Indian Muslims Need Not Worry About CAA, Continue To Enjoy Equal Rights As Hindus: Union Home Ministry

New Age Islam News Bureau

13 March 2024

 

Activists shout slogans as they burn a copy of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) bill during a protest rally in Kolkata | AFP

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·         Indian Muslims Need Not Worry About CAA, Continue To Enjoy Equal Rights As Hindus: Union Home Ministry

·         US, UN Express Concern About India’s Religion-Based Citizenship Law

·         Hezbollah Resistance Movement Highly Prepared For ‘Eye For An Eye’ Retaliation against Israel

·         British Gov’t's New Anti-Extremism Plan Raises Alarm Bells Over Risk Of Targeting Muslims

·         Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry Says No Ban on Use of Mosque Loudspeakers

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India

·         National Security Adviser Ajit Doval meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

·         Maharashtra Govt Woos Muslim Community With Schemes Ahead Of Polls

·         Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti Term CAA Rules Notification ‘Bid To Target Muslims’

·         Free Haleem Offer On First Day Of Ramzan Causes Chaos Outside Hyderabad Hotel; Police Lathi-Charge Crowd

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North America

·         Tell House Reps. to ‘NOT SIGN’ Petition to Force Vote on $17B Gaza Genocide Package

·         CAIR Calls for Hate Crime Charges in Incident Targeting Tennessee Mosque After Video Showing Desecration

·         US wishes world's Muslims 'Ramadan Kareem' amid 'different' fasting month

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Mideast

·         Lebanese Militant Group Hezbollah Fires 100 Rockets Into Israel

·         Palestinian Resistance Will Send Netanyahu To The Dustbin Of History

·         Israel blocks aid trucks from entering Gaza over medical kit scissors

·         Israel systematically destroying Gaza educational system

·         Israel’s ‘war on children’ kills more children than in four years of worldwide conflict

·         Leader blasts Muslim states who help Palestinians' enemies

·         Israel terrified of West Bank at Ramadan: IRGC Quds Force

·         Thousands of police to deploy in Jerusalem’s Old City for Ramadan prayers on Friday

·         UAE intensifies humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza during Ramadan

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Europe

·         UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron calls for ‘answers from the Israelis’ following BBC report

·         International community divided on resumption of UNRWA funding, says UK minister

·         EU working with Greek Cypriot administration on humanitarian shipments to Gaza

·         NGOs plan to sue Denmark to stop exporting arms to Israel

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Southeast Asia

·         Indonesian Ulema Council Urges Boycott of Israeli Dates During Ramadan

·         Indonesian Fisherman Steals 2.6kg Of Gold From Mosque Dome

·         Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry Distributes 34 Thousand Holy Book Copies During Ramadan

·         Indonesian Volunteers Share Fasting Experience in Gaza Amid Food Crisis

·         PAS says directive ordering school canteens to remain open during Ramadan ‘excessive’

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Pakistan

·         Transparency International Pakistan’s Allegations Against Judiciary Without Concrete Evidence: Court

·         PM calls for cementing Pak-Turkiye bilateral ties

·         ECP issues notice to Gandapur on disqualification plea

·         Security threat: Visits, meetings banned at Adiala jail for two weeks

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South Asia

·         Former Afghan Official Faces Rape Charges In Virginia, US

·         World Bank Report: Afghanistan’s trade deficit widens

·         Muttaqi: Foreign Ministry Has 38 Offices Abroad

·         Patients Without Visas Face Challenges at Torkham Crossing

·         Myanmar Conflict: Talks on to send back 179 BGP members

·         High Commission Deliberates on Ramadan Aid for Returnees

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Africa

·         Sudan Conflict: Army Retakes State Broadcaster's Headquarters From RSF

·         Morocco inaugurates Gaza aid route via Israel

·         Ramadan: Tinubu urges Nigerians to embrace kindness

·         Gov Sanwo-Olu urges Muslim leaders to advocate perseverance and government initiatives during Ramadan

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Arab World

·         Saudi Arabia Warns Against Ramadan Donations Through Unauthorized Channels

·         Saudi Cabinet reiterates need to stop Israeli aggression on Gaza

·         Houthis warn Red Sea attacks will intensify during Ramadan

·         Qatar says truce not imminent in Gaza despite Ramadan

·         Saudi Arabia Reaffirms World’s Security And Stability On Advent Of Ramadan 

·         Saudi crown prince arrives in Madinah after Ramadan reception for citizens in Riyadh

·         Saudi Red Crescent Authority steps up work in Makkah

·         Grand Mosque authority designates doors for Umrah pilgrims

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:   https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/indian-muslims-home-ministry-caa-hindus/d/131909

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Indian Muslims Need Not Worry About CAA, Continue To Enjoy Equal Rights As Hindus: Union Home Ministry

 

Activists shout slogans as they burn a copy of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) bill during a protest rally in Kolkata | AFP

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March 13, 2024

The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday asserted that Indian Muslims need not worry as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) will not impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the community which enjoys equal rights as their Hindu counterparts.

The ministry sought to allay fears of a section of Muslims and students regarding the CAA, making it clear that "no Indian citizen would be asked to produce any document to prove his citizenship after this Act."

"Indian Muslims need not worry as CAA has not made any provision to impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the present 18 crore Indian Muslims, who have equal rights like their Hindu counterparts," a Home Ministry statement said.

The government on Monday notified the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to fast-track citizenship for persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.

In the statement, the home ministry said, "Due to the persecution of minorities in those three Muslim countries, the name of Islam was badly tarnished all around the world. However, Islam, being a peaceful religion, never preaches or suggests hatred/ violence/ any persecution on religious ground".

This Act "protects Islam from being tarnished in the name of persecution", it said.

Explaining the need of the law, the ministry said India does not have any pact or agreement with Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh to repatriate migrants back to these countries. "This Citizenship Act doesn't deal with the deportation of illegal immigrants and therefore the concern of a section of the people, including Muslims and students, that CAA is against Muslim minorities is unjustifiable," it said.

The ministry said there is no bar on Muslims from anywhere in the world to seek Indian citizenship under Section 6 of the Citizenship Act, which deals with citizenship by naturalisation.

"Without curtailing the freedom and opportunity of Indian Muslims to enjoy their rights as they have been usually practising and entertaining since Independence like other Indian citizens belonging to other religions, CAA 2019 has reduced the qualification period of application for citizenship from 11 to five years for the beneficiaries who had been persecuted on religious grounds in Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan and who had entered India on or before December 31, 2014 with an aim to show a generous treatment to them," it said.

Giving justification for the need to bring the CAA, the ministry said that to show mercy to the persecuted minorities of the three countries, this Act gives opportunity to them as per the evergreen generous culture of India to get Indian citizenship for their happy and prosperous future."To customise the citizenship system and control the illegal migrants, there was need of this Act," it said.

The ministry also made it clear that the CAA does not cancel the naturalisation laws and hence any person, including Muslim migrants, from any foreign country seeking to be an Indian citizen can apply for the same under the existing laws.

"This Act does not prevent any Muslim who is persecuted in those three Islamic countries for practising their version of Islam from applying for Indian citizenship under the existing laws," it said.

Protests erupted in some parts of the country, including Assam, on Tuesday against the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Source: theweek.in

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2024/03/13/indian-muslims-need-not-worry-about-caa-continue-to-enjoy-equal-rights-as-hindus-govt.html

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US, UN Express Concern About India’s Religion-Based Citizenship Law

 

Photo: Swissinfo.co

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March 13, 2024

WASHINGTON: The US government and the United Nations on Tuesday expressed concerns about a contentious religion-based citizenship law in India, with the UN calling the legislation “fundamentally discriminatory in nature.

Rights advocates have criticized the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) - which the Indian government moved to implement on Monday. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International say it discriminates against Muslims.

Just weeks before Indian elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has been pushing to implement the law, which makes it easier to get Indian citizenship for non-Muslim refugees from three Muslim-majority South Asian nations: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Rights groups note the law leaves out Muslim minority groups like Shia Muslims from those countries while also excluding neighboring countries where Muslims are a minority, like the Rohingyas in Myanmar.

“As we said in 2019, we are concerned that India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 (CAA) is fundamentally discriminatory in nature and in breach of India’s international human rights obligations,” a spokesperson of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights told Reuters.

He added the office was studying whether the law’s implementation rules comply with international human rights law.

“We are concerned about the notification of the Citizenship Amendment Act on March 11. We are closely monitoring how this act will be implemented,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters separately.

“Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles,” the State Department spokesperson added in an email.

Activists and rights advocates say the law, combined with a proposed national register of citizens, could discriminate against India’s 200 million Muslims - the world’s third-largest Muslim population. Some fear the government might remove the citizenship of Muslims without documents in some border states. Modi’s government did not implement the law following its 2019 passage as protests and sectarian violence broke out in New Delhi and elsewhere. Scores were killed and hundreds injured during days of clashes.

The Indian government denies the law is anti-Muslim and says it was needed to help minorities facing persecution in neighboring Muslim-majority nations. It has called the earlier protests politically motivated. The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the State Department and the UN human rights office reactions.

Rights groups allege mistreatment of Muslims under Modi, who became prime minister in 2014. Besides this law, they also point to the 2019 revoking of Muslim-majority Kashmir’s special status, the demolition of Muslim properties in the name of removing illegal construction and a ban on wearing the hijab in classrooms in Karnataka when the BJP was in power in that state.

Modi’s government denies the presence of minority abuse and says its policies aim to benefit all Indians.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1167570-us-un-express-concern-about-india-s-religion-based-citizenship-law

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Hezbollah Resistance Movement Highly Prepared For ‘Eye For An Eye’ Retaliation against Israel

 

Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s deputy secretary general

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Mar 12, 2024

TEHRAN, Mar. 12 (MNA) – A senior Hezbollah official says the Resistance movement is highly prepared for “an eye for an eye” retaliation against Israel if the occupying regime launches an aggression against Lebanon.

Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s deputy secretary general, made the remarks on Tuesday after the head of the Israeli military’s Northern Command Major General Ori Gordin said the regime’s army is working on "contingency plans" for an attack on Lebanon.

“If the enemy intends to expand its aggression [against the Gaza Strip to Lebanon], the Resistance is ready to respond at the highest level and it will never backtrack on its decision to support Gaza,” he said.

Qassem asserted that Hezbollah remains impervious to Israeli threats and intimidation, noting that the Resistance group will keep supporting Gaza and defending Lebanon.

“The Lebanese Resistance will speak its mind on the battlefield… This is our equation, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” he said.

Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire since early October, shortly after the occupying regime launched its bloody war on the besieged Gaza following a surprise operation by the Palestinian Hamas Resistance movement.

Hezbollah’s constant rocket fire has prompted tens of thousands of Israeli settlers to flee from northern areas of the occupied territories.

The Lebanese Resistance group has vowed to keep up its retaliatory operations as long as the usurping entity continues its Gaza onslaught, which has so far killed at least 31,112 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 72,760 others.

Source: mehrnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/212957/Hezbollah-highly-prepared-for-eye-for-an-eye-retaliation

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British Gov’t's New Anti-Extremism Plan Raises Alarm Bells Over Risk Of Targeting Muslims

 

 Photo: aa.com

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Burak Bir 

13.03.2024

The British government's new anti-extremism plan has raised concern, with many arguing that the controversial move risks "disproportionately targeting Muslim communities."

With the ruling Conservative Party already under fire over allegations of racism, a government move that is expected to be announced later this week has already caused worry in Britain.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove seeks to use parliamentary privilege to name individual groups that "undermine British democracy."

"This is in response to the fact that in recent months, we’ve seen an unacceptable rise in extremist activity, which is seeking to divide our society and hijack our democratic institutions," the Prime Minister's Office said Monday.

It came after the disruption of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's address in early March at Downing Street, where he spoke about a "surge in extremist activities" in Britain.

"On too many occasions recently, our streets have been hijacked by a small group…who are hostile to our values and have no respect for our democratic traditions," he said, referring to pro-Palestine marches across the country.

The rallies, which have been organized since Oct. 7 last year to call for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, were called "hate marches" by politicians, including then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman, despite being described as peaceful by many.

The marches are being targeted by politicians despite a very low number of protesters being arrested.

It was not the first time that Braverman drew criticism, as she previously labelled migration an "invasion" and falsely claimed child grooming gangs in the country were "almost all British-Pakistani."

In November, she was fired in a Cabinet reshuffle after a row over her controversial remarks on pro-Palestinian protests and her article in The Times newspaper which met with massive criticism.

In the article, she accused the Metropolitan Police of "playing favorites" with protesters, after the London police force decided not to seek a ban on a planned march on Armistice Day.

