Russia Says It Is Hard To Believe Islamic State Could Have Launched Moscow Attack
New Age Islam
News Bureau
28 March 2024
Spokeswoman of Russia's
Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova attends the annual press conference held by
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, January 18, 2024.
REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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·
Russia
Says It Is Hard To Believe Islamic State Could Have Launched Moscow Attack
·
Imam Of
Parliament Street Jama Masjid, Maulana Nadvi a Candidate For Rampur Lok Sabha
Seat
·
In Nuzul
Quran Message, PM Anwar Calls On Muslims To Analyse, Interpret The Quran
·
50+
Maryland Imams, Islamic Scholars Issue Open Letter Thanking Sen. Van Hollen for
Principled Position on Palestine
·
Saudi
Arabia Celebrates First Saudi Green Initiative Day
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Europe
·
Russia
says 140 people killed, 360 injured in Moscow concert hall attack
·
Ireland
'to intervene' in South Africa's genocide case against Israel
·
British
Whistle-Blower Given 10-Day Deadline In Afghanistan War Crimes Case
·
German
Muslims urge Chancellor Scholz to press Israel to end Gaza war
·
Pope
hosts Israeli, Palestinian fathers who both lost daughters in conflict
·
Sweden’s
Quran burner says he is leaving for Norway over threat of deportation
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India
·
Muslim
United Front And MJAC Demand 50 Seats In Upcoming Lok Sabha Election From INDIA
Bloc
·
ASI Survey
Of Kamal Maula Mosque Complex Enters Sixth Day
·
'Palestinians
Have Been Denied Their Homeland': EAM Jaishankar On Israel-Palestine Conflict
·
Nijjar
killing: Canada 'looking to work constructively with Indian government', says
PM Trudeau
·
Lok Sabha
Elections 2024: Why Should They Fear PM Modi? Abdul Salam, BJP's Only Muslim Candidate
------
Southeast
Asia
·
Untapped
Muslim Donations Could Reach Rp180 Trillion Annually
·
Myanmar
junta chief calls for unity and says military holding power ‘temporarily’
·
King:
Don’t fuel anger over ‘Allah’ socks controversy; leave it to authorities to act
according to law
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North
America
·
Majority
In US Disapprove Of Israel's Brutality Against Palestinians: Poll
·
CAIR
Calls For UN Probe Into Video Of Israeli Forces Shooting, Burying Palestinians
·
US
Sanctions Online Media Site Gaza Now And Its Founder For Allegedly Supporting
Hamas
·
Columbia
University probing ‘Resistance 101’ student event where speakers hailed Hamas
·
White
House Ramps Up Defense Of Embattled Muslim American Judicial Nominee
·
US
Emphasizes Taliban's Role in Fighting Terrorism in Afghanistan
·
Biden’s
Afghanistan Approach Worsened ISIS Threat: Former US Secretary of State
·
Israel
Backtracks On Canceled Rafah Talks: US Official
------
Arab
World
·
Municipal,
Housing Ministry to Plant Over 1.3 Million Trees in Residential Areas to Help
Achieve Saudi Green Initiative Goals
·
Ministry
of Commerce Carries out over 19,000 Inspection Visits in Makkah Region Since
Beginning of Ramadan
·
Qatar
condemns in strongest terms Israeli Occupation's announcement of confiscation
of lands in Jordan Valley Region in Occupied Palestinian Territories
·
Saudi
Arabia’s Diriyah Co. Honours Winners Of Mosque Design Competition
·
Islamic
Awareness Free Hotline Receives Over 133,000 Calls in First 15 Days of Ramadan
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South
Asia
·
Did Zia
ur Rahman Fight For Pakistan Or Bangladesh, Asks PM Sheikh Hasina
·
Bangladesh's
Story One Of Extraordinary Strength, Perseverance: UNGA President
·
Continue
fighting for your voting rights, democracy, Fakhrul urges people
·
UN: Over
63,000 Killed Or Missing On Migration Routes In Past Decade
·
Reactions
to Pakistan's Decision to Resume Deportation of Afghan Migrants
·
Kabir
Discusses Economic Cooperation with UNAMA Deputy
·
Youth
ministry, UNICEF join hands for Korail slum fire victims
·
Bangladesh
keen for global digital system without discrimination
-------
Pakistan
·
Pakistan’s
Defense Minister: Source Of Terrorist Incidents In Pakistan Is Afghanistan
·
IHC Asks
Why Imran, Qureshi ‘Singled Out’ In Cipher Case
·
Cipher
Case Is Like A Murder Case In Which Body Is Not Found, IHC Told
·
Pakistan,
Jordan stress need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza
·
PM orders
thorough joint investigation into Bisham terror attack
·
Civil-military
leadership vows to probe attack that killed Chinese nationals
·
PM
Shehbaz to call on CJP Isa today amid IHC judges' letter controversy
·
Alleged
May 9 rioters get relief in Rawalpindi
·
Hearing
against verdict of ‘Iddat case’ adjourned till April 6
------
Mideast
·
Lebanese
Sunni Militant Group: Coordination With Hezbollah Is Vital To Fight Israel
·
Clowns
Try To Put Smiles Back On Faces Of Gaza Children
·
Attacking
Hospitals In Gaza Part Of Zionists' Tragic Genocide
·
UAE
condemns Israel’s announcement to confiscate 8,000,000 square meters of
Palestinian land
·
Gaza
children go to sleep hungry, they are being ‘wasted’: WFP
·
Türkiye
urges more pressure on Israel for it to comply with UN Gaza cease-fire demand
·
Gun
attack on school bus in West Bank wounds 3 Israelis: army
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Africa
·
Nigerian
Christians, Muslims, Hindus Share IFTAR Meal, Pray Against Banditry, Kidnapping
·
Soldiers
Overpower Boko Haram Terrorists In Fierce Firefight, Kill One Terrorist
·
Hike In
Hajj Fees: Ndume Kicks, Says Muslims Will Be Denied Participation
·
Ramadan:
Cleric makes case for less privileged, downtrodden Nigerians
·
Like
Gumi, Buhari’s minister tells Tinubu to negotiate with bandits
·
Haiti's
future governing council vows to restore order: statement
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/russia-islamic-state-moscow-attack/d/132025
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Russia Says It Is Hard To Believe Islamic State Could
Have Launched Moscow Attack
Spokeswoman of Russia's
Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova attends the annual press conference held by
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, January 18, 2024.
REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
-------
28 Mar 2024
MOSCOW, March 28 — Russian Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that it was “extremely hard to
believe” that Islamic State would have had the capacity to launch an attack on
a Moscow concert hall last Friday that killed at least 143 people.
Zakharova repeated Moscow’s assertions, for which it
has not yet provided evidence, that Ukraine was behind the attack on the Crocus
City Hall, the deadliest Russia has suffered in 20 years.
Russia’s Emergencies Ministry published a list of
names showing 143 people had died in last Friday’s mass shooting. Earlier
official tallies had put the death toll at 139.
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the massacre
and US officials say they have intelligence showing it was carried out by the
network’s Afghan branch, Islamic State Khorasan. Ukraine has repeatedly denied
it had anything to do with the attack.
But Zakharova said the West had rushed to pin responsibility
on Islamic State, also known as ISIS, as a way of deflecting blame from Ukraine
and the Western governments that support Kyiv.
“In order to ward off suspicions from the collective
West, they urgently needed to come up with something, so they resorted to ISIS,
pulled an ace out of their sleeve, and literally a few hours after the
terrorist attack, the Anglo-Saxon media began disseminating precisely these
versions,” she said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the attack
was carried out by Islamist militants but has suggested it was to Ukraine’s
benefit and that Kyiv may have played a role.
He has said that someone on the Ukrainian side had
prepared a “window” for the gunmen to escape across the border before they were
captured in western Russia on Friday night.
On Tuesday, however, Belarusian leader Alexander
Lukashenko said the gunmen had initially sought to cross into his country
before turning away and heading towards Ukraine once they realised that
crossings into Belarus had been sealed.
The director of Russia’s FSB security agency said on
Tuesday that he believed Ukraine, along with the United States and Britain,
were involved in the Moscow attack.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron responded on
social media platform X, saying: “Russia’s claims about the West and Ukraine on
the Crocus City Hall attack are utter nonsense.”
The head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate,
KyryloBudanov, told a security conference in Kyiv he believed Russian
authorities had known about preparations for a major attack since at least
mid-February.
Budanov, whose comments were reported in Ukrainian
media, said authorities chose to say nothing either because they underestimated
the scale of the attack, or to pin the blame on Ukraine and proceed with the dismissal
of officials.
After the shooting, a US official said Washington had
warned Moscow in recent weeks of the possibility of an attack. — Reuters
Source:
malaymail.com
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Imam Of Parliament Street Jama Masjid, Maulana Nadvia
Candidate For Rampur Lok Sabha Seat
Maulana
Muhibullah Nadvi Imam Of Parliament Street Jama Masjid
------
28.03.24
Piyush Srivastava
The Samajwadi Party has fielded the Imam of the Jama
Masjid at Parliament Street in New Delhi as its candidate for the Rampur Lok
Sabha seat, seeking to appeal to the substantial minority population in 18 of
west Uttar Padesh’s 26 parliamentary constituencies.
Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi hails from Razanagar village
of Rampur. Most Muslim MPs offer namaz at the mosque Nadvi is associated with
in New Delhi.
Of the 16 seats where elections will be held in the first
two phases on April 19 and 26, there are 13 seats where Muslims have vote
shares between 28 and 51 per cent.
Sources in the SP said that earlier, jailed general
secretary Azam Khan had suggested that party president Akhilesh Yadav contest
from Rampur. But Akhilesh was quoted as telling his party workers in Lucknow
that he would not contest the parliamentary elections.
Nadvi told reporters after filing his nomination
papers on Wednesday: “I am here
on the direction of the SP chief to participate in a battle
against those who are trying to distort the Constitution of our country.”
Mohammad Asim Raza of the SP has also filed his
nomination from Rampur. Raza had contested as the SP nominee from there in the
2022 byelection but lost to the BJP’s
Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi by about 40,000 votes. Lodhi is
seeking reelection from Rampur.
Rampur has a 51 per cent Muslim population. In the
adjoining Moradabad seat, where the minority population is about 46 per cent,
the SP has fielded RuchiVeera against Sarvesh Kumar Singh of the BJP. Akhilesh
dropped S.T. Hasan, his party’s sitting MP from Moradabad, on Wednesday and
nominated Veera. Hasan had won by a margin of over 90,000 votes the last time.
“The party had asked me on Tuesday to file my
nomination papers, but one more candidate filed her nomination on the SP’s
symbol on Wednesday. I have to follow the instructions of the party leader,”
Hasan told reporters.
Veera had won the Assembly byelection from Bijnor in
2014 as an SP candidate. Akhilesh had removed him from the party in 2015 after
coming to know about her proximity with the Bahujan Samaj Party. She was
suspended from the BSP in 2023.
A senior SP leader said: “During their meeting in
Sitapur prison three days ago, Azam had suggested that Akhilesh contest from Rampur
and give the ticket to RuchiVeera from Moradabad. However, Akhilesh decided to
field Nadvi from Rampur and Veera from Moradabad.”
“Our party leader Shivpal Yadav will meet Azam in jail
in a day or two to explain the situation,” he added.
Rajendra Chaudhary, an SP spokesperson, said: “Such
confusion is normal before the elections. A party can give the ticket to only
one candidate from a constituency and it is obvious that there are many who
would like to contest. It is a sign of the popularity of a party.”
Source:
telegraphindia.com
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In Nuzul Quran Message, PM Anwar Calls On Muslims To
Analyse, Interpret The Quran
Anwar attending the Iftar
ceremony at Masjid Ashabus Solihin, Taman Rakan here on Wednesday (March 27).
------
28 Mar 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 ? Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim has called on Muslims to optimise opportunities available during
Ramadan to analyse and interpret the Quran, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim.
Muslims are called upon to read the Quran more during
Ramadan, he said, adding that, it should not stop at that.
While reading, reciting and memorising the Quran carry
abundant rewards, he said, it is important to also take the time to reflect on
the words of Allah through “Tadabbur” (understanding the meanings and
contemplating relevance to life) of the Quran which is loaded with moral and
universal humanity messages.
“Understanding the message of the Qur'an should be
emphasised more because the Quran lives, speaks and serves as a guide to life
and beyond. Ibrah (teachings) that emanate from the word of Allah are not
specifically intended for believers, rather it is a guide for all mankind.
“Every mauduk (title) of the debate, story and
history, whether it is about the al-Kahfi youths or Prophet Yusuf AS, all of
them are loaded with the spirit of struggle and profound advice. Committing to
each verse is like grasping the light of a torch that highlights events and
illuminates the way forward,” he said in a post on Facebook in conjunction with
today's Nuzul al-Quran celebration.
Anwar said that appreciating the message in the Quran
will educate Muslims to be pious, noble, fair and moderate in all matters.
“Even though in the end we only managed to sip a drop
of water from the vast ocean of the wisdom of the Quran, Allah SWT never spares
His servants and that is enough to pay off an important part of our lives as
human beings in this ark of life.
“May our companionship with the Qur'an become a
guiding light and a shield in the afterlife. Happy commemoration of the Nuzul
al-Quran event,” he said. ? Bernama
Source:
malaymail.com
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50+ Maryland Imams, Islamic Scholars Issue Open Letter Thanking Sen. Van Hollen for Principled Position on Palestine
Photo: CAIR
-----
Ismail Allison
March 27, 2024
(BALTIMORE, Md., 3/27/2024) – The Maryland office of
the Council on American Islamic Relations joined the Islamic Maryland Action
Network today in releasing an open letter signed by over 50 imams and Islamic
scholars in Maryland to U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) thanking him for
his principled voice on Palestine and urging him to increase efforts to
alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, end U.S. military aid to
Israel and work towards a fair and lasting peace in the Middle East.
The letter reads in part:
“As you well know, the war on Gaza has led to
significant loss of life, suffering, and displacement among the Palestinian
people. The humanitarian situation in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian
territories requires urgent attention and action from the international
community.
Here in Maryland, hundreds of our congregants have
lost several members of their families. They have no pause in their grief as
everyday more people are losing their lives. Ramadan is not the same this year
for so many of our communities. The increased Islamophobia has impacted
students, teachers and many of community members who dare speak up about their
support for Palestine at work. We are at a loss as the sin of paying for these
massacres with our tax money weighs heavy on our hearts.
We firmly believe that peace can only be achieved
through justice and mutual respect. It is essential to address the root causes
of the conflict and work towards a solution that upholds the dignity and rights
of all individuals involved, regardless of their religion or nationality.
As we fast for Ramadan, we are deeply concerned by
reports of restrictions on humanitarian aid and the impact of the blockade on
Gaza, which has exacerbated the suffering of its residents. Access to food,
clean water, medical care, and education is a fundamental human right, and we
urge you to advocate for the lifting of restrictions that prevent the delivery
of essential services and supplies to those in need.
In response to the ongoing crisis, UNRWA has been
actively seeking additional funds to support its humanitarian efforts. For
instance, UNRWA recently called for $104 million to address the urgent food,
health, and emergency needs of up to 250,000 persons seeking shelter and
assistance in Gaza??. This appeal underscores the critical need for
international support to ensure the well-being of Palestinian refugees amid
escalating violence and the dire humanitarian situation.
Thank you for speaking the truth about the lies
against UNRWA. The United States must reinstate their agreement with UNRWA,
reaffirming shared goals and priorities, including the principle of neutrality
just as the European Union has. The international community, including leaders
like you, Senator Van Hollen, recognize the critical role of UNRWA and the dire
humanitarian situation in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, and
must continue advocating in the most effective way possible for increased
humanitarian aid and a concerted effort towards a peaceful resolution that
respects the rights and dignity of all parties involved.
Senator Van Hollen, as a respected leader and a voice
for Maryland in the Senate, you have the capacity to influence U.S. foreign
policy and to advocate for the values of justice, human rights, and peace. We
implore you to continue to use your position to support drastic efforts that
aim to end the suffering of the Palestinian people and to contribute to the
establishment of lasting peace in the Middle East.
We pray for your wisdom and courage in addressing
these challenges. May you be guided by the principles of compassion and justice
as you work to support the rights and dignity of all people, including the
Palestinians.”
The Islamic Maryland Action Network (IMAN) is a recently formed statewide crisis
response working group that represents over 350,000 Muslims in the state.
Members include over two dozen mosques and Muslim organizations including the
Maryland office of CAIR, Justice for All, ICNA Relief, MAS-MD and others.
The IMAN Network’s mission is to “foster a
coordinated, compassionate, and effective response to crises, uniting diverse
Muslim communities” across the state.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and
advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam,
protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
Source:
cair.com
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Saudi Arabia Celebrates First Saudi Green Initiative
Day
Every year, Saudi Arabia
will celebrate its first Saudi Green Initiative Day. (SPA)
--------
March 27, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday celebrated its first
Saudi Green Initiative Day highlighting the importance of fostering a
sustainable legacy for future generations.
