India Needs to Value Academic Freedom, Research in Humanities to Emerge as Power Centre: Sweden-based V-Dem Institute
New Age Islam News Bureau
22 April 2024
Karthick
Ram Manoharan/ Sourced by The Telegraph
------
·
India Needs to Value Academic Freedom, Research in
Humanities to Emerge as Power Centre: Sweden-based V-Dem Institute
·
Nearly 66K Indians Officially Became American Citizens
In 2022: CRS Report
·
Cinema Ticket Prices to Go Down Drastically in Saudi
Arabia as Film Commission Slashes Licensing Fees
·
Pro-Palestine Peace March in Greece Against NATO, US,
EU
·
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Raises ‘71 Genocide Issue
with Pak Envoy
----
India
·
'Osama Bin Laden & Gabbar Singh Are Preaching
Non-Violence': AAP Leader
·
Show use of 'Hindu', 'Muslim' in Nyay Patra: Congress
to PM Modi
·
Punjab And Haryana HC Denies Relief to Man Who Married
Minor Under Muslim Law
·
PM Narendra Modi's gear switch to divisive pitch:
Mangalsutra scare twist to Congress pledge
·
Lord Ram belongs to everyone, not only Hindus: Farooq
Abdullah
·
NIA raids 9 locations in Srinagar in case linked to
terror activities
·
M Abdul Salam: BJP’s only Muslim candidate soldiers on
in LS seat with 70% Muslim voters, banking on Modi factor
----
North
America
·
Biden Blasts ‘Alarming Surge of Antisemitism’ As
Pro-Palestinian Rallies Rock Columbia
·
Biden, US officials were surprised by scale of Iranian
attack on Israel – report
·
Why Actually Justin Trudeau Is Interested In
Introducing ‘Halal Mortgages’ For Muslims In Canada
·
Jewish Student Stabbed in Eye with Palestinian Flag,
Rabbi Issues Warning Amid Antisemitism Row in US Universities
------
Arab
World
·
Islamic Fiqh Council’s 23rd Session InRiyadh Focuses
On Modern Shariah Issues
·
Saudi Universities Shine at Geneva Invention Expo
·
Taif’s rose farms bloom into global fragrance
production hub
·
Saudi FM arrives in Luxembourg for EU-GCC forum on
regional security, cooperation
·
Saudi Fund for Development signs $67m agreement to
support Oman’s SMEs
---
Europe
·
Spain witnesses mass demonstrations in support of
Palestine
·
Parisians protest against Islamophobia amid Gaza war
tensions
·
UK PM discusses Gaza developments with Jordan’s king
·
In phone call, Germany's Scholz and Israel's Netanyahu
discuss regional tensions
·
Russian Mufti hails Iran's Leader for peace efforts
-----
South
Asia
·
BNP continuously trying to destroy democracy, election
system: Hasan
·
Education is an internal issue; countries should not
interfere: Haqqani
·
Islamic Cooperation Organization Ready to Expand
Assistance with Afghanistan
·
At least 14 Afghan nationals executed in Iranian
prisons in less than four months
·
Kabul Requests Invite to OIC Meeting in Gambia
·
Bangladesh, Qatar to sign 6 deals, 5 MoUs during Qatar
emir’s visit
·
Doctors Without Borders to Construct Special
Children’s Hospital in Herat
-----
Pakistan
·
PM Renews Pledge to Realise Iqbal’s Vision of Pakistan
·
Two Customs men slain in another attack in Dera Ismail
Khan
·
‘Taliban-linked’ cleric killed in Quetta, buried in
Afghanistan
·
Afghans living legally in Pakistan should not be
harassed or expelled: KP govt spokesperson
·
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrives in Pakistan to
red carpet welcome
·
MBS orders start of ‘Road to Makkah Project’ at Jinnah
airport
·
Results show people’s trust in govt policies: PM
·
Pakistan sends eighth tranche of humanitarian aid for
Gaza
---
Mideast
·
‘Israel’s Organized Crimes Against Gazans Blatant
Examples of Genocide’: Iranian FM
·
First Iran Group in Nine Years Heads to Saudi Arabia
for Umrah Pilgrimage
·
Israel achieved no objectives; Gaza resistance will
persist: Islamic Jihad
·
Israeli army unit accused of abuses ‘kills
Palestinians for no real reason,’ says party leader
·
Mass burial around Gaza Nasser Hospital shocked world
·
Islamic Follow-up committee calls for broad popular
outburst to confront occupation
·
62,000 Israeli settlers flee northern Palestine amid
Hezbollah strikes: Report
·
Iran raps Israel’s systematic environmental
destruction in West Bank, Gaza Strip
----
Southeast
Asia
·
No Need to Repatriate Malaysians in Iran, Jordan,
Lebanon Amid Tension, Says Mohamad Hasan
·
Iran-Israel conflict: No urgent need to repatriate
Malaysians in Iran, Lebanon and Jordan, says Tok Mat
·
BNPT as leading sector in countering terrorism at 10th
WWF
·
Middle East conflict: Focus on worship, Tabung Haji
tells prospective Haj pilgrims
·
MACC: Najib didn't mention any meeting with late Saudi
King
------
Africa
·
Continue To Live in Peace - Akuapem North Presiding
Member Urges Muslims, Christians
·
Gov Bago mourns six soldiers killed in Niger
·
Haiti’s capital under gang attacks ahead of government
transition
·
Benue Crisis: ActionAid, Plan Int’ Spend £400,000 On
IDPs
·
Environmental Volunteering: Activists gather in Lagos
ahead of World Earth Day
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/india-academic-freedom-humanities-sweden-v-dem/d/132182
------
India Needs to Value Academic Freedom, Research in
Humanities to Emerge as Power Centre: Sweden-based V-Dem Institute
Karthick
Ram Manoharan/ Sourced by The Telegraph
------
22.04.24
Karthick Ram Manoharan
As of 2023, India fares poorly on the Academic Freedom
Index. This graph, prepared by the Sweden-based V-Dem Institute, considers
factors like freedom to research and teach, academic and cultural expression,
institutional autonomy etc. It places us along with Rwanda at a score of 0.18.
We fare worse than Mauritania, Burundi, Zimbabwe and Palestine. Pakistan stands
at 0.52. But if it is any consolation, we score better than socialist Cuba,
which ranks at 0.10 or China at 0.07.
Why should academic freedom be of any concern to the
public? There are other grave issues that affect millions in India. Farmers’
crisis, water crisis, poverty, unemployment and underemployment, primary
education, human rights, federalism, problems facing minorities and
underprivileged castes and so on. Amid all this, it might appear that talking
about academic freedom is a conceited self-serving exercise, given that the
academic community is a miniscule minority in India and is relatively better
placed than several others in precarious jobs. Yet, academics alone can provide
the expertise that is needed to look at these problems from a broad,
interconnected perspective.
When I talk of ‘academia’, I refer to all higher
educational institutions that place importance on research. Critical and
independent research augments democracies. Good research and impactful
publications in STEM or the social sciences can inform government policy and
help it improve. Amartya Sen argued that famines did not occur in democracies
because, among other things, a free press compels the government to respond to
such crises. A free press cannot work with intelligent and committed
journalists alone. It also needs to consult experts in sociology, history,
political science or economics on matters that affect national interests.
The space for rigorous intellectual conversation that
only a free academia can provide is valuable and this is why Western
democracies invest so much in the same. Democratic governments need feedback
mechanisms that let them know what approaches to take to present problems and
also anticipate problems of the future. The press and the academia are such
mechanisms.
Academic research cannot always be policy-oriented.
There also needs to be space for research for research’s sake. Indeed, there is
much that goes on in the name of research, especially in the humanities, that
is frivolous, shallow and needlessly sensational. But having good academic
standards can filter this. Censorship is not a
solution. Research in humanities in disciplines like
literature, film theory and cultural studies — that capture the complexities of
the human experience — enrichen a society.
This doesn’t mean that academic freedom is necessary
for a country’s progress. China is a clear example of how a country can become
a superpower without troubling itself over inconveniences like freedom of
expression. It depends on the path we want to take. With our diversity and
intellectual resources, India has the potential to emerge as a power like the
USA in Asia and become a global centre for knowledge. For this, the
state needs to embrace, not curtail, our diversity and
intellectual resources.
Source:
telegraphindia.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/elections/lok-sabha-election-2024/india-needs-to-value-academic-freedom-research-in-humanities-to-emerge-as-power-centre/cid/2014843
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Nearly 66K Indians Officially Became American Citizens
In 2022: CRS Report
CRS said in recent years,
some observers have expressed concern over USCIS processing backlogs for
naturalisation applications.(Representative/Express Photo)
------
22nd April 2024
Marziya Sharif
Washington: A total of 65,960 Indians officially
became US citizens, making India the second-largest source country for new
citizens in America after Mexico, according to the latest Congressional report.
An estimated 46 million foreign-born persons resided
in the United States in 2022, approximately 14 per cent of the total US
population of 333 million, according to American Community Survey data from the
US Census Bureau.
Of these, 24.5 million, about 53 per cent, reported
their status as naturalised citizens.
In its latest “US Naturalisation Policy” report of
April 15, the independent Congressional Research Service in the fiscal year
2022, a total of 969,380 individuals became naturalised US citizens.
“Individuals born in Mexico represented the largest
number of naturalisations, followed by persons from India, Philippines, Cuba,
and the Dominican Republic,” it said.
Based on the latest available data, CRS said in 2022,
as many as 128,878, Mexican nationals became American citizens. They were
followed by Indians (65,960), the Philippines (53,413), Cuba (46,913), the
Dominican Republic (34,525), Vietnam (33,246) and China (27,038).
According to CRS as of 2023, a total of 2,831,330
foreign-born American nationals were from India, which is the second largest
number after Mexico’s 10,638,429. Mexico and India are followed by China with
2,225,447 foreign-born American nationals.
However, as many as 42 per cent of the India-born
foreign nationals living in the US are currently ineligible to become US
citizens, the CRS report said.
As of 2023, as many as 290,000 India-born foreign
nationals who were on Green Card or Legal Permanent Residency (LPR) were
potentially eligible for naturalisation.
CRS said in recent years, some observers have
expressed concern over USCIS processing backlogs for naturalisation
applications.
Although there continues to be a backlog of
naturalisation applications since FY2020 the agency has reduced the number of
applications pending completion by more than half.
As of the end of FY2023, USCIS had approximately
408,000 pending naturalisation applications, down from 550,000 at the end of
FY2022; 840,000 at the end of FY2021; and 943,000 at the end of FY2020.
In FY2023, 823,702 LPRs submitted naturalisation
applications. The number of individuals who have recently applied for
citizenship remains well below the estimated population of 9 million LPRs who
were eligible to naturalise in 2023. The percentage of foreign-born individuals
who are naturalized varies by several factors, including country of origin.
Immigrants from Honduras, Guatemala, Venezuela,
Mexico, El Salvador, and Brazil have the lowest percentages of naturalized
foreign-born, while those from Vietnam, the Philippines, Russia, Jamaica, and
Pakistan have the highest.
To be eligible for naturalisation, an applicant must
fulfil certain eligibility requirements outlined in the Immigration and
Nationality Act (INA). The requirements generally include being a lawful
permanent resident (LPR) for at least five years.
Source:
siasat.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.siasat.com/nearly-66k-indians-officially-became-american-citizens-in-2022-crs-report-3012865/
------
Cinema Ticket Prices to Go Down Drastically in Saudi
Arabia as Film Commission Slashes Licensing Fees
The Board of Directors of
the Film Commission, chaired by Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah,
approved the decision to reduce the financial fees for licenses.
-------
April 21, 2024
RIYADH — Cinema ticket prices are expected to go down
drastically in Saudi Arabia following the decision of the Film Commission to
cut licensing fees for practicing and operating cinemas.
The Board of Directors of the Film Commission, chaired
by Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah, approved the decision to
reduce the financial fees for licenses. These include the fees for licenses to
practice the activity of operating permanent and temporary cinemas, licenses
for cinemas for specialized needs, and licenses for operating permanent and
temporary cinemas, and cinemas for specialized needs.
The Film Commission revealed the updated cinema
license costs after they were reduced as follows:
License to practice the activity of operating
permanent or temporary cinemas or those with specialized needs:
Permanent cinema: The reduced cost in “A” category
cities is SR25,000 instead of SR210,000. In the “B” category cities, the
reduced cost is SR15,000 instead of SR126,000 while in the “C” category cities,
the revised cost is SR5,000 instead of SR84,000.
Temporary cinema: The reduced cost in category “A”
cities is SR15,000 instead of SR105,000. The cut in fees in category “B” cities
is SR10,000 instead of SR63,000 while in category “C” cities the reduced cost
is SR5,000 instead of SR42,000.
The commission also slashed the fee for license to
operate a cinema to show one or more films on a permanent or temporary basis:
Permanent cinema: The reduced fee in “A” category
cities is SR3,000 per branch instead of SR21,000 per screen. The reduced fee in
“B” category cities is SR2,000 instead of SR12,600 while in the C category
cities, the cost is SR1,000 instead of SR8,400.
Temporary cinema: The reduced fee in “A” category
cities is SR500 per branch instead of SR5,000 per screen. The reduced fee in
“B” category cities SR500 instead of SR5,000 while in “C” category cities the
current fee is SR500 instead of SR5000.
The commission board meeting decided to transfer the
jurisdiction of giving license for the operation of production studios, as well
as for the production of visual and audio content, and distribution of
cinematographic films, in addition to issuing a no-objection license for
cinematography to the Film Commission. The commission will start receiving
applications for licenses through Ibdaa cultural platform.
The board has approved to activate financial
compensation discounts for cinema ticket revenues and fees, in order to
stimulate the private sector to reduce ticket prices and provide attractive
promotions to the public, which contributes to the expansion and opening of
large number of cinema screens, and wider screenings of Saudi films at the
local box office.
The decisions confirm that the Film Commission will
continue its drive to achieve its strategic goals for the film industry by
increasing the box office in Saudi Arabia, as well as the economic
contributions of companies in the sector, and supporting cultural and creative
diversity in cinema. This is in addition to developing a competitive
environment that encourages investment in the cinema sector and improve the
viewing experience for the public, which contributes to consolidating the
position of Saudi Arabia as a leading center in the film industry in the
region.
Film Commission CEO Eng. Abdullah Al-Qahtani said that
at the commission we are working to stimulate the film industry by encouraging
private sector companies operating cinemas in Saudi Arabia to offer discounts
and promotions to cinema audiences, with the aim of enhancing film culture in
the Kingdom. “We also work intensively to enhance the presence of Saudi films
by stimulating the showing of Saudi films in various cinemas,” he said.
Al-Qahtani said that the reduction of the fees for
cinema licenses and ticket fees came to be in line with the international
average, and to support cinema companies in the sustainability and growth of
the sector.
It is noteworthy that the Film Commission, since its
establishment, has been responsible for developing the film sector in Saudi
Arabia to enhance the cinematic movement by achieving its strategic goals,
which include developing the infrastructure and regulatory framework,
encouraging financing and investment, ensuring the sector’s access to local
talent, stimulating local production, and attracting international production.
Source:
saudigazette.com.sa
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/642261/SAUDI-ARABIA/Cinema-ticket-prices-to-go-down-drastically-in-Saudi-Arabia-as-Film-Commission-slashes-licensing-fees
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Pro-Palestine Peace March in Greece Against NATO, US, EU
Photo: UNB
-----
Apr 22, 2024
TEHRAN, Apr. 22 (MNA) – People in Greece held rallies
against NATO, the US, and the EU as well as in support of Gaza amid the ongoing
Israeli war against it.
According to Al Mayadeen, the current march began in
Attic Peninsula at 8 a.m. local time [05:00 GMT] and was expected to include
hundreds of people, a number which may have increased. Many other events are
also predicted to happen all over Greece today.