One of the latest controversial remarks from the Conservative Party came from its former deputy chair, Lee Anderson, who was recently suspended for making Islamophobic comments.

He was suspended as a Conservative lawmaker after refusing to apologize for claiming that Islamists had "control" over London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Amid reports of an increase in Islamophobia, the government's new plan on "extremism" has also come under criticism from England’s top clerics, who warned that the new definition of extremism not only inadvertently threatens freedom of speech but also the right to worship, and "risks disproportionately targeting Muslim communities."

According to Tell MAMA, a watchdog focusing on anti-Muslim incidents, Islamophobic incidents in the UK have more than tripled since Oct. 7, when Israel launched its war on the Gaza Strip.

"The new definition being proposed not only inadvertently threatens freedom of speech, but also the right to worship and peaceful protest – things that have been hard won and form the fabric of a civilized society," Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, and Stephen Cottrell, the archbishop of York, said Tuesday in a joint statement.

"Crucially, it risks disproportionately targeting Muslim communities, who are already experiencing rising levels of hate and abuse," they said.

Expressing concerns, Welby and Cottrell joined calls for the government to reconsider its approach and instead have a "broad-based conversation" with all those who it will affect.

"Our leaders should cherish and promote that – and pursue policies that bring us together, not risk driving us apart," they added.

Source: aa.com.tr

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/british-gov-ts-new-anti-extremism-plan-raises-alarm-bells-over-risk-of-targeting-muslims/3163022

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Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry Says No Ban on Use of Mosque Loudspeakers

  

Photo: tempocom

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13 March 2024

NABIILA AZZAHRA

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An Indonesian volunteer of the Medical and Humanitarian Institute (MER-C) Fikri Rofiul Haq shared his experience of fasting in Gaza. He said the people of Palestine had been fasting for months before Ramadan due to the lack of humanitarian aid amidst the relentless Israeli attacks.

Fikri has been residing in Gaza since 2020 and currently lives with displaced residents in a school building near the European Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Fikri and his colleagues at MER-C, Reza Aldilla Kurniawan and Farid Zanzabil Al Ayubi, were compelled to leave the Indonesian Hospital (RSI) in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza after Israeli troops intensified their attacks last year.

“Many people are fasting today without suhoor, because of the lack of food,” Fikri told Tempo via a phone call on Tuesday, March 12.

The holy month of fasting, or Ramadan, began in Palestine on Monday, March 11, and in Indonesia on Tuesday, March 12.

Fikri said that this year’s Ramadan in Gaza has been arduous. Many humanitarian organizations, including MER-C, are still distributing aid, but supplies of basic necessities are dwindling by the day, making it difficult to carry out humanitarian activities.

As a result, residents have become accustomed to fasting even before Ramadan. "What is even more disheartening is that before Ramadan, they can only eat once a day or even once every two days,” Fikri said.

He was informed that the people in the enclave usually eat only boiled potatoes for suhoor and to break their fast. Sometimes, they could eat canned food such as corned beef or bread, because the price of flour is still relatively normal in the southern region. Despite the difficulties, Fikri said they remain grateful for the food they could obtain.

In Indonesia, he said, it is customary to break the fast with sweet drinks such as tea. In Gaza, sugar is scarce and expensive due to the Israeli blockade, rising from Rp20,000 per kilogram to Rp200,000-300,000 per kilogram.

“They no longer have jobs, they only rely on international aid. Meanwhile, international aid is very difficult [to enter Gaza],” he stressed, adding that the situation in northern Gaza is even more precarious.

The United Nations (UN) agencies, such as WHO and UNICEF, have highlighted the extreme levels of child malnutrition in northern Gaza. Dozens of children there have reportedly died from malnutrition and dehydration.

Source: tempo.co

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https://en.tempo.co/read/1844308/indonesian-volunteers-share-fasting-experience-in-gaza-amid-food-crisis?tracking_page_direct

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India

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

13.03.24

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday during the first visit by a senior government functionary to Israel after the start of the war in Gaza in October last year.

There was no official word from India on the visit almost a day after the meeting was disclosed by the office of the Israeli Prime Minister on X (formerly Twitter).

In the post, Israeli PM’s office said: ``Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and updated him on recent developments in the fighting in the Gaza Strip. The sides also discussed the effort to release the hostages and the issue of humanitarian assistance.’’

The Director of the National Security Council, the Prime Minister's Foreign Policy Advisor and the Indian Ambassador to Israel also participated in the meeting, the official announcement from Israel further said.

While there have been several telephonic conversations between Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi since October 7 – when Hamas took Israeli security forces by surprise and launched a full scale terror attack on Israel – this is the first time a senior Indian government functionary has visited the country since this latest chapter in the protracted conflict began.

India has been shifting its position on the situation in Gaza since October 7 while advocating a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and sending relief material for the Palestinians. After initially abstaining from a UNGA resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza on October 18, India backed such a call on December 13.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/national-security-adviser-ajit-doval-meets-israeli-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu/cid/2006487

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Maharashtra govt woos Muslim community with schemes ahead of polls

 Mar 12, 2024

MUMBAI: With many political observers stating that the minority voters could back the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar), the Maha Yuti government has gone all out to give a push to minority welfare schemes ahead of the polls in a bid to woo the Muslim community. In probably the last cabinet before the Lok Sabha code of conduct kicks in, the state cabinet approved a plan to establish a minority commissionerate at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and a minority cell at the district level. This is one of the many recent decisions taken by the state govt to reach out to the minority community.

Just last month, the state govt increased the subsidy of its Dr. Zakir Hussain Madrasa Modernization Scheme from Rs 2 lakhs to Rs 10 lakhs, to bring the minority students into the mainstream of education.

The state govt has also given approval to increase the guarantee amount from Rs 30 crores to Rs 500 crores to Maulana Azad Economic Development Corporation for implementation of term loan scheme- Dr APJ Abdul Kalam educational loan and micro credit scheme.

Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh welcomed the govt’s decision to set up a commissionerate for minorities but said that the Maha Yuti govt was rolling out schemes for minorities since it was losing ground. “While I welcome the decision, I demand that, instead of setting up headquarters at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, it shall be set up in Mumbai and camp offices must be set up at the divisional commissioner's office for better monitoring and ensuring effective implementation of the schemes," said Shaikh.

“A senior bureaucrat should be appointed to the Minority Commissionerate, which shouldn't turn into a side or punishment posting. On multiple occasions, I have demanded grant-based, and not loan-based schemes, for the minorities on the lines of other castes and communities. If the government really cares about the minorities, it shall announce grant-based welfare schemes for them as well," Shaikh said.

The Minority Development department said that the modernisation initiative is part of the Prime Minister’s 15 point program and priority for the Rs 10 lakh funding will be given to Madrasa that introduce science and math as mandatory subjects.

Shaikh said the state govt is resorting to wooing Muslims for political gains in the upcoming elections. Shaikh said that if the state govt really wants to uplift the minorities, then it should announce grant-based and not loan-based schemes and ensure effective implementation of welfare schemes by appointing senior bureaucrats.

Sops for wooing Musilm community

The state cabinet approved a plan to establish a minority commissionerate at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and a minority cell at the district level.

36 posts approved for this minority commissionerate office. State govt will create a minority cell under the control of each Collector.

The District Planning Officer in each Collectorate will act as District Planning Officer and District Minority Officer.

A total of 85 posts will be created for minority classes in 36 districts of the state.

Rs 2.20 crores per annum kept for the salary of 36

Rs 40 lakhs per annum for office expenses

Total of Rs 8.45 crores approved in the budget

State govt increased the subsidy of its Dr. Zakir Hussain Madrasa Modernization Scheme from Rs 2 lakhs to Rs 10 lakhs

Approval to increase the guarantee amount from Rs 30 crores to Rs 500 crores to Maulana Azad Economic Development Corporation for implementation of term loan scheme- Dr APJ Abdul Kalam educational loan and micro credit scheme.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/maharashtra-govt-woos-muslim-community-with-schemes-ahead-of-polls/articleshow/108440638.cms

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Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti term CAA rules notification ‘bid to target Muslims’

March 12, 2024

Peerzada Ashiq

J&K’s former Chief Ministers, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, on March 12 termed the move to notify rules for Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) “a bid to target Muslims” and “sway voters on hate-politics”.

“The Parliament passed the CAA in December 2019. Notifying rules ahead of the Lok Sabha polls speaks volumes about BJP’s intention towards Muslims living in the country. It’s a religious card ahead to meet nefarious designs,” National Conference vice president Mr. Abdullah said.

Mr. Abdullah accused the BJP of selectively targeting Muslims in the CAA. “It’s BJP’s age-old tactic. The BJP was aiming for 400 seats but the situation has made them realise that they will face the wrath of people. This forced the BJP to notify CAA. This is the BJP’s Ramzan gift to Muslims of the country,” Mr. Abdullah said.

PDP president Mufti also condemned the government’s move. “Seventy-seven years after Partition, BJP is still wedded to the concept of two nation theory of Hindu Mahasabha. To further their agenda, they have thus implemented CAA to create another partition among our people,” she said.

Ms. Mufti said this sudden urgency in its implementation, despite the case being pending in the Supreme Court is “a desperate attempt to divert attention from its all-round failures and engage people in hate politics”.

“I appeal to all communities, especially Muslims not to walk into their trap,” she said.

Source: thehindu.com

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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/omar-abdullah-mehbooba-mufti-term-caa-rules-notification-bid-to-target-muslims/article67942976.ece

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Free haleem offer on first day of Ramzan causes chaos outside Hyderabad hotel; police lathi-charge crowd

March 13, 2024

A Hyderabad restaurant’s promotional offer to kickstart the month of Ramzan on Tuesday led to stampede-like scenes and the use of baton-charge by the police. The hotel, Aazebo, had offered to distribute free haleem, a Ramzan delicacy famous in Hyderabad, to customers and this led to hundreds of people thronging the hotel on Tuesday evening, causing a traffic block and chaos at the restaurant.

Visuals of huge crowds outside the hotel and police wielding lathis have gone viral on social media. With the hotel management failing to handle the crowd and the situation getting out of hand, the hotel staff stopped serving haleem. The Malakpet police had to intervene to disperse the crowd. The police later booked a case against the hotel management.

According to the police, the hotel management posted promotional advertisements on social media about the distribution of free haleem at their restaurant in Moosarambagh between 7 pm and 8 pm on Tuesday. “They did not take permission or inform the police and caused a heavy traffic jam. We have booked a case against the management for causing public nuisance and obstructing traffic,” said Malakpet Police Inspector G Srinivas.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (south east zone) D Janaki denied any arrest in the case and said an investigation is on and charges will be added if required.

A first information report (FIR) was registered under sections 290 (causing public nuisance), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant), and 341(wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code.

Source: indianexpress.com

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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/hyderabad/free-haleem-ramzan-chaos-hyderabad-9211362/

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North America

 

Tell House Reps. to ‘NOT SIGN’ Petition to Force Vote on $17B Gaza Genocide Package

Ismail Allison

March 12, 2024

 The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) urgently calls on all Americans who oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza to call on their member of Congress in the U.S. House to “NOT SIGN” the Democratic discharge petition currently circulating in Congress. This petition, already endorsed by four representatives according to the House Clerk’s website, seeks to force a vote on the Senate’s already adopted $14 billion aid package to Israel.

TAKE ACTION: CLICK HERE!

Speaker Mike Johnson’s rejection of the Senate’s aid package prompted this move, following his failed attempt to pass a $17.6 billion unconditional aid package lacking conditions on military aid to Israel.

The petition, introduced by Rules Committee Ranking Member Jim McGovern (D-MA), has gained initial support from Reps. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), and Matt Cartwright (D-PA).

With Democrats holding 213 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, there is potential for disaffected Republicans to collaborate with Democrats, achieving the 218 votes needed to initiate a procedural discharge petition and bypass Speaker Johnson’s block.

In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw said:

“At a time when the far-right Israeli government openly dismisses the United States, starves the population of Gaza, and threatens escalation by invading Rafah, the United States should not be handing over $14 billion in aid.”

“Individual action is paramount. By contacting your U.S. Representatives, concerned citizens can demand accountability in taxpayer fund allocation, contributing to justice and human rights efforts for all, including Palestinians affected by U.S.-funded violence and Israeli policies.”

Source: cair.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/tell-house-reps-to-not-sign-petition-to-force-vote-on-17b-gaza-genocide-package/

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CAIR Calls for Hate Crime Charges in Incident Targeting Tennessee Mosque After Video Showing Desecration

Ismail Allison

March 12, 2024

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called for hate crime charges to be filed against two individuals for an incident in which one of them allegedly urinated on the doorstep of the mosque.

