Karnataka Bans Film 'Hamare Barah' On Plea from Muslim Outfits for Fear of Spreading Hatred Between Religions and Castes
New Age Islam News Bureau
08 Jun 2024
Karnataka government has banned the movie
Hamare Baraah for two weeks.
-----------
·
Karnataka Bans Film Hamare Barah On Plea from
Muslim Outfits for Fear of Hatred Between Religions and Castes
·
Amnesty International Condemns Flogging of 63 People,
Including 15 Women, by Taliban in Sar-e-Pol as Inhumane
·
Boko Haram Militants Launch Fresh Attack, Kill
20, Behead 10 Youths in Niger
·
Muslim Groups to Political Parties in Canada: Stamp
Out Islamophobiaand Do Not Paint Criticism of Israel as anti-Semitic
·
Suppression of Pro-Palestine Voices ‘Witch Hunt
to Remove Muslims from Public Life’: UK Academics
India
·
Reservations for Muslims Is Social Justice and
Not Appeasement, Says BJP Ally TDP
·
Did Muslim Appeasement Efforts Inflict Double
Whammy To Left-Front In Kerala Lok Sabha Elections 2024?
·
Janata Dal (United) will not allow anti-Muslim
campaigns while in power with BJP: KC Tyagi
·
Maratha Muslim Sangh sure of minority backing
for Sena UBT
--------
South Asia
·
Islamic Emirate Urges Germany Not to Deport
Afghan Migrants
·
Taliban urges Germany not to send Afghan
refugees to third country
·
Afghanistan water resources; a strategic tool
for regional cooperation
·
Minister Khairkhwa and UN Top Official Discuss
Journalists’ Status and Media Issues in Afghanistan
·
Chinese Company Secures Contract for Logistical
Services in Amu Darya Project
--------
Africa
·
Muslim Group Threatens WAEC to Sanction
Supervisor for Ordering Students to Remove Hijab
·
“Abuse of Court Process” – Ondo State Faults
FG’s Suit on Local Government Autonomy
·
UN condemns attack in Sudan by RSF
paramilitaries that left at least 100 dead
·
Sudan: RSF kills at least 100 in attack on
village - activists say
·
Emirate Tussle: Court Reserves Judgement in
Bayero’s Fundamental Rights’ Suit
-----
North America
·
CAIR-NY Welcomes Hate Crime Probe into
Vandalism of Brooklyn Mosque
·
Exploring Minnesota Mosque Dar Al-Farooq's
Connections to Pandemic Relief Fraud Case
·
CAIR-Chicago Condemns Threats Against Muslim-Owned
Business ‘Naaz Studios’
·
Readout of the Justice Department’s Civil
Rights Division's Meeting with Muslim, Arab, Sikh,
·
Among USF Gaza protesters: a past supporter of
Palestinian Islamic Jihad
·
Tehran: ‘Bahrain sent message to Iran through
Russia to normalize relations’
·
US pro-Gaza campus protests double down despite
summer break, crackdown
--------
Mideast
·
Israel Says Strike On UN Gaza School Killed 17
Militants
·
Iranian Sunni Leader Suggests Power Centralized
'Elsewhere'
·
US federal appeals court upholds 2022
conviction of Islamic State ‘Beatle’
·
30,000 people perform Friday Prayers at Al-Aqsa
Mosque
·
Kuwait calls on IAEA to safeguard Israeli
occupation nuclear facilities
·
UAE floating hospital in Al-Arish holds
entertainment activities for Gaza children
·
UN will declare that both Israel and Hamas are
violating children’s rights in armed conflict
--------
Arab World
·
Beneficiaries Cite ‘Guests of God’ Program for
Hajj as Best Evidence of Care For Muslims
·
Saudi climate envoy takes part in Ocean Action
event in Costa Rica
·
Makkah deputy governor receives arriving
Indonesian pilgrims as he inspects Hajj services at Jeddah international
airport
·
Saudi aid agency distributes thousands of bread
packs in Lebanon
·
How Saudi Arabia is building a sustainable
agricultural sector through innovation
·
Grand mufti of Saudi Arabia warns against Hajj
without permit
--------
Europe
·
Reform Leader Nigel Farage Pressed On His
Claims About Young Muslims and British Values
·
Two Georgian Citizens Detained for Links to
Terrorist ‘Islamic State’
·
Huge new mosque in Cardiff to go ahead despite
fears of traffic gridlock
·
Galloway: The Muslim Vote was wrong to endorse
Labour MPs
·
Festival Celebrating Muslim Arts and Culture
Makes Call for Local Artists
·
Russian deputy minister slams ‘gay nationalism’
--------
Southeast Asia
·
Media freedom guaranteed, but don’t use it to
divide country - Anwar
·
Govt ready to adopt BIM for development
projects - PM Anwar
·
Man Gets 4 Years’ Jail, Two Strokes Of Cane For
Sexually Assaulting Teen Stepdaughter
·
UN chief condemns escalating violence and
civilian attacks in Myanmar
·
International Peace Youth Group organises peace
walk at Unimas Kuching
·
Malaysia, China agree to deepen national
security framwork proposal
--------
Pakistan
·
Paigham-e-Pakistan Conference Held in Quetta to
Disseminate Peace Message
·
Imran admits to approving ‘1971 tweet’, not
video
·
20 more injured, 45 held as Chaman remains
restive
·
CTD official martyred, militant killed in
Lakki, Bannu
·
Chief election commissioner blames top
judiciary for electoral complications
·
X post probe: PTI questions FIA's jurisdiction
to summon parliamentarians
·
Pakistan, China resolve to protect CPEC from
'detractors, adversaries'
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
Karnataka
Bans Film Hamare Barah On Plea from Muslim Outfits for Fear of Hatred Between
Religions and Castes
Jun 07,
2024
Karnataka
government has banned the movie Hamare Baraah for two weeks.
------------
The
State Government on Friday banned the screening of the Hindi movie Hamare
Barah, which has been released nationwide.
The
government, in a notification, said it has received representations from many
Muslim organisations requesting not to let the movie release in the state as
they said it would "create hatred between religions and castes."
The ban
is applicable for two weeks or till further order to all electronic media/
social media/ cinema theatres/ tv channels and other media, according to the
government notification.
Hamare
Barah, the latest directorial venture of Raanjhanaa-director Kamal Chandra,
explores the themes of supposed over-population in the Muslim community, at the
risk to women's health. Couched in feminist themes, the protagonist in the film
is a Muslim man who pushes his wife to keep her pregnancy despite a health
risk.
Leader
of Opposition R Ashoka slammed the government for the ban, calling it a brazen
attempt to muzzle freedom of speech and expression in the state.
"By
banning the movie, you just promoted it. A sincere thanks for that!"
senior BJP leader CN Ashwath Narayan posted on X. "We believe the High
Court will revoke this ban order soon."
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/bjp-cries-foul-as-karnataka-bans-hamare-barah-on-plea-from-muslim-outfits/articleshow/110802309.cms
--------
Amnesty
International Condemns Flogging of 63 People, Including 15 Women, by Taliban in
Sar-e-Pol as Inhumane
June 7,
2024
Image/Representative.
-----------
Amnesty
International has declared that the flogging of 63 people, including 15 women,
in a stadium in Sar-e Pol is shocking, inhumane, and a violation of
international laws.
This
human rights organization, on Thursday, June 6, on its social media platform X,
called on the Taliban to immediately stop the punishment of flogging.
The
United Nations Human Rights Office also said on Wednesday, Jun 5, that corporal
punishment, such as flogging, violates human dignity and Afghanistan’s
international obligations.
The
Taliban announced on Tuesday that 63 people were flogged in public in the
central stadium of Sar-e Pol province.
The
Taliban Supreme Court stated that these individuals were accused of theft and
extramarital relations.
Meanwhile,
the situation of human rights in Afghanistan has become increasingly dire, with
severe restrictions placed on women’s education and employment.
The
Taliban’s return to power has resulted in the banning of girls from secondary
schools and universities, effectively stripping half of the population of their
right to education and future opportunities.
In
addition to educational restrictions, the suppression of human rights extends
to various aspects of daily life. The Taliban regime has imposed strict
limitations on freedom of speech, assembly, and the press, silencing dissent
and punishing those who dare to speak out against their oppressive rule.
Human
rights activists and journalists face constant threats, arbitrary arrests, and
even execution.
Violence
in Afghanistan has escalated, with public flogging, execution, and other forms
of corporal punishment becoming increasingly common. These brutal practices are
carried out in public spaces, including sports stadiums, to instill fear and
maintain control over the population.
Such
actions not only violate international human rights standards but also
perpetuate a culture of fear and repression, making it nearly impossible for
Afghan citizens to live with dignity and freedom.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/amnesty-international-condemns-flogging-of-63-in-sar-e-pol-as-inhumane/
--------
Boko
Haram Militants Launch Fresh Attack, Kill 20, Behead 10 Youths in Niger
June 7,
2024
Suspected
Boko Haram gunmen have launched a fresh attack, killing 20 people in Niger
State.
POLITICS
NIGERIA reports that the incident took place on Thursday in Bassa community
situated in Shiroro local government area of the state.
The
gunmen, numbering over 50, attacked the community in broad daylight. According
to reports, they gathered residents together before selecting 20 adults for
execution at close range.
Ten of
the victims, all young men, who refused to be recruited into the sect were
beheaded by the militants, who then forced community members to carry the
severed heads while they filmed and took photos.
“They
told us that anybody who refused to be recruited into their fold will be given
a similar treatment. They said they used the ten beheaded youths as an
example,” a source disclosed.
“They
said they had warned us that everybody should vacate the community but refused.
It’s either we joined them or we vacate the community”
This
latest massacre comes just two months after a similar attack in Allawa
community, also in Shiroro local government area, where nine people were
beheaded by Boko Haram militants.
Reacting,
Senator Alhaji Mohammed Sani Musa, who represents Niger East Senatorial
district, condemned the attack as “barbaric, heartless, and inhuman.”
There
has been no reaction from the state government or the state police command as
of press time.
Source: politicsnigeria.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://politicsnigeria.com/breaking-boko-haram-militants-launch-fresh-attack-kill-20-behead-10-youths-in-niger/
--------
Muslim
Groups to Political Parties in Canada: Stamp Out Islamophobiaand Do Not Paint
Criticism of Israel As anti-Semitic
Jun 07,
2024
Stephen
Brown, CEO, National Council of Canadian Muslims, speaks during a press
conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023. PHOTO BY
SEAN KILPATRICK /The Canadian Press
-------------
OTTAWA —
Muslim groups called on political parties to work harder to stamp out
Islamophobia in Canada on Thursday, and to not paint criticism of Israel as
antisemitic.
The
concerns centred on condemnations of pro-Palestinian rallies and advocacy since
the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
“The
response that the Muslim community in Canada, for months, has been receiving
from our elected leaders has been duplicitous,” National Council of Canadian
Muslims head Stephen Brown said Thursday.
He told
the House justice committee that it is contradictory for politicians to call
out discrimination while vilifying people for attending peaceful
pro-Palestinian protests.
“One
that says they care about our concerns, and the other that immediately turns
around and further spreads misinformation and makes deliberate attempt to
villainize an entire community as hateful and intolerant people,” he testified.
His
testimony was part of a parliamentary study into Islamophobia in Canada, which
followed a similar study of antisemitism. Police have reported an increase in
crimes targeting Jews and Muslims across Canada since the Israel-Hamas war
started last October.
Brown’s
group called on MPs to pass a motion to denounce anti-Palestinian racism and
urge that civil liberties be protected, “including the ability to critique
foreign governments.”
The
Council of Agencies Serving South Asians also said politicians have maligned
people who oppose Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip, which followed
a brutal attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.
“We have
seen Muslim communities being targeted with Islamophobia because they support
the Palestinian people and Palestinian human rights,” said Samya Hasan, head of
the Toronto-based group.
“We
can’t hide from this fact any longer, and this government needed to address
this yesterday.”
She also
decried “shocking silence” by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a press
conference last week with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who suggested immigrants
were behind shots being fired at a Jewish girls’ elementary school in Toronto.
“If
we’re going to combat Islamophobia, in all its ugly forms, it’s imperative for
this government to walk the talk first,” Hasan said.
Pro-Palestinian
protests demonstrating against Israel’s military operation against Hamas in the
Gaza Strip have attracted controversy across the country.
MPs from
several parties have raised concerns about particular rallies, including one in
which a supporter referred to a Toronto neighbourhood with a large Jewish
population as a “Zionist-infested area.”
At a
separate rally in April, someone was heard chanting “long live Oct. 7, long
live the resistance” on Parliament Hill.
Jewish
groups have denounced chants calling for Palestinians to be free “from the
river to the sea,” which they say calls for the erasure of Israel entirely.
Imran
Ahmed, the Washington-based founder of the Center for Countering Digital Hate
advocacy group argued that social-media companies need to be financially
punished for algorithms that amplify racist ideas.
Ahmed
said this would counteract an incentive for social-media firms to promote
emotive, divisive content, which draws more engagement.
“Users
are the cattle on social media; we’re the eyeballs for the real customers,
which are the advertisers,” he testified. “They feel no pressure and it’s time
to ratchet up the pressure.”
Ahmed
said hateful posts normalize attitudes that can encourage people with already
violent tendencies, and make minorities feel more vulnerable because the
content they see “makes the world seem more hateful” than it actually is.
He
called it “the illusory truth effect,” where people repeatedly exposed to an
idea are more likely to believe it is true.
“When we
are being bombarded with hate content, we end up concluding there can be no
smoke without fire, and we start to normalize hateful attitudes and conspiracy
theories and lies,” he said.
Throughout
Thursday’s testimony, witnesses referred to the 2017 attack on a Quebec City
mosque that killed six people.
Thursday
also marked the anniversary of the 2021 truck attack that killed four relatives
of a Muslim family in London, Ont.
“Muslims
in Canada are not safe from violent Islamophobia,” Brown said. “Islamophobia is
real, it has killed and will continue to kill, if this study is not taken
seriously.”
Source: ottawacitizen.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/mps-calling-out-hate-while-disparaging-israel-criticism-duplicitous-muslim-groups
--------
Suppression
of pro-Palestine voices ‘witch hunt to remove Muslims from public life’: UK
academics
07.06.2024
The
growing pressure on pro-Palestine academics and students in the UK is part of a
“wider witch hunt against Muslims” by Zionists, according to a leading British
academic.
“There
is a dramatic increase in pressure on academics and students in universities,”
David Miller, a researcher and writer on Zionism, Islamophobia and propaganda,
told Anadolu.
“This is
a campaign by the Zionists to remove especially Muslims from public life … This
is an attempt to drive Muslims out of public life because Muslims are much more
likely to raise the question of Palestine.”
Miller
also emphasized that academic censorship is “a global issue” that is not just
limited to the UK.
“In
particular we see what the Zionists want to do with academia in Palestine,
where every single university in Gaza has been destroyed, razed to the ground …
and they have selectively assassinated significant numbers of staff, including
the people in charge of these universities,” he said.
According
to the Scholars Against the War on Palestine (SAWP), a collective of academics
from around the world, Israel has bombed all 11 of Gaza’s universities since
last October, while also damaging or destroying nearly 390 schools.
Israeli
attacks have also killed at least 333 educators and academics, with more than
700 others injured, SAWP data shows.
“We see
what the Zionists want to do and we see that is the context for all of the
attacks they’ve been making over many years in the West, and in of course, the
UK,” said Miller.
Miller
narrated how he was personally affected as the University of Bristol sacked him
in 2021 for “some comments … about Zionist organizations.”
He
challenged the decision and a tribunal ruled in February this year that the
professor was wrongfully dismissed.
“So,
this is a live issue, which is having a deeper effect in the UK, in terms of
people’s jobs lost, students expelled, visas denied,” he said.
The
situation has worsened since last October and there have been “tons of
complaints” against doctors, lawyers and other professionals, he said.
“We need
to see this not just in the context of ideas about censorship, but indeed in
terms of a witch hunt against Muslims in public life, and a witch hunt against
anyone who will talk about Palestinian rights,” Miller stressed.
“It will
only get worse until and unless our society learns that you have to fight back
against this kind of thing.”
‘Attempt
to silence legitimate criticism’
Israel
has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since a Hamas attack last Oct. 7
despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.
It has
killed more than 36,700 Palestinians in Gaza and injured over 83,500 others,
most of them women and children, and stands accused of genocide at the International
Court of Justice (ICJ).
All of
this, along with the mounting censorship and pressure, has made any work for
Palestine and Palestinian liberation more important than ever before, according
to Brendan Ciaran Browne, an assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin,
Ireland’s oldest university.
“Palestine’s
always been a major area of interest and that has brought a lot of challenges,
a lot of difficulties,” he told Anadolu.
“But
it’s very much in the spotlight at the moment, and lots of people are being
attacked for their work on Palestine, lots of people are being smeared, and
there are attempts to silence people for pointing out what has clearly been
demonstrated to be a case of genocide against Palestinian people.”
Pro-Palestine
voices have always been met with accusations of antisemitism for criticizing
the state of Israel, he said.
“The
conflation of the two is deeply problematic and we have seen in the immediate
aftermath of Oct. 7, a rapid increase in the attempt to link the two together,”
said Browne.
This is
all, he asserted, part of an “attempt to silence legitimate criticism.”
