New Age
Islam News Bureau
01 May
2024
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting for the third phase of the
Lok Sabha elections, in Zaheerabad on Tuesday. (BJP)
-----
·
'As Long
As Modi Is Alive, Won't Let Dalit, Adivasi, OBC Reservations Go To Muslims': PM
·
Islamic
State Expands Da’wah Activities In Mozambique And Highlight Such Activity In
Its Global Media
·
UN Chief
Calls for Independent Probe into Gaza Mass Graves
·
Muslim
World League Voices Support for ‘Riyadh Declaration’ That Calls For An
Immediate Ceasefire In The Gaza Strip
·
US
Sanctions On Iranian Hackers Highlight Growing Concern About The Islamic
Republic’s Cyber Warriors
India
·
BJP
Committed To Inclusive Growth Of All Minorities, Tandon Promises Muslim
Community
·
In
Sambhal, With A Large Muslim Presence, Kalki
Temple Skews Arithmetic
·
CongressCriticises
PM For Blaming “Muslims For Having More Children”
·
Under
'Gujarat Model' Of Development, Muslim Ghettos Remain Neglected
·
Salman
Khurshid, niece Maria Alam booked for ‘vote jihad’ remarks
·
With 30%
tickets to Muslims, Maya’s bid for revival continues
--------
Africa
·
Mali
Claims Death of Terrorist Who Helped Lead Deadly Ambush in Niger
·
Mali says
it killed militant commander who took part in one of worst attacks on US forces
in Africa
·
Terrorism:
Court decides Miyetti Allah leader’s bail request May 30
·
CAR:
Arrest warrant issued for ex-president François Bozizé
--------
Mideast
·
French
Foreign Minister Makes Unscheduled Cairo Stop As Gaza Truce Talks Intensify
·
Israeli
ground operation in Rafah would be ‘tragedy beyond words’: UN
·
Iranian
MPs: Anti-Israeli Rallies Show Western Media's Failure to Distort Facts About
Gaza
·
Amnesty
International Calls for Biden to ‘Immediately Suspend’ Weapons Transfers to
Israel
·
Iranian
Students Rally in Support of Anti-Zionist Movement in West
·
Blinken
urges Hamas to agree Gaza truce as he meets Israel leaders
·
Trucks
bringing bodies and detainees into Gaza hold up aid says UNRWA
--------
Arab
World
·
Saudi
Heritage Commission, Japan’s Kanazawa University Join Forces On Archaeological
Surveys
·
Saudi
students explore intersection of science and art
·
Deal
signed to advance Saudi agriculture
·
Saudi FM
discusses developments in Gaza with Mexican counterpart during phone call
--------
North
America
·
Trump
Says Palestine Supporters At Universities Are ‘Paid… Professional Agitators'
·
WVU
Muslim Student Association marches in support of Palestine in Morgantown
·
700+
California Muslims Attend CAIR-CA’s 13th Annual Muslim Day at the Capitol
·
IS
commander wanted for deaths of US forces in Niger killed in operation
--------
Pakistan
·
‘No
evidence that cipher was in Imran’s custody’
·
TPL chief
confident of record IPO of Pakistan's first Islamic REIT
·
US,
Pakistan vow to boost cooperation on regional security
·
Dolphin
official martyred in deadly Murree Road pursuit
·
Man in
Karachi sentenced to 10-year imprisonment in rape case
·
Punjab
govt questions police board’s move to impose fee on NGOs
·
Two cops
injured in Khuzdar grenade attack
--------
South
Asia
·
Imam Among
6 Killed As Gunman Attacks Mosque In Afghanistan's Herat
·
Islamic
State claims responsibility for mosque shooting in western Afghanistan that
killed six people
·
Kabir:
Islamic Emirate Supports Stability in the Region and the World
·
Islamic
charitable giving may offer Bangladesh a route to climate adaptation
·
French
teen killed by Afghan citizen; far-right criticizes immigration policy
·
UN Emphasized
Urgency Of Protective Measures For Shia Community In Afghanistan
·
104
Detained for Forgery and Fraud in Kabul
·
20
Jamaat-Shibir men held over Natore AL leader's murder
--------
Europe
·
Minnesota
Man Who Regrets Joining Islamic State Group Faces Sentencing On Terrorism
Charge
·
Wakeley
Stabbing: ‘Sydney Teenager Part Of Group Wanting To Stab Non-Muslims, Court
Told
·
Muslim
Aid receives living wage accreditation
·
Lord
David Cameron appears to rule out proscribing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps
·
Qur'anic
Studies and the Early History of Islam
--------
Southeast
Asia
·
Islamist
Figures And Their Limited Role In Indonesia’s 2024 Presidential Election –
Analysis
·
CNA
Correspondent Podcast: Shifting tides of political Islam in Malaysia and Indonesia
·
With PM
Lee's last major speech before handover, election campaigning 'has started':
Analysts
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/modi-dalit-adivasi-obc-muslims-pm/d/132242
-----
'As Long As Modi Is Alive, Won't Let Dalit, Adivasi,
OBC Reservations Go To Muslims': PM
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting for the third phase of the
Lok Sabha elections, in Zaheerabad on Tuesday. (BJP)
-----
01 May 2024
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that he
would oppose the allocation of reservations for Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs to
Muslims based on religion.
Addressing an election rally in Telangana's Zaheerabad
Lok Sabha constituency, the Prime Minister emphasised, “As long as Modi is
alive, I will not let reservations of Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs be given to
Muslims based on religion."
PM Modi pointed out that when the Congress won a
significant number of MPs and MLAs in undivided Andhra Pradesh in 2004 and
2009, it extended reservation benefits to Muslims under the Backward Classes
(BC) category. He criticized the Congress for not approving OBC status for 26
castes in Telangana while categorizing Muslims as OBC "overnight."
In a veiled criticism of Telangana Chief Minister
Revanth Reddy, Modi alleged that money collected in the state through the
"double R (RR) tax" is being diverted to Delhi. He made these remarks
while referring to the blockbuster Telugu film titled 'RRR', which received global
acclaim.
Accusing the Congress of planning to impose a 55 per
cent inheritance tax if voted to power, Modi stated that while the rest of the
world was progressing economically, India suffered from policy paralysis under
the previous UPA government. "If Congress comes to power, they will bring
an inheritance tax. Congress is planning to collect more than half, 55 per
cent, as tax on inheritance," he claimed.
Taking a jab at the Congress, Modi said that whenever
the party is in power, it is associated with five political symbols: false
promises, vote bank politics, support for mafia and criminals, dynastic
politics, and corruption.
The Prime Minister further alleged that after BRS, the
Congress is now looting Telangana.
Telangana Lok Sabha Election 2024
Telangana will vote in phase 4 of the seven-phased Lok
Sabha Elections on May 13. This phase includes voting in 10 states/union
territories across 96 constituencies.
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Source:
livemint.com
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--------
Islamic State Expands Da’wah Activities In Mozambique And
Highlight Such Activity In Its Global Media
Islamic State Mozambique
Province officials leading a da’wah event in Mocimboa da Praia District of Cabo
Delgado.
------
April 30, 2024
Earlier this month, FDD’s Long War Journal reported on
the Islamic State’s concerted effort to both engage in more Da’wah
[proselytizing] activities in Africa and highlight such activity in its global
media. This effort has not only continued inside northern Mozambique, but has
expanded greatly.
As noted in the previous aforementioned article, the
Islamic State’s Mozambique Province (IS-M) focused much of its da’wah
activities in the districts of Macomia and Chiure of Cabo Delgado Province. In
photos released yesterday, it is clear such efforts have also taken place in
the districts of Mocimboa da Praia and Quissanga.
Photos released by the Islamic State document large
gatherings of civilians hosted by ostensible senior officials and commanders of
IS-M in local communities within those districts. These officials can be seen
lecturing locals, as seated in desks or with loudspeaker systems, as well as
leading prayers and offering food to the locals. Children are featured in most
of the photos.
Both districts were previously reported as witnessing
some levels of da’wah activities from IS-M in January and March 2024,
respectively, by Mozambique-focused X accounts and Zitamar, a publication
focused on Mozambican issues. However, the Islamic State had previously not
offered any photographic evidence of such events taking place in those
districts.
It is unclear if the photos released by the Islamic
State yesterday detail events that occurred in the previous months or if the
events were more contemporary. Regardless, the photos nevertheless offer proof
that IS-M has expanded both the physical size and geographical scope of its Da’wah
campaign.
As additionally reported by Zitamar, these moves are
part of IS-M’s wider strategic decision to adopt a more friendly relationship
with locals. Its more hostile approach, including civilian massacres or forced
displacement of locals, hurt its local support during IS-M’s height in
2020-2021. Security lapses amidst withdrawal efforts by southern African forces
have allowed IS-M to recently capitalize and either recapture territory or
consolidate power in areas it continued to contest.
Notwithstanding the local initiative, the photos also
come as the Islamic State attempts to better highlight its civilian outreach
programs across Africa. In the last month, these activities have also been
highlighted across the Sahel.
To note, da’wah activities can typically range
anywhere from religious lectures to community-based events or festivals geared
around Islamic principles. This latter form is a popular device used by
Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s branch in East Africa, as part of its da’wah activities in
Somalia.
More importantly, such activities are an integral part
of the jihadi state-building project and the release of such propaganda helps
provide evidence of a form of governance over a specified area. Both the
Islamic State and al-Qaeda, and their respective affiliates and branches,
stress the importance of Da’wah for this exact reason.
With the Southern African Development Community
Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) drawing down by June, leaving Rwandan and
Mozambican forces the remaining bulwarks against IS-M, it is likely IS-M will
continue this expansion, leading to even more Da’wah events to solidify its
control and more importantly, public relations with the local communities.
Source:
longwarjournal.
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https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2024/04/islamic-state-expands-dawah-activities-in-mozambique.php
--------
UN Chief Calls for Independent Probe into Gaza Mass
Graves
Photo: Nour News
-----
01-05-24
United Nations Chief Antonio Guterres demanded an
independent investigation into reports by Palestinian authorities of mass
graves discovered in Gaza after bodies with hands tied or medical tubes
attached to them were found in multiple sites, including two hospitals.
“It is imperative that independent international
investigators with forensic expertise are allowed the immediate access to the
sites of these mass graves to establish the precise circumstances under which
the Palestinians lost their lives and were buried or reburied,” Guterres said
on Tuesday, Al-Jazeera reported.
The UN secretary-general also urged Israel against
invading Southern Gaza’s city of Rafah, the last refuge for more than 1.4
million Palestinians, after the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said
an offensive would go forward regardless of the outcome of truce talks with
Hamas.
A military assault on Rafah would “be an unbearable
escalation, killing thousands more civilians and forcing hundreds of thousands
to flee,” he told reporters.
He added that while there has been “incremental
progress” towards averting “an entirely preventable, human-made famine” in
Northern Gaza, much more is urgently needed, including for Israel to follow
through on its promise to open “two crossing points between Israel and Northern
Gaza, so that aid can be brought into Gaza from Ashdod port and Jordan”.
He cited the lack of security for aid workers and civilians
as the major obstacle to distributing aid across Gaza.
“I again call on the Israeli authorities to allow and
facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid and
humanitarian workers, including UNRWA, throughout Gaza,” he said.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told
journalists on Tuesday that aid supplies into Gaza had improved in April, but
listed a series of continuing difficulties including regular crossing closures
“because they [Israel] are dumping released detainees or dumping sometimes
bodies taken to Israel and back to the Gaza Strip.”
Juliette Touma, a spokesperson for the UN’s refugee
agency for Palestinians, said that Israel had sent 225 bodies to Gaza in three
containers since December that were then transported by the UN agency to local
health authorities for burial, shutting the crossing temporarily.
She did not have details of the circumstances of their
deaths and said it was not UNRWA’s mandate to investigate.
Palestinian authorities have previously said that
Israel has returned bodies after confirming they were not hostages. They said
they were trying to identify them and figure out where they were killed.
Tensions are high between Israel and UNRWA, with the
former accusing 19 UNRWA staff of involvement in the October 7 Hamas-led attack
against Israel that killed at least 1,139 people, according to an Al- Jazeera
tally based on Israeli statistics.
Israel’s allegations are being examined by UN
investigators although a separate review found Israel has yet to provide
evidence for accusations that hundreds of UNRWA staff are members of armed
groups.
More than 34,000 people have been killed in Israel’s
war on Gaza since October 7, according to Palestinian authorities.
Source:
farsnews.ir
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https://farsnews.ir/Mousavi_82/1714541189603513252/UN-Chief-Calls-for-Independent-Probe-into-Gaza-Mass-Graves
--------
Muslim World League Voices Support for ‘Riyadh
Declaration’ That Calls For An Immediate Ceasefire In The Gaza Strip
Asharq Al Awsat
-----
1 May 2024
The Muslim World League (MWL) voiced support for the
“Riyadh Declaration," which calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza
Strip and the release of prisoners and hostages.
The MWL underscored its support for the outcomes of
the Ministerial Committee meeting assigned by the Joint Arab Islamic
Extraordinary Summit with foreign ministers of European states, which was
headed by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin
Abdullah and Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide, SPA
reported.
It calls for ending the war in Gaza, addressing the
catastrophic humanitarian crisis, stopping all violations, and moving into a
political path that can lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian
state on the basis of the two-state solution.
It also underscored its support to all efforts seeking
international recognition of the Palestinian state and implementation of all
relevant international resolutions to achieve lasting and just peace and realize
the rights of the Palestinian people.
Source:
aawsat.com
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https://english.aawsat.com/gulf/4994291-muslim-world-league-voices-support-riyadh-declaration
--------
US Sanctions On Iranian Hackers Highlight Growing
Concern About The Islamic Republic’s Cyber Warriors
Photo: The Conversation
-----
30 April 2024
A feature of the simmering tensions between the US,
Israel and Iran has been not just the tit-for-tat missile and drone strikes and
assassinations, but accusations of cyberwarfare waged by Iran.
On April 23, the US Treasury announced it was
sanctioning two Iranian companies and four Iranian individuals for conducting
malicious cyberattacks against more than a dozen US companies and government
organisations. The Treasury alleged that these organisations and individuals
had conducted spear phishing, malware and ransomware attacks, which it said
aimed to destabilise important national infrastructure in the US.
This followed an announcement in February that it was
sanctioning a group of Iranian hackers linked to the country’s military for
what it described as “unconscionable and dangerous” attacks on water and
wastewater systems in the US.
Identifying the people behind these attacks can often
be challenging. But the US is claiming the hacks are perpetrated by “front
companies” and hackers operating for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Cyber Electronic Command (IRG-CEC).
The main sanctioned company, MehrsamAndishehSaz Nik
(MASN) is identified as regularly launching what is known in the cyber world as
advanced persistent threat (APT) attacks.
APTs are long-term attacks on high-value targets such
as large companies and government organisations.
MASN was linked in 2019 by cybersecurity giant Symantec
(now Gen Digital Inc) with a group it called Tortoiseshell. Symantec said
Tortoiseshell had been active in the Middle East since at least July 2018. It
was linked with cyberattacks against Saudi Arabian IT providers and Israeli
shipping, logistics and financial services companies.
Much less is known about the actions of the second
sanctioned company, DadehAfzar Arman. But from information available online, it
claims to be a software and web development company based in Tehran.
Alongside the sanctions, the US government is offering
a reward of US$10 million (£8 million) and a “plane ticket to somewhere new”
for anyone having more information about the hackers in question.
The recent announcement follows a wider pattern of the
US naming and shaming cybercrime groups it has identified and linked to rogue
activity.
By publicly naming these groups, in this instance, the
US says it wants to inform the Iranian public that the IRG-CEC is using these
companies for launching illegal cyber-attacks against international targets.
But efforts by the US government to deter state-backed hackers working for
governments including Iran, China and Russia have yet to bear fruit.
To date, no such suspects have ever been apprehended
to stand trial in the US.
War in all but name
Washington and Tehran have been at loggerheads since
the 1979 revolution. The US imposed sanctions against the Islamic Republic when
militant students overran the US embassy in the Iranian capital in November
1979 sparking the 400-day hostage crisis.
They have endured since with various levels of
intensity. This, despite efforts by the Obama administration to move towards
normalisation, with the signing in 2015 of an agreement under which Iran agreed
to limit its nuclear programme in return for an easing of sanctions.
Donald Trump pulled the US out of the agreement in
2018.
The first major act of cyberwar between the two
countries was, in fact, the Stuxnet “worm”, a joint venture between the US and
Israel. Stuxnet drove a wrecking ball through Iran’s nuclear facilities in
2010. The virus manipulated control systems and caused centrifuges to overheat.
This caused serious damage and set Iran’s nuclear programme back by years.
This incident marked the beginning of an on-again,
off-again conflict between the two countries. In 2016, the US Justice
Department indicted seven Iranian computer specialists. It accused the group of
hacking into dozens of American banks as well as trying to take over the
controls of a small dam in a suburb of New York.
This was the first time the US had publicly accused
the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of involvement in cyber-attacks.
But it is thought Iran had been targeting the US financial systems with what
the FBI called a “systematic campaign of distributed denial of service (DDoS)
attacks” since 2011.
After the US assassinated top Iranian general, Qasem
Soleimani, in 2020, the US Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency published an official guidance, warning US
companies to prepare for a possible wave of cyber-attacks from Iran.
At the time the threat was talked down. One expert
wrote in the New York Times that: “Tehran is a capable and prolific actor in
the realm of cyberwarfare, but it has no proven ability to create large-scale
physical damage through cyberoperations.”
Growing threat
However, in recent years Iran seems to have further
developed its cyber capabilities. In 2023, the Office of the Director of
National Intelligence’s annual threat assessment declared that: “Iran’s growing
expertise and willingness to conduct aggressive cyber operations make it a
major threat to the security of US and allied networks and data.”
Meanwhile, the National Cyber Power Index ranked Iran
as tenth among the 30 countries it investigated in 2022 (up from 23rd in 2020).
Additionally, in a peer-reviewed article published recently that offers a new
global metric for cybercriminality, Iran is ranked 11th in relation to the
impact, professionalism and technical skills of cybercriminals operating in the
country.
