India Blocks Controversial Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik’s X Account After MEA’s Rebuke Over Pakistan’s ‘Warm Reception’
New Age Islam News Bureau
05 Oct 2024
The social media account of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on the platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) has been blocked in India
-----
· India Blocks Controversial Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik’s X Account After MEA’s Rebuke Over Pakistan’s ‘Warm Reception’
· Islamophobia And Anti-Muslim Hate In UK At Highest Rate In More Than A Decade: Tell Mama
· 75 Mass March Under Slogan "Loyalty To Muslims Martyr ... With Gaza & Lebanon One Battle Until Victory" In Ibb
· Minister Of Vice And Virtue: Some Foreign Countries, By Deceiving The Youth Abroad, Are Trying To Stir Up Regional And Ethnic Divisions
· Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Should Be Treated As Terrorist Entity: Punjab Minister, Azma Bokhari
---------
India
· Police Arrested Three Muslims For Allegedly Using Hindu Names To Enter The Dasna Devi Temple, To Act In Ramlila
· Jammu and Kashmir: Two terrorists killed as security forces foil infiltration bid along LoC in Kupwara
· Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: AIMIM seeking tie-up with MVA for 28 Muslim-dominated seats, says Imtiaz Jaleel
----
Europe
· Inside Taboo, London’s ’80s Fashion Mecca For Radicals And Renegades
· Azerbaijani museum, mosque, square in Karabakh's Shushi at area of destroyed Armenian Genocide monument
· Kiev may have to accept loss of territory – Stoltenberg
· ‘Ukrainian Legion’ has only attracted 300 volunteers – Poland
-----
Mideast
· Hamas counters abduction claim, says Yazidi woman’s Gaza departure was voluntary
· Deadly Israeli strike in West Bank highlights spread of war
· Hospital in southern Lebanon says it was shelled after being warned to evacuate
· Emails show early US concerns over Gaza offensive, risk of Israeli war crimes
· Islamic Group leader Ali Al-Hajj killed in Israeli airstrike on Western Bekaa
· Islamic Jihad: Tulkarm massacre is part of enemy's plans to carry out extermination war in the West Bank
--------
South Asia
· Anwar Ibrahim To Consider Issue Of Bangladeshi Workers
· Afghanistan Becoming Centre Of Economic, Regional Connectivity
· National Gymnastics Federation hosts Kabul selection tournament
· Over 230,000 Afghan refugees return from Iran in past month: IOM
· BRICS Yet to Decide on Participation of Islamic Emirate in Summit
· Lavrov: Pragmatic Dialogue Between Islamic Emirate, Moscow Essential
---------
Pakistan
· Govt to hold multi-party conference on Palestine issue
· Terror attacks down by 24pc in September
· Govt moves to counter protests as Lahore braces for showdown
----
Arab World
· How Saudi Arabia Is Developing Tourism While Protecting Its Precious Marine Ecosystems
· Saudi Arabia intensifies Islamic education drive in Philippines
· Jeddah Dedicates MuralOn The Corniche In Honour To TeachersFeaturing The Slogan: “We All Appreciate You”
· More German pilgrims visiting Saudi Arabia, ambassador says
· Royal Saudi Air Force joins Sindh Shield 2024 exercise in Pakistan
· Falcons exhibition opens its door for visitors at Malham
--------
North America
· Major Arab, Muslim, Palestinian American Groups Say They Were Excluded From Harris’ Middle East Outreach
· Mosques and synagogues consider security measures for Oct. 7
· City of Kingston celebrates the 18th anniversary of Islamic History Month in Canada
· Tim Walz vows equal role for Muslims in Harris-Walz administration
· Canada's top court upholds passenger protection rules for flight disruptions
--------
Southeast Asia
· Indonesia Commemorates TNI's 79th Anniversary with Grand Military Parade and Rock Concert
· MADANI govt steadfast in reducing borrowings, fiscal deficit - PM Anwar
· Ringgit’s recent rise beneficial for Malaysia, but yet to reach fair value – PM Anwar
· Poverty eradication: PM Anwar says Madani govt is ensuring aid reaches target groups
· Rp34 trillion collected through Islamic social finance instruments
---------
Africa
· Obasanjo, Awujale To Join Tinubu At Historic Muslim Leaders Conference
· Bandits attack mosques during Jumat prayers
· Katsina govt builds 20 Islamic learning shades at N50m
· KSrelief distributes humanitarian aid in Yemen, Sudan
· Escalating Sudan conflict likely to worsen humanitarian crisis
· Shaibu’s Impeachment Stands Until Final Court Decision – Obaseki Insists
· Clashes erupt during public forum over an impeachment motion against Kenya's VP
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/india-block-islamic-preacher-zakir-naik-x/d/133366
----
India Blocks Controversial Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik’s X Account After MEA’s Rebuke Over Pakistan’s ‘Warm Reception’
The social media account of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on the platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) has been blocked in India
-----
By Swastika Sruti
October 5, 2024
The social media account of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on the platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) has been blocked in India. This action followed after India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) criticized Pakistan for welcoming Naik, who is currently on a month-long visit to the country.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed disappointment over Naik’s warm reception in Pakistan but stated it was not surprising. He added that Naik, an Indian fugitive, being welcomed in Pakistan was both “condemnable” and expected.
Red Carpet Welcome
Zakir Naik arrived in Pakistan at the government’s invitation and was given a red-carpet welcome. He also met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. During his stay, Naik will deliver public speeches in cities like Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore.
Naik is wanted by Indian authorities for alleged money laundering and promoting extremism through his speeches. He has been living in Malaysia since 2016 after legal cases were initiated against him. His name surfaced after one of the attackers in the 2016 Dhaka terror incident claimed to be influenced by his online sermons.
Source:newsx.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newsx.com/national/islamic-preacher-zakir-naiks-account-on-x-blocked-in-india-mea/
----------
Islamophobia And Anti-Muslim Hate In UK At Highest Rate In More Than A Decade: Tell Mama
Tell Mama said it recorded 4,971 incidents of anti-Muslim hate and discrimination in the year since the October 7
------
4 October 2024
ISLAMOPHOBIA and anti-Muslim hate in the UK has risen to the highest total in more than a decade, according to a charity monitoring such incidents.
Tell Mama said it recorded 4971 incidents of anti-Muslim hate and discrimination in the year since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel and amid its ongoing bombardment of Gaza.
The incidents, to the end of September this year, mostly took the form of abusive behaviour (63%), the organisation said.
Just over a quarter of cases (27%) involved what it described as threatening behaviour.
Most incidents took place in London and in England's North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands, the group said.
The figures come in the same week as a Jewish charity said it had recorded more than 5500 antisemitic incidents in the UK in the year since the Hamas attacks on Israel.
The Community Security Trust (CST) said the 5583 incidents recorded between October 7, 2023, and September 30 is the highest total of any 12-month period.
The figure is three times that of the previous 12-month period, which saw 1830 incidents recorded in total.
The charity, which monitors antisemitism and provides security for the Jewish community in Britain, said most incidents took the form of abusive behaviour (4583), while others involved threats (401) or assault (302).
Source:yahoo.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/islamophobia-anti-muslim-hate-uk-170556824.html
----------
75 Mass March Under Slogan "Loyalty To Muslims Martyr ... With Gaza &Lebanon One Battle Until Victory" In Ibb
Ibb province witnessed 75 marches under the slogan "Loyalty to the martyr of Muslims
------
04 Oct 2024
Ibb - Saba : Ibb province witnessed 75 marches under the slogan "Loyalty to the martyr of Muslims ... with Gaza and Lebanon, one battle until victory.
The march was held in Rasul al-Azam Square in Ibb city, with the participation of the provincial secretary general Amin al-Warafi, public mobilization official Abdel Fattah al-Gallab, and a number of members of the Ibb Council.
The march, which was held in Rasul Al-Azam Square in Ibb city, with the participation of the provincial secretary general Amin Al-Warafi, General Mobilization Officer Abdul Fattah Ghallab, and a number of members of the House of Representatives, Shura Council and provincial deputies, condemned in the strongest terms the bloody massacres that the Zionist enemy continues to commit against civilians in Lebanon in flagrant violation of all international and humanitarian laws.
They expressed sincere condolences and sympathy to the Revolution Leader , the Yemenis, all Hezbollah leaders, the Lebanese people, the leaders and peoples of the Resistance Axis, the Arab , Islamic nation and the free world, on the martyrdom of the great Mujahid, Secretary General of Hezbollah, His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
The people of the Western Square districts also gathered in mass rallies in the districts of Al-Adin, Al-Sara, Shalaf, Hardan, the center of Al-Far'ah district "Al-Wazira" and the areas of Al-Masil, Al-Akhmas, Al-Aqabtain, Al-Mazahin and Bani Ahmed, to emphasize that the unity of the squares and battlefronts against the enemy has been deliberately strengthened and consolidated by the blood of martyrs, leaders , fighters, and neither Netanyahu's orchestrations nor Biden's maneuvers will succeed in breaking its bindings.
The people of Al-Hazm Directorate marched in 18 squares in the center of the directorate and the areas of Al-Mahatta, Al-Jajab, Al-Jajab, Al-Safiya, Al-Junaid, Al-Aslum, Al-Ajaum, Al-Shaawar, Najd Al-Aden and Al-Amous.
The people of the Mudhaikhra district gathered in marches in the district center and the district areas of Al-Afyush, Halyan and Hiza, and in the Al-Farah district, eight squares in the district center and in Al-Wazira, Al-Aaqabtin, Al-Ahmul, Al-Masil, Bani Ahmed, Bani Yusuf, Al-Mazahin and Al-Akhmas.
In the same context, mass rallies were held in Al-Qaeda city and the areas of Habeer, Al-Jaashan, Shawat, Shuwat, Al-Safa and Al-Dakhal in Dhi Al-Safal district, Al-Baghda and Al-Hadis in Al-Syani district, Habish, Al-Qafar, Al-Shaar, Al-Makhader, the center of Ba'adan district, Shut Al-Faris, Souq Al-Lail, Azzat Al-Manar, Anan district and the Sunday market in Sabra district.
Participants in the rallies affirmed that the free people of Yemen will continue to walk on the path of jihad in defense of their homeland, land and nation and in victory for the oppressed in Palestine and Lebanon with unlimited generosity in their great battle for the promised conquest and holy jihad.
A statement issued by the marches blessed the "True Promise 2" operation carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran, which touched the geography of occupied Palestine and blew up the enemy's illusions of power, superiority , control, and told him again that it and its air defenses are weaker than a spider's house and that his demise is imminent and inevitable.
"We pledge to you, martyr of Islam, humanity and Al-Quds, that we will not deviate from jihad path on which you remained steadfast until you met God Almighty, and we also say to you and the mujahideen in Lebanon, just as you always promised us victory, we promise you victory again."
The statement addressed the enemy entity, saying, "We say to the criminal Israeli Zionist Jews, murderers of the prophets and righteous, that the nightmare of Nasrallah will continue to haunt you until your inevitable demise, which will be by our hands and the hands of the mujahideen in the resistance axis, between us , you the days , nights and the field, as our great martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said."
It called on the Arab regimes to take an honorable position in supporting the Palestinian , Lebanese peoples and supporting their valiant resistance, by activating the economic boycott of American , Israeli goods and companies supporting them as an effective weapon against the enemy.
The statement praised the steadfastness of the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance in the face of the usurping Zionist enemy. "As we are close to the second year of Al-Aqsa flood battle, we renew our pledge to the Palestinians and their resistance that we are with you and by your side."
It also addressed the Palestinians and their resistance by saying, "We will not let you down, no matter how long the battle lasts and at what cost, which is the same pledge , promise to the Lebanese people and the prevailing Hezbollah."
Source:saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3379817.htm
----------
Minister Of Vice And Virtue: Some Foreign Countries, By Deceiving The Youth Abroad, Are Trying To Stir Up Regional And Ethnic Divisions
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs
-----
October 4, 2024
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, emphasized national unity in a meeting with local officials and elders of Panjshir.
Kabir also said that the Islamic Emirate will not bow to the demands of foreigners.
The deputy prime minister said that there is no discrimination in implementing developmental projects between provinces, and development projects will be equally distributed across all provinces.
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir said: "We must not become the slaves of anyone. We only serve Allah, the Almighty, and adhere only to Islam. We should not accept the demands of foreigners. We must not be swayed by factional, regional, or ethnic propaganda."
Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, the acting Minister of Vice and Virtue, also spoke at the meeting, saying that the Islamic Emirate is obliged to pay attention to the legitimate demands of the people.
The acting Minister of Vice and Virtue said: "In France and other places in Europe, they are trying to destroy our country from there. They are instigating sectarianism and group divisions. They are deceiving and exploiting our youth."
Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Defence of the Islamic Emirate, said: "The Ministry of Defence has spent most of its construction budget in Panjshir to build outposts and centres so that the Mujahideen are removed from the people and their homes."
The Governor of Panjshir and several local representatives also shared their challenges and demands with officials of the Islamic Emirate.
Mohammad Agha Hakim, the Governor of Panjshir, said: "The leadership of the province and all the people of Panjshir request that the province be included in the second category as an exception."
"The roads in the districts of Paryan and Dara are completely destroyed. We hope these roads are cleared so people can travel freely," said Masihullah Mosadeq, a religious scholar.
This comes as Iran's Ambassador and Special Representative to Afghanistan claimed in an interview with an Iranian media outlet yesterday that ethnic, linguistic, and religious minorities in Afghanistan are facing discrimination.
Source:tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-191022
----------
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Should Be Treated As Terrorist Entity: Punjab Minister, Azma Bokhari
Punjab Minister for information Azma Bokhari
-------
By Web Desk
October 04, 2024
LAHORE: As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is not backing down from holding a protest at Islamabad’s D-Chowk amid visits of foreign dignitaries, Punjab Minister for Information Azma Bokhari said the PTI should be treated as a terrorist entity as it was not a political party.
The Punjab minister said this in an interview with Geo News programme 'Geo Pakistan' on Friday.
To a query, Bokhari said she heard Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s presser a day ago and she believed he would not let the PTI activists enter Islamabad.
The interior minister on Thursday warned the PTI against holding the public gathering as visits of foreign dignitaries were planned in Islamabad, including the Malaysian prime minister.
Amid its anti-government campaign, the former ruling party — founded by Imran Khan — is holding protests for the “independence” of the judiciary and the release of the former prime minister from jail.
The protest will coincide with the final day of the Malaysian prime minister’s visit to Pakistan and the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit . The authorities have already enforced Section 144 and “the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024”, regulating holding of public assemblies at certain places in Islamabad.
“The PTI’s top leadership should review its protest call […] No one will be allowed for an onrush on Islamabad,” the security czar said while addressing a presser along with officials of the federal police.
Meanwhile, the provincial information minister the PTI had always worked against Pakistan’s development.
"The country is progressing and inflation is dropping, but they cannot sit with peace," she said.
She blamed PTI of using teargas shelling on police officials during last protest, adding that they would not have been stopped if they held peaceful protest. But they came for creating anarchy, she maintained.
“The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should ask them why they do not do work. You cannot use public resources for vandalism,” she said.
On the other hand, she said Punjab was peaceful and people were busy in their daily routine works. Since the Punjab chief minister was doing her job, the residents of the province had no interest in participating in the demonstration, she added.
Source:thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1236697-punjab-minister-says-pti-should-be-treated-as-terrorist-entity
----------
India
Police Arrested Three Muslims For Allegedly Using Hindu Names To Enter The Dasna Devi Temple, To Act In Ramlila
By Peeyush Khandelwal , Ghaziabad
Oct 05, 2024
The police on Thursday arrested three Muslims for allegedly using Hindu names to enter the Dasna Devi temple, presided over by controversial head priest Yati Narsinghanand, in order to perform Ramlila, senior police officers said.
The officials said the FIR in this connection was filed suo motu by the Ghaziabad police at Wave City police station on October 3.