“It’s an
attempt to try and get us to stop scrutinizing the actions of the Israeli
state, which as the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal
Court and lots of nation states around the world have clearly highlighted, is
acting in a way that is contrary to international law,” he said.
Source: aa.com.tr/
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/suppression-of-pro-palestine-voices-witch-hunt-to-remove-muslims-from-public-life-uk-academics/3243328
--------
India
Reservations
for Muslims Is Social Justice and Not Appeasement, Says BJP Ally TDP
Scroll
Staff
8 June
2024
The
purpose of providing reservations in education and government jobs to Muslims
in Andhra Pradesh is social justice and not appeasement, said Telugu Desam
Party leader Nara Lokesh on Friday, NDTV reported.
During
an interview with the news channel, the Telugu Desam Party leader said that
reservations for the community in the state had been in place for the last two
decades. “We stand by it,” said Lokesh, who is the son of Chief
Minister-designate N Chandrababu Naidu.
The
Telugu Desam Party along with its allies, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the
Jana Sena Party, won the Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday. Naidu is set to be
sworn in as the chief minister on June 12, NDTV reported.
The
party is also a key part of the National Democratic Alliance which is set to
form its government at the Centre. In the just-concluded general elections, the
Telugu Desam Party emerged as the single-largest party in Andhra Pradesh,
winning 16 out of the state’s 25 Lok Sabha seats.
In the
run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP
leaders repeatedly claimed that the Congress had diverted quotas meant for
backward classes toward Muslim beneficiaries. They cited the 4% reservations
for Muslims under the Other Backward Classes category in Telangana and Andhra
Pradesh as an example.
Modi and
Union home minister Amit Shah had even promised during election rallies to do
away with “religion-based reservations” if they returned to power at the
Centre.
Muslims
have had access to 4% reservations in education and government jobs under the
Other Backward Classes category in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh since 2007.
A total
of 14 states and Union territories include Muslims in their list of Other
Backward Classes, based on socio-economic indicators.
On
Friday, Lokesh said that the Telugu Desam Party would continue providing
reservations to the community in the state.
“It is a
fact that the minorities continue to suffer and that they have the lowest per
capita income,” the Telugu Desam Party leader said. “As a government, it is my
responsibility to bring them out of poverty. So whatever decisions I take are
not for appeasement, but to bring them out of poverty.”
He added
that no one could be left behind if the goal is to make the nation a developed
one. “We should do it together and there is a great opportunity to do it,” he
said. “It has been the trademark of the TDP [Telugu Desam Party] to take
everyone together.”
Lokesh
said that the party would focus on creating jobs and uplifting the marginalised
in the state.
The
results for the Lok Sabha elections showed that the BJP’s final seat tally
stood at 240, a significant fall from 2019 when it had clinched 303 seats. The
overall tally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance reached 292 seats. In
the 2019 general elections, the alliance won in 353 constituencies.
Any
party or alliance requires 272 seats in the 543-member Lower House to form a
government at the Centre.
The
Congress won 99 seats, significantly improving on its 2019 tally when it had
managed to get 52 seats. The Opposition INDIA bloc collectively bagged 232
seats.
With the
BJP failing to secure a majority on its own, it required the support of its
allies such as the Telugu Desam Party and the Janata Dal (United) to form the
government.
On
Friday, Janata Dal (United) National Spokesperson KC Tyagi also said that the
party would not allow the incoming BJP-led National Democratic Alliance
government at the Centre to propagate campaigns against Muslims and other
minority communities.
“While
we are there [in power with the BJP], no anti-Muslim, anti-minority campaign
will be run,” Tyagi said, boasting of his party’s credibility among Muslims.
Source: scroll.in
Please click the following URL to read
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https://scroll.in/latest/1068997/andhra-pradesh-reservations-for-muslims-is-social-justice-and-not-appeasement-says-tdp
--------
Did
Muslim Appeasement Efforts Inflict Double Whammy ToLeft-Front In Kerala Lok
Sabha Elections 2024?
07 June
2024
Arjun
Raghunath
Thiruvananthapuram:
Even as the CPI(M) in Kerala made all out efforts to woo the Muslim vote banks
in the state by highlighting issues like CAA, it not only failed in gaining
benefits from it but also suffered cracks in the traditional Hindu-Ezhava v...
Ezhava,
which is an OBC community, is the largest Hindu community in Kerala and used to
be considered as pro-left.
As per
the assembly segment-wise analysis of votes polled in the Lok Sabha elections,
the BJP secured majority in 18 seats, of which 11 were won by the Left-front in
2021 assembly elections. At Nemom in Thiruvananthapuram, which was the maiden
seat w...
With
regard to the Muslim vote banks, the Congress-led UDF got an upper hand in the
Muslim dominated north Kerala seats like Malappuram and Ponnani. Vote share of
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which is a coalition partner of Congress,
went up fr...
Vellappally
Natesan, who is the general secretary of Ezhava community body Sree Narayana
Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), said on Friday that the Ezhava and other
backward communities were not getting justice from the Left-front. "The
left-front is no...
However,
political commentator M N Karassery told DH that alliance of BDJS, which is a
political party having links with SNDP, with BJP could be the reason for the
shift in Ezhava votes from the Left-front to NDA. He also said that the CPM's
efforts ...
Meanwhile,
the CPM state leadership met on Friday for the first time after the rout it
faced in the Lok Sabha polls. The party decided to review the election results
and come out with corrective measures.
Source: deccanherald.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/india/lok-sabha-elections-2024-did-muslim-appeasement-efforts-inflict-double-whammy-to-left-front-in-kerala-3057460
--------
Janata
Dal (United) will not allow anti-Muslim campaigns while in power with BJP: KC
Tyagi
The
Janata Dal (United) will not allow the incoming National Democratic Alliance
government at the Centre to propagate campaigns against Muslims and other
minority communities, the party’s National Spokesperson KC Tyagi told digital
news channel Red Mike on Friday.
The
Janata Dal (United) is a key ally in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition.
“While
we are there [in power with the BJP], no anti-Muslim, anti-minority campaign
will be run,” Tyagi said, boasting of his party’s credibility among Muslims.
Responding
to a question about whether the Janata Dal (United) would push for a more
secular approach to governance after the BJP’s vitriolic Lok Sabha campaign
targeting Muslims, Tyagi said, “The issues that were used to rake up muck in
the elections should be forgotten.”
Tyagi
said that his party’s candidate, Mujahid Alam, had placed second in the Lok
Sabha polls from the Muslim-majority Kishanganj constituency in Bihar, ahead of
the candidate fielded by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. The Congress
party’s Mohammed Jawed won from the constituency.
Tyagi
said that the Janata Dal (United) believes in “building a consensus all
communities and sects” and that, as part of the incoming Union government, it
would advocate for broader discussions on policies instead of “enforcing them
on people”.
On the matter of the Uniform Civil Code, Tyagi
said that his party was “not anti-reform” but clarified that “all stakeholders,
chief ministers, political parties and sects should be consulted to prepare a
draft” of the code.
The
Uniform Civil Code, an ideological plank of the ruling BJP, is a proposed
common set of laws governing marriage, divorce, succession and adoption for all
citizens. Currently, the personal affairs of different religious and tribal
groups – except in Uttarakhand and Goa – are based on community-specific laws,
largely derived from religious scripture.
Legal
experts have said that the code could lead to the erasure of the personal law
practices of minority communities, particularly Muslims, who constitute around
14% of India’s population, according to the 2011 census.
In May,
Union home minister Amit Shah had said that the Uniform Civil Code would be
implemented nationwide within the next five years if the BJP came to power in
the Lok Sabha polls.
Tyagi also said that the Janata Dal (United)
would support the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “One Nation, One Election” proposal.
The BJP
has been pushing for simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state
Assemblies on the grounds that holding elections every year was a burden on the
government, businesses, courts, political parties, candidates contesting
elections and civil society at large.
Tyagi
also clarified that his party opposes reservations in government jobs and
education on the basis of religion. “If reservations are granted on the basis
of religion, then the rights of socially and educationally backward Muslims
would be snatched,” he said.
Bharatiya
Janata Party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home
minister Amit Shah, had promised during elections rallies to do away with
“religion-based reservations” if they came to power in the general election.
A total
of 14 states and Union territories include Muslims in their list of Other
Backward Classes, based on socio-economic indicators. Gujarat, where Modi was
the chief minister for 12 years, also lists Muslim communities among Other
Backward Classes. In an interview to ANI two years ago, Modi had boasted about
70 Muslim castes getting reservation benefits in the state.
On
Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party won 240 Lok Sabha seats, 32 short of the
simple majority required for it to form the next government. This has left the
party dependent on its National Democratic Alliance partners, which includes
the Janata Dal (United) with 12 Lok Sabha seats.
Source: scroll.in
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Maratha
Muslim Sangh sure of minority backing for Sena UBT
Jun 7,
2024
Mumbai:
Having boosted the Shiv Sena (UBT) tally in several seats in the Lok Sabha
elections, the Muslim community is looking at the Uddhav Thackeray-led party as
an option in the upcoming assembly and civic elections as well, say community
leaders.
Muslims
began tilting towards Sena after the three parties (Congress, Shiv Sena and
NCP) formed an alliance (MVA) following the results of the 2019 assembly
elections. Uddhav Thackeray had broken away from the BJP and recast his version
of Hindutva in a non-provocative mould. The community’s support to the
“saffron” party solidified in the Lok Sabha elections when it overwhelmingly
transferred votes to all MVA candidates.
“Now
there is no hesitation among Muslims to support the Shiv Sena which is led by
Uddhavji. I have seen people openly saying they voted for the mashaal (burning
torch), our party symbol. In the coming elections of assembly and civic bodies,
the community will only increase its affinity with the party,” said Sajid K
Supariwala, a Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary. He added that soon enrolment of more
Muslims as party members and office bearers will begin.
The
Marathi Muslim Seva Sangh, an umbrella body of Maharashtrian Muslims, actively
participated in campaigns for Sena UBT candidates. “UBT Sena is now a good
option for the Muslims in the state. Just as Muslims have Akhilesh Yadav’s SP
in Uttar Pradesh, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav’s RJD in Bihar and Mamta Banerjee’s TMC
in West Bengal, they have a choice in Sena UBT in Maharashtra,” said the
Sangh’s president F M Thakur. Thakur had met Thackeray ahead of Lok Sabha polls
and campaigned extensively in the Konkan region for his candidates. Sena UBT
candidate Arvind Sawant was among those whose tally was substantially boosted
by votes from minority pockets in Mumbai South constituency. Sena UBT's Sanjay
Dina Patil and Anil Desai who won from Mumbai North East and Mumbai South
Central similarly benefited. In a pre-poll meeting held for Sawant's campaign,
senior Urdu journalist Sarfraz Arzoo had said: “Once Shiv Sena was deemed
anti-Muslim, but now the situation is the party may consider giving tickets to
some Muslims in assembly and BMC elections.” At another meeting for Sawant held
by Yusuf Abrahani, the president of Islam Gymkhana, said earlier Muslims would
not approach Sawant for their work as they voted Congress, but now they would
seek his help since they have voted for him.
It would
be interesting to see how this support pans out in the event of Congress vs
Sena UBT contests in some assembly segments in the forthcoming polls.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/maratha-muslim-sangh-sure-of-minority-backing-for-sena-ubt/articleshow/110777787.cms
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South Asia
Islamic
Emirate Urges Germany Not to Deport Afghan Migrants
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate asked Germany not to deport
Afghan migrants.
In
reaction to the deportation of Afghan migrants from Germany, the ministry urged
Germany to resolve arising challenges through consular channels.
Abdul
Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: "The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs hopes that the two countries can manage the issue
diplomatically to ensure the rights of citizens so that Afghan citizens do not
face an uncertain fate for any reason."
Following
the death of a German police officer by an Afghan citizen in Mannheim, the
German Chancellor said that Germany is negotiating with Afghanistan's
neighboring countries about implementing the deportation of Afghan migrants.
Olaf
Scholz, the German Chancellor, said: "The Ministry of Interior is striving
to facilitate the deportation of dangerous criminals to Afghanistan. This
ministry is currently negotiating with Afghanistan's neighboring countries
regarding the practical implementation of this matter. We will also no longer
tolerate the celebration of terrorist crimes."
Scholz
also said that the presence of these individuals in Germany threatens the
security and stability of the country.
The
German Chancellor added: "Germany will tighten its deportation laws to
make praise for terrorist crimes a basis for deportation after a series of
attacks that have prompted calls for a tougher stance on immigration
policy."
Military
affairs experts considered it important for migrants to adhere to the security
laws of other countries.
"Foreign
countries must also respect all immigration laws and conventions, and they
should not violate these accepted immigration laws," said Sadiq Shinwari,
a military affairs expert.
The
issue of deporting Afghans and other migrants intensified after a recent attack
in Mannheim, southwest Germany, when during a demonstration organized by an
anti-Islamic movement, an Afghan injured several people, including a police
officer, who later died from his injuries.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-189156
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Taliban
urges Germany not to send Afghan refugees to third country
June 7,
2024
The
Taliban’s Foreign Ministry on Friday, June 7, urged Germany not to send Afghan
refugees to a third country.
German
Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Thursday, June 6, that “criminals must be
deported – even if they are from Syria and Afghanistan.”
The
Taliban’s Foreign Ministry stated that it is monitoring the decision to deport
Afghan migrants from Germany.
The
ministry expressed hope that the issue of Afghan refugees would be resolved
through diplomatic channels to prevent them from being sent to a third country,
contrary to accepted international conventions.
The
Taliban also requested Germany to address the issue in light of normal consular
interactions and a reasonable mechanism based on bilateral agreements.
According
to German media reports, the country’s Interior Ministry is currently working
on a plan to deport criminal migrants.
Germany’s
decision came after a German police officer was killed by an Afghan migrant.
The
police statement said the attacker had “repeatedly struck the officer on the
head.”
German
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stressed that individuals who are “potential
threats to Germany’s security” should be expelled from the country promptly.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/taliban-urges-germany-not-to-send-afghan-refugees-to-third-country/
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Afghanistan
water resources; a strategic tool for regional cooperation
June 8,
2024
Afghanistan
is a land locked country and is characterized by a rugged mountainous
landscape. The economy of the country is based on agricultural products and
livestock. As majority of the rural population is small subsistence farmers who
live of small plots of land, management of water resources is a vital factor
for the economic growth and to meet the people’s needs for food and fiber.
Besides, the country’s water can be a strategic tool for regional cooperation.
Dr Farooq Azam, Advisor to the Ministry of Water and Energy by pointing the
importance of water resources in the country has recently told the state-run
‘Shariat’ newspaper that Almighty Allah has granted the Afghan soil with lots
of blessings, one of which is more water. “If we manage our water re sources
well, our neighbors will need us as much as we need their ports. If we manage
our water resources properly, we and our neighbors will all be prosperous.
Water can be served as a strategic tool for regional cooperation, and
Afghanistan will be at the top of the list of benefits,” Farooq Azam said.
Pointing to management of the country’s water resources, Farooq Azam said that
it was not an easy and simple work, stressing that the management of water
resources required professional assessment and hard work. He said that the
country’s ministry of water and energy has constructed 140 check dams in the
past one year and the ministry was planning to construct more check dams this
year, adding that the ministry has also worked on construction of some small
and medium dams and the work on the dams was ongoing. He further said that . A
check dam is a small dam constructed across a drainage ditch, swale, or channel
to lower the velocity of flow. Reduced runoff velocity reduces erosion and
gullying in the channel and allows sediments to settle out. Dr Farooq Azam by
pointing to challenges facing the ministry of water and energy in connection
with management of the country’s resources said economic sanctions on
Afghanistan and lack of professional cadres were two big challenges facing the
ministry of water and energy. “With the withdrawal and defeat of the US, a
large number of professional cadres have evacuated from Afghanistan, which has
been a big loss for our country. We do have professional cadres for small and
medium dams but not for big dams,” Azam said, adding that they are working to
address challenges. He said that they were working to manage the country’s
water resources as the ministry of water and energy was working and has paid
particular attention to managing the country’s water. Afghanistan has both
surface water and groundwater resources. The country’s surface water resources
can be highly seasonal, and availability can vary significantly across
Afghanistan. Water stress is moderate as approximately 55 percent of freshwater
resources are withdrawn and the annual per capita freshwater availability is
slightly high. Snowmelt during the late spring and summer is key to replenishing
water resources, particularly for major rivers in the east and northeast. Water
is scarce in the deserts and steppes throughout the south and west. The Hindu
Kush’s glaciers are melting due to rising temperature caused by climate change.
This is reducing a natural water storage mechanism that protects against
drought in the Amu Darya and Kabul River Basins. Higher evaporation rates
caused by warmer temperatures will significantly reduce water availability over
the course of the century. Afghanistan manages its surface waters through five
basins: Kabul, Helmand, Harirud-Murghab, Northern, and Amu Darya. The Hindu
Kush Mountains form the headwaters of all river basins. Most basins conclude
their flows in low-lying deserts, wetlands, or inland lakes and seas. However,
the Kabul River, which is a tributary of the Indus River, drains to the Arabian
Sea. The Kabul and Amu Darya River Basins contain 83 percent of surface water.
