Remove 50-Year-Old Jama Masjid, Says Uttarakhand Mahapanchayat, Organised By Various Hindu Right-Wing Outfits
New Age Islam News Bureau
2 December 2024
Security personnel deployed in view of the 'Mahapanchayat' called by Hindu organisations demanding the removal of a mosque in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, on December 1. (PTI Photo)
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· ‘Remove’ 50-Year-Old The Jama Masjid, Says Uttarakhand Mahapanchayat, Organised By Various Hindu Right-Wing Outfits
· Jihadist Vahdet Group Increases Footprint In Germany’s Turkish Muslim Communities
· Muslim-Friendly Adventure In Vibrant Taiwan To Captivate Cultural Experiences For Muslim Travellers
· Monks Protest At Indo-Bangla Border Over Release Of Hindu Spiritual Leader Chinmoy Das In Bangladesh
· White House Says ‘Not There Yet’ On Gaza Ceasefire And Hostage Deal
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India
· Pay Heed To Bhagwat Words On Masjid Surveys: Kharge To BJP
· Judicial panel inspects Jama Masjid area in Sambhal to probe violence
· Jamia Warns Students Against Raising Slogans Against PM Modi, Law Enforcement Agencies
· Congress seeks SC intervention against courts hearing pleas of mosque surveys
· Curious pick for Sambhal probe: BJP defender in team that visited mosque
· Advisor To The Telengana Govt Meets Guv On 4% Muslim Quota Benefits
· PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti Warns Of ‘1947-Like Riots,’ Calls For Unity Against Divisive Forces
· 'PDP completely finished': BJP demands 'action' against Mufti's ‘anti-national’ remarks
· Waqf Bill: Parliamentary Panel Seeks Details Of Properties In 'Unauthorised' Occupation Of State Govts
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Europe
· "Insurance Adviser of the Year - Africa" for Advancing Sustainable Development
· EU state’s PM slams attempts to scuttle his visit to Moscow
· Ukrainians could disappear – top Kiev expert
· White House comments on nukes for Ukraine
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South Asia
· Govt Has 'Hijacked The Judiciary': Bangladesh Awami League
· Deputy PM Mawlawi Hanafi Explores Bukhara’s Cultural Ties During Uzbekistan Visit
· Qatar Vows to Aid Afghanistan in Cultural Restoration Efforts
· Afghan cleric urges migrants not to be used in Syria War for Iran
· Bangladesh Chief Justice Calls Special Meeting Of SC Judges
· Afghan returnees need enough attention amid intense cold climate
· China Confirms Second Aid Package of 100 Million Yuan for Afghanistan
· Uzbekistan’s Deputy PM Assures Readiness for Joint Cooperation with Afghanistan
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North America
· Hunter Biden's pardon shows rulebook being rewritten
· Trump threatens 100% tariff on Brics nations if they try to replace dollar
· Trump slams ‘shocking’ pardon of Hunter Biden
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Mideast
· International Union Of Muslim Scholars Body Calls For Supporting Gaza Against Israeli Genocide, Reconstruction Of Lebanon
· Iran President Calls For Islamic Countries’ Cooperation To Help Syria Defeat Terror Groups
· Airstrikes in northwestern Syria kill 25 people, says Syria’s White Helmets
· C-in-C of the Iraqi Armed Forces Chairs Emergency Meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security
· Britain ups Gaza aid ahead of donor conference
· In Blinken call, Turkiye backs moves to ease Syria tension
· Russia says helping Syrian army ‘repel’ insurgents in three northern provinces
· Jordan’s crown prince, Princess Rajwa visit speech therapy center in Amman
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Arab World
· Prominent Artworks At Riyadh Metro Stations Blend Daily Life, Creativity
· Saudi envoy attends Palestine solidarity event at Arab League HQ in Cairo
· Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats discuss cooperation in Riyadh
· Deputy foreign minister receives Iranian ambassador to Saudi Arabia
· King Abdulaziz Camel Festival starts in Al-Sayahid
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Southeast Asia
· 53 More Countries Given Autogate Facility At Malaysia’s Entrance
· Malaysia fully supports Timor-Leste’s accession as a permanent ASEAN member - PM Anwar
· Najib begins reading his 525-page witness statement in 1MDB trial, says wasn’t first to wear double PM-MOF hat
· Perak unsold homes drop to 3,039 in 2024 but six projects abandoned, says state exco
· Communications minister tables Bill to amend cybercrime laws in Parliament
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Pakistan
· Islamic Climate Finance Presents A Distinctive Approach To Climate Finance By Aligning Ethical Investment Principles
· PTI dismisses govt’s claim Murad Saeed bunkered up in KP CM House
· 'Law and order improved in KP under PTI govt', claims Gandapur amid Centre's flak
· Sixteen terrorists killed in action across three provinces
· No PTI protester killed by security personnel: Tarar
· Leaked audio: Ali Muhammad hints PTI leaders flouted Imran Khan's Sangjani sit-in orders
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Africa
· Senegal Demands Answers As It Remembers A French Colonial Massacre
· Namibia Opposition Candidate Furious After Voting Is Prolonged For Days
· Fire Guts Popular Trademore Estate Market In Abuja
· How Obasanjo Rejected Single-term Presidency – Olanipekun
· Economic Hardship: Do Not Be Ashamed To Seek Help – NANS To Tinubu
· No Native Doctor Or Prophet Can Claim I Visited Them For Help In Winning The Election – Okpebholo
· ‘It Is Easier To Say The Truth Than Lie’ – Onoh Advises Gowon On His Narrative About Ojukwu
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/jama-masjid-uttarakhand-hindu-mahapanchayat/d/133898
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Remove 50-Year-Old Jama Masjid, Says Uttarakhand Mahapanchayat, Organised By Various Hindu Right-Wing Outfits
Dec 02, 2024
Security personnel deployed in view of the 'Mahapanchayat' called by Hindu organisations demanding the removal of a mosque in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, on December 1. (PTI Photo)
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Uttarkashi remained tense on Sunday after a ‘mahapanchayat’ was organised by various Hindu right-wing outfits demanding the removal of a nearly half-a-century-old mosque, which they claim to be illegal, stirring an issue that has kept the temple town on its edge for the last two months.
The mahapanchayat, held under the banner of “Devbhoomi Vichar Manch” amid tight security at the Ramlila Maidan in Uttarkashi, was addressed by some legislators of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, the event saw only around 500 people taking part in it, prompting the organisers to announce another mahapanchayat in a month’s time.
Addressing the crowd, controversial BJP leader and Telangana legislator T Raja Singh said Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami should take inspiration from his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath on how to act against “land jihadis” and should procure bulldozers.
“Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami should have a ‘chai pe charcha’ with UP CM Yogi Adityanath. The way he teaches a lesson to land jihadis in UP...he (Dhami) also needs to procure some bulldozers,” Singh claimed.
“We will not allow jihadis to do land jihad in Uttarakhand. The Hindus in the country are taking inspiration from people of Uttarakhand on how to teach land jihadis a lesson. It is not just an issue of Uttarkashi. We have to come together to eradicate land jihad and love jihad from across the state,” he claimed.
“Love jihad” and “land jihad” are terms used by Hindu right-wing outfits and are often seen as “anti-Muslim” rhetoric, with the former used to describe a marriage between a Muslim mand and a Hindu woman.
The mahapanchayat comes amid increasing communal tensions and rising anti-minority incidents in Uttarakhand, which has also seen increasing instances of calls for social boycott against Muslims.
Another BJP leader and Gangotri legislator Suresh Singh Chauhan claimed they will not allow Uttarkashi losing its image of a religious town, and called for a ban on shops selling meat and liquor.
“We are not creating an atmosphere of fear, but this is a religious town. However, Rohingya Muslims posing as vendors are tainting Uttarkashi. Locals will not tolerate it. Some people are trying to disturb the atmosphere of this religious town, but we will not allow them to succeed,” he claimed, calling for the Hindu community to unite.
“We have no issue with those living in the town for a long time. Our chief minister has taken cognizance of the mosque matter… It is under investigation,” he claimed.
Calling Uttarkashi home to several important temples and the centre of “our faith”, the BJP MLA added: “We will ensure that Uttarkashi remains a religious town in its true sense. There will be no meat, egg, or liquor shops here.”
Anuj Walia, state president of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), announced that another mahapanchayat will be held at Ramlila Maidan after a month. “We will organise protests in all districts against the mosque… This is just the beginning of our struggle,” he added.
Adequate security arrangements were made for the mahapanchayat, permission for which was granted by the district administration on Friday, days after the state government informed the high court that they will not allow the mahapanchayat. The local administration also imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), formerly Section 144 of CrPC, around the Jama Masjid on Bhatwari Road.
The controversy started on September 9, when various Hindu outfits under an umbrella organisation — Sanyukt Sanatan Dharam Rakshak Sangh — submitted a memorandum to Uttarkashi district magistrate Meharban Singh Bisht, demanding that the mosque in the Barahat area of the hill town be “demolished”, claiming the structure was “not registered in the official revenue records”.
To probe the claims, the DM constituted a committee, which found that the mosque was legal and the land it stood on was registered in the name of members of the Muslim community. Despite being informed about it, the Hindu outfit announced to hold a protest march against the mosque on October 24.
On that day, violent clashes broke out between protesters and police personnel after the latter stopped a large group from marching towards the mosque. At least eight police personnel and several protesters were injured in the clashes.
Meanwhile, members of the minority community said they remained mostly inside their houses on Sunday in the wake of the mahapanchayat.
“We remained inside our houses during the mahapanchayat. Our families are living in fear. I believe it will continue for some time. They (Hindu outfits) have announced a mahapanchayat once again,” Ishtiak Ahmed, a local resident, said. “The word of hatred is spreading like wild life. The district administration shouldn’t have allowed them to hold the event.”
Ahmed, who is also one of the petitioners who moved the high court against the mahapanchayat, added: “We have submitted the certified documents to prove legality of the mosque to the court and district administration.”
On November 27, the BJP-led state government told the high court that it has not given any permission for a rally or mahapanchayat on December 1. The government also assured it has provided adequate protection to the mosque and would not allow anyone to take law into their hands.
The court will hear the matter on December 5.
On November 7, Hindu organisations announced to organise a ‘mahapanchayat’ on December 1 against the mosque, after CM Dhami asked the district administration to re-examine records of the mosque through a panel headed by sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Bhatwari said the structure was legal.
In their plea before the high court against the mahapanchayat, Musharaf Ali of Alpsankhayak Seva Samiti and Istiak Ahmed claimed that the Jama Masjid on Bhatwari Road was constructed in 1979 on the land bought in the same year. The mosque was registered as Waqf property in 1987. The petitioners alleged that members of Hindu right-wing outfits were threatening to demolish the mosque and were spreading false information on the legality of the mosque through hate speeches against the minority community.
Source:hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/dehradun-news/remove-50-year-old-mosque-says-uttarakhand-mahapanchayat-101733114310977.html
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Jihadist Vahdet group increases footprint in Germany’s Turkish Muslim communities
December 2, 2024
Muhammed Çakır leads his religious congregation from Dortmund, NRW, Germany. (Google image).
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A radical imam, whose teachings have inspired numerous jihadists, including the assassin of a Russian ambassador to Turkey, has expanded his influence in Germany, home to a Turkish diaspora of approximately three million.
Hüsnü Aktaş, a 73-year-old cleric with a history of imprisonment for radical activities, has established strong connections with Germany-born imam Muharrem Çakır, according to a Nordic Monitor investigation.
Çakır, a 50-year-old Turkish cleric, was mentored within Aktaş’s ideological circle in Turkey during his formative years, which profoundly shaped his worldview. A staunchly anti-Western and anti-American figure, Çakır openly shares his views on social media platforms.
Çakır leads a congregation known as Hanif in Germany, to whom he regularly delivers sermons in both Turkish and German. He shares these sermons on YouTube and frequently travels to Turkey to meet with Aktaş, exchange ideas on coordinated activities and deliver speeches.
Operating under the German organizations Hanif Sport-und Kulturverein e.V. and Hanif Moschee Bildungszentrum e.V. in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, Çakır has been actively promoting Aktaş’s ideology within Germany’s Muslim communities, which are predominantly Turkish.
This development poses significant challenges to Germany’s national security, given Aktaş’s troubling history. He has radicalized numerous individuals, advocates for the establishment of a caliphate and actively encourages his followers to engage in jihad. Aktaş is also vehemently antisemitic, frequently promoting conspiracy theories about Jewish communities in his speeches.
Aktaş first faced trial for his radical views and activities in 1969, while attending the theology faculty at Ankara University. He was arrested again on November 28, 1984, on similar charges and brought before a military court but was released pending trial on December 12, 1985. Undeterred, he continued his radical pursuits, founding the Vahdet (Unity) Foundation (Vahdet Eğitim Yardımlaşma ve Dostluk Vakfı) on July 1, 1988.
The foundation led by Aktaş was later implicated in aiding and abetting a Chechen group that hijacked a ferry in January 1996 as it was about to depart from the Black Sea province of Trabzon for Sochi. The 1997 indictment against Aktaş and his Vahdet Foundation revealed that the hijackers had received assistance from the organization.
The hijackers held 177 passengers and 55 crew members hostage aboard the ferry, diverting it to Istanbul to draw attention to the plight of Chechens in Russia and demand the release of Chechen fighters besieged by Russian forces. After a 72-hour standoff, all of the perpetrators were arrested. While they were tried and convicted, most of the detainees later escaped from prison under suspicious circumstances.
Aktaş’s name resurfaced during an investigation into the assassination of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov on December 19, 2016, in Ankara. The assassin, Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş, a 22-year-old police officer, was found to have been influenced by radical clerics, including Aktaş.
The investigation revealed that the radicalized police officer had attended Aktaş’s sermons. In his statement to the prosecutor, Aktaş claimed he did not recall the assassin attending any of his lectures, but acknowledged that one of his students, Mustafa Akalın, later apologized for bringing Altıntaş to a gathering. Aktaş further stated that he could not remember the content of any sermon Altıntaş had attended.
However, Enes Asım Silin, a Turkish al-Qaeda militant and a suspect in the Karlov case, provided a different account. In a statement on January 18, 2017, Silin recounted a conversation with the assassin in which Altıntaş revealed that Aktaş had advised him to resign from the police force, asserting that the profession was incompatible with religious principles. Altıntaş, contemplating leaving the police, was considering joining jihadist fighters in Syria.
The Vahdet group is well-known for publishing the magazine Misak since 1989. The group also operates a website under the same name at http://www.misak.com.tr/. An examination of the magazine’s articles and the website reveals a strong endorsement of armed jihadist activity, particularly in Syria. The publication features interviews with Turkish jihadists who have fought in Syria and actively encourages recruitment for similar militant activities.
It is evident that Aktaş received protection from the Islamist government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Although he should have been listed as a suspect in the assassination of the Russian ambassador, the public prosecutor instead classified him as a witness. Erdogan’s connection to Aktaş dates back several years. In 1989, both Erdoğan and Aktaş were featured as speakers at a panel organized by Islamists to discuss the future of the Islamic movement in Turkey.
Shielded from any crackdown with political cover provided by the government, Aktaş expanded his operations both in Turkey and abroad, establishing mosques and other venues to grow his following. The group has recently constructed a large compound in the Ovacık region of Ankara, the Turkish capital.
Source:nordicmonitor.com
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https://nordicmonitor.com/2024/12/jihadist-vahdet-group-increases-footprint-in-germanys-turkish-muslim-communities/
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Muslim-Friendly Adventure In Vibrant Taiwan To Captivate Cultural Experiences For Muslim Travellers
December 2, 2024
Taipei Grand Mosque, a key spiritual centre for the local Muslim community.—Courtesy The Star
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A growing number of accommodations provide prayer mats and Qiblat directions, as well as Muslim-certified or Muslim-friendly restaurants, further highlighting Taiwan’s welcoming policy.
Taiwan may be small, but this island powerhouse packs a punch when it comes to captivating cultural experiences for Muslim travellers. From the neon-lit bustling streets of Taipei to the serene natural wonders of Miaoli, Taiwan blends ancient traditions with modern flair, creating an enthralling and fascinating journey that leaves travellers spellbound.