The police identified the three men as Rahul, Nanak and Wazir Khan – all residents of Mathura district.
Police said the three men have been performing at different Ramlilas in the past and had arrived at the Dasna temple on October 2 to essay roles in the Ramlila held at the temple complex from October 3.
“During checks, the police on duty at the temple found that the three men were using Aadhaar cards with Hindu names though they are Muslims. They had arrived there to perform at the Ramlila. After inquiry, the men were arrested and booked for cheating by impersonation and defiling a place of worship. The group performing the Ramlila at the temple did not know that the men were Muslims. The three men performed at several Ramlilas and, over a period of time, started using Hindu names,” said Lipi Nagayach, assistant commissioner of police, Wave City.
The FIR was filed by the police under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 319(2) (cheating by impersonation) and 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship).
“The three men had the intention of insulting Hindu religion, and that is why they were trying to enter the temple,” the FIR filed by the police said.
Narsinghanand said the entry of Muslims is not permitted at the Dasna Devi temple.
“The men were there to create some mischief and the police arrested them in a timely manner. The matter should be investigated,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ghaziabad police on Thursday also lodged another suo motu FIR naming Narsighanand as suspect for allegedly making derogatory remarks intended to hurt the feelings of people of a “specific community” at an event held on September 29 at Hindi Bhawan, Lohiya Nagar, in Ghaziabad.
The FIR came after members of Jamiat Ulama (Ghaziabad) met Masuri police and gave a memorandum on Thursday alleging that the head priest made certain statements meant to hurt the sentiments of Muslims and the video of the purported statement was widely shared on social media.
“The statements by Narisghanand were heard and seen by me (the police officer) in the video and it was made to hurt the feelings of a specific community. The video of his speech was widely shared on social media,” the FIR said.
The suo motu FIR was filed under BNS section 302 (uttering words with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) at Sihani Gate police station.
Narisghanand said he did not make any comment to hurt the feelings of anyone. “If need be, I will clarify before the court that my remarks were correct,” he said.
“The police suo motu filed an FIR in this connection at Sihani Gate police station, and further investigation is on,” deputy commissioner of police (city) Rajesh Kumar said.
Master software project management, risk mitigation, and value enhancement with ISB's IT project management programme
Source:hindustantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/noida-news/three-muslims-held-for-trying-to-enter-dasna-temple-under-false-names-to-act-in-ramlila-101728066423939.html
----------
Jammu and Kashmir: Two terrorists killed as security forces foil infiltration bid along LoC in Kupwara
05.10.24
Two terrorists were killed as security forces foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, the Indian Army said on Saturday.
"Two terrorists have been eliminated by the security forces in the ongoing operation," the army's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said.
The Corps had earlier in a post on X said that a gun battle ensued when troops spotted suspicious activity in Kupwara 's Gugaldhar.
The army said it has discovered war-like stores from the encounter zone which is still being searched.
Source:telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/two-terrorists-killed-as-security-forces-foil-infiltration-bid-along-line-of-control-in-jammu-and-kashmirs-kupwara-district/cid/2053338
----------
Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: AIMIM seeking tie-up with MVA for 28 Muslim-dominated seats, says Imtiaz Jaleel
04 October 2024,
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The AIMIM has approached the Congress and NCP (SP) seeking an alliance with the Maha Vikas Aghadi to contest in 28 Muslim-dominated constituencies in the upcoming Maharashtra polls.
Former MP and party leader Imtiaz Jaleel on Friday said the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has sent a proposal to the presidents of the Congress and NCP (SP) for 28 seats. Talking to the Marathi News Channel ABP Majha, Jaleel said, "...
He questioned if the Congress and NCP (SP) could join hands with a party that has recently become secular, why can't the AIMIM enter into an alliance with the MVA? "We have given a proposal for 28 Muslim-dominated constituencies, and we can give a go...
Source:deccanherald.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/maharashtra/maharashtra-assembly-elections-2024-aimim-seeking-tie-up-with-mva-for-28-muslim-dominated-seats-says-imtiaz-jaleel-3219440
-----------
Europe
Inside Taboo, London’s ’80s fashion mecca for radicals and renegades
4 October 2024
by Chiara Wilkinson
The eighties: a decade of Thatcherism, Top of the Pops, big shoulder pads and even bigger hair. It was a time when student grants and squat housing enabled unmatched creative freedom in London, and artists from far and wide would travel to the city to make a name and express themselves.
‘Outlaws: Fashion Renegades of ’80s London’ is a new exhibition which opens today at the Fashion and Textile Museum, showcasing the work of more than 30 designers of the era. It spotlights the legendary nightclub, Taboo, and its flamboyant creative community centred around the trailblazing fashion designer and performance artist Leigh Bowery. Theatrical and non-conforming, Bowery was born in Australia and arrived in London in 1980 to swiftly make a name for himself. (Bowery is having a bit of a moment right now: a second exhibition devoted to him opens at the Tate Modern in February.)
Items in the exhibition span from custom-made clothes from private collections to photographs taken by Time Out’s former nightlife editor, Dave Swindells, cataloguing the dance floor and showing how style found its way from squat housing and clubs into pop culture and high fashion. ‘It was a really revolutionary time,’ said Boy George, whose jacket is on display. ‘It felt like you had this naïve idea that you could change things just by wearing something.’
Taboo – named because nothing there was ‘too taboo’ to wear, see or do there – barely lasted a year, but its impact was huge. An intimate venue on the corner of Leicester Square, it fostered a rebellious, experimental environment, where designers like John Galliano and Dean Bright would dance next to Pam Hogg, Boy George and choreographer Michael Clark. It was more than a club: it was a community of people, predominantly young and working class, who were there to have a bit of fun and push the boundaries of style.
Source:timeout.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timeout.com/london/news/inside-taboo-londons-80s-fashion-mecca-for-radicals-and-renegades-100424#google_vignette
-----------
Azerbaijani museum, mosque, square in Karabakh's Shushi at area of destroyed Armenian Genocide monument
04.10.2024
There will be Azerbaijani museum, mosque, and square in Azerbaijani-occupied Artsakh’s (Nagorno-Karabakh) Shushi city, at the area of the now-destroyed Armenian Genocide monument, reports monumentwatch.org, which monitors Artsakh's Armenian cultural heritage,.
On September 20, the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, visited Shushi, attended the opening of the "Flag Square," which was built in 2021 at the place of the memorial dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide—but now destroyed by Azerbaijan.
According to the information spread by the Azerbaijani media, a "victory museum" dedicated to Azerbaijan's victory in the 44-day war in 2020 will also be built near the "Flag Square."
The new Shushi mosque marking the "victory" of Azerbaijan is also being built there, and its groundbreaking was carried out by the president of Azerbaijan back in May 2021.
After the 44-day war, the Azerbaijani side gives a special place to the capture of Shushi as "a symbol of the victory in the war for the liberation of Karabakh." So, these three complexes to be built at the high point of the city are given special importance. These three structures, especially the mosque and the museum, symbolize the destruction of Armenian Artsakh and the ethnic cleansing of its Armenians, added monumentwatch.org.
Source:news.amv
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://news.am/eng/news/845805.html
----------
Kiev may have to accept loss of territory – Stoltenberg
5 Oct, 2024
Ukraine may have to recognize the loss of some of its territory to Russia in order to achieve peace and security guarantees, Jens Stoltenberg said in his first long interview after stepping down as NATO secretary-general.
toltenberg ended his ten-year tenure as the chief of the US-led alliance on October 1. In a conversation with the Financial Times published on Friday, he said that Kiev may be forced to rethink seeing the restoration of the 1991 borders as a prerequisite for any peace deal.
Stoltenberg suggested that “a kind of new momentum” would come after the US presidential election in early November, possibly ushering in “ways to try to get movement on the battlefield combined with movement around the negotiating table.”
The West should “make the conditions” that would enable Ukraine to “sit down with the Russians and get something which is acceptable... something where they survive as an independent nation.”
Asked what he would propose to Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, the former NATO chief offered a comparison to the resolution of the Soviet-Finnish war nearly 85 years ago.
“Finland fought a brave war against the Soviet Union in ‘39. They imposed much bigger costs on the Red Army than expected,” he said. “The war ended with them giving up 10% of the territory. But they got a secure border.”
Under the March 1940 treaty, Finland ceded a large portion of the Karelia region and Viipuri, its second-largest city at the time (known as Vyborg in Russia).
Stoltenberg argued that Ukraine could obtain security guarantees from NATO even “if there is a line that is not necessarily the internationally recognized border.” He noted that the US defense pact with Japan does not cover Tokyo’s claim on the Kuril Islands, which are part of Russia, and that West Germany was admitted to NATO despite the fact that East Germany was controlled at the time by a separate, Soviet-aligned government.
“When there is a will, there are ways to find the solution. But you need a line which defines where Article 5 is invoked, and Ukraine has to control all the territory until that border,” Stoltenberg said, referring to the section of the NATO treaty, which outlines the duty of member states to defend each other.
Russia has said that it would not accept Zelensky’s ten-point ‘peace formula’ and not relinquish control over Crimea and four other regions, which Kiev and its backers continue to view as Ukrainian territory under illegal occupation.
Kiev’s hopes of imposing its terms appear more distant after the failed 2023 counteroffensive and Russia’s new victories in Donbass, where Moscow’s troops have been making steady progress throughout 2024. During its renewed advances, the Russian Army pushed the Ukrainians out of several heavily fortified towns, including Avdeevka, which fell in February, and Ugledar, which was captured earlier this week.
Source:rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/605272-stoltenberg-ukraine-territories-finland/
---------
‘Ukrainian Legion’ has only attracted 300 volunteers – Poland
4 Oct, 2024
Not enough Ukrainians living abroad have volunteered to undergo military training in order to return home and fight for their country, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told journalists on Friday. Only about 300 people have agreed to join in almost three months, the minister said.
The formation of what was dubbed the ‘Ukrainian Legion’ was first announced by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Vladimir Zelensky in early July.
The unit was set up to “unite” Ukrainian volunteer troops permanently living in Poland with those from other EU nations, according to the local media. They would then to be trained by the Polish Army and sent to fight for their country.
At the time, volunteers were promised better training and gear provided by Kiev’s Western backers, as well as some legal and financial benefits from Warsaw. Polish officials initially claimed that thousands had applied to join the unit.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said that training was scheduled to begin from September 1, but there were simply not enough people to work with.
“I've heard about 300 people,” the minister said when asked about how many volunteers had expressed their desire to join the legion’s ranks. According to Kosiniak-Kamysz, the target size of the unit was one brigade. A standard NATO brigade consists of approximately 5,000 troops.
According to the minister, the situation with the legion could improve now that Kiev has taken “actions related to the information, recruitment and promotion of this process.” The Ukrainian Defense Ministry announced it was establishing an enlistment center for the legion in the Polish city of Lublin earlier this week. The Ukrainian Consulate has reportedly begun recruiting volunteers in the city.
Over 4 million Ukrainians who have fled their country since 2022 had temporary protection status in EU countries as of July this year. Adult men make up slightly more than a fifth of the total, according to data provided by the bloc’s statistics bureau, Eurostat.
Kiev launched a general mobilization soon after the conflict with Moscow broke out, but has been struggling to replenish troops on the battlefield. The draft campaign has also been marred by widespread avoidance and allegations of corruption.
Ukraine has sought to bring draft-eligible men back to the country by denying them consular services abroad and the ability to update their documents. Senior Ukrainian officials have also called on Western nations to send draft-dodgers back home.
Source:rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/605266-ukrainian-legion-volunteers-poland/
----------
Mideast
Hamas counters abduction claim, says Yazidi woman’s Gaza departure was voluntary
October 05, 2024
CAIRO: The Islamist group Hamas rejected what it called “a false narrative and fabricated story” about a Yazidi woman Israel said was freed in Gaza in a secret operation involving Israel, the United States and Iraq.
The woman, whom Israeli officials have said was taken captive when she was 11 years old and sold to a Hamas member, had never been abducted or sold, and was able to leave Gaza with the knowledge of the Hamas authorities, the Hamas-run Gaza government media office said on Friday.
It said the 25-year old woman, identified as Fawzia Sido, was married to a Palestinian who fought alongside the Syrian opposition forces before he was killed. She later moved to live with his mother in Turkiye before traveling to Egypt, where she continued to live with her mother-in-law and later crossed into Gaza legally.
Years after she moved to live in Gaza, she married her husband’s brother before he was killed during the ongoing Israeli military offensive, Hamas said.
“She requested to contact her family because she felt increasingly unsafe in Gaza amid the intense bombing and brutal attacks by the Israeli occupation. She asked for evacuation, especially after her husband was martyred,” the Gaza government media office said.
“The Yazidi woman left the government facility to the crossing on her own, with the knowledge of her deceased husband’s family and the Palestinian government. The occupation did not ‘rescue’ her, as falsely claimed in its statement aimed at misleading public opinion,” it added.
Reuters could not reach the woman directly for comment on Thursday, with Iraqi officials saying she was resting after having been reunited with her family in northern Iraq.
On Thursday, the Israeli military said it had coordinated with the US Embassy in Jerusalem and “other international actors” in the operation to free Sido.
It said in a statement her captor had been killed during the Gaza war, presumably by an Israeli strike, and she then fled to a hideout inside the Gaza Strip.
“In a complex operation coordinated between Israel, the United States, and other international actors, she was recently rescued in a secret mission from the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom Crossing,” it said.
A US defense official said on Thursday the American military did not have a role in the evacuation.
She was freed after more than four months of efforts that involved several attempts that failed due to the difficult security situation resulting from Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, Silwan Sinjaree, chief of staff of Iraq’s foreign minister, told Reuters on Thursday.
Iraq and Israel do not have any diplomatic ties.
“The narrative the occupation attempted to promote is entirely false. The woman traveled to Gaza through multiple airports and official border crossings,” the Hamas statement said.
“How could she pass through all these checkpoints without security noticing, only for the occupation to later claim she was kidnapped?” it added.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573984/middle-east
-----------
Deadly Israeli strike in West Bank highlights spread of war
October 04, 2024
TULKARM: The ruins of a coffee shop in the West Bank city of Tulkarm show the force of the airstrike on Thursday night that killed a senior local commander of the militant group Hamas — and at least 17 others.
The strike in Tulkarm’s Noor Shams refugee camp, one of the most densely populated in the occupied West Bank, destroyed the ground floor shop entirely, leaving rescue workers picking through piles of concrete rubble with the smell of blood still hanging in the air.
Two holes in an upper-level show where the missile penetrated the three-story building before reaching the coffee shop, where a mechanical digger was clearing rubble.
The strike by the Israeli air force was the largest seen in the West Bank during operations that have escalated sharply since the start of the war in Gaza almost a year ago and one of the biggest since the second “intifada” uprising two decades ago.
“We haven’t heard this sound since 2002,” said Nimer Fayyad, owner of the cafe, whose brother was killed in the strike.
“The missiles targeted a civilian building, and a family was wiped from the civil registry. What was their fault?
“There is no safe place for the Palestinian people. The Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves.”
Residents said the strike occurred after a rally by armed fighters in the middle of the camp.
When the rally ended, some went to the coffee shop.
The Israeli military said the strike killed Zahi Yaser Abd Al-Razeq Oufi, head of the Hamas network in Tulkarm, a volatile city in the northern West Bank that has seen repeated clashes between the Israeli army and Palestinian fighters.
It said the attack joined “a number of significant counterterrorism activities” conducted in the area since the start of the war.
Residents said another commander from Islamic Jihad was also killed, but there was no immediate confirmation from either faction.
But Palestinian emergency services said at least 18 people had died in all, including a family of five in an apartment in the same building.
The missiles penetrated the ceiling and their kitchen floor, leaving many of the cabinets incongruously intact.
With the first anniversary approaching of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the strike on Tulkarm underlined how widely the war has now spread.
