Majority Of Hindus In India Love Me, Says Indian Fugitive And Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik during His First Lecture 'The Quran Is A Global Necessity' In Oman
New Age Islam News Bureau
25 March 2023
Zakir Naik is facing charges of spreading hate and
also involved in money laundering cases. (File photo: PTI)
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• As Ramzan Begins, China’s Muslims Face Fasting Ban;
Their Cultural And Religious Traditions Coming Under Attack
• Islamic Commission: Muslim Population In Spain
Increased 10 Times In Last 30 Years
• A Greener Ramadan: UAE Experts Urge Muslims To Adopt
Sustainable, Healthier Diets
• Muslim Man Stopped From Praying At Canada Train
Station, Authorities Suspended The Employee
India
• Modernising Madrasas: Rajya Sabha Turns Down
Resolution Seeking Special Fund
• Bihar District’s ‘Half-Day Leave’ For Staff During
Ramadan Triggers Row
• Karnataka Scraps 4% Muslim Quota, Hikes Reservation
ForLingayats, Vokkaligas
• 20 Muslims join Hindus to stage 'Kurukshetra' in
village
• Friday prayers held peacefully in mosques across
Kashmir
• In touch with Oman to get fugitive Zakir Naik: Govt
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Southeast Asia
• Johor Police Identify Individuals Involved In Video
Insulting Islam, Prophet Muhammad
• ‘Imam’ And ‘Mentega Terbang’ Prove The Message Isn’t
Everything When It Comes To Cinema
• DPM Zahid urges corporate firms, individuals to
coordinate efforts to ensure systematic distribution of Ramadan, Raya aid
• Myanmar arrests about 150 Rohingya fleeing to
Malaysia
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Europe
• Open Iftar Event Hosted At Famous London Museum
• Iran Asks France To Observe Human Rights, Avoid
Violence Against Peaceful Protesters
• Sikh Officer’s Beard Cut, Bacon Put In Muslim
Officer’s Boots, Says Report On Met Police
• More than two-thirds of Muslims in England, Wales
live in high unemployment areas
• Türkiye condemns US human rights report for
'baseless allegations'
• Sturgeon wishes 'Ramadan Mubarak' on final
appearance at Scottish parliament as first minister
• Family of UK mosque-goer set on fire demands justice
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Arab World
• Daesh Terrorists Decapitate 15 People, Kidnap Dozens
Foraging For Desert Truffles In Central Syria
• Saudi King, Crown Prince inaugurate Ramadan campaign
with massive donation toward Kingdom’s housing needs
• Death toll from US strikes on pro-Iran installations
in Syria rises to 19 fighters
• Saudi Arabia’s Hadiyah charity to distribute at
least 1.2 million meals in Ramadan
• World Food Program praises Saudi Arabia for its
invaluable support
• Filipino engineers help fellow expats climb career
ladder in Saudi Arabia
• Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs launches Ramadan
gift programs in Jakarta
• Saudi Arabia launches iftar programs in Bosnia,
Jordan
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North America
• Biden warns Iran after tit-for-tat strikes in Syria
• US, Saudi Arabia complete first counter-drone
exercise at Red Sands testing facility
• Biden vows ‘forceful’ response to Iranian attacks on
US troops in Middle East
• US strikes aimed at protecting personnel, combatting
ISIS: White House
• US prepared to act 'forcefully' to protect personnel
in Syria: Biden
• US forces in northeast Syria come under attack for
2nd straight day
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Pakistan
• Imran Asks People To ‘Assert Their Right’ As Free
Nation And Attend Minar-i-Pakistan Rally Today
• ‘Politically savvy’ Pakistanis do not need outside
advice: FO
• PTI chief only wants to talk to establishment, says
Asif
• DM Asif Calls for a Comprehensive Not Transactional
Dialogue With PTI
• Pakistan Gets $2bn Rollover Deposits FromChina For IMF
Bailout: Report
• Pakistan Court Grants Extension Of Anticipatory Bail
To Imran Khan In Five Terrorism Cases
• Balochistan MPAs want mosques, schools exempted from
gas, power bills
• How will situation in October be any better, asks
Imran
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South Asia
• Islamic Emirate Has Diplomats in 14 World Countries:
Spokesman Mujahid
• ISIS Has Stronger Presence in Afghanistan, Top US
General Says
• Claims Of IS Presence In Afghanistan Not True:
Taliban's Response To The US
• US working to assist Americans who want to leave
Afghanistan: Blinken
• US imposed sanctions, banking restrictions primary
cause of Afghanistan’s ongoing economic crisis: Taliban
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Mideast
• 100,000 Muslims Offer 1st Ramadan Friday Prayer AtAl-Aqsa
• Hamas: Confrontation against Israel to last until
al-Aqsa Mosque's liberation
• Iran: Israeli Attack on Syria Endangering Peace in
Region
• Israel promotes bids for 1,000 settlement homes in
West Bank, Jerusalem: Watchdog
• Rare anti-Houthi protests in Yemen after activist’s
death
• Tehran Calls on Paris to Engage in Dialogue with
Anti-Macron Protesters
• Iran Underlines Sovereignty over Trio Persian Gulf
Islands
• Weekly protests persist in Iran’s southeast amid
internet disruption
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Africa
• Ramadan: Kaduna Muslims Pray For Political Leaders,
Peace In Nigeria
• African migrants stuck in Tunisia say racism
persists after crackdown
• Algerian ambassador to return to France in coming
days: Elysee Palace
• Algeria To Send Imams ToItaly For Taraweeh Prayers
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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Majority Of Hindus In India Love Me, Says Indian
Fugitive And Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik during His First Lecture 'The Quran Is
A Global Necessity' In Oman
Subodh Kumar
Mar 25, 2023
Zakir Naik is facing charges of spreading hate and
also involved in money laundering cases. (File photo: PTI)
-------------
Indian fugitive and Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who
delivered his first lecture 'The Quran is a Global Necessity' in Oman, said the
majority of Hindus in India love him. According to reports, he made the remark
while speaking at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday, which
also marks the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
“The problem is that the majority of Hindus in India
love me. They love me so much that it is creating a problem for the vote bank.
In India, when I do talks and meetings, there are hundreds and thousands of
people, 50 million to 100 million, especially in Bihar and Kishanganj, and out
of these, 20 per cent are non-Muslims," Zakir Naik said.
"When they talk to me they tell Zakir Bhai what
we learned in the last two hours (in his lecture), we have not learnt after 40
hours of lectures on our religion," the Islamic preacher added.
'SIKH JUDGE FINDS NO OFFENSE IN MY SPEECHES'
At the same event, Zakir Naik recalled how a
"Sikh judge", Manmohan Singh, said he found nothing ‘objectionable’
in his speeches while the ED was trying to attach his properties in 2018. In
January 2018, Justice Manmohan Singh, who headed the Appellate Tribunal for
PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) in New Delhi, had restrained the ED
from taking over Naik's properties attached by the agency, and drew a parallel
between Naik and self-styled spiritual leader AsaramBapu.
"Allhamdulillah, when a judge in the Indian court
said, (when they wanted to attach all my properties) the judge was a Sikh,
Manmohan Singh. Fortunately, he had seen many of my talks. He said, to the
lawyer of the government, you point out one statement of Dr. Zakir Naik, in
context, in any lecture where he promotes terrorism, I will attach all his
property," Zakir Naik added.
"I can name 10 Babas who have properties worth
more than Re 10,000 crore each and they are facing criminal cases. Have you
acted against even one of them? What have you done against AsaramBapu?"
Singh asked the counsel for the ED.
During his lecture in Muscat, Zakir Nair converted an
Indian Hindu woman to Islam, read some lines from the Quran and asked her to
repeat them, according to videos shared on social media. However, India Today
cannot independently verify the authenticity of these videos.
ZAKIR NAIK TO BE DEPORTED
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said
that it will take all the necessary actions required to bring back radical
Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and have him face justice in India.
Zakir Abdul Karim Naik, 57, currently residing in
Malaysia, fled India in 2016 after his organisation Islamic Research Foundation
(IRF) was banned and he was named in an FIR. In 2019, he was also banned from
delivering public speeches in Malaysia. Besides India, his Peace TV network is
also banned in Bangladesh, Canada, Sri Lanka and the UK.
Notably, the main accused in the November 19, 2022,
Mangaluru auto blast case, Mohammed Shariq, was influenced and self-radicalised
by Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's videos and shared them with other co-accused.
Karnataka Police officials had seized the mobile phone
of Shariq which contained videos of Zakir Naik and his handlers used to share
them, through Telegram and other platforms like Signal, Wire, Instagram and
Element.
Naik’s speech is believed to have instigated the 2016
Dhaka bombing which killed 20 and the Easter 2019 bombing in Sri Lanka that
killed over 250. Naik is wanted in India and Bangladesh in connection with
other cases.
Source:IndiaToday
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original story:
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As Ramzan Begins, China’s Muslims Face Fasting Ban;
Their Cultural And Religious Traditions Coming Under Attack
24th March 2023
Washington: As Muslims around the world prepare to
begin the holy month of Ramzan, Muslims in China are facing fasting ban while
their cultural and religious traditions are increasingly coming under attack,
according to a media report.
Uyghurs in the northwestern region of Xinjiang are
being ordered not to allow their children to fast, with the latter being
quizzed by the authorities as to whether their parents are fasting, local
officials and rights groups said, RFA reported.
“During Ramzan, the authorities are requiring 1,811
villages [in Xinjiang] to implement a round-the-clock monitoring system,
including spot home inspections of Uyghur families,” World Uyghur Congress
spokesperson DilshatRishit said, RFA reported.
During Ramzan, Muslims are called to fast during
daylight hours.
China’s 11.4 million Hui Muslims close-knit ethnic
Chinese communities who have maintained their Muslim faith over centuries are
in danger of being erased entirely under the Communist Party’s draconian
religious rules, rights groups have warned in a new report.
They have been identified by Beijing as “a threat to
be resolved through forcible assimilation”, said a report from a coalition of
rights groups, including the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD),
RFA reported.
This is in stark contrast to the relative freedom they
enjoyed before President Xi Jinping launched a renewed attack on religious
worship, forcing Christians, Muslims and Buddhists alike to submit to party
control and censorship of their religious lives under his “sinicisation”, the
report said.
“Hui community members were able to openly participate
in mosque communities, Arabic schools, and for private worship, albeit under
restrictions facilitated by party liaisons. Hui entrepreneurs were encouraged
to develop business and tourism connections with the wider Muslim world as part
of the Belt and Road Initiative,” it said, RFA reported.
China has also targeted Muslim communities with its
“ethnic unity” campaign under which officials impose Han Chinese “relatives” on
ethnic minority Uyghur families, who then put pressure on them to observe
non-Muslim traditions, including drinking alcohol and eating pork.
“Unity” policies haven taken place in Xinjiang against
the backdrop of the mass incarceration of at least 1.8 million Uyghurs and
other ethnic minority Muslims in “re-education” camps, and their involvement in
forced labour, as well as amid reports of the systemic rape, sexual abuse, and
forced sterilization of Uyghur women in the camps, RFA reported.
Source:Siasat Daily
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original story:
https://www.siasat.com/as-ramzan-begins-chinas-muslims-face-fasting-ban-monitoring-2554413/
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Islamic Commission: Muslim Population In Spain
Increased 10 Times In Last 30 Years
SenhanBolelli
24.03.2023
Secretary of the Islamic Commission of Spain said that
the Muslim population living in Spain has increased 10 times in the last 30
years, exceeding 2.5 million.
Mohamed Ajana told Anadolu that according to official
records, 2.5 million, and according to unofficial figures, about 3 million
Muslims live in Spain.
Ajana added that the Muslim population in Spain, which
was seen as purely immigrants in the past, now has an important place among
Spanish citizens.
He stated that more than one million Muslims in the
country are Spanish citizens, some of them are immigrants and others are of
Spanish origin.
Explaining that Muslims from Morocco, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Senegal, and Algeria are in the majority, he shared the information
that the majority of the Muslim population in Spain lives in industrialized
regions such as Catalonia, Valencia, Andalusia, and Madrid.
Ajana also said that there are currently 53 Islamic
federations serving the Muslim community in Spain, and that there are about
2,000 mosques.
He said the main problems that Muslims face are
obtaining permits and licenses for the construction of mosques, the existence
of only 40 Muslim cemeteries despite the increase in population, education, and
Islamophobia.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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original story:
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A greener Ramadan: UAE experts urge Muslims to adopt
sustainable, healthier diets
24 March ,2023
Foreign visitors and residents in the UAE eat an
Emirati Iftar meal during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Sheikh
Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) in Dubai, UAE May 17, 2019.
(Reuters)
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The holy month of Ramadan is a “golden opportunity” to
make a shift toward a greener, sustainable, healthier and non-wasteful
lifestyle, dieticians and experts in the United Arab Emirates have said.
The holiest month on the calendar in Islam, Ramadan is
observed by about 1.9 billion Muslims around the world who fast from dawn to
sunset as an act of devotion and spirituality.
Elissa AbiNakhoul, clinical dietician said that
Ramadan – a time for reflection – can offer Muslims a chance this year to think
more about how what ends on the plate can affect the environment across the
globe.
Avoid waste
“The month of Ramadan is a golden opportunity to
consider making a shift towards a ‘green lifestyle’ that is
environmental-friendly, non-polluting, non-wasteful and aims toward saving of
natural resources,” she told Al Arabiya English. “The green lifestyle means
improving the quality of life and achieving sustainable development.”
She suggested Muslims should cut down and eliminate
their intake of fast food, avoid overdoing food quantities to decrease food
waste after iftar and decrease the usage of plastic bottles and cutlery.
The dietician said Muslims who want to follow a
greener lifestyle can increase vegetable and fruit intake – especially the
seasonal and locally available ones – add more beans and lentil soup at iftar
instead of chicken and meat high in saturated fat and always breaking the fast
with soup and salad.
She recommends Muslims use vegetable-based oil for
cooking instead of ghee, butter, and cheese, replace high-calorie sweets with
dry fruits, dates and fresh fruits and replace white sugar with honey, maple
syrup, date syrup and molasses.
Rejuvenate mind and body
JuliotVinoliaRajarathinam, a clinical dietitian and
consultant nutritionist at Dubai’s Medeor Hospital, said Ramadan is a time for
Muslims to reflect on their thoughts and actions to rejuvenate the mind and
body.
“As we are evolving into people focusing on
sustainable living, it is time we take responsibility for eating wisely,” she
said. “Some unique tissue-healing and disease-preventing hormones and enzymes
are produced only during fasting.”
These health benefits are missed when people
overindulge in processed foods, refined sugars, and trans fats.
“Sustainable eating is choosing foods that are healthy
and less processed with lower environmental impact, improving food security for
all,” she said.
Climate-friendly meals
Rajarathinam recommends cooking “big meals” – or
cooking in batches – during Ramadan, as a little pre-planning on portions can
greatly reduce food wastage, food costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Meanwhile, buying food like rice, wheat, lentils,
beans, onion, garlic and spices in bulk during Ramadan sales can greatly save
money and also reduce plastic waste.
“Bulk buying greatly reduces the amount of packaging
material compared to buying the same product in smaller packages more
frequently,” she said.
Plant-based diets reduce inflammation
She added that plant-based diets are proven to reduce
inflammation and the risk of chronic diseases. They double the
disease-preventing health benefits of fasting making it an “eco-friendly
Ramadan,” she said.
Muslims should also reduce red meat intake and
processed animal products. This can not only reduce the risk of cancer, stroke
and heart disease but – according to wide-ranging studies, the red meat
industry contributes to a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions.
“Seasonal fruits and vegetables are fresh and
cost-effective,” she added. “Fresh produce has more antioxidants available than
preserved long-life foods. Some of the most sustainable fruits and vegetables
to have while fasting are pumpkin, broccoli, tomato, carrots, sweet potato,
beetroot, peas, beans, mushrooms, spinach, cabbage, apples, citrus fruits, melons,
papayas, and bananas. These also do not require plastic packaging.”
