Kerala High Court: Working in Pakistan Doesn't Make One 'Enemy' - 60 Immovable Properties Listed as 'Enemy Properties'

New Age Islam News Bureau

26 Jun 2024

Kerala High Court.(File photo)

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·         Kerala High Court: Working in Pakistan Doesn't Make One 'Enemy' - 60 Immovable Properties Listed as 'Enemy Properties'

·         As Iran’s Presidential Vote Looms, Tensions Boil Over Renewed Headscarf Crackdown

·         Once A Rallying Cry, 'Radical Islamic Terrorism' Fades from Trump Rhetoric

·         Afghanistan Ready to Work with All World Countries Based On Mutual Interests

·         Operation Azm-e-Istehkam: US 'Supports' Pakistan's Efforts to Curb Terror

 

India

·         Owaisi Sparks Row Over ‘Jai Palestine’ Slogan During Lok Sabha Oath-Taking, Says Read What Mahatma Gandhi Had Said About Palestine”

·         Jammu and Kashmir: One Terrorist Killed By Security Forces As Gunfight Rages In Doda

·         India Slams Pakistan for ‘Baseless and Deceitful Narratives’ On Kashmir at UN General Assembly

·         Bombay Municipal Corporation Says It Will Shift Proposed Muslim Cemetery at Marol as There Is a Temple Adjacent to It

·         Shatrughan Sinha Slams Trolls for Calling Sonakshi -Zaheer's Wedding 'Love Jihad'

·         11 Arrested in UP Village After Video of Men Offering Namaz On Government Land Goes Viral

·         Security On High Alert After Suspected Terrorists Spotted In Pathankot

·         From Ram to Hindu Rashtra to Palestine, slogans create storm in teacup

·         'Restrict non-essential movement': Indian embassy issues advisory after violence erupts in Kenya

·         CRPF plans to raise mountain battalions to fight terror in J&K

·         Two days after busting Bangladeshi terror outfit, STF makes seventh arrest

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Mideast

·         Iranian Regime’s Desperate Tactics to Legitimize Sham Elections Among Sunni and Baluch Populations

·         Muqtada al-Sadr's comeback: Potential destabilization in Iraq's Shia politics

·         IDF: Slain Gazan named as Doctors Without Borders staffer was Islamic Jihad rocket maker

·         Norwegian fund blacklists Caterpillar over Gaza fears

·         ‘Iran-backed plot’ to destabilize Jordan thwarted

·         Israelis’ lawsuit says UN agency helps Hamas by paying Gaza staff in dollars

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North America

·         A Far-Right Dutch Politician Who Once Railed Against Islam Now Spends His Time Defending It

·         Lino Lakes City Council Votes to Back 1-Year Development Moratorium, Halting Muslim-Oriented ProjectMadinah Lakes

·         Muslim Civil Rights Group Demands Halt to US-Backed Mass Slaughter Of Palestinian Children

·         CAIR-Oklahoma Welcomes Ruling, Questions AG’s Comments on Sharia Law

·         In British Elections, Muslim Voters Seek Candidates Who Care About Gaza

·         CAIR-NJ Supports Response to Anti-Muslim Quiz at Wayne School, Calls for Diversity Training

·         Kyrgyz Officials Say Leader, Members Of Banned Islamic Group Detained

·         US warns Israel that conflict with Hezbollah could spark regional war

·         US imposes sanctions on entities claimed to be linked to Iran military

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South Asia

·         Herat Governor and Turkmenistan Consul General Discuss Enhanced Transit Cooperation

·         Badakhshan attracts 30,000 tourists in past week

·         Washington Post reports climate change could revive poppy cultivation in Afghanistan

·         Afghanistan not a drug threat despite Iran’s criticism: Official

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Pakistan

·         MoU Signed to Promote 'Made In Pakistan Products' In France

·         Ongoing IBOs To Be Intensified Under ‘Vision Azm-I-Istehkam’ Rather Than New Military Op: PM Shehbaz

·         Madyan Police Get 10-Day Remand of 23 Lynching Accused

·         Top Judge Unimpressed by Criticism ofElection Symbol ‘Bat’ Verdict

·         In Karachi, number of 'mysterious deaths' rises to 22

·         Govt to address PTI's concerns over Azm-e-Istehkam: Khawaja Asif

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Africa

·         Senegal Says It Detected Covid-19 In Returning Hajj Pilgrims

·         Bandits attack mosque, kill two in Zamfara

·         Another Nigerian pilgrim returns lost €1,750 pounds in Hajj

·         Heat Wave Kills Four Niger Pilgrims in Mecca

·         Tax protests 'hijacked' after turning violent, President Ruto says

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Europe

·         Bury St Edmunds Out Westgate Plans for Muslim Worship Space

·         Pair jailed for 'abominable' theft of charity boxes from Cheshire mosque

·         Attacks on Jews and Muslims in Germany surged after Israel-Hamas war outbreak

·         Police respond to shooting in Dagestan – media

·         ICC a ‘Western hybrid war’ tool – Moscow

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Arab World

·         Saudi National Centre for Wildlife Launches Supervisory Council for Ibex Protected Area

·         OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission to Convene in Jeddah

·         Ministry reports nearly 1.5 million religious services to pilgrims during Hajj

·         Saudi leaders congratulate Qatar’s emir on 11th anniversary of becoming ruler

·         Success of Saudi Vision 2030 ‘good basis for cooperation,’ says Hungary official

·         Assouline releases ‘AlUla Flora’ celebrating ancient oasis’s vibrant blooms

·         Al-Safiya Museum and Orchard in Madinah attracts visitors

·         Global medical conference to be held in Riyadh

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Southeast Asia

·         Rebranding Langkawi as Preferred Muslim Destination Triggers Controversial Response

·         Islamic Religious Department Tells S'gor Mosques to Stop Inviting Celebrity Preacher for Now

·         Indonesia Awaits US, China’s Ratification of Nuclear Ban Treaty

·         Anti-Online Gambling Task Force Arrests Social Media Personalities

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/kerala-high-court-pakistan-properties/d/132581

 

Kerala High Court: Working in Pakistan Doesn't Make One 'Enemy' - 60 Immovable Properties Listed as 'Enemy Properties'

Express News Service

26 Jun 2024

Kerala High Court.(File photo)

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KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has held that just because a person had gone to Pakistan in search of a job and worked there for a short period will not bring him within the definition of 'enemy' under Rules 130 or 138 of the Defence of India Rules, 1971.

As many as 60 immovable properties in Kerala have been listed by the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) as 'enemy properties'.

Justice Viju Abraham issued the order while allowing the petition filed by P Ummer Koya of Chettippadi, Malappuram, who retired from Kerala Police service, seeking to declare that his property to an extent of 20.500 cents in Parappanangadi village does not come under enemy properties.

Ummar Koya purchased the land from his father Kunji Koya, who had worked in Pakistan for some time. When the petitioner approached the Village officer, Parappanangadi for remitting the Basic Tax in respect of his properties.

The village officer informed that there were instructions from the Custodian of Enemy Property of India (CEPI) not to collect Basic Tax in respect of the properties as proceedings were initiated under the Enemy Property Act, of 1968.

The CEPI has initiated a national drive to inquire against several immovable properties out of which 60 immovable properties are in Kerala.

The petitioner's father is doubted to be an enemy (Pakistan national) as defined under Section 2(b) of the Enemy Property Act,1968, and consequently, the portion of the property purchased by the petitioner from him is doubted to be an ‘Enemy Property. The petitioner argued that his father was a citizen of India. His father died in 1995 and the inhumation was at Valiya Juma-at Palli Kabrastan, Parappanangadi. The death certificate in this regard was also produced before the court.

The petitioner submitted that his father who was domiciled in India as of January 26, 1950, on the commencement of the Constitution, had gone to Karachi, Pakistan in 1953 in search of a job and worked there as a helper in a hotel for a short while.

hen the police authorities continuously haunted the petitioner's father branding him as a Pakistan citizen, he approached the Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi for determination of his national status as a Citizen of India under Section 9(2) of the Citizenship Act. The central government declared that the petitioner's father continued to be a citizen of India as he had not voluntarily acquired citizenship of Pakistan

The Central Government counsel opposed the plea and stated that since the petitioner's father went to Karachi, Pakistan in 1953 in search of a job, and worked there as a helper in a hotel, he would come within the definition of 'enemy' as provided in Rule 130(b) of the Defence of India Rules.

The court said that the central government had found that the petitioner's father has not voluntarily acquired the citizenship of Pakistan and he continues as a citizen of India. Hence, it is clear that the petitioner's father is not a person coming under the definition of an enemy. The court declared that the petitioner's father will not come under the definition of ‘enemy’ nor will the property held by him by any stretch of the imagination be held as an ‘enemy property’.

The central government has no case that the petitioner’s father was trading with an ‘enemy’ or part of any ‘enemy firm’ carrying out business with India. The court quashed the order of CEPI including the petitioner's land under enemy properties and directed the village officer to accept the basic tax of the petitioner’s property.

Source: newindianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Jun/26/kerala-high-court-rules-working-in-pakistan-doesnt-make-one-enemy

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As Iran’s presidential vote looms, tensions boil over renewed headscarf crackdown

June 26, 2024

Two Iranian women without wearing their mandatory Islamic headscarf walk in downtown Tehran. (AP

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DUBAI: Seemingly every afternoon in Iran’s capital, police vans rush to major Tehran squares and intersections to search for women with loose headscarves and those who dare not to wear them at all.

The renewed crackdown comes not quite two years since mass protests over the death Mahsa Amini after she was detained for not wearing a scarf to the authorities’ liking. A United Nations panel has found that the 22-year-old died as a result of “physical violence” wrought upon her by the state.

Amini’s death set off months of unrest that ended in a bloody crackdown, and for a time morality police disappeared from the streets. But now videos are emerging of women being physically forced into vans by police as lawmakers continue to push for harsher penalties. Meanwhile, authorities have seized thousands of cars over women having their hair uncovered while also targeting businesses that serve them.

The renewed hijab push, which police are calling the Noor — or “Light” — Plan, began before President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash, and whoever wins a vote to replace the hard-line cleric on Friday will have an influence over just how intense it becomes — and how Iran responds to any further unrest.

“An intervention ... under the Noor Plan will take us into darkness,” reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian recently told a group of female supporters

Enforcement began ramping up in April, with videos spreading online showing women having violent encounters with female enforcers dressed in the all-encompassing black chador alongside uniformed police officers.

While police haven’t published arrest numbers about the crackdown and media haven’t given it major attention, it’s widely discussed in Iran. But still, many women continue to wear their hijabs loosely or leave them draped around their shoulders while walking in Tehran.

On a recent afternoon in northern Tehran, women sat in cafes and other public places, as a police officer in his 50s told those passing by: “Please cover yourselves, ladies,” and then muttered audibly: “My God, I am fed up repeating this without getting any attention.”

“We know the police are not eager to fight women, but they are under pressure to,” said Fatemeh, a 34-year-old math teacher who gave only her first name for fear of reprisal. “Sooner or later, the authorities will realize that it would serve their interests better to pull back.”

Iran and neighboring Taliban-controlled Afghanistan are the only countries where the hijab remains mandatory. While women attend school, work and can manage their own lives in Iran, hard-liners insist that the hijab must be enforced.

The garment has long has been entwined with politics in Iran. Former ruler Reza Shah Pahlavi banned it in 1936, part of his efforts to mirror the West. The ban lasted only five years, but many middle and upper-class Iranian women chose not to wear it.

After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, some of the women who helped overthrow the shah embraced the even more conservative chador. But others protested a decision by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to order women to wear hijabs in public. In 1983, it became law, enforced with penalties including fines and up to two months in prison.

Amini’s death in September 2022 sparked months of protests and a security crackdown that killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained. But less than two years later, hard-liners within Iran’s theocracy have pressed forward with a crackdown.

The government’s insistence on enforcing the hijab also reflects its conspiratorial view of the world. Iran’s national police chief, Gen. Ahmad Reza Radan, has alleged without providing evidence that the country’s enemies plan to transform the nation’s culture by encouraging women to avoid the veil.

Already, “tens of thousands of women have had their cars arbitrarily confiscated as punishment for defying Iran’s veiling laws,” Amnesty International said in March. “Others have been prosecuted and sentenced to flogging or prison terms or faced other penalties such as fines or being forced to attend ‘morality’ classes.”

On Saturday, police said they would release some 8,000 vehicles held over women not wearing the hijab in them for the Eid Al-Ghadir holiday marked by Shiites.

There’s also been a push to close down businesses that serve women who aren’t wearing hijabs.

“The Islamic Republic is using the distraction of its presidential ‘election’ to go after its women activists and cow them into silence through imprisonment and abuse,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran. The center said at least 12 women activists have been sentenced to prison since Raisi’s deaths for their work.

But there are signs that Iran’s government, and 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, know there are risks to escalating enforcement. A bill passed by Iran’s parliament that could impose 10-year prison sentences for hijab violations has yet to be approved by the country’s Guardian Council, a panel of clerics and jurists ultimately overseen by Khamenei.

So far among the presidential candidates, only Pezeshkian has criticized the hijab law. Others, including current parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, asked for the law to be implemented in a softer way. Candidate Mostafa Pourmohammadi, a Shiite cleric, criticized the use of violence against women, saying police should use “the language of trust and gratitude” rather than the baton.

Meanwhile, the imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, a prominent women’s rights activist, has issued a call from prison urging a boycott of the presidential vote, saying it only supports “a regime that believes in repression, terror and violence.”

At a recent Friday prayers in Tehran, women uniformly wore the chador while attending, as they always do.

“Every women should cover herself in veil, this is an order by Allah,” said Masoumeh Ahmadi, a 49-year-old housewife.

But even among the pious, there can be differences of opinion.

“Yes, it is an order by God, but it is not a must for all women as far as I have learned,” said Ahmadi’s 37-year-old friend, Zahra Kashani.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2537816/middle-east

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Once a rallying cry, 'radical Islamic terrorism' fades from Trump rhetoric

June 25, 2024

FILE - Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Temple University in Philadelphia, June 22, 2024.

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WASHINGTON — In 2016, Donald Trump's presidential campaign echoed with a frequent vow to crush "radical Islamic terrorism."

Fast forward to today, as he seeks a second chance in the White House, Trump rarely mentions the phrase, his erstwhile rhetoric about Islamist terrorism eclipsed by a focus on immigration, crime and other domestic issues.

The shift came into sharp relief on Sunday when a coordinated terrorist assault on a police station, churches and synagogues in southern Russia left at least 20 people dead. What might once have prompted a flurry of tweets went unmentioned on Trump's Truth Social platform.

Why the silence on what was once a rallying cry? Experts suggest two factors: diminished public concern about terrorism and a possible strategic play for the Muslim American vote.

Brian Levin, an extremism expert who has closely followed Trump's rhetoric, said the former president — "more of an opportunist than an ideologue" — is zeroing in on issues that resonate with voters.

"Eight years ago, when the threat of foreign-inspired extremism polled among the top concerns of voters, Trump successfully invoked terror attacks … to drum up support," Levin said. "Today, however, Trump has to pivot somewhat to domestic issues relating to the economy, democracy, crime and the border as well as the record of an incumbent he hopes to unseat."

Defending his record in office, including his handling of southern border immigration, President Joe Biden has made protecting democracy a centerpiece of his campaign, casting Trump as a grave threat to the country.

But Biden's staunch support of Israel during its military campaign in Gaza has angered many Muslim voters, opening a rare opportunity for Trump, according to experts.

Gabriel Rubin, a justice studies professor at Montclair State University, said Trump may be eyeing the Muslim vote in key battleground states with large Muslim populations that could determine the outcome of the November election.

"He has an avenue not to mention ['radical Islamic terrorism'] too much," Rubin, who has written about Trump's past rhetoric about Muslims and terrorism, told VOA in an interview. "I think he can win some of these Midwestern states if he plays his cards right."

To be sure, the threat of international terrorism hasn't vanished. In the months since the outbreak of conflict in Gaza, U.S. officials, including FBI Director Christopher Wray, have been sounding the alarm about an increased potential for terrorist attacks.

But while the warnings seem to have raised the public's worries about terrorism, "overall concern about the issue still doesn't match the higher levels of concern it garnered" in 2015 and 2016, according to an April Gallup report.

Trump's 2016 campaign rhetoric — from claiming "Muslims hate us" to calling for a "complete and total" shutdown of Muslims entering the country — did not happen in a bubble.

Though on the run, the Islamic State (IS) still controlled large swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq and advocated attacking the West. Adding to Americans' angst about terrorism were a spate of IS-inspired terror attacks across Europe and the United States.

In the 12 months leading up to the November election, Trump tweeted 164 times about Islamic State, "radical Islam" and terrorism — nearly twice as much as he did about border security and immigration, according to one estimate.

Trump's vitriolic comments on Muslims and Islam, welcomed by his supporters, unnerved many in the Muslim community, drawing charges of Islamophobia against him, which he and his allies reject.

VOA reached out to the Trump campaign for comment but did not receive a response. The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Biden's stance on terrorism, particularly Islamist terrorism, also has evolved over the years.

While he is not known to have used the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism," in the past he was more willing to employ similar language while taking a tough stance on terrorism.

In 2014, as vice president under President Barack Obama, he criticized Turkey and the United Arab Emirates for supporting jihadi groups in Syria and "the extremist elements of jihadis coming from other parts to the world." He later apologized for the comment.

Since becoming president in 2021, Biden has focused on terrorism more broadly without singling out any one region or religion, moving away from the rhetoric of the "War on Terror" of the 2000s.

On the day he entered the White House, he repealed the Trump administration's "Muslim ban," calling it "a stain on our national conscience."

In the wake of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, moreover, his administration placed a greater emphasis on domestic terrorism as a significant threat to homeland security. In 2021, it launched the first-ever national strategy for countering domestic terrorism.

After the October 7 Hamas attack, Biden condemned the attack as "pure, unadulterated evil" while putting a distance between the perpetrators and the broader Muslim community.

"You know, I know many of you in the Muslim American community or the Arab American community, the Palestinian American community, and so many others are outraged and hurting, saying to yourselves, ‘Here we go again,’ with Islamophobia and distrust we saw after 9/11," Biden said on October 10.

