Day After Raids, ‘Power Theft Worth Rs 1.3 Crore By 4 Mosques, 1 Madrassa’ Unearthed In Sambhal, Claims District Administration
New Age Islam News Bureau
12 December 2024
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath at the World Hindu Economic Forum on Saturday. | Screenshot/@myyogiadityanath/X
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India
• UP CM Adityanath Backs Allahabad HC Judge Who Made Anti-Muslim Remarks, Says He Spoke The Truth
• Bengal Minister Says Muslims Can Be 'Bigger Than Majority', BJP Responds
• "If I Dig Up Parliament, Find Something...": A Owaisi On Mosque Surveys
• Discrimination Against Muslims At The Centre Of OppnDebate In Parliament
• At site of little-known mosque on college campus in Varanasi, a tense standoff
• Keeping Up With UP: How BJP Won Muslim Majority Seats In By-Polls
• 'Was Horrified A Man Stained By Carnage Of Muslims Could Lead India': Aiyar On Modi
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Mideast
• Domino Theory: Israel Raises Concerns Islamist Take Over In Syria Will Cause Uprising In Jordan
• 'Window To Act Against Iran': Former Israel Defence Minister Addresses Israel's Strike On Islamic Republic - Report
• Turkish journo temporarily detained for interviewing former PYD co-chair Salih Muslim
• Ancient Muslim agro-technologies can help us cope with water scarcity and food insecurity
• Israel bombards schools and homes in Gaza, a day after Nuseirat massacre
• At least 22 killed in Israeli Gaza strikes, Palestinian medics say
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Arab World
• Riyadh Festival Celebrates Saudi Creativity, Theatrical Arts
• COP16 Darah discussions focus on environmental preservation
• KSrelief continues charity works worldwide
• Jordan’s King Abdullah meets with Saudi FM, Arab ministers at Syria meeting
• Saudi minister meets national security official at the Middle East Institute
• Saudi adventurer sets out to cross Empty Quarter on foot
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North America
• Virginia Man Convicted Of Funding Islamic State In Terrorism Trial
• 'Manned aircraft', 'no threat': US authorities reveal investigation details of mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey
• US President-elect Trump picks loyalist Richard Grenell for special missions envoy post
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South Asia
• Concerns Grow Over Poor Conditions Of Afghan Refugees In Abu Dhabi: HRW
• Bangladesh Commission Says Sheikh Hasina Involved In Enforced Disappearances
• 'Mini Bangladesh' Rickshaw-Pullers Pay Price For Bangla Turmoil, Seek Other Jobs
• Protesting ‘Persecution’ Of Hindus In Bangladesh, Activists Submit Memo To President
• Ramadan Allowance For Women's Development Committee Members Starting Next Year: Maldivian President
• Joe Biden watching situation in Bangladesh very closely, says White House
• Bangladesh: 4 arrested for vandalising Hindu temple, arson at homes
• Islamic Emirate Approves Initiative to Prevent Extravagant Customs
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Africa
• Lagos Deserves Muslim Governor In 2027, Says Archbishop Isaac Olawuyi
• APC Has Decimated PDP, Labour Party, Others But Kwankwaso Is Their Nightmare – Galadima
• Prof. Gwarzo donates $100,000 to Islamic University in Uganda
• Nigeria Police stole my brother’s shoes, Kemi Badenoch hits again
• Tax Reform: Dogara hails Tinubu as courageous ruler prepared to lead Nigeria
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Pakistan
• Police Commandoes On Islamabad’s Red Zone Security Undergo Psychological Test
• Sons Of Six Former Judges Among 44 Named For Selection To Lahore High Court
• Justice Shah told draft rules carry his suggestions
• Govt mulls yet another approach to curb cybercrime
• Plea against ‘killings’ during PTI protest to be heard on 23rd
• Joint parliament session next week to resolve row on seminaries registration
• Protest held in Murree against ‘anti-people’ development plan
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Southeast Asia
• Anwar: There Are Prelim Talks For Umno’s TengkuZafrul To Join PKR
• PM Anwar joins PKR’s special congress in Shah Alam
• 5.4 Million Indonesian Muslims on Hajj Pilgrimage Waiting List
• Minister launches mosque publications
• Langkawi ferry firm reverses course on locals’ fare hike after transport minister rocks the boat
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Europe
• More Migrants Removed From UK In Last Six Months Than Since 2019, Home Office Says
• UK officially joins Indo-Pacific trade bloc CPTPP
• Russia not leaving its two bases in Syria, sources say
• Labour’s building boom not possible, construction authorities say
• Drama llamas cast as camels in cathedral nativity
• ‘Luigi Mangione shoots himself’: Apple’s AI sparks outrage with false BBC alert
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/mosques-madrassa-sambhal-administration/d/134032
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UP CM Adityanath Backs Allahabad HC Judge Who Made Anti-Muslim Remarks, Says He Spoke The Truth
15-12-2024
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath at the World Hindu Economic Forum on Saturday. | Screenshot/@myyogiadityanath/X
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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Saturday questioned the Opposition for seeking impeachment proceedings against an Allahabad High Court judge, accusing it of trying to silence those speaking the truth.
Adityanath said that the judge, Justice Shekhar Yadav, had only called for a Uniform Civil Code and said that the country should be run as per the wishes of the majority.
“A Uniform Civil Code is indeed needed,” the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said. “The sentiments of the majority are respected the world over. If someone in India speaks about what is beneficial for the majority, if someone speaks that truth, is it a crime?”
However, Yadav, during his speech on December 8, had also uttered a slur used for Muslims who have been circumcised and described the community as “harmful to the country”.
The judge claimed that children from “one community”, implying Hindus, are taught values like compassion and non-violence, while those from “another community”, implying Muslims, were exposed to animal slaughter and lack tolerance.
Yadav had said that India would soon adopt a Uniform Civil Code – a common set of laws governing marriage, divorce, succession and adoption for all citizens.
On Saturday, Adityanath asked how Opposition parties could call themselves democratic despite seeking the impeachment of the Allahabad High Court judge who made the remarks.
“They [Opposition] go around carrying copies of the Constitution,” the chief minister said. “They do not have the slightest shame. They are those who are throttling the Constitution.”
In a similar vein, Adityanath questioned the Opposition for seeking impeachment proceedings against Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman JagdeepDhankhar.
“The vice president, on the strength of his ability and competence, is conducting the proceedings of the House and upholding the Constitution,” the chief minister said. “But the Opposition is worried about how a farmer’s son could reach such a high post.”
The Opposition, in the no-confidence motion, accused Dhankhar of conducting the proceedings of the Upper House of Parliament in an “extremely partisan manner”.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said that his party was forced to move the no-confidence motion as Dhankhar was “not listening to the leader of Opposition; he is allowing the treasury bench MPs to make the wildest of charges, in the most objectionable language against our most senior leaders and they are being encouraged to do so.”
Source: Scroll.in
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Turkistan Islamic Party uses video from Syria to encourage jihad in China
By Bill Roggio
December 14, 2024
A still from the propaganda video recently published by the Turkistan Islamic Party.
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The Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), an Al Qaeda branch that fights under the banner of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), used a propaganda video from Syria to encourage Muslims to wage jihad in China. Hayat Tahrir al Sham played a leading role in overthrowing the regime of Bashar al Assad and is forming a new Syrian government.
The slickly produced TIP video was published by Islam Awazi, the group’s official propaganda outlet. The video was republished on X by Arslan Hidayat (@arslan_hidayat).
