Gambling A Taboo in Islamic Countries, Now, Analysts See UAE as The Next Vegas Having Lucrative Casino Markets
New Age Islam News Bureau
10 Jun 2024
A rendering of the resort pool area at the
developing $3.9 billion Wynn Al Marjan in the UAE emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.
(Photo courtesy of Wynn Resorts)
---------------
·
Gambling A Taboo in Islamic Countries, Now,
Analysts See UAE as The Next Vegas Having Lucrative Casino Markets
·
Saif al-Adel, Believed to Be The Current Leader
Of Al-Qaeda Urges Supporter To Go To Afghanistan For Military Training: Long
War Journal
·
Suspected Islamists in Eastern Congo Kill More
Than 80 In A Week
·
‘Coward Biden’: Pro-Palestinian Protesters
Stage ‘Red Line’ Rally at White House
·
Indonesia and Australia Unite to Protect
Children from Terrorist Influence
Arab World
·
Saudi Arabia launches Smart Robot service in
central area near Prophet's Mosque
·
Saudi Arabia to promote camel industry at UN
exhibition in Rome
·
Taif governor inspects Miqats of Ihram to
ensure pilgrims’ safety, convenience
·
Arafat sermon to reach 1bn in 20 languages
·
Hajj heatstroke, deaths fall with Kingdom’s
safety measures: Report
--------
South Asia
·
Uzbekistan Provides 50 Scholarships for Afghan
Students: Taliban Official
·
Nearly 1,000 bodies, including dozens of
Afghans, discovered in Iran
·
WHO warns of rising maternal and child
mortality in Afghanistan
·
China and Pakistan call for inclusive
government in Afghanistan
·
Ex-Ambassador: Taliban’s absence from Tehran
meeting shows regional interaction stance
--------
Africa
·
Sudan's Rapid Support Forces Kills at Least 100
In Attack On Village, Activists Say
·
Commander of SAF-allied Islamist militant group
detained by Saudi authorities
·
Sudanese children keep their dreams alive
despite ravaging war
·
Black medic who saved dozens of lives on D-Day
finally honoured
·
Sudan army vows harsh response to RSF village
attack, UN calls for probe
--------
North America
·
US calls for UN Security Council vote on
backing Gaza ceasefire plan
·
Beijing says US provoking arms race by moving
forces into South China Sea
·
Hamas: US complicit in Israel's massacre in
Nuseirat refugee camp
·
US hampering Afghanistan progress through its
assets seizure: Iran’s interim FM
--------
Southeast Asia
·
Indonesia Wants More Countries to Recognize
Palestinian State
·
Continue Speaking Out Against Zionist Regime’s
War Crimes: Malaysian Humanitarian Aid and Relief
·
Steven Sim to lead Malaysian delegation to
Int’l Labour Conference in Geneva
·
12 Malaysian companies among Southeast Asia’s
top performers: Rafizi
·
President-Elect Prabowo to Call for Gaza
Ceasefire at Jordan Summit
--------
Pakistan
·
Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Ashrafi Backs
Fatwa On Hajj Regulationsof Maintaining Its Sanctity
·
Seven security men martyred in Lakki Marwat
·
PTI set to challenge Punjab defamation law in
court
·
APC wants Gilgit-Baltistan’s constitutional
status determined
·
KP governor slams CM Gandapur for his fiery
speech
·
Ishaq Dar to embark on two-day visit to Jordan
today
·
Govt to present people-friendly budget: Amir
Muqam
--------
India
·
Dalit, Tribal, Muslim Votes Helped MVA Get 31
Seats in Maharashtra
·
‘People Have Put a Leash On the Regime’: Shah
Alam Khan On Significance Of 2024 Election Results
·
Indian Union Muslim League Picks Supreme Court
Lawyer Haris Beeran as Its Rajya Sabha Candidate
·
Jamiat Ulama-E-Hind Leader Maulana Mohammad
Farrukh Murdered Over Land Dispute In UP
-----
Mideast
·
Zionist Settlers Renew Storming Al-Aqsa Mosque Courtyards
·
EU Policy Chief Borrell, NGOs and host of
Muslim nations condemn Israeli ‘massacre’ in hostage rescue operation
·
UAE to impose fines up to $40,000 for
unauthorized telemarketing calls
·
Hamas official urges US to pressure Israel to
end Gaza war
·
Iraq’s Mosul Springs Back To Life 10 Years
After It Fell To Daesh
·
Blinken returns to Mideast as Israel-Hamas
ceasefire proposal hangs in balance after hostage rescue
·
US military confirms 2 merchant ships were hit
by Houthi missiles in Gulf of Aden
--------
Europe
·
Muslim Community Turn toFree Faizan-e-Madina
Stechford Mosque Health Checks Due To Long GP Waiting Times in UK
·
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Is A ‘Rotten
Liverwurst, Helping to Revive Nazi Ideology’ – Medvedev
·
Cardiff signs off plans for mosque and
community centre
·
Russian health minister reveals cancer vaccine
progress
·
Russia accuses France of lying about troops in
Ukraine
·
France enters election mode after far-right win
in European Parliament vote
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
Gambling
A Taboo in Islamic Countries, Now, Analysts See UAE as The Next Vegas Having
Lucrative Casino Markets
June
10th, 2024
A
rendering of the resort pool area at the developing $3.9 billion Wynn Al Marjan
in the UAE emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. (Photo courtesy of Wynn Resorts)
--------------
The
United Arab Emirates, a country where almost three-quarters of its population
adheres to Islam — a religion that considers gambling a harmful activity —
could one day surpass Las Vegas as one of the world’s most lucrative casino
markets.
Despite
a gaming ban throughout the Middle East, UAE is creating a gaming regulatory
system allowing each of its seven emirates to have at least one integrated
resort — a property that includes a casino, hotel rooms, restaurants,
entertainment and non-gaming attractions.
One
development is already under construction. Wynn Resorts is building a $3.9
billion integrated resort, first announced in 2022, on the man-made Al Marjan
Island in Ras Al Khaimah. At least two other emirates — Dubai and Abu Dhabi —
are targeted for a casino resort.
Those
three properties alone, according to gaming advisory firm CBRE Institutional
Research, could produce as much as $8.6 billion in annual gaming revenue.
That’s more than the $8.4 billion in gaming revenue produced in 2023 by the 25
properties that make up a major portion of the Las Vegas Strip, according to
Gaming Control Board Senior Economic Analyst Michael Lawton.
“We
believe the UAE represents one of the most compelling opportunities in global
gaming,” CBRE analysts John DeCree and Colin Mansfield wrote in a research
report last week. They led a team of CBRE analysts during a weeklong visit to
the UAE in early May to gain an understanding of the market.
As with
other international gaming jurisdictions, Mansfield said casinos in the UAE
would create an untapped market of high-end Middle Eastern customers, providing
Strip resorts with another visitor base to populate their ultra-luxury gaming
lounges, restaurants and other attractions.
“[The
UAE] is a way to expand your brand's global reach with a new market that’s
potentially never seen or visited Las Vegas,” Mansfield said in an interview with
The Nevada Independent. “We like the financial aspect of diversifying cash
flows.”
DeCree
said the UAE, given the luxury hotels and restaurants that already populate Abu
Dhabi and Dubai, could eventually have a character similar to Las Vegas, which
has become dominated by non-gaming spending that often reaches 65 percent of
the total revenue stream.
“I think
it is reasonable to expect the UAE will be the Las Vegas of the Middle East,”
DeCree said.
The UAE
already has an existing tourism industry with some 200,000 hotel rooms. DeCree
said the emirates offer “a high propensity for luxury and consumer spending, a
business-friendly operating environment, strong existing transportation and
lodging infrastructure, and virtually no gaming competition.”
DeCree
said he expects the market to have some similarities to Singapore, which has
two integrated resorts operated by Las Vegas Sands and Malaysia-based Genting
Group in which 40 percent of the revenue comes from non-gaming activities.
Combined,
Singapore's two casinos accounted for $3.4 billion in gaming revenue in 2023.
The
first step in the process will be for the UAE to end its ban on gaming. The
analysts expect a regulated casino market would follow a similar roadmap the
UAE took in relaxing rules in 2020 that previously prohibited activities such
as alcohol consumption by non-Muslims.
Gaming
would be decriminalized through a federal decree or legislative changes to the
criminal and penal code.
“We
anticipate these legislative changes to be forthcoming in the next few months,”
CBRE wrote, suggesting the action in the region that is often shrouded in
mystery may have been already signed but not published. “We wouldn’t
necessarily expect a very public announcement.”
UAE’s
regulatory structure is still a work in progress some 10 months after the
General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) was established with
former MGM Resorts chairman and CEO Jim Murren overseeing the agency’s board
and former Missouri gaming regulator Kevin Mullally as CEO.
Murren
told The Nevada Independent last fall he could not comment about the process
and Mansfield said CBRE couldn’t disclose who they met with in the UAE. In the
report, the analysts wrote, “We foresee an operator-friendly framework” for the
GCGRA.
“Everyone
had been publicly restrained [from commenting] and we’ve been following [UAE]
media, which fueled our thesis around what we think the regulatory structure
could look like,” Mansfield said.
Kicking the tires
Most of
the major international gaming operators are already exploring the UAE’s
potential, hoping to land one of the potential integrated resort licenses.
“Everyone
is going to kick the tires,” Mansfield said. “The UAE is a compelling
opportunity.”
Wynn is
beyond the tire-kicking stage. A planned 1,000-foot-tall hotel tower is already
rising above the shoreline next to the Arabian Sea. The future casino will
encompass just 4 percent of the property’s overall footprint of 5.6 million
square feet.
Wynn Al
Marjan will have 1,542 hotel rooms and suites and 22 high-priced villas with
beachfront access, 22 restaurants and lounges and retail and meeting spaces.
“Wynn Al
Marjan Island should generate strong returns, high property margins, and a
greater non-gaming mix than Macau and even potentially Singapore integrated
resorts,” CBRE wrote.
Wynn was
“handpicked” by the Ras Al Khaimah emirate to develop and operate the resort.
However, the regulatory framework the emirate created has now been superseded
by the GCGRA.
“Although
some investors remain cautious on the licensing process, we would argue that
Wynn Al Marjan Island is too big, or too important, to fail,” CBRE wrote in the
report. “Since the Wynn project was announced in 2022, the broader Al Marjan
Island master plan accelerated, attracting significant investment to the
region.”
Among
the companies CBRE suggested would have an interest in the UAE are Las Vegas
Sands, Hong Kong-based Galaxy Entertainment and Melco Resorts, Genting Group
and Florida-based Hard Rock International.
MGM
Resorts International is already in Dubai, partnering with Wasl Asset
Management Group on a 25-acre non-gaming resort development on Jumeirah Beach,
one of the emirate’s man-made islands. The $1.2 billion project includes three
hotel towers totaling 1,500 rooms and will be branded under the Aria, MGM Grand
and Bellagio names.
MGM
Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle said last September that a 150,000-square-foot
space is being created on the site for one of two amenities — either a casino
or retail center. He said MGM’s involvement in the project happened long before
gaming discussions ever began.
“The UAE
is a fascinating opportunity,” Hornbuckle said.
In the
report, DeCree and Mansfield wrote the island would be one of the stronger
locations for gaming, given the neighborhood includes the Burj Al Arab Hotel,
which was designed to resemble a sailboat; Dubai International Financial Center
and the Palm Jumeirah man-made island.
CBRE
predicted a single gaming license in Dubai could produce more than $2.8 billion
in gaming revenue.
“We
suspect Dubai could support two [gaming licenses] that could potentially rival
Singapore given the amount of visitation, tourism, wealth, and population,” the
analysts wrote.
Caesars
Entertainment has taken itself out of the UAE market. In November, the company
ended its affiliation with a non-gaming hotel and resort in Dubai that began in
2018.
After
selling its stake in a potential South Korean venture in 2023, Caesars CEO Tom
Reeg said the company was no longer interested in international casino
operations beyond its Caesars-branded hotel-casino in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Yas
Island in Abu Dhabi, where tourism is already a strong focus, is the
unspoken-for location being touted by the analysts in the report.
The
15-square-mile island includes several theme parks, including SeaWorld and
Warner Bros. World, an 18,000-seat sports arena, a race course for the
FormulaOne Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a 2.5 million-square-foot retail mall and a
waterfront development with more than 20 food and beverage outlets.
Although
MGM Resorts has expressed some interest, “There is no clear front runner for an
integrated resort operator in Abu Dhabi, should the emirate move forward with
licensing,” the analysts wrote. “We suspect just about any other global
[integrated resort] operator could be interested given the potential size of
the opportunity.”
First
roll of the dice
DeCree
said the UAE is moving faster toward implementing and developing a gaming
market than any other nation.
He cited
Japan as an example where casinos were discussed in the early 2010s as a way of
using the tax revenue to fund the infrastructure needed for the 2020 Summer
Olympic Games in Tokyo.
However,
long before the pandemic pushed the Olympics into 2021, most of the major U.S.
gaming operators departed the bidding process.
Nearly
two decades after the process began, MGM Resorts plans to open Japan’s first
casino resort — a $10 billion project in Osaka — in 2030. If the Wynn Al Marjan
remains on schedule for a 2027 opening, the UAE could have the Middle East’s first
gaming development three years ahead of Japan.
“We
looked at some other jurisdictions, and it takes a very long time to go from
studying gaming to debating what the regulatory structure should look like, to
licensing, implementation and execution,” DeCree said.
The
analysts experienced how quickly the UAE is evolving.
“We've
seen a country that is very focused on investing and maintaining its leadership
position in global tourism and as a financial hub,” DeCree said.”
Source: thenevadaindependent.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/gambling-has-long-been-taboo-in-islamic-countries-now-analysts-see-uae-as-the-next-vegas
--------
Saif
al-Adel, Believed to Be The Current Leader Of Al-Qaeda Urges Supporter To Go To
Afghanistan For Military Training: Long War Journal
June 10,
2024
The Long
War Journal reported, citing an article by Saif al-Adel, believed to be the
current leader of al-Qaeda, that the group has called on its supporters
worldwide to migrate to Afghanistan for military training and experience.
According
to the report, Saif al-Adel wrote the article under the pseudonym Salim
al-Sharif, titled “Gaza: An Existential War, Not a War of Borders.”
In the
article attributed to al-Qaeda’s current leader, he states: “Faithful
individuals who wish to bring about change should learn from the situation
there and benefit from the experiences [of the Taliban].”