Trump is not known for moderating his rhetoric, even while in office. But after his second year in the White House, the volume of his rhetoric about Muslims and terrorism fell dramatically as he shifted his focus to a new area: border security and illegal immigration.

That trend has continued into the current campaign. A VOA examination of his most recent social media posts and campaign statements found fewer than 20 references since the start of his reelection campaign, including only one mention of "radical Islamic terrorists."

That came last July when he announced that he'd reinstate a travel ban on several Muslim countries that he imposed during his first term in office and which Biden later repealed.

"We don't want people coming into our country that hate us. We want people that love us," he told a rally, citing anti-police riots in France sparked by the killing of a French Moroccan teenager.

Trump supporters dismiss his rhetoric about Muslims and terrorism as just that — rhetoric.

"Let's forget about what this guy says. Let's look at what he does," a Muslim Republican activist said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Another activist questioned whether Trump has ever said he hates Muslims, adding that more Muslims will likely vote for the former president than did in 2016.

But if there is one thing both Trump supporters and detractors agree on, it is that Trump will likely follow through on his vow to bring back the "Muslim ban."

"The legal structure that allowed the Muslim ban to be implemented in the first place is still on the books so we have to start planning as if a new Muslim ban will come into existence," said Corey Saylor, research and advocacy director for the Council on American Islamic Relations.

Source: voanews.com

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https://www.voanews.com/a/once-a-rallying-cry-radical-islamic-terrorism-fades-from-trump-rhetoric/7670050.html

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Afghanistan ready to work with all world countries based on mutual interests

June 26, 2024

The coming UN-led Doha meeting can be a unique

opportunity to embark on rapprochement between

Afghanistan and the world.

Since mid-August 2021, the Islamic Emirate has believed in dialogue and an exchange of ideas with the world. The overall situation has extremely improved in the country after the Islamic Emirate regained control in mid-August 2021. The world has realized it needs to interact with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA). Afghanistan is now admin istered by an independent, powerful, united, central and responsible Islamic government that believes in negotiations and exchange of ideas with the world to reach mutual understanding. The Islamic Emirate once again extends its hand of positive engagement to the world before the UN-led Doha meeting set to be held next week. Afghanistan wants good relations and positive interaction with all countries of the world as it understands that the globalized nature of modern relations means that all state actors must learn to live in harmony and peace with one another. Such relations should be founded on the immutable principles of equality, mutual respect and cooperation through the pursuit of shared interests. The coming UN-led Doha meeting can be a unique opportunity to embark on rapprochement between Afghanistan and the world. All sides should take advantage of this opportunity to reach mutual understanding, and it is good that the world has realized it needs to interact with Afghanistan. The conditions are ripe for Afghanistan to rise up as a responsible and independent member of the international community and to fulfill its responsibility in promoting global peace and security. For the past almost three years, the Islamic Emirate’s foreign policy has been based on a balanced and independent approach and avoided entanglement in global and regional rivalries. It is time for the international community to reciprocate by welcoming Afghanistan into its fold while paying respect to its independence and assisting it to stand on its feet, and the coming UN-led Doha meeting is a good opportunity for this. Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi, by pointing to the coming UN-led Doha meeting told ministerial staff this Monday that the Islamic Emirate’s invitation to the upcoming Doha meeting was testimony to the world realizing it needs to interact with the Islamic Emirate. Briefing in connecting with the improvement of the overall security situation in the country, Muttaqi said Afghanistan security agencies reported that there had been no security incidents over Eid al-Adha holidays, adding that tens of thousands of travelers returned to the country for the Eid al-Adha holidays, which showed they trust the system. Muttaqi said Kabul has hosted numerous delegations from a number of countries and organizations over the past few months and had made good progress in interacting with the world, stressing that the world community has come to believe that there is no other way but to interact with the Islamic Emirate. According to Muttaqi, just as the Islamic Emirate has diplomatic, political and commercial relations with neighboring countries and the region, it wants to have such relations with European and Western countries. It is worth mentioning that the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly asked that it wants to have good relations with Western countries. The Islamic Emirate has also asked that sanctions must go. There are hopes that the world, including the Western countries, will start positive interaction with the Islamic Emirate as it wants to do so. Mukhtar Safi

Source: thekabultimes.com

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https://thekabultimes.com/afghanistan-ready-to-work-with-all-world-countries-based-on-mutual-interests/

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Operation Azm-e-Istehkam: US 'supports' Pakistan's efforts to curb terror

June 26, 2024

State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller speaks during a press briefing conducted on June 25, 2024. — Screengrab/State Department website

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Amid much controversy and criticism, Islamabad's reinvigorated counter-terrorism strategy devised under the title of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam has received the backing of Washington as a State Department spokesperson on Wednesday said they supported the country’s efforts to combat terrorism.

Matthew Miller, who was speaking with journalists during a press briefing in the US capital, said: "We support Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism and ensure the safety and security of its citizens in a manner that promotes the rule of law and protection of human rights."

He was asked about the US government’s response to the fresh counter-terror plan okayed by the Pakistani authorities.

A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's cabinet approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam with the premier assuring no adverse impact on the civilian population of areas where "only intelligence-based operations would be carried out against terrorists".

The State Department spokesperson also reiterated Washington's resolve towards maintaining its partnership with Pakistan on security issues, which includes its high-level counterterrorism dialogue, including funding robust counterterrorism capacity-building programmes and supporting a series of US-Pakistan military-to-military engagements.

"Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks. No country should have to suffer such acts of terror," he said, adding that the US and Pakistan have a shared interest in combating threats to regional security.

According to the PM Office (PMO), the new counter-terrorism push was approved with the consensus of all stakeholders including the four provinces as well as Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

However, opposition parties including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam Fazl (JUI-F), Awami National Party (ANP), and others have voiced concerns over the military operation, demanding that parliament must be taken into confidence before taking any such decision.

Meanwhile, as per the PM Office, Shehbaz took members of the federal cabinet into confidence over misunderstandings and speculations about the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam.

"Azm-e-Istehkam is a collective multidimensional operation and national vision of the entire state system, which will be carried out with the security institutions' cooperation,” the prime minister said during the federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad.

The premier said under this, intelligence-based operations would be intensified, instead of launching a new organised armed operation.

The PM said the perception of launching a new operation for which displacement would be required was a misunderstanding.

“The aim of the operation is to uproot remnants of terrorists, crimes and terrorist nexus,” he said adding that the operation would also target to root out violent extremism from the country.

Source: thenews.com.pk

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1203705-operation-azm-e-istehkam-us-supports-pakistans-efforts-to-curb-terror

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India

 

Owaisi Sparks Row Over ‘Jai Palestine’ Slogan During Lok Sabha Oath-Taking, Says Read What Mahatma Gandhi Had Said About Palestine”

Livemint

25 Jun 2024

Asaduddin Owaisi, the president of All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), on Tuesday triggered a controversy while taking oath as a Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad. He took the oath in Urdu and concluded it with the slogan “Jai Bheem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine”.

The unexpected mentioning of the conflict-hit West Asian region during his oath immediately drew objections from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs. Radha Mohan Singh, who was presiding over the oath-taking ceremony, assured that the controversial slogan would be expunged from the official records of Parliament.

The uproar over Owaisi’s controversial slogan continued for a few minutes.

“I have said earlier please avoid invoking anything other than oath or affirmation. That is only to be recorded... That should be adhered to,” Mahtab said.

Defending his slogan, Owaisi said he had not violated any provision of the Constitution.

“Other members are also saying different things... I said 'Jai Bheem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine'. How is it wrong? Tell me the provision of the Constitution [that I violated]. You should also listen to what others said. I said what I had to. Read what Mahatma Gandhi had said about Palestine,” the AIMIM leader said.

Criticising Asaduddin Owaisi for his slogan, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said it is “absolutely wrong”.

“This is against the rules of the House. He does not say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' while living in India... People should understand that he does unconstitutional work while living in the country,” Reddy told ANI.

Talking to reporters outside Parliament, Owaisi replied that he mentioned ‘Palestine’ because “they are oppressed people”.

He won the Hyderabad seat for the fifth time after defeating BJP candidate Madhavi Latha by a margin of over 3.38 lakh votes.

Source: livemint.com

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https://www.livemint.com/politics/bjp-mp-proclaims-jai-hindu-rashtra-during-lok-sabha-oath-taking-in-alleged-response-to-owaisis-jai-palestine-11719314547393.html

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Jammu and Kashmir: One Terrorist Killed By Security Forces As Gunfight Rages In Doda

PTI Jammu Published 26.06.24

One terrorist was killed by security forces in an ongoing encounter in a forest area in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Wednesday, police officials said.

The gunfight started in Bajaad village in Gandoh area around 9.50 am amid intensified search and cordon operation by the police along with the Army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) following twin terrorist attacks in the hilly district on June 11 and 12, the officials said.

Six security personnel were injured when terrorists attacked a joint check post at Chattargalla on June 11, while a policeman was injured in a gunfight with terrorists at Kota top in Gandoh area the next day.

After the twin attacks, security forces intensified their anti-terrorist operations and announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakhs each on four Pakistani terrorists believed to have infiltrated and operating in the district.

The police, assisted by security forces, launched an operation in the village of Sinoo panchayat but came under heavy fire from the terrorists hiding in a 'dhok' (mud house), the official said, adding that one terrorist was killed in the retaliatory fire after he came out and opened fire on the search parties.

The exchange of fire was still going on when last reports were received, the officials said.

An Army helicopter was also seen hovering over the area for surveillance, they added.

Meanwhile, a Chinese hand grenade was recovered from village Pind in Chingus area of Rajouri district, the officials said.

They said the grenade was recovered late Tuesday evening by a patrolling party of security forces.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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India slams Pakistan for ‘baseless and deceitful narratives’ on Kashmir at UN General Assembly

June 26, 2024

India has slammed Pakistan for its “baseless and deceitful narratives” as Islamabad’s envoy here made references to Kashmir in the UN General Assembly.

“Earlier in the day, one delegation misused this forum to spread baseless and deceitful narratives, which is not a surprise,” Minister in India’s Permanent Mission to the UN Pratik Mathur said on Tuesday.

“I will not dignify these remarks with any response, just to save the valuable time of this august body,” he said.

Mathur was delivering India’s statement at the UN General Assembly debate on the Annual Report of the UN Security Council.

His retort came after Pakistan’s UN envoy Munir Akram made references to Kashmir in his remarks from the General Assembly podium during the debate.

Pakistan regularly raises the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at various UN platforms, irrespective of the subject matter being discussed or the theme of the forum and fails to get any support or traction.

India has previously rejected Pakistan’s attempts to raise the Kashmir issue at international forums, asserting that the “Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh have been, are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India.”

Source: indianexpress.com

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Bombay Municipal CorporationSays It Will Shift Proposed Muslim Cemetery AtMarol As There Is A Temple Adjacent To It

Jun 26, 2024

MUMBAI: BMC on Tuesday told Bombay high court that it will shift the proposed Muslim cemetery at Prajapur village, Marol, Andheri (E) to another place to avoid a clash of interests as there is a temple adjacent to it.

Justices Mahesh Sonak and Kamal Khata were hearing a plea by a Sunni Muslim trust to vacate an Oct 27, 2020 status quo order on the 2,500 sq m site so that it can be used for burials. The Anjuman Taleem Ul-Quran Sunni Taha Masjid had sought dismissal of a petition by Shri Leva Patidar Bajrang Satsang Mandal that had claimed possession since 1925 of the adjacent land on which there are two temples and a welfare centre. The Mandal said the land was reserved for a hospital.

The Masjid said since Aug 2014 it has managed the burial ground as caretaker under an annual agreement with BMC. Due to HC's status quo order, its agreement was not renewed and no permission was given to bury bodies. BMC's Feb 2023 reply said the Masjid's renewal application was rejected in view of HC's Nov 10, 2020 order that the "land shall not be used as a burial ground/cemetery." As the disputed land is excluded from the development plan 2034, it "can be put to use as a cemetery only after sanction of the state government." It informed that the state urban development department (UDD) had transferred the land to BMC to develop a Muslim cemetery.

BMC's advocate Kaushik Mhatre informed that "the issue is almost resolved." Referring to the UDD's Feb 2023 letter on shifting the cemetery to an alternate site. Mhatre said in order to avoid a clash of interests as there's a mandir adjacent to the proposed cemetery, a decision was taken for shifting the burial ground to another place. He sought time to place BMC's decision on record. The judges said once BMC files its affidavit on its decision, liberty can be granted to a party aggrieved by such decision, to question it in accordance with law.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/bmc-says-it-will-shift-muslim-cemetery-proposed-at-marol/articleshow/111271570.cms

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Shatrughan Sinha Slams Trolls for Calling Sonakshi -Zaheer's Wedding 'Love Jihad'

June 25, 2024,

Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal tied the knot on 23rd June and while their beautiful pictures from the special moment has taken all over the internet, a fringe organisation called Hindu Shiv Bhawani Sena organised a protest at Shatrughan Sinha’s residence in Patna, Bihar and called the marriage ’love jihad'.

The legendary actor-turned-politician strongly reacted to trolls and urged them to not spread the negativity. “Anand Bakshi saab has written about such professional protestors, ‘Kucch to log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna. To this I would like to add, ‘Kehne waale agar bekar, bekaam-kaaj ke ho to kehna hi kaam ban jata hai (For unemployed people, this is all the work they have).’ My daughter has done nothing illegal or unconstitutional,” said the Aan actor to Times Now.

He added, “A wedding is a very personal decision between two people; no one has the right to interfere or comment. To all the protestors I say – go, get a life. Do something useful with your life. Aur kucch nahi kehna (I have nothing else to say).”

When asked Shatrughan what he felt on the day of his daughter’s wedding, he replied, “Yeh bhi koi poochne ki baat hai? Every father waits for this moment when his daughter is given to her chosen groom. My daughter looks most happy with Zaheer. Unki jodi salamat rahe.”

The newlyweds shared the amazing pictures of their wedding on social media and wrote,  “On this very day, seven years back (23.06.2017) in each others eyes, we saw love in its purest form and decided to hold on to it. Today that love has guided us through all the challenges and triumphs… leading up to this moment… where with the blessings of both our families and both our gods… we are now man and wife. Here’s to love, hope and all things beautiful with each other, from now until forever. Sonakshi ♾️ Zaheer 23.06.2024.”

Source: firstpost.com

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https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/shatrughan-sinha-slams-trolls-for-calling-sonakshi-sinha-zaheer-iqbal-love-jihad-my-daughter-has-13785936.html

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11 Arrested inUP Village After Video of Men Offering Namaz On Government Land Goes Viral

Written by Manish Sahu

June 25, 2024

UP village men offering Namaz on Eid arrestedOver the last few months, tension had been brewing in the Muslim-dominated Turkaha village as two groups attempted to capture the government land. (Representational photo)

Eleven men, including the head of a village, were arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district last week after a video went viral showing a group of people offering namaaz on government land in Turkaha village on Eid.

Among the arrested, nine are Muslims, and two others, including the 46-year-old village pradhan Kedar Yadav, are Hindus.

Dhawal Jaiswal, Kushinagar Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident. Neeraj Rai, the then station house officer of Khadda police station (the jurisdictional police station), Om Prakash Yadav, Sub-Inspector, and Mohan Singh, Constable, were removed on charges of negligence and attached to the Reserved Police Lines, he added.

Yadav’s son Shiv Kumar said that a dispute over the government land was ongoing and that the district administration and police had prohibited any activities there. “Without our knowledge, a group of people held a prayer on Eid (June 17). We found out about it when the video of the prayer went viral the next day. The police arrested my father for not stopping them from offering the prayer,” he said. Yadav was a first-time pradhan.

Over the last few months, tension had been brewing in the Muslim-dominated Turkaha village as two groups attempted to capture the government land. While one group of Muslim villagers wanted to build an Eidgah, the other group of Hindu villagers wanted to construct a marriage hall. Proposals to build both were sent to the district administration but were rejected, said SP Dhawal.

A senior official of the revenue department had also recently directed the local police station to ensure that no one attempted to capture the government land.

“Since tension was brewing between the two groups in the village, the police held a meeting with members of both communities in April this year. A written agreement was made that no activities would take place on the government land,” said Kumar.

Upon learning that a group of people had allegedly offered namaaz on the government land, the local police conducted a preliminary inquiry and lodged a first information report (FIR) against 11 people at Khadda police station.

The case against the accused was filed under Section 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code, said Jitendra Tandon, Station House Officer, Khadda police station.

The accused were arrested on June 20 and action against the three policemen was also taken on the same day.

Source: indianexpress.com

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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/up-village-arrest-men-offering-namaaz-on-government-land-9414175/

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Security on high alert after suspected terrorists spotted in Pathankot

Jun 26, 2024

PATHANKOT: Security forces are on high alert on Wednesday following the sightings of two suspicious armed individuals moving in villages near the Pathankot district of Punjab, which borders the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) , Border Range, Rakesh Kaushal said that the suspicious movement was observed last night. In response, the area was cordoned off, and an alert was issued to other security agencies, including the Border Security Forces (BSF), Army and Air Force.

There is nothing to panic, as the security forces have the situation under control, he added.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Pathankot, Suhail Qasim Mir, said that the two armed suspects were observed moving in the outskirts of Kot Bhattian village in Pathankot, which borders the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. "But the suspects were recently spotted moving towards Kot Pannu village in Kathua," said Suhail.

The police and other security agencies are on high alert and begun the combing operation, he added.

On June 12, security forces had gunned down two terrorists and eliminated them who were believed to have infiltrated from Pakistan in Siada Sukhpal village, located in the Hiranagar sector of the Kathua district.

