Karnataka BJP slams minister's remarks of giving Muslims 'a bit more' in budget
New
Age Islam News Bureau
18
February 2024
Karnataka
Home Minister G Parameshwara said that the Muslim community in the state was
---------
•
Karnataka BJP slams minister's remarks of giving Muslims 'a bit more' in budget
•
Call to keep establishment out of politics to strengthen federation: panelists
Al-Qaeda
resurfaces in Afghanistan with new training camps, Islamic schools
•
Shariah laws in states by end 2024
•
America has no option except recognition of the Islamic Emirate
•
Saudi Arabia arrests 19,199 undocumented individuals in one week
• Ben-Gvir wants West Bank Palestinians barred
from Temple Mount on Ramadan
India
Delhi
court refuses Sharjeel Imam bail, says acts, talks incited public
Harsh
Mander: The deep Hindutva roots of the violence that reduced a mosque to rubble
in Haldwani
Kannada
translation of Shamsul Islam’s book to be released today
‘Terror
ties’, Skype call: How man loses Rs 56 lakh
-----
Pakistan
Gandapur
says no to revenge politics as PTI protests poll ‘rigging’
Govt
to raise Rs150 billion via Islamic bonds auction at PSX
PTI
demands CEC, CJP resign after ‘revelations’
ECP
yet to notify results of majority of independents
PPP,
PML-N unable to finalise ‘give and take’ in coalition talks
Bushra
Bibi challenges Toshakhana verdict
16
suspects get post-arrest bail in Jinnah House attack case
Trenches
dug up outside NPC before PTI protesters’ arrival
-----
South Asia
Deputy
PM Highlights the Crucial Role of Scholars in Shaping Public Opinion and
Strengthening the Islamic System
UNSC
Meets on Terrorism, Islamic Emirate Responds to UN Claims
The
‘inclusive’ Afghan government Afghans do not want
Taliban
Refuse to Attend UN Conference on Afghanistan
Jaishankar
meets Bangladesh PM Hasina & thanks her for guidance in furthering
bilateral ties
Key
US official warns India, Bangladesh of ‘increasing’ Indo-Pacific issues
Bangladesh
bank confirms ouster of Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus
-----
Mideast
Iraqi
armed groups dial down U.S. attacks on request of Iran commander
Iran-backed
Militants Attack U.S. Army Base In Syria, Target Convoys Of Military Trucks
Chikli
to 'Post': Radical Islam rampant in pro-Hamas and anti-Israel Belgium
Tariq
Nassar: Ex-'haredi Muslim' changing Jerusalem through bees, placemaking
Iran
unveils anti-ballistic missile, air defence systems
Iran:
Anti-Veil Activist Must Serve Long Prison Sentence
-----
North America
Former
US President Carter completes one year in hospice
In
breach, US envoy taken to Fatehpur Sikri by ‘fake’ guide
Late-night
chai and covert flirting: why US Muslims flock to Yemeni cafes
'Biden
must end Gaza war to win Muslim votes'
FM:
America’s classification of Ansar Allah component on terrorist list is illegal
measure
-----
Arab world
The
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Congratulates Republic of Kosovo President on
Independence Day
Ramadan
2024 in UAE: Sharjah announces Dh136 million ‘Joud’ aid campaign
Prophet's
Mosque in Saudi Araba maintains over 25,000 carpets daily
Saudi
Arabia’s AlUla airport welcomes first direct flight from Jordan
Snow
creates winter wonderland at Tabuk mountains
Academy
launches second Arabic language program for non-native speakers
-----
Southeast Asia
Islamic
affairs minister says govt to resolve discrepancies between Federal Constitution
and Kampong Gelam to hold its largest & longest-running Ramadan bazaar from
Mar. 2 - Apr. 5, 2024
RUU355
expected to be tabled later this year, says religious affairs minister Mohd
Na’im
PM
Anwar wants FT Islamic Council to coordinate zakat aid with other agencies
Disbanded
National Revenue Recovery Enforcement Team should have been institutionalised,
says former MACC chief
Former
GM of govt subsidiary in Melaka says he is not the person charged in court for
abuse of power
-----
Europe
Keir
Starmer is on the brink of losing Muslim voters for good
Italian
town in turmoil after far-right mayor bans Muslim prayers
Starmer
sidesteps energy row in ‘new Britain’ pledge
Britain
lets Ukrainian refugees stay for another 18 months
Indian-origin
man jailed for life over 30-year-old UK murder
-----
Africa
Kano
Residents Bemoan Soaring Foodstuff Prices As Ramadan Approaches
Confusion
over Tinubu’s N24bn FX subsidy approval for Muslim pilgrimage amid hardship
Chief
Imam drags Soun of Ogbomoso, Council to court over alleged plan to sack him
Benue
Govt, Miyetti Allah to form joint Anti-Open Grazing Law Enforcement Committee
Why
Time Matters When Proscribing Terrorist Groups
Navigating
Justice in Nigeria: The Complexities of Prosecuting Boko Haram
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
-----
Karnataka
BJP slams minister's remarks of giving Muslims 'a bit more' in budget
Anagha
Feb
18, 2024
Karnataka
Home Minister G Parameshwara said that the Muslim community in the state was
-------------
In
a recent statement, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said that the Muslim
community in the state was "given a bit more" in terms of budget
allocation. But BJP leaders have slammed the Minister's remarks and questioned
him over "this kind of discrimination".
The
Minister, in his statement on "those who need support and
development," said that "for example, we have given 24 per cent to
SCs (Scheduled Castes) and STs (Scheduled Tribes). Why are we giving SC and ST
24 per cent? It's because they are left behind in society."
Taking
a dig at the state Minister, BJP leader CT Ravi said in a post on X on Sunday
that this was the "secular model of communal Congress."
On
his part, BJP leader Basanagouda R Patil (Yatnal) questioned the state Home
Minister, saying "Are the slogans of tolerance of all religions, garden of
peace of all races limited to your speech?"
"More
for Muslims, less for Hindus. Why this kind of discrimination? By speaking
according to the context, see if you are acting as Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar had
wished," the BJP leader added.
This
latest development came two days after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
had presented the state budget in which funds were allocated for fee
reimbursement of minority students, as well as Rs 100 crore for Waqf
properties.
While
presenting the budget on Friday, the Chief Minister attacked the BJP-led
Centre, alleging that Karnataka faced massive loss due to not getting the right
share of funds from the Union government.
Source:
Www.Indiatoday.In
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
-----
Call
to keep establishment out of politics to strengthen federation: panelists
Waqas
Ali
February
18, 2024
KARACHI:
Panellists in one of the sessions at the ongoing Karachi Literature Festival
(KLF) on Saturday observed that it was imperative to keep the security
establishment out of politics in order to make the federation stronger.
The
panellists — renowned economist Dr Kaiser Bengali, former finance minister Asad
Umar, Advocate Faisal Siddiqi and former Federal Board of Revenue chairman
Shabbar Zaidi — were speaking at the session — Evolving federation: two steps
forward one step back — which was moderated by Amber Rahim Shamsi.
Speaking
on the occasion, Asad Umar said everyone, including armed forces chiefs, agreed
that the military should have no role in politics but it was not the case in
reality and the issue was still not getting solved.
Commenting
on the importance of strengthening local governments, he said, “In the
narrative of federal evolution, we need to empower local governments...this
will have a significant impact on the overall governance and contribute to
sustainable progress.”
“Two
steps forward signify our collective progress, while the step back serves as a
reminder of the complexities inherent in building a cohesive federation,” he
added.
Shabbar
Zaidi said that the federation would become strong only when the military’s
role in politics would decrease in the country. And that could be done
effectively only by rewiring its budget, he added.
He
said the National Finance Commission (NFC) award and 18th Amendment had put a
check on the military’s budget and expenditures. Federation was strong in books
and in written documents but it was the implementation which was lacking, he
said.
He
said that the NFC award and 18th Amendment had put an end to the nationalist
and separatist movements in Sindh and, thereby, strengthened the federation.
Speaking
of political instability, he again referred to the establishment and said that
if the ‘big brother’ pulls out his hands, all political stakeholders would sit
together and make their own decisions.
Referring
to the situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where an insurgency was
continuing for a long time, he said that the entire system in the country was
imploding.
Speaking
on the occasion, Advocate Faisal Siddiqi said the real debate, especially after
2008, was the power struggle between de facto power of the establishment and de
jure power of the Constitution.
He
said certain ‘revolutions’ had taken place in the year 2008, which were
“revival of the Constitution, revival of electoral democracy to a certain
extent, revival of judiciary and the growth of media”.
He
said that the powerful establishment was trying to reverse all those changes
and by that, trying to control constitutional democracy.
He
said there was Constitution, democracy, media, etc, in the country but their
implementation was not being ensured because of the establishment’s control.
He
added that it was also because of that very reason that devolution of power was
not becoming possible. And if things remained the same, the system would remain
ungovernable, he added.
Former
prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former finance minister Miftah Ismail
engaged in a powerful session titled ‘Reforming Pakistan: A New Social
Contract’.
Their
discussion revolved around strategies to promote inclusivity, transparency and
accountability in governance, as well as initiatives to enhance access to
quality education, healthcare services, and economic opportunities for all
segments of society.
