat of desecration and destruction.
It said the rising tide of 'Hindutva'
ideology in India poses a serious threat to religious harmony and regional
peace. The Chief Ministers of two major Indian states, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya
Pradesh, are on record as citing the Babri Mosque's demolition or inauguration
of the 'Ram Temple' as the first step towards reclaiming parts of Pakistan.
The Foreign Office called upon the
international community to take cognizance of the growing Islamophobia, hate
speech and hate crimes in India. The United Nations and other relevant
international organizations should play their part in saving the Islamic
heritage sites in India from extremist groups and ensuring the protection of
the religious and cultural rights of minorities in India.
Pakistan urges the Government of India to
ensure the safety and security of religious minorities, including Muslims and
their holy places.
Source: nation.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.nation.com.pk/22-Jan-2024/pakistan-condemns-consecration-of-ram-temple-on-site-of-demolished-babri-mosque
----
Pakistan Official Again Alleges Threats
Coming From Afghan Soil
MitraMajeedy
January 22, 2024
Balochistan’s caretaker minister for
information, Jan Achakzai claimed that Afghan soil is a threat to Pakistani
security forces.
Speaking at a press conference on
Sunday, Jan Achakzai also said that terrorists have networks in Afghanistan.
“No neighboring country is threatened by
Pakistani soil, and conversely, the security forces of Balochistan have been
threatened from Afghan soil where their centers exist. Likewise, Pakistan has
destroyed its centers in neighboring Iran, which shows that the stability of
Balochistan and Pakistan is threatened beyond its borders,” he added
However, the Islamic Emirate rejected
the claims of this Pakistani official and said that there is no threat from
Afghanistan's soil to any country and says such claims are baseless.
“According to its policy, the Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan does not allow Afghanistan's soil to be used against any
country, including Pakistan, so the accusations that have been or were made in
this regard are not true, and we consider them against the policy and legal
position of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, the
spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.
Some political analysts said that
Pakistan is trying to mislead its people by accusing Afghanistan and Iran of
causing the country’s insecurity.
“Pakistani forces cannot provide the
security of its people, and they have improved their relations with the TTP to
meet their demands, which forces them to turn a blind eye to their people,”
said Kamarn Aman, a political analyst.
“The interim government of Pakistan is
not only trying to disrupt relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan but also
trying to disrupt peace and stability in the region and other countries like
Iran,” said Najib Rahman Shamal, another political analyst.
This comes as Pakistan’s caretaker
minister for information, broadcasting, and parliamentary affairs has said that
the future of relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan depends on the
behavior and actions of Kabul.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187082
----
Info Minister lauds Turkiye’s role in
defusing Pak-Iran tensions
January 23, 2024
Caretaker Federal Minister for
Information and Broadcasting, Murtaza Solangi, has commended the constructive
role played by friendly countries, especially Turkiye, in de-escalating the
recent tension between Pakistan and Iran.
In an interview with TRT, he said that
the situation has largely returned to normalcy due to the effective measures
taken by the government of Pakistan and state institutions. However, he
emphasized that the goodwill gestures and continuous contacts by friendly
countries are highly appreciable.
The Minister highlighted that, as a
responsible nuclear power, Pakistan fulfilled its duty and normalized the
situation. He explained that it was not possible for Pakistan to refrain from
responding to the aggressive action, leading to a proportional and
well-measured response.
According to Information Minister, this
response has sent a clear message that whether the aggression against Pakistan
comes from a small or a large country, Pakistan will not remain silent and will
respond accordingly. He added that this has also bolstered the confidence of
the Pakistani people in the state and its institutions.
Murtaza Solangi mentioned that Turkish
Foreign Minister HakanFidan maintained close contact with the foreign ministers
of both Pakistan and Iran. He further stated that Pakistan's Foreign Minister,
Jalil Abbasi Jilani, welcomed the Turkish Foreign Minister's efforts and
message of goodwill. Pakistan continues to be in contact with Turkiye and
China, who are actively contributing to ongoing diplomatic efforts in this
regard.
The Minister reiterated that the strong
relations between the government and people of Pakistan with the government and
people of Turkiye are a valuable asset for Pakistan.
Shifting focus to the upcoming general
election, Murtaza Solangi said that the Election Commission of Pakistan has
completed all preparations to organize free and fair polls on the 8th of the
next month. He mentioned that the printing of ballot papers is ongoing, and
postal ballots are being dispatched. The caretaker government is resolute in
ensuring peaceful, just, free, and transparent elections as per the schedule
issued by the ECP.
Information Minister stated that the
commission will announce poll results within two days after the election.
Following the official declaration of results, the outgoing Speaker of the
National Assembly will summon a session of the Lower House within one week and
administer the oath to newly elected members.
Subsequently, the election of Speaker
and Deputy Speaker will take place, followed by the election of the leader of
the House, who will then take the oath as the Prime Minister of Pakistan,
administered by the President. The interim setup will dissolve as soon as the
elected Prime Minister takes the oath and forms his cabinet.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/22-01-2024/info-minister-lauds-turkiyes-role-in-defusing-pak-iran-tensions
-----
Imran moves IHC for bail in Toshakhana,
£190 million corruption cases
January 23, 2024
ISLAMABAD:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
founder Imran Khan moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday for bail in
the Toshakhana and £190 million corruption cases.
The National Accountability Bureau
(NAB), the director general of NAB, and the investigating officer have been
named respondents in the applications.
Separate bail applications for each case
were submitted, outlining the request for bail until the completion of the
trial and the issuance of a final decision.
The application asserts that the charges
against him are 'politically motivated' and 'rooted in animosity'. Imran in his
petition, recalls the stance of former NAB Chairman Aftab Sultan, who, despite
facing pressure, had rejected the notion of creating politically motivated
cases.
The accountability court, following
Imran's arrest, declined to grant him bail in both cases. NAB, last year, filed
a reference against Imran and Bushra, accusing the couple of misusing the
state’s gift repository—Toshakhana.
Previously, PTI categorically dismissed
the Toshakhana reference filed against the party's founder. The former ruling
party described the case as "devoid of merit" and "a concocted
fabrication."
Last week, the lawyer for the PTI
founder cross-examined NAB's principal witness, Imran Masih. The party on
January 21 issued a statement claiming that the reference now stands
discredited following the witness's statement in court, deeming it to be
without foundation.
