New Age Islam News Bureau
19 May 2022
Madhya Pradesh Spiritual, Culture and Tourism Minister
Usha Thakur (Photo| Facebook)
----
• Cells From The Gulf, Europe Sponsoring Terrorist
Networks, Especially By Recruiting Women: Balochistan Official
• ‘Our Land Will Not Be Used As A Threat To Anyone,’
Says Taliban Leader Sirajuddin Haqqani
• Scotland Yard Arrests 13-Year-Old For Islamist
Terror Offence In Britain
• Pakistan Likely To Expand N-Arsenal For ‘Survival’
Against India: US Intelligence
India
• AIMPLB Seeks Centre, States’ Stand On Alleged
Targeting Of Mosques
• Gyanvapi row: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Appeals People Not
To Hit Streets; RSS Says Facts Should Be Allowed To Come Out
• Don't interfere in Gyanvapi case: Jamiat
Ulama-i-Hind chief asks Muslim bodies
• Sree Ram Sena Alleges Hundreds Of “Illegal” Churches
And Mosques Are Functioning In Karnataka
• SC to hear Gyanvapi Mosque case tomorrow, stays
hearing in UP court for today
• Gyanvapi Mosque Video Survey Report Submitted In
Sealed Cover In UP Court
• Intervention in Mecca Masjid blast case sought
• Bengaluru: Speakers at Hindutva Group Meet Call
Muslims 'Cancer', Complaint Lodged
• Muslim personal law board constitutes legal
committee to review Gyanvapi mosque case
• Gyanvapi mosque case: Delhi University prof booked
for post on Shivling
• Worship war reaches Punjab: Hindus, Sikhs claim
sarai converted into mosque, Muslims deny
• Now, Petition Before Mathura Court for Video Survey
of Shahi Idgah Mosque
• Post-Hijab Row, Karnataka Makes Uniforms Must For PU
Students
• Azan no match for Hanuman Chalisa in terms of noise
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Pakistan
• Imran says families of army personnel will march
with him to Islamabad
• Pakistan Taliban declare ceasefire till May 30 for
talks with govt
• Devaluation of rupee versus US dollar continues as
Pakistan resumes talks with IMF for relief
• Situation in Afghanistan has direct impact on people
of Pakistan: Bilawal
• Suspects ‘linked to Saddar IED blast’ in killed in
encounter
• Ahmadiyya community member killed in Okara
• Army responds to disasters without fail: COAS
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South
Asia
• The Taliban in Afghanistan Mediates Ceasefire Between
Pakistan and Pakistani Taliban
• The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Visits the
Foreign Minister of the Taliban
• Mullah Baradar Urges Afghan Traders Abroad to Invest
in Country
• Ankara Gathering: Afghan Political Figures Gather in
Turkey
• We have open communication channels with India, says
Taliban's Abdul Qahar Balkhi
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Europe
• Belarus Introduces Death Penalty For ‘Attempted’
Terrorism
• Turkey’s Erdogan links Sweden NATO bid to return of
‘terrorists’
• Paris court indicts Lafarge for ‘complicity in
crimes against humanity’ in Syria
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North
America
• US Takes Control of the Afghan Consulate and Embassy
• Bush mistakenly calls Iraq invasion 'brutal,
unjustified'
• US, Turkiye 'committed to working closely' to face
challenges
• Saudi-US defence delegations review ties, discuss
future cooperation
--------
Southeast
Asia
• Singapore Denies Entry To Muslim 'Hate' Preacher Abdul
Somad Batubara
• Selangor Islamic Authority Allows Those With
Incomplete Vaccination To Attend 'Nikah'
• Will you step down as MP to be envoy, Maria asks
Tajuddin
• Prosecution closes case in Bung Moktar, wife
corruption trial
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Arab
World
• ‘Conflict, Destruction’ Prevent Return To Iraq’s
Yazidi Heartland: Report
• Egypt Hands Down Death Sentence For Coptic Priest’s
Murder
• Lebanon’s new parliamentary line-up a ‘double-edged
sword’ for economy: Expert
• Egypt removes all mosque restrictions amid
Brotherhood criticism
• Hezbollah chief Nasrallah acknowledges loss of
Lebanon parliamentary majority
• Senate confirms Barbara Leaf to lead State
Department’s Middle East bureau
• Royal approval issued to hold international Qur’an
writing competition
--------
Mideast
• Iranian Leader Underlines Importance of Increasing
Population
• Israel activates missile defences near Lebanon after
misidentification
• Thousands join Jewish pilgrimage year after stampede
at Israel’s Mount Meron
• Yemen asks for US pressure on Houthis to break Taiz
siege
• Iran Dismisses New Development in Talks with S.
Arabia
• Iran releases two detained filmmakers on bail:
Reports
• Israel arrests pallbearer beaten at journalist’s
funeral
• Iran hostage taker kills three, takes own life:
State media
--------
Africa
• Fatwa House Calls Bashagha's Move 'A Coup' Says
Elections Are The Right Way Forward
• Jewish pilgrims back in Tunisia after two-year
hiatus due to COVID-19
• Uganda will not allow itself to be used by FETO as
base to undermine Turkiye: Minister
• Relations with Turkiye to thrive under new Somali
president, say experts
• 2 prominent Sudanese opposition leaders arrested in
South Sudan
• Libya's council urges Parliament-appointed premier
to resign
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
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'Want Hindus To Idealize Muslims For Ingraining
Dharmik Sanskar (Religious Sacrament) Among Kids': MP Minister Usha Thakur
Madhya Pradesh Spiritual, Culture and Tourism Minister
Usha Thakur (Photo| Facebook)
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19th May 2022
BHOPAL: A Madhya Pradesh minister who once demanded
ban on entry of non-Hindus at Garba venues and accused Madrasas of breeding
terrorism, has now asked Hindus to idealize Muslims for ingraining religious
Sanskar (sacrament) staunchly among children.
"Ingraining Dharmik Sanskar (religious sacrament)
with tenacity and staunchly among Hindu
kids is the responsibility of all family members, including mothers and
sisters. If you want to learn staunch religious culture and practices, then
idealize Muslims. One and all among them (Muslims), spanning from small kids to
officials and traders will leave all their work, wear skull caps to offer Namaz
at stipulated time. But what do we (Hindus) do, we're fond of building temples
in villages, but don’t love participating in Arti there," said MP culture
and tourism minister Usha Thakur said at a Gau Pujan event in communally
sensitive Khandwa district on Tuesday evening.
The video of her public utterances went viral on
Wednesday. She is the minister in-charge of Khandwa district.
Caught up in a controversy following the viral video,
the minister explained that she didn't imply learning Dharmik Kattarta (staunch
religious practices), but getting inspired from Muslims on their religious
discipline and commitment to their religious practices.
Reacting to the minister's viral video, state Congress
spokesperson Narendra Saluja said, "I hope that Bhakts don't demand the
sacking of the staunch RSS supporter minister and bulldozing her house for
candidly praising the virtues of a particular community."
Thakur, the Mhow (Indore) MLA has been often in news
for off the cuff remarks. She had in 2014, as the Indore-III MLA demanded ban
on entry of non-Hindus at Garba venues.
In 2020, she had demanded ending government support to
Madarsas, accusing them of breeding terrorism.
Source: New Indian Express
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Cells From The Gulf, Europe Sponsoring Terrorist
Networks, Especially By Recruiting Women: Balochistan Official
Balochistan government spokesperson Farah Azeem Shah
----
Kalbe Ali
May 19, 2022
ISLAMABAD: The Balochistan government revealed on
Wednesday that cells operating from the Gulf region and Europe were sponsoring
terrorist networks in the province, especially by recruiting women.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad,
Balochistan government spokesperson Farah Azeem Shah said the Counterterrorism
Department (CTD) had arrested a woman named Noor Jehan and her accomplice
during an operation in Turbat on Monday.
The spokesperson said it had been revealed that
anti-state elements were operating from abroad, not only to sponsor subversive
activities in Pakistan but also to train terrorists and supervise terror acts
in the country.
Ms Shah said Noor Jehan had revealed during
investigation that she and her accomplice were paid members of the Majeed
Brigade, a lethal guerilla cell of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army. They
were arrested by the CTD Makran Range after a tipoff from intelligence units.
A suicide jacket, six hand grenades, Kalashnikov
rifles and explosive material were recovered from them during the raid.
The spokesperson said an FIR was filed against the
accused while a court had granted her seven-day remand.
“The arrested woman has made revelations regarding the
BLA activities and the wife of one Aslam alias Uccho was training women to
become terrorists,” the spokesperson said, adding: “Aslam alias Uccho has
already been killed and now his wife Yasmeen is training women to become
terrorists.”
She said Noor Jehan had revealed the names of Waheeda,
Fehmida and Hameeda, who were part of the BLA network and were trained for
suicide bombing.
She said that foreign hands were involved in the
recent wave of terrorism in Pakistan. “Terrorist attacks are being carried out
at the behest of some people in the United Kingdom and others residing in Gulf
countries.”
“India and its intelligence agency RAW want to
destabilise Pakistan. Some other countries are also willing to destabilise
Pakistan,” Ms Shah said.
“Those who care for the cause of Balochistan should
return home to truly serve the people here,” she said. “Real Baloch cannot use
their women for terror attacks.”
Source: Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1690417/foreign-terror-cells-active-in-balochistan-official
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‘Our Land Will Not Be Used As A Threat To Anyone,’
Says Taliban Leader Sirajuddin Haqqani
Photo of Sirajuddin Haqqani | Commons
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Pia Krishnankutty
18 May, 2022
New Delhi: The Taliban would like to “strongly
reassure” the world that their land would not be used as a threat to anyone,
the Taliban’s Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani told CNN in an
interview Tuesday.
Asked about recent ISIS-linked attacks in Afghanistan
and if the country would be used as a base for terrorism, Haqqani told CNN’s
Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour: “Here, we have internal threats
and some are deliberately elevating the threats to portray them as a cause for
concern for the nation and the international community.”
He added: “There can be threats to the rest of the
world that are orchestrated by a government but we would like to strongly
reassure everyone that our land will not be used as a threat to anyone.”
Haqqani, whose father Jalaluddin founded the
US-designated terror group Haqqani Network, is on the United Nations’s sanction
list. He is also on the FBI’s most-wanted list, and in the past, the agency had
offered up to $10 million for information on the militant leader.
The Interior Minister is also accused of being
involved in an assassination attempt on former Afghanistan President Hamid
Karzai in 2008.
Haqqani has made only one public appearance in March,
during which he addressed the graduation ceremony of newly-recruited police
personnel. Prior to that, his face was either covered or blurred in photos of
events that he attended.
Speaking to CNN, he said that the Taliban had all
intentions for a peaceful takeover of power but that the former Ashraf
Ghani-led government, “with assistance from some other circles, sabotaged our
particular plan…”
The Haqqani chief also said the Taliban does not view
the US as an enemy, but “based on their conduct, Afghans have reservations
about their intentions”.
‘We keep naughty women at home’
While discussing women’s rights, the Taliban Minister
joked that there was a need to keep “naughty women” at home.
“The international community is raising the issue of
women’s rights a lot. Here in Afghanistan, there are Islamic, national,
cultural and traditional principles. Within the limit of those principles, we
are working to provide them with opportunities to work — that is our goal. By
saying “naughty women”, it was a joke referring to those naughty women who are
controlled by some other sides to bring the current government into question,”
said Haqqani,” Haqqani said.
His statement comes weeks after the Taliban issued a
decree urging women to stay at home or wear the burqa if they had to go out.
Asked about Afghan women taking to the streets to
protest decrees issued by the Taliban in recent months, Haqqani described it as
movements “provoked from outside”.
On the issue of reopening girls’ secondary schools, he
said this depends on dress codes to ensure women’s “honour and security”, and
that the Taliban regime is currently working on mechanisms for this.
‘Sanctions pushing Afghan people into poverty’
Haqqani added that Afghan women weren’t the only ones
facing poverty and unemployment in the country. “Half of our Mujahideen
comrades have not got employment either,” he said.
“The issue of women’s rights has been frequently
highlighted. But, what has created these obstacles are international sanctions
and the lack of official interaction with the world community. This has pushed
a lot of people into poverty and joblessness,” he said.
The US, UN and other world powers had responded with
crushing economic sanctions when the Taliban seized Kabul last year. The Joe
Biden-led administration also froze roughly $7 billion in Afghan government
reserves held in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Source: The Print
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original story:
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Scotland Yard Arrests 13-Year-Old For Islamist Terror
Offence In Britain
File Photo/ Google.com
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May 18, 2022
A 13-year-old boy has been arrested in Britain for a
terrorism offence as part of an ongoing investigation related to the alleged
sharing of extreme Islamist material online, Scotland Yard said here on
Wednesday.
The Metropolitan Police said its Counter-Terrorism
Command arrested the teenager at a west London address on Tuesday on suspicion
of dissemination of terrorist material contrary to Section 2 of the UK’s
Terrorism Act 2006.
“The investigation relates to the alleged sharing of
extreme Islamist material online,” the Met Police said.
If he goes on to be charged and convicted, the
teenager will become the youngest person in the UK to be found guilty of a
terror offence.
“While it is still very rare for such a young person
to be arrested for a terrorism offence, in recent times we have seen a worrying
increase in the number of teenagers being drawn into terrorism,” said Commander
Richard Smith, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.
“This particular investigation remains ongoing, but
more broadly, we work closely with a whole range of partners to try and protect
and divert young, vulnerable people away from extremism and terrorism,” he
said.
The boy was detained under the Police and Criminal
Evidence Act (PACE) and taken into custody before being bailed to appear in
court in mid-June. A PACE warrant to search the west London address was
obtained by officers and has now been carried out. The Met Police said its
officers will work closely with partners from child safeguarding agencies as
the investigation continues.
Commander Smith said the public have an important part
to play, as he urged anyone who thinks a friend or relative is becoming
“radicalised or drawn into a path towards terrorism” to contact the force as
part of the ACT Early strategy or Action Counters Terrorism Early. There is
also an app called iREPORTit for people to report such terror related concerns.
Source: India Today
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original story:
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Pakistan Likely To Expand N-Arsenal For ‘Survival’
Against India: US Intelligence
Lt Gen Scott Berrier, director, Defence Intelligence
Agency ..
-----
May 19, 2022
WASHINGTON : Pakistan is likely to continue to
modernise and expand its nuclear capabilities by conducting training with its
deployed weapons and developing new delivery systems in 2022 as it perceives it
as key to its survival, given India’s nuclear arsenal and conventional force
superiority, the Pentagon’s top intelligence official has told lawmakers.
Lt Gen Scott Berrier, director, Defence Intelligence
Agency told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing
that Pakistan’s tense relationship with India will continue to drive its
defence policy. He said Pakistan “perceives nuclear weapons as key to its
national survival, given India’s nuclear arsenal and conventional force superiority.
