"I Stopped the Bus for The Muslims to Offer Namaz, As A Sign of Humanity, As Also I Did For Those Who Needed To Ease Themselves": Late Mohit Yadav Who Killed Himself After Being Sacked For Allowing Namaz

New Age Islam News Bureau

31 August 2023

 

Uttar Pradesh Roadways bus conductor Mohit Yadav (30) of Khushal village was found lying on a railway track. (Photo | Ketto)

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India

·         Girl Students Forced to Wear Hijab Row: Madhya Pradesh HC Grants Bail To Principal Afsha Sheikh, Teacher, Guard

·         Ready for J&K polls any time now, no specific timeframe for statehood: Centre to SC

·         Shivling fountains at Delhi's Dhaula Kuan ahead of G20 stir row: 'Not Gyanvapi'

·         Nuh communal violence: Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi gets bail, arrested for allegedly making inflammatory speeches and brandishing weapons in public

·         Eight terrorists absconding for decades arrested in Jammu

·         Before G20 summit, Jamia Millia Islamia bars gathering by students

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Mideast

·         Conservative judge seeks presidency of Israel’s high court in new challenge to embattled judiciary

·         UNRWA appeals for $15.5m for emergency response in Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon

·         Houthis target Yemeni activists advocating for public salaries

·         Palestinian killed in armed confrontation with PA security services

·         Several killed in fighting between SDF and tribesmen in eastern Syria

·         Israeli forces kill Palestinian teenager in East Jerusalem

·         Palestinian trucker kills Israeli soldier in ramming, is shot

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South Asia

·         Afghan Minister Says Weakening Afghan Interim Govt Harms Everyone

·         PM’s participation at G20 Summit to add feather to Dhaka-Delhi ‘Golden Chapter’: Bangladesh FM

·         World Bank gives $200m for healthcare services, dengue prevention in Bangladesh

·         5-year-old Afghan donor saves three Iranian lives

·         Body of Afghan minor girl found in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

·         50,000 Afghan refugees return home from Iran in past month

·         UK Embassy commits $125M for Afghan children’s education

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Southeast Asia

·         Mosques Should Play More Dynamic, Meaningful Role, Perak Ruler Told Consultative Council Members

·         Wearing Patriotism on Their Sleeves, Malaysians Embrace Unity In Racial, Religious Diversity

·         In Putrajaya, Agong, Permaisuri mingle with Merdeka Day crowd

·         Malaysia's racial unity unique, must be preserved, say analysts

·         Malaysia to lodge formal protest against China's South China Sea map claims         

·         Indonesia arrests 88 Chinese nationals over love scams

·         Building fire in Johannesburg kills 52, death toll expected to rise

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Africa

·         Commissioner For Religious Affairs Vows to Revive, Improve Sharia Law in Zamfara

·         Gabon's mutinous soldiers announce new leader

·         Gabon coup: Ali Bongo calls for help, says "I don't know what is going on"

·         Africa: the 7 military coups over the last three years

·         Transfer to UN of Rwandan genocide suspect delayed in South Africa

·         Sudan military ruler visits Egypt as deadly fighting continues

·         African climate summit seeks to shift focus to finance from floods, famine

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Arab World

·         Saudi Crown Prince Approves Targets to Boost Eco-Tourism, Afforestation in Kingdom

·         Houthis target Yemeni activists advocating for public salaries

·         Saudi delegation participates in Medical Education conference in Glasgow

·         Saudi-Qatari panel discusses ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in trade and industry

·         In a world first, Saudi hospital sets up automated machine to dispense medications

·         Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Sends Verbal Message to Prime Minister of Mauritius

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Pakistan

·         Why Shouldn’t New Legislature Decide Fate of NAB Law, Asks SC Judge

·         Islamic Calligraphy Interlinked with Quran: Senator

·         Caretaker Info Minister takes notice of alleged torture, arrest of senior journalist Fayyaz Zafar

·         Imran’s remand in cipher case extended till Sept 13

·         Attock jail trial: Imran moves IHC against law ministry’s notification

·         Pakistan, China discuss arms control, non-proliferation

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Europe

·         Germany: More Than a Dozen Mosques Attacked In 2023

·         Ukrainian drones downed in Russia – governor

·         Another EU state sliding into recession

·         German government eyes rent freeze

·         EU set to import record volume of Russian LNG – data

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North America

·         Uzbeks, an Islamic State Smuggler, and the US Border

·         New York says Trump should be found liable for fraud, even before a trial

·         US resists Ukraine’s calls to ramp up oil restrictions on Russia – WaPo

·         US implies Taiwan sovereignty with new weapon sale

·         US seeks to base its nuclear forces in UK – media

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:   https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/mohit-namaz-humanity-muslims/d/130575

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 "I Stopped the Bus for The Muslims to Offer Namaz, As A Sign of Humanity, As Also I Did For Those Who Needed To Ease Themselves": Late Mohit Yadav Who Killed Himself After Being Sacked For Allowing Namaz

 

Uttar Pradesh Roadways bus conductor Mohit Yadav (30) of Khushal village was found lying on a railway track. (Photo | Ketto)

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Inquilab, Urdu Daily, 31 August 2023

Translated by NAI News Bureau

A video of conductor Mohit Yadav, a contract employee of Uttar Pradesh, who was fired for stopping a roadways bus in Bareilly for letting Muslims offer prayers, has surfaced. The video surfaced after he was sacked. In the video, he is narrating the entire incident that took place on the Bareilly-Delhi highway on the evening of 3rd June.

Mohit Yadav was on duty in the bus. He says, two Muslim passengers came to me and started asking me to just stop the bus for two minutes as they had to offer Namaz, on which I told them that it is fine. After that, the bus started moving. Exactly at 8:30 pm, three passengers came to me and asked me to stop the bus, saying that they were going to ease themselves. We stopped the bus. In the meantime, both the Muslims spread a sheet in front of the bus and started praying. The bus did not stop for a long time, it must have been only two minutes.

At the same time, a passenger made a video. These people did not make a video of those three passengers, but of only those who were praying. Those people rebuked me a lot but I didn't say anything to them. I also apologized to them but they kept making noise. After the video went viral, I lost my job.

 Now what is my fault in this? I did it as a human being.

In fact, conductor Mohit Yadav was fired for letting the Muslims offer prayers after stopping a Roadways bus in Bareilly.

Mohit was disturbed inside. He left home on Sunday evening, on Monday morning he committed suicide by jumping in front of a train. Mohit had committed suicide near the Smart Railway Gate under Gharvarthana area of Mainpuri. According to information, the driver of Anand Vihar Express told the GRP at the nearby railway station that someone had jumped in front of the train at the Kosmar railway gate. Later, when the railway police reached the location indicated by the train driver, Mohit’s body was cut into two parts. it was found that it was the body of Mohit Yadav. The relatives, who came after getting information on phone, identified and confirmed the body, then the body was sent for post-mortem.

Mohit Yadav, 36/years old, son of Rajendra Yadav, resident of village Nigala Khushali village under Gharo R police station area of Mainpuri, was a bus conductor at Bareilly depot. He was a contract worker in UP Roadways for the last eight years. After Mohit's death, there is mourning in the house. Rohit's wife Rinki said that he used to be very happy when he used to work in the bus, but since the job ended, he doesn't know what happened, he doesn't understand anything. Close relatives said that Mohit was suffering from mental stress after being fired, and did not talk to anyone.

Meanwhile, Rinki Yadav, the widow who lost her husband Mohit Yadav, says that 'My husband committed suicide, for no wrong of him. He had only stopped the bus for five minutes. On the other hand, father Rajendra Yadav said that ever since he lost his job, he was under mental stress. He did not speak or tell anything to anyone, even his daughter-in-law. In response to the question of the media officials. Mohit's father wishes to know, who is the killer of Mohit Yadav? Who killed him for doing the duty of humanity? Now this question is being left before the media and common people, you tell me my son is not going to come back now, my whole house has been destroyed.

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Hate Rants Against Muslims in School: Students’ Statements Crucial to Prosecute Teacher Over Hate Speech: Delhi Police

 

(Representational image)

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By Hemani Bhandari

Aug 31, 2023

An FIR against Hema Gulati was lodged on Monday on the basis of complaint of a 13-year-old Muslim student who was in the class, but she was yet to be arrested.

Any legal action against Hema Gulati, the 42-year-old Delhi government schoolteacher booked for alleged hate rants against Muslims in class, is likely to be taken on the basis of the statements of all the students present at that time, officers part of the investigation said on Wednesday.

While a first information report (FIR) against Gulati was lodged on Monday on the basis of a complaint of a 13-year-old Muslim student who was in the class, she was yet to be arrested.

Investigators said that recording the statements of all Class 9A students will help ascertain whether the alleged objectionable and derogatory remarks were made, and will be of crucial importance in the probe.

When contacted on Wednesday at her home in Geeta Colony, Gulati declined to comment on the allegations.

A senior police officer said that Class 9A has a strength of 52 students belonging to various faiths, including eight or nine Muslim students, and police have identified the students present on August 23 — when the teacher allegedly made hateful statements, according to the complainant. Till Tuesday, statements of around 15 students were recorded, and the process will resume on Friday, the officer said. “No statements will be recorded on Wednesday and Thursday because of Rakshabandhan holidays. The procedure will begin on Friday , as we need to corroborate the allegations,” the officer said.

According to investigators, there is no audio footage available of inside the classroom.

“Only videos without audio are available, which leaves little room for technical evidence. We will also be speaking to other teachers of the school to ascertain if the teacher ever made any such statement in front of them,” said another investigator.

The statements of students are being recorded by a juvenile welfare officer within the premises of the school, the investigator said. Gulati, teaches three subjects — English, entrepreneurship mindset curriculum, and the Deshbhakti curriculum.

Following the alleged hateful comments, which students and parents said were also made in the past, she was booked under various IPC sections, including section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups).

Police recorded the teacher’s statement on Tuesday and further investigation is ongoing, deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) Rohit Meena said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the families of the students who complained against the teacher said they are clueless about the action being taken in the matter.

“...we need to know if the teacher will still be teaching at the school. Because if she is going to come back, we will be scared to send our children to school,” said the elder sister of the 13-year-old complainant.

The Delhi government said they have set up a panel to address the matter, and will issue anti-discrimination guidelines to all their teachers and principals in other schools.

Source: nbcnewyork.com

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https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/delhi-teacher-s-legal-action-to-be-based-on-student-statements-investigation-ongoing-in-hate-rant-case-101693416791042.html

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Iran Bans Weightlifter, Mostafa Rajaei, For Life After He Shakes Israeli’s Hand On Podium

 

Iranian weightlifter Mustafa Rajai (left) has been banned for life after shaking hands with his Israeli opponent during an awards ceremony. Photo: @RichardHardigan / X

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By Maziar Motamedi

Published On 30 Aug 2023

30 Aug 2023

Tehran, Iran – Iran has banned a weightlifter from sports for life and dissolved a sports committee after the athlete greeted an Israeli counterpart on a podium.

Mostafa Rajaei, a veteran weightlifter, finished second in his category in the 2023 World Master Weightlifting Championships in Poland and stood on a podium with an Iranian flag wrapped around him on Saturday.

On anther step of the podium stood Maksim Svirsky from Israel, who finished third.

The two athletes shook hands and took a picture together, which led to the Iran Weightlifting Federation banning Rajaei from all sports for life due to what it called an “unforgivable” transgression.

“The positions of the federation are aligned with the positions of the holy establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” it said, adding that Rajaei has been banned from entering “all sports facilities” for the rest of his life.

Hamid Salehinia, who headed the weightlifting team, was also removed from his post, and the federation said a committee formed to represent veteran weightlifters has been dissolved as well.

“In addition to apologising to the leader of the revolution, the families of martyrs and all the people of Iran, I promise we will certainly never witness incidents like this in the weightlifting family,” federation chief Sajad Anoushiravani said in a statement.

More than 1,000 athletes from 47 countries participated in the weightlifting championships in Krakow, according to organisers.

Iran does not recognise Israel as a country and strictly forbids any contact between Iranian and Israeli athletes.

For years, Iranian athletes have refused to face Israelis in competitions and many times have been disqualified from tournaments or have bowed out of competitions on medical grounds.

The country has also faced criticism and some bans over its refusal to allow its athletes to compete against Israelis.

Judo’s world governing body in 2021 imposed a four-year suspension on Iran over the issue.

A number of Iranian athletes have defected over pressure from the authorities.

Among them was Alireza Firouzja, a chess prodigy who left Iran after the sports federation banned him from playing in the 2019 world championship due to concerns that he could face an Israeli opponent. Firouzja now plays under the French flag.

Source: aljazeera.com/

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https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2023/8/30/iran-bans-weightlifter-for-life-after-he-shakes-israelis-hand-on-podium

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Ban On Girls Education ‘Most Unconscionable Act Of Taliban’: US Ambassador For Global Criminal Justice, Beth Van Schaack

 

Representative Image

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By Fatema Adeeb,

30 August 2023

Beth Van Schaack, the US ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice, said that the bans on girls' education is one of the most unconscionable acts of the current Afghan government.

Van Schaack added that in all their engagements with the Islamic Emirate, they are pushing to have some of these restrictions relaxed.

“When it comes to girls’ education, indeed this is one of the most unconscionable acts of the Taliban, to deny young girls the ability to plan their own life paths, to operate in public, to have – to contribute to the growth and vibrancy of that particular society. And so in all of our engagements there we are constantly pushing to have some of those restrictions be relaxed,” Van Schaack noted.

The US ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice further stated that the International Criminal Court does have an open investigation and has indicated that it is prioritizing crimes committed by the Taliban.

“The International Criminal Court does have an open investigation and has indicated that it is prioritizing crimes committed by the Taliban and other non-state actors and that the prosecutor has appointed a senior special advisor on gender persecution who has put forth a very comprehensive policy on how the Office of the Prosecutor should prosecute gender persecution before the International Criminal Court. Now, no charges have been forthcoming, but we do anticipate that they will be, and so that’s an area to watch,” Van Schaack added.

The Islamic Emirate so far has not commented on this matter, but it has always said that the ban on female education is not permanent, and they are trying to solve this problem.

It has been over two years that girls above sixth grade have been banned from attending school, the issue which sparked reactions inside and outside the country. Some girls asked the Islamic Emirate to reopen schools for them.

"We ask the Islamic Emirate to reopen schools, universities and educational centers for us, because Afghanistan cannot be completed without women and cannot progress,” said Maryam, a student.

Earlier, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that that the US has been very clear about the education of girls in Afghanistan.

Addressing the press conference, Jean-Pierre said that Washington remains laser-focused on trying to support and assist the Afghan people without bolstering the Islamic Emirate.

Source: tolonews.com

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

https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184875

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Allow Lessons For Every Religion In All Schools, S’wak PKR Tells Govt

 

Sarawak PKR deputy chairman Senator Abun Sui says every religious belief recognised officially by the Malaysian government should be taught in schools so that students of all religions can learn about their respective faiths. – Bernama pic, August 31, 2023

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31 Aug 2023

Stephen Then

MIRI – The Education Ministry has been urged to allow special lessons to be conducted in schools for students of every religion as a major step towards a truly multireligious Malaysia.

State PKR deputy chairman Senator Abun Sui said every religious belief recognised officially by the Malaysian government should be taught in schools so that students of all religions can learn about their respective faiths.

“The Education Ministry (MoE) had recently said that it will introduce lessons in Imam Al-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith appreciation module in school curriculum for teachers and students of the Islamic faith.

“This idea is a good one if the lessons are meant only for Muslim students,” said Abun, who is also Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) information chief.

“We in Sarawak PKR call on the Education Ministry to also allow students of all other religions to be able to have lessons about their respective faiths.

“Students of the Christian faith, Buddhist faith, Hindu faith and all other religions in our country should be able to have special lessons in special classes conducted by religious authorities of their respective faith.

“In that way, all students, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, will be accorded the right to learn their faith in the school curriculum from certified teachers of their respective faith.

“That will be a major step towards a truly multireligious Malaysia,” he said in a press statement.

Sui said the ideals of Malaysia Madani should mean that all religions be taught in schools by their respective authorities.

These ideals on the rights of every Malaysian of every religion and race are also enshrined under Article 3 and Article 8 of the federal constitution, he added.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek had yesterday said that the module is important to curb radicalism and extremism in the Muslim community, and would provide the real picture of Islam’s universal values and practices.

