Modi Govt 3.0 Has 10 Dalit Ministers, 5 From Religious Minorities but No Muslims
New Age Islam News Bureau
11 Jun 2024
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Union ministers
Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Hardeep Singh Puri at the swearing-in ceremony
Sunday | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
------------
·
Modi Govt 3.0 Has 10 Dalit Ministers, 5 From
Religious Minorities but No Muslims
·
Islamic State Group-Allied Militants Kill
Dozens in Eastern Congo
·
Saudi Arabia Warns of Hot Summer in This Year’s
Hajj
·
US Rights Groups File Appeal Against Biden,
Blinken, Austin Over Complicity In Gaza Genocide
·
Hamas and Islamic Jihad Movements Hold Meeting
in Doha
India
·
Muslims responsible for their own condition: UP
Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar
·
Muslim Gives Birth On Mahalaxmi Express, To
Name Girl After Goddess
·
Lack of Muslim Representation in Modi Govt
'Extremely Undemocratic', Says KPCC Chief
·
Ajit Pawar-led NCP leader demands reservation
for Muslims in Maharashtra
·
Reasi terrorist attack: CM Yogi directs grant
of financial aid to four victims from UP
·
Protests across Jammu over demand for security
after nine pilgrims die in terror attack
·
Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks with Amir
of Qatar, both leaders vow to advance India-Qatar ties
--------
Africa
·
American troops begin withdrawal from Niger
·
Stranded migrants face violence as Tunisia
blocks Europe route
·
Haiti: Imminent deployment of Kenya-led
international police force
·
Sudan's Internal Displacement surpasses 10
Million - UN
·
Acceptable hajj sure path to paradise, says
Islamic scholar
·
Search underway for Malawi vice president after
military jet disappears
--------
Arab World
·
King Salman issues royal order to host family
members of Palestinian victims for Hajj
·
Jazan border officers foil qat smuggling
attempt
·
Saudi interior minister inspects Hajj security
forces preparations
·
Smallest, most advanced pacemaker saves life of
Chinese pilgrim
·
Saudi Arabia highlights regulations for safe
Hajj
·
King Abdulaziz Public Library tour chronicles
legacy of the Two Holy Mosques
·
500 Civilian Security Personnel at Grand Mosque
Ensure Smooth Hajj Services, Crowd Management
--------
North America
·
Four American educators stabbed in park in
northeast China, say US media and officials
·
A Decade Since the Fall Of Mosul To The Islamic
State
·
Jurors in Hunter Biden’s gun trial begin deliberating
whether he’s guilty of federal firearm charges
--------
Mideast
·
Radical Islamist Mob Attacks Dance Troupe
inTurkey’s Diyarbakir, Injures Two
·
Hamas, Palestinian Authority Welcome UN
Security Council Resolution for Gaza Ceasefire
·
Israel kills 3 Hezbollah members on Syria
border: Lebanon army source
·
UN suspends delivery of aid to Gaza via US pier
·
Islamic Resistance attacks Israeli targets with
UAVs
·
Hamas welcomes Islamic G8 meeting outputs
·
What does Israel’s rescue of 4 captives, and
the killing of 274 Palestinians, mean for truce talks?
--------
Pakistan
·
Nawaz Sharif, Narendra Modi exchange rare
greetings after Indian elections
·
Govt taking major steps to empower women in
region: GB CM
·
Depriving KP of uplift funds fuelling terror
surge, says PTI
·
'Diplomatic compulsion', says defence minister
on PM Shehbaz's greetings to Modi
·
Ishaq Dar in Amman to attend high-level
conference on Gaza
·
Paigham-e-Pakistan Conference held in Lahore
·
Pak Army organizes free autism screening camp
in Aliabad, Hunza
--------
Europe
·
London Police Investigate Arson at A Home That Muslim
Group Calls Islamophobic Attack
·
Election 2024: Labour’s Gaza stance has driven
many Muslim candidates to stand as independents
·
Old NatWest bank in Sutton Road in Maidstone
‘will not be a mosque’ says new owner
·
Dmitry Trenin: Here’s how Russia can prevent
WW3
·
Russia thanks China for skipping Ukraine ‘peace
conference’
·
Russia ready to strike NATO airfields hosting
Ukrainian jets – MP
--------
South Asia
·
Three Rohingyas Killed in Bangladesh After Clash
Between Rival Groups Over Dominance
·
Denmark contributes over $7 million in aid to
Afghanistan
·
World Food Programme calls for $650 million aid
for Afghanistan
·
Uzbekistan provides 50 scholarships for Afghan
students: Taliban official
·
Mining helps Afghanistan reach self-sufficiency
·
IEA’s 23rd Cabinet Meeting Addresses Kabul
Master Plan and Enhances Inter-Ministerial Coordination
·
Every village to be brought under civic
amenities: PM
·
PM provides 18,566 more houses to homeless as
Eid gift
--------
Southeast Asia
·
Case remention for couple supplying firearms to
Israeli on July 11
·
China Press’ Facebook page taken down,
announces move to different account
·
Malaysia ranked third happiest Southeast Asian
country for youths
·
Indonesia Says UN’s Gaza Ceasefire Resolution
is Long Overdue
·
Prabowo Finally Meets with 'Good Friend' Jordan
King in Amman
·
Presidents Past and Present to Gather for
Independence Day in Jakarta and Nusantara
·
Minister: Another Malaysian Haj pilgrim dies in
Mecca, five deceased and 56 hospitalised so far
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
Modi
govt 3.0 has 10 Dalit ministers, 5 from religious minorities but no Muslims
SHANKER
ARNIMESH
10 June,
2024
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi with Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and
Hardeep Singh Puri at the swearing-in ceremony Sunday | Praveen Jain | ThePrint
--------------
New
Delhi: The 71 Union ministers who were sworn in alongside Prime Minister
Narendra Modi Sunday include 10 Dalits, 27 from the Other Backward Classes
(OBCs), 21 from the ‘upper’ castes, five from tribal groups and five
representing religious minorities. However, there are no Muslims.
In the
previous term of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic
Alliance, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was the minority affairs minister, but he
resigned in 2022 after his term in the Rajya Sabha came to an end and was
replaced by Smriti Irani. This time, no Muslim minister has been sworn in. No Muslim
MPs from the NDA were elected to the Lok Sabha this time.
The five
ministers from minority communities in the Modi Government 3.0 include Hardeep
Singh Puri, Ravneet Singh Bittu, George Kurian, Kiren Rijiju and Ramdas
Athawale. While Puri and Athawale are Rajya Sabha MPs and Rijiju won the Lok
Sabha elections from Arunachal Pradesh, Bittu lost the elections from Punjab
and Kurian, a Kerala BJP general secretary, did not contest.
After
the 2019 general election, 57 ministers were sworn in, of whom 32 were from
‘upper’ castes, 13 from OBCs, six from Scheduled Castes and four from Scheduled
Tribes. However, the Council of Ministers was subsequently expanded in 2021 and
included 27 OBCs, 12 SCs, eight STs and 30 from the ‘upper’ castes.
The
share of representatives of the ‘upper’ castes is down after many ‘upper-caste’
candidates lost in Uttar Pradesh.
Focus on
Dalit, tribal groups
In
Modi’s second term, the late Ram Vilas Paswan, Thawar Chand Gehlot and Virendra
Kumar were among the Dalit ministers. Kumar, who had succeeded Gehlot as the
minister for social justice and empowerment, has made it to the cabinet this
time, too, after winning his eighth Lok Sabha election from Madhya Pradesh.
Besides
him, Paswan’s son and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan, and
former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, are among the new Dalit cabinet
ministers.
Arjun
Ram Meghwal from Rajasthan, who was serving as the law minister in the previous
term, has been inducted this time as minister of state (independent charge). In
addition, Athawale, S.P. Singh Baghel, L. Murugan and Kamlesh Paswan will be
ministers of state.
A senior BJP leader said, “More Dalit
ministers have been added this time, which was necessary since the party lost a
significant chunk of Dalit votes. Not just that, religious minorities ranging
from Sikhs to Christians have been given representation.”
There
are also five ministers from tribal groups, same as the 2019-2024 term. Jual
Oram from Odisha, who had also served as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee
cabinet and has won the Lok Sabha elections six times, has been elevated to the
position of a cabinet minister. Arjun Munda, another prominent tribal leader
from the party, lost the election this time.
Sarbananda
Sonowal, Savitri Thakur and Durga Das Uikey are other ministers from tribal
groups.
Bihar
& the caste balance
Bihar,
which elected 30 MPs from the NDA coalition to the Lok Sabha, has gained
representation in the Council of Ministers. In 2019, there were five ministers
from Bihar. This time, there are eight, with six fresh faces.
Of the
eight, three are from OBCs, three from upper castes and two are Dalits.
Bihar is
an important state for the BJP and its ally, Janata Dal (United), and is
heading for assembly elections next year.
The
incoming government has accommodated two ‘upper-caste’ Bhumihar ministers —
Lallan Singh and Giriraj Singh — as Bhumihars are a dominant caste group in the
state. Rajya Sabha MP Satish Chandra Dubey represents the Brahmin community. In
the previous term, Ashwini Choubey was the Brahmin minister from Bihar.
From the
extremely backward castes, the coalition has inducted Ram Nath Thakur, son of
former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur. In addition, there is Raj Bhushan Nishad from
the Mallah community, who won the Muzaffarpur seat.
Chirag
Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi are the Dalit ministers from the state. No one from
the Rajput community in the state was added to the council despite Rajiv Pratap
Rudy’s victory in the polls. There is no Kushwaha minister either.
Poll-bound
states
From
Haryana, where assembly elections are due later this year, BJP has picked Rao
Inderjit Singh, an influential leader of the Ahir OBC community, yet
again. Other ministers from the state
include Krishan Pal Gurjar from the Gurjar community and former CM Manohar Lal
Khattar, a Punjabi Khatri.
The BJP
has also not inducted any ministers from the Jat community in the state. The
party’s loss in five of the 10 seats in the state is believed to reflect
resentment for the party among the Jats.
According
to a Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS)-Lokniti post-poll
survey, BJP saw a major loss of vote share in Haryana. From 58 percent in 2019,
the vote share dropped to 46 percent in 2024. The survey noted that the party’s
voter base among the Jats, OBCs and SCs shrank significantly.
In
Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, the BJP saw its Lok Sabha seat tally reduce to
nine from 23 and to 33 from 62
respectively, compared to 2019.
Maharashtra
is gearing up for assembly polls this year, now with a smaller group of NDA
MPs. Six of these have been picked as ministers, including Nitin Gadkari,
Piyush Goyal, Raksha Khadse, Pratap Rao Jadhav, Ramdas Athawale and Murlidhar
Mohol.
In 2019,
there were eight ministers from the state. The names of Narayan Rane and
Bhagwat Karad were dropped.
The BJP
wanted to induct one member from the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party
(Ajit Pawar), but the idea was dropped, likely due to the tussle between
elected MPs Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel over the ministerial berth.
In
Jharkhand, BJP faced a setback this time, with prominent tribal leaders like
Arjun Munda suffering losses. Jharkhand goes to the polls in December and the
absence of tribal ministers from the state could hurt the BJP’s chances.
The
party has elevated Annapurna Devi, a former minister of state from the Yadav
community, to the cabinet, in an attempt to focus on the women and OBC voter
base in the state. Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth from Vaishya community has been made a
minister of state.
A
Jharkhand BJP leader said, “Jharkhand is a crucial state. The elevation of
Annapurna Devi is a big jump, but there is a need to bring a tribal face into
the cabinet.”
Uttar
Pradesh & Rajasthan
The
massive setback for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh has not impacted the state’s
representation in the Council of Ministers.
In 2019,
10 ministers from UP were included in the council. Of these, seven lost the
elections this time, while BJP’s number of MPs from the state has shrunk by 29.
Among
the nine ministers from the state this time, four belong to OBCs, three to
upper castes and two to the Dalit community.
The
party has included five old faces — Rajnath Singh, Anupriya Patel, B.L. Verma,
S.P. Singh Baghel and Pankaj Chaudhary. Four ministers are new. Jitin Prasada,
a Brahmin, who has served as a minister in the UP cabinet, and was a Union
minister in the Manmohan Singh-led government during UPA-2, has made a comeback
to the Council of Ministers.
Jayant Chaudhary,
a Jat face and chief of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), has made an entry into
cabinet, following in the footsteps of his father, Ajit Singh. Other new
ministers are Kirti Vardhan Singh from the Rajput community and Kamlesh Paswan,
a Dalit.
Minister
Hardeep Singh Puri is also a Rajya Sabha MP from UP.
With
respect to Rajasthan, where the BJP lost 13 Lok Sabha seats, there have been
few changes. Bhupendra Yadav, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
have retained their spots in the cabinet. The only addition is Ajmer MP
Bhagirath Choudhary, a Jat.
From
Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP won all 29 seats, five ministers have been
picked, much like the previous term.
Representation
from southern states
Telegana
elected eight BJP MPs to the Lok Sabha, and the party has picked two leaders
from the state for the cabinet — Bandi Sanjay Kumar from the dominant Kapu
community, and G. Kishan Reddy from the Reddy community.
In
Kerala, where the party has finally opened its account, it has not just
inducted Thrissur MP Suresh Gopi, but also pulled a surprise by selecting BJP
general secretary George Kurian, continuing its outreach to Christians in the
state. In 2019, John Barla from West Bengal was the sole Christian minister.
From
Andhra Pradesh, where BJP ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has a major stake in
the alliance, the Modi government will have three ministers — two from the
general category and one from the OBCs.
In
Karnataka, the BJP has tried to strike a balance between the competing dominant
caste groups, Lingayats and Vokkaligas, by picking H.D. Kumaraswamy and Shobha
Karandlaje from the Vokkaliga community and V. Somanna from the Lingayat group.
Source: theprint.in
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://theprint.in/elections/modi-govt-3-0-has-10-dalit-ministers-5-from-religious-minorities-but-no-muslims/2124567/
--------
Islamic
State Group-Allied Militants Kill Dozens in Eastern Congo
June 10,
2024
GOMA,
Congo (AP) — Militants allied with the Islamic State group in eastern Congo
have killed at least 41 people in several villages in North Kivu province, the
national government said Monday, as residents openly wondered why security
forces weren't protecting them.
The
statement said Friday's attacks were carried out by Allied Democratic Forces
militants in the villages of Masala, Mahihi and Keme.
Local
civil society members asserted that the true toll was higher, with as many as
80 killed.
Richard
Kirimba, a civil society official in the area that was attacked, said the
militants appeared to be expanding their operations and that local mines were
drawing them in. “There’s no state authority in this area, and in many villages
there are no police, no soldiers, no national intelligence agency,” he told The
Associated Press.
“The
population is worried because the enemy is roaming around the neighbourhood,”
said Kambale Vunyatsi Kiongozi, who represents some civil society groups.
Residents
have long called on the Congolese army to protect the local population. The
government statement said Congo's government has launched an operation to
pursue the militants responsible and has killed a number of them and freed
hostages in the process, without providing figures.
Eastern
Congo has struggled with armed violence for decades as more than 120 groups
fight for power, land and valuable mineral resources, while others try to
defend their communities. Some armed groups have been accused of mass killings.
The
violence has displaced nearly 7 million people, many beyond the reach of aid.
The U.N.
peacekeeping mission in Congo, which helped in the fight against rebels for
more than two decades before being asked by the Congolese government to leave
over its failure to end the conflict, will complete its withdrawal by the end
of 2024. The three-phased withdrawal of the 15,000-force has begun in South
Kivu province.
The
government also told an East African regional force, deployed last year to help
end the fighting, to leave the country for similar reasons.
Source: yahoo.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.yahoo.com/news/islamic-state-group-allied-militants-130653874.html
--------
Saudi
Arabia warns of hot summer in this year’s Hajj
June 11,
2024
Fans
blow air mixed with water vapour to cool off Muslim pilgrims walking at the
Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's Makkah ahead of an expected hot Hajj season.
(File/AFP)
----------
RIYADH:
Saudi spokesperson warned of rising temperatures reaching 48ºC as pilgrims gear
up for Hajj this week, state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday.
Muhammad
Al-Abdulaali, the health ministry’s spokesperson, said high temperatures pose
“a major challenge” in this year’s Hajj season, set to begin on June 14.
He urged
pilgrims to follow the ministry’s health guidelines to keep safe from the heat.
Carrying umbrellas, maintaining hydration and taking rest periods between
rituals are necessary to avoid heat fatigue.
“The
ministry is making all efforts to provide a healthy and safe environment for
pilgrims in light of the harsh climatic conditions,” said Al-Abdulaali.
The
National Center for Meteorology had forecasted that temperatures in Makkah will
range between 45 degrees Celsius and 48 degrees Celsius, from hot to very hot,
with little rain potential.
The
Kingdom has been making preparations for this year’s pilgrimage to ensure a
safe and smooth Hajj.
For the
first time, a mobile control and monitoring center, equipped with sensors
connected to main road, was launched to ensure smooth traffic flow within
Makkah and the holy site. Through real-time monitoring of public transport
vehicles, the high-tech system will measure traffic density along the
designated routes for pilgrim transportation during Hajj season.
The
General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque
has deployed around 500 trained civilian security personnel to assist in crowd
organization and management throughout the Grand Mosque, in collaboration with
relevant authorities.
Trained
teams will also monitor security and safety operations, protect property and
individuals, and oversee public facility systems.
Meanwhile,
volunteers in Madinah dedicated over 100,000 hours to serve pilgrims ahead of
Hajj season to offer services including guidance and assistance, crowd
management, multilingual field support, distribution of meals and Zamzam water
bottles, and monitoring of health conditions.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2528066/saudi-arabia
--------
US
rights groups file appeal against Biden, Blinken, Austin over complicity in
Gaza genocide
10 June
2024
This
image shows US rights groups' representatives on June 10, 2024 outside a
courthouse in San Francisco, USA. (Photo via X)
-------------
US
rights groups have filed an appeal against US President Joe Biden, Secretary of
State Antony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for their
complicity in the Israeli regime's months-long genocide of Palestinians in the
Gaza Strip.
The
Center for Constitutional Rights, a New York civil liberties group, filed an appeal
On Monday on behalf of the Palestinian human rights organizations Al-Haq and
Defense for Children International as well as Palestinians in Gaza and
Palestinian Americans in the United States.