In the increasingly murky margins of a world where
cybercriminals and governments can overlap, Iran’s increasing sophistication in
this field cannot be ignored.
This article is republished from The Conversation
under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Iain Reid receives funding from the University of
Portsmouth. He is affiliated with the British Psychological Society.
VasileiosKaragiannopoulos does not work for, consult,
own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would
benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond
their academic appointment.
Source:
yahoo.com
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--------
India
BJP Committed To Inclusive Growth Of All Minorities,
Tandon Promises Muslim Community
May 01, 2024
BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Chandigarh Sanjay Tandon
on Tuesday said the BJP-led central government was committed to the inclusive
development of all sections of society, including minorities.
“The Modi government is dedicated to promoting
diversity and ensuring every individual’s rights are protected, regardless of
caste, creed or community affiliation,” he claimed.
While
addressing a gathering of Muslim community at Manimajra, Tandon underlined
various policies and programs implemented by the BJP-led government at Centre
to address socio-economic challenges faced by the community, while promoting
inclusivity and diversity.
Tandon said, “The Opposition is in a desperate
situation. They don’t have any issue to talk about, as their rule was full of
scams, while ours is full of ‘beneficial schemes’ launched for the poor.”
Tandon also highlighted transformative initiatives
undertaken by the Centre for the financially weak, such as Pradhan Mantri (PM)
Jan-Dhan Yojana, PM Awas Yojana, PM Ujjwala Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana and
Ayushman Bharat, among others.
Source:
hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/bjp-committed-to-inclusive-growth-of-all-minorities-tandon-promises-muslim-community-101714518822187.html
--------
In Sambhal, With A Large Muslim Presence, Kalki Temple Skews Arithmetic
May 1, 2024
Sambhal, a tranquil town in Moradabad about 180km from
Delhi, shot into the limelight on Feb 19 when PM Modi laid the foundation stone
of a Kalki temple here.
Kalki is believed to be a yet-to-beborn avatar of
Vishnu who will complete the deity’s dashavatar (10 incarnations), and Sambhal
is believed to be where Kalki will appear. Thus, a temple dedicated to the
deity, constructed by expelled Congress functionary Acharya Pramod Krishnam,
who has now aligned with BJP, is generating significant interest in religious
and political circles.
Sambhal has traditionally been a Samajwadi Party (SP)
bastion — its veteran, Shafiq Ur-Rehman Barq (who died at 93 a few months ago),
had won the seat more than once. SP has now fielded his grandson, Zia Ur-Rehman
Barq, the incumbent Kundarki MLA, from this constituency.
With a large Muslim population — comprising almost 35%
of the electorate — the seat had been a difficult place for BJP in 2019, as it
lost all six seats in the Moradabad division, which encompasses Sambhal. But
now, with the Kalki card up its sleeve, the party is hoping for a favourable
turn of events.
Krishnam, the peethadheeshwar (temple head) of Shri
Kalki Dham, told TOI, “After Kashi, Ayodhya and Mathura, Kalki Peeth will be
developed into a major religious centre, particularly after the PM himself laid
its foundation. The move will impact the political landscape of western UP.
Until now, the Hindu vote was divided into various splinter groups affiliated
with regional parties. Now, it will bring all of them together.”
Interestingly, Krishnam, who contested the 2014 polls
from Sambhal on a Congress ticket and lost, is hoping to retain the liberal
Muslims who attended various events at Kalki Dham in the past. “During the
foundation ceremony, half of the attendees were not part of the BJP fold, and
that included some Muslims too,” he said. “Barq had thrown a spanner into the
temple proposal in 2016, but in Aug 2023, Allahabad high court gave a decision
in our favour,” he claimed.
Parmeshwar Lal Saini is BJP’s choice for the seat. He
had lost to Barq Sr five years ago. Sambhal has always been an opposition
stronghold, except for 2014, when BJP’s Satyapal Singh Saini emerged
victorious, securing 34% of the votes to win a tight triangular contest against
SP and BSP. In 2019, the SP-BSP alliance defeated Parmeshwar, with the latter
still managing 41% of votes.
Saini told TOI, “This time, we are confident that the
lotus will bloom in Sambhal. The Kalki temple foundation by the PM will seal
our victory. I have the support of voters, irrespective of gender, caste, or
faith.”
Saulat Ali, a former MLA who won from Moradabad in
1996, has since contested six elections without success. Recently, he parted
ways with Congress to join BSP, and is contesting from Sambhal. Ali said, “I
played a pivotal role in Zia Ur-Rehman Barq’s victory as Kundarki MLA as an SP
candidate in 2022. As far as I see, SP has no significant presence in Sambhal,
and the contest is two-pronged between BJP and BSP.”
Ali holds considerable influence in the region
considering his political experience. His father, Riyasat Hussain, was also a
four-time MLA. His ability to sway supporters of Iqbal Mehmood, Barq’s rival,
could impact the election outcome, especially considering Barq’s strained
relations with Qureshi voters.
Political experts agree on a possible Kalki effect.
“BJP has skilfully used religion to blunt the impact of caste politics in the
area. The Kalki event will consolidate Hindu votes for the party irrespective
of the caste of the candidate they put up,” said Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, head of
political science department at Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut.
Amroha-based analyst Shoib Chaudhary said, “Voters in
Sambhal and surrounding districts have primarily been anti-BJP due to the large
Muslim presence. These areas have remained SP strongholds for the last three
decades, barring a few incidental wins for BJP on the back of an unconsolidated
opposition. BJP had been eyeing these regions for long, and the development of
a temple in Kalki Dham can work wonders for them.”
Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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--------
CongressCriticises PM For Blaming “Muslims For Having
More Children”
May 01, 2024
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday
criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for blaming “Muslims for having more
children”, saying that poverty leads to larger families. Mallikarjun Kharge
said he even has five children.
“We are heading
for a majority; that is why he (Modi) now talks about 'Mangalsutra' and Muslims.
He says we will steal your wealth and give it to those who have more children.
Poor people always have more children,” Congress chief Kharge said, PTI
reported.
PM Modi alleged Congress manifesto favours Muslims
Last month, PM Narendra Modi sparked controversy with
his comments on Muslims as he alleged that the Congress manifesto aims to
distribute property based on the number of children a family has. Modi alleged
that the Congress had previously said Muslims should receive priority in
accessing the country's assets.
"The Congress manifesto says they will calculate
the gold with mothers and sisters, get information about it and then distribute
that property. They will distribute it to whom - Manmohan Singh's government
had said that Muslims have the first right on the country's assets," Modi
said during a Lok Sabha elections rally in Rajasthan's Banswara.
Source:
hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/do-only-muslims-have-more-children-congress-chief-kharge-to-pm-modi-i-have-five-because-101714529401169.html
--------
Under 'Gujarat Model' Of Development, Muslim Ghettos
Remain Neglected
Sharmita Kar
1 May 2024
The vast stretches of the main road of Sarkhej, Ahmedabad,
become narrower, the buildings smaller and more congested as you take a detour
and enter into what is known as India’s largest urban Muslim ghetto. Surrounded
by settlements of the riot-hit minority community, the lanes lead up to a
towering brick wall with fencing on top, built with the sole purpose of
separating the Muslim population from its neighbouring Hindu colony, Vejalpur.
This is Juhapura, an area located just a few kilometres away from the heart of
Gujarat’s largest city, Ahmedabad. While it was founded as a rehabilitation
project for the flood-hit victims in 1973, the area took a whole new meaning
with a series of communal tensions over the next few decades.
The contrast here is stark: tall buildings lining up
the Hindu colony, and waterlogged lanes, crumbling small houses and the poor
economic conditions in the Muslim settlement. The streets of Juhapura are
brimming with autorickshaws and cycles, lined on either side by meat shops,
barber shops, mechanics and offices of travel and estate agents. It is usually
at its busiest when the sun is up and shining. The bylanes open into
multi-storeyed concrete structures stacked up like Lego blocks. Inside, the
rooms are small and functional, housing a family of four or more and bearing
the weight of an urban life amidst neglect and decay.
Shagufta Anjum, 38, lives on one of these lanes of
Juhapura area. Early in the morning, as she prepares to get ready for the day,
she calls out to her brother looking up to the corridor outside a cramped
nine-by-nine room, “Switch off the pump. There has been no water since
yesterday.”
“Today is jumma,” she turns to us and says. “But look,
we don’t even have water to bathe. See how much the government is doing for
us.”
The summer months are particularly difficult for the
poorer residents of the Juhapura area of Ahmedabad, where the government turns
a blind eye when it comes to setting up facilities. “The water we get is anyway
dirty, and we do not even get it regularly. There are hardly any street lights.
The most they (government) have done for us is send the garbage truck once in
four days,” she says, laughing as if she was accepting her fate, as if there is
no chance their area could witness the ‘Gujarat model’ of development everyone
else boasts of.
Although not
the only Muslim ghetto in the city, Juhapura is the epitome of the segregated
city that Ahmedabad is—where the lines between the new and the old may get
blurred, but when it comes to class, caste, religion and economic activity, the
divide is more stark than anywhere else.
Juhapura’s emergence is marked by the city’s
decades-old history of communal tensions as Muslim citizens moved out from the
densely packed walled city on the eastern side of the Sabarmati River and
rehabilitated themselves in the city’s ‘urban’, more affluent western
periphery. Initially, it was a few thousand people trying to come out of the
deep-rooted Hindu-Muslim divide. But the recurring riots in Ahmedabad in 1969,
1985, 1992 and 2002 further cemented the borders. In the aftermath of the 2002
Gujarat riots, the population here grew manifold as more people were pushed out
of Hindu-dominated areas like Khadia and Teen Darwaza. Juhapura became a safe
zone for Muslims in Ahmedabad.
But it remains
untouched, unseen by the government. It was part of the erstwhile Sarkhej
assembly constituency, which used to be Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s
bastion, and now falls under the Vejalpur constituency. Shah, who was seen as
an undefeatable contestant in the area, was also known for leveraging the
communally-torn fabric to appease the Hindu majority. In the Lok Sabha
elections, on the other hand, the area falls under the larger Ahmedabad West
constituency currently held by the BJP’s Kiritbhai Solanki. The party has
fielded Dinesh Makwana from the seat this time.
In the years following the 2002 riots, Gujarat
witnessed a rapid infrastructural boom that came to be known as the ‘Gujarat
model’. The model was driven by the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s
neoliberal policies, which were used in the electoral campaign for the 2014 Lok
Sabha polls. Modi was projected as a Vikas Purush even as the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) promised to replicate this development on a national level after
coming to power. But even within the city, this model of development has not
reached everyone yet. To a large extent, the residents of Juhapura rely on
their elected corporators of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), but
even then there is very little progress.
Over the years,
the people living in the ghettos of Ahmedabad have worked their way up to build
a life on their own terms. “People say big things about the Gujarat model, but
a few tall buildings or a riverfront will not help us fill our
stomachs—employment will. And there is no employment here. The government has
not done anything for us. There is clear discrimination,” says Fareed Qureshi,
a resident of Juhapura.
On the face of it, even Juhapura can be mistaken for a
‘developed’ area with its sprawling high-rises, luxurious bungalows along a
widened main road. But take a look behind these buildings and you will still
find concentrated communal pockets. The scars of historical segregation, it
appears, never went away. Areas within Juhapura are deprived of basic government
infrastructure and public services on the basis of religion. Residents allege
lack of education, transportation, water supply and sewerage. Even with the Lok
Sabha elections coming up, there are no promises made for the people living in
this area.
Shagufta’s aunt Fatima, who has lived in the area for
the past eight years, says that even sending kids to school is a struggle.
“There are no municipal schools in this area because the government does not
build anything here. The nearest one is several kilometres away. Every day we
have to book an auto or arrange private transport to send the kids to school.
It costs Rs 600 a month per auto. The buses don’t enter this gali. Ultimately,
we end up spending nearly as much as we would have if our kids were going to
private schools,” she laments.
Shagufta, her sisters and her family moved to Juhapura
from Dariyapur in old Ahmedabad during the last 10-15 years as they could not
sustain a life within the dilapidated walls of the old city. “The houses were
very small there and nearly falling apart. We had to move out,” she says.
***
The 600-year-old walled city, of which Dariyapur is a
part, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. But more and more buildings are
crumbling down because of the negligence of the authorities. The negligence,
residents living in the area say, stems from a similar bias seen in other
Muslim-dominated parts of the city. The AMC sends a few notices to mark
buildings as “dangerous and dilapidated”. But here too, there is rarely any
further action or aid from the authorities to prevent it from turning into an
accident site.
Tasleem Malik, a beautician living in Sarkhej-Ojha
area, visits her parents in Dariyapur every weekend. This is her family home
where she grew up and where the family has lived through generations for over
100 years. “This house is very old, but my parents do not want to leave,” she
says. Tasleem’s family has seen every phase of the riots in Ahmedabad. They
faced curfews, saw people turn against each other, saw bloodshed, though in
Dariyapur the atrocities were “not that grim”, according to police records.
“It is Allah’s grace that everyone in my family is
safe. The things we saw happening in front of our eyes those few days are
unspeakable,” she says, but quickly notes that everything has been fine since
then.
When nudged a little more, she says that there are a
few scattered Hindu-Muslim incidents, but maintains that these are only minor
issues. “Aisa to chaltarehtahai (These things keep happening),” she says.
Mohammad Ikrama, a qari at a Dariyapur mosque, says,
“We always welcome people of all religions to our area. But sadly, the same
doesn’t happen when we go to a Hindu colony. A few days ago, four Muslim men
went to Isanpur (an area on the outskirts of Ahmedabad) to have lassi and were
attacked there. They are now hospitalised.”
Ikrama feels that these tensions are created by
politicians to further divide the communities on the basis of religion. He
recollects the recent “ghuspaithiyan” remark made by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi during a rally, and says, “We keep seeing these kinds of remarks made by
our leaders. But why must there be this hatred? All we ask for is to live in
peace and harmony. Whoever is our representative should ensure brotherhood
amongst all communities so that people can work freely, our businesses flourish
and there should be no fear within our community.”
Despite decades of communal segregation, residents of
Ahmedabad have oddly remained silent about their demands. The minority
communities have now started taking matters into their own hands, supported by
their local committees and religious trusts, because they feel they will never
get any support from the government.
When asked about why there is such a silence about
this pertinent issue, V Divakar, curator of Conflictorium, a museum in the
heart of the walled city, says, “The idea that riots do not happen anymore in
Gujarat is a false narrative. Although it may not be as violent or large-scale,
there are smaller incidents happening everywhere. The right-wing has promoted
the Gujarat model as something extraordinary, but such infrastructural growth
happens everywhere. What is interesting here is how there have been no social
movements, no opposition. The opposition has been completely terminated.”
He goes on to say that the ‘Gujarat model’ is “just an
eyewash”. “You talk about development and business to take away social
responsibility. There are no concerns for labour; people are being hired for as
little as Rs 50 a day,” he says.
Ahead of the
Lok Sabha elections, the saffron-laced electoral landscape of Gujarat has once
again become evident, where voting has, for years, been dominated by the aura
of only one leader—Narendra Modi. But in the shadows, an opposition voice is
simmering. Even among the Hindu communities, where people praise the roads,
buildings and schools, they are unhappy about inflation and rising
unemployment.
There is a disconnect in Gujarati society between
social and economic growth. On the economic front, Gujarat has, for years, remained
above the national average, powered by the dominant business fraternity.
However, on social indicators, it has underperformed.
For a majority of the population, the vote may still
favour the party that has ruled Gujarat for the past 25 years, but there is a
strange hunch, a constant buzz that this may be the last democratic election in
India. Perhaps, the quietness in Gujarat about election campaigns, just a week
away from the polling date, signals a reality many still refuse to see.
Sharmita Kar in Ahmedabad
(This appeared in the print as 'Under The Model Town')
Source:
outlookindia.com
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https://www.outlookindia.com/elections/under-gujarat-model-of-development-muslim-ghettos-remain-neglected
--------
Salman Khurshid, niece Maria Alam booked for ‘vote
jihad’ remarks
May 01, 2024
Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid and his niece
and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Maria Alam Khan have been booked in a police
case for allegedly trying to polarise an election campaign in Farrukhabad.
Both Khurshid and Khan were found to have violated the
poll code at an election meeting in Farrukhabad’sKaimganj where they were
seeking votes for the INDIA bloc candidate from the Farrukhabad seat. Khan, in
Khurshid’s presence, reportedly exhorted her audience to go for ‘vote jihad’ on
Sunday night.
The FIR was filed at the Kaimganj police station on
Tuesday on a complaint by the in-charge of a flying squad team, Dr Manoj Kumar,
who alleged that Khan’s statement was made to consolidate votes and polarise
the election in favour of SP candidate Naval Kishore Shakya.
Indian Penal Code sections 188 (disobedience to order
duly promulgated by public servant) and 295A (act done with intent to outrage
religious feelings), and section 125 of the Public Representation Act
(promoting or attempting to promote on grounds of religion, race, caste,
community or language, feeling of enmity or hatred) have been invoked against
the two.
Khan, who’s the district vice-president of SP’s women
wing, had said, “If you (Muslims) don’t unite, your existence will be erased,
so do ‘vote jihad’ to oust this government.” She urged voters to engage in
strategic voting without getting emotional to save the Constitution.
Former external affairs minister Khurshid was present
on dais.
Farrukhabad superintendent of police (SP) Vikash Kumar
said Khan was seeking votes in the name of the religion, as per a video that
was widely circulated online. “It is a clear case of violation of the model
code of conduct. An FIR has been lodged against the incident,” he said.
Meanwhile, Khan was not available for her comments.
People close to her she used the word ‘jihad’ metaphorically to imply struggle
and not violence. She was urging the community to be aware of the conditions
and exercise their voting rights in large numbers.
Asked to comment on the statement of his niece,
Khurshid, as quoted by PTI, said he generally avoided using such words because
its literal meaning was misinterpreted.
“Jihad means to fight against a situation. Her
intention must have been to carry out vote jihad to protect the Constitution,”
he said.
