Prime Minister Imran Khan Regretted Pakistan's Decision to Join America's 20-Year-Long 'War On Terror' In Afghanistan, Calls It "Self-Inflicted Wound”
New
Age Islam News Bureau
22
December 2021
Prime Minister Imran Khan
----
•
I’m Not Formally Trained In Comparative Religion, Zakir Naik Tells Court
•
'Refrain From Fixing Marriage Age; It's Interference In Personal Liberty': All
India Muslim Personal Law Board To Centre
•
Iraqi Museum Restores Treasures Destroyed By Islamic State Jihadists
•
Sheikh Zakzaky: Islamic Movement in Nigeria Can Never Be Banned
Pakistan
•
Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly Adopts Resolution to Support Tablighi Jamaat; Expressing
Dismay over Saudi Government’s Decision Declaring It A Terrorist Organisation
•
Fawad says ‘religious extremist’ parties like TLP, JUI-F will harm Pakistan
•
Taking Law into Hands, Against Teachings of Quran: Pakistan Apex Religious Body
•
Freight train launched to link Istanbul with Tehran, Islamabad
--------
Southeast Asia
•
Jakarta: Ministry Invites Younger Generation to Brush Up On Sharia Economy
•
China blocks UN resolution on exemptions to Afghanistan sanctions
•
Ruling coalition holds Malaysia's Christian-majority state
•
US religious freedom quartet barred entry by China
--------
India
•
Holding Namaz As Show Of Strength Wrong, Says Haryana CM Khattar
•
India An Example And Role Model For Religious Harmony, Says Dalai Lama
•
In a First, Kanpur Youth Gets 10-Year Jail Term, Fined Rs 30,000 under ‘Love
Jihad’ Law in UP
•
Like UP law, Karnataka anti-conversion Bill addresses right wing concerns on
‘love jihad’
--------
Arab World
•
Qatar seizes children's toys bearing ‘un-Islamic’ slogans
•
Lebanon Central Bank chief says country needs $12-15 bln to kickstart economy
•
‘Celebrate safely’ on Christmas, New Year amid omicron fears: UAE doctors
•
Arab Coalition: Houthis use Sana’a airport as workshop for ballistic missiles
--------
Africa
•
'Nigeria will not let FETO terrorist group undermine ties with Turkey'
•
Sudan’s PM Hamdok intends to resign within hours: Reuters
•
UN calls for probe into rape allegations in Sudan protests
•
Libya’s election committee dissolved ahead of polls
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North America
•
New Analysis Further Links Israeli Spyware To Khashoggi’s Murder
•
US ready to infuse liquidity into Afghan economy
•
Iran’s trying to build leverage for better nuclear deal, but it won’t work: US
envoy
•
Violence in occupied West Bank could undermine Gaza truce: UN
--------
Mideast
•
Israelis Long To Reconnect with Arab, Islamic Homelands
•
Bethlehem church aims to recreate chimes from crusader times
•
85 extremist Jewish settlers defile Aqsa Mosque under police guard
•
Iran Calls for UNSC's Pressure on Israel to End Occupation of Golan Heights
•
Iran holds extensive military exercises as US prepares ‘alternatives’ to
diplomacy
•
Palestinian hunger striker faces serious health condition in Israel
•
Israeli forces detain 3 Palestinians in West Bank
--------
Europe
•
French Army Says It Has Killed Leading Islamic State Member In Niger
•
Turkish Cypriots hold ceremony in London for victims of 'Bloody Christmas'
•
Spain's top diplomat calls Morocco’s criticism of pandemic response
'unacceptable'
--------
South Asia
•
Taliban Destroys Pakistan's Barbed-Wire Erected On Durand Line
•
Visitors return to Afghan national museum Taliban once ransacked
•
UN may pay $8.2 million to Taliban for security
•
Taliban accidentally transfers money to Tajikistan-based opposition; embassy
refuses to pay back: Report
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
--------
Prime
Minister Imran Khan Regretted Pakistan's Decision To Join America's
20-Year-Long 'War On Terror' In Afghanistan, Calls It "Self-Inflicted
Wound”
Prime Minister Imran Khan
----
Dec
21, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday regretted Pakistan's decision to join
America's 20-year-long 'war on terror' in Afghanistan by calling it
"self-inflicted wound" and a decision made for the sake of money and
not for public interest.
Khan,
who had long been critical of Pakistan's participation in the about two-decades
long war, claimed that he was close to the decision-makers in 2001 when the
then military ruler, Gen Pervez Musharraf, decided to become part of the 'war
on terror'.
"And
so, I am well aware of what considerations there were behind the decision.
Unfortunately, the people of Pakistan were not a consideration," Khan said
while addressing the officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here.
"The
considerations, instead, were the same as in the 1980s, when we participated in
the Afghan jihad," he said, referring to the Soviet-Afghan war, which was
then dubbed as “holy war”.
"We
ourselves are responsible... as we let [others] use us, sacrificed the
reputation of our country for aid and made a foreign policy that went against
the public interest [and was devised] for money."
He
termed the 'war on terror' for Pakistan a "self-inflicted wound" and
added that "we cannot blame anyone else for this outcome (of the war).”
Khan
in the past had often cited that Pakistan suffered more than 80,000 deaths and
economic losses of over USD 100-billion as a result of the 20 years of war.
Talking
about the latest situation in Afghanistan, Khan said that it was a “big
atrocity” that a man-made crisis was being created “when it is known that
unfreezing Afghanistan's accounts and liquidity will avert the crisis.”
He
said that addressing the situation in Afghanistan was important for Pakistan as
being its neighbour, it could be hit badly due to the crisis.
He
said that Pakistan would continue to provide assistance to Afghanistan in these
difficult times.
He
further added that irrespective of liking or disliking the rise of the Taliban
in Afghanistan, the world should focus on the difficulties being faced by its
40 million people.
Khan
also congratulated and appreciated the Foreign Office for hosting the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation session at a short notice and said that the
response to the summit showed that Pakistan's image had improved globally.
"The
attendance at the summit and the appreciation of Pakistan's stance reflect that
the country's image had improved," the premier said, adding that credit
for the "improvement in Pakistan's image" goes to his government.
The
prime minister further urged the officers of the ministry to shift their focus
from geo-politics to geo-economics and asserted that Pakistan can become a
great country by focusing on self-belief.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
I’m
Not Formally Trained In Comparative Religion, Zakir Naik Tells Court
Zakir Naik
----
V
Anbalagan
December
21, 2021
KUALA
LUMPUR: Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik is not formally trained to
debate and lecture on comparative religion, the High Court heard today.
Naik
said he only graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Mumbai,
India.
“I’m
trained as a medical doctor, but I no longer practice. I am not formally
trained in comparative religion,” he said on the second day of the hearing of
his defamation suit against Penang deputy chief minister II P Ramasamy.
Naik,
56, a permanent resident who stays in Putrajaya, said he spoke about and
debated religions based on his engagement with other religious scholars.
“Today
I have been recognised as one of the renowned Islamic preachers and speakers in
comparative religion,” he said when cross-examined by Ramasamy’s lawyer Ranjit
Singh.
Naik
said he stood by the pleadings in his statement of claim that he had the
ability to argue and amaze his audience.
Ranjit:
Are you also capable of memorising verses in the Quran and other religious
scriptures?
Naik:
Quite a lot.
Naik
said “eminent Muslim thinker, author, orator and scholar” of comparative
religion Sheikh Ahmad Deedat had recognised him as “DeedatPlus” in 1994.
Naik
said he recognised the power of words and looked at religious issues
objectively when speaking to his audience – both Muslims and non-Muslims.
“I
have never intended to mock any religion but I am helpless if the audience
feels insulted and misinterprets the words I use as some of them are not well
versed in their scriptures,” he said.
Ranjit:
Would it be correct to say that you don’t want to talk about negative aspects
of non-Muslim religions as you don’t want to create animosity?
Naik:
100% correct.
Ranjit:
When you talk about comparative religion, you also don’t like to put forward
contradictory views?
Naik:
Yes, I want to promote peace and harmony.
Naik
also said he did not believe every news report about local politicians and
religious leaders heaping praise on his public talks and on him as an Islamic
preacher.
He
added that he had in the past verified such reports with, among others, former
prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former minister Mujahid Yusof Rawa, PAS
president Abdul Hadi Awang, Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and
Penang mufti Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor.
Naik
filed two separate suits – in October and December 2019 – alleging that
Ramasamy had issued five defamatory statements against him.
He
sued Ramasamy for allegedly issuing the statements which had been uploaded on
social media sites and news portals between 2016 and 2019.
In
his statement of claim, he alleged that Ramasamy had defamed him on April 10,
2016, by calling him Satan on his Facebook page.
He
also claimed that he was defamed in a statement issued by Ramasamy that
Malaysia was harbouring an alleged fugitive from India, which was published by
Free Malaysia Today (FMT) on Oct 1, 2017.
Naik
claimed that on Aug 11, 2019, Ramasamy had “manipulated” a speech he had made
at an event organised by the Kelantan government, and which was also published
by FMT the same day.
On
Aug 20, 2019, he claimed, Ramasamy again defamed him in a statement laced with
hatred and spite that was published by India Today.
Naik
filed his second suit against Ramasamy in December 2019, alleging that the
defendant had defamed him in making comments about the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and which were carried by The Malaysian Insight portal.
Hearing
before Justice Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz continues.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
'Refrain
From Fixing Marriage Age; It's Interference In Personal Liberty': All India
Muslim Personal Law Board To Centre
21
Dec 2021
The
All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has urged the central government to
refrain from fixing the age of marriage and termed it as interference in
personal liberty.
It
said the government should do away with making such "useless and harmful
laws".
The
Union Cabinet last week approved a proposal to raise the minimum legal age of
marriage for girls from 18 to 21 years.
"Marriage
is a very important requirement for human life but no age of marriage can be
fixed as it is also an issue related to the protection of the moral
values," Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, general secretary of the board,
said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
It
is the reason why no age has been fixed for marriage in many religions,
including Islam, he added.
"It
completely depends on the discretion of the parents. If the guardians of a girl
feel that their daughter is fit for marriage before the age of 21 and she can
fulfill all her responsibilities after marriage, then preventing her from
marriage is cruel and also interferes with the personal liberty of an adult.
