Muslim Man Accused Of Smuggling Beef, Killed By Mob In Maharashtra: Cops
New Age
Islam News Bureau
26 May 20123
Cow Vigilantes: The police have
detained ten people so far in the case.
------
India
• Army Major Accused Of Forcing
Worshippers To Chant 'Jai Shri Ram' At Pulwama Mosque
• Dakshina Kannada District Muslim
Association demands compensation for kin of police firing victims in Mangaluru
• Muslim Congress leaders request
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to change Bakrid holiday from June 28 to 29
--------
Europe
• Officials Laud Custodian of the Two
Holy Mosques Invitation to Palestinians to Perform Hajj
• Alarm in Italy over law to shutter
Muslim prayer spaces
• Ukraine counteroffensive expectations
‘overestimated’ – Kiev
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South Asia
• Supreme Leader Of The Islamic Emirate
Message On The Arrival Of The Auspicious Eid-Ul Adha
• Taliban Leader Claims Women Are
Provided with a ‘Comfortable, Prosperous Life’ in Afghanistan
• Turkey Deports Nearly 230 Afghan
Migrants
• Kyrgyzstan Delivers Humanitarian Aid
to Afghanistan
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North America
• Syrian Kurds Seek International
Support for Islamic State Group Trials
• Top US general calls off planned trip
to Israel, Jordan in wake of Russia's Wagner affair
• The United States is facing a housing
crisis
--------
Africa
• Sokoto State Governor Vows To Deal
With Blasphemers After Islamic Mob Stone Man To Death Over ‘Blasphemy’
• Clerics warn Muslims not to borrow for
Sallah ram
• Mercy Aigbe Performs First Hajj With
Husband After Converting To Islam
--------
Arab World
• Hajj Pilgrims Receive Gifts Embodying
Saudi Arabia’s Artistic Heritage
• Saudi Arabia’s Expertise In Kiswa
Manufacturing Showcased To Guests Of Hajj Program
• Over 1,000 Umbrellas Distributed to
Visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque
• NEOM-supported Saudi shortlisted for
Yugo BAFTA Student Award in gaming category
• Ministry’s digital transformation
efforts streamline Hajj services
• Mobile dental clinic near Grand Mosque
provides free service to pilgrims
--------
Mideast
• ‘Ensuring Jihad Will Continue’: Gaza
Summer Camp Teaches Youth To Fight, Hate Israel
• Pope Tawadros congratulates Sisi,
Azhar Grand Imam on Eid El-Adha
• Tens of Israeli Settlers Invade
Al-Aqsa Mosque
• Hajj commences as Saudi Arabia
welcomes millions of Muslims from around the world
• Islamic Revolution Saved Iran From
Moral, Political Decline
--------
Pakistan
• Islamic State Group Claims Killing
Sikh Man in Pakistan's Northwest
• PHC grants bail to 10 persons arrested
in May 9 sedition case
• Police officer martyred, 2 injured in
suicide attack in Balochistan’s Turbat
• 6-Member SC Bench Hears Pleas Against
Military Trials Of Civilians After Justice Shah’s Recusal
• At least 21 women injured in stampede
at Karachi’s KPT Ground during disbursement of BISP funds
• Two brothers held in Kohat for
assaulting sister
--------
Southeast Asia
• Labelled Allah’s Enemy, Harapan Files
Police Report Against Preacher
• Police Investigate Alleged Blasphemy
at Al Zaytun Islamic Boarding School
• ‘Not realistic’ for Malaysia to
achieve net-zero by itself, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
• Malaysia says ready to bring citizens
home amid tensions in Russia
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslim-beef-maharashtra/d/130079
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Muslim Man Accused Of Smuggling Beef, Killed By Mob In Maharashtra: Cops
Cow Vigilantes: The police have
detained ten people so far in the case.
------
June 26, 2023
Mumbai: A man was beaten to death
Saturday night allegedly by a group of cow vigilantes on suspicion of smuggling
beef in Nashik district of Maharashtra.
Afan Ansari - the 32-year-old victim
from Mumbai's Kurla - along with his aide Nasir Sheikh was transporting meat in
a car when they were allegedly intercepted and thrashed by cow vigilantes.
Both of them were admitted to a hospital
where one person died during treatment, police said.
"On reaching the spot, we found the
car in a damaged condition. The injured men were inside the car and we admitted
them to a nearby hospital where one of them died," said sub-inspector
Sunil Bhamre.
The police have detained ten people so
far in the case.
On the complaint of the injured person,
we have registered a case of murder and rioting and are probing it, said the
police.
Listen to the latest songs, only on
JioSaavn.com
Whether they were indeed transporting
beef or not will be known only after the lab report comes, they added.
Earlier in March, the Maharashtra
government approved a proposal to set up a commission to implement the law
banning the slaughter of cows, eight years after the Bombay High Court upheld
the validity of the Act banning cattle slaughter. The court said that a
competent authority could enter, stop, and search any vehicle used for the
export of a cow, bull or bullock and seize it. The court also upheld the
prohibition on transporting flesh for the purpose of slaughter.
Source: ndtv.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/muslim-man-accused-of-smuggling-beef-killed-by-mob-in-maharashtra-cops-4152301
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‘US Bombed 6 Muslim Countries’: India’s
finance minister on Obama, After US Ex-Prez's Remarks on Minorities in India
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
addresses a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday. (Photo:
Twitter/@nsitharamanoffc)
------
26-06-23
New Delhi: Days after former US
President Barack Obama commented on the rights of ethnic minorities in India
during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US, several
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders targeted him in scathing attacks. “Part of
my argument would be that if you do not protect the rights of ethnic minorities
in India, then there is a strong possibility India at some point starts pulling
apart. And we’ve seen what happens when you start getting [into] those kinds of
large internal conflicts,” Obama said in an interview to CNN’s Christiane
Amanpour.
When asked on how Biden should engage
with leaders such as Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi, who
is considered “autocratic… illiberal democrat”, Obama said, “If President (Joe
Biden) meets with Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, the protection of Muslim
minority in a majority Hindu India is something worth mentioning.”
Reacting to the former US president’s
statement, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday (June 25) questioned
the timing of the comments given that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a
State visit to the US during that time.
She told reporters at the BJP
headquarters in New Delhi that the US bombed six Muslim countries when Obama
was president.
“Perhaps six Muslim-dominated countries
were bombed due to him (Obama). More than 26,000 bombs were dropped – from
Syria and Yemen to Saudi (Arabia) and Iraq,” she said.
“It was surprising that when the PM was
visiting the US, a former US President was making a statement on Indian
Muslims… I am speaking with caution, we want a good friendship with the US. But
comments keep coming from there on India’s religious tolerance,” she said.
Sitharaman also implied that the
Congress party was behind campaigns to target the prime minister and his
government, the Indian Express reported.
“Politically speaking, since they can’t
see any possibility to win an election against the BJP-NDA government, against
the prime minister, that is why such campaigns are being run by people from
within the country.”
She said the “role” of the Congress in
such campaigns is becoming quite clear, more than during the last two (Lok
Sabha) elections, the report added.
“They go to Pakistan and seek their help
in changing the government in India saying ‘ekhaathjodo’… and these kinds of
toolkits that are run abroad, the Congress seems to have activated them all,”
she said.
She further said that it seems Congress
leaders are “not confident that people will listen to them”, so they are using
these “tricks of inciting such baseless allegations” against the prime
minister. But who will believe these people, she said.
“I believe that people from the
Opposition parties, when they travel abroad, don’t talk in India’s national
interest, because they know they cannot defeat Prime Minister Modi. They prop
up such people to jump into this argument without knowing the ground reality,”
she said.
Assam chief minister and senior BJP
leader Himanta Biswa Sarma had by then already tweeted an Islamophobic line,
saying: “There are many Hussain Obama in India itself. We should prioritize
taking care of them before considering going to Washington.”
BJP national vice-president Baijayant
Jay Panda said: “First, President Joe Biden finally went out on a limb to call
a spade a spade – calling Xi (Jinping) a dictator; next, he had the audacity to
treat PM Modi to rare honours and boost US-India ties to the next level. What a
‘coincidence’ that Barry (an apparent reference to Obama) waited till that very
moment before raining on the parade, by bizarrely trying to equate India’s
record on minorities to China’s.”
Source: thewire.in
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://thewire.in/politics/us-bombed-6-muslim-countries-bjp-leaders-on-obama-after-us-ex-prezs-remarks-on-minorities
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France Knife Attack Suspect a Syrian
Christian not an Indian Muslim: ‘Jihad Watch’ report False
26TH JUNE 2023
A few weeks back, a video surfaced on
social media, which showed a knife-wielding man stabbing people, including
toddlers and an elderly man, in a playground in Annecy, France. The man was
identified as AbdelmasihHanoun (31), a Christian Syrian refugee. In the video,
AbdelmasihHanoun is reportedly heard yelling “In the name of Jesus Christ!”
while he carries out the act. BBC reported that the suspect himself mentioned
that he is a Syrian Christian. The suspect was later arrested by French police
for attempted murder, and the prosecution said that his actions did not seem to
be linked to terrorism. But a section of media and social media users have
claimed that the man is actually a Muslim whose real name is SelwanMajd.
Robert Spencer, director of Jihad Watch,
an American far-Right anti-Muslim conspiracy blog, tweeted an image of the
suspect with the caption, “An Atrocity in Annecy” and added the link to an
article of the same title on June 12. The report mostly revolves around the
assumption that there is a possibility that the alleged attacker is originally
Muslim and the media is deliberately portraying him as a Christian. (Archive)
On June 13, Jihad Watch published
another article titled: “France: ‘Christian’ who stabbed children on playground
turns out to be a Muslim named Selwan Majd” which was basically an English
translation of a report from a French website called Resistance Républicaine, a
far-Right site known for sharing Islamophobic content. Robert Spencer tweeted
the link to the article. The tweet has received over 4 million views and has
been retweeted over 24,000 times. (Archive)
The report says, “From the beginning we
said that it cannot be a Christian… and that it has the signs of being done by
a Muslim…” It also mentions that AbdelmasihHanoun is actually SelwanMajd and he
travelled to Turkey with false papers that would show him as a Christian and
got married in Sweden with a false Christian name. The report, however, does
not cite any source for the information.
Indian Twitter handles such as @JIX5A,
@MeghUpdates, @RituRathaur, @AmitLeliSlayer also shared the link/screenshot to
Jihad Watch’s report. Some other prominent international Twitter handles also
shared the same including Britain First, a far-right British political party,
@AzzatAlsaalem, @EvaVlaar, @ElijahSchaffer.
ElishYako, the national general
secretary of an NGO called Association d’Entraide aux Minoritésd’Orient, shared
a series of tweets in this regard claiming that the alleged Annecy stabber was
indeed a Muslim. — According to its website, the NGO provides aid to eastern
minorities, mostly to Christians. (Archive 1, 2, 3)
To support his claim, Yako mentions that
they could not retrieve the man’s baptism or celibacy certificate from Syria
and that in his marriage certificate, he had left the boxes for the date and
place of birth and identity of his parents empty.
Fact Check
The Resistance Républicaine report
mentioned that Abdelmasih H. met and married his now ex-spouse in Sweden under
a false Christian name and that he was not granted Swedish citizenship because
the country’s officials doubted him. To check this claim we ran a relevant
keyword search that led us to several news reports with details of the matter.
As per a news report by Le Monde, a
French daily afternoon newspaper, according to the information provided by the
suspect’s mother, he was born in Syria in 1991 and served in the Syrian army.
In 2011, he left the country when the civil war broke out and moved to Turkey
where he met his future wife who was also a Syrian. The couple moved to Sweden together
in 2013, got married and had a child, who is presently three-year-old. Later,
the couple got divorced when Abdelmasih H. couldn’t get Swedish citizenship. He
later moved to France and applied for citizenship there for the first time in
November 2022.
In another report, Le Monde mentioned
that Abdelmasih’s former wife herself obtained Swedish nationality in June
2021, six years after being granted a permanent residence permit. In November
2013, Abdelmasih H. received a permanent residence permit in Sweden. His first
application for nationality was submitted in October 2017 and quickly rejected
as one needs to have lived in Sweden for at least five years to be naturalized.
He tried again in August 2018 but did not receive any response. He appealed again
in 2021. Finally, on February 11, 2022, the Swedish Migration Agency rejected
his application.
Le Monde accessed the ruling by the
Swedish Migration Agency where the Swedish authorities justified their refusal
on the basis that Abdelmasih mentioned in his application that he had served in
the Syrian Military in 2011 and 2012. After a 2004 government decision, any
applicant for naturalization “who has been active in, or had a decisive
influence on, an organization whose activities are believed to have included
systematic, widespread and flagrant abuses such as torture, murder and
extrajudicial executions cannot be granted Swedish citizenship unless a
specified period of time has elapsed”. This period has been set at 25 years.
Several Human Rights organisations find the Syrian army guilty of committing
war crimes and of human rights violations.
Therefore, the claim that the Swedish
authorities doubted that he pretended to be a Christian and hence rejected his
citizenship application or that he first met his now ex-spouse in Sweden is
false. The couple met in Turkey and moved to Sweden together.