Rajarathinam said eco-friendly whole grains, wild
rice, oatmeal, and millets, have a good shelf life and are packed with vital
nutrients that help in sustaining energy during fasting hours, are high in
fiber to prevent constipation and are also budget friendly.
“Buying wisely, storing efficiently, and using healthy
cooking methods incorporating traditional recipes save and revive the culture
and help maintain good health,” she said. “Let’s make this Ramadan sustainable
by choosing a nutritionally adequate diet, especially more plant-based,
home-cooked fresh meals which are not only healthy and cost-effective but are
also climate-friendly and easily decompose and nurture the soil all in line
with our COP28 goals.”
Reevaluate eating habits
Ramadan provides the perfect opportunity for Muslims
to re-evaluate their relationship with food, according to Pranita Anand
Gavankar, a clinical dietician at Dubai’s Saudi German Hospital.
“Try to incorporate more plant-based foods rather than
meats,” she said. “The meat industry demands a lot from natural resources.”
One can make a difference “by saving a few pounds of
harmful carbon emissions by simply going on a plant-based diet a few days a
week, helping save the planet,” the dietician said.
She suggested going for plant-based milk options such
as soya milk, rice milk, and oats milk.
“Try to go for at least two to three days ‘meatless
Iftars’ in a week. Furthermore, choose local produce. Local produce is not only
a good source of antioxidants and beneficial nutrients but a more sustainable
option,” Gavankar added.
“Finally, be careful of food packaging,” she said,
urging UAE residents to shun single-use products such as plastic bottles,
plastic cutleries, cling films, and aluminum foil.
“Start using reusable utensils, bottles and packaging
options. It is a simple way to start,” she said. “Every individual can
contribute and make a difference to the planet by adopting a sustainable and
eco-friendly lifestyle.”
Source: Al Arabiya
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Muslim Man Stopped From Praying At Canada Train
Station, Authorities Suspended The Employee
Maroosha Muzaffar
After a Muslim man was asked by a security guard to
stop praying at a train station in Canada, authorities said they have suspended
the employee.
An investigation has also been launched into the
“regrettable and saddening incident”, it was reported.
The Muslim man who identified himself as Ahmad told
CTV news Ottawa that a security guard — subcontracted to work for Canada’s Via
Rail — came up to him after he had just finished praying and said “don’t pray
in here.”
The security guard can be heard saying “don’t pray in
here. We don’t want you praying here. You’re bothering our other customers, OK?
Pray outside next time.”
The incident took place on Monday in the Canadian
capital and Mr Ahmed shared the story on Thursday last week with the media.
A video of the incident was also captured by an
onlooker which later went viral and sparked outrage on social media.
The video showed the security guard telling the man
that his prayers were disturbing other people at the station.
Via Rail and the National Council of Canadian Muslims,
a civil rights and advocacy group, issued a joint statement saying they met to
discuss the “regrettable and saddening incident”.
The statement said that they “engaged in a
constructive dialogue following the regrettable and saddening incident
involving a man who was praying in Via Rail’s Ottawa Station.
“The conversation focused on common objectives,
namely, to ensure that Via Rail provides an inclusive environment where
passengers and employees feel safe practising freedom of religion, including
the ability to worship,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Mr Ahmad said that the incident “made me
feel embarrassed. I was just disgusted. Like: this is Canada? This is the
nation’s capital? This is Ottawa?”
Via Rail also issued an unreserved apology to the man
and the entire Muslim community and promised a full investigation and
“appropriate actions” based on its findings. They also reiterated that they
strongly condemn Islamophobia and any discriminatory behaviour.
Via Rail said that it is also working to improve its
diversity and inclusion policies after this incident.
Source: Independent UK
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original story:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/canada-muslim-train-station-praying-b2307823.html
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India
Modernising madrasas: Rajya Sabha turns down
resolution seeking special fund
24th March 2023
New Delhi: Rajya Sabha on Friday rejected a resolution
which sought creation of a special fund for modernisation of madrasas in view
of educational and social backwardness of Muslims, especially women.
The resolution was introduced by Indian Union Muslim
League member Abdul Wahab in the Upper House of Parliament on February 10.
Speaking on the resolution, Women and Child
Development and Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani said, “For me this
resolution which casts aspersions of inequality…in fact reduces it to a slur on
the basis of religion…I hope that this House unanimously rejects (it).”
“A new India cannot be broken down on the basis of
religion. That is why…I would request…the entire House to unanimously reject
this resolution so that we, who are building the new India under the leadership
of the prime minister with the support of citizens, can build it on issues of
inclusion, equity and equality,” she said.
The resolution was rejected by a voice vote amid a
walkout staged by the Congress and other opposition parties.
Irani said the resolution states that Muslim women are
not given the equal opportunity to get educated.
On the gender inclusion infrastructure fund proposed
in the resolution, Irani said the new education policy takes care of the need
for education of women as well as children. After three decades, India now has
a new education policy, she said.
She said the Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship caters to the need for skilling for a new India.
“The resolution seeks to cast aspersions on citizen
and the Constitution alike. Through this resolution aspersions have been cast
on one of the holiest of books…that our nation at large seeks to divide people
on the basis of religion and deny access to a better life in the present and in
the future to those who belong to minority communities,” she said.
BJP MP Ajay Pratap Singh opposed the resolution saying
that the very constitution of the Sachar Committee was challenged in the
Supreme Court.
He said it is not justified to implement the
recommendations of a committee on which there is a big question mark.
The resolution sought to implement the recommendations
of the Sachar Committee and other reports that have discussed the educational
and social backwardness of Muslims.
It sought to reinstate and enhance all those
scholarship and educational upliftment programme that aimed to improve the
higher education participation of Muslims.
It sought to help madrasas to modernise with a special
infrastructure fund.
It also sought to develop and implement special
affirmative actions for Muslim women to improve their presence in central
universities, institutes of national importance and their work participation.
It also sought formation of a commission to study the
representation of Muslims in university spaces and in private and public jobs,
and enactment of a legislation for prevention of atrocities against minorities
of the country so as to build confidence amongst Muslims who are vulnerable.
Source:Siasat Daily
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Bihar district’s ‘half-day leave’ for staff during
Ramadan triggers row
by Santosh Singh
March 25, 2023
The Nalanda district administration in Bihar has
reportedly tweaked the state government’s “one-hour relaxation” order for
Muslim employees of all primary schools by declaring half-day leave during the
month of Ramadan.
As per an order of the General Administration
Department (GAD) issued on December 21, 2000, Muslim employees in government
offices and schools are allowed to report on duty an hour before scheduled time
and leave an hour before scheduled closure during Ramadan.
However, an order issued on March 23 by the Nalanda
district education officer said: “All primary schools in the district are
allowed to conduct its morning school shift between 6.30 am and 9.30 am and day
shift between 9 am and 1.30 pm in view of the holy month of Ramadan.”
Primary Education Director Ravi Prakash was not
available for comment. An education department official, however, said: “The
department has been looking into the complaints about some districts tweaking
the order.”
The normal school time is from 9 am to 4 pm, but it is
changed to 8 am to 3 pm during Ramadan in schools where there are Muslim
teachers. Bihar Teachers Eligibility Test (BTET) Association and the BJP,
meanwhile, objected to the state government order.
“The Nalanda administration has not complied with the
order for primary schools. It would create discrimination. What if Hindu
teachers start asking for similar relaxation during Shravan month or during
Durga puja/ Navratra?” BTET Association president Amit Vikram told The Indian
Express.
BJP OBC Morcha national general secretary and party’s
spokesman Nikhil Anand said: “Relaxation to Muslim employees is an act of
appeasement by the Nitish Kumar government. We simply want to know if we are
following any Shariah law or going by the Constitution.”
Source: Indian Express
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Karnataka Scraps 4% Muslim Quota, Hikes Reservation
ForLingayats, Vokkaligas
25 MAR 2023
The Karnataka government on Friday announced its
decision to scrap the four percent quota for minorities and add it to the
existing quota of two dominant communities of the poll-bound state - Vokkaligas
and Lingayats.
The four percent reservation given to Muslims under 2B
classification of the OBC category will now be divided into two equal parts and
added to the existing quota of Vokkaligas and Lingayats for whom two new
reservation categories of 2C and 2D were created during the Belagavi Assembly
Session last year. The decision comes one month ahead of the assembly
elections.
The cabinet decided to bring the religious minorities
under the EWS category. Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, Chief
Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the religious minorities quota would be done
away with and brought under the 10 percent pool of the EWS category without any
change of condition.
Reservation for Vokkaligas and Lingayats
“The four percent (reservation for minorities) will be
divided into two between 2C and 2D. The four percent reservation for the
Vokkaligas and others will be enhanced to six percent and
VeerashaivaPanchamasali and others (Lingayats), who are getting five percent
reservation will now get seven percent,” the CM explained.
The Panchamasali community of the Lingayat sect and
the Vokkaligas have been demanding a hike in reservation for quite a long time.
The Panchamasali community had also staged a protest at the Suvarna Soudha
(Legislative Assembly) at Belagavi on 22 December 2022, demanding
reclassification under 2A.
The Cabinet had abolished 3A and 3B categories of
reservation for Vokkaligas and Lingayats respectively and replaced them with
two new categories of 2C and 2D last December. Defending the decision to
abolish the quota for Muslims, Bommai said there was no constitutional
provision for religious minorities.
Citing a court verdict striking down the reservation
provided for minorities in Andhra Pradesh, the CM said the architect of the
Indian constitution B R Ambedkar too had said that reservations were for caste.
“However, we cannot drop that community entirely. With
a view that there should not be any problem, the religious minorities...if
someone challenges reservation to them, we decided to take a proactive
decision. In fact they will go from 4 per cent to the 10 percent pool of the
EWS group without any change of condition,” Bommai explained.
Reservation for Muslims
Muslims are divided into three reservation categories
– 1, 2A and 2B. The extremely backward religious minorities, who form the
sub-sects of Muslims such as Pinjara, Nadaf, Daroji, Chapparband and are
enlisted in category 1, will remain undisturbed and in the same reservation
list.
Similarly, the government did not touch the Muslim
communities under 2A category. “Some other Muslim sub-sects in the 2B category
will not be disturbed. They will only be moved to the EWS quota on the same
conditions,” Bommai said.
Other backward communities
There are some more small backward communities, who
find mention in the Backward Commission’s report. “They never figured in any
list including the backward list. They are not in any category. Regarding them,
the Backward Commission has mentioned in its second list. I will study the
report in detail. Our government will take further decision on it in the coming
cabinet," he said.
Already, a recommendation has been sent to the Centre
to include two shepherd communities ‘Kadu Kuruba’ and ‘Gonda Kuruba’ spread
over four districts in the ST category. Further, the union government has made
some references to two to three communities including Kadu Gollaru and Koli
communities seeking the opinion of the department.
Bommai also said that the government will notify the
communities under the EWS category. Also, a decision was taken with regard to
the SC community that six percent reservation would be given to SC left
sub-category, 5.5 percent to SC right, 4.5 percent to touchables and one
percent to others.
Source:OutlookIndia
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20 Muslims join Hindus to stage 'Kurukshetra' in
village
Mar 25, 2023
NELAMANGALA (BENGALURU RURAL): Twenty Muslim men were
part of a 33-member inter-religious troupe that staged 'Kurukshetra', a play
based on the Mahabharata, at Halenahalli in Nelamangala taluk on Sunday,
drawing over 15,000 audience members from various parts of the taluk and
underscoring the yearning for communal harmony at the grass roots.
The performance lasted nearly 10 hours. While all the
18 male actors were Muslims, six female actors were Hindus and professionals
brought from Hubballi and Bengaluru. The four-member make-up team comprised two
Muslims and two Hindus, whereas the four musicians and the director - drama
master Muniraju from Halenahalli - were Hindus. Barring the female actors, all
the others were from Halenahalli village, said event organiser Jagadish
Chowdary.
"We got a couple of Muslim women from the village
to practise but their diction proved a hurdle. Also, there were other
sensitivities involved," said Nayaz Khan, who donned the role of
Duryodhana.
The performance was organised as part of the Ugadi
festivities and began around 8pm. It concluded in the early hours of Monday.
Jagadish expressed hope that artists in other taluks
would emulate the Halenahalli initiative. He said the artists left their homes
a week earlier and rehearsed the entire performance 4-5 times before taking to
the stage.
Huge LCD screens installed at vantage points near the
stage screened the performance, he added.
Abdul Razak, a high school teacher who played
Dharmaraya, said he could join the rehearsals only on Sundays. Ranganayaki, a
woman artist from Bengaluru, said when she was invited by Muniraju to join the
cast, she was not aware the artists were from the minority community. Despite
having a problem with language, the artists delivered the dialogue perfectly
and fluently, she added.
The village has about 100 households, including 20
from minority communities. The entire village worked as one unit and the play
was staged on the premises of Sri Anjaneya Swamy temple. A couple of Muslim
actors had previously taken part in various cultural events in the taluk.
"The idea of performing a mythological drama was
born during a chat at Sri Anjaneya Swamy temple two years ago. As both Hindus
and Muslims enjoy a harmonious relationship, the Muslim artists decided to take
up the Hindu act," said Nayaz Khan, who is also president of the local
milk union.
Source: Times Of India
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Friday prayers held peacefully in mosques across
Kashmir
March 25, 2023
The first Friday congregational prayers of the holy
Islamic month of Ramzan were held peacefully in all mosques and shrines across the
Kashmir valley, police said.
The largest congregational prayer was held at
Hazratbal shrine on the banks of the Dal Lake where about 50,000 devotees
including men, women and children offered prayers. This was followed by
Srinagar’s downtown Jama Masjid where around 18,000 devotees offered prayers,
Kashmir Zone Police said.
The Waqf Board made elaborate arrangements for the
devotees at the Hazratbal shrine. The head priest of Jama Masjid in his sermons
threw light on the Ramzan fasting and other aspects of the holy month.
Police said the congregational prayers were held
peacefully across the valley.
“Friday afternoon Prayers on first Friday of the holy
month of Ramzan concluded peacefully in all the mosques of Srinagar,” police
tweeted.
Source: TheStatesman
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In touch with Oman to get fugitive Zakir Naik: Govt
Mar 25, 2023
NEW DELHI: Amid reports that fugitive Zakir Naik is
visiting Oman, the government said on Friday it’s doing all it can to bring Naik
to justice. The MEA said it’s in touch with Oman on the issue.
“Zakir Naik is an accused in numerous cases in India.
He is a fugitive from justice. We have taken up the matter with the government
of Oman and Oman authorities,” said spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
The MEA official also said India will continue to make
all efforts to get economic fugitives, including Mehul Choksi, to face justice
in India.
Source: Times Of India
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Southeast Asia
Johor Police Identify Individuals Involved In Video
Insulting Islam, Prophet Muhammad
By Ben Tan
23 Mar 2023
JOHOR BARU, March 23 — The Johor police have
identified six individuals who are believed to be part of the heretical 'Si
Hulk' group that was recently linked to the circulation of a video that
insulted Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.
Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the
individuals concerned were identified as a result of investigations carried out
by Bukit Aman officers.
“The six people have been identified as being involved
in spreading the video recently.
“For us, it is better that the six individuals
surrender rather than the police arrest them at their place,” he said at the
Johor police contingent headquarters here today.
Kamarul Zaman was commenting on a TikTok video lasting
one minute and 17 seconds that went viral last Tuesday after it showed four men
insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.
The men featured in the video also admitted to
supporting the teachings of 'The Hulk' which had been labelled as a heretical
group by the Johor state fatwa committee in July 2021.