Due to this, there is also a possibility of an increase in crime in the
society," Rahmani said.
He
said, "Raising the minimum age of marriage of girls from 18 to 21 years
and declaring marriage before the prescribed age as illegal is neither in the
interest of the girls nor the society. Rather it can cause serious damage to
moral values."
The
practice of marrying girls at an early age is slowly disappearing but sometimes
a situation arises when marrying off a girl before the prescribed age is in her
interest, said Rahmai in the statement, shared by the official handle of the
board on Twitter.
Source:
Outlook India
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Iraqi
Museum Restores Treasures Destroyed By Islamic State Jihadists
A worker at the Mosul Museum tries to reassemble
from broken fragments a larger artefact bearing cuneiform inscriptions, at the
museum in Iraq's northern city
Image: Zaid AL-Obeidi / AFP
-----
Dec
21, 2021
Left
in ruins by jihadists, Iraq's once-celebrated Mosul museum and its
2,500-year-old treasures are being given a second life thanks to restoration
efforts backed by French experts.
Ancient
artefacts in the museum were smashed into little pieces when Islamic State
group fighters seized the northern city of Mosul in 2014 and made it their seat
of power for three years.
"We
must separate all the fragments... It's like a puzzle, you try to retrieve the
pieces that tell the same story," said restoration worker Daniel Ibled,
commissioned by France's famous Louvre museum, which is supporting Iraqi museum
employees.
"Little
by little, you manage to recreate the full set."
When
the IS jihadists were in control, they filmed themselves taking hammers to
pre-Islamic treasures they deemed heretical, proudly advertising their rampage
in a video published in February 2015.
The
largest and heaviest artefacts were destroyed for the sake of their propaganda,
but smaller pieces were sold on black markets the world over.
The
scars of their destruction remain today.
On
the ground floor of the museum, the twisted iron bars of the foundation poke
through a gaping hole.
In
other rooms, stones of various sizes are scattered, some bearing etchings of animal
paws or wings. Others show inscriptions in cuneiform script.
The
smallest of these fragments— no bigger than a fist—are lined up on a table, and
experts are hard at work sorting through them.
For
now, their efforts are focused on a winged lion from the city of Nimrud, jewel
of the Assyrian empire, two "lamassu"—winged bulls with human heads
-- and the base of the throne of King Ashurnasirpal II.
Giant
jigsaw puzzle
These
pieces, many dating back to the first millennium BC, are being revived with
financing from the International Alliance for the Protection of Cultural
Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH).
Alongside
the Louvre, efforts are also being made by Washington's Smithsonian
Institution, which provides training for the museum's teams, as well as the New
York-headquartered World Monuments Fund, which is tasked with restoring the
building.
The
base of the Assyrian king's throne, covered in cuneiform writing, appears
almost fixed.
Some
pieces are held together by elastic bands or small metallic rings.
"The
base of the throne was pulverised into more than 850 pieces," said museum
official Choueib Firas Ibrahim, an expert in Sumerian studies. "We have
reassembled two-thirds of them."
For
some pieces, writing fragments or straight lines help the teams put them
together like a giant jigsaw.
"We
read the inscriptions on this base, and we were able to restore the pieces to
their place," said restorer Taha Yassin.
But
other pieces without "a flat surface or inscriptions" make them
virtually indistinguishable and are more complicated, Yassin added.
Empty
spaces
One
year after Iraqi troops recaptured Mosul in 2017, the museum received an urgent
grant in a bid to restore it to its former glory.
After
delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, museum director Zaid Ghazi Saadallah
said he hopes the restoration works will be finished within five years.
But
many gaps will remain, and posters on walls identify the lost artefacts.
"Most
pieces are destroyed or looted," Saadallah said.
Iraq
has suffered for decades from the pillaging of its antiquities, particularly
after the US-led invasion in 2003, as well as during the later IS takeover.
But
the current government says it has made the repatriation of artefacts a
priority.
The
Louvre has tasked 20 people to help the restoration efforts, said Ariane
Thomas, director of the Louvre's Department of Near Eastern Antiquities.
After
three missions this year, seven French experts will take turns visiting Iraq to
help guide the restoration process, undertaken with about 10 museum employees.
Once
the restoration work is complete, an online exhibition will be held to unveil
the work.
"When
we said that with time, money and know-how, we could revive even the most
damaged of works, this proves it," Thomas said.
"Works
that were completely destroyed have started to take form once again."
Source:
Forbes India
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Sheikh
Zakzaky: Islamic Movement In Nigeria Can Never Be Banned
Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN),
Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky
-----
December
22, 2021
The
Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, said
that the Islamic Movement is an ideology and can never be banned by the
government.
"The
IMN is not a name, it is an ideology like Islamic awareness, Islamic ideology,
Islamic education, or Islamic philosophy. It is a sort of concept. We never
used it as a name, and the movement can never be banned or proscribed,"
Zakzaky said, Iran Press Reported.
Sheikh
Zakzaky said proscribing the IMN is just like saying one is not permitted to
practice his religion, contrary to the Nigerian constitution.
Elsewhere
in his remarks, the cleric said he and his wife still have bullets in their
bodies which doctors have not been able to remove.
In
December 2015, the Nigerian army raided Huseiniyya Baqiyhatullah religious center
and Sheikh Zakzaky's house in the town of Zaria in Kaduna State, killing
hundreds of armless civilians, among them women and children.
It
wounded the leader of the IMN and his wife with gunshots, a massacre that has
been condemned by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other
international activists.
During
an aborted trip for medical treatment in India in August 2019, the Nigerian
authority seized their international passports. It refused to hand them back
even though Kaduna State High Court ordered their release on July 28, 2021.
Source:
ABNA24
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://en.abna24.com/news//sheikh-zakzaky-islamic-movement-can-never-be-banned_1211067.html
--------
Pakistan
Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly Adopts Resolution to Support Tablighi Jamaat; Expressing Dismay Over Saudi Government’s Decision Declaring It A Terrorist Organisation
December
22, 2021
LAHORE - The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday adopted a
resolution expressing solidarity with Tablighi Jamaat and expressing dismay
over Saudi government’s decision declaring it a terrorist organisation.
Moved
by Khadija Omer of the PML-Q, the resolution said that Tablighi Jamaat and
other religious organisations were carrying out the duty of preaching Islam.
“Tablighi
Jamaat is an organised global organisation. It has nothing to do with
terrorism. History has shown that these people have never been involved in such
activities. They are earning good will for Pakistan with preaching of Islam all
over the world. This is an organisation which includes people of all classes,”
the resolution stated.
The
resolution further said that Tablighi Jamaat had given practical proof of
brotherhood by eliminating the distinction between the rich and the poor.
Earlier,
Speaker Ch Parvez Elahi suspended all the relevant rules and allowed the mover
to move the resolution out of turn. Since no member opposed the resolution, it
was passed unanimously.
The
Assembly members in their speeches termed Tablighi Jamaat as non-political and
peaceful organisation working for propagation of Islam as a religion of peace
and love.
The
Assembly also passed two private members’ bills including the National College
of Business Administration and Economics Lahore (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the
Punjab Public Representatives Law (Amendment) Bill, 2021. The House adopted two
more resolutions calling for legislation to regulate the gold business and
setting up of a housing colony for employees of Punjab Assembly. Five private
members’ bills including the University of Central Punjab Bill, 2021; the
University of Rawalpindi Bill, 2021; University of Arts and Science Lahore
Bill, 2021; the Nur International University (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the
Salar International University Bill, 2021 were introduced in the House. All
these bills were referred to the relevant committees for further consideration.
Source:
The Nation Pakistan
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://nation.com.pk/22-Dec-2021/punjab-assembly-adopts-resolution-to-support-tablighi-jamaat
--------
Fawad
says ‘religious extremist’ parties like TLP, JUI-F will harm Pakistan
December
21, 2021
Information
Minister Fawad Chaudhry stated on Tuesday that “religious extremist” political
parties such as the recently unbanned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and the
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam would ultimately harm the country.
He
further added that PTI was the only “national party” in the country.
Chaudhry
while speaking to the media after a meeting of the federal cabinet, said that
the recently concluded local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa did not
come under discussion.
“Today
was a meeting of a the federal cabinet, not a meeting of the PTI’s core
committee. We will talk about this at a meeting for the core committee,” he
said when asked about his concerns over the results of the polls.
It
is pertinent to note that Fawad was speaking to media a day after the PTI faced
a major upset in the first phase of KP local body polls, while the JUI-F bagged
the highest number of mayor/chairman seats.
The
minister went on to state that the reason for the ruling party’s failure in the
polls was “clear”.
“When
three to four candidates from the same party contest the polls in the same
constituency, then they will [inevitably] lose the election. This is what
happened in most of the areas,” he said, adding that the party’s MNAs and MPAs
were also not happy.
“Each
constituency needs to be managed, and we lost most of the contests due to these
management issues,” he said.
However,
this just proves that the PTI is a national party, he said, adding that the
rest were merely “local parties”. “If the PTI did not exist then there would be
no national party in the country.”
While
talking about the JUI-F, he said that the party had ruined the education and
finance sectors in KP in 2002. “It is unfortunate that, due to our mistakes,
such a political party has been noticed [by the people],” he said.
He
further said that the rise of “religious extremist parties” such as the TLP and
JUI-F would ultimately harm the country.
Pakistan
will be affected if the PTI faces setbacks and such “political dwarfs” get the
chance to step into the limelight, he said, adding that PTI leaders needed to
strengthen party chief Imran Khan. “Without Imran Khan, politics in Pakistan
will scatter into pieces.”
The
minister said that the PML-N and the PPP no longer had any standing in the
political arena, reiterating that the PTI was the only national party.
He
expressed the hope that the party’s leadership will learn from the current
situation.
Responding
to another question from a reporter, he said that he was “disappointed” at the
fact that the JUI-F had bagged the highest number of seats in the first phase
of local government elections in KP.
“Such
parties are a sign of a retrogressive society and a sign that things in the
country are not fine. It is not a reassuring thing for society when people who
are against women’s rights, against [basic] freedoms […] come into power,” he
said.
Earlier,
Prime Minister Imran Khan stated that his party “made mistakes” but asserted
the ruling party will emerge “stronger” in the second phase.
