Judaising the Ibrahimi Mosque: Israel Settlers Lit Menorahs inside Its Corridors to Celebrate Hanukkah
New Age Islam News Bureau
22 December 2022
Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron,
West Bank on February 22, 2022 [Issam Rimawi/Anadolu Agency]
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• Saudi Arabia, Qatar Urge Taliban to Reverse Girls’ Education
Ban
• 'We Have a Problem': New York Muslims Don't Know
Where to Bury Their Loved Ones
• Al-Khair Foundation’s Free Christmas Day Dinners to
Help Vulnerable Adults, Children and Families in Lancashire
• Joyland, Declared as a Film against Pakistani “Moral
Standards” Becomes Pakistan’s First Film to Make It to Oscar Shortlist
Mideast
• Iran ‘Unleashed Alarming Violence’ In Kurdistan
Capital: Human Rights Watch
• Iranian FM confirms ‘friendly’ talks with Saudi
counterpart
• US slaps new sanctions on Iranian officials over
protest crackdown
• Iran says ready for nuclear agreement 'if red lines
are respected'
• Yemen’s foreign minister hails Turkish support
• OIC holds Israel responsible for death of
Palestinian prisoner battling cancer
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Arab World
• Syria's President Assad Issues General Amnesty for
Terror-Related Crimes
• India offers soft skills training for migrant
workers to be model residents in Gulf
• Traditional Qatari cloak worn by Messi at World Cup
ceremony attracts great interest
• Syrian man given 16-year prison sentence in Denmark
for Daesh/ISIS ties
• Saudi Arabia, France discuss cooperation in
industrial, mining sectors
• Wounded Irish peacekeeper will be evacuated from
Lebanon
• Refugees complain about dire situation in
US-controlled al-Tanf region in southern Syria
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North America
• Canadian Muslims now able to buy homes with Islamic
mortgage
• Turkish-American Jews celebrate Hanukkah at Turkish
House in New York for first time
• Biden launches task force to probe US parts in
Iranian drones: Report
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Europe
• Taliban University Ban for Women 'Grave Step
Backwards': UK PM Sunak
• Hundreds of right-wing extremists wanted for arrest
in Germany
• Greece's expansionist, aggressive policies fuelling
instability, says Türkiye
• British military wants to obscure truth about its
war crimes in Afghanistan: Journalist
--------
Pakistan
• Istanbul cultural night marks establishment of
Pakistan-Turkey relations
• Onus on Centre to fight militancy, says KP
• ‘TTP is Pakistan’s absolute red line’
• China willing to provide all kind of assistance to
Pakistan: Amb Nong Rong
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South Asia
• Afghanistan’s Drug Trade Flourishes under the Ruling
Regime
• Committee to Protect Journalists Calls on Taliban to
Release Afghan Journalists
• Pakistan Urges Taliban to Revise Decision on Banning
Female Education
• Taliban Open to Indian Efforts to Restart People
Centric Development Projects
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Southeast Asia
• Indonesia's 'All-Gendered' Priests, Known as Bissu,
On Verge of Extinction
• Saudi Arabia Hands Over Support to Build Mosque in Indonesian
University
• VP departs for Bali to attend 2nd ASEAN Islamic
Conference
• Johor’s Muslim Friendly System offers recognition to
business owners, assurance to consumers
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Africa
• Islamic Clerics Set Up ‘Political Directorate’ To
Support Muslim Candidates In Ogun State
• Several killed in attack by gunmen in northwest
Nigeria's Kaduna State: Police
• Turkish, Senegalese presidents meet in Ankara for
talks
• Moroccan king hails national team after World Cup
success
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India
• Uttar Pradesh Madrassa Education Board to Discuss
Madrassas' Weekly off To Shift from Friday to Sunday
• Hit Squads to Al Qaeda and Islamic State Links: NIA
Makes Alarming Claims on PFI in Kerala Court
• Madrassa teacher in Kerala gets 26 years' jail in
Pocso case
• Drone shot down by BSF along India-Pakistan border
in Punjab
• Religious, formal education combo needed today: Amer
Ali Khan
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/judaising-ibrahimi-israel-settlers-hanukkah/d/128689
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Judaising the Ibrahimi Mosque: Israel Settlers Lit
Menorahs Inside Its Corridors to Celebrate Hanukkah
Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron,
West Bank on February 22, 2022 [Issam Rimawi/Anadolu Agency]
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December 20, 2022
Palestinians expressed concerns after groups of
Israeli settlers stormed the Ibrahimi Mosque yesterday and lit menorahs inside
its corridors to celebrate Hanukkah under the protection of occupation forces.
The Director of the Hebron Endowment, Nidal Al-Jabari,
said that Israeli authorities have been working on Judaising the Ibrahimi
Mosque, which is located in the centre of Hebron in the occupied West Bank,
through continued excavations.
He added that Israel is deliberately changing the
historical features of the area outside the mosque by installing an elevator to
facilitate settler incursions, in addition to repeatedly preventing the Muslim
call to prayer from the mosque.
The Director of the Ibrahimi Mosque, Ghassan
Al-Rajabi, said that the lighting of the Hanukkah candle on the first day of
the Festival of Lights in the vicinity of the mosque is a dangerous escalation
that comes in the context of the ongoing settler violations.
He added that frequent incursions by Israeli settlers
constitute an attempt to control the Ibrahimi Mosque completely.
Source: Middle East Monitor
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Saudi Arabia, Qatar Urge Taliban to Reverse Girls’
Education Ban
FILE PHOTO/ aa.com
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Ibrahim al-Khazen
21.12.2022
Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Wednesday urged the
Taliban-led Afghan administration to backtrack a decision to ban girls from
university education.
On Tuesday, the Taliban-run Ministry of Higher
Education issued a decision to immediately ban girls from university education
until further notice.
In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed
"surprise and regret at the decision of the Afghan caretaker government to
deny Afghan girls the right to university education."
The ministry went on to call on the Taliban to
"reverse" the ban.
For its part, the Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed
"deep concern and disappointment” over the ban.
A statement issued by the ministry urged the Taliban
administration "to review its decision in line with the teachings of the
Islamic religion concerning women's rights."
The Taliban ban was met with a wide condemnation
across the world, especially from the UN, the US, Türkiye and other countries.
Source: Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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'We Have a Problem': New York Muslims Don't Know Where
to Bury Their Loved Ones
A Muslim man is being
transported for burial from a busy Brooklyn funeral home, on 9 May 2020 in New
York City (AFP)
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By Zainab Iqbal
21 December 2022
When Mohammad Abdullah’s father got sick last year, he
expressed only one wish. He did not want his dead body to be flown to Pakistan
to be buried. He wanted to lay in New York, where the wife and children he’d
leave behind could visit him easily. And so when he died a month later,
Abdullah stepped up to fulfil his father’s final wish.
But it wasn't easy.
New York has over one million Muslims, but no
Muslim-only cemetery. There are cemeteries that provide plots for Muslims. But
after the Covid-19 pandemic, the costs of cemetery plots skyrocketed and
mosques are no longer being offered the opportunity to purchase mass grave
plots for cheaper prices.
The Washington Memorial Park Cemetery is one of the
biggest graveyards in New York that has plots for Muslims. According to a
representative, a grave currently costs $9,500. People have the option to pay a
ten, twenty, or thirty percent down payment and pay it back in 84 months. The
representative told Middle East Eye the prices will go up soon, and that is what
Muslims in New York are worried about.
When Muslims die in New York City, they most likely
either get buried in Washington Memorial Park Cemetery or are taken to New
Jersey, which has two Muslim-only cemeteries. The choice is between a costly
grave that would take about 1.5 hours from Brooklyn to Long Island, or taking
the drive to the neighbouring state, paying a toll every time.
Since Abdullah lives in Queens, he decided that
driving to Long Island from time to time to offer prayers by his father’s grave
would be much more convenient than driving to New Jersey.
“I sound morbid when I use the word ‘convenience’ in
terms of burying the dead, but it’s true,” he said.
“I want to visit his grave as long as I am alive. I
want my children to visit and my grandchildren as well one day. The cost was
enormous. But he was my dad and I’d do anything for him.”
‘More people are dying’
Khurshid Anwar is the president of the Islamic
Association of Long Island, located in Seldon which is about 105 kilometres
east of New York City. He told MEE: “We have a problem.”
“Our population has increased about ten-fold in the
past 10, 20 years. Which means more people are dying,” he said.
He said his mosque, along with many others, purchased
hundreds of plots from the cemetery in New York. So when a person in their
community would die, it would be a lot cheaper than if a person would go
through the cemetery itself to purchase a plot. But after the pandemic and the
high number of deaths during that time, the cemetery now only provides plots to
individuals. The cost of one grave pre-Covid was around $4,000. It has now more
than doubled.
“As a result, we have stopped giving graves to people
who are still alive. Some people make reservations to be buried next to their
loved ones. But we are discouraging people from doing that now,” he said.
His mosque is instead encouraging people to bury their
loved ones in New Jersey. But that presents a problem for those who already
have family members buried in New York, as they would insist on returning to
that cemetery.
So why is this only an issue now? It’s because now,
Muslims are deeply rooted in this country and this region.
He explained that when Muslims first came to New York,
they didn't think about building a cemetery because they didn't expect to stay
here and raise their kids. But now, that's changing with the new generations.
"Now that those people are getting old, we’re
seeing more deaths. And these people don’t want to get buried back home. This
is our land. Family members want their elders buried where they live now.
‘Nobody wants a cemetery’
It’s not easy to open a new cemetery in the state of
New York, especially in New York City. There have been several organisations
and individuals who have been trying for years. According to Scott Nimmo from
the Islamic Burial and Shipping Service in New York, the main problem with opening
a cemetery is that nobody wants it.
“Nobody wants a cemetery in their backyard. No town
wants it,” he told MEE.
He explained that this has caused funeral homes in New
York to be impacted greatly. People cannot afford a funeral. Funeral homes
charge very little, he said, while the cemetery would charge three to four
times as much with a funeral charge.
“There used to be 50 funeral homes in the city and now
there are less than 20,” he said.
He said the state of New York allowed cemeteries to
raise their prices, "where it's become ridiculous". And because of
that, it's become harder for people to bury their loved ones. It is also
difficult to open a new cemetery because of zoning laws. So what's the
solution? New York Muslims should go to New Jersey, he said.
"But many people don't want to do that. So, there
is no solution."
It all boils down to one question: Are you willing to
pay $10,000 to bury your loved one in New York?
While the answer for Abdullah was yes, for Osman
Hassan from the Islamic International Funeral Services, the answer is no.
“At the end of the day, nothing will help you be
buried except your deeds. What else are you taking with you?” he said.
He said there has been much talk of expanding and
creating Muslim sections in various non-Muslim cemeteries across the city and
state. Just last month, he received a call from a cemetery in Staten Island,
letting him know that they don’t object to a Muslim section but that they’d
need to find money to invest in cleaning, construction, and burial.
A Muslim burial is cheaper than a Christian burial,
for example. According to Hassan, for Christian burials, people require coffins
- a box for burial made from metals, wood or fiberglass - which cost a lot of
money, as well as headstones, embalming, and viewing of the body.