The Islamic Center of Chattanooga’s security camera video captured two men coming up to the mosque. One of the men appears to try to kick the bottom of one of the mosque’s windows, before the other says “there’s a ring camera on us” and the men walk away. The video then shows one of the men urinating on the doorstep of the mosque. The man who allegedly urinated on the mosque’s doorstep has been arrested and charged with indecent exposure and vandalism. The man who appeared to kick one of the mosque’s windows has not been charged.

In a statement, CAIR Deputy Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:

“Urinating on a mosque and attempting to kick in its window are obviously acts of hate. This would be true of any house of worship targeted in this way. We urge federal and local law enforcement to level hate crime charges against both of the men involved in this unacceptable vandalism. We also hope both men will face appropriate justice for their actions and then change their hearts and lives for the better.”

He noted that CAIR previously called for a hate crime probe of the incident.

Mitchell noted that CAIR recently released new civil rights data showing that it has received 3,578 complaints during the last three months of 2023 amid an ongoing wave of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate.

He urged houses of worship to utilize CAIR’s Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety guide, which contains security advice applicable to institutions of all faiths. 

Source: cair.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-calls-for-hate-crime-charges-in-incident-targeting-tennessee-mosque-after-video-showing-desecration/

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US wishes world's Muslims 'Ramadan Kareem' amid 'different' fasting month

Michael Hernandez 

12.03.2024

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wished the world's 1.8 billion Muslims a "Ramadan Kareem" Tuesday, but acknowledged that for many of the faithful, the fasting month "feels different" this year.

"This year, this season of peace comes at a time of conflict and pain for many Muslim communities, including Uyghurs in Xinjiang, Rohingya in Burma and Bangladesh, and Palestinians in Gaza," Blinken said in a statement.

"This pain is felt acutely by Muslims around the world, and so this year, Ramadan feels different. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is heartbreaking," he added.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by the Palestinian group, Hamas, in which less than 1,200 people were killed.

More than 31,100 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and over 72,700 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 27 victims have died of malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza due to the Israeli blockade.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Hostilities have continued unabated, however, and Israel has continued to restrict the flow of humanitarian aid into the coastal enclave.

The US began to carry out air drops of humanitarian assistance March 2 to work around the restrictions, and is planning to erect a temporary pier on the Gaza coast to facilitate aid deliveries. But it is expected to take up to two months to complete.

Blinken said the US "will continue to work non-stop to establish an immediate and sustained ceasefire for at least six weeks" in exchange for the release of hostages held by Hamas.

"We will also continue to pursue a two-state solution to ensure Palestinians and Israelis share equal measures of freedom, dignity, security, and prosperity. Peace is possible, it is necessary, and it is urgent," he said.

Source: aa.com.tr

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Mideast

 

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fires 100 rockets into Israel

 13.03.24

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired more than 100 rockets into northern Israel on Tuesday morning, according to Israel’s military. It was one of the heaviest barrages in the months of cross-border strikes that have fed fears that the war in the Gaza Strip could expand to another front.

It was not immediately clear how many of the rockets landed or were intercepted by Israeli air defences. Israel’s military said its fighter jets had retaliated by striking a number of sites linked to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In a statement, Hezbollah said it had launched the volley in response to Israeli military strikes on Monday in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley and as a show of support for Palestinians in Gaza.

On Tuesday, Hezbollah said that its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, had met top Hamas officials to discuss “the ongoing negotiations to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and fulfill the resistance’s conditions”.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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Palestinian resistance will send Netanyahu to the dustbin of history

March 12, 2024

TEHRAN - Since Israel launched brutal onslaught on the Gaza Strip in early October, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to continue the war until “total victory” over Hamas.

But the Israeli premier’s goal has so far remained elusive amid growing support for resistance not only in the Palestinian territories, but also across the globe.

The Israeli army has also suffered heavy casualties since it launched a ground offensive in Gaza late October.  Nearly 250 Israeli troops have been killed in the ground battles with resistance groups since then.

On Monday, the U.S. intelligence community dropped a bombshell admitting that Israel will fail to achieve its purported aim of destroying Hamas.

“Israel probably will face lingering armed resistance from Hamas for years to come, and the military will struggle to neutralize Hamas’s underground infrastructure,” an annual assessment by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) revealed on Monday.

The ODNI assessment also said Hamas will be able to “regain strength” and “surprise Israeli forces” in the years to come. 

In mid-February, a document drawn up by the Israeli military’s intelligence also acknowledged that even if Israel dismantles Hamas’s organized military capabilities, the resistance group will continue to operate in Gaza.

Israel’s Western allies have also cast doubt on Netanyahu’s pledge to defeat Hamas.

Nearly a month ago, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell warned Israel that it can’t defeat Hamas by military means.

West Asia escalation

The 40-page ODNI assessment also said growing attacks against American and Israeli bases and their interests in West Asia over the past months are rooted in Israel’s war on Gaza.

 It warned that resistance groups in Iraq will continue attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, and that further military operations by Yemen’s Ansarullah in the Red Sea will “create a real risk of broader escalation.”

Washington’s backing for Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has given rise to anti-U.S. sentiment in the region. Regional resistance groups have carried out scores of attacks against American bases since the start of the Gaza war.

The Ansarullah movement, for its part, has hit Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea to express solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. The movement has vowed to continue the attacks until Israel brings an end to its brutal onslaught.

Ansarullah has also targeted British and American warships in the Red Sea. This has been in retaliation for the strikes that the U.S. and the UK carry out against Yemen in response to Ansarullah’s attacks on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea.

Divisions in Israel

The U.S. intelligence report further turned the spotlight on widening gaps in Israel over Netanyahu’s handling of the Gaz war.

“Distrust of Netanyahu’s ability to rule has deepened and broadened across the public from its already high levels before the war, and we expect large protests demanding his resignation and new elections,” the report said.

Netanyahu remains under immense pressure within Israel for his regime’s failure to predict or forestall the October 7 attack that was carried out by the Hamas resistance movement.

Following the Hamas military operation, which shattered the image of Israel’s invincibility, the Netanyahu regime launched the war on the Gaza Strip.

More than 1,100 people were killed in the Hamas raid and roughly 250 were taken captive. Over 100 of the captives were released in a November deal.

Israel’s retaliatory attacks have leveled Gaza and so far left more than 31,000 people dead. 

Public polling in Israel has suggested that many Israelis question whether Netanyahu’s military campaign is the best way to recover the remaining captives.

Over the past months, Israelis have held regular protests calling for a ceasefire, the return of captives, Netanyahu’s resignation and new elections. 

Power of resistance 

Hamas has repeatedly stressed that the Palestinian resistance carried out the October 7 attack independently.

The U.S. intelligence community acknowledged that claims over Iran’s role in the Hamas attack are baseless.

The ODNI assessment said the U.S. administration believes “that Iranian leaders did not orchestrate nor had foreknowledge of the Hamas attack against Israel” on October 7.   

The report was finalized in February but declassified as intelligence chiefs testified in the Senate on Monday.

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, along with CIA director William Burns, FBI director Christopher Wray, the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research chief Brett Holmgren, National Security Agency director Gen. Timothy Haugh and Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse of the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee. 

Haines raised the alarm about the global impacts of Israel’s war on Gaza.

“The crisis in Gaza is a stark example of how regional developments have the potential of broader and even global implications,” he warned.

Regional leaders have repeatedly warned that Israel’s war on Gaza could spill over into the entire West Asia region.  They have called on the U.S. to exert pressure on Israel to stop its war of genocide on Gaza.

As the ODNI assessment acknowledged, Israel will fail to bring Hamas to its knees. The acknowledgment indicates that the era of hit-and-run has ended. The resistance in Gaza currently has the upper hand and it will be able to bring an end to Netanyahu’s political life.

Source: tehrantimes.com

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Israel blocks aid trucks from entering Gaza over medical kit scissors

March 13, 2024

LONDON: A truck loaded with humanitarian supplies destined for Gaza was turned away by Israeli authorities because of scissors packed inside medical kits, the head of the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees said on Tuesday.

Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the UN Relief and Works Agency, accused Israel of withholding essential medical supplies. He said the army has imposed restrictions on items such as anesthesia medications and water-purification tablets, on the grounds that they are potentially “dual-use” items that might be repurposed for military use.

Aid organizations have voiced similar concerns about the refusal of Israeli authorities to allow dates, traditionally eaten to break the daily fast during Ramadan, into the territory.

“The clearance of humanitarian supplies and the delivery of basic and critical items need to be facilitated and accelerated,” Lazzarini said. “The lives of 2 million people depend on that. There is no time to waste.”

Israeli authorities denied the incident involving the medical scissors took place. In a message posted on social media, they said: “Lying is a sign of desperation.”

Meanwhile, a ship belonging to the Spanish charity Open Arms set sail from Cyprus on Tuesday bound for the Gaza Strip, carrying 200 tonnes of food aid. The shipment, expected to arrive at the territory in two to three days, is the first test of a newly established maritime aid-delivery mechanism.

Source: arabnews.com

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Israel systematically destroying Gaza educational system

13 March 2024

Around a hundred leading European academics have condemned “Israel’s systematic annihilation” of the educational system in the Gaza Strip.

The scholars have signed a protest petition titled, “Annihilation of Gaza Education: Israel is systematically erasing the entire educational system,” formulated by Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor.

In the petition, the academics condemned Israel’s physical and cultural liquidation of Palestinian civilians in the strip and express deep concern about the Israeli army’s continued targeting of academics, educational institutions, and cultural heritage sites there.

The scholars pointed to knowledge and education as fundamental to human civilization worldwide, but emphasize that for an occupied people like the Palestinians, education plays a distinctly vital role in society.

They said education preserves hope and freedom against oppressive, apartheid-era, and depressing policies.

According to official reports, 70 percent of the strip’s universities have been completely demolished.

Also, the Palestinian Ministry of Education says around 5,000 students have been killed and thousands others injured during the ongoing airstrikes.

All this has been documented in the petition. The written appeal stresses such attacks on civilian objects constitute a grave breach of international law and fall under the definition of genocide.

It also calls for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions supporting the occupation of Palestine.

Over 180 British academics have also recently signed a separate petition denouncing the Israeli onslaught on Gaza, specially targeting of academics and students.

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said that more children have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinians in Gaza than in four years of conflict around the world.

At least 31,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been confirmed killed and over 72,000 others injured so far during Israel’s genocidal war, which began following Operation Al-Aqsa Storm by Gaza-based resistance movements on October 7, 2023.

For months now, the United Nations and aid groups in the region have been condemning the Israeli regime for either failing to provide safe passage to humanitarian organizations or preventing aid from passing checkpoints and holding up aid along the border.

Source: .presstv.ir

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Israel’s ‘war on children’ kills more children than in four years of worldwide conflict

12 March 2024

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said that more children have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinians in Gaza than in four years of conflict around the world.

"Staggering. The number of children reported killed in just over 4 months in #Gaza is higher than the number of children killed in 4 years of wars around the world combined," Philippe Lazzarini said on X on Tuesday.

Lazzarini  is the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

According to United Nations, some 12,193 children had been killed in conflicts worldwide between 2019 and 2022.

The Gaza health ministry said that more than 12,300 children died in the Palestinian territory between last October and the end of February.

"This war is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their future," Lazzarini said.

At least 31,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been confirmed killed and over 72,000 others injured so far during Israel’s genocidal war, which began following Operation Al-Aqsa Storm by Gaza-based resistance movements on October 7, 2023.

For months now, the United Nations and aid groups in the region have been condemning the Israeli regime for either failing to provide safe passage to humanitarian organizations or preventing aid from passing checkpoints and holding up aid along the border.

Meanwhile, the Gaza media office said in a statement on Tuesday that Israel’s military forces have in two weeks killed more than 400 desperate Palestinians who were waiting in lines to receive life-saving aid for their families in northern Gaza.

People were waiting for aid trucks at the Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza City on Tuesday morning when the regime’s forces attacked them. At least eleven people were killed.

The latest attack on hungry people in Gaza City has resulted in the death of more than 400 people since the “flour massacre.”

The flour massacre happened in late February, when Israel forces opened fire on Palestinians who were trying to get aid from a food truck along the coastal road on the southwest edge of Gaza City. Over 100 people were killed that day.

Northern Gaza has largely been cut off from the rest of the territory since the regime started hostilities in early October.The blockade has driven hundreds of thousands of people to the brink.

Source: .presstv.ir

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Leader blasts Muslim states who help Palestinians' enemies

Mar 12, 2024

TEHRAN, Mar. 12 (MNA) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei strongly condemned the the governments in the Islamic world who are still helping the Zionist regime in betrayal of the Palestinians.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a gathering of Quran reciters and memorizers on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the capital Tehran on Tuesday.