Earlier in 2016, Pakistani terrorists attacked the Pathankot Air Force base.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/security-on-high-alert-after-movement-of-suspected-armed-terrorists-spotted-in-pathankot/articleshow/111274442.cms

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From Ram to Hindu Rashtra to Palestine, slogans create storm in teacup

Jun 26, 2024

NEW DELHI: It was the day of religious invocations and storms in the teacup on the second day of MPs oath-taking in the Lok Sabha. The repeated chants of Jai Shri Ram from BJP triggered much mirth as Samajwadi Party's showcasing of its MP representing Ayodhya (Faizabad constituency), a sore defeat for BJP, checked the enthusiasm in the governing camp. Even as it dominated the proceedings through the day, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi's hailing of Palestine after the oath triggered belated protests from BJP, leading to a minor disturbance. BJP's Chhatrapal Gangwar from Bareilly said "Jai Hindu Rashtra", which stoked protests from the opposition bench that called it "against the Constitution".

The oath by Owaisi, who also used an Islamic war cry, was over and he was firmly ensconced in his seat with the proceedings smoothly under way, before Shobha Karandlaje questioned the invocation of Palestine by the Hyderabad veteran, in what was an afterthought. She was joined by NDA colleague Shrikant Shinde and C M Ramesh which led to some commotion. Sitting in his place, Owaisi stood his ground. But the Chair, Radha Mohan Singh, clarified only the oath was going on record, urging members to not create any disturbance. Earlier, pro tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab had said chants and invocations should be avoided, but it was ignored by the members throughout.

For Ram to Hindu Rashtra to Palestine, slogans create storm in teacup.

Interestingly, when Owaisi's name was called out and he was proceeding to the podium, BJP benches raised 'Jai Shri Ram'and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' slogans, as if to tease him. Later, when Arun Govil of BJP raised 'Jai Shri Ram', SP's Dharmendra Yadav asked why BJP was not objecting to it, and he was joined by others. Then, Dharmendra loudly shouted 'Jai Awadhesh' and the Faizabad MP, as if on cue, stood up with raised folded hands in mock acknowledgement of the assembly - a grandstanding that triggered laughter all around.

The to and fro continued. The icing on the opposition's cake was when Awadhesh Prasad's name was called. This time, the opposition benches broke into 'Jai Shri Ram', and the BJP side was mum. While INDIA bloc handed BJP a solid defeat in Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, it is the upstaging of the saffron party in Faizabad constituency that the opposition has been using to rub it in. It proved effective in Parliament for the first two days.

The plea for help for troubled regions attracted attention too. The oaths of Alfred ken-Ngam Arthur and Bimol Akoijam, MPs from Manipur, which has been roiled by ethnic conflict for over a year, led to lusty cheers of "Manipur, Manipur" from Congress and the opposition, with the members themselves seeking "justice for Manipur". Meanwhile, Owaisi hailed Palestine.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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'Restrict non-essential movement': Indian embassy issues advisory after violence erupts in Kenya

Jun 26, 2024

NEW DELHI: Indian embassy in Kenya issued an advisory on X (formerly Twitter), cautioning Indian citizens residing in the country amidst the ongoing unrest. The post stated, "In view of the prevailing tense situation, all Indians in Kenya are advised to exercise utmost caution, restrict non-essential movement and avoid the areas affected by the protests and violence till the situation clears up. Please follow local news and Mission's website and social media handles for updates."

The advisory comes in the wake of violent confrontations between protesters and police forces in various cities across Kenya, including the capital, Nairobi. The clashes erupted following the Kenyan parliament's approval of a contentious finance bill that introduces tax increases, further exacerbating the nation's already dire cost-of-living crisis.

According to eyewitness accounts, security forces resorted to using tear gas, water cannons, and firing shots above the heads of protesters in an attempt to disperse the crowds. In response, demonstrators hurled stones at the police. As the parliamentary debate on the tax bill unfolded, riot police formed a perimeter around the parliament building and the State House, which serves as the president's office and residence. The bill was ultimately passed, and the parliament subsequently adjourned, even as protesters assembled outside the building.

The demonstrations reflect the growing discontent among Kenyans, who are not only opposed to the tax hikes but also demanding the resignation of President William Ruto. The country is currently grappling with a severe economic crisis, and the new tax measures have further fueled public anger and frustration.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/restrict-non-essential-movement-indian-embassy-issues-advisory-after-violence-erupts-in-kenya/articleshow/111270750.cms

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CRPF plans to raise mountain battalions to fight terror in J&K

Written by Mahender Singh Manral

June 26, 2024

Ganja At a meeting later, PM Narendra Modi directed senior officials to ensure the “deployment of the full spectrum” of “counter-terror capabilities”. (File Photo)

Against the backdrop of an uptick in terror attacks, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) plans to raise Mountain Battalions in J&K, starting with training the existing battalions in mountain warfare to improve their operational efficiency, The Indian Express has learnt.

On June 16, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had chaired a high-level meeting at North Block to review the security situation in J&K and take stock of preparedness for the Amarnath Yatra, set to begin on June 29. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha were among those in attendance.

The CRPF is learnt to have highlighted during the meeting its proposal to create 659 posts for their Mountain Battalions.

“After monitoring their (terrorists’) regular activities, it has been observed that over a period, they have moved from urban areas to the terrain of forests at higher reaches. Since they are changing their modus operandi, security establishments also have to reinvigorate their plans as per the current scenario,” a senior official said.

J&K Zone is one of the largest zones under the CRPF’s jurisdiction, comprising six sectors where 80 operational battalions are deployed.

On June 24, in a communication to the J&K range, it was informed that the CRPF DG has instructed that work begin on raising Mountain Battalions to conduct operations in higher reaches. “For a start, an existing battalion may be trained in mountain warfare. For strengthening of intelligence setup, the proposal of creation of 659 posts is under active consideration in the Ministry of Home Affairs and once approved, will address the concerns. Furthermore, proposals for long term – four to five years – community engagement programmes should be prepared by the zones, which would be forwarded to the MHA for approval,” an official said, citing the communication.

The meeting at North Block follows a spurt in violence in Jammu. On June 9, nine pilgrims were killed and 33 injured when a bus ferrying them was attacked in Reasi. Later, a CRPF jawan and two militants were killed and seven security personnel injured in three separate encounters in Doda and Kathua districts.

At a meeting later, PM Narendra Modi directed senior officials to ensure the “deployment of the full spectrum” of “counter-terror capabilities”.

Sources said that during the meeting on Jammu, it was decided that apart from generating robust intelligence and strengthening the anti-infiltration grid on the Jammu border (most recent attacks in Jammu have been carried out by terrorists from Pakistan), there needs to be a greater presence of police and security forces on the ground. “A comprehensive plan has been prepared to increase boots on the ground and have more patrolling,” said a senior official.

Source:

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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/crpf-plans-to-raise-mountain-battalions-to-fight-terror-in-jk-9415279/

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Two days after busting Bangladeshi terror outfit, STF makes seventh arrest

Written by Sweety Kumari

June 25, 2024

Bangladeshi terror, Bangladeshi terror outfit, Kolkata terror outfit, West Bengal terrorism,The accused, Harej Shekh (27), of Mayapur, Nabadwip in Nadia district, was arrested on Tuesday morning from the Howrah Station area.  (Representational Image/Express Archives)

Two days after the West Bengal Special Task Force arrested Md Habibullah and five other men for suspected links to the Bangladesh-based Islamist terrorist group Shahadat-e al Hiqma, another terror suspect has been arrested, said police.

The accused, Harej Shekh (27), of Mayapur, Nabadwip in Nadia district, was arrested on Tuesday morning from the Howrah Station area.

The STF had on Saturday arrested and seized electronic devices from Md Habibullah, a student of Mankar College, who was allegedly heading the outfit. He was presented in the Durgapur Sub-Divisional Court of Kanksa Police Station and remanded to 14-day police custody.

Habibullah and his associates would allegedly communicate through cryptic messaging platforms like ‘BiP’.

The Shahadat-e al Hikma was formed by members of the Ansar al-Islam (Bangladesh), also called Ansarullah Bangla Team, after it was banned in the neighbouring country and its leaders were arrested, police sources said. The NIA has registered three cases against the Ansar al-Islam—one each in Mizoram, Bengaluru and Bengal.

Source: indianexpress.com

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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/busting-bangladeshi-terror-outfit-stf-9414185/

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Mideast

 

Iranian Regime’s Desperate Tactics to Legitimize Sham Elections Among Sunni and Baluch Populations

25th June 2024

As Iran’s early presidential elections approach, local sources and media reports reveal the regime’s desperate attempts to drum up participation amidst widespread public disillusionment and anger. The elections face a crisis following years of brutally cracking down on legitimate calls for change and a strong public sentiment to boycott the polls.

In the aftermath of dozens of uprisings, Iranians have increasingly viewed the regime as illegitimate. The brutal repression of protests, which resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries, mass arrests, rampant executions, economic crises, and systemic oppression of women, has driven public hope for change to an all-time low. In a surprising move, the regime has enlisted certain Baluch and Kurdish figures to partake in the electoral propaganda, aiming to attract voters with empty promises.

Despite knowing that no substantial change will occur, these individuals—labeled as opportunistic regime loyalists—attempt to deceive the public once more. Their efforts underscore the regime’s reliance on manipulation and coercion to maintain a facade of the democratic process. The reality, however, is that the presidency under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei remains a mere executive tool with no real power to implement fundamental reforms.

Anwar Bijarzehi, a regime loyalist from Chabahar and a low-ranking affiliate of the regime’s security apparatus in Baluchestan, has become the spokesperson for presidential candidate Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf‘s campaign in Tehran. Meanwhile, Jalal Jalalizadeh, a so-called reformist and former representative from Sanandaj, has surfaced in Zahedan, using the public admiration of martyr Khodanour Lojei to encourage participation in the elections. This is in stark contrast to the brutal killings at the same location, for which no perpetrators have been brought to justice.

In Sistan and Baluchestan, several marginalized regime affiliates who were sidelined by the current administration are now re-emerging. Among them is Moeinuddin Saeedi, disqualified by the Guardian Council in the run-up to the sham parliamentary elections in February, who is now actively promoting the elections in southern parts of the province. Another figure, Baqer Kurd, a former so-called reformist representative from Zahedan, along with Dr. Sara Khoshkhooy, are engaged in election activities despite having no significant political influence. Their support for a candidate like Masoud Pezeshkian—who has never addressed the demands of ethnic and religious minorities—highlights the regime’s superficial approach and its desperate need for electoral engagement.

The Sunni community, historically marginalized and oppressed, has expressed strong intent to boycott the elections. The participation of these regime-aligned figures, seen as traitors by many, has only fueled further resentment. After decades of broken promises and systemic exclusion, the Baluchi and Sunni populations are now more awakened and resistant to such political theatrics.

As Anwar Bijarzehi and others try to serve their masters in the capital, the sentiment among an overwhelming number of locals is defiance. The regime’s attempt to use the election as a tool for legitimacy is widely viewed as a betrayal, particularly by those who have suffered the most under its rule. This resistance is echoed across Iran, where public disillusionment is at its peak.

Source: ncr-iran.org

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https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/iran-election/iranian-regimes-desperate-tactics-to-legitimize-sham-elections-among-sunni-and-baluch-populations/

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Muqtada al-Sadr's comeback: Potential destabilization in Iraq's Shia politics

2024-06-25

Shafaq News/ Prominent Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's announcement on April 11 to re-enter Iraq's formal political process has sent ripples through the nation's political landscape.

Through his mouthpiece on X, Wazir al-Iraqi, Al-Sadr revealed the formation of "al-Tayyar al-Waṭani al-Shi'i," sparking extensive commentary and speculation about his plans.

In an analysis published by The Washington Institute, Mohammed Salih, a Kurdish journalist and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication, explained the political landscape in Iraq with the return of Al-Sadr to the scene.

"Given the complicated baggage that Sadr brings into Iraq's political game, his re-entry into formal politics after a years-long hiatus will likely destabilize the internal Shia political landscape." He said.

Al-Tayyar al-Waṭani al-Shi'i: What's in A Name?

The writer explained the goal behind the ame of Al-Sadr's Movement, "The new appellation that Sadr has chosen for his political group is significant in multiple ways. First, there is a question of translation when it comes to rendering the name of this new group in English. While it is typically translated as the National Shia Movement or Shia National Movement, I suggest a more pointed rendition: the Patriotic Shia Current. There is a subtle, often neglected difference in the meanings of the words "waṭani" and "qawmi" in Arabic, often interchangeably used to denote "national(ism)" in English. However, "waṭani(yya)" pertains to state-centered nationalism and, hence, is a better equivalent to the English term patriotic (patriotism), while "qawmi(yya)" corresponds more strongly with ethnicity-based nationalism, which can be pursued within or across several existing states. The choice of the word waṭani demonstrates Sadr's hopes to be recognized as someone with a patriotic, cross-sectarian (i.e., willing to engage beyond the Shia realm) and cross-ethnic agenda (i.e., not a solely Arab group). But the word patriotic is realistic only to the extent that Sadr will be able/willing to engage with other parties from other ethnicities and sects. It should not be taken to mean that he can gain votes from among other communities and claim to represent (portions of) them."

Saleh further explained that the use of the term "Shia" in the new group's name is "notable for more than one reason. First, it is the first time that Sadr has used the term in any of the groups he has set up. None of his previous or current groups—from Jaysh al-Mahdi (Mahdi Army) to the Sadrist Movement/Current to Ahrar, Sa'irun, and Saraya al-Salam (Peace Brigades)—carries this explicitly sect-centered signifier (Mahdi is a revered figure in both Shia and Sunni belief, though admittedly more central among the Shia). The use of the qualifier "Shia" in the group's new name reveals an acknowledgment that the Shia political landscape is Sadr's immediate arena of political activity and exhibits a determination to challenge his pro-Iran Shia rivals gathered within the Coordination Framework on this shared turf."

"Sadr has already sought to reaffirm his leadership position within the Shia political arena by publicly pushing for the ratification of a controversial piece of legislation that recognized Al-Ghadeer Day as a national holiday. According to Shia tradition, Al-Ghadeer is the day on which the Prophet Mohammed appointed his cousin Ali as his successor. Sunnis reject this narrative. The designation of Al-Ghadeer as a holiday faced resistance among Sunni groups in the Iraqi Parliament and beyond. Furthermore, as the scion of a prominent Shia religious family, Sadr enjoys extensive symbolic capital and charisma among Shia constituents, particularly those of lower socio-economic status and rural backgrounds. His reception last year by Shia Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani also boosted his credentials within the Shia landscape as the only major Shia leader/politician received by Sistani in recent years."

"While the inclusion of "Shia" and "patriotic" in the group's name might be seen as a perplexing oxymoron, it is reflective of the reality of Iraqi politics and its hardened political-communal boundaries—a reality that is to continue for the foreseeable future due to the state's demographic composition and history." Salih added.

"The first part, i.e. "Shia", is fact, and the second part, i.e. "patriotic", is a wish. A multi-communal federation, Iraq lacks a federation-wide political party that can perform reasonably across all ethnic and religious/sectarian communities. Sadr might aspire to play that role, but he will not be able to as his rhetoric and past baggage will not allow him to cross the existing boundaries (especially the memories of Jaysh al-Mahdi and its participation in the sectarian conflict post-2003)."

Other Ideological Underpinnings

"Sadr has ensured that anti-American (albeit of a non-violent variety) and anti-Israeli orientations remain staples of this new stage in his political venture. While the governing Shia Coordination Framework in Iraq includes more liberal and/or pragmatic elements such as Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, Haider al-Abadi, Ammar al-Hakim, and, to a lesser extent, Nouri al-Maliki, it also encompasses staunchly pro-Iranian figures who openly take pride in violent confrontations, past and present, against the United States and, since October 7, Israel." the writer said.

"Against this backdrop, Sadr has emphasized his anti-American and anti-Israeli credentials. Sadrists have reminded their rivals that they led the original anti-American "resistance" in Iraq, fighting U.S. forces as early as 2004 under the banner of Jaysh al-Mahdi. Since October 7, he has publicly demanded the closure of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and called for the expulsion of the ambassador on at least two occasions, though he has urged non-violent means to achieve these objectives. Additionally, Sadr has made several anti-Israeli remarks, often drawing on provocative religious texts, and has organized humanitarian aid campaigns for the population in the Gaza Strip."

Sadr's Prospects in Next Elections and Arm Wrestling with Iran

The report also mentioned the prospects of Al-Sadr in the next Parliamentary elections, "The launch of the Patriotic Shia Current comes amid preparations for the next parliamentary election, expected by November 2025. Although the Sadrist Current was the top vote-recipient in the 2021 elections, winning 73 out of 325 seats, Sadr ultimately failed to secure a coalition of two-thirds of the parliamentary seats needed to form the government and subsequently withdrew from the entire political process in an astonishing move."

"Undoubtedly, Sadr is maneuvering to emerge as the dominant Shia force in the next election. He is well aware of the unpopularity of the current ruling class (with the relative exception of Sudani), as demonstrated by the all-time low voter turnout in last year's provincial council elections (26 percent of all potentially eligible voters). He will be strategically positioning himself to capitalize on this massive popular disgruntlement with the rival Coordination Framework by presenting himself as an anti-corruption and patriotic force that is not beholden to either Iranian or U.S. interests."

Salih revealed there have been reports of a possible alliance between Sadr and Sudani to form the next major parliamentary coalition within the Shia scene.

"Sudani has presented himself as a technocrat, interested in providing good governance and focusing on public services, avoiding being seen as wedded to deeper ideological camps within the Shia or Iraqi political landscape. He has tried to keep doors open to working with all sides, and has strategically avoided sacking Sadrist officials from the managerial government posts they have held since previous cabinets. Realizing the possibility of a Sadr-Sudani alliance, former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (an arch-nemesis of Sadr) has reportedly begun making overtures to Sadr in the hope of undermining Sudani and his chances of winning a significant parliamentary bloc. Maliki recently controversially proposed for early elections to be held by the end of 2024. Sadr might also see some value in partnering with Sudani after the next elections, given the prime minister's favorable rating among Iraqis (though it remains to be seen if Sudani can translate this general favorable rating to votes in the coming elections). But Sadr faces a dilemma here. While he would like to undermine his rivals in the governing Shia Coordination Framework by peeling Sudani away from them, he would certainly not be pleased with the prospect of another popular Shia figure emerging in the form of Sudani, who might have more appeal to average Shia voters than either him or his Framework rivals."