Provisional
results of the first-ever local government elections in the border province
following the 2018 merger of tribal districts showed the PTI losing ground to
the opposition parties — especially rival Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F)
that managed to grab 15 seats, the highest, of mayors/chairmen in Sunday’s
elections for 63 tehsils.
The
results of 39 tehsils declared by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)
Monday showed the hardline party also gave a stiff competition in many other
tehsils where its candidates stood as runners-up.
In
Peshawar alone, the JUI-F stunned the PTI by securing a definitive lead in the
contest for the prized office of the city mayor. Its candidate Haji Zubair Ali
secured 62,388 votes against 50,659 secured by Rizwan Bangash of PTI.
Of
the remaining six tehsil chairman seats in Peshawar, the JUI-F managed to
clinch four while the PTI could bag one seat of tehsil chairman.
“Wrong
candidate selection was a major cause” of defeat, the prime minister said. He
also announced to personally oversee the party’s election strategy in the
second phase of elections, and subsequent local government polls across
Pakistan.
FIRST
PHASE
In
the first phase, 17 districts — Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Khyber, Mohmand,
Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan,
Tank, Haripur, Buner and Bajaur — went into the elections which were held after
a period of six years and marked by scattered incidents of violence.
Over
12.6 million registered voters — 7 million male and 5 million female voters —
decided the fate of 37,752 candidates contesting for various seats.
The
voting was postponed in three tehsils — located in Swabi, Bannu and Darra Adam
Khel — due to disturbances, including an explosion in Bajaur, purported
abduction of polling staff in Bannu, a clash in Karak and a mob attack on the
car of Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz in Kohat.
Over
2,000 contestants have been elected unopposed in the elections. 217 candidates
on general seats, 876 on women and 285 on farmers seats were elected unopposed.
An
additional 500 youth and 154 minority candidates were also declared successful.
Stringent
security arrangements were adopted. 77,000 policemen and law-enforcement
personnel were deployed outside polling stations and booths for the security of
voters.
CCTV
cameras were installed at sensitive locations and it was prohibited to carry
weapons or electronic devices in all polling stations.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Taking
Law Into Hands, Against Teachings Of Quran: Pakistan Apex Religious Body
21
Dec 2021
Pakistan’s
top religious body has said that taking the law into one’s hands was against
the teachings of Quran, Sharia and the Constitution. It demanded that those
responsible for the Sri Lankan national’s lynching in the country’s Punjab
province be brought to justice, a media report said on Tuesday.
In
a shocking incident earlier this month, supporters of the radical Islamist
party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) attacked a garment factory in Sialkot
and lynched its 49-year-old general manager - Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana -
before setting his body on fire over allegations of blasphemy.
A
first information report was registered against 900 people in the case. Of the
total over 160 suspects detained in this case, Punjab police have conducted the
forensic tests of 54 main suspects so far.
The
Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Monday observed that a serious issue
facing the country was implementation of laws and that the judicial system
needed improvements to stop a recurrence of the Sialkot-like incident.
It
said that if a person took the law into his own hands, the state should take
immediate action against him.
According
to a report in the Dawn newspaper, the CII held a brainstorming session over
the Sialkot lynching. It was briefed by District Police Officer Omar Saeed
Malik on the action taken.
“Legislation
is needed to prevent such incidents. Those responsible for the Sialkot tragedy
should be punished,” CII chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz said while talking to the media
after the meeting.
He
said the purpose of the session was to determine and understand the causes
behind the tragedy.
“We
all understand that despite all shortcomings in the system, it’s the
responsibility of the state, as well as the citizens, to end the rising
incidence of violence,” he said.
Allama
Tahir Ashrafi, a member of the CII, said the state was very clear that another
Sialkot-like incident would not be tolerated.
“At
the same time, we all need to understand that it will take time to get rid of
the disease that has taken 40 years to mature,” he said.
A
declaration issued by the CII called for punishing the guilty.
The
declaration said the council had previously stated that the problem was
non-enforcement of the law and that ensuring punishment for those involved in
such incidents under the existing laws was more important than formulating new
laws.
The
council suggested to the government to take steps to table the
Paigham-i-Pakistan declaration in parliament for approval. The 2017 unanimous
declaration termed terrorism, suicide attacks and killing someone haram in
Islam.
Source:
Outlook India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Freight
train launched to link Istanbul with Tehran, Islamabad
Aamir
Yasin
December
22, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
A freight train service was inaugurated here on Tuesday with an aim to boost
trade between Pakistan, Iran and Turkey.
Minister
for Railways Azam Khan Swati, along with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi
and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, inaugurated
the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) freight train at Margalla railway station.
Ambassadors of Turkey, Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were also present on the
occasion.
The
freight train service will play a vital role in improving the economies and
lives of citizens of ECO member states by maximising economic efficiency and
reducing the cost of doing business.
Railways
Minister Swati highlighted the importance of ITI freight train and said this
service would open doors for business and connectivity in the region. “The
passenger train service will also start soon,” he said, adding: “We have opened
our trade routes and it is a great opportunity for importers and exporters.”
Terming
the ITI freight train an important milestone in Pakistan’s history, the
minister said that business-to-business contact among the business community
would further enhance through this train. He said the service would further
strengthen relations between the three countries.
Razak
Dawood said regional connectivity was one of very important pillars of
Pakistan’s strategic trade policy framework and it was heartening to witness
the resumption of operations of ITI freight train.
Foreign
Minister Qureshi appreciated the resumption of ITI freight train and said the
service would play an important role in regional connectivity and promoting
economic activity in the region.
Turkish
Ambassador Mustafa Yurdakul expressed the hope that the train service would not
stop at Istanbul only but go all the way to Europe which would benefit all
regional countries as the economies bounced back in the post-Covid era.
According
to Pakistan Railways, the first train from Islamabad to Istanbul was
inaugurated on August 14, 2009. Similarly, the first train from Istanbul
reached the Islamabad dry port on August 13, 2010.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1665062/freight-train-launched-to-link-istanbul-with-tehran-islamabad
--------
Southeast Asia
Jakarta:
Ministry Invites Younger Generation To Brush Up On Sharia Economy
December
22, 2021
Jakarta
(ANTARA) - The Ministry of Finance has invited the younger generation to
educate themselves about the sharia economy in order to encourage inclusive
national sharia economic growth.
"We
invite the creative, intelligent young generation in Indonesia to be educated
about the sharia economy from an early age, starting from an interest in
studying Islamic economy and finance to conducting various research and
developments," expert staff for macroeconomics and international finance
of the Minister of Finance, Wempi Saputra, said at the 'Development of
Indonesia's Economic & Islamic Finance' webinar on Tuesday.
Quality
human resources are essential to strengthen the foundation of the sharia
economy so that Indonesia can become the leading producer in the global halal
industry, he added.
Through
the National Committee for Islamic Economy and Finance (KNEKS), the government
has designated four sharia ecosystem clusters, namely commercial finance,
social finance, halal industries, and public communities, he informed.
"These
four clusters support various business fields among the community—from
ultra-micro businesses to corporations. This demand ecosystem needs support
from human resources, research and development regulations, and digital
technology," he expounded.
Therefore,
for the period from 2022 to 2024, the government has developed a structured
program to develop talents from pre-school to higher education levels
gradually, he said.
The
program covers the quality of education and supporting aspects such as
improving teaching materials in textbooks, increasing teaching competency, and
the curriculum, he informed.
Source:
Antara News
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
China
blocks UN resolution on exemptions to Afghanistan sanctions
December
21, 2021
NEW
YORK: China, backed by Russia, blocked a US draft resolution Monday in the UN
Security Council that would have provided a system for humanitarian exceptions
to economic sanctions imposed on Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
“They
want the deletion” of a paragraph of the resolution allowing the sanctions
committee responsible for Afghanistan to provide “exemptions from the freezing
of assets” if it considers that “such a waiver is necessary to facilitate
further assistance to Afghanistan,” a diplomat told AFP on condition of
anonymity.
China,
which is “opposed in principle to sanctions,” is “against a case-by-case
exemption mechanism,” another diplomat confirmed.
“Humanitarian
aid and life-saving assistance must be able to reach the Afghan people without
any hindrance,” China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said in a tweet Monday.
“Artificially created conditions or restrictions are not acceptable.”
Washington
was hoping for approval on Monday of their draft by the other 14 members of the
Security Council, so that they could put it to a vote on Tuesday, diplomatic
sources said.
“There
are currently no humanitarian exemptions from the sanctions regime” imposed on
the Taliban in 2015 and for aid workers to “carry out financial transactions
with ministries headed by people under sanctions would violate sanctions,” said
a diplomat.
Source:
Pakistan Today
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Ruling
coalition holds Malaysia's Christian-majority state
December
21, 2021
The
ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition registered a landslide win in the
state election in Sarawak, the largest and only Christian-majority state in
predominantly Muslim Malaysia.
The
GPS won 76 out of 82 seats in the state legislature in the Dec. 18 election,
while the opposition Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) party won four seats and the
Democratic Action Party (DAP) won two seats, according to the Election
Commission.
It
was the 12th state election in Sarawak since the territory joined the Malaysian
federation in 1963.
GPS
chairman and caretaker Chief Minister Abang Johari Tun Openg dedicated the
election victory to all people in Sarawak and vowed to ensure the rights of
all.
“The
voters have given the signal that political stability was important for them to
continue economic development and to implement social policies that prioritized
the people,” Abang, 71, said in his victory speech at Borneo Convention Center
in state capital Kuching.
The
GPS is composed of four local political parties — United Bhumiputera Heritage
Party (PBB), Sarawak People’s Party (PRS), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP)
and Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP). For the first time it contested an
election with its own name and logo.
The
component parties were part of Malaysia’s long-ruling Barisan Nasional
coalition of graft-tainted former prime minister Nazib Razak but left the
coalition after its defeat in the last federal election in 2018.
This
time Barisan Nasional backed the GPS coalition without getting involved
directly. Meanwhile, the federal opposition alliance Pakatan Harapan of Anwar
Ibrahim failed to hold any sway in Sarawak following another thrashing in a
snap election in Malacca state in November, thanks to a successful campaign by
Barisan Nasional.