In their
appeal at the Ninth District Court of Appeals in San Francisco, the plaintiffs'
lawyers asserted that Biden, Blinken and Austin were complicit in the ongoing
Israeli genocide in Gaza, which has left more than 37,000 Palestinian people
killed since October.
The
original lawsuit filed in November in federal court was dismissed in January on
jurisdictional grounds.
One of
the Palestinian plaintiffs in the case, who has lost five members of her family
in the Israeli regime forces brutal atrocities, said she had vowed to seek
justice.
“I
promised my surviving family members in Gaza that I would do everything in my
power to advocate on their behalf,” said Laila El-Haddad.
Meanwhile,
the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan has sought an
arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his
minister of military affairs, Yoav Gallant, over the war crimes and crimes
against humanity committed by the regime forces in the occupied territory in
past months.
Khan
announced last month he had reasonable grounds to believe that the Israeli
prime minister and his military chief “bear criminal responsibility” for the
war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the besieged Palestinian
territory.
Their
war crimes included ordering targeted attacks on the Palestinian civilians and
their starvation due to the Israelis months-long blockade of water and food to
the people trapped in the region.
The ICC
prosecutor's decision was rejected by Israel's backers in the West. Biden,
Blinken, Austin and other Western leaders opposed the ICC prosecutors' demand
for arrest warrants for the war-mongering Zionist leaders.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/06/10/727234/US-rights-groups-file-appeal-against-Biden-Blinken-Austin-over-complicity-Israeli-Gaza-genocide
--------
Hamas
and Islamic Jihad movements hold meeting in Doha
[10/June/2024]
GAZA
June 10.2024 (Saba) - The Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas"
announced on Monday that the head of its political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, held
a meeting in Doha with a delegation from the leadership of the "Islamic
Jihad" movement, headed by the movement's Secretary-General, Ziad
Al-Nakhalah.
The head
of its office, Ismail Haniyeh, met in Doha with a delegation from Islamic Jihad
headed by its Secretary-General, Ziyad Al-Nakhalah, and his deputy, Muhammad
Al-Hindi, according to the Palestinian Information Center, Hamas said in a
statement.
The
statement indicated that the two delegations discussed developments in the indirect
negotiations and efforts made to stop the war, stressing that any agreement
must include a permanent cessation of aggression, a comprehensive withdrawal
from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction, ending the siege, and a serious exchange
deal.
The two
delegations also stressed the unity of the resistance in the field and politics
to achieve the goals of the Palestinian people at the interim and strategic
levels.
According
to the statement, the two parties praised the unity of the resistance front and
the support areas in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq, praising the legendary
steadfastness of the Palestinian people despite the brutal massacres carried
out by the enemy and the war of annihilation it is waging on the Gaza Strip,
the last of which was the Nuseirat camp massacre two days ago.
The two
parties praised "the resistance's performance, steadfastness and ability
in defending the Palestinian people and confronting the occupation's
aggression, directing successive strikes at it and aborting its political and
military goals in its war on the Gaza Strip."
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3339168.htm
--------
India
Muslims
responsible for their own condition: UP Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar
Jun 11,
2024
After
Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi announced a thanksgiving
march in Amethi and Rae Bareli following their Lok Sabha victory, Uttar Pradesh
Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar dismissed its significance.
Rajbhar
stated, "No matter how many marches they take out, nothing is going to
happen to them." Commenting on the Union Cabinet, Rajbhar noted that
ministers with good performance have retained their portfolios.
When
asked about the absence of a Muslim minister in the Union Cabinet for the first
time, he remarked, "Muslims are responsible for their own condition. They
do not raise leaders themselves and rely on Congress and SP, who are their
biggest enemies. At the time of independence, 38 per cent of Muslims were in
government jobs. What has happened now? It's like a cow going to the butcher
for protection."
On the
upcoming Uttar Pradesh cabinet meeting, Rajbhar mentioned that many important
issues would be discussed. Addressing the Ayodhya defeat, he said, "It was
the decision of the people, and we accept every decision."
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/muslims-responsible-for-their-own-condition-up-cabinet-minister-om-prakash-rajbhar/articleshow/110901072.cms
--------
Muslim
gives birth on Mahalaxmi Express, to name girl after goddess
Jun 11,
2024
NAVI
MUMBAI: A 31-year-old woman from Mira Road, Fatima Khatun, gave birth to a girl
on the Kolhapur-Mumbai Mahalaxmi Express on June 6, after the train crossed
Lonavla station. Her husband, Tayyab, has decided to name the baby, Mahalaxmi,
after the train.
"A
few co-passengers, who had travelled from Tirupati to Mahalaxmi temple in
Kolhapur, said that my daughter's birth on this train was like getting darshan
of the goddess. Hence I decided to name her Mahalaxmi," said Tayyab, who
lauded the prompt action by Karjat Government Railway Police (GRP) in providing
medical help to his wife and newborn.
The
couple already has three sons. As Fatima's delivery due date was June 20, the
family decided to undertake the train journey from Kolhapur to Mumbai on June
6. Tayyab said: "The train halted for more than two hours at Lonavla due
to engine failure. When it restarted around 11pm, my wife complained of abdomen
pain and went to the lavatory. As she did not return for a long time, I checked
on her and found that she had delivered the baby. Woman passengers came to our
aid."
A GRP
constable on the train advised Tayyab to call the GRP helpline and inform them
about the situation. When the train reached Karjat station, the family got off.
API
Mukesh Dhange of Karjat GRP said, "We alerted Karjat sub-district hospital
and nurse Shivangi Salunke and staff reached the station. The woman and baby
were immediately taken to the hospital for further treatment."
Savita
Patil, assistant matron at the hospital, said the mother and baby were
discharged after three days of treatment.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/navi-mumbai/muslim-gives-birth-on-mahalaxmi-express-to-name-girl-after-goddess/articleshow/110889319.cms
--------
Lack of
Muslim Representation in Modi Govt 'Extremely Undemocratic', Says KPCC Chief
JUNE 12,
2024
KPCC
chief K Sudhakaran on Tuesday criticised the lack of Muslim representation in
the third government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and claimed that this
was” extremely undemocratic”.
In a
statement, the senior Congress leader said, “It was extremely undemocratic that
the country’s Muslim population was completely excluded when the third Modi
government came to power, with not a single MP from the BJP being from that community.”
Criticising Modi, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president said
representation for all is a common thing in a democratic system.
Referring
to Modi’s controversial remarks during the LS poll campaign, the Lok Sabha
member from Kannur alleged that he came to power by making hate speeches.
Stating
that today there is a strong opposition in the country, Sudhakaran further said
that the INDIA Front and the Congress, which is leading it, will move forward
by bringing together all people.
Source: news18.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.news18.com/india/lack-of-muslim-representation-in-modi-govt-extremely-undemocratic-says-sudhakaran-8929021.html
--------
Ajit
Pawar-led NCP leader demands reservation for Muslims in Maharashtra
11 June
2024
Mumbai:
In a significant development, a senior leader of Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist
Congress Party (NCP) which is part of BJP-led Maha Yuti (NDA) coalition, has
demanded political reservation for Muslims in Maharashtra besides in jobs and
education.
The
demand has come from NCP vice president Saleem Sarang, who is among those who
had been demanding reservation for Muslims over decades.
However,
the fresh demand includes political reservation.
Sarang
also threatened to undertake protests and take to the streets to demand
reservation for Muslims.
“None of
the big parties fielded any Muslim candidate. There is not a single Muslim MP
from Maharashtra. There is not a single Muslim minister in the Narendra Modi
government,” Sarang said.
Sarang’s
statement comes in the run up to the Vidhan Sabha polls in Maharashtra,
scheduled in October.
Besides,
it is noteworthy to mention here that the local bodies elections - in municipal
corporations and municipal councils - are pending for a long time.
Sarang
said that the Maharashtra government has not yet implemented the 5 percent
reservation in education for the Muslim community approved by the Bombay High
Court. “If this reservation is implemented in other states then why not in
Maharashtra?,” ...
When the
erstwhile Democratic Front government comprising Congress and undivided NCP was
in power, the reservation for Muslims were extended.
"If
N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which is now an ally of the
BJP and a crucial member of the NDA government, can declare a 4 per cent
reservation to Muslims in Andhra Pradesh, what is stopping Maharashtra
government to implement ...
"In
the matter of education, the Muslim community is still backward due to economic
constraints and figures speak for themselves. As many as 75 percent of children
aged six to 14 miss out on education within the first few years of school. Only
two to...
Making a
strong statement, he said: “No matter which government comes to power in
Maharashtra, no one takes the issue of reservation for Muslim community
seriously and does not implement this reservation approved by the court, it is
disgraceful! It s...
“Muslims
vote, but they don't get an opportunity to be voted! We could see a steep
decline in Muslim candidacy by almost all the parties. Is this a conspiracy to
keep Muslims deliberately away from political leadership? It seems along with
educationa...
Source: deccanherald.com
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Reasi
terrorist attack: CM Yogi directs grant of financial aid to four victims from
UP
Jun 11,
2024
GORAKHPUR:
On the instructions of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, public representatives
and administrative officials reached the homes of the devotees from Gorakhpur
injured in the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday morning and
provided financial assistance.
"During
this, the families of the injured were assured that the government is leaving
no stone unturned in the treatment of the injured. The chief minister himself
is keeping an eye on the entire matter," as per a press release.
Four
devotees are from Gorakhpur, among those injured in the terrorist attack on a
bus full of devotees in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.
These include Rajesh, a resident of Purdilpur, his wife Riksonna, Gayatri and Soni
of Bhairopur. All of them are relatives.
A group
of 17 people including these injured had gone to Jammu from Gorakhpur to visit
Mata Vaishno and Shivkhodi temple. Out of these, Rajesh, Riksonna, Gayatri and
Soni were aboard the bus which was returning from Shivkhodi on Sunday. In Reasi
district, terrorists attacked the bus, causing it to overturn and fall into a
deep ditch.
Four of
the nearly three dozen injured were identified as the aforementioned devotees
from Gorakhpur.
"Taking
immediate cognizance of the terrorist attack, chief minister Yogi Adityanath
had directed the officials on Sunday itself to contact the Jammu and Kashmir
administration and ensure proper treatment and necessary facilities to the
injured," the release stated.
On the
instructions of the CM, on Monday morning, the administration team went to
Bhairopur and Purdilpur and met the families of the injured and provided them
financial assistance. During this, the families were assured that the
government is constantly in touch with the Jammu administration and high-level
treatment is being provided to all the injured.
The
Jammu and Kashmir police have said that the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba is
suspected of being behind the assault on a bus in the Reasi district, which
resulted in the deaths of nine pilgrims.
While
speaking to ANI, DIG Udhampur, Rayees Mohammad Bhat said, "We have
launched searches, following the leads which we have regarding the terror
attack. 11 of our teams are active. All the forces are operating jointly. We
have called a lot of people for questioning. "
As per
the eyewitnesses, we came to know that two terrorists were there but as per our
analysis, two to three terrorists must have been involved in this attack. We
have called a lot of people for questioning. As far as analysis till now, we
see Lashkar's hand".
The bus,
coming from Shiv Khori shrine to Katra, carrying pilgrims was targeted by
terrorists at around 6.10 pm on Sunday, when it reached the Pouni area of Reasi
district, bordering Rajouri district.
Following
the attack, the driver lost control and the bus plunged into the gorge, killing
at least nine people and leaving over 30 injured, the officials said.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Protests
across Jammu over demand for security after nine pilgrims die in terror attack
11.06.24
Protests
broke out on Monday in villages near the site in Jammu where militants killed
nine pilgrims the previous afternoon, demanding the deployment of security
forces to protect residents and the pilgrims visiting the Shiv Khori shrine.
The spread
of militancy to newer areas in Jammu has led to an increase in such demands for
protection, belying the authorities’ claims of peace having returned to Jammu
and Kashmir.
An
attack on a bus — the deadliest militant strike in years on civilians in Jammu and
Kashmir, timed just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s oath-taking in Delhi
— left nine pilgrims dead and 33 injured.
The site
of the attack in Bharakh village is about 8-9km from the Shiv Khori shrine.
The
army, police and the CRPF are hunting for the militants, aided by drones and
sniffer dogs, across a large swathe of Reasi district. Several people have been
detained.
Police
said two of the dead were from Reasi, four from Rajasthan — Pooja Sawhney, her
two-year-old son Titu, and two relatives — and three from Uttar Pradesh.
Demonstrations
have sprouted across the Jammu region against the attack, with the participants
chanting anti-Pakistan slogans. The protests in Ransoo, home to the Shiv Khori
shrine, and nearby places like Pouni, Teryath and Bharakh saw people demanding
additional security.
People
in Ransoo claimed that security forces had earlier been deployed in numbers to
protect the Shiv Khori pilgrims but were withdrawn around a week ago, leading
to gaps that the militants exploited on Sunday.
Pal
Chand Sharma, a businessman in Ransoo, said the pilgrimage was the backbone of
the local economy and securing it should be a priority.
“There
have been a few militancy-related incidents in the far-flung areas of Reasi but
this is the first time there’s an attack in our midst,” Sharma told The
Telegraph over the phone.
“Shiv
Khori receives around 20-25 lakh pilgrims every year. Without it, we have no
economy. But only a few security personnel are deployed on the 60km stretch of
road from Katra to Ransoo. There should be permanent deployment of forces at
least on the stretches of the road that pass through forests and uninhabited
areas.”
In
recent years, Shiv Khori has emerged as a major destination for pilgrims,
mostly those also visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra.
Jaspal
Singh, former sarpanch of Bharakh, said that deploying troops along the entire
60km stretch was not possible.
“We
already have a unit of the 63 Rashtriya Rifles here, located 3-4km from the
ambush site. They are always on the job. But yes, the protesters want more
security personnel,” he said.
Reports
say a militant in army fatigues suddenly appeared before the pilgrims’ bus and
fired at the driver.
Santosh
Kumar Verma, an injured passenger from Uttar Pradesh, said the militant wore a
black mask.
“I was
sitting behind the driver. He started firing at us, hitting the driver. The bus
fell into a gorge,” he said.
“The
firing continued while the bus was going down and for some 30 minutes
afterwards. There was crying and wailing inside the bus. When the firing
stopped, rescuers (local people) arrived.”
Ajay
Gupta, another injured pilgrim, however, said the firing had lasted about 15
minutes. He said his son was among the first to eject from the bus but he
himself stayed inside, scared by the gunfire.
“The bus
rolled over multiple times before it was stopped by a large stone,” he said.
Officials
said the National Investigation Agency, state investigation agency, and
forensic teams had visited the spot.
The
tragedy comes at a time Jammu’s Pir Panchal region, which includes the Rajouri
and Poonch districts and was declared militancy-free years ago, has re-emerged
as a major theatre of insurgency following the 2019 scrapping of Jammu and
Kashmir’s special status. Militancy is now spreading increasingly to the
adjoining Reasi and Udhampur districts.
Lieutenant
governor Manoj Sinha has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of
kin of the dead.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/protests-across-jammu-over-demand-for-security-after-nine-pilgrims-die-in-terror-attack/cid/2026037
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Prime
Minister Narendra Modi speaks with Amir of Qatar, both leaders vow to advance
India-Qatar ties
11.06.24
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani
on Tuesday during which the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advance
India-Qatar ties to unprecedented heights.
"Pleased
to speak with my friend, the Amir of Qatar H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al
Thani. I thank him for his warm wishes and positive sentiments towards
India," Modi said in a post on X.
"We
reaffirmed our commitment to advance India-Qatar ties to unprecedented
heights," the prime minister said.
Several
world leaders have extended their wishes to Prime Minister Modi after he took
oath for a third term in office.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/prime-minister-narendra-modi-speaks-with-amir-of-qatar-sheikh-tamim-bin-hamad-al-thani-both-leaders-vow-to-advance-india-qatar-ties/cid/2026123
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Africa
American
troops begin withdrawal from Niger
The
process of withdrawing American troops from Niger has officially commenced,
marking a significant milestone in the relationship between the two nations.
With a total of 946 soldiers stationed in various bases across Niger, the
withdrawal operation has begun from key locations such as Agadez, Ouallam, and
Diffa, with the destination set for Niamey.
Over the
past weekend, the first steps of this withdrawal were initiated as troops began
their journey back to the United States. Nearly a thousand soldiers gathered at
Niamey International Airport's squadron base, preparing for their gradual
departure. This significant move comes following the signing of a withdrawal
agreement between Niger and the USA on May 19, signifying a formal start to the
withdrawal process.
According
to General Kenneth P. EKMAN, the head of American troops in Niger, this marks
the official start of the withdrawal of American military personnel and
equipment. Since the agreement was signed, over 269 personnel and several tons
of equipment have already been repatriated. The departure of the C-17
Globemaster III from the U.S. Air Force's 101st Air Base in Niamey on June 7
signifies the beginning of a series of heavy transport rotations to repatriate
personnel and equipment, in accordance with the agreement.
In a
solemn joint ceremony between the Nigerien and American armies, Colonel-Major
Mamane Sani KIAOU, President of the Disengagement Committee, and Major General
Kenneth P. EKMAN, U.S. Troop Commander in Niger, formalized the departure. Tons
of equipment have been loaded onto planes, with the first batch set to leave
Niger, including at least 269 soldiers.
The
Nigerien Ministry of National Defense and the American Department of Defense
have acknowledged the joint sacrifices made by the forces of both countries in
the fight against terrorism. They expressed mutual commendation for the efforts
made in strengthening the capacities of the Nigerien Armed Forces and
reiterated their commitment to continued cooperation in areas of mutual
interest.
This
withdrawal follows the departure of the French army from Niger at the end of
2023 and the arrival of Russian military instructors, as Niger seeks to
diversify its defense partnerships. Both parties have emphasized that this
withdrawal will not impact the relations between the two countries. The United
States has been supporting Niger in the fight against terrorism through
intelligence provided by their drone base in Agadez.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/10/american-troops-begin-withdrawal-from-niger/
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Stranded
migrants face violence as Tunisia blocks Europe route
For many
migrants who’ve long dreamed of Europe, one of the last stops is an expanse of
olive trees on North Africa's Mediterranean coastline.
However,
in Tunisia, less than 100 miles (161 kilometers) from the Italian islands that
form the European Union’s outermost borders, for many that dream has become a
nightmare.