The Amu Darya River Basin includes several small lakes, including the Chaqmaqtin
and Zorkul in the Wakhan Corridor and Lake Shiva in the north The Amu Darya
River is one of the longest and most important rivers in Central Asia, with
Afghanistan contributing 15 percent of its totals flow. The Amu Darya River is
also vital to regional agriculture and historically sustained the Aral Sea. The
Band-e Amir Lakes are located west of Kabul in the Kabul Basin. The Helmand
River is the longest in Afghanistan and flows almost 800 miles before reaching
the Hamun Wetlands along the border with Iran. The Helmand Basin also contains
brackish lakes and wetlands, including the Nawur and Abe Istada and Gowd-I
Zerrah. The Harirud and Murghab Rivers (HarirudMurghab Basin) flow into desert
oases in Turkmenistan. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) is committed to
managing natural resources for development and self-sufficiency of the country.
The Islamic Emirate is also committed to managing the country’s water resources
and it is time to manage it as water resources management is vital for the
country’s economic growth. It is worth mentioning that a comprehensive
assessment of all incomplete dams has been already carried out in the country.
There are hopes that the remaining work on the incomplete dams will be soon
resumed under a well-thoughtout plan. Mashal Noori
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/afghanistan-water-resources-a-strategic-tool-for-regional-cooperation/
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Minister
Khairkhwa and UN Top Official Discuss Journalists’ Status and Media Issues in
Afghanistan
2024-06-07
KABUL(BNA):
In a high level meeting with Markus Potzel, the UN Deputy Special
Representative for Afghanistan, Acting Minister of Information and Culture,
Alhaj Mullah Khairullah Khairkhwa, stated that the Commission for the Review of
Media Violations and Issues is dedicated to addressing the problems and
challenges faced by journalists.
During
the meeting, both sides discussed the current situation in Afghanistan,
including the status of journalists, access to information, humanitarian aid,
the significance of continued engagement, and other pertinent issues.
Potzel
remarked that recently, the environment for journalists in Afghanistan has
become more favorable, and that journalists are now content and satisfied with
their current circumstances.
Alhaj
Mullah Khairullah Khairkhwa also mentioned that the Commission for the Review
of Media Violations and Issues thoroughly assesses the concerns and grievances
of journalists. Moreover, journalists are courteously informed about the
procedures of the Islamic Emirate through this commission.
Additionally,
he reiterated that the Islamic Emirate has fulfilled and continues to honor its
promises in the areas of reconstruction and providing facilities to the people.
As the
meeting concluded, Markus Potzel assured of the UN’s cooperation with
Afghanistan in various sectors.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/minister-khairkhwa-and-un-top-official-discuss-journalists-status-and-media-issues-in-afghanistan/
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Chinese
Company Secures Contract for Logistical Services in Amu Darya Project
2024-06-07
KABUL(BNA):
The contract opening for logistical services to transport equipment and
supplies needed for the Amu Darya project from China to the contracted areas in
Sar-e Pul province was held in the presence of Sheikh Shahabuddin Delawar,
Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum.
Initially,
the Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum spoke about the necessary equipment
for the mentioned company. He emphasized that the Amu Darya project is an
important and vital project for the people.
He also
stressed that the contractor company after winning should promptly take action
regarding the transportation of the necessary equipment for the project.
In this
process, a Chinese company won the bid by offering a suitable rate.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/chinese-company-secures-contract-for-logistical-services-in-amu-darya-project/
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Africa
Muslim
Group threatens WAEC to sanction Supervisor for ordering Students to remove
Hijab
June 7,
2024
The
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has kicked against the action of the geography
supervisor of the West African Examinations Board for forcing female Muslim
candidates to remove their hijab.
A
statement issued on Friday, 7th June, 2024 by the Founder and Executive
Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, asked WAEC authorities to sanction
the erring supervisor as a deterrent to other ignorant religious bigots like
him.
The full
statement reads:
“The
Geography Supervisor of the WAEC examination taken on Friday 31st May, 2024 at
the International School, Ibadan, infringed on Allah-given fundamental rights
of female Muslim students by forcing all of them to remove their hijabs before
entering the examination hall.
“This is
intimidation, coercion and harassment. The supervisor’s action is illegal,
illegitimate, unlawful and unconstitutional. It is also in disregard of the
rule of law and in contempt of the rulings of the courts of the land, including
the Supreme Court.
“We note
with pleasure that WAEC had issued a circular which allowed candidates to use
hijab and forbade their harassment. We therefore call upon WAEC authorities to
discipline this erring supervisor.”
“The
supervisor’s action is equally provocative and capable of causing public
disorder. We note with much concern that instead of confronting those who
violate their rights, Muslims in the South-West have been taking legal action.
What is most disturbing is that even though the courts have been ruling in
favour of the Muslims, their oppressors have always been recalcitrant and
stubbornly refusing to comply with court rulings.”
“This is
a sad narrative in the history of interreligious relationship in the
South-West. The natural concomitant followup is that very soon, Muslim leaders
in the region will leave the Muslim youths and ask them to take their destiny
in their hands since the law appears helpless. The Muslim youths will have no
choice than to defend themselves.”
“Those
who refuse to respect the rule of law will have to face the rule of chaos. They
will face the anger of oppressed Muslims who have been pushed to the wall. It
is simply impossible for Muslims in the South-West to be law-abiding if the
Christians are lawless. There is no other way to put it.”
“From
now on, examination centres and workplaces where Allah-given fundamental human
rights of Muslims are violated will be blacklisted for future peaceful
picketing. It is the next stage in the struggle to liberate Muslims from the
shackles of oppression, downpression and repression.”
Source: politicsnigeria.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://politicsnigeria.com/muslim-group-threatens-waec-to-sanction-supervisor-for-ordering-students-to-remove-hijab/
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“Abuse
of Court Process” – Ondo State Faults FG’s Suit on Local Government Autonomy
June 7,
2024
The Ondo
State government has challenged the competence of the Federal Government’s suit
filed at the Supreme Court regarding local government autonomy.
POLITICS
NIGERIA reports that the Federal Government in the suit marked: SC/CV/343/2024,
which was filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of
Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, is seeking full autonomy for all the 774 LGAs in the
country as the third tier of government.
However,
in a preliminary objection, Ondo state argues that the Attorney General of the
Federation (AGF) lacks the constitutional power to query how a state runs its
local governments or administers its funds.
The
state describes the action of the federal government as an “abuse of court
process.”
“This
suit is an affront to the principles of the rule of law, democracy, separation
of powers and true federalism as clearly outlined in the Constitution.
“This
suit constitutes a gross abuse of the process of this honourable court,” the
state said.
Ondo
State contends that only the National Assembly or the state House of Assembly
can query the administration of local governments and their funds.
The
state describes the Federal Government as a “meddlesome interloper” in local
government administration and urges the Supreme Court to decline jurisdiction
over the case.
Ondo
State argues that the Supreme Court lacks the jurisdiction to hear and
determine the case, as it was filed in violation of the Constitution and the
Supreme Court (Additional Jurisdiction) Act.
The
state also faults the averments in some paragraphs of the affidavit filed by
the plaintiff, citing a violation of the Evidence Act 2011.
The
state insists that the proper parties in any action where the original
jurisdiction of the Supreme Court is invoked are persons listed in Section
232(1) of the Constitution and Section 1(1)(a) of the Supreme Court (Additional
Jurisdiction) Act.
Source: politicsnigeria.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://politicsnigeria.com/abuse-of-court-process-ondo-state-faults-fgs-suit-on-local-government-autonomy/
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UN
condemns attack in Sudan by RSF paramilitaries that left at least 100 dead
Horrific
violence and the risk of famine continue to stalk the people of Sudan, UN
humanitarians warned on Friday (07 Jun), as they echoed condemnation by the UN
Secretary-General of an attack on a village south of Khartoum that reportedly
left more than 100 dead.
Briefing
journalists in Geneva from Port Sudan, Mohamed Refaat, the UN migration agency
(IOM)’s chief of mission in the country highlighted “truly horrifying reports
of violent attacks and casualties” in the village of Wad Al-Noura in Aj Jazirah
state on Wednesday.
The
attack was reportedly carried out by the RSF and believed to have killed over
100 people, including at least 35 children, drawing condemnation from UN chief
António Guterres and UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) head Catherine Russell.
At
another flashpoint of the conflict, in North Darfur’s capital El Fasher in
Sudan’s west, some 800,000 civilians are still in danger amid intensified
fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the rival Rapid Support
Forces (RSF).
The location
is “inaccessible” to the UN either cross-live or cross-border, Mr. Refaat said.
He called for all parties to facilitate unimpeded aid access to the area
“through all available routes” and stressed that the prices of water and fuel
there have “skyrocketed”, making essentials unaffordable.
Internal
displacement in Sudan since the start of the conflict on 15 April 2023 has
almost reached the 10 million mark, IOM’s Mr. Refaat noted, with food
insecurity an increasing factor in people’s decision to flee. Some 18 million
people in the country are acutely hungry while 3.6 million children are acutely
malnourished.
In
addition to the internally displaced, over two million people have fled across
Sudan’s borders into neighbouring countries, mainly Chad, South Sudan and
Egypt, “often arriving in extremely vulnerable conditions and highly
traumatized”, Mr. Refaat stressed.
The IOM
spokesperson also warned of a threefold increase recorded by IOM last year “in
Sudanese taking dangerous, irregular migration corridors into Libya, Tunisia,
onward to Europe” and quoted “unconfirmed reports” of some 2,000 families
currently “stranded in hard conditions, including migrants between the borders
between Egypt, Libya and Sudan”.
Echoing
his comments, Alpha Seydi Ba, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)’s regional
spokesperson for West and Central Africa, spoke of the devastating situation in
Chad, where over 600,000 Sudanese have arrived since the start of the crisis.
“You've seen people coming on a daily basis by dozens in a very, very bad
shape, and most of them are women, children who have experienced an
unimaginable, unimaginable trauma,” he said.
Chad was
already hosting more than 400,000 Sudanese refugees before this crisis, Mr. Ba
explained, adding, “we really appreciate that… the authorities have kept their
borders open”. But responding to refugees’ basic needs such as shelter, food, access
to education for children and psychological support has become increasingly
challenging due to funding shortfalls.
UNHCR
said that the response plan for five neighbouring countries hosting those who
have fled Sudan, for a total of $1.4 billion, is only nine per cent funded. The
humanitarian response inside Sudan remains only 16 per cent funded.
Meanwhile,
the UN health agency WHO sounded the alarm over the dire health situation in
the country which has been further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
“The
health system in Sudan is collapsing,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier
told journalists, adding that some 65 per cent of the population lack access to
care.
“Health
care in Sudan typically relied heavily on Khartoum, where the health care system
was decimated,” Mr. Lindmeier said. “Only about 25 per cent of the medical
supplies needed are available in the country. In hard-to-reach areas, only 20
to 30 per cent of health facilities remain functional, and even so, at a
minimal level.”
The WHO
spokesperson warned of a record number of measles cases in 2023 as vaccination
rates declined due to the conflict.
“Unfortunately,
we expect 2024 to be worse,” he added.
WHO said
that cholera, malaria and dengue are also on the rise and expressed concern
over the lack of treatment for people suffering from chronic conditions such as
diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases and kidney failure.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/07/un-condemns-attack-in-sudan-by-rsf-paramilitaries-that-left-at-least-100-dead/
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Sudan:
RSF kills at least 100 in attack on village - activists say
At least
100 people were killed, and dozens were injured after the paramilitary Rapid
Support Forces attacked a village in Gezira province in Sudan on Wednesday,
officials said.
Women,
children, and elderly were among the victims in the attacks by the Rapid
Support Forces on Wad al-Noura village in Gezira, Mini Arko Minawi, the
governor of Darfur province, said on X, formerly Twitter.
A
grassroots group set up to protect residents in Wad Madani, the capital city of
Gezira, said late Wednesday on social media that the paramilitary force, which
has been fighting the Sudanese army for over a year, used heavy artillery to
besiege and attack the village.
The
Madani Resistance Committee, which has been threatened and attacked by the RSF
in the past, accused the paramilitaries of looting Wad al-Noura in the midst of
the attacks which it said started Wednesday morning.
The RSF
claimed in December that it had seized control of Wad Madani, about 100
kilometers (60 miles) southeast of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and a haven
for hundreds of thousands of people displaced by fighting.
The
resistance committee said the RSF invaded the village, displacing residents,
including women and children, to other parts of the district of al-Manaqil.
The
Sudanese transitional government in a statement on its Telegram channel
condemned the attacks and called for the international community to hold the
RSF accountable.
"These
are criminal acts that reflect the systematic behavior of these (RSF) militias
in targeting civilians, plundering their property, and forcibly displacing them
from their areas," said the media office for the Transitional Sovereignty
Council, which was set up after the ouster of longtime president Omar al-Bashir
in 2019.
The RSF
alleged on X late Wednesday that the Sudanese military planned to attack its
troops in Jabal al-Awliya, in the west of al-Manaqil district, by mobilizing
Sudanese armed forces in three bases. The Associated Press couldn't verify this
allegation.
The
paramilitary group said it attacked three camps west, north and south of Wad-al
Noura, clashing with the Sudanese army.
"Our
forces will not stand idly by in the face of any movements or gatherings by the
enemy and will work to pursue and defeat the enemy," said the RSF in its
statement.
The war
between the RSF and the Sudanese army has wrecked the country as clashes spread
across multiple cities and pushed its population to the brink of famine. More
than 14,000 people have been killed and thousands have been wounded. Hundreds
of thousands have been displaced.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/07/sudans-rsf-kills-at-least-100-in-attack-on-village-activists-say/
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Emirate
Tussle: Court Reserves Judgement In Bayero’s Fundamental Rights’ Suit
7 June
2024
The
Federal High Court in Kano has reserved judgment in a fundamental human rights
suit filed by the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, after a session marked
by intense legal debates.
The suit
presided over by Justice Simon Amobeda, seeks to prevent any infringements on
Bayero’s rights following his removal from office.
According
to Daily Trust, Bayero’s legal action specifically challenges attempts to
arrest or intimidate him.
The
defendants in the case include the Attorney General of the Federation, the
Attorney General of Kano State, and various security agencies, including the
Nigeria Police Force, DSS, and NSCDC.
During
the hearing, counsel for the second respondent, Mahmoud Abubakar Magaji, argued
that the position of an emir is a privilege rather than a right, challenging
the basis of Bayero’s application.
He
further requested the court to dismiss the suit, stating that Bayero’s removal
was conducted without the required fair hearing.
On the
other hand, Bayero’s counsel, Michael Jonathan Numa SAN, defended the
jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter, asserting that it pertains
directly to the fundamental rights of the former emir.
Numa
appealed to the court to consider the suit favourably in the interest of
justice and the stability of Kano and the broader Nigerian society.
After
listening to both sides, Justice Amobeda stated that the date for the judgment
would be communicated later. Thus, the matter is pending as both legal teams
await the court’s final decision.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/06/07/emirate-tussle-court-reserves-judgement-in-bayeros-fundamental-rights-suit/
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North America
CAIR-NY
Welcomes Hate Crime Probe into Vandalism of Brooklyn Mosque
June 7,
2024
The New
York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) today
welcomed an investigation by the NYPD into a possible bias motive in the
vandalism of a mosque in Brooklyn.
The
NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating after a man allegedly smashed a
sign in front of a Brooklyn mosque last week. At approximately 1:28 a.m. on
Wednesday, May 29, the man reportedly threw an unknown object through a sign in
front of a mosque, causing damage.
“Nationwide,
hate crimes targeting Muslim communities are on the rise and every possible
incident must be taken seriously,” said CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher.
“We thank the NYPD for launching a hate crime investigation into this
vandalism.”
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ny-welcomes-hate-crime-probe-into-vandalism-of-brooklyn-mosque/
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Exploring
Minnesota Mosque Dar Al-Farooq's Connections to Pandemic Relief Fraud Case
June 6,
2024
Defendants
and witnesses in a series of trials concerning $250 million of
"misused" federal child nutrition funds have implicated a
far-reaching network of organizations and individuals across Minnesota.
Prosecutors have so far painted a complex web of contracts, subsidies and
kickbacks involving dozens of individuals and organizations.
Now,
Islamist officials with high-level political contacts, based out of Dar
Al-Farooq Islamic Center and its subsidiaries, appear to be more closely involved
than federal prosecutors initially realized.
Seventy
people have been charged so far for their alleged role in what appears to be
the largest ever case of pandemic relief fraud. This most recent trial involves
seven defendants from Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit organization believed to
have played a pivotal role in the scheme. Any day now, the jury is expected to
reach a verdict.
Federal
prosecutors accuse the initial seven of embezzling $49 million in federal funds
by "vastly inflating the number of meals served at 50 locations across
Minnesota during the pandemic" and using federal reimbursement monies to
"buy luxury cars, houses, jewelry and property overseas — and very little
food," reports the Minnesota Reformer.
Mukhtar
Mohamed Shariff, the only defendant to testify, told the jury last week that he
is a long-standing member of the Dar Al-Farooq mosque in Bloomington. Indeed,
it was at Dar Al-Farooq that Shariff met Mahad Ibrahim, who is also indicted on
federal charges over the alleged fraud.
Four
(ostensibly fraudulent) "food sites," operated by Feeding Our Future
and its network of associated nonprofits and shell companies, were hosted at
Dar Al-Farooq. Three of the food sites were organized at the Success Academy, a
taxpayer-funded charter school based at the mosque and closely involved with
the mosque leadership. The fourth was managed on mosque grounds by the Mind
Foundry Learning Foundation, a group established by Mahad Ibrahim.