"In addition to that, no government can be formed without partnering with some Kurdish and Sunni Arab groups. This is where Sadr might run into some serious hurdles. Sadr's last-minute abandonment of his Kurdish and Sunni Arab allies—namely the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Masoud Barzani and the Taqadoum Party of Mohammed al-Halbousi—following the 2021 elections left those groups hanging by a thread. This will make those elements highly cautious, if not unwilling, to seek a renewed political alliance with Sadr alone. The KDP and Taqadoum have paid heavily for their now-defunct alliance with Sadr, as Iran and its allies within Iraq have employed multiple methods to undermine the autonomous Kurdistan Region, whose main governing party is the KDP, and successfully got Halbousi sacked from his coveted parliamentary speaker position through a ruling by the Federal Supreme Court. In short, Sunnis and Kurds will not antagonize Iran again by partnering with Sadr against pro-Iran factions in Iraq." He said.

"Finally, there is the question of just how far Sadr is willing to go to materialize his vision of a majority government led by his group. When push came to shove in the aftermath of the 2021 elections, Sadr avoided a decisive showdown with pro-Iran groups who appeared willing to resort to violence if necessary. The experience of the past two decades in Iraq has demonstrated that no matter the size of a party or a coalition's votes, a government cannot be formed without Iran's approval. Sadr has reportedly begun to mend fences with Iran in recent months, but the road to an eventual full rapprochement will be long and arduous. Although Iran will not entirely alienate Sadr, it will likely manipulate him against other Shia rivals to maintain its influence over the broader Shia political landscape. However, Tehran is unlikely to entrust Sadr with the reign of state power in Iraq due to Sadr's perceived unpredictability and unreliability, and Iraq's tremendous strategic importance in Iranian regional designs."

"This means Sadr, at best, would have a shot at being in the government alongside other more loyal groups to Iran but would not be allowed to establish a majority government that would sideline pro-Iran groups. A repeat of the post-2021 election scenario would likely not get Sadrists anywhere better than in the 2021-2022 period, as power in Iraq is ultimately not defined through electoral performance."

Salih pointed out that Al-Sadr's re-entry into formal politics after a years-long hiatus "will likely destabilize the internal Shia political landscape. However, he has shown a pragmatic willingness to avoid violence (despite small-scale clashes here and there) to counter pro-Iran groups, as this would be a lose-lose scenario for Shia, who have finally brought the Iraqi state under their control after two decades of intense and bloody conflict. Hence, Sadr will have to navigate a difficult terrain and likely make bitter compromises with Iran and its allies in Iraq."

"In short, Sadr's ambitions are not matched by his means of realizing them. The rebranded movement signifies more of a fresh stage in his political work rather than a new political project altogether or a new political reality in Iraq. In other words, there will be more continuity than change in the Sadrist Current's behavior and Iraqi politics at large—though with more emphasis placed on its immediate Shia arena of support and rivalry. While maneuvering for a spectacular electoral gain through a rejuvenated and rebranded movement is understandable, and Sadr could possibly increase his share of votes given widespread dissatisfaction with other political groups, translating electoral gains into his long-held desire for a majoritarian government is unlikely. Iran and its Iraqi allies will continue to be the insurmountable barrier to Sadr's ambitions of leading a majoritarian government." The report concluded.

Source: shafaq.com

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IDF: Slain Gazan named as Doctors Without Borders staffer was Islamic Jihad rocket maker

A Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket expert, named by Doctors Without Borders as a staffer, was killed in an Israeli drone strike in Gaza City on Tuesday, the military said.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, reported on Tuesday morning that Fadi al-Wadiya was one of its staffers.

The organization said in a post on X that al-Wadiya was killed along with five other people, among them three children, while riding his bicycle to the MSF clinic where he worked.

“Killing a healthcare worker while on his way to provide vital medical care to wounded victims of the endless massacres across Gaza is beyond shocking; it’s cynical and abhorrent,” Caroline Seguin, the organization’s local operations manager, was quoted saying in a statement.

The Israel Defense Forces later in the day confirmed that it had killed al-Wadiya, saying that he was an Islamic Jihad operative involved in developing the terror group’s missiles.

Al-Wadiya was involved in “the development and advancement of the organization’s missile array,” the military said in a statement.

The IDF said he was also a “source of knowledge” within the Islamic Jihad, in the fields of electronics and chemistry.

It published footage of the drone strike in Gaza City.

In another strike on Tuesday, the IDF said a Hamas operative involved in smuggling arms to the terror group through the Rafah border crossing and via tunnels passing underground into Egypt, was killed in an airstrike.

According to the IDF, Wissam Abu Ishaq was targeted in a drone strike in the southern Gaza Strip.

It said that he was involved in running weapons to Hamas, and in recent years, smuggled arms through the Rafah Crossing and cross-border underground routes.

Since Israel’s takeover of the so-called Philadelphi Route, the Egypt-Gaza border area, military officials have said that Hamas is no longer able to smuggle weapons into the Strip.

A separate airstrike overnight targeted a rocket launching site in southern Gaza’s Rafah, the military said on Wednesday morning.

The IDF also said that fighter jets and other aircraft struck dozens more targets across Gaza over the past day, including booby-trapped buildings, buildings used by terror groups, tunnels, and cells of gunmen.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Hamas launched mortars at Israeli troops escorting a United Nations humanitarian aid convoy in the central Gaza Strip, the military said, publishing footage of the incident.

The IDF and COGAT had been coordinating a UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) convoy, part of a mission to reunite children from northern Gaza with their families in the south, according to the military.

“During the coordinated activity, the Hamas terrorist organization fired a projectile at the humanitarian route near the UNICEF aid convoy and IDF soldiers securing the area,” it said in a statement.

Video published by the IDF shows at least one mortar striking just a few meters from soldiers and a UN vehicle.

It said the convoy later proceeded along the route as planned, and there were no injuries in the attack.

“Despite the IDF’s attempts to increase humanitarian aid and activities for Gazan residents, Hamas continues to exploit these efforts and endanger the lives of Gazan civilians,” the military added.

The war began on October 7 when thousands of Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel under a barrage of rockets fired at population centers all over the country. They brutally killed 1,200 people, amid multiple instances of torture and rape, and seized 251 hostages. Israel swiftly declared war on Hamas, vowing to topple the terror group’s regime in Gaza and free the hostages.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 37,500 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the fighting so far, though the toll cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel says it has killed some 15,000 combatants in battle and some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel during the October 7 attack.

Israel has said 315 troops have been killed during the ground offensive against Hamas and amid operations along the Gaza border. The toll includes a police officer killed in a hostage rescue mission. A civilian Defense Ministry contractor has also been killed in the Strip.

Source: timesofisrael.com

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https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-slain-gazan-named-as-doctors-without-borders-staffer-was-islamic-jihad-rocket-maker/

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Norwegian fund blacklists Caterpillar over Gaza fears

June 26, 2024

Oslo: Norway’s largest pension fund said Wednesday it had divested from US industrial group Caterpillar because of the risk its equipment was being used by the Israeli army in Gaza.

“For a long time, Caterpillar has supplied bulldozers and other equipment that has been used to demolish Palestinian homes and infrastructure to clear the way for Israeli settlements,” Kiran Aziz, head of responsible investments at KLP, said in a statement.

“It has also been alleged that the company’s equipment is being used by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in connection with its military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas attack on October 7 last year,” she added.

Because of this, there is a “risk that the US company may be contributing to human rights abuses and violation of international law in the West Bank and Gaza,” KLP said.

The fund said that since Caterpillar “cannot provide us with assurances that it is doing anything in this regard, we have decided to exclude the company from investment.”

KLP — not to be confused with Norway’s massive sovereign wealth fund — said that earlier this month it owned Caterpillar stock valued at $68.6 million, which it had now divested.

The fund has around $90 billion under management.

In April 2021, KLP excluded companies linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including telecom equipment giant Motorola.

The Gaza Health ministry says at least 37,658 people have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory offensive following Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel.

That attack resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Palestinian militants also took 251 people hostage in the attack, 116 of whom remain captive in the Gaza Strip, according to Israel. The army says 42 of those are dead.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2537801/middle-east

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‘Iran-backed plot’ to destabilize Jordan thwarted

June 26, 2024

JEDDAH: Jordanian security forces have detonated a cache of explosives found concealed in a commercial warehouse in an industrial area southeast of Amman, thwarting what authorities said was part of an Iran-backed plot to destabilize the kingdom.

Officials said the material was hidden by the same gang who stored explosives uncovered on Saturday in a crowded residential area close to a military airport.

Security sources said both incidents were terror related based on the quantity of explosives found, and were linked to Iran’s clandestine efforts to recruit agents to destabilize the kingdom with acts of sabotage.

Over the past year Jordan has foiled numerous attempts to smuggle weapons by infiltrators linked to pro-Iranian militias in Syria who have crossed its borders with rocket launchers and explosives.

Some of the weapons managed to get through undetected, and security sources say some of the arms are bound for the occupied West Bank. Several Jordanians linked to Palestinian militants have been arrested.

Source: arabnews.com

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Israelis’ lawsuit says UN agency helps Hamas by paying Gaza staff in dollars

June 26, 2024

NEW YORK: Israelis who were taken hostage or lost loved ones during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack are suing the United Nations agency that aids Palestinians, claiming it has helped finance the militants by paying agency staffers in US dollars and thereby funneling them to money-changers in Gaza who allegedly give a cut to Hamas.

But the agency, known as UNWRA, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the staffers were paid in dollars by their own choice. Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank don’t have their own national currency, and primarily use Israeli shekels.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in a US federal court in New York, marks the latest challenge to the beleaguered UN agency, which has been the main supplier of food, water and shelter to civilians during the Israel-Hamas war. The Israeli government has long assailed the over 70-year-old agency, and scrutiny has intensified during the eight-month-long war, prompting UNRWA to defend itself while grappling with a spiraling humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“UNRWA’s staff, facilities and ability to truck cash US dollars into Gaza formed a potent pillar of Hamas’ plan to undertake the Oct. 7 attack,” the lawsuit says, asserting that the UN agency “systematically and deliberately aided and abetted Hamas and its goals.”

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said Tuesday that he learned of the case only through the media.

“I don’t know what the status of this lawsuit is all about, but for the time being, I see this as an additional way to put pressure on the agency,” he said at a press briefing in Geneva.

UNRWA has denied that it knowingly aids Hamas or any other militant group.

Israel invaded Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted about 250. The war has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t say how many were civilians or fighters.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of scores of Israelis including Oct. 7 attack survivors, victims’ relatives, and rescued captives. It echoes some complaints their government has raised, ranging from claims that UNRWA employs Hamas operatives to complaints about the content of textbooks in UNRWA-run schools.

But the suit also focuses on the agency’s practice of paying its 13,000 Gaza staffers in US dollars. The money is wired from a bank in New York and trucked into Gaza, according to the legal complaint, which says the payroll totaled at least $20 million a month from 2018 until last September.

UNRWA employees use local money-changers to convert their dollars to Israeli shekels, the complaint says.

Some Palestinians also use dollars or Jordanian dinars, viewing them as stable and trusted currencies.

The suit claims that Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, “runs the majority” of the currency exchangers and extracts a 10 percent to 25 percent fee from the rest, “ensuring that a predictable percentage of UNRWA’s payroll went to Hamas” in dollars useful for black-market weapons deals.

“Hamas’ ability to carry out the Oct. 7 attack would have been significantly and possibly fatally weakened without that UNRWA-provided cash,” the complaint says.

The complaint points to an UNRWA-commissioned 2018 report about delivering aid in cash that noted risks of misappropriation, fraud or other diversion away from the intended purpose.

UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma said in a message to the AP that Gaza staffers asked that “they are paid in $ because Gaza does not have an official national currency.”

Touma said the UN, including UNRWA, and their officials are immune from lawsuits. She declined to comment further on the suit in question, saying the agency hadn’t officially been served with it.

One of the plaintiffs’ lead lawyers, Gavi Mairone, said in a statement Tuesday that they didn’t believe the UN and officials named in the suit had immunity, “and certainly not from these claims.”

Formally called the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA was established to help the estimated 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were driven out of what is now Israel during the 1948 war surrounding the country’s creation. Their descendants now number nearly 6 million.

The agency operates schools, health clinics, infrastructure projects and aid programs in refugee camps in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

Since the war began in Gaza, over 1.7 million people have taken shelter in UNRWA facilities. At least 500 displaced people have been killed when such facilities came under attack, according to UNWRA statistics released Friday. The agency has lost nearly 200 staffers.

Two UN officials said Tuesday that the world body warned Israel that Gaza aid operations would be suspended unless protections for humanitarian workers improve.

Israel has accused UNRWA of letting Hamas exploit its aid and facilities, and Israel claimed this winter that a dozen UNRWA employees participated in the Oct. 7 attacks.

The allegations prompted the US and more than a dozen other countries to suspend hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions to the agency, though all but the US and Britain have resumed their funding. Lazzarini said Tuesday that new donors also have come on board, but the agency still faces a year-end shortfall of up to $140 million.

Source: arabnews.com

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A Far-Right Dutch Politician Who Once Railed Against Islam Now Spends His Time Defending It

June 25, 2024

On the fourth floor of a large office block in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, Joram van Klaveren tests out a set of virtual reality glasses. They’re part of a tour called the Islam Experience Centre, which van Klaveren, a former far-right lawmaker, co-founded.

The centre aims to explain the basics of Islam and tackle misconceptions about the faith. But few people in the Netherlands could have foreseen that the former politician would one day open an exhibition dedicated to the religion.

For more than a decade Van Klaveren was one of the Dutch far-right Party for Freedom’s (PVV) most outspoken members — someone who saw the party’s core aim as combating “the threat of Islam.” Today, he spends his time defending the religion instead.

Negative media

Van Klaveren was raised in an orthodox Protestant household. “Ministers at our church told us that all other religions are false, especially Islam, ‘that’s the religion of the devil.’” He said the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in the United States further cemented his prejudice.

Intense campaign

Van Klaveren rose quickly up the party ranks becoming one of its key policy makers. He proposed the closure of all Islamic schools and mosques in the Netherlands, an end to immigration from Muslim countries, and a ban on the Quran. In 2010, he was elected to the Dutch parliament with a singular focus: “to fight Islam.”

In 2014, Geert Wilders made an incendiary speech asking party supporters if they wanted more or less Moroccans in the Netherlands. As the crowd chanted “less, less”, Wilders smiled and said, “We’re going to organize that.”

Van Klaveren was uneasy because several members of his political party were from Morocco, and van Klaveren knew he would be expected to defend the leader’s comments in parliament. He pleaded with Wilders to withdraw his statement but the far-right leader refused. So, van Klaveren resigned from the party, staying in parliament as an independent MP.

Learning about Islam

Leaving the party gave him more time to work on a book he had been planning for some years “about the threat of Islam.” Van Klaveren delved into religious texts on Christianity, Judaism and Islam and consulted with spiritual leaders and religion experts. But months in, he hit an obstacle.

“I had to explain the God concept in Islam compared to the God concept in Christianity.” He contacted academic experts on Christianity and asked if they could explain the Trinity to him in a logical way. No one, including a Catholic priest, could give him a satisfactory answer.

An expert on Islam recommended several books for him to read. Much to his discomfort, the more he read, the more answers he found to the questions he had long held. Three years after starting to write his book, he abandoned it.

On that day in 2017, he was sitting at his living room table facing a large shelf heavily stacked with books. What happened next, he said, sounds like a fairytale. The shelf suddenly broke and the books tumbled to the ground. Van Klaveren picked up one book and turned it over. It was a translated copy of the Quran. His thumb was resting on a line that read, “It’s not the eyes that are blind, but the hearts.” The phrase, he thought, could apply to him.

That night, he said, he prayed for a sign telling him what to do next. The following morning he woke up feeling at peace and told his wife he was considering converting to Islam.

Reactions to conversion

His family was broadly accepting of the decision. His wife said she would support him as long as he was content to remain married to a Christian woman. His mother cried and his grandfather said he was “grateful that he wasn’t converting to Catholicism.”

But the backlash from voters was vicious. Van Klaveren went public with his conversion in 2019 and received more than 2,000 death threats. “People said, ‘I’m going to rape your wife and shoot your children.’” He wasn’t surprised by the reaction. “What goes around comes around. I had preached hatred all these years and now it was coming back at me.”

He had considered keeping his conversion private but a local Imam told him that was impossible. “Everybody knows who you are, if you walk into a mosque to pray, they will probably think you’re going to bomb it,” he was told.

Geert Wilders said he had “no words” to describe his dismay at van Klaveren’s conversion, saying it was like “a vegetarian working in an abattoir.”

The Muslim community, on the other hand, van Klaveren said, was nothing but welcoming.

Elections and politics

Last November Geert Wilders’s PVV topped the polls in Dutch national elections. Van Klaveren said the result was depressing but not particularly surprising. In January, Wilders agreed to withdraw some of his most radical anti-Muslim policies in order to form a coalition government with right-wing parties.

But van Klaveren said he has no doubt that Wilders’ thinking on Islam has not changed. “It’s in his core,” he said. Van Klaveren doesn’t expect too much to change for the Muslim community under the new government.

The previous right-wing administration under Mark Rutte already introduced some policies that van Klaveren said were Islamophobic such as a ban on the burqa and niqab, coverings worn by some Muslim women.

But van Klaveren said whatever happens, he will do what he can to fight against any anti-Muslim policies the new right-wing coalition might attempt to introduce.

“I worked in politics for over 12 years, fighting Islam,” he said. “Now, I have to do the same trying to erase all those things that I proposed.”

Source: theworld.org

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https://theworld.org/stories/2024/06/25/a-far-right-dutch-politician-who-once-railed-against-islam-now-spends-his-time-defending-it

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Lino Lakes City Council Votes to Back 1-Year Development Moratorium, Halting Muslim-Oriented ProjectMadinah Lakes

June 25, 2024

The Lino Lakes City Council voted 4-1 on Monday to move forward with a moratorium that would halt development in the Northwest quadrant of the city, including a Muslim-oriented project that has divided the city and its residents over the past few months.

The 156-acre development project dubbed Madinah Lakes would include 434 units of housing, businesses and a mosque on the site of an old sod farm. Since the project was announced to the public, hundreds of people have swarmed City Hall in support and in opposition of the project.

