Muslims and Arabs Tell US House Judiciary Committee Hearing Of Their Experiences of Bigotry
New Age Islam News Bureau
02 March 2022
Steve Cohen, who chaired
the first part of the hearing, spoke of the importance of Muslim, Arab and
South Asian American communities in America’s history. (Screenshot)
------
• International Union of Muslim Scholars Condemns the
Trend of Military Expansion and Urge to End Russia-Ukraine War
• ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’ a Document to Check Terrorism,
Extremism, Says Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council
• Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Celebrates Doha
Agreement Anniversary
• FIR in Maharashtra against Narsinghanand for 'Hate
Speech' Against Abdul Kalam, Muslims
North
America
• US Secretary Of State Says Russian 'Crimes' Mounting
By Hour in Ukraine
• Turkiye's UN envoy calls for 'humanitarian pause' in
Ukraine
• US officials target corruption, terror funding in
Beirut talks
• US Still Committed To Selling F-35 Jets, Armed
Drones to UAE: Official
--------
Europe
• Ukraine Invasion Increases Friction between Erdogan
and Putin
• Minnesota school districts to observe Muslim Eid
holidays for the first time this year
• Ukraine appeals for more help from Israel, which
eyes ties to Russia
• Erdogan to EU over bloc membership: Show same
‘sensitivity’ for Ukraine to Turkey
• World Bank announces more than one billion dollars
in aid for Afghanistan
--------
Pakistan
• Quaid-i-Millat-i-Jafariya Hails President’s Steps
for Resolving Shia Community Issues
• Bill in Senate seeking provisional province status
for GB ‘rejected’
• Sikh pilgrims plant olive saplings at Kartarpur
• Pakistan Army to do all to provide peaceful
environment for socio-economic projects in Balochistan: COAS
• World urges Pakistan to condemn Ukraine conflict at
UN
--------
South
Asia
• Half Million Afghans Return to Country in Six Months:
Taliban
• Afghans with correct legal documents may travel
abroad: Taliban
• Mullah Baradar asks Afghan youths not to leave
country
• UNSC to hold meeting on Afghanistan today
• World Bank approves $1 billion in aid for
Afghanistan
• Khalilzad on Doha agreement: Afghan government
dawdled in negotiations
--------
India
• Hijab case: Admin of 'Mangalore Muslims' booked for
derogatory remark against HC judge
• Congress Acts Like It Is Muslims’ Kin, Says BJP
Karnataka Minister Eshwarappa
• India's Muslim Cricketer Mohammed Shami Hits Out At
Online Abuse
--------
Arab
World
• Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet Welcomes UN Resolution
Labelling Houthis as Terrorists
• Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Russia’s Putin agree on
preserving stability of global energy
• Saudi Arabia supports de-escalation in Ukraine:
Cabinet
• Saudi crown prince, Cyprus president hold talks in
Riyadh
• Iran, Syria must continue consultations on regional
issues: President Assad
--------
Southeast
Asia
• How ‘Multiculturalism’ Became a Bad Word in South
Korea
• 3 killed in Philippine army attack on Muslim
militant camp
• Hadi’s meet with Taliban delegates approved by PM,
says Saifuddin
• Civil court cannot hear breach of promise to marry
involving Muslims, says judge
--------
Africa
• South Africa: US Sanctions Alleged Islamic State
Fundraisers
• Libya’s parliament approves new government as crisis
escalates
• Turkiye, Nigeria agree to enhance cooperation on
health
• Tunisia welcomes first group of evacuees from
Ukraine
• Burkina Faso approves 3-year military-led transition
--------
Mideast
• OIC, GCC Welcome UN Resolution Designating Houthis
as Terrorist Group
• Israel violates rights of Palestinian journalists:
NGO
• Palestinian Islamic Jihad: Resistance now stronger
than ever
• Leader: Ukraine Victim of US Policies
• Iran Reiterates Demand for Elimination of All
Chemical Weapons
• Israeli forces kill three Palestinians in West Bank:
Ministry
• Israel’s Supreme Court freezes Palestinian evictions
in east Jerusalem
• 2 Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces in West
Bank
• Israeli forces must end use of excessive force, live
ammunition against Palestinians, EU urges
• 1000s of Palestinians to stage hunger strike to
protest jail conditions
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslims-arabs-judiciary-bigotry/d/126492
--------
Muslims and Arabs Tell US House Judiciary Committee
Hearing Of Their Experiences Of Bigotry
Steve Cohen, who chaired
the first part of the hearing, spoke of the importance of Muslim, Arab and
South Asian American communities in America’s history. (Screenshot)
------
March 02, 2022
WASHINGTON: The US House Judiciary Committee held a
hearing on Tuesday about racism and discrimination that targets Muslim, Arab
and South Asian Americans and violates of their civil rights.
It considered ways to raise awareness of the issue and
policies that might be enacted to combat it.
The hearing, said to be the first of its kind in 40
years, was held by the committee’s Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil
Liberties subcommittee. Its members emphasized the fact that the US is a
country of immigrants, founded on the principle of equality and justice for
all.
However, they acknowledged that acts of racism,
discrimination and bigotry directed toward Arab and Muslim Americans, African
Americans and other minorities persist.
Representative Steve Cohen, who chaired the first part
of the hearing, said during his opening statement that as a member of the US
Congress from the city of Memphis, Tennessee, which is home to a great number
of Muslim and Arab Americans, he has enjoyed sharing Ramadan meals with members
of the community over the years.
“The diversity of Muslim, Arab and South Asian
American communities reflects our history as a nation of immigrants,” he said.
Acts of discrimination against minorities in the US,
especially African Americans, have been committed by the government as well as
by fellow American citizens, he added.
By way of an example of of the injustices committed by
US authorities against minority groups he highlighted Jim Crow legislation, a
body of laws enacted in southern states following the end of the American Civil
War in 1865 that legalized racial discrimination and segregation.
The committee heard testimony from several elected
members, including Ilhan Omar, a representative from Minnesota who is Muslim
and was the first African refugee to become a member of Congress; Andre Carson,
an African American representative from Indiana; Pramila Jayapal; an Indian
American immigrant who represents Seattle, Washington;
and Judy Chu an Asian American representative from California.
Carson spoke of his own experiences of racism and
discrimination as a young African American and Muslim growing up in Indiana. He
highlighted the importance of solidarity among Muslim communities in America
and told how that community had fought for his rights and helped him when, as a
young man, he was arrested by the police while standing close to a mosque.
“I learned a real lesson that day: That being black
and being Muslim put someone like me under double scrutiny,” he said.
Carson pointed out that Muslim Americans have
contributed to the success and prosperity of America in all walks of life but
that the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 had changed the perception of Muslims in the
US for the worse.
“I hope today’s hearing raises more awareness of the
very life-changing impacts of discrimination against Muslims,” he added.
Omar told the hearing that she, too, was a victim of
discrimination because of her race and faith. She said she had worked with
fellow members of Congress to repeal a ban, implemented during President Donald
Trump’s term in office, on people from a number of Muslim-majority countries
entering the US. She added that she has worked on a variety of legislation
designed to end discriminatory policies against Muslim Americans and other minority
groups.
In a statement, Chris Habiby, the legislative and
policy coordinator of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, welcomed
the hearing and stressed the need for a vigorous approach by Congress and the
US government to address discrimination and violence against Arab and Muslim
Americans.
He said the last time the issue was tackled was in
1986, shortly after Palestinian American civil rights activist Alex Odeh was
assassinated in California. His murder, which remains unsolved, was described
as an act of terrorism against Arab Americans.
“This is the first hearing to examine the
discrimination and violence our community faces in almost 40 years,” Habiby
added.
“While this is the first hearing on discrimination
against Arab, Muslim and South Asian Americans in the post 9/11 era, it
hopefully will not be the last.”
Committee members also heard from several Muslim and
South Asian American citizens who told how they had experienced incidents of
bigotry and racism in the US based on their faith or the color of their skin.
Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, who is Indian American and an
associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Penn State University in
Pennsylvania, said that the Sept. 11 attacks had been used by the US government
to restrict the civil liberties of Arab Americans and Muslims.
“In the post-9/11 era, executive-branch agencies used
national security as a basis for new immigration policies that targeted Muslim,
Arab and South Asian American communities,” she added.
Source: Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2034276/world
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International
Union of Muslim Scholars Condemns the Trend of Military Expansion and Urge to
End Russia-Ukraine War
(IUMS)
urged for an end to the Russian war in Ukraine.
Representative
Photo/ International Quran News Agency
------
March
2, 2022
In
a statement, The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) urged for an end
to the Russian war in Ukraine.
According
to the statement, the union also called for a "serious dialogue to begin
between the two sides based on neighbourly ties and common interests."
The
IUMS said that it "rejects and condemns the trend of military expansion
and the relentless pursuit of expansion and military hegemony."
Meanwhile,
the statement said that the IUMS "extends prayers and supplications for
the displaced and follows up with great concern on the situation of all the
displaced women, children and the elderly who escaped the conflict and left
their homes."
It
called on all charities and humanitarian and international bodies in the
Islamic world and elsewhere "to expedite the delivery of humanitarian,
food and health assistance to our displaced brothers."
It
pointed out that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "None of you
will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself."
The
IUMS reiterated that "protecting and caring for any soul … is charity, and
there is a great reward with God Almighty. Therefore, we call on health and
medical organisations to do their duty towards the wounded and sick."
"We
urgently call on countries that have good relations with both sides such as
Turkiye and Pakistan to carry out sincere and serious mediation efforts to
immediately stop the devastating war."
Source:
ABNA24
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://en.abna24.com/news//union-of-muslim-scholars-urge-end-to-russia-ukraine-war_1234921.html
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‘Paigham-e-Pakistan’
a Document To Check Terrorism, Extremism, Says Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council
President
Mamnoon Hussain being presented a memnto during launching ceremony of
‘Paigham-i-Pakistan' fatwa
-----
By
Asim Yasin
March
02, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), Special Representative to Prime Minister
on Religious Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi said
'Paigham-e-Pakistan' is an articulated eminent document, which has been drafted
in accordance with the moderate message of Islam for eradication of the menace
of extremism and terrorism with unanimous thinking of all the religious schools
of thought and religions of Pakistan.
“From
the elimination of suicide attacks to the importance of negotiations,
'Paigham-e-Pakistan Code of Conduct' provides guidance and everyone can benefit
from Paigham-e-Pakistan document,” he said in a joint press conference along
with President Church of Pakistan Bishop Azad Marshall here Tuesday and issued
a declaration stating that Bishop of Canterbury Justin Welby visited Pakistan
on the invitation of Church of Pakistan with the coordination of PUC.
Archbishop
of Canterbury Justin Welby, during his three day visit of Pakistan, visited
Lahore, Peshawar and Islamabad and held meetings with religious leadership.
Archbishop of Canterbury also visited Grand Jamia Masjid Bahria Town Lahore and
also inaugurated 'Peace Center' at Kohati Church in Peshawar.
Hafiz
Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi said, “We thank all the religious leaders and
institutions involved in the preparation of this great code of conduct of
Paigham-e-Pakistan. Views of the leadership of Pakistan regarding the
protection of the rights of minorities in Pakistan are valuable.”
President
Church of Pakistan Azad Marshall quoted remarks of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Justin Welby on conclusion of his three-day visit of Pakistan, “Pakistan and
people of Pakistan are very hospitable with beautiful deeds of morality and
following the meeting with the leadership of Pakistan, some perceptions comes
to an end,” he said while quoting remarks of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Justin Welby.
