From Kalashnikov To Cooking Pan: If Jihad Is Not “Work,” Then What Is To Be Done?
23 April 2023
Photo: MEI@75
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• From Kalashnikov To Cooking Pan: If Jihad Is Not
“Work,” Then What Is To Be Done?
• Pakistan Pashtuns Have Doubts About New Military
Offensive Against Islamist Radicals
• No Eid Prayers At Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid: Mosque
Body Slams ‘Unreasonable Conditions’
• Sarawak Belongs To All Races: Nothing Wrong With
Setting Up Casino In Sarawak
• MSNBC Host Compares Supreme Court’s Justice Alito To
Extremist ‘Mullahs’ For Abortion Drug Ruling Dissent
Arab
world
• Saudi Arabia's Soft Power Beats Iran's in
Muslim-Majority Countries: Gallup Poll
• Inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale in Saudi Arabia extended
until May
• Saudi national charity campaign receives $202m in
Ramadan
• Biden thanks Saudi Arabia as Kingdom evacuates over
150 Saudis, foreign nationals from Sudan
• Social media points the way to creative,
personalized Eid gifts
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Pakistan
• President Alvi, PM Shehbaz Ask People To Shun
Differences, Assure Nation Of Good Days
• Initial figures of census put country’s population
at 235m
• Sindh Health dept asks people to wear face masks in
crowded areas
• Purpose of suo motu notice is public interest, not
an individual’s: PM Shehbaz
• PM concerned for safety of citizens in Sudan
• Pakistan celebrates Eidul Fitr as economic woes
dampen festive cheer
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India
• Poonch Killing Of Indian Soldiers Shows Jihad Will
Increase India-Pakistan War Risk
• Anatomy Of A Rare Communal Flare-Up In Odisha:
Hanuman Jayanti, A Rally Of Over 1,000 Bikes In Muslim Areas, Outside A Mosque
• Eyeing To Woo Muslim Voters On Eid, Top Politicians
Throng Jalandhar Mosques
• Muslims Must Unite In 2024 To Oust BJP: Mamata At
Eid Gathering
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Southeast
Asia
• Eid ul Fitr Open House Platform To Meet
Newly-Appointed State Leaders, Says Melaka CM
• Johor Sultan’s open house at Istana Besar sees
throng of 18,000 visitors
• Johor Sultan receives two Singapore cabinet ministers
in conjunction with Eid ul Fitr
• No matter who: next leader demanded to make stronger
Indonesia
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North
America
• Eid al-Fitr Celebrations Continue For Muslim Youth
In St. John's — With Bouncy Castles
• Landmark exhibition of Asian and Islamic works opens
at the Walters Art Museum
• Muslim for-hire drivers share challenges of praying
at work
• Eid festivities at Lansdowne help mark the end of
Ramadan for Ottawa Muslims
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Mideast
• Iran’s New Hijab Surveillance System Met with
Internal Defiance, Derision
• Iran Leader Urges Muslim Nations To Reinforce
Palestinian Groups
• Israeli Occupation Forces Storm, Sabotage Bab
al-Rahma Chapel In Al-Aqsa Mosque
• IRGC powerful guardian of Islamic Revolution
• Bridging Saudi-Iran Gulf, How Crown Prince MBS’s ‘Islamic
Revolution’ Is Changing The Dynamic Of Middle East
• Nearly 10 mn litres of diesel smuggled out of Iran
per day: Deputy Minister
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South
Asia
• Islamic Emirate Supreme Leader: Non-Islamic Laws
Will Never Be Implemented in Country
• Will tourists thirst for trips to a Japanese green
tea mecca?
• Islamic Emirate Pledges Security of Foreign
Embassies
• Afghanistan has become a terrorism staging ground
again, leak reveals
• UK Afghanistan whistle-blower slams govt over
hearing ‘secrecy’
• Rana Plaza collapse: 10 years after Bangladesh's
deadliest industrial disaster
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Europe
• Police Appeal After Reports Of Man Making Threats In
Newport
• Extinction Rebellion activists mark Earth Day at
central London climate protest
• SNP finances probe: Police reportedly hunt burner
phone sim cards and luxury pens as fears remain over potential Nicola Sturgeon
arrest
-----
Africa
• The Love Of Pastor Tobi Adegboyega … How Nigerians
Turned His SPAC Nation To ‘New Mecca’ In London
• End of Ramadan should offer all Kenyans key lessons
on empathy
• Philosophy of fasting in Islam
• APC’s Winning Muslim-Muslim Ticket: Victory For
National Interest Over Personal Ambition
• Imbibe spirit of Ramadan, Ebonyi Govt. urges Muslim
faithful
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/kalashnikov-jihad-al-qaeda-pakistan-pashtuns/d/129627
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From Kalashnikov To Cooking Pan: If Jihad Is Not “Work,” Then What Is To Be Done?
Photo: MEI@75
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Ammar Mamoun
23.04.2023
A foreign jihadist in Idlib wrote headlines by opening
a sushi restaurant. How does that work? Where to buy wasabi? Is this a new
phase for the Islamist-controlled region? From Kalashnikov to cooking pan? Is
there life after jihad?
Abu al-Fida al-Dagestani arrived in Syria in 2015 “to
wage holy war (jihad) and help the Syrian people.” He recently opened a sushi
restaurant in Idlib in the northwest of Syria and has become a hot topic on
news and social media sites.
When direct fighting ended in 2019, Abu al-Fida was
left without work. We do not know how he survived until opening his restaurant,
which reportedly is a result of Abu al-Fida’s previous experiences: he used to
go a lot to Asian restaurants during his past “activities.”
Abu al-Fida said he “imports” everything he needs from
Turkey in order to introduce Idlib’s residents to sushi. However, he stressed
that having a restaurant does not mean he gave up on jihad.
Abu al-Fida’s use of words like import, activities and
travels is rather vague and leaves a lot of room for interpretation. For
example, we lack info about his past work, his role as a fighter, and the whole
process of importing, trading or smuggling between Idlib and Turkey.
It seems Abu al-Fida’s sushi restaurant is still a
developing venture, yet headlines such as “From Jihadi to Wasabi” make it an
intriguing, and quite ironic, topic.
Certainly as the tale is set in Idlib, capital of the
province under the same name, a region controlled by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS),
a jihadist islamist group formed in 2017 as a merger of several armed groups
led by the Al Nusra Front, a former branch of Al Qaeda.
The HTS connection with Turkey goes beyond
facilitating the passage of UN aid and importing wasabi and salmon. Sources
suggest that HTS has numerous investments in southern Turkey, using cash to buy
restaurants and real estate.
The establishment of a sushi restaurant in Idlib
coincides with HTS Commander-in-Chief Abu Mohamed al-Julani’s efforts to offer
the territory he rules a new perspective.
Al-Julani has launched a bit of a charm offensive of
late. Not only has he stressed his pro-Western stance in the War in Ukraine, he
also wishes to convey a positive message about Idlib and the governance system
he has put in place.
Idlib offers opportunities to invest, as demonstrated
by the inauguration of a vegetable market in the city of Sarmada in 2021, which
was supported by Qatar. The ultimate goal of these efforts is arguably to
refute claims that the region is home to “the international jet set of global
jihad.”