Meanwhile, Kamarul Zaman also confirmed that police
have received a report on the matter
He said police had also received similar reports in
several other states, including those lodged in Bukit Aman.
“There are many more police investigations that were
initiated in other states, including at the federal police’s organised crime
investigation unit.
Source: MalayMail
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‘Imam’ and ‘Mentega Terbang’ prove the message isn’t
everything when it comes to cinema
By Aidil Rusli
25 Mar 2023
MARCH 25 — It’s not every year that I find myself
writing about Malaysian films back-to-back for three weeks straight here, but
that’s exactly what happened in February and March earlier this year.
But as they say, all good things must come to an end,
and so did that surprise run of good (and even great) things being written
about Malaysian films.
I’m sure there will be more opportunities for me to
write about local films later on in the year, and I haven’t even managed to
find the time to catch the controversial Pulau, which has done pretty well at the
box-office so far, with RM2 million collected during its first week of
screening.
For now, let’s turn our attention to two relatively
new Malaysian movies; one released in cinemas and the other on a local
streaming platform (which had to later pull the film from release after
controversy arose surrounding the film) and both with religion as its main
topic and message.
I’ve seen more than enough films that were praised —
especially by casual filmgoers — just because they had a “good message.”
And even though I totally understand their point of
view, especially since they are casual filmgoers after all, I’ve always made it
a point to try and make people understand that a “good message” in a crap film
won’t make it a good film, and great film with a “bad message” will still be a
great film (see the Nazi propaganda film Triumph Of The Will by Leni
Riefenstahl to see what I mean).
So, with religion front and centre in both Imam and
Mentega Terbang, and both also carrying the message that religious fanaticism and
using religion to hold on to power or control people is never good, will that
be enough to make these two films good?
Imam
The pedigree behind Imam the film is certainly very
promising — it’s adapted from national laureate Datuk Abdullah Hussain’s legendary
novel of the same name, directed by highly respected film editor Mior Hashim
Manap (who plays the dad in Imaginur) and stars local giants M. Nasir and
Faizal Hussein — but unfortunately a good pedigree counts for nothing if the
execution leaves much to be desired.
The story, set in the 1980s, is about Imam Haji Mihad
(M. Nasir), who has recently returned to his village after a long absence, and
is appointed the new village Imam.
Trying to bring progress into the village, he tries to
turn the mosque into a sort of community centre, where youths can play sports
and even sing nasyid songs (complete with guitar as part of the backing
instruments), but he runs into opposition from the village’s old guard, who see
these things as sinful and haram.
There are definitely great things mined from the epic
novel here (and I can still see the novel’s intention of making the village an
allegory about a country), but it’s done in such piecemeal and episodic
fashion, that everything here turns into random events just sort of happening,
without much being explored in terms of motivation and background.
Things just happen one after another here without any
narrative thrust that the film starts to feel like a compilation of events
plucked out from the novel instead of a proper film adaptation of a novel which
usually requires quite a bit of streamlining, chopping, changing and
elimination of elements from the source novel.
And don’t even get me started on the intrusive and
absolutely overbearing film score that will make you feel as if you’re watching
a horror film or an action thriller, instead of a social drama.
In short, it’s shocking how awful Imam the film turned
out to be, despite how great the source novel (and message) is, which proves
once again that a good message can’t save a movie from being crap.
Mentega Terbang
A small, low budget (and practically homemade)
independent film that somehow got picked up by a local streaming platform for
release, Mentega Terbang was hit by a wave of controversy once local netizens
started picking up on the fact that its lead character is a teenage Muslim girl
trying to learn about other religions in order to figure out where her dying
mother would end up when she dies.
I won’t comment much about the film’s message or
whether it’s blasphemous or not, because if you do watch the film all the way
to the end, you’ll understand the context of the controversial things shown in
the film, as they’re simply stupid acts of rebellion from an introverted
teenager learning about comparative religion, so the things she does like
eating a char siew bao and pretending that she’s drinking holy water is in a
way her version of other teenagers doing stupid things like trying drugs,
having pre-marital sex or getting involved in gangsterism/illegal racing.
Even the film’s ultimate message, conveyed through the
permissive attitude of the girl’s dad — that one can’t inherit one’s faith so
one is encouraged to seek and affirm it on one’s own — is not blasphemous, even
if it’s possibly insensitive if viewed from certain angles.
But the film’s real sin, for me at least, is in how
poor some of the execution is. My biggest gripe has to be that there’s just too
much “telling” going on instead of “showing.”
Just like in Mat Kilau, the dialogue here feels like
it’s taken from one text written from only one point of view, but passed along
for other characters to mouth, so instead of talking about how Malays are not
united like in Mat Kilau, we get a long lecture about comparative religion
instead.
And even simple visual things like blocking and camera
pans can feel quite amateurish here.
So whether you think the message here is good or not,
it will not change the fact that Mentega Terbang is unfortunately quite a weak
film, though it’s still nowhere near as bad as Imam.
Source: MalayMail
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DPM Zahid urges corporate firms, individuals to
coordinate efforts to ensure systematic distribution of Ramadan, Raya aid
25 Mar 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — Corporate companies and
individuals who wish to contribute aid to the homeless in conjunction with the
month of Ramadan and Hari Raya Aidilfitri are recommended to coordinate their
efforts with the departments involved, such as the National Welfare Foundation
(YKN).
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
said this is to ensure the contributions can be distributed systematically and
directly to the affected groups.
This, he said, was also to avoid wastage because it
was normal to have excess contributions compared to the amount needed by these
groups.
“During this Ramadan month, too many (groups) are
seeking blessings. So, when breaking fast, having sahur (predawn meal before
beginning fast) or moreh (supper), there is excessive food.
“So, I wish to suggest to companies or individuals who
want to donate to coordinate their contributions with YKN, Federal Territories
Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) and Federal Territories Islamic Religious
Department (Jawi) because we want the contributions to reach the target
groups,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Minister of Rural and
Regional Development, said this in his speech at the ‘Singgah Moreh with the
Homeless Community’ programme at AnjungKembara, Homeless Transit Centre, here,
last night.
Meanwhile, he said that all parties must find
long-term measures to solve several problems involving the homeless, including
those who have lost their jobs, face mental health issues and suffer from long
illnesses.
He said this was important to ensure that the number
of homeless people, which now stands at about 11,000 nationwide, does not
increase.
“Our approach is not to work in silos but with other
ministries and departments to solve the problem.
“At the same time, family institutions should not wash
their hands (off the problem) because if we just rely on the government, then
this problem can never be solved,” he said.
Source: MalayMail
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Myanmar arrests about 150 Rohingya fleeing to Malaysia
24 March ,2023
Myanmar authorities have arrested around 150 Rohingya
suspected of trying to flee to Malaysia, an official told AFP on Friday.
The group of men, women and children was arrested in
Thanbyuzayat township in southern Myanmar, the official said, requesting
anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to the media.
The official did not specify why the group had been
arrested, but the Muslim minority faces restrictions on travelling within
Myanmar, where rights groups say they live in apartheid-like conditions.
“They were hiding nearby in hilly forest between two
villages... We started arresting them since late last night after we got a
tip-off,” the security source said.
According to initial reports, the group had travelled
by boat from western Rakhine state and planned to travel on to Thailand and
then Malaysia by road, the official said.
A number of non-Rohingya suspected of trafficking the
group were also arrested, and police were looking for around 30 more people,
according to the source.
A military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017 sent hundreds
of thousands of Rohingya fleeing into neighboring Bangladesh with harrowing
stories of murder, rape, and arson.
Myanmar is facing genocide accusations at the United
Nation’s top court following the mass exodus.
Widely viewed in Myanmar as interlopers from
Bangladesh, Rohingya are denied citizenship -- along with access to healthcare
and education -- and require permission to travel.
The arrests come days after the junta said it would
begin welcoming back members of the minority living in Bangladesh as soon as
next month in a pilot repatriation program.
The plan would see Myanmar “repatriate about 1,500
displaced persons,” state media on Friday quoted a senior border affair
official as saying.
The border official did not give a specific timetable
and added Myanmar had “not received any response yet” to the plan.
The returning Rohingya would be placed in a “transit
camp for a short period” before being resettled in 15 villages, the official
said.
“For their safety and security, we have police
stations near the 15 villages,” it added.
Thousands of Rohingya risk their lives each year
making perilous journeys from camps in Bangladesh and Myanmar to reach
Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Europe
Open iftar event hosted at famous London museum
BehlülÇetinkaya
25.03.2023
LONDON
The Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London
hosted an open iftar, or fast-breaking, event Friday for hundreds of people
during the first Friday in the holy month of Ramadan.
The program was held at the V&A Museum -- one of
the world's leading museums of art, design and performance.
Organized by the "Ramadan Tent Project,"
more than 400 people took part in the open iftar.
Omar Salha, the founder of the award-winning Ramadan
Tent Project charity, noted to Anadolu that 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of
the project.
The project was started by a group of students at SOAS
University of London to invite international students to share iftar, providing
a home away from home.
It aims to bring communities together and spread the
spirit of the holy month through various initiatives.
Salha said the charity will organize fast-breaking
meal events in 10 cities during Ramadan, including Birmingham, Manchester and
Cambridge as well as London.
He said an iftar event at the famous Trafalgar Square
would be the biggest. They will also organize the same event at Shakespeare's
Globe theatre, Chelsea football club's stadium Stamford Bridge and Brighton and
Hove Albion club's American Express Community stadium.
Salha extended solidarity to Türkiye for last month's
deadly earthquakes and said he took part in fundraising campaigns for victims.
DowshanHumzah, a member of the project's advisory
board, said the charity is bringing different people together at the events.
"What we're trying to do is turn strangers into
friends, and also just build that sense of community and that's really at the
heart of the Ramadan tent project," he added.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Iran asks France to observe human rights, avoid violence
against peaceful protesters
24 March 2023
Iran has asked the French government to observe human
rights and avoid violence against peaceful protesters.
In a French-language post on his Twitter account on
Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian strongly condemned
the crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations of the French people.
"We call on the French government to respect
human rights and avoid resorting to force against the people of its own country
who are pursuing their demands peacefully," the top Iranian diplomat
tweeted.
On Thursday, protesters gathered across France to
demonstrate their opposition to the legislation to raise the retirement age by
two years to 64.
Unions claimed 3.5 million people turned out across
the country, while the authorities suggested the figure was much lower, at just
under 1.1 million.
In the capital Paris, union leaders claimed that a
record 800,000 people took part in a mostly peaceful march through the city –
the police gave the figure as 119,000 – to demand that the government drop the
fiercely contested change.
According to interior minister Gerald Darmanin, a
total of 457 people were arrested and 441 security forces injured. He said 903
fires lit in the streets of Paris in the most violent day of protests since
January.
On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron
rejected calls to stop pushing through his deeply unpopular pension plan. He
insisted that the new law was necessary and would come into force later this
year.
In a series of posts published on his Twitter page
earlier on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani called
upon French authorities to respond to the demands of hundreds of thousands of
mainly peaceful protesters who have marched across the country against President
Macron’s pension reform, rather than to stoke unrest in other countries.
“The French government must talk to its people and
listen to their voices. You cannot use such violence (against peaceful
protesters) and preach morality sitting on a high chair,” he wrote in one
Persian-language tweet.
“French protesters are also waiting to see the
collective response of European, Australian and Canadian female ministers in
support of French protesting women,” he added.
Source: Press TV
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Sikh Officer’s Beard Cut, Bacon Put In Muslim
Officer’s Boots, Says Report On Met Police
March 25, 2023
Written by Kamal Preet Kaur
At the time when some members of Sikh diaspora are
protesting against the “disproportionate’’ and “indiscriminate” police action
in Punjab with regards to Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh and his
supporters, Baroness Louise Casey’s Metropolitan Police review has concluded
the Met Police is “institutionally racist, misogynist and homophobic”, and that
predatory and unacceptable behaviour has “been allowed to flourish”. She has
said that Met Police needs complete overhaul. The report states that Met
officers are 82% White and 71% male, and the majority do not live in the city
they police. As such, the Met does not look like the majority of Londoners.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has said,
“This report sparks feelings of shame and anger but it also increases our
resolve. I am proud of those people, our officers and staff, whose passion for
policing and determination to reform moved them to share their experiences with
such honesty. This is, in many ways, their report. It must be a catalyst for
police reform”.
It may be noted that Baroness Casey of Blackstock DBE
CB, was commissioned by the Met in October 2021 following the rape and murder
of Sarah Everard by a serving officer. Baroness Casey conducted an independent
review into the standards of behaviour and internal culture of the Metropolitan
Police Service. Her 350-page report that records harrowing accounts of
institutional crime begins with her tribute to the victims of crimes committed
by police officers. “Those crimes, and those betrayals of trust, led to my
appointment to review standards and culture in the Met,” she said.
“The timing of this report and its coincidental
alignment with what’s happening in Punjab is very telling. We normally assume
that everything is almost alright in this part of the world, but the rot at the
core of an institution as Met Police shows that no institution is immune to the
negative effects of deep-rooted cultural behaviours. All institutions need
timely reviews and checks and systems need to be put in place for continuously
improving accountability and reliability. Hope Met learns from it. I also hope
that similar reviews are made possible in Punjab Police as well,” says
Sukhwinder Singh, president of International Khalsa Organisation, a
humanitarian and rights advocacy group.
Talking to The Indian Express, Cllr Aysha Raza of
Ealing said, “Sadly the findings of the Casey report are nothing new. We have
always known of systemic misogyny, racism, homophobia and xenophobia happening
within the service. Londoners rightly expect an effective Police Service that
is trusted by all our communities and one that is accountable for all their
actions. Implementing the recommendations made by Baroness Casey in her report
would be a good place to begin rebuilding trust and confidence in the
Metropolitan Police Service and I know that we in local authorities Safer Communities
Teams stand ready to help shape a Police Service fit for all of us and for the
future.”
As the review was made public, Metropolitan Police
Sikh Association tweeted, “’Stuff you say doesn’t happen in the Met is what we
have heard over and over again. And nothing gets done about it. Well, it’s here
officially. One Sikh officer had his beard trimmed; while another had his
turban put in a shoe box; and a Muslim officer found bacon in his boots.”
Midlands-based Strategic Communications Advisor Jay
Singh Sohal said, “That a Sikh officer’s beard was cut ‘because it was funny’
while another’s turban put in a shoebox is outrageous! I worked to educate
police on turban awareness via @turbanology and am appalled. The Met Police
leadership needs to change this culture ASAP.”
Dr Gurdeep Singh Devgon, of Feltham, Middlesex, said,
“These incidents should be recorded and treated as hate crimes. If he was a
practicing Sikh and as we know Kesh is an Article of the Faith, then cutting a
Sikh officer’s beard is assault and the others involved should be dealt with
accordingly. A dastaar is more than a head-covering – it is a Crown bestowed to
us by our 10th Guru: Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Just as no-one would walk up to HRH
King Charles and touch his crown, no-one should be touching a Sikh officer’s
dastaar.”
“I was disgusted to the core when I read the report
that instead of access to fast-track forensic services, officers have to
contend with over-stuffed, dilapidated or broken fridges and freezers
containing evidence including the rape kits of victims, and endure long waits
for test results. So, some officers are not only assaulting or raping their
colleagues, they are losing essential evidence against hard core criminals too.
Can it get any worse?” says visibly upset Rosalyn Desai (not her real name) who
works with ethnic minority rape victims in London.
Source: Indian Express
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More than two-thirds of Muslims in England, Wales live
in high unemployment areas
March 24, 2023
LONDON: More than two-thirds of Muslims in England and
Wales live in local authorities that report the highest levels of unemployment,
The Guardian reported on Friday.
Census data shows that about 2.6 million Muslims live
in areas where the recorded unemployment level was as high as one in 20 people
aged 16-64.
The data has led to campaigners urging the government
to focus on Muslim youth as part of its plan to “level up” Britain’s economy.