Tahir
Mahmood Ashrafi said that the Archbishop of Canterbury was also presented with
the 'Paigham-e-Pakistan Code of Conduct' prepared by the religious leadership
of Pakistan, on which he termed the document as representative of all
religions, stating that all the heavenly religions and the holy books teach the
lessons of peace, tolerance and endurance. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin
Welby also thanked Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi and President of the
Church of Pakistan Bishop Azad Marshall for the invitation and the excellent
arrangements made by the Government of Pakistan for the visit.
In
response to a question, Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi said that Pakistan is not part of
any bloc. Pakistan has been making efforts for peace, security and stability.
He also pointed out that the prime minister's visit to Russia was scheduled
earlier. Ashrafi also announced that Paigham-e-Pakistan Ulema-Mashaykh
Conference will be held on 7th March, 2022 in Islamabad.
Source:
The News Pakistan
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan Celebrates Doha Agreement Anniversary
Doha
Agreement/File Photo
-----
March
2, 2022
Two
years ago Tuesday, the then United States’ special envoy for Afghanistan
reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad signed a peace deal with Mullah Abdul Ghani
Baradar on Hot 10 (solar calendar) in Doha, Qatar.
The
deal, which is often referred to as the "Doha Agreement" set the
stage for the withdrawal of foreign forces and the end of America’s longest war
in Afghanistan.
What
were the consequences of the agreement and how has it benefited Afghanistan?
Suhail
Shaheen, the head of the Islamic Emirate’s political office in Doha called the
agreement a milestone in Afghan history, saying some parts of the agreement
have yet to be implemented. like removal of names from the blacklist.
In
tweets regarding the agreement, Shaheen said the sanctions on Afghanistan, and
the lack of recognition of the current government of Afghanistan, contradicts
the spirit of the Doha Agreement.
Anas
Haqqani, a senior member of the Islamic Emirate, stated that the agreement
paved the way for the end of the war. “Afghanistan and the US are no longer
military targets for each other.”
“It
has been generally implemented, but parts of the agreement have not been, like
the removal of Islamic Emirate officials from the blacklist and starting
relations with the Islamic government, which has been established in
Afghanistan. We are looking forward to such commitments,” said Zabihullah
Mujahid, spokesman of the government.
Meanwhile,
Afghan political experts said the agreement paved the way for the return of the
Islamic Emirate to power.
“The
Doha agreement signing is a painful date for the people of Afghanistan...it is
a date that they can call their victory,” said Shukria Barakzai, a former
Afghan diplomat.
A
complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan, the beginning of
Intra-Afghan negotiations, permanent ceasefire and the prevention of Afghan
soil being used against the US and its allies were the key points of the agreement.
“I
have always said that we will not agree on anything until we agree on
everything,” said Zalmay Khalilzad on April 28, 2019.
However,
the ceasefire has not occurred and intra-Afghan dialogue has failed.
“The
Americans were seeking to leave Afghanistan in a way, they never thought about
the Afghans and honor of Afghanistan, so they brought nothing except misery,”
said Sayed Ishaq Gailani, the head of the National Solidarity Movement of
Afghanistan.
In
connection with the Doha Agreement, the Islamic Emirate issued a statement that
Afghanistan is no longer a threat for any country across the globe, and foreign
countries can open relations with Afghanistan.
Source:
Tolo News
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-176927
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FIR
in Maharashtra against Narsinghanand for 'Hate Speech' Against Abdul Kalam,
Muslims
Yati
Narsinghanand. Photo: Twitter
-----
March
02, 2022
New
Delhi: Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar Police has registered an FIR (first information
report) against militant Hindutva leader Yati Narsinghanand for his March 2021
remarks against former president late A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and the Muslim
community, National Herald has reported.
Narsinghanand
has been booked under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups
on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and
doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 153 B (imputations,
assertions prejudicial to national integration), 295 A (Deliberate and
malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by
insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 505 ( Statements conducing to
public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.
The
move came after an Ahmednagar district court instructed the local police to
register a case against him under Section 156 (3) (police officer’s power to
investigate cognisable case) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
This
comes after three petitioners – Arshid
Shaikh, Bahirnath Wakale and Anand Lokhande – moved the court on July 23, 2021
for a criminal case to be filed against the Hindutva rabblerouser.
In
March last year, Narsinghanand accused former president Kalam of “selling
formulae for atom bombs to Pakistan”, and called him “Jihadi number one”.
He
also linked Afzal Guru to Kalam, accusing the latter of commissioning a special
cell to the former at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Guru was secretly hanged in 2013
over claims that he was involved in the 2001 parliament bombing case.
Continuing
further with his tirade against Kalam, Narsinghanand had said several Hindu
scientists were assassinated when Kalam headed the Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) – India’s premier agency for military research
and development.
He
also said Aligarh Muslim University, Jamia Millai Islamia and Darul Uloom
Deoband were transforming India into Afghanistan. In 2029, India will have a
Muslim prime minister, who will lead the country into darkness, he added.
Narsignhanand’s remarks at that time had gone viral on social media.
The
petitioners after the FIR was lodged said Narsinghanand had been attacking the
unity of India and must be put behind the bars.
“Rabid
communalist elements like Narsinghanand are attacking the unity of the nation
and must be sent behind the bars. Hardcore terrorists like him give inhuman
calls like the genocide of Muslims during the Dharma Sansad held recently. Such
violent extremists must be arrested and sent into long-term imprisonment to
maintain peace and communal harmony in society. We appreciate the strong step
taken by Ahmednagar Police to book the enemy of the nation under relevant
sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),” a statement issued by petitioners
said.
The
Dasna temple head priest was recently released from jail after having been
arrested in connection with the Haridwar Dharma Sansad hate speech against
Muslims and other cases on February 18.
His
release follows a bail he secured on February 15 in a case where he was accused
of making objectionable remarks against women and abusing a journalist.
Source:
The Wire
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://thewire.in/communalism/fir-against-narsinghanand-for-hate-speech-against-abdul-kalam-muslims
--------
North America
US Secretary Of State Says Russian 'Crimes' Mounting By Hour in Ukraine
Mar
1, 2022
GENEVA:
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told the UN Human Rights Council on
Tuesday that Russian "crimes" in Ukraine are "mounting by the
hour", with strikes hitting hospitals, schools and residential buildings.
Blinken,
addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, said that the forum's urgent
debate on Ukraine scheduled for Thursday, where a resolution brought by Kyiv
and allies would set up an international probe into violations, is an
"important step toward ensuring documentation and accountability".
"We
must send a resolute and unified message that President (Vladimir) Putin should
unconditionally stop this," he said.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Turkiye's
UN envoy calls for 'humanitarian pause' in Ukraine
Servet
Günerigök
01.03.2022
WASHINGTON
Turkiye's
envoy at the UN called Monday for an immediate "humanitarian pause"
in Ukraine as Russia’s attack on the country entered its sixth day.
"It
is the only way to prevent a grave and irreversible loss of innocent civilian
lives," said Feridun Sinirlioglu at a rare special emergency session of
the UN General Assembly.
Earlier,
Ukrainian and Russian delegations held talks in the Gomel region of Belarus,
which borders both sides to the conflict. After the five-hour long talks, both
sides agreed to hold a second round of negotiations to achieve a cease-fire
soon.
Sinirlioglu
said the talks between the parties must be results-oriented for a cease-fire.
"It
should be approached with good faith and not be misused to buy time."
He
said the UN is not powerless and has the power to pave the way for a peaceful
solution.
"But
if we fail to take action, the rising death toll will rest on the conscience of
humanity for decades to come. History will not judge us kindly.
"We
will be remembered as the generation that did not defend helpless people,"
he added.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/turkiyes-un-envoy-calls-for-humanitarian-pause-in-ukraine/2518972
--------
US
officials target corruption, terror funding in Beirut talks
March
01, 2022
BEIRUT:
A US Treasury delegation on Tuesday held talks with officials in Beirut on the
Lebanese government’s cooperation in combating money laundering and corruption,
as well as the crisis in the Lebanese banking sector.
The
delegation — headed by Paul Ahern, principal deputy assistant secretary at the
US Treasury; his deputy Eric Meyer; and a group of experts in financial crime —
was following up discussions the previous day on combating terror financing,
and illicit drug and smuggling operations,
President
Michel Aoun told US officials that Lebanese laws “are applied firmly and
accurately in this field, and international financial institutions testify to
that.”
Aoun
said: “Lebanon actively participates in international efforts to combat money
laundering, and plays its role in the Financial Action Group for this purpose
in the Middle East region. It also established the National Coordination
Committee for Combating the Financing of Terrorism and the National
Anti-Corruption Commission.”
The
Lebanese leader pledged that the fight against corruption “will continue
unabated during the remainder of the presidential term,” and cited the forensic
audit of the central bank’s accounts as “one of its most prominent
manifestations.”
Aoun
said that the capital control bill targeting foreign transfers and cash
withdrawals from banks in Lebanon is due to be approved by parliament before
its mandate ends in May.
He
also thanked the US for its support for Lebanon’s army , as well as
humanitarian, development, health and educational assistance.
The
US delegation on Monday met Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister
Najib Mikati and Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi to discuss the fight against
terror financing, and drug and smuggling operations, as well as the country’s
preparations for parliamentary elections in May.
Talks
focused on sanctions against Hezbollah and figures close to the party over
illegal finance operations.
According
to Lebanon’s Almarkaziya news agency, the meeting discussed the continuing
investigation into Riad Salameh, the central bank governor, and its likely
impact Lebanon’s financial and monetary stability.
Observers
said that the delegation’s visit is proof that the US will refuse to tolerate
any reluctance by political, financial and banking authorities in Lebanon to
apply US sanctions, especially when it comes to corruption and terrorism
financing.
US
officials also discussed Hezbollah’s financial arm, the Al-Qard Al-Hassan
Association, which is subject to US sanctions.
Meanwhile,
an IMF delegation headed by Ernesto Ramirez continued talks with Lebanese
officials, including Mikati and Berri, on the country’s financial and economic
recovery strategy.
The
IMF is waiting for Lebanese authorities to begin acting on promises of reforms
required by the international community, including an electricity plan since
this issue alone is responsible for about half of the deficit in the state’s general
budget.
Despite
high-level talks during the past two weeks, the government has been unable to
reach a final formula on the plan.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2034191/middle-east
--------
US
still committed to selling F-35 jets, armed drones to UAE: Official
01
March ,2022
A
senior US official stressed Tuesday that the US was committed to selling F-35
fighter jets and armed drones to the UAE.
“They
know that we are committed, and we are making sure that they have all of the
information they need to move forward,” Assistant Secretary of State for
Political-Military Affairs Jessica Lewis said.
Pressed
that the deal isn’t happening and “they are starting to notice,” Lewis said:
“We are talking to them on a regular basis. They know that we are committed.”
Lewis
was speaking alongside Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and
Capabilities Mara Karlin at an Armed Services Committee hearing.
The
initial deal, agreed to by the Trump administration as part of the UAE
normalizing ties with Israel, has faced pushback by progressive Democrats in
Congress.
Visibly
frustrated, the UAE decided to suspend talks over the $23 billion deal in
December.
Threats
from Houthis
Lewis
and Karlin cited the threats facing the UAE from the Iran-backed Houthis and
vowed to continue helping Gulf allies defend themselves.
