‘Jihad Permissible and Obligatory…’ Activist Leader of MQM, Altaf Hussain , Roars Against Pakistan State Oppression
New Age Islam News Bureau
25 Sep 2024
· ‘Jihad Permissible and Obligatory…’ Activist Leader of MQM, Altaf Hussain , Roars Against Pakistan State Oppression
· Video of Pakistan Boy Spitting On Flowers in Pakistan Peddled as Indian Muslim Vendor Outside Temple
· 'Aim Was to Create Division in Swedish society': Sweden Says Iran Behind 2023 Quran Burning Hacker Attack
· Execution of Wrongfully-Convicted Death Row Inmate Imam “Khaliifah” Williams, Encourages American Muslims to Pray for Him: CAIR
· Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-E-Islami for Establishing Islam By Conveying Message In Right Way
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Pakistan
· PTI to strongly react if permission not granted for Rawalpindi jalsa: Imran Khan
· Army chief praises forces’ readiness in South Waziristan
· Imran won’t be tried in military court, govt tells IHC
· ‘Drone attack’ kills one in Upper South Waziristan
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India
· VHP Launches Campaign: ‘Govt Control On Temples Mindset of Muslim Invaders & Britishers’
· 'Don't Give Business to Muslims, Marathis': Mumbai TC Suspended Over Objectionable Remarks
· Why Is Social Media Rife with Conspiracy Theories About ‘Rail Jihad’?
· Delegation Of Diplomats From US, Norway, Singapore And Many Other Countries In J&K To Witness Ongoing Assembly Polls
· Shah Appeals People In Jammu And Kashmir To Vote In Large Numbers For A Terror-Free Region
· '15 Muslim BJP Candidates in Kashmir'
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Europe
· UK Islamic State Supporter Jailed for Extreme Videos Which Encouraged Violence
· French Extremist Admits Role in Kidnapping Of Aid Workers In Yemen
· Men threw bricks at mosque during disorder
· Terror probe closed before imam's murder – inquiry
· Bybit Launches World’s First Sharia-Compliant Crypto Trading Account
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North America
· Qatar Is the Second Muslim Nation After Brunei Whose Citizens Can Travel to The US Without a Visa
· Anti-Islamic Survey Alleged In Burr Ridge Area Race
· St. Anthony tables vote on mosque, community center
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South Asia
· Bangladesh July Uprising Cases: No Cops To Be Arrested Without Specific Evidence
· Bangladesh Govt Publishes Draft List Of 708 People Killed In Uprising
· Islamic Emirate Calls for Participation in BRICS Summit
· Hasina, Quader sued over murder
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Mideast
· Netanyahu Must Be Stopped ‘Just Like Hitler’ – Erdogan
· Amid Israel-Hezbollah strikes, Lebanon says only US can stop fighting
· Zionist Enemy Prevents Dawn Call To Prayer At Ibrahimi Mosque In Al-Khalil For Eighth Day
· Sirens sound in Tel Aviv after fresh air strikes reported in Lebanon
· Israeli military says missile intercepted as Tel Aviv sirens sound
· Why Israel’s Assault On Lebanon’s Hezbollah Puts Iran’s IRGC In An Unprecedented Dilemma
· Iran’s Pezeshkian says Tehran ready to work with world powers to resolve nuclear standoff
· Driven out of Iran, Afghan refugees tell of ordeal
· Tragic tale of two West Bank teenagers freed in Gaza truce
· IAEA chief sees willingness from Iran to re-engage on nuclear file
· Iran tells politicians in Iraq to halt their infighting
· UN Security Council to meet on Lebanon on Wednesday
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Southeast Asia
· Malaysian Police Rescue 187 Children Victimized In Islamic Business Group's Alleged Sex Abuse Ring
· MADANI gov’t to continue support for Indian community in Budget 2025 - Anwar
· Defence minister calls for unity, reject extreme ideology that divides Malaysians
· Kyrgyzstan and Malaysia discuss developing cooperation in Islamic tourism - Foreign Ministry
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Arab World
· Saudi FM Meets Vatican’s Secretary of State In New York
· Saudi Cabinet Welcomes UNGA Resolution On Ending Illegal Occupation In Palestinian Territories
· Minister highlights Saudi AI, digital initiatives at UN summit
· Saudi climate envoy meets UN official in New York
· Saudi Arabia joins anti-corruption meeting in Beijing
· Riyadh conference empowers future climate innovation entrepreneurs
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Africa
· 79th UNGA: Nigeria Solicits Finland’s Support for UN Security Council Permanent Seat
· ‘It Is Unrealistic For Two Million Security Personnel To Protect Over 200 Million Nigerians’ – COAS
· Ramaphosa calls on world's leaders to take decisive action to end Palestinian suffering
· Burkina Faso foiled an attempt to destabilize the country - Security minister
· Comrade Anas Kaura Dares Gov Dauda To Swear With Qur’an Over Insecurity In Zamfara
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/jihad-activist-mqm-altaf-pakistan/d/133286
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‘Jihad Permissible and Obligatory…’ Activist Leader of MQM, Altaf Hussain , Roars Against Pakistan State Oppression
London [UK], September 24 (ANI): Altaf Hussain the founder and leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM attended the institutions in Pakistan and said the Parliament in the country is not autonomous, the judiciary lacks independence and the military is the sole authority.
He emphasised that the parliament holds no status in Pakistan, and the real power resides with the military. People are constrained by their shame. It is both permissible and obligatory to wage Jihad against the polytheistic forces that are unjustly oppressing people.
He made these remarks while addressing his 71st birthday gathering in London. The event was held in a local hall in Burnt Oak, North London, and was attended by hundreds of people from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford, Leicester, Brighton, and other cities.
He asserted that denying the existence of ethnic backgrounds such as Punjabi, Pakhtun, Baloch, Sindhi, Seraiki, or Muhajir in Pakistan is a denial of reality.
"This identity is a natural fact, not a human construct, and denying it is tantamount to denying the power of God. Nations exist for the sake of identity, but this purpose should never be to foster hatred, oppression, or inflict pain on others based on identity," he said.
Altaf Hussain also attacked those who have labelled him as a "traitor."
"The entire Punjab branded Altaf Hussain as a traitor and an Indian agent. They similarly labelled Sai GM Syed, Bacha Khan, Sheikh Mujib Ur Rahman, and Baloch resistors as traitors. When they accused Imran Khan of being a traitor and a Jewish agent, people echoed these sentiments," he said.
"However, the populace of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) refused to accept Imran Khan as a traitor and Jewish agent because it was ingrained in their minds that Punjabis and Pathans could not be traitors," he added.
Hussain stated that the composition of the army is predominantly 80 per cent Punjabis and 20 per cent Pashtuns. He described the Pakistan Muslim League (N) as the progenitor of giants and labelled Zardari as a malady afflicting the entire nation.
He emphasised that one should never condone oppression based on identity, nor should one support an oppressor simply because they share the same identity.
Imran Khan's arrest saw the charges initially attributed to him being transferred to the earlier, he claimed.
He asserted that his only fault was his candid declaration that the archaic feudal system is the greatest affliction of the country.
Hussain remarked that Pakistan has endured "numerous trials."
"The imperative of the moment is to unite while preserving our identities and to champion the cause of Jihad against the forces that have been plundering the nation for 77 years. The country must be liberated from their grasp, and the deprived and oppressed must be granted their rights. To achieve this, we must eschew hatred based on identity and instead denounce oppression on principled grounds, supporting one another," he said. Parliament holds no significance in Pakistan, military is sole authority: MQM leader Altaf
Hussain Hussain noted that although Imran Khan made vehement statements against him, even suggesting his assassination via drone, when Imran Khan was arrested and his party members were mistreated, Altaf Hussain set aside his opposition.
"Similarly, despite Nawaz Sharif's operations against us, when he and his daughter were detained, he raised his voice in their defence," he said.
He asserted that wherever there is oppression, the voice of Altaf Hussain will be heard, irrespective of whether the oppressor is an adversary. He added that for the past two years, he has been vocal in his support of Imran Khan.
The MQM leader further asserted that the military establishment should not question the reasons behind the armed resistance in Balochistan today. Historically, Balochistan was an independent state; in 1947, the state of Kalat had its own parliament and embassy as a sovereign entity, he said.
The military forcibly occupied it, and the people of Balochistan are resisting this occupation. He emphasised that where there is an illegal occupation, the deprived and oppressed are imprisoned, and oppression becomes a conspiracy, it is both permissible and obligatory for those facing oppression to combat their oppressors.
He stated that the "parliament in Pakistan is not autonomous), the judiciary lacks independence, and the rule of law is not observed." The parliament holds no status in Pakistan and the actual power resides with the military. He predicted that the army could not keep Imran Khan imprisoned for long and that he would be released soon.
He congratulated the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers for organising a successful rally in Lahore.
Parliament holds no significance in Pakistan, military is sole authority: MQM leader Altaf Hussain
He further remarked that under the new strategy, the military is promoting newly formed political parties, but the people are "well aware of these tactics" and will never trust parties created by the establishment. He expressed gratitude to the members of PTI and other parties for their participation in the gathering and welcomed senior MQM colleagues from America.
Hussain appealed to the attendees, claiming that MQM is facing a financial crisis and requesting their support.
He urged the audience to pray for the elevation of the martyrs, the recovery of missing comrades, and the release of all captives, including Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned on false charges for years.
The MQM leader also congratulated the central IT team of MQM for broadcasting the live coverage of the meeting worldwide and appreciated the efforts of the UK chapter MQM Central Organizing Committee and all officials and workers for organizing an excellent gathering. (ANI)
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Video of Pakistan Boy Spitting On Flowers In Pakistan Peddled As Indian Muslim Vendor Outside Temple
By - Anmol Alphonso
24 Sept 2024
A video from Pakistan of a young boy drinking water and then spitting it on garlands of flowers is being shared on social media with a false and communal claim that it shows an Indian Muslim flower seller outside a temple in India. In the viral video, a person sitting on a bike but not seen in the frame records a young boy drinking water from a plastic cup, after which he spits it out on small garlands he is holding in his hand. The 18 seconds video is being shared on X with false and communal spin with captions such as "Flower Jihad", and with communal claims accusing the Muslim community of spitting on flowers before selling them outside temples. The video was posted on X with the caption, "Be careful where you buy your pooja items and flowers from! Don’t just buy because you think you are helping ‘children’ vendors. Identify them before approaching. Have you already bought puja items from poor, peaceful M vendors, then see how they keep the flowers fresh. Despite knowing Hindus still buy from them. What a shameful lot we are"
FACT-CHECK BOOM found that the viral video of a young boy spitting on flowers is from Pakistan. A vehicle number plate visible in the background also confirms the video is not from India. Video of boy spitting on flowers previously viral on social media in Pakistan We broke the video into key-frames and ran a reverse image search, the search results showed that the video was previously viral stating that it is from Pakistan. This can be seen in the caption below on the video uploaded on YouTube on September 1, 2024.
Yellow color car number plate traces to Sindh, Pakistan A car with the number plate AQV 503 can be seen in the background.
BOOM has previously fact-checked videos that have gone viral from Sindh, Pakistan as India, of similar yellow color number plates. The number plate visible in the viral video is 'AQV 503' we found similar number plates used in Pakistan's Sindh region. In March 2023, the Sindh government stopped issuing yellow number plates for vehicle registration. According to The Nation, the Sindh government had asked people to replace their yellow number plates with new ones following the state cabinet’s approval of advanced motor vehicle number plates with security features. We also found similar yellow number plates in YouTube videos on the old number plates used in Sindh. This can be seen below:
Source:boomlive.in
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https://www.boomlive.in/fact-check/fake-news-viral-video-boy-spitting-on-flowers-outside-temple-flower-seller-flower-jihad-pakistan-video-factcheck-26560
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'Aim Was to Create Division in Swedish society': Sweden Says Iran Behind 2023 Quran Burning Hacker Attack
By: Saurabh Verma
SEPTEMBER 24, 2024,
Sweden’s prosecutors on Tuesday accused Iran’s intelligence service of hacking an SMS operator in 2023 to send messages encouraging people to take revenge on protesters who had burned the Quran.
Sweden’s Prosecution Authority said in a statement that some 15,000 messages “calling for revenge against Quran burners” had been sent in the summer of 2023, following a slew of protests involving desecrations of the Muslim holy book.
“The aim was to create division in Swedish society,” the authority said.
Iran was quick to dismiss the accusations.
“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Stockholm considers the accusations to be baseless and rejects them,” Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.
In a separate statement, Sweden’s intelligence service Sapo said it had determined that a hacker group had acted “on behalf of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to carry out an influence campaign.”
“The aim was, among other things, to paint the picture of Sweden as an Islamophobic country,” Fredrik Hallstrom, chief of operations at Sapo, said in a statement.
“The fact that a state actor, in this case Iran, is behind an action aimed at destabilising Sweden or increasing polarisation in our country is of course very serious,” Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer told AFP in a written comment.
Strommer noted that Sweden’s intelligence service considered “Iran to be one of the countries that poses the greatest threat to Sweden, including by spreading disinformation”.
Iran’s embassy in Stockholm accused Sweden of harming bilateral relations by publishing the accusations.
“The embassy believes that making these claims and publishing them in the media poison and affect the atmosphere of relations between the two countries,” Tasnim said.
Prisoner swap –
On August 1, 2023, Swedish media reported that a large number of people had received text messages calling for revenge against people who had burned the Quran, considered by many Muslims to contain the word of God.
According to prosecutors, an investigation had shown that a group called Anzu team was behind the operation, but the investigation was closed because it was deemed unlikely that the suspects could be brought to justice.
“Since the actors are acting on behalf of a foreign power, in this case Iran, our assessment is that the conditions necessary to bring charges abroad or an extradition to Sweden are missing for those suspected of being behind the attack,” senior prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said.
In August last year, Sapo raised its threat level to four on a scale of five after a series of protests that included Quran burnings had made the country a “prioritised target”.
Relations between Sweden and several Middle Eastern countries were strained by the protests over the summer of 2023.
Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad twice in July of that year, starting fires within the compound on the second occasion.
The Swedish government condemned the desecrations while noting the country’s constitutionally protected freedom of speech and assembly laws.
Sweden and Iran’s relations in particular have also been strained in recent years, with one of the main sticking points being Sweden’s arrest and conviction of former Iranian prison official Hamid Noury.
Noury was arrested at Stockholm airport in November 2019 and sentenced to life in prison in July 2022 for his role in mass killings in Iranian jails in 1988.
In June, the countries announced a prisoner swap in which Sweden released Noury in exchange for European Union diplomat Johan Floderus and Saeed Azizi, a Swedish national arrested in Iran in November 2023.
Floderus, a Swede, had been held in Iran since April 2022 accused of espionage, for which he risked a death sentence.
In May, Sapo also said that Iran was recruiting Swedish criminal gang members, some of them children, as proxies to commit “acts of violence” against Israeli and other interests in Sweden.