In what
is described as the group’s “most explicit and public” call to its foreign
supporters since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, al-Qaeda’s leader
urged his followers to go to Afghanistan to gain military skills, experience,
and knowledge before attacking targets related to Israel and the West.
Saif
al-Adel also called on Muslim communities to attack interests associated with
“Jewish and Western Zionists” across all Islamic lands, emphasizing that these
attacks should be “painful” as “it is too late to do anything for us.”
The Long
War Journal report states that the current leader of al-Qaeda is based in Iran.
Ayman
al-Zawahiri, the previous leader of al-Qaeda, was killed in a U.S. airstrike
in Kabul on August 1, 2022. The Taliban
denied al-Zawahiri’s presence and death in Afghanistan. Despite electing a new
leader, al-Qaeda has remained silent on the details of al-Zawahiri’s death.
The
Taliban have consistently denied the presence of terrorist groups in
Afghanistan. However, the UN reported last year that they maintained ties with
al-Qaeda.
According
to the UN, al-Qaeda established eight new training camps in Afghanistan,
including Ghazni, Laghman, Parwan, and Uruzgan, with an armory in Panjshir.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/al-qaeda-leader-urges-supporter-to-go-to-afghanistan-for-military-training-long-war-journal/
--------
Suspected
Islamists in eastern Congo kill more than 80 in a week
09 June
2024
Suspected
Islamist rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), attack villages of
Masala.Credit: Reuters Photo
------------
Democratic
Republic of Congo: The death toll has risen to 41 following an attack on Friday
by suspected Islamist rebels on villages in eastern Democratic Republic of
Congo, a Congolese army spokesman said, bringing the total toll in the region
to mor...
Friday
night's attack, on the villages of Masala, Mapasana and Mahini, had been
carried out by members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), said
lieutenant-colonel Mak Hazukay, an army spokesman in Congo's North Kivu
province.
The ADF,
which is now based in eastern Congo, has pledged allegiance to Islamic State
and mounts frequent attacks, further destabilising a region where many militant
groups are active.
It
originates from neighbouring Uganda and is alleged to be behind multiple
assaults in the area over the past week, including one in the village of Masawu
that killed 17 people, two civil society leaders said.
On
Thursday, five bodies were found in the villages of Kabweli and Mamulese,
according to Justin Kavalami, a civil society member who helped search for
bodies. The same day, six bodies were recovered from a river in the village of
Mununze, that villa...
On
Friday, 13 bodies were found in the village of Makobu, a civil society leader
and the village chief said, bringing the total number of people killed by
suspected ADF militants since Tuesday to 82.
'CHAOS'
During
the attacks on Friday evening, armed men used guns and machetes to attack
residents of the villages in Beni territory, local official Fabien Kakule told
Reuters.
Vusindi
Nick Junior, a local civil society leader, said a local health centre had been
set ablaze and nine people were injured in addition to the 41 killed.
"Several
dozen civilians have been victims of the ADF in eastern DRC in recent
days," said EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Nabila Massrali, adding there
was an urgent need to accelerate efforts to find a political solution.
"Terrorist
groups are taking advantage of the chaos to expand their hold on an already
very unstable region," she said.
Julien
Paluku, a former governor of North Kivu, said on X that Congo's national
government needed to do more to address insecurity in the east. The government
has not yet made any statement on Friday's attacks, and a government spokesman
did not resp...
"People
have the impression, rightly or wrongly, of being abandoned to their sad
fate," he said.
Source: deccanherald.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.deccanherald.com/world/suspected-islamists-in-eastern-congo-kill-more-than-80-in-a-week-3059640
--------
‘Coward
Biden’: Pro-Palestinian Protesters Stage ‘Red Line’ Rally at White House
Sunday,
09 June 2024
Pro-Palestinian
demonstrators, in formation holding a “red line,” rally near the White House in
Washington, DC, on June 8, 2024, to protest against the Israeli regime's
genocidal war against the Gaza Strip. (Photo by AFP)
-----------
Thousands
of pro-Palestinian protesters from across the United States have gathered to
stage a mass rally near the White House in Washington, DC, lashing out at US
President Joe Biden for green-lighting Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
The
protesters on Saturday voiced anger at Biden for ignoring the “red line”,
giving the Israeli regime forces the go-ahead to continue its eight-month war
on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 36,800 Palestinians, most of them women
and children.
Almost
all the protesters were wearing red clothing and held Palestinian flags or
banners, and signs saying “Biden’s red line was a lie.”
“From DC
to Palestine, we are the red line,” they chanted.
The
protesters, who demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, said they would not
vote for Biden in the upcoming 2024 US presidential election.
They
were also holding a symbolic 3-kilometer-long red banner with the names of the
Palestinians killed on it.
Biden
has been criticized for ignoring the “red line” he seemingly set two months ago
when he said he would not allow the Israeli forces to invade the southern Gaza
city of Rafah where more than half of the Strip’s 2.3 million population were
seeking refuge.
The
protesters said they no longer trusted Biden, describing him as a “coward” and
“hypocrite.”
“I no
longer believe any of the words that Joe Biden says,” said 25-year-old Zaid
Mahdawi, a protester from Virginia, whose parents are Palestinian.
“This
‘red line’ in his rhetoric is rubbish... it shows his hypocrisy and his
cowardice,” Mahdawi told AFP.
“I think
we all hope it’s going to stop soon but clearly our president is not living up
to the words he is speaking to our country. It’s outrageous,” said nursing
assistant, Tala McKinney, 25.
“It’s
very disappointing to have a president who doesn’t follow through with their
word... I will be voting for a third party.”
Political
experts say with just five months left to the November election, Biden needs
the votes of US Muslims and young voters to win. The experts insist the votes
are crucial for Democratic Biden to win the race against Republican candidate
Donald Trump.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/09/727108/US-Palestine-Gaza-War-Protesters-Slam-Biden-Red-Line-Rally-Chanting-White-House-Washington-DC-Israeli-Forces
--------
Indonesia
and Australia Unite to Protect Children from Terrorist Influence
June 8,
2024
Head of
Indonesia's National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT), Commissioner General
Rycko Amelza Dahniel, meets with Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner
Reece Kershaw on Friday, June 7, 2024. (BNPT)
-----------
Jakarta.
Indonesia and Australia have pledged to jointly address the issue of children
involved with terrorist groups. A resolution passed at the Commission on Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) forum in Vienna, Austria, in May marks
a significant step in their cooperation.
"Indonesia
and Australia share a common concern regarding children associated with
terrorism. Therefore, support from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) is
essential for implementing this resolution," said Commissioner General
Rycko Amelza Dahniel, Head of Indonesia's National Counter-Terrorism Agency
(BNPT), during a meeting with AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw on Friday.
Initiated
by BNPT, the resolution aims to end violence and protect children as part of a
long-term strategy to combat terrorism.
"The
global commitment to protect children must be a shared priority," Rycko
added.
Following
the resolution, BNPT will convene an Inter-governmental Expert Group (IEG)
meeting early next year. This meeting will discuss guidelines for handling
children associated with terrorism as a concrete step toward safeguarding
future generations.
Peaceful
Schools Program
BNPT has
implemented the Peaceful Schools program to prevent the spread of radical
terrorist ideologies. Previously, the program was conducted in Islamic boarding
schools in Palu, Central Sulawesi; Serang, Banten; and Banyuwangi, East Java.
BNPT's
Director of Prevention, Irfan Idris, noted a shift in the demographics of
terrorism perpetrators. While men were traditionally the primary actors, women
and children are now increasingly being exploited. Examples include the family
bombings in Surabaya, attacks on churches in Makassar and Sibolga, Zakiah Aini's
assault on the National Police Headquarters, and Dita's plan to bomb the
Presidential Palace.
According
to Irfan Idris, children exposed to radical ideologies cannot be entirely
blamed as they navigate a new, expansive world with unrestricted access to
information.
Therefore,
teachers must support and monitor students to filter the information they
receive.
"Terrorism
exists because of radicalism. Hence, we prioritize education, as only education
and religion can prevent someone from adopting radical beliefs. However,
factors such as disappointment, economic issues, and others also play a
role," Irfan Idris stated in May.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-and-australia-unite-to-protect-children-from-terrorist-influence
--------
Arab World
Saudi
Arabia launches Smart Robot service in central area near Prophet's Mosque
The
branch of the Saudi Ministry of Health in the Madinah region launched the Smart
Robot service on Saturday in the Central Area near the Prophet's Mosque.
The
Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted the branch as saying that the service aims to
present and broadcast educational messages, guidance, and health instructions
for the safety and awareness of pilgrims in over 96 languages from around the
world.
Meanwhile,
the volunteer and awareness teams of the Health Ministry branch of Madinah
continue their fieldwork with 220 male and female volunteers and over 12 teams
working around the clock to serve the guests of Allah. They provide health and
emergency services during the Hajj season at the Prophet's Mosque and its
access roads, Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport, and Haramain
Train Station, and the mosques of Quba, Khandaq, Sayyid Al-Shuhada, and Miqat
Dhul-Hulaifah.
Source: gulftoday.ae
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2024/06/09/saudi-arabia-launches-smart-robot-service-in-central-area-near-prophet-s-mosque
--------
Saudi
Arabia to promote camel industry at UN exhibition in Rome
June 10,
2024
RIYADH:
The Kingdom will promote the camel industry at the UN Food and Agriculture
Organization meeting in Rome this week, the Saudi Press Agency reported on
Sunday.
The exhibition,
from June 10 to 14, will showcase locally manufactured products, and their
contribution to food security and health in the Kingdom.
It will
also emphasize the cultural importance of camels in Saudi Arabia society.
The
Kingdom’s participation in the FAO’s council meeting comes as a part of its
co-chairmanship of the International Year of Camelids 2024.
The
Kingdom’s delegation is being led by Ahmed Al-Eyada, undersecretary at the
Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and chairman of the steering
committee for the International Year of Camelids 2024.
More
than 13 government agencies and private sector companies will participate in
the exhibition. They will display various food, medical and cosmetic products
derived from camels.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2527381/saudi-arabia
--------
Taif
governor inspects Miqats of Ihram to ensure pilgrims’ safety, convenience
June 10,
2024
RIYADH:
Taif governor Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Abdulaziz visited the Miqats of Ihram
and various security checkpoints in the governorate on Sunday, reported the
Saudi Press Agency reported.
The
visit was an evaluation of services to ensure the safety and convenience of
Hajj pilgrims this year.
The
governor also visited the Miqat of Qarn Al-Manazil in As Sail Al-Kabir where he
inspected the security checkpoints and was briefed on the technology used for
monitoring and handling violations of Hajj permits and related procedures.
He also
met several pilgrims at the Wadi Mehrim Miqat on the Al-Hada road, and urged
all Hajj workers to ensure the pilgrims’ travel went smoothly.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2527351/saudi-arabia
--------
Arafat
sermon to reach 1bn in 20 languages
June 10,
2024
MAKKAH:
The sermon on Arafat this year will reach 1 billion people across the world,
the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The
General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques will be overseeing
the broadcast.
The
project, named after King Salman, seeks to highlight Islam’s message of
religious tolerance, moderation and peace, said Sheikh Abdulrahman bin
Abdulaziz Al-Sudais, president of the general presidency.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2527336/saudi-arabia
--------
Hajj
heatstroke, deaths fall with Kingdom’s safety measures: Report
June 10,
2024
RIYADH:
Heat-related deaths and strokes during the Hajj have fallen by 47.6 and 74.6
percent respectively over a 40-year period because of the interventions by the
Saudi Arabia government, according to a study published in May this year.
The
study, titled “Escalating climate-related health risks for Hajj pilgrims to
Mecca,” was conducted under the auspices of the King Faisal Specialist Hospital
and Research Center, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The
interventions of the government have been effective despite the rise in
temperatures in Makkah of 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade, the study found.
The
study, published in the Journal of Travel Medicine, examined the relationship
between the increase in ambient temperatures during the Hajj season and health
conditions.
The
measures taken to mitigate heat-related health risks for pilgrims include the
use of mist fans to cool the air in open spaces, the SPA quoted the report as
saying.
The
government also distributes water and umbrellas; and there are now airconditioned
transport options available, including the Mashaer train at the holy sites
since 2010.
The
Kingdom has run awareness campaigns along with access to free healthcare
services during the Hajj, the report added.
The report found that the government has
instituted long-term measures including integrating environmental engineering
and building design strategies to improve natural ventilation and reduce
temperatures at the holy sites.
There
has been an increase in shaded spaces, and efforts have been made to reduce
overcrowding.
Considering
that the annual Hajj attracts millions of pilgrims from more than 180
countries, the KFSHRC study “holds enormous scientific value for planning and
improving the response to the increasing temperature rise around the world.”
The
KFSHRC is the top-ranked medical brand in the Middle East and North Africa for
the second year in a row, and 20th globally, according to Brand Finance.
It has
also been ranked among the best 250 hospitals in the world by Newsweek
magazine.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2527281/saudi-arabia
--------
South Asia
Uzbekistan
provides 50 scholarships for Afghan students: Taliban official
June 10,
2024
The Taliban’s
Ministry of Higher Education announced on Sunday that Uzbekistan has offered 50
scholarships to Afghan students.
On
Sunday, June 9, the Ministry of Higher Education reported a meeting between
Lutfullah Khairkhwah, the ministry’s academic deputy, and Yadgar Khoja
Shadmanov, Uzbekistan’s ambassador to
Kabul.
The
ministry’s statement mentioned that the meeting discussed resolving issues
faced by Afghan students in Uzbekistan and enhancing bilateral cooperation.
The
ministry did not provide details about who will receive these scholarships or
the process of awarding them.
The
Taliban stated that currently, 43 Afghan students are studying in Uzbekistan.
The
Ministry of Higher Education, under Taliban control, said that these
scholarships would be awarded at the undergraduate level but did not specify
which fields of study would be covered.
Since
the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, girls have been barred from continuing
their education beyond primary education within the country.
Despite
massive criticism by the international community, the Taliban administration
had not lifted the restriction of education on girls and women in the country.
This
comes amid the first phase of the 1403 university entrance exam that began on
Thursday, June 5, in 16 provinces of Afghanistan without the participation of
girls.
The
Taliban have also imposed strict travel restrictions on female students wishing
to study abroad.