“The
UAE is really facing enhanced threats from the Houthis inside Yemen. And we
have also committed to partnering with them as they manage that problem and
that challenge,” Lewis said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Europe
Ukraine
Invasion Increases Friction Between Erdogan and Putin
By
Carlotta Gall
March
1, 2022
RZESZOW,
Poland — In the hours before dawn, as the world held its breath watching the
first movements of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, the Turkish
military made a last-minute dash to evacuate diplomatic staff and other
citizens of Turkey from the capital, Kyiv.
Two
military cargo planes entered Ukrainian airspace soon after midnight and
circled down into Boryspil International Airport, the main civilian airport
that lies 18 miles east of Kyiv city center.
But
the planes ended up stranded. So too were their military crews, and the Turkish
diplomats and citizens they were trying to evacuate. At 5 a.m., Russia
unleashed the first salvos of its war on Ukraine, making any flight out
impossible.
Pictures
of the airport the next day, obtained from the commercial satellite imagery
company Planet Labs, show two gray military cargo planes parked in the open at
one side of the airport, which so far has not been a target of Russian
airstrikes.
The
stuck planes have now become Exhibit A of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s
misreading of the Ukraine situation, opening him to criticism at home for not
evacuating Turkish citizens in time, for misjudging President Vladimir V. Putin
of Russia and for not taking American warnings of an invasion seriously enough.
Mr.
Erdogan and Mr. Putin have had a sometimes close, sometimes contentious
relationship as the Turkish leader has cultivated links with Moscow — partly as
leverage against the West, but also out of necessity, since Turkey is being
squeezed from several sides by Russia.
Turkey
is a NATO member, but so much distrust has built up because of Mr. Erdogan’s
flirtations with Russia that it was not invited into at least one of the
alliance’s leadership-level meetings before the Russian invasion, according to
Asli Aydintasbas, a senior fellow with the European Council on Foreign
Relations.
At
the same time, Mr. Putin and Mr. Erdogan have in recent years found themselves
on opposite sides of conflicts in Azerbaijan, Libya and Syria.
Russian
troops in Syria have long threatened to press their offensive against the last
rebel-held area in that country, which could force up to four million Syrians
to flee into Turkey. And since 2020, the Russian military has expanded its
footprint in the Caucasus region.
Now
Russia looks poised to dominate the northern shores of the Black Sea with its
advances in Ukraine, where Mr. Erdogan has irritated Russia by selling
Turkish-made drones, some of which have been used to strike Russian armored
convoys since the invasion began, according to Ukrainian officials.
Mr.
Erdogan and Mr. Putin spoke on the telephone on Feb. 23, hours before the start
of the invasion. Mr. Erdogan repeated his offer of mediation between Russia and
Ukraine and reiterated his invitation to Mr. Putin to visit Istanbul for a
meeting with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
“President
Erdogan stated that he always attaches great importance to the close dialogue
he established with Russian President Putin on regional issues, that they have
seen the positive results of this and that he is determined to maintain this
understanding,” an official statement from the Turkish presidency said.
Mr.
Erdogan has maintained an even tone in his public statements over the
situation, describing the invasion of Ukraine as “unacceptable” but continuing
to call for a peaceful resolution.
But
there is a sense of anger in Mr. Erdogan’s presidential circle that Mr. Putin
lied to them about his intentions in Ukraine, Ms. Aydintasbas said.
“Turkey
was late in taking action and evacuating its people,” Ms. Aydintasbas wrote in
a text message, adding, “They never believed the U.S. scenario of a full-scale
invasion and dismissed U.S. warnings.”.
“I
suspect Erdogan trusted his relationship with Putin and thought it would be a
minor incursion,” she added. “Turkey also failed to evacuate its citizens based
on that belief. That’s proving to be a huge miscalculation.”
The
situation seemed to have inspired a shift in Turkey’s stance toward Russia on
Sunday, when both the Turkish foreign minister and head of presidential
communications described Moscow’s intervention against Ukraine for the first
time as an act of war.
Turkey
oversees access to the Black Sea through the Montreux Convention, a 1936
international treaty that regulates sea vessels passing through the Bosporus.
Defining the situation as war would allow Turkey to close the Bosporus to
vessels of the countries involved.
There
remains a loophole for Russia, since, as one of the littoral states on the
Black Sea, it can claim the movement of vessels is for them to return to their
home base. Russian warships and a submarine have already passed through to the
Black Sea in recent weeks and have played a part in the attack on Ukraine, but
Turkey’s action may complicate Russia’s ability to send reinforcements or
resupply its forces.
“It’s
not a game changer but it’s a nuisance for the Russians,” Ms. Aydintasbas said.
“It’s a nuisance not to be able to have their Mediterranean fleet go up” the
Bosporus to the Black Sea. The change in tone was “indicative of the sentiments
in Turkey,” she added.
Not
much is known about Turkey’s decision-making process in the last hours before
the outbreak of war, but it is clear that Mr. Erdogan miscalculated the speed
and the severity of the Russian operation, and the urgency for an evacuation.
According
to flight-tracking records, two Turkish Air Force planes landed at Kyiv, one
with the code TUAF600, at 12:15 a.m. on Thursday and the second, TUAF601, at
3:43 a.m., said Justin Bronk, a research
fellow for air power and technology at the Royal United Services Institute in
London.
Two
hours after the first plane landed, Ukraine announced that it was closing its airspace
because of the impending Russian attack. The second Turkish plane appeared to
turn back, missing its scheduled landing at 2:46 a.m., but then proceeded and
landed about an hour later.
There
are no flight records of the two military planes leaving in the hours after
they landed, Mr. Bronk said. Both Ukraine and Russia had announced the closing
of airspace by then, he noted.
The
flights could have left unseen if the pilots turned off their transponders, Mr.
Bronk said. But the satellite images seen by The New York Times indicate
otherwise.
Turkey
has been calling its citizens in Ukraine individually for the last month,
urging them to leave, and is still trying to evacuate 6,600 citizens from the
country, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday.
A
Turkish student stuck in Kharkiv, a northeastern city that has come under the
most intense assault, posted on Twitter to appeal for help on Saturday.
“We
are a student community of 35 people in Ukraine/Kharkiv (this number is not the
total number of students in Kharkiv),” the student, Ahmet Kagan Gumus, wrote.
“3 of us were evacuated and now we are 32. For the first time, we hear the
sounds of clashes, bombardments, helicopters and jets from very close.”
The
predicament of Turkish citizens — students, tourists and business professionals
— stuck in Ukraine as the war intensifies is not unique. Thousands of
foreigners have been struggling to flee, including Afghan refugees, African
students and employees of Western companies and embassies.
Source:
New York Times
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/01/world/europe/ukraine-russia-turkey-putin-erdogan.html
--------
Minnesota
school districts to observe Muslim Eid holidays for the first time this year
01
March, 2022
Even
with its growing Muslim community, Minnesota's district schools have until now
not officially observed Muslim holidays. That will change starting next school
year, when several school districts will recognise Eid El-Fitr and Eid El-Adha
as official school holidays.
"Muslims
are no longer a tiny minority. In some districts, they represent a large
percentage of Muslims," Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Council
of American-Muslim Relations-Minnesota, told The New Arab.
"Many
are traditional Muslims, so taking part in Eid holidays is important for
them."
The
school districts that will observe the holidays are Minneapolis, Hopkins,
Moorhead and Mankato. In addition to these districts having high Muslim --
mainly Somali -- populations, some of the leaders of the schoolboards are also
Muslim, which Hussein said has helped the process.
With
this new policy across several school districts, Minnesota joins a growing
number of states that are increasingly recognising Muslim holidays.
"We
expect more of this to happen," said Hussein, "Now that we have
momentum, we will target more districts."
Though
counties across the US with high Muslim populations have been making their
cases for the inclusion of Muslim holidays in schools, the decisions are not
always based on numbers.
Source:
The New Arab
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/minnesota-school-districts-oberve-muslim-eid-holidays
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Ukraine
appeals for more help from Israel, which eyes ties to Russia
01
March ,2022
The
Ukrainian envoy to Israel tearfully implored it to provide more war aid on
Tuesday even as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett defended his government's open
channels to both Kyiv and Moscow as a means of offering “quiet” help.
While
the Israeli foreign minister has condemned the Russian invasion, Bennett's
rhetoric has been circumspect. At Kyiv's behest, he proposed Israel mediate
peace talks. He has also voiced solidarity with Ukraine and sent it
humanitarian relief.
Ambassador
Yevgen Korniychuk said Israel had not met Ukraine's request for helmets and
“defensive weapons” like those given by Western powers. Israel should yank
Russian broadcasters popular with its big former Soviet immigrant community, he
said.
“We
want Israel to support us by all means in these difficult days,” he told
reporters, tears in his eyes. “We are asking for (its) humanity, to understand
our people's needs.”
Israel
is keen to keep rank with its U.S. ally on the crisis. But it is also mindful
of Moscow's military sway in next-door Syria, where it regularly strikes
Iranian targets. Israeli-Russian contacts prevent them trading fire by
accident.
“Israel
effectively has a security border with Russia,” Foreign Minister Yair Lapid
said in a televised statement. “Our cooperation mechanism assists in our
determined battle against Iranian entrenchment on our northern border.”
Bennett
said Israel's “measured and responsible approach” to the crisis “allows us not
only to guard our interests, but also to be useful -- to be a credible player,
one of the few that can communicate directly with both parties, and assist as
required”.
“And
we are indeed helping -- quietly,” he said in a speech at Mossad intelligence
headquarters, according to his office.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Erdogan
to EU over bloc membership: Show same ‘sensitivity’ for Ukraine to Turkey
01
March ,2022
Turkey’s
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the European Union to show the “same
sensitivity” it showed for Ukraine’s membership bid for Turkey's application,
state news agency Anadolu reported on Tuesday.
“We
appreciate the efforts to get Ukraine into the EU. But I say to these EU
members, why are you still worried about taking Turkey into the EU. Show the
same sensitivity for Turkey as you do about Ukraine,” he said.
“Will
you put Turkey on your agenda when someone attacks [us] too?” he added.
Turkey
is formally a candidate for EU membership, but its bid to join the bloc has
been at a standstill for years over European concerns of the country's human
rights record and Erdogan's aggressive foreign policy manoeuvres in the
Mediterranean Sea.
Ukraine's
EU bid
Russia
launched a comprehensive assault on Ukraine on February 24 that saw hundreds
injured and killed dozens of civilians according to Kyiv’s authorities.
Despite
crippling and wide-ranging sanctions imposed on Russia by the US and the EU,
President Vladimir Putin shows no signs of relenting.
Ukraine’s
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially asked for EU membership on Monday.
Zelenskyy
addressed the European Parliament on Tuesday via video conference and said: “We
are fighting to be equal members of Europe… Do prove that you are with us. Do
prove that you will not let us go.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
World
Bank announces more than one billion dollars in aid for Afghanistan
02
March ,2022
The
World Bank on Tuesday announced more than $1 billion in humanitarian aid for
Afghanistan, stating the money will go to UN agencies and international NGOs
while remaining “outside the control” of the country’s Taliban rulers.
The
reallocation from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) follows the
$280 million in ARTF funds disbursed last December, and is aimed at supporting
the humanitarian response over the critical winter months.
The
funds, to be delivered in the form of grants, aim “to support the delivery of
essential basic services, protect vulnerable Afghans, help preserve human
capital and key economic and social services and reduce the need for
humanitarian assistance in the future,” the Washington-based lender said in a
statement.
The
bank suspended its aid to Kabul late last August after the hardline Taliban
swept back into power.