HTS usd to attract recruits with salaries of some $100
to $300 a month. Yet, the status of jihadists today is ambiguous. For what
exactly constitutes their “work” seeing the sharp decline in fighting?
Regarding the foreigners among them, It is unclear if
HTS will arrest them, send them back to home or use them as a bargaining chip
in future negotiations. In 2021, al-Julani still referred to them as “immigrant
brothers who came to help.”
Today, many of them have become part of society, as
they established families and enjoy a “social life.” As the fighting has
subsided, they must “make a living.”
Now, disregarding qualifications as terrorist or
jihadist, and HTS arresting a large number of people it associates with ISIS or
al-Qaeda, there are still many foreigners in Idlib. Some have been detained,
yet many others remain under HTS control and need to “work.”
While opening a sushi restaurant may seem ironic,
others have turned into “mercenaries.” One of them is Rustam Azhiev, who joined
the Ukrainian forces as commander of The Caucasus Soldiers (Ajnad al-Kavkaz) to
wage jihad against Russia.
Due to the current HTS restrictions on foreign
fighters, it is thought that members of the islamist Jund al-Sham movement led
by Muslim al-Shishani may also join the Ukrainian combatants, along with
fighters from the Abu Qatada al-Albani group.
Herein lies the significance of the tale of the
jihadist opening a sushi restaurant. Although the situation in the Idlib region
remains unclear, it may be a first signal of stability and a presence that is
no longer temporary.
Speaking of “work” and “restaurant” implies we are
dealing with a civil life, not with jihadists from Al Qaeda hiding in mountains
or those of ISIS squeezing through porous borders. It increasingly seems we are
now dealing with a semi-political entity with international relations and a
degree of local power.
The term “stability” implies having “sovereignty” over
the flow of time. A growing number of the “immigrant brothers,” as al-Julani
used to call them, have developed a sense of belonging.
Jihadi conduct is temporary, as it wagers on death
rather than life. Working to earn a living and creating local relations are
(more) permanent matters. Abu al-Fida’s profession has become “feeding” people,
which creates relationships within the existing social fabric and earns him a
livelihood away from the military formula.
In short, the bet here is on supply and demand, work
and hard-earned money, not on fighting and bloodshed. Yet, assuming that the
jihadists’ core beliefs have not changed, we still face the issue of the
jihadists’ return to their own countries. A return that is fraught with danger,
as they could face imprisonment or execution.
See the many foreign fighters, even European citizens,
who have been left in prison to face their fate, alone, without any legal
representation. In a way, political sovereignty has done away with these people
under the excuse that reintegrating them into society is just too difficult.
Regarding the HTS members who were not arrested, they
were left to engage in non-jihadi work and activities, which is exactly what
constitutes the consolidation of the de facto authority in northern Syria and
creates a demographic problem …
On the one hand there is the former landowner who
lives in a refugee camp and is essentially jobless, and on the other hand there
is the former foreign fighter who has a job and a permanent residence.
I recently interviewed someone who frequently travels
to northern Syria. According to him, there are two types of foreigners there:
Arabs and others.
The latter group is smaller yet the most problematic,
as they are mostly stationed on the borders and, quite literally, “struggling”
as their power is fading as a result of HTS restrictions.
Foreign fighters are becoming less and less relevant.
Some people accuse HTS of facilitating the return of foreign fighters to Europe
under the pretext of going to war with Russia. Others are arrested and executed,
while again others are domesticated by working in a restaurant, serving
“exotic” food to the locals.
It is a cynical approach to social inclusion, as the
“immigrant jihadist” has only settled in his “host” country, since he cannot
return to his homeland.
My source thought my hypothesis of job-related
stability had some conceptual inconsistencies. In his opinion, jihad and
warfare are more closely connected to the concept of “belonging” than the
concept of “work.”
By focusing solely on the business component of his
work, Abu Al-Fida, the owner of the sushi restaurant will be compelled to take
advantage of every commercial opportunity that presents itself. The labor is
only a passing phase. It does not signify an ideological shift.
Pushing back the notion of a jihadist becoming an
entrepreneur, I dare recall the ironic notion of the “jihadi immigrant,” whose
story is really rather similar to that of the conventional immigrant who,
having offered his skills to “host
country,” cannot find a job or a way to settle down other than by working in a
restaurant.
There is a certain sarcasm in contrasting these
immigrants, jihadi vs. conventional, considering the fact that the sushi
restaurant employs several former fighters as chefs.
So, perhaps the whole matter does not go beyond irony.
It is an eye-catching story, which has allowed us to elaborate more than it
deserves. Or, perhaps, it is indeed the
beginning of a new phase, in which Al-Julani pledges to domesticate the jihadists
by turning them into sushi chefs.
Source: Daraj.Media
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://daraj.media/en/107639/
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Pakistan Pashtuns Have Doubts About New Military
Offensive Against Islamist Radicals
FILE - Ali Wazir, member of
parliament, helps lead a protest against the detention of the chief of the
Pashtun Protection Movement in Islamabad, Jan. 28, 2020.
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April 23, 2023
WASHINGTON — Pakistan is bracing for a new military
offensive that is expected to target militants in the northwest as ethnic
Pashtuns in the area say they are still looking for accountability for the
army's last offensives in the region, in 2014 and 2017.
The country's national security committee, comprising
top civilian and military leaders, has not said when the operation will start.
When announcing it earlier this month, the committee described it as a
nationwide anti-militant operation to halt a rise in attacks on security forces
by the Pakistani Taliban and other extremist groups.
Pakistan's government has said that previous
operations led to a drop in terrorist attacks; however, Pashtun civil society
members and peace activists say it came at a steep cost to many innocent
people.
"The generals and those involved in bringing back
armed men [militants] to the area haven't been arrested and have not [been]
held accountable. … We will oppose any [new] operation," an elected member
from South Waziristan, Ali Wazir, told Parliament on April 7 after the
government disclosed its intentions for another offensive.
Rights activists say previous military-led operations
in their region killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, destroyed towns
and market centers, and led to the creation of a harsh security law that gives
the armed forces sweeping powers in the whole province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
including the former federally administered tribal areas.
Wazir is a household name in Pakistan for his
opposition to extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, illegal
detentions, landmines and the Taliban's shadow rule in the Pashtun region. He
was in jail for half of his 60-month term in Parliament, purportedly for his
opposition to Pakistan's former chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Earlier this month, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif responded to Wazir's opposition by saying he would work to assuage local
fears over the operation.
Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif also supported
the stance of the Waziristan members of Parliament and told the house that
"they [MPs] are right in saying that those people [involved in talks with
militants] should be reckoned with."
Leaders and activists of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement
(PTM), a nonviolent Indigenous organization with serious reservations about the
army's series of operations, are skeptical of the motive and timing of the
announcement of the new operation, which could come during an election year and
would be the military's first offensive since the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO
troops from Afghanistan.