Source:news18.com
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https://www.news18.com/world/aim-was-to-create-division-sweden-says-iran-behind-2023-Quran-burning-hacker-attack-9062317.html
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Execution of Wrongfully-Convicted Death Row Inmate Imam “Khaliifah” Williams, Encourages American Muslims to Pray for Him: CAIR
Imam Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams,
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Ibrahim Hooper
September 24, 2024
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, condemned the U.S. Supreme Court, the Missouri court system and that state’s Governor Michael Lynn Parson for failing to block the execution of wrongfully-convicted death row inmate Imam Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams, who was executed this evening.
Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson would have granted the request to block his execution.
In his last statement, Williams wrote, “All Praise Be To Allah In Every Situation.” According to the Missouri Department of Corrections, his last meal included chicken wings and tater tots. His last visit was with Imam Jalahii Kacem.
More than 60,000 people signed CAIR’s action alert calling on Governor Parson to stop the execution.
CAIR thanked the Innocence project for its immense work on this case and for being a leading advocate challenging the unjust use of the death penalty.
In a statement, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“We belong to God and to Him shall we return. By condemning Imam Marcellus Williams to death despite the fact that even the prosecuting attorney has argued that his case was marred by constitutional error and that DNA evidence indicates his innocence, the U.S. Supreme Court and the Missouri court system have committed a grave offense against humanity.
“We strongly condemn this heinous and unjust execution, which will stain the reputation of our legal system for years to come. We encourage all American Muslims to pray for Imam Williams. May God reward him for responding to decades of injustice with steadfastness, and may God grant him the highest rank of Paradise.”
Williams, a 55-year-old African American Muslim who served as the Imam of his prison unit, was executed by lethal injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri, despite DNA evidence that exonerated him and constitutional errors at his 1998 trial.
Recent DNA testing “conclusively exonerated” Williams as far back as 2017, when then-Governor Eric Greitens blocked his execution due to DNA tests showing the DNA of an unidentified individual on the murder weapon. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell filed a motion to vacate his conviction after the new DNA testing results revealed that the alleged murder weapon had been mishandled during his trial.
Despite this evidence, and clear constitutional errors in his case, Judge Bruce Hilton denied the request to vacate Williams’ conviction and death sentence.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
You are receiving this email due to your interest selection from commercial media databases. If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters — For more information, email: info@cair.com, CC ihooper@cair.com
Source:cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-condemns-scotus-missouri-governor-state-courts-for-permitting-execution-of-imam-williams-encourages-american-muslims-to-pray-for-him/
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Secretary General Of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami For Establishing Islam By Conveying Message In Right Way
Photo: BSS News
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24 Sep 2024
KHULNA, Sept 24, 2024 (BSS) - Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Professor Mia Golam Parwar urged his party men to play a vital role in establishing Islam by conveying its message to the common people in the right way.
He made the call as chief guest at a Shura meeting of the Jamaat-e-Islami city unit at Al Faruk Society in the city last night (Monday).
Leaders and activists of all levels of Jamaat-e-Islami along with the common people should come forward to control the prevailing situation in the country, Prof Parwar said, adding that an Islamic welfare country should be established here.
"Therefore, we all have to play a role in creating honest, competent and skilled people to build families and society in addition to grooming ourselves in light of the Quran and Hadith," he said.
Mawlana Abul Kalam Azad, a member of the central working council and assistant director of the Khulna city unit, and Master Shafiqul Alam, a team member, addressed the meeting as special guests with Prof Mahfuzur Rahman, Ameer of City Unit Jamaat and Shura member, presiding.
Among others, city unit Naeb-e-Ameer Prof. Nojibur Rahman, city unit Secretary Adv. Sheikh Jahangir Hossain Helal and Assistant Secretary Adv. Shah Alam also spoke in the meeting.
Source:bssnews.net
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https://www.bssnews.net/news/211593
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Pakistan
PTI to strongly react if permission not granted for Rawalpindi jalsa: Imran Khan
By Shabbir Dar
September 24, 2024
RAWALPINDI: Unveiling a schedule for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) forthcoming protests and a power show, incarcerated party founder Imran Khan warned on Tuesday that his party would strongly react if it is not granted permission for its next power show in Rawalpindi on September 28.
He also announced that the former ruling would register a protest for the independence of the judiciary on Thursday followed by another demonstration on Friday.
Khan claimed that the country has been turned into a "police state" while prevailing conditions are even harsher than what was witnessed during the martial law.
"This is a martial law which is far stricter than [former military rulers] Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf's martial law," Khan said while taking a jibe at the incumbent government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) during an informal conversation with journalists at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail.
Last week, the deposed premier, who has been behind bars for over a year now, had termed the former military rulers Pervez Musharraf and Zia-ul-Haq's martial law regimes "better" than the current democratic setup.
The deposed prime minister said that the Supreme Court's verdict on the reserved seats had made everything clear.
He added that the bid to keep the former ruling party out of the election and remove his party from the country's political landscape was “fully exposed”.
He has time and time again criticised the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led administration for not being a "legitimate" while citing alleged interference and manipulation in the February 8 polls.
Throwing shade at the coalition government, Khan said that the subordinate judiciary was in complete control of the current rulers. He further alleged that any judge, who is not in control of the rulers, got transferred.
The former premier also claimed that a judge was also replaced who was going to give a verdict in the May 9 mayhem cases.
Expressing displeasure over the judiciary's lack of response, Khan claimed that the PTI's request for hearing its petitions against the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendments' case was also turned down.
He also alleged that the amended Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Ordinance was promulgated to "violate the democratic procedure to fix hearing of cases".
He was referring to the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Amendment Ordinance 2024 approved by President Asif Ali Zardari last week which granted additional powers to the chief justice to nominate a judge as a member of a committee and assign cases.
Cases and possible military trial
Being in prison for more than a year, Khan was booked in a plethora of cases, including the Toshakhana case, cipher case, and the un-Islamic marriage case. His wife, Bushra Bibi, has also been behind bars for months.
However, a court suspended the PTI supremo's sentence in the Toshakhana case, while other courts overturned his convictions in the cipher and iddat cases.
While there were hopes for Khan and Bushra's release in July, they were dashed when the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested them on fresh charges related to the sale of state gifts — also known as new Toshakhana case.
The chances of Khan's release from jail further dimmed after the Lahore Police declared his arrest in several cases related to the May 9, 2023, riots, that erupted after his detainment from the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) premises in 2023.
Additionally, the ex-premier had also filed a petition in the IHC against his possible military trial in the May 9 cases amid rumours fuelled after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar’s statements.
Source:thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1233428-pti-to-strongly-react-if-permission-not-granted-for-rawalpindi-jalsa-imran-khan
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Army chief praises forces’ readiness in South Waziristan
Adam Khan Wazir
September 25, 2024
WANA: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Syed Asim Munir received a comprehensive briefing on the prevailing security situation, ongoing counter-terrorism operations and development initiatives during a visit to Wana, Lower South Waziristan district, on Tuesday.
He was received at Wana by the Peshawar Corps Commander. The COAS later laid a floral wreath at the Shuhada Monument in memory of the martyrs.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the COAS appreciated the high level of preparedness and exceptional morale of the forces to counter hostile threats. He reaffirmed the army’s unwavering commitment to thwarting the nefarious designs of hostile forces and their facilitators.
The ISPR further said: “The COAS paid heartfelt tribute to the security forces and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) who have made ultimate sacrifices in the line of duty.” He emphasised that the army will continue to provide steadfast support and technical assistance to LEAs, particularly KP police, to augment their capacity.
Gen Asim Munir acknowledged the pivotal role of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in maintaining peace and advancing various projects under the South Waziristan Integrated Development Plan. He underscored army’s commitment to leveraging its resources for prosperity and progress in KP.
The army chief thanked the tribal elders for their support in combating terrorism and for extending unwavering backing to the army.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1860954/army-chief-praises-forces-readiness-in-south-waziristan
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Imran won’t be tried in military court, govt tells IHC
Malik Asad
September 25, 2024
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday disposed of a petition of former prime minister Imran Khan against his possible military trial as the government said his court-martial is not on the cards and any such move will be initiated after completing formalities.
IHC Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb was hearing the petition.
During the course of hearing, Additional Attorney General Barrister Munawar Iqbal Duggal appeared before the court.
On the court’s query about Mr Khan’s apprehension of putting him before the military court, Barrister Duggal said that the federal government has not taken any decision for Mr Khan’s court martial in connection with May 9 cases.
He, however, said that in case the competent authority took a decision for his military trial, then the legal course will be adopted and the permission will be sought from the judicial magistrate concerned.
The court disposed of the petition upon this undertaking.
Mr Khan had filed the petition against his possible military trial in connection with cases registered against him over May 9 violence.
Meanwhile, the same court sought details of the cases registered against Mr Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi.
Justice Aurangzeb, after preliminary hearing of the case, issued notices to the secretary of interior, inspector general of police and others.
Further hearing of the case was adjourned till Sept 27.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1860955/imran-wont-be-tried-in-military-court-govt-tells-ihc
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‘Drone attack’ kills one in Upper South Waziristan
Adam Khan Wazir
September 25, 2024
SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: An alleged drone attack in the Konrai Raghzai area of Sararogha Tehsil of Upper South Waziristan district on Tuesday evening killed one person and injured three others.
Local sources confirmed the drone attack, identifying the deceased as Saifullah Mehsud. The injured were identified as Murtaza, Hameed Khan and Abid.
However, there was no official confirmation of the drone strike. The injured were taken to hospital in Dera Ismail Khan for treatment.
Deputy Commissioner of Upper South Waziristan Saleem Jan, when contacted, said it was a bomb blast that injured four people. He said that an investigation was underway, following the blast.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1860946/drone-attack-kills-one-in-upper-south-waziristan
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India
VHP Launches Campaign: ‘Govt Control On Temples Mindset of Muslim Invaders &Britishers’
Written by Deeptiman Tiwary
September 25, 2024
VHP launches campaign: ‘Govt control on temples mindset of Muslim invaders & Britishers’Alleging corruption, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said there were more than 400 temples under the Tamil Nadu government alone and alleged that “in the past 10 years, the state has shown losses of Rs 50,000 crore in these temples.”
In the backdrop of the controversy over the Tirupati Balaji Temple prasadam, the VHP on Tuesday announced a campaign to free temples across the country from government control. Alleging corruption in their management, it said governments taking over temples reflected the mindset of “Muslim invaders” and “colonial” British.
“Governments are using temples to loot their wealth and to accommodate politicians who could not get a place in the government,” VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain told a press conference, a day after the organisation held a conference of seers in Tirupati and the temple board said “purification rituals” were performed “to restore the sanctity of the laddoo prasadams”.
Jain said the alleged adulteration of the prasadam with animal fat had made “the entire Hindu society angry”. Claiming that reports of such adulteration were coming in from several other temples such as Kerala’s Sabarimala as well, Jain called it “a criminal flirtation with the sentiments of the Hindu society.”
“The common link between all these episodes is that these are all temples under the control of governments. The only stable solution to the problem is freeing the temples from the control of governments and them being handed over to the society. The society will manage the temples under the guidance of saints,” he said.
Terming governments’ running temples as “unconstitutional”, Jain said: “Article 12 says the State has no religion. Then, who has given them the right to run temples? Article 25 and 26 give us the right to run our institutions. If minorities can run their institutions, then why not Hindus.”
“It appears there is a pattern. Muslim invaders destroyed temples and looted them. The British were smarter and took control of temples. This way they established an institutional system to loot the temples. Unfortunately, despite Independence, our politicians could not free themselves of this colonial mindset. Governments taking control of temples is a reflection of the same mindset. This loot must end now. Our slogan thus is: Hindu Money for Hindu Cause,” he added.
Alleging corruption, Jain said there were more than 400 temples under the Tamil Nadu government alone and alleged that “in the past 10 years, the state has shown losses of Rs 50,000 crore in these temples.”
According to Jain, “as a first step” of the campaign, the VHP will hold protest rallies in all state capitals and give a memorandum of demands to the chief ministers. “If needed, even legal steps will; be taken after that. And if this does not suffice, then we could even launch a movement in the future,” he said.
On being asked why this could not be done despite 10 years of the Modi Government at the Centre and several states having BJP governments, Jain said: “Earlier it was a demand. Now we are launching a campaign. Now that the society has started feeling it and is raising its voice against government control over temples, it is perhaps God’s wish that we must launch a campaign for this now.”
Source:indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/vhp-launches-campaign-govt-control-on-temples-mindset-of-muslim-invaders-britishers-9586427/
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'Don't Give Business to Muslims, Marathis': Mumbai TC Suspended Over Objectionable Remarks
SEPTEMBER 24, 2024,
The Western Railway (WR) has suspended a Mumbai-based Ticket Collector after an audio clip surfaced wherein he is purportedly heard making objectionable remarks against Maharashtra natives and a minority community.
Ticket Collector (TC) Ashish Pande, hailing from Uttar Pradesh and currently residing in Mumbai’s Vikhroli area, was suspended on Sunday, pending an inquiry, the WR’s Mumbai Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) said after the clip’s content triggered an uproar.
The audio clip was on Sunday posted on X by a social media user and it quickly went viral.
In the clip, Pande is purportedly heard making disparaging remarks against Maharashtrians and a minority community.
Responding swiftly, the Western Railway announced the TC’s suspension on Sunday and ordered an inquiry.
“We take this matter very seriously. The staff commenting adversely about the religious community and Maharashtrians has been suspended immediately, pending an inquiry. A thorough investigation will be conducted to ensure accountability,” the DRM said on X while replying to clip-related comments.
“Appropriate actions will be determined based on the findings to uphold our standards and ensure the integrity of our services,” the official added.
Source:news18.com
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https://www.news18.com/india/mumbai-tc-suspended-after-his-discriminatory-remarks-against-marathis-muslims-spark-row-9062136.html
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Why is social media rife with conspiracy theories about ‘rail jihad’?
Abhik Deb
September 25, 2024
On Sunday, the railway police in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh arrested two men for a failed attempt at stealing an iron pole. In a press note, the police said that the two men, Sandeep Chauhan and Vijendra, were addicts who regularly committed minor thefts to buy alcohol and drugs.
Last Wednesday, they started to carry away a pole from railway property. But as a train approached, they fled, leaving the pole on the tracks.
On the face of it, this would appear to be a case of petty crime. But several news websites ran a report by the Press Trust of India news agency citing officials claiming that this was a case of sabotage. TV news anchors also claimed that an attempt at sabotage had been foiled.
These reports appeared after social media posts by Hindutva supporters asserting that the pole had been placed on the tracks as a conspiracy against the railways to cause an accident.
This was not an isolated instance. Over the past few weeks, many claims about sabotage and conspiracy against the railways have appeared both in the mainstream media and on social media. Fact checkers have found them to be false or misleading.
On September 22, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kapil Mishra claimed that foreign objects were being placed on railway tracks as part of a “rail jihad” – a conspiracy to cause “mass killings” in rail accidents. The use of the word “jihad” to insinuate that Muslims were involved in these conspiracies is a common feature in many of these claims
Earlier this month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that government agencies would look into cases of conspiracy to cause rail mishaps.