New figures from the Office of National Statistics
also revealed that Muslims in England and Wales reported the highest
unemployment rates among religious groups, at 6.7 percent.
Only 26 percent of Christians, as well as 25 percent
of atheists, live in areas with the highest unemployment levels, but for Muslim
communities in England and Wales, the figure stood at 68 percent.
In the three local authorities that reported the
highest unemployment rates in the country — Birmingham, London’s Newham and
Wolverhampton — 7 percent of people of working age are looking for jobs.
However, the ONS said that the age trends among
Muslims, as compared to other groups, may be a contributing factor to the
statistics, with younger Muslims more likely to be studying than youth in the
general population.
Of those who identified as Muslim in the census, the
percentage of students in the group was almost twice the rate seen in the
overall population in England and Wales.
In response to the census findings, a spokesperson for
the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said: “The inter-generational cycles of
poverty impacting British Muslim communities can result in young people being
forced to leave education in pursuit of work so they can help support their
families.
“Those that are able to break into the job market,
pursuing chosen careers, can face Islamophobic prejudice and discrimination in
the workplace.”
A study published last year in the Ethnic and Racial
Studies journal found that discrimination had contributed to the creation of a
“Muslim penalty” in Britain, with Islam being deemed a “significant barrier” to
entering the workforce.
The MCB spokesperson added: “The post COVID-19
economic reality is that ‘leveling up’ is not just a priority for our rural
communities. Targeted support is needed in the heart of inner cities where
minority ethnic and Muslim populations may reside.
Source: Arab News
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Türkiye condemns US human rights report for 'baseless
allegations'
ServetGünerigök
25.03.2023
The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned Friday a US
State Department’s human rights report on Türkiye which it said includes
"false information and baseless allegations."
The ministry said Türkiye continues to fight terror
organizations, particularly PKK/PYD/YPG, FETO, Daesh/ISIS and DHKP-C, with
determination, in line with international law and respect for human rights.
It said it does not accept "this just
struggle" being distorted and reflected in the report in that manner.
"We regret that the report includes only in one
part the terrorist attacks carried out by the PKK in our country in 2022 and
the human rights violations committed by the organization on an unconcealable
scale," it said in a statement.
The ministry also slammed the US agency for failing to
mention that the so-called "Syrian Democratic Forces," which the US
said violated human rights in Syria, was under the control of the PKK/PYD/YPG
terror group.
"We question the legitimacy and credibility of
the report," said the statement, accusing Washington of turning a blind
eye to the activities of the PKK/PYD/YPG and FETO terror organizations.
"We emphasize once again that this report, which
is clearly shaped by political motives and is completely devoid of objectivity,
cannot be taken seriously, and we invite the United States to focus on its own
record on human rights," it said.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Sturgeon wishes 'Ramadan Mubarak' on final appearance
at Scottish parliament as first minister
Burak Bir
24.03.2023
LONDON
Outgoing first minister of Scotland on Thursday
started her final appearance at the parliament by wishing Ramadan Mubarak to
all Muslims.
Nicola Sturgeon, outgoing Scottish National Party
(SNP) leader and the first minister of Scotland, attended her last First
Minister's Questions (FMQs) session at the parliament.
Wishing Ramadan Mubarak to Muslim community, Sturgeon
said, she is "in a very privileged position" for being from Glasgow
Southside constituency, the highest proportion of Muslims living in Scotland.
"I know the holy month of Ramadan is a very
special time for Muslims, and I wish them all the best during it," she
added.
Early Thursday, Sturgeon said on Twitter that she
would do her 286th and the last First Minister’s Questions.
Last month, she announced her resignation from the
country’s top political post, as well as from the helm of the SNP.
Sturgeon, who has been in office since November 2014,
is Scotland's first female first minister and also the first woman to lead any
of the devolved UK administrations.
Scotland has had a devolved parliament since 1999.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Family of UK mosque-goer set on fire demands justice
Burak Bir
24.03.2023
LONDON
The son of a 70-year-old British Muslim in Birmingham
who was set alight near his home while walking back from the local mosque
called for the most severe sentence available for the perpetrator.
Mohammed Rayaz, a Muslim resident of the West Midlands
city, was set on fire by 28-year-old Mohammed Abbkr, police say.
Rayaz was attacked while walking from the mosque to
his home on Shenstone Road in Edgbaston.
The shocking incident, which was the second one of its
kind recently, left Rayaz heavily injured and receiving treatment at the
hospital.
In the first interview to the media by a member of
Rayaz's immediate family, Anadolu spoke to his son, Adnaan Riaz, 30, over the
incident that occurred just a couple of days before the beginning of the Muslim
holy month of Ramadan.
Adnaan said his father, who started working at a very
young age, was now a pensioner after he retired from a meat factory.
On the attack, which took place on Monday, he said
Rayaz had been targeted while at the mosque and was followed to Shenstone Road,
where he was set on fire.
"Then, being on fire, on his own (he) managed to
take off his jacket and top," Adnaan said, adding that local people later
helped him get home.
"A passer-by who is a local walked with my dad to
my house which is around the corner and that's when I opened the door and took
dad inside."
'Disgusting, evil, cowardly'
Adnaan said his father's burns are "really
bad," with serious wounds on his face, head, and hands.
Since then, Mohammed Rayaz has been under treatment at
the hospital.
Before the attacker was identified, police told the family
that the case was "really serious."
"Any kind of attack like this on anyone is
disgusting, evil, and cowardly, especially targeting pensioners," added
Adnaan.
Ramadan is a beautiful and important time in Muslim
life, he noted, mentioning that his father is a religious Muslim who fasted
frequently and always prayed daily.
"Justice is needed," he asserted, stressing
that the attacker, who has been caught, should receive the "most severe
sentence available" within the British courts and justice system.
The West Midlands Police have said Abbkr was alleged
to have sprayed a substance on two men and set them ablaze in separate
incidents in Ealing, London, and Birmingham on Feb. 27 and March 20.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/family-of-uk-mosque-goer-set-on-fire-demands-justice/2854572
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Arab World
Daesh terrorists decapitate 15 people, kidnap dozens
foraging for desert truffles in central Syria
25 March 2023
Remnants of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group have
killed more than a dozen people foraging for desert truffles in Syria’s central
province of Hama by cutting their throats, while 40 others are still missing,
the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has said.
“At least 15 people, including seven civilians and
eight local pro-government fighters, were killed by Daesh members who slit
their throats while they were collecting truffles on Thursday,” Rami Abdel
Rahman, head of the UK-based war monitor, said.
Forty others are missing following the attack in
Salamiyah district, located 33 kilometers (21 miles) southeast of Hama, he added.
Between February and April each year, hundreds of
impoverished Syrians search for truffles in the vast Syrian Desert, or Badia.
The region is a known hideout for Takfiri terrorists and is also littered with
landmines.
Foragers risk their lives to collect the delicacies,
despite repeated warnings about landmines and Daesh terrorists.
The prized fungus can sell for up to $25 per kilogram
($11 per pound), depending on size and grade.
The Syrian Desert is reportedly renowned for producing
some of the best quality truffles in the world.
According to the Observatory, Daesh is taking
advantage of the annual harvest of the desert fungus delicacy to carry out
attacks in remote locations.
Since February, at least 150 people – most of them
civilians – have been killed by Daesh attacks targeting truffle hunters or by
landmines left by extremist militants, SOHR said.
Earlier this month, Daesh Takfiris killed three
truffle hunters and kidnapped at least 26 others in northern Syria.
Source: Press TV
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Saudi King, Crown Prince inaugurate Ramadan campaign
with massive donation toward Kingdom’s housing needs
March 25, 2023
JoodEskan, Saudi Arabia's crowdfunding platform for
home ownership, has launched a charitable campaign to raise SR 1 billion in
donations during the Holy month of Ramadan. The campaign aims to break the
record for the largest amount of online charitable donations raised in a month.
Funds raised will support the country's efforts to provide housing for needy
Saudi families.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman,
and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, inaugurated the campaign on the first day
of Ramadan by making two generous donations amounting to SR150 million. These
initial contributions, given through the JoodEskan platform, reinforce the
leadership’s commitment to supporting all efforts and initiatives that provide
housing for needy families.
The JoodEskan digital platform was launched in 2019 by
the National Developmental Housing Foundation (Sakan), a non-profit arm of the
Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs, and Housing. The platform collects
donations and provides services and financial contributions to eligible and
registered families, including rent and home ownership.
Titled ‘Ever-Green Stock,’ JoodEskan’s charitable
campaign is an IPO simulation that targets Saudi Arabia's most prominent
corporations, institutions, and individuals. Inspired by the financial stock
markets, the creative fundraising campaign recreates the IPO model by “selling
stocks” through goodwill and charitable contributions to encourage community
members and private sector players to "invest" in public.
The ‘Ever-Green Stock' campaign offers 100 million
stocks at 10 Saudi Riyals per share and is designed to raise awareness of the
importance of investing in community-driven social initiatives.
Commenting on the campaign HE Minister of Municipal,
Rural Affairs, and Housing, Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail said, “This year’s
Ramadan campaign serves as a reminder to the Kingdom that the best investment
that people and businesses can make is in the welfare of their communities. The
SR 1 billion raised this month will support approximately 3,500 families in need.”
Several partners in the public and private sectors are
supporting the campaign through this innovative model in the non-profit sector,
such as the General Authority of Awqaf, the National Housing Company, Al-Rajhi
Bank, stc group, mbc group, Al-Arabiya channel, Ajlan& Brothers Group,
Sumou Real Estate Company, Khuzam Real Estate Company, and Al-Arabiya Outdoor
Solutions Provider.
The collaboration between the public and private
sectors demonstrates the Kingdom’s commitment to social responsibility and community
development. JoodEskan's total number of beneficiaries has exceeded 36,500
individuals, including home purchase support for 3,000 families and rent
support for over 5,000 families. Since its launching, the platform has
registered 4.4 million donors and 300 partner associations and NGOs,
contributing to SR 1,300,466,945 in donations.
Source: Saudi Gazette
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Death toll from US strikes on pro-Iran installations
in Syria rises to 19 fighters
25 March ,2023
The death toll in US air strikes on pro-Iran
installations in eastern Syria has risen to 19 fighters, a Syrian war monitor
said on Saturday, in one of the deadliest exchanges between the US and
Iran-aligned forces in years.
The US carried out strikes in eastern Syria in
response to a drone attack on Thursday that left one American contractor dead,
and another one wounded along with five US troops. Washington said the attack
was of Iranian origin.
The retaliatory strikes by the US on what it said were
facilities in Syria used by groups affiliated to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard
Corps left a total of 19 dead, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights.
The war monitor said air raids killed three Syrian
troops, 11 Syrian fighters in pro-government militias and five non-Syrian
fighters who were aligned with the government.
The monitor’s head Rami Abdel Rahman could not specify
the nationalities of the foreigners. Reuters was unable to independently
confirm the toll.
The initial exchange prompted a string of tit-for-tat
strikes. Another US service member was wounded, according to officials, and
local sources said suspected US rocket fire hit more locations in eastern
Syria.
President Joe Biden on Friday warned Iran that the
United States would “act forcefully” to protect Americans.
Iran has been a major backer of President Bashar
al-Assad during Syria’s 12-year conflict.
Iran’s proxy militias, including Lebanese group
Hezbollah and pro-Tehran Iraqi groups, hold sway in swathes of eastern,
southern and northern Syria and in suburbs around the capital.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Death toll from US strikes on pro-Iran installations
in Syria rises to 19 fighters
25 March ,2023
The death toll in US air strikes on pro-Iran
installations in eastern Syria has risen to 19 fighters, a Syrian war monitor
said on Saturday, in one of the deadliest exchanges between the US and
Iran-aligned forces in years.
The US carried out strikes in eastern Syria in
response to a drone attack on Thursday that left one American contractor dead,
and another one wounded along with five US troops. Washington said the attack
was of Iranian origin.
The retaliatory strikes by the US on what it said were
facilities in Syria used by groups affiliated to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard
Corps left a total of 19 dead, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights.
The war monitor said air raids killed three Syrian
troops, 11 Syrian fighters in pro-government militias and five non-Syrian
fighters who were aligned with the government.
The monitor’s head Rami Abdel Rahman could not specify
the nationalities of the foreigners. Reuters was unable to independently
confirm the toll.
The initial exchange prompted a string of tit-for-tat
strikes. Another US service member was wounded, according to officials, and
local sources said suspected US rocket fire hit more locations in eastern
Syria.
President Joe Biden on Friday warned Iran that the
United States would “act forcefully” to protect Americans.
Iran has been a major backer of President Bashar
al-Assad during Syria’s 12-year conflict.
Iran’s proxy militias, including Lebanese group
Hezbollah and pro-Tehran Iraqi groups, hold sway in swathes of eastern,
southern and northern Syria and in suburbs around the capital.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Saudi Arabia’s Hadiyah charity to distribute at least
1.2 million meals in Ramadan
March 25, 2023
RIYADH: Hadiyah, the Hajji and Mu’tamer’s Gift
Charitable Association in Makkah, has started implementing its annual
distribution of iftar and suhoor meals to pilgrims during Ramadan.
And this year the association aims to hand out at
least 1.2 million meals.
The massive distribution will target worshippers at
the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Holy Mosque, Saudi Press Agency
(SPA) reported.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2275266/saudi-arabia
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World Food Program praises Saudi Arabia for its
invaluable support
RASHID HASSAN
March 24, 2023
RIYADH: A senior official with the UN World Food
Program has praised Saudi Arabia for its invaluable support in fighting poverty
and food insecurity across the region and beyond.
Corinne Fleischer, regional director for the Middle
East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, told Arab News that the relationship
between the Kingdom and the WFP dated back more than 45 years and that
contributions made through the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian
Aid had helped to save lives in Yemen, Syria and elsewhere.
In 2008, the Kingdom announced a $500 million grant to
the WFP which had enabled it “to complete its relief projects and provide food
to millions of people affected by high prices,” she said.
“In 2014, Saudi Arabia contributed more than $200
million to provide food for displaced families in Iraq, Syrian refugees in
various countries, as well as refugees from South Sudan and Somalia. WFP’s food
assistance and continued support from donors kept famine at bay for years. Very
recently, they helped eradicate famine-like conditions for an estimated 161,000
people in Yemen.”
Fleischer said that the Kingdom was the WFP’s fifth-largest
donor in both 2018 and 2019.
“We are working closely with KSrelief to continuously
improve our collaboration and strengthen partnership. We rely on the Kingdom’s
support to help WFP achieve its mission not only in the region but beyond. Our
partnership is built on jointly addressing some of the most pressing
humanitarian challenges with a methodical approach that supports WFP’s agenda
while also reflecting the Kingdom’s priorities in this space,” she added.
With global food prices at an all-time high, the UN
agency was concerned about the impact of the Ukraine crisis on food security
around the world, Fleischer said.
“The consequences of the conflict in Ukraine are
radiating outward, triggering a wave of collateral hunger that is spreading
across the globe.”
Ukraine and Russia are responsible for a combined 29
percent of the global wheat trade.
Fleischer said that the humanitarian crisis in Yemen
was one of the worst in the world and that more than half its population was
now facing food insecurity. Skyrocketing prices had pushed the number of people
there in need of food assistance to 17.4 million and the situation was set to
get worse, she added.
Yemen depends almost entirely on food imports, with 31
percent of its wheat shipments coming from Ukraine over the past three months.
Egypt, which is the world’s largest buyer of wheat,
also relied heavily on subsidized imports to ensure affordable access to bread
and vegetable oil for more than 70 million of its people, the official said.
The situation was similar in Lebanon, which sourced 80
percent of its wheat imports from Ukraine and had seen food prices soar due to
conflict, Fleischer said.
