‘Namaz Not The Only Trigger For Violence; Foreign Students Need To Be Sensitised’: Gujarat University V-C Neerja Gupta
New Age Islam
News Bureau
19 March 2024
·
‘Namaz
Not The Only Trigger For Violence; Foreign Students Need To Be Sensitised’:
Gujarat University V-C Neerja Gupta
·
Delhi HC
Refuses Permission For Ramzan Prayers At Demolished Mehrauli Mosque Known As
The Jinnat Wali Masjid
·
Gaza's
Catastrophic Food Shortage Means Mass Death Imminent, Global Hunger Monitor
Says
·
"Deeply
Concerned About Impact Of CAA On Muslims In India": US SenatorChairman Of
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee
·
Will UK
Government's New 'Extremist' Definition Single Out Muslim Groups?: Zara Mohammed,
Secretary-General MCB
----
India
·
Hatred Of
Muslims Will Not Do Any Good To Us Or Nation: Kerala BJP Leader C.K.
Padmanabhan
·
Uniform
Civil Code: 'People Are Jealous Of Muslims' Right Of Polygamy', Jokes Javed
Akhtar
·
Muslim Shopkeepers
Forced To Down Shutters In Uttarakhand Town After Abduction Of Minor Girls
·
Uttarakhand
Police Intervene After Many Muslim Traders Are Told To Leave Town
----
Mideast
·
Alarming
UN report warns famine is imminent in northern Gaza
·
Doubts
over Israel plan to move Gaza civilians out of Rafah
·
UN
Security Council calls for immediate halt to Houthi attacks on Red Sea vessels
·
Iran
rejects ‘unfounded’ US, UK claims of arms supply to Yemen
·
Israelis
fume at ICJ order to step up humanitarian aid into Gaza
·
Iran
blasts Israeli savage attack on Gaza al-Shifa hospital
·
UAE
President orders monthly allowance of 50% of basic salary for all staff of
mosques
·
UAE
Muslim Council of Elders dispatches missions to promote peace worldwide
----
North
America
·
Vandalism
at downtown Chicago mosque investigated as possible hate crime
·
X
Suspends Account Belonging to Harvard Islamic Studies Program
·
Blinken
set for fresh Mideast swing to push ‘lasting peace’ amid Gaza truce talks
·
White
House confirms Israel killed Hamas No. 3 in strike last week
·
To evade
anti-Israel protests, US Jewish and Israeli events keep their locations secret
·
Trump
says Jews who vote for Democrats ‘hate Israel’ and their religion
----
Europe
·
Gaza is
now world's biggest 'open-air graveyard' due to Israeli attacks: EU
·
EU Agrees
On Sanctions Against Violent Israeli Settlers
·
'We need
urgent action now to avoid famine in Gaza,' says UK foreign minister
·
Muslims
in London encouraged to reduce food waste and meat consumption during Ramadan
·
Israel
‘deliberately’ blocking aid to Gaza: Oxfam
------
Africa
·
Pandemonium
Erupts As Suicide Bomber Detonates Bomb Near Mosque in Borno State
·
Gunmen
kidnap dozens in Nigeria's restive Kaduna state: residents, police
·
Bodies
unearthed in Haiti suburb as gang war continues for third week
·
Ramadan
in Sudan: A year after war began, hunger crisis looms over country
·
Economy:
Islamic body urges patience, understanding
----
Arab
World
·
Exhibition
At Prophet’s Mosque Offers Exploration Of Islamic History
·
Islamic
Scholars Meet at Makkah Conference, Vow to Bolster Unity
·
Yemen
slams UN Security Council for serving US interests, supporting Gaza genocide
·
FM condemns
Security Council’s statement regarding events in Red & Arab seas
·
Soothing
and soulful voices of the Grand Mosque in Makkah
·
Volunteer
teams serving visitors at Two Holy Mosques
----
Pakistan
·
Pakistan
Accuses Taliban Of Using TTP, Urges Afghan Solidarity
·
Afghan
Territory Used Against Pakistan: Pakistani Officials
·
Imran,
Qureshi’s lawyer questions Azam’s conduct
·
Pakistan Conducts
Anti-Terror Operations In Border Regions Inside Afghanistan
·
Cipher
case: IHC wants to know what original info was, how it was twisted
·
Likely
privatisation of PIA: SHC issues notices to Centre, CAA, PIA and PC
·
IMF team
extends stay for a day as consensus eludes talks with govt
----
South
Asia
·
Attack On
Afghan Soil Will Have Dire Consequences For Pakistan: Kabul Warning Islamabad
·
UNSC
Working Group to Meet on Children and Armed Conflict in Afghanistan
·
Taliban Summons
Pakistani Ambassador Over Airstrikes In Afghanistan
·
Pakistan
Govt initiates second phase of Afghan migrants expulsion
·
Labour
law violation: HC stays Yunus's sentence until disposal of appeals
----
Southeast
Asia
·
Socks
Manufacturer Mulls Legal Action Against China Supplier, Says Only Five Pairs Have
‘Allah’ Embroidered
·
PKR's
Fahmi Zainol Tells NgaKor Ming To Refrain From Commenting On 'Allah' Socks
Issue
·
Selangor
Sultan opens 77-year-old mosque in SabakBernam, breaks fast with villagers
·
Johor
Regent calls for stern action over 'Allah' socks issue, says matter should not
be taken lightly
·
UN chief
‘alarmed’ by reports civilians killed in Myanmar air strikes
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/namaz-gujarat-university-vc/d/131956
------
‘Namaz not the only trigger for violence; foreign
students need to be sensitised’: Gujarat University V-C Neerja Gupta
Ritu Sharma
March 19, 2024
Foreign students at Gujarat University need to be
“mentored” and culturally sensitised about food habits and conduct in view of
the sentiments of the “vegetarian society” in the state, according to
Vice-Chancellor Dr NEERJA GUPTA.
In an exclusive interview with Ritu Sharma on the
attack on foreign students at the varsity, Gupta, who served as the coordinator
of the Study Abroad Programme (SAP) for 16 years before she assumed charge of
the current post, said the offering of namaz could not have been the only
provocation for violence on Saturday night. Excerpts:
What triggered violence on Saturday night at the
varsity?
One particular event (the offering of namaz) cannot be
the trigger for such a big incident.
What could have then led to the clash?
It’s not a question of a religious practice… it might
be a cultural practice. Foreign students should have been mentored in a better
manner in terms of cultural assimilation.
For example, they eat non-vegetarian food. But Gujarat
is primarily a vegetarian society. The dumping of leftovers can become an
issue. If leftovers are dumped in the open, street dogs can create a menace. The
public space is shared by everyone. As these are foreign students, they come to
notice quickly. So that is why I said that this cannot be about just one
incident. We are not so insensitive or intolerant to someone offering namaz. We
have to mentor them (foreign students) in better ways and let them know about
the local society, customs, and prevalent emotions… so that they can remain
safe.
What could be other triggers, according to you?
The other thing, I feel, is that they need a dialogue.
Violence in any society would trigger a larger problem. They should also feel
heard. It is also an opportunity for us because they are our ambassadors. They
take our culture to the world.
Gujarat is a very safe society. I have handled this
(SAP) department for almost two decades – from 2005 to 2021. So I have seen
they love our music, our food, and our clothes. The local society nurtures that
confidence.
Did you interact with foreign students after the
incident?
Addressing trauma is always our priority. There are
counsellors and psychologists. Since yesterday, I have met the foreign students
thrice. Last night, I was with them for more than an hour. I think they are
mature enough. It’s been almost a year since they are here. So they also
understand certain things slowly. We need to tell them how the resistance is
expected in some manner. As we say – “India mein attack hua, Gujarat me hua…”
(There was an attack in India, in Gujarat); similarly for them also, it is
about an entire country. So they leave a legacy. It is up to them to decide
what legacy they want to leave. I decided to take up this conversation myself.
I have handled many conflicts which we resolved in the past.
It has been said that representations were made by
local students on issues related to foreign students. Were these
representations submitted in written form?
No written representation was submitted. Or the higher
authorities were not aware of any such representations. There might be some
verbal complaints and that too at a lower level. These lapses have now been
flagged.
Did the issues, which had been festering earlier, come
to light after Saturday’s incident?
Yes, only when we tried to inquire… and these are some
of the issues that led us to (go for) a change of guard. We found that the
former in charge of the Study Abroad Programme was overworked and had health
issues. And right now, he may not be in a situation to take the pressure. Each
staff member is precious to us and at the same time, the administration is very
important.
Express View | Attack on foreign students in Gujarat
University belies the promise made by NEP 2020One common concern of foreign
students is they do not find anybody to talk to or address their problems.
It has been noted seriously. Two decades back, I
started with one (foreign student) and we reached 400. There were several
orientation practices that helped us to increase the intake. I think somewhere
we need to bring back the practices.
What kind of cultural sensitivity are we referring to
and what were the steps taken for it?
Earlier we used to give a handbook to students that
would include the do’s and don’ts about the local culture. Besides, there is
always a gap between expectations and reality. They might land here with so
many expectations. They may find a different environment. They may be in
contact with their other counterparts in another city where the atmosphere is
different. But I came to know that now there was no practice or handbook, of
late. It has been discontinued.
Were there any other measures taken to bridge the gap
between foreign and local students?
There were orientation sessions for the first 10 days
in the (local) language. Foreign students were given a small Gujarati handbook
for interacting with locals or for information about landmarks. We also
arranged interactions, and dialogues, community gatherings, and celebrated
special days for different nations. They were also told about local cultural
festivals such as Holi or Diwali.
We also used to interact with the directors,
principals, and heads of departments to tell them what is expected of them. I
found this too has been discontinued.
Source:
indianexpress.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/namaz-not-the-only-trigger-for-violence-foreign-students-need-to-be-sensitised-neerja-gupta-9221553/
----
Delhi HC Refuses Permission For Ramzan Prayers At
Demolished Mehrauli Mosque Known As The Jinnat Wali Masjid
Photo: Live Law
------
18th March 2024
The Delhi High Court rejected a plea seeking
permission for offering Ramzan prayers at the now demolished 600-year-old
Akhoondji mosque located in Mehrauli.
The order was passed on March 11.
The plea, filed by Muntazima Committee Madarsa Behrul
Ulum and Qabristan, sought permission for locals to be allowed to offer Ramzan
prayers at the demolition site.
“The reasoning given in the aforesaid order dated
23.02.2024 squarely applies in the context of the present application as well. In
the circumstances, there is no justification for this Court to take a different
view. As such, this Court is not inclined to grant the relief/s sought in the
present application and the same is consequently dismissed,” the Court said.
On January 31, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA)
demolished the 600-year-old Akhoondji mosque (also known as the Jinnat Wali
Masjid or Dargah Akhundji) and adjacent graveyard located in Mehrauli, citing
the religious structures were built illegally. The demolition took place early
morning, before the pre dawn (Fajr) prayers, in the presence of police.
When the masjid imam reached the site, he was not
allowed to enter the mosque and his phone was snatched to prevent him from
contacting others during the demolition. “I was not allowed to enter the masjid
by the DDA officials. The officials forcefully took away my phone so that I
could not contact anyone when the demolition was happening,” he said, adding he
was not even allowed to take copies of the Holy Quran, which were inside the
mosque.
On February 5, the high court asked the DDA to
maintain the status quo on the site where the mosque once stood.
On February 23, the Delhi Waqf Board submitted a plea
to the Delhi HC asking permission to offer prayers on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat.
Muslims seek forgiveness from Allah for their sins and
those of their ancestors on Shab-e-Barat (the night of atonement).
However, the high court rejected the plea citing the
land now comes under the DDA. “At this stage, the court is not inclined to pass
any directions. The application is dismissed,” the court had observed.
Source:
siasat.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.siasat.com/delhi-hc-refuses-permission-for-ramzan-prayers-at-demolished-mehrauli-mosque-2994545/
----
Gaza's Catastrophic Food Shortage Means Mass Death Imminent, Global Hunger Monitor Says
Extreme food shortages in parts of the Gaza Strip
------
March 19, 2024
(Reuters) - Extreme food shortages in parts of the
Gaza Strip have already exceeded famine levels, and mass death is now imminent
without an immediate ceasefire and surge of food to areas cut off by fighting,
the global hunger monitor said on Monday.
The Integrated Food-Security Phase Classification
(IPC), whose assessments are relied on by U.N. agencies, said 70% of people in
parts of northern Gaza were suffering the most severe level of food shortage,
more than triple the 20% threshold to be considered famine.
The IPC said it did not have enough data on death
rates, but estimated residents would be dying at famine scale imminently,
defined as two people out of every 10,000 dying daily from starvation or from
malnutrition and disease.
Gaza's health ministry has said 27 children and three
adults have died so far from malnutrition.
"The actions needed to prevent famine require an
immediate political decision for a ceasefire together with a significant and
immediate increase in humanitarian and commercial access to the entire
population of Gaza," it said.
In all, 1.1 million Gazans, around half the
population, were experiencing "catastrophic" shortages of food, with
around 300,000 in the areas now facing the prospect of famine-scale death
rates.
The prospect of a manmade famine in Gaza has brought
the strongest criticism of Israel from Western allies since it launched its war
against Hamas militants following their deadly attack on Israeli territory on
Oct. 7.
"In Gaza we are no longer on the brink of famine.
We are in a state of famine... Starvation is used as a weapon of war. Israel is
provoking famine," EU foreign policy chief JosepBorrell said at a Brussels
conference on aid for Gaza.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz responded that
Borrell should "stop attacking Israel and recognise our right to
self-defence against Hamas' crimes".
Israel allowed "extensive humanitarian aid into
Gaza by land, air, and sea for anyone willing to help", Katz said on X,
and aid was "violently disturbed" by Hamas militants with
"collaboration" by the U.N.'s aid agency UNRWA.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the IPC
report an "appalling indictment" and said Israel must allow complete
and unfettered access to all parts of Gaza.
Britain's foreign minister David Cameron said he would
carefully review the report: "It's clear the status quo is unsustainable.
We need urgent action now to avoid a famine."
Israel, which initially allowed aid into Gaza through
only two checkpoints on the enclave's southern edge, says it is opening more
routes by land, as well as allowing sea shipments and air drops. The first boat
carrying aid arrived last week.
Aid agencies say they still cannot get enough supplies
through or distribute them safely, especially in the north.
Source:
tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/world-187895
----
"Deeply Concerned About Impact Of CAA On Muslims
In India": US SenatorChairman Of The Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Photo: DD News
-----
March 19, 2024
An American senator has expressed concern over the
Indian government notifying rules for the implementation of the CAA, saying
that as the US-India relationship deepens, it is important that the cooperation
is based on shared values of protecting human rights of all, regardless of
religion.
India implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act,
2019 last week, paving the way for the grant of citizenship to undocumented
non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India
before December 31, 2014.
The government also came out with a press statement to
say that Indian Muslims need not worry as the CAA will not impact their
citizenship and has nothing to do with the community which enjoys equal rights
as Hindus.
"I am deeply concerned by the Indian government's
decision to notify its controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, particularly
the law's potential ramifications on India's Muslim community. Making matters
worse is the fact that it is being pushed during the holy month of
Ramadan," Senator Ben Cardin, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, said in a statement.
"As the US-India relationship deepens, it is
critically important that our cooperation is based on our shared values of
protecting the human rights of all persons, regardless of religion," he
said.
Last week, the US State Department had expressed
concern over the notifying of the CAA and said that respect for religious
freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental
democratic principles.
India had sharply rebuked the US State Department for
its criticism of the CAA and said it is "misinformed and
unwarranted." In separate statements, the Hindu Policy Research and
Advocacy Collective (HinduPACT) and the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation
supported the CAA.
The legislation provides expedited citizenship to
persecuted Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi minorities from
India's neighbouring countries. It underscores India's dedication to
safeguarding individuals and families against religious persecution, resonating
with global humanitarian principles, they said.
"The CAA does not impact any citizen of India.
The characterisation of this law as being non-secular is unfounded. Hindu
minority is discriminated against and decimated in India's neighbourhood. As
Americans, we are disappointed that instead of standing for American values and
the human rights of the persecuted, our government has chosen to oppose this
humanitarian effort," said Ajay Shah, founder and co-convenor of
HinduPACT.
Deepti Mahajan, co-convenor of HinduPACT, said it is
shocking to see the lack of empathy towards the plight of little girls from
Hindu, Sikh and Christian minority communities in Pakistan.
"According to the UN Human Rights Commission, BBC
and APPG reports, on average, 1,000 girls a year, as little as 10 years old,
get abducted, converted, and become victims of sex slavery and forced marriages
in Pakistan. Instead of calling out the government of Pakistan for its
complicity in this ongoing heartbreaking act, the State Department seeks to
criticise the Government of India's effort to help these innocent victims,"
she said.
The Global Hindu Heritage Foundation's V S Naipaul
said, "The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 addresses the plight of
minorities, who are facing brutalities, persecution, forced conversion,
murders, rapes, and all kinds of atrocities in our neighbouring Islamic
countries, where the idea of secularism, peace and humanity just cannot
survive."
Source:
ndtv.com
Please
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https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/deeply-concerned-about-impact-of-caa-on-muslims-in-india-us-senator-5267318
----
Will UK Government's New 'Extremist' Definition Single
Out Muslim Groups?: Zara Mohammed, Secretary-General MCB
Senator Ben Cardin, chairman
of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee
------
18 March 2024
Last week, the UK government announced a revised
definition of 'extremism,' drawing stark criticism from activists who fear the
new definition has a broader scope, and cuts them off from government funding
and hinders access to UK lawmakers.
The government says this "definition is not
statutory” and will have no effect on “existing criminal law” and only applies
to the government.
The UK communities secretary, Michael Gove, who made
the announcement, has received strong criticism, notably from civil liberty
organisations as some say the change in the official language will
disproportionately target the Muslims.