Having been to the island multiple times for leisure and work, I have seen how Taiwan has developed its tourism offerings to attract many global travellers.
Recently, I had the pleasure of revisiting this vibrant destination, exploring the dynamic capital city of Taipei and the picturesque region of Miaoli with a group of Malaysian travellers. Our adventure gave us a chance to delve into Taiwan’s Muslim-friendly offerings, rich with colourful cultural and heritage experiences.
Throughout our six-day trip, we stayed at three hotels, all of which were comfortable and distinctly Muslim-friendly. At the Fuji Grand Hotel in Taipei, thoughtful information such as Qiblat direction and local prayer times, as well as a prayer mat, were included in each room. Another hotel in the city, Just Sleep, offered a delightful Muslim-friendly buffet breakfast.
As for the Flying Cow Ranch in Miaoli, it not only offered fresh milk from the farm and many milk-based delicacies, but all of the food on offer was Muslim friendly, including the milky ice cream and the many snacks.
Although we were there at the end of summer, the weather remained warm, with bright blue skies each day. Of course, we weren’t just in the capital, as we also explored the scenic splendours of Yehliu Geopark in New Taipei City, renowned for its unique geological formations.
With umbrellas and sunshades, we marvelled at the “Queen’s Head” rock formation and the “Playful Princess”, a ponytail-shaped structure. Wandering through the park’s landscapes felt like an immersion in Mother Nature’s artistry.
Next, we lost ourselves in the vintage charm of Jiufen, a former gold mining town known as the “Golden Mountain City”. The narrow, teahouse-lined alleyways brimmed with hundreds of shops offering an array of items and snacks.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1876117/muslim-friendly-adventure-in-vibrant-taiwan
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Monks Protest At Indo-Bangla Border Over Release Of Hindu Spiritual Leader Chinmoy Das In Bangladesh
PTI, 02 Dec 2024, 2:09 pm
BSF personnel check passport of a Bangladeshi national returning to their country, at Petraploce border in North 24 Pargana district, West Bengal, Monday.PTI
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KOLKATA: Over 1,000 monks from across West Bengal are taking part in a demonstration at the Petrapole border in North 24 Parganas on Monday to protest against the attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh, and the release of arrested spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in the neighbouring country.
The monks, under the banner of the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti, started arriving since morning at the protest site, about 800 meters from the Petrapole border checkpost.
West Bengal BJP leaders, led by Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, have also announced an agitation program at Petrapole border on Wednesday over the Bangladesh issue.
Members of the Hindu Jagran Manch and other religious groups are also likely to join the protest.
"We will form a human chain and protest to convey our message of peace to the Indian government and the Bangladesh dispensation, demanding an immediate stop of atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh," said a monk, after reaching the Petrapole border.
Swami Paramatmananda, president of the Bengal chapter of the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti, had said on Sunday that the agitation will continue at Petrapole border "until the Bangladesh government takes action to stop attacks on Hindus and temples".
ISKCON Kolkata apprises Centre about attacks on its monks in Bangladesh
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has been organising prayer meetings and kirtans at its Albert Road centre in Kolkata since the last few days, demanding the release of Das and expressing concern over the plight of religious minorities in the neighbouring nation.
Bangladesh's minority Hindus, which constitute about 8 per cent of the 170 million population, have reportedly faced over 200 attacks in 50-odd districts since the fall of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government on August 5.
Das, a Hindu spiritual leader, was arrested in Bangladesh in a sedition case.
He was denied bail by a court, triggering protests by community members in various locations, including capital Dhaka and the port city of Chattogram.
Meanwhile, cargo movement at the Petrapole border remained normal on Monday, officials said.
"On an average, 400 trucks are going to Benapole border (Bangladesh), and around 150 trucks are entering India.
Additionally, 5,000-6,000 people are crossing the border daily, though this number is down from the usual 7,000-8,000," a senior official said.
Source:newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Dec/02/monks-protest-at-indo-bangla-border-over-release-of-hindu-spiritual-leader-chinmoy-das-in-bangladesh
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White House says ‘not there yet’ on Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal
December 01, 2024
Palestinian children stare at a building destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip on December 1, 2024. (AFP)
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WASHINGTON: The White House is working on a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza but is “not there yet,” the US National Security Adviser told NBC on Sunday, with fighting in the conflict raging on as Arab leaders meet in Cairo to discuss the crisis.
“We are working actively to try to make it happen. We are engaged deeply with the key players in the region, and there is activity even today,” said Jake Sullivan, according to a transcript released by the broadcaster.
“There will be further conversations and consultations, and our hope is that we can generate a ceasefire and hostage deal, but we’re not there yet,” he added.
Sullivan’s comments came a day after Israel hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, days into a fragile ceasefire in its conflict with the Iran-backed group.
Addressing that conflict, Sullivan lauded the ceasefire deal and said the US was working with Lebanon’s military to ensure it was implemented “effectively.”
“We need to protect it and ensure that it is fully implemented,” he told NBC.
In an apparent reference to the Israeli strikes, Sullivan said both parties “have the right, consistent with international law, to take action in self-defense if they’re facing imminent threats.”
Speaking in Jerusalem on Sunday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said there were “indications” progress could be made on a deal securing the release of hostages by Hamas in Gaza.
“There are signs we may see a greater degree of flexibility from Hamas as a result of circumstances that have developed, including the agreement with Lebanon,” he said.
“There is a desire to move forward on this. I hope it can progress. We are committed to the return of the hostages — it’s a responsibility we must uphold.”
Saar asserted, however, that Hamas “cannot be allowed” to continue to rule Gaza.
Hamas seized 251 hostages during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, with 97 still being held in Gaza, including 34 who have been confirmed to be dead.
The armed group’s attack resulted in 1,207 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
In response, Israel launched a withering military campaign on Gaza, killing at least 44,429 there, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the UN considers reliable.
Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble, with its population dependent on humanitarian aid that the UN on Sunday said it would pause delivery of through the key Kerem Shalom crossing due to security concerns.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2581410/middle-east
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India
Pay heed to Bhagwat words on masjid surveys: Kharge to BJP
Dec 2, 2024
NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday accused BJP's top leadership of adopting "divisive tactics" as he strongly opposed attempts to get surveys done in mosques across the country to find out if temples existed underneath the structures. Kharge also said Congress and other opposition parties were opposed to the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 and would continue to oppose it.
Asking BJP to pay heed to Mohan Bhagwat's statement from 2022, Kharge quoted the RSS chief who had said, "Our aim was to construct a Ram temple and we should not find a Shivalay under every masjid." He also referred to the Places of Worship Act 1991, which was enacted to maintain status quo of religious places as they existed in 1947.
"A (court) judgment was given, which has opened a Pandora's box in the country. Now, surveys are being conducted everywhere, finding temples underneath mosques. Voices are growing in this regard," he said.
Kharge's remarks came in the wake of violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, where a survey is being conducted at a mosque to ascertain whether a temple existed there.
Addressing a 'Maha Rally' organised by the Dalit, OBC, Minorities and Adivasi Parisangh under the banner of 'Save The Constitution' at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, Kharge said, "PM Narendra Modi says 'ek hain to safe hain', but they are not letting anyone remain safe. You talk about unity, but your actions betray this. Your leader, Mohan Bhagwat, has said now that the Ram mandir has been built, there's no need to search for more places of worship. If you respect his words, then why create further discord?"
Kharge asked BJP whether it would also demolish structures such as Red Fort, Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar and Char Minar, which were constructed by Muslims.
Source:indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pay-heed-to-bhagwat-words-on-masjid-surveys-kharge-to-bjp/articleshow/115875202.cms
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Judicial panel inspects Jama Masjid area in Sambhal to probe violence
01 Dec 2024
LUCKNOW: The three-member judicial panel set up to ascertain the reasons for violence in Sambhal, visited the strife-torn western UP district amid tight security arrangements on Sunday.
The members of the judicial commission headed by retired High Court judge Justice DK Arora, visited Shahi Jama Masjid and other areas that witnessed violence over a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era mosque on November 24.
The other two members of the panel are retired IPS officer and former UP DGP Arvind Kumar Jain and retired IAS officer Amit Mohan Prasad.
The commission members, accompanied by Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Muniraj G, Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya and Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar, did not respond to any media queries initially.
Later, speaking to reporters, Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Singh said, "Today the chairperson of the inquiry commission and one other member visited the site. Their primary purpose was to inspect the location. They visited the areas where the disturbance occurred, examined the site and the structure, and spoke to some of the people present there."
The team will visit again and a complete schedule for its visit will be announced, he said.
As per the Divisional Commissioner, the situation in Sambhal is gradually returning to normal and it is being closely monitored. Conditions are stabilising rapidly. "As of now, the district magistrate's orders remain in effect until December 10 and after that, there will be no restrictions on anyone. We are in the process of collecting evidence and have so far identified 400 individuals involved (in the violence)," he said.
"The team stayed for about 15 minutes and inspected the mosque," said Shahi Jama Masjid Imam Aftab Hussain Warsi.
Mosque secretary Masood Farooqui said, "The team did not ask us anything. They mentioned that they were only here to see the Jama Masjid and visited the site of the incident. They said they would take statements later."
Violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24 during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, killing four people and injuring many others.
The survey was linked to a petition claiming that a temple once stood at the site of the mosque.
The judicial commission has been entrusted with the task of examining whether the clashes were spontaneous or part of a well-planned criminal conspiracy, as well as the preparedness of police and administration to handle the situation.
It will also analyse the circumstances leading to the violence and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring in the future.
Meanwhile, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has submitted its response in a court -- which had allowed a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid here -- seeking control and management of the Mughal-era mosque as it is a protected heritage structure.
Representing the ASI, lawyer Vishnu Sharma said the agency submitted its counter argument in the court on Friday, stating that it faced resistance from the mosque's management committee and locals in conducting surveys of the site.
He said the ASI also highlighted an incident from January 19, 2018, when an FIR was filed against the mosque's management committee for installing steel railings on the mosque's steps without proper authorisation.
The mosque, notified as an ASI-protected monument in 1920, is under the purview of the agency and as such, public access to the structure should be permitted, provided it adheres to ASI regulations, Sharma stressed.
It also raised concerns that unauthorised changes to the mosque's structure by the management committee were unlawful and should be restricted.
Source:newindianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Dec/02/deal-to-procure-26-rafale-m-jets-to-be-inked-soon-navy-chief-2
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Jamia warns students against raising slogans against PM Modi, law enforcement agencies
01.12.24
Cautioning students against raising slogans targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and law enforcement agencies on its campus, the Jamia Millia Islamia has said no protests and dharnas against any "constitutional dignitaries" are allowed in the university and warned of strict disciplinary action for violations.
In an office memorandum issued by Registrar Md. Mahatah Alam Rizvi, the university noted, "Some students are involved in raising slogans without the permission or intimation to the University authorities against the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India and other law enforcement agencies of the country, which are not related to the academia as well as to the University." The memorandum dated November 29 referred to an earlier directive from August 2022, reminding students that protests and dharnas require prior approval.
It reiterated, "No protests, dharnas, or raising slogans against any constitutional dignitaries shall be allowed in any part of the University campus, otherwise disciplinary action against such erring students shall be initiated as per provision of the University rules." The memorandum has faced strong criticism from student organisations. The Left backed All India Students' Association (AISA) condemned the directive, calling it a reflection of "the Sangh Parivar's authoritarian grip" on academic institutions.
In a statement, AISA alleged, "This directive is not merely an attack on students. It is an attack on the very essence of a university. By equating dissent with disorder, the administration exposes its complicity in the BJP's larger project of stifling democratic voices across the country. Jamia belongs to its students, not to the BJP or the Sangh." The memorandum has been circulated across faculties and departments, with instructions to deans, heads, and directors to ensure that students are made aware about it.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/jamia-warns-students-against-raising-slogans-against-pm-modi-law-enforcement-agencies/cid/2067438
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Congress seeks SC intervention against courts hearing pleas of mosque surveys
Dec 2, 2024,
NEW DELHI: Congress leaders Alok Sharma and Priya Mishra filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking restrictions on courts nationwide from entertaining pleas filed for carrying out surveys at religious places.
Their petition additionally sought directives to ensure state governments adhere to the Place of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, and prevent them from executing court orders that mandate surveys of religious buildings or mosques in violation of the 1991 legislation.
Responding to this legal action, Congress leader Imran Masood said, "Supreme Court should take cognizance of this matter...It is unfortunate that lower courts are passing such orders. This is a serious issue."
Source:indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/congress-seeks-sc-intervention-against-courts-hearing-pleas-of-mosque-surveys/articleshow/115885397.cms
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Curious pick for Sambhal probe: BJP defender in team that visited mosque
Piyush Srivastava
02.12.24
An inquiry commission that on Sunday visited the Jama Masjid in Sambhal and its neighbourhood, where four men were killed in clashes on November 24, had a member who is a known apologist for the state’s BJP government.
Appointed by governor Anandiben Patel, the panel of retired high court judge Devendra Kumar Arora, retired IAS officer Amit Mohan Prasad and retired IPS officer Arvind Kumar Jain has to submit its report to the Uttar Pradesh government within two months.
Prasad was not part of the team on Sunday, which spoke to the police officers who had been on duty during the violence a week ago. Jain is a familiar face on local TV channels, seen defending the BJP government on every possible issue.
Jain had retired in 2015 soon after becoming DGP during Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party government. The 1979-batch IPS officer had said in Meerut in 2017 that he would soon join the BJP and contest the Assembly elections from there, but eventually did not.
Samajwadi leader Shivpal Yadav said: “We don’t trust the government-appointed commission. We wanted an inquiry commission under a sitting judge of the high court.”
A government source said: “Mostly, Sambhal superintendent of police (SP) Krishna Kumar and district magistrate (DM) Rajendra Pensiya briefed the commission on the first day. The commission members may stay in Sambhal for 10 days and meet every section of people.”
Local people had clashed with the police outside the Jama Masjid after a court-appointed team arrived for a survey to ascertain whether the Mughal-era mosque had been built by demolishing a temple.
On Friday, the Supreme Court asked the mosque authorities to approach Allahabad High Court against the Sambhal court’s order for the survey, restrained the Sambhal court from proceeding further, and said the survey report can be submitted in a sealed cover but not opened thereafter.
Among the inquiry panel’s tasks are to decide whether the clashes were spontaneous or part of a conspiracy, and to ascertain the circumstances leading to the violence.
Local people claim the police fired on peaceful protesters but the police say that rival groups of protesters — at loggerheads over the control of the mosque — fired at each other, causing the deaths.
The commission members did not respond to media queries, PTI reported. They were accompanied by Moradabad divisional commissioner A.K. Singh, deputy inspector-general Muniraj G, DM Pensiya and SP Kumar. Pensiya and Kumar had been at the spot during the November 24 violence.
Zafar Ali, a member of the mosque management committee, said the survey team hadn’t found any evidence of a temple’s remains. The Sambhal court-appointed survey commissioner, Ramesh Raghav, who was supposed to submit the survey report to the local court on November 29, has sought 10 more days.
“I don’t know what they will write in the survey report but the fact is, there is nothing to make any such claim,” Ali said.
The Sambhal court had ordered the survey on November 19, the day a group of Hindus had petitioned it claiming Mughal emperor Babur had got a Harihar temple demolished and the mosque built over it.
Ali alleged the local administration had informed the mosque committee about the two visits by the survey team — on November 19 and 24 — barely an hour before their arrival.
“They didn’t give us enough time, and such behaviour raises doubts about their intention,” he said.
He alleged that a “lady SDM” had on the day of the violence forced the tank in the mosque’s wazukhana to be emptied so its floor could be photographed.
Ali claimed that as water flowed out of the mosque premises, people outside asked the security team whether any digging was going on inside.
“A police circle officer hurled invectives at them and said he would shoot them if they kept questioning him. The SDM of Sambhal and the circle officer were directly responsible for whatever happened on November 24,” Ali claimed.
DM Pensiya rubbished Ali’s allegations, saying: “There would be soil and not water if an area is excavated. And there’s a nullah through which water (from the tank) flows out every day.”
Construction row
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), custodian of the Sambhal Jama Masjid since 1920, last week told the local court it had filed a case against 13 mosque committee members for carrying out unauthorised constructions at the protected site in 2018.