Source:
hindustantimes.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/salman-khurshid-niece-maria-alam-booked-for-vote-jihad-remarks-101714504956896.html
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With 30% tickets to Muslims, Maya’s bid for revival
continues
May 1, 2024
Lucknow: The Bahujan Samaj Party has fielded nearly
30% Muslim candidates in the Lok Sabha election in UP, till now. The party has
declared candidates for 72 LS seats and there are eight more seats for which
the party will declare candidates soon. Out of 72, 20 candidates fielded by BSP
come from the Muslim community.
With eight LS seats still left where the party has to
declare candidates, the number of Muslim candidates may go further north.
This is in sharp contrast to BSP’s picks for the LS
candidates in 2019 general elections when the party relied on just six Muslim
candidates out of 38 it fielded, a meagre 15%. Three of them –Afzal Ansari from
Ghazipur, Danish Ali from Amroha and Haji Fazlur Rehman from Saharanpur – had
won the polls.
But the party’s overdependence on Muslim candidates is
not sudden.
Maya did a similar experiment in the 2017 UP assembly
elections by fielding 99 Muslim candidates. Her move divided the Muslim votes
and led to massive victory for BJP which won 313 of 403 assembly seats. Her
party itself could win just 19 seats, five of which went to Muslims.
Following a crushing defeat in the 2022 assembly
elections where BSP won just one seat and less than 13% vote share, the BSP
again relied on Muslims in the urban local body polls in May 2023. The party
fielded 11 Muslims as mayoral candidates. UP has 17 mayoral seats and the party
won none.
In her rallies in west UP, Mayawati said that the
party has given tickets to most Muslims in the region in keeping with its foundational
ideology, “Jiskijitnihissedari, uskiutnibhagidari”, a slogan coined by party
founder Kanshi Ram in 1984. She also appealed to Muslims to vote for her party
because BSP also has a Dalit vote bank in west UP, and Muslims and Dalits
together are a formidable combination of voters, which can defeat BJP.
In the third phase, voting for which will be held on
May 7 on ten seats, Muslim candidates on BSP tickets will contest in Sambhal,
Firozabad, Aonla, Badaun and Etah. In the eight seats of west UP that went to
polls in the first phase on April 19, BSP fielded Muslims in Saharanpur,
Rampur, Moradabad and Pilibhit. In the second phase, for which voting was held
on April 26 on eight seats in west UP, BSP fielded Muslim in Amroha.
Some of these seats have the highest concentration of
Muslim votes in UP.
The top ten constituencies with highest Muslim
population are in west UP. Rampur has 50.1% Muslims, while Moradabad has 45.5%,
Bijnor 41.7%, Saharanpur has 39.1%, Muzaffarnagar has 38.1%, Amroha 38%, Bahraich
34.8%, Bareilly 33.9%, Meerut 32.6% and Kairana 30%.
In their rallies, Mayawati and her nephew, Akash
Anand, also BSP’s national coordinator, have invariably reminded Muslims of how
the Samajwadi Party, after winning the 2022 UP assembly elections never stood
for their cause and how they (Muslims) now need to look elsewhere.
Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/bsp-fielding-30-muslim-candidates-in-up-elections/articleshow/109741675.cms
--------
Africa
Mali Claims Death of Terrorist Who Helped Lead Deadly
Ambush in Niger
April 30, 2024
Mali said on Monday that it had killed a high-value
Islamist commander who helped lead a 2017 attack in which four American and
four Nigerien soldiers were killed alongside an interpreter.
The U.S. State Department had put a $5 million bounty
on the head of the commander, Abu Huzeifa — a member of an affiliate of the
Islamic State — after his participation in an attack in TongoTongo, Niger, on
American Green Berets and their Nigerien comrades.
At that time, the attack was the largest loss of
American troops during combat in Africa since the “Black Hawk Down” debacle in
Somalia in 1993.
In a post on social media on Monday, Mali’s armed
forces said that on Sunday they had “neutralized a major terrorist leader of
foreign nationality during a large-scale operation in Liptako” — a tri-border
region that contains parts of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
The three countries, all led by military juntas, have
teamed up to fight extremist violence under a new partnership, the Alliance of
Sahel States — something critics have said is an attempt to legitimize their
grip on power.
Officials at the U.S. State and Defense Departments
said on Tuesday that they were aware of the report of Abu Huzeifa’s death, but
were seeking more information.
The U.S. declared eight men wanted for the TongoTongo
attack. With Abu Huzeifa’s death, only one — Ibrahim Ousmane, better known as
DoundounCheffou — is thought to be still alive. In 2021, France announced that
it had killed the principal planner of the attack, the head of the Islamic
State affiliate, Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahraoui.
The affiliate, now called the Islamic State Sahel
Province, has declared allegiance to the Islamic State. The core leadership was
decimated after Al-Sahraoui was killed but they have regrouped and are “in the
process of establishing a pseudo-state” in the border areas between Mali,
Burkina Faso and Niger, according to ACLED, the Armed Conflict Location &
Event Data Project.
Broadcasting the report of Abu Huzeifa’s death on
Mali’s state television channel, an announcer described him only as a
“foreigner.” Analysts said his origins were in the disputed territory of Western
Sahara, controlled by Morocco, or in the Algerian camps where refugees from the
territory have spent the past 40 years.
In photographs and video broadcast by the channel, Abu
Huzeifa was shown with a flowing beard and mane of hair, a slight man in fatigues
and goggles, holding an ISIS flag and a gun.
“The Malian army succeeded where the armies said to be
the most powerful in the world failed,” said AbdoulayeSacko, the announcer.
Mali has been in crisis since 2012, when rebels and
jihadists took control of swaths of its desert north. The intervention of
foreign forces — led by France, which deployed thousands of troops — failed to
stop the unrest.
In 2020, coup plotters overthrew Mali’s elected
government, using the security crisis to justify their power grab. But since
then the ruling junta has pursued the same military-first strategy that the
foreign forces did, and nearly four years later, analysts say the situation is
worse.
After a ten-year fight against the Islamists, French
troops pulled out in 2022. The junta in Mali turned instead to Russian military
advisers and mercenaries with the Wagner group, who were accused of committing
atrocities in the course of pursuing the militants.
“The military approach by itself can’t bring lasting
solutions,” said El HadjDjitteye, director of the Timbuktu Center for Strategic
Studies on the Sahel, a think-tank based in Bamako.
What could make a difference, he said, is helping to
find people alternative ways of making a living “to respond to the needs of the
population and reduce recruitment of young people into the terrorist groups.”
Despite delaying elections, Mali’s junta has appeared
to enjoy enduring public approval, particularly in Bamako, the Malian capital.
Last November, it boosted its popularity by recapturing the northern city of
Kidal, which had been in the hands of separatist rebels for a decade. When they
heard that Kidal had fallen, dozens of people waved flags at Bamako’s
Independence Square in celebration.
Residents of Bamako, welcomed the news of Abu
Huzeifa’s death on Tuesday. But he has less name recognition than other
jihadists fighting in Mali, and most citizens were too preoccupied with the
difficulties of daily life to do much celebrating.
Debilitating electricity cuts — many areas get less
than six hours of power per day — have forced many businesses to grind to a
halt, with dire consequences for the economy. A severe heat wave, caused in
part by climate change, has precipitated a surge in deaths and hospital
admissions in Bamako.
On Tuesday, Bamako residents joked that the Malian
junta should collect the $5 million bounty from the Americans — and use it to
try to stop the outages.
Source:
nytimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/30/world/africa/mali-isis-niger-attack.html
--------
Mali
says it killed militant commander who took part in one of worst attacks on US
forces in Africa
April
30, 2024
BAMAKO,
Mali — A senior Islamic State group commander wanted in connection with one of
the deadliest attacks on U.S. forces in Africa was killed in an operation by
Mali’s security forces, the country’s army said. Abu Huzeifa, known by the
alias Higgo, was a commander in the group known as the Islamic State in the
Greater Sahara. The State Department had announced a reward of up to $5 million
for information about him. Huzeifa is believed to have helped carry out the
2017 assault on U.S. and Nigerien forces in TongoTongo, Niger. Four Americans
and four Nigerien soldiers were killed. Following the attack, the U.S. military
scaled back operations with local partners in the vast Sahel region south of
the Sahara desert. “The identification and clues gathered confirm the death of
Abu Huzeifa or Higgo, a foreign terrorist of great renown,” the Malian army
said in a statement late Monday. Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, the leader of a
Tuareg armed group allied with the state, said his forces participated in the
operation, and that it took place in Mali’s north. A photo of Huzeifa on state
television showed him in army fatigues with a long black beard and a machine
gun in his hands. Mali has battled a worsening insurgency by jihadi groups
linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group for over a decade. The country
also has experienced two coups since 2020 during a wave of political
instability in West and Central Africa. The killing of the commander over the
weekend “could mean less violence against civilians in the area, but the threat
remains high since for sure there are leaders with similar brutality ready to
take over and prove themselves,” said Rida Lyammouri of the Policy Center for
the New South, a Morocco-based think tank. Col. AssimiGoita, who took charge in
Mali after the second coup in 2021, has vowed to end the insurgency. The junta
has cut military ties with France amid growing frustration with a lack of
progress after a decade of assistance, and turned to Russian mercenaries from
the Wagner group for security support instead. Mali has also formed a security
alliance with neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, which also battle worsening
insurgencies and have experienced coups in recent years. Conflict analysts say
the violence has worsened under their regimes. Their security forces are
overstretched in fighting the jihadi violence.
Source:
stripes.com
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https://www.stripes.com/theaters/africa/2024-04-30/mali-operation-militant-4-us-troops-13707940.html
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Terrorism:
Court decides Miyetti Allah leader’s bail request May 30
01-05-24
Justice
InyangEkwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed May 30 to rule on the
bail application filed by the detained President of Miyetti Allah KautalHore,
Bello Bodejo.
Bodejo
through his team of lawyers, led by Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), had appealed to the
court to grant him bail pending the determination of the terrorism charges
filed against him by the Federal Government.
The
Federal Government charged him with three counts of terrorism for his alleged
involvement in the establishment of an ethnic militia group, Kungiya Zaman
Lafiya, in Nasarawa State.
He
has been in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency since January 23
when he was arrested at Miyetti Allah’s office in the Karu Local Government
Area of Nasarawa State.
In
his bail application, Bodejo urged the judge to note that by the provisions of
the 1999 Constitution, he was presumed innocent until proven guilty and,
therefore, urged the court to release him on bail.
He
contended that the proof of evidence brought before the court by the
prosecution did not show any prima facie criminal case against him to warrant
his trial.
He
appealed to the court to grant his request, given his deteriorating health,
promising not to jump bail if released from detention.
But
in a counter-affidavit, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/141/2024 deposed to by a litigation
clerk in the Department of Public Prosecutions, Federal Ministry of Justice,
Noma Wando, the FG asked the court to dismiss the defendant’s bail application.
The
prosecution argued that terrorism was not a bailable offence and urged the
court to remand Bodejo in detention due to his management and participation in
activities connected with acts that were prejudicial to national security and
public safety.
According
to the deponent, Bodejo provided material support, assistance, and
transportation for activities connected with acts, contrary to Sections 29,
2(3)(g}(xii) and 12(a) and Section 2(3)(g)(xii), and 13(2)(b) of the Terrorism
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The
prosecution counsel, AderonkeImana, argued that the court should not grant
Bodejo bail.
She
told the court that the continued detention of the defendant was in the
interest of national security.
Imana
argued that the life-threatening ailment that Bodejo claimed to have could be
handled at the DIA Medical Centre in Abuja.
According
to Imama, Bodejo was diagnosed with only high blood pressure, which, she said,
had since been managed effectively by the DIA.
The
prosecutor said the DIA Medical Centre, Abuja is situated close to the state
House, which “boasts of the best of doctors, specialists, and consultants.”
“The
Federal Government’s holding centres and custodial centres have always ensured
that the medical needs of persons in custody are met, and they have always
undertaken to ensure that whenever the occasion arises, special medical
treatment is available to their inmates,” Imana said.
After
listening to both parties, Justice Ekwo adjourned till May 30 for ruling.
Source:
punchng.com
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https://punchng.com/terrorism-court-decides-miyetti-allah-leaders-bail-request-may-30/#google_vignette
--------
CAR:
Arrest warrant issued for ex-president François Bozizé
A
UN-backed court in the Central African Republic issued an international arrest
warrant Tuesday (Apr. 30) for the country’s exiled former President François
Bozizé.
Bozizé
is wanted for human rights abuses. The warrant covers crimes from 2009 to 2013
by the presidential guard and other security forces,a spokesperson for the
Special Criminal Court said.
Bozizé
currently lives in exile in Guinea Bissau. The country's President
UmaroSissocoEmbaló told the Associated Press news agency that he had not
received any request from Bangui about the arrest warrant, and that his
country’s laws do not allow for extradition.
“It’s
a great day for us victims to learn that François Bozizé is the target of an
international arrest warrant,” said Audrey Yamalé, a member of the Association
of Victims of the 2013 Crisis. “But let’s not stop there. We would like Guinea
Bissau to cooperate in his extradition.”
Ibrahim
Nour, whose father was tortured and killed in the infamous Bossembélé prison,
welcomed the arrest warrant.
“Justice
may be slow, but it will eventually catch up with the executioners. That’s why
I welcome the arrest warrant for the men who killed my father, and for whom we
are waiting for explanations so that we can begin to mourn,” Nour said.
According
to a 2021 report by Amnesty International, dozens suspected of criminal
responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity remain at large
despite warrants issued by the court.
One-fifth
of the population displaced
The
Special Criminal Court was set up in the capital, Bangui, to try war crimes and
other human rights abuses committed during the coups and violence that the
country has experienced since 2003.
Bozizé
seized power in a coup in 2003, and was ousted by rebels a decade later. That
led to a civil war marked by sectarian violence atrocities and the exploitation
of children as soldiers.
About
10,000 children are still fighting alongside armed groups in Central African
Republic more than a decade after civil war broke out, the government said
earlier this year.
The
U.N., which has a peacekeeping mission in the country, estimates the fighting
killed thousands and displaced over a million people, or one-fifth of the
population.
In
2019, a peace deal was reached between the government and 14 armed groups, but
fighting continues.
Patryk
Labuda, an expert in international criminal law at the Polish Academy of
Sciences, told the AP that the warrant issued Tuesday sends a message about the
court’s intention to prosecute wrongdoing by the state.
“This
arrest warrant is certainly one of the most high profile developments in the 5
years the court has operated,” Labuda said.
Source:
africanews.com
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--------
Mideast
French
foreign minister makes unscheduled Cairo stop as Gaza truce talks intensify
May
01, 2024
TEL
AVIV: France’s foreign minister arrived in Cairo on Wednesday on an unscheduled
stop during a Middle East tour as efforts to secure a truce between Israel and
Hamas and the release of hostages in Gaza reach a critical point.
Diplomatic
efforts toward securing a ceasefire were intensifying following a renewed push
led by Egypt to revive stalled negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Gaza’s ruling
Palestinian Islamist group.
“The
surprise visit of the minister is in the context of Egypt’s efforts to free
hostages and achieve a truce in Gaza,” the source said.
France
has three dual-nationals still held hostage by Hamas after the group’s assault
on Israel on Oct. 7 and has worked closely with Cairo on providing humanitarian
aid and medical assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.
Foreign
Minister Stephane Sejourne’s trip to Egypt follows stopovers in Lebanon, Saudi
Arabia and Israel.
In
talks with Egyptian officials, he will assess whether those three hostages, who
are not part of the Israeli military, could be on the list of people released
and how close a deal actually is, French diplomats said, expressing cautious
optimism on a potential truce deal.
Paris
also wants to put a French proposal to defuse tensions between Israel and
Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah high on the agenda in case a Gaza truce is
agreed, diplomats said.
Sejourne,
who met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Tuesday, said
in an interview on Tuesday that there was some momentum toward an accord, but
that it would only be a first step toward a long-term ceasefire.
He
warned that an offensive in southern Gaza City of Rafah would do nothing to
help Israel in its war with Hamas.
Source:
arabnews.com
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--------
Israeli
ground operation in Rafah would be ‘tragedy beyond words’: UN
May
01, 2024
UNITED
NATIONS, United States: A ground operation by Israeli troops in the southern
Gaza city of Rafah would be a “tragedy beyond words,” the UN’s humanitarian
chief Martin Griffiths said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The
simplest truth is that a ground operation in Rafah will be nothing short of a
tragedy beyond words. No humanitarian plan can counter that,” Griffiths said,
after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to launch an offensive on
Rafah, which has become a refuge to some 1.5 million Palestinians.
With
Hamas weighing a truce plan proposed in Cairo talks with the US, Egyptian and
Qatari mediators, Netanyahu vowed to launch the assault on Rafah “with or
without a deal.”
Washington
has joined calls on Israel from other countries and humanitarian organizations
to spare the city for fear an army incursion would lead to massive civilian
casualties.
“The
world has been appealing to the Israeli authorities for weeks to spare Rafah,
but a ground operation there is on the immediate horizon,” said Griffiths.
“For
the hundreds of thousands of people who have fled to Gaza’s southernmost point
to escape disease, famine, mass graves and direct fighting, a ground invasion
would spell even more trauma and death.
“For
agencies struggling to provide humanitarian aid despite the active hostilities,
impassable roads, unexploded ordnance, fuel shortages, delays at checkpoints,
and Israeli restrictions, a ground invasion would strike a disastrous blow.
“We
are in a race to stave off hunger and death, and we are losing.”
The
war in Gaza started after Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel resulted
in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of
Israeli official figures.
Israel’s
retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,535 people in Gaza, mostly women
and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Palestinian
militants also took some 250 hostages on October 7. Israel estimates 129 remain
in Gaza, including 34 believed to be dead.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2502376/middle-east
--------
Iranian
MPs: Anti-Israeli Rallies Show Western Media's Failure to Distort Facts About
Gaza
01-05-24
Members
of the Iranian Parliament strongly condemned the heavy-handed crackdown on
pro-Palestinian rallies at the United States universities, and stressed that
the anti-Zionist movement indicated that the Western media outlets have failed
to distort the truth about the regime war on the Gaza Strip which has so far
killed more than 34,500 people.