ARTF
is a multi-donor fund that coordinates international aid to improve the lives
of millions of Afghans. It is administered by the World Bank on behalf of donor
partners.
Until
the Taliban took over, the ARTF was the largest source of development funding
for Afghanistan, financing up to 30 percent of the government’s budget.
Because
the World Bank is unable to provide money directly to the Taliban regime --
which is not recognized by the international community -- it has redirected the
funds to organizations like UN children’s agency UNICEF in response to the
humanitarian crisis.
Afghanistan’s
population has faced food shortages and mounting poverty since the Taliban took
over.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
Quaid-i-Millat-i-Jafariya
Hails President’s Steps for Resolving Shia Community Issues
March
02, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Quaid-i-Millat-i-Jafariya Agha Syed Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi welcomed the notice
taken by President Arif Alvi of the demands of Tehreek Nafaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafariya
(TNFJ) and issuing orders to all related ministries and provinces for resolving
issues of Shia community.
He
made it clear that Pakistan can be further strengthened, become stable and
invincible only by ensuring due rights of all schools of Islamic thought,
provinces and nationalities. He said they adopted the path of protest owing to
repeated violations of their rights and emphasised that they would wait for
practical steps for addressing their issues.
Source:
The News Pakistan
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Bill
in Senate seeking provisional province status for GB ‘rejected’
Jamil
Nagri
March
2, 2022
GILGIT:
A parliamentary committee of Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly has rejected
a private members’ bill submitted by four senators of the Balochistan Awami
Party (BAP) in the Senate seeking provisional province status for GB.
According
to a joint statement issued by 12 members of the GB Legislative Assembly, the
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam condemned the move of the senators
and announced their decision to oppose it.
The
statement said a meeting of the parliamentary committee on GB provisional
province draft was held in Islamabad on Monday. It said any move without
consulting the GB people would be resisted.
It
said the parliamentary committee members on GB provisional province were
preparing recommendations for draft of the amendment bill.
“The
bill submitted by BAP members in the Senate in a dramatic way is not
acceptable,” it said.
The
statement said that GB Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan had spoken to Prime
Minister Imran Khan and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and they had assured him
that the bill submitted by BAP would be withdrawn. They said that any draft
bill other than the one prepared by elected members of GB would not be
accepted.
The
GB lawmakers announced the decision to boycott work on preparation of the draft
till withdrawal of the bill submitted by BAP senators.
Meanwhile,
PPP leader Amjad Hussain appreciated the bill submitted by the BAP senators.
Talking to media, he said the parliamentary committee of GB assembly was just a
waste of time. He alleged that the committee members were trying to get
concessions to complete their tenure.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1677784/bill-in-senate-seeking-provisional-province-status-for-gb-rejected
--------
Sikh
pilgrims plant olive saplings at Kartarpur
March
2, 2022
NAROWAL:
A group of Indian Sikh pilgrims on Tuesday planted olive saplings to mark
launch of a tree planting campaign at Kartarpur.
The
pilgrims are on a visit to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. They, along with Kartarpur
Management Unit Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Latif, began a campaign by
planting saplings on the agricultural land.
Sardar
Harmindar Singh and Sardar Sarvinder Singh said they were honoured to have an
opportunity to plant trees on Baba Guru Nanak’s agricultural land.
Pareet
Korr Haryana and Manjit Singh Haryana said it was a great pleasure to plant
saplings which would one day grow into big trees.
The
CEO said olive saplings had been planted as part of Billion Tree project of
Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said 1,000 olive trees were being planted over 10
acre.
ARREST:
The Sialkot police claim to have arrested a man who raped and killed a
12-year-old boy after abducting him.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1677740/sikh-pilgrims-plant-olive-saplings-at-kartarpur
--------
Pakistan
Army to do all to provide peaceful environment for socio-economic projects in
Balochistan: COAS
March
1, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Tuesday said that peace
and prosperity of Balochistan is the top priority and Pakistan Army will do all
to provide peaceful environment for population centric socio-economic projects
in Balochistan.
The
COAS expressed these views during his interactions with the a large number of
representatives from all segments of society from District Kech, including
local leaders and notables, tribal elders, students, lawyers and women in
Turbat University.
COAS
said that Balochistan youth is very talented and must capitalize on the
available opportunities being created for their education and skill
development. COAS also encouraged the youth to join local LEAs and contribute
towards the security and stability of the area.
“The
people of Balochistan have given great sacrifices for development and
stability. Through Comprehensive National effort, true potential of Balochistan
will be realised,” COAS concluded.
Earlier,
upon arrival at Turbat, the COAS was given detailed briefing on security
situation of Balochistan and border management measures being ensured by
Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali, Commander Quetta Corps.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
World
urges Pakistan to condemn Ukraine conflict at UN
March
1, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
The heads of some 22 diplomatic missions stationed in Islamabad have urged
Pakistan to condemn Russia’s aggression in Ukraine during a rare emergency
meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, as the West steps up a
diplomatic campaign to isolate Moscow.
The
session of the 193-member body will vote on a draft resolution “to demand the
end of hostilities, protection of civilians, and safe and unhindered
humanitarian access to meet the urgent needs of the population”.
It
is similar to a text vetoed by Russia in the 15-member Security Council on
Friday. No country has a veto in the General Assembly and Western diplomats
expect the resolution, which needs two-thirds support, to be adopted.
In
a joint letter written to Pakistan on Tuesday, the ambassadors recalled the
February 25 resolution vetoed by Moscow. China, India and the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) abstained and the remaining 11 members voted yes.
The
diplomats said the resolution was aimed at reaffirming the commitment to the
sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within
its internationally recognised borders and would have deplored in the strongest
terms the violence in Ukraine.
UN
General Assembly meets again today in an historic Emergency Special Session: 🇪🇺🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇯🇵 urge 🇵🇰 to join in condemning Russian
aggression against 🇺🇦 #Ukraine and voice support for
upholding the 🇺🇳UN Charter & founding
principles of international law. #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/cGbij3L9HK
—
Wendy Gilmour (@gilmour_wendy) March 1, 2022
“In
addition, the resolution called on Russia to immediately, completely and
unconditionally withdraw all its military forces from the territory of
Ukraine,” the letter read.
The
violence “constitutes a clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations
and presents a serious risk to global peace and security”, it added.
“We
deplore the loss of life and humanitarian suffering as innocent civilians are
being targeted and a mass exodus of women and children is underway into
neighbouring countries from Ukraine, an independent and sovereign state and
member of the United Nations. This is unacceptable in Europe, as it is anywhere
in the World.”
The
diplomats stressed the international community must work in solidarity and
support and uphold the rules-based international order “in these extreme
times”.
The
letter is jointly signed by the ambassadors of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal,
Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, Japan, Norway and Switzerland
as well as the head of the Delegation of the European Union in Pakistan.
The
high commissioners of Canada, the United Kingdom and the chargé d’affaires of
Australia are also signatories to the letter.
Quoting
a diplomatic source, a report in Dawn said Islamabad had decided not to
participate in the emergency session of the General Assembly.
“Pakistan
has decided not to take sides on this issue,” the report said. “Islamabad
supports a peaceful and negotiated settlement [of the issue].”
RUSSIA
VOTE
The
General Assembly is expected to vote on the latest resolution as soon as
Wednesday, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.
“Russia
cannot veto our voices. Russia cannot veto the Ukrainian people. And Russia
cannot veto the UN Charter. Russia cannot, and will not, veto accountability,”
said Thomas-Greenfield.
While
General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they carry political weight. The
United States and allies see action at the United Nations as a chance to show
Russia is isolated.
They
will be looking to improve on the 100 countries who voted in favour of a
General Assembly resolution in March 2014 after Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea
region. That resolution declared invalid a referendum on the status of Crimea.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/03/01/world-urges-pakistan-to-condemn-ukraine-crisis-at-un/
--------
South
Asia
Half
million Afghans return to country in six months: Taliban
01
Mar 2022
Ministry
of Refugees and Repatriates of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan said that
500,000 Afghans in exile have returned to Afghanistan in the past six months.
Deputy
of the Ministry Muhammad Arsala Kharoti in a press conference in Kabul on
Tuesday, March 1, 2022, said that most of the repatriates are from neighboring
Pakistan and Iran.
Muhammad
Arsala Kharotis further added that presently seven million Afghan refugees live
in Pakistan, Iran, and other countries. He added that the Ministry is striving
to make these people come back to the country.
Based
on the information of the Ministry, 250 thousand families have been helped with
by the Ministry since the resurgence of the IEA in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile,
three million people in Afghanistan have received aid from international
organizations through the Ministry.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/half-million-afghans-return-to-country-in-six-months-taliban-6754896/
--------
Afghans
with correct legal documents may travel abroad: Taliban
2
Mar 2022
The
Taliban says Afghans with legal documents could travel abroad after the United
States and United Kingdom raised concerns over previous comments that travel
restrictions would be put in place.
“Our
countrymen who have legal documents and invitation can travel abroad,”
spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a tweet on Tuesday, adding that his
previous announcement had been aimed at concerns over Afghans leaving without
legal documents and travelling with smugglers.
The
US State Department and the UK’s charge d’affaires sought clarity over
Mujahid’s statements at a news conference on Sunday that raised concerns that
travel restrictions could hinder freedom of movement and continuing evacuation
efforts by Washington and other capitals.
Mujahid
had originally said the Taliban’s travel restrictions would apply to Afghans
who worked with NATO and American forces, but did not elaborate under what, if
any, circumstances they would be able to evacuate.
The
charge d’affaires of the UK Mission to Afghanistan, Hugo Shorter, said in a
tweet on Tuesday evening, “Welcome clarification by Taliban spokesperson that
Afghans with the right documents can still travel out of Afghanistan.
“We
expect that unchanged rules mean that there is no new requirement for women
leaving Afghanistan to be accompanied by a male guardian,” Shorter added.
Mujahid
had said on Sunday that women could not travel overseas for education without a
male guardian.
More
than 120,000 Afghans and dual nationals were evacuated up to August 31 last
year when the last US-led troops withdrew, two weeks after the Taliban seized
Kabul.
Thousands
with similar links are still in Afghanistan, however, desperate to leave and
fearful they may be targeted by the Taliban as “collaborators”.
Diplomats
have said efforts to evacuate thousands of Afghans who had worked with foreign
governments and militaries and were eligible for visas in Western countries
were getting harder in recent months.
Source:
Al Jazeera
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Mullah
Baradar asks Afghan youths not to leave country
01
Mar 2022
First
Deputy Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Mullah Abdul Ghani
Baradar asked young people and experts in Afghanistan not to leave the country
as it needs them the most.
Speaking
at the occasion of the second anniversary of the Doha agreement in Kabul on
Tuesday, March 1, 2022, Mullah Baradar said that Afghanistan is fully
independent now and is under no country’s umbrella.
The
third man in power in Afghanistan further added that the IEA is willing to have
friendly relations with the entire world and that they welcome all positive
schemes for the development of Afghanistan.
“Doors
of universities and professional studies in Afghanistan are open for all
students so the experts and elite members of Afghan society do not need to
leave Afghanistan.” Said Baradar.
Furthermore,
he acknowledged that rebuilding Afghanistan is a shared responsibility of all
Afghans and the IEA welcomes all constructive schemes and notions in this
regard.