A
total of 349 candidates contested Sarawak's election. The previous state
election was held in June 2016 and the state assembly was supposed to be
dissolved on June 7 this year, only to be prevented by a state of emergency due
to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Out
of the state’s estimated 3 million inhabitants, some 1.25 million were eligible
for voting. Voter turnout was 60.67 percent, media reports say.
Sarawak
is part of the northern territory of Borneo island and is the only one of the
13 states in Malaysia that holds state elections separately from federal
elections. Under the Malaysian constitution, Sarawak enjoys a higher degree of
autonomy than other states.
According
to official estimates, about 42 percent of Sarawak inhabitants are Christians.
Protestants, mostly Anglicans, make up the majority, followed by more than
441,300 Catholics spread in the Archdiocese of Kuching and the dioceses of Miri
and Sibu. Malay Muslims comprise about 25 percent and Chinese Buddhists make up
another 25 percent.
Ahead
of the election, a retired Anglican bishop made headlines after he joined the
opposition PSB party. Bishop Datuk Bolly Lapok, 69, joined the party on Nov.
11. He said he was approached by various political parties but decided to join
PSB as he considered it an “ideal” platform to speak out against extremism and
to advocate for centrism, regionalism and inter-racial harmony.
Source:
UCA News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.ucanews.com/news/ruling-coalition-holds-malaysias-christian-majority-state/95464#
--------
US
religious freedom quartet barred entry by China
December
22, 2021
BEIJING:
China has barred entry to four people from a US commission on religious
freedom, the foreign ministry said yesterday, following US sanctions this month
against Chinese people and entities over accusations of human rights abuses in
Xinjiang.
The
four people, from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom
(USCIRF), would be banned from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, ministry
spokesman Zhao Lijian said.
Their
assets in China would also be frozen and Chinese institutions and citizens
would be forbidden from dealing with them, Zhao said at a regular briefing in
Beijing.
“We
are not surprised to see the Chinese government impose additional baseless
sanctions in response to growing concern over its egregious human rights and
religious freedom violations,” said USCIRF chair Nadine Maenza, one of the
people China barred entry to, according to an online statement.
The
US had said that its Dec 10 sanctions were in response to human rights abuses
in China’s Xinjiang region, where Uighurs and other Muslim minorities are
alleged to have been unlawfully detained, mistreated and forced to work.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
India
Holding
namaz as show of strength wrong, says Haryana CM Khattar
Dec
22, 2021
Haryana
chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday said it was “inappropriate” to hold
Friday prayers in open spaces as a “show of strength”, advising all communities
to avoid organising such routine religious programmes in public places.
“No
member of any community should hold regular religious programmes in open public
spaces,” Khattar said in the Vidhan Sabha after Congress member from Nuh
assembly Aftab Ahmed raised the issue of Hindu groups opposing Friday prayers
in open places in Gurugram.
The
chief minister said whenever people want to organise such routine religious
activities, they should hold them in temples, mosques, churches and gurdwaras,
“Displaying
a show of strength is not good as this provokes the sentiments of another
community,” Khattar said even as the Congress MLA reminded the chief minister
that latter was the custodian of the state, and the protector of the people of
all faiths.
This
was the second time that the issue was raised in the House after the winter
session of the Vidhan Sabha began last Friday. Earlier, Congress MLA Mamman
Khan from Ferozepur Jhirka of Nuh district also raised the matter, objecting to
Khattar’s recent remarks over namaaz being held in public places. Both Ahmed
and Khan demanded that chief minister should withdraw his statement.
However,
the chief minister said it was the responsibility of all to ensure that there
was no social confrontation and the peace was maintained. He said people of all
faiths hold prayers at designated religious places such as temples, mosques,
churches and gurdwaras, and that permissions are given to organise big festivals
and programmes in open public places.
“Gurugram
is a symbol of development. What message is being sent out from Gurugram when
one cannot offer prayers as per one’s choice?,” the Congress MLA said, adding
that “some elements” were repeatedly disrupting Friday prayers.
“The
Constitution gives the right to practise one’s religion. No one has the right
to disrupt prayers,” the Congress legislator said.
The
chief minister said people have agreed to hold Friday prayers at certain places
in Gurugram, till new arrangements are made. “The good thing is that some
places have been identified as per a consensus till new arrangements are made.
When consensus is breached and some people hold prayers outside the agreed upon
spots, it leads to confrontation,” Khattar said, advising the opposition MLAs
not to flare up this issue as this can breach communal harmony.
In
a press statement on Tuesday, the Gurgaon Muslim Council, that is leading the
demand for namaz sites, said, “Muslims of Gurugram are extremely pained to hear
that our CM in Haryana Assembly has said that Muslims offering their obligatory
weekly prayers is a show of strength. Instead of stopping such horrifying
attacks on Muslims by far-right wing groups, CM has put the blame squarely on
us.”
Source:
Hindustan Times
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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India
an example and role model for religious harmony, says Dalai Lama
Dec
19, 2021
India
is a role model of religious harmony in the world, said Tibetan spiritual
leader Dalai Lama during his address in a virtual event on 'Maha Satipatthana
Sutta' for Theravada Sangha held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
He
said that when he came to exile in India as a refugee the practice of
non-violence and religious harmony he found in Indian is "excellent".
During
the event, he spoke to around 600 monks from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Myanmar and Thailand. He addressed the event from his residence in Dharamsala,
which is in the north Indian state, Himachal Pradesh.
The
organiser of the event, the Sri Lankan Tibetan Buddhist Brotherhood Society
aims to raise awareness of the common Buddhist heritage of the Sri Lankan and
Tibetan people.
During
his address, Dalai Lama hailed the religious tradition of India and also lauded
the teachings and practice of non-violence in the country.
He
said, "The Indian religious tradition teaches non-violence, not harming
others. In India, the practice of non-violence - Ahimsa and Karuna have been
practised for over 3,000 years."
"So,
in India different religious traditions of the world such as Islam,
Christianity, Jew and Judaism and so forth live together. India is an example,
role model for religious harmony in the world. Since I came to exile in India
as a refugee the practice of non-violence and religious harmony I found to be
excellent in India," he said.
In
his address, the Dalai Lama said, "Buddha himself has given us the freedom
to analyse his own teaching and not take it on the face value, literally. So,
in the Nalanda tradition therefore there is great emphasis on checking the
teachings of the Buddha himself."
Source:
WIO News
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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In
a First, Kanpur Youth Gets 10-Year Jail Term, Fined Rs 30,000 Under ‘Love
Jihad’ Law in UP
DECEMBER
22, 2021
In
a First, Kanpur Youth Jailed for 10 Years, Fined Rs 30,000 Under ‘Love Jihad’
Law in UP
In
the first sentencing under the ‘Love Jihad’ law in Uttar Pradesh, a youth in
Kanpur was awarded jail term for 10 years and slapped with a fine of Rs 30,000.
The
incident dates back to May 2017 when the youth named Javed allegedly introduced
himself to the minor as Munna and promised to marry her, following which the
couple eloped.
Taking
cognizance of the incident, police registered a case and arrested the youth the
next day. The girl reportedly told the police that when she reached her
husband’s house, he revealed his identity and asked her for a ‘Nikah’ to which
she refused. She also accused the youth of raping her.
A
case has been registered under relevant sections of the POCSO Act among others
and the accused has been sent to jail, police said.
The
Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020,
envisages that no person shall convert, either directly or indirectly from one
religion to another by use or practice of misrepresentation, force, undue
influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage nor
shall any person abet, convince or conspire such conversion. The ordinance was
replaced by an Act this year.
Depending
on the severity of the “crime”, those found guilty can land in jail for up to
10 years. Fines range from Rs 15,000 to 50,000. Interfaith couples who wish to
get married must inform the district magistrate two months in advance.
The
law provides for one to five years’ imprisonment with a minimum fine of Rs
15,000 for forced conversions, and three to 10 years of jail time for the
conversion of minors and women from the SC/ST community. For forceful mass
conversions, the jail term is three to 10 years and a Rs 50,000 fine.
According
to the law, a marriage shall be declared “null and void” if it is found that
the sole intention of wedlock was to convert the woman.
The
Uttar Pradesh Police have so far registered a total of 108 cases under the law
that criminalises religious conversion by “force, undue influence, coercion, or
allurement”.
Source:
News18
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Like
UP law, Karnataka anti-conversion Bill addresses right wing concerns on ‘love
jihad’
By
Johnson T A
December
22, 2021
The
Karnataka Right to Freedom of Religion Bill 2021, introduced in the state
Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, aims to fulfil two demands of the core support
base of the right-wing BJP government in the state – prevention of forced
religious conversions and the so-called ‘love jihad’.
Ban
on conversions for marriage
While
the stated objective of the proposed law is to prevent forced religious
conversions, the Bill also contains clauses that are intended to curb
conversions for marriages – termed ‘love jihad’ by the BJP’s right-wing support
base. This is along the lines of clauses in the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of
Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, commonly referred to as the
‘love jihad’ law.
Clauses
pertaining to the ban on conversions through marriages in both the UP
legislation and the Karnataka Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 (clause
six in both cases) are identical in nature.
“Any
marriage which was done for sole purpose of unlawful conversion or vice-versa
which was done by the man of one religion with the woman of another religion
either by converting himself before or after the marriage or by converting the
woman before or after marriage shall be declared as null and void by the family
court or, where the family court is not established, the court with
jurisdiction to try such a case on a petition filed by either party thereto
against the other party to marriage,” it states.
Dealing
with ‘love jihad’
According
to Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, who has piloted the Bill, the
proposed law is intended to deal with ‘love jihad’ as well. “Love jihad
involves marriage and there are provisions to curb marriages for the purpose of
conversion (in the Bill),” Jnanendra stated while indicating that no separate
‘love jihad’ law is needed if the anti-conversion law is brought into force.
“Since
there is no legal definition for the term ‘love jihad’, it has been decided
that the issue can be addressed by preventing conversions for marriages,” said
sources in the state’s Home Ministry.
Ahead
of the Karnataka legislature session, there had been speculation that the BJP
government may move two separate bills to tackle the pet-peeves of the right
wing – religious conversion and ‘love jihad’.
“We
have been stating from the beginning that the BJP government will bring in an
anti-cow slaughter law and an anti-conversion law. We are committed to it. I
will go ahead and say that in the days to come, we will also bring a law
against love jihad,” Minister for Energy, V Sunil Kumar, had stated ahead of
the winter session of the Assembly in Belagavi.