A mosque committee member said: “The mosque had no gate, so we fixed an iron grille there. The ASI considers it construction.”
Divisional commissioner Singh said the DM’s order banning the entry of outsiders — including politicians, social organisations and public representatives — into Sambhal would be in place till December 10.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/curious-pick-for-sambhal-probe-bjp-defender-in-team-that-visited-mosque/cid/2067508
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Advisor To The Telengana Govt Meets Guv On 4% Muslim Quota Benefits
Dec 2, 2024
Hyderabad: Advisor to the state govt, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, on Sunday paid a courtesy visit to governor Jishnu Dev Varma at Raj Bhavan. He briefed him about the implementation of 4% Muslim reservations in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Shabbir Ali informed the governor that over 20 lakh socially and economically backward Muslims in the two Telugu states benefited from the four percent quota since the 2004-05 academic year.
The senior Congress leader also briefed governor Jishnu Dev Varma about other schemes being implemented by the Congress govt for the welfare of minorities in Telangana.
"Chief minister A Revanth Reddy recently launched 28 integrated residential schools that would benefit thousands of students from SC, ST, BC, and other minorities," Shabbir Ali added.
Source:indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/shabbir-ali-discusses-4-muslim-quota-benefits-with-governor-jishnu-dev-varma/articleshow/115875464.cms
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PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti Warns Of ‘1947-Like Riots,’ Calls For Unity Against Divisive Forces
01.12.24
Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday asserted that the majority of Hindus in the country are are secular and called for a united fight against the forces trying to divide the people on religious lines, warning against a repeat of the 1947-like riots.
“The situation in the country is not good. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Sardar (Vallabhbhai) Patel, (B R) Ambedkar made this country home for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. Gandhi even sacrificed his life for it," she said.
"However, people are being pitted against each other (on the basis of religion) and I am afraid we are being pushed towards the 1947-like situation,” Mehbooba, a former chief minister, said addressing a gathering of party workers here.
Attacking BJP, she said the government has failed to provide jobs, education, good hospitals and roads to the people and is diverting the attention of the people by targeting mosques on the pretext of finding temples beneath.
“This is exactly what is happening in the country. Four innocent youth were recently killed in Sambhal (UP) but who will speak for them. Anyone doing so will be put in jail like Umar Khalid who is behind the bars for the last four years. In the prevailing conditions, there is no one to listen,” Mehbooba said.
The PDP leader referred to a petition claiming that the Ajmer Sharif Dargah was built over a Shiva temple and said people of different faiths including Hindus and Sikhs visit the 800-year-old shrine which is a glaring example of ‘Ganga-Jamuni’ culture.
“They also want to dig up this shrine in search of a temple... For how long will this continue?” she said.
The PDP president said the people have to stand up to counter this otherwise what is the difference between Bangladesh and our country.
“Our Hindu brothers are facing oppression in Bangladesh but if we do the same thing with minorities here (in India), then what is the difference? We have such a great country, known by the world over for its secular character,” she said.
Mehbooba said it was former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who helped Bangladesh to achieve independence.
“Majority of Hindus in our country are secular and I have no doubt about this. We have to stand up to counter this emerging situation as we have to live together and there is no other way,” she said.
She also referred to the recent assembly results in the country and said “there is something wrong somewhere." One state was left deliberately so that the opposition cannot talk (on the fraud) and there is no doubt on it. Election commission is silent on the sharp rise in the poll percentage after the end of voting, she said.
The voting stops at 6 pm and we have 58 percent polling, which increases to 68 percent within the next three hours and becomes 70 percent before the start of counting, Mehbooba said.
Praising Jammu for its secular character, the PDP president said people of all religions could be seen moving around and living in communal harmony unlike in Kashmir where mostly people belonging to one community are around or the security forces.
"Jammu people have much more responsibility today, even if they had voted for one party (BJP) in the assembly elections to safeguard brotherhood and communal harmony," she said.
Seeking support of the people for her party candidates during the panchayat and urban local body elections likely to be held next year, Mehbooba said J&K is run by half governments which is not a good thing for any region.
“On one hand there is the NC-Congress government and on the other BJP which is ruling through Lt Governor. People should support the PDP in the upcoming elections to allow us to serve you better,” she said.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/pdp-chief-mehbooba-mufti-warns-of-1947-like-riots-calls-for-unity-against-divisive-forces/cid/2067404
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'PDP completely finished': BJP demands 'action' against Mufti's ‘anti-national’ remarks
01.12.24
Jammu and Kashmir BJP leaders on Sunday demanded action against PDP president Mehbooba Mufti for her “anti-national” remarks comparing the situation in Bangladesh with India.
They welcomed the recent termination of services of two government employees over alleged terror links by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and said such actions should continue in the future to completely finish the terror ecosystem in the Union Territory.
“Mehbooba’s controversial statement comparing the situation in Bangladesh with India is completely wrong and condemnable. The world is aware of the worst kind of human rights violations in Bangladesh where the minority community is facing targeted attacks, women insulted and an elected prime minister forced to flee the country, besides the statues of its founder desecrated.
“The J-K government should take a serious note of the anti-national statement of Mehbooba and her conspiracies. Action should be taken against her,” former J-K BJP president Ravinder Raina told PTI on the sidelines of a party function here.
Addressing party workers in Jammu earlier in the day, the PDP president asked the people to stand up to counter BJP’s alleged attempts of polarisation and said asked what the difference is between Bangladesh and India.
“Our Hindu brothers are facing oppression in Bangladesh but if we do the same thing with minorities here (in India), then what is the difference? We have such a great country, known worldwide for its secular character,” she said.
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister’s statement is an attempt to revive her party after facing drubbing in the recently held assembly elections.
“The PDP is completely finished and Mehbooba is making such statements to provoke Muslims in an attempt to re-establish her party. She is trying to mislead the people by such types of statements, knowing fully that Muslims in the country, especially in J-K are safe,” he said, adding there is no comparison between the situation in Bangladesh and India.
Asked about the statement of Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq seeking reinstatement of employees dismissed by the LG, he said the action of the government to weed out terror-linked people is praise worthy.
“Mirwaiz's ideology supports separatism. He has always sided with anti-national elements,” he said, demanding more such action in the future to completely finish the terror ecosystem in the region.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bjp-demands-action-against-mehbooba-muftis-anti-national-remarks-says-pdp-is-completely-finished/cid/2067428
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Waqf bill: Parliamentary panel seeks details of properties in 'unauthorised' occupation of state govts
01.12.24
The parliamentary committee scrutinising the Waqf (Amendment) Bill has sought details from various state governments about the veracity and updated details of Waqf properties which, according to the Sachar committee, they had occupied in an unauthorised manner, sources said.
The parliamentary committee, whose tenure has been extended by Lok Sabha till the last day of the next Budget Session, has also sought from the states details of the properties claimed by Waqf boards exercising Section 40 of the Waqf Act.
Section 40, an amendment effected during the Congress-led UPA government's tenure in 2013, is one of the most hotly contested features of the existing law as it has given Waqf boards the power to decide if any property belongs to the Waqf or not.
The proposed law, which has faced flack from opposition parties and various Muslim groups for its alleged attempts to interfere in religious matters, has sought to curb this power while making a slew of other changes in the existing Act.
The sources said the parliamentary panel has decided to get an update on the points made by the Sachar committee on the Waqf properties that are allegedly in unauthorised occupation of state governments or their official agencies.
The Sachar committee was informed by various state Waqf boards during 2005-06 about the alleged unauthorised occupation.
The parliamentary panel has been collecting information from states through the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Sources said the panel headed by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal has noted that there were 316 such properties in Delhi, 60 in Rajasthan and 42 in Karnataka reported to the Sachar committee in 2005-06.
While 53 of them were in Madhya Pradesh, 60 were in Uttar Pradesh and 53 in Odisha.
The committee has sought updates from all these six states, the sources said, adding that the panel has got information from several other states.
"The chief ministers of the above states may kindly investigate in detail into the veracity of this information in the Sachar Committee Report...and update this Committee in detail," a source said, citing the communication.
State governments have also been urged to share details of the cases where their agencies are involved in a legal dispute with Waqf boards over ownership or possession of any property, with the panel noting that the Sachar Committee had stated its list was not exhaustive.
The UPA government constituted the Sachar Committee in 2005 to study the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community in India.
It submitted its report in 2006 highlighting the poor status of Muslims on all these indicators as it recommended a host of measures.
Lok Sabha had on November 28 adopted a resolution to extend the tenure of the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill till the last day of the Budget session of Parliament next year.
The parliamentary panel's meetings have become a political battleground, with the ruling BJP and opposition members vociferously debating the changes proposed by the government.
Opposition members had been calling for extending its tenure, which was to end on November 29, and the committee took a unanimous decision to seek more time despite Pal's earlier assertion that he was ready with the draft report.
He has asserted that he has accommodated the views of every opposition member, rejecting their allegation of "bulldozing" the proceedings of the panel's meetings.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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Europe
"Insurance Adviser of the Year - Africa" for Advancing Sustainable Development
December 01, 2024
LONDON, United Kingdom, December 1, 2024/APO Group/ -- The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) (https://ICIEC.IsDB.org), a Shariah-based multilateral insurer and member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, is proud to announce its recognition as the "Insurance Adviser of the Year - Africa" at the prestigious IJInvestor Awards 2024. This honor highlights ICIEC’s role in advancing impactful initiatives that drive sustainable development and improve lives across Africa.
The award acknowledges ICIEC’s pivotal contributions to two transformative projects. In Côte d’Ivoire, ICIEC partnered with AfDB to provide €194 million in insurance support for financing ESG projects. The facility will fund initiatives in renewable energy, education, pollution control, biodiversity conservation, health infrastructure, and sustainable water management, aligning with Côte d’Ivoire’s Sustainable Framework.
In Senegal, ICIEC and Standard Chartered signed a €103 million insurance agreement to support the government’s initiative to install 50,000 off-grid solar streetlamps in rural areas. This milestone advances renewable energy adoption, enhancing safety, boosting economic activities, and reducing carbon emissions while improving life quality in rural communities.
Commenting on the recognition, Dr. Khalid Khalafalla, Officer-in-Charge of ICIEC, said:
"This award underscores ICIEC’s commitment to enabling development that transforms lives and builds resilience in our member states. By facilitating innovative and impactful projects, we reaffirm our dedication to advancing sustainable growth and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals."
This milestone reflects ICIEC’s leadership in leveraging Shariah-compliant insurance to catalyze development and empower member states to create lasting positive change.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).
Source:africa-newsroom.com
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https://www.africa-newsroom.com/press/the-islamic-corporation-for-the-insurance-of-investment-and-export-credit-iciec-awarded-insurance-adviser-of-the-year-africa-for-advancing-sustainable-development?lang=en
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EU state’s PM slams attempts to scuttle his visit to Moscow
1 Dec, 2024
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused the opposition in his country of attempting to use the European Parliament to thwart his visit to Moscow next year for the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazism.
Earlier this week, Fico announced that he had accepted an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to travel to Moscow in May 2025. The visit would be the first by a Slovak government official since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, and has sparked significant backlash from Slovak politicians and EU lawmakers.
“Opposition MPs tried, with the help of the European Parliament, to derail my plans to visit the Russian Federation, but they get wrong with reality,” Fico said, emphasizing that no one could tell the prime minister of a sovereign country where to go or not go.
“Victory over fascism would have been impossible without the former Soviet Union,” he concluded.
Fico’s plans have drawn sharp criticism from Michal Simecka, the leader of the largest opposition party in Slovakia’s parliament, who labeled the plan “a huge disgrace.”
On Thursday, lawmakers in the European Parliament addressed the issue of Fico’s proposed visit. However, a resolution condemning the trip was not put to a vote, as it was introduced as part of a broader debate on support for Ukraine and the issue of Russia’s cooperation with North Korea.
Fico’s perspective on relations with the Kremlin diverges significantly from most Western nations, which are backing Kiev in its armed conflict with Moscow. The United States and its allies have notably avoided engaging with Russia during significant commemorations, including the Allied landing in Normandy in June and the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet troops in January.
The Kremlin has long accused the West of distorting historical narratives to further its geopolitical goals and appease sentiment in the Baltic states, which regard local militias that allied with the Axis powers during World War II as national heroes in their fight against the USSR.
Fico has been vocally critical of the West’s handling of the Ukraine conflict, particularly regarding efforts to isolate Russia. His planned trip to Moscow follows a visit by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in July, coinciding with Hungary’s EU presidency, which also faced substantial criticism from other EU member states.
Source:rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/608511-fico-scuttle-visit-moscow-putin/
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Ukrainians could disappear – top Kiev expert
1 Dec, 2024
The Ukrainian ethnos could be extinct in less than two centuries, Olga Bogomolets, a renowned Ukrainian medical expert, warned this week. Extremely low birth rates and high mortality could lead to the nationality’s demise in about 180 years, she said. Bogomolets holds a post-doctoral degree in medicine, as well as the title ‘distinguished physician of Ukraine’.
According to the expert, the nation is facing an “insane, catastrophic” rise in mortality rates combined with a continued decline in the number of newborns.
“If this model persists, without even taking into account the war-associated losses and emigration… With just such a birth rate and mortality, the Ukrainian nation will be reduced to nothing in 180 years,” Bogomolets told the Vechir.Live show, which aired on YouTube.
The country has only six generations’ time to reverse the trend, the health professional warned. Otherwise, “zero [Ukrainians] will remain,” she said, adding that the territory of Ukraine would be inhabited by some other people “who will no longer be Ukrainians.”
The conflict with Moscow has taken a heavy toll. Ukrainian military losses alone have amounted to more than half a million since February 2022, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Around 6.6 million people had fled the country as of July 2024, according to German data aggregator Statista.
The Ukrainian media has reported that the country’s population could have fallen by a whopping 10 million over almost three years of fighting, considering both conflict-linked losses and emigration. A quarter of Ukrainians who fled abroad also have no interest in going back, the news outlets said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) currently estimates Ukraine’s population at just over 37.7 million people as of 2023, down from 44.3 million in 2021 and almost 50 million in 2000. The international body says that number was in steady decline even before the conflict with Russia, and is projected to fall further to less than 32 million by 2050.
In October, Florence Bauer, the Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), described the situation in Ukraine as a “demographic crisis,” explaining that “the birth rate plummeted to one child per woman – the lowest fertility rate in Europe and one of the lowest in the world.” She added that the nation’s population had declined by over 10 million since the start of the 2014 crisis following the Maidan coup in Kiev.
Source:rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/russia/608521-ukrainians-go-extinct-health-expert/
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White House comments on nukes for Ukraine
1 Dec, 2024 '
The US is not considering giving Ukraine nuclear arms, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has said. Last month, a New York Times report claimed that some officials in Washington wanted to arm Kiev with atomic weapons.
Speaking to ABC News on Sunday, Sullivan said that the idea is “not under consideration.”
“What we are doing is surging various conventional capacities to Ukraine so that they can effectively defend themselves and take the fight to the Russians, not [giving them] nuclear capability,” he told the network.
Less than two weeks earlier, the New York Times claimed that President Joe Biden “could allow Ukraine to have nuclear weapons again, as it did before the fall of the Soviet Union,” citing anonymous US officials.
The newspaper described the prospect of a nuclear-armed Ukraine as “an instant and enormous deterrent” to Russia, but noted that “such a step would be complicated and have serious implications.”
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev spelled out some of these implications, warning that “transferring such weapons may be considered as the launch of an attack against our country” in accordance with Russia’s recently revised nuclear doctrine.
Russia’s nuclear doctrine allows for the use of atomic weapons in the event of a first nuclear strike on its territory or infrastructure, or if Russia’s sovereignty or territorial integrity is critically threatened by either nuclear or conventional weapons. The most recent iteration of the doctrine also allows Moscow to treat an attack by a non-nuclear state backed by a nuclear power as equivalent to direct nuclear aggression.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the report as the “absolutely irresponsible deliberations by people who probably have a poor understanding…of reality, and who do not feel a shred of responsibility” for the consequences of their proposals.
Ukraine was left with around 1,700 nuclear warheads after the collapse of the Soviet Union. While this stockpile technically made Ukraine the world’s third-largest nuclear power, the weapons themselves remained under the operational control of Russia, and were surrendered under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. This agreement involved the US, UK, and Russia providing security assurances to Kiev in return for the removal of the arms.