As well as fighting in Gaza, now vastly reduced to rubble, Israeli troops are engaged in southern Lebanon while parts of the West Bank, which has seen repeated arrest sweeps and raids, have in recent weeks come to resemble a full-blown war zone.
Flashpoint cities in the northern West Bank, like Tulkarm and Jenin, have suffered repeated large-scale operations against Palestinian militant groups that are deeply embedded in the area’s refugee camps.
“What’s happening in Gaza is spreading to Tulkarm, with the targeting of civilians, children, women and elders,” said Faisal Salam, head of the camp refugee council.
More than 700 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank over the past year, many of them armed fighters but many also unarmed youths throwing stones during protests or civilian passersby.
At the same time, dozens of Israeli soldiers and civilians have been killed in the West Bank and Israel by Palestinians, most recently in Tel Aviv, where two Palestinians killed seven people from the West Bank with an automatic weapon.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573970/middle-east
----------
Hospital in southern Lebanon says it was shelled after being warned to evacuate
October 05, 2024
BEIRUT — A hospital in southern Lebanon said in a statement that it had been shelled by Israeli forces Friday after being warned to evacuate.
The statement from Salah Ghandour Hospital in the town of Bint Jbeil said the shelling “resulted in nine members of the medical and nursing staff being injured, most of them seriously,” while most of the medical staff were evacuated.
A day earlier, the World Health Organization says 28 health workers in Lebanon had been killed in the past 24 hours.
Earlier on Friday, the Israel military in a statement alleged that rescue vehicles were being used by Hezbollah to transport militants and weapons.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573996/middle-east
----------
Emails show early US concerns over Gaza offensive, risk of Israeli war crimes
October 04, 2024
WASHINGTON: As Israel pounded northern Gaza with air strikes last October and ordered the evacuation of more than a million Palestinians from the area, a senior Pentagon official delivered a blunt warning to the White House.
The mass evacuation would be a humanitarian disaster and could violate international law, leading to war crime charges against Israel, Dana Stroul, then the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, wrote in an Oct. 13 email to senior aides to President Joe Biden. Stroul was relaying an assessment by the International Committee of the Red Cross that had left her “chilled to the bone,” she wrote.
As the Gaza war nears its first anniversary and the Middle East teeters on the brink of a wider war, Stroul’s email and other previously unreported communications show the Biden administration’s struggle to balance internal concerns over rising deaths in Gaza with its public support for Jerusalem following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people.
Reuters reviewed three sets of email exchanges between senior US administration officials, dated Oct. 11 to 14, just days into the crisis. The fighting has led to more than 40,000 deaths in Gaza and spurred US protests led by Arab-Americans and Muslim activists.
The emails, which haven’t been reported before, reveal alarm early on in the State Department and Pentagon that a rising death toll in Gaza could violate international law and jeopardize US ties in the Arab world. The messages also show internal pressure in the Biden administration to shift its messaging from showing solidarity with Israel to including sympathy for Palestinians and the need to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
A ceasefire deal remains elusive, despite months of US-brokered negotiations. Much of Gaza is now a wasteland. And the risk of a regional war with Iran looms after Israel’s attacks on military targets in Lebanon and last week’s assassination of Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Top Biden administration officials say they believe White House pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in those early days made a difference, preventing an even worse disaster. In private talks, the White House asked Israel to delay its ground offensive to give more time for aid groups to prepare help for displaced people and to give Israel more time to strike a deal with Hamas, administration officials told reporters in background briefings at the time.
But Washington was slow to address the suffering of Palestinians, said three senior US officials involved in the decision-making process. And while the ground invasion was ultimately delayed by about 10 days, the three officials attributed the pause more to operational preparations by the Israeli military than US pressure.
After publication of this story, Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen said the emails show that “unfolding humanitarian disaster in Gaza was painfully clear from the earliest days of the war, with key experts warning that international standards were being violated” and that “valid concerns” were overridden by the White House.
In response to questions about the emails, the White House said, “The US has been leading international efforts to get humanitarian aid into Gaza” and “this is and will continue to be a top priority.” It added that before US “engagement, there was no food, water, or medicine getting into Gaza.”
Both Israeli and Hamas leaders are being investigated for alleged war crimes in the wake of the Hamas attacks. In June, a UN commission concluded there was credible evidence that Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups committed war crimes including torture and taking hostages. The commission also found evidence of Israeli war crimes from the country’s use of massive explosives in Gaza in the first months of the war.
The Biden administration and Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign remain caught between two powerful constituencies – pro-Israel Democrats and younger, pro-Palestinian progressives. Harris’ Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, says he would “settle” the war “fast” if he wins November’s presidential election, without detailing how. But foreign policy analysts say the election is unlikely to alter US policy toward Israel significantly, given both parties’ long support for the country.
The emails reviewed by Reuters show a scramble inside the Biden administration to warn the White House of the impending crisis – and the White House’s initial resistance to a ceasefire in the early, chaotic days of war. The three sets of email exchanges began on Oct. 11, during Israel’s fifth day of air strikes after the Hamas incursion.
“LOSING CREDIBILITY”
Early on, concerns grew inside the administration about America’s image with its Arab allies.
After Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza’s hospitals, schools and mosques, the US State Department’s top public diplomacy official, Bill Russo, told senior State officials that Washington was “losing credibility among Arabic-speaking audiences” by not directly addressing the humanitarian crisis, according to an Oct. 11 email. Gaza’s health authorities reported that day a death toll of about 1,200.
As Israel defended the strikes, saying Hamas was using civilian buildings for military purposes, Russo wrote that US diplomats in the Middle East were monitoring Arab media reports that accused Israel of waging a “genocide” and Washington of complicity in war crimes.
“The US’s lack of response on the humanitarian conditions for Palestinians is not only ineffective and counterproductive, but we are also being accused of being complicit to potential war crimes by remaining silent on Israel’s actions against civilians,” Russo wrote.
At the time, emergency workers were struggling to save people buried under rubble from Israel airstrikes and the world’s sympathies were beginning to shift from murdered Israelis to besieged Palestinian civilians.
Addressing State Department leaders, Russo urged quick action to shift the administration’s public stance of unqualified support for Israel and its military operation in Gaza. “If this course is not quickly reversed by not only messaging, but action, it risks damaging our stance in the region for years to come,” he wrote. Russo resigned in March, citing personal reasons. He declined to comment.
The State Department’s top Middle East diplomat, Barbara Leaf, forwarded Russo’s email to White House officials including Brett McGurk, Biden’s top adviser for Middle East affairs. She warned that the relationship with Washington’s “otherwise would-be stalwart” Arab partners was at risk due to the kinds of concerns raised by Russo.
McGurk replied that if the question was whether the administration should call for a ceasefire, the answer was “No.” He added, however, that Washington was “100 pct” in favor of supporting humanitarian corridors and protecting civilians. McGurk and Leaf declined to comment for this story.
Following Russo’s email, the public US stance remained largely unchanged for the next two days, a review of public comments shows. US officials continued to emphasize Israel’s right to defend itself and plans to provide Jerusalem with military aid.
“PUMP THE BREAKS”
On Oct. 13, two days after Russo’s email, Israeli aircraft dropped leaflets over northern Gaza, warning one million residents to leave their homes. Netanyahu gave residents 24 hours to flee as Israeli troops backed by tanks began a ground assault inside the Hamas-run territory of 2.3 million people. He vowed to annihilate Hamas for its attack.
The evacuation order alarmed aid agencies and the United Nations. By then, Israel’s air strikes had razed entire districts. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva issued a statement saying Israel’s order was “not compatible with international humanitarian law” because it would cut off food, water and other basic needs in Gaza. Privately, in a phone conversation that day with Stroul, ICRC Middle East director Fabrizio Carboni was more pointed, the emails show.
“ICRC is not ready to say this in public, but is raising private alarm that Israel is close to committing war crimes,” Stroul said in her Oct. 13 email, describing the conversation. Her email was addressed to senior White House officials including McGurk, along with senior State and Pentagon officials. “Their main line is that it is impossible for one million civilians to move this fast,” Stroul wrote. One US official on the email chain said it would be impossible to carry out such an evacuation without creating a “humanitarian catastrophe.”
Asked about Carboni’s phone call with Stroul, the ICRC said it “constantly works with parties to armed conflicts and those who have influence with them to increase the respect for the laws of war in order to prevent civilian suffering in conflict. We consider such conversations to be strictly confidential.”
Publicly, the White House was expressing measured support for Israel’s plans. A White House spokesperson told reporters that such a huge evacuation was a “tall order” but that Washington would not second-guess Israel. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said US military aid would continue flowing to Israel.
Privately, some senior US officials were concerned there was no safe way out of densely populated Gaza, several senior US officials told Reuters. Israel had imposed a blockade. Its southern neighbor, Egypt, would not open its borders as part of its long-standing policy to prevent a mass resettlement of Palestinians. Some Palestinians who fled northern Gaza were killed when Israel bombed cars and trucks.
In an email replying to Stroul, McGurk said Washington might be able to persuade Israel to extend the deadline for Palestinians to evacuate beyond 24 hours, saying the administration “can buy some time.” But the Red Cross, the UN and aid agencies should work with Egypt and Israel to prepare for the evacuation, he wrote.
McGurk, a long-time Iraq expert, likened the situation to the US-led military operation against Daesh militants in Mosul from 2016 to 2017, an assault that left the Iraqi city in ruins. He said the military and humanitarian strategy in the Mosul assault had been planned hand in hand. Two officials on the email chain replied that it would be impossible to put in place the necessary infrastructure with so little time. One reminded McGurk that the Mosul operation was the result of much longer planning. Humanitarian groups had months to set up and provide support for displaced civilians.
“Our assessment is that there’s simply no way to have this scale of a displacement without creating a humanitarian catastrophe,” Paula Tufro, a senior White House official in charge of humanitarian response, wrote in the email. It would take “months” to get structures in place to provide “basic services” to more than a million people. She asked that the White House tell Israel to slow its offensive.
“We need GOI (Government of Israel) to pump the brakes in pushing people south,” Tufro wrote.
Andrew Miller, then the deputy assistant secretary at the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, urged his colleagues to act fast.
“If we’re inclined to weigh in with the Israelis to dissuade them from seeking mass evacuations, we will have to do it soon, at a high level and at multiple touch points,” Miller wrote. He resigned in June, citing family reasons.
Biden’s public comments on Gaza had largely given Netanyahu a free hand against Hamas. At the time, Biden faced only scattered protests from the left wing of the Democratic Party over his support for Israel’s counterattack. Israel’s likening of the Hamas assault to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington resonated widely in the US
The administration’s public stance began to change on Oct. 13. At a news conference in Doha, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for the first time publicly recognized the “suffering of Palestinian families in Gaza.” Washington was in constant talks with the Israelis and aid groups to help civilians in Gaza, he said.
The next day, Oct. 14, Biden’s rhetoric shifted. He said in a speech that he was urgently prioritizing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and directed his team to help surge relief into the war zone. It is unclear if the emails by Russo and others influenced the statements from Blinken and Biden.
Although Israel began sending infantry into Gaza on Oct. 13, a large-scale ground invasion didn’t begin until Oct. 27. Sources familiar with the matter said at the time that Washington advised Israel to hold off, mainly to give time for diplomacy to free Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
From the early days of the conflict, the US stressed that Israel has a right to defend itself but that how it does so matters, a State Department spokesperson said in response to questions for this story. “Israel has a moral imperative to mitigate the harm of its operations to civilians, something we have emphasized both publicly and privately,” the spokesperson said.
Stroul and Tuffro declined to comment. In a statement, Miller said the administration was “concerned about the humanitarian implications of a mass evacuation.” He added that “Israeli military plans were very inchoate at that stage and we were trying to develop a better understanding” of Israel’s “strategy and objectives.”
WEAPONS EXPEDITED
As US officials assessed the humanitarian crisis, Israel pressed Washington for more arms.
On Oct. 14, a senior Israeli Embassy official in Washington urged the State Department to accelerate shipment of 20,000 automatic rifles for the Israeli National Police, according to the emails.
Israeli senior defense adviser Ori Katzav apologized in an Oct. 14 email to his State Department counterpart for disturbing her on the weekend but said the rifle shipment was “very urgent” and needed US approval. Christine Minarich – an official at the State Department division that approves arms sales, the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls – told Katzav the rifles would not be approved in the next 24 to 48 hours. Such large weapons shipments can take time, requiring State Department approval and notification to Congress.
Katzav and the Israeli Embassy declined to comment.
Jessica Lewis, then the assistant US secretary for political and military affairs, forwarded Minarich’s email and Israel’s request for the rifles to the State Department’s Democracy, Labor and Human Rights (DRL) bureau. DRL reviews potential US weapon sales to ensure they aren’t sent to militaries involved in rights abuses.
Lewis asked the bureau to expedite its review and “urgently” explain any opposition to specific arms packages for Israel, according to the emails. Lewis resigned in July.
Christopher Le Mon, deputy assistant secretary at DRL, recommended denying more than a dozen arms packages, including grenade launchers, gun parts, rifles and spare rifle parts. In a reply to Lewis, he cited concerns about the “conduct” of specific Israeli National Police units, including the elite Yamam border patrol unit.
Le Mon wrote that there were “numerous reports” of Yamam’s involvement in “gross violations of human rights.” DRL raised objections against 16 separate arms packages for Israel, according to the email and a source familiar with the matter. Nearly all the shipments went ahead despite the bureau’s objections, the source said. Yamam’s missions eventually included a June 8 rescue of four Israeli hostages that Gaza health officials say killed more than 200 Palestinians.
Minarich, Le Mon, Lewis and the Israeli Embassy declined to comment.
Washington has sent to Israel large numbers of munitions since the Gaza war began, according to several US officials with knowledge of the matter, including thousands of precision-guided missiles and 2,000-pound bombs that can devastate densely populated areas and have been used to collapse tunnels and bunkers.
Some rights groups blame the use of those weapons for civilian deaths. Amnesty International cited at least three incidents from Oct. 10 to January 2024 involving US-supplied weapons that it said killed civilians, including women and children, in “serious violations” of international humanitarian law. In July, it warned of US complicity in what it said was Israel’s unlawful use of US weapons to commit war crimes – an accusation the US has rejected.
A State Department report in May said Israel may be violating international law using US weapons, but said it could not say so definitively due to the chaos of war and challenges in collecting data.
An Israeli Embassy spokesperson rejected accusations that Israel has targeted civilians. “Israel is a democracy that adheres to international law,” the spokesperson said.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573965/middle-east
-----------
Islamic Group leader Ali Al-Hajj killed in Israeli airstrike on Western Bekaa
2024-10-05
According to the newspaper Al-Joumhouria, Ali Al-Hajj, a senior leader of the Islamic Group in Lebanon, was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting his home in the town of Rafid, located in the Western Bekaa region early Saturday.
The Bekaa region has been under heavy bombardment after Israel launched a series of attacks on several villages and towns in Lebanon, including Beirut's southern suburbs, with its army invading South Lebanon.
Source:lbcgroup.tv
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/lebanon-news/802087/islamic-group-leader-ali-al-hajj-killed-in-israeli-airstrike-on-wester/en
-----------
Islamic Jihad: Tulkarm massacre is part of enemy's plans to carry out extermination war in the West Bank
04 Oct 2024
Gaza - Saba : The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine emphasized that the horrific massacre committed by the Zionist enemy army in Tulkarem camp last night proves that the Zionist entity has plans to carry out a war of extermination against the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank similar to those carried out in Gaza Strip and large parts of Lebanon.
The movement said in a press statement today, Friday: The enemy's use of fighter jets and dropping heavy bombs on a residential area crowded with civilians inside the Tulkarm refugee camp has only one goal: killing as many of our people as possible and terrorizing them with the barbaric killing machine that the enemy possesses and that the American administration supplies it with.
Islamic Jihad stressed that these crimes that the enemy persists in committing put our people in front of a single option, which is to adhere to the resistance in defense of our land, our homeland , the future of our children, to escalate the resistance against its soldiers and settlers everywhere.
