Ending Islamophobia A Prerequisite for World Peace, Saudi Envoy Tells UN at A High-Level General Assembly Event
New Age Islam News Bureau
11 March 2023
Mohammed Alateek, the
Kingdom’s deputy permanent representative to the UN
------
• Saudi Arabia-Iran Chinese-Brokered Patch-Up Takes
World by Surprise
• Student Seen Ripping Pages from Qur'an 'A Concerning
Incident of Islamophobia,' Says Ontario School Board
• Class 10 History Book Taught In Pakistan: Jammu
Muslim Genocide by Hindus; India Upset Balance of Power in Region
• Over 500 People Graduate from Jihadist Religious
Schools in Helmand in Afghanistan
Arab World
• Nasrallah: Tehran-Riyadh rapprochement can open up
new horizons in region
• UAE, Iraq Kurdistan Region leaders discuss ties,
Erbil-Baghdad relations in Abu Dhabi
• Temperatures in Middle East rise twice as fast as
global average, GCC countries act
• UAE sends 14 tonnes of aid to Ukraine
--------
North America
• US welcomes China-backed Saudi-Iranian deal to
restore ties, White House says
• Iran-Saudi détente spells a ‘catastrophe for US
hegemony’: Analyst
• China to US: Stop plundering Syrian resources, pull
troops out
• Dozens of NGOs warn Biden against supporting Israel
against Iran
--------
India
• Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha's 1 Lakh
'Love Jihad' Cases Claim Sparks Reactions in House
• Indian police arrest three after Muslim man killed
for possessing beef
• Kashmir Times Editor Anuradha Bhasin’s Article,
“Modi’s Final Assault On India’s Press Freedom • Has Begun” In New York Times
Angers Centre
--------
South Asia
• Bangladesh: 189 Houses, 50 Shops of Ahmadi Muslims
Looted and Set on Fire, Says Bitter Winter Report
• Afghan Caretaker Government Calls on UN to Give
Afghan Seat to Islamic Emirate
• 181 Afghan Inmates Handed Over To Islamic Emirate by
Iranian Officials
• Explosion Rocks Kabul City, Two People Injured
• Afghan diaspora in Vienna hold anti-Taliban protest
--------
Southeast Asia
• Selangor Sultan: Preaching Accreditation Necessary
to Preserve Islam
• Indonesia has surplus food ahead of Ramadan, Eid
al-Fitr: Ministry
• Jakarta supervising food distribution to markets
ahead of Ramadan
• Malaysia’s former PM Muhyiddin Yassin arrested on
multiple graft charges
--------
Pakistan
• Pakistan FM Warns the Global Community against
Underrating Anger Caused By Islamophobia Like the Burning Of Holy Books
• Pakistani Forces Kill Five TTP Militants in
Waziristan
• Pakistan praises Saudi Arabia and Iran for resuming
diplomatic relations
• Saudi-Pakistani telehealth platform to train 1,500
Afghan doctors
• Police, Ulema vow to maintain peace in Bannu
• China-Pakistan joint AI cancer screening lab put
into operation
--------
Europe
• UK's Largest Islamic Bank: Soccer Boosting Gulf
Property Investments
• Killer of Afghan refugee who had sought ‘a safer
life’ in London jailed for 10 years
• UK police investigating after worshipper set on fire
outside mosque
• Denmark ends arms sale ban against Saudi Arabia, UAE
• UK provides $6.31 million in assistance to Rohingya
in Bangladesh
• Swedish minister says new bill to fill hole in
anti-terrorism legislation
• Trilateral mechanism with Türkiye to continue even
after Finland, Sweden’s NATO accession: Finnish Foreign Ministry
--------
Mideast
• Senior Cleric: Poisoning Students Enemies' Plot to
Undermine Iran's Security
• Israel opposition sees Saudi-Iran deal as Netanyahu
failure
• Iran: EU States Failed to Launch INSTEX Mechanism
• Iran Blasts West's Double Standards in Syrian Crisis
• Erdogan officially calls Turkish elections for May
14
• Settler kills suspected Palestinian gunman in West
Bank
--------
Africa
• Islamic State Claims Responsibility for East Congo Village
Attack
• Ramadan: CBN told to release more new naira notes
• Tunisia’s president to restore diplomatic ties with
Syria
• More than 1,000 Africans rescued in one night:
Tunisia coast guard
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamophobia-peace-saudi-un-assembly/d/129302
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Ending Islamophobia A Prerequisite for World Peace,
Saudi Envoy Tells UN at A High-Level General Assembly Event
Mohammed Alateek, the
Kingdom’s deputy permanent representative to the UN
------
Ephrem Kossaify
March 10, 2023
NEW YORK CITY: Saudi Arabia on Friday called on all UN
member states to condemn violence against Muslims, and to promote a culture of
peace that rejects discrimination and extremism and fosters the mutual respect
required for peace and understanding.