She assured that the pilot project would only involve Muslim teachers and students in national religious secondary schools and government-aided religious schools. – The Vibes, August 31, 2023

Source: thevibes.com

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https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/98387/allow-lessons-for-every-religion-in-all-schools-swak-pkr-tells-govt

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India

Girl students forced to wear hijab row: Madhya Pradesh HC grants bail to principal Afsha Sheikh, teacher, guard

31 August, 2023

On Wednesday, August 30th, 2023, the administrators of a private school, who had been charged with compelling female students to wear Islamic headscarves, were granted bail by the Madhya Pradesh High Court. While granting bail to the accused, the High Court said that Hindu, and Jain girls shall not be forced to wear hijab anywhere in the school premises.

The three accused include school staffers Afsha Sheikh, Anas Atahar, and Rustam Ali. The controversy is related to the Ganga Jamuna Higher Secondary School in Damoh, Madhya Pradesh.

The complaint was lodged by the parents of three students after a photograph displaying non-Muslim students of the school wearing hijab caused protests from the Hindu community. The school tried to duck the issue by issuing a clarification that it was a headscarf and not a hijab. The school also claimed that it was part of the uniform. However, the issue gained significant attention, with the Home Minister calling for an investigation and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticizing the school.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Paliwal, presiding as the sole judge on the bench, granted bail to Asfa Sheikh, Anas Athar, and Rustom Ali, subject to a personal bond of ₹50,000.

According to reports, the court said in its order, “Applicants shall not repeat commission of the offense in which they are being released on bail. They shall not be prevented from wearing the essentials of their own religion as such wearing a sacred thread (kalawa) and putting tilak on the forehead. They shall not compel the students of other religion to read/study any material or language which has not been prescribed or approved by the Madhya Pradesh Education Board.”

The court added, “Girl students of other religions i.e. Hindu and Jain etc. shall not be compelled to wear a head scarf (Hijab) anywhere in the school premises or in the classrooms. It is directed that they shall also abide by all the conditions enumerated.”

In their complaint, the students also alleged that some of the teachers in the school forced them to recite the Quran. The students leveled the allegations of the imposition of restrictions on Hindu religious practices, compulsory Urdu subjects, and the recitation of poet Mohammad Iqbal’s ‘Lab pe aatihai dua’.

On June 7, the police registered a case against 11 members of the school management committee, charging them under IPC sections 295 (pertaining to damaging or defiling objects considered sacred by certain groups), 506 (related to criminal intimidation), 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy), as well as relevant provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2021.

Earlier, the affiliation of Ganga Jamuna Higher Secondary School of Damoh was suspended for non-compliance with Madhya Pradesh Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools Recognition Rules 2017 and amended rules 2020.

Source: opindia.com

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https://www.opindia.com/2023/08/hindu-jain-girls-shall-not-be-forced-to-wear-hijab

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Ready for J&K polls any time now, no specific timeframe for statehood: Centre to SC

By HT News Desk

Aug 31, 2023

Central government ready for elections in Jammu and Kashmir, timing to be decided by Election Commissions. Statehood status temporary.

The Union government on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that it is ready for elections at any time in Jammu and Kashmir. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government, said that the process of updating the voter list is substantially over.

Mehta said that the legislative assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are likely to be held after panchayat polls and municipal polls. It is, however, for the State Election Commission and the Central Election Commission to decide which election should take place first, he added.

“There are three elections which are due. For the first time, the three-tier panchayat raj system is introduced. The first elections would be for panchayats. District development council elections have already taken place,” Mehta told the five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.

While the government refrained from giving a specific timeframe for restoring statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, it clarified that Union Territory status is temporary.

“So far as statehood is concerned, I have already made a statement but that apart, the statement of the home minister on the floor of parliament - UT is a temporary thing, we are dealing with an extremely extraordinary situation,” he said.

The solicitor general submitted that "terrorist initiated instances" have reduced by 45.2% and infiltration by 90.2% when comparing the situation in 2018 with that of 2023. He also underlined that incidents like stone pelting have reduced by 97.2% and casualties among security forces by 65.9%, adding that the agencies would take these factors into consideration before taking any decision.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for National Conference leader Mohammad Akbar Lone, asked if the court was taking these factors into account while dealing with the legality of the abrogation of Article 370.

CJI Chandrachud clarified that the bench will deal with the legality of the abrogation of Article 370 on constitutional grounds and that facts relating to election or statehood won't affect that determination.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court asked the government to indicate if there was a time frame for granting statehood to Jammu & Kashmir, underlining that the restoration of democracy in the region was “very important”.

“The government has to make that statement before us that its (J&K’s) progression back to state has to take place. It cannot be a Union territory (UT) in permanence... Restoration of democracy is very important. It’s a surviving component for our nation,” the bench said.

Source: hindustantimes.com

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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ready-for-elections-at-any-time-in-jammu-and-kashmir-centre-tells-supreme-court-101693459200609.html

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Shivling fountains at Delhi's Dhaula Kuan ahead of G20 stir row: 'Not Gyanvapi'

By Poulomi Ghosh

Aug 31, 2023

Why Shivling has been used for a decorative purpose -- a new row has begun after Delhi has been beautified ahead of G20 -- with both BJP and AAP taking credit.

Fountains shaped like Shivling installed at Dhaula Kuan in the national capital as part of the ongoing beautification of Delhi ahead of the G20 has triggered a political controversy with BJP leaders accusing Delhi minister Atishi of disrespecting 'shivling' using it for decorative purpose. "A Shivling is not for decoration. And Dhaula Kuan is not Gyanvapi. AAP Govt in Delhi has installed Shivling shaped fountains at Dhaula Kuan," BJP's media panelist Charu Pragya tweeted. BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) leader Y Sathish Reddy said this is a mockery of Hinduism by the Modi government. "Using Shivling as fountains for the #G20Summit2023. Is the sacredness of the Shivling being trivialized for amusement? This is shameful & should be removed at the earliest!" Reddy tweeted. Read | Cut-outs of langur to scare off monkeys along G20 routes in Delhi

The main event of the G20 summit will be held in Delhi on September 9 and 10 hosting many heads of countries including US President Joe Biden and China President Xi Jinping. The Shivling fountains are just a part of the beautification on the stretch of the road the dignitaries are to take after landing at the airport. Both AAP and the Centre have staked credit for the beautification.

A PWD official, as quoted by a news report, said the Shivling fountains are from Odisha.

BJP vs AAP: Who is beautifying Delhi?

Before the controversy over the shivling fountains started, the BJP condemned the AAP ministers for taking credit of the G20 beautification in the Capital. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said organisations which are looking after the beautification work in Delhi are all under the central government -- NDMC, ITPO, DDA, Indian Airforce, Delhi International Airport Limited, Delhi Police and the external affairs ministry home ministry.

Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed the money was being provided by AAP government's fund and taxpayers' money.

Source: hindustantimes.com

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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/shivling-fountains-at-delhis-dhaula-kuan-ahead-of-g20-stir-row-not-gyanvapi-101693453002285.html

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Nuh communal violence: Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi gets bail, arrested for allegedly making inflammatory speeches and brandishing weapons in public

30th August 2023

By PTI

GURUGRAM/NUH: Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi, arrested in connection with communal clashes in Nuh earlier this month, was granted bail by a court on Wednesday, police said.

Bajrangi was produced in the Nuh court on August 17 from where he was sent to a 14-day judicial custody in Neemka jail of Faridabad district.

After hearing Bajrangi's bail application on Wednesday, the court of judicial magistrate first class Sandeep Kumar granted him bail, Nuh police said.

Bajrangi alias Raj Kumar was arrested from Faridabad on August 15 after a fresh FIR was registered against him at Nuh's Sadar Police Sation on a complaint of Assistant Superintendent of Police Usha Kundu.

According to the FIR, Bajrangi, who was identified through social media posts, along with some of his unidentified supporters, had allegedly misbehaved with and threatened an ASP Kundu-led police team which had stopped them while they were carrying swords and 'trishuls' to Nalhar temple.

Kundu said when the mob was challenged to stop, it started raising slogans against police, manhandled them, and even snatched back their weapons from police vehicles.

Police said Bajrangi, the president of Goraksha Bajrang Force, was initially detained by the Crime Investigation Agency team of Tauru for questioning.

On August 1, Bajrangi was arrested by Faridabad police for allegedly making inflammatory speeches and brandishing weapons in public, a day after communal clashes erupted in Nuh on July 31.

So far, 60 FIRs have been registered and 305 people arrested in connection with the violence in Nuh.

Furthermore, FIRs were registered against 11 people for spreading rumours on social media and one of them has been arrested, police said.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad had issued a statement to clarify that Bajrangi "never had any relation" with its youth wing Bajrang Dal, or other VHP-linked organisations.

Source: newindianexpress.com

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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/aug/30/nuh-communal-violence-cow-vigilante-bittu-bajrangi-gets-bail-2610083.html

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Eight terrorists absconding for decades arrested in Jammu

31st August 2023

By PTI

JAMMU: Eight absconding terrorists have been arrested here during a special drive by the State Investigation Agency and the Criminal Investigation Department that have started looking for killers and terrorist associates hiding by blending in the society, a police official said on Thursday.

Assisted by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inputs, State Investigation Agency (SIA) detectives working quietly for months have apprehended the eight terrorists wanted in Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act cases after about three decades, the official said.

In pursuance of its larger objective and the mandate of achieving "zero terrorism" in Jammu and Kashmir, SIA has initiated a special drive to trace and produce before the court concerned all absconders in terrorism-related cases.

The official said of the total 734 absconders, including 417 in Kashmir and 317 in Jammu, wanted in 327 TADA and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) cases, SIA has so far verified and identified 369 absconders -- 215 in Jammu and 154 in Kashmir, the official said.

He said of the 369 verified absconders, 80 have died, 45 are residing in Pakistan or Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and other countries, 127 remain untraced and four are in jails.

The eight arrested absconders were involved in terrorism and disruptive activities and were booked in TADA cases registered three decades ago in different police stations of Doda district and charge-sheeted in the TADA Court Jammu, the official said.

They managed to escape the clutches of the law for decades by going underground before resurfacing to enjoy normal family life at their native or some distant places, he said.

Some of these absconders had managed to get into government services and bagged contracts, while others got engaged in private businesses and even in courts, the official said.

Those apprehended have been identified as Adil Farooq Faridi of Jammu, a government employee presently posted in Jammu and Kashmir Board Of School Education), Ishfaq Ahmed who was working as a writer in Doda court complex, Mohd Iqbal, Mujahid Hussain, Tariq Hussain, Ishtiaq Ahmed Dev, Ajaz Ahmed and Jameel Ahmed.

They will be produced before the TADA/POTA court in Jammu in pursuance of warrants issued against them, the official said.

He said the apprehended terrorists were involved in various terrorist activities including killings, kidnapping for ransom, instigating people for violence by setting false narratives during prayer meetings and atrocities at gunpoint between 1991 and 1993.

They were also named in an FIR following the recovery of a huge cache of arms and ammunition in the Shambaz area of Doda on June 22, 1994.

The official said how these absconder terrorists managed to escape the law and live a normal life without being traced for so long will also be investigated by the SIA.

Source: newindianexpress.com

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Before G20 summit, Jamia Millia Islamia bars gathering by students

Basant Kumar Mohanty New Delhi, 31.08.23

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has barred any form of gathering by students on and around the campus in view of the G20 summit in the capital on September 9 and 10.

Several students said their studies would be severely affected by the order since the university had decided to close all its operations, including the library and reading room, on both days.

A notice issued by the chief proctor said that the heads of state of 30 countries would attend the G20 gathering in New Delhi. “Therefore, all the students are advised not to hold any academic or non-academic gathering inside or around the JMI campus till G-20 Summit concludes. Violators will be dealt strictly as per Rules & Regulations of JMI and serious actions will be taken against them,” the notice said.

A PhD student at JMI said students staying in rented accommodations in Delhi or as paying guests depended on the library and reading room for their studies.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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Mideast

 

Conservative judge seeks presidency of Israel’s high court in new challenge to embattled judiciary

AP

August 31, 2023

JERUSALEM: A junior conservative justice on Wednesday launched a bid to become president of Israel’s Supreme Court, an unprecedented move that legal scholars said is yet another challenge to the tribunal’s independence as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government advances with its plan to overhaul the judiciary.

In Israel’s 75-year history, the committee that selects the president of the country’s top court has always nominated the most senior judge for the position. With the court’s current president, Esther Hayut, due to retire in October, Judge Yosef Elron’s decision to throw his name in the ring as her replacement represents a departure from tradition.

Isaac Amit, the justice set to replace Hayut under the seniority system, is a liberal who has sat on the court for over a decade. Elron, who joined the court in 2017 and is considered its most conservative justice, is believed to be favored by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, the chief architect of the contentious judicial overhaul.

By shattering the tradition of seniority appointment, Elron’s bid threatens to further politicize the court as justices potentially compete against one another for committee votes, legal experts say.

“People see this as another move of the overhaul and serious evidence of a change in the justice system,” said Amir Fuchs, a senior researcher at the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank. “Once the seniority precedent is gone, then all the justices know that they are being judged by the coalition in power, and their independence is undermined.”

Constitutional law professor Amichai Cohen said while Elron is unlikely to be chosen as president of the court, his bid threatens to exacerbate discord between liberal and conservative justices ahead of two key decisions next month on the limits of the court’s power.

Levin, a key Netanyahu ally, has sought to change the composition of the committee that selects the nation’s judges, including the president of the Supreme Court, through legislation in Israel’s parliament. Since that legislation stalled, Levin has refused to convene the committee.

In September, the Court will hear petitions challenging Levin’s decision to freeze committee meetings. The Court will also hear challenges to the first measure of the judicial overhaul, which Netanyahu’s government passed in July.

The supporters of Netanyahu’s far-right, ultra-Orthodox government say the law will prevent liberal, unelected judges from interfering with the decisions of elected lawmakers. They also say the court should not be able to rule on a law limiting its own authority.

The overhaul has prompted months of massive protests. But if the court strikes down the new legislation, Netanyahu’s government could ignore the ruling, setting the stage for a crisis over who has ultimate authority.

Source: arabnews.com

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UNRWA appeals for $15.5m for emergency response in Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon

ARAB NEWS

August 30, 2023

LONDON: The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees is appealing for $15.5 million for its emergency response in Lebanon’s Ein El Hilweh Refugee camp following armed clashes in August.

Four days of fighting between Palestinian armed groups in the camp killed 13 people and injured more than 60. Thousands were forced to escape their damaged or destroyed homes.

Armed militants have occupied and significantly damaged all eight UNRWA schools, which educate 5,900 children.

“None of the eight UNRWA schools will be available for the children at the beginning of the new academic year,” Dorothee Klaus, director of UNRWA affairs in Lebanon, said.

“Damages have been significant and the conflict in the camp is unresolved. With fighters continuing to occupy UNRWA schools, they remain too insecure and off-limits for school children,” Klaud added.

This appeal aims to protect the education of children who must return to school in October. UNRWA is setting up alternate schooling places outside of the camp, which will necessitate the upgrading and adjustment of facilities, as well as the provision of necessary learning and psycho-social support.

The financial aid will also include providing emergency cash assistance to families who have lost their homes as a result of the violence, as well as repairs and maintenance of important public infrastructure.

Source: arabnews.com

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Houthis target Yemeni activists advocating for public salaries

SAEED AL-BATATI

August 30, 2023

AL-MUKALLA: Human rights activists in Yemen and international rights groups have condemned the Houthis for mercilessly assaulting a journalist based in Sanaa and sending death threats to Yemeni activists and politicians who support the intensifying public demand for the Houthis to pay state employees.

The Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists reported on Tuesday that a Houthi-affiliated armed group brutally attacked Majili Al-Samadi, head of Voice of Yemen radio, outside his home in Sanaa’s Al-Safia district on Aug. 24. The IFJ demanded that the Houthis bring the perpetrators to justice and cease harassing journalists. “We condemn the brutal attack on our colleague Majili Al-Samadi and all attempts to silence his critical reporting,” IFJ Secretary-General Anthony Bellanger said in a statement posted on the organization’s website.