"Everybody"
at Feeding Our Future received "kickbacks," explained Hadith Ahmed, a
prosecution witness. He told the jury, as paraphrased by the Minnesota
Reformer, that "mosques made good distribution sites because they were
high-traffic areas, [and] were already nonprofits."
Ahmed
claims to have received kickbacks from Dar Al-Farooq, reports the Sahan
Journal. Although it appears the mosque did not pay Hadith directly.
Prosecutors presented a $10,000 check to Ahmed from Empire Cuisine, a
restaurant owned by one of the defendants. Empire Cuisine was the food supplier
for Dar Al-Farooq's food site organizer, Mind Foundry.
Hadith
seems to have some influence over the mosque, with the Sahan Journal reporting
that a "prosecutor presented emails in court showing that Hadith helped
Mukhtar Shariff, a defendant in the trial, change the mosque's sponsor ... to
Feeding Our Future."
Amid
this vast web of financial conspiracy, no mosque officials have yet been
charged. Notwithstanding, defense lawyers have wheeled out a steady supply of
mosque-affiliated witnesses to argue that the food sites operated by Feeding
Our Future were in fact genuine.
According
to the Minnesota Reformer, "The mosque's director, Khalid Omar, and imam,
Abdirahman Kariye, testified that they saw long lines of cars there to pick up
bags of groceries." The newspaper adds that "Abdikadir Haji, dean of
the Success Academy, a charter school within the mosque, testified" as
well.
However,
further questioning revealed that the defendant, Mukhtar Mohamed Shariff,
"has been friends" with Karyie "for over 10 years and has
traveled abroad with him extensively."
As FWI
has previously revealed, Kariye is a U.S. manager at Helping Hand for Relief
and Development, a prominent radical charity affiliated with the violent South
Asian Islamist movement Jamaat-e-Islami. In 2017, the charity partnered with a
Pakistani terrorist movement accused of involvement in the 2008 Mumbai
bombings.
FWI has
previously noted that Karyie appears to be on a government watchlist because of
his radical views, especially about women and Western society, and his ties to
extremist institutions. Kariye attended the Islamic University of Minnesota,
which appears to be a sister organization of Dar Al-Farooq, and whose
instructors express violently anti-Jewish rhetoric.
Defense
lawyers appear keen to explain away the alleged misuse of tens of millions of
taxpayer dollars as mere Islamic financing ideas combined with a cultural
"preference for doing (business) outside the gaze of the government."
The
movement of monies between this complicated network of nonprofits and
companies, as well as payments sent abroad, can perhaps be explained, defense
witness Professor Paul Martin Vaaler told the jury, through sharia's
proscription on usury, adding that Somalis avoid credit cards on the grounds
that "cash is king."
But
local Muslim congregants of Dar Al-Farooq appear to have felt differently. One
exhibit (whose admissibility has been fought by the defense), features a series
of writings to the local community, published in 2021 and signed by "EX
YOUTH OF DFC [Dar Al-Farooq]."
Its
authors accuse Dar Al-Farooq officials of trying to "silence" their
complaints of a vast fraudulent conspiracy that had "looted" the
community. They allege mosque officials have embezzled government funds,
diverted donations away from the mosque and the community, and towards a
"business center" operating "for profit."
The
business center appears to be 1701 American Blvd, a Bloomington Minnesota
address bought by Shariff and "other community leaders" for the
alleged Feeding Our Future shell company Afrique. This address has been a key
focus for prosecutors during the Feeding Our Futures trial.
Omar
appears to have been more closely involved with the Feeding Our Future network
than previously acknowledged. The Dar Al-Farooq head's name is listed as the
owner on a development application for 1701 American Blvd.
Moreover,
another organization named SAKAN, an official partner of Dar Al-Farooq and for
which Omar serves on the board, is based at that same 1701 address today.
The
"ex youth of DFC" note close collaboration between Afrique and
"UADEEG." Bill Glahn, an Adjunct Policy Fellow Center of the American
Experiment notes that UADEEG "is a brand name registered by the Al Jazari
Institute in March 2020." (The Al Jazari Institute is a seminary program
run by Dar Al-Farooq).
The
anonymous writers accuse both Mukhtar Shariff and Dar Al-Farooq director
Mohamed Omar of being the "masterminds" behind much of this.
In a
second, less clear context, the anonymous community dissenters further accuse
Omar of serving as the "main conspirator and the shot caller along with
Asad Zaman." Zaman is almost certainly the same person as the head of the
Minnesota branch of the Muslim American Society, a prominent national Islamist
organization.
Zaman
has long been involved with Dar Al-Farooq and is openly extreme. His public
posts include links to a neo-Nazi, Holocaust-denial website, which promotes
viciously anti-Semitic conspiracy theories; as well as blogs that claim that
American presidents "depend upon the votes and influence of Jews in New
York who support Israel, have always been ready to give the Israelis the
weapons to enable them pursue this evil. In effect, U.S. foreign policy is
determined by Israel."
Both
Zaman and Mohamed Omar maintain high-level political connections in the state.
In 2019,
the Middle East Forum revealed that Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota nominated
both Zaman and Dar Al-Farooq's Omar to a "taskforce on the consequences of
Islamophobia and anti-Semitism." These nominations were issued in spite of
well-reported anti-Semitism from the pair.
Meanwhile,
Bill Glahn notes that "Omar's Twitter (X) account bio ... lists him the
director of the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center and co-founder of the Muslim
Coalition of Faith in Minnesota and ISAIAH. Faith in Minnesota is ISAIAH's
501c4 "dark money" and political campaign finance operation."
Certainly,
Omar is actively involved in murky Minnesota politics. Glahn reports that while
"Omar has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the Feeding Our Future
case," "his name appears on a list of campaign donors attending a
December 20, 2021, political fundraiser for Minneapolis city council member
Jeremiah Ellison, alongside eight (8) individuals (including Shariff) who were
later indicted in the case."
Jeremiah
Ellison is the son of Attorney General Keith Ellison, who is leading state
investigations into the Feeding Our Future fraud. However, FWI notes that,
along with funding Ellison's son, Dar Al-Farooq's Mohamed Omar appears to be on
good terms with Keith Ellison as well.
The prosecution of all the seventy Feeding Our
Future officials and partners is a long way from concluding. It seems
increasingly likely, though, that further evidence will emerge of involvement
by officials of Dar Al-Farooq and its subsidiaries in this extraordinary
scandal.
Source: meforum.org
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.meforum.org/65964/exploring-minnesota-mosque-dar-al-farooq
---------
CAIR-Chicago
Condemns Threats Against Muslim-Owned Business ‘Naaz Studios’
June 7,
2024
The
Council on American-Islamic Relations, Chicago Chapter (CAIR-Chicago), strongly
condemns the reprehensible threats made against Naaz Studios, a Muslim-owned
business in our community. On June 4th, Naaz Studios received a disturbing
letter containing pro-Israel sentiments and demands to remove pro-Palestinian
signs displayed proudly in the shop’s window.
“These
threatening actions against Naaz Studios are not only an attack on a local
business but also an attack on the values of inclusivity, diversity, and
freedom of expression that we cherish in our society. It is unacceptable for
any business, including those owned by members of the Muslim community, to be
targeted in such a hateful manner,“ CAIR-Chicago Executive Director, Ahmed
Rehab said.
As an
organization dedicated to defending the civil rights of Muslims and promoting
understanding and tolerance, CAIR-Chicago stands in solidarity with Naaz
Studios and all those who have been targeted by bigotry and intimidation. We
call on law enforcement authorities to thoroughly investigate this incident and
bring the perpetrators to justice.
We urge
the community to come together in support of Naaz Studios and to reject all
forms of hate and discrimination. Now, more than ever, it is essential that we
stand united against attempts to intimidate and silence marginalized voices.
Anyone
with information about this incident is urged to contact CAIR-Chicago at (312)
212-1520 or by email at info@cairchicago.org
About
CAIR-Chicago:
The
Council on American-Islamic Relations, Chicago Chapter (CAIR-Chicago) is the
local office of America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy
organization. Its mission is to fight bigotry, protect civil rights, promote
justice, and empower American Muslims.
CONTACT:
Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR Chicago, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com;
Maggie Slavin, Operations Manager of CAIR-Chicago, 815-590-3991,
mslavin@cair.com; Hafsa Haider, Communications Coordinator of CAIR-Chicago,
561-317-7509, hhaider@cair.com
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-chicago-condemns-threats-against-muslim-owned-business-naaz-studios/
--------
Readout
of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division's Meeting with Muslim, Arab,
Sikh, South Asian and Hindu Community Stakeholders
June 7,
2024
The
Justice Department convened a quarterly interagency meeting yesterday with
Muslim, Arab, Sikh, South Asian and Hindu community stakeholders. Assistant
Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights
Division outlined relevant enforcement efforts across the Department and highlighted
actions to prevent and combat discrimination and hate crimes.
This
convening occurred at a time when hate and threats of violence against these
communities remain concerningly high, particularly since Oct. 7, 2023.
Representatives from the Civil Rights Division, FBI, Criminal Division,
Community Relations Service, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Privacy and
Civil Liberties and Office of Community Oriented Policing Service heard from
attending organizations about campus safety and civil rights protections for
student protestors as well as concerns about employment discrimination.
Representatives from other federal government agencies also participated,
including Department of Homeland Security Officer for Civil Rights and Civil
Liberties Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,
and the Departments of Education, Labor, Transportation and State.
Combating
hate crimes and addressing discrimination claims are among the department’s top
priorities. Yesterday’s meeting represents the department’s latest efforts to
engage with organizations and stakeholders on issues affecting Muslim, Arab,
Palestinian, Sikh, Hindu, and South Asian communities. In March, the department
hosted a community safety briefing for Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian community
stakeholders, during which the department released resource documents designed
to help the public better understand federal civil rights laws, including laws
that prohibit violence and discrimination on the basis of religion and national
origin, discrimination in public accommodations, and protections afforded by
the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
The
department has also continued to aggressively investigate and prosecute hate
crimes, including recent cases involving a Texas man who threatened employees
of a Sikh nonprofit organization; a Texas man who carried out a mass shooting
targeting Muslims at a car repair shop in Dallas in which one person was
killed, and four others were seriously injured; a New Jersey man who broke into
the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University during the Eid holiday and
destroyed property, including prayer stones, items with inscriptions of the
Quran, and a Palestinian flag; a Florida man who assaulted a Muslim woman postal
worker by pulling her out of her truck and grabbing her neck while attempting
to pull off her hijab and threatening her; and a Florida man who threatened a
Michigan-based Muslim civil rights nonprofit.
If you
believe that you or someone else experienced religious or national origin
discrimination, report a civil rights violation online at
civilrights.justice.gov. If you believe you are a victim or a witness of a hate
crime, report it to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip at
tips.fbi.gov. Learn more about the department’s work on hate crimes here.
Source: justice.gov
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/readout-justice-departments-civil-rights-divisions-meeting-muslim-arab-sikh-south-asian-and
--------
Among
USF Gaza protesters: a past supporter of Palestinian Islamic Jihad
He’s
been a regular at pro-Palestinian protests around Tampa: the stocky man with a
neatly trimmed and graying beard.
Over the
past six months, he’s led chants demanding that the University of South Florida
divest from Israeli-linked companies. He’s handed out homemade signs calling
for the end of Israel’s war with Hamas. He’s led prayers for peace and freedom
for the people of Gaza.
Hatem
Naji Fariz, 51, is respected among other rally organizers. For local law
enforcement, he’s considered a trusted member of Tampa’s Muslim community. But
buried in decades-old court records, among the hundreds of pages of phone calls
transcribed by federal law enforcement officials, is a far different version of
Fariz.
More
than 20 years ago — on Feb. 20, 2003 — federal agents raided Fariz’s Spring
Hill home, arresting the then-30-year-old on charges that he provided financial
support to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a federally designated terrorist
organization.
On phone
calls recorded by federal agents, Fariz joked about a terrorist attack in Israel,
explained how to obscure payments made to a terrorism-adjacent charity
organization and bragged about beating a young man whom he suspected of
collaborating with the Israelis, according to court records.
While
Fariz was acquitted of most of the charges against him, he pleaded guilty to
providing material support to a terrorist organization.
Fariz
did not respond to multiple emails, phone calls and a letter left at his Tarpon
Springs home. In an email to the Tampa Bay Times, Kevin Beck, Fariz’s former
defense attorney, said “the government made frequent errors in describing the
actions that led to the charges (against Fariz and his co-defendants).”
Beck did
not address specific questions about the allegations or other court documents
reviewed by the Times.
For some
community leaders who know of this long-ago case, Fariz has since proved
himself to be a leader.
“Hatem
has been a force for reason within the Muslim community,” said Temple Terrace
police Chief Kenneth Albano. He said he’s known Fariz for more than a decade
and has coordinated with him to ensure that recent demonstrations and events
organized by Fariz were peaceful and respectful of the larger community.
Albano
said he knew of Fariz’s prior conviction but added “you should look at the
totality of everything if you’re trying to understand.”
When it
comes to coordinating protests with Albano’s office, Fariz “shares information
and listens to concerns,” Albano said. “He tries to speak reason into
situations that could go differently.”
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Palestinian
Islamic Jihad
Fariz
was born in Puerto Rico to parents of Palestinian descent and grew up in a
Chicago suburb, Beck said. Every few years, his family would travel to
Palestine to spend time in the occupied territories of Israel, Fariz told the
Times in 2006.
By the
early 1990s, Fariz had gained prominence in Chicago’s Islamic community as an
activist and fundraiser for Palestinian causes. His knack for raising money
eventually caught the attention of Sami Al-Arian, and the two began working
closely to coordinate relief efforts.
It was
around this time that FBI agents began monitoring Al-Arian’s conversations in
connection to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, according to court documents.
Palestinian
Islamic Jihad was founded in the late 1980s with the mandate to eliminate the
Israeli state, according to the records. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the
group conducted dozens of attacks and bombings in Israel, killing more than 60.
The group participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel alongside Hamas,
and claimed to have seized Israeli hostages, the BBC reported.
Among
the nine men charged in 2003 with supporting the group was Al-Arian, a USF
computer science professor whom federal prosecutors identified as the group’s
leader.
In 2006,
a jury acquitted Fariz on 25 of the 33 charges brought against him by federal
prosecutors but couldn’t come to a unanimous verdict on the remaining eight.
After a
14-month trial, Fariz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support
to a terrorist organization and agreed to a 37-month prison sentence. The
remaining seven charges were dropped as part of Fariz’s plea agreement.
The
conviction came after an intensive federal investigation that showed over a
two-year period Fariz wired more than $40,000 to charities in Gaza and the West
Bank with direct ties to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, according to the
indictment.
Al-Arian
was the fiery face of the pro-Palestine movement in the U.S. and Fariz was his
“worker bee,” said Beck.
Al-Arian
had already gained national attention after appearing on Bill O’Reilly’s Fox
News show in the weeks following the September 2001 terrorist attacks. During
the interview, O’Reilly accused Al-Arian of espousing dangerous views and
hinted at his suspected ties to terrorism.
USF was
deluged with phone calls and threatening letters. Though administrators wanted
him fired, Al-Arian’s tenure agreement granted broad protection for speech on
and off campus.
Given
what they knew at the time, the administration “totally overreacted,” said
Robert Shibley, special counsel for campus advocacy for Foundation for Individual
Rights and Expression, a free speech advocacy organization.
“Their
reason was that (Al-Arian’s) presence on campus was causing a disruption,”
Shibley said. “But he wasn’t the disruption, it was the people objecting to his
presence, making threats.”
Compared
to the aloof and prickly Al-Arian, Fariz had a friendly demeanor that made him
a natural fit for fundraising, Beck said.
“Hatem
was a people person and Sami (Al-Arian) took advantage of that ability,” he
said.
Transcripts
of taped phone calls reviewed by the Times reveal Fariz as a diligent and
principled worker, organizing Ramadan care packages for families in Gaza and
repeatedly insisting that he and his fellow organizers keep none of the funds
they raised.
But on a
June 2002 call recorded by federal agents, he and Al-Arian laughed about a
bombing in Israel that killed 17 and wounded 45, according to the federal
indictment.
On
another call, Fariz bragged that, while living in the Middle East, he and a
group of men assaulted a child who they believed was “cooperating with the
Jews,” according to the indictment.
The
tapes also indicate Fariz’s direct knowledge that the charities he raised money
for were deemed terrorist organizations by the U.S.
On a
November 2002 call, Fariz instructed a Gaza-based organizer to draw up
documents obscuring the fact that funds raised in the U.S. were distributed to
Elehssan Society, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad-associated charity, according to
the indictment.
After
federal officials arrested Al-Arian and raided his campus office in February
2003, the school terminated his professorship without objection from the
teachers union, said Dick Beard, the former chairperson of the school’s board
of trustees.
Al-Arian
pleaded guilty to supporting a terrorist organization and was sentenced to 57
months in prison, including time served, according to court records. He was
deported to Turkey in February 2015.
While
the St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Tribune wrote dozens of stories about
Al-Arian’s case during the three-year trial, only a handful of stories
mentioned Fariz by name. Those that did characterized him as either the
moneyman behind Al-Arian’s operation, or a family man caught up in attorney
general John Ashcroft’s crackdown on an outspoken critic of U.S. foreign
policy.