On its part, the UK government says it provides an
"updated and more precise definition of extremism" that
"inadvertently" avoids affording a "platform, funding or
legitimacy to groups or individuals who attempt to advance extremist ideologies
that negate our fundamental rights and freedoms and overturn the UK's system of
liberal parliamentary democracy."
Despite this, prominent officials like Jonathan Hall,
the UK's Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, have pushed back against
the change, warning it risks tarnishing the UK's democratic reputation
internationally.
He told The Guardian the push "focuses on ideas,
on ideology, not action" but critically leaves no option for anyone who
wants to appeal against such a designation without an appeals body.
The move comes in the backdrop of the Israeli war on
Gaza.
According to the Guardian, a draft ministerial
statement suggested that Gove had floated naming far-right and Muslim groups.
These include the Muslim Association of Britain, Cage International, Muslim
Engagement and Development (MAD), 5 pillars and the Friends of al-Aqsa
alongside far-right groups - Britain First, British National Socialist Movement
and the Patriotic Alternative.
It has led to accusations that the Conservative
government is seeking to make political gains ahead of a general election that
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says will likely take place in the second half of
2024.
Zara Mohammed, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council
of Britain (MCB), an umbrella organisation working locally, nationally and
globally, believes the government is "playing politics with
extremism" that leads to the demonisation of Muslims ahead of elections.
In an op-ed in the British newspaper Metro, Mohammed
outlined Former Home Secretaries Priti Patel, Sajid Javid, and Amber Rudd and
Conservative counter-terror and extremist experts "cautioned" against
potential exploitation for political gain.
Mohammed has also said that the so-called Conservative
experts have shown "very little grasp" over the subject and have had
"no meaningful engagement with Muslim communities."
Britain's largest Muslim organisation has experienced
a drop in level of engagement with the UK government, something that a report
described as "indicative of strained relations".
It has also exposed frictions within the party,
following a co-signed open letter to the Guardian where the officials including
Priti Patel, Sajid Javid and Amber Rudd called for unity.
"We urge the Labour Party and the Conservative
Party to work together to build a shared understanding of extremism and a
strategy to prevent it that can stand the test of time, no matter which party
wins an election," they wrote.
As per the revised revised definition, extremism is
anything that promotes or advances “an ideology based on violence, hatred or
intolerance that aims to negate or destroy the fundamental rights and freedoms
of others; undermine, overturn or replace the UK's system of liberal
parliamentary democracy and democratic rights; or intentionally create a
permissive environment for others to achieve the results…”
Last Thursday, Gove, who enjoys parliament privilege
when speaking publicly, underscored three organisations that he claimed had an
"Islamist orientation" - the Muslim Association of Britain, Cage
International, and Mend.
"Organisations such as the Muslim Association of
Britain, which is the British affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood, and other
groups such as Cage and Mend, give rise to concern for the Islamist orientation
and views", he said.
He added that the UK authorities would investigate
further to "assess if they meet our definition of extremism, and we will
take action as appropriate."
Some of the groups have pushed Gove to repeat his
comments outside the House of Commons away from his Parliamentary privilege
that affords legal immunity relating to civil and criminal cases for lawmakers
remarks or actions carrying out their legislative duties.
First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf also offered a
stark warning that religious leaders such as the Archbishops of Canterbury
& York, have voiced concerns that the definitionn targets and negatively
impacts the Muslim community.
He called the revised definition "a symptom of a
Tory Party that wishes to indulge in culture wars for cheap political
gain."
"The Tories are the Party of "Go Home"
vans, Hostile Environment, Windrush, their Leader called Muslim women bank
robbers, Lee Anderson spouted Islamophobia and their biggest donor allegedly said
he would like to shoot a Black MP. A nasty Party that deserves electoral
oblivion," he added.
A comprehensive list of the new "extremist"
groups is expected to be published in the upcoming weeks.
Cage International's Anas Mustapha said the move comes
amid the government's bid to incite people's fears against Muslims, diverting
their attention, removing their right to free speech and protest.
"They label you as an 'extremist' for exercising
your democratic rights," he said.
Mustapha also touched on the sharpened rhetoric from
officials that have called the pro-Palestinian solidarity marches
"mobs" or "Islamists."
A day after George Galloway returned to office,
securing the parliamentary seat of Rochdale in February, Sunak claimed,
"In recent weeks and months, we've seen a shocking increase in extremist
disruption and criminality. What started as protests on our streets has
descended into intimidation, threats and planned acts of violence."
Those involved in the pro-Palestine solidarity
movement have been quick to hit out amid prominent marches to call for a
ceasefire amid the continued Israeli onslaught in the besieged Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Solidarity Campaign said Gove's
"redefinition of extremism, framed as a defence of democracy, is, in
reality, an assault on core democratic freedoms, seeking to silence dissenting
voices."
The organisation went on to refer to the ongoing
onslaught in Gaza in a written statement, calling upon "all political
parties to condemn Gove's statement and resist the government's plans."
"We are united as a coalition and will not allow
Gove's intervention to distract us from standing in solidarity with a people
confronting genocide, ethnic cleansing, occupation and apartheid."
Source:
trtworld.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/will-uk-governments-new-extremist-definition-single-out-muslim-groups-17410266
---
India
Hatred of Muslims will not do any good to us or
nation: Kerala BJP leader C.K. Padmanabhan
19.03.24
K.M. Rakesh
A BJP national council member and former Kerala unit
president has said that “hatred of Muslims” wouldn’t help the country and added
that no community should be excluded from anything.
“We cannot exclude any community,” the usually
reticent C.K. Padmanabhan, 75, told the Malayalam channel Media One, answering
a question about Muslims being denied the Citizenship (Amendment) Act’s
benefits.
“Hatred of Muslims will not do any good to us. In no
way will it help our nation’s all-round progress and brotherhood among the
people,” he said.
He added: “My Hindutva is that of Swami Vivekananda
and (Kerala social reformer) Sree Narayana Guru. I don’t need anyone else’s
(Hindutva). Our nation’s strength is our unity and its beauty is our
multiculturalism.”
Asked about what the interviewer described as the
BJP’s tendency to spread communal hatred, especially before elections,
Padmanabhan avoided a direct answer. Instead, he described the evolution of his
attitude towards Muslims.
He said that when the then Left government in Kerala
had formed the Muslim-majority district of Malappuram in 1969, a young
Padmanabhan had joined the Jana Sangh agitation against the move.
“I was imprisoned for protesting against the formation
of the Malappuram district,” he said.
However, all the fears about a Muslim-majority
district were later disproved, he said.
“The people of Malappuram will die for you. I have
personally experienced it. I don’t have to make things up. They are such loving
people,” he said.
“I have hundreds of young Muslim friends. We can
totally depend on them and trust them…. Muslim hatred will be of no use other
than destroying the brotherhood in our state. I know that very well.”
He added: “Where is the need to view them under a lens
of suspicion? This is not north India. Here we live among Muslims and
Christians.
“Our Kerala society celebrates Ramzan, Onam and
Christmas together, and (people from different religious communities) exchange
food on these days. Whoever tries to bring in any ideology to hurt this
beautiful system will fail.”
The saffron ecosystem continues to malign Malappuram
as a hotbed of terrorism and “love jihad”.
Padmanabhan, who was Kerala BJP president from 1998 to
2003, has largely been viewed as a moderate leader.
Source:
telegraphindia.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/hatred-of-muslims-will-not-do-any-good-to-us-or-nation-kerala-bjp-leader-c-k-padmanabhan/cid/2007833
---
Uniform Civil Code: 'People are jealous of Muslims'
right of polygamy', jokes Javed Akhtar
19 Mar 2024
Alka Jain
Writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar on Tuesday extended his
support to the Uniform Civil Code, while also saying that it should not be
implemented only for criticizing Muslims so that they cannot practice polygamy.
In an interview with Barkha Dutt for Mojo Story, Javed
said people are jealous of Muslims because they have the right to have four
wives at a time. “Is this the only reason for implementing the Uniform Civil
Code? If you are also given this right, then there will be no problem," he
said.
He then pointed out that Hindus are following polygamy
“illegally". “According to statistics, there are more Hindus who marry
twice. I am in favor of equal laws and rights for all. I will give equal
property share to my son and daughter."
Uttarakhand government in February passed the Uniform
Civil Code months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections that are scheduled to take
place in seven phases beginning from April 19.
UCC brings a common law for marriage, divorce,
inheritance of property, etc., which were earlier governed by personal laws of
every religion. The common code bars bigamy (marrying one person while still
legally married to another) and polygamy (having multiple spouses
simultaneously).
Javed Akhtar was further asked about his opinion on a
viral video in which a police officer kicked out people offering Namaz on the
road. “It's not right to offer Namaz on the road. If there is no space left,
people should ask the government about it. It's not about Hindus or Muslims.
The police action was also wrong," he said.
The writer became emotional as he recalled the
starvation days that he experienced during his struggle time in the film
industry. “Hunger can erase the line between a man and an animal."
Javed Akhtar is one of the finest film writers in the
Bollywood industry who is popularly known for writing some of the iconic Hindi
films and songs.
Source:
livemint.com
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----
Muslim shopkeepers forced to down shutters in
Uttarakhand town after abduction of minor girls
March 19, 2024
A local traders’ body has forced Muslim shopkeepers in
Dharchula to down shutters and given a call for their ouster from the
Uttarakhand town after two minor girls were allegedly lured by a couple of men
from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.
The DharchulaVyapar Sangh has cancelled the membership
of 91 traders, mostly Muslims, and its members have stopped them from opening
their shops over the past three days.
They have also asked landlords to oust such
“outsiders”.
But the administration said landlords in the town,
about 90 km from district headquarter Pithoragarh, have not supported the
trader organisation’s call.
The two traders from Bareilly, who were arrested in
February for allegedly luring the minor girls, were charged under IPC sections
of 363 (kidnapping), 376 (sexual assault), 354 (use of criminal force to
outrage modesty of woman) and POCSO Act, Dharchula SHO Parvez Ali said.
“We have registered an FIR against elements who forced
the shop owners to shut their shops,” Pithoragarh District Magistrate Reena
Joshi said.
“No unlawful activity will be allowed. Traders from
outside doing business in the town will be given full protection,” she said.
Dharchula SDM Manjit Singh said the traders whose
membership has been cancelled are being provided full security by the district
administration.
The traders from outside Dharchula have kept their
shops closed over the last three days but none of them has left the place, he
said.
The Vyapar Sangh, which represents over 600 traders of
the town, has decided to give membership only to traders from inside the state.
“The traders coming from outside are involved in
criminal activities that cannot be tolerated in this sensitive border town,”
secretary of the traders’ association Mahesh Garbiyal said.
Though the girls were rescued and the accused were
arrested soon after the incident, tension has been brewing against the traders
from outside doing business in the town.
A similar situation at Purola in Uttarkashi district
had led to the imposition of section 144 of the CrPC in the town in June last
year following tension sparked by an abortive attempt to abduct a minor Hindu
girl by two men including a Muslim refused to subside.
Source:
indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/muslim-shopkeepers-forced-down-shutters-uttarakhand-town-abduction-minor-girls-9222015/
-----
Uttarakhand police intervene after many Muslim traders
are told to leave town
Avaneesh Mishra
March 19, 2024
The Uttarakhand police have booked members of the
traders’ union in Dharchula town for cancelling the registrations of 91
shopkeepers – most of them from the Muslim community – and telling them to
close their shops and leave.
The union acted against the shopkeepers, who were not
originally from the area, alleging that “outsidPolice said the suo-moto FIR was
registered by the police against six named from the union and 40 unidentified
peopleers” were engaging in unlawful activities.
Tensions rose in Pithoragarh district’s Dharchula in
February when two minor girls from the area were allegedly abducted and raped
by an 18-year-old man from Uttarakhand Pradesh’s Bareilly. The man, identified
as Irfan, was subsequently arrested and booked on charges of rape and
kidnapping, and the girls were rescued within three days. Another man named
Irfan was also arrested in connection with the case.
In response to the incident, the local traders’ union
organised protests and marches against “outsiders”. The union also identified
91 traders from outside the area, cancelled their registrations with the union
and told them to shut shop and leave.
Sources said that the shops of these traders remained
closed for 2-3 days until the administration intervened. The shops reopened on
Monday.
Talking to The Indian Express, Dharchula Sub
Divisional Magistrate Manjit Singh said the administration has provided
security to all shop owners and that no one had to leave unless they wanted to.
An FIR has also been registered against the traders’ union.
“Several traders involved in business here are from
the neighbouring state, mainly western Uttar Pradesh. There was an incident in
Dharchula in February when two ‘outsider’ boys working here lured away two
minor girls. The girls were rescued and the accused were arrested… Since then,
there has been some anger among the locals. They felt that outsiders come here
and get involved in illegal activities,” he said.
“The traders from outside were also associated with
the local Vyapar Mandal (traders’ union), which suo-moto deregistered them. The
mandal also called for those deregistered to close their shops and leave
Dharchula. The deregistered members, however, came to us and we provided them
security. We said that no one needs to leave unless they want to. We organised
peacekeeping meetings and tried to convince all parties. We also got an FIR
registered against those making such calls. The shops have been open since
Monday and the situation is perfectly normal,” Singh said.
He confirmed that those deregistered were mostly
Muslims.
Dharchula circle officer (CO) Parvez Ali said that the
suo-moto FIR was registered by the police against six named from the union and
40 unidentified people under sections 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing
hurt), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506
(criminal intimidation), 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to
outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious
beliefs) and 153 B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to
national-integration) of the IPC.
Talking to The Indian Express, the traders’ union
general secretary Mahesh Garbiyal claimed that the “outsiders” were taking
their business and also causing security threats in the area.
“The locals here are very agitated because of this and
are continuously protesting. There were around 800 members registered with the
union and after identification, we have deregistered 91 of those who came here
after the year 2000. Most of them are Muslims. We demand that they leave the
area. After the intervention of the administration, the shops have been open
since Monday. As the model code of conduct is in place, we will wait till it is
lifted. After that, we will restart our protest,” Garbiyal said.
Source:
indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/uttarakhand-muslim-traders-dharchula-9222473/
----
Mideast
Alarming UN report warns famine is imminent in
northern Gaza
March 18, 2024
NEW YORK CITY: Famine is imminent in northern Gaza,
where 70 percent of the remaining population is experiencing catastrophic
hunger, and it could happen any time between now and May, the UN’s food agency
said on Monday.
The report by the World Food Program warned that a
very small window of opportunity remains to avert this disastrous outcome, and
cautioned that any further escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas
could result in the starvation of half of the people in the territory.
Alarming data from the WFP report on the Integrated
Food Security Phase Classification, a tool that measures the scale of hunger
crises, revealed that everyone in Gaza is struggling to find enough to eat, and
about a third of the 2.3 million population is experiencing the highest level
of catastrophic hunger.
Northern parts of the Strip, including Gaza city,
which has suffered a devastating level of destruction as a result of Israeli
military operations, is bearing the brunt of the humanitarian catastrophe.
Thousands of residents there are forced to eat animal feed to survive, and more
than 25 people people have already died of dehydration and starvation,
including at least 20 children.
The report was based on data collected by 18 agencies,
both within the UN and external. It said the entire population of Gaza
continues to be under siege amid intense and widespread ground assaults and air
strikes that have killed more than 31,000 people and injured more than 73,000.
About 1.9 million people have been displaced, and more
than half of all buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, as has much
of the infrastructure vital to the survival of the civilian population,
including food, water and healthcare systems.
The report highlights as a key driver of the famine
threat the “constraints on humanitarian action throughout the Gaza Strip,
(which) include direct strikes with explosive weapons on humanitarian convoys,
detention of humanitarian staff, road closures, checkpoints, and related
blockages or delays on main transportation corridors.”
It continues: “Physical access constraints further
limit the movement of humanitarian and commercial traffic, including road
damage from bombardment and traffic of heavy military vehicles, as well as the
accumulation of an estimated 12,000 metric tonnes of debris that may take up to
four years to fully clear.”
Pressure from allies continues to mount on Israeli
authorities to allow much greater amounts of aid to freely flow into Gaza, and
open more border crossings to facilitate this.
Ahead of the release of the WFP report, the EU’s high
representative for foreign affairs and security policy, JosepBorrell, again
accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war.
“Hundreds of trucks are waiting to enter (Gaza) and it
is absolutely imperative to make crossing points work effectively and open additional
crossing points,” he said.
“It is just a matter of political will — Israel has to
do it. It is not a question of logistics. It is not because the UN has not
provided enough support. The support is there, waiting. Trucks are stopped,
people are dying while the land crossings are artificially closed.
“And yes, it is good to look at support by sea or by
air, but we have to remind (ourselves) that we have to do it because the
natural way of providing support is being closed. Artificially closed.
“We send parachutes to a place that is one hour by car
from the airport. Why do not we not send it to the airport? Because they do not
let it, and this is unacceptable. Starvation is used as a weapon of war.”
Israeli authorities continue to deny that they are imposing
any restrictions on aid entering Gaza, instead blaming the UN and its Relief
and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees for failing to distribute the aid.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the
report on food insecurity in Gaza as “an appalling indictment of conditions on
the ground for civilians.”
He added: “This is the highest number of people facing
catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Phase
Classification system, anywhere, anytime,” but it is “an entirely man-made
disaster” that can still be halted.
“Today’s report is exhibit A for the need for an
immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” said Guterres as he once again called on
Israel to provide “complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods
throughout Gaza, and for the international community to fully support our
humanitarian efforts.”
He added: “We must act now to prevent the unthinkable,
the unacceptable and the unjustifiable.”
Arif Hussein, the WFP’s chief economist told Arab News
the main takeaway from the report should be that “we as humanity, as a world,
come together to make sure that innocent children, women and men don’t die
because of something which is avoidable.
“We need to have serious work. You need to be able to
get to these people and we need to provide them with the right assistance.”