When Samuel Kingston buried his brother in New York
City, he said the costs were potentially going up to $12,000. He explained that
the more intricate the coffin, the pricier it was. The same is true for a
headstone. He told MEE that it's one reason why people decide to take the
cremation route because it ends up saving money by the thousands. For his
brother's funeral, his family ended up spending about $9,000.
"Talking about death in this way hurts. But this
is the reality. When our family members die, of course we are going to pick up
the cost and do whatever we can to assure they are ready for the afterlife. But
man is it difficult," he said.
"It's actually one reason why our elders start
saving up money for their funerals when they are alive. But when it's someone
young like my brother, it comes at you unexpectedly."
The process of burying a person also differs from
religion, and Islam offers the simplest process. This is why from a business
perspective, which at the end of the day is what a cemetery truly is, they
aren’t making as much money from Muslim burials, which is why they are
over-charging, various funeral directors told MEE.
“I think a solution is that the Muslim community needs
to get together and do a fundraiser and collect a lot of money so we can open a
Muslim cemetery that is affordable,” he said. “It’s not easy. And it’s a lot of
money. It also requires getting approval from the state and getting politicians
on board. But it will be worth it.”
Source: Middle East Eye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/muslims-in-new-york-dont-know-where-to-bury-loved-ones
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Al-Khair Foundation’s Free Christmas Day Dinners to
Help Vulnerable Adults, Children and Families in Lancashire
On Christmas Day in 2017,
Al-Khair Foundation served in excess of 550 three course meals to the homeless
and vulnerable (Image: Al-Khair Foundation via Facebook)
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By Susan Newton
21 DEC 2022
A leading Muslim charity is providing free Christmas
dinners for hundreds of people in Lancashire.
Al-Khair Foundation will be giving out the dinners on
the big day to help vulnerable adults, children and families, in order to
support them with the struggles associated with the ongoing cost of living
crisis. The foundation will prep, cook and serve the meals on Christmas Day for
people who will most likely miss out otherwise.
Dozens of volunteers will give a helping hand to serve
up the festive feast for those who may be unable to afford the meal or afford
to put the heating on in their homes. Imam Qasim, Al-Khair Foundation’s Founder
and Chairman said: “It is an extremely worrying time for many people. Rising
costs are having a devastating impact.
“People are struggling to keep their homes warm as
well as put meals on the table. No one should have to go hungry, cold or lonely
this Christmas.
“AKF takes pride in supporting our communities and
those in need all year round - even on Christmas Day. We are here to support
the people of Lancashire, and anyone is welcome to join us to enjoy a hot meal
on Christmas Day."
Al-Khair Foundation was established in 2003 and is a
leading-faith based UK charity. It provides emergency relief and developmental
support in some of the most impoverished areas in the world, spanning 74
countries and reaching 50 million people.
The dinners will be served on Christmas Day at St
Andrews Church, Entwistle Road in Rochdale, between 1pm and 4pm.
Source: Lancs
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/muslim-charitys-free-christmas-day-25805138
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Joyland, Declared as a Film against Pakistani “Moral
Standards” Becomes Pakistan’s First Film to Make It to Oscar Shortlist
The film, which portrays a
love affair between a man and a transgender woman, has won global accolades on
film festival circuits, including at Cannes earlier this year [File: Stephane
Mahe/Reuters]
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December 22, 2022
Joyland may have faced trials and tribulations in its
home country but to the international community, it was a banger from the
start. The film has been shortlisted for the Oscars, the first ever movie to do
so from Pakistan.
On Thursday, the Academy released its Oscar shortlists
for the 95th Awards for 10 categories. Joyland is among 15 films that made the
cut for the best International Feature Film category and will advance to the
nomination process. Films from 92 countries and regions were eligible in the
category. Last Film Show also made it to the list, India’s second nomination
since Lagaan from 20 years ago, according to Deadline.
Other films in the same category include Argentina’s
Argentina, 1985, Austria’s Corsage, Belgium’s Close, Cambodia’s Return to
Seoul, Denmark’s Holy Spider, France’s Saint Omer, Germany’s All Quiet on the
Western Front, Ireland’s The Quiet Girl, Mexico’s Bardo, False Chronicle of a
Handful of Truths, Morocco’s The Blue Caftan, Poland’s EO, South Korea’s
Decision to Leave and Sweden’s Cairo Conspiracy.
Malala, who recently joined team Joyland as executive
producer, dialled up director Saim Sadiq to congratulate him on the milestone
and share this “moment of Pakistani pride”.
Joyland’s producer Apoorva Guru Charan re-shared the
phone call video and gushed over her “wonderful” team.
Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, chair of the
Pakistani Academy Selection Committee this year, shared the “incredible” news
on Instagram and said there is much to celebrate since Joyland is the first
Pakistani film on the shortlist, 10 years after the committee was formed.
Interestingly, this is not the first for Joyland. It
was also the first film from Pakistan to make it to the Cannes Film Festival
where it won awards and received a standing ovation. Since then, it has been to
several international film festivals, earning prestige all over.
Its release in Pakistan, sadly, was a tricky affair.
After being cleared by the censor board, it was declared “uncertified” for
containing “highly objectionable material” that goes against Pakistani
society’s “social values and moral standards”. After facing backlash by
celebrities and the public for this decision, PM Shehbaz Sharif formed a
committee to review this decision and the ban was revoked. Punjab reinstated
the ban in the province though the film was released everywhere else and
elicited glowing reviews.
Joyland, you have had a long, tiring journey but
that’s how it can be for those who are going places and doing great things.
Congratulations!
Source: Dawn
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original story:
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Mideast
Iran ‘unleashed alarming violence’ in Kurdistan
capital: Human Rights Watch
December 21, 2022
LONDON: Security forces in Iran used unlawful lethal
force against protesters in Sanandaj, the regional Kurdistan capital, Human
Rights Watch said on Wednesday.
In a report containing statements from 14 victims and
witnesses, as well as research into social media clips, the organization urged
the newly launched UN fact-finding mission into the country’s protests to
investigate the use of excessive force by authorities.
Throughout September, October, and November, security
forces in Sanandaj used weapons including shotguns and assault rifles to fire
on demonstrators with bullets, pellets, and tear gas.
HRW said that generally peaceful protesters in the
city were met with disproportionate force, resulting in the killing of six
people.
In one case, 24-year-old Peyman Menbari was shot dead
after throwing a stone toward Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and
plainclothes agents.
A witness in a group of 50 protesters said: “I saw
that he threw a stone. Then I heard him sigh and fall in front of me.”
Others later identified the shooter as a local Basij
paramilitary member.
In another incident, a man was shot dead in his car
after honking the vehicle’s horn in support of nearby protesters. Videos posted
to social media showed a group of men armed with rifles approaching the
vehicle, with later footage showing the driver slumped dead behind the wheel.
A witness who arrived at the scene of the shooting
said: “I went closer and saw that the driver was killed. I saw that the
windshield was broken.”
Another major incident took place on Nov. 17, when
large groups of people gathered at a cemetery in the city to mourn four
protesters who had been killed 40 days earlier.
People present at the ceremony said that Iranian
police and IRGC officers arrived and shot at mourners, resulting in two deaths.
HRW cited UN guidance on the use of weaponry by law
enforcement.
It recommends that, “multiple projectiles fired at the
same time are inaccurate and, in general, their use cannot comply with the
principles of necessity and proportionality. Metal pellets, such as those fired
from shotguns, should never be used.”
In its report, the organization also documented
serious abuses against detainees in Iran, including denial of medical aid,
torture, beatings, and sexual assault.
After being arrested in September as protests spread
around the country, two women told HRW that they were beaten and sexually
assaulted while detained in a police station.
Another woman claimed that an officer hit her in the
neck, threw her on the ground, and dragged her toward a group of other
officers. She was then beaten.
Tara Sepehri Far, senior Iran researcher at HRW, said:
“Iranian authorities have dramatically escalated abuses against protesters in
custody.
“Governments seeking to hold Iran accountable for
rights violations should pay special attention to the serious abuses against
detainees.
“The Iranian authorities have unleashed alarming
violence against protesters in Sanandaj since September.
Source: Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2219701/middle-east
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Iranian FM confirms ‘friendly’ talks with Saudi
counterpart
December 22, 2022
DUBAI: Iran’s foreign minister said on Wednesday he
spoke with his Saudi counterpart on the sidelines of a conference in Jordan the
previous day, the highest-level encounter reported between officials from the
rival states since they cut ties in 2016.
The Middle East’s leading Shia and Sunni Muslim powers
— Saudi Arabia and Iran — have been on opposing sides of conflicts across the
region, including in Syria and Yemen.
Iraq has hosted five meetings between Saudi and
Iranian officials since last year in a bid to ease tensions, the last of which
was in April, without achieving any diplomatic breakthrough.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian,
tweeting in Arabic, on Wednesday listed his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal
bin Farhan Al Saud, as one of several foreign ministers with whom he had the
chance to hold “friendly talks” on the sidelines of the Jordan conference. He
said he also spoke with the foreign ministers of Oman, Qatar, Iraq and Kuwait.
Claims Prince Faisal assured of Riyadh’s willingness
to continue dialogue with Tehran
The Saudi foreign ministry did not immediately respond
to a request for comment.
Amirabdollahian wrote that Prince Faisal “assured me
of his country’s willingness to continue the dialogue with Iran”.
In separate comments reported by Iran’s official IRNA
news agency, Amirabdollahian said he had “announced our readiness to continue
the process that started in Baghdad”. “We are interested in resuming talks with
Saudi Arabia and they also wanted it,” he said, according to IRNA.
Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have ticked
higher since the eruption of protests in Iran, with the Revolutionary Guards
telling Saudi Arabia to control its media and the Iranian intelligence minister
warning Riyadh there was no guarantee of Tehran continuing its “strategic
patience”.
Iran has accused its foreign foes of fomenting the
protests, in which Iranians from all walks have life have taken part.
A top general in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Esmail
Ghaani, on Tuesday referred to Saudi Arabia — a long-standing ally of the
United States — as “a scum and not worthy of being an enemy”.
Iran’s disputed nuclear programme has also added to
tensions, with talks between Tehran and world powers on reviving Iran’s 2015
nuclear agreement at a standstill since September.
Prince Faisal said earlier in December that the signs
were “not very positive unfortunately”, and that Gulf Arab states would act to
shore up their security if Iran were to obtain nuclear weapons, which Tehran
says it is not seeking.
Source: Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1727637/iranian-fm-confirms-friendly-talks-with-saudi-counterpart
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US slaps new sanctions on Iranian officials over
protest crackdown
21 December ,2022
The US on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Iranian
officials, including the Prosecutor General and key military officials, over a
crackdown on protests ignited by Mahsa Amini's death in police custody.
The US Treasury Department in a statement said it
imposed sanctions on Mohammad Montazeri, Iran’s Prosecutor General, accusing
him of issuing a directive to courts in September to issue harsh sentences to
many of those arrested during protests.
Also designated was Iranian company Imen Sanat Zaman
Fara, which the Treasury said manufactures equipment for Iran's Law Enforcement
Forces, including armored vehicles used in crowd suppression.
Washington also imposed sanctions on two senior
officials of Iran’s Basij Resistance Forces, a militia affiliated with the
Revolutionary Guards that has been widely deployed during the crackdown, and
two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials.
The move is the latest in a series of actions
Washington has taken imposing new sanctions on Iranian officials over Iran's
crackdown on the unrest ignited by the death of Amini, a young Iranian Kurdish
woman, while in the custody of the morality police in September.