Sharing images of his bruised face and bleeding mouth on social media, Al-Samadi said that armed men severely beat him for posting on social media. He vowed to continue challenging the Houthis until they pay him. “During my return, a band of five individuals beat me outside my house in Al-Safia and threatened to do more if I did not stop writing,” he said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Hours before the attack, Al-Samadi posted on social media demanding that the Houthis pay his salary. “My rights and my salary … before the Prophet … The Prophet does not need me!! I need my salary,” he said in the post.

Indirectly claiming responsibility for the attack, the Houthis accused him of profaning the Prophet Muhammad in the post.

Al-Samadi’s radio station in Sanaa was ransacked by armed men in 2022 for refusing to transmit the sectarian choruses of the militia.

Activists based in Houthi-controlled Sanaa and others residing outside Yemen have reported receiving death threats from Houthi-affiliated figures for demanding that the Houthis pay state employees in areas under their control and condemning the assaults on journalist Al-Samadi.

Ahmed Hashed, an outspoken member of the Houthi-controlled parliament, said that he has received numerous death threats from Houthi figures for exposing the corruption of Houthi leaders and supporting the salary demands of public employees. “I hold the leader of Ansar Allah and the authority of the Ansar group entirely responsible for my life and the safety … The authority in Sanaa incites (the populace) against us and seeks retribution for our opposition to corruption and our demand for the reinstatement of the salaries of teachers and employees whose pay has been reduced for many years,” Hashed said on X, using the official name of the Houthis. In one of the messages, Hashed said, a Houthi figure threatened: “If Majili Al-Samadi loses a tooth, you will lose both your mouth and your tongue.”

The Houthis have also threatened to target relatives of Yemeni activists who reside outside of their territories in retaliation for their criticism. Exiled Yemeni activist Ibrahim Asqin stated that the Houthis had threatened to target his relatives in his home province of Ibb if he did not cease criticizing them and supporting public employee salaries. “A group that cannot tolerate censure of many of its practices from its opponents is too fragile and weak to lead the people,” Asqin said on X. Asqin is well-known for exposing human rights violations committed by Houthi figures in the province of Ibb and for publishing videos and photographs depicting armed Houthis plundering lands and assaulting people.

The Houthis are facing rising public pressure to pay thousands of government employees who have not been paid since 2016. Since early 2022, the pressure has increased amid reports that the Houthis have generated billions of riyals in revenue from the port of Hodeidah as a result of an increase in the number of ships during the UN-brokered cease-fire.

The Houthis have asked that Yemen’s internationally recognized government pay public employees from oil sales, while the government has said that it will only pay public employees if the Houthis deposit revenue from Hodeidah port into the central bank.

Nadwa Al-Dawsari, a Yemeni conflict analyst and a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute, said that Houthi leaders have become increasingly wealthy over the past eight years, as they have amassed immense sums of revenue despite the extreme poverty of the public workforce. “The Houthis are not interested in governing, which would entail them actually providing services including salary payment. The Houthis’ model is largely based on population control through repression and violence,” she said.

She did not rule out the possibility that the Houthis would restart the war in Yemen in order to avoid public pressure. “Now that the Saudis have stopped their airstrikes and lifted restrictions on Hodeidah seaport, the Houthis are running out of excuses (to pay public employees). I would not be surprised if they escalate militarily in order to force these protests to stop.”

Source: arabnews.com

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Palestinian killed in armed confrontation with PA security services

30 Aug 2023

A Palestinian has been killed by Palestinian Authority (PA) security services in a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, local media reported.

Ramzi al-Ardah was shot after armed confrontations took place between the security services and fighters inside the Tulkarem refugee camp on Wednesday.

According to local sources, the confrontations broke out after young men attempted to stop members of the security services from removing barricades armed fighters had put up earlier to obstruct Israel’s repeated raids on the camp.

Al-Ardah’s father Fakhri al-Ardah suffered from suffocation after tear gas canisters were fired by security services, sources said.

‘Bloody violation’

The Tulkarem Brigade armed group said in a statement that PA forces fired live bullets at the residents of the camp.

“The security services removed the barricades that were placed to block the movement of the occupation forces,” the Brigade said. “We will not remain silent over this act that helps the occupation, and we will not tolerate anyone who committed this bloody violation.”

A spokesperson for the Palestinian security services, Talal Dweikat, said armed men opened fire in front of a government building, which resulted in their intervention to take control of the situation.

Palestinian boy views the scene where Israeli forces killed two Palestinian fighters in a raid, according to the Israeli military, in Tulkarem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, May 6, 2023 [MohamadTorokman/Reuters]

Dweikat said the security services responded to complaints from citizens about barriers placed in front of schools and municipal buildings, as well as on roads within the refugee camp.

Armed fighters fired at the security services, and in the ensuing gun battle, a man was killed, Dweikat said, without specifying who was responsible.

Alleged car-ramming attempt

In a separate incident on Wednesday, a Palestinian man was seriously wounded after being shot by Israeli soldiers following an alleged car-ramming attempt at a checkpoint in the southern occupied West Bank.

Israeli forces said they shot at a Palestinian-owned car that had accelerated towards an army post near the illegal settlement of Hagai in Hebron.

The Palestinian, whose identity is unknown, was taken to the Israeli Soroka Hospital in Bir Sabe’ (Bir Sheba).

According to local Palestinian media, Israeli forces declared the area a closed military zone, closed the entrance to the Fawwar refugee camp in Hebron and reinforced their military presence.

Photos from the scene showed the car, which had slammed into a concrete block at the army post, riddled with bullet holes.

Near-nightly raids by Israeli forces on Palestinian areas and an increase in attacks by Israeli settlers have led to an escalation of violence across the occupied West Bank, with a rise in Palestinian shooting attacks against Israelis.

According to the United Nations, more than 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in 2023 so far, marking the year as the deadliest since the body began documenting Palestinian deaths in 2006.

Source: aljazeera.com

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Several killed in fighting between SDF and tribesmen in eastern Syria

30 Aug 2023

Clashes in eastern Syria between Arab tribal fighters and US-backed Kurdish-led fighters have left several people, including civilians, dead and others wounded, opposition activists and pro-government media have said.

The clashes, which continued on Wednesday, are among the worst in years in the region along the border with Iraq, where hundreds of United States troops have been based since 2015 to help in the fight against the ISIL (ISIS) armed group.

The clashes first broke out on Monday, a day after the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) detained the commander and several members of the Deir Az Zor Military Council, a group that had been allied with the SDF, at a meeting they invited them to in the northeastern city of Hassakeh.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, reported that 10 Arab tribesmen and three SDF fighters were killed in clashes in the villages of Hrejieh and Breeha.

Another activist collective that covers news in the region, Deir EzZor 24, said eight civilians, including a nine-year-old boy, were killed in the village of Hrejieh, where the fighting was the most intense. Thirteen fighters belonging to Arab tribes were also killed, it said.

The pro-government Sham FM radio station said 10 people were killed in Hrejieh and Breeha and that dozens of civilians were wounded as well.

Resentment between Arab and Kurdish fighters

Arab tribesmen in the eastern province of Deir Az Zor were angered by the detention of Ahmad al-Khbeil, better known as Abu Khawla, who heads the Military Council, which was allied with the SDF in its years-long battle against ISIL in Syria.

On Wednesday, a joint statement issued on behalf of the SDF and the Military Council said that Abu Khawla had been removed from his position as commander, adding that he had been dismissed, along with four other leaders, for alleged involvement in “multiple crimes and violations”, including drug trafficking.

The confrontation has appeared to bring earlier resentments to the surface, as Arabs in the area voiced concern that Kurdish groups in the region may “erase its Arab identity”.

It also raised concerns of more divisions between Kurdish and Arab fighters in eastern Syria, where ISIL once enjoyed a wide presence and there are fears that it could take hold again.

Abu Khaled, a local journalist living in the Deir Az Zor countryside, told Al Jazeera the clashes reminded him of the violence that had transformed the Syrian uprising in 2011 into an all-out war.

“Because of the hot weather, families usually sleep on rooftops or in the fields, but they have avoided that for fear of being caught by a stray bullet,” he said.

“The main fear for civilians here is that international coalition warplanes could target them to bolster the SDF under the pretence of fighting ISIL and Iranian cells,” he continued.

“People are afraid of the SDF taking control of the territory, and thus erasing its Arab identity.”

Tribal condemnation

Arab tribes in Deir Az Zor have been vocal in their opposition to the SDF, with tribal leader Hasan al-Dabei accusing the SDF of using the clashes to encroach on more land.

“How can the US back a group that has been classified as terrorists [by Turkey] and is occupying Arab lands, plundering its riches, recruiting child soldiers?” he asked.

“We only want to return to our homes, and our hearts burn for what the SDF has done to our lands, from demographic engineering to changing our education curriculum and imposing their own traditions.”

The tribes issued statements of condemnation and expressed their willingness to participate in combat operations and to back the Military Council against the SDF.

A video circulated on social media showed members of the Bakr tribe gathered in the village of al-Harijiyeh in Deir Az Zor’s countryside, demanding the release of Abu Khawla and giving the US-backed forces 12 hours to deliver.

The recent tensions between the SDF and the Military Council began earlier this summer after Abu Khawla feared the council in Deir Az Zor would be replaced by the Sanadid Military Group, an affiliate of the SDF.

Clashes broke out between the members of the Military Council and SDF forces on July 25 after the former opposed the transfer of members belonging to the Sanadid east of the Euphrates River in Deir Az Zor.

Additional reporting by Ali Haj Suleiman in Idlib, Syria.

Source: aljazeera.com

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Israeli forces kill Palestinian teenager in East Jerusalem

30 Aug 2023

A Palestinian teenager has been shot and killed by Israeli forces in occupied East Jerusalem, after Israeli police alleged that he had attempted a stabbing attack at a light rail station.

Wednesday’s incident reportedly took place near Damascus Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City. The Palestinian Wafa news agency identified the child as 15-year-old Khaled Samer al-Zaanin.

It said the Palestinian al-Zaanin was “assaulted” by illegal Jewish settlers and security personnel, according to witnesses.

A border police officer “directly shot towards the child, killing him in cold blood”, Wafa said.

The settler who was allegedly attacked suffered light injuries, it added.

Israeli police said “the suspect was neutralised on the spot”, without elaborating.

A border police officer who was travelling in a train saw the reported attack as it happened and took action, the police said. He “promptly disembarked from the train and fired”, hitting the suspect, they said.

A police spokesman told AFP news agency the attacker was a “minor” from East Jerusalem, but he did not specify the attacker’s age.

Police later raided al-Zaanin’s family home in the village of Beit Hanina, north of East Jerusalem, Wafa reported.

Israeli forces often conduct near-daily pre-dawn raids into the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem in an attempt to crack down on growing armed resistance.

More than 200 Palestinians have been killed this year in the occupied Palestinian territories, and the United Nations has warned that 2023 is on track to be the deadliest year for Palestinians since it started recording fatalities.

Palestinian and international rights groups have long condemned what they see as a policy of “shoot to kill” and excessive use of force.

Source: aljazeera.com

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Palestinian trucker kills Israeli soldier in ramming, is shot

AGENCIES

August 31, 2023

TEL AVIV, Israel: A Palestinian truck driver killed an Israeli soldier and injured two others in a ramming attack on a checkpoint on the boundary with the occupied West Bank on Thursday, Israeli police and medical officials said.

The driver was shot and wounded by troops following a pursuit between Maccabim checkpoint and the Palestinian village of Nilin, a police commander said. The commander described the driver as a 41-year-old who had a permit to work in Israel.

The militant group Hamas, which has stepped up attacks in the West Bank in a challenge to Israel and the internationally backed Palestinian Authority, described the incident as an “heroic operation” but did not claim credit.

The violence comes a day after Israeli police shot and killed a 14-year-old Palestinian boy who stabbed a man in a Jerusalem light-rail station and after Palestinian militants detonated a bomb near a convoy of Israeli troops escorting Jewish worshippers to a holy site in the occupied West Bank, wounding four Israeli troops.

The unrest is part of more than a yearlong wave of violence that has surged to levels unseen in the West Bank in some two decades.

According to Israel’s Defense Ministry, the driver sped away from the area and was stopped by security guards at a separate checkpoint nearby.

Palestinian assaults against Israelis have spiked alongside Israel’s intensification of arrest raids in the West Bank since last spring. Some 30 people have been killed in Palestinian attacks against Israelis since the start of 2023.

The near-nightly raids have fueled tensions in the region and have ushered in some of the worst fighting between Israel and the Palestinians in the West Bank since the last Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s.

Nearly 180 Palestinians have been killed in the violence. Israel says most of those killed have been militants, but stone-throwing youths protesting the incursions as well as people not involved in the confrontations have also been killed.

Source: arabnews.com

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South Asia

 

Afghan Minister Says Weakening Afghan Interim Govt Harms Everyone

By Nazir Shinwari

31 August 2023

The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said that weakening the Afghan government will harm everyone and that the international community has assured the Islamic Emirate that they don’t support the armed resistance against the interim government.

Speaking at a large gathering of religious clerics and influential figures of the country, Muttaqi said that Afghan soil is not a threat to any country and there is a need for the international community have a moderate policy towards the Islamic Emirate.

“There is no opposition all over Afghanistan. The whole world assured us that they don’t support the armed opponents. This opportunity should be used considering the policy of the Islamic Emirate and its moderate policy which doesn’t want Afghanistan to become a battlefield for negative powers,”  he said.

Addressing the same gathering, the country's Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, called on the people to support the Islamic Emirate.

“The reconstruction needs patience and major engagement. Bullying has ended and a pure independence has been ensured,” he said.

The participants issued a resolution of 12 principles, in which they also stressed the facilitation of religious and modern education based on Sharia and Afghan culture.

The statement also stresses the need for engagement of the Islamic Emirate with the international community within a Sharia and Islamic framework. They also called for releasing Afghanistan's assets abroad and lifting sanctions as well as economic cooperation by the international community.

“The Ulema and influential figures wants the Islamic Emirate to take necessary actions for engagement with the world while considering Islamic Sharia, independence, reputation of Afghanistan, national reconciliation and based on the current conditions,” said Sultan Ahmad Adel, head of the Ulema council at 22nd PD in Kabul.

“We are opposing modern education. We need medical, science, physics, chemistry, and biology,” said Deen Mohammad, head of the Kabul Ulema.

The gathering of the religious clerics and influential figures comes as the international community has repeatedly called for national consensus and national dialogue in Afghanistan in a bid to solve the ongoing challenges of the country.

Source: tolonews.com

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PM’s participation at G20 Summit to add feather to Dhaka-Delhi ‘Golden Chapter’: Bangladesh FM

UNB, Dhaka

 Aug 31, 2023

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen today said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's participation at the G20 Summit in New Delhi will add yet another feather to the "Golden Chapter" in Dhaka-Delhi ties.

"We look forward to working together with G20 partners to find multi-dimensional solutions to the multiple crises plaguing our world," he said.

The foreign minister was speaking as the chief guest at the opening session of a discussion titled "G20 Summit: Dhaka to New Delhi", at Foreign Service Academy.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma and Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin, who is discharging his responsibilities as the Bangladesh Sherpa for G20, spoke at the opening session.

President of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry and G20 Employer Advocate Selima Ahmad, MP, also spoke at the session.

The recognition by G20 — under the Indian Presidency — that the status quo is no longer sustainable for multilateralism to function is a major turn-around, Momen said.

The foreign minister hoped that Bangladesh can make visible and meaningful contributions to the G20 processes through multi-stakeholder participation.

The prime minister has been invited to the summit, and she guided the nature and level of engagements with the different G20 processes.

The prime minister had participated in G7 outreach meetings in Japan and Canada in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

She recently attended the BRICS Outreach Summit in Johannesburg as one of the invited leaders from outside Africa.

"Her upcoming participation at the G20 Summit stands out for the fact that the invited leaders there get to share the discussion table along with the core G20 members," Momen said.

"Bangladesh's participation at the upcoming G20 Summit also aligns with our value-driven diplomatic efforts to champion the cause of sustainable development globally," Momen said.

It is to the credit of the Indian G20 Presidency that it has brought the issues of the Global South to the foreground, where it can count on Bangladesh as a willing partner.

"I acknowledge the call made the other day by my Indian counterpart Minister S. Jaishankar for a re-globalization that is more inclusive and diversified than the model that treats most countries in the Global South as mere recipients or consumers," Momen said.

Bangladesh fully subscribes to the six thematic priorities identified by the Indian G20 Presidency.

"We have already joined the global partnerships like International Solar Alliance, International Big Cat Alliance and Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructures — personally championed by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi," Momen said.