“We
have seen many reports in newspapers and in the electronic media about conversions
due to love jihad. I don’t know about other states, but in Karnataka we are
going to end this. The luring of young girls with the use of money or love is
something we are taking seriously. We will take stern steps to end this,”
former Karnataka BJP chief minister B S Yediyurappa had stated when he was in
power several months ago.
The
issue of cow slaughter, religious conversions, ‘love jihad’ and protection of
Hindu culture are core issues among the BJP’s support base in regions where
communal sensitivity is high and the right wing is dominant, like coastal
Karnataka.
Modelled
on similar laws in other states
The
proposed Bill is also largely modelled on laws banning religious conversions in
UP, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. “We have considered the
existing laws on conversion in different states. We have also considered the
judgments delivered when these laws were challenged. The Bill has been drafted
after consideration of all these aspects,” said an official in Karnataka’s Law
Ministry.
Like
the UP anti-conversion law, the Karnataka Bill addresses the right wing’s
concerns over ‘love jihad’ by seeking to regulate inter-faith marriages. As per
the law, marriages – in which religious conversions have taken place for the
convenience of wedding – will have legal recognition only if the conversion was
brought to the notice of a district magistrate 30 days before the conversion
and 30 days post conversion.
“No
person shall convert or attempt to convert either directly or otherwise any
other person from one religion to another by use of misrepresentation, force,
undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by
marriage, nor shall any person abet or conspire for conversions,” says the
Bill.
Source:
Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Arab World
Qatar
seizes children's toys bearing ‘un-Islamic’ slogans
21
Dec 2021
Authorities
in Qatar have confiscated a line of children’s toys from stores deeming them
'contrary to Islamic values'.
The
ministry of commerce and industry “carried out inspection campaigns on several
retail outlets in different regions across Qatar”, it said on Twitter.
“The
campaigns resulted in the seizure and release of several violations, including
the confiscation of children’s toys bearing slogans that go against Islamic
values.”
The
tweet was accompanied by pictures of rubber stress balls and other toys in
rainbow colours.
Source:
Khaleej Times
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/gulf/qatar-seizes-childrens-toys-bearing-un-islamic-slogans
--------
Lebanon
Central Bank chief says country needs $12-15 bln to kickstart economy
21
December ,2021
Lebanon
needs to receive 12 to 15 billion dollars from its partners to kickstart its
economic recovery and shore up fast-diminishing foreign currency reserves,
Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh said in an interview with AFPon Tuesday.
Lebanon
is grappling with an unprecedented economic crisis branded by the World Bank as
one of the planet’s worst in modern times.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
More
than 80 percent of the population lives in poverty and the currency has lost
more than 90 percent of its black market value amid political squabbling that
has delayed an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
“Our
quota in the International Monetary Fund is 4 billion,” Salameh said in an AFP
interview.
“If
countries add to it, we could reach 12 to 15 billion, an amount that could help
start Lebanon's recovery and restore confidence,” he said.
Lebanon
defaulted on its debt for the first time last year but political leaders have
continued to resist key reforms demanded by donors to unlock necessary funds.
Meanwhile,
the central bank's mandatory dollar reserves have been slashed by more than
half.
“The
mandatory reserves are down to 12.5 billion dollars,” said Salameh who is
widely viewed as a key culprit behind an economic crash they say is caused
partially by central bank policies.
The
mandatory reserves stood at $32 billion before the start of the economic crisis
in 2019.
The
fast-diminishing reserves are threatening a subsidy program that had initially
covered fuel, medicine, flour, and other key imports before it petered out.
The
central bank can afford to finance partial subsidies on a few remaining key
imports for “around six to nine months,” if no additional measures are taken to
combat the depreciation of the Lebanese pound, Salameh said.
Officially
pegged at 1,507 to the greenback since 1997, the Lebanese pound sold for nearly
30,000 to the dollar on the black market earlier this month in a record low.
Official
fixed rate obsolete
The
official fixed rate is “no longer realistic”, Salameh said, while explaining
that a unified exchange rate would be unlikely in the absence of an IMF
agreement and political stability.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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‘Celebrate
safely’ on Christmas, New Year amid omicron fears: UAE doctors
22
December ,2021
Health
experts in the United Arab Emirates have urged residents to celebrate the
Christmas and New Year festive season with caution and adhere to safety
protocols amid fears over the omicron variant and soaring cases of COVID-19
across the country.
Speaking
to Al Arabiya English, Rajesh Kumar Gupta, a specialist in internal medicine,
at Burjeel Speciality Hospital, Sharjah, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has
changed many aspects of our lives especially the way we celebrate religious and
social observances like Christmas and New Year.”
“Traditionally
festivals and events allow us to reconnect with our friends and family, but
today, we are not able to mark these occasions as we have done in the past,”
Gupta added.
“As
the pandemic is far from over with the new omicron variant, which is far more
contagious and spreading very fast all over the world, it is important to be
responsible to protect ourselves and our family members by getting a COVID-19
vaccine and a booster dose as well.”
The
doctor also urged everyone to follow government guidelines to limit the spread
of the coronavirus.
“We
know that laxity in adhering to the protocol could result in an increase in the
daily reported infections so we should always wear a face mask, use hand
sanitizer and adhere to physical distancing (1.5 meter) and follow other
precautions like avoiding greeting people with hand shaking or embracing them.”
“Since
large parties could lead to a spike in cases, it is a good idea to restrict
numbers and celebrate with immediate family members who are already
vaccinated.”
Pregnant
women, children, and those belonging to any high-risk group should stay away
from the celebrations or be extra cautious, the doctor added.
“Online
celebrations are also an interesting way to share our happiness with others and
keep our traditions alive. So, this Christmas and New Year, let us retain the
celebratory spirit and be proactive in ensuring the safety of our community.”
“Also,
it is very important vaccinated people get the booster jab to protect
themselves from the infections.”
Dr.
Karthikeyan Dakshinamoorthy, a specialist in internal medicine at NMC Royal
Hospital, DIP, Dubai, reiterated the note of caution during the festivities.
“The
UAE is reporting the highest number of detected COVID 19 cases since the
pandemic was under control.”
“The
numbers on the omicron variant are unavailable. We all knew that COVID-19
spreads through aerosol or droplets.”
“As
New Year and Christmas nears, we all tend to gather or go to events to
celebrate.”
“All
these activities carry significant risks. If you are planning for a family
gathering, keep the guests in minimum numbers while following safety protocols.
If you are planning to go to events check for the safety protocols followed by
the organizers. Those who are at high risk should stay home.”
“It’s
better to stay home and enjoy safely with family for this Christmas and New
Year.”
Dr.
Dakshinamoorthy said COVID-19 cases are increasing in number and said this is
mostly due to increased interaction between people and “laxity to follow
COVID-19 safety protocols.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Arab
Coalition: Houthis use Sana’a airport as workshop for ballistic missiles
21
December ,2021
Arab
Coalition spokesman Brig. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said the coalition on Monday
carried out “a limited military operation for legitimate military objectives”
at Yemen’s Sana’a Airport after it was used for military purposes by the
Iran-backed Houthi militia, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Al-Maliki
said that the airport has workshops for drones and ballistic missiles used by
the Houthis in attacks.
SPA
quoted him as saying that the Houthi militia exploits the airport’s special
protection in “managing and launching hostile cross-border operations using
ballistic missiles, drones and booby-trapped aircrafts to target civilians and
civilian objects inside Yemen and the neighboring countries of Yemen.”
The
spokesman explained that the coalition took “all legal measures to drop
protection from some sites inside the airport based on Paragraph (2) of Article
(52) of Additional Protocol I, and rules (7 and 8) of customary international
humanitarian law,” the press agency reported.
Al-Maliki
added that the military objectives included six sites used by the Houthis to
manage the activity of drones and booby-trapped attacks, training drone
personnel, and the residence of the trainers and trainees, in addition to two
warehouses for booby-trapped drones.
Neutralizing
and destroying these targets will not have any effect on the operational
capacity of Sana’a Airport, and will not affect the management of the airspace,
air traffic and ground handling operations, he stated.
Houthis
use civilian objects as cover for operations
In
an interview with Al Arabiya, al-Maliki said the Iran-backed Houthi militia
used civilian objects as cover for their military operations, adding that the
coalition took legal measures before launching military strikes at Sana’a
Airport.
He
also stressed that international law permits lifting the immunity of civilian
sites, adding that the coalition gave civilians a warning to leave Sana’a
Airport, although no civilians were present.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Africa
'Nigeria
will not let FETO terrorist group undermine ties with Turkey'
Adam
Abu-bashal
22.12.2021
ABUJA
Nigeria
will not allow the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) to undermine the
country's relations with Turkey, a presidential spokesman said Tuesday.
Garba
Shehu said on his social media account that Abuja and Ankara had the same
stance on the terror group.
Shehu
said the money terror affiliates collect in the country through investments
such as schools and hospitals would not be taken anywhere to finance
destructive activities thanks to the close monitoring of the Nigerian Central
Bank and financial intelligence departments.
He
said he was referring to Turkish investments, schools and hospitals associated
with figures linked to the coup and the attempted assassination of Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Shehu
also said Turkey had a technologically advanced and modern defense industry
which would speed efforts to save Nigeria from the threat of terrorism and
bandits.
Turkey
recently held a third partnership summit with Africa in Istanbul.
FETO
and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July
15, 2016, which left 251 people killed and 2,734 injured.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
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Sudan’s
PM Hamdok intends to resign within hours: Reuters
21
December ,2021
Sudan
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has told a group of national political and
intellectual figures that he intends to resign in the coming hours, two sources
close to Hamdok told Reuters on Tuesday.
Hamdok
was reinstated on Nov. 21 following a coup a month earlier that saw the
military take power and end a transitional partnership with political parties.
While
several political forces took part in drafting the agreement, according to the
sources, it has faced widespread criticism from parties and the general public.
On
Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people marched on the presidential palace
rejecting both military rule and Hamdok's decision to return, which he had said
he took to preserve gains made during the transition and to end bloodshed.
Some
47 people have died in crackdowns on protests against military rule, including
two as a result of Saturday's protest. The United Nations said on Tuesday that
it had received reports of rape or gang rape of 13 women and girls.