We further came across a report by a
French fact-checking organisation called Liberation which also refuted the
claim that the assailant was a Muslim whose real name was Selwan Majd. In their
article, Resistance Républicaine also mentions that their claim will soon also
be confirmed by relatives of Father Boulad in Alexandria. The fact-check report
highlighted that the mentioned priest passed away recently and was known for
his Islamophobia.
We also found a tweet from BFM TV, a
French news channel, from June 8. When they reached out to Abdelmasih’s
ex-wife, she told the interviewer that she had met her ex-husband in Turkey and
that he was a Christian. She also said that he was from the city of Al Hasakah
in Syria. When asked if Abdelmasih H. was ever such a violent person, she said
that he was never like that and that he was a good father to their child.
As per our findings so far there is no
evidence that would suggest that the Annecy stabbing suspect is a Muslim person
called SelwanMajd. The suspect who was arrested by the French officials is
AbdelmasihHanoun who is a Syrian Christian.
In the past as well, Jihad Watch had
shared misleading reports targeting the Muslim community. One of Robert
Spencer’s tweets, in which he shared a misleading report relating a crime of
attempted murder to ‘Jihad’ or terrorism, received a comment from Twitter owner
Elon Musk. Musk’s one-character comment (just an exclamation mark) was enough to
give the misleading tweet a boost in terms of its reach. The tweet has received
3.2 million views and has been retweeted over 10,000 times. At present, it
comes with a ‘community note‘ that contradicts Spencer’s claim. (Archive)
Source: altnews.in
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.altnews.in/france-knife-attack-suspect-a-syrian-christian-false-jihad-watch-report-calling-him-a-muslim-viral-in-india/
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‘Islam Is An Excuse, The Goal Is Money’:
Taliban Gunmen Stop The Music In Afghanistan’s Wedding Halls — Sometimes
Photo: The Star.com
-----
By Marjan Sada
After weeks of preparation, hundreds of
guests had gathered for the party in the wedding hotel. Everyone seemed happy,
music was echoing in the separate women’s-only hall and young girls were
celebrating with joy and dance.
An hour had passed when the young bride
and groom entered, both in white, and the DJ played the famous and traditional
song “AhestaBero” (“Go Slowly”) but moments later, gunfire was heard. Armed,
dishevelled, long-haired men working for the Taliban’s Ministry for the
Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice walked in and took the DJ’s music
equipment away with them.
It happened a month ago in the province
of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, a man we’ll call Jabar (not his real name)
told the Star. And Afghans say it’s not unusual.
Jabar, the groom’s cousin, said that he
was outside the wedding hotel (one of Afghanistan’s special, luxurious halls
dedicated to nuptials) when the Taliban’s men arrived. They grabbed the DJ’s
gear, tied it to the back of a Ford Ranger pickup — the vehicles given in the
thousands by the U.S. to Afghanistan’s previous police and army, and now in
Taliban hands — and drove them away.
“It was a really sad moment. I think we
are in a prison where our happiness and sadness depends” on the jailer’s
decisions, Jabar said in Persian.
The fear that prevailed after the
incident turned the happy gathering into a sad one, he continued, adding that
people hate this type of Islam, which hits people in the mouth with a gun butt
and buries their dreams. A law school graduate, Jabar, 25, asserted that in
fact this behaviour has nothing to do with religion.
“Part of this performance of the Taliban
is (for) blackmail and obtaining money. Many of them have now realized the joy
of wealth and do everything under the name of Islam to earn money.”
The Taliban have banned playing music,
dancing and singing since the day they returned to power on August 2021. Yet
enforcement varies. In many videos posted on social media Taliban fighters both
dance and sing, albeit without musical instruments, and say it is “spiritual”
and permitted. And sometimes the regime’s armed representatives permit music in
the women’s hall, for a price.
Ramez (not his real name) is in charge
of a Kabul wedding hall. He said that the behaviour of the Taliban is not
consistent on the issue. According to him, not long ago, they beat and arrested
the owner of a wedding hotel because of music in the women’s hall, but lately
taking cash instead “for allowing music to play has become common and everyone
knows about it. Islam is an excuse, the goal is money.”
Speaking in Persian, he added that even
the Taliban have told the hoteliers that there should not be male waiters and
camera persons in women’s wedding halls, but so far men are still filling those
jobs. Ramez adds that Taliban fighters have stopped cars at city checkpoints
and said “give us money, we haven’t been paid for several months.”
“They have started extortion under the
name of Islam and the whole world sees and knows this,” Ramez said. He added
that the conditions of average people in Afghanistan have deteriorated
immensely since the fall of the republic in 2021, and it has predictably also
hurt the hotel business.
Ramez said there was a wedding party
every night in his hotel pre-Taliban, but after August 2021, due to the
imposition of restrictions and the prevailing poverty, wedding parties come
only about two nights a week, most of them Taliban fighters who have married
educated girls of the capital. There is, he said, no restriction on playing
music in their parties.
“A few days ago, the wedding party of a
Taliban official which was attended by most of the Taliban officials was held
in our hotel and there were no restrictions on playing music or observing
hijab. This was his second marriage after August 2021.”
During the restored rule of the Taliban,
many officials of this group have married polygamously, taking on second, third
and fourth wives. The Star has obtained videos of a DJ playing music in the
women’s hall in the Taliban’s own gathering; in the men’s hall, a man is
singing live.
Rauf (not his real name) is in charge of
a Kabul flower shop that also rents DJ gear to hotels. He said that on several
occasions the Taliban has confiscated music equipment from hotels and then sold
it back for cash.
“When we go to the Taliban to get our
musical equipment, they say with anger and insults that ‘you make people’s
women dance and are infidels.’ And then when we pay, they hand over the
equipment and it is as if we are no longer infidels,” Rauf told the Star in
Persian.
Rauf said that it usually takes 5,000 to
20,000 Afghanis ($80-$300) to get equipment back from the Taliban; once, he
even bought curtains and mattresses for a Taliban official’s office. The
businessman said “The Islam of the Taliban is not Islam, it is Islamabad” — the
capital of Pakistan. The majority of Taliban officials were students of
Pakistani madrassas and for 20 years, they led the war against international
forces from there.
Farida, 26, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif
in the north of Afghanistan, got engaged prior to the Taliban’s return but her
wedding took place only recently. She had long held on to her dreams and hopes
for the big day, but in the end it was decided only to play music for an hour
at the women’s hall, lest the regime’s gunmen show up.
Jabar said that these sorts of acts by
the Taliban have alienated the people from Islam and destroyed the sense of
hope and desire in people’s minds. Farida said that people’s living conditions
and outlook have changed a lot from the era of the republic — now everything is
associated with fear and terror, even weddings.
“I had many wishes for my wedding party,
but it was not fulfilled,” Farida said to Star in Persian.
“I don’t feel good at all in life … The
second name of our life is fear and hopelessness.”
Source: thestar.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2023/06/25/islam-is-an-excuse-the-goal-is-money-taliban-gunmen-stop-the-music-in-afghanistans-wedding-halls-sometimes.html
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Muslims, Other Parents Stage Large
Protest Against Gender Ideology Outside Justin Trudeau’s Ottawa Office
A large demonstration protesting
against gender ideology in public schools took place outside Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau’s office on Wellington Street in Ottawa on June 24.
------
By Marnie Cathcart
June 25, 2023
A large demonstration protesting against
gender ideology in public schools took place outside Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau’s office on Wellington Street in Ottawa on June 24.
A significant number of participants
were Muslims, with many carrying signs and chanting, “Leave our kids alone.”
Videos of the event were posted on Twitter. The crowd of hundreds of protesters
included women of all ages in hijabs along with men and children. At times the
diverse crowd yelled, “No more silence.”
One protester carried a sign that read,
“Dad/noun, a human male who protects his kids from gender ideology.” Another
sign said, “Schools to teach intellectual sciences not to teach gender.” A
teenage boy in a yellow shirt carried a sign that said, “They’re our kids,
leave them alone.”
Epoch Times Photo
A large crowd of protesters in Ottawa
gather outside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office in Ottawa on June 24,
2023, to protest against the implementation of gender ideology in schools.
Protesters carried signs and chanted, “Leave our kids alone.” (Jonathan Ren/The
Epoch Times)
Two other signs read, “Believe what you
believe, but leave our kids alone,” and “Stop indoctrinating/sexualizing
children.”
One man carried a sign that said,
“Gender ideology does not belong in schools.”
At one point, protesters were directly
under a rainbow flag flying from the window of a government building. A man
with a megaphone could be heard saying, “Thank you for coming and thank you for
being here. You’re in the right place. You’re doing the right thing. … We’re
all working together now. We all see we have the same opponent.”
Ongoing Protests
Protests have been ongoing for three
weeks at the same time that the month-long “Pride” is being celebrated in June,
with school walkouts and rallies taking place across the country to protest
what parents say is an increased focus on “gender ideology” in schools.
On June 15, dozens of students at an
Ottawa secondary school staged a walkout to protest gender ideology they said
schools were pushing on students. That crowd was described as having “Muslim,
white, and Asian students … from every ethnicity” who “want to not be
indoctrinated.”
The protest occurred after an Ottawa
school board email to all staff was leaked that said teachers should call all
children by “they/them” pronouns at the start of the next school year until
children provide their “preferred” pronouns. The email declared that teachings
about LGBT identities should be embedded in the “overall learning environment”
and that this would not be “open to debate or selective participation.”
A few days earlier, Muslim families and
others had protested against gender ideology at the Ottawa-Carleton District
School Board headquarters building. And hundreds of protesters gathered in
Ottawa on June 9 for a protest organized by Chris Elston, a B.C. father of two
girls known as “Billboard Chris” who advocates against gender ideology and
attempts by gender clinicians and other to “transition” children to the
opposite sex.
The “Education Over Indoctrination”
rally saw the Ottawa police shut down Broadview Avenue for a rally consisting
of hundreds of protesters holding signs with messages that included “Save
Canada,” “Christ Is King,” and “Dad: A human male who protects his kids from
gender ideology.”
Mississaugua, Ontario, saw a similar
protest on June 24, again with predominantly Muslim protesters joined by
Christians and other parents from all backgrounds yelling, “Leave our kids
alone.” At that event, one sign said, “Put woke to sleep.”
Calgary Protest With Police Presence
A similar protest with a giant crowd
took place in Calgary outside city hall on June 24, prompting Calgary Police to
be out in force with dozens of officers forming a line in front of protesters
and counter-protesters. Signs there read, “Hands off our kids” and “Every child
with gender dysphoria/issues does not need gender change.”
Protesters stood in the crosswalk
blocking a city street as motorists honked. Another sign read, “Our kids are a
red line,” while another said, “If schools hide, parents can’t guide.” One sign
said, “Protecting faith, family, freedom.” Another said, “Keep gender ideology
out of schools.”
One sign called for the removal of the
rainbow flag from schools, saying that only two flags should be flown, the
Canadian Flag and the Alberta flag.
At the Calgary event, counter-protesters
were also present, as were Antifa members in black trying to block parents by
holding a large white flag in front of them, as the chants of “Leave our kids
alone” continued.
A poster for the Calgary event called
for people to join in a peaceful protest “to protect family values and protest
against the implementation of LGBTQ+ ideology in public school curriculums.”
“Stand together, Muslims, Christians,
and people of all faiths and backgrounds to send a unified message that it is
time to address our concerns,” said the poster.
Elston has been travelling around North
America and Europe wearing a sign that says, “Children cannot consent to puberty
blockers.”
Matthew Horwood contributed to this
report.
Source: theepochtimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.theepochtimes.com/muslims-other-parents-stage-large-protest-against-gender-ideology-outside-justin-trudeaus-ottawa-office_5355686.html
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India
Army Major Accused Of Forcing
Worshippers To Chant 'Jai Shri Ram' At Pulwama Mosque
26.06.23
Muzaffar Raina
The counter-insurgency wing of the
Indian Army has been sucked into allegations that soldiers led by a major
stormed two mosques in Pulwama district in south Kashmir in the wee hours of
Saturday and forced worshippers to chant “Jai Shri Ram”.
Altaf Ahmad Bhat, the chairman of a
civil society group in Zaddora village and who described himself as an
eyewitness, told The Telegraph that senior army officers on Sunday apologised
to the villagers and informed them that the major allegedly involved in the
incident had been removed.
The stated apology came after senior
politicians in the Valley, who proceed with caution and restraint on matters
associated with the army, blasted the military over the allegation and sought a
probe into the alleged incident involving soldiers of the Rashtriya Rifles.
The Rashtriya Rifles is the
counter-insurgency force of the army in Kashmir. Raised by the Indian Army, the
Rashtriya Rifles personnel are provided by the army on deputation.
An army officer in Srinagar told this
newspaper on Sunday that the defence force was ascertaining the facts. “I will
share the details as and when they (his seniors) share them with me. I have
seen some media reports that there has been some action. But I cannot confirm,”
the officer said.
A few days ago at the White House, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi had categorically denied discrimination on the basis of
religion in India. On Saturday, Union home minister Amit Shah was in Kashmir on
a visit to review the security situation in the run-upto the Amarnath
Yatrabeginning next month.
Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti was
the first to flag the issue and she publicly named the troops of 50 Rashtriya
Rifles.
“Shocked to hear about army troops from
50 RR storming into a mosque at Pulwama & forcing Muslims inside to chant
‘Jai Shree Ram’. Such a move when @AmitShah is here & that too ahead of the
yatra is simply an act of provocation. Request @RgGhai to immediately set up a
probe,” Mehbooba tweeted on Saturday evening.
Lt General Rajiv Ghai heads the
Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, which is responsible for operations in Kashmir. He
took over as the Valley’s army chief a week ago.
“Reports of security force personnel
entering a mosque in Zadoora in Pulwama are deeply distressing. It’s bad enough
they entered but then forcing people to chant slogans like “Jai Shree Ram”, as
reported by the locals there, is unacceptable. I hope @rajnathsinghji will
issue instructions for these reports to be investigated in a timely &
transparent manner,” Omar Abdullah, another former chief minister, tweeted,
mentioning the defence minister.
Bhat, the civil society group chief in
Zaddora, said the soldiers visited the site around 2am on Saturday and asked
him to summon some residents, including his younger brother Javed Ahmad, a
government teacher.
“It was pitch dark. They sealed all the
roads, knocked on my door and asked me to get these men as the officer wanted
to meet them. I went to their homes and took them, including my brother, along,
although their families were reluctant,” Bhat said.
Bhat added: “Sometime later, I heard
their cries. I felt that they were being beaten. I protested and raised some
slogans but they (the soldiers) warned me to keep quiet. What I learnt later
was that they (the soldiers) were telling them to open the doors of the mosque
and chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans. They (the residents) apparently refused to
open the mosque (for this) but were thrashed. I saw them (the soldiers)
trampling on the head of my brother. He seemed to be telling them that he would
chant the slogans outside the mosque but not inside.”
An hour and a half later, Bhat said,
Arif Wagay, who calls Azaan, entered the mosque for pre-dawn prayers. He
switched on the loudspeaker and started reciting the Azaan.
“Midway, he was stopped by them (the
soldiers). They yelled at him to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans. I heard him
chanting the slogans on the loudspeaker. He was in fact asked to recite it in
rhythm — as we say the Azaan,” he said.
Bhat claimed that other soldiers had,
meanwhile, entered Jamia Masjid, a few hundred metres away, and asked the
worshippers there to do the same thing.
“Sheeraz Ahmad, who is a muezzin there,
tried to flee but he was dragged inside and forced to chant the slogan along
with other worshippers. When I told them that it would cause disturbances in
the area, he (the major) retorted that no “maikalal (mother’s son)” would dare
do soin his presence. He warnedus against sacrificing animals in the village on
the coming Id ul Azha without his permission.”
Bhat said there were protests in the
village after the army left.
“Some people from the intelligence wing
approached me during the day yesterday (Saturday) and said some top army
officer wants to talk to me over the phone, I narrated the whole incident. He apologised
and promised action. He pleaded that there should be no protests. He said he
would send the CO (commanding officer) of the unit to the village,” Bhat said.
“CO sahab came early today (Sunday),
along with other officers, and apologised. We were told that the army major had
been removed and that he would be court-martialled. We are satisfied with the
army’s action but we don’t want a repeat of such incidents,” Bhat added.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/pulwama-major-accused-of-forcing-worshippers-at-mosque-to-chant-jai-shri-ram-in-kashmir/cid/1947613
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Dakshina Kannada District Muslim
Association demands compensation for kin of police firing victims in Mangaluru
JUN 26 2023
Dakshina Kannada District Muslim Okkoota
has demanded compensation to the kin of NauseenKudroli, 23, and Jaleel Bengre,
49, who died in the police firing during protest against CAA and NRC in
Mangaluru in 2019.
A delegation of the Okkoota and family
members met District Incharge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and sought compensation
from the government.
Okkoota president K Ashraf said that the
families are eligible for compensation from the government.
The delegation also demanded
compensation for the family of Basheer, who was hacked to death after the
murder of Deepak Rao, in Krishnapura in 2018. Basheer was running a fast food
outlet at Kavoor. The murder was communal in nature and the family ha...
Ashraf said he had recently met Chief
Minister Siddaramaiah and had raised the issue of compensation to the families
of those deceased in police firing and also, to the family of Basheer.
He thanked the state government for
paying compensation to the families of Masood, Jaleel, Fazil and Deepak Rao,
who were hacked to death by miscreants in Dakshina Kannada. The previous BJP
government had done injustice to the families by failing to ...
Source: deccanherald.com
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https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-districts/dakshina-kannada-district-muslim-association-demands-compensation-for-kin-of-police-firing-victims-in-mangaluru-1231290.html
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Muslim Congress leaders request
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to change Bakrid holiday from June 28 to 29
Jun 26, 2023
MUMBAI: Congress leaders Arif Naseem
Khan and Mudassar Patel have demanded that the state government change the
Eid-ul-Azha or Bakrid holiday from June 28 to June 29.
In separate letters to chief minister Eknath
Shinde, Khan and Patel have requested him to approve a holiday for June 29,
instead of June 28 as mentioned in the state's calendar for holidays.
"The first day of Bakrid this year,
according to sighting of the new moon, is on June 29 while the state government
has declared the holiday on June 28. We have requested the CM to order a change
of the holiday date and issue a fresh GR regarding this. Hope our genuine
demand will be met," said Patel.
Every year, the state government
prepares a list of holidays but sometimes dates of Muslim festivals change as
they are decided on sightings of the new moon.
The three-day Bakrid festival begins on
June 29. Apart from offering two-unit namaz, goats and sheep too will be
sacrificed as a mark of commemoration of Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim)'s offer to
sacrifice his son Ismaeel. God only wanted to test Ibrahim's devotion and sent
a lamb to be sacrificed. Muslims celebrate this episode with animal sacrifice.
And it is not just about sacrifice, but
Bakrid also carries a message of caring and sharing. The meat of the sacrificed
animals is divided into three parts. One part goes to the poor, second part is
distributed among relatives while the third part is kept for consumption of the
family which has sacrificed the animal.
Bakrid is also important because qurbani
or sacrifice of animals is part of annual Haj rituals. The festival falls on
the days when Haj is performed in and around Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Qurbani is
mandatory only for those Muslims who can afford it.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/muslim-congress-leaders-request-maharashtra-cm-eknath-shinde-to-change-bakrid-holiday-from-june-28-to-29/articleshow/101262071.cms
--------
Europe
Officials Laud Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques Invitation to Palestinians to Perform Hajj
25 June 2023
Head of the Palestinian mission to the
Hajj and representative of the Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs Khalil
Al-Rifai praised on Saturday the Kingdom's hosting of families of martyrs,
prisoners and wounded Palestinians as part of the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques Hajj Guests Program.
Munqith Abu Atwan, director of the
Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority, expressed his gratitude to
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed
bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their Islamic role in inviting
the Palestinian families to perform the Hajj.
The gesture has brought joy to their
hearts, he added, while underlining the role of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs
and its supervision of the program in providing best services and warmly
welcoming the Palestinian pilgrims upon their arrival in the Kingdom.
Director of the Industrial Islamic
Orphanage Institution in Jerusalem Hassan Tahboub thanked the Kingdom for the
excellent care and great efforts it provides annually to pilgrims from around
the world.
Source: english.aawsat.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://english.aawsat.com/gulf/4400466-officials-laud-custodian-two-holy-mosques-invitation-palestinians-perform-hajj
--------
Alarm in Italy over law to shutter
Muslim prayer spaces
26.06.2023
A controversial law proposed by the
ruling far-right coalition has again brought Muslims and their places of
worship to the fore of Italy’s political discourse.
If passed, the law could shut down
hundreds of Islamic prayer spaces, a prospect triggering alarm within the
country’s 2.5 million-strong Muslim community.
Opposition politicians are also up in
arms against a bill that they believe is unconstitutional and a form of
“unacceptable discrimination.”
Presented by Prime Minister
GiorgiaMeloni’s Brothers of Italy party, the bill will target prayer spaces
that are not in mosques or those that have never received formal approval to be
used for worship, such as the premises of various Muslim cultural
organizations.
“It’s absurd. It will go against the
freedom of practicing a religion, when the state should actually be creating
conditions allowing people to exercise their right to practice any religion,”
said YassineLafram, president of the Union of Islamic Communities and
Organizations in Italy (UCOII).
According to a UCOII report published in
2017, there were 1,217 Muslim prayer spaces in Italy at the time.
Only six of these were officially
mosques – and recognizable as such because of the typical architectural
features like minarets – and roughly another 50 were authorized to be used for
worship.
The rest were classified primarily as
cultural associations but were also used as prayer spaces, with most of them
set up in garages, warehouses, apartments and basements, according to the UCOII
report.
The bill, which aims to clamp down on these
places, has a provision that would allow prayers there only if the religious
activities in question are regulated by an agreement with the Italian state.
Drafted in such a way, the bill would
mainly affect Italy’s Muslim community, since it is the largest religious group
in the country that does not have any such agreement with the state.
‘Unacceptable discrimination’
Politicians promoting the draft law have
also made no secret that it is intended to ban those Islamic worship spaces.
“Over the past decade we have seen a
widespread proliferation of associations of social promotion, which de facto
have as prevalent or exclusive function that of managing worship places for the
Islamic communities in buildings that do not meet the urbanistic, structural and
safety requirements needed for such use,” the bill says in its preamble.
The draft law is now being debated in
the environment committee of the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of
Italy’s Parliament.
Fabrizio Rossi, the Brothers of Italy
lawmaker who drafted the bill, said it will force cultural centers to obtain
permission if they want to use their spaces for prayer.
He claimed the law will respect
everybody’s religious freedoms protected by Italy’s Constitution, according to
the minutes of the first debate in the parliamentary committee.
Rossi did not respond to Anadolu’s
requests for an interview.
Opposition lawmakers, on the other hand,
have blasted the law as discriminatory and unconstitutional.
“In Italy, there are many parishes and
oratories in buildings which do not comply with urbanistic rules and, rightly
so, are not shut down,” Angelo Bonelli, a member of the Greens and Left
Alliance, said in a letter to the parliamentary speaker, urging him to block
the draft law.
“It’s an unacceptable discrimination.”
No other choice
Experts say acquiring authorization to
use a building as a worship place has always been a very long, cumbersome, and
expensive process in Italy.
Attempts to construct mosques have often
been met with hostility by local authorities and populations, which has left
several projects across the country in bureaucratic limbo.
This is why Muslims in Italy had to
resort to opening such cultural centers and use them as prayer spaces,
according to religious leaders and experts.
“It’s true they used this escamotage, as
the draft law says,” said FabrizioCiocca, a researcher at Rome’s La Sapienza
University.
“But you have to give a credible
alternative to Muslim communities if you close all these centers.”
He pointed out that the over 1,000 associations
at risk of being shut down are also important community spaces, as well as
education centers for teaching Arabic or the study of the Quran, the Muslim
holy book.
Sami Salem, an imam or prayer leader, in
Magliana, a neighborhood of Rome, said the Muslim community stands ready to
cooperate with Italian authorities to find a sustainable solution.
“We made a lot of sacrifices to create
these centers. We are ready to work together with the authorities,” he said.
UCOII’s Lafram said his organization has
been in contact with Italian politicians about the draft law.
For him, a bright side to the potential
crisis could be a serious discussion with the government about Islam and the
status of Muslims in Italy.
“We would be the first to say we don’t
want to pray in warehouses or such places as matter of dignity,” he told
Anadolu.
“But the other side needs to provide a
solution.”
Source: aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/alarm-in-italy-over-law-to-shutter-muslim-prayer-spaces/2931226
--------
Ukraine counteroffensive expectations
‘overestimated’ – Kiev
25 Jun, 2023
Expected results from Kiev's ongoing
counteroffensive against Russia have been "overestimated," Ukraine’s
Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov has claimed. The offensive by Ukrainian forces
should be treated as "some kind of preparatory operation" rather than
a decisive battle, he added.
Reznikov gave an interview to Fox News
which was published on Sunday, in which he insisted Kiev had never planned the
offensive to be a "blitzkrieg." The minister admitted that the
Russians had erected "very strong defensive lines" all along the
frontline.
"It’s some kind of preparatory
operation, shape operation certainly. And we understand that they use very
strong defense lines, especially minefields," Reznikov said, adding that
the "expectation was overestimated" for the Ukrainian
"counteroffensive plan."
At the same time, the minister insisted
the stalled effort was the "next step to victory." Reznikov also
claimed that Kiev has been very careful in deploying its troops onto the
battlefield and has been doing its best to "save their lives,"
alleging that Moscow has been using its forces as a "meat grinder."
The minister also expressed confidence this year will be a "game
changer" in the ongoing conflict, yet urged the public not to expect a
decisive victory stemming from the ongoing push.
Ukraine launched its long-heralded
counteroffensive in early June, repeatedly attacking Russian positions at
different points across the frontlines. Thus far, the push has failed to
produce any tangible results, with the Kiev forces sustaining heavy casualties.