Source: khaama.com
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--------
Nearly
1,000 bodies, including dozens of Afghans, discovered in Iran
June 10,
2024
According
to the report, citing a police official, at least 942 unidentified bodies were
found in Iran in 2023.
The
Iranian newspaper Etemad, citing its sources, said that among these, 83
unidentified bodies belonged to Afghan citizens.
It was
mentioned that 40% of the unidentified bodies are not claimed by families due
to poverty, while 10% are without relatives, and another 15% are individuals
who have been rejected by their families, with no one coming to claim their
bodies.
Morteza
Nesari, Deputy Chief of the Tehran Criminal Investigation Police, stated that
64% of these bodies were men, and the remaining 36% were women.
This
Iranian police official did not comment on the exact number of unidentified
bodies in previous years, but he confirmed that the statistics were around a
thousand bodies in the years 2022 and 2021.
Although
no further details were provided regarding the unidentified Afghan bodies in
this report, the Iranian police’s definition of unidentified bodies includes
those who die in traffic accidents and whose bodies are unrecognizable or who
are mutilated, addicts, mentally ill, and homeless individuals who die on the
streets with no one to claim their bodies.
This
comes amid forced deportation has significantly worsened the dire situation of
Afghan refugees in Iran. Many of these refugees, already facing extreme poverty,
now live in constant fear of being sent back to Afghanistan, where they face
persecution and violence.
The dire
living conditions of Afghan refugees in Iran are exacerbated by limited access
to basic necessities such as food, clean water, and medical care. This lack of
resources has led to increased suffering and a desperate situation for many
refugee families.
Security
threats in Afghanistan continue to rise, with many Afghan refugees fearing for
their lives if deported back. The unstable political situation and ongoing
violence make it unsafe for many to return, leaving them in a state of
uncertainty and danger.
Source: khaama.com
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--------
WHO
warns of rising maternal and child mortality in Afghanistan
June 10,
2024
The
World Health Organization has reported that 24 mothers and 167 children die
daily across Afghanistan.
The
organization released a report on Sunday, June 9, stating that an additional
$352 million is needed to combat the serious risk of maternal mortality.
According
to the WHO, these mothers and children lose their lives due to preventable
diseases related to pregnancy and childbirth in Afghanistan.
The
organization has warned that if the necessary funding for humanitarian aid in
Afghanistan is not provided by the international community, maternal and infant
mortality rates will increase.
The
report indicates that in 2023, 428 fixed and mobile health centers were closed
in Afghanistan due to severe budget shortages.
Additionally,
the WHO emphasized that lack of access to healthcare has affected over three
million people, including more than 600,000 children under five and over
240,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Previously,
several global health organizations have warned about the rising maternal
mortality rates in Afghanistan, stressing that women are facing increased
vulnerability in the country.
According
to a report by the Emergency Organization, Afghanistan has the highest maternal
mortality rate in the world.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/who-warns-of-rising-maternal-and-child-mortality-in-afghanistan/
--------
China
and Pakistan call for inclusive government in Afghanistan
June 9,
2024
China
and Pakistan, following a meeting between their leaders, have issued a joint
statement stating that international efforts to engage with the Taliban should
pave the way for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s
Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing
yesterday, Sunday, June 8.
After
their meeting, both countries issued a joint statement emphasizing the fight
against terrorism in Afghanistan and the need for what is referred to as “the
necessity of establishing a comprehensive political system in Afghanistan.”
The
leaders of China and Pakistan met at the second regional contact group meeting
on Afghanistan, which was held in Tehran. Representatives from China, Russia,
Pakistan, and Iran were in attendance.
Members
of this meeting referred to Afghanistan as a “regional issue” accompanied by
the response of the Taliban administration.
Zaher Jalali,
from the Afghan Foreign Ministry, had previously announced the Taliban
officials’ non-participation in the Tehran meeting in response to statements by
Hassan Kazemi-Qomi, who said Afghanistan is no longer “an issue” and “decides
independently.”
Hassan
Kazemi-Qomi, Iran’s Ambassador and Special Representative for Afghanistan
Affairs, said during the second regional contact group meeting that the
terrorist threats emanating from Afghan soil are the main concern of regional
countries.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.khaama.com/china-and-pakistan-call-for-inclusive-government-in-afghanistan/
--------
Ex-Ambassador:
Taliban’s absence from Tehran meeting shows regional interaction stance
June 9,
2024
Mohammad
Reza Bahrami, former Iranian ambassador to
Kabul, stated that the Taliban’s absence from the Tehran Contact Group
meeting reflects their approach to regional interaction.
Bahrami
made these remarks on Saturday, June 8, in a message posted on his social media
platform X.
He
added, “The Taliban’s non-participation in the second regional Contact Group
meeting in Tehran shows their perspective on the nature and level of regional
interaction.”
According
to him, parties that believe in simplifying this interaction will continue to
experience miscalculations.
This
comes as the second Moscow Format meeting, with representatives from Russia,
China, Iran, and Pakistan, was held without the Taliban.
This
morning, Zakir Jalali, head of the Taliban’s third political office, said the
group would not participate in the Moscow Format meeting.
He
stated that the Taliban expect meetings in Afghanistan to occur through
established mechanisms rather than creating new ones.
Additionally,
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s ambassador and special representative for
Afghanistan, said at the end of this meeting that developments in Afghanistan
could impact neighboring countries and the region.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/ex-ambassador-talibans-absence-from-tehran-meeting-shows-regional-interaction-stance/
--------
Africa
Sudan's
Rapid Support ForcesKills at Least 100 In Attack On Village, Activists Say
JUNE 06
2024
The
Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked a village in Gezira
State on Wednesday, killing at least 100 people, according to local activists.
If
confirmed, the attack would be the latest in a string of dozens of attacks by
RSF soldiers on small villages across the farming state after it took control
of the capital Wad Madani in December.
A
telecommunications blackout prevented Reuters immediately reaching medics or
residents to verify the death toll.
"Wad
Alnoura village ... witnessed a genocide on Wednesday after the RSF attacked
twice, killing up to 100 people," the pro-democracy Wad Madani Resistance
Committee said in a statement on social media late on Wednesday.
Later it
put the number of dead in the hundreds and said the Sudanese army had not
heeded a request for help.
The RSF
began fighting the army in April 2023 after disputes over the integration of
the two forces and has since taken over the capital Khartoum and most of
western Sudan.
It is
now seeking to advance into the centre, as United Nations agencies say the
people of Sudan are at "imminent risk of famine".
In a
statement on Wednesday, the RSF said it had attacked army and allied militia
bases around Wad Alnoura but did not acknowledge any civilian casualties.
But the
Wad Madani Resistance Committee accused it of using heavy artillery against
civilians, looting, and driving women and children to seek refuge in the nearby
town of Managil.
It
shared photos of dozens of bodies wrapped for burial in an open square among
large crowds of men.
"The
people of Wad Alnoura called on the army to rescue them, but they shamefully
did not respond," the committee said.
The
army-aligned Transitional Sovereign Council condemned the attack.
"These
are criminal acts that reflect the systematic behaviour of these militias in
targeting civilians," it said in a statement.
Source: theeastafrican.co.ke
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https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/rest-of-africa/sudan-s-rsf-kills-at-least-100-in-attack-on-village-4648582
--------
Commander
of SAF-allied Islamist militant group detained by Saudi authorities
June 9,
2024
PORT
SUDAN – Sudanese militia leader Al Misbah Abu Zeid, commander of the Malik Ibn
Baraa Brigade, is being held by Saudi authorities, sources familiar with the
situation said. The reason for his detention remains unclear.
The
brigade, considered a jihadist group allied with Sudan’s military (SAF),
emerged during the conflict that erupted in April 2023.
It is
linked to the Popular Defence Forces, a paramilitary group active during Omar
al-Bashir’s rule, now known as the ‘Shadow Battalions’ and largely controlled
by the Sudanese Islamic Movement.
Sources
say Al Misbah was detained on June 4, 2024, and remains in Saudi custody. The
Sudanese government is seeking his release, but Saudi Arabia has not commented
publicly.
A media
official for the Islamist militant group denied threats against Saudi Arabia
but said they trust Sudanese authorities to handle the matter.
Sources
allege Al Misbah was detained during the Umrah pilgrimage, possibly due to a
gathering of Sudanese citizens around him for photographs. This could violate
Saudi Arabia’s Penal Law of Crimes of Terrorism and its Financing.
Sudanese
journalist Abdelmajid Abdelhamid said on Facebook the foreign ministry
contacted Saudi Arabia regarding Al Misbah’s detention but received no
response.
The
Malik Ibn Baraa Brigade supports the Sudanese army and maintains an active
social media presence. Affiliated with Islamist organizations and the dissolved
National Congress Party, the brigade emerged as a popular mobilization response
to the war.
Pro-Islamist
social media accounts demanded Al Misbah’s release, with veiled threats towards
Saudi Arabia.
“Our
silence on al-Misbah wasn’t weakness, but deference,” a statement on a former
Twitter platform said. “We won’t stay silent on harm to our leaders,” it added,
demanding Al Misbah’s release within 48 hours.”
Source: sudanspost.com
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https://www.sudanspost.com/commander-of-saf-allied-islamist-militant-group-detained-by-saudi-authorities/
--------
Sudanese
children keep their dreams alive despite ravaging war
Sudanese
children suffering from devastating conflicts hope that the war in their country
will come to an end soon and their life will return back to normal.
They
also wish to make their contribution to rebuilding their war-torn country and
saving the injured people in the war.
These
are the hopes and wishes expressed by the children in Sudan ..
When
asked about her future profession, a girl said that she wants to become a
doctor to treat people who have been injured by shells.
Many
others have similar ideas.
"I
want to become a doctor so that I can treat my family," said another girl.
"I
will become a doctor and treat my mother, brothers and other people," a
boy said
Some
children want to contribute to rebuilding the nation.
A boy
said that he aspires to become an engineer so that he can repair buildings
destroyed by the war.
"When
I grow up, I want to work as an engineer and rebuild the buildings that were
destroyed by the war," said another boy.
Many say
they want to become a pilot to help people travel.
"My
dream is to become an airline captain in Khartoum when I grow up. I want to fly
a plane and go wherever I want," a boy said.
When it
comes to their expectations for the future, many expressed their simple hope
that the war will be over as soon as possible.
A girl
said she wants to return to her home and school as before, and a boy hoped that
the war would come to an end soon so that everyone could return home safely.
"I
wish that my mother and I could travel to Saudi Arabia to visit my brothers and
father there and sit together with them. I hope that the war will stop and that
we will return to studying in our schools and bring our brothers from Saudi
Arabia," another boy said.
The
ongoing conflict in Sudan, which erupted on April 15, 2023, has resulted in a
staggering human cost. The United Nations estimates over 14,790 fatalities and a
staggering 8.2 million people displaced internally or forced to flee the
country.
The
United Nations also reported that half of Sudan's population, roughly 25
million people, require humanitarian assistance, with nearly 18 million facing
severe food insecurity.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/10/sudanese-children-keep-their-dreams-alive-despite-ravaging-war/
--------
Black
medic who saved dozens of lives on D-Day finally honored
A medal
richly deserved but long denied to an African American combat medic wounded on
Omaha Beach in the D-Day landings has been tenderly laid on the hallowed sands
where he saved lives and shed blood.
U.S.
First Army soldiers held a ceremony in honor of Waverly Woodson Jr. on Friday
on the beach where he came ashore and was wounded, and where hundreds of
American soldiers were killed by withering fire in the June 6, 1944, landings
in Normandy, northern France.
The
Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest honor that can be bestowed on
a member of the U.S. Army and is awarded for extraordinary heroism.
The
medal was awarded posthumously to Woodson this month – just ahead of the 80th
anniversary of D-Day -- following years of lobbying for more recognition of his
exploits on that fateful day.
U.S.
First Army Maj. Gen. William Ryan gently placed the World War II-era medal on
the sand, close to the spot where Woodson is thought to have come ashore on the
now-peaceful beach that on D-Day was raked by German machine-gun and artillery
rounds before U.S. forces finally captured it and started pushing inland.
The
soldiers all saluted, still and quiet under blue skies, when U.S. First Army
Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Prosser gave the order to present arms.
U.S.
First Army historian Capt. Kevin Braafladt explained to the soldiers that the
next step would be the medal’s presentation to Woodson’s widow, 95-year-old
Joann. It will be given to his family in a ceremony later this summer.
“We want
to be able to say that this medal came from Omaha Beach and was at the site of
Woodson’s actions,” Braafladt said.
The
soldiers delicately passed the medal from hand-to-hand, feeling its weight and
inspecting it.
The
ceremony moved U.S. First Army Staff Sgt. Aaron Williams, who is Black, to
tears.
“Understanding
my position as an African American and to learn about Corporal Woodson and
everything he experienced here on Omaha and in Normandy is very touching to me,
and to be here in the exact spot, it’s just historic. It’s very, very
touching.”
Woodson
was just 21 years old when his First Army unit, the 320th Barrage Balloon
Battalion, took part in the Allied operation that helped precipitate Adolf
Hitler’s downfall 11 months later.
Woodson’s
battalion, the only African American combat unit on Omaha that day, was
responsible for setting up high-flying inflatable balloons to prevent enemy
planes from buzzing over the beach and attacking the Allied forces.
At a
time when the U.S. military was still segregated by race, about 2,000 African
American troops are believed to have taken part in the D-Day invasion.
Woodson
died in 2005, at age 83, and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
His son,
66-year-old Stephen, fought back tears Friday when The Associated Press
described the ceremony to him by phone.
“I’ve
got chills,” he said. “My father is receiving a lot of attention that is long
overdue.”
“It’s
almost beyond words for me to describe how important this is for my family.”
Woodson
himself spoke to the AP in 1994 about how his landing craft came under intense
fire from German gunners as it approached the beach.
”The
tide brought us in, and that’s when the 88s hit us,” he said of the German 88mm
guns. “They were murder. Of our 26 Navy personnel there was only one left. They
raked the whole top of the ship and killed all the crew. Then they started with
the mortar shells,” Woodson said.
For the
next 30 hours he treated 200 wounded men while under intense small arms and
artillery fire before collapsing from his injuries and blood loss, according to
accounts of his service. At the time he was awarded the Bronze Star.
Although
1.2 million Black Americans served in the military during World War II, none
was among the original recipients of the Medal of Honor awarded in the
conflict.