Under
black tarps covered with blankets and ropes, men, women and children seek
shelter from sunlight and wait for their chance to board one of the iron boats
that paid smugglers use to transport people to Italy. Having fled war, poverty,
climate change or persecution, they find themselves trapped in Tunisia — unable
to reach Europe but without money to fund a return home.
Based on
unofficial estimates, the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration said
it believes 15,000 to 20,000 migrants are stranded in rural olive groves near
the central Tunisian coastline.
Their
presence is a byproduct of anti-migration policies being championed in both
Tunisia and throughout Europe, particularly from right-wing politicians who
made big gains in the European Union's parliamentary elections this week,
according to early projections provided by the EU.
The
encampments have grown in size since last year as police have pushed migrants
out of cities and ramped up efforts to prevent Mediterranean crossings.
Migrants
Move to Countryside
When
police razed tents last summer in Sfax, Tunisia's second largest city, many
migrants moved to the countryside near the stretch of coastline north of the
city.
Among
them is Mory Keita, a 16-year-old who left a flood-prone suburb outside of
Abidjan, Ivory Coast, last September to link up with a friend already in
Tunisia. Keita arrived at an encampment called Kilometer-19 earlier this year.
Named
for a highway marker denoting its distance from Sfax, Kilometer-19 is notorious
for clashes between migrant groups, he said. “Machete brawls” regularly break
out between groups that self-sort by nationality — including Cameroonians,
Ivorians, Guineans and Sudanese. When police come, it’s not to ensure safety,
but to disband encampments by force, Keita said.
“The
truth is I’m afraid of where we are,” he said. “Innocent people get hurt. The
police don’t intervene. It’s not normal.”
Keita's
Attempt to Reach Europe
Passportless,
Keita said he paid a smuggler an initial sum of 400,000 Central African Francs
($661) to take him through Mali and Algeria last year. He dreams of resettling
in France, finding work and sending earnings back to his family in Ivory Coast.
Keita
made it onto a boat on the Mediterranean Sea in March, but Tunisia's coast
guard intercepted it, arrested him and returned him to the nearby beach without
any bureaucratic processing, he said.
With
European funds and encouragement, the coast guard has successfully prevented
more migrants like Keita than ever before from making dangerous journeys across
the sea. From January to May, it stopped nearly 53,000 migrants from crossing
its maritime border to Europe, Interior Minister Kamel Fekih said last month.
Less
than 10,000 migrants successfully crossed from Tunisia to Italy this year, down
from 23,000 in the same time period last year.
EU-Tunisia
Accord
That
fulfills objectives that European leaders outlined last summer when they
brokered a 1 billion euro ($1.1 billion) accord with Tunisia. Though the funds
have not been completely disbursed, the deal included 105 million euros ($114
million) for migration-related programs. NGOs such as the Catholic Committee
Against Hunger and for Development have decried a lack of transparency and
information about the programs.
While
fewer people landing on the shores of Italy looks like a success, the resulting
logjam on the Tunisian coastline is fomenting anger and despair among migrants
and Tunisians. Civil society groups have demanded the government expel
migrants. Politicians have urged residents to form “citizen militias” to police
the area.
“You
brought them here and it’s your responsibility to send them back to their home
countries,” Moamen Salemi, a 63-year old retiree from nearby El Amra, said at
one of several recent anti-migrant protests.
Human
Rights Concerns
The U.N.
High Commissioner for Human Rights said last month it was “very concerned by
the increased targeting in Tunisia of migrants, mostly from south of the
Sahara, and individuals and organizations working to assist them.”
“We are
witnessing a rise in the use of dehumanizing and racist rhetoric against Black
migrants and Black Tunisians,” it said in a statement.
Though
migrants from sub-Saharan Africa have been a political flashpoint, the majority
of those who have made it from North Africa to Italy this year have been from
either Syria, Bangladesh or Tunisia itself.
The
government has for more than a year been accused of deporting migrants across
its borders with Libya and Algeria, many who are later found dead. Tunisia has
acknowledged bussing migrants to the remote borderlands near the two
neighboring countries. Yet removing them from areas near the coast does little
to answer the anti-migrant anger brewing among residents, many of whom have
tried to emigrate to Europe themselves in search of more freedom and better economic
opportunities.
Visible
Tensions in Local Communities
The
visibility of Black migrants at cafes, markets, money transfer offices and city
streets periodically unleashes a xenophobic backlash from locals troubled by
their presence and farmers asking the government to remove encampments from
their land.
Their
hostility echoes remarks made by President Kais Saied, who last year gave a
speech claiming migrants were part of a conspiracy to erase Tunisian identity.
Police
keep a heavy presence and the national guard roams the olive-growing towns of
El Amra and Jebeniana, which journalists are increasingly barred from covering.
Migrants have posted videos on social media of encampments burning after law
enforcement raids spurred by calls from local farmers. “Disappeared” notices
asking for help finding missing people are posted daily in Facebook groups
popular with migrants.
“This
situation cannot continue and Tunisia will not be a land for the settlement of
migrants,” Saied said at a National Security Council meeting in May, where
without evidence he revived his questions about nefarious foreign actors
pushing to keep migrants in Tunisia.
The EU
hopes to limit migration with policies including development assistance,
voluntary return and repatriation for migrants and forging closer ties with
neighboring governments that police their borders.
European
Leaders' Response
Despite
the plight of those trapped in Tunisia, European leaders like Italian Premier
Giorgia Meloni have lauded the 2023 accord as a model agreement for managing
migration. She visited four times over the past year.
The EU
also expressed worry after a group of journalists, migration activists and
attorneys were arrested last month — including one for making a remark about
migration. It said that "freedoms of expression and association, as well
as the independence of the judiciary, are guaranteed by the Tunisian
Constitution and constitute the basis of our partnership.”
While
they note the democratic backslide, officials have not threatened to cut off the
assistance to Tunisia that many see as a life raft for Saied's government.
Impact
on Democracy and Human Rights
Majdi
Karbai, a former member of Tunisia's parliament living in Italy, said the
nature of the partnership with the EU had imperiled democracy in Tunisia and
came at the expense of human rights for African migrants and Tunisians.
Migrants
will likely continue to transit through Tunisia and Karbai said Saied uses them
as fodder for populist rhetoric that positions him as a defender of struggling
Tunisians and also to secure more assistance from Europe.
“Tunisia
makes Europe believe it’s doing its job as it must,” Karbai said. “It's good
for Saied in terms of his supporters and for his speeches when he says Tunisia
won't be a country that resettles migrants."
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/10/stranded-migrants-face-violence-as-tunisia-blocks-europe-route/
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Haiti:
Imminent deployment of Kenya-led international police force
The
deployment of the Kenyan police force for a peace keeping mission in Haiti,
will most probably take place in the coming week or two, assured William Ruto,
the Kenyan President on Sunday 9th of June.
Kenya is
required to lead this mission that was concluded in october 2023 by the United
Nations Security Council with a troop of 1,000 policemen to join forces with
the haitian police in the fight against organised gangs.
Other
countires taking part in this mission include The Republic of Bénin, The
Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, and Chad.
In
Kenya, this contraversial issue was taken to the court of justice on the 26th
of January, terming the operation
uncostitutional, illegal and invalid.
Human
Rights Watch Organisation at the end of May questioned among others, the Human
rights record of the Kenyan police which has been accused in the past of using
excessive force and extrajudicial executions.
Haiti
has for decades now suffered a chronic political stalemate with 80 percent of
the Capital Port au Prince under the control of the criminal gangs accused of
several executionsm killings, rape and kidnapping for ransom.
Source: africanews.com
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Sudan's
Internal Displacement surpasses 10 Million - UN
The
number of internally displaced people in Sudan has reached more than 10
million, the United Nations migration agency told The Associated Press on
Monday.
The
International Organization for Migration said the figure included 2.83 million
people driven from their homes before the start of the current war by multiple
local conflicts in recent years.
More
than 2 million others have been driven abroad, mainly to neighbouring Chad,
South Sudan and Egypt , Mohammedali Abunajela, an IOM spokesperson, told the
AP.
Sudan's
conflict began in April last year, when growing tensions between army leaders
and powerful rapid support paramilitary forces erupted into open fighting in
the capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere in the country.
“Imagine
a city the size of London being displaced. That's what it looks like, but it's
happening with the constant threat of crossfire, with famine, disease and
brutal ethnic and gender-based violence ,” Amy said Pope, IOM Director General,
in a statement.
Last
month, the United Nations food agency warned the warring parties that there was
a serious risk of widespread famine and death in the western region of Darfur
and elsewhere in Sudan if they did not allow the delivery of food. humanitarian
aid in this vast western region.
Ms Pope
called for a unified response from the international community to avert
"imminent famine" in Sudan, where humanitarian needs are
"massive, acute and immediate" . She said less than a fifth of the
funds requested by IOM for this response have been disbursed.
The war
has ravaged Sudan, killing more than 14,000 people and injuring thousands more,
while pushing the population to the brink of famine.
The
number of refugees and internally displaced people means that more than a
quarter of Sudan's 47 million people have been driven from their homes.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/10/sudans-internal-displacement-surpasses-10-million-un/
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Acceptable
hajj sure path to paradise, says Islamic scholar
JUNE 11,
2024
One of
the famous Islamic scholars, Sheikh Abdallahi Gadon-Kaya, has said an acceptable
hajj (Hajj Mabrur) is a sure and genuine path to paradise.
He
stated this while delivering a lecture on rituals of hajj to the Kebbi pilgrims
at Hotel Number One in Qudai, Makkatul Mukarrama, otherwise known as Kebbi
House on Monday.
The
cleric quoted the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) as saying: “Acceptable
Hajj (Hajj Mabrur) has no reward except paradise.”
Mr
Gadon-Kaya, who summarised the entire hajj in 10 steps, observed that every
pilgrim that had the opportunity to come to perform hajj, “God Almighty wants
him to enter paradise with ease.
He said,
“Therefore, just feel in your mind that after the completion of your hajj, you
will become a companion of paradise. So, we should be happy for this great
opportunity from our creator.”
The
cleric stated that many famous Islamic scholars who published numerous books
didn’t have the opportunity to perform hajj, citing Sheikh Uthman Danfodiyo as
an example of such scholars.
“Hence
the need for you to appreciate God Almighty for this great opportunity,” he
said.
Mr
Gadon-Kaya enumerated the 10 steps to include; intention after wearing of
Ihram, entering Makkah, circumambulation (Dawafil Ifadha/Dawafil Hajj),
farewell circumambulation (Dawafil Wadah), trekking between the mount of Safa
and Marwa (Sa’ayi) and going to Muna.
Others
according to him are; standing at mount of Arfat, going to Munzalifa, stoning
of Jamarat with pebbles, slaughtering of animal (sacrifice) for those pilgrims
that perform Tamatu’i or Qirani form of Hajj, while the last and the tenth is
cutting of hair.
Advising
the pilgrims to hold on to the steps for smooth and easy exercise, Mr
Gadon-Kaya urged them to be orderly and ensure respect for constituted
authorities towards a successful hajj.
He said
the entire exercise was being conducted in just four or five days, from 8th to
13th of Dhul-Hajj, advising that pilgrims should use the knowledge acquired
from different clerics to put the steps into practice.
The
cleric reminded the pilgrims that standing on the Day of Arfat remained the
vital organ of hajj, recalling that the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Hajj is Arafat
(Al-Hajju Arafat)” meaning without Arafat there would be no hajj.
“The
Prophet (PBUH) said Allah (SWT) accepts supplication on Arfat day and the best
of supplication is the supplication on the day of Arafat. Supplication on
Arafat day starts by Zuhur prayer after pilgrims jointly pray Zuhur and Asr
prayer in a short form (qasru). The Prophet raised his hand after Zuhur prayer
supplicating to Allah, he did not bring down his hand until after Maghrib,” he
said.
Mr
Gadon-Kaya cautioned the pilgrims against wasting time doing nothing on Arafat
day, saying, ”instead, they should devote their time for supplication, begging
God Almighty to bless them with good here and good in the hereafter.”
He also
urged them to pray for their leaders to be able to fix the nation’s economy,
urging, “you should also pray for prevailing peace across Nigeria.”
Source: gazettengr.com
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https://gazettengr.com/acceptable-hajj-sure-path-to-paradise-says-islamic-scholar/
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Search
underway for Malawi vice president after military jet disappears
A search
operation is underway after a military plane carrying Malawi's vice president
went missing, according to the president’s office.
The jet
was carrying 51-year-old Vice President Saulos Chilima along with nine others,
and left the country’s capital, Lilongwe, on Monday morning.
Aviation
authorities lost contact with the plane when it ‘went off radar’, according to
a statement from Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera's office.
Chakwera’s
office said he ordered a search operation and cancelled a trip to the Bahamas.
The
statement said: ‘All efforts to make contact with the aircraft since it went
off radar have failed thus far’.
Chakwera
was informed of the missing plane by General Valentino Phiri, the head of the
Malawian armed forces.
Corruption
charges
President
Saulos Chilima had been facing corruption charges over allegations that he received
money in return for influencing the awarding of government contracts, but the
charges were unexpectedly dropped by prosecutors last month.
That led
to criticism that Chakwera's administration was not taking a hard enough stance
against graft.
Chilima
was arrested in late 2022 and made several court appearances, but the trial had
not started. He denied the allegations.
Chilima
was a candidate in the 2019 Malawian presidential election and finished third.
That
vote was won by incumbent Peter Mutharika but was annulled by Malawi's
Constitutional Court because of irregularities. Chakwera finished second in
that election.
Chilima
then joined Chakwera's campaign as his running mate in the historic election
rerun in 2020, when Chakwera was elected president.
It was
the first time in Africa that an election result that was overturned by a court
resulted in a defeat for the sitting president.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2024/06/10/search-underway-for-malawi-vice-president-after-military-jet-disappears/
--------
Arab World
King
Salman issues royal order to host family members of Palestinian victims for
Hajj
June 11,
2024
Saudi
Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz has issued a royal order to host an
additional 1,000 family members of Palestinians who were killed or wounded in
Gaza for Hajj, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Monday. Under the
initiative “Hosting Initiative for Pilgrims from the Families of Martyrs and
the Wounded from the Gaza Strip,” a total of 2,000 pilgrims will arrive from
Palestine. The Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance Sheikh
Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh said the move reflects the Kingdom’s
unwavering support for the Palestinian cause on all levels, SPA reported. He
stated that this exceptional hosting alleviates the hardships faced by the
Palestinian people in Gaza, adding that the humanitarian gesture was not
unfamiliar to the Kingdom, which has stood alongside the Palestinian people
since the era of the late founder King Abdulaziz, SPA quoted him as saying.
Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The
pilgrimage usually takes place between the 8th and the 13th of Dhu al-Hijjah
and Muslims from all over the world gather in Mecca to perform the Hajj
pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam. Hajj season this year is expected
to begin on June 14. More than 1.3 million registered pilgrims had arrived in
Saudi Arabia for the hajj as of Saturday, Mecca regional authorities said on X.
Alarabiya
Source: thekabultimes.com
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--------
Jazan
border officers foil qat smuggling attempt
June 11,
2024
JAZAN:
Border Guard officers in Jazan’s Al-Ardah governorate have arrested several
people suspected of attempting to smuggle 80 kg of qat into the Kingdom, the
Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
Qat, a
shrub native to the Arabian Peninsula, is a mild stimulant, with less intense
effects than cocaine and methamphetamine.
Citizens
and residents are urged to report suspected drug selling or smuggling to the
General Directorate of Narcotics Control by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh and
the Eastern Region, 999 elsewhere, or by emailing 995@gdnc.gov.sa. All
communications are treated confidentially.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2528036/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
interior minister inspects Hajj security forces preparations
June 11,
2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud has inspected the
preparations of the security forces for this year hajj, the Saudi Press Agency
said early Tuesday.
During
the hajj security forces annual celebration attended by the minister, Director
of Public Security Mohammed Al-Bassami said that the security forces are fully
prepared and ready to deal with everything that may disturb the peace of
pilgrims, and to ensure that they perform their rituals with ease and comfort.
The
forces then held a parade that included demonstrating various security drills,
specialized and armored vehicles, in addition to helicopters.
Separately,
the minister attended the closing ceremony of the First Forum for Health and
Security in Hajj, organized by the ministry’s General Administration of Medical
Services.
The
administration’s general supervisor Saleh Al-Mohsen said that the capacity of
the Security Forces Hospital in Makkah and affiliated health centers was
increased and isolation areas were prepared and equipped with the latest modern
technologies and devices, in addition to working to fully implement preventive
medicine procedures and implement many health awareness programs.
He added
that the administration is working to expand the uses of artificial
intelligence and modern technologies to ensure an increase in the quality of
services provided for pilgrims.
Source: arabnews.com
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---------
Smallest,
most advanced pacemaker saves life of Chinese pilgrim
June 11,
2024
RIYADH:
A 69 years old Chinese pilgrim had a second chance at life when he received the
world’s smallest and most advanced wireless pacemaker at Makkah’s King Abdullah
Medical City.
The
medical team decided to implant the device using the latest technology
available after the patient presented with severe dizziness as a result of
heart arrhythmia.
The
Makkah Health Cluster said the small capsule-like and 2.8 grams pacemaker
abolishes the need for traditional surgery, and therefore sparing the patient
from incisions or scars on the chest.
“The
procedure was completed successfully and the patient is now under close
observation in the cardiac intensive care unit,” the cluster said, adding that
he is in good health and recovering.
This
achievement reflects King Abdullah Medical City’s commitment to providing the
latest, most advanced and high-cost technologies free of charge to pilgrims.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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--------
Saudi
Arabia highlights regulations for safe Hajj
June 10,
2024
RIYADH:
Muslims embarking on the sacred pilgrimage of Hajj this year have been urged by
the government to be mindful of the guidelines and regulations in place to
protect the well-being of all.
Obtaining
a Hajj permit is the most crucial step before embarking on the journey. This
requirement applies to citizens, residents and visitors. Failure to have a
valid permit can result in substantial fines and even deportation for
expatriates.
At a
press conference in Riyadh recently, Hajj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah
launched the “Pilgrimage Without A Permit” campaign with the Ministry of
Interior. The minister emphasized the importance of pilgrims adhering to the
regulations and cooperating with the authorities.