The stalled effort has already cost Kiev
thousands of servicemen and hundreds of pieces of Western-supplied military
hardware, including multiple German-made Leopard 2 tanks and US-made Bradley
infantry fighting vehicles.
Source: rt.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.rt.com/russia/578693-ukraine-offensive-expectations-overestimated/
--------
South Asia
Supreme Leader Of The Islamic Emirate
Message On The Arrival Of The Auspicious Eid-Ul Adha
2023-06-26
To the Mujahid Nation of Afghanistan and
to the Muslims Around the World
I wish you all a very happy Eid. May
Allah accept your charity, pilgrimages, services and all good deeds in the path
of Islam.
I hope you celebrate these days with
happiness and perform Eid prayers, pilgrimage and all worships properly.
On this auspicious day, millions of
Muslims from all over the world perform pilgrimage and it is a day of worship
and brotherhood that invites Muslims to unite, sympathize and give charity in
the path of Allah.
Our countrymen are celebrating Eid while
the Islamic system exists and peace is ensured throughout the country,
therefore, we should thank Allah Almighty to gain further rewards.
Under the rule of the Islamic Emirate,
the Islamic system has been established, the Islamic Sharia law has been
implemented, and concrete steps have been taken to strengthen the religious
centers. Reforms are underway in law-making, governance, judiciary, economy,
culture and other related fields. These are the goals and values for which we
have fought and made great sacrifices.
At the national level, the independence
of Afghanistan has been restored once again, brotherhood and national unity
have been strengthened, all kinds of prejudices such as race, language and
region have been eliminated, the territorial integrity of the country has been
preserved and all borders are strictly defended and protected. Afghanistan’s
national assets, such as customs and revenues, mines, state land, forests and
other common assets have been taken from powerful individuals and now being
protected as state assets.
Under the rule of the Islamic Emirate,
concrete measures have been taken to save women from many traditional
oppressions, including forced marriages and their Sharia rights have been
protected. Moreover, necessary steps have been taken for the betterment of
women as half of the society in order to provide them with a comfortable and
prosperous life according to the Islamic Sharia. The negative aspects of the
past 20-year occupation related to women’s Hijab and misguidance will end soon.
By issuing the six-article decree on women’s rights, the status of women as a
free and dignified human being has been restored and all institutions have been
obliged to help women in securing marriage, inheritance and other rights.
With the functioning of the Sharia
courts, the Holy Sharia has once again been put into practice. Religious and
Sharia orders that were not possible to be implemented are now being enforced.
In addition, the great duty of vice and virtue is being carried out. Necessary
measures have been taken according to the Islamic principles, due to which the
society is improving day by day and the evildoers are about to disappear.
In the economic sector, the prediction
of the country’s economic collapse and crisis has been proven wrong. Economic collapse
was prevented as a result of Islamic Emirate’s wise measures, sincerity and
transparency. For the first time in recent history, Afghanistan has become
economically self-sufficient, furthermore, concrete steps have been taken and
are underway in rehabilitation, reconstruction, agriculture, mining and other
related sectors.
The Islamic Emirate calls on national
investors and businessmen to play a constructive role in the development of the
country by investing in various fields in order to further develop the
country’s economic sector and eliminate existing problems. IEA is committed to
ensure their security and all government institutions are responsible for
providing necessary facilities to investors in order to pave the ground for the
country’s growth and economic development.
The war that lasted for decades in the
country, left hundreds of thousands of orphans, widows and needy people, and
the Islamic Emirate is committed to helping them secure their rights. Also, I
call upon rich people and specially the relatives of the needy people to extend
their support and pay full attention to their education and livelihood. After
decades of war, now, Islamic system is enforced and peace has been ensured in
the whole country, therefore, I call upon those who threaten peace to start a
comfortable life in their country with their fellow citizens and help to
further strengthen and stabilize peace.
Significant steps have been taken to
divert beggars from begging and thousands of beggars who are in need are being
given assistance by the Islamic Emirate. However, in order to prevent
professional beggars, it is necessary for scholars, clerics and community
elders to take an active role in educating people and encouraging them to work.
As a result of continues efforts of the
Islamic Emirate, the cultivation of poppy has eradicated in the country,
farmers are looking for alternatives and legal cultivation is expanding,
meanwhile, ban has imposed on production, trafficking and use of all kinds of
drugs and now, many citizens, specially the youth are saved from this harm.
Currently, many institutions of the
Islamic Emirate are working to treat those who became addicted in the past
20-year and efforts are underway to bring them back to a normal life.
During the occupation period, many
people were deprived of their rights and national assets were seized by
powerful individuals, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has appointed a
special commission for restitution of state grabbed land, so far, hundreds of
thousands of acres of state land have been identified and freed from grabbers.
Since, preventing oppression is a public duty, therefore, I call upon all the
citizens to extend their cooperation with this commission.
The Islamic Emirate wants good political
and economic relations with the world, especially with Islamic countries, and
has fulfilled its responsibility in this regard. Just as we do not interfere in
the internal affairs of other countries, in the same way we do not allow others
to interfere in our internal affairs.
My advice to the officials of the
Islamic Emirate is to carry out the given responsibility seriously; providing
services and wellbeing of the people should remain on top. Keep your doors open
toward the people, do things efficiently and never treat people in a way that
makes them feel less than you. This is the same nation who sacrificed their
lives and properties during the past 20-year. I instruct the security officials
to pay full attention to the well-being, service and safety of the citizens,
especially during Eid. Consider all measures for the welfare and safety of the
countrymen and extend your help and support to the families of martyrs,
disabled and orphans.
Dear Countrymen!
It is our shared responsibility to
protect and serve our Islamic system, the current system is the result of
sacrifices of thousands of Mujahideen, let’s stand by each other, eliminate
conspiracies, value security and prosperity and work together for its further
enhancement.
It is with immense pleasure that this
year thousands of our countrymen went to attend and perform pilgrimage. All
necessary facilities are provided and they are being served properly by the
officials of the Islamic Emirate. I request all the pilgrims from around the
world to pray for the prosperity of the entire Islamic Ummah and especially for
the people of Afghanistan, so that Allah may grant them happiness in this world
and the hereafter.
I strongly condemn Israel’s brutal act
on Palestinian women, children and defenceless Muslims and ask other countries
to do their duty in order to prevent this great human crime and cruel
atrocities.
I request the people and government of
Sudan to leave their differences and work together for unity and brotherhood,
rather, the solution to the problems of the Islamic Ummah relies on their
unity, considering the fact, every Muslim has an obligation to be fulfilled
with sincerity, doing so will eliminate conspiracy and Muslims will enjoy the
blessing of unity and Islamic brotherhood.
At the end, I once again wish you a
happy Eid-ul Adha. May Allah grant us the opportunity to celebrate Eid under
the shadow of the Islamic system.
Sheikh Al-Quran and Hadith
MawlawiHibatullah Akhundzada, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please
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https://bakhtarnews.af/en/supreme-leader-of-the-islamic-emirate-message-on-the-arrival-of-the-auspicious-eid-ul-adha/
--------
Taliban Leader Claims Women Are Provided
with a ‘Comfortable, Prosperous Life’ in Afghanistan
June 25, 2023
The supreme leader of the Taliban
released an Eid ul-Adha message Sunday claiming that his government has taken
the necessary steps to improve women’s lives in the country. In contrast, women
are banned from public life, and work and education are severely curtailed.
The declaration from Hibatullah
Akhundzada was made public ahead of the Eid-ul-Adha celebration, which will be
celebrated later this week in Afghanistan and other Islamic countries.
“Necessary steps have been taken for the betterment
of women as half of the society to provide them with a comfortable and
prosperous life according to the Islamic Sharia,” the statement said.
Although the group imposes significant
restrictions on women and girls’ rights to employment and education—measures
denounced by some as constituting gender apartheid—this nevertheless holds.
According to the UN, fifty anti-women decrees have been implemented since
Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada took control of Afghanistan.
While several reports said that recently,
it appears that Akhundzada has exerted more control over domestic policy,
prohibiting Afghan women from participating in public life and employment,
particularly with non-governmental organizations and the United Nations, and
outlawing Afghan girls’ education after the sixth grade.
“The status of women as a free and
dignified human being has been restored, and all institutions have been obliged
to help women secure marriage, inheritance and other rights,” he added.
The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan
in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO soldiers withdrew, despite initial assurances
that their reign would be more moderate than during their last political tenure
in the 1990s. Since then, they have enacted harsh policies.
They have restricted media freedoms and
banned women from public places like parks and gyms. The actions have sparked a
harsh international backlash, further isolating the country at a time when its
economy is in free fall and escalating a humanitarian crisis.
Despite Akhundzada’s assertions,
Afghanistan still has the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, with over
28 million people relying on aid for survival.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-leader-claims-women-are-provided-with-a-comfortable-prosperous-life-in-afghanistan/
--------
Turkey Deports Nearly 230 Afghan
Migrants
June 25, 2023
According to reports, most deported
Afghan refugees were undocumented and illegal migrants.
Based on the reports, the Turkish
authorities have emphasized that they will continue identifying illegal asylum
seekers in the eastern city of Agri, Turkey.
Earlier, the General Directorate of
Migration of Turkey announced that it had deported some 68,290 Afghan asylum seekers
out of 124,441 undocumented migrants during the past year.
Approximately 68,290 Afghan residents,
12,511 Pakistanis, and migrants from other countries were deported from Turkey
in the previous year, according to the General Directorate of Migration. The
Turkish government’s migration office maintains that it will deport more
undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers this year, including 227 citizens of
Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban regained control of
Afghanistan in August 2021, thousands of Afghans have left the country to the
neighbouring nations for fear of being physically harassed, persecuted or
killed.
Most Afghan migrants chose relatively
dangerous and illegal paths to reach the neighbouring countries, including
Iran, Pakistan and Turkey. After months of uncertainty, they are threatened
with forcible deportation and jail.
“Returning to Afghanistan is similar to
suicide. I have suffered quite a lot to reach Turkey, and now they forcefully
deport me to my country. I have no choice but to end my life rather now than
later,” said an Afghan refugee.
Similarly, other neighbouring countries,
including Iran and Pakistan, deport Afghan migrants regularly.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/turkey-deports-nearly-230-afghan-migrants/
--------
Kyrgyzstan Delivers Humanitarian Aid to
Afghanistan
June 25, 2023
The National Security Committee press
office reported that the Afghan side expressed gratitude to the Kyrgyz people
for their cooperation and solidarity.
Earlier, Kyrgyzstan also delivered aid
to the people of Afghanistan through Bandar Hairatan. The humanitarian aid
consignment includes 53 tons of flour, oil, rice, macaroni and canned meat.
This comes amid a dire humanitarian
crisis in the country.
Afghanistan is still one of the largest
humanitarian crises in the world, even though it has virtually vanished from
the media. Food insecurity affects two-thirds of the population, including 875,000
children who are acutely malnourished. Girls and women continue to be mainly in
danger.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/kyrgyzstan-delivers-humanitarian-aid-to-afghanistan/
--------
North America
Syrian Kurds Seek International Support
for Islamic State Group Trials
June 25, 2023
The U.S.-backed Kurdish authorities in
northeast Syria are adamant about holding trials for hundreds of foreign
Islamic State group militants in their custody. VOA’s Zana Omer has the story
from Qamishli, Syria, narrated by SirwanKajjo.
Source: voanews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.voanews.com/a/tv-syria-is-trials---omer-web-mp4/7152209.html
---------
Top US general calls off planned trip to
Israel, Jordan in wake of Russia's Wagner affair
Sunday, 25 June 2023
Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of
Staff, General Mark Milley, has canceled his planned trip to Israel in the wake
of an abrupt armed mutiny by the Wagner private military group against the
Russian leadership and his government.
One of Milley’s spokesmen, who were not
named in reports, said late on Saturday that the top US military officer had
planned to make stops in Israel and Jordan for talks with their defense
officials but the visit was postponed “due to the situation in Russia.”
Milley’s trip was called off shortly
before Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that he had brokered
a deal for Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin to halt his proclaimed advance on
Moscow and end his mutiny.
US National Security Advisor Jake
Sullivan was also reported to have canceled a scheduled meeting in Denmark on
the Russia-Ukraine conflict just before the crisis broke out in Russia.
Before the Belarusian-mediated deal,
Wagner forces claimed they were heading north in a convoy of trucks, tanks, and
infantry armored vehicles, hoping they would reach Moscow before being
intercepted by the Russian army.
Prigozhin had accused Russia’s military
top brass of ordering a rocket attack on Wagner’s field camps in Ukraine --
where Russia has been leading a military operation -- killing “huge numbers” of
his paramilitary forces.
Prigozhin had earlier demanded that
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov
be handed over to him.
The Kremlin said that under the
agreement, a criminal case launched against Prigozhin would be dropped and that
he would leave Russia and move to Belarus. The Wagner fighters involved in the
overnight rebellion would not be prosecuted as agreed in the deal.
The Wagner Group is a paramilitary
organization that has been fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
In a separate development on Saturday,
the US-based news website Axios cited an informed source as saying that
Secretary of State Tony Blinken had held a secure conference call with several
Western foreign ministers to consult about the escalating situation in Russia.