"No participation in the NATO-US-EU plans,"
"Close the death bases in Greece" and "We stand for solidarity
with the Palestinian people," are slogans being raised in the march.
In a statement, the organizers announced, "We are
sending a signal to fight against the war and Greece’s involvement in it."
The first Marathon Peace March in the country took
place in 1963, despite a ban by Greek authorities at the time.
Source:
mehrnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/214197/Pro-Palestine-peace-march-in-Greece-against-NATO-US-EU
------
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Raises ‘71 Genocide Issue
with Pak Envoy
Apr 22, 2024
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday raised the
issue of genocide committed by Pakistan military during the Liberation War in
1971 during his courtesy meeting with High Commissioner of Pakistan to
Bangladesh Syed Ahmed Maroof.
"Naturally, there was a discussion about the
genocide that took place here in 1971. I also shared my personal
sufferings," he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while
responding to a question.
Bangladesh seeks an official apology from Pakistan for
the genocide committed during the Liberation War in Bangladesh.
During the meeting, both sides emphasised that
cooperation can be expanded in trade and commerce, agricultural cooperation,
and people-to-people contact.
They also agreed to work together at the UN and other
international organisations for promoting common interest.
Asked about Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra's
postponement of visit, which was scheduled for April 20, Mahmud said,
"Indian elections are underway. Thus, the visit was postponed because of
various internal factors."
He said it has not been conveyed to Dhaka yet when the
visit will take place.
According to sources, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's
visit to India has been planned for early July, and Kwatra was scheduled to
visit Dhaka to discuss the preparations for the visit.
Dhaka Engaging With Kl On Migrants' Sufferings
Acknowledging Bangladesh migrant workers' plight in
Malaysia, Mahmud said the government is in constant touch with the Malaysian
authorities to solve the issue.
"It is true that Bangladeshi workers are
suffering there. At various times, we have raised this issue with the Malaysian
authorities. We also discussed the issue when the Malaysian high commissioner
called on me," he told reporters at the foreign ministry.
His reply came as The Daily Star asked him about the
actions the government has taken to solve the issue.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/hasan-mahmud-raises-71-genocide-issue-pak-envoy-3592561
---
India
'Osama Bin Laden &Gabbar Singh Are Preaching
Non-Violence': AAP Leader
Apr 22, 2024
Navya Beri
Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on Sunday (Apr 21)
launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming that
when the saffron party talks about corruption, it feels as if "Osama Bin
Laden and Gabbar Singh are speaking about non-violence."
He then took a swipe at the Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi stating that his "washing powder cleans the
corruption."
While addressing the INDIA bloc rally in Jharkhand,
Singh said, "Narendra Modi speaks against corruption. He put Hemant Soren,
and Arvind Kejriwal in jail under false accusations. When he (PM Modi) and BJP
speak on corruption, it looks as if Osama Bin Laden and Gabbar Singh are
preaching non-violence. A Modi washing powder has come which cleans all your
corruption. Their slogan is 'Jo jitnabadabhrashtachari, wo
utnabadapadadhikari'."
He then alleged that while the INDIA bloc would work
for the betterment of the country, PM Modi would work for Adani.
"INDIA alliance will work for India and Modi ji
will work for Adani...BJP mislead people by giving slogans like '400 paar',
'200 paar' in Bengal, '35 paar' in Delhi, '65 paar' in Jharkhand...'400 paar'
slogan is farzi. This time you should tell them 'Tadi paar, tadipaar'," he
said.
Meanwhile, Sunita Kejriwal, wife of jailed Delhi Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday (Apr 21) levelled strong allegations against
the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre of attempts being made to kill the AAP
supremo in prison by not allowing him to take insulin in jail. She further
alleged that the government is constantly monitoring the food consumed by her
husband.
While addressing the 'NyayUlgulan Rally' by the
opposition INDIA bloc, Sunita said, "Arvind Kejriwal has no desire for
power. He just wants to serve the nation. He wants to make the country no. 1.
He says if educated people don't come into politics, how will the country
progress?...'Jail ketaaletutenge, Arvind Kejriwal, Hemant Soren
chhootenge'."
Source:
wionews.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.wionews.com/india-news/aap-leader-launches-scathing-attack-on-bjp-osama-bin-laden-gabbar-singh-are-preaching-non-violence-713674
---
Show use of 'Hindu', 'Muslim' in Nyay Patra: Congress
to PM Modi
Apr 22, 2024
NEW DELHI: Congress has challenged PM Modi to show the
words "Hindu" and "Muslim" in its election manifesto, Nyay
Patra, as it accused the BJP mascot of lying despite holding the high post,
which was once occupied by very learned people who were wedded to truth. It
asked the PM to accept the challenge or stop lying.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "Your
name will be relegated to the dustbin of history. You are speaking lies after
lies just to win an election. You are serving the country such lies about
Hindu-Muslim."
Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "After the disappointment
in the first phase of voting, the level of Narendra Modi's lies has fallen so
much that out of fear, he now wants to divert the attention of the public from
the real issues. Trends have started coming in regarding the immense support
that Congress's 'Revolutionary Manifesto' is receiving. The country will now
vote on its issues, vote for employment, its family and its future. India will
not lose its way."
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted "no
PM in India's history had lowered the prestige of the post as much as
Modi". Claiming that Modi's speech showed that INDIA bloc had done well in
the first phase, he said, "What Modi said is hate speech, it is a well
thought out plan to deflect attention. Our manifesto is for every Indian. It
talks about equality for all, justice for all."
Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/show-use-of-hindu-muslim-in-nyay-patra-congress-to-pm-modi/articleshow/109482545.cms
----
Punjab And Haryana HC Denies Relief to Man Who Married
Minor Under Muslim Law
21st April 2024
The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently rejected
the anticipatory bail plea of a Muslim man who was booked for allegedly
kidnapping a 15-year-old girl he had married under Muslim Personal Law in June
2023.
Refusing the man’s contention that he had married
legally as per personal law and that the girl had attained the age of puberty,
Justice Harpreet Kaur Jeewan stated, “Protection of Children from Sexual
Offense Act (POSCO Act) has been enacted, which is a self-contained
comprehensive legislation inter alia to provide for the protection of children
from offenses of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and pornography with due
regard for safeguarding the interest and well-being of the child at every stage
of the judicial process.”
The court noted the child is defined as any person
below the age of 18 years, as per sub-Section (d) of Section 2 of the Act of
2012. Further, Section 42-A of the Act of 2012 provides that the provisions of
this Act shall have an overriding effect on the provisions of any such law to
the extent of the inconsistency, it added.
However, the girl stated she didn’t want to go with
her parents before the magistrate. She was sent to a children’s home,
considering she was a minor.
The petitioner used the High Court’s ruling in Javed
v. State of Haryana and Others [2022 LiveLaw (PH) 276] to support the argument
that a minor Muslim girl is competent to enter into a contract of marriage with
the person of her choice by Muslim personal law.
Upon reviewing the submissions, the Court observed
that the ruling in NCPCR v. Javed &Ors., the Supreme Court’s decision that
a Muslim girl of 15 years old can marry legally and validly under personal law,
should not be used as precedent in any other case.
“In the view of this order (NCPCR v. Javed &Ors.)
by the Hon’ble Court, the ratio in Javed’s case cannot be applied in the
present case,” it added.
Given this, the Court said, “I am of the considered
opinion that prima facie the victim is minor, and the contentions of the
petitioner that she is major are a matter of inquiry by the Special Court.”
Accordingly, the Court concluded that no particular
reason is shown to provide the petitioner with a discretionary remedy under
Section 438 CrPC.
Advocate Mohd Salim represented the accused.
Assistant Advocate General Himani Arora represented
the state.
Advocate Bikramjeet Singh Baath represented the
complainant.
Source:
siasat.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.siasat.com/punjab-haryana-hc-denies-relief-under-muslim-law-to-man-who-married-minor-3012646/
---
PM Narendra Modi's gear switch to divisive pitch:
Mangalsutra scare twist to Congress pledge
22.04.24
In an undisguised resort to sectarian polarisation
after the first round of polling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday
alleged the Congress’s poll manifesto had pledged to “survey” and “attach”
citizens’ properties and distribute them disproportionately among Muslims,
“jinkezyadabachchhe hain” (who have more children).
The Congress manifesto nowhere talks of surveying and
attaching properties. Modi seemed to be alluding to a section on “Wealth” in
the Congress document that talks of addressing “rising inequality between the
rich on the one hand and the poor and middle class on the other” with suitable
policy measures.
Modi alleged that even the “mangalsutras” of “mothers
and sisters” would be confiscated and distributed among “Musalmaanon”
(Muslims).
His comments seemed a sharper attempt at polarisation
than during the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, when he said that if a
“kabristan” (graveyard) was built, a “shamshan” (cremation ground) must be
built too.
At Sunday’s election rally in Banswara, Rajasthan,
Modi went on to allege that the Congress manifesto had been inspired by
“Maoism” and that the party was fully in the grip of “urban Naxals”.
“Congress urban Naxal kechangul me chalagayahai.
Congress ne jo apne manifesto me kaha hai wo chintajanakhai, gambhirhai. Aur ye
Maowad ki soch ko dhartiutarne ki unkikoshishhai (The Congress is in the grip
of urban Naxals. What the Congress has said in its manifesto is serious and a
matter of concern. It’s an effort to implement the Maoist ideology),” he said.
“Unhone kaha hai ki agar Congress ki sarkar banegi to
harekke property ka survey kiyajaayega. Hamari behnokepaassonakitnahai,
uskijaanch ki jaayegi, uskahisablagayajaayega. Hamare Adivasi parivaron me
chandihotihai. Silver kitnahaiuskahisablagayajaayega. Sarkari
mulazimonkepaaskitnakyahaiuskijaanch ki jaayegi.”
A translation: “They have said that if the Congress
forms the government, the properties owned by every citizen would be surveyed.
How much gold our sisters have will be probed and evaluated. Our tribal
families own silver and that too will be evaluated. What government officials
have will also be investigated.”
Modi continued: “Itna hi nahi, aagekya kaha hai. Ye jo
gold haibehno ka, aur jo sampattihai, ye sabkosamaanroop se vitrit ki jaayegi.
Kya ye aapkomanzoorhai? Aapkisampatti sarkar ko aithne ka haqhaikya? Kya
aapkimehnatkarkamai hui sampatti ko sarkar ko aithne ka adhikarhaikya.”
A translation: “That’s not all, let’s see what it says
further. The gold our sisters have, and their other properties, will all be
equally distributed. Is this acceptable to you? Should the government have the
right to confiscate property that you have earned through hard work?”
“Mere mataon, behno ki zindagimeinsona wo siraf show
karnekeliyenahihotahai. Wo swabhiman se judahuahotahai. Uskamangalsutra, koi
sone kekimat ka muddanahihai, uskejivankesapno se judahuahai. Tum use chhinne
ki baatkarrahe ho. Apne manifesto mein, gold le lenge aur sabmevitritkardenge
(For my mothers and sisters, gold is not for show. It’s attached to their
dignity. Their mangalsutras are not a matter of the value of gold, it’s linked
to their dreams. And you are talking of taking that away. In your manifesto,
you talk of confiscating the gold and distributing it).”
Modi claimed that the government of Manmohan Singh had
said that Muslims had the first right over the country’s resources.
“Pehle jab unki sarkar thhi tab unhone kaha thha ki
desh ki sampatti par pehelaadhikarMusalmaanon ka hai. Iskamatlab, ye
sampattiekatthakarkekiskobaatenge? Jinke zyadabachhe hain unkobaatenge,
ghuspaithiyon ko batenge (When they were in power, they said Muslims have the
first right over the country’s resources. So, among whom will they distribute
all this attached property? They will distribute it among those who have more
children. They will distribute among the infiltrators),” he said.
“Kya aapkimehnat ki kamai ka paisa, ghuspaithiyon ko
diyajaayega? Aapkomanzoorhai ye? Ye Congress ka manifesto kehrahahai, ki wo
mataon, behnoke sone ka hisabkarenge, uskijaankarilenge aur phir us sampatti ko
baantdenge. Aur unkobaatengejinki Manmohan Singhji ki sarkar ne kaha tha ki
sampatti par pehlaadhikarMusalmaanon ka hai. Bhaionbehno, ye urban Naxal ki
soch, mere mataonbehno, ye aapkamangalsutrabhibachnenahidenge,” he said.
(“Should your hard-earned money be distributed among
infiltrators? This is what the Congress manifesto says, that they will evaluate
the gold owned by mothers and sisters, attach them and distribute them. And
they will distribute them among those who the Manmohan Singh government had
said have the first right over the country’s resources. Brothers and sisters,
this is urban Naxal thinking; mothers and sisters, they will not spare even
your mangalsutras.)
The crowd gave a huge roar.
In 2006, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had
said: “We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities,
particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably in the
fruits of development. They must have the first claim on resources.”
Following Modi’s speech at Jalore, the Congress has
objected sharply and many have suggested it should attract action from the
Election Commission for brazenly invoking religion.
Source:
telegraphindia.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/elections/lok-sabha-election-2024/pm-narendra-modis-gear-switch-to-divisive-pitch-mangalsutra-scare-twist-to-congress-pledge/cid/2014831
---
Lord Ram belongs to everyone, not only Hindus: Farooq
Abdullah
21st April 2024
Ranchi: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah
said on Sunday that Lord Ram belongs to everyone, not only Hindus.
Abdullah was addressing the opposition INDIA bloc’s
‘Ulgulan Naya Maharally’ in Ranchi.
Without naming any party, he said, “They are selling
Lord Ram, claiming that they brought him. They do not know Lord Ram. He does
not belong to Hindus alone but to the world. Ram is for everyone. But they have
made Ram their own, claiming He is only theirs.”
Attacking the saffron party, Abdullah said that it got
scared of the popularity of former chief minister Hemant Soren and Delhi chief
minister Arvind Kejriwal.
“They were put behind the bar without any fault,” he
said.
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate
(ED) on March 21 in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi
excise policy. He is lodged in Tihar jail.
The ED also arrested Soren on January 31 in connection
with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land fraud, immediately after
his resignation as the chief minister.
Abdullah appealed to people to cast their vote in
favour of INDIA bloc candidates to save the country and democracy.
A total of 28 political parties took part in the
rally.
Source:
siasat.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.siasat.com/lord-ram-belongs-to-everyone-not-only-hindus-farooq-abdullah-3012776/
---
NIA raids 9 locations in Srinagar in case linked to
terror activities
Apr 22, 2024
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday
launched a widespread operation and raided at least nine locations across
Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir as part of dismantling terror conspiracy hatched
by Pakistan-backed terror outfits, including Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT),
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr, Al-Qaeda within the
country.
Newly formed organisations, including The Resistance
Front (TRF), United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir (ULFJ&K),
Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF),
Kashmir Tigers, PAAF are under the scanner in the case.
Personnel from security forces were deployed at the
locations while NIA sleuths conducted the raid.
The NIA had registered the case (RC-05/2022/NIA/JMU)
suo moto in June 2022 to probe the involvement of the cadres, over ground
workers (OGWs) and other suspects of the new outfits in the collection and
distribution of sticky bombs/magnetic bombs, IEDs, funds, narcotic substances
and arms/ammunition to spread terror, violence and subversion in the erstwhile
state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The investigative agency probe has so far revealed
that Pakistan-based operatives were using social media platforms to promote
terror, and were also using drones to deliver arms/ammunition, explosives,
narcotics etc. to their operatives and cadres in the Kashmir Valley.
Source:
hindustantimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/nia-raids-9-locations-in-srinagar-in-case-linked-to-terror-activities-101713757848446.html
----
M Abdul Salam: BJP’s only Muslim candidate soldiers on
in LS seat with 70% Muslim voters, banking on Modi factor
Apr 22, 2024
Malappuram (Kerala): On the day of Eid, when people
gave him angry looks at a mosque as he went around greeting people after
offering namaz, BJP’s only Muslim candidate in the country, M Abdul Salam, was
crestfallen. One person even refused to shake hands as a mark of disapproval of
his joining the saffron party.