According to the PTI, Shehbaz Khosa,
advocate for Imran , systematically dismantled the entire case during the
cross-examination of Masih. The party alleged that NAB relied on images of
Toshakhana's jewellery sent to Masih, constructing the entire case based on the
responses obtained from him.
The party asserted that Masih lacks any
certification for the assessment of jewelry, including the absence of
familiarity with the abbreviation "IGI," which pertains to the
relevant certificate for diamond grading. Furthermore, he does not possess any
official documentation for his establishment, and even the proprietor remains
oblivious to his identity.
PTI emphasised that the witness failed
to furnish any written evidence regarding market research and appraisals
conducted by jewellery establishments. Moreover, the salesman did not possess
any letter from the company, authorising him for price determination and
testimony in court.
The statement underscored that the gifts
scrutinized in NAB's reference had not undergone machine examination, relying
solely on photographic evidence. Notably, Imran Masih, in his report, recorded
the weight of diamonds in grams, whereas the standard metric for weighing
diamonds is carats.
Source: tribune.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2454148/imran-moves-ihc-for-bail-in-toshakhana-190-million-corruption-cases
------
Mideast
Hezbollah rejects latest Israeli
ceasefire proposals
January 22, 2024
BEIRUT: Hezbollah on Monday rejected
Israeli proposals to halt military operations on the southern Lebanese front.
“Whatever the enemy proposes will not
change the equation as this is a war of one option,” said Hezbollah MP Hassan
Fadlallah.
“Stopping Israel’s aggression on Gaza is
what can open the door to other matters and there is no room for anything
else.”
The reiteration of Hezbollah’s stance
came amid the continuing violence along Lebanon’s southern border and continual
Israeli pressure on the movement to agree to a ceasefire.
A previous proposal called for the
relocation of Hezbollah’s Radwan forces at least 7 kilometers from the border,
to establish a quasi-buffer zone managed by the Lebanese army and the UN
Interim Force in Lebanon. In exchange, the US would ensure the defining of land
borders, similar to the process of demarcating maritime borders. This would
take place independently of any developments in Gaza.
US and European diplomats have also been
visiting Lebanon in an attempt to prevent the conflict between Israel and
Hezbollah from escalating into a full-scale war.
Fadlallah said Israel “issues threats
and sends messages, in various ways, by targeting civilian structures and homes
and trying to impose a balance of displacement between its north and our south,
or threatens us with large-scale war.
“However, we are fully prepared for any
situation that may arise. We believe that victory is the ultimate result for
our country, the resistance, and the people of our nation.”
Fadlallah said he had attended the
funeral of Samar Al-Sayyid Mohammed, a civilian who was killed when the car in
which she was traveling was passing by the target of an Israeli drone attack in
the border town of Bint Jbeil. Her son was injured in the strike, and a
Hezbollah member, Fadl Al-Shaar, was killed.
Fadlallah said Hezbollah “will not
accept any harm to civilians, regardless of the reason, and will always
retaliate against any attacks on civilians in Lebanon.”
Assassinations carried out by the
Israeli army “will not weaken the determination of the resistance,” he added.
On Sunday, the YediothAhronoth newspaper
quoted senior Israeli officers as saying military commanders had proposed a
48-hour truce in northern Israel, in coordination with officials in Washington.
However, they said if Hezbollah breached the truce, in particular by targeting
civilians, there would be a forceful response in southern Lebanon. Such a
proposal has yet to be confirmed by Israeli politicians.
On Monday morning, Israeli artillery
fire targeted the outskirts of the towns of Maroun Al-Ras, Aitaroun, Yarin,
Al-Bustan, and the Marjayoun Plain.
The Israeli army reportedly fired
phosphorus shells at the town of Odaisseh, on the outskirts of KafrKila, during
the funeral of a Hezbollah member, SamehAssaad. Forces also fired many shells
in the vicinity of Taybeh and targeted the outskirts of the town of Hula.
A civilian property, the home of the
Yaghi family, in TayrHarfa was substantially damaged by airstrikes from Israeli
warplanes. Raids were also carried out on Taybeh, near a civil defensecenter,
and Marwahin.
Israeli artillery shelled targets in the
outskirts of the towns of Hula, Mays Al-Jabal, and Deir Mimas. In addition, a
missile was fired by an Israeli drone at a residential property in an agricultural
complex on the outskirts of the town of Al-Wazzani but no injuries were
reported.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it struck “a
group of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of Al-Raheb military site with a
direct hit.” The group added that it had targeted the “Israeli force on Sunday
night with missiles in the vicinity of the Zarit barracks, which led to
confirmed casualties.” The Israeli troops were preparing to carry out
operations on Lebanese territory, according to Hezbollah.
The group said one of its members, Ali
Saeed Yahya, from Taybeh, had been killed. And Al-Qassam Brigades, the military
wing of Hamas in Lebanon, said member Mohammed Bassem Azzam, from the MiehMieh
Palestinian refugee camp near the city of Sidon, was “martyred during his
mission in southern Lebanon.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2446291/middle-east
----
Iran’s Leader calls on Muslim countries
to cut off vital arteries of Israeli regime
23 January 2024
Leader of the Islamic Revolution
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called on Muslim countries to severe their
political and economic relations with the Israeli regime, and cut off Tel
Aviv's vital arteries.
Ayatollah Khamnei made the remarks on
Tuesday during a meeting with those in charge of a congress of 24,000 martyrs
of Tehran Province.
The Leader criticized Muslim officials
for making “wrong” statements about Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip,
saying they raise issues such as a ceasefire, which is beyond their control and
lies in the hands of the evil Zionist enemy.
“The issue that is in the hands of the
officials of the Muslim countries is to cut off the vital lifelines of the
Zionist regime,” Ayatollah Khamnei added.
“The Muslim countries should severe
their political and economic contact with the Zionist regime and not help this
regime.”
Ayatollah Khamenei asserted that the
Palestinian nation will emerge victorious despite hardships and inappropriate
conduct of the authorities of Muslim countries.
“The victory of the people of Gaza is
definite and that it will happen in the not too distant future.”
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/01/23/718742/Iran-Leader-Muslim-countries-Israel-vital-arteries
----
ISIS supporters arrested after planning
Jerusalem terror attack
JANUARY 22, 2024
Two supporters of Islamic State (ISIS)
were arrested in east Jerusalem for intending to carry out a terror attack, the
Israel Security Service (Shin Bet), Border Police, and Jerusalem District
Police announced on Monday.