"The announcement of yet another military
operation has indeed spread fear among locals because what they saw in the past
operations was they were the ones who suffered the most," said Idris
Bacha, a civil rights activist from Swat and the leader of a local movement,
the People's Resistance Against Militancy.
"Someone needs to tell us, what did they achieve
in the previous campaigns? 80,000 people have been killed, whole villages
destroyed, and their bazaars lay in ruins. They don't want to see that happen
again," Bacha told VOA.
"I am very skeptical that there will be anything
like a campaign they had in 2014, when they pushed them out of North and South
Waziristan. I am skeptical of that in part because [of] the feelings in the
tribal areas where they suffered terribly when that campaign was on its way.
Many, many thousands were evicted from their homes. They became refugees."
"We are united against another war in our area.
The military can force us to leave our houses again, but we won't leave them on
our own will," South Waziristan writer and social activist Shehrayar
Mehsud told VOA in a Twitter Spaces conversation.
"We have said it before that in the past whenever
Pakistan needed money, they would launch an operation in Pashtun areas to get
funds from abroad," said Mir Kalam Wazir, a former provincial legislator
and PTM supporter from North Waziristan.
"Looks like it's the same this time, too. With Pakistan's
difficult economic situation, they need funds, especially from the U.S.,"
Wazir continued.
The U.S. gave Pakistan billions of dollars during the
height of the war on terrorism, but aid dropped off sharply during the Trump
administration. Last year, the total reported U.S. aid to Pakistan was around
$150 million.
That drop in aid and the departure of foreign troops
from Afghanistan have led some to question whether Islamabad has the capacity
to carry out an offensive while its economy is under severe strain.
Pakistan hopes the suspended IMF bailout package will
resume so it can avoid defaulting on its debt obligations. The IMF has stalled
its $6.5 billion program since November, while a bruising political battle
rages between the sitting coalition government and former Prime Minister Imran
Khan.
"We are talking of a campaign which is very
expensive, at a time when Pakistan is struggling to read its bills,
particularly its debt obligations," Weinbaum told VOA.
Source: Voa News
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original story:
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No Eid Prayers At Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid: Mosque Body
Slams ‘Unreasonable Conditions’
Jamia Masjid Srinagar
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by Bashaarat Masood
April 23, 2023
As the Jammu and Kashmir administration did not allow
the congregational Eid prayers at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid for the
fourth straight year since the abrogation of J&K’s special status, the
management of the mosque has accused the administration of imposing
“unreasonable conditions to thwart prayers”.
Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid has expressed its
resentment against the decision of the administration saying it has caused
“great hurt and sorrow” to the Muslims of J&K. “The police and civil
authorities informed us on Friday evening that Eid prayers would only be
allowed at Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, only before 7.30 am which was not possible
for the Anjuman as it had already arranged the Eid prayers at 09:00 am as
people from far-flung areas come to offer Eid prayer at the Jamia Masjid,” the
Anjuman said in a statement.
Pointing out that prayers were allowed in other
mosques in the valley after 10 am, Anjuman said it fails to understand why the
prayers were not allowed at the grand mosque.
The Anjuman said the special night prayers and
congregation on last Friday of Ramadan was allowed at the grand mosque and
passed off peacefully.
Source: Indian Express
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original story:
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Sarawak Belongs To All Races: Nothing Wrong With
Setting Up Casino In Sarawak
Sarawak Tourism, Creative
Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah ―
Picture by Sulok Tawie
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By Sulok Tawie
23 Apr 2023
KUCHING, April 23 — Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry
and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah today told
Muslims opposing the setting up of a casino at the Borneo Highland that Sarawak
belongs to all races with different religious beliefs.
He was referring to the objection by Sarawak PAS
commissioner Jofri Jaraiee that the opening of the proposed casino would do
more harm than good to the people.
He had said that such consequences outweigh the
economic returns premised on casinos being a major stimulus for tourism
development, by way of attracting both domestic and international tourists.
Karim questioned the state PAS why it only opposed the
setting up of the casino when there are gaming outlets, such as Magnum and
Toto, that is also operating in the state.
“These are also haram for the Muslims. But when the
casino was mooted, everybody gets excited without realising that casino is not
the only thing to be set up at the Borneo Highland resort,” he said,
He said as a Muslim, he personally would not go to the
casino but stressed that there is nothing wrong to have one because Sarawak is
not just for Muslims.
Karim explained that it is not just a casino that has
been proposed, but there will also be an amusement park for the family and a
golf course.
“The Borneo Highland development will be an integrated
resort, and a casino may be part of it,” he said.
Karim, however, explained that the decision to set up
a casino in Borneo Highland is for Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg to make.
“Whether a casino will be part of the Borneo Highland
resort, we will leave to the state government to decide,” he said.
Source: Malay Mail
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original story:
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MSNBC Host Compares Supreme Court’s Justice Alito To
Extremist ‘Mullahs’ For Abortion Drug Ruling Dissent
MSNBC
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By Gabriel Hays
MSNBC host Joy Reid slammed U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Samuel Alito on Friday night for his dissent in the court’s decision to allow
the FDA to keep abortion drug mifepristone accessible to Americans.
During the Friday episode of her MSNBC show, "The
ReidOut," Reid claimed that Alito was playing "mullah" in his
dissent on Friday, likening him to an Islamic religious zealot.
The attack is unsurprising for Reid who often refers
to pro-life political figures as religious extremists oppressing women’s rights
to abortion.
MSNBC host Joy Reid claimed U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Samuel Alitos dissent in SCOTUS abortion bill case is him playing
"mullah." (Screenshot/MSNBC)
Fox News Digital reported that "After delaying
its decision earlier this week, the Supreme Court on Friday ruled that full
access to the abortion pill mifepristone can continue as a lawsuit works its
way through the lower federal courts."
The move was seen as a victory of the Biden
administration and the pro-choice side who have been fighting to make the pill
more available, especially since the end of Roe v. Wade with the Court’s
decision in Dobbs last year.
Two justices, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas
dissented in the decision, though Reid chose to pick apart the former’s dissent
during her broadcast Friday.
While discussing the ruling MSNBC legal analyst Lisa
Rubin and another panelist, Reid read an excerpt from Alito’s opinion and
trashed it.
She said, "Lemme just skip to this part: ‘Here
the government has not dispelled legitimate doubts that it would even obey an
unfavorable order in these cases, much less that it would choose to take
enforcement actions to which it has strong objections."
Addressing Rubin, she provided her interpretation of
that excerpt. She said, "Lisa, this reads to me like him admitting, ‘We
don’t have an army, we don’t have the ability to enforce our decisions, and
we’re not sure the government would even obey.’"
She chuckled, adding, "That’s a pretty glaring
admission of weakness and a pretty churlish thing to write down in your
dissent. This guy seems to be all in his feelings that the American people
oppose his attempts to play mullah instead of Supreme Court justice and ban
abortion."
Rubin affirmed Reid’s take, saying, "There’s no
indication on this record, as you noted, that the FDA wouldn’t follow a validly
issued court order, and for him to insinuate that this administration and this
independent FDA wouldn’t follow the law is, to use your words, absurdly
churlish and not becoming of a justice of the Supreme Court."