He said they see merit in adopting his innovative ideas like Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) in their national context.

"We hope to draw lessons from India's massive roll-out of inter-operable digital public infrastructure for our own move towards building a smart government and economy. In turn, we believe we have crucial insights to share with the rest of the Global South on women-led development," he added.

There were three panel discussions on women-led development, lifestyle for environment and green development, and digital public infrastructure.

Source: thedailystar.net

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World Bank gives $200m for healthcare services, dengue prevention in Bangladesh

Star Business Report

 Aug 31, 2023

The World Bank has approved a $200 million loan to help improve primary healthcare services and prevent mosquito-borne diseases like dengue in Bangladesh.

The loan, which was approved yesterday, will help improve primary healthcare services for treatment, prevention and referral for common illnesses, and medical waste management in Dhaka North and South City corporations, Chattogram City Corporation, and Savar and Tarabo municipalities, according to a WB press release.

Under the funding, a project titled "Urban Health, Nutrition and Population Project" will establish a network of primary health centres offering a broad range of health, nutrition, and population services along with a direct referral system with secondary and tertiary-level facilities.

About 2.5 million children under five in these urban areas will receive services, the global lender said.

Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in improving healthcare, particularly in rural areas, said Abdoulaye Seck, World Bank country director for Bangladesh and Bhutan.

"But urban areas have limited public healthcare facilities. Hence, poor people and slum dwellers are often forced to turn to more expensive private healthcare."

Further, with high population density, climate change, and rapid urbanisation, new health challenges are emerging, including an increase of dengue cases, infectious and non-communicable diseases, Seck said.

The project will improve antenatal services for women, with a target of over 250,000 women receiving at least four checkups during pregnancy.

"It will also support hypertension screening and follow-up of about 1.3 million adults. To reduce out-of-pocket expenditure on medical care for the poor, the project will renovate selected existing public health facilities, including government outdoor dispensaries, and family planning clinics," the WB said.

The project will also focus on environmental health and preventive services like mosquito control, medical waste management, and behaviour change communication to promote healthy lifestyles to prevent illnesses and mitigate the effects of climate change and air pollution on human health.

It will support the development and implementation of a multi-sectoral strategy to manage infectious disease outbreaks in cities and municipalities.

To prevent dengue, the project will introduce a climate-based dengue early warning system and outbreak response capacities as well as take measures to clear breeding sites.

"The impact of climate change on mosquito-borne and infectious diseases is often overlooked. An overreliance on fogging or spraying targeting adult mosquitoes and untargeted larval control is not an efficient use of resources," said Iffat Mahmud, senior operations officer at the World Bank and task team leader for the project. "As mosquito lifecycle is influenced by climatic conditions, the project will strengthen the mosquito control laboratory and build capacities to implement innovative mosquito control measures and other community-based interventions."

Source: thedailystar.net

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5-year-old Afghan donor saves three Iranian lives

By Fidel Rahmati

August 31, 2023

A five-year-old Afghan boy residing in Iranshahr, Iran, has played a vital role in saving the lives of three Iranians. The boy’s family made the compassionate decision to donate his organs, which were successfully used for transplantation. A neurologist from the Khatam Al-Anbia Hospital in Iranshahr facilitated this life-saving act.

The neurologist, Dr. Nasirzada, reported that a five-year-old Afghan boy experienced brain death after a fall and was treated at Khatam Al-Anbia Hospital in Iranshahr for five days. His organs were donated with parental consent, as reported by local media outlets.

“This child suffered brain death from falling from a height (from a tree) and was hospitalized in Khatam Al-Anbia Hospital in Iranshahr for five days and nights. Finally, with the consent of his parents, his organs were donated,” Dr. Nasirzada said.

Dr. Nasirzada announced the child as the hospital’s first organ donor. After being flown to Tehran, the child’s kidneys and liver were used to save three patients at Sinai Hospital.

“After the necessary arrangements, the child was transferred to Tehran by plane, and his two kidneys and liver saved the lives of three needy patients in Tehran’s Sinai Hospital,” he said.

Nasirzada emphasized that this marks the first instance of families of deceased patients consenting to organ donation within the Sistan and Baluchistan provinces.

Source: khaama.com

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Body of Afghan minor girl found in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

By Fidel Rahmati- August 30, 2023

A young Afghan girl’s body was discovered in Khazana, Lower Dir District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The find was made in the sugarcane farms on the district’s outskirts, as reported by local media on Wednesday.

Tragically, initial reports from the Express Tribune newspaper indicate she was raped before her untimely demise. The six-year-old had been reported missing on Tuesday evening by her relatives, with her disappearance aligning with her mother’s visit to relatives, as noted by Superintendent of Police (SP) Zafer Khan.

The family alerted authorities promptly, filing an FIR to initiate a search operation for the missing girl. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, she was found lifeless in the sugarcane fields about 12 hours after the complaint was lodged.

The girl’s uncle, Faqir Muhammad, revealed that her father, a daily wage labourer, is unaware of the tragic loss. This loss has added to the family’s economic struggles, as shared by her relatives.

Within the last 24 hours, the province has experienced another distressing occurrence involving the discovery of the body of a young Afghan minor. Just yesterday, an eight-year-old Afghan boy’s lifeless body was found near Karak District in the same province.

The motive behind the killing of the minor boy remains unclear. In response to these recent incidents of tragic deaths of Afghan children, authorities have launched investigations, as reported by the newspaper.

Source: khaama.com

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50,000 Afghan refugees return home from Iran in past month

By Fidel Rahmati

August 30, 2023

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation of Afghanistan has announced that around 50,000 Afghan refugees returned from Iran in the past month.

On Wednesday, the Ministry said on its social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that these refugees came to the country through the Silk Road and Islam Qala border crossing.

According to the Ministry’s officials, 46,838 refugees returned via the Silk Road and 2,652 through the Islam Qala border crossing.

The Ministry said that 569 returnees have been introduced to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) office for assistance.

According to the report, the trend of expulsion and return of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan has recently increased.

The Ministry officials claimed that hundreds of Afghan migrants return from Iran daily, and in the past two years, this number has exceeded two million refugees.

Moreover, the Ministry has announced that over 800,000 Afghan refugees returned from Iran in the past year.

Following the Taliban’s resurgence, numerous migrants leave Afghanistan due to economic hardships, persecution, security risks, and discrimination.

As reported, approximately six million Afghan refugees are in Iran through legal channels and unauthorized means.

Source: khaama.com

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UK Embassy commits $125M for Afghan children’s education

By Fidel Rahmati

August 30, 2023

The British Embassy for Afghanistan has announced a commitment of $125 million to support vulnerable individuals in Afghanistan. This assistance will focus on areas such as children’s education.

On Tuesday, the Embassy said on its official page that these contributions will be concentrated on the education of Afghan children.

The UK’s representation for Afghanistan emphasized their commitment to a secure and prosperous Afghanistan, and the aid provided will be channelled through their partners to support vulnerable people, especially girls.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund has reported providing cash assistance to over 80,000 Afghan citizens in the first six months of this year.

Additionally, the UN-affiliated aid organizations had previously warned about budget cuts and increasing humanitarian needs in Afghanistan.

A reported budget shortfall in Afghanistan is poised to strip millions of their access to vital healthcare and sufficient food.

This dire situation jeopardizes the fragile healthcare system and exacerbates food insecurity, creating a pressing humanitarian crisis that demands immediate attention and action from the international community.

Source: khaama.com

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Southeast Asia

 

Mosques should play more dynamic, meaningful role, Perak ruler told consultative council members

30 Aug 2023

IPOH, Aug 30 — Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak has urged Mosque Consultative Council (MPM) members to think big in allowing the mosque to play a more dynamic and meaningful role.

He said the mosque’s role should be removed from narrow confines, free from old thinking deliberately formulated by colonisers in the past with the implicit aim of restricting the role to only matters of worship.

“May all the mosques in Perak be enlivened through fresh ideas generated by the Mosque Consultative Council. May Allah SubhanahuWata’ala provide guidance and enlightenment and lead us on the righteous path,” the Perak Ruler said at the ceremony to present the letters of appointment to MPM members at Kompleks Islam Darul Ridzuan, here, today.

Also present were Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPk) president Tan Sri Annuar Zaini.

Sultan Nazrin presented the appointment letters to the MPM members at the ceremony.

The Perak Ruler said MPM is a ‘syura’ (consultative) assembly, which is a newly established entity that will bring about a change in mindset and culture, creating new formulations and methods to invigorate mosques.

“The idea for the formation of the Mosque Consultative Council was triggered through a ‘syura’, a brainstorming programme held by the Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council president with the members of mosque committees in the state of Perak.

“The idea was presented to me of which I consented. I also approved the names endorsed by the secretariat to be appointed as the Perak Mosque Consultative Council members,” he added.

Sultan Nazrin also stated that the mosque plays a crucial role as a centre to spread Islamic teachings and advance civilisation, and is the most special place on earth, recognised as a noble, sacred and blessed place for worship.

He also noted that the state has 707 mosques and in line with the population growth, along with the development of new settlements and residential areas, there is continuous demand to build new mosques.

Therefore, he said, Muslims in the country, must be grateful for having mosques that meet their needs, adding that the matter that requires more attention now is the enlivening of the mosques.

“A lot of time is involved in planning the construction of a mosque, and many resources are utilised in building a mosque.

“Therefore, the philosophy behind the construction of a mosque must be delved into and understood so that the vast expenditure to build a grand structure, equipped with air-conditioning, adorned with thick carpets and dazzling chandeliers (is justified) and does not become a silent monument, only bustling once a week on Fridays, 30 nights a year during Ramadan and two mornings a year during Aidilfitri and Aidiladha.

“Other than those days, the mosque is left in isolation as a quiet and deserted building. So much time, effort, money and resources were consumed in constructing the mosque so it is only fitting to complement this with efforts to enliven it,” Sultan Nazrin added.

Meanwhile, Annuar who was appointed as MPM chairman led the council members in accepting the letters of appointment followed by Saarani, Perak Mufti Datuk Wan Zahidi Wan Teh and Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk) director Harith Fadzilah Abdul Halim.

MAIPk chief executive officer Shahrul Azam Shaari received his appointment as MPM secretary while 50 individuals were appointed representing mosques in the state, including not less than 10 young individuals and 10 Muslim women.

MPM is responsible for contributing ideas and views, analysing and providing feedback on existing policies and new policies related to mosque administration, financial management, activities and other mosque-related matters, among other things. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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Wearing patriotism on their sleeves, Malaysians embrace unity in racial, religious diversity

 R. Loheswar and Shathana Kasinathan

Thursday, 31 Aug 2023

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 31 — Like thousands of other people here today, Lim Bee Yuen and her husband Lim Teck Long left their home in Kajang, Selangor early in the morning to come here for this year’s Merdeka Day parade long before dawn today.

This is their second time experiencing the independence day celebrations in the federal administrative capital after attending last year’s festivities.

The couple told Malay Mail when met that they are regular attendees of the annual Merdeka Day celebrations wherever it is hosted, and will continue to do so for as long as they are healthy and able to travel.

“It is so, so important for us to be united with no differences. We are after all Orang Malaysia.

“If we can all think like this, then I am very sure we will be fine, no one can harm us and I'm saying this because I really really love my country Malaysia you know,” said Bee Yuen who arrived here at 5am.

In his speech marking the 66th Merdeka Day this morning, Yang di-PertuanAgong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah spoke of the importance of racial unity to Malaysia’s harmony and the wellbeing of its people.

The 60-year-old Bee Yuen agreed wholeheartedly with the King.

“I don't want us to think of each other as different when we were all born in the same country,” she said.

She shared that she had been all over the world for work when she was younger to find jobs that paid well in which to raise her family as she had struggled to make ends meet in Malaysia.

“But in the end I still love my country and I hope in the future we can have more people working here in Malaysia instead of looking for jobs overseas.

“So on this day I hope for the wellbeing of all Malaysians. I don't care if they're Malay, Chinese, Indian or others. If you know me, you will know I have tons of Malay friends and they know Chinese people are harmless and rather jovial and ever willing to help someone else,” she said.

Malaysia’s prized stability has been shaken by a series of political events in recent years that have resulted in a quick change of prime ministers and by extension, the government.

Coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic that crippled the economy for the past three years, there has been an increase in political speeches that champion the “rights” and interests of certain communal groups, but what do regular Malaysians really think of such messages?

With citizens from all over the country attending the festivities today, Malay Mail was able to speak to Malaysians from Kelantan, Pahang and Melaka among others.

To Yacob Anthonysamy from Ipoh, Perak, being a citizen of Malaysia is the common denominator and Malaysians must unite and present a harmonious front to the world so they are not taken advantage of by its enemies.

The 56-year-old manager who drove from Ipoh early this morning to attend the 66th Merdeka celebrations here told Malay Mail that unity is the only thing that mattered if the nation is to prosper as a whole.

“Like the PM said, respect all races and religions and reject religious extremisms or it'll cause havoc here,” he said, referring to the current and 10th Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“Being tolerant is a crucial component of living in a multiracial country and as long as we have mutual respect that's where love comes in.

“Then it'll be easy to work together and we can bring the country up again without identifying as Indian, Chinese or Malay. We are all simply Malaysians,” Yacob said.

Others like students Ahmad Hazzim Luqman and Muhammad Khairul Irfan told Malay Mail they have plenty of non-Malay friends whom they cared about deeply and thought that fighting over race and religion was silly.

“We don't want to argue or have conflict because of race, a waste of time. It's so much better to just get along. Life's a happier place,” said 15-year-old Khairul.

“I would suggest programmes like gotong-royong or these Madani programmes mooted by the prime minister. They actually do enlighten us of other races’ cultures and I feel this is a good initiative. We need more of these sorts of programmes now,” said 17-year-old Ahmad.

Writer Rahmah Tahir, 38, said that holding a national day parade annually is important to remind everyone of the diverse cultures in Malaysia.

“I love these vibes, everyone on the same page you know? I love the show of patriotism among Malaysians and even though it's done every year it never gets old. Did you notice or not everyone came out this year? Huge crowds unlike other years.

“It shows we are all supporting each other and as rakyat Malaysia unity must be at the forefront of our thinking and without it we will crumble so let's get together,” she said.

Multiple Malaysians who spoke to Malay Mail during this year’s celebrations spoke highly of the ease in using public transport to get to and around Putrajaya.

Others praised the vibrant colours, activities and music played by the plethora of military bands this morning.

The call for unity comes at a pivotal moment, echoing the sentiment expressed by both the heads of state and its government to respect the diverse customs and religions in the country that are integral for a harmonious society.

The heart of this unity lies in the rejection of racism.

Being known as “Orang Malaysia”, which was repeatedly mentioned by the various people interviewed by Malay Mail today, was what regular Malaysians strongly identified as first and foremost, regardless of their age, ethnicity, or creed; and what they saw as colourful threads woven together to form a tapestry of their shared heritage and common future.

This year’s Merdeka Day celebrations is themed “Malaysia Madani: TekadPerpaduan, Penuhi Harapan” (Determination in Unity, Fulfilling Hope).

Source: malaymail.com

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In Putrajaya, Agong, Permaisuri mingle with Merdeka Day crowd

31 Aug 2023

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 31 ― Known for their sparkling personality and warm attitude, the Yang di-PertuanAgong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja PermaisuriAgongTunku Azizah Aminah MaimunahIskandariah mingled with the multi-racial crowd who thronged Dataran Putrajaya today for the National Day celebration.

Their Majesties acted spontaneously, pushing royal protocol aside to spend about an hour stopping to chat, shake hands and take selfies with the parade participants and visitors.

The royal couple was also seen holding hands and singing the Jalur Gemilang song being played at celebration venue, as they walked around the square.

Al-Sultan Abdullah was also seen carrying a little boy while Tunku Azizah showed mini heart gestures and blew kisses as she waved to the crowd.

Their Majesties were accompanied by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and cabinet ministers.

Meanwhile, Irmanira Mohd Isa, 42, from Banting, Selangor said she started out at 11pm yesterday to witness the National Day celebration in Putrajaya and everything was worth it as she got to meet and shake hands with both Their Majesties.

“It was nice of the Royal Couple to walk from the stage to come over and shake hands with us ordinary people,” she said.

For undergraduate Muhammad Firdaus Redzuan, 21, the opportunity to shake hands and meet with Their Majesties, makes this year's celebration more meaningful and an unforgettable experience for him.