He
urged the Afghan youths to continue seeking education so that they get experts
in science, technology, and other professional fields.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/mullah-baradar-asks-afghan-youths-not-to-leave-country-876596/
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UNSC
to hold meeting on Afghanistan today
02
Mar 2022
United
Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in a press release said that
the United Nations Security Council is all set to hold a meeting in Afghanistan
on Wednesday, March 2.
Members
of the Council will be reviewing the prevailing situation in Afghanistan.
The
meeting is scheduled at 19:30 Kabul local time.
Meanwhile,
the statement reads that UN Secretary-General’s special representative for
Afghanistan Deborah Lyons will present her report to the members of the
meeting.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/unsc-to-hold-meeting-on-afghanistan-today-576587657/
--------
World
Bank approves $1 billion in aid for Afghanistan
02
Mar 2022
World
Bank executive board Okayed $1 billion from Afghanistan’s frozen funds on
Tuesday, March 1, 2022, to be used for education, agriculture, health sectors,
and family programs. The money is allocated for urgent needs in Afghanistan
from Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) in the World Bank.
The
amount of money will bypass the de facto authorities in Kabul and will be used
by United Nations agencies and international aid agencies to ease Afghanistan’s
worsening humanitarian and economic situation.
The
World Bank in a statement said the approach aims to support the delivery of
essential basic services, protect vulnerable Afghans, help preserve human
capital and key economic and social services, and reduce the need for
humanitarian assistance in the future.
Afghanistan’s
Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) was frozen in August after the US troops withdrew
from Afghanistan. US took the lead in freezing Afghanistan’s assets with $7
billion of Afghanistan’s central bank take a hostage in the US banks.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/world-bank-approves-1-billion-in-aid-for-afghanistan-6857467/
--------
Khalilzad
on Doha agreement: Afghan government dawdled in negotiations
01
Mar 2022
The
United States’ former special representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad
accused the former Afghan government of dawdling in intra-Afghan negotiations
in Doha that failed and did not conclude in any pact.
Speaking
to the BBC-Farsi on the occasion of the second anniversary of the Doha
agreement on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, Zalmay Khalilzad said that the Afghan
government could do better in leading the country as the Ukraine authorities
did. He said that the Afghan government could prevent the situation by not
fleeing the country.
The
former US envoy defended the US-Taliban agreement and added that after the
20-year presence of the US troops in Afghanistan, the war was not ongoing as
expected.
He
acknowledged that there was a consensus in the US in regards to US troops’
pullout from Afghanistan.
“The
plan was for the US and the Taliban to reach agreement and then an accord
between the Afghan government and the Taliban the former that took place but
never did the second one,” Khalilzad added.
He
also attacked the US policies over troops’ withdrawal adding that the
government could do the pullout based on condition.
In
the meantime, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan that celebrated the
anniversary both in Kabul and provinces accused the US of violating the Doha
agreement.
Source:
Khaama Press
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
India
Hijab
case: Admin of 'Mangalore Muslims' booked for derogatory remark against HC
judge
March
01, 2022
A
case has been registered against the administrator of a Facebook page
'Mangalore Muslims' and another person who had posted against one of the three
judges of the Karnataka High Court hearing the hijab case.
The
cyber crime division of the Bengaluru South division registered a case on its
own against Ateeq Shariff from Bengaluru and the administrator of 'Mangalore
Muslims' on February 23, which came to light only recently.
The
complaint says that Ateeq Shariff posted derogatory content on February 12
against one of the judges questioning his credentials and integrity.
Those
who had liked the post against the judge may also incur the penal action, a
police officer said.
This
incident comes close on the heels of derogatory remarks against the same judge
by Kannada actor Chetan Kumar Ahimsa who was arrested and remanded to judicial
custody.
The
three-judge bench specially constituted to hear the hijab case comprises Chief
Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna S Dixit.
The
bench was formed after some Muslim girls from the coastal district of Udupi,
approached the court stating that they were denied entry to the college for
wearing hijab.
The
girls also wanted a government order banning any cloth that would disturb
peace, harmony and public order to be quashed.
Source:
The Week
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Congress
Acts Like It Is Muslims’ Kin, Says BJP Karnataka Minister Eshwarappa
Feb
28, 2022
Karnataka
minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader KS Eshwarappa courted
controversy on Monday after he said “the Congress acts like they are relatives
of the Muslims”.
“We
(BJP) are for Hindus, but Congress cannot even say we are for Muslims. The
Congress acts like they are relatives of the Muslims,” he said in Raichur on
Monday.
The
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) minister is already under fire for
his controversial comment about replacing the national flag with a saffron one,
and leading the funeral procession of Harsha Jingade, a Bajrang Dal worker
killed in Shivamogga, which led to communal riots in the district last Monday.
The
BJP has distanced itself from Eshwarappa’s saffron flag remark, with national
president JP Nadda last week saying that the party doesn’t subscribe to his
views.
Eshwarappa
also slammed Opposition leader Siddaramaiah for asking him to give up his seat
for Harsha’s family.
“I
am a Hindu, and if my party says will give it up for another Hindu and never
for any reason will I let it go for a Muslim. Let the leader of the opposition
(legislative council) give up his seat for CM Ibrahim,” Eshwarappa said.
He
added that by giving up his seat, there will be no guarantee that there will be
lower deaths.
Source:
Hindustan Times
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
India's
Muslim Cricketer Mohammed Shami Hits Out At Online Abuse
FEB
28, 2022
Mohammed
Shami, India's most prominent Muslim cricketer, has hit out at internet trolls
saying they're neither real fans nor real Indians, in his first comments since
facing vitriolic online abuse after a T20 World Cup defeat against Pakistan
last year.
Shami,
31, became the main target of abuse after India was thrashed by its archrival
last October on their way to an embarrassingly early exit from the marquee tournament.
Cricket
clashes between Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan frequently
heighten tensions between the neighbours, who have fought three wars since
1947.
After's
India's loss, thousands of hate messages flooded social media, including Shami's
Instagram account, calling him a traitor and alleging he had taken money to
throw the game.
In
an interview with the Indian Express on Monday, Shami said those who trolled
him were neither "real fans nor were they real Indians."
"When
people with unknown social media profiles or even one with a few followers
point fingers at someone, they don't have anything to lose," the paceman
said.
"For
them, nothing is at stake because they are nobodies ... we don't need to engage
with them."
Shami
added that he did not need to prove his loyalty to India to anyone.
"We
know what we are, we don't need to say what India means to us because we
represent the country and fight for the country.
"So
we don't need to prove anything to anyone by saying or reacting to such
trolls."
Since
making his debut in 2013, Shami has taken 209 wickets in 57 Test matches at a
strike rate of nearly 50.
He
is currently sidelined due to a wrist injury but added that the present Indian
pace attack was the best ever.
Source:
Daily Sabah
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Arab
World
Saudi
Arabia’s Cabinet Welcomes UN Resolution Labelling Houthis as Terrorists
01
March ,2022
Saudi
Arabia’s cabinet has welcomed the UN Security Council’s resolution labeling the
Iran-backed Houthi militia as a terrorist group and extending an arms embargo
to all of Yemen’s Houthis, state news agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday.
“[We]
hope this resolution will put an end to the [Houthis’] terrorist practices and
their supporters,” the cabinet said.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
cabinet also reiterated its support to efforts that aim to guarantee stability
and security in the Middle East and the world.
The
UN Security Council voted Monday to extend to all of Yemen’s Houthis an arms
embargo that until now targeted only some leaders of the Iran-backed militia.
Yemen
has been embroiled since 2014 in a civil war between the Houthis and the
internationally recognized government.
An
Arab Coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in support of the government in
2015.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Abu
Dhabi Crown Prince, Russia’s Putin agree on preserving stability of global
energy
01
March ,2022
Abu
Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan voiced the importance of
maintaining the stability of the global energy market during a phone call with
Russian President Vladimir Putin, state news agency (WAM) reported on Tuesday.
Putin
informed Sheikh Mohammed of the latest developments which pertain to the crisis
with Ukraine, WAM said, adding that the Crown Prince reiterated his support for
a peaceful solution that “guarantees the interests and national security of all
parties.”
Sheikh
Mohammed also voiced the importance of resuming “serious consultations” to
resolve the crisis with Ukraine and reach a political solution that achieves
security and peace.
He
added that the UAE will continue working with the different parties involved to
help reach a political solution to the conflict.
Moscow
launched a full-scale invasion against Ukraine last week bringing explosions in
Kyiv and other cities and displacing thousands of people. Russia’s move against
its neighbor drew international condemnations.
Western
countries have imposed harsh sanctions on Russia and excluded some Russian
banks from the international bank payments system SWIFT. Some sanctions even
targeted President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Russian
and Ukrainian officials met on Monday on the border between Belarus and Ukraine
but the ceasefire talks failed to reach a breakthrough.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Saudi
Arabia supports de-escalation in Ukraine: Cabinet
March
01, 2022
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia supports de-escalation efforts in Ukraine, a statement by the
Saudi Cabinet said Tuesday.
The
statement came during the Cabinet meeting headed by King Salman, Tuesday
afternoon, at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.
It
emphasized Saudi Arabia’s “support for international efforts to reduce
escalation in Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy.”
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2033991/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
crown prince, Cyprus president hold talks in Riyadh
March
01, 2022
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted the president of Cyprus
at the Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Tuesday.
After
a welcoming ceremony, Prince Mohammed and Nicos Anastasiades held talks during
which they discussed relations and cooperation between the two countries.
Efforts
to enhance joint coordination in various fields and regional and international
issues of common interest were also reviewed.
The
Cypriot side condemned the Houthis' terrorist attacks with ballistic missiles
and drones targeting the Kingdom’s territory, its vital facilities, and
civilian objects.
The
Kingdom affirmed its principled position regarding the Cyprus issue on the
importance of resolving disputes through peaceful means and dialogue in
accordance with the rules of international law and relevant UN Security Council
resolutions.
Saudi
Arabia and Cyprus agreed to discuss cooperation in the energy sector, including
petrochemicals, energy efficiency, and electricity.
The
two sides agreed on importance of raising the pace of economic cooperation by
promoting and diversifying trade and investment exchange.
They
also agreed to discuss cooperation on clean technologies for hydrocarbon
resources, and low-carbon fuels, including hydrogen.
Cyprus
welcomed the Saudi Green and Middle East
Green initiatives. Saudi Arabia also welcomed the Cypriot President's
initiative for Coordinating Climate Change Actions in the Eastern Mediterranean
and Middle East.
With
regard to climate change issues, the two sides stressed the importance of
adhering to the principles of the Framework Convention on Climate Change and
the Paris Agreement.
The
nations also emphasized the importance of elevating cooperation in tourism.
They
also agreed to work on localizing energy sector products and associated supply
chains.
The
crown prince praised Cyprus’ support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2034091/saudi-arabia
--------
Iran,
Syria must continue consultations on regional issues: President Assad
01
March 2022
Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad highlights strategic relations with Iran, calling for
continued consultations between the two sides, particularly on regional issues,
given the rapid developments in the region and the world.
Assad
made the remarks in a meeting with Ali Asghar Khaji, a senior aide on political
affairs to Iran’s foreign minister, in Damascus on Tuesday.
He
added that the Damascus government supports the continuation of the political
process on the Syria crisis, mediated by Iran, Russia and Turkey, in the Kazakh
capital of Nur-Sultan, formerly known as Astana, and the talks on the
activation of the country’s Constructional Committee.
During
the Tuesday meeting, Khaji said the Western countries have been attempting to
isolate Syria but such a policy is defeated given the developments unfolding on
the battlefield against terrorists and the improvement of its relations with
other states.