As
many as 150 members of the legislative body threw their weight behind American
and European university students supporting Palestinians in the months-long
Israeli war on the besieged enclave.
“Today,
Gaza is the scene of confrontation between an oppressed, afflicted and
resistant nation and a ruthless and usurping entity. In this battle,
sympathizing with the oppressed and protesting against the oppressors is the
least of human duties,” the Iranian lawmakers announced in a statement.
They
stressed that the regime’s record of aggression and usurpation amounts to seven
decades, adding what is nowadays coming to pass in the form of bravery and
resistance by Palestinians in Gaza is the “volcano of pent-up anger and pain”
of a nation.
Pro-Palestinian
protests and encampments on college campuses have entered their second week, as
law enforcement arrest hundreds and remaining protesters occupy campus
buildings.
Demonstrators
say the administration of President Joe Biden is complicit in the deaths of the
many thousands of civilians in the blockaded enclave. Since the war began in
Gaza in early October 2023, American and European officials have promised
rock-solid and unwavering support to Tel Aviv.
The
American students are demanding their universities call for an immediate
ceasefire in Gaza and cut all ties with companies that enable Israel’s military
operations against Palestine.
The
US Police were out in full force on college campuses in recent days, some using
chemical irritants and Tasers to disperse the students. At least 1,000
protesters have been detained since the launch of pro-Palestinian
demonstrations on university campuses across the United States, with dozens
suspended, placed on probation and expelled from universities.
“The
expression of solidarity with Palestine by academics of the world, especially
in Western countries, is a movement that stems from a justice-seeking,
altruistic and humane nature,” the MPs' statement read.
"Playing
victim and distorting the facts in the West’s mainstream media have not been
able to completely cover up the * scenes in Gaza," the lawmakers stated.
Expressing
their gratitude to the American and European university students for supporting
Palestinians in Gaza, the statement said, “Irrational violence against this
rights-seeking call will not cure the pain of oppressors.”
Source:
farsnews.ir
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https://farsnews.ir/Qaysar/1714546105665082711/Iranian-MPs%3A-Anti-Israeli-Rallies-Show-Western-Media's-Failure-to-Distort-Facts-About-Gaza
--------
Amnesty
International Calls for Biden to ‘Immediately Suspend’ Weapons Transfers to
Israel
01-05-24
Human
rights group Amnesty International called this week for President Joe Biden to
immediately suspend the transfer of weapons to Israel, as the organization
renewed allegations that the Israeli military is violating international law.
Amnesty
said in a Monday post that new research provided to the Biden administration
has detailed American-supplied weapons to Israel being “used in serious
violations of international humanitarian and human rights law and in a manner
that is inconsistent with US law and policy”, The Hill reported.
Amanda
Klasing, national director for government relations with Amnesty International
USA, said it was “shocking that the Biden administration continues to hold that
the government of Israel is not violating international humanitarian law with
US-provided weapons when our research shows otherwise and international law
experts disagree.”
“President
Biden must end US complicity with the government of Israel’s grave violations
of international law and immediately suspend the transfer of weapons to the
government of Israel,” Klasing said in a statement.
The
organization’s calls come as the White House faces a May 8 deadline to certify
to Congress that US-provided weapons to Israel are being used in compliance
with international law, with some reports suggesting there is friction in the
State Department on the issue.
Last
week, Amnesty International — along with more than 20 human rights, refugee and
religious advocacy groups — called for the US to block weapons transfers to
Israel, saying it “further risks US complicity in grave international crimes
committed by Israel”.
Amnesty
said it found that on several occasions, Israel has used American-made weapons
in ways that violated international law, including using Joint Direct Attack
Munitions bombs in October in an attack that killed 43 civilians, mostly
children and women, in Gaza.
The
group has also documented the use of white phosphorus in Southern Lebanon, a
flammable chemical that must be used with caution in warfare, and four Israeli
strikes in Gaza throughout December and January that resulted in the deaths of
95 civilians, around half of whom were children.
Amnesty
also said verifiable photos show Israel conducted an unlawful strike in October
that killed seven journalists in Southern Lebanon, despite the reporters
clearly being identified.
The
human rights group said in the report to the Biden administration that Israel
is also not taking necessary precautions to protect civilian lives, citing
rushed evacuation notices and indiscriminate strikes, and that the Israeli
military is conducting inhumane treatment of prisoners and restricting
humanitarian aid into Gaza.
More
than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as Israel carries out a war
against Palestinian group Hamas in retaliation for an October 7 attack that
killed more than 1,100 people. In the attack, Hamas also kidnapped around 250
hostages from Southern Israel, with 130 still left in Gaza either dead or
alive.
Israel
has carried on with its war in Gaza despite international pressure calling for
more restraint — including from Biden, who supports the US ally but wants to
minimize deaths and alleviate the dire humanitarian crisis in the coastal
strip.
Biden
has grown frustrated with the toll in Gaza, but continues to send weapons to
Israel, including signing into law a $26 billion package last week, which
authorizes more military assistance Israel.
The
crisis in Gaza grew more complicated after the International Criminal Court
began reportedly considering filing arrest warrants for top officials in Israel
and among leaders in Hamas related to the ongoing war.
Source:
farsnews.ir
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https://farsnews.ir/Mousavi_82/1714543276600453401/Amnesty-International-Calls-for-Biden-to-%E2%80%98Immediately-Suspend%E2%80%99-Weapons-Transfers-to-Israel
--------
Iranian
Students Rally in Support of Anti-Zionist Movement in West
Students
and faculty members from universities in Shiraz, Fars province, Southern Iran
gathered in front of the Shiraz University to express solidarity with the
anti-Zionist movement among students in the United States and Europe. [PHOTOS]
Source: farsnews.ir
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--------
Blinken
urges Hamas to agree Gaza truce as he meets Israel leaders
May
01, 2024
JERUSALEM:
Top US diplomat Antony Blinken urged Hamas to accept a truce in the Gaza Strip
on Wednesday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to send
troops into its far southern city of Rafah.
Washington
has heightened pressure on all sides to reach a ceasefire — a message pushed by
Blinken, who was on his seventh regional tour since the Gaza war broke out in
October.
An
Israeli official told AFP the government “will wait for answers until Wednesday
night,” and then “make a decision” whether to send a delegation to indirect
talks being brokered by US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo.
The
Palestinian militant group said it was considering a plan for a 40-day
ceasefire and the exchange of scores of hostages for larger numbers of
Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas,
whose envoys returned from Cairo talks to their base in Qatar, would “discuss
the ideas and the proposal,” said a Hamas source, adding: “We are keen to
respond as quickly as possible.”
Blinken
put the ball squarely in Hamas’s court.
“There
is a very strong proposal on the table right now. Hamas needs to say yes, and
needs to get this done,” he said.
But
analysts questioned whether Hamas would sign up to another temporary ceasefire
like the week-long truce that saw more than 100 hostages released in November,
knowing that Israeli troops could resume their onslaught as soon as it was
over.
“I’m
pessimistic about the option of Hamas agreeing to a deal that doesn’t have a
permanent ceasefire baked into it,” said MairavZonszein, senior analyst on
Israel-Palestine at the International Crisis Group.
Zonszein
said the three countries brokering the truce talks had their own reasons for
trying to bounce the warring parties into a deal.
“The
US and Egypt and Qatar all have very strong interests of their own, for various
reasons, why they’re trying very hard now to pressure both sides into agreeing
to a deal.
“And
I think they believe that if they’re able to get an initial deal and a pause,
that they can try to build on that,” he said.
Potential
Rafah incursion
Hours
before Blinken landed in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu fired a shot across his bows,
vowing to send Israeli ground troops into Rafah despite repeated US warnings of
the potential for heavy casualties among the 1.5 million civilians sheltering
in the city.
“We
will enter Rafah and we will eliminate the Hamas battalions there with or
without a deal,” the right-wing premier told hostage families, his office said.
Ahead
of what promised to be a difficult meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Blinken
too met privately with hostage relatives in Tel Aviv.
In
rare scenes for the top US diplomat, who has faced furor at home and abroad
over the administration’s support for Israel in its campaign against Hamas,
Blinken was greeted outside his Tel Aviv hotel by Israeli demonstrators waving
US flags.
Blinken
told them that freeing the hostages was “at the heart of everything we’re
trying to do.”
The
estimates that 129 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, 34 of whom are presumed
dead.
Many
of their families have expressed hope that US pressure may force Netanyahu to
agree a deal for their release.
Mideast
tour
On
the previous leg of his regional tour in Jordan, Blinken said a Gaza truce and
the redoubling of aid deliveries went hand in hand.
A
truce is “the most effective way to relieve the suffering” of civilians in Gaza,
he told reporters near Amman.
Blinken
saw off a first Jordanian truck convoy of aid heading to Gaza through the Erez
crossing reopened by Israel.
“It
is real and important progress, but more still needs to be done,” he said.
UN
agencies have warned that without urgent intervention, famine looms in Gaza,
particularly in northern areas which are hardest to reach.
A
US-built floating pier on Gaza’s coast is expected to be completed later this
week, said Cyprus, the departure point for the planned “maritime corridor.”
Blinken
said the pier would “significantly increase the assistance” but was not “a
substitute” for greater overland access.
In
northern Gaza’s Beit Lahia, across from Erez crossing, 24-year-old farmer
Yussef Abu Rabih was replanting plots he said had been “completely destroyed”
by the fighting.
“We
decided to return to farming despite difficult conditions and scarce resources”
after suffering “severe hunger,” he told AFP.
Gaza
war
The
war started after Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in the
deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli
official figures.
Israel’s
retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,568 people in Gaza, mostly women
and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Washington
has strongly backed its ally Israel but also pressured it to refrain from a
ground invasion of Rafah, which is packed with displaced civilians.
Calev
Ben-Dor, a former analyst for the Israeli foreign ministry and now deputy editor
for specialized review Fathom, told AFP that Netanyahu’s “Rafah comments likely
have more to do with trying to keep his coalition intact, rather than
operational plans in the near term.”
The
prime minister “is feeling the squeeze between the Biden administration” and
far-right members of his government who have vehemently opposed the proposed
truce, Ben-Dor said.
UN
chief Antonio Guterres said an Israeli assault on Rafah would “be an unbearable
escalation, killing thousands more civilians and forcing hundreds of thousands
to flee.”
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2502536/middle-east
--------
Trucks
bringing bodies and detainees into Gaza hold up aid says UNRWA
May
01, 2024
GENEVA:
Trucks bringing both bodies and detainees from Israel back to Gaza through the
main crossing point of Kerem Shalom regularly hold up aid deliveries, the head
of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said on Tuesday.
A
deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza has raised pressure on Israel to boost
supplies into the enclave to curb disease among the 1.7 million people
displaced by the Israeli-Hamas conflict and relieve hunger amid famine warnings
from the United Nations.
UNRWA
Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told journalists on Tuesday that aid
supplies into Gaza had improved in April but listed a series of ongoing
difficulties including regular crossing closures “because they (Israel) are
dumping released detainees or dumping sometimes bodies taken to Israel and back
to the Gaza Strip.”
Asked
for more details, UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma said that Israel had sent
225 bodies to Gaza in three containers since December that were then
transported by the UN agency to local health authorities for burial, shutting
the crossing temporarily. She did not have details of the circumstances of
their deaths and said it was not UNRWA’s mandate to investigate.
On
the detainee transfers, some of which have been previously reported by Reuters,
she said that they had been transferred from Israel back to Gaza “dozens of
times.”
Israel’s
COGAT, a military branch in charge of aid, did not immediately respond to a
request for comment. A spokesperson for the Israeli diplomatic mission in
Geneva referred questions on the transfers to Jerusalem.
On
aid deliveries, he said: “Mr. Lazzarini is deflecting from UNRWA’s own failures
and responsibilities. Again today, there was a backlog of more than 150 trucks
screened by Israel in Kerem Shalom not picked up by UN agencies.”
Tensions
are high between Israel and UNRWA with the former accusing 19 UNRWA staff of
involvement in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks against Israel that killed 1,200 people
and prompted the latter’s military campaign in Gaza. Israel’s allegations are
being examined by UN investigators although a separate review found Israel has
yet to provide evidence for accusations that hundreds of UNRWA staff are
members of terrorist groups.
Kerem
Shalom is one of just two crossings the UN says is currently open between Gaza
and its neighbors Egypt and Israel.
Palestinian
authorities have previously said that Israel has returned bodies from the
Israeli-Hamas conflict after confirming they were not hostages. They said they
were trying to identify them and figure out where they were killed.
Source: arabnews.com
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--------
Arab
World
Saudi
Heritage Commission, Japan’s Kanazawa University Join Forces On Archaeological
Surveys
May
01, 2024
DUBAI:
The Saudi Heritage Commission and Japan’s Kanazawa University are to
collaborate on archaeological work at two prehistoric sites.
The
scientific cooperation agreement, which was signed on Tuesday, relates to survey
work at Jouf and Tabuk.
It
highlights the commission’s commitment to expanding its field work and
archaeological surveys across the Kingdom and enhances its scientific
partnerships with specialist universities and centres around the world.
The
strategic agreement will involve scientific field studies, expanding the
dissemination of survey and excavation results, and attracting distinguished
scientific expertise. It will also mean more scientific data and reports to
help track pastoral patterns at both sites.
The
signing, which took place in Riyadh, was attended by Saudi Heritage Commission
CEO Jasser Al-Harbash and Iwai Fumio, the Japanese ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2502511/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
students explore intersection of science and art
April
30, 2024
JEDDAH:
The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts has launched an exhibition in
Jeddah showcasing 25 artworks exploring the link between science and art.
The
second annual exhibition organized by the arts society, in collaboration with
the Biology Club at King Abdulaziz University, was opened in the presence of
Mohammed Al-Subaih, director-general of the organization, Mona Al-Harbi, vice
dean of the college of science, local artists, and parents.
The
exhibition, which will run until May 2 at the organization’s Abdul Halim Radwi
Auditorium, presents an artistic interpretation of scientific inquiry. It is
being held to encourage students to showcase their creativity.
Fifteen female students presented their
paintings, sketches and other projects at the opening of the event.
The
students chose as subject matter the body’s various systems, the solar system,
human mind, natural world, animals, mathematics, computer programming, global
warming and more.
Al-Subaih
praised the students for their work. “This exhibition comes as part of our role
in spreading culture and arts … we thought of creating a platform for students
to exhibit their talents and showcase their innovative ideas and this
exhibition is an exciting moment for us to share with our community.”
Al-Harbi
added: “The sci-art exhibition allows participants to engage their creative and
analytical minds to forge new connections between ideas and learn about the
world through art.
“This
exhibition is a way to provide a platform for students and others to express
that side of themselves and bring art and science together. Our aim is to
encourage students to show their artistic talents and create paintings that
related to subjects that they have learned in science.”
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2502296/saudi-arabia
--------
Deal
signed to advance Saudi agriculture
April
30, 2024
RIYADH:
Ahmed Al-Eyada, the undersecretary at the Ministry of Environment, Water and
Agriculture, witnessed the signing on Tuesday of a cooperation agreement
between the National Agricultural Development Company, and Delphy, a global
company specializing in agricultural services.
The
agreement aims to build capabilities, boost skills, and transfer agricultural
technologies, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
The
deal is part of the ministry’s initiative to adopt modern systems,
technologies, and innovations in the sector through local, regional, and
international partnerships to achieve national objectives.
It
is hoped the agreement will help in the training of agricultural advisers,
while building capacities and adopting best practices and technologies. This
will contribute to enhancing farmers’ efficiency and advancing the country’s
agricultural sector.
Source:
arabnews.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2502286/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
FM discusses developments in Gaza with Mexican counterpart during phone call
April
30, 2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called his Mexican counterpart
Alicia Barcena on Tuesday.
During
the call, bilateral relations and aspects of joint cooperation were discussed.
The two officials also discussed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and
its surroundings.
Source:
arabnews.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2502251/saudi-arabia
--------
North
America
Trump
Says Palestine Supporters At Universities Are ‘Paid… Professional Agitators'
By
Ashima Grover
May
01, 2024
On
Tuesday, Donald Trump pushed unsubstantiated claims about how Columbia
University's ongoing protests found momentum with “paid” and “professional
agitators," who've been “made by the same printer."
With
the escalating nationwide campus upheaval at the centre of the conversation,
student-led demonstrations have been joined by the community and faculty
members alike. Hundreds of NYPD officers mobilised in full riot gear, resulting
in massive student arrests and the clearing of university protest encampments
Tuesday evening.
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The
45th President of the US weighed in on the alarming scenario in a Fox News
interview with Sean Hannity, claiming that most of these activists had no idea
what they were standing up for and had been bought by the higher authorities.
Proclaiming
the protesters present on the scene at Columbia University as “paid agitators,
professional agitators,” Trump spoke of the supposed “identical” signs. “You
know, when you see signs and they're all identical. That means they're being
paid by a source,” the former President alleged.
Trump
weighs in on pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University
While
no corroborated proof has addressed the artificial presence of demonstrators at
the various nationwide pro-Palestine protests, Trump has painted a new picture
altogether.
“These
are hand-painted signs where people would go to their basement and paint something
because they really believed it," continued Trump. “These are all signs
that are identical… made by the same printers,” the ex-president projected. He
eventually tied his perception of the anti-Israel protests to the presumption
that “somebody at the top” was paying these agitators at Columbia, synonymously
equating it to a “great disservice to (the) country.”
Additionally,
Trump even took the chance to hit back at Biden administration: “Biden has to
do something. Biden is supposed to be the voice of our country, and it's
certainly not much of a voice.”
All
rising pro-Palestine demonstrations have erupted as a response to Biden's
handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. In addition to demanding a ceasefire and
relinquishing the military occupation in the Gaza Strip, the protesters have
also pushed universities to divest from connections with Israel, which are, in
turn, aiding the violent decimation of the Gaza Strip.