Source:
arabnews.com
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----
Doubts over Israel plan to move Gaza civilians out of
Rafah
March 19, 2024
JERUSALEM: Israel has vowed to let Palestinians
crammed into southern Gaza leave before its planned invasion of Rafah, but
experts have warned it was practically impossible to get those civilians out of
harm’s way.
The roughly 1.5 million Gazans in the territory’s
southernmost tip have the Mediterranean Sea to their west and sealed borders to
the south and east, while Israeli forces are poised to push in from the north.
“Where will we go if they enter Rafah, and where will
we get a tent, mattress and blankets?” said Sabah Al-Astal, 50, already
displaced inside Gaza by the Israel-Hamas war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted
on sending troops into Rafah to root out Hamas in the area that borders Egypt
and Israel.
But Netanyahu has also pledged to enable Gazans to
leave, saying Sunday that his troops would not move in “while keeping the
population locked in place.”
Israel, though, remains vague regarding how or when
this massive evacuation would take place, a challenge that aid experts consider
impossible in the devastated territory.
“People don’t know where to go. There’s nowhere safe
in Gaza,” said Nadia Hardman, an expert on refugees at Human Rights Watch
(HRW).
The bloodiest ever Gaza war broke out after Hamas launched
an unprecedented attack on October 7 that resulted in about 1,160 deaths in
Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli
figures.
Militants also seized about 250 hostages, of whom
Israel believes 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 who are presumed dead.
Israel has carried out a relentless bombing campaign
and ground offensive that Gaza’s health ministry says has killed at least
31,726 people, most of them women and children.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz remained evasive Monday,
telling Kan public radio that “before any massive operation, we will evacuate
citizens.”
“Not to the north, but to the west. There are Arab
countries that can help by setting up tents, or something else” in the tiny
area between Rafah and the Mediterranean, he added.
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, Israel’s military
spokesman, told the press last week about the establishment of “humanitarian
islands.”
Such tent cities on Gaza’s territory would be spared
the fighting and created with the international community, Hagari said.
But UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian
territories, Jamie McGoldrick, said: “I honestly don’t know where they are
supposedly being established.”
“How will they move people from wherever they are now?
Will they be pushed, forced, encouraged?” he asked.
“That’s not something the UN will participate in
because we’re not a part of any forced displacement.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, on a visit to Israel on
Sunday, voiced concern over the planned Israeli offensive.
“The military logic is one consideration, but there is
a humanitarian logic as well,” he said.
“How should more than 1.5 million people be protected?
Where should they go?“
Netanyahu has agreed to US President Joe Biden’s
request to send a delegation of senior Israeli officials to Washington to
discuss Israel’s Rafah plans and a possible “alternative approach,” the White
House said Monday.
HRW’s Hardman was categorical: Moving “1.5 million
people in an area that is already devastated” is “absolutely impossible,” she
said.
Israel has declared certain areas protected
humanitarian spaces, notably in Al-Mawasi, a coastal area in the south of the
territory between south Gaza’s main city of Khan Yunis and Rafah.
But hundreds of thousands of people are already
sheltering in tents there, and the area has been bombed several times since the
war began more than five months ago.
Netanyahu has doubled down on plans for a Rafah
offensive, announced more than a month ago, despite growing international
pressure.
However, according to David Khalfa, Middle East
specialist at the Jean-Jaures Foundation, the threat also involves
psychological warfare.
“The Israelis maintain a strategic vagueness around
their plans because they do not want to devalue their cards in order to keep
Hamas in uncertainty,” he said.
Khalfa called the threat of a major offensive in Rafah
“a card in a game of liar’s poker” with Hamas, a means to force the militants
to soften their positions in ongoing truce negotiations.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478946/middle-east
----
UN Security Council calls for immediate halt to Houthi
attacks on Red Sea vessels
March 19, 2024
NEW YORK CITY: The UN Security Council on Monday
condemned “in the strongest terms” Houthi strikes against international
maritime traffic in the Red Sea and demanded that all such attacks “cease
immediately.”
The Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting vessels in
the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November and say their assaults will
continue until Israel ends its war on Gaza.
The attacks highlighted by the council included one on
March 6 on the Barbados-flagged merchant carrier True Confidence in the Gulf of
Aden, which left two Filipino nationals and a Vietnamese citizen dead and
several crew members injured. It was the first fatal strike against shipping by
the Houthis.
Another was an anti-ballistic missile attack on Feb.
18 that targeted the Belize-flagged, UK-owned cargo ship Rubymar and caused it
to sink. The vessel was carrying 21,000 tonnes of fertilizer, raising fears of
environmental damage to the Red Sea, including its coral reefs and marine life.
Council members reiterated the importance of the “full
implementation of Resolution 2216” and subsequent resolutions that call for an
end to the violence in Yemen and to all unilateral actions that threaten the
political process in the country.
They emphasized the need for “practical cooperation,
including with the government of Yemen, to prevent the Houthis from acquiring
the arms and related materiel necessary to carry out further attacks,” and
reiterated that all member states must adhere to “their obligations in regards
to the targeted arms embargo.”
The council also demanded the immediate release of the
Japanese-operated cargo ship Galaxy Leader and the 25 members of its crew, who
have been unlawfully detained by the Houthis for more than 100 days.
Members emphasized the importance of Red Sea maritime
routes to humanitarian operations in Yemen and beyond, and to the local fishing
industry and the Yemeni people whose livelihoods it supports. They reaffirmed
that “the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and
commercial vessels of all states transiting the Red Sea and Baab Al-Mandab, in
accordance with international law, must be respected.”
With that in mind, council members warned of the
adverse effects of a “March 4 Houthi decision purporting to require ships
obtain a permit from their ‘Maritime Affairs Authority’ before entering Yemeni
waters, on the freedom of commercial navigation and humanitarian operations,
including into Yemen.”
Last week, UN officials expressed concern that parties
involved in the conflict in Yemen might engage in “risky military adventurism”
that could push the country into a new cycle of war.
“Although we have tried to shield the peace process
from regional developments since the war in Gaza, the reality is (that) what
happens regionally impacts Yemen, and what happens in Yemen can impact the
region,” Hans Grundberg, the UN’s special envoy for Yemen said during a meeting
of the Security Council to discuss the latest developments in the country and
the Red Sea. “The current trajectory gives cause for serious concern.”
Council members stressed the importance of efforts to
enhance regional and international cooperation to counter threats to peace and
security in the region, and called for a deescalation of hostilities in the Red
Sea to help preserve the peace process in Yemen.
They commended the internationally recognized
government of Yemen on its efforts “to preserve the maritime environment,” and
called on all UN member states, organizations and agencies to support that
work.
The council also emphasized the need to “prevent
further regional spillover of the conflict, and its impact on the security and
the stability of the region and beyond,” and reiterated “the necessity to
address the root causes contributing to regional tensions and to the disruption
of maritime security in order to ensure a prompt, efficient and effective
response.”
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478956/middle-east
----
Iran rejects ‘unfounded’ US, UK claims of arms supply
to Yemen
19 March 2024
Iran’s permanent ambassador to the UN has dismissed
“unfounded” accusations by the United States and Britain about sending arms to
Yemen, saying such claims are meant to justify the pair’s bombing campaign against
the Arab country.
In a letter sent to the president of the UN Security
Council (UNSC) on Monday, Amir SaeidIravani rejected the anti-Iran allegations
made by the US and UK envoys at a UNSC briefing on Yemen last week.
The British and American diplomats “have once again
abused the Security Council platform to level unfounded allegations against the
Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the situation in the Red Sea and Yemen,” he
said.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects
these baseless allegations, considering them as a pretext utilized by the
United States and the United Kingdom to advance their short-sighted political
agenda as well as to justify and validate their ongoing unlawful actions and
military aggression against Yemen.”
During the UNSC meeting, the US and UK representatives
accused the Islamic Republic of arming Yemen. The French delegate also made
similar claims.
Iravani dismissed France’s “unjustified and
unsubstantiated” allegations against Iran, urging Paris to “act more responsibly
and refrain from labeling political accusations against other sovereign nations
without substantiation.”
Also in his letter, the Iranian envoy denounced the
US-led strikes on Yemen that came in response to the country’s pro-Palestine
naval operations.
“Once again, Iran unequivocally condemns the ongoing
military aggression and unlawful use of force against Yemen by the so-called
US-led coalition, which flagrantly violates Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial
integrity, international law, the UN Charter, and relevant Security Council
resolutions, posing a serious threat to regional peace and stability,” Iravani
said.
He also noted that Iran is not engaged in any activity
that contravenes UN resolutions on the Yemen arms embargo.
“Iran consistently advocates for the peaceful
resolution of the Yemen crisis through diplomatic channels and underscores its
dedication to maritime security and freedom of navigation,” he added.
In solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza who are
subjected to a US-backed Israeli genocide, Yemeni forces have targeted ships
going to and from ports in the occupied territories, or whose owners are linked
to Israel, in the southern Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Gulf of Aden,
and even in the Arabian Sea.
In response to the pro-Palestine operations, the US
and its allies have bombed Yemen in violation of the country’s sovereignty and
international law.
The illegal attacks prompted Yemen to declare American
and British vessels as legitimate targets for its armed forces.
Source:
presstv.ir
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----
Israelis fume at ICJ order to step up humanitarian aid
into Gaza
18 March 2024
Israel has hit out at South Africa after the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an emergency order for the regime
to step up humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.
In a filing to the ICJ made public on Monday, the
regime claimed it “has real concern for the humanitarian situation and innocent
lives, as demonstrated by the actions it has and is taking”!
Israel has killed more than 31,700 Palestinians in
Gaza since October 7, 2023.
The regime said South Africa’s repeated requests for
additional aid to Gaza were an abuse of court procedures.
The regime’s lawyers said South Africa’s court action
against Israel and its request for new measures was “morally repugnant.”
On March 6, South Africa filed an “urgent request”
with the ICJ for the “indication of additional provisional measures and the
modification” of the court’s order issued on January 26 and its “decision of”
February 16 which dealt with the case on the Application of the Convention on
the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip,
according to the ICJ.
Numerous relief organizations have talked of Israeli
forces deliberately causing humanitarian suffering in Gaza, where tens of
thousands have died in bombings and where famine is looming.
“Much like South Africa’s application that instituted
the present proceedings, they are wholly unfounded in fact and law, morally
repugnant, and represent an abuse both of the Genocide Convention and of the
Court itself,” read the filing.
Many legal experts say the Israeli forces’ mass
killing of the Gazans amounts to a textbook example of genocide.
South Africa says the regime has failed to uphold its
commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention. It filed the lawsuit against
Israel at the end of December.
The African nation has been an outspoken critic of Tel
Aviv, denouncing the regime’s genocidal war in Gaza.
On January 26, the ICJ delivered its interim verdict,
ruling that South Africa’s claims were plausible.
It ordered provisional measures, saying the regime
must implement steps to prevent genocidal acts and allow humanitarian aid to
reach the people of Gaza.
Source:
presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/18/722133/Israel-South-Africa-ICJ
----
Iran blasts Israeli savage attack on Gaza al-Shifa
hospital
Mar 18, 2024
TEHRAN, Mar. 18 (MNA) – The Iranian Foreign Minister
Spokesman Nasser Kan'ani has strongly condemned the Israeli regime's barbaric
attack on al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City.
"Unfortunately, this is not the first time that
the world witnesses that the Zionist regime commits an attack on a hospital,
massacring, injuring, or capturing medical staff, patients, and the wounded in
violation of all international laws and regulations," Kan'ani said in a
statement on Monday.
He emphasized that attacking medical centers, which
are supposed to protected under international humanitarian law, are a blatant
violation of "the most basic principles of international human rights and
humanitarian law."
Earlier in the day, Israeli occupying forces stormed
al-Shifa hospital with tanks and heavy gunfire, killing and wounding a number
of Palestinians sheltering in the medical complex.
"In recent months that the Zionist regime's
killing machine has not spared any brutal act against the innocent people of
Palestine in the world's largest open-air prison; hospitals, medical centers,
and medical staff have been targeted in savage attacks," Kan'ani added.
Source:
mehrnews.com
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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/213173/Iran-blasts-Israeli-savage-attack-on-Gaza-al-Shifa-hospital
---
UAE President orders monthly allowance of 50% of basic
salary for all staff of mosques
19 March 2024
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
President of the UAE, directed a monthly financial allowance of 50 percent of
the basic salary for all workers in mosques in the UAE.
Imams and muezzins at the state level affiliated with
the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments will benefit from the
decree.
Dr. Omar Habtoor Al Derai, Chairman of the Authority,
said that this gesture, which came with the follow-up and support of Sheikh
Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and President
of the Presidency Court, would be automatically disbursed with the monthly
salary.
He expressed his thanks and appreciation to Sheikh
Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for their
concern and care for those working in mosques, and their support for the
General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments to fulfil its religious
duties and social duty.
Source:
gulftoday.ae
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https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2024/03/18/uae-president-directs-monthly-allowance-of-50-per-cent-of-basic-salary-for-mosque-staff-in-uae
---
UAE Muslim Council of Elders dispatches missions to
promote peace worldwide
Mar 18, 2024
As part of its commitment to fostering peace and advocating
for values of dialogue, tolerance, and mutual coexistence, the Muslim Council
of Elders has, for the first time this year, dispatched several religious
missions to various countries.
These missions aim to celebrate the nights of Ramadan
and spread the values of moderation, tolerance, and enlightened Islamic
thought.
The missions have included several Quran reciters and
Islamic preachers sent to countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Kazakhstan,
Germany, Italy, and others.
Their tasks include leading prayers, reciting the Holy
Quran, and delivering khutbahs (sermons) and religious lectures to worshippers.
These efforts are designed to strengthen ties with Muslims worldwide, enhance
their religious awareness, encourage positive integration into their communities,
and protect them from extremist ideologies, thereby safeguarding them from
falling into the clutches of violent and terrorist groups.
The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders,
Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, stated that the Council, under the leadership of Dr
Ahmed Al Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif, aims through its
extensive programmes and activities worldwide to connect Muslims with the
fundamentals of their religion and creed.
It seeks to enhance a correct understanding of Islam
and raise their awareness of the ethical methods to confront the challenges
facing members of Muslim communities around the world, especially in light of
the increasing phenomenon of Islamophobia.
Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam pointed out that the goal of
these religious missions is to promote the values of tolerance and peaceful
coexistence, achieve positive integration while preserving Islamic identity,
provide a deep understanding of Islamic religious values and traditions, and
how to apply these values in daily life.
Since the start of the sacred month of Ramadan, the
missions of the Muslim Council of Elders have been carrying out intensive
activities amidst significant official and public participation.
Source:
gulftoday.ae
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https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2024/03/18/uae-muslim-council-of-elders-dispatches-missions-to-promote-peace-worldwide
---
North
America
Vandalism at downtown Chicago mosque investigated as
possible hate crime
March 18, 2024
Chicago police are investigating an act of vandalism
at the Downtown Islamic Center as a possible hate crime.
Staff at the center tells NBC Chicago a man acting
belligerently followed several women inside and yelled anti-Muslim rhetoric at
around 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Surveillance video also captures him kicking the front
door. He returns moments later with an object and shatters the glass before
running off.
"It’s really sad that incidents like this
continue to take place. We really feel houses of worship, all houses of
worship, are a beacon, a safe space for all of the community," said Salman
Azam, an executive board member at the Downtown Islamic Center.
"We’ve seen a spike in Islamophobia and hate
crimes since the Israel-Hamas conflict started in the fall, but this incident
last night shows us that threats to Muslims are still a big problem here,"
he continued.
The mosque was busier than usual at night due to an
evening communal prayer known as the Taraweeh prayer, recited during the Holy
month of Ramadan.
On Monday afternoon, broken glass was still visible on
the front door, but the damage didn't appear to deter those arriving for
afternoon prayer, including EmaadMasdoor, who said he's disappointed by the act
but not surprised.
"This is not the first time this has happened to
me. I’m from Louisville, and a couple
years back at the mosque I used to go to, it was vandalized with spray
paint," said Masdoor.
"It’s one thing to spread so much hate, it's
another thing when its rooted in so much misinformation," he said.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is urging
state and federal law enforcement to investigate the vandalism as a hate crime.
"One of the many fixtures of Ramadan is communal
nightly prayer, where people come together to reflect on all the blessings we
have," said Ahmed Rehab, the executive director of CAIR Chicago. "For
this to happen right at this time of peace and meditation further exacerbates
the horror this was."
CAIR tracks reports of anti-Muslim incidents, and
found that in the last three months of 2023, there was a 178% increase in
complaints.
"Unfortunately, every time we see news headlines
focus on things like 9-11 or the Muslim ban or now the war in Gaza, we see a
reaction here on the streets of the U.S., a rise in anti-Muslim
incidents," said Rehab.
CAIR is encouraging mosques to implement full time
security, ensure all cameras are working and lock doors at all times.
The Chicago Police Department said it is investigating
the incident as a possible hate crime. Police stated they are in contact with
the mosque and working to identify the individual responsible. It remains an
open investigation.
Source:
nbcchicago.com
Please
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https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/vandalism-at-downtown-chicago-mosque-investigated-as-possible-hate-crime/3385993/
----
X Suspends Account Belonging to Harvard Islamic
Studies Program
Elizabeth R.
Huang
[19/March/2024]
The X account belonging to the Harvard Islamic Studies
Program was suspended on Feb. 22 for “violating rules against platform
manipulation and spam,” according to Harry Bastermajian, the program’s
executive director.
Bastermajian, who discovered the account’s suspension
on March 8, questioned whether it was motivated by Islamophobia or racism. He
said his team did not receive any prior warning about the suspension.
“Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies feels under attack
right now,” Bastermajian said. “So that’s why red flags started popping up when
I saw this suspension.”
A media representative for X did not respond to
requests for comment regarding the suspension of the Harvard Islamic Studies
Program’s account.
Bastermajian said his team appealed the account
suspension to X on March 8 and they received an email confirming the appeal had
been received on the same day, but no further responses have come from X since.