"In the Islamic world, some governments help the enemies of the oppressed Palestinian people. God willing, they will be punished for this betrayal," the Leader noted in an address to the gathering.

Meanwhile, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the resistance and steadfastness of the Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza Strip will bring the Israeli regime to its knees.

Earlier in his address to the meeting with reciters, the Leader expressed his gratitude to God Almighty for the Qur'an blessing.

"The number of good Qur'an reciters and learners in our country is more than all Islamic countries," Ayatollah Khamenei further said.

Source: mehrnews.com

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Israel terrified of West Bank at Ramadan: IRGC Quds Force

Mar 12, 2024

TEHRAN, Mar. 12 (MNA) – The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Quds Force said the Zionist regime’s regular fear of anti-Israeli operations in the West Bank during the month of Ramadan has reached a maximal level this year.

The Zionist regime has always been afraid of operations carried out by the young Palestinian forces in the West Bank during Ramadan, but its panic has reached a pinnacle this year, Brigadier General Esmaeil Ghaani said on Tuesday.

Lauding the Palestinian forces for their high morale, the commander said the Palestinian combatants have given Hamas the message that the resistance group can negotiate firmly while the fighters are resisting confidently.

The Palestinian fighters have greatly increased their capabilities and are managing the battlefield with specific qualities, he stated.

Hailing the Al-Aqsa Storm operation that the Palestinian forces launched outside Gaza in October 2023, the general said a resistance-style war is not solely based on weapons and tools, but is also deeply rooted in spirituality and beliefs.

Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Storm on October 7, 2023, in response to Israel’s violations at al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East al-Quds and growing settler violence against Palestinians.

The surprise raid shook the occupying entity’s security establishment, leaving hundreds of Israelis dead.

Source: mehrnews.com

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Thousands of police to deploy in Jerusalem’s Old City for Ramadan prayers on Friday

Mar 13, 2024

Israel’s police force said it will deploy thousands of officers across Jerusalem’s Old City for Ramadan’s first Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, with tensions high amid the Gaza war.

“We are prepared for Friday prayers with more police officers. Thousands of them will be in the area of Temple Mount,” police spokeswoman Mirit ben Mayor told reporters, referring to the holy site upon which the mosque sits.

Hundreds of police officers had already been deployed in the Old City in since Ramadan began on Monday, she said.

Ben Mayor said up to 25,000 worshippers had already visited the mosque for prayers during the Muslim fasting month of fasting without any incidents.

“We will do everything to enable this Ramadan to be quiet,” she told a news conference.

Asked about scuffles that occurred between police and worshippers on Sunday, government spokeswoman Tal Heinrich said: “We are on high alert.”

“It’s no secret that extremists, terrorist organizations like Hamas and (Palestinian) Islamic Jihad are trying to inflame the region,” she told the news conference.

Last week Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Muslim worshippers would be allowed to access Al-Aqsa Mosque in the same numbers as in previous years during the first week of Ramadan.

“Every week there will be a situation assessment in terms of security and safety and a decision will be made accordingly,” it said.

Palestinians coming to the Temple Mount from the West Bank were expected to face some restrictions, police said in a statement.

Only men aged 55 and older and women over 50 from the territory would be allowed to enter the mosque compound “for security reasons,” government spokesperson Ofir Gendelman said.

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir had recently called for stricter restrictions on Palestinian residents of the West Bank, saying they “should not be allowed” entry to Jerusalem to pray during Ramadan, but was rebuffed by Netanyahu.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, while the Temple Mount is the holiest place in Judaism, where the two biblical temples stood. The Islamic waqf that manages the site technically falls under Jordan’s authority, though Israel is in charge of security in and around the complex.

Clashes often erupt at the site between Muslim worshippers and Israeli security forces.

On Tuesday, the Kan public broadcaster published figures showing police have foiled 38 planned attacks in the Jerusalem area since October 7, including 12 since the start of the year.

The report also said 21 people have been arrested in Jerusalem in recent weeks on suspicion of incitement, with indictments filed against six of them.

This year Ramadan comes with Israel engaged in an ongoing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which was triggered by the Palestinian terror group’s shock onslaught in which some 1,200 people were killed, mostly civilians, and 253 taken hostage.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 31,000 people in the Strip have been killed in the fighting so far, a figure that cannot be independently verified and includes some 13,000 Hamas terrorists Israel says it has killed in battle. Israel also says it killed some 1,000 gunmen inside Israel on October 7.

Source: timesofisrael.com

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UAE intensifies humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza during Ramadan

Mar 13, 2024

Following the directives of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council has resolved to intensify humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan. This will be achieved through initiatives undertaken by Emirati humanitarian organisations.

The UAE's expanded Ramadan aid initiatives for Palestinians encompass essential needs, healthcare, and religious observance, reflecting the nation's unwavering commitment to fostering solidarity and synergy with the Palestinian people.

The UAE's latest initiatives build upon its ongoing efforts to address the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. These initiatives aim to provide swift and coordinated relief, particularly for vulnerable populations such as women, children, and the elderly.

Sheikh Theyab Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council, said that the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan reflect his commitment to improving the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip, and alleviate their suffering.

He emphasised the UAE's long-standing fraternal ties with the Palestinian people and its commitment to provide continued support through humanitarian initiatives.

The UAE had launched the "Galant Knight 3" on 5th November 2023, led by the Joint Operations Command of the Ministry of Defence, in cooperation and coordination with the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, the Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, and the rest of the charitable organisations in the UAE, with the aim of providing humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Relief aid was delivered to the Gaza Strip via 212 aircraft and two cargo ships, with an additional third aid ship currently en route from the UAE to the Egyptian city of Al Arish. A total of 922 trucks laden with various aid items were mobilised, 521 of which have already entered the Gaza Strip.

The total aid provided totalled 21,000 tonnes of food, health aid, and shelter materials, coordinated with international organisations including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the Office of the United Nations Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs and Reconstruction in Gaza.

The country launched the “Tarahum - for Gaza” campaign to assist Palestinians impacted by the conflict. Over 24,000 volunteers participated domestically, assembling 71,000 relief baskets from locally sourced materials.

In late February, the UAE initiated Operation "Birds of Goodness" to deliver 293 tonnes of aid via Emirati and Egyptian aircraft. Joint crews from both nations conducted the drop operation over the northern Gaza Strip.

The county also constructed the Emirates Field Hospital in Gaza, boasting 200 beds and staffed by over 100 medical professionals. The hospital handled 8,798 cases and offered a diverse array of medical services including orthopedics, women’s and children’s surgeries, anaesthesia, internal medicine, dentistry, psychiatry, family medicine, and CT scans. It also houses a laboratory and a pharmacy, and provides medical supplies to support other hospitals in the sector.

Furthermore, the UAE Floating Hospital was inaugurated and anchored at the port of Al Arish to deliver essential medical treatment and support to the Palestinian community. Staffed with diverse medical and administrative professionals, encompassing specialties such as anaesthesia, general surgery, orthopedics, and emergency care, along with nurses and auxiliary personnel, the hospital boasts a 100-bed capacity. It is equipped with operating theatres, intensive care units, radiology facilities, a laboratory, a pharmacy, and medical storage spaces.

As part of the healthcare initiative in UAE hospitals, 1,056 patients and their companions were accommodated, comprising 545 injured children and individuals with cancer, along with 511 companions. This initiative aims to host 1,000 Palestinian children, accompanied by their families, for treatment in the country, and to provide treatment for 1,000 Palestinian cancer patients.

Additionally, six water desalination plants were established, generating 1.2 million gallons of potable water daily to sustain over 600,000 individuals. Furthermore, five automated bakeries were set up to meet the daily requirements of more than 72,000 people. Each bakery has a production capacity of approximately 15,000 loaves per hour. Furthermore, these bakeries supply flour to seven existing bakeries in Gaza, catering to the daily needs of around 14,000 people, thereby partially addressing the food requirements of the region's population.

Source: gulftoday.ae

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Europe

 

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron calls for ‘answers from the Israelis’ following BBC report

March 13, 2024

DUBAI: British Foreign Secretary David Cameron is calling for “answers from the Israelis” following a BBC report which found that Palestinian medical staff in Gaza were blindfolded, detained, stripped, and repeatedly beaten by Israeli soldiers following a raid on their hospital in February.

Israel Defense Forces raided the Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis on Feb. 15, one of the few facilities in the Gaza Strip that was still functioning at the time.

The BBC received footage secretly filmed in the hospital when the medics were detained on Feb. 16.

Three medical staff spoke to the BBC, saying they were detained for several days, during which they were humiliated, beaten, doused with cold water, and forced to kneel for hours.

The BBC conducted investigations into the incident over several weeks, interviewing a range of hospital staff and displaced individuals residing in the hospital’s courtyard, and corroborating details of the accounts.

Cameron told the UK’s House of Lords that the report was “very disturbing” and “we need to get to the bottom of what exactly happened and we need answers from the Israelis about that.”

Cameron’s deputy in the House of Commons, Andrew Mitchell, earlier in the day responded to several questions from MPs. He called for a “full explanation” in his answers and said that the “Foreign Office is pressing for full transparency and accountability” about the BBC report.

He asserted that Israel should comply with Article 18 of the Geneva Convention, which states that: “Civilian hospitals organized to give care to the wounded and sick, the infirm and maternity cases, may in no circumstances be the object of attack, but shall at all times be respected and protected by the parties to the conflict.”

However, Sacha Deshmukh, UK’s chief of Amnesty International, said Mitchell’s response was inadequate.

He said: “We need major change from the UK over this terrible crisis, and this should include calling for an immediate ceasefire, exerting concerted pressure on Israel over allowing vastly scaled-up aid deliveries, while also demanding that Israel end its 17-year-long blockade of Gaza, which is an act of collective punishment.”

According to a humanitarian law expert, the footage and testimony of the medical staff interviewed by the BBC were “extremely concerning.” He said that some of the accounts provided to the BBC “very clearly cross over into the category of cruel and inhumane treatment.”

Dr. Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne, co-director of the Centre for International Law at the University of Bristol, said: “It goes against what has for a long time been a very fundamental idea in the law that applies in armed conflict, which is that hospitals and medical staff are protected.”

Source: arabnews.com

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International community divided on resumption of UNRWA funding, says UK minister

March 13, 2024

LONDON: The US, UK, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, and Australia will not lift their suspension of funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees pending the evaluation of two forthcoming reports, UK Foreign Office Minister Andrew Mitchell has said.

In contrast, Sweden, Canada, and the European Commission have all decided to resume financial support to the agency.

The awaited reports are from an internal UN investigation and Catherine Colonna, a former French foreign minister, who was in Israel in March to gather evidence from the government over its allegations that at least 12 UNRWA staff had been involved in the Oct. 7 attack.

UNRWA has said some employees released in Gaza from Israeli detention reported having been put under pressure by Israeli authorities into falsely saying the agency had links with Hamas and that staff had taken part in the attacks on Israel.

The document said several Palestinian UNRWA staffers had been detained by the Israeli army, adding that the ill-treatment and abuse they claimed they had experienced included severe physical beatings, waterboarding, and threats of harm to family members.

The report added: “Agency staff members have been subject to threats and coercion by the Israeli authorities while in detention, and pressured to make false statements against the agency, including that the agency has affiliations with Hamas and that UNRWA staff members took part in the Oct. 7 atrocities.”

Colonna is expected to deliver her preliminary findings in late March, followed by a final report a month later. The validity of the evidence presented by Israel is under scrutiny.

Mitchell acknowledged a division within the international community regarding UNRWA funding.

He addressed calls to prohibit arms exports to Israel, saying: “The current judgment of the British government is that Israel has the capacity and intent to comply with international humanitarian law.”

Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron has advocated for Israel to permit the entry of 500 trucks into Gaza daily.

Alicia Kearns, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, has called on the UK to encourage Israel to increase aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, following a proposition by Israeli spokesperson Eylon Levy to enhance aid by 100 trucks daily.

Source: arabnews.com

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EU working with Greek Cypriot administration on humanitarian shipments to Gaza

Selen Valente Rasquinho 

12.03.2024

Until the US completes work on a temporary port off the Gaza Strip, smaller vessels will carry humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinian enclave from the Greek Cypriot administration, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Tuesday.

Speaking at the General Assembly of the European Parliament, von der Leyen pointed to the EU's coordinated efforts to step up maritime humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, where over five months of Israeli attacks and blockade have left over 31,000 dead and triggered severe shortages in basic necessities.

"As we speak, a ship is setting sail from (the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern) Cyprus to Northern Gaza," von der Leyen said, emphasizing that the vessel was loaded with food.