Pakistan very likely will continue to modernise and expand its nuclear
capabilities by conducting training with its deployed weapons and developing
new delivery systems in 2022,” Berrier said.
“Pakistan’s ties with India remain strained since a
militant attack in Kashmir in February 2019,” he said, referring to the Pulwama
attack in which 40 Indian paramilitary troopers were killed. “New Delhi’s
August 2019 revocation of Kashmir’s semiautonomous status added to tensions.
But, cross-border violence has decreased since February 2021, when both
countries recommitted to a ceasefire,” Berrier said, adding, “India and
Pakistan have not made meaningful progress toward a long-lasting diplomatic
solution since then.”
Source: Times Of India
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original story:
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India
AIMPLB seeks Centre, states’ stand on alleged
targeting of mosques
May 19, 2022
NEW DELHI: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has
asked the central and state governments to clarify their position on alleged
targeting of places of worship of the Muslim community and step in to stop the
false propaganda. The board has also decided to provide legal aid to the Intezamiya
Masajid Committee and its lawyers in the Gyanvapi Masjid case.
The board has also sought that the Centre clarify its
stand on the The Places of Worship Act, 1991.
The working committee of AIMPLB held an emergency
meeting on Tuesday to dwell on the course of action to counter the response of
sectarian forces towards the Gyanvapi Masjid and various other places of
worship of Muslims.
“On one hand, the hatemongering forces were spreading
false propaganda and targeting Muslim holy places with full force, and on the
other hand, the central government and the state governments are not coming to
the fore against this false propaganda the way they should. Their position
needs to be clarified,” the board said.
Source: Times Of India
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Gyanvapi row: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Appeals People Not
To Hit Streets; RSS Says Facts Should Be Allowed To Come Out
18th May 2022
NEW DELHI: Amid the Gyanvapi mosque row, prominent
Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Wednesday appealed to the people,
specially members of the community, not to hit the streets over the issue and
avoid all kind of public demonstrations.
The Gyanvapi mosque is adjacent to the iconic Kashi
Vishwanath temple in Varanasi and a local court is hearing a plea by a group of
five Hindu women seeking the court's permission for daily prayers before the
idols on its outer walls.
In a statement, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana
Mahmood Madani said some "mischievous elements and biased media" are
trying to create strife between the two communities by fanning religious
emotions.
In such a situation, the Jamiat appeals to all the
people of India, specially Indian Muslims, that they should not hit streets
over the issue of the Gyanvapi mosque and all kinds of public demonstrations
should be avoided, it said.
The Committee of Management Anjuman Intezamia Masjid
is a party to the matter in various courts of the country and it is believed
that they will fight this case vigorously till the end, the statement said.
Other organisations of the country are urged not to
interfere directly in this case in any courts, the Jamiat said.
If they want to provide help or assistance in the
case, they can do through the 'masjid Intezamia committee', it said.
Ulema, scholars, speakers and TV debaters are urged to
refrain from participating in debates and discussions on this issue, the
statement said.
The case is subjuidice, so provocative debates and
social media speeches are by no means in the interest of the country, the
Jamiat said.
the RSS Wednesday said the facts should be allowed to
come out, while asserting that truth can't be hidden for long.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) publicity in-charge
Sunil Ambekar touched upon the Gyanvapi issue while speaking at an annual event
here organised by the organisation to honour journalists.
"There are some facts which are coming out in the
open. I believe we should let the facts come out in the open. In any case,
truth always finds a way to come out. How long can you hide it? I believe the
time has come to put the historical facts in the right perspective before the
society," Ambekar said.
Similar views were expressed by Union Minister Sanjeev
Balyan who was also present at the event.
Balyan said he became "emotional" when he
learnt about a Shivling being found in the mosque complex.
"I was in Varanasi when these events unfolded. I
became emotional. But I became more overwhelmed when a journalist told me that
Nandi (a sacred ox on which Lord Shiva rides) had been waiting for Shiva for
centuries. My eyes welled up. That is why journalism is so important. It can
make people emotional," Balyan said.
Remarks by Ambekar assume importance as on November 9,
2019 when the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Ram temple in Ayodhya,
responding to a question on the issue of the Gyanvapi mosque and the Shahi
Idgah in Mathura, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said, "The Sangh got
associated with this (Ramjanambhoomi) movement as an organisation because of
the historical reasons. It is an exception. Now we will again be associated
with human development and this movement will not remain of concern to
us."
On the same day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking
about the judgment had called it a "day to forget any bitterness one may
have".
On Monday, a Varanasi court had ordered the sealing of
a pond in the Gyanvapi Masjid complex after lawyers representing the Hindu
petitioners said a Shivling was found there during the court-mandated
videography survey.
However, a mosque management committee member disputed
the claim, saying the object was part of the water fountain mechanism at the
'Wazoo Khana' reservoir where devotees carry out ablutions before offering
Namaz.
Source: New Indian Express
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Don't interfere in Gyanvapi case: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind
chief asks Muslim bodies
Amit Bhardwaj
New Delhi
May 18, 2022
Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani, President of Jamiat
Ulama-i-Hind, has asked Muslim organisations not to intervene in the Gyanvapi
Mosque controversy, which is currently being debated at both the public and
judicial levels.
"Some nefarious elements and biased media are
attempting to sow discord between the two communities by fanning religious
passions," said Madani in an official statement.
In this situation, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind chief has
appealed to all Indians, particularly Indian Muslims, that:
They should not hit the streets on the issue of
Gyanvapi mosque, and all kinds of public demonstrations should be avoided.
In this regard, the masjid intezamiya committee
(mosque management committee) is a party in various courts of the country. It
is believed that they will fight this case vigorously till the end. Other
organisations in the country are urged not to interfere directly in this case
in any courts. If they want to provide help or assist in the case, they can do
so through the masjid intezamiya committee.
Ulama, scholars, speakers, and TV debaters are urged
to refrain from participating in TV debates and discussions on this issue.
Provocative debates in public debates and social media speeches are not in the
best interests of the country or the nation.
THE GYANVAPI CASE
A petition filed in 1991 in a Varanasi court claimed
that the Gyanvapi Mosque was built on the orders of Aurangzeb by demolishing a
part of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple during his reign in the 16th century.
The petitioners and local priests sought permission to
worship in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex. The Allahabad High Court in 2019
ordered a stay on an ASI survey that was requested by the petitioners.
Source: India Today
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Sree Ram Sena Alleges Hundreds Of “Illegal” Churches
And Mosques Are Functioning In Karnataka
K.M. Rakesh
19.05.22
The Sree Ram Sena, which echoes the Sangh Parivar’s
views, has alleged that hundreds of “illegal” churches and mosques are
functioning in Karnataka, adding that its workers are gathering details for
submission to the authorities.
Sree Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik made the
allegation just when the state governor gave his nod to a contentious
anti-conversion ordinance that has now become law.
Muthalik said Sena workers “are preparing a full list
of the illegal churches and mosques operating from houses and such other
buildings. These places are being used for religious conversions”.
He said an estimated 500 such illegal places of
worship had come up in the state over the years, although he could not produce
any documentary evidence to substantiate his claim.
An organisation that wields considerable clout in the
southern districts, especially coastal Karnataka, the Sree Ram Sena had
recently spearheaded a vitriolic campaign against mosques using loudspeakers
for azaan. Muthalik had led a protest on May 9 by singing bhajans and chanting
Hanuman Chalisa at a temple in Mysore located close to a mosque.
The state government had subsequently issued a
circular, making a Supreme Court order on decibel levels mandatory at all
establishments, including places of worship, across the state. The Muslim
community has readily agreed to control the volume of loudspeakers, although a
majority of the 12,000 mosques in the state were already using decibel-level
controllers.
The latest issue raked up by the Sree Ram Sena
coincided with the notification of the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom
of Religion Ordinance, 2022, on Tuesday. Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot gave his
assent to the ordinance a day after a church delegation met him and appealed
against giving his nod.
The Sena allegation comes in the wake of it joining
hands with the little-known Narendra Modi Vichar Manch in demanding permission
to pray at Mazjid-e-Ala in Srirangapatna in Mandya district, around 130km from
here, alleging that it stands on the ruins of a Hanuman temple.
The Narendra Modi Vichar March recently approached the
Mandya district administration to permit them to pray at the mosque, which is
currently a heritage site managed by Archeological Survey of India. Only a
madrasa now functions from the mosque complex.
The mosque is believed to have been constructed in
1728 during the reign of Tipu Sultan.
The secretary of the Narendra Modi Vichar Manch, C.T.
Manjunath, claimed documentary evidence to prove the contention that a Hanuman
temple once stood where the mosque had been built. “Tipu Sultan had written to
the ruler of Persia that a temple existed there before the mosque was built. We
want the authorities to let us pray there,” he said.
But state home minister Araga Jnanendra warned of
stringent action if anyone dared to take law into their hands. “Strict action
will be taken if anyone challenges law and order,” he said.
Bishop decries
Archbishop of Bangalore Peter Machado on Wednesday
said the Christian community felt betrayed since its sentiments were not taken
into consideration while notifying the anti-conversion ordinance.
“The Christian community feels betrayed since its
sentiments are not taken note of and its selfless services in the fields of
education, healthcare and other social areas for the welfare of all communities
are not taken into consideration,” Machado said in a statement.
Source: Telegraph India
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SC
to hear Gyanvapi Mosque case tomorrow, stays hearing in UP court for today
Aneesha
Mathur Sanjay Kapoor
New
Delhi
May
19, 2022
The
Supreme Court will hear the Gyanvapi Mosque case on Friday. The court has also
stayed the hearing in Varanasi court. The move of the top court came amid fears
of the Muslim side that the Wazukhana (ablution area) - where a 'Shivling' was
said to be found - could be razed, following the order by the Varanasi court to
seal the area.
The
Varanasi administration has sealed the ablution area of the Gyanvapi Masjid
that housed the reservoir, in which a Shivling was reported to have been
discovered during a survey. Officials on Wednesday, May 18, made the wazukhana
off-limits to all by placing locks on the doors that lead to the area.
Source:
India Today
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Gyanvapi
Mosque Video Survey Report Submitted In Sealed Cover In UP Court
May
19, 2022
Varanasi
(UP): The report of filming of the Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi was submitted to
a court this morning in a case involving a request by Hindu petitioners to
worship idols inside the mosque complex.
The
report, in three folders, was submitted in a sealed cover by the team that
filmed the mosque complex. A chip with videos and photographs of the filming
was also handed over, Vishal Singh, the court-appointed commissioner, told
NDTV.
The
Varanasi court was told, however, not to pass any orders for now by the Supreme
Court, which is hearing a petition by the mosque committee challenging the
Gyanvapi complex filming. The Supreme Court said it would take up the case
tomorrow after the lawyers for the Hindu petitioners asked for an adjournment.
The
Varanasi court is hearing a petition by five Hindu women who have requested
access to the Gyanvapi mosque complex - located next to the iconic Kashi
Vishwanath temple - to worship idols on its outer walls.
One
of the lawyers involved in the filming at the mosque has claimed that a
"Shivling" was found inside a pond traditionally used for
"Wazoo" or Islamic purification rituals before namaaz.
The
Supreme Court has ordered that if there are claims of a "Shivling"
found in the complex, the area should be protected but Muslims must not be
stopped from praying at the mosque.
A
top official leading the filming, Advocate Commissioner Ajay Pratap Singh, said
he stayed up all night to prepare the report, including videos and pictures
from inside the mosque, even the basement.
"The
court had given us a big responsibility and we conducted the survey honestly in
the sweltering heat, even in dirty basements. We took all parties along, the
petitioners and mosque representatives, so that there's no question of
impropriety," he said.
The
court will hear a petition by three of the original petitioners asking for the
removal of debris gathered against the mosque wall facing a Nandi idol at the
Kashi Viswanath temple, to access and film more areas to establish what they
believe are parts of a temple.
Source:
ND TV
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Intervention
in Mecca Masjid blast case sought
MAY
19, 2022
Civil
society members on Wednesday demanded that the Telangana government file an
intervention petition in the criminal appeal filed by families of the Mecca
Masjid blast victims, and table the Justice V. Bhaskara Rao Committee report.
The
Commission was constituted in the aftermath of the Mecca Masjid blast on May
18, 2007, when police opened fire at the mob, which resulted in the death of
five people.
“Unfortunately,
the report has not been tabled before the State legislature yet, due to which
the kin of people who died in police firing are waiting for justice since more
than a decade. The Telangana government, in the interest of justice, should
take action on the findings of the report immediately as by reason of
non–placing of the report of Commission before the legislature within the time
limit prescribed by the relevant provision of this section, such report is not
rendered void and the government is not precluded from acting upon it
especially when the legislature has not disapproved,” a statement reads.
Source:
The Hindu
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Bengaluru:
Speakers at Hindutva Group Meet Call Muslims 'Cancer', Complaint Lodged
Gaurav
Vivek Bhatnagar
May
19, 2022
New
Delhi: As hatred against Muslims takes centre stage in the BJP-ruled Karnataka,
yet again the state capital, Bengaluru, has become witness to another round of
abuses hurled at the minority community by a Hindutva outfit recently.
On
May 8, speakers at Bengaluru District Hindu Rashtra Convention described
Muslims as “cancer” who are “taking over the country like a disease” in front
of a gathering of 300 people at BBMP Community Hall in Rajaji Nagar, Bengaluru.
The
convention and hate speeches came to light after one Zia Nomani lodged a
complaint at Sanjaya Nagara police station on May 16 stating that “multiple
speakers engaged in speech and expression which directly attracts Sections
153A, 153B, 295A and 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code”. It was Nomani who had
earlier filed a complaint against Hindu Janajagruti Samiti’s Chandru Moger
after he had issued a call at the beginning of April to Hindus to boycott
Muslim fruit vendors while accusing them of “spit jihad”. Moger is yet to be
arrested even though an FIR is registered against him.
The
complaint against Moger was filed by Law and Policy Research Institute with
legal aid from Campaign Against Hate Speech.
According
to Nomani, the latest convention too “witnessed discussions that reeked of
bigotry and violence in the heart of Bengaluru”. The speeches made at the
convention are uploaded onto Hindu Janajagruti Samiti Karnataka Twitter page.
The
complainant lamented that police inaction in Moger’s case was emboldening
right-wing groups in the state to organise such conventions, calling for Hindu
Rashtra, with impunity.
Referring
to the speech by the spokesperson of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Mohan Gowda, as
“criminal speech”, Nomani quoted the
former as saying, “They (while referring to the entire Muslim community) are
taking over our country like a disease. For one Hindu child, there are five
Muslim children. Yet Muslims are the minority. That is why we have organised
this meeting to make people aware that we need a Hindu Rashtra.”