The terrorists had reportedly pledged
allegiance to ISIS, acquired chemical materials for explosives, and intended to
target civilians and security forces in the Jerusalem area.
Planned to detonate car bomb near
Knesset
The two had planned to detonate a car
bomb full of gas tanks near the Knesset in Jerusalem, as per the indictment.
Furthermore, the indictment bill charges
the two with conspiracy to a terrorist act of operating with weapons for
terrorist purposes, training or instruction in a terrorist act, membership in a
terrorist organization, and obstruction of justice. In addition, according to
the bill, during the month of October, one of the defendants hung Hamas flags
in the neighborhood where he lives.
The police and the Shin Bet uncovered
their plans, leading to their arrest before any attacks could be carried out,
and today, an indictment will be filed against them by the prosecutor's office.
This event follows two other individuals
indicted for supporting the Islamic State and planning an explosive attack in
the Jerusalem area a week and a half prior.
Source: jpost.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-783190
-----
Israel ‘helpless’ on battlefield,
attacks Syria, Lebanon to deflect ‘disgraceful’ Gaza defeat: Iran
23 January 2024
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein
Amir-Abdollahian says Israel’s recent attacks on Syria and Lebanon are meant to
divert the attention of the international community from the regime’s
“disgraceful defeat” in the Gaza war.
In a meeting with his Russian
counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York on Monday, Amir-Abdollahian denounced the
illegal Israeli airstrikes, which have increased over the past few months, as a
“vicious attempt” by the occupying entity to spread regional insecurity.
The top Iranian diplomat highlighted the
resilience of the oppressed people of Gaza for more than 100 days and Israel’s
failure to achieve its declared objectives during the genocidal onslaught on
the besieged Palestinian territory.
“The Zionist regime’s recent acts of
aggression against Syria and Lebanon are an attempt to divert the attention of
the international community from the regime’s disgraceful defeat as well as its
frustration and helplessness in the battlefield. They are also a vicious
attempt to spread instability and insecurity in the region,” he added.
Amir-Abdollahian has travelled to New
York to attend a UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting on "the situation in
the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”.
Israel waged its brutal war on Gaza on
October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out a historic
operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified
atrocities against the Palestinian people.
However, 109 days into the genocidal
offensive, Tel Aviv has failed to "destroy Hamas” and find Israeli
captives in Gaza despite killing at least 25,295 Palestinians, mostly women and
children, and injuring 63,000 others.
The regime has also ramped up its
airstrikes on Syria and Lebanon in the course of the war.
Referring to Russia’s permanent
membership in the UNSC, the Iranian foreign minister urged the country to play
a more active role to bring an end to the Gaza war.
He also expressed his satisfaction with
the level of Iran-Russia relations, expressing hope that the two countries will
sign a long-term cooperation agreement during Russian President Vladimir
Putin’s future visit to Tehran.
Lavrov, for his part, voiced his
contentment with bilateral relations and stressed the implementation of the
deals inked so far.
Palestinian officials condemn the US
veto of a draft ceasefire resolution at the UN Security Council urging Gaza
ceasefire as “disastrous” and “a disgrace.”
He further blasted the US for blocking a
UNSC resolution on the Gaza ceasefire and urged Arab countries to unite on the
issue of Palestine.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Amir
Abdollahian said, “The martyrdom of more than 25,000 Palestinians, the wounding
of tens of thousands and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people in
Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the expansion of regional instability, are
the result of the genocide by the Israeli regime and its supporters.”
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/01/23/718730/Iran-Abdollahian-Lavrov-Israel-Syria-Lebanon-attacks-Gaza-defeat
----
Hamdan condemns classification of
Ansarullah as terrorist group
[23/January/2024]
BEIRUT January 23. 2024 (Saba) - Hamas
leader Osama Hamdan has renewed Hamas condemnation of the US administration’s
designation of “Ansar Allah” as a terrorist group and also condemned the
continuation of the brutal American-British aggression against Yemen.
In a press conference in the Lebanese
capital, Beirut, Hamdan considered this an American insistence on militarizing
the Red Sea to protect the back of the Zionist enemy entity, and to attribute
its crimes and aggression against the Palestinian people and the Arab and
Islamic nation.
He said "We extend our support to
our brothers in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq, and we congratulate their jihad, and
we pray for our martyrs and their martyrs, who rose on the path of al-Quds and
in solidarity with our people who defend al-Aqsa Mosque and face a brutal Nazi
occupation that threatens the security and stability of our entire
region."
Hamdan warned that more than half a
million people in the Gaza Strip face the risk of dying from hunger, pointing
out that the residents of the Strip were forced to grind animal fodder in the
absence of flour and food.
He held the government of the Zionist
enemy and the Biden administration responsible for the massacres against the
Palestinian people, calling at the same time on international organizations to
declare northern Gaza a famine zone.
Hamdan also called on the Organization
of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League to intervene immediately to open the
crossings and bring in aid.
He stressed that there are no longer
safe areas in the Gaza Strip, as the occupation and the American administration
claim, and it is no longer a secret the nature of the third stage that this
Nazi enemy is promoting with American and Western partnership and support,
adding they are nothing but a continuation and escalation of the war of
genocide, ethnic cleansing, and revenge against Gazans.
Hamdan said the occupation continues its
fascist war in the north of the Gaza Strip as well as in the south, committing
mass massacres in Khan Yunis, with a brutal escalation of all forms of bombing,
destruction and extermination against civil institutions and infrastructure,
universities, mosques, hospitals, shelter centres, towers and homes.
He added "After 108 days of this
Zionist-American war against the Gaza Strip, the scene of the enemy’s failure
to achieve any of its aggressive goals is reinforced.
He stressed that al-Aqsa Flood operation
was a necessary step and a natural response to confront the Zionist plans being
hatched aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause, controlling the land and
Judaizing it, resolving sovereignty over the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque and the
holy sites, ending the unjust siege of the Gaza Strip, and a natural step
within the framework of getting rid of Occupation, restoring national rights,
achieving independence and freedom like other peoples of the world, the right
to self-determination, and establishing an independent Palestinian state with
al-Quds as its capital.
Hamdan said " We presented a
document (This is our story of why the Al-Aqsa Flood) to Arab, Islamic and
international public opinion to clarify the truth about what happened on
October 7, 2023, why it was and what is its context related to the Palestinian
national issue, refute the falsity of the Zionist allegations, and put the
facts in perspective.