Besides the Greek Cypriot administration, the EU has been working with the United Arab Emirates, the US, and the UK are collaborating to make these deliveries possible, said von der Leyen, who added that when fully operational, this maritime corridor "could guarantee a sustained, regulated and robust flow of aid to Gaza."

"When this maritime corridor becomes fully operational, we can guarantee a continuous, regular, and robust flow of aid to Gaza. This is the first time since 2005 that permission has been granted to a ship to deliver aid to Gaza.

"This is the first time that a ship is authorized to deliver aid to Gaza since 2005."

Stressing that the situation on the ground in Gaza has "reached a tipping point," she said everything must be done to reach those in need.

"The United States will now work to set up a floating port to unload big ships. Until this is ready, we work with smaller ships," she added.

While the UAE "and other partners" will co-finance the cargo, von der Leyen said, the Greek Cypriot administration will be managing departures from the port of Larnaca.

"And we, the European Union, will step up our logistical support on the ground. An EU coordination team is in (Southern) Cyprus. And we will finance and coordinate the flow of European goods through this corridor," she said.

In his State of the Union address last week, US President Joe Biden announced that Washington would construct a temporary pier on Gaza's shoreline to facilitate more aid deliveries.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced two days later that it had dispatched a ship carrying the necessary materials to build the temporary port.

On the Palestinian side, Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has said on the initiative that "if the aim is to provide aid, there are five border crossings to Gaza.

"Instead of waiting three days by sea, aid can be delivered here within hours," said the premier.

Israel has waged a retaliatory offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, which killed nearly 1,200 people. The offensive has killed around 31,200 Palestinians and injured over 72,900 others amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Palestinian enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Gaza urgently needs humanitarian intervention

Despite international efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, von der Leyen stressed that a more comprehensive approach was needed to address the root causes of the conflict.

While repeating that Israel "has the right to defend itself," she underscored the need to always ensure civilians are protected in line with international law.

"And right now, there is only one way to restore an adequate flow of humanitarian aid. The people of Gaza need an immediate humanitarian pause that would lead to a sustainable ceasefire. And they need it now," said von der Leyen.

The EU's Civil Protection Mechanism was activated on Tuesday to enhance support for Gaza, with von der Leyen encouraging all member states to contribute their assets to ensure stable and meaningful assistance.

Expressing concern about the risk of regional escalation and tensions due to the situation in Gaza, von der Leyen pointed to the volatile situation on Israel's Lebanon border.

"The situation at Israel's border with Lebanon continues to be explosive. Iran – that is, Hamas' patron – has continued to fuel regional tensions, for instance, with its support to Houthi terrorists in Yemen," she said.

"Just like we know they keep fuelling Russia's war against Ukraine. Let me add that we are prepared to respond with additional sanctions, in case Iran provides ballistic missiles to Russia, as recently reported."

Source: aa.com.tr

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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eu-working-with-greek-cypriot-administration-on-humanitarian-shipments-to-gaza/3162818

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NGOs plan to sue Denmark to stop exporting arms to Israel

12 March 2024

A group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) say they will sue Denmark to end the country’s continued arms exports to Israel.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, a group of NGOs, including Oxfam Denmark, ActionAid Denmark and Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq, cited serious concerns that weapons exported from Denmark to Israel were being used to commit serious crimes against the Palestinians in Gaza.

The NGOs announced a lawsuit against Denmark’s National Police and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which approve Danish sales of weapons and military equipment to Israel, to stop the current flow of arms from the Nordic country to the occupying regime.

The joint statement said the lawsuit was based on the grounds that there is “a clear risk that weapons and military equipment that Denmark, directly and indirectly, exports to Israel will be used to commit serious crimes against civilians in Gaza.”

Israel began the campaign of death and destruction in Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

Since then, the regime has killed at least 31,110 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured some 72,760 others. The regime has also imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

“For five months we have been talking about a potential genocide in Gaza, but we have not seen politicians take action,” Tim Whyte, secretary-general of ActionAid Denmark, said in a statement.

In January, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to take all possible measures to shield the Palestinians and prevent the crime of genocide in the Gaza Strip and do more to help civilians.

Denmark is a signatory of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty and the EU Common Rules for Arms Exports, which obliges the Nordic country to ensure that exports of weapons and military equipment from Danish companies do not risk violating international law.

The NGOs have warned that they would file the lawsuit to a yet unspecified court within the next three weeks.

Last month, UN experts warned that any sale and supply of weapons to Israel that risk being used in Gaza would violate international humanitarian law and must cease immediately.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/12/721778/Palestine-Israel-Denmark-Gaza-arms-export

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Southeast Asia

 

Indonesian Ulema Council Urges Boycott of Israeli Dates During Ramadan

Muhammad Fakhruddin

 March 13, 2024

Jakarta. The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called for a boycott of Israeli dates during the holy month of Ramadan, alleging that the proceeds from their sales contribute to the harm of Palestinian civilians.

"In Ramadan, refrain from selling Israeli products, particularly dates. While dates are halal and delicious, they become haram because the proceeds support the killing of Palestinian civilians," the Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for Foreign Relations and International Cooperation, Sudarnoto, said in his statement on Tuesday.

Sudarnoto explained MUI's call for boycotting products affiliated with or supportive of Israel, emphasizing that the boycott aims to weaken Israel's economy and deter further attacks on Palestine.

He further disclosed that a variety of products, including food and beverages, are subject to the boycott. Sudarnoto referred to MUI's Fatwa (edict) Number 83 of 2023, which calls on Indonesian Muslims to boycott Israeli products and companies affiliated with Israel.

Reminding once again that we, as Muslims and the Indonesian community, who care about humanity, should boycott Israeli products and companies affiliated with Israel," Sudarnoto said.

He clarified that MUI does not issue a specific list of products to boycott. To determine the products that support or oppose Israel, Sudarnoto encouraged everyone, including the public and academic institutions, to conduct research. Additionally, MUI urged Indonesian retailers not to sell products associated with or supportive of Israel.

Source: jakartaglobe.id

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https://jakartaglobe.id/news/mui-urges-boycott-of-israeli-dates-during-ramadan

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Indonesian fisherman steals 2.6kg of gold from mosque dome

MAR 13, 2024

Michelle Chin

Instead of looking into the depths of the sea to make his fortune, a fisherman in Indonesia looked up and decided to strike gold – by stealing it off the top of a mosque.

But he did not make it rich with his prized “catch”, as he was netted by the local police on March 7, according to local media, days after he had allegedly committed the theft on March 4.

The police had recovered the 2.6kg of gold decorations – which had been affixed to the dome of the Al Huda Mosque in Indonesia’s Maluku province – buried in a forest at nearby Kayeli Village, reported Indonesian media outlet Kompas.

Kayeli Village head Fandi Ashari Wael told Kompas that the stolen loot, valued at 3 billion Indonesian rupiah (S$256,940), was the product of an initiative from miners, villagers and the village government. They started collecting gold in 2013.

The gold decorations, which included a gold sculpture of the word Allah in Arabic, had become a symbol of pride for the village, he added.

Maluku news outlet Orasi Rakyat reported that police had presented the recovered items, along with the suspect, at a news conference on March 11.

The 67-year-old fisherman, identified as Amin Gay, had fled Kayeli Village by speedboat after trying to hide the stolen decorations on the same day, police said.

He was arrested in Namlea Village – which is located across a sea from Kayeli – on March 7, and taken back to the scene of the crime to reconstruct his theft, as villagers witnessed.

According to Harian Kompas, he committed his theft with the help of ladders and other tools.

Police said he told them that he had stolen the gold because he was in debt.

Source: straitstimes.com

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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesian-fisherman-steals-26kg-of-gold-from-mosque-dome

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Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry Distributes 34 Thousand Holy Book Copies During Ramadan

March 13, 2024

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Religious Affairs Ministry's Quran Printing Unit distributed 34 thousand Islamic holy book copies to various provinces nationwide to bolster Indonesian Muslims' Quran literacy in the holy month of Ramadan.

The ministry's Quran Printing Unit Head, Jamaluddin, as per the written statement here on Tuesday (March 12), stated that the Quran should be easily available for residents to increase literacy.

"The availability of Quran copies has a causality to the Quran literacy level. Regions with a sufficient number of Quran copies are inclined to have a lower Quran illiteracy level," he stated.

Jamaluddin explained that the 34 thousand Islamic holy book copies comprise 17 thousand Quran copies and 17 thousand Yasin copies.

The Yasin copy is a compilation of Quranic surah (chapter) Yasin and other Quranic verses commonly read collectively by Muslims in Indonesia at a funeral procession.

The holy book copies were delivered to the ministry's local offices on March 11, 2024, and each region received 500 Quran and 500 Yasin copies, he noted.

"The ministry office in provinces will distribute the copies free of charge to residents who need it," the unit head stated.

Meanwhile, Jamaluddin reminded residents who receive the Quran and Yasin copies from the ministry's provincial office to be attentive to storing the holy book.

According to the Quran Printing Unit's technical guidance, the Quran should be stored in a clean place, at least 30 centimeters from the ground.

"The transfer of the Quran from the storage to other locations should also adhere to the Sharia rule, which prohibits it from being slammed or damaged," he stated.

He also expressed hope that once it is received by the provincial offices, the Quran and Yasin copies will be distributed to Muslims in need of them.

Source: antaranews.com

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https://en.antaranews.com/news/308307/ministry-distributes-34-thousand-holy-book-copies-during-ramadan

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Indonesian Volunteers Share Fasting Experience in Gaza Amid Food Crisis

13 March 2024

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An Indonesian volunteer of the Medical and Humanitarian Institute (MER-C) Fikri Rofiul Haq shared his experience of fasting in Gaza. He said the people of Palestine had been fasting for months before Ramadan due to the lack of humanitarian aid amidst the relentless Israeli attacks.

Fikri has been residing in Gaza since 2020 and currently lives with displaced residents in a school building near the European Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Fikri and his colleagues at MER-C, Reza Aldilla Kurniawan and Farid Zanzabil Al Ayubi, were compelled to leave the Indonesian Hospital (RSI) in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza after Israeli troops intensified their attacks last year.

“Many people are fasting today without suhoor, because of the lack of food,” Fikri told Tempo via a phone call on Tuesday, March 12.

The holy month of fasting, or Ramadan, began in Palestine on Monday, March 11, and in Indonesia on Tuesday, March 12.

Fikri said that this year’s Ramadan in Gaza has been arduous. Many humanitarian organizations, including MER-C, are still distributing aid, but supplies of basic necessities are dwindling by the day, making it difficult to carry out humanitarian activities.

As a result, residents have become accustomed to fasting even before Ramadan. "What is even more disheartening is that before Ramadan, they can only eat once a day or even once every two days,” Fikri said.

He was informed that the people in the enclave usually eat only boiled potatoes for suhoor and to break their fast. Sometimes, they could eat canned food such as corned beef or bread, because the price of flour is still relatively normal in the southern region. Despite the difficulties, Fikri said they remain grateful for the food they could obtain.

In Indonesia, he said, it is customary to break the fast with sweet drinks such as tea. In Gaza, sugar is scarce and expensive due to the Israeli blockade, rising from Rp20,000 per kilogram to Rp200,000-300,000 per kilogram.

“They no longer have jobs, they only rely on international aid. Meanwhile, international aid is very difficult [to enter Gaza],” he stressed, adding that the situation in northern Gaza is even more precarious.

The United Nations (UN) agencies, such as WHO and UNICEF, have highlighted the extreme levels of child malnutrition in northern Gaza. Dozens of children there have reportedly died from malnutrition and dehydration.

Source: tempo.co

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https://en.tempo.co/read/1844308/indonesian-volunteers-share-fasting-experience-in-gaza-amid-food-crisis?tracking_page_direct

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PAS says directive ordering school canteens to remain open during Ramadan ‘excessive’

Rittika Choudhury

13-03- 2024

ALOR STAR: PAS has expressed worry about the Education Ministry’s directive to keep school canteens open throughout Ramadan, calling it “excessive”.

According to The Star, Datuk Ahmad Yahaya, head of the Pas Ulama Council, emphasised that closing school canteens during Ramadan is a cultural and religious practice to respect fasting Muslims, particularly students who are training to fast.

Yahaya, a Pokok Sena member of parliament, alleged that Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek issued the directive in haste, claiming it was insulting to the holy month of Ramadan.

This was owing to Sidek’s announcement that school canteen operators should continue to operate throughout Ramadan.

She stated that it is typical operational procedure for schools throughout the holy month.

She did, however, say that schools should give non-Muslims with counsel and instruction in order to teach them mutual respect for those fasting.

Meanwhile, Yahaya stated that all parties should begin educating about the value of fasting, particularly Muslim students.

Additionally, the PAS representative claimed “This can be handled harmoniously without the need for directives to keep canteen operations running while students observe Ramadan.”