At a time when the Narendra Modi-led government is under pressure for its poor performance on rail safety, these conspiracy theories help the government deflect attention from its failings.
Fake claims and false alarms
The concern over misinformation about sabotage against the railways stems from the fact that the social media posts are being shared by prominent accounts with massive reach.
For example, a tweet about the Rampur incident by an X account called “Mr Sinha” had more than 2.26 lakh views and has been reposted over 3,500 times. “Mr Sinha” has more than 34 lakh followers on X, including Modi, former Union minister Smriti Irani and former Niti Aayog chief Amitabh Kant.
Another example is X user Rakesh Krishnan Simha, who has over 75,000 followers including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. On August 29, Simha posted a video claiming that it showed “children of a particular cult removing railway fishplates with the aim of the mass slaughter of innocents”. The video was reposted more than 10,000 times and had over a million views. However, the video is actually from Pakistan and at least nine months old.
In the first week of September, another old video of a child placing stones on the railway tracks went viral. More than eight lakh X users saw the video in a post shared by X user Deepak Sharma claiming that “jihadi children” were plotting to kill Hindus. “That day is not far when we will get the news of many being killed due to a train derailment,” Sharma wrote in his tweet.
Fact checkers pointed out that the video was five years old and the child it featured was a Hindu.
A couple of days later, a video of a man hammering the glass window of a train went viral. One of the tweets carrying this video was posted by X user BhikuMhatre who has over 1.8 lakh followers. In his tweet, he tagged the railway minister and demanded that the “rail jihadi” be booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The video was seen nearly six lakh times on X, but fact checking website Alt News found that the man in the video was carrying out a standard procedure required to replace a train’s glass pane.
The virality element of social media means that even as these claims have been debunked, these posts continue to be circulated. A search on X with the keywords “rail jihad” or “train jihad” bears proof of that. The social media conversation seems to have influenced media reports too – like in the case of the Rampur incident.
An example of such fake claims emerged on September 21, when railway officials detected a missing fishplate on a track near Surat in Gujarat. On social media, a video of the incident was reposted with the hashtag “rail jihad” nearly 700 times. Media reports said that a “train derailment attempt” had been thwarted. But upon investigation, the police found that the railway staffer who had flagged the incident had removed the fishplate himself in a bid to get a promotion and the financial bonus that the railways award to employees for preventing mishaps.
Another incident took place on September 22, when a special train carrying army personnel had to be stopped following an explosion near a railway track in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa. Social media users as well as media reports speculated this to be an attempt to blow up the army special train. On Monday, it turned out that a railway staffer had been arrested for stealing 10 “harmless detonators” that are used as crackers that make a loud sound as warning for obstruction, fog or mist.
A public relations officer of the railways told the media that the staffer who had stolen the detonators was drunk and off duty. It is not clear how the detonators went off.
Are ‘train derailment attempts’ on the rise?
Many news reports on the railways minister’s warning against such alleged attempts at sabotage have claimed that attempts to derail trains are on the rise. These news items cite a report by the railways claiming that there have been 18 attempts at sabotage since August.
However, an executive director of the information and publicity wing of the Railway Board told Scroll that it was not an official report but a summary of such incidents. “We sent a summary to mediapersons because we had to check our records every time they would inquire about incidents,” he said on conditions of anonymity.
Of the 18 incidents that the media reports have cited from the document, Scroll found that five were not related to alleged sabotage on the railway tracks. These were about deaths and assaults of railway officials and theft of railway property. Three more were false alarms. For instance, on August 18, thieves in Jabalpur district abandoned stolen iron rods on a track when they saw a train approaching. On August 30, an abandoned concrete sleeper “slid onto the tracks due to vibrations” caused by a train in Sambalpur. On September 9, a gas cylinder was found lying next to a rail track near Kanpur.
Two incidents of gas cylinders, bikes and bicycles being placed on railway tracks near Lalgopalganj in Uttar Pradesh in August turned out to be stunts performed by a YouTuber. The official X handle of the railways also tweeted about this.
An Alt News article on the incident noted that many content creators place objects on railway tracks to make videos of trains running over them.
Barring the incidents mentioned above, the railways document lists eight cases of objects such as concrete blocks, stones and vehicle parts being found on railway tracks since August. In one case, a collision with a piece of an old railway track and an iron clamp was deemed responsible for the derailment of 20 coaches of the Sabarmati Express near Kanpur. No casualties were reported in the accident.
Nonetheless, in none of these incidents has a conspiracy – let alone by Muslims – been established.
The conspiracy theories come at a time when the Modi government is under scanner for promoting highly-publicised projects like the Vande Bharat trains at the cost of railway safety. Between 2017-’18 and 2022-’23, there have been 44 train accidents on average every year that resulted in injuries, loss of life, rail traffic disruption and damage to railway property. This year until July, least 17 people have died in train accidents.
There have also been instances of blame games to mask operational failures. After 10 people died in June in a collision in Bihar between an express train and a goods train, the railway initially blamed a human error by a loco pilot. But it emerged that the accident took place due to a signalling failure. After at least 288 people died in one of the country’s worst train mishaps in Odisha’s Balasore last year, social media was abuzz with conspiracy theories falsely claiming that a mosque was situated close to the accident site.
In light of this, many believe that the allegations of a “rail jihad” are a diversionary tactic to distract attention from the failures of the railways.
Source:scroll.in
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Delegation of diplomats from US, Norway, Singapore and many other countries in J&K to witness ongoing Assembly polls
25.09.24
A delegation of diplomats from 16 countries, including the US, Norway and Singapore, on Wednesday observed the ongoing assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
The delegation visited polling stations in Ompora area of Budgam district, followed by stops at Amira Kadal and SP College, Chinar Bagh, within the Lal Chowk constituency, officials said.
At the SP College, the delegates had the chance to visit a special pink polling station, managed entirely by women.
Several of these polling stations had witnessed very low voter turnout during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, Akshay Labroo, who is also the District Election Officer, briefed the observers on the voting process during their visit to the polling station in Ompora.
The delegation comprised diplomats from Delhi-based missions of the US, Mexico, Guyana, South Korea, Somalia, Panama, Singapore, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, Norway, Tanzania, Rwanda, Algeria and the Philippines, people familiar with the matter said.
Most of the embassies are represented by their Charge d'affaires and deputy chief of missions, they said.
Others are represented by political officers at minister-counselor and counselor ranks.
This is perhaps for the first time since the eruption of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir that foreign observers have been allowed to witness the elections. The earlier governments stoically dismissed any suggestion of allowing international observers into Jammu and Kashmir during polls.
The Centre invited the foreign delegates with the objective of showcasing the peaceful poll process and the good voter turnout that has been witnessed since the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.
National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah lashed out at the Centre's move to invite foreign delegates to observe the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the polls were an internal matter of India.
"I don't know why foreigners should be asked to check elections here. When foreign governments comment, then the government of India says 'this is an internal matter for India' and now suddenly they want foreign observers to come and look at our elections," Abdullah told reporters here.
He said the assembly elections in J-K "are an internal matter for us", and "we do not have their certificate".
"Also, this participation is not because of the government of India, it is in spite of everything that the government of India did. They have humiliated people, they have used all the machinery of the government to detain and harass people," the former chief minister said.
"Inspite of that, people are coming and participating in the elections. So, this is not something the government of India should be highlighting. But, anyway, that's the way they are," he said.
Elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being held in three phases. Voting for 24 seats in the first phase was held on September 18 while polling for 26 seats in the second phase is underway on Wednesday. The voting for 40 seats in third phase will be held on October 1 while counting of votes will be held on October 8.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/senior-diplomats-from-us-norway-singapore-and-many-other-countries-visiting-kashmir-to-witness-ongoing-jammu-and-kashmir-assembly-elections/cid/2050408
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Amit Shah appeals people in Jammu and Kashmir to vote in large numbers for a terror-free region
25.09.24
As the second phase of polling begins in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday appealed to the people of the Union Territory to vote in large numbers for a developed and terror-free region.
Voting began on Wednesday for the second phase of the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir, in which over 2.5 million voters will decide the fate of 239 candidates in the fray for 26 seats.
"I appeal to all the voters going to cast their votes in the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir election to vote in maximum numbers for the creation of a terror-free and developed Jammu and Kashmir," Shah wrote on 'X'.
The home minister said people should vote for a government that works with commitment to the golden future of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, the rights of the deprived and women and the development of the region.
"Vote today to strengthen democracy and to free Jammu and Kashmir from terrorism, nepotism and corruption," he said.
Among the prominent candidates contesting in the second phase of polling include former chief minister of the erstwhile state, Omar Abdullah.
The voting began at 7 am across the 26 assembly constituencies amidst tight security arrangements, officials said.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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'15 Muslim BJP Candidates In Kashmir'
By SYED FIRDAUS ASHRAF
September 25, 2024
IMAGE: Abdul Rashid Haroon, second from right, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Lal Chowk, campaigns accompanied by Darakshan Andrabi, chairperson, Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, right. Photographs: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com
The Bharatiya Janata Party is known to not field many Muslims when it comes to elections in India.
So when it does, it becomes a note-worthy occasion.
In the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections the BJP has fielded not one or two but 15 Muslim candidates.
"It was only the Muftis, Congress and Abdullahs that benefited from Article 370 of the Constitution. Common Kashmiris only suffered due to it," Manzoor Bhat, journalist turned senior BJP leader in Kashmir, tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com.
How do you see the election outcome in Jammu and Kashmir?
Our party workers are working in full swing across Jammu and Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed the face of Jammu and Kashmir in the last 10 years of his rule.
More than one crore (10 million) tourists come to Jammu and Kashmir, which was unheard of in earlier times and this has been made possible because of PM Modi's policies.
Not a single Kashmir resident has been killed by militants in the last five years. The terrorism graph has drastically come down and these are the things which we are highlighting to our voters in our campaign as our achievement.
Why is the BJP then not contesting all 47 assembly seats in Kashmir?
We have 47 assembly seats in Kashmir and we are contesting on 19 seats. You know the BJP believes in the nation first policy and if you see the history of elections in Kashmir, you will find only three parties contesting elections -- the National Conference, the Peoples Democratic Party or the Congress party.
No poor man with little resources could contest elections in Kashmir. They had no space in the politics of Kashmir.
We adopteda three-tier system of solutions for Kashmir.
For the first time we had district development council (DDC) elections in Kashmir. The election for the mayor's seat for Srinagar never happened in the last 20 years. We got that election done. We got democracy in Kashmir at the grass root level.
We have been successful in this and now we are having assembly elections. Even if we win a less number of seats in this election, we will contest from all seats in Kashmir in the next elections .
Are you in alliance with any party or supporting any Independent?
The BJP never does backstabbing politics in Kashmir. We are contesting the Jammu and Kashmir elections without any alliance.
In the DDC elections, seven parties came together and they named it as PAGD (People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration) to contest against the BJP and yet the BJP came out with the largest number of seats in that elections.
It is always said the BJP never gives tickets to Muslim candidates. Is this true for Kashmir?
It is not true. Our biggest priority in Jammu and Kashmir is democracy and secularism. Hindu-Muslims and Sikhs live as brothers here. We have only one policy in our party, that whoever our worker and from whichever religion he comes from must work for the betterment of people and society.
There are many Muslim candidates who are contesting on a BJP ticket in the Jammu and Kashmir elections.
How many Muslim candidates are from the BJP?
We have 15 Muslim candidates contesting on the BJP's ticket in Jammu and Kashmir. They will win hands down from their respective seats.
What about te statehood of Jammu and Kashmir? Will your party restore it?
Yes, we will restore statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.
Our party leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah said categorically on the floor of the House that the BJP will restore statehood in Jammu and Kashmir once the conditions are suitable.
Is Engineer Rashid a ploy of the BJP? Many people believe so in Kashmir.
Whoever speaks of separatism and a pro-Pakistan policy in Kashmir, we will never support those people.
Engineer Rashid speaks in the tone of the Hurriyat Conference. He is on interim bail and we have to respect court decisions, but we cannot give space to people who speak against the Indian Union.
Many political observers say Engineer Rashid's release has put the Abdullahs of the National Conference in trouble. Do you feel so?
There is no doubt about it. The National Conference has treated the people of Kashmir badly and they have no space in Kashmir politics.
The BJP will not suffer due to Engineer Rashid entering the contest, it is the NC which will suffer for sure.
You will see the outcome of the elections on October 8. The BJP will be the number one party in the state.
Are you indicating that Jammu and Kashmir will see its first BJP chief minister?
Inshallah! BJP workers are working in full swing in Jammu and Kashmir. You can see that on the roads.
What about the fact that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will have the keys to power rather than the elected chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir?
Jammu and Kashmir has not got full statehood. It is a Union Territory. If you see other Union territories like Lakshadweep, the administrator is the LG only, and we as a party have no problem till we get statehood back.
Do Kashmiris support the BJP stance on the abrogation of Article 370?
People of Jammu and Kashmir have understood that Article 370 only shielded corrupt families and certain bureaucrats.
Article 370 only helped the PDP and National Conference. The common man of Kashmir didn't benefit from Article 370.
No employment was created by these vested interests in Kashmir due to Article 370. In the coming days you will see that the people of Kashmir realised that Article 370 was only a piece of paper and nothing more than that.
So is Article 370 dead forever?
Farooq Abdullah said it will take another 100 years to bring back Article 370.
I fail to understand how Engineer Rashid will bring Article 370 back as he has been claiming in his speeches.
The Supreme Court of India too gave a nod to the abrogation of Article 370 and we all need to respect that.
If you do not respect the Supreme Court's judgment then I believe you do not believe in the Indian Constitution.
Article 370 is now dug 70 feet deep in the ground. It cannot come out. Once in, it will never come back.
Source:rediff.com
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https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/manzoor-bhat-15-muslim-bjp-candidates-in-kashmir/20240925.htm
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Europe
UK Islamic State Supporter Jailed for Extreme Videos Which Encouraged Violence
24 September 2024
A man who shared extreme violent videos supporting Islamic State has been jailed six years and nine months at Kingston Crown Court.
Ayoub Nacir, 21, shared documents and videos online that encouraged people to take up arms and commit acts of terrorism.
After being arrested, Counter Terrorism Policing also discovered documents on Nacir’s devices which contained instructions on how to make noxious substances for use in a terrorist attack.
He used social media accounts on Instagram, TikTok and Telegram to share and promote terrorist material, frequently changing accounts to avoid detection.
After his arrest a search Nacir’s addresses uncovered a terrorist instruction manual and a large sheathed combat knife, alongside a laptop with documents on guiding a person through the experience of ‘becoming a jihadi’.
He pleaded guilty to eight terrorism charges earlier this year.
Bethan David, Head of Counter Terrorism Division at the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Ayoub Nacir held violent and extreme beliefs and was intent on encouraging violence and acts of terrorism.
“His fascination with Islamic State (IS) acts is troubling and shows his commitment to extremism and advancing IS propaganda.