The
ihram for men is two unstitched, undecorated white garments known as izaar and
rida’.
In
addition, an awareness campaign was launched in 20 countries warning of the
penalties for violating Hajj regulations, including trying to perform the
pilgrimage using tourist visas.
During
the Hajj, pilgrims are expected to dress modestly and respectfully while at the
holy sites. This is not only a matter of following the rules, but also a way to
show reverence for the sanctity of the occasion. In the past, some pilgrims
were fined for not adhering to the prescribed dress code.
Sheikh
Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the
Two Holy Mosques, has emphasized that pilgrims should adhere to the proper
dress code.
Obtaining
a Hajj permit is the most crucial step before embarking on the journey.
(Supplied)
The
ihram is a central part of the Hajj and Umrah rituals, as it symbolizes the
state of ritual consecration and equality among all pilgrims before Allah.
The
ihram for men, reiterated Al-Sudais, is two unstitched, undecorated white garments
known as izaar and rida’, which are for the upper and lower parts of the body.
And men must not cover their heads.
Meanwhile,
women must wear modest, loose-fitting clothing that covers the entire body
except the face and hands. They are not required to wear the izaar and rida’,
but their attire should be free of decorations.
During
the Hajj, it is also important for pilgrims to avoid contravening crowd-safety
regulations. They should follow the designated routes outlined by the
authorities.
Furthermore,
the government has warned that there would be severe penalties for those who
bring drugs, alcohol or weapons into the holy sites.
To
counter criminals claiming to be tour operators, and those trying to enter
Makkah without proper visas, pilgrims are encouraged to report any suspicious
activities by calling 911 in the Makkah region.
Mohammed
Al-Bassami, director of Public Security in the region, said at a recent press
conference: “Some violators want to employ tourism visas for the purpose of
performing Hajj but every person who came to Makkah signed an electronic pledge
that this visa does not enable him to perform Hajj.
He said
the government has closed down more than 140 fake companies and added that “no
one will escape punishment. The system is clear, and we urge all visitors to
the Kingdom to respect its policies and regulations.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2527841/saudi-arabia
--------
King
Abdulaziz Public Library tour chronicles legacy of the Two Holy Mosques
June 10,
2024
RIYADH:
With Hajj just around the corner, the King Abdulaziz Public Library is
diligently carrying on its work preserving manuscripts and photographs that
depict the rich culture and history of the Hajj pilgrimage.
The
historic library is a treasure trove of knowledge, housing rare artefacts that
showcase the profound significance of the Two Holy Mosques in Islam.
As
pilgrims worldwide prepare to embark on this spiritual journey, the library
serves as a beacon of enlightenment, offering educational resources for those
eager to learn more.
The
library includes more than 6,000 items consisting of rare holdings of
manuscripts, books, coins, miniatures, and pictures. They are also part of the
library’s database assets.
Among
the manuscripts in the library’s possession related to the ritual of Hajj are
“The Golden Poem on the Hajj Rites” by Mohammad Al-Halabi, and “Sawaanih
Al-Hijaz” by Bahaa Al-Din Al-Harithi Al-Dhahani written in 1622.
The
library has published several books about Hajj and the Two Holy Mosques,
including “A Japanese in Makkah” which was translated and commented on by Dr.
Samir Ibrahim and Sarah Takahashi.
Other
books include “Pilgrimage to Mecca” written by Zainab Cobbold, “Viewing the Two
Holy Mosques and the Aspects of Hajj through the Lens of Hajj” by Ahmed Mirza,
who is considered to be the first Indian professional photographer to capture
Hajj. Mirza performed Hajj in 1907. The 240-page book includes an introduction
to the Two Holy Mosques in old maps, ancient drawings and miniatures, and
photographs.
Faisal
bin Abdulrahman bin Muammar, the general supervisor of the library, said:
“Today, we live in the age of knowledge. It does not only include one field of
culture, literature, languages, sciences, or economy. It is a comprehensive
system in a world where technology and diverse technological tools are
spreading, motivating us to give reading our utmost attention.”
The
library has approximately 365 previously unpublished photos of the Two Holy
Mosques, photographed by the international Egyptian photographer Ahmed Pasha
Helmy.
Helmy
was commissioned by King Farouk of Egypt to photograph the Two Holy Mosques
during King Abdulaziz’s entry into Makkah.
The
library also screened the 2009 film “Journey to Mecca: In the Footsteps of Ibn
Battuta,” which depicts Hajj rituals and efforts of the Kingdom to build the
Two Holy Mosques.
Over
2,000 people from 24 countries took part in the project, inspired by Ibn
Battuta’s journey to Makkah in the 14th century.
The film
was screened in several international cities such as London, Paris, New York,
and Singapore, and has received awards at three film festivals, including a
prize at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
The
library’s Restoration Centre was launched on June 21, 2022, with the main focus
on sterilizing, restoring, treating, sewing, binding, and preserving rare and
valuable cultural artifacts.
Their
restoration efforts go beyond just fixing items but also creating ideal conditions
for their long-term safety and accessibility.
The
centre works on preserving and restoring rare cultural heritage items like
documents, manuscripts, books, Qur’ans, photographs, maps, periodicals, coins,
and artefacts held by various entities, including the library.
The
meticulous preservation efforts of the library staff ensure that future
generations will have access to these priceless works of art and literature.
Hajj
culture is a dynamic and vibrant tapestry that continues to evolve, and the King
Abdulaziz Public Library is a testament to this sacred tradition’s enduring
legacy.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2527836/saudi-arabia
--------
500
Civilian Security Personnel at Grand Mosque Ensure Smooth Hajj Services, Crowd
Management
11 June
2024
The
General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque,
represented by the Agency for Security, Safety, Emergency Response, and Risk
Management, is committed to providing superlative services to ensure visitors'
safety at the Grand Mosque.
It has
deployed around 500 trained civilian security personnel to assist in crowd
organization and management throughout the Grand Mosque, in collaboration with
relevant authorities, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Monday.
The
authority also carries out various tasks through qualified and trained national
teams to monitor security and safety operations, protect property and
individuals, and oversee public facility systems.
This
includes early detection of all risks, effectiveness of firefighting systems,
regular maintenance of fire extinguisher boxes and alarm devices in the Grand
Mosque, ensuring pedestrian safety, removing any obstacles hindering pilgrims'
movement during their rituals, implementing weather fluctuation plans, and
preparing entrances and passages of the Grand Mosque.
The
authority also provided at least 15 security monitors who speak six different
foreign languages -- Sinhalese, Urdu, Hausa, Persian, English, and Turkish --
to facilitate and overcome obstacles for the visitors of the Grand Mosque and
help them perform their rituals smoothly.
Source: english.aawsat.com
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https://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5029727-500-civilian-security-personnel-grand-mosque-ensure-smooth-hajj-services-crowd
--------
North America
Four
American educators stabbed in park in northeast China, say US media and
officials
June 11,
2024
BEIJING:
Four American educators from a small Iowa university were injured in a stabbing
attack in a public park in northeast China’s Jilin province on Monday,
according to US media and US government officials.
Iowa
Representative Adam Zabner told Reuters his brother was one of the victims from
Cornell College in Iowa.
“My
brother, David Zabner, was wounded in the arm during a stabbing attack while
visiting a temple in Jilin City, China,” he said.
“I spoke
to David...he is recovering from his injuries and doing well. My family is
incredibly grateful that David survived this attack.”
The
group had been visiting a temple in Beishan Park when they were attacked by a
man with a knife, he added. There were no reports of a motive.
A video
of people lying on the ground in a park covered in blood was circulating on X
on Monday, though no trace of the images could be found on Chinese social
media.
Reuters
was able to identify the location of the video based on Chinese characters
written on a wall, the wall’s structure and the layout of the path, but it was
not able to confirm when the video was shot.
A US
State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement that they were aware
of reports of a “stabbing incident” in Jilin, China, and were monitoring the
situation.
No
statements on the incident have been issued by Chinese authorities or reports
found in Chinese media. A few remaining posts on the Chinese social media
platform Weibo questioned widespread censorship of the incident in official
media.
“Do they
really think that censoring domestic discussion of the incident impacts whether
foreigners choose to visit China or not?” posted one Weibo user.
The
educators from Cornell College were on a teaching exchange program with a
partner university, Beihua, in Jilin City.
“We are
working through proper channels and requesting to speak with the US Embassy on
appropriate matters to ensure that the victims first receive quality care for
their injuries and then get out of China in a medically feasible manner,”
Iowa’s Congress representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks wrote on X.
China’s
President Xi Jinping this year pledged to invite 50,000 young Americans to
China for study programs to boost people-to-people ties, but a State Department
Level 3 travel advisory to China warning of possible arbitrary detention and
exit bans remains in place.
There
are currently fewer than 900 American exchange students studying in China
compared to over 290,000 Chinese students in the United States, according to US
data.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2528096/world
--------
A Decade
Since The Fall Of Mosul To The Islamic State
June 10,
2024
It was
one of the most astonishing, lopsided military victories in history. A fluke,
"a seismic event" as, at most, 2,000 ISIS Jihadist fighters took over
the Iraqi city of Mosul on June 10, 2014, 10 years ago, from tens of thousands
of Iraqi government soldiers, police, and paramilitary forces.[1] It is true
that the corrupt, sectarian regime of Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki had
hollowed out and politicized the security forces but still ISIS was outnumbered
(and outgunned) 10 or 20 to one.
But ISIS
was able to leverage propaganda and aggressive attacks and terrorism on the
ground into a toxic mix that would undermine morale and the will to fight of
most Iraqi security forces. The Iraqi government was even able to corner and
kill key ISIS commander Abu Abdulrahman Al-Bilawi, who was leading the Mosul
attack, on June 4, and yet still the city fell. Salil Al-Sawarim Part Four, the
hour-long ISIS war video released just two weeks before the Mosul operation
would set the stage for the conquest of the city.[2]
ISIS
took Mosul in six days, would hold it for almost three years and it would take
the Iraqi security forces, backed by American airpower and intelligence, more
than six bloody months to take it back when Operation "We are Coming,
Nineveh" was launched in late 2016. Much of the city of Mosul was reduced
to rubble.
Chances
of ISIS ever coming back to power in Iraq seem slim, and its defeat in Mosul
was extremely bloody and, seemingly, decisive.[3] The Islamic State has
struggled in the Middle East since then but found success elsewhere. After
suffering heavy losses in Syria and Iraq the group has found fertile fields in
Afghanistan and Central Asia, and in Africa. The recent bloody attack in
Moscow, at the Crocus City concert hall in March 2024 is ample proof of the
group's lethality and ambitions, in this case carried out by the growing
Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) branch.[4] There is little doubt that
the organization has ambitious dreams and still seeks high profile targets
worldwide.[5]
But in
Iraq, deaths from terrorism are way down. ISIS is a threat but the Iraqi state,
at least its security component aimed against Sunni Jihadism, seems much
stronger today than it was a decade ago. This is true even though that state is
deeply compromised by its intimate relationship and interdependence with
pro-Iranian militias and parties that are a law unto themselves.
So, the
ISIS victory in June 2014 at Mosul was both astonishing and ephemeral. Aside
from savage, well-publicized brutality and widespread destruction it seems to
have left very little behind in terms of a tangible heritage.
Yet if
we look more closely, there are perhaps tangible results – real things – that
came out of Mosul. Certainly, the ISIS way of doing propaganda had a tremendous
effect on the propaganda of rival terrorist groups, encouraging them to improve
their content. Hour-long 1080p fully high-definition videos with good
production value that ISIS produced at its height right before and after the
fall of Mosul were, at the time, a remarkable accomplishment. So was the ISIS
delivery system leveraging multiple nodes on Western-owned social media to get
their message out. We still hear, years later, of young people being
radicalized by old, hard-to-get ISIS videos.[6] They still retain their power.
And yet the content of the videos set the stage for the group's decline. What
excited some, caused deep revulsion in others. And videos of the killings of
Americans such as James Foley and Steven Sotloff in late 2014 not only
galvanized American military action against the group but also put pressure on social
media companies to sanitize their content.
The ISIS
way of war, both before the fall of Mosul and especially in the defense of the
city in 2016 against Iraqi security forces also had an impact. The Islamic
State were not the originators of using drones in battle but they certainly
publicized such use aggressively. Today, videos of drones striking targets
following in the footsteps of ISIS can be seen from Sudan to Ukraine. Another
astonishing weapon used was the deployment of multiple suicide vehicle-borne
improvised explosive devices (SVBIEDs) – 10 to 15 a day in 2016 – against Iraqi
security forces, a terrifying weapon against advancing coalition forces.[7]
American airpower helped neutralize this threat but ISIS SVBIEDs have
subsequently appeared as far away as Nigeria and the Philippines.[8]
A third
result of the ISIS victory in Mosul was, of course, the declaration of the
Caliphate itself by Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi in July 2014 in Mosul's Al-Omari
Mosque. The Islamic State had previously inched toward announcing a caliphate
(2006-2010, with "Commander of the Faithful," Abu Umar
Al-Baghdadi)[9] but it would be with Mosul's fall that the group would
unabashedly embrace the old supreme title of Sunni Islam. Since then, even
after Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi's death in 2019, the Islamic State would continue to
announce, and subsequently lose to enemy airstrikes, successive, increasingly
"faceless caliphs." The latest, Abu Hafs Al-Hashimi Al-Qurashi is the
fifth in line since that fateful day in Mosul a decade ago, and the fourth
since Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi's death. Given their short lifespan, not much is
known about the latest ISIS shadow caliph.
Sadly,
in contrast to ISIS propaganda, ISIS warmaking and ISIS caliphs, the most
lasting and tangible result of that ISIS victory in Mosul has been the
destruction of non-Muslim minority communities in Northern Iraq.[10] The ISIS
conquest of Mosul would lead to the displacement of the entire Iraqi Christian
population in the city, an ancient community that would be ethnically cleansed,
pushed out with only the clothes on their backs in July 2014.[11] Mosul's
Christian community has yet to recover. Thousands were expelled, and only – at
most – a few hundred have returned. Historic church buildings are being
restored (including by friendly Muslim governments and local Muslims) but the
native Christian community has mostly scattered.
Subsequent
ISIS offensives after the taking of Mosul in 2014 would strike near fatal
wounds at the Yazidi community at Jebel Sinjar and at the Christian community
in the towns on the Nineveh Plain. While less complete than what happened
inside the city of Mosul, recovery for both communities after the fall of ISIS
in 2017 has been slow and difficult.[12] Ironically, the recovery of both
Christians and Yazidis in Northern Iraq has been made much harder by the
sectarian hooliganism of Shia militias supported by the government and
initially created to fight ISIS.[13] Sunni Muslim triumphalism was replaced by
Iranian-guided Shia Islamic supremacists.[14] Iraq today is less diverse and
pluralistic than it has been for centuries. The greatest victory of the Islamic
State in Mosul was to create copycats.
Source: memri.org
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.memri.org/reports/decade-fall-mosul-islamic-state
--------
Jurors
in Hunter Biden’s gun trial begin deliberating whether he’s guilty of federal
firearm charges
Jun 11,
2024
WILMINGTON:
Jurors in Hunter Biden’s gun trial began deliberating Monday whether the president’s
son is guilty of federal firearms charges over a revolver he bought in 2018
when prosecutors say he was addicted to crack cocaine.
He's
charged with three felonies in the case that has laid bare some of the darkest
moments of his drug-fueled past. Prosecutors have used testimony from former
romantic partners, personal text messages and photos of Hunter Biden with drug
paraphernalia or partially clothed to make the case that he broke the law.
“No one
is above the law,” prosecutor Leo Wise told jurors in his closing argument as
first lady Jill Biden watched from the front row of the Wilmington, Delaware,
courtroom.
Jurors
deliberated for less than an hour before leaving the courthouse for the day.
Deliberations were to resume Tuesday morning.
President
Joe Biden's son has publicly detailed his struggle with a crack cocaine
addiction before getting sober more than five years ago. But the defense sought
to show that that he did not consider himself an “addict” when he bought the
gun and checked “no” on the form that asked whether he was “an unlawful
user" of drugs or addicted to them.
The case
has pitted Hunter Biden against his father's Justice Department in the midst of
the Democratic president's reelection campaign. The charges were brought by
special counsel David Weiss, who was nominated by Republican former President
Donald Trump to be U.S. attorney for Delaware and led the yearslong
investigation.
Before
the case went to the jury, the prosecutor urged jurors to focus on the
“overwhelming” evidence against Hunter Biden and pay no mind to members of the
president's family sitting in the courtroom.
“All of
this is not evidence,” Wise said, extending his hand and directing the jury to
look at the gallery. “People sitting in the gallery are not evidence.”
Jill
Biden and other family members left the courthouse shortly after deliberations
began. The first lady sat through most of the trial, missing only one day last
week to attend D-Day anniversary events with the president in France. At one
point Monday, Hunter Biden leaned over a railing to whisper in his mother’s
ear.
Defense
attorney Abbe Lowell told jurors in his closing argument that prosecutors had
failed to prove their case. Lowell said the his client may have a famous last
name, but he is still presumed innocent until proven guilty like any other
defendant.
“With my
last breath in this case, I ask for the only verdict that will hold the
prosecutors to what the law requires of them" — a verdict of not guilty,
Lowell said.
Hunter
Biden's lawyers have suggested he was trying to turn his life around at the
time of the gun purchase, having completed a detoxification and rehabilitation
program at the end of August 2018. The defense called three witnesses,
including Hunter's daughter Naomi, who told jurors that her father seemed be
improving in the weeks before he bought the gun.
Closing
arguments came shortly after the defense rested its case without calling Hunter
Biden to the witness stand. Biden didn't elaborate on his decision when he told
U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika that he was waiving his right to testify,
according to a transcript of the sidebar discussion at the bench.
Hunter
Biden smiled as he chatted with members of his defense team and flashed a
thumbs-up sign to a supporter in the gallery after the final witness — an FBI
agent called by prosecutors in their rebuttal case.
The
trial has put a spotlight on a turbulent time in Hunter Biden's life after the
2015 death of his brother, Beau, from brain cancer. The proceedings have played
out in the president’s home state, where Hunter Biden grew up and where the
family is deeply established. Joe Biden spent 36 years as a senator in
Delaware, commuting daily to Washington, and Beau Biden was the state's
attorney general.