The video, titled “Fight, don’t retreat,” features scores of TIP fighters marching in formation, training at camps, and engaging in combat in Syria. The fighters at the camps are well-equipped with new uniforms, body armor, chest rigs, and weapons. In one scene, TIP fighters operate a tank and enter an armored vehicle.
The narrator repeatedly urges Muslims across the world to wage jihad, as “fighting in the way of Allah is the highest level [of worship] in Islam, to elevate Allah’s religion and to live under Islamic justice.”
“To sacrifice their property and their life for the sake of Jihad; for a human, it is a very big honor and blessing,” the narrator continues. He also says that it is the duty of Muslims to “do Jihad” and never lay down their arms.
“Oh Mujahid, do Jihad, go forward, never retreat, live with honor, never leave it. The moment you let go of your weapon is the moment you lose your honor; the moment you take off your uniform is the moment your dignity falls,” the narrator says.
Later in the video, the narrator appeals to Chinese Uighurs, a Muslim ethnic group that is brutally oppressed by the Chinese government, to return to their homeland and wage jihad.
“Your parents who are under China’s brutal oppression are expecting you,” the narrator states. “Your sisters being horrifically [sexually] violated in China’s prisons are bleeding tears.
“Oh Mujahid, [your people] are calling you to save them from the merciless oppression of the Chinese [government],” the narrator continues. “The blood from your umbilical cord was shed in that land [East Turkistan]. Oh Mujahid, [you people] are crying out for you to liberate them from the Chinese oppressors.”
The TIP is a branch of Al Qaeda based in both Afghanistan and Syria. Inside Afghanistan, the TIP has fought alongside Al Qaeda and the Taliban since before the US invasion in 2001 and up until the US withdrawal in August 2021. The TIP’s top leaders are based in Afghanistan, and its fighters in Syria report to them.
The TIP’s current overall emir, who presides over the Afghan and Syrian branches, is Abdul Haq al Turkistani. He is based in Afghanistan and appeared in a video in the spring of 2022 celebrating the Taliban’s victory over the United States and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Abdul Haq was designated as an Al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist by the US Treasury Department in 2009. In the designation, Treasury identified Abdul Haq as a member of Al Qaeda’s central shura, or council, since 2005. The United Nations has also added Abdul Haq to the Al Qaeda sanctions list.
The US government is reportedly considering removing Hayat Tahrir al Sham from the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, even though the Turkistan Islamic Party and numerous other foreign and domestic jihadist groups are fighting under its banner.
Source: Www.Longwarjournal.Org
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Saudi Arabia praised by UNESCO for achievements in artificial intelligence
Arab News
December 14, 2024
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization issued a report on Saturday that highlighted Saudi Arabia’s progress in the field of artificial intelligence. (UNESCO)
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RIYADH: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization issued a report on Saturday that highlighted Saudi Arabia’s progress in the field of artificial intelligence, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The report, part of UNESCO’s initiative to measure AI readiness through its Readiness Assessment Methodology, commended the Kingdom’s achievements as “a global benchmark for the ethical and innovative adoption of advanced technologies,” according to the SPA.
The UNESCO report evaluated Saudi Arabia’s AI readiness in six key areas: national governance; legislation and regulations; societal and cultural; research and education; economic impact; and technical infrastructure. It concluded that the Kingdom had the capacity to adopt AI ethically and responsibly while achieving sustainable outcomes.
The report highlighted the establishment of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority in 2019 and the launch of the National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence in 2020 as key steps in Saudi Arabia’s AI journey, and praised the Kingdom’s commitment to fostering a robust regulatory environment, promoting innovation while managing risks, enhancing education and workforce capabilities, and empowering women in AI-related fields, the SPA added.
UNESCO’s assistant director-general for social and human sciences, Gabriela Ramos, acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s efforts to lay strong foundations for AI governance and expressed confidence in the Kingdom’s ability to achieve sustainable, equitable outcomes through the technology.
The Kingdom ranked first globally in the Government Strategy for Artificial Intelligence category of the Global Artificial Intelligence Index 2024, second globally in public awareness of AI per the Artificial Intelligence Index 2023, and first regionally in overall AI performance.
Infrastructure development has been another area of strength. The Kingdom increased the capacity of its data centers to 204 megawatts in 2023, and launched the cutting-edge supercomputer Shaheen 3, and advanced digital communication through platforms including the Saudi Private Integration Network Exchange.
The report also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s strides in innovation and scientific research — noting that AI-related research publications more than doubled from 4,100 to 10,500 between 2019 and 2023 — as well as the establishment of institutions including the SDAIA-KAUST AI Center.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2583066/saudi-arabia
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Islamic HRC Seeks To Address Hate Crimes Against Arabs, Muslims Spur Community And Federal Action
By Mike Heuer
Dec. 14, 2024
Saeed Khan wrote the background information for the two-day "Islamophobia: The Disappearing Public Muslim" virtual conference being held Saturday and Sunday and opened it with a discussion of current events.
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Dec. 14 (UPI) -- The Islamic Human Rights Commission seeks to address anti-Arab and anti-Muslim hate crimes during a two-day virtual conference held Saturday and Sunday.
"The genocide in Gaza has brought into specific relief the forces that have mobilized in many Western countries to stifle and squash any expressions of solidarity with the Palestinians," representatives for the London-based non-governmental organization alleged in the event announcement.
The IHRC has previously been accused of pro-Iranian bias. In a 2023 review ordered by Britain's House of Commons, report author William Shawcross described the IHRC as "an Islamist group ideologically aligned with the Iranian regime, that has a history of "extremist links and terrorist sympathies."
"In countries like the U.S., U.K., France and Germany, pre-existing sentiments of Islamophobia have gained new and bolder currency," the IHRC said," with suppression of free speech, press and the right to assemble and protest coming from both the public and private sectors."
The IHRC said "selective outrage" begets "selective enforcement of laws and regulations under the guise of maintaining order, security and protecting allegedly unsafe communities."
"The net result is a chilling effect on Muslims being full and equal participants in the public sphere," the IHRC said, "restricting not only what they profess and practice, but also their mere presence in society."
The Islamophobia conference is being held after President Joe Biden on Thursday announced the United States' first national strategy to counter Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate.
The strategy calls for raising awareness of hatred against Muslims and Arabs while recognizing their respective heritages and improving their safety and security.
The strategy also seeks to address discrimination against Arabs and Muslims while supporting their religious practices - especially in federally funded activities.
Building cross-community solidarity that treat threats against one group as threats against all also is a keystone of the national strategy to reduce and potentially eliminate all types of hate crimes.
Biden's plan is "too little, too late," the Council of American-Islamic Relations said Thursday in an online statement. CAIR is a U.S. Muslim advocacy group and think tank.
CAIR called Biden a "mass murderer" for supporting Israel in the war started when Hamas attacked and killed about 1,200 Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, and took about 250 hostages.
"If President Biden truly cared about the safety of Muslims or reducing the threat of Islamophobia, he would make major changes to federal programs that perpetuate anti-Muslim discrimination." CAIR officials said.
CAIR cited a federal watch list as an example of ways in which it says the U.S. federal government perpetuates anti-Muslim sentiment.
CAIR also denounced the Biden administration's support of Israel and said "dehumanizing anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim rhetoric" is used to justify what it called "genocide in Gaza" while silencing Israel's critics.
CAIR reported 4,951 hate crimes and other incidents against Arabs and Muslims in the United States from January to June, which is a 69% increase from a year earlier.
Source: Www.Upi.com
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https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2024/12/14/6411734206740/
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Bangladesh Nationalist Party's frustration grows as interim government delays polls
By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury
Dec 14, 2024
New Delhi: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that played a key role in overthrowing PM Sheikh Hasina is now frustrated over the delay by the Md Yunus-led interim government in organising elections and has taken potshots at the student leaders and advisers to the regime.