“We were really surprised,” Bastermajian said. “We
don’t use Twitter all that often. We’re just posting for events, talks, we
retweet things from other centers of Harvard and programs at other
universities.”
When Bastermajian and his team first learned that the
account had been suspended for the reasons cited in the email from X, they
checked to see if the account had been hacked or compromised, but did not find
any suspicious activity.
“When I was going through our DMs, trying to see if
there’s anything there, I didn’t see anything there,” Bastermajian said. “And
so the spam part didn’t make any sense to me.”
Bastermajian also said he was confused about the
allegation of a “platform manipulation” violation.
“I don’t really know what that is, to be honest with
you,” he added.
Before the suspension took place, the Harvard Islamic
Studies Program’s X account had been active since 2010 and had around 7,000
followers, according to Bastermajian.
“Twitter was one of the ways you get people to listen,
and Islamic Studies and Middle Eastern Studies is very active on Twitter,”
Bastermajian said. “It was a good space for us.”
Bastermajian said he informed several people about the
account’s suspension, including an employee in the Office of General Counsel
and peers from sister programs at Georgetown, Cambridge, and the University of
Edinburgh.
Bastermajian said he felt “supported” by his colleagues
and emphasized that the Harvard Islamic Studies program is “not political.”
“It feels personal,” Bastermajian said. “I know I
shouldn’t really take it that way, but it kind of does.”
Source:
thecrimson.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/3/19/islamic-studies-social-media-suspension/
----
Blinken set for fresh Mideast swing to push ‘lasting
peace’ amid Gaza truce talks
19.03.2024
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to
Saudi Arabia and Egypt this week to discuss efforts to secure a ceasefire in
Gaza, release the remaining hostages held by Hamas since October 7, and
increase humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory, a State Department
spokesperson said Tuesday.
Blinken will hold talks with Saudi leaders in Jeddah
on Wednesday, then travel to Cairo on Thursday for talks with Egyptian
authorities, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said from the
Philippines, where Blinken is touring.
This will be Blinken’s sixth trip to the Middle East
since war erupted in Gaza on October 7, sparked by Hamas’s brutal October 7
onslaught.
“The Secretary will discuss efforts to reach an
immediate ceasefire agreement that secures the release of all remaining
hostages, intensified international efforts to increase humanitarian assistance
to Gaza, and coordination on post-conflict planning for Gaza, including
ensuring Hamas can no longer govern or repeat the attacks of October 7,” Miller
said in a statement.
Blinken will also discuss “a political path for the
Palestinian people with security assurances with Israel,” Miller said.
Blinken confirmed the plans a short time later, saying
he would aim to “discuss the right architecture for lasting regional peace.”
“We’ve also impressed upon Israel the imperative of
having a plan for Gaza for when the conflict ends, which we hope will be as
soon as possible, consistent with Israel’s needs to defend itself and make sure
Oct. 7 can never happen again,” Blinken added.
The secretary said it was “absolutely incumbent” upon
Israel to prioritize assistance for those in desperate need.
“One hundred percent of the Gaza population is in need
of humanitarian assistance,” he said.
Israeli negotiators led by Mossad chief David Barnea
arrived in Qatar Monday for a fresh round of talks aimed at securing a deal
with the Hamas terror group to free hostages kidnapped from Israel and pause
fighting for several weeks.
Israel has agreed to a six-week truce, a partial troop
withdrawal and the release of an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners in
exchange for some 40 female, elderly and wounded captives, but Hamas has
insisted on an agreement for a permanent ceasefire and the release of hundreds
of high-level Palestinian prisoners.
Israel has adamantly ruled out a permanent ceasefire
and insists it will carry out its declared goal of destroying Hamas. Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the Hamas demands last week as
“ridiculous” but his cabinet nonetheless dispatched a team of negotiators, giving
them wide leeway within carefully delineated “red lines” to reach a deal, an
Israeli official said Monday.
Talks were expected to kick off with a meeting between
Barnea, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and Egyptian
officials in Doha, a source close to the talks said Monday.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that
mediators told Israel the talks in Qatar, expected to last around two weeks,
were the final round of negotiations, which would end if no deal was reached.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday
acknowledged that while negotiations had been “more elusive than we would have
hoped,” there could be a deal immediately if Hamas would just agree to release
the female, elderly, and wounded hostages.
Instead, he said, Hamas had “put a proposal on the
table where they’ve added a series of other conditions” that are not acceptable
to Israel. “They [the Israeli government] regard some of those conditions as
going too far, but that’s what a negotiation is about,” Sullivan said.
The US had reportedly initially sought to mediate a
ceasefire deal that would pave the way for Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with
Israel and lead to a Palestinian state, but the initiative lost momentum with
Israel showing little appetite for linking Gazan fighting to a wider peace
deal.
Miller said Blinken’s tour would also include
discussions surrounding attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on commercial ships,
to restore stability and security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Hamas and the Houthis both belong to the “axis of
resistance,” a collection of Iran-backed movements hostile to Israel and the
United States that also includes Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group and Iraqi
militias.
The Houthis have attacked Red Sea shipping for months,
saying they are targeting Israeli-linked vessels in solidarity with
Palestinians in Gaza.
Blinken is in Manila as part of a brief Asia tour
aimed at reinforcing US support for regional allies against China.
Tensions between US President Joe Biden’s
administration and Netanyahu’s government have risen sharply in recent weeks as
Democrats have expressed increasing impatience with the Israeli leader.
Sullivan said Monday that the US would not support an
Israeli offensive in the southernmost Gaza city of Rafah, Hamas’s last major
stronghold in the Strip.
Israel has promised to act to evacuate civilians from
Rafah before launching an operation in the city, but Sullivan said the US would
share ideas with Israeli officials on how to deal with Hamas without a major
offensive that could worsen conditions for civilians in the enclave.
The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas’s October 7
massacres, which saw some 3,000 terrorists burst across the border into Israel
by land, air and sea, killing some 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages,
mostly civilians, many amid horrific acts of brutality and sexual assault.
Vowing to destroy the terror group, Israel launched a
wide-scale air and ground attack in Gaza. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry
says more than 31,000 people in the Strip have been killed in the fighting so
far, a figure that cannot be independently verified and includes some 13,000
Hamas terrorists Israel says it has killed in battle. Israel also says it
killed some 1,000 gunmen inside Israel on October 7.
The United Nations has warned for weeks that a famine
is looming in Gaza, with aid agencies reporting huge difficulties gaining
access to the territory, particularly the north.
Donors have turned to deliveries by air or sea, but
these are not viable alternatives to land deliveries, UN agencies say.
It is believed that 130 hostages abducted by Hamas on
October 7 remain in Gaza — not all of them alive — after 105 civilians were
released from Hamas captivity during a weeklong truce in late November, and
four hostages were released prior to that. Three hostages have been rescued by
troops alive, and the bodies of 11 hostages have also been recovered, including
three mistakenly killed by the military.
The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 33 of those still
held by Hamas, citing new intelligence and findings obtained by troops
operating in Gaza.
One more person is listed as missing since October 7,
and their fate is still unknown.
Hamas is also holding the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers
OronShaul and Hadar Goldin since 2014, as well as two Israeli civilians, Avera
Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who are both thought to be alive after entering
the Strip of their own accord in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/blinken-set-for-fresh-swing-through-mideast-to-bolster-gaza-truce-talks/
----
White House confirms Israel killed Hamas No. 3 in
strike last week
19.03.2024
JACOB MAGID
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday
confirmed Israel killed the deputy commander of Hamas’s military wing in a
recent strike, becoming the first official in any government to publicly do so.
“Hamas’s number three, Marwan Issa, was killed in an
Israeli operation last week,” Sullivan said during a White House press
briefing. “The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas
tunnel network, and justice will come for them too. We are helping to ensure
that.”
Sullivan noted US President Joe Biden and Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed Israel’s military operations in Gaza
during their phone call Monday, with the former “emphasiz[ing] his bone-deep
commitment to ensuring the long-term security of Israel and [re]-affirm[ing]…that
Israel has a right to go after Hamas, the perpetrators of the worst massacre of
the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”
“Israel has made significant progress against Hamas.
They’ve broken a significant number of Hamas battalions and killed thousands of
Hamas fighters including senior commanders,” Sullivan added.
His remarks came a day after IDF Chief of Staff Lt.
Gen. HerziHalevi said that Hamas was trying to hide Issa’s fate.
“We embarked on this operation after many days of
complex planning, creating the operational conditions, and gathering sufficient
intelligence. This is a very important achievement for the IDF. A capability we
have built over the years together with the Shin Bet, a combination of
high-quality intelligence and precise fire from the Air Force, which enables
the elimination of senior officials underground,” Halevi said at a press
conference.
“This attack is an expression of the IDF’s ability to
reach the most complex places, at the right time, and with high precision. We will
continue the effort to eliminate the senior officials. This is a major goal in
the war,” Halevi stated.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also hinted Sunday that
the targeting of Issa was successful.
“Thanks to the ground operation, we reached
information that led to [eliminations] and successes. This is true for northern
Gaza, the central camps in Nuseirat, and Rafah,” Gallant said after visiting
troops of the 98th Division at an army base in central Israel.
Issa served as the deputy of Mohammed Deif, the head
of Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Together with
Hamas’s leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, they are believed to have masterminded
the group’s October 7 massacre in southern Israel that triggered the ongoing
twar.
Known as the “Shadow Man,” Issa was long known for
evading the IDF and rarely made public appearances.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/white-house-confirms-israel-killed-hamas-no-3-in-strike-last-week/
----
To evade anti-Israel protests, US Jewish and Israeli
events keep their locations secret
LUKE TRESS
[19/March/2024]
New York Jewish Week — When event producer Erez Safar
announced a Valentine’s Day comedy show to raise funds for survivors of the
Hamas-led October 7 onslaught on Israel, the flyer included a date, time and
photo of headliner Daniel Ryan Spaulding, the non-Jewish comic who has stood
out since the attack for his pro-Israel activism.
But fans hoping to attend the show wouldn’t be able to
get there by looking at the poster. All it said was “Location upon RSVP.”
Following a spike in antisemitic incidents in New York
City and beyond following October 7, Safar is one of several Jewish activists
and promoters who have decided to shield the addresses or other details of
their events. Much of the city’s robust Jewish life is still publicized, and
pro-Israel groups have organized rallies on a regular basis — including one
earlier this month, with police security, that drew 3,000 people.
But in the face of pro-Palestinian marches that have
targeted institutions ranging from a cancer hospital to kosher restaurants,
some Jewish organizers say they would rather prioritize the safety and
well-being of their attendees — even if they risk potentially tamping down
attendance.
“We were completely like, ‘No chance we can leak this
location,’” said Safar, a Los Angeles resident who is also an author and
musician, regarding an event he put on in Los Angeles in November. “Even buying
tickets, we didn’t make it available, so you had to DM me, and then I was
vetting people and then sending them a link.”
He had not taken such measures before thousands of
terrorists murdered 1,200 people in southern Israel and abducted 253 more to
the Gaza Strip on October 7, but has done so at all events since then, in New
York City and elsewhere, and has noticed other organizers doing the same. And
despite the precautions, the events can still draw protesters: A crowd still
showed up outside his Valentine’s Day event, shouting “Nazi scum” and “Zionist
freak” at people entering the venue and handing out flyers reading, “No matter
where they are, they shall not know peace.”
For Safar, that was only an indication that he needed
to double down on security. “I’ll have to vet people” for future events, he
said, adding that in retrospect, “there were a couple red flags” among ticket
buyers — in other words, indications of protesters who bought tickets to
discover the event’s location.
The secrecy trend has even extended to a Jewish
movement perhaps best known for its assertively public displays of religion:
Chabad. On a Saturday night in late February, the Brooklyn-based Hasidic
movement, whose “mitzvah tanks” and tefillin-laying stations dot major
intersections, gathered some 3,000 teens from its youth group at one of the
city’s most famous landmarks, at Times Square.
The location and crowd made the event as public as
they come. But in contrast to past years, organizers refrained from sending
email blasts ahead of time advertising the gathering. Some parents had
expressed concern about security, said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, the executive
director of Merkos 302, a Chabad office dealing with education and outreach
that runs the CTeen youth group.
Organizers also took other measures, including hiring
extra private security guards.
“Everybody who knows, knows, but it’s not like anybody
who was looking for this would be able to find it,” Kotlarsky said.
Security concerns are “not something new but I can
tell you that it’s a lot more real post October 7,” he added. “It brought
people from under the surface out above the surface, so whatever we were doing
in the past, we are now doing on a whole new level.”
Protestors in Philadelphia stand outside of a Jewish
& Israeli owned falafel restaurant
Jewish groups are not the only ones taking precautions
surrounding their events. Earlier this month, the Chelsea Film Festival held
the New York City premiere of the documentary film “Supernova,” about the Hamas
massacre at the outdoor dance party on October 7. The film uses footage taken
by attendees and interviews with survivors to depict the slaughter.
The screening was advertised via email but invitations
left out the event’s location, only stating that it was in Manhattan and saying
the exact address would be provided to attendees 24 hours ahead of time. The
measure was taken to head off protests, said Ingrid Jean-Baptiste, the film
festival’s director. (After the New York screening, a Jewish man was attacked
outside a showing of the film in Chicago.)
“We wish we could have shared the location ahead of
time,” Jean-Baptiste said, adding that the measure led to complications on the
day of the event. “It’s more logistics when we cannot share a location.”
The security measures have not dampened attendance,
though — Safar’s comedy show and the documentary screening both sold out, and
the Times Square event was filled to capacity.
RSVP-shielding is still a relatively rare phenomenon:
Most Jewish organizations in the New York City area are not concealing the time
or location of their events, said Mitch Silber, the director of the Community
Security Initiative, which coordinates security for Jewish institutions in the
area.
“We still keep on getting requests to make sure that
there’s a police presence to protect Jewish events, but I have no sense that
people are going underground,” Silber said.
Ronit Levin Delgado, an Israeli artist in New York
City, has held performances focused on the Gaza hostages and has helped
organize art events in the city since October 7. She said some of the event
organizers had discussed keeping details quiet, but ultimately opted against
it.
“I’m proud of my identity,” Levin Delgado said. “Now
is the time to show that we’re strong and resilient.”
She acknowledged that there were risks, but also said
that for her performance art, blowback was part of the experience. In a public
display focused on the hostages in downtown Manhattan, for example, she said
she was pushed and heckled.
“Art imitates life, life imitates art. They’re
inspired from each other and that’s what makes it strong, that you are able to
get those emotions from people,” she said.
Safar said that for his events, he informs customers
of the neighborhood where the shows will take place and that it is not a burden
for those attending and has not depressed turnout. Keeping the location quiet
also has benefits, he said. If organizers need to change a venue before a show,
it’s easier to do so because they don’t need to inform attendees about the
change.
The secrecy also adds an element of surprise, Safar
said, likening the events to underground raves in the 1990s.
“It does make it a little fun, like you don’t know
where you’re going,” he said, even if it is “depressing and ridiculously sad
that we have to do this.”
He also said has been inundated with messages of
support since the Valentine’s Day event, and since he posted a defiant video
about the protest on Instagram.
“Their entire point was to stop it, ruin it, whatever,
but it kind of did the opposite, so it just brought us all together,” he said.
“I think if anything it almost helped that night get to that level of flipping
that really dark energy into this insane amount of light.”
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/to-evade-anti-israel-protests-us-jewish-and-israeli-events-keep-their-locations-secret/
----
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats ‘hate Israel’
and their religion
March 19, 2024
NEW YORK: Former President Donald Trump on Monday
charged that Jews who vote for Democrats “hate Israel” and hate “their
religion,” igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish
leaders.
Trump, in an interview, had been asked about
Democrats’ growing criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over
his handling of the war in Gaza as the civilian death toll continues to mount.
“I actually think they hate Israel,” Trump responded
to his former aide, Sebastian Gorka. “I think they hate Israel. And the
Democrat party hates Israel.”
Trump, who last week became the Republican Party’s
presumptive nominee, went on to charge: “Any Jewish person that votes for
Democrats hates their religion. They hate everything about Israel and they
should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.”
The comments sparked immediate backlash from the White
House, President Joe Biden’s campaign and Jewish leaders. The vast majority of
Jewish Americans identify as Democrats, but Trump has often accused them of
disloyalty, perpetuating what critics say is an antisemitic trope.
At the White House, spokesperson Andrew Bates cast the
comments as “vile and unhinged Antisemitic rhetoric” without mentioning Trump
by name.
“As Antisemitic crimes and acts of hate have increased
across the world — among them the deadliest attack committed against the Jewish
people since the Holocaust — leaders have an obligation to call hate what it is
and bring Americans together against it,” he said. “There is no justification
for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens. None.”
Biden’s campaign said, “The only person who should be
ashamed here is Donald Trump.”
“Trump is going to lose again this November because
Americans are sick of his hateful resentment, personal attacks, and extreme
agenda,” said spokesman James Singer.
Jonathan Greenblatt, who heads the Anti-Defamation
League, said, “Accusing Jews of hating their religion because they might vote
for a particular party is defamatory & patently false.”
“Serious leaders who care about the historic US-Israel
alliance should focus on strengthening, rather than unraveling, bipartisan
support for the State of Israel,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Trump’s comments come as Biden has been facing
mounting pressure from the progressive wing of his party over his
administration’s support for Israel in its retaliatory offensive in Gaza. More
than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7,
according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory.
While Biden continues to back Israel’s right to defend
itself, he has increasingly criticized Netanyahu. After his State of the Union
speech, he said he needed to have a “come to Jesus” conversation with the
Israeli leader. He has also accused Netanyahu of “hurting Israel more than
helping Israel,” saying, “he must pay more attention to the innocent lives
being lost as a consequence of the actions taken.”
Trump took particular issue with recent comments from
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the country’s highest-ranking Jewish
official. In a speech last week, Schumer sharply criticized Netanyahu’s
handling of the war in Gaza, warning that the civilian toll was damaging
Israel’s standing around the world. He also called for Israel to hold new
elections.