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has expressed regret that his country surrendered its nuclear weapons, declaring in 2022 that Kiev had “every right” to reverse the decision. Back in October, he declared that has only two options to ensure its security: join NATO or obtain nuclear weapons. He later clarified that he considers NATO membership his only choice.
A month later, however, a Ukrainian military think tank called on Zelensky to raid the country’s nuclear reactors for the plutonium needed to craft a “simple atomic bomb,” like the one the US dropped on Nagasaki during the Second World War. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that Kiev would not heed this advice, and does not intend to acquire nuclear weapons.
Source:rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/608516-sullivan-nuclear-weapons-ukraine/
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South Asia
Govt Has 'Hijacked The Judiciary': Bangladesh Awami League
Dec 1, 2024
Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Joint General Secretary of the Bangladesh Awami League, strongly condemned and protested the acquittal of all individuals sentenced to death and life imprisonment in the cases filed in connection to the August 21 grenade attack.
"Today's verdict proves that the government has completely hijacked the judiciary," he said in a statement today.
Mahbubul Alam Hanif said, "We have seen the practical implementation of Dr Yunus's 'reset button' through this verdict. He wanted to erase everything from our memories. This is a part of the ongoing conspiracy to completely erase an incident like the horrific massacre of August 21."
"This farcical verdict is a disgrace to the nation, despite having clear and specific evidence. In November 2008, Mufti Abdul Hannan, a leader of Harkat-ul-Jihad, was arrested. In his statement presented to the court, Hannan confessed that with the assistance of top figures in the BNP-Jamaat government, he carried out the grenade attack on the Awami League rally," he stated.
"The High Court has acquitted all those sentenced to death and life imprisonment in the August 21 grenade attack cases. What does this imply? Did nothing happen on August 21 in this country," the statement said.
"Were the Argus grenades brought from Pakistan simply dropped from the sky onto the Awami League rally? Did 24 people lose their lives and 500 others get injured just by chance?"
"Today's verdict once again demonstrates that this government has completely held the judiciary hostage. The culture of impunity and mob justice prevalent in the country will soon demand a heavy price," he added.
The Bangladesh Awami League strongly condemns and protests this verdict, Mahbubul Alam Hanif said in the statement.
Source:thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/govt-has-hijacked-the-judiciary-3766021
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Deputy PM Mawlawi Hanafi Explores Bukhara’s Cultural Ties During Uzbekistan Visit
2024-12-02
KABUL(BNA): Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, continued his official visit to Uzbekistan by exploring the cultural and historical landmarks of Bukhara province.
According to a statement from ARG, Mawlawi Hanafi also met with the Governor of Bukhara, Batur Zarifov. During their meeting, Zarifov highlighted the strong cultural and historical ties between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, emphasizing that these shared legacies could further strengthen bilateral relations under the leadership of both nations.
Mawlawi Hanafi expressed gratitude for Uzbekistan’s hospitality and acknowledged the two countries’ shared Islamic cultural and historical significance. He noted that leveraging these commonalities could enhance mutual ties to an unprecedented level.
It is worth mentioning that earlier, Mawlawi Hanafi held meetings with several senior Uzbek officials as part of his ongoing visit.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/deputy-pm-mawlawi-hanafi-explores-bukharas-cultural-ties-during-uzbekistan-visit/
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Qatar Vows to Aid Afghanistan in Cultural Restoration Efforts
2024-12-02
KABUL(BNA): Mawlawi Atiqullah Azizi, Deputy Minister of Art and Culture at the Ministry of Information and Culture, recently met with Mardif Al-Qeshouti, Counselor at the Qatari Embassy in Kabul, to discuss efforts to enhance Afghanistan’s cultural and historical foundations over the past three years.
According to a statement from Bakhtar News Agency, Deputy Minister Azizi highlighted Afghanistan’s rich heritage in historical and artistic artifacts. He expressed Afghanistan’s readiness for collaboration in Islamic architecture, calligraphy, miniature art, museums, and joint exhibitions, emphasizing the significance of research and mutual understanding in these areas.
Counselor Al-Qeshouti conveyed Qatar’s commitment to supporting Afghanistan’s cultural and artistic progress, describing it as both a religious and humanitarian duty. He stated that Qatar is prepared to play a significant role in the preservation and reconstruction of Afghanistan’s cultural and historical landmarks, based on a bilateral agreement to strengthen cultural cooperation between the two nations.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/qatar-vows-to-aid-afghanistan-in-cultural-restoration-efforts/
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Afghan cleric urges migrants not to be used in Syria War for Iran
By Fidel Rahmati
December 2, 2024
Ayatollah Rahimi Sighani Bamiyani, a Shiite cleric from Afghanistan, criticized some Afghan migrants in Iran for wanting to join the war in Syria. In response to requests from Afghan migrants to participate, he argued that their involvement in the Syrian conflict is not “jihad” but “aggression.”
In a video message released on Sunday, Ayatollah Bamiyani expressed discontent with Iran’s treatment of Afghan migrants, stating, “Iran uses helpless Afghan migrants as fuel for its fires and then casts them aside, labeling them as spies, looters, stateless, and terrorists.”
With the onset of the Syrian war, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) established the Fatemiyoun Brigade, made up of Afghan Shiite migrants, to support Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
In recent days, the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham managed to capture Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest province. It is anticipated that the Islamic Republic of Iran will send military advisors and loyal Shiite militias to defend Assad’s government.
As the war in Syria escalated once again, Ayatollah Bamiyani noted that Afghan migrants in Iran were asking whether they could participate in the conflict. He replied, “No Afghan has the right to jeopardize Afghanistan’s national interests for the benefit of foreign powers.”
He further told migrants in Iran, “You no longer have the right to form the Fatemiyoun or Zainabiyoun brigades.”
Describing the Fatemiyoun Brigade as “fuel for Iran’s fires,” Ayatollah Bamiyani asked, “You who speak of jihad, which jihad are you talking about? Jihad has its own rules. It’s not about blindly following anyone who raises the flag of Islam. This is not jihad, this is aggression.”
He pointed out that Afghan youth, lured by promises of jihad, were exploited by others to form these militias, with around 15,000 young Afghan men killed in Syria. He also mentioned how many remain missing or maimed due to their involvement.
Ayatollah Bamiyani warned that Afghan participation in the Syrian war would provoke other nations against Afghanistan. He expressed concern that it could have long-lasting diplomatic and security consequences for his country.
Additionally, Ayatollah Bamiyani accused the Iranian government of racism, alleging that Iran has cultivated a culture of hostility towards migrants, particularly Afghans. He pointed out that the Iranian regime had shifted blame for various issues, from natural disasters to economic hardship, onto Afghan migrants.
He lamented, “The fate of Afghan migrants in Iran is nothing but sorrow, poverty, and suffering,” and raised concerns about the mysterious deaths of many Afghan migrants in Iran. He criticized Iran for restricting Afghan movement and expelling their children from schools, questioning why Iran treated Afghan migrants with such disdain if they truly valued them.
Ayatollah Bamiyani’s statements reflect deep frustration over the exploitation of Afghan migrants by both Iran and external powers. His call for Afghan migrants to reject participation in foreign conflicts, particularly Syria, aims to protect Afghanistan’s sovereignty and prevent further suffering for the Afghan people.
Source:khaama.com
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Bangladesh Chief Justice Calls Special Meeting Of SC Judges
Dec 1, 2024
Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed has called a special meeting of judges of both the Appellate and High Court Divisions of the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
The meeting is scheduled to be held at 4:00pm at the Judges' Lounge of the main building of the Supreme Court, a notification issued by the SC administration today.
The notification has not mentioned the agenda of the meeting.
However, an official at the SC registrar general's office told The Daily Star that issue for declaring the official residence of the chief justice at 19 Hare Road in Dhaka might be discussed at the special meeting.
Source:thedailystar.net
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China Confirms Second Aid Package of 100 Million Yuan for Afghanistan
2024-12-01
KABUL(BNA): Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, the Acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, met today with Mr. Zhao Xing, the Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan, in his office.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, the discussion focused on the delivery and logistics of the second batch of aid, valued at 100 million yuan, provided by China.
During the meeting, Minister Haqqani thanked China for its assistance, emphasizing the increased needs of refugees with the onset of winter. He urged for the timely delivery of the aid to address these urgent requirements.
The Chinese Ambassador assured that the technical preparations for the second batch of aid have been completed. He confirmed that the transfer process will commence by the end of this month after the administrative formalities are finalized.
Both sides also stressed the importance of coordination and cooperation to better address the challenges faced by refugees.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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Uzbekistan’s Deputy PM Assures Readiness for Joint Cooperation with Afghanistan
2024-12-01
KABUL(BNA): Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Jamshid Khodjaev, reaffirmed his country’s readiness for joint collaboration across various sectors with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan during a meeting with Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs.
According to a statement from ARG, the meeting took place yesterday, Saturday where Mr. Khodjaev warmly welcomed Mawlawi Hanafi and his accompanying delegation. He expressed Uzbekistan’s willingness to cooperate in fields such as mining, trade, agricultural development, and facilitating the transportation and transit of goods.
Highlighting the growth of bilateral trade, Khodjaev mentioned the establishment of the Termez Trade Center as a significant achievement in fostering economic relations between the two nations.
Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi appreciated Uzbekistan’s support and stressed the historical and amicable ties between the two countries. He emphasized the Islamic Emirate’s intent to further strengthen these ties and welcomed Uzbekistan’s investments in Afghanistan, assuring necessary facilities for traders and investors.
Previously, Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister, Abdulla Aripov, also expressed interest in collaborating on Afghanistan’s mining sector and facilitating the transit of goods to other nations.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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North America
Hunter Biden's pardon shows rulebook being rewritten
2 Dec, 2024
Anthony Zurcher
Joe Biden had repeatedly denied that he was going to pardon his son Hunter for his gun and tax evasion convictions or commute what was shaping up to be a substantive prison sentence.
On the Sunday evening after Thanksgiving – at a moment when the American public’s attention was decidedly elsewhere – he announced he had changed his mind.
“There has been an effort to break Hunter - who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution,” he wrote in a press statement announcing his decision. “In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me - and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.”
The president’s explanation might sound familiar to anyone who has listened to Donald Trump rail against America’s system of justice in recent years.
Trump, as he exited the White House in 2021, issued a series of pardons for his close associates and allies who had been swept up in the multiple criminal investigations that encircled him throughout his presidential term. In doing so, he bypassed established White House procedures for exercising the broad presidential pardon power. And although he was criticised for the action at the time, there were little if any political consequences.
Biden may be criticised as well – for breaking his promise and for using his presidential power to protect his son. One Democratic governor, Jared Polis of Colorado, quickly released a statement saying he was “disappointed” and that the move would “tarnish” the outgoing president’s reputation.
With Biden’s political career drawing to a close, however, there is little price he will pay for his action. The national attention will quickly shift back to the incoming Trump presidency.
The rules governing presidential pardoning – or at the very least the processes and established guardrails that had guided its use – appear to have been fundamentally and permanently altered. At this point there may be scarce grounds for anyone to complain, no matter on which side of the political aisle they stand.
The Trump camp was quick to issue a response to the news of the Biden pardon, saying that the president-elect would fix the US justice system and restore due process in his second term.
It’s something to keep in mind when Trump returns to office, as he is expected to again use his pardoning power to aid associates who have been prosecuted during the Biden presidency – and to free many of his supporters who have been convicted during the 6 January 2021 assault on the US Capitol.
Source:bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gplr65prno
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Trump threatens 100% tariff on Brics nations if they try to replace dollar
2 Dec, 2024
Holly Honderich
US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariffs on a bloc of nine nations if they were to create a rival currency to the US dollar.
"The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER," Trump wrote on social media on Saturday.
Major world powers China and Russia are part of the Brics alliance, along with Brazil, India, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates.
During the US election, Trump campaigned on implementing widespread tariffs. He has escalated threats of steep levies in recent days.
This latest message from Trump, who will take office next year on 20 January, was aimed at the Brics, a bloc of mostly emerging economies.
Leading politicians in Brazil and Russia have suggested creating a Brics currency to reduce the US dollar's dominance in global trade. But internal disagreement has slowed any progress.
“We require a commitment from these countries that they will neither create a new Brics currency nor back any other currency to replace the mighty US dollar or they will face 100% tariffs and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful US economy,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
"They can go find another sucker," he said.
But some Trump allies have suggested his recent announcements have been negotiation tactics, meant as more of an opening bid than a promise.
Asked about the president-elect's proposed use of tariffs, Republican Senator Ted Cruz responded by noting the "importance of leverage".
"You look at the threat of tariffs against Mexico and Canada, immediately has produced action," the Texan said on CBS News' Face the Nation on Sunday.
On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an unscheduled trip to Trump's Florida estate Mar-a-Lago, seemingly to head off a potential 25% tariff on Canadian goods heading south.
Trump's pick for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, has previously suggested that the president-elect's threats to impose major tariff hikes were part of his negotiating strategy.
“My general view is that at the end of the day, he's a free trader," Bessent said of Trump in an interview with the Financial Times before he was nominated for the role.
“It’s escalate to de-escalate.”
How do tariffs work?
A tariff is a domestic tax levied on goods as they enter the country, proportional to the value of the import. So a car imported to the US with a value of $50,000 subject to a 25% tariff, would face a $12,500 charge.
Tariffs are a central part of Trump's economic vision - he sees them as a way of growing the US economy, protecting jobs and raising tax revenue.
He has previously claimed that these taxes are "not going to be a cost to you, it’s a cost to another country".
This is almost universally regarded by economists as misleading.
The charge is physically paid by the domestic company that imports the goods, not the foreign company that exports them.
So, in that sense, it is a straightforward tax paid by domestic US firms to the US government.
Trump imposed a number of tariffs in his first term of office, many of which have been kept in place by his successor, President Joe Biden. Economic studies suggest most of the economic burden was ultimately borne by US consumers.
Source:bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgrwj0p2dd9o
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Trump slams ‘shocking’ pardon of Hunter Biden
2 Dec, 2024
US President-elect Donald Trump and congressional Republicans have blasted outgoing President Joe Biden for pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of tax evasion and illegally purchasing a gun. The sentencing in both cases had been scheduled for this month.
Despite saying publicly that he would not interfere in his son’s cases, the president went back on his word and announced the pardon on Sunday evening. He labelled the convictions “a miscarriage of justice,” arguing that Hunter Biden had been “singled out” because of his ties to the president.
According to a statement from the White House, the pardon applies to all offenses that were or may have been committed between January 1, 2014 and December 1, 2024. This period covers accusations by Republicans that Hunter Biden acted as “a bagman” on behalf of his father during allegedly illicit business dealings in China and Ukraine. The president and his son have denied the claims.
The Republicans, who have long accused the Biden administration of politically motivated prosecutions, condemned the pardon.
“The failed witch hunts against President Trump have proven that the Democrat-controlled DOJ and other radical prosecutors are guilty of weaponizing the justice system,” Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung, said in a statement.
“That system of justice must be fixed and due process must be restored for all Americans, which is exactly what President Trump will do as he returns to the White House with an overwhelming mandate from the American people,” he added.
Trump compared the treatment of the president’s son to the prosecution of his own supporters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, hoping to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. “Does the pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of justice!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Many top Republicans in Congress were appalled, with Senator Chuck Grassley saying he was “shocked” by Biden’s decision.
“This pardon is Joe Biden’s admission that Hunter is a criminal,” Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X. Congressman Andy Biggs claimed that “Joe Biden will go down as one of the most corrupt presidents in American history.”
“This is an outrageous abuse of the rule of law – all to protect the Biden family business of selling access and influence,” Senator Josh Hawley wrote on X.
The Republican-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Accountability released a statement, saying “Joe Biden’s unprecedented abuse of power has been a stain on the honor of the US presidency.”
Source:rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/608538-trump-slams-hunter-biden-pardon/
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Mideast
International Union Of Muslim Scholars Body Calls For Supporting Gaza Against Israeli Genocide, Reconstruction Of Lebanon
02.12.2024
The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) called Sunday for supporting the Lebanese people in reconstruction efforts while stressing the importance of continued support for Gaza.
This came in a statement issued after IUMS’ Board of Trustees meeting on Saturday and Sunday in the Qatari capital Doha.