“This doesn’t mean we’re preventing non-Muslim students from eating during the day. It’s also a form of education for them to respect Ramadan while in school.”

“They can bring packed meals and eat in designated areas. That’s sufficient without the need for a directive to open canteens, which is seen as excessive,“ he asserted in his statement today.

“Non-Muslim students will also appreciate the significance of fasting even without coercion,“ he went on to say.

Ramadan: Time for social media fasting

Source: thesun.my

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https://thesun.my/local_news/pas-says-directive-ordering-school-canteens-to-remain-open-during-ramadan-excessive-MB12209173

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Pakistan

 

Transparency International Pakistan’s Allegations Against Judiciary Without Concrete Evidence: Court

2024-03-13

KARACHI: A local court has declared that the TIP without concrete evidence declared the judiciary as most corrupt sector based on so called survey/ public perception.

Giving the verdict in the application against the TIP survey, Shahid Ali Memon, Additional Session Judge Karachi South; however dismissed the application as the offences for which applicant filed application are non-cognizable; therefore FIR cannot be lodged in non-cognizable offence.

According to the order of the court, applicant said that that on 09-12-2023, Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) published a National Corruption Perception Survey, 2023, through its partner organisation throughout Pakistan whereby police remained the most corrupt sector while the judiciary was also said to be third most corrupt sector throughout Pakistan.

It has further been alleged that the applicant became so extremely distress and shocked while watching several news channel and social media storm wherein TIP directly, indirectly, wilfully and intentionally floated or made blatantly false, baseless, unfounded, derogatory, defamatory, malicious incendiary, dangerous, ridiculous, out of molehill for personal gains.

Source: brecorder.com

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https://www.brecorder.com/news/40293322/tips-allegations-against-judiciary-without-concrete-evidence-court

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PM calls for cementing Pak-Turkiye bilateral ties

March 12, 2024

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has underlined the need for enhancing bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Turkiye in all areas of mutual interest, including trade, defence, connectivity and culture.

He was talking to Turkish Ambassador Dr. Mehmet Pacaci, who paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister in Islamabad. 

He emphasized that both the countries enjoyed exemplary bilateral relations which are based on shared history, religion and culture and are unshakeable.  The Prime Minister said both countries need to work together to achieve the annual target of five billion dollars in bilateral trade.

On core issues, the Prime Minister said Pakistan deeply appreciates Turkiye's firm and consistent support for the oppressed people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He also reaffirmed Pakistan's support to Turkiye on the issue of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The Turkiye’s Ambassador congratulated the Prime Minister on his re-election and conveyed best wishes from the leadership of Turkiye and emphasized the importance of strengthening the fraternal ties between both countries.

The Prime Minister deeply appreciated the congratulatory telephone call and message of felicitations from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately after his re-election.

In this regard, he congratulated Turkiye on the successful flight of KAAN 5th generation fighter aircraft.

The Prime Minister reiterated his invitation to President Erdogan to visit Pakistan.

Shehbaz Sharif said the people of Pakistan look forward to the visit which would provide a useful opportunity for both the sides to carry out extensive consultations during the 7th session of High Level Strategic Coordination Council.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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https://www.radio.gov.pk/12-03-2024/pm-calls-for-cementing-pak-turkiye-bilateral-ties

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ECP issues notice to Gandapur on disqualification plea

March 13, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday issued a notice to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on a petition seeking his disqualification for allegedly misleading about a patch of land.

A two-member ECP bench comprising Sindh Member Nisar Ahmad Durrani and Balochistan Member Shah Muhammad Jatoi heard the petition and adjourned the case till March 26.

After the hearing, the bench issued a two-page short order and decided to issue a notice to CM Gandapur, who hails from Dera Ismail Khan.

One Muhammad Kafeel had filed the petition, claiming that 735-kanals of land, situated in Mouzah Girah Muhabbat and Muzah Rohri, Kulachi, District D I Khan, was transferred in the name of Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on temporary basis while Asif Khan was the real owner.

He pointed out in the petition that according to the undertaking given by Gandapur, he was ostensible owner while Asif Khan was sole and absolute owner of the said property which he would return on demand by Asif Khan.

The petitioner said that in liabilities forms furnished for the year 2020 and duly published, Gandapur had allegedly shown purchase of vehicle, Toyota Land Cruiser, YB-777 from the funds which he received from the sale of 735 kanal land. He also contended that on account of such wrong declaration, Gandapur was not qualified to hold the office of member provincial assembly.

With the signatures of ECP Sindh member, the order said, “We have heard preliminary arguments which need consideration on merits. Office to issue notice to respondent No. 5 (Ali Amin Gandapur) for the date fixed through District Election Commissioner concerned. The service report of DEC shall reach to this office before the date fixed. Case to come up on 26.03.2024.”

Gandapur was elected a member of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly from PK-113, D I Khan, in the recently held general elections as a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed independent candidate, who was subsequently elected as chief minister of the province. His name was selected for the slot by party’s founder chairman Imran Khan.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1167554-ecp-issues-notice-to-gandapur-on-disqualification-plea

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Security threat: Visits, meetings banned at Adiala jail for two weeks

March 13, 2024

Asif Mehmood Butt & Mumtaz Alvi & Sher Ali Khalti

LAHORE/ ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has imposed a two-week ban on all public visits, meetings and interviews at the Adiala Jail citing security threats.

The PTI leadership has decried the home department’s move and termed it a deliberate plan to stop them from meeting their party founder Imran Khan.

In a letter written to the IG Prisons, the Home Department said its Internal Security Wing had conveyed that “there exist different types of threats to [the] security of Adiala Jail, as some anti-state terrorist groups supported by the enemies of Pakistan had planned to conduct targeted attacks.

“As a security measure against the aforementioned attacks,” the department requested the prison chief to “stop the public visits/meetings/interviews within the Adiala Jail immediately for two weeks”.

Meanehile, Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan expressed serious concerns on Tuesday about the safety of the party’s founder chairman, Imran Khan, currently held in Adiala Jail. He denounced the ban on meetings with Khan, viewing it as a deliberate attempt to isolate him.

Flanked by PTI Secretary General and Opposition leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub, Gohar Ali Khan condemned the two-week blanket ban on meetings with Khan, citing security threats as the reason behind it. He vehemently opposed this move, demanding that Khan’s family members and lawyers should have been informed before its implementation. Gohar Ali Khan reiterated Khan’s expressed distrust towards those responsible for his custody. He demanded immediate clarification on Khan’s health, safety, and security situation.

The PTI chairman stressed that Imran Khan’s imprisonment was based on fabricated and politically motivated charges and expressed the hope that justice would prevail, clearing Khan of these false accusations.

“Imran Khan’s life is in danger,” Gohar Ali Khan said emphatically. He called for immediate permission to meet Khan and demanded transparency regarding the source of ban orders.

He revealed that despite court orders permitting routine meetings on certain days, neither Khan’s family, lawyers nor the PTI leadership were granted access to him.

He lamented the conditions of Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, confined to a small room in Bani Gala, saying that her treatment was worse than that in Adiala Jail.

Omar Ayub, the PTI Secretary General, echoed Gohar Ali Khan’s concerns, saying that despite court orders, he was denied access to Imran Khan during his visits to Adiala Jail.

Referring to the reluctance of the Punjab chief minister and IG Punjab to comply with court orders under the guise of security concerns, Ayub asserted that their attempts to isolate Khan would fail as the nation stood united behind Khan’s vision of true freedom.

He criticized the “unconstitutional actions” of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and the interior minister, holding them responsible for the current situation.

Omar Ayub demanded an investigation into human rights violations at Adiala Jail and warned of the repercussions of escalating inflation and rising electricity prices.

The PTI leaders vowed to hold those responsible for Khan’s predicament accountable and stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law for the progress of the nation.

Meanwhile, sources said the Punjab government has decided to temporarily ban meetings in four more jails of the province after receiving security threats.

They said after fresh threat alerts from CTD Punjab and law enforcement agencies, it has been decided to ban meetings in Attock, Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bhakkar jails.

Sources said that the orders sent by the Home Department to the IG Prisons Punjab directed security audit of prisons, special checking by bomb disposal squad and special checking of personnel entering the prison. Besides installation of barbed wires, temporary ban on meetings in jails, mock exercises of police and rangers have been recommended.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government stopped Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur from meeting the PTI founder due to the security threat. In a letter written by the Home Department of Punjab to the Deputy Secretary Judicial of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, it was stated that due to security threats, meetings with the PTI founder have been banned.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1167549-security-threat-visits-meetings-banned-at-adiala-jail-for-two-weeks

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South Asia

 

Former Afghan official faces rape charges in Virginia, US

Fidel Rahmati

March 12, 2024

An Afghan man was apprehended in Prince William County, Virginia, after authorities investigated a sexual assault complaint, as per police statements.

Media reports state that Mohammad Haroon Hakimi, aged 33, is charged with rape following an accusation from a 27-year-old woman. She alleges that Hakimi, whom she had recently met and visited at his Woodbridge residence, assaulted her.

This situation not only highlights Hakimi’s prestigious past but also raises serious concerns over the allegations he currently faces.

Media reports indicate that the Prince William County Police Department responded to a call late Friday afternoon in the 12200 block of Grenada Way, Woodbridge. The call was in response to an incident that reportedly took place earlier that day.

According to the police, the woman was allegedly assaulted by Hakimi “whom she had recently met while at his residence.” She managed to escape the home and then contacted the police.

Hakimi was arrested on Saturday and charged with rape. As of March 11, information about his initial court appearance and bond status was not yet available.

Before the fall of the Afghan Republic in August 2021, Hakimi was serving as a ‘deputy minister’ in Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Culture.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/former-afghan-official-faces-rape-charges-in-virginia-us/

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World Bank Report: Afghanistan’s trade deficit widens

Fidel Rahmati

March 13, 2024

The World Bank says Afghanistan’s exports dropped 5% to $140.5 million from last January.

According to this World Bank report, recently published under the title “Afghanistan Economic Update,” the country’s exports were $148.1 million in January of the previous year.

However, the World Bank report states that Afghanistan’s imports have increased by 37% compared to January last year, rising from $600 million in January of the previous year to $830 million in January 2024, thereby increasing the trade deficit.

The World Bank has estimated Afghanistan’s annual imports at a total of $5.5 billion, which, according to the bank, indicates a trade deficit of $3.5 billion.

The World Bank says Afghanistan faces an economic recession due to reduced economic activity and ongoing inflation.

In its report, the bank stated that the annual inflation rate in the country reached -10.2% in January of this year.

The report from the World Bank indicates that this inflation resulted from a sudden decrease in the price of food items (-15.1%) and non-food items (-4.8%).

The World Bank added that while the decrease in the price of goods might provide short-term relief for financially vulnerable families, according to the bank, this situation could lead to significant economic damage.

The World Bank report states that long-term inflation could delay consumer purchases, reduce merchants’ investments, and halt economic growth.

The bank further reminded in its report that the value of the Afghan currency had been maintained against foreign currencies over the past 18 months but had depreciated in January this year, including against the dollar and most other foreign currencies.

The World Bank also added that revenue collection in Afghanistan was also 2% less than the set target, totaling 189 billion Afghanis in the fiscal eleven months (March 2023 – February 2024).

The interim government of Afghanistan has not yet reacted to this World Bank report, but economic sector officials always consider maintaining the value of the Afghan currency against foreign currencies and collecting revenues as among their achievements.

However, Afghanistan is facing a dire humanitarian crisis. The country’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, with a significant shortage of medical supplies and healthcare professionals.

Hospitals and clinics across the country are struggling to provide basic services to the population, exacerbating the health crisis exacerbated by malnutrition and the spread of infectious diseases. The lack of international funding and sanctions has further strained the healthcare infrastructure, leaving millions without access to essential health services.

Moreover, the situation has led to an alarming level of food insecurity, with millions of Afghans at risk of hunger and malnutrition.

The agricultural sector, a cornerstone of the Afghan economy, has been severely impacted by droughts and the lack of access to farming supplies and markets.

This crisis is compounded by the displacement of populations due to ongoing conflict and natural disasters, making it challenging to deliver humanitarian aid to those in need. The international community’s response has been hindered by political complexities, leaving a significant gap in the provision of necessary aid to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the Afghan population.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/world-bank-report-afghanistans-trade-deficit-widens/

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Muttaqi: Foreign Ministry Has 38 Offices Abroad

Nazir Shinwari

March 12, 2024

The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, at a gathering said that currently around 38 embassies and political agencies of the Islamic Emirate are active in various countries.

Emphasizing the importance of good relations with the world, Amir Khan Muttaqi asked countries to interact with the Islamic Emirate.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has 38 political agencies and embassies in various countries of the world, and there are no complaints about corruption or delay in providing services from them,” Muttaqi said.