The
panel identified actionable solutions and pathways towards forging a new social
contract that prioritises the well-being and prosperity of all Pakistanis.
A
press release issued by the event organisers stated that the KLF continued its
journey into the realms of sustainability and the transformative power of words
on its second day.
With
a diverse line-up of speakers and thought-provoking sessions, the participants
were engaged in discussions, book launches, and presentations, aimed at
reshaping mindsets for a sustainable future.
Source:
Www.Dawn.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
-----
Al-Qaeda
resurfaces in Afghanistan with new training camps, Islamic schools
By
DEBBIE MOHNBLATT
FEBRUARY
17, 2024
Taliban
fighters celebrate on the second anniversary of the fall of Kabul on a street
near the US embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 15, 2023.
(photo
credit: REUTERS)
-------------
The
al-Qaeda terrorist organization is having a resurgence in Afghanistan under the
ruling Taliban, setting up eight new training camps alongside five madrasas,
Islamic educational institutions, around the country, a report from the UN
Security Council in late January has revealed.
The
report said that the training camps are located in various provinces, including
Ghazni, Laghman, Parwan, and Uruzgan. It also listed sites used by al-Qaeda to
move its operatives in and out of neighboring Iran, and said that a new base to
stockpile weaponry has been established in the Panjshir Valley, north of the
capital, Kabul.
"The
group maintains safe houses to facilitate the movement between Afghanistan and
the Islamic Republic of Iran in the provinces of Herat, Farah, and Helmand,
with additional safe house locations in Kabul," the report said.
"This
accommodation of al-Qaeda within Afghanistan has validated longstanding fears
voiced by many observers regarding the country once again becoming a safe haven
for terrorist organizations under Taliban rule," Shahin Modarres, an
international security analyst specializing in Iran affiliated with the Center
for Middle East and Global Order think tank, told The Media Line.
Modarres
said that al-Qaeda and the Taliban, which retook rule over Afghanistan in 2021
as US-led coalition forces left the country, have a shared history of
collaboration and ideological alignment. He said that throughout their
insurgency against the coalition forces, both organizations maintained
deep-seated ties rooted in a common jihadist worldview and mutual support for
each other's objectives.
"There
has been a notable escalation in terrorist attacks, from roadside and suicide
bombs to rocket and mortar fire, direct fire, kidnappings, and violent
crimes," Boltuc said, adding that many incidents targeting religious sites
occurred during religious festivals.
She
said that Islamic State Khorasan Province, a regional branch of the extremist
Islamic State group, has been involved in ongoing hostilities, targeting ethnic
minorities and government establishments. In addition, other extremist groups
such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and its breakaway faction Jamaat-ul-Ahrar
have been active in the country.
"The
relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaeda remains close, and the latter
maintains a holding pattern in Afghanistan under Taliban patronage," the
report said.
Modarres
said that apart from the historic ties and ideological similarities between the
two groups, al-Qaeda's presence provides the Taliban with strategic advantages,
including access to experienced fighters, operational expertise, and potential
leverage in regional dynamics.
The
border between Afghanistan and Iran has been tense for several years, with the
two Islamist governments, one Sunni and the other Shiite, citing various
grievances against each other, each claiming that the other is persecuting and
failing to protect their ethnic minorities. The tensions are compounded by a
longstanding dispute over the Helmand River.
Boltuc
said that in the early 2000s, a slight migration of al-Qaeda leaders towards
Iran took place and Iran arrested many of them, holding them for use in any
prisoner exchanges in the case of conflict with Afghanistan.
"If
this is seen as an advantage for al-Qaeda fighters seeking concealment, the
significant influx of undocumented Afghan migrants entering Iran annually
provides an ideal opportunity to enter the country undetected," she said.
Modarres
said that al-Qaeda 's potential interest in establishing bases in Iran reflects
a strategic calculus aimed at enhancing its operational capabilities and
expanding its reach beyond Afghanistan.
"Iran's
geographic proximity to Afghanistan, coupled with its complex geopolitical
dynamics, presents al-Qaeda with opportunities to establish logistical hubs,
recruit new members, and coordinate activities across borders," he said.
Possessing
bases in Iran could serve multiple purposes for al-Qaeda. He said that these
include facilitating the movement of operatives, accessing resources and
support networks, and establishing a presence in a region with significant
strategic value.
"The
presence of al-Qaeda bases in Iran could potentially escalate tensions along
the Afghan-Iranian border and exacerbate existing regional dynamics,"
Modarres said.
He
said that concerns regarding cross-border terrorism, infiltration by militants,
and security risks could lead both Afghanistan and Iran to bolster
militarization and surveillance along their mutual border. This escalation
could exacerbate tensions and potentially result in incidents. This could also
lead to further diplomatic complications between the two countries.
"Afghanistan
and Iran may perceive each other as threats or adversaries, leading to a cycle
of suspicion, hostility, and potentially actions that can lead to
escalation," Modarres said.
Additionally,
he said that increased tensions along the Afghan-Iranian border might disrupt
trade, worsen ethnic and sectarian rifts, and escalate local conflicts.
"The
convergence of al-Qaeda and Iran's interests may embolden other terrorist
groups and state sponsors of terrorism, leading to increased radicalization,
recruitment, and violence in the region," he said.
Source:
Www.Jpost.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-787467
-----
Shariah
laws in states by end 2024
By
R. Loheswar
18
Feb 2024
Minister
in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar
speaks after Karnival MAIWP 2024 in Taman Tasik Titiwangsa February 18,2024. —
Picture by Miera Zulyana
---------------
KUALA
LUMPUR, Feb 18 — Islamic Affairs Minister Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar today
promised that the federal government will iron out the wrinkles concerning
Shariah criminal laws in the next eight months, following the Federal Court
decision last week.
He
said Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor — who chairs the National
Council of Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) — wants recommendations concerning
the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment and possible methods of expanding
the competencies of the State Legislative Assembly to enact Syariah criminal
laws within the framework set by the Federal Constitution by the end of this
year.
Na’im
said the sultan told the Special Committee Studying Issues Related to the
Competence of the State Legislative Assemblies to Enact Islamic Laws and its
chairman, former chief justice, Tun Zaki Azmi to do so within this year.
“The
Selangor Sultan mandated the committee and Tun Zaki to finalise everything
within a year but I’ve got a commitment to complete the undertaking in not more
than eight months,” he told reporters at the Federal Territory Islamic
Religious Council (MAIWP) carnival in Taman Tasik Titiwangsa.
Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who also attended the Karnival MAIWP this
morning, claimed the federal Opposition was purposely using the Federal Court’s
decision in annulling 16 provisions in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code to
cause disunity among Malaysians.
According
to Anwar, a similar case happened in 2021 when the Federal Court rejected the
Selangor State Legislative Assembly’s proposals, but claimed not one member of
the Opposition back then objected to it.
Anwar
accused PN of playing up religious sentiments in a bid to portray his unity
government as opposing Islam even as he pointed out that the Kelantan Shariah
case that was decided recently by the Federal Court had been filed back when it
was the government.
“Why
no noise then? Because you were in the government right? Why no condemnation,
outcry, outpouring of disdain at the time? Not even a committee to study the
case.
“I
wasn’t prime minister in 2021 or 2020, only when I took over and this Kelantan
case happened I’m vilified and condemned. My question is there have been cases
such as this since 2021. Why didn’t you do anything then?” he asked
rhetorically during the opening ceremony to the MAIWP carnival.
“Now
I’m the prime minister and if we allow all the states to form their own laws
we’d have 13 different laws. That’s why it must be streamlined.
“Laws
are not made according to politicians’ sentiments or speeches. It’s the judges,
courts and the relevant agencies that decide that,” he added.
Sultan
Sharafuddin issued a decree telling Malaysians to respect the Federal Court’s
ruling on the Kelantan Syariah Enactment challenge filed by Nik Elin Zurina Nik
Abdul Rashid, and called for the Federal Constitution to be upheld as the
supreme law of the country.
Sultan
Sharafuddin, who chaired the 71st MKI meeting, also stressed on the importance
to look for a solution to overcome any matters arising by studying methods to
expand the state legislative assemblies’ competency to enact Shariah criminal
law in the framework set out by the Federal Constitution.
His
decree was related to the Federal Court’s February 9 decision declaring 16
provisions under the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment 2019 null and
void.
Source:
Www.Malaymail.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
-----
America
has no option except recognition of the Islamic Emirate
February
18, 2024
America
faced a harsh defeat and left Afghanistan more than two years ago. This failure
undoubtedly, inflicted a severe blow and irreparable damage on the body of the
invading America. With each passing day, the pain of this defeat is felt more
and more. The fact that after two years of defeat and withdrawal of the
occupying forces, the U.S. Congress summoned Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S.