A second and final reading of the moratorium is set for July 8. If it passes, the moratorium will take effect in August.

Opponents of the development have concerns about residential density and argue that the development would put too much stress on local infrastructure.

“Build the mosque, just a mosque on that land. I’d be so excited I’ll make a donation to your cause,” said resident Jason Sonnek, who spoke at a city meeting last month. “Our fear is not of Muslims, it’s of over-building and excess population density that will destroy the character of the community we love.”

Those backing the project say opposition to the project is linked to Islamophobia.

“This moratorium, we believe, clearly, is based on the fact of the developer building a mosque,” said CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein, who spoke at Monday’s meeting.

The moratorium would pause any development in that area of the city for one year. City officials say they want to use that time to create a master plan for that area.

Faraaz Yussuf, the owner of the company proposing the development, said he won’t abandon the plans.

“I will be standing here at the end of this moratorium not by forcing anyone’s hand, Mr. Mayor and Council,” said Yussuf, who also spoke during Monday’s meeting. “But by rolling my sleeves up and working with this great city to find the best solution for this development plan and this area that preserves its unique character.”

Source: mprnews.org

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https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/06/25/lino-lakes-council-1-year-development-moratorium-halting-muslim-oriented-project

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Muslim civil rights group demands halt to US-backed mass slaughter of Palestinian children

25 June 2024

The main Muslim civil rights group in the United States has called on the international community and the American people to take action after a new report revealed that up to 21,000 children are missing in the chaos of the war in Gaza.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in a statement on Monday called on the world community and the American people to act on a report by Save the Children organization on the number of children buried, trapped, detained, or lost amid Gaza war, and end US-backed mass slaughter of Palestinian children.

In a recent report, Save the Children disclosed a distressing finding that said approximately 21,000 children are believed to be missing in Gaza. Thousands are presumed dead beneath the rubble, while others have been harmed by explosives, buried in unmarked or mass graves, or have been detained or abducted.

The Government Media Office in Gaza says more than 17,000 children have been orphaned since the beginning of Israel’s genocidal war on the Palestinian territory more than eight months ago.

“This genocide must end, and the Palestinian people must be treated as human beings, not animals to be slaughtered at will by a genocidal” regime, “with the support of the Biden administration,” the statement said.

CAIR further noted that those responsible must be held accountable by institutions upholding international law and justice.

At least 10,000 individuals are reported missing under the rubble, and children account for 43% of total casualties in the ongoing conflict, the report said. This means an estimated 5,160 children are dead under the rubble, the report added.

Moreover, the organization said the bodies of children have been among those recently found in mass graves, with many showing signs of torture.

This comes as the UN has also raised the alarm about the mass detention of possibly thousands of people, including children, reporting cases of ill-treatment in detention by Israeli forces.

CAIR further pointed to the findings of a recent investigation by Associated Press, which revealed that the far-right Israeli administration’s attacks on Gaza have wiped out “entire Palestinian families,” saying it once again prove Israel’s genocidal intent.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed hundreds of Palestinian family members from the same bloodline, a report says.

It also called on the Joe Biden administration to stop enabling and backing the starvation of children in Gaza by the Israeli regime.

The civil rights group also condemned the apparent systematic destruction of housing, health facilities and water wells in Gaza by Israeli forces as the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) says less than one-third of health facilities are operational.

Israel's savagery is having a catastrophic impact on the Gaza children, causing mental harm to them. Many are losing their lives due to the regime’s imposed starvation on the besieged Palestinian territory.

Over 495,000 Palestinians in Gaza are facing severe food shortages, with 50,000 children requiring immediate medical treatment for acute malnutrition, according to UN and humanitarian organizations reports.

Israel’s genocidal war has claimed the lives of nearly 37, 626 Palestinian, including more than 14,000 children, since October 7 last year.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/25/728118/Muslim-civil-right-group-demant-halt-US-backed-mass-slaughter-palestinian-children-

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CAIR-Oklahoma Welcomes Ruling, Questions AG’s Comments on Sharia Law

June 25, 2024

The Oklahoma Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK) today welcomed the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling against a taxpayer-funded religious public charter school as a win for religious freedom, while denouncing and questioning the Oklahoma Attorney General’s comments on Sharia Law.

Oklahoma Attorney General Genter Drummond released a statement that read, in part,  “Now Oklahomans can be assured that our tax dollars will not fund the teachings of Sharia Law or even Satanism. While I understand that the Governor and other politicians are disappointed with this outcome, I hope that the people of Oklahoma can rejoice that they will not be compelled to fund radical religious schools that violate their faith.”

CAIR-OK is concerned about the perpetuation of Islamophobic stereotypes and calls into question AG Drummond’s referencing of Sharia law in relation to radical religious schools. In a time of rising Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment, negative rhetoric such as this has the potential to result in an increase in anti-Muslim bias and hate.

“While we join AG Drummond in celebrating the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision upholding the Establishment Clause and rejecting the idea of taxpayer dollars funding public religious education, we are less thrilled with the Attorney General’s’s assumption that Sharia law teachings are automatically suspect,” said CAIR Oklahoma Deputy Director Veronica Laizure. “Sharia law teaches tolerance and respect for religious diversity and encourages students to be intellectually curious about the world around them – tenets that could certainly benefit Oklahoma’s school children. We encourage Mr. Drummond to get to know Oklahoma’s Muslim community and to learn about what Sharia law says before he equates Islamic educational principles with harm done to children, particularly in a state with the lowest education outcomes in the country.”

In 2013, CAIR-OK welcomed a federal court ruling permanently striking down an Oklahoma state constitutional amendment that would have banned state courts from considering “Sharia law” (Islamic principles) and “international law.”

CAIR Oklahoma offers workshops, trainings, and resources to assist Oklahomans in better understanding the Islamic faith and the Muslim community.

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

Source: cair.com

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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-oklahoma-welcomes-ruling-questions-ags-comments-on-sharia-law/

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In British elections, Muslim voters seek candidates who care about Gaza

June 25, 2024

Standing outside his home in a residential street in Slough, west of London, tire shop owner Raja Ijaz recounts a conversation he had recently with the local Labour Party candidate in Britain’s upcoming general election.

When Tanmanjeet Dhesi came to ask for his vote, “I told him bye-bye,” says Mr. Ijaz, showing the white of his palm. “I said, I’m not voting for you because you didn’t vote for the cease-fire in Gaza. My entire family has abandoned the Labour Party because of this reason.”

Some of his Muslim neighbors have broader concerns, equally unhappy with both leading parties, including the Conservatives.

“Neither of the two main parties has raised their voice about Gaza,” says Muhammad Salim, two doors down from Mr. Ijaz. “This is a really important issue for me because people are dying, and I’ll be raising my concern by voting for an independent.”

That would be music to the ears of a new organization, The Muslim Vote, launched six months ago to try to shape a Muslim voting bloc that will demand that politicians pay attention to Muslim concerns. Such a bloc, based on religious belief, is unprecedented in Britain, outside Northern Ireland.

“The Labour Party and the Conservative Party both have taken ... Muslim voters for granted and are not concerned with representing them or their views,” says Abubakr Nanabawa, the coalition’s spokesperson.

“This election signals a shift for Muslims – no more political apathy,” the organization proclaims on its website. “We will no longer tolerate being taken for granted. We are a powerful, united force of 4 million acting in unison.”

Could Muslims make a difference?

Dismayed by the Labour Party’s tepid response to Israel’s military operation in Gaza, Mr. Ijaz and Mr. Salim have decided to vote for Azhar Chohan, an independent candidate who has made “stopping the Genocide in Gaza” a key part of his campaign. “It’s woken up the Muslim conscience,” says Mr. Chohan, who has been endorsed by The Muslim Vote.

Muslims make up more than a quarter of registered voters in Slough. If Mr. Chohan is able to galvanize the community, he could cause an upset. In February, the Workers Party of Britain leader, George Galloway, won a by-election in Rochdale by targeting Muslim voters, standing on an overtly pro-Palestinian platform. That victory has inspired many pro-cease-fire candidates to stand in the general election.

British Muslims, who account for about 6% of the total population and are heavily concentrated in urban areas, have historically tended to vote for the Labour Party. But a February poll by Survation showed that Muslim support for Labour had dropped by 26% since its leader, Keir Starmer, suggested that Israel had the right to cut off food and water to Gaza and then failed to back calls for an unconditional cease-fire.

At local elections in May, a BBC analysis showed that Labour’s share of the vote was down 21% in local council wards where more than one-fifth of the residents were Muslim.

The Conservatives are widely expected to suffer a crushing defeat at the general election on July 4. But the size of Labour’s majority may depend on whether independents endorsed by The Muslim Vote – only half of whom are in fact Muslims themselves – can turn events in the Middle East to their advantage on polling day.

The Muslim Vote has identified dozens of constituencies where Muslims make up a large enough share of the electorate to potentially sway the result. In Newcastle Central & West, where Muslims form around 12% of the total electorate, the organization has lent its support to Yvonne Ridley, a journalist and broadcaster who converted to Islam in 2003.

“The Muslim community has seen the way that governments and leaders have reacted to Gaza, and we can all see what’s happening there for what it is, which is a genocide,” she says. “And yet our leaders condemn us for marching, condemn us for protesting and we know what we’re doing is the right thing.”

A “conspiracy” or democracy?

The Muslim Vote, and its effort to organize Muslims into a coherent political force, have attracted considerable controversy.

In Slough, the incumbent member of Parliament and front-runner in the election, Labour’s Mr. Dhesi, has accused Mr. Chohan of “trying to toxify” the town and “divide our diverse community by importing the toxic politics of persuading people to vote based on religion.”

Right-wing populist Nigel Farage has gone further, accusing Muslims of indulging in sectarian politics and of not sharing British values.

For some, these criticisms are rooted in a historical malaise. “Every single time the Muslim community ... tries to organize, it’s the same old,” says Anas Altikriti, an adviser to The Muslim Vote. “It’s all of a sudden a conspiracy and an attempt to take over. And that pertains to a much bigger and deeper and older problem that has roots in the ... colonial perception of the other.”

Source: csmonitor.com

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https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2024/0625/british-elections-muslim-vote

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CAIR-NJ Supports Response to Anti-Muslim Quiz at Wayne School, Calls for Diversity Training

June 25, 2024

The New Jersey office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today welcomed the swift response from school administrators in Wayne, where middle school students were given a quiz containing questions stemming from anti-Muslim bias.

CAIR-NJ also called on administrators to implement meaningful and appropriate trainings to educate faculty and teachers about Islam and Muslims in America.

Late last week CAIR-NJ received complaints from parents whose children in grade 7 at Schuyler-Colfax Middle School in Wayne, New Jersey, were asked to take a multiple-choice Social Studies containing questions and answers that were anti-Muslim in nature and implications.

One of the anti-Muslim questions asked 7th grade students about the definition of the “Islamic State” and included the “Palestinian Liberation Organization” as a choice to that question.

In a statement, Wayne Township Public Schools Superintendent Mark Toback apologized for the question, saying it was “unacceptable and [does] not reflect the standards we uphold for our educational community.”

“The question was offensive and contrary to our values of respect, inclusivity, and cultural sensitivity,” Toback said. “We understand the deep concern and disappointment this has caused among students, parents, and the broader community.”

Wayne Township Public Schools district officials met with CAIR-NJ and the Islamic Center of Passaic County (ICPC) leadership last Friday, June 21 to discuss why the quiz was littered with anti-Muslim bias and next steps on how to prevent this matter from happening again.

Such questions presented in a formal school setting absent the appropriate historical context have the potential to perpetuate bigoted and anti-Muslim rhetoric while also fueling negative stereotypes of Muslims. Muslims, like any other group, deserve to attend school without feeling fearful of such insinuations and macro-aggressions.

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut welcomed the school district’s response and called on leadership to implement trainings aimed at educating staff about Islam and Muslims.

“Our CAIR-NJ office has been in close communication with the Wayne Township Public Schools district, and we look forward to continuing our dialogue to address this issue. Most importantly, we’ll be working to help Wayne administrators provide staff the tools they need to cultivate a more inclusive and understanding environment for Muslim students in Wayne.

“We value the district’s commitment to growth. Now, we hope to see it through that administrators take tangible action by implementing more careful and precise diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings to all staff, especially teachers who shape our nation’s young minds.”

Source: cair.com

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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-nj-supports-response-to-anti-muslim-quiz-at-wayne-school-calls-for-diversity-training/

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Kyrgyz Officials Say Leader, Members Of Banned Islamic Group Detained

June 25, 2024

Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said on June 25 that "a leader and nine members" of the Yaqyn Inkar Islamic group, which is banned in the Central Asian nation, were detained in the southern Batken region. The UKMK added that 12 residents of the region denounced their membership in the group after police held "explanatory talks" with them. Yaqyn Inkar was founded in India. Authorities in Kyrgyzstan, a mostly Muslim country whose secular government is wary of people whose religious beliefs or practices fall outside the mainstream, deemed it an extremist organization and banned it in 2017. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, click here.

Source: rferl.org

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https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyz-officials-leader-banned-islamic-group-detained-yaqyn-inkar/33008255.html

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US warns Israel that conflict with Hezbollah could spark regional war

25 June 2024

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has warned Israel's minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant about “terrible consequences” of a conflict between the regime and Hezbollah, which, he said could easily spark a regional war.

Speaking at a meeting at the Pentagon on Tuesday, Austin said, "Diplomacy is by far the best way to prevent more escalation."

"Another war between Israel and Hezbollah could easily become a regional war, with terrible consequences for the Middle East.”

The Pentagon chief accused the Lebanese resistance movement of "provocations,” which, he said, "threaten to drag the Israeli and Lebanese people into a war that they do not want."

"Such a war would be a catastrophe for Lebanon and it would be devastating for innocent Israeli and Lebanese civilians.”

Austin also said Washington is urgently working towards a diplomatic agreement that would allow Israeli and Lebanese civilians to return to their homes on both sides of the border.

Israel has threatened Lebanon with an “all-out war” with the military saying “operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved and validated.”

Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel, also said on Monday that the regime’s forces are winding up the most intense part of offensive in the Gaza Strip and will redeploy to the border with Lebanon.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has previously said that "no place" in the occupied territories would be spared in case of a full-blown war.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/25/728141/austin-diplomatic-agreement-Hezbollah-Israel

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US imposes sanctions on entities claimed to be linked to Iran military

25 June 2024

The United States has imposed a raft of new sanctions on nearly 50 entities, companies and people that it claims have been helping the Iranian military transfer billions of dollars worth of funds between various countries.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department that the network it had slapped sanctions on had helped Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) and the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) process and transfer funds allegedly earned from sale of oil and petrochemicals since 2020.

It said the network included exchange houses in Iran and foreign cover companies they manage in jurisdictions such as Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Marshall Islands and Turkey.

It claimed the network had enabled MODAFL and the IRGC to launder revenues from oil sales to supply weapons and funding to groups close to Iran, including the ruling Houthi Ansarullah movement in Yemen, as well as for provision of drones to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine.

Iran has repeatedly rejected allegations that it has been supplying weapons or funding to groups like the Houthis. Authorities insist that the Yemenis have been self-sufficient in design, development and manufacture of equipment they have used in their attacks on Israeli, US and British ships in regional waters in recent months.

Tehran has also denied supplying weapons to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine.

However, Washington has used the accusations to impose more sanctions on Iran amidst a campaign of maximum pressure on the country that started in 2018 after the US withdrew from an international agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.

Iran calls the sanctions part of economic war

Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations issued a statement late on Tuesday to condemn the new sanctions imposed by the US.

“This is part of the economic war unjustly waged against the Iranian people by the United States. They have attacked, and we are defending ourselves accordingly. The outcome of this economic war will be determined by the strength of will, not by the capabilities of imposing sanctions,” said the statement. 

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/25/728139/US-sanctions-Iran-military-Yemen-Russia-drones

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South Asia

 

Herat Governor and Turkmenistan Consul General Discuss Enhanced Transit Cooperation

2024-06-26

KABUL(BNA): The Consul General of Turkmenistan in Herat met with Governor Sheikh Mawlana Noor Ahmad Islamjar.

During the meeting, Mr. Batur Yulov, the Consul General of Turkmenistan, discussed expanding transit between the two countries. He announced Turkmenistan’s readiness to facilitate the daily transfer of 120 trucks carrying commercial goods through the Torghundi border and shared news about the completion of repair work on the Noor Jihad substation.

On the other hand, the Governor of Herat expressed gratitude for the efforts of the Consul General of Turkmenistan in Herat and welcomed the increase in daily transfers of 120 trucks of commercial goods to Turkmenistan.

He further underscored the importance of expediting the TAPI project and emphasized the convening of a trilateral meeting involving transportation companies from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. The meeting aims to reopen the China-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan route and streamline visa issuance for Afghan traders transporting fresh and dried fruits to Turkmenistan.

The Consul General of Turkmenistan in Herat appreciated the efforts of local officials in Herat to expand trade relations between the two countries and expressed readiness to cooperate in these areas.

Source: bakhtarnews.af

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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/herat-governor-and-turkmenistan-consul-general-discuss-enhanced-transit-cooperation/

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Badakhshan attracts 30,000 tourists in past week

June 26, 2024

FAIZABAD: A total of 30,000 domestic tourists visit ed natural attractions of the country’s Badakhshan province during the past week, the provincial Information and Culture Department said in a statement the other day. The province with its roaring sea, refreshing weather, and natural attractions, attracts thousands of tourists in the summer season, as 30,000 domestic tourists from various provinces of the country have visited its natural attractions in the past week, the statement said. With the provision of security throughout Afghanistan, citizens can safely travel to the corners of the country and visit natural attractions and historical sites, the statement quoted. Officials of the provincial information and culture directorate said that they were making efforts to provide better tourism services for domestic and foreign tourists in the province. The Kabul Times

Source: thekabultimes.com

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https://thekabultimes.com/badakhshan-attracts-30000-tourists-in-past-week/

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Washington Post reports climate change could revive poppy cultivation in Afghanistan

June 25, 2024

The Washington Post reported that climate change jeopardises Afghanistan’s farmers’ livelihoods.