Hunter
Biden's ex-wife and two former girlfriends testified for prosecutors about his
habitual crack use and their failed efforts to help him get clean. One woman,
who met Hunter Biden in 2017 at a strip club where she worked, described him
smoking crack every 20 minutes or so while she stayed with him at a hotel.
Jurors
have also heard him describe at length his descent into addiction through audio
excerpts played in court of his 2021 memoir, “Beautiful Things." The book,
written after he got sober, covers the period he had the gun but doesn’t
mention it specifically.
A key
witness for prosecutors was Beau’s widow, Hallie, who had a brief, troubled
relationship with Hunter after his brother's death. She found the unloaded gun
in Hunter’s truck on Oct. 23, 2018, panicked and tossed it into a garbage can
at a grocery store in Wilmington, where a man seeking recyclables inadvertently
fished it out of the trash.
The
prosecutor pointed to text messages he said show Hunter trying to make drug
deals in the days around the gun purchase. In one message, Hunter told Hallie
he was smoking crack. “That’s my truth,” Hunter wrote.
“Take
the defendant’s word for it. That’s his truth,” Wise said. He urged jurors to
reject the defense's suggestion that Hunter did not really mean what he was
texting at the time and was simply trying to avoid being with Hallie.
“You
don’t leave your common sense behind when you come into that jury box,” Wise
said.
The
defense told jurors that there was no actual witness to drug use by Hunter
during the 11 days that he had the gun. Lowell also sought to discredit
testimony from Hallie and another ex-girlfriend. He told jurors to consider
their testimony “with great care and caution,” noting that they were given
immunity agreements in exchange for taking the witness stand for prosecutors.
Joe
Biden said last week that he would accept the jury’s verdict and ruled out a
presidential pardon for his son. After flying back from France, the president
was at his home in Wilmington for the day and was expected in Washington in the
evening for a Juneteenth concert. He was scheduled to travel to Italy later
this week for the Group of Seven leaders conference.
Last
summer, it looked as if Hunter Biden would avoid prosecution in the gun case
altogether, but a deal with prosecutors imploded after the judge, who was
nominated to the bench by Trump, raised concerns about it. Hunter Biden also
faces a trial scheduled for September on felony charges alleging he failed to
pay at least $1.4 million in taxes over four years.
If
convicted in the gun case, he faces up to 25 years in prison, though first-time
offenders do not get anywhere near the maximum, and it’s unclear whether the
judge would give him time behind bars.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/jurors-in-hunter-bidens-gun-trial-begin-deliberating-whether-hes-guilty-of-federal-firearm-charges/articleshow/110887170.cms
--------
Mideast
Radical
Islamist Mob Attacks Dance Troupe InTurkey’sDiyarbakir, Injures Two
June 10
2024
A
radical Islamist mob on June 9 attacked a dance troupe, injuring two, in
southeastern Turkey’s Diyarbakir province. The attack occurred at Tema Park
where the “Swing Amed” dance school was holding a meet.
Shortly
after the performance began, a group of about 50 people entered the park,
shouting religious slogans, and confronted the attendees. When the group
demanded that the event be halted and participants leave the park. The
confrontation turned physical as the dancers refused to comply, according to
reporting by the local online news outlet Guneydoguekspres.com.
Several
attendees were injured in the altercation. Emergency medical services and
police were dispatched to the scene after the incident was reported. Two of the
injured were taken to the hospital by ambulance, and event attendees filed
complaints against the attackers.
Diyarbakir’s
deputy from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Adalet
Kaya condemned the attack.
Sharing
footage of the incident on social media, Kaya stated, “We condemn the attack
and express our support for Swing Amed. We understand the historical context
and the motives behind the reactionary, fascist groups who cannot tolerate the
diversity, youth, and women of this city. To those who dream of establishing
'Hezbollah' politics here, know your place! Stay away from the children,
streets, and parks of this community."
Swing
Amed stated that they filed a criminal complaint against the assailants and the
Diyarbakir Bar Association would follow the proceedings.
"We
believe that public spaces are open to all groups, initiatives, artists, and
persons of a province, under the protection of all lifestyles, identities,
cultural diversity, and freedom of expression," wrote the group on their
social media account, and condemned the attack upon their "the right to
life and lifestyle."
Source: duvarenglish.com
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---------
Hamas,
Palestinian Authority welcome UN Security Council resolution for Gaza ceasefire
June 11,
2024
CAIRO:
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, its ally the Islamic Jihad group and the
rival Palestinian Authority of President Mahmoud Abbas’s welcomed a UN Security
Council resolution backing a proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“The
Palestinian president considers the adoption of this resolution a step in the
right direction to end the war of genocide against our people in the Gaza
Strip,” Abbas’s office said in a statement.
In its
statement, Hamas said it was ready to cooperate with mediators over
implementing the principles of the plan.
Hamas
earlier on Monday said it was only willing to accept a deal that would secure
an end to the war in Gaza while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said
he was determined to pursue war against Hamas.
“Hamas
welcomes what is included in the Security Council resolution that affirmed the
permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the complete withdrawal, the prisoners’ exchange,
the reconstruction, the return of the displaced to their areas of residence,
the rejection of any demographic change or reduction in the area of the Gaza
Strip, and the delivery of needed aid to our people in the Strip,” the militant
group said in a statement.
Jordan
also welcomed the UN Security Council’s adoption of the resolution, and in a
foreign affairs ministry statement, stressed ‘the importance of implementing
this decision.’
Israel
must “comply with the rules of international law and international humanitarian
law and to stop its senseless war on the Gaza Strip, whose people are suffering
from an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe as a result of the ongoing
Israeli aggression against it since the seventh of last October,” foreign
affairs ministry spokesman Sufyan Al-Qudah said in the statement.
Al-Qudah
also reiterated the importance of launching a reconstruction process in Gaza
“within the framework of a comprehensive plan to implement the two-state
solution, which embodies an independent, sovereign Palestinian state along the
lines of June 4, 1967, with occupied Jerusalem as its capital.”
Dr.
Saleh bin Hamad Al-Tuwaijri, the Secretary-General of the Arab Red Crescent and
Red Cross Organization, in a statement also welcomed the resolution, saying the
ceasefire will “to lead to an end to the loss of lives” and “pave the way for
the return of the displaced to their original homes within the Strip.”
He also
appealed to the international community to intensify humanitarian and
development assistance for Gaza Strip residents that have been displaced by the
war.
US
President Joe Biden outlined the truce accord last month and it envisions a
ceasefire in stages, ultimately leading to a permanent end to the war. But
Israel has said it will agree only to temporary pauses until Hamas is defeated,
while Hamas has countered it will not accept a deal that does not guarantee the
war will end.
With the
conflict in its ninth month, the plan got further backing on Monday from the
United Nations where 14 members of the Security Council adopted a US-drafted
resolution in favor of the proposal while Russia abstained.
Separately,
the Islamic Jihad said early on Tuesday that it looks “positively” to what the
resolution included, “especially in terms of opening the door to reaching a
comprehensive cessation of aggression and a complete withdrawal of Israeli
forces” from the Gaza Strip.
Hamas
also said it was willing to engage in indirect negotiations over implementing
the principles “that are consistent with the demands of our people and
resistance.”
In the
Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Presidency welcomed the resolution
saying the presidency “is with any resolution that calls for an immediate
ceasefire in Gaza and preserves Palestinian land unity.”
More
than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s eight-month-old assault
on the Gaza Strip, say health officials in the Hamas-ruled enclave. The war
began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and
abducting some 250 others, according to Israeli tallies.
Source: arabnews.com
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--------
Israel
kills 3 Hezbollah members on Syria border: Lebanon army source
June 11,
2024
BEIRUT:
Israeli strikes targeting a convoy of tankers entering Lebanon from Syria late
Monday killed three members of Hezbollah, a Lebanese military source and a war
monitor said.
A Hamas
ally, the Iran-backed militant group has traded near-daily fire with Israeli
forces since the Palestinian group’s October 7 attack on Israel triggered war
in Gaza.
“Three
Hezbollah members were killed by nine Israeli missile strikes that targeted a
convoy of tankers and a building” in a northeastern village on the border with
Syria, the military source told AFP, adding that three people were also
wounded.
The
Israeli military said its “fighter jets struck a military complex of the
Hezbollah 4400 unit, the logistical reinforcement unit of the Hezbollah
terrorist organization.”
“The
unit is used to smuggle weapons to and from Lebanon,” it said in a statement,
adding that it had hit two targets in the Baalbek region of eastern Lebanon.
Britain-based
war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a total of five people
were killed in the Israeli strike.
“Three
Syrians working with Hezbollah and two Lebanese were killed in an Israeli
strike targeting a convoy of tankers entering Lebanon on the border with
Syria,” the monitor’s director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.
The
Israeli army said it also carried out strikes in southern Lebanon overnight
after one of its drones was shot down on Monday.
A few
hours before the strikes, Hezbollah said it had downed an Israeli Hermes drone
over Lebanon, the fifth of the type since February.
Hezbollah,
which has stepped up its own use of drones, said it carried out several attacks
against Israeli targets on Monday, including a drone attack on a military
position in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.
More
than eight months of violence have killed at least 462 people in Lebanon,
mostly fighters but also including around 90 civilians, according to an AFP
count.
On the
Israeli side of the border, at least 15 soldiers and 11 civilians have been
killed, according to the army.
Source: arabnews.com
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---------
UN
suspends delivery of aid to Gaza via US pier
June 10,
2024
GENEVA:
The UN World Food Programme has suspended the delivery of aid to Gaza via a
temporary US military pier in order to assess the security situation, a
spokesperson said Monday.
Stephane
Dujarric linked the move to an Israeli hostage rescue operation over the
weekend that freed four people, but which health officials in Hamas-ruled Gaza
say killed 274 people and wounded almost 700, many of them women and children.
“World
Food Programme colleagues tell us that we are temporarily pausing operations at
the floating dock until a thorough assessment of the security situation is
conducted to ensure the safety of our staff and our partners,” said Dujarric,
spokesperson for the UN secretary-general.
“We’ve
all seen what happened in Gaza over the weekend. We’ve seen some of the media
reports. We’ve also taken note of very public statements by the US Central
Command that the floating pier had not been used in the operation by the
Israeli forces regarding the hostages,” he said.
“I think
it’s only normal after such a such an operation takes place with such a large
number of victims, that our humanitarian colleagues take a pause, look at the
situation. And hopefully it can be returned to use as quickly as possible from
our end,” Dujarric added.
Pentagon
spokesman Major General Pat Ryder told journalists on Monday that the Israeli
operation took place near the temporary pier, but was completely separate from
the aid delivery effort and its equipment and personnel.
“We’ll
continue to work closely with USAID, World Food Programme, the Israelis and all
the stakeholders when it comes to ensuring ... security is taken into account,”
Ryder said.
He also
said that high seas had again disrupted the delivery of aid via the pier, only
shortly after shipments resumed Saturday following repairs to the structure
from storm damage it suffered last month.
“The sea
states ... yesterday and today have prevented additional aid from flowing
across the causeway, but all indications are that that will commence again
tomorrow,” Ryder said.
Gaza has
been devastated by Israeli operations against Palestinian militant group Hamas
that are now entering their ninth month, uprooting the coastal territory’s
population and leaving them in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2528101/middle-east
--------
Islamic
Resistance attacks Israeli targets with UAVs
[10/June/2024]
BEIRUT
June 10. 2024 (Saba) - The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, led by Hezbollah,
launched an air attack with squadron of UAVs on the headquarters of artillery
battalion in Odem.
In a
statement, the Islamic Resistance said: In support of our steadfast Palestinian
people in Gaza Strip and their valiant and honorable resistance, and in
response to the attacks of the Zionist enemy on the steadfast southern villages
and safe houses, the latest of which was the attack on the town of Khiam, the
Islamic Resistance launched on Sunday an air attack with squadron of UAVs on
the headquarters of the artillery battalion in Odem, where it targeted the
places of settlement and positioning of its officers and soldiers and hit their
targets accurately.
The
Islamic Resistance claimed responsibility for destroying the espionage
equipment of the Zionist enemy in the site of "Ruwaisat Al-Alam" in
the occupied Lebanese hills of Kafr Shuba with appropriate weapons, after
targeting the site of "Birkat Risha" and its garrison, and destroying
the spy equipment there with artillery shells and guided missiles.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3339028.htm
--------
Hamas
welcomes Islamic G8 meeting outputs
[10/June/2024]
GAZA
June 10. 2024 (Saba) - The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas on Sunday
welcomed outputs of a meeting hosted by Istanbul for Islamic developing
countries (G8) and the final declaration that underlined the need for constant
political and economic pressures on Israel to stop offensive against
Palestinians in Gaza.
Hamas
calls on Muslim countries to exert every effort aimed at an end to the Zionist
aggression against civilians in the besieged Strip, to relief the Palestinian
people and support their resistance, the Movement said in a statement.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3339011.htm
---------
What
does Israel’s rescue of 4 captives, and the killing of 274 Palestinians, mean
for truce talks?
June 11,
2024
TEL
AVIV, Israel: Israel’s dramatic weekend rescue of four hostages from the Gaza
Strip, in an operation that local health officials say killed 274 Palestinians,
came at a sensitive time in the 8-month-old war, as Israel and Hamas weigh a US
proposal for a ceasefire and the release of the remaining captives.
Both
sides face renewed pressure to make a deal: The complex rescue is unlikely to
be replicated on a scale needed to bring back scores of remaining hostages, and
it was a powerful reminder for Israelis that there are still surviving captives
held in harsh conditions. Hamas now has four fewer bargaining chips.
But they
could also dig in, as they repeatedly have over months of indirect negotiations
mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. Hamas is still insisting on an
end to the war as part of any agreement, while Israel says it is still
committed to destroying the militant group.
Here is
a look at the fallout from the operation and how it might affect ceasefire
talks:
ELATION,
AND MOUNTING CALLS FOR A DEAL
The
rescue operation was Israel’s most successful since the start of the war,
bringing home four of the roughly 250 captives seized by Hamas in its Oct. 7
cross-border attack, including Noa Argamani, who became an icon of the struggle
to free the hostages.
The raid
also killed at least 274 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry,
deepening the suffering of people in Gaza who have had to endure the brutal war
and a humanitarian catastrophe. The ministry does not distinguish between
fighters and civilians in its tallies.
The
rescue was met with elation in Israel, which is still reeling from the Hamas
attack and agonizing over the fate of the 80 captives and the remains of over
40 others still held in Gaza. Israeli hard-liners are likely to seize on it as
proof that military pressure alone will bring the rest back.
But only
three other hostages have been freed by military force since the start of the
war. Another three were mistakenly killed by Israeli forces after they escaped
on their own, and Hamas says others have been killed in Israeli airstrikes.
“If
anyone believes that yesterday’s operation absolves the government of the need
to strike a deal, they are living a fantasy,” Israeli columnist Nahum Barnea
wrote in the mass-selling Yediot Aharonot newspaper. “There are people out
there who need to be saved, and the sooner the better.”
Even the
Israeli army’s spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, acknowledged the limits of
military force. “What will bring most of the hostages back home alive is a
deal,” he told reporters.
Over 100
hostages were released during a weeklong ceasefire last year, in exchange for
Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, and reaching a similar agreement is still
widely seen as the only way of getting the rest of the hostages back. Hours
after Saturday’s rescue, tens of thousands of Israelis attended protests in Tel
Aviv calling for such a deal.
US
President Joe Biden last week announced a proposal for a phased plan for a
ceasefire and hostage release, setting in motion the administration’s most
concentrated diplomatic push for a truce.
Biden
described it as an Israeli proposal, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has
publicly questioned some aspects of it, particularly its call for the withdrawal
of Israeli forces from Gaza and a lasting truce. His ultranationalist coalition
partners have threatened to bring down his government if he ends the war
without destroying Hamas.
That
appears to have only deepened suspicions on the part of Hamas, which has
demanded international guarantees that the war will end. It’s unclear if such
guarantees have been offered, and Hamas has not yet officially responded to the
plan.
NETANYAHU
SEEKS TO GAIN
The
rescue operation was a rare win for Netanyahu, who many Israelis blame for the
security failures leading up to the Oct. 7 attack and the failure to return the
hostages despite months of grinding war.
He has
reveled in the operation’s success, rushing Saturday to the hospital where the
freed hostages were held and meeting with each of them as cameras rolled. The
rescue operation will likely help rehabilitate his image.
But as
the elation fades, he will still face heavy pressure from an American
administration that wants to wind the war down and an ultranationalist base
that wants to vanquish Hamas at all costs. His main political opponent, the
retired general Benny Gantz, quit the emergency wartime coalition on Sunday,
leaving Netanyahu even more beholden to the hard-liners.
Netanyahu
is already facing criticism from some of the families of deceased hostages, who
say they received no such visits and accuse him of only taking credit for the
war’s successes. Israel will also likely face heightened international pressure
over the raid’s high Palestinian death toll.
“The
success in freeing four hostages is a magnificent tactical victory that has not
changed our deplorable strategic situation,” columnist Ben Caspit wrote in
Israel’s Maariv daily.
It all
makes for a tough balancing act, even for someone like Netanyahu, who friends
and foes alike consider to be a master politician.
The
operation could provide the kind of boost with the Israeli public that would
allow him to justify making a deal with Hamas. Or he might conclude that time
is on his side, and that he can drive a harder bargain with the militants as
they grapple with a major setback.
HAMAS
LOSES BARGAINING CHIPS
Hamas
has lost four precious bargaining chips it had hoped to trade for high-profile
Palestinian prisoners. Argamani, widely known from a video showing her pleading
for her life as militants dragged her away on a motorcycle, was a particularly
significant loss for Hamas.
The raid
may have also dealt a blow to Hamas’ morale. In the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas
managed to humiliate a country with a far superior army, and since then it has
repeatedly regrouped despite devastating military operations across Gaza.
But the
fact that Israel was able to mount a complex rescue operation in broad daylight
in the center of a crowded urban area has at least temporarily restored some of
the mystique that Israel’s security forces lost on Oct. 7.
The
operation also refocused global attention on the hostage crisis at a time when
the US is rallying world pressure on Hamas to accept the ceasefire deal.