The foreign ministers of France,
Germany, the UK, Italy, Canada, and the European Union were on the call with
Blinken, according to the source.
European Union’s foreign policy chief
JosepBorrell confirmed the call in a tweet, saying, “Had a call with G7 Foreign
Ministers to exchange views on the situation in Russia. Ahead of Monday’s EU
Foreign Affairs Council, I am coordinating inside the European Union and have
activated the crisis response center.”
Axios also quoted White House National
Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge as saying that they “are monitoring
the situation in Russia and will be consulting with allies and partners on
these developments.”
The White House said US President Joe
Biden had been briefed by his national security team and would continue to
receive updates throughout the day.
Biden was also reported by Axios to have
held a separate call with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to discuss the situation in
Russia.
Source: presstv.ir
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/06/25/705898/Top-US-general-cancels-Israel-visit-in-wake-of-Russia-s-Wagner-affair
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The United States is facing a housing
crisis
Sunday, 25 June 2023
The United States is facing a housing
crisis and, according to some estimates, there simply aren't enough homes in
the US.
The most recent estimates from the
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, commonly known as Freddie Mac, show the
country is about 3.8 million housing units short of demand, which means that
there aren't enough homes to keep up with the number of new households that are
forming,
Elevated mortgage rates, which have
doubled since early last year, have constrained homebuyers’ purchasing power.
Instability in the banking sector,
uncertainties about possible layoffs, and, growing recession risks, are also
causing prospective homebuyers to hold back.
The homelessness crisis is particularly
severe in the state of California. According to a new study by the University
of California, over 171,000 people are homeless in the rich Western State.
California is home to 12% of the
nation's population, 30% of the nation's homeless population, and, half the
nation's unsheltered population.
People really need the ability to pay
their rent.
When we ask people what would have kept
them from being homeless, actually relatively small amounts of money, over
eight in 10 said had they received one time five to $10,000 to catch up on
their rent, to pay first and last month's mortgage, so that they could continue
paying, you know, a new apartment, they would have never become homeless.
The study reveals the homeless
population in California is aging; nearly half of those who were were over 50
and older. It also reveals that homelessness is more prevalent among California's
residents of color and minority groups.
Furthermore, nearly half of the homeless
surveyed in the research reported an inability to work due to age, health, or,
disability.
More than 1 million people experience
homelessness in the US in a given year, and many more are at risk of losing
their homes, however, the actual figures are widely believed to be considerably
higher.
Florida, New York and Washington also
had high rates of homelessness last year.
California is emblematic of neoliberal
US Empire with a liberal face around the world. California's economy is ranked
among the top 10 in the world.
If it was an independent nation,
California would be among the ten wealthiest countries in the world.
Yeah, with that in mind, California also
has some of the highest poverty rates in the United States, some of the highest
homelessness rates in the United States, and, some of the highest rates of
inequality.
The rich keep getting richer and the
poor keep getting poorer.
Despite positive signs of a potential economic
improvement in the US economy, experts are still worried about a possible
recession in the country.
Over the past 15 months the US Federal
Reserve has tried to tame inflation raising interest rates above 5% in an
attempt to get price increases back down to a more normal pace.
Less expensive gas and slower grocery
price adjustments have helped to lower overall inflation from its four decade
peak last summer, however, experts warn the battle is not yet over because food
and fuel costs tend to jump around a lot.
Furthermore, experts believe the Fed may
need to do more to cool growth and to rein in demand to prevent unusually
elevated price increases from becoming permanent.
Concerns are also rising about a
possible recession in the US. Some experts believe the US may avoid a
recession, but the fact that big economies like the EU and Germany are now
experiencing a recession are bad signs for the US economy.
The slower economic growth rate in China
may also pull the US into trouble. China's central bank this month started
trimming major interest rates to support growth.
Manufacturing is already probably in
recession. But I'm not sure exactly what sector of employment is going to pull
back. But I do think that is the linchpin, and in order to get a weaker economy,
you have to get a weaker employment.
But I think that's going to come as I
mentioned unemployment claims, which is the best timely measure of labor
markets, they've moved up already a fair amount to about 260,000 up from maybe
180,... and 300,000 is the recession level.
A possible recession could throw the
lives of millions of ordinary Americans into disarray with higher prices
increasingly denting people's ability to satisfy their needs.
In California, for example, food banks,
which saw more families seeking help during the pandemic, are now serving more
people every month.
Extra assistance benefits started during
the pandemic have come to an end, reducing benefits to 5.3 million Californians
and prompting the statewide food banks Association to warn of a
"catastrophic hunger crisis" this year.
There's no solution to this, really,
this was a huge loss for our whole state, for the whole country.
And food banks can't just simply come up
with the replacement.
We're struggling already with donations
that are down from the height of the pandemic. It's not seen as so much of a
crisis anymore.
Carissa Casares, Spokesperson, Feeding
San Diego
To ward off the catastrophic hunger
crisis this year food banks have also expressed concern over the federal debt
ceiling agreements which imposes more requirements on food aid recipients.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/06/25/705890/US-homelessness-crisis-is-particularly-severe-in-the-state-of-California
--------
Africa
Sokoto State Governor Vows To Deal With
Blasphemers After Islamic Mob Stone Man To Death Over ‘Blasphemy’
June 26, 2023
Ahmed Aliyu, the Sokoto State Governor,
has vowed that his administration will deal decisively with anyone who commits
‘blasphemy’ against the Islamic Prophet Muhammad bin Abdullah (PBUH).
The governor made the declaration in a
statement signed by his spokesperson, AbubakarBawa, while warning against any
act capable of “degrading the personality of Prophet Muhammad SAW, especially
in a state like Sokoto, which is predominantly a Muslim-dominated community.”
His warning comes moments after a mob
stoned to death a butcher identified as Usman Buda on Sunday at a place called
Abattoir in over an allegation of blasphemy.
Ahmad Rufai, Sokoto police spokesperson
who confirmed the killing was quoted to have said that, “We got a distress call
in the morning around 9:20 a.m. that a mob attacked one person by name Usman
Buda, at Abattoir in Sokoto. They alleged him to have insulted prophet Mohammed
(SWAT).
“On reaching the scene, people there
took to their heels leaving him in bloodshed, seriously injured. We rescued him
and took him to hospital. Unfortunately, later in the day he passed away.”
The murder comes barely a year after
Deborah Samuel, a Christian student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Wamako,
Sokoto State, was killed over a similar allegation of blasphemy by Islamic
fanatics.
Some of Buda’s closest business partners
in the market who made attempts to rescue him were also injured by the
extremists, and now receiving medical treatment.
Reacting to the development, the
governor, through his spokesman, Bawa said there’s a need for all the residents
to respect and protect the prophet’s dignity and personality.
The statement read, “Sokoto State
Governor, Dr. Ahmed Aliyu, has called on the people of the state to remain calm
and law-abiding at all times. The governor cautioned the people against any act
capable of degrading the personality of Prophet Muhammad SAW, especially in a
state like Sokoto, which is a predominantly Muslim-dominated community.
“Dr Aliyu said that Sokoto people have
so much respect and regard for Prophet Muhammad SAW, hence the need for all the
residents to respect, protect his dignity and personality.
“I want to call on the people of Sokoto
State to avoid taking laws into their own hands and instead report any alleged
crime or blasphemy to the appropriate quarters for necessary action.
“Our religion does not encourage taking
laws into one’s hands, so let us try to be good followers of our religion,” he
appealed.
Aliyu’s spokesperson further noted that
the governor has warned would-be troublemakers to have a change of mind, adding
that Sokoto is the wrong place for them.
Bawa said, “He added that the present
administration will not take the issue of blasphemy lightly, and will deal
decisively with anyone found guilty of any act aimed at degrading the
personality of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, in line with the provision
of Islamic laws.
“The governor assured the people of the
state of his administration’s commitment to guarantee the safety of lives and
property of all law-abiding citizens.
“The governor also warned would-be
troublemakers to have a change of mind, adding that Sokoto is a wrong place for
them.”
Source: hallmarknews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://hallmarknews.com/sokoto-gov-vows-to-deal-with-blasphemers-after-islamic-mob-stone-man-to-death-over-blasphemy/
--------
Clerics warn Muslims not to borrow for
Sallah ram
26th June 2023
Ahead of the Eid el-Adha festival on
Wednesday, Islamic clerics have advised Muslims to shun desperation, but
celebrate the festival within their means.
The clerics, who spoke to The PUNCH on
Sunday, urged Muslims to seek Allah’s pleasure with the resources available to
them and not get themselves into financial trouble over Sallah festival.
Responding to questions by our
correspondent on Sunday, the Chief Imam of the University of Abuja, Prof.
TaofeekAbdulAzeez, warned Muslim
faithful against borrowing for the Sallah celebration, admonishing them to buy
only what they can afford.
He said, “They should buy what they can
afford. They should please Allah alone;
desperation is not a way to please Allah.
“They should buy what they can afford
and must not borrow.”
Speaking on the essence of the Eid-el
Adha festival, the cleric said, “It is a sign of submission, sacrifice and
patience of our father, Prophet Ibrahim (AS).
“We should be patient over domestic
crises which resulted in the relocation of the younger wife to Makkah and the establishment
of Makkah for Hajj rites, and other Islamic contents. We should also learn
sacrifice and submission, sincerity and perseverance.”
Also, the Secretary-General of League of
Imams and Alfas in Ogun State, Sheikh TajudeenAdewunmi, harped on the need for
moderation during the celebration.
Adewunmi said, “It is not compulsory for
Muslims to slaughter rams; only to those who can afford it should do so. Allah
does not suck blood and neither does He eat flesh, what He needs is for mankind
to have His fear.”
Similarly, the deputy Chief Imam,
Federal University of Agriculture,
Abeokuta, Prof. SharafadeenAbdulKareem,said, “It is not acceptable for any
Muslim to borrow money when he has no capability. But if he belongs to a
cooperative society and the body is ready to lend him money for the Sallah, he
can go ahead.
“If he is a civil servant that wants to
use his or her salary to buy ram, he can borrow money and buy it. Allah
does not accept anyone’s worship that is
desperate.”
Source: punchng.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://punchng.com/clerics-warn-muslims-not-to-borrow-for-sallah-ram/
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Mercy Aigbe Performs First Hajj With
Husband After Converting To Islam
25 June 2023
Famous Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe,
has taken to social media to share photos of herself performing her first Hajj
in Mecca after her conversion to Islam.
“May Allah accept our supplications on
this very special day as an act of ibadah. Amin,” Aigbe captioned the photos
shared on her Instagram page as she pose with her husband, KazeemAdeoti in one
of the photos.
Aigbe’s marriage to Adeoti in 2022
attracted a barrage of reactions. It could be recalled that the award-winning
actress tied the knot with Kazim in a private ceremony on December 31st 2021
but kept it cool until she shared the video on her Instagram page with the
caption, “Throwback to a beautiful day. Blessed and Grateful.”
Despite their marriage, Aigbe had
maintained her birthname until April this year when she confirmed during an
interview that she now has an Islamic name.
Naija News understands that Aigbe
revealed at a Ramadan lecture and special prayers hosted by herself and her
husband, KazeemAdeoti, that she now goes by the name Hajia Meenah Mercy Adeoti.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2023/06/25/photos-mercy-aigbe-performs-first-hajj-with-husband-after-converting-to-islam/
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Arab World
Hajj pilgrims receive gifts embodying Saudi
Arabia’s artistic heritage
June 25, 2023
MAKKAH: The Royal Institute for
Traditional Arts collaborated with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to distribute
special gifts to pilgrims that represent the cultural heritage and artistic
richness of Saudi Arabia.
Gifts, which included prayer mats, were
given out at reception sites, such as King Abdulaziz International Airport in
Jeddah and the Haramain High-Speed Railway, owned by Saudi Arabia Railways.
Prayer mat designs incorporated
traditional Saudi arts, including Arabic calligraphy.
Designs also included geometric patterns
of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri art and were inspired by wicker art, which uses raw
materials from palm trees, adding a natural touch.
The mats also featured ornamental
designs found on Najdi wooden doors, including botanical and geometric
patterns, as well as balcony designs with shapes representing the desert
environment, adding a unique element.
Source: arabnews.com
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2327871/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Arabia’s expertise in kiswa
manufacturing showcased to guests of Hajj program
June 25, 2023
MAKKAH: Guests visited Makkah’s King
Abdulaziz Complex for Holy Kaaba Kiswa as part of the cultural and religious
events associated with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Program for Hajj.
Guests were given a tour of the
different sections of the complex and provided with a detailed explanation of
the manufacturing process of the Kaaba’s fabric industry.
They were also told about the history of
kiswa manufacturing and the raw materials used in the process.
Dr. HadjIssa Sid Ahmed, a professor at
Blida University in Algeria, said that visiting the complex offered a unique
opportunity to witness the Kingdom’s expertise and skills in manufacturing the
kiswa.
In relation to the event, he added: “I
believe that there is no country in the Islamic world that keeps pace with the
crowds and their management with such great capabilities.
“May God bless the Kingdom’s efforts and
protect its wise leaders.”