In
his latest complaint, Nomani said that speakers at the May 8 convention
explained to the gathering the terms bandied out by Hindutva groups such as
“land jihad”, “economic jihad” and “love jihad”. He said the speakers also
spoke about why loudspeakers should be banned (in mosques) and why India should
become a country for Hindus, in a clear case of whipping up passions.
According
to Nomani, G.M. Nataraj, a lawyer and a speaker at the convention, had said,
“Muslims counter that they play it (azaan) only for five minutes. But it is not
just a call to prayer. It is a call from mosques for every Muslim to wake up
and pray and resolve that they will kill others.”
Nataraj
had further said, “When a Hindu hears such a call, they get scared. Hindu
families near mosques get palpitations and panic when they hear the azaan
playing loudly because they know it is asking Muslims to kill Hindus.”
Referring
to a speech by S. Bhaskaran, president of Vishwa Sanatan Parishad, Nomani, in
his complaint, said he had “spoken about ‘land jihad’, and how Muslims are
taking over the property from Hindus”. It added that “before talking about
‘land jihad’, a term commonly used by right-wing groups to describe a
conspiracy by Muslims to take over neighbourhoods”. Bhaskaran had also said
“Muslims are like cancer”, according to the complaint.
Nomani
then goes on to describe that, in response to Bhaskaran’s speech, a member in
the audience shouted loudly saying “ghar main ghuske maarenge, mulle ko nahin
chodenge (We will enter their homes and beat them, won’t spare a single
Muslim)”. The complainant said the speeches indeed amounted to propagating
communal hatred and hence attracted various sections under the Indian Penal
Code (IPC).
Chandru
Moger’s case
Speaking
to The Wire about Moger’s case, Nomani has said that the police are yet to
arrest him even though Bengaluru Police had registered an FIR against him after
directions from 8th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate. Nomani had lodged
a complaint with police against Moger after the latter issued a call for
boycotting Muslim fruit vendors.
Consequent
to the directions from the court, the police registered a case against Moger
under Sections 153A, 503, 504, 505 (2) of IPC. These sections pertain to among
other things promoting hatred against religious communities and spreading false
alarming news and rumours. The police have been directed to submit a report on
the matter to the court by July 30.
Nomani
said while the offence against Moger was cognisable, the police did not arrest
him yet. He wondered if the police had at least questioned Moger in the matter.
The
complainant also accused police of harassing him instead of investigating
Moger’s conduct. He said police inquired about him from his neighbour.
“They
asked where do I work, when do I come home and what is my job profile. I then
approached DCP North and complained that the police are trying to intimidate
me. He said we will look into it,” said Nomani.
Source:
The Wire
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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Muslim
personal law board constitutes legal committee to review Gyanvapi mosque case
Ashish
Srivastava
Lucknow
May
18, 2022
The
All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) constituted a legal committee on
Wednesday to review the details of the Gyanvapi mosque case. The committee will
also look into the Places of Worship Act to take appropriate legal action.
The
board decided to provide legal aid to the maintenance body of the mosque,
Intezamia Masjid Committee and its lawyers in the case. It also decided to
launch a nationwide agitation if necessary to apprise the public about the
“real intention” of creating disputes over places of worship.
An
executive member of the AIMPLB, Qasim Rasool Ilyas, told PTI that an emergency
virtual meeting of the board’s working committee was held on Tuesday night. Ilyas
said, “The meeting discussed the targeting of places of worship of Muslims in
the country. It is regrettable that the central government and the state
governments are silent on this. Apart from this, the political parties who call
themselves secular parties are also keeping silent.”
He
said that the board demanded the government to clarify their stand on the
issue. The board said the government's silence on such incidents is a criminal
act which cannot be accepted in any way.
Ilyas
added the board has appealed to Muslims to maintain peace, stand with courage
and fight the legal battle to the best of their ability.
A
petition was filed in 1991 in a Varanasi court claiming that the Gyanvapi
Mosque was built during the 16th century on the orders of Aurangzeb by
demolishing a part of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
The
current controversy started when five Hindu women sought to routinely worship
Shringar Gauri and other idols within the Gyanvapi mosque complex.
Source: India
Today
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Gyanvapi
mosque case: Delhi University prof booked for post on Shivling
May
18, 2022
New
Delhi: A case has been registered against an assistant professor from Delhi University’s
Hindu College for an allegedly objectionable social media post referring to the
claims of a Shivling being found at the Gyanvapi mosque.
According
to police, a complaint was recieved against Ratan Lal regarding
"deliberate and malicious post" on Facebook intended to "outrage
religious feelings by insulting a religion/religious beliefs".
The
case has been registered under Sections 295A of the Indian Penal Code at Cyber
Police Station, North district. A complaint in this regard was filed by lawyer
Vineet Jindal against Ratan Lal for hurting religious sentiments of Hindus.
Soon
after his Facebook post went viral, Ratan Lal shared a video and said that he
was being threatened by many users online.
Source:
Firstpost
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Worship
war reaches Punjab: Hindus, Sikhs claim sarai converted into mosque, Muslims
deny
Manjeet
Sehgal
Chandigarh
May
18, 2022
As
the Gyanvapi mosque row continues to rage in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, a
similar controversy has now emerged in Rajpura in Punjab’s Patiala.
Members
of the Sikh and Hindu communities have accused the Muslim community of
forcefully occupying and converting what was a Sikh sarai into a mosque.
The
Muslim community has denied the allegation and stated that the mosque in
Gujranwala Mohalla dates back to the pre-independence era.
CLAIM
According
to locals, two Sikh families had been living in the disputed structure till
2017 and were allegedly forced to leave. The Waqf board staked claim on the
structure in 2016, it has been learnt.
Locals
told India Today that the sarai began 'turning' into a mosque two years ago a
dome was built and it was painted green, they said.
It
has also been alleged that symbols of Sikh religion were removed from the
structure.
COUNTER-CLAIM
The
Muslim community has said the mosque existed even before 1947 and has only been
renovated now.
AUTHORITIES
ACT
After
locals said that people from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh were creating trouble in
the area, police force was deployed near the structure.
Additionally,
both parties have been asked to submit requisite documents to prove their
claims.
Source: India
Today
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--------
Now,
Petition Before Mathura Court for Video Survey of Shahi Idgah Mosque
May
19, 2022
New
Delhi: A petition was filed with a court in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura on May 13
seeking a videographic survey of the Shahi Idgah mosque in the region, inviting
comparison with the ongoing Gyanvapi mosque issue which is centred around a
similar video survey.
Mathura’s
Shahi Idgah mosque is located next to the Krishna Janmabhoomi, believed to be
the birthplace of Hindu deity Krishna.
Mathura,
Ayodhya and Kashi (Varanasi) form the trio of sites that Hindutva activists
often vow to “free” through the destruction of Islamic structures. Variations
of the slogan, “Ayodhya-Babri sirf jhaanki hai, Kashi-Mathura ab baaqi hai”
have accompanied rightwing agitations since the 1980s.
The
Financial Express reported that, in the aforementioned petition, a video survey
has been sought in order to ascertain whether or not there are “Hindu
artefacts” and “ancient religious inscriptions” located within the mosque
premises.
In
the Gyanvapi case, too, the petitioners had sought for a survey to find out
whether there were idols of Hindu deities and had sought year-round access to
the mosque, which they contended housed a Hindu shrine within.
On
May 12, a day prior to the present petition being filed, the Lucknow bench of
the Allahabad high court had directed the Mathura court in question to dispose
of all cases pertaining to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute with a
period of four months, according to news agency ANI.
The
high court’s order came on a plea by one Manish Yadav, president of the
Narayani Sena, a group of Krishna devotees, which sought for the early disposal
of its case related to the dispute pending before the Mathura court.
The
high court also said that the parties to these cases, such as the Uttar Pradesh
Sunni Waqf Board and others, are required to appear before the court and
participate in the hearing. If they are not and if they attempt to stall the
hearings, the high court said that the Mathura court could issue ex-parte
orders.
Cases
before the Mathura court
The
plea for a survey to be conducted inside the Shahi Idgah mosque joins the
Narayani Sena’s and eight other pleas regarding the aforementioned religious
dispute.
One
such case was filed on behalf of child deity Bhagwan Shrikrishna Virajman,
through the “next friend” Ranjana Agnihotri and seven others. “Next friend” is
a legal term for a person who represents someone directly unable to maintain a
suit.
The
plea contended that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had destroyed the Krishna
“janmabhoomi” on the site and had erected the Shahi Idgah mosque in its stead.
Moreover, it had cited the official website of the district of Mathura as the
source of its claims.
Today,
the official website reads as follows:
“The
city was sacked and many of its temples destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1018
CE and again by Sikandar Lodhi, who ruled the Sultanate of Delhi from 1489 to
1517 CE. Sikander Lodhi earned the epithet of ‘Butt Shikan’, the ‘Destroyer of
Hindu deities’. The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, built the Shahi-Eidgah Mosque
during his rule, which is adjacent to Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi believed to be
over a Hindu temple.”
Agnihotri’s
plea contended that the Shahi Idgah mosque had been constructed on land within
the area of the Katra Keshav Dev temple.
The
petition had named the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board; Shahi Masjid
Idgah Trust; Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust; and Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva
Sansthan as defendants and had sought prohibitory injunctions restraining the
defendants, their workers, supporters, men, attorneys and every person acting
under them from entering the premises.
The
petition had also cited the Places of Worship Act, which is currently being
widely discussed in the context of the Gyanvapi mosque dispute.
The
Gyanvapi mosque authorities and several commentators have called the
videographic survey of the site, ordered by a Varanasi court, violative of the
provisions of the Places of Worship Act.
The
Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, says the religious character of place of worship
will continue as it existed on on August 15, 1947, and:
“No
person shall convert any place of worship of any religious denomination or any
section thereof into a place of worship of a different section of the same
religious denomination or of a different religious denomination or any section
thereof.”
The
same act says “conversion, with its grammatical variations, includes alteration
or change of whatever nature.”
Source: The
Wire
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Post-hijab
row, Karnataka makes uniforms must for PU students
May
19, 2022
BENGALURU:
The Karnataka government has made uniforms mandatory for pre-university course
(PUC) students from the 2022-23 academic year. The admission guidelines cite
the high court order upholding the government order on uniforms following the
hijab controversy.
The
circular issued on Wednesday follows confusion over the wearing of the hijab
inside PUC classrooms.
According
to education department officials, several institutions, teachers, and parents
had questioned whether hijab will be allowed inside examination halls for
students from private schools since admission guidelines for academic year
2021-22 state that uniforms are not compulsory for students.
Source:
Times Of India
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Azan
no match for Hanuman Chalisa in terms of noise
18th
May 2022
By
Dr. Javed Jamil
If
Hindutva Brigade had been preaching religious values enshrined in Hindu Dharma,
there was nothing bad about it. If they had been fighting for the rights of
Hindus, even then it would not have created much of havoc. The problem with
them is that their definition of Hindutva, in practice if not in theory, is
based on their severest aversion to Muslims and everything that is or can be
made to look linked to them. They are less interested in introducing the Hindu
vision to the constitution and more in demolishing Muslim Personal Laws. (In
recent years, adultery and homosexuality have been decriminalized despite their
Government and they did not do anything to stop this despite their being
against the position of almost all the religions.) They are not too much fond
of building temples; they are more concerned about demolishing mosques. They
love singing Vande Mataram not because of its inherent beauty but because it
irks Muslims who find hard to worship the land instead of the Creator of the
land. Even if they do not read their scriptures with any regularity, they would
want to impose it on Muslim students through introduction in educational
syllabi. Their love of cow, turning an animal into a holy entity, has grown
over the centuries because this provides them ammunition to hit Muslims. They
are not concerned about their students wearing saffron shawls but are more
interested in going against the Hijab, which is their first line of defence
against molestation, prescribed as obligatory in their religion. They are not
so much in love of reciting Hanuman Chalisa but use it for stopping the sound
of Azan reaching Muslims.
Azan
and Hanuman Chalisa: Comparison
They
ignore the fact that Azan involves only about 15 sentences and less than 50
words with gaps in between sentences, is recited by a single person without any
loud music involved and lasts only for 3-5 minutes. Hanuman Chalisa is much
longer, with 40 stanzas/verses and around 600 words, and is recited
collectively with a much louder voice with hardly any gaps in between and often
with a lot of music accompanying it. It is much longer often involving more
than 100 recitations. There is a big difference between the “Sound Pollution”
caused by Azan and that caused by Hanuman Chalisa. Moreover, Azan is necessary
because it announces to the people living in the areas (just five times a day,
with combined duration of around 10-20 minutes) surrounding the mosques that
the time of prayer is near so that they can offer prayers at the right time.
The truth is that they are not campaigning for bringing comforts to their
fellow religionists; they are more interested in teasing and harassing the
Muslim populace.
Muslims
do not stop them from wearing saffron shawls but they would do it only to
attack and campaign against Hijab. Similarly, Muslims have no objection to
their reciting Hanuman Chalisa in their areas. But they are not as much in love
with Chalisa as they hate Azan. I am a great proponent of coming together of
all religions, and I have recurrently argued that Indian Muslims and Hindus
must come together against the immorality propagated by the current world for
commercial aims. Westernism or New World Order, based on the negation of
religious morality and propagation of commercial morality, is a threat to every
religion and the whole mankind. The fight today is not between religions but
between religion and irreligion. Hindus and Muslims think alike in most matters
be its family values, moral values, or social values. We all hate alcohol,
gambling, sex outside marriage, and nakedness. We all are believers in God
though our methods can be different. I will repeat here that Islam is not a
religion started by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Islam means submission to God,
called Allah in Arabic and Parmeshwar in Hindi/Sanskrit and Jehovah in Hebrew.
Quran asks us to believe in the truthfulness of all the previous scriptures and
messengers. Of God
Religious
morality Vs religious identity
Source:
Siasat Daily
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of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/azan-no-match-for-hanuman-chalisa-in-terms-of-noise-2329384/
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Pakistan
Imran
says families of army personnel will march with him to Islamabad
May
18, 2022
Former
prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said families of army personnel will
also take part in his upcoming march to Islamabad to remove the "imported
government that came to power through a US-backed conspiracy".
Addressing
a huge public meeting in Gujranwala, Imran said: "The police will also
help you [in getting to Islamabad]. They will send their family members with
you and government employees will [do the same] as well.
"And
I know my army's families will also come with us to Islamabad," he added.
The
former prime minister is planning a long march towards Islamabad at a yet
undecided date later this month in a bid to pressure the government into
holding immediate elections as he claims that his government was
"conspired against" and unfairly ousted by the US, with the help of
his political opponents and in the form of a successful no-trust move against
him last month.
Read
more: Warning of march on capital, Imran seeks election date
Imran,
in his speech today, said he would unveil the date of his long march during a
rally in Multan on May 20 (Friday), and hoped he would win the "fight for
real independence in Islamabad this month".