The recently announced event marks the Kingdom’s
commitment to move to a greener future and commemorates the launch of the SGI
by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on March 27, 2021.
This year’s theme — For Our Today and Their Tomorrow:
KSA Together for a Greener Future — highlights the collaboration of more than
80 public- and private-sector projects that are part of the SGI, the Saudi
Press Agency reported.
The projects, representing an investment of more than
SR705 billion ($188 billion) in the green economy, aim to enhance the quality
of life and spur economic growth in emerging sectors in line with the
objectives of Vision 2030.
The SGI has also played a crucial role in restoring
natural habitats, preserving unique biodiversity, and safeguarding livelihoods
by mitigating the effects of dust storms, increasing rainfall, and combating
sand encroachment and desertification.
To date, 2.8 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity
have been connected to the national grid, powering more than 520,000 homes, with
additional projects underway to increase capacity.
Since 2021, more than 49 million trees and shrubs have
been planted throughout the Kingdom, and extensive land rehabilitation efforts
have been undertaken.
In a bid to increase vegetation cover in residential
areas, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing has spearheaded
several planting projects.
These have included planting more than 186,000 trees
in Riyadh’s Murcia and West of the Airport initiatives, around 94,000 trees in
Yanbu Governorate’s Pearl of Diyar, and approximately 39,000 trees in the King
Abdullah Housing complex in Al-Ahsa Governorate. Thousands of trees have also
been planted in Dar Al-Jewar, Bouvardia City, Diyar Al-Hasa, and other sites.
The scheme, part of a broad commitment to
environmental conservation, aims to protect 30 percent of Saudi Arabia’s land
and marine areas by 2030.
Significant strides have been made toward the goal,
with 18.1 percent of land and 6.49 percent of marine environments already
protected, including conservation efforts that have reintroduced more than
1,660 endangered animals to their natural habitats.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2483876/saudi-arabia
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India
Muslim United Front And MJAC Demand 50 Seats In
Upcoming Lok Sabha Election From INDIA Bloc
27.03.24
Muslim United Front and Muslim JAC Guntur has demanded
that constituents of INDIA bloc, including Congress, allot at least 50 Lok
Sabha seats to Muslims in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
This demand comes as part of a larger effort to
increase the representation of Muslim candidates in the Indian parliament.
In this regard, MUF and MJAC president Mohammed Kaleem
has written a letter to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also the
chairman of the INDIA grouping.
He pointed out that the present Lok Sabha has 27
Muslim members. INDIA should ensure that in the forthcoming polls, 50 MPs get
elected from the Muslim community. He regretted that so far, INDIA bloc, a
grouping of 27 parties, has not named a sufficient number of Muslim candidates
so far.
Mohammed Kaleem pointed out that constituents of INDIA
bloc are in power in south India, except AP. He said at least 10 seats should
be allotted to members of the Muslim community in south.
The demand comes amid ongoing discussions about
minority rights, political inclusivity, and representation in the Indian
political landscape. Muslims, who form around 14% of India’s population, have
often raised concerns about their underrepresentation in political institutions
and decision-making processes.
Advocates of the demand argue that granting 50 seats
to Muslim candidates would not only address the community’s long-standing
grievances but also contribute to fostering a more inclusive and representative
democracy in India. They stress that political empowerment is crucial for
addressing the socio-economic challenges faced by the Muslim community,
including issues related to education, employment, and socio-political
discrimination. ( With Agencies Inputs )
Source:
muslimmirror.com
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https://muslimmirror.com/eng/muslims-demand-50-seats-in-upcoming-lok-sabha-election-from-india-bloc/
---
ASI survey of Kamal Maula mosque complex enters sixth
day
27th March 2024
Dhar: The court-mandated Archaeological Survey of
India (ASI) survey continued for the sixth day at the contentious
Bhojshala/Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district on
Wednesday.
Ashish Goyal and Gopal Sharma representing the Hindu
community and a leader of the Muslim community, Abdul Samad, were present with
the ASI team during the survey.
Goyal told reporters that the ASI team is engaged in
the digging of the site within 50 meters of the complex.
On March 11, the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed
the ASI to carry out within six weeks a ‘scientific survey’ of the Bhojshala
complex, a medieval-era monument that Hindus believe is a temple of Goddess Vagdevi
(Saraswati) and the Muslim community calls Kamal Maula Mosque.
Acting on the court directives, the ASI team,
accompanied by senior police and administrative officials, on March 22 began
its survey at the disputed complex in the tribal-dominated Dhar district.
As per an ASI order of April 7, 2003, Hindus are
allowed to worship inside the Bhojshala complex every Tuesday, while Muslims
are allowed to offer namaz at the site on Fridays.
It is believed that Raja Bhoj, a Hindu king, had
installed the statue of Vagdevi in Bhojshala in 1034 AD. Hindu groups say the
British took this statue to London in 1875.
Source:
siasat.com
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https://www.siasat.com/asi-survey-of-kamal-maula-mosque-complex-enters-sixth-day-2999531/
---
'Palestinians have been denied their homeland': EAM
Jaishankar on Israel-Palestine conflict
28 Mar 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: In a strong statement on the
Israel-Palestine issue, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that
whatever the rights and wrongs in the whole conflict between Israel and
Palestine, the underlying fact is that the Palestinians have been denied their
rights and homeland.
He stated that what transpired on October 7 was a 'terrorist
attack' but also acknowledged, in reference to the Israeli counteroffensive in
Gaza, that every response must take into account something called international
humanitarian law.
Jaishankar, who is on a visit to Malaysia, was
interacting with the Indian community during an event.
"How different pulls and pressures can be. On one
hand, what happened on October 7 was terrorism. On the other hand, nobody would
countenance the death of innocent civilians. Countries may be justified in
their own minds in responding, but you cannot have a response that...every
response must take into account something called international humanitarian
law," Jaishankar said.
"The fact is whatever the rights and wrongs of
the issue, there is an underlying issue of the rights of the Palestinians and
the fact that they have been denied their homeland," he added.
Hamas launched a horrific terror attack in Israel on
October 7, killing more than 1200 people and holding more than 250 people as
hostages, out of which over 100 are still in captivity.
In response, Israel launched a strong counteroffensive
in the Gaza Strip, targeting the Hamas units. However, the operation has also
resulted in massive civilian casualties, leading to a severe humanitarian
crisis. According to the Gaza health ministry, more than 32,000 people have
been killed, mostly women and children.
Notably, PM Modi was one of the first global leaders
to condemn the horrific terror attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7.
However, India has also continued with its weight
behind the 'two-state solution' to the long-running Israel-Palestine conflict.
Meanwhile, Jaishankar is on an official visit to
Malaysia, followed by his visits to Singapore and the Philippines.
Earlier in the day, he called on Malaysian Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim and expressed admiration for his vision aimed at
fostering stronger ties between India and Malaysia. He also emphasised that
this vision will serve as a catalyst for crafting a more ambitious agenda to
advance the relationship between the two nations.
He also held a round-table meeting with CEOs in
Malaysia and appreciated their growing interest in partnering with Indian
industries.
"A productive round-table meeting with CEOs in
Malaysia. Glad to hear about growing interest in partnering with Indian
industries. Encouraged them to join in India's growth story. Discussed
geopolitical developments that can provide more opportunities in business
interactions," the EAM posted on X.
Source:
newindianexpress.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2024/Mar/28/palestinians-have-been-denied-their-homeland-eam-jaishankar-on-israel-palestine-conflict
---
Nijjar killing: Canada 'looking to work constructively
with Indian government', says PM Trudeau
Mar 28, 2024
NEW DELHI: Responding to the update on the
investigation regarding the killing of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh
Nijjar, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said that they are looking to
work constructively with the Indian government to get to the bottom of the
matter.
Trudeau talked about the Nijjar killings after being
asked by a journalist, "How is India's cooperation shaping up on the
assassination investigations of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar when
Canada has credible allegations and India expects Canada to complete its own
investigation first?".
In response, the Canadian PM said, "The killing
of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is something that we all should take
extremely seriously. The credible allegations that agents of the Indian
government were involved in that is something that we did not declare lightly,
but our responsibility to protect all Canadians from illegal actions by foreign
governments is something that, as a country grounded in diversity, we need to
take very seriously."Further, he said that the Canadian government is
ensuring that appropriate investigations are being done.
Trudeau also underscored the importance of working
constructively with the Indian government to uncover the facts behind the
event. "At the same time, we are working. We're looking to work
constructively with the government of India to get to the bottom of this, to
understand how this could have happened, and to make sure that no Canadians are
ever vulnerable again to foreign interference by any international power,"
he said.
Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by the National
Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed as he came out of a Gurdwara
in Surrey, British Columbia, on the evening of June 18, 2023.
The attack is described as being 'highly coordinated'
and involved six men and two vehicles.
Meanwhile, almost nine months later, the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is yet to name suspects or make arrests in
relation to Nijjar's killing.
However, India has rejected the allegations, calling
them "absurd and motivated."
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Canada
has not been able to present any evidence to back its claims over the killing.
(With inputs from agencies)
Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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---
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Why should they fear PM
Modi? Abdul Salam, BJP's only Muslim candidate
28 Mar 2024
M Abdul Salam is the only Muslim face among over 400
candidates fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the upcoming Lok
Sabha Elections 2024. The former vice-chancellor of Calicut University is
contesting the elections from Kerala’s Muslim-dominated Malappuram seat.
In a series of interviews after his candidature was
announced in the first nomination list of the party on March 2, Salam, who is
also BJP’s minority morcha national vice-president, has said that the
perception of Prime Minister Narendra Modi among Muslims has changed over the
years and the community has no reason to fear him.
“The Muslim perception of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
is slowly changing. Has Prime Minister Modi hurt any Muslim in the last decade?
Why should the community fear PM Modi?," Salam said in an interview with
the Indian Express.
Salam said he has met several Muslim mothers who
supported PM Modi for abolishing triple talaq, the instant divorce practice
within the community.
Salam, 71, an agronomist with over 70 published
international research papers, said that he felt honoured to be BJP’s lone
Muslim face in the seven candidate lists released so far. Salam said that
Muslim leaders of the country should join the BJP and be part of the party’s
mission to make India a world power.
“As an educated Muslim, I found it my duty to join
Modi in this mission to make India a world power. Muslim leaders must not be
puppets at the hands of those elements that are jealous of India’s
growth," Salam said in another interview with Hindustan Times. .
Salam also accused the Congress and the CPI(M) of falsely
projecting the Citizenship Amendment Rules as discriminatory towards Muslims
only to win community’s votes.
CAA is meant to do justice to the minority people who
were affected by Partition. Muslims are not among the persecuted minorities in
Pakistan and Bangladesh. They are not minorities in those countries and do not
face any persecution there. The CAA is a promise to the persecuted minorities
in Pakistan at the time of Partition. Muslims should understand why they were
dropped from the list of such migrants eligible for citizenship," he said.
The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 rules were
implemented on March 11, weeks ahead of seven-phase Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP is trying
to make in roads in southern states including Kerala in this general election.
In 2019, the Congress-led UDF won 19 out of the 20 parliamentary constituencies
in the state. The CPM-led LDF, which is in power in the state, won only one
seat. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance could not win a single seat in
Kerala.
Source:
livemint.com
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https://www.livemint.com/politics/news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-why-should-they-fear-pm-narendra-modi-m-abdul-salam-bjps-only-muslim-candidate-11711602130169.html
---
Southeast
Asia
Untapped Muslim Donations Could Reach Rp180 Trillion
Annually
March 27, 2024
Jakarta. The Indonesian Wakaf Agency (BWI), tasked
with managing charitable donations from Muslims, estimates that the potential
almsgivings could reach a staggering Rp180 trillion ($11.3 billion) annually.
Wakaf comprises Islamic donations in various forms,
including cash, lands, buildings, or other halal assets, with the donor
entrusting entirely their use or spending to other parties.
BWI Chairman Mohammad Nuh said on Wednesday that there
are numerous creative ways to harness this substantial potential and utilize
donated funds and assets for poverty eradication programs.
“We are currently introducing a charity scheme for
pre-wedding couples. Before tying the knot, a couple may donate Rp500,000 or
Rp1 million through us. It's a donation, not a dowry,” Nuh explained.
“Rather than traveling to Paris to place a love lock
symbolizing an unbreakable relationship, pre-wedding couples can opt for a
noble start by contributing to charity,” he added.
Nuh said the wakaf potential amounts to Rp180 trillion
annually, which can be allocated to productive programs aimed at alleviating
poverty or providing free education to children from underprivileged families.
“The funds can be jointly managed by BWI and the
Ministry of Religious Affairs to issue Islamic bonds for the benefit of
Indonesian Muslims,” Nuh suggested.
He further noted that the pre-wedding donations have
been successfully implemented in West and South Sumatra.
Source:
jakartaglobe.id
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---
Myanmar junta chief calls for unity and says military
holding power ‘temporarily’
MAR 28, 2024
NAPYITAW - Myanmar’s ruling general said on March 27
that the junta was holding power only temporarily with the aim of strengthening
democracy. He called for unity among the people and military to fight armed
groups seeking to derail plans to hold an election.
Addressing an annual Armed Forces Day parade, Senior
General Min Aung Hlaing, who led a coup in 2021, said his opponents were
receiving foreign backing and trying to destroy the country and thwart plans to
return Myanmar to democratic rule.
“The military, police force and people’s militia are
working to restore peace and stability,” he told hundreds of soldiers in the
capital Naypyitaw. “We need to have unity between the military and the people.”
The military is facing its biggest challenge since
first taking power in the former British colony in 1962, fighting on multiple
fronts to contain uprisings in several parts of the country and stabilise an
economy that has wilted since the coup.
Myanmar is locked in a civil war between the military
on one side and, on the other, a loose alliance of ethnic minority rebels and
an armed resistance movement spawned out of the junta’s bloody crackdown on
anti-coup protests.
The military has been accused by activists and some
Western countries of committing systematic atrocities in its efforts to
suppress the rebellion, with widespread use of air strikes and heavy artillery
in civilian areas and allegations of arbitrary arrests, torture and executions.
The junta has dismissed those accusations as
falsehoods.
‘Foreign interference’
Min Aung Hlaing said on March 27 that opponents were
committing violence, looting and spreading hate, and that the military was
being targeted by fake news from international journalists and social media
users.
“Some powerful nations,” he added, were trying to
interfere with Myanmar’s internal affairs by helping armed groups fighting the
military. He did not cite evidence.
He also urged veterans to re-enlist as part of a new
conscription drive.
“They are providing aid to those organisations in
various methods. They are trying to destroy and weaken the organisations
protecting the interests of the people .... So members of security forces need
to be united,” he said.
He reiterated that the military had seized power
because a 2020 election was marred by fraud, with nearly 30 per cent of ballots
invalid. The party of Aung San Suu Kyi, which won that vote in a landslide, has
denied that accusation. Suu Kyi is in prison, sentenced to 27 years.
Min Aung Hlaing said the next election, for which he
provided no time frame, would be held under a mixed-member proportional
representation system that would be more inclusive.
In a statement to mark Armed Forces Day, Britain’s
Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said people were suffering
“horrendous acts of violence at the military regime’s hands”. Canada’s embassy
said it “condemns in the strongest possible terms the ongoing atrocities”
perpetrated by the military. REUTERS
Source:
straitstimes.com
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----
King: Don’t fuel anger over ‘Allah’ socks controversy;
leave it to authorities to act according to law
27 Mar 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 — His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim,
King of Malaysia, today called on all parties to stop fuelling anger and taking
advantage over the controversy of socks — carrying the word “Allah” which were
found in a convenience store chain’s outlet.
The King said this matter should now be left to the
authorities to handle, adding that he had given instructions for this issue to
be dealt with according to the law.
“I have instructed that action be taken in accordance
with the law, so there is no need for any party to continue fuelling anger.
“The action taken is not solely to punish, but also
serves as a lesson and reminder to all to uphold the sensitivities of
Malaysians,” the King said in a statement carried on his official Facebook page
under the name of “Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar”.
Saying that it is better for everyone to learn from
this incident and to work to strengthen unity, the King said: “Persistent anger
brings no benefit. All parties, especially community leaders must act with
maturity.
“Let us guide the people towards unity, not division.
This is an opportunity to gain a better understanding of each other in our
diverse society, so that such incidents do not recur,” the King said in
concluding his statement.
Source:
malaymail.com
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---
Europe
Russia says 140 people killed, 360 injured in Moscow
concert hall attack
BurcEruygur
27.03.2024
The number of fatalities and injuries in last week's
concert hall attack in Russia’s Moscow region rose to 140 and 360,
respectively, local authorities said on Wednesday.
"Unfortunately, one of the victims, who was
previously in extremely serious condition, died, the doctors did everything
possible," Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko told journalists in
Moscow.