According to the report, water scarcity, lack of alternative crops, and support programs could drive farmers back towards poppy cultivation in Afghanistan.

The ban on poppy cultivation, while reducing production significantly in Afghanistan, faces challenges from the impacts of climate change.

The Washington Post noted discontent among farmers over the poppy ban, citing lower prices for alternative crops, job scarcity, and poverty. Satellite images revealed drastic drops in poppy cultivation in Helmand and Kandahar, affecting wheat and cotton prices.

Haji Wazir, a 55-year-old farmer, told The Washington Post, “When I grew poppy, I made five times more profit, and the cultivation and harvest were easier. But now, we can’t cover our costs with other crops.”

The newspaper highlighted clashes in Badakhshan due to poppy field destruction and growing opposition to the ban across Afghanistan. In Badakhshan province alone, poppy cultivation plummeted by 56% from 2021 to 2022, as reported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has announced efforts across provinces to explore lucrative alternatives to poppy farming, like grains and fruits, with pomegranates and almonds promoted as substitutes, despite warnings from soil and water experts about challenges in arid, saline regions.

Amid forced deportations from neighboring countries like Iran and Pakistan, Afghanistan faces a dire humanitarian crisis exacerbated by severe droughts and deadly floods. These environmental challenges further strain the already limited job opportunities and resources, worsening the plight of Afghan refugees returning to uncertain futures.

The combination of forced deportations, economic hardships, and climatic disasters has created a precarious situation in Afghanistan. The influx of returnees and a lack of employment opportunities and basic amenities underscores the urgent need for international assistance and sustainable solutions to mitigate the ongoing crisis.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/washington-post-reports-climate-change-could-revive-poppy-cultivation-in-afghanistan/

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Afghanistan not a drug threat despite Iran’s criticism: Official

June 25, 2024

Following claims by Iranian authorities about increased drug trafficking from Afghanistan, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior denies any threat posed by the drug phenomenon from Afghanistan to neighboring and global countries.

Abdul Matin Qani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, has called on international organizations to provide alternative livelihoods for Afghan farmers in a post on his Twitter page.

According to the interim spokesperson, “Despite limited resources and capabilities, efforts have been made to eradicate the drug trade from Afghanistan.”

Earlier, the head of Iran’s anti-drug police expressed concerns about the increase in drug trafficking, particularly methamphetamine, originating from Afghanistan into Iran, stating, “Despite reports indicating a halt and reduction in opium cultivation and production in Afghanistan, a significant decrease in trafficking from this country is not evident.”

In the latest instance, Ahmad Reza Radan, the Chief Commander of Iran’s Law Enforcement Force, stated on Monday during an event marking World Drug Day that “today, we do not see any reduction in drug cultivation in Afghanistan.”

He attributed one of the reasons for drug cultivation and production in Afghanistan to the “presence of Americans,” adding that with the increase in drug cultivation in Afghanistan, transit and consumption of drugs in other countries have also increased.

Meanwhile, the commander of border guards in Khorasan Razavi province announced on Saturday the seizure of 198 kilograms of drugs near the Afghanistan border.

Additionally, a United Nations report indicates a decrease in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan but a simultaneous increase in the production of industrial drugs, especially methamphetamine.

Meanwhile, Iran has consistently reported the arrest of Afghan citizens on charges of drug trafficking into the country.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-not-a-drug-threat-despite-irans-criticism-official/

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Pakistan

 

MoU signed to promote 'Made in Pakistan Products' in France

June 26, 2024

Pakistan Business Forum and International Business and Professional Corporation (IBPC) have signed an MoU aimed at boosting commerce and trade activities and promoting Made in Pakistan Products in France.

Pakistan's Ambassador to France Asim Iftikhar Ahmad attended the MOU signing ceremony.

The participants appreciated the working of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) which is focused at facilitating overseas business community by providing conducive environment for investment and growth.

In order to benefit from the opportunities offered under one window SIFC, a delegation of prominent businessmen is likely to visit Pakistan to explore investment opportunities and promote Pakistan's exports to Europe.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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https://www.radio.gov.pk/26-06-2024/mou-signed-to-promote-made-in-pakistan-products-in-france

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Ongoing IBOs To Be Intensified Under ‘Vision Azm-I-Istehkam’ Rather Than New Military Op: PM Shehbaz

June 25, 2024

Following full-throated criticism from opposition parties, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday clarified that the proposed counterterrorism campaign originally titled Operation Azm-i-Istehkam but rebranded as Vision Azm-i-Istehkam would entail intensifying ongoing intelligence-based operations (IBOs) rather than a “new and organised” military offensive.

The clarification comes after the PM’s Office (PMO) last night stated that the campaign would not be a kinetic large-scale military operation, nor would it entail the mass displacement of the local population.

“The prime minister took the cabinet members into confidence regarding the misunderstandings and speculations regarding ‘Vision Azm-i-Istehkam’,” PTV News quoted the PMO as saying during a meeting of the federal cabinet.

The statement quoted PM Shehbaz: “Azm-i-Istehkam is an overall national vision of a multifaceted cooperation of various security agencies and the entire state system.

“For this purpose, already ongoing IBOs will be intensified rather than [launching] a new and organised armed operation,” he added.

“A large-scaled armed operation that would require displacement — the initiation of such an operation under Vision Azm-i-Istehkam is merely a misunderstanding,” the premier was quoted as saying.

The aim of the campaign was to “decisively root out the remnants of terrorists, crime and terrorism nexus, and violent extremism from the country”, the prime minister emphasised.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif assured opposition parties that their reservations regarding the newly announced counterterrorism campaign would be addressed.

On Saturday, the government had announced plans for a reinvigorated and re-energised national counterterrorism campaign, which entailed augmenting the kinetic efforts of the armed forces with support from all law enforcement agencies, as well as effective legislation to address legal voids that hinder effective prosecution of terrorism-related cases.

The announcement had come after a meeting of the Central Apex Committee of National Action Plan (NAP), which was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by key federal ministers, provincial chief ministers, army and airforce chiefs, and top bureaucrats.

However, opposition parties — including the PTI, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam—Fazl (JUI-F) and the Awami National Party (ANP) — had opposed the plan, both inside parliament and outside, demanding that the Parliament be consulted on the matter first.

Following the PTI’s protests during Sunday’s National Assembly session, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Monday even denied that any such thing was discussed with him during the apex committee meeting last week.

Meanwhile, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, alluding to the plan to conduct the operation, had said the apex committee’s decision would make the country “weak”. Similar concerns were expressed by the ANP, which said that they would not support the move unless their reservations were addressed.

In an apparent response to these misgivings, the PM’s Office (PMO) clarified late on Monday night that the campaign would not be a kinetic large-scale military operation, nor would it entail the mass displacement of the local population.

The PMO pointed out that “previous kinetic operations were conducted to physically dislodge terrorists from their known locations which [became] no-go areas and compromised the writ of the state. These operations required mass displacement of the local population and systematic clearance of affected areas”.

“As there are no such areas in the country any more and terrorists’ ability to carry out large-scale organised operations inside Pakistan had been “decisively degraded by earlier kinetic operations… no large-scale military operation is being contemplated where displacement of population will be required,” the statement said.

Opposition concerns to be addressed: Asif

Addressing a press conference in Lahore today, Defence Minister Asif stated, “We will try to create consensus this time as well. We will definitely address the reservations expressed by the JUI-F, ANP and PTI.

“There are no political aims of this operation. We only want to challenge and end the rising wave of terrorism ongoing since the past few months,” he asserted.

The minister urged all government components, the judiciary, security forces, the Parliament and the media to support the operation. “This is a national crisis, addressing which is not just the army’s responsibility but all institutions’.”

Asif added that CM Gandapur had not objected to the plan but instead had “said in muted words that they will support it”.

He said that all parties, including those in the opposition as well as allies in the coalition government, would be given time to debate on the matter.

The minister also clarified that there would be no mass displacement as in previous large-scale operations and that the proposed campaign would involve intelligence-based operations.

Recalling the formation of the NAP after the 2014 Army Public School attack, the defence minister highlighted there was a “fundamental difference” between the situation back then and now.

Asif said there was a “sort of takeover” of the tribal areas of Fata at the time and they had become “no-go areas for day and night”. “Today, there is no such situation,” he added.

Noting that a few regions, such as Dera Ismail Khan and Balochistan at times witnessed activities of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), respectively, Asif asserted: “There is no such thing that Godforbid, the terrorists’ writ has been established on any territory.”

Terming the planned campaign a “continuation of the resolve made after 2016”, the minister said “certain quarters” were expressing concerns, adding that they were “incorrect”.

He stressed that the operation would be enforced once the required process had been completed, including its presentation before the federal cabinet today, after which it would be laid before the NA.

Asif said major Taliban leaders were “forgiven three years ago”, referring to the ex-premier Imran Khan’s plan to relocate thousands of TTP fighters to the country.

In response to a question, Asif said that the three parties were voicing their concerns to “capture their votebank” and urged them to “take a stand on the national level and not for votes”.

Azm-i-Istehkam is the latest in a series of counterterrorism operations launched by the Pakistan Army since the mid-2000s. More recent operations include Zarb-i-Azb, launched in 2014 by Gen Raheel Sharif to combat militants in North Waziristan, and Raddul Fasaad, initiated in 2017 under Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa to eliminate what was then described as “residual terrorist threats” in the country.

While these operations achieved tactical successes, including the reduction of terrorist incidents and the elimination of high-value targets, they did not completely eradicate militancy from the country.

The decision also came right after a high-ranking Chinese official last week singled out security as the foremost challenge threatening the future of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1841867/ongoing-ibos-to-be-intensified-under-vision-azm-i-istehkam-rather-than-new-military-op-pm-shehbaz

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Madyan police get 10-day remand of 23 lynching accused

June 25, 2024

SWAT: An anti-terrorism court on Monday remanded the 3 accused arrested in the Madyan lynching case to police for 10 days.

Shaukat Ahmad Khan, Special Judge of ATC-I Malakand division, pronounced the judgment.

The Madyan police had requested the court for a 30-day physical custody of the accused.

The accused were booked under sections 302, 326, 353, 436, 427, 460, 341, 186, 148,149 of Pakistan Penal Code, and 7-ATA.

However, the court only granted a 10-day remand of the accused mentioned in the FIR subject to their pre-and-post-arrest medical examination.

The court ordered the production of the accused on July 3.

On June 20, an enraged mob lynched to death a tourist, who was accused of blasphemy, allegedly burning pages of the Holy Quran. The enraged mob attacked and torched Madyan police station and took the accused away.

They killed the accused and torched his body near Madyan Bridge.

Following the lynching incident, the Madyan police filed an FIR against 2,500 persons. On June 23, the police arrested 23 accused named in the FIR.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1841784/madyan-police-get-10-day-remand-of-23-lynching-accused

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Top Judge Unimpressed by Criticism ofElection Symbol ‘Bat’ Verdict

June 26, 2024

ISLAMABAD: As a Supreme Court judgement — that resulted in the PTI losing its election symbol over a failure to conduct intra-party polls — continued to come under fire during a full court hearing on the matter of reserved seats, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa took exception to what he termed “snide remarks” against the verdict, saying that whatever happened was PTI’s own doing.

The court was hearing a petition filed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) — which was joined by the PTI-backed independents — against a Peshawar High Court (PHC) decision to deny it reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies.

“Repeatedly the judgement of the Supreme Court is being referred to,” CJP Isa observed and wondered whether the party ever held intra-party elections or not.

ECP counsel Sikandar Bashir Mohmand replied that the commission had no knowledge of any such elections, even today.

“One member (Justice Mussarrat Hilali) of the three-judge bench that gave the Jan 13 verdict had an open heart surgery and she is recuperating… so snide remarks against the judgement are not acceptable,” the CJP observed.

“If the review against the Jan 13 judgement is pending, then any bench should not discuss it as a matter of law, and if one still wants to make snide remarks, then please read the judgement first,” the top judge observed.

At this, Justice Athar Minallah said the legality of the judgement was not being questioned, but wondered whether the ECP ever informed the bench hearing the intra-party election case that such a decision would render the candidates of the particular political party without a unified election symbol.

Not holding intra-party elections by the party, the CJP reminded, was perpetual and he took exception to it.

He recalled how then-prime minister Imran Khan wrote to the ECP, seeking one more year to hold party elections, a request the commission eventually approved. According to the CJP, the PTI had 91 posts for different office-bearers, where all members were elected unopposed without even paying the required elections fee.

“Please quote from the judgement if someone wants to cite it,” he reiterated, adding that it was not enough to say that PTI was deprived of the election symbol because of the apex court judgement alone. The CJP wondered why the party was so rigid on its intra-party polls stance that “they are not even held today”.

“Why not file a petition before the court if you don’t want elections in the party,” he quipped.

Question of Section 240

Justice Munib Akhtar, however, asked why the ECP didn’t invoke Section 240 of the Elections Act 2017, which provided solutions to deal with difficulties faced by the commission.

Since a ‘common’ election symbol could not be given to a national political party which formed the federal government a mere two years ago, the ECP could have taken recourse to Section 240 by holding that the commission recognised the PTI as the enlisted political party. He said the ECP’s move “disenfranchised” the ex-ruling party in the Feb 8 elections.

At this, the CJP asked if there was any application submitted to this effect, to which the ECP lawyer said no.

Justice Minallah pointed out that the bench was confusing two things: one was the judgement of the court regarding the symbol, but the CJP interrupted again to reiterate that the judgement was regarding intra-party elections.

“There is a big distinction here,” he stressed.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, however, recalled that a review petition against the verdict was pending, wondering should that review be heard by the present bench now.

The counsel said there was a review pending but he was not the counsel in that case and couldn’t comment.

‘Effect’ of the judgement

In the present scenario, Justice Akhtar reiterated, a political party was unable to nominate its candidate and to give them the election symbol because of the Jan 13 judgement.

At this, the ECP counsel stressed that the commission was bound by the ruling.

Justice Akhtar further said the effect of the Supreme Court judgement in saying that PTI could not be allocated bat symbol was in fact to eliminate the PTI as a political party from the electoral fray in the general elections 2024.

The counsel, however, contested this, saying what he said was that a candidate in order to be treated nominated by a political party must give a declaration on oath that he belonged to a particular political party in addition to a party affiliation certificate and a common election symbol, which was not available to this political party.

“It is not a fair characterisation to say that it was done to eliminate a political party,” the counsel emphasised.

When Justice Akhtar wondered why this was the case, the CJP intervened again to defend the ruling, saying that before commenting on the judgement, one should at least read it.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1841945

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In Karachi, number of 'mysterious deaths' rises to 22

June 25, 2024

The mystery of mysterious deaths in Karachi further deepened as five more bodies were recovered from different areas on Tuesday, taking the total number to 22.

A spokesperson of the Chhipa Welfare Association said in a statement that volunteers found five more bodies in different areas of Karachi on Tuesday. “Three of them were seemingly drug addicts, however, not a single body was identified so far,” he added.

The non-government organisation, which runs a network of ambulances in the metropolis, confirmed that the number of unidentified bodies has reached 22 after today's recoveries.

It added that nearly two dozen of those bodies were still unclaimed as no relatives of the deceased persons came to receive them.

The deaths were attributed to an ongoing heatwave in the port city which affected a vast number of citizens as many of them were admitted to different hospitals due to heatstroke.

An official of another humanitarian organisation in Karachi, Edhi Foundation’s Azeem Khan told The News yesterday that most of the deceased were drug addicts who died due to severe heat while being under the influence of drugs after over a dozen unidentified persons were found dead in different areas of Karachi.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1203499-in-karachi-number-of-mysterious-deaths-rises-to-22

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Govt to address PTI's concerns over Azm-e-Istehkam: Khawaja Asif

June 25, 2024

After the opposition flagged reservations against the announcement of a new anti-militancy operation, Azm-e-Istehkam, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Tuesday assured that the federal government would provide satisfactory answers to address the concerns.

Speaking with journalist in Lahore, the minister emphasised that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) reservations would be addressed, once the the proposal to launch the operation is presented before the federal cabinet first and later before the parliament.

Asif, during the presser, said the government will create a consensus among the parties.

"The opposition parties and allies. We will give them ample time to discuss this issue. Whatever their questions or concerns, it will be responded to in a satisfying manner," he added.

The government had, last week, announced a fresh counter-terrorism operation, pledging to utilise the full strength of the country's resources, including military, diplomatic, and legislative, to turn the heat up on militants.

In response, PTI, Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam Fazl (JUI-F), Awami National Party (ANP), and others voiced concerns over the new military operation, demanding that parliament must be taken into confidence before taking any such decision and that they opposed the operation.

Following much criticism, the federal government issued a policy statement, saying that "no large-scale military operation is being launched" in the country.

"The recently announced vision for enduring stability named Azm-e-Istehkam is being erroneously misunderstood and compared with earlier launched kinetic operations like Zarb-e-Azab, Rah-e-Najaat etc," a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.

During the presser, the minister said several operations have been conducted against terrorism in the past and a new operation will be launched now.

On the opposition's resistance to the idea, he said that four chief ministers were present in the apex committee meeting, and none of them opposed the operation.

Khawaja added that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur did not disagree. He, in fact, said “We will support this action” in hushed words.

“This operation has no political ambitions,” said the minister, emphasising that the government wants to fight the rising tide of terrorism. All must support operation Azm-e-Istehkam, he added.

He insisted that since the National Action Plan was formulated after the Army Public School (APS) incident, the situation is very different today compared to what it was like back then.

“Terrorists had occupied the areas of FATA. The areas of FATA had become no-go areas, this is not the case today,” he said, adding: “The [government’s] write is established in these areas today.”

In Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, he reiterated, operation Azm-e-Istehkam will be implemented.

Khawaja mentioned that 5,000 to 6,000 Taliban terrorists were settled here and their popular leaders were also pardoned.

“This move brought destruction. It did not bring peace but fragmented it. Terrorists were given shelter here," he maintained.

Asif said all three parties opposing the operation are taking a stand to secure their vote bank and urged them to take a stand for the country, not for the vote bank.