Imran
called on women, children and the elderly to participate in the march. He said
he was calling the people to Islamabad to foil the "American
conspiracy" and send a message to all the conspirators that Pakistan was
an "free nation".
"This
isn't politics, this is revolution," Imran said, adding that the
"biggest dacoits and mafias" of the country were standing on one side
and the nation on the other.
"This
is called revolution when the people become a nation and then we [can] combat
these mafias who suck our blood. [We] will badly defeat them."
Turning
his aim at his political opponents, the PTI chairman lashed out at Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accusing him of "polishing boots" of
officials from the US Embassy.
"When
he sees the army boot, he polishes them [with such vigour] that he sees his own
reflection," Imran said about PM Shehbaz, referring to his alleged
appeasing of the military establishment.
Imran
said PM Shehbaz and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif were "trapped".
"There is an ocean in front of them and Imran Khan is standing behind
them."
He
claimed that the PML-N's time was up and a "sea of people" would soon
enter Islamabad and sweep them away.
Read
more: Nawaz Sharif might choose to surrender once he returns to Pakistan
Imran
said the prime minister would not be able to escape the cases against him in
the Federal Investigation Agency. "As soon as you go [from the prime
minister's seat], the investigation will start and we will take money from you
and throw you in jail," he added.
Imran
claimed that PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari was "very happy"
that PM Shehbaz and the PML-N were drawing everyone's ire. "Indeed,
Zardari 'you are bhaari (dominant)' over PML-N and taking good revenge,"
he said.
Source:
Dawn
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Pakistan
Taliban declare ceasefire till May 30 for talks with govt
May
19, 2022
ISLAMABAD
: The Pakistani Taliban on Wednesday said they are extending a ceasefire with
the government until May 30, after the two sides held an initial round of talks
hosted by the Afghan Taliban in Afghanistan. The spokesman for the militant
group, Mohammad Khurasani, said the talks between the Pakistani Taliban and the
Islamabad government were being facilitated by Afghanistan’s new Taliban
rulers.
The
Taliban in Kabul confirmed the talks and the extension of the ceasefire. Their
spokesman, Bilal Karimi, said they are doing their “best for the continuation
and success of the negotiations”. The Pakistani militant group — known as Tehrik-e-Taliban
Pakistan or TTP — is separate but allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban. TTP has
long fought for stricter enforcement of Islamic laws in Pakistan. Over the past
months they have stepped up attacks against government forces. Khurasani said
the ceasefire, began on May 10. There was also no comment from Pakistan’s
military or the government.
Source:
Times Of India
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Devaluation
of rupee versus US dollar continues as Pakistan resumes talks with IMF for
relief
May
19, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistani rupee has maintained its downturn against the US dollar as the
country resumed talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Doha for
the revival of the stalled multibillion-dollar loan programme.
In
talks with IMF, Pakistan’s delegation, having representatives of the State Bank
of Pakistan (SBP), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Ministry of Energy,
has been led by finance minister Miftah Ismail. The IMF has set tough
conditions for Pakistan for a bailout that seems to have a political cost for
the beleaguered coalition government. IMF wants Pakistan to withdraw subsidies
on fuel and electricity that ex-PM Imran Khan had announced earlier this year.
When the former opposition parties launched a no-trust vote campaign against
Khan, he had announced a massive cut of Rs10 per litre in the price of petrol
and diesel, and Rs5 per unit in the price of electricity along with announcements
related to tax cuts and interest-free loans to students, small farmers and
unemployed youth.
Khan’s
decisions had won him popular support but it has badly hit the three markets —
debt, stocks and foreign exchange — triggering grave financial crisis in the
country.
Of
late, Pakistani rupee touched a critical threshold of 200 in the open market
against the US dollar. The rupee has maintained a downward trend for the last
13 months. It has lost 30.28% (or Rs 46.12) to date, compared to the record high
of Rs152.27 witnessed in May 2021.
In
the interbank market, however, the local currency continues losing its value
and with the latest decline of Rs 2.1, it plunged to yet another historic low
of Rs 198 against the greenback, despite suspected intervention by the central
bank.
Investors
are concerned as there is speculation in the market that the IMF may not agree
to resume the loan programme if the government failed to implement its demands.
Pakistan
had signed a $6 billion bailout package with the IMF in 2019, which has never
been fully implemented as the previous Khan-led government had reneged on
agreements to cut or end some subsidies and improve revenue and tax collection.
Islamabad
has so far received $3 billion, with the programme due to end later this year.
Officials are seeking an extension to the programme till June 2023, as well as
the release of the next tranche of $1 billion.
Source:
Times Of India
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Situation
in Afghanistan has direct impact on people of Pakistan: Bilawal
19
May,2022
NEW
YORK (Dunya News) – Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Wednesday said that
Pakistan always emphasized that the ultimate solution to the situation in
Afghanistan is dialogue and diplomacy and the international community also
ultimately went that route. We cannot change our neighbours and the situation
in Afghanistan has a direct impact on the people of Pakistan.
In
an interview with CNN television, Bilawal Bhutto said Pakistan was calling for
increase in humanitarian efforts for Afghanistan and underscoring that collapse
of the economy of Afghanistan should be averted.
He
said the economic collapse in Afghanistan would have disastrous consequences
for the people of Afghanistan. The minister said Pakistan had been worried
about the increase in terrorist activity.
“We
are looking to the regime in Afghanistan to play their role in discouraging the
increase in terrorism. We continue to monitor the situation and are working to
tackle the threat of terrorism.”
“I
hope that the regime in Afghanistan lives up to its international commitments
regarding terrorism, women’s education and their soil is not used for
terrorism.”
The
Foreign Minister said Pakistan was working with the international community on
the issue of recognition of Afghanistan and will take the decision in step with
the international community.
“At
the same time, we continue to advocate engagement particularly in view of the
humanitarian crisis developing in Afghanistan. We believe that it is not good
for the people of Afghanistan and the region if 95 percent of the people in
Afghanistan descend into poverty.”
If
Taliban would live up to their commitments it would be easier for Pakistan to
back their case for increased support for humanitarian efforts and
stabilization of the Afghan economy, he noted.
Bhutto
said women’s rights and girls’ education were not only an issue of the west but
these rights were granted by Islam.
The
first word in Quran was “read” and everyone in Islam had to pursue education,
Bilawal said adding, “the right to education is not only a commitment between
the international community and Taliban but these rights are granted by Islam.”
He
said Pakistan elected its first female Prime Minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto twice.
To
a question, he said Pakistan had consistently engaged with Afghanistan no
matter who was in power in Pakistan.
Bhutto
noted that the United States had direct communication and dialogue with the
Taliban regime before their takeover of Kabul and there was direct agreement
between the two sides.
He
said the international community should look towards the future and not the
past and it would not serve anybody’s purpose if Afghanistan was abandoned
again.
The
minister said, “Combating extremism and terrorism and spreading the peaceful
and progressive message of Islam and advocating human and women rights were
incredibly important for myself and my party and it formed the basis of their
manifesto.”
Talking
about the political situation in his country, Bilawal said there was a unity
government in Pakistan and the political parties had come together in the
larger interest to push for electoral and democratic reforms despite their
diverse opinions, outlooks and manifestoes.
Source:
Dunya News
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of the original story:
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Suspects
‘linked to Saddar IED blast’ in killed in encounter
May
19, 2022
KARACHI:
Two suspected militants, said to be associated with the proscribed Sindhudesh
Revolutionary Army (SRA) and involved in the recent blast in Saddar, were
gunned down in an alleged encounter on Wednesday, police said.
Counter-Terrorism
Department (CTD) official Mazhar Mashwani told Dawn that the police and an
intelligence agency carried out a joint raid on Mauripur Road, where Allah
Dino, 28, and Nawab Ali, 26, were killed in a gun battle.
He
said that the slain suspects had direct links with the head of banned SRA,
Asghar Shah.
They
were involved in the recent improvised explosive device (IED) blast in the busy
commercial area of Saddar, he said.
On
May 12, an unidentified suspect detonated an IED attached with a bicycle with
the help of a remote control in the busy Saddar area killing a passer-by and
injuries to several others. The banned SRA claimed responsibility of the attack
targeting an official vehicle of the Pakistan Coast Guards.
The
official said the CTD got information about their hideouts and it conducted a
raid in the Mauripur area, where they were killed during an exchange of
gunfire.
He
did not divulge much detail and added that acting Inspector General of Police
Kamran Fazal might share further information with the media at a press conference
on Thursday (today).
The
bodies of the two suspects were brought to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital
Karachi for a post-mortem examination.
Mashwani
told the media there that the CTD and intelligence agencies were jointly
working to trace the perpetrators of the recent blasts. He said their third
accomplice managed to escape.
He
claimed that explosives, remote control, detonators and two TT pistols were
recovered from their hideout.
When
asked about the role of the slain suspects in the Saddar blast, the CTD
official said they had ‘strong reasons’ to believe that they were involved in
the case.
‘Fake
encounter’
However,
the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Party (JSQP) chairman, Nawaz Khan Zaur, in a statement
termed the Mauripur encounter as ‘fake.
“Allah
Dino alias A D Rahimoon was not a terrorist but the central finance secretary
of the JSQP,” he said, adding that he was a resident of Chhachhro and doing a
job in Hyderabad.
“He
was picked up a few days ago and killed in the fake encounter,” he stated.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Ahmadiyya
community member killed in Okara
Imran
Gabol
May
19, 2022
LAHORE:
Okara police on Wednesday arrested a suspect allegedly involved in killing a
young man belonging to the Ahmadiyya community on Tuesday evening.
Abdul
Salam, 33, a father of three, was on his way back home from the field when a
seminary student, Hafiz Ali Raza alias Mulazim Husain, attacked him with a
knife. The suspect stabbed Salam several times in the chest and abdomen,
injuring him critically.
Victim’s
uncle Zafar Iqbal tried to stop the suspect but he managed his escape. Salam
died instantly.
A
police contingent reached the spot and shifted the body for autopsy.
Chochak
police registered a case under section 302 (punishment of qatleamd) and
section 109 (punishment of abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code and 7 of the
Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 on the complaint of the victim’s uncle.
Salam’s
uncle Iqbal said Raza is believed to be a member of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan
(TLP). He said Salam did not have any enmity.
He
said the Ahmadi families living in Okara district were feeling highly insecure
after the incident and demanded that the police arrest the suspect and provide
security to their community.
Jamaat
Ahmadiyya Pakistan spokesperson Saleemuddin told Dawn that attacks on Ahmadis
were increasing and it had become more difficult for Ahmadis to do even basic
things like running their business or going to their work.
Okara
District Police Officer (DPO) Faisal Gulzar told this reporter that the suspect
was taken into custody and was being interrogated.
He
said initial investigation revealed the possibility of personal revenge behind
the murder, however, police were also investigating the incident on religious
grounds.
HRCP:
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has condemned the killing.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1690355/ahmadiyya-community-member-killed-in-okara
--------
Army
responds to disasters without fail: COAS
May
19, 2022
RAWALPINDI:
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Wednesday it was
the army that responds to disasters, “whether it is a flood, a hurricane, an
earthquake or a tsunami, you would find army everywhere without warning”.
Addressing
the GHQ investiture ceremony, the army chief admitted that cholera had spread
to many parts of Balochistan. “There is water shortage and the army has reached
there and is serving those people, even without my knowledge. The army is
providing water and relief to the affected population,” he said.
Speaking
at the ceremony, held to confer honours upon army personnel who had performed
acts of gallantry and rendered meritorious services to the nation, Gen Bajwa
said the world asked how Pakistan had succeeded against the menace of terrorism
where the rest of the world had failed. “I always say that we have mothers who
have sacrificed their loved ones, our sisters who have lost their husbands and
the children who are ready to sacrifice their fathers in this country and as
long as there are such mothers and our sisters, I am confident that no harm can
come to Pakistan,” he said.
The
COAS said no nation could offer compensation for the sacrifice of its martyrs.
“No material power, wealth, money can be a substitute for their sacrifices. We
have a responsibility to take care of the heirs of the martyrs, and their
families, and also to take care of their widows and their parents while taking
care of their children, which we will do, God willing. But I believe that no
care and no privilege can be a substitute for sacrifices of the martyrs.”
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1690418/army-responds-to-disasters-without-fail-coas
--------
South
Asia
The
Taliban in Afghanistan Mediates Ceasefire Between Pakistan and Pakistani
Taliban
By
Saqalain Eqbal
18
May 2022
Following
meetings between the two parties in Kabul on Wednesday, May 18, the Taliban in
Afghanistan mediated a temporary ceasefire between Pakistan and a local
Pakistani Taliban militant group.
The
Pakistani Taliban, also known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has been
responsible for some of Pakistan’s deadliest operations since 2007. TTP is not directly associated with the Afghan Taliban,
but pledges allegiance to them.
“During
the talks, a temporary ceasefire was also agreed upon”, the Taliban
spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on Twitter, today, confirming the Kabul
talks.
A
TTP statement released on Wednesday also announced that talks were taking place
in Kabul and that a cease-fire would be in effect until May 30.
Although
General Faiz Hameed, the former director-general of ISI visited Kabul and was
reported to be negotiating with the TTP, it was unclear who was representing Pakistan’s
government in the talks. Pakistan’s foreign office spokesman did not respond to
Reuters’ request for clarification in this regard.
Islamabad
claims that the TTP has established sanctuary in Afghanistan over the years, a
claim disputed by both the Taliban and past US-backed regimes. Nevertheless,
Islamabad handed over two TTP commanders to the Afghan Taliban, to be released
if the talks with TTP succeeded.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
The
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Visits the Foreign Minister of the
Taliban
By
Saqalain Eqbal
18
May 2022
Amir
Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Acting Foreign Minister, met with Richard Bennett,
the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan, to
discuss the country’s human rights situation.
The
UN Special Rapporteur met with Muttaqi to discuss the purpose of his travel to
Afghanistan, the assigned mission, and his work plan, according to Taliban
Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi, who tweeted today, May 18.
Bennett
is visiting Afghanistan for ten days. His visit is intended to review the human
rights situation in Afghanistan and discuss the country’s commitments under
international human rights instruments.
The
acting Taliban Foreign Minister, Muttaqi, had asked Richard Bennett to produce
his report on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan solely on documented
facts, not relying on the media, biased circles, or the opinions of dissidents
overseas, according to a statement released by the Taliban Foreign Ministry.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Mullah
Baradar Urges Afghan Traders Abroad to Invest in Country
May
19, 2022
The
first deputy prime minister, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, met with Afghan
traders in the UAE and urged them to invest in Afghanistan.
He
also said that the Islamic Emirate has provided many resources for the
traders.
But
the head of the Afghanistan traders council in the UAE, Obaidullah Sadarkhail,
insisted that the current Afghan government provide security for the
traders.