Muttaqi said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has 38 representative offices and embassies in various countries of the world, and there are no complaints about corruption or delays with them.

Speaking about the opposition, Muttaqi said that the world does not support the opponents of the Islamic Emirate.

“I am happy today that no power in the world wants to strengthen the opponents, and this is good news for Afghanistan. I am happy that none of the opponents are expelled from Afghanistan and everyone can come and live in the country,” he said.

This senior official of the Islamic Emirate also mentioned the importance of education in the country and that the current caretaker government has a serious need for religious and modern education and currently young people are educated in both sectors.

“The current Afghan government is Islamic and not a secular system, and modern and religious education is needed in the Islamic system,” the acting Foreign Minister stated.

Two years since their return, no country of the world has recognized the Islamic Emirate.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187798

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Patients Without Visas Face Challenges at Torkham Crossing

March 12, 2024

The Torkham crossing has been closed for patients without visas and passports for three days now.

Several patients and their caretakers on both sides of the crossing said that this issue has caused them considerable difficulty and that authorities must resolve the problem as soon as possible.

Many patients used to travel to Pakistan without a passport and visa after being registered by a special commission for patient transfer in Nangarhar; however, Pakistan is now not allowing them to cross.

"I went to Pakistan four months ago, and now I want to go again because I have many illnesses; I can neither speak nor move properly," said Mariam, a patient.

"My liver is damaged, and I also have diabetes, and now the way is closed," Bibi Jan, another patient, told TOLOnews.

Others called on the Pakistani government to open the Torkham crossing based on principles of good neighborliness.

"I can't afford a visa. When you go to the embassy, they tell you the visa costs $2,000 or $1500. What should we do now?" said Baqir, one of the patients.

"You see that hundreds of sick people, including women and children, are here, but the Pakistani government should be a good neighbor to the people of Afghanistan and offer better cooperation," said Sayed Ghawsuddin, a caretaker of the patients.

Meanwhile, local officials in Nangarhar said they have discussed this challenge with Pakistani authorities, but apparently these discussions have not yielded satisfactory results.

"You see that there are young patients and women present. They are hopeful that they can see their doctors on the scheduled dates," Sami-ul-Haq Jamal, in charge of the patient management commission, told a TOLOnews reporter.

"Provincial and central authorities are making efforts to address this issue and solve it through dialogue," said Siddiqullah Qureshi, an official of the Directorate of Information and Culture in Nangarhar.

Previously, some cancer patients had told TOLOnews that upon entering Pakistani territory, they were harassed and mistreated by the forces of that country for various reasons.

Source: tolonews.com

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Myanmar Conflict: Talks on to send back 179 BGP members

 Mar 13, 2024

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said Dhaka is in talks with Naypyidaw to send back another 179 members of Myanmar's Border Guard Police.

The BGP members will be sent back like the 330 Myanmar nationals repatriated earlier, he said while talking to journalists after a meeting with Malaysian High Commissioner Haznah Md Hashim at the former's office in the capital yesterday.

On Monday, 179 BGP members took shelter in Bangladesh amid the fighting between the junta force and the Arakan Army in Rakhine state.

The BGP members from the Angthapaya camp of Myanmar entered Bangladesh through the Jamchhari border in Sadar Union of Bandarban's Naikhongchhari upazila in two phases, according to Border Guard Bangladesh.

This happened due to the volatile situation in Myanmar, said the foreign minister.

In reply to a query, he said, "We keep contact with Myanmar regarding this issue. If necessary, the Myanmar ambassador will be summoned."

Asked why the BGP members are allowed to enter Bangladesh and whether there is any lack of competency, the minister  said, "This is not a matter of competency. They also entered India and they were sent back through discussion. When they were attacked by their opponents, they crossed into Bangladesh."

The 179 BGP members have been taken to BGB Government Primary School in Naikhongchhari upazila town from a tea garden near the zero line, said Shah Mujahid Uddin, deputy commissioner of Bandarban.

They would be repatriated on completion of verification of their identities and other procedures, he said.

Nurul Absar Imon, chairman of Sadar Union Parishad in Naikhongchhari, told The Daily Star that locals are living in panic after the BGP members entered Bangladesh and a union parishad member was shot by a bullet allegedly fired from Myanmar.

He said they heard sounds of gunfire and mortar shell explosions from the other side of the border for several days until Sunday. Now the situation is calm but the people are afraid, he added.

On February 15, a total of 330 Myanmar nationals, who fled to  Bangladesh to escape the fighting in Myanmar, were sent back to their  homeland. They included 302 BGP members.

During the fighting along the border areas, a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man were killed on February 5 when a mortar shell fired from Myanmar exploded in Bandarban's Ghumdhum.

Source: thedailystar.net

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High Commission Deliberates on Ramadan Aid for Returnees

2024-03-12

KABUL (BNA): The High Commission for Addressing Challenges of Returnees convened a meeting under the leadership of Deputy PM of Administrative Affairs, Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi.

The session saw the participation of the heads of its twelve sub-committees.

The meeting revolved around various issues concerning returnees. Officials from the respective committees presented reports on their activities, followed by discussions on the distribution of cash assistance and the procurement of essential items such as food, clothing, and housing for Afghan returnees from various countries.

The session concluded with deliberations on the distribution of a $1.8 million cash aid package for returnees, facilitated by the United Arab Emirates. Concrete decisions were made regarding the necessary steps to ensure the effective distribution of this aid.

Source: bakhtarnews.af

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Africa

 

Sudan conflict: Army retakes state broadcaster's headquarters from RSF

March 12, 2024

Sudanese army retakes state broadcaster HQ in Omdurman, marking a significant advance in the 11-month civil conflict with RSF.

The RSF had occupied the headquarters since the conflict began, but soldiers now celebrate outside. The conflict has displaced eight million, raising hunger concerns. Army hails it as a "major victory".

However, despite taking the building last April, the RSF had not been able to transmit from it and state television continued to show pro-army content, which was broadcast from elsewhere in the country.

Ever since the war broke out, the army and the RSF have battled for control of Khartoum and the nearby cities. Despite the United Nations Security Council's call for a ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan, intense fighting has continued in several parts of the capital.

The conflict erupted last April following a disagreement between the army's head, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, over an internationally backed political plan to move towards civilian rule.

As well as displacing millions, the conflict has left Khartoum in ruins, caused a humanitarian crisis and triggered ethnically driven killings in Darfur, in the west of the country.

Source: africanews.com

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Morocco inaugurates Gaza aid route via Israel

13 Mar 2024

RABAT, March 13 — Morocco has sent 40 tonnes of humanitarian supplies for Gaza via an Israeli airport, a diplomatic source said Tuesday, the latest bid to diversify aid routes into the war-battered territory.

The food aid has arrived at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv before being transferred to the Palestinian Red Crescent at the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza, the Moroccan diplomatic source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Rabat’s foreign ministry said in a statement that “Morocco is the first country to transport its humanitarian aid via this unprecedented land route”.

Since the war began on October 7, aid trucks have generally entered the Gaza Strip via Egypt.

Israeli officials were unable to immediately confirm whether the Moroccan initiative was the first such land route for foreign aid through Israeli territory.

The diplomatic source said Morocco’s ties with Israel, formalised in a US-brokered normalisation pact in 2020, helped the operation go ahead.

“Morocco has always said that its relationship with Israel is intended to serve peace in the region and the interests of the Palestinians,” the source said.

The United Nations has repeatedly warned of looming famine in Gaza, under an Israeli siege imposed in the wake of Hamas’s October 7 attack that triggered the war, now in its sixth month.

Most aid enters through Rafah, on the Hamas-ruled territory’s southern border with Egypt, but UN and other relief agencies say only a fraction of the supplies needed to sustain Gaza’s population of 2.4 million people has made it in.

A Spanish charity boat carrying 200 tonnes of food aid to Gaza set sail on Tuesday from Cyprus in hopes of opening a maritime corridor to alleviate the dire humanitarian crisis.

Also on Tuesday, four US Army vessels left the United States, carrying equipment to build a temporary port on Gaza’s shores for aid deliveries.

The war started with the October 7 attack that resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official figures.

Israel’s retaliatory bombardment and ground offensive have killed 31,184 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry. — AFP

Source: malaymail.com

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Ramadan: Tinubu urges Nigerians to embrace kindness

Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja

March 12, 2024

President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to display kindness towards one another as a form of sacrifice though the current challenges are pressing.

President Tinubu made the appeal on Tuesday when he joined the Muslim faithful at the State House mosque for the Ramadan Tafsir (explanation of the Holy Qur’an).

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu also appealed to Nigerians to pray for peace and stability in the country.

Declaring open the annual Tafsir, President Tinubu advised the Muslim faithful to demonstrate kindness to one another and their neighbours while also supporting the less privileged in society.

”We thank Almighty Allah for sparing us to see another holy month of Ramadan. We thank Allah for sparing us through the elections and giving us the opportunity to be Nigerians.

”Yes, things are tough, but Allah has ordained us to make sacrifices, to discipline ourselves, help others, and be kind to ourselves.

”May Almighty God, that gave us this opportunity, strengthen our resolve; help us change our country, and extend our love to our neighbours.

”We face challenges of kidnapping, banditry, and others. May Allah show mercy on all of us, the dead, and accept our good deeds.

”May Almighty Allah give us strength and good life to see the month of Ramadan through and to continue in good faith to worship him. I advise all of us to continue to pray for our country,” the President said.

President Tinubu told the Ulamas that God has given them the wisdom, knowledge, and the heart to teach others, emphasizing the importance of teaching forgiveness, patience, and endurance to the faithful, as well as sharing their blessings with others.

”It is in our hearts to make sacrifices and share whatever little we have with our brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble enough. The sacrifice that this period teaches us is enough.

”May Almighty Allah grant us the privilege and the strength; not the strength of hunger but the strength of character and attitude to love our country and make Nigeria great. As-Salaam-Alaikum,” the President prayed.

Source: thenationonlineng.net

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Gov Sanwo-Olu urges Muslim leaders to advocate perseverance and government initiatives during Ramadan

2024/03/12

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has called upon Muslim clerics to utilize the holy month of Ramadan as an opportunity to promote perseverance and educate their followers about government initiatives aimed at ensuring food security and improving citizens’ lives amidst the current economic challenges in the country.

Speaking at a Special Ramadan Prayer held at the State House Mosque Complex, Governor Sanwo-Olu emphasized the crucial role of community leaders in guiding and encouraging the populace, particularly during times of adversity.

He urged religious leaders to leverage their influence to reassure the public that ongoing pains and discomfort would soon be alleviated, as the government implemented a multidimensional approach to provide relief to the people.

Governor Sanwo-Olu assured that his government will intensify efforts to address economic downturns and ensure the well-being of Lagosians.

He called upon Muslim clerics to effectively communicate these efforts to their congregations, fostering a sense of solidarity and collective responsibility in overcoming prevailing challenges.

Encouraging Muslims to demonstrate love and assist the needy during Ramadan, the Governor implored kind-hearted individuals to support the less privileged, as commanded by the Holy Quran, especially amid the critical economic downturn.

Guest lecturer Dr Munirideen Ar-Riyadi encouraged Muslims to view Ramadan as a spiritual journey beyond self-denial, stressing the importance of understanding and fulfilling the commandments of Almighty Allah during the holy month.

Source: news.ng

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Arab World

 

Saudi Arabia warns against Ramadan donations through unauthorized channels

March 12, 2024

RIYADH: Authorities in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday reiterated that donations during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan must be made within the Kingdom through authorized channels and entities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

A Presidency of State Security spokesperson said the warning came “to ensure the safety of charitable work and grow its income sources, alongside the raised concerns of the possibility of Ramadan being exploited by some entities or individuals for collecting money from citizens and residents under the guise of raising donations.”

For those who wish to donate abroad, the only entity authorized outside the Kingdom is the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, the SPA added.

Donors violating these instructions will be held to account according to the regulations in force in the Kingdom, the presidency added.

Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi Cabinet reiterates need to stop Israeli aggression on Gaza

March 13, 2024

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet on Tuesday reiterated the necessity of stopping Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and ending the suffering of the Palestinian people, the Saudi Press Agency said.

In a weekly Cabinet meeting chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the ministers stressed Palestinians’ rights to live in safety and self-determination through a reliable and irreversible path to establishing their state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Separately, the council renewed its call on all Sudanese parties to adhere to the outcomes of the Jeddah talks aimed at halting hostilities and resolving the crisis through political dialogue in order to achieve stability and prosperity in the African country.

Locally, the Cabinet expressed aspiration that the outcomes of the 1st International Conference on Sand and Dust Storms held in Riyadh will contribute to supporting international efforts in this field.