Previously, the death toll from the concert hall attack
stood at 139.
In an earlier statement, a Health Ministry center told
the state media that the number of those injured rose to 360.
“As of Wednesday morning, 360 people were injured as a
result of the terrorist attack, including 11 children,” a representative of the
All-Russian Centre for Disaster Medicine told TASS.
The representative further said 92 victims were
hospitalized, with 63 people already discharged, while outpatient care was
provided to 205 injured.
On Friday, gunmen opened fire at Crocus City Hall in
the city of Krasnogorsk in the Moscow region.
The Investigative Committee said it detained 11
people, including four perpetrators, in the border region of Bryansk, who were
on their way to Ukraine.
Moscow's Basmanny District Court late Sunday charged
the four perpetrators with terrorism and approved their pre-trial detentions
until May 22.
Source:
aa.com.tr
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/russia-says-140-people-killed-360-injured-in-moscow-concert-hall-attack/3176338
---
Ireland 'to intervene' in South Africa's genocide case
against Israel
27 March 2024
Ireland says it is going to "intervene" in a
genocide case that was initiated late last year by South Africa at the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the Israeli regime, over the
latter's months-long genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.
Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin made the
announcement on Wednesday, saying the decision had followed analysis of legal
and policy issues pertaining to the case, as well as consultation with South
Africa, Irish online paper TheJournal.ie reported.
"That analysis and consultation has now
concluded. Ireland will be intervening," he said.
South Africa filed the lawsuit against Israel at the
end of December, after nearly three months of Israeli aggression against
Palestinians in Gaza.
Before filing the lawsuit, the country stated that the
occupying regime had failed to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide
Convention.
In its interim ruling on January 26, the top UN court
ruled that Pretoria's claims were plausible, ordering provisional measures. The
Hague-based court also said that the Israeli regime had to implement steps to
prevent genocidal acts and allow humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza.
Martin did not say what form Dublin's intervention
would take or outline any argument the country planned to advance, but lashed
out at Tel Aviv over its ongoing campaign of bloodletting in Gaza.
“...I want to be clear in reiterating what I have said
many times in the last few months," he said, adding, "What we are
seeing in Gaza now, represents the blatant violation of international
humanitarian law on a mass scale.”
He pointed to the withholding of aid, targeting of
civilians and infrastructure, the "indiscriminate use of explosive weapons
in populated areas" and the "collective punishment of an entire
population."
"The list goes on," said Martin. "It
has to stop. The view of the international community is clear. Enough is
enough."
Israel launched the war on the coastal sliver on
October 7 after Palestinian resistance groups carried out a surprise
retaliatory operation into the occupied territories.
Concomitantly with the war, the regime has been
enforcing a near-total siege on Gaza, which has reduced the flow of foodstuffs,
medicine, electricity, and water into the Palestinian territory into a trickle.
Earlier this month, the United Nations warned that in the absence of any
changes in the war, the coastal sliver was on course to experience all-out
famine.
So far during the military onslaught, the regime has
killed more than 32,000 Gazans, most of them women, children, and adolescents.
Source:
presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/27/722632/Palestine-Israel-Ireland-lawsuit-South-Africa-genocide-Gaza-war
---
British Whistle-Blower Given 10-Day Deadline In
Afghanistan War Crimes Case
Fidel Rahmati
March 27, 2024
Johnny Mercer, the former Minister for Veterans
Affairs in the UK government, who had previously acknowledged war crimes
committed by soldiers of this country in Afghanistan, has been given a ten-day
deadline to substantiate this claim. He will face imprisonment if he fails to
provide the necessary names and information to the investigation team within
the specified time.
British media reported on Tuesday, March 26th, that
Johnny Mercer, following his claim regarding the killing of Afghan civilians by
British forces in Afghanistan, has received an order to reveal the identities
of those who provided him with this information.
BBC reported that a “public inquiry” commissioned by
the UK government regarding the performance of its forces in Afghanistan has
instructed Mr. Mercer to “disclose the names of individuals who ‘leaked’
information to him regarding allegations of war crimes and cover-ups by special
forces in Afghanistan, or else he may face imprisonment.”
The issue of the “killing of Afghan civilians by
British special forces in Afghanistan” has been a heated topic in the media of
both countries for the past two years. Since then, separate investigations have
been conducted to prove or refute these claims, but the British government has
not officially confirmed it.
Johnny Mercer, who himself had military missions in
Afghanistan, told the court earlier this month that despite the information he
has, he cannot confirm the killing of Afghan civilians by British forces during
their mission in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013.
He also stated in court that the claim that British
soldiers in Afghanistan killed unarmed civilians while they were asleep is not
inconsistent with his investigations, but admitted he does not want to believe
the claim.
According to his claim, “British forces were asked to
carry an unregistered weapon (a weapon not associated with NATO forces) so they
could place it next to the unarmed Afghan individual they had killed.”
Johnny Mercer refrained from disclosing the identities
of his sources who provided him with this information and added that their
names “will remain confidential.”
Now, the public inquiry team in Britain, working on
the case of the massacre of Afghan civilians by the special forces of this
country, has instructed Johnny Mercer to ultimately share all the names of his
sources with this team by April 5th of this year, or else he will face
imprisonment.
Source:
khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/british-whistleblower-given-10-day-deadline-in-afghanistan-war-crimes-case/
---
German Muslims urge Chancellor Scholz to press Israel
to end Gaza war
Oliver Towfigh Nia
27.03.2024
A major German Muslim group called on Chancellor Olaf
Scholz on Wednesday to press Israel to end its war in the Gaza Strip amid a
mounting death toll and worsening humanitarian situation in the enclave.
“We are faced with the historical responsibility to criticize
the [Israeli] war crimes in the strongest possible terms and to forcefully call
on the federal government to firmly advocate for a permanent ceasefire with the
aim of creating circumstances conducive to lasting peace," the
Cologne-based Muslim Coordination Council (KRM) said in an open letter to
Scholz.
One has “to ensure that the war crimes of all those
involved are documented and made available for prosecution,” it added.
The KRM stressed on the need to ensure that all
measures requested by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are implemented.
It pointed out that the humanitarian situation for the
civilian population in Gaza remained “catastrophic” after nearly six months of
war.
“Their suffering can hardly be put into words. Not day
after day, but hour after hour, even every moment, we and the entire humanity
witness innocent people losing their lives,” the group said.
“Gaza is repeatedly bombarded on a large scale.
According to eyewitnesses, civilians are often the target of indiscriminate shootings
or bombings. Not only are they deprived of the most necessary infrastructure,
but even food, water and medicine,” it added.
Germany’s strong public support for Israel in the Gaza
war and its policy of unquestioning solidarity for the Jewish state has faced
international criticism.
The UN Security Council on Monday passed a resolution
demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza during the Islamic holy month of
Ramadan.
While Hamas welcomed the move, Israel rejected the
truce demand and vowed to continue its offensive until "total
victory."
Israel has waged its military offensive on Gaza since
a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 in which some 1,200 Israelis
were killed.
More than 32,200 Palestinians have since been killed
besides leading to mass destruction, displacement and starvation.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the ICJ, which in
January issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts
and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians
in Gaza.
Source:
aa.com.tr
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/german-muslims-urge-chancellor-scholz-to-press-israel-to-end-gaza-war/3176772
----
Pope hosts Israeli, Palestinian fathers who both lost
daughters in conflict
27 March 2024
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis appeared in better health
on Wednesday, walking into the Vatican audience hall on his own with a cane for
his weekly general audience and delivering his prepared text with a clear voice
— while hosting bereaved Israeli and Palestinian fathers and appealing for
peace.
The encounter was Francis’s first public event since
Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square, when he decided at the last minute to
skip his homily, avoiding the speech at the start of a busy Holy Week that will
test his increasingly fragile health.
As Francis discussed the virtue of patience during his
Wednesday audience, he renewed his appeal for peace and an immediate stop in
ongoing conflicts.
The pope also noted that there were two people in the
Vatican’s Paul VI audience hall — “two fathers” — and that one was Palestinian,
the other Israeli.
He said that both of them had lost their daughters
over the course of the Middle East conflict, “and they are both friends.”
“They do not look at the enmity of war,” Francis said.
“They look to the friendship of two men who care about each other and have
experienced the same crucifixion.”
The Vatican press office said Bassam Aramin’s daughter
Abir was killed in 2007 by a rubber bullet fired by an Israeli Border Police
officer as she left school; Rami Elhanan’s daughter Smadar was killed in 1997
in a Palestinian suicide bombing attack in Jerusalem.
The two men’s story of friendship was told in the
novel “Apeirogon” by Colum McCann, a winner of the Terzani Prize who met with
Francis during an audience with artists on June 23, 2023.
“Let us think of the beautiful witness of these two
people who have suffered the war in the Holy Land in the loss of their
daughters,” the pope said.
Francis met with both men in private before the
general audience and then warmly greeted the two men at the end.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the pope, Elhanan
said Francis had been “deeply touched” by their story of campaigning for peace
together.
He said the pontiff noted that he was Christian,
Elhanan was Jewish and Aramin was Muslim, but emphasized “we are all humans.
And we can be brothers instead of going and killing each other.”
Source:
timesofisrael.com
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https://www.timesofisrael.com/pope-hosts-israeli-palestinian-fathers-who-both-lost-daughters-in-conflict/
---
Sweden’s Quran burner says he is leaving for Norway
over threat of deportation
27 March 2024
STOCKHOLM, Sweden — An Iraqi refugee in Sweden who
stoked international outrage by repeatedly desecrating the Quran last year,
said Wednesday that he was leaving the country for neighboring Norway after
Sweden revoked his residency permit.
Salwan Momika, a Christian Iraqi who burned Qurans at
a slew of protests in Sweden last summer, told AFP that he had left Sweden and
arrived in Norway, where he planned to seek asylum.
“I left Sweden because of the persecution I was
subjected to by government institutions,” Momika said in a text message.
Momika’s Quran burnings sparked widespread outrage and
condemnation in Muslim countries.
Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in
Baghdad twice in July, starting fires within the compound on the second
occasion.
The Swedish government condemned the desecrations of
the Quran but stressed the country’s laws regarding freedom of speech and
assembly.
But prosecutors have investigated whether his actions
are permissible under Sweden’s hate speech law, which prohibits incitement of
hatred against groups or individuals based on race, religion or sexual
orientation. Momika says his protests target the religion of Islam, not Muslim
people.
Sweden’s intelligence agency heightened its terror
alert level in mid-August to four on a scale of five after the angry reactions
made the country a “prioritized target.”
The Swedish Migration Agency revoked Momika’s
residency permit in October, citing false information in his original
application, but he was granted a temporary one as it said there was an “impediment
to enforcement” of deportation to Iraq.
The month before, Iraq had requested his extradition
over one of the Quran burnings.
“Sweden has become a threat to me after the decision
to expel me and the threat to extradite me to Iraq,” Momika said, calling
Sweden’s freedom of expression and protection of human rights “a big lie.”
His Quran-burning activities led to a Muslim activist
requesting and receiving permission to burn Jewish and Christian versions of
the Bible outside the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm.
The move sparked widespread outrage in Israel and
Jewish groups with President Isaac Herzog calling it an act of “pure hate” and
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying “Israel viewed very severely this
shameful decision to harm the holy of holies of the Jewish people.”
However, the activist, identified as Ahmad Alush, 32,
backed off from the threat saying he only wanted to draw attention to Momika’s
burnings.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
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https://www.timesofisrael.com/swedens-quran-burner-says-he-is-leaving-for-norway-over-threat-of-deportation/
---
North
America
Majority in US disapprove of Israel's brutality
against Palestinians: Poll
27 March 2024
A majority of Americans now disapprove of Israel’s
genocidal war in the Gaza Strip as the regime has started to lose support from
its great benefactor, the United States, a new poll has found.
US-based pollster Gallup says its new survey shows
support for Israel’s atrocities in Gaza dropped from 50 percent in November to
36 percent in March.
55 percent of Americans are now against the war,
Gallup found.
It said all three major party groups in the US have
become less supportive of Israel’s war than they were in November.
Support for the regime’s hostilities in Gaza decreased
by 18 percent among the Democrats, while approval among the Republicans has
dropped 7 percent, the poll shows.
On March 25, the US abstained from a UN Security
Council vote on a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during
the month of Ramadan.
Washington’s abstention allowed such measures to pass
for the first time since Israel started its war on Gaza nearly six months ago.
The administration of President Joe Biden had
repeatedly blocked similar bids for ceasefire with its veto power.
Some Democratic believe the president has been too
closely aligned with Tel Aviv by not taking stronger action to promote a
ceasefire so far.
Source:
presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/27/722619/Americans-disapprove-Israel-war-Gaza-Gallup-poll
---
CAIR Calls For UN Probe Into Video Of Israeli Forces
Shooting, Burying Palestinians
ServetGunerigok
28.03.2024
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
called Wednesday for a UN investigation into a video showing Israeli forces
shooting two apparently unarmed Palestinians and burying them with a wheel
loader.
The video, aired by Al Jazeera Arabic, depicts the
victims walking in an open area along the coast of Gaza.
"This heinous war crime and the many other
similar crimes committed daily by the genocidal Israeli government must be
investigated by the UN as part of the ongoing genocide, ethnic cleansing and
forced starvation being imposed on the Palestinian people with the complicity
of the Biden administration," said CAIR National Communications Director
Ibrahim Hooper in a statement.
"The forces of the far-right Israeli government
seem to kill Palestinians on a whim and then treat their bodies like trash.
This genocide must be stopped, not excused or supported with weapons and
rhetoric," he added.
It remains unknown when the incident took place, but
the latest footage came days after another video that showed an Israeli drone
tracking and attacking four Palestinians in Khan Younis, which left them dead
in a series of strikes.
Regarding the killings, the US on Saturday called on
Israel to investigate “credible allegations of law of war violations.”
Asked about the video, a State Department spokesperson
told Anadolu that the “contents of the video are disturbing.”
?“We have not verified the footage, but we have asked
the Israelis for more information and an investigation,” the spokesperson said.
Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Palestinian
territories since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas
which killed around 1,200 people.
More than 32,000 Palestinians have since been killed
and some 75,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population
into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and
medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or
destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International
Court of Justice, which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel
Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian
assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
Source:
aa.com.tr
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-muslim-group-calls-for-un-probe-into-video-of-israeli-forces-shooting-burying-palestinians/3176927
----
US sanctions online media site Gaza Now and its
founder for allegedly supporting Hamas
28.03.24
The US on Wednesday imposed sanctions on online media
site Gaza Now and its founder Mustafa Ayash for allegedly supporting Hamas.
US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control says
that after the October 7 attack by Hamas against Israel — the online entity
began a fundraising effort in support of the militant organisation.
Gaza Now's Arabic channel has more than 300,000
followers on social media channel X, formerly known as Twitter, and a large
following on the encrypted chat platform Telegram.
Included in the sanctions are firms Al-Qureshi
Executives and Aakhirah Ltd., and their director Aozma Sultana, who are alleged
to have partnered on multiple fundraising efforts alongside Gaza Now.
The sanctions were imposed in collaboration with the
UK's Office of Foreign Sanctions Implementation.
Treasury Under Secretary Brian Nelson said in a
statement that the US and its partners "will continue to leverage our
tools to disrupt Hamas' ability to facilitate further attacks.”
A representative for Gaza Now and Ayash were not
immediately available. The sanctions block access to US property and bank
accounts and prevent those designated from doing business with Americans.
Source:
telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/us-sanctions-online-media-site-gaza-now-and-its-founder-for-allegedly-supporting-hamas/cid/2009579
---
Columbia University probing ‘Resistance 101’ student
event where speakers hailed Hamas
LUKE TRESS
28.03.2024
NEW YORK JEWISH WEEK — Columbia University is
investigating a student event where speakers expressed support for Palestinian
terror groups and encouraged students to back “armed resistance” against
Israel.
The event on Sunday, titled “Resistance 101,” was led
by Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a coalition of student organizations.
The two lead groups in the coalition are the school’s chapters of Students for
Justice in Palestine and the anti-Zionist Jewish Voice for Peace, which have
been suspended from campus for violating university protest policies.
During the event, speakers repeatedly backed
Palestinian “resistance,” which in their view included open support for Hamas.
One of the speakers, Khaled Barakat, a Palestinian writer and activist,
referred to his “friends and brothers in Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP,”
according to a video of the entire event posted on X, formerly Twitter, by user
Stu Smith.
“When they see students organizing outside Palestine,
they really feel that they are being backed as a resistance,” said Barakat, who
is based in Canada. “Your work is so important to the resistance in Gaza.”
Other speakers at the event also backed Palestinian
terror groups. Some participants attended the event in person while others
spoke via videoconference. It wasn’t clear from the video how many students
attended. A representative of National Students for Justice in Palestine was
also at the event.