“We
want you to hand over the operation of the Afghanistan airports to the UAE. We
300,000 Afghans are living here,” he said.
The
Afghan traders in the UAE also said that they should be provided with visas for
their business activities.
Farid
Rohani, an Afghan trader in the UAE, said he will invest in the agriculture and
energy sector in the country.
“The
Afghan traders have shown interest in investing in energy and agriculture in
Afghanistan. There should be some measures for their security,” he said.
The
Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) said the surge in
investment inside the country would boost economic development.
“We
call on them to come back and invest here as it is their homeland and country,”
said Mohammad Younus Momand, head of the ACCI.
Source:
Tolo News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/business-178076
--------
Ankara
Gathering: Afghan Political Figures Gather in Turkey
By
Saqalain Eqbal
18
May 2022
Last
night, 17th May, a group of prominent Afghan political figures gathered in
Turkey to discuss topics regarding Afghanistan and the present situation in the
country.
Ehsan
Niro, a spokesperson for the National Islamic Movement Party, confirmed the
news, stating that significant political leaders from Turkey and other regions
had traveled to Ankara to attend the gathering.
According
to Niro, the discussion focused on solutions to Afghanistan’s current
predicaments.
He
stated that the party leaders had previously communicated and that this
conference is the first time they have come together to develop a serious and
cohesive approach and plan.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/ankara-gathering-afghan-political-figures-gather-in-turkey43456/
--------
We
have open communication channels with India, says Taliban's Abdul Qahar Balkhi
May
18, 2022
In
his first-ever interview with an Indian media organisation, Taliban foreign
ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi has said that the Taliban have "open
communication channels with India'.
Speaking
to WION’s Principal Diplomatic Correspondent, Sidhant Sibal, Balkhi said India
can "at least open consular section of the embassy in line with the
international practices" in Kabul because "we live in an
inter-connected world where world citizens, especially Afghans who have
suffered from four-decade war need to address their education, medical,
business and other needs."
Notably,
India closed its embassy after the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August last
year. But despite that, India has sent wheat and vaccines to Afghan people in
the past few months.
New
Delhi had committed to provide 50,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan, which was
sent overland via Pakistan.
On
Afghan students keen to go back to India to complete education, the Taliban
foreign ministry spokesman said that they have requested “India to provide them
with necessary facilities to help them return to complete their courses.”
Few
excerpts
WION:
How do you see the ties with India?
Abdul
Qahar Balkhi: We seek positive relations with all countries, including India,
based on mutual respect and interests.
WION:
Have you been in touch with the Indian side? If yes, then how many times. Both
India and the Taliban have had two meetings publicly, which is known
Abdul
Qahar Balkhi: We have open communication channels with India and have met with
their representatives on multiple occasions.
WION:
India supplied wheat and vaccines to the Afghan people, how do you see this
gesture?
Abdul
Qahar Balkhi: We appreciate the humanitarian assistance provided to the Afghan
people by India and see it as a goodwill gesture towards Afghanistan.
WION:
How were the modalities of wheat discussed? Did you request India?
Abdul
Qahar Balkhi: India offered to provide wheat as Afghanistan faced a challenging
winter due to international sanctions. We will always remember those who helped
Afghanistan in times of our need.
WION:
What is your view on the Chabahar port, whose one of the key aims is to connect
India with Afghanistan?
Abdul
Qahar Balkhi: We support all regional connectivity projects and believe that
the potential for regional and in turn international prosperity cannot
materialise unless Afghanistan serves as a hub for regional connectivity and
economic activity.
WION:
How are the Indian projects in Afghanistan, like the India-Afghanistan
friendship dam, or other community projects faring.
Abdul
Qahar Balkhi: All projects whether by India or otherwise that serve the
interests of the Afghan people are being maintained and those that are left
half-done, we urge all countries, including India, to complete them to enhance
friendship between our nations and prevent investments from going to waste.
WION:
Are you looking forward to the day India opens its mission in Kabul? Have you
requested New Delhi in this regard during any of the conversations that have
taken place?
Abdul
Qahar Balkhi: Yes, the Government of Afghanistan has urged all countries to
reopen their embassies in order to address mutual interests and concerns via
direct channels in a timely manner. But if they have reservations about
complete re-openings, they can at least consider opening the consular section
of the embassy in line with international practices, because we live in an
inter-connected world where world citizens, especially Afghans who have
suffered from the four-decade war need to address their education, medical,
business and other needs.
WION:
How are the people-to-people relations? A number of Afghan students are keen to
come back to India.
Abdul
Qahar Balkhi: For the better part of history, both nations and peoples have had
good relations, and the current Government of Afghanistan continues to believe
in maintaining positive relations with India. There are thousands of Afghan
students who are either at the beginning of their academic year or in the last
semester who have been unable to finish their studies. We have requested India
to provide them with the necessary facilities to return to complete their
courses.
WION:
Many believe that since the Taliban enjoy close ties with Pakistan, it would be
extremely difficult to have as good ties with India
Abdul
Qahar Balkhi: This concept is not based on real-world practices. Having good
relations with two countries that themselves have troubled relations among
themselves does not mean a third country cannot maintain positive relations
with both at the same time, especially in a country like Afghanistan where the
foreign policy of the new government follows the principle of balance and
neutrality.
Source:
WIO News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Europe
Belarus
introduces death penalty for ‘attempted’ terrorism
May
18, 2022
MOSCOW:
Belarus has introduced the death penalty for attempts to carry out acts of
terrorism — charges faced by exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya,
who on Wednesday joined the United States in denouncing the decision.
Belarus
— a close ally of Russia that has supported its military offensive in Ukraine —
is the only country in Europe that continues to carry out executions despite
calls for a moratorium.
“Lukashenko
signed a law on the possibility of the death penalty for an attempted terrorist
act,” Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday, citing an
online government portal for legal information in Belarus.
It
said the law would come into force 10 days after its publication.
Two
years ago, Belarus faced historic protests against the re-election of strongman
leader Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-Soviet country with an iron
fist for more than two decades.
Thousands
of activists were arrested in the crackdown and the key leaders of the opposition
movement are now either jailed or in exile.
Among
them is Tikhanovskaya, a political novice who ran against Lukashenko in the
August 2020 polls in place of her jailed husband.
She
now leads the Belarusian opposition from exile in Lithuania, while her husband
Sergei Tikhanovsky is serving 18 years in prison on what supporters say are
politically motivated charges.
Last
March, Belarusian prosecutors charged Tikhanovskaya in absentia with “preparing
acts of terrorism as part of an organized group,” according to Belarusian state
news agency Belta.
Tikhanovskaya
on Wednesday denounced the decision of the “lawless regime” to expand the use
of the death penalty, saying it targeted anti-government activists.
“This
is a direct threat to activists opposing the dictator and the war,”
Tikhanovskaya tweeted.
“I
urge the international community to react: sanction lawmakers and consider any
tools to prevent the political killings,” she added.
The
United States condemned the legislation, calling it a desperate move by Lukashenko
to retain power.
“These
actions are those of an authoritarian leader desperate to cling to power
through fear and intimidation,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Belarus
and its leadership are already under a litany of Western sanctions over its
handling of the opposition protests and over its support for Moscow’s military
campaign in Ukraine.
But
many opposition activists remain behind bars in Belarus awaiting trial.
On
Wednesday, a Belarusian court in the north-western city of Grodno started a
closed-door hearing in the case against 12 activists accused of “preparing acts
of terrorism,” according to Belarusian rights group Vyasna.
Among
them is veteran activist Nikolai Avtukhovich, who has already served more than
seven years in prison. The 59-year-old faces other charges, including treason.
The
activists are accused of setting a policeman’s home and car on fire, and
burning another policeman’s car in the autumn of 2020.
Capital
punishment in Belarus — carried out by shooting — is highly secret and there
are no official statistics.
The
country’s last known death sentence was carried out against Victor Pavlov, who
was arrested in January 2019 on suspicion of murder and larceny, according to
the UN Human Rights Committee.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2084891/world
--------
Turkey’s
Erdogan links Sweden NATO bid to return of ‘terrorists’
18
May ,2022
President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday Sweden should not expect Turkey to
approve its NATO bid without returning “terrorists,” and Swedish and Finnish
delegations should not come to Turkey to convince it to back their membership
in the alliance.
Earlier,
Finland and Sweden formally applied to join the NATO alliance, a decision
spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with the accession process expected to
take only a few weeks despite Turkey’s objections.
Ankara
says Sweden and Finland harbor people it says are linked to groups it deems
terrorists, namely the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group and
followers of Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating a 2016 coup
attempt.
“We
have such a sensitivity as protecting our borders from attacks by terrorists
organizations,” Erdogan told lawmakers from his ruling AK Party in parliament.
Erdogan
said NATO allies had never supported Turkey in its fight against Kurdish
militant groups, including the Syrian Kurdish YPG, which Ankara also views as a
terrorist group closely tied to the PKK.
“NATO
expansion is only meaningful for us in proportion to the respect that will be
shown to our sensitivities,” he said.
Turkish
state broadcaster TRT Haber said on Monday Sweden and Finland had not granted
approval for the repatriation of 33 people that Turkey requested.
“So
you won’t give us back terrorists but you ask us for NATO membership? NATO is
an entity for security, an organization for security. Therefore, we cannot say
‘yes’ to this security organization being deprived of security,” Erdogan said.
Erdogan
also accused NATO allies of supporting terrorists, citing their arms deliveries
for the YPG, a main source of disagreement between Ankara and Washington, as
well as other Western countries.
In
2019, Ankara received little international backing for its plans to build a
safe zone in northern Syria, including settling one million Syrians in part of
northeast Syria that Turkey and its Syrian allies seized from the YPG.
Erdogan
called on NATO members to support Turkey’s “legitimate” and “moral” operations
in Syria, including the safe zone, or “at least do not try to trip us up.”
Erdogan
has also said Turkey would oppose the NATO bids from those who imposed
sanctions on Ankara. Sweden and Finland had banned arms exports to Turkey after
its Syria incursion against the YPG in 2019.
NATO
and the US have said they were confident Turkey would not hold up the two
Nordic countries’ membership.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Paris
court indicts Lafarge for ‘complicity in crimes against humanity’ in Syria
Cindi
Cook
18.05.2022
PARIS
A
Paris court on Wednesday indicted the French company Lafarge for their
“complicity in crimes against humanity” in Syria, local media reported.
According
to French news outlet France24, the Court of Cassation – France’s highest court
– had overturned in September 2021 a decision by a lower court to dismiss
charges against the cement maker for wrongdoings in Syria’s civil war.
Lafarge
is a French industrial company that specializes in cement, concrete, and
construction aggregates. They were accused of paying almost €13 million ($13.68
million) to foreign groups there, including the terrorist group ISIS/Daesh, to
maintain their factory presence in the city of Jalabiya in northern Syria
during the civil war.
CEO
Bruno Laffont along with eight Lafarge executives are also charged in the case.
The formal complaints are financing a terrorist group and endangering the lives
of others.
In
2019, the Paris Court of Appeals had dismissed the charges over crimes against
humanity, accepting the defense that payments made by Lafarge were not used in
aiding or abetting the war effort. The other charges stood though, including
that of violating an EU embargo.
Lafarge
denies any wrongdoing in the allegations that they negotiated with terrorist
groups and has continued to fight all charges.
Documents
obtained and published by Anadolu Agency earlier had revealed that the Lafarge
constantly informed the French intelligence agencies about its ties with the
Daesh/ISIS terror group.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
North
America
US
Takes Control of the Afghan Consulate and Embassy
18
May 2022
The
State Department announced Tuesday that the US had taken control of
Afghanistan’s embassy in Washington as well as its consulates in New York and
California.
The
State Department announced on Monday that it had taken “sole responsibility”
for the security and maintenance of the diplomatic missions, and that no one
could access them without its authorization until further notice.
The
US does not recognize the new Taliban administration in Afghanistan, which came
to power last year after American and allied troops withdrew, and does not have
formal diplomatic relations with the country.
The
Afghan embassy and consulate closed at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, March 16 and
was handed over to US State Department officials during a brief ceremony at the
Afghan embassy in Washington DC.
According
to a department official, the US took control of the facilities after reaching
an arrangement with former Afghan government ambassadors who were facing
“severe financial constraints that made continued operations unsustainable.”
The move, according to the official, did not reflect a shift in US policy
toward Afghanistan and had no bearing on the Afghan UN mission.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/us-takes-control-of-the-afghan-consulate-and-embassy57493/
--------
Bush
mistakenly calls Iraq invasion 'brutal, unjustified'
May
19, 2022
Former
United States President George W. Bush mistakenly described the invasion of
Iraq as “brutal” and “unjustified” before correcting himself to say he meant to
refer to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Bush
made the comments in a speech during an event in Dallas on Wednesday, while he
was criticising Russia's political system.
“The
result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia, and the decision of one
man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq,” Bush said,
before correcting himself and shaking his head. “I mean, of Ukraine.”
He
jokingly blamed the mistake on his age as the audience burst into laughter.
In
2003, when Bush was president, the United States led an invasion of Iraq over
weapons of mass destruction that were never found. The prolonged conflict
killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced many more.
Bush's
remarks quickly went viral on social media, gathering over three million views
on Twitter alone after the clip was tweeted by a Dallas News reporter.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1690448/bush-mistakenly-calls-iraq-invasion-brutal-unjustified
--------
US,
Turkiye 'committed to working closely' to face challenges
Michael
Hernandez
18.05.2022
WASHINGTON
The
US and Turkiye are "committed to working closely together to face current
geopolitical challenges," the nations said Wednesday.
A
joint statement issued after a meeting between Secretary of State Antony
Blinken and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the top diplomats
"intend to deepen bilateral cooperation through constructive and open
dialogue as envisioned by the U.S. Turkey Strategic Mechanism."
"They
discussed ways and assessed concrete steps to enhance their cooperation on
defense issues, counterterrorism, energy and food security, combatting climate
change and boosting trade ties, while agreeing to intensify consultations on a
range of regional issues," it said. "They also reiterated their
support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity against Russia’s
unacceptable war. Within this framework, the United States and Turkey
reaffirmed their support to find a solution to end the war.”
Cavusoglu
said earlier that talks with the US regarding the sale of F-16 jets to Ankara
were progressing positively.
The
top Turkish diplomat referred to a State Department letter to the US Congress
which said the delivery of the jets "is not only important for Turkiye,
but for the US."
"I
can say that our negotiations and the meetings are going on positively, and the
Congress should work on it as well," Cavusoglu told reporters.
The
Turkish government requested the F-16s and modernization kits in October 2021.
The $6 billion deal would include the sale of 40 newly built F-16V fighter jets
and modernization kits for 80 F-16 C/D models that the Turkish Air Forces has
in its inventory.