The party feels the interim regime has hijacked the political process in Bangladesh and denied the party a chance to return to power.
Source: Economictimes.Com
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India
UP CM backs Allahabad HC judge who made anti-Muslim remarks, says he spoke the truth
15-12-2024
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Saturday questioned the Opposition for seeking impeachment proceedings against an Allahabad High Court judge, accusing it of trying to silence those speaking the truth.
Adityanath said that the judge, Justice Shekhar Yadav, had only called for a Uniform Civil Code and said that the country should be run as per the wishes of the majority.
“A Uniform Civil Code is indeed needed,” the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said. “The sentiments of the majority are respected the world over. If someone in India speaks about what is beneficial for the majority, if someone speaks that truth, is it a crime?”
However, Yadav, during his speech on December 8, had also uttered a slur used for Muslims who have been circumcised and described the community as “harmful to the country”.
The judge claimed that children from “one community”, implying Hindus, are taught values like compassion and non-violence, while those from “another community”, implying Muslims,
Source: Scroll.in
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Bengal Minister Says Muslims Can Be 'Bigger Than Majority', BJP Responds
by Saurabh Gupta
December 15, 2024
Kolkata: A remark by Kolkata mayor and senior Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim, in which he said Muslims could become a "bigger majority than the majority", has sparked a massive row. West Bengal BJP chief and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar has described Mr Hakim's remarks as "pure venom" and accused him of "openly inciting communal hatred and pushing a dangerous agenda".
In a video that has now gone viral, Mr Hakim is heard making the controversial at an education event under the Firhad 30 initiative to train students for competitive exams.
"We are from a community that accounts for 33 per cent of Bengal's population. In India, however, we account for 17 per cent (of the population) and are called a minority community. But we don't think of ourselves as a minority. We believe that if Allah's grace is with us, we can become a bigger majority than the majority one day," Mr Hakim is heard saying in the video. NDTV cannot verify the video's authenticity.
"It will be Allah's grace and we will achieve this with our strength. Whenever something happens, our community holds a candlelight march, saying, 'we want justice'. Holding marches for justice won't help, raise your stature to the point where you can deliver justice instead of demanding it," he adds.
"Pure venom from the Kolkata Mayor, TMC's Firhad Hakim openly inciting communal hatred and pushing a dangerous agenda. This isn't just hate speech - it's a blueprint for creating a Bangladesh-type situation in India. Why is the INDI Alliance silent? I challenge them to voice their opinion on this," he said. Tagging Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, the state BJP president said, "Your hypocrisy and anti-India mindset stands exposed. Is this the future you envision? Every Bharatwasi must condemn this mindset! Our nation will not tolerate such threats to its unity and integrity."
Source: Www.Ndtv.Com
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"If I Dig Up Parliament, Find Something...": A Owaisi On Mosque Surveys
December 15, 2024
New Delhi: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader, speaking in Lok Sabha yesterday, questioned the calls to survey or demolish some mosques across the country amid debates over the Places of Worship Act. Speaking during a debate on 75 years of the Constitution of India, the Hyderabad MP also accused the Centre of trying to "snatch away" Waqf properties.
"Today, I am being asked if there was a mosque 500 years ago... If I dig up this Parliament and something will be found, will it become mine?" Mr Owaisi said.
"What Babasaheb said 75 years ago remains absolutely true even today - no one wants the minority to share power," the 55-year-old leader said.
Source: Www.Ndtv.Com
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Discrimination against Muslims at the centre of Oppn debate in Parliament
By Abhishek Angad
Dec 15, 2024
Opposition MPs took potshots at the ruling BJP over a range of issues, including “discrimination” against members of the Muslim community.
Opposition MPs on Saturday took potshots at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a range of issues, including “discrimination” against members of the Muslim community.
Addressing the special Lok Sabha session during the debate on the 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution, leaders from across parties including Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Indian National Congress(INC), the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Samajwadi Party (SP), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) accused the Narendra Modi-led government of attempting to dilute the secular nature of the Constitution.
At the outset, DMK’s A Raja hit out at the BJP leaders for their ‘hypocritical statements’. Defence minister Rajnath Singh’s speech that ‘the document of the Constitution cannot be treated as the single party’s contribution’. Raja said: “(Rajnath Singh’s speech) may be correct, a single party cannot claim ownership…But my only question is that show me one occasion where the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Hindu Mahasabha–that is your (BJP’s) forefather–where they contributed in making of the Constitution.” He added that it was not Jinnah, rather VD Savarkar who came up with the two nation theory, which was not accepted by Ambedkar.
Raja added that today the BJP is claiming that they have deep faith in the Constitution including in the basic structure and the secularism. “But, is it not true that the number two in the designation of constitutional order said openly in a government function that he said that ‘we wanted to change the basic structure of the constitution’? Is it not true that another leader gave an interview before the election, where he said ‘If we get 400 we will alter the constitution’? It is on record.”
Raja added that BR Ambedkar was very categorical on three words: the Constitution, constitutionalism and constitutionality, which he said is of essence.
AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi said that it is to be seen whether the delimitation exercise after the new Census will lead to further marginalisation of Muslims–in the context of political representation–which has been happening since last 75 years. He said that the parametre to decide the success of parliamentary democracy is dependent on a few fundamental rights. He said: “I will put forward those rights and we will see whether justice was meted out to the weaker sections of society.” He delved first into the Constitution’s Article 15 (Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth) and Article 16 (equality of opportunity in matters of public employment). Owaisi said: “For historical injustices, reservation was given, but they were not given to Muslims, who too had gone through many injustices.”
Owaisi then pointed out Article 25 (Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion) and said that daughters (of Muslim community) are being stopped to wear Hijab in government institutions. On the ‘practice’ part of the Article, he said that many states made new laws on what people can or cannot eat leading to the lynching. “One Sabir Malik was lynched in false allegation that he had consumed beef–later it was found that he didn’t. Two persons Junaid and Naseer were burnt alive.” On the ‘propagate’ part of the Article, he said: “I am being if a Mosque existed 500 years before (on the ongoing surveys of mosques in the country) or not. Today, if I dig up the Parliament and something is found a structure belongs to me, will it become mine?”
On the context of law on conversion of religion, Owaisi said that people have to now has to ask the government now. Owaisi said: “If Ambedkar were alive he would have been also asked to seek permission to covert into any other religion. This is the situation now.” He then discussed Article 26 (freedom to manage religious affairs) and said that the Article gives religious denominations the right to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes. “The Prime Minister says that Waqf has no connection to do with the Constitution. Who is teaching the PM? Make him read Article 26. The goal is to snatch away Waqf properties. You want to snatch it away on the basis of your strength,” Owaisi added. He then brought up the Article 29 of the Constitution (Protection of interests of minorities), where the language ‘Urdu’ which gave ‘Inquilab Zindabad (long live revolution) has been finished. “Ask them (BJP) about culture, they will say it is our cultural nationalism. But it is not BJP’s cultural
Source: Www.Hindustantimes.Com/
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At site of little-known mosque on college campus in Varanasi, a tense standoff
by Manish Sahu
December 15, 2024
On November 29, as people turned up for their usual Friday prayers at the mosque on the premises of Udai Pratap College (also known as UP College), they were met by protesting students. On December 4, the students again gathered at the gate to recite the Hanuman Chalisa.