Housewife Norazli Hasan, 45, was beyond words after her dream of meeting the Royal Couple came true after waiting for over 12 years.

“It had been my wish to meet them, but I never had the opportunity until today. Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah came to shake hands with my family members,” said Norazli, who had never missed the celebration since 2010 and was here today with her husband and three children.

Meanwhile, civil servant, Bazli Shah Osman, 38, said he did not expect the Yang di-PertuanAgong and the Raja PermaisuriAgong to greet visitors because they usually have to stick to the ceremonial protocol.

“They are friendly and could easily interact with the people. Their Majesties had a brief chat with us and offered sweets to my children,” said the father of three who came from Kuala Kangsar, Perak. ― Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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Malaysia's racial unity unique, must be preserved, say analysts

31 Aug 2023

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s racial unity, which is unique in the eyes of the world, must be preserved as this is the pride and glory of the country.

As emphasised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the concept of Jiwa Merdeka or independent spirit, in his 2023 National Day address, racial unity which was the result of the country's independence, was something priceless that needs to be treasured and guarded by every race.

Political analyst Mujibu Abd Muis is of the view that the concept demands all parties embrace the independent spirit heart and soul, in line with the fact that Malaysia is a multi-racial country and the social dynamics must be respected by all.

"This country is ours and everyone must respect the social contract and understanding that all Malaysians have the right to practice their respective religions and cultural beliefs.

"This spirit is also necessary to end narrow racial or religious ideologies,” he told Bernama.

Anwar, in delivering his maiden National Day address in Putrajaya on Wednesday (Aug 30), among other things, emphasised the importance of unity in safeguarding and transforming Malaysia as a great nation.

Elaborating, Mujibu who is UniversitiTeknologi Mara (UiTM) Institution of Malay Rulers Chair fellow, said that in this regard, all levels of society have a role in ensuring that this country is free from threats of political idealism and racism that hinder the country's progress.

"The choice is up to the people, whether they want to continue to be bound by the politics of slander and infighting due to narrow racial or religious ideologies, or to work together and plan for the progress of all in this country," he said.

According to Mujibu, appreciation of history and an understanding of the current political institution and framework need to be applied to foster tolerance and harmony between communities, thus ensuring that the freedom and rights of everyone are protected.

"The most important thing is how everyone can move together by laying everything on a national framework.

"We need to have a comprehensive framework that allows us to return to appreciate and understand matters which are the foundation of our country’s survival," he said.

Meanwhile, another political analyst Dr G. Manimaran said the racial unity emphasised by the prime minister is a critical issue that needs to be re-evaluated deeply by every citizen of the country as it is closely related to the true meaning of independence.

He said the spirit of unity, which should be the main foundation of the country, is seen to be eroding day by day among the people, due to various factors driven by the self-interest of certain parties and groups.

"We need to get rid of the stagnant mindset. We have discarded the colonial mindset, but the stagnant mindset dominates every aspect of politics, leadership and national administration, in both the private and public sectors.

"This stagnant mindset has caused us to lag behind in several aspects and fields, causing Malaysia to be overtaken by countries that gained independence after us," he said. – Bernama

Source: thestar.com.my

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Malaysia to lodge formal protest against China's South China Sea map claims    

Mohd Iskandar Ibrahim

August 31, 2023

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will issue a formal protest to China following its claims regarding the delineations of the South China Sea within the 2023 China Standard Map, which extends over maritime territories belonging to Malaysia.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the protest note forms a crucial part of the government's strategy to escalate its response, emphasising that this course of action aligns with the government's customary protocol.

"As part of our established practice, Wisma Putra issued a statement yesterday (on the matter).

"Crafting a protest note is part of our practice (in dealing with such matters).

"Hence, given the statement we have already issued, our approach will involve further steps, including the transmission of a formal protest note," he said when met after attending the National Day 2023 celebration at Dataran Putrajaya, today.

Yesterday, Malaysia firmly conveyed its non-recognition of China's assertions.

In an official statement, the Foreign Ministry unequivocally stated that Malaysia does not consider China's map to possess any legally binding force.

The 2023 China Standard Map issued by the country's Ministry of Natural Resources includes a significant portion of Malaysian waters near Sabah and Sarawak, as well as various regions in India claimed by China.

Released on Aug 28 in conjunction with China's National Mapping Awareness Week and Survey and Mapping Publicity Day, the 2023 China Standard Map also incorporates disputed areas, including claims over Arunachal Pradesh, the Aksai Chin region, Taiwan, and the South China Sea.

It also includes maritime areas within Malaysia's exclusive economic zone near Sabah and Sarawak, Brunei, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Source: nst.com.my

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Indonesia arrests 88 Chinese nationals over love scams

August 30, 2023

BATAM, Indonesia: Dozens of Chinese nationals were arrested in Indonesia on suspicion of running an online love scam syndicate that ensnared hundreds of victims in China, police said Wednesday.

Acting on a tip-off from their Chinese counterparts, Indonesian police arrested 83 men and five women at an industrial park in Batam city in Riau Islands province on Tuesday.

Police said the syndicate blackmailed hundreds of victims in China, many of whom were public officials.

"We are investigating if there are any Indonesians among the victims. If there are none, the scammers will be deported immediately," Riau Islands police spokesman Zahwani Pandra Arsyad told AFP on Wednesday.

The alleged scammers pretended to have romantic feelings for their victims during video calls.

The women scammers are accused of seducing the victims before asking them to engage in sexual acts during the calls while other suspects recorded the videos.

The suspects then allegedly blackmailed their victims, threatening to release the videos on social media if they refused to send them money.

It is unclear how long the group had been operating and how much they had earned.

Police had previously said many scammers had moved to Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries after China cracked down on domestic networks.

In 2019, police arrested 85 Chinese nationals and six Indonesians over an online scam that tricked victims out of millions of dollars.—AFP

Source: nst.com.my

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Building fire in Johannesburg kills 52, death toll expected to rise

 31 Aug 2023

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 31 — More than 50 people have died in a fire that engulfed a five-storey building in central Johannesburg today, the South African city’s emergency services said.

Dozens of others were injured, some suffering from smoke inhalation, and were taken for treatment at local hospitals, Emergency Management Services spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said.

“We’re on 52 bodies, which we have recovered and also 43 people who sustained minor injuries,” Mulaudzi told local broadcaster ENCA.

Firefighters who were called to the scene put out the flames said search and recovery operations were ongoing.

“We are moving floor by floor conducting these body recoveries,” Mulaudzi said, adding the death toll was expected to rise.

It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze, which broke out overnight.

The building, which has been evacuated, is located in a deprived area of what used to be the business district of South Africa’s economic hub, and was used as an informal settlement, Mulaudzi said.

Television footage showed fire trucks and ambulances outside the red and white building with burned-out windows, which had been cordoned off by police. — AFP

Source: malaymail.com

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Africa

 

Commissioner for religious affairs vows to revive, improve sharia law in Zamfara

Kehinde Folarin

August 30, 2023

Commissioner for Religious Affairs in Zamfara, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu Gummi, has vowed that his ministry would revive and improve Islamic Sharia in the state.

Speaking with journalists in Gusau, the state capital, Gummi said his ministry is seeking support from relevant stakeholders and authorities to ensure that the Sharia legal system is properly entrenched in Zamfara.

“We are advising the citizens of the state to exercise patience with this present administration because it is new,” he added.

He called on Islamic clerics to fear Allah and be as truthful as to serve as counsellors to the state government.

Speaking earlier, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Malam Bashiru Surajo, commended Governor Dauda Lawal for appointing a renowned Islamic scholar like Gummi as the Commissioner of Religious Affairs.

Politics Nigeria learnt that Zamfara state, under the leadership of Ahmed Sani Yarima, implemented the Sharia legal system.

Source: politicsnigeria.com

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Gabon's mutinous soldiers announce new leader

30 Aug 2023

Mutinous soldiers in Gabon proclaimed their republican guard chief as the country’s leader Wednesday (Aug. 30) after placing the President Ali Bongo Ondimba who was declared winner of Saturday's election under house arrest.

The coup leaders said in an announcement on Gabon’s state TV that Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema had been "unanimously" designated president of a transitional committee to lead the country. Oligui is a cousin of Bongo.

In a video from detention in his residence, Bongo called on people to “make noise” to support him. But the crowds who took to the streets of the capital instead celebrated the coup against a dynasty accused of getting rich on the country’s resource wealth while many of its citizens struggle.

"Thank you, army. Finally, we’ve been waiting a long time for this moment," said Yollande, standing in front of republican guard members who had helped stage the takeover.

Coup leaders extended a night-time curfew imposed after the August 26 election.

Gabonese will not be allowed to move freely from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The previous night-time curfew ran from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

“The president of the transition insists on the need to maintain calm and serenity in our beautiful country ... At the dawn of a new era, we will guarantee the peace, stability and dignity of our beloved Gabon,” Lt. Col. Ulrich Manfoumbi said on state TV Wednesday (Aug. 30).

Bongo clan

Oligui, the new military leader, used to be the bodyguard of Bongo’s father, the late President Omar Bongo, said Desire Ename a journalist with Echos du Nord, a local media outlet. Oligui also was head of the secret service in 2019 before becoming head of the republican guard.

Ali Bongo Ondimba, 64, has served two terms since coming to power in 2009 after the death of his father, who ruled the country for 41 years, and there has been widespread discontent with his reign. Another group of mutinous soldiers attempted a coup in 2019 but was quickly overpowered.

The former French colony is a member of OPEC, but its oil wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few — and nearly 40% of Gabonese aged 15 to 24 were out of work in 2020, according to the World Bank. Its oil export revenue was $6 billion in 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Nine members of the Bongo family, meanwhile, are under investigation in France, and some face preliminary charges of embezzlement, money laundering and other forms of corruption, according to Sherpa, a French NGO dedicated to accountability. Investigators have linked the family to more than $92 million in properties in France, including two villas in Nice, the group says.

A spokesman for the coup leaders said that Bongo’s "unpredictable, irresponsible governance" risked leading the country into chaos. In a later statement, the coup leaders said people around the president had been arrested for "high betrayal of state institutions, massive embezzlement of public funds (and) international financial embezzlement."

The Bongo family has been associated with "systematic misappropriation of state revenues,” but the latest events "should be viewed with great caution, as they offer no guarantee of good governance and democratic transition," Sherpa said in a statement.

Bongo asking for support

In weekend elections, Bongo faced an opposition coalition led by Albert Ondo Ossa, an economics professor and former education minister. Minutes after Bongo was declared the winner, gunfire was heard in the capital, Libreville. Later, a dozen uniformed soldiers appeared on state television to announce they had seized power.

Libreville is a stronghold of the opposition, but it was unclear how the coup was seen in the countryside, where more people traditionally back Bongo.

The president pleaded for support in a video showing him sitting in a chair with a bookshelf behind him.

"I’m calling you to make noise, to make noise, to make noise really," he said in English. The video was shared with The Associated Press by BTP Advisers, a communications firm that helped the president with polling for the election.

Shortly after the video went public, people with Bongo had their phones seized by soldiers, said Mark Pursey, the chief executive officer of BTP Advisers. Bongo's son and communications director were being held at military headquarters, Pursey said.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the coup, and called on military leaders to ensure the safety of Bongo and his family, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

Ossa, the opposition leader, told The AP he wasn’t ready to comment and was waiting for the situation to evolve.

The mutinous officers vowed to respect "Gabon’s commitments to the national and international community." But the coup threatened to bring the economy to a halt.

A man who answered the phone at the airport said flights were canceled Wednesday (Aug.30), and the private intelligence firm Ambrey said all operations at the country’s main port in Libreville had been halted. Several French companies said they were suspending operations.

International reactions

The African Union commission condemned the coup and called for a return to "democratic constitutional order."

The Kindom of Morocco where Bongo sojourned during his recovery following a stroke in 2018 reacted as well.

Stressing the importance of "preserving stability". Rabat said it «trusted the wisdom of the Gabonese nation, of its [leaders] and its institutions," to make a way to "move forward with the utmost interest of the nation as a priority" to "safeguard the achievements that were gained and respond to the aspirations of the Gabonese people."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin called on: "all sides  [...] to proceed from the basic interests of the country and the people, resolve differences through dialogue, (and) restore normal order as soon as possible."

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the events in Gabon were being followed with "great concern." He said it was too early to call it part of a trend or a "domino effect" in military takeovers on the continent.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, however, cited a "contagion of autocracy we are seeing spread across our continent," in a statement issued by his office. It said he was conferring with other heads of state and the A.U.

"France condemns the military coup that is underway in Gabon and is closely monitoring developments," French government spokesperson, Olivier Veran, said Wednesday (Aug. 30).

France has maintained close economic, diplomatic and military ties with Gabon, and has 400 soldiers stationed there for a military training operation. The U.S. Africa Command said it has no forces stationed in the Central African nation other than at the U.S. Embassy.

Unlike Niger and two other West African countries run by military juntas, Gabon hasn’t been wracked by jihadi violence and had been seen as relatively stable.

Source: africanews.com

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Gabon coup: Ali Bongo calls for help, says "I don't know what is going on"

29 Aug 2023

Gabon's deposed president, Ali Bongo Ondimba has called on his "friends all over the world to make noise" while under house arrest following a coup in the central African country. A video from an anonymous source shows Bongo distressed and making a plea for help.

"I'm Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon and I'm to send a message to all the friends that we have, all over the world to tell them to make noise, to make noise, for the people here have arrested me and my family. My son is somewhere, my wife is in another place and I'm at the residence" Bongo said.

"Right now, I'm under residence (arrest, ed.) and nothing happening, and nothing is happening, I don't know what... what's going on. So, I'm calling you to make noise, to make noise, to make noise really. I'm... I'm thanking you, thank you." he concluded.

Military officers announced on Wednesday morning that they were overturning the government, in an apparent coup targeting President Ali Bongo Ondimba who has been in power for 14 years and whose re-election was just announced. His family has ruled the oil-rich African country for over 55 years.

While the officers made their televised statement announcing the cancellation of the vote results one of the officers said "all the institutions of the republic" had been dissolved.

The address was read by an officer flanked by a group of a dozen army colonels, members of the elite Republican Guard, regular soldiers and others.

It came moments after the national election authority said Bongo, 64, had won a third term in Saturday's election with 64.27 percent of the vote.

Bongo was first elected in 2009 following the death of his father who had ruled the country for 41 years.

The announcement came in the middle of an overnight curfew and amid a nationwide internet shutdown, imposed by Bongo's government as polling drew to a close on Saturday to prevent the spread of "false news" and possible violence.

Internet was restored on Wednesday morning after the TV address.

"Today, the country is going through a serious institutional, political, economic and social crisis," the officer said on TV channel Gabon 24.

He said the recent election "did not meet the conditions for a transparent, credible and inclusive ballot so much hoped for by the people of Gabon."

"We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime," the officer said, adding that he was speaking on behalf of the "Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions".

"To this end, the general elections of 26 August 2023 and the truncated results are cancelled," he added.

Source: africanews.com

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Africa: the 7 military coups over the last three years

29 Aug 2023

Africa has experienced seven coups since August 2020, before the one underway on Wednesday in Gabon.

- Niger -

On July 26, 2023, the military announced that they had overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum. General Abdourahamane Tiani becomes the new strongman of the country.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced on August 10 its intention to deploy a regional force to "restore constitutional order", while continuing to favor the diplomatic route.

The military proposes a transition period of "three years" maximum before returning power to civilians.

- Burkina Faso: two putsches in 8 months -

On January 24, 2022, President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré was ousted from power by the military, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba was inaugurated president in February.

On September 30, Damiba was in turn dismissed from his position by the military, Captain Ibrahim Traoré was invested as transitional president until a presidential election scheduled for July 2024.

- Sudan -

On October 25, 2021, soldiers led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane chased out the transitional civilian leaders, who were supposed to lead the country towards democracy after 30 years of dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir, himself deposed in 2019.

Since April 15, 2023, a war due to a power struggle between General Burhane and his former deputy Mohamed HamdaneDaglo has killed at least 5,000 people in the country.

- Guinea -

On September 5, 2021, President Alpha Condé was overthrown by a military coup. On October 1, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya became president.

The military has promised to return the place to elected civilians by the end of 2024.