Source: Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Iran says ready for nuclear agreement 'if red lines
are respected'
Syed Zafar Mehdi
21.12.2022
TEHRAN, Iran
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on
Wednesday said the parties to the 2015 nuclear deal are “returning to realism,”
adding that Tehran will take a final step if its “red lines are respected.”
Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in Jordan’s capital
Amman while boarding a flight back to Tehran after attending the second edition
of the Baghdad conference.
He said his meeting with EU foreign policy chief Josep
Borrell on the sidelines of the summit on Tuesday provided an “opportunity to
discuss issues” related to the Vienna talks.
The indirect talks between Tehran and Washington,
brokered by the EU, have been stalled since August due to key disagreements on
the draft proposal, as well as the row over the UN nuclear watchdog’s probe
into uranium traces found at three “undeclared nuclear sites” in Iran.
The sweeping protests in Iran in recent months, along
with claims of Iran supplying drones to Russia for the Ukraine war, have
further inflamed tensions between Tehran and the US.
Amir-Abdollahian accused the American side of
“hypocritical behavior” in recent months, saying they “took actions that did
not match their words.”
“Our impression is that the various parties are
returning to realism, and we also announced that if our red lines are
respected, we are ready to take the final steps to reach an agreement,” he
said.
Iran has recently taken several steps to ramp up
uranium enrichment amid the row over the UN nuclear watchdog’s probe that Iran
insists should be dropped.
A delegation of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) visited Tehran earlier this week for talks with Iranian officials on
resolving the spat.
In his address to the Baghdad summit, the Iranian
foreign minister said his country was “serious” in reaching a “good, strong and
stable agreement” in Vienna.
During the meeting with Borrell, the top Iranian
diplomat said he expressed Tehran’s readiness to conclude the protracted talks
“based on the draft achieved as a result of months of difficult and intensive
negotiations.”
“I thanked Mr. Borrell for his constructive role in
the #JCPOA revival talks, and told him that Tehran is ready for a conclusion
with consideration of Iran’s red lines and the drafts on the table,” he later
wrote in a tweet.
Borrell said his meeting with Amir-Abdollahian in the
Jordanian capital was “necessary … amidst deteriorating Iran-EU relations.”
“Stressed need to immediately stop military support to
Russia and internal repression in Iran,” he wrote on Twitter.
Source: Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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Yemen’s foreign minister hails Turkish support
Shukri Hussein
21.12.2022
ADEN, Yemen
Yemen’s foreign minister has hailed Türkiye’s support
to the Yemeni people amid the ongoing civil war in the Arab country.
Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak is set to visit Türkiye on
Wednesday for talks with Turkish officials.
"We appreciate Türkiye’s important role in
supporting Yemen and hosting a large number of Yemenis,” bin Mubarak told
Anadolu Agency in an interview.
Yemen slipped into a deadly civil war in 2014 when
Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa. A
military coalition led by Saudi Arabia entered the war in early 2015 to restore
the government to power.
The eight-year conflict in Yemen has created one of
the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with millions risking starvation.
Bin Mubarak said he will discuss issues of bilateral
cooperation with Turkish officials, particularly in the fields of development,
culture and health.
“The visit comes as part of efforts to strengthen the
distinguished and historic relations between the two countries,” he added.
Peace efforts
The top Yemeni diplomat blamed Houthi rebels for
failure of peace efforts in war-torn Yemen.
"Peace endeavors have never stopped since the
Houthi coup, the latest of which was the UN-brokered truce, which the Houthi
militia refused to renew,” bin Mubarak said.
The UN-mediated truce in Yemen expired on Oct. 2.
"Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council has
adopted peace as a strategic option to end the humanitarian suffering in the country
and made painful concessions to stop the Yemeni bloodshed,” bin Mubarak said.
“The Houthi crimes and attacks showed the failure of
the peace path with a group that does not believe in peace,” he added.
Bin Mubarak said that the Yemeni people have been
going through a stifling humanitarian crisis since the Houthi coup in 2014.
“The Houthi attacks on oil facilities are an attempt
to turn the crisis into a humanitarian disaster,” he warned.
At least 377,000 Yemenis have been killed in Yemen by
the end of 2021, in addition to economic losses of $126 billion, according to
UN estimates.
Peace partner
Bin Mubarak said putting an end to the 8-year war in
Yemen “requires a real will”.
“It needs a real peace partner and a real will to
serve the interests of the Yemeni people over any other interests,” he added.
The chief diplomat, however, noted that the Houthi
ideology stands a “stumbling block” to efforts aimed at restoring peace to
Yemen.
“This requires new measures to force the Houthis to
abide by the UN resolutions and put an end to their disruptive role and crimes
against the Yemeni people,” he added.
Bin Mubarak said the policy of appeasing the Houthi
rebels by the international community has failed to make any breakthrough in
Yemen.
“It has become clear that this terrorist group does
not seek co-existence and it is a mere tool in the hands of their financers in
Tehran,” he added.
“The legitimate government is working in tandem with
the coalition countries, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates” to
force the Houthis to abide by UN resolutions on Yemen.
Turning point
On April 7, a presidential leadership council was
formed in Yemen, headed by Rashad al-Alimi, to replace then-president Abdrabbuh
Mansur Hadi.
“The formation of the leadership council was a major
turning point to confront the Houthi militia as this council represents all
various spectrums of Yemeni society,” bin Mubarak said.
The Yemeni foreign minister paid tribute to efforts of
the Saudi-led coalition to confront Houthis in Yemen.
“Had it not been for the coalition’s role, we would
have seen Yemen turning into a hotbed for Iranian militias, and a permanent
source of instability in the region,” he said.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/yemen-s-foreign-minister-hails-turkish-support/2769268
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OIC holds Israel responsible for death of Palestinian
prisoner battling cancer
21 December 2022
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has held
the Israeli regime responsible for the custodial death of an ailing Palestinian
prisoner as a result of deliberate medical negligence despite repeated calls
for his release.
The inter-governmental Muslim organization called for
an international commission of inquiry to investigate the death of 50-year-old
Nasser Abu Hmaid, a cancer patient who breathed his last on Tuesday morning at
the Assaf Harofeh Israeli hospital near Tel Aviv.
The organization described the tragic death while in
custody as another crime amid relentless Israeli aggression against the people
of Palestine, especially those languishing in detention centers across the occupied
territories, while reaffirming its support for Palestinian prisoners.
The OIC also urged international bodies to act
promptly in order to protect the rights of Palestinian prisoners and put
pressure on the Israeli regime to cease its unending rights violations in the
occupied territories and release the prisoners immediately.
Abbas: Abu Hmaid’s death amounts to a full-fledged war
crime
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced Abu
Hmaid’s death as a result of Israeli medical negligence as a full-fledged war
crime.
During a meeting at the presidential headquarters in
the occupied central West Bank city of Ramallah, Abbas said Abu Hmaid’s
custodial death bears testimony to the extent of injustice inflicted upon the
Palestinian nation.
The meeting was called to address international
actions to confront the racist and colonial practices of Israeli authorities in
light of the formation of a far-right administration in Tel Aviv and the death
of the cancer-stricken Palestinian detainee,
He held the Tel Aviv regime fully responsible for his
death, saying Palestinians “will launch a broad international campaign to put
anyone before their legal and historical responsibilities in order to provide
protection for defenseless Palestinians in the West Bank, East al-Quds and the
Gaza Strip.”
It is unacceptable for the international community to
remain silent and turn a blind eye to Israeli crimes, the Palestinian president
stressed.
Israel to withhold remains of Palestinian prisoner
Israeli authorities announced in a statement on
Wednesday that the regime will keep the remains of Abu Hmaid for negotiations
with the Gaza-based Hamas resistance movement.
“After conferring with security authorities, it was
decided that Israel will keep the body of Nasser Abu Hmaid for the purpose of
negotiating the release of Israeli hostages,” the statement quoted Israeli
minister of military affairs Minister Benny Gantz as saying.
Abu Hmaid had been battling death for several months
in Ramla Prison Hospital. His health deteriorated following the spread of
cancerous cells in his body, completely damaging his left lung.
Hmaid hailed from the al-Amari refugee camp in the
occupied central West Bank city of Ramallah. He was incarcerated in 2002 and
was sentenced to life imprisonment after an Israeli court found him guilty of
participating in attacks during the Second Palestinian Intifada (uprising).
Abu Hmaid was diagnosed with lung cancer in August
2021 after Israeli authorities delayed the provision of medical examinations
and treatment, according to Palestinian prisoner rights groups.
His family had appealed to all international bodies to
take urgent and effective action to save his life, but to no avail.
There are reportedly more than 7,000 Palestinians
incarcerated in Israeli jails. Human rights organizations say Israel violates
all the rights and freedoms granted to prisoners by the Fourth Geneva
Convention.
Source: Press TV
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Arab World
Syria's President Assad issues general amnesty for
terror-related crimes
21 December 2022
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a general
amnesty on Wednesday that pardons those charged with terror-related crimes that
didn't result in fatalities, as well as draft dodgers if they report to duty
within three to four months.
Syria’s official news agency SANA, citing a copy of
the presidential decree, reported that the amnesty applies to crimes committed
before December 21, 2022.
The decree noted that draft dodgers inside Syria will
have three months to take advantage of the amnesty, while those abroad will
have four months.
The amnesty, however, does not cover Syrian nationals
who took up arms to fight the state, colluded with foreign nations against
their country, or joined foreign-sponsored terrorist groups in Syria.
The Damascus government had previously issued similar
amnesties during the 11-year foreign-sponsored conflict in Syria, which aimed
to allow the Syrian nationals who broke the country's laws to return to normal
life.
Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy
since March 2011. The Syrian government says the United States, the Israeli
regime, and their Western and regional allies are materially sponsoring Takfiri
terrorist groups that are engaged in destabilizing activities in the country.
Israel frequently violates Syrian sovereignty by
targeting military positions inside the country, especially those of the resistance
movement Hezbollah, which has played a key role in helping the Syrian army in
its fight against foreign-backed terrorists.
The Tel Aviv regime mostly keeps quiet about its
attacks on Syrian territories, which many view as a knee-jerk reaction to the Syrian
government’s increasing success in confronting terrorism.
Israeli regime has been a key supporter of terrorist
groups that have battled the government of President Bashar al-Assad since
foreign-backed militancy erupted in Syria in early 2011.
Source: Press TV
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India offers soft skills training for migrant workers
to be model residents in Gulf
21 December ,2022
The scheme to “enhance soft skills” of prospective
Indian migrant workers to the Gulf in terms of the culture, language and
traditions of their destination countries has trained 121,596 overseas
job-seekers, the Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, has
said, reported Emirates News Agency (WAM).
The minister told Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of
India’s Parliament, in answer to questions from members that “the initiative of
Pre-Departure Orientation and Training (PDOT) Scheme has been successful. The
Government of India started the PDOT program in 2018.”
Although the PDOT Scheme is accessible to any Indian
going to any part of the world for employment, most of those trained are
migrants to the GCC countries. This is because the Gulf region attracts the
largest number of Indians taking up employment abroad.
The scheme “enhances the intending migrants’
understanding of local rules and regulations in the destination country and
sensitizes migrant workers about pathways to safe and legal migration,” Muraleedharan
told Member of Parliament K R Suresh Reddy in writing.