Despite
the blown-out nationwide activism, Columbia has become the hub of political
rhetoric, with the campus being the pioneering centre of these protests. The
defiant acts of activism have disfavourably threatened Columbia University
President MinoucheShafik's position, with bipartisan lawmakers jointly
denouncing the handling of the situation.
The
growing number of arrests has extended past a thousand. Disturbing videos of
scenes from the University of Utah also emerged on Monday as riot police were
spotted dragging protesters, with reports of them possibly even firing rubber
bullets at the student agitators.
Source:
hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/trump-says-palestine-supporters-at-universities-are-paid-professional-agitators-101714553992065.html
-----
WVU
Muslim Student Association marches in support of Palestine in Morgantown
May
1, 2024
MORGANTOWN,
W.Va. — The West Virginia University Muslim Student Association is planning
additional events in the coming weeks calling for lasting peace for Palestinian
people.
MSA
President Omar Ibraheem, who helped lead a protest and march Sunday from the
WVU Mountainlair to the Monongalia County Courthouse, said Palestinian people
have been suffering at the hands of the Israelis for decades and they are
calling for an immediate stop. He asserts the oppression has killed many
Palestinians and forced countless others from their homes as settlements
expanded.
“The
fact is that the Palestinian people have been harassed and oppressed for over
75 years,” Ibraheem said. “So, our main goal right now is to remove that
oppression and that harassment the Palestinian people have been under.”
While
generally in favor of protests on other college campuses across the country,
Ibraheem isn’t currently aware of any WVU investments in Israeli-related areas.
He said he has the right to know where the university spends money generated by
tuition payments from students and families.
“The
majority of the major colleges across American are invested in this foreign
country, Israel which is actively killing Palestinian people and genociding the
people in Gaza,” Ibraheem said. ” That’s what we’re standing against. We’re
calling for that.”
The
Morgantown event was largely peaceful and included chants of “Free, Free
Palestine,” and “Ceasefire now,” while carrying signs that read “Free Gaza,”
and “End the Occupation.”
“We
had Jewish students protesting with us, we had Christian students protesting
with us,” Ibraheem said. “We had people all around protesting with us.”
Ibrahim
said they have experienced threats, vandalism to their office, and in one
instance another with a bullhorn attempted to drown them out by calling them
terrorists.
“Here
at our own university we have been harassed by a few Zionist students at every
event we’ve had,” Ibraheem said. ” We are actually in the process of an active
investigation against that student.”
According
to Ibraheem, the protest at Columbia University escalated because President
NematShafik has violated the free speech rights of students. The support
protesters are receiving from faculty members is further proof Shakik is
choosing not to listen to the students.
“They
are standing for something right, they are holding their university accountable
for divesting in a foreign country,” Ibraheem said. ” Why does a university
need to invest in Israel, that makes no sense to me.”
WVU
Executive Director of Communications April Kaull said,” As a state agency, West
Virginia University does not have any investments Israel-related or otherwise.”
Source:
wvmetronews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://wvmetronews.com/2024/05/01/wvu-muslim-student-association-marches-in-support-of-palestine-in-morgantown/
--------
700+
California Muslims Attend CAIR-CA’s 13th Annual Muslim Day at the Capitol
April
30, 2024
The
California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA), the
nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said over
700 Muslim community members, religious leaders, students, and activists took
part in yesterday’s 13th Annual Muslim Day at the Capitol (MDAC) in Sacramento.
SEE:
CAIR-CA Holds Muslim Day at the Capitol
“MDAC
connects our community with lawmakers to champion social justice and advocacy,”
said CAIR-CA CEO HussamAyloush. “The event has grown in popularity, which shows
the increasing civic engagement of California Muslims who are working to shape
a more inclusive, tolerant, and just state for everyone.”
MDAC
participants attended 70 meetings with elected officials, where they advocated
for the following legislation:
AB-2377:
Grants students a religious exemption for fasting during physical
education.
AB-2763:
Mandates the inclusion of a “Middle Eastern or North African” category in
demographic data collected by state agencies, boards, and commissions.
Resolution
Condemning Islamophobia and Palestinian Hate: Denounces the surge in
Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian discrimination in California, acknowledging
the state’s commitment to religious freedom and cultural diversity.
The
community also expressed its firm opposition to SB-1287, which infringes on
students’ rights to free speech and the free exchange of ideas, fundamental to
the academic environment in colleges and universities.
CAIR-CA
hosted a press conference featuring:
Assemblymember
Luz Rivas, who authored AB-2377
Assemblymember
Bill Essayli, who authored AB-2763
CAIR-CA
CEO HussamAyloush
CAIR-CA
Associate Manager of Justice Reinvestment Leena Sabagh
CAIR
San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam
CAIR-CA
is a chapter of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy
organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect
civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
END
CONTACTS:
CAIR
Greater Los Angeles Area Digital Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi,
eelkadi@cair.com, 714.776.1847
CAIR
Sacramento Valley/Central California Communications and Outreach Coordinator,
AnesMokeddem, amokeddem@cair.com,916.441.6469
CAIR
San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam, tnizam@cair.com, 858-278-4547
CAIR
San Francisco Bay Area Communications Manager, Lorrie Adam, ladam@cair.com,
408.498.5779
Source:
cair.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/650-california-muslims-attend-cair-cas-13th-annual-muslim-day-at-the-capitol/
--------
IS
commander wanted for deaths of US forces in Niger killed in operation
Tue
30 Apr 2024
A
senior Islamic State group commander, wanted in connection with the deaths of
US forces in Niger, has been killed in an operation by Malian state forces, the
country’s army said.
Abu
Huzeifa, known by the alias Higgo, was a commander in the group known as the
Islamic State in the Greater Sahara. The state department had announced a
reward of up to $5m for information about him.
Huzeifa
is believed to have helped carry out an attack in 2017 on US and Nigerien
forces in TongoTongo, Niger, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans and
four Nigerien soldiers. After the attack, the US military scaled back
operations with local partners in the Sahel.
“The
identification and clues gathered confirm the death of Abu HuzeifaditHiggo, a
foreign terrorist of great renown,” the Malian army said in a statement late on
Monday.
Moussa
Ag Acharatoumane, the leader of a Tuareg armed group allied with the state,
said his forces participated in the operation and that it took place in the
northern region of Mali.
A
photo of Huzeifa on state television showed him in army fatigues with a long
black beard and a machine-gun in his hands.
Mali
has experienced two coups since 2020 during a wave of political instability
that has swept across west and central Africa. The country has battled a
worsening insurgency by jihadi groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State
group for more than a decade.
The
killing of the Islamic State group commander over the weekend “could mean less
violence against civilians in the area, but the threat remains high since for
sure there are leaders with similar brutality ready to take over and prove
themselves”, said Rida Lyammouri of the Policy Center for the New South, a
Morocco-based thinktank.
Col
AssimiGoïta, who took charge after the second coup in 2021, has vowed to end
the insurgency. His ruling junta has cut military ties with France amid growing
frustration with a lack of progress after a decade of assistance and turned
instead to Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group for security support.
Mali
has also formed security alliances with Niger and Burkina Faso, both of which
are also battling worsening insurgencies and have experienced coups in recent
years. Although their militaries promised to end the insurgencies after
deposing their respective elected governments, conflict analysts say the
violence has instead worsened under their regimes.
All
three nations share borders in the conflict-hit Sahel region, and their
security forces are overstretched in fighting the jihadi violence.
Source:
theguardian.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/30/is-commander-wanted-for-deaths-of-us-forces-in-niger-killed-in-operation
--------
Pakistan
‘No
evidence that cipher was in Imran’s custody’
May
1, 2024
ISLAMABAD:
In a fresh twist in the cipher case, the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday
observed that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has nothing on record to
prove that former prime minister Imran Khan retained the confidential
diplomatic cable, and that it went missing from his possession.
The
observation was made by an IHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer
Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, which had resumed hearing appeals
filed by Mr Khan and his foreign minister at the time, Shah Mehmood Qureshi,
against their conviction in the cipher case.
Earlier,
defence counsel Barrister Salman Safdar had submitted a report of the foreign
ministry to the IHC containing details of the cipher’s distribution.
The report revealed that almost every
recipient of the cipher, including the former army chief and the chief
justice, returned the confidential document after a case was registered against
Imran Khan.
While
special prosecutor Hamid Ali Shah was explaining the movement of cipher from the
foreign ministry to the PM Office, Justice Farooq asked if there is any record
available with FIA, the prosecuting agency, that proves Mr Khan retained the
cipher.
“Is
there any record of cipher’s movement that it was handed over to the prime
minister by the principal secretary?”, asked the chief justice.
Mr
Shah replied that Azam Khan, the then-principal secretary, testified before the
court that the cipher was handed over to ex-PM Khan and was never returned.
“We
believe it’s hearsay,” remarked the chief justice, adding that there was a
possibility that the former PM had asked the secretary to return the cipher.
Mr
Shah, however, said the court had ample reason to believe that the ex-PM
received and perused the cipher on the basis of which he made public speeches
and even sent a demarche to the US.
“But
how do we know it was not returned?” the chief justice questioned.
Mr
Shah replied that witnesses in the case had stated on oath that Mr Khan never
returned the confidential document. He said that during a public speech and an
interview with a private television channel, Mr Khan admitted that the cipher
was in his possession.
Justice
Aurangzeb remarked that politicians make such statement to pander to the crowd.
He
asked the state’s counsel to apprise the court what happened with the First
Information Report (FIR) registered over Azam Khan’s alleged abduction.
Justice
Farooq directed the counsel to submit a challan or discharge report in the
FIR by May 2.
Iddat
case
Meanwhile,
Khawar Farid Maneka, the former spouse of Bushra Bibi, sought the transfer of
the appeal against conviction of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in Iddat case.
Mr
Maneka requested sessions judge Shahrukh Arjumand to recuse himself from
hearing the appeal for being biased. He also accused the judge of being
sympathetic to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1830687
--------
TPL
chief confident of record IPO of Pakistan's first Islamic REIT
30,
2024
KARACHI:
Ali Jameel, the chief executive officer of tech-driven conglomerate TPL Corp
Limited, is “confident” that the bidding of its IPO for the first
Shariah-compliant hybrid Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) in Pakistan will
be oversubscribed.
TPL
RMC is scheduled to launch its Initial Public Offering (IPO) of the first
Shariah-compliant hybrid REIT — the TPL REIT Fund I — on May 2 and 3.
The
TPL REIT is a part of the conglomerate's range of businesses scattered across
various sectors and has demonstrated its expertise in the property sector via
Centrepoint — its flagship project. It should be noted that the aforementioned
project yielded TPL a Return on Investment (ROI) of 130 per cent.
The
Fund is also known for its investment across a diversified pool of property
assets including a premium-end luxurious residential tower, a sustainable
master-planned community, and a first-of-its-kind technology park.
Talking
to Geo.tv, Jameel — who was previously associated with Pakistan’s central bank,
TRG Pakistan, and other entities as a board member — said that the introduction
of the IPO shows that the Pakistani market is developing and becoming
sophisticated. “It most importantly demonstrates that Pakistan is open for
business,” said the TPL CEO.
The
offer on the IPO by TPL RMC is being made through the fixed price method at an
offer price of Rs17.59 per unit.
Commenting
on the vision behind the REIT, the businessman explained that it is aimed at
bringing the unregulated and undocumented delisted sector towards
documentation. “This will also improve the government’s taxation, and
investors’ money will also get detected, as REIT has advantages for investors —
far more than when they purchase from the informal sector,” he added.
Talking
about the scope of the REIT in Pakistan, Jameel said it would take over 50 per
cent of the property sector in the next 10 years. “Let’s say REIT is only Re1
and other sectors are Rs99, but in the next 10 years, I expect that the Re1
will become Rs40-50.”
The
TPL chief was of the opinion that the Shariah-compliant REIT would be a “great
success” for the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) and the Securities and Exchange
Commission of Pakistan (SECP) because a significant portion of the investor
base in Pakistan mostly looks at Shariah-compliant structures.
“Therefore,
Pakistan will again be at the forefront of Shariah-compliance in terms of REITs
and it will also encourage the inclusion of more such REITs in the market.
Introducing the first one always requires more hard work and we want more such
REITs to be introduced".
According
to Jameel, TPL wants the market to develop further through the launch of their
IPO and the conglomerate will support its development as well.
Ali
Asgher — the CEO of TPL REIT Management Company — told Geo.tv that the
company’s vision is to have a Shariah-compliant formalisation of real estate so
that retail and mid-sized investors would have a regulated Islamic instrument
and a way to invest.
“Real
estate is a very capital-intensive investment in which everyone can’t go in and
take the big chunk. Therefore, a regulated structured product is the solution
which was not available for a retail investor earlier,” he said.
Asgher
added that REIT, in Pakistan and around the world, is a safe and regulated
investment product if one wants to invest in real estate. It caters for all
kinds of investment bases — from big institutions to small retail investors.
Speaking
about the expectations about the bidding, the TPL RMC CEO hoped to witness
oversubscription. “Real estate is a promising sector in Pakistan, but it lacks
regulated instruments and structures which we are insha’Allah introducing and
which have also been introduced by a few people before us. I think there should
be a huge demand for it,” he said.
Asgher
also said that the IPO would be the largest one in the last few years with
regard to market capitalisation and “not many such IPOs have taken place in
Pakistan”, adding that a lot of efforts had been made to formalise the property
sector and the SECP and PSX worked intensively with their listing regulation to
smoothen their process.
Asgher
hoped that through their company’s REIT, PSX's market capitalisation would
increase by Rs32 billion, telling Geo.tv that "when a sector increases
with more additions, it means that foreign investors, foreign funds and
portfolio investors will also start looking at it. This will also pave the way
for foreign investments because there will be sector eligibility".
Source:
geo.tv
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.geo.tv/latest/541767-tpl-corp-chief-ali-jameel-confident-for-high-ipo-bidding-for-pakistans-first-shariah-compliant-reit
--------
US,
Pakistan vow to boost cooperation on regional security
May
1, 2024
ISLAMABAD:
The US and Pakistan on Tuesday reaffirmed their close ties and pledged to
enhance cooperation on regional security, according to the Foreign Office.
The
FO, in a statement issued after a meeting between a visiting US delegation led
by Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs John Bass, and Acting Foreign
Secretary Ambassador Rahim Hayat Qureshi, said the “discussions covered a
broad range of bilateral issues, with both sides emphasising the importance of
enhancing trade and investment ties”.
The
FO further noted that the talks were “productive” and resulted in reaffirmation
of the commitment to enhance cooperation in the areas of trade, investment and
regional security.
The
visit marks the first by a US official to Islamabad since the new government
was formed after the February 8 elections.
In
letters exchanged last month, President Joe Biden underscored the critical
nature of the “enduring (US-Pakistan) partnership” for “ensuring the
security of our people — and people around the world”.
PM
Shehbaz Sharif, in response to Mr Biden’s outreach, expressed Pakistan’s
eagerness to collaborate towards global peace and security and development of
the region. Later, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a phone call with
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, emphasised the importance of continued
cooperation on counterterrorism, expanding trade and investment partnership.
Mr
Bass’s visit to Pakistan is part of a broader regional trip that included a
stop in Qatar, where he engaged in discussions about Afghanistan and regional
security interests.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1830688/us-pakistan-vow-to-boost-cooperation-on-regional-security
--------
Dolphin
official martyred in deadly Murree Road pursuit
May
1, 2024
RAWALPINDI:
A police official embraced martyrdom whereas another was wounded in a shootout
with apparently “highly trained” four suspects on Murree Road around midnight
on Monday, with the suspects escaping the scene leaving their vehicle behind.
SSP
Operations Hafiz Kamran Asghar said the incident occurred when the dolphin
force officials signalled a car in which four people were travelling to stop.
The occupants, however, started firing at the police during the chase which
resulted in the death of a dolphin force official and injuries to another
constable. A pedestrian was also injured in the shootout.
The
SSP said that one of the suspects was also injured during the shootout,
however, police raids were underway to arrest the culprits. Police have also
found “some photographs and a weapon licence from the car” driven by the
culprits.
The
police also claimed that the suspects belonged to Tank, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as
per the initial probe. The policemen were therefore directed to monitor all bus
stands, the railway station, and all the exit points of the city to trace their
whereabouts. The police suspected the involvement of a banned outfit in this
incident but any link in this regard was yet to be established, said an
official.
Terrorism
case
In
light of the incident, the police also registered a case under Section 7 of the
Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, murder, and other charges of the Pakistan Penal Code
at the complaint of Muhammad Asim, foot constable at the Waris Khan police
station.
The
FIR said the dolphin police were on duty when they flagged a car near MH Chowk
and asked the driver to stop, but instead of complying with the order, the
vehicle sped off prompting a chase by the police officials. As the car reached
Mareer Chowk, the occupants started firing at the police, but the police team
continued to follow the white vehicle despite gunshots.
Meanwhile,
the police control room was alerted by the Dolphin Force officials, the FIR
said, adding that when the car reached Waris Khan, it was forced to stop due to
traffic. At this, the occupants started firing at the police, injuring Ismail
Rauf and Mohammad Asim who fell on the ground.
The
culprits managed to escape the scene leaving behind their vehicle. After the
escape, the injured were shifted to the Benazir hospital by the police where
Ismail Rauf was pronounced dead. Rauf left behind his mother, wife, and two
sons.
The
funeral of martyred constable Ismail Rauf was held at Police Lines Headquarters
on Tuesday. Constable Mohammad Asim, who was shifted to Benazir Bhutto
Hospital, was stated to be in stable condition. After the funeral, the body of
the martyred constable was buried with official honours in his native area in
the jurisdiction of the Chauntra police station.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1830660/dolphin-official-martyred-in-deadly-murree-road-pursuit
--------
Man
in Karachi sentenced to 10-year imprisonment in rape case
May
1, 2024
KARACHI:
A sessions court has sentenced a man to 10-year rigorous imprisonment on
charges of raping his daughter-in-law.
Additional
District and Sessions Judge (Central) Zabiha Khattak found Irshad Ali guilty of
subjecting his 19-year-old daughter-in-law to a sexual assault in April 2023
within the jurisdiction of the Bilal Colony police station.