Source:saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3379870.htm
-----------
South Asia
Anwar Ibrahim to consider issue of Bangladeshi workers
Oct 4, 2024
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today promised to consider the issue of 18,000 Bangladeshi workers who missed a deadline to enter Malaysia saying that they need workers, but not "modern slaves."
He made the announcement at a joint press conference with the interim government's Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at a hotel in the capital during his brief visit to Dhaka today.
Both the heads of state discussed exploring the possibilities of signing new agreements and MOUs on agriculture, energy, education, halal economy, semi-conductor, blue economy, science innovation, defence and youth development sectors.
"We also discussed the possibility of sending more workers and professionals from Bangladesh [to Malaysia] in multiple entry visas for them", said Prof Yunus.
Anwar, who led a 58-member delegation, arrived in Dhaka around 2:00pm. After holding one one-on-one meeting with Yunus at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, he attended bilateral talks at a hotel. He left Dhaka after holding a meeting with President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban in the evening.
During the press conference, Anwar said that he would certainly consider the issue of 18000 Bangladeshi workers who missed a deadline to enter Malaysia as soon as possible in the first phase, given that all conditions for entry to that country are met.
These Bangladeshi migrant workers could not reach Malaysia before May 31, when the deadline for workers to enter the Southeast Asian country ended.
Replying to a query on dismantling syndicates that manipulate migrant workers, Anwar said they discussed the whole migration system.
"Any differences between contending companies are not my concern. Our concern is to make sure whatever is decided must be followed through. We need workers. But they cannot be treated as modern slaves regardless of their identities. It doesn't matter if they are from Bangladesh or India or Indonesia or any other country.
"I publicly said about this in the past", he added.
He said that so-called agencies should adhere to policies strictly or they would face the music.
The Malaysian PM, however, urged all not to defend criminal activities by anyone whether they are Malaysians or foreigners in Malaysia.
Source:thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/anwar-ibrahim-consider-issue-bangladeshi-workers-3719691
-----------
Afghanistan Becoming Centre Of Economic, Regional Connectivity
October 5, 2024
With the Islamic Emirate takeover and the improvement of the overall security situation across Afghanistan, opportunities have been created to change the country as the center of economic and regional connectivity. With current better and secure environment for foreign and domestic investment, hopes have increased for the future as economic progress has been unprecedented in the past three years. The world has also acknowledged that security has been ensured in Afghanistan and opportunities have been created for investment and economic development in the region. Russia and China as two powerful countries in the region have praised the overall security situation in Afghanistan. Representatives of the two countries have said they want Afghanistan to become the center of economic and regional connectivity. The 6th Moscow format consultative meeting on Afghanistan commenced in Moscow on Friday. Representatives from 10 countries, including China, Iran and Pakistan, are taking part in the two-day consultations. Zakir Jalali, third political director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emir ate, partially published the statements of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the Chinese representative on his X page. He quoted Lavrov as saying Russia wanted to develop relations with Afghanistan in political and economic fields. He praised the Afghan government’s security measures and the fight against narcotics and added: “Russia is interested in investing in agriculture, mining and transport in Afghanistan.” He said the importance of Afghanistan’s location had increased in terms of economic connectivity. The Chinese representative welcomed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s economy-oriented policy, emphasizing on investment and development affairs in Afghanistan and said China wanted to turn the landlocked Afghanistan into a center of regional connectivity. Continued economic progress can drive the country towards prosperity and help reduce poverty and create employment opportunities for the country’s population. The Islamic Emirate with its economic-oriented policy is working to change the country into an economic hub in the region; therefore, efforts are underway to plan more economic projects in the near future. With increasing economic progress and the launching of development and economic projects, Afghanistan will reach lasting stability. The Islamic Emirate officials have repeatedly assured countries in the world and region that Afghanistan with its economicoriented policy would like to boost its economic and political relations with all countries in the world, particularly the region. Not only Russia and China, but also the whole world has now reached to the conclusion that the Islamic Emirate, with its economic-oriented policies can better drive Afghanistan towards prosperity and development and change the country to the center of economic and regional connectivity. The Islamic Emirate’s economic-oriented policy has been successful as, despite all challenges, Afghanistan has successfully attracted substantial foreign investment over the last three years. Today, the country is moving towards economic development as hundreds of development projects have been started countrywide, and some new projects will be soon launched in various parts of the country. With all the efforts that have been made in the past three years, there are hopes that Afghanistan will soon change to the center of economic and regional connectivity. Fida Mohammad
Source:thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/afghanistan-becoming-center-of-economic-regional-connectivity/
----------
National Gymnastics Federation hosts Kabul selection tournament
October 5, 2024
T he 18th round of gym nastics selection compe titions in Kabul concluded with the identification of top athletes. Organized by the National Gymnastics Federation in collaboration with the General Directorate of the Olympic Committee, Physical Education, and Sports, the competition featured 100 athletes from 15 clubs across Kabul. The event aimed to select the best athletes to represent the Kabul city team in future national competitions. The tournament included athletes from various age categories, including children, teenagers, youth, and adults. The competition was intense as participants vied for a place on the Kabul city team. Ultimately, 15 players were selected from the adult category, 12 from the youth category, and 20 more athletes were chosen from the children’s and teenagers’ categories. Officials from the National Gymnastics Federation highlighted that the primary purpose of these competitions was to identify and select the best athletes for the Kabul team. These selected athletes will undergo further training and preparation as they are expected to participate in national gymnastics competitions scheduled for the next two months. This competition marked a significant step in promoting gymnastics in Kabul, as it provided athletes with the opportunity to showcase their skills and secure their place on the city’s representative team. The successful completion of this event not only strengthens the Kabul team but also highlights the dedication of the National Gymnastics Federation in fostering the development of this sport across Afghanistan. The selected athletes will now focus on preparing for the upcoming national championship, where they will represent Kabul and compete at a higher level. This initiative reinforces the commitment to nurturing talent in gymnastics and ensuring that Afghan athletes continue to progress and compete on national and potentially international stages. The Kabul Times
Source:thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/national-gymnastics-federation-hosts-kabul-selection-tournament/
-----------'
Over 230,000 Afghan refugees return from Iran in past month: IOM
By Fidel Rahmati
October 5, 2024
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that over 230,000 Afghan migrants have returned to Afghanistan from Iran in the past month.
According to the IOM report, this is the highest number of returnees recorded from Iran to Afghanistan so far this year.
The report highlighted that this recent surge surpassed the previous high in May when just over 190,000 Afghans returned to the country.
The IOM revealed that 43 percent of the returnees in September were deported, while 50 percent returned voluntarily.
“Inflows from the Islamic Republic of Iran make up nearly three-quarters of the total, with approximately 91,000 Afghans entering the country this week alone,” the IOM stated. In comparison, inflows from Pakistan accounted for just 29 percent.
Afghan immigrants without residence documents are not permitted to work in certain provinces of Iran, restricting their employment opportunities.
Recently, the head of Eslamshahr City’s Labor Department, Behnam Emami, ordered that only documented immigrants could be hired for hard labour, banning undocumented ones from employment.
The forced deportation of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan has long been a practice but has intensified in recent months.
Experts suggest that the Afghan government should resolve the situation effectively by addressing the growing issues Afghan migrants face through diplomatic channels.
Despite ongoing efforts, authorities continue to urge Iran and Pakistan to handle Afghan immigrants with respect for international laws and good neighborly relations.
Source:khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/over-230000-afghan-refugees-return-from-iran-in-past-month-iom/
----------
BRICS Yet to Decide on Participation of Islamic Emirate in Summit
October 4, 2024
In an interview with a Russian media outlet, Rudenko said that the BRICS countries have not yet reached a consensus on this issue.
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir: Islamic Emirate Opposes Discrimination, Prejudice
Andrei Rudenko, the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, stated that no decision has yet been made regarding the participation of the caretaker Afghan government’s delegation in the BRICS summit.
In an interview with a Russian media outlet, Rudenko said that the BRICS countries have not yet reached a consensus on this issue.
According to the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, the uncertain status of the caretaker government, including its inclusion on Russia’s blacklist, is said to be an influential factor in the decision-making process.
Andrey Rudenko said: "It seems to me that there is no consensus yet on the issue of the participation of the Taliban delegation. But everything is in our hands.”
Naser Shafeeq, a university professor, said: “BRICS is a global organization that includes China, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa. They need time to decide whether Afghanistan is recognized as an accepted country by the world.”
Previously, the Islamic Emirate had requested to participate in the BRICS summit, which is scheduled to be held from the 22nd to 24th of this month in Kazan, Russia.
Salim Paigir, a political analyst, said: “If a delegation from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan participates, it would be very beneficial for the people and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, both economically and politically.”
This comes after, in a joint statement in June this year, the foreign ministers of the BRICS countries emphasized the peaceful resolution of Afghanistan’s challenges and expressed support for an independent, peaceful Afghanistan free from war, terrorism, and narcotics.
Source:tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-191027
----------
Lavrov: Pragmatic Dialogue Between Islamic Emirate, Moscow Essential
October 4, 2024
Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, during the sixth Moscow Format Consultative Meeting on Afghanistan, emphasized the importance of pragmatic talks with Afghanistan's interim government.
Lavrov said that engaging with the interim Afghan authorities is necessary for the region's security and economic development.
Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, said: "Pragmatic dialogue between Moscow and Kabul is essential. We believe that maintaining constructive dialogue with the current Afghan government is in the interest of security, economic development, and achieving national solidarity in this country."
In his speech, Lavrov said that Moscow would continue to develop political and economic relations with Afghanistan.
He stressed the need to release Afghanistan's frozen assets and called on Western countries to lift sanctions on the interim government.
Lavrov said: "The United States continues to illegally hold Afghanistan's national assets and imposes harsh sanctions on its banking sector. Once again, we call on Western countries to lift sanctions against the Taliban."
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister, also spoke at this meeting, saying that over the past three years, the Islamic Emirate has given special attention to fighting terrorist groups, and now Afghanistan's soil is not being used against any country.
Muttaqi also expressed concern about ISIS activity outside Afghanistan and urged countries to prevent ISIS recruitment of their citizens.
The acting Foreign Minister said: "Taking this opportunity, we ask all regional countries to cooperate in preventing ISIS from recruiting their citizens and sending them to Afghanistan and other countries to carry out destructive operations."
In another part of his speech, Muttaqi dismissed the concerns of some countries about threats originating from Afghanistan, saying they are baseless.
According to him, these concerns are based on unreliable information.
Amir Khan Muttaqi said: "Representatives of some countries, in the UN Security Council or the media, express concern about threats from Afghan soil. These statements are completely unfounded, and we believe they stem from a lack of information about Afghanistan or the distortion of information by disruptive elements that have reached international organizations."
This comes as, in the fifth Moscow Format Consultative Meeting, the emphasis was placed on forming an inclusive government, fighting terrorist groups, respecting human rights, especially the right to work and education for women in Afghanistan.
Source:tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-191021
----------
Pakistan
Govt to hold multi-party conference on Palestine issue
Syed Irfan Raza
October 5, 2024ISLAMABAD: The government will host a multi-party conference for the “unanimous condemnation” of Israeli genocide in the Middle East.
This was assured by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a meeting with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman at the PM House on Friday.
The three leaders decided to express solidarity with the people of Palestine on a national level and observe the “Day of Solidarity with Palestine” on Oct 7, when Hamas launched the attack on Israel last year.
“It was also decided to convene an All Parties Conference, hosted by the prime minister, to discuss the issue,” an official press release said.
According to the plan, nationwide gatherings and seminars will be held to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and to protest against the ongoing Israeli aggression.
The three leaders agreed to raise their voices against the ongoing oppression of Palestinians.
The meeting agreed to form a committee to organise the ‘Day of Solidarity’ and the multi-party conference.
The committee will include Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar; PPP’s Sherry Rehman and Nayyar Bukhari; and PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique.
President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Shehbaz Sharif will also attend the conference.
During the meeting, Mr Bhutto-Zardari extended full support for the ‘Day of Solidarity’ and condemned Israel’s brutalities in Palestine. The meeting also praised JI’s stance on the issue and the expression of solidarity with innocent Palestinians.
Earlier on Thursday, the JI emir met Mr Bhutto-Zardari and requested his presence at his party’s protest march in the federal capital on Oct 7.
He also asked the PPP chairman for the government’s assistance and participation in the protest.
Source:dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1863136/govt-to-hold-multi-party-conference-on-palestine-issue
----------
Terror attacks down by 24pc in September
October 5, 2024
ISLAMABAD: A total of 45 terrorist attacks took place across the country in September 2024, reflecting about 24 per cent decline from the month before.
These attacks resulted in 54 fatalities (29 security personnel, 16 civilians and nine militants), compared to 84 last month, and injuries to another 117 people.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suffered the most as 27 terrorist incidents occurred across the province, followed by 17 in Balochistan and one in Punjab. These statistics were provided in Pak Institute for Peace Studies’ (PIPS) monthly security report of Pakistan.
The report said that 27 terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa claimed the lives of 35 people and wounded 70 others.
The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Gul Bahadur Group, Islamic State-Khorasan and a few local Taliban groups were involved in these attacks.
No terrorist attack was recorded in any part of Sindh in September 2024. However, one reported attack in Punjab injured one policeman.
A total of five attacks were recorded from across Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.
Source:dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1863176/terror-attacks-down-by-24pc-in-september
----------
Govt moves to counter protests as Lahore braces for showdown
Mansoor Malik
October 5, 2024
• Maryam holds marathon meetings to stop protest in its tracks; Rangers being deployed
• PTI plans to celebrate Imran’s birthday at Minar-i-Pakistan today, claims it has ‘surprise’ in store
LAHORE: A showdown between the PTI and the Punjab government in Lahore today (Saturday) appears almost certain as the party plans to hold a protest at Minar-i-Pakistan to demand a cut in inflation, independence of judiciary and release of party founder Imran Khan.
While a determined PTI is calling it a ‘do or die’ to ensure its programme goes ahead as scheduled, the government has declared that it would not tolerate any violation of Section 144 and is, therefore, prepared to clamp down on the protesters.
The government, which has successfully blocked PTI protesters in Rawalpindi and other districts, decided to use state machinery and all legal tools to crush the Lahore protest.
As part of its strategy to hold an impressive show at Minar-i-Pakistan, the central PTI leadership had instructed its Lahore chapter not to come to participate in the Islamabad D-Chowk protest on Friday to avoid arrest and save strength for the Lahore power show.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), PTI Punjab acting president Hammad Azhar, who is in a self-imposed hiding, hoped Lahorites would come out in droves and reject the incumbent government’s alleged fascism.
Security measures
The Punjab government has already imposed Section 144 in Lahore, Mianwali, Rawalpindi, Sargodha and Attock, banning all kinds of political assemblies, gatherings, rallies and protests.
Section 144 will remain in force in Lahore until Oct 8; Mianwali Oct 7; and in Rawalpindi, Sargodha and Attock until Oct 6. Pillion riding was banned in Rawalpindi and Attock for Friday and Saturday.
The government has called nine companies of paramilitary Rangers in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Attock to perform duty on Saturday.
The Punjab government picked up some 600 PTI workers since Wednesday during police raids on party workers’ homes and offices.
All police stations in Lahore were put on high alert and instructed to patrol and arrest those found violating the ban on gatherings.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz held marathon meetings with the chief secretary, home secretary and IGP, asking them for a strong crackdown against the PTI supporters coming out on roads.
A Central Control Room established at the home department continued monitoring PTI workers’ movement on Friday and would do so on Saturday.
The government has decided not to place containers at the entry and exit points of Lahore, but it plans to set up pickets and deploy Rangers to block protesters. However, reports suggest containers will be placed at the entry and exit points.