The Army
commissioned a study in the early 1990s to analyze whether Black troops had
been unjustly overlooked during an era of widespread racism and segregation in
the military. Ultimately, seven Black World War II troops were awarded the Medal
of Honor in 1997.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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--------
Sudan
army vows harsh response to RSF village attack, UN calls for probe
JUNE 07
2024
Sudan's
army said on Thursday it would deliver a "harsh response" to an
attack a day earlier on a village by the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support
Forces that pro-democracy activists said killed more than 100 people.
The
attack was the largest in a string of dozens of attacks by RSF soldiers on
small villages across the farming state after it took control of the capital
Wad Madani in December.
Army
chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's statement followed accusations by the local
activists that the army did not respond to pleas for help on Wednesday.
The army
did not reply to a request for comment.
UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attack, said UN
spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
"The
Secretary-General urges all parties to refrain from any attacks that could harm
civilians or damage civilian infrastructure," Dujarric said in a
statement.
"The
Secretary-General expresses his deep concern regarding the immense suffering of
the Sudanese population as a result of the continued hostilities," he
said.
"He
stresses that it is high time for all parties to silence their guns across
Sudan and commit to a path towards sustainable peace."
The top
UN official in Sudan on Thursday called for an investigation into the attack in
Wad al-Noura village in Gezira State in central Sudan.
"Even
by the tragic standards of Sudan's conflict, the images emerging from Wad
Al-Noura are heart-breaking," said UN Humanitarian Coordinator Clementine
Nkweta-Salami in a statement.
She
cited photos shared on social media by the Wad Madani Resistance Committee,
which has been tracking such attacks, showing what it described as dozens of
victims wrapped for burial.
The
committee said on Thursday that 104 were killed and hundreds injured in Wad
al-Noura and that the RSF was moving towards other villages.
"Wad
al-Noura village ... witnessed a genocide on Wednesday after the RSF attacked
twice," the committee said in a statement late on Wednesday.
A
telecommunications blackout prevented Reuters from reaching medics or residents
to verify the details.
The RSF
began fighting with the army in April 2023 after disputes over the integration
of the two forces and has since taken over the capital Khartoum and most of
western Sudan. It is now seeking to advance into the centre, as United Nations
agencies say the people of Sudan are at "imminent risk of famine".
On
Thursday, the resistance committee in Karari, an army-controlled area to the
north of the capital, blamed the RSF for artillery fire that it said had killed
22. Eyewitnesses said that the fire had come from across the Nile in
RSF-controlled Bahri.
In a
statement on Thursday, the RSF said it had attacked army and allied militia
bases around Wad al-Noura, losing eight soldiers, and noted inaccurate reports
circulating about the incident.
The Wad
Madani Resistance Committee accused the RSF on Wednesday of using heavy
artillery against civilians, looting and driving women and children to seek
refuge in the nearby town of Managil.
"The
people of Wad al-Noura called on the army to rescue them, but they shamefully
did not respond," the committee said.
The
army-aligned Transitional Sovereign Council condemned the attack.
"These
are criminal acts that reflect the systematic behaviour of these militias in
targeting civilians," it said in a statement.
Source: theeastafrican.co.ke
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/rest-of-africa/sudan-army-vows-harsh-response-to-rsf-village-attack-4649904
--------
North America
US calls
for UN Security Council vote on backing Gaza ceasefire plan
June 10,
2024
UNITED
NATIONS: The United States announced
Sunday it has requested a UN Security Council vote on its draft resolution backing
a plan for an “immediate ceasefire with the release of hostages” between Israel
and Hamas.
Diplomatic
sources said the vote is planned for Monday, but has not yet been confirmed by
South Korea, which holds the Security Council presidency for the month of June.
“Today,
the United States called for the Security Council to move toward a vote...
supporting the proposal on the table,” said Nate Evans, spokesman for the US
delegation, without specifying a vote date.
“Council
members should not let this opportunity pass by and must speak with one voice
in support of this deal,” Evans said.
The
United States, a staunch ally of Israel, has been widely criticized for having
blocked several UN draft resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
US
President Joe Biden on May 31 launched a new push for a ceasefire and hostage
release deal, separate from the United Nations.
Under
the proposal, Israel would withdraw from Gaza population centers and Hamas
would free hostages. The ceasefire would last an initial six weeks, with it
extended as negotiators seek a permanent end to hostilities.
The
United States is placing primary responsibility for accepting the proposal on
Hamas, specifically calling on the Palestinian militant group to accept the
document in the latest version of the draft text.
That
version, which was distributed to member states on Sunday and was seen by AFP,
“welcomes” the new ceasefire proposal while stating, unlike in previous
versions, that Israel has already accepted.
The
draft resolution “calls upon Hamas to also accept it, and urges both parties to
fully implement its terms without delay and without condition.”
In
response to requests from several member states, the latest text clearly lays
out the proposal.
This
includes a first phase with an “immediate, full, and complete ceasefire,”
release of hostages taken by Hamas, and “exchange of Palestinian prisoners”
plus “withdrawal of Israeli forces from the populated areas in Gaza.”
This
also includes the “safe and effective distribution of humanitarian assistance
at scale throughout the Gaza Strip to all Palestinian civilians who need it.”
According
to diplomatic sources, several Security Council members indicated their
reservations on two previous versions of the text, in particular Algeria which
is the Arab representative on the UN Security Council, and Russia which wields
a veto.
Since
the unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7 against Israel and Israel’s
subsequent counterattack, the Security Council has struggled to speak with one
voice.
Following
two resolutions mainly focused on humanitarian aid, the Security Council
finally at the end of March successfully demanded an “immediate ceasefire” for
the duration of Ramadan, which was achieved with the United States abstaining
from the vote.
Following
the International Court of Justice’s decision at the end of May ordering Israel
to stop its offensive in Rafah, Algeria circulated a draft resolution demanding
an immediate ceasefire and, more specifically, a halt to the Rafah offensive.
The
United States, however, said such a text was not helpful, stating that it
instead favored negotiations on the ground to achieve a ceasefire.
The Gaza
war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel, which resulted
in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally
based on Israeli official figures.
Israel’s
retaliatory offensive has killed at least 37,084 people in Gaza, mostly
civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2527286/middle-east
--------
Beijing
says US provoking arms race by moving forces into South China Sea
09 June
2024
Chinese
Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong has warned that the United States is posing
the biggest military threat in the South China Sea as its weapons’ deployment
there is turning the region into “the whirlpool of an arms race.”
“At
present, the biggest security challenge in the South China Sea comes from outside
the region,” Sun said in comments published on Sunday, noting that Beijing was
willing to resolve its territorial disputes with nearby countries in the South
China Sea through dialog.
Sun, who
recently attended a high-level meeting on East Asian cooperation in Laos, said
US-led forces were “promoting military deployment and actions in the South
China Sea, inciting and intensifying maritime disputes and contradictions, and
damaging the legitimate rights and interests of coastal countries.”
A move
by the United States to deploy medium-range missile systems in the area “is
dragging the region into the whirlpool of an arms race, placing the entire Asia
Pacific region under the shadow of geopolitical conflicts,” Sun noted, adding
that Beijing aimed to properly manage its territorial disputes with the parties
in the South China Sea through dialogue.
In the
meantime, China, which claims most of the South China Sea territories, has
deployed hundreds of coast guard vessels as far as 1,000 km off its coasts to
guard its jurisdiction in the region.
However,
in the guise of joint military exercises with US regional allies, and under the
pretext of “freedom of navigation”, the
US military also keeps its forces present in the highly strategic South China
Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce, turning the
international waters into a powder keg waiting to explode.
In a
meeting with US allies in April, the Philippines announced the Manila
government plans to assert its sovereign rights in the South China Sea. The
Filipino leadership also criticized what it described as Beijing’s aggressive
policies, and the willingness for “harassment” of the Philippines.
China,
for its part, blamed the Filipinos’ expansionist policy as the source of their
territorial dispute, emphasizing it will not allow the violation of Chinese
territorial waters, or secession in any Chinese lands.
In
regard to China's territorial disputes with its neighboring countries, the
United States has been keen to take sides with those opposed to Beijing.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/09/727155/Vice-Foreign-Minister-Sun-Weidong-China-Beijing-US-Provoking-Arms-Race-South-China-Sea
--------
Hamas:
US complicit in Israel's massacre in Nuseirat refugee camp
08 June
2024
The
Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has condemned Washington’s complicity in
Israel’s horrific massacre of innocent people at Nuseirat refugee camp in
central Gaza on Wednesday.
In the
town of Nuseirat in central Gaza, Israel killed at least 210 people and left
hundreds of others injured, during which it retrieved four Israeli prisoners.
Immediately
after the raid, the regime’s military issued a statement, describing the massacre
as a “complex daytime operation,” without even mentioning the scores of
Palestinians killed.
Citing a
Joe Biden administration official, the US news website Axios reported that a
team of American hostage recovery officials stationed in the occupied territories
assisted the Israeli military.
In a
statement on its official Telegram channel, Hamas said, “What the Nazi
occupation army announced about rescuing a number of its captives in Gaza…will
not change its strategic failure in the Gaza Strip.”
It said that
“the resistance still holds the majority of captives and is capable of
increasing its capture tally… civilian lives.”
The
total number of Israeli captives still held by Hamas is now 116, of which at
least 41 are dead.
Hamas
said US media reports about Washington’s complicity in Tel Aviv’s massacre of
the Palestinians in Nuseirat once again prove that the Biden administration is
“involved in the war crimes being perpetrated” in the besieged populated strip.
According
to the statement, those reports are “exposing the falsehood of its [US’s]
declared positions on the humanitarian situation and its concern for
The
resistant group reiterated its call to the international community and the
United Nations “to take a genuine stance against these ongoing crimes, which
disgrace humanity and occur with sound and image before the eyes of the entire
world.”
The
regime’s savage military offensive has claimed the lives of more than 36,800
people since early October.
Ansarullah
condemns massacre
Yemen's
Ansarullah resistance movement also condemned "the US support for these
atrocities” in Gaza.
The
movement said in a statement that the military carried out the massacre in
Nuseirat shortly after Israel was placed on the United Nations' "shame
list" of child killers.
“This
massacre confirms that the occupying regime is merely a reckless criminal gang
that does not respect human rights or international law.”
On
Friday, the UN added the Israeli military to the world body’s annual “list of
shame” that features the offenders committing deadly violations against
children.
It took
“a genocide that killed 15,000 children and maimed and scarred thousands more”
for the UN to “finally and rightly” add the regime to the list, observers say.
OIC
calls for investigation
The
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also released a statement on Saturday
to condemn the horrific massacre at Nuseirat.
The
organization said that the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza represents
"continued state terrorism and genocide, flagrantly violating international
humanitarian law and relevant United Nations resolutions."
It
further called for an international investigation into the latest massacre in
an effort to punish the perpetrators under international criminal law.
OIC
reiterated its call to the international community, especially the UN Security
Council, to urgently intervene to halt the Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
‘Disgrace
to humanity'
Joining
the chores of condemnation, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement said
Israel’s very existence "is a disgrace to humanity."
"If
the entity... boasts about managing to recover a few captives out of more than
a hundred who remain in the hands of the resistance heroes, it is nothing but
an expression of its military, field, and political incapacity."
The group
also condemned the complicity of the US in “this horrific massacre” in Gaza,
urging “the free people of the world” to increase pressure on Washington and
“force it to stop this criminality.”
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/08/727086/Hamas-US-complicit-Israel-genocide-Nuseirat-
--------
US
hampering Afghanistan progress through its assets seizure: Iran’s interim FM
08 June
2024
Iran’s
interim Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani has deplored the seizure of
Afghanistan's national assets, arguing that Washington is hampering the
progress of the country and exacerbating humanitarian situation despite having
withdrawn its military forces in August 2021.
Bagheri
Kani made the remarks on Saturday in a message addressed to the second meeting
of the Regional Contact Group on Afghanistan, which is underway in the Iranian
capital Tehran and also hosts representatives from China, Russia and Pakistan.
“Some
three years have passed from the time when occupation forces pulled out of
Afghanistan, and our neighboring country has faced various challenges since
then. The acting government in Afghanistan has made achievements on some of
those challenges; but problems have persisted in other spheres,” the top
Iranian diplomat noted.
He
blamed the US occupation for the ongoing problems in Afghanistan, arguing that
occupation and the occupiers’ disregard for economic growth constitute the root
cause of many problems and challenges in the country.
“Even
though the occupiers have withdrawn from Afghanistan's soil, they are actually
putting obstacle in the way of the country’s progress through freezing the
assets of the Afghan nation,” Bagheri Kani noted.
The top
Iranian diplomat also denounced the occupiers over destruction of Afghanistan’s
economic infrastructure during their presence there, stating that they left
behind a devastated country for its people after their pullout.
The
occupiers should realize they cannot shirk their humanitarian duties, and must
play their part to compensate for the economic underdevelopment of Afghanistan
through refraining from political interference in the country’s domestic
affairs, Bagheri Kani said.
He
further noted that regional meetings on Afghanistan, which have been held
within various formats in the past several years, are the best mechanism in
order to help the country shape its future and resolve its pressing problems.
The
interim foreign minister underscored that Iran supports any constructive
initiative that helps promote peace, stability and development in Afghanistan,
warning against trans-regional attempts to impact developments there as such
bids are in violation of Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and national
sovereignty.
Bagheri
Kani also urged the United Nations to double down its efforts as to improvement
of humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan, and help promote regional stability
and security.
Regional
countries are the ones that suffer the most from backwardness and
underdevelopment in Afghanistan, he pointed out.
Bagheri
Kani stressed that the Taliban should devote more efforts to ensure that an
inclusive government made up of all ethnic groups is formed, and that political
stability as well as economic development are achieved in the country.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/08/727069/US-hampering-Afghanistan-progress-through-its-assets-seizure,-says-Iran%E2%80%99s-interim-FM
--------
Southeast Asia
Indonesia
Wants More Countries to Recognize Palestinian State
June 10,
2024
Jakarta.
Indonesia is currently on a mission to get more countries to recognize the
Palestinian State as such recognition would be a major building block to a
permanent ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza.
Foreign
Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi recently attended a ministerial gathering of the
economic bloc Developing-8 (D-8) in Turkiye. D-8 comprises Bangladesh, Egypt,
Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkiye -- and all members
had sent their ministers to Istanbul to discuss the Gaza war. All D-8 members
are part of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a separate group
that has also tried to cool down the situation in Gaza.