The protests, which came amid the violence over the Sambhal mosque and at a time when a string of suits seeking surveys of mosques and dargahs have rekindled a debate across the country, put the spotlight on the little-known mosque that’s nearly 10 km from the district headquarters. The mosque has been shut since the protests last week, with two locks on the gates. The imam of the mosque, Ghulam Rasool, has been lying low since the principal filed a case against him following the November 29 protests. Masjid authorities said they were waiting for directives from the administration and police to resume prayers. A heavy police force has been deployed at the masjid gates and outside the main gate of the college. Access to the campus is strictly regulated and only those with valid college identity cards are being allowed in.
The district administration and the police have said that since the land on which the masjid is built is recorded as UP College property in the revenue records, there’s little they can do to intervene in the matter. The UP Sunni Central Waqf Board too has clarified that the land does not fall under Waqf property.
Source: Indianexpress.Com
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Keeping Up With UP: How BJP Won Muslim Majority Seats In By-Polls
By Sunita Aron
Dec 15, 2024
New Delhi: Yogi Adityanath and Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Assam, who have a penchant for delivering polarising speeches and slogans are key leaders for the party in the North and the Northeast.
But the recent bypoll results took all by surprise. Amid BJP’s push on the Waqf Bill to change the laws governing Muslim endowments and madrasa reforms, it won the bypolls in Muslim majority constituencies of Kundarki in West UP and Samaguri in Assam in November.
Yogi, who faced much flak after the party’s poor performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, had called for a 100% strike rate -- 9/9 in the bypolls. They won seven seats but Kundarki was a surprise.
Source: Www.Hindustantimes.Com
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'Was Horrified A Man Stained By Carnage Of Muslims Could Lead India': Aiyar On Modi
15.12.24
Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has said he never called Narendra Modi a 'Chaiwala' and that his strong belief that the BJP leader was unsuited for the prime minister's post was not based on his tea-selling past.
Aiyar addresses the controversy surrounding his comments in the lead up to the 2014 general elections in his forthcoming book 'A Maverick in Politics' published by Juggernaut.
In the book, the 83-year-old Aiyar talks about his early days in politics, navigating through the P V Narasimha Rao years, his time as a minister in UPA I, his Rajya Sabha term and then his "decline...fade out...fall".
Aiyar narrates in the book that for him, personally, the 2014 elections began on a wrong note when the AICC convened in a pre-election plenary session on 17 January, 2014 in New Delhi and he was interviewed in the convention hall of the Talkatora Stadium.
Modi, the presumptive BJP PM candidate, was being bruited about as the obvious winner of the coming general elections, he says in the book.
"I was utterly horrified that a man stained, I thought irretrievably, by the 2002 carnage of Muslims in Gujarat, could aspire to lead the India of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru," he says in the book.
Source: Www.Telegraphindia.Com
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Mideast
Domino theory: Israel raises concerns Islamist take over in Syria will cause uprising in Jordan
DECEMBER 14, 2024
Israel has raised concerns that rebel advances in Syria could embolden extremist elements in Jordan, threatening the stability of King Abdullah's regime, KAN reported on Saturday night.
Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Chief Ronen Bar and IDF Intelligence Directorate Head Maj.-Gen. Shlomi Binder recently visited Jordan amid these developments.
Discussions within the cabinet have centered on the possibility that the Syrian conflict could spill over into Jordan. Senior officials warn that such a scenario would directly affect Israel, which shares its longest border with Jordan.
Source: Www.Jpost.Com
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https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-833450
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'Window To Act Against Iran': Former Israel Defence Minister Addresses Israel's Strike On Islamic Republic - Report
DECEMBER 15, 2024
Israel's October 26 strike against Iran in retaliation to the Islamic Republic's October 1 attack on the Jewish State left a window of opportunities to target Iran before it achieves nuclear weapons, former defence minister Yoav Gallant told The Washington Post in an opinion piece published on Saturday.
The opinion piece, headlined "With Iran’s guard down, the US and Israel face an urgent choice," Gallant was further quoted as saying, "We showed that Iran is vulnerable," adding that Israel's Operation Days of Repentance created "a window to act against Iran."
The opinion piece also quoted senior officials in the Biden administration as saying that they discerned a chance for "coercive diplomacy" with regard to Iran's nuclear aspirations.
While Gallant reportedly expressed the hope that Israel and the US could work to bar Iran from achieving nuclear weapons, the former defense minister also said, “Israel has the means to strike Iranian assets in a precise, forceful, and sophisticated manner. If needed, we will not hesitate to act."
Source: Www.Jpost.Com
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https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-833465
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Turkish journo temporarily detained for interviewing former PYD co-chair Salih Muslim
December 15 2024
Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office initiated an investigation into journalist NevşinMengü after her interview with former co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) Salih Muslim.
The office argued that the interview contained statements “praising a terrorist organization,” Demirören News Agency reported.
As the authorities detained Mengü on Dec. 14, she was later released under judicial control measures and with an international travel ban.
Source: Www.Duvarenglish.Com
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Ancient Muslim agro-technologies can help us cope with water scarcity and food insecurity
By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
DECEMBER 15, 2024
Unlike today – when so many Arab and Muslim societies are devoted to wars, terror, infighting, and aggression against neighbors – their best and most creative minds actually spent time improving the world during the early Islamic period in the late ninth to the early 12th centuries.
Then, as today, sources of potable water in the region were inadequate. Scholars in Iran, Gaza, Egypt, and Algeria, as well as the Atlantic coast of Iberia, have now cooperated with residents of Israel’s Mediterranean coast to create innovative water-harvesting and soil-enrichment technologies.
Researchers at Bar-Ilan University (BIU) in Ramat Gan, together with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, suggest that such beneficial techniques could be adapted to cope with the water and agricultural needs of today to confront the growing challenges of water scarcity and food insecurity in arid and marginal regions.
They have just published a 35-page study in a special issue in the journal Environmental Archaeology entitled “Character and evolution of sunken groundwater-harvesting agroecosystems in aeolian sand since early Islamic times, between Iran and Iberia.”
The paper resulted from an international workshop held at BIU in 2023 on the continuity-discontinuity of ancient water-harvesting agricultural systems.
Source: Www.Jpost.Com
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https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-833428
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Israel bombards schools and homes in Gaza, a day after Nuseirat massacre
14 Dec 2024
Israel is still attacking homes and schools across the Gaza Strip, killing and injuring several people just one day after dozens were massacred in a strike on Nuseirat camp.
Dawn raids on Saturday killed four members of the Saadallah family in their home in Jabalia, two people in a school northeast of Gaza City and one person sheltering in a tent south of Khan Younis, Palestinian news agency Wafa said.
Later that day, the military killed seven people in a strike on Al-MajidaWasila School in the northern Al-Rimalneighborhood west of Gaza City, according to Wafa.
The news agency also reported a drone attack on a group of civilians at the Jalaa Junction northwest of Gaza City, which killed one woman and injured several others. Another civilian was killed in an airstrike west of Al-Nuseirat camp.
Source: Www.Ljazeera.Com
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At least 22 killed in Israeli Gaza strikes, Palestinian medics say
December 15, 2024
At least 22 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Saturday, medics said, while the Israeli military said it targeted gunmen operating from shelters and aid storages. At least 10 people were killed in an airstrike near the municipality building in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip where people gathered to receive aid, medics said.
Casualties were being carried by foot, on rickshaws and private cars from the site of the attack to the hospital, medics said. The strike killed the head of the Hamas-run administrative committee in central Gaza, Diab Ali al-Jaru, a Hamas source said.
The Israeli military said al-Jaru, who was also the mayor of Deir Al-Balah, was the target of the strike and that he had assisted Hamas militants. Four more people were killed in a separate strike in the area.