“I never had such a bad experience,” said the
71-year-old former vice chancellor of Calicut University, who swears by the
Modi model of development.
In a constituency of 4 million people where 70% are
Muslims, and where the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is the dominant
political force, Salam started feeling unwelcome in his early days of
campaigning. Unfazed, the agriculture scientist with specialisation in cashew
research, went about his job, highlighting Modi’s programmes and India’s
progress over the past 10 years.
“Initially I had a lost feeling, but now I feel my
graph is gradually going up,” the BJP candidate told ET in Malappuram, reposing
his faith in women, educated youth and those Muslims dissatisfied with the
report card of other parties. “Many Muslims are not aware of the good
programmes of Modi ji because of the false propaganda of the UDF and LDF. But I
could see that the Modi ji model of development agenda has reached the
grassroots with many houses benefitted by three to six programmes.”
Salam, locked in a contest with ET Mohammed Basheer
(IUML) and V Vaseef (CPI-M), said he got a dose of confidence when a
40-year-old Muslim woman joined the BJP in his presence. The woman told him
that she has a 20-year-old daughter and that with triple talaq outlawed, her
daughter was safe now, Salam said. She, according to him, also told him that
only Modi could bring the uniform civil code which would establish the rights
of Muslim women over inheritance of family property.
Salam is confident the BJP’s vote share would see a
big jump this time due to the Modi factor. “Muslim women are happy with Modi as
his action on triple talaq has boosted their confidence. They respect him in
their hearts but cannot express it openly as they live in a closed ecosystem
with limited gender equality and other restrictions,” he said, adding: “The PM
wants to bring Muslims to the mainstream and make them beneficiaries of a New
India.”
Salam called the reports suggesting that he was not
allowed to join Modi’s roadshow in Palakkad, last month, as inaccurate. “I was
not invited to be part of the road show in the first place. I went there on my
own to meet the PM and invite him to my (Malappuram) constituency. He agreed to
visit my constituency and wished me good luck. This is the reality, but it was
given a political twist."
Source:
economictimes.indiatimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/m-abdul-salam-bjps-only-muslim-candidate-soldiers-on-in-ls-seat-with-70-muslim-voters-banking-on-modi-factor/articleshow/109498845.cms
---
North
America
Biden blasts ‘alarming surge of antisemitism’ as
pro-Palestinian rallies rock Columbia
22nd April 2024
JACOB MAGID
The Biden administration on Sunday blasted recent
anti-Israel protests that have been taking place at Columbia University, as
Jewish groups on campus reacted to a message sent by the university’s Orthodox
rabbi to Jewish students urging them to stay away from campus until it is
deemed safe again.
In a statement marking the upcoming Passover holiday,
US President Joe Biden slammed “harassment and calls for violence against Jews”
amid intensified anti-Israel protests at the New York City university over the
past week as “blatant antisemitism.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters have rallied regularly at
Columbia since war in Gaza erupted with Hamas’s October 7 massacre, but
demonstrations ramped up in the past week after the university asked the NYPD
to help dismantle a pro-Palestinian encampment.
“Even in recent days, we’ve seen harassment and calls
for violence against Jews. This blatant antisemitism is reprehensible and
dangerous – and it has absolutely no place on college campuses or anywhere in
our country,” Biden said in the Passover statement. “The ancient story of
persecution against Jews in the Haggadah also reminds us that we must speak out
against the alarming surge of antisemitism – in our schools, communities and
online. Silence is complicity.”
Late Sunday, two senior university administrators said
the school would deploy extra security around the protests and throughout
campus.
“The gathering of large crowds on campus and around
the Morningside perimeter are causing considerable disruption and distress,”
Columbia Chief Operating Officer Cas Holloway said in an email, according to
student newspaper The Columbia Spectator.
Sarah Gillman, a senior official at Barnard College,
which is part of Columbia, said extra school security officers were being
deployed around campus and private security would guard its perimeter. She said
access to the Upper Manhattan campus would be restricted to those with a school
ID.
The moves were announced after Jewish groups called
for more protection, with some urging the school to bring New York City police
onto campus.
New York Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday said he was
“horrified and disgusted” by reports of antisemitism at Columbia, and that
police “will not hesitate to arrest anyone who is found to be breaking the
law.”
However, he said, “Columbia University is a private
institution on private property, which means the NYPD cannot have a presence on
campus unless specifically requested by senior university officials.”
On Thursday, police arrested more than 100 people,
including the daughter of US Representative Ilhan Omar, a strong critic of
Israel while removing the pro-Palestinian tent encampment.
Rather than quell protests, the move raised their
profile, with activists vowing to continue protesting Israel’s war in Gaza and
policies toward Palestinians. On Sunday, solidarity protests spread to the New
School in midtown Manhattan, with students there putting up a similar tent
encampment.
At Columbia, protesters have held daily marches
through campus, often banging on pots and pans and chanting slogans including
calls for an intifada, or uprising against Israel. Hundreds of Israelis were
murdered in terror attacks during two intifadas in the late 1980s and early
2000s.
Protesters at the demonstrations have also expressed
identification with Hamas and called for more attacks similar to the one staged
by Hamas on October 7.
Universities abroad, especially in the US, have been
the scenes of large anti-Israel protests since October 7, which saw thousands
of Hamas-led terrorists burst across the border from Gaza by land, air and sea,
killing some 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages, mostly civilians, many amid
acts of brutality and sexual assault.
While the protests at Columbia have been largely
peaceful, they have spread alarm among Jews on campus and Jewish communities at
large for calls and slogans seen as advocating for an end to Israel as a state
and a Jewish homeland, considered by many to be an antisemitic position.
“Echoing the rhetoric of terrorist organizations,
especially in the wake of the worst massacre committed against the Jewish
people since the Holocaust, is despicable. We condemn these statements in the
strongest terms,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told The
Times of Israel earlier Sunday.
There have been several reports of antisemitic
harassment and at least one attack, university president Nemat Shafik told a
congressional hearing last week.
According to student newspaper the Columbia Spectator,
during a demonstration Saturday night, “a group of around 10 pro-Israel
counterprotesters faced instances of anti-Semitism” at campus landmark the
Sundial.
The tensions prompted the university’s Orthodox rabbi
to send a message to Jewish students Sunday morning urging them to stay away
from campus until it is deemed safe again.
In a letter first reported by CNN and confirmed via
email, Rabbi Elie Beuchler said the near-daily anti-Israel protests were
“terrible and tragic,” adding that as much as it “deeply pains” him, he
recommends that Jewish students stay home “until the reality in and around
campus has dramatically improved.”
“It is not our job as Jews to ensure our own safety on
campus. No one should have to endure this level of hatred, let alone at
school,” he wrote.
Following Beuchler’s letter, Columbia University
agreed to allow students to attend classes remotely, according to messages sent
in pro-Israel student groups.
The messages also said Jewish students who needed
somewhere to stay on Sunday night would be offered accommodation at faculty
homes.
Columbia’s Hillel issued its own statement breaking
with the Orthodox rabbi, saying it did not believe Jewish students should leave
the campus and that it would remain open to serve the community.
At the same time, Hillel made clear that it expects
the university and New York City to do more to protect Jewish students.
“We call on the university administration to act
immediately in restoring calm to campus. The city must ensure that students can
walk up and down Broadway and Amsterdam without fear of harassment,” Columbia
Hillel said.
The Columbia Jewish Alumni Association expressed
“urgency and profound concern regarding the safety of Jewish students,” in a
letter to Shafik.
“Jewish students are openly threatened and harassed
and the administration’s response thus far has been grossly inadequate,” the
alumni association wrote, calling on the president to address threats to Jewish
students on campus.
“Now, more than ever, is the time to demonstrate true
leadership: enforce the university rules with regard to protests and harassment
and restore order and safety on campus. If you cannot stop the masked mobs,
please have the NYPD do it,” the letter continued.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-blasts-alarming-surge-of-antisemitism-amid-anti-israel-protests-at-columbia/
---
Biden, US officials were surprised by scale of Iranian
attack on Israel – report
21 April 2024
US President Joe Biden and security officials watched
with “mounting alarm” as the scale of Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel
became clear last weekend, according to a Sunday report.
“This was on the high end, I think, of what we were
anticipating,” a senior official was quoted by The Wall Street Journal as
saying of the moments the scope of the Iranian barrage became clear.
An unnamed official told the newspaper that it was
“unclear until all was said and done” whether Israel’s missile defenses and the
coalition of countries involved in shooting down projectiles had succeeded.
The report said that as it became evident in the
run-up to the attack by Iran that something was going to happen, a team of US
military personnel was secretly sent to Tel Aviv to work at “a missile defense
operations center.”
US officials were confident they could help counter
around 50 ballistic missiles, and became deeply concerned when it became clear that
over 100 had been fired by Iran, according to the report.
The Israel Defense Forces said Iran’s attack on Israel
included 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles, of which 99
percent were intercepted.
The newspaper said that plans were drawn up for Saudi
and Jordanian planes to defend their airspaces if necessary. Jordan shot down
the projectiles that passed over its airspace while the US, UK, France and
Germany helped Israeli aircraft shoot down others en route to Israel.
Iran launched more than 300 projectiles at Israel,
comprising 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles. The vast
majority of them were destroyed by Israel and its allies, and the only Israeli
military target hit in the attack was the Nevatim Air Base, which did not
suffer significant damage.
The attack came in response to an alleged Israeli
attack on a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Damascus. Seven Islamic
Republic Revolutionary Guard personnel were killed in the attack, including two
generals.
Israel vowed to retaliate for Iran’s reprisal attack,
and allegedly did so on Thursday night, when the Natanz nuclear base in the
Iranian city of Isfahan was targeted.
Israel has not officially commented on the strike,
while Iran has downplayed the incident and insisted that only three small
drones — and no missiles — were involved in the attack.
The US demonstrated its close alliance with Israel by
helping it thwart last week’s Iranian attack and slapping more sanctions on the
Islamic Republic afterward. The Biden administration has been striving to keep
the situation in the Middle East from escalating amid the ongoing war in Gaza
and skyrocketing tensions with Tehran.
Following last week’s Iranian attack, Biden reiterated
the US’s unwavering support for Israel but also urged Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu to “think carefully and strategically about the risk of escalation,”
adding that Israel had successfully demonstrated its military superiority and
it did not need to strike back to prove its capabilities.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-us-officials-were-surprised-by-scale-of-iranian-attack-on-israel-report/
----
Why actually Justin Trudeau is interested in
introducing ‘halal mortgages’ for muslims in Canada
Apr 22, 2024
The latest federal budget from Justin Trudeau’s
Liberals has sparked discussion with its proposal to explore new avenues for
expanding home ownership, notably through the introduction of “halal mortgages”
for Muslims in Canada.
Adhering to Islamic principles, these mortgages aim to
explore “new measures to expand access to alternative financing products, like
halal mortgage”, while respecting Sharia law, which prohibits the charging of
interest.
What is a ‘halal mortgage’?
The capitalization of interest lacks the spirit behind
the Islamic faith, and thus, any gains that you may have made via interest are
not fair as per the Sharia law. A “halal mortgage” still enables the lender to
generate profit, through a different set of terms that includes charging the
person a higher overall price for a home (adding a future gain in the selling
price). An alternative model can involve a rent-to-own or even establishing a
partnership between the lender and the homeowner that gradually reverts the
control to the latter with the house payments.
Why the need for a ‘halal mortgage’?
Mohamad Sawwaf, CEO of Toronto Islamic financial
institution Manzil, told CTV News, “The process and documentation is what makes
the transaction halal.”
The possible revisions in the federal budget can
consist “in the tax treatment of these products or a new regulatory sandbox for
financial service providers.”
With Muslims representing almost 5% of Canada's
population and growing since 2001, there is a recognized need to address their
specific financial requirements.
The proposal has elicited mixed reactions from
Canadians, with some expressing confusion and scepticism on social media.
Several people say that the presence of “halal
mortgages” in the budget is a recruitable step for the Liberals to gather
votes, meanwhile others express their doubt if the regulations should belong to
the stricture of Shariah law in a secular country like Canada.
One Redditor posted, “Bigotry aside, these are just
fixed rate mortgages with mental gymnastics to fool God.”
“Nothing more than pandering by the Liberal
government,” one said on X (formerly Twitter).
While slamming House of Commons, Liberal MP Iqra
Khalid points out “how federal policies can protect Canadians from abuses”. At
the same time, Bloc Quebecois MPs raise concerns about “why halal mortgages are
included in the budget.”
Bloc MP Martin Champoux asked, “Why do they want to
introduce elements of sharia law into the mortgage rules of this so-called
secular country?”
Trudeau is planning to build 3.9 million homes by 2031
Advocates for halal mortgages stress the importance of
intervention to address disparities in rates compared to conventional
mortgages, with hopes that increased access and competition will lead to lower
rates for Muslim homebuyers.
Zuhair Naqvi, founder of Eqraz based in Oakville,
Ontario, highlights, “Canada is about 20 years behind on Islamic finance
compared to other developed countries like the U.S. and U.K.”
Amidst challenges in the housing market and pressure
to increase homeownership, Trudeau's government has pledged to build nearly
four million homes by 2031. “It’s a plan to build housing, including for
renters, on a scale not seen in generations. We’re talking about almost 3.9
million homes by 2031,” Trudeau announced.
Source:
hindustantimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/why-actually-justin-trudeau-is-interested-in-introducing-halal-mortgages-for-muslims-in-canada-101713728702904.html
----
Jewish Student Stabbed In Eye With Palestinian Flag,
Rabbi Issues Warning Amid Antisemitism Row In US Universities
APRIL 22, 2024
Shankhyaneel Sarkar
Sahar Tartak, a Jewish Yale University student and the
editor-in-chief of the student-run of the Yale Free Press, was stabbed in the
eye with a Palestinian flag while she was reporting on an anti-Israeli protest
at the Yale University.
The protests saw hundreds of students camping at the
Ivy League school campus in support of Palestinians. Sahar said that while she
was covering the protests she was suddenly surrounded by demonstrators and
jabbed in the eye with the butt of the flagpole by one of the protesters.
Her assailant has gone unpunished despite Tartak
reporting the matter to the police on campus, who told her that they could not
do anything about the incident.
She told the New York Post that she and a friend of
hers were singled out for wearing Hasidic Jewish attire. She said demonstrators
formed a blockade around them to disturb their filming.
“There’s hundreds of people taunting me and waving the
middle finger at me, and then this person waves a Palestinian flag in my face
and jabs it in my eye,” Tartak was quoted as saying by the New York Post.
The attack on Tartak by the crowd is reminiscent of
the attack on 2021 Miss Israel winner Noa Cochva who was hit with the butt of
protest placard while she was holding a counter demonstration during a
pro-Palestine rally in New York City.
University and college campuses across the US have
become focal points of major protests, rallies, and vigils amid the situation
in Palestine and the war in Gaza, with both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel groups
organizing marches and demonstrations.
Critics of the pro-Palestinian groups have also said
claimed that authorities are not doing much to curb antisemitism on campus.
Incidents of violence and alleged targeting of Jewish
students forced a prominent rabbi at Columbia University to urge Jewish
students to not return to Columbia University campus on Sunday due to “extreme
antisemitism”.
“The events of the last few days, especially last
night, have made it clear that Columbia University’s Public Safety and the NYPD
cannot guarantee Jewish students’ safety in the face of extreme antisemitism
and anarchy,” Rabbi Elie Buechler told his students via messaging app WhatsApp,
according to the New York Post.
“It deeply pains me to say that I would strongly
recommend you return home as soon as possible and remain home until the reality
in and around campus has dramatically improved,” he further added.
His warning came after 200 students protested against
Israel in Columbia University on Saturday, with some students allegedly saying
that students who wave Israeli flags on campus will be their next target. They
were also calling for the school to divest from corporations profiting from the
war in West Asia.