According
to Retno, Indonesia has been calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. But to
stop the war, countries across the globe must recognize Palestine as a
sovereign state.
“Before
we can reach a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, there are several things that we
need to do to help Palestine. First, the D-8 countries must continue to use
their influence to get more countries to recognize the Palestinian state,”
Retno said in a press statement over the weekend, following the D-8 meeting.
Retno
said how she had met with some of her European counterparts --Norway’s Espen
Barth Eide, Spain’s Jose Manuel Albares, and Ireland’s Micheal Martin. All
three countries recently announced they would officially join the list of
countries that recognize Palestinian statehood-- a decision that infuriated
Israel. “This June, I will be holding talks with several European countries
with the same goal in mind,” Retno added, without going into details about whom
she plans on nudging for a similar recognition next.
Indonesia
recognized Palestinian statehood in 1988, making it one of the first countries
to do so. There are 146 out of the 193 UN member states who now recognize a
Palestinian state.
The
recent D-8 meeting also released a joint declaration, in which the group hailed
the recent additional recognitions as an “endeavor for the sake of peace in the
region”.
“[We]
call on the states that have not yet recognized the state of Palestine to do so
as a requirement of peace, international law, justice, and conscience,” the D-8
joint declaration reads.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
Please click the following URL to read
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https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-wants-more-countries-to-recognize-palestinian-state-
--------
Continue
Speaking Out Against Zionist Regime’s War Crimes: Malaysian Humanitarian Aid
and Relief
10-06-
2024
PETALING
JAYA: Malaysian Humanitarian Aid and Relief (MAHAR) has strongly reiterated its
call for everyone to continue sharing and speaking out against the atrocious
war crimes committed by the Zionist regime.
The development
comes following Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan’s confirmation from
UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres that the world governing body had
already added Israel to the blacklist of countries that have abused children in
armed conflict.
The
blacklist comes following the recent ‘rescue’ of Hamas hostages by Israel -
assisted by the United States military - resulted in 274 deaths and 696
civilian injuries in Camp Nuseirat.
“In a
new low, military personnel allegedly hid in a truck used to deliver
humanitarian aid to Nuseirat, whilst bombing continued in the area around the
refugee camp.
“These
evil, inhumane attacks cost the lives of many innocent civilians including
women and children.
“Targeting
refugee camps, UN premises or those used for other humanitarian purposes cannot
be the new norm.
“These
actions must stop and the responsible parties be made accountable, as would be
demanded if such atrocities occurred elsewhere,“ said Mahar advisor Nurul Izzah
Anwar.
She also
called for an immediate political solution to end the conflict and give the
Palestinian people their rights.
“If
Israel and its allies focused on a political solution instead of exacting
revenge and collective punishment – innocent lives would be saved.
“Israel’s
allies must respect the decisions of international institutions, completely
cease all military operations and invasions; and also stop supporting bombing
activities,” she stressed.
Francesca
Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian
territories, stated that Israel used hostages to legitimise killing, injuring,
maiming, starving and traumatising Palestinians in Gaza. They are also
intensifying violence against Palestinians in the rest of the occupied
territory and Israel.
“This is
genocidal intent turned into action. Crystal clear,“ she said.
Through
its ‘Dapur Ihsan’ initiative, Mahar stands committed to providing cooked food
to those taking refuge in Deir Al-Balah.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/continue-speaking-out-against-zionist-regime-s-war-crimes-mahar-CD12553203
--------
Steven
Sim to lead Malaysian delegation to Int’l Labour Conference in Geneva
10-06-
2024
PUTRAJAYA:
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim will lead the Malaysian delegation to the
112th Session International Labour Conference (ILC) from June 10 to 14 in
Geneva, Switzerland.
According
to the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA), Sim will deliver a speech in the
plenary session and will touch on renewing of the social contract to support
the theme of this year’s ILC conference.
“Sim’s
participation in this conference is very important and significant because
Malaysia will deposit the ratification document of the Occupational Safety and
Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) of the International Labour Organisation
(ILO) to its director-general.
“Sim
will also participate in several important events such as bilateral meetings
with his counterparts from the Philippines and Nepal to discuss cooperation in
the field of labour and human resource development,” said KESUMA in a statement
today.
Sim is
also scheduled to attend a meeting with the Secretariat of the World Economic
Forum, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International
Organisation of Employers (IOE) as well as a meeting with ILO experts in the
field of economic platforms and labour standards.
It added
that the participation of Sim and the delegation proves the high commitment of
the government to ensure that the national labour standards can be improved, in
line with international labour standards.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/steven-sim-to-lead-malaysian-delegation-to-int-l-labour-conference-in-geneva-BD12552773
--------
12
Malaysian companies among Southeast Asia’s top performers: Rafizi
10-06-
2024
NIBONG
TEBAL: total of 12 Malaysian companies have been listed among the 15
best-performing companies in Southeast Asia in the first five months of this
year, according to Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli.
He said
economic monitors have listed 15 companies’ stocks that recorded the most
significant gains in Southeast Asia, and 12 of them are Malaysian companies,
demonstrating that the country is back on track under the Unity Government’s
administration.
“We have
political stability, and we are starting to see signs of economic improvement.
“If this
continues, projections suggest that by 2027 or 2028, Malaysia could be recognised
and declared as a developed nation,” he said to reporters at the launch of the
Unity Machinery for the Sungai Bakap by-election here last night.
The
minister also spoke about oil prices and the implementation of targeted diesel
subsidies, noting that in the past, oil prices were at RM1.90 per litre, and
government subsidies were RM3 billion out of a budget of over RM200 billion.
“Now,
subsidies are RM60 billion, and crude oil prices are at US$80. We can’t build
schools, we can’t increase salaries, and the subsidies benefit the wealthy.
“Isn’t
it better that we redirect those subsidies to all public vehicles, small
trucks, all traders, even regular people as long as they have diesel vehicles,
and those earning below RM100,000 a year also get RM200 a month,” he said.
Rafizi
added that the implementation of targeted diesel subsidies also helps the
government distribute the subsidy funds directly to needy households monthly
instead of paying billions of ringgit to oil companies.
Yesterday,
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan announced that the diesel
price at all retail stations in the Peninsula is set at RM3.35 per liter, which
is the market price without subsidies, starting at 12:01 am last night.
Under
BUDI MADANI, a cash aid of RM200 per month is provided to private diesel
vehicle owners, small farmers, and small commodity planters.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/12-malaysian-companies-among-southeast-asia-s-top-performers-rafizi-ED12552336
--------
President-Elect
Prabowo to Call for Gaza Ceasefire at Jordan Summit
June 10,
2024
Jakarta.
President-elect Prabowo Subianto recently flew to Jordan to call for a Gaza
ceasefire at a Jordan summit.
Jordan
will host a conference co-organized with Egypt and the United Nations to
coordinate a humanitarian response to the Gaza war on Tuesday. Prabowo, who
currently serves as the defense minister, will represent Indonesia on President
Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s behalf. According to Defense Ministry spokesman Edwin
Adrian Sumantha, Prabowo is set to arrive in the Jordanian capital of Amman on
Monday.
“This
conference is held to answer the calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. The summit
wishes to provide space for world leaders to find ways to strengthen the
international community’s responses to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” Edwin
said Monday, as reported by the state-owned news agency Antara.
“By
having an Indonesian representative in this summit, we hope we [Indonesia] can
make tangible contributions in addressing Gaza’s humanitarian crisis,” Edwin
said.
Prabowo
is scheduled to have bilateral talks with Jordanian King Abdullah II bin
Al-Hussein during his visit.
Indonesia
has been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause.
Foreign
Minister Retno Marsudi headed to Turkiye over the weekend for a Developing-8
(D-8) economic bloc meeting on the Gaza situation in Turkiye. According to the
D-8 joint declaration, the group called for “an immediate, permanent, and
unconditional ceasefire”.
Prabowo
also recently told the press that Jokowi had instructed him to set up a
makeshift field hospital and send Indonesian medical workers to Gaza. Prabowo
will officially assume power this October.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://jakartaglobe.id/news/presidentelect-prabowo-to-call-for-gaza-ceasefire-at-jordan-summit
--------
Pakistan
Pakistan
Ulema CouncilChairman Ashrafi Backs Fatwa On Hajj Regulationsof Maintaining Its
Sanctity
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on
Sunday underscored the importance of maintaining the sanctity of Hajj as a
purely religious duty and urged pilgrims to refrain from engaging in political
and sectarian activities during their pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
In a
media talk, he specifically advised pilgrims to avoid carrying political flags,
banners, or pictures, and to steer clear of political gatherings or communal
debates.
Ashrafi
emphasized that adherence to Saudi laws and regulations was crucial for a
successful and respectful pilgrimage.
Highlighting
the scale of this year’s pilgrimage, he mentioned that between 68,000
government-sponsored pilgrims and an additional 90,000 private pilgrims were expected
to perform Hajj. He noted that all operations related to Hajj would be
completed by June 12.
He also
reminded prospective pilgrims that performing Hajj required official permission
and those intending to perform Umrah or holding an Iqama must secure the
necessary approvals to participate in Hajj.
Ashrafi
announced his full support for the recent Fatwa issued by the Supreme Council
of Ulema of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, “which mandates that performing Hajj
without official permission is impermissible.”
He
appealed to all Muslims to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations set by
Saudi Arabia regarding Hajj. “The Fatwa of the Council of prominent Ulema of
Saudi Arabia is clear: Performing Hajj without the required permissions is a
sin. We urge all intending pilgrims to respect this ruling to avoid legal
complications,” Ashrafi stated.
He said
the leadership of Saudi Arabia had previously warned that all Hajj arrangements
must be made through approved companies, and they had announced heavy fines and
legal consequences for those attempting to perform Hajj without proper
authorization. He reiterated this warning and encourages all pilgrims to comply
with these regulations to ensure a peaceful and lawful pilgrimage.
Ashrafi
also emphasized the importance of booking Hajj only through companies
authorized by the Saudi government. Unauthorized bookings and travel
arrangements would be considered illegal, and violators would face severe
penalties, he added.
He
further addressed an unfortunate incident involving Pakistani beggars in Haram,
calling it a source of national shame and urging better conduct from all
pilgrims.
Ashrafi
expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for their exceptional Hajj
arrangements, specifically thanking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the
Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, for the ‘Route to
Makkah’ programme.
Source: brecorder.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40307639/puc-chairman-ashrafi-backs-fatwa-on-hajj-regulations
--------
Seven
security men martyred in Lakki Marwat
June 10,
2024
LAKKI
MARWAT/BAJAUR: At least seven security officials, including an army captain,
were martyred after an improvised explosive device (IED) targeted their vehicle
in Lakki Marwat on Sunday, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police repulsed a pre-dawn
ambush at their checkpost in Bajaur.
Local
officials said the vehicle was on its way to the Kaichi Kamar area when it came
under attack near Sultankhel village, an area bordering Punjab’s Mianwali
district.
“An
improvised explosive device exploded on vehicle of security forces in Lakki
Marwat District,” read a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public
Relations (ISPR).
The
military’s media wing said that 26-year-old Captain Muhammad Faraz Ilyas, a
resident of Kasur, along with 50-year-old Subedar Major Muhammad Nazir from
Skardu, 34-year-old Lance Naik Muhammad Anwar from Ghanchi, 36-year-old Lance
Naik Hussain Ali from Ghizer, 33-year-old Sepoy Asadullah from Multan,
27-year-old Sepoy Manzoor Hussain from Gilgit, and 31-year-old Sepoy Rashid
Mehmood from district Rawalpindi embraced martyrdom.
Police
repulse ambush on Bajaur checkpost
“Sanitisation
of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists present in the
area and perpetrators of this heinous act will be brought to justice,” the ISPR
said, adding that the security forces were determined to eliminate the menace
of terrorism and the sacrifices of such brave soldiers further strengthened
their resolve.
Meanwhile,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Ali Amin
Khan Gandapur strongly condemned the attack on security forces in Shahab Khel
area of district Lakki Marwat.
Bajaur
ambush
In a
separate incident, the police in Bajaur district repulsed an overnight attack
on its post by militants, according to an official statement issued on Sunday.
It said a group of militants attacked a police post in Miagano area of Khar
tehsil with multiple weapons, adding that the militants also used rocket
launchers and other weapons to target the post.
According
to the statement, several police officials present at the post responded to the
attack as reinforcements arrived.
A senior
police official said that the police had launched an investigation into the
attack to identify the facilitators and assailants.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1838910/seven-security-men-martyred-in-lakki-marwat
--------
PTI set
to challenge Punjab defamation law in court
June 10,
2024
LAHORE:
The opposition to Punjab’s newly enacted defamation law has become more
pronounced as the PTI has announced its intention to challenge it in court,
even threatening to join journalists in their agitation.
Addressing
a press conference on Sunday to chargesheet PML-N’s Punjab government on the
completion of its 100 days, PTI leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar said the issue
also “exposed” PPP, who he accused of lending tacit support to the law.
“We are
with the media on this issue as the PPP stands exposed by its tacit support for
the bill,” he said.
Mr
Bhachar, who is also the opposition leader in Punjab Assembly, claimed Governor
Sardar Saleem Haider went abroad “to provide an opportunity to the speaker to
become acting governor and sign the bill into law”.
He said
his party would invite journalists to deliberate on the issue and take the
matter to court.
Opposition
leader Ahmed Bhachar alleges PPP ‘tacitly’ supported the bill; claims attack on
one institution ‘isn’t attack on the state’
When
asked about PTI’s attempt to introduce a similar defamation law during its last
government in the province, Mr Bhachar said his party’s government backtracked
after protests from journalists and civil society.
“But the
incumbent rulers have disregarded the reservations of the journalists and
social media users.”
For most
part of his press conference, Mr Bhachar criticised the performance of Chief
Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and her government in the first 100 days.
He
raised questions over the new projects climbed by the government and accused it
of taking credit for PTI’s initiatives by renaming them.
“Which
new project has been executed, and what allocation has been made by the TikTok
government during this period,” Mr Bhachar asked, hinting that the government
was more focused on improving its image on social media.
He went
on to add that PTI’s Kisan Card has been renamed as Nawaz Sharif Kisan Card as
if it’s being financed by the CM’s father.
Similarly,
the previous PTI government started revamping the province’s hospitals and
conceived the idea of introducing an air-ambulance service, Mr Bhachar claimed.