Source: Www.Indianexpress.Com
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Arab World
Riyadh festival celebrates Saudi creativity, theatrical arts
Arab News
December 14, 2024
RIYADH: The Theater and Performing Arts Commission will host the second Riyadh Theater Festival at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
The commission’s CEO Sultan Al-Bazie announced details of the event, which runs from Sunday to Dec. 26, to an audience of leading figures from the theater world and the media at the Saudi Music Hub.
The festival, he said, was a cornerstone for enhancing the theatrical movement in the Kingdom and raising public awareness of the performing arts.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2583090/saudi-arabia
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COP16 Darah discussions focus on environmental preservation
Arab News
December 15, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s wild landscape, overseas travelers’ perceptions of the Kingdom and modern efforts to combat desertification were in the spotlight at COP16 in Riyadh.
A scientific session was hosted by the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, otherwise known as Darah. Discussions focused on the contributions of King Abdulaziz Al-Saud and his sons to safeguarding and preserving Saudi Arabia’s environment, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.
Specialists led three key discussions on scientific topics related to the Kingdom’s environmental preservation efforts. Darah’s participation represents a significant step in reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s global role in environmental protection.
This event aimed to raise awareness about desertification and drought, as well as highlight the Kingdom’s regional and international efforts to address these challenges.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2583121/saudi-arabia
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KSrelief continues charity works worldwide
December 15, 2024
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) continues it charity works in calamity-ridden and conflict-affected countries, state news agency SPA reported.
In Afghanistan, the agency distributed 300 shelter kits and 300 tents, benefiting 1,800 individuals, as part of a shelter project aimed at assisting returnees from Pakistan to Afghanistan and those affected by flooding in 2024.
The project plans to distribute a total of 4,882 essential shelter items, including tents, blankets, plastic mats and other vital supplies to 29,292 individuals across Afghanistan.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2583112/saudi-arabia
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Jordan’s King Abdullah meets with Saudi FM, Arab ministers at Syria meeting
Arab News
December 14, 2024
AQABA: Jordan’s King Abdullah II emphasized the strategic importance of Syria’s stability for the Arab world and the broader region during a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Aqaba on Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The gathering also included members of the Arab Ministerial Contact Committee on Syria, foreign ministers from several countries, and representatives from international organizations.
King Abdullah underlined the critical need for a unified and effective international stance to safeguard Syria’s security, protect its citizens, and uphold its sovereignty.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2583077/saudi-arabia
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Saudi minister meets national security official at the Middle East Institute
Arab News
December 14, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Vice Minister of Finance Abdulmuhsen Al-Khalaf met Joseph L. Votel, a distinguished senior fellow on National Security at the Middle East Institute, in Riyadh, the Finance Ministry said on X on Saturday.
During the meeting, they discussed enhancing the partnership between the Saudi ministry and the institute, as well as other topics of common interest.
Meanwhile, Ambassador of the Maldives to the Kingdom Ahmed Sareer recently met Saudi Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Qasabi and discussed areas of mutual cooperation and enhancing trade and investment between the two countries, the embassy of Maldives wrote on X.
Source: Arab News
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Saudi adventurer sets out to cross Empty Quarter on foot
SALEH FAREED
December 14, 2024
JEDDAH: A Saudi adventurer is tracing a historical journey through the Rub Al-Khali, or Empty Quarter, the largest continuous sand desert in the world.
Badr Al-Shaibani will begin the journey on Sunday, crossing the 650,000 square km desert from south to northeast, entirely on foot.
He wants his journey to spotlight the ecological significance of the Empty Quarter, while documenting its natural and cultural landmarks.
Source: Arab News
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North America
Virginia man convicted of funding Islamic State in terrorism trial
By Salvador Rizzo
Mohammed Chhipa led a double life, by his own attorney’s telling, spreading online propaganda for the Islamic State with “bravado and bluster” while he was brooding in Northern Virginia as “a lonely, sad and deflated man” secretly being monitored by the U.S. government for a decade.
Federal prosecutors said he then took a darker turn, fleeing the country after agents searched his Fairfax County home in 2019 and sending funds over the next three years to an Islamic State operative who had broken out of a refugee camp run by the Syrian Defense Forces and was working to free other women.
Source: Www.Washingtonpost.com
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/12/14/mohammed-chhipa-convicted-isis-trial/
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'Manned aircraft', 'no threat': US authorities reveal investigation details of mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey
Dec 15, 2024
Federal officials revealed on Saturday that most recent drone sightings across the Northeast are actually manned aircraft, according to their investigations. The White House, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security have also stated there is no evidence of a national security threat.
An FBI official briefed reporters, explaining the agency is collaborating with 50 local, state, and federal partners to investigate the increased reports. Of over 5,000 reported sightings, less than 100 warranted further investigation. All large, fixed-wing sightings investigated so far have been identified as manned aircraft.
"The combination of efforts so far ... to include technical equipment, tip line information and noted consults has ... not found any evidence to support large-scale (unmanned aerial systems) activities," the official said, as quoted by Reuters, noting many sightings occurred along established flight paths. Officials continue to investigate remaining cases using interviews, radar analysis, and intelligence.
Source: Timesofindia.com
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US President-elect Trump picks loyalist Richard Grenell for special missions envoy post
Dec 15, 2024
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he has picked Richard Grenell, a long-term foreign policy expert, as the envoy for special missions.
Trump announced Grenell’s appointment on Saturday via Truth Social. “Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea,” Trump said, without detailing specific responsibilities.
Grenell previously served as ambassador to Germany and special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations under the Trump administration. He also briefly held the position of acting director of national intelligence.
Source: Timesofindia.com
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South Asia
Concerns grow over poor conditions of Afghan Refugees in Abu Dhabi: HRW
By Fidel Rahmati
December 14, 2024
The Human Rights Watch has reported that Afghan refugees in the humanitarian settlement camp in Abu Dhabi are facing inhumane and inadequate conditions.
In a statement released on Friday, December 13, the union expressed deep concern over the dire situation of Afghan refugees in the camp. The organization highlighted that the refugee camp is located in a remote industrial area, lacking basic living facilities.
Human rights watch have pointed out that the living conditions in the camp are highly vulnerable and alarming. They further emphasized that the refugees are enduring significant hardships, with poor quality food, lack of access to clean drinking water, and polluted, unhealthy air putting the physical and mental health of dozens of refugees at risk.
Source: Www.Khaama.Com
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https://www.khaama.com/concerns-grow-over-poor-conditions-of-afghan-refugees-in-abu-dhabi-hrw/
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Bangladesh commission says Sheikh Hasina involved in enforced disappearances
By Rezaul H Laskar
Dec 15, 2024
New Delhi: An inquiry commission in Bangladesh said on Saturday that former premier Sheikh Hasina and some officials of security forces and her government were involved in enforced disappearances.
The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances also recommended the disbanding of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in a report submitted to caretaker administration chief Muhammad Yunus.
Hasina stepped down in the face of widespread protests led by student groups and fled to India in August. The interim government led by Nobel laureate Yunus was formed days later. Yunus and other officials have spoken about seeking Hasina’s extradition from India, though no formal request has been made so far.
The five-member commission led by retired justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury handed over the report titled “Unfolding The Truth” to Yunus.
Source: Www.Hindustantimes.Com
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'Mini Bangladesh' rickshaw-pullers pay price for Bangla turmoil, seek other jobs
Dec 15, 2024
KOLKATA: The strained diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh have severely impacted the livelihood of 80-odd rickshaw-pullers, who operate in the 'Mini Bangladesh' Marquis Street area. For these rickshaw-pullers, who primarily serve Bangladeshi tourists, earnings have declined 75% over the past three months in the absence of visitors from the neighbouring country. Several of them have started taking up new jobs, such as cargo loading.