Several students involved in the protest said they
also were suspended from Columbia and Barnard College, including Isra Hirsi,
who is the daughter of Democratic US representative Ilhan Omar.
Source:
news18.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.news18.com/world/jewish-student-stabbed-in-eye-with-palestinian-flag-columbia-rabbi-suggests-avoiding-university-campuses-8861192.html
---
Arab
World
Islamic Fiqh Council’s 23rd Session InRiyadh Focuses
On Modern Shariah Issues
April 21, 2024
Riyadh: The grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh
Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh, and senior scholars of the Islamic world are in Riyadh
for the Islamic Fiqh Council’s 23rd session to discuss contemporary
jurisprudence challenges.
Scholars and researchers from Islamic and
Muslim-minority countries are attending the session, which runs from April 20
to 22.
The Islamic Fiqh Council sets out to clarify Shariah
rulings for Muslims on a range of issues, show the adaptability of Islamic
jurisprudence, and promote its heritage. The council also seeks to explain its
terminology in contemporary language.
Al-Asheikh emphasized that Islamic jurisprudence, with
its general principles, comprehensive rules, array of jurisprudential branches,
fatwas, and diverse research on various topics provides flexibility and broad
perspectives for contemporary scholars.
He also expressed appreciation to King Salman and
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their efforts in serving the Two Holy
Mosques and their visitors, as well as for the support provided to scholars.
Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general
of the Muslim World League, said in his speech that the session would review
Shariah issues, based on in-depth academic research surveys conducted by
distinguished scholars.
Hissein Brahim Taha, secretary-general of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation, said that the session was taking place
during a critical period for the Islamic world, filled with significant
intellectual and political challenges.
The president of the International Islamic Fiqh
Academy, Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, mentioned that the topics discussed
by the academy’s committees and councils encompass Shariah, family, medical,
economic, financial, and intellectual policies, all of which are of interest to
the Islamic nation.
The secretary-general of the academy, Dr. Koutoub
Moustapha Sano, said: “We are all required to work to unify rulings in Islamic
countries in all matters of life, in accordance with the provisions of Islamic
Shariah. That is the only way to accomplish Islamic unity among Islamic
peoples.”
The session will have several scientific sessions
devoted to contemporary jurisprudential issues and challenges.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2496676/saudi-arabia
----
Saudi universities shine at Geneva invention expo
April 21, 2024
JEDDAH: King Abdulaziz University won 17 awards and
medals for its innovations at the Geneva International Exhibition of
Inventions.
The 26 Saudi universities that entered — 19 public,
two independent, and five private institutions — between them displayed 113
inventions in the Kingdom’s pavilion, with applications in various scientific,
theoretical, medical and other fields.
Mosab bin Faleh Al-Harbi, spokesperson and director of
the KAU media center, said that the competition boosts the importance of
scientific research and innovation in academia.
He highlighted the university’s commitment to
fostering innovation and research among students, and said that the
university’s contributions came from the colleges of computer science,
information technology, medicine, and engineering.
Among the awards won by KAU were the National Research
Society of Thailand Prize for a date classification application, and the
Malaysian Organization for Research Scientists Prize for a continuous
monitoring invention.
Jeddah University also took part in the exhibition,
winning two bronze awards. These were for a computer-vision-based smart
building health inspection system, and a tool for detecting and preventing
distributed denial of service attacks (malicious attacks on a network or
server).
Qassim University won a silver medal for its system
for desalinating water using halophytic plants, developed by a research team
from the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences. The university also received
a bronze medal for a project to use date palm waste in the production of
pharmaceutical excipients in nano-sized tablets, presented by another research
team.
Jazan University was awarded two gold medals. Asim
Najmi from the College of Pharmacy received a medal for his work on derivatives
of benzylidene 4, 2 thiazolidinones, and their use in diabetes treatment.
Mohammed Mashiki from the College of Dentistry, meanwhile, won gold for his
modification of a dental crown used in endodontic retreatment.
The university’s acting president, Mohammed Abu Rasin,
said these achievements show the institution’s dedication to fostering
innovation and promoting a culture of invention through consistent support for
inventors.
The Geneva exhibition is a major global event, drawing
inventors, researchers, and innovators from around the world. It was held from
April 17 to 21, and attracted more than 1,000 innovations from over 50
countries.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2496721/saudi-arabia
----
Taif’s rose farms bloom into global fragrance
production hub
April 21, 2024
RIYADH: Taif’s mountainous and famed rose farms have
become a major fragrance production hub, producing over 550 million flowers
annually and driving an economic engine worth millions.
Spanning 270 hectares, some 910 rose farms nurture
around 1.14 million bushes across areas like Al-Hada, Al-Shifa, Wadi Muharram,
Al-Wahat, and Al-Wahit, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
From March through to April, a kaleidoscope of petals
unfurls across terraced fields, supplying over 70 factories and laboratories
dedicated to extracting and producing over 80 sought-after derivatives that
enjoy widespread popularity in the SR64 million ($17 million) domestic market.
The fragrant crops have elevated the mountainous
governorate into a global rose capital which has even set a Guinness World
Record with a basket of 84,450 roses.
Some 910 rose farms in Taif nurture around 1.14
million bushes, resulting in production of over 550 million flowers annually.
“These roses represent our region’s heritage and
competitive advantage,” said Majid Al-Khalif, director general of the Ministry
of Environment, Water and Agriculture’s branch in the Makkah region,
underscoring the ministry’s dedication to showcasing the agricultural prowess
of each region through festivals and events.
“These initiatives not only promote local products but
also foster knowledge exchange among farmers.”
Al-Khalif acknowledges the pivotal role played by
collaborative efforts with local authorities in ensuring the success of these
events, particularly the Rose Festival, which draws significant tourist
interest.
Visitors are treated to a firsthand experience of the
rose distillation process, seminars, workshops, and other activities tailored
to enthusiasts of Taif’s roses.
Hani bin Abdulrahman Al-Qadi, director of the Ministry
of Environment, Water and Agriculture’s office in the Taif region, shed light
on the significance of the Rose Festival, which features the participation of
more than 60 farms and the families who run them, showcasing their products
over five days of festivities.
Al-Qadi said that the Sustainable Agricultural Rural
Development Program, also known as Reef, was a key initiative aimed at
bolstering the rose farming sector. The program focuses on enhancing the
productivity of vital agricultural crops, aiming for a balanced rural
development strategy. It also seeks to diversify agricultural production across
rural areas while ensuring optimal and sustainable use of natural agricultural
and water resources.
A dedicated unit for Taif’s roses has been established
within the ministry’s office in Taif. Additionally, the adoption of tissue
culture propagation for seedlings and the formation of a cooperative
association to advance Taif’s rose cultivation are part of Reef’s objectives.
The ministry is actively involved in guiding and
educating rose farmers on modern techniques to increase their productivity,
Al-Qadi explained. Last year, a select group of rose farmers was sent to
Bulgaria under a joint cooperation effort between Saudi Arabia and Bulgaria.
This initiative, organized by the Ministry of
Environment, Water and Agriculture, aimed at facilitating knowledge exchange,
enhancing farmers’ skills, and promoting development in rose cultivation,
distillation, and various applications in medicine and cosmetics.
The ministry’s office in Taif is actively engaged in
providing crucial support services to local farmers, aimed at enhancing their
productivity in rose farming. These services encompass agricultural guidance,
initiatives to rehabilitate agricultural terraces, and rainwater harvesting
schemes, tailored specifically to benefit Taif’s rose growers.
Farmers receive expert guidance on adopting best
agricultural practices, with dedicated pest control teams responding promptly
to requests for pesticide spraying to safeguard crops from potential threats.
The ministry also spearheads the construction of
essential water infrastructure, including tanks and barriers, while also
facilitating the establishment of irrigation networks to boost agricultural
activities.
Emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices,
the ministry encourages small-scale rose farmers to embrace and implement best
agricultural methods, providing them with valuable insights into leveraging
advanced technologies and optimizing rose production techniques, including
essential oil extraction as part of a value chain development approach.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2496856/saudi-arabia
----
Saudi FM arrives in Luxembourg for EU-GCC forum on
regional security, cooperation
April 21, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin
Farhan arrived in Luxembourg on Sunday to participate in a high-level forum on
regional security and cooperation between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the
EU.
He will discuss with participants at the forum ways to
enhance cooperation between the GCC and the EU in various fields, the
importance of multilateral coordination, and regional and international
developments, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Prince Faisal will also hold bilateral meetings on the
sidelines of the forum.
The EU-GCC High Level Forum on Regional Security and
Cooperation will be held on Monday.
“The forum will gather EU foreign ministers and their
counterparts from the GCC member states, and the EU special representative for
the Gulf region,” the EU’s diplomatic service said.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2496836/saudi-arabia
----
Saudi Fund for Development signs $67m agreement to
support Oman’s SMEs
April 21, 2024
RIYADH: The Saudi Fund for Development signed a $67
million development financing agreement with the Oman Development Bank on
Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The investment aims to boost the bank’s initiatives
focused on supporting medium and small enterprises, as well as enhancing social
and economic growth and job creation across Oman’s governorates.
The agreement was signed by the co-chairs of the
Saudi-Omani joint committee, with Saeed Al-Qahtani from the SFD, and Zahir
Al-Abri and CEO of the Oman Development Bank Hussein Al Lawati representing the
Omani side.
The Oman Development Bank is a key government entity
dedicated to providing financial support to medium, small, and micro
enterprises.
This agreement builds on a previous $53.33 million
pact signed last September, reflecting a long-standing partnership that spans
more than four decades between Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2496776/saudi-arabia
---
Europe
Spain witnesses mass demonstrations in support of
Palestine
SenhanBolelli
22.04.2024
Thousands of people took to the streets in over 100
cities and towns across Spain over the weekend to demonstrate their support for
Palestine amid Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza.
The nationwide protests, organized by the Solidarity
Network against the Occupation of Palestine (RESCOP), called for an end to the
genocide in Gaza and an urgent cease-fire.
This marked the fourth nationwide demonstration since
the beginning of Israel's attacks on Gaza last October.
The demonstrators displayed placards condemning the
genocide in Gaza, the occupation of Palestine, apartheid, ethnic cleansing and
settler colonialism.
They called on the Spanish government and the
international community to take urgent, concrete and effective measures against
Israel, including halting arms trade with the country and boycotting Israeli
companies involved in the massacre.
In Madrid, thousands marched through the city center
on Sunday waving Palestinian flags and criticizing Israel, the US and the
European Union for their complicity.
Ione Belarra, the leader of the left-wing Podemos
party, who participated in the demonstrations in support of Palestine, accused
the US of complicity by approving $26 billion in military aid to Israel.
Belarra called on the Spanish government and the EU to
sever all ties with the US.
In Barcelona, a human mosaic representing the
Palestinian flag was formed during the demonstration on Saturday, which was
attended by approximately 3,500 people.
A manifesto read during the demonstration emphasized
that Israel carries out massacres in Gaza and occupies Palestinian territories
with complete impunity, thanks to the support of the US and the EU.
Similar demonstrations were held in major Spanish
cities such as Seville, Coruna, Almeria, Burgos, Cadiz, Granada, Malaga,
Murcia, Salamanca, Valladolid and Zaragoza.
Source:
aa.com.tr
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/spain-witnesses-mass-demonstrations-in-support-of-palestine/3198493
---
Parisians protest against Islamophobia amid Gaza war
tensions
21 April 2024
A crowd of around 2,000 people protested in Paris
against racism, Islamophobia and violence against children on Sunday after a
court allowed their demonstration to go ahead.
Bans on protests have been more frequent in France in
recent months, due to tensions stirred by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
In a country that is home to large Muslim and Jewish communities, authorities
have banned many pro-Palestinian demonstrations and public gatherings, citing
the risk of antisemitic hate crimes and violence.
On Sunday, the protesters marched peacefully from the
multi-ethnic Barbes neighborhood toward Place de la Republique. Many chanted
slogans remembering Nahel, a 17-year-old of North African descent who was
fatally shot during a police traffic stop last year.
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told broadcaster BFM
TV that he initially chose to ban the march because, in announcing the protest,
the organizers had likened French police violence to the war in Gaza, and he
felt the event could cause a threat to public order.
That argument was rejected by Paris’s administrative
court in a fast-tracked decision.
“Fighting and mobilizing for the protection of all
children is normal, it should be,” said YessaBelkgodja, one of the organizers
of the march, welcoming the court’s decision.
“If we are banned from protesting, it means we don’t
have the right to express ourselves in France… We are being monitored on social
media. That’s enough, leave us alone,” said Yamina Ayad, a retiree who was
wrapped in the Palestine flag.
A similar ban on a pro-Palestinian protest in Paris
happened in 2021 during a weekslong conflict between Israel and Gaza-based
terrorists. At the time, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin explained his
reasoning for wanting to ban the protest based on violent demonstrations in
2014.
Several demonstrations took place in France in July
2014 to denounce Israel during the war then raging in Gaza. On July 19, 2014,
several thousand protesters defied a ban on a demonstration at Barbes and the
rally rapidly degenerated into violent clashes that lasted for hours.
In January, the Council of Jewish Institutions in
France (CRIF) reported that antisemitic acts in France nearly quadrupled since
the October 7 Hamas massacre in southern Israel, in which close to 1,200
people, mostly civilians, were slain, and 253 were kidnapped to Gaza.
Citing figures from the French interior ministry and a
French-Jewish security watchdog, CRIF said there were 1,676 antisemitic acts in
2023 compared to 436 the year prior, with nearly 60 percent of those acts being
attacks involving physical violence threatening words or menacing gestures.
France is home to Europe’s largest Jewish community
and the largest number of Muslims on the continent, although no precise figures
are available as the country’s census does not include religious identity.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
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---
UK PM discusses Gaza developments with Jordan’s king
April 22, 2024
LONDON: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday
made a phone call to Jordan’s King Abdullah to discuss developments in the Gaza
Strip, 10 Downing Street announced.
During the call, Sunak renewed the UK’s support for
Jordan’s security and that of the region, saying a significant escalation is
“not in anyone’s interests.”
He added that the UK’s focus remains on finding a
solution to the conflict in Gaza.
The UK continues to work toward an immediate
humanitarian truce to bring in much larger amounts of aid and return the
Israeli hostages held by Hamas safely to their families, “leading to a
longer-term sustainable ceasefire,” Sunak said.
The two leaders “discussed joint efforts to
significantly step up aid to Gaza, with the UK taking part in Jordanian-led aid
drops and a humanitarian land corridor to Gaza, as well as the maritime aid
corridor from Cyprus,” Downing Street said.
Sunak told the king that the UK’s ultimate goal is to
achieve a workable two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.
The two leaders “agreed on the importance of
supporting a reformed Palestinian authority to deliver stability and prosperity
across the Palestinian territories,” Downing Street said.
King Abdullah warned of the danger of regional
escalation, which he said threatens international peace and security, Jordan’s
official Petra news agency reported.
He renewed his call for the international community to
intensify efforts to reach an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza to
alleviate the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged Palestinian
territory, and warned of the dangerous consequences of an Israeli assault on
Rafah.
The king stressed the need to protect civilians in
Gaza and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.
He pointed to the importance of continuing to support
the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees to enable it to provide
its humanitarian services in accordance with its UN mandate.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2496926/middle-east
----
In phone call, Germany's Scholz and Israel's Netanyahu
discuss regional tensions
Erbil Basay
21.04.2024
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a telephone
conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a German
government spokesman said on Sunday.
During the call, Netanyahu briefed Scholz on the
situation in the region, Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement.
Scholz stressed the importance of preventing further
escalation of tensions and the spread of conflict in the region.
Scholz also commented on the decision of the
governments and heads of state at the EU Council to impose further sanctions on
Iran following hostilities between Israel and Iran. He said that the German
government would continue to closely coordinate with G7 and EU countries.