The
court also imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on him and ruled that in case of default,
he would suffer an additional six months in prison.
The
judge observed: “It is an alarming situation that the accused, who is
father-like (figure) for the victim, has committed rape of her daughter-in-law,
which is not only (an) offence but also a sin so these types of crimes should
be dealt with iron hand.”
She
added, “Women are not safe in their own house, which is a stigma for the whole
society.”
According
to state prosecutor Hina Naz, the rape survivor deposed in her statement before
the court that she had married in 2021, however, last year in April when her
husband and mother-in-law were not home, the accused entered her room,
overpowered her and subjected her to a sexual assault.
The
survivor testified that he threatened her of dire consequences if she told
anyone about the incident. Later, the convict continued to harass her via text
messages. When she confided it to her mother-in-law, she did not believe and
asked her to maintain silence. A week later, she went to her parents’ home with
her husband and disclosed the ordeal to her mother.
Later,
a complaint was registered against the convict under Section 376 (punishment
for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
In
the FIR, the survivor stated to the police that her father-in-law had committed
the said offence multiple times. However, she chose to remain silent for the
sake of her dignity and the sanctity of her home.
During
the trial, the defence counsel made an allegation against the complainant and
stated that his client was falsely implicated in that case. However, the court
rejected the defence pleadings as they failed to submit substantial evidence to
support their claim.
The
court also noted that the messages exchanged between the survivor and accused,
which were presented as evidence, were retrieved from the accused’s mobile
phone. These messages revealed that “the victim tried to save her matrimonial
relation and her home, but at last, she became fed up with this shameful act of
the accused and reported the matter”, the court observed.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1830640/man-in-karachi-sentenced-to-10-year-imprisonment-in-rape-case
--------
Punjab
govt questions police board’s move to impose fee on NGOs
May
1, 2024
LAHORE:
The Punjab government has questioned the IG Police to explain Punjab Police
Executive Board’s move to impose verification fee on NGOs by the Special Branch
— following an outcry by the home, industries and social welfare departments.
The
Punjab government says imposition of fee against services is not the mandate of
the Police Executive Board but it comes within the the purview of the
government, which comprises the chief minister and the cabinet.
The
Punjab Police Executive Board, during the caretaker government last year, had
approved Rs10,000 verification fee for Special Branch for verification of NGOs/
INGOs, societies, foundations, associations, organisations, churches,
ministries, press clubs, trust deeds and office-bearers of NGOs/INGOs.
Following
a huge number of complaints lodged by the private security companies and NGOs,
the home department had written a letter to the IG Police in December last
seeking clarification that under which law and rules the verification fee had
been imposed because imposition of fee against services is not the mandate of
the Police Executive Board but the government.
The
Punjab home department had even moved a summary to the chief minister on Feb 1
this year on the request of the social welfare department routed through the
Board of Revenue, industries and the social welfare departments. “All
departments did not support the imposition of a verification fee of Rs10,000
charged by the Special Branch,” says the home department’s communication with
the IG Police.
The
home department told the IGP on April 23 that the chief minister had desired
the administrative department to quote the relevant provisions of law under
which the Police Executive Board had approved Rs10,000 verification fee for all
categories of NGOs charged by the Special Branch.
In
the summary to the chief minister, available with Dawn, the home department
stated that it held a meeting with all stakeholders in January this year and it
was highlighted that such a fee could not be imposed without obtaining prior
approval of the government. “During the process of registration by the relevant
authorities, fees are already being charged under relevant laws, which includes
the verification process,” says the summary.
The
Board of Revenue’s view quoted in the summary acknowledged that the fee could
not be charged without obtaining approval of the government. Furthermore, the
SMBR [senior member board of revenue] stated, “Philanthropy is a noble cause as
mostly NGOs are dependent on public donations and they do not have ample
resources and such imposition of fee will discourage the individuals working
for the welfare of the poor and needy segment of society”.
The
industries department secretary stated, “The home department, for grant of NOC,
seeks verification of cases from CTD and Special Branch requiring checking of
particulars of applicants in available CROs and lists of Fourth Schedulers by
home department and involves no physical activity in the verification process.”
The
industries department secretary also observed that imposition of fee on the
organisations that did not have any donor base and primarily working for the
promotion of social, cultural, and literary pursuits would be tantamount to
discouraging citizens from making and running societies for the common good.
Hence, the department did not support the imposition of a new verification fee.
Similarly,
the social welfare and Baitul Maal department secretary stated that the new
verification fee was not justified as the government was already charging them
the registration fees and most of the NGOs were performing philanthropic
activities at local level across the province and needed to be facilitated or
promoted instead of charging heavy fees on one pretext or the other.
The
home department had last week again sought the IG Police “to quote the relevant
provisions of law immediately for resubmission of the summary to the chief
minister.”
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1830765/punjab-govt-questions-police-boards-move-to-impose-fee-on-ngos
--------
Two
cops injured in Khuzdar grenade attack
May
1, 2024
KHUZDAR:
Two policemen were injured in a grenade attack on their official vehicle in
Khuzdar town on Tuesday night.
According
to officials, unknown motorcyclists attacked the CIA vehicle with a grenade in
the Jhalawan complex area, injuring two personnel, including a senior officer.
Police
rushed to the site soon after the blast and shifted the injured to Teaching
Hospital, Khuzdar.
“CIA
Khuzdar in-charge Maqbool Ahmed Mosyani received injuries as he was sitting in
the vehicle when the grenade exploded,” Ghulam Mustafa Rind, SHO of City Police
Station, told Dawn.
Officials
said the motorcyclists also hurled two grenades at a camp of Frontier Corps
which exploded in an open area. However, no human loss was reported.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1830684/two-cops-injured-in-khuzdar-grenade-attack
--------
South
Asia
Imam
among 6 killed as gunman attacks mosque in Afghanistan's Herat
May
1, 2024
A
gunman stormed a mosque in western Afghanistan, opening fire and killing six
people as they were praying, a Taliban official said Tuesday.
Local
media reports and a former president of Afghanistan said the mosque was targeted
because it was a place of worship for the country’s Shiite Muslim minority.
The
attack happened on Monday night in the district of Guzara in Herat province,
said Abdul Mateen Qani, a spokesman for the Taliban Interior Ministry. He said
in a post on the social media platform X that an investigation was underway.
No
one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which also wounded
another worshipper while the attacker fled. Local media reported that the
mosque’s imam was among those killed.
“I
strongly condemn the attack on the Imam Zaman Mosque,” former Afghan President
Hamid Karzai said on X. “I consider this terrorist act against all religious
and human standards.”
The
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan also condemned the attack,
which it said killed and wounded at least seven people, including a child. It
called for urgent accountability for perpetrators and protection measures for
Shitte communities.
The
Islamic State group’s affiliate in Afghanistan is a major Taliban rival and
frequently targets schools, hospitals, mosques and Shiite areas throughout the
country.
The
Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021, during the last weeks of
the chaotic departure of US and NATO troops from the country after 20 years of
war.
Despite
initial promises of a more moderate stance, the Taliban gradually reimposed a
harsh interpretation of Islamic law, or Shariah, as they did during their
previous rule of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.
Source:
indiatoday.in
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/woman-child-including-5-dead-at-mosque-in-afghanistan-2533783-2024-05-01
--------
Islamic
State claims responsibility for mosque shooting in western Afghanistan that
killed six people
May
01, 2024
Herat:
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a deadly shooting this week
targeting members of Afghanistan's minority Shiite community inside a mosque in
western Herat that resulted in the deaths of six people. Gunmen attacked the
mosque on Monday night during prayer time, killing at least five people,
according to the provincial governor.
The
dead included a woman and a child, and three people were also injured,
MawlawiNesar Ahmad Alyes, spokesman for Herat province's governor, said on
Tuesday. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, as per the
group's Telegram channel on late Tuesday. The terror group said one of its own
members attacked a “Shiite temple” in Herat province with machine-gun fire.
Local
media reported that the mosque’s imam was among those killed. Afghanistan’s
former President Hamid Karzai condemned the attack, saying on the social media
platform X that he considers “this terrorist act against all religious and
human standards.” The Taliban Interior Ministry has said that an investigation
is underway.
UN
condemns attack
The
IS affiliate in Afghanistan is a major Taliban rival and frequently targets
schools, hospitals, mosques and Shiite areas throughout the country. The latest
attack was condemned by the UN mission in Afghanistan, which called for urgent
accountability for perpetrators and protection measures for Shiite measures.
The
Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021, during the last weeks of
the chaotic departure of US and NATO troops from the country after 20 years of
war. Despite initial promises of a more moderate stance, the Taliban gradually
reimposed a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, or Shariah, as they did during
their previous rule of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.
The
Taliban has said they are focused on restoring security since taking over in
2021, but attacks targeting mosques, religious seminaries and government
buildings have continued despite an end to the 20-year war. Many attacks have
been claimed by the militant Islamic State group.
The
western Herat province, which borders Iran, is predominantly home to the Shiite
religious minority, which has been on the receiving end of some of the most
violent attacks against civilians in Afghanistan's bloody history.
People
desperate for security measures
Meanwhile,
people in the Herat province of Afghanistan have called for security after the
deadly Mosque attack. Mohammad Zaman, a resident of Herat, called for securing
the place of worship and said, "It is the nation's demand that the
government should secure all mosques and should pay more attention to this
matter."
This
attack occurred five months after gunmen attacked residents, including two Shia
clergy, in the Jabriyal neighbourhood west of Herat City. That attack killed
six persons, two of whom were women. Residents of Herat have demanded the
identification and conviction of those guilty of attacks on people in their
province.
The
most notorious attack linked to the Islamic State since the Taliban takeover
was in 2022 when at least 53 people, including 46 girls and young women, were
slain in the suicide bombing at an education centre in a Shia neighbourhood of
Kabul. The Taliban officials blamed the group for the attack but later claimed
that they had eliminated the Islamic State from Afghanistan and are highly
sensitive to suggestions the group has found safe haven in the country since
the withdrawal of foreign forces.
Source:
indiatvnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/islamic-state-claims-responsibility-for-mosque-shooting-in-western-afghanistan-people-killed-updates-2024-05-01-928940
--------
Kabir:
Islamic Emirate Supports Stability in the Region and the World
01-05-24
Mawlawi
Abdul Kabir, during the graduation ceremony of students at Kabul Polytechnic
University, said that the orders and pressures of world countries are not
acceptable.
This
senior official of the Islamic Emirate reiterated that no one will be allowed
to use Afghan soil against other countries.
“The
Islamic Emirate supports peace and stability in the region and the world, and
we do not allow anyone to misuse our land. The Islamic Emirate does not succumb
to anyone’s commands or pressures, instead, it values the enhancement of the
capacities of academic and professional staff. Educational institutions and
teachers must educate the country's youth within the framework of Islamic and
national values,” said Mawlawi Abdul Kabir.
The
acting Minister of Vice and Virtue, who was another speaker at the event,
stated that the era of warlordism in the country has ended, and now all Afghans
are united under the umbrella of an Islamic regime.
According
to Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, the Islamic Emirate is not opposed to modern
education, and they want students to learn religious sciences along with modern
sciences.
“The
country has now ended the era of warlordism, factionalism, ethnic divisiveness,
and partisanship, and we are all one Afghan nation,” he said.
The
acting Minister of Higher Education said that society needs well-qualified
individuals in both modern and religious sciences, and the Islamic Emirate is
attentive in this field.
“For
the prosperity and progress of the country, this society needs scholars,
Hafizes, Muftis, doctors, engineers, judges, and imams of congregational
prayers, without whom we cannot be self-sufficient,” said Neda Mohammad Nadim.
LatifullahKhairkhwa,
the deputy of the Ministry of Higher Education, said at the event: “I promise
you that we will use all available resources to enhance academic capacities in
universities.”
According
to information from Kabul Polytechnic University, 550 engineers from 17
different fields have graduated.
These
graduates request the caretaker government to provide them with job opportunities
in the country so they can serve their nation and its people.
Source:
tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188573
--------
Islamic
charitable giving may offer Bangladesh a route to climate adaptation
May
1, 2024
SATKHIRA,
BANGLADESH – Religious scholars in Bangladesh say the country should harness
the generosity of Muslims around the world and use their charitable giving to
help the country adapt to climate change.
They
said global faith-based finance could be a crucial way to support poor
countries whose needs for funds to adapt to climate change are 10 to 18 times
greater than the financing they currently receive.
"Being
good to others as well as the environment is seen as integral to being a good
person in Islam," said Md Riaz Uddin, an Islamic scholar and human rights
activist from Bangladesh who is the head of Boroikandi Madrasa, a religious
seminary.
Riaz
Uddin said there were different forms of charity that were either obligatory or
voluntary for Muslims, but all could be used to support people who were
destitute, or were exposed to serious risks due to climate change and natural
disasters.
Zakat
— giving to the poor and needy mandated by Islam — in Bangladesh alone has the
potential to raise close to $9.8 billion, according to a study last year.
Bangladesh
needs about $9 billion a year for climate adaptation, Environment, Forest and
Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said last month.
Giving
zakat is mandatory for all Muslims with wealth above a certain threshold in
order to support the poor, the debt-ridden, or people migrating with limited
resources.
In
Bangladesh, people mostly give informally and as they see fit — often handing
out clothes to poor relatives, or people in the neighborhood. Riaz Uddin said
that had limited long-term impact on the lives of the beneficiaries.
Zakir
H Khan, chief executive of the Dhaka-based research organization Change
Initiative, has studied the potential of Islamic charity for financing climate
action. He said that given the amount of money donated every year, better
coordination would do more to help the most climate-vulnerable groups.
"Instead
of using the charity money for one-off do-gooding, the money could be pooled
together and used in a planned way to transform the lives of climate
survivors," Khan said.
Clean
water
Some
organizations are already using zakat to adapt to climate change.
Wateraid,
an international non-governmental organization, focused on water, sanitation
and hygiene, is using Islamic charitable donations to build water solutions for
salinity-affected communities in countries in the global south that have large
Muslim populations such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and Mali.
"We
raise a lot of zakat money from countries like the U.K. to help communities at
the front line of the climate crisis," said Hasin Jahan, Wateraid's
Bangladesh country director.
On
the southwest coast of Bangladesh for example, religious schools struggle to
provide clean drinking water to students as there is little funding to address
issues such as the growing salinity of the water, which is made worse by
climate change.
Wateraid
focuses on girls and young women in these areas whose needs are often
neglected.
"Salt-free
drinking water at school is a relief — and on top of that we get free sanitary
pads to protect our health," said Suraiya Khatun, a 15-year-old student in
the region.
Islamic
schools teach about 2.8 million children in Bangladesh. They are now seeking
international religious donations to tackle growing heat, salinity and other
climate-related hazards that increasingly impact students' health.
Religious
scholars agree
One
country that has made progress in using Islamic charity for climate action is
Indonesia — a nation that needs $323 billion to meet its climate targets by
2030.
Indonesia's
council of religious scholars this year issued rulings on how zakat could be
used to build water facilities, or endow trusts with land or money to plant
more forests.
There
have been debates about using Islamic charity for meeting climate needs, but
religious scholars and finance experts are converging on the conclusion that it
can be used.
"We
hope that people will now have clarity that the religious scholars agree that
climate change is real and our scriptures teach us to protect the people's
future," said HayuPrabowo, chairman of the Environment and Natural
Resources Body at the Indonesian Ulema Council, made up of Indonesia's top
Islamic scholars.
World
Bank estimates show zakat financing could range from 1% to more than 4% of the
gross domestic product of Muslim countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia or
Sudan — which could act as a social safety net for the poor and vulnerable.
Faith-based
climate finance needs to choose the right mix of tools and technology to meet
the needs of beneficiaries, said Prabowo who is also a trustee of Faithinvest,
a network of impact investors from different religious groups.
For
example, zakat can only be used to help poor Muslims, but other forms of giving
such as sadaqah, which is purely voluntary, can support people of any faith. A
third mode of funding called waqf can be provided to institutions for long-term
investment.
A
range of organizations, including Wateraid, are tapping into sadaqah funding, while
Indonesia is using "green waqf" endowments to create forests on
degraded land.
Technology
is key at every stage of the faith-based financing process, from raising money
to implementing projects and ensuring trust in the process, Prabowo said.
Organizations
like Wateraid are raising zakat donations online, while Indonesian scholars are
working towards using blockchain technology to allow people to see where their
money is spent.
"Faith-based
charity has enormous potential to drive climate action — and with more and more
good examples on the ground, I hope faith-based climate finance will gain more
momentum," said Prabowo.
Source:
japantimes.co.jp
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/environment/2024/05/01/climate-change/islamic-bangladesh-climate-adaptation/
--------
French
teen killed by Afghan citizen; far-right criticizes immigration policy
April
30, 2024
Following
the killing of a French teenager by an Afghan migrant in the city of Châteauroux,
some far-right figures in France expressed concerns about the increasing number
of criminal migrants in the country.
These
politicians attribute the rise in crime to lax immigration policies and harshly
criticize them.
Jordan
Bardella, the leader of the far-right National Rally party, stated in a video
that uncontrolled immigration policy “brings predators into our homes and
jeopardizes our security and freedoms.”
French
media reported that a French teenager was killed on Saturday, April 27th, by a
teenage Afghan of the same age.
The
prosecutor of Châteauroux stated that the motive for the attack had no
connection to Islam and was not religiously motivated.
According
to the newspaper Parzin, witnesses said the altercation began after “racist” remarks
were made by Matthis (the victim).
After
a verbal argument and scuffle, the Afghan teenager attacked Matthis with a
knife.
Police
said the Afghan assailant had previously been pursued for theft and was
released thereafter. Marine Le Pen, the current leader of the National Rally
party, also said, “Will several of our children lose their lives because of
this foolish immigration policy?”
Eric
Ciotti, leader of the Republican party, also responded to the incident, saying,
“There is no forgiveness for him; his punishment is a prison and a plane
ticket, deportation”
Source:
khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/french-teen-killed-by-afghan-citizen-far-right-criticizes-immigration-policy/
--------
UN
emphasized urgency of protective measures for Shia community in Afghanistan
April
30, 2024
The
Office of the Deputy Mission of the United Nations Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan (UNAMA) has responded to the deadly attack yesterday in Herat, which
targeted worshippers as they were leaving the mosque, emphasizing the urgency
of protective measures for the Shia community in Afghanistan.