The conference highlights the Kingdom’s pioneering role in addressing the challenges of climate change and protecting the environment through its local and regional initiatives, including  the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives, the Cabinet added.

The ministers said $13.4 billion investments and agreements signed during LEAP 24, the world’s most attended tech event, which was held in Riyadh last week, will open new horizons for this vital sector.

The Cabinet commended the continuous growth of the Saudi non-profit sector and the number of volunteers, in light of the government support to enhance the sector’s contribution to economic and social development.

The council congratulated King Salman on the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, which began on Monday, and praised his address to the public in Saudi Arabia and to Muslims around the globe.

The Crown Prince thanked Allah for bestowing the Kingdom with the honor of serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, and prayed that the holy month bring security and stability to the Islamic nation and the world.

Source: arabnews.com

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Houthis warn Red Sea attacks will intensify during Ramadan

March 12, 2024

SAEED AL-BATATI

AL-MUKALLA: US Central Command said it carried out six strikes on Yemen on Monday, destroying an unmanned underwater vessel and 18 anti-ship missiles that the Yemeni Houthi militia had prepared to launch at US and international ships in the Red Sea, as the group warned it was prepared to step up attacks in the region during Ramadan.

The Houthis launched two missiles at the Pinocchio, a Singaporean-owned and Liberian-flagged ship, between 8:50 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. Sanaa time on Monday, according to CENTCOM. The missiles failed to impact the ship and caused no injuries or damage.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea claimed the Pinocchio is owned by the US and that their missiles “precisely” targeted the ship, pledging to intensify their assaults on shipping in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden during Ramadan.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces declare that, with God’s help, their military actions would expand throughout Ramadan, the month of jihad in support of the oppressed Palestinian people and our mujahideen brothers in Gaza,” Sarea said in a televised statement.

Houthi media also said that the US and UK carried out five strikes on the northern province of Saada on Monday, but did not provide specific targets.

Since November, the Iran-backed Houthis have attacked commercial and military ships in international waters off Yemen, claiming to be acting in support of Palestinians and attempting to force Israel to end its campaign in Gaza.

Last week, Houthi militia leader Abdul Malik Al-Houthi said the group has launched over 400 drones and missiles against more than 60 ships since the start of their operations.

Meanwhile, Yemen’s Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani praised social media platform X for removing verification badges from Houthi media outlet and militia commanders’ accounts.

According to the ministry, X has withdrawn the blue verification mark from Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah Channel as well as accounts belonging to Sarea, Al-Houthi and others, and is preparing to shut those accounts at the request of the government.

“We commend this step that we have repeatedly called for as part of government efforts to dry up the Houthi militia (financial, political and media) resources, and we renew our demand for social media applications and satellite companies to ban the content of the Houthi militia,” Al-Eryani said on X.

Days after the US decision to reclassify the Houthis as terrorists in January, the Yemeni government sent official letters to major social media platforms such as Meta and X, demanding that they close Houthi media accounts as well as those belonging to the militia’s officials and sympathizers, accusing the Houthis of using social media platforms to incite hatred, recruit children for terrorism, and call for attacks on maritime traffic.

The Houthis criticized X for removing their verification, accusing it of attempting to silence them.

“Restricting Ansar Allah’s accounts on the X platform will not affect our position even if they close them permanently,” Houthi leader Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti said on X, using the official name of their group.

Source: arabnews.com

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Qatar says truce not imminent in Gaza despite Ramadan

12 March 2024

Qatar has ruled out suggestions of an imminent ceasefire in Gaza where the Israeli regime continues killing people despite the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said on Tuesday that there was no prospect of an imminent truce for Gaza despite extensive mediation efforts in recent weeks.

“We are not near a deal, meaning that we are not seeing both sides converging on language that can resolve the current disagreement over the implementation of a deal,” said al-Ansari.

He said, however, that indirect negotiations involving Qatari, Egyptian and US mediators were continuing to work out a ceasefire deal “hopefully within the confines of Ramadan”.

Some 2.3 million people in Gaza started Ramadan on Monday as Israel continued with a merciless offensive that has killed more than 31,000 people since it started in early October after Hamas led an unprecedented operation against Israeli settlers and military forces.

International organizations had aimed for a ceasefire that could allow the delivery of aid into Gaza and the freedom of Palestinian prisoners in return for release of captives taken by Hamas during its October 7 blitz.

That comes as sources close to the negotiations say that Israel’s refusal to accept key conditions set by Hamas is the main obstacle in the way to reach a ceasefire agreement for Gaza.

Hamas authorities have said they would not agree to anything short of a permanent ceasefire while calling for a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the unconditional return of displaced people to their homes.

Source: presstv.ir

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Saudi Arabia reaffirms world’s security and stability on advent of Ramadan 

March 13, 2024

RIYADH — The weekly session of the Council of Ministers, chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday, reaffirmed the Kingdom’s wishes for the world’s security and stability on the advent of the holy month of Ramadan.

Addressing the Cabinet, the Crown Prince expressed gratitude to God Almighty for blessing all Muslim communities with this holy month and granting the Kingdom the honor of serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors. He also prayed that this month may bring security and stability to the Islamic nations as well as to the entire world.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dosary said that at the outset of the session, the Cabinet extended sincere congratulations to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman on the advent of Ramadan. The session appreciated the King’s address to citizens and expatriates in the Kingdom as well as to the Muslims around the world on this occasion.

The Cabinet was briefed on the discussions held between Saudi Arabia and various countries of the world and their organizations at both bilateral and multilateral levels. These discussions aimed to enhance solidarity and cooperation and strengthen international efforts to address humanitarian crises in the region and confront global challenges.

The Council noted the Kingdom’s reaffirmation, during the Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, of the necessity of halting Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip and ending the suffering of the Palestinian people. “This involves enabling them to secure their rights to live securely and determine their destiny through a reliable path towards the establishment of their Palestinian state, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” it said.

Al-Dosary said that the Cabinet renewed its call on all parties in Sudan to adhere to the outcomes of the Jeddah talks aimed at achieving the interest of the Sudanese people by accelerating to reach an agreement of the resolution to halt hostilities and resolve the crisis through political dialogue to achieve stability and prosperity for the country.

The Cabinet expressed its aspiration that the outcomes of the First International Conference on Sand and Dust Storms will contribute to supporting international efforts in this field, which highlights the Kingdom’s pioneering role in addressing the challenges of climate change and protecting the environment through its local and regional initiatives, including the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) and Middle East Green Initiative (MGI), culminating in the establishment of the Sand and Dust Storm Warning Regional Centre.

The Council considered the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) selection of the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, the first educational agency in the world that documents the organizational experience of OECD and transmits it to its members and partners, as a testament to the state’s special attention to the education sector and its quality in line with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 and contributes to preparing a globally competitive citizen.

The Cabinet underlined the Kingdom’s keenness on organizing global gatherings aimed at keeping pace with the latest international developments, commending that the outcome of the LEAP 24, including the launch of $13.4 billion worth of investments, will have their immense contributions to opening new horizons for this viable sector. The Cabinet also underlined the continuous growth achieved by the non-profit sector in the Kingdom in terms of the number of non-profit organizations and volunteers contributing to social and economic development. This progress reflects the government's ongoing support for the sector’s vital role in the nation’s well-being, the session noted.

The Cabinet authorized the minister of foreign affairs to discuss and sign with the Italian side a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the establishment of a strategic partnership council between the two governments. It approved a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of the Saudi-Georgian Coordination Council and another MoU for cooperation between the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in the fields of food and medical products.

The Cabinet also approved the transfer of the licensing jurisdiction for the customs consulting profession and related competencies from the Ministry of Commerce to the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority.

Source: saudigazette.com.sa

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Saudi crown prince arrives in Madinah after Ramadan reception for citizens in Riyadh

March 13, 2024

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Madinah early Wednesday and was welcomed by the province’s governor.

Earlier in the Saudi capital Riyadh, the crown prince received Ramadan well-wishers on the occasion of the holy month, which began on Monday.

He received the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom, princes,  scholars, ministers and other citizens.

Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi Red Crescent Authority steps up work in Makkah

March 12, 2024

RIYADH: Special emergency services have been set up to deal with visitors to the Grand Mosque in Makkah during Ramadan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

Director of the Saudi Red Crescent Authority’s Makkah branch, Dr. Mustafa Baljoun, said more than 35 ambulance centers had been established including six at the Grand Mosque, and 21 internal and eight external centers.

The facilities would be operating more than 80 ambulances kitted out with the latest medical equipment, and almost 900 staff would be working with emergency teams, he added.

For efficient transport within the Grand Mosque courtyards, the authority would be providing seven crisis management vehicles, 150 bicycles, scooters, 10 motorcycles, and 14 golf carts.

In addition, 900 volunteers from the authority would be made available to help visitors.

The focus of the plan has been to address critical emergency cases during religious rituals through prompt medical intervention and rapid transport to the nearest health facility at the Grand Mosque.

During the last 10 days of Ramadan, emergency teams will intensify services in locations with high worshiper density.

Source: arabnews.com

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Grand Mosque authority designates doors for Umrah pilgrims

March 12, 2024

TAREQ AL-THAQAFI

MAKKAH: The General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has assigned specific doors in the Grand Mosque to receive Umrah pilgrims during the holy month of Ramadan this year.

The doors administration, working together with the security authorities at the mosque, has opened 210 doors to prevent suffocation and overcrowding.

The Grand Mosque’s entrances and exits have been taken care of by the authority, with a focus on accommodating individuals with special needs.

The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with government agencies that work within the Grand Mosque.

The authority told Arab News that Umrah pilgrims are allowed to use various entrances, including King Abdulaziz Gate, King Fahd Gate, Umrah Gate, Salam Gate, and doors 85-93 on the ground floor except for 88.

Additionally, they can use Ajyad Staircase, Ajyad Bridge, Shubaika Staircase 65-66, King Fahd Stairway 91-92, staircase 84, side crossings 78-80 for exit, staircase 74, regular stairs 71, 73, 85, 88, King Fahd staircase, and doors 75-77, 81-83.

The Shubaika staircase is reserved for emergencies along with the King Abdulaziz Gate.

On the first floor, pilgrims can use King Fahd Gate, Umrah Gate, Zubair Gate, Ajyad Bridge, Shubaika Bridge, Othman Bridge, King Fahd Gate elevators.

On the second floor, they can use Al-Arqam Stairway elevators, Umrah Gate elevators, Ajyad Stairway elevators, Marwa Stairway elevators, and the roof for individuals with disabilities.

The authority has assigned specific doors and entrances for women to access the women’s prayer halls.

Additionally, there are designated entrances for individuals with special needs, such as Al-Salam Gate, King Abdullah Gate, and the Marwa Staircase elevators.

The main duties of the door staff and guards at each door are to stop bags and luggage from entering, prohibit all foods except coffee and dates, restrict cameras without permission, and manage crowds.

Above the doors, there are signs with important information. For instance, there are signs that say the Grand Mosque is full and nobody can enter, and there are green signs that mean it is permissible to enter the Grand Mosque.

It is a good idea to take note of gate numbers so that pilgrims can easily find their way back.

Saudi youths and men are always present at the entrances of the Grand Mosque. They work tirelessly to guide visitors and pilgrims, making sure they can move around easily and find the quickest routes.

They are fluent in multiple languages and are available at every door to assist those who are lost. Their main goal is to ensure that everyone can perform their rituals without any difficulties.

Adel Al-Nimri, a historian from Makkah, mentioned that the Grand Mosque underwent various changes in its design and structure throughout different periods. The number and size of its doors also changed over time. The initial development of its distinctive characteristics can be traced back to 17 AH (A.D. 638) when Omar bin Al-Khattab was in power.

He added that the doors of the Grand Mosque in the beginnings did not have their traditional method of construction like doors. They represented the ends of the alleys and roads that overlooked the mataf at that time and were known as the doors of the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

He added that in the past, the entrances and exits to Makkah were marked by the doors of the people of Makkah and their homes, especially on the western, eastern, and southern sides.

People would open their doors and head toward the Grand Mosque and the Holy Kaaba. During Omar bin Al-Khattab’s reign, due to the increasing number of Muslims after the Islamic conquests, the building of the Grand Mosque became too small, so Omar bin Al-Khattab purchased the surrounding houses.

The first wall around the Grand Mosque was built during Omar bin Al-Khattab’s reign, with doors later added. The architectural shape of the doors originated during Othman bin Affan’s reign, and in some accounts, during Abdullah bin Al-Zubayr’s era. Therefore, the Grand Mosque took a cohesive urban design featuring a roof and two sides resembling doors in our modern times.

Source: arabnews.com

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