“Since the government has imposed Section 144, the police had been authorised to arrest protesters and those found marching in groups,” a senior home department official told Dawn and added that the government’s actions in Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad and Mianwali had conveyed a strong message to keep Lahore calm and peaceful on Saturday.
Speaking to Dawn, PTI leader Shayan Bashir said the party’s central Punjab organisations had been activated, adding that they were keeping their plans secret to give surprise to the “fascist government”.
Since the ex-PM has given the protest call and stated that it’s time to ‘do or die’, Mr Bashir said the party had plans to celebrate Mr Khan’s birthday on Oct 5 and pass a resolution for “Haqeeqi Azadi” at the Minar-i-Pakistan ground.
PTI Lahore General Secretary Awais Younas held meetings with the party’s ground formation leaders and asserted, “Lahore batae ga, Lahore kaptaan ka hai”.
Source:dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1863171/govt-moves-to-counter-protests-as-lahore-braces-for-showdown
----------
Arab World
How Saudi Arabia is developing tourism while protecting its precious marine ecosystems
GHADI JOUDAH
October 04, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s coastal waters are home to a diverse range of marine ecosystems, supporting vital fisheries and a growing tourism industry, all while hosting critical marine biodiversity, including coral reefs, seagrass meadows and mangrove forests.
With the growing impact of climate change and human activity, protecting these ecosystems has become a national priority, with the Kingdom taking strides to preserve and enhance its natural heritage.
One of the jewels in Saudi Arabia’s marine crown is the Red Sea, which boasts more than 1,000 species of fish and about 265 types of coral. Not only is this ecosystem vital for local livelihoods and traditional practices, it is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.
“The coastal ecosystems of the Red Sea, including coral reefs, seagrasses and mangroves, offer substantial economic, social and cultural value,” Raed Al-Basseet, group chief environment and sustainability officer at Red Sea Global, told Arab News.
“Economically, these ecosystems are essential to local fisheries, tourism and coastal protection, playing a key role in supporting local livelihoods and generating revenue that contributes to Saudi Arabia’s growing economy.
“Socially, these ecosystems provide food security, employment opportunities and recreational spaces for local communities.
“Culturally, the marine biodiversity of the Red Sea is deeply embedded in the Kingdom’s heritage, attracting ecotourism and offering visitors a chance to engage with a unique natural environment.
“Protecting these ecosystems ensures the preservation of biodiversity while supporting sustainable tourism and fisheries that will continue to benefit future generations.”
A striking feature of the Red Sea’s coral reefs is their ability to withstand higher temperatures, a quality that offers hope for global efforts to protect reefs in the face of warming oceans. Unlike other regions where coral reefs are succumbing to bleaching events due to rising sea temperatures, those in the northern Red Sea display extraordinary heat tolerance.
This resilience not only makes them vital to marine biodiversity but also positions them as a potential model for coral regeneration projects worldwide.
Marine scientists are particularly keen on studying these corals to uncover why they thrive in warmer conditions and how these traits might be applied to more vulnerable reefs elsewhere.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative is not only about economic diversification but also creating a sustainable future that balances development with environmental stewardship. One aspect of it is the push toward restorative tourism, which seeks to attract visitors while ensuring minimal environmental impact.
The Kingdom’s Red Sea coastline, with its pristine waters and thriving coral reefs, offers immense potential for eco-friendly tourism, drawing divers, researchers and nature lovers alike.
Ecotourism and marine conservation go hand in hand, as the protection of marine biodiversity helps to preserve the very attractions that tourists come to experience.
A shining example of the Kingdom’s commitment to marine conservation is Red Sea Global, a Saudi company that is leading the development of sustainable luxury tourism projects — namely AMAALA and The Red Sea — that are central to the Vision 2030 agenda
AMAALA focuses on wellness and art-inspired luxury, while The Red Sea includes an archipelago of pristine islands and coral reefs, designed to attract eco-conscious travelers.
“At destinations such as AMAALA, RSG has implemented a range of environmental regeneration initiatives including afforestation programs, monitoring and enhancing coral reefs,” Al-Basseet said.
“We’ve also designated conservation zones on several islands, with 75 percent of AMAALA’s coastline protected. Cutting-edge technology supports these conservation efforts, monitoring and safeguarding marine biodiversity while ensuring that human activity in the area is in harmony with nature.
“Our goal is to create a harmonious balance between luxury tourism and environmental stewardship, preserving the natural habitats that make these destinations so unique.”
RSG has partnered with the Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform to spearhead efforts to protect and regenerate coral reefs. As part of this, the company is set to open a state-of-the-art coral breeding lab, which will focus on nurturing juvenile coral for restoration projects.
By breeding and relocating coral fragments, it hopes to strengthen coral populations, particularly in areas facing environmental pressures.
Another vital component of Saudi Arabia’s marine conservation efforts is the environmental survey conducted by RSG last year, covering 250 km of coastline. One of the largest of its kind by a developer, it provided invaluable insights into the health of local ecosystems.
The findings revealed important breeding sites for endangered species, such as hawksbill and green turtles, underscoring the region’s critical role in global biodiversity.
Indeed, RSG’s initiatives go beyond coral conservation.
“RSG is fully committed to achieving a net conservation benefit of 30 percent by 2040,” Al-Basseet said. “Our efforts thus far include the installation of over 760,500 solar panels across five large solar farms, which have already reduced CO2 emissions by 46,350 tonnes.
“In parallel, our mangrove nursery produced over 1 million seedlings last year and 3 million seedlings targeted for this year. These plants are transplanted across our sites, contributing to the long-term restoration and protection of vital ecosystems.
“Its projects have also highlighted the importance of protecting endangered marine species, such as the hawksbill turtle and the critically endangered halavi guitarfish, both of which depend on the region’s coastlines and underwater nurseries for survival.”
The company has also developed programs to protect turtle nesting sites and initiatives aimed at monitoring the health of marine habitats.
“At Red Sea Global, we have initiated several critical programs to safeguard endangered species such as the hawksbill turtles and sooty falcons, identified during our comprehensive environmental surveys,” Al-Basseet said.
“These efforts include habitat conservation, the protection of turtles’ nesting sites and tagging programs to monitor their behaviors.
“On birds, we’ve established artificial nesting sites for the sooty falcon and implemented preventive measures to mitigate bird collisions.
“We have also undertaken the translocation of vulnerable plant species like the doum palm, underscoring our proactive approach to biodiversity conservation and ensuring the continued survival of these species.”
These efforts also include using technology such as satellite imagery, drones and autonomous underwater vehicles to monitor the health of coral reefs, track turtle populations and safeguard critical marine resources.
“RSG is leveraging state-of-the-art technologies to monitor and protect marine ecosystems,” Al-Basseet said. “Our initiatives include drone surveys equipped with multispectral cameras and advanced tools for detailed coral reef mapping.
“Satellite imagery further supports our efforts by providing real-time monitoring of marine environments and vegetation, ensuring the health and sustainability of critical resources such as coral reefs, seagrasses and mangroves.
“Additionally, we deploy environmental monitoring buoys that provide real-time data on water quality, temperature and other key environmental parameters, helping us track and respond to changes in the marine ecosystem swiftly and effectively.”
While much attention is given to the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the Arabian Gulf are equally noteworthy.
The National Center for Wildlife is working to assess ecosystem health and develop a strategy to protect marine biodiversity there.
The region is rich in seagrass meadows and mangrove forests, both of which play essential roles in maintaining the health of marine ecosystems and protecting coastlines from erosion.
Saudi Arabia’s conservation strategy also emphasizes the importance of marine protected areas. As of last year, the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden had helped designate more than 30 such areas, covering about 12 percent of the Kingdom’s marine territory.
These protected zones are essential for preserving sensitive habitats, such as fish spawning grounds and coral reefs, while preventing overfishing and other destructive practices.
Saudi Arabia’s marine conservation efforts not only benefit the Kingdom but also have global implications.
The corals of the Red Sea could provide answers to the broader challenge of coral bleaching worldwide, while the nation’s approach to sustainable tourism offers a model for other countries seeking to balance economic growth with environmental preservation.
Furthermore, these efforts contribute to global efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, as healthy marine ecosystems play a key role in carbon sequestration and coastal protection.
With ambitious goals, innovative technologies and a commitment to restoring its natural heritage, Saudi Arabia is proving that conservation and development can go hand in hand.
As the Kingdom continues to lead in marine conservation, both the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf will remain vital parts of the global ecosystem, supporting not only local livelihoods but also the health of the planet’s oceans.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573981/saudi-arabia
-----------
How Saudi Arabia is developing tourism while protecting its precious marine ecosystems
GHADI JOUDAH
October 04, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s coastal waters are home to a diverse range of marine ecosystems, supporting vital fisheries and a growing tourism industry, all while hosting critical marine biodiversity, including coral reefs, seagrass meadows and mangrove forests.
With the growing impact of climate change and human activity, protecting these ecosystems has become a national priority, with the Kingdom taking strides to preserve and enhance its natural heritage.
One of the jewels in Saudi Arabia’s marine crown is the Red Sea, which boasts more than 1,000 species of fish and about 265 types of coral. Not only is this ecosystem vital for local livelihoods and traditional practices, it is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.
“The coastal ecosystems of the Red Sea, including coral reefs, seagrasses and mangroves, offer substantial economic, social and cultural value,” Raed Al-Basseet, group chief environment and sustainability officer at Red Sea Global, told Arab News.
“Economically, these ecosystems are essential to local fisheries, tourism and coastal protection, playing a key role in supporting local livelihoods and generating revenue that contributes to Saudi Arabia’s growing economy.
“Socially, these ecosystems provide food security, employment opportunities and recreational spaces for local communities.
“Culturally, the marine biodiversity of the Red Sea is deeply embedded in the Kingdom’s heritage, attracting ecotourism and offering visitors a chance to engage with a unique natural environment.
“Protecting these ecosystems ensures the preservation of biodiversity while supporting sustainable tourism and fisheries that will continue to benefit future generations.”
A striking feature of the Red Sea’s coral reefs is their ability to withstand higher temperatures, a quality that offers hope for global efforts to protect reefs in the face of warming oceans. Unlike other regions where coral reefs are succumbing to bleaching events due to rising sea temperatures, those in the northern Red Sea display extraordinary heat tolerance.
This resilience not only makes them vital to marine biodiversity but also positions them as a potential model for coral regeneration projects worldwide.
Marine scientists are particularly keen on studying these corals to uncover why they thrive in warmer conditions and how these traits might be applied to more vulnerable reefs elsewhere.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative is not only about economic diversification but also creating a sustainable future that balances development with environmental stewardship. One aspect of it is the push toward restorative tourism, which seeks to attract visitors while ensuring minimal environmental impact.
The Kingdom’s Red Sea coastline, with its pristine waters and thriving coral reefs, offers immense potential for eco-friendly tourism, drawing divers, researchers and nature lovers alike.
Ecotourism and marine conservation go hand in hand, as the protection of marine biodiversity helps to preserve the very attractions that tourists come to experience.
A shining example of the Kingdom’s commitment to marine conservation is Red Sea Global, a Saudi company that is leading the development of sustainable luxury tourism projects — namely AMAALA and The Red Sea — that are central to the Vision 2030 agenda
AMAALA focuses on wellness and art-inspired luxury, while The Red Sea includes an archipelago of pristine islands and coral reefs, designed to attract eco-conscious travelers.
“At destinations such as AMAALA, RSG has implemented a range of environmental regeneration initiatives including afforestation programs, monitoring and enhancing coral reefs,” Al-Basseet said.
“We’ve also designated conservation zones on several islands, with 75 percent of AMAALA’s coastline protected. Cutting-edge technology supports these conservation efforts, monitoring and safeguarding marine biodiversity while ensuring that human activity in the area is in harmony with nature.
“Our goal is to create a harmonious balance between luxury tourism and environmental stewardship, preserving the natural habitats that make these destinations so unique.”
RSG has partnered with the Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform to spearhead efforts to protect and regenerate coral reefs. As part of this, the company is set to open a state-of-the-art coral breeding lab, which will focus on nurturing juvenile coral for restoration projects.
By breeding and relocating coral fragments, it hopes to strengthen coral populations, particularly in areas facing environmental pressures.
Another vital component of Saudi Arabia’s marine conservation efforts is the environmental survey conducted by RSG last year, covering 250 km of coastline. One of the largest of its kind by a developer, it provided invaluable insights into the health of local ecosystems.
The findings revealed important breeding sites for endangered species, such as hawksbill and green turtles, underscoring the region’s critical role in global biodiversity.
Indeed, RSG’s initiatives go beyond coral conservation.
“RSG is fully committed to achieving a net conservation benefit of 30 percent by 2040,” Al-Basseet said. “Our efforts thus far include the installation of over 760,500 solar panels across five large solar farms, which have already reduced CO2 emissions by 46,350 tonnes.
“In parallel, our mangrove nursery produced over 1 million seedlings last year and 3 million seedlings targeted for this year. These plants are transplanted across our sites, contributing to the long-term restoration and protection of vital ecosystems.
“Its projects have also highlighted the importance of protecting endangered marine species, such as the hawksbill turtle and the critically endangered halavi guitarfish, both of which depend on the region’s coastlines and underwater nurseries for survival.”
The company has also developed programs to protect turtle nesting sites and initiatives aimed at monitoring the health of marine habitats.
“At Red Sea Global, we have initiated several critical programs to safeguard endangered species such as the hawksbill turtles and sooty falcons, identified during our comprehensive environmental surveys,” Al-Basseet said.
“These efforts include habitat conservation, the protection of turtles’ nesting sites and tagging programs to monitor their behaviors.
“On birds, we’ve established artificial nesting sites for the sooty falcon and implemented preventive measures to mitigate bird collisions.
“We have also undertaken the translocation of vulnerable plant species like the doum palm, underscoring our proactive approach to biodiversity conservation and ensuring the continued survival of these species.”
These efforts also include using technology such as satellite imagery, drones and autonomous underwater vehicles to monitor the health of coral reefs, track turtle populations and safeguard critical marine resources.
“RSG is leveraging state-of-the-art technologies to monitor and protect marine ecosystems,” Al-Basseet said. “Our initiatives include drone surveys equipped with multispectral cameras and advanced tools for detailed coral reef mapping.
“Satellite imagery further supports our efforts by providing real-time monitoring of marine environments and vegetation, ensuring the health and sustainability of critical resources such as coral reefs, seagrasses and mangroves.
“Additionally, we deploy environmental monitoring buoys that provide real-time data on water quality, temperature and other key environmental parameters, helping us track and respond to changes in the marine ecosystem swiftly and effectively.”
While much attention is given to the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the Arabian Gulf are equally noteworthy.
The National Center for Wildlife is working to assess ecosystem health and develop a strategy to protect marine biodiversity there.
The region is rich in seagrass meadows and mangrove forests, both of which play essential roles in maintaining the health of marine ecosystems and protecting coastlines from erosion.
Saudi Arabia’s conservation strategy also emphasizes the importance of marine protected areas. As of last year, the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden had helped designate more than 30 such areas, covering about 12 percent of the Kingdom’s marine territory.
These protected zones are essential for preserving sensitive habitats, such as fish spawning grounds and coral reefs, while preventing overfishing and other destructive practices.
Saudi Arabia’s marine conservation efforts not only benefit the Kingdom but also have global implications.
The corals of the Red Sea could provide answers to the broader challenge of coral bleaching worldwide, while the nation’s approach to sustainable tourism offers a model for other countries seeking to balance economic growth with environmental preservation.
Furthermore, these efforts contribute to global efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, as healthy marine ecosystems play a key role in carbon sequestration and coastal protection.
With ambitious goals, innovative technologies and a commitment to restoring its natural heritage, Saudi Arabia is proving that conservation and development can go hand in hand.
As the Kingdom continues to lead in marine conservation, both the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf will remain vital parts of the global ecosystem, supporting not only local livelihoods but also the health of the planet’s oceans.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
vhttps://www.arabnews.com/node/2573981/saudi-arabia
-----------
Saudi Arabia intensifies Islamic education drive in Philippines
October 04, 2024
MANILA: In a move to strengthen Islamic education abroad, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs has launched its second scientific course for qualifying imams and preachers in the Philippines.