The
senior Iranian diplomat exchanged views with President Assad on the latest
developments in the talks between Iran and the P4+1 group of countries in
Vienna, the conflict running between Russia and Ukraine, and the continuation
of the Astana talks.
Assad
and Khaji discussed ways to promote Tehran-Damascus relations in all fields,
particularly in the economic sector, to serve the interests of the two friendly
countries and their peoples, Syria’s official news agency, SANA, reported.
It
added that the two sides discussed the future rounds of negotiations within the
Astana format and in Geneva, emphasizing that the negotiations should proceed
without foreign interference and based on a clear strategy in order to achieve
tangible results.
According
to SANA, the Syrian president and the Iranian diplomat also exchanged views on
the Ukraine crisis.
They
slammed the immoral measures taken by the West to fuel the crisis of its own
making in Ukraine, including transferring extremists from various parts of the
world to that region and imposing sanctions on the Russian people, similar to
those previously placed on the Syrian and Iranian nations.
Syria
FM, Iran diplomat discuss mutual relations
In
a meeting on Monday, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad and Khaji discussed
the distinguished relations between Tehran and Damascus and continued bilateral
coordination regarding the latest developments in Syria and the region, SANA
reported.
The
two sides rejected any foreign intervention in the work of Syria’s
Constitutional Committee, emphasizing that only Syrian-Syrian dialog can solve
the problems in the war-hit country.
Mikdad
outlined the positive developments in Syria, particularly the national
reconciliation process in different provinces.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Southeast
Asia
How
‘Multiculturalism’ Became a Bad Word in South Korea
By
Choe Sang-Hun
March
1, 2022
DAEGU,
South Korea — Inside the dimly lit house, young Muslim men knelt and prayed in
silence. Outside, their Korean neighbors gathered with angry signs to protest
“a den of terrorists” moving into their neighborhood.
In
a densely populated but otherwise quiet district in Daegu, a city in
southeastern South Korea, a highly emotional standoff is underway.
Roughly
150 Muslims, mostly students at the nearby Kyungpook National University,
started building a mosque in a lot next door to their temporary house of
worship about a year ago. When their Korean neighbors found out, they were
furious.
The
mosque would turn the neighborhood of Daehyeon-dong into “an enclave of Muslims
and a crime-infested slum,” the Korean neighbors wrote on signs and protest
banners. It would bring more “noise” and a “food smell” from an unfamiliar
culture, driving out the Korean residents.
The
Muslim students and their Korean supporters fought back, arguing that they had
the right to live and pray in peace in Daegu, one of the most politically
conservative cities in South Korea. “There is a difference between protest and
harassment,” said Muaz Razaq, 25, a Ph.D. student in computer science who is
from Pakistan. “What they were doing was harassment.”
The
fault line between the two communities here has exposed an uncomfortable truth
in South Korea. At a time when the country enjoys more global influence than
ever — with consumers around the world eager to dance to its music, drive its
cars and buy its smartphones — it is also grappling with a fierce wave of
anti-immigrant fervor and Islamophobia. While it has successfully exported its
culture abroad, it has been slow to welcome other cultures at home.
The
mosque dispute has become a flash point, part of a larger phenomenon in which
South Koreans have had to confront what it means to live in an increasingly
diverse society. Muslims have often borne the brunt of racist misgivings,
particularly after the Taliban executed two South Korean missionaries in 2007.
The
arrival of 500 Yemeni asylum seekers on the island of Jeju in 2018 triggered
South Korea’s first series of organized anti-immigrant protests. The government
responded to fears that the asylum seekers were harboring terrorists by banning
them from leaving the island.
“Their
rules on the hijab alone are enough reason that they should never set foot in
our country,” said Lee Hyung-oh, the leader of Refugee Out, a nationwide anti-immigration
network that opposes the mosque in Daegu.
Many
Koreans explain their attitude toward foreigners by citing history: their small
nation has survived invasions and occupations for centuries, maintaining its
territory, language and ethnic identity. Those who oppose the mosque and
immigration more broadly have often warned that an influx of foreigners would
threaten South Korea’s “pure blood” and “ethnic homogeneity.”
“We
may look exclusionist, but it has made us what we are, consolidating us as a
nation to survive war, colonial rule and financial crises and achieve economic
development while speaking the same language, thinking the same thoughts,” Mr.
Lee said. “I don’t think we could have done this with diversity,” he added. “We
are not xenophobic. We just don’t want to mix with others.”
Some
say the country does not have much of a choice.
South
Korea’s rise as a cultural powerhouse has coincided with a demographic crisis.
Years of low birthrates and rising incomes in urban areas have led to shortages
of women who want to marry and live in rural towns. Farms and factories have
found it difficult to fill low-wage jobs. Universities lack local students.
To
help alleviate the challenges, South Korea opened its doors to workers and
students from other nations. Some rural men began to marry foreign women,
especially from Vietnam. Yet when the government introduced policies to support
“multicultural families,” there was a backlash. Suddenly, words like
“multiculturalism” and “diversity” became pejorative terms for many South
Koreans.
And
the antipathy has not been limited to Muslim students in Daegu, a city of more
than two million people.
Last
year, an anti-China uproar forced a local developer to cancel its plan to build
a Chinese cultural center west of Seoul. In Ansan, south of Seoul, all but six
of the 450 students in Wongok Elementary School are immigrants’ children
because Korean parents have refused to send their children there. In 2020, a
Ghanaian entertainer sparked a backlash when he criticized a blackface
performance by high school students. He eventually apologized.
“Koreans
have deep-rooted xenophobic beliefs that foreigners are inferior,” said Yi
Sohoon, a professor of sociology at Kyungpook National University who supports
the mosque. “But they value foreigners differently according to their origin.
They treat Black people from the United States or Europe differently from Black
people from Africa.”
Runaway
housing prices, a lack of social mobility and a widening income gap have
contributed to the tensions. In a recent Facebook post, Yoon Suk-yeol, a
leading conservative candidate in the March 9 presidential election, vowed to
stop immigrants from getting “a free ride” with national health care. Lee
Jae-myung, his more left-leaning rival, accused Mr. Yoon of fanning “xenophobic
right-wing populism.”
The
number of foreign residents in South Korea grew to 1.7 million, or 3.3 percent
of the total population, in 2020, from 1.4 million in 2017. The government has
predicted that the number will grow to 2.3 million by 2040. The overall
population fell for the first time on record in 2021, increasing the need for
foreign workers and students.
“Human
beings are naturally biased, but don’t let the bias lead you to depriving other
people of their fundamental human rights,” said Ashraf Akintola, a Ph.D.
student in biomedical engineering from Nigeria and one of the Muslim worshipers
in Daegu. Mr. Akintola said he felt sad when a Korean protester followed him
last year shouting, “Leave our country!” Back in Nigeria, he said, K-pop was so
popular that his friends learned to speak Korean.
The
Muslim students had prayed at an ordinary house in Daehyeon-dong for seven
years. In late 2020, after tearing the house down, they began building a
mosque, using a building next door as a temporary house of worship during
construction. That’s when Korean residents and activists joined forces to make
the neighborhood the center of an anti-immigrant campaign.
In
January, the neighbors hung a large black-and-white banner across from the
proposed mosque site: “Korean people come first!”
“We
are not against their religion,” said Kim Jeong-suk, a 67-year-old Korean
resident who opposes the mosque. “We just can’t have a new religious facility
in our crowded neighborhood, whether it’s Islamic, Buddhist or Christian.” The
neighborhood already has 15 Christian churches, including one roughly 30 yards
from where the mosque would be.
Many
of the offensive signs were removed after the government’s National Human
Rights Commission intervened last October. Construction remains suspended as
both sides take their case to court, but human rights lawyers say
discrimination against immigrants can also be found in South Korean law.
“It’s
one thing that Koreans want to be recognized globally, get rich and successful
abroad,” said Hwang Pill-kyu, a human rights attorney who tracks abuses against
immigrants. “It’s quite another whether they are willing to embrace
foreigners.”
An
anti-discrimination bill has stalled in Parliament for years amid opposition
from a powerful Christian lobby. Under current policy, undocumented people are
not afforded the same rights as those who are in South Korea legally, and
foreigners detained under immigration laws are not entitled to habeas corpus.
Last
year, disturbing closed-circuit TV footage from a detention center for
undocumented immigrants showed a Moroccan man hogtied in solitary confinement.
The Justice Ministry admitted to human rights abuses and promised reform.
Source:
New York Times
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/01/world/asia/south-korea-diversity-muslims.html
--------
3
killed in Philippine army attack on Muslim militant camp
1
March 2022
CAGAYAN
DE ORO, Philippines (AP) - Philippine troops backed by fighter jets attacked a
remote camp of Muslim militants linked to the Islamic State group on Tuesday in
a predawn assault in the country´s south that left two insurgents and a soldier
dead, military officials said.
Two
soldiers were wounded in the assault on the camp of about 50 Dawlah Islamiya
group fighters near the town of Maguing in Lanao del Sur province. Air force
fighter jets dropped a dozen bombs as army troops launched a ground attack,
said regional military commander Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr.
The
gunmen fled after the airstrikes and were being pursued, Rosario and other
military officials said. The assault was staged far from rural communities to
prevent civilians from being caught in the crossfire, they said.
Military
officials said troops were continuing to clash sporadically with fleeing
militants led by a militant commander they identified as Abu Zacharia.
Members
of Dawlah Islamiya were involved in a 2017 siege of southern Marawi city, where
hundreds of militants waving Islamic State group-style black flags occupied
commercial buildings and villages and took hostages. Filipino troops, backed by
U.S. and Australian surveillance aircraft, quelled the five-month siege, which
left about 1,200 people dead, mostly militants.
Source:
Daily Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Hadi’s
meet with Taliban delegates approved by PM, says Saifuddin
02
Mar 2022
KUALA
LUMPUR: The working visit of the Prime Minister’s special envoy to the Middle
East Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang (pic) to meet Taliban delegates was approved by
the Prime Minister, says the Foreign Ministry.
Its
Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah said although the government had started
an informal engagement with stakeholders in Afghanistan, it did not mean that
Malaysia recognises its Taliban-led interim government.
Saifuddin
said the engagements efforts were important to ensure that Afghanistan did not
experience socio-economic and humanitarian collapse.
Abdul
Hadi’s working visit to meet Taliban delegates was aimed at further
strengthening Malaysia’s role in finding the best solution to the issue in
Afghanistan, said Saifuddin.
"His
working visit from Jan 31 to Feb 4, 2022, was agreed upon by the Prime Minister
on Jan 28, 2022.
"As
the Prime Minister's special envoy to the Middle East, apart from ensuring that
Malaysia's strategic interests with countries in the Middle East continue to be
preserved, he also plays a role in further strengthening ties with several
other countries including Afghanistan," said Saifuddin in a parliamentary
written reply.
This
was in response to a question by Oscar Ling Chai Yew (PH-Sibu) who asked the
Foreign Minister to state why Abdul Hadi met with the Taliban and whether the
meeting was approved by the Cabinet.
Saifuddin
also said that the government had started informal engagement with stakeholders
in Afghanistan as done by a number of other countries.
"The
engagement doesn’t mean that Malaysia recognises the interim Afghanistan
government under the leadership of the Taliban.
"The
engagement efforts are important to ensure that Afghanistan does not experience
socio-economic and humanitarian collapse," he said.