“Food and fuel price increases have an impact on our
operations in the sense that it costs more to bring in the same amount of food
into a country,” she said.
“The global food price increases resulted in WFP Yemen
incurring an additional cost of approximately $10 million each month in 2022.
On another level, the Ukraine crisis is making a bad funding situation worse.
WFP’s meager resources for operations in Yemen and Syria especially will be
under even more pressure than before.
“WFP is actively working to raise these funds. We are
doing everything possible to mobilize world attention and support — through
governments, the private sector and individuals — to stave off drastic
measures”.
Fleischer is leading a delegation to Riyadh to provide
an update on the humanitarian situation in the region. While in the city she
met Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, supervisor general of KSrelief, to discuss ways
for young Saudis to engage with the WFP through the Misk Foundation.
Source: Arab News
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Filipino engineers help fellow expats climb career
ladder in Saudi Arabia
March 24, 2023
MANILA: Mario Balboa had initially planned to return
to the Philippines after a year, but his stay in Saudi Arabia has now spanned
almost two decades, motivated by his successes and a desire to help other
Filipino expats on their career paths.
An electronics and communications engineer, Balboa
left his hometown in San Fernando, La Union province and moved to Riyadh in 2004
to work as a business consultant and analyst at Saudi Telecom Co.
Now a senior manager for product development, he
enjoyed steady career progression over the years but at some point, saw that
many Filipino engineers living and working in the Kingdom lagged behind.
Although they had all the necessary skills, many
lacked the proper licenses, certifications, and credentials.
“In any development project here, you will always find
a Filipino ... The only problem is that some lack the necessary papers to show
that they are certified,” Balboa told Arab News. “If there’s a position where
you are capable but not qualified because you don’t have the certification,
it’s a lost opportunity.”
The situation prompted him to establish the Philippine
Council of Engineers and Architects in the Kingdom in October 2013.
In January 2014, the PCEA signed a cooperation
agreement with the Saudi Council of Engineers to exchange expertise and help
qualify Philippine professionals in engineering and architectural practice.
A few months later, Balboa also took on board the
Philippine government agencies — the Professional Regulation Commission and the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority — which inked deals with
the SCE for the professional development of Filipino engineers, architects, and
technicians.
“The PCEA’s main goal is inclusive progression of
Filipino professionals, especially engineers, architects, and technicians,
upgrading their respective credentials and qualifications,” Balboa said.
“It helped in making Filipinos, especially the
engineers and architects, recognized in terms of professionalism and
qualification level.”
Over the past decade, nearly 40,000 Filipino
professionals working in Saudi Arabia have, thanks to the PCEA, received
training, improved their skills, and obtained official certificates to validate
their qualifications.
The efforts have been recognized both in Saudi Arabia
and in the Philippines, where last year Balboa received the Presidential Banaag
Award, which recognizes individuals advancing the cause of Filipinos overseas.
The PCEA helps connect Filipinos directly with Saudi
authorities to evaluate their qualifications.
Leandro Conti, chairman of the PRC’s board of
mechanical engineering, told Arab News: “Then they will give you a certificate
on the equivalency based on their (Saudi) standards ... which is good for
Filipinos so they can be at par with the locals based on their qualifications.”
The certification is becoming increasingly valuable as
Saudi Arabia continues to undertake megaprojects as part of its Vision 2030
reform plan.
“Once the projects will be in full swing ...
definitely they’ll need Filipinos,” Conti said. “Some of my friends from Dubai
and Abu Dhabi came back to Saudi Arabia because of the opportunities.”
Leo Argoso, an engineer who for the past five years
has been working for a Saudi company specializing in medical equipment and
instruments, was one of those who obtained a good job thanks to the PCEA.
“It was them (the PCEA) who bridged my qualification
in order for me to become an SCE member so that I will be able to work my craft
here in Saudi Arabia, to be able to take on a position that is equivalent to my
level of qualification,” Argoso said.
He knows many other Filipino professionals whose
chances on the career ladder got similarly boosted.
“With the help of the PCEA, they were able to fill up
what is lacking in their credentials and after some time get recognized by the
SCE,” he added.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2275111/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs launches Ramadan
gift programs in Jakarta
March 24, 2023
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call
and Guidance, represented by the religious attache at the Kingdom’s Embassy in
Indonesia, inaugurated today the King Salman Gift Program to distribute copies
of the Holy Qur’an and boxes of dates, and the Iftar Program for those fasting.
The event took place at the headquarters of the
attache in Jakarta, in the presence of the Saudi ambassador to Indonesia,
Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Amoudi, the Kingdom’s religious attache, Dr. Ahmed bin
Ali Al-Hazmi, and several senior Islamic figures in Indonesia.
Ambassador Al-Amoudi stressed that these efforts are
an extension of the Kingdom’s role in serving Islam and Muslims all over the
world, especially Indonesia, the largest Islamic country by population.
He noted that these gifts from King Salman come in the
context of promoting the humanitarian and Islamic work of the Kingdom.
Al-Amoudi added that the Indonesian government and people appreciate and
respect Saudi Arabia, its leadership and the Saudi people.
Al-Hazmi explained that, thanks to the King Salman
Iftar Program, thousands of meals had been distributed to people across
Indonesia.
He noted that the number of beneficiaries from the
dates program had reached 55,000 people, encompassing 80 tons of dates. Those
benefiting from the Iftar Program amount to 150,000, and 88,500 copies of the
Holy Qur’an will be distributed.
Al-Hazmi stressed that Muslims all over the world
anticipate these programs annually with passion, love, and appreciation.
Source: Arab News
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Saudi Arabia launches iftar programs in Bosnia, Jordan
March 25, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched programs to
distribute dates and iftar for those fasting during Ramadan in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The initiative was launched by the Ministry of Islamic
Affairs, Dawah and Guidance at the Saudi Embassy in Sarajevo.
The inauguration was held at the King Fahd Cultural
Center in the presence of the Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dr. Husein
Kavazovic, Saudi Ambassador Osama bin Dakhil Al-Ahmadi and Amer Al-Onzi,
religious attache at the Saudi Embassy.
The two programs include providing 20,000 iftar meals
for people breaking their fasting, and distributing 10 tons of dates to
charities and Islamic centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Kavazovic said he appreciated the continuous support
of the Saudi king and crown prince to Bosnia and Herzegovina and its people.
Kavazovic added that the king and crown prince have a
special interest in Islam and Muslims worldwide, including this valuable annual
gift.
The ministry launched a similar project in Jordan on
Wednesday at the Saudi embassy in Amman, the SPA reported.
Abdullah Al-Dulaij, the Islamic counselor in charge of
the embassy, said the program was an extension of the Saudi leadership’s long
history of helping Muslims in need worldwide.
He praised the ministry’s efforts to implement the
program to the fullest, and Saudi-Jordanian relations.
The program aims to distribute 12,500 meals to various
Jordanian governorates, Palestinian and Syrian refugee camps, charities,
orphanages, divorcees and widows.
Five tons of luxury dates will also be distributed, as
will 5,000 copies of the Qur’an issued by the King Fahd Complex for the
Printing of the Holy Qur’an in Madinah.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2275211/saudi-arabia
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North America
Biden warns Iran after tit-for-tat strikes in Syria
Mar 25, 2023
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden on Friday warned Iran
that the United States would "act forcefully" to protect Americans,
after the US military carried out air strikes against Iran-backed forces in
retaliation for an attack in Syria.
Later, officials said that another US service member
was wounded on Friday in the latest tit-for-tat strike between Iran-backed
forces and US personnel in Syria.
That comes on top of seven casualties on Thursday,
which Washington blamed on a drone of Iranian origin, and included an American
contractor being killed and five US troops and another contractor being
wounded.
Suspected US rocket fire on Friday targeted new areas
in eastern Syria, according to two local sources, with no casualties reported.
Pro-Iranian forces in Syria said in an online statement late Friday that they
have a "long arm" to respond to further US strikes on their
positions.
The violence could further aggravate already strained
relations between Washington and Tehran, as attempts to revive a 2015 nuclear
deal between Iran and major powers stalled, and Iranian drones being used by
Russia against Ukraine.
Although US forces stationed in Syria have been
attacked with drones before, deaths are rare.
"Make no mistake: the United States does not ...
seek conflict with Iran, but be prepared for us to act forcefully to protect
our people," Biden told reporters during a visit to Canada.
Asked whether there should be a higher cost for Iran,
Biden replied: "We’re not going to stop."
The Pentagon had said US F-15 jets on Thursday
attacked two facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran's Islamic
Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which
monitors the war in Syria, said the US strikes had killed eight pro-Iranian
fighters. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the toll.
Iran's state Press TV said no Iranians had been killed
and quoted local sources as saying the target was not an Iran-aligned military
post, but that a rural development center and a grain center near a military
airport had been hit.
DRONE STRIKE
The US strikes were a response to a drone attack
earlier on Thursday on a base near Hasakah in northeast Syria operated by a US
-led coalition battling the remnants of Islamic State.
Three service members and a contractor required
medical evacuation to Iraq, while two wounded American troops were treated at
the base. On Friday, the Pentagon said the injured personnel were in stable
condition.
Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity,
said it appeared that the defensive system on the base had failed.
The Pentagon said the US military had a complete site
picture in terms of radar, though one official told Reuters troops on the
ground did not appear to have had enough time to react to the drone.
A US base at the Al-Omar oil field in Syria was
attacked on Friday morning, according to the Lebanese pro-Iranian TV channel Al
Mayadeen and a security source.
It is not uncommon for Iranian-backed groups to fire
missiles at US bases in Syria after they are hit with air strikes.
US forces first deployed into Syria during the Obama
administration's campaign against Islamic State, partnering with a Kurdish-led
group called the Syrian Democratic Forces. There are about 900 US troops in
Syria, most of them in the east.
US troops have been attacked by Iranian-backed groups
about 78 times since the beginning of 2021, according to the US military.
Source: Times Of India
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US, Saudi Arabia complete first counter-drone exercise
at Red Sands testing facility
24 March ,2023
The US and Saudi Arabia completed their first joint
counter-drone exercise last week at a new military testing center in Riyadh,
according to the head of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM).
The exercise was the first of its kind between the two
militaries, and US officials hope to replicate this with other armies in the
region.
The Red Sands Experimentation Center had been under
discussion for some time. The US military said it would serve as an innovative
approach to training and readiness between Washington and its Middle East
partners.
Last week’s exercises were not highly publicized, but
officials have said this was just the beginning of what they hope would be more
in-depth and sophisticated drills.
The focus was on small Unmanned Aircraft Systems
(UAS), an official with knowledge of the exercise said.
On Thursday, CENTCOM chief Gen. Erik Kurilla told
lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee that the counter-UAS drills
involved live-fire exercises and allowed for studying complex threats and
identifying weaknesses in other areas to counter drone activities.
He also hinted that directed energy weapons could be
brought into the region at a later date in what is expected to be for air
defense purposes.
Hours after Gen. Kurilla’s testimony on Capitol Hill,
a one-way Iranian attack drone targeted US forces in Syria. An American
contractor was killed, and five other troops were wounded alongside another US
contractor.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that the US
retaliated, striking targets inside Syria linked to Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). He said the US airstrikes were in response
to Thursday’s attack as well as a series of recent attacks against US and
Coalition forces by groups backed by Iran.
On Thursday, Gen. Kurilla said that US forces had
suffered 78 Iranian attacks since January 2021. The US had only responded three
times, according to CENTCOM.
Last week’s joint exercise comes at a time when Saudi
Arabia and Iran have agreed to normalize ties and restore diplomatic relations.
While Gen. Kurilla was asked several times during his
Thursday testimony about the agreement, he repeatedly stated that it still
needed to be implemented. Kurilla also said the mere fact that the
Chinese-backed deal was reached did not mean that Iran’s malign activity was no
longer a concern of regional countries.
Melissa Horvath, a non-resident senior fellow at the
Middle East Institute (MEI), said the Red Sands exercises were an important way
for the US to show continued commitment to Saudi Arabia and to build regional
cooperation among Middle East allies in ways that go beyond traditional
security assistance programs such as foreign military sales.
In recent years, the US has been accused of becoming
disinterested, disengaged and leaving the Middle East to respond to more acute
threats from Russia and China. This narrative has picked up steam since the
Biden administration took office and the start of the Russian war on Ukraine.
Further criticism was levied upon the administration
following this month’s diplomatic breakthrough between Riyadh and Tehran, which
Beijing mediated. Washington said that China came through at the tail end of
the negotiations and took the credit for what had been in the works for years.
“While the recent Chinese-brokered Saudi-Iran deal may
de-escalate tensions in the region, it’s unlikely to eliminate all threats from
small UASs - leaving continued opportunities for regional cooperation, new
technologies, experimentation, and innovation,” Horvath told Al Arabiya
English.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Biden vows ‘forceful’ response to Iranian attacks on
US troops in Middle East
24 March ,2023
President Joe Biden said Friday that the US would
respond “forcefully to protect our people” after multiple attacks believed to
be carried out by Iran-backed groups targeted American forces in Syria.
“Make no mistake, the United States does not seek
conflict with Iran but is prepared to act forcefully to protect our people,”
the US president said while visiting Canada.
A US base in northeast Syria was attacked on Friday in
the second such incident in two days, but the Pentagon said no American troops
were killed or injured.
The missile attack did not cause any damage to
infrastructure in what one US official said was “an ineffective attack.”
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said that
10 rockets targeted Coalition forces at the Green Village in northeast Syria on
Friday morning. No US or Coalition personnel were injured and there was no
damage to US equipment or facilities.
One of the rockets missed the facility by almost five
kilometers, hit a civilian home and injured two women and two children,
according to CENTCOM.
“This kind of indiscriminate rocket attack places not
only our forces and coalition forces at risk, but also jeopardizes the local
civilian population as well as the security and stability of Syria and the
entire region,” CENTCOM Spokesman Col. Joe Buccino said in a statement.
“As President Biden has made clear, we will take all
necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and
place of our choosing,” he added.
US forces carried out a retaliatory strike against
pro-Iran targets in Syria on Thursday night following an earlier attack on a
different US base, which killed an American contractor and wounded five US
service members and another US contractor.
The US has not provided details about its operation
other than to say it was conducted in eastern Syria against facilities used by
groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). “These
precision strikes are intended to protect and defend US personnel. The United
States took proportionate and deliberate action intended to limit the risk of
escalation and minimize casualties,” US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said
afterward.
“No group will strike our troops with impunity,”
Austin warned.
Local media reported late Friday that US forces and
Iran-backed militants were engaged in back-and-forth fire at multiple locations
inside Syria.
Criticism of Biden
Republican lawmakers voiced their frustration with the
attacks on US troops and blamed the US president.
Senator Lindsey Graham said in a tweet that the
ultimate blame for the “failing foreign policy and military situation we find
ourselves in lies with President Biden.” He later called for attacking Iranian
refineries in response. “For every attack against Americans in the future, take
down an Iranian refinery and their oil and gas infrastructure. That would send
a strong message,” Graham suggested.
Speaking about the 78 Iranian attacks on US forces
since 2021, Michigan Congresswoman Lisa McClain said, “President Biden’s weak
leadership is putting our servicemen and women at risk!”
Source: Al Arabiya
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US strikes aimed at protecting personnel, combatting
ISIS: White House
24 March ,2023
US strikes in Syria were aimed at protecting American
personnel in the country, where Islamic State and Iran-backed militant groups
remain a threat, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on
Friday.
Source: Al Arabiya
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US prepared to act 'forcefully' to protect personnel
in Syria: Biden
Rabia İclalTuran
25.03.2023
WASHINGTON
President Joe Biden said Friday that the US "does
not seek conflict with Iran" but is prepared to “act forcefully” to
protect American personnel in Syria.
“That's exactly what happened last night,” Biden told
reporters in Canada during a news conference with Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau.