“Double
jeopardy”
Lama
Alhasan is an organizer with the criminal justice reform organization Bay Area
Dream Defenders. She told the Times that she’s helped organize some of the
events attended by Fariz. She said she’s familiar with Fariz as a member of
Tampa’s Palestinian community and was aware of his prior conviction.
Alhasan
objected to questions about Fariz’s history of support for Palestinian Islamic
Jihad, adding that “our No. 1 priority is educating the public and raising
awareness of the genocide in Gaza. Everything else is a distraction.”
Beck,
Fariz’s former lawyer, voiced similar concerns in response to questions from
the Times.
“The
Constitutional protection against double jeopardy precludes prosecution on
those very charges again,” Beck wrote in an email to the Times. “It doesn’t
protect Hatem and his family from undergoing the same kinds of vitriol and
hatred that he and his family suffered nearly 25 years ago because he supported
what was largely an unpopular and misunderstood cause.”
Gage
Lacharite, an organizer with Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said he’s
known Fariz through his community activism for about a decade and has spoken
with Fariz at protests around Tampa.
He said
the federal case against Fariz and Al-Arian was part of what he calls the U.S.
government’s knee-jerk reaction to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
“It was
the stand-out case of that era, which was defined by political repression and
rooted, in some part, in Islamophobia,” Lacharite said.
After
his release from federal prison in May 2010, Fariz settled into Tampa’s
Palestinian community. He manages the Islamic Community of Tampa, a nonprofit
religious and educational organization run out of the Al-Qassam Mosque, just
blocks from USF’s Tampa campus.
USF
administrators were aware of Fariz’s presence on campus and his prior felony
conviction, according to USF spokesperson Althea Johnson.
“We have
reviewed options regarding his presence and found that the conditions of his
release do not restrict his access to public land and he has no outstanding
warrants for arrest,” Johnson wrote to the Times.
That’s
the right call, according to Shibley, the free speech lawyer.
“If he’s
expressing an unpopular opinion or one you disagree with, then that’s speech to
be protected,” Shibley said.
Times
staff photographer Luis Santana contributed to this story.
Source: tampabay.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2024/06/07/among-usf-gaza-protesters-past-supporter-palestinian-islamic-jihad/
--------
Tehran:
‘Bahrain sent message to Iran through Russia to normalize relations’
07 June
2024
An
Iranian government official says Bahrain has sent a message to the Islamic
Republic of Iran through Russia to normalize relations after a hiatus of more
than eight years.
Mohammad
Jamshidi, the deputy chief of staff for political affairs to the Iranian
president, made the remarks in a televised interview on Friday.
Referring
to the normalization of ties agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia in the
government of President Ebrahim Raeisi, Jamshidi said that Hezbollah’s
Secretary-General “Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was the first one to support it, and
then the resistance brothers in Yemen supported it.”
Jamshidi
said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had also requested to
normalize relations with Iran through the President of China, Xi Jinping.
“Likewise,
Bahrain has sent a message to Iran through Russia to normalize relations with
Iran,” he state.
King
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah said last week in China Bahrain was working to
restore diplomatic relations with neighboring Iran.
“We
believe in the principle of good neighborliness and non-interference in
internal affairs," King Hamad said during a meeting with Chinese President
Xi in Beijing, where he was on a state visit.
“We are
working to restore diplomatic relations with Iran as a neighbor,” he added.
The king
said his country welcomes China’s support for efforts aimed at promoting peace
and stability in West Asia.
Bahrain
followed Saudi Arabia to sever diplomatic relations with Iran on January 4,
2016, after Iranian protesters, enraged by the execution of prominent Shia
cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr by the Saudi government, stormed its
diplomatic mission in Iran.
Iran and
Saudi Arabia reached an agreement in the Chinese capital of Beijing in March
2023 to restore their diplomatic relations and re-open embassies and missions.
During a
meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on May 23, King Hamad
said Bahrain looked forward to improving its relations with Iran.
He added
that there was no reason to postpone the restoration of diplomatic relations
between Bahrain and Iran.
Bahraini
Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani recently visited Tehran to offer
condolences on the passing of Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi, who lost his
life alongside seven others in a helicopter crash in northwest Iran on May 19.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/07/727031/Tehran--%E2%80%98Bahrain-sent-message-to-Iran-to-normalize-ties%E2%80%99
--------
US
pro-Gaza campus protests double down despite summer break, crackdown
07 June
2024
American
student protests against Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza and America’s
complicity show no sign of diminishing even as the academic year draws to a
close.
Activists
across campuses stretching from California to New York are continuing to demand
that their schools divest from Israeli companies with ties to the onslaught on
Gaza, NBC News reported.
Some
protesters, like alumni at Columbia University, have erected new encampments
after administrators ordered previous ones torn down.
On
Wednesday, more than a dozen protesters at Stanford University in the Bay Area
were arrested -- and some immediately suspended from school -- after they
briefly took over the president’s office.
Rallies
and marches were also held this week at Wayne State University in Detroit and
at several University of California locations, including Los Angeles, San Diego
and Irvine.
At
Columbia in New York City, alumni pitched tents last Friday in solidarity with
students who erected the first protest encampment on a US campus in mid-April.
The new tents were taken down on Sunday.
Students
at Canada's York University in Toronto established their first protest
encampment. Police were called in hours later to dismantle it, organizers said.
This
weekend, organizers with the Palestinian Youth Movement expect tens of
thousands of young people to descend on Washington to demand a ceasefire in
Gaza and an end to US military aid to Israel.
Buses
carrying protesters will leave from dozens of cities, and solidarity rallies
are planned in several locations across the country for people unable to travel
to the nation's capital.
At
Princeton University in New Jersey, where a 10-day hunger strike ended last
month, activists continue to organize, recruit and train over the summer break,
according to a recent graduate.
These
events cap off a tumultuous spring semester marked by widespread student
activism, resulting in numerous arrests and threats of academic suspension.
In May,
a surge of encampments and building takeovers swept across the US and
subsequently globally, as students organized large-scale demonstrations
demanding that their educational institutions sever ties with companies
associated with the Israeli regime.
The
University of California, Los Angeles, experienced a particularly violent
police response to a student protest encampment in early May, during which
dozens of people were arrested, tear gassed or hit by rubber bullets.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/07/727012/Pro-Palestine-student-protests-persist-as-academic-year-winds-down
--------
Mideast
Israel
says strike on UN Gaza school killed 17 militants
June 08,
2024
JERUSALEM:
Israel’s army said on Friday it had killed 17 militants the day before in an
air strike on a UN school in central Gaza, raising its previous toll from nine.
Thursday’s
Israeli strike hit a school operated by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees,
UNRWA, in the Nuseirat area of central Gaza where thousands of displaced people
were sheltering.
The
nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital said that at least 37 people were killed in the
strike.
“Since
the targeted strike the (Israeli army) has confirmed the identity of 17
terrorists that were operating from the school,” the military said in a
statement.
The
Hamas media office accused the Israeli army of spreading “false information”,
claiming that three people presented as dead by Israel were still alive and
that at least two had been killed in other strikes, adding the attack on the
school had also killed 14 children.
Israeli
military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari had said Thursday that nine
militants were killed when fighter jets attacked three classrooms in the
school.
About 30
militants from Islamic Jihad and Hamas were hiding there, he said.
UNRWA
chief Philippe Lazzarini said the strike had been carried out “without prior
warning”.
He added
that UNRWA “shares the coordinates of all its facilities (including this
school) with the Israeli army and other parties in the conflict”.
“Attacking,
targeting or using UN buildings for military purposes are a blatant disregard
of International Humanitarian law,” Lazzarini said.
The
bloodiest-ever Gaza war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack, which resulted
in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally
based on Israeli official figures.
Israel’s
retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 36,731 people in Gaza, also
mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2525806/middle-east
--------
Iranian Sunni
Leader Suggests Power Centralized 'Elsewhere'
8 June
2024
Iran's
top Sunni cleric, Mowlavi Abdolhamid, lamented the country's severe economic
challenges, citing the failure of both "reformist" and conservative
factions to manage government affairs effectively.
"Iranians
are grappling with unprecedented challenges as their currency faces massive
devaluation, ranking among the world's least valuable, despite the nation's
abundant natural resources, such as gas and oil," said the top religious
leader of Iran’s largely Sunni Baluch population during his Friday prayer
sermons in Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan-Baluchestan.
The
statement comes amid upcoming snap presidential elections, called following the
sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19.
Mohammad Mokhber has since assumed the role of acting president.
The
outspoken cleric emphasized the nation's desire for freedom and women's demand
for equal rights, pointing to the failure of both "reformist" and
conservative factions to fulfill these aspirations.
“Despite
their promises, the previous administrations failed to deliver. Reformists also
failed to bring about a meritocracy system,” he said. “We talked to the
fundamentalists [conservatives] about national and regional problems, but they
didn't show any real commitment to solving them.”
In his
critique of past administrations, Abdolhamid highlighted their constrained
authority, asserting that "affairs are overseen from elsewhere,"
likely referring to Supreme Leader Khamenei's ultimate control over decisions,
and raised concerns regarding the state's transparency and accountability.
“The
previous administration [under Hassan Rouhani] pledged to appoint 10 Sunni
ambassadors, having received nominations from us for these positions. However,
the Foreign Minister said that decision-making powers were not solely within
their jurisdiction, and other institutions are involved in the
decision-making,” Abdolhamid said.
Khamenei
and his supporters have largely hesitated to acknowledge the economic strain on
the country.
Pointing
to the "weight of responsibilities" inherent in the role of
president, the outspoken cleric questioned the candidates, asking if they have
considered strategies to address the pressing issues facing the country, issues
that have contributed to a rise in suicides.
Abdolhamid's
views seem to align with many critics who consider the Iranian presidency to be
more of a symbolic post. With significant decisions made at Khamenei's
headquarters.
The
incoming president, set to be elected by the end of June, faces the challenge
of addressing escalating economic woes exacerbated by ongoing oil export and
banking restrictions due to international sanctions. These sanctions primarily
stem from Iran's advancing nuclear program and financial support for terrorist
groups, like Hamas and Hezbollah.
Source: iranintl.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.iranintl.com/en/202406078849
--------
US
federal appeals court upholds 2022 conviction of Islamic State ‘Beatle’
ALEXANDRIA,
Virginia (AP) — A federal United States appeals court on Friday upheld the
conviction of a British national for his role in a hostage-taking scheme by the
Islamic State group that took roughly two dozen Westerners captive a decade
ago.
El
Shafee Elsheikh was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2022 in
federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. His jury trial established that he was
one of the notorious “Beatles,” Islamic State captors nicknamed for their
British accents and known for torturing and beating prisoners.
Elsheikh
appealed his conviction, arguing that confessions he had given in media
interviews after his capture in 2018 should have been tossed out of court. He
alleged that the Kurdish-led Syrian Defense Forces tortured him and forced him
to conduct the interviews.
Elsheikh’s
lawyers also argued that the FBI had violated his constitutional rights by
interviewing him while he was in foreign custody. Elsheikh said he was confused
by the process, in which he was initially interrogated by investigators from
the US Department of Defense who were using him to gather intelligence and did
not read him his rights as required by US law.
Elsheikh
was later questioned by FBI agents who did read him his rights and told him
that anything he said from that point on could be used against him in court.
A
unanimous three-judge panel of the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond
rejected both of Elsheikh’s arguments. The judges said the evidence did not
support Elsheikh’s contention that he had been beaten or tortured. The court
also ruled that Elsheikh’s interrogators had followed proper procedures in
their two-step interrogation process to inform him of his rights.
Elsheikh
was one of two “Beatles” brought to the US to face trial. The United Kingdom
agreed to the extradition and provided intelligence and evidence to assist with
the prosecution after the US promised it would not seek the death penalty.
The other
Beatle who faced trial, Alexanda Kotey, pleaded guilty under a deal that
provided a possibility he could, after 15 years, serve the remainder of his
life sentence in the UK.
Elsheikh’s
convictions were related to the deaths of four American hostages: James Foley,
Peter Kassig, Kayla Mueller and Steven Sotloff. All but Mueller were executed
in videotaped beheadings that were circulated online. Mueller was forced into
slavery and raped multiple times by Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
before she was killed.
They
were among 26 people whom the Islamic State abducted between 2012 and 2015,
when it controlled large swaths of Iraq and Syria.
Source: timesofisrael.com
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https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-federal-appeals-court-upholds-2022-conviction-of-islamic-state-beatle/
--------
30,000
people perform Friday Prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque
[07/June/2024]
OCCUPIED
QUDS June 07. 2024 (Saba) - Tens of thousands of Palestinians performed Friday
Prayers in Al-Aqsa Holy Mosque, despite the measures escalated by Zionist
forces in the occupied city of Quds.
The
Islamic Waqf Department in Quds said 30,000 worshippers performed Friday
Prayers in Al-Aqsa Mosque, and absentee prayers for the souls of the martyrs of
Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The
Zionist enemy forces erected dozens of iron barriers in the vicinity of the Old
City and Al-Aqsa Mosque, arrested dozens of youths and checked their personal
identities.
Enemy
forces were deployed among worshippers in the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque,
and climbed the courtyard of the Dome of the Rock during Friday Prayers.
The
forces also prevented dozens of young men from performing dawn Prayers at the
Al-Aqsa Mosque, forcing them to perform the prayers at the Youssoufia cemetery
near the Lions Gate.
It is
noteworthy that since the start of the comprehensive Zionist aggression against
the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip and the West Bank, on the seventh of last
October, the enemy forces have intensified their measures at the gates of
Al-Aqsa Mosque and the entrances to the Old City.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3338115.htm
--------
Kuwait
calls on IAEA to safeguard Israeli occupation nuclear facilities
June 08,
2024
VIENNA:
Kuwait called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to urge Israel
to immediately join the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, state news agency
KUNA has reported.
In a
speech delivered by the Kuwait delegation to the United Nations, the delegation
said the Israeli occupation refuses to subject its nuclear facilities to the
system of the IAEA, despite the commitment of all Middle Eastern countries to
the treaty.
The
delegation, led by Sara AlAjmi, said Israel continues to reject the idea of
creating a zone free of nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction in the
region.
AlAjmi
addressed the situation in Gaza and confirmed Kuwait’s firm stance in
condemning the killings committed by the Israeli occupation against
Palestinians.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2526101/middle-east
--------
UAE
floating hospital in Al-Arish holds entertainment activities for Gaza children
June 08,
2024
AL-ARISH:
Staff from the UAE’s floating hospital stationed in Al-Arish in Egypt have
organized a recreational day for the children of Gaza, state news agency WAM
reported.
The
initiative aimed to provide relief for the war-impacted children.
Mona
Talib Ahmed, a nurse at the hospital, said activities included painting, henna
drawing and Holy Qur’an competitions.
She
added, “such activities help in easing their distress,” and they were meant to
“alleviate their psychological and physical suffering.”
The
staff also organized weekly events to entertain the children, taking them for
tours outside the hospital to enjoy a change of scenery.
The
100-bed facility was docked in Al-Arish last February as part of the UAE’s
humanitarian campaign – known as Gallant Knight 3 – to provide a vital lifeline
to the people of Gaza.
The
hospital boasts a range of healthcare specialists including anesthesiology,
general surgery, orthopedics, emergency, intensive and internal care, alongside
nurses, technicians and hospital management professionals ensure comprehensive
care.
In
December, the UAE established a field hospital in Gaza’s Rafah to provide
healthcare services for the injured after the healthcare system in the enclave
collapsed amid Israel’s relentless bombing.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2526096/middle-east
--------
UN will
declare that both Israel and Hamas are violating children’s rights in armed
conflict
June 08,
2024
UNITED
NATIONS: The UN secretary-general will tell the Security Council next week that
both Israel and Hamas are violating children’s rights and leaving them exposed
to danger in their war to eliminate each other.
The
secretary-general annually makes a global list of states and militias that are
menacing children and threatening them. Parties on the list have ranged from
the Kachin Independence Army in Myanmar to — last year — Russia during its war
with Ukraine.
Now
Israel is set to join them.
António
Guterres sends the list to the Security Council and the council can then decide
whether to take action. The United States is one of five veto-wielding
permanent council members and has been reluctant to act against Israel, its
longtime ally.
Another
permanent member is Russia and when the United Nations put Russian forces on
its blacklist last year for killing boys and girls and attacking schools and
hospitals in Ukraine, the council took no action.
The
inclusion of Israel this month will likely just put more of a global spotlight
on the country’s conduct of the war in Gaza and increase already high tensions
in its relationship with the global body.
The
preface of last year’s UN report says it lists parties engaged in “the killing
and maiming of children, rape and other forms of sexual violence perpetrated
against children, attacks on schools, hospitals and protected persons.”
The head
of Guterres’ office called Israel’s UN ambassador, Gilad Erdan, on Friday to
inform him that Israel would be in the report when it is sent to the council
next week, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric told reporters on Friday.
The
militant Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad groups also will be listed.
Israel
reacted with outrage, sending news organizations a video of Erdan berating the
head of Guterres’ office — who was supposedly on the other end of a phone call
— and posting it on X.
“Hamas
will continue even more to use schools and hospitals because this shameful
decision of the secretary-general will only give Hamas hope to survive and
extend the war and extend the suffering,” Erdan wrote in a statement. “Shame on
him!”