The sight of Bangladeshi tourists, carrying big shopping bags and travelling by rickshaws along Marquis Street, Mirza Ghalib Street, Free School Street and Sudder Street was common in "mini Bangladesh" even a few months ago. But the protests and the consequent turmoil in Bangladesh have kept Bangladeshi visitors with tourist visas to the minimum. Most of the people still coming to Kolkata from Bangladesh are those seeking medical treatment.
"We ferry Bangladeshi tourists throughout the year. Before Eid, Durga Puja and the wedding season, the number increases significantly. But the number of Bangladeshi visitors has nosedived over the past three-four months," said Sodepur resident PrasenjitSaha, who has been working as a rickshaw-puller in the area for a decade. "I would earn Rs 700-Rs 800 daily even four months ago, now the earnings have come down to Rs 200 a day." Another rickshaw-puller, Md Rafiq from Canning, said, "Their number has become so few that it becomes difficult to earn even Rs 200-250 a day. Those visiting for treatment do not usually go out shopping or take a rickshaw ride for fun." As a result, many, like MdSajjak, have taken up other jobs or are looking for alternatives. Sajjak worked as a rickshaw-puller for six years but now, he has started working with caterers. "He takes out his rickshaw only in his free time. As we don't own rickshaws, we have to pay Rs 70 a day to the owner whether we earn or not," said rickshaw-puller Md Source: Timesofindia.Com
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Protesting ‘persecution’ of Hindus in Bangladesh, activists submit memo to President
Dec 15, 2024
Dharam Suraksha Manch organised a protest today, demanding the protection of Hindus living in Bangladesh. The activists also submitted a memorandum to the President of India, urging action to safeguard the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh.
Protesters condemned the alleged violence against Hindus, highlighting incidents where members of the community were beaten and temples were destroyed by local mobs.
The activists expressed their concern that the Indian government had not taken adequate action despite the serious threats to the lives and safety of Hindus in Bangladesh.
The activists called on the President of India to pressure the Bangladeshi government to protect its Hindu citizens, who were allegedly facing increasing harassment as a minority. They urged the Indian government to address the issue and take necessary steps to ensure the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Source: Www.Tribuneindia.Com
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Ramadan Allowance For Women's Development Committee Members Starting Next Year: Maldivian President
14 December 2024
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that Women's Development Committee (WDC) members will receive Ramadan allowance starting next year. He stated this whilst addressing residents of Dhan'gethi during his current tour of South Ari Atoll islands.
Speaking at the meeting, the President acknowledged that WDCs have faced unfair treatment due to existing legal provisions. He explained that whilst their concerns had been raised during public meetings, finding solutions required extensive research, work and consultation.
The President revealed that the Government will propose amendments to both the Decentralisation Act and Employment Act when Parliament reconvenes. These changes aim to ensure WDC members receive proper salaries and Ramadan allowance, whilst also qualifying for various financial institution schemes. He confirmed these amendments would be implemented in time for members to receive their first Ramadan allowance during the upcoming holiday.
During the meeting, the President discussed the newly ratified Foreign Currency Bill. He emphasised that once enacted, the legislation will benefit the public by permitting dollar transactions and doubling credit card limits.
President Dr Muizzu also announced that work is in progress to introduce amendments requiring a percentage of local tourism revenue to be transferred directly to councils. This measure would enable councils to receive tourism tax revenue directly, thereby strengthening their financial independence.
Source: Presidency.Gov.Mv
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https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/32494
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Joe Biden watching situation in Bangladesh very closely, says White House
December 14, 2024
Washington: President Joe Biden is closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh and the US will hold the country’s interim government accountable for ensuring the protection of religious and ethnic minorities, the White House has said.
The security situation in Bangladesh has been difficult following the ouster of the former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said.
“And we have been working closely with the interim government to enhance the capability of their law enforcement and security services to deal with the challenge,” Kirby said at a news conference on Thursday.
There have been a spate of incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities, as well as attacks on temples in the last few weeks in Bangladesh.
Source: Www.India.Com
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Bangladesh: 4 arrested for vandalising Hindu temple, arson at homes
Dec 14, 2024
Bangladesh police on Saturday arrested four people for vandalising a Hindu temple and arson of houses and shops in Sunamganj district's Doarabazar area earlier this month, news agency PTI reported.
Arrested individuals are Alim Hossain, 19, Sultan Ahmed Raju, 20, Imran Hossain, 31, and Shajahan Hossain, 20. In addition to those arrested, police have also filed a case against 12 named persons and 150-170 unidentified ones related to the incident. Police said they are conducting an in-depth probe to identify more people concerned.
“On December 3, a Facebook post by Akash Das, a resident of the Sunamganj district, sparked tensions in the district. Even though he deleted the post, screenshots spread widely, leading to violence in the area,” PTI cited state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).
Source: Www.Hindustantimes.Com
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Islamic Emirate Approves Initiative to Prevent Extravagant Customs
2024-12-15
KABUL (BNA): Based on the guidance of Amir-ul-Muminin, Supreme Leader of IEA, a meeting was held yesterday, Saturday in Kabul under the chairmanship of the Director of Administrative Affairs.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministries of Vice and Virtue , Hajj and Religious Affairs, Education, Higher Education, Information and Culture, as well as representatives from the Supreme Court, the General Directorate of Dar al-Fitwa and the Council of Scholars, aimed at preventing undesirable customs and traditions in society.
During the meeting, a specific program was developed and approved based on the guidance of the leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. This initiative aims to reform and prevent extravagant practices and objectionable customs in society.
The Directorate of Administrative Affairs expressed optimism that once implemented, these measures will bring significant improvements across the country.
Source: Www.Bakhtarnews.Af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/islamic-emirate-approves-initiative-to-prevent-extravagant-customs/
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Africa
Lagos deserves Muslim governor in 2027, says Archbishop Isaac Olawuyi
By Umar Audu
December 14, 2024
The Archbishop of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Isaac Olawuyi, has advocated the need to have a Muslim governor in Lagos State during the 2027 election.
The clergyman stated this during the Lagos House of Assembly’s 22nd Annual Thanksgiving Service with the theme: ‘The Voice Of Mercy.’
According to a statement made available to news on Saturday by EromoseleEbhomelethe Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, MudashiruObasa, the Archbishop said, “I also want to add that we have consideration for religious inclination in Lagos State. It would be 12 years in 2027 that we have been in the system together, and we have been having Christians as governors.
“Now, it’s time to give our Muslim brothers a chance to govern us in Lagos State. We want to pray that when it’s time for the election, it will be a time for us to elect who will govern us in Lagos State effectively.”
“When the mercy of God is upon you, all protocols are be broken. All things are possible by the mercies of God. We receive forgiveness of our sins from Him by His mercies. The nation needs God’s mercy, and it is by His mercy that we can overcome our predicaments and our shortcomings.
Source: Dailynigerian.Com
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https://dailynigerian.com/lagos-deserves-muslim-governor-in-2027-says-archbishop-isaac-olawuyi/
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APC Has Decimated PDP, Labour Party, Others But Kwankwaso Is Their Nightmare – Galadima
15 December 2024
By OladipoAbiola
Ahead of the 2027 presidential elections, a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), BubaGaladima, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of making monetary promises to opposition political parties to support its candidate during the election.
He alleged that the APC is deploying financial offerings, intimidations, and other tactics to ensure that opposition parties in Nigeria align with the agenda of the present government.
According to him, the APC has already succeeded in decimating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP), and other opposition parties.