Sources
close to Hamdok had said previously he would only remain in office if he had
political support and if the agreement was enforced. It called on the military
to release political detainees, protect freedom of expression and allow Hamdok
to independently appoint a new cabinet.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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UN
calls for probe into rape allegations in Sudan protests
21
December ,2021
The
UN human rights office on Tuesday called for an independent investigation into
allegations of sexual violence including rape and gang rape during mass
anti-coup protests in Sudan earlier this week, a spokeswoman said.
Liz
Throssell, a spokeswoman for the UN human rights office in Geneva, said they
received “disturbing” reports alleging that 13 women and girls were raped or
gang raped in the demonstrations on Sunday in the capital, Khartoum.
There
was no immediate comment from Sudan’s government.
Tens
of thousands of Sudanese took to the streets in Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan
on Sunday, marking the third anniversary of the uprising that forced the
removal of autocrat Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.
The
rallies turned violent in many places as security forces moved against the
protesters. At least two people were killed and over 300 others were wounded,
according the Sudan Doctors Committee, a professional medical union.
Women
were reportedly sexually harassed while fleeing the area around the presidential
palace in Khartoum when Sudanese forces fired tear gas and live ammunition
there to disperse the protests, Throssell.
“We
urge a prompt, independent and thorough investigation into the allegations of
rape and sexual harassment, as well as the allegations of death and injury of
protesters as a result of the unnecessary or disproportionate use of force, in
particular use of live ammunition,” she said.
It
was not the first time Sudanese security forces face accusations of sexual
violence against female protesters.
On
June 3, 2019, dozens of women were raped when forces tore apart a sit-in camp
outside the military's headquarters in Khartoum, according to the doctors
committee and the testimonies of several of the women.
Sunday’s
protests were one of the largest since the military took over on Oct. 25,
removing Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s transitional government in a coup that
rattled the country's fragile transition to democracy and led to relentless
street demonstrations.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Libya’s
election committee dissolved ahead of polls
21
December 2021
Days
before Libya’s presidential and parliamentary elections, authorities have
ordered the dissolution of the electoral committee, a move that is expected to
postpone the vote.
The
head of the High National Electoral Commission (HNEC), Imad al-Sayeh, ordered
on Monday “the disbandment of electoral regional and local branch offices and
committees,” according to a leaked internal statement.
A
member of the HNEC’s board of directors confirmed the authenticity of the
document on Tuesday.
Last
week, the country’s UN-recognized government declared its readiness to hold the
elections on Friday, but days before the polls, no official list of candidates
has been presented to the public and no formal campaigning is underway.
There
has been no formal announcement on a postponement either. The HNEC, the
technical body overseeing the polls, says it is the responsibility of the
Libyan parliament to make the announcement of a postponement.
Some
members of the house, however, have called for a new government to be
installed, claiming the mandate of the interim government has expired.
The
interim government was formed in February to take the country through to
elections.
Libya
has been beset by violence and chaos since the overthrow and killing of its
long-serving ruler Muammar Gaddafi following a bombing campaign by the US-led
NATO military alliance in 2011.
Source:
Press TV
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2021/12/21/673132/Libya-election-committee-dissolved-ahead-of-polls
--------
North America
New
analysis further links Israeli spyware to Khashoggi’s murder
22
December 2021
New
forensic analysis has revealed that operatives of the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) installed the Israeli Pegasus spyware on the mobile phone of the wife of
murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi just months before his torture
killing.
The
analysis, conducted by the Canada-based Citizen Lab privacy and security
research laboratory, further exposed that executives of Pegasus’ maker – NSO
group – lied when they claimed last summer that Khashoggi and his associates,
including his Emirati wife, Hanan Elatr, were targeted by the spyware in a
surveillance operation on behalf of the UAE government, The Washington Post
reported on Tuesday.
According
to the report, a forensic investigation of two Android cellphones owned by
Elatr discovered that an unknown individual used one of the phones to visit a
website that uploaded the Israeli spyware onto the phone. This occurred after
UAE security agents at Dubai’s airport confiscated the phone from Elatr just
months prior to Khashoggi’s murder in Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul,
Turkey. Further analysis by the Citizen Lab also suggested the website was
controlled by NSO group on behalf of “a customer” in the UAE.
Phone
numbers belonging to Elatr and to Khashoggi’s Turkish fiancée, Hatice Cengiz,
were also found in a list of 50,000 numbers in a data leak that revealed
potential targets of the Pegasus spyware, the report adds.
The
list also contained numbers belonging to hundreds of more government officials
– including French and South African presidents, the Pakistani prime minister
and several Africa-based US embassy officials – along with a total of 180
journalists that included major US and European news outlets.
The
reported data leak was part of a larger investigation by a coalition of news
outlets around the world. The investigation, branded The Pegasus Project,
exposed a massive targeting of journalists, human rights activists and
politicians.
According
to the daily, the international probe found that authoritarian governments have
used Pegasus against journalists, human rights defenders, diplomats, lawyers
and pro-democracy opposition leaders, with new revelations continuing to roll
out. France found traces of the spyware on the phones of five of its ministers.
After initial denials, Hungary also admitted using the spyware.
The
deep technical sophistication of surveillance exploits developed by the Israeli
spyware company was recently revealed in a blog post from Project Zero, a
Google security research group. The post offered details of a “zero-click”
exploit for iMessage in which a target’s cellphone would be compromised simply
by sending them an SMS message containing a link, without the need for the
target to open or read the message.
NSO’s
operations have long been shrouded in secrecy. In the face of growing evidence
of the company’s willingness to assist repressive and authoritarian regimes
around the world, including the surveillance of some American officials,
however, the US government has begun to take action against the Israeli
company.
According
to the report, the Israeli regime’s military requires NSO to get its approval
before selling Pegasus to a country to ensure that the sale is in line with
interests of the occupying regime. NSO says it has sold Pegasus to 60
government agencies across 40 countries.
NSO
was recently placed on a blacklist by the US Department of Commerce, forbidding
US companies from providing NSO with goods or services. Even a group of US
lawmakers has urged the imposition of stricter sanctions on NSO Group and other
spyware firms, which would freeze bank accounts and bar their employees from
traveling to the US.
The
UAE, a federation of monarchies in the Persian Gulf, has been one of NSO’s most
notorious clients, the report underlines. The despotic regime has used Pegasus
against anti-regime activists, journalists and even a royal princess attempting
to escape her father, the international media investigation and others have
found. In October, a British court revealed that NSO Group ended its contract
with the UAE because Dubai’s ruler had used it to hack the phones of his
ex-wife and her lawyer, a member of Britain’s House of Lords.
In
the past, the UAE has also denied allegations that it used Pegasus against
human rights activists and other civil society figures.
The
UAE, meanwhile, remains a close ally of Saudi Arabia. In 2013, the two
countries signed a mutual security agreement promising cooperation on
intelligence and law enforcement matters. The UAE has spied on Saudi dissidents
abroad and sent them to Riyadh, according to human rights groups and a recent
lawsuit filed in a US federal court in Portland, Oregon, on behalf of an
imprisoned Saudi human rights activist.
According
to The Post, Elatr – Khashoggi’s fourth wife after his three divorces – feels
forgotten in the wake of her husband’s murder. “She found out he had
disappeared via Twitter after waking up from a long flight, alone in her
apartment in Dubai. While she was dealing with the likelihood he had been
murdered, she was also learning that he was planning to marry another woman.”
Source:
Press TV
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US
ready to infuse liquidity into Afghan economy
Anwar
Iqbal
December
22, 2021
WASHINGTON:
The United States is working with various UN agencies to find ways for infusing
liquidity into the Afghan economy, the US State Department said.
The
announcement, made at a news briefing in Washington, followed another statement
by a State Department official in Islamabad on Monday, saying that the United
States would show greater flexibility on financial sanctions imposed on
Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.
Earlier
this week, thirty-nine lawmakers sent a letter to US secretaries of state and
treasury, asking them to help rebuild Afghanistan’s failing economy and to
unfreeze the country’s assets. The United Nations has also backed this call.
“We
are working with various UN bodies, including the UNDP, to find creative ways
that we can infuse not only humanitarian aid but also liquidity into the Afghan
economy,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said at the briefing in
Washington.
The
United States, he said, also supported the release of $280 million to
Afghanistan last week from a World Bank fund. Mr Price pointed out that since
August, the United States has sent $208 million of humanitarian aid to
Afghanistan, which adds up to $475 million this year.
The
US official acknowledged that Afghanistan needed more than just humanitarian
assistance and that’s why the US Treasury had relaxed some of the sanctions
imposed after Aug 15, when the Taliban seized Kabul.
These
first signs of flexibility in the US stance on Afghanistan followed multiple
calls for Washington to review its punishing sanctions on Afghanistan’s Taliban
regime. While the sanctions were already in place, the United States also froze
about $9.5bn in assets and loans after the Taliban takeover.
The
move dealt a devastating blow to Afghanistan’s fragile economy that’s heavily
reliant on donor assistance. This also aggravated the country’s humanitarian
crisis caused by drought and more than four decades of civil war.
At
the State Department briefing, Spokesman Price said that Afghanistan’s economic
crisis was not “entirely unique” to the present. “This is something that was
pre-existing before the withdrawal of American military forces, but it’s also
something that has become more acute,” he said.
Noting
that factors like the ongoing drought and dependence on foreign aid were not
new, he said: “We absolutely believe there is an urgent humanitarian situation
in Afghanistan now. As we are now in the winter months, our concern for the
wellbeing of the Afghan people is further pronounced.”
Mr
Price pointed out that US Special Representative for Afghanistan Tom West
recently attended an OIC meeting in Islamabad, where a trust fund was set up
for sending money to the people of Afghanistan.
Source:
Dawn
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1665103/us-ready-to-infuse-liquidity-into-afghan-economy
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Iran’s
trying to build leverage for better nuclear deal, but it won’t work: US envoy
21
December ,2021
US
Special Envoy for Iran Rob Malley said Tuesday that there are only “some weeks
left” before there will no longer be a nuclear deal to revive.
Malley’s
comments during an interview on CNN came on the heels of the end of the seventh
round of indirect talks between Washington and Tehran in Vienna.