Such training in soft skills enables Indians in the
Gulf to be model residents in the countries where they live. PDOT training also
makes Indian expatriates “aware of various government programs for their
welfare and protection,” the Minister added.
PDOT training is free of cost for those who join the
course. Four years ago, it started with four centers. In view of the demand for
training, it is now available in 31 cities across India. These include states
like Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and West Bengal, which send large
numbers of Indians to work abroad. More than one center also offers training in
big cities such as New Delhi and Mumbai.
“In the aftermath of lockdowns imposed due to
COVID-19, an online PDOT module has been introduced by the Ministry of External
Affairs as another step towards ensuring safe and legal migration,” the
Ministry said.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) recently
hosted a consultation in New Delhi on labor migration from India under the
theme “Decent Work for All,” where the PDOT scheme was one of the focus areas.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Traditional Qatari cloak worn by Messi at World Cup
ceremony attracts great interest
Ahmed Yusuf Bitmez and Safiye Karabacak
22.12.2022
DOHA, Qatar
A traditional item of clothing called a bisht, which
was worn by Lionel Messi while lifting the World Cup trophy during the awards
presentation ceremony, has attracted great interest from football fans,
according to Qatari media reports Wednesday.
Many fans, especially Argentines, flocked to the Souq
Waqif marketplace to buy the traditional clothing worn by Arabs in Gulf
countries, Qatar’s Al Raya newspaper reported.
"We are very proud that the bishts in our store
are entirely a product of the Qatari industry," the daily quoted a
producer of bisht, Ahmed es-Salim, as saying.
He said there has been strong demand for the attire
from World Cup fans, especially Westerners, since the trophy ceremony took
place Sunday, adding he expects sales to increase further in the coming days.
A bisht was gifted to Messi by Qatari Emir Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad al Thani during the World Cup championship celebrations.
On Sunday, Messi-led Argentina beat France 4-2 on
penalties to win the World Cup.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Syrian man given 16-year prison sentence in Denmark
for Daesh/ISIS ties
21.12.2022
COPENHAGEN, Denmark
A Syrian man, 35, was given a 16-year prison sentence
Tuesday after being found guilty of attempting, financing and promoting
terrorism in Denmark and abroad on behalf of the Daesh/ISIS terror group.
Ali Al Masry was convicted by a court in Holbæk
alongside his wife, 31, and his brother, 37 -- each given sentences of nine and
six months on terror financing charges.
The sentence is the longest punishment given by a Danish
court in recent history in Denmark in a terror-related case.
Al Masry was arrested Feb. 6, 2021, along with his
family members, on a tip from German police.
After he was arrested, Danish authorities said 16
kilograms (35 pounds) of chemicals and a remote-controlled car were recovered
from his residence, along with bomb manuals and radical propaganda materials.
“There are simply no mitigating circumstances in this
case. There is nothing worse than the killing of innocent random people,”
prosecutor John Catre Nielsen told the court ahead of sentencing.
Al Masry was also given a deportation order that
allows authorities to immediately deport him after his sentence.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Saudi Arabia, France discuss cooperation in
industrial, mining sectors
December 22, 2022
Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources
Bandar Alkhorayef on Wednesday received French Minister Delegate for Foreign
Trade, Economic Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad Olivier Becht, and
his accompanying delegation.
During the meeting in Riyadh, they discussed
strengthening bilateral cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France in the
industrial and mining sectors, and the investment opportunities available to
French investors within the framework of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2220026/saudi-arabia
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Wounded Irish peacekeeper will be evacuated from
Lebanon
December 21, 2022
BEIRUT: A wounded Irish UN peacekeeper in Lebanon was
transferred on Wednesday from a hospital to Beirut’s international airport to
be medically evacuated to Ireland.
Unidentified attackers opened fire on 22-year-old Pvt.
Shane Kearney and three other Irish soldiers with UNIFIL, the UN’s peacekeeping
mission in Lebanon, last week as their convoy passed near the southern town of
Al-Aqbiya. The area is a stronghold of the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group.
Kearney suffered from blunt force trauma to the head
in the attack, and is in serious but stable condition.
24-year-old Pvt. Seán Rooney was killed, while the two
other soldiers were lightly wounded. Rooney’s body was returned to Ireland on
Sunday after Lebanon and the UN held a memorial for him. A security official
told The Associated Press that Rooney was shot in the head.
Lebanon, Ireland, and the United Nations are holding
separate investigations into the attack, but have yet to share any findings or
issue any arrest warrants. The official told the AP that investigators had
retrieved seven bullets from the vehicle.
The Irish military in a statement Wednesday said
Kearney will be evacuated in a “specially equipped medical aircraft” to
Casement Aerodrome, a military base southwest of Dublin, and will continue his
treatment at Beaumont Hospital.
UNIFIL was created to oversee the withdrawal of
Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after a 1978 invasion. The UN expanded its
mission following the 2006 war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah,
allowing peacekeepers to deploy along the Israeli border to help the Lebanese
military extend its authority into the country’s south for the first time in
decades.
That resolution also called for a full cessation of
hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which has not happened.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2219821/middle-east
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Refugees complain about dire situation in
US-controlled al-Tanf region in southern Syria
21 December 2022
Russia’s Defense Ministry says internally displaced
persons, who have managed to return to the Syrian government-controlled areas,
are reporting that the humanitarian situation in the strategic al-Tanf region,
which is occupied by US military forces and lies near the borders with Iraq and
Jordan, is critical.
Deputy Chief of the Russian Reconciliation Center for
Syria Major General Oleg Yegorov said on Tuesday that the center had received
information that situation in Rukban refugee camp in southern Syria is
disastrous.
The Russian official noted that the camp residents are
experiencing shortages of food, essential items, medicines and fuel.
“At the same time, the so-called Maghawir al-Thawra
terrorists are trying to propagate the absurd notion that Russia and the
Damascus government are responsible for the worsening humanitarian situation at
Rukban camp. This is while the militants do not allow the entry of humanitarian
convoys into the site,” Yegorov added.
He stressed that the reconciliation center, in
cooperation with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, has been seeking over the past
six months to open up a safe corridor for a humanitarian convoy destined to
Rukban camp.
“The United States Central Command (CENTCOM), however,
has torpedoed all those initiatives,” Yegorov pointed out.
Back in July, anti-Damascus Takfiri militants
conducted joint military exercises with American forces in the al-Tanf region
for several days, and the drills purportedly included sniper training
exercises, direct ground combat, strike operations with various types of
missiles and rockets, in addition to training courses on raising awareness and
drawing up military plans.
American troops abduct four civilians during airdrop
operation in Hasakah
Separately, US occupation troops have kidnapped four
people in Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakah, and took them to an unknown
destination.
Syria’s official news agency SANA, citing local
sources, reported that they were rounded up during an airdrop operation
conducted by the American troops in the town of al-Shaddadi on Tuesday.
The sources added that militants affiliated with the
so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) cordoned off the area before the US
aerial operation. The four people are said to hail from the neighboring Dayr
al-Zawr province.
The US military has for long stationed its forces and
equipment in northeastern Syria, with the Pentagon claiming that the deployment
is aimed at preventing the oilfields in the area from falling into the hands of
Daesh terrorists.
Damascus, however, maintains the deployment is meant
to plunder the country’s natural resources. Former US president Donald Trump
admitted on several occasions that American forces had their presence in the
Arab country for its oil wealth.
Back on December 2, a Chinese foreign ministry
spokesperson lambasted the US military’s deployment of troops in Syria and its
smuggling of oil and grain as illegal.
“The US stationing of troops in Syria is illegal. The
US smuggling of oil and grain from Syria is illegal. The US missile attack
against Syria is also illegal,” Zhao Lijian told a daily news briefing in the
capital city of Beijing.
The Chinese diplomat cited official data from the
Syrian government that between 2011 and the first half of 2022, the US
smuggling activities have cost Syria more than 100 billion dollars of losses.
Zhao stressed that the United States keeps violating
international laws and rules, and yet claims to be a champion of what it calls
"the rules-based international order."
Source: Press TV
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North America
Canadian Muslims now able to buy homes with Islamic
mortgage
DEC 21, 2022
Muslims living in Canada now have access to
interest-free mortgages, which will enable them to buy homes, a report said on
Wednesday.
Islamic mortgages are necessary because interest
charges are forbidden for Muslims.
"We cannot deal with conventional banks even if
the interest is very low, even if it is 0.1 percent," Abdullah Mohiuddin
told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
A few companies saw an opportunity and are now
offering halal, or permissible, mortgages, but it is not free money — there are
carrying costs built into the loans.
"People who avail of Islamic mortgages still pay
a comparable amount that you would pay if you got a conventional mortgage. It's
just that the structure of these mortgages are different," said Walid
Hejazi, an expert in Islamic finance at the University of Toronto.
A popular option that conforms to the Muslim faith and
Canadian law is a rent-to-own structure, where the mortgage company is also an
owner of the property. Another is to create a legal framework where fees,
rather than interest payments, are charged without violating Islamic
principles.
Zuhair Naqvi started Eqraz, a Toronto-area Islamic
mortgage company. He is seeing a high demand. However, costs are higher than
traditional mortgages for several reasons. Since the market is relatively new,
finding funds to lend out for halal mortgages is difficult, he said. Apart from
that, administrative costs are higher because demand is smaller and Islam
restricts foreclosing on a mortgage, which aggravate financial risks.
Naqvi said that adds up to an additional 4% on top of
what regular lenders like the Royal Bank would charge.
Source: Daily Sabah
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Turkish-American Jews celebrate Hanukkah at Turkish
House in New York for first time
Betül Yürük
22.12.2022
NEW YORK
Turkish Jews in the US, also known as Sephardic Jews,
gathered at Turkish House in New York for the first time to celebrate Hanukkah,
the Festival of Light.
At a ceremony to celebrate Hanukkah hosted by the
Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C. and the Turkish Consulate in New York,
members of the Jewish community lit a 19th-century menorah.
The 150-year old menorah, which now belongs to Jewish
collector Thomas Gelb, was recovered from a synagogue in Prague burnt down by
the Nazis during World War II.
Speaking at the ceremony, Turkish Ambassador to the US
Hasan Murat Mercan said that Turkish House is home to all Turkish Jews, their
friends and relatives.
''The Jewish community is an inseparable part of our
land, our community, whether they live in Türkiye or New York,'' he said.
''Türkiye has been home to different religions, different cultures, and all of
them helped with the cornerstone of our collective history...Our diversity
reflects our strength.''
Turkish Consul General in New York Reyhan Ozgur said
that today's gathering is another testament to the growing friendship between
the Turkish and Jewish peoples.
''The doors of Turkish House are always wide open to
our Jewish friends,'' he said. Today’s Hanukkah celebration is historic in the
sense that for the first time, menorah candles will be lit in Turkish House.''
He said that Sephardic Jews have become an integral
part of Turkish society, enriching its culture and economy.
Asaf Zamir, Consul General of Israel in New York,
thanked Türkiye for celebrating Hanukkah at Turkish House and for its
friendship.
''The fact that you decided to have this event this
evening is extremely important to us.'' he said.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Biden launches task force to probe US parts in Iranian
drones: Report
Michael Hernandez
21.12.2022
WASHINGTON
The Biden administration has launched an interagency
task force to investigate how US and western-made components are ending up in
Iranian-produced military drones being used by Russia in Ukraine, according to
a report published Wednesday.