In
a statement posted on Tuesday, April 30th, on the social network, “The
investigation and response to the perpetrators and protective actions for the
Shia community in Afghanistan are urgently needed.”
UNAMA has emphasized the protection of the
Shia community in Afghanistan, stating that in the attack yesterday in Herat,
western Afghanistan, worshippers were targeted by armed gunmen as they were
leaving the “Imam Zamana Mosque” in the Guzara district of Herat province,
resulting in the deaths of six people, including a child and a woman, and
injuring two others.
This
attack has prompted widespread reactions, with officials from the previous
government, including former President Hamid Karzai and former Chief Executive
Abdullah Abdullah, condemning it.
The
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kabul has also condemned this attack
and expressed readiness to cooperate with the interim government in “combating
terrorism.”
The
perpetrators of this attack have not yet been identified, and no individual or
group has claimed responsibility for the attack on Shia worshippers in Herat.
Source:
khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/un-emphasized-urgency-of-protective-measures-for-shia-community-in-afghanistan/
--------
104
Detained for Forgery and Fraud in Kabul
01-05-24
Khalid
Zadran, the spokesperson for the Kabul Security Department, stated that these
individuals were detained in connection with fraudulent activities related to
passports and legal cases.
Zadran
said, "In the past three months, we have arrested approximately 104 people
on charges of forgery and handed them over to the law, who were engaged in
forgery and commission dealings."
However,
many citizens complain about the lack of transparency and the increase in
commission activities across various government institutions.
They
are calling for serious attention from the authorities on this matter.
Hussain
Omid, a resident of Kabul, told TOLOnews, "There should be transparency in
a government, and those who engage in forgery and commission dealings, and
those who issue passports and IDs for money are engaging in illegal
activities."
Amir
Shams, another Kabul resident, mentioned, "Forgery has greatly increased,
especially in the Passport Directorate and in the part dealing with
identification documents."
Meanwhile,
some experts believe that the arrested individuals should be legally punished
according to the law.
They
consider the enforcement of criminal law crucial for resolving citizens'
challenges.
Salim
Paigir, a political affairs expert, stated, "People who are caught in
forgery or any crime must be punished according to criminal law."
Previously,
the Kabul Security Department had reported 320 criminal incidents in the
capital during the month of Jadi of the last solar year, of which at least 257
people were arrested in connection with these incidents.
Source:
tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188584
--------
20
Jamaat-Shibir men held over Natore AL leader's murder
May
1, 2024
At
least 20 activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its associate body Chhatra Shibir
were detained in connection with the murder of Awami League leader Manjur
Rahman Manju, who was shot dead in Lalpurupazila of Natore yesterday, police
said.
Deceased
Manjur Rahman Manju, 47, was the vice president of Awami League's Gopalpur
Municipality unit.
The
incident took place in Gopalpur municipality area under Azimpur Railway Station
around 10:50pm yesterday, said Superintendent of Natore police Md Tariqul
Islam.
No
case was filed in this connection till 11:00am when the report was filed, he
said.
Quoting
locals, police said a gang of 4-5 masked criminals shot Manju in his head and
stomach and left the spot on foot.
After
locals took him to a nearby private clinic, doctors declared him dead.
Later,
police sent the body to Natore Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.
On
receiving information, the SP along with his team rushed to the spot and
started collecting CCTV footage to identify the accused, the police official
said.
The
police did not immediately know the motive behind the murder, the SP said.
On
December 28, 2018, Joint General Secretary of Gopalpur Municipality unit's Jubo
League Jaharul Islam was hacked to death by miscreants in front of North Bengal
Sugar Mill Gate.
Manju
was one of the main accused in the murder case, said Nasim Ahmed,
officer-in-charge of Lalpur Police Station.
Police
are looking into the murder of Manju seriously, keeping in mind the persons who
had disputes with him, the OC said.
Source:
thedailystar.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/20-jamaat-shibir-men-held-over-natore-al-leaders-murder-3599706
--------
Europe
Minnesota
Man Who Regrets Joining Islamic State Group Faces Sentencing On Terrorism
Charge
May
1, 2024
MINNEAPOLIS
(AP) — A Minnesota man who once fought for the Islamic State group in Syria but
now expresses remorse for joining a “death cult” and has been cooperating with
federal authorities will learn Wednesday how much prison time he faces.
Federal
prosecutors have recommended 12 years for Abelhamid Al-Madioum in recognition
both of the seriousness of his crime and the help has he given the U.S. and
other governments. His attorney says seven years is enough and that Al-Madioum,
27, stopped believing in the group's extremist ideology years ago.
Al-Madioum
was 18 in 2014 when IS recruited him. The college student slipped away from his
family on a visit to their native Morocco in 2015. Making his way to Syria, he
became a soldier for IS, also known as ISIS, until he was maimed in an
explosion in Iraq. Unable to fight, he used his computer skills to serve the
group. He surrendered to U.S.-backed rebels in 2019 and was imprisoned under
harsh conditions.
Al-Madioum
returned to the U.S. in 2020 and pleaded guilty in 2021 to providing material
support to a designated terrorist organization. According to court filings, he
has been cooperating with U.S. authorities and allied governments. The defense
says he hopes to work in future counterterrorism and deradicalization efforts.
“The
person who left was young, ignorant, and misguided," Al-Madioum said in a
letter to U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery, who will sentence him.
“I’ve
been changed by life experience: by the treachery I endured as a member of
ISIS, by becoming a father of four, a husband, an amputee, a prisoner of war, a
malnourished supplicant, by seeing the pain and anguish and gnashing of teeth
that terrorism causes, the humiliation, the tears, the shame,” he added. "I
joined a death cult, and it was the biggest mistake of my life.”
Prosecutors
acknowledge that Al-Madioum has provided useful assistance to U..S. authorities
in several national security investigations and prosecutions, that he accepted
responsibility for his crime and pleaded guilty promptly on his return to the
U.S. But they say they factored his cooperation into their recommended sentence
of 12 years instead of the statutory maximum of 20 years.
“The
defendant did much more than harbor extremist beliefs,” prosecutors wrote in a
sentencing memo. “He chose violent action by taking up arms for ISIS.”
A
naturalized U.S. citizen, Al-Madioum was among several Minnesotans suspected of
leaving the U.S. to join the Islamic State group, along with thousands of
fighters from other countries worldwide. Roughly three dozen people are known
to have left Minnesota to join militant groups in Somalia or Syria. In 2016,
nine Minnesota men were sentenced on federal charges of conspiring to join IS.
But
Al-Madioum is one of the relatively few Americans who've been brought back to
the U.S. who actually fought for the group. According to a defense sentencing
memo, he's one of 11 adults as of 2023 to be formally repatriated to the U.S.
from the conflict in Syria and Iraq to face charges for terrorist-related
crimes and alleged affiliations with IS. Others received sentences ranging from
four years to life plus 70 years.
Al-Madioum
grew up in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park in a loving and
nonreligious family, the defense memo said. He joined IS because he wanted to
help Muslims who he believed were being slaughtered by Syrian President Bashar
Assad's regime in that country's civil war. IS recruiters persuaded him “to
test his faith and become a real Muslim.”
But
he was a fighter for less than two months before he lost his right arm below
the elbow in the explosion that also left him with two badly broken legs and
other severe injuries. He may still require amputation of one leg, the defense
says.
While
recuperating in 2016, he met his first wife Fatima, an IS widow who already had
a son and bore him another in 2017. They lived in poverty and under constant
airstrikes. He was unable to work, and his stipend from IS stopped in 2018.
They lived in a makeshift tent, the defense says.
He
married his second wife, Fozia, in 2018. She also was an IS widow and already
had a 4-year-old daughter. They had separated by early 2019. He heard later she
and their daughter together had died. The first wife also is dead, having been
shot in front of Al-Madioum by either rebel forces or an IS fighter in 2019,
the defense says.
The
day after that shooting, he walked with his sons and surrendered to the
Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which held him under conditions the
defense described as “heinous” for 18 months until the FBI returned him to the
U.S.
As
for Al-Madioum’s children, the defense memo said they were eventually found in
a Syrian orphanage and his parents will be their foster parents when they
arrive in the U.S.
Source:
yahoo.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.yahoo.com/news/minnesota-man-regrets-joining-islamic-050825832.html
--------
Wakeley
Stabbing: ‘Sydney Teenager Part Of Group Wanting To Stab Non-Muslims, Court
Told
Mostafa
Rachwani
Wed,
1 May 2024
A
“quiet and respectful” 15-year-old being held on terror charges was allegedly
part of a group-chat in which he professed to wanting to “stab” and “attack”
non-Muslims, a court has heard.
The
messages were revealed in Parramatta Children’s Court on Wednesday, as part of
the teenagers application for bail, after he was arrested and charged after
recent counter-terrorism raids.
Police
alleged the teenager sent messages to a group chat on Signal called “Plans”
that he allegedly wanted to target Jewish people.
“Don’t
youse want to do an attack, … what about jews, I am so cut, I want to do it so
bad,” he allegedly wrote in one message.
In
another, the court heard, he allegedly said:
“I
really want to do an attack too, I have so much hatred for kuffar (non-Muslims)
its not funny, I want to do jihad now,” he allegedly wrote in another message.
Magistrate
James Viney said the messages were “gravely concerning, deeply disturbing and
very serious.”
He
did not make a decision on bail, adjourning the court until Thursday morning to
consider the seriousness of the issues surrounding the case.
The
boy’s defence tendered documents in court, including report cards, a
psychological report and an affidavit from his mother that painted a picture of
a teenager with behavioural issues.
The
teenager’s solicitor, Ahmed Dib, described the boy as “quiet” and “respectful”
in opening remarks, adding that he had trouble with his confidence and with
concentrating.
Police
allege that some of the messages they tendered as part of their evidence came
in the days after a 16-year-old allegedly stabbed bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at a
church in western Sydney in early April.
Those
include allegedly telling the group chat he wanted to “stab a kuffar dog” and
in a seperate message, telling an associate he knew the alleged attacker,
saying he was a “mate.”
Police
alleged in court that the groupchat featured co-conspirators who were planning
an upcoming attack, however the defence refuted that any such plan was in
motion.
They
said that no “substantial plan” was mentioned by the Police fact sheet, and
that if there was “significant planning”, Police would have outlined it.
The
defence claimed the teenager was venting to his group, and that he had a
history of struggling with confidence. They claimed he was “bragging in a macho
way” in order to be “accepted by the group.”
They
alleged that a “large portion” of the police fact sheet was relying on
conversations between the accused co-conspirators.
The
teenager was the youngest of the five juveniles arrested and charged with
conspiracy to engage in any act in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist
act. As part of the search warrants executed last week, a further two teenagers
have been charged with possessing or controlling violent extremist material.
Dib
said the conversations and messages tendered to court by Police did not amount
to “substantial planning.”
“In
terms of taking proactive steps, this was a young person venting unethically,
its deranged, but does not go to strength of prosecution case.”
Dib
also pointed to a seperate incident in which the teenager, alongside another
co-accused, allegedly attacked a liquor store in the days after the stabbing at
the church.
In
that incident, it is alleged a wooden plank was thrown at the liquor store
staff member, and that the two teenagers were allegedly found to have “kitchen
knives” on them by police when they were arrested.
But
Dib said it was a “significant jump” to go from allegedly throwing a wooden
plank at someone and planning a terrorist attack.
“He
does not pull that knife out at any point,” Dib told the court. “He complies
with police, its a very different type of person to the one described as having
potential to carry out terror attack.”
As
part of the search warrant executed on the teenager’s home, Police seized a
tomahawk and a hunting knife, however the defence alleged they were found in
the garage, and were “gardening tools.”
The
prosecution sought an adjournment to assess new evidence tendered to court late
on Wednesday that detailed how potential electronic monitoring could work if
the boy is granted bail.
A
decision is expected on Thursday morning.
Source:
yahoo.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/wakeley-stabbing-quiet-respectful-sydney-090808461.html
--------
Muslim
Aid receives living wage accreditation
By
Zoe Wickens
30th
April 2024
UK
charity Muslim Aid has been accredited as a living wage employer as part of its
strategy to enhance employee satisfaction and retention, and demonstrate its
commitment to social justice.
As
the charity’s head office is based in London, and the majority of its UK staff
are based there, it wanted to ensure that all of its employees receive at least
a minimum hourly wage of £13.15, which is the living wage rate for the capital
and is higher than the current £11.44 government minimum wage for those aged 21
and above. The London rate works out at £23,933 per annum based on a 35-hour
week.
The
real living wage is calculated by the Living Wage Foundation according to the
cost of living. It is a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure
their staff earn a wage that is sufficient for a decent standard of living,
rather than just the government minimum. The London rate is £13.15 per hour,
Zakya
Hussain, head of people and culture and services at Muslim Aid, said: “Paying
the real living wage is a commitment to existing and future employees that
working for us means that they’re part of an organisation that lives by its values
and treats people well, ensuring they will earn a good living for themselves
and their families, as well as doing good for others in society.”
Khalid
Javid, chief executive officer of Muslim Aid, added: “At Muslim Aid, we believe
that dignity and respect should be the foundation of our employment practices.
Committing to the living wage is more than a policy, it’s a reflection of our
values and our dedication to our team.”
Initiatives
that Muslim Aid has in place to enhance work-life balance include extra paid
days off on the two Muslim festivals of Eid every year, paid pilgrimage leave,
hybrid working, flexible working hours, remote work options and mental health
support training. It also offers professional development training and wellness
workshops that focus on stress management and health.
Source:
employeebenefits.co.uk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://employeebenefits.co.uk/muslim-aid-receives-living-wage-accreditation/
--------
Lord
David Cameron appears to rule out proscribing Iran's Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps
30
April 2024
Lord
Cameron has appeared to rule out the Iranian regime's military arm being
proscribed as a terrorist group, as he wants to maintain diplomatic relations
with Tehran.
The
foreign secretary explained the government's stance in an appearance before the
House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee.
Lord
Cameron was asked about the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which
carries out operations both inside and outside Iran.
This
is reported to include capturing ships and launching missiles at Syria and
Iraq, and the recent attacks against Israel.
There
have been calls for the UK to proscribe the IRGC as a terrorist group, but Lord
Cameron said this was not necessary and the current status of the group being
sanctioned as a whole is a strong enough stance.
He
told the committee: "All of the things we need to do to put pressure on
Iran, and to make sure that where they act illegally we can act against them, are
in place through our sanctions regime that we have enhanced.
"We
have sanctioned the IRGC in its entirety. When I ask law enforcement, police,
intelligence services, others, is this extra step of proscription necessary in
order to take further action against these people when they do the things that
we disapprove of, the answer is no."
He
added: "There is a disadvantage, to be frank about it, from proscription,
which is it would effectively end diplomatic relations, and while our
diplomatic relations are pretty terse, and I say that with meaning as someone
who has had very many conversations with the Iranian foreign minister, we are
actually able to have that conversation.
"When
it comes to trying to stop the escalation of the conflict, when it comes to delivering
a very direct message to the Iranians... I want to have that conversation
myself, I don't want to ring up my French counterpart and say 'could you
message the Iranians with this message?'
"I
think that is not in Britain's interest, that wouldn't strengthen our approach,
in many ways it would weaken it."
Rishi
Sunak faced renewed calls to proscribe the IRGC following Iran's direct attack
on Israel earlier in April.
In
response, the UK promised diplomatic action alongside the G7, and later
sanctioned Iran's ability to create and launch drones, as well as parts of the
IRGC.
Among
those calling for the IRGC to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation at the
time were former home secretary Suella Braverman and former work and pensions
secretary Sir Iain Duncan Smith.
Proscription
would mean that being a member of or supporting the IRGC would be against the
law.
Source:
news.sky.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://news.sky.com/story/lord-david-cameron-appears-to-rule-out-proscribing-irans-islamic-revolutionary-guard-corps-13126375
--------
Qur'anic
Studies and the Early History of Islam
Apr
27, 2024
How
far can the traditional narratives about the emergence of a particular religion
be considered to correspond to historical reality? This sort of question is
especially relevant for religions in the more distant past such as Judaism,
Christianity and Islam.
By
now, there is a huge amount of research in the field of Biblical criticism,
which explores Biblical texts from a variety of angles such as textual
criticism (trying to determine the original text based on surviving
manuscripts) and source criticism (trying to determine sources for those texts)
and then the wider question of the historicity of the narratives contained in
those texts. The corresponding research approaches in Western scholarship to
Islamic texts- in particular, the Qur'an- have been seen as lagging behind
Biblical studies, but I think there is a potential to mischaracterise the
field. That is, it might be assumed by some that the study of the early history
of Islam is marred by 'political correctness' and a fear of offending Muslims
that prevents scholars from being too bold in questioning the origins of Islam.
Such an impression, for example, was reinforced by the publication of 'The
Syro-Aramaic Reading of the Koran' under the pseudonym of 'Christoph Luxenberg'
in a bid to protect against reprisals.
Source:
aymennjawad.org
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://aymennjawad.org/2024/04/quranic-studies-and-the-early-history-of-islam
--------
Southeast
Asia
Islamist
Figures And Their Limited Role In Indonesia’s 2024 Presidential Election –
Analysis
May
1, 2024
This
article discusses the role of Indonesian Islamists in the 2024 Presidential
Election. Although Islamists are generally peripheral players in Indonesian
politics, they have had significant influence on Indonesia’s social and
political conditions, due to their religious legitimacy and their skills in
mobilising the masses.