But
Hamas has a long history of withstanding pressure from Israel and others —
often at enormous cost to Palestinians. The militants may conclude that it’s
best to use the remaining hostages to end the war while they still can — or
they might just look for better places to hide them.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2527976/middle-east
--------
Pakistan
Nawaz
Sharif, Narendra Modi exchange rare greetings after Indian elections
Modi
secured a record-equaling third term but lost his outright majority and is
dependent on regional parties for support in his first coalition government.
The
nuclear-armed rivals and neighbours India and Pakistan have fought three wars,
including two over control of the disputed Kashmir region in the Himalayas.
Ties
between the nuclear-armed rivals have been frozen since India ended the special
status of India Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ) state in 2019 and
split it into two federally administered territories.
New
Delhi invited leaders of seven regional countries to Sunday's grand
inauguration at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, or president's palace, in New Delhi but
PM Shehbaz wasn't included.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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--------
Govt
taking major steps to empower women in region: GB CM
June 10,
2024
Chief
Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Haji Gulbar Khan says provincial government is taking
major steps to empower women in the region.
Talking
to UN Women's representative in Pakistan Lansana Wenneh in Gilgit, Chief
Minister said Government of Gilgit-Baltistan is also working in remote and
backward areas for women's empowerment.
He said
government of Gilgit-Baltistan has established the Soni Juwari Center for
Public Policy for the first time at the provincial level for research and
policies.
On this
occasion, the representative of UN Women in Pakistan, while appreciating the
initiatives of the Gilgit-Baltistan government regarding the empowerment of
women, said that the representation of women in the provincial cabinet is a
reflection of the government's vision regarding the empowerment of women.
He said
with partnership of the government, UN Women wants to work for the welfare of
women in Gilgit-Baltistan and for the betterment of women in remote areas.
Source: radio.gov.pk
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--------
Depriving
KP of uplift funds fuelling terror surge, says PTI
June 11,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
Former speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser on Monday alleged that
as many as 91 projects of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were excluded from the federal
development budget, claiming that such policies were becoming reason of
terrorism resurgence.
Speaking
at a press conference in Islamabad, the PTI leader said that the excluded
projects were related to health, education, energy and other important sectors.
“We were
told that additional 3pc of the NFC award will be given to KP because of the
merger of erstwhile Fata but even that promise could not be fulfilled. Every
year we have to get Rs100 billion but the amount is not being released,” he
said.
Mr
Qaiser, who was flanked by members of KP Assembly and other party leaders, said
that the KP was being deprived of funds just because people gave mandate to the
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
Former
NA speaker asks if Punjab has been turned into ‘a police state’
He said
that the promise of releasing additional funds should also be fulfilled.
PTI
leader Atif Khan said that KP was facing severe crisis of electricity
loadshedding amid the heatwave.
“If
electricity is being theft, why action could not be taken against a single
lineman. I fear that the electricity prices will further increase after the
announcement of budget,” he said.
Shahram
Tarakai said it was unfortunate that terrorism was increasing because of such
policies of the federal government.
Oppression
In a
rebuke, Mr Qaiser condemned the government for its “blatant abuse of power and
relentless” oppression of PTI workers, leaders and members of the National
Assembly.
The former
NA speaker lamented that the PTI-backed opposition leader in the National
Assembly Omar Ayub Khan along with four other members of the parliament, was
denied entrance to the anti-terrorism court in Sargodha to attend his case.
He
questioned whether Punjab was made “a police state or under a martial law
regime” where the political rights were trampled with impunity and the PTI
workers were not allowed to convene a workers’ convention.
He asked
incumbent speaker of the NA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq that being the custodian of the
house he must protect the dignity of the chair and the privilege of lawmakers.
Source: dawn.com
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--------
'Diplomatic
compulsion', says defence minister on PM Shehbaz's greetings to Modi
June 10,
2024
Defence
Minister Khawaja Asif clarified on Monday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s
congratulatory message to Narendra Modi on his reelection as India's prime
minister was "just a diplomatic compulsion".
"It
is just a diplomatic compulsion to congratulate Modi on becoming the Indian
PM," Asif said while speaking on Geo News programme "Capital
Talk" on Monday.
He said
that Pakistan had not sent any "message of love" to Modi — the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader who was sworn in as India's prime minister
yesterday for a record-equalling third term.
Asif
said that Pakistan would never forget that Modi is a "murderer of
Muslims" in India. He recalled the felicitations sent by Modi to Shehbaz
who took oath as the prime minister earlier this year.
Earlier
in the day, Premier Shehbaz Sharif congratulated his Indian counterpart
Narendra Modi on taking oath. Taking to his personal account on X, formerly
Twitter, PM Shehbaz wrote: "Felicitations to @narendramodi on taking oath
as the Prime Minister of India."
The
Pakistani premier's felicitation to his Indian counterpart came a day after
Modi took oath of the office of the PM for the third consecutive time.
In
response to PM Shehbaz's post, Modi thanked the 72-year-old saying:
"Thankyou [Shehbaz Sharif] for your good wishes."
Additionally,
former premier and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President
Nawaz Sharif also congratulated PM Modi on X, saying: “My warm felicitations to
Modi Ji on assuming office for the third time. Your party's success in recent
elections reflects the confidence of the people in your leadership. Let us
replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the
two billion people of South Asia.”
The
73-year-old also responded to the felicitation by Nawaz. Modi stated on his
post on X: "Appreciate your message [Nawaz Sharif]. The people of India
have always stood for peace, security and progressive ideas. Advancing the
well-being and security of our people shall always remain our priority."
Modi,
who started as a publicist of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(RSS), the ideological parent of his BJP, is only the second person after
independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru to serve a third straight term as prime
minister.
Modi,
73, secured the third term in elections that concluded on June 1 with the
support of 14 regional parties in his BJP-led National Democratic Alliance
(NDA), unlike in the previous two terms when his party won an outright
majority.
The
outcome is seen as a big setback to the popular leader as surveys and exit
polls had predicted BJP would secure even more seats than in 2019.
'No
chances of talks with PTI'
In the
same programme, Asif threw shade at the incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
(PTI) founder Imran Khan by saying that the former premier did deliver
statements in the favour of outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
He added
that soldiers of Pakistani armed forces were rendering sacrifices with their
lives, on the other hand, martyrs were being maligned on social media.
He said
that the former ruling party was continuously trying to destabilise the country
and the defence institutions were continuously being targeted on social media.
To a
question regarding political dialogues between the PML-N government and the
embattled PTI, Asif said that such narratives were only being emerged on social
media platforms like X, Facebook and Instagram.
He
criticised that there was no chance of political talks in the current
circumstances as on one side, the PTI founder was hinting at holding dialogues
with the army chief and the spy agency’s chief and on the other hand, abusive
remarks were being used against the state institutions.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1199057-just-a-diplomatic-compulsion-says-defence-minister-on-pm-shehbazs-greetings-to-modi
--------
Ishaq
Dar in Amman to attend high-level conference on Gaza
June 11,
2024
Deputy
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar arrived in Amman, Jordan
today to attend the high-level conference on ‘Urgent Humanitarian Response for
Gaza’.
At the
airport, he was received by Jordanian Minister of Prime Ministry Affairs
Ibrahim Al Jazi, Governor of Amman Yaser Al Adwan and the Mayor of Amman, Al
Shawarbeh.
The
Conference is jointly hosted by Jordan, Egypt, and the UN.
During
the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister will reiterate Pakistan’s unwavering
support for the people of Palestine in the backdrop of Israel’s grave crimes in
Gaza.
Source: radio.gov.pk
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--------
Paigham-e-Pakistan
Conference held in Lahore
June 10,
2024
Paigham-e-Pakistan
Conference was held in Lahore today to promote Islamic teachings and values
including unity, harmony, tolerance, peace, and patience in the society.
Scholars
from various Schools of thought expressed their support for the Palestinians
and emphasized the importance of brotherhood to foster national unity.
The
conference concluded with the distribution of shields to the participants in
recognition of their contributions.
Source: radio.gov.pk
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--------
Pak Army
organizes free autism screening camp in Aliabad, Hunza
June 10,
2024
Free
Autism Screening Camp was organized by Pakistan Army at District Headquarters
Hospital in Aliabad, Hunza.
A
lecture was also arranged in the camp on autism awareness for people and
parents.
Pakistan
Army has always been conducting free camps in the remote areas and the local
people appreciated and thanked this initiative of Pak Army.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/10-06-2024/pak-army-organizes-free-autism-screening-camp-in-aliabad-hunza
--------
Europe
London police
investigate arson at a home that Muslim group calls Islamophobic attack
June 10,
2024
Police
in London, Ont., are searching for a man in connection with a theft and arson
at a North London residence over the weekend that they are treating as a hate-motivated
attack.
Investigators
say a man showed up on foot at a home in the area of Wateroak Drive around 9:30
p.m. on June 8 and left a short time later carrying some items he took from the
front yard of the residence.
Police
say the same man then returned to the home around 10:30 p.m. and allegedly
started a fire on the front porch before leaving.
Fire
crews were able to extinguish the blaze and no injuries were reported. However,
the fire caused approximately $30,000 in damage to the home.
The man
is described as 30 to 50 years of age with a medium to heavy build. He was last
seen wearing grey shoes, dark pants, a light grey zip-up sweater with vertical
black accents on the sides under the arms, a dark-coloured toque, and a medical
mask.
Det.
Insp. Alex Krygsman said police are treating this as a hate-motivated incident.
“We are
aware of several other incidents that occurred at the same residence since the
first week of May regarding property damage, theft of signs, a threatening note
that was left,” he said. “The signs were signs that expressed support for
Palestine.”
Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau and the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM)
called out the attack as Islamophobic.
NCCM
officials called this latest attack “deeply disturbing, disappointing, and
ugly,” adding it continues a pattern of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian
racism that’s been seen in the city of London and beyond.
The
incident comes just days after the third anniversary of the terror attack on
members of the Afzaal family who were intentionally struck by a man driving a
truck, killing four of them and leaving another one seriously injured.
“We told
ourselves after the London terror attack against our London family that there
will be no more fear, that this city will do better, that Canada will do
better. And yet for the past three years we have seen a disturbing rise in
Islamophobic hate across the country,” said Nusaiba Al-Azem, legal director of
the NCCM.
“This
cannot go on. We can no longer allow such patterns to unfold unobstructed. We
must keep our word. Our leaders must keep their word.”
Imam Abd
Alfatah Twakkal, the chair of the London Council of Imams, said this crime is
based on hatred, which has been plaguing the community for several years.
“As
Canadians, we have to say ‘no, we don’t accept this for ourselves and we don’t
accept this for others’. Any form of hatred and discrimination is a plague in
our society and it needs to be addressed as such on all levels.”
Source: toronto.citynews.ca
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/06/10/london-police-arson-islamophobic-attack/
--------
Election
2024: Labour’s Gaza stance has driven many Muslim candidates to stand as
independents
June 10,
2024
The 2024
election will see a lengthy list of independent candidates standing against
Labour politicians in protest against its position on Gaza.
A newly
organised group called The Muslim Vote is attempting specifically to mobilise
Muslims to vote against Labour in areas where Muslims make up over 10% of the
electorate and where the MP voted against a ceasefire in the House of Commons
last November. To this end, it has created a list of MPs – mainly independents
but also some Workers Party of Britain and Green party candidates – to vote for
in target constituencies.
There
are 3.9 million Muslims in the UK, according to the 2021 census. Together they
make up 6.5% of the population – 1.2 million more than the previous census in
2011.
Traditionally,
Muslims have been electorally loyal to Labour. They have long viewed Labour as
being sympathetic to the rights of ethnic minorities and the working class –
groups that most Muslims, though not all, fall into.
Not all
Muslims vote Labour, of course, but it is nevertheless the case that most
Muslims see Labour as their natural home. At the local council level, there
are, according to the Labour Muslim Councillor Network, over 500 Muslim
councillors across the UK – and over 75% of them are members of the Labour
party. In the 2019 general election, over 80% of Muslims voted Labour.
But this
relationship is fraying as the 2024 election approaches. Labour leader Keir
Starmer’s now infamous radio interview in which he appeared to suggest that
Israel had the right to cut off power and water in Gaza has stuck in minds.
Starmer later clarified what he meant by insisting: “I was saying Israel had
the right to self-defence … I was not saying Israel had the right to cut off
water, food, fuel or medicines.” But nuanced positions rarely get coverage, of
course.
From
interviews I have conducted with Muslim voters as part of ongoing research, it
is certainly the case that many are disillusioned with the Labour party.
Evidence
from the local council, mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections
across England and Wales in May this year also suggests Labour party support
was down by eight points since last year in wards with Muslim populations of
over 10% .
Labour
lost control of Oldham council, an area that is 24% Muslim. The deputy leader
of Manchester council, who represented Labour, also lost his seat to a
representative of George Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain.
In the
West Midlands mayoral election, the independent pro-Gaza candidate, Akmed
Yaqoob, won nearly 70,000 votes, coming in third position. He is now contesting
Birmingham Ladywood, a safe Labour parliamentary seat held by shadow justice
secretary Shabana Mahmood since 2010.
The Iraq
legacy
The
relationship between Muslims and Labour has been tested before and, just as
now, foreign policy was at the heart of the matter. The 2003 war in Iraq was an
important turning point in Labour-Muslim relations. A parliamentary byelection
held that same year in the north-west London constituency Brent East saw the
Liberal Democrats overturn a Labour parliamentary majority of 13,000.
At the
time, the Muslim population of Brent represented over 12% of the borough – and
many cited the military intervention in Iraq as their reason for switching.
The
byelection represented a milestone. It was the first time that British Muslims
had used a bloc vote at parliamentary level. This was repeated nine months
later, when Muslims helped to overturn a 12,000 majority in Leicester South,
handing the constituency once again to the Liberal Democrats.
Local
elections in 2003 saw the Labour party suffer big electoral losses across the
country. And in places like Birmingham, with a sizeable Muslim demographic, the
party lost control over the local authority, due in part to a “Baghdad
backlash”.
The
extent of the backlash became clear in the 2005 general election, when the
Respect party, a product of the anti-war movement, managed to field 26
candidates. One of those was Galloway, who comfortably won the seat of Bethnal
Green and Bow in East London – an area where 40% of the electorate was of
British Bangladeshi background and the Muslim vote was high. The seat was taken
from Labour’s Oona King, who had voted for military intervention in Iraq.
In 2024,
that same constituency, with a re-configured boundary and new name – Bethnal
Green and Stepney – will be targeted by an independent pro-Gaza candidate
standing against Labour’s Rushanara Ali.
Initially,
that independent candidate was Tasnime Akunjee, a Muslim solicitor, who has
represented Shamima Begum. However, a few days before the deadline for
candidate nominations in June 2024, Akunjee withdrew. He stated in a post on X
that the independent movement across the country was being split by multiple
people standing in one constituency and that he would step aside to make way
for another candidate, Ajmal Masroor.
This
illustrates a pressing question for Muslim communities. If they don’t vote
Labour, who will they vote for? Unlike in the aftermath of the 2003 war in
Iraq, when the Liberal Democrats were in large part the beneficiary of Muslims
deciding to turn away from Labour, this time round, there has been a concerted
effort to push independent candidates rather than an established party.
Many
independents are standing on a Gaza platform, but since there is no official
party, that independent pro-Gaza Muslim vote is in danger of being split across
multiple independent candidates if more than one stands in any constituency.
Not all independent candidates feel so convivially towards others that they
would be willing to step aside for them.
Muslims
make up over 30% of the electorate in 20 constituencies across the UK. Every
one of those constituencies voted in a Labour MP in the 2019 general election.
And most will probably return a Labour MP this time round, too. Labour is on course
for a large majority, according to every poll.
But as
the party marches ahead with a mantra for change, it leaves behind a cohort of
voters that is deeply disillusioned. The Muslim vote will not cost the Labour
party an election victory. Electorally, Labour need not be too concerned.
However, the apparent abandonment of a community of voters who have been loyal
to the party for so long and who now find themselves politically homeless may
be an issue that Labour may want to reflect on once the euphoria settles.
Source: theconversation.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://theconversation.com/election-2024-labours-gaza-stance-has-driven-many-muslim-candidates-to-stand-as-independents-230938
--------
Old NatWest
bank in Sutton Road in Maidstone ‘will not be a mosque’ says new owner
10 June
2024
A
religious leader plans to convert a disused bank into a centre for worship but
an error has led to opposition.
Christy
Idahosa said the details submitted with her planning application for the old
NatWest bank in Sutton Road, Maidstone, initially were wrong.
The
application has received 40 comments from the public, mostly in favour. But of
those objecting, half a dozen did so in the belief the building was to become a
mosque because the plans had shown separate men’s and women’s prayer rooms.
But Mrs
Idahosa said an error had been made by her planning agent, and that new plans
had now been submitted.
She
said: “I hope to clear up any confusion.
“I
intend that the building will serve as a versatile community centre, supporting
local residents in numerous ways.
“It will
host a variety of activities including a children’s sensory room, local charity
events, youth entertainment, a worship centre, free morning tea and coffee, a
radio/TV station, and more.”
Source: kentonline.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/old-natwest-bank-will-not-be-a-mosque-says-new-owner-308049/
--------
Dmitry Trenin:
Here’s how Russia can prevent WW3
10 Jun,
2024
Nuclear
deterrence is not a myth. It kept the world safe during the Cold War.
Deterrence is a psychological concept. You have to convince a nuclear-armed
adversary that it will not achieve its objectives by attacking you, and that if
it goes to war its own annihilation is assured. The mutual nuclear deterrence
between the USSR and the US during their confrontation was reinforced by the
reality of mutually assured destruction in the event of a massive exchange of
nuclear strikes. Incidentally, the abbreviation for Mutually Assured
Destruction is MAD. And that’s very apt.
There
are several reasons for ‘mythologising’ nuclear deterrence. Since the end of
the Cold War, there has been a widespread belief that every conceivable reason
for nuclear war has disappeared. A new era of globalisation, with its emphasis
on economic cooperation, has dawned. For the first time in history, the
hegemony of a single power, the US, has been established globally. Nuclear weapons
remain in the arsenals of the great powers - though fewer than at the height of
the confrontation - but the fear of their use has faded. More dangerously, a
new generation of politicians has come to the fore, unburdened either by the
memory of decades of confrontation or by a sense of responsibility.