While the White House formally distanced itself from
Schumer’s comments, the Democratic leader and key ally was voicing an opinion
increasingly held across Biden’s administration.
Schumer — whom Trump accused of being “very
anti-Israel now” — responded by accusing Trump of “making highly partisan and
hateful rants.”
“To make Israel a partisan issue only hurts Israel and
the US-Israeli relationship,” he wrote on X.
The Pew Research Center reported in 2021 that Jews are
“among the most consistently liberal and Democratic groups in the US,” with 7
in 10 Jewish adults identifying with or leaning toward the Democratic Party. In
2020, it found that nearly three-quarters of American Jews disapproved of
Trump’s performance as president, with just 27 percent rating him positively.
Americans have also increasingly soured on Israel’s
military operation in Gaza, according to surveys from The Associated Press and
the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. In January, 50 percent of US
adults said the military response from Israel in the Gaza Strip had gone too
far, up from 40 percent in November.
That number was higher among Democrats, 6 in 10 of
whom said the same thing in both surveys.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478991/world
----
Europe
Gaza is now world's biggest 'open-air graveyard' due
to Israeli attacks: EU
18 March 2024
EU foreign policy chief JosepBorrell has said that
Israel's military campaign in Gaza had turned the territory into the world's
biggest "open-air graveyard."
"Gaza was before the war the greatest open-air
prison. Today it's the greatest open-air graveyard," Borrell said on
Monday at a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels.
"It's a graveyard for tens of thousands of people
and also a graveyard for many of the most important principles of humanitarian
law."
Borrell also reiterated his accusation that Israel was
using famine as a "weapon of war" by not allowing aid trucks into
Gaza.
"Israel is provoking famine," he told a
humanitarian conference. Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz hit back at
Borrell and told him to "to stop attacking Israel and recognise our right
to self-defence against Hamas' crimes."
"Israel allows extensive humanitarian aid into
Gaza by land, air, and sea for anyone willing to help," Katz claimed on X.
EU divided over Israeli war
After the attack on 7 October, the bloodiest war ever
erupted in Gaza, in which more than 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and
children, were massacred by Israel, and some 1,160 people were killed in
Israel, according to an AFP count based on allegations by Israeli officials.
Palestinian resistance groups also seized some 250
hostages, according to Israeli officials, of whom Israel believes that 130
remain in Gaza and including 33 who are presumed dead.
Israel, vowing to destroy Hamas and free the captives,
has carried out a relentless bombing campaign and ground assault that Gaza's
Health Ministry says has killed at least 31,726 people.
The 27-nation EU has struggled to come up with a
united response to the war in Gaza as some members firmly back Israel and
others are more pro-Palestinian.
EU ministers were set to discuss a proposal by Ireland
and Spain to suspend a cooperation agreement with Israel, but that move was
unlikely to get the support of all 27 countries.
The bloc was however expected to agree on sanctions
both against Hamas for sexual violence on October 7 according to Israeli claims
and against violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank for attacking
Palestinians.
Britain and the United States have already imposed
sanctions targeting a small number of "extremist" settlers.
Source:
trtworld.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/gaza-is-now-worlds-biggest-open-air-graveyard-due-to-israeli-attacks-eu-17410576
---
EU agrees on sanctions against violent Israeli
settlers
18 March 2024
The European Union's foreign ministers have agreed in
principle on imposing sanctions against violent Israeli settlers, who will be
slapped with travel bans and asset freezes upon implementation of the measures.
"A solid compromise has been agreed at the
working level and I hope that this will be continued until full adoption soon,
but the political agreement is there," EU foreign policy chief
JosepBorrell told reporters after the ministers met in Brussels on Monday.
"Today, we have approved, unanimously, the
sanctions against the violent settlers that harass the Palestinians in the West
Bank," Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares also said.
The violence has ramped up over the past months.
Combined with the Israeli regime's raids across the occupied territory,
aggression perpetrated by the illegal settlers has claimed the lives of
hundreds of Palestinians throughout the period.
Earlier this month, UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights Volker Turk expressed serious concern regarding the rising settler
violence in a report to the world body's Human Rights Council.
“The West Bank is already in crisis. Yet, settler
violence and settlement-related violations have reached shocking new levels,
and risk eliminating any practical possibility of establishing a viable
Palestinian State,” he said.
More than 600,000 Zionists live in over 230 illegal
settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank.
All the settlements are considered to be illegal under
the international law. The United Nations Security Council has condemned the
Israeli regime's settlement construction activities across the occupied
territory through numerous resolutions.
Source:
presstv.ir
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----
'We need urgent action now to avoid famine in Gaza,'
says UK foreign minister
AysuBicer
19.03.2024
LONDON (AA) - British Foreign Minister David Cameron
on Monday expressed "grave concern" over the findings from an
Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report on the risk of
famine in Gaza.
Stressing the urgency of the situation, Cameron called
for immediate action to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
"The findings from IPC’s report on famine risk in
Gaza are of grave concern, and I will carefully review their analysis," he
said. "It’s clear the status quo is unsustainable. We need urgent action now
to avoid a famine."
The latest report by the IPC, prepared by UN-linked
organizations, said that 70% of the population in northern Gaza is facing
catastrophic levels of hunger.
The report said the northern areas of Gaza and its
associated districts have been classified under IPC Phase 5, indicating famine
with supporting evidence.
This classification implies that approximately 70% of
the population residing in northern Gaza, or roughly 210,000 people, is facing
catastrophic levels of hunger.
After an Oct. 7 cross-border raid by Hamas that killed
some 1,200 people, more than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children,
have been killed in Gaza, and over 73,000 injured amid mass destruction and
shortages of necessities.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population
into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water,
and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or
destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel is accused of genocide at the International
Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its
forces do not commit acts of genocide, and guarantee that humanitarian
assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
Source:
aa.com.tr
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/we-need-urgent-action-now-to-avoid-famine-in-gaza-says-uk-foreign-minister-/3168067
---
Muslims in London encouraged to reduce food waste and
meat consumption during Ramadan
March 18, 2024
LONDON: British Muslims attending an ethical iftar
event in East London on Saturday were encouraged to reduce food waste, their
consumption of meat, and use of plastic during Ramadan.
During the holy month, families and friends often
gather in the evenings to break the daily fast together, or send gifts of food
as they share traditional dishes and delicacies.
The downside of this culture of communal and shared
eating include increased use of single-use plastic items to reduce the amount
of clean-up, and high amounts of wastage as more food is often cooked than is
eaten. In particular, the consumption of meat, a staple of many traditional
meals, tends to increase at this time of year.
To help raise awareness of how such excesses
contribute to the environmental crisis and are contrary to the Islamic
tradition of caring for the Earth, the community-focused arts center Poplar
Union hosted an evening of prayer, food and conversation in partnership with
several Muslim organizations in London that promote sustainability and
environmental issues, including: Green Deen Tribe, which highlights the
relationship between Islamic teachings and environmentalism, climate-action
platform Two Billion Strong, and environmental activism group Sustainably
Muslim.
More than 60 participants enjoyed a nutritious,
three-course vegetarian meal of vegetable soup, bread, aromatic rice with a
choice of egg or chickpea curry, salads, and traditional desserts from various
cultures.
Sofia Ali, a volunteer with Green Deen Tribe who helps
manage the organization’s projects, said that meat eaters who attend ethical
iftars are often surprised by how satisfying a vegetarian meal can be.
“When people think about healthy food, they don’t
necessarily think it’s going to be very filling,” she said. “So a lot of the
time, when we speak to the guests at our events, they will be surprised at how
full they feel.
“They think that they will come to this iftar and then
go and eat meat afterwards to satiate their hunger. But most of them come away
feeling very full.”
The aim of the ethical iftars Green Deen Tribe helps
organize is to encourage people to think more about sustainability habits they
can adopt in their day-to-day lives, Ali added.
“We want to encourage Muslims to know that you don’t
have to have an ethical iftar every day, you can just implement different
habits and build them over a long period of time,” she said.
“A lot of the work we do is to make sure that people
continue the good habits they pick up after Ramadan as well. We want to keep
the conversation going and see people going to different events and engaging
with ethical and climate-change matters.”
The ethical iftar events therefore encourage Muslims
to take small but consistent steps in their daily lives to reduce food waste,
the use of single use plastics and meat consumption, Ali added.
Fawzia Anna, a lawyer who attended the iftar, said she
liked the fact the event was inclusive, open not only to Muslims but the wider
community.
“I just thought it was a nice initiative, something
different that I haven’t really seen locally in East London, so I thought, why
not attend?” she said. “It’s also an opportunity to meet new people.
“People don’t usually associate iftar with green
initiatives and so it’s been a really engaging event. The speakers were very
good and I like the fact that people could pray and break their fast together.”
Habib Mairaj, a singer-songwriter who led the sunset
prayer at the event and recited a chapter from the Qur’an, said that although
he enjoys eating meat, he will try to reduce his consumption.
“I won’t stop eating meat but I definitely feel like
we should exercise moderation when it comes to consuming meat products,” he
said.
“There are physical and spiritual benefits of eating
less meat and this event has made me more aware of that.”
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478806/world
----
Israel ‘deliberately’ blocking aid to Gaza: Oxfam
March 19, 2024
LONDON: Anti-poverty charity Oxfam on Monday accused
Israel of intentionally preventing the delivery of aid into Gaza during its war
with Hamas, in violation of international humanitarian law.
The nongovernmental organization said in a report that
Israel continued to “systematically and deliberately block and undermine any
meaningful international humanitarian response” in the Palestinian territory.
It alleged that Israel was defying an order by the
International Court of Justice in January to boost aid in Gaza, and was failing
its legal responsibility to protect people in land it occupies.
“The ICJ order should have shocked Israeli leaders to
change course, but since then conditions in Gaza have actually worsened,” said
Oxfam Middle East and North Africa director Sally Abi Khalil.
“Israeli authorities are not only failing to
facilitate the international aid effort but are actively hindering it. We
believe that Israel is failing to take all measures within its power to prevent
genocide.”
Oxfam said that “unjustifiably inefficient” inspection
rules were causing aid trucks trying to get into Gaza to be stuck in queues for
20 days on average.
It said that Israeli authorities arbitrarily reject
“dual-use” items — civilian goods that also have potential military use such as
backup generators and torches.
“The list of rejected items is overwhelming and ever
changing,” Oxfam said.
It recalled that water bags and water testing kits in
an Oxfam shipment were rejected with no reason provided, before later being
permitted entry.
The group also denounced “attacks on aid workers,
humanitarian facilities and aid convoys” and “access restrictions” for relief
staff, particularly to northern Gaza.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478921/middle-east
----
Africa
Pandemonium Erupts As Suicide Bomber Detonates Bomb
Near Mosque in Borno State
18 March 2024
Justina Otio
A suspected suicide bomber has detonated an improvised
explosive device strapped to his body near a mosque in Biu Local Government of
Borno State.
Two people sustained varying injuries from the dire
incident.
The state Public Relations Officer, ASP Daso Nahum
confirmed the development in a statement on Monday.
Nahum said the victims have been rushed to the
hospital.
He explained that the incident occurred at about 8 pm
on Sunday while the Muslim faithful were observing their night prayers.
According to him, “The male suicide bomber, who was
suspected to be heading to the mosque, detonated the Improvised Explosive
Device close to the roundabout, killing himself.
“Two passers-by who were wounded by the explosive were
immediately rushed to a hospital for treatment.
”A combined team of security personnel were
immediately deployed to the scene of the incident to restore normalcy.”
The police boss, however, urged the people to heighten
their level of vigilance, especially during this period of Ramadan when most
Muslim faithful are observing late night prayers.
He said, “People should make sure that they are
vigilant and should not hesitate to report any suspicious moves to the security
agencies.”
Source:
trtworld.com
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---
Gunmen kidnap dozens in Nigeria's restive Kaduna
state: residents, police
Mar 18, 2024
Gunmen in Nigeria have kidnapped at least 87 people,
including women and children in Kaduna state, residents and police said, in a
fresh attack after an armed gang seized 286 students and staff from a school in
early March.
Kidnappings by criminal gangs demanding ransom
payments have become an almost daily occurrence in Nigeria, especially in the
north, with authorities seemingly powerless to stop them.
Kaduna police spokesperson Mansur Hassan confirmed the
incident in Kajuru Station village on Sunday night but could not give a figure
of those missing.
He said security agents had been deployed to try to
rescue the villagers.
Tanko Wada Sarkin, a village head, said 87 people were
taken.
"We have so far recorded the return of five
people back home who fled through the bush. This attack makes it five times
that these bandits are attacking this community," he told Reuters by phone
on Monday.
Residents said armed men dressed in army uniform
arrived in the village undetected because they had parked their motorbikes away
from the village.
AruwaYa'u, another resident, said he was captured but
later released by the gunmen because he struggled to walk due to poor health.
He was receiving treatment at a local government clinic, he said.
Gunmen are known to force-march their victims deep
into the bush, keeping them for up to months while awaiting ransom payments.
"We were outside our homes chatting around 2130
GMT and suddenly bandits appeared, beating and shooting," said
HarunaAtiku. His wife and two daughters were among those missing.
The village is about 10 km (6 miles) from Buda
community, where gunmen seized 61 people on March 12.
Kidnappings at schools in Nigeria were first carried
out by the militant group Boko Haram, who seized more than 200 students from a
girls' school in Chibok in Borno state a decade ago.
But the tactic has since been adopted by criminal
gangs without any ideological affiliation seeking ransom payments.
The kidnappings are tearing apart families and
communities who have to pool their savings to pay the ransoms, often forcing
them to sell prized possessions like land, cattle and grain to secure the
release of captured loved ones.
Source:
trtworld.com
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----
Bodies unearthed in Haiti suburb as gang war continues
for third week
March 19, 2024
Fourteen bodies have been discovered in an affluent
suburb of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince as international efforts have accelerated
to fill a political vacuum created by weeks of gang violence that has compelled
the impending departure of the prime minister.
Local residents told the AFP news agency on Monday
they did not know the circumstances of the deaths but said that the Laboule and
Thomassin neighbourhoods, in the suburb of Petion-Ville, had been under attack
by what they said were armed criminals since dawn.
Witnesses said gang members attacked a bank, a gas
station and homes in the area. Gunfire continued to ring out in Petion-Ville in
the afternoon.
"They came wearing balaclavas in their cars, on
motorcycles, with their own ambulance, then they massacred the population of
Petion-Ville," said local resident Vincent Jean Robert.
"I was on my motorcycle when they arrived and
started shooting," a motorcycle taxi driver named Cadet said, while
adding, "We don't know if it's bandits or the police who were behind
this."
He suspected that the victims were those who had been
out late at night, "searching for something to eat for their
children."
Haiti has been engulfed for three weeks in a gang
uprising by well-armed groups saying they want to topple Prime Minister Ariel
Henry.
Last week Henry agreed to step aside to allow the
formation of an interim government, following pressure from neighboring
Caribbean countries, including the CARICOM regional body, and the United
States.
The situation remains dire even as Washington voiced hope
that a transitional body to lead the country, set up at a crisis meeting a week
ago, could be ready "as soon as today" — though as of that evening,
nothing had been announced.
"I understand that Haitian stakeholders are very
close to finalising membership and remain in active discussions with CARICOM
leaders as it relates to the makeup of the Transitional Presidential
Council," US State Department said.
"The announcement of this council, we believe,
will help pave the way for free and fair elections and the deployment of the
Multinational Security Support Mission," State Department spokesman said,
referring to a UN-backed, Kenyan-led force that aims to bring stability to
Haiti.
'Famine and malnutrition'
The council, which will include seven voting and two
observer members representing a broad spectrum in Haiti and its diaspora, will
be in charge of naming an interim government before elections, which have not
been held since 2016.
Ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on Haiti
Monday, deputy US ambassador Robert Wood had told journalists that a decision
on the make-up of the transitional council was "close."
After the closed-door session, Jamaican Foreign
Minister Kamina Johnson Smith noted that talks "are progressing
well," though she added "it's a difficult process."
The Security Council meeting came as the United
Nations announced that the first helicopter flights had begun in an air bridge
set up between Haiti and neighboring Dominican Republic to deliver aid.
UNICEF, the United Nations' children's agency, offered
a bleak assessment of the situation in the country over the weekend, saying
Sunday it was "almost like a scene out of 'Mad Max," and warning
people were suffering "famine and malnutrition" with aid groups
unable to gain access.
That same day, a curfew was extended until Wednesday
in the Ouest department, which includes Port-au-Prince. A state of emergency is
set to end April 3.
Several countries including the US and European Union
member states have evacuated diplomatic personnel from Haiti due to the crisis.
Meanwhile, efforts are continuing to organise
Nairobi's security mission to back up Haiti's overwhelmed police force.
Source:
trtworld.com
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----
Ramadan in Sudan: A year after war began, hunger
crisis looms over country
Mar 18, 2024
The arrival of Ramadan had always been a happy and
peaceful occasion for Hanadi Ali, a 55-year-old native of the Sudanese capital
Khartoum.
Last year, Ali was getting ready for the Muslim holy
month as usual, which includes buying supplies such as meat, sugar, oil, and
sweets a week or two in advance to make family meals for Iftar.
Ali recalls the tradition of Sudanese men often
breaking their fasts before going to mosques in groups, followed by
enlightening and sometimes lighthearted conversations. “Then, everyone, men and
women, would gather during Tarawih and return home happy,” Ali tells TRT World.
“We were safe.”
But just days before Eid al Fitr, a war erupted in
Sudan last April 15, when a bloody power struggle between Sudanese army chief
Abdel Fattah al Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
commander Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemedti’ Daglo pulled Sudan into a whirlwind of chaos
and violence.
Ali and her family are among an estimated eight
million Sudanese who have been displaced from their homes due to fighting
between the army and paramilitary across the country, heavily concentrated
around Khartoum and some other regions like Darfur and Kordofan.