Mohamed Kadik, a journalist from
Algeria, said: “We were very pleased to visit the King Abdulaziz Complex for
Holy Kaaba Kiswa, admiring the capabilities and working hands that expressed
their pride and honor to weave the kiswa of the Kaaba.
“Words fall short of describing the
happiness, joy and pleasure that we live these days on the blessed lands of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“I extend my sincere thanks to King
Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the warm and generous
hospitality.”
Abdul Karim Tohamy, from Benin, said he
was delighted to be able to visit the complex, praising the professionalism
displayed in the manufacturing of the kiswa.
Muneeb Hassan Al-Rawi, the head of the
Czech Muslim Communities Center, also expressed his pleasure at being able to
visit the complex and gain a deeper understanding of the significance behind
the manufacturing of the Kaaba’s kiswa.
The kiswa is replaced annually in a
tradition observed for centuries. The cloth is stitched together in five
different parts and fixed to the base with copper rings. Around 670 kg of raw
silk is dyed black at the complex.
The kiswa is decorated with verses from
the Qur’an embroidered onto the cloth, which contains 120 kg of 21-karat gold
thread and 100 kg of silver thread.
The cost of making a new 850 kg kiswa is
estimated at SR25 million ($6.6 million), making it the world’s most expensive
covering.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2327831/saudi-arabia
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Over 1,000 Umbrellas Distributed to
Visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque
25 Jun, 2023
The Municipality of Madinah Region has
distributed more than 1,000 umbrellas to the pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet’s
Mosque to protect them from the sun in Madinah, which registers high
temperatures.
The municipality reiterated its
commitment to lend support to community initiatives. More than 100 volunteers
of both genders are distributing umbrellas in several locations, including the
central area and the Miqat Mosque area, as part of the municipality’s efforts
to provide the best services to pilgrims and visitors.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original
http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/99faf7102233445bbac53e2ba1e62ee5
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NEOM-supported Saudi shortlisted for
Yugo BAFTA Student Award in gaming category
June 25, 2023
LONDON: A Saudi student has become the
first to receive a Yugo BAFTA Student Award nomination in Los Angeles for her
submission in the gaming category.
RafifKalantan, who was supported by NEOM
to attend the National Film and Television School, had her work reviewed by a
panel of 140 BAFTA members, who selected titles to progress to the next round
of the program.
The Yugo BAFTA Student Awards is an
annual event celebrating the works of young, highly skilled and creative
storytellers from around the world.
Kalantan’s entry, “Eros Xavier’s Love
Solutions,” was the culmination of an intensive two-year program of training
across several skill sets including directing, composing, location sound
recording, games design and visual effects.
“Eros Xavier’s Love Solutions” is a 2.5D
narrative-driven puzzle-like game in which gamers play as Eros, a retired cupid
who breaks couples apart instead of bringing them together by manipulating
objects in their home.
This year’s Yugo BAFTA Student Awards
welcomed 754 submissions from 103 schools across 30 countries, including
Argentina, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hong Kong, India, Mexico,
Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UAE.
Jon Wardle, director at NFTS, said:
“Rafif’s talent and dedication, supported by NEOM, has led to this
well-deserved recognition.
“‘Eros Xavier’s Love Solutions’
showcases Rafif’s creative storytelling in the gaming category and we are proud
to have played a part in her journey, as we continue to nurture up-and-coming
talent and shape the future of an increasingly diverse and dynamic games
industry.
“Rafif’s success serves as an inspiration
to aspiring games creators everywhere.”
Wayne Borg, managing director of Media
Industries, Entertainment, and Culture at NEOM, said: “NEOM is thrilled to see
RafifKalantan’s incredible talent recognized by such a prestigious organization
as BAFTA for her excellence in games.
“Saudi Arabia’s gaming market has
exploded in recent years and continues to evolve and expand, fueled by young
and innovative gamers like Rafif.
“Establishing dedicated NEOM programs
with the National Film and Television School is crucial in supporting our young
talent pool of creatives, paving a career path, and setting a precedent for
aspiring filmmakers and gamers as we strive to become an elite global media
hub.”
NEOM’s ongoing training programs and
mentor schemes nurture and develop new and emerging local talent wishing to
pursue a career in the screen sector, championing and strengthening its
cultural, social, and economic impact.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2327906/saudi-arabia
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Ministry’s digital transformation
efforts streamline Hajj services
June 25, 2023
JEDDAH: As part of its digital solutions
package for this year’s Hajj season, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has launched
the Hajj Smart Card.
It aims to streamline procedures and
facilitate pilgrims’ journeys while they perform their rituals, and plays a
crucial role in guiding lost individuals and facilitating communication with
Hajj group leaders.
According to the ministry, there are two
versions of the smart card. The digital version can be accessed through the
Nusuk application and provides comprehensive information about the pilgrims,
including their place of residence, health records, itinerary, and other services.
The printed smart card, meanwhile,
includes details such as identity number, nationality, and the address of the
pilgrimage company. Additionally, it features a QR response code.
The pilgrim’s data can be fully accessed
by Hajj workers through a specific app, enabling them to assist and guide the
pilgrims whenever necessary.
The ministry also stated that the smart
card offers various digital services, including complaint submission, service
evaluation, and a map highlighting important sites.
The project was first implemented four
years ago. Each year, the experience has been improved and refined as part of
the ministry’s digital transformation to provide the best services to Hajj
pilgrims.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Press Agency
reported on Sunday the launch of the first trips of m Al-Mashaaer
Al-Mugaddassah Metro Line for this Hajj season. The trains will transport
pilgrims between the nine stations in Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah.
Saudi Arabia Railways has expended
significant resources over the past few months to get ready for the
transportation of pilgrims, performing extensive maintenance work on all 17
trains and developing all operational systems, including systems for trains,
signaling and communication, and the systems used in the operation and control
center.
To manage crowds within the stations,
Saudi Arabia Railways has hired more than 7,500 seasonal workers, which include
people who speak English, Urdu, Turkish, the major Nigerian languages,
Indonesian, and Arabic.
Mousa Al-Zahrani, the director general
of Al-Mashaaer Al-Mugaddassah Metro Line operations, said the employees are
fully aware of their responsibility to serve pilgrims, and are striving to use
all available resources to ensure a smooth and safe Hajj season.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2327856/saudi-arabia
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Mobile dental clinic near Grand Mosque
provides free service to pilgrims
June 25, 2023
MAKKAH: The Ministry of Health has set
up a mobile clinic to provide free dental health services to pilgrims during
the Hajj season.
The clinic is stationed outside the
entrance to the Al-Haram Emergency Hospital, in the central area around the
Grand Mosque in Makkah, to render it accessible to pilgrims.
The project comes in line with the
ministry’s goal of improving the quality and efficiency of healthcare and
facilitating access to services for visitors to the Grand Mosque.
It is being implemented in partnership
with the private sector, represented by Asen Medical Company, whose Chairman
Dr. Mohammed Nizar Shaibi, told Arab News that “the launch and maintenance of
the mobile dental clinic project for the second consecutive year is one of the
biggest successes.”
The idea behind the clinic, Shaibi said,
stemmed from a desire to offer pilgrims a quick solution to toothaches, which
can be common and painful enough to distract from their rituals.
“They won’t be feeling calm and peaceful
while in pain,” he said.
“Therefore, we are present round the
clock near the Grand Mosque to work on easing their pain and creating all the
suitable conditions for their comfort and happiness.”
The clinic has helped over 1,000
pilgrims so far by providing them “with all the necessary services in order to
complete their rituals with ease,” Shaibi said.
Patients are transferred to the hospital
if they need further medical treatment.
The mobile clinic provides dental health
services through 32 medical and surgical specialists equipped with modern
technology and instruments and available around the clock throughout the Hajj.
The ministry has implemented multiple
initiatives to provide healthcare services to pilgrims.
According to a report by the Saudi Press
Agency, over 76,000 pilgrims have received health care — including open-heart
surgeries, dialysis sessions, and endoscopy operations — in Makkah and Madinah
since May 21.
A fleet of over 190 ambulances and 16
emergency centers have been deployed at the Jamarat bridge area at the holy
site of Mina.
It was reported on Sunday that a medical
team at King Abdullah Medical City saved the life of a female pilgrim in her
70s after she suffered an acute heart attack.
According to the ministry, the team
performed an urgent cardiac catheterization, which revealed a blockage in three
coronary arteries. The patient was admitted to the cardiology department for
critical cases until her condition was stabilized. She recovered in time to
complete her Hajj rituals in good health.
Source: arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2327836/saudi-arabia
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Mideast
‘Ensuring jihad will continue’: Gaza
summer camp teaches youth to fight, hate Israel
26-06-23
Young Palestinians parade and brandish
fake rifles as they are instructed on combat against the ‘Zionist enemy’ at
Palestinian Islamic Jihad camp
As they do every year, terror groups in
the Gaza Strip are operating summer camps for the Palestinian enclave’s youth
that includes military-style training in preparation to fight against Israel.
As part of Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s
activities, young Palestinians parade and train with fake rifles and are
instructed on jihad against the “Zionist enemy.”
In previous years, children were taught
to stab and stone Israeli police in order “to liberate Al-Aqsa,” while
instructors lionized those who fall as “martyrs” against the enemy.
“These boys are trained in various ways
to defend their rights in their territory and homeland,” PIJ official Darwish
al-Gharabli told AFP. “Hundreds have participated in the camps of the al-Quds
Brigades, the camps of glory and pride, ensuring that jihad and resistance will
continue.”
Palestinian youths brandishing fake
rifles during a military-style summer camp organized annually by the
Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, during the school holiday in Khan Yunis
in the southern Gaza Strip, on June 22, 2023. (SAID KHATIB / AFP)
Rockets are displayed as Palestinian
youths parade during a military-style summer camp organized annually by the
Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, during the school holiday in Khan Yunis
in the southern Gaza Strip, on June 22, 2023. (SAID KHATIB / AFP)
Women watch as Palestinian youths parade
during a military-style summer camp organized annually by the Palestinian
Islamic Jihad terror group during the school holiday, in Khan Yunis in the
southern Gaza Strip, on June 22, 2023. (SAID KHATIB / AFP)
Palestinian youths brandishing fake
rifles during a military-style summer camp organized annually by the
Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, during the school holiday in Khan Yunis
in the southern Gaza Strip, on June 22, 2023. (SAID KHATIB / AFP)
Rockets are displayed at a
military-style summer camp organized annually by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad
terror group, during the school holiday in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza
Strip, on June 22, 2023. (SAID KHATIB / AFP)
Palestinian youths brandishing fake
rifles parade during a military-style summer camp organized annually by the
Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group during the school holiday, in Khan Yunis
in the southern Gaza Strip, on June 22, 2023. (SAID KHATIB / AFP)
Palestinian youths brandishing fake
rifles parade during a military-style summer camp organized annually by the
Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group during the school holiday, in Khan Yunis
in the southern Gaza Strip, on June 22, 2023. (SAID KHATIB / AFP)
Source: timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.timesofisrael.com/gaza-youths-march-and-train-to-fight-israel-at-palestinian-islamic-jihad-summer-camp/
--------
Pope Tawadros congratulates Sisi, Azhar
Grand Imam on Eid El-Adha
Monday 26 Jun 2023
In his cable, the pope sent heartfelt
greetings to the president and all Muslims on behalf of the Egyptian Coptic
Church.
The pope expressed appreciation for the
efforts to achieve the aspirations of Egyptians while also wishing for more
peace, security, and prosperity in Egypt.
Eid-Al Adha begins on Wednesday, 28 June
this year, based on the Gregorian calendar.
El-Tayyeb emphasized the importance of
exchanging peace and love between Muslims and Christians during feasts, as
Muslims ritually slaughter animals and gather with friends and family for Eid
Al-Adha. This was conveyed during his phone call with Tawadros.
The meat from the slaughter is also
given to the poor.
El-Tayyeb wished Tawadros a speedy
recovery following a sudden illness during mass earlier this month.
The pope concluded the call by
expressing his hopes for Egypt's progress.
Eid El-Adha, one of the two Islamic
religious holidays, occurs on the tenth day of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the twelfth month
of the Islamic calendar.
Eid El-Adha commemorates Prophet
Ibrahim's obedience to God when he was willing to sacrifice his son and marks
the beginning of the annual Hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Eid marks the fourth day of the Hajj
pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, mandatory once in a lifetime for
non-disabled Muslims who can afford it.
Every year, millions of Muslims
worldwide perform the Hajj in the Holy City of Mecca.
The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the
world's largest annual religious gatherings, lasting five to six days.
Hajj rituals commenced on Sunday evening
at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
Source: english.ahram.org.eg
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https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/503750.aspx
--------
Tens of Israeli Settlers Invade Al-Aqsa
Mosque
26 June, 2023
Dozens of Israeli settlers, supported by
Israeli occupation forces, raided the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque via
Al-Maghariba gate and performed provocative rituals on Monday morning, June 26,
2023.
The Department of Islamic Endowments in
occupied Jerusalem stated that tens of Israeli settlers performed provocative
rituals at Al-Aqsa’s courtyards.
Israeli settlers carry out semi-daily
incursions into the blessed Mosque in Jerusalem and provocatively perform
Talmudic rituals under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.