He noted that with the high numbers of
displaced people, the lack of suitable shelters for living, and the scarcity of
adequate food aid and its complete absence in many areas in the northern Gaza
Strip, more than half a million of the people in the northern Gaza Strip are
facing the real danger of death, as they are starving, adding every day, days
after days pass without food entering their stomachs, due to the lack of food
supplies and all types of food, vegetables, canned foods, meat, or other
minimum requirements for a human being to survive.
Hamdan pointed more than two million
Palestinian citizens cannot be described by any words in media reports or news
for the lack of adequate relief and food aid, especially flour, as the
residents of the northern Gaza Strip were forced to grind Animal fodder to be
used as food to satisfy hunger so they can stay alive.
He held the Zionist enemy and the
American administration for the genocidal war and the heinous crimes and
massacres to which the Palestinian people are exposed in the Gaza Strip through
killing, destruction, starvation and thirst.
Hamdan called on the World Health Organization
to take immediate action and declare Gaza a famine zone, and to exert pressure
to take all human rights and humanitarian measures to prevent the continuation
and worsening of this real humanitarian disaster.
He also called on UNRWA to assume its
humanitarian responsibilities and carry out its assigned role in providing
relief to the Palestinian people and introducing and distributing aid to all
areas of the Gaza Strip, especially in the north, and not to yield to the
pressures, dictates and threats of the occupation.
He also called for launching an urgent
distress call to all countries and governments around the world, in
coordination with the relevant UN institutions, to put pressure on the
occupation and the American administration with the necessity of bringing
relief aid by land, sea and air.
Hamdan appealed to the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States, and the leaders of our Arab and
Islamic nation, in the name of Arabism, Islam to intervene immediately and put
serious pressure to open the crossings for sending relief convoys and urgent
airdrops to preventing the real catastrophe of famine of more than a million
Palestinian citizens in northern Gaza.
Hamdan said over the past few days, we
have followed the positions expressed by the war criminal Netanyahu, and his
assertion that the Zionist entity will tighten its grip on “the entire
territory between the sea and the river” and his refusal to establish a
Palestinian state in confirmation of the fascist Zionist policy, which is based
on denying the existence of the Palestinian people and their legitimate
national rights.
He added "We have also followed the
Western reactions, especially the American statements, and especially the
statements issued by US President Biden in which he tried to send messages of
reassurance to those who are still betting on political solutions and
normalization projects with this fascist entity, by saying: Netanyahu does not
oppose all solutions. Based on the existence of what he called two states,
Netanyahu’s office issued a statement only hours later in which Biden lied and
denied acceptance of the idea of a Palestinian state."
He stressed that these statements and
positions confirm the established fact that, on the one hand, we are facing a
terrorist Zionist entity that seeks to abolish the Palestinian presence, and on
the other hand in front of a deceptive American administration, which sells
illusions and works to beautify the image of the occupation and cover up its
crimes, seeking to integrate it into the region through normalization projects,
and denying the rights of the Palestinian people to achieve their freedom,
self-determination, and establishing their state.
Hamdan sent a message to Washington and
the administration of President Biden as saying "Your statements claiming
your support for the establishment of a Palestinian state, or lamenting over a
humanitarian catastrophe caused by your weapons in the Gaza Strip; Statements
and positions will remain without credibility unless the aggression stops
immediately, unless the sending of weapons and ammunition to the enemy army, so
that it continues to bomb civilians, stops, and the policy of starvation and
war of extermination that the occupation is committing with open American
support stops.
He added "We say it clearly there
is no guardianship over our people, and we will not accept and our people will
not accept anything less than a fully sovereign Palestinian state with al-Quds
as its capital, and all proposals that attempt to circumvent the rights of our
people by proposing an imaginary Palestinian entity, without content, will not
be successful..."
He stressed that the American
administration is fully responsible for the escalation that the region is
witnessing in its various arenas, through its continued support for the
occupation and its aggression, stressing that the title of calm and stability
in the region is stopping the aggression against the Palestinian people in
Gaza, ending the Nazi occupation, and establishing a complete Palestinian state
with al-Quds as its capital.
Hamdan pointed out that the government
of genocidal crimes is escaping its crisis by exporting it abroad, carrying out
assassinations against the resistance and its leaders, attacking the resistance
in Lebanon that supports our people and their cause, attacking Syria,
threatening Yemen and seeking help from the Americans to expand the war in the
region, and is even trying to attack the sovereignty of Arabic countries in the
context of its continued aggression against the people in Gaza.
He stressed that the world today and
decision-makers in the region are required to think about the period after the
criminal Netanyahu and his extremist fascist government, and to work with all
seriousness to end it and get rid of it.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3298622.htm
-----
Over half a million Gazans at risk of
death from starvation
Jan 23, 2024
TEHRAN, Jan. 23 (MNA)– A senior official
of the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas has warned that more than half a
million people face the risk of death from starvation in the Gaza Strip due to
US-backed Israeli genocide in the territory.
Osama Hamdan, who represents the movement
in Lebanon, made the remarks at a press conference in Beirut on Monday.
"Due to the high number of
displaced people, lack of viable shelters, and scarcity of adequate food aid,
more than half a million of our people in the northern Gaza Strip face the real
danger of death and are starving," Hamdan said.
The official added that the people of
Gaza have been forced to "grind animal fodder" in the absence of
flour and food.
Hamdan said Israel and the
administration of the United States President Joe Biden are responsible for the
massacres that have been carried out against Gazans, calling on international
organizations to declare northern Gaza a "famine zone."
He also urged the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League to intervene immediately to open Gaza's
crossings and bring in aid.
The Hamas official said despite what the
Israeli regime and the United States claim, there are no safe areas across the
coastal territory.
Hamdan stressed that the US
administration is fully accountable for the escalation that the region is
witnessing due to its continued support for Israel and its aggression against
Gaza.
The Israeli regime, he emphasized, has
stopped short of achieving any of the goals it had sought to realize through
its military aggression against Gaza.
"After 108 days of this
Zionist-American war against the Gaza Strip, the enemy has failed to achieve
any of its aggressive goals. It has not been able to break the will of our
great, patient, committed, and sacrificing people, nor has it been able to
defeat the Resistance,” Hamdan said.
He added, "Neither our people left
their land, nor did the Resistance raise the white flag, nor did any of
[Israeli] captives return to it, except for those that the Resistance released
on its own terms."
In another part of his remarks, Hamdan
said the Hamas movement strongly condemns the US administration’s designation
of Yemen's Ansarullah Resistance movement as a terrorist group.