The statement urged "the scholars of the Muslim Ummah, its elites and components to fulfill their roles and strengthen their presence in advancing the Islamic civilizational project."
It emphasized "preserving the shared values among peoples of diverse cultures which protect humanity, dignity and innate human nature."
IUMS expressed "its dissatisfaction and sorrow over the state of numerous Islamic and other societies, marked by conflicts, wars, hatred and the violation of innate values and principles."
It also strongly condemned "the crime of the century represented by the brutal (Israeli) genocide targeting people…in Gaza and Palestine."
IUMS called for "the formation of an international investigation committee into the use of internationally prohibited weapons by the Israeli occupation during the war (genocide) in Gaza, particularly in the last fifty days when criminal weapons were employed to incinerate and vaporize bodies to conceal the crime."
The Board of Trustees decided to "continue supporting and endorsing the Palestinian cause, especially in Gaza, giving greater attention to meeting basic needs such as food, medicine, clothing and shelter."
Regarding Lebanon, IUMS affirmed "its solidarity with the Lebanese people in their defense of sovereignty and land against the Zionist (Israeli) aggression."
It also called for "supporting the Lebanese people, extending a helping hand, and advocating for reconstruction and compensation for those affected."
On developments in Syria, it noted that it "is closely following the rapidly unfolding events in Syria and their potential outcomes, praying to Allah to protect the Syrian people from harm and malice, to grant them their aspirations, security, stability and territorial unity and to support their legitimate demands."
The Arab region is witnessing significant developments that have drawn global attention, starting with the ongoing Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip, the security situation in Lebanon amid Israeli violations of a cease-fire agreement more than a year after confrontations, and culminating in a military operation launched by armed opposition factions in Syria against the Bashar al-Assad regime’s forces. These factions have succeeded in fully controlling Idlib province and most parts of Aleppo province.
Source:aa.com.tr
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/muslim-scholars-body-calls-for-supporting-gaza-against-israeli-genocide-reconstruction-of-lebanon/3410501
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Iran president calls for Islamic countries’ cooperation to help Syria defeat terror groups
Dec 1, 2024
Pezeshkian made the comment on Saturday evening in a phone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani. They discussed the latest developments in the West Asia region, including in Syria where government forces have been fighting terrorist groups who launched an attack in the north of the country on Wednesday.
President Pezeshkian said that the protection of the territorial integrity of regional countries, including Syria, is among Iran’s strategies concerning the region.
Iran is ready for cooperation on confronting the ongoing terrorist activities in Syria with the aim of protecting regional security, Pezeshkian said, emphasizing the need for integration and cohesion among Islamic countries to help Syria overcome the terrorists.
He said that the latest developments in Syria have caused serious concern about regional security at a time when the region was moving towards relative tranquility following the ceasefire in Lebanon, and all eyes were on Gaza.
“Such incidents are part of vicious plots by the Zionist regime to spread insecurity, disputes and conflict inside Islamic countries”, Pezeshkian said, calling for joint efforts by Islamic nations to prevent the spread of such terror activities.
The Iraqi prime minister also said that the latest terrorist activities in Syria are an attempt by the Israeli regime to cause harm to Syria’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“These incidents have doubled the necessity of diplomatic efforts by the global community and regional countries to prevent the spread and infiltration of terrorists; otherwise, global peace and security will face serious dangers”, Al Sudani said.
He also announced Iraq’s readiness to help confront terrorist groups, saying that Baghdad is engaged in constant efforts with regional leaders to create a common ground for confronting terrorism.
“We believe that all regional countries, in order to prevent the spread of terrorism, should make efforts on the same front to restore stability and security to Syria”, he added.
Source:irna.ir
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https://en.irna.ir/news/85676957/Iran-president-calls-for-Islamic-countries-cooperation-to-help
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Airstrikes in northwestern Syria kill 25 people, says Syria’s White Helmets
December 02, 2024
DAMASCUS: The Syrian rescue service known as the White Helmets said early on Monday on X that at least 25 people have been killed in northwestern Syria in airstrikes carried out by the Syrian government and Russia on Sunday.
Source:arabnews.com
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C-in-C of the Iraqi Armed Forces Chairs Emergency Meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security
Dec 1, 2024
Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stressed today, Sunday, the necessity of making maximum efforts to confront security challenges, noting that Iraq's security is one of the government's most important priorities, and any threat that could affect the country's territory and sovereignty will be confronted.
The media office of the Prime Minister said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): that “Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani chaired an emergency meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security today, Sunday. The meeting addressed the overall security situation and recent developments in the region, particularly the unfolding events in the Syrian Arab Republic. His Excellency received a detailed briefing on the situation inside Syria following the takeover of several areas by terrorist groups.”
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces also listened to a comprehensive report from the Commander of the Border Forces regarding the conditions and fortifications along the Iraqi-Syrian border. He commended the measures implemented to secure Iraq’s international borders and emphasized the need for continued vigilance in border security, intensification of intelligence efforts, and monitoring of movements by terrorist groups within Syrian territory. Al-Sudani directed all security leaders to maintain a strong field presence and closely follow developments in their areas of responsibility, particularly along shared borders.
On another key issue, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces underscored the importance of maintaining preemptive operations and pursuing the remaining elements of terrorist groups. He praised recent achievements in eliminating ISIS leaders and operatives and called for maximum efforts to address security challenges. He reiterated that ensuring Iraq’s security remains a top priority for the government and vowed to confront any threat to the country’s sovereignty and territory.
The Ministerial Council for National Security also emphasized the need for a unified national discourse and urged all media outlets to ensure accuracy in their reporting, avoiding the spread of rumors that could undermine internal security and destabilize the country.
Source:ina.iq
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Britain ups Gaza aid ahead of donor conference
December 02, 2024
LONDON: Britain will provide an additional 19 million pounds ($24 million) in humanitarian aid to Gaza, the international development minister said Monday, calling for Israel to give greater access ahead of a key conference on the conflict.
“Gazans are in desperate need of food, and shelter with the onset of winter,” the minister, Anneliese Dodds, said in a statement as she headed for a three-day visit to the region, including an international conference in Cairo Monday on the Gaza Strip’s aid needs.
“The Cairo conference will be an opportunity to get leading voices in one room and put forward real-world solutions to the humanitarian crisis,” she added.
“Israel must immediately act to ensure unimpeded aid access to Gaza.”
Aid organizations accuse Israel of preventing trucks from entering Gaza in large enough numbers to alleviate a humanitarian crisis in the war-torn territory.
The new UK funding will be split into 12 million pounds for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Food Programme (WFP), and seven million pounds for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), the statement said.
UNRWA announced Sunday it had halted the delivery of aid through the key Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza because of safety fears, saying the situation had become “impossible.”
Britain has committed to spending a total of 99 million pounds this year in humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories, the government said.
After Dodds’s Cairo stop, the minister is to travel to the Palestinian territories and Israel.
Islamist militant group Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 resulted in the death of 1,207 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures, which includes hostages killed in captivity.
Israel responded with a military offensive that has killed at least 44,429 in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the UN considers reliable.
Source:arabnews.com
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In Blinken call, Turkiye backs moves to ease Syria tension
December 02, 2024
ISTANBUL: Turkiye’s top diplomat and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Sunday about the “rapidly developing” conflict in Syria where militants have made gains.
Blinken and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed by telephone “the need for de-escalation and the protection of civilian lives and infrastructure in Aleppo and elsewhere,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
The call came after Syrian militants and their Turkish-backed allies launched their biggest offensive in years, seizing control of Syria’s second-largest city Aleppo from forces loyal to President Bashar Assad.
According to a Turkish foreign ministry source, Fidan told Blinken Ankara was “against any development that would increase instability in the region” and said Turkiye would “support moves to reduce the tension in Syria.”
He also said “the political process between the regime and the opposition should be finalized” to ensure peace in Syria while insisting that Ankara would “never allow terrorist activities against Turkiye nor against Syrian civilians.”
The flareup has also seen pro-Turkish militant groups attacking government forces and Kurdish People’s Defense Units (YPG) fighters in and around Aleppo, a Syrian war monitor said.
Turkiye sees the YPG as an offshoot of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has led a decades-long insurgency against Ankara.
The Syria offensive began Wednesday, the same day a truce between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah came into effect.
More than 400 people have so far been killed in the offensive, most of them combatants, a Syrian war monitor said.
The State Department said the two also discussed “humanitarian efforts in Gaza and the need to bring the war to an end” as well as efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Fidan said Israel “should keep its promises in order for the Lebanon ceasefire to become permanent” and called for a ceasefire in Gaza “as soon as possible.”
The pair also discussed Ukraine and South Caucasus, the source said.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2581449/middle-east
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Russia says helping Syrian army ‘repel’ insurgents in three northern provinces
December 01, 2024
MOSCOW: Russia on Sunday said it was helping the Syrian army “repel” armed insurgents in three northern provinces, as Moscow seeks to support the government led by its ally Bashar al-Assad.
An Islamist-dominated militant alliance launched an offensive against the Syrian government on Wednesday, with Syrian forces losing control of the city of Aleppo on Sunday, according to a war monitor.
“The Syrian Arab Army, with the assistance of the Russian Aerospace Forces, is continuing its operation to repel terrorist aggression in the provinces of Idlib, Hama and Aleppo,” the Russian military said in a briefing on its website.
“Over the past day, missile and bombing strikes were carried out on places where militants and equipment were gathered,” it said in the same briefing, without saying where or by whom.
It said at least “320 militants were destroyed.”
Russia announced earlier this week that it was bombing militant targets in the war-torn country, with Russian warplanes striking parts of Aleppo — Syria’s second city — for the first time since 2016, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Moscow is Syrian leader Assad’s most important military backer, having turned the tide of the civil war in his favor when it intervened in 2015.
Source:arabnews.com
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Jordan’s crown prince, Princess Rajwa visit speech therapy center in Amman
December 01, 2024
AMMAN: Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, and Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein on Sunday visited the Seeds of Hope Center in Amman, which specializes in treating speech and language disorders in children and adults.
The royal couple, who welcomed their first child this year, toured the facility, which houses Jordan’s only space designed to provide multi-sensory experiences aimed at promoting relaxation and sensory integration. The visit also included a look at the center’s gym which is tailored to improve therapy outcomes for patients, the Jordan News Agency reported.
Aya Al-Jazi, the center’s director, briefed the couple on the facility’s services, which include evaluation and treatment of speech, language, and voice disorders, as well as support for swallowing difficulties.
Rehabilitation services are complemented by educational workshops and training programs for caregivers, schools, medical staff, and students.
The Seeds of Hope Center also leads social media awareness campaigns on hearing, speech, and rehabilitation sciences, aiming to foster deeper understanding.
The facility stresses practical skill-building and offers activities in art, cooking, and movement to help individuals of all ages develop independence and contribute actively to society.
The crown prince and princess thanked the center’s staff for their work in empowering individuals through specialized care and community-focused initiatives.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2581419/middle-east
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Arab World
Prominent artworks at Riyadh Metro stations blend daily life, creativity
December 01, 2024
RIYADH: Riyadh Art, one of the world’s largest public art programs, has unveiled four monumental public artworks with the launch of the Riyadh Metro, transforming stations into cultural landmarks, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
At the King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station, designed by the internationally acclaimed Zaha Hadid Architects, Alexander Calder’s “Janey Waney” takes center stage.
The lofty and colorful sculpture exemplifies Calder’s pioneering spirit in kinetic art, creating a dynamic and engaging experience for visitors.
Nearby, Robert Indiana’s “LOVE (Red Outside Blue Inside)” — one of the world’s most recognizable artworks — captivates visitors with its vibrant interplay of color and universal themes of connection and hope.
Together, these masterpieces transform the daily commute into a celebration of art, architecture and creativity.
At the Qasr Al-Hokm Downtown Metro Station, designed by the renowned architectural firm Snohetta, Ugo Rondinone’s “The Sun” makes a striking golden centerpiece, symbolizing energy and renewal.
Complementing this is Zaman Jassim’s “When the Moon is Full,” a reflective and poetic piece inspired by Riyadh’s cultural heritage.
“These permanent artworks embody our vision of transforming Riyadh into an open-air gallery that enriches the quality of life and fosters a deeper connection between people and art,” said architect Khalid Al-Hazani, executive director of Riyadh Art.
“By collaborating with some of the most creative minds of our time, we’re not just adding art to public spaces — we’re creating cultural landmarks that inspire and engage generations,” he added.
Led by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, Riyadh Art is championing cultural innovation and economic diversification, and positioning the Kingdom’s capital as a global center for contemporary art and culture.
Since its launch in 2019, Riyadh Art has seamlessly integrated art into the urban fabric, displaying over 500 artworks by more than 500 local and international artists, hosting more than 6,000 community engagement activities, and engaging more than 6 million visitors.
As the program continues to expand, the number of artworks and initiatives is expected to grow significantly, fostering a sense of community, enriching the city’s identity, and elevating Riyadh’s standing as a global arts destination.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2581400/saudi-arabia
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Saudi envoy attends Palestine solidarity event at Arab League HQ in Cairo
December 01, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the Arab League, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Matar, attended an event marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People at the organization’s headquarters in Cairo on Sunday.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, also attended, as did Saeed Abu Ali, an assistant on the Palestinian issue to Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, among other Arab ministers and officials.
They confirmed full solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle to achieve their legitimate rights of freedom and independence, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Aboul Gheit said Israeli actions in the Occupied Territories aim “at ending the Palestinian presence, liquidating the project of the Palestinian state, and forced displacement, by making the life of Palestinian society ... impossible.”
The Arab League honored UNRWA during a ceremony for its vital work in delivering aid and securing shelter for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People has been organized by the UN since 1977.
Events worldwide, including at the UN headquarters in New York, are planned yearly on Nov. 29.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2581437/saudi-arabia
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Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats discuss cooperation in Riyadh
December 01, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats held a round of political consultations and talks in the ministry of foreign affairs’ official diwan in Riyadh on Sunday to discuss cooperation in various fields.
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji chaired the meeting with the Ethiopian delegation led by Mesganu Arga Moach, the state minister of foreign affairs at the foreign ministry in Addis Ababa, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The two sides discussed the latest developments in regional and international affairs, ways to strengthen cooperation, and the friendly relationship between Riyadh and Addis Ababa.
In August, the two countries established the Saudi-Ethiopian Business Council to strengthen economic ties and enhance trade and investment opportunities for the period 2024 to 2028 term.
The meeting on Sunday was attended by Fahad Alhumaydani, the Saudi ambassador to Ethiopia; the director of the general department of expatriate affairs at the foreign ministry, Mohammed Al-Shammari; and the Ethiopian ambassador
Source:arabnews.com
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Deputy foreign minister receives Iranian ambassador to Saudi Arabia
December 01, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji received Iranian Ambassador to the Kingdom Alireza Enayati in Riyadh on Sunday.
The two sides reviewed bilateral relations and ways to enhance them, in addition to discussing topics of common interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Meanwhile, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs branch in Makkah Fareed bin Saad Al-Shehri received Mohamed Rameez, the consul general of the Maldives, in Jeddah on Sunday for friendly talks.
Source:arabnews.com
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King Abdulaziz Camel Festival starts in Al-Sayahid
December 01, 2024
RIYADH: The ninth King Abdulaziz Camel Festival began on Sunday in Al-Sayahid in the southern part of Al-Dahna Desert under the theme “Pride of its People.”
The event continues its mission to preserve and promote the camel as a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s cultural identity, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Camel Club Chairman Fahd bin Falah bin Hathleen said the one-month festival reflects the significant attention the Saudi leadership gives to national heritage.
He added that this year’s edition is set to be the largest and most diverse in the festival’s history, with more activities and participants.
Bin Hathleen said various cultural and heritage activities blending authenticity with innovation will take place, including camel beauty competitions that attract owners and visitors from around the world.
He emphasized cultural attractions such as the Aqilat Museum, which offers insights into the Arabian Peninsula’s history, and exhibitions that celebrate the creativity of Saudi artisans.
Visitors can engage in interactive experiences such as camel riding, milking and feeding.
Bin Hathleen said poetry holds a central role at the festival, with a poetic duel — a prominent traditional art form — expected to captivate enthusiasts in a lively, engaging atmosphere.