Saifuddin
added that he attended the Extraordinary Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) for Foreign Ministers to discuss the situation in Afghanistan
in Islamabad, Pakistan on Dec 19, 2021.
During
the meeting, Saifuddin said he highlighted Malaysia's position, including
nation building and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan must be led by Afghanistan,
owned by Afghanistan and controlled by Afghanistan.
"I
have called on the international community to avoid the economic collapse of
Afghanistan as a whole.
Source:
The Star
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Civil
court cannot hear breach of promise to marry involving Muslims, says judge
V
Anbalagan
March
1, 2022
SHAH
ALAM: The sessions court here has struck out a suit for breach of promise to
marry filed by a Muslim woman on grounds that the subject matter came under the
purview of the Shariah court.
Judge
Rohatul Akmar Abdullah said she allowed the suit to be annulled as both parties
were Muslims.
“The
application to strike out the suit by the defendant is allowed as this court
has no jurisdiction over marriage and engagement of Muslims,” Rohatul said in
her judgment posted on the judiciary’s website.
She
said that the prospect of the plaintiff, Nor Shahida Roslin, 25, of succeeding
in the suit against Najib Zulkefli, 23, was remote and an abuse of the court
process.
The
court also awarded RM2,000 in costs to Najib.
FMT
understands that Shahida has filed an appeal in the High Court.
In
her 13-page judgment, Rohatul said Najib’s action to give oral promises and
through text messages was between two Muslims.
“The
matter of engagement between Muslims also comes under the state list of the
Federal Constitution,” she said.
It
was revealed that the couple had met and fallen in love at a government
training institute in 2017 and Najib had verbally and through WhatsApp messages
promised to marry Shahida.
Shahida,
who filed the suit last year, said she asked Najib about the promises made
after both left the institute and started working.
Najib,
however, evaded her, giving excuses as well as blocking her mobile number and
refusing to meet her.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Africa
South
Africa: US sanctions alleged Islamic State fundraisers
1
March 2022
CAPE
TOWN, South Africa (AP) - The U.S. Treasury Department announced financial
sanctions Tuesday against four men in South Africa it accused of being
recruiters and fundraisers for the Islamic State group.
Three
of the men raised money for the extremist group in Iraq and Syria, the Treasury
Department said, and the fourth helped move money and buy weapons for an IS
branch in the southern African nation of Mozambique.
Attacks
by Islamic extremists in Mozambique's far north Cabo Delgado province caught
the world's attention in 2020 because of mass beheadings, including of
children.
The
United States has since labeled the extremists operating in Cabo Delgado as a
branch of the Islamic State.
IS
and IS-linked groups have been behind attacks in West and East Africa for
years, but the attacks in Mozambique has underlined the extremists' growing
reach in Africa.
IS
"has recently attempted to expand its influence in Africa through
large-scale operations in areas where government control is limited," the
Treasury Department said in a statement. IS supporters in South Africa, which
has rarely been connected to the group previously, play an "increasingly
central role" in facilitating the transfer of money to branches across
Africa, the department added.
Treasury
Undersecretary Brian E. Nelson said the U.S. was working with African partners,
including South Africa, to "dismantle" IS financial-support networks.
The
four men in South Africa identified Tuesday employed a range of tactics to
raise money for the group, including kidnap for ransom, extortion and training
members to conduct robberies, authorities said. Two of them are South African
nationals, one an Ethiopian national and the other a Tanzanian national.
The
sanctions freeze any property or other assets the four men have in the U.S. or
have placed in the control of a U.S. citizen. They also prohibit U.S. entities
from receiving money from or sending money to any of the four.
One
of the men, Farhad Hoomer, formed and led an IS cell in the South African city
of Durban, the Treasury Department alleged.
Hoomer
and associates were arrested in 2018 and charged with plotting to plant a
series of bombs at various sites in the city and for an attack at a mosque
where worshippers had their throats cut. The case against Hoomer and the other
suspects was eventually dropped in 2020 because of delays by the prosecution in
submitting evidence, South African media reported.
Source:
Daily Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Libya’s
parliament approves new government as crisis escalates
01
March ,2022
Libya’s
parliament approved a new government on Tuesday despite the incumbent
administration vowing not to cede power, pushing a fragile peace process to the
brink of collapse and raising the risk of new fighting or territorial
partition.
Lawmakers’
declaration of Fathi Bashagha as prime minister after a televised vote
aggravates a power struggle with the interim administration of Abdulhamid
al-Dbeibah, who was installed through a UN-backed process last year.
Opposing
armed groups have mobilized in the capital Tripoli over recent weeks and
foreign forces that have backed rival warring factions remain embedded in the
North African country.
Whether
the political crisis will kindle armed conflict remains unclear, but it leaves
Libya without a unified government, with the main political and military forces
bitterly divided and with no clear path forward.
Bashagha’s
large cabinet with 35 members reflects the extensive negotiations and promises
of positions needed to secure support from a majority of members of parliament
and the various interests they represent.
A
vote had originally been scheduled for Monday, but lawmakers were unable until
Tuesday to agree upon Bashagha’s cabinet list.
Parliament
Speaker Aguila Saleh said the new government was approved by 92 of the 101
members present in the chamber on Tuesday. That compares to the 132 members
that backed Dbeibah’s interim unity government in a special session a year ago.
Oil-producing
Libya has enjoyed little peace or security since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising
against Muammar Gaddafi and it was divided after 2014 between warring parallel
administrations in the east and west.
The
United Nations backed a ceasefire and peace process after an eastern offensive
against Tripoli collapsed in 2020, with most sides in Libya publicly supporting
Dbeibah’s interim unity government and scheduling elections for December 2021.
After
the election was cancelled shortly before the vote was due to take place amid
disputes over the rules, the parliament moved to seize control of the political
process and replace Dbeibah’s government.
The
parliament, which was elected in 2014 and mostly took the eastern side in the
civil war, has declared that Dbeibah’s government expired when the election did
not take place.
Critics
of the parliament, including Dbeibah, accuse it of having sabotaged the
December election and of working to ensure it can remain in place indefinitely,
charges it denies.
The
United Nations and foreign powers that recognized Dbeibah’s government when it
was installed a year ago have avoided any definitive statement on which
administration should now be seen as legitimate, and have instead pushed for
quick elections.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Turkiye,
Nigeria agree to enhance cooperation on health
Burak
Dag
01.03.2022
Turkiye
and Nigeria have agreed to enhance cooperation in the health sector.
"We
signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the fields of health and
medical sciences with Nigerian Health Minister Dr. Osagie Ehanire,"
Turkiye’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter on Monday.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/turkiye-nigeria-agree-to-enhance-cooperation-on-health/2519315
--------
Tunisia
welcomes first group of evacuees from Ukraine
Alaa
Hammoudi
01.03.2022
TUNIS,
Tunisia
The
first group of Tunisian nationals evacuated from Ukraine arrived in the capital
Tunis on Tuesday.
A
Tunisian plane carrying 106 Tunisians from Ukraine arrived at Carthage
International Airport, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohamed Trabelsi told the
state news agency.
He
said the Tunisian citizens were evacuated from Ukraine through the border with
Romania.
The
spokesman said 318 Tunisians have so far been evacuated from Ukraine via
Romania and Poland.
“Evacuation
flights will continue in the coming days to secure the return of Tunisians to
the country,” Trabelsi added.
Russia's
war on Ukraine has entered the sixth day, with Russian forces advancing toward
the capital Kyiv.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/tunisia-welcomes-first-group-of-evacuees-from-ukraine/2519741
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Burkina
Faso approves 3-year military-led transition
01
March 2022
Burkina
Faso has adopted a transitional charter that will allow the ruling junta to
lead a three-year transition in the West African country.
A
"national forum" gathering political parties, trade unions, and
grassroots groups approved the charter after a day-long debate in the capital,
Ouagadougou. The charter was later signed by junta leader Lieutenant Colonel
Henri-Paul Damiba in the early hours of Tuesday.
A
commission that drafted the charter had said the junta needed a two-and-a-half
year transition period to stabilize the country and organize elections.
The
Jan. 24 dramatic coup led by Damiba saw President Marc Kabore being ousted, the
country’s constitution being suspended, and the government and parliament being
dissolved.
The
adoption of the charter comes on the heels of regional demands for a swift
return to civilian rule.
Burkina
Faso was suspended from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
and the African Union, both of which have called for a speedy return to
constitutional order.
Governments
in West and Central Africa are on high alert for coups after successful
putsches over the past 18 months in Mali and Guinea, and an attempted coup in
Guinea Bissau in early February.
The
military also took over in Chad last year after President Idriss Deby died on
the battlefield.
Source:
Press TV
Please
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/03/01/677784/Burkina-Faso-approves-3-year-military-led-transition
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Mideast
OIC,
GCC welcome UN resolution designating Houthis as terrorist group
Ali
Semerci and Cagri Kosak
02.03.2022
The
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) on Tuesday welcomed a move by the UN Security Council to classify Yemen’s
Houthi rebel group as terrorists and extend an arms embargo to all of its
members.
The
OIC said in a statement that It hopes the UN’s decision will contribute to
ending the actions of the Houthis and their supporters, adding the threat of
the Houthi militias to the Yemeni people, international shipping and
neighboring countries will be limited.
Nayef
Falah Al-Hajraf, the secretary general of the GCC, expressed his desire for the
UN’s decision to contribute to ending the activities of the Houthis, stopping
the bloodshed of the Yemeni people, and stopping the supply of missiles,
weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) targeting Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates.
The
UN Security Council on Monday labelled the Houthis a "terrorist
group" for the first time and expanded an arms embargo against the
organization.
The
bill submitted by the UK to the council was adopted by 11 votes in favor and
none against while Ireland, Mexico, Brazil and Norway abstained.
The
adopted bill calls on member states to "increase their efforts to combat
the smuggling of arms and components by land and sea" and urges all member
states to fulfill their obligations to prevent such transfers.
Yemen
has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when the Iran-aligned
Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Israel
violates rights of Palestinian journalists: NGO
Nour
Abu Eisha
01.03.2022
An
Arab NGO reported dozens of Israeli rights violations against Palestinian journalists
last month.
In
a statement on Tuesday, the Journalists Support Committee said the Israeli
violations varied from arrests, intimidation, shooting, physical assault to
using journalists as human shields.
The
NGO said 28 Palestinian journalists were injured in February in attacks by
Israeli forces and settlers while covering demolitions of Palestinian homes in
occupied East Jerusalem.
It
documented six cases when journalists were used as human shields by Israeli
forces during clashes with Palestinian protesters.
The
statement said two journalists were detained by Israeli forces in the West Bank
city of Jenin last month.
“Israeli
forces, in collaboration with settlers, disrupted the work of Palestinian
journalists more than 34 times in February,” it added.
According
to the NGO, social media accounts of seven Palestinian journalists were
suspended for alleged violations of publication rules.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-violates-rights-of-palestinian-journalists-ngo/2519744
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Palestinian
Islamic Jihad: Resistance now stronger than ever
01
March 2022
The
secretary-general of the Gaza Strip-based Palestinian resistance movement of
the Islamic Jihad has hailed the level of the regional resistance’s strength
and preparedness.
“The
resistance has never been stronger and more steadfast than it is today, and
keeps moving onwards powerfully towards its [intended] goals,” Ziad al-Nakhala
said in the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Tuesday.
Nakhala
was addressing a ceremony held to commemorate the 30th martyrdom anniversary of
Sayyed Abbas al-Musawi, the Lebanese resistance movement of Hezbollah’s
co-founder and former secretary-general, Lebanon’s al-Manar television network
reported.