Source: Www.Naijanews.Com
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Prof. Gwarzo donates $100,000 to Islamic University in Uganda
By Ibrahim Ramalan
December 15, 2024
The President of the MAAUN Group of Universities, Prof. AdamuAbubakar, has donated the sum of $100,000 to the Islamic University in Uganda.
He announced the donation while speaking as a special guest of honour during the 33rd convocation ceremony of the university held at its main campus at Mbale.
The university also presented an award of excellence to Mr Gwarzo for his selfless service towards the development of the university.
Source: Dailynigerian.Com
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https://dailynigerian.com/prof-gwarzo-donates-100000-to-islamic-university-in-uganda/
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Nigeria Police stole my brother’s shoes, Kemi Badenoch hits again
Jane Ibe
December 15, 2024
The leader of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, Kemi Badenoch has again made it to the news with her attack on the Nigerian system.
She had earlier had it out with Nigeria’s Vice president, KashimShettima after he said that, no matter what Badenoch thinks of the country, she remains a Nigerian.
In another instance, the UK Labour leader was said to have allegedly snubbed the office of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM). This particular incident was made public by the chairman of the commission, AbikeDabiri-Erewa who claimed that her office has tried severally to get in touch with Badenoch but to no avail.
However, in an earlier reaction to remarks by the vice president and the chairman of NiDCOM, Kemi said she is not available to do any kind of public relations or image-making job for Nigeria.
Source: Politicsnigeria.Com
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Tax Reform: Dogara hails Tinubu as courageous ruler prepared to lead Nigeria
December 15, 2024
The former speaker of the House of Representatives, YakubuDogara, says President Bola Tinubu is a leader prepared to lead with courage even at a personal cost, considering his tax reforms stand.
The former speaker said that any transformational leader must be brave, stating that a good leader must not just allow history to happen but make it.
“With what President Bola Tinubu has done, whether it’s the freeing of local government areas from the choke-hold of economic stagnation the states had hitherto subjected them to or the groundbreaking bold tax reforms proposals he had placed before the National Assembly, I see a glimmer of hope that we may be dealing with a leader who is prepared to lead with unbridled courage even at personal cost,” said the politician.
Source: Gazettengr..Com
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https://gazettengr.com/tax-reform-dogara-hails-tinubu-as-courageous-ruler-prepared-to-lead-nigeria/
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Pakistan
Police commandoes on Islamabad’s Red Zone security undergo psychological test
Munawer Azeem
December 15, 2024
ISLAMABAD: A psychological test of the officials of capital police attached with the Red Zone Commandos (RZC) was conducted to assess their mental stress and condition, behaviour, religious and sectarian inclinations along with violent tendency, police officers told Dawn.
They said the police commandos were high skilled personnel, having combat training and capable to counter any terrorism, hostage and attack situations.
The unit is responsible for the security of the Red Zone housing local and foreign sensitive installations. Besides patrolling in and around the Red Zone, it keeps an eye on vulnerable areas, including wooded areas and nullahs.
The officers said the psychological test of the personnel was conducted to maintain and prepare their profiles. The test was designed as per the international standard and conducted by a panel, including psychologists.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
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Sons Of Six Former Judges Among 44 Named For Selection To Lahore High Court
Wajih Ahmad Sheikh
December 15, 2024
LAHORE: For 25 vacant positions of judges in the Lahore High Court (LHC), members of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) have recommended the names of six kin of former judges and five women lawyers among others, but none from the minority communities.
Interestingly, Chief Justice AaliaNeelum, who is the first woman top judge of the LHC, recommended 21 advocates, including one woman, for elevation but none from the district judiciary of Punjab.
Senior puisne judge of the Supreme Court Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, who served as LHC CJ before being elevated to the apex court, recommended three district & sessions judges (D&SJs) for elevation to the high court.
CJ Neelum nominated Advocate General Khalid Ishaq, Additional Attorney General Hassan Nawaz Makhdoom, who is also a partner in the firm of Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Malik Awais Khalid, son-in-law of former senator Dr Khalid Ranjha, Chaudhry Sultan Mehmood, a chamber fellow of Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry, Haroon Dugal, former secretary of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, Mohammad Siddique Awan, Chaudhry Iqbal Ahmad Khan, Asif Saeed Rana, Ajmal Zahid, Abdul Basit Khan Baloch, Ameer Ajam Malik, Shireen Imran, Malik Waqar Haider Awan, Asad Mahmood Abbasi, Shahzad Mehmood Butt, Syed Ahsan Raza Kazmi, Khalid Ibn-i-Aziz, Jawad Zafar, Haris Azmat, Amjad Pervez and Shaharyar Tariq.
Advocate Pervez is known for pleading cases of high-profile politicians against National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency, in particular.
Justice Shah nominated three district and sessions judges Qaiser Nazir Butt, Mohammad Akmal Khan and Jazeela Aslam who also served as the first woman registrar of the SC under ex-CJP Qazi Faez Isa.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1878807/sons-of-six-former-judges-among-44-named-for-selection-to-lhc
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Justice Shah told draft rules carry his suggestions
Nasir Iqbal
December 15, 2024
ISLAMABAD: In a prompt response to a letter of senior puisne judge of the Supreme Court Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, chairman of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan’s (JCP) rule-making committee Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail on Saturday assured him that most of his suggestions have already been incorporated into the draft rules on judges’ appointment.
Justice Mandokhail, in his two-page letter, copies of which have also been shared with other JCP members, reminded Justice Shah that the committee had met twice to deliberate upon the framing of draft rules. In these meetings, the committee also took into consideration the JCP Rules, 2010.
In his five-page letter to the chairman of the rule-making committee, Justice Shah had called upon the JCP to urgently finalise ‘clear and transparent rules’ for appointing judges to constitutional courts, warning that any appointments without such a framework would be unconstitutional and could undermine judiciary’s independence.
The detailed letter, written on Dec 12, underscored the constitutional obligation under Article 175A(4) that required the JCP to establish procedures and criteria for assessing and appointing the judges, and expressed deep concern that absence of those rules would jeopardise the rule of law, democracy, and public confidence in the judiciary.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1878848/justice-shah-told-draft-rules-carry-his-suggestions
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Govt mulls yet another approach to curb cybercrime
Kalbe Ali
December 15, 2024
ISLAMABAD: The government aims to boost its cybercrime laws to regulate social media content through an amendment to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016 which would allow it to address lacunae, especially in instances where state institutions are defamed.
The intention to amend Peca was recently revealed by Sajid Mehdi, parliamentary secretary of the cabinet division, in the National Assembly. He had said the government was planning to upgrade the law as the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had limited capacity to counter cybercrimes.
“We have tried to block VPNs and blocked X (Twitter), but the matter is more serious and the prime minister has formed a task force to look into the weaknesses and shortcomings in Peca 2016, these need to be corrected,” he said in response to a calling attention notice about fake news on social media. Another motivation to bring this amendment is swift justice, according to Mr Mehdi.
In a similar statement, Shaza Fatima, Minister of State for IT and Telecom, said the government was working for speedy trial of those responsible for violation of cybercrime laws.
However, a move to bring such cases to a swift conclusion through a dedicated tribunal is already in limbo. The notification for the ‘Establishment of the Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal’ was published on September 28, 2024, but the law ministry has not notified its formation despite the passage of three months. The tribunal was proposed by the PTI in March 2020 and in December 2023, the Ministry of Law and Justice formally notified the ‘Telecom Appellate Tribunal Ordinance’ passed by then president Dr Arif Alvi. But the ordinance lapsed since it could not be tabled in parliament.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1878844/govt-mulls-yet-another-approach-to-curb-cybercrime
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Plea against ‘killings’ during PTI protest to be heard on 23rd
Malik Asad
December 15, 2024
ISLAMABAD: A court will hear on Dec 23 a petition about the alleged killings, injuries, and disappearances of PTI workers during the party’s protest in the federal capital last month.