A
case in point was their role in the anti-Ahok protests in the run-up to the
Jakarta gubernatorial election in 2017. Despite being small in numbers, the
Islamists rallied as the 212 Aksi Bela Islam Movement (Defending Islam
Movement) and managed to mobilise Muslims from various backgrounds to stage a
series of protests against Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), former governor of
Jakarta whom they accused of committing blasphemy against Islam. The protests,
one of which was the biggest in Indonesian history, successfully prevented
Ahok, who held a double minority status, a Christian and a Chinese Indonesian,
from winning the election. At the same time, the protests also brought Habib Rizieq,
the leader of the Islamic Defender’s Front (FPI) and a long-time fringe player
in Indonesian politics, to the apex of his social and political status. The
Islamists also played a significant role in instigating anti-Ahmadiyah and
anti-Shia protests nationwide; these were rampant during the presidency of
SusiloBambangYudhoyono (2004-2014).
“Islamists”
in this article loosely refers to Islamic activists who operate outside the
formal political structure. In other words, they do not occupy positions as leaders
of political parties, councillors, legislators or state actors. Instead, they
promote their ideas and interests through street protests and religious events.
A substantial number of Islamists are leaders and members of FPI, Hizbut Tahrir
Indonesia (HTI), and the Salafi movement.[1] According to scholar Greg Fealy,
they aspire “to make Islamic law and values a central part of public life and
the structure of the state.”[2] Unlike moderate Muslims, Islamists tend to
support the establishment of Sharia law and reject the appointment of
non-Muslim leaders in strategic leadership positions such as governorship or
presidency (and vice-presidency). However, Islamists do not support acts of
terror and, therefore, are distinct from extremist Muslims.
It
is important to note that Indonesian Muslims are diverse in orientation. For
the purpose of this research, the definition of Islamist used in this article
excludes moderate Muslims of the modernist and traditionalist type (people who
follow religious beliefs and practices of Muhammadiyah and Nadhlatul Ulama,
respectively) as well as religious figures and organisations that support
terrorism such as Jamaah Ansharut Daulah or other supporters of the Islamic
State (ISIS).
Recent
academic literature discusses Islamists resorting to populism or riding on
blasphemy issues to gain religious legitimacy. Some scholars have argued that
populism among Islamists arose due to deepening religious conservatism,[3]
while others contend that this is instead due to experiences of social
injustice.[4] Islamists have also used blasphemy to attain their objectives.[5]
This
article seeks to expand the existing scholarship on the role of Islamists in
Indonesian politics. This article will also discuss the future of Islamists in
the post-Joko Widodo era as his term ends in October 2024. It argues that the
Islamists’ loss in significance in the 2024 Presidential Election was mainly
due to their social and political influence being weakened by state repression
under Joko Widodo, and to shifts in political alliances among nationalists and
religious elites.
The
protests against Ahok in 2017 sharply increased Islamists’ political influence.
The effective framing of the blasphemy case saw the National Movement to
Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Fatwa (GNPF-MUI) successfully
mobilising thousands of Muslims to participate in the series of protests.
While
the protests targeted Ahok, the ultimate aim of the Islamists was to undermine
Joko Widodo’s popularity and power going into the 2019 Presidential
Election.[6] Following the successful anti-Ahok protests, the Islamists formed
the Persaudaraan Alumni 212 (the 212 Brotherhood Alumni) to sustain the
momentum of the Aksi Bela Islam movement and uphold public support for them.
However,
the political influence of the Islamists weakened when Joko Widodo began
consolidating his power by controlling security apparatuses, building stronger
ties with civil society, and expanding a coalition of parties to control seats
in the parliament. Joko Widodo granted strategic security positions to at least
two individuals with whom he had established relationships during his tenure as
mayor of Solo between 2005 and 2012. Hadi Tjahjanto, the man Joko Widodo
installed as the chief of the Indonesian military on 8 December 2017, was a
military airport commander in Solo between 2010 and 2011, while
ListyoSigitPrabowo, chief of the Solo police between 2010 and 2012, was
appointed as national chief of police on 27 January 2021.
Joko
Widodo also obtained support from civil society by building partnerships with
Nadhlatul Ulama, for example, by appointing Ma’ruf Amin, a senior NU cleric, as
his vice-presidential candidate. Nadhlatul Ulama is Indonesia’s largest Muslim
organisation whose moderate ideology stands in contrast to that of the
Islamists. Good ties with NU is strategic as a vote-getter and the move proved
hugely successful in the 2019 Presidential Election. Partnership with NU
provided the government with an effective counterbalance to the power of the
Islamists.
Joko
Widodo also successfully expanded a coalition of political parties to have a
firmer grip on the House of Representatives. At the beginning of his
administration in 2014, he controlled 207 seats out of the total 560 seats in
the parliament.[7] In 2022, he added more parties to the pro-government
coalition, increasing the number of seats under his control to 471 seats –
equivalent to 81.9 percent of the total seats.[8] He consolidated his power
through a carrot-and-stick approach. On one hand, he offered governmental
positions, including ministerial positions, to parties in exchange for their
support.[9] On the other hand, he ensured that none of these positions were
offered to opposition parties, including the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
As
Joko Widodo’s power base grew, the Islamists faced contrasting fates including
legal prosecution. Their frontman, Habib RizieqShihab, was jailed for spreading
fake news while another prominent figure during the 212 protest, Mohammad Al
Khaththath, was arrested on treason charges. In addition, seven FPI executives
were arrested on various charges including terrorism. Islamist organisations
also became a target of state repression. HTI was banned in 2018, followed by
FPI two years later. The criminalisation and the banning of these organisations
weakened the Islamists, and explains their limited influence during the 2024
presidential campaign.
SHIFTING
POLITICAL ALLIANCES
Another
factor that has weakened the Islamists is the shift in political alliances. In
the 2014 and 2019 presidential elections, Islamists had rendered their support
to PrabowoSubianto. However, Jokowi successfully convinced pro-Prabowo Islamist
supporters to switch allegiance to his camp. In 2014, only one Islamic party
supported Jokowi, but the number increased to three in the 2019 election: the
Nation Awakening Party (PKB), the United Development Party (PPP) and the
Crescent Star Party (PBB). Some politicians who had been known to support
Islamist causes also left Prabowo in favour of Jokowi, including Ali
MochtarNgabalin, KapitraAmpera, YusrilIhza Mahendra and Zainul Majdi.[10] Their
departure not only weakened the Islamists, it also made them vulnerable.
A
political bombshell was dropped when Prabowo accepted Jokowi’s offer to join
his administration and cast aside his Islamist allies while seeking political
support from moderate Muslim figures and organisations such as Nadhlatul
Ulama.[11] Islamists felt that Prabowo abandoned them, and called him “a
traitor.”[12]
Going
into the 2024 Presidential Election, support for Islamic parties was
fragmented. The Prabowo-Gibran pair obtained support from PBB and the National
Mandate Party (PAN), whereas the Anies-Muhaimin and Ganjar-Mahfud pairs
received support from PKS and PPP respectively. As a result of the three-way
race and the fragmented support from Islamic parties, identity politics became
a non-viable weapon. This resulted in little demand among candidates to engage
with the Islamists to mobilise the masses.
Initially,
none of the presidential and vice-presidential candidate pairs sought support
from the 212 Brotherhood Alumni. Anies-Muhaimin ultimately did, and on 21
November 2023, they signed an integrity pact with 212 on 14 December 2023.
THE
RISE AND DECLINE OF THE ISLAMIST POLITICAL BASE
The
following paragraphs examine the loss in stature of some prominent Islamist
personalities in the face of state repression and shifting political alliances.
Mohammad
Al Khaththath,also known as GatotSaptono, the Secretary General of Forum Umat
Islam (FUI),played a prominent role as GNPF MUI’s secretary general during the
protests against Ahok. However, after his arrest on 31 March 2017 on treason
charges, he remained inactive. He was released in July 2017 at the request of
his wife and an influential ulema. Mohammad Al Khaththath only appeared once in
public on 10 October 2023 when he normatively called for the public and
government to promote a peaceful election.[13]
Islamists
who played a more active role, albeit with limited influence, in the 2024
Presidential Election were Habib RizieqShihab, Novel Bamukmin, Bachtiar Nasir
and Yusuf Muhammad Martak. All, except Bachtiar Nasir, remain active in the 212
Brotherhood Alumni movement.
The
controversial firebrand cleric, Habib RizieqShihab, was rather muted throughout
the election.This founder ofFPI in 1998, who then expanded it into a
national-scale organisation, was known
for leading his men in street protests for a variety of causes. Rizieq, who is
now the chairman of the 212 Brotherhood Alumni’s governing board, is known for
his combative and divisive sermons publicised at various religious and
community events nationwide. His social and political career has experienced
several ups and downs. He was imprisoned for provoking violence in 2008 and for
defamation in 2003, but he enjoyed the peak of his Islamic activism career
after successfully inspiring and mobilising people for the anti-Ahok protests
between 2016 and 2017. His role made him one of the nation’s prominent
political players as well as influential ulema. In 2018, a survey found that he
was among the five most influential ulema in Indonesia.[14] His political
career suffered a setback in 2020 after he was found guilty of spreading fake
news and lying about the results of his Covid-19 test. He was released on
parole in July 2022 which is to end in June 2024. During the 2024 Presidential
Election campaign, he often appeared at religious events both offline and
online. He appeared most frequently on the Islamic Brotherhood Television, the
official media of the Front Persaudaraan Islam (Islamic Brotherhood Front), the
organisation that replaced FPI. Perhaps bound by parole regulations, Habib
Rizieq appeared less critical of Joko Widodo’s regime and mostly addressed
general topics relating to the presidential election. He eventually expressed
his support for Anies-Muhaimin. Unlike in past elections, Habib Rizieq did not
organise or participate in any movement to support his preferred candidates.
Novel
Bamukmin is the 212 Brotherhood Alumni’s deputy secretary general. He was
active at FPI’s Jakarta chapter, but was fired from his position and had his
membership revoked in December 2017, for internal insubordination. He joined
the 212 Brotherhood Alumni in 2018 where he has since served as one of the
executives in the Islamist organisation. He remained outspoken and often
created social controversies through comments in the mainstream media. In 2023,
he opposed the organising of Coldplay concert in Jakarta, accusing the music
group of promoting Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Trans-Sexual (LGBT)
interests.[15] He also often participated in street protests that promote the
interests of FPI, and later, PA 212. Recently, he made public comments
regarding the 212 Brotherhood Alumni’s political position in the 2024 Presidential
Election. The organisation eventually supported the candidacy of AniesBaswedan
and Muhaimin Iskandar. However, as explained above, the organisation’s power
had weakened to such an extent that the candidate pair took their support
reluctantly.
Bachtiar
Nasir, a Salafist, is a seasoned activist. He is an educator, ulema and the
secretary general of the Council of Indonesian Intellectuals and Young Ulema
(MIUMI). He became widely known after assuming the position of chairman and
guarantor of GNPF MUI in 2016. He was mainly responsible for formulating the
protest agenda, ensuring the protests received sufficient funding and making
sure that the protests ran smoothly without major incidents. After stepping
down in 2018, Bachtiar faced several charges including treason and money
laundering. However, his cases have remained stagnant; the police has neither
continued their investigation nor officially closed the matter. In the run-up
to the 2024 Presidential Election, he attended some huge events such as Gontor
Islamic boarding school alumni’s declaration of support for Anies and Muhaimin,
and the biggest outdoor campaign for Anies-Muhaimin in Jakarta International
Stadium in North Jakarta on 10 February 2024.[16] However, he did not partake
in organising these events, in stark contrast to the central role he played in
organising the anti-Ahok protests.
Unlike
other Islamists, Yusuf Muhammad Martak, the chairman of the 212 Brotherhood
Alumni’s advisory council, is quite new to Islamic activism. He comes from a
family of businessmen who have an interest in politics. His uncle,
FaradjMartak, donated his house to Soekarno, Indonesia’s independence fighter
and the country’s first president.[17] He spent much of his career as a
businessman. His social and political career began when he served as MUI’s
treasurer in 2015. He later joined the 212 movement and remains active in it.
Representing the movement, he demanded that the Indonesia Election Commission
cancel Joko Widodo-Ma’ruf Amin’s victory in the 2019 Presidential Election for
electoral fraud. In the recent presidential election, he was one of the
executives in the campaign team for Anies-Muhaimin.
The
above cases show that a majority of the Islamists, except for Yusuf Martak,
are ulema who are also capable of
mobilising the masses. The Islamists had been able to collaborate militant or
conservative causes, as demonstrated in the anti-Ahok and anti-Ahmadiyah
protests. Such collaborations had boosted their political power. However, they
played a limited role during the 2024 Presidential Election following state
repression by the Joko Widodo regime and the shifting political alliances among
political actors.
CONCLUSION
To
conclude, this article has explained that Islamists failed to play a
significant role in the 2024 Presidential Election due to repression under
President Joko Widodo and the shifting of political alliances. This was further
proven by the limited role some Islamist key figures played, such as
RizieqShihab, Novel Bamukmin, Yusuf Martak and Bachtiar Nasir.
However,
under President PrabowoSubianto, the Islamists are anticipated to have more
room to manoeuvre. It is expected that they will no longer face stiff social
and political pressure from the state given Prabowo’s history of working
together with Islamists. It is unlikely that Prabowo will resort to social and
political repression. Prabowo is a secular nationalist, and hence, uninterested
in Islamic activism. He is nevertheless pragmatic, and working together with
the Islamists to further his agenda remains on the table. Despite setbacks
under President Joko Widodo, the Islamists will continue to have influence in
Indonesian social and political spheres.
Source:
eurasiareview.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.eurasiareview.com/01052024-islamist-figures-and-their-limited-role-in-indonesias-2024-presidential-election-analysis/
--------
CNA
Correspondent Podcast: Shifting tides of political Islam in Malaysia and
Indonesia
01
May 2024
Corruption
scandals and changing lifestyles see Muslims in Malaysia turning to Islamic
party PAS and influential religious leaders for guidance, while the recent
presidential election in Indonesia suggests political Islam is waning there.
Arnold
Gay speaks to CNA's NivellRayda and Amir Yusof to find out what's shaping these
religious trends.
Amir
Yusof on why political Islam is gaining popularity in Malaysia:
NivellRayda
on why things are different in Indonesia:
Source:
channelnewsasia.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/podcasts/cna-correspondent-podcast-shifting-tides-political-islam-malaysia-and-indonesia-4300271
--------
With
PM Lee's last major speech before handover, election campaigning 'has started':
Analysts
01
May 2024
SINGAPORE:
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s final major speech as Singapore's leader on
Wednesday (May 1) can be seen as an election campaign speech, according to
political analysts.
The
May Day address, delivered two weeks before he hands the reins to Deputy Prime
Minister Lawrence Wong on May 15, was Mr Lee’s final chance to address the
nation in his current capacity before the next General Election, which experts
predict will be called by year-end.
“Since
the new Prime Minister is likely to deliver the National Day Rally (NDR)
solely, this is the last platform for Prime Minister (Lee) to deliver his
'election' message,” said former Member of Parliament Inderjit Singh.
He
described the annual May Day Rally, which takes place on Labour Day, as equally
significant as the NDR, a key political speech delivered after National Day in
August.
In
his speech on Wednesday which lasted over an hour, Mr Lee touched on the
government’s achievements during his 20-year tenure, as well as fundamentals
which have helped Singapore overcome past challenges.
Associate
Professor of Law at the Singapore Management University Eugene Tan said Mr
Lee’s speech was about rallying the nation before the handover.
“It
is also about reminding Singaporeans that the People's Action Party (PAP)
government has kept to its word and to enthuse Singaporeans about the future,”
said Assoc Prof Tan.
“The
next election is a pivotal one and so we should not be surprised that the
campaigning has started in earnest.”
EMPHASIS
ON PAP’S TRACK RECORD
Analysts
said that in sharing his achievements, as well as that of his predecessors Lee
Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong, Mr Lee was driving home the ruling PAP's good track
record - one that Singaporeans can be assured of Mr Wong maintaining as well.
For
Mr Lee, a key factor here "is that the PAP system works and that
Singaporeans should trust that the PAP government will also make things work in
the future”, said Mr Singh, who was the Prime Minister's fellow MP in the Ang
Mo Kio constituency.
He
added that given the short runway for Mr Wong’s 4G or fourth-generation
leadership team, Mr Lee was also laying out the PAP’s track record as a way to
boost confidence in the next government.
Mr
Wong was named 4G leader in April 2022, a year after Deputy Prime Minister HengSweeKeat
took himself out of the running for the top job in April 2021.
FUNDAMENTALS
AMID CHALLENGES
The
Prime Minister also devoted much of his speech to outlining that the three
imperatives of social cohesion, long-term planning, and political stability and
trust would remain crucial to Singapore in a future riven with geopolitical
rivalries and economic uncertainty.
His
intention here was to assure the people that the fundamental principles that
have served Singapore would continue to carry it forward, analysts said.
"The
PAP's election strategy has from time to time (been) to appeal to voters that
in difficult times, they should elect the tested party who have delivered in
the past and that they should not rock the boat by voting for the
opposition," said Mr Singh.
He
added that Mr Lee wanted to deliver the message that voters "should trust
the PAP to help us ride through the difficult time expected ahead".
Assoc
Prof Tan said it was significant for Mr Lee to emphasise "the virtuous
circle that has kept Singapore thriving".
The
message was that "in a more precarious future, we must not fall for
political fads and political entrepreneurs but instead stay grounded on what
truly matters for a small state like Singapore".
Independent
political observer Felix Tan said Mr Lee was also telling Singaporeans to not
assume things would stay the same.
He
was stressing that in the face of crises, people can depend on the PAP "to
bring Singapore to the next level", said Dr Tan.
SETTING
THE STAGE
Dr
Tan added that beyond giving Mr Wong and the 4G team a vote of confidence, Mr
Lee’s speech served as a reminder of the challenging task that confronts them.
“(It)
is also to remind the new 4G leaders not to just rest on the achievements of
the 3G leaders,” the observer said.
“Now
that they have big shoes to fill; they need to strike out on their own, create
their own history, make their own stories," said Dr Tan.
"Whatever
becomes of that story, it is them that are answerable to Singaporeans at the
end of the day."
Source:
channelnewsasia.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/pm-lee-hsien-loong-may-day-rally-election-campaign-ge-pap-4305666
--------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/modi-dalit-adivasi-obc-muslims-pm/d/132242