The US has led a sweeping international campaign
intended to deprive Russia of being able to access advanced western
technologies since the Kremlin began its war in February, and has for years
maintained a large-scale sanctions campaign against Iran that is intended, in
part, to do the same for Tehran.
But the efforts appear to have been short on results.
Analyses of downed Iranian-supplied drones used by Russia in Ukraine found in
November that the majority of parts in the unmanned aircraft originated in the
US, Europe or other western-allied nations.
Ukrainian intelligence services determined that three-quarters
of the parts in Iranian drones were made in the US, the Wall Street Journal
newspaper reported last month, citing anonymous sources familiar with the
matter and documents it reviewed.
The findings, as well as those from other researchers
who examined the Iranian drones, prompted the administration to launch its task
force, CNN reported.
The probe "intensified" recently after US
intelligence services determined that Moscow is planning to open a factory for
drone production inside Russia, said the news network.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby
acknowledged the development Dec. 9, saying Russia and Iran are transforming
their military relationship into "into a full-fledged defense
partnership."
"We urge Iran to reverse course, not to take
these steps," he said.
CNN previously reported that Iran has already begun
initial steps toward the development of a drone production facility in Russia,
saying the Islamic Republic has transferred key elements, including blueprints
and components, to Russia.
The White House and National Security Council did not
respond to multiple requests for comment on the reported task force, but CNN
described it as a sweeping effort that is drawing on multiple US agencies,
including the Pentagon, State, Commerce and Treasury departments.
It is an "all-hands on deck" situation, an
anonymous source told CNN.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Europe
Taliban university ban for women 'grave step
backwards': UK PM Sunak
Dec 22, 2022
LONDON: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on
Wednesday criticized the Taliban's decision to ban University education for
girls, saying "denying them access to university is a grave step
backwards."
"As a father to daughters, I cannot imagine a
world in which they're denied an education. The women of Afghanistan have so
much to offer. Denying them access to university is a grave step backwards. The
world is watching. We will judge the Taliban by their actions," Sunak
tweeted.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Higher Education of
Afghanistan, which is ruled by the Taliban, prohibited girls from attending
universities and other higher education institutions. This comes as secondary
education for girls has been prohibited in Afghanistan since September
2021.After the Islamic outfit announced the ban, the UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres expressed concern about the news reports. He said that the
denial of education violates the equal rights of women and girls and will have
a devastating impact on the country's future.
UN Secretary-General also urged the de facto
authorities to ensure equal access to education at all levels for women and
girls.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock today said
the Taliban decided to destroy their own country's future by destroying the
future of girls and women in Afghanistan. She added that Germany will put the
issue on the agenda of the G7.
"I will put the issue on the agenda of the G7
tomorrow. The Taliban may try to make women invisible, but won't succeed - the
world is watching," Baerbock tweeted.
The Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021 and
imposed policies severely restricting basic rights--particularly those of women
and girls, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).'
The Islamic group dismissed all women from leadership
posts in the civil service and prohibited girls in most provinces from
attending secondary school. Taliban decrees prohibit women from traveling
unless accompanied by a male relative and require women's faces be covered in
public--including women TV newscasters.
According to a UNICEF report released in August, the
fact that girls in Afghanistan are deprived of secondary education has cost the
country's economy at least $500 million over the past 12 months, which amounts
to 2.5 per cent of GDP.
Source: Times Of India
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Hundreds of right-wing extremists wanted for arrest in
Germany
22.12.2022
BERLIN
Hundreds of right-wing extremists are wanted for
arrest in Germany, the Berlin-based Taz newspaper reported Wednesday.
As of Sept. 30, there were open arrest warrants for
674 people from the far-right spectrum, the Interior Ministry said in response
to a parliamentary inquiry made by the radical leftist opposition party The
Left.
According to the information, 33 of the arrest
warrants were related to a "politically motivated violent offence"
and 151 to "crimes with right-wing motivation" such as the display of
unconstitutional symbols or incitement to hatred.
The remaining cases involved general crimes such as
theft, financial scams and fraudulently obtaining social welfare benefits.
Between March and September this year, 326 arrest
warrants for people from the right-wing spectrum were executed or they were
legally settled, for example by paying a fine, the ministry said.
At the same time, new arrest warrants were issued for
the same or other people and a search was initiated.
A member of The Left party faction, Martina Renner, who
had asked for the parliamentary inquiry, called for stepped-up pressure to
search for those right-wing extremists who are on the run.
"The high number of open arrest warrants shows
that right-wing violence is an everyday threat even beyond spectacular raids,"
she told the Taz daily.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left coalition
government has repeatedly vowed to enact stronger measures to counter the
growing threat posed by far-right groups.
The country has witnessed growing racism and
xenophobia in recent years fueled by the propaganda of far-right, anti-Semitic
and anti-Muslim groups, including the main opposition party Alternative for
Germany (AfD).
Far-right terrorism in Germany has claimed the lives
of at least 218 innocent people since 1989, according to the Berlin-based
Amadeu Antonio Foundation.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Greece's expansionist, aggressive policies fuelling
instability, says Türkiye
Merve Aydogan
21.12.2022Türkiye on Wednesday reaffirmed its
commitment to “peace and stability in the Aegean,” while decrying Greece’s
“expansionist and aggressive policies.”
“Unfortunately, our neighbor Greece continues its
expansionist and aggressive policies with its provocative actions and rhetoric
that fuels instability,” Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told a
press conference after meeting with his counterparts from Georgia and
Azerbaijan.
He said Türkiye remains open to dialogue, but will not
allow any fait accompli on issues related to Cyprus or the Aegean and Eastern
Mediterranean seas.
He also denounced Greek warplanes’ recent attempt to
interfere in a NATO training mission over the Aegean, saying such hostile steps
are evidence of Athens’ arrogance and ignorance of NATO’s basic principles.
“We expect an impartial, objective, reasonable, and
logical approach from our other NATO allies, especially the US, on this
matter,” he added.
Türkiye, a NATO member for over 70 years, has
complained of repeated provocative actions and rhetoric by Greece in the region
in recent months, including arming islands near Turkish shores that are
demilitarized under treaty obligations. It says that such moves frustrate its
good faith efforts for peace.
On the prospective sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye,
Akar said Türkiye expects “positive and concrete steps” from the US.
Ankara requested F-16s and modernization kits in
October 2021. The $6 billion deal would include the sale of 40 jets, as well as
modernization kits for 79 warplanes that the Turkish Air Force already has in
its inventory.
Commitment to peace, to defeat terrorism
Noting that Türkiye has always favored global and
regional peace, tranquility and stability, Akar said it is devoting "great
efforts to peace and stability in the Black Sea as well as in the Caucasus, and
for an effective, balanced and constructive policy, including the
implementation of Montreux,” referring to the 1936 Montreux Convention for the
Turkish Straits.
"We continue our efforts to achieve a cease-fire
and diplomatic solution in the region," he said on the 10-month-old
Ukraine war, calling this summer’s landmark initiative unblocking grain exports
"one of (Türkiye’s) greatest contributions" in this regard.
On Türkiye's domestic and cross-border counter-terror
operations, Akar said they continue efforts against terrorism with
determination and success.
"No one, especially the countries destabilizing
the region, should expect us to tolerate terrorists nesting right next to our
border," he said, stressing that the Turkish Armed Forces will continue to
take the necessary steps for national security, referring to operations across
the southern border into terrorist dens in Syria and Iraq.
On his trilateral meeting with the Azerbaijani and
Georgian foreign ministers, Akar hailed the deeply rooted relations with both
countries and noted Georgia's role in the stability of the Caucasus region.
Saying that the three officials exchanged views on
regional and global developments, Akar added: "Based on aims to establish
a peaceful future, cooperation between the three countries continues to rise,
including issues related to defense and security."
Source: Anadolu Agency
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British military wants to obscure truth about its war
crimes in Afghanistan: Journalist
21 December 2022
British military commanders want people to think of
the military as noble who go around the world to help people, which is a
"huge lie and a complete myth" aimed at obscuring the savagery they
committed in Afghanistan, according to a commentator.
Robert Fantina, an author, journalist and human right
activist, made the comments on Press TV's Spotlight program aired Tuesday.
Fantina believes that the British commanders are
trying to hide the reality of the crimes committed by the forces under their
command, even though they know they won't be held accountable in the courts for
the crimes they commit.
“As there's no accountability for militants and it
leaves the military free reign to commit whatever crimes it wants”, Fantina
said.
BBC reported earlier this year that the British elite
Special Air Service (SAS) killed Afghan civilians "in cold blood".
The British military recently announced it would
launch an inquiry into reports that its special forces carried out a series of
extrajudicial killings in Afghanistan, following widespread outcry across the
world.
UK defense minister Andrew Murrison said the
Afghanistan inquiry, which is to start in early 2023, will focus on unlawful
killings by the British Special Forces during deliberate detention operations
in Afghanistan from mid-2010 to mid-2013.
It will also examine the “adequacy of subsequent
investigations” by the UK's Ministry of Defense into allegations of wrongdoing,
including murder.
“It's not a flaw in the system; the system is working
the way the governments want it to work. They want to avoid and evade the
timeline investigation, hoping that people forget the stories and then they can
sweep these atrocities under the rug and commit them again,” Fantina said,
calling the probe a "show".
The inquiry follows reports that 54 Afghans were
killed in suspicious circumstances by one SAS unit in Helmand province between
2010 and 2011, and accusations that this amounted to war crimes.
Tessa Gregory from the UK law firm which is
representing the families of the deceased said an inquiry should have been
launched years ago.
“The allegations of extrajudicial killings and
cover-up are of such gravity, and the concerns expressed contemporaneously
within the British and Afghan army and by a reputable international
organization working on the ground in Afghanistan were so serious and so
widespread, that an inquiry should have been instituted by the government years
ago,” she said.
The families of eight people, including three young
boys, reportedly murdered by British Special Forces in two separate operations
during night raids in Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012 welcomed the inquiry, saying
they waited 10 years for justice.
Fra Hughes, a journalist, author and activist, told
Press TV that inhumane behavior exhibited by UK soldiers in the country's
prisons is a sign of “Western imperialism”.
“The UK government does not want the British people to
know what's being done in their name by their army and by their special Earth
services,” Hughes said.
During the two-decade foreign invasion and occupation,
Afghanistan witnessed horrendous war crimes by NATO troops. More and more facts
are emerging regarding unlawful killings and gross violations by foreign forces
on Afghan soil.
Source: Press TV
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/12/21/694883/UK-military-inquiry-Special-Air-Service
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Pakistan
Istanbul cultural night marks establishment of
Pakistan-Turkey relations
December 21, 2022
ISTANBUL: A cultural night was held Tuesday in the
Turkish metropolis of Istanbul to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Turkey.
After beginning with the playing of Turkey and
Pakistan’s national anthems, the programme continued with a performance by
Turkish musicians.
Speaking at the event, Pakistan’s Ambassador to
Turkey, Yousaf Junaid, pointed out that Turkey and Pakistan are two countries
that established relations not only 75 years ago but have a history that dates
back more than 600 years.
“We have a history of brotherhood. It’s not based on any
material gains. It’s not based on any benefits to be derived from each other.