Settlers’ raids into Al-Aqsa Mosque aim
to impose a temporal and spatial division in the holy site, which the Muslim
Palestinians reject and decry.
Earlier in June, media sources revealed
a new Israeli proposed plan aiming at dividing Al-Aqsa Mosque between Jews and
Muslims.
Meanwhile, Palestinians in occupied
Jerusalem continue their calls to mobilize at Al-Aqsa to confront the Israeli
settlers’ calls for mass raids in Al-Aqsa.
In April 2023, nearly 5054 Israeli
settlers invaded the courtyards of Al-Aqsa mosque and performed provocative
Talmudic rituals at its courtyards.
Source: daysofpalestine.ps
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Hajj commences as Saudi Arabia welcomes
millions of Muslims from around the world
26 June ,2023
The annual Hajj pilgrimage commenced
early on Monday, the eighth day of Dul Hijjah, with millions of Muslims from
around the world taking part for the first time since before the COVID-19
pandemic.
The pilgrims arrived at the Grand Mosque
in Mecca on Sunday where they performed the Tawaf al-Qudum, known as the Tawaf
of Arrival – the first step of the Hajj pilgrimage after entering the state of
ihram. Ihram refers to a sacred state that Muslims enter and remain in during
the special rituals and events that are required to complete Hajj or Umrah.
They then performed Sa’i between the
hills of Safa and Marwa, a ritual that serves to honor the mother of the
Prophet Ismail and signifies her devotion and faith in God.
As the sun rose on Monday morning, the pilgrims
gathered in the Grand Mosque to pray the sunrise prayers before setting off to
Mina.
They then embarked on the journey to
Mina where they will spend an entire day and night praying and preparing for
the most significant day of the Islamic pilgrimage.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has set
up thousands of tents in the area to ensure the pilgrims stay well-rested.
During their stay, the pilgrims will read the Quran and offer prayers all
night.
On the ninth day of Dul Hijjah, the most
pivotal day of Hajj, the pilgrims will flock to Mount Arafat. The mountain is
believed to be the place where Adam and Eve met again after God sent them back
to Earth and where the Prophet Muhammad gave his last sermon.
They will then move on to Muzdalifah and
spend the night supplicating and collected pebbles for the symbolic stoning of
the devil ritual before proceeding with the final steps of the Hajj pilgrimage
ahead of Eid al-Adha.
Restrictions on the number of pilgrims
for this year’s Hajj season were lifted for the first time in several years
after the Coronavirus outbreak forced Saudi authorities to limit the capacity.
Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq
al-Rabiah told a press conference on Thursday that authorities would continue
to provide the best services to pilgrims under the directives of King Salman
and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The directives to lift restrictions were
based on a thorough review of health indicators and the recommendations of
health authorities, as well as the Kingdom’s readiness to organize Hajj with
pilgrim numbers returning to their pre-pandemic levels, according to the
minister.
Source: english.alarabiya.net
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Islamic Revolution Saved Iran From
Moral, Political Decline
June 25, 2023
Leader of the Islamic Revolution
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei underscored that the 1979 Islamic Revolution
saved Iran from sinking into a moral, religious and political decline,
crediting heroic sacrifices of martyrs and their families for the epic
movement.
“Your martyrs changed the country’s
destiny in one of the most critical periods of its history,” the Leader
emphasized on Sunday while addressing a large crowd of family members of
Iranian martyrs in Tehran, Press TV reported.
“The Islamic Revolution took place to
preserve the country, which was rapidly falling into moral, religious and
political decay, and salvaged it.”
The Leader hailed the Iranian youth for
defending the country during Iraqi imposed war in the 1980s, known as the
sacred defense, and subsequnt enemy plots to destabilize the country, saying,
“Then, the enemy launched a military attack. It was the youth who resisted for
eight years and saved the country. Then, our youth [firmly] stood up against
various seditious efforts, various moves to foment unrest, and different sorts
of enemy aggressions until today.”
He underlined that the youth embraced
martyrdom, including in last year’s riots, to save the country and steer its
fate toward dignity.
The Leader also called on the media and
the artists to introduce and highlight the martyrs as role models to the
younger generations, and on fathers, mothers and spouses of martyrs to narrate
the stories of their loved ones.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the memories of
Iranian martyrs should live on as they are “role models” for the youth.
“The behavior of these heroes, their
distinguished moral characteristics, lifestyle, and changes in their lives set
an example for the society, especially teenagers and young people,” he said.
He added that publishing the memories of
the martyrs’ families will play an important role to introduce the martyrs as
role models.
Source: financialtribune.com
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Pakistan
Islamic State Group Claims Killing Sikh
Man in Pakistan's Northwest
June 25, 2023
PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN —
Gunmen shot and killed a member of
Pakistan’s minority Sikh community in an overnight attack in the northwestern
city of Peshawar, police said Sunday.
Gauher Khan, a local officer, said the
attack on Manmohan Singh, 35, appeared to be a targeted killing. A police
investigation continues, Khan said, into the motive.
Khan said the assailants opened fire at
Singh while he was returning home from a suburban area. The assailants fled the
scene.
The Islamic State group in a statement
claimed responsibility for the killing, saying Singh had been a follower of
what it called a “polytheistic” Sikh sect in Peshawar. It also claimed wounding
a Sikh in the northwestern city the previous day.
It's the third killing of a Sikh
community member this year in Pakistan. Last month, assailants gunned down
Sardar Singh in a drive-by shooting in the eastern city of Lahore. In April,
gunmen shot and killed Dayal Singh in Peshawar. In the same city in May 2022,
gunmen killed two members of Sikh community.
Most Sikhs migrated to neighboring India
in 1947, the year British rule of the subcontinent ended, and Pakistan was
created as a homeland for Muslims in the region. Thousands of Sikhs stayed in
Pakistan, where they generally live peacefully. But isolated attacks on
minority Sikhs, Christians and members of the Ahmadi sect have continued.
Source: voanews.com
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PHC grants bail to 10 persons arrested
in May 9 sedition case
June 26, 2023
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has
granted bail to 10 persons arrested in Lower Dir after the May 9 and 10 violent
protests on multiple charges including sedition and setting on fire a public
school and other properties.
A single-member bench of Justice Shahid
Khan accepted two petitions filed by the accused persons on condition of
furnishing two surety bonds each of Rs200,000.
One of the petitions was filed by an
accused Ibrahim Khan whereas the other was jointly filed by Liaquat Ali and
eight others.
The bench observed that peculiar facts
and circumstances of the event in hand had led the court to the conclusion that
the set of allegations against the petitioners needed further probe and it made
them entitled to the concession of bail.
The bench observed that the record would
transpire that there was no direct evidence available that could prima facie
connected the petitioners with the commission of the offence except the alleged
CCTV footage, on the basis of which majority of the accused had been nominated
in the instant case.
It observed that evidentiary value of
such incriminating article about the guilt of the accused was to be evaluated
by the trial court after recording pro and contra evidence, therefore that
element alone made the case of petitioners one of further inquiry.
Moreover, the bench observed that it was
for the trial court to determine the applicability of section 7 of
Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) against the accused in view of the peculiar facts and
circumstances of the case especially when majority of petitioners had been
implicated in the case on the basis of CCTV footage coupled with the fact that
they had been assigned a general role, without specifying role of each and
every accused.
The petitioners were represented by
advocates Mohammad Yar Yousafzai and Murtaza Khan.
Earlier, an anti-terrorism court in
Timergara, Dir Lower, had granted bail to around 100 of the suspects on June 7,
but rejected pleas of the present 10 petitioners.
FIR of the occurrence was registered at
Balambat police station on May 10 under different provisions of Pakistan penal
Code including sections 120-A, 124-A, 148, 149, 186, 188, 189, 295-B, 324, 341,
353, 355, 380, 427, 436, 440, 500 and 504 and section 7 of ATA.
The SHO of the police station, Mehbood
Shah, was complainant in the case. He claimed that on May 9 a procession
comprising of about 1,500 to 2,000 persons from Timergara side under the
leadership of former MPA Shafiullah Khan, former MNA Bashir Khan, Balambat
tehsil mayor Asim Shoaib and several others gathered at the entrance of the
Balambat Cantonment.
He claimed that the accused persons
installed a loudspeaker on a vehicle and were turn by turn delivering speeches
and instigating the participants of the procession for revolt against the
government and were also raising anti-state slogans.
He stated that one Maulana Shah Zaman
during his speech provoked the mob. He added that on his provocation, the
participants of the procession used abusive language and blocked the main road
to traffic.
The SHO said that during their speeches,
the accused stated that the government crossed the red line by arresting their
leader Imran Khan. He alleged that the protesters also fired at police and
security personnel with the intent to kill them, but luckily they escaped
unhurt.
He also accused the protesters for
breaking the gate to the parade ground and burning the public school building,
a canteen and other rooms. He added that because of pelting of stones by the
protesters, several police officials received injuries.
Source: dawn.com
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--------
Police officer martyred, 2 injured in
suicide attack in Balochistan’s Turbat
June 24, 2023
A police official was martyred and two
more injured in a suicide attack on a police van in Balochistan’s Turbat on
Saturday, according to Kech Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohammad
Baloch.
The SSP told Dawn.com that according to
reports from the district, a police van was targeted in a bomb blast at Chakar
Azam Chowk by a female suicide attacker. He added that one of the injured
police officers was a female.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul
QudoosBizenjo condemned the blast and expressed regret at the news of the
martyred and injured police officials. He also extended his condolences to
their families
“The aim of terrorism is to halt the
development process and intimidate the security forces. The evil intentions of
terrorists will never be successful,” the chief minister said in a statement,
adding that the determination and courage of the security forces would not be
dented by such acts.
“The sensible people of Makran will
thwart the ambitions of elements who are against development,” he said, adding
that the people’s welfare would be ensured and the backwardness of the province
would be eliminated by continuing the process of development.
Balochistan Interior Minister Mir
ZiaullahLangove also condemned the incident and sought a report.
He said the plans of terrorists at the
behest of “foreign forces” would be thwarted and lauded the sacrifices of
security officials.
“The war against terrorism will continue
until peace is achieved,” Langove said and offered prayers for the martyred and
injured.
In December, four security personnel
were martyred and one was injured in an attack in Turbat. Official sources had
said unknown militants had attacked a vehicle of Frontier Corps (FC)
Balochistan (South) in the DannukGogdan area of Turbat.
The FC personnel had engaged the
attackers and after a heavy exchange fire, four had embraced martyrdom,
including a subedar.
It is also pertinent to mention that the
suicide bomber of the April 2022 Karachi University attack, identified as Shari
Baloch alias Brimash, was born in Turbat in 1991.
Source: dawn.com
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--------
6-member SC bench hears pleas against
military trials of civilians after Justice Shah’s recusal
June 26, 2023
The bench comprises Chief Justice of
Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar,
Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice SayyedMazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice
Ayesha Malik.
The fresh larger bench was formed after
the government raised objections regarding Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, citing the
fact that one of the petitioners, Jawwad S. Khawaja, was related to him.
Justice Shah had subsequently recused
himself from hearing the case, although he pointed out that this fact was
highlighted at the very first hearing.
This was the second time the bench stood
dissolved.
Originally, a nine-bench bench had been
formed to hear the case. However, moments after the first hearing began,
Justice Qazi Faez Isa had said he did not consider the SC bench “a proper
court”, with Justice Sardar Tariq Masood also endorsing his point of view.
The hearing
The PTI chief’s lawyer, Hamid Khan, came
to the rostrum at the start of the hearing and said that a number hadn’t been
assigned to their plea. However, the CJP said the court would come to this
issue later, adding that the judges had come back after recovering from a
“setback”.
“Instead of arguments, other tactics are
being used here,” Justice Bandial said. He noted that the plea filed by the PTI
chief raised several requests but Khan told the court that he would only focus
on the one against military trials.
Subsequently, lawyer Salman Akram Raja,
representing petitioner Junaid Razzak, came to the rostrum. He referred to the
British and American constitutions in his argument.
“Has anyone’s trial in [military
court’s] begun,” CJP Bandial asked, to which Raja answered in the negative. The
top judge then told the lawyer to not talk based on assumptions.
“In this way, the trial of military officers
will also be discussed in the future,” Justice Bandial said. He noted that
tomorrow was the court’s last working day and told the lawyer to talk about
relevant matters.
He also questioned how Article 175(3),
which mandates the complete separation of the judiciary from the executive, was
applicable in this case.
Raja said that the article was based on
the right to fair trial underlined in Article 9 and 10. “No one can be deprived
of the right to fair trial,” he said.
However, CJP Bandial asked the lawyer to
show the top court a judicial precedent which stated that Article 175 was
linked with the Army Act. He also told the lawyer to not make “grand
complications”. “Keep your arguments brief and relevant to the case,” he said.
During the hearing, Justice Ayesha asked
when Section 2D of the Army Act, which empowers military courts to try
civilians facing charges of terrorism or abetting terrorist activity, was
applicable.
“Can a civilian be tried in military
courts or not?” asked Justice Ayesha. She noted that the petitioner was
challenging provisions of the Army Act but was not giving reasons for doing so.