Biden started his speech by noting his national
security team informed him about a deadly drone by Iranian-backed groups
against a US base in Syria on Thursday, which killed an American contractor and
injured five service members along with another contractor.
Biden said he ordered his team to formulate an
“immediate response,” noting that US airstrikes in Syria targeted those
responsible for the attack.
“My heart and deepest condolences to the family of the
American we lost and wish speedy recovery for those who are wounded,” he said.
“But I'm also grateful for the professionalism of our service members who so
ably carried out this response.”
The US conducted airstrikes Thursday against
Iran-backed groups in response.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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US forces in northeast Syria come under attack for 2nd
straight day
Michael Hernandez
24.03.2023
WASHINGTON
US forces stationed at a military facility in
northeast Syria came under rocket attack on Friday in what marks the second
straight day of attacks on American troops in the country as tensions continue
to escalate.
In all, 10 rockets targeted the Green Village in
northeast Syria, but no injuries or damage at the facility were recorded, the
Central Command said in a statement.
But one of the rockets veered off course and missed
the Green Village by 5 kilometers (3 miles), striking a house and "causing
significant damage" and injuring two women and two children, it added.
The Green Village is located at the al-Omar gas field,
and about 900 US troops are stationed there.
“This kind of indiscriminate rocket attack places not
only our forces and coalition forces at risk, but also jeopardizes the local
civilian population as well as the security and stability of Syria and the
entire region,” said Central Command spokesperson Col. Joe Buccino.
“As President Biden has made clear, we will take all
necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and
place of our choosing,” he added.
The US conducted retaliatory airstrikes Thursday
against Iran-backed groups in eastern Syria in response to a drone attack that
killed a US contractor and injured five service members.
The Pentagon said in a statement that a suicide drone
"struck a maintenance facility on a Coalition base near Hasakah in
northeast Syria" on Thursday afternoon, which resulted in the injury of
another US contractor.
According to the statement, "the intelligence
community assesses the UAV to be of Iranian origin.”
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he authorized US
Central Command forces to conduct precision airstrikes "against facilities
used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC)" at the direction of President Joe Biden.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Pakistan
Imran asks people to ‘assert their right’ as free
nation and attend Minar-i-Pakistan rally today
March 25, 2023
PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday called on
supporters to “assert their right as people of a free nation” by attending his
party’s rally at the Minar-i-Pakistan today, where he intends to outline his
“vision of Haqeeqi Azadi”.
In a tweet today, the PTI chief said his party would
be holding its sixth public gathering at Minar-i-Pakistan, which he felt would
“break all records”.
“My heart tells me it will break all records. I am
inviting everyone in Lahore to attend after Tarawih prayers. I will give my vision
of Haqeeqi Azadi and how we will pull Pakistan out of the mess cabal of crooks
have put our country in,” Imran said.
While expressing concerns that the government may
erect obstacles to prevent party supporters from reaching the venue, Imran
asserted that it was the fundamental right of the people to participate in a
political gathering.
“Everyone must assert their right as people of a free
nation that won its independence and come to Minar-i-Pakistan,” he told his
supporters.
According to PTI’s official Twitter account, the rally
will begin after Taraveeh prayers at 9pm.
The former premier had on March 13 announced a rally
at the Minar-i-Pakistan — the same venue where he launched his campaign for the
2013 elections with a massive show of power — would take place on March 19 but
the Lahore High Court had directed the PTI to reschedule its rally and have a
dialogue with the administration.
Subsequently, the LHC had on March 22 disposed of a
petition of the PTI seeking permission to hold a public rally at venue after
the party and the city administration reached an agreement.
Lahore PTI president Imtiaz Mahmood, the petitioner,
had submitted his affidavit accepting the terms and conditions along with his
undertaking that the rally at the venue will start on March 25 (today) at 10pm
and will end around March 26 at 3am. The DC and the CCPO accepted the affidavit
and the undertaking filed by the petitioner.
The PTI chief kicked off his election campaign from
Lahore at the end of second week of March following wrangling with the interim
government of Punjab over ban imposed by local administration on public
gatherings.
The rally was originally scheduled for March 11 and
March 12 but was postponed after the party failed to get relief either from the
Election Commission or the Lahore High Court against the caretaker Punjab
government’s order of imposing Section 144 in the provincial capital.
Source: Dawn
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‘Politically savvy’ Pakistanis do not need outside
advice: FO
Iftikhar A. Khan
March 25, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Underlining that Pakistan was a confident
democratic country, the Foreign Office on Friday expressed confidence that
outside voices could not influence the nation’s democratic polity and
governance.
“People of Pakistan are wise enough to make political
decisions on their own and do not need outside advice,” Mumtaz Zahra Baloch,
spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told a weekly press briefing.
She was responding to a volley of questions about a
fresh series of pro-Imran Khan tweets by former US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay
Khalilzad and comments by various members of the US congress about political
developments in Pakistan.
She was also asked to comment on media reports
suggesting that Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ameer Khurram Rathore,
was being called back just after serving there for a little over a year for
supposedly playing a role in restoring relations between PTI chief Imran Khan and
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Spokesperson terms reports of diplomat’s replacement
in Saudi Arabia ‘speculation.
To this, Ms Baloch said: “I do not have any personnel
announcement at this stage. Postings and transfers are normal happenings in this
ministry. I do not, therefore, want to add to speculation in the media.”
However, she said some of these reports about Mr
Rathore were incorrect and unfair, as he was a “highly professional diplomat
who has served Pakistan well for several years and will continue to do so in
the future”.
The development comes after former prime minister
Imran Khan revealed last month that he was still in touch with the Saudi crown
prince.
Mr Rathore was appointed Pakistan’s ambassador to
Saudi Arabia in February last year. He replaced Bilal Akbar, a retired general,
who had also been prematurely removed.
When a questioner recalled that this was happening for
the second time, Ms Baloch insisted that most media reports about postings and
transfers were based on speculation. “I would only be able to comment when I
have confirmed personnel transfer information. At this stage, we cannot comment
on any personnel transfers,” she said.
On other developments, the foreign ministry
spokeswoman said the Pakistan-Malaysia Bilateral Political Consultations would
be held next week in Kuala Lumpur. The agenda includes discussions on
political, security and military cooperation, trade and investment ties, and
cooperation in science and technology, health, tourism and culture.
She said the two sides would also exchange views on
regional and global issues, including developments in the Asia-Pacific region,
climate change and Islamophobia.
On a question about hideouts of the outlawed
Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan and the group’s involvement in
terrorism activities in Pakistan, she said: “We are in contact with the Afghan
interim authorities on security and counterterrorism matters, including our
concerns regarding terrorist entities which have hideouts in Afghanistan. Our
security agencies are in contact.”
Recalling the defence minister’s recent visit to
Afghanistan, Ms Baloch said all these matters were discussed. “We expect the
Afghan authorities to take action against these terrorist entities and to
ensure that they do not pose a threat to Pakistani people and Pakistani
security forces,” she said.
Source: Dawn
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1744100/politically-savvy-pakistanis-do-not-need-outside-advice-fo
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PTI chief only wants to talk to establishment, says
Asif
Syed Irfan Raza
March 25, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The government once again extended an olive
branch to the PTI on Friday, inviting the party to the negotiating table to
sort out important national issues, but deplored that PTI chief Imran Khan was
adamant to hold talks with the establishment alone.
“He [Imran] has offered to talk to the military
leadership several times, but not the political leadership. Despite the fact
that the present government has stated on so many occasions that it’s willing
to hold dialogue, Imran kept on insisting on holding negotiation with the
establishment and went to the extent of trying to approach the present
leadership of Pakistan Army,” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told a news
conference.
Flanked by Information and Broadcasting Minister
Marriyum Aurangzeb, Mr Asif spoke to members of the foreign press corps about
the so-called PTI narrative and subversion of the Constitution.
“PTI chief approached former army chief General Qamar
Javed Bajwa multiple times through the president and even offered him an
extension. Despite all his claims, Imran has not materially offered anything to
the present government for dialogue,” he added.
The defence minister said the government was ready to
hold talks for the sake of peace in the country. “Consensus is needed on major
issues that Pakistan has been facing for the last few years,” he added.
“We are not in favour of a transactional dialogue
[but] need something which is comprehensive, which covers everything,” he said,
adding that the government was ready to hold a comprehensive dialogue with PTI
for the sake of the country’s prosperity and national interest.
He said a lot has happened over the last year in the
political journey of the opposition. “Imran Khan’s political journey started
with a cipher,” he added.
First, Mr Khan alleged that a conspiracy was hatched
against his regime. “The US was accused of hatching that conspiracy against
Pakistan and Imran Khan’s government, but the same PTI people are now seeking
help from the alleged perpetrators of the foreign conspiracy,” he added.
Although he accused Shireen Mazari of writing to the
US, she had actually written to the UN to point out alleged rights abuses by
the incumbent government.
Khawaja Asif said nowhere in the world a suspect had
ever refused to appear before a court of law. “But Imran Khan refused to appear
in the courts on different pretexts and security reasons or reasons of being
victimised,” he added.
The minister pointed out that during his (Imran
Khan’s) regime as well as before his government opposition workers and leaders
were arrested and they always submitted to the law in a very graceful and
dignified manner as political workers.
He claimed that victimisation of the opposition was
unprecedented in Mr Khan’s era. “We have seen that when politicians were
victimised during martial law and military governments. But the sort of
victimisation and hounding that happened during the PTI government was never
there,” he added.
Source: Dawn
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1744051/pti-chief-only-wants-to-talk-to-establishment-says-asif
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DM Asif Calls for a Comprehensive Not Transactional
Dialogue With PTI
By Nizamuddin Rezahi
March 24, 2023
Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif on
Friday said the government was ready for a comprehensive dialogue with the
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for the sake of the country’s prosperity and
national interest.
Minister Asif said, the government is committed to
continuing negotiating with the opposition party, however, transactional
dialogue is not an option, as nothing would come out of it.
Addressing a news conference, with the foreign media,
the Defense Minister briefed the foreign correspondents on the so-called PTI
narrative and subversions of the constitution.
Khawaja Asif said, “We assumed this government almost
a year back. We are completing one year in power as a result of the successful
vote of no confidence against the then government.”
It is reported that Shireen Mazari, Former Minister of
Human Rights of Pakistan has written a letter to the US raising the issue of
so-called human rights violations in Pakistan. Following the dismissal of Imran
Khan from power nearly a year ago, the US was accused of conspiracy against
Pakistan and Imran Khan’s government.
Mr. Asif further added that nowhere in the world an
accused had ever refused to appear in court, however, Imran Khan refused to
appear in the courts on different pretexts such as security reasons and being
victimized.
He said when the police team was sent to arrest him,
the police were attacked as a result at least 80 police officers were injured.
Imran Khan’s supporters pitched battle outside his residence. This has never
happened in Pakistan before.
Arresting political figures accused of alleged charges
is a common practice worldwide. Similarly, in Pakistan, politicians have been
arrested in the past but none resisted like Imran Khan and his party members.
Source: Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/ialogue-with-pti-dm-asif-says/
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Pakistan gets $2bn rollover deposits from China for
IMF bailout: Report
Mar 25, 2023
ISLAMABAD : Cash-strapped Pakistan has received a
rollover of $2 billion in deposits for a period of one year from its
all-weather ally China to help Islamabad get a much-required bailout from the
IMF to stabilise its economy, a media report said on Friday.
The rollover, which basically is not a loan but a
financial deposit to be kept at Pakistan’s central bank for a period of one
year, is one of the requirements of IMF in meeting its external financing needs
in order to move towards inking the staff-level agreement, The News
International reported.
Source: Times Of India
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Pakistan Court Grants Extension Of Anticipatory Bail
To Imran Khan In Five Terrorism Cases
Mar 24, 2023
LAHORE: A top Pakistani court on Friday extended till
March 27 the protective bail granted to former prime minister Imran Khan in
five cases related to terrorism after he appeared before a two-member bench
here.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) granted the extension of
anticipatory bail to Khan after the 70-year-old chief of the Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) appeared before it amidst tight security.
Last week, Khan was granted anticipatory bail in these
five cases till March 24.
Of the five cases, one is related to the alleged
attack on the judicial complex in Islamabad in which the government law officer
objected that Khan should secure protective bail from Islamabad court.
Khan told the LHC that last week on his appearance
before a court in Islamabad police and FC (frontier constabulary) personnel
fired teargas shells at his car and a clash took place between the PTI workers
and police.
Besides, a plot was hatched to kill him there and that
is why he returned to Lahore.
"My life is in danger I request the court to
watch a video to see that I was waiting outside the judicial complex for 40
minutes as I am speaking the truth," he said and added he was facing a
total of 140 cases out of which 40 were of terrorism and it is not humanly
possible to appear in every case.
Khan also informed the court that despite its order
the Punjab police raided his house in Zaman Park Lahore and damaged it and
stole several articles.
"Is there a law of the jungle or Pakistan being a
banana republic," he remarked.
The LHC's two-member bench comprising Justice Tariq
Salim Sheikh and Justice Anwaar Hussain accepted Khan's plea and extended his
protective bail in all five cases, including in judicial complex attack one,
till March 27.
The court also issued notices to the Punjab government
and the Inspector General of Police, Punjab over the raid at Khan's house.
Source: Times Of India
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Balochistan MPAs want mosques, schools exempted from
gas, power bills
March 25, 2023
QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly adopted a resolution
on Friday, demanding the provincial government exempt all government schools,
mosques and madressahs from electricity and gas bills across the province.
The resolution was moved by opposition member
Sanaullah Baloch of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M). The assembly
session, held after a one-day interval, was presided over by Deputy Speaker
Sardar Babar Khan Musakhail.
The resolution stressed that all sectors in the
province were facing tough times, especially when it came to costly gas and
electricity. Educational institutions, madressahs and mosques were particularly
hit, and some of them had even been deprived of gas and power supply
connections after they had failed to pay huge utility bills.
Against this backdrop, the house urged the government
to exempt all these institutions from paying for these two utilities.
Source: Dawn
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How will situation in October be any better, asks
Imran
Mansoor Malik
March 25, 2023
LAHORE: Visibly upset over the Election Commission of
Pakistan’s decision to postpone the April 30 Punjab Assembly elections until
October, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has asked how the
situation would be any different five to six months from now.
“Will the economic or the security situation improve
by then,” he asked, saying the ground realities suggested that the situation
would be worse in October.
“Does this mean the ECP will stretch the elections
even further,” he questioned, stressing that the nation was now looking towards
the Supreme Court to uphold the Constitution of Pakistan.
Speaking to media persons after appearing at the
Lahore High Court on Friday, the former prime minister said if authorities had
decided once to violate the Constitution, anything could happen afterwards.
Citing an example, he said Ziaul Haq had announced he would hold elections in
90 days but stretched it to 11 years.
Mr Khan said the PTI in particular and the people of
Pakistan in general were looking towards the Supreme Court to act against the
‘law of the jungle’ as party leaders and workers were being picked up and their
whereabouts were being kept hidden.
Referring to cases against PDM coalition leaders, the
PTI chief said both PPP and PML-N had instituted some 95 per cent of these
cases against each other when they were in power.
Claiming that the PTI did not institute any case
against them, Mr Khan said Nawaz Sharif was caught in the Panama Papers case,
while Ishaq Dar and Shehbaz Sharif’s son-in-law had absconded during the PML-N
government. “Only one case against Shehbaz Sharif was registered during the PTI
government,” he asserted.
The PTI chief said the entire nation had known him for
the past 50 years, and yet around 40 terrorism cases had been registered
against him. “Can anyone in the country believe that I committed terrorism 40
times,” he said, adding that the nation was now losing trust in the incumbent
government.
Mr Khan said the country had been converted into a
‘banana republic’ where law and justice stood nowhere. He also regretted the
treatment being meted out to his nephew, advocate Hassaan Niazi. “He gets bail
in one case and gets arrested in another,” the PTI chief said.