Commenting
on Finland and Sweden's NATO membership bids, Cavusoglu said Turkiye's security
concerns should be met.
"We
have also legitimate security concerns that they have been supporting terrorist
organizations," he Cavusoglu, adding that another issue was export
restrictions on Turkish defense products.
"We
already expressed our concerns and I had a candid and direct talk with two
colleagues," he said.
Hours
later, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan voiced confidence that
Turkiye's "concerns can be addressed."
"Finland
and Sweden are working directly with Turkey to do this, but we're also talking
to the Turks to try to help facilitate," Sullivan told reporters at the
White House.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-turkiye-committed-to-working-closely-to-face-challenges/2591890
--------
Saudi-US
defence delegations review ties, discuss future cooperation
May
19, 2022
RIYADH:
Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister of defense, on
Wednesday met the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in Washington, the Saudi
Press Agency reported.
The
pair reviewed the Saudi-US partnership, and ongoing and future strategic
military and defense cooperation between the Kingdom and US.
Prince
Khalid expressed Saudi Arabia’s appreciation for the close cooperation between
the two countries' defense bodies to achieve the two sides’ common interests
and enhance security and peace regionally and internationally.
He
also said that the meeting was organized based on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman’s directives.
Prince
Khalid and US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl, then, co-headed
the Saudi-US joint strategic planning committee meeting.
The
meeting discussed regional and international developments, and a number of
issues on defending common interests and global security and stability.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2085126/saudi-arabia
--------
Southeast
Asia
Singapore
Denies Entry To Muslim 'Hate' Preacher Abdul Somad Batubara
By
Katharina R. Lestari
May
18, 2022
An
Indonesian Muslim cleric has been denied entry into Singapore because of
“extremist and segregationist teachings” that target other religions, including
Christians.
Abdul
Somad Batubara, who boasts a large online following in Indonesia, was stopped
and refused entry at Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal on May 16 after
arriving from Batam in Indonesia’s Riau Islands with his family.
He
and his group were sent back to Batam the same day.
In
a short video posted on his YouTube channel on May 17, he said his visit was
for a holiday, not for religious purposes.
“They
gave me no explanation for refusing me entry before we were sent back on the
last ferry that day,” he said, adding that he was once denied entry into Timor
Leste in 2018 over a terrorism allegation.
Singapore’s
Ministry of Home Affairs later said Somad was turned away as he was considered
a security risk.
“Somad
has been known to preach extremist and segregationist rhetoric, which are
unacceptable in Singapore’s multi-racial and multi-religious society,” the
ministry said in a statement posted on its website on May 17.
The
ministry said he has denigrated members of other faiths, and pointed to him
once describing the Christian crucifix as the dwelling place of demons and
publicly referred to non-Muslims as infidels.
In
2019, Somad came under fire over a video uploaded on social media in which he
referred to Christ as an “infidel on a cross” and called the cross a “symbol of
the devil.”
He
was answering a question from a woman who had asked why she shivered when she
saw a cross.
His
answer sparked anger among Christians across Indonesia that saw Catholic
university students in East Nusa Tenggara province stage a protest to demand
his arrest.
Vincentius
Hargo Mandirahardjo, chairman of the Jakarta-based Association of Indonesian
Catholic Intellectuals, said Singapore’s entry refusal of Somad came as no
surprise.
Source:
UC News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.ucanews.com/news/singapore-denies-entry-to-muslim-hate-preacher/97308
--------
Selangor
Islamic authority allows those with incomplete vaccination to attend 'nikah'
By
Zarrah Morden
Thursday,
19 May 2022
KUALA
LUMPUR, May 19 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) said on its
Facebook page that individuals who have not completed their vaccinations are
now allowed to attend akad nikah or wedding solemnisation ceremonies starting
May 16.
The
state Islamic authority said attendance depends on three conditions: that they
are not Covid-19 positive, not under Home Surveillance Order (HSO), or that
they are not newly arrived citizens who have not completed their vaccinations.
"There
is no attendance limit for individuals who have completed their Covid-19
vaccination as specified by the Health Ministry (MoH).
"Akad
nikah ceremonies are allowed to be carried out at Jais, district Islamic
religious departments, mosques, surau, houses, or any halls,” the infographic
posted by Jais explained.
Jais
also reminded its followers to observe Covid-19 regulations (SOP) set by the
MoH.
The
loosening of restrictions surrounding akad nikah ceremonies is an example of
the nationwide rolling back of restrictions in Malaysia’s journey to
endemicity.
Since
May 1, masks are no longer required for outdoor use, but are still strongly
recommended in crowded areas.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Will
you step down as MP to be envoy, Maria asks Tajuddin
Reshna
Reem Ganesan and Sean Augustin
May
18, 2022
PETALING
JAYA: A PKR MP has questioned if the newly named ambassador to Indonesia,
Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, will step down as Pasir Salak MP.
“I
feel that he (Tajuddin) needs to explain his decision to his constituents and the
nation on whether he will give up his being an MP to take up this post. It is
irresponsible,” said Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah.
She
said Tajuddin lacked foresight if he did not think about his voters, especially
with the government allocation he had received.
“He
is obliged to see his duties through and put the needs of the people first. He
can’t just drop them,” she told FMT.
Noor
Farida Mohd Ariffin, who is part of the G25 group of former civil servants,
shared similar sentiments and wondered whether the government had thought about
it before submitting Tajuddin’s candidacy to the Indonesian government.
“As
an ambassador, he will be living outside Malaysia and consequently, he will be
leaving his constituents without an MP to represent their interests in
parliament,” said the former ambassador to the Netherlands.
She
also pointed out that other MPs, like the late Rompin MP Jamaluddin Jarjis and
former Ranau MP Bernard Dompok, had failed to perform their duties as MPs when
they were appointed ambassadors to the US and Holy See, respectively.
Yesterday,
Tajuddin confirmed that he would be the new ambassador to Indonesia. The post
has been vacant since Zainal Abidin Bakar retired on April 4, 2021.
The
controversial MP was removed from his post as Prasarana chairman last May, just
days after his much-criticised press conference following a collision involving
two LRT trains.
His
appointment as the ambassador to Indonesia drew brickbats from opposition MPs
and former diplomats alike.
Calling
it a “crony appointment”, Klang MP Charles Santiago questioned Tajuddin’s
background to qualify for the post.
“These
political appointments have been around for some time, but they need to serve
the best interest of the country,” he said.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Prosecution
closes case in Bung Moktar, wife corruption trial
May
17, 2022
KUALA
LUMPUR: The prosecution in the corruption case of Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar
Radin and wife Zizie Izette Abdul Samad closed its case today after calling 30
witnesses.
The
last prosecution witness was Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)
assistant superintendent, Norsharil Saharom, 37.
Sessions
court judge Rozina Ayob ordered the prosecution and defence to file their
written submissions on or before June 17.
She
also set June 24 for both parties to give their oral submissions before
deciding whether the couple would be acquitted or ordered to enter their
defence over corruption charges amounting to RM2.8 million to obtain approval
for Felcra Berhad to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual Berhad unit trust.
Deputy
public prosecutor (DPP) Law Chin How appeared for the prosecution together with
DPP Faridz Gohim Abdullah and Mohd Sophian Zakaria. Bung Moktar was represented
by counsel M Athimulan and Zizie Izette was represented by K Kumaraendran and
Ridha Abdah Subri.
Law
also informed the court that eight prosecution witnesses were offered to the
defence among them were Felcra officer Mariah Husain, Felcra board member
Ismail Kasim, Public Bank’s Taman Melawati branch clerk Nor Azreen Rosli and
MACC forensic officer Badri Azni.
Kumaraendran
said the defence did not need the witnesses offered by the prosecution at the
moment.
The
trial began on Jan 2, 2020, and among the prosecution witnesses called to give
their statements were former Felcra investment general manager Adnan Yusof,
Felcra board member Dr Habibah Suleiman as well as two Public Mutual investment
agents, Madhi Abdul Hamid and Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar.
Earlier,
Norsharil and two assistant MACC superintendents Hazlina Rahmat, 41, and Saiful
Amir Hamzah, 33, told the court that both investment agents, Madhi and Norhaili
were not threatened, forced or promised anything to give their statements at
MACC headquarters, Putrajaya, in 2016 and 2018.
Hazlina,
who was the 28th witness, said Norhaili was good, healthy, friendly and did not
complain of anything to him, including threats, during the recording of their
conversation in 2016.
Replying
to a question by Law, the witness said Norhaili was allowed to eat, drink and
rest during the recording of the conversation. Norhaili was also allowed to
pray at the surau.
Saiful
Amir, who was the 29th prosecution witness, said the condition of the recording
room where Norhaili’s statement was recorded in 2018 was comfortable with two
chairs for the witness and the recording officer. He also denied that Norhaili
was threatened and forced to give a statement.
“The
room has no windows but has a mirror and a door. I recorded Norhaili’s
statement in the room according to the instructions of the MACC
director-general then and Norhaili understood each question asked,” he said
during an examination-in-chief by Law.
Meanwhile,
Norsharil told the court that he was alone when recording the conversation with
Madhi in the room, and there were no threats or force to get the investment
agent to give his answers as required.
Asked
by Mohd Sophian whether Madhi was in fear and was worried during the recording
of the statement, Norsharil replied: “None at all as the witness was allowed to
pray and go out of the recording room.”
On
May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar, 64, was charged with two counts of receiving bribes
amounting to RM2.2 million and RM262,500, as gratification to obtain Felcra’s
approval to make a RM150 million investment in Public Mutual unit trust.
Bung
Moktar is accused of receiving bribes from Public Mutual investment agent Madhi
via Zizie Izette at the Taman Melawati branch Public Bank here between 12.30pm
and 5pm, on June 12, 2015.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Arab
World
‘Conflict,
destruction’ prevent return to Iraq’s Yazidi heartland: Report
18
May ,2022
Violence
and sluggish reconstruction have prevented the return to Iraq’s northwestern
town of Sinjar of its predominantly Yazidi population after the abuses of
extremist rule, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said in a report Wednesday.
Five
years after the defeat of ISIS terrorist group, which committed massacres
against the Yazidis and used their women as sex slaves, the town’s Yazidi,
Muslim Kurdish and Arab residents are no closer to returning home, especially
after a surge in violence earlier this month.
The
aid group said that “nearly two-thirds of Sinjar’s population - over 193,000
Yazidis, Arabs, and Kurds - remain displaced.”
The
Yazidis are a Kurdish-speaking minority who were persecuted by ISIS for their
non-Muslim faith after its capture of the town in 2014.
“Widespread
destruction of civilian houses, new clashes, and social tensions” are preventing
returns, NRC said in a report.
Out
of 1,500 people surveyed by the aid group to determine how decisions to return
home are made, about 64 percent “said their homes were heavily damaged.”
“A
staggering 99 percent of those who applied for government compensation had not
received any funding for damaged property,” it said.
“Families
from Sinjar remain in displacement, with thousands still living in camps,”
NRC’s country director for Iraq, James Munn, said.
“We
need durable solutions put in place so Iraqi families can once again start
living their lives and plan for a safer future.”
The
aid group called on the Iraqi government and the authorities in the autonomous
Kurdistan region to “prioritize the rehabilitation of infrastructure and the
restoration of services to allow for safe housing, land, and property,
alongside public infrastructure.”
Some
“80 percent of public infrastructure and 70 percent of civilian homes in Sinjar
were destroyed” during the conflict years ago, the NRC said.
In
early May, fighting broke out between Iraqi troops and Yazidi fighters
affiliated with Turkey’s banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), killing at
least one Iraqi soldier.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Egypt
Hands Down Death Sentence For Coptic Priest’s Murder
18
May ,2022
An
Egyptian court on Wednesday sentenced to death a man accused of the murder last
month of a Coptic priest in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, judicial
sources said.
The
Alexandria court’s ruling is subject to approval by the mufti of the republic.
The
sources said the defendant was found guilty of voluntary homicide after a
court-ordered psychological assessment found him “responsible for his actions.”
Father
Arsanios Wadid died of his wounds in hospital after being stabbed on April 7 on
Alexandria’s seafront promenade as he accompanied a group of young
parishioners.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Lebanon’s
new parliamentary line-up a ‘double-edged sword’ for economy: Expert
18
May ,2022
Lebanon’s
new parliamentary line-up is a “double-edged sword,” an economist told Al
Arabiya English on Wednesday, raising concerns about the ability MPs will have
to initiate real change and help the country finally exit the long-running
economic and financial crisis.
“We
look at the new parliamentary lineup as a double-edged sword. On one hand, the
rise in pro-western and pro-GCC forces, in addition to “change forces,” could entail
positive elements for the openness of the country to the global financial
community and could have positive effects on securing potential much-needed
international aid,” said Marwan Barakat, Chief Economist and Head of Research
at Bank Audi.
“On
the other hand, the parliamentary elections lead to a much-fragmented
parliament, with no one being able to call the majority, and with the presence
of a large number of blocks and independent MPs,” he explained
Divide
and rule
The
results of Lebanon’s parliamentary elections were released by the country’s
interior ministry on Tuesday. While the Iran-backed Hezbollah group and its
allies lost their parliamentary majority – some to independent candidates –
many MPs from traditional political parties remained, and so did two lawmakers
charged in connection with the 2020 Beirut Port blast.
Independent
candidates won at least 13 seats in the new parliament, making unprecedented
gains.
The
reformists, who campaigned on the legacy of a 2019 anti-establishment protest movement,
could yet obtain the support of several other independent and non-aligned
lawmakers in the 128-member assembly. Twelve of the thirteen reformist
candidates are newcomers. They campaigned against Lebanon’s ruling elite,
composed of sectarian parties that have ruled the country since the end of the
civil war in 1990.
Many
Lebanese blame the entrenched political elite for the country’s economic
collapse in 2019 and for failing to take measures to stop it.
“While
such a new reality is good for checks and controls, it yet also means that it
would be difficult to have agreement on major political milestones and
legislation,” said Barakat, highlighting that this puts the International
Monetary Fund’s (IMF) plan in jeopardy.
“There
is a risk that the prior actions required by the IMF for a final agreement with
Lebanon on an extended fund facility would not be easily ratified by such a
fragmented parliament,” he noted, adding that the possibility of failing to
disagree on Cabinet formation and presidential elections exists. “[This]
suggests possible fears that Lebanon could enter into a harmful vacuum at the
level of its political and executive leadership.”
In
April, Lebanon reached a draft agreement with the IMF for a four-year $3
billion bailout, the final approval of which was conditional on the
implementation of eight main requirements.
Seen
as crucial for Lebanon to emerge from the devastating years-long financial
crisis, a lot of hope is riding on the IMF program to initiate change in the
country.
“It
is very important to reduce differences and divergences on key issues [in
parliament], foster coordination and convergence and search for common grounds
among the various blocks and parties represented in Parliament,” he said.