Special Representative for Afghanistan Peace Affairs and asked questions about
the Doha agreement showing that the defeat was a bloody wound and this wound
will be difficult to be healed within long. Despite the fact that everyone
knows that these efforts of America are in vain and these questions and
criticisms, are akin to a “Fist after War” that remains fruitless and not
working. Now, America has failed and has accepted this defeat and the world is
witnessing America’s shameful and historic defeat in Afghanistan. However, the
aftershocks of this defeat shake America every day, and the fear of this region
cannot be abandoned until the Day of Resurrection. However, after the failure
and signing of the agreement, the dreams and unnecessary criticisms will not
take place; the only thing that will end in the interest of America is to
strengthen diplomatic relations with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and
take more effective steps to recognize the current Islamic and legitimate
system, as it has no more soldier in Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan
have gained experiences from royal governments to republican regimes that were
built according to the orders of the East and the West, which resulted in
nothing but war, destruction, corruption, conflict and warlordism. Therefore,
the Islamic system is the best option. This system has been able to remove all
the problems of the nation and bring the people of Afghanistan to the blessing
of security, peace and prosperity. Also, the gem of Islamic laws and Sharia,
which is the wish of all, has been adequately implemented and made it
achievable to the Muslim and Mujahid nations. Today, it is necessary for
America and all countries to refrain from confrontation and recognize the
Islamic Emirate, which is a legitimate, popular and accountable system for the
great nation of Afghanistan, and reach out for cooperation with complete confidence.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly assured all countries that
there will be no interference in the affairs of any country from Afghanistan,
and there is no security threat or disturbance in the territory of this firm
and robust system to cause threaten the security of the neighboring and the
region and the world countries. The people of Afghanistan also want the world
to recognize their system, and more than that, they should not be subjected to
retaliation, loss of rights and injustice from the world and countries.
Source:
ThekabulTimes.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://thekabultimes.com/america-has-no-option-except-recognition-of-the-islamic-emirate/
-----
Saudi
Arabia arrests 19,199 undocumented individuals in one week
ARAB
NEWS
February
17, 2024
RIYADH:
Saudi authorities arrested 19,199 people in one week for breaching residency,
work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on
Saturday.
According
to an official report, a total of 11,742 people were arrested for violations of
residency laws, while 4,103 were held over illegal border crossing attempts,
and a further 3,354 for labor-related issues.
The
report showed that among the 916 people arrested for trying to enter the
Kingdom illegally, 46 percent were Yemeni, 53 percent Ethiopian, and 1 percent
were of other nationalities.
A
further 101 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and
11 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.
The
Saudi Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal
entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could
face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million
($260,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.
Suspected
violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh
regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.
Source:
Arabnews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2461796/saudi-arabia
-----
Ben-Gvir
wants West Bank Palestinians barred from Temple Mount on Ramadan
Elisha
Ben Kimon
Ahead
of a security consultation to prepare for the upcoming Muslim holiday National
Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demands West Bank Palestinians be barred from
praying at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan and that Israeli Muslims under the age of 70, also be prohibited from
praying there.
"While
Israeli women who were taken hostage by Hamas are being raped, Israel cannot
allow victory celebrations on Temple Mount," Ben-Gvir said. "The
position of some of the security officials who recommend, to allow a massive
participation of West Bank Palestinians is indication that they have learned
nothing from the events of October 7," he said.
"I
recommend that they look into public opinion polls held in the Palestinian
Authority where they will find massive support for the massacre carried out by
Hamas," Ben-Gvir said adding that he would vehemently oppose any such
decision and hopes other members of the government do so as well. Ben-Gvir also
demanded that the decision not be made by a limited forum where he is not
included.
The
decision on how to prepare for the Muslim holiday is to be made by the war
cabinet, allies of the minister said adding that they believe Netanyahu would
ultimately bring the matter before the entire security cabinet.
Security
officials are concerned that the holiday will allow Hamas to unite Palestinians
from all factions against Israel after it had suffered losses in the war in
Gaza and appears to have lost its standing in the Arab world.
Thus
far, Arab citizens of Israel have mainly not come out in support of Hamas but
the officials warn that the holy month of Ramadan could change and therefore
steps must be taken to isolate the Gaza Strip and avoid the outbreak of
violence amid war.
"We
must remember that we are at war and Palestinians are incited on television all
the time," sources close to Ben-Gvir said. "If just one small percent
of those coming to pray in Jerusalem decide to carry out an attack, there would
be a blood bath," they said. "Let's avoid this in advance."
Source:
Www.Ynetnews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hym5d7y2p
-----
India
Delhi
court refuses Sharjeel Imam bail, says acts, talks incited public
Feb
18, 2024
NEW
DELHI: A Delhi court on Saturday denied bail to Sharjeel Imam in the sedition
and UAPA case filed against him for allegedly making inflammatory speeches in
Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia area in the capital. His speeches and
activities mobilised the public which disrupted Delhi and might be the main
reason for the outbreak of the riots in Feb 2020, it said.
The
court of additional sessions judge Sameer Bajpai said, “Although the applicant
did not ask anybody to pick the weapons and kill the people, his speeches and
activities mobilised the public which disrupted the city and might be the main
reason in the outbreak of the riots. Further, through inflammatory speeches and
social media, the applicant skillfully manipulated the real facts and incited
the public in order to create havoc in the city”.
The
court noted that the words used by Imam in his different speeches captured the
mind of the people of a particular community and incited them to take part in
the disruptive activities.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Harsh
Mander: The deep Hindutva roots of the violence that reduced a mosque to rubble
in Haldwani
Harsh
Mander
18-02-2024
The
picturesque mountain state of Uttarakhand is today smoldering with hate and
fear. Reversing its centuries-old tradition of religious harmony, the state is
rapidly emerging instead as one of the frontier battlegrounds in the Hindutva
struggle for transforming pluralist India into a land only for its Hindu residents.
On
February 8, the city administrators of Haldwani, buoyed by a large police force
and around a hundred municipal workers, marched with bulldozers to demolish a
20-year-old mosque and madrasa. This sparked public rage as people threw stones
at the police and municipal workers, and a group even set fire to a police
station. The police responded with “shoot at sight” orders, leaving in its
trail at least six people dead and many more seriously injured.
Less
than a week later, I joined a fact-finding team of members of the
Karwan-e-Mohabbat and the Association for Protection of Civil Rights. From the
Karwan-e-Mohabbat were Navsharan Singh, Ashok Sharma, Zahid Qadri, Kumar Nikhil
and I. From the Association for Protection of Civil Rights were Nadim Khan and
Mohd Mobashir.
We
found the city still tense and its social fabric torn. Haldwani is the
second-most populous city in Uttarakhand. The old city that abuts a military
cantonment mostly has a majority of Muslim residents. The newer portions of the
city grew later with Hindu residents migrating to it from the hills and other
parts of India.
Before
the February 8 clash, the city had never endured communal clashes. Even the
violence of February 8 was not a clash between the Muslim and Hindu residents
of the city. It was an ugly street battle that broke out between the state
administration and a section of Muslim residents enraged by the peremptory and
what they regarded as unjust demolition of a mosque and madrasa.
Source:
Scroll.In
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
-----
Kannada
translation of Shamsul Islam’s book to be released today
February
18, 2024
The
Kriya Madhyama is launchingV.D. Savarkar: Elu Mithyegalu, a translation by
Tadagalale Surendra Rao of the work by Shamsul Islam on Sunday.
Writer
Meenakshi Bali will release the book and speak about it. Thereafter, there will
be a seminar on “Theocracy and Secular Democracy”, in which Dr. Islam, B.K.
Hariprasad, and K. Prakash will take part.
Source:
Www.Thehindu.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
‘Terror
ties’, Skype call: How man loses Rs 56 lakh
Feb
18, 2024
GURGAON:
A sales manager with a private firm has alleged he was forced to pay Rs 56 lakh
to cyber goons who identified themselves as officials of FedEx and the Mumbai
crime branch, and claimed that the victim had a package delivered in his name
from Taiwan that contained drugs.
On
the morning of Feb 11, Sector 51 resident Devraj Mitra received a call that
informed him that a consignment booked using his Aadhaar card had been stopped
by the Customs at Mumbai airport. The caller, who said he was from the
"Andheri branch of FedEx", told Mitra the package had some passports,
credit cards, laptops and a packet of narcotics.
The
caller directed Mitra to an "ASI" from the Mumbai crime branch, who
said the sales manager needed to be probed for his links with the Mumbai
underworld. Later in the day, a man who identified himself as the investigating
officer reached out to Mitra on Skype and asked for his original Aadhaar card
details and a photo.
Since
it was Sunday, the cop on Skype asked Mitra not to leave his room or switch off
the laptop screen until "the DCP" spoke to him the next day. The
victim, meanwhile, received a text message saying his case was being forwarded
to the "CBI finance department".
Mitra
was told his Aadhaar details had been used to fund terror outfits and all his
investments - from fixed deposits to mutual funds - needed to be examined.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Pakistan
Gandapur
says no to revenge politics as PTI protests poll ‘rigging’
Mohammad
Ashfaq
February
18, 2024
PESHAWAR:
As the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on Saturday staged rallies across Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa against the alleged election rigging, its nominee for the chief
minister’s office, Ali Amin Gandapur, said his party, after forming the next
government in the province with the help of its loyalist MPAs, won’t play the
politics of revenge and would rather “reform” institutions.
“Our
[PTI’s] aim will be to reform institutions, which are responsible for our witch
hunt, for the bright future of our children. Those opposed to reforms will be
punished as per the law,” he told a rally against poll “rigging” in the
provincial capital’s Gulistan Park on the Ring Road.
Holding
a picture of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, Mr Gandapur said
the PTI would form the next government in KP to provide women with all legal
and constitutional rights.