“There is nothing wrong with being a member of Hamas,
being a leader of Hamas, being a fighter in Hamas,“ said Charlotte Kates,
Barakat’s wife and a coordinator for Samidoun, a pro-Palestinian activist group
that was banned from Germany in November for supporting terrorism, has been
sanctioned by financial companies and, according to Israel, is linked to the
terror group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Kates and Barakat are banned from entering the
European Union, Samidoun said in 2022.
Kates also urged attendees to show support for
“Palestinian armed resistance” at demonstrations and backed the October 7
attack, which killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took more than
250 hostage. On Tuesday, a former hostage, Amit Soussana, said in a New York
Times report that her captors sexually assaulted and tortured her while she was
in Gaza.
“The action that the Palestinian resistance undertook
on the 7th of October was an earth-shattering undertaking. They actually took
the necessary action and they took an action that they understood is
necessary,” Kates said. She called Hamas tunnels in Gaza and weapons production
a “tremendous achievement” and expressed support for Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror
group and Yemen’s Houthis for targeting international shipping in the Red Sea.
“On Oct. 7 we saw the potential for a future of
Palestine liberated from Zionism by the force of the resistance,” Kates said.
“Oct. 7 changed the world.”
Barakat also lauded the Oct. 7 attack, using the name
given to it by Hamas and saying, “It’s really important to see how the Al Aqsa
Flood operation has liberated the Palestinian inner strength.”
The “Resistance 101” event came as the university
faces blowback for its approach to activism and bigotry surrounding the
Israel-Hamas war. It is one of several elite colleges to face scrutiny from students,
faculty, donors and government officials over its handling of antisemitism
since Hamas’ Oct. 7 invasion of Israel.
The event was originally scheduled to take place at
the Center for Research on Women in Barnard College, the women’s school that is
part of Columbia, but had to move because it was not authorized by the
university, according to a Columbia spokesperson. Organizers instead held the
event in a “residence” and online, the spokesperson told the New York Jewish
Week.
“We are investigating this matter and will not
tolerate violations of university policy,” the spokesperson said.
It wasn’t clear where the residence was located.
NerdeenKiswani, the founder of Within Our Lifetime, another group that
sponsored the event, said during the event that she was “sitting in Columbia
University.”
Within Our Lifetime and its leadership have endorsed
the Oct. 7 attack on Israel and expressed support for Hamas at the frequent
rallies it has staged in New York City since the attack. At the event, Kiswani
backed “armed resistance” against Israel and described the Second Intifada, a
mass terror wave in the early 2000s, as “armed struggle.” Kiswani said that
Palestinian groups that entered peace talks in the 1990s were being “puppeted
by Israel and the US”
The speakers, including Kiswani, repeatedly rejected a
two-state solution and criticized the Oslo Peace Accords.
“We have the right to return home and we will get that
right by any means necessary,” Kiswani said, adding that she believed
Palestinians had the right to “every inch of Palestine, from the river to the
sea,” including cities within Israel’s internationally recognized borders such
as Akko and Jaffa.
The event has drawn criticism from Israeli and US
officials. The Israeli embassy to the United States said on X that the event
was “appalling” and that Columbia had been “hijacked by hate.”
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce,
which has been investigating campus antisemitism, said on X, above a clip from
the event, that “a taxpayer-supported institution’s members providing a forum
to promote terrorism raises serious questions.”
Last year, the committee questioned the presidents of
Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of
Pennsylvania about antisemitism, and the college presidents declined to state
that calls for the genocide of Jews would necessarily violate campus policies.
The presidents of Harvard and UPenn resigned in the ensuing uproar.
Columbia’s president, MinoucheShafik, declined to
attend the hearing, citing a previously scheduled overseas engagement. The
committee opened an investigation into Columbia and summoned Shafik to another
hearing scheduled for next month.
The Biden administration is also investigating
Columbia, and Jewish students have filed civil lawsuits alleging discrimination
on campus. Earlier this month, a report from the school’s antisemitism task
force said that Jewish students were experiencing “isolation and pain.”
Source:
timesofisrael.com
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https://www.timesofisrael.com/columbia-university-probing-resistance-101-student-event-where-speakers-hailed-hamas/
---
White House ramps up defense of embattled Muslim
American judicial nominee
March 28, 2024
Monica Alba and Sahil Kapur
WASHINGTON — Facing a potentially devastating
Democratic defection in the Senate, the White House is ramping up its fight to
confirm an embattled judicial nominee who would be the first Muslim American to
serve as a U.S. federal appeals court judge.
The White House is touting a wave of new law
enforcement endorsements for Adeel Mangi to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals, building on seven similar organizations that have already backed
Mangi, in an attempt to counter what it describes as a Republican-led smear
campaign predicated on his religion.
“Some Senate Republicans and their extreme allies are
relentlessly smearing Adeel Mangi with baseless accusations that he is
anti-police,” White House chief of staff Jeff Zients said in a statement to NBC
News. “That could not be further from the truth, and the close-to-a-dozen law
enforcement organizations that have endorsed him agree.”
On Wednesday, a third Democratic senator came out
against Mangi's nomination: Jacky Rosen of Nevada, who joined her home state
colleague, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and centrist Sen. Joe Manchin,
D-W.Va., in opposing him. The move puts Mangi's nomination in greater peril in
the Senate, where Democrats hold a 51-to-49 majority.
Behind the scenes, Zients and other top White House
officials have been pushing lawmakers to confirm Mangi “without further delay,”
a White House official said. In addition to Zients, White House Legislative
Affairs Director Shuwanza Goff, Deputy Legislative Affairs Director Ali Nouri,
White House counsel Ed Siskel and Phil Brest, the White House senior counsel in
charge of nominations, have all been in regular touch with senators, the
official added.
Mangi’s embattled nomination presents a political
conundrum for President Joe Biden as he dials up his re-election campaign. The
White House’s relationship with Muslim Americans has grown sour amid the
community’s strong disapproval of U.S. support for Israel as it bombards Gaza.
Biden is counting on strong support this fall from the Democratic-leaning
cohort, which represents a sliver of the U.S. electorate but has a significant
presence in some states, most notably battleground Michigan.
In new statements shared by the White House, three
former New Jersey attorneys general and two former U.S. attorneys who served in
the state expressed their support for Mangi, in addition to the International
Law Enforcement Officers Association and the Italian American Police Society of
New Jersey. The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives has
also come out in support of Mangi.
“Mr. Mangi has displayed the qualities of leadership,
empathy, excellence, and persistence in supporting and defending the U.S. Constitution
while ensuring equal protection and justice for all Americans,” the group wrote
in a letter to congressional leaders last week.
Rosen, who faces re-election in the competitive state
of Nevada, announced her opposition to Mangi on Wednesday evening. “Given the
concerns I’ve heard from law enforcement in Nevada, I am not planning to vote
to confirm this nominee,” she said in a statement provided by her office.
The Judiciary Committee approved Mangi on a party-line
vote in January. He needs the support of 50 senators to be confirmed. No
Republicans have said they’ll support him, although some haven’t said how
they’d vote if he comes up on the Senate floor.
Republicans have attacked Mangi for his affiliation
with the Rutgers Law School Center for Security, Race and Rights, chastising
its decision to host an event featuring a speaker named Sami Al-Arian, who in
2006 pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist the designated terrorist group
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, according to the Justice Department. Mangi told the
Senate in written testimony he had “no involvement” in the Rutgers Center
speaker events.
The 3rd Circuit vacancy creates another dilemma for
Biden: Democrats have only nine more months of guaranteed control of the White
House and the Senate to fill the powerful seat without requiring any Republican
help. If Mangi can’ be confirmed, withdrawing his nomination sooner rather than
later would make it easier for Biden to find and steer another nominee through
the Senate. But if he's perceived as abandoning Mangi without a fight, it could
backfire with some voters.
In recent weeks, senior White House officials have
slammed Republicans for “cruel and Islamophobic attacks’’ as part of a larger
“smear effort” to discredit Mangi.
Manchin said Friday he’s “not voting” for Mangi
because he’s not a “reasonable” nominee to be a life-tenured judge. He called him
“out of my wheelhouse.” The same day, Cortez Masto said in an interview that
she hasn’t heard from Democratic leadership about Mangi since she came out
against him and that she remains committed to opposing him.
That means he’ll need Republicans to rescue his
nomination unless at least one of his Democratic opponents reverses course.
Centrist Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who sometimes
breaks with her party on judges, said she hasn’t evaluated Mangi’s nomination.
“I still have not looked at it, because he’s not been
brought up,” she said, adding that she would evaluate Mangi “the same way that
I have looked at every single judicial nominee that’s come in front of me since
2010, which is: Are they qualified?”
Source:
nbcnews.com
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https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/white-house-defense-muslim-american-judicial-nominee-adeel-mangi-rcna145386
----
US Emphasizes Taliban's Role in Fighting Terrorism in
Afghanistan
Nazir Shinwari
March 27, 2024
The U.S. State Department spokesperson says that
combating terrorist groups in Afghanistan is in the “Taliban's” interest.
According to Matthew Miller, the U.S. is committed to
fighting terrorism in Afghanistan and has once again emphasized that
Afghanistan should not become a safe haven for terrorists.
"We have demonstrated our commitment to
responding to terrorists in Afghanistan. But we have also made it clear to the
Taliban that fighting violent terrorist groups within Afghanistan is in their
interest." Said Mathew Millwer, U.S. State Department Spokesperson.
On the other hand, The spokesperson for the Islamic
Emirate says that the Islamic Emirate has trained forces for the fight against
terrorism and does not need the cooperation of any country in this reagard.
"We do not need cooperation from any side in this
regard; we have trained forces with good experience. The Islamic Emirate has
complete control over all the territory of the country. There is no area that
is out of the control of the Islamic Emirate and that we would need help of
others." Spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate Zabihullah Mujahid told
TOLOnews.
Political experts believe that terrorism is a major
challenge against all countries and the fight against it should be conducted
jointly.
"ISIS is the enemy of all, and when it is the
enemy of all, then a joint fight against it is needed, including our airspace
that must be protected,” said Muhammad Matin Expert, a military expert.
"ISIS is a phenomenon that destabilizes all countries,
as we saw in Moscow where hundreds were killed and injured in attack. The same
goes for Turkey and other countries.
Therefore, all countries need to cooperate to
eliminate this harmful and negative phenomenon," said Zohorullah Zaheer, a
political analyst.
This comes as the Russian Foreign Ministry
spokesperson stated yesterday (March 26) that in recent years, ISIS has
targeted opponents of the United States, including “the Taliban”, and countries
such as Iran, Russia, Syria, and others.
Source:
tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188021
---
Biden’s Afghanistan Approach Worsened ISIS Threat:
Former US Secretary of State
Fidel Rahmati
March 27, 2024
The former US Secretary of State says that the
“horrific” ISIS attack on a concert hall in Moscow is a reminder that the
threat of this group persists.
Mike Pompeo, the former US secretary of state, said
that the Biden administration’s approach towards Afghanistan has worsened the
threat of ISIS.
Following the recent deadly attack in Moscow, claimed
by the ISIS Khorasan group, concerns have escalated about the group’s increased
activity in the region.
Earlier, US Senator Lindsey Graham also advocated for
strikes against ISIS positions in Afghanistan. Mr. Graham warned that America
must act against ISIS Khorasan in Afghanistan before it’s too late.
Although the Taliban claims to have suppressed ISIS,
the group has repeatedly claimed responsibility for numerous attacks against civilians
and Taliban forces during the Taliban government.
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, several
countries in the region are concerned about the spread of ISIS activity and the
threat emanating from Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council also
warned in a report that the ISIS or Islamic State threat in Afghanistan remains
significant; however, the Taliban regime claims that they will not allow any
group or individual to use Afghanistan soil against any countries in the world.
Source:
khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/bidens-afghanistan-approach-worsened-isis-threat-mike-pompeo/
---
Israel backtracks on canceled Rafah talks: US official
March 27, 2024
WASHINGTON: Israel wants to reschedule talks in
Washington to discuss a possible offensive in the Gaza city of Rafah, days
after it canceled the trip in protest at a UN ceasefire resolution, a US
official said Wednesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu angrily scrapped the
visit on Monday after Israel’s closest ally, the United States, abstained on
the UN Security Council vote, allowing it to pass and deepening talk of a rift
with President Joe Biden.
But after the White House said it was “perplexed” by the
move, Israel backtracked.
“The prime minister’s office has said they’d like to
reschedule the meeting dedicated to Rafah. We are now working with them to set
a convenient date,” the senior administration official told AFP, speaking on
condition of anonymity.
The U-turn came after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav
Gallant had “constructive discussions” over the last two days with senior US
officials in Washington, the official added.
“Rafah was one of the many topics discussed” in the
talks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin,
CIA chief Bill Burns and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
Last week, Netanyahu agreed to a personal request by
Biden to send a team to Washington to hear US concerns and discuss ways to
target Hamas without a major ground operation in Rafah, which is crowded with
refugees.
But after the UN Security Council vote demanding an
immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war, Israel said that it was canceling and that
the US abstention “hurts” its war effort and its bid to free hostages.
The White House said on Monday it was “kind of
perplexed” and “very disappointed” by the cancelation.
The United States also insisted its abstention did not
represent a shift in policy on Israel.
But Biden has voiced increasing frustration with
Netanyahu as the civilian death toll in the Gaza Strip mounts and the
humanitarian situation for Palestinians becomes increasingly dire.
The US president was caught on a hot mic recently
saying he needed to have a “come to Jesus meeting” with the Israeli premier
over the situation.
Israel launched a relentless offensive on Gaza after
an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas resulted in the
deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli
figures.
Around 130 people are still believed to be held
hostage in Gaza following the attack.
Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 32,000
people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the
Hamas-run territory.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2483896/middle-east
----
Arab
World
Municipal, Housing Ministry to Plant Over 1.3 Million
Trees in Residential Areas to Help Achieve Saudi Green Initiative Goals
27 Mar, 2024
As part of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs
and Housing's ongoing efforts to achieve the Saudi Green Initiative goals, it
has planted over 350,000 trees as part of the first phase of its plan to
increase the vegetation cover in residential areas and thus improve the quality
of life.
The ministry's Green Suburbs Project is one of the
Quality of Life Program initiatives - one of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 programs
- that aims to plant over 1.3 million trees in various regions of the Kingdom.
The implementation stages of the project involve planting over 55 million
square meters of residential project areas, which include about 100,000 housing
units.
According to the Ministry of Municipal and Rural
Affairs and Housing, it has planted over 186,000 trees in the
"Murcia" and "West of the Airport" projects in Riyadh, and
about 94,000 trees in "Pearl of Diyar", in Yanbu Governorate. About
39,000 trees were planted at King Abdullah Housing in Al-Ahsa Governorate, and
thousands of trees in Dar Al-Jewar, Bouvardia City, Diyar Al-Hasa, and other
projects.
Through this project, the ministry continues to
improve the quality of life in residential areas, create a sustainable
environment when planning new cities, achieve the highest standards of
environmental sustainability in suburbs, including through the use of green
building techniques, and promote the efficient use of natural resources.
The Green Suburbs Project has been adopted by the
ministry to contribute to the transition to a more sustainable environment, by
expanding green spaces and promoting sustainable development.
The ministry launched the Green Suburbs Initiative at
the end of last year. It is to be implemented in three phases, the last of
which concludes in 2025, and will contribute to reducing carbon emissions,
hence pollution in residential areas, and achieve the Saudi Vision 2030 goals,
including that of improving the quality of life in the Kingdom.
Source:
alriyadhdaily.com
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https://alriyadhdaily.com/article/0a4e17b674a848318c712ef32379be70
---
Ministry of Commerce Carries out over 19,000
Inspection Visits in Makkah Region Since Beginning of Ramadan
27 Mar, 2024
During the holy month of Ramadan, the supervisory
teams of the Ministry of Commerce in the Makkah region conducted 19,250
inspection tours of commercial facilities.
The purpose of these tours was to monitor the
availability of Ramadan goods and products and to ensure that commercial
establishments were complying with the regulations set forth by the Ministry of
Commerce as part of its seasonal plan for Ramadan and the Umrah season.
The inspection tours covered public utility markets,
commercial stores, central markets, and hypermarkets, as well as gold and
jewelry stores, gas stations, and service centers along the roads leading to
Makkah and Madinah. As a result of these tours, 375 violations of consumer
protection regulations were issued.
The Ministry's supervisory teams worked diligently
throughout the holy month and the Umrah seasons to ensure the availability of
essential food and supplies and guarantee the safety and suitability of the
goods offered. Additionally, they monitored the commitment of commercial
establishments to consumer protection systems.