Speaking about past operations, the minister acknowledged that there was displacement. However, he maintained, that the operations conducted now will be intelligence-based.

“In a few days, the operation procedure will be clear. If the operation is agreed upon, then there will also be agreement on its characteristics,” he said, adding that the provinces have to contribute towards supporting the operation financially.

He also insisted that the support of all institutions will be required in the present circumstances.

Minister Asif said he went to Afghanistan to discuss the issues surrounding terrorism in Pakistan and many other people have also gone there.

“The Kabul government expressed cooperation, but no concrete progress could be made,” he said.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1203392-govt-to-address-ptis-concerns-over-azm-e-istehkam-khawaja-asif

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Africa

 

Senegal says it detected Covid-19 in returning Hajj pilgrims

Senegal says it has detected Covid-19 in dozens of pilgrims returning from their Hajj journey in Mecca. From tests conducted at Dakar's Blaise Diagne International Airport, 78 cases of Covid-19 were recorded.

Senegal's health ministry said the results are not surprising. It said returning pilgrims had been advised to wear masks and self-isolate.

Authorities said they have stepped up surveillance.

Saudi officials on Sunday said more than 1,300 people died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage. They blamed the fatalities on extremely high summer temperatures.

During events such as the symbolic stoning of the pillars, many people crowd in the same place with no allowance for social distancing. There have been deadly stampedes in the past.

More than 1.83 million Muslims performed Hajj in 2024. Senegal alone sent 12,900 pilgrims.

Source: africanews.com

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https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/25/senegal-says-it-detected-covid-19-in-returning-hajj-pilgrims/

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Bandits attack mosque, kill two in Zamfara

June 25, 2024

Armed bandits in the early hours of Tuesday attacked a mosque in a community in Zamfara State, killing two worshippers.

Narrating the incident to newsmen, a resident of the area said that the bandits stormed the Tazame community in the Bungudu Local Government Area of the state, when they were preparing for early morning prayers.

“The bandits entered the area, killed two people, Muazzin (the person that calls prayer) and his younger brother.”

He added that “the bandits also shot the Imam who sustained a fracture injury in his leg and abducted about ten people”.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, said two persons were killed while some persons were kidnapped.

According to him, the Command has deployed more officers to the area to restore normalcy and ensure the rescue of the kidnapped victims.

“The incident happened this (Tuesday) morning, two persons were killed and some were kidnapped. We are yet to confirm the numbers of the people kidnapped but the Command has deployed personnel to the area to restore normalcy. Efforts are in place to rescue the kidnapped victims,” he said.

Source: dailypost.ng

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Another Nigerian pilgrim returns lost €1,750 pounds in Hajj

June 25, 2024

A Nigerian pilgrim, Muhammad Na’Allah from Gumi Local Government Area of Zamfara state has returned the sum of €1,750 (One thousand seven hundred and fifty euros) which he found at the Haram in Makkah to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for onward delivery to the owner.

Gumi, was accompanied to the Hajj Commission office in Ummuljud, Makkah by officials of the Zamfara State Pilgrims Welfare Board.

Receiving the Money, the Chairman/CEO of NAHCON, Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi praised the Pilgrim, saying the gesture symbolizes the name of the Pilgrim “Na’Allah” which demonstrated the Pilgrim’s closeness to Allah.

Source: vanguardngr.com

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https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/06/another-nigerian-pilgrim-returns-lost-e1750-pounds-in-hajj/#:~:text=A%20Nigerian%20pilgrim%2C%20Muhammad%20Na,onward%20delivery%20to%20the%20owner.

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Heat Wave Kills Four Niger Pilgrims in Mecca

Niger State Governor Alhaji Mohammed Umaru Bago has disclosed that six pilgrims from the state died during this year’s Hajj, adding that heat wave was responsible for the death of four of the pilgrims while the remaining two died of natural causes.

A statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, said the deceased were interred in Mecca according to Islamic rites.

Bologi said the governor lamented the period pilgrims had to spend in the Holy Land for the hajj, saying that the duration should not have exceeded two weeks instead of eight weeks.

He said in the statement that the governor was dissatisfied with the Basic Traveling Allowance (BTA) of 400 dollars given to the pilgrims after paying over N8million each before calling for the law establishing the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria NAHCON, which handled the pilgrimage to be reviewed.

He said the governor wants the hajj exercise to be private sector-driven for “effective and efficient service delivery,” and that he will lead a Committee of State Governors to meet relevant authorities for a review of the activities of NAHCON for smooth hajj operation.

According to him, “Let the private sector drive hajj operations, while NAHCON should be a regulator at the centre. If NAHCON must exist, then they should strictly be a regulator. I am leading a committee of governors to the NGF, from there we shall go to the NEC; I will propose this motion, and we will send a bill to the National Assembly where this issue of NAHCON would be reviewed.

“NAHCON is not helping matters. Our federal government is too big to be worried about hajj operations, this is  supposed to be  local government issue and not even state issue the governor was quoted as saying, adding that: “The state government should be able to organise pilgrimage and get agents from the private sector who will do these things the best way as other countries are doing it.”

The governor, Bologi said, also asked for a probe of the N90 billion subsidy given by the federal government for the 2024 hajj operation.

Source: thisdaylive.com

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https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2024/06/25/heat-wave-kills-four-niger-pilgrims-in-mecca/

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Tax protests 'hijacked' after turning violent, President Ruto says

JUNE 26 2024

Kenyan President William Ruto said on Tuesday security was his "utmost priority" after protests against a bill to raise taxes descended into violence, with police firing on demonstrators trying to storm the legislature, killing at least five.

In chaotic scenes in the capital Nairobi, protesters overwhelmed police and chased them away in an attempt to enter the parliament compound, with Citizen TV later showing damage from inside the building, which had been partially set ablaze.

Protests and clashes also took place in several other cities and towns across Kenya, with many calling for Ruto to quit as well as voicing their opposition to the tax rises.

In a televised address to the nation, Ruto said the tax debate had been "hijacked by dangerous people".

"It is not in order, or even conceivable, that criminals pretending to be peaceful protesters can reign terror against the people...," he said, pledging a swift response to Tuesday's "treasonous events".

Police in Nairobi opened fire after tear gas and water cannon failed to disperse the crowds. They eventually managed to drive protesters from the parliament building and lawmakers were evacuated through an underground tunnel, local media said.

Later on Tuesday, Defence Minister Aden Duale said the army had been deployed to help the police deal with a "security emergency" which had resulted in the "destruction and breaching of critical infrastructure".

The Kenya Medical Association said that at least five people had been shot dead while treating the injured, and that 31 people had been injured, with 13 shots with live bullets and four with rubber bullets.

The association called on authorities to establish safe medical corridors to protect medical staff and ambulances.

Caught between competing demands

Ruto won an election almost two years ago on a platform of championing Kenya's working poor but has been caught between the competing demands of lenders such as the International Monetary Fund, which is urging the government to cut deficits to obtain more funding, and a hard-pressed population.

Kenyans have been struggling to cope with several economic shocks caused by the lingering impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, two consecutive years of drought and depreciation of the currency.

The finance bill aims to raise an additional $2.7 billion in taxes as part of an effort to lighten Kenya's heavy debt load, with interest payments alone consuming 37 percent of annual revenue.

In Washington, the White House said the United States was closely monitoring the situation in Nairobi and urging calm.

Ambassadors and high commissioners from countries including Britain, the U.S. and Germany said in a joint statement they were deeply concerned by violence they had witnessed during recent anti-tax protests and called for restraint on all sides.

Kenyan activist Auma Obama, the half-sister of former US President Barack Obama, was among protesters tear-gassed during the demonstrations, a CNN interview showed.

Internet services across the country experienced severe disruptions during the police crackdown, internet monitor Netblocks said. Kenya's leading network operator Safaricom said outages had affected two of its undersea cables, but the root cause of the outages remained unclear.

Read: Internet services disrupted as Kenyans stage anti-tax protests

Parliament approved the finance bill, moving it through to a third reading by lawmakers. The next step is for the legislation to be sent to the president for signing. He can send it back to parliament if he has any objections.

Opposition politicians called on Ruto to step down.

"Ruto must go, Ruto must resign, he must do the honourable thing," senior opposition leader Eugene Wamalwa said in a statement on TV.

Another opposition leader, Raila Odinga, urged the immediate withdrawal of the finance bill to make way for dialogue.

"I am disturbed at the murders, arrests, detentions and surveillance being perpetrated by police on boys and girls who are only seeking to be heard over taxation policies that are stealing both their present and future," he said in a statement.

The government has made some concessions, promising to scrap proposed new taxes on bread, cooking oil, car ownership and financial transactions. But that has not been enough for protesters.

The Finance Ministry says the concessions would blow a Ksh200 billion ($1.56 billion) hole in the 2024-25 budget and compel the government to make spending cuts or raise taxes elsewhere.

Tuesday's protests began in a festival-like atmosphere but as crowds swelled, police fired tear gas in Nairobi's Central Business District and the poor neighbourhood of Kibera. Protesters ducked for cover and threw stones at police lines.

Police also fired tear gas in Eldoret, Ruto's hometown in Western Kenya, where crowds of protesters filled the streets, and many businesses were closed for fear of violence.

Further clashes broke out in the coastal city of Mombasa and demonstrations were held in Kisumu and Garissa in Eastern Kenya, where police blocked the main road to neighbouring Somalia's port of Kismayu.

In Nairobi, people chanted "Ruto must go" and crowds sang in Swahili: "All can be possible without Ruto". Music played from loudspeakers and protesters waved Kenyan flags and blew whistles in the few hours before the violence escalated.

Police did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Organic movement

Thousands had taken to the streets of Nairobi and several other cities during two days of protests last week as an online, youth-led movement gathered momentum.

Protests in Kenya have usually been called by political leaders who have been amenable to negotiated settlements, but the young Kenyans in the current demonstrations have no official leader and they have been growing increasingly bold in their demands.

While protesters initially focused on the finance bill, their demands have broadened to demand Ruto's resignation.

Amid the unrest, Kenya's sovereign dollar bonds slid on Tuesday afternoon, Tradeweb data showed. The 2034 maturity fell the most, trading 0.6 cents lower at 74.7 cents on the dollar.

"They are budgeting for corruption," said protester Hussein Ali, 18.

"We won't relent. It's the government that is going to back off. Not us."

Source: theeastafrican.co.ke

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https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/tax-protests-hijacked-after-they-turn-violent-ruto-says-4669980

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Europe

 

Bury St Edmunds Out Westgate plans for Muslim worship space

24th June

Change of use proposals by Abdul Rashid of the Bury St Edmunds Islamic Cultural Organisation would see The Vineyard Centre in Out Westgate become a place of worship.

The plans before West Suffolk Council include the use of the ground floor for worship and the conversion of part of the first floor office into a living space for an Imam.

Also on the first floor would be a room for women's prayer as well as evening "educational classes for children" and "community activities such as the inter-faith dialogue meetings".

The building, originally built in the 1940s for use as a Baptist Church, is currently empty.

A statement to the council read: "Bury St Edmunds currently has no dedicated space for the local Muslim community to observe religious services.

"For the last 20 years, the local Muslim community has relied on hiring various halls in the town including Quaker Meeting House for last 8-10 years to offer the Friday ritual prayers and community services."

If the plans were to go ahead, there would be five congregational prayers offered at different times of the day depending on the time of the year, the first (Fajr) offered an hour before sunrise and the last (Isha) an hour after sunset.

A statement read: "Therefore the proposal is for the premises to be used between the hours of 9am- 11pm Monday to Sunday with a 30min opening slot at dawn.

"There is no singing or loud music played at any of the congregational prayers."

It continued: "The growing Muslim community in Bury St Edmunds do not currently have a communal place of worship and the premises will provide suitable accommodation for the current needs of the local community."

Source: eadt.co.uk

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https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/24407442.bury-st-edmunds-westgate-plans-muslim-worship-space/

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Pair jailed for 'abominable' theft of charity boxes from Cheshire mosque

26 JUN 2024

Two men stole charity boxes containing up to £1,200 from a Cheshire mosque. David Roberts, 42, and David Atkinson, 37, both from Bewsey and Whitecross, were sentenced at Warrington Magistrate's Court.

On Saturday, June 15, Roberts was caught on CCTV as he entered the rear yard of the Jamia Mosque in Warrington and forced his way into the building through the back door. Roberts, of Hanover Street, then searched the mosque, finding charity cash boxes police said contained around £700 to £1,200.

Roberts left the building before returning with a carrier bag. He then took the boxes. The following day he returned with Atkinson, of Winmarleigh Street, and the pair were filmed on CCTV climbing the rear fence of the mosque and attempting to gain entry by forcing the door open.

The pair then took ladders from the yard and used them to gain access through an upstairs window. Roberts climbed the ladders while Atkinson kept watch, but the two were spooked by a passing cyclist and left. Atkinson returned but was disturbed by members of the mosque who contacted police. Atkinson was arrested at the scene, while Roberts was arrested shortly after at his home.

Roberts pleaded guilty to burglary and attempted burglary and was sentenced to 26 weeks in jail. Atkinson was sentenced to 17 weeks in prison after admitting attempted burglary, public order and failing to provide a sample for a drug test.

Following the sentencing, PC Zackery Carlin said: “Stealing charity boxes, and those from a place of worship is an abominable thing to do. Then to try again, just defies belief. Thankfully, these two are now facing time in prison as a result of their actions and I hope this deters other opportunist thieves.“

Source: cheshire-live.co.uk

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https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/pair-jailed-abominable-theft-charity-29421677

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Attacks on Jews and Muslims in Germany surged after Israel-Hamas war outbreak

25 June 2024

Attacks on Jews and Muslims in Germany have surged since the outbreak of the recent Israel-Hamas war, new figures show

Antisemitic incidents rose by more than 80% last year, compared to 2022.

Some 4,782 episodes were recorded - an average of 13 per day.

The figures from the monitoring group the Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism (RIAS) show there was a major up tick following Hamas's 7 October attacks.

In the three months following, 2,787 incidents were documented.

That's more than the whole of 2022 when 2,616 were recorded.

While many complaints were linked to anti-Israel activism, authors of today's report said Jews increasingly experienced antisemitism in their immediate surroundings: at work, in educational institutions, and on social media.

Violent attacks in this period also rose, with around two-thirds of all cases of extreme violence, assaults, and threats occurring after 7 October, according to the report released today.

Examples cited include Molotov cocktails being thrown at a Jewish community centre in Berlin, flares being thrown at a Jewish family's home in North Rhine-Westphalia, and increasing "threats of extermination" against Jewish institutions.

"In all areas of life, Jews are being harassed, threatened, and attacked. Since October 7, threats against open Jewish life have become more acute," said Benjamin Steinitz, managing director of the Bundesverband RIAS.

"The unprecedented rise in antisemitic incidents must be understood as a wake-up call: the state has the responsibility to ensure that Jews can safely participate in civic life.

"Last but not least, it is up to all of us to put a stop to the normalisation of antisemitism."

Attacks on Muslims also shot up following 7 October according to a separate report released this week.

Four attempted murders are among the 1,926 incidents recorded in Germany in 2023 by the CLAIM network of NGOs monitoring Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred.

An attempted arson attack at a mosque which had been marked with a swastika, and a woman being pushed onto train tracks after being asked if she was a member of Hamas, are also among the incidents.

CLAIM's report showed that incidents rose 114% last year with more than five anti-Muslim attacks taking place every day - including discrimination, verbal and physical attacks, or damage to property.

Around 90 attacks on religious institutions such as mosques, cemeteries, and Muslim-marked places were recorded.

Children were among those physically and verbally abused, while women were the most common targets.

The authorities have been criticised for not paying enough attention to the problem.

Rima Hanano, head of CLAIM, said: "The massive increase in anti-Muslim attacks and discrimination in 2023 is more than worrying.

"At the same time, this threat has so far hardly been noticed. For Muslims and people who are perceived as such, the street, the bus or the mosque are no longer safe places.

"Anti-Muslim racism has never been as socially acceptable as it is today and it comes from the middle of society. The consequences for those affected are often serious and many people feel that they are not worthy of solidarity."

Germany's Muslim population increased rapidly in recent years, especially following the migrant crisis of 2015 to 2016.

At 5.5 million, they now make up around 6.6% of the population.

But Islamophobia is an ongoing problem with figures from the interior ministry last year showing a 140% increase in Islamophobic crimes.

A survey also showed one in two Germans agreed with anti-Muslim statements according to CLAIM's report.

Lisa Paus, Germany's federal minister for social affairs, said: "The increase in anti-Muslim and antisemitic incidents is dramatic.

"In order to curb racism in our society, prevention work from an early age - especially among children and young people - is essential.

"With our federal program 'Live Democracy!' we are working with civil society organisations to address this issue and are also promoting community-based monitoring."

Source: uk.news.yahoo.com

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https://uk.news.yahoo.com/attacks-jews-muslims-germany-rocketed-092200091.html

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Police respond to shooting in Dagestan – media

25 Jun, 2024

Russian security forces have been deployed to the streets of Makhachkala, the capital of the Republic of Dagestan, after reports of multiple shots fired in the city center.

Videos circulating on Telegram channels show police telling bystanders to disperse or take cover as they set up roadblocks on two streets in the city center on Tuesday evening. Eyewitnesses reported hearing at least five gunshots.

According to the Telegram channel Shot, two men dressed in black opened fire on a police officer before fleeing.

Following the reports on social media, however, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Dagestan issued a statement denying that there had been an active shooter.

“An eyewitness reported that he saw an armed man in the area of University Square. Several police squads were immediately dispatched and the area was cordoned off,” the ministry said. “A thorough check of the square and the surrounding area was carried out, with the involvement of service dogs. The report was not confirmed. Everything is calm.”

The incident comes less than 48 hours after a series of terrorist attacks in Dagestan, including on the police post in Makhachkala, in which up to 25 people died.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/russia/600004-police-respond-to-shooting/

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ICC a ‘Western hybrid war’ tool – Moscow

25 Jun, 2024

Moscow has denounced the Hague-based International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants for two top Russian defense officials, branding the institution a mere tool of the West's “hybrid war” efforts.