“The CPS will continue to work to ensure those that spread hate and fear in the name of ideology and extremism are prosecuted.”
Source:cps.gov.uk
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https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/islamic-state-supporter-jailed-extreme-videos-which-encouraged-violence
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French extremist admits role in kidnapping of aid workers in Yemen
September 24, 2024
PARIS: A French extremist linked to the perpetrators of the 2015 massacre at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo made a surprise admission Tuesday that he was involved in the 2011 kidnapping of three French aid workers in Yemen.
Peter Cherif, 42, also known as Abou Hamza, is being tried in Paris for terrorism-related offenses committed between 2011 and 2018, when he allegedly belonged to Yemen-based militant group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).
Arrested in Djibouti in 2018, he had previously denied involvement in the kidnapping.
But on Tuesday he told the court that “I accept the facts, I was the translator” between his fellow French and their captors.
“I regret being involved in all this,” he said, claiming that he was not aware of the plot to kidnap the aid workers and that they were better treated because of his presence.
Even before his unexpected admission, prosecutors had established that he was in Yemen in May 2011 when the three aid workers from the Triangle Generation Humanitaire charity were abducted as they returned to their lodgings in the village of Seiyun.
They were released in November 2011 after spending their captivity in desert caves.
Amelie, one of the hostages, had already testified at the trial that she recognized Cherif as the translator with the captors, who spoke neither English nor French.
Cherif was linked to a Paris extremist cell and was named in the enquiry into the January 2015 attack on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, due to his regular contact with the perpetrators, Said and Cherif Kouachi.
Twelve people were killed in the massacre that sent shock waves across France. The brothers died in a shootout with police two days later.
Investigating judges believe Cherif recruited the brothers into AQAP and had knowledge of the plan to carry out an attack in France.
According to several witnesses, AQAP advised foreign fighters in Yemen to return to their countries of origin to stage attacks.
In 2020, Cherif was called as a witness during a trial over the 2015 attacks and claimed to have had “nothing to do” with the massacre.
In 2004, Cherif left Paris to fight in Iraq and was captured by coalition forces in the ruins of Fallujah a few months later.
He escaped to Syria in 2007, eventually reporting to the French embassy in Damascus and was deported in early 2008.
He went on trial in early 2011, but before he was sentenced to five years in prison, he fled to Yemen where he joined AQAP.
He spent seven years there before traveling under a false identity with his wife and two children in 2018 to Djibouti, where he was arrested and handed over to France.
The trial is scheduled to last until early October.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2572642/middle-east
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Men threw bricks at mosque during disorder
24/09/2024
Stephanie Wareham
Five men, including three who threw bricks and other items at a mosque, have been jailed for taking part in violent disorder in Stoke-on-Trent.
James Watkins, Andrew Townley, Ashley Morris, Lee Grocott, and Jarrod Hollinshea, took part in a protest in the city on 3 August, organised in response to a knife attack at a dance studio in Southport in July that left three girls dead.
Stoke Crown Court heard Grocott stood on a bench being "verbally abusive" towards a group of peaceful protesters near the town hall.
All five men entered guilty pleas. Judge Sally Hancock said "Weapons were brandished, missiles were thrown and a number of people were injured."
Watkins, 35, of Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced to 36 months for violent disorder
Townley, 45, of Hanley, was ordered to serve 34 months in prison for violent disorder, with an eight-month sentence for assaulting an emergency worker to run concurrently
Morris, 31, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, was imprisoned for 30 months for violent disorder
Grocott, 48, of Stoke-on-Trent, was jailed for 32 months for violent disorder
Hollinshead, 26, of no fixed address, was given a sentence of 22 months for affray, as well as a 14-month sentence for his involvement in the burglary of an 87-year-old man's house in July
Prosecutors said Grocott told police when he was arrested at his home on September 9, he had attended to "protest illegal immigration and the state of the country".
The court heard that Morris and Hollinshead were each caught on CCTV and police body-worn camera throwing missiles including stones and bricks at the Darul Falah mosque in Town Road, Hanley.
Morris's barrister said the father of three had gone into town to "see what was going on" after he finished work and that he lost his job as a groundworker as a result of being held in custody.
Hollinshead, who has been homeless for more than a decade took part in the protest hours after leaving the city's magistrate's court over an unrelated offence, the court heard.
He said he initially thought it was going to be a parade, with bands and music, and was encouraged to join because there would be free beer shared, but realised it was a protest when he saw bricks being thrown.
Townley was wearing a high-visibility jacket with the telephone number of his workplace on the back, was trying to get to his mother's home on the other side of the police cordon, his barrister said.
He was arrested at his workplace after trying to break through the police line, to which he was pushed back by an officer using her riot shield.
His barrister said he had no intention of being part of a protest.
Watkins was also caught on body-worn camera footage standing on a bench, being verbally abusive and gesturing with his hands.
His barrister said he got involved after drinking with a friend in the town centre.
He said: "He says he holds no right-wing beliefs but he accepts that, through curiosity, he got involved and deeply regrets following the protesters."
Source:bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9dyjxw85yvo
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Terror probe closed before imam's murder - inquiry
Paul Burnell & PA Media
24/09/2024
A former counter-terrorism detective agreed an investigation was prematurely closed into a man later convicted of helping an alleged extremist flee the UK after murdering an imam.
Former detective inspector Frank Morris, who retired from Greater Manchester Police in 2021, told a public inquiry the investigation into Mohammed Syadul Hussain should not have ended in 2014.
The inquiry is aiming to establish whether intelligence failures contributed to the death of imam Jalal Uddin, 71.
Father-of-seven Mr Uddin was bludgeoned with a hammer in a children's play area in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, on 18 February 2016.
Hussain, from Rochdale, came under police scrutiny after his eight-year-old nephew in Hull went into school saying he wanted to join the Taliban, the hearing at Liverpool Crown Court was told.
Hussain was subsequently jailed for five years for helping Mohammed Kadir, then 24, flee the UK for Syria.
Kadir is believed to have struck the fatal blows and planned the killing of Mr Uddin with former Manchester United steward Mohammed Syeedy, then 21, who drove Kadir to the scene and helped carry out surveillance on their target.
Kadir fled the UK three days after the killing with the help of Hussain.
Syeedy was convicted in September 2016 of murdering Mr Uddin and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 24 years.
Both Kadir and Syeedy were sympathisers of the Islamic State militant group and were consumed by hatred of Mr Uddin for his practice of Ruqyah, a form of exorcism, which the terror organisation considered "black magic", the inquiry has heard.
The second day of three days of public evidence heard Hussain's home was raided in August 2014 with his phone and other devices seized.
Police found images of extremist propaganda, photos of terrorist leaders, including photos of Osama Bin Laden and Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, weapons and execution videos.
Officers concluded he posed a "significant risk" to himself and others of radicalisation, though no actual terror offences were detected and he was not arrested or charged.
Former detective Mr Morris told the inquiry: "It was not unusual to find images of this kind on devices seized at this time."
However, police failed to look at the communications on his phone, which would have revealed his second most regular contact was Kadir, and the investigation into Hussain was closed.
He was referred instead to Prevent, the government's anti-radicalisation programme.
Threats on phone
Mr Morris agreed communications between the men should have been reviewed and the investigation kept open until that had taken place.
Sophie Cartwright KC, counsel to the inquiry, asked Mr Morris about one particular WhatsApp exchange with Kadir later recovered from Hussain's phone where he said former prime minister Tony Blair "needs killing."
Mr Morris said: "Mr Blair at the time was not a favourite of any Islamists, with the war in Iraq.
"I think there was a lot of English people about at that time who did not like Tony Blair and called him a war criminal."
But Mr Morris said even if they had known about the two men's communications it is unlikely counter-terror police would have acted differently other than to possibly gather more intelligence on Kadir.
Judge Thomas Teague KC is chairman of the inquiry, much of which has been held in secret or "closed" session to protect national security, which will focus on whether there was any intelligence failures which contributed to the murder.
Source:bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g092895jmo
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Bybit launches world’s first Sharia-compliant crypto trading account
Sep 24, 2024
In a significant move to satisfy the increasing demand for Shariah-compliant monetary products, within the crypto sector, exchange Bybit has announced the first Islamic crypto trading account.
The advanced account has services aligned with Islamic financial ethics, allowing individuals to trade their favorite digital coins while avoiding forbidden undertakings such as gambling and interest-based transactions.
The exchange consulted a regulated advisory firm, ZICO Shariah, to ensure compliance. Its pronouncement to Bybit stated:
The creation of an Islamic account serves to restrict the users to only trade Shariah compliant digital assets in an end-to-end Shariah-compliant manner.
Some of the initial offerings include limited 75 Shariah-compliant cryptocurrencies for spot trading.
ZICO Shariah evaluated Bybit’s structure and website for the proposed Islamic account and confirmed that the trading model and available assets satisfy Shariah principles.
Setting standards for halal crypto trading
The move represents a crucial milestone in bridging Islamic finance with the cryptocurrency market.
Bybit sets standards for halal crypto trading as the demand for Shariah-adherence investment products, especially in countries like UAE and Malaysia.
Bybit’s initiative will likely accelerate crypto adoption in Muslim-majority jurisdictions through a Sharia-compliant and secure environment for modern investors.
Meanwhile, Bybit continues to attract the attention of global regulators.
The Turkey Capital Markets Board listed Bybit Turkey as a cryptocurrency asset service provider.
Turkish regulator recognizes Bybit as a crypto service provider
The recognition marked a crucial step for the trading platform, enabling it to serve crypto enthusiasts within the country’s digital assets regulatory framework.
The local exchange confirmed that it has focused on adhering to Turkish laws since its June 2024 rebrand.
The exchange plans to cement its presence in the country through innovative technologies, launching Turkish lira pairs and collaborating with local banks like Vakifbank and Ziraat Bank for smooth banking undertakings.
Moreover, Bybit Turkey introduced advanced features such as single-click buy to cater to newbies and experts.
The recent developments underscored Bybit’s dedication to establishing itself as a top player in the cryptocurrency industry, prioritizing compliance and security for global users.
Moreover, Bybit positions itself as a regulatory entity as crypto enthusiasts brace for a historic bull run, making it among the go-to platforms for new and experienced investors.
Bitcoin trades at $63.74K, eyeing robust uptrends after the recent Federal decision on interest rates.
Meanwhile, the upside path appears challenging as the top crypto has hovered in a descending channel since facing rejection above $73.75K.
While the price sways at the channel’s upper boundary, sudden shifts could trigger dips.
However, renowned analyst Ali Charts remains confident about Bitcoin uptrends, forecasting $78K after a potential dip to $60K.
He believes bulls could lose strength as the Relative Strength Index undergoes a bearish divergence.
Thus, BTC could plunge to $60K, bounce back to $66K, plummet to $57K before finally rallying to new ATHs of $78K.
Source:invezz.com
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https://invezz.com/news/2024/09/24/bybit-launches-worlds-first-sharia-compliant-crypto-trading-account/
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North America
Qatar Is the Second Muslim Nation After BruneiWhose Citizens Can Travel to The US Without a Visa
September 25, 2024
NEW YORK (AP) — The Gulf nation of Qatar on Tuesday became just the second Muslim-majority country to be admitted into a program that allows its citizens to travel to the United States without first obtaining a U.S. visa.
The departments of State and Homeland Security jointly announced that Qatar had met stringent eligibility requirements to join the visa waiver program. Those requirements include a low visa refusal rate, a low rate of visa overstays and a demand of reciprocal treatment of American travelers, who are already allowed to visit Qatar without a visa for up to 30 days.
“Qatar has been an exceptional partner for the United States, and our strategic relationship has only grown stronger over the past few years,” the departments said in a statement. “This is further evidence of our strategic partnership and our shared commitment to security and stability.”
Qatar, which has played a key role in trying to negotiate a cease-fire deal in Gaza and was an instrumental U.S. partner before and during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, is the 42nd country to be admitted to the program.
Most countries whose citizens can visit the U.S. without a visa are longstanding allies in Europe and Asia. The only other Muslim-majority country in the program is the tiny Southeast Asian nation of Brunei.
Although Qatar's population is just over 3 million people, only a small percentage of those — about 320,000 — are actually Qataris who would be eligible for the program if they hold valid passports. The vast majority of people who live in Qatar are foreign workers and other expatriates who do not hold Qatari passports.
The program allows citizens of qualifying nations to enter the U.S. for business or tourism without a visa for up to 90 days, although they must still obtain approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, which is done online and doesn't require an in-person interview as visa applications do.
After Oct. 1, U.S. citizens will be allowed to stay in Qatar without a visa for 90 days.
Israel was the last country admitted to the program in 2023, and it was allowed in despite significant concerns that it does not treat Palestinian Americans, Arab Americans or Muslim Americans the same as other U.S. passport holders.
Source:yahoo.com
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https://www.yahoo.com/news/qatar-second-muslim-nation-whose-190025047.html
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Anti-Islamic Survey Alleged In Burr Ridge Area Race
David Giuliani,
Sep 24, 2024
BURR RIDGE, IL – Democrat Suzanne Akhras, who is running for District 82's state representative, said Tuesday she has received multiple reports that a survey is falsely telling residents she belongs to Islamic terrorist groups.
In an interview, Akhras, a Burr Ridge resident, told Patch she has heard about the survey while campaigning in towns in the district, which include Burr Ridge, Darien, Lemont, Orland Park and Indian Head Park.
Based on her information, Akhras, who is Muslim, said the survey asks, "Would you vote for Suzanne Akhras if you knew she belonged to Islamic terrorist groups?"
The survey comes through a text, stating, "Dan here with Political Opinion Research with a poll about the upcoming general election." A link is given to Survey Monkey.
Akhras said she hasn't seen the survey because it can only be clicked once and then it disappears. Those who have forwarded her the text message have already clicked the link.
Her campaign sent Patch the text message in question. Upon clicking the link, a user is taken to the Survey Monkey website, with the message, "This survey is currently closed. Please contact the author of this survey for further assistance."
No information is given about the author. Two firms with the name "Political Opinion Research" can be found online, but neither appears to be behind the message.
"It's racist, Islamophobic and xenophobic," Akhras said. "You're seeing these types of attacks on the national level."
Such a tactic, she said, is putting her, her family and campaign volunteers in danger.
Akhras is running against state Rep. Nicole La Ha, a Homer Glen Republican. She was appointed to the position last December.
La Ha's campaign couldn't be reached for immediate comment Tuesday.
The survey resembles what is known as a "push poll," which is often used in political races. Such a poll appears to be for collecting information from voters, but is actually designed to spread false information in the form of questions.
In recent weeks, Republican organizations have been pouring money into La Ha's campaign, according to state Board of Elections records. Akhras' donations have come from individuals.
Source:patch.com
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https://patch.com/illinois/burrridge/anti-islamic-survey-alleged-burr-ridge-area-race
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St. Anthony tables vote on mosque, community center
By Tim Harlow
SEPTEMBER 25, 2024
The St. Anthony City Council on Tuesday delayed its vote to consider a zoning request that would allow a former bank building to be used for a mosque and Islamic youth center.