Source:
alriyadhdaily.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://alriyadhdaily.com/article/03ab4211238a4aff9ba1cb230bfaf2ea
---
Qatar condemns in strongest terms Israeli Occupation's
announcement of confiscation of lands in Jordan Valley Region in Occupied
Palestinian Territories
27 Mar 2024
Doha: The State of Qatar condemned in the strongest
terms the Israeli occupation's announcement of the confiscation of lands in the
Jordan Valley region in the occupied Palestinian territories, and considered it
an extension of its systematic policy aimed at expanding settlements, forcibly
displacing the Palestinian people, and robbing them of their rights without any
scruples of morality or conscience.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs stressed the State of Qatar's total rejection of infringements on the
rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, warning in this context that the
Israeli occupation's continued contempt of international laws, especially
international law and international humanitarian law and imposing the logic of
force and fait accompli, will completely destroy the chances of the desired
peace, especially with the continuation of the brutal war on the Gaza Strip and
its horrific humanitarian repercussions on civilians.
The Ministry called on the international community to
shoulder its legal and moral responsibilities, especially since expanding
settlements means displacing residents, which amounts to a war crime under
international law.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated the State
of Qatar's firm position in support of the Palestinian cause and the steadfast
of the brotherly Palestinian people based on international legitimacy resolutions
and the two-state solution, in a way that ensures the establishment of an
independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its
capital.
Source:
thepeninsulaqatar.com
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https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/27/03/2024/qatar-condemns-in-strongest-terms-israeli-occupations-announcement-of-confiscation-of-lands-in-jordan-valley-region-in-occupied-palestinian-territories
---
Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Co. honors winners of mosque
design competition
March 27, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Co. concluded an
architectural design competition for Diriyah mosques, with the participation of
a number of talented male and female architects, the Saudi Press Agency reported
on Wednesday
The Diriyah Mosques Architectural Design Competition
aims to showcase their skills and contribute to developing the architectural
landscape of Diriyah through their participation in the contest to support
local creative talent in Islamic architecture and promote the development of
sustainable construction.
The winners were announced during the annual Diriyah
Suhoor at the Bujairi Terrace in the heart of the historic WadiHanifah.
Participants were invited to submit designs for two
mosques in Diriyah in the Najdi style and constructed within the project’s
master plan, using traditional building techniques and materials from the
region.
Participating students were required to be familiar
with traditional construction methodologies and apply them in their designs
through this competition, which sought to achieve a set of goals to serve the
local community and visitors.
The two mosques reflect the rich cultural heritage
that characterizes Diriyah and the authentic architectural style of the region,
as the competition is part of Diriyah Co.’s commitment to consolidating the
traditions of distinctive Najdi architecture and enhancing community
participation in Diriyah development projects.
A total of 170 submissions from groups and individuals
were nominated for meeting the criteria set by the competition and the final
stage of the competition witnessed the evaluation of the best 11 designs by the
jury, which consisted of a number of highly qualified professional architects.
The evaluation criteria focused on the compatibility
of the designs with the master plan for Diriyah, the design brief and their
integration with the ancient heritage of Diriyah.
Three groups consisting of 12 participants emerged
victorious and the winning entries were distinguished by their creativity and
sustainability and their highlighting of Najdi culture and heritage.
The two winning designs for first and second place
will be used in building the two mosques, which will contribute to developing
the urban landscape and enabling the community to participate in the
development of Diriyah.
The competition was launched in July and received
widespread interest, as 539 male and female students from 31 universities took
part, including 27 from the Kingdom, a university from the Gulf Cooperation
Council countries and three international institutions.
A total of 296 designs were submitted by both
individual and groups of three to five students.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2484016/saudi-arabia
---
Islamic Awareness Free Hotline Receives Over 133,000
Calls in First 15 Days of Ramadan
27 Mar, 2024
The free hotline of the General Secretariat for
Islamic Awareness in Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah
and Guidance has received over 133,500 calls from Umrah performers in the first
15 days of Ramadan.
To answer callers' questions through the toll-free
number 8002451000, several scholars with precise and thorough knowledge of
Umrah rituals, according to the Quran and Sunnah, were selected, and
translators who speak various languages are available round the clock.
These scholars and translators have worked over 2,100
hours since the beginning of Ramadan.
This service is part of the ministry’s constant
endeavor to spread moderation and balance, and guide Umrah performers according
to the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah, in accordance with the instructions
and vision of the wise leadership.
Source:
alriyadhdaily.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://alriyadhdaily.com/article/0ae0142721a24cfaa8237ab2d9e8de24
---
South
Asia
Did Ziaur Rahman Fight For Pakistan Or Bangladesh,
Asks PMSheikh Hasina
Mar 27, 2024
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today once again
questioned Ziaur Rahman's loyalty during the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh.
"[Mirza] Aslam Beg [who was a Pakistan army
officer in Bangladesh at that time] wrote a letter to Ziaur Rahman during the
Liberation War expressing satisfaction over his activities," she said.
This raised the question whether Zia, who later
founded BNP, had fought for Bangladesh or Pakistan, she said while addressing a
discussion meeting at Awami League office in the city's Tejgaon, organised by
the ruling AL on the occasion of the Independence and National Day celebrated
yesterday.
In that letter, she claimed, Mirza Aslam Beg also said
that wife and sons of Ziaur Rahman were fine in Dhaka Cantonment.
"The question is if the person had proclaimed the
independence, then why the Pakistanis took care of the wife and sons of that
person in the cantonment, and wrote a letter stating satisfaction over his
job," she said.
The AL chief said the war was fought in the 11 sectors
of the country during the Liberation War, but the sector led by Zia saw the
most killings of freedom fighters.
"The most casualties were in there," she
said.
She said that during any operation Ziaur Rahman used
to keep himself in a safe place pushing the freedom fighters to the field of
action, which caused huge casualties as he could not take decision based on
ground reality.
"The casualties happened due to a lack of proper
leadership by him [Ziaur Rahman]," she said.
She mentioned that the successful operation in any
battle means attaining desired goal through fewer casualties.
"Zia could not do that, as a result Aslam Beg
expressed satisfaction," she said.
General Beg served as the third Chief of Army Staff of
the Pakistan Army from 1988 until his retirement in 1991. His appointment as
chief of army staff came when his predecessor, President General Muhammad
Zia-ul-Haq, died in an air crash on August 17, 1988.
Regarding the proclamation of independence on the
night of March 25 (early on March 26), she said Bangabandhu's proclamation was
relayed through wireless, but after the assassination of the father of the
nation, history was distorted.
"In the distorted history it was said that one
major standing on a drum blew the whistle and Bangladesh got independence. A
country cannot attain independence this way. If this could be done then the
history of Bangladesh would have been written differently," she said.
She said nowadays BNP leaders are searching for democracy,
and one BNP leader claimed that on March 25 Awami League leaders fled from
Bangladesh. If that was true, who then fought the fight and who brought the
victory, she asked.
She said the elected public representatives of the
1970 elections formed the first-ever government of independent Bangladesh with
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the president, Syed
Nazrul Islam as the vice-president and Tajuddin Ahmed as the prime minister.
After forming this government on April 17 of 1971 they
took oath at Meherpur and carried out the Liberation War, she said.
She said Ziaur Rahman was a sector commander of that
government as a salaried person under the Awami League government.
"They [BNP leaders] must not forget this fact.
They must not forget that after independence Ziaur Rahman was promoted from
major to major general. These ungrateful persons forget that also."
She ridiculed a BNP leader's act of burning his shawl
calling for boycott of Indian goods.
She asked BNP leaders to search the Indian sarees
under the possession of their wives and burn those and also stop using Indian
spices in their kitchen.
She said people rejected BNP for their arson terrorism
and killing of people.
"Those who were rejected by people, could not win
election in democratic system, now they are searching for democracy," she
said.
Awami League advisory council member Amir Hossain Amu,
presidium members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Abdur
Razzaque, and Shajahan Khan, Health Affairs Secretary and State Minister for
Health Rokeya Sultana, Dhaka District President Benzir Ahmed, Dhaka City South
General Secretary Humayun Kabir, and Dhaka City North General Secretary SM
Mannan Kochi.
AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Abdus
SobhanGolap and his deputy Syed Abdul AwalShameem moderated the discussion.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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---
Bangladesh's story one of extraordinary strength,
perseverance: UNGA president
Mar 27, 2024
With a well-educated workforce and a dynamic youth
population, modern Bangladesh has overcome remarkable odds to become an
economic powerhouse in South Asia, Ambassador Dennis Francis, president of the
UN General Assembly, said yesterday.
Francis made the comment while delivering remarks as
the chief guest at a reception hosted by the permanent mission of Bangladesh to
the United Nations in New York to celebrate Bangladesh's Independence Day and
National Day.
The president of the UNGA mentioned that Bangladesh's
story is one of extraordinary strength, perseverance and determination in the
most trying of times.
He also said that in addressing the United Nations,
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman eloquently ushered in
fresh ideas for building a world free from economic inequalities, social
injustice, and the threats of nuclear war.
At the reception, Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith,
the permanent representative of Bangladesh, delivered welcome remarks and
mentioned that even after the Liberation War that caused unprecedented
destruction, Bangladesh was able to demonstrate remarkable resilience and
achieve tremendous success in its development trajectory.
Especially over the last decade, under the visionary
leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has emerged as a role
model for development.
Ambassador Muhith paid rich tributes to Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, three million martyrs, two hundred thousand women who
were victims of sexual violence and all heroic freedom fighters who made the
supreme sacrifice for Bangladesh's independence. He also expressed sincerest
gratitude to the friendly nations who accelerated Bangladesh's victory by
extending all possible support -- both on the battlefield and the diplomatic
front.
Both president of the general assembly and the permanent
representative of Bangladesh referred to the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's
membership to the United Nations.
Ambassador Muhith further mentioned that guided by
"Friendship to all, malice towards none", the famous dictum of the
father of the nation, Bangladesh joined the UN family 50 years ago and made
multilateralism an absolute priority.
He also reiterated Bangladesh's commitment to make
value-driven contribution to all important UN discourses.
The event was attended by around 150 permanent representatives,
high officials of the UN Secretariat, international media personalities, think
tank and other dignitaries.
The event started with the hoisting of the national
flag and playing of the national anthem.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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---
Continue fighting for your voting rights, democracy,
Fakhrul urges people
Mar 27, 2024
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir
today called upon the people, especially the youth, to strengthen their fight
for establishing democracy and voting rights.
He said this at a discussion meeting organised by BNP
on the occasion of the Independence Day at the Engineers Institute auditorium.
He said the only duty of BNP is now to make people
aware of their rights and mobilise them in the struggle for establishing
democracy in the country.
Fakhrul said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman restored
multi-party democracy in the country, while the party's current chairperson
Khaleda Zia fought against an autocratic regime for nine years and established
democracy in the country.
He said we have been fighting against a fascist regime
for the last 15 years, and during this period about 22 BNP leaders and
activists killed, 60,000 were charged with false cases.
The opposition leader said the ruling AL has
established not only a fascist regime but apartheid too in the country. They
have demolished houses of BNP leaders and activists who are now fleeing from
one place to another. They destroyed the businesses of BNP leaders and
activists.
Fakhrul also alleged that many young people are not
getting government jobs as they are being identified as children of BNP leaders
and activists.
The ruling AL is distorting the history of the
country's independence as part of a deep-rooted conspiracy.
The AL is once again going to establish one-party
rule, he alleged.
Those who fought against Pakistan in 1971 had only one
motto -- to establish democracy in the country, Fakhrul said.
After independence AL destroyed the nation's dream by
forming BaKSAL (The Bangladesh KrishakSramik Awami League) and now they are
also doing same thing, Fakhrul said.
The BNP leader said AL government uses the state
apparatus to stifle the voices of democracy.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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----
UN: Over 63,000 killed or missing on migration routes
in past decade
Fidel Rahmati
March 27, 2024
The United Nations International Organization for
Migration (IOM) has emphasized that one-third of asylum seekers who lose their
lives on migration routes are from war-torn countries. It has been stressed
that over 63,000 individuals have perished or gone missing in migration routes
in the past decade.
The organization expressed concerns on Tuesday, March
26th, by publishing a new report highlighting the increase in deaths and
disappearances of asylum seekers on migration routes over the past decade.
The report indicates that 36,000 of these asylum
seekers have drowned, with 27,000 of them losing their lives in the
Mediterranean Sea while traveling from North Africa to Europe.
According to the report, in 2023, 1,181 Afghan asylum
seekers lost their lives on routes originating from Afghanistan, marking the
highest recorded figure of Afghan civilian deaths in recent decades.
According to the International Organization for
Migration, one-third of the deceased migrants belong to war-torn countries with
high migration populations, showcasing the risk of fleeing conflict zones and
finding secure migration routes.
The organization’s report states that over 5,000 women
and approximately 3,500 children have lost their lives on migration routes.
The International Organization for Migration states
that the death toll of asylum seekers on migration routes to Europe is increasing,
with the figures reaching over 8,500 deaths annually in 2023, the highest
annual rate recorded.
It’s worth noting that two-thirds of the victims of
these events are reported to be unidentified.
Source:
khaama.com
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---
Reactions to Pakistan's Decision to Resume Deportation
of Afghan Migrants
28.03.24
The Government of Pakistan's decision to resume the
deportation of Afghan migrants has sparked reactions.
The Islamic Emirate has called the deportation of
migrants against international agreements, stating that the Government of
Pakistan should reconsider this decision.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Islamic
Emirate, said, "Forced deportation, under any name and by any country, is
illegal and against the accepted norms of the world and should not happen
because the people of Afghanistan, especially migrants, have seen many problems
and should not face more."
At the same time, Amnesty International, expressing
concern over the deportation of Afghan migrants by the Government of Pakistan,
has asked for this process to be halted.
The organization wrote, "Amnesty International is
extremely concerned by the decision of the new government to continue
deportations of Afghan refugees, including Afghan Citizen Card (ACC)
holders."
According to some organizations defending the rights
of Afghan migrants in Pakistan, the government of that country has adopted
strict policies towards migrants holding the "ACC" or the Afghan
Citizenship Card at this stage. This process has also created concerns among
migrants with documentation.
Mir Ahmad Raouf, the head of the Afghan Migrants
Council in Pakistan, told TOLOnews, "The term of those migrants who had
been distributed POR and ACC cards by the government and UNHCR in Pakistan
before 15 August 2001 ends by the end of March. According to the government's
decision, these migrants must be deported from Pakistan."
Atiqullah, a member of the defenders of Afghan
migrants in Pakistan, said, "A large number of Afghans were forcibly
deported, and the second phase of deportation will start in less than a month.
The current silence of the Afghan government is questionable."
Pakistan implemented the decision to deport Afghan
migrants at the beginning of November last year, an issue that also caused a
deterioration in relations between Kabul and Islamabad.
The second phase of deporting Afghan migrants from
Pakistan is expected to start in less than a month.
Source:
tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188032
---
Kabir Discusses Economic Cooperation with UNAMA Deputy
Bibi Amina
Hakimi
March 27, 2024
A number of United Nations officials, in a meeting
with Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the deputy prime minister for political affairs,
discussed the release of Afghanistan's frozen funds.
They said that they are also discussing the matter
with countries around the world.
The deputy prime minister for political affairs, in a
meeting with IndrikaRatwatte, the deputy special representative (development)
for Afghanistan at UNAMA, said that the country is now ready for investment.
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir also requested that the Asian Development Bank and other
institutions complete their unfinished projects in Afghanistan.
According to the statement of the Prime Minister's
office, this United Nations official said that they have requested $3 billion
dollars from donor countries to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of
Afghanistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Islamic
Emirate, regarding this meeting said: "Of course, if this aid is realized,
it will have a significant impact on enhancing our capabilities; but, we are
not sure yet since the donor countries themselves are facing economic
challenges and are also focusing on other parts of the world. So, if the aid is
provided, it will be effective."
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir emphasized in the meeting that security
is now ensured in Afghanistan, and the cultivation, production, and trafficking
of narcotics have been eradicated.
Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy, said:
"The Islamic Emirate, by ensuring overall security, eradicating
corruption, and eliminating bureaucracy, has created an environment conducive
to attracting investment in the country. We urge all domestic and foreign
investors to take advantage of this opportunity and invest in the
country."
A number of economic analysts believe that lifting
economic sanctions and removing banking obstacles play a crucial role in
increasing investments and resuming the activities of global institutions like
the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.
"UNAMA can play a significant role in
coordinating between the international community and the Islamic Emirate.
Banking restrictions should be lifted, and major economic projects of the World
Bank and the Asian Development Bank should be brought closer," said Sakhi
Ahmad Payman, the First Deputy of the Chamber of Industries and Mines.
Since the Islamic Emirate came to power in the
country, many institutions have halted their activities in Afghanistan,
resulting in the suspension of projects funded by these institutions, like
CASA-1000, in Afghanistan.
Source:
tolonews.com
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---
Youth ministry, UNICEF join hands for Korail slum fire
victims
Mar 27, 2024
The Ministry of Youth Sports (MoYS) and the UNICEF
Child Protection Section have joined forces to extend support to the victims of
a fire that razed through Korail slum in Dhaka's Banani on March 24.