Berlin has been internationally criticized for
supporting Israel amid the country’s ongoing offensive against the Gaza Strip.
Flouting an International Court of Justice provisional
ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on Gaza where over 34,000 Palestinians
have been killed, mostly women and children, and some 77,000 injured since Oct.
7, according to Palestinian health authorities.
The Israeli onslaught has pushed 85% of Gaza’s
population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean
water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged
or destroyed, according to the UN.
Hostilities have continued unabated, however, and aid
deliveries remain woefully insufficient to address the humanitarian
catastrophe.???????
Source:
aa.com.tr
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/in-phone-call-germanys-scholz-and-israels-netanyahu-discuss-regional-tensions-/3198465
----
Russian Mufti hails Iran's Leader for peace efforts
Apr 21, 2024
TEHRAN, Apr. 21 (MNA) – Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin,
Russia's grand Mufti has panned a letter to the Leader of the Islamic
Revolution to praise and thank him for efforts in line with establishing peace
and security in the world.
At the start of his letter, he extended
congratulations on the 85th birthday to Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
"All your activities and efforts for uniting
different nations in the world are aimed at fulfilling the commands of the
Almighty Creator. You are a respected and well-known Muslim figure and the
spiritual leader of the Iranian people, people who are inheritors of a rich
history and represent an important and influential part of the Islamic
world," his letter further read.
"May God Almighty accept your worthy and godly
efforts in line with the blessed religion of Islam and the interests of Muslims
and establish a just world for the nations," the Russian grand Mufti
added.
Source:
mehrnews.com
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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/214183/Russian-Mufti-hails-Iran-s-Leader-for-peace-efforts
---
South
Asia
BNP continuously trying to destroy democracy, election
system: Hasan
Apr 21, 2024
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud today said that BNP has
continuously been trying to destroy the political system through their efforts
to destroy democracy and the election system.
"They [the BNP] have been continuously trying to
destroy the democracy and election system," he told reporters,
highlighting BNP's destructive role in the last three national elections.
While addressing a media briefing at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs ahead of the Qatari Emir's state visit, Hasan, also Awami
League joint general secretary, said the BNP had killed people and carried out
arson attacks on citizens and property in an attempt to undermine democracy and
the election system in the country.
He said they want BNP to make a turnaround but BNP has
failed to do that.
"It's very unfortunate for the BNP," he
added.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/bnp-continuously-trying-destroy-democracy-election-system-hasan-3592116
----
Education is an internal issue, countries should not
interfere: Haqqani
April 21, 2024
Acting Minister of Interior Affairs Sirajuddin Haqqani
says Afghanistan is an independent country and the world should understand this
and stop interfering in its internal affairs.
In a meeting with a number of representatives of the
Union of Afghans based in European countries, Haqqani emphasized that the issue
of education is a part of the country’s internal issues and that the Islamic
Emirate will not work on the orders of other countries.
“After several decades of hard struggle, Afghans have
achieved their basic ideals of freedom, ownership of the homeland, and the
establishment of the Islamic system, and all parties should take advantage of
the opportunity created for the settlement and development of the country.
Education is our internal issue. We pave the ground ourselves because this is
our own children’s problem and no one is as kind to our children as we are,”
the ministry quoted him as saying in a statement.
He said the IEA wants positive interaction with the
international community based on mutual respect, stating that the IEA will
never interfere in other countries’ internal affairs and expects them to
respect the sovereignty of Afghanistan.
The delegation of the Union of Afghans based in
Europe, which includes a number of academic and cultural figures, recently came
to Kabul and had separate meetings with officials of the Islamic Emirate at
different levels.
This delegation also met with the Acting Minister of
Education and made suggestions to the Ministry regarding the improvement of the
educational situation.
“The discussion was about how we can convince the
leadership of the Islamic Emirate that closing girls’ schools is in fact a
non-national process, and people are offended by the system, distance
themselves, and it leads half of the society to isolation,” said Hekmatullah
Hekmat, a member of the board of the Union of Afghans based in Europe.
Source:
ariananews.af
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https://www.ariananews.af/education-is-an-internal-issue-countries-should-not-interfere-haqqani/
----
Islamic Cooperation Organization Ready to Expand
Assistance with Afghanistan
2024-04-21
KABUL(BNA): During a meeting with Deputy PM for
Administrative Affairs, the head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC) discussed the organization’s readiness to cooperate with Afghanistan in
various fields.
According to the ARG statement, on Saturday, Mawlavi
Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Deputy PM for Administrative Affairs, met with Dr.
Tariq Ali Bakheet, the Deputy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for
Human, Cultural, and Social Affairs, and his special representative for
Afghanistan, along with his accompanying delegation, which includes officials
from the organization’s human rights, economic, social affairs, and youth
departments.
In this meeting, Mawlavi Hanafi, highlighted the
Islamic Emirate’s aspirations for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,
emphasizing the importance of heeding the advice of its officials. He also
expressed a keen desire to strengthen Afghanistan’s ties with the organization
He further expressed hope that the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation would effectively represent Afghanistan’s challenges and
its true image worldwide. He cordially invited the Secretary-General of the
organization to visit Afghanistan, emphasizing the shared responsibility of
Islamic nations in addressing common issues and hardships.
He highlighted Afghanistan’s transition from conflict
to governance, underscoring the importance of support from the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation across various sectors. Additionally, he emphasized the
invitation of representatives from the Islamic Emirate to the organization’s
forthcoming meeting in Gambia, aiming to facilitate dialogue and convey the
ground realities of Afghanistan.
Moreover Deputy Hanafi reaffirmed that the Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan’s policy is non-aggression towards any nation. He stated
they prioritize an economy-centered approach and refrain from meddling in other
countries’ affairs, expecting the same respect for Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
In Response, Dr. Tariq Ali Bakheet, Deputy
Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, conveyed
greetings and best wishes to Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi and mentioned the
upcoming OIC sessions in Gambia and expressed readiness for collaboration with
Afghanistan.
Dr. Noorah Al-Rashood, the head of the Independent
Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, along with
Ms. Aminah Al-Hajiri, overseeing Cultural, Social, and Internal Affairs, and
Ms. Afnan Al-Shuaibi, leading Women’s Development within the organization, were
also present in the meeting and spoke.
In addition to providing information about their
respective organizations’ activities, they said: “We have witnessed significant
progress in Afghanistan, contrary to the negative portrayal often depicted in
the media.”
The delegation further announced plans for
partnerships between the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Turkey’s TIKA
institution, and Azerbaijan’s development agency, with Afghanistan as the
primary beneficiary, aiming to foster greater development initiatives in the
country.
Source:
bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/islamic-cooperation-organization-ready-to-expand-assistance-with-afghanistan/
----
At least 14 Afghan nationals executed in Iranian
prisons in less than four months
Fidel Rahmati
April 21, 2024
Human rights organizations in Iran have reported that
in less than four months, from the beginning of 2024 until now, at least 14
Afghan nationals have been executed in Iranian prisons.
Hengaw, a human rights organization based in Iranian
Kurdistan, reported on Saturday, April 20th, that the implementation of the
death sentence for five Afghan prisoners in central prisons of Mashhad and
Tabriz has brought the total number of Afghan nationals executed in Iranian
prisons since the beginning of 2024 to 14 cases.
The organization, referring to the statistics
registered at the Hengaw Statistics and Documentation Center, reported that
from the beginning of 2024 until now, less than four months, at least 14 Afghan
nationals have been executed in Iranian prisons. Additionally, in 2023, the
death sentences of 28 Afghan nationals in Iranian prisons were carried out.
Iran annually executes dozens of Afghan citizens,
placing it on the list of countries with high execution rates.
The exact number of Afghan citizens executed annually
in Iran is not clear because the Islamic Republic of Iran largely carries out
the execution orders secretly, and reports as of Thursday have not been
confirmed by the Iranian government.
Source:
khaama.com
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---
Kabul Requests Invite to OIC Meeting in Gambia
April 21, 2024
The Islamic Emirate has requested the participation of
a representative from the interim government at the upcoming Organization of
Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Gambia.
The deputy prime minister for administrative affairs,
Abdul Salam Hanafi, stated this in a meeting with Tariq Ali Bakhit, the deputy
and special envoy of OIC for Afghanistan.
Yesterday, Tariq Ali Bakhit arrived in Kabul at the
head of a delegation and met with the acting minister of Foreign Affairs and
the acting minister of Vice and Virtue and the Administrative Deputy of the
Islamic Emirate's Prime Ministry.
“Mr. Hanafi emphasized the expansion of relations
between the Islamic Emirate and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
countries and requested the participation of an Islamic Emirate representative
at the conference that will be held soon in Gambia,” said Hamdullah Fitrat, the
deputy spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate.
The acting Foreign Minister also discussed ensuring
security, fighting against Daesh, the active role of women in the health,
education, trade sectors, and the protection of women’s fundamental rights
during the meeting with this delegation.
Tariq Ali Bakhit stated that the current visit to
Afghanistan is part of the positive engagement of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation with the interim government.
“The visit of the deputy from the OIC office conveys
the demands, requests, proposals, and conditions of the countries,” said Wais
Naseri, political analyst.
“We must be aware that there are a series of
preconditions that, if accepted by the Taliban, are very likely to open more
channels,” said Farhad Abrar, an International relations analyst.
Meanwhile, the acting Minister of Vice and Virtue, in
the meeting with the Deputy and Special Representative of the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation for Afghanistan, stated that he would not allow anyone to
undermine women’s rights in the country, emphasizing that women's rights are
more secure than ever before.
Abdul Ghafar Farooq, head of Information and
Publications at the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, said: “Mr. Hanafi spoke about
women's rights stating that the Islamic Emirate is committed to the Sharia
rights of women and will not allow anyone to violate these rights.”
Officials of the Islamic Emirate in their meetings
with this delegation requested their efforts in expanding the relations of
Islamic countries with the interim government.
Source:
tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188419
---
Bangladesh, Qatar to sign 6 deals, 5 MoUs during Qatar
emir’s visit
Apr 21, 2024
Bangladesh and Qatar will sign 11 cooperation
documents -- six agreements and five MoUs -- as Dhaka is ready to welcome
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani tomorrow afternoon.
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud came up with the update
while briefing the media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Qatar Md Nazrul Islam and
MoFA Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin, among others, were present.
The six agreements that will be signed between
Bangladesh and Qatar on Tuesday are related to avoidance of double taxation and
tax evasion; cooperation in legal affairs, mutual investment promotion and
protection; transportation by sea; exchange of prisoners and formation of joint
business council.
The five MoUs will be signed in the areas of manpower
sector cooperation; port management; higher education and scientific research;
cooperation in the field of youth and sports and cooperation in diplomatic
training.
"With this visit, the relations between
Bangladesh and Qatar will reach a new height. This is the first-ever high-level
visit from any country of the Middle East after the formation of new government
in January this year," said the foreign minister.
A high-level Qatari delegation headed by Qatar's emir
will pay the state visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of the president and
the prime minister of Bangladesh.
He is scheduled to arrive tomorrow afternoon by a
special flight while President Mohammed Shahabuddin will receive the emir amid
a gun salute and a wider ceremony at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Apart from areas of cooperation on the bilateral
front, global issues including Palestine-Israel will also be discussed where
Bangladesh will highlight its position.
"Naturally, this discussion can come up. Killings
in Gaza should be stopped. Everyone wants it. We want it," said the
foreign minister.
Qatar, a country rich in petroleum and natural gas
with the highest average per capita income, is considered an influential
country in the Middle East due to its strong economy, geopolitical position and
diplomatic activity and mediation, he said.
Responding to a question, he said the energy issue
would come up for discussion with due importance and hoped that the visit would
play an important role in ensuring Bangladesh's energy security.
Qatar is one of the important labour markets of
Bangladesh in the Middle East where about four lakh Bangladeshis are working,
he said, adding that Qatar is one of the most important sources of energy
imports for Bangladesh.
"The visit of the emir of Qatar will be
considered a milestone in the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and
Qatar," Hasan said.
Through the successful implementation of Bangladesh's
foreign policy under the opportune leadership of the prime minister,
Bangladesh's relationship with Qatar will be strengthened, he added.
The government, in a gazette notification, has already
declared the emir as a very important person during his two-day visit to
Bangladesh.
Some of the Dhaka streets are seen decorated with
photos of Qatar's emir, along with Bangladesh's president and the prime
minister ahead of the visit.
Hasan said the existing bilateral relations between
Bangladesh and Qatar are very "deep, friendly and multifaceted" and
Qatar is one of the Muslim countries that recognised Bangladesh during
Bangabandhu's government (in 1974).
He said the bilateral relations between the two
countries have reached a strong position through the visit of the PM to Qatar
in March and May 2023. In continuation of this, the emir of Qatar will visit
Bangladesh.
Recently, Hasan said, the areas of trade, investment
and employment creation, energy, aviation, agriculture, food security, climate
change, etc. have been identified with the aim of expanding the scope of
bilateral cooperation through diplomatic communication and discussions at
various levels with Qatar.
As a token of friendship between Bangladesh and Qatar,
the process of naming a road in Dhaka after the emir of Qatar is underway.
The emir will inaugurate the park in Kalshi area of
Mirpur under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and a road running from Mirpur
ECB Chattar to Kalshi Flyover at 3:00pm.
On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will
receive the emir at her office.
They will have tete-a-tete (one-to-one) meeting at the
Prime Minister's Office which will be followed by bilateral meeting.
The two leaders will witness signing of cooperation
documents and join a joint press meet.
After signing visitors' book there, the emir will head
for Bangabhaban on Tuesday afternoon where the president will receive him.
President Shahabuddin will host official lunch in
honour of the emir at Darbar Hall, Bangabhaban.
FM Hasan Mahmud will also have a courtesy meeting with
the emir.
The emir will have a private meeting with selected
business community members at his place of residence.
The emir is scheduled to depart Hazrat Shahjalal
International Airport by a special flight at 6:00pm on Tuesday.
The foreign minister will see him off at the airport.
The State of Qatar recognised Bangladesh as a
sovereign State on March 4, 1974, following the 2nd OIC Summit held in February
1974.
Bangladesh opened its diplomatic mission in Doha on
June 25, 1975. The State of Qatar reciprocated by opening its diplomatic
mission in Dhaka in 1982.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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----
Doctors Without Borders to Construct Special
Children’s Hospital in Herat
2024-04-21
HERART (BNA) In a recent meeting with Sheikh Mawlana
Noor Ahmad Islam Jar, the governor of Herat, Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
announced their intentions to build a dedicated children’s hospital in Herat
province.
The organization’s representative expressed their
readiness to commence construction on this vital healthcare facility in the
near future.
During the meeting, the fifth head of the Doctors
Without Borders office in Herat outlined their comprehensive plans for the
province, emphasizing the expansion of their activities to better serve the
local population.
The organization has been providing essential
humanitarian services to the people of Afghanistan, with a particular focus on
Herat.
Sheikh Mawlana Noor Ahmad Islam Jar, the governor of
Herat, expressed deep gratitude for the invaluable humanitarian services
rendered by Doctors Without Borders to the Afghan people, especially the
residents of Herat. He assured the organization of the local government’s
unwavering support and cooperation in all their activities within the province.
The establishment of the children’s hospital in Herat
province stands as a beacon of hope, promising a brighter and healthier future
for the young generation of Afghanistan.
Source:
bakhtarnews.af
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----
Pakistan
PM renews pledge to realise Iqbal’s vision of Pakistan
2024-04-22
LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said
that Allama Muhammad Iqbal had dreamt of a ‘Pakistan’ that would be a cradle of
peace, political forbearance and brotherhood and stressed upon renewing of
pledge to achieve Iqbal’s vision by making strenuous efforts.
He said that Allama Iqbal wanted the youth to take the
country to acme of progress and development with their constructive approach.