Mohammed Alateek, the Kingdom’s deputy permanent
representative to the UN was speaking at a high-level UN General Assembly event
ahead of the first International Day to Combat Islamophobia, on March 15.
The UN event was organized by Pakistan, which
currently holds the rotating presidency of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation, and General Assembly President Csaba Korosi.
It called for international cooperation in efforts to
combat discrimination, xenophobia, intolerance and violence against peoples
based on their religion or beliefs, including rhetoric that “leads to racial
profiling, discrimination, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of
Muslims,” organizers said.
Another aim was to promote international action to
encourage global dialogue that promotes a culture of tolerance that is rooted
in respect for human rights, they added.
Speaking on behalf of members of the Arab Group at the
UN, Alateek said the large turnout in the Assembly Hall for the event on Friday
reflected the solidarity that exists between the wider international community
and Muslims in the fight against Islamophobia.
The Arab Group believes observance of an International
Day to Combat Islamophobia will help to strengthen dialogue, promote a culture
of peace and enhance respect for human rights, said Alateek.
“This is an important occasion that allows us to
highlight all of the manifestations of hatred and Islamophobia against Muslims,
which sometimes lead to abominable acts, the (most recent) of which were
(those) perpetrated in Sweden (by) a group of extremists,” he added.
In January, a far-right activist from Denmark was
granted permission by Swedish police to stage a protest outside the Turkish
Embassy in Stockholm, during which he burned a copy of the Qur’an and made
disparaging remarks about immigrants and Islam.
Alateek urged the international community to condemn
such extremist acts, to “serve as a basis for the promotion of a culture of
peace to combat discrimination and extremism and to strengthen dialogue between
cultures and religions in order to establish peace and security and mutual
respect.”
This is a prerequisite, he added, for an environment
that is conducive to peace and understanding at the regional and international
levels.
In his opening statement at the event, Pakistani
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is the current chair of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Council of Ministers, highlighted some of
the ways in which Islamophobia persists and often goes unreported.
“The dangers of Islamophobia often gain international
attention when a heinous act of violence and terrorism strikes innocent
Muslims, while the daily, silent drip of discrimination, hatred and hostility
against Muslims remains largely ignored and underreported,” said Bhutto
Zardari.
He called for the appointment of a UN special envoy
for combating Islamophobia, along with “the adoption of international measures
for the protection of holy sites; the adoption of laws to outlaw hate speech;
the provision of legal assistance and appropriate compensation; and the
establishment of national and international judicial mechanisms and laws to
hold those responsible for acts of Islamophobia accountable.”
A UN resolution proclaiming March 15 as International
Day to Combat Islamophobia was unanimously adopted by the General Assembly on
that date in 2022. It was chosen because it is the anniversary of the attacks
on two mosques by a lone gunman in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019 that left
51 people dead and 40 injured.
When the resolution was introduced, the representative
from Pakistan said that Islamophobia has emerged as a new form of racism that
includes, among other things, discriminatory travel bans, hate speech, and the
targeting of girls and women for the ways in which they dress.
The text of the resolution called on the international
community to encourage tolerance and peace that is rooted in respect for human
rights and the diversity of religions and beliefs.
Alateek said the resolution illustrated the need “to
pool our efforts, at the international level, to take serious measures to bring
an end to discrimination and hatred and Islamophobia.”
He reiterated, in the name of Arab Group members, the
call for all UN member states to ensure the resolution is implemented “in its
entirety, because it is a question of our shared civilization and we have the
obligation to combat discrimination based on religion.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said during
Friday’s event that the nearly 2 billion Muslims in the world reflect humanity
in all its magnificent diversity but they often face bigotry and prejudice “for
no other reason than their faith.”