District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Azam Khan has scheduled the hearing to address the petition filed by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan.
His legal move aside, the PTI chairman while speaking to reporters outside the court said he was “in favour of comprehensive, unconditional negotiations at every stage”.
His petition accuses Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, senior police officials and some unidentified individuals of being involved in the killing and disappearances of PTI workers.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1878847/plea-against-killings-during-pti-protest-to-be-heard-on-23rd
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Joint parliament session next week to resolve row on seminaries registration
December 15, 2024
ISLAMABAD: As the controversy regarding the madrassah registration bill refuses to die down, a joint session of parliament will be convened in the upcoming week to possibly take up the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024, which, after its passage by both houses of parliament, was returned by the president with ‘objections’.
Sources in the National Assembly Secretariat told Dawn that the summary had been prepared to call the joint session on Dec 17, and the date had been finalised after consultations with the JUI-F leadership, currently unhappy with how the abovementioned piece of legislation was being handled.
A day earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari cautioned parliamentarians to consider international obligations before altering the existing procedures for registering seminaries. This objection was met with severe criticism by JUI-F leader Hafiz Hamdullah, who took exception to the objections made by the president.
Mr Hamdullah, in a post on social media, challenged President Zardari’s competence and even stated that parliament was actually ‘operated’ by the Financial Action Task Force — a global anti-terror watchdog.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
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Protest held in Murree against ‘anti-people’ development plan
Aamir Yasin
December 15, 2024
RAWALPINDI: Political parties and traders joined hands on Saturday to express their opposition to the Murree Development Plan announced by the Punjab government, which they feared would cost the locals their jobs and livelihoods.
The protest was also attended by political parties, including the PPP and the PTI. The PML, however, announced a boycott of the demonstration dubbed by the protesters as ‘grand jirga’. Despite the imposition of Section 144 in Murree, a large number of people attended the demonstration, due to which all roads to Murree remained blocked for three to four hours.
As they announced a shutter-down strike in Murree on December 27, the participants urged the government not to make people jobless in the name of development or acquire land from locals without any reason. After the protest, a committee was formed for a joint plan of action to press the Punjab government to stop the implementation of the Murree Development Plan. The scheme reportedly will end 200-year-old bazaars in JhikaGali and The Mall and deprive the public of property in the name of development work.
The committee comprises Anjuman-i-Tajran members Tufail Ikhlaq and Nasir Abbasi; PTI’s Raja Nadeem, Umar Naveed Satti, and Irfan Almas Abbasi; Awam Pakistan’s nominee Nauman Abid Abbasi; JUI-F’s Saifullah Saifi; PPP’s Murtaza Satti, Mehreen Anwar Raja, and Shafqat Abbasi, among others.
Former PTI MNA from Murree Sadaqat Abbasi told Dawn that all parties except for the PML-N joined hands with traders and residents to oppose the Murree Development Plan, as it was aimed at ending the century-old bazaars of Murree and it also invoked Section 4 to forcefully acquire people’s land.
He said the PTI had given the names of three persons for the committee to decide a plan of action, adding that the movement was not against any specific party but against the policy to end the old bazaars.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1878750/protest-held-in-murree-against-anti-people-development-plan
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Southeast Asia
Anwar: There are prelim talks for Umno’s TengkuZafrul to join PKR
By Muhammad Yusry
15 Dec 2024
SHAH ALAM, Dec 15 — PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today confirmed early negotiations for Umno’s Datuk Seri TengkuZafrul Abdul Aziz to possibly join his party.
Earlier this week, a news portal published a speculative report suggesting that TengkuZafrul would jump from Umno to PKR, which are both nominally allies in the national unity government.
Anwar said that PKR adopts an open approach to party membership while prioritising good relationships with its coalition partners.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
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PM Anwar joins PKR’s special congress in Shah Alam
15 Dec 2024
SHAH ALAM, Dec 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is attending the PKR Special Congress here today, held to amend the party’s constitution.
The congress was convened after the 2024 PKR National Congress, scheduled to take place in Johor today, was postponed due to floods affecting several states.
Anwar, who is also the PKR president, was received by top party leaders, including deputy president RafiziRamli when he arrived for the congress, which is being conducted in a hybrid format as some delegates are from flood-affected states.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
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5.4 Million Indonesian Muslims on Hajj Pilgrimage Waiting List
December 15, 2024
Jakarta. The number of Indonesian Muslims waiting to perform the Hajj pilgrimage has reached 5.4 million and continues to grow each year, government officials revealed on Saturday.
Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, has an annual Hajj quota of around 200,000 pilgrims. This means the current waiting list spans at least 25 years.
“We need to find a solution to this issue and help Indonesian Muslims fulfill the fifth pillar of Islam through Sharia banking services,” said FadlulImansyah, head of the Hajj Fund Management Agency (BPKH).
He cited government statistics showing that the registered would-be pilgrims account for only 0.31 percent of Indonesia’s 210 million Muslims.
Source: Jakartaglobe.Id
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https://jakartaglobe.id/news/54-million-indonesian-muslims-on-hajj-pilgrimage-waiting-list
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Minister launches mosque publications
December 15, 2024
Minister of Religious Affairs PehinUdana Khatib DatoPaduka Seri SetiaUstaz Haji AwangBadaruddin bin PengarahDatoPaduka Haji Awang Othman launched two publications of the Suri Seri Begawan Raja PengiranAnakDamit (SSBRPAD) Mosque in Kampong Manggis/ Madang yesterday.
The event began with a mass recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah led by Imam KhaizuranAmali bin Haji Kamsani, followed by the welcoming remarks by Chairperson of the mosque’s memorabilia publications committee Haji MohdYusof bin Haji Abdul Rahman.
Prior to the launch, a book review of the publications was delivered by Brunei History Centre (PSB) Principal Dr Haji Muhammad Hadi bin Muhammad Melayong.
It proceeded with the minister launching the two publications – Kenangan Masjid Suri Seri Begawan Raja PengiranAnakDamit Kampong Manggis Madang, a book by the publication committee chaired by Haji MohdYusof bin Haji Abdul Rahman and Dari SerambiMekah: Pembisaian Masjid Suri Seri Begawan Raja PengiranAnakDamit Manggis Madang, by Pehin Orang Kaya Seri KernaDato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong.
The Kenangan Masjid Suri Seri Begawan Raja PengiranAnakDamit Kampong Manggis Madang is a special publication marking the 10th anniversary celebration of the mosque which contains the construction background of the mosque which began on July 12, 2012 and was officially used on July 18, 2014.
Source: Borneobulletin.Com.Bn
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https://borneobulletin.com.bn/minister-launches-mosque-publications/
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Langkawi ferry firm reverses course on locals’ fare hike after transport minister rocks the boat
15 Dec 2024
ALOR SETAR, Dec 15 — Langkawi Ferry Line Ventures SdnBhd has retracted its previously announced fare hike for ferry services between Langkawi and Kuala Kedah, as well as Kuala Perlis, for Malaysian citizens.
General manager, Capt Dr BaharinBaharom, stated however, that the fare hike for foreign tourists will proceed as scheduled, effective Jan 1, 2025.
“Based on advice from the Ministry of Transport and the Kedah state government, the fare increase for Malaysian citizens scheduled for Jan 1, 2025, has been cancelled.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/mosques-madrassa-sambhal-administration/d/134032