It is based on a boundless love which has no frontiers, which has no
boundaries,” said Junaid.
Touching on the two countries’ support for each other
during hard times even though they are not neighbours and are “thousands of
miles away,” the envoy said it is “because the bond is traditional, it’s
cultural, it’s spiritual and it’s religious.”
Meanwhile, Turkish singer Ersin Faikzade, who
performed songs in Turkish, Persian and Arabic at the event, said he had
travelled across the world but had never seen brotherhood like this.
Faikzade also recalled Pakistan’s support for Turkey
during the Turkish War of Independence, underlining its importance.
The event ended after Qawwali singers from Pakistan
took the stage to sing traditional songs in their native dress. Qawwali is
Sufi-Islamic devotional music.
Relations between the two countries have developed on
the basis of close friendship and brotherhood since the establishment of Pakistan
as an independent state on August 14, 1947. This year marks the 75th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ankara and
Islamabad.
The support extended by the Muslims of the
subcontinent to the Turkish War of Independence has a special place in the
minds of the Turkish people. Turkey’s success in establishing a modern state
after the war has been a source of inspiration for the people of Pakistan.
Source: Pakistan Today
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Onus on Centre to fight militancy, says KP
Umer Farooq
December 22, 2022
PESHAWAR: As some semblance of normalcy returned to
Bannu on Wednesday, a day after an operation against terrorists, the under-fire
KP government refused to accept the blame for the resurgence of terrorism,
saying it was the responsibility of the Centre to tackle the issue.
Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in a media talk declared
that ‘fighting militancy’ was the mandate of the federal government.
Meanwhile, President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif and Army chief Gen Syed Asim Munir, separately, paid tribute to the
soldiers who took part in the operation at the CTD centre in Bannu on Tuesday.
The KP chief minister explained that it was the
Centre’s job to fight militancy since the institutions fighting [against
militants] fell within the jurisdiction of the federal government.
“Crime and law and order situation is the provincial
government’s job but militancy falls within their [federal government’s] domain
and hence this is their responsibility,” he maintained.
Besides, the chief minister claimed that the federal
government was reluctant to release funds for both current and developmental
expenditures. “Neither do we receive the current nor the developmental
expenditures [funding],” he said and alleged that the funds were being diverted
to the federal government’s members of parliament.
Endorsing the CM’s views, the KP government’s
spokesperson told a press briefing that the police’s job was to counter routine
crimes and ‘national security’ was beyond its mandate.
He said the incident that took place inside the Bannu
CTD centre fell within the definition of ‘national security’ which was the
federal the government’s domain.
“This is not something about general law and order…it
falls within the domain of the national security which is the responsibility of
the federal government,” CM Adviser on Information Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif
said.
In reply to a question about the recently held talks
with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan, the special
assistant said that war had never ended since 2001 and dialogue was an attempt
to further improve the situation but a permanent solution [to militancy] could
not be found.
“The reason for dialogue with them [TTP] was to
improve the situation,” Mr Saif said, adding that war never ended, though its
intensity fluctuated. “We wanted a permanent solution but it did not happen,”
he said while explaining the reason for holding talks with the Taliban.
A KP minister, however, appeared to have a different
stance, reported APP.
Kamran Bangash at a presser reiterated the provincial
government’s resolve to eliminate terrorism and extremism in all its forms and
manifestations and said the government was taking pragmatic steps to improve
the capacity of police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).
Referring to the terrorist attack on the CTD compound,
he said police and security forces had already shared information about the
possible terrorist attacks.
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir met
the officers and soldiers, who were injured during the Bannu operation, at the
CMH Rawalpindi, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations release.
The COAS remained with them for some time and inquired
about their well-being.
He appreciated their high spirit and morale and lauded
their professionalism during the operation against the terrorists.
Pledge against terrorism
President Alvi lauded the security forces for carrying
out a successful operation against terrorists in Bannu and expressed the
resolve to eliminate terrorism from the country’s soil, APP reported.
The president, in a statement, termed the success a
result of the professionalism of security forces and their unwavering
commitment against terrorism.
In separate remarks, Prime Minister Sharif said the
state would not surrender to any terrorist group or organisation and vowed that
militants would be dealt with according to the Constitution and law.
Strongly condemning the activities of terrorists, he
said such attempts would be crushed.
“We will not let the sacrifices of the martyrs go to
waste,” he said and mentioned the military operations of Raddul Fasaad and
Zarb-i-Azb as significant measures to eradicate terrorism.
The prime minister said that though main
responsibility for law and order lies with the provinces, the federation could
not turn a blind eye to such problems.
He assured the provinces that the federal government
would work along with them in fighting terrorism and vowed to fully implement
the National Action Plan to eliminate terrorism.
Source: Dawn
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1727643/onus-on-centre-to-fight-militancy-says-kp
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‘TTP is Pakistan’s absolute red line’
Anwar Iqbal
December 22, 2022
WASHINGTON: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari
has suggested letting neighbouring countries know that the outlawed TTP is an
“absolute red line” for Pakistan and it would not allow anyone to cross that
line.
“As far as the TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) is
concerned, it’s absolutely our red line. It is something that we will not
tolerate,” said the foreign minister while speaking at the Atlantic Council,
Washington, on Tuesday evening.
“And absolutely we will be willing to consider each
and every single option to ensure the safety and security of our people.”
As the foreign minister stressed the need for
combating militants in his Washington talk, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir
Akram told the UN Security Council in New York that engagement with the Taliban
was the best option to stabilise the region.
“Coercion and isolation have not proved successful in
the past; they will prove to be counter-productive now and in the future,” said
Ambassador Akram while participating in a UN debate on the situation in
Afghanistan. “We need a coherent and practical plan to realise the objectives
of the international community through patient engagement with the interim
government,” the Pakistani envoy told the 15-member Council.
Bilawal says Islamabad willing to consider all options
to ensure citizens’ safety and security
Mr Bhutto-Zardari made a similar observation in his
talk at the Atlantic Council, urging world powers to work with Afghanistan’s de
facto rulers to stabilise the region. When the moderator, Uzair Younus, asked
if Pakistan could deploy troops inside Afghanistan or on the border to stop
attacks by Afghanistan-based militant groups, the minister suggested using the
“hammer and anvil” strategy, with Kabul’s cooperation, to eliminate militancy.
The chief Pakistani diplomat pointed out that despite
these border and cross-border attacks, the situation was far more secure and
stable now than it was in 2007, when Pakistan launched a series of operations
against the TTP and other militants.
“But those things can be put at risk if this goes
unchecked. And obviously that would undermine any hope, whether it is CPEC or
any other form of economic activity. Nobody wants to put lives at risk in order
to conduct business,” he warned.
“That’s why I have been particularly hawkish on the
issue of the TTP, and on the issue of terrorism in general. I believe that
recent events in the region are alarming, not only the border incidents but the
recent Bannu incident, which our security commanders have very bravely managed
to overcome,” he said.
The foreign minister, however, stressed the need to
“impress on our neighbours, particularly Afghanistan” that they have to
demonstrate the will and the capacity to take on the TTP or other groups
functioning from there.
He acknowledged that there’s room for improvement in
Pakistan’s Afghan policy — as there’s in America’s — and “we need to be serious
about what we can do going forward”.
“Are we going learn from our mistakes to ensure that
we do not repeat them,” he asked. “The answer to that question is going to
define the safety and stability of Afghanistan, the safety and stability of
Pakistan and the safety and stability of our region.”
Pakistan’s number one option, he said, was to get the
Afghan interim government to demonstrate that they had the capacity to deal
with this issue.
Separately, the foreign minister also met Deputy
Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman where they discussed Pakistan’s efforts to
recover from devastating floods and the upcoming Jan 9 International
Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan in Geneva.
Source: Dawn
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1727634/ttp-is-pakistans-absolute-red-line
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China willing to provide all kind of assistance to
Pakistan: Amb Nong Rong
December 21, 2022
ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of the People’s Republic of
China Mr. Nong Rong on Wednesday assured Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar of
continuous support of the Chinese Government to Pakistan, saying that the
government of China stands with people of Pakistan and is willing to provide
all kinds of assistance.
The assurance was given as the Chinese envoy called on
Senator Ishaq Dar here at Finance Division.
Welcoming the Chinese Ambassador, the Finance Minister
praised the long-standing and deep-rooted friendly relations between the two
countries. Both sides deliberated on a number of avenues for expansion of
bilateral relations especially in economic and financial sectors.
Ambassador Nong Rong appreciated the policy
initiatives being taken by the government for sustaining and boosting fiscal
and monetary stability.
Source: Pakistan Today
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South Asia
Afghanistan’s Drug Trade Flourishes Under the Ruling
Regime
By Nizamuddin Rezahi
December 21, 2022
After taking power last August, the Taliban promised
to crack down on narcotics and explicitly ban the production, processing and
sale of illicit drugs.
The decree issued by the authorities of the interim
regime to ban the production and sale of illicit drugs was not inadequately
enforced, and Afghanistan’s drug trade started flourishing under the Taliban regime.
Following the regime change in August 2021, the
economy has crashed and unemployment has skyrocketed, leaving ordinary people
with tons of problems to live a normal life. A large majority of people who
worked in the previous government lost their jobs and are desperately
struggling for survival. Others took either legal or illegal paths to migrate
to neighboring countries such as Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey.
On the contrary, the drug trade in Afghanistan did not
only remain untouched but boomed to a great extent. The number of drug addicts
including men, women and young children living in the worst possible conditions
under the bridges is overwhelming.
“My husband was an addict, he convinced me to take
drugs. He died some time ago, and I joined a group of addicts for I had no
place to live and none of my relatives would accept me,” a female drug addict
said, Sky News reported in a video recorded from the scene.
Source: Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/afghanistans-drug-trade-flourishes-under-the-ruling-regime/
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Committee to Protect Journalists Calls on Taliban to
Release Afghan Journalists
By Nizamuddin Rezahi
December 21, 2022
The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Taliban
authorities to release Afghan journalists who are still behind the bars,
following the release of two American nationals on Tuesday.
The Taliban released two Americans, including
journalist and filmmaker Ivor Shearer who were detained in August in the
capital Kabul. Neither the Taliban nor the U.S. Department of States identified
the two Americans.
In response to news reports that the Taliban released
two American nationals the Committee to Protect Journalists, a journalist
advocacy organization based in New York issued a statement on Wednesday calling
for the release of other Afghan journalists who remain behind bars.
“The continued detention of Afghan journalists
underscores the dire situation of press freedom in Afghanistan, which has gone
from bad to worse with an intensifying crackdown on the media in the past
year,” CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih Yi said.
Shearer and his Afghan colleague Faizullah Faizbaksh
were arrested on August 17 while they were filming the scene of a U.S. drone
strike that killed Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri earlier in August in
Kabul.
The release of the American filmmaker comes as the
situation for journalists in Afghanistan has deteriorated since the Taliban’s
return to power in August 2021. Several male and female Afghan journalists have
been detained, tortured, and threatened with death.
Source: Khaama Press
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Pakistan Urges Taliban to Revise Decision on Banning
Female Education
By Nizamuddin Rezahi
December 22, 2022
Following the suspension of the university and higher
education for female students in Afghanistan, Pakistan condemned the act and
urged the Afghan authorities to revise their decision.
The Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan’s
Taliban regime on December 20, suspended access to universities by female
students until further notice, drawing strong condemnation from the United
States, Britain, the United Nations, and Afghan diasporas.
The spokesperson of the higher education ministry in a
letter confirmed the suspension of public and private universities to female
students immediately, in accordance with a de facto cabinet decision.
“Pakistan is disappointed to learn about the
suspension of the university and higher education for female students in
Afghanistan,” an official statement from the Foreign Office read, adding that
Pakistan’s position on the issue has been “clear and consistent”.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August last
year, Pakistan has maintained a close and friendly relationship with them,
though, not formally recognizing the interim regime as the legitimate the
government of Afghanistan.
However, the recent armed attacks that took place on
December 11 and 15 in the Chaman-Spin Boldak border area causing to the death
of several civilians and injured more people from both sides soared tensions
between Islamabad and Kabul.
Following the border shelling, some Pakistani senators
even called on the government to revise its policy against Afghanistan. Others
described the Afghan government as an “unfriendly neighbor” for Pakistan has
been the home for millions of Afghans for nearly the past four decades.
Source: Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-urges-taliban-to-revise-decision-on-banning-female-education/
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Taliban Open to Indian Efforts to Restart People
Centric Development Projects
December 22, 2022
India has a historical and civilizational relationship
with the Afghan people. Given its age-old ties, over the last two decades,
Indian public and private sector entities had invested around $3 billion in
Afghanistan mainly in the infrastructure sector of the country. India’s
engagement with Afghanistan as a development partner includes more than five
hundred projects spread across each of the 34 provinces in critical areas of
power, water supply, road connectivity, healthcare, education, agriculture and
capacity building. Around 433 High Impact Community Development Projects
(HICDP) have been completed with Indian financial support in all provinces of
Afghanistan before Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021.
Recently, Taliban’s Head of Political Office, Suhail
Shaheen said that Afghanistan is open for Indian investment including urban
infrastructure and assured of peaceful working environment for the Indian
companies. He emphasized that “security of Indians is our responsibility, and
we assure them.” In addition, Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry also seeks India’s
diplomatic presence in the country for the completion of “unfinished projects”
which were being initiated by New Delhi.
Similarly, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Urban Development
and Housing (MUDH) evinced interest (December 3) for the improvement of
relations and the resumption of stalled projects in the country with the help
of India. In this regard, Afghan Minister of MUDH communicated with the Indian
Charge d’Affaires in Kabul. The latest interaction between India and the
Taliban came against the backdrop of regional consultations and has rekindled
hope of greater Indian participation in providing relief for the people of
Afghanistan.
Experts believe that the restart of these projects
will decrease the level of poverty and unemployment in Afghanistan. The resumption
of these projects would also create job opportunities and means for the people
and drive Afghanistan out of political isolation.
India has not recognized the new regime in Afghanistan
and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in
Kabul, besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist
activities against any country. India had withdrawn its officials from the
embassy after the Taliban seized power in August 2021, following concerns over
security. However, in June 2022, India re-established its diplomatic presence
in Kabul by deploying a “technical team” in its embassy in the Afghan capital.
Despite non-recognition of Taliban Government, India
has extended humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and it has already
dispatched several shipments of 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat, 13 tonnes of
medicines, 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine and winter clothing, according to
the India’s Ministry of External Affairs. These consignments were handed over
to the Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul and UN agencies including the
World Health Organization and the World Food Programme.
India’s presence in Kabul is recognition of the
critical power dynamics evolving in the region.
After the collapse of the Ashraf Ghani’s Government in Afghanistan,
Pakistan and its and security establishments hoped to gain a “strategic depth”
and a free sway in Afghanistan to control India’s influence in the country due
to close links between elements in the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani
military, and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). However, a year later,
tensions between the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani military have grown due
to various factors, such as Taliban’s refusal to accept the ‘Durand Line’ as
the international border, activities of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
which has some 4,000 fighters in Afghan territory and border skirmishes that
have killed several Pakistani personnel.
Recently, Taliban has welcomed India’s initiative to
hold a meeting of the National Security Advisors of Central Asian countries.
Taliban also stated that it would not allow its territory to be used for any
agency or powers to interfere in other nation’s internal affairs, addressing
Indian concerns on the issue. India’s presence in Afghanistan, however, remains
a sensitive issue, with a majority of the current “technical team” deployed in
Kabul being security personnel sent in to guard the small number of
middle-ranking diplomats who are largely focused on ways to help the Afghan
people grappling with humanitarian and economic crises.
Source: Khaama Press
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Southeast Asia
Indonesia's 'All-Gendered' Priests, Known as Bissu, On
Verge of Extinction
Dec 21, 2022
New Delhi: Indonesia's all-gendered priests’ known as
Bissu are on the verge of extinction in the country. According to
anthropologists, less than 40 Bissu remain in just a few areas across South
Sulawesi, they now perform cultural and shaman-like roles to prevent their
traditions from dying.
According to a report by news agency AFP, Nani, a
Bissu in their 60s who was born male, said they faced opposition from their
family when they experienced a gender identity crisis as a child, but was now
at peace with who they are. "My family disliked it, especially my older
brother," they recalled. "He kept beating me to force me to be a real
man. I've tried to change but I could not."
Notably, the Bissu once lived a prosperous life. They
were revered and owned lands granted by the Bugis Kingdom that preceded the
modern-day Indonesian state. They were considered the intermediaries between
God and the people," Halilintar Lathief, an anthropologist at Makassar
State University said. However, in the 1950s, a rebellion led by the Islamic
State of Indonesia group sought to create a caliphate in the country, leading
to many Bissu being accused of violating Islamic principles and facing
persecution. They were hunted, murdered, or forced to behave as masculine men
and change their personalities.
"Since then, Bissu no longer wanted to show
themselves, they disappeared, and they didn't want to do any cultural
activities,", anthropologist Lathief told AFP.
The community is now on the brink of extinction,
withtheir numbers dissolving into the majority Bugis ethnic group in South
Sulawesi. Bugis people believe in five genders: "makkunrai" or cis
woman; "oroane" or cis man; "calabai" or men who take on
traditional roles for women; "calalai" or women who take on
traditionally male roles; and the "Bissu", who are neither male nor
female but embody all genders, reported AFP.
Older Bissu have died and without financial or
cultural support, not enough of the younger generation are replacing them.
However, the remaining few are trying to keep their heritage alive.
"Not many are interested in becoming a Bissu
because there is no salary from the government," Nani said. Despite the
past persecution and split opinion on the community, the non-binary figures
still have a place in the staunchly Islamic Bugis society. "Since I became
a Bissu, I have always been accepted by the public," Julaeha said.
"I've never been insulted or ostracised. I even got called a lot to
perform (rituals)."
Source: Times Now News
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Saudi Arabia hands over support to build mosque in
Indonesian University
December 21, 2022
JAKARTA — Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Abdullatif
Al-Sheikh handed over, on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia's support for the
construction of the mosque of the Faculty of Education at Sharif Hidayatullah
University.
The support was received by the University Director
Professor Amani Lobis during a meeting in Jakarta between the two officials.
Lobis expressed her thanks and appreciation on her
behalf and all the university's employees to the government of the Custodian of
the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince for their efforts in the service of
Islam and Muslims.
She noted that the mosque would be built next to the
College of Education on the university campus.
“It will be a beacon of knowledge and a call to spread
the tolerant values of Islam and teach Arabic language,” she said.
Lobis added that this project will serve the faculty
members and employees of the college and the neighborhoods close to the
university to hold five prayers and Friday prayers, and it will be built in a
modern urban style with all its equipment.
Dr. Al-Sheikh will proceed to Bali to take part in the
2nd ASEAN Conference "Khayr Ummah".
The event is organized on Thursday by the Ministry of
Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance.
Around 130 ministers, muftis, presidents of
universities, centers and Islamic associations, and religious and cultural leaderships
from ASEAN countries will take part.
The conference aims to demonstrate the sources of the
charity of the Ummah and its wide areas, and provide the necessary resources
for achieving them.
It will highlight the efforts of Islamic institutions
in promoting charity of the Ummah, and promote communication between Islamic
institutions and figures to serve this end.
During the four sessions of the conference,
participants will discuss several themes, most notably, the nation's charity in
science, action, and calling for Allah, and the nation's charity in its
centrality among nations.
It will highlight warning of the dangers of radicalism
and deviation, as well as a review of models of modern nation charity and its
efforts in bringing peoples, cultures and religions closer together.
The conference will be attended by participating
delegations from ASEAN countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
The conference is part of Saudi Arabia’s major efforts
under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince
Mohammed Bin Salman, in the service of Islam and Muslims in the world.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance and
the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Indonesia had held a preparatory press
conference to launch the 2nd Islamic Conference for ASEAN Countries in Bali
'Khayr Ummah'.
Source: Saudi Gazette
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VP departs for Bali to attend 2nd ASEAN Islamic
Conference
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin flew to
Bali to attend and open the 2nd ASEAN Islamic Conference bearing the theme of
"Khairu Ummah" that is scheduled on December 21-23.
Amin, accompanied by Second Lady Wury Ma'ruf Amin and
a limited group of his staff, departed from the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force
Base, here, aboard Air Force's Boeing 737-400 aircraft at around 9:30 a.m.
local time.
The vice president is expected to arrive at I Gusti
Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali, at 10:30 a.m. Central Indonesian
Standard Time (WITA).
After arriving, Amin will directly head to the
conference venue in a hotel in the Nusa Dua Area.
The vice president will be welcomed by the Saudi Arabian
Minister of Islamic Affairs, Da'wah and Guidance Abdul Latif Al Sheikh and
Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs KH. Zainut Tauhid Sa'adi.
Indonesia is hosting the 2nd ASEAN Islamic Conference,
which is a collaboration between Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs and
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Da'wah, and Guidance.
The conference will be attended by 140 participants
from Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Thailand, the
Philippines, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Timor Leste, and Saudi Arabia.
Several speakers comprising ulamas, academicians, and
leaders of Islamic community organizations from Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei
Darussalam, and Saudi Arabia will be present at the event.
Materials that will be discussed at the conference are
"Towards the Best Ummah in Strengthening Cooperation and Synergy",
"Being Vigilant against Extremities in Religion and Culture",
"Challenges of Islamic Community Organizations in Empowering People in the
Digital Era", "Caring for Social Harmony in a Plural Society",
and "Towards a Superior Society through the Vision of Islamic
Education".
Source: Antara News
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Johor’s Muslim Friendly System offers recognition to
business owners, assurance to consumers
21 Dec 2022
JOHOR BARU, Dec 21 — The Muslim Friendly System
(Sistem Mesra Muslim) to be implemented by Johor government-owned PIJ Halal
Ventures Sdn Bhd and Koperasi Penguatkuasa PBT Bhd is expected to provide
recognition to owners of premises, products and services towards ensuring
consumer confidence.
PIJ Halal Ventures manager Wan Aminudin Aminin Wan
Sulaiman said the system is aimed at giving assurance to consumers that all raw
materials used have received halal certification from the Department of Islamic
Development Malaysia (Jakim) or that is recognised by Jakim, and are
Shariah-compliant.
“The system, for example, will record and monitor raw
materials used by the premises, product or service and can recognise
immediately the raw materials uploaded into the system,” he told reporters
after a memorandum signing ceremony between PIJ Halal Ventures and Koperasi
Penguatkuasa PBT here today.