The
Palestinian UN ambassador said that adding Israel to the “‘list of shame,’ will
not bring back tens of thousands of our children who were killed by Israel over
decades.”
“But it
is an important step in the right direction,” Riyad Mansour wrote in a
statement.
Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “the UN put itself on the black list of
history today” as the move heightened the long-running feud between Israel and
the UN and even the routine mechanics of Israel’s dealings with the world body
are now fraught with tensions.
The
normally equanimous secretary-general’s spokesman broke from the good-natured
tone of his noon briefing when asked to discuss the latest development.
“The
call was a courtesy afforded to countries that are newly listed on the annex of
the report,” Dujarric said. “The partial release of that recording on Twitter
is shocking and unacceptable and frankly, something I’ve never seen in my 24
years serving this organization.”
Condemnation
of the secretary-general’s decision appeared to bring together Israel’s
increasingly fractious leadership — from the right-wing Netanyahu and Erdan to
the popular centrist member of the War Cabinet, Benny Gantz.
Gantz
cited Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, as saying “it matter not
what say the goyim (non-Jews), what is important is what do the Jews.”
For
month Israel has faced heavy international criticism over civilian casualties
in Gaza and questions about whether it has done enough to prevent them in the
eight-month-old war. Two recent airstrikes in Gaza killed dozens of civilians.
UN
agencies warned Wednesday that over 1 million Palestinians in Gaza could
experience the highest level of starvation by the middle of next month if
hostilities continue.
The
World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization said in a joint
report that hunger is worsening because of heavy restrictions on humanitarian
access and the collapse of the local food system in the eight-month
Israel-Hamas war.
The
proportion of Palestinian women and children being killed in the Israel-Hamas
war appears to have declined sharply, an Associated Press analysis of Gaza
Health Ministry data has found, a trend that both coincides with Israel’s
changing battlefield tactics and contradicts the ministry’s own public
statements.
The
trend is significant because the death rate for women and children is the best
available proxy for civilian casualties in one of the 21st century’s most
destructive conflicts. In October, when the war began, it was above 60 percent.
For the month of April, it was below 40 percent.
Yet the
shift went unnoticed for months by the UN and much of the media, and the
Hamas-linked Health Ministry has made no effort to set the record straight.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2526011/middle-east
--------
Arab World
Beneficiaries
cite ‘Guests of God’ program for Hajj as best evidence of care for Muslims
June 08,
2024
RIYADH:
A number of guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj,
Umrah and Visitation confirmed that the invitation they received to perform
Hajj is the best evidence of Saudi Arabia’s care and concern for Islam and
Muslims.
They
said Saudi Arabia’s hosting of Hajj is an extension of the humanitarian work
carried out by the Kingdom for all Muslims.
“It is
no secret that the Kingdom is making great services for the comfort of the
guests of God and meeting their needs. These are tangible efforts with an
honorable history, and they are not limited to serving pilgrims or the feelings
only, but rather they extend to include Makkah and Madinah,” Mustafa Yusuf,
secretary-general of the Islamic Society of Vietnam, told the Saudi Press
Agency (SPA).
He added
that “the Kingdom’s generosity has and continues to overcome all obstacles for
Muslims to perform rituals with ease and reassurance.”
The
initiative, also called Guests of God Service Program, was inaugurated by King
Salman in 2019 as one of Saudi Arabia’s key reform plans under the Kingdom’s
Vision 2030.
The
program seeks to host large numbers of pilgrims, facilitate their access to the
Two Holy Mosques, ensure they have access to high-quality services through the
most advanced technology, and enhance their cultural and spiritual experience.
It also
seeks to ensure that pilgrims safely return to their countries of origin after
completing all their rituals.
Haji
Murad of Uzbekistan hailed the initiative as a worthy humanitarian program. He
also cited the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance for its efforts
in implementing the initiative “in a distinguished manner.”
Abdul
Wali Abdul Baqi, another guest of the program from Uzbekistan, and who works as
a correspondent on Uzbek state television, said: “Praise be to God who made it
possible for me to visit this country in order to perform Hajj with the convoy
of guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and I was very happy when I
saw the Holy Kaaba.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2526046/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
climate envoy takes part in Ocean Action event in Costa Rica
June 08,
2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s climate envoy took part in the High Level Event on Ocean Action:
Immersed in Change, the Saudi Press Agency reported early on Saturday.
Saudi
Minister of State Adel Al-Jubeir led the Kingdom’s delegation to the event in the Costa Rican capital San Jose.
The
meeting, taking place between June 7 and 8,
seeks to spotlight globally important topics related to ocean
conservation and to propel actionable measures addressing the pressing
environmental crisis affecting oceans.
Fishing
resources, the fight against ghost fishing gear, and the blue economy are among
the topics that will be addressed by an international panel.
In
2022, the UN Ocean Conference saw
significant financial pledges, totaling billions of dollars, with around 50
high-level commitments, including “an investment of at least $1 billion to
support the creation, expansion, and management of marine protected areas and
Indigenous and locally governed marine and coastal areas by 2030,” according to
the UN.
The
conference in 2017 concluded with the adoption of a “Call for Action” and 1,300
voluntary commitments towards ocean conservation.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2526041/saudi-arabia
---------
Makkah
deputy governor receives arriving Indonesian pilgrims as he inspects Hajj
services at Jeddah international airport
June 08,
2024
JEDDAH:
Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, deputy governor of Makkah province,
received some 400 pilgrims arriving at the Jeddah international airport early
on Saturday from the city of Surabaya, Indonesia, the SPA reported.
They
were among those who came through the “Makkah Route,” an initiative launched by
the Saudi government six years ago to facilitate travel procedures for those
performing the rituals of Hajj in the Kingdom.
Prince
Saud presented gifts to the arriving pilgrims as he conducted an inspection on
the progress of work at the Hajj and Umrah lounge complex of the King Abdulaziz
International Airport.
Prince
Saud also reviewed work at the health center for pilgrims in the Hajj and Umrah
halls, and the group luggage acceptance area, which is located on an area
exceeding 35,000 sq m and includes 24 external loading lane stops. The service
aims to provide an easy travel experience, facilitate pilgrims’ procedures and
transport their luggage to their locations of residence in Makkah and the Holy
Sites.
The
deputy governor checked the area designated for the “Pilgrim Without a Bag”
initiative, and inspected the locations of the air-conditioned lounges in the
general area, as well as the locations of government agencies operating at the
airport.
Also on
Friday, the General Directorate of Border Guard continued to welcome pilgrims
arriving in land and sea ports, providing them with the required facilities and
guiding them to authorities at the port to complete their procedures quickly
and easily.
Meanwhile,
the Jeddah police arrested a Pakistani man on charges of fraud for promoting
false and misleading housing and transportation to pilgrims. The suspect was
also found in possession of forged Hajj bracelets, SPA said in another report.
The case has been referred to the Public Prosecution.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2526021/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
aid agency distributes thousands of bread packs in Lebanon
June 08,
2024
RIYADH:
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center distributed 25,000 bread bundles
to needy families in Lebanon, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The food
packs were given to Syrian and Palestinian communities living in northern
Lebanon, benefiting 62,500 individuals from 12,500 families.
The aid
is part of Saudi Arabia’s effort to support vulnerable families in the region
and beyond.
Around
100,000 Syrians relocated to neighbouring Lebanon after the civil war of 2011,
with over 90 percent of Syrian households there living in poverty.
The
inflow of refugees into Lebanon has caused tensions within society as the
country is struggling to cope with a persistent financial crisis and a
simmering war with Israel on its southern border.
KSrelief
also distributed 25 tonnes of dates each to Kyrgyzstan and Montenegro, the SPA
said Friday.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2526006/saudi-arabia
--------
How
Saudi Arabia is building a sustainable agricultural sector through innovation
June 07,
2024
RIYADH:
Climate change poses a significant threat to agriculture, with serious
implications for food security, livelihoods and access to water. That is why
Saudi Arabia is adopting a range of innovative and sustainable farming
practices.
As
summer temperatures become more intense around the world, crop yields are
dwindling and water scarcity mounting, raising the specter of food insecurity
in some regions and higher prices on domestic and global markets.
Agriculture
is also a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. About 24 percent of
human-induced emissions are the result of agriculture, forestry and land use
activities, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
To limit
the environmental harm caused by farming while also adapting crop production to
hotter, drier conditions, governments and businesses worldwide are adopting new
technologies, methods and practices in pursuit of sustainable agriculture.
According
to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, strategies for agriculture
and forestry, unlike in other sectors, can simultaneously increase adaptive
capacity and mitigate climate change if implemented sustainably.
Sustainable
agriculture refers to methods and practices that preserve the environment,
protect natural resources, ensure the security of food supply chains and
provide sufficient returns for farmers.
Saudi
Arabia has established several sustainable agriculture initiatives, including
efforts to promote the use of treated water for irrigation and the adoption of
soilless farming techniques — measures designed to meet the needs of a changing
demographic.
By 2045,
the world’s urban population is projected to increase by 1.5 times to 6
billion, according to the World Bank. With many more people leaving rural areas
in search of opportunities in the cities, the way food is produced and
distributed requires a rethink.
That is
why Saudi Arabia is exploring the use of urban farming technology, including
vertical farming or soilless culture, as a potential solution.
Vertical
or soilless farming refers to a method of growing plants without the use of
soil, whereby nutrients are delivered to the roots through water — a process
also known as hydroponics.
Soilless
plants utilize drip or mist irrigation techniques, enabling a more controlled
dispensation of water, preventing water wastage. This technique saves 98
percent more water than traditional farming, according to the World Economic
Forum.
Areas
struggling with water scarcity, poor soil fertility, salinity, or sodicity
could benefit from this method, not only to conserve water and reduce pesticide
usage, but also to allow for year-round crop production.
The
National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture, or
Estidamah, is a standalone legal not-for-profit research center based in Saudi
Arabia. Its vertical farming program aims to optimize crop production — mainly
leafy vegetables and strawberries.
To
bolster this initiative, the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture
set aside SR100 million ($27 million). In 2021, scientists from Estidamah and
Wageningen University in The Netherlands managed to cultivate Estavana variety
strawberries in a greenhouse in Riyadh.
The
resulting strawberry yield, and that of two other varieties, was considerably
greater than that of local farmers, demonstrating the technology’s immense
potential.
However,
Saudi Arabia’s commitment to sustainable agriculture is perhaps best
demonstrated by the methods and practices used at Wadi Bin Hashbal — a mega
farm situated in the mountainous southwestern Asir region.
“This
farm is the largest sustainable research demonstration or experimental farm in
the world, with an area exceeding 3.2 million square meters, as is recognized
by the Guinness World Records,” Ahmed Al-Mujthal, director-general of the
Ministry of Environment and Water’s Asir branch, told Arab News.
One of
the most impressive features of the farm is its use of treated water to
irrigate crops. “The treated water is divided into municipal and industrial
wastewater, with each type requiring specific treatment plants,” said
Al-Mujthal.
The
primary treatment phase removes large particles and oils, the secondary
treatment phase involves aerobic bacteria, and the tertiary treatment uses
filters to remove remaining pollutants and odors.
“Chlorination
is done to eliminate microbes and treated water is suitable for all uses except
direct human consumption,” said Al-Mujthal. “The amount of water produced from
the treatment plants in the Asir region exceeds 240,000 cubic meters per day.”
The
treated water is then transported across the region to where it is needed.
“There are four main treated water plants in the Asir region, all of which rely
on the triple treatment method and are completely suitable for irrigating all
crops,” Al-Mujthal added.
Wadi Bin
Hashbal has about 16,000 trees yielding eight varieties of seasonal fruit, in
addition to 2,400 non-fruiting local trees and a field designated for growing
fodder and raising livestock. It also contains five protected, air-conditioned
farms designated for research.
“More
importantly is monitoring the quality of water and soil that is carried out on
the farm by constantly taking samples and analyzing them in specialized
laboratories accredited by the ministry,” said Al-Mujthal.
This is
in addition to measuring the temperature and humidity in the soil, and the
amount of rain and wind speed on the site through the climate station
established on the farm.
The Asir
region was strategically chosen for the farm as it is characterized by a unique
geography, the fertility of its soil and its favorable climate.
“In
general, the data received from the competent authorities indicates that the
average rainfall in the Asir region exceeds 300 mm per year,” said Al-Mujthal.
In mountainous areas with dense vegetation, rainfall can even exceed 500 mm per
year.
“Other
factors include the relative abundance of surface and groundwater in addition
to the presence of excellent infrastructure in the Asir region for drainage and
water treatment,” Al-Mujthal added.
The
success of the Kingdom’s sustainable agriculture projects bodes well for
climate-vulnerable nations around the globe that are struggling to adapt to
water scarcity and rising temperatures.
Indeed,
if crops can be grown sustainably in Saudi Arabia — one of the hottest and
driest places on the planet — there is hope yet for agriculture in a changing
world.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2525901/saudi-arabia
---------
Grand
mufti of Saudi Arabia warns against Hajj without permit
June 07,
2024
RIYADH:
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Al-Asheikh has
called on all Hajj pilgrims to strictly adhere to security and official
instructions by obtaining a Hajj permit and the vaccinations required by the
Ministry of Health, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The
grand mufti, who is also the chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars and
head of the General Presidency for Scholarly Research and Fatwa, said that
pilgrims were not allowed to go to Hajj without a permit.
He said:
“The wise leadership and the state have enacted regulations and instructions
aimed at facilitating and arranging the reception of pilgrims, providing them
with all means of comfort, and helping them to perform rituals with ease and
reassurance.
“These
services require adherence to them and care for them to ensure the safety of
everyone, and other purposes.”
He added
that the Kingdom’s government had spared no effort in achieving its lofty goals
in the service of Islam and Muslims, the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors.
He said
the Kingdom’s leadership and people were honored by serving the Two Holy
Mosques, but that “this requires full compliance with all official instructions
received regarding organizing the Hajj, including obtaining a permit and also
obtaining vaccinations.”
He urged
pilgrims to invest their time during the days of Hajj in devotion to God
through supplication and worship, and called on them to adhere to controls and
procedures to ensure their safety and security.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2525931/saudi-arabia
--------
Europe
Reform
leader Nigel Farage pressed on his claims about young Muslims and British
values
7 June
2024
Reform
UK leader Nigel Farage was pressed on his comments about Muslims not sharing
British values, saying that 18 to 24-year-old Muslims born in the UK are
increasingly being radicalised.
Source: news.sky.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://news.sky.com/video/reform-leader-nigel-farage-pressed-on-his-claims-about-young-muslims-and-british-values-13149493
--------
Two
Georgian Citizens Detained for Links to Terrorist ‘Islamic State’
07/06/2024
On June
6, the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) reported the arrest of two
Georgian citizens for the illegal purchase and storage of firearms and
ammunition as part of the ongoing investigation of a terrorist crime.
The
special operation was conducted simultaneously in two locations in the city of
Batumi. According to SSSG, automatic rifles, pistols, hand grenades, flags with
symbols of the terrorist organization “Islamic State” and various types of
evidence were removed from the residences of the arrested persons.
The SSSG
notes that the Counter-Terrorism Center of the State Security Service is
conducting an investigation under Articles 236 and 328 of the Criminal Code,
which provide for prison sentences of 3 to 6 years and 10 to 17 years,
respectively. At the same time, the SSSG said, anti-terrorist measures are
being actively carried out in order to identify the links of the detained
persons with the terrorist organization “Islamic State”.
Source: civil.ge
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://civil.ge/archives/612053
--------
Huge new
mosque in Cardiff to go ahead despite fears of traffic gridlock
7 JUN
2024
Plans
for a new community centre and mosque in Cardiff have been given the go-ahead
despite concerns over potential traffic chaos. Cardiff Council's planning
committee met at County Hall on Thursday, June 6, to approve the proposal,
which will see Medina Mosque in Lucas Street, Cathays, completely rebuilt.
However,
some residents are worried it will exacerbate the issue of parking in the area
when there is an event at the 300-capacity site, with one person saying a fence
and wall were once damaged by cars turning around on private property. Chair of
trustees at the mosque and community centre, Javaid Iqbal, said the centre
co-operated with residents on these particular issues that happened about two
years ago.
He also
said he was not aware of any issues having happened since. He said: "I
have been to them [residents] a few times and we have invited them to the
mosque as well." For more Cardiff news, sign up to our newsletter here.
"We
apologised and they accepted our apology and admitted it wasn't our fault, but
it is still a concern for them. We have tried to educate people. We have put
signs up, we have put the cones out."
Despite
this, residents still felt parking was an issue in the area and that this had
not been properly reflected in the planning application. Located on the ground
floor of the new building, the community centre element of the site will
contain a gym, cafe and library.
The mosque
will be located on the second floor. The building will be flat-roofed and
topped with two fibre glass domes. There will also be a basement element to the
site which will include 32 parking spaces. Plans show an entrance off Lucas
Street and an exit onto Robert Street, and include electric vehicle parking
spaces.
Planning
committee members were mostly positive about the design of the building, but
also raised concerns about parking in the area. Cllr Adrian Robson said
"there is a lot going for this application", only to add that he
noted a survey undertaken by the applicant showing how people travelled to the
site was questioned in a representation made to the committee.
The
travel survey stated that a greater percentage of worshippers arrived at the
site on foot. A transport statement from the council in the planning report on
the mosque also stated: "The updated assessment appears to re-conclude
that there would be plentiful and convenient on-street parking available to
accommodate vehicle-borne demand for prayers on a typical Friday."