Ramadan this year is noticeably different, says Ali,
who owned and ran a mini market in Khartoum. She travelled with her daughters,
sister, and nephews to Gaderef in the east of Sudan, before being uprooted in
Egypt, where they now live.
“I did not feel the taste of Ramadan because I lost
loved ones. I lost the presence of my neighbours. I lost conversations with my
family and brothers,” Ali laments, adding that performing Tarawih has also been
difficult as she injured her leg during her journey to Egypt.
Throughout the precarious passage, Ali worried about
the reception that awaited her and her family at their destination. Would they
be welcomed kindly? How would her schooling children be treated by their peers?
Her children were worried they would be bullied in a new environment.
Fortunately, their fears faded upon reaching Cairo.
“We found the Egyptian people understanding and aware
[of the situation in Sudan], but life conditions differ a little. I don’t know,
perhaps because of the high price, life here is a little more harsh than [where
I’m from]. Life is easier in Sudan during Ramadan,” Ali reminisces.
Slipping into famine
Days before Ramadan, the UN Security Council called
for a ceasefire in Sudan to coincide with the Muslim holy month, in addition to
allowing aid to reach millions of people in desperate need of food.
With the humanitarian response spread thin, nearly
five million people could suffer adverse hunger in parts of the country in the
coming months, with almost 730,000 children projected to suffer severe acute
malnutrition.
According to ElsadigElnour, Islamic Relief country
director for Sudan, a “famine is looming”.
“The whole country is slipping now into hunger, and
most of the infrastructure has been destroyed,” Elnour tells TRT World from
Gaderef.
“If you look at the capital, it has become like a
ghost city. Everything has been destroyed — the factories and the hospitals,
schools, all of this infrastructure has been destroyed, so the need is very,
very high,” he adds.
After almost a year of fighting between the army and
the RSF, thousands of people have been killed. More than eight million people
have been displaced inside and outside the country in what has been described
as the world’s largest displacement crisis.
Souad Fakir and her family initially did not want to
leave their home in the north of Jabra, near Al Modarat, a neighbourhood in
Khartoum, in hopes that the war would be short-lived. “Throughout this period,”
Fakir says, “we lived with the sounds of cannons, planes, scattered bullets,
and the shaking of buildings with the sounds of bombing.”
Forty days in, they packed up and began their journey
to the city of Kosti in White Nile, about 360 kilometres from Khartoum.
In what would usually be a five-hour trip, Fakir and
her family instead spent 16 hours on the road; the bus they were travelling in
encountered more than 15 RSF outposts, where passengers were asked to show
their IDs. Fakir says young men were asked to get off the bus and those who
were assumed to be in the army or had military training were detained. Their
fate is not known.
The family safely reached a relative’s house in Kosti,
but in July, she returned to Khartoum with her sister after they lost contact
with their brother during a communications blackout. Her brother, who suffers
from diabetes, had refused to leave his home when they left for Kosti the first
time.
Once again, they passed by RSF outposts. Fakir
recounts being subjected to mistreatment and accusations of being loyal to the
army, in addition to being questioned about the reason for their presence in
Jabra. Their phones were looted, and their bags were searched.
Fakir says the ordeal was “psychologically” draining
but they finally managed to reach their brother, “whom we found suffering from
a diabetic wound on his foot and unable to find treatment”.
“All the houses in the neighbourhood were empty
without their residents,” she says. The siblings began making their way back to
Kosti the following day.
They began a second exodus outside the country to
Cairo, where they now reside, after the RSF reached Madani city, and gained
access to Kosti. “We miss our homeland and our safe haven,” Fakir tells TRT
World. “The holy month is upon us and we are suffering from the scourge of war
and instability. We hope for a new morning and pray to God to bless our country
with security and stability.”
Countless other Sudanese became internally displaced
for the second time after fighting reached Madani, the capital of Jezira state.
During this time, Islamic Relief’s country director for Sudan, Elnour, says the
aid organisation extended its operations to Gadaref and Port Sudan.
“Our office in Khartoum was looted completely, and no
one can even check what is remaining and what was looted,” Elnour says. “Even
our houses are occupied.”
He adds that together with UN agencies in other parts
of the country, like central Darfur, an area controlled by the RSF,
cross-border aid delivery from Chad that includes staple food like sorghum and
other nutritional supplies has been imperative in responding to the needs of
those internally displaced.
The aid organisation is doing its best to respond to
needs in the country, and plans on distributing food bags from Islamic
Development Bank to some 8,000 families or 40,000 people in Kordofan, Gaderef,
and the Blue Nile this Ramadan. However, Elnour adds that this will not be
enough because of the big gap between the aid they receive and their actual
needs.
The fact that the country has experienced regular
internet and communication blackouts since the war erupted does not help. The
most recent incidence lasted for almost three weeks, Elnour says, affecting
communication, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Lack of food production
Sudan has often been referred to as a global food
basket. But the severe impact of the war on agricultural production is now
driving critical levels of hunger and steep price hikes in the country.
Kordofan and Darfur have missed agricultural season,
which usually starts in July, after the war broke out last April, Elnour
explains. “The other breadbasket city is Madani, and over there, they cultivate
wheat during the winter and they were attacked in December during the time of
agriculture,” he adds.
“If the war continues, they will miss the coming
season,” Elnour says. At the same time, he notes, prices have also soared,
leading to unavailability of commodities and goods on the markets. A loaf of
bread costs about $1 in Gaderef, which is considered to be on the lower end
when compared to the rest of the country.
In places such as Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan,
prices of food and rent can reach up to six times as much as they were before
April last year, Elnour shares. Adding to the dire situation, Sudanese who are
government employees have not received their salaries for at least the last six
months.
Aid has been particularly hard getting into Khartoum,
where fighting has not died down, even as Ramadan began, he adds. “On the
second day of Ramadan, fighting intensified around the building of the
[national] TV and broadcasting area, which was captured for the last nine
months by the RSF, and now it has been freed by the [army].
‘Forgotten war’
In a joint appeal with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR)
last month in February, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) called for $2.7 billion in funding that will go
towards humanitarian aid for 14.7 million people within Sudan. So far, only 4.9
percent of the amount needed has been funded through this plan.
Speaking to diplomats at the UN in Geneva, UN aid
chief Martin Griffiths said, “Sudan keeps getting forgotten by the
international community," a sentiment that Elnour echoes.
"There is a certain kind of obscenity about the
humanitarian world, which is the competition of suffering, a competition
between places: 'I have more suffering than you, so I need to get more
attention, so I need to get more money,’” Griffiths further remarked, adding
that the international community needed to take decisive action with an
enhanced sense of urgency.
“I speak as a humanitarian worker, I don't know why
donors [aren’t] funding Sudan, because now, food security has become a priority
and it is in daily discussion,” according to Elnour.
“We are discussing the preparedness [for] famine right
now … On the horizon, famine is looming, and still, the world is just
sleeping.” As the rainy season approaches in a few months, Elnour adds the
situation may potentially give rise to yet another crisis, which could see
flooding and disease outbreaks occur.
He reiterates that Sudan has become “the forgotten
war” and says that “the country's problem is big”.
“As I said, the whole country is slipping into a
hunger situation now, and everyone is expecting a famine in this country,”
according to Elnour, adding that the international community should respond to
these needs.
As Elnour puts it, “We need this war to end. If this
war continues, the suffering will continue.”
Source:
trtworld.com
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----
Economy: Islamic body urges patience, understanding
Damola Kola-Dare
March 19, 2024
The Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN) has
urged Nigerians to be patient and show understanding with the administration of
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the current economic hardship in the nation.
In a statement by its President, AlhajiRasakiOladejo,
MUSWEN expressed optimism that relief was in sight.
He attributed the prevailing hardship to the
cumulative effects of policy summersaults by previous governments and not the
creation of the Tinubu administration.
According to him, the country was on the edge
economically and it only required a purposeful leader ready to take bold
economic and political decisions to address the drift.
The statement reads: “This is exactly what President
Tinubu has done by some of the bold steps he had taken in his messianic mission
to rescue the country’s economy from total collapse.”
The organisation highlighted the policies intended to
boost the nation’s economy as including, the dismantling of the FOREX cabal
that ‘used to whimsically determine the dollar exchange rate’, the planned
implementation of the Oronsaye Report, the various agreements entered into with
many countries to attract Foreign Direct Investments and other measures aimed
at making life better for Nigerians.
It noted that the lack of the political will and an
inherent culture of ruling by deception for fear of incurring dire political
consequences on their position did not allow past administrations to take the
required step to remove fuel subsidy, adding that that caused the perennial
indecision over the years that has now caused damage to the country’s economy.
“But damning the likely consequences in an uncommon
display of strong political will and surefooted conviction of his good
intentions, President Tinubu, on his inauguration day, announced that the
subsidy would go,” he said.
The policies, the statement said, needed time to
materialise, adding that the current situation demands more patience as there
is light at the end of the tunnel.
It urged affluent Nigerians to support the less
privileged and needy at this time of Ramadan.
Source:
thenationonlineng.net
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https://thenationonlineng.net/economy-islamic-body-urges-patience-understanding/#google_vignette
----
Arab
World
Exhibition at Prophet’s Mosque offers exploration of
Islamic history
March 18, 2024
RIYADH: Cutting-edge technology is being used for an
exhibition being staged at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
The Prophet’s Mosque Expansion Project Museum event
offers visitors an immersive and interactive exploration of Islamic history,
the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Prophet’s Mosque was the second to be built by the
Prophet Muhammad in the first year of Hijrah — the Prophet Muhammad’s migration
with his followers from Makkah to Madinah (called Yathrib at the time).
The exhibition, which spans an area of 2,200 square
meters, provides a deep dive into the architectural wonders of the holy site.
Visitors are guided through the exhibition with
digital aids that reveal the intricacies of various elements such as the
minbar, mihrab, domes, canopies, doors, and the adhan, the Islamic call to
prayer.
A special hall houses a collection of the rarest and
most valuable artifacts from both holy mosques.
The exhibition includes a hall for documentary
screenings.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478741/saudi-arabia
----
Islamic Scholars Meet at Makkah Conference, Vow to
Bolster Unity
19 March 2024
An international conference titled “Building Bridges
between Islamic Schools of Thought and Sects” kicked off on Monday in the holy
city of Makkah.
Organized by the Muslim World League (MWL) and
sponsored by King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the event drew a wide range of Islamic
sect representatives. Scholars expressed determination to boost common factors
to revitalize the Muslim community’s contributions to civilization.
MWL Chief Mohammed Al-Issa announced plans to launch a
document outlining key principles for fostering unity and cooperation among
Islamic sects to address challenges effectively.
Al-Issa also expressed joy for hosting the historic
conference in Makkah and emphasized the need for Islamic unity.
He warned against divisive sectarian rhetoric and
called for responsible media coverage that promotes dialogue and unity. He
thanked the Saudi leadership for its support and prayed for continued success.
The conference began with a warm welcome from Saudi
Arabia’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, delivered by Dr. Fahd
Al-Majid.
Al-Sheikh stressed the importance of unity in Islam,
cautioned against division and highlighted the role of scholars in fostering
unity among Muslims.
He thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman
bin Abdulaziz for supporting the conference and praised efforts to unite
Muslims, led by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
The organizers, represented by the MWL, were also
thanked for their ongoing service to Islam and Muslims.
HisseinBrahim Taha, the Secretary-General of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), praised King Salman and Crown Prince
Mohammed for supporting the conference.
He believed the important conference will promote
unity among Islamic sects, with its recommendations to build bridges between
them.
Taha also applauded the MWL for its dedicated service
to Islam and Muslims globally.
On the sidelines, a memorandum of understanding was
signed between the MWL and the OIC on promoting unity and tolerance.
Another agreement was signed between the Islamic Fiqh
Academy of the MWL and the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the OIC to
boost cooperation in research and promote tolerance.
Source:
aawsat.com
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https://english.aawsat.com/gulf/4919546-islamic-scholars-meet-makkah-conference-vow-bolster-unity
----
Yemen slams UN Security Council for serving US
interests, supporting Gaza genocide
19 March 2024
Yemen has denounced the United Nations Security
Council’s condemnation of its pro-Palestine maritime operations in the Red Sea,
saying that the world body is “dangerously” serving US interests and supporting
the genocide in Gaza.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Yemeni Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said the UN Security Council condemns Yemen’s
Red Sea operation while it “shamefully” fell short of condemning Israel’s
“daily massacres” against women and children in Gaza since the war began on
October 7.
“The UN Security Council’s statement concerning Yemeni
operations in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea reflects dangerous subservience
to criminal US interests, and at the same time confirms support for the ongoing
Israeli genocide in Gaza,” the statement read.
It came after the UN Security Council on Monday
condemned “in the strongest terms” Yemeni strikes against Israeli-linked ships
as well as US and British assets in the Red Sea and demanded that all such
attacks “cease immediately.”
Council members reiterated the importance of the “full
implementation of Resolution 2216” and subsequent resolutions that call for an
end to the violence in Yemen and to all unilateral actions that threaten the
political process in the country.
“It would have been better for the UN Security Council
to stop America from supplying weapons to the usurping Zionist entity, because
of which thousands of massacres have been committed against people of Gaza,”
the Yemeni statement said.
It reiterated that Yemen’s maritime operations in the
Red Sea and the Arabian Sea are closely connected to unfolding developments in
Gaza, conducted for humanitarian reasons, and enjoy solid support of the Yemeni
nation and all freedom-loving people worldwide.
“The operations of the Yemeni Armed Forces will
continue, and will not stop unless the criminal Zionist aggression against Gaza
stops and the siege on the territory is lifted,” the statement concluded.
Yemen has been conducting missile and drone operations
against Israeli vessels, those heading for the occupied territories’ ports, and
the British and American warships that have been dispatched to the Red Sea to
confront the Yemeni strikes.
The Red Sea operations began when Israel launched its
devastating war on Gaza after the territory’s Palestinian resistance movements
carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm into the occupied territories.
The strikes have been seeking to pressure the Israeli
regime into stopping its war against Gaza which has so far killed more than
31,600 Palestinians.
The maritime attacks have forced some of the world’s
biggest shipping and oil companies to suspend transit through one of the
world’s most important maritime trade routes.
Tankers are instead adding thousands of miles to
international shipping routes by sailing around the continent of Africa rather
than going through the Suez Canal.
Source:
presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/19/722150/Yemen--Security-Council-serving-US-interests,-supporting-Gaza-genocide
---
FM condemns Security Council’s statement regarding
events in Red & Arab seas
[19/March/2024]
SANA'A March 19. 2024 (Saba) - The Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Yemen expressed its strong dissatisfaction and
condemnation at the statement of condemnation issued by the Security Council
regarding the events in the Red and Arab seas.
In a statement, a copy of which was received by the
Yemeni News Agency (Saba), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered the
Security Council’s statement to reflect the Council’s dangerous dependence on
the criminal American desire and at the same time confirms the blind drift
behind the American position in support the brutal massacres and genocidal
practices against civilians in Gaza.
It stressed that the position of the Security Council
violates all laws, morals , common human values and puts the mission for which
the Council was established in vain.
The statement explained that it is a shame that the
Security Council has been unable for nearly 200 days to issue a statement
condemning the daily massacres that the Zionist crime machine has carried out
and is carrying out against the children , women of Gaza, the widespread
destruction, siege , continuous starvation it has caused and continues to
cause, while it does not hesitate to... Rushing to condemn the Sana'a strikes
carried out in victory for human laws and values, with the aim of putting
pressure to stop the Zionist aggression, lift the siege , starvation, and end
war crimes against the people of Gaza, who are going through unprecedented
tragedies, and in the full view of the Security Council.
It pointed out that the Security Council must realize
the dangerous and unfortunate state it has reached as a result of the state of
disappearance and dissolution imposed on it by American hegemony, and realize
that when America pushes it to make such statements and condemnations, it
easily launches it in the wrong direction and is unable to launch it even once
in the right direction. These statements become the repeated declaration of a
death certificate for this Council.
The statement stressed the importance of purging
international institutions of the Zionist lobby at this time more than ever
before, because its survival threatens them with extinction and failure and turns
them into platforms for its agendas.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that its
position and everything that is happening in the Red and Arab seas are closely
and organically linked to the events in Gaza. It is an exceptionally
humanitarian position , enjoys the support of the Yemeni people and all the
peoples of the region and the world.
The Foreign Ministry statement pointed out that our
operations will continue and will not stop unless the Zionist criminal
aggression against Gaza stops and the siege is lifted. They only target the
trio of evil, crime and Zionist terrorism. The Security Council must play its
role and rehabilitate itself, even with a line of condemnation of the crimes of
America and Israel in Gaza and realize also, for the umpteenth time, the
solution does not lie in keeping up with the criminal desire of America, nor in
rushing to condemn Sana'a, as much as it lies in serious pressure to stop the
Israeli aggression, lift the siege, and save the oppressed person in Gaza.
It stressed that Sana'a will remain the capital that
most expresses the spirit of human laws and values, as well as the most keen on
the safety of maritime navigation , supporting , strengthening peace and
security in Yemen, the region, and the world, indicating that all of Sana'a's
positions come from this standpoint , have no other goal, and it is not good to
outbid Sana'a on peace topics.
Source:
saba.ye
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3314246.htm
---
Soothing and soulful voices of the Grand Mosque in
Makkah
March 18, 2024
MAKKAH: They have reverberated through the Grand
Mosque in Makkah for centuries — the soulful and soothing voices of muezzins
calling the believers, and imams leading prayers five times a day.
Almukbariya in the Grand Mosque of Makkah is the place
from which the muezzin, in his soulful voice, chants the adhan (the call to
prayer). It is the place from which he repeats the Takbir al-Ihram (opening
takbir), ruku (bowing), sujud (prostration) and the concluding prayers, in
response to the imam’s prayers.
Almukbariya is distinguished by modern technologies,
enabling the muezzin’s voice to be heard throughout the mosque and outside.
The Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques
told Arab News that Almukbariya’s importance lies in summoning hundreds of
thousands of believers inside and around the Grand Mosque to prayer.
The muezzin arrives inside Almukbariya an hour before
the call to prayer. For each prayer, there is a muezzin, a funeral prayer
caller and a substitute muezzin.
The melodious and soulful sounds of the muezzins,
young and experienced, reverberate through Almukbariya. The general presidency,
represented by the Imams and Muezzins Affairs Agency, sets special schedules in
which these muezzins alternate between the adhan and the iqamah.
Almukbariya cabin, which overlooks the mataf, has gone
through several stages. It was demolished in 1337 AH (1958) due to the first
Saudi expansion, moved to the “maqam Shafi’i” above the Zamzam Well until 1383
AH, and then to the southern mataf of the Kaaba until its construction was
completed in 1397 AH.
Saad Al-Joudi, a researcher specializing in the
history of Makkah, said that the first call to prayer, at noon in the Grand
Mosque, was delivered from the roof of the Kaaba by the Prophet Muhammad’s
companion Bilal bin Rabah. This was on the order of the prophet on the day of
the conquest of Makkah in the year 630 (8 AH).
Al-Joudi added that Almukbariya is considered the
“magnifying glass” of the Grand Mosque and that its many modern technologies
allow the transmission of the muezzin’s voice across the mosque and beyond.
Loudspeakers in the Grand Mosque were introduced for
the first time in 1947 during the reign of King Abdulaziz.
The late Makkan historian and writer Prof. Ahmed Ali
Asad Allah Al-Kazemi said in his memoirs “The Daily Events in Makkah” that in
1947, Sheikh Abd Al-Zahir Abu Al-Samh, the imam and preacher of the Grand
Mosque, asked Minister of Finance Abdullah bin Suleiman Al-Hamdan to provide
loudspeakers and a microphone.
He wrote that in that year the speakers in the Grand
Mosque were used for the Friday and Eid sermons, which fell on the same day.
The sermon was usually delivered by Sheikh Abu Al-Samh’s son, Abdul Rahman,
with only a few worshipers in the mosque able to hear. However, on Oct. 31,
1947, Sheikh Abu Al-Samh delivered the Friday sermon with a microphone heard by
thousands of worshipers in the Grand Mosque.
In 1957, the speaker’s location was changed when the
first expansion of the Mataf in the Grand Mosque took place. In 1963, the
speakers were placed in a separate private building — the Almukbariya.
The building was designed for greater sound clarity to
amplify the voices of the muezzins. There are also sound and television control
rooms and studios, special waiting offices for muezzins and alternates, and
rooms for public services. The Mataf and Kaaba can be seen from the southern
part of the Almukbariya.
Source:
arabnews.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478816/saudi-arabia
----
Volunteer teams serving visitors at Two Holy Mosques
March 18, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education recently
launched a seasonal initiative during the holy month of Ramadan to serve
visitors at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
A total of 900 scouts from the ministry served
visitors through the Bader Scout Center, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The supervisor of social responsibility and voluntary
work at the Ministry of Education praised the efforts of the scout teams
following a field visit to the Grand Mosque.
He commended the efforts of the male and female
volunteers in the mosque and its external courtyards.
Meanwhile, scout and volunteer teams at the General
Department of Education in Madinah are continuing to serve visitors at the
Prophet’s Mosque, Quba Mosque and Al-Miqat Mosque.
During Ramadan, 600 male and female students as well
as 30 leaders will take part in activities in collaboration with the Madinah
Region Development Authority, the General Authority for the Affairs of the Two
Holy Mosques and several other authorities.
The volunteer teams are deployed across 15 field
locations.
They are providing reception and welcome services,
assistance for lost individuals, the elderly and children, management of
women’s sections, water for worshipers and fasting individuals, meal
distribution for the city’s charity, crowd management and emergency services.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2478721/saudi-arabia
----
Pakistan
Pakistan accuses Taliban of using TTP, urges Afghan
solidarity
Fidel Rahmati
March 18, 2024
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan has
accused the Taliban government of using the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan as a tool
against Pakistan. The ministry added that the TTP is consistently utilized for
“terrorist” attacks within Pakistan.
The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially
confirmed on Monday that they had conducted intelligence-based
counter-terrorism operations in border areas inside Afghanistan.
The ministry’s statement reads: “Over the past two
years, Pakistan has repeatedly conveyed its serious concerns to the Interim
Afghan Government over the presence of terror outfits, including TTP, inside
Afghanistan. These terrorists pose a grave threat to Pakistan’s security and
have consistently used Afghan territory to launch terror attacks inside
Pakistani territory.”
The ministry noted that the terrorists affiliated with
Hafiz Gul Bahadur, the commander of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, have been the
target of Pakistani forces’ operations.
“The target of today’s operation was the terrorists
belonging to Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, which, along with Tehrik-i-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP), is responsible for multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan,
resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and law enforcement officials.
The latest attack took place on 16 March 2024 at a security post in Mir Ali in
North Waziristan and claimed the lives of seven Pakistani soldiers,” the
statement said.
The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized
the support of some Taliban leaders for the TTP, stating: “We urge these
elements to reconsider their support for terrorists who shed the innocent blood
of Pakistanis in pursuit of their vested interests.”
Recently, forces under Hafiz Gul Bahadur, the
commander of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, claimed responsibility for several
suicide attacks in North Waziristan.
The ministry, in its statement, further stated that
Pakistan would, therefore, continue to work towards finding joint solutions in
countering “terrorism” and to prevent any “terrorist organization” from
sabotaging bilateral relations with Afghanistan.
Source:
khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-accuses-taliban-of-using-ttp-urges-afghan-solidarity/
----
Afghan Territory Used Against Pakistan: Pakistani
Officials
Nazir Shinwari
March 18, 2024
The Minister of Defense of Pakistan, Khawaja Muhammad
Asif, claimed that Afghan soil is used against Pakistan and that the issue was
discussed with Kabul in the past.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif said Afghan territory was the
source of terrorist attacks on Pakistan.
“Parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is on the border
with Afghanistan -- terrorists come to Pakistan from there (Afghanistan). We
discussed the issue with the officials of the current government in Afghanistan
and we know where the terrorists have shelters,” he said.
Rejecting Pakistan’s defense minister’s remarks, the
Islamic Emirate said that Afghan soil is not used against any country.
The deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate,
HamdullahFitrat, said that no one is allowed to harm the security of another
country using Afghan soil.
“The Afghanistan Islamic Emirate does not allow anyone
to harm the security of any country using Afghan soil,” he said.
Several political and military analysts said that
Pakistani officials should refrain from such baseless claims and should address
the issues through negotiations.
“The remarks of Pakistani officials have a negative
impact on Kabul-islamabad relations, and instead of such claims, Pakistan
should solve its problem through negotiations,” Mohammad Matin Mohammad Khil, a
military analyst told TOLOnews.
“If Pakistan has any documents and evidence, they
should share it with the caretaker government of Afghanistan so that they can
address them, and Pakistan should ensure the security of its borders,” said
Mohammad Uddin Mohammadi, a political analyst.
Earlier, Asif Ali Durani, Pakistan's Special
Representative for Afghanistan, claimed that five to six thousand members of
the TTP are sheltered in Afghanistan.
The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly rejected the claims
of Pakistani officials.
Source:
tolonews.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187886
---
Imran, Qureshi’s lawyer questions Azam’s conduct
March 19, 2024
Malik Asad
ISLAMABAD: Counsel for PTI leaders Imran Khan and Shah
Mehmood Qureshi on Monday raised questions over the conduct of former principal
secretary Azam Khan in the cipher case.
An Islamabad High Court (IHC) division bench,
comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb,
took up the bail pleas of the former prime minister and foreign minister who
were sentenced to 10 years in the cipher case.
Barrister Salman Safdar argued that Mr Azam — the
prosecution’s star witness in the case — allegedly went missing for about a
month and only reappeared after the case’s First Information Report (FIR) was
registered.
As per the counsel, Azam Khan as well as former
finance minister Asad Umar were being probed in the case.
Argues ex-bureaucrat gave differing statements in
cipher case; MNA Dogar expects PTI leaders’ ‘acquittal’ today
However, the former bureaucrat did not seek a
pre-arrest bail when he was called by the FIA to record his statement before
the investigation officer under Section 161 of the CrPC.
Mr Safdar argued that the prosecutor’s witness also
testified before a magistrate under Section 164, but the statement before the
Special Court was slightly different from what he had testified earlier.
When Justice Aurangzeb asked what was attributed to Mr
Azam, the counsel replied that he was allegedly directed to prepare minutes of
the meeting after receiving the cipher sent by the then ambassador to the US.
Barrister Safdar argued that the FIR levelled specific
allegations against Mr Khan and Mr Qureshi because of their public statements
regarding the cipher.
He recalled that the IHC denied post-arrest bail to
the two PTI leaders, but the decision was overturned by the Supreme Court with
some observations.
He pointed out that after the dismissal of Mr
Qureshi’s bail plea, the IHC directed the court to conclude the trial in four
weeks.
The trial court judge, the lawyer argued, “religiously
followed” the directive and recorded the statements of 25 witnesses in one day
despite the fact that IHC had earlier scrapped the case proceedings twice
because of serious legal loopholes.
He argued that the judge even closed the defendants’
counsel’s right to examine the witnesses and appointed a state counsel for
cross-examination.
The Official Secrets Act could be invoked for sharing
sensitive information with the enemy state. However, the ex-PM and foreign
minister were convicted under this law, which was unprecedented, Barrister
Safdar argued.
Justice Farooq observed that the Act is over a century
old, and parliament could have amended it to remove outdated sections. Later,
the court adjourned proceedings till Tuesday (today).
Imran’s decision to join SIC
While talking to media outside the IHC, PTI MNA Malik
Amir Dogar expressed hope that PTI leaders would be “acquitted” today.
He said the judges’ observations during the detailed
hearing on Monday indicated that the case is nearing conclusion.
He also commented on the decision of PTI-backed
winning candidates to join the Sunni Ittehad Council and said it was taken with
Imran Khan’s permission.
Source:
dawn.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1822467/imran-qureshis-lawyer-questions-azams-conduct
----
Pakistan conducts anti-terror operations in border
regions inside Afghanistan
March 18, 2024
Pakistan carried out intelligence-based anti-terrorist
operations in the border regions inside Afghanistan this morning.
The Foreign Office, in a statement said, target of
today's operation was terrorists belonging to Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, which
along with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, is responsible for carrying out multiple
terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, resulting in deaths of hundreds of civilians
and law enforcement officials. The latest attack took place on Saturday last at
a security post in Mir Ali in North Waziristan and claimed the lives of seven
Pakistani soldiers.
The statement
further said over the past two years, Pakistan has repeatedly conveyed its
serious concerns to the Interim Afghan Government over the presence of terror
outfits including TTP inside Afghanistan. These terrorists pose a grave threat
to Pakistan's security and have consistently used Afghan territory to launch
terror attacks inside Pakistani territory.
The Foreign Office said Pakistan accords prime
importance to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan. It has,
therefore, always prioritized dialogue and cooperation to confront the
terrorist threat.
The statement said Islamabad has repeatedly urged the
Afghan authorities to take concrete and effective action to ensure that the
Afghan soil is not used as a staging ground for terrorism against Pakistan. We
have also called on them to deny safe havens to TTP and to hand over its
leadership to Pakistan.
The Foreign Office made it clear that Pakistan has
great respect for the people of Afghanistan. However, certain elements among
those in power in Afghanistan are actively patronizing TTP and using them as a
proxy against Pakistan. Such an approach against a brotherly country, which
stood with the people of Afghanistan through thick and thin, manifests
shortsightedness. It ignores the support extended by Pakistan to the people of
Afghanistan over the last several decades. We urge these elements in power to
rethink the policy of siding with Khwarij terrorists shedding the blood of
innocent Pakistanis and to make a clear choice to stand with the people of
Pakistan.
The Foreign Office said terrorist groups like TTP are
a collective threat to regional peace and security. It said Pakistan fully
realizes the challenge Afghan authorities face in combating the threat posed by
TTP. Pakistan would therefore continue
to work towards finding joint solutions in countering terrorism and to prevent
any terrorist organization from sabotaging bilateral relations with
Afghanistan.
Source:
radio.gov.pk
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https://www.radio.gov.pk/18-03-2024/pakistan-conducts-anti-terror-operations-in-border-regions-inside-afghanistan
---
Cipher case: IHC wants to know what original info was,
how it was twisted
March 19, 2024
Awais Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder’s
counsel told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday that the prosecution has
made allegations regarding illegally keeping the cipher telegram, making the
secret document’s information public and twisting it for personal gains, but
the cipher was not shown even to the trial court judge.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mian Gul
Hasan Aurangzeb were hearing the appeals against the conviction of PTI founder
and Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the cipher case.
Chief Justice Farooq remarked that if the information
had been twisted, it should be known what the information was. The counsel read
out the text of Qureshi’s speech. Justice Aurangzeb remarked that it is a
political speech.
Barrister Salman Safdar argued that PTI founder was
accused of possessing the cipher and using it for personal gains, but in this
case, the elements of the armed forces, restricted area and external powers are
missing under the Official Secrets Act.
Justice Aurangzeb asked what is written in the cipher.
The counsel replied that he has not seen the cipher, so he cannot tell what is
written in the cipher.
He said that the code of the cipher, the document or
its text has not been communicated anywhere. He added that on the one hand the
prosecution claimed that PTI founder made everything public, while on the
other, they say that if the cipher is shown, it will become public.
The court asked what was sent by a person from
Washington. The court stressed that the person would have at least mentioned
what it is that can affect the security system if it ends up in India’s hands.
The court observed that there is nothing to be kept secret in what the counsel
has said.
The chief justice said that if the information was
twisted, it should be known what the original information was and how it was
twisted. The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Special Prosecutor Hamid Ali
Shah said the cipher that was sent was classified.
Chief Justice Farooq said that a person was punished,
so it should at least be known what the communication was. Barrister Safdar
said Qureshi was accused of not only abetment but also conspiracy and
incitement. Barrister Safdar said Qureshi was sentenced to 10 years in prison
for four lines of his speech. Justice Aurangzeb observed that this was a
political speech.
Barrister Safdar said that the trial court did not
give seven days’ time to distribute the challan’s copies for indictment, and
that statements of 25 witnesses were recorded in 17 days.
He said that four witnesses were cross-examined by
lawyers, and that the remaining 21 witnesses were cross-examined by official
lawyers appointed by the court in two days.
The FIA’s Prosecutor Shah said the prosecution is
waiting for an order regarding the maintainability of the appeals. The chief
justice said the court would pass the order on the appeals’ maintainability as
well as merit, then adjourned the hearing until Tuesday. PTI founder’s lawyer
will continue his arguments.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1169828-cipher-case-ihc-wants-to-know-what-original-info-was-how-it-was-twisted
---
Likely privatisation of PIA: SHC issues notices to
Centre, CAA, PIA and PC
2024-03-19
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court issued notices to
federal government, CAA, PIA and the Privatization Commission (PC) with regard
to likely privatization of the PIA. The high court summoned reply from all
parties on April 03 while hearing a petition with regard to likely privatization
of the PIA.
The court also sought explanation from government
about likely privatization of the national airliner.
Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi said that the
petitioner has challenged the privatization law. “Why the petitioner is against
privatization,” Justice Abbasi questioned. Petitioner’s lawyer argued that the
law has been amended with regard to the PIA in contravention to the Companies
Act.
“According to the 2016 legislation, the PIA has been a
Public Limited Company,” Zafar Taimoori advocate said. “Federal government
introduced amendment in the law under which it got the authority to privatize,”
lawyer said.
“Basically, this amendment flouts the Companies Act,”
lawyer argued. “What is concern of the Union, who is the owner of the company
when it becomes privatized,” chief justice asked. “The law promulgated by the
federal government has been wrong, this amendment could not be made in the
law,” petitioner’s lawyer said. “It is a public interest case,” the lawyer said
and pleaded to the court to put the government on notice and summon its reply.
Source:
brecorder.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40294242/likely-privatisation-of-pia-shc-issues-notices-to-centre-caa-pia-and-pc
----
IMF team extends stay for a day as consensus eludes
talks with govt
March 19, 2024
Mehtab Haider
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the IMF have so far remained
unable to evolve consensus on staff level agreement for completion of second
review and release of third tranche worth $1.1 billion so the Fund review
mission has extended its stay in Islamabad for one more day.
The IMF wants top level assurances including Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif before striking a staff level agreement on certain
contentious issues including raising electricity and gas tariff from July 1,
2024 as well as raising quarterly tariff adjustment and making adjustments
under fuel price adjustments. The provinces have agreed to generate revenue
surplus of Rs600 billion but so far it remained one of the problematic areas so
there might be adjustments in order to strike consensus on finalising of the
MEFP.
There is another issue that the IMF wants announcement
of retailers’ scheme but FBR is making efforts to convince them to launch this
scheme from the next budget arguing that it would require efforts but would
have no positive impact on revenue collection. It is yet to see how the IMF
adjusted retailers’ scheme in the staff level agreement which will pave the
release of third and last tranche of $1.1 billion under $3 billion SBA
programme.
The IMF has re-adjusted monthly revenue collection
targets with the hope that the FBR will materialise its desired tax collection
target of Rs9,415 billion on June 30, 2024.
Pakistan might also inform the IMF’s visiting mission
about its intention for securing another long- term bailout package under
Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program. It will be just verbal intention and then
Islamabad is likely to table formal application before the IMF on the occasion
of Annual Spring Meetings of IMF/World Bank scheduled to be held from April 15
to 20. Minister for Finance will lead Pakistani delegation and official
entourage will be participating in the upcoming spring meeting from April 17 to
20, 2024.