About
the new cancer hospital planned to be set up in Lahore, the opposition leader
said PML-N’s government only earmarked Rs300 million against the tall claims of
Rs30 billion for the project.
The PTI
leader censured the Punjab government over its wheat procurement policy, which
“destroyed” farmers and “crashed the market”.
The
growers have been forced to sell their produce for Rs2,000 per maund, he
claimed.
‘State
isn’t one institution’
In the
context of the May 9 attacks on military installations, Mr Bhachar asserted
that “an attack on any institution is not an attack on the state”.
“We are
being repeatedly accused of attacking the state … Let me explain that under
Article 7 [of the Constitution], the state is parliament and people and not any
institution.”
He
decried that PTI leaders and elected representatives were being rearrested in
new cases soon after their release on bail from prisons.
He
reiterated his party’s demand for a judicial inquiry into the event of May 9.
When
asked about the possibility of talks with the government, he said it would only
happen if “PTI’s mandate manipulated through Form 47s” was returned.
Reacting
to the opposition leader’s presser, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari
said the CM “introduced 42 public interest projects”, including a Rs30 billion
Ramazan package, during her first 100 days in power.
She said
the Sehat Card was introduced by then prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2015 and
the PTI government “had adopted it with minor adjustments”.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1838908/pti-set-to-challenge-punjab-defamation-law-in-court
--------
APC
wants Gilgit-Baltistan’s constitutional status determined
June 10,
2024
GILGIT:
An all parties’ conference (APC) has demanded the determination of the
constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan, holding of the long-delayed local
government elections and a share for the region in the NFC award.
The
conference to make a consensus on constitutional rights was convened by the PPP
in Skardu on Saturday.
PML-N
chapter president and farmer chief minister Hafeezur Rehman, PPP president
Amjad Hussain advocate, Ahmed Hussain Turabi from Islami Tehreek Pakistan,
Najaf Ali from Awami Action Committee, Skardu district bar association
president Mohammad Sherbaz, High Court Bar Association general secretary Shujat
Hussain, political leaders Fida Mohammad Nashad, Ibrahim Sanai, Ashraf Saada,
Jamil Ahmed and others attended the conference.
The
conference adopted a joint declaration which demanded the federal government to
provide basic and political rights to the people of the region.
It said
the constitutional status of the region should be determined under the Sartaj
Aziz Committee or National Security Council 2020 recommendations.
The
declaration said local bodies elections in GB should be conducted which have
not been held for 20 years. It said GB should also be given financial share in
the NFC award. The distribution of subsidised wheat should be made transparent
and alleged corruption in the food department should be eliminated.
It also
demanded completion of power projects in the region on emergency basis to
overcome prolonged outages.
Moreover,
judges should be appointed on vacant posts in the Supreme Appellate Court and
the chief court. It demanded the federal government to check financial
discipline of the GB government in utilisation of grants provided by Islamabad.
The declaration said political parties should reach consensus on land reforms
in the region.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1838974/apc-wants-gilgit-baltistans-constitutional-status-determined
--------
KP
governor slams CM Gandapur for his fiery speech
June 09,
2024
The
verbal row between Kyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief
Minister Ali Amin Gandapur continues to deepen after the former slammed the
latter for his threats made during a public gathering in Swat.
Speaking
to the media in response to the chief minister's threats against imposing taxes
on the province, Kundi said: "Dancing horses do not win races."
The
governor further pointed out CM Gandapur's legal woes and various cases faced
by him over his alleged involvement in the May 9 riots along with the murder of
his own provincial minister.
Faisal
Karim Kundi responds to CM Gandapur's remarks
"Its
good that the CM himself said that he is not my relative [...] tell me any good
thing that he has done [so far]," the governor added.
Kundi's
remarks come after CM Gandapur Saturday pledged to not allow the imposition of
taxes in the Malakand Division.
"You'll
come on your own feet and will leave on shoulders," he said while
addressing a public gathering in Swat.
He also
pledged to "hang" those who have violated the country’s Constitution
and said: "[I] swear to God, you will not be able to live in Pakistan, let
alone Islamabad."
Gandapur
also asked those, who lodged "fake cases" against jailed Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, to identify themselves.
Naming
Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and President Asif
Zardari, the KP CM asked the crowd to name those responsible for the alleged
victimisation of the embattled party.
"We
will have to hold them accountable for each day. We are silent just because of
the PTI founder," he added and stressed that the former premier was the name
of an "ideology", which was why he could not be erased from the minds
and hearts of people by "illegal" tactics.
"If
the opposing party thinks that the PTI workers could be forced to leave PTI,
then it is their miscomprehension," Gandapur said.
Elaborating
on his administration's efforts for the masses' benefit, the chief minister
reassured that the KP government would spare no effort to facilitate the people
and would provide health, education and sports facilities.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1198568-governor-kundi-slams-ali-amin-gandapur-for-his-fiery-speech-in-swat
--------
Ishaq
Dar to embark on two-day visit to Jordan today
June 10,
2024
Deputy
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar will embark on a two-day
visit to Jordan today to participate in the high-level conference on prevailing
situation in Gaza.
The
conference titled "Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for
Gaza", has been jointly organized by King Abdullah-II of Jordan, President
of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, and Secretary-General United Nations Antonio
Guterres.
The
conference aims to identify and develop a collective response to the dire
humanitarian situation in Gaza.
On the
sidelines of the conference, the Deputy Prime Minister will likely to hold
bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the participating countries.
Pakistan's
participation in the conference underscores its continued commitment to peace
and stability in the Middle East and its firm and longstanding support for the
Palestinian cause.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/10-06-2024/ishaq-dar-to-embark-on-two-day-visit-to-jordan-today
--------
Govt to
present people-friendly budget: Amir Muqam
June 10,
2024
Minister
for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam has assured that the government would present a
people-friendly and development-oriented budget for 2024-25, providing relief
to the poor strata of the society.
Talking
to a private news channel, he said the scope of public welfare projects would
be extended under public-private partnership and unnecessary expenditures
further reduced.
The
Minister also assured that the government will control inflation and the common
man would get relief on priority.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/10-06-2024/govt-to-present-people-friendly-budget-amir-muqam
--------
India
Dalit,
Tribal, Muslim Votes Helped MVA Get 31 Seats InMaharashtra
Jun 10,
2024
MUMBAI:
The 31 seats won by the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the state’s opposition combine
comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (AP), was largely because the
Muslim, Dalit and tribal votes went to them. A reading of Election Commission
assembly constituency-wise data shows that most of the 29 assembly segments
reserved for the scheduled castes, 24 segments for scheduled tribes and over 30
Muslim-dominated segments voted in favour of the MVA.
Of its
288 assembly segments, Maharashtra has over 30 with enough of a Muslim strength
to decide the fate of candidates. Of the over 1.8 million Muslims registered as
voters in the city, Mumbai’s Kurla, Mankhurd, Anushakti Nagar, Bandra East,
Byculla, Mumbadevi and Malad West have a dominant Muslim population. In
Mankhurd, over 75% of the votes went to Sena (UBT) candidate Sanjay Patil while
in Mumbai South, the Sena (UBT)’s Arvind Sawant scored handsomely in the
Muslim-dominated Byculla (86,883 votes to Sawant and 40,817 to the Shinde
Sena’s Yamini Jadhav) and Mumbadevi (77,469 votes as opposed to Jadhav’s
36,690). The position was similar in other Muslim-dominated assembly segments
in Mumbai.
In Beed
assembly constituency, the BJP’s Pankaja Munde got 77,605 votes, while the NCP
(SP) candidate got 1,39,917. In Malegaon Central, which is part of the Dhule
Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress’ Shobha Bachhava got 1.99 lakh votes while
the BJP candidate—former union minister Subhash Bhamare—got a mere 4,542.
Parbhani city in the Parbhani Lok Sabha constituency saw the Sena (UBT)
candidate scoring 1,08,374 votes while his opponent Mahadev Jankar (Mahayuti)
got just 65,974. The Islampur segment of Hatkanangale voted in favour of the Sena
(UBT)’s Satyajit Patil (76,425) over the Shinde Sena’s Dhairyasheel Mane
(58,944).
Deputy
chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday that the
Muslim community had stood by the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) wholeheartedly.
“We lost our Dhule seat owing to the en bloc votes of Muslims to the
opposition,” he said. “In Malegaon Central, we got only 2% of the vote while
the Congress candidate got 1.98 lakh.”
Shabbir
Ansari, president of the All India Muslim OBC Organisation, said that the
Muslim community, which had distanced itself from the Congress in the last
three decades, had now voted for it en masse. “We have at least 60 assembly
constituencies where our community is substantial,” he said. “This time,
Muslims voted en bloc for the Congress or its allies and ensured that the votes
did not get split on account of voting for the Samajwadi Party, AIMIM or
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi. The community was fearful of being targeted by the
current dispensation and had made up its mind to vote against it. The awareness
programmes for voting and voter registration played a pivotal role.”
Maharashtra
has 24 reserved tribal constituencies in the tribal-dominated districts of
Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Nashik, Palghar and Amravati. Of these, 15 assembly constituencies
voted in favour of the MVA while the remaining nine saw the ruling alliance
scoring over the opposition. “In Gadchiroli and Nandurbar, tribal voters have
clearly slid to the Congress,” said a tribal BJP leader. “The alleged change in
the Constitution, and atrocities against tribals in Manipur made them switch
from the BJP.”
The
narrative that the BJP would change the Constitution if elected to power worked
in favour of the opposition. In most of the 29 scheduled caste assembly
segments, MVA candidates scored over the ruling alliance.
Source: hindustantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/dalit-tribal-muslim-votes-helped-mva-get-31-seats-101717960039732.html
--------
‘People
have put a leash on the regime’: Shah Alam Khan on significance of 2024
election results
09.06.24
Shah
Alam Khan
On a
beautiful Sunday in February, a friend of mine, an ardent BJP supporter, called
and cautioned, “I think you should start looking for a job in the West Asia.
This regime is returning with more than 400 seats.” I laughed nervously and
admonished him, but a tiny glob of fear made home somewhere inside. On the
evening of June 4, I called him back. He did not pick up the phone.
His
party was struggling to get even a simple majority.
The
results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in India have thrown a lifeline to
people like me. It is as if someone’s grip over our windpipes has suddenly gone
loose. A gush of air seems to be filling our lungs. The results have themselves
become a breathing organ for so many of us.
In the
last 10 years, our identities had decided how Indian we were, and how we should
be treated. The parameters of hope, love and hate were redefined. Justice
became a privilege at the behest of identity. Remember, Umar Khalid and
Gulfisha Fatima continue to be behind prison walls without charges. Even for
those who did get a semblance of judicial hope, it was either too late or too
little. Natasha Narwal wasn’t allowed to see her ailing father, Prof. Mahavir
Narwal, who died waiting for her bail. The last political decade saw the most
brutal and state-sponsored erosion of civil liberties.
To be a
Muslim, a Dalit, a farmer or someone poor in the last 10 years in India was a
difficult, life-threatening proposition. The regime’s hatred for Muslims was
manifest in many ways.
They
were the target of a systemic disenfranchising programme. Inclined laws like
the Citizenship Amendment Act were brought in. Every election in the last 10
years, state or central, saw the Prime Minister use controversial language to
describe Muslims. The home minister of the country compared them to termites.
Cabinet ministers garlanded those who had allegedly lynched Muslims. Lynching
of Muslims by cow vigilantes through the decade bred a culture of impunity.
This impunity took further root when the Yogi regime in Uttar Pradesh started
bulldozing houses, mainly of Muslims, under the pretext of small crimes or even
protests against the state. This rubble of justice was not only sad but
outright unlawful.
The line
between revenge and justice was blurred by every bulldozed house. Even as we
were beginning to make some sense of the rubble created by the UP government,
came the arrest of activists, academics, writers and Internet influencers.
Writers like Gauri Lankesh were murdered for keeping a different view and,
unfortunately, her murder was celebrated online by those who were followed by
the top political brass.
All in
all, front-door abuse was strengthened by back-door violence. Murder is sadly
the “logical” culmination of im- punity in any society.
The
Dalits, who had always been outside the ring of privilege in Indian society,
were further marginalised. According to the National Crime Record Bureau, crimes
against tribals rose by 6.4 per cent in 2021 alone. There were nearly 46,000
crimes against members of the Scheduled Castes in 2019. The refusal of the
State to conduct a caste census showed their dishonesty in affirmative action
for the underprivileged.
The
brutal rape and killing of a Dalit girl in Hathras (in Uttar Pradesh) and the
subsequent efforts of the regime (both at the Centre and in the state) to
hurriedly hush up the case is a classic example of how justice or even asking
for it was solely based on identity in the country. Unfortunately the fourth
pillar of democracy, the media, too played to the tune of the regime and the
case was wrapped up and disposed of into oblivion.
So what
should make us feel happy about the current election results?
History
tells us that societies purge their evil. As a doctor, I can tell you that
democracy and justice are like pregnancy — either you are or you aren’t. One
can’t be a little pregnant. Similarly, one can’t be a little just or a little
democratic. Justice and democracy are absolutes.
As we
arrest more human rights activists, as we demolish more Muslim homes, as we
incarcerate more writers, lawyers and teachers, we breach more of the
democratic values that we inherited at the time of our tryst with destiny. What
these election results have shown is that when common people are denied
justice, they become courageous and behave aberrantly to the expectations of
power and capital.
These
results have restricted the regime. The regime has been crippled by the electorate
and this shall set free the uncomfortable silence all around. The wishes and
the will of the leader are suddenly open to scrutiny and accountability.
Haughtiness of leaders is poisonous for democracies. These results are an
antidote to that poison.
My
friend who called me that February day is a foot soldier, a minion who is the
cloned form of the regime and its leader. Millions of such clones have taken
over our spaces in the last 10 years. They are there on Facebook, in office, on
X, in WhatsApp groups, in our neighbourhood. They spit venom based on identity.
They use the language of violence.
Whether
these results will mutate these clones back to a more gentler and humanoid form
is another story. As for now, we should be thankful for what we have achieved.
We have put a leash on the regime.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/elections/lok-sabha-election-2024/people-have-put-a-leash-on-the-regime-shah-alam-khan-on-significance-of-2024-election-results/cid/2025664
--------
Indian
Union Muslim League Picks Supreme Court Lawyer Haris Beeran As Its Rajya Sabha
Candidate
By:
Express News Service
Thiruvananthapuram
| June 10, 2024
The
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has decided to field Supreme Court advocate
Haris Beeran as its candidate in the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections in
Kerala.