"We also condemn the continuation
of the brutal American-British aggression against the brotherly [nation of]
Yemen ... and we consider it a proof to US insistence on militarizing the Red
Sea to protect the [Israeli] occupation and support its crimes and
aggression," the Hamas representative said.
Concluding his remarks, Hamdan reaffirmed
that Operation al-Aqsa Storm was a "necessary step and a natural
response" by the Resistance to the Israeli regime's plots against
Palestinians.
The Israeli regime launched its
onslaught on Gaza on October 7, 2023, following Operation al-Aqsa Storm by the
territory's Resistance movements.
More than 25,000 Palestinians, mostly
women and children, have lost their lives so far as a result of the brutal
onslaught and a concomitant siege, which the regime has imposed on the
territory with all-out American military and political support.
Source: mehrnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/211171/Over-half-a-million-Gazans-at-risk-of-death-from-starvation
-----
21 Israeli soldiers killed in deadliest
attack since war began
January 23, 2024
GAZA: The Israeli army said Tuesday that
21 soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip in the deadliest attack on its forces
of the 3-month-old war against the militant Hamas group.
The reservists were preparing explosives
to demolish two buildings in central Gaza on Monday when a militant fired a
rocket-propelled grenade at a tank nearby, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief
military spokesperson, said. The blast triggered the explosives, causing both
two-story buildings to collapse on the soldiers inside.
The heavy death toll could add new
momentum to calls for Israel to pause the offensive or even halt it altogether.
Large numbers of Israeli casualties have put pressure on Israel’s government to
halt past military operations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has
vowed to press ahead until Israel crushes the ruling Hamas militant group and
wins the freedom of over 100 hostages held captive in Gaza. Israelis are
increasingly divided on the question of whether it’s possible to do either.
Families of the hostages and many of
their supporters have called for Israel to reach a ceasefire deal, saying that
time is running out to bring the hostages home alive. On Monday, dozens of
hostages’ relatives stormed a parliamentary committee meeting, demanding a deal
to win their loved ones’ release.
Israel launched its offensive after
Hamas’ Oct. 7 cross border attack that killed over 1,200 people and abducted
some 250 others. More than 100 were released in November in exchange for a
weeklong ceasefire and the release of 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
The offensive has caused widespread
destruction, displaced an estimated 85 percent of Gaza’s population and left
over 25,000 Palestinians dead, according to health officials in the Hamas-run
territory. The United Nations and international aid agencies say the fighting
has unleashed a humanitarian disaster, with a quarter of the area’s 2.3 million
people facing starvation.
The war has heightened regional
tensions, with Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen attacking
United States and Israeli targets in support of Palestinians. The US and
Britain launched another wave of strikes Monday against the Houthi rebels in
Yemen, who have targeted international shipping in the Red Sea in what they
portray as a blockade of Israel.
The attack that killed the soldiers
occurred some 600 meters (yards) from the border in Maghazi, one of three
built-up refugee camps in central Gaza dating back to the 1948 war surrounding
Israel’s creation.
Ground operations have been focused on
the camps, as well as the southern city of Khan Younis, after Israel claimed to
have largely defeated Hamas in northern Gaza in operations that caused
widespread destruction to that part of the territory, including Gaza City.
Dozens of Palestinians were killed
Monday in heavy fighting in Khan Younis, where people dug graves in the
courtyard of the city’s Nasser Hospital as staff struggled to deal with the
large number of wounded people, including children.
Gaza’s Internet and phone networks
collapsed again Monday for the 10th time during the war, posing another
challenge for first responders and making it impossible for people to reach
loved ones in different parts of the territory.
Israel believes Hamas commanders may be
hiding in vast tunnel complexes beneath Khan Younis, the hometown of the
group’s top leader in Gaza, YehyaSinwar, whose location is unknown. Hamas
leaders are also believed to be using hostages as human shields, further
complicating any rescue efforts.
The growing death toll and dire
humanitarian situation have led to increasing international pressure to scale
back the offensive and agree to negotiate the creation of a Palestinian state
after the war. Netanyahu has rebuffed both demands.
Source: arabnews.com
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WHO chief ‘deeply concerned’ as Israel
storms a Gaza hospital, lay siege to another
23 January 2024
World Health Organization
Director-General has said he is “deeply concerned” after Israeli forces stormed
one hospital and put another under siege as they advanced deep into western
Khan Younis in Gaza.
TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus wrote in a post
on social media on Monday that reports of continuous fighting in the vicinity
of Al-Amal Hospital, and Monday raid at Al-Kheir Hospital in Gaza are “deeply
worrisome.”
“Not only do they put patients and
people seeking safety within these facilities at risk, but they also prevent
newly injured people outside the hospitals from being reached and receiving
care. This must end,” Tedros added.
On Monday, Israeli tanks and military
vehicles advanced into Khan Younis, placed Al-Amal Hospital under siege, and
stormed Al-Kheir Hospital, in Gaza’s bloodiest fighting of the new year so far,
cutting the wounded off from trauma care, Palestinian officials said.
The incursion comes as Israeli troops
advance for the first time, into the Al-Mawasi district near the Mediterranean
Coast, west of Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza.
After the troops stormed Al-Kheir
hospital they arrested medical staff, Gaza Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf
Al-Qudra told Reuters.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society
(PRCS) said tanks had also surrounded another Khan Younis hospital, al-Amal,
headquarters of the rescue agency, which had lost contact with its staff there.
According to Qudra at least 50 people
were killed overnight in Khan Younis, and the siege of medical facilities meant
dozens of dead and wounded were beyond the reach of rescuers.
“The Israeli occupation is preventing
ambulance vehicles from moving to recover bodies of martyrs and the wounded
from western Khan Younis,” he said.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed
more than 25,000 people, most of them women and children, in Gaza.
The PRCS on Tuesday also reported that
the Israeli forces targeted its headquarters in Khan Younis with artillery
shelling and gunfire from Israeli drones, preventing the rescue organization
from reaching the wounded.
“Israeli Occupation targets the PRCS’s
headquarters in Khan Younis with artillery shelling on the fourth floor,
coinciding with intense gunfire from Israeli drones, resulting in injuries
among internally displaced individuals who sought safety on our premises,” it
said on X.
“We are deeply worried about what is
happening around our hospital,” said Tommaso Della Longa, spokesperson for the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
According to Gazans, the intensity of
the bombardments in southern Gaza since the commencement of the war in October
was the most severe, encompassing air, land, and sea attacks.