The program, running on its second day, has drawn more than 160 participants from across the archipelago.
It is conducted by the Religious Attache at the Saudi Embassy in Manila and features prominent scholars such as Fahd Al-Fuhaid.
On the second day, Dr. Al-Fuhaid delivered an extensive lecture on monotheism, highlighting crucial doctrinal issues for preachers and speakers.
The session sparked lively discussions and inquiries from attendees eager to deepen their understanding of Islamic teachings.
The second scientific course for qualifying preachers and imams is receiving wide interest and participation from across the Philippines.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573973/saudi-arabia
----------
Jeddah Dedicates MuralOn The Corniche In Honour To TeachersFeaturing The Slogan: “We All Appreciate You”
SALEH FAREED
October 04, 2024
JEDDAH: Artists, students, families, and community members in Jeddah created an eye-catching mural on the Corniche in honour of the city’s teachers, featuring the slogan: “We all appreciate you.”
The mural project is a collaborative effort between Jeddah Education, Jeddah Municipality, and the Distinguished Initiatives Association as part of World Teachers’ Day.
The creation, which features an array of colors telling the story of education in Saudi Arabia, is expected to enter into the Guinness World Records as more than 30,000 people from various segments of society participated in the creating the world’s largest mural to dedicated to teachers, organizers said.
The mural is set to have its official unveiling in a ceremony on Oct. 17.
Saudi artist Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, who is supervising the project, told Arab News: “The mural tells the story of education in Saudi Arabia and its history, starting with the books and passing through the beginning of education in the Kingdom, all the way to the modern stage of education and its distinction with science and technical knowledge.
“It’s a love letter to teachers from the whole society. It’s an expression of their thankfulness to their teachers through a vibrant art form,” he added.
On Thursday night at Red Sea Mall, in front of hundreds of teachers and visitors, officials of Jeddah Education and members of the Distinguished Initiatives Association launched the mural project for Teacher’s Day.
Celebrations will also be held in other malls within the next few days and around 1,000 teachers will be recognized for their role in education.
Osama A. Al-Khereiji, general director of the Jeddah Distinguished Teacher Award, told the press that the day represents an opportunity to express thanks and gratitude to teachers for their vital role in preparing a generation that contributes to achieving the nation’s future aspirations.
Fawzi Al-Nahdi, a member of the association’s board of directors, explained that such events embody a true appreciation for the role of male and female teachers in society, noting that the association seeks, through these initiatives, to enhance national and social values and stimulate the spirit of giving and excellence among educational personnel.
Al-Nahdi added that the mural, which aims to honor teachers, reflects the great support from various governmental and private sectors, which reflects the position of teachers in the hearts of society.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573937/saudi-arabia
-----------
More German pilgrims visiting Saudi Arabia, ambassador says
LAMA ALHAMAWI
October 04, 2024
RIYADH: A growing number of German Muslims are undertaking pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia, Germany’s ambassador to the Kingdom said.
Speaking at an event to mark Unity Day, which celebrates the reunification of East and West Germany on Oct. 3, 1990, envoy Michael Kindsgrab told Arab News that Hajj and Umrah were two of the many areas in which Germany and Saudi Arabia were cooperating.
“That is just one example of how we can establish more people-to-people contact,” he said.
As well as marking the 34th anniversary of Unity Day, this year is the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Germany.
Speaking about his work and experiences in the Kingdom, Kindsgrab said: “It’s of course a big honor to be working as German ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and Germany as a country is becoming more and more diverse. It is just the right moment to be here to explore new areas of cooperation.
“It has been the most interesting and exciting posting that I have had in my career and I really look forward to the next year. I also have to say I really enjoy life here, people are enormously nice and enormously interesting.”
The event at the German Embassy in Riyadh featured a variety of activities and booths showcasing German businesses in Saudi Arabia, including the Goethe-Institut and the German International School.
A military band provided entertainment with renditions of popular jazz, rock and pop songs.
On the importance of Unity Day, Kindsgrab said: “For me, the significance is that it was embedded in European unity, because together with German unity we achieved European unity which makes Germany a country at the heart of Europe surrounded by friends.”
Undersecretary of Riyadh Region Faisal Al-Sudairi was among the invited officials, diplomats and representatives of German-Saudi businesses at the embassy event.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573948/saudi-arabia
-----------
Royal Saudi Air Force joins Sindh Shield 2024 exercise in Pakistan
October 04, 2024
RIYADH: The Royal Saudi Air Force has deployed to Pakistan for the multinational Shield of Sindh 2024 exercise.
The event, hosted at Mushaf Air Base, brings together air forces from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkiye in a comprehensive training scenario.
Lt. Gen. Turki bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, commander of the RSAF, saw off the departure of the Saudi contingent from King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Sector.
Before takeoff, he conducted a thorough inspection of equipment and received detailed briefings on the operational readiness of flight crews, technical teams and support personnel. The Saudi contribution to the exercise is substantial, featuring a squadron of six Tornado aircraft.
Speaking about the exercise, he said: “Our participation in Shield of Sindh 2024 serves multiple objectives. It strengthens our bonds with Pakistan and other participating nations, while also providing a platform to demonstrate the exceptional capabilities and professionalism of the Royal Saudi Air Force, and allowing air and support crews to gain more combat experience in unconventional and electronic warfare environments.”
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573946/saudi-arabia
-----------
Falcons exhibition opens its door for visitors at Malham
October 04, 2024
RIYADH: The Saudi International Falcons and Hunting Exhibition 2024 opened its door Friday to visitors in Malham, north of Riyadh, showcasing a blend of tradition and modernity.
Running for 10 days under the theme “a world that resembles you,” the mega event has drawn over 400 exhibitors from 45 countries.
Organized by the Saudi Falcons Club, this year’s exhibition marks a significant expansion, occupying 160,000 square meters and featuring a diverse array of attractions.
In a groundbreaking move, it hosts the Kingdom’s first platform for selling hunting weapons, with Saudi companies representing more than 55 global brands, alongside special and rare editions for hunting enthusiasts. The event also provides real and virtual hunting experiences.
Waleed Al-Taweel, spokesperson of the Saudi Falcons Club, emphasized the exhibition’s role in preserving cultural heritage.
“We are not just showcasing falconry, we are sustaining a legacy,” he stated, highlighting the falcon’s symbolic importance in Saudi culture as an emblem of courage and pride.
He emphasized that the exhibition highlights falcons, hunting, and related hobbies to revive this ancient Saudi legacy, in line with Saudi Vision 2030’s goal of showcasing and sustaining Saudi heritage and enhancing its role in cultural tourism both domestically and internationally.
Visitors can engage in a wide range of activities, offering hands-on insights into falcon husbandry and training.
Attendees can explore a vast marketplace where hundreds of vendors display state-of-the-art falconry gear, innovative technologies, and specialized dietary products for these prized birds.
A notable addition this year is the Future Falconer Program, designed to introduce children to the art of falconry through interactive and educational activities.
The exhibition also includes an outdoor cooking demonstration area, the Shalayel Digital Museum, a photography exhibition, a live fine art gallery, an area for arts, handicrafts, and sculpture, interactive games, and remote-controlled aircraft shows.
Adventure seekers can enjoy 4x4 vehicle experiences, equestrian shows, and drone demonstrations.
The organizers have made the event accessible to all, with free entry daily from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573945/saudi-arabia
----------
North America
Major Arab, Muslim, Palestinian American Groups Say They Were Excluded From Harris’ Middle East Outreach
October 5, 2024
Major Muslim and Arab American organizations and pro-Palestinian activist groups say they were excluded from Vice President Kamala Harris’ office’s outreach to community leaders on the administration’s efforts to contain the widening conflict in the Middle East.
The White House said Wednesday that Phil Gordon, Harris’ national security adviser, met virtually with “Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian American community leaders from across the United States,” to discuss administration efforts to end the war in Gaza.
In a statement, the White House said Gordon “expressed concern for civilians in Lebanon,” and Israeli “actions that undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank.”
The meeting appears to have been an attempt to repair ties with Arab, Palestinian and Muslim communities outraged over the administration’s continued support for Israel in the war against Hamas, which has taken the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians and left an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
However, none of the major community groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Public Affairs Council, were invited. Neither were the Uncommitted National Movement and Abandon Harris, the two pro-Palestinian activist groups that have been pushing for change in the administration’s policies on Gaza.
Community leaders of prominent groups in the Washington area, including MakeSpace, the Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center, the Mustafa Center and the Diyanet Center of America were also not invited.
James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, participated in the eight-person engagement with Gordon. He said the meeting was “irritating,” as it did not include representatives of the community.
“We were told an Arab American meeting. We were told a Muslim meeting. It was none of the above,” Zogby told VOA. “There were no Palestinian leaders. There were some Palestinian Americans, but there were no organizations representing Palestinian Americans.”
Zogby said he felt “blindsided” by the event, characterizing it as a “check the box” engagement with the community. He said the administration missed an opportunity by not inviting the list of people the community had recommended to be included.
“There were only two of us out of the eight who headed any organization at all,” he said.
Edward Gabriel, president of the American Task Force on Lebanon, said the vice president’s office has engaged him in “nearly a dozen” meetings, including the one with Gordon this week.
“Our meetings continue to be positive,” he wrote to VOA. “We have expressed to the Vice President and her team the importance of now providing our community with a clear message on the need for ending this war and helping those Lebanese citizens most affected by the conflict.”
In the past two weeks, Israel’s military campaign targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon has killed hundreds, wounded thousands and displaced more than a million people. The victims include Kamel Ahmad Jawad, an American from Dearborn, Michigan.
Gabriel said that Biden’s stance on the widening of Israel’s campaign to Lebanon to date “has not been well received by the Lebanese American community, as there was no sense of compassion expressed for the loss of life of innocent citizens, especially women and children.”
The White House and the vice president’s office did not respond to VOA’s queries. However, a campaign spokesperson said Harris is “committed to work to earn every vote, unite our country, and to be a president for all Americans.”
“Throughout her career, Vice President Harris has been steadfast in her support of our country’s diverse Muslim community, ensuring first and foremost that they can live free from the hateful policies of the Trump administration,” the spokesperson told VOA. “She will continue working to bring the war in Gaza to an end in a way where Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.”
Virtually tied
Harris’ outreach efforts come as a new poll indicates Arab American support for the Democratic presidential nominee is virtually tied with that for former President and Republican Party nominee Donald Trump.
The Arab American Institute released Wednesday a nationwide poll of 500 Arab American registered voters that indicates support for Trump stands at 42% and Harris 41%.
Among those who say they are very likely to vote, Trump leads Harris 46% to 42%.
The poll suggests the administration’s handling of the crisis in Gaza has eroded the community’s support for Democrats, whom they traditionally back. Arab Americans now are evenly divided between the two parties: 38% for each.
The United States is home to roughly 3.5 million Arab Americans, according to the latest census. The U.S. Census Bureau does not count population based on religious beliefs, but various sources show an estimated 4 million to 6 million Muslim Americans.
That is a very small percentage of the 337 million total U.S. population. However, since Arab Americans are concentrated in a few states, such as California and Michigan, they may play an outsized role in next month’s election.
This may be seen especially in Michigan, a battleground state with the largest percentage of Arab Americans that Biden won in 2020 with only 154,000 votes more than Trump. In 2016, Trump won the state over Hillary Clinton by just under 11,000 votes.
More than 100,000 Michiganders voted “uncommitted” in the Democratic primary election to protest the Biden administration’s support of Israel’s military campaign — votes that could be up for grabs for Trump.
Trump courting the community
Trump has been courting Arab and Muslim voters and has won the support of Amer Ghalib, the Yemeni American mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan. The city is home to 30,000 people, almost half of them Muslim, and is the only city in the country to have an all-Muslim city council.
“Endorsing President Trump was a combination of disappointment and hope,” Ghalib told VOA. “Disappointed at the current administration’s policies domestically and internationally, and in hope that President Trump will come to fix things up, end the chaos in the Middle East and restore peace everywhere, as well as preventing our economy from further deterioration.”
Ghalib’s endorsement, came last month following his meeting with Trump, who held a campaign event in the nearby city of Flint.
On cultural issues such as LGBTQ+ rights and the right to abortion, Ghalib and many of his constituents are more aligned with the Republican Party. He has supported conservative measures taken by his city council, including a 2023 ban on Pride flags on city property — a move that angered allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“The cultural issues are important to some,” Zogby said. Wanting to “punish Democrats” over Gaza is another motivator for the community, he added.
“I don’t think that there’s anyone actually very seriously considering that Donald Trump is better than Kamala Harris on the Middle East,” he said. “It’s a question of, they might be both terrible. That’s, I think, the more prevalent view.”
Source:eurasiareview.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.eurasiareview.com/05102024-major-arab-muslim-palestinian-american-groups-say-they-were-excluded-from-harris-middle-east-outreach/
----------
Mosques and synagogues consider security measures for Oct. 7
OCTOBER 4, 2024
Mosques and synagogues in the U.S. are paying special attention to ways they can bolster security for their members heading into Oct. 7.
As we approach one year since the Hamas attack on Israel, Jewish and Muslim people are preparing special services and memorials to honor lives lost. Mosques and synagogues are paying special attention to ways that they can bolster security for their members heading into October 7. From member station WBEZ, Adora Namigadde reports.
(SOUNDBITE OF BUZZER BEEPING)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Hello?
ADORA NAMIGADDE, BYLINE: Hi. This is Adora from NPR. I'm here.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Yes - second door after I buzz.
NAMIGADDE: OK, thank you.
(SOUNDBITE OF METAL DETECTOR BEEPING)
NAMIGADDE: Two doorbells and a metal detector later, I walk into the Chicago Loop Synagogue. It's the largest synagogue in the city's downtown.
LEE ZOLDAN: You never know who's going to show up. That's why we're here - is to serve them.
NAMIGADDE: That's the congregation's president, Lee Zoldan. Her synagogue was attacked in 2017. Vandals smashed the building's front window and placed peel-and-stick swastikas on the entrance.
ZOLDAN: We've always been very security-conscious. I mean, we have to be. It's not like all of a sudden, we thought, oh, we were so stupid before, and now we really have to get our act together.
NAMIGADDE: Chicago Loop Synagogue has increased security over time. In addition to two doorbells with cameras and a metal detector, it requires guests to call in advance before visiting.
ZOLDAN: And the rest I can't talk about, but there - yes, there are numerous other systems that we have, you know, that would be considered best practices for any synagogue.
NAMIGADDE: After the October 7 attack and the war in Gaza that followed, the Department of Homeland Security offered resources and information for faith leaders to help keep their communities safe. Among them were recommendations like training greeters on de-escalation techniques, evaluating vulnerabilities in their buildings and pursuing grants to provide new resources for security. In 2005, Congress authorized the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program. This year they allocated $675 million to the program - more than 20 times the amount they gave originally. With October 7 approaching, Nathan Diamond, public policy director of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, says...
NATHAN DIAMOND: Virtually every synagogue has been in touch with local police. They're going to have increased patrols both by police and also by volunteers, and, you know, we just want to make sure that everybody's safe.
NAMIGADDE: Mosques in the Chicago area are also taking precautionary steps ahead of October 7. Maggie Slavin is the operations manager for CAIR-Chicago, the Council on American Islamic Relations.
MAGGIE SLAVIN: Other suburbs of Chicago are a little bit luckier just because they might have really large Muslim populations or have, like, sometimes, like, better relationships with police. But I know in the city of Chicago, getting the CPD to work with us has been extremely challenging.
NAMIGADDE: CAIR works with more than 30 mosques in the Chicago area. Slavin says local Muslims generally do not feel that police follow through on their requests for extra help.