IUML
Kerala president Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal on Monday announced Beeran’s name.
“The decision was taken at the party high power committee,” he said.
Beeran
has represented the IUML on various petitions in the Supreme Court including
the one against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Elections
for three Rajya Sabha seats in Kerala will be held on June 25. Going by the
strength of the Kerala Assembly, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) can
elect two members and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) one. The
UDF had earlier decided to give the seat to the IUML.
The
three Rajya Sabha members from Kerala who are retiring are Elamaram Kareem
(CPI-M), Binoy Viswom (CPI), and Jose K Mani (Kerala Congress). Their term will
end on July 1.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kerala-rajya-sabha-elections-iuml-picks-supreme-court-lawyer-haris-beeran-9383243/
-----
Jamiat
Ulama-E-Hind Leader Maulana Mohammad Farrukh Murdered Over Land Dispute InUP
10.06.24
Police
from adjoining districts have been summoned to Jethwar in Pratapgarh district
of central Uttar Pradesh to prevent any communal violence after the murder of
Maulana Mohammad Farrukh, the district general secretary of Jamiat
Ulama-e-Hind, on Saturday.
Mohammad
Asad, the son of the deceased, told reporters on Sunday that Chandramani
Tripathi and his five family members, who live in the same village of Sonpur,
killed his father when he had gone to their house to discuss a land-related
issue.
“My
father had gone to Tiwari’s house to resolve a dispute. He had bought land from
Tiwari and paid him the agreed amount. But Tiwari was demanding more.
Eyewitnesses told me that as my father refused to do so, Tiwari, his sons Sagar
and Vaibhav, his wife Seema and neighbour Devi Prasad attacked him with axes
and sickles and killed him on the spot. I saw my father lying dead in their
verandah when I went there after knowing about the incident,” said Asad.
He
alleged that the police allowed the killers to flee. “They ran away many hours
after the incident. Had the police acted quickly after we called them, the
killers would have been arrested,” he added.
Pratapgarh
superintendent of police Satpal Antil said: “We arrived at the spot as soon as
the information reached the local station. We have registered a case against
four men and a woman of the family and are searching for them.”
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/jamiat-ulama-e-hind-leader-maulana-mohammad-farrukh-murdered-over-land-dispute-in-up/cid/2025812
--------
Mideast
Zionist
settlers renew storming Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards
[09/June/2024]
OCCUPIED
QUDS June 09. 2024 (Saba) - Herds of Zionist settlers on Sunday stormed again
into the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied city of Quds,
under the protection of the Zionist enemy forces.
The
Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that these settlers stormed Al-Aqsa
through groups, from the direction of the Maghraiba Gate, carried out
provocative tours, and performed Talmudic rituals in its courtyards.
The
Zionist enemy forces also intensified their military measures at the gates of
the Old City and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3338686.htm
--------
EU
Policy Chief Borrell, NGOs and host of Muslim nations condemn Israeli
‘massacre’ in hostage rescue operation
June 9,
2024
European
Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell, despite initially releasing a short
statement hailing the return of the four Israeli hostages following Saturday's
dramatic rescue operation in Nuseirat, located in central Gaza, quickly
released a second statement condemning Israel for “another massacre of
civilians.”
“Reports
from Gaza of another massacre of civilians are appalling. We condemn this in
the strongest terms,” Borrell wrote on 𝕏.
The EU
diplomat also called for “an enduring ceasefire” following the outline
presented by U.S. President Joe Biden at the end of May.
“The
bloodbath must end immediately. @POTUS 3-stage plan is the way forward for an
enduring ceasefire and to end the killing,” he wrote.
Borrell
has a history of anti-Israel actions and statements, including seeking
sanctions against Israel over alleged human rights violations.
Christopher
Lockyear, secretary general of the aid organization Doctors Without Borders,
called the situation in Gaza “apocalyptic,” and repeated the Palestinian claim
that many of the casualties were “women and children.”
In an
interview with CNN, Lockyear also accused Israel of creating “a situation of
extreme propaganda” regarding the distribution of humanitarian aid in the Gaza
Strip.
Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas described the hostage rescue operation in
Nuseirat as a “bloody massacre” and called for an emergency UN Security Council
session.
Abbas'
spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said, "We hold the U.S. administration
fully responsible for the massacres committed by the Israeli occupation
forces.”
He also
said the PA is calling for an “immediate halt” to the war in Gaza.
"We
demand an immediate halt to this war, which will destroy everything and push
the situation to a dangerous phase that will not bring security or peace to
anyone,” stated Rudeineh.
The
Hamas-led Government Media Office in Gaza claimed at least 200 Palestinians
were killed and more than 400 injured in the operation, adding that many of
them were “women and children.”
Arab and
Muslim leaders were quick to condemn the so-called “massacre.”
Jordan's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement denouncing “the brutal Israeli
attack that targeted the Nuseirat camp today, which resulted in the death of
150 Palestinians and the injury of hundreds.”
The
ministry claimed the IDF's operation “reflects the systematic targeting of Palestinian
civilians, the Israeli persistence in violating international law and
international humanitarian law, and continuing to commit war crimes.”
Egypt,
which has been turning increasingly hostile toward Israel since the beginning
of the war, also condemned the operation.
Calling
it “a flagrant violation of international law,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry
stated: “Egypt holds Israel legally and morally responsible for this blatant
aggression, demanding its compliance with its obligations as an occupying
power.”
The
Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs also released a statement expressing its
“strong condemnation and denunciation of the barbaric attack launched by the
Israeli occupation forces on Nuseirat camp, which caused a massacre that killed
more than 200 innocent people and left hundreds injured, in flagrant violation
of international law and international humanitarian law.”
None of
the individuals, organizations, or states decrying Israel’s operation mentioned
the human rights violations and breach of international codes of war by the
terrorist organizations Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Source: allisrael.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://allisrael.com/eu-policy-chief-borrell-ngos-and-host-of-muslim-nations-condemn-israeli-massacre-in-hostage-rescue-operation
--------
UAE to
impose fines up to $40,000 for unauthorized telemarketing calls
June 10,
2024
DUBAI:
The UAE has announced plans to clamp down on persistent cold callers, with
companies who violate the new rules facing fines of up to Dh150,000 ($40,838)
and possible termination of their operating licenses.
The
regulations are being introduced by the Ministry of Economy and the
Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority to protect the
public from rogue telemarketers, according to local reports.
The new
guidelines apply to all licensed companies in the Emirates, including those in
free zones, which promote products by calling landlines and mobile phones.
From
August this year, telemarketing calls will be restricted to between 9 a.m. and
6 p.m. Call-backs are prohibited if a consumer rejects a service or product,
and no same-day follow-up calls are permitted.
Companies
must obtain prior approval from the authorities. Marketing calls must originate
from numbers registered to licensed companies, not individuals.
Customers
can file a complaint for any violations. Penalties include warnings being
issued, fines of up to Dh150,000, partial or total suspension of activities,
license cancellation, and disconnection of telecommunication services for up to
one year.
“The
resolutions aim to regulate telemarketing to maintain economic and social
stability, ensure companies adhere to designated channels and times for
marketing, and reduce unwanted marketing calls to respect consumers’ privacy,”
said a statement from the government’s media office.
Companies
must exercise due care in their marketing activities to avoid disturbing
consumers and adhere to the highest standards of transparency, credibility, and
integrity, it added.
The new
regulations are part of the government’s ongoing efforts to safeguard consumer
rights and ensure companies comply with established rules. In January 2022, the
TRA launched the Kashif service, which shows the origin of calls, to reduce the
number of anonymous calls received by residents. By the end of that year, all
private companies had to register their phone numbers with the Kashif service.
The Do
Not Call Registry, in place since September 2022, helps stop unwanted calls.
Telemarketers must now receive individuals’ consent before making promotional
calls and are advised not to call numbers listed in the DNCR without it.
Companies
that fail to obtain prior approval can be fined Dh75,000 for the first offense,
Dh100,000 for the second, and Dh150,000 for the third. Fines of up to Dh150,000
can be imposed for calling individuals registered the DNCR. Additionally,
financial penalties ranging from Dh25,000 to Dh75,000 can be levied for
misleading or deceiving customers during sales calls.
Authorities
stated that companies could face telemarketing activity suspension for seven to
90 days, license cancellation, removal from the commercial register, and
disconnection of telecommunication services for rule violations.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2527456/middle-east
--------
Hamas
official urges US to pressure Israel to end Gaza war
June 10,
2024
CAIRO: A
senior Hamas official urged the United States on Monday to pressure Israel to
end the war in Gaza, ahead of the planned visit on Monday by US Secretary of
State Antony Blinken to the region to push forward ceasefire efforts.
Blinken
is set to visit Egypt and Israel on Monday. He also aims to ensure the war does
not expand into Lebanon.
“We call
upon the US administration to put pressure on the occupation to stop the war on
Gaza and the Hamas movement is ready to deal positively with any initiative
that secures an end to the war,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said.
In his
eighth visit to the region since Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7,
triggering the bloodiest episode in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, Blinken is also set to travel to Jordan and Qatar this week.
He is
set to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo before
traveling to Israel later on Monday, where he will meet with Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, according to a State
Department schedule.
On
Monday, Palestinian residents said tanks had been trying to thrust deeper
toward the north in the early hours of Monday, edging Shaboura, one of the most
densely populated and militant stronghold neighborhoods at the heart of the
city.
Israeli
tank forces have since seized Gaza’s entire border strip with Egypt running
through Rafah to the Mediterranean coast and invaded many districts of the city
of 280,000 residents, prompting around one million displaced people who had
been sheltering in Rafah to flee elsewhere.
Blinken’s
visit comes after US President Joe Biden on May 31 outlined a three-phase
ceasefire proposal from Israel that envisions a permanent end to hostilities,
the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the reconstruction
of Gaza.
The
Hamas attack killed 1,200 people and took some 250 others hostage, according to
Israeli tallies. In response, Israel launched an assault on the Gaza Strip that
has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, the health ministry in the Hamas-run
territory said in its Sunday update.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2527416/middle-east
--------
Iraq’s
Mosul Springs Back To Life 10 Years After It Fell To Daesh
June 10,
2024
MOSUL:
It was the simple night-time act of watering flowers on his street in Mosul’s
Old City that made Saqr Zakaria stop and think about just how safe this last
bastion of Daesh militants had become since it was liberated in 2017.
“I
thought for a second, ‘where am I?’” said Zakaria, who left the city in 2005
but returned to set up a cultural center, the Baytna Foundation, in 2018 at a
time when thousands of bodies were still being cleared from the ruins.
The
jihadist group declared its caliphate at the Grand Al-Nuri Mosque just down the
road after taking Mosul a decade ago, imposing an extreme form of Islam that
saw them kill members of minority groups, ban music and destroy archaeological
sites.
The maze
of alleyways in this part of the city on the west bank of the Tigris River
became a site of regular killings, kidnappings and crime with the rise of
Islamist insurgents after the 2003 US.-led invasion.
Much of
it was pulverized, and thousands of civilians were killed, in the battle to
free it.
But
despite political infighting, allegations of corruption and delayed
reconstruction, life is returning on both sides of the river.
Many of
the more than two dozen people who spoke to a Reuters reporter on a four-night
visit to the city said they felt more secure today than at any time in the last
two decades.
“Life
consisted of eating and sleeping and locking your door so you’re not kidnapped
or killed or blown up. We were deprived, and today we are making that up,” said
Zakaria. His foundation, housed in a traditional Moslawi home with an inner
courtyard, has become a leading attraction for local and foreign visitors,
including French President Emmanuel Macron in 2021.
Shortly
after he spoke, an elderly man walked into the courtyard and shed tears at the
sight of pictures, hung on a wall, of the city’s intellectual and cultural
elite that harkened back to better days.
“This is
Mosul,” said Nizar Al-Khayat, a former school director in his 70s, his voice
wavering. “No matter what, it remains a cultured, civilized city.”
Local
officials and residents say there is a long way to go before Mosul sheds the
legacy of Daesh.
Rubble
is still being cleared seven years after the city was liberated. Pockmarked
buildings with collapsed floors and exposed rebar can still be seen around
Mosul. The Old City is in ruins.
But
bridges have gone up. New restaurants have opened where patrons tuck into
Lebanese cuisine and sway their heads to the nostalgic sound of Syrian tenors.
A souk
and curbside cafes by the river buzz with life late into the night, formerly
unthinkable in a city where people locked themselves in their homes by late
afternoon.
Even as
the city works to restore basic infrastructure, it is focused on expanding
green areas and touristic attractions like a new riverside corniche, said Firas
Al-Sultan, a technical adviser to Mosul municipality.
Monuments
to the city’s rich inter-faith history, like the Grand Nuri Mosque and the
Al-Tahera Church visited by Pope Francis in 2021, are being rebuilt. (Reporting
by Timour Azhari and Khalid Al-Mousily in Mosul, Editing by William Maclean)
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2527371/middle-east
--------
Blinken
returns to Mideast as Israel-Hamas ceasefire proposal hangs in balance after
hostage rescue
June 10,
2024
CAIRO:
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returns to the Middle East this week as a
proposed Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal hangs in the balance after the dramatic
rescue of four Israeli hostages held in Gaza in a major military raid and
turmoil in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
With no
firm response yet from Hamas to the proposal received 10 days ago, Blinken on
Monday will start his eighth diplomatic mission to the region since the
conflict began in October. He will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah
El-Sisi in Cairo before traveling to Israel, Jordan and Qatar.
While
President Joe Biden, Blinken and other US officials have praised the hostage
rescue, the operation resulted in the deaths of a large number of Palestinian
civilians that may complicate the ceasefire push by emboldening Israel and
hardening Hamas’ resolve to carry on fighting in the war it initiated with its
Oct. 7 attacks in Israel.
“It’s
hard to say how Hamas will process this particular operation and what it will
do to its determination about whether it will say yes or not,” Biden’s national
security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said Sunday. “We have not gotten a formal
answer from Hamas at this time.”
In his
talks with El-Sisi and Qatari leaders, whose countries are the main mediators
with Hamas in the ceasefire negotiations, Blinken will stress the importance of
persuading the militants to accept the three-phase proposal on the table. The
plan calls for the release of more hostages and a temporary pause in
hostilities that could lead to the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from
Gaza.