Source: Fox News
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original story:
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia's Soft Power Beats Iran's in
Muslim-Majority Countries: Gallup Poll
2023-04-23
Shafaq News/ According to a Gallup poll, Saudi Arabia's
"soft power" surpasses Iran's in all surveyed countries.
The poll covering 13 Muslim-majority countries showed
that the average support for Saudi Arabia's leadership in 2022 was 39%, whereas
Iran's approval rating was only 14%.
Pakistan had the highest level of support for Saudi
leadership at 83%, followed by Kuwait (65%), Libya (54%), Jordan (48%),
Afghanistan (40%), Iraq and Algeria (both 39%), Morocco (38%), and Lebanon
(35%). Meanwhile, Iran received the lowest approval levels in countries with
the most significant influence, such as Iraq, where 86% of those surveyed did
not support the Iranian leadership.
Source: Shafaq.Com
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of the original story:
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Inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale in Saudi Arabia
extended until May
Saeed Saeed
Apr 23, 2023
Saudi Arabia's Islamic Arts Biennale has been extended
by another month.
It will allow more visitors to see about 280 Islamic
cultural artefacts on display and the more than 50 new commissions and
contemporary artworks by new and seasoned regional artists.
"The positive reception from our local, regional
and international audiences and the popularity of the exhibition made an
extension a natural step and we would like to take this opportunity to
encourage those who have yet to visit to take this immersive, multi-sensory
journey through the past, present and future of the Islamic Arts," said
Aya Al-Bakree, chief executive of the organisers the Diriyah Biennale
Foundation.
"For repeat visitors, there will be an engaging
line-up of public programming during the additional month to discover newer
dimensions associated with Islamic Arts.”
Source: The National News
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of the original story:
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Saudi national charity campaign receives $202m in
Ramadan
ARAB NEWS
April 22, 2023
RIYADH: Donations totalling more than SR757 million
($202 million) have been received by the National Campaign for Charitable Work
in its third edition during Ramadan, according to the Saudi Authority for Data
and Artificial Intelligence, which supervises the work of the platform.
Over 67 million donations have so far been made,
benefitting more than 4.8 million beneficiaries in around 23 charitable fields,
including educational, social, housing, religious, health and nutritional
fields.
Over 1.1 million Zakat Al-Fitr have been collected
over the past two days, bringing the total donations of the Ehsan platform so
far to more than SR3.9 billion.
Source: Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2291266/saudi-arabia
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Biden thanks Saudi Arabia as Kingdom evacuates over
150 Saudis, foreign nationals from Sudan
ARAB NEWS
April 22, 2023
JEDDAH: More than 150 people from various nations
reached the safety of Saudi Arabia on Saturday in the first announced
evacuation of civilians from Sudan, where fighting between the army and
paramilitaries entered a second week following a brief lull.
Foreign nations have said they are preparing for the
potential evacuation of thousands more of their nationals, even though Sudan’s
main airport remains closed.
As the Kingdom’s naval forces transported the
civilians, including diplomats and international officials, across the Red Sea
from Port Sudan to Jeddah, fighting resumed in Sudan’s capital Khartoum after a
temporary truce saw gunfire momentarily die down on Friday, the first day of
Eid Al-Fitr.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry announced the “safe
arrival” of 91 of its citizens along with nationals from Kuwait, Qatar, the
UAE, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, India, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, the Philippines,
Canada and Burkina Faso.
Source: Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2291151/saudi-arabia
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Social media points the way to creative, personalized
Eid gifts
RAHAF JAMBI
April 22, 2023
RIYADH: Creative and personalized gifts have replaced
money in an envelope as social media has played a big part in changing the
nature of presents and how they are given to loved ones at this time of year.
Nada Al-Tamim told Arab News: “I have two kids, so I
like to engage them with Eid activities so they can always remember it as a fun
occasion, and we gather to do DIY Eid gifts.
“These kinds of gifts are an excellent way to add a
personal touch to your gift-giving while also being cost-effective. With
creativity and effort, you can create unique and personalized gifts that your
loved ones will cherish.”
Source: Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2291311/saudi-arabia
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Pakistan
President Alvi, PM Shehbaz ask people to shun
differences, assure nation of good days
Syed Irfan Raza
April 22, 2023
ISLAMABAD: While President Arif Alvi on Friday
appealed to the countrymen to shun their differences, Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif assured the nation that his government would rid it of the unprecedented
inflation and other problems.
In his Eid message, President Alvi urged the
countrymen not to allow their sectarian, religious and political differences to
become a source of strife and hatred during the Eid holidays.
The president said that in order to get out of the
current situation facing the country, people needed to inculcate the habit of
forgiving and follow the teachings of Allah and the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Source: Dawn
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Initial figures of census put country’s population at
235m
Mubarak Zeb Khan
April 22, 2023
ISLAMABAD: While halting the digital census for Eid,
the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) announced on Friday that so far 235
million people had been counted — a whopping increase of 27m, or 12.98 per
cent, since 2017.
The digital census operations will resume after Eid
holidays in the light of directives from the Census Monitoring Committee (CMC),
said Sarwar Gondal, the PBS spokesperson.
According to an official announcement, more than 16.5m
individuals had been counted in Karachi so far, while Lahore’s population had
crossed 11.5m.
The real-time data progress monitoring dashboards,
developed in partnership with NADRA and provided by PBS to the provincial and
district governments, help provincial governments in identifying any
abnormalities, any areas missed and other emerging anomalies on a daily basis.
Source: Dawn
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1748939/initial-figures-of-census-put-countrys-population-at-235m
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Sindh Health dept asks people to wear face masks in crowded
areas
April 22, 2023
KARACHI: The Sindh health department has urged people
to follow safety guidelines issued by the WHO keeping in view of the emergence
of new Covid variants, asymptomatic transmission of the contagion and increased
human interaction expected on Eidul Fitr.
According to the standard operating procedures (SOPs),
people should maintain social distance and wear a mask at all public and
crowded areas including shopping areas.
“Larger Eid gatherings should ideally be avoided and
hands regularly washed with soap. If you feel the onset of any symptoms related
to flu, cough or experience difficulty in breathing you are advised to visit
the nearest government hospital for due management and free of cost coronavirus
testing,” stated the health department.
Source: Dawn
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Purpose of suo motu notice is public interest, not an
individual’s: PM Shehbaz
April 22, 2023
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said the
“basic purpose” of the suo motu jurisdiction was for it to be exercised in the
public interest instead of for an individual.
The Supreme Court is empowered to take suo motu notice
— cognisance of a matter on its own — which it deems is in the public interest
and commences proceedings on it.
Talking to the media outside Lahore’s Central Jail,
known as Kot Lakhpat Jail, after visiting the facility and enquiring about the
conditions of prisoners while talking with them, the prime minister questioned
how many times the court took suo motu notice of the issues pertaining to
prisons and their inmates.
Source: Dawn
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PM concerned for safety of citizens in Sudan
Iftikhar A. Khan
April 22, 2023
ISLAMABAD: As deadly clashes between two rival generals
in Sudan continued amidst calls for an Eid ceasefire, Pakistan has stepped up
efforts to help its citizens trapped in the restive African state.