Israel claims Hamas fighters operate
from in and around hospitals, which the Palestinian resistance movement and
medical staff reject.
The Israeli military launched an
offensive last week to capture Khan Younis, which it now claims is the
principal headquarters of the Hamas fighters.
Israeli minister of military affairs
Yoav Gallant said on Monday that military operations will not only continue but
will be expanded.
The majority of Gaza’s population, of
2.3 million residents, is currently confined to Rafah, located to the south of
Khan Younis, crowded into public buildings and makeshift camps, with shelters
constructed of plastic sheets tied to wooden frames.
At least 25,295 Gazans have been killed
since the war began on October 7, Gaza health authorities said in an update on
Monday.
Source: presstv.ir
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Israel ‘starving’ Gaza, ‘destroying’
food system, warns UN expert
23 January 2024
A UN expert has warned that Israel is
“intentionally” starving Gazans and “destroying” its food system as the
genocidal war continues incessantly for more than 100 days now.
Michael Fakhri, UN Special Rapporteur on
the Right to Food said in a post on social media on Monday that starving an
entire population, what Israel is doing in Gaza amid the onslaught, is
“unprecedented.”
“It’s unprecedented to make an entire
civilian population go hungry this completely and quickly. Israel is destroying
Gaza’s food system. Israel is intentionally imposing a high rate of disease,
prolonged malnutrition, dehydration and starvation by destroying civilian
infrastructure,” he wrote.
In a report last week the United Nations
revealed that Gazans now make up 80 percent of all people facing famine or
catastrophic hunger worldwide, what UN human rights experts called an
“unparalleled humanitarian crisis.”
“Currently every single person in Gaza
is hungry, a quarter of the population are starving and struggling to find food
and drinkable water, and famine is imminent,” it said.
The report also voiced concerns over
pregnant women who are not receiving adequate nutrition and healthcare, putting
their lives at risk.
In addition, it said, all children under
five – 335,000 – are at high risk of severe malnutrition as the risk of famine
conditions continues to increase.
“A whole generation is now in danger of
suffering from stunting,” it warned.
It added that approximately 22 percent
of agricultural land, including orchards, greenhouses, and farmland in northern
Gaza, has been razed by Israeli forces.
Israel has reportedly destroyed
approximately 70 percent of Gaza’s fishing fleet, according to the report.
“Most bakeries are not operational, due
to the lack of fuel, water, and wheat flour along with structural damage.
Livestock are starving and unable to provide food or be a source of food.
Meanwhile, access to safe water continues to diminish while the healthcare
system has collapsed due to the wide-spread destruction of hospitals,
significantly heightening the spread of communicable diseases.”
Acute food insecurity puts all children
under five in the Gaza Strip at high risk of severe malnutrition, according to
UNICEF.
Before the current Israeli war, the UN
said the 17-year Israeli all-out blockade on Gaza made approximately half of
the people in Gaza food insecure and more than 80 percent reliant on
humanitarian aid.
“Aid needs to be delivered to Gazans
immediately and without any hindrance to prevent starvation,” the UN report
said.
The Zionist regime imposed a “complete
siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to 2.3
million Palestinians living there after the war erupted on October 7.
As Israeli attacks and battles rage
across the Gaza Strip, Palestinian health officials said the death toll from
Israeli strikes since war broke out has passed 25,290.
Source: presstv.ir
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-----
Iran cannot dare attack powerful states:
Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government
BekirAydogan
22.01.2024
Iran cannot dare attack states that have
technology and weapon power, a spokesperson for Iraq's Kurdish Regional
Government (KRG) said on Monday.
In a statement regarding a missile
attack by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Erbil, northern
Iraq, PeshwaTaherHorami said Iran was putting up excuses but the attack cannot
be covered up with propaganda.
“They hit the so-called Mossad base in
Erbil with their missiles, and they claim that the attack is not a violation of
the sovereignty of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.”
Horami noted that everyone witnessed
that the missile attack was a crime committed against women and children.
“Nevertheless, it is surprising that
Iranian officials insist on baseless propaganda and boast about this crime
committed against the innocent people of the Kurdistan Region,” he said.
He stressed that the crime would not be
covered up with any false propaganda, fake news, or photoshopped images, and
Iran could not deceive Iraq and the people of the region.
On Jan. 16, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps said it had fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at positions of
"terrorist groups" in Syria and Iraq.
The IRGC claimed to have
"destroyed" an Israeli spy agency Mossad's headquarters in the Erbil
region.
Source: aa.com.tr
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---
Southeast Asia
Two Malaysian detainees in Guantanamo
may return to Malaysia by year end
23-01- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: Two Malaysians who
confessed to conspiring with an affiliate of Al Qaeda in the deadly bombing in
Bali, Indonesia two decades ago could be returned to Malaysia, before the end
of the year under the plea deal agreed last week.
A jury of military officers in
Guantanamo Bay will be tasked with choosing a sentence in the 20- to 25-year
range, according to a report by The New York Times correspondent in Guantanamo
Bay in Cuba on Monday
However, the plea bargain agreement
reached last week that helped avert lengthy litigation could see the duo, who
spent years in secret C.I.A. prisons following their capture in 2003, returning
to Malaysia.
The report said a portion of the plea
agreement that envisioned their return to Malaysia remained a secret.
It said the sentencing proceedings for
Mohammed Farik Amin, 48, and Mohammed Nazir Lep, 47, are part of a US
government strategy of trying to resolve Guantánamo’s national security cases
through plea negotiations.
Last week both men who are now detained
at Guantanamo pleaded guilty to conspiring in a pair of suicide bombings on the
resort island of Bali that killed 202 people on Oct. 12, 2002.
They have been charged alongside
Indonesian EncepNurjaman, also known as Hambali. However, last October The New
York Times reported Mohammed Farik and Mohammed Nazir had reached agreements
with prosecutors at Guantanamo Bay to charges of being accessories to the
terrorist attacks in Bali, and hence separating them from Hambali’s case.
In pleading guilty, Mohammed Farik and
Mohammed Nazir agreed to testify against Hambali, the former leader of the
Jemaah Islamiyah movement.
The New York Times also reported as part
of the plea agreement, both were questioned by prosecutors on Sunday and
Monday, potentially for use in the trial of Hambali, which prosecutors want to
hold next year. – Bernama
Source: thesun.my
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Madani, SMJ good basis to strengthen
Malaysia-China ties, says diplomat
23 Jan 2024
MUGUNTAN VANAR
KOTA KINABALU: China sees highly of
Malaysia's Madani concept and the Sabah Maju Jaya development plan.