“We are
hopeful that with enough of a chorus, the international community all speaking
with one voice, Hamas will get to the right answer,” Sullivan told ABC’s “This
Week.”
But
Hamas may not be the only obstacle.
Although
the deal has been described as an Israeli initiative and thousands of Israelis
have demonstrated in support of the deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu has expressed skepticism, saying what has been presented publicly is
not accurate and rejecting calls for Israel to cease all fighting until Hamas
is eradicated.
Netanyahu’s
far-right allies have threatened to collapse his government if he implements
the plan, and Benny Gantz, a popular centrist, resigned on Sunday from the
three-member War Cabinet after saying he would do if the prime minister did not
formulate a new plan for postwar Gaza. In the aftermath of the hostage rescue,
Netanyahu had urged him not to step down.
Blinken
has met with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Gantz and Israeli
opposition leader Yair Lapid on nearly all of his previous trips to Israel.
Officials said Gantz’s resignation would not necessarily affect Blinken’s
schedule.
US State
Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Friday that Blinken would use the trip
to “discuss how the ceasefire proposal would benefit both Israelis and
Palestinians.”
Miller
said the deal would not only alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza but also
set the stage for a reduction in tension along the Israel-Lebanon border and
create conditions for broader Israeli integration with its Arab neighbors,
strengthening Israel’s long-term security.
Despite
Blinken’s roughly once-a-month visits to the region since the war began, the
conflict has ground on with more than 36,700 Palestinians killed, according to
the Gaza health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and
combatants in its counts.
Meanwhile,
the war has severely hindered the flow of food, medicine and other supplies to
Palestinians, who are facing widespread hunger. UN agencies say more than 1
million people in Gaza could experience the highest level of starvation by
mid-July.
In
Jordan, Blinken will participate in an emergency international conference on
improving the flow of aid to Gaza.
Source: arabnews.com
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US
military confirms 2 merchant ships were hit by Houthi missiles in Gulf of Aden
June 10,
2024
RIYADH:
The US military on Monday confirmed that two commercial vessels passing through
the Red Sea were hit in attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi militia of Yemen in
the last 24 hours.
In a
statement posted on X, the US Central Command, or CENTCOM, said two anti-ship
ballistic missiles were launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the
Gulf of Aden.
One
missile was successfully destroyed by a coalition ship, but the other missile
struck the M/V Tavvishi, a Liberian-flagged, Swiss-owned and operated container
ship.
“M/V
Tavvishi reported damage but has continued underway,” the statement said.
“Separately,
Iranian-backed Houthis launched one ASBM and one anti-ship cruise missile
(ASCM) into the Gulf of Aden. Both
missiles struck M/V Norderney, an Antigua and Barbados-flagged, German-owned
and operated cargo ship. M/V Norderney reported damage but has continued
underway,” the statement continued.
“There
were no injuries reported by US, coalition, or merchant vessels,” it said.
CENTCOM
also said its forces successfully destroyed one a hostile drone over the Gulf
of Aden, as well as two Houthi land attack cruise missiles (LACM) and one
missile launcher in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
Earlier
reports quoting marinetraffic.com, which provides information on ships and
their positions, said the Norderney was traveling from India to Lebanon and was
in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday.
Yemen’s
Houthi militia claimed on Sunday they attack two merchant vessels for defying
the militia’s embargo on traveling to Israeli ports.
Houthi
military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a television statement that their forces
also targeted the UK warship HMS Diamond with ballistic missiles in the Red Sea
in response to the US-UK joint strikes on militia positions in Yemen.
The
Houthis control the most populous parts of Yemen and have attacked merchant
ships since November in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The militants
have sunk one ship, seized a different vessel and killed three crew members in
a yet another attack.
Their
campaign has disrupted global shipping by forcing vessels to avoid the nearby
Suez Canal and reroute trade around Africa. The action also has stoked fears
that the Israel-Hamas war could spread and destabilize the wider Middle East.
The
United States and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in
response to the attacks.
Source: arabnews.com
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Europe
Muslim
Community Turn ToFree Faizan-e-Madina Stechford Mosque Health Checks Due To
Long GP Waiting Times in UK
10 JUN
2024
A man
admitted he has not seen his GP for the last 15 years because he struggled to
get an appointment. He was relieved to get a free health check at his local
Mosque when Faizan Global Relief Foundation (FGRF) offered blood pressure tests
and BMI checks at a Stechford Mosque.
The
scheme was set up for locals who are tired of waiting on the phone for a GP
appointment. Long GP waiting times have plagued the UK and nationally the
average wait time is two to seven days. The NHS responded to this crisis
claiming they are upgrading phone systems and appointing more GPs to ensure more
appointments can be booked.
For
regulars at Faizan-E-Madina Stechford however, seeing a doctor was a rarity
with many relieved to finally get a proper health check. The health camp was
set up on May 31 during afternoon prayers where over 250 individuals were
screened.
The
assessments included BMI and blood pressure measurements. After the tests, each
patient was given a card with their results and advice on improving their
health and lifestyle, anyone with abnormal readings were advised to consult
their GPs.
Locals
shared their thoughts on the way out, Zulqurnain from Yardley said: "I
have not been to my GP for the last 15 years, so I am pleased these checks were
being done today at the Dawat-E-Islami mosque."
Ahmed a
Stechford resident said: "I am pleased to have attended this health check
while visiting Faizan-E-Madina to offer Friday prayers. I have been trying to
visit my GP for a health check but have tried several times for an appointment
but was struggling to get one. I am pleased to know my readings were normal and
the advice I received."
Yasir
from Kitts Green said: "I had the blood pressure and a BMI check done
today at the Dawat-E-Islami Mosque. Due to the rising pressure on the NHS, I
would have not visited my GP for this but this initiative has allowed me to
have access within the community whilst coming to offer Friday prayers."
Muhammad
Wasim an FGRF volunteer, claims several people felt it was pointless to contact
their GP as they have to wait for an hour on the phone, only to lose the appointment.
He stressed the importance of early intervention to spot serious conditions
like strokes and heart attacks.
Dr Imran
who was volunteering with the health checks, said: "Implementing a health
blood pressure check initiative is a crucial step towards promoting
cardiovascular health and preventing conditions like hypertension. It raised
awareness and early detection of potential high blood pressure patients.
"This
can save future cardiovascular and other complications like strokes. FGRF
initiatives will continue, future events will include screening programs aimed
at educating about the risks of high blood pressure, promoting healthy
lifestyles, and encouraging changes in eating habits. This will lead to
improved overall public health outcomes."
Source: birminghammail.co.uk
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German
Chancellor Olaf Scholz Is A ‘Rotten Liverwurst, Helping to Revive Nazi
Ideology’ – Medvedev
9 Jun,
2024
German
Chancellor Olaf Scholz must ask for forgiveness from Ukrainians for playing a
role in plunging their country into misery and helping to revive Nazi ideology,
former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said.
Writing
on Telegram on Saturday, Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of the
Security Council of Russia, lashed out at Scholz, who argued that President
Vladimir Putin “must finally realize” that “Ukraine is strong and will not be
forced to its knees or forced to surrender.”
He went
on to say that “there can only be a just peace for Ukraine,” adding that
“working for peace does not mean simply raising the white flag,” while
reiterating Berlin’s commitment to supporting Kiev.
In
response, Medvedev called Scholz “a rotten liverwurst,” who he said
“unexpectedly became chatty and talked outright drivel.”
The
former president claimed that Ukraine has become “a kind of dominion directly
controlled by the United States and NATO countries,” adding that Kiev is fully
on the Western payroll and “is receiving all kinds of the most lethal weapons,
despite the protests of its own people.”
“So
where does this strength come from, sausage maker? From exuberant corruption
which is completely out of control? From the wholesale theft of this aid by the
Zelensky clique? Or from a dying people, half of whom live in Russia and
Europe?” Medvedev asked.
Scholz
should “get down on his knees and repent before the Ukrainians” for lying to
them that they could achieve victory against Russia, and for “dooming them to
the slaughter while sacrificing the well-being of the Germans,” according to
the former president.
The
German chancellor should also take responsibility “for the revival of Nazism”
in Ukraine, his own “indescribable mediocrity of management,” and the loss of
public confidence in his Social Democratic Party, which makes his predecessors
Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt “turn over in their graves many times over,”
Medvedev said.
The
former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andrey Melnik, once called Scholz
‘offended liverwurst’. In 2022, the envoy said the chancellor was behaving “not
very statesmanlike” after he refused to visit Kiev following Ukraine’s
criticism of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Melnik was sacked following the
remarks.
Source: rt.com
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Cardiff
signs off plans for mosque and community centre
Proposals
for a mosque and community centre in a Cardiff district have been backed.
At a
meeting, Cardiff Council's planning committee approved the plans for Madina
Masjud Mosque on Lucas Street in Cathays, in line with an officer's report
recommendation.
The
decision is subject to the signing of a Section 106 Agreement, plus additional
condition regarding submission of a Travel Plan
The
brownfield site includes temporary buildings used as a mosque and community
centre and a below ground level parking area.
Now full
planning permission has been secured to construct a permanent mosque and
community centre on the 0.7-acre site.
A report
considered by the committee added: "In addition to providing a valuable
religious and community centre, in a sustainable location, the proposed use and
design would not cause any unacceptable impacts on issues such as highway
safety or residential amenity."
Source: insidermedia.com
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Russian
health minister reveals cancer vaccine progress
9 Jun,
2024
Russian
researchers are finalizing trials on a vaccine against cancer, Health Minister
Mikhail Murashko revealed on Saturday.
According
to the official, the vaccine has been jointly developed by the Gamaleya
Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, the Blokhin Cancer Center
and the Hertsen Oncological Research Institute.
“This is
a drug for cancer immunotherapy. It was developed jointly by several scientific
teams… and is financed by the state. The vaccine is undergoing preclinical
trials, and we expect to receive the first results by the end of the year, and
then launch clinical tests,” Murashko told TASS on the sidelines of the St.
Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
In an
interview with Gazeta.ru last week, the head of the Gamaleya Institute,
Aleksandr Gintsburg, described the new drug, noting that it is a therapeutic
vaccine, which will be administered to those already diagnosed with cancer. It
was created on the basis of mRNA technology, which has already been used by
drug manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna for making vaccines against Covid-19.
Gintsburg noted that the new vaccine can be used for any type of cancer.
“They
will be individual, designed for a specific person… The technology makes it
possible to create within cells a very large concentration of the target
antigen, the protein that the vaccine developer encoded in this mRNA. This is
necessary in order to show the immune system of a person with cancer how to
distinguish a healthy cell from a malignant one,” Gintsburg explained.
According
to statistics, cancer is one of the leading causes of death in both Russia and
globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that in 2022 alone,
there were roughly 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths. In its
recent report in February, the agency estimated that about one in five people
globally develop cancer in their lifetime, while roughly one in nine men, and
one out of 12 women die from the disease.
Many
countries have been working on ways to treat the disease. In May, clinical
trials of a cancer vaccine began in the UK. The country’s National Health
Service has signed up dozens of patients in its program to launch personalized
cancer treatments, which aim to provide a permanent cure. While the research is
still at an early stage, trials have reportedly shown the drug can effectively
destroy tumor cells remaining after surgery and significantly reduce the risk
of cancer recurrence.
Source: rt.com
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Russia
accuses France of lying about troops in Ukraine
9 Jun,
2024
France
is deceiving the public by claiming that it has not deployed any troops to
Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
On
Thursday, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said his country had never
trained troops on Ukrainian territory, but added that the option of sending
French instructors to the country is “not taboo.” Later, President Emmanuel
Macron – who suggested that the West should not rule out stationing soldiers in
Ukraine – said that several of Paris’ allies had already agreed to deploy
military trainers. However, he did not say which counties were on board with
this policy.
Commenting
on the French officials’ remarks on Sunday, Lavrov told journalist Pavel
Zarubin that “The prime minister of France suddenly began to say that they do
not have instructors there [in Ukraine]. It’s not true and they know it.”
The
foreign minister went on to suggest that Western nations want to “quietly
teach” the global community that their decisions on Ukraine – including
allowing Kiev to strike deep into Russia and stationing military personnel in
the war-torn country – are of no real importance or consequences.
“We see
all this, and we fully understand what they are doing and what role they are
playing in the war unleashed against us. And we know how to fight this,” he
stressed.
Lavrov
went on to say he is certain that Western analysts will heed the warnings of
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said deliveries of long-range weapons to
Ukraine could trigger an “asymmetric” response from Moscow, including shipments
of similar weapons to regions of the world where they could be used against
sensitive sites of the countries that are supplying Ukraine with these weapons.
Source: rt.com
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France
enters election mode after far-right win in European Parliament vote
June 10,
2024
PARIS:
France began to gear up for elections on Monday, after President Emmanuel
Macron called a shock snap legislative election following a bruising loss in
the European Parliament vote to the far-right party of Marine Le Pen.
Macron’s
unexpected decision, which amounts to a roll of the dice on his political
future, could hand major political power to the far-right after years on the
sidelines, and neuter his presidency three years before it ends.
The
legislative vote will take place on June 30, less than a month before the start
of the Paris Olympics, with a second round on July.
Analysts
said Macron’s decision aimed to make the best of his weak position, reclaiming
the initiative and forcing Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) into election mode
faster than it would have liked.
“We
didn’t think it would be immediately after the European elections, even if we
wanted it to be,” the deputy chairman of the RN, Sebastien Chenu, said on RTL
Radio, adding: “Elections are rarely a gift and in this context, they aren’t.”
He
called for right-wing lawmakers from outside the RN to swell its ranks in its
battle to beat Macron, and said the party’s telegenic president, 28-year-old
Jordan Bardella, would be its candidate for prime minister.
Led by
Bardella, the RN won about 32 percent of the vote on Sunday, more than double
the Macron ticket’s 15 percent, according to exit polls. The Socialists came
within a whisker of Macron, with 14 percent.
Macron’s
Renaissance party currently has 169 lower house lawmakers, out of a total of
577. The RN has 88.
If the
RN wins a majority, Macron would still direct defense and foreign policy, but
would lose the power to set the domestic agenda, from economic policy to
security.
Those
powers would likely end up in the hands of Bardella, if he were to be prime
minister.
“I’m
confident in the ability of the French people to make the fairest choice for
themselves and for future generations,” Macron tweeted on Monday. “My only
ambition is to be useful to our country that I love so much.”
Source: arabnews.com
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamic-countries-analysts-gambling-casino/d/132483