Another
member of the planning committee, Cllr Peter Wong, said: "I actually think
it is a really great design in terms of the building, but my concerns are the
same... particularly around the impact on parking in the local area." On
the transport statement, he added: "[It] doesn't take into account for the
potential of expected zonal parking at a later stage that a significant part of
Cathays is already covered by when it talks about the access to free parking on
there.
Source: walesonline.co.uk
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https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/huge-new-mosque-cardiff-go-29314326
--------
Galloway:
The Muslim Vote was wrong to endorse Labour MPs
7th June
2024
Speaking
in Oldham, Workers Party GB leader George Galloway and fellow WPGB candidate,
British-Kashmiri activist Shanaz Saddique, react after The Muslim Vote campaign
publicly endorsed several Labour Party MPs.
Source: 5pillarsuk.com
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https://5pillarsuk.com/2024/06/07/galloway-the-muslim-vote-was-wrong-to-endorse-labour-mps/
--------
Festival
celebrating Muslim arts and culture makes call for local artists
7 JUN
2024
A huge
festival celebrating the history of Muslim arts and culture has made a callout
for artist to submit work for their open exhibition and awards. The Muslim Arts
and Culture Festival (MACFEST) is a citywide occasion that features close to 80
events in Manchester and around the world for five months.
The
celebration which kicked officially kicked off in early March saw a number of
youth festival events across local schools, an opening ceremony at the
Whitworth, Eid events at the Lowry plus more across the globe in countries like
Afghanistan, Albania, Dubai, Hawaii, Indonesia, Pakistan and Scotland.
Organisers are now looking for contributions from Muslim artists from the North
West as they look to put on their very first inaugural Arts Awards.
The show
will highlight and reward the best work by North West-based Muslim artists and
showcase their creations in a special exhibition at the University of Salford
in November. MACFEST was created by Qaisra Shahraz, a British-Pakistani
novelist and journalist who has lived in Manchester for most of her life.
Prizes
will be given for the best calligraphy, drawing, painting and photography, as
well as an Overall Prize Winner. The awards are in partnership with the
University of Salford.
The
deadline for entry is on 30th June and anybody interested can find more
information on their website.
Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk
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https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/festival-celebrating-muslim-arts-culture-29311130
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Russian
deputy minister slams ‘gay nationalism’
7 Jun,
2024
The
‘LGBT movement’ is based on a “destructive ideology” that poses a threat to
Russia’s culture and population, and could eventually spark a gender war,
Russian Deputy Justice Minister Oleg Sviridenko said at the St. Petersburg
International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday.
According
to the official, the LGBT movement has long been used by “the Collective West”
to target “basic moral and cultural norms, religious foundations, as well as
the institution of marriage and family” in Russia.
Sviridenko
was commenting on the decision in 2023 to ban the movement in the country.
According to the official, his ministry has long monitored the activities of
people associated with the group, which he said had operated in Russia since
1984, “spreading the destructive ideology of dismantling traditional values of
family and marriage and creating a threat to the demographic situation in the
country.” The agencies associated with the movement received funding from NGOs
and grants from countries such as the US, UK, the Netherlands, and Sweden,
Sviridenko claimed.
Based on
the evidence it collected, the Russian authorities eventually decided to ban
the movement, as “the basis that unites international LGBT communities is an
ideology that destroys the moral foundations of Russian society,” Sviridenko
stated.
“Representatives
of the LGBT community… are easily involved in extremist activities and become
carriers of corresponding ideological schemes and varieties of extremist
manifestations... in the form of gender extremism and gay nationalism. [Their]
actions contain calls for an all-out gender war,” he added, stressing that the
legislation is Russia’s “institutional way” of protecting family values.
Russia
has been tightening its laws regarding the LGBT movement since the early 2010s,
first banning its propaganda among minors and then expanding the prohibition to
adults in 2022. In July last year, the government also prohibited gender
reassignment for people of all ages except for cases in which medical
intervention is needed to treat birth abnormalities.
In
November, the Russian Supreme Court designated the “international LGBT public
movement” as an ‘extremist group’, banning its activities in the country.
These
laws have drawn much criticism from Western officials and human rights groups.
The Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, Dunja Mijatovic, has said
that labeling the movement as extremist “violates basic human rights
standards.” The European Court of Human Rights previously claimed that the law
banning ‘LGBT propaganda’ is incompatible with the values of a democratic
society.
Russian
President Vladimir Putin said earlier this year that the authorities will not
crack down on representatives of the LGBT community for their personal choices,
explaining that the regulations only target those who “flaunt” them in public
or involve children.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/598961-russia-lgbt-destructive-ideology/
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Southeast Asia
Media
freedom guaranteed, but don’t use it to divide country - Anwar
07-06-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reiterated that the
government is firm in its stance to guarantee media freedom in the country, but
that freedom cannot be used to undermine the country’s unity and harmony,
including by stirring up 3R issues (Race, Religion and Royalty).
He said
the government always supported and defended the rights and freedom of the
media in providing reprimands and criticisms, adding that this has been the
case since before the country’s independence.
“My
stance and that of my colleagues in the Cabinet is that no actions are taken or
controls imposed on the freedom of journalists and the media to express
opinions, feedback and criticism.
“I give
an assurance that this spirit (of media freedom) remains, although this leads
to some anxiety because of our (the government’s) firmness in tackling issues
related to security, chauvinistic beliefs (extreme patriotism) and racism, or
religious fanatic movements.
“... not
just touching on issues of race and royalty but using them to cause division
and chaos (in the country),” he said in his keynote address at the MPI-Petronas
Malaysian Journalism Awards 2023 ceremony here today.
The
Malaysian Press Institute (MPI)-Petronas Malaysian Journalism Awards 2023 is an
annual event to recognise outstanding journalistic works throughout the year.
The
Prime Minister said Malaysia is capable of becoming a great nation if local
journalists can focus on reporting with the aim of ensuring peace and
highlighting the country’s progress.
“The
value of a successful journalist is one who works with feeling, confidence and
passion for the profession.
“I
believe Malaysia can become a great and strong nation if we focus on our goals
for peace, economy, culture, religion and digital (advancement), but don’t be
dragged into issues that divide us, show ignorance or arrogance to the point of
eroding humanity,” he said.
Anwar
also urged the people to improve their command of English without marginalising
efforts to make Bahasa Malaysia the lingua franca.
He said
that Bahasa Malaysia, as the official language in the Federal Constitution,
continues to be upheld and implemented, but the importance of mastering English
cannot be neglected.
“I have
instructed the Education Minister (Fadhlina Sidek) and the Ministry of Higher
Education to uphold the policy on Bahasa Malaysia but, at the same time, to
enhance the ability to improve the mastery of English,” he said.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/media-freedom-guaranteed-but-don-t-use-it-to-divide-country-anwar-PC12546977
--------
Govt
ready to adopt BIM for development projects - PM Anwar
07-06-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said the government will
adopt the Building Information Modelling (BIM) system for projects undertaken
by the government and the private sector.
Building
information modeling (BIM) is the holistic process of creating and managing information
for a built asset, based on an intelligent three-dimension model and enabled by
a cloud platform since BIM integrates structured, multi-disciplinary data to
produce a digital representation of an asset across its lifecycle, from
planning and design to construction and operations.
Anwar
who is also the Finance Minister said the decision was made during the National
Development Action Council (MTPN) meeting that he had chaired today.
The
Prime Minister said during the meeting, he had emphasised several matters
related to delays in the completion of projects and stressed the need to
overcome such shortfalls through the adoption of new technologies in the
working process.
“This
year, I hope the planning, implementation and monitoring of the government’s
development projects and programmes will progress smoothly according to the
planned schedule.
“I am
also satisfied with the performance achieved in abolishing poverty since there
has been a drastic drop in the numbers,“ he said in his Facebook posting today.
In the
same posting, the Prime Minister said all ministries, agencies and stakeholders
must move forward in unison, integrated and planned manner.
“It is
to ensure the achievement and results of the planned projects and development
of the country can contribute to the growth of the nation’s economy to ensure
the wellbeing and welfare of the people,“ he said.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/govt-ready-to-adopt-bim-for-development-projects-pm-anwar-IC12546781
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Man gets
4 years’ jail, two strokes of cane for sexually assaulting teen stepdaughter
07-06-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: A char kuey teow seller was sentenced to four years in jail and two
strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here today after pleading guilty to
sexually assaulting his 13-year-old stepdaughter in a hotel room early this
month.
Judge
Mohd Kafli Che Ali handed down the sentence on the 44-year-old man and ordered
him to serve the prison term starting from his arrest on June 4. The court also
ordered him to undergo counselling throughout his imprisonment and be
supervised for one year after completing his sentence.
The
accused was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children
Act 2017, read together with Section 16(1) of the same Act, for intentionally
committing physical, sexual assault on his stepdaughter in a room at a hotel in
Bandar Tasik Selatan here at 12.44 am on June 3.
The
section provides for a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and whipping, and
under Section 16(1), the offender can be punished with a prison term of not
more than five years and not less than two strokes of the cane.
According
to the facts of the case, the victim was supposed to board a bus from Terminal
Bersepadu Selatan to a school in Johor Bahru on June 2 but was told by the
accused that tickets to the destination had been sold out.
They
then stayed at a hotel, and while in the hotel room, the accused told the
victim to join the two beds together, but she refused to do so.
That
night, after waking up to the accused sexually assaulting her, the victim told
her older sister about the incident via WhatsApp chats and a police report was
then lodged.
Deputy
Public Prosecutor Noorhani Muhmmed Ayub conducted the prosecution, and the
accused was unrepresented.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/man-gets-4-years-jail-two-strokes-of-cane-for-sexually-assaulting-teen-stepdaughter-EC12546543
--------
UN chief
condemns escalating violence and civilian attacks in Myanmar
07-06-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “strongly condemns”
recent attacks by the Myanmar military in Rakhine State and Sagaing Region,
which have reportedly resulted in numerous civilian casualties.
UN
Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres is deeply concerned by the
escalating violence in Myanmar.
“The
Secretary-General calls on all parties to the conflict to exercise maximum
restraint, prioritize protection of civilians in accordance with international
humanitarian law and prevent further incitement of communal tension and
violence.
“The
Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the widening regional ramifications
of the deteriorating situation in Myanmar and reiterates his appeal for a
unified approach,” Dujarric said in a statement, Thursday.
Dujarric
said the latest incident targeting ethnic Rakhine in Western Myanmar, and the
ongoing persecution of the Rohingya, underlines the need for protection for all
communities.
“Indiscriminate
aerial bombings and human rights violations continue to be reported in many
parts of the country. Those responsible must be held to account,” he said.
Dujarric
said the Guterres urged member states and all stakeholders to engage and
support Special Envoy, Julie Bishop, in her efforts to alleviate the suffering
and help build an inclusive Myanmar-led process towards sustainable peace,
including through close cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) and neighbouring countries.
Tens of
thousands have been left homeless following a spike in violence between the
Myanmar military and the Arakan Army in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
Media
reports indicate that the attacks targeted the Muslim Rohingya community in
Rakhine.
Last
week, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said three
million people are now internally displaced in Myanmar, with many trying to
seek refuge in neighbouring countries.
He said
the situation in Rakhine State has been ‘especially worrying’.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/un-chief-condemns-escalating-violence-and-civilian-attacks-in-myanmar-IC12546295
--------
International
Peace Youth Group organises peace walk at Unimas Kuching
08-06-
2024
KUCHING:
The International Peace Youth Group (IPYG), an affiliate of Heavenly Culture,
World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) a non-governmental organisation,
hosted a vibrant “Peace Walk” event at University of Malaysia, Sarawak (Unimas)
campus, here, recently.
This
event held on May 25 brought together over 150 participants in a unified effort
to promote global peace, transcending boundaries of nationality and ethnicity.
The
Peace Walk event at Unimas featured a variety of activities that emphasised
unity and community engagement.
Participants
also enjoyed yoga sessions and a captivating dance performance by volunteers
from IPYG.
There
were also interactive booths to explain war and peace and importance of plants
to the environment from various NGOs, including Sarawak Eco Warrior.
These
activities fostered a spirit of togetherness and highlighted the importance of
community involvement in peace-building efforts.
Ronieza
Melah Anak Francis, 24, a local, studying Mechanical Engineering at Unimas,
expressed her joy in taking part in the event.
“What I
enjoy the most is witnessing the genuine connections being formed among people
from different backgrounds. It’s incredibly inspiring to see how shared goals
and values can bring a diverse group of individuals together. Additionally, the
creative and collaborative atmosphere at these events is always uplifting and
motivating,“ she said.
Muhammad
Mokhlis bin Taipul Nizam, 22, from Johor, a student at the Faculty of
Education, Language and Communication said that what stood out the most for him
was the diverse group of people from all walks of life and Unimas students
mingling.
“For me,
It was heartwarming to see people from different backgrounds talking and
supporting each other. This sense of community was the essence of the event,“
he said.
The
United Nations affiliated HWPL based in South Korea and IPYG continue to
champion the cause of global peace, advocating for reconciliation, tolerance,
and unity across all borders.
The
successful Peace Walk event in Kuching reflects the commitment of local
communities to these global ideals, fostering hope for a more peaceful and
united world.
In South
Korea, the flagship event commenced on the same day at the Peace Gate of Seoul
Olympic Park, sponsored by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs of
Korea.
In 50
other countries worldwide, the Peace Walks were held and complemented by
diverse peace-building activities, including landmark walks, peace
performances, video screenings, photo exhibitions, poster drawings, sports
activities, bazaars, and volunteer opportunities.
Tree
planting ceremonies and “free hugs” initiatives further emphasised the spirit
of unity and environmental well-being.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/international-peace-youth-group-organises-peace-walk-at-unimas-kuching-BC12547314
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Malaysia,
China agree to deepen national security framwork proposal
07-06-
2024
PUTRAJAYA:
Malaysia and China have expressed agreement to deepen the proposed National
Security Framework scientifically which is expected benefit both countries as
well as the region and the world, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin
Nasution Ismail.
He said
it was one of the high-impact results obtained through the Fifth Meeting of the
Malaysia - People’s Republic of China Joint Working Group on Combating
Transnational Crime (5th JWG) yesterday (June 6) in China, which was chaired by
him and Chinese Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong.
He said
both countries also expressed their commitment to explore and lead the
cooperation of Asean + China + Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the fields of
security, economy and social in accordance with the three main pillars of
Asean.
“Also
signed was the extension of the Agreement for Cooperation in Combating
Transnational Crime between Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China which
is in effect until 2034,“ he said in a statement today in conjunction with the 5th
JWG.
The
agreement is a master document that lists more than 15 areas of cooperation
between the two countries such as the prevention of terrorist activities and
extremism, illegal gambling, cyber crime, human trafficking and illicit
substances and crimes on the environment.
Besides,
he said the two countries also agreed to immediately finalise a number of new
agreement and cooperation documents between the two countries on immigration
and extradition matters.
“The 5th
JWG meeting also acknowledged the existing close cooperation between the
enforcement agencies of the two countries and pledged to increase it to a more
intensive level in line with the comprehensive and strategic relationship
status of Malaysia - the People’s Republic of China.
“This
includes information sharing, capacity building and the exchange of officer
placements,“ he said.
The 5th
JWG is a discussion mechanism under the umbrella of the Agreement for
Cooperation in Combating Transnational Crime between Malaysia and the People’s
Republic of China signed in 2012.
The
annual meeting is a manifestation of Malaysia’s close relationship with the
People’s Republic of China in the context of public security and order.
Saifuddin
Nasution is currently on a working visit to China from June 5 to 10.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
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https://thesun.my/local-news/malaysia-china-agree-to-deepen-national-security-framwork-proposal-KC12545870
--------
Pakistan
Paigham-e-Pakistan
conference held in Quetta to disseminate peace message
June 08,
2024
Paigham-e-Pakistan
conference was organized in Quetta to disseminate the message of peace.
The
participants paid rich tributes to those who rendered sacrifices for the
creation of Pakistan. They vowed to collectively foil the conspiracies against
the country.
Referring
to the teachings of Islam, the religious scholars strong condemned terrorism.
The
participants asked the youth to stand united in the fight against terrorism.
Source: radio.gov.pk
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https://www.radio.gov.pk/08-06-2024/paigham-e-pakistan-conference-held-in-quetta-to-disseminate-peace-message
--------
Imran
admits to approving ‘1971 tweet’, not video
June 8,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
Former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday owned a controversial tweet that
compared the current political situation to the fall of Dhaka but distanced
himself from an accompanying video posted on his X account, insisting that he
couldn’t comment on the video as he didn’t know about its contents.
The post
in question, shared on Mr Khan’s X account on May 26, included a montage with a
quote attributed to Mr Khan urging the nation to “study the Hamoodur Rahman
Commission report” and understand “who was the true traitor, Gen Yahya Khan or
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman”.
Speaking
to journalists on Friday after attending a session at the accountability court
at Adiala Jail, where the former premier faces a £190 million corruption
charge, Mr Khan expressed regret over his past references to Mr Mujeeb,
admitting he hadn’t read the Hamoodur Rehman Commission Report at that time.
Mr Khan
said the report had highlighted two objectives, suggesting measures that such
mistakes could not be repeated and fixing responsibility for the fall of Dhaka,
adding that the commission held Gen Yahya responsible for doing all this to
regain power.