- Mali: two coups in 9 months -

On August 18, 2020, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was overthrown by the military, a transitional government was formed in October.

But on May 24, 2021, the military arrested the president and the Prime Minister. Colonel AssimiGoïta was inaugurated in June as transitional president.

The junta has committed to returning the place to civilians after the elections scheduled for February 2024.

Source: africanews.com

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Transfer to UN of Rwandan genocide suspect delayed in South Africa

29 Aug 2023

The process to have Rwandan genocide suspect Fulgence Kayishema tried by a UN court was delayed on Wednesday, after a judge in South Africa postponed a transfer hearing.

Kayishema, who allegedly took part in one of the 1994 genocide's bloodiest episodes, was detained in May on a wine farm outside Cape Town after more than 20 years on the run.

In June, he applied for asylum in South Africa in a bid to stall a possible request for him to stand trial abroad. The United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals eventually requested that he be handed over to its branch in Tanzania.

But the legal procedure, which is different from a typical extradition, was the cause of some confusion, with prosecutors on Wednesday failing to file an application to start the transfer process.

"This is not a criminal case nor a civil case. So, we are treading new terrain," said Eric Ntabazalila, a spokesman for South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority.

“Our understanding was that the matter was postponed to today so that he'll have his own legal representative coming on board and then we'd plan a way forward.”

Kayishema, who did not appear in court, is accused of overseeing the slaughter of more than 2,000 men, women, and children at the height of the 1994 genocide.

Around 800,000 people, most of them ethnic Tutsis, were slaughtered by Hutu extremists in over 100 days of sectarian violence.

Friends of the 62-year-old former police chief believe he is innocent.

"We have proof that is a mistaken identity. The Kayishema they have here, Fulgence, is not the Kayishema who was wanted by the justice,” said family friend, Joseph Habinshuti outside the court.

The judge did not immediately set a new date for the next hearing.

Kayishema is separately facing 54 fraud and immigration-related charges in South Africa.

Source: africanews.com

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Sudan military ruler visits Egypt as deadly fighting continues

29 Aug 2023

Sudan’s military ruler, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, arrived in Egypt on Tuesday, his first trip abroad since the outbreak of fighting in April between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

He met with key ally President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss the Egyptian leader’s offer to mediate in the ongoing conflict.

Burhan’s visit came as medics and witnesses said 39 civilians were killed in shelling in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, where fighting between the two sides has intensified.

On Monday, the general said his forces faced "rebel groups who have committed war crimes in their attempt to seize power" and that he would never sign a deal with them.

But during talks in Egypt, he insisted the army wanted to see an end to the fighting.

"We in the armed forces are committed to setting a real transitional period in order for the Sudanese people to consolidate the state through free and fair elections that enable them to decide who will rule," he said.

In their meeting, Sisi's office said he had "reaffirmed Egypt's firm position in standing by Sudan and supporting its security, stability and territorial integrity".

Thousands of Sudanese have died and millions have been displaced in the war between Burhan and his former deputy-turned-rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the Rapid Support Forces.

Daglo on Sunday released a 10-point "vision" to end the war and build "a new state", with the plan calling for "civilian rule based on democratic norms" and "a single, professional, national military institution".

Before they turned on each other, Burhan had been backed by Daglo when he became Sudan's de facto ruler in a 2021 coup that derailed a fragile transition to civilian rule.

The coup upended a transition painstakingly negotiated between military and civilian leaders following the 2019 ouster of longtime autocrat, Omar al-Bashir.

Burhan's trip to Egypt follows multiple diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in Sudan, and a series of failed US- and Saudi-brokered ceasefires.

Source: africanews.com

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African climate summit seeks to shift focus to finance from floods, famine

August 31, 2023

NAIROBI: How to finance environmental priorities and shift the focus from Africa as victim of floods and famine will be central to the debate at the continent's first climate summit next week, while activists resist plans to expand carbon markets for funding.

African countries contribute only about 3% of global carbon emissions, according to UN figures, but are increasingly exposed to the impact of extreme weather linked to climate change, including the Horn of Africa's worst drought in decades.

A report last year by the non-profit Climate Policy Initiative found Africa has received only 12 per cent of the finance it needs to cope with climate impacts.

"We aim to start changing the conversation from Africa the victim of hunger, famine and floods," said Kenyan Environment Minister Soipan Tuya ahead of the summit beginning on Monday in Nairobi.

"The new narrative ... should be an Africa that is willing and ready to attract capital that is timely, equitable and at scale to lead the world in tackling climate change."

The thousands of delegates are expected to debate solutions ahead of a UN climate summit next month in New York in September and the COP28 UN summit in the United Arab Emirates from the end of November.

The summit's organisers also say they expect deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars to be concluded in Nairobi.

Market-based financing instruments such as carbon credits that allow polluters to offset emissions by funding activities including tree-planting and renewable energy production are high on the list of funding options.

Governments have also shown interest in debt-for-nature swaps. Gabon earlier this month completed Africa's first such deal by buying back a nominal US$500 million of its international debt and issuing an eco-friendly amortising bond of equal size.

The transaction is meant to yield savings that can be used to fund conservation.

But the summit's approach to climate finance has drawn criticism from civic groups, with more than 500 of them accusing organisers in an open letter of advancing Western priorities at Africa's expense.

"These approaches will embolden wealthy nations and large corporations to continue polluting the world, much to Africa's detriment," the groups said in the letter.

Amos Wemanya, a senior adviser at Power Shift Africa, one of the signatories, said financing should come from richer countries meeting the commitments they have previously made to poorer ones but so far have only met in part.

ATTRACTING INVESTMENT

Host Kenya, which says it accounts for a quarter of the carbon credits traded in Africa, hopes to be a model for Africa's ambitions in the market and has introduced legislation to try to attract investment.

In June, it hosted an auction where companies from Saudi Arabia bought more than 2.2 million tonnes of carbon credits.

One of the projects generating those credits is Kenya-based BURN Manufacturing's production of clean cooking stoves to replace heavily polluting wood and charcoal-based fires.

The income from the carbon credits allows BURN to sell its stoves to poor Kenyans at a subsidised rate of US$12 per unit, instead of the production cost of US$40-50, said Chris McKinney, BURN's chief commercial officer.

The company has sold more than 3.6 million stoves.

"We have still barely scratched the surface. The scale of the problem is massive," he said.

One of the highlights of next week's summit, according to a published agenda, will be a deal involving the United Arab Emirates and the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI).

The ACMI was launched at the COP27 summit in Egypt last year with the aim of boosting Africa's carbon credit production from 16 million in 2020 to 300 million by 2030 and 1.5 billion by 2050.

Responding to criticism of carbon credits, Joseph Ng'ang'a, chief executive of the summit's secretariat, said they were an important tool to fight climate change but only one piece of the puzzle.

African nations will also continue to demand more funding from rich-world governments and seek additional recognition for the Congo Basin, the world's second largest tropical forest, as a major carbon sink, summit organisers said. — Reuters

Source: nst.com.my

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Arab World

 

Saudi crown prince approves targets to boost eco-tourism, afforestation in Kingdom

August 30, 2023

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has approved a number of strategic targets that will play a crucial role in the Kingdom meeting its afforestation and eco-tourism goals until 2030.

Saudi Arabia’s reserve initiative is expected to cement the Kingdom’s position as one of the world’s top eco-tourism destinations and create jobs for local communities.

The crown prince approved the Royal Reserve strategic targets in a meeting of the Royal Council Reserves on Wednesday.

The Royal Reserves cover 13.5 percent of Saudi territory, helping protect and reintroduce more than 30 endangered native animals to the country.

The Royal Reserves initiative will contribute to the meeting of the Kingdom’s afforestation targets of planting more than 80 million trees and shrubs by 2030.

Royal Reserves development authorities were established to create strategies and plans, and to manage all aspects related to the operation and implementation of its activities.

Source: arabnews.com

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Houthis target Yemeni activists advocating for public salaries

August 30, 2023

AL-MUKALLA: Human rights activists in Yemen and international rights groups have condemned the Houthis for mercilessly assaulting a journalist based in Sanaa and sending death threats to Yemeni activists and politicians who support the intensifying public demand for the Houthis to pay state employees.

The Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists reported on Tuesday that a Houthi-affiliated armed group brutally attacked Majili Al-Samadi, head of Voice of Yemen radio, outside his home in Sanaa’s Al-Safia district on Aug. 24. The IFJ demanded that the Houthis bring the perpetrators to justice and cease harassing journalists. “We condemn the brutal attack on our colleague Majili Al-Samadi and all attempts to silence his critical reporting,” IFJ Secretary-General Anthony Bellanger said in a statement posted on the organization’s website.

Sharing images of his bruised face and bleeding mouth on social media, Al-Samadi said that armed men severely beat him for posting on social media. He vowed to continue challenging the Houthis until they pay him. “During my return, a band of five individuals beat me outside my house in Al-Safia and threatened to do more if I did not stop writing,” he said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Hours before the attack, Al-Samadi posted on social media demanding that the Houthis pay his salary. “My rights and my salary … before the Prophet … The Prophet does not need me!! I need my salary,” he said in the post.

Indirectly claiming responsibility for the attack, the Houthis accused him of profaning the Prophet Muhammad in the post.

Al-Samadi’s radio station in Sanaa was ransacked by armed men in 2022 for refusing to transmit the sectarian choruses of the militia.

Activists based in Houthi-controlled Sanaa and others residing outside Yemen have reported receiving death threats from Houthi-affiliated figures for demanding that the Houthis pay state employees in areas under their control and condemning the assaults on journalist Al-Samadi.

Ahmed Hashed, an outspoken member of the Houthi-controlled parliament, said that he has received numerous death threats from Houthi figures for exposing the corruption of Houthi leaders and supporting the salary demands of public employees. “I hold the leader of Ansar Allah and the authority of the Ansar group entirely responsible for my life and the safety … The authority in Sanaa incites (the populace) against us and seeks retribution for our opposition to corruption and our demand for the reinstatement of the salaries of teachers and employees whose pay has been reduced for many years,” Hashed said on X, using the official name of the Houthis. In one of the messages, Hashed said, a Houthi figure threatened: “If Majili Al-Samadi loses a tooth, you will lose both your mouth and your tongue.”

The Houthis have also threatened to target relatives of Yemeni activists who reside outside of their territories in retaliation for their criticism. Exiled Yemeni activist Ibrahim Asqin stated that the Houthis had threatened to target his relatives in his home province of Ibb if he did not cease criticizing them and supporting public employee salaries. “A group that cannot tolerate censure of many of its practices from its opponents is too fragile and weak to lead the people,” Asqin said on X. Asqin is well-known for exposing human rights violations committed by Houthi figures in the province of Ibb and for publishing videos and photographs depicting armed Houthis plundering lands and assaulting people.

The Houthis are facing rising public pressure to pay thousands of government employees who have not been paid since 2016. Since early 2022, the pressure has increased amid reports that the Houthis have generated billions of riyals in revenue from the port of Hodeidah as a result of an increase in the number of ships during the UN-brokered cease-fire.

The Houthis have asked that Yemen’s internationally recognized government pay public employees from oil sales, while the government has said that it will only pay public employees if the Houthis deposit revenue from Hodeidah port into the central bank.

Nadwa Al-Dawsari, a Yemeni conflict analyst and a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute, said that Houthi leaders have become increasingly wealthy over the past eight years, as they have amassed immense sums of revenue despite the extreme poverty of the public workforce. “The Houthis are not interested in governing, which would entail them actually providing services including salary payment. The Houthis’ model is largely based on population control through repression and violence,” she said.

She did not rule out the possibility that the Houthis would restart the war in Yemen in order to avoid public pressure. “Now that the Saudis have stopped their airstrikes and lifted restrictions on Hodeidah seaport, the Houthis are running out of excuses (to pay public employees). I would not be surprised if they escalate militarily in order to force these protests to stop.”

Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi delegation participates in Medical Education conference in Glasgow

August 31, 2023

RIYADH: The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) participated in the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) conference in Glasgow on Saturday.

The Saudi delegation showcased its success in developing Saudi board programs, establishing specialized academies and evaluating training programs.

SCFHS emphasized the high standards set for the practice of health professions in the Kingdom through the SCFHS Professional Classification Certificate.

Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi-Qatari panel discusses ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in trade and industry

August 30, 2023

RIYADH — The Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council's Economy, Trade and Industry Committee has held a virtual meeting to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting which was held on Tuesday, they reviewed the latest developments related to the main initiatives of the committee.

The meeting of the heads of the committee sought to deepen the existing cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Qatar and expand ties with the aim of achieving harmonization between the outputs of the Economy, Trade and Industry Committee, in preparation for the meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council headed by the leaders.

The meeting was chaired by Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Bin Fadhil Al Ibrahim, and the Qatari Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani.

The meeting comes as a continuation of a series of periodic meetings that concluded with a set of qualitative initiatives to enhance mutual cooperation in the financial, commercial and industrial sectors, on the sidelines of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to Qatar in December 2021.

Source: saudigazette.com.sa

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In a world first, Saudi hospital sets up automated machine to dispense medications

August 30, 2023

TABUK — The General Directorate for Health Services at the Ministry of Defense (MODHS), represented by King Salman Armed Forces Hospital in the Northwestern region of Saudi Arabia, has successfully set up the world's first automated machine to dispense medications.

This achievement will be added to a series of Saudi innovations in the field of technology. It is the first experience of its kind in the world, which will contribute to facilitating the lifestyle, as the device will dispense medicines electronically without the need for the patient to visit the hospital.

The machine consists of a workstation that handles the prescription barcode of the medicines, an interaction screen for the beneficiary to use, a special operating system (robot), in addition to a messaging platform to inform the beneficiary of the readiness of the prescription.

The machine serves the beneficiaries around the clock with a storage capacity of 102-700 prescriptions. It is also distinguished by the fact that it can fill prescriptions containing multiple medications, in addition to the feature of extremely high protection for medicines from damage, tampering, or theft. It also provides statistical data on the dispensed medications to the beneficiaries on a daily, monthly, or yearly basis.

The director of the hospital’s pharmacy department, Olayan Al-Atawy, said the machine works by scanning the barcode attached to the prescription and filling in the required data, and then the beneficiaries will be asked to to select the nearest dispensing machine to their location before the pharmacist verifies through the electronic prescription system the beneficiary’s prescription data.

When the prescription is approved, without having any observations, the beneficiaries will receive an SMS containing the code and the machine's location, in addition to the request status which enables them to head to the machine to dispense the medical prescription within 48 hours. The beneficiaries will be requested to enter their civil record and the verification code sent to their phones, and then they will be able to receive the medicines.

Al-Atawy said that this service, and the other medical services, embodies the wise leadership's care for citizens to meet their needs and facilitate access to medicines in the easiest and best way.

The machine dispenses all medications that are prescribed to any patient, except medicines that require to be stored in very low temperatures, Al-Atawy said, adding that it will shorten the waiting time for patients to receive the medicines from 4 hours in pharmacies to less than 1 minute.

Al-Atawi confirmed that they are currently seeking to create another device within a month from now, after the success of the current experiment.

Source: saudigazette.com.sa

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Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Sends Verbal Message to Prime Minister of Mauritius

30 Aug, 2023

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has sent a verbal message concerning bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth. The Royal Court's Advisor, Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Kattan, delivered the message today during his visit to Mauritius' capital, Port Louis.

 During the meeting, Kattan conveyed the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius, extending their wishes for the further progress and prosperity of the government and the people of Mauritius.

 In turn, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius sent his greetings and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, HRH the Crown Prince, and the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

 Jugnauth said his country supports the Saudi bid to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh and expressed appreciation for the First Saudi-African and Fifth Arab-African summits to be held in Riyadh this year.

 Meanwhile, the two sides discussed the relations between the two countries and the means of supporting and developing them in various fields. They also discussed regional and international events of mutual concern.

Source: alriyadhdaily.com

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Pakistan

 

Why shouldn’t new legislature decide fate of NAB law, asks SC judge

August 31, 2023

ISLAMABAD: Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah on Wednesday wondered why the fate of NAB law should not be left to the will of the incoming parliament, which will be elected soon.

Justice Shah, a member of the three-judge Supreme Court bench hearing challenges to the Aug 2022 amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) by former prime minister Imran Khan, also expressed surprise why the court was spending so much time on the case when even on the 50th hearing of the case, no instance of breach of any fundamental right has been highlighted.