After a discussion lasting more than two hours, the council unanimously decided to postpone any vote until its Oct. 22 meeting. Several council members said they were conflicted about approving the request for the project when St. Anthony has a “dearth” of affordable housing and stated a desire to preserve the property for such a use.
“We want to continue to be a welcoming place,” said Mayor Wendy Webster. “We also need housing that’s available to differing incomes.”
The Tibyan Center bought the former Bremer Bank property on the 2400 block of Lowry Avenue NE. with plans to renovate the building. The site once had been slated to become a 76-unit housing project, but it did not move forward, according to a memo on Tuesday’s City Council agenda and packet.
St. Anthony’s Planning Commission approved the Tibyan request, though some residents expressed concerns about traffic and parking needs. The city’s zoning ordinance allows for religious assemblies on the property.
Since May, when the Tibyan Center’s plans became known, vandals struck at least eight times and did significant damage. Thieves also stole computers and other items.
But the center is still planning to open once the city gives its final approval.
Source:startribune.com
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https://www.startribune.com/st-anthony-to-vote-on-mosque-community-center-tuesday/601150660
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South Asia
Bangladesh July Uprising Cases: No Cops To Be Arrested Without Specific Evidence
Sep 25, 2024
Police members sued for murder, attempted murder, and kidnapping during the quota reform protests in July-August will only be arrested if there is specific evidence against them.
Different police units are collecting video footage and working to identify the force members who used lethal weapons against unarmed civilians.
The move came after the Police Headquarters (PHQ) on September 10 sent copies of a letter to all police units, asking them to drop the names of any government official or individual from cases if their involvement in offences is not found during primary investigations, a high official of the PHQ confirmed The Daily Star.
The letter was addressed to the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) chief.
"We are collecting footage of police members using lethal weapons or shooting at people. We are also recording the statements of officers who were responsible for ensuring law and order," the official said, requesting anonymity.
The official said they want to identify those who used lethal weapons and ordered cops to use those.
"Plainclothes men, particularly those from the Awami League, were also seen using firearms. We are trying to identify them and ascertain how they got the firearms."
Sources in police said at least 278 cases have been filed with different police stations accusing 94 cops after the fall of the AL government on August 5.
More than 50 cases have been lodged with Ashulia and Savar police stations over the violence in July-August. Police members are among the accused in those cases.
Nine police officials, including two former inspectors general of police and a former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, have so far been arrested in different cases.
On September 20, Mashiur Rahman, an additional deputy inspector general (DIG) of police and also a former deputy commissioner of the Lalbagh Division (DB) of DMP, was arrested in a murder case filed with New Market Police Station.
A large number of cops went into hiding after the filing of cases and arrests of police officials. Some of them even left the country, said sources in the force.
Many officials are now hesitant about carrying out their duties for fear of being accused in fresh cases and facing departmental action after the change of government, the sources added.
At least 187 cops have been absent from work till date since the fall of the Hasina-led government, officials in PHQ said.
Mostofa Kamal, deputy inspector general of the PBI, said it is the duty of the investigators to drop the names of innocent people from cases and not to harass them.
"We remind the investigators about this policy from time to time. In the charge sheets, the investigators will not name those suspects found not to be involved in crimes," he told The Daily Star yesterday.
Regarding the PHQ directives, Julfiqar Ali Hayder, commissioner of the Khulna Metropolitan Police, said they were trying to collect footage and specific evidence before arresting any suspect.
Ahsan Habib Palash, DIG of Chattogram Range Police, echoed the views of Julfiqar.
Despite repeated attempts by the interim government to fully activate the police force, it is still carrying out duties on a limited scale, said sources in the force.
Before and immediately after the ouster of Hasina, police faced unprecedented public fury as mobs set fire to their vehicles and police stations in reprisal for the law enforcers' use of excessive force on demonstrators.
According to government statistics, at least 44 cops and 708 people were killed during the quota reform protests in July-August.
Many police officials, especially junior cops, now refuse to use force against demonstrators for fear of attacks or being accused in cases, according to sources.
On September 22, junior police officials were seen refusing to follow orders of their superiors to clear a road block by some protesters in the capital's Kakrail.
Many junior cops said they should not be pit against the people.
'COPS ACCUSED INTENTIONALLY'
There are allegations that police officials have been named intentionally in some complaints with Dhaka courts. But some of those names were dropped when the first information reports (FIRs) were filed with police stations.
This newspaper has obtained at least four such FIRs.
On August 23, one Sultan Mahmud filed a complaint with a Dhaka court over the killing of his brother Sujan Mahmud and accused 18 people, including Hasina, former IGP Abdullah Al Mamun, ex-DMP DB chief Harun Or Rashid, former DB joint commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarker, and former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman. But the four cops were not named in the FIR.
Contacted, Sultan said he dropped the names of the cops upon advice from his lawyer. He, however, could not say why his lawyer gave such advice.
Source:thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/july-uprising-cases-no-cops-be-arrested-without-specific-evidence-3711471
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Bangladesh Govt Publishes Draft List Of 708 People Killed In Uprising
25, 2024
The government yesterday published a draft list of 708 individuals who lost their lives during the student-led mass uprising in July and August 2024.
This list is available at https://medical-info.dghs.gov.bd/, according to a public notice signed by Umme Habiba, deputy secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The list, compiled from various public and private hospitals and district sources, identifies martyrs from the anti-discrimination student movement, the notice said.
In case there are any names of victims missing from the list, the ministry has urged family members, heirs, and representatives to contact their local deputy commissioner, civil surgeon, upazila nirbahi officer, or upazila health and family planning officer with appropriate documents.
The list will be available for public review until October 6, giving families, heirs, and representatives of the deceased the opportunity to verify, correct, or add names, addresses, and other relevant details.
Furthermore, individuals with opinions, suggestions, or additional information regarding the published list are encouraged to reach out to the relevant hospital or the nearest government facility, the notice said.
Source:thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/govt-publishes-draft-list-708-people-killed-uprising-3711121
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Islamic Emirate Calls for Participation in BRICS Summit
2024-09-25
KABUL(BNA): Mawlavi Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, announced today, Wednesday that Afghanistan seeks to engage with other countries on pressing economic issues by participating in the upcoming BRICS summit.
The BRICS group, originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, represents some of the world’s fastest-growing emerging economies.
Mujahid emphasized that Afghanistan wishes to discuss its economic challenges and opportunities for collaboration with these influential countries.
With China now recognized as a significant global economic power, the Islamic Emirate’s outreach to BRICS highlights its desire to integrate more fully into the international economic landscape.
The summit presents a potential platform for Afghanistan to address its developmental needs and seek support from established economies.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/islamic-emirate-calls-for-participation-in-brics-summit/
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Hasina, Quader sued over murder
Sep 25, 2024
Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 163 others were sued yesterday in connection with the murder of Shaon Talukder, 21, during mass movement in Dhaka's Jatrabari area on August 5.
The victim's cousin Abdul Halim filed the case with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Shahin Reza.
Former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman and former DB chief Harun Or Rashid, among others, have been made accused in the case.
With this, Hasina is now facing 198 cases.
Source:thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/case-over-shooting-ctg-student-hasina-quader-6-journos-among-1935-sued-3711411
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Mideast
Netanyahu must be stopped ‘just like Hitler’ – Erdogan
24 Sep, 2024
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged the international community to take action against Benjamin Netanyahu's “murder network,” once again likening the Israeli prime minister to Adolf Hitler.
In his address to the 79th UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Erdogan condemned the Israeli government's actions in Gaza, describing the Palestinian enclave as a “concentration camp.”
“Just as Hitler was stopped by the alliance of humanity 70 years ago, Netanyahu and his murder network must be stopped by the alliance of humanity,” Erdogan said. He accused Netanyahu of trying to “drag the entire region into war for the sake of his political fortunes.”
Erdogan criticized the UN for its failure to “prevent the genocide in Gaza” and called for reforms to make the organization more representative and effective. He stated that the Security Council was too focused on the interests of its five permanent members and was failing to protect international peace and security.
Erdogan accused countries that unconditionally support Israel, including the United States, of being complicit in the violence against Palestinians. He emphasized the need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as well as a hostage-prisoner exchange and uninterrupted humanitarian aid.
Erdogan reiterated his support for a lawsuit filed by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to hold Israel accountable for its alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza. He also emphasized that the people of Türkiye do not harbor any hostility towards the people of Israel.
“We are against antisemitism in the same way that we are against the targeting of Muslims simply because of their beliefs,” he said. “Our problem is with the massacre policies of the Israeli government. Our problem is with oppression and tyranny, just as it was five centuries ago.”
Source:rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/604619-netanyahu-stopped-hitler-erdogan/
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Amid Israel-Hezbollah strikes, Lebanon says only US can stop fighting
September 25, 2024
BEIRUT/JERUSALEM: An Israeli airstrike on Beirut killed a senior Hezbollah commander on Tuesday as cross-border rocket attacks by both sides increased fears of a full-fledged war in the Middle East and Lebanon said only Washington could help end the fighting.
Hezbollah early on Wednesday confirmed senior commander Ibrahim Qubaisi was killed by Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday on the Lebanese capital as Israel announced earlier. Israel said Qubaisi headed the group’s missile and rocket force.
Israel’s offensive since Monday morning has killed 569 people, including 50 children, and wounded 1,835 in Lebanon, Health Minister Firass Abiad told Al Jazeera Mubasher TV.
The new offensive against Hezbollah has stoked fears that nearly a year of conflict between Israel and the militant Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza is escalating and could destabilize the Middle East. Britain urged its nationals to leave Lebanon and said it was moving 700 troops to Cyprus to help its citizens evacuate.
The UN Security Council said it would meet on Wednesday to discuss the conflict.
“Lebanon is at the brink. The people of Lebanon – the people of Israel – and the people of the world — cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.
At the UN, which is holding its General Assembly this week, US President Joe Biden made a plea for calm. “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest. Even if a situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible,” he said.
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib criticized Biden’s address as “not strong, not promising” and said the US was the only country “that can really make a difference in the Middle East and with regard to Lebanon.” Washington is Israel’s longtime ally and biggest arms supplier.
The United States “is the key ... to our salvation,” he told an event in New York City hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
In Beirut, thousands of displaced people who fled from southern Lebanon were sheltering in schools and other buildings.
At the Technical Institute of Bir Hassan, volunteers brought water bottles, medicine and other supplies for the new arrivals.
In one classroom, 11-month-old Matila slept on a mattress while children elsewhere stood on chairs to pass time by scribbling on a whiteboard. Rima Ali Chahine, 50, said the shelter provided diapers, pastries and milk for the children.
“It’s a lot of pressure for grownups and children. They’re exhausted and stressed. They could not sleep,” she said. “The kids — they are living through terrible conditions.”
Early on Wednesday, an Israeli strike hit the seaside town of Jiyyeh, 75 km (46 miles) north of the border with Israel, two security sources said.
HEZBOLLAH WEAKENED, SAYS ISRAEL
Half a million people are estimated to have been displaced in Lebanon, said Bou Habib. He said Lebanon’s prime minister hoped to meet with US officials over the next two days.
The US and fellow mediators Qatar and Egypt have so far been unsuccessful in their efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the nearly year-old war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, a Hezbollah ally.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose country and Israel are arch-enemies, told the UN General Assembly the international community must “secure a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and bring an end to the desperate barbarism of Israel in Lebanon, before it engulfs the region and the world.”
Israel’s military said its airforce conducted “extensive strikes” on Tuesday on Hezbollah targets across southern Lebanon, including weapons storage facilities and dozens of launchers that were aimed at Israeli territory.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the attacks had weakened Hezbollah and would continue. Hezbollah “has suffered a sequence of blows to its command and control, its fighters, and the means to fight. These are all severe blows,” he told Israeli troops.
He accused the UN of shirking its responsibility to prevent Hezbollah’s attacks into Israel.
Hezbollah said it launched rockets at the Dado military base in northern Israel and attacked the Atlit naval base south of Haifa with drones, among other targets.
Suspected Israeli missiles were also launched at the Syrian port city of Tartous and were intercepted by Syrian air defenses, Syrian army sources said. The Israeli military declined to comment on the report.
Since the Gaza war started in October, Israel has intensified a years-long air campaign targeting Iran-aligned armed groups and their weapons transfers in Syria.
Funerals were held on Tuesday for people killed in Lebanon by Israel’s bombardment. In the coastal city of Saksakiyeh, Mohammed Helal was defiant as he mourned his daughter Jouri.
“We are not afraid. Even if they kill, dissect and destroy us,” he said.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2572657/middle-east
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Zionist enemy prevents dawn call to prayer at Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil for eighth day
24 Sep 2024
AL-KHALIL - SABA: The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs announced on Tuesday that the authorities of the Zionist enemy prevented the call to prayer at the Ibrahimi Mosque in the southern occupied West Bank city of Hebron for the eighth consecutive day.
The Palestinian Information Center quoted the ministry in a statement today, saying: "We condemn the prevention of the Zionist enemy forces from raising the call to prayer for dawn prayers from the minarets of the Ibrahimi Mosque, eight days ago."
Last night, the mosque witnessed a process of desecration of the sanctity of the place, where thousands of Zionist settlers held a noisy concert in the courtyards of the mosque, under the strict protection of the Zionist enemy army forces, which imposed military restrictions in its vicinity.
The ministry continued: "This is a dangerous development that aims to hide Islamic rites inside the mosque, and to prevent them completely in the future."
The Waqf warned of the danger of Zionist escalation and violation of the sanctity of the Ibrahimi Mosque, according to the statement.
It pointed out that the enemy authorities on Monday prevented a foreign diplomatic delegation from entering the Ibrahimi Mosque, in an attempt to prevent them from seeing the crimes of Judaization, theft and changing its features.
Source:saba.ye
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Sirens sound in Tel Aviv after fresh air strikes reported in Lebanon
September 25, 2024
Beirut, Lebanon: Israeli warplanes pounded villages in south Lebanon for a third day, Lebanese media reported Wednesday, while Israel said it intercepted a missile fired after sirens sounded early morning in Tel Aviv.
Lebanese officials said hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled their homes in the south this week to avoid fighting between Hezbollah and the Israeli military.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency said Israeli warplanes launched raids on multiple towns in the south from 5:00 am (0200 GMT), adding “casualties were reported” from other strikes overnight.
The United Nations Security Council said it will hold an emergency meeting on the crisis in New York Wednesday, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the situation was critical.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced since the latest round of fighting began Monday, officials said, some crossing the border to Syria to flee Israeli bombing.
Thuraya Harb, a 41-year-old housewife at a makeshift center for displaced families in Beirut, said her family fled “with nothing but the clothes on our backs.”
“I didn’t want to leave my home, but the children were scared,” the mother of four said.
Longtime foes Hezbollah and Israel have been locked in near-daily exchanges of cross-border fire since Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7.