In a video message to garner public participation in
the party’s rally at the Minar-i-Pakistan, Mr Khan said he would hold this
year’s first public rally at 9pm on Saturday (today), where he said he would
also give a programme to pull the country out of the crises it currently faced.
Referring to his claim that Punjab’s inspector general
of police was planning to kill him, the PTI chief claimed some senior police
officers had told him about the “murder plan” and suggested that he move to
Gilgit-Baltistan or Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where the PTI is in power.
“Life and death are in the hands of Allah. Whoever
wants to kill me, come here to my Zaman Park residence [in Lahore] and target
me. I will not run away for fear of death,” he said.
Source: Dawn
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South Asia
Islamic Emirate Has Diplomats in 14 World Countries:
Spokesman Mujahid
By BanafshaBinesh
The Islamic Emirate has sent diplomats to at least 14
countries, a spokesman said, adding that efforts are underway to take charge of
other diplomatic missions abroad.
The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid,
said that diplomats of the former government are continuing their activities in
coordination with the Foreign Ministry.
“There could be some of them (diplomats) who have not
been in contact with us, or they didn’t want to be in contact with us; anyway,
they are the people who do not represent any side. But the diplomats are in
contact with the Foreign Ministry. They represent the Islamic Emirate and the
people of Afghanistan,” he said.
However, some diplomats of the former government who
are in charge of Afghanistan’s diplomatic missions said that they do not have
official relations with Kabul due to a lack of adherence to international norms
by the Islamic Emirate.
“Some of them are influenced by the political
situation in the country and they were forced to cooperate with the Taliban.
Some of the embassies that are in Europe and the US, they indeed changed their
course,” said Mehdi Minadi, a former diplomat.
“Regarding the institutions that are officially active
or were active, the embassies and diplomatic missions, the Foreign Ministry...
did not take immediate action over them to assess the situation of the
embassies and political missions abroad,” said MirwaisGhiasi, a former
diplomat.
“There is no official contact with the Kabul
department. One of the main goals of the embassy is to provide consulate services
very transparently and normally to citizens,” said Ahmad Khalid Akbar, the
diplomat of Afghanistan’s embassy in Rome.
However, some political analysts believe that the fate
of Afghanistan’s diplomatic missions abroad will not be clarified until the
Islamic Emirate is recognized.
“The diplomats that are in Western countries--they are
conducting consulate services for the Afghan refugees in these countries. This
is a convenience but they should release their incomes transparently,” said
Toreq Farhadi, political analyst.
Source: ToloNews
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https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-182651
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ISIS Has Stronger Presence in Afghanistan, Top US
General Says
By Nizamuddin Rezahi
March 25, 2023
Michael Kurilla, the commander of the US Central
Command (CENTCOM) said that ISIS is stronger today in Afghanistan than last
year following the withdrawal of US forces in August 2021.
While speaking to the members of the Armed Forces
Committee of the US House of Representatives on Thursday, Kurilla stressed that
ISIS (Daesh) fighters have expanded their domain of operation and have become
stronger in Afghanistan.
The global organization has an office called
the”Al-Siddiq” which is in charge of all ISIS operations in countries including
Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Indonesia – having close contact
with the group’s leadership, according to General Kurilla.
In response to the US general’s remarks, Taliban
spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid rejected the presence of ISIS militants in
Afghanistan. Mujahid said that ISIS fighters have been suppressed and targeted
across the country. They will not have a chance to excel under the Islamic
Emirate regime.
Mujahid further added that the American commander’s
remarks are in fact a campaign in favor of the ISIS militants, which must be
stopped.
Previously, General Kurilla has warned that within the
next six months, ISIS in Afghanistan will have the potential to target the US
and other Western countries’ interests. He further added that the militant
group’s ability to conduct operations in Asia and Europe is rapidly expanding.
According to the assessment of the US General who
addressed the US senate, ISIS will not be able to carry out terrorist attacks
on the American mainland in the near future. However, he said that hundreds of
American citizens abroad are vulnerable to attacks by the group.
Source: Khaama Press
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Claims of IS presence in Afghanistan not true:
Taliban's response to the US
Subodh Kumar
Mar 24, 2023
The Taliban on Friday refuted the claims made by a
senior United States general that a division of the Islamic State based in
Afghanistan will be able to target US citizens in Europe and Asia within six
months.
"The statements of US officials about the number
of IS in Afghanistan are not true. Daesh militants have already been reduced in
ranks and suppressed," Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban-appointed spokesperson
said.
The Taliban have also accused the United States of
abetting IS terrorists. "The interest of the US officials in this matter
and their grandiosity is aiding and abetting the ISIS insurgents, which should
be stopped," Zabiullah said.
Last week, General Michael Kurilla, head of US Central
Command, told Congress that "at least hundreds of thousands" of US
citizens could be vulnerable to an attack by ISIS-K, which has the
"ultimate goal to strike on the American homeland", the Daily Mail
reported.
According to reports, ISIS-K -- the Islamic State in
Khorasan -- is an IS affiliate based in Afghanistan and a staunch enemy of both
the Taliban and the US.
"It is my commander's estimate that they can do
an external operation against US or Western interests abroad in under six
months with little to no warning," Kurilla said.
Source: IndiaToday
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US working to assist Americans who want to leave
Afghanistan: Blinken
25 March, 2023
Washington [US], March 25 (ANI): The US is working to
assist 44 Americans who want to leave Afghanistan and numerous others who have
been detained by the de facto authorities, according to Secretary of State
Antony Blinken, Khaama Press reported.
Blinken was speaking before the Congress when members
of the opposition Republican Party went on the offensive on the US exit from
Afghanistan in 2021 and requested the release of a State Department internal
dissent cable, according to Khaama Press.
On being asked how many Americans remain in the
war-torn country, Blinken said: “There are several Americans whom the Taliban
are detaining. We are working to secure their freedom.”
“The families have asked that we protect their
identities and not speak publicly about their cases,” he said.
Source:ThePrint
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US imposed sanctions, banking restrictions primary
cause of Afghanistan’s ongoing economic crisis: Taliban
25 March, 2023
Kabul [Afghanistan], March 25 (ANI): Afghanistan’s
acting Foreign Minister under the caretaker Taliban regime, Amir Khan Muttaqi
in an op-ed for Al Jazeera, said that the primary cause of the ongoing economic
crisis in the country is the imposition of sanctions and banking restrictions
by the US. He said that this impedes and delays efforts to address the
humanitarian crisis, Tolo News reported.
The op-ed is titled: “Afghanistan is ready to work
with the US, but sanctions must go.”
Muttaqi said that a unique opportunity has emerged to
embark on rapprochement between Afghanistan and the world.
“We also understand that the globalised nature of
modern relations means that all state actors must learn to live in harmony and
peace with one another,” he said. “Such relations should be founded on the
immutable principles of equality, mutual respect and cooperation through the
pursuit of shared interests. Bearing this in mind, the current government of
Afghanistan once again extends its hand of positive engagement to the world,”
he said, according to Tolo News.
Muttaqi also wrote about the achievements of the
Islamic Emirate since it came to power “despite the fact that we inherited a
collapsed narco-state, with an emptied treasury, unpaid bills, millions of drug
addicts, rampant corruption, universal poverty and unemployment and a stagnant
economy.”
An international relations analyst, Nematullah Bizhan,
recently said that: “The Taliban are trying to define their relations with the
world. This is the need of the two sides.”
Afghanistan’s new leaders believe in dialogue and an
exchange of ideas, Muttaqi said, “but it takes two hands to clap.” He called on
the international community to respect Afghanistan’s independence, saying “the
religious and cultural sensibilities call for a cautious approach.”
The international community has repeatedly called for
human rights, women’s education, counter-terrorism efforts and assurances that
Afghan soil will not be used by groups to attack foreign soil, as well as the
formation of an inclusive government as preconditions for engagement with the
Islamic Emirate, according to Tolo News.
“The US and international community are currently
focused on the civil and political rights of the people and the issue of
governance, which are the obstacles in the way if recognition,” said Javid
Javid, another international relations analyst, as quoted by Tolo News.
Source:ThePrint
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Mideast
100,000 Muslims offer 1st Ramadan Friday prayer at
Al-Aqsa
Abdel Ra'ouf D. A. R. Arnaout
25.03.2023
JERUSALEM
Thousands of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank
marched to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem to mark the first Friday
prayers of the fasting month of Ramadan, despite restrictions imposed by
Israel.
“About 100,000 worshipers performed Friday prayers at
Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Sheikh Azzam Al-Khatib, Director General of the Islamic
Endowments Department in Jerusalem, told Anadolu.
Israeli police have been deployed since morning in the
streets of the city, especially the Old City and its alleys, and the vicinity
of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Israeli police said it deployed “over 2,300 Jerusalem
District police officers, border police officers, and other reinforcements” in
East Jerusalem.
It said that it would allow a very small number of
Gazans who obtained permits to enter East Jerusalem during the month of
Ramadan.
Israel issued a decision Monday regarding the entry of
West Bank residents to East Jerusalem to perform Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa
Mosque.
Women of all ages, male children up to 12 years old
and men older than 55 will be allowed to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan
without a permit.
Israel, however, imposed a permit on men from 45 - 55
years old.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Hamas: Confrontation against Israel to last until
al-Aqsa Mosque's liberation
24 March 2023
Hamas vows that the Palestinian movement and its
fellow resistance groups will keep up their confrontation against the Israeli
regime until the complete liberation of the al-Aqsa Mosque from Tel Aviv's
occupation.
Ali al-Amoudi, head of Hamas' media department in the
Gaza Strip, where the movement is headquartered, made the remarks on Friday,
the Palestinian Information Center news agency reported.
Amoudi was addressing a huge demonstration that was
being held in support of resistance fighters, in the holy occupied city of
al-Quds and the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli regime claimed existence in 1948 after
occupying huge swathes of Palestinian territories, including the western part
of al-Quds, during a Western-backed war. It occupied more land, namely the West
Bank, which includes East al-Quds, and the Gaza Strip in another such war in
1967. The regime withdrew from Gaza in 2005, but has been keeping the enclave
under an all-out crippling blockade and regular deadly strikes.
The al-Aqsa Mosque's compound, Islam's third holiest
site, is located in al-Quds' Old City.
Ultra-Orthodox Israeli legislators and extremist
settlers regularly storm the compound in the occupied city under strict
protection provided by the Israeli military.
Hamas and other Palestinian groups denounce the raids
as the regime's means of trying to tamper with the holy compound's status quo.
Pointing to the Israeli regime and its settlers'
provocations, al-Amoudi likewise said the Israeli occupation was waging a
religious war against the Palestinian holy sites in al-Quds.
He, however, affirmed that the Palestinian people all
over occupied territories would always be united while confronting the Israeli
occupation until there would be no place for the invaders.
"All [various Palestinian] fronts are united
throughout Palestine," Amoudi said, describing Gaza as the
"arrowhead" of the ongoing struggle against the occupying regime.
Source: Press TV
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/03/24/700392/Palestine-Israel-Hamas-occupation-al-Aqsa-Mosque
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Iran: Israeli Attack on Syria Endangering Peace in
Region
2023-March-24
An Israeli strike hit the international airport in the
Northwestern Syrian city of Aleppo for a second time in recent weeks, causing
some “material damage” to it and taking the facility out of service.
The city of Aleppo, which suffered widespread
destruction in the war, was again heavily damaged in the deadly 7.8-magnitude
earthquake that hit Southern Turkey and Northwestern Syria last month. A number
of countries have since sent aid shipments to the city’s airport.
Addressing a meeting of the United Nations Security
Council on “The situation in the Middle East: (Syria)”, held in New York on
Thursday, Ershadi said that while the international law prohibits targeting of
vital civilian infrastructure and it is necessary to observe humanitarian
principles, the Israeli regime continues to commit acts of aggression and terrorist
attacks against Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity by deliberately
and systematically targeting its critical infrastructure.
“The Israeli regime, in line with its aggression and
acts of terror, carried out several airstrikes on Aleppo International Airport
on March 7, and temporarily took it out of service. Another terrorist attack
happened just yesterday, March 22,” she continued.
“These terrorist attacks have severe humanitarian
repercussions for the people of Aleppo, who are currently facing a humanitarian
crisis, and will only worsen their situation. We strongly condemn these heinous
crimes as they target civilian infrastructure and violate international
humanitarian law as well as the United Nations Charter, and pose a serious threat
to peace and stability in the region,” Ershadi added.
The senior Iranian diplomat noted that the
international community must condemn such attacks and crimes, hold the Tel Aviv
regime accountable for the crimes, and adopt necessary measures to prevent further
encroachment on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.
“The Security Council, in particular, should put aside
its dual standards, assume its responsibility, and condemn Israel for its
constant violations of the fundamental principles of the international law and
the UN Charter,” she stated.
“While we reiterate our commitment to the national
sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Syria, we will continue
our sustained efforts together with our partners within the framework of the
Astana process to secure a lasting normalcy of the situation in Syria,” the
Iranian envoy highlighted.
Ershadi condemned the illegal presence of foreign
military forces in Syria as a clear violation of the UN Charter and
international law, which "constitutes the main source of insecurity in the
country and must come to an end".
“We welcome the recent diplomatic contacts between
Syria and regional and international partners. Improvement in Syria’s
diplomatic relations within the region and beyond is critical to ensuring the
country’s security, stability and prosperity. Such developments can especially
contribute to the safe and sustainable return of refugees and internally
displaced persons. We stand ready to offer assistance in this regard,” the Iranian
envoy added.
She warned that "the humanitarian situation in
Syria is still dire, especially after the recent devastating earthquake. We
appreciate the UN and humanitarian agencies working tirelessly to provide aid
and support to those affected in Aleppo, Hama and Lattakia".
“We call on the international community and donors to
continue to support humanitarian efforts in Syria,” she stated.
“Iran appreciates the continuous efforts of the Syrian
government to help and facilitate humanitarian aid to all parts of Syria. Iran
insists that Resolution 2672 (2023) be fully implemented with focus on early
and primary recovery projects that are vital for rebuilding Syria's
infrastructure. These efforts should not only help the Syrian people, but would
also pave the way for sustainable and long-term development in the country,”
Ershadi pointed out.
“It is also very important that humanitarian aid be
provided impartially, and without any discrimination, politicization or any
other conditions. This is vital to ensure that the most vulnerable receive the
aid they need and that humanitarian efforts are not hindered by external
factors,” she said.
Ershadi also added the international community, in the
meantime, should focus on removal of unilateral and inhumane Western sanctions
in order to solve the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria more effectively.
“These illegal actions have made the Syrian people's
access to basic needs very challenging and hindered the Syrian government's
ability to provide essential services and improve conditions," she
continued, stressing, "Iran was one of the first countries to respond to
Syria's humanitarian requests."
Israel has been a key supporter of the terrorist
groups during the war and has targeted the positions of the Syrian Army and resistance
groups that have been fighting the militants.
Iranian officials have repeatedly denounced the Unite
Nations Security Council for its silence in the face of the continued Israeli
acts of aggression against Syria. They slammed Israeli attacks against civilian
population and basic infrastructure in Syria as a flagrant violation of
international law and humanitarian rights, and argued that the Security
Council’s inaction has emboldened the Tel Aviv regime to broaden the scope of
its aggression.
Since 2011, Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed
militancy, as a result of which Daesh and other terrorist groups emerged in the
country.
Israel frequently targets military positions inside
Syria, especially those of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah which has
played a key role in helping the Syrian Army in its fight against
foreign-backed terrorists.
Source: Fars News Agency
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https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14020104000174/Iran-Israeli-Aack-n-Syria-Endangering-Peace-in-Regin
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Israel promotes bids for 1,000 settlement homes in
West Bank, Jerusalem: Watchdog
25 March ,2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right
government authorized construction bids for over a thousand new homes in Jewish
settlements in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, a watchdog group
reported Friday, despite an Israeli pledge to halt settlement construction as
part of efforts to curb a deadly wave of violence in the territory.