And if the present case involves serious violation of the fundamental rights, then why not a single citizen concerned, or a financial institution or a political party ever came to the court though an individual who was a “runaway parliamentarian” challenged the NAB amendments before the apex court when he himself had not questioned the same in the parliament, wondered Justice Shah.

However, senior counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan on behalf of the government cited a 1993 Supreme Court judgment in which it was held that in some matters appeals should be left to the people of the country.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, who headed the bench, however, regretted that through the amendments, the entire law had been put in disarray, adding that the points which needed to be answered were why offences in the accountability law were modified by changing procedural or evidentiary requirements as a result of which establishing offences has become more cumbersome since immunities have been granted like creating a slab of Rs500 million to fall within the jurisdiction of NAB.

The CJP observed that accountability is something which is fundamental to the democratic process, adding that the change of government after five years’ term itself was the accountability process.

The laws are always made by a democratic government for the benefit of the people, but the system of accountability should be more efficient and speedy, the CJP emphasised.

The CJP also conceded that the NAB law has been made humane now by reducing the 90-day remand, but the element of retrospective effect meant to benefit the accused by implementing it from the backdate was questionable.

The important point here is if the money cannot be recovered then liability also cannot be imposed, the CJP said, adding that there were many failures in the NAB law especially the way it has been implemented.

The CJP was also bitter over the fact that through the amendments, offences have been decriminalised.

The counsel, however, argued that the judiciary cannot judge the goodness or badness of the statute, adding the forum of NAB was

created in 1999 and it has been made worse now. This court could

do nothing had the legislature repealed the law, the counsel said, adding that if the legislature has the power to repeal they also enjoy the power to amend. He said that NAB was a bad draconian law with an objective to teach politicians a lesson and keep civil servants at bay and, as a result, decision-making process has been paralysed.

About concerns regarding lack of speedy process, the counsel retorted that NAB was still the speedy institution in picking up the people without any concrete evidence.

While citing Imran Tiwana case, Justice Shah observed that it had been clearly stated in the judgment that the court should intervene on matters when explicit violation of the fundamental rights was mentioned, but here after the 50th hearing, he still was unable to understand the breach of the fundamental right.

Earlier, at the outset of the Wednesday’s proceedings, Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan drew the attention of the CJP towards the fact that he never used the word defects in the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act but had stated that both Supreme Court (Review of judgment and order) Act were overlapping.

The CJP accepted the clarification, but observed that the court had earlier complimented the capability of the law ministry for amending the NAB law in an intelligent manner, but regretted that through the practice and procedure law, the government had attempted to make the CJP a rubber stamp. The CJP, however, appreciated that the court had great respect for the counsel and his intellect.

He observed that the parliament was very busy during the month of August since it passed many laws, but the practice and procedure was a low priority.

Source: dawn.com

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Islamic calligraphy interlinked with Quran: Senator

August 31, 2023

Rawalpindi-Senator Talha Mehmood Wednesday said that Islamic calligraphy interlinked with the Quran and Quranic verses and surahs were well used in the style of calligraphy.

Addressing an Islamic Calligraphy exhibition of young artists at Punjab Arts Council (PAC) organised in collaboration with Mehr-e-Qalm, he said that Islamic calligraphy was not based on  belief that photography was prohibited in Islam, but Islam placed great importance on writing.

It is a miracle of the Quran that Muslims were showing a pure art like Islamic calligraphy to the world, he added.

Muhammad Talha Mehmood further said that the young generation was entering the field of Islamic calligraphy with creative thinking.

“A person gets peace of mind and heart in this world and the hereafter by following Quranic verses.

“For centuries, the main focus of attention of Muslims was the word of Allah, in the shape of the Quran,” he added. In the end, he lauded the role of PAC in promoting Islamic Calligraphy.

Naheed Manzoor on the occasion said that the art of calligraphy had a special place in our culture.

Punjab government was paying full attention to the promotion and development of all genres of arts, she added.

Director of Arts Council Waqar Ahmad said that Islamic calligraphy was the name of presenting handwriting and calligraphy artistically. It is usually seen in countries with a common Islamic cultural heritage and by following the Quranic teachings, a person gets mental and emotional peace in this world and the hereafter.

“Without it, human life cannot reach its ascension,” he added.

Shabbir Ahmed Zia, Ayesha Nosheen, Jazeb Ali Qureshi, Sadia Rana, Nazia Sultan, Kaiba Noor, Faiza Khan, Sania Shabbir, Muhammad Zeeshan, Huzaifa, Tahrim Bashir, Touba Waqar, Zainul Abedin Shafi, Tahira Imran, Aziz Jalal Hosni, The artworks of Sadra Younis, Iqra Maqsood, Sandus Mehk, Komal Jameel, Hadiya Khan, Noor Fatima, Sameera, Faizan Malik, Imtsal Malik, Laiba Irshad, Sandus, Manza Nusrat and Mehk Afzal works were exhibited in the exhibition.

At the end of the event, certificates of appreciation were also distributed to all the young artists.

The exhibition will continue till September 1.

Source: nation.com.pk

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Caretaker Info Minister takes notice of alleged torture, arrest of senior journalist Fayyaz Zafar

August 31, 2023

Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi has taken notice of the alleged torture and arrest of Fayyaz Zafar, a senior journalist from Swat.

Discussing the incident with relevant authorities, he emphasized the importance of conducting an impartial investigation into the incident.

He asserted that the authority of the office must not be employed to stifle the voice of journalists. He affirmed his commitment to closely monitor the progress of Fayyaz Zafar's case.

The Information Minister said the government firmly believes in freedom of expression and media, in accordance with the constitution.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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Attock jail trial: Imran moves IHC against law ministry’s notification

August 31, 2023

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday challenged in Islamabad High Court (IHC) the Law Ministry’s notification on shifting court to the Attock Jail.

The PTI chairman filed a petition in the IHC in this regard through his counsel Sher Afzal Marwat. Secretary law, interior secretary, chief commissioner, IG and DG FIA have been made respondents in the petition.

Superintendent Adiala Jail and Superintendent Attock Jail are also respondents in this petition.

The court has been requested in the petition that the notification shifting court to Attock Jail is illegal, therefore, it should be declared null and void.

The jurisdiction of hearing in respect of judge of Accountability Court (AC) No1 regarding the cases registered under the Official Secrets Act has also been challenged.

The petitioner took the plea that ATC-1 judge does not meet the basic criterion of required standard in this matter.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s lawyers said since the day the cipher got declassified, it no longer remained a secret, so why the Official Secrets Act case was even being pursued. They added that the Attock Jail trial is a violation of Article 10-A, which guarantees the right to fair trial.

Talking to the media after the cipher case hearing in Attock Jail on Wednesday, Imran Khan’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar called the case against the former PM “baseless” and told reporters that Imran Khan had given him a 15-minute briefing on his thoughts on the cipher.

A cipher, said Safdar, “is a diplomatic correspondence. It is confidential and is privileged communication that is always in the custody of the Foreign Office. This has been confirmed by former interior minister Rana Sana as well whose statement can be seen on social media that the cipher is with us.

“So if you have that original document, what is this case for and the FIA has also conceded that the original document of the cipher is with the Foreign Office.”

Barrister Salman Safdar told reporters that such proceedings under the Official Secrets Act were “reserved for the armed forces regarding internal matters, such as spying or mapping” and that the “prosecution of a former prime minister and a former foreign minister under the Official Secrets Act is highly condemnable and concerning. The FIA has no jurisdiction for such investigations. An FIR should never have been registered.”

On the cipher issue, Safdar said that there are essentially two allegations on Imran: “One, that he has kept the cipher with him somewhere. And two, that he misused the cipher.” He added that the information in the cipher was objectionable and showed interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. That cipher, said Safdar, was placed “before the cabinet officially and the cabinet declassified it. The minutes of that meeting are with the Cabinet Division. So, the day the cipher got declassified, that day it no longer remained a secret.”

Safdar then asked: “If it was no longer an official secret, then what are we, the legal team, doing here today?”

Barrister Salman Safdar said that the biggest revelation that came on Wednesday was that no one in the PTI’s legal team or even Imran himself knew that he had been arrested in the cipher case “15 days ago” and that from Aug 15 till Aug 30, the FIA team had come to see [Imran] only twice.

Calling the FIA’s arrest of Imran “mala fide”, Safdar told reporters that the objectionable way these proceedings have been conducted and the way the hearing is being held in jail is “very unfortunate”, saying “this has never happened before that a trial has such suspicious and secretive proceedings that they are not made open to public and not even the defendant’s lawyers. In fact, not even the defendant knows what is happening.”

Barrister Salman Safdar told the media that the PTI legal team had filed a bail application and the FIA has been issued notices in this regard. And on Sept 2, there will be a hearing regarding this bail.

The PTI’s legal team affirmed that the PTI chairman was in “high spirits” when they met him, with Safdar adding that Imran had said that the “first seven days [of his incarceration] he was given ‘daal roti’ to eat and that he now sometimes gets some chicken curry.”

Speaking about Imran Khan’s prison lodging, Safdar said that “the room is small and the facilities are the same [as before]. The only thing that has been changed is that one wall has been raised by 2 feet. There is no ventilation.”

He also told reporters that Imran Khan has said he spends his time reading books. And that the books he has, he had already read and has asked his lawyers to get him books on Pakistan’s political history and the political history of the region. “He wants to spend his time reading religious books and history books.”

Another person from Imran’s legal tram told reporters that Imran had said that “this may be a small cell but I have adjusted and am ready to stay here for any period of time. But I will not give up my struggle for ‘haqeeqiazaadi”.

Imran Khan was, according to his legal team, also happy at having been given the facility of a pen and paper, so he can write notes regarding the books he is reading.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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Pakistan, China discuss arms control, non-proliferation

August 31, 2023

ISLAMABAD:In a show of continued cooperation, Pakistan and China engaged on Wednesday in discussions on various topics pertaining to arms control and non-proliferation during their 8th round of bilateral consultations.

The two-day event, hosted in Beijing, also encompassed talks about the regional and global security situation.

Mohammad Kamran Akhtar, Additional Secretary (Arms Control & Disarmament/Policy Planning) from Pakistan, and Sun Xiaobo, Director General from the Department of Arms Control, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China helmed their respective delegations, the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a press release.

Pakistan's delegation also visited leading think-tanks in Beijing, including China's Arms Control and Disarmament Association (CACDA) and Chinese Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICR).

It was agreed, during the visits, to further enhance strategic outreach between think-tanks and research institutes of both countries.

The two sides agreed to hold the 9th round next year on a mutually agreed date.

Additional Secretary Mohammad Kamran Akhtar, prior to the talks, also called on Sun Weidong, Vice Foreign Minister of the Republic of China.

During the meeting, both sides exchanged in-depth views on China-Pakistan relations, international and regional security situation, and a range of issues of mutual interest.

Source: tribune.com.pk

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Europe

 

Germany: More than a dozen mosques attacked in 2023

30th August 2023

Police in Germany recorded more than 250 Islamophobic hate crimes in the first half of 2023, according to figures released this week by the country’s parliament.

More than a dozen mosques were attacked between January and June, and dozens of Muslims were physically assaulted or harassed in public places. At least 17 people were injured in the attacks.

While criminal investigations were opened against several suspects, no arrests have been made so far, according to officials from Germany’s Interior Ministry.

The figures indicate that most of the alleged crimes were committed in eastern German states, the traditional stronghold of far-right parties, but scores of Islamophobic hate crimes were also registered in the capital Berlin, and in the western cities of Cologne, Frankfurt and Munich.

Third of Germans share right-wing views

A new study, also published this week, revealed that nearly a third of Germans hold populist right-wing views. A research team from the University of Hohenheim interviewed more than 4,000 Germans from a group reflecting the demographic composition of the country.

31% of respondents said they feared that Germany was being “infiltrated by Islam”, while 18% said they partly agreed with the statement. A quarter of those surveyed said they believed Germany was controlled by “secret powers”, while 16% said the country was “more like a dictatorship than a democracy.”

“7% of Germans have a very strong attachment to right-wing populism, and 11% of them have a strong attachment,” said Professor Frank Brettschneider, who led the study.

“Overall, nearly one-third of Germans have a right-wing populist worldview in the broader sense,” he added.

Growing threat

Germany has seen a steady rise in racism and xenophobia since 2017. Hate crimes rose by 10% in 2022, according to Germany’s Interior Ministry, with three out of four motivated by far-right ideology. Violent crimes against refugees rose by 22% the same year, while antisemetic crimes fell by 12.75% over the same period, according to the government figures.

A 2020 attack on two shisha lounges in the German town Hanau left nine people dead, with most of the victims from minority backgrounds. The German gunman, who also shot dead his mother before shooting himself, left behind a manifesto in which he expressed extreme hatred for foreigners.

A country of over 84 million people, Germany has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. It is home to nearly five million Muslims.

Source: 5pillarsuk.com

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Ukrainian drones downed in Russia – governor

31 Aug, 2023

Three Ukrainian drones were downed on Thursday morning in Russia’s Bryansk Region, Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz has said. The Defense Ministry previously reported the interception of a single UAV in the region.

Bogomaz credited a member of the public with providing information about suspicious aircraft, which alerted the authorities and prompted a swift response by the National Guard and police.

Troops used “an anti-drone gun and a specialized carbine” to take down the UAVs, Bogomaz said. No casualties were reported.

According to Russian media, the aircraft were likely kamikaze versions of the UJ-22 Airborne model, which is produced by Ukrainian firm Ukrjet for the nation’s military.

One of the robotic planes reportedly crashed at the location of a hotel owned by the regional government.

Footage circulating online and purportedly filmed on Thursday morning shows a small aircraft flying at low altitude, as the cameraman comments that it is the third one to pass by.

Bryansk, which borders northern Ukraine, was among the Russian regions to be targeted in a large-scale Ukrainian drone raid on Wednesday.

On the same day, Russian troops engaged a Ukrainian saboteur squad in the region, killing two military service members and capturing five alive, the Federal Security Service (FSB) revealed on Thursday.

Source: rt.com

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Another EU state sliding into recession

31 Aug, 2023

Sweden is heading for a mild recession after its GDP dropped by 0.8% in the second quarter compared to the first three months of the year, Statistics Sweden announced on Tuesday.

The economic downturn in the Nordic region’s largest economy is linked to reduced exports of goods and a decrease in inventories, which contributed negatively to the GDP figures, data shows.  

Although the decline was less than the 1.3% contraction that had been predicted, “the Swedish export motor is in trouble,” according to Michael Grahn, chief economist at Danske Bank.  

Stubbornly high inflation has been pummeling the Swedish economy since last year, with the country’s central bank hiking rates in response. An increase in the cost of goods and loans has prompted households to cut spending.

“The second quarter of 2023 was generally weak with declines in several of the main components of GDP,” said Jessica Engdahl, head of the section at Statistics Sweden’s National Accounts Department.  

EU state blames poor sales on rainREAD MORE: EU state blames poor sales on rain

“Household consumption expenditure was negative for the fourth consecutive quarter,” she added.  

Spending by households will be a determining factor in how deep the contraction turns out to be, according to Sweden’s largest bank, SEB.  

So far, household consumption has dipped by 0.2%, mainly due to decreased expenditure on housing, recreation and culture, as real disposable income dropped by 3% compared with the second quarter of 2022.  

“Sweden will continue to look more anemic than many other countries,” SEB warned.  

Meanwhile, economists from Handelsbanken believe the Nordic country is “heading for a mild recession,” as they expect that GDP will continue to decline in the second half of 2023.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/business/582053-sweden-economy-recession-eu/

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German government eyes rent freeze

31 Aug, 2023

Berlin is considering the introduction of a three-year nationwide rent freeze in an effort to control housing costs in the EU’s largest economy, according to a senior figure in the country’s ruling coalition.

The proposal comes amid skyrocketing rents that have caused hardship for tenants as Germans struggle with the fallout from the energy crisis and inflation that has remained persistently high since last year.  

“We need a breather for tenants – we need a rent freeze for the next three years,” Verena Hubertz, the Social Democratic Party’s deputy parliamentary group leader, told Bild am Sonntag last week.

Under the plan, landlords could be forced to refund rents deemed “usurious” if the rate charged is more than 20% above local market levels in areas with limited supplies of homes.

The government is also planning to tighten rules that are already in place to limit rent increases, as furnished residences let for temporary accommodation do not always fall within the scope of the restrictions.