He
demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan to announce election results as
shown by Form 45 (vote count) to enable those with people’s mandate to rule the
country.
He
announced that after forming the government in the province, his party would
revive the Social Health Protection Initiative (Sehat Card) to provide people
with free healthcare.
Source:
Www.Dawn.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1815041/gandapur-says-no-to-revenge-politics-as-pti-protests-poll-rigging
-----
Govt
to raise Rs150 billion via Islamic bonds auction at PSX
By
Our Correspondent
February
18, 2024
KARACHI:
The government is set to raise Rs150 billion through the auction of one-,
three-, and five-year fixed and floating rate local currency Sukuk, or Islamic
bonds, at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on February 20.
The
auction will be held for five denominations of Sukuk: one-year discounted
Government of Pakistan Ijarah Sukuk (GIS), three-year variable rate, three-year
fixed rate, five-year variable rate, and five-year fixed rate Sukuk, according
to an auction calendar issued by the PSX.
Meezan
Bank Limited is leading the transaction as a joint financial adviser and
Shariah adviser for the issue of Sukuk, along with Dubai Islamic Bank Pakistan,
BankIslami Pakistan Limited, and Bank Alfalah Islamic.
Source:
Www.Thenews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
PTI
demands CEC, CJP resign after ‘revelations’
Ikram
Junaidi
February
18, 2024
ISLAMABAD:
While commissioner Rawalpindi’s confessional statement before the media
regarding his role in the rigging in the general elections has triggered a
debate about the transparency of elections across Pakistan, the main opposition
party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), and its allies have demanded that chief
election commissioner (CEC) and chief justice should tender their resignations.
The
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has demanded an inquiry into the allegations.
However, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has raised questions about
the mental status of commissioner Rawalpindi.
PML-N
leader Rana Sanaullah, while talking to Dunya News, said that commissioner
Rawalpindi seemed to be a psycho, and that is why he claimed that he tried to
commit suicide.
Source:
Www.Dawn.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1815110/pti-demands-cec-cjp-resign-after-revelations
-----
ECP
yet to notify results of majority of independents
Iftikhar
A. Khan
February
18, 2024
ISLAMABAD:
Even after the passage of more than a week, the Election Commission of Pakistan
(ECP) is yet to notify the victory of most of the independent candidates who
have won National Assembly (NA) seats in the general elections.
More
than 101 independent candidates — most of them backed by PTI — have won NA
seats, according to unofficial results. However, until Saturday evening, the
ECP had notified the result of only eight of them and declared the victory of
33 more through a late-night notification.
The
delay on part of the ECP to officially notify the results of a majority of the
independent candidates has raised concerns among their voters and stakeholders
amid political wrangling over numbers game for formation of government in the
Centre.
While
under the election rules, independent candidates have three days to join a
political party after official notification of their victory, the ECP has so
far notified results of 154 out of total 265 NA constituencies, where elections
took place on Feb 8. They include 41 independents.
Source:
Www.Dawn.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1815104/ecp-yet-to-notify-results-of-majority-of-independents
-----
PPP,
PML-N unable to finalise ‘give and take’ in coalition talks
Amir
Wasim
February
18, 2024
ISLAMABAD:
The talks between PPP and PML-N to devise a power-sharing formula in the
upcoming coalition government remained inconclusive, though both sides claimed
“significant progress” in the discussions.
The
third meeting between the Contact and Coordination Committees (CCCs) of the two
parties, which took place on Saturday, remained inconclusive and both decided
to meet again on Monday (tomorrow) to finalise the power-sharing formula.
A
brief announcement issued by PML-N after the meeting stated that there had been
“significant progress” in talks with both sides, stressing the need for a
“strong democratic government”.
The
PML-N was represented by Ishaq Dar, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Azam Nazeer Tarar and
Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, whereas those representing the PPP included former
Sindh chief minister Murad Ali Shah, Saeed Ghani, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nadeem
Afzal Chan and Nawab Sanaullah Zehri.
Source:
Www.Dawn.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1815115/ppp-pml-n-unable-to-finalise-give-and-take-in-coalition-talks
-----
Bushra
Bibi challenges Toshakhana verdict
Malik
Asad
February
18, 2024
ISLAMABAD:
Bushra Bibi, the spouse of former prime minister Imran Khan, has challenged her
conviction in the Toshakhana reference before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
An
accountability court convicted the husband and wife on Jan 31. They were
sentenced to 14 years imprisonment each, and a Rs1.54 billion fine was imposed.
The
conviction was based on the “false statement” of Syed Inamullah Shah, a former
comptroller in the Prime Minister’s Office, she claimed in her appeal.
Source:
Www.Dawn.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1815111/bushra-bibi-challenges-toshakhana-verdict
-----
16
suspects get post-arrest bail in Jinnah House attack case
February
18, 2024
LAHORE:
An anti-terrorism court on Saturday granted post-arrest bail to 16 suspects in
the Jinnah House attack case of May 9 riots.
Judge
Naveed Iqbal allowed the bail petitions of 16 suspects subject to furnishing
surety bonds and adjourned the hearing of over 200 other petitions till Feb 19.
The
suspects who were granted bail include Khawar Hussain Butt, Farrukh Azeem,
Zaheer Arshad, Muhammad Zeeshan, Muhammad Arshad, Saleem Ahmad, Syed Asghar
Ali, Javed Hussain, Muhammad Ramzan, Mohsin Ashiq, Umar Shahzad, and Nadeem
Abbas.
Source:
Www.Dawn.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1815021/16-suspects-get-post-arrest-bail-in-jinnah-house-attack-case
-----
Trenches
dug up outside NPC before PTI protesters’ arrival
Ikram
Junaidi
February
18, 2024
ISLAMABAD:
After Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) announced to hold a protest in Islamabad
against alleged rigging in the general elections across the country, trenches
were dug outside the National Press Club (NPC) to stop its supporters from
gathering there.
The
piece of land located in front of NPC is considered as Islamabad’s Hyde Park as
people use it to raise their voice and convey their messages to decision
makers. It is the same place which has been used by relatives of missing
persons for years.
The
decision to dig trenches at the place shocked many in the federal capital,
including civil society and even management of the NPC.
However,
a senior official of the district administration said the city administration
had nothing to do with digging of the venue. He also tried to put the
responsibility on the management of the press club.
Source:
Www.Dawn.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1815051/trenches-dug-up-outside-npc-before-pti-protesters-arrival
-----
South Asia
Deputy
PM Highlights the Crucial Role of Scholars in Shaping Public Opinion and
Strengthening the Islamic System
2024-02-17
KABUL
(BNA): Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Deputy Prime Minister in Administrative
Affairs, held a meeting with scholars from Jawzjan province.
Mawlavi
Abdul Salam Rahmani, speaking on behalf of the group, provided an update on the
social and economic situation of Jawzjan province and its local governance.
Rahmani
reported that security is fully ensured in the province, with local officials
striving to deliver necessary services and facilities to the residents. He
appealed to the leadership of the Islamic Emirate to focus on education and
training, fortify madrassas and schools, and motivate the nation’s teachers and
elites.
Source:
Www.Bakhtarnews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
UNSC
Meets on Terrorism, Islamic Emirate Responds to UN Claims
17-02-2024
Islamic
Emirate in response to the remarks of UN Security Council’s members about the
presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, said that "false"
intelligence information causes these concerns.
“Daesh
was already an ominous and active phenomenon in Afghanistan when Afghanistan
was under occupation, this phenomenon was found and grew, but the Islamic
Emirate has tried its best to defeat it,” Zabihullah Mujahid said.
Speaking
at the UNSC meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by
terrorist acts, Several UNSC members including the UN counter-terrorism chief
Vladimir Voronkov once again warned of the presence of Daesh and other terrorist
groups in Afghanistan, and their threat to international peace and security.
“In
Afghanistan, efforts by the de facto authorities have reportedly impacted the
ability of the Daesh affiliate to conduct attacks inside the country. Nevertheless, the group maintains the
intention to carry out attacks abroad. Despite this important achievement, the
risk of resurgence by Daesh remains,” he added.
Source:
Tolonews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187457
-----
The
‘inclusive’ Afghan government Afghans do not want
Obaidullah
Baheer
17
Feb 2024
On
February 18, UN Secretary-General António Guterres will host a meeting of special
envoys for Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar. The Taliban had earlier confirmed it
will be sending a delegation to the event, which will also be attended by other
Afghan political stakeholders and representatives of the Afghan civil society.
This
gathering is being held to accommodate one of the recommendations presented by
the UN Special Coordinator for Afghanistan Feridun Sinirlioğlu in his November
report (PDF) on the state of affairs in the country.
Although
the report highlighted the need to focus on confidence-building measures
between the international community and Afghan stakeholders, which would imply
identifying areas of possible cooperation that are not politically sensitive,
some difficult issues are bound to be brought up at the meeting. Prime among
them would be the matter of the formation of an inclusive government in
Afghanistan. This demand has been reiterated by regional and international
actors as one of the key preconditions for the recognition of the Taliban
government.
Source:
Aljazeera.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/2/17/the-inclusive-afghan-government-afghans-do-not-want
-----
Taliban
Refuse to Attend UN Conference on Afghanistan
By
Sarah Zaman
February
17, 2024
ISLAMABAD
— The Afghan Taliban have decided not to participate in a U.N.-sponsored
conference on Afghanistan in Qatar’s capital Doha.