He said
the same thing was being repeated in the country and as a result the economy
was at the verge of collapse. He claimed that amendments to the accountability
law introduced by the PDM government caused Rs1,100 billion loss to the
national exchequer and such a loss couldn’t be afforded by a country already
“on its knees”.
Citing
his acquittal in the cipher case, Mr Khan said the FIA should apologise for
implicating him in a false case.
Asked
whether he would hold talks with political parties since the Supreme Court also
suggested he do so, Mr Khan replied in the negative and said that he would
prefer to negotiate with the real power holders instead of “proxies”.
A
journalist questioned Mr Khan about his previous criticism of PML-N President
Nawaz Sharif’s references to Sheikh Mujeebur Rehman and the Hamoodur Rahman
Commission report, to which Mr Khan responded that “at that time I had not read
Hamoodur Rahman Commission report. Now I have read this report”.
In
response to a question about the controversial video on his X account, Mr Khan
wondered how he could post a video while being in jail. He said that since he
did not watch the video, he could not comment on it.
FIA
questions Imran
Meanwhile,
an FIA team also questioned Mr Khan on Friday in connection with the ongoing
inquiry on the X post in presence of his lawyers.
Mr Khan
was confronted with the X post and the video, sources said, adding that the FIA
team put 16 questions to Mr Khan. Earlier, Mr Khan said he would cooperate with
the FIA inquiry only in the presence of his lawyers.
Earlier,
during the hearing of the £190m corruption case, Mr Khan’s counsel raised
objection on Accountability Judge Mohammad Ali Warraich, who has been given
additional charge of the court after the term of Judge Nasir Javed Rana was
expired.
The
judge issued notices to the prosecution and the law ministry and adjourned the
hearing until June 11.
Omar
flays FIA
Meanwhile
PTI leader Omar Ayub, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly,
flayed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for serving him a call-up notice
in Mr Khan’s controversial tweet case and called the FIA head a “blockhead”
person.
Speaking
on the floor of the National Assembly on Friday, Mr Ayub wondered whether the
FIA director general was a government servant or a servant of the rulers and
demanded the National Assembly summon the FIA’s director general to question
his jurisdiction.
He
claimed that jailed PTI leaders like Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi; Yasmin
Rashid; and Aliya Hamza were subjected to human rights violations and had no
basic facility in the jail.
These
women leaders were sent to jail in separate cases. Bushra Bibi is facing
multiple cases, while the other two PTI leaders were sent behind bars in the
May 9 riots case.
Another
PTI leader, Ali Muhammed Khan, gave his remarks about the jailed party founder
and said the nation was being humiliated by sending its leader behind bars.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1838560/imran-admits-to-approving-1971-tweet-not-video
--------
20 more
injured, 45 held as Chaman remains restive
June 8,
2024
QUETTA:
The situation in border town of Chaman remained volatile as violent protests
and clashes between protesters and law enforcement agencies continued for a
third consecutive day on Friday, resulting in injuries to 20 people, including
eight security personnel.
Security
forces arrested 45 individuals for allegedly damaging public and private
properties and attacking security officials during protest rallies and
demonstrations.
The
passenger train service between Quetta and Chaman has been suspended due to
violence and attacks on government buildings. “No train left for the border
town of Chaman on Friday from Quetta due to security reasons,” a senior
official of Pakistan Railways confirmed.
Officials
said that contrary to the assurances by tribal elders that the protesters would
confine their demonstrations to a designated area, where they had been staging
a sit-in for months to press for their demands, the protesters unexpectedly
swarmed onto various roads, armed with sticks and stones, and began hurling
stones at shops that had been opened by shopkeepers.
The
sit-in participants have been protesting against the government’s decision to
only allow those with valid passports and visas to go beyond the Chaman border
crossing. Before, Pakistanis and Afghans would cross the border upon showing
their respective identity cards.
Business
centres and numerous government offices remained closed on Friday due to the
violent protests, with banks also being closed for several days. “National Bank
has even relocated its staff to Qila Abdullah to ensure continued operation of
its Chaman branch,” a bank official told Dawn. Some of the shops opened in the
morning were forcibly shut down by the angry protesters. The mob also staged
demonstrations in front of the FC headquarters in Chaman, pelting the building
with stones.
Security
forces, including Levies, police, and Frontier Corps, resorted to tear gas
shelling to disperse the protesters who were attacking security personnel with
sticks. “At least 20 people, including eight security personnel, were injured
in the clashes, bringing the total number of the injured to 60 over the past two
to three days,” a senior police officer deployed in Chaman told Dawn over
phone.
“Security
forces have arrested 45 people responsible for attacking police and Levies
during demonstrations,” a law department official confirmed to Dawn.
However,
the Quetta-Chaman highway remains open to traffic, as the local administration
has issued a stern warning that no one will be allowed to block the critical
highway that connects Pakistan with Afghanistan via Chaman.
“We are
eager to resolve the issue through constructive negotiations with stakeholders
to find a solution that restores employment for those who lost their jobs due
to the prolonged closure of the Pak-Afghan border,” a senior official in Chaman
told Dawn. “We held talks with tribal elders and other concerned individuals
last night, who promised to normalise the situation in the border town, but
unfortunately, that commitment was not honored.”
However,
the leaders of the striking people declared that their protest will persist
until the release of their arrested leaders and all individuals taken into
custody over the past three days.
State’s
authority
Meanwhile,
a high-level meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Mir Safraz Bugti on
Friday, reviewed the situation in Chaman, and resolved not to allow anyone to
challenge the state’s authority or engage in violent acts under the pretext of
protest in Balochistan.
Officials
briefed the meeting on the latest developments in Chaman and the incidents that
occurred over the past three days. In light of the situation, it was decided
that the state’s authority must be upheld in all cases to ensure peace and
order are maintained at Balochistan’s borders.
CM Bugti
said local traders in Chaman are willing to negotiate and resolve the issues
faced by professionals through dialogue, and the government is also willing to
engage in talks to find a solution. However, he emphasised that attacks on
security forces and damage to public and private properties are unacceptable.
On the
other hand, four political parties — Awami National Party, Pashtoonkhwa
National Awami Party, Pishin Tahaffuz Movement and National Democratic Party —
jointly staged a demonstration in front of the Quetta Press Club in support of
Chaman protesters and their demands.
A large
number of workers and supporters of these parties carried party flags and
banners inscribed with their demands. Speaking on the occasion, leaders of the
three parties condemned the arrest of protesters and demanded that the
government accept all demands of the Chaman traders and protesters.
Parliamentary
committee
Separately,
speaking in the National Assembly, PTI leader Asad Qaisar said people were
holding protests in Chaman and the erstwhile Fata over loadshedding and state
action. He urged the lower house of parliament to form a parliamentary
committee on the situation. “I appealed to the decision-makers for mercy for
the motherland. Stop showering bullets on the people of Chaman, rather they
must be brought on the table for dialogue,” he said.
On
Friday, the Foreign Office also said that movement across the
Pakistan-Afghanistan border should be regulated by visas. During a media
briefing in Islamabad, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that
individuals wishing to enter Pakistan from Afghanistan must possess a visa and
an Afghan passport. She emphasised that border movement between Pakistan and
Afghanistan should be conducted under visa regulations.
Baqir
Sajjad Syed and Syed Irfan Raza in Islamabad also contributed to this report
Source: dawn.com
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CTD
official martyred, militant killed in Lakki, Bannu
June 8,
2024
LAKKI
MARWAT: A member of the Counter-Terrorism Department was martyred and a
militant was killed in two separate incidents in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
districts on Thursday night.
Police
in Lakki Marwat said on Friday that Wahid, a member of the CTD Lakki, was
attacked by armed motorcyclists in Gandi Khankhel area in the jurisdiction of
Shaheed Asmatullah Khan Khattak police station of Serai Naurang town.
Wahid
got critical injuries and died instantly. The body was shifted to a hospital,
police said, adding funeral of the deceased was offered at the police lines.
Later,
he was laid to rest in a graveyard in Nawab Kallay area with full official
honour.
Meanwhile,
the CTD claimed to have killed a militant commander in an exchange of fire in
Talgai area of Bannu on Thursday night.
The CTD
killed Mohammad Umar of Siddiqullah Gabrez group — a sub-group of Hafiz
Gulbahadar group for Bannu district, during an intelligence-based operation, a
statement said.
It said
Umar was wanted by the CTD Bannu for his involvement in several attacks and
targeted killing.
“As soon
as the operation was launched, militants present in the area started
indiscriminate fire at the CTD team,” the statement said, adding an exchange of
fire continued for 30 minutes, in which Umar was killed, but his associates
managed to escape.
The CTD
team also recovered arms and ammunition from the spot.
Separately,
a policeman was shot dead by rivals over a family dispute in Tajazai area of
Lakki Marwat, police said.
They
said Sharifullah, 36, and his father, Ravedin, 51, were in the Tajazai Adda area
when their rivals, Naimatullah and Zainullah, riding a motorcycle opened fire
on them.
They
said Sharifullah died on the spot, while his father, who was buying foodstuff
from a shop, escaped the attack.
The
police said the deceased and attackers belonged to the Bettanni tribal
subdivision.
Source: dawn.com
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Chief
election commissioner blames top judiciary for electoral complications
June 8,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja on Friday indirectly blamed
judiciary for the complications witnessed during the process for general
elections 2024.
While
hearing applications filed by all the three MNAs from Islamabad seeking
transfer of petitions pending before the tribunal against them, Mr Raja said he
went to the then chief justice of Pakistan and chief justice of the Lahore High
Court and requested them to spare judicial officers for performing duties as
DROs and ROs, but to no avail.
The
remarks came when Faisal Chaudhry, who appeared before the ECP’s four-member
bench as counsel for PTI-backed candidate from NA-46 Aamer Masood Mughal,
termed the Feb 8 elections the most rigged polls in the country’s history.
He
pointed out that bureaucracy had been tasked with holding the elections twice —
in 1977 and 2024 — and on both times they failed Pakistan.
The
CEC’s remarks about non-availability of judicial officers for poll duties were
also seen by many as an admission that DROs and ROs drawn from the bureaucracy
had failed to deliver.
Faisal
Chaudhry argued that ECP can neither make redundant the tribunal constituted
for the capital, nor can it regulate its proceedings. “You cannot sit as a
revisional or appellate authority on the orders of the tribunal,” he told the
bench.
He
cautioned that any decision taken by the ECP in violation of law would open
floodgates of litigation, attracting petitions from across the country.
Opposing
the applicant’s plea for constitution of a new tribunal, he pointed out there
was no such prayer in the application and argued that ECP cannot go extra mile.
He said that the applicant, a respondent in the case before the tribunal, had
neither submitted a response, nor did he raise any objection over the election
petition being time-barred there.
He said
the tribunal had granted extra time to the applicant (MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan) for
submission of his reply, yet he had failed to submit his reply.
He
alleged that the application had been filed with malicious intent to cause
damage to the answering respondent’s lawful cause.
He contended
that the application was vague, cursory, and based on surmises and had been
prepared on a misunderstanding of law on whimsical basis. The applicant has
brought the presiding officer of the tribunal into ridicule, hatred and
contempt, he added.
He told
the bench that the entire exercise was aimed at delaying the proceedings before
the tribunal, ICT, after failing to submit the reply to the election petition
as per law.
Advocate
Shoaib Shaheen, the PTI-backed candidate who had lost the election, argued that
the ECP’s June 4 decision had been challenged in the Islamabad High Court,
where the hearing was ongoing and a decision was awaited.
He
termed all the arguments presented by the petitioners irrelevant and argued
that the decision to transfer the tribunal could only be made in consultation
with the chief justice concerned.
After
hearing the arguments, the ECP reserved its decision on the tribunal transfer
case.
Source: dawn.com
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--------
X post
probe: PTI questions FIA's jurisdiction to summon parliamentarians
June 07,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan has censured
the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for issuing call-up notices to
parliamentarians and his party leaders in connection with a probe into the
party founder Imran Khan’s controversial X post.
Ayub,
speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on Friday, slammed the probe
agency’s notices to him and other PTI leaders — including the party’s Chairman
Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan — in the
controversial X post case.
Auyb,
who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the lower house of parliament,
stressed that the lawmakers were part of the state as per the Constitution.
"Parliament is superior than to any other institutions in the
country."
The
politico questioned higher authorities about the jurisdiction of a probe
agency’s sub-inspector which allowed him to issue a call-up notice to the
parliamentarians.
He
demanded the House summon the FIA’s director general to question his
jurisdiction and also about the language which was used in the call-up notice.
Ayub
said that he and several other PTI leaders were booked in terrorism cases in
Sargodha. He alleged that "aliens" were involved in the
disappearances of party workers whenever they came out of jail.
He
slammed that association with the Imran-founded party was seemingly becoming a
crime in the country while there was no law in place which could stop such
illegal activities.
He went
on to say that the the former prime minister, who was removed from power in
April 2022, was facing "solitary confinement" which was proved from
the pictures of his prison cell at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
He
further alleged that former first lady Bushra Bibi was also not given any
facilities at the jail.
The PTI
secretary-general alleged that other PTI women leaders — Aliya Hamza Malik and
Sanam Javaid — were not being released despite the mandamuses of their release
being prepared.
“Is this
a banana republic? This kind of Gestapo state policy should be eliminated and
let the country go ahead,” he added.
PTI
founder 'joins' FIA probe
Moreover,
incarcerated former premier Khan has joined the FIA’s probe which was launched
after a controversial video had been posted on his official X account, Geo News
reported citing sources.
Last
week, the FIA's anti-cybercrime team started an investigation into a post on X,
formerly Twitter, which was attributed to the former prime minister.
"Every
Pakistani should study the Hamood ur Rahman Commission Report and get to know
who was the true traitor, General Yahya Khan or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,"
the post read.
The
sources within the jail said that an investigation team comprising FIA’s
Additional Director Ayaz Ahmed and Sub-Inspector Munib reached the Adiala Jail,
again, to question the PTI founder.
It
emerged that Imran joined the investigation in the presence of his lawyers
Chaudhry Zaheer Abbas and Intezar Hussain Panjutha.
During
the probe, the FIA team grilled Khan after showing his debatable X post in
jail.
The
probe agency’s team visited the Adiala Jail for the third time to question
Imran as the former premier refused to join the probe twice.
The FIA
had also served notices to three other PTI top leaders in connection with the
case, including Barrister Gohar, Omar and Raoof.
However,
Ayub had excused from appearing before the FIA due to a “busy schedule”,
whereas, Gohar and Raoof appeared before the investigators on Wednesday.
Additionally,
the Islamabad High Court (IHC), following a petition against the FIA’s call-up
notices, also directed the federal government’s probe agency not to take any
adverse action against the PTI secretary general besides directing the latter
to join the probe.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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Pakistan,
China resolve to protect CPEC from 'detractors, adversaries'
June 07,
2024
Pakistani
and Chinese prime ministers on Friday expressed the commitment to protect the
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) from its “detractors and adversaries”,
while also ensuring the safety of Chinese personnel in Pakistan.
PM
Shehbaz Sharif is on an official visit to China from June 4 to 8 at the
invitation of President Xi Jinping, seeking to upgrade cooperation under the
CPEC, a key part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative.
In a
statement, the PM's Office said during the meeting, the two sides discussed the
significance of Gwadar as an important pillar of the CPEC and agreed to
expedite the timely completion of all related infrastructure projects to
transform Gwadar into a regional economic hub.
"They
also expressed their firm commitment to protect the CPEC from its detractors
and adversaries and to upgrade CPEC in the form of enhanced cooperation,"
the statement said.
The
prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan's unflinching resolve to ensure the safety
and security of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan.
Chinese
investment and financial support since 2013 have been key for the South Asian
nation's struggling economy, including the rolling over of loans so that
Islamabad is able to meet external financing needs at a time when foreign
reserves are critically low.
China
has also invested billions in various power projects and road networks in
Pakistan under the $65 billion CPEC plan, but the implementation of various
projects has slowed in recent months.
'Unwavering
support'
During
the talks, the two leaders discussed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations
and discussed regional and global developments of mutual interest.
They
noted that the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership was
characterised by mutual trust, shared principles and strategic convergence.
Premier
Li congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz on Pakistan's election as a
non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
The two
leaders reaffirmed unwavering support for each other on core issues and
expressed continued commitment and support for the high-quality development of
the CPEC.
They
also emphasised the timely completion of all ongoing projects with a special
focus on industrial development, agriculture modernisation, Science &
Technology and the development of Special Economic Zones for mutually beneficial
and socio-economic development of Pakistan.
The two
sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges including strengthening
institutional linkages at all tiers and in all spheres of bilateral
cooperation.
Pakistan
and China will also continue to consult closely on issues of regional and
global significance and multilateral fora, especially during the two-year
tenure of Pakistan as a non-member of the UNSC.
The
delegation-level talks were followed by an MoU signing ceremony, witnessed by
Prime Minister Shehbaz and Premier Qiang, where both signed 23 MoUs and
agreements deepening cooperation in transport infrastructure, industry, energy,
agriculture, media, health, water, socio-economic development and others of
mutual interest.
The
meeting was followed by an official banquet hosted by Premier Li Qiang in
honour of the prime minister.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1197847-pakistan-china-resolve-to-protect-cpec-from-detractors-adversaries
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