US
officials were optimistic after the first six rounds, which ended before the
summer due to the election of a new government in Iran.
Since
then, Iran has increased the enrichment of its uranium to unprecedented levels,
and fears continue to grow over the breakout time needed for Tehran to develop
a nuclear weapon.
They
deny that their nuclear program is for military purposes.
“If
they continue at their current pace, we have some weeks left but not much more
than that, at which point, I think, the conclusion will be that there’s no deal
to be revived,” Malley said on Tuesday.
He
added that it was “very clear” what Iran was trying to do in stalling talks,
which is to try to build leverage for a better deal.
“It
won’t work,” Malley said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Violence
in occupied West Bank could undermine Gaza truce: UN
Servet
Gunerigok
21.12.2021
WASHINGTON
UN
Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland warned on
Tuesday that violence in the occupied West Bank could lead to disruption of a
truce in Gaza.
Wennesland
voiced concern about recent developments in the occupied West Bank, including
East Jerusalem, and the deteriorating security situation during his briefing at
the UN Security Council,
He
said clashes, attacks, military operations and high levels of settler-related
violence have continued as Palestinian militant factions call for increased
confrontations with Israel.
"Continued
unilateral steps -- including Israeli settlement advancement, evictions, and
demolitions – and the severe fiscal and economic crisis in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory (OPT) further exacerbate the situation and undermine the
PA's institutional stability," said Wennesland.
"If
left unchecked, I am concerned that not only may the situation in the West Bank
further deteriorate, but these dynamics could also impact the security
situation in Gaza and undermine the cessation of hostilities that has held
since May 2021," he added.
The
UN coordinator urged all parties to take immediate steps to lower tensions and
restore calm.
Twelve
Palestinians, including one woman and four children, were killed by Israeli
security forces across Palestine since Sept. 29, while 306 others were injured.
In
Israel, two civilians were killed and 39 Israelis injured by Palestinians in
clashes, shooting, stabbing and ramming attacks, said the official.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Mideast
Israelis
long to reconnect with Arab, Islamic homelands
Rina
Bassist
December
21, 2021
Deputy
Jerusalem Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum is working to advance the construction of a
museum dedicated to the heritage of Sephardic Jews. She told Al-Monitor,
"There are several museums and foundations in Israel dedicated to Jews
from the region. For instance, we have the excellent Babylonian Jewry Heritage
Center in the town of Or Yehuda, dedicated to the heritage of the Iraqi Jewish
community. We have the International Center for North African Jewry in
Jerusalem. What we lack is a national museum, one run by the State of Israel,
which will honour, commemorate and preserve the history and the traditions of
Sephardic Jews and Jews from all Arab countries. I have been pushing this idea
for some time now, and we have started inspecting plots, either owned by the
Jerusalem municipality or state-owned land, that could potentially house such a
project."
Hassan-Nahoum
is also the co-founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council and very active on
advancing trade and other relations between Israel and Gulf countries. She said
that Israelis of Mizrahi origins should spearhead efforts to create future
partnerships with the Arab world as well as preserve the history of Jewish
communities in the Middle East, North Africa and Iran.
For
many years, Israel neglected its Sephardic heritage and history. In 2014, the
Knesset designated Nov. 30 as a day to commemorate the departure of Jews from
Arab countries and from Iran, from which 850,000 Jewish refugees were displaced
in the 20th century.
This
year, for the first time, Israel’s president hosted the commemoration. Shimon
Ohayon, who initiated the Memorial Day observance seven years ago, joined
Social Equality Minister Meirav Cohen, chair of the World Sephardi Federation
Haim Cohen, former Defense Minister Itzhak Mordechai and Hassan-Nahoum for what
Hassan-Nahoum described as a moving ceremony. She noted that while President
Isaac Herzog himself is not from a Sephardic family, his mother and his aunt
were born in Egypt, a story he shared at the ceremony. They had to flee the
country following the riots against Jews that erupted in many Arab countries
after the establishment of the Jewish state.
A
few days later, Deputy Foreign Minister Idan Roll hosted dozens of diplomats
for a similar event. At the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center, Roll noted,
"The deportation of Jews from Arab countries and from Iran is an issue
that is absent from the discourse over Israel and the region. Those refugees
who have been deported deserve compensation or at least recognition."
Not
all the memories are painful. Many Jews from Arab nations long to rekindle ties
with homelands left behind and vice versa. For instance, there has been an
enthusiastic response in Israel to Iraqi efforts to normalize relations between
the two countries and foster new ties with descendants of the departed Jewish
Iraqi community.
Another
example is a first-of-its-kind meeting held Nov. 3 between Lebanon’s ambassador
in Paris Rami Adwan and Jews of Lebanese origin living in France. Adwan is
apparently close to Lebanese President Michel Aoun, who has a complicated
history with Israel and is considered close to Hezbollah. And while the Jews
invited to the Lebanese Embassy were for the most part French citizens, several
of them have relatives in Israel or are connected to Israel in other ways.
Source:
Al Monitor
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Bethlehem
church aims to recreate chimes from crusader times
December
22, 2021
JERUSALEM:
Crusader-era bells and organ pipes from the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem
are inspiring researchers’ efforts to recreate music as it may have sounded in
the birthplace of Jesus during almost 800 years ago.
Worried
they might otherwise be destroyed, mid-13th-century crusaders buried the 13
bronze bells near the church on the eve of a Muslim offensive, slathering them
in animal fat to protect them from rust, said David Catalunya, who is leading a
project to build facsimiles of them.
“It’s
a very long process, not only in terms of constructing the materiality of the
instruments but also its cultural context and its intellectual context,” said
Catalunya, a researcher from the universities of Oxford and Wuerzburg, Germany.
With
the exploratory research phase complete, he estimates it will take about five
years to cast fully functioning copies.
Meanwhile,
a knock of the knuckles is enough to bring a clear, high-pitched chime from the
originals, whose clappers have long since rotted away – as demonstrated to
Reuters at the Custody of the Holy Land for the Roman Catholic church, which
holds the unique collection.
“It’s
half of the original sound, which was much richer and louder and a little bit
lower,” Catalunya said.
The
bells were part of a carillon that accompanied chants inside the church, said
Franciscan friar Fr Stephane, the Custody’s liturgist.
They
were discovered in the early 20th century, along with 222 medieval copper pipes
from the Church of the Nativity’s organ, during construction at the church’s
Franciscan compound, Stephane said.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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85
extremist Jewish settlers defile Aqsa Mosque under police guard
December
21, 2021
Dozens
of Jewish settlers escorted by police forces on Monday morning desecrated the
Aqsa Mosque in Occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem).
According
to local sources, at least 85 settlers entered the Mosque in different groups
through its Maghariba Gate and toured its courtyards under tight police
protection.
During
their tours at the Islamic holy site, the settlers received lectures from
rabbis about the alleged temple mount and a number of them provocatively
performed Talmudic prayers.
Meanwhile,
the Israeli occupation police imposed movement restrictions on Muslim
worshipers at the Aqsa Mosque’s entrances and gates.
The
Aqsa Mosque is exposed to daily desecration by Jewish settlers and police
forces in the morning and the afternoon except on Fridays and Saturdays.
The
Israeli police close al-Maghariba Gate, which is used by Jews to enter the
Mosque, at 10:30 am after the settlers complete their morning tours at the holy
site. Later in the afternoon, the same gate is reopened for evening tours by
settlers.
Source:
ABNA24
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Iran
Calls for UNSC's Pressure on Israel to End Occupation of Golan Heights
2021-December-21
"The
United Nations Security Council must act to force Israel to end the occupation
of Syria’s Golan Heights and aggression against the country," Ershadi
said, addressing a UNSC meeting on Syria on Monday.
She
reaffirmed Syria's inherent right to self-defense and to respond to Israel's
acts of aggression at a time and place of its choosing, and said, "The
Security Council must compel the Israeli regime to end the occupation of the
Syrian Golan and also stop immediately its aggressions against Syria."
Ershadi
said that the continued occupation of parts of Syrian territory by foreign
forces, which constitutes flagrant violation of international law and the UN
Charter, must come to an end.
“All
occupying and uninvited foreign forces must leave that country without any
precondition or further delay,” Iran’s envoy added.
She
then referred to a recent report by the New York Times, which said based on
newly obtained Pentagon documents that the US military’s aerial campaigns in
the Middle East have been marked by "deeply flawed intelligence and
claimed the lives of thousands of civilians, including many children, without
accountability."
According
to the report, published by the New York Times on Saturday, a trove of
confidential documents covering more than 1,300 reports of civilian casualties
undercuts Washington’s claims of aerial raids with “all-seeing” drones,
precision strikes and smart bombs.
The
New York Times said US forces carried out more than 50,000 airstrikes in
Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria over a five-year period.
"The
recent reports by the US media about the killing of dozens of Syrian civilians
such as farmers, children and villagers, by the United States forces, which, we
strongly condemn, indicate the urgency of their withdrawal from Syria,"
she futher added.
Ershadi
reiterated that the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to support the people
and government of Syria to restore the unity and territorial integrity to their
country.
Israel
frequently launches missile attacks and targets military positions inside
Syria, specially those of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, which has
played a key role in helping the Syrian army in its fight against
foreign-backed terrorists.
Israel
has been a key supporter of terrorist groups that have been fighting the
government of President Bashar al-Assad since the foreign-backed militancy erupted
in Syria over 10 years ago.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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Iran
holds extensive military exercises as US prepares ‘alternatives’ to diplomacy
21
December ,2021
Iran
fired missiles from land and sea Tuesday as part of five days of military
exercises in three provinces, including near its only nuclear power plant, the
Revolutionary Guards said.
The
military maneuvers come after the US said it was preparing “alternatives” in
case negotiations to revive a deal to curb Iran's nuclear program collapse in
Vienna.
“We
have carried out exercises to destroy the enemy before they approach the Hormuz
islands,” Guards navy commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said, quoted by
the Guards' Sepah News website.
Abu
Musa island and the Greater and Lesser Tunb islands, located in the Gulf near
the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, are under Iranian control but are also
claimed by the United Arab Emirates.
A
fifth of world oil output passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
The
military drills dubbed Payambar-e-Azadm, or “Great Prophet”, began on Monday in
Bushehr, Hormozgan and Khuzestan provinces, each of which touch the Gulf.