In a statement on Friday, PM Shehbaz Sharif said the
government was keeping close eye on developments in Sudan and efforts to ensure
the safety of Pakistani citizens there were being constantly monitored.
The statement said that there were about 1,500
Pakistanis currently in Sudan, adding that the Pakistani embassy was in contact
with them and providing them with all possible support.
Source: Dawn
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1748935/pm-concerned-for-safety-of-citizens-in-sudan
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Pakistan celebrates Eidul Fitr as economic woes dampen
festive cheer
April 22, 2023
Pakistan is celebrating Eidul Fitr with religious zeal
and fervour today, although the festivities have been lukewarm due to multiple
crises facing the nation and a worsening economic turmoil.
According to traders’ bodies, a massive slowdown was
witnessed in sales prior to Eid due to skyrocketing inflation. Traders said
that genuine buyers were, on average, 50 per cent less than last year due to
eroding buying power of consumers caused by unprecedented increases in food,
electricity and petroleum prices.
The first day of Eid began with congregations being
held in mosques and Eidgahs in all major cities and towns, Radio Pakistan reported,
adding that the main congregation in capital Islamabad was held at Faisal
Mosque where top government officials and envoys of Muslim countries offered
Eid prayers.
President Arif Alvi also joined the congregation at
Faisal Mosque and prayed for the peace, progress and prosperity of the country,
state media reported. He also prayed for the salvation of the people of
occupied Kashmir from Indian suppression and atrocities.
Source: Dawn
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India
Poonch killing of Indian soldiers shows jihad will
increase India-Pakistan war risk
PRAVEEN SWAMI
23 April, 2023
Leaving behind his beloved four-year-old son, and the
primary school students at the Falah-e-Aam primary school in Doda, Jammu and
Kashmir, Tariq Ahmad Wani had begun his journey to the graveyard on the hill.
Following his training in 1993, Wani returned across the Line of Control to
take charge of building a jihadist presence in Rajouri, Poonch and Doda, the
Pir Panjal range along Kashmir’s southern fringe. In the forests above the
remote town of Gulabgarh, Wani began hosting the Lashkar-e-Taiba sent in to
wage a ruthless campaign of ethnic cleansing.
Following a firefight with Indian soldiers on 20 April
1996, Wani’s body was carried in procession to the Mazar-e-Shuhada, the
so-called martyr’s graveyard, in Farrukhabad, on the outskirts of his home
town, according to police records.
The lethal ambush, which claimed the lives of five
Indian soldiers on the lonely road to Bhimber Gali in Poonch district last
week, took place on the anniversary of Wani’s death, encrypted social media
platforms linked to Lashkar recorded.
Source: The Print
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Anatomy Of A Rare Communal Flare-Up In Odisha: Hanuman
Jayanti, A Rally Of Over 1,000 Bikes In Muslim Areas, Outside A Mosque
by Sujit Bisoyi
April 23, 2023
Every morning, Tapan Kumar Dash opens his photo
studio, takes a quick round inside and then rolls the shutters back down. The
studio is barely 20 metres from the Sunni Noori Masjid at Motijharan and Dash
has made it a point to check on it since that evening of April 12, when
communal violence hit Sambalpur, two days before Hanuman Jayanti.
Source: Indian Express
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Eyeing To Woo Muslim Voters On Eid, Top Politicians
Throng Jalandhar Mosques
By Navrajdeep Singh
Apr 23, 2023
Eyeing to woo Muslim voters, Punjab chief minister
Bhagwant Singh Mann visited the main mosque in Jalandhar’s Durga colony
accompanied by party candidate Sushil Kumar Rinku.
With campaigning for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha
by-election getting intense, top politicians from all the main outfits thronged
mosques in Jalandhar to celebrate Eid with the Muslim community on Saturday.
Eyeing to woo Muslim voters, Punjab chief minister
Bhagwant Singh Mann visited the main mosque in Jalandhar’s Durga colony
accompanied by party candidate Sushil Kumar Rinku.
Source: Hindustan Times
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Muslims must unite in 2024 to oust BJP: Mamata at Eid
gathering
Apr 22, 2023
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday
urged all Muslims to unite and ensure that the BJP at the Centre is defeated in
the Lok Sabha elections next year.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief, who was addressing
Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations at Red Road in Kolkata, also claimed that some people
are trying to divide the country through politics of hate and said she is ready
to give her life but “will not allow a division of the country”.
“They are saying thok do, thok do. What thok do? If we
get united, they will lose their chair. Next year, around this time, we would
change the chair (at the Centre),” she said, in an apparent reference to the
BJP.
“In one year’s time, elections will be held to decide
who will come to power in our country. Let us promise that we will unite and
fight against the divisive forces. We must ensure that all of us together vote
them out in the next polls. If we fail to protect democracy, then everything
will be finished,” she added.
Source: Hindustan Times
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Southeast
Asia
Eid ul Fitr open house platform to meet
newly-appointed state leaders, says Melaka CM
23 Apr 2023
MELAKA, April 23 — The organising of the state-level
Eid ul Fitr open house on April 29 can serve as a platform for the public to
get to know the state leadership appointed on April 5.
Chief Minister Datuk Ab Rauf Yusoh said the open
house, slated to be held at the Melaka International Trade Centre from 10am to
5pm, will also indirectly bridge the gap between the leaders and the people,
thus overcoming any political prejudices as Melaka is now a Unity Government.
“The people will get to celebrate the excitement of
Syawal and at the same time see their leaders up close and get to know each
other,” he told reporters at the Eid ul Fitr gathering with Chief Minister at
Seri Bendahara here late last night.
Source: Malay Mail
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Johor Sultan’s open house at Istana Besar sees throng
of 18,000 visitors
23 Apr 2023
JOHOR BAHRU, April 23 — About 18,000 people from all
walks of life took the opportunity to celebrate the second day of Hari Raya Eid
ul Fitr by attending the open house hosted by the Sultan of Johor, Sultan
Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar at Istana Besar here today.
The Johor Ruler was accompanied by Menteri Besar Datuk
Onn Hafiz Ghazi, state secretary Tan Sri Dr Azmi Rohani and state police chief
Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat.
Also present were Permaisuri of Johor Raja Zarith
Sofiah Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah and their children, TunkuTemenggong of Johor
Tunku Idris Iskandar Al-Haj, Tunku Panglima of Johor Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj
and Tunku Putera of Johor Tunku Abu Bakar Al-Haj.
“This is my first time here, and I am happy to be able
to experience the excitement of attending the Johor Sultan’s open house,” he
told reporters.
Source: Malay Mail
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Johor Sultan receives two Singapore cabinet ministers
in conjunction with Eid ul Fitr
22 Apr 2023
JOHOR BARU, April 22 — The Sultan of Johor, Sultan
Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar and Permaisuri of Johor, Raja Zarith Sofiah
Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah received two Singapore cabinet ministers in
conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilftri at Istana Bukit Serene here today.
According to a post on His Majesty’s official Facebook
page, the two ministers were Sustainability and Environment Minister Grace Fu,
and Manpower Minister and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Dr Tan See
Leng.