SLAVIN: A lot of people would like to see some, like, added layer, and so we're kind of turning to private security because we're not able to always get in with local police departments and get them to take us seriously.
NAMIGADDE: The Chicago Police Department declined a request for an interview. In a statement, the CPD told NPR that, quote, "As always, we are monitoring all activity, and while there's no actionable intelligence at this time, we will have an increased police presence to ensure the city's faith communities are not only safe but feel safe." As the conflict in the Middle East escalates, the Orthodox Union's Nathan Diamond sees the safety of all faith communities as connected.
DIAMOND: If one group does not enjoy religious freedom, then nobody's religious freedom in the United States is really secure.
Source:npr.org
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.npr.org/2024/10/04/nx-s1-5137188/mosques-and-synagogues-consider-security-measures-for-oct-7
-----------
City of Kingston celebrates the 18th anniversary of Islamic History Month in Canada
MEGHRIG MILKON
OCTOBER 4, 2024
Kingston lit up City Hall in green on Oct. 1, marking the 18th annual Islamic History Month Canada (IHMC).
Since 2007, Parliament has designated October as IHMC, dedicated to reflection, celebration, and learning about Muslim communities throughout Canada. Green is symbolic of IHMC and has been long associated with Islam, symbolizing the soothing greenery of paradise.
“IHMC in October aims to celebrate, inform, educate, and share with fellow Canadians the rich Muslim heritage and contributions to society: Contributions in sciences, humanities, medicine, astronomy, and other disciplines that have greatly benefited human progress. IHMC believes that through education and sharing positive stories, all Canadians can grow and connect in the best way possible,” the official IHMC website says.
National Board Member of IHMC and participant since its inception, Mohamed Bayoumi, a professor emeritus of electrical engineering at Queen’s,and a founding member of the Islamic Society of Kingston (ISK), sat down with The Journal to reflect on the IHMC’s ongoing dual objectives. The first being of education and building bridges between different communities and groups to create a harmonious society.
“One of the objectives of Muslims is to try not to live in a cocoon but to try and interact with the community at large. [By] having a program that would help build bridges, I think in this way, people can live peacefully amongst one another,” Bayoumi said in an interview with The Journal.
Mona Rahman, research awards officer at Queen’s and national board member of IHMC, said “this month serves as a reflection of the longstanding presence of Muslims in Canada.” According to the IHMC website, the first recorded Muslim communities in Canada emerged during the state formation period in the 1860s, and Islam is now considered the second most declared religion after Christianity across Canada.
“I think one of the things that we want to emphasize is that when we’re talking about the history of Islamic history and Muslims in Canada, is that a lot of people think that we are a new population. Part of IHMC is to highlight that Muslims have been here for almost as long and even some possibly longer than Canada,” Rahman said in an interview with The Journal.
The diversity within the human race, Rahman explained, is meant to enrich humanity.
“Unfortunately, humanity tends to focus on differences, but one of the principles we have in the Quran is we are created from a man and woman and created in tribes so we may know each other better,” Rahman said.
Bayoumi remains hopeful amid global conflicts people come to the realization that the only way to resolve issues is by talking to one another.
“Islam is against double standards and is pro-justice,” Bayoumi said. “Talking is always better than fighting one another.”
“I am hoping, indeed, that we won’t continue to fight, that indeed the best way to resolve issues is by talking to one another and indeed talking to those who have been against you, not only talking to your friends but talking to those who have taken your rights,” Bayoumi said.
Each year, IHMC is celebrated with different overarching themes that resonate with the community. Previous themes have highlighted the contributions of Muslim women in the arts and science fields. This year, the focus shifts to health and healing.
“Throughout history, the Muslim world has been home to remarkable physicians, scientists, and scholars whose pioneering work in medicine laid the foundation for modern healthcare practices,” the IHMC website reads.
The IHMC website highlights influential figures in thought, including Ibn Sina, commonly known in the West as Avicenna, renowned for his seminal work, The Canon of Medicine, and Ibn al-Nafis, whose discovery of pulmonary circulation significantly advanced the understanding of the human cardiovascular system. These scholars exemplify the rich legacy of Islamic contribution to health and healing.
As celebrations and events continue to take place on- and off-campus, students and community members are encouraged by Bayoumi and Rahman to take the time to reflect and make an effort to learn while having conversations which progress toward a more harmonious society.
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s)-in-Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.
Source:queensjournal.ca
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.queensjournal.ca/city-of-kingston-celebrates-the-18th-anniversary-of-islamic-history-month-in-canada/
----------
Tim Walz vows equal role for Muslims in Harris-Walz administration
Oct 4, 2024
Tim Walz, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris's running mate, on Thursday promised Muslim Americans an equal role in their administration should they win the election, as Democrats scramble to win back Muslim backing that has eroded over US support for Israel.
Vice President Harris and Walz, the governor of Minnesota, are trying to woo Muslim voters furious over President Joe Biden's administration's staunch backing of Israel during its year-old war in Gaza against Hamas.
Harris has pledged continued support for Israel while emphasising her push for a ceasefire, words Walz echoed on Thursday, while promising a role for Muslims.
"Vice President Harris and I are committed that this White House... will continue to condemn in all forms anti-Islam, anti-Arab sentiments being led by Donald Trump, but more importantly, a commitment that Muslims will be engaged in this administration and serve side by side," Walz said during an online meeting organised by Emgage Action, a Muslim American advocacy group that recently endorsed Harris.
The November 5 election between Harris and Republican Trump is expected to be tight, especially in battleground states like Michigan, home to a large Muslim American population. The US continues to back Israel as it targets Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Though Emgage has endorsed Harris, other Muslim groups have urged supporters not to back her in the election, especially after Democrats rejected requests for a Palestinian speaker at the party convention in August.
Harris has offered no substantive policy differences on Israel from Biden, who stepped aside as presidential candidate in July.
Trump has said he would reinstate a "travel ban" he imposed as president restricting the entry into the United States of people from a list of largely Muslim-dominant countries. Biden rolled back the ban shortly after taking office in 2021.
"The scale of death and destruction in Gaza is staggering and devastating," Walz said. Harris is working to ensure "the suffering in Gaza ends now, and the Palestinian people realise the right to dignity, freedom and self-determination."
The Israeli military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, Palestinian health authorities say. Israel was responding to an incursion by Hamas gunmen on October 7, 2023, which Israel says killed around 1,200 people and abducted about 250 hostages.
Gaza has suffered a humanitarian crisis with nearly all its 2 million people displaced and widespread hunger in the enclave.
Other speakers at the event included Democratic US Senator Chris Van Hollen from Maryland and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who both suggested that Harris could represent a shift from Biden's approach in the Middle East.
"I know she is a listener. She is able to change her mind," Ellison said, adding Harris was not born in the 1940s, as Biden and Trump were.
"I'm not promising you a rose garden" if Harris is elected, Ellison said. "But we'll be pushing on a door that's not locked."
It was unclear whether Walz, the first speaker, remained on the Zoom call to listen to other remarks. He took no questions.
While other Muslim groups have not supported Republican candidate Donald Trump, some are backing Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
Source:indiatoday.in
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/us-election-2024/story/tim-walz-muslim-americans-harris-emgage-action-islam-sentiments-israel-2611445-2024-10-04
-----------
Canada's top court upholds passenger protection rules for flight disruptions
Nadine Yousif
Oct 4, 2024
Canada’s Supreme Court has ruled against the airline industry in a case that will affect how passengers are compensated for travel disruptions.
The ruling comes after the airline industry sued the Canadian government for updates to its passenger protection regulations that went into effect in 2019.
The country's top court on Friday dismissed the airline industry's appeal, ruling that airlines can be required to reimburse passengers.
The new rules require airlines - both Canadian and international - to compensate passengers whose flights are disrupted, or whose luggage is damaged or lost. It applies to all passengers flying into, out of and within Canada.
Airlines argued that Canada has no right to impose rules on foreign carriers and that the compensations proposed do not match international rules on air travel.
At the heart of the legal dispute are Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations, which mandate airlines compensate passengers if their flights are delayed or cancelled, with monetary amounts set out depending on the severity of the disruption.
In cases of a more than nine-hour delay, passengers are entitled up to C$1,000 ($738; £563) if the disruption is the airline’s fault.
The regulations also require airlines to, in some cases, provide food and accommodation for passengers, as well as compensate them for lost or damaged luggage.
If a flight is cancelled, the airlines are required to issue a refund or rebook a new seat either on their next available flight, or on a flight aboard another airline.
Passengers who have a dispute covered by the regulations can submit it to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), who would then rule if they are entitled to compensation.
The airline industry - including Air Canada, Canadian carrier Porter Airlines, the International Air Transport Association and international airlines like British Airways - had sued the Canadian government over these rules but lost in federal court.
The fight ended up at the Supreme Court in March.
The airlines argue that the rules should be tossed out as Canada is already a signatory to an international treaty that sets out compensation rules for flights.
Canada argued their rules are designed to treat all passengers in a fair and consistent manner.
In a statement, the International Air Transport Association said it was disappointed by the ruling, saying the interests of passengers are best served through safe travel with minimal disruptions.
"While airlines play a critical role in this, the federal government needs to focus its efforts on improving the overall air travel system, especially in the parts of the value chain which are directly under its control," it said.
Passenger rights activists, who filed for intervenor status in the case, say that international regulations set out a minimum for air travel compensations and do not stop individual countries from creating their own regulations.
On Friday, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, the National Pensioners Federation, and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in a joint statement called the decision "a major victory for Canadian consumers".
Canada is not the only country with regulations for airline passenger compensation.
The European Union has had its own since 2005, as does the UK.
Earlier in 2024, the Biden administration in the US enacted new rules that require airlines to issue prompt refunds to passengers.
Gabor Lukacs, an airline passenger advocate in Canada who is also an intervenor in the Supreme Court case, says he is critical of Canada's regulations because he believes they are not as strong as those of the UK or the EU.
But despite his criticism, Mr Lukacs in a statement on Friday said that he was "grateful that the court rejected the airlines’ attempt to close the door and nail it shut on passenger protection in Canada".
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y3l5rky82o
----------
Southeast Asia
Indonesia Commemorates TNI's 79th Anniversary with Grand Military Parade and Rock Concert
Juan Ardya Guardiola
October 5, 2024
Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo led the 79th anniversary celebration of the Indonesian Military (TNI) at Silang Monas in Central Jakarta on Saturday, featuring a military parade and performances by popular Indonesian musicians.
Jokowi was accompanied by key officials, including President-elect Prabowo Subianto, his eldest son and Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, and National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo. Vice President Ma'ruf Amin and his wife, Wury Amin, also joined President Jokowi at the main stage.
As the ceremony's inspector, President Jokowi oversaw the TNI anniversary events, assisted by the TNI Commander and the chiefs of staff from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The celebration featured appearances by various ministers, officials, and public figures, including Sinta Nuriyah, the wife of Indonesia's fourth president, Abdurrahman Wahid.
The event showcased demonstrations by TNI personnel and a parade of 1,059 defense systems from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. It also included performances by popular Indonesian musicians like Ari Lasso and Dewa 19, enhancing the festive atmosphere.
Open to the public and free of charge, the celebration began at 7:05 a.m. and was scheduled to conclude at 10:26 p.m. Vice President Ma'ruf Amin highlighted the TNI's transformation into a modern, strong, and professional defense institution over its 79 years, noting its significant contributions to Indonesia. He urged the TNI to continue adapting to technological advancements to meet global challenges, particularly in cybersecurity and asymmetric warfare.
The event attracted large crowds to Silang Monas, with attendees arriving early to enjoy the festivities, which included parades, demonstrations, and a music festival.
Source:jakartaglobe.id
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-commemorates-tnis-79th-anniversary-with-grand-military-parade-and-rock-concert
----------
MADANI govt steadfast in reducing borrowings, fiscal deficit - PM Anwar
BERNAMA
05-10- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is steadfast in achieving its gradual fiscal consolidation target by reducing national debt, while continuing to invest in improving the quality of life for all Malaysians.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the MADANI government has inherited a debt of RM1.5 trillion, with the annual fiscal deficit reduced to 5.0 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023, down from 5.6 per cent in 2022.
“The annual fiscal deficit is gradually declining, (along with) borrowings, which have gone to RM93 billion in 2023, and (with a target of) RM86 billion this year. While this is quite substantial, it is not enough,” he told CNBC in an interview.
Anwar emphasised that while the government has set targets for reducing the fiscal deficit and national debt, it will continue to invest in areas such as education, public health, and infrastructure to enhance the quality of life for Malaysians.
The national debt currently stands at 64 per cent of GDP, with the government aiming to reduce this figure to at least 60 per cent in stages.
Anwar previously noted that the fiscal deficit has been lowered to 5.0 per cent of GDP in 2023 from 5.6 per cent in 2022, with a projection of further reduction to 4.3 per cent this year.
Source:thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/madani-govt-steadfast-in-reducing-borrowings-fiscal-deficit-pm-anwar-FK13084346
----------
Ringgit’s recent rise beneficial for Malaysia, but yet to reach fair value – PM Anwar
BERNAMA
05-10- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit has yet to reach its fair value despite its recent rise against the US dollar and emerging as Southeast Asia’s best-performing currency, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“It is still undervalued (even) at RM4.10 per US dollar. People know it used to be RM3.80, but it is wise for it to strengthen gradually without intervention.
“Let the market forces play. This would reflect confidence in government policies and how we implement reforms,“ he told NCBC in an interview.
On a Friday-to-Friday basis, the ringgit fell to 4.2155/2240 against the US dollar, down from 4.1230/1280 the previous week.
BMI Country Risk & Industry Research (BMI), a unit of Fitch Solutions, revised its end-2024 forecast for the ringgit to RM4.00 per US dollar, from RM4.55 previously, reflecting the currency’s robust performance in the third quarter of 2024.
Some analysts are more optimistic, predicting the ringgit could reach RM3.55 against the greenback.
Source:thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/ringgit-s-recent-rise-beneficial-for-malaysia-but-yet-to-reach-fair-value-pm-anwar-OK13084192
-----------
Poverty eradication: PM Anwar says Madani govt is ensuring aid reaches target groups
05 Oct 2024
TANJONG MALIM, Oct 5 — The Madani Government’s policy, which focuses on governance issues, aims to ensure that assistance for the poor in the country reaches the group, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said that although various agencies have been established in the country to assist and implement poverty eradication programmes, there are still leaks that prevent aid from reaching the target groups.
“In terms of marketing, we have Fama, for fish, we have LKIM, for plantations, we have the Farmers’ Organisation, smallholders, RISDA, Felcra, land development is handled by Felda.
“But are these agencies (being) managed and their programmes implemented transparently and responsibly? Some are, but some are not,” he said in his speech at the 100 Years of Za’ba Poverty Thinker Seminar at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) here today.
Also present were Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Chang Lih Kang.
Anwar added that the government spends RM22 billion a year on poverty eradication efforts, and if this amount is managed effectively, it could resolve the issue of poverty in the country.
Meanwhile, he said that the issue of poverty must be tackled through efforts that involve multiple dimensions.
Efforts should not be solely focused on the implementation of projects or programmes, but must also consider various aspects related to the issue, including the causes of poverty, capital ownership, and distortions within the marketing system, such as the exploitation of middlemen, which need to be addressed, he said.
“For example, if fish are sold in Pantai Remis at RM2, by the time they reach Ipoh, the price becomes RM6, and when they arrive in Kuala Lumpur, it goes up to RM12. This distortion does not help poor fishermen. We can implement projects to assist the poor in Pantai Remis, but if we do not correct the exploitation by middlemen, it creates imbalances, low productivity, and low capital. This is the problem we are emphasising,” he said.
He mentioned that the issue of poverty from various dimensions has been discussed and advocated by scholars and academics, including the late Tan Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad (Za’ba), and that today’s intellectuals serve as references for building a new resolve to eradicate poverty.