The Israel Land Authority published the tenders
earlier this week for the construction of 940 homes in the West Bank
settlements of Efrat and Beitar Ilit, as well as 89 homes in the Gilo
settlement, which lies over the 1967 line on the southern edge of the contested
capital of Jerusalem. The large settlement of Efrat sits deep in the West Bank,
near the Palestinian city of Bethlehem.
Palestinians seek these lands, captured by Israel in
the 1967 war, for a future independent state alongside Israel — a longstanding
international goal. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry assailed the move as a
betrayal of Netanyahu’s vow to freeze settlement construction, showing
“official disregard for American and international reactions.”
The anti-settlement Israeli group Peace Now publicized
the construction bids on Friday.
“This is yet another harmful and unnecessary
construction initiative,” the group said, accusing the Israeli government of
“trampling on the possibility of a future political agreement, and on our
relations with the US and friendly countries.”
There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s
office.
The new affront to the Palestinians came just a week
after Israeli and Palestinian officials met in Egypt’s southern resort city of
Sharm el-Sheikh in an effort to calm rising tensions ahead of the Muslim holy
month of Ramadan. After the meeting, Israel repeated a pledge made at a similar
February summit in Aqaba, Jordan to temporarily freeze the approval of new
settlement units in the West Bank.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry criticized the tender
approvals as “a blatant departure and deliberate sabotage of the understandings
that were reached between the Palestinian and Israeli sides under American
auspices.”
Last month, the Israeli government granted approval
for over 7,000 new homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, including in
four unauthorized outposts — despite a UN Security Council statement sharply
criticizing Israeli settlement expansion and rising opposition from Israel’s
allies, including the United States.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of
anonymity because he was not authorized to brief journalists, described the
publication of tenders this week as procedural, saying, “All of the agreements
settled during the recent joint summits in Jordan and Egypt are being respected
fully.”
Israel’s government, the most right-wing and
religiously conservative in its history, has said it aims to entrench Israeli
military rule in the West Bank, boost settlement construction and erase the
differences for Israelis between life in the settlements and within the
country’s internationally recognized borders. Netanyahu’s coalition includes
ultranationalist settler leaders who live in the West Bank.
The international community, along with the
Palestinians, considers settlement construction illegal or illegitimate. Over
700,000 Israelis now live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem.
The settlement construction bids come against a
background of heightened tensions with the Palestinians and a national crisis
in Israel over a government plan to overhaul the judicial system, which critics
fear will move Israel toward autocracy.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Rare anti-Houthi protests in Yemen after activist’s
death
24 March ,2023
Rare protests have erupted against Yemen’s Houthi
militia following the funeral of a popular critic found dead after he was
detained by the group.
Videos posted on social media showed hundreds of angry
demonstrators carrying the body of Hamdi Abdul Razaq through the streets of Ibb
province on Thursday.
Eyewitnesses, who asked to remain anonymous out of
fear of reprisal, said the Thursday protests spanned several neighborhoods and
protesters were heard chanting “No Houthis after today.”
Activists have accused the Houthis of abducting,
torturing and killing Hamdi Abdul Razaq, who spoke out against the group in
videos posted on Youtube. Followers knew him by his profile name, “Al-Mukohl.”
He was reported dead by authorities late last week. His family have not
commented on the incident.
In a series of videos, Abdul Razaq openly criticized
Houthi rule, branding its administration as corrupt and repressive.
In a statement following Thursday’s protest, the
Houthis claimed Abdul Razaq had been detained for insulting another influential
family in the area. On Sunday, he escaped through a bathroom window of the
police station and was found in a half-constructed building later that day, it
said.
In a statement Thursday, the head of Yemen’s
internationally recognized government, Rashed al-Alimi, offered his support to
the protesters. Al-Alimi said a monthly stipend would be given to Abdul Razaq’s
family.
Mohammed Ali, a high-ranking Houthi figure, later said
on Twitter that a committee had been set up to further investigate the
incident.
His death comes amid a string of similar reported
incidents. Earlier this year, a fruit and vegetable vendor from northern
Houthi-held territories was abducted and killed, whipping up widespread anger
across the divided country.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Tehran Calls on Paris to Engage in Dialogue with
Anti-Macron Protesters
2023-March-24
Kana’ani, in a series of posts published on his
Twitter page on Friday, reacted to mass protests over President Emmanuel
Macron’s plan to lift the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a parliamentary
vote.
“It is reported that protesters have set fire to the
town hall in Bordeaux, and that firefighters have joined nationwide protests”
in the latest of a series of violent demonstrations that are rocking France,
the spokesperson stated.
“They that sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind,” the
senior diplomat continued, adding that while Tehran does not support
destruction and chaos; it declares that French officials should rather yield to
their people’s demands and avoid violence against them than to provoke chaos in
other countries.
He wrote in another tweet that the French government
"should talk to its people and listen to their voices".
"This kind of violence has nothing to do with
leaning on the chair of moral lessons and preaching to others," Kana'ani
stressed.
“French protesters are also waiting to see the
collective video clip of European, Australian and Canadian female ministers in
support of French protesting women,” the spokesman pointed out.
French authorities struggled on Thursday to suppress
the protests against Macron’s pension reform. Unions claimed 3.5 million people
turned out across the country, while the authorities suggested the figure was
much lower, at just under 1.1 million.
Tens of thousands of workers went on strike and
demonstrators blocked public transportation, schools and oil refineries.
Attempting to break up the protests, police used tear gas, water cannons,
flash-bangs and batons. Videos and photos making rounds on social media showed
heavily armored officers clubbing unarmed demonstrators.
The French government has also survived two
parliamentary no-confidence votes over President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to
push through a controversial pension reform bill without lawmakers’ approval.
Iran blasts the blatant violations of human rights in
the US and Europe, stressing for the US, human rights is merely a tool for
exerting political pressure on independent states to advance their foreign
policy objectives. Officials in Tehran call on the international community to
hold the US accountable for its crimes. They mocked the US claim over
supporting Iranian women and girls amid harsh sanctions which have disrupted
the ordinary lives of the people.
Tehran has also denounces the disturbing human rights
situation in the European countries, and note the West does not have the
authority to be the flag-bearer in this field.
Source: Fars News Agency
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Iran Underlines Sovereignty over Trio Persian Gulf
Islands
2023-March-24
Kana'ani on Thursday welcomed a statement issued by
the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) in support of an agreement on
restoration of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which were severed over
the past seven years.
He expressed hope that the agreement between Tehran
and Riyadh would play an effective role in increasing regional stability,
security, peace and development and promoting dialogue-based approaches in the
Persian Gulf region.
The senior diplomat once again commended effective
efforts by China, Iraq and Oman to host the normalization talks, stating that
the support of the regional countries for the accord indicates their will to
promote diplomatic initiatives in the region.
In his remark, Kana'ani also reiterated Tehran's
stance vis-à-vis the three Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater and
Lesser Tunbs, adding they are an "integral and eternal" part of Iran.
In a Wednesday statement issued by the PGCC
Ministerial Council at the end of its 155th session, the body had supported the
UAE's claims to the islands and described them an indivisible part of the
country.
The spokesperson further rejected claims by the PGCC
Ministerial Council about the country's nuclear program.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is aware of its
international responsibilities and commitments and has always adhered to
them," he stressed.
Kana'ani emphasized that Iran is in contact with the
relevant parties to the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), based on the technical and political
framework as per the agreement.
"Based on its strategic view and principled
policies, the Islamic Republic of Iran has always considered interaction and
cooperation with its neighbors as the best solution to regional issues and
welcomed positive initiatives in the field of developing relations based on
good neighborliness and international principles and rules," he continued.
In its statement, the PGCC Ministerial Council
stressed the importance of Iran's commitment not to exceed the rate of uranium
enrichment required for peaceful uses, and the need to fulfill its obligations
and fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Kana'ani also rejected the PGCC's claims about the
smuggling of drones from Iran to Yemen and stressed the importance of
practicing realism and promoting political approaches to end the crisis in the
impoverished Arab country.
International documents clearly show that the three
islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa which were
historically owned by Iran, temporarily fell to British control in 1903. The
islands were returned to Iran based on an agreement in 1971 before the UAE was
born.
Iran has repeatedly declared that its ownership of the
three islands is unquestionable, and on numerous occasions stoutly rejected
claims leveled by the Persian Gulf countries to the islands.
Source: Fars News Agency
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https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14020104000090/Iran-Underlines-Svereigny-ver-Tri-Persian-Glf-Islands
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Weekly protests persist in Iran’s southeast amid
internet disruption
24 March ,2023
Weekly protests against Iran’s clerical leaders
continued in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan as thousands took
to the streets on Friday, according to footage circulating on social media.
Videos posted on Twitter by Hal Vash, a group that
monitors developments in the province, showed protesters in the provincial
capital Zahedan shouting slogans against the country’s theocratic leaders,
including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and the Basij, a paramilitary arm of
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) often used in crackdowns on
protests.
Videos on Twitter also showed protesters marching near
Zahedan’s Makki Grand Mosque and chanting in support of MolaviAbdolhamid,
Iran’s most prominent Sunni cleric.
He has been openly critical of the regime since
nationwide protests erupted in Iran following the death of MahsaAmini, a
22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman who died in police custody on September 16.
Internet blockage observatory NetBlocks reported a
“significant disruption” to internet connectivity in Zahedan. “The incident
follows an ongoing pattern of network blackouts targeting protests during
Friday prayers,” it said on Twitter.
The protests sparked by Amini’s have largely subsided
due to a deadly crackdown by authorities. However, they have continued in
Sistan-Baluchistan, where they have been taking place weekly after Friday
prayers.
Sistan-Baluchistan, which borders Pakistan, is one of
Iran’s poorest regions and is mostly populated by Sunni ethnic Baluchis, a
minority in predominantly Shia Iran. Human rights groups say they have faced
discrimination and repression for decades.
“The clerics must get lost,” one video showed
protesters chanting, referring to the country’s clerical leaders.
Amini died after her arrest by the morality police in
Tehran for allegedly breaching the country’s strict dress rules for women. Her
death triggered months of protests that quickly escalated into calls for the
overthrow of the Islamic Republic.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Africa
Ramadan: Kaduna Muslims pray for political leaders,
peace in Nigeria
March 24, 2023
By John Gabriel
As Muslims across Kaduna joined the Ramadan fasting,
prayers were offered for continuous peace and loving kindness in the state and
Nigeria at large.
The Muslim faithful also offered prayers for elected
political office holders in the state and Nigeria, beseeching God to give them
wisdom, knowledge and understanding to be able to provide dividends of
democracy to the people of the state and the country.
The imam of Kakuri Mosque, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa noted
that the holy month of Ramadan is specially for prayers to God, for blessings
in all aspects of life.
According to him: “Whatever we ask God from the depth
of our hearts, believing with our hearts and works of righteousness, must
surely come.”
Also, Alhaji Tijani Ahmadu Bello, the imam of Nasarawa
mosque, stressed that the holy month of Ramadan is specifically set aside to
seek forgiveness, and ask God for specific needs.
Source: DailyPost Nigeria
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https://dailypost.ng/2023/03/24/ramadan-kaduna-muslims-pray-for-political-leaders-peace-in-nigeria/
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African migrants stuck in Tunisia say racism persists
after crackdown
March 24, 2023
BEIRUT: Weeks after a violent crackdown on migrants in
Tunisia that triggered a perilous rush to leave by smuggler boats for Italy,
many African nationals are still homeless and jobless and some say they still
face racist attacks.
Outside the UN refugee agency in Tunis, dozens of
African migrants stood protesting this week by the temporary camp where they
have lived, including with children, since authorities urged landlords to force
them from their homes.
“We need evacuation. Tunisia is not safe. No one has a
future here when you have this color. It is a crime to have this color,” said
Josephus Thomas, pointing to the skin on his forearm.
In announcing the crackdown on Feb. 21, President Kais
Saied said illegal immigration was a criminal conspiracy to change Tunisia’s
demography, language the African Union described as “racialized hate speech.”
US Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf said
Saied’s comments had unleashed “attacks and a tidal wave of racist rhetoric,”
with rights groups saying hundreds of migrants reported being attacked or
insulted.
Saied and Tunisia’s foreign minister have rejected
accusations that he or the government are racist and they announced steps to
ease visa regulations for Africans and reminded police of anti-racism laws.
While the official crackdown appeared to end weeks
ago, migrants say they still face abuse.
“People told me ‘since you are in our country after
the president’s speech, don’t you have any dignity?’ I kept silent and they
told me I am dirt,” said Awadhya Hasan Amine, a Sudanese refugee outside the
UNHCR headquarters in Tunis.
Amine has lived in Tunis for five years after fleeing
Sudan and then Libya with her husband. Now 30, she has been living on the
street outside the UNHCR headquarters since local people pelted her house in
the capital’s Rouad district with rocks.
“We want to live in a place of safety, stability and
peace. We don’t want problems in Tunisia,” she said.
Although some West African countries evacuated
hundreds of their citizens earlier this month, many remain stuck in Tunisia,
unable to support themselves let alone afford passage home or pay smugglers
hundreds of dollars to ferry them to Europe.
“Tunisia is an African country. Why do they do racist
things to us?” said Moumin Sou, from Mali, who was sacked from his job working
behind a bar after the president’s speech and was beaten up the next day by a
man in the street who stole his money.
Sou wants to return home, he said, but many others are
determined to travel on to Europe.
In the wake of the crackdown, in which police detained
hundreds of undocumented migrants and authorities urged employers to lay them
off and landlords to evict them, smuggler crossings to Italy have surged.
Source: Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2275086/middle-east
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Algerian ambassador to return to France in coming
days: Elysee Palace
March 24, 2023
PARIS: Algeria’s ambassador to France will return to
Paris in the coming days, French President Emmanuel Macron’s Elysee office said
on Friday, in a move signalling a recovery in relations a month after a
diplomatic spat.
The Elysee palace said that during a telephone
conversation, Algerian President AbdelmadjidTebboune had told Macron that the
ambassador would return.
In February, Algeria recalled its ambassador to Paris,
accusing France of orchestrating the escape of an activist it wants for arrest
and triggering a new crisis between the countries after months of warming
relations.
Amira Bouraoui, a rights activist detained during the
2019 mass protests in Algeria and freed from prison in 2020, had allegedly
crossed into Tunisia illegally after evading Algerian judicial surveillance,
according to Algerian and French media.
She was arrested in Tunisia in early February but was
later allowed to fly to France, French media have reported.
“The two heads of state have discussed the conditions
of the departure from Tunisia and arrival in France... of a Franco-Algerian
national ... this discussion has cleared up misunderstandings,” the Elysee
statement said.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2274986/middle-east
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Algeria to send imams to Italy for Taraweeh prayers
FRANCESCO BONGARRA
March 24, 2023
ROME: Twenty-nine imams from Algeria will be sent by
their government to Italy to help local imams perform Taraweeh prayers during
the holy month of Ramadan.
The imams will be sent “upon a specific request by the
Italian authorities,” Algerian Religious Affairs Minister Youssef Belmehdi told
state radio.
He added that 128 imams will be sent to France for the
same purpose, and that Germany and Belgium have made similar requests.
A source in Italy’s Interior Ministry told Arab News
that the request for imams from Algeria was made “so that all Muslims in Italy
will be given good spiritual care during Ramadan.” The source said Algeria’s
government “enthusiastically and promptly agreed” to the request.
Giuseppe Ciutti, a Catholic priest who is engaged in
ecumenical dialogue, told Arab News: “At such an important time as Ramadan for
Muslims, it’s important that everyone can get good spiritual assistance.”
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2274841/middle-east
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