Singapore’s Consul-General in Johor Baru, Jeevan Singh
and his wife, Sima Aghazadeh accompanied the two ministers on their visit,
which is part of the neighbouring republic’s longstanding tradition symbolising
the continued warm ties between Singapore and Johor.
Source: Malay Mail
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No matter who: next leader demanded to make stronger
Indonesia
23-04-2023
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) has
officially announced Ganjar Pranowo, incumbent governor of Central Java
Province, will run for president in 2024.
The announcement was made by the ruling party's
leader, Megawati Soekarnoputri, on April 21 or a day before majority of
Indonesian Muslims celebrated the Idul Fitri which marked the end of holy month
of Ramadhan.
For Indonesian women that reportedly contribute
102,474,462 voters to some 204,656,053 potential voters for next year's general
elections, the date the PDIP chose to announce Pranowo's candidacy is a special
day.
Source: En.Antara News
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North
America
Eid al-Fitr celebrations continue for Muslim youth in
St. John's — with bouncy castles
William Ping
Apr 22, 2023
For children in the St. John's Muslim community,
Saturday was the day they've been waiting since the beginning of Ramadan.
"We get a reward because we fast the whole month
of Ramadan," said 12-year-old Mehak Afahan, who has been looking forward
to the Eid al-Fitr celebration.
While thousands of members of Newfoundland and
Labrador's Muslim community gathered for prayers and celebrations at the
Techniplex in St. John's on Friday, Saturday was a day for Muslim kids to have
fun bouncing around at École des Grands-Vents in St. John's.
"They can't wait to go on to the bouncy castles,
jump, and get that energy out there, happily," said Ayse Akinturk, a
volunteer executive with MANAL who helped organize the activities.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/eid-youth-celebrations-nl-2023-1.6819513
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Landmark exhibition of Asian and Islamic works opens at
the Walters Art Museum
23-04-2023
BALTIMORE, MD.- This spring, the Walters Art Museum
debuts Across Asia: Arts of Asia and the Islamic World. The exhibition features
over 600 works of art spanning 5,000 years and marks the first time in the
museum’s history that its core Asian and Islamic art collections are on view
together. Across Asia highlights the connections among art, cultures,
religions, and ideas across the vast geography of Asia, and includes examples
of architecture, calligraphy, ceramics, cloisonné, enamelwork, lacquerware,
manuscripts, metalwork, painting, sculpture, and textiles.
“Arts from the Asian continent and the Islamic world
have held places of pride at the Walters since the earliest days of its opening
to the public. Across Asia: Arts of Asia and the Islamic World uses the unique
breadth of the Walters collection to tell stories that are as distinctive as
they are compelling,” said Julia Marciari-Alexander, Andrea B. and John H.
Laporte Director. “After a multi-year renovation project, Across Asia showcases
the continent’s artistic and cultural exchanges with Europe, Africa, and
beyond, and, in turn, creates a holistic view of the collections.”
Visitors will see some of the most popular works in
the museum, as well as many works which have previously not been on view,
including a 19th-century Buddhist pulpit (thammat) from Thailand. One of the
only known Thai pulpits in a U.S. museum, the thammat will be on view for the
first time after undergoing extensive treatment in the Walters’ conservation
lab, supported by a grant from the Carter Foundation.
“One thing that was very important for us in this
exhibition was to highlight how each of these cultures has forms and styles of
art that may differ from their neighbors,” said Adriana Proser, Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas Quincy Scott Curator of Asian Art. “At the same time, ours has been a
conscious effort to break down some long-standing misconceptions of the
artistic traditions of Asia and the Islamic world and to tell stories that are
more culturally nuanced than the Euro-centric binary of ‘the East’ and ‘the
West.’ Over time none of the cultures represented in the galleries existed in a
vacuum. Intense periods of trade, geographic expansion, and spread of religion
long developed within this vast region and many works of art in the galleries
carry past interactions in their aesthetic DNA.”
Source: Art Daily
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https://artdaily.cc/index.asp?int_new=156587&int_sec=11#.ZEUF6HZBzIU
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Muslim for-hire drivers share challenges of praying at
work
By Tat Bellamy-Walker
April 23, 2023
SEATTLE – Ahmed Mohamed drives a little over a mile
from the Uber and Lyft parking lot near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to
Abubakr Islamic Center in Tukwila to wash ahead of his prayers every ...Thank
you for visiting Spokesman.com. To continue reading this story and enjoying our
local journalism please subscribe or log in...
Source: Spokesman
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Eid festivities at Lansdowne help mark the end of
Ramadan for Ottawa Muslims
Apr 22, 2023
In a quiet spot in the Aberdeen Pavilion, henna artist
Sarah Eid focused on the intricate lines of a design she was creating on a
client’s hand.
Her table was an oasis of calm in the bustling
pavilion as Ottawa’s largest Eid festival drew a sold-out crowd of Muslim
families celebrating the end of Ramadan. A total of about 4,000 people were
expected to attend the festival’s daytime and evening events on Saturday.
Not far from the henna station, children squealed as
they bounced on the oversize inflatables in an indoor playground while their
parents shopped the bazaar area for rare perfumes, vibrantly coloured clothing,
fine jewelry and more. Cultural performances took place on a stage in the
centre of the building, and food vendors offered everything from kebabs and
chicken tandoori to cotton candy and doughnuts.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
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Mideast
Iran’s New Hijab Surveillance System Met with Internal
Defiance, Derision
April 23, 2023
WASHINGTON — Iran’s new domestic surveillance program
for enforcing its mandatory hijab law is having a shaky start, with many women
appearing to ignore it, lawyers sharply criticizing it and activists observed
to be plotting to subvert it.
Iranian state media said the program went into effect
April 15. A week earlier, Iran’s national police chief, Ahmad Reza Radan, said
it would employ advanced surveillance capabilities, including street cameras,
to identify women violating the law requiring them to wear a hijab to cover
their hair in public in accordance with an Islamist dress code reviled by
secular Iranians.
A video posted Monday on the state-run Tasnim news
site used animation to show how part of the program works. It said women caught
on camera not wearing a hijab inside vehicles would receive text message warnings
from police and could see their vehicles impounded if they ignore those
warnings.
It was not immediately clear how many new cameras were
installed for the surveillance program and where. Iran had been using street
cameras to record traffic violations.
Source: Voa News
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Iran Leader Urges Muslim Nations To Reinforce
Palestinian Groups
23-04-2023
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei says the strategy
of the Muslim world should be reinforcing the militant groups in the
Palestinian territories.
Khamenei said in a Saturday meeting with regime
officials and ambassadors of Muslim countries that Israel is gradually
collapsing, and the Muslim nations must focus on supporting the militant
elements in and around Israel.
While renewing his support for jihadists in
Palestinian territories, Khamenei alleged that “The downfall [of Israel] which
started a few years ago, has now accelerated and the Muslim world must take
advantage of this great opportunity.”