U.N.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will host a two-day gathering beginning
Sunday in Doha, where member states and special envoys to Afghanistan will
discuss engagement with the Taliban.
In
a statement issued Saturday evening on social media platform X, the Afghan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs said a delegation would attend only if the Taliban
were accepted as the single official representative of Afghanistan.
Source:
Www.voanews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-refuse-to-attend-un-conference-on-afghanistan/7491900.html
-----
Jaishankar
meets Bangladesh PM Hasina & thanks her for guidance in furthering
bilateral ties
February
17, 2024
External
Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on February 17 met Bangladesh Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina here and appreciated her guidance in taking the 'India-Bangladesh
Maitri' forward.
This
is Mr. Jaishankar’s first meeting with Hasina after she returned to a record
fifth term in January. The two leaders were meeting on the sidelines of the
prestigious Munich Security Conference, in its 60th edition, which is the
world’s leading forum for debate on international security.
Source:
Www.Thehindu.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Key
US official warns India, Bangladesh of ‘increasing’ Indo-Pacific issues
By
Prashant Jha
Feb
18, 2024
US
has told Maldives it should realise China offers better deals if it knows there
is “real competition”; says India much bigger force in Indian Ocean.
Donald
Lu, US assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, has hailed Sri
Lanka as an example of the success of the administration’s Indo-Pacific
strategy in collaboration with partners such as India, but warned both Delhi
and Dhaka that the security situation born out of the Rohingya refugee crisis
and the general instability in Myanmar will worsen and continue to have
implications for neighbours.
Offering
a glimpse into Washington DC’s thinking into India’s neighbourhood, Lu also
said that he told authorities in Maldives during a recent visit that China will
be a good partner to the country only if Beijing knew and faced “real
competition” from others. He also acknowledged the Indian leadership of Indian
Ocean and the need to work in the region, pointing to the imminent discussions
between India and the US on what they can do together in littoral states in
Africa.
Lu
was speaking at a high-powered panel along with other administration officials
from the State Department, National Security Council and Pentagon to mark two
years of the Joe Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy at US Institute
of Peace (USIP), a thinktank in Washington DC, last week.
Source:
Www.Hindustantimes.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Bangladesh
bank confirms ouster of Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus
Feb
17, 2024
A
Bangladesh bank on Saturday (Feb 17) confirmed that it had expelled Nobel peace
laureate Muhammad Yunus from the two businesses that he founded, following his
conviction in a criminal case.
Eighty-three-year-old
Yunus has been hailed for lifting millions of people out of poverty with his microlender
Grameen Bank. However, he has earned the animosity of long-time Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina, who accused him of "sucking blood" from the poor.
The
Hasina-led government propelled Yunus' resignation from the bank in the year
2011, following which he focused on running dozens of anti-poverty
organisations that he founded.
The
bank's current government-appointed chairman on Saturday (Feb 17) said that its
board had nominated new directors for at least two firms that were still under
Yunus' control.
Source:
Www.Wionews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Mideast
Iraqi
armed groups dial down U.S. attacks on request of Iran commander
February
18, 2024
A
visit by the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force to Baghdad has led to a pause
in attacks on U.S. troops by Iran-aligned groups in Iraq, multiple Iranian and
Iraqi sources told Reuters, saying it was a sign Tehran wants to prevent a
broader conflict.
Esmail
Qaani met representatives of several of the armed groups in Baghdad airport on
Jan. 29, less than 48 hours after Washington blamed the groups for the killing
of three U.S. soldiers at the Tower 22 outpost in Jordan, the sources said.
Qaani,
whose predecessor was killed by a U.S. drone near the same airport four years
ago, told the factions that drawing American blood risked a heavy U.S.
response, 10 of the sources said. He said the militias should lie low, to avoid
U.S. strikes on their senior commanders, destruction of key infrastructure or
even a direct retaliation against Iran, the sources said.
While
one faction did not initially agree to Qaani’s request, most others did. The
next day, elite Iran-backed group Kataib Hezbollah announced it was suspending
attacks.
Source:
Indianexpress.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://indianexpress.com/article/world/iraq-armed-group-us-attack-iran-commander-9167608/
-----
Iran-backed
Militants Attack U.S. Army Base In Syria, Target Convoys Of Military Trucks
Feb
17, 2024
Iran-backed
militants targeted U.S. troops in the Middle East once again. Three missile
attacks were launched on the Al-Omar oil field in Syria, where U.S.-led
coalition troops are stationed. The U.S. reportedly responded to the attack by
striking Iranian-backed targets 25 kms away with surface-to-surface weapons.
The attacks come as several U.S. military trucks with reinforcements entered
Syria from Iraq recently. Watch for more details.
Source:
Www.hindustantimes.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Chikli
to 'Post': Radical Islam rampant in pro-Hamas and anti-Israel Belgium
By
MICHAEL STARR
FEBRUARY
18, 2024
Radical
Islam is running rampant in Belgium as it takes a pro-Hamas and anti-Israel
stance, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli told The Jerusalem Post on
Saturday night in response to an imam reciting a Quranic verse about warfare
and captive taking in Belgian parliament on Tuesday.
“Belgium
along with France lead the most pro-Hamas and anti-Israel line in all of
Europe, and it’s no wonder that with them radical Islam is rampant,” said
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli. “Turning their back on Israel has
been clarified as a difficult strategic mistake.”
Imam
Qari Muhammad Ansar Norani, who had been invited to an event at the Belgian
parliament by Socialist Party MP Hasan Koyuncu recited a verse that said “And
He brought down those from the People of the Book who supported the enemy
alliance from their own strongholds, and cast horror into their hearts. You
‘believers’ killed some, and took others captive.”
The
term “People of the book” is used for describing peoples of non-Islamic
Abrahamic faiths, including Jews. The verse was seen as inflammatory given the
recent October 7 massacre in which Hamas entered Israeli bases and border
towns, killed soldiers and civilians, and took many captives.
Source:
Www.Jpost.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-787471
-----
Tariq
Nassar: Ex-'haredi Muslim' changing Jerusalem through bees, placemaking
By
MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN
FEBRUARY
17, 2024
Tariq
Nassar has a bright, infectious smile and easy laugh. He’s lived in Tunisia,
Germany, and Egypt and speaks effortless English.
As
we chat at the storied American Colony Hotel in eastern Jerusalem (“where Oslo
began”) gathered around a simple coffee table with a struggling space heater,
it’s surprising to learn that this 39-year-old father of two first met a Jew
without a gun at age 17.
“Being
raised in a conservative Muslim family, you don’t see anyone but soldiers. And
my community: they don’t differentiate between Jews and the system. It is a
balagan.”
“I
come from a public school where they were like, let’s close the school and throw
stones at Jews,” Nassar recalls. “You don’t have a lot of options. If you want
an education, you must get a scholarship [to university] because my father
cannot afford it.”
Source:
Www.Jpost.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/energy-and-infrastructure/article-787092
-----
Iran
unveils new air defense weaponry amid rising regional tensions
17
February 2024,
Iran
unveiled new weaponry on Saturday, including what it said was the locally made
Arman anti-ballistic missile system and the Azarakhsh low-altitude air defense
system, the official IRNA news agency reported.
The
announcement came amid heightened tensions in the region, with Yemen’s
Iran-backed Houthi militants carrying out a string of attacks on vessels linked
to the US, UK and Israel in the Red Sea in a show of solidarity with the Gaza
Strip.
In
response to the Houthi attacks, the US has targeted sites inside Yemen, as well
as facilities of Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria. In turn, US military
bases have been attacked in Syria and Iraq. Israel has also struck Iranian
targets in Syria.
Saturday’s
unveiling ceremony of the two vehicle-mounted systems took place in the
presence of Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani.
Source:
Www.Timesofisrael.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-unveils-new-air-defense-weaponry-amid-rising-regional-tensions/
-----
Iran
unveils anti-ballistic missile, air defence systems
Feb
17, 2024
TEHRAN:
Iran has unveiled a new anti-ballistic missile system and a new low-altitude
air defence system, the country's state news agency reported on Saturday.
The
Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said that the two new systems developed by
the Iranian Defence Ministry were unveiled today in the presence of Defence
Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiani.
The
new anti-ballistic missile system has been named "Arman" which means
aspiration in English while the low-altitude air defence system has been named
"Azarakhsh" which means lightning . The newly unveiled systems will
significantly boost Iran's air defence capabilities once they are added to the
country's military fleet, Irna said.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
North America
Former
US President Carter completes one year in hospice
Feb
18, 2024
NEW
DELHI: Former US President Jimmy Carter has completed a year under hospice
care. Despite facing various health issues and the loss of his wife of 77
years, Rosalynn in November, Carter has defied expectations and continued to
spend his days at home with his family in Plains, Georgia.
The
Carter Center, in a statement to the media, expressed gratitude for the
outpouring of love and respect for the family's privacy during this time. The
family also acknowledged that Carter's decision to enter hospice care has
sparked important conversations across the country, reported AFP.