The Hamas attack sparked a war in Gaza that has drawn in Hezbollah and other Iran-backed militants from across the Middle East, including Yemen and Iraq.
Lebanon said Israeli strikes killed at least 558 people on Monday — the deadliest day of violence in the country since its 1975-90 civil war.
Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad said the “vast majority, if not all” of those killed were unarmed civilians in their homes.
Israel’s military said Wednesday it intercepted a missile fired from Lebanon after sirens sounded in Tel Aviv.
“Following the sirens that sounded in the Tel Aviv and Netanya areas, one surface-to-surface missile was identified crossing from Lebanon and was intercepted,” a military spokesman said.
Hezbollah claimed 18 attacks on Israel on Tuesday, while the Israeli military said the Iran-backed group fired about 300 rockets across the border.
Hezbollah also confirmed an Israeli claim that it had killed their rocket forces commander Ibrahim Kobeissi in the strike on the Lebanese capital.
Early Wednesday, a Lebanese security source said a new Israeli strike hit the Saadiyat area near Beirut, with a “warehouse” targeted.
At the UN General Assembly in New York, Secretary-General Guterres warned the situation in Lebanon was critical.
“We should all be alarmed by the escalation. Lebanon is at the brink,” he said, while cautioning against “the possibility of transforming Lebanon (into) another Gaza.”
US President Joe Biden warned against a full-blown war in Lebanon in his speech during the New York gathering.
“Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest. Even though the situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible,” Biden said.
Lebanon’s foreign minister, also at the UN assembly, said the number of displaced Lebanese had soared to nearly 500,000 since Israel ramped up its military campaign.
A security official in neighboring Syria told AFP about 500 people had crossed the border to flee the bombing.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue the withering air campaign.
“We will continue to hit Hezbollah... the one who has a missile in his living room and a rocket in his home will not have a home,” he said.
Iran, Hezbollah’s main backer, condemned the raids, with its president, Masoud Pezeshkian, saying its ally “cannot stand alone” against Israel.
“We must not allow Lebanon to become another Gaza at the hands of Israel,” he said.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington opposed an Israeli ground invasion targeting Hezbollah and had “concrete ideas” on how to de-escalate the crisis.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said Israel was “not eager to start any ground invasion” in Lebanon.
Britain’s foreign ministry said Tuesday that it was sending military teams to Cyprus as it prepares “contingency plans” for its citizens in Lebanon, who it urged to immediately leave the country.
The war in Gaza began with Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures that include hostages killed in captivity.
Of the 251 hostages seized by militants, 97 are still held in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 41,467 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to figures provided by the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN has described the figures as reliable.
In a statement addressed to the UN chief, Hamas urged “immediate action” to stop the war in Gaza.
Since the start of the Gaza war, clashes along the Lebanon-Israel border have forced tens of thousands of people on both sides to flee their homes.
The violence between Israel and Hezbollah escalated dramatically last week, when coordinated communications device blasts that the militants blamed on Israel killed 39 people and wounded almost 3,000.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2572676/middle-east
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Israeli military says missile intercepted as Tel Aviv sirens sound
REUTERS
September 25, 2024
JERUSALEM: Warning sirens sounded in Israel’s economic capital Tel Aviv on Wednesday as a single surface-to-surface missile was intercepted by air defense systems after it was detected crossing from Lebanon, the Israeli military said.
There were no reports of damage or casualties and the military said there was no change to civil defense instructions for central Israel.
The warning sirens also sounded in other areas of central Israel, including the city of Netanya.
The Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon fired hundreds of missiles and rockets at Israel in recent days as months of conflict across the border with southern Lebanon has intensified sharply.
The Israeli military has been conducting its heaviest air strikes of the war this week, targeting Hezbollah leaders and hitting hundreds of targets deep inside Lebanon that have killed more than 500 of people and wounded more than 1,800.
On Tuesday, a
strike
in Beirut killed senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Qubaisi, who headed the group’s missile and rocket force.
Source:arabnews.com
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Why Israel’s assault on Lebanon’s Hezbollah puts Iran’s IRGC in an unprecedented dilemma
RAZIA RUKNUDIN DESAI ROBERT EDWARDS
September 24, 2024
LONDON: As world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, global attention is glued to the latest escalation taking place in the Middle East between Israel and Hezbollah, which has brought the region yet another step closer to all-out war.
On Monday, nearly 500 people, including 35 children, were killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, according to the country’s Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it had hit about 1,600 Hezbollah targets, killing a “large number” of militants.
Further strikes were carried out on Tuesday, making these the deadliest attacks Israel has carried out on Lebanon since the 2006 war.
The Israeli strikes came less than a week after coordinated sabotage attacks targeting Hezbollah’s communication devices killed 39 people and wounded almost 3,000. Hezbollah has responded with fresh rocket attacks deep into Israeli territory.
There are now fears of a looming Israeli ground offensive into southern Lebanon.
“Although a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah is a real possibility, both parties still prefer a diplomatic solution,” Hanin Ghaddar, the Friedmann Senior Fellow in The Washington Institute’s Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics, wrote in Foreign Policy this week.
“Israel is trying to keep its attacks targeted, and Hezbollah is trying hard not to provoke Israel or be forced to use and waste its most valuable military assets — namely, precision missiles — which Iran regards as an insurance policy.”
Indeed, much of what happens next hinges on how Hezbollah’s key backer, Iran, chooses to respond.
On Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denounced the UN’s “inaction” against Israel, describing it as “senseless and incomprehensible,” amid surging tensions across the Middle East.
“In my meeting with the Secretary General of the United Nations, I said the UN inaction against the crimes of the occupying regime is senseless and incomprehensible,” Pezeshkian said in a post on social media platform X.
“I expressed my deep concern about the spread of the conflict in the entire Middle East,” he added.
Earlier, Pezeshkian told CNN that Iran’s ally Hezbollah “cannot stand alone against a country that is being defended and supported and supplied by Western countries, by European countries and the US.”
He called on the international community to “not allow Lebanon to become another Gaza,” in response to a question on whether Iran would use its influence with Hezbollah to urge restraint.
Iran understands better than any other nation, perhaps, the meaning of the word “restraint.”
Despite intense speculation about a direct military conflict between Iran and Israel following the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July, there remains little sign that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intends to exact revenge for the humiliation.
Now with the situation in Lebanon rapidly escalating, the IRGC may have little option but to come to the aid of its Hezbollah allies, if only to protect a regional asset that has long been seen as its insurance policy against a pre-emptive Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear program.
“President Pezeshkian doesn’t really speak for the IRGC or the hard side of Iranian power,” Paul Salem, vice president for international engagement at the Middle East Institute, told Bloomberg Television on Tuesday.
“It’s often the case in Iran that they send soft messages in one area and hard messages in another. But it is also true that Iran does not want Hezbollah to go into an all-out war with Israel. It wants to preserve Hezbollah as a long-term deterrent for Iran itself, not for Hamas or anything related to the Palestinian issue.
“I think it’s trying to calm the situation, de-escalate the situation. I doubt very much that they would join any escalation of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. I think they will keep their powder dry and to avoid being dragged into it, although they would certainly try to resupply and support Hezbollah.”
The IRGC’s avoidance of a direct conflict with Israel appears to be rooted in a complex web of strategic, military, and political considerations.
While Iran faces pressure to respond to Israeli provocations, the risks of escalation, the deterrent power of the US military, internal political and economic challenges, and the benefits of proxy warfare have all likely contributed to Tehran’s cautious approach.
As long as these dynamics remain in place, Iran is likely to continue relying on its proxies and asymmetric warfare, rather than risking an all-out war with Israel.
One of the primary reasons for the IRGC’s hesitancy to engage directly with Israel is the fear of sparking a broader conflict. Iran is acutely aware that any significant military action could result in severe retaliation not only from Israel but potentially from the US as well.
Moreover, Israeli military superiority is a major consideration. Israel’s advanced missile defense systems, such as the Iron Dome and the David’s Sling, make a successful large-scale Iranian attack unlikely.
Past experiences, such as Israel’s interception of Iranian drones and missiles in April, highlight the difficulties Iran faces in overcoming Israeli defenses. The Iranian leadership, particularly the IRGC, understands that a failed or underwhelming attack would further embarrass the regime and weaken its regional standing.
Instead of engaging in direct military action, Iran has perfected the use of proxy warfare to counter Israeli influence. Tehran’s network of proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and various Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, allows it to strike at Israeli interests while maintaining plausible deniability.
This strategy minimizes the risks of a direct confrontation with Israel and the US, while still enabling Iran to project power and influence in the region.
By relying on proxies, Iran can avoid the full consequences of a direct attack on Israel. This approach allows Tehran to engage in a shadow war, in which it can exert pressure on Israel without provoking a broader military response.
Proxy warfare also allows Iran to maintain its regional clout without overstretching its own military capabilities.
Iran is keenly aware of the shifting geopolitical landscape, particularly with the upcoming US presidential election and ongoing efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza. Iranian leaders may believe that a direct attack on Israel could undermine their diplomatic efforts and isolate the country further on the international stage.
Tehran is also cautious about giving former US President Donald Trump a reason to re-enter the political fray. Many in Iran’s leadership see Trump as a dangerous adversary, whose return to power could spell the end of any diplomatic progress made under the administration of Joe Biden.
So, if the IRGC is not prepared to risk all-out war with Israel, how is Hezbollah likely to respond? In a thread posted on X, Michael Young, senior editor at the Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Center, said the militia has little option but to negotiate.
“There is much talk of Israel wanting an all-out war in Lebanon. In fact, what we’re seeing today was long expected for when Israel redeployed its troops to the north. We’re in an escalation to affect the outcome of negotiations, not to provoke an all-out war,” he said.
“The Israelis are effectively telling Hezbollah: If you want an all-out war, then go ahead and provoke one, and you will be responsible for Lebanon’s destruction. But if you don’t want one, you will have to keep up with our escalations, which you cannot do.
“Hezbollah tried to ‘keep up’ (on Monday) by bombing northern Israel, to underline that no Israeli would return to the north for as long as the Gaza war continued. Israel today is replying that it will depopulate large parts of the south and Beqaa in response to this effort.
“But all this must be understood as preparations for negotiations.”
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Iran’s Pezeshkian says Tehran ready to work with world powers to resolve nuclear standoff
September 25, 2024
UNITED NATIONS: Iran is ready to end its nuclear standoff with the West, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, while calling for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine through dialogue.
Iran’s clerical establishment hopes to see an easing of US sanctions that have crippled the country’s economy.
Then-President Donald Trump abandoned Tehran’s 2015 nuclear pact with six world powers in 2018 and reimposed tough sanctions on Iran. Efforts to revive the pact have failed.
Tehran’s relations with the West have worsened since the Iranian-backed Hamas militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7 and as Tehran has increased its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Pezeshkian, a relatively moderate politician who took office in August promising a pragmatic foreign policy, criticized Iran’s arch-foe Israel for what he called “its genocide in Gaza.”
“It is imperative that the international community should immediately ... secure a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and bring an end to the desperate barbarism of Israel in Lebanon, before it engulfs the region and the world,” he said.
An Israeli airstrike on Beirut killed a senior commander of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon on Tuesday as cross-border rocket attacks by both sides increased fears of a full-fledged war.
“We seek peace for all and have no intention of conflict with any country ... Iran opposes war and emphasizes the need for an immediate cessation of military conflict in Ukraine,” Pezeshkian said.
Russia has cultivated closer ties with Iran since the start of its war with Ukraine and has said it is preparing to sign a wide-ranging cooperation agreement with the Islamic state.
Iran has brokered ongoing secret talks between Russia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels to transfer anti-ship missiles to that militant group, three Western and regional sources said, a development that highlights Tehran’s deepening ties to Moscow.
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Driven out of Iran, Afghan refugees tell of ordeal
September 25, 2024
ISLAM QALA: At the border with Iran, streams of Afghan refugees return with children in their arms, their entire worldly possessions contained in a large bag.
Every day up to 3,000 Afghans — some who were born in Iran — arrive back in their home country after a failed attempt at a better life.
“Refugees face a lot of physical and mental torture,” Abdul Ghani Qazizada, responsible for registering the arrivals in the border town of Islam Qala, told AFP.
Many entered Iran illegally or let their visas expire. Nearly 90 percent have been deported, with the rest returning voluntarily.
The rate of expulsions has increased “in the last six months,” said Qazizada.
“They are warned there (in Iran) that they must leave within one week, or anyone above 18 must deposit 100 million toman ($2,375) in the bank,” he said.
“These are the people who return to Afghanistan voluntarily because of this problem.”
These refugees in counterfeit Fendi or Dior T-shirts are registered by the Afghan authorities and examined by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
To rebuild their lives, they are given 2,000 Afghanis ($29) per person if they arrive with their family, but nothing if they are alone.
Ramazan Azizi, 36, waits, haggard, on a blue plastic chair to be registered with his wife and three children.
They entered Iran illegally in 2023, after paying $1,220 to a trafficker but have faced growing hostility toward Afghans, accused of increasing unemployment and prices but also crime in a country under international sanctions.
“The owners had to pay a fine because they rented their home to us. They threw our things out of the windows,” Azizi, a construction worker, told AFP.
“They (authorities) told us to pack up and we did, we were taken to a military camp to be deported.”
He said the family were crammed in with 2,000 to 3,000 other Afghans for six days.
“We were exhausted... without food or water,” he said, his little girl wearing a pink T-shirt with rabbits on it sat by his side.
Tears flow from Fazila Qaderi, 26, as she recounts the ordeal she and her husband endured in the Karaj camp near the capital Tehran.
The guards “beat us a lot for six or seven days with metal batons,” making no distinction between men or women.
“I saw an Afghan die, and they shouted at him ‘son of a bitch, go home!’,” she said, adding that her husband suffered broken bones.
“Yesterday I told (the guards): ‘kill me or send us back to Afghanistan’.”
They arrived in Iran four years ago, having paid a smuggler, as farm workers in the central-northern province of Qazvin.
Their new life had started well, until she was hospitalized for 12 days for a severe allergy and needed an operation.
“We gave $1,200 to the doctor for the surgery and they said they would do it the next day. When we went back, the security officials took us,” she explained.
“We had a three-room apartment full of belongings, we couldn’t take a single thing with us,” she continues. “We had paid 50 million toman to the owner in advance, we couldn’t take that back either,” nor the advance to the doctor.
Now they have no money to pay for the trip back to their home province of Takhar in northeastern Afghanistan.
Day laborer Abdul Basir, 29, said he was arrested at work and expelled from Iran, despite having a valid passport and visa.
“With a passport I ended up in the military camp (in Karaj) for 10 days,” he said. “What government can do that?“
With his hands and feet tied, he was taken away in a bus with 70 to 80 people standing, and once at the camp he was beaten to the point he couldn’t move.
He describes “broken hands and feet, people fainting, maybe even dead” and thirst and hunger.
“There were elderly Afghans, women and children,” he says, adding that people were taken away and not seen again.
He also claimed that security personnel tore up Afghan passports or valid Iranian residence permits.