“The SC has laid down the principle that
judicial affairs can only be run by the judiciary,” Raja said. “No one else can
exercise judicial powers under Article 175(3),” Raja said.
Raja further said that there were two
kinds of civilians. “One is who renders a service for the armed forces,” the
lawyer said, adding that such people were bound by “military discipline”.
He said that the second type were those
who had nothing to do with the armed forces. He said that “complete civilians”
could only be tried by a judge appointed under article 175(3).
“How can we say that military courts are
not courts?” Justice Ayesha asked.
“Can the verdicts of military courts not
be challenged?” CJP Bandial asked. Raja said that they could be challenged
before the army chief or a committee formed by him.
“You can say that the scope of appeal in
these courts should be expanded,” the CJP remarked.
Here, Justice Naqvi noted, “You are
saying that military courts are a parallel system and can’t be called courts.”
Raja replied in the affirmative,
highlighting that civilians were not dispensed basic rights during military
trials. “According to the Army Act, trials are conducted in military court on
displinary violations. But the trial of a civilian in military courts is not a
matter of disciplinary violations,” he contended.
“This is a good point,” Justice Bandial
observed.
Meanwhile, Justice Ahsan asked if the
petitioner was challenging military trials to the extent of civilians. “You are
not challenging trials of army officials, correct?” the judge asked. The lawyer
replied that he was not challenging the trials of army officials.
At one point during the hearing, the CJP
asked what the US laws said about civilians who rebelled against the state.
“In America, the trials of citizens who
indulge in anti-state activities are conducted in civilian courts,” Raja
replied.
Separately, Justice Akhtar asked if
trials of civilians could be held in military courts if an emergency was
imposed in the country and fundamental rights were suspended. Raja replied that
the laws in the US were very clear about this.
The CJP noted that such trials were held
in civilian courts.
Here, Justice Ayesha asked, “Are
military trials of civilians held in our region?”
Raja responded that the practice was not
followed in India.
At one point, Justice Bandial said that
the decision under the 21st Constitutional Amendment should be seen. “It
mentions the application of Army Act on those who take up weapons against the
armed forces.”
The hearing was then adjourned for 45
minutes.
Justice Shah recuses himself after
govt’s objections
Shortly after the hearing first began at
9:30am, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan came to the
rostrum and relayed the government’s objections to Justice Shah’s inclusion in
the bench as one of the petitioners, ex-CJP Khawaja, was related to him.
“One of the petitioners is Justice
Shah’s relative. Therefore, it may affect his conduct,” AGP Awan said.
However, CJP Bandial interjected and
said, “The bench will not be made according to your whims.” Expressing his
anger, the CJP said that the government “should not mock the judiciary”.
He asked on what basis the government
was objecting to Justice Shah’s presence on the bench. “Are you objecting to
the conflict of interest or bias?” he asked.
“We have always shown restraint. We
didn’t punish those flouting court directives,” Justice Bandial said, adding
that implementing the court’s directives was a “moral responsibility”.
He said that ex-CJP Khawaja was not a
political person.
“You are a lawyer of great character and
reputation. There is a whole series of objections regarding the bench being
raised repeatedly,” Justice Bandial said.
Talking about the elections suomotu
case, the CJP said that there was a discussion about whether the majority or
the minority verdict stood. “You are making the bench controversial again,” he
told the AGP.
This prompted Awan to state that
personally he had no objections to Justice Shah’s presence on the bench.
For his part, Justice Shah stated that
he had highlighted the fact that one of the petitioners was his relative at the
very first hearing and asked those with objections come forward.
At the same time, however, the judge
also recused himself from hearing the case.
The lawyers present during the hearing
urged the judge to reconsider, saying that the case concerned fundamental
rights.
“Try and understand, this is [a] judge’s
own decision. I cannot hear this case,” Justice Shah told them.
‘Govt not allowing courts to make
decisions’
Talking to the media outside the SC
after Justice Shah’s recused himself, senior lawyer Latif Khosa — who is
representing representing petitioner Aitzaz Ahsan in the case — said, “We
cannot bear such allegations against the SC by the federal government.”
He said the government was “not allowing
the courts to make decisions” and was disrupting fundamental rights. “They have
thrown the Constitution in the trash,” Khosa added.
The lawyer went on to recall the CJP’s
remarks from today’s hearing. “The CJP said the same things today. That the
same attitude has been going on in which they (the government) are entangling
us in [numbers].”
Khosa asserted that the judiciary had a
“moral authority” that was accepted by the people and the world. He urged the
government to “seriously think” about the matter.
The lawyer said he had informed the
court and Justice Shah that the federal government could not raise the
objection after it had already said two days ago that it had no issues with the
bench.
“They cannot take a U-turn. Two days
after the hearing, they have gotten a sudden revelation that an objection
should be raised on [Justice] Mansoor Ali Shah sahib,” he remarked.
The pleas
The petitions in question were filed by
former CJP Jawwad S. Khawaja, Aitzaz Ahsan, Karamat Ali, and PTI Chairman Imran
Khan.
Khawaja, who filed the petition through
his counsel Advocate Khawaja Ahmad, requested the top court to declare the
trial of civilians by military courts unconstitutional.
The former CJP pleaded that Section
2(1)(d)(i) and (ii) of the Pakistan Army Act were inconsistent with the
fundamental rights conferred by the Constitution and therefore void, and should
be struck down.
As an interim measure, all proceedings
against civilians based on the sections should be suspended or, in the
alternative, any military court should be restrained from passing a final order
in any case against civilians based on the sections, the petition stated.
Before this petition, five members of
civil society from different cities, through their counsel Faisal Siddiqi,
sought as illegal the trial of civilians in the military courts in connection
with the violence in the country of May 9.
Likewise, Ahsan, who has also served as
a former law minister and also spearheaded the 2007 lawyers’ movement,
explained that the primary purpose of his petition was to ensure that none of
the thousands of civilians who have admittedly been arrested for allegedly
having partaken in the May 9 violence and being nominated for trial be tried by
military courts.
The petitioner said he did not seek to
scuttle the trial of any civilian before any lawfully established court of
criminal jurisdiction.
In his petition, the PTI chairman sought
a declaration against the arrests, investigation, and trial of civilians in
peacetime under the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952 as well as the Official
Secrets Act 1923.
Source: dawn.com
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At least 21 women injured in stampede at
Karachi’s KPT Ground during disbursement of BISP funds
June 26, 2023
At least 21 women were injured in a
stampede during the disbursement of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP)
funds at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Ground on Monday, officials said.
Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed
initially told Dawn.com that a woman had died during the stampede but later
clarified that the victim was in critical condition.
According to Jackson Police Station
House Officer (SHO) Baber Hameed, the wounded women were moved to Civil
Hospital Karachi.
A patient list prepared by the hospital,
a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, showed that 21 patients were
brought to the facility.
SHO Hameed said that around “2,000 to
3,000” women had arrived to collect the funds. He suspected that the lock on
the main gate was broken due to which a huge number of women entered, leading
to the stampede.
The official regretted that there was
only one BISP centre — the KPT Ground — for the entire Keamari district, where
women from Machar Colony, Musharraf Colony, Kharadar and Mithadar came to
collect funds.
He added that Baldia police officials
and the district administration reached the site immediately after the incident
and the situation was under control now.
Disbursement of funds under the BISP had
resumed today after a break of two days due to intense heat in parts of the
country.
A report carried by state broadcaster
Radio Pakistan had quoted a BISP spokesperson as saying that the process of
payments would continue till Wednesday and would again commence on July 3,
after Eidul Azha.
Source: dawn.com
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---------
Two brothers held in Kohat for
assaulting sister
June 26, 2023
KOHAT: The police on Sunday arrested two
brothers for assaulting their 15-year-old sister for a year.
Officials said the victim came to the
relevant police station and told them that her real brother, Rehmat and
stepbrother, Ahmed, had been assaulting her for long and warned to kill her if
she revealed her ordeal to anyone.
Officials said the victim told them that
her brothers repeatedly assaulted her in their house as she had no parents and
was forced to live with them.
They said the police raided the Merozai
area and arrested Rehmat. They added the police also raided Miangan Colony and
arrested Ahmed from there.
The officials said the accused were
presented before a judge, who sent them on physical remand for further
interrogation.
Source: dawn.com
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Southeast Asia
Labelled Allah’s enemy, Harapan files
police report against preacher
Jun 26, 2023
PakatanHarapan has filed a police report
against independent preacher Zainul AsriMohdRomli for allegedly making
seditious statements by equating Kedah’s ‘political enemies’ to ‘enemies of
Allah’.
The report was made over Zainul’s speech
during the “Himpunan Kedah Berselawat" on June 24 where he expressed hope
that Allah would defend Kedah from being taken over by His enemies.
Harapan media mobilisation bureau chief
Mohamad Yahya made the report at the Dang Wangi police station in...
Source: malaysiakini.com
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https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/669991
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Police Investigate Alleged Blasphemy at
Al Zaytun Islamic Boarding School
26 June 2023
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Police’s
Criminal Investigation Department Head Comr. Gen. AgusAndrianto claimed to have
received orders from Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security
Affairs MahfudMd and the National Police Chief Gen. ListyoSigitPrabowo to
investigate alleged blasphemy at Al Zaytun Islamic Boarding School.
“Pak Coordinating Minister has discussed
this, and he directs us [to examine it],” Agus told reporters at the National
Police Headquarters, on Monday, June 26, 2023.
Agus said MahfudMd would establish a team
to support the police officers in investigating the case.
“We received a public report yesterday
regarding the alleged criminal act of blasphemy committed by the leader of Al
Zaytun Islamic boarding school, and we will carry out investigative steps,” he
explained.
The Islamic Boarding School leader,
PanjiGumilang, is considered to have spread heretical teachings, such as
allowing men and female to perform mass prayer in the same row, allowing
adultery in which sins can be redeemed with money, and planning to establish a
Christian boarding school. In his speech, Panji also openly claimed to be a
communist, while such an ideology is long banned in Indonesia.
According to the Indonesian Ulema
Council (MUI) on its website mui.or.id, Al Zaitun Islamic Boarding School has
been a source of controversy since decades ago. In 2002, the MUI team
discovered it is affiliated with the radical Indonesian Islamic State (NII) and
spread heretical teachings. “Some parties consider this boarding school to be
heretical and dangerous,” MUI said.
Source: en.tempo.co
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‘Not realistic’ for Malaysia to achieve
net-zero by itself, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
JUN 26 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia has
ambitious goals to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 — but the Southeast
Asian nation cannot do it alone, said the country’s Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim.
“They expect developing countries like
Malaysia to do it on our own which is not realistic,” Anwar told CNBC’s JP Ong
at the Energy Asia conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
In March, the International Renewable
Energy Agency forecast that Malaysia will need to double its renewable energy
transition investments to at least $375 billion in order to meet its 2050
net-zero emissions goals.
Anwar reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment
to these goals, but said partners in developed nations “have to understand that
the transition takes time and takes investments” and that they have to “play
their part.”
Anwar added, “A drastic step would be at
the expense of our education, health and development. But in terms of
commitment, it is there. The transition plan is there. The energy transition
has started, has begun.”
Source: cnbc.com
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Malaysia says ready to bring citizens
home amid tensions in Russia
26 Jun 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian government
is prepared to bring home 755 of its citizens from Russia if their safety is
compromised, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Monday (Jun 26).
“The government, through Wisma Putra
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs), has made arrangements to bring home Malaysian
citizens from the country at any time, if necessary,” he was quoted by Bernama
as telling a press conference after opening a Federal Bureau of Investigation
National Academy Associates (FBINAA) Asia Pacific Chapter Conference.
Ahmad Zahid said that the government is
closely monitoring the development of the tensions in Russia, particularly in
Moscow.
“Foreign Minister Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir
has also provided a briefing to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and myself, so we
are monitoring the situation there,” he reportedly said.
In an advisory on Saturday, the
Malaysian Embassy in Russia urged all Malaysians, particularly students in
Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Volgograd to stay vigilant and calm, limit
movement outdoors, as well as to avoid crowded areas.
It also advised Malaysians located in
Russia to carry personal documents such as their passport at all times and to ensure
that travel documents are valid and easily accessible.
Meanwhile, it advised Malaysians who
plan to travel to Russia for non-essential purposes against doing so until the
situation has improved.
On Sunday, Mr Zambry said that the
Malaysian embassy in Russia is in close contact with all 755 registered
Malaysians.
According to Bernama, it was reported
that Russia had, on Saturday, declared an anti-terrorist operation regime in
Moscow and the Moscow region after the chief of the Wagner mercenary group led
by Yevgeny Prigozhin vowed to overthrow Russia’s military leadership.
Prigozhin was once a close ally of
Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The brief revolt came to a halt after
the rebellious mercenary commander abruptly reached a deal with the Kremlin to
go into exile.
Under the deal announced on Saturday by
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Prigozhin will go to neighbouring Belarus,
which has supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Charges against him of
mounting an armed rebellion will be dropped.
Source: channelnewsasia.com
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https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-russia-moscow-government-citizens-home-safety-anti-terrorist-operation-regime-3586921
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URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslim-beef-maharashtra/d/130079