There will also be innovative competitions that highlight camel heritage through photography and filmmaking, presented in a contemporary style to appeal to younger generations.
Source:arabnews.com
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Southeast Asia
53 more countries given autogate facility at Malaysia’s entrance
BERNAMA
02-12- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Immigration Department has extended the auto gate facility for its clearance into the country to visitors from 53 more countries, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.
He said they comprised 26 European Union (EU) countries, 17 European countries outside the EU, six Arab countries and four other countries namely Canada, Hong Kong, China and Taiwan.
In total, visitors from 60 countries have been given this auto gate facility for Immigration clearance into Malaysia, he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) who wanted to know measures taken by the government to improve services and the number of automatic passport scanning machines to facilitate the entry of foreign tourists into the country.
Previously, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the facility would allow checks at the entrance to be faster and simplified without compromising on security elements in addressing congestion at the country’s entrance.
According to Shamsul Anuar, there are currently 1,568 units of automatic passport scanning machines at the exit points into Malaysia.
Meanwhile, he said the Home Ministry is considering a new and more efficient system to ensure smooth immigration checks by introducing the use of quick response (QR) codes at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
He said the system is expected to speed up the screening process at the immigration counter with travellers only needing to scan a QR code containing their personal information and travel details.
“The use of this technology is expected to help improve security and reduce congestion at the country’s entrance, especially during peak hours.
“The use of QR codes will be expanded at suitable entry points into the country, including other international airports and checkpoints at land and sea borders,“ he added.
He said the use of the integrated system will not only improve the efficiency of immigration management but also reduce the risk of corruption and power abuse at the immigration counters.
On Nov 18, Saifuddin Nasution was reported as saying that the government would expand the use of QR codes for immigration clearance at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB), both in Johor, for travel in and out of Singapore to all types of transport from next year.
Source:thesun.my
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Malaysia fully supports Timor-Leste’s accession as a permanent ASEAN member - PM Anwar
BERNAMA
02-12- 2024
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia has expressed full support for Timor Leste’s accession as a permanent member of ASEAN.
He said Malaysia looks forward to welcoming Timor-Leste as a permanent member next year when the country assumes the chairmanship of the regional bloc.
“We will do whatever necessary to assist Timor Leste so that the process can be further facilitated and accelerated,“ he said at a joint press conference with his Timor Leste counterpart Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, here, today.
Gusmão, who assumed office in July last year, arrived yesterday for his maiden visit to the country.
Anwar said Malaysia’s full support on the matter was also conveyed to Gusmão during a bilateral meeting, held earlier today.
Timor-Leste is currently awaiting the consensus of ASEAN member states to be accepted as a full member of the regional bloc.
Timor-Leste was recognised as an ASEAN observer state and joined the ASEAN Regional Forum in 2005 before officially applying for membership on March 4, 2011.
In 2022, ASEAN leaders gathered at the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and agreed in principle for Timor-Leste to become the bloc’s 11th member.
Timor-Leste has also been granted observer status to participate in all ASEAN Meetings, including plenary sessions.
Meanwhile, Gusmão expressed gratitude for Malaysia’s commitment to supporting Timor-Leste’s ASEAN accession during its chairmanship in next year.
He said the partnership between the two nations underscored their shared commitment to peace, stability, and development in the region.
“Talking about peace, stability and development, we also expressed our concerns about the continuing suffering of people in Ukraine and Gaza. Together, we will do everything to solve the problem,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of dialogue, tolerance and adherence to international law, noting that while Ukraine’s situation is often framed through international law, the plight of Palestinians in Gaza is ignored.
“Before and after Timor-Leste joints ASEAN, together we will fight for peace in the world,“ said Gusmão.
In a joint statement, Malaysia expressed deep appreciation to Timor-Leste for gifting a parcel of land in Dili to develop its diplomatic premises.
Both leaders welcomed the signing of the Land Concession Agreement by the Foreign Minsiters of both countries and Malaysia looks forward to commencing the development of the embassy complex at the earliest opportunity.
The two leaders also addressed the escalating crisis in Myanmar, reaffirming their commitment to the ASEAN Leaders’ Five-Point Consensus (5PC) as the guiding framework for resolving the political crisis.
They also discussed several regional issues, particularly developments in the South China Sea, emphasising the importance of continued dialogue and peace resolutions based on international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982).
Anwar and Gusmão expressed urgent concern over the ongoing conflict in Gaza, calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and demanded Israel ensure unimpeded humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Both leaders also reaffirmed their support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, based on pre-1967 borders, Palestine’s full United Nations (UN) membership and adherence to relevant UN resolutions.
Source:thesun.my
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Najib begins reading his 525-page witness statement in 1MDB trial, says wasn’t first to wear double PM-MOF hat
By Ida Lim
02 Dec 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today finally started his defence in his trial over 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s (1MDB) RM2 billion funds, and began reading his 525-page witness statement that was prepared while he was in prison.
Today is Najib’s first day testifying as his own defence witness in his 1MDB trial, six years after he was charged with power abuse and money laundering over RM2 billion of 1MDB funds.
Wearing his usual suit and a tie, the 71-year-old Najib walked to the witness stand using a walking aid and took his oath to tell “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” at 10.13am.
Earlier this morning, the prosecution’s deputy public prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar informed the High Court that they had received Najib’s witness statement last Friday at about 5.48pm.
Najib’s lead defence lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah then told the High Court that the defence lawyers had been working under pressure to prepare the witness statement within a months’ time, and said they had to do so under “trying conditions” with time constraints as Najib is currently in prison.
“When we are about to achieve something, it’s time to go back and we can’t get appointments as we like, because of the conditions of the prison. The lawyers themselves are under pressure, then we have to spend our time in prison in the conditions imposed, it’s added pressure as such.
“But I must say the prison has been very kind under the circumstances, so we appreciate that. But nevertheless it was a pressure cooker, so my client has been very busy giving instructions to us. We put documents for him to comment, read, and so on, sometimes we have to leave it overnight with him.
“As such, we got as best as we can, this 525 pages of statement,” Shafee said.
Shafee said the defence team has yet to finalise the number of defence witnesses to be called to testify in Najib’s favour, but said tentatively there would be about 20 defence witnesses including possibly some expert witnesses.
Dual role as PM and finance minister since Tunku Abdul Rahman’s time
In September 2018, Najib, then aged 65, was charged with abusing his power in three roles — as prime minister, finance minister, and 1MDB’s board of advisers’ chairman — over 1MDB matters for his own financial benefit amounting to RM2.27 billion, as well as money laundering over RM2 billion of money belonging to 1MDB.
Today, Najib said he had on April 3, 2009 became the sixth prime minister of Malaysia and had also the same year became Umno president. Najib was prime minister until May 2018.
He said he had been finance minister from 2008 until May 2018.
But Najib said he was not the only person in Malaysia to have held both positions at the same time.
“No, I am neither the only nor the first prime minister of Malaysia to simultaneously hold the position of minister of finance,” he said when reading out his witness statement in a strong and clear voice.
Najib said this practice has a long history in Malaysia, starting with the first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman who held both roles during two periods of his leadership (from 1957 to 1959 and from 1960 to 1962).
Najib said his late father Tun Abdul Razak had also held both positions simultaneously during his tenure from 1970 to 1976: “albeit for a short stint, I don’t think it was the full 1970 to 1976, it was for a brief period.”
“This was later continued by other leaders, including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who briefly assumed the finance portfolio in the 1990s, if I’m not mistaken it was during the Asian Financial Crisis, and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi,” he said, referring to his predecessor Abdullah Ahmad.
“By the way, the practice continues until today, the current prime minister also holds the position of prime minister and minister of finance,” he said, referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The trial before judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah resumes this afternoon.
Source:malaymail.com
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Perak unsold homes drop to 3,039 in 2024 but six projects abandoned, says state exco
By John Bunyan
02 Dec 2024
IPOH, Dec 2 – A total of 4,161 housing properties in Perak were unsold in 2024, according to data from the National Property Information Centre (NAPIC), the State Legislative Assembly was told today.
State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Sandrea Ng Shy Ching said developers should conduct more in-depth market studies to identify the type of housing needed and ensure the prices offered are reasonable to address the issue of unsold properties.
“Developers should bear a significant responsibility to ensure that each development project aligns with the needs and capabilities of the local community.
“It is crucial to be sensitive to these factors to ensure a balance between housing demand and supply and to avoid unsold properties in the future,” she said.
However, Ng added that the latest NAPIC report showed a significant decrease in unsold housing units, from 4,161 units to 3,039 units in the third quarter of 2024.
Ng was responding to a question from Selinsing assemblyman Sallehuddin Abdullah, who asked about unsold housing properties and abandoned housing projects in Perak.
Ng said the state government, through the Perak Housing and Property Board (LPHP), has taken immediate measures to address the issue.
“This includes holding discussions with relevant parties such as NAPIC, the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (REHDA), and local authorities to identify the locations of housing projects.
“Factors contributing to the overhang problem, such as construction location, marketing strategies, the large number of units launched, development concepts, and selling prices, were also identified during the discussions,” she explained.
Ng also noted that there is currently no detailed mechanism to collect data on the number of housing projects sold by districts and house types.
“However, the state government, through LPHP, is actively developing a housing dashboard that will enable more systematic and effective monitoring and analysis of data in the future,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ng said a total of six housing projects have been declared abandoned by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.
“There are two projects in the Kinta district, two in Manjung, one in Kampar, and one in Batang Padang,” she said.
Source:malaymail.com
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Communications minister tables Bill to amend cybercrime laws in Parliament
By Soo Wern Jun
02 Dec 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has today tabled a Bill to amend the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA) “Act 588” for its first reading.
The amendment Bill, among others will focus on addressing aspects of online gambling and scams, cyberbullying and sexual crimes against children.
This will be the first proposal for amendment since the Act was enacted 26 years ago.
The amendment Bill has also proposed to expand the power of Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to issue directions and mandatory standards and to empower the Commission to carry out audits.
It has also proposed to expand the power of the Commission to designate industry forum and to expand the subject matter of voluntary industry codes; to strengthen the regulatory and enforcement powers of the Commission; to promote industry regulation on network security and powers of the Commission to address network security risks; and to prohibit the sending of unsolicited commercial electronic messages.
This Bill, when approved will also empower the minister to make regulations on it, to provide for stricter penalties as deterrent and other related matters.
Source:malaymail.com
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Pakistan
Islamic Climate Finance Presents A Distinctive Approach To Climate Finance By Aligning Ethical Investment Principles
Ahmed Ali Siddiqui
December 2, 2024
Climate change stands as one of the most critical challenges of our era, demanding united efforts and creative solutions. As the world confronts its escalating risks, the urgency to develop innovative and inclusive financial systems has never been greater.
Islamic finance, known for its global reach and its focus on supporting the real economy and sustainable initiatives, presents a distinctive approach to climate finance by aligning ethical investment principles with sustainable development goals.
According to the Islamic Finance Development Report 2024 issued by the London Stock Exchange Group, more than 1,981 institutions now offer Islamic financial services, managing assets worth $4.9 trillion, with a presence spanning 120 countries. Islamic climate finance is gaining recognition as an effective tool in the global effort to address and adapt to the challenges of climate change.
Both the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement emphasise the need for financial support from wealthier nations to assist those who are less resourced and more vulnerable to climate challenges.
The Climate Finance Report 2023 by Climate Policy Initiative highlights that average annual climate finance flows approached $1.3tr in 2022. In fiscal year 2023, the World Bank Group contributed a record $38.6 billion to climate finance. Looking ahead, the annual demand for climate finance is projected to increase significantly, reaching an estimated $9tr by 2030.
Climate finance is essential primarily for mitigation efforts aimed at reducing the emission of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Significant investments are needed to lower emissions, particularly in sectors like energy, transportation, and infrastructure.
Equally important, climate finance supports adaptation measures in industries such as agriculture, water management, waste management, and others. These efforts require substantial funding to address the adverse effects of climate change and minimise its impacts.
Islamic finance is rooted in principles drawn from Islamic commercial law, which prohibits practices such as interest-based transactions, speculation, toxic assets, and gambling. It offers an alternative to conventional finance by promoting risk-sharing, asset-backed trade, rent-based models, and equity investments that focus on profit and loss sharing. This ethical framework encourages stability, transparency, and social responsibility, aligning with the values of social justice while avoiding engagement with unethical or harmful industries.
Islamic finance relies on core instruments such as Sukuk (an Islamic alternative to bonds), Musharakah (equity-based partnerships), Mudarabah (profit-sharing arrangements), trade and rental-based financing, and Waqf (endowments). These tools are structured to uphold fairness, transparency, and social responsibility in financial transactions.
In the realm of climate finance, the principles of Islamic finance align seamlessly with the objectives of sustainable development, positioning it as a natural partner in combating climate change. By prioritising ethical investments and social responsibility, Islamic finance can direct funds toward initiatives that deliver economic returns while creating positive environmental and social outcomes.
Green Sukuk is a Shariah-compliant financial instrument specifically developed to fund environmentally sustainable projects. These can include renewable energy initiatives, energy efficiency improvements, and sustainable infrastructure developments.
The first Green Sukuk was launched by Malaysia in 2017, valued at $58 million, to support solar energy projects. This innovation was soon adopted by other countries, including Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. In 2023, Saudi Electric Company issued a $1.2bn Green Sukuk for a renewable energy project, while Indonesia issued a $1.0bn Green Sukuk with a focus on a Green and Blue sustainable project.
Islamic finance naturally aligns with the principles of Socially Responsible Investing (SRI), which focuses on making investments that not only generate financial returns but also have a positive impact on society and the environment. Islamic financial institutions can enhance their commitment to SRI by prioritising investments in green technologies, renewable energy, and companies with strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices.
Furthermore, Waqf, a traditional Islamic endowment, can be used to fund environmental projects. By utilising the concept of Green Waqf for environmental protection, Islamic finance can play a key role in preserving natural resources and biodiversity for future generations.
The potential for growth in Islamic climate finance is vast. As awareness of sustainable development increases and the principles of Islamic finance align with climate action, more countries and financial institutions are expected to enter the market. The global demand for green and sustainable investments is likely to drive further innovation and growth in this sector.
However, to fully realise its potential, Islamic climate finance faces several challenges, including raising awareness and educating stakeholders, developing a clear and consistent regulatory framework, fostering partnerships to advance market development, encouraging innovation to create new financial instruments that attract impact investors seeking both financial returns and measurable environmental benefits.
By aligning financial practices with ethical principles and sustainable development goals, Islamic finance can play a pivotal role in supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy, helping to build a more sustainable and equitable future for all.
Source:dawn.com
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PTI dismisses govt’s claim Murad Saeed bunkered up in KP CM House
By Web Desk
December 01, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's spokesman, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, on Sunday categorically rejected the Centre’s claim that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Murad Saeed was holed up at the CM House in Peshawar.
Speaking on Geo News programme “Naya Pakistan”, Barrister Saif said: “If they had seen Murad Saeed, they would have arrested him.” He asked why the government did not arrest Saeed if he was spotted during the Islamabad protest.
“I think Murad Saeed was not there,” he added.
Responding to a question, Barrister Saif claimed that the PTI protesters were unarmed, adding that law enforcers opened straight fire on their workers. He was of the view that the government was misguiding the nation.
To another query, he reiterated: “PTI founder allowed us to stage a protest demonstration in Sangjani [area in Islamabad].
His remarks came hours after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar alleged that the PTI leader, who had absconded after the May 9 riots, was harboured at the PTI-ruled province's CM House.
Addressing a press conference earlier in the day, Tarar claimed that Saeed was seen leading a group of party supporters armed with guns, shells, and marbles, which were recovered from the frontline following their arrest.
The embattled PTI marched on Islamabad last month, responding to party founder Imran Khan’s “final call,” despite the Islamabad High Court's (IHC) orders barring its "do-or-die" protest in the federal capital, which violated the newly enacted peaceful assembly law.
During the three-day protests, fierce clashes erupted between the law enforcers and the protesters. At least five security personnel, including three Rangers and two policemen, were martyred in the clashes. On the other hand, the former ruling party claimed that at least 12 of their workers and supporters were killed.