In a message on the observance of 86th death
anniversary of Dr Muhammad Iqbal, the prime minister said that the entire
nation had been praying for the high ranks of Allama’s departed soul on the day
and paid rich tribute to his contributions.
“Dr Muhammad Iqbal, through his thoughts and
teachings, had stressed upon unity of Muslim Ummah. He especially focused upon
youth and played an important role in getting them acquainted with the
sacrifices of their forefathers, prestige and the forgotten inheritance,” PM
Office Media Wing, in a press release on Sunday, quoted the prime minister as
saying.
The prime minister further said that Allama Iqbal
taught the youth to wage consistent struggle and exhorted them to carve paths
in the future through gaining knowledge and carrying out research and by
learning from the past glorious periods of Muslims.
Iqbal’s philosophy of selfhood (Khudi) was a beacon of
light for all and by emulating his philosophy, the exquisite qualities of
mankind could be achieved, he said, adding that not only the modern
universities in the region but across the globe were also conducting research
upon his philosophy and teachings.
The prime minister said, moreover, Iqbal’s verses and
writings in Persian and Urdu languages had been popular in the world.
Allama Iqbal had dreamt of a separate homeland for the
Muslims of the Indo-Pak sub-continent which was realized by Quaid-e-Azam
Muhammad Ali Jinnah and other leaders of the Muslim League by striving day and
night.
Source:
brecorder.com
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---
Two Customs men slain in another attack in Dera Ismail
Khan
April 22, 2024
Muhammad Irfan Mughal
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: At least three people, including two
Customs officials, were slain in an attack near Bannu Road late on Saturday,
according to police.
This was the second attack on Customs officials in
Dera Ismail Khan in five days.
A police spokesman said the Customs officials were
travelling in a vehicle when armed assailants opened fire near Yarik Toll
Plaza.
Two Customs officials, including inspector Husnain
and constable Ziad Khan, lost their lives in the attack.
A civilian, whose identity was yet to be ascertained,
was also killed.
According to APP, two Customs officials were also
injured in the attack.
The bodies and injured officials were shifted to the
D.I. Khan District Headquarters Hospital.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Ghulam Ali, Finance
Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly
condemned the attack and expressed sympathy to the victims’ families, APP
reported.
Mr Naqvi paid tribute to officials “who sacrificed
their lives to prevent smuggling” and vowed strict action against smugglers.
On Wednesday, five Customs officers were gunned down
in an ambush during an intelligence-based operation within the remits of
Daraban police station.
A civilian and a minor girl were also killed in the
attack.
The slain officers belonged to the Customs’
Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation (Peshawar) and were conducting
an IBO when they were ambushed by unknown assailants, an official statement
issued by Customs said.
FC official martyred
In a separate attack on Sunday, a Frontier Corps (FC)
personnel was martyred after being fired upon by unknown assailants in D.I.
Khan’s Kulachi tehsil.
The martyred soldier was on leave from duty when he
was gunned down.
A police official said the FC personnel, identified as
Mohammad Zubair, was sitting at his brother’s mobile shop when the attackers
opened fire.
He was martyred on the spot.
KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the
attack and expressed his sympathy and condolences to the martyr’s family.
“We share the grief of the bereaved family,” CM
Gandapur said in a statement.
Source:
dawn.com
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---
‘Taliban-linked’ cleric killed in Quetta, buried in
Afghanistan
April 22, 2024
Saleem Shahid
QUETTA: A prominent prayer leader who was gunned down
by unidentified motorcyclists on Friday evening in the Nawan Killi area of
Quetta was buried in his home province of Zabul in Afghanistan, officials said
on Sunday.
The body of the cleric, Mohammad Omar Jan Akhundzada,
was taken to Afghanistan by his family, an official, who asked not to be named,
told Dawn. The official revealed that Mr Akhundzada was a leader of the Afghan
Taliban but had been living in Nawan Killi, a human settlement on Quetta’s
outskirts, for more than 13 years.
Before his assassination, he had succeeded his father
as the prayer leader at the same mosque. He was around 55 years old, a holder
of a Pakistani national identity card, and owned a house in the area.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban
government, posted on the social media platform X that Mr Akhundzada was a
senior religious scholar and had previously taught at a Taliban-run madrassa in
Kandahar. He was also a member of the Afghan Taliban’s oversight committee.
Quetta police have initiated an investigation into the
killing. “We are investigating the killing of Molvi Mohammad Omar Jan but were
unaware of his status within the Taliban government in Afghanistan,” a senior
police officer said. He added that more details would be shared after the
investigation is concluded.
According to sources, Mr Akhundzada had moved to
Quetta about 13 years ago following disagreements with the Afghan Taliban,
living with his father, who also resided in Nawan Killi. However, his family
has denied any links with the Taliban government.
Sources also said that Mr Akhundzada was close to
Taliban supreme leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, who had also served as a
prayer leader in a mosque in Kuchlak before leading the Afghan Taliban.
Police officials in Quetta said no individual or group
immediately claimed responsibility for the killing of Molvi Mohammad Omar Jan.
Source:
dawn.com
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---
Afghans living legally in Pakistan should not be
harassed or expelled: KP govt spokesperson
April 21, 2024
KP government’s spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali
Saif has said that Afghan nationals living legally in Pakistan should not be
“harassed or expelled”, warning that any action in this regard could sour
relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The government launched the first round of
repatriation of what it called “undocumented aliens” in November last year.
No official data has been released as to how many of
the estimated 1.7m undocumented Afghans have left for their country since
November 2023, though the figure likely fell hugely short of what is now being
considered a grossly exaggerated number.
But according to informed sources, the total number of
undocumented Afghans who have returned to Afghanistan via Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
and Balochistan in the first round stands at around the half million-mark.
The second phase of the repatriation drive to send
nearly one million ‘documented’ Afghans back to their homeland is in the works,
with directives to district authorities and police to map and collect data of
their whereabouts across the country, documents have revealed.
“We have already started the mapping process,” Abid
Majeed, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s additional chief secretary, confirmed to Dawn in
March, adding that the deadline for this process was April 30.
During an interview on Dawn News programme Doosra Rukh
on Friday, Barrister Saif was asked about the planned second wave of Afghan
deportations and how many still remained within KP.
The PTI leader said that all illegal Afghan migrants
in KP had already been repatriated, and that no action was currently underway
against legal Afghan residents.
“During the first phase, we were tasked to identify
illegal Afghans in KP and they were deported”, he added. “All Afghans without
any documentation in KP have returned to Afghanistan.”
Barrister Saif stated that the only Afghans left in
the province were those in possession of Afghan Citizen Cards, in accordance
with Pakistani law and international resolutions from bodies like the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees.
“The federal government has only tasked us to track
how many legal Afghans are in KP. Our mapping has shown that 359,000 live in
the province”, he said, adding that no orders to take action against anyone
have been issued.
“If we are instructed to expel them (legal Afghans),
then we will talk [to the authorities]. Deporting illegal Afghans was
justified, but we cannot harass or target Afghans living here legally”, he
said.
The barrister warned that any action against legal
Afghans would “foment hatred, misunderstanding and mistrust between us and
Afghanistan.”
“The federal government should approach this situation
delicately,” he added.
Source:
dawn.com
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---
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrives in Pakistan to
red carpet welcome
April 22, 2024
Azaz Syed
ISLAMABAD: In a significant diplomatic development for
Pakistan, Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi reached Pakistan on an
official three-day visit on Monday.
The visit, first by any foreign leader to Pakistan
after the February 8 polls, will see the Iranian head of state holding key
meetings with the Pakistani leadership including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,
Chairman Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz
Sadiq and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.
The dignitary's visit comes amid the Iran-Israel
tension and will be closely observed by the United States. However, sources
told Geo News that the visit has no relation with the ongoing hostility between
the two countries.
President Raisi will also visit Lahore and Karachi and
meet with the provincial leadership.
Meanwhile, speaking during a press conference in
Tehran before his departure, the Iranian president termed Pakistan a
"brotherly Islamic country" and underscored historic relations with
its government and people.
The president also highlighted that both Islamabad and
Tehran have a common position on various global issues including anti-terrorism
efforts as well as the violation of human rights in Palestine.
Commenting on his Islamabad trip, Raisi said his visit
would see the two sides mulling over various issues including those relating to
security, economy and trade.
The president, expressing the intention to increase
bilateral trade to $10 billion, said that Islamabad could benefit from the
Iranian market.
The Iranian president, according to Foreign Office
Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, will be accompanied by his spouse and a
high-level delegation, comprising the foreign minister and other members of the
cabinet, senior officials and a large business delegation.
The two sides, during President Raisi's visit, will
have a wide-ranging agenda to further strengthen Pakistan-Iran ties and enhance
cooperation in diverse fields, including trade, connectivity, energy,
agriculture and people-to-people contacts.
Leaders from both sides will also discuss regional and
global developments and bilateral cooperation to combat the common threat of
terrorism.
The dignitary, upon his arrival at the Islamabad
airport, was received by Federal Minister for Housing and Works Mian Riaz
Hussain Pirzada and Pakistan's Ambassador to Iran Mudassir Tipu.
PM Shehbaz will hold delegation-level talks with
Iran's Raisi at the PM Office after which, the FO shared, a number of
memorandum of understanding (MoUs) will be signed between the two sides.
The premier will also host a luncheon in honour of the
visiting dignitary.
The FO added that President Zardari will meet his
Iranian counterpart at Aiwan-e-Sadr and host a dinner in his honour.
In the second leg of his high-profile visit to
Pakistan, Raisi will travel to Lahore where he will meet Governor Balighur
Rehman and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
He is also scheduled to visit the mausoleum of Allama
Iqbal.
Later, the Iranian leader will travel to Karachi where
his meetings are scheduled with Governor Kamran Tessori and Chief Minister
Murad Ali Shah.
Raisi will also visit Quaid's mausoleum in Karachi and
pay his respects to the founder of Pakistan.
The foreign leader would stay in Karachi and return to
Tehran on Wednesday.
The provincial authorities are on high alert due to
the high-profile visit and public holiday has been declared in Karachi on April
23.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
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----
MBS orders start of ‘Road to Makkah Project’ at Jinnah
airport
April 22, 2024
ISLAMABAD: After Islamabad, Saudi Crown Prince
Muhammad Bin Salman (MBS) has ordered to start work immediately on ‘Road to
Makkah Project’ at the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi.
In this connection, a two-member Saudi delegation
carried out a detailed inspection of Jinnah International Airport on Sunday.
According to sources of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the Saudi Consul
General was also with the visiting Saudi delegation.
According to concerned officials of the federal
government, the immigration and other essential requirements of Haj pilgrims of
Karachi and across Sindh will be accomplished at the Jinnah International
Airport under ‘Road to Makkah Project’ and they will directly travel with their
own transport from Jeddah and Madina airports to their residences without
passing through the lengthy process of immigration on those airports.
The ‘Road to Makkah Project’ has already been launched
successfully at the Islamabad Airport. Acting Jinnah International Airport
manager briefed the Saudi delegation and invited them to visit the lounges of
airport. The Saudi delegation met officials of Airport Security Force, FIA and
Customs during its visit besides holding a meeting with the technical team for
processing and fixing of other mechanism. A final shape of the immigration
facilities for Haj pilgrims at the Karachi Airport will be given in a few days.
The lounge and hall will be allocated at Jinnah International Airport where the
necessary immigration staff with other officials will install a computer system
on their counter. This way the Jinnah International Airport will become the
second in Pakistan to launch the Road to Makkah Project.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
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---
Results show people’s trust in govt policies: PM
April 22, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday
congratulated the newly-elected members of the National and Provincial
assemblies in the by-elections.
He said the victory of PMLN candidates in the
by-elections is a manifestation of people’s confidence in the party policies.
“We sincerely thank people who voted for the Muslim League-N in the
by-election,” he said in a statement. The PM said the public should rest
assured that the PMLN government would not leave any stone unturned to serve
them.
He said along with visible signs of economic
improvement, the change in public opinion was also becoming noticeable. The
success of PMLN candidates was a public acknowledgment of the government’s
service in restoring the economy, reducing inflation and improving foreign
relations. With economic improvement and increase in public relief, the public
opinion would change further in the coming times, he hoped.
Forecasts of economic improvement in international
financial institutions, news agencies and surveys had also had a positive
impact on public opinion, he added.
The PM said that non-political behaviour of the
opposition after the February 8 elections had also left its supporters confused
and disappointed.
Losing and winning is part of the electoral process,
instead of accusations, it is a democratic attitude to adopt the path of
political cooperation, he advised. Flaws and objections in the electoral
process could be removed only through mutual cooperation and political
dialogue, added Shehbaz Sharif.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1180999-results-show-people-s-trust-in-govt-policies-pm
---
Pakistan sends eighth tranche of humanitarian aid for
Gaza
April 22, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday said
Pakistan has dispatched its eighth tranche of humanitarian assistance for Gaza
through sea. The 400 tonnes of aid consists of “winterized tents, tarpaulins,
blankets, medicines and food supplies”.
In a post on X, Dar said the shipment would be
received by the Pakistani ambassador to Egypt at Port Said and handed over to
the Egyptian Red Crescent for onward delivery to the people of Gaza.
“Pakistan remains committed to addressing the urgent
humanitarian needs of our brothers and sisters in Gaza,” he said.
Since the conflict broke out in Palestine on October
7, 2023, Pakistan has continuously been raising its voice against the Israeli
atrocities and sending aid time and again.
Pakistan on April 19 regretted the United States decision
to veto the draft resolution seeking Palestine’s full membership of the United
Nations and expressed its disappointment at the UN Security Council’s inability
to reach a consensus on the matter.
“Pakistan is deeply disappointed by the result of last
night’s debate at the UNSC and its inability to reach a consensus and recommend
Palestine’s membership to UN General Assembly,” Foreign Office spokesperson
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch had said in her weekly press briefing. “We regret the US
decision to veto the draft resolution granting full membership of the UN to
Palestine,” she had added.
The Security Council had blocked Palestine’s bid to
become a full member of the UN due to a US veto on a widely supported
resolution that would have recommended the granting of such status. The
proposal, submitted to the 15-member Council by Algeria, received 12 votes in
favour, with the US casting a negative vote and Switzerland and the United
Kingdom abstaining.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1181006-pakistan-sends-eighth-tranche-of-humanitarian-aid-for-gaza
---
Mideast
‘Israel’s Organized Crimes Against Gazans Blatant
Examples of Genocide’: Iranian FM
21 April 2024
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman has strongly
condemned the massacre and mass burial of civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip
by Israeli forces as clear examples of genocide and war crimes.
Nasser Kan'ani made the remark on Sunday in reaction
to the recent discovery of a mass grave at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis
two weeks after the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the southern Gaza city.
Gaza's civil defense agency initially said the bodies
of 50 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces were retrieved from the mass grave.
However, the number was later revised up to 210 as more bodies were unearthed.
“The horrendous and heart-rending news about the
massacre and mass burial of hundreds of patients, injured people, and medical
staff of the Nasser Hospital inside the complex in Gaza has left the world’s
public opinion bewildered and sorrowful,” Kan'ani said.
He added, “Frequent, organized and widespread crimes
committed by the Zionist regime against inhabitants of Gaza are blatant
examples of genocide and war crimes, and it is incumbent on the international
community and international organizations to stop impunity for those who order
and commit these crimes.”
He stressed that hospitals and other healthcare
facilities are protected under international law, especially the Geneva
Conventions of 1949.
The Iranian diplomat said Israel is responsible for
such crimes and there is no question about its criminal responsibility, adding
that even those governments that support the regime could be held responsible
on an international level.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran vehemently condemns this
horrible catastrophe, urging the secretary general of the United Nations and
the rotational president of the Security Council, as well as all countries and
responsible members of the international community to not only condemn it, but
also use national, regional and international capacities to prosecute and bring
to justice those who order and commit them,” Kan'ani concluded.
Israeli forces raided the Nasser hospital and killed
dozens of people who were sheltering there back in February following days of
intense bombardment.