To provide support to the affected children, adolescents,
and people of the Bede community, MoYS and UNICEF mobilised resources and began
delivering aid on the ground.
Within hours of the incident, recreational kits,
sports materials, T-shirts, and warm-cooked food were distributed to those
impacted by the fire.
In addition to meeting immediate physical needs,
special attention was given to the psychosocial well-being of the affected
population, particularly adolescents and girls.
Special sessions on child safeguarding were conducted,
and a range of activities, including indoor games, drawing and painting, and
storytelling sessions, were organised.
Two meals were arranged for about 1,200 people.
Following the fire, representatives from both UNICEF
and MoYS visited the Korail Bede slum.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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---
Bangladesh keen for global digital system without
discrimination
Mar 27, 2024
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen today said the
government is giving utmost importance to the Global Digital Compact.
Bangladesh wants a global digital system without
discrimination, he said.
The foreign secretary also said there is an
opportunity to control the digital system in the light of work, culture,
history, and life system to protect the rights of a country.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the closing
ceremony of "Bangladesh Consultation on Global Digital Compact and Summit
of the Future 2024."
In September 2020, on the commemoration of the 75th
anniversary of the UN, member states adopted a political declaration, guided by
the charter, on how they are going to ensure the future they want and the UN
they need.
Consequently, in September 2021 the UN
secretary-general published his report—"Our Common Agenda" which
proposes a Global Digital Compact.
The proposed Global Digital Compact is set to be
agreed upon at the Summit of the Future in September 2024 at the UN headquarters.
The Bangladesh Initiative for Unified Voices on Global
Digital Compact & Summit of the Future 2024 under the auspices of the
Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF) & BNNRC have been trying to
engage all multi-stakeholders in this process, like as Parliamentarians,
Government, UN system, Private sector, Technical Communities, Civil Society
Organizations (CSOs), Academia, and Youth communities since 2022.
BIGF & BNNRC organized the "National
Consultation on Global Digital Compact: An Open, Free and Secure Digital Future
for All and the UN Summit of the Future 2024: Multilateral solutions for a
better tomorrow with the support of the UNDP Bangladesh and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
Stefan Liller, UNDP Resident Representative, UNDP
Bangladesh attended the consultation as the guest of honour.
Former minister Hasanul Haque Inu said that the whole
world is going through the tremors of climate change and digital
transformation.
Bangladesh also has to adapt to it, he said, urging
all to ensure easy availability and access to technology.
He said that digital transformation needs to be
properly managed to secure it, which requires a framework. "It is
necessary to determine what are the problems, possibilities and challenges of
Bangladesh in creating that structure and coming inside the structure."
AHM Bazlur Rahman, executive coordinator of Bangladesh
Initiative for Unified Voices on Global Digital Compact and UN Summit for the
Future 2024 also spoke.
Anir Chowdhury, policy adviser of a2i, ICT Division,
who delivered the keynote speech in the concluding session, said that there is
no alternative to a dirt divide or non-discriminatory digital system, which
requires a lot of investment.
The 'Summit of the Future 2024' is going to be held at
the United Nations headquarters in New York on September 22-23.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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---
Pakistan
Pakistan’s defense minister: Source of terrorist
incidents in Pakistan is Afghanistan
Khaama Press
March 27, 2024
Khawaja Asif, the Defense Minister of Pakistan, has
said that considering the increase in terrorist incidents in the country, there
is a need for fundamental changes in the situation along the western borders of
Pakistan with Afghanistan.
Mr. Asif, on Wednesday, March 27th, said on his social
media platform X: “The source of terrorist incidents in Pakistan is in
Afghanistan. Despite our efforts, Kabul, although knowing that terrorism is
being launched against Pakistan from its soil, has made no progress in this
regard.”
The Defense Minister of Pakistan has said that with
this situation, the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan differs from the
traditional borders of the world. The Defense Minister of Pakistan’s reference
to the difference in the border between the two countries is the movement of
Afghan and Pakistani citizens without visas and passports.
Khawaja Asif emphasized that in the current situation,
where the Taliban are not willing to cooperate, Pakistan must enforce all
international laws and norms at its border with Afghanistan, and “the movement
of terrorists must be stopped.”
He has called for visas and passports to be mandatory
for travel across the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mr. Asif’s statements come a day after a suicide
attack on a vehicle carrying Chinese engineers in the city of Besham, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, which resulted in the death of five Chinese engineers and one
Pakistani driver.
According to reports, the vehicle carrying Chinese
citizens was traveling from Islamabad towards a camp in the Dasu area of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa when a suicide bomber targeted it.
Ensuring the security of Chinese citizens is
particularly important to Pakistan, as the fate of most large and small Chinese
projects undertaken as part of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative in Pakistan
depends on ensuring the security of Chinese engineers.
Source:
khaama.com
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----
IHC asks why Imran, Qureshi ‘singled out’ in cipher
case
March 28, 2024
Malik Asad
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday
wondered why the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was probing former prime
minister Imran Khan and foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi for not returning
the diplomatic cipher, while sparing other recipients who did the same.
Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb — a member of the IHC
division bench headed by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq — made the observation
during the hearing of appeals filed by Mr Khan and Mr Qureshi against their
conviction in the cipher case.
Defence counsel Barrister Salman Safdar argued that
the confidential diplomatic cable, at the heart of the cipher trial against the
two PTI leaders, was sent to eight top offices, including the president, PM’s
principal secretary, foreign secretary, army chief, director general of
Inter-Services Intelligence, chief justice of Pakistan and cabinet secretary.
Justice Aurangzeb wonders why ‘pick and choose’
approach applied, other recipients of cipher not issued notices by FIA
However, he added, none of the recipients returned the
diplomatic cable to the Foreign Office when the inquiry commenced in October
2022.
According to the counsel, the FIA could have issued
notices to the then-army chief, Senate chairman and other recipients, but the
agency had only nominated Mr Khan and Mr Qureshi in this case.
Barrister Safdar, the counsel for Imran Khan,
presented a letter of the foreign ministry that documented the movement of the
cipher. According to it, most of the recipients held on to their copies for
well over a year and only returned them once the proceedings against the ex-PM
and his foreign minister were formally underway. Justice Aurangzeb questioned
whether the FIA was cognisant that the other recipients did not return the
copies.
Barrister Safdar replied in the affirmative, saying
the FIA was required to issue call-up notices to all recipients.
Justice Aurangzeb asked him to explain the reasons for
which the investigation agency went after the two recipients while sparing
others.
Barrister Safdar replied that it showed the “selective
prosecution, political victimisation, colourable exercise of power and
defective investigation”.
Justice Farooq observed that apparently it was a “pick
and choose” and asked for the legal precedents in such cases.
The counsel informed the court that the evidence that
documented the movement of cipher was presented by a senior official of the
foreign ministry, who was also the custodian of the record.
When Justice Aurangzeb asked if the official was
cross-examined by the defence counsel, Barrister Salman replied in the negative,
saying the counsel appointed by the state had cross-examined the said witness.
Justice Aurangzeb noticed that the advocate general,
who sought the permission to appear before the Sindh High Court a day earlier,
did not depute anyone for court’s assistance. He expressed his displeasure and
warned that the court would write to the federal government that the advocate
general is not extending proper assistance.
Barrister Safdar argued that the prosecution also
charged Mr Khan and Mr Qureshi for ruining Pakistan’s friendly relations with
the US. However, he pointed out that the prosecution did not produce any
evidence before the court to substantiate the allegation.
Source:
dawn.com
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---
Cipher case is like a murder case in which body is not
found, IHC told
March 28, 2024
Awais Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder
Imran Khan’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar told the Islamabad High Court (IHC)
on Wednesday that the investigating officer had filed the charge sheet in the
cipher case without seeing the document, and the trial court had indicted the
accused without examining the document.
Barrister Safdar asked how the IO conducted the
investigation without seeing the original document. He remarked that everyone
who was sent a copy of the cipher, except the president, had returned their
copy after the registration of the case.
He pointed out that if other persons had not returned
their copies of the cipher as well, then filing the case against only the PTI
founder was a vindictive act.
The IHC’s Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice
Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb were hearing the appeal against the conviction of the
PTI founder and Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the cipher case.
Barrister Safdar said that the requirements of a fair
trial under Article 10-A were not fulfilled in this case. He said that even the
IO was not shown the document because it was a secret. The IO should have
approached a magistrate, he added.
The court said that the trial court judge could also
have issued an order under the Official Secrets Act to show the documents after
removing all the other persons from the courtroom.
The lawyer said that the name of the case is “cipher”
but it is actually “suffering” that has been happening. He said that the
instant case is similar to a murder case in which the body of the deceased is
not found.
He also said that this case was of foreign affairs but
was hijacked by the Ministry of Interior, and that instead of the Foreign
Office, the interior ministry became the complainant.
Barrister Safdar said the prosecution says that if the
document is not returned, the security system is compromised. He said Khan and
Qureshi are accused of making the cipher text public.
It was also said that the cipher was twisted for their
own purposes, he added, but neither the original text is in front of the court
nor the one that was twisted. How can a comparison be made without the original
text being in front of the court, he asked. He said that the FIR was filed 17
months after the prime minister’s copy was not returned. The prosecution
claimed that copies of the cipher went to five people, he added.
He also said that the prosecution has a document from
its own witness that says the cipher went to nine people, and not five. This is
the cipher security system, he pointed out. The counsel said that in March 2022
the meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) was held under the
chairmanship of the appellant, and the committee termed the cipher message as
interference in internal affairs and intolerable.
However, he added, 22 days later another meeting of
the NSC was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who
confirmed the meeting of the previous committee, but added that there was no
external conspiracy in it.
Justice Aurangzeb asked what is meant by “conspiracy”.
He pointed out that in the first press release there was no mention of a
conspiracy. He asked if it is the same conspiracy that the accused mentioned in
his public meeting. The hearing will continue on Thursday (today).
Source:
thenews.com.pk
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---
Pakistan, Jordan stress need for an urgent ceasefire
in Gaza
March 27, 2024
Pakistan and Jordan have stressed the need for an
urgent ceasefire and for increased and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian
assistance for the people of Gaza.
The urgency was expressed in a telephonic conversation
between Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Jordanian deputy Prime Minister
and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi today.
Both discussed the Gaza situation and strongly
condemned the inhumane and barbaric acts of Israeli occupation forces against
the Palestinian people.
They also agreed to further advance the momentum of
multi-tiered cooperation between Pakistan and Jordan.
Source:
radio.gov.pk
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----
PM orders thorough joint investigation into Bisham
terror attack
March 27, 2024
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed for a
thorough joint investigation into the terrorist attack on Chinese nationals,
utilizing all resources of the state.
He gave these instructions, while chairing an
emergency meeting in Islamabad today, in the aftermath of Besham terrorist
attack on Chinese nationals working on Dassu Hydel Power Project.
The meeting was attended by the Federal Ministers,
Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir, the Chief Ministers, the Chief Secretaries
and the Inspectors General of Police of respective provinces. The Participants
of the meeting discussed the heinous attack on innocent civilians working on a
development project, meant to contribute to energy and water security of
Pakistan.
The Prime Minister offered deepest condolences to the
families of the innocent victims of the attack and assured them that the
perpetrators of this barbaric act would be brought to justice swiftly.
He underscored the enduring bond of brotherhood
between the people of Pakistan and China and conveyed that the whole nation was
saddened by the loss of Chinese lives.
Shehbaz Sharif appreciated the alacrity with which Law
Enforcement Agencies and locals responded to the attack, saving many precious
lives which could have been lost.
He further said terrorism is a trans-national threat
that has been instrumentalized by the enemies of Pakistan to stymie Pakistan's
progress and development. He added that acts targeting Pakistan-China
friendship are particularly aimed at creating mistrust between the two iron
brothers.
Participants of the meeting expressed resolute
commitment to completely rooting out terrorism from the country.
The participants expressed serious concerns over
sanctuaries available to terrorists across the borders and emphasized upon the
need for a regional approach for countering terrorism.
On the occasion, Syed Asim Munir reiterated resolve of
the armed forces to eliminate the scourge of terrorism afflicting the country.
He said the nation had steadfastly fought the war on terror for the last two
decades and had defeated the nefarious designs of Pakistan's adversaries.
Noting the recent surge in terrorist incidents, the
Army Chief remarked that the enemies of Pakistan have once again underestimated
the resilience and grit of the State and the people of Pakistan. He vowed to
fight terrorism till every terrorist casting an evil eye on Pakistan, its
people and their guests, is eliminated. He further said no stone shall be left
unturned to ensure that every foreign citizen, especially the Chinese
nationals, contributing to the prosperity of Pakistan, is safe and secure in
Pakistan. He said we shall fight terrorism with all our might, to the very end.
The meeting concluded with the participants
reiterating the resolve to comprehensively combat terrorism employing all
resources available to the State.
Source:
radio.gov.pk
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---
Civil-military leadership vows to probe attack that
killed Chinese nationals
March 28, 2024
Asim Yasin
& Muhammad Anis
ISLAMABAD: An emergency meeting chaired by Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the aftermath of the Besham terrorist attack on
Chinese nationals working on the Dassu Hydel Power Project expressed serious
concerns over sanctuaries available to terrorists across the borders and
emphasized the need for a regional approach for countering terrorism.
Participants of the meeting expressed their resolute
commitment to completely rooting out terrorism from the country and reiterated
to comprehensively combat terrorism, employing all resources available to the
state, a statement issued by the PM media wing said.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers, Chief
of the Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, chief ministers, chief secretaries
and Inspector Generals of Police of respective provinces to discuss the heinous
attack on innocent civilians working on a development project meant to
contribute to energy and water security of Pakistan.
The prime minister underscored the enduring bond of
brotherhood between the people of Pakistan and China and conveyed that the
whole nation was saddened by the loss of Chinese lives. He appreciated the
alacrity with which law enforcement agencies and locals responded to the
attack, saving many precious lives which could have been lost. The PM
instructed for a thorough joint investigation to be conducted, utilizing all
resources of the state.
Shehbaz said that terrorism is a transnational threat
that has been instrumentalized by the enemies of Pakistan to stymie Pakistan’s
progress and development. “The acts targeting Pakistan-China friendship are
particularly aimed at creating mistrust between the two iron brothers,” the
prime minister said. He offered his deepest condolences to the families of
innocent victims of the attack and assured them that the perpetrators of this
barbaric act would be brought to justice swiftly.
COAS General Syed Asim Munir reiterated the resolve of
armed forces to eliminate the scourge of terrorism afflicting the country. The
COAS stated that the nation had steadfastly fought the war on terror for the
last two decades and had defeated the nefarious designs of Pakistan’s
adversaries. Noting the recent surge in terrorist incidents, the COAS remarked
that the enemies of Pakistan had once again underestimated the resilience and
grit of the state and the people of Pakistan. “We shall fight terrorism till
every terrorist casting an evil eye on Pakistan, its people and their guests is
eliminated; we shall not leave any stone unturned to ensure that every foreign
citizen, especially the Chinese nationals contributing to the prosperity of
Pakistan, is safe and secure in Pakistan. We shall fight terrorism with all our
might, to the very end,” the COAS said.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin
Jian said that Pakistan and China have the determination and ability to make
terrorists pay the price for their actions and any attempt to undermine
China-Pakistan cooperation will not succeed. Lin made the remarks at a regular
press briefing in response to a terrorist attack. “We strongly condemn this
terrorist attack, express deep sympathy for the victims and extend sincere
condolences to the bereaved families,” Lin said.
Noting that some other countries have also condemned
the attack and expressed sympathy for the Chinese victims, Lin said China is
grateful for that. He said that immediately after the incident, China’s foreign
ministry and the Chinese embassy in Pakistan triggered an emergency response
mechanism. They have maintained close contact with the Pakistani side in
Beijing and Islamabad, requesting that Pakistan accelerate the hunt for and
subsequent punishment of the terrorists, seek justice for the victims and take
concrete measures to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals in the country.
The Pakistani side pledged that it would investigate
the attack thoroughly, provide the Chinese side with timely updates on the
progress of the investigation and take further, comprehensive measures to
improve the security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in
Pakistan, Lin said. He reiterated China’s stance on terrorism that terrorism is
the common enemy of all human beings and it is the shared responsibility of the
international community to combat terrorism and prevent the recurrence of such
tragedies.
China firmly supports Pakistan’s counterterrorism
efforts, Lin said. China will continue to support Pakistan’s economic
development, social development and improvement of its people’s livelihoods, he
added, and it will undertake firm cooperation with Pakistan in various fields
to bring benefits to the two peoples.
Meanwhile, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Wednesday
registered the first information report (FIR) of the attack on the convoy of
Chinese nationals working on the DasuHydropower Project in Upper Kohistan. The
FIR included sections of the anti-terrorism law. The FIR was registered after
the police sent a letter to the CTD.