Hezbollah
has invariably stood shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinian resistance and
this support would continue until Palestine’s liberation, the Palestinian
official said.
Nakhala
laid emphasis on the need for the region’s various resistance factions to
preserve their unity towards the goal of confronting the Zionist project until
its complete defeat and ultimate realization of Palestinians’ rights inside
their land.
“Al-Quds
will remain the central plank of the Muslim world’s issues,” he said, adding,
“Al-Quds will stay in our hearts, and we will enter it [one day] like
conquerors and strike down the enemy’s flags.”
The
Israeli regime occupied the western side of the city, which houses the al-Aqsa
Mosque’s compound—Islam’s third-holiest site—during a heavily Western-backed
war in 1948.
The
regime occupied the West Bank, including East al-Quds, in another such war in
1967.
Source:
Press TV
Please
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/03/01/677804/Palestine-Islamic-Jihad-resistance-Israel
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Leader:
Ukraine Victim of US Policies
2022-March-1
Ayatollah
Khamenei made the remarks in a televised speech on the auspicious occasion of
Eid al-Mab’ath, marking the day on which Prophet Mohammad was chosen as God's
final messenger and started his prophetic mission.
He
slammed the US as a mafia regime, saying Ukraine has fallen victim to the US's
policies and the crises created by Washington.
“The
US disrupted the stability of the country by interfering in its affairs and
organizing rallies and creating a color coup,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
“We
oppose the killing of people and the destruction of the infrastructure of
nations,” he added.
Ayatollah
Khamenei highlighted that the western powers cannot be trusted and their
support for their puppet regimes is not genuine.
Both
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former Afghan President Ashraf
Ghani have acknowledged that the US simply abandoned them amid their domestic
crises, Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The
Leader also called the US a perfect example and manifestation of modern
ignorance, saying it feeds on the crises it makes all around the world.
“The
American regime is a perfect example of modern ignorance. This regime is a
crisis-creating and crisis-consuming regime, and it feeds of creating crises in
the world,” he maintained.
Ayatollah
Khamenei went on to say that Western nations use science to slaughter and
plunder other nations.
“America
is a regime in which immorality is promoted, discrimination is increasing
exponentially, and national wealth is being exploited by the rich and wealthy,”
he noted.
“A
country as rich as the United States is in a situation where people die on the
streets when it gets hotter or colder. What do these events mean?” Ayatollah
Khamenei noted.
Ayatollah
Khamenei also pointed to the West’s double standards in dealing with the crisis
in Ukraine, stating that Western countries support the killing of Yemeni
people, but they call for an end to the Ukraine crisis.
He
stated that the ISIL Takfiri terrorist group was created by the US itself,
denouncing Washington for plundering oil resources in Eastern Syria, stealing
Afghanistan’s assets, and supporting Israeli crimes against Palestinians.
In
relevant remarks on Sunday, Iranian President Seyed Ebrahim Rayeesi announced
his country’s preparedness to help diplomatic efforts to end the war in
Ukraine.
"The
Islamic Republic of Iran supports any effort that would lead to peaceful
settlement of the [ongoing] conflict in Ukraine and is ready to play a role to
help restore peace in any possible manner," Rayeesi said, addressing a
cabinet meeting in Tehran.
"Based
on the fundamental principles of its foreign policy, the Islamic Republic of
Iran opposes both hegemony and submission to hegemony, and gives its backing to
the right to all nations to self-determination," he said.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14001210000263/Leader-Ukraine-Vicim-f-US-Plicies
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Iran
Reiterates Demand for Elimination of All Chemical Weapons
2022-March-1
The
Islamic Republic, as the main victim of chemical weapons, strongly opposes the
use of such lethal weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances,
Ershadi said, addressing a UN Security Council session on the situation in
Syria on Monday, during which she strongly condemned the use of chemical
weapons across the world.
Expressing
concern over the serious effects of politicizing the implementation of the
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) on its credibility, she said the Organization
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) should not be exploited for
political purposes to help certain countries achieve their goals and that Syria
has over the last few years experienced such efforts by some member states.
Ershadi
hailed Syria's continuing cooperation with the OPCW and said the Security
Council meetings on Syria's chemical case should not be committed to discussing
baseless allegations since the government in Damascus has made significant
progress in fulfilling its obligations under the CWC.
“Only
by completely destroying the entire chemical weapons across the globe and by
taking all necessary measures to ensure that such weapons are not created can
we be sure that chemical weapons will no longer be used,” Ershadi stressed.
The
envoy said the goal has yet to be achieved since the United States, as the only
member state in possession of such weapons, is not honoring its obligations
regarding the extended deadline for the destruction of chemical weapons.
Ershadi
said the other obstacle to the achievement of such a goal is the
non-universality of the CWC, adding that the Israeli regime must join the
convention immediately and without any conditions in order for the goal to be
achieved.
The
Western media and governments have repeatedly accused the Syrian government of
using chemical weapons.
Syria,
however, surrendered its stockpile of chemical weapons in 2014 to a joint
mission led by the United States and the OPCW, which oversaw the destruction of
the weaponry.
Israel
is believed to be the only possessor of nuclear bombs in the Middle East,
storing between 200 to 400 nuclear warheads in its arsenal.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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Israeli
forces kill three Palestinians in West Bank: Ministry
01
March ,2022
Three
Palestinians were killed Tuesday by Israeli forces in two separate incidents in
the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.
Ammar
Shafiq Abu Afifa was killed by “Israeli occupation forces shooting at him near
the town of Beit Fajar,” the ministry said late in the afternoon.
The
Israeli army did not immediately comment, when asked by AFP.
Afifa
was a resident of the al-Aroub refugee camp north of Hebron in the occupied
West Bank, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
Separately,
Israeli forces killed two Palestinians before dawn on Tuesday after coming
under fire during an arrest raid in the northern West Bank, Israeli border
police and Palestinian health authorities said.
Israeli
border police said officers and undercover police entered the Jenin refugee
camp to arrest a suspect “wanted for terrorist activity.”
“After
the arrest of the suspect, as the forces left the house, heavy fire was opened
from several directions, and undercover forces operating at the scene responded
with live fire,” police said.
They
said as police reached their vehicles, another assailant shot at the forces,
“who responded with accurate fire.”
The
Palestinian health ministry said two men were killed in the fighting. Wafa
identified them as Abdullah al-Hosari, 22, and Shadi Khaled Najm, 18.
Troops
arrested Imad Jamal Abu al-Heija, a freed prisoner, Wafa reported.
The
news agency said the killing of the two Palestinians sparked a “massive and
angry march” in Jenin.
The
arrest raid is one of several recent high-profile Israeli incursions into West
Bank cities.
Last
month, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian suspects during a daylight raid
in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Israel’s
Supreme Court freezes Palestinian evictions in east Jerusalem
01
March ,2022
Israel’s
Supreme Court on Tuesday froze the evictions of four Palestinian families from
the flashpoint east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, where they have
battled attempts by Jewish settler groups to oust them.
Justice
Isaac Amit, in a ruling by a three-judge panel, wrote the families would be
recognized as protected tenants and would pay a Jewish settler group a symbolic
annual rent of 2,400 shekels (about $740) “until a determination of ... land
rights.”
Sheikh
Jarrah has become a symbol of Palestinian resistance against Israeli control of
Jerusalem.
The
land rights battle between Jewish settlers and Palestinians in the neighborhood
has sparked clashes and partly fueled the 11-day war in May between Israel and
armed groups in the Gaza Strip.
The
Palestinian family received their eviction order in November, with a deadline
to vacate by March 1.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
2
Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces in West Bank
Qais
Abu Samra
01.03.2022
Two
Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on
Tuesday, according to the Health Ministry.
The
state news agency Wafa said Abdullah al-Hosari, 22, and Shadi Najm, 18, were
killed in clashes in the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank.
Three
other Palestinians were injured, one of them seriously, Jenin hospital director
Wissam Abu Bakr told the official Voice of Palestine radio.
According
to eyewitnesses, clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli forces
following a raid on the camp on Tuesday.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/2-palestinians-shot-dead-by-israeli-forces-in-west-bank/2519465
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Israeli
forces must end use of excessive force, live ammunition against Palestinians,
EU urges
02
March 2022
The
European Union (EU) has expressed concern over Israel's use of excessive force
and live ammunition against Palestinian civilians across the occupied West
Bank, after three Palestinians were killed at the hands of Israeli forces in
two different incidents.
“Concerned
by yesterday’s violent clashes at Damascus Gate and daily incursions by Israeli
forces in the West Bank, leading to two deaths and several injuries of
civilians, including children,” the Office of the European Union Representative
in the West Bank and Gaza Strip wrote in a post published on its official page
on Tuesday.
It
added, “Excessive use of force and live ammunition against civilians must
stop.”
The
Palestinian Health Ministry said on Tuesday that Ammar Shafiq Abu Afifa was
killed by Israeli military forces shooting at him near the town of Beit Fajar,
located eight kilometers (4.9 miles) south of Bethlehem.
The
official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Afifa was a resident of the
al-Arroub refugee camp in the southern West Bank.
Separately,
Israeli forces killed two Palestinians before dawn on Tuesday after Israeli
forces raided the Jenin refugee camp to arrest several people.
Wafa
said the killing of the two Palestinians sparked a “massive and angry march” in
Jenin.
Palestinian
and international rights groups have long condemned the excessive use of force
by Israeli forces against Palestinians.
Israeli
rights group B'Tselem said it had recorded the death of 77 Palestinians by the
regime’s forces in the West Bank last year.
It
highlighted that more than half of those killed were not implicated in any
attacks.
Source:
Press TV
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1000s
of Palestinians to stage hunger strike to protest jail conditions
01
March 2022
Thousands
of Palestinians are to stage a mass hunger strike across Israeli prisons in
protest at worsening confinement conditions.
The
inmates have chosen Tuesday for the one-day-long strike, which could be
extended indefinitely if their demands are not met, the Middle East Eye (MEE)
news and commentary website reported.
The
measure is to go ahead after Israeli prison officials began reducing the
inmates’ “yard time,” going on arbitrary searches inside their cells,
confiscating all of their belongings, and further limiting their family visits.
The
prisoners have denounced the punitive measures as “collective punishment.”
“The
conditions in the Israeli prisons are very bad at the moment, as the occupation
forces increase their aggression against Palestinian prisoners,” Mohammed
Abdullah al-Zaghari, president of the Palestinian Prisoners' Society, told the
MEE.
He
said the prison authorities began ramping up their “punitive aggressions”
against the prisoners following the daring escape of six Palestinian prisoners
from Israel’s maximum-security Gilboa Prison last year.
“The
prisoners are the ones who sacrificed their lives to gain freedom for
Palestine, and they are in a battle all alone in the face of an oppressive
machine,” Zaghari added.
Israeli
prisons hold around 4,500 Palestinians. Last time, the prisoners went on an
indefinite hunger strike in support of their demands in 2017.
Palestinians
residing across the occupied territories have already begun staging solitary
protests in support of the prisoners, heeding a call by various prisoner
advocacy groups.
According
to the official Palestinian Wafa news agency, protests have been reported
across the cities of Ramallah, al-Khalil, and Bethlehem that are scattered
throughout the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Source:
Press TV
Please
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/03/01/677780/Palestine-prisoners-hunger-strike
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslims-arabs-judiciary-bigotry/d/126492