If the raw materials purchased are not permitted, the
system will inform of the non-conformance right away so that appropriate action
will be taken, said Wan Aminudin.
He said the implementation of the system will also
facilitate and offer an opportunity for owners of premises, products and
services to make preparations in applying for a Jakim certification, which
normally requires a thorough and systematic process.
According to Koperasi Penguatkuasa PBT chairman Tun
Mohd Izlizam Bahardin, the Muslim-friendly rating system is the maiden step for
exposing business operators registered under the local government to the
Malaysian halal certification.
Source: Malay Mail
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Africa
Islamic Clerics Set Up ‘Political Directorate’ To
Support Muslim Candidates In Ogun State
December 21, 2022
By Ishola Oludare
In a bid to have their interests protected in
politics, Islamic clerics in Ogun State have set up a political unit known as
the Directorate of Good Governance.
The clerics, under the leadership of the League of
Imams and Alfas in Ogun, on Tuesday, inaugurated the directorate ahead of the
2023 general elections.
The Secretary-General of the league, Sheikh Tajudeen
Adewunmi, while inaugurating the directorate in Abeokuta, said the clerics have
come to the realisation that good governance could be achieved through the
establishment of the directorate.
Adewunmi, who was represented by Chief Imam,
Ansarud-deen Society, Ilaro, Sheikh Adegbite Badmus, said “the directorate was
created to guide members who are into politics.”
Adewunmi explained that “all the Imams and Alfas in
the State have unanimously agreed on the creation of the directorate to take
care of the political interests of their members” in Ogun.
He said, “nobody listens to us, we need a listener
within the government. We need a sympathizer within the government, we also
need a voice in the government because after the power of Allah, the next power
is political power.”
The Chairman of the Rabbitah admin, Dr. Rabiu Kusimo,
in his remarks, announced that the league would soon hold a joint prayer
session for all members who are into politics.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the
Directorate, Quassim Sanusi said the idea was to encourage good governance
irrespective of political affiliations of members.
He said activities have been lined up towards the
coming elections which include interaction between the governorship candidates
in the State and Muslims.
The Chairman said full support would be given to
politicians who are Muslims, stressing that whenever they are in power, ability
to check their actions would be available.
“We want to be part of the problem and success of our
brothers who are into politics. We want to pray for them, we want to guide them
and bless them,” he stated.
Source: Daily Post Nigeria
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Several killed in attack by gunmen in northwest
Nigeria's Kaduna State: Police
Olanrewaju Kola
22.12.2022
LAGOS, Nigeria
Authorities confirmed Wednesday that several people
were killed by gunmen in three days of attacks on two communities in Nigeria's
northwestern Kaduna State.
The police spokesman for Kaduna State, Muhammed
Jalige, said in a statement that the chief of police visited Malagum and
Sokwong in Kagoro, Kaura Local Government, where the attack took place.
"The Commissioner of Police undertook an
on-the-spot assessment tour of the scenes of the recent dastardly attack which
led to several deaths, the torching and destruction of houses and other
assets," he said in a statement without disclosing the number of
casualties.
He did, however, assure the communities of police
protection.
Gunmen launched attacks on the communities Monday into
Tuesday after assaulting the area last weekend, the head of the Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph Hayab, told Anadolu
Agency.
"The gunmen opened fire on the people in their
houses while sleeping. We are burying 38 people, including women and children
on Thursday," he said.
Hayab said the injured were receiving treatment while
survivors have relocated to a nearby village where they have taken refuge and
will get help.
Community leader Luka Binniyat said the gunmen burned
100 houses, foodstuffs and livestock during the attack which left the
communities with greater hunger.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Turkish, Senegalese presidents meet in Ankara for
talks
Diyar Guldogan
21.12.2022
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed his
Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall on Wednesday in the capital Ankara.
The leaders will hold one-on-one talks at the
presidential complex, to be followed by a joint news conference.
Erdogan and Sall will discuss all aspects of the
Türkiye-Senegal relations and steps to enhance cooperation between the two
countries.
Current regional and global issues will also be on the
agenda.
Developing relations and cooperation with African
countries is one of the cornerstones of Ankara's multi-dimensional foreign
policy.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Moroccan king hails national team after World Cup
success
Khalid Mejdoup and Ekrem Biceroglu
21.12.2022
RABAT
Morocco’s king rewarded the national football team
with the highest order after their history-making performance in the 2022 World
Cup.
According to the Moroccan national news agency, King
Mohammed VI welcomed the team at the Royal Palace in the capital Rabat,
recognizing their achievements in the World Cup, which concluded last weekend.
In the semifinals, France defeated Morocco 2-0 to send
them to the third-place playoff, where Morocco lost to Croatia 2-1 to end their
World Cup campaign.
But this performance made the Atlas Lions the first
African nation as well as the first Arab one to qualify for the World Cup
semifinals.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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India
Uttar Pradesh Madrassa Education Board To Discuss
Madrassas' Weekly Off To Shift From Friday To Sunday
Dec 22, 2022
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Madrassa Education Board
will discuss next month a proposal to change the weekly holiday of madrassas in
the state from Friday to Sunday, its chairman Iftikhar Ahmed Javed said on
Wednesday.
The proposal, which came up during a meeting of the
government-appointed board on Tuesday, was opposed by the teachers association
of madrassas who said that weekly offs on Friday has been a practice since the
beginning and effecting the change would send out a wrong message. Javed said a
final decision on the proposal will be taken in a board meeting in January.
Source: Times Of India
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Hit squads to Al Qaeda and Islamic State links: NIA
makes alarming claims on PFI in Kerala court
December 21, 2022
Levelling serious allegations against the Popular
Front of India, the National Investigation Agency has claimed before a special
court in Kochi that the banned outfit had a “secret wing” of reporters to
collect details of the leaders of other communities and “prepare a list of
targets”.
In an affidavit filed before the Kerala court while
demanding extended custody for the 11 PFI leaders who were arrested from Kerala
as part of a nationwide crackdown against the organisation in September this
year.
“Some of the victims did not have any association or
any previous engagement with PFI. Victims were randomly selected by the
leadership of PFI. They were studied, permission was given by PFI to attack and
kill the victims brutally so as to send the message of terror in society,” the
NIA affidavit states, according to The Indian Express.
The findings, it said, suggested a deliberate ploy to
target people from other communities so as to spread a message of terror. The
central probe agency also said the outfit was spreading disaffection and enmity
towards the country through wrongful interpretation of policies of the
government.
PFI members had links with Al Qaeda, ISIS: NIA
The NIA’s affidavit further states that members of the
PFI in Kerala were in touch with Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda leaders.
According to IE, the NIA has claimed that its probe revealed suspicious
transactions of funds used for unlawful activities and some of the PFI leaders
and cadres had propagated the ideology of Islamic State (IS). While some
members had joined the proscribed organisation in Syria, others had travelled
to Syria to join the IS, the NIA said.
Among the several documents, including digital
evidence, is also a list of individuals whom the PFI had identified as possible
targets, the NIA has stated, adding that an initial analysis of the data showed
material related to IS and fund transactions by the accused for illegal
activities.
“The IS and Al Qaeda terrorist organisations use the
country’s anti-state and religious terrorist organisations for subversive
activities in countries where their direct operations are not possible. NIA has
received indications that PFI leaders in Kerala were in touch with some of the
IS, Al-Qaeda leaders,” the NIA has stated.
Targetted, misguided youth against nation
The agency also claimed that the outfit was involved
in spreading disaffection and enmity towards the country through wrongful
interpretation of policies of the government. It further said that PFI leaders
used social media to encourage the youth to get involved in terrorist
activities.
“The investigation also revealed the moves made by the
PFI leaders through social media groups to get the youth involved in terrorist
activities. Several people have already been questioned…,” the NIA said in its
chargesheet.
Why was PFI banned?
Following a country-wide crackdown against the
organisation over alleged killings by its members, PFI and eight of its
affiliate organisations were banned on September 28 this year.
Announcing the development, the Centre said the PFI
was involved in violent terrorist activities with the intent to create a reign
of terror in the country.
Source: Financial Express
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Madrassa teacher in Kerala gets 26 years' jail in
Pocso case
Dec 22, 2022
KOZHIKODE: A fast track court in Kerala's Kannur
district on Wednesday sentenced a madrassa teacher to 26 years in prison under
various sections of the Pocso Act for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl
student.
Thaliparamba Pocso court judge C Mujeeb Rahman also
fined 36-year-old K V Mohammed Rafi, from Udayagiri in Alakkode, Rs 75,000. The
convict used to teach at a madrassa in Valapattanam when he repeatedly
assaulted a Class V student in October 2017.
The vice president of the madrassa, arraigned as
second accused for not informing the police about the complaint made by the
girl's family, was acquitted for want of evidence.
The court decided on the quantum of punishment
considering the fact that the convict was a teacher and the survivor below 12
years of age.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to
protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual
assault)
Source: Times Of India
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Drone shot down by BSF along India-Pakistan border in
Punjab
Dec 22, 2022
NEW DELHI/AMRITSAR: A drone that entered into India
from Pakistan has been shot down near the international border in Punjab by the
Border Security Force (BSF), an officer said Thursday.
The unmanned aerial vehicle was downed by firing at 8
pm on Wednesday near the Harbhajan border post in the Ferozepur sector of Tarn
Taran district.
Source: Times Of India
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Religious, formal education combo needed today: Amer
Ali Khan
21st December 2022
Hyderabad: Associating religious teachings with
contemporary education is the need of the hour. The new generation of students
is getting education but they lack religious knowledge, whereas if you look at
the history of scientific inventions you will find a lot of information in
Islam and in Quran. These views were expressed by Amir Ali Khan, News Editor
Siasat while addressing the distribution of Indo-British Scholarship at Abid
Ali Khan Centenary Hall Siasat premises on Tuesday and said that this is an era
of start-ups which opens the door of opportunities for poor Muslim families and
economically backward people.
Congratulating the talented students who receive the
scholarships, he said that they should not limit their career to being an
engineer or doctor but should also explore the option of civil service in their
career. Today, when governments search for Muslim officials in embassies in 54
Islamic countries of the world, Muslim civil servants, especially IFS officers,
are not seen. An IAS officer can transfer 500 engineers or 500 doctors with a
single signature. Youths need to make a career in civil services, he added.
Khan also appreciated Dr. Fasihuddin Ali Khan for his
services and enthusiasm for the Indo-British Scholarship. He said that Muslim
students have a lot of potential, they need to be steered to develop themselves
and provide with the right opportunities.
On this occasion, Dr. Fasihuddin Ali Khan, President,
and Founder of Indo-British Education Foundation, London, encourages the
beneficiaries to work hard in their lives, he gave a reference of Thomas Alva
Edison who invented electric power generation through his creativity and became
a part of history.
He said Hyderabad is an educational hub, he provides
scholarships every year to encourage students. He expresses his gratitude to
the Editor of Siasat Zahid Ali Khan, Managing Editor Zaheeruddin Ali Khan and
Amir Ali Khan for successfully organising this scholarship programme on mutual
cooperation.
This year 12 students of Intermediate and 12 students
of SSC with GPA 9.7 to 10 received scholarships and certificates. Students from
the city and districts also participated.
Source: Siasat Daily
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