They
included biological warfare exercises.
The
maneuvers also saw the deployment of Iranian-made boats that are capable of
launching high-precision missiles and reaching speeds up to 75-95 knots.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Palestinian
hunger striker faces serious health condition in Israel
Qais
Abu Samra
21.12.2021
RAMALLAH,
Palestine
A
Palestinian NGO has raised the alarm on the deteriorating health condition of a
hunger-striking Palestinian detainee in Israel.
Hisham
Abu Hawwash, 40, has been on hunger strike for 127 days in protest of his
detention without trial.
“Abu
Hawwash is facing a very serious health condition,” the Palestinian Prisoner
Society said in a statement on Tuesday.
It
said prison authorities refuse to transfer the Palestinian detainee from his
prison hospital to a civilian hospital for treatment.
On
Sunday, Israel’s Supreme Court rejected an appeal to suspend Abu Hawwash’s
administrative detention and transfer him to a civilian hospital.
Abu
Hawwash, from the town of Dura in southern West Bank, was detained by Israeli
forces on October 27, 2020 and placed under administrative detention.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Israeli
forces detain 3 Palestinians in West Bank
Qais
Abu Samra
21.12.2021
RAMALLAH,
Palestine
Israeli
army soldiers detained three Palestinians, including a nursing mother, in the
occupied West Bank on Tuesday, according to a local NGO.
The
Palestinian Prisoner Society said the arrests took place in the cities of
Jericho, Al-Bireh and Bethlehem.
No
reason was provided for the arrests.
The
NGO said among the detainees was a nursing mother for a one-month baby.
The
Israeli army frequently carries out sweeping arrest campaigns across the occupied
West Bank on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-forces-detain-3-palestinians-in-west-bank/2453333
--------
Europe
French
army says it has killed leading Islamic State member in Niger
DECEMBER
21, 2021
PARIS
(Reuters) - The French armed forces ministry said on Tuesday that its
“Operation Barkhane” unit had killed Soumana Boura, a leading member of Islamic
State in Niger.
Source:
Reuters
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--------
Turkish
Cypriots hold ceremony in London for victims of 'Bloody Christmas'
Zuhal
Demirci
22.12.2021
LONDON
A
commemoration ceremony was held Tuesday in London on the 58th anniversary of
"Bloody Christmas," also called Black Christmas by Turkish Cypriots.
The
horrors of the deadly, systematic attacks on Turkish Cypriots by members of the
extremist Greek Cypriot nationalist terrorist group EOKA live on in people’s
memories 58 years after they led to the deaths of hundreds and displaced
thousands from their ancestral homes.
The
events leading up to Bloody Christmas started in 1955 with the foundation of
EOKA, led by Georgios Grivas, a veteran officer of World War I and World War II
as well as a staunch opponent of communists and Turks.
Active
in Cyprus, then ruled by the UK, EOKA targeted not only British soldiers and
civil servants but also Turkish and Greek Cypriots who opposed its extreme
ideology and its goal of union with Greece.
Turkish
Cypriots gathered in front of the office of the UK High Commissioner to Greek
Cyprus in London on Tuesday evening, lit candles and exhibited the photographs
of those who lost their lives during EOKA's attacks.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Spain's
top diplomat calls Morocco’s criticism of pandemic response 'unacceptable'
Alyssa
McMurtry
21.12.2021
OVIEDO,
Spain
Spain’s
foreign minister on Tuesday branded Morocco’s criticisms of the Spanish
pandemic response “unacceptable.”
Speaking
to the media after meeting with his counterpart from Luxembourg, Jose Manuel
Albares slammed Morocco’s denunciations of Spain, saying they “do not
correspond with reality.”
“Spain
complies with all international requirements, and I will send that message to
Morocco,” he continued.
On
Monday, Morocco’s Health Ministry accused Spain of “endangering the health of
Moroccan citizens” with lax airport controls.
“After
observing the travel procedures, it was confirmed that competent Spanish authorities
are not strictly controlling the health of the passengers upon arrival to the
airports,” said a statement.
The
ministry said it detected various people infected with COVID-19 traveling from
Spain to Morocco.
Moroccan
authorities also announced that Portugal, not Spain, would be used as a base to
repatriate Moroccan citizens who have been stranded abroad since the country
abruptly canceled all flights to the country on Nov. 29 over fears of the
omicron variant.
Morocco
had not communicated the issue with Spain privately before releasing Monday's
statement, said Albares.
Spanish
daily El Confidencial reported that Spain has now summoned the head of business
at the Moroccan Embassy to discuss the issue.
New
coronavirus infections in Morocco are much lower than in neighboring Spain,
where cases are soaring and restrictions remain relatively relaxed going into
the holiday season.
Over
the last 24 hours, Morocco reported just 186 new cases, according to the World
Health Organization. Spain, on the other hand, has counted nearly 180,000 cases
over the last week.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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South Asia
Taliban
destroys Pakistan's barbed-wire erected on Durand Line
Dec
21, 2021
KABUL:
Taliban has destroyed the barbed wire erected by Pakistani forces on Durand
Line in the Gushta district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, local media
reported.
According
to Khaama Press, the barbed wire was destroyed and brought to Afghanistan after
Pakistani forces wanted to erect and widen it.
Doctor
Bashir, the provincial head of General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) was
leading the operation in the bordering district of Gushta.
Khaama
Press also said citing reports that Pakistani forces launched artilleries on
Kunar province on Monday night after the incident.
Source:
Times of India
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Visitors
return to Afghan national museum Taliban once ransacked
Dec
22, 2021
KABUL:
Afghanistan's national museum is once again welcoming visitors and exhibiting
pre-Islamic artefacts with the Taliban's blessing -- a stark contrast to when
the hardliners ransacked and shuttered the facility during their last stint in
power.
A
trickle of citizens made their way around the sprawling exhibit rooms in Kabul
when AFP recently visited, marvelling at treasures ranging from painted Stone
Age pottery to ancient coins and religious items.
"It's
inborn in humans that they attach value to their history," said
Rahmatullah, 65, after intently examining a collection of 2,000-year-old
swords.
"I
wanted to know more about the history of my country. It has a special place in
my heart".
The
museum reopened in late November with permission from the Taliban's new
ministry of information and culture, around three months after the Islamists
retook power and ended their two-decade insurgency.
Some
artefacts on open display are fundamentally at odds with the Taliban's radical
ideology, including pottery collections featuring images of animals and humans.
During
their first 1996-2001 rule, Taliban fighters destroyed items including statues
at the museum, while tens of thousands of items were looted and never
recovered.
In
that period, the Islamists also blew up 1,500-year-old giant statues of the
Buddha in the central Bamiyan valley.
But
Taliban fighters now guard the museum and its treasures from potential attack
by Islamic State insurgents.
According
to chief curator Ainuddin Sadaqat, there has been no attempt to restrict what
is on display.
Only
"15 to 20 percent of exhibits are of Islamic heritage", the
35-year-old told AFP.
"We
also have visitors from the Taliban," who sometimes come to tour the
museum in large numbers, Sadaqat said.
The
reopening comes as the hardline Islamists try to present a more moderate image
while seeking to unlock billions of dollars in international aid suspended
since the fall of the western-backed government and for sanctions to be lifted.
The
museum also boasts a collection of 18th- and 19th-century jewellery.
"I
came here to see the jewellery -- what it looked like in the past; the
necklaces, earrings," said Zohal, 24, who only gave her first name.
"I
wanted to see the difference between the jewellery of the past and what we have
now," said this Afghan woman, who works for the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Visitor
numbers are well below the hundreds who used to visit daily under the previous
regime -- a time when numbers were swollen by coachloads of children.
"For
the moment, the cultural policy of the Taliban towards artefacts does seem very
positive and realistic," said Philippe Marquis, who formerly headed the
French archaeological delegation in Afghanistan.
Source:
Times of India
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UN
may pay $8.2 million to Taliban for security
22
Dec 2021
Reuters
has cited a UN document and sources familiar to the matter that, United Nations
has proposed up to $8.2 million to the interior ministry of the Islamic Emirate
of Afghanistan for protection in the country.
The
document reviews that the money will be paid next year to subsidize Taliban
fighters’ wages now protecting the UN facilities in Afghanistan.
The
plan will also allow the Taliban fighters to access monthly food allowance and
is indeed an expansion of the UN’s agreement with the previous Afghan
government.
The
agreement between the previous Afghan government and the UN was named SOMA
(Status of Mission Agreement).
Deputy
UN spokesman Farhan Haq has told Reuters that United Nations has a duty as an
employer to reinforce and where necessary supplement the capacity of host
states in circumstances where UN personnel work in areas of insecurity.
As
per the proposed money, $4 million would boost the wages of individual Taliban
members by $275 to $319 per month in addition to $90 for food per person.
The
wages are said to be paid directly to security personnel, not through the de
facto authorities in Kabul.
Source:
Khaama Press
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Taliban
accidentally transfers money to Tajikistan-based opposition; embassy refuses to
pay back: Report
Dec
21, 2021
What
would you do if someone mistakenly transfers money in your account? Return it
to them, we assume. A similar incident took place when Taliban accidentally
transferred money into the bank account of the Afghan embassy in Tajikistan.
However,
the authorities in Tajikistan, who are staunch critics of Taliban, have denied
any possibility of returning the money.
A
Dushanbe-based news website Avesta reported a few days ago that the Taliban
transferred nearly $800,000 into the bank account of the Afghan Embassy in
Tajikistan, even though it was not to be carried out anymore.
As
per sources cited by the news group, the money was supposed to be transferred
by Afghanistan’s former president Ashraf Ghani’s government. This money was
supposed to be used for funding a school for refugee children in Tajikistan.
However, the deal had fallen through when Taliban took over Afghanistan and
Ghani fled the country.
A
few weeks later, the transfer did place after all in September, but some
sources claim the figure was closer to $400,000. However, there was no
communication about the same from the Taliban-run Finance Ministry of
Afghanistan for weeks.
Struggling
to keep the economy afloat, in November, as per reports, Taliban contacted
Tajikistan government about the money transfer and asked the officials to
return every penny of that money transfer. The Tajikistan officials, however,
refused to follow the order.
Source:
WIO News
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