Tarar dared the PTI to share the video evidence with the public which could prove that the law enforcement agencies had opened straight firing on its protestors who descended on Islamabad.
“I have shared the video evidence that shows how a person from the protest told the protesters to open indiscriminate fire at the police. Now, I challenge the PTI to share one video of straight firing or use of live ammunition by the LEAs against the protesters.”
Different videos were played during the press conference that showed how the PTI protestors used guns, shells and marbles against the LEAs.
Tarar categorically rejected the "straight-firing" propaganda by the PTI on social media, saying it was the PTI which brought professional criminals and Afghan nationals to the protest to ensure that there would be bloodshed in the city.
“No personnel of the LEA was allowed to use live ammunition,” he said, adding that the fake videos and pictures were being created to cover up their humiliation and political failure of the so-called "final call."
The minister said that the Pakistan Institute of the Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Poly Clinic had already issued their press releases clearly denying any gunshot-related deaths.
“Likewise, we are calling them out for their fake propaganda and communicating the fact to the people through different channels,” he added.
He said the armed protestors were being identified through video evidence as there were a large number of people who were directly involved in creating chaos and anarchy in the country.
The minister underlined the need for effective prosecution of those involved in challenging the writ of the state and martyring and injuring the personnel of different LEAs.
“We had received the intelligence reports that an attempt was being made to create chaos, anarchy and killing under the garb of the so-called final call so that some political scores could be made over dead bodies.”
“The purpose of their protest is to get dead bodies, derail peace and sabotage the economy,” he remarked.
Source:thenews.com.pk
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'Law and order improved in KP under PTI govt', claims Gandapur amid Centre's flak
By Web Desk
December 01, 2024
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has reacted to the Centre's claims regarding his administration's failure to eliminate terrorism and strengthen its Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), claiming that the law and order situation has improved under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
Gandapur, addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Sunday, criticised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's statement pointing towards the CTD's ineffectiveness to uproot terrorism in the province.
He added that the counterterrorism department was fully functional and carried out "thousands of successful operations" against terrorists.
He further detailed that the provincial government will disburse an additional Rs1 billion to the CTD. Special cells have been prepared for the department to keep the arrested suspects, he added.
The KP CM went on to say that his administration was also purchasing 20 bulletproof vehicles besides announcing to hand over funds to the CTD personnel for 300 kits and drones.
He added that the quota for martyred officials has been increased from 5% to 12%, as well as, awarding plots to the heirs of the martyrs.
Gandapur also highlighted that the performance of the province's prosecution has also improved during his tenure and more people would be inducted into the prosecution's team next week.
The federal government was creating "confusions" among the KP people, said the chief minister said, adding that the Centre has not disbursed a single penny to the province for counterterrorism.
The provincial government has also yet to receive Rs40 million in terms of uplifting funds for the merged tribal districts, he added.
Kurram tribal issue 'confusing'
Commenting on deadly clashes among rival tribes in Kurram, Gandapur said that the issue was still "confusing".
The deadly tribal clashes continued in KP's Kurram District for the 11th consecutive day, claiming six more lives with eight more wounded despite a 10-day truce was brokered last week, but intermittent violence has rendered it ineffective.
Earlier today, police said that the death toll in the recent incidents of violence has surged to 130 and while the number of people who sustained injuries reached 186.
The continued violence in the tribal town has forced closure of the main Peshawar-Parachinar road for travelling. Whereas, commute at the Pak-Afghan Kharlachi border has also been suspended.
The firebrand chief minister castigated KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi for summoning an all-parties conference (APC) to discuss the KP’s law and order situation.
"It is not the governor's work to summon an APC [...] I will call an all-parties conference," said Gandapur, emphasising that he was the relevant public office holder to discuss all province-related issues.
"The governor should speak within his [constitutional] capacity until his party [the Pakistan Peoples Party] gets the mandate."
Last month, Governor Kundi had announced to hold an APC in first week of December to discuss the security situation in the province following an increase in attacks on police, security forces and civilians.
Expressing his serious concern over precarious peace situation in KP, the governor said he would meet the political leadership of the province to “get their suggestions as to how to address the law and order situation in KP as well as other issues being faced by the province”, The News reported.
He said the provincial government had not taken any solid measure to improve law and order but instead remained busy in protests and attacks on Islamabad for the release of their party leader.
When asked whether or not CM Gandapur would be invited to the APC, the governor said all the central and provincial leadership of the political parties would be invited and he was the provincial president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Source:thenews.com.pk
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Sixteen terrorists killed in action across three provinces
December 2, 2024
• Two security personnel, as many policemen martyred; many injured as attacks on police stations in Punjab and KP repulsed
• Baka Khel operation leaves five suspects dead; three killed, two arrested in Khyber; four gunned down in Sherani; four killed in Mianwali
KARACHI: At least sixteen terrorists were gunned down and four law enforcers, including two army men, were martyred in separate gun battles across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Punjab provinces on Saturday and Sunday.
In an intelligence-based operation in the Baka Khel area of Bannu district, five militants were killed while nine others sustained injuries. During the shootout, 29-year-old sepoy Iftikhar Hussain, a resident of Jhang, embraced martyrdom.
A statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said three terrorists were killed and two others were arrested by security forces in another operation, carried out in the Shagai area of district Khyber.
“During intense fire exchange, 25-year-old Captain Muhammad Zohaibuddin from district Lahore, who was leading his troops from the front, fought bravely, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat [martyrdom],” the military’s media wing said.
Meanwhile, local sources from district Khyber said that one of the attackers killed during the exchange of fire with security forces in Khyber, was involved in the killing of journalist Khalil Jibran in June this year.
Cop martyred
Meanwhile, a police official embraced martyrdom in a shootout with armed assailants who attacked a police station in the Darra Pezu town of Lakki Marwat district.
A police official said that a group of terrorists carried out a two-pronged midnight attack on a police station located in a congested area of the town. The attackers used automatic weapons and tried to breach the building, but the attack was repulsed.
“The policemen deployed there effectively engaged the terrorists and the gun battle continued for nearly one hour,” the official said, adding that the fierce battle resulted in the martyrdom of Kiramatullah, a policeman. The body was taken to police lines for funeral prayers following medico-legal formalities at the District Headquarters Hospital.
Four killed in Mianwali
Separately, the Mianwali police repulsed an attack on the Chapri police station in Punjab and killed four militants in the shootout.
A statement by the Punjab police said as many as 20 militants armed with rocket launchers and hand grenades attacked the police station.
However, they were repulsed by the police after an hour of fighting. Two police officials sustained injuries during the attack.
After the attack was thwarted, the police combed the area and found four dead bodies, the statement added. Militants have carried out eight attacks on police in the district since 2009, all in Isakhel tehsil of the district.
ASI martyred
Separately, one policeman was martyred while two sustained injuries as unidentified men attacked a van of Paharpur police in Mardan Pul on Sunday night.
According to police, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Mir Ghulam Marwat embraced martyrdom while two other policemen, constables Rauf and Yousuf, were injured.
The deceased and injured were promptly shifted to Paharpur Tehsil Headquarters Hospital.
Due to the critical condition of the wounded, they were shifted to the District Headquarters Teaching Hospital in D.I. Khan.
In another incident, one policeman was injured as unidentified persons opened fire at a police check-post in Sur Dagar area of merged tribal tehsil Darazinda on Sunday night, police said.
Four killed in Sherani
Separately, four suspected terrorists were killed and several others were injured in a gun battle with security forces in the Sherani district on Sunday.
Officials said security forces launched an operation in the Mughal Kot area of Sherani on information about the presence of armed militants. In the subsequent shootout, four suspects were killed.
“The bodies of the militants who were killed in the operation were shifted to a nearby health facility,” officials said. Reportedly, the terrorists belonged to a banned outfit and hailed from Afghanistan.
Saleem Shahid in Quetta, Muhammad Irfan Mughal in D.I. Khan, Khurshid Anwar Khan in Mianwali, our correspondent in Lakki Marwat and the bureau in Peshawar also contributed to this report
Source:dawn.com
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No PTI protester killed by security personnel: Tarar
Syed Irfan Raza
December 2, 2024
• Minister claims Murad Saeed masterminded Nov 24 march
• Interior ministry says security officials were deployed without live ammunition
• KP spox dismisses Centre’s allegations as ‘ridiculous’, ‘non-serious’
ISLAMABAD: The government on Sunday refuted PTI claims that several of its workers were killed during the Nov 25 protest in Islamabad, claiming that no demonstrator was shot by security personnel.
Officials claimed that the government had allowed the PTI rally — led by Bushra Bibi, wife of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur — to proceed to Express Chowk, on the edge of the Red Zone, to avoid bloodshed.
“No security personnel carried live ammunition on the day of the protest,” Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed during a press conference in Islamabad.
The minister — flanked by Interior Secretary Khurram Ali Agha, Islamabad Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa, and Islamabad Inspector General of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi — accused PTI of disseminating fake images and videos on social media to falsely claim that its workers were killed.
He insisted that no protester was killed by law enforcement; instead, four security officials, including three Rangers and a policeman, lost their lives in the violence. Mr Tarar also claimed that 190 security personnel were injured, many from stone pelting and slingshots, but also from gunfire allegedly by protesters.
Mr Tarar alleged that fugitive PTI leader Murad Saeed, a former federal minister, was hiding in the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar, where he masterminded last week’s violent protest and prepared a plan to kill security personnel.
‘1,500 hardcore fighters’
Meanwhile, the interior ministry reiterated on Sunday that despite the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declaring PTI’s Nov 24 rally “unlawful”, PTI breached the Red Zone, rejecting the government’s offer to hold the protest at the designated Sangjani venue.
In an official statement, the ministry accused the party of engaging armed forces aggressively and orchestrating the protest using KP government resources.
On Nov 13, Imran Khan issued a “final call” for nationwide protests on Nov 24, demanding the restoration of the PTI’s electoral mandate, the release of detained party members, and the reversal of the 26th Amendment, which he said had strengthened a “dictatorial regime”.
In the early hours of Wednesday, a day of pitched battles between security forces and PTI protesters across the federal capital ended in a hasty retreat of the party’s top leadership and supporters from the Red Zone.
The interior ministry alleged in the statement that the PTI protest included hundreds of “trained miscreants”, including Afghan nationals, who spearheaded the violence. “These miscreants, employed as a violent vanguard, comprised approximately 1,500 hardcore fighters working directly under absconder and proclaimed offender Murad Saeed,” it said.
It said the army was deployed in the capital under Article 245 of the Constitution “only to secure key government installations and foreign diplomats in the sensitive Red Zone while ensuring a secure environment for high-profile foreign dignitaries visiting the country”.
“Police and Rangers were employed without live ammunition to disperse this violent mob while the army neither came in direct clash with these miscreants nor employed for riot control,” the interior ministry said, adding that the PTI leadership, instead of controlling the violent mob, fled from the scene.
‘Fake propaganda of deaths’
The interior ministry accused PTI of launching a “planned and coordinated massive fake propaganda of deaths caused by LEAs so as to divert attention from this senseless, violent and failed activity”.
Major hospitals in Islamabad “rubbished reports” of alleged casualties caused by security officials, but a “sustained fabricated social media campaign, using old and AI-generated clips, was being viciously undertaken by PTI and joined by other inimical elements”.
“There have been multiple false claims of deaths ranging from tens to hundreds to thousands on social media as well as PTI political leadership and their official pages,” the ministry said, adding that “PTI and its social media propagandists” were bent on creating divisions and confusion within the society.
“Such elements, whether inside the country or abroad, will surely be held accountable under relevant laws, and no one will be allowed to sow divisions, hatred and propagating fake news,” it said.
The interior ministry blasted KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for making “baseless inflammatory statements against institutions, using KP Assembly as a platform to distort facts and spread blatant lies, rather than being shameful of inciting innocent youth of KP for such undesirable activities”.
The ministry claimed that 39 lethal weapons, including 18 automatic weapons, were recovered from the violent protesters and that among the apprehended offenders, there were more than three dozen paid foreign nationals.
With regards to material losses incurred during the violent protests, the ministry said initial estimates suggested damages to the tune of hundreds of millions. “Due to these violent protests, indirect losses to the economy are estimated to be Rs192 billion per day,” it added.
KP govt rejects allegations
The KP government on Sunday dismissed as “ridiculous” new allegations by the federal government about Murad Saeed’s hiding in the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar. KP’s Adviser on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif offered to provide a “free tour” of the premises to prove the claims false.
“This is ridiculous, to say the least,” Barrister Saif told Dawn when asked about Mr Tarar’s claims regarding Mr Saeed’s presence in CM House in Peshawar. “This is such a non-serious statement,” he argued.
“Why didn’t the federal government arrest Murad Saeed if they knew he was in Islamabad leading the march?” he asked. “How come that Murad Saeed fled, breaking through such a huge deployment of police and Rangers?”
Barrister Saif accused the federal government of shifting its stance. “Initially, they congratulated everyone on what they claimed was PTI’s failure to organise a large-scale march. But later, they deployed a massive force to prevent the protest from reaching Islamabad,” he said.
He also accused the federal government of covering up the deaths and blaming Afghans for the violence, which he said would further strain relations with Afghanistan.
Source:dawn.com
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Leaked audio: Ali Muhammad hints PTI leaders flouted Imran Khan's Sangjani sit-in orders
By Haider Sherazi
December 02, 2024
In a leaked audio, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Muhammad Khan has suggested that party founder Imran Khan's directives to stage a "do-or-die" sit-in in Islamabad's Sangjani area were allegedly violated by the leaders, who led the supporters to D-Chowk instead.
The audio was leaked days after PTI abruptly postponed its march following a government crackdown on protesters attempting to reach D-Chowk, sparking widespread condemnation within the former ruling party.
Questions are emerging within the PTI parliamentary leadership about why supporters were instructed to go to D-Chowk instead of staging a sit-in in Sangjani, as the former prime minister had ordered.
In the audio, which Ali confirmed was his during a talk with Geo News, the PTI leader claimed that party founder Imran Khan had ordered the leaders to set up a protest camp in Islamabad's Sangjani area, not at D-Chowk in the Red Zone.
"The PTI founder had not asked to come to D-Chowk, but to Islamabad. Khan Sahib had said that the final sit-in location would be confirmed after the party members reached Islamabad," said Ali in the audio leak.
The senior PTI leader, in the audio leak, questioned who ordered [the party workers] to go to D-Chowk when Khans' instructions were clear. "The PTI founder had said this in the presence of Barrister Gohar, Faisal Chaudhry, and others," he added.
Raising questions over the role of Khan's sister, Aleema Khan, Ali asked: why the latter made the call instead of the party chairman Gohar.
"The PTI founder had said that there was no place for hereditary politics in our party, so why did Aleema Khan call the protest herself?" he questioned, adding that Khan had said that the party leadership would give the call.
Ali, in the audio, could also be heard saying that the party's aim was to hold negotiations through the protests at the orders of the PTI founder.
He added that the PTI founder was unaware of Bushra Bibi's presence in the protest and was informed of this by Barrister Gohar.
"The PTI chairman and secretary general should have announced that the sit-in would be held in Sangjani," said Ali, adding that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had also agreed to it.
"We should have followed our leader's orders and stopped in Sangjani. No one, including Bushra Bibi, has the right to override the founder-chairman's decision," he added.
"When Barrister Saif had conveyed the message of the founding chairman, we should have acted on it," he said.
Source:thenews.com.pk
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Africa
Senegal demands answers as it remembers a French colonial massacre
2 December 2024
Biram Senghor regularly pays his respects at a military cemetery in Thiaroye, a fishing village near Senegal’s capital Dakar, bowing in front of a different grave each time.
The 86-year-old has no way of knowing which grave belongs to his father, M’Bap Senghor, one of the hundreds of West African riflemen who fought for France during World War II but were likely killed on Dec. 1, 1944, by the French army after demanding unpaid wages.
In this cemetery, where they are supposedly buried, all the graves are anonymous and the exact location of the remains is unknown, as is the number of victims. The true scale and circumstances of the killings remain unclear as Senegal commemorates the 80th anniversary of the massacre on Sunday, threatening to reignite smoldering tensions between France and the former colony.
“I have been fighting to get answers for over 80 years,” says Biram Senghor. “(French President Emmanuel) Macron cannot do what the other French presidents before him did; France has to repent.”