Five Chinese and their Pakistani driver were killed in
a suicide attack on their convoy in Besham tehsil in the Shangla district on
Tuesday. A suicide bomber had rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into the
convoy carrying the Chinese workers.
Meanwhile, a video of the attack on the bus went viral
on social media. A vehicle can be seen approaching the bus from Kohistan’s side
on the Karakoram Highway and the explosion occurred when it hit the bus
carrying Chinese nationals.
In a related development, a high-level meeting chaired
by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided that a Joint Investigation Team
(JIT) will be formed for an investigation into the terrorist attack on Chinese
engineers in Besham.
Sharing details of the meeting at a news conference in
Islamabad, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said the
meeting recognized the importance of adopting a coordinated strategy to curb
terrorism. He said a mechanism will be devised under this strategy to ensure
greater coordination amongst the relevant stakeholders.
The information minister said the meeting applauded
the role of security forces in the war on terrorism. He said the participants
of the meeting were on the same page that no stone will be left unturned to
eradicate terrorism. The whole nation is united in the war on terrorism
reaffirming that every possible step will be taken for the security of
important installations by Chinese citizens and the Pakistani people.
Attaullah Tarar said anti-Pakistan elements want to
hurt the longstanding relationship between Pakistan and China but they will
fail in their designs. He said this everlasting relationship will remain
intact. The information minister said China has always stood by Pakistan in
difficult times. The country has always supported Pakistan’s stance at the
international fora. He said the CPEC is our lifeline and guarantor of economic
development. He said Pakistan shares the grief and sorrow of the Chinese people
at this hour of grief.
Responding to a question regarding the security of
Chinese nationals in Pakistan, Attaullah Tarar said there are SOPs in this
regard and all-out steps are being taken to ensure their implementation.
“However following Tuesday’s incident we are identifying any loopholes in the
SOPs or their implementation,” he said.
To another question, the minister said the federal
government is closely engaged with the provincial governments of Balochistan
and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the security issue. He mentioned that Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Balochistan chief minister to expedite work on
Gwadar safe city project being funded by the federal government and in this
regard, the chief minister will visit Gwadar today (Thursday). He said a
counter terrorism force will be established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the
pattern of the state-of-the-art CTD force of Punjab.
To a question about Afghanistan’s involvement in
terror incidents in Pakistan, Attaullah Tarar said the prime minister has
already made it clear that any use of soil against Pakistan will be thwarted.
“We continue to emphasise peace in the region and resolve issues through
negotiations.”
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari visited the
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China Wednesday and offered condolences on
behalf of the government and people of Pakistan over the killing of Chinese
citizens in a terrorist attack in Besham.
Upon his arrival, President Asif Ali Zardari was
received by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Pakistan, Jiang
Zaidong. The secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also present on the
occasion. Zardari strongly condemned the Tuesday’s terrorist attack, saying
that the Pakistani nation shared the grief of Chinese people. He added that the
people of Pakistan stood in solidarity with the Chinese people in this hour of
grief.
The president said that enemies in the region couldn’t
accept the fact that Pakistan and China were further strengthening their
bilateral ties. He assured the Chinese ambassador that the criminals involved
in the gruesome act would be brought to justice. He further said that all
necessary measures would be taken to ensure the security of Chinese citizens
working on various projects in Pakistan.
Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong thanked the president
for personally visiting the Embassy to offer condolences. He appreciated that
Pakistanis from all walks of life had condemned the terrorist attack. Zaidong
highlighted that Chinese workers had made outstanding contributions to
Pakistan’s socio-economic development.
He said that terrorists were enemies of humanity and
needed to be hunted down for targeting innocent people. He underscored the need
for increasing counter-terrorism cooperation and providing enhanced security to
Chinese workers in Pakistan. The ambassador reiterated his country’s resolve to
further strengthen cooperation with Pakistan and continue its support for CPEC
and other projects.
While registering his remarks in the visitors book at
the Chinese Embassy, President Asif Ali Zardari said that the inhuman attack
struck at the core of shared values and the enduring friendship between the two
countries. “This incident was orchestrated by the enemies of Pakistan-China
friendship,” he added. He also wrote that Pakistan would never allow terrorists
to undermine our shared goals for peace, prosperity and security in the region.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
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----
PM Shehbaz to call on CJP Isa today amid IHC judges'
letter controversy
March 28, 2024
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to visit the
Supreme Court to meet Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa today
following the controversy which has arisen after several Islamabad High Court
(IHC) judges accused the executive and spy agencies of interfering in judicial
matters, Geo News reported citing sources.
The premier, as per the government sources, will visit
the apex court along with the attorney general and law minister. However, the
apex court's sources have said that they are not aware of the purported meeting
between the prime minister and the chief justice.
The development comes after six judges of the IHC —
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar
Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and
Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz — wrote to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to
convene a judicial convention over the matter of the alleged interference of
members of the executive, including operatives of intelligence agencies, in
judicial affairs.
The letter further underscored that the code of conduct
for judges prescribed by SJC provides no guidance on how they "must react
to and or report incidents that are tantamount to intimidation and interfere
with judicial independence".
A day earlier, a full court meeting of the apex court
was held in the federal capital to deliberate on the judges' letter that sought
guidance from the SJC "with regard to the duty of a judge to report and
respond to actions on the part of members of the executive, including
operatives of intelligence agencies, that seek to interfere with the discharge
of his/her official functions and qualify as intimidation".
The two-hour huddle, convened by CJP Isa, took place
after bar associations of Sindh, Lahore, Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as
well as senior lawyers demanded a probe into the letter which arguably might
have serious consequences for the country's judiciary.
Separately, a plea has also been filed in the apex
court seeking an open court investigation of the IHC judges' letter.
The constitutional petition, submitted by Mian Dawood
Advocate, calls for the constitution of an empowered commission to investigate
the "premediated" letter.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
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---
Alleged May 9 rioters get relief in Rawalpindi
March 28, 2024
QaiserSherazi
RAWALPINDI:The PTI received further relief on
Wednesday as trial courts in Rawalpindi granted bail to 19 more individuals who
were arrested in the garrison city for allegedly vandalizing state and military
properties following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on May 9,
2023.
The trial courts granted bail to these 19 individuals,
who had been detained in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for around 10 months, upon
submission of surety bonds of Rs. 50,000 each and ordered their immediate
release.
Interestingly, all individuals booked in Rawalpindi
after the May 9 incidents have now been released except for eight PTI workers
who were tried under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.
These eight accused were tried by three different
military courts in Rawalpindi, with the courts reserving their orders after
concluding the trial. These orders are expected to be unveiled within a week.
The military courts also conducted trials of four
other accused against whom cases were registered following the May 9, 2023
incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) Abbottabad district.
After the May 9 incidents, authorities in Rawalpindi
registered 14 different First Information Reports (FIRs) under which a total of
549 PTI leaders and workers, including former prime minister Imran Khan and
former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were arrested.
In these cases, 34 accused were later discharged. The
cases involved allegations of attacks on the GHQ, Army Museum, and offices of
sensitive institutions. Arrest warrants were issued for 31 central leaders of
the PTI, with 27 of these leaders later declared proclaimed offenders.
The leaders declared proclaimed offenders include Zain
Qureshi, Hammad Azhar, Lt Gen (Retd) Akram Sahi, Zulfi Bukhari, Murad Saeed,
Usman Saif Basra, Usman Dar, and Zartaj Gul.
Arrest warrants were issued for the K-P Chief
Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, Murad Saeed, former MPA Raja Rashid Hafeez, Ijaz
Khan Jazi, and former provincial law minister Raja Basharat.
Last week, on March 20, a five-member Supreme Court
bench granted bail to five suspects involved in the May 9 incidents. All these
accused were named in the FIRs registered in Rawalpindi.
Source:
tribune.com.pk
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---
Hearing against verdict of ‘Iddat case’ adjourned till
April 6
2024-03-28
ISLAMABAD: A local court, on Wednesday, adjourned the
hearing of appeals filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman
Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi against the verdict in the “Iddat” case
against them without proceedings till April 6.
The court adjourned the hearing of the appeal of Khan
and his wife without proceedings due to the non-availability of district and
sessions judge Sharukh Arjumand till April 6.
The previous hearing of the same case was adjourned
due to the non-availability of complainant Khawar Maneka, former husband of
Bushra Bibi’s Counsel Rizwan Abbasi.
The court, on February 3, awarded Khan and his wife
Bushra Bibi seven years’ imprisonment each for allegedly solemnizing nikkah
during Bushra Bibi’s Iddat period.
According to the court’s verdict the complainant
(Khawar Maneka) has been able to prove that the respondents (Imran Khan and his
wife Bushra Bibi) went through an unlawful marriage ceremony on January 1,
2018, with dishonest and fraudulent intention and as such has established the
charge against the respondents for an offence within the meaning 496 PPC;
therefore, both the respondents, i.e., Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi and Bushra Khan,
wife of Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, residents of Bani Gala, Islamabad are convicted
for charges under the above-preferred section of the law and as a consequence
sentenced to seven years simple imprisonment each.
Source:
brecorder.com
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-----
Mideast
Lebanese Sunni militant group: Coordination with
Hezbollah is vital to fight Israel
March 28, 2024
BEIRUT,— The head of a Lebanese Sunni political and
militant group that has joined the Shiite militant group Hezbollah in its fight
against Israel on Lebanon’s border said Tuesday that the conflict has helped
strengthen cooperation between the two groups.
The Secretary-General of al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya, or
the Islamic Group, Sheikh Mohammed Takkoush said his faction decided to join
the fighting along the Lebanon-Israel border because of Israel’s crushing
offensive on the Gaza Strip and its strikes against Lebanese towns and villages
killing civilians, including journalists, since the Israel-Hamas war started on
Oct.7, 2023.
“We decided to join (the battle) as a national,
religious and moral duty. We did that to defend our land and villages,”
Takkoush told The Associated Press at his group’s headquarters in Beirut. “We
also did so in support of our brothers in Gaza,” where he said Israel was
committing an “open massacre.”
Hamas led a surprise Islamic State-style attack in
southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed around 1,200 people and took
another 250 hostage. The ensuing Israeli bombardment and ground invasion of the
Gaza Strip has allegedly killed thousands Palestinians there, according to
local health officials. Since then, violence along the Lebanon-Israel border
intensified, displacing tens of thousands of people on both sides
Takkoush said he believed Israel has ambitions to
seize more territory “not only in Palestine but in Lebanon too.”
The Islamic Group is one of Lebanon’s main Sunni
factions but has kept a low profile politically over the years. It has one
member in Lebanon’s 128-seat legislature. Elections within the group in 2022
brought its leadership closer to Hamas.
Like Hamas, it is inspired by the ideology of the
Pan-Arab Islamist political movement The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt
in 1928 by a school teacher-turned-Islamic ideologue Hassan al-Banna.
It carries out attacks against Israel mainly from the
southern city of Sidon where the group once enjoyed wide influence.
Takkoush said his group makes its own decisions in the
field but coordinates closely with Hezbollah, and with the Lebanese branch of
the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
“Part of (the attacks against Israeli forces) were in
coordination with Hamas, which coordinates with Hezbollah,” he said adding that
direct cooperation with Hezbollah “is on the rise and this is being reflected
in the field.” He did not elaborate further.
While the Lebanese border area is seen as a Hezbollah
stronghold and its population is primarily Shiite, it also has Sunni villages,
where the Islamic Group primarily operates.
The tensions between Islam’s two main sects — Sunni
and Shiite — originated following the death of Prophet Muhammad in 632. It has
reverberated across the wider Middle East till the present day thus making
cooperation between Hezbollah and al-Jamaa al-Islamiya all the more rare.
The Islamic Group’s armed wing, known as the Fajr
Forces, has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks along the
Lebanon-Israel border since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.
They have lost five fighters so far, Takkoush said,
with three killed in an Israeli airstrike in a border area earlier this month.
The other two were killed in a Jan. 2, Israeli strike
on an apartment in Beirut that targeted top Hamas official Saleh Arouri.
The group’s use of weapons against Israel is not new.
It founded its Fajr Forces in 1982 at the height of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000 ending
an 18-year occupation. But the Lebanese government says Israel still occupies
the disputed Chebaa Farms and KfarChouba hills that Israel captured from Syria
during the 1967 Mideast war.
In the current conflict, “coordinating and cooperating
with a movement like Hamas, the most honorable liberation movement, is an
honor,” Takkoush said.
Regarding his group’s relations with Hezbollah,
Takkoush said it had gone through ups and downs. They had differences regarding
the conflicts in Syria and Yemen but put them aside “to resist the Israeli
occupation of parts of our Lebanese territories,” he said.
“Our relations with Hezbollah are good and growing and
it is being strengthened as we go through war,” Takkoush said.
Takkoush added that all the weapons they use, from
bullets to rockets, are from their own arsenal. “We did not get even a bullet
from any side,” he said.
As Hezbollah has solidified its position as the most
powerful political and military entity in Lebanon, the country’s Sunni
community has floundered in the absence of a strong leader.
Asked whether the Islamic Group is trying to fill the
gap in Lebanon’s Sunni political leadership left behind by former Prime
Minister Saad Hariri who quit politics two years ago, Takkoush said that Prime
Minister Saad Hariri still has a base of support and popularity, but his group
was not in the habit of filling anyone’s absence.
“We introduce ourselves as partners in building
generations and (state) institutions but we do not replace anyone,” he said.
Copyright © 2024, respective author or news agency,
Ekurd.net | Associated Press
Source:
ekurd.net
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---
Clowns Try To Put Smiles Back On Faces Of Gaza
Children
March 27, 2024
NUSEIRAT: The children of Gaza have little to eat,
have had to flee their homes and have survived nearly six months of terrifying
Israeli bombardment.
But for a few precious minutes children in the
Nuseirat refugee camp in the center of the Gaza Strip laughed and yelped with
joy.
Clowns and acrobats performed for them in the
courtyard of a school where their displaced families have been sheltering from
the bombing.
The unrelenting war has taken a terrible toll on
Gaza’s children.
Most of the 32,490 people killed in the besieged
territory since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel have been women and children,
according to the Health Ministry toll.
But for once they could forget all that horror as
performers in rabbit costumes led them in a conga, pushing one injured boy in a
wheelchair.
Then it was the turn of clown Omar Al-Saidi to tickle
their funny bones with zany antics at the expense of another jester.
Wassim Lobed, whose support group organized the show
and who acted as compere, said: “Traumas are beginning to appear in children so
we are trying to provide psychological relief. “We hope to God that this war
will end for the sake of our children in Gaza.”
So deep is the mental suffering of Gaza’s young that
some hope to die quickly to escape the “nightmare,” a spokesman for the UN
child welfare agency said on Tuesday.
“The unspeakable is regularly said in Gaza” now, said
UNICEF spokesman James Elder, who is in the territory.
After meeting young people on Monday, he said several
teenagers said they were “so desperate for this nightmare to end that they
hoped to be killed.”
But Saidi, whose clown name is Uncle Zaatar, said he
hoped the show had lifted some of that “burden” from the children’s shoulders.
As the children clapped and cheered at the end, he
said he hoped the “smile will remain on their faces forever.”
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2483921/middle-east
---
Attacking hospitals in Gaza part of Zionists' tragic
genocide
Mar 28, 2024
TEHRAN, Mar. 28 (MNA) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry
Spokesperson stated that war against hospitals and medical centers in the Gaza
Strip is a tragic part of the genocidal operations of the Israeli terrorist
regime against the residents of Gaza.
Nasser Kan'ani wrote in his X account late Wednesday
that the Zionist regime has purposefully targeted 33 hospitals in the Gaza
Strip, making them unable to provide medical services according to official
reports since the beginning of the war against the Gaza Strip.
Zionists acted insanely against the hospitals and
medical centers of the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours including continuing the
siege of Shafa Hospital, intensifying military operations against it, and
burning the surgical building of this hospital last night, he said, adding that
the siege and bombing of Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis, attacking Nasser
Hospital and arresting displaced and injured people in there including the
medical staff of this hospital were among Zionist crimes.
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights in Palestine wrote that the mass of evidence regarding Israel's
international crimes in the Gaza Strip over the past six months may preoccupy
the International Criminal Court for the next five decades, Kan'ani pointed
out.
Iranian diplomat noted that the most frequent question
of the public opinion of the world is whether the international assemblies and
institutions have a practical responsibility to create deterrence and stop this
open genocide other than declaring political positions, issuing statements, or
passing resolutions.
Source:
mehrnews.com
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---
UAE condemns Israel’s announcement to confiscate
8,000,000 square metres of Palestinian land
27 March 2024
The UAE has strongly condemned the Israeli
government’s announcement to confiscate 8,000 Dunams (8,000,000 Square metres)
of land in the Jordan Valley of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and
expressed its rejection of all measures aimed at changing the historical and
legal status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)
expressed the UAE’s categorical rejection of all practices in contravention of
resolutions on international legitimacy, which risk further escalation and instability
in the region, and impede endeavours to achieve peace and stability.