Unclear
economic outlook
Bank
Audi, a major financial group in Lebanon, released its quarterly report last
week, predicting a highly uncertain economic outlook this year.
“2022
started with a number of noticeable developments in the country, namely the
realization of a staff-level agreement with the IMF, the end of the diplomatic
crisis with GCC countries and the countdown for critical parliamentary and
presidential elections,” Barakat said, when asked about the report’s findings.
“Still,
the real economy’s outlook for 2022 is highly uncertain and is contingent upon
the upcoming political milestones, the realization of a final agreement with
the IMF, the launch of structural reforms and the securing of international
assistance from abroad,” the chief economist said, adding that real growth
could deviate between a contraction of -6.5 percent, as projected by the World
Bank for 2022, to an expansion of +2.5 percent as projected by the Institute of
International Finance (IIF).
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Egypt
removes all mosque restrictions amid Brotherhood criticism
Baher
al-Kady
May
18, 2022
CAIRO
— In a step to restore the situation to pre-pandemic conditions, Egypt’s
Ministry of Endowments issued a decision to reopen mosques at full capacity,
from dawn prayer until evening, starting May 6.
During
a press conference held at the ministry’s headquarters in downtown Cairo May 6,
Endowment Minister Muhammad Mukhtar Gomaa announced several decisions,
including reopening mosques from 9 a.m. until evening prayers, resuming Sharia
courses and Quran reciting for men and women held in mosques, intensifying
courses as before the coronavirus pandemic, allowing visits to shrines outside
prayer times, reopening the Islamic Cultural Center and the holy Quran
memorization centers across the country, setting specific schedules for Quranic
reciters in mosques and reopening the square of Imam Hussein Mosque throughout
the day.
The
ministry's decision to open all mosques at full capacity comes after scathing
comments by the Muslim Brotherhood in the last 10 days of the holy month of
Ramadan, when the ministry decided to suspend the Tahajjud and Itikaf prayers
in mosques to try and limit the coronavirus spread among worshippers.
The
decision caused an uproar on social media among Muslim Brotherhood supporters
who condemned it as restrictions on worshippers who were not able to pray during
the last 10 days of Ramadan.
Amid
the scathing comments, the ministry was prompted to calm public opinion by
retracting on the decision, allowing the performance of the Tahajjud prayers
during nighttime on the 27th night until the last night of Ramadan, i.e., for
three days only. This step was also not welcomed by the Brotherhood supporters,
who continued to express their discontent with the ministry’s measures.
Ahmed
Karima, preacher at Al-Azhar and professor of comparative jurisprudence at
Al-Azhar University, defended the ministry’s decision to ban nighttime prayers,
stressing in televised statements April 26 that it is within the Ministry of
Endowments’ remit to organize the mosques’ work and affairs, and the ministry
follows the Cabinet’s instructions in relation to crisis management at the
level of the homeland, including measures to face epidemics.
According
to Gomaa, the ministry took the decision to reopen mosques following the last
meeting of the Cabinet’s Epidemiological Crisis Management Committee, which met
before Ramadan to discuss the possibility of further reopening of public
spaces.
Gomaa
said during his May 6 press conference that the committee voiced concerns of
opening mosques at full capacity during Ramadan. The plan, however, was to further
open up the country after the fasting month, given the low number of COVID-19
cases, with mosques being the first to resume normal activity.
He
noted that Al-Sayyida Nafisa Mosque would be the first to reopen from 9 a.m.
until after the evening prayers, and during the early hours of dawn for dawn
prayers as was the case prior to the coronavirus pandemic. He said that
religious courses at the mosque would also resume starting with lessons of the
afternoon prayers on Fridays.
The
Tahajjud prayer is performed after the evening prayer and before the dawn
prayer, usually during the last third of the night.
“These
decisions come under the directives of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and his
interest in building the houses of God and to provide the appropriate spiritual
atmosphere for the Egyptian people. The ministry’s decisions were run by the
Cabinet, which approved them swiftly,” Gomaa said.
According
to previous statements by Gomaa, Egypt has 140,000 mosques.
Abdullah
al-Naggar, member of the Islamic Research Academy, one of the bodies affiliated
with Al-Azhar Foundation, said that the decision to reopen mosques at full
capacity reflects the Egyptian state’s particular interest in mosques.
He
told Al-Monitor that this decision “will silence all Sunni supporters of the
terrorist Muslim Brotherhood who spread malicious rumors that the state is
restricting worshippers,” stressing that the government is doing its best to
organize the work of mosques at all levels, whether in terms of preaching or
opening more mosques.
“President
Sisi attaches great importance to the preaching activity in mosques, and the
[ministry’s] decision should further reassure the Egyptian people in relation
to the significant decrease in numbers of infections,” Naggar said.
On
May 7, in its daily statements on the numbers of infections, the Egyptian
Health Ministry announced that the average daily number of coronavirus cases
reached eight, with the average death toll reaching four cases only. The
statement added that the number of daily recoveries was 20, and that the number
of vaccinated people was 34,508,460 so far.
Osama
al-Hadidi, executive director of Al-Azhar Global Center for Electronic Fatwas,
praised the decision of the Ministry of Endowments to reopen mosques at full
capacity, stressing that this decision represents a great joy for Egyptian
Muslims, and is further proof of the declining number of coronavirus infections
in Egypt. He expressed his wishes of seeing life fully return to normal across
the world.
Source:
Al Monitor
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Hezbollah
chief Nasrallah acknowledges loss of Lebanon parliamentary majority
18
May ,2022
The
leader of Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah acknowledged his
party and its allies had lost their parliamentary majority in elections but
said no single group had taken it, in his first televised speech since Sunday’s
election.
“Unlike
the situation in parliament in 2018, no political group can claim a majority,”
he said.
Hezbollah
and its allies scored 62 seats during Sunday polls, according to a Reuters
tally, losing a majority they secured in 2018, when they and their allies won
71 seats.
Hezbollah
and its ally Amal held on to all of parliament’s Shia seats. But some of its
oldest allies, including Sunni, Druze and Christian politicians, lost theirs.
The
elections saw gains by the anti-Hezbollah Lebanese Forces party and more than a
dozen reform-minded newcomers, as well as a smattering of independents.
The
results mark a blow for Hezbollah, though Nasrallah declared the results “a
very big victory.”
Nasrallah
called for “cooperation” between political groups including newcomers, saying
the alternative would be “chaos and vacuum.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Senate
confirms Barbara Leaf to lead State Department’s Middle East bureau
18
May ,2022
Barbara
Leaf, the Biden administration’s pick to head the State Department’s Middle
East bureau, was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday after more than a year of
being blocked by Republican lawmakers.
US
President Joe Biden nominated Leaf, currently the White House Senior Director
for Middle East and North Africa Affairs, to be the Assistant Secretary for
Near Eastern Affairs in April 2021.
But
political bickering and Republican opposition to Biden’s early foreign policy
blunders put her confirmation on hold.
Despite
Leaf being a veteran diplomat, Republican Senator Ted Cruz put a blanket hold
on all Biden foreign policy nominees because he disagreed with how the Iran
nuclear deal was being approached and what was seen as initial appeasement of
Russia by the administration.
Leaf
was previously the US ambassador to the UAE and held several other senior
positions at the State Department, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of
State for the Arabian Peninsula and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for
Iraq.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Royal
approval issued to hold international Qur’an writing competition
May
18, 2022
RIYADH
— Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has issued his approval to hold
an international competition in writing of the Holy Qur’an next year by the
King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur’an under the supervision of
the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance.
Minister
of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance and Supervisor General of the complex
Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif bin Abdulziz Al Al-Sheikh extended appreciation and
gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince for
their special care and big attention in printing, spreading and teaching the
Holy Qur’an.
Al-Sheikh
noted that the competition, to be held next Shaban (February 2023), aims to
give an opportunity to those people distinguished in writing the Holy Qur’an,
including skilful calligraphers and ensure their participation in writing the
Holy Qur’an.
He
said the competition will provide an opportunity to exchange expertise and
opinions among calligraphers.
The
minister said the conditions of the competition will be announced soon.
Source:
Saudi Gazette
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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Mideast
Iranian
Leader Underlines Importance of Increasing Population
2022-May-18
In
a message on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei appreciated the officials involved
in population-related issues, saying that rejuvenating human forces and protecting
the country from the aging population is a critical policy.
He
added that seeking a way to protect the country from increased aging population
was an important policy for the long-term future.
Making
efforts to grow the population, rejuvenate human forces and protecting the
family is one of the most necessary responsibilities of officials and the
people, Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The
Leader highlighted that honest studies have shown the policy could be moved
forward while preventing conceivable damages.
He
also recommended those concerned to attach importance to the culture making in
public space and in the healthcare system besides legal measures.
This
is not the first time that the Leader has addressed the topic of Iran’s
population.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Israel
activates missile defences near Lebanon after misidentification
19
May ,2022
Israel
activated its missile defenses on Thursday after mistakenly identifying a
threat near the border with Lebanon, the Israeli military said.
The
incident also set off air raid sirens in parts of northern Israel.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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Thousands
join Jewish pilgrimage year after stampede at Israel’s Mount Meron
18
May ,2022
Tens
of thousands of Jewish faithful were expected at Israel’s Mount Meron on
Wednesday for an annual pilgrimage, a year after 45 people were crushed to
death in a stampede.
Prime
Minister Naftali Bennett said his government made a “considerable investment”
in new safety measures to ensure there is no repeat of what was described as
the greatest civilian disaster in Israeli history.
The
Mount Meron pilgrimage occurs on the Lag BaOmer holiday, when mainly
ultra-Orthodox Jews throng the site of the tomb of revered second century rabbi
Shimon Bar Yochai.
On
April 30 last year, a stampede broke out in the male section of the
gender-divided site as the size of the crowd turned a narrow passageway into a
deadly choke-point.
At
least 16 children were among those trampled to death.
Bennett
urged worshippers to follow new rules put in place for the event.
Among
those is a cap of 16,000 pilgrims allowed at the site at any given moment.
Tickets must also be acquired in advance.
Israel’s
Magen David Adom emergency service said that it is expecting hundreds of
thousands of worshippers at Mount Meron on Wednesday.
Hundreds
of medical workers will be there “in light of last year’s horrible disaster,”
it added.
Some
8,000 officers will be on hand to maintain order. Police said they would deploy
mounted officers, drones and a helicopter to patrol the site.
Police
said they would secure all access roads to the site, as well as the surrounding
forest, to prevent unauthorized entries breaking the cap on numbers.
On
Tuesday, police said they had seized knives and hammers from an “extremist
ultra-Orthodox faction” which allegedly intended to sabotage communications
infrastructure at the site.
Last
June, the government set up a commission of inquiry to probe last year’s
disaster but it has yet to report its findings.
In
interim recommendations published in November, the commission warned that even
after infrastructure improvements at the site, it is still “awash with harmful
hazards that endanger the safety of visitors.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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Yemen
asks for US pressure on Houthis to break Taiz siege
18.05.2022
SANAA,
Yemen
Yemen's
government asked the US on Wednesday to pressure the Houthi rebel group to
break its seven-year siege on the southwestern Taiz province.
The
request was conveyed during a meeting between Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed
Awad Bin Mubarak and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington DC,
according to a statement by the Yemeni Council of Ministers.
The
government statement added that the two top diplomats also discussed enhancing
bilateral ties between the countries, as well as recent developments in the
war-torn country and the two-month truce.
A
statement by the US Department of State quoted Bin Mubarak as saying during the
meeting that "Taiz is still under siege," and the Yemeni government
expects "more pressure" from the international community,
specifically from the US administration.
Meanwhile,
the Houthi-run Saba news agency said the group's Supreme Political Council was
reviewing a request by the UN to extend the truce, saying it would decide based
on its evaluation of the ongoing cease-fire which ends on June 2.
On
April 1, UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg announced a "long overdue"
two-month truce between Yemen's warring rivals, under which all offensive
military air, ground, and maritime operations were halted.
The
terms of the truce included a resumption of commercial flights from the capital
Sanaa and the reopening of roads in Taiz city, which had been closed by the
Houthis for seven years.
Since
2016, the Sanaa airport was closed by the Arab Coalition in Yemen, claiming that
it was being used by the Houthis for military purposes, an accusation denied by
the rebel group.
Yemen
has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014 when Iranian-aligned
Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.
The
Saudi-led coalition entered the war in early 2015 to restore the Yemeni
government to power.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Iran
Dismisses New Development in Talks with S. Arabia
2022-May-18
There
is no new development in the course of Iran-Saudi Arabia ongoing negotiations,
although there are certain issues on both sides’ agendas, Foreign Ministry
Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Tuesday.
He
added that even after the last round of negotiations, there has been no new
development.
Asked
about media reports about possible meeting between the Iranian and Saudi
foreign ministers in Baghdad, Khatibzadeh said that like all other similar
negotiations, there are proposals on the method and level of them, proposed by
both sides.
Khatibzadeh
had said late last month that his country hoped that talks with Saudi Arabia on
resolving problems would promote security and stability in the region.
The
fifth round of talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia has been positive, the official
said at the time.
He
expressed the hope that the negotiations would enhance security and stability
of the regional countries.
Khatibzadeh
said this idea that talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran will help de-escalation
in the region is naturally correct, adding that both states are important
countries in the Persian Gulf region, which have impacts on trans-regional
developments.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14010228000303/Iran-Dismisses-New-Develpmen-in-Talks-wih-S-Arabia
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Iran
releases two detained filmmakers on bail: Reports
18
May ,2022
Iranian
authorities have released on bail two prominent documentary filmmakers after
holding the women in detention for over a week at a time of protests over price
rises, activists said Wednesday.
Mina
Keshavarz and Firoozeh Khosravani, who had both been detained on May 7 and held
in Tehran’s Evin prison, were released on Tuesday evening, the Bidarzani
women’s rights group said.
Their
release is temporary and came after the families intervened to bring about
their freedom on bail, the group added. Persian-language media based outside of
Iran also confirmed their release.
A
group of Iranian actors and film directors, including prize-winning Iranian
director Mohammad Rasoulof, had earlier this week published an open letter
condemning the questioning and arrest of several filmmakers in recent days as
well as raids on their homes.
The
arrests of the filmmakers came as protests continue in Iran over price hikes
for basic goods including bread which, according to activists based outside the
country, have left several dead and hundreds more detained in a crackdown.
There
is so far no indication that other prominent figures caught up in the crackdown
have been released.
The
US-based Committee to Protect Journalists said at least five journalists and
filmmakers had been arrested, all women, also including the freelance
photojournalist Reihane Taravati.
The
other two held are believed to be documentary filmmakers Parisa Anvari and
Shilan Saadi, it said.
“Iran’s
ongoing efforts to silence independent voices have landed five female
journalists in prison,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program
Coordinator Sherif Mansour.