“We should use this opportunity to establish a new determination, recognising that throughout the history of any nation and people, there come moments when we are given the chance to decide whether we will make a shift towards improvement or remain stagnant,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anwar said that poverty eradication is not limited to financial resources and material possessions, but also encompasses intellect, wisdom, and aspirations.
At the event, the prime minister also launched the National Teacher Campaign and National Academia Day 2024.
The late Za’ba was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for National Academia, which was accepted by his granddaughter, Sharzede Salleh Askor. — Bernama
Source:malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/10/05/poverty-eradication-pm-anwar-says-madani-govt-is-ensuring-aid-reaches-target-groups/152646
-----------
Rp34 trillion collected through Islamic social finance instruments
October 4, 2024
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Head of the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Agency (BKF) Febrio Kacaribu stated that over Rp34 trillion had been collected last year through Islamic social finance instruments, such as zakat, infaq, sadaqah, and waqf.
“Over Rp34 trillion was collected through zakat, waqf, and other socio-religious finance instruments throughout 2023. Clearly, there is potential growth and enormous impact in the future,” Kacaribu remarked at the 8th Annual Islamic Finance Conference (AIFC) here on Friday.
He said that in recent years, the government has striven to develop various policies, systems, and initiatives to support the collection and distribution processes of Islamic social finance instruments.
One of the efforts was by issuing Cash Waqf Linked Sukuk, which is a form of social investment by collecting funds through cash waqf and then investing in state sukuk, whose returns were distributed by nazhir -- a managerial body for waqf funds and activities -- to finance social programs and community economic empowerment.
The BKF head highlighted that the initiative managed to garner an award at the annual meeting of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) last year.
“The principles of Islamic public finance can help us address structural economic challenges, promote financial inclusion, and support government efforts to uplift the underserved while exploring various innovative financial instruments, such as Cash Waqf Linked Sukuk,” Kacaribu explained.
He underscored that the government also strove to explore and harness potential innovations in Islamic public finance management principles for national economic development.
Kacaribu is upbeat that the effort could contribute to finding solutions to the increasing geopolitical tensions, financial risks, and economic fragmentation that had hindered the growth of the global economy.
“Islamic public finance will not only offer an alternative model in navigating national economic growth but also (serve as) a holistic and ethical approach to improving people's welfare as well as encouraging inclusive and sustainable development," he elaborated.
The National Alms Agency (Baznas) noted that the collection of zakat, infaq, and alms in 2023 had exceeded the target of Rp31 trillion.
“There has been extraordinary growth of zakat collection and management by Baznas. Every year, it increases by an average of 30 percent,” Head of Baznas Noor Achmad noted in a written statement here on Saturday (July 20).
He stated that the collection of those Islamic social finance instruments was targeted to reach Rp41 trillion this year.
Source:antaranews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://en.antaranews.com/news/328378/rp34-trillion-collected-through-islamic-social-finance-instruments
----------
Africa
Obasanjo, Awujale to join Tinubu at historic Muslim leaders conference
October 5, 2024
by Segun Showunmi, Ibadan
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, and the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona are some of the dignitaries expected at a three-day conference of Muslim monarchs, clerics and Islamic scholars in Yorubaland, Edo and Delta slated between 7th to 9th of October at Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
The conference aims at promoting unity, understanding, and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians, regardless of their religious affiliations.
Speaking with newsmen in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, the Head of the Media Committee for the conference, Sheik Taofeek Akewugbagold stated that the conference would provide a platform for prominent Islamic leaders and stakeholders to discuss critical issues affecting the Muslim community and the nation at large.
According to him, the attendance of these influential figures underscores the importance of interfaith dialogue and collaboration in addressing Nigeria’s challenges.
He noted that as a symbol of unity, presence of the trio will foster sense of hope and cooperation, adding that the conference represents significant step towards strengthening relationships between religious and community leaders, ultimately contributing to Nigeria’s progress and development.
Akewugbagold said the conference will bridge the gap between all Muslims Kings in the Southwest, Islamic scholars, and Imams across the country, adding that it will also dissect immediate and remote causes of crises within and among various sects of Islamic organisation with a view in finding the solution to several indifferences.
He noted that the conference will also look into ways to protect the honors and legacies of the past and present greater Islamic scholars living and dead for their contributions towards the development of Islam, adding that the conference will also organise special prayer for Tinubu for guidance towards restoring the country lost glory and peace.
In his remark, the Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land, Imam Yunus Ayilara appealed to Nigerians to remain calm and trust President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, amid current economic challenges facing the nation.
He urged Muslims to support the government’s efforts to revamp the economy, stressing that collective responsibility and cooperation are essential for national progress.
Source:thenationonlineng.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thenationonlineng.net/obasanjo-awujale-to-join-tinubu-at-historic-muslim-leaders-conference/
----------
Bandits attack mosques during Jumat prayers
October 4, 2024
By Ochogwu Sunday
Armed bandits causing mayhem in parts of Katsina State have attacked the Dan-Ali, a community in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State, affecting several mosques.
DAILY POST gathered that the assailants carried out the heinous attacks on Friday while worshippers were observing the Jummat prayers.
According to reports, the bandits, who were wielding dangerous weapons invaded the community and started shooting sporadically, chasing worshipers away from the mosques.
It cannot be ascertained at the moment how many residents were kidnapped by the daredevil criminals during the incident.
Efforts by DAILY POST to reach the Katsina State Police Command were unsuccessful as the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abubakar Sadiq could not be reached.
Source:dailypost.ng
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://dailypost.ng/2024/10/04/bandits-attack-mosques-during-jumat-prayers/#google_vignette
----------
Katsina govt builds 20 Islamic learning shades at N50m
By Ibrahim Ramalan
October 4, 2024
The Katsina State Government, says it has spent about N50 million to construct 20 Integrated Islamic School (IQS) learning shades across the state.
The Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Dr Kabir Magaji, disclosed this to newsmen in Katsina on Thursday.
Mr Magaji said that this was part of his 73 achievements since he assumed office in August 2023, adding that each of the shades was constructed at the cost of N2.5 million.
“Within the period, we were also able to procure and supply First Aid supplements/pills and drugs to IQSA centres at the cost of N14.7 million,” he said.
According to him, N15 million was also spent for the result framework, data collection, analysis and reporting,
Similarly, N2.72m was spent for the payments of monthly allowances to 136 reporting teams for IQS Spot checks exercise.
Mr Magaji further revealed that the government had also constructed staff quarters in some hard-to-reach areas for the teachers’ stability and promptness.
The executive chairman added, “For the provision of solar inverters to 40 Transforming Education System at State Level, TESS, intervention primary schools at about N120 million.
“And also, we spent N75 million for the provision of solar inverter upgrades in 34 Local Government Education Areas (LGEAs) headquarters, and that of SUBEB.”
Mr Magaji said that N25 million was spent on the procurement of 34 laptop computers to LGEA Monitoring and Evaluation, M&E, officers.
He added that N3.5 million was spent on the purchase of some computers for the state Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, as well as the board’s management.
Mr Magaji further said that N35 million was expended on the repairs of grounded 35 ICT centres’ equipment in schools and LGEAs.
He disclosed that N50 million was spent on the procurement and supply of monitoring vehicles for efficient service delivery.
According to him, the conduct of the State EMIS meeting on 2022/2023, 2023/2024 ASC was done at the cost of N812,000, and N971.1 million was spent for the construction of 67 blocks of two classrooms.
Mr Magaji said the construction of three blocks of two classrooms, office and stores gulped over N50 million while the rehabilitation of 68 number blocks of two classrooms, office and stores gulped more than N770 million
He said that 23 boreholes were provided in primary schools and junior secondary schools at the cost of N67.1 million.
Mr Magaji said that the supply and delivery of 20 sets of assorted furniture gulped N25,052.608.
He further disclosed that about N33 million was disbursed for the supply and the distribution of printed primary school leaving certificates, and N3.150 for the procurement and distribution of admission registers.
According to him, the procurement and distribution of schemes of work was done at the cost of N75 million.
Mr Magaji said, “We spent N30.2 million for the procurement and distribution of ECCDE textbooks and we recruited 5,095 permanent and pensionable primary school teachers.
“Government has also approved the release of N4,030,000 to enable the board settle the arrears of monthly allowances of 74 casual staff.”
Source:dailynigerian.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://dailynigerian.com/katsina-govt-builds-islamic/#google_vignette
----------
KSrelief distributes humanitarian aid in Yemen, Sudan
October 05, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief continued its distribution of humanitarian aid in Yemen and Sudan, benefiting almost 50,000 individuals, state news agency SPA reported.
In Sheikh Othman District of Yemen’s Aden governorate, 400 food boxes were handed out to 400 families while in Zinjibar District of Abyan Governorate 646 food parcels have been distributed.
In the districts of Merkhah Al Ulya and Merkhah As Sufla in Shabwah Governorate, KSrelief gave out 6,000 boxes of dates to 36,000 individuals. The activity was part of the aid agency’s dates distribution project for 2024.
Meanwhile, 1,000 food parcels were distributed in Port Sudan of Sudan’s Red Sea State as part of KSrelief’s food security project for the war-torn country this year.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573997/saudi-arabia
----------
Escalating Sudan conflict likely to worsen humanitarian crisis
October 04, 2024
DUBAI: After almost 18 months of war, fighting in Sudan is escalating as seasonal rains end with the army using intensified airstrikes and allied fighters to shore up its position ahead of a likely surge by the rival Rapid Support Forces, or RSF.
An uptick in fighting will aggravate an already dire humanitarian crisis in which famine has been confirmed and over 10 million people — one-fifth of the population — are displaced, more than anywhere else in the world.
UN agencies have often been unable to deliver aid.
“There won’t be a decisive breakthrough,” said a senior Western diplomat in the region.
“What we expect to come into the fall more and more is much more fragmentation, to see more armed groups getting involved ... And this will make the situation in general much more difficult.”
The RSF has had the upper hand during much of the conflict but last week the army, after shunning US-led talks in Switzerland, launched its biggest offensive yet in Khartoum, advancing across a key bridge over the Nile.
In Darfur, former rebel groups and volunteers from displacement camps have rallied to defend the densely populated city of Al-Fasher, the army’s last holdout in the western region, against waves of RSF attacks.
Two army sources said the army had worked for months to replenish weaponry, including drones and warplanes, and train new volunteers to strengthen its position on the ground before any negotiations.
Three residents in the capital, which is made up of Khartoum and its adjoining cities of Omdurman and Bahri, said that in recent days, the army had been carrying out more air bombardments with more drones and fighter jets than before.
While the army has used its superior air power at the end of the rainy season to pound RSF-held territory in the capital, Darfur and El Gezira state, the RSF’s more effective ground troops are expected to regain an edge as the dry season starts and roads become more passable.
On Monday, the RSF released a video with its fighters promising a “hot winter” for its rivals in Sennar, where the rains had slowed its progress earlier.
Witnesses there and in the capital reported heavy fighting on Thursday.
Both sides have reinforced militarily as the conflict in Africa’s third largest country by land area has deepened, drawing on material support from foreign backers, diplomats and analysts say.
The war began in April 2023 as the army and the RSF jostled to protect their power and wealth ahead of a planned political transition toward civilian rule and free elections.
The RSF, which has its roots in the so-called Janjaweed militias that helped the government crush a rebellion in Darfur in the early 2000s, quickly occupied much of the capital before consolidating its grip on Darfur and seizing El Gezira state, south of Khartoum.
Earlier this year, the army gained ground in Omdurman after acquiring Iranian drones.
But it showed little sign of building on the advance before the surprise offensive it began last week on the day that its commander, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, told the UN that the RSF had to withdraw and lay down its arms for there to be peace.
The army now has control of the capital’s Halfaya bridge, allowing it to build a foothold in Bahri from its bases in Omdurman.
It has also weathered heavy clashes and sniper fire to advance across another Nile bridge that leads to the heart of the capital, military sources and witnesses said.
For months, the RSF has besieged Al-Fasher, which is crammed with some 1.8 million residents and displaced people. Activists and diplomats have warned of ethnically charged bloodletting if the city falls after similar violence that was blamed on the RSF and its allies elsewhere in Darfur.
Two witnesses in Al-Fasher said that the RSF had been shelling large areas of the city as the army responded with air strikes.
The battle has dragged on as non-Arab former rebel groups and volunteers from displacement camps who are better equipped for ground combat than the army fight to protect themselves and their families, the witnesses said.
A local group representing displaced people in Darfur said this week that the fighting had exacerbated the humanitarian situation in two dozen camps across the Darfur region, “all of which suffer from a lack of the most basic daily necessities,” and that disease and starvation were spreading.
Aid workers and human rights activists say there has been little increase in humanitarian relief despite pledges by both sides to improve access to aid.
Sudan, often overlooked amid armed conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere, received some diplomatic attention at the UN General Assembly last week.
But USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman said there had been little progress getting outside players to stop fueling the war.
“Both of the actors in this conflict, both sides of this, have outside support which they believe is going to tip the scales to their advantage,” she said.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2573967/middle-east
-----------
Shaibu’s Impeachment Stands Until Final Court Decision – Obaseki Insists
4 October 2024
By Ikenna Ngere
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has maintained that embattled Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu remains impeached, despite the court’s decision on the matter.
This statement was made in response to comments from Shaibu, where he warned Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to prevent looting of government properties by political appointees.
Obaseki, through his Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, dismissed Shaibu’s warnings as “infantile ramblings.”
He emphasized that Shaibu’s impeachment stands until the court’s final determination and, as a result, Shaibu lacks the authority to issue directives to government employees.
It should be recalled that in July, the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the impeachment of Shaibu, citing procedural irregularities by the Edo State House of Assembly.
Justice James Omotosho ordered Shaibu’s reinstatement, stating that due process was not followed during the impeachment.
Further, on September 24, Justice Omotosho dismissed motions from the Edo State Government and the State House of Assembly seeking to overturn Shaibu’s reinstatement.
The court awarded ₦400,000 in costs against both the Edo Government and the Assembly.
However, Governor Obaseki, in his latest statement, reiterated that Shaibu’s impeachment stands until a final ruling is made.
“Our attention has been drawn to the very ridiculous statement purportedly signed by the impeached deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, in which he warned Permanent Secretaries and Heads of MDAs to guard against the looting of government properties by political appointees.
“We want to restate that Philip Shaibu remains impeached as the Deputy Governor of Edo State until the court’s determination and therefore lacks the power and authority to issue directives or warnings to Permanent Secretaries, Heads of MDAs, or any staff employed by the Edo State Government.
“We urge all Edo workers to disregard the infantile ramblings of the impeached deputy governor and continue with their lawful duties without fear of intimidation or harassment while ensuring the delivery of quality and effective service to the people of Edo State,” Obaseki stated.
Source:naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/10/04/shaibus-impeachment-stands-until-final-court-decision-obaseki-insists/
----------
Clashes erupt during public forum over an impeachment motion against Kenya's VP
4 October 2024
Supporters and opponents of Kenya's deputy president clashed Friday at public forums over an impeachment motion against him, which was introduced in parliament by the ruling alliance this week.
Rigathi Gachagua is accused of supporting anti-government protests in June and of being involved in corruption and other irregularities, charges he denies.
A motion for the impeachment of Gachagua was proposed in parliament on Tuesday and Kenyans were given until Friday to fill out public participation forms at their constituencies.
Public forums are being held across the country to discuss the impeachment.
In the capital, Nairobi, a public forum at the Bomas of Kenya turned violent as supporters of President William Ruto clashed with those supporting Gachagua.
Chairs were thrown in the auditorium and an activist Morara Kebaso, known for exposing stalled government projects, said he had been injured.
In Nyandarua county, opponents were called out as being traitors and were chased out of the community hall.
The senate is expected to hear the impeachment motion on Tuesday next week.
Source:africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/10/04/clashes-erupt-during-public-forum-over-an-impeachment-motion-against-kenyas-vp/
-----------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/india-block-islamic-preacher-zakir-naik-x/d/133366