The
American belief in its own exceptionalism and European ‘strategic parasitism’,
devoid of any sense of self-preservation, is a dangerous combination. It’s in
such an environment that the idea of inflicting a strategic defeat on the
nuclear power the is Russia – in a proxy conventional war in Ukraine –has been
born. Russia’s atomic capabilities are being ignored. The parallels that Moscow
tried to draw with the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, when Washington considered
the possibility of a nuclear war with the USSR in response to the deployment of
Soviet missiles in the neighbourhood of the United States, were rejected by the
Americans as far-fetched.
In
response, Moscow was forced to activate the deterrence factor. Under an
agreement with Minsk, Russian nuclear weapons have been deployed in Belarus.
Russian non-strategic nuclear forces have recently begun exercises.
Nevertheless, Western countries continue to pursue escalation in the Ukrainian
conflict, which, if left unchecked, could lead to a frontal military conflict
between NATO and Russia and a nuclear war. This scenario can be prevented by
further strengthening deterrence - more precisely, by ‘nuclear sobering up’ our
adversaries. They must realise that it is impossible to win a conventional war
involving the vital interests of a power armed with the bomb, and that any
attempt to do so will lead to their own destruction. This is classic nuclear
deterrence.
The word
‘deterrence’ itself has a defensive connotation, but theoretically the strategy
can also be used in an ‘offensive’ sense. This can happen when one party
succeeds in dealing the first disarming blow to the enemy, and with its
remaining forces threatens the weakened opponent with total destruction if they
strike back. More appropriate here is the Anglo-American version of deterrence,
which literally means ‘to intimidate’. The French, by the way, use the term
‘dissuasion’ in their concept.
The
impact of non-nuclear weapons on nuclear deterrence policy
Non-nuclear
weapons certainly influence nuclear deterrence policy. This is a fact.
The US
has built up a huge arsenal of non-nuclear methods to achieve its goals. Not
only has it not dismantled its military alliances, it has expanded them and
created new networks. In the current environment, Washington is demanding more
and more real commitments from those allies - in the name of preserving the
US-led global system. Fifty states take part in meetings to organise military
aid to Kiev under the ‘Ramstein’ format. The result is the idea that it is
possible to defeat a nuclear power, but on condition that it does not require
resorting to nuclear weapons.
The only
thing left to do is to convince a nuclear power not to use nuclear weapons
under any circumstances and to allow itself to be defeated - in the name of
saving the whole of humanity, and so on. This is an extremely dangerous
illusion that can and must be dispelled by an active nuclear deterrence
strategy, including the lowering of the threshold for the use of nuclear
weapons, which is currently too high. The key condition for use should not be a
‘threat to the existence of the state’ but a ‘threat to the vital interests of
the country’!
A new
phase in relations between nuclear powers has begun
We can
say that a new phase in relations between the world’s nuclear powers has begun.
Many of us are still psychologically somewhere in the 1970s and 1980s. That is
a kind of comfort zone. Back then, relations between the USSR and the US were
based on the two superpowers’ strategic and political parity. In the
military-strategic sphere, Washington was forced to deal with Moscow on an
equal footing.
After
1991, this parity disappeared. For the US, since the 1990s, Russia has been a
declining power; throwing its weight around, always reminding itself of its
former greatness, snapping back, even dangerous at times - but on a downward
spiral. The difficult opening phase of the Ukraine conflict gave the Americans
hope that the fields of that country would be the grave of the Russian
superpower. They have since sobered up a bit, but equal status between Moscow
and Washington is out of the question for them.
This is
the main difference between the current state of relations and the ‘golden’
period of the Cold War - the 1960s and early 1980s. And Russia has yet to prove
the Americans wrong.
As they
say, it is always difficult to predict anything, especially the future. But
today we have to assume that a long period of confrontation with the West, led
by the US, lies ahead of us for about a generation. The future of our country,
its position and role in the world, and to a large extent the state of the
global system as a whole, will depend on the outcome of this confrontation, the
main front of which is not in Ukraine, but within Russia: in the economy, in
the social sphere, in science and technology, in culture and art.
Internally,
because the enemy realises the impossibility of defeating Moscow on the
battlefield, but remembers that the Russian state has collapsed more than once
as a result of internal turmoil. This may, as in 1917, be the result of an
unsuccessful war. Hence the bet on a protracted conflict in which they know
they have more resources.
Nuclear
polycentricity reflects the world’s growing multipolarity
During
the Cold War there were five nuclear powers, but then the only real poles were
the US and the USSR, plus China with its then small nuclear arsenal. Now Beijing
is moving towards (at least) parity with America and Russia, while India,
Pakistan, North Korea and Israel remain independent players (unlike NATO
members Britain and France).
The
classic Cold War notion of strategic stability – i.e. the absence of incentives
for the parties to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike – is not only inadequate
but sometimes inapplicable when characterising relations between the great
powers today.
Look at
Ukraine: Washington is increasing arms supplies to Kiev, encouraging and
providing for its provocative attacks on Russia’s strategic infrastructure
(early warning stations, strategic airfields), while at the same time proposing
Moscow resumes dialogue on strategic stability!
In the
emerging world order, strategic stability will have to mean the absence of
reasons for military conflict (even indirect) between the nuclear powers. This,
in turn, will be possible if the powers respect each other’s interests and are
ready to solve problems on the basis of equality and the indivisibility of
security.
Ensuring
strategic stability between all nine powers will require enormous efforts and
the formation of a fundamentally new world order model, but it (strategic
stability in the broad, i.e. real sense of the word) is quite realistic between
pairs of states (Russia-China, the US-India, etc.). For Russia, only three of
the other eight nuclear powers - the US, Britain and France - remain
problematic.
Arms
control is dead and will not be revived!
As far
as arms control in the classical form of the Soviet/Russian-American agreements
or multilateral agreements in Europe (CFE Treaty) is concerned, it is dead and will not be revived. The
Americans started to roll back the system two decades ago. First they withdrew
from the ABM Treaty, then from the INF Treaty and the Open Skies Treaty. They
refused to implement the adapted Treaty on Armed Forces and Armaments in
Europe. In the area of strategic nuclear weapons, one treaty remains, START-3,
but it expires in 2026, and Moscow has stopped inspections under this treaty in
the midst of the conflict in Ukraine.
In the
future, we will need not only new treaties, but also a new basis for
negotiations and agreements. It will be necessary to co-develop new concepts,
set new goals and objectives, and agree on the forms and methods of their
implementation. Greater Eurasia’ - conventionally known as the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO) - could become a platform for creating a new
model of international security on the scale of a huge continent (or at least
most of it). The SCO includes four nuclear powers: Russia, China, India and
Pakistan. Another SCO member, Iran, has an advanced nuclear programme. SCO
members Russia and China have close security ties with North Korea. There is a
huge space for work, new ideas and original solutions.
No
continuation of nuclear arms reduction talks between Russia and the US in sight
Negotiations
on nuclear disarmament are possible and they can even produce results: a treaty
banning nuclear weapons was adopted in 2017. But there is one thing to bear in
mind. There is not a single nuclear power among the signatories. Moreover, the
US, UK, France and Russia have already declared that they will never sign the
treaty because it does not correspond with their national interests.
As for
the issue of nuclear arms reduction, the long-standing confrontation between
Moscow and Washington rules out any continuation of this practice. China, for
its part, intends to build up its nuclear arsenal rather than reduce it,
probably with a view to achieving parity with the US and Russia in the long
term. The Americans, who have officially identified Russia and China as the
main threats to their security, are considering how to balance the combined
nuclear potential of Moscow and Beijing. So there is no hope here.
The main
problem, however, is not the quantity of nuclear weapons or even their presence
per se, but the quality of relations between states. The world order is
experiencing an acute systemic crisis. In the past, such crises inevitably led
to wars. Now nuclear deterrence is working, albeit with some issues. To prevent
a world war, it is necessary to strengthen deterrence by activating the nuclear
factor in foreign policy, restoring fear and building a ladder of escalation.
However,
we don’t want to go all the way to the abyss and then fall into it, but instead
prevent a catastrophic development of events. Nuclear weapons have already
saved the world once – by threatening to destroy it. That mission continues.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/599097-nuclear-weapons-can-save-world/
--------
Russia
thanks China for skipping Ukraine ‘peace conference’
10 Jun,
2024
Russian
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has praised China’s decision to not attend the
Swiss-hosted Ukraine peace summit set to begin later this week, officials in
Moscow have said.
Russia
has criticized the conference – which it said it has no plans to attend –
arguing that the event is dedicated to promoting Vladimir Zelensky’s peace
formula and imposing an “ultimatum” on Russia.
In a
statement on Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Lavrov expressed
gratitude to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Chinese colleagues for
their “balanced and consistent line on the crisis around Ukraine,” including
Beijing’s decision not to send a delegation to the ‘peace conference’ near Lake
Lucerne scheduled to take place June 15-16.
The
ministry added that the event does not include “Russia’s participation on equal
terms and fair consideration of all peace initiatives and the current reality.”
China
confirmed earlier this month that it has no plans to attend the summit. Its
Foreign Ministry argued that it lacks “three important elements” – recognition
of the event by both Moscow and Kiev, equal participation of all sides, and a
fair discussion of all peace proposals.
The
ministry stressed that Beijing’s decision not to send a delegation to
Switzerland does not mean it no longer supports peace between Russia and
Ukraine.
Ukraine
has for months been promoting Zelensky’s ten-point ‘peace formula’ which
demands that Russia withdraw from all territory Kiev claims as its own and for
a tribunal to be set up to prosecute Russian officials for alleged war crimes.
Moscow has dismissed the initiative as “detached from reality.”
Zelensky
said last month that the Swiss-hosted summit would focus only on three points
of Kiev’s plan, including prisoner exchanges, as well as nuclear and food
security. He also opposed Russia’s presence at the conference, saying it would
enable Moscow to derail Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts.
Lavrov
said last month that the sole purpose of the event is to impose an ultimatum on
Russia. He added that the meeting completely ignores other peace initiatives,
while Switzerland – which has joined the Western sanctions on Russia – has lost
its neutral status.
Moscow
maintains that it is open to talks. However, Zelensky signed a decree banning
all negotiations with the current Russian leadership after four former
Ukrainian regions overwhelmingly voted to join Russia in autumn 2022.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/599090-lavrov-thanks-china-ukraine-summit/
--------
Russia
ready to strike NATO airfields hosting Ukrainian jets – MP
10 Jun,
2024
Any
airfields hosting Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets, whether they are in or outside
the country, will be legitimate targets for the Russian military if they
participate in combat missions against Moscow’s forces, the chairman of the
Russian State Duma Defense Committee, Andrey Kartapolov, has warned.
The
comments come as Kiev prepares to receive the first delivery of US-made fighter
jets from its Western backers, after Ukrainian pilots were trained to fly
them.
In a
statement to RIA Novosti published on Monday, Kartapolov clarified that if the
F-16s “are not used for their intended purpose” or are simply held in storage
at foreign airbases with the intent to transfer them to Ukraine, where they
will be equipped, maintained, and flown from Ukrainian airfields, then Russia
would have no claims against its “former partners” and would not target
them.
However,
if the jets take off from foreign bases and carry out sorties and strikes
against Russian forces, both the fighter planes and the airfields they are
stationed at will be “legitimate targets,” according to Kartapolov.
“As for
[our ability] to shoot [them] down, we can shoot down anyone, anywhere,” the MP
insisted.
Kartapolov’s
statement comes after the chief of aviation of Ukraine’s Air Force Command,
Sergey Golubtsov, stated in an interview with Radio Liberty on Sunday that some
of the F-16 fighter jets donated to Kiev by the West would be stationed at
foreign airbases.
He
explained that only a portion of the jets would be stationed directly on
Ukrainian territory, corresponding to the number of pilots trained to operate
the aircraft. The other jets would be kept in reserve at “safe airbases” abroad
so that they are not targeted by the Russian military.
Golubtsov
stated that so far four countries have agreed to transfer F-16s to Ukraine,
namely Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands. While he did not specify
exactly how many aircraft would be donated, he claimed it was between 30 and 40
planes, with potentially more to come in the future.
Meanwhile,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also warned that Moscow would
perceive the deliveries of F-16 fighters to Ukraine as a nuclear threat, given
that the jets have long been used as part of the US-led bloc’s joint nuclear
missions.
At the
same time, the minister stressed that the US-designed jets would not change the
situation on the battlefield, and would be shot down and destroyed like any
other foreign weapons supplied to Ukraine.
Source: www.rt.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/599085-russia-strike-nato-airfields-f16/
--------
South Asia
Three
Rohingyas killed in Bangladesh after clash between rival groups over dominance
Jun 11,
2024
COX'S
BAZAR: At least three Rohingya refugees were killed, and seven others injured
following a clash between rival militant groups struggling for control over
relief camps in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh
shelters one million members of the stateless and persecuted Muslim community,
the majority of whom arrived after a severe military crackdown in Myanmar in
2017.
Most of
these refugees live in vast, crowded camps. This year, there has been an
increase in skirmishes between armed groups, partly due to the forced
recruitment of refugees into Myanmar's civil war.
On
Monday, at least 100 members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA)
attacked a group of refugees conducting a security patrol in a camp located in
Cox's Bazar district, according to police.
"They
cut barbed-wire fence surrounding the camp and launched the attack on Rohingyas
who were protecting the camp," said Mohammad Iqbal, a commanding officer
of the Armed Police Battalion, which is tasked with maintaining security in the
camps.
"Three
Rohingyas were killed and seven were injured. When police came to the spot,
ARSA members also attacked police," he told AFP, adding that the victims
had been variously shot and attacked with knives.
A
Rohingya community leader in the camps, speaking on condition of anonymity, has
said the three slain men were members of the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation
(RSO).
"Murders
and gunfights are occurring every day and night in the camp. ARSA killed three
RSOs yesterday. No Rohingya are safe here. ARSA and RSO have made the camps
hell for the Rohingya refugees," he said.
Security
within the Rohingya camps has been declining since April. Rival Rohingya groups
have initiated campaigns to forcibly recruit young men and teenage boys to
combat in Myanmar.
About
1,500 Rohingya have been coerced from the camps to join the conflict, according
to a confidential report circulated among UN agencies last month and viewed by
AFP.
Worried
parents and Rohingya community leaders have organized patrol groups in the
camps to prevent recruitment raids.
At least
20 Rohingya have died this year in clashes between rival militant groups, as
reported by the national daily Prothom Alo.
Different
Rohingya armed groups are individually gathering troops for Myanmar's military,
responsible for their violent expulsion from the country in 2017.
These
groups argue that the Rohingya must ally with past enemies within the Myanmar
army to confront a new threat.
The
recruits have been sent across the border to engage with the Arakan Army, which
seeks greater autonomy in Myanmar's Rakhine state, also home to roughly 600,000
Rohingya.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/three-rohingyas-killed-in-bangladesh-after-clash-between-rival-groups-over-dominance/articleshow/110896957.cms
--------
Denmark
contributes over $7 million in aid to Afghanistan
June 11,
2024
The United
Nations Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (UN_STFA) has announced that Denmark
has contributed $7.29 million to provide assistance in various sectors,
including women’s empowerment.
The
agency stated today, Tuesday, June 11, on its social media platform from X that
this is Denmark’s third round of aid to Afghanistan.
The
United Nations Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan emphasized that this
assistance will strengthen coordinated efforts to provide services to the
Afghan people, especially in the areas of women’s empowerment, climate change,
and permanent solutions for refugees and returnees.
It is
worth noting that Denmark provided $6.2 million to Afghanistan earlier last
year and an additional $2.2 million in January of this year.
Additionally,
the European Union has allocated €150 million in aid to Afghanistan.
This
comes as the United Nations and aid agencies have consistently warned of
increasing levels of poverty and hunger in Afghanistan, exacerbated by floods
and the expulsion of migrants, intensifying the level of need.
Moreover,
ongoing restrictions and lack of job opportunities in the country have further
worsened the current dire situation, making humanitarian assistance crucial for
the Afghan people.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/denmark-contributes-over-7-million-in-aid-to-afghanistan/
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World
Food Programme calls for $650 million aid for Afghanistan
June 11,
2024
The
World Food Programme (WFP) says it needs $650 million to address the needs in
Afghanistan.
The
agency stated on its social media platform Tuesday, June 11, that despite
improvements in food security in Afghanistan compared to the past two years,
one-fourth of the country’s population still requires assistance for survival.
The
World Food Programme has emphasized that it requires $650 million for the next
six months to continue providing aid to Afghanistan.
The
World Food Programme’s request for assistance for Afghanistan comes as the country
has recently experienced devastating floods caused by recent rains, resulting
in hundreds of deaths and significant financial losses.
Moreover,
adverse natural events have completely devastated the livelihoods of many
families, primarily reliant on agriculture.
However,
the forced return of over half a million Afghans from Pakistan and the regular
expulsion of large groups of Afghan refugees from Iran have recently increased
the level of need in Afghanistan.
This
comes amid a dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, exacerbated by the recent
deadly floods in the country.
Additionally,
the urgent need for aid extends to the returnees, as the influx of refugees
returning from neighboring countries, such as Pakistan, and the expulsion of
Afghan refugees from Iran, has intensified the demand for assistance in
Afghanistan.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/world-food-programme-calls-for-650-million-aid-for-afghanistan/
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Uzbekistan
provides 50 scholarships for Afghan students: Taliban official
June 10,
2024
The
Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education announced on Sunday that Uzbekistan has
offered 50 scholarships to Afghan students.
On
Sunday, June 9, the Ministry of Higher Education reported a meeting between
Lutfullah Khairkhwah, the ministry’s academic deputy, and Yadgar Khoja
Shadmanov, Uzbekistan’s ambassador to
Kabul.
The
ministry’s statement mentioned that the meeting discussed resolving issues
faced by Afghan students in Uzbekistan and enhancing bilateral cooperation.
The
ministry did not provide details about who will receive these scholarships or
the process of awarding them.
The
Taliban stated that currently, 43 Afghan students are studying in Uzbekistan.
The Ministry
of Higher Education, under Taliban control, said that these scholarships would
be awarded at the undergraduate level but did not specify which fields of study
would be covered.
Since
the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, girls have been barred from continuing
their education beyond primary education within the country.
Despite
massive criticism by the international community, the Taliban administration
had not lifted the restriction of education on girls and women in the country.