“There is no scheduled meeting with relevant
ministries and departments on Tuesday but the draft Memorandum of Financial and
Economic Policies (MEFP) will be discussed with Ministry of Finance and
finalised for striking a staff level agreement on Tuesday (today),” top
official sources confirmed while talking to The News here on Monday. The
timeframe does not allow both sides to linger on talks for striking a staff
level agreement because the existing Standby Arrangement (SBA) will expire on
April 12, 2024.
On FBR’s monthly tax collection target, the FBR would
have to collect Rs879 billion in March 2024 while in the last quarter
(April-June) the FBR requires collection of Rs2,707 billion in order to achieve
the desired revenue target of Rs9,415 billion on June 30, 2024.
The FBR so far fetched Rs5,829 billion in first eight
months (July-Feb) period of the current fiscal year. On the directives of PM,
the FBR issued more refunds so it will be really challenging to materialise the
revenue collection target for June 2024 that might be quite huge for displaying
the desired figure of Rs9,415 billion.
This scribe sent out question to Ministry of Finance
regarding extension in the stay of the IMF review mission on Monday night but
got no reply till the filing of this report.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
Please
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1169833-imf-team-extends-stay-for-a-day-as-consensus-eludes-talks-with-govt
----
South
Asia
Attack on Afghan soil will have dire consequences for
Pakistan: Kabul warning Islamabad
Khaama Press
March 18, 2024
The Taliban spokesperson announced that in airstrikes
in Khost and Paktia, six individuals, including three women and three children,
were killed.
The Taliban, denying the presence of Abdullah Shah
Masood, the Pakistani Taliban commander, on Afghan soil, stated that the
continuation of these attacks has significant consequences beyond Pakistan’s
control.
Earlier, some media outlets reported that Abdullah
Shah, a senior Pakistani Taliban commander, along with his wife and child, were
killed in an airstrike last night in areas in Khost and Paktia provinces.
However, the Pakistani Taliban movement has refuted the presence of this
commander in Afghanistan by releasing a video.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X,
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, said, “Last night around 3
o’clock, Pakistani airplanes bombed the houses of ordinary people in Barmal
district of Paktika province and Sepera district of Khost province.”
According to this statement, these attacks resulted in
six casualties, including three women and three children.
Mr. Mujahid stated in this announcement that Abdullah
Shah, the Taliban commander who “is claimed by the Pakistani side to be the
target of this attack, is in Pakistan.”
The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has been a
significant source of insecurity in Pakistan, conducting numerous attacks on
civilians, security forces, and infrastructure.
Despite allegations from Pakistani authorities blaming
the Afghan Taliban for providing sanctuary and support to groups like the TTP,
the Afghan Taliban consistently reject such accusations. They maintain that
they do not allow their territory to be used as a base for attacks against any
other country, including Pakistan.
Source:
khaama.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/attack-on-afghan-soil-will-have-dire-consequences-for-pakistan-kabul-warning-islamabad/
---
UNSC Working Group to Meet on Children and Armed
Conflict in Afghanistan
March 18, 2024
The UN Security Council Working Group on Children and
Armed Conflict plans to meet on Monday on the Secretary-General's report on
children and armed conflict in Afghanistan.
“At the subsidiary body level, the Working Group on
Children and Armed Conflict will hold informal consultations on Monday (18
March) to negotiate its conclusions on the Secretary-General’s report on
children and armed conflict in Afghanistan,” the UN Security Council in a
statement said.
This is the fifth time this year that the issue of
Afghanistan has been brought to the table of the United Nations.
The second meeting of Doha on Afghanistan was held on
February 18 and 19, there was a Security Council meeting on February 29, the
presentation of the Secretary-General's quarterly report on the situation in
Afghanistan was discussed in the Security Council on March 6, and there was a
Security Council meeting on the renewal of UNAMA's mandate on March 15.
Political analysts said that these meetings have not
resulted in any significant outcomes.
"The Islamic Emirate defines the conditional
engagement and value-based demands of the Security Council as interference in
its internal affairs, which in reality has resulted in these meetings not
having an outcome," said Ahmad Munib Rasa, a political analyst.
Previously, the Islamic Emirate has stated that the
ineffectiveness of the UN meetings on Afghanistan was due to the absence of a
representative of the caretaker government in these meetings.
Source:
tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187887
---
Taliban summons Pakistani ambassador over airstrikes
in Afghanistan
Khaama Press
March 19, 2024
Following tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan,
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban has summoned and handed over its
protest letter to the resident ambassador of Pakistan in Kabul.
In a statement issued Monday, the ministry condemned
Pakistani airstrikes in the provinces of Khost and Paktika, which resulted in
the deaths of women and children.
The ministry above added that Abdul Rahman Nizamani,
the Pakistani ambassador in Kabul, has been summoned, and the Taliban’s protest
letter regarding the attacks of last night has been handed to him.
The Ministry has urged Pakistan’s people and the new
civilian government not to allow unilateral actions to darken the relationship
between the two countries.
The ministry’s statement further emphasizes that the
Taliban has a long history of repelling invaders and does not tolerate attacks
on Afghan soil.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
by confirming the airstrikes in Paktika and Khost provinces of Afghanistan,
stated that they had targeted members of the “Hafiz Gul Network,” which they
consider a “terrorist” group.
Pakistani media reported on Monday night airstrikes by
Pakistani forces in Khost and Paktika, claiming the killing of Abdullah Shah,
one of the commanders of the TTP in Afghanistan, but Abdullah Shah appeared in
a video shortly after the attack, refuting his death.
Source:
khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/taliban-summons-pakistani-ambassador-over-airstrikes-in-afghanistan/
---
Pakistan Govt initiates second phase of Afghan
migrants expulsion
Fidel Rahmati
March 18, 2024
According to reports from Pakistan’s international
media, in this phase, holders of “Afghan Citizenship Cards” will be deported
from the country.
Sources mentioned that the federal government will
provide a list of cardholders to the Punjab provincial government, which will
be shared with the police and other law enforcement agencies.
The media reported that holders of citizenship cards
are being asked to voluntarily return to Afghanistan initially; otherwise, they
will face detention and deportation.
Sources further informed the media that information
regarding Afghan citizenship cardholders is in the federal government’s
possession, eliminating past problems encountered in tracking illegal foreign
nationals.
International news, citing its sources, has written
that after the completion of the second phase of expelling foreign citizens, in
the third phase, holders of PR (Permanent Residence) cards will be expelled.
It is worth mentioning that in the first phase of
expelling undocumented migrants from Pakistan, which began late last year,
hundreds of thousands of Afghan migrants were forcibly and voluntarily returned
to Afghanistan via border crossings.
The expulsion occurred during a dire humanitarian
crisis amid harsh winter conditions in the country. This situation has
presented returnees with challenges, including a lack of food, shelter, clean
water, and job opportunities.
Source:
khaama.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-govt-initiates-second-phase-of-afghan-migrants-expulsion/
----
Labour law violation: HC stays Yunus's sentence until
disposal of appeals
Mar 18, 2024
The High Court today scrapped the Labour Appellate
Tribunal's order which stayed conviction and sentences of Nobel laureate Prof
Muhammad Yunus and three other top officials of Grameen Telecom in a labour law
violation case.
The HC, however, stayed their sentences and fine till
disposal of the appeals filed by Yunus and three others challenging the verdict
of the Third Labour Court in Dhaka in the case.
The appeals are pending with the Labour Appellate
Tribunal in Dhaka.
The HC today asked the Labour Appellate Tribunal to
dispose of the appeals as early as possible.
While delivering verdict on a petition, the HC said
the conviction of Prof Yunus and three others will remain operational till
disposal of their appeals.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and
Justice KaziEbadot Hossain said bail of the accused will remain in force as per
order of the Labour Appellate Tribunal in the case and they must inform the
tribunal if they go abroad.
The bench also stayed the labour court directive that
asked Yunus and others to comply with relevant rules in respect of the jobs of
the workers till disposal of the appeal.
The HC delivered the verdict after holding hearing on
the rule that questioned the legality of the Labour Appellate Tribunal's order
which stayed the conviction and sentences of Yunus and three others.
Following a criminal revision petition filed by
Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, the HC bench on
February 5 issued the rule asking the state to explain why the Labour Appellate
Tribunal's stay order should not be scrapped and also halted the stay order
till disposal of the rule.
On that day, the HC said as the four accused -- Yunus,
chairman of Grameen Telecom, and its directors Ashraful Hassan, Nurjahan Begum,
and M Shahjahan -- are on bail, their sentences will remain suspended until
their appeals are disposed of.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/labour-law-violation-hc-stays-yunuss-sentence-until-disposal-appeals-3569441
----
Southeast
Asia
Socks manufacturer mulls legal action against China
supplier, says only five pairs have ‘Allah’ embroidered
19 Mar 2024
ZafSeraj
KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 19 — The vendor of the “Allah” socks
that were sold at convenience store chain KK Mart clarified that the socks were
mistakenly included in a larger shipment of 18,800 pairs that they ordered from
the supplier and discovered that only five pairs from the bulk had the word
“Allah,” not 14 as previously reported.
Xin Jiang Chang SdnBhd said they are seeking advice on
whether they can take legal action against their China-based supplier Mu Mian
Qing Hosiery Co Ltd for supplying the five pairs.
“We have already contacted our China-based supplier to
seek an explanation, and they have admitted that the problematic socks were
included in the bulk of stocks we purchased by mistake.
“We are currently seeking legal advice to explore
possible legal actions against the supplier for their negligence in fulfilling
our order requirements,” Xin Jiang Chang SdnBhd said in a statement today.
The company apologised for the mistake and highlighted
that they did not order such socks.
"We sincerely apologize for any offense or
distress caused by this regrettable incident. It was never our intention to
produce or distribute products that could incite division or hurt sentiments
within our community.
“We acknowledge the lessons learned from this incident
and are implementing stricter quality control measures to prevent similar
occurrences in the future,” it said.
However, Xin Jiang Chang SdnBhd also expressed
concerns over the safety of their officers citing disseminated personal data on
social media and having received violent threats that include burning down the
factory and endangering lives.
“We urge fellow Malaysians to remain calm and refrain
from engaging in any form of vigilantism or violence and allow the relevant
authorities to carry out their investigation following the law,” the company
said in the statement.
The Home Ministry yesterday said it will continue
probing convenience store chain KK Mart over the sale of socks with the word
"Allah" printed on it, despite the store’s apology on the matter,
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul AnuarNasarah told Parliament.
Shamsul said that 36 police reports have already been
lodged to date and one investigation paper has been opened under Section 298A
of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act
1998.
Section 298A handles “causing disharmony, disunity, or
feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will, or prejudicing the maintenance of
harmony or unity, on grounds of religion”, punishable with imprisonment between
two and five years.
Section 233 meanwhile is on the improper use of
network facilities or network service.
National news agency Bernama reported that the socks
were sold at KK Mart in Bandar Sunway and the issue had gone viral on social
media since March 13.
KK Mart Group founder and executive chairman Datuk
Seri Dr KK Chai has since apologised over the issue.
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/19/socks-manufacturer-mulls-legal-action-against-china-supplier-says-only-five-pairs-have-allah-embroidered/124264
----
PKR's Fahmi Zainol tells NgaKor Ming to refrain from
commenting on 'Allah' socks issue
By OpalynMok
19 Mar 2024
GEORGE TOWN, March 19 — PKR central committee member
Fahmi Zainol has warned DAP’s NgaKor Ming not to meddle in the KK Mart issue
where socks with the word “Allah” was sold.
The Penang state exco said the issue is not merely
about religious and racial sentiments.
“It is more than that. It is about the sanctity of the
name Allah and it is the duty of Muslims to uphold and revere the sanctity of
the name Allah,” he said in a statement issued today over the controversy.
He said Nga should remain silent about the issue
instead of adding ‘fuel to the fire’ with his comments.
“There is no need for him to voice out about this
issue as this is not related to him at all,” he said.
He said if the Housing and Local Government Minister
understood the concept of respecting the sanctity of each religion, he would
not have meddled in this matter that could make things worse.
“Rather than commenting on this issue, it is better
that he focused on his ministry,” he said.
He said Nga should have let the authorities take the
necessary actions and kept mum about it.
Yesterday, Nga accused Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad
Akmal Saleh of violating the “Madani spirit” after the latter called for a
boycott of the store.
Nga told Dr Akmal to refrain from stirring up
religious and racial sentiments.
Today, Dr Akmal responded by reaffirming his stance to
call for a boycott of KK Mart despite the store issuing an apology for selling
socks featuring the word “Allah”.
Source:
malaymail.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/19/pkrs-fahmi-zainol-tells-nga-kor-ming-to-refrain-from-commenting-on-allah-socks-issue/124274
----
Selangor Sultan opens 77-year-old mosque in
SabakBernam, breaks fast with villagers
18 Mar 2024
SABAK BERNAM, March 18 — The Sultan of Selangor,
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, today officially declared open a 77-year-old
mosque in Kampung Sungai Haji Dorani here and broke fast with the villagers.
Masjid An Nur had been built as a surau in 1947 and the
villagers elevated it to a mosque two years later.
His Royal Highness accompanied by Raja Muda Selangor
Tengku Amir Shah arrived at 6.25 pm and was greeted by Selangor MenteriBesar
Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and State Secretary Datuk Haris Kasim.
Also present were State Islamic and Cultural
Innovation Committee chairman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah; Selangor Islamic
Religious Council (MAIS) chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz MohdYusof and Selangor
Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) director, Datuk MohdShahzihan Ahmad.
Sultan Sharafuddin also graciously joined in breaking
the fast with the villagers and distributed RM500 worth of Aidilfitri
contributions to 458 recipients, comprising asnaf, the needy and converts from
the SabakBernam district, totalling RM229,500.
His Royal Highness also delivered a speech to
inaugurate Masjid An Nur, before signing the inauguration plaque to conclude
the ceremony.
With a grant of RM400,000 provided by JAIS, the
mosque’s facilities have been upgraded, now able to accommodate up to 550 worshippers,
including the installation of air conditioning, building a meeting room and
sacrificial slaughter area, upgrading of women’s ablution facilities, and
adding vehicle parking spaces to meet current needs.
Sultan Sharafuddin also performed the Maghrib, Isyak,
and Tarawih prayers with the congregation. — Bernama
Source:
malaymail.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/18/selangor-sultan-opens-77-year-old-mosque-in-sabak-bernam-breaks-fast-with-villagers/124178
----
Johor Regent calls for stern action over 'Allah' socks
issue, says matter should not be taken lightly
YiswareePalansamy
19 Mar 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 — Johor regent Tunku Ismail
Sultan Ibrahim today urged authorities to enforce stern action over the sale of
socks with the word "Allah" printed on them, to prevent similar
incidents from happening.
Taking to his official Instagram handle, Tunku Ismail
said that the issue cannot be viewed lightly.
“I view this issue seriously and hope that it does not
affect the nation’s harmony,” he said.
Convenience store chain KK Mart is currently under
investigation over the sale of socks with the word "Allah" printed on
them.
"Regarding the recent issue, I urge the authorities
to take stern action on the said matter and ensure that such issues do not
happen again.
"The Allah word is a holy word that is highly
regarded in the hearts of Muslims," Tunku Ismail said.
The Home Ministry yesterday said it will continue
probing convenience store chain KK Mart over the sale of socks with the word
"Allah" printed on it, despite the store’s apology on the matter,
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul AnuarNasarah told Parliament.
Shamsul told the Dewan Rakyat that 36 police reports
have already been lodged to date and one investigation paper has been opened
under Section 298A of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and
Multimedia Act 1998.
Section 298A handles "causing disharmony,
disunity, or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will, or prejudicing the
maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion", punishable with
imprisonment between two and five years.
Section 233 meanwhile is on the improper use of
network facilities or network service.
National news agency Bernama reported that the socks
were sold at KK Mart in Bandar Sunway and the issue had gone viral on social
media since March 13.
KK Mart Group founder and executive chairman Datuk
Seri Dr KK Chai has since apologised over the issue.
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/19/johor-regent-calls-for-stern-action-over-allah-socks-issue-says-matter-should-not-be-taken-lightly/124234
----
UN chief ‘alarmed’ by reports civilians killed in
Myanmar air strikes
19 Mar 2024
BANGKOK, March 19 — United Nations chief Antonio
Guterres has said he is “alarmed” by reports of ongoing Myanmar military air
strikes on villages in Rakhine state, where locals told AFP more than 20 people
were killed yesterday.
Clashes have rocked Myanmar’s western Rakhine state
since the Arakan Army (AA) attacked security forces in November, ending a
ceasefire that had largely held since the military’s 2021 coup.
Guterres is “alarmed by reports of ongoing air strikes
by the military, including today in Minbya township that reportedly killed and
injured many civilians,” a spokesman for the UN chief said Monday.
Minbya township lies east of state capital Sittwe,
which has been all but cut off by AA fighters in recent weeks.
The air strike hit the village of Thar Dar around
1.45am on Monday, killing 10 men, four women and 10 children, one resident told
AFP.
“There was no fighting in our village and they bombed
us,” he said, asking for anonymity for security reasons.
Another resident, also asking for anonymity, said 23
people had been killed in the blast and 18 wounded.
The recent conflict has displaced tens of thousands in
Rakhine, where a 2017 military crackdown sent hundreds of thousands of Rohingya
fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh.
With most mobile networks down communication with the
riverine region is extremely difficult.
Junta troops hold Sittwe but in recent weeks AA
fighters have made gains in surrounding districts.
Fighting has also spilled over into neighbouring India
and Bangladesh.
Last month, at least two people were killed in
Bangladesh after mortar shells fired from Myanmar during clashes there landed
across the border.
The AA is one of several armed ethnic minority groups
in Myanmar’s border regions, many of whom have battled the military since
independence from Britain in 1948 over autonomy and control of lucrative
resources. — AFP
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2024/03/19/un-chief-alarmed-by-reports-civilians-killed-in-myanmar-air-strikes/124239
----
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/namaz-gujarat-university-vc/d/131956