They attacked Khan Yunis -- Gaza's second-largest city
-- in early December, forcing residents to flee their homes.
On April 7, the Israeli military said it had withdrawn
its ground forces from Khan Yunis. Since then, displaced Palestinians have been
returning to their homes after months of Israeli attacks, which left most of
the city in ruins.
Source:
presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/04/21/724119/Israel-crimes-mass-burial-Gaza-genocide-war-crimes-Nasser-Kan-ani-
----
First Iran Group in Nine Years Heads to Saudi Arabia
for Umrah Pilgrimage
22nd April 2024
DUBAI: The first group of Iranian pilgrims in nine
years made its way to Saudi Arabia on Monday for the Umrah, Iran’s official
news agency reported, as a result of improving ties between the two Middle
Eastern powers.
Iranian media had said in December that Saudi Arabia
had lifted restrictions on Iranians wanting to perform Umrah but flights were
delayed until now due to what Tehran called “technical problems”.
In March 2023, China mediated an agreement under which
Iran and Saudi Arabia restored full diplomatic relations that were cut since
2016 over Riyadh’s execution of a Shia Muslim cleric and the subsequent
storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran.
Before ties were restored, Iranians had only been able
to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, a religious duty deemed compulsory for Muslims
who aim to carry it out once in their lifetime. The Hajj must be performed at a
certain time of the year, and which is subject to strict annual quotas.
The Umrah can be performed at any time and is not
deemed compulsory for Muslims.
Saudi Ambassador to Iran Abdullah bin Saud al-Anzi was
present at Tehran’s main airport during the farewell ceremony held for the 85
pilgrims.
Source:
brecorder.com
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---
Israel achieved no objectives; Gaza resistance will
persist: Islamic Jihad
22 April 2024
The Islamic Jihad resistance movement has highlighted
Israel’s failure to meet its objectives in the Gaza Strip through its genocidal
war, stressing that Palestinian resistance will persist as long as the
aggression rages on.
The occupying regime “has not achieved any of its
declared goals” in Gaza and it “will not be able to achieve” them, Al Jazeera
quoted the Islamic Jihad’s deputy chief Mohammad al-Hindi as saying on Monday.
He also noted that Israel will not be able to return a
single captive from Gaza except through negotiations aimed at securing a
ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.
The resistance, he added, showed great flexibility in
the truce talks and agreed to the withdrawal of the occupation forces in stages
from the besieged Gaza.
The Gaza resistance has not closed the door to
negotiations, and thus presented its vision to end the Israeli genocide against
Palestinians, Hindi said.
“The resistance will not surrender,” he asserted. “The
cost of surrender is much greater than the cost of confrontation.”
The Islamic Jihad official further said that Israeli
prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to prolong the Gaza onslaught because
stopping it, will end his political survival.
“Israel will not be master of this region as Netanyahu
and the American administration want,” he added.
Israel waged its brutal US-backed war on Gaza on
October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation
Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified
atrocities against the Palestinian people.
However, 199 days into the offensive, the Tel Aviv
regime has failed to achieve its declared objectives of “destroying Hamas” and
finding Israeli captives despite killing at least 34,097 Palestinians, mostly
women and children, and injuring 76,980 others.
Source:
presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/04/22/724136/Islamic-Jihad-Israel-failed-Gaza-objectives
---
Israeli army unit accused of abuses ‘kills
Palestinians for no real reason,’ says party leader
Zein Khalil
21.04.2024
Israeli Labor Party leader Merav Michaeli called
Sunday for dismantling an army unit with a history of abuses, saying it is
killing Palestinians “for no real reason.”
Her call came amid reports that the US was preparing
to impose sanctions on the Netzah Yehuda battalion over human rights violations
committed by the combat unit against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
“The sanctions are an acknowledgment of the reality
and an understanding that Israel’s conduct in the territories cannot continue,”
Michaeli said on X.
“The violent and corrupt conduct of the Netzah Yehuda
battalion and those around it has been known for years, and nothing has been
done to stop it.”
The Israeli party leader said that Washington
established a team two years ago to investigate the conduct of the army unit.
“The political and military echelons cannot pretend
they did not know about it,” she added. “Instead of wising up and dealing with
the situation, we get yet another dose of denial and foot-dragging, lies and
covering up the bitter reality.”
Michaeli said the Netzah Yehuda battalion should have
been disbanded many years ago.
“Most of the ultra-Orthodox who serve in the IDF
(army) do not serve in it today. This is a regiment of ‘hilltop youth’ and
those who see just religion as an excuse to attack Arabs,” she added.
“It’s a battalion that kills Palestinians for no real
reason and beats and abuses them,” the party leader added.
Responding to War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz’s
statement that the unit is “an inseparable part” of the Israeli army, Michaeli
said that “automatically defending” the battalion “casts a heavy shadow over
the entire IDF.”
The battalion was established in 1999 as a special
military unit for ultra-Orthodox Jews, and all soldiers and officers in it are
men.
Source:
aa.com.tr
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---
Mass burial around Gaza Nasser Hospital shocked world
Apr 22, 2024
TEHRAN, Apr. 22 (MNA) – Iran's Foreign Ministry
spokesman says publishing of the horrifying news of the massacre and mass
burial of hundreds of people in the vicinity of Nasser Hospital has caused
shock among people around the world.
In reaction to the mass burial of hundreds of people
in the vicinity of Gaza’s Nasser Hospital, Nasser Kan'ani said late on Sunday
that the publication of the horrifying and heartbreaking news of the massacre
and mass burial of hundreds of patients, wounded, and medical staff in the
vicinity of Nasser Hospital caused the astonishment and sadness among people
around the world.
Emphasizing the support of international humanitarian
law, especially the 1949 Geneva Conventions for hospitals and medical centers,
the spokesman said that not only the Israeli regime but states supporting it
are responsible for such crimes as well.
Kan'ani further noted that repeated, organized, and
extensive crimes of the Zionist regime against the people of Gaza are clear
examples of genocide and war crimes, highlighting that it is the responsibility
of the international community and international organizations to deal with the
perpetrators and leaders of such crimes.
While strongly condemning such tragedy in Gaza
Hospital, He urged the UN secretary general, the rotating president of the
Security Council, and all responsible countries and members of the
international community to condemn the horrific incident in Khan Yunis and use
national, regional, and international capacities to prosecute the crimes and
punish the perpetrators.
In a statement released on Saturday, Gaza's civil
defense agency said the bodies of 50 Palestinians, who had been killed by the
Israeli occupation forces, were retrieved from a mass grave at the Nasser
hospital in Khan Yunis.
Source:
mehrnews.com
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----
Islamic Follow-up committee calls for broad popular
outburst to confront occupation
[22/April/2024]
GAZA April 22. 2024 (Saba) - The National and Islamic
Forces Follow-up Committee has called on the masses of the Palestinian people,
their national components, and their effective civil and popular forces for a
broad popular outburst to confront the Zionist enemy and the settlers
throughout the West Bank and al-Quds.
In a statement, the committee said these heinous
crimes in Tulkarm are an extension of the crimes of the occupation and the
genocidal war that targets the entire Palestinian land, which confirms the
legitimate right to resist the occupation, hold it accountable, and make it pay
the price for its crimes until it is defeated from the occupied territories and
are liberated.
The committee called for the broadest campaign of
Arab, Islamic and international support and solidarity with the Palestinian
people.
It also called on the United Nations, the
international community, international institutions and courts to protect the
Palestinian people from the fascist and Nazi occupation, the army and settlers,
to stop the Zionist aggression and genocidal war, and to prosecute the leaders
of the Zionist entity for committing war crimes, genocide, and systematic
ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people.
The committee stressed that the blood of the martyrs
of the people in Tulkarm, Gaza and everywhere will not be in vain, but will
remain a fire on the occupation and its supporters and a light on the path to
victory, freedom and the establishment of the Palestinian state with al-Quds as
its capital.
Source:
saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3322970.htm
----
62,000 Israeli settlers flee northern Palestine amid
Hezbollah strikes: Report
22 April 2024
Some 62,000 Israeli settlers have fled areas in the
northern sector of the 1948 Israeli-occupied lands amid fear of strikes by
Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement in retaliation for the bloody onslaught
on Gaza, latest reports have revealed.
Lebanon’s al-Mayadeen television news channel, citing
Israeli media outlets, reported on Sunday evening that the number of settlers
that have evacuated the area as a result of Hezbollah’s operations now stands
at a staggering 62,000.
The report noted that 30,000 of the settlers have
evacuated northern occupied Palestine on their own as fears are mounting among
the residents that Hezbollah fighters continue to carry out daily operations
with no signs that they are deterred by any action the Israeli army is taking.
Israeli media outlets further noted that 40% of the
evacuees are considering no return to the region.
Moreover, 38% of those who voluntarily left the area,
no longer intend to return to their previous places of residence in the
northern occupied territories.
This comes as Hezbollah targeted a facility housing
Israeli soldiers in the Shomera settlement earlier on Sunday with a barrage of
rockets.
The Lebanese resistance group also struck surveillance
devices newly installed around the Dovev military barracks, completely
destroying the hardware.
Hezbollah said in a statement that it attacked the
deployment positions of Israeli soldiers south of the Jal al-Alam site, using
heavy-caliber Burkan (Volcano) missiles.
In another statement, the resistance group announced
that its fighters struck surveillance equipment at the Misgav Am military site,
which Israeli forces had lately re-positioned.
Surveillance equipment at the al-Malkiya base was also
targeted and destroyed, it said, adding that the operation was carried out with
a salvo of rockets.
The Israeli regime has repeatedly attacked southern
Lebanon since October 7, when it launched a genocidal war on Gaza that has
killed at least 34,097 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
In retaliation, Hezbollah has launched near-daily
rocket attacks on Israeli positions.
At least 349 people have been killed on the Lebanese
border, including 68 civilians.
Hezbollah has already fought off two Israeli wars
against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006. The resistance forced the regime to retreat
in both conflicts.
Source:
presstv.ir
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----
Iran raps Israel’s systematic environmental
destruction in West Bank, Gaza Strip
21 April 2024
The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry has
strongly denounced the Israeli regime over irreversible environmental
destruction and disastrous economic and health consequences in the occupied
West Bank and war-torn Gaza Strip.
“On the occasion of Earth Day, it is best to strongly
condemn the inhumane and shameful behavior of the Zionist regime regarding the
systematic environmental destruction in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and
its purposeful destructive actions as a means to pressure the oppressed
Palestinian nation,” Nasser Kan’ani wrote in a post published on the social
media platform X on Sunday.
He called upon the international community and
relevant institutions to adopt prompt and appropriate measures aimed at
immediate cessation of all forms of crimes as well as inhumane and
anti-environmental actions of Israeli forces across Palestinian territories.
Israel launched its atrocious onslaught against the
Gaza Strip, targeting hospitals, residences, and houses of worship since
Palestinian resistance movements launched a surprise attack, dubbed Operation
al-Aqsa Storm, against the usurping regime on October 7.
At least 34,097 Palestinians have been killed, most of
them women and children, and another 76,980 individuals have sustained
injuries. More than 1.7 million people have been internally displaced during
the war as well.
Experts have already warned that Palestinians living
in Gaza, if they survive, will face an “uninhabitable” territory for decades to
come because of the deadly impact of the ongoing war.
From smoke-filled air to the long-term contamination
of groundwater with hazardous waste, and the toxic debris poisoning the very
land Palestinians call home, the repercussions of the dire spike in pollution
levels are vast and interconnected with the strip’s deepening humanitarian
crisis.
Against this backdrop, the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) has begun to assess the grave environmental impact of the
ongoing genocidal war on Gaza.
During the sixth session of the United Nations
Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, in February, UNEP’s executive director
Inger Andersen said upon an official request from the Palestinian government
that the UN body will carry out an assessment of the environmental impacts of
the war on Gaza.
“The goal of such assessments is always to track the
extent of damage and inform a science-based approach to recovery and
reconstruction when conditions allow,” Andersen said, urging an end to the war
to address the environmental toll of the devastating war.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 22.9 million tons of debris have been generated
due to the destruction of properties, mainly residential units.
The UN agency estimates that it would take around
eight years to clear the debris, given existing capacities in the blockaded and
war-ravaged territory.
Source:
presstv.ir
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---
Southeast
Asia
No need to repatriate Malaysians in Iran, Jordan,
Lebanon amid tension, says Mohamad Hasan
22 Apr 2024
MAZWIN NIK ANIS
PUTRAJAYA: There is no pressing need to repatriate
Malaysians in Iran, Jordan and Lebanon following tension between Iran and
Israel, says Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said that Wisma Putra is assessing the situation in
these countries and assuring that the welfare of Malaysians there is a top
priority.
“If the National Security Council directs an
evacuation of our people, we will proceed to bring them home,” he said at the
Foreign Ministry’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house on Monday (April 22).
Mohamad said there are 38 Malaysians, including
embassy staff in Iran and between 2,000 and 3,000 in Jordan, of whom are mostly
students.
According to records, there are about 800 Malaysians
in Lebanon, the majority of them are peacekeepers serving in the United Nations
Interim Force (Unifil).
“For now, there is no pressing need to bring them
home,” he said.
On April 19, Israel launched an attack on Iran in the
latest tit-for-tat exchange between the two arch-rivals.
This came after Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corp
(IRGC) had launched dozens of its missiles against Israel six days earlier on
April 13.
Earlier, Iran had unleashed a massive aerial strike in
retaliation for a suspected Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus.
Source:
thestar.com.my
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----
Iran-Israel conflict: No urgent need to repatriate
Malaysians in Iran, Lebanon and Jordan, says Tok Mat
22 Apr 2024
PUTRAJAYA, April 22 — There is currently no urgent
need to repatriate Malaysians from Lebanon, Jordan and Iran following the
Iran-Israel conflict, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said Wisma Putra is closely monitoring the
situation of Malaysians in these three countries and if instructed by the
National Security Council (MKN), appropriate actions would be taken to ensure
their safety.
“In Iran, there are 38 Malaysians, including embassy
staff, while in Jordan, there are approximately 2,000 to 3,000, many of whom
are students.
“In Lebanon, there are over 800 Malaysians, most of
whom are peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
(Unifil). As of today, there is no urgent need to repatriate our citizens from
these countries,” he told reporters after attending Wisma Putra’s Hari Raya
Aidilfitri celebration.
Last Friday, Israel launched an attack on Iran in
retaliation for Tehran’s attack the previous weekend.
Tel Aviv had previously warned of retaliatory strikes
after Iran launched 300 drones and guided missiles towards Israel last weekend,
but most of them were intercepted.
Iran’s attack was in response to Israel’s bombing of
targets in Syria earlier this month, including the Iranian consulate in
Damascus.
Commenting on the conflict, Mohamad expressed hope for
de-escalation, stating that the ongoing conflict between the two countries
brings no benefit to the world.
He said this conflict should not divert Malaysia and
other countries from their focus on efforts to defend the plight of oppressed
Palestinians.
The issue of Palestine must continue to be advocated,
especially in light of the atrocities experienced by the Palestinian people,
who have been oppressed, killed and displaced from their homeland for more than
75 years,” he said.
Regarding the floods in Dubai, he said no Malaysians
were affected by the city’s worst flood in 75 years.
“We hope for a swift recovery for the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) or Dubai, particularly in restoring the airport management
system. The Malaysian Consulate in Dubai remains in constant communication with
the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) and fortunately, no Malaysians were affected
by this disaster,” he said.
According to media reports, the UAE experienced its
heaviest rainfall in 75 years, resulting in severe floods in several areas of
the country, especially in Dubai. — Bernama
Source:
malaymail.com
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---
BNPT as leading sector in countering terrorism at 10th
WWF
April 22, 2024
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Principal Secretary of the National
Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT), BangbangSurono, affirmed that the BNPT is the
leading sector in countering terrorism to succeed the 10th World Water Forum
(WWF) in Bali.