This
comes amid the first phase of the 1403 university entrance exam that began on
Thursday, June 5, in 16 provinces of Afghanistan without the participation of
girls.
The
Taliban have also imposed strict travel restrictions on female students wishing
to study abroad.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/uzbekistan-provides-50-scholarships-for-afghan-students-taliban-official/
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Mining
helps Afghanistan reach self-sufficiency
June 11,
2024
Local
media confirmed that the Islamic Emirate has gained millions of U.S. dollars in
revenue from the Qashqari crude oil within ten days. According to media citing
the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of the Islamic Emirate, the Qashqari phase
of the Amu Darya in transparent bidding won by a domestic company could sell up
to 20,000 tons of crude oilfield costing 10 million U.S. dollars in one day, as
the ministry earlier announced that over 130,000 tons of the crude oil worth
71.6 million dollars, has been sold within the last ten days. In other fields,
the related organs of the Islamic Emirate have tried their best to introduce
the country’s mines transparently to help the country develop. This is clear
that the Islamic Emirate, since its resumption of power, has struggled in the
fields of the country’s reconstruction, economic self-sufficiency, creation of
employment for millions of jobless individuals and helping the country’s
domestic products access global markets. Indeed, if the country’s mines are
extracted transparently and domestic products are encouraged and supported and
provided with global markets, undoubtedly, we can strengthen, not only, civil
institutions but can also strengthen our military infrastructures and develop
our military equipment. Through the exploitation of the country’s mines, we can
provide jobs for thousands of unemployed people across the country and within a
few years, the country can reduce the level of poverty in the country. By
developing the country’s mining sector, through bidding transparently, we can
equip our military sector as much as can defend the country against any threat
from aliens. Afghanistan can provide long-ranged, modern and sophisticated
weapons by the utilization of the country’s mines and by this, we can have a
self-sufficient military, including army and police. So, this is the main
responsibility of the related organs to further strengthen this sector and do
their best to transparently exploit them, as lack of transparency in the
contracts, particularly in mining, bribery and looting of public property had
the main elements behind the past governments collapse over the past twenty
years.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/mining-helps-afghanistan-reach-self-sufficiency/
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IEA’s
23rd Cabinet Meeting Addresses Kabul Master Plan and Enhances Inter-Ministerial
Coordination
2024-06-11
KABUL(BNA):
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan convened its 23rd regular cabinet meeting today,
June 10th, under the leadership of Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan
Akhund.
During
the meeting, a crucial decision was made to implement the Kabul city’s master
plan. Each department was tasked with fulfilling its duties and
responsibilities according to the outlined procedures, ensuring the effective
execution of this comprehensive urban development strategy.
Additionally,
the Ministry of Interior was tasked with ensuring that all relevant departments
with administrative units in the districts affected by decisions regarding the
designation and alteration of district centers are included in the committees
and joint decisions were made.
The
meeting also assigned the Ministries of Education, Public Health, Public Works,
Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Communications, and Information
Technology to coordinate with the Ministries of Borders, Tribes, and Interior
to address the issues of people in border districts seriously and to provide
services efficiently.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/ieas-23rd-cabinet-meeting-addresses-kabul-master-plan-and-enhances-inter-ministerial-coordination/
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Every
village to be brought under civic amenities: PM
Jun 11, 2024
Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the government is working to ensure civic
amenities for all the rural people throughout the country.
"We'll
bring every village under the coverage of civic amenities," she said.
The PM
said this while handing over 18,566 more houses among the homeless and landless
families across the country under Ashrayan-2 project, five days before the
Eid-ul Azha.
She
opened the distribution of the houses along with ownership documents through a
videoconference from her official residence Ganabhaban, connecting to Kaliganj
upazila of Lalmonirhat, Eidgaon upazila of Cox's Bazar, and Char Fashion
upazila of Bhola.
On
behalf of Sheikh Hasina, the public representatives and field administration
handed over the houses constructed under the government's flagship housing
programme, Ashrayan-2 project, aiming to ensure housing for all.
Besides,
the PM declared 70 more upazilas, including all upazilas of 26 districts, free
from landlessness and homeless people.
With
this declaration, the total number of landless and homeless-free districts has
reached 58 and the number of landless and homeless-free upazilas has gone up to
464 across the country.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/every-village-be-brought-under-civic-amenities-pm-3632091
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PM
provides 18,566 more houses to homeless as Eid gift
Jun 11,
2024
Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina today handed over 18,566 more houses to the homeless and
landless families as gift before Eid across the country under the government's
flagship housing programme Ashrayan-2 project to ensure housing for all.
She
distributed the homes along with the ownership documents of land among the beneficiaries
through a video-conferencing from a function at Gono Bhaban.
Google
News LinkFor all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
The
prime minister also announced 70 more upazilas of 26 districts
landless-and-homeless-free by handing over the houses under the second stage of
the fifth phase of Ashrayan-2 project, raising the number of landless and
homeless free districts to 58 and the upazilas to 464 across the country.
Kaliganj
upazila of Lalmonirhat, Eidgaon upazila of Cox's Bazar and Char Fashion upazila
of Bhola were virtually connected to the house distribution ceremony.
The
prime minister provided 1,282 houses in Lalmonirhat, 261 in Cox's Bazar and
1,234 in Bhola districts.
Earlier,
she distributed 63,999 houses in the first phase, 53,330 in the second phase,
59,133 in the third phase and 39,365 in the fourth phase of the Ashrayan-2
project across the country.
Under
the project, each of the landless and homeless families is being given a
semi-pucca house on two decimals of land with the ownership in the name of both
husband and wife.
Each
house consists of two bedrooms, one kitchen, one toilet and veranda.
According
to the project details, a total of 266,012 landless and homeless families were
rehabilitated in the first, second, third, fourth and the first stage of the
fifth phases of the Ashrayan-2 Prakalpa.
Father
of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman introduced the rehabilitation
programme for homeless people in 1972.
Following
the footprints of Bangabandhu, her daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took
the initiative to provide ownership of houses and lands to the homeless and
landless people through the Ashrayan project in 1997.
Under
the Ashrayan project, a total of 771,301 families have been rehabilitated so far
since 1997. The number of rehabilitated people is 3,856,505 (estimated as five
persons in a family).
So far,
4,340,000 people of 867,904 landless and homeless families have been
rehabilitated under the Ashrayan and other programmes across the country while
2,910,265 of 582,053 landless and homeless people have been rehabilitated under
the Ashrayan project only, the document said.
PM's
Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah moderated the house distribution
programme.
The
prime minister later exchanged views with the beneficiaries.
A video
documentary on the house schemes was also screened on the occasion.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/pm-provides-18566-more-houses-homeless-eid-gift-3632046
--------
Southeast Asia
Case
remention for couple supplying firearms to Israeli on July 11
11-06-
2024
KUALA
SELANGOR: The Sessions Court here has fixed July 11 for the remention of the
case involving a married couple suspected of supplying firearms to an Israeli
man.
The two
accused, Sharifah Faraha Syed Husin, 41, and Abdul Azim Mohd Yasin, 43, arrived
in court at 9.30 am and 9.50 am respectively.
Deputy
Public Prosecutor Fazeedah Faik in today’s proceedings said the prosecution is
still in the process of preparing some documents to be submitted to the
defence.
Fazeedah
also informed that she had received a representation from the defence on behalf
of Sharifah Faraha on June 2 and that it was being examined for further action.
At the
proceedings, counsel Mohamad Isa Mohamad Basir representing Sharifah Faraha
also submitted two applications for his client to be allowed to be examined at
a clinic outside the prison and to request the warden not to provide false
information related to the case.
“... two
weeks ago my client passed out in the Kajang women’s prison and I understand
that until today she only received normal treatment, and my client complained
of pain in the head and requested to get an x-ray to check the head.
“I also
understand that the wardens have given various false information and have put
pressure on my client and this act needs to stop,“ he said.
He said
his team was also in the process of obtaining the health records of the accused
at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor who had previously suffered from
depression and anxiety.
Judge
Ahmad Faizadh Yahya then advised both applications to be resolved
administratively by the prison.
Lawyer
Ethan Tan who represented Abdul Azim was also present at today’s proceedings.
On April
8, Sharifah Faraha pleaded not guilty to the charge of possessing a CZ 75 P-01
CAL.9 LUGER pistol at a house in Kampung Bukit Belimbing, Kuala Selangor at 8
pm, March 29.
The
woman was charged under Section 8 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act
1971 which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years and no less than six
strokes of the cane if convicted.
Abdul
Azim was alleged to be with Sharifah Faraha, in a situation that gave rise to a
reasonable presumption that he knew his wife had the firearm in question at the
same location, date and time.
The
charge was made under Section 9 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971
which provides for similar penalties, if convicted.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/local-news/case-remention-for-couple-supplying-firearms-to-israeli-on-july-11-GD12557436
--------
China
Press’ Facebook page taken down, announces move to different account
11-06-
2024
PETALING
JAYA: China Press recently announced that their official Facebook page has been
taken down on Monday (June 10).
It was
not disclosed as to why the Mandarin-language daily publication’s social media
page which boosted over 2.5 million followers was taken down.
A report
by the publication recently stated that it has since migrated to another
Facebook page.
According
to Malaysiakini, citing China Press’ editor-in-chief (EIC), the page was taken
down following a post that was said to have “violated Facebook’s community
guidelines.”
The EIC
also mentioned that Facebook had not specified which post that violated
community guidelines.
“We are
undaunted and continue to stand on the frontlines of news - not disappeared,”
the daily’s management were quoted as saying.
The
daily publication is currently posting its articles on China Press Johor’s
Facebook page.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
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https://thesun.my/local-news/china-press-facebook-page-taken-down-announces-move-to-different-account-JD12556870
--------
Malaysia
ranked third happiest Southeast Asian country for youths
11-06-
2024
MALAYSIA
has been ranked as the third happiest country for individuals under 30 in
Southeast Asia, just behind Thailand and Singapore, according to a recent
report by Seasia Stats.
The
rankings are based on data from the Gallup World Poll (GWP), which evaluates
responses related to social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity,
and both positive and negative emotions.
Malaysia
holds the 64th position globally with a happiness score of 6.372. Thailand
leads the region, ranking 45th globally with a score of 6.497, followed by
Singapore in 2nd place with a score of 6.484. Myanmar is identified as the
least happiest country in Southeast Asia, ranking 122nd globally with a score
of 4.354.
The
World Happiness Report reveals notable trends in happiness across generations.
Those
born before 1965 report higher levels of happiness compared to those born after
1980.
The
report also indicated that happiness tends to peak during youth, decline during
middle age, and recover significantly later in life.
A
significant finding is the declining trend in millennial happiness over time.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/style-life/going-viral/malaysia-ranked-third-happiest-southeast-asian-country-for-youths-MD12558703
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Indonesia
Says UN’s Gaza Ceasefire Resolution is Long Overdue
June 11,
2024
Jakarta.
Indonesia said Tuesday that it took way too long for the UN Security Council to
adopt a resolution on a ceasefire in Gaza finally. Still, the recent
developments have marked an important step to help Palestinians.
The UN
Security Council recently adopted a US-sponsored resolution for a ceasefire
plan aimed at ending the Gaza war. The resolution sought to reach a ceasefire
through a three-phase approach. Fourteen UN Security Council members approved
the resolution, while Russia chose to abstain from voting. Indonesia, which has
been pushing for a permanent ceasefire, gave its official statement on the
long-awaited resolution.
“The
adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2735 [2024] on the three-phase
ceasefire proposal is a long overdue yet an important step to stop the ongoing
atrocities against the people of Palestine and towards achieving an immediate
and permanent ceasefire in Gaza,” a statement by the Indonesian Foreign Affairs
Ministry reads.
“Indonesia
urges all parties to reach an agreement without delay to ensure a lasting
ceasefire, immediate relief for the people of Palestine…” the statement reads.
Indonesia
is also urging all parties to pave the way for a two-state solution, which
envisions the establishment of a Palestinian state separate from that of
Israel.
In the
past, ceasefire resolutions had seen some pushback as the council’s permanent
member, the US, had used its veto power to prevent them from being adopted.
The
freshly adopted resolution had a three-phase approach. The first one proposes a
six-week ceasefire plan while calling for the release of hostages and for
Israel to withdraw its forces from populated areas in Gaza.
The
second phase will see a permanent end to hostilities in exchange for Israeli
forces’ full withdrawal, and the release of the remaining hostages.
The
third phase is a major multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza. But if the
negotiations take longer than six weeks for the first phase, the ceasefire will
remain in place as long as the talks continue.
Eight
months have passed since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023. Al-Jazeera
reported Tuesday that the death toll had reached 37,124 people with around
84,712 wounded since then.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
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https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-says-uns-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-is-long-overdue
---------
Prabowo
Finally Meets with 'Good Friend' Jordan King in Amman
June 11,
2024
Jakarta.
President-elect Prabowo Subianto finally met with Jordanian King Abdullah II
bin Al-Hussein in person on Monday local time as he flew to Amman for talks on
humanitarian assistance to people affected by the ongoing war in Gaza.
Prabowo
is currently in Amman to attend an emergency summit aimed at organizing a
humanitarian response for Gaza. Prabowo, who currently serves as the defense
minister, took the chance to have bilateral talks with the Jordanian king and
also a long-time friend.
According
to a ministerial press statement, Abdullah II congratulated Prabowo on his
election victory before the Amman meeting shifted to the Gaza situation.
Prabowo said that Jordan had been a good ally to Indonesia in its efforts to
support the Palestinian cause.
“The
Indonesian government continues to monitor the worsening situation in Gaza. The
number of fatalities and injuries continues to rise. Indonesia is very
concerned about the current condition of the people in Gaza who are extremely
vulnerable," Prabowo told Abdullah II, as reported by the press statement.
This
marks their first time meeting in person since Prabowo won the election,
although Abdullah II made a congratulatory phone call in March. Abdullah also
referred to Prabowo as “my brother”,
while telling him “Indonesia needs you”.
“I have
fond memories of Amman,” Prabowo said during the phone call.
Abdullah
II responded: “I have fond memories of you too, my dear friend.”
Media
reports show that both Prabowo and Abdullah II are alumni of the military
academy Fort Benning. A 1998 New York Times article wrote that Jordan had
offered Prabowo citizenship, although the latter turned down the offer. Prabowo
also reportedly used to live in Amman at the time. In 2014, Prabowo uploaded an
old photo of him with Abdullah II on the social media platform X, which was
still called Twitter back then.
“Speaking
of the Jordanian King, perhaps only several of my friends know that I will
never forget his kindness,” Prabowo tweeted on Feb. 27, 2014.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
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Presidents
Past and Present to Gather for Independence Day in Jakarta and Nusantara
June 10,
2024
Jakarta.
The upcoming Indonesian Independence Day ceremony on August 17 will take place
in two locations: Jakarta and the new capital, Nusantara (IKN) in Kalimantan.
"President
Joko Widodo will lead the ceremony in Nusantara, and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin
will lead in Jakarta," said Chief Cultural Affairs Minister Muhadjir
Effendy after a preparation meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on
Monday.
He said
that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin would
be accompanied by the newly elected President Prabowo Subianto and Vice
President Gibran Rakabuming Raka during the ceremonies at each location.
In
addition, Jokowi has requested that national figures be invited to attend the
independence ceremonies.
"(The
invitation for former presidents) is still being proposed. Earlier, the
President recommended inviting national figures to both Jakarta and Nusantara.
The list is not finalized yet and may be split between the two locations. This
includes ceremonies at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery and the Nusantara
Memorial," Muhadjir explained.
Meanwhile,
the Head of the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP), Yudian Wahyudi,
said that former presidents Megawati Soekarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
would be invited due to their service.
"Yes,
former presidents will be invited. In principle, figures who have contributed
significantly to the nation's independence and service over the years will be
invited," Yudian clarified.
Megawati
and her party, PDI-P, endorsed Jokowi in the 2014 and 2019 elections, but their
relationship turned sour in the 2024 election after Gerindra Party chairman
Prabowo Subianto nominated Gibran, Jokowi's oldest son, as his running mate.
Prabowo
eventually won with the support of Jokowi's voters, while Ganjar Pranowo, the
PDI-P candidate, finished last in the election despite leading in the polls
beforehand.
As the
first family began to distance themselves from PDI-P, many expected that PDI-P
would take on the role of the opposition.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
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Minister:
Another Malaysian Haj pilgrim dies in Mecca, five deceased and 56 hospitalised
so far
11 Jun
2024
MECCA,
June 11 — Another Malaysian Haj pilgrim died in the Holy Land yesterday,
bringing the death toll to five.
Minister
in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Mohd Na’im
Mokhtar announced that Zuraida Mohd Haris, 37, from Ampang, Selangor, died at
8.15pm yesterday at King Abdulaziz Hospital in Mecca.
“The
deceased died due to a brain haemorrhage after receiving treatment for six days.
“Her
body was taken to Masjidil Haram for funeral prayers before burial after Subuh
prayers at 5.07am today at the Syuhada Al-Haram Cemetery,” he told media
personnel at Tabung Haji (TH) main office here today.
So far,
he noted, five Malaysian Haj pilgrims have died from various causes, including
aneurysm, heart attack, organ failure and brain haemorrhage.
Mohd
Na’im extended condolences to families of the Haj pilgrims who died, adding
that TH will perform Haj on their behalf, with the expenses covered by the
Malaysian Haj Pilgrims Welfare Fund.
Currently,
56 Malaysian Haj pilgrims are hospitalised, with 13 in Saudi Arabian hospitals
and 43 at the TH Medical Centre in Mecca.
“Pilgrims
admitted to TH Medical Centre and Saudi hospitals suffer from respiratory
issues, heart problems, hypertension, psychiatric disorders and muscle/joint
pain.
“Insha-Allah,
Tabung Haji will ensure these patients receive proper care for their recovery,”
he assured.
With
just four days until the Day of Arafah, he urged Haj pilgrims to prioritise
their health and avoid prolonged exposure to the hot temperatures in the Holy
Land.
“We
expect hot weather during Haj, with temperatures ranging from 30° to
45°Celsius. Avoid prolonged exposure and drink plenty of water to prevent heat
stroke,” he advised.
In
addition, he urged Haj pilgrims to comply with Saudi government regulations and
follow instructions from Tabung Haji officers. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/modi-govt-religious-minorities-muslims/d/132491