At
99 years old, Carter holds the distinction of being the longest-living
president in US history. His marriage to Rosalynn also surpasses that of any
other president, lasting 77 years compared to the 73-year marriage of George HW
Bush and Barbara Bush. Carter has faced significant health challenges in recent
years, including his battle with brain cancer in his 90s. In February 2023, it
was announced that he would spend his remaining time in hospice care.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
In
breach, US envoy taken to Fatehpur Sikri by ‘fake’ guide
Feb
18, 2024
AGRA:
In a serious security breach by officials, US ambassador to India Eric Michael
Garcetti was accompanied by an unlicenced guide during his visit to Fatehpur
Sikri in Agra on Friday. The guide, Shadab, went along with the envoy, who was
on a tour to Agra with his family.
In
a purported video recorded by a licenced guide, Shadab, a local resident, was
seen escorting Garcetti and his family in the presence of police personnel
accompanying the guests.
Superintending
archaeologist, Rajkumar Patel, on Saturday confirmed that they got information
about an unauthorised tourist guide taking VVIPs around the monument. "It
is for police to take action against such unauthorised guides. They are
responsible for VVIP security here. This matter will be investigated in
detail," Patel added.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Late-night
chai and covert flirting: why US Muslims flock to Yemeni cafes
Ahmed
Ali Akbar
17
Feb 2024
Yemeni
cafes are intergenerational gathering places where - controversially - some
young people go to check each other out
This
outrageous statement sounds like a joke. How could a coffee shop be causing strife?
But Yusuf Saleh, the manager of a Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co, is half-serious as
he hovers over a hot plate of cardamom-infused mufawaar coffee in Grand Blanc,
Michigan. He’s referring to the gossip surrounding Dearborn’s Qahwah House, a
competitor Yemeni cafe chain spreading rapidly across the United States.
Saleh
is uncomfortable with the way young Muslims congregate at Qahwah House. These
coffeehouses are notorious on the Muslim internet as places where Muslims scope
out potential mates in an alcohol-free environment, amid Arabic music, halogen
lights and tessellated art.
It’s
concerning to some Muslims, but all very tame by most Americans’ standards.
Zareena Grewal, an assistant professor of religious studies at Yale, said:
“Muslim norms [about] how women and men socialize with each other vary not only
by culture, but by subculture and generation and have always been and will
likely always be debated.” This debate goes back to the earliest days of Islam,
when, she said: “The gender norms of Medina were far more relaxed than those of
Muslims in Mecca, and this led to debates between the two communities.” For
instance, people agree that young Muslims should marry, but they don’t agree on
what’s acceptable on the pathway to the big day.
This
particular Qamaria is located in a fairly sleepy Michigan suburb, but the scene
there is surprisingly close to those in Yemeni cafes in larger cities, where
they have quickly become a fixture of American Muslim life. There’s a
distinctly nervous energy coming from a group of young men in prayer-friendly
sweats and kufis. Of course there is; they’re sitting next to a table of
visibly Muslim women, the targets of some stealthy glances.
Qamaria,
a Yemeni coffeehouse in Chicago Ridge, Illinois. Cafes are known on the internet
as places where Muslims scope out potential mates in an alcohol-free
environment. Photograph: Mustafa Hussain/The Guardian
Source:
Theguardian.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/17/yemeni-cafes-us-muslim-dating-relationships
-----
'Biden
must end Gaza war to win Muslim votes'
Feb
18, 2024
New
York, IRNA - The mayor of Dearborn, a city in Wayne County in the US state of
Michigan has asked President Joe Biden to take necessary steps to end the Gaza
war and cut ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in order to win
the support of Arab and Muslim American voters in the 2024 election.
According
to the IRNA correspondent in New York, Abdullah Hammoud, the mayor of Dearborn
with the largest Arab-Muslim community said on Saturday local time in a
conversation with the media.
"At
this moment, the right thing is to call for a ceasefire, limit military aid and
end support for Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition as well as allow
to provide humanitarian aid through UNRWA," Hammoud, who previously served
in the Michigan House of Representatives, was quoted as saying.
Source:
En.Irna.Ir
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://en.irna.ir/news/85390006/Biden-must-end-Gaza-war-to-win-Muslim-votes-Arab-American-mayor
-----
FM:
America’s classification of Ansar Allah component on terrorist list is illegal
measure
17/February/2024
SANA'A
February 17. 2024 (Saba) - Foreign Affairs Ministry expressed its condemnation
of America's practice of double standards by what it called the classification
of the national component "Ansar Allah" on the American terrorist
list.
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a statement, a copy of which was received
by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), that this illegitimate and illegal American
action makes it lose a lot of credibility with most countries in the world.
The
statement said, "Washington is the one who practices terrorism against
many countries, the latest of which is supporting the state terrorism practiced
by the Zionist entity against Palestinian civilians in Gaza Strip, which has
claimed the lives of more than 28,000 martyrs and 68,000 injured to date, and
the Zionist entity enjoys unlimited political, military and material support
logistically by America and its allies.”
Source:
Www.Saba.Ye
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3305733.htm
-----
Arab world
The
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Congratulates Republic of Kosovo President on
Independence Day
17
Feb, 2024
Custodian
of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud has sent a cable of
congratulation to Republic of Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu on her
country's Independence Day.
The
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques wished the Kosovar president continued good
health and happiness, and the government and friendly people of the Republic of
Kosovo steady progress and prosperity.
Source:
Alriyadhdaily.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/ba76b76845684f4e9598a1417c8ae38c
-----
Ramadan
2024 in UAE: Sharjah announces Dh136 million ‘Joud’ aid campaign
February
17, 2024
Aghaddir
Ali
Sharjah:
The Sharjah Charitable Society has unveiled its plans for ‘Joud’, this year’s
Ramadan campaign to raise Dh136 million for various assistance programmes.
Joud
means generosity in Arabic and is the name of the annual charitable drive for
Ramadan, which this year is expected to begin on March 11, with the official
start date of the holy Islamic month of fasting to be announced by the UAE’s
moon sighting committee a day in advance.
The
details for the latest Joud were announced during a press conference in Sharjah
recently under the patronage of Sheikh Saqr bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Chairman of
the Board of Directors of Sharjah Charitable Society, and chairman of the High
Committee for the Ramadan Campaign.
Source:
Gulfnews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Prophet's
Mosque in Saudi Araba maintains over 25,000 carpets daily
February
17, 2024
Dubai:
The General Authority for the Care of the Grand Mosque and Prophet's Mosque
ensures daily maintenance of over 25,000 carpets to preserve their sanctity.
This
meticulous process preserves the dignity and cleanliness of these revered
textiles through thorough cleaning, sterilisation, and fragrancing to maintain
their pristine condition.
Committed
to offering comfort and tranquility, the Authority diligently upholds the
sanctity of the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon
him), fostering an ideal prayer environment for worshippers and visitors alike.
Source:
Gulfnews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Saudi
Arabia’s AlUla airport welcomes first direct flight from Jordan
ARAB
NEWS
February
17, 2024
RIYADH:
AlUla International Airport received its first Royal Jordanian Airlines flight
on Saturday, with the opening of a new direct route from Amman.
Unlocking
AlUla: Your journey begins!” the national carrier said on X. “We are expanding
our route network by adding AlUla as the fifth destination in Saudi Arabia with
two weekly flights.”
The
launch of the new route from Queen Alia International Airport reflects the
growing interest in AlUla, which boasts a rich heritage, diverse nature and hosts
various events throughout the year.
Source:
Arabnews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2461886/saudi-arabia
-----
Snow
creates winter wonderland at Tabuk mountains
NADA
HAMEED
February
17, 2024
JEDDAH:
Snow fell on Jabal Al-Lawz mountain in Tabuk for a second this month on Friday
night, as temperatures dipped significantly.
The
peak, whose name translates as “mountain of almonds,” is located in northwest
Saudi Arabia and rises to 2,580 meters above sea level. While the snow
delighted locals and visitors, its arrival was two months later than last year
due to the generally warmer weather.
The
National Center for Meteorology attributed the higher temperatures to the
absence of moist southern winds in northern parts of the Kingdom.
Source:
Arabnews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2461716/saudi-arabia
-----
Academy
launches second Arabic language program for non-native speakers
HEBSHI
ALSHAMMARI
February
17, 2024
RIYADH:
The King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language has begun accepting
applications for its second study program for non-native speakers at the Abjad
Center in Riyadh.
The
program supports the goals of the Human Capability Development Program under
Saudi Vision 2030 and underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to promoting the
Arabic language and culture.
The
program comprises four levels, each of which runs for two months, totaling 160
educational hours. Students are expected to gain a working knowledge of
grammar, vocabulary, sounds and spelling for both reading and writing. The
classes start on Sept. 1.
Source:
Arabnews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2461811/saudi-arabia
-----
Southeast Asia
Islamic
affairs minister says govt to resolve discrepancies between Federal
Constitution and Shariah laws in states by end 2024
By
R. Loheswar
18
Feb 2024
KUALA
LUMPUR, Feb 18 — Islamic Affairs Minister Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar today
promised that the federal government will iron out the wrinkles concerning
Shariah criminal laws in the next eight months, following the Federal Court
decision last week.
He
said Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor — who chairs the National Council
of Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) — wants recommendations concerning the
Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment and possible methods of expanding the
competencies of the State Legislative Assembly to enact Syariah criminal laws
within the framework set by the Federal Constitution by the end of this year.