Its consul-general here Dr Huang Shifang
said these would create new chances for strengthening the friendly cooperation
between China and Malaysia, particularly between China and Sabah.
"Standing at this new starting
point, let's jointly seize the opportunities to improve exchanges and
cooperation, deepen the friendship between our peoples and promote the
China-Malaysia community with a shared future," she said in her speech a
Chinese New Year reception hosted by the Chinese Consulate here on Monday (Jan
22).
Huang said through cooperation, Malaysia
and China would achieve the respective development goals that ensure the
well-being of the people and contribute towards making the world a better place
for all.
She said despite the global challenges
to world peace and development last year, the people of both nations continued
to forge ahead and accomplished many achievements.
"The implementation of the Malaysia
Madani concept and the Sabah Maju Jaya development plan have seen remarkable
progress," she added.
China, under the leadership of the
Chinese Communist Party, achieved a smooth transition in its Covid-19 response
efforts, she said.
"Steady progress has been made in
pursuing high-quality development.
"China achieved 5.2% GDP growth in
2023.
"Our modernised industrial system
has been further upgraded and the country's economy has sustained the momentum
of recovery," she added.
Huang said last year, the two nations
had reached an important consensus on building the China-Malaysia community
with a shared future that opens a new chapter of bilateral relations.
"Since Dec 1, China and Malaysia
have implemented reciprocal visa-free policies, which greatly benefits the
people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between our countries," she
said.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji
Noor said the state greatly valued its strong cooperation with China and aimed
for even stronger ties.
"The Sabah government attaches
great importance to the good relationship.
"Our efforts in improving the
relationship between Sabah and China have produced fruitful outcomes over the
years," he said, adding a lot more could still be done to enhance the
friendly ties, exchanges and cooperation.
Source: thestar.com.my
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------
Minister tells organisers: Be more
sensitive when planning events leading up to Ramadan
22 Jan 2024
NILAI, Jan 22 — Organisers have been
advised to be more sensitive when planning their programmes close to or during
the Ramadan month to preserve the sanctity of the month, said Minister in the
Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk MohdNa’im Mokhtar.
He said the programmes must increase
piety (taqwa) and strengthen the community’s faith, befitting Ramadan as the
holy month.
“We encourage efforts to increase faith
and taqwa during Ramadan or leading up to the month. Any activities including
lectures and the like can be organised.
Various methods should be employed to
enliven Ramadan ultimately creating (the idea of) ‘Madrasah Ramadan’ (Ramadan
school),” he told reporters after attending the Harmonious Malaysia Lecture
programme here today.
Citing the #GengSubuhMacamJumaat
initiated by artiste Alif Satar as an example, he said such a programme would
bring the community closer to Allah.
He was asked about the actions of
certain parties planning to organise concerts or cultural programmes in the
country in the days leading to Ramadan.
In the meantime, MohdNa’im said the
organisers and muftis should discuss to find the best way forward when there
are differing views on any issue with the ultimate goal of benefitting the
community.
He also reminded the muftis to express
their views carefully and avoid issuing statements that could cause concern
among the Muslim community.
On the Harmonious Malaysia Lecture programme
hosted by the Shariah and Law Faculty of UniversitiSains Islam Malaysia, he
said it is a platform to enhance well-being and harmony in the country.
He said the Inter-Faith Harmony
Committee, managed by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia and the
Ministry of National Unity, has also been reactivated to strengthen the unity
of Malaysia’s diverse society. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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In Thailand, farmers caught between
poverty, Israel-Hamas war
23 Jan 2024
BANGKOK, Jan 23 — BowonNonthasi is
already feeling a little queasy as he packs his travel bags.
He is preparing to leave his home
village in Thailand and return to Israel in the coming days.
“The poverty here [in Thailand] scares
me more than the [Israel-Hamas] war,” he says as his relatives behind him nod
in agreement.
Bowon was working in the fields of a
kibbutz, an agricultural community in Israel, near the Gaza Strip when Hamas
launched a series of major terror attacks in southern Israel on October 7.
Hamas, an Islamist militant group that
rules Gaza, is designated as a terrorist organisation by the European Union,
Germany, the United States and other governments.
Bowon escaped the attack as he had to
get up early that day and leave to work a part-time job.
During the attack on the Holit kibbutz,
Hamas destroyed the Thai guest workers’ residences and killed at least 12
people there.
Seasonal workers urgently needed
“My boss in Israel really wants me back
in the field,” says the 34-year-old.
Bowon adds that he doesn’t have a choice
anyway, pointing to the difficulties in making ends meet given the meager wages
for farm workers in northeastern Thailand.
“I have two daughters, aged 5 and 8.
We’re also building our own house, which isn’t finished yet.”
Bowon is still waiting for the Thai
government’s promised financial aid, amounting to about €1,300 (US$1,415). He
said he only received a meager compensation of €390 after his return home.
The farm worker says he earns over three
times that amount working at fruit plantations in southern Israel.
“I earn 5,300 Israeli shekels (€1,300,
US$1,415) a month there,” he said.
Israel’s agriculture in crisis
Bowon is not the only one in Thailand
contemplating a return to Israel.
Since the beginning of the year, around
2,500 Thai workers have already travelled to Israel, KavLaOved, an NGO, tells
DW.
It wasn’t clear how many of them were
returnees and how many new arrivals, it said. What is clear, however, is that
Israel urgently needs harvest workers.
The country’s agricultural sector has
been facing an acute labour shortage, causing vegetables and fruits to
increasingly rot in the fields, as there is hardly anyone to pick them. The
problem is particularly critical in the areas surrounding the Gaza Strip, which
are also known as “Israel’s vegetable patch,” as 75 per cent of the vegetables
grown in the country come from there.
According to a MIGAL Galilee Research
Institute survey, 89 per cent of Israeli farmers have suffered losses, and
almost all expect further losses in the coming months. Nearly three-quarters of
those surveyed are affected by worker shortages. The Israeli government’s
decision to withdraw work permits of Palestinian farm workers has compounded
the problem.
After the war between Israel and Hamas
erupted, nearly 9,700 Thai guest workers returned to Thailand. Israel’s
ambassador to Thailand, OrnaSagiv, has personally intervened to try to persuade
them to return. She promised the Thai Parliament’s labour committee to “do
everything in her power to ensure the safety of the workers in Israel.”