Current rules aimed at regulating the country’s property market cap rent increases at 20% over three years or 15% in areas that have been designated as having particularly tight housing markets. Berlin has already agreed to lower this cap to 11%, but this is not enough, according to the federal government.

Germany’s skilled labor shortage worsensREAD MORE: Germany’s skilled labor shortage worsens

The new restrictions would allow rents to rise by a maximum of 6% in cities where demand is very high, and a blanket freeze would apply across the rest of the country.

Rents have surged at record rates this year in Germany. The cost of housing in the country has traditionally been stable enough to allow families not to buy their own property, but live in a rented house or apartment throughout their lives.

According to the German Federal Statistical Office, among Germany’s 41 million households, slightly fewer than 60% currently live in rented accommodation.

Germany is also facing higher prices for other goods. Overall consumer price inflation was 6.2% in the year to July, against a Eurozone average of 5.3%. Sticky inflation pushed Germany into recession in the first three months of the current year, as the nation has been significantly affected by reduced energy supplies from Russia.

Source: rt.com

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EU set to import record volume of Russian LNG – data

30 Aug, 2023

EU countries are set to buy record volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia this year, even as the bloc pledges to stop consuming Russian fuel by 2027, the latest findings published by Global Witness on Wednesday revealed.    

Members of the bloc continued to import a significant amount of LNG from Russia in the first seven months of this year, data showed.  

The EU has banned imports of Russian seaborne oil since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine and drastically reduced shipments of pipeline gas from Moscow. LNG, however, has so far gone unsanctioned despite repeated calls from a number of EU officials.

Belgium and Spain were the second- and third-biggest buyers overall, purchasing 7.5 million cubic meters (mcm) and 7.1 mcm respectively, while France was fifth on the list with 4.5 mcm. China led the way with 8.7 mcm in LNG imports from Russia, while Japan was fourth with 7 mcm.   

“It’s shocking that countries in the EU have worked so hard to wean themselves off piped Russian fossil gas only to replace it with the shipped equivalent,” said Jonathan Noronha-Gant, senior campaigner at Global Witness.    

China emerging as global LNG trading power – ReutersREAD MORE: China emerging as global LNG trading power – Reuters

EU members bought 21.6 mcm of Russian LNG in total in the first seven months of this year, compared to 21.3 mcm during the same period in 2022. However, the figure represents a 40% surge compared to first seven months of 2021, which the report claimed was “embarrassing.”     

The EU is estimated to have accounted for 52% of all Russian LNG exports between January and July, a market share that exceeds the 49% mark for 2022 and 39% for 2021.    

The cost of LNG imported by members of the bloc in the first seven months of the year at spot market prices amounted to €5.29 billion ($5.77 billion), according to the report.    

Analysts said the uptick in LNG purchases is even more significant given the fact that the EU did not import sizable amounts of the fuel from Russia prior to the conflict in Ukraine, instead relying on pipeline supplies.    

Most shipments of Russian LNG come from the Yamal plant, a joint venture of the country’s largest LNG producer, Novatek, France’s TotalEnergies, China’s CNPC, and a Chinese state fund, the report said.    

Recent data from Eurostat revealed a similar picture, showing that Russia was the EU’s second-largest supplier of LNG in the first quarter of 2023, behind the US but ahead of Qatar, Algeria, Norway, and Nigeria.

Source: rt.com

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North America

 

Uzbeks, an Islamic State Smuggler, and the US Border

By Catherine Putz

August 30, 2023

A smuggler with ties to the Islamic State reportedly helped more than a dozen migrants from Uzbekistan enter the United States, where they sought asylum, an exclusive CNN report claimed this week.

In a statement, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is working to “identify and assess” the individuals who entered the U.S., but that they had identified no specific plot. U.S. officials, the statement said, do not believe the Uzbek nationals had any terrorist ties — but at least one individual involved in the smuggling network they took advantage of was believed to have ties to a terrorist organization, which both CNN and the Associated Press identified as the Islamic State (also called ISIS).

CNN reported that the smuggler “is not believed to be a member of the terror group, but more like an independent contractor who has personal sympathies with the organization, according to U.S. officials.” They added, “The intelligence community now believes it is unlikely that he was assisting these individuals at the behest of ISIS. Most are believed to be seeking a better life in the United States.”

Law enforcement and intelligence officials speaking to CNN “privately expressed concerns that an unusual increase in the number of migrants from Central Asia, a region that isn’t known to be a major source of refugees, didn’t spark more investigation by U.S. border authorities.”

Watson’s statement, as reported by CNN, claimed that the once the intelligence became available “homeland security officials also began detaining, vetting and, ultimately, expediting the removal of other migrants encountered at the southern border who ‘fit the profile associated with individuals who were facilitated by this network.’”

The Uzbek nationals who entered the United States did so sometime “earlier this year,” per CNN. It’s unclear when that intelligence became available, but there were reports as early as December 2022 (and mish-mish, the Uzbek phrase for “rumors,” before that).

On January 3, the U.S. embassy in Uzbekistan posted a statement on its Telegram channel acknowledging that it had “received questions about entering the United States through the U.S.-Mexico border.” The message warned “that individuals who attempt to journey to the United States in an irregular manner put themselves at risk of becoming victims of crime, human trafficking, and financial scams.”

That statement came weeks after the Uzbek Foreign Ministry commented on December 13, 2022, on the abduction of seven Uzbeks in Mexico. The details were murky, but the seven Uzbeks were reportedly kidnapped by a group of criminals who demanded $1,200 from the victims. No one answered the obvious question of what seven Uzbeks were doing in Gomez-Palacio, a city in northeastern Durango state, in the first place.

Skip forward and in June 2023, Kun.uz reported that 14 Uzbek citizens trying to enter the United States illegally had gotten into a car accident when their overcrowded van rolled over in Chiapas, a Mexican state that borders Guatemala. They were reportedly en route to Ejido Hidalgo, a village in Baja California, a Mexican state that borders the U.S. state of California.

While the latest story – of a human smuggler with prior business dealings with the Islamic State shuttling Uzbeks to the U.S. border – may have come out of nowhere for many in the national security commentariat, it isn’t a surprise to those who have been paying attention to Central Asia.

Uzbeks are regularly among the top pools of applicants to the “green card lottery” – the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) program – demonstrating sustained interest in moving to the United States. Writing about Uzbeks using Mexico to gain access to the United States back in February, I argued: “When ambitions are high but opportunities minimal, people become desperate. And so, while Uzbeks are far from the majority of migrants probing the southern U.S. border for weaknesses there are some who take the chance, and clearly those willing to make a buck off their desperation – both in Uzbekistan and in Mexico.”

And those willing to make a buck off the desperation of their countrymen aren’t usually picky about their customers.

Perversely, domestic U.S. political wrangling over the matter of the southern border and immigration broadly makes it a more attractive route. If you watch Fox News, the border is wide open for walk-ins. The inability of American politicians to honestly discuss immigration reform only makes it more likely that people, both the desperate and the villainous, will attempt illegal means. This in turn makes the work of border security nearly impossible.

All reports so far stress that U.S. authorities have no reason to believe that the Uzbeks who gained entry to the United States have evil intentions. If they’d had a simpler legal pathway to immigrate or seek asylum, the business of human traffickers would dry up and only the terrorists would suffer.

Source: thediplomat.com

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New York says Trump should be found liable for fraud, even before a trial

31 Aug 2023

NEW YORK, Aug 31 — New York’s attorney general on Wednesday asked a state judge to declare, even before the start of a trial, that Donald Trump committed fraud by submitting false statements to bankers and insurers and overstating his net worth by up to US$2.23 billion (RM10.35 billion).

In filings with a state court in Manhattan, Attorney General Letitia James said evidence in her civil case showed “repeated and persistent fraudulent use” by Trump and his family business of false and misleading financial statements from 2011 to 2021.

James said inflating values of more than a dozen assets by hundreds of millions of dollars established the defendants’ liability for fraud under the state’s Executive Law.

“The cumulative effect of these numerous deceptive schemes to inflate Mr. Trump’s assets, and hence his net worth, is staggering,” and is “just the tip of a much larger iceberg of deception (the state) is prepared to expose at trial,” James said.

Less than an hour after James’ filing, lawyers for Trump and the other defendants filed their own papers seeking to end what they called James’ “crusade against President Trump” and dismiss the entire case.

Citing a recent appellate court decision, they said that many of the transactions James challenged took place too long ago to be reviewed in court, and said the attorney general offered no proof that anyone was harmed by the remainder.

“What she seeks to do here become the post hoc arbiter of the marketplace by interjecting her own judgment into strictly private, profitable transactions,” the defendants’ lawyers said. “The record evidence now undermines fully her purported claims.”

US$250 million sought

James filed her lawsuit last September, accusing Trump of lying about property values, including for his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and Trump Tower penthouse apartment in Manhattan, and his own net worth.

She said Trump did this to fraudulently obtain better terms on loans and insurance, and that his fraud hurt honest participants in banking, insurance and real estate markets.

The attorney general is seeking at least US$250 million from Trump, his adult sons Donald Jr. and Eric, the Trump Organisation and others, and to stop the Trumps from running businesses in New York.

A trial before state Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron is scheduled for October 2.

The case is separate from four criminal indictments that Trump, 77, faces as he seeks a second White House term, including two for attempting to reverse his 2020 election loss.

Trump, the Republican front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has denied wrongdoing in all of the cases, calling them part of a Democratic witch hunt against him. James is a Democrat.

In her filing, James said correcting Trump’s suspect valuations would have reduced his net worth by 17 per cent to 39 per cent each year between 2011 and 2021.

The filing said Trump’s reported net worth peaked at US$6.1 billion in both 2018 and 2019, when he was US president, but would have been no more than US$4.2 billion had he arranged for “full blown professional appraisals” of his properties.

James said Trump should have valued his penthouse triplex in 2016 at US$119.9 million instead of US$327 million, and valued Mar-a-Lago in 2018 at US$25.4 million, based on its restricted use as a social club, instead of US$739.5 million.

The New York civil case is New York v Trump et al, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No. 452564/2022. — Reuters

Source: malaymail.com

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US resists Ukraine’s calls to ramp up oil restrictions on Russia – WaPo

31 Aug, 2023

The White House has rejected repeated requests from Kiev to tighten the price cap on Russian oil due to concerns that new drastic measures could undercut the global economy, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

According to people familiar with the matter interviewed by the Post, Ukraine wants the Biden administration to put more pressure on Moscow’s economy by reducing the oil price cap from $60 to $30.

However, US officials are said to have so far refused to play ball due to concerns that ratcheting up sanctions could roil global markets, just as America is about to head into the 2024 presidential election. The outlet’s sources also say that any such move would require endorsement from the EU at the risk of undermining overall military support for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Oleg Ustenko, an economic adviser to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, has called on the West to take collective action to tighten up economic restrictions. “We need significant downward pressure on the price cap, or the Russians will have enough cash on hand to continue this war,” he told the paper.

The price cap on Russian oil – which also prohibits Western firms from providing shipping, insurance, and other services related to the seaborne export of this type of commodity unless it is sold at or below the set threshold – was imposed by the EU, G7, and a number of their global partners last December. The sanctions sought to undermine Russia’s ability to fund its army in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

Moscow has responded to the restrictions by banning the sale of oil and refined products to anyone who supports the price cap, while redirecting its exports to countries it considers friendly, including China and India.

While the restrictions were put in place late last year, it was not until mid-July that oil prices exceeded the $60 cap for the first time. Around the same time, Reuters reported that the US planned to use “soft” tactics to convince Western companies to comply with the restrictions rather than rely on a heavy-handed approach. However, last week, Bloomberg reported that Western companies were largely ignoring the oil-price cap as they continued to facilitate exports of Russian crude.

Source: rt.com

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US implies Taiwan sovereignty with new weapon sale

31 Aug, 2023

The US government has approved an $80 million arms transfer to Taiwan under a program normally reserved for sovereign nations – a move likely to anger Beijing, which considers the island part of its own territory.

The State Department informed relevant lawmakers of the upcoming weapons sale on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press and Reuters, which obtained a copy of the congressional notification.

The transfer “will be used to strengthen Taiwan's self-defense capabilities through joint and combined defense capability and enhanced maritime domain awareness and maritime security capability,” the department said, without naming any particular systems.

Though prior deals with Taipei have been carried out under different export authorities, the latest transfer is slated to go through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. Past FMF sales have largely been made to full-fledged nation states, with the sole exception of the African Union, and language used in the new notification could imply sovereignty for Taiwan, a stance China is unlikely to accept.

US approves new sale of military equipment to TaiwanREAD MORE: US approves new sale of military equipment to Taiwan

Beijing views Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory, deeming it a province in rebellion while claiming the right to reunify with the territory by force should it declare independence. Washington does not openly recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state, but has long maintained ties with the island, including billions in military sales over the decades.

However, while China is sure to oppose any suggestion of Taiwanese sovereignty, unnamed State Department officials told multiple outlets that the new sale does not reflect a shift in US policy.

“The United States has provided Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Taiwan for years. FMF simply enables eligible partner nations to purchase US defense articles, services, and training through either FMS or, for a limited number of countries, through the foreign military financing of direct commercial contracts (FMF/DCC) program,” two US officials told the AP.

Republican Congressman Michael McCaul, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, confirmed the notification in a statement later on Wednesday, praising President Joe Biden for “finally” approving FMF for Taiwan.

British MPs call Taiwan ‘independent country’READ MORE: British MPs call Taiwan ‘independent country’

“These weapons will not only help Taiwan and protect other democracies in the region, but also strengthen the US deterrence posture and ensure our national security from an increasingly aggressive [Chinese Communist Party],” he said.

Though the State Department did not specify what weapons would be sent under the $80 million deal, it said the transfer could include “air and coastal defense systems, armored vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles, drones, ballistic missile and cyber defenses” and communications gear, the AP reported, adding that funds may also be used to cover training for Taiwan’s military.

Source: rt.com

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US seeks to base its nuclear forces in UK – media

31 Aug, 2023

The United States could seek to station nuclear weapons on British territory for the first time since 2008, according to Pentagon budget documents analyzed by a US think-tank and British media. American fighter jets capable of nuclear bombing raids are also slated for the same UK air base, the files suggest.

In a March funding request to Congress, the US military sought $50 million for a new “surety dormitory” at the Lakenheath Royal Air Force base in Suffolk, north of the British capital, the Telegraph reported on Wednesday.

According to the Federation of American Scientists, the term “surety” is frequently used by the Pentagon to refer to “the capability to keep nuclear weapons safe, secure, and under positive control.” While the budget document made mention of a NATO project to construct “secure sites and facilities” to store “special weapons” in the UK, officials have yet to confirm any new deployments at the base in question.

Japan needs US nuclear weapons for defense – top generalREAD MORE: Japan needs US nuclear weapons for defense – top general

RAF Lakenheath was one of three sites in Britain to house US nuclear weapons throughout the Cold War, holding 110 American warheads until a drawdown in 2008. Washington also supplied atomic bombs to UK forces under an initiative dubbed ‘Project E’ until 1992, soon after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of the UK-NATO Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, told the Telegraph the new surety facility is likely to store nuclear arms.

“In this case, a surety dormitory is a bunker used to house nuclear missiles and warheads. It needs to be hardened and a secure place – if the Russians wanted to drop a bomb on them it wouldn’t create a nuclear accident,” he said.

Construction of the dormitory is scheduled to begin next summer and end in early 2026, the documents say.

The same Pentagon budget request also shows that Washington plans to station two squadrons of F-35 A fighter jets – capable of tactical nuclear bombing missions – at RAF Lakenheath. Unnamed British military sources reached by the Telegraph said 54 F-35s are set to replace older US F-15s at the base sometime in the coming months.

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The prospect of a fresh nuclear deployment in the UK has triggered anxiety among some critics, with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament stating the move would be “beyond irresponsible.”

“The deployment of the new B61-12 (gravity bombs) to Europe undermines any prospects for global peace and ensures Britain will be a target in a nuclear conflict between the US/NATO and Russia,” said the campaign’s general secretary, Kate Hudson. She added: “It's increasingly clear that Lakenheath is once again a vital cog in Washington's overseas nuclear machine.”

Asked about the possibility of nuclear weapons returning to the base during a recent briefing, Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said it was US policy to “neither confirm nor deny the presence or absence of nuclear weapons at any general or specific location.”

Source: rt.com

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