Surono emphasized that the role of BNPT in securing
various national and international agendas could not be ignored.
"BNPT, as the leading sector for countering
terror, is responsible for coordinating and implementing prevention against
potential radical acts of terrorism that could hurt Indonesia's image in the
eyes of the world," Surono noted in a statement from his office on Monday.
He stated that the BNPT would carry out several
activities at the event, including a pre-audit of minimum standards and
evaluating assessments of the environmental security system and national vital
objects (obvitnas) as well as carrying out intelligence coordination, at the
both regional and central levels.
He also lauded the government and community for
involving BNPT in the national committee for organizing the 10th WWF in
accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Indonesia.
"We thank the government and the community for
this opportunity and trust," he remarked.
BNPT, as a member of the security and health sector
for the 10th WWF, held a coordination meeting with the committee in Bali on
April 20. At the meeting, BNPT was represented by Deputy for Prevention,
Protection, and Deradicalization, Major General Roedy Widodo.
WWF is held every three years between the World Water
Council and the host country. The forum accommodates the water community and
key decision makers to collaborate and make long-term progress in addressing
global water challenges.
Such activities bring together participants from all
levels and sectors, including politics, multilateral institutions, academia,
civil society, and the private sector. Over the years, the number of WWF
participants has increased, from a few hundred to tens of thousands, both from
the international community and host countries.
The 10th WWF is scheduled to take place in Bali on May
18-25, 2024.
The 10th WWF, themed "Water for Shared
Prosperity," will feature discussions on three processes, namely thematic,
political, and regional.
Source:
antaranews.com
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----
Middle East conflict: Focus on worship, Tabung Haji
tells prospective Haj pilgrims
22 Apr 2024
PORT DICKSON, April 22 — Prospective Haj pilgrims have
been advised not to be overly concerned about the current conflict in the
Middle East, and to concentrate fully on their religious obligations.
Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) Haj executive director Datuk
Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman said that this is because, in addition to the
Malaysian government, the Saudi Arabian government also always focuses on and
emphasises security aspects for approximately three million Haj pilgrims, from
all over the world.
He said that the government of Saudi Arabia had also
performed its duties and responsibilities very well, especially in dealing with
various situations, including conflicts, threats of epidemics and disasters.
“Pilgrims should not think too far ahead, there are a
few weeks left to go to the Holy Land, make adequate preparations and when you
are there, just concentrate (on religious obligations) and don’t be influenced
by various rumours.
“The most important thing is to consult TH if there is
any problem, Insya-Allah, TH will be with the pilgrims to perform the
pilgrimage,” he told reporters, after officiating the graduation of the 2024
Executive Programme for Haj Guidance Facilitators (EPIH), today.
He said that the current situation in the Middle East
is also under control, and does not affect the country’s umrah and Haj
pilgrimages.
Two days ago, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s
Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, reportedly said that
the safety of pilgrims is always a priority for the government and TH, apart
from working closely with the government of Saudi Arabia to ensure the smooth
journey of the pilgrims.
In the meantime, Syed Saleh said that all the
preparations to go to the Holy Land, with the first flight, involving 284
participants, on May 9, were carried out well, including accommodation;
transport; and food and drink for the pilgrims.
“At the same time, Haj officials also departed (to
Saudi Arabia) this week to prepare all facilities, such as offices, clinics and
so on, to receive the first group of pilgrims,” he said, adding that the 31,600
Haj quota this year has been filled.
On the EPIH programme, a joint venture between TH and
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), aims to ensure that each Homeland Haj
Trainer (Pekta) undergoes systematic academic learning to guide pilgrims, while
here in the country and the Holy Land.
He said that the programme aims to explain the latest
Haj and umrah regulations, based on current issues and problems.
The two-day EPIH programme, starting on April 20, saw
126 participants, including PEKTA, religious teachers from the Haj pilgrimage
operators (PJH), TH and USIM staff, as well as individuals. — Bernama
Source:
malaymail.com
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---
MACC: Najib didn't mention any meeting with late Saudi
King
Rahmat
Khairulrijal
April 22, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak did not mention a
high profile meeting between himself and the late King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al
Saud of Saudi Arabia during his interrogation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC), the High Court heard today.
MACC senior officer Nur Aida Ariffin said that the
meeting, held in Riyadh in 2010 with Najib and his team of ministers, only
surfaced during a corruption hearing involving SRC International Bhd funds.
Testimonies from former foreign affairs minister Datuk
Seri Anifah Aman, former Malaysian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Professor Datuk
Syed Omar Alsagoff, and former minister in the prime minister's department
Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom confirmed this meeting during the defence stage
of the SRC trial.
During cross-examination by Najib's lead counsel Tan
Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Nur Aida clarified that there were no discussions
of this meeting during her investigation, and Najib did not mention it. She
also stated that she did not receive any directive to interview the ministers
involved in the meeting.
Jamil when testifying in the SRC trial, testified that
King Abdullah decided to transfer "political aid" to Najib's personal
bank accounts to avoid "complications."
He said King Abdullah made the decision in a private
meeting during an unofficial gathering with Malaysian delegates in Riyadh on
Jan 11, 2010.
Jamil said King Abdullah, who conversed in Arabic,
promised to transfer aid directly to Najib's account as the former did not know
how political organisations spend their money.
On July 28, 2020, Najib was sentenced to 12 years'
jail and fined RM210 million after he was found guilty of one count of abuse of
power with regard to the Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP)'s RM4 billion loan
to SRC International, as well as three counts each of criminal breach of trust
and abuse of power involving RM42 million of SRC International funds.
However, the Federal Territories Pardons Board reduced
Najib's fine as well as halved his 12-year jail term to six while his initial
fine of RM210 million has been reduced to RM50 million.
Meanwhile, Nur Aida who was the investigating officer
of the case also said the MACC had sent a mutual legal assistance (MLA) request
to Saudi Arabia over the infamous donation letters to Najib from Prince Saud
Abdulaziz Al-Saud, but to no avail.
She said a team of high-ranking MACC officers went to
Riyadh to obtain statements from the witnesses there, during which two princes
confirmed that the letters were indeed from Saud.
Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of
power and money laundering over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion
deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.
The hearing before presiding judge Datuk Collin
Lawrence Sequerah continues.
Source:
nst.com.my
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https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2024/04/1041110/macc-najib-didnt-mention-any-meeting-late-saudi-king
---
Africa
Continue To Live in Peace - Akuapem North Presiding
MemberUrges Muslims, Christians
Apr - 22 - 2024
The Presiding Member (PM) of the Akuapem North
Municipal Assembly in the Eastern Region, Asiedu Offei, has urged Muslims and
Christians, especially those living in the region, to continue to live in peace
in order to pursue a common goal.
That, he said, would accelerate the development of the
communities to improve the living standard of residents. Mr Asiedu Offei made
these remarks at Akropong last week, Thursday, when he presented 26 bags of
rice and five boxes of vegetable oil to Muslims in five towns within the
municipality, namely, Akropong, Larteh, Mampong, Korkormu and Mangoase to
observe this year’s Eid Ul-Fitr.
Mr Offei said for the past nine years he had presented
cattle, rice and vegetable oil to Muslims in many communities in the
municipality to observe the Eid-Ul-Fitir and Eid-Ul-Adha
Leading religions
According to the Presiding Member both Islam and
Christianity, the world’s two leading religions, preach peace and as such their
followers must see themselves as members of one big family with a common
destiny, especially in the region, particularly in the municipality.
“Muslims and Christians worship Allah (God) whose
teachings are based on love, compassion and unity, and as Ghanaians, religion
should not divide us but rather unite us to pursue a common goal to fast-track
the development of our communities”, Mr Asiedu Offei stated.
Philanthropist
The Muslim Chief of Akropong, Alhaji Abdul Muniru, who
received the food items on behalf of the Muslims was grateful to the donor who
he described as a philanthropist with Muslims at heart.
He thanked Mr Asiedu Offei for all that he had
presented to them over the years to observe both the Eid-Ul-Fitir and
Eid-Ul-Adha
Source:
graphic.com.gh
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https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-continue-to-live-in-peace-akuapem-north-pm-urges-muslims-christians.html
---
Gov Bago mourns six soldiers killed in Niger
Adelowo Oladipo
April 21, 2024
Niger Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago has sympathised
with the Nigerian Army over the killing of a captain and five soldiers in an
ambush by gunmen suspected to be bandits.
The Governor, in a message signed by his Chief Press
Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, described the incident as atrocious, provocative,
and unacceptable.
He expressed his deepest sympathy with the security
agencies who are daily making sacrifices to ensure the safety of citizens, with
most of them paying the supreme price.
The Governor assured the Nigerian Army and every other
conventional and non-conventional security agencies that his administration
will not rest on its oars in providing all the needed support towards halting
the nefarious activities of bandits.
He also used the opportunity to commiserate with the
families of the slayed Officer and men as well as a Vigilante, promising that
their deaths would not be a waste.
Recall that bandits recently waylaid and killed some
security personnel comprising a Captain, soldiers, and a vigilante while on
their way to respond to a distress call around Bassa and Alawa communities in
Shiroro local government area of Niger.
Source:
tribuneonlineng.com
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https://tribuneonlineng.com/gov-bago-mourns-six-soldiers-killed-in-niger/
---
Haiti’s capital under gang attacks ahead of government
transition
22 Apr 2024
PORT-AU-PRINCE, April 22 — Armed gangs launched fresh
attacks on parts of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince ahead of the installation of
a transitional council set to usher in a new government, local media said
yesterday, reporting arson and heavy gunfire in the city centre.
The Lower Delmas area is turning into “a battlefield
between police and armed gangs,” Radio Tele Galaxie said on X, saying loud
blasts were heard as far as the neighbourhood’s city hall, as well as automatic
gunfire near the National Palace.
Two voice recordings circulated on social media which
users attributed to gang leader Jimmy “Barbeque” Cherizier apparently ordering
his soldiers to burn houses down in Lower Delmas, an impoverished part of the
capital where he grew up.
“Continue burning the houses. Make everybody leave,” a
man says in the first audio recording. In another, he says he has sent jugs of
gasoline: “No need to know which house. Burn every house you find. Set the
fire,” he says.
Reuters was unable to verify the recording, but a
resident from the area told Reuters she had seen houses on fire.
The State University of Haiti’s medical facility was
also looted by gangs overnight, Radio RFM reported, while attacks were also
reported in the hillside Petion-Ville suburb.
This comes as the country prepares for the
installation of a nine-member council to take over from Prime Minister Ariel
Henry, who pledged to step down on March 11 while stranded outside the country
and under pressure from the United States.
Haiti’s gangs, many of which have grouped together
under an alliance known as “Viv Ansanm” (Living Together), have said their
siege on the capital is a battle to oust Henry, but since his announcements
attacks on the capital have increased.
Rights groups estimate some 90 per cent of the capital
is now under gang control.
Henry had travelled abroad at the end of February to
secure Kenya’s leadership of a planned security support force he requested in
2022. Though Kenya offered to lead the force it ran into local legal issues
prompting Henry to sign a reciprocal security deal with the East African
nation.
Though the United Nations ratified the force late last
year, progress continued to lag and was finally put on hold when Henry
announced his resignation, pending a new government.
Under government decrees confirming a transition plan
mediated by the Caribbean Community, the members of the transition council,
required to deliver documents proving their eligibility, should be sworn in at
the National Palace.
The palace, however, alongside other public buildings
and key infrastructure such as the capital’s airport, have come under repeated
attacks over recent weeks. No official date has been set for the installation.
Meanwhile, Haiti’s civil protection agency warned of
possible flooding over southern parts of the country, including the capital,
due to heavy rains, further complicating conditions for those forced to flee
their homes due to the violence.
The UN estimates that over 360,000 people are
internally displaced and millions are going hungry as key ports and supply
routes remain blocked. — Reuters
Source:
malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2024/04/22/haitis-capital-under-gang-attacks-ahead-of-government-transition/130095
---
Benue Crisis: ActionAid, Plan Int’ Spend £400,000 On
IDPs
22 Apr 2024
ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), Plan International, Christian
Aid, and Start Network have said they spent £400,000 to support internally
displaced persons (IDPs) in Benue State.
The Country Director of AAN, Andrew Mamedu; Country
Director of Plan International, Charles Usie, and others disclosed this in
Makurdi at the weekend at a joint press conference.
Synthesize Beautiful Scenes of Ha Giang Via Super
Quality Travel Video - Flycam Nem TV
They also called for local and international
assistance for 1.4 million people displaced by heightened insecurity in the
state.
Mamedu, represented by the Action Aid Manager for
Humanitarian Resilience, David Habba, said the spate of insecurity in the state
is now worse than what is happening in the North East and the North West.
“With what is happening in Benue State, people may not
have villages to retire to when they grow old. There is also the loss of
culture that comes with it. If we fail to act now, I’m afraid that by 2030 we
will have lost a generation and it may take about 50 years to recover from it.
“The toll of these conflicts on the lives and
livelihoods of ordinary people cannot be overstated. Families have been torn
apart, homes destroyed and futures shattered. The trauma and suffering endured
by those affected are profound and long-lasting, underscoring the urgent need
for sustainable peace-building and conflict resolution efforts,” he said.
While urging the humanitarian community to prioritise
Benue State, due to the pressing need of the people, he urged the government to
address the underlying causes of the crisis and ensure peace in the state.
Also, the Director of Programme Quality and
Influencing at Plan International, Helen Idiong, who represented Mr Usie, said
through funding from Start Fund Network, they have provided support to
displaced persons from Apa, Agatu, Kwande, Logo and Ukum local government areas
of the state.
She said in the last 45 days, 3,806 households
comprising 26,179 people have received unconditional cash transfers of N50,000
or N60,000 while 3,506 households of 24,297 people received non-food items;
1,100 girls and women received dignity kits and 2,777 people received
psychological first aid.
Source:
dailytrust.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://dailytrust.com/benue-crisis-actionaid-plan-int-spend-400000-on-idps/
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Environmental Volunteering: Activists gather in Lagos
ahead of World Earth Day
April 21, 2024
Dozens of volunteers gathered in Lagos on Saturday
(Apr. 20) ahead of the 2024 World Earth Day.
SustyVibes, a local environmental advocacy group, led
volunteers to a market to pick up plastic dumped on the street and clear the
gutters.
World Earth Day is observed annually on the 22nd of
April, but the entire month of is often called Earth Month.
“We don’t have to wait for days like the World Earth
Day for us to become more conscious of our environment," activist Sonia
Ugwunna said.
"This planet is all we have and if we don’t put
our hands together for us to ensure a sustainable future, no one else will.”
World Earth Day serves as a call to action for
individuals, governments, businesses, and civil society to work together
towards a greener and more sustainable world.
“Why it seems as if most people don’t seem to care
about the environment is because sometimes the effects, the harmful effects on
the environment are not so tangible until they become large scale."
"For you to see the effects of your actions on
the environment, it has to become large scale. For example, we didn’t know
anything was wrong until we started seeing the effect of the change in
climate,” Ugwunna added.
Volunteers at Saturday's event were divided into teams
including, one devoted to dvocacy, another to cleanup and one advertizing
recycling subscriptions. The teams visited different communities.
“If the government can be proactive. We are all
humans, and we can be careless with disposing of waste, but if the government
can have environmental officers everywhere to arrest offenders,” trader Abiodun
Ogunsanya said.
It is estimated that Nigeria produces more than 2
million tonnes of plastic waste a year when a country like France produces over
4 million tonnes [Editor's note: according to 2016 figures by WWF].
However, Africa's most populous country faces
significant challenges with waste management due to a lack of infrastructure, a
trained workforce, and other related factors, according to the West Africa
Coastal areas management program.
Source:
africanews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/04/21/environmental-volunteering-activists-gather-in-lagos-ahead-of-world-earth-day/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/india-academic-freedom-humanities-sweden-v-dem/d/132182