He was deported back to Afghanistan without his Afghan passport, which he paid $340 for so he could flee unemployment in Herat province.
“Now, I don’t have any money to pay for the bus to go home,” he said.
The Afghan official at the border, Qazizada, said around 70 percent of the refugees were sent back without Iranian documents.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi asked Tehran on Thursday to “cooperate patiently with Afghan refugees, who have also contributed to the development of Iran.”
In his first press conference earlier in the week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran was repatriating illegal nationals to their country “in a respectful manner.”
Iran has been a host country for 4.5 million Afghans fleeing decades of war and unemployment.
Iran’s spokesman for the parliamentary National Security Committee, Ebrahim Rezaei, earlier this month said police plan to “expel more than two million illegal citizens in the near future.”
Afghans represent more than 90 percent of foreign nationals and most enter without identity papers, according to the official IRNA news agency.
More than 700,000 undocumented Afghans have also left neighboring Pakistan following a crackdown which started in September last year.
In Iranian bakeries, signs prohibit the sale of bread to non-Iranians “under penalty of prosecution,” according to photos on social networks.
Fazila Qaderi confirms that she has not been able to buy bread for two months: “For them, an Afghan is worth less than a dog.”\
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Tragic tale of two West Bank teenagers freed in Gaza truce
September 25, 2024
BALATA: Newly freed from an Israeli prison, Wael Masha rode atop friends’ shoulders through the streets of his West Bank refugee camp before bursting into his home to kiss his mother’s feet.
Less than a year later, those friends carried the 18-year-old’s body through the same streets after Israeli forces killed him in an air strike, describing him as an armed militant who posed a threat to Israeli forces.
His journey was not unique: Masha is one of at least three Palestinians born in the Israeli-occupied West Bank who were arrested as teenagers, released during a brief truce in the Gaza war last November, then killed in intensifying Israeli military operations in the territory.
Israel says its raids and air strikes in the West Bank, which it has occupied since 1967, reflect the scope of the security threat it faces from Palestinian combatants.
His family and others like them say Israel is fueling the problem it claims to be fighting, arresting young men — Masha was 17 when he was taken into custody — then abusing them in custody, ultimately driving them to seek revenge.
What is not in dispute is that Masha embraced “jihad” after his release, and knew where it would lead.
In his will, he instructed his mother: “When you hear the news of my martyrdom, God willing, do not cry, but ululate.”
While some memorial posters show Masha brandishing an automatic weapon, his mother remembers him differently.
“He loved studying and repairing computers and mobile phones,” Hanadi Masha told AFP in the family home in Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus, surrounded by pictures of her smiling son.
Perhaps this interest could have turned into a career, she added.
But “after he got out of prison, he had a grudge because of everything he saw inside.”
The fallout from the nearly year-old war in Gaza has reverberated across the West Bank, where the health ministry says at least 680 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers since Hamas’s October 7 attack.
Israeli officials say 24 Israelis, including troops, have been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period.
Even before the war, Israeli round-ups of Palestinian men were common, including the one in November 2022 in which Masha was detained.
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club advocacy group says there are at least 250 Palestinians under the age of 18 currently in Israeli custody.
“The occupation does not hesitate to arrest children under 18 years old... The widespread arrests have nothing to do with any armed action,” said Hilmi Al-Araj of the Palestinian civil society group Hurryyat.
Israeli authorities took Masha to Megiddo prison in northern Israel and sentenced him to two and a half years on charges they never disclosed to his family.
His surprise release came during a weeklong truce in Gaza in November 2023, the only one of the war so far, during which Palestinian militants released 105 hostages seized on October 7, the Israelis among them in exchange for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Once out, Masha recounted a host of abuses: being instructed to kiss the Israeli flag, being burned with cigarette butts.
His father Bilal said the experience was “a huge shock” that “changed things completely” for him.
“My son entered as a cub and came out as a lion,” he said.
Israel has not explained the precise circumstances of Masha’s death, and his parents say they do not know what he was doing when an Israeli strike killed him on August 15.
They only know that the day before the strike Masha said he received a threatening phone call from an Israeli officer warning: “It’s your turn.”
The details are clearer for Tariq Daoud, a second Palestinian teenager who was detained with Masha and released on the same day of the November truce.
Like Masha, Daoud said he was beaten at Megiddo prison, his brother Khaled told AFP at the family home in Qalqilyah, where children wear necklaces featuring his face.
Khaled said the abuse produced false confessions from Tariq — aged 16 when he was arrested — on charges including possessing an illegal firearm and attempting to build explosives.
Incarceration “shattered all his ambitions,” which had included potentially becoming an engineer or a doctor, Khaled said.
Instead he joined Hamas’s armed wing.
In the same week that Masha was killed, Tariq opened fire on an Israeli settler in Azzun, east of Qalqilyah, and Israeli troops shot him dead at the scene, both Khaled and the Israeli military said.
Israeli officials have not yet released his body, but Khaled still visits his plot at the Qalqilyah cemetery every day to water the flowers.
“I go because I feel that there is something of his presence,” Khaled said.
Back in the Balata camp, Masha’s mother Hanadi has found her own ways to honor her son, talking about him with his four younger siblings and stroking pictures of his beard — just like she playfully greeted him when he was alive.
Shortly after Masha’s death, the institute where he had been taking classes told her he had been awarded certificates in mobile phone repair and cybersecurity.
His mother attended the graduation ceremony on his behalf.
“He was a young man in the prime of life,” she told AFP through tears.
His time behind bars “planted the idea of resistance in his head.”
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IAEA chief sees willingness from Iran to re-engage on nuclear file
September 25, 2024
UNITED NATIONS: UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Tuesday he had sensed a greater willingness by Iranian officials to engage with the agency in a more meaningful way after talks in New York, and that he hoped to travel to Tehran in October.
Several long-standing issues have dogged relations between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, including Tehran’s barring of uranium-enrichment experts on the inspection team and its failure for years to explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites.
Grossi held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, one of the key architects to the 2015 accord that limited Iran’s ability to enrich uranium in return for a lifting of Western sanctions, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. “What I see is an expressed willingness to re-engage with us in a more meaningful fashion,” Grossi told Reuters in an interview.
With nuclear diplomacy largely stalled between the Iranian presidential election and the US one on Nov. 5, Iranian and European officials have met in New York to test their mutual willingness to reduce tensions amid Tehran’s disputed nuclear program, its role in Ukraine and mounting regional tensions.
Grossi said he wanted to make real progress in restoring proper technical discussions with Iran quickly and was aiming to travel to Tehran in October to meet with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
“Of course now we have to give content and substance to this because we are not starting from zero. We have had relatively protracted process without replies to some of the questions we have,” he said.
“We also need to calibrate together with them how we go through this period where they are waiting to see what is going to happen with their other partners, starting with the United States.”
IAEA board resolutions ordering Iran to cooperate urgently with the investigation into the uranium traces and calling on it to reverse its barring of inspectors have brought little change, and quarterly IAEA reports seen by Reuters on Aug. 29 showed no progress.
Development of Iran’s nuclear program has also advanced. By the end of the quarter, the latest IAEA reports showed Iran had completed installation of eight new cascades at Fordow but still not brought them online.
At its larger underground site at Natanz, which is enriching to up to 5 percent purity, it had brought 15 new cascades of other advanced models online.
“Iran has kept a regular pace without accelerating too much, but it continues,” Grossi said, adding that the Fordow cascades remained offline.
Iran has stepped up nuclear work since 2019, after then-US President Donald Trump abandoned an agreement reached under his predecessor Barack Obama.
When asked about the prospects of a revival of nuclear talks, Grossi said the preparatory work needed to start now, notably for the IAEA to get the necessary clarity on Iran’s activities since it reduced cooperation with the agency.
“I think we need to, or the ambition should be to get results in a different way, because the old way is simply not going to be possible anymore,” he said, adding that he foresaw a more active role for the agency.
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Iran tells politicians in Iraq to halt their infighting
September 25, 2024
RIYADH: The commander of Iran’s overseas Quds Force has been dispatched to Baghdad to order Iran-backed factions to stop undermining Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.
Sudani is facing allegations that his office spied on top Iraqi officials and rival politicians. The judiciary has opened an investigation into the claims, led by Faiq Zaidan, head of the Supreme Judicial Council, which could determine whether Sudani continues in his job.
Quds Force chief Esmail Qaani told Iraqi political leaders that stability in Iraq was vital amid an escalation in regional violence, and they should ease criticism of the prime minister.
Analysts say the move reflects concerns in Tehran about instability on its doorstep in Iraq, where Iran has long exerted influence through armed groups and political parties.
“At a crucial moment for Iran when it’s trying to respond to Israeli aggression, the Iraqi groups are infighting in a way that’s destabilizing. The last thing Iran wants now is a political mess in Iraq,” said Renad Mansour of the Chatham House think tank in London.
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UN Security Council to meet on Lebanon on Wednesday
September 24, 2024
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council will meet at 6 p.m. (2200 GMT) on Wednesday on the escalation in fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, said Slovenia, president of the 15-member council for September.
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Southeast Asia
Malaysian police rescue 187 children victimized in Islamic business group's alleged sex abuse ring
by: Katie Daviscourt
09/25/2024
On Monday, Malaysian police announced that officers rescued an additional 187 children after conducting raids at various locations across the country associated with an Islamic business organization currently under investigation for alleged child sex abuse crimes.
The children were rescued from welfare homes linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB Holdings). At least 572 children under the age of 18 have been rescued since the case began earlier this month, National police chief Razarudin Husain said, as per AP News.
Of the 187 children who were recently rescued, 59 of them were under the age of 5, police said. Online videos obtained by authorities showed physical assaults on the children, including a young boy being caned and another child getting stepped on. Police arrested 156 additional suspects during the most recent operation, Husain said.
While living at these GISB properties, according to police, children were reportedly sodomized, instructed to sexually assault one another, denied medical care, and burned with hot metal spoons as a form of punishment. Medical screenings revealed that at least 13 children were sodomized, and 172 children sustained long-term emotional and physical injuries.
According to the police, the victims are primarily children of GISB employees who have been confined to their homes since they were infants. They are believed to have been indoctrinated from a young age to be loyal to the Islamic group.
The GISB is dedicated to promoting an Islamic lifestyle in Malaysia and abroad. The group owns mini-markets, pharmacies, restaurants, bakeries, and other enterprises. Its origins can be traced back to the Al Arqam Islamic sect, which was declared heretical and prohibited by the government in 1994.
Police detained members of GISB's senior management, including CEO Narsirudding Mohamad Ali, two of his wives, and two of his children, last week. Additionally, certain relatives of Ashaari Mohamad, who served as the executive director of Al Arqam prior to his passing in 2010, were apprehended, as per the network.
The police chief stated that an estimated 10,000 employees and officials of GISB were believed to be practicing the Al Arqam teachings, and indicated that Islamic authorities have launched an investigation.
Police have conducted raids at 280 locations across the country associated with GISB; however, the majority of these locations were vacated. In 59 of the locations, police confiscated Islamic literature and materials that contained deviant teachings. Husain stated that authorities have suspended 138 bank accounts associated with GISB, which have a total value of approximately $452,000, as well as 14 properties, as part of an investigation into money laundering. Numerous individuals have been charged with sexually assaulting minors, police said.
Source:humanevents.com
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MADANI gov’t to continue support for Indian community in Budget 2025 - Anwar
BERNAMA
25-09- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: The MADANI government’s commitment to the Indian community will continue under Budget 2025 through specific programmes, as implemented previously, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar, who is also the Minister of Finance, said that the government had never neglected the welfare of the Indian community in the country and continuously improved all key aspects, including education, places of worship, and employment opportunities.
In a Facebook post today, he said RM1.5 million had been allocated for Deepavali food baskets so far, while RM20 million had been channelled for the construction of crematoriums in several states, including Kedah, Johor, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, and Penang.
“In fact, before this, the government had also provided funds to the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA), and increased funds for programmes such as TEKUN Nasional and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia to assist the Indian community,“ he said in a Facebook post today.
The Prime Minister said he delivered the message regarding the government’s efforts for the Indian community during a meeting with MPs, state assemblymen, and media representatives from the community today, and reminded the attendees of the importance of maintaining harmony among all races.
“May the socioeconomic status of the Indian community in this country continue to improve in the future,” he added.
Budget 2025 is expected to be tabled in Parliament on Oct 18.
Source:thesun.my
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Defence minister calls for unity, reject extreme ideology that divides Malaysians
25 Sep 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — Malaysians must reject all extreme ideologies and practices that can divide and ruin the country, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said.
He cautioned that such ideologies and practices were against the values and principles of a multiracial country that celebrates diversity.
“This (rejection of extreme ideologies and practices) is in line and supports the Malaysia Madani aspirations. Under this aspirations, we are committed to enhancing a great system of values and principles.
“This great system of values and principles invites Malaysians to place courtesy, well-being and harmony as common goals,” he said during his speech at the 2024 Warriors’ Fund Gala Dinner and the launch of the Veteran’s Digital Card at Wisma Perwira ATM here yesterday.
2024 Warriors’ Fund Campaign patron Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Chief of Army Gen Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, who was representing the Chief of Defence Force, and Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans’ Affairs Department (JHEV) director-general Maj Gen Datuk Semaon Marjuki were also at the dinner.
Mohamed Khaled also shared that 48,000 veterans have received assistance through the Warriors’ Fund, including livelihood aid, disaster aid and health aid such as dialysis treatments, prosthetics, housing incentives and funeral assistance.
He added that 30,000 veterans have been recorded as the target group to receive assistance, especially for matters that are not covered by the government, such as special milk and disposable diapers.
“In fact, a majority of those requiring assistance are bedridden veterans who have low incomes and cannot manage for themselves,” he said.
As such, he urged more individuals and companies to channel aid to the fund, adding that JHEV would try to speed up the application process to veterans in need. — Bernama
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Kyrgyzstan and Malaysia discuss developing cooperation in Islamic tourism - Foreign Ministry
SEPTEMBER 25, 2024
AKIPRESS.COM - Ambassador Anvar Anarbaev and Director General of the Islamic Tourism Center Nizran Nurdin discussed cooperation between Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan in the development of Islamic tourism on September 24, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic reported.
The Center is a special agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia.
The parties considered issues of establishing cooperation and exchanging experience in the development and promotion of Islamic tourism, implementation of halal standards for the tourism sector, as well as conducting trainings and advanced training courses for certification bodies.
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Arab World
Saudi FM meets Vatican’s Secretary of State in New York
September 25, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has met with the Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly in New York City.
The meeting reviewed regional and international developments, and the efforts made to establish the foundations of international peace and security, the foreign ministry said.
Senior Saudi officials attended the meeting.
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Saudi Cabinet Welcomes UNGA Resolution On Ending Illegal Occupation InPalestinian Territories
September 24, 2024
The Saudi cabinet, chaired by King Salman, welcomed the recent United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for an end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The UN General Assembly passed a resolution urging Israel to end its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories within a year. The vote was 124-14, with 43 abstentions
The cabinet also emphasized the need for practical and credible steps toward a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and international legitimacy resolutions.