The West Africans were members of the unit called “Tirailleurs Sénégalais,” a corps of colonial infantry in the French Army that fought in both World Wars. According to historians, there were disputes over unpaid wages in the days before the massacre and on Dec. 1, French troops turned on the unarmed African soldiers and shot them dead.
For decades, French authorities tried to minimize what had happened in Thiaroye. Reports by the French military shortly after the massacre determined that 35 West African soldiers were killed in response to a “mutiny.” Other reports by the French army mention 70 deaths.
But today, many French and Senegalese historians agree the true death toll is likely in the hundreds, with some speaking of almost 400 African soldiers killed, based on estimates of the number of riflemen present at the camp on the day of the massacre.
On Thursday, Macron officially recognized the events of Thiaroye as a massacre for the first time in a letter to Senegal’s President Diomaye Faye, which was seen by The Associated Press.
“France must recognize that on that day, the confrontation between soldiers and riflemen who demanded their full legitimate wages be paid, triggered a chain of events that resulted in a massacre,” read Macron’s letter.
But many historians dispute the idea of a confrontation between the French soldiers and the West African riflemen.
“What happened on December 1st was the execution of unarmed soldiers,” says Martin Mourre, a French historian and author of Thiaroye 1944, History and Memory of a Colonial Massacre.
He points to the fact that no weapons were mentioned during the trial of the African riflemen accused of mutiny and the absence of any injuries among the French soldiers as evidence that no confrontation took place.
In his letter to the Senegalese president, Macron did not mention the number of soldiers killed.
The controversies and unknowns about the massacre are in part due to a lack of transparency by French authorities regarding the military reports and testimonies.
In 2014, French President Francois Hollande handed over the European nation’s archives on Thiaroye to Macky Sall, then-president of Senegal.
But historians say that key documents, including ones indicating the site of the mass graves and the number of West African soldiers present at the camp on the day of the massacre, are still missing. It is unclear if France holds such archives or if they even exist.
Macron’s office and the French foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
Additionally, very little was done by the Senegalese authorities under former president Sall to allow historians to delve into the historical documents.
“The archives remained inaccessible until this year, for obscure reasons,” says Mourre.
Mamadou Diouf, a Senegalese historian who heads the commemoration committee for the Thiaroye massacre this year, says Sall did not show much interest in the subject to avoid diplomatic tensions with France.
But Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was elected in March in part on a promise of redefining Senegal’s relationship with the former colonizer, has vowed to regain control of the historical narrative on Thiaroye.
His administration has organized major commemorations of the massacre from Dec. 1 to April 2025 across the country.
“The authorities' goal behind the major commemorations is to make Thiaroye part of Senegal’s national story,” says Babacar Ndiaye, political analyst at the Wathi think tank, which focuses on political and economic issues in West Africa.
“It will be talked about a lot on television, in the press and most importantly on social media,” he adds. “This will reach a younger audience who might know little about the events of Thiaroye.”
The 80th anniversary of the massacre comes as France’s influence is declining in the region, with Paris losing its sway in its former West African colonies.
French troops have been ousted in recent years from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso after years of fighting Islamic extremists alongside regional troops. Earlier this week, Chad, one of the last countries in the region where France had maintained a large military presence, ended a military cooperation agreement with Paris.
France still has around 350 troops in Senegal, mainly in a supportive role. Asked about their continued presence, Faye suggested it is not something the Senegalese would want.
“Historically, France enslaved, colonized and stayed here,” he said. “Obviously, I think that when you reverse the roles a little, you will have a hard time conceiving that another army — of China, Russia, Senegal, or any other country — could have a military base in France.”
At the ceremony held at the military cemetery in Thiaroye on Sunday, Faye announced the construction of a memorial in honor of the riflemen, the creation of a research center where archives on the massacre will be kept, and streets named after the event. History lessons on the massacre will also be added to the school curriculum and Dec. 1 will officially become “national day of the tirailleur.”
“What we are doing here is part of our duty of remembrance and to reveal the truth of the facts, to discharge a moral debt towards the riflemen and their families,” said during his speech in front of an audience that included France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, as well as Gambia, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Gabon and the Comoros heads of state. Macron was not present at the ceremony.
“We are not opening a door to arouse resentment, maintain anger or hatred,” Faye said.
But once more, Senegal and the former colonizer's account of the massacre differed.
While the French foreign minister described the events of Thiaroye as a “cry of anger” from the riflemen that France “repressed in a bloodshed,” the Senegalese president said they were “a premeditated act.”
Source:africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2024/12/01/senegal-demands-answers-as-it-remembers-a-french-colonial-massacre/
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Namibia opposition candidate furious after voting is prolonged for days
2 December 2024
One of Namibia's opposition presidential candidates said Saturday that his party would reject the outcome of a general election marred by delays, logistical and technical failures.
Partial results showed Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) trailing Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the ruling South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) candidate.
Electoral authorities decided to prolong voting until Saturday after the original election day — Wednesday — was marred by logistical and technology failures that led to hours-long queues.
Itula who finished second in 2019 said extending voting over multiple days undermine's the vote's credibility.
He said that his party would seek the nullification of the outcome, suggesting a court petition would follow the declaration of results.
Elsie Nghikembua, chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, said many people had failed to cast their ballots due to “logistical” challenges.
Namibia’s electoral issues come as Mozambique is engulfed in violent unrest after the long-ruling Frelimo party was declared the winner of an election in October, prompting claims of vote rigging and sparking ongoing violent protests in southern African country.
Source:africanews.com
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Fire Guts Popular Trademore Estate Market In Abuja
2 December 2024
A fire broke out early Monday morning, devastating the market at Trademore Estate, a popular neighborhood off the Umar Musa Yar’Adua/Airport Road in Abuja.
Naija News gathered that the cause of the fire remains unclear, but a resident identified as Joe reported being alerted to the incident around 4 a.m.
“We are not certain about the cause, but an electrical fault cannot be ruled out,” he said. “Efforts were made to contact both the Federal Fire Service and the Federal Capital Territory Fire Service, but the situation was intense.”
Joe added that residents eventually reached out to the fire service team at Dunamis Church, who arrived at the scene around 5 a.m.
“After two hours of battling the blaze, personnel from the Federal Fire Service stations at EFCC and Sauka successfully extinguished the fire,” Joe later confirmed to Vanguard.
Source:naijanews.com
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How Obasanjo Rejected Single-term Presidency – Olanipekun
2 December 2024
By Rachel Okporu Fadoju
A former Nigerian Bar Association President, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has asserted that Nigeria’s Constitution needed to be crafted to reflect the realities on the ground in the interest of all geo-political zones.
Naija News reports that the senior advocate spoke with journalists at his Ikere Ekiti hometown on Saturday evening.
Olanipekun stated that the single-term presidency proposal rejected by former President Olusegun Obasanjo would have stabilised Nigeria if it had been accepted.
Speaking on the proposal by the NBA at that time, Olanipekun said Nigeria needed a Constitution that would factor in the interest of all geo-political zones.
Olanipekun added that something must be done regarding the Constitution.
He said, “When I was the President of the NBA, we originated it (single-term presidency). It was one of the proposals we brought to Obasanjo as President, he rejected it then. Beautifully crafted, by that time we presented it to him, we said, ‘Mr President, for us to stabilise this Republic, experiment this’.
“We suggested to him (Obasanjo) a single term of five or six years, not the way they are bandying it now. Our own was well worked out. We worked on it, we researched on it.
“We suggested then that there are six geo-political zones, if the President comes from the South-West, for example, there will be six vice presidents, but each of the six vice presidents must have a portfolio. For instance, a vice president will be in charge of the Ministry of Justice as Attorney General, one will be in charge of Education, one in charge of Defence, one in charge of the Federal Capital Territory and another in charge of Works.
“We suggested that a geo-political zone that has a vice president who holds the portfolio of Education will not have a Minister of Education. We worked it out, we did everything for him, and that if paradventure, a President from a particular geo-political zone is impeached or dies in office, the vice president from that geo-political zone will complete his tenure. Next time around, the Presidency will just move to the next geo-political zone. By now, it would have moved round, but it didn’t work out.
“I am still of the view that we have to do something with that aspect of the Constitution, that we have to look into it.
Source:naijanews.com
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Economic Hardship: Do Not Be Ashamed To Seek Help – NANS To Tinubu
1 December 2024
By Justina Otio
The National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS) has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to seek help outside his administration if he is overwhelmed by the economic challenges facing the country.
The Clerk of the Senate, NANS headquarters, Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, stated this over the weekend in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The student body insisted that if the president has no solution to the country’s economic hardship, particularly hunger, then the administration should not be ashamed of seeking help from members of opposition parties.
Odunayo lamented that the country is in dire need of help, hence the reason why the Tinubu-led administration must look for urgent solutions.
He noted that students across the country have been seriously affected by the hardship, pointing out that Nigerians, especially the students, are tired of receiving “insufficient food items” being distributed as palliatives by the administration.
Odunayo urged the president not to limit his searches for answers to Nigeria’s challenges to his cabinet members or members of his party, emphasizing that “nothing is stopping Mr President from consulting the egg heads in the opposition parties for solutions to the harsh and suffocating economic situation in Nigeria”.
He said, “The economic situation is becoming precarious day by day and it seems the president and his team lack the solutions to the economic challenges confronting the nation and pressing down on the people. As a leader and president who wants the country to move forward and surmount the current situation, he should not hesitate or be mortified to seek help from his government and his party.
“As a national body of students in the country, we believe there are intelligent and economic gurus who are members of the opposition parties. The president can consult covertly or woo overtly and tap from their fountain of knowledge.
“To say the truth, Nigerians are hungry and angry. Students are not also impervious to the tempest of hardship blowing across the nation. Therefore, we urge Mr President not to only think out of the box, but consult and woo anyone with a magic box, irrespective of his or her political leaning, to save the country from economic depression.
“If all hands must be on the deck to move Nigeria forward, President Tinubu must find capable hands beyond party affiliation and engage them for the benefit, development, growth and economic prosperity of Nigeria and Nigerians.”
Source:naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2024/12/01/economic-hardship-do-not-be-ashamed-to-seek-help-nans-to-tinubu/
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No Native Doctor Or Prophet Can Claim I Visited Them For Help In Winning The Election – Okpebholo
1 December 2024
By Justina Otio
The Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo has disclosed that he contested the September 21 governorship election without seeking help from native doctors or prophets.
Okpebholo stated this on Sunday at Winner’s Chapel, Akho in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State, where he worshipped alongside top members of his administration.
The Governor attributed his victory in the election to God, maintaining that the Almighty has consistently granted him victory in all his endeavours.
He insisted that no prophet and native doctor can claim that they are responsible for his victory at the polls.
Okpebholo said, “I want to thank God for his wonderful deeds in my life, as no one can accomplish this except Him alone. My life is filled with testimonies, and God has consistently granted me victory in all my endeavours.
“This is the first instance where someone has contested an election without seeking help from native doctors or prophets. My faith is in Christ alone. If God does not will it, then let it not be done.
“In Nigeria, and indeed the world, no prophet or native doctor can claim that I visited them for help in winning the election.
“The only factor I recognize is God. If He cannot accomplish it, then let it not be done. This marks the first time in Nigeria that a person has contested an election, and the prevailing sentiment is that God’s grace is upon him or her.
“As a member of Winner’s Church, I am confident that we cannot be losers, especially since both my Deputy and I are part of this community. How can we lose? While others were strategizing and utilizing media outlets, I trusted in the Lord, and He granted me victory.“
Source:naijanews.com
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‘It Is Easier To Say The Truth Than Lie’ – Onoh Advises Gowon On His Narrative About Ojukwu
1 December 2024
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
Dr Josef Onoh, the brother-in-law to the late Biafra leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has refuted claims by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, that the two had reconciled.
Onoh clarified that what Gowon referred to as a reconciliation meeting was, in fact, a condolence visit after the passing of his father, Chief C.C. Onoh, who was also Ojukwu’s father-in-law.
In a statement, Onoh described Gowon’s narration as inaccurate, insisting that the former Head of State confused a chance meeting in Enugu with reconciliation.
Onoh further explained that Gowon’s visit was primarily to pay respects following the passing of Chief C.C. Onoh in May 2009, a funeral Gowon missed because he was out of the country.
According to Onoh, the meeting Gowon claims as reconciliation was a courtesy visit during his condolence tour, adding that Ojukwu and Gowon never reconciled as the former Head of State has portrayed.
The strained relationship between Gowon and Ojukwu stems from their roles during the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970). Gowon led the Federal Government, while Ojukwu headed the breakaway state of Biafra.
He said, “I was present in the meeting, I served him and he told me he doesn’t take alcoholic drinks and opted for water or orange juice. He brought up the importance of reconciliation and Ojukwu made it clear that he holds no grudge against him and that as soldiers they did what they believed was best at that time for their country and that he (Ojukwu) doesn’t support another Biafra that will be achieved with bloodshed and massacre of the Igbo.
“Gowon left and Ojukwu promised to honour him with a visit and he said he was most likely to be out of the country and Ojukwu replied ‘even during the civil War I knew your every movement and location and since I’ve promised to honour you with a visit as you did me, I’ll find you even if you are in the moon.’
“We all laughed and escorted him out. Ojukwu said a closing prayer in Latin at the amazement of everyone present including Gowon. We admired the two men that their actions shaped Nigeria. Ojukwu was fluent in Hausa, French, Yoruba, English, Latin and Ibo and in every way his image and oratory dominated the moment, hence I understand the reason why Gen. Yakubu Gowon is attempting to change history by giving a wrong narrative of events.
“He, Gowon, have always suffered an extreme high level of inferiority complex around Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and even in death he’s unable to rise above that shackles of inferiority, which was still manifest in his condolence message and Tribute to Ikemba Odumegwu-Ojukwu.”
On the London meeting between Ojukwu and Gowon, Onoh disclosed that Gowon exhibited his highest form of insecurity with Ojukwu, particularly when Gowon noticed that Ojukwu’s biographer, Author Fredrick Foresight, was in the vicinity of their meeting in a London hotel.
He said, “It was two months after Easter of 2010 that Ikemba said that since we were in London, let’s pay a visit to Gen. Gowon and I recall asking him ‘Ezeigbo, who do we call to get his address or phone number? He smiled and said I have it right here in my pocket!’
“I was the one that called using my T-mobile Uk number, Gowon’s wife picked up and I informed her to hold on to speak with Ojukwu. The chat was brief and Ikemba said we should proceed to the hotel. It was two days later, at about 4pm that Gen. Gowon came and I’m amazed at all his narration of how ‘if he was going to be assassinated and other nonsense, like a James Bond fiction movie. Frederick (Foresight) wrote what he witnessed during the war and I don’t expect Gen. Gowon to like his narrative because Fredrick portrayed him as he was at that period.
“Finally, out of respect for Gen. Gowon who was a good friend to my late father and also my late brother-in-law, Ikemba Odumegwu-Ojukwu, I shall refrain from saying much for it will reopen old wounds especially some sensitive issues that was raised by Ojukwu and it was Gowon that refused to have a sincere and candid discussion with Ojukwu during his visit in UK.
“In Gowon’s words ‘Frederick will now go out and write I came to apologize to Ojukwu.’ He was very nasty on that visit especially towards Frederick, but I’ll leave the rest to history and all that was said. But I urge and respectfully plead with Gen. Gowon not to alter stories to make himself appear a Victor because he feels Ojukwu is dead and no one, not Ojukwu’s children will come to alter his wild inaccurate stories, I was close to Ikemba in his lifetime and as he fondly called me ‘My most wonderful brother-in-law.’
“I can say a billion fantastic stories of that great son of Africa (Ojukwu) that most people haven’t heard, I can tell stories from his lips to my ears that will leave a lot of people in shock, Gen. Obasanjo remains one of very few officers he had tremendous respect for and you can never hear Obasanjo attempting to sing like a canary in the media to discuss their military exploits, the men and comrades they lost, nor attempt to score cheap goals by giving false narratives of fellow comrades.
“To Gowon I say ‘The dead don’t talk,’ but I’m privileged to have heard him talk while alive. When you lie, you have to tell another lie to cover the first lie, then another lie, and so on. It is so much easier to tell the truth than it is to lie because I was there and the truth shall set you free.”
Source:naijanews.com
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