Na’im
said the sultan told the Special Committee Studying Issues Related to the
Competence of the State Legislative Assemblies to Enact Islamic Laws and its
chairman, former chief justice, Tun Zaki Azmi to do so within this year.
“The
Selangor Sultan mandated the committee and Tun Zaki to finalise everything
within a year but I’ve got a commitment to complete the undertaking in not more
than eight months,” he told reporters at the Federal Territory Islamic
Religious Council (MAIWP) carnival in Taman Tasik Titiwangsa.
Source:
Www.Malaymail.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Kampong
Gelam to hold its largest & longest-running Ramadan bazaar from Mar. 2 -
Apr. 5, 2024
Winnie
Li
February
18, 2024
The
annual Ramadan bazaar at Kampong Glam will make a return to the heritage precinct
for 34 days this year, from Mar. 2 to Apr. 5, and operate from 2pm to 11pm
daily.
Together
with its extended duration, this number of stalls will make the upcoming bazaar
by far the largest and longest-running iteration of the event in its history.
Besides
food trucks and vendors like Broti and Kream, visitors to this year's Ramadan
bazaar at Kampong Glam can expect to see live cooking shows and performances by
Singaporean and Malaysian artistes, including Taufik Batisah, Tomok, and Alif
Satar.
Source:
Mothership.Sg
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://mothership.sg/2024/02/kampong-glam-ramadan-bazaar/
-----
RUU355
expected to be tabled later this year, says religious affairs minister Mohd
Na’im
18
Feb 2024
KUALA
LUMPUR, Feb 18 — The engagement sessions for the proposed amendment of the
Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (RUU 355) are about to be
concluded, with the forthcoming report scheduled for presentation to the
Cabinet before its anticipated tabling in Parliament later this year.
Minister
in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr. Mohd Na’im
Mokhtar said the engagement session is being conducted by the Legal Division of
the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim).
“All
the states including the state Islamic Religious Councils, the state Syariah
Courts, and the state Islamic Religious Departments were invited to participate
in the engagement sessions.
Source:
Www.Malaymail.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
PM
Anwar wants FT Islamic Council to coordinate zakat aid with other agencies
18
Feb 2024
KUALA
LUMPUR, Feb 18 — The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP)
needs to coordinate the distribution of zakat aid with other agencies to ensure
that the funds reach those who are truly in need.
Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that if there is no coordination, there
will be a family that will receive help several times while another family will
not receive any assistance at all.
“One
of MAIWP’s tasks is to coordinate with other agencies, otherwise one family
will get four times (of aid), and another family will not receive any
assistance at all... hence, I hope this will be managed properly.
“The
minister, deputy minister and chairman, their jobs are not just to continue
these activities but to ensure that every sen from the people returns to the
people and cannot be used for personal matter,” he said when officiating the
2024 MAIWP Carnival at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa today.
Source:
Www.Malaymail.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Disbanded
National Revenue Recovery Enforcement Team should have been institutionalised,
says former MACC chief
By
Soo Wern Jun
18
Feb 2024
KUALA
LUMPUR, Feb 18 — The National Revenue Recovery Enforcement Team (NRRET) that
was established back in 2013 should have been institutionalised at the time,
according to a former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief.
Tan
Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad, the MACC’s third chief who served August 2016 to May 2018,
the NRRET was useful in getting various agencies together because some were
working in silos.
“I
led this special task force. When the attorney general changed to Tan Sri
Apandi Ali, he wanted to rebrand it and it became NRRET, so that’s when it was
founded,” Dzulkifli told Mingguan Malaysia in an interview published today.
Source:
Www.Malaymail.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Former
GM of govt subsidiary in Melaka says he is not the person charged in court for
abuse of power
18
Feb 2024
MELAKA,
Feb 18 — The former general manager of Panorama Melaka Sdn Bhd, Datuk Abu Bakar
Abdul, denied that he was the individual charged in the Ayer Keroh Sessions
Court on Friday (Feb 16), on a charge of abuse of power.
He
said that, because he shares a similar name with the accused in the case, there
may be some confusion after the news was published on Friday.
According
to him, he served the state government’s subsidiary from April 8, 2020, until
Jan 31, 2023, while the case in the court was based on an incident which
occurred in 2018.
Source:
Www.Malaymail.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Europe
Keir
Starmer is on the brink of losing Muslim voters for good
February
17, 2024
This
month, I’ve found myself wondering if Sir Keir Starmer stares wistfully into
his morning brew, questioning whether his path to becoming prime minister is a
sure thing. No doubt the recent two thumping by-election wins will help
convince him it is.
Yet
we cannot forget that the Labour leader has had quite a week – perhaps summed
up by the fact that in the Rochdale by-election on 29 February, the name of the
now disowned candidate Azhar Ali will still be appearing next to Labour’s
emblem because the ballot papers had already been printed. It has been an
almighty mess.
Whenever
I have conversations about the upcoming general election, I am hard pressed to
hear “authority” and “strength” uttered in the same breath as “Keir” and
“Starmer”.
A
poll earlier this week showed that Labour’s lead over the Tories has fallen to
its lowest level since last June, and while it is just one poll, I can quite
believe that support for Labour is waning. Starmer has flip-flopped through a
series of U-turns and damaging blunders. He has raised the rightful ire of many
Muslim voters following his disastrous comments on LBC in October when he
stated that Israel has a right to cut off water and electricity in Gaza.
He
backtracked, sort of clarified, and then dithered, initially refusing to call
for an immediate ceasefire. Now, though, he is finally calling for a “sustainable
ceasefire,” whatever that actually means in practice. His confused messaging
was not what I expected of an opposition Labour leader. There has been little
robustness on policy or even the kind of rebellious clout we would
traditionally see in the Labour camp. Starmer’s refusal to heed the concerns of
over 250 Muslim Labour councillors and dozens of MPs who demanded he call for a
ceasefire in Gaza – resulting in 29 councillors resigning – left his loyal
colleagues feeling ignored, angry, and betrayed, as well as voters like me.
Source:
Inews.co.uk
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://inews.co.uk/opinion/keir-starmer-losing-muslim-voters-2905991?ITO=newsnow
-----
Italian
town in turmoil after far-right mayor bans Muslim prayers
18
February 2024
Giorgia
Meloni
The
envelope containing two partially burned pages of the Qur’an came as a shock.
Until then, Muslim residents in the Adriatic port town of Monfalcone had lived
relatively peacefully for more than 20 years.
Addressed
to the Darus Salaam Muslim cultural association on Via Duca d’Aosta, the
envelope was received soon after Monfalcone’s far-right mayor, Anna Maria
Cisint, banned prayers on the premises.
“It
was hurtful, a serious insult we never expected,” said Bou Konate, the
association’s president. “But it was not a coincidence. The letter was a
threat, generated by a campaign of hate that has stoked toxicity.”
Monfalcone’s
population recently passed 30,000. Such a positive demographic trend would
ordinarily spell good news in a country grappling with a rapidly declining
birthrate, but in Monfalcone, where Cisint has been nurturing an anti-Islam
agenda since winning her first mandate in 2016, the rise has not been welcomed.
Source:
Uk.News.yahoo.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/italian-town-turmoil-far-mayor-080039464.html
-----
Starmer
sidesteps energy row in ‘new Britain’ pledge
February
18, 2024
Energy
leaders may be disappointed if they expect Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to
address their concerns over his party’s u-turn on previous commitments to the
region.
Sir
Keir will speak at today’s closing session of the Scottish party conference in
Glasgow but there has been no indication that he will respond directly to
accusations of betraying the north east and the oil and gas sector.
More
than 800 industry leaders and trade groups, including Sir Ian Wood, Martin
Gilbert and the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, last week signed a
letter protesting at Sir Keir’s plan for a higher windfall levy and to oppose
new exploration. Offshore Energies UK has called for urgent talks with the
Labour leadership.
Today
Sir Keir Starmer, will focus on telling delegates that Scotland can be the
“beating heart of a new Britain” with his government in Downing Street.
Source:
Dailybusinessgroup.Co.Uk
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://dailybusinessgroup.co.uk/2024/02/starmer-sidesteps-energy-row-in-new-britain-pledge/
-----
Britain
lets Ukrainian refugees stay for another 18 months
Feb
18, 2024
LONDON:
Britain will give an additional 18-month extension for Ukrainian visa holders
who are eligible to stay in the United Kingdom, the Home Office said on Sunday.
From
early 2025, hundreds of thousands of refugees who fled Ukraine following
Russia's invasion will be able to apply to stay in Britain and continue to have
rights to access work, healthcare and education, the government said.
"This
new visa extension scheme provides certainty and reassurance for Ukrainians in
the UK on their future as this war continues, and we will continue to provide a
safe haven for those fleeing the conflict," migration minister Tom
Pursglove said in a statement.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Indian-origin
man jailed for life over 30-year-old UK murder
Feb
18, 2024
LONDON:
An Indian-origin man has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a court here
for murdering a woman 30 years ago after he was connected to the brutal killing
through his strand of hair found at the crime scene. Sandip Patel, 51, was
found guilty of the murder of Marina Koppel by stabbing her at least 140 times
at her flat in the Westminster area of London in 1994 and sentenced at the Old
Bailey court in the city on Friday.
The
Metropolitan Police said innovative work by its forensics team on his hair
found on a ring worn by Koppel finally brought Patel to justice all these years
later.