Addressing global developments, the council reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to enhancing regional and international security, supporting political resolutions to global crises, and promoting multilateral cooperation to tackle global challenges.
During the session, King Salman expressed his appreciation to international leaders for their well wishes on the occasion of Saudi Arabia's 94th National Day.
In environmental leadership, the cabinet celebrated Saudi Arabia’s election to the presidency of the Global Coral Reef Initiative, a recognition of the Kingdom’s efforts in protecting marine biodiversity and ecosystems.
Source:arabnews.com
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Minister highlights Saudi AI, digital initiatives at UN summit
September 24, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha, speaking at the Summit of the Future session titled “Toward a Common Digital Future,” said that the Kingdom, under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, presents a model of international cooperation to bridge social, economic and artificial intelligence gaps.
Al-Swaha noted Saudi Arabia’s collaboration with the UN’s International Telecommunication Union to study ways to bridge the digital divide, as 2.6 billion people currently lack access to digital solutions, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
He highlighted the Kingdom’s launch of a virtual hospital, which serves as a pioneering healthcare model and has performed numerous specialized surgeries, including open-heart operations in various countries.
The Kingdom is proud of the growth of its digital economy, Al-Swaha said, and it has proposed the establishment of the Digital Cooperation Organization to bridge gaps and serve over 800 million people.
This can be done by providing digital platforms and a unified digital market to foster innovative and entrepreneurial models in healthcare, education, and business, thus improving efficiency and helping the digital economy grow, he added.
Through its membership in the AI Advisory Body, led by the UN secretary-general, Saudi Arabia is contributing to bridging social, economic and AI gaps, shaping the future of humanity and empowering individuals, said Al-Swaha.
The Kingdom, he added, presented seven recommendations, including establishing an independent international scientific committee focused on AI, launching a multi-government dialogue on AI governance involving stakeholders, creating a platform for sharing standards and experience related to AI, and building a global network for capacity development.
“To enhance joint efforts and exchange experience, the Kingdom is proud to announce its framework for AI governance in partnership with the UN, the establishment of the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics in partnership with UNESCO, and the launching of the AI Readiness Framework in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union,” the minister said.
“As we celebrate today the launch of the Pact for the Future, we must unite in recognizing that we have only one option: a comprehensive AI that empowers humanity and ensures that no one is left behind in keeping pace with the world.”
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi climate envoy meets UN official in New York
September 24, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met with UN Environment Program Executive Director Inger Andersen at the 79th UN General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday.
During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance existing cooperation between the Kingdom and UNEP, as well as Saudi Arabia’s initiatives and programs to reduce the effects of climate change, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Jubeir also met with the Netherlands’ Climate Envoy Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme and they reviewed avenues to strengthen bilateral cooperation in environmental and climate matters.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi Arabia joins anti-corruption meeting in Beijing
September 24, 2024
RIYADH: A Saudi delegation led by Mazin Al-Kahmous, president of the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, is participating in the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities plenary meeting in Beijing, China, from Sept. 24 to 27.
At the meeting, Al-Kahmous thanked China for hosting the event, highlighting the network’s efforts to tackle evolving corruption crimes, including money laundering and the illicit use of virtual currency.
He emphasized Saudi Arabia’s commitment to enhancing cooperation against transnational corruption, pursuing corrupt individuals, and tracking illicit funds.
Al-Kahmous noted the authority’s benefits from the GlobE Network in collaborating with counterparts and exchanging information on suspected entities.
The GlobE Network, launched by Saudi Arabia during the 2020 G20 Summit, was officially adopted by the UN on Dec. 17, 2021, at the ninth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption in Egypt.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the Kingdom’s role in establishing the network during the 2021 UN General Assembly special session against corruption.
Spain was appointed chair of the network’s steering committee, with Saudi Arabia serving as vice chair.
Over the past three years, 219 anti-corruption agencies and international organizations from more than 120 countries have joined the network, evidence of the initiative’s success.
Source:arabnews.com
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Riyadh conference empowers future climate innovation entrepreneurs
LAMA ALHAMAWI
September 24, 2024
RIYADH: The Saudi Local Conference of Youth 2024 took place in Riyadh recently with a focus on equipping young Saudis with tools for sustainable entrepreneurship in climate innovation.
The event was hosted by the Saudi Youth Climate Network in partnership with the Global Shapers Community Jeddah Hub.
“It's amazing to see the excitement among (the) youth to participate in this conference,” said Aishah Alsamdani, representative of the Saudi Youth Climate Network, in an interview with Arab News.
“Connecting youth with environmental experts is crucial; there are many enthusiasts in Saudi Arabia. This conference serves as a hub to bridge ideas between business, the private sector and government, particularly for (young people) starting their careers.”
This year’s theme, “Empowering Climate Entrepreneurship: From Knowledge Capital to Financial Capital,” brought together young, enthusiastic climate advocates and industry experts to foster intergenerational dialogue, explore green technologies and provide pathways to convert knowledge into financial capital.
Alsamdani emphasized the need to involve young people youth in building a sustainable future, stating: “They are the future, bringing innovative ideas and creativity. Addressing sustainability challenges requires fresh ideas, and (the) youth can significantly contribute.”
A panel discussion, “Entrepreneurship and Environmental Knowledge,” featured moderator Faisal Al-Shehri, founder and CEO of learning and employment platform OLO. Alongside him were Batool Albar, general manager of Terraxy, which provides integrated solutions for agriculture and soil sustainability in arid regions, and Sultan Al-Shayie, CEO of atmospheric water harvesting company Airwa.
They discussed cutting-edge technologies such as sustainable water solutions and highlighted the importance of cross-sector partnerships and government support.
Hassan Qadi, curator of Global Shapers Community Jeddah Hub, said: “KSA LCOY 2024 marks a pivotal moment for Saudi youth-led climate action. We are nurturing startups that address climate challenges while aligning with Vision 2030’s goals to diversify the economy and boost non-oil GDP.”
As part of the conference, the Global Shapers Community led the National Youth Statement, gathering input from attendees.
“The youth statement addresses key areas aligned with this year’s theme of entrepreneurship and climate change,” said Alsamdani. “This initiative aims to make youth impact more tangible.”
The statement will be submitted to the MENA Regional Conference of Youth in Amman and the Global Conference of Youth in Baku, amplifying Saudi youth voices ahead of COP29 climate negotiations. Alsamdani will attend the Regional Conference of Youth to share the conference results.
The event concluded with a Memorandum of Understanding signing, aimed at increasing youth involvement in climate action, between the Saudi Youth Climate Network, Prince Sultan University’s Center of Sustainability and Climate, and Vision for Africa.
Source:arabnews.com
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Africa
79th UNGA: Nigeria Solicits Finland’s Support For UN Security Council Permanent Seat
25 September 2024
By Udeze Ekene
Nigeria has solicited the support of Finland in its pursuit of a permanent seat at the United Nations (UN) Security Council.
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, explained Nigeria remains a super force in Africa and would do all within its reach to close cultural links and ties in the effort to reunite the Economic Community of West African States and further leave no stone unturned in the quest to stabilize Africa.
According to his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima stated this on Tuesday during a meeting with the President of the Republic of Finland, Alexander Stubb, on the sidelines of the ongoing 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States.
Vice President Shettima said the support has become necessary given Finland’s role as a European and NATO member and considering the role Nigeria has played over the years in entrenching democratic values and peaceful cohesion.
“Nigeria has 25 years of uninterrupted democracy. And in President Bola Tinubu is a president with huge democratic credentials and commitment. With him in the saddle, Africa and the larger world would be safe, futuristic, acceptable and more peaceful,” Shettima stated.
On his part, President Stubb of Finland, expressed total support for the expansion and reconstruction of the UN Security Council, saying the dictates and dynamics of the modern world demand such change.
He expressed Finland’s continued desire to partner with Nigeria as well as opening new frontiers of development between both countries.
Source:naijanews.com
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‘It Is Unrealistic For Two Million Security Personnel To Protect Over 200 Million Nigerians’ – COAS
25 September 2024
By Ikenna Ngere
Chief of Army Staff, General Taoreed Lagbaja, has emphasized the challenge of expecting two million security personnel to effectively safeguard Nigeria’s population of over 200 million people.
General Lagbaja made this statement during the 2024 Distinguished Personality Lecture held in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Represented by the Chief of Army Training, Sanni Mohammed, General Lagbaja highlighted the military’s heavy reliance on imported defence equipment due to the country’s limited industrial capacity.
He expressed concern over the inadequate funding of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), which he said has hampered operational efficiency.
“In a country of over 200 million people, it is unrealistic to expect security agencies, totalling around two million, including an army of just over 100,000 active personnel without a reserve force, to secure the entire population,” Lagbaja stated.
He pointed out that Nigeria continues to import more than 90% of its military equipment, despite some local production efforts, stressing the nation’s overdependence on foreign supplies.
General Lagbaja further noted that national development and security are both expensive undertakings.
He remarked, “In 2023, the entire AFN had a budget of about $2.8 billion, with an additional supplementary budget of around one billion dollars. However, not all budgetary allocations were fully released.
“Although funding for the AFN has been improving annually since 2017, the country’s economic downturn has eroded the actual value of what is released.
“The lack of funding affects the AFN’s equipment holdings, which directly impacts performance.”
Touching on the personnel gap, Lagbaja said, “The considerable resource gap is being exploited by criminal elements. Addressing this requires investment in expanding and strengthening security forces, ensuring adequate personnel and resources.”
He also stressed the need for citizens to take an active role in the nation’s security efforts.
“National security requires all citizens to be part of the security framework, fostering vigilance, trust, and community engagement. This will create a more resilient citizenry, better equipped to respond to national emergencies,” he added.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Egbewole, also spoke at the event, underlining the vital link between peace, security, and sustainable development.
The lecture, organized by the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies at the University of Ilorin in partnership with the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji, was part of the events commemorating the United Nations International Day of Peace.
Source:naijanews.com
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Ramaphosa calls on world's leaders to take decisive action to end Palestinian suffering
25 September 2024
South Africa has urged for a peaceful resolution the the ongoing Gaza war.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Ramaphosa called upon the world's leaders to take decisive action to end Palestinian suffering.
"The violence the Palestinian people are being subjected to is a grim continuation of more than half a century of apartheid that has been perpetrated against Palestinians by Israel. We, South Africans, know what apartheid looks like. We lived through apartheid. We suffered and died under apartheid. We will not remain silent and watch as apartheid is perpetrated against others," said President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Israel has continued its incursion in the Palestinian territory since October last year killing at least 41,000 people including women and children according to the Palestinian authorities.
Some natiuons like Turkey have called upon the Un to place sanctions on Israel.
Meanwhile, Lebanese health authorities on Tuesday raised the death toll from two days of Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah militants to 564. Palestinian officials in Gaza, meanwhile, said new Israeli strikes killed at least two dozen people.
Israel’s military says it will do “whatever is necessary” to push Hezbollah away from Lebanon’s border with Israel. Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire since the Israel-Hamas war began. On Monday, Israel launched hundreds of airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, killing nearly 500 people and wounding more than 1,600 others.
Thousands of people fled southern Lebanon, jamming the main highway to Beirut in the biggest exodus since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.
It's a staggering toll for a country still reeling from a deadly attack on communication devices the week before. Lebanon blamed the attacks on Israel, but Israel did not confirm or deny its responsibility.
Hezbollah again launched some 100 projectiles toward Israel on Tuesday, the Israeli military said.
Source:africanews.com
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Burkina Faso foiled an attempt to destabilize the country - Security minister
Burkina Faso’s Security Minister Mahamadou Sana said on national television Monday night that “individuals residing in Cote d'Ivoire have been involved in subversive activities against.” Burkina
The minister accused namely 14 people of plotting the destabilization attempt. Among them junta opponents, the leader of the Jan. 2022 coup, two former ministers, two journalists. Unidentified conspirators includedWestern intelligence officials.
Authorities say an elaborate three-phased plot was devised by some Burkinabé civilians and servicemen living abroad who paid and trained armed groups to conduct attacks.
Economic operators and leaders of the civil society were allegedly involved in destabilization efforts.
The second phase included attacks on the presidential palace, a military drone base, and an airport. The last phase was attacks near the Ivory Coast border.
These phases were prevented, the security minister said.
The first phase of their alleged plan was the jihadi attack that killed at least 100 people in central Burkina Faso last month.
The second phase included attacks on the presidential palace, a military drone base, and an airport. The last phase was attacks near the Ivory Coast border.
These phases were prevented, the security minister said.
The plot also involved civil society actors and economic operators.
The minister revealed that several arrests had been made in Niger, leading to the dismantling of a significant portion of the plot.
The government has launched a special anti-terrorist operation to neutralize any remaining threats and has warned that such destabilising actions will no longer be tolerated.
The authorities have urged families of the plotters to denounce them and distance themselves from their subversive activities.
Source:africanews.com
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Comrade Anas Kaura dares Gov Dauda to swear with Qur’an over insecurity in Zamfara
SEPTEMBER 24, 2024
Anas Kaura, an aide to Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has challenged the governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal and his cabinet members to swear with the Holy Qur’an over their sincerity in the fight against insecurity in the state.
Kaura, who also urged the governor to put aside his personal differences and work collaboratively with Matawalle for the betterment of the state, criticized Lawal for neglecting his responsibilities and damaging the state’s reputation.
He accused the governor of frequently using public platforms to criticize Matawalle, which is undermining the state’s image both domestically and internationally.
“When Governor Lawal appears on television or in the media, it seems his primary focus is to criticize and discredit Matawalle,” Kaura said.
He reminded Lawal that during Matawalle’s administration, both he and his cabinet members swore on the Quran that they were not involved in the state’s insecurity.
Kaura challenged Lawal and his cabinet members to do the same, claiming they would refuse because they know the truth.
Regarding dialogue with bandits, Kaura emphasized the need for wisdom and cautioned against politicizing all issues at the expense of the people.
He highlighted the successes achieved in the fight against banditry in Northern states under the leadership of Matawalle and the Tinubu administration.
“Matawalle deserves commendation from you, not attempts to tarnish his image,” Kaura said. “He is solely focused on ensuring the safety of Zamfara people and Nigeria as a whole.”
Kaura urged Lawal to work with Matawalle for the development of Zamfara rather than attacking him in the media. He emphasized the importance of recognizing and appreciating Matawalle’s contributions to tackling insecurity.
“Governor Lawal should shift his focus from political attacks to governance,” Kaura added. “He should prioritize infrastructure development and protecting lives and property in the state.”
Comrade Anas Kaura suggested that Lawal’s continued criticism of Matawalle could be motivated by fear of political rivalry in the 2027 elections.
“Lawal is worried about Matawalle’s popularity and is using every opportunity to undermine him,” Kaura said. “But the people of Zamfara are watching closely,” he added.
Source:authorityngr.com
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/jihad-activist-mqm-altaf-pakistan/d/133286