Source: Iran Intl
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https://www.iranintl.com/en/202304225716
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Israeli Occupation Forces Storm, Sabotage Bab al-Rahma
chapel in Al-Aqsa Mosque
23 April, 2023
The Israeli
occupation forces IOF stormed Saturday 23 April 2023 Bab al-Rahma chapel in the eastern side of the holy mosque of Al-Aqsa.
The Israeli forces sabotaged the chapel , cut off the
electricity lines, removed the gates, and vandalized the contents of the
chapel.
Source: Days Of Palestine
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IRGC powerful guardian of Islamic Revolution
Apr 23, 2023
In a tweet on Saturday night, Nasser Kan'ani cited
that the IRGC is the protector of the nation and national security, as well as
a source of honor and authority for Iran, and this is the reason for the anger
of the sworn enemies of the (Islamic) Revolution against the IRGC.
He also congratulated the anniversary of the founding
of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on April 22 and commemorated the
memory of thousands of martyrs who served in IRGC.
Source: En.Mehr News
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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/199795/IRGC-powerful-guardian-of-Islamic-Revolution
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Bridging Saudi-Iran Gulf, How Crown Prince MBS’s ‘Islamic
Revolution’ Is Changing The Dynamic Of Middle East
By KN Pandita
April 23, 2023
It is a tricky question even for many veteran
journalists who have been keeping close track of old bellicosity that has
marred relations between the two countries – Iran and Saudi Arabia.
It is not the first time that the two belligerent
countries of the Gulf region have accepted the mediation of a third country.
But all earlier attempts have invariably ended in smoke.
The first thing differentiating mediation from previous
attempts is that the mediator is not a small or nondescript country. China
today is an economic and military power. Apart from that, China is the largest
oil importer from the Gulf region’s two oil-rich countries.
If we are to speak the language of international
relations, it will be said that after US’s declining clout in the Middle East,
China moved shrewdly to fill the vacuum. Various complicated issues bedeviling
smooth relations between some of the region’s states looked straight into the
eyes of actors engaged in mediation — Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and the chronic
Palestinian issue beggar no description.
Source: Eurasian Times
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https://eurasiantimes.com/how-bin-salmans-islamic-revolution-is-bridging-saudi-ira/
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Nearly 10 mn litres of diesel smuggled out of Iran per
day: Deputy Minister
2023-04-23
Tehran, April 23 (IANS) Iranian Deputy Oil Minister
Jalil Salari has said that an average of nearly 10 million litres of diesel are
smuggled out of the Islamic republic per day due to its competitive price.
Salari, who is also the managing director of the
National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC), made the
remarks in an interview with Iran's official news agency IRNA, which was
published on Saturday.
The price for one litre of diesel in Iran is around
$0.8 less than that of its surrounding countries, he said, adding that the
differences in diesel prices between Iran and its neighbours have made
smuggling an alluring activity, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the IRNA
interview.
Source: In.Investing
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South
Asia
Islamic Emirate Supreme Leader: Non-Islamic Laws Will
Never Be Implemented in Country
23-04-2023
Audio reportedly of the Islamic Emirate's supreme
leader, Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, published on Twitter by the Islamic
Emirate's spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, included the leader saying that he
would not allow the implementation of non-Islamic laws in the country.
In his speech at the Kandahar Grand Mosque for the Eid
al-Fitr prayer, the leader of the Islamic Emirate noted that one of the
obligations of the Islamic Emirate is not to allow interference in the internal
affairs of the current system.
"We pledged to Allah that no infidel laws would
be allowed to take root in Afghanistan. We will definitely refrain from taking
any action that endangers, undermines Islam or is against Islamic principles,”
Akhundzada said.
Source: Tolo News
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183067
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Will tourists thirst for trips to a Japanese green tea
mecca?
BY KATHRYN WORTLEY
Apr 23, 2023
URESHINO, SAGA PREF. – For domestic tourists,
Ureshino, Saga Prefecture, is synonymous with onsen (hot springs), ceramics and
green tea.
Every year, the city attracts tens of thousands of
visitors from across the country. Most join a tour or workshop at one of the
kiln halls or museums to learn about the local Hizen-Yoshida pottery, which
dates back 400 years, before taking a soak in the area’s onsen with waters
considered among the top three nationwide for beautifying skin. Still more try
tea picking, explore tea factories or go shopping for tea and tea-related
souvenirs.
However, Ureshino has long missed out on the same
level of interest from overseas visitors. Outside Japan, few people are aware
of the vital role this city of 25,000 people has played in shaping the
country’s green tea culture.
Source: Japan Times
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https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/04/23/food/ureshino-green-tea-tourism-saga/
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Islamic Emirate Pledges Security of Foreign Embassies
By Banafsha Binesh
22-04-2023
The Islamic Emirate's spokesperson, Zabihullah
Mujahid, said that security has been maintained throughout the nation and that
diplomats from nations like Saudi Arabia could resume their diplomatic missions
in Kabul without fear.
"Our message to Saudi Arabia is that complete
security is provided. Do not hesitate. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's
forces are putting in their final effort to ensure the security of the
diplomatic centers in Kabul. They have stayed secure up to now," Mujahid
told TOLOnews.
"We provide a better atmosphere. The security and
stability for the embassies is great here and the environment is favorable, and
we want no one to be afraid. They should activate their embassies as before and
continue their consular activities and provide services,” the Islamic Emirate's
spokesperson added.
Source: Tolo News
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Afghanistan has become a terrorism staging ground
again, leak reveals
By Dan Lamothe
April 22, 2023
Less than two years after President Biden withdrew
U.S. personnel from Afghanistan, the country has become a significant
coordination site for the Islamic State as the terrorist group plans attacks
across Europe and Asia, and conducts “aspirational plotting” against the United
States, according to a classified Pentagon assessment that portrays the threat
as a growing security concern.
The attack planning, detailed in U.S. intelligence
findings leaked on the Discord messaging platform and obtained by The
Washington Post, reveal specific efforts to target embassies, churches,
business centers and the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, which drew more than
2 million spectators last summer in Qatar. Pentagon officials were aware in
December of nine such plots coordinated by ISIS leaders in Afghanistan, and the
number rose to 15 by February, says the assessment, which has not been
disclosed previously.
“ISIS has been developing a cost-effective model for
external operations that relies on resources from outside Afghanistan,
operatives in target countries, and extensive facilitation networks,” says the
assessment, which is labeled top-secret and bears the logos of several Defense
Department organizations. “The model will likely enable ISIS to overcome
obstacles — such as competent security services — and reduce some plot
timelines, minimizing disruption opportunities.”
Source: Washington Post
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/22/afghanistan-terrorism-leaked-documents/
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UK Afghanistan whistleblower slams govt over hearing
‘secrecy’
ARAB NEWS
April 22, 2023
LONDON: A whistleblower in the UK who was sacked after
drawing attention to the failures of the Afghanistan withdrawal has criticized attempts
by the government to make her legal challenge private, The Guardian reported on
Saturday.
Josie Stewart, a former senior official of the
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, was sacked after providing the
BBC with anonymous comments criticizing the government’s handling of the
Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021.