"This
was a great team effort with the forensic scientists, fingerprint experts, the
forensic manager and the investigating team all playing their part in solving
Marina's murder," said Dan Chester, Operational Forensic Manager and the
Met Police's Forensic Lead for Cold Case Homicide Investigations.
"Forensic
techniques and technologies are constantly evolving, and the police will
continue to review serious unsolved cases and, where possible, pursue new
opportunities to enable both the prosecution of those responsible and to
exonerate the innocent. This includes cases specifically related to violence
against women," he said.
Marina,
who was 39 at the time of her death, lived and worked in her flat during the
week and spent time with her husband in Northampton during the weekend. It was
an unconventional relationship as Marina worked as a masseuse and occasional
sex worker, but the two were happily married, the court heard. She was
described as a loving mother and worked hard to send money home to her family
in Columbia, including her two children who were being cared for by her family
there.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Africa
Kano
Residents Bemoan Soaring Foodstuff Prices As Ramadan Approaches
February
18, 2024
By:Abdullahi
Yusuf
February
18, (THEWILL) – As the month of Ramadan fast approaches, many residents of Kano
metropolis have expressed concern over the soaring prices of foodstuff in the
market.
During
the Holy period, the Kano Muslim faithful largely consume foodstuffs such as
rice, pasta, noodles, millet, sugar, fruits and vegetables.
However,
prices of these food items have soared, making them unaffordable to many, if
not most of the faithful, ahead of the commencement of the Ramadan fast.
Some
of them interviewed by our Correspondent expressed delight that Ramadan, “the
month of salvation and Allah’s blessings, is fast approaching,” but expressed
concern about the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.
“I
am happy, as usual, that Ramadan is coming because it is the month of
salvation. I am, however, disturbed by the prohibitive prices of the
foodstuffs, which I and my family will consume during the Holy month.
“The
prices of rice, sugar and noodles, for example, multiplied severally this year
to the point that many of us can hardly afford them during the fasting period,”
said Malam Garba Dahiru.
Another
faithful, Sadiq Hambali, particularly bemoaned the high prices of rice, millet
and sugar, which he said have been traumatising him as the fasting period approaches.
“For
example, with sugar selling at more than N4,000 per measure, rice costing more
than N3,000 per measure, and millet being sold at N1,500 per slot, how do they
want us to feed during the Ramadan period?”, Hambali queried.
Source:
Thewillnews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://thewillnews.com/kano-residents-bemoan-soaring-foodstuff-prices-as-ramadan-approaches/
-----
Confusion
over Tinubu’s N24bn FX subsidy approval for Muslim pilgrimage amid hardship
February
18, 2024
By
Ogaga Ariemu
There
is confusion as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu allegedly approves the release of
N24,143 billion as a subsidy for the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria,
NAHCON, to settle foreign exchange differential for intending Muslim pilgrims.
In
a trending document dated October 19 2023, the Office of Vice President, Kasim
Shettima had allegedly conveyed the approval of N24,143 billion being the
differential that occurred in the FX exchange rate midway through the hajj
exercise, which affected payment to air carriers.
Also,
in a follow-up letter dated December 11 2023, the Minister of Finance, Olawale
Edun, had allegedly said that the Office of the Accountant General of the
Federation recommended for the approved funds, ‘to be sourced from 15 percent
wheat grain levy pool account no 0020258341106’.
Source:
Thewillnews.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Chief
Imam drags Soun of Ogbomoso, Council to court over alleged plan to sack him
By
Musliudeen Adebayo
February
18, 2024
The
Chief Imam of Ogbomoso, Taliat Yunus Olusina Ayilara has dragged the Soun of
Ogbomoso land, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye and the Soun In- Council to court over
plans to remove him from the office.
DAILY
POST reports that the Chief Imam was installed in November 2021 during the
reign of the immediate past Soun of Ogbomoso land, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi while the
new Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye was installed by the kingmakers
led by the Are Ago of Ogbomoso, High Chief Sobalaje Otolorin in September 2023.
Ayilara,
who is the 13th Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land in the affidavit in support of the
motion on notice sworn to at the High Court Registry, Ogbomoso, on February 12,
said he was appointed by the Surah committee of the Muslim Community in
Ogbomoso land.
In
the documents obtained by DAILY POST on Saturday, Ayilara insisted that the
defendants were appointed to rule under the laws and customs of Ogbomoso to the
traditional titles they hold and have no power to remove him from office.
He
added that the Central Mosque in Ogbomoso land and other mosques and the
administration of the mosques is the responsibility of the Muslim community,
headed by the Chief Imam.
Source:
Dailypost.Ng
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Benue
Govt, Miyetti Allah to form joint Anti-Open Grazing Law Enforcement Committee
FEBRUARY
17, 2024
Benue
State Government and the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders
Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) Benue State chapter, on Friday, agreed to
constitute a committee with membership drawn from the host communities and
herders for the enforcement of the anti-open grazing law and ensure its total
compliance amongst all herders in the State.
The
State Government and the herders agreed to unite and chase foreign herdsmen
from Benue, describing the large influx of cattle into the state as worrisome
and disturbing.
Addressing
the participants at the security dialogue between the leadership of Myietti
Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and the Benue Government with
other stakeholders, the Chairman, of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association
of Nigeria, Benue State chapter, Ardo Mohammed Risku, maintained the committee
members would be able to identify who is responsible anytime there is a break
down of the law in the State
The
Chairman however stressed that “there must be sincerity by all stakeholders as
it concerns ranching, saying that anti-open grazing law must not be targeted at
only Fulani herdsman”.
Source:
Authorityngr.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
Why
Time Matters When Proscribing Terrorist Groups
Kodili
Henry Chukwuma
Feb
17 2024
Until
recently, the proscription of terrorist groups by state governments has been
sparsely discussed as an important tool for fighting terrorism in International
Security and related fields. Much of the focus on counterterrorism is usually
directed towards traditional approaches such as policing, military force, and
anti-terrorism legislation. Proscription, or powers of proscription, refer to a
series of legal instruments which permit states or other authoritative bodies
to ban the presence of, or support for, an identified terrorist organisation.
This act of banning seeks to disassociate them from the rest of society.
Moreover, debates around proscription frequently focus on the actors of
proscription and their targets, or on proscription power and its various
implications for democratic societies. Such perspectives, however, reinforces
well-known binaries that are often encountered in the broader debate about
terrorism (self/other, state/non-state, proscriber/proscribed), and does not
fully illustrate the
In
2013, the Nigerian government elaborated an executive proscription order which
outlawed Boko Haram as part of its wider counter-terrorism efforts, making Boko
Haram an illegal entity and delegitimising its activities. Boko Haram has
indeed carried out several deadly attacks primarily in the north-east of
Nigeria since 2009. The group is responsible for thousands of deaths in Nigeria
and other surrounding countries in the Lake Chad. However, the executive
proscription order came after a series of important events, interventions, and
inactions, including the arrest and detention of terrorist suspects – according
to the anti-terrorism law in Nigeria – from 2009. This temporal aspect of
proscription, as I show below, contribute immensely to the definition and
contestation of proscription in criminal prosecution, and highlight crucial
limitations within Nigeria’s broader counter-terrorism strategy.
Source:
Www.e-ir.info
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.e-ir.info/2024/02/17/why-time-matters-when-proscribing-terrorist-groups/
------
Navigating
Justice in Nigeria: The Complexities of Prosecuting Boko Haram
Hadeel
Hashem
18
Feb 2024
In
the heart of Nigeria, a battle wages not just on the field but within the
confines of courtroom walls and the corridors of power. At the center of this
struggle is Boko Haram, a group synonymous with terror in the West African
nation since its insurgency began in 2009. The Nigerian government's response,
a blend of military action and legal strategy, includes the proscription of
terrorist groups. Yet, as the nation grapples with the aftermath of
violence—over 100,000 lives lost, millions displaced, and communities
shattered—the question of how to deal with captured militants remains fraught
with complexity and controversy.
The
proscription of terrorist organizations like Boko Haram is a critical tool in
Nigeria's counterterrorism arsenal. This legal maneuver not only bans the
group's activities but also gives the state power to prosecute anyone
affiliated with the organization. However, the path to prosecuting terrorist
suspects is tangled in a web of challenges. The time-sensitive nature of
terrorism trials, compounded by the need for meticulous evidence gathering,
often clashes with the reality of an overloaded and under-resourced judicial
system. This friction points to a broader dilemma: how to balance the scales of
justice swiftly yet fairly in the shadow of terror.
The
Nigerian government has embarked on de-radicalization and reintegration
programs for former militants, aiming to quell the insurgency by transforming
perpetrators into productive citizens. This approach, however, raises
contentious debates. Critics argue that such efforts might be naively
optimistic, overlooking the potential for recidivism among those who have
orchestrated or participated in heinous crimes. The scale of
atrocities—massacres, kidnappings, and the destruction of entire
villages—demands a justice system that prioritizes punishment and deterrence,
alongside providing closure for victims. Yet, with convictions scarce and the
release of rehabilitated terrorists stirring fear in affected communities, the
efficacy and morality of de-radicalization initiatives remain under intense
scrutiny.
Source:
Bnnbreaking.Com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
-----
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/karnataka-bjp-minister-muslims-budget/d/131748