Psychological after-effects
Against this backdrop, Thai agricultural
workers face a dilemma: Do they expose themselves to the dangers of war or stay
at home and live in poverty?
OwatSuriyasri, a 40-year-old farm worker,
was one of the Thai nationals Hamas took hostage. He remains undecided about
returning to Israel. Even though he’s feeling better after returning to his
family in Sisaket, a province in Thailand’s Isaan region, the trauma still runs
deep.
“I want to go back and help. My boss in
Israel is really great, but my psyche isn’t ready yet,” he says, sitting in
front of his modest straw hut.
The two-month ordeal has also left
physical scars. The scar on his stomach dates back to October 7, when Hamas
fighters forced him and his colleague PattanayutTonsokree onto a motorcycle at
gunpoint. On the way to Gaza, the vehicle crashed. His kidnapper’s firearm,
which was pressed against his back, jammed and caused a wound in his stomach.
Pattanayut broke his rib during the incident.
Humiliation during captivity
Owat was taken into one of the
Hamas-built underground tunnels, bleeding and wearing only a pair of trousers.
He was held in a cramped, damp cell with hardly any space.
On some days, he was only given one or
two flatbreads, sometimes a little jam, to eat. On others, he had to make do
with burnt pieces of bread or the leftovers from the guards.
They had to carry water cans through the
narrow labyrinth of tunnels. The Thais also had to clean the toilets, Owat
says.
“It was a kind of plastic bag on the
floor with a step, but no water. Just layers of feces. When the thing was full,
they ordered us to carry it away,” Owat adds. “It was so disgusting.”
Afterward, the hostages were only given
a little water to clean themselves. A layer of muck formed on his skin. “When I
ran my hand over it, flakes came off.”
Free, unemployed and indebted
On November 28, his seven-week ordeal
finally came to an end. During the temporary cease-fire between Israel and
Hamas, he was released from captivity and allowed to return to Thailand.
Owat is now free but has found it tough
to find a job in Thailand. He is also facing a growing mountain of debt.
“It’s miserable,” he says. “I can no
longer pay the installments on my car, and I still owe my brother money too.”
When he was held hostage, his wife also
had to borrow money to make ends meet. After his release, the Israeli
government gave him aid worth €2,300 (US$2,505 or RM11,860) in the form of a
“cash card.”
As a victim of war, however, he would also
be entitled to financial assistance to the tune of €1,700 for at least six
months. But he has yet to start receiving payments.
Israel is working to overcome these new
challenges for the welfare system, said AssiaLadizhinskaya from the aid
organisation KavLaOved, which campaigns for the rights of migrant workers.
“A number of innocent people need
solutions, compensation and emotional support,” Ladizhinskaya tells DW.
“Decisions are being made every day, but unfortunately, they haven’t reached
everyone yet.”
Without financial support, OwatSuryasri
says he probably has no choice but to return to Israel. He believes, at 40, he
is already too old for South Korea, another popular destination for Thai guest
workers.
His former fellow hostage Pattanayut is
also likely to return to the fields near Gaza soon to earn money. He says he
has just applied for a new passport. — DW
Source: malaymail.com
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7.1 earthquake strikes western China,
but no casualties reported yet from sparsely populated area
January 23, 2024
BEIJING: A magnitude 7.1 earthquake
struck a sparsely populated part of China’s western Xinjiang region early
Tuesday, downing power lines, destroying at least two homes and prompting
authorities to suspend trains, local authorities and state media reported. No
fatalities or injuries were immediately reported.
Xinhua News Agency cited the China
Earthquake Networks Center as saying the quake rocked Uchturpan county (Wushi
county in Mandarin) in Aksu prefecture shortly after 2 a.m.
Two houses collapsed, Aksu authorities
said, and around 200 rescuers were dispatched to the epicenter, according to
state broadcaster CCTV. The Xinjiang railway authority suspended dozens of
trains and sealed off the affected sections, CCTV reported. The quake downed
power lines but electricity was quickly restored to the region, Aksu authorities
reported.
The US Geological Survey said the quake
measured 7.0 magnitude and occurred in the Tian Shan mountain range, “a
seismically active region, though earthquakes of this size occur somewhat
infrequently.” It said the largest quake in the area in the past century was a
7.1-magnitude one in 1978 about 200 kilometers (124 miles) to the north of one
early Tuesday.
State broadcaster CCTV said there were
14 aftershocks since the main quake, with two registering above 5 magnitude.
The earthquake struck in a rural area
populated mostly by Uyghurs, a Turkic ethnicity that is predominantly Muslim
and has been the target of a state campaign of forced assimilation and mass
detention in recent years.
Uchturpan county at the quake’s
epicenter is recording temperatures well below freezing, with lows down to
negative 18 degrees C (just below zero F) forecast by the China Meteorological
Administration this week. Parts of northern and central China have shivered
under frigid cold snaps this winter, with authorities closing schools and
highways several times due to snowstorms.
The tremors were felt hundreds of
kilometers (miles) away. Ma Shengyi, a 30-year-old pet shop owner living in
Tacheng, 600 kilometers (373 miles) from the epicenter, said her dogs started
barking before she felt her apartment building shudder. The quake was so strong
her neighbors ran downstairs. Ma rushed to her bathroom and started to cry.
“There’s no point in running away if
it’s a big earthquake,” Ma said. “I was scared to death.”
Chandeliers swung, buildings were
evacuated and a media office building near the epicenter shook for a full
minute, Xinhua reported. A video posted by a Chinese Internet user on Weibo
showed residents standing outside on the streets bundled in winter jackets, and
a photo posted by CCTV showed a cracked wall with chunks fallen off.
Tremors were felt across the Xinjiang
region and in the neighboring countries Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. In the
Kazakh capital of Almaty, people left their homes, the Russian news agency Tass
reported.
Videos posted on the Telegram messaging
platform showed people in Almaty running down the stairs of apartment blocks
and standing outside in the street after they felt strong tremors. Some people
appeared to have left their homes quickly and were pictured standing outside in
freezing temperatures in shorts.
Earthquakes are common in western China,
including in Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, as well as the
Xinjiang region and Tibet.
An earthquake that struck Gansu in
December killed 151 people and was China’s deadliest earthquake in nine years.
Source: arabnews.com
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-----
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/imam-ayodhya-ram-mandir-religion-humanity/d/131574