The Ministry stressed the need to support all regional
and international efforts to advance the peace process in the Middle East, as
well as end illegal practices that threaten the two-state solution, and the
establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
The Ministry reiterated the UAE’s steadfast commitment
to fostering peace, justice, and the realisation of the rights of the
Palestinian people.
Furthermore, the Ministry called on the international
community to intensify efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire to avoid further
loss of life, prevent fueling the situation in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory, and to advance all efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace.
Source:
gulftoday.ae
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---
Gaza children go to sleep hungry, they are being
‘wasted’: WFP
27 March 2024
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has
warned that famine is imminent in the northern Gaza Strip.
Israel continues to hinder aid deliveries to the
region.
The WFP's Palestine Country Director Matthew
Hollingworth said in a video filmed in Gaza on Tuesday that children were going
to sleep hungry and exhausted.
Malnutrition among children is proceeding at a record
pace, and one in three children below the age of two is now acutely
malnourished or “wasted.”
“There is nowhere else in the world where so many
people face imminent famine. Here in Gaza City, we're at the epicenter of the
crisis, here in the Gaza strip. Today I've met so many people who are angry and
tired and despairing because their children go to sleep every night hungry,”
Hollingworth said.
The WFP has only managed to send 11 convoys with food
to the north since the start of the year, he said.
The WFP official said food aid needed to flow
massively into the besieged Palestinian territory immediately “if we're going
to prevent famine, prevent further death, prevent wasting amongst children,
prevent really the desperate situation that is already in place.”
Some 70 percent of the population in northern Gaza is
facing catastrophic hunger, he said.
Across the whole Gaza Strip, the number of people
facing catastrophic hunger has risen to 1.1 million, half the population,
according to Hollingworth.
A recent UN-backed report said famine was “likely to
occur by May” in the northern Gaza Strip, where some 300,000 people face
constant attacks by Israeli forces.
Source:
presstv.ir
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----
Türkiye urges more pressure on Israel for it to comply
with UN Gaza cease-fire demand
EsraTekin
27.03.2024
Pressure needs to be ramped up on Israel for it to
comply with a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire
in Gaza, Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
"Pressure must be increased on Israel, the
spoiled and lawless child of the West, for it to comply with this
decision," Erdogan said at an election rally in eastern Türkiye.
?Israel has not been able to break the resistance
spirit of "our Gazan brothers" for a full 173 days despite its
barbarism and the military support it receives from Western states, Erdogan
said, adding that Palestinians taught the world a lesson in "humanity,
dignity, and courage through their epic resistance."
"We will never hesitate to come to the aid of any
oppressed and victimized individual anywhere in the world," he added.
Speaking in the province of Batman, he also vowed that
Türkiye would "do its part" for the Security Council decision to be
fulfilled.
"As Türkiye, we will do our part for this
decision, which we welcome, to be fulfilled," he said.
Ankara will "make every effort" for peace
and tranquility in Gaza as soon as possible, added the Turkish president.
The UN Security Council on Monday passed a resolution
demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza during the Islamic holy month of
Ramadan. While Hamas welcomed the move, Israel rejected the cease-fire demand
and vowed to continue its offensive in the Palestinian enclave.
Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the
Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 in which some 1,200
Israelis were killed.
More than 32,200 Palestinians have since been killed
and over 74,500 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
The Israeli onslaught has pushed 85% of Gaza’s
population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water
and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or
destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International
Court of Justice (ICJ), which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered
Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that
humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
Türkiye’s fight against PKK
Although Türkiye has been surrounded by conflicts and
wars, the country is progressing towards its goals with determination, Erdogan
said.
“The presence of the separatist organization in our
territories has reached its end. The threat directed towards our country from
Syria has been significantly brought under control. As of this summer, we will
also have ensured the security of our border with Iraq,” the Turkish president
added.
Source:
aa.com.tr
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---
Gun attack on school bus in West Bank wounds 3
Israelis: army
March 28, 2024
JERUSALEM: Medics and the army said three people
including a boy were wounded in a gun attack Thursday that targeted a school
bus near the city of Jericho in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
After reports that a militant fired toward “a number
of vehicles,” soldiers were sent to the scene near the town of Al-Auja, the
military said, adding that soldiers were pursuing the suspect.
The military confirmed a school bus had been targeted.
A 30-year-old man was in serious condition with
gunshot wounds, while a 21-year-old man was less seriously wounded and a
13-year-old boy suffered shrapnel injuries, emergency services said.
Israeli public radio said the masked gunman started
shooting at Israeli cars at around 7:00 am local time, hitting a car and a
school bus.
Violence has surged in the West Bank since the start
of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip in October. The war began
with Hamas’s unprecedented attack against Israel on October 7 that left about
1,160 people dead.
More than 440 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli
troops or settlers in the West Bank since the war broke out, according to the
Palestinian Authority, which has partial administrative control in the West
Bank.
At least 17 Israeli soldiers and civilians have been
killed in attacks there over the same period, say the Israeli authorities.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2484166/middle-east
---
Africa
NigerianChristians, Muslims, Hindus Share IFTAR Meal,
Pray Against Banditry, Kidnapping
March 27, 2024
In the spirit of oneness and togetherness, Christians
and Hindus brought food for Muslims to break their fast usually called Iftar in
Jos the Plateau State Capital.
They also urged the Muslim Ummah to pray for the
country, especially, against the current security challenges of banditry,
kidnapping, and economic hardship being experienced in the nation.
The IFTAR meals were to 600 Muslims in the Jos Central
Mosque (400plates), and Jos Fibre Mosque (200plates), by a Catholic Priest,
Baptist Reverend and ISKCON Hindu Priest.
Rev. John Hayab, who is the Country Director, Global
Peace Foundation Nigeria in collaboration with partners Church and Society
Kaduna and International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON Jos) said,
“The essence of this visit is to identify with our Muslim brothers and sisters
in this season of Ramadan and to remind humanity that we are one, members of
one family under God.
“Unless and until we recognise our common humanity,
respect one another, support and stand with one another; showing love to one
another, the enemy will always come and create chaos amongst us.
“Instead, we should be seen supporting people in need;
standing for those who are in trouble, because that is why God created us
together.
“If we do all those things we mentioned, we are
obeying our scriptures, whether you are a Christian, Muslim or a Hindu; we are
showing that we understand what the scripture is teaching.
“You cannot claim to love God or preach about him, and
every day you are thinking bad of the other person; if you do that, I’m not
sure you understand what God is saying”, he stressed.
In his remarks, His Grace SalikaDasa, Hare Krishna
Movement Temple (ISKCON Jos), said, “In our scripture, God said all of his
creation are parts and parcel of him, saying he is eternal so also his
creation, irrespective of whatever creed, colour or body they carry.
“According to our Hindu scripture, everyone before we
became Christian, Muslim or Hindu are first and foremost parts and parcel of
God; and that is what makes us human.
“Giving food is part of our religious duty but the
most important thing is to understand that we are all brothers and sisters, we
are all children of one father.
“Therefore, in the spirit of brotherliness we have
come to identify with you as you are having this period of fasting and prayers;
we are together with you as one humanity, in the spirit of oneness”, he
explained.
“We pray that after this visit, our relationship will
not end here; but will extend to our neighbours and beyond; so that we can have
that peace that we desire in all aspects of human life”, Dasa admonished.
Also speaking, Rev. Fr. OnuhSixtus of the Church and
Society Secretariat, Kaduna, urged all and sundry to pray for the country,
especially for the challenges of banditry and kidnapping bedevilling the
nation.
“We don’t have peace in the country, especially in the
north, which is bedevilled by activities of bandits, terrorists, kidnappers
among others”, he decried.
Responding on behalf of the Muslim Ummah, a Director
from JNI, Jos, Danjuma Khalid, thanked the group for the show of love.
He urged all to pray for the country, especially, over
the current security challenges and economic hardship.
“As Muslims, we are delighted to have you in our
midst, and also thank you for your kind gesture of bringing food, and most
importantly remembering us in this Ramadan season, may God reward your good
deeds”, he maintained.
Source:
dailypost.ng
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https://dailypost.ng/2024/03/27/ramadan-christians-muslims-hindus-share-iftar-meal-pray-against-banditry-kidnapping/
---
Soldiers Overpower Boko Haram Terrorists In Fierce
Firefight, Kill One Terrorist
Jerry
Wright-Ukwu
March 27, 2024
Nigerian Army troops engaged in counterterrorism operations
in the North East, in collaboration with Hybrid Forces, achieved significant
success on Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
During a clearance operation targeting Boko
Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) enclaves within the Gori
general area, located in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, troops
neutralized one terrorist and made substantial recoveries.
In a statement issued by the military, it was revealed
that the operation involved a fierce firefight, resulting in the successful neutralization
of one terrorist.
”In a fierce firefight, the troops successfully
overpowered and, neutralized one terrorist, rescued several rustled cattle and
recovered arms and ammunition from the terrorists.
”The recovered arms included 2 AK-47 rifles, 38 rounds
of 7.62 mm special ammunition, AK-47 Magazines, one Improvised Explosive Device
and one motorcycle,” the statement read.
In a separate offensive operation conducted in Katsina
State, troops engaged terrorist camps in the GarinRinji general area of Batsari
Local Government Area.
During the operation, two terrorists were neutralized
in a gun battle.
”The gallant troops overwhelmed the insurgents with
superior firepower, destroyed several hideouts and recovered two motorcycles
and 25 rustled livestock during the operation.
”Troops are still sustaining offensive operations to
clear terrorists in the general area,” the statement noted.
Source:
politicsnigeria.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://politicsnigeria.com/just-in-soldiers-overpower-boko-haram-terrorists-in-fierce-firefight-kill-one-terrorist/
---
Hike In Hajj Fees: Ndume Kicks, Says Muslims Will Be
Denied Participation
Mar 28, 2024
SAMUEL OGIDAN
ABUJA – Mohammed Ali Ndume, the Chief Whip of the
Senate, has kicked against the arbitrary increase in fees for the 2024 Hajj by
the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
The lawmaker described it as unfair and a deliberate
plan to deny Nigerian Muslims, especially first timers, the opportunity to participate
in the exercise.
Recall that NAHCON had on Sunday in a statement by its
spokesperson, Fatima Sanda-Usara, announced the new rate adjustment.
Explaining the reason for the hike, the commission
stated that the current exchange rate of N1,474.00 to a dollar makes it
imperative to make the adjustment.
The commission said about 49,000 intending pilgrims
under the public quota, had earlier paid the sum of N4.9 million to the
commission when the naira was still at N897 to a dollar at the banks.
About 49,000 pilgrims who had earlier paid the old
fees of N4.9 million each to the commission have been told to pay an additional
N1.9 million each on or before March 28, while new registration has been fixed
at N8.5 million.
Reacting to this development, Senator Ndume, in a
statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, said pilgrims who had earlier
paid the old fees cannot be compelled to cough out almost N2 million, barely
one week to the end of the registration.
Ndume, while listing the five pillars of Islam,
namely, Shahada, Salah, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj, said the sacred pilgrimage to
Mecca is required of every Muslim at least once in their lifetime.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to approve
the payment of the extra cost as subsidy to enable first timers attend this
year’s Hajj to the Holy Land.
He also called on the respective state governments to
foot the additional cost for intending pilgrims, who cannot pay the new fee set
by NAHCON.
The lawmaker said denying Muslims of their religious
rights, especially first timers, is unfair and does not tell well of the
country at a time Nigerians struggled to raise the initial payment.
Ndume said, “The sudden hike in the fees intending
pilgrims are expected to pay by NAHCON is unfair. You cannot impose such on
them. They had already paid for ahead of time. If there is any changes, the
burden should be on NAHCON and not on the intending pilgrims.
“Something urgent needs to be done about this. I call
on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to approve the payment of the extra fee as
directed by NAHCON. This is the right thing to do in order to save the
situation.
“I am also calling on states where pilgrims are coming
from to subsidise the fees of pilgrims, especially first timers. Hajj is one
of the five pillars of Islam and it is unfair to deny first timers the right to
perform this spiritual exercise, especially after they have already paid the
old fee set by NAHCON.
“I do not think it is fair to ask them to pay almost
N2 million again. Many of the pilgrims saved up the money for many years to
enable them participate in Hajj. You cannot deny such people the right to
participate.
“I strongly believe that the right thing to do is to
subsidise the fee and take the extra burden away from pilgrims, especially first
timers who deserve to participate in this year’s Hajj exercise. We need to
help them.”
Source:
independent.ng
Please
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https://independent.ng/hike-in-hajj-fees-ndume-kicks-says-muslims-will-be-denied-participation/
---
Ramadan: Cleric makes case for less privileged,
downtrodden Nigerians
SegunShowunmi, Ibadan
March 27, 2024
Apopular Islamic cleric, Sheik AbubakirSolaty has
urged well meaning Nigerians to always care for less privileged and downtrodden
people in the society.
He said Nigeria will be great if wealthy and
privileged Nigerians always put interest of their neighbours at heart.
Speaking in Ibadan at the AyodejiSakiruAlayande Annual
Ramadan Lecture theme: “Perseverance in Famine”, the cleric stated that wealthy
people and those in positions of authorities should not only be concerned about
well being of their family but also people around them.
He lamented that many people give conditions before
rendering assistance, saying this was against the teaching of Holly Quran.
According to him: “Let’s people benefit from the
little you have, always do good, we are mortal and we are going to return to
the ground one day.
“Always do good to people, uplift those who needs
help, don’t only concern about yourself and your family, love your neighbor as
yourself.”
Source:
thenationonlineng.net
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https://thenationonlineng.net/ramadan-cleric-makes-case-for-less-privileged-downtrodden-nigerians/
---
Like Gumi, Buhari’s minister tells Tinubu to negotiate
with bandits
Goodness
Adaoyiche
March 27, 2024
A former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu,
has urged the Federal Government to negotiate with bandits in order to end the
menace in Nigeria.
According to Shittu, exploring other non-kinetic
approaches may prove to be better way to end bandit attacks in rural
communities upcountry.
Shittu, an ex-minister in the cabinet of ex-President
Muhammadu Buhari, stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme
on Tuesday.
“If I am in position, it is not too late to use
non-kinetic neasures in negotiating with bandits, giving them a promising
future. Let us retain them. Many of them are very intelligent, many of them are
able-bodied,” Shittu said, adding that the military spending on equipment far
outweighed the non-kinetic approach.
The ex-minister said the millions of out-of-school
children in Northen Nigeria is a “production factory for banditry” in the
country.
Politics Nigeria recalls that Ahmad Gumi, an Islamic
cleric based in Kaduna State, has also advocated for dialogue with bandits
troubling the country.
The controversial preacher was invited by security personnel
to answer questions on the security challenge, especially banditry, currently bedeviling the country.
Source:
politicsnigeria.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://politicsnigeria.com/like-gumi-buharis-minister-tells-tinubu-to-negotiate-with-bandits/
---
Haiti's future governing council vows to restore
order: statement
28 Mar 2024
Port-au-Prince: The governing council that aims to
oversee a political transition in Haiti vowed Wednesday to restore "public
and democratic order," in its first statement to the Caribbean nation
wracked by a worsening security crisis.
"We are determined to alleviate the suffering of
the Haitian people, trapped for too long between bad governance, multi-faceted
violence and disregard for their perspectives and needs," said the
statement from the Presidential Council, which has yet to be officially
installed.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has led the
impoverished Caribbean nation since the shock 2021 assassination of president
JovenelMoise, promised over two weeks ago to step down after a transitional
council is stood up -- though reaching that stage has proved exceedingly
difficult.
Henry's decision came after a steadily worsening security
crisis culminated in a coordinated campaign of attacks by armed gangs demanding
his ouster late last month.
The presidential transition council -- to be composed
of seven voting members and two non-voting members -- draws from Haitian
political parties, the private sector and elsewhere, and is to name an interim
prime minister and government to set the stage for fresh elections.
But squabbles among party leaders have bogged the
formation of the council down.
"As soon as it is installed, the Presidential
Council will appoint a Prime Minister, with whom it will form a Government of
National Unity and put Haiti back on the road to democratic legitimacy,
stability and dignity," Wednesday's statement said.
It also highlighted progress towards officially installing
the council itself, saying that it has "worked out the criteria and
mechanisms for choosing the President of the Presidential Council, appointing a
new Prime Minister and cabinet."
"Together, we will implement a clear plan of
action aimed at restoring public and democratic order" by improving
security and holding free elections, the statement continued.
"The Presidential Council is currently finalizing
a document on its organization and mode of operation, including a transparent
political agreement between the sectors involved in the process," it said.
The statement, signed by eight of the nine members of
the council, ended with a plea for unity, warning that Haiti is at a
"crucial turning point."
Source:
thepeninsulaqatar.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/28/03/2024/haitis-future-governing-council-vows-to-restore-order-statement
---
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/russia-islamic-state-moscow-attack/d/132025