She launched a legal challenge over the sacking,
taking her case to an employment tribunal in an attempt to test the legal
protection of whistleblowers in Britain.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2291181/world
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Rana Plaza collapse: 10 years after Bangladesh's
deadliest industrial disaster
Md. Kamruzzaman
23.04.2023
Moshammat Bulbuli slowly walked back to her single
room in a house in the poor neighborhood of Savar in the Bangladeshi capital of
Dhaka, where she has been living for many years.
Bulbuli, 34, now works as a domestic servant but was a
garment factory worker and one of the survivors of Bangladesh's deadliest
industrial disaster in 2013, which has left her traumatized even after 10
years.
"I still have pains in different parts of my
body, and doctors have prescribed me some medicine that I will have to take for
the rest of my life," Bulbuli told Anadolu.
Source: Aa.Com.Tr
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Europe
Police appeal after reports of man making threats in Newport
By Iwan Gabe Davies
23-04-2023
A man approached four people on Hereford Street close
to the Shah Poran Bangladeshi Jame mosque and reportedly acted aggressively
between 5am and 5.15am.
A Gwent Police spokesperson said: “Officers were
called to the scene but following a search of the area, the man was not
located.
“Investigating officers would like to speak to this
man who was seen in the area at the time and could assist their enquiries.”
Source: Southwalesargus
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https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/23474247.police-appeal-reports-man-making-threats-newport/
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Extinction Rebellion activists mark Earth Day at
central London climate protest
22 April 2023
Thousands of climate activists took part in a
demonstration in central London on Saturday as part of a mass protest organised
by Extinction Rebellion (XR).
Crowds of people gathered in Parliament Square to hear
speakers at The Big One event, which is running from 21-24 April and is
expected to attract up to 50,000 people.
Many in the good-natured crowds wore fancy dress,
including the distinctive red-robed army of XR protesters, while others wore
masks depicting the King and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Source: News.Sky.Com
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SNP finances probe: Police reportedly hunt burner
phone sim cards and luxury pens as fears remain over potential Nicola Sturgeon
arrest
By Dale Miller
23rd Apr 2023
The purchase of luxury pens, a fridge freezer and even
designer pots and pans are being investigated, according to reports in the
Sunday Mail.
The details have emerged just days after Colin Beattie
quit as SNP treasurer in the wake of his arrest and subsequent release by
police.
Concerns also continue to swirl around the potential
for former first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s arrest in connection to the
finances probe. Ms Sturgeon, who has vowed to “fully co-operate” with police,
is one of the three names alongside her husband Peter Murrell and Mr Beattie
believed to be on party accounts.
Source: Scotsman
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Africa
The Love of Pastor Tobi Adegboyega … How Nigerians
Turned His SPAC Nation to ‘New Mecca’ in London
23-04-2023
Clergy in Nigeria has always enjoyed the love of the
people. After all, the thought is that the individuals that make up this group
have the ears of God. But Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, the founder of the Salvation
Proclaimers Anointed Church (SPAC Nation) is different. People love him, it
seems, because he knows how to have a good time and is a magnet for
celebrities. Thus, Adegboyega has remained an oddity; an oddity that has the
ears of very powerful and influential people across the country.
Adegboyega’s name is SPACNation, and that already says
something about him. One, it says that he is not like the others who live
outside the limelight of society and are so afraid of offending God that they
remain within rank. Adegboyega is bolder and has shown his interest in high
society, earning himself many friends as a result. Should any of the people
running to meet up with Adegboyega in London come to a regular church in
Nigeria, it would make strong waves. But, in Adegboyega’s SPACNation, such
things are normal.
Among the celebrities that are five and six with
Adegboyega is Davido. The singer has always loved Adegboyega and received the
latter’s love in return. Adegboyega even postponed a concert after the death of
Davido’s son as a way of honouring the singer. That struck many chords with
people.
Source: This Day Live
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https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/04/23/861598/
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End of Ramadan should offer all Kenyans key lessons on
empathy
By Isaac Kalua
23-04-2023
The Holy Month of Ramadan is graciously over. And
lessons of the month should remain ingrained in us. This applies even to
non-Muslims like myself.
By fasting during the month of Ramadan, Muslims
intentionally step into the shoes of those who endure hunger on a daily basis.
When you can feel some of the pinch of the wearer of shoes, you are able to
empathise with them and truly help them.
In light of this, we should all ask ourselves whether
we can feel the pain of fellow Kenyans, especially the millions who live below
the poverty line. To some of us, the poverty line is an abstract concept. But
to millions of Kenyans, the poverty line is a daily reality. They live below
roughly Sh290 or much less a day. According to the World Bank some 19 million
Kenyans live below the poverty line.
Please pause for a moment and imagine what exactly
Sh290 can do in a day. It’s not enough even for someone who stays alone. How
are you supposed to pay rent, pay transport, buy food and sustain your
healthcare on Sh290? It’s impossible.
Source: Standardmedia.Co
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APC’s Winning Muslim-Muslim Ticket: Victory For
National Interest Over Personal Ambition
By Dapo Okubanjo
23 Apr 2023
The 2023 general elections have come and gone. In
spite of all the post-election noise and desperate machinations of the
opposition, we have a president-elect and vice president-elect in the persons
of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima who will be sworn-in
come May 29, 2023.
This election season was very instructive in a number
of ways as it threw up a number of issues which had gnawed at our political
national consciousness and proven to be leverage points for mischievous
politicians to drive their personal ambitions and benefits. Two of these are
PDP legacy issues of power distribution between the Northern and Southern
regions and the two most popular religions, Christianity, and Islam. Thus, if
the presidency is zoned to the North, the vice presidency is zoned to the
South. Also, if the presidential candidate is Christian, the vice-presidential
candidate would then be Muslim and vice versa.
The intention of this arrangement is purportedly in
keeping with a desire to balance national character. This arrangement seeks to
pacify the two broad regions and religions. However, it is instructive to
recall that the freest and fairest election thus far in our national history,
the MKO Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe ticket in 1993, only agreed in principle to
the arrangement of the North and South spread but differed on the religion
spread tenet with a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
A quick recall of the events leading to the selection
of Senator Kashim Shettima might be instructive. APC Northern governors and
stalwarts had agreed to a Southern presidential candidate for the party and
this led to the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the party’s presidential
candidate. The next hurdle became the choice of a vice presidential candidate.
The expected norm, as stated above, is to find a Northern, Christian candidate
as the running mate. This was when the political drama and intrigues began.
Source: Daily Trust
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Imbibe spirit of Ramadan, Ebonyi Govt. urges Muslim
faithful
April 22, 2023
Ebonyi Government on Saturday charged the Muslim
faithful to imbibe the spirit of Ramadan, which encourages the renewal of
faith, hope and peace.
Gov. David Umahi gave the charge when a delegation of
the Muslim Community in the state paid him a courtesy visit at the Government
House, Abakaliki.
Umahi, represented by the Secretary to the State
Government, Mr Kenneth Ugbala, urged them to pray more for the nation,
especially in this turbulent time.
Source: Vanguardngr
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https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/04/imbibe-spirit-of-ramadan-ebonyi-govt-urges-muslim-faithful/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/kalashnikov-jihad-al-qaeda-pakistan-pashtuns/d/129627