The ICC on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for ex-Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and the current chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, accusing the two of committing “alleged international crimes” during the Ukrainian conflict.

Russia’s Security Council has denounced as “void” the court’s move, pointing out that its jurisdiction does not extend to Russia.

“The decision of the Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC against the Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu is void. This is just hot air, since the jurisdiction of the ICC does not extend to Russia, and [the decision] was made as part of the West’s hybrid war against our country,” the council said.

The two top military officials are accused by the ICC of committing “international crimes,” namely “directing attacks at civilian objects,” as well as “causing excessive incidental harm to civilians.” The charges stem from Russia’s campaign of strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure, which Moscow regards as dual-purpose strategic installations rather than purely civilian facilities.

Earlier this year, the ICC also targeted two top Russian military commanders, Lieutenant-General Sergey Kobylash of the Long-Range Aviation fleet and Admiral Viktor Sokolov of the Black Sea fleet. The charges against the commanders was also a result of air strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure.

The Hague-based institution has taken multiple steps against Russia amid the Ukraine conflict, most notably by issuing an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin last spring. The president is accused of “unlawful deportation” of Ukrainian children to Russia.

Moscow, like many other countries, including the US, does not recognize the authority of the ICC and its actions hold no legal power in Russia.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/russia/599959-icc-western-hybrid-warfare/

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Arab World

 

Saudi National Center for Wildlife launches supervisory council for Ibex protected area

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife in collaboration with the Riyadh Region Municipality, inaugurated the first supervisory council for the Ibex protected area, which encompasses the governorates of Howtat Bani Tamim and Al-Hariq, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The initiative aims to involve local communities and relevant stakeholders to enhance management practices within the protected area, aligning them with global standards, NCW said in news release.

NCW chief executive Mohammed Qurban highlighted the importance of the initiative.

“Establishing the council empowers our neighboring community to contribute ideas and suggestions towards enhancing protection programs and conserving biodiversity within the protected area,” he said.

The protected area covers approximately 1,841 square kilometers and is an extension of the Tuwaiq mountains.

The Ibex protected area supports a variety of wildlife, including the Arabian oryx, Arabian wolf, rock hyrax, and numerous bird species such as lappet-faced vultures, bustards, and eagles.

Global best practices advocate for local participation to safeguard and preserve natural resources within protected areas, fostering sustainable resource management while strengthening community attachment to these landscapes.

“Engaging with the community promotes operational excellence, governance, and efficiency, ensuring the sustainable use of our natural resources.,” said Qurban. “This connection is integral, holding profound value across generations, bolstering conservation efforts, and nurturing environmental awareness among local residents.”

The NCW launched a variety of programs in the Ibex protected area, such as camping, hiking trails, and beekeeping. The effort aims to boost ecotourism and foster economic activities for the local community, showcasing its distinctive natural and cultural heritage.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2537696/saudi-arabia

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OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission to convene in Jeddah

June 25, 2024

JEDDAH: The 23rd Regular Session of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation takes place from June 30 to July 4 in Jeddah.

The event will bring together representatives from OIC member and observer states, national human rights institutions, international and regional organizations, and senior officials of the OIC’s General Secretariat, as well as media representatives.

The inaugural ceremony will be held on June 30 at the Ministerial Conference Hall. The ceremony will be followed by a debate on “The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Rights: Challenges and Opportunities.”

The debate, which will be overseen by the OIC’s Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha and the IPHRC’s Chairperson Talal Khalid Saad Al Mutairi, will feature international experts from specialized institutions from the the UN and the OIC, as well as representatives of OIC member and observer states, including their NHRIs.

The debate will aim to explore the opportunities and challenges posed by AI on human rights, and will look to provide guidance on how to prevent or mitigate its negative impacts.

An outcome document reflecting key recommendations made during the debate will be finalized by the commission and posted on the IPHRC website on the conclusion of the session.

The commission will also hold a high-level event on July 1 called “International Court of Justice Judgment on Gaza: Implications for Future and Possible Way Forward.”

This will analyze the ICJ’s judgment on Gaza and its implications on implementing provisional measures to bring an end to the humanitarian crisis. It will also focus on human rights violations against the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza.

The commission is expected to conclude memorandums of understanding with several international and regional organizations, aimed at enhancing technical cooperation and exchange in various fields.

The commission is to hold closed meetings of its different working groups at the IPHRC’s headquarters in Al-Hamra District, Jeddah, from July 2-4.

It is expected to hold detailed discussions on all issues on its agenda, including civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights in OIC member states, and human rights violations in Palestine and Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The regular meetings of its four working groups on Palestine; rights of women and children; Islamophobia and Muslim minorities; and the right to development will also be held.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2537436/saudi-arabia

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Ministry reports nearly 1.5 million religious services to pilgrims during Hajj

June 26, 2024

RIYADH: Nearly 1.5 million religious services were offered to pilgrims during this year’s Hajj season, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance said that approximately 1,485,000 services had been offered from the day before Arafat, which was on June 15, until the end of Hajj.

Saudi authorities said that 1.8 million pilgrims participated in this year’s Hajj.

Six hundred Islamic teachers and translators were on hand to provide pilgrims with information about the duties of annual religious event.

The teachers were able to support the pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah and at the Hajj location of Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat. They also fielded calls from pilgrims who called a toll-free number set up for inquiries.

The minister, Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Alsheikh, thanked them and praised their work of aiding pilgrims.

Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi leaders congratulate Qatar’s emir on 11th anniversary of becoming ruler

June 25, 2024

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on Tuesday sent a message to Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, congratulating him on the 11th anniversary of his accession.

“The king expressed his sincere congratulations and best wishes for health and happiness to (the emir), and to the government and people of Qatar for continued progress and prosperity,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a similar message to the emir.

Sheikh Tamim became ruler on June 25, 2013, when his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, stepped down and handed power to his son.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2537611/saudi-arabia

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Success of Saudi Vision 2030 ‘good basis for cooperation,’ says Hungary official

June 25, 2024

RIYADH: There will be continued growth in economic ties between Saudi Arabia and Hungary over the next few years, according to the latter’s Deputy Minister and State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense Tamas Vargha.

“(Saudi Arabia’s) Vision 2030 … I think it’s a success story … it’s a good basis, for our cooperation,” Vargha told Arab News during a recent interview. “You have seen lots of changes since Vision 2030 started … both social changes and the economic changes and growth.”

Vargha said this transformation allows for further cooperation in several sectors including tourism, trade, and knowledge transfers.

Vargha said that in 2023 Saudi Arabia was Hungary’s 53rd-largest trading partner, and there was great potential for future growth.

“We are a smaller country, but we would like to be part of your success and your solution,” he added. “In terms of economic relations, I think the past five years have been a success story.”

“We would like to enhance tourism between the two countries,” he said. “Now there are direct flights between Riyadh and Budapest … So, it’s a good path.”

During his visit, Vargha said an agreement was signed between the two nations in cybersecurity and defense digitalization.

Vargha praised Balazs Selmeci, Hungary’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, who was “very active and helped a lot to establish the joint venture … we have to say a big thank you to our ambassador.”

The venture between Saudi Arabia’s Rakaa Security and Military Supplies Co. and Hungary’s Quadron Cybersecurity Services will facilitate security development and defense industry digitization.

“I think that the decade marks a huge change in the growth of our relations in times of conflicts, regional conflicts, and conflicts around us,” he said.

Vargha said cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Hungary was strengthened with the first Saudi-Hungarian Joint Economic Committee established in 2012.

“At the beginning, it was getting to know each other and finding solutions,” he said.

“Saudi Arabia is … an important state in the Middle East. And we are a part of the EU in Europe and we had to find what’s our common interest,” he said. “It’s a good, good start and a good path that we are going on.”

The committee recently hosted its fourth session with more than 30 companies on each side participating, to further cooperation in energy, education, health, investment, communications, water, agriculture, trade, tourism, sports and culture.

Hungary considers the committee a part of its “Eastern Opening,” an economic strategy aimed at strengthening relations with nations in the Middle East.

Vargha said: “We believe that if we open to the east — to the Middle East and the East — that we can and will be able to serve as a bridge between the West and the East.”

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2537561/saudi-arabia

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Assouline releases ‘AlUla Flora’ celebrating ancient oasis’s vibrant blooms

June 25, 2024

ALULA: Premier luxury publishing house Assouline has released its latest masterpiece, “AlUla Flora.”

The work celebrates the diverse plant life that blooms in the ancient oasis city, located in northwest Saudi Arabia.

“AlUla Flora” is the latest addition to Assouline’s “Classics Collection,” and features text by Abdulaziz Assaeed, a professor of rangeland ecology at King Saud University, Riyadh, accompanied by captivating images by young Saudi photographer Hayat Osamah.

The vibrant tome is further elevated by artwork by Carolyn Jenkins, Lil Sire, Raxenne, Moira Frith, and Mary Woodin.

Following the success of last year’s “AlUla Ever,” which showcased the region’s geological wonders, rich cultural heritage and flourishing arts scene, “AlUla Flora” invites readers on a visual and educational journey through the city’s lush ecosystems.

The book highlights over 80 plant species that flourish in AlUla’s diverse landscapes — from rocky sandstone outcrops and vast desert plains to a verdant oasis teeming with natural springs.

Featured plants include the Hispid Viper’s-bugloss with its bright funnel-shaped flowers, the striking spiny milkvetch with pinkish-purple blooms, and the culturally significant jujube tree. Each species is presented not only for its ecological value but also for its role in local traditions, from Bedouin crafts to ancient culinary uses.

Phillip Jones, chief tourism officer at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said: “‘AlUla Flora’ opens a window to the city’s fascinating botanical world, which we have been carefully and intentionally nurturing to rebuild and reinforce the ecological richness and vibrancy of the region. The book acts as a visual narrative of our broader aspirations to protect and showcase the verdant life in AlUla, inviting visitors and locals to discover more about the environment that we live in and create an all-important connection with nature.”

The book is a visual exploration of the little-known flora of the city and an educational journey that illuminates the significant conservation efforts underway in AlUla to restore and rewild its ecosystems and preserve its native plant species for years to come.

These efforts underscore a commitment to sustainability and ecotourism, aimed at enriching the lives of the local community and visitors alike.

The publication of “AlUla Flora” highlights the destination’s dedication to environmental stewardship, evidenced by the allocation of more than 50 percent of AlUla’s geographical boundaries to protected nature reserves — including Sharaan, Wadi Nakhlah, Gharameel, Harrat Uwayrid, Harrat AlZabin, and Harrat Khaybar.

Integral to AlUla’s mission is the restoration of the land and its ecological heritage through the reintroduction of essential native species of both flora and fauna that once flourished here.

The animal reintroduction program, which was launched in 2023, has already seen successful animal releases of around 1,000 animals from four species — Arabian gazelles, sand gazelles, Arabian oryx, and Nubian ibex.

AlUla’s legacy is one of harmony with nature, a testament to a region that has nurtured human civilization for millennia through its natural resources. In this way, AlUla is reclaiming its past and sowing the seeds for a revitalised future where nature and humanity continue to thrive in balance.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2537541/saudi-arabia

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Al-Safiya Museum and Orchard in Madinah attracts visitors

June 25, 2024

MADINAH: Al-Safiya Museum and Orchard is bringing in visitors to Madinah with its captivating attractions, educational and entertainment options.

The architectural designs, which are inspired by Madinah’s heritage, and the orchard, with ponds and fountains, are located in the central area south of the Prophet’s Mosque and span an area of more than 4,400 sq. meters.

The project includes a cultural park and a museum exhibition area that boasts integrated audio-visual capabilities.

Pilgrims of different nationalities enjoyed visiting the site during their stay in Madinah.

One of its highlights is the Story of Creation Museum, which presents a comprehensive display in multiple languages about the beginning of the universe, and features the stories of prophets and messengers.

The attraction gives a narrative experience with which visitors engage inside the museum.

The project forms part of the efforts of Al-Madinah Region Development Authority, in collaboration with other authorities, to enrich the cultural experience of visitors.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2537531/saudi-arabia

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Global medical conference to be held in Riyadh

June 25, 2024

RIYADH: The Mechanical Circulatory Support Conference will be hosted in the King Salman Auditorium at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh from June 27-29.

The event will bring together doctors, surgeons and nurses from around the world and feature more than 20 interactive scientific meetings, discussion sessions and workshops presented by global experts.

The conference will explore the impact of technologies on enhancing quality of life and health outcomes for patients suffering from heart and respiratory failure.

It also aims to boost communication among healthcare practitioners caring for heart failure patients by targeting cardiothoracic and cardiac surgeons, critical care physicians, intensive care nurses, respiratory therapists and perfusionists.

In addition, the conference will facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences between colleagues from diverse specialties and countries, ultimately contributing to the improvement of medical practices and patient care in the Kingdom and beyond.

KFSH&RC ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 20th globally in the list of the world’s top 250 academic medical centers for the second consecutive year. It is recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East according to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings.

It has also ranked among the world’s best 250 hospitals this year by Newsweek magazine.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2537526/saudi-arabia

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Southeast Asia

 

Rebranding Langkawi as preferred Muslim destination triggers controversial response

26 June

The move by Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to position Langkawi Island as a preferred Muslim destination emphasising spiritual tourism and family-friendly experiences has sparked concern among the travel trade, who doubt its benefits for the island.

In a recent parliamentary announcement, deputy minister of tourism, arts and culture of Malaysia, Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, explained that the strategy aims to focus on niche sectors, such as the Muslim market, to enable Malaysia to compete with other countries and islands in the region ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

However, local trade stakeholders worry that rebranding Langkawi Island might be counterproductive. They note that Langkawi is a UNESCO Global Geopark and a key destination for European, Indian, and Chinese tourists.

Nigel Wong, president of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents, highlighted that Langkawi is already well-known for its sun, beach, and ecotourism holidays. He argued that rebranding it as a Muslim destination would alter its current appeal and promotional dynamics.

Shaharuddin M Saaid, executive director of the Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners, questioned the necessity of making Langkawi a preferred Muslim destination when Malaysia is already recognised as such and has consistently won the Global Muslim Travel Index Awards. He pointed out that Langkawi already offers halal food, Muslim prayer facilities, and religious attractions, which are available elsewhere in the country as well. He suggested that for Langkawi to stand out, it would need unique elements not found in other parts of Malaysia.

Arokia Das Anthony, executive director of Essence of Asia Tours & Travel, expressed concerns about potential bans on alcohol and cigarettes following this new direction. He warned that such measures could alienate non-Muslim tourists who visit Langkawi for relaxation and to enjoy its beaches.

Source: ttgasia.com

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https://www.ttgasia.com/2024/06/26/rebranding-langkawi-as-preferred-muslim-destination-triggers-controversial-response/

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Islamic Religious Department Tells S'gor Mosques To Stop Inviting Celebrity Preacher For Now

Jun 25, 2024

The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) has ordered all mosques and worship houses in the state to refrain from inviting preacher Don Daniyal Don Biyajid.

In a statement today, Jais confirmed that it has issued a notice on the matter on June 21.

Source: malaysiakini.com

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https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/709827

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Indonesia Awaits US, China’s Ratification of Nuclear Ban Treaty

June 26, 2024

Jakarta. Indonesia has long ratified the world’s anti-nuclear test treaty, and the country is now hoping that the US and China will follow suit.

Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi recently flew to Vienna for a meeting on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). During her trip, Retno met with Robert Floyd, the executive secretary to CTBTO -- the organization that oversees the treaty. The CTBT bans all nuclear explosive testing. The document is now waiting for ratification by eight other countries of the so-called “Annex 2 states” before it can come into effect. Those states include major powers China and the US, according to Retno.

“The treaty will only be in effect if the Annex 2 states have completed their ratification. … The CTBT is now waiting for ratification by eight Annex 2 states, namely China, North Korea, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, and the US before the treaty can enter into force,” Retno told reporters via a recorded press statement.

“We also agreed to continue to push for the treaty’s ratification by the other Annex 2 states,” Retno said, commenting on her meeting with Floyd

To this day, as many as 187 countries across the globe have signed the CTBT, 178 of whom have completed the ratification process, according to Retno. Papua New Guinea was the latest country to ratify.

Annex 2 states refer to the 44 countries who negotiated the CTBT from 1994-1996, and possessed nuclear power or research reactors. CTBT will enter into force 180 days after the Annex 2 countries have all ratified. Indonesia inked the treaty in 1996, but it took over a decade before it ratified the CTBT in 2011.

The US Senate did not approve the treaty in 1999. The country, however, has observed a moratorium on nuclear explosive testing since 1992. Russia late last year said they would withdraw from the CTBT, saying that it would put Moscow on “equal footing” with the US who had not ratified the pact. At a UN Security Council meeting in 2021, China claimed it would work towards bringing the CTBT into force. Both China and the US are two of the recognized nuclear weapon states -- a term classifying the countries that had manufactured or denoted nukes prior to 1967.

Source: jakartaglobe.id

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https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-awaits-us-chinas-ratification-of-nuclear-ban-treaty

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Anti-Online Gambling Task Force Arrests Social Media Personalities

June 26, 2024

Jakarta. The newly launched Task Force against Online Gambling has arrested at least seven social media personalities for endorsing gambling on their Instagram accounts, a senior official said on Tuesday.

The suspects include five individuals from Banten and two from Lampung, Chief Security Minister Hadi Tjahjanto announced at a news conference in Jakarta. Hadi declined to disclose the identities of the suspects.

In addition, the National Police have taken action against three gambling websites operating in Indonesia: 1xbet, W88, and Liga Ciputra, resulting in the arrest of dozens of gamblers.

"Police confiscated Rp 4.7 billion in cash, three vehicles, 114 cellphones, 96 bank books, 45 ATM cards, nine laptops, and five tokens from the suspects," Hadi said.

In another operation, the task force arrested 19 suspected gamblers in Banda Aceh. According to Hadi, the anti-money laundering agency has frozen over 6,000 bank accounts linked to online gambling.

"It takes time to eradicate online gambling, and we have begun to take immediate measures. The first priority is to protect our people before targeting the gambling operators,” Hadi said.

Source: jakartaglobe.id

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https://jakartaglobe.id/news/antionline-gambling-task-force-arrests-social-media-personalities

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