“Iranian
authorities must understand that they can’t hide the country’s difficult
realities by jailing journalists.”
Local
Iranian media have also said police arrested prominent academic and author Said
Madani on charges of acting “against the security” of the country and of having
ties to foreign states.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Israel
arrests pallbearer beaten at journalist’s funeral
18
May ,2022
Israel
police have arrested one of the Palestinian pallbearers beaten by officers at
the funeral of slain journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, the detained man’s lawyer
said on Wednesday.
A
police spokesperson confirmed the arrest of Amro Abu Khdair but said it was not
connected to Friday’s funeral.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
He
declined to give the reason for the man’s arrest.
Images
of baton-wielding Israeli officers beating the pallbearers, who at one point
nearly dropped Abu Akleh’s coffin, drew widespread international condemnation
and stoked anger over the killing of the reporter during an Israeli military
raid in the occupied West Bank on May 11.
Abu
Khdair’s lawyer, Khaldoon Nijm, said his client was arrested on Monday but that
the charges were not revealed to him and were based on information from
Israel’s domestic security service. He said Abu Khdair later told him he was
questioned about the funeral.
A
police spokesperson said any connection made to the funeral would amount to a
“cheap conspiracy.”
Abu
Khdair’s custody had been extended until Sunday, police and the lawyer said.
A
second pallbearer, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters he had been
questioned by police though not arrested.
Israel’s
Internal Security Minister Omer Barlev said on Saturday he and the police
commissioner had appointed a panel to carry out a “comprehensive investigation
of what happened during the funeral in order to learn lessons from the event.”
Separately
Israel is conducting a probe into Abu Akleh’s death. The Palestinians are also
investigating her killing.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Iran
hostage taker kills three, takes own life: State media
18
May ,2022
A
disgruntled employee of a huge Iranian foundation killed three of his
colleagues before taking his own life in a workplace hostage drama Wednesday,
state media reported.
The
hostage taker struck in the western city of Ilam in the city center offices of
the Foundation of the Oppressed, a massive holding company set up to manage the
assets of the shah’s regime after their confiscation during the Islamic
revolution of 1979.
The
foundation has been under US sanctions since November 2020.
“A
37-year-old employee of the Foundation of the Oppressed in Ilam, armed with a
Kalashnikov rifle and two grenades, took staff hostage in one of the offices,”
the state broadcaster quoted provincial police commander Delavar Alqassi-Mehr
as saying.
“He
then started shooting and threw a grenade that instantly killed two women and a
man, and wounded seven others,” Alqassi-Mehr said.
“The
assailant committed suicide after police and security officers arrived at the
scene and tightened the siege,” he added, without identifying the hostage
taker.
The
police chief said four of the wounded were undergoing surgery for serious
injuries.
He
told state news agency IRNA that the hostage taker “had personal disputes with
management.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Africa
Fatwa
House calls Bashagha's move 'a coup' says elections are the right way forward
May
18, 2022
The
Fatwa House has denounced Bashagha's move to overturn the administration based
in Tripoli, considering it an armed coup to gain power.
The
House’s Research Council blamed the parliament’s government headed by Fathi
Bashagha for the clashes that erupted in the capital Tuesday, which it said
terrorized civilians and spread chaos.
A
statement released by the Council on Tuesday called on the Government of
National Unity to abide by its duties towards maintaining security and
stability in the region and to hold all those involved in Tuesday's events
accountable.
At
another level, the Fatwa House expressed its bewilderment at the response of
some foreign missions in Libya.
It
said it was "surprised by the statements issued by the US Embassy and the
UN mission, which equate the internationally recognized government with those
who turn against it by force of arms to gain power, and almost ignited a fire
of war and strife inside the capital, the extent of which only God knows."
The
Council underscored that the country's salvation lies in dissolving the House
of Representatives and the High Council of State, and going to parliamentary
elections on constitutional grounds.
"The
country will never be at peace while these bodies (HoR HCS) remain perched on
the chests of the Libyans, extending their terms, plundering the nation's
wealth, and enabling criminals to seize power."
Source:
Libya Observer
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Jewish
pilgrims back in Tunisia after two-year hiatus due to COVID-19
18
May ,2022
Hundreds
of Jewish worshippers flocked to Africa’s oldest synagogue in Tunisia on
Wednesday, reviving an annual pilgrimage after a two-year hiatus due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
Pilgrims
passed through airport-style scanners and passed a heavy, armed police guard to
enter the whitewashed Ghriba synagogue on the southern Tunisian resort island
of Djerba.
Inside,
they lit candles, prayed and handed each other sweets and nuts.
Many
took photos and filmed relatives and friends inside the intricately decorated
synagogue.
Others
sat praying or reading scripture on their own, before leaving with their
friends and family.
Solange
Azzouz, 75, who was born in Tunis but has lived in Marseille, France for 58
years, said she had “lots of emotion.”
“My
father was from Djerba and for him the pilgrimage was very important,” she
said. “As I get older I appreciate it more and more.”
She
wore a brightly colored silk blouse and pearls as she stood outside in the
heat.
The
pilgrimage marks the Lag BaOmer festival, which starts 33 days after the start
of the Jewish Passover.
Djerba
is home to one of the last Jewish communities in the Arab world, and the
synagogue is believed to date to the sixth century BC.
The
community is still recovering from a suicide bombing claimed by al-Qaeda at the
synagogue in 2002 that killed 21 people.
Before
that, some 8,000 pilgrims used to travel to Djerba for the annual celebration.
The
number plunged afterwards but had since recovered somewhat – until the COVID-19
pandemic struck.
Last
year a pilgrimage was held but with much reduced numbers and strict sanitary
conditions.
Moroccan-born
Paris resident Adi Wizman Nicodeme, 74, said he was on the pilgrimage for the
first time on the invitation of a friend.
“For
me it was important to come and get to know the place,” he said. “I’m a
professor of Judaism and Hebrew. My friends and students have told me about
this place.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Uganda
will not allow itself to be used by FETO as base to undermine Turkiye: Minister
Hamza
Kyeyune
19.05.2022
KAMPALA,
Uganda
Uganda’s
state minister for foreign affairs has recently shed light on his country’s
stance toward the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its efforts to
assist Turkiye in eradicating the terror group from the region.
Henry
Oryem Okello’s remarks were part of an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency
that also covered the Uganda-Turkiye Investment, Trade, Industry, and Tourism
Summit 2022, diplomatic relations between Uganda and Turkiye, and Turkiye’s
role as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Regarding
FETO, Oryem Okello said Turkish Deputy Trade Minister Riza Tuna Turagay raised
the matter with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
“Those
FETO fugitives who fled Turkiye to Uganda after the 2016 defeated coup have
since been relocated. We know their assets and we are in discussions with the
Turkish government on the transfer of these assets. We cannot support FETO. We
condemn them and cannot allow them to use Uganda as their base to undermine
Turkiye,” he said.
Oryem
Okello said Uganda and Turkiye have excellent unshakable bilateral relations
and warned that any Turkish citizen involved in subversive activities will be
deported from Uganda.
On
the Uganda-Turkiye Industrial Park and Trade Centre established for the Turkish
business community in Nakasongola, central Uganda, during the recently
concluded Uganda-Turkiye Investment, Trade, Industry and Tourism Summit 2022,
he said Turkish investors in the country have shown a lot of seriousness.
“There
is stiff competition in the entire region, in our neighborhood. They also want
investors. Therefore, we thought we should give them incentives. They have
shown a lot of interest and seriousness in our country, and they bring a lot of
money, give a lot of jobs to our people. These are benefits that we must not
lose. Fair competition among businesses is vital to economic development and
this is playing an important role in our region, promoting growth, efficiency
and poverty alleviation. These investors will also have access to the new East
African Community (EAC) market hosting 266 million people and a GDP of $243
billion,” he said.
He
added that although the business marriage is skewed in Turkiye’s favor, Uganda
is working hard to balance the trade. Although the trade volume between Uganda
and Turkiye has increased to $71 million, Turkiye's total foreign trade volume
stands at $496 billion, creating an imbalance between the two trading partners.
The
minister also disclosed that Uganda is hosting 35 Afghan refugees that arrived
in the country following the Taliban’s takeover in August last year.
“We
granted them temporary asylum at the request of the US government. We don’t
know when they will be relocated. We are not constrained by their stay. The US
takes care of all their expenses,” he said.
Oryem
Okellos said Uganda abstained from voting in the United Nations General
Assembly emergency session condemning Russia's war in Ukraine because the
country needed to understand the source and dynamics of the conflict.
He
hailed Turkiye’s mediation role as a diplomatic breakthrough.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Relations
with Turkiye to thrive under new Somali president, say experts
Mohammed
Dhaysane
19.05.2022
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
As
Somalia's longstanding political standoff ended with members of both houses of
parliament that elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud the country’s president for the
next four years, analysts are debating the direction of his foreign policy.
Somalia’s
foreign policy had changed under outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed,
known as Farmajo, as his tenure witnessed disputes between Somalia and Kenya
due to Nairobi’s alleged involvement in Somalia's internal affairs. There were
also accusations against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for allegedly
instigating political chaos in the country.
Many
experts believe Mohamud's win will change the power and political dynamics of
the country.
Speaking
to Anadolu Agency, Abdi Wali Garad, a teaching associate at Birmingham
University, however, expects the continuation of a good relationship with
Turkiye.
"I'm
saying this because of historical references; both in the past and present
histories,” he said.
Garad
said Turkiye is the only country that has always been willing to help Somalia
in the wake of civil wars and instability since the 1990s.
Somalia
is the gateway to Africa. It has substantial resources and occupies a strategic
location.
"Turkiye
is pursuing its interests in Somalia. Yet Turkiye’s interests are the only ones
that do not contradict Somalia’s hope of returning to the world stage" he
told Anadolu Agency.
Abdirisak
Aden, executive director of Farsight Africa Research and Policy Studies, who
served as senior adviser to former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, told
Anadolu Agency that the country is finally feeling relieved after the
successful conclusion of elections.
"Relieved
that finally, the elections took place and were completed peacefully and
Farmajo accepted the results. It's a great win for Somalia,” he said.
Unifying
president
Aden
hoped that President Mohamud will be a unifying president who will focus on the
dire needs of the people of the country and will fight poverty, create jobs,
and increase security.
"Turkiye's
support for Somalia since President Erdogan's visit to the country, including
infrastructure projects and humanitarian projects, is viewed as support from an
honest, brotherly nation in times of need for the Somali people,” he said.
Somalia
and Turkiye, he said, will probably deepen their economic and security
relationship during this upcoming administration.
"Turkiye's
supporting approach towards Somalia could be an example for other countries
willing to support Somalia," he added.
President
Mohamud is in many ways a very pragmatic leader, said Mukhtar Ainashe, a
political analyst and former national security adviser.
Ainashe
believes that the new president is also a "very thoughtful and shrewd
politician."
He
said the enormous political, security and economic challenges cannot be
resolved by Somalia alone.
"The
new president appreciates the substantial economic, political, security, and
diplomatic support the Turkish government and Turkish people have given to
Somalia over the past decade or so,” he told Anadolu Agency.
Somalis
consider Turkish involvement in Somalia as something extremely important for
their country.
"All
indications are that Turkish-Somali relations will thrive under Hassan Sheikh
Mohamud’s presidency,” he said.
Relations
with Turkiye beneficial
Avinashe
believes that keeping Somali-Turkish relations intact is not only beneficial
for Somalia’s state-building but is also critical.
Turkiye
is also helping Somalia rebuild a professional military by training its
officers and soldiers, besides supplying substantial amounts of military
equipment.
"It’s
important to remember that Somalia is still under a UN arms embargo. So, one
could argue that Turkiye is willing to do more for Somalia in the defense
sector, but the arms embargo is preventing that from happening," said
Ainashe.
He
said that for the first time, heart bypass operations are being conducted in
Mogadishu thanks to Turkish doctors in Turkish-built hospitals and the medical
equipment and medicine supplied by the Turkish government.
"Somalis
now have access to a health care system that they never had before," he
said.
Positive
impact
He
said Turkish development assistance will have an enormously positive impact for
generations, especially in the education sector.
There
are thousands of Somali students pursuing all sorts of undergraduate and
graduate-level degrees at Turkish universities.
"These
educated young people will return to Somalia armed with knowledge and technical
expertise,” he said.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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2
prominent Sudanese opposition leaders arrested in South Sudan
Mohammed
Amin
19.05.2022
KHARTOUM,
Sudan
Two
prominent Sudanese opposition leaders were arrested Wednesday in South Sudan’s
capital Juba.
Sudanese
Communist Party Secretary General Mohammed al-Khatib and leading party member
Saleh Mahmud were on a political mission to meet with rebels who are
non-signatories to the Juba peace agreement, party spokesman Fathi Fadul told
Anadolu Agency.
“What
we know is that the security organs of South Sudan have complained about the
travel of our delegation to the rebel-controlled areas in the Nuba Mountains in
South Kordofan state via Juba without notifying the authorities of South
Sudan,” he said.
He
further said that the two leaders may be released soon but deported directly to
Khartoum.
“We
are following up with our colleagues in Juba and we denounced this detention
and investigation into our leadership, but talks are ongoing to release them,”
he added.
Fadul
further accused the authorities in Sudan of being behind the arrests in order
to stop the coordination between the political parties that oppose the military
coup in Sudan.
“We
have information that the Sudanese Sovereign Council in coordination with some
groups in South Sudan has become involved in this to stop the declaration of
the new alliances between our revolutionary groups,” he claimed.
The
Sudanese Sovereign Council and Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the
matter.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Libya's
council urges Parliament-appointed premier to resign
Mahmoud
Mohamed Barakat
18.05.2022
TRIPOLI,
Libya
Head
of the Libya’s High Council of State, Khalid al-Mishri, on Wednesday called on
parliament-appointed Prime Minister Fathi Bashaga to resign.
His
call came one day after Bashagha arrived in the capital Tripoli to take control
of the government from Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, who has refused to
hand over power.
His
visit, however, triggered clashes between rival armed groups in Tripoli,
forcing Bashagha to leave the Libyan capital.
"I
reject the attempt of Bashagha and his government to enter Tripoli,” al-Mishri
told the local Libya Al-Ahrar TV channel.
He
ruled out that the Bashagha and Dbeibeh governments will not be able to hold
elections, even after five years.
“We
recommend Bashagha to submit his resignation and Dbeibeh to accept the change,”
he said. “We should agree on a constitutional basis and a mini-Cabinet whose
purpose will be to hold elections."
Al-Mishri
said that the Dbeibeh’s government will not be able to hold elections because
its influence is limited to Tripoli and some cities.
For
more than two months, there have been two governments in Libya: the national
unity government led by Dbeibeh and the one granted confidence in early March
by the Tobruk-based House of Representatives.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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