He added that the connection between anti-Muslim
hatred and gender inequality is undeniable.
“We see some of the worst impacts in the triple
discrimination against, mostly, women because of their gender, ethnicity and
faith,” Guterres told the gathering.
“The growing hate that Muslims face is not an isolated
development. It is an inexorable part of the resurgence of ethno-nationalism,
neo-Nazi white supremacist ideologies, and violence targeting vulnerable
populations including Muslims, Jews, some minority-Christian communities, and
others.”
He added that discrimination “diminishes us all and it
is incumbent on all of us to stand up against it.”
Alateek commended the efforts of the president of the
General Assembly “to strengthen the values of religious tolerance,” along with
those of the secretary-general, and the office of the UN’s Alliance of
Civilizations.
He concluded by pointing out the need to combat
Islamophobia is part and parcel of the purpose and principles of the UN,
beginning with the pursuit of peace, security and the protection of human
rights.
Source: Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2266391/world
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Saudi Arabia-Iran Chinese-Brokered Patch-Up Takes World by Surprise
China’s top diplomat Wang
Yi stands as Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani
and Saudi Arabia’s National Security Adviser Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban shake
hands after historic agreement between the two countries to resume ties, on
Friday.—Reuters
------
March 11, 2023
TEHRAN: Regional powerhouses Iran and Saudi Arabia
agreed on Friday to restore ties and reopen diplomatic missions in a surprise,
Chinese-brokered announcement that could have wide-ranging implications across
the Middle East.
In a trilateral statement, Tehran and Riyadh said they
would reopen embassies and missions within two months and implement security
and economic cooperation deals signed more than 20 years ago.
Friday’s announcement, which follows five days of
previously unannounced talks in Beijing and several rounds of dialogue in Iraq
and Oman, caps a broader realignment and efforts to ease tensions in the
region.
“Following talks, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have agreed to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies
and missions within two months,” said the joint statement, which was published
by both countries’ official media.
Riyadh cut ties after Iranian protesters attacked
Saudi diplomatic missions in 2016 following the Saudi execution of revered Shia
cleric Nimr al-Nimr — just one in a series of flashpoints between the two
longstanding rivals.
The detente between Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest
oil exporter, and Iran, a pariah for Western governments over its nuclear
activities, has the potential to reshape relations across a region
characterised by turbulence for decades.
The agreement, signed by Iran’s top security official,
Ali Shamkhani, and Saudi Arabia’s national security adviser Musaad bin Mohammed
Al Aiban, agreed to re-activate a 2001 security cooperation accord, as well as
another earlier pact on trade, economy and investment.
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi described the deal as a
victory for dialogue and peace, adding that Beijing would continue to play a
constructive role in addressing tough global issues.
A White House national security spokesperson said
Saudi Arabia, which is looking to expand its partnership with China, had kept
the United States informed about the talks in Beijing but that Washington had
not been directly involved.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, an agreement has
been reached to resume diplomatic relations and re-open embassies and missions
within a period not exceeding two months.
The agreement also includes both sides’ affirmation of
the respect for the sovereignty of states and the non-interference in internal
affairs of states.
They also agreed to implement the Security Cooperation
Agreement and the General Agreement for Cooperation in the Fields of Economy,
Trade, Investment, Technology, Science, Culture, Sports, and Youth, which was
signed in 1998.
‘Hash out their differences’
“It kind of sets the scene for the region’s two
superpowers to start to hash out their differences,” said Dina Esfandiary of
the International Crisis Group.
“The potential downside of that, of course, is that if
they are the ones who are divvying up the region and sorting things out amongst
themselves, you start to lose sight of regional contexts and grievances, which
could potentially be problematic.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian
welcomed the rapprochement and said Tehran will “actively prepare other
regional initiatives”.
“The return to normal relations between Tehran and
Riyadh offers great opportunities to the two countries, the region and the
Muslim world,” he tweeted.
Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat Prince Faisal bin Farhan
Al Saud said the agreement stems from the kingdom’s preference for “political
solutions and dialogue” -- an approach it wants to see become the norm in the
region.
Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar all hailed
the announcement.
The White House too welcomed the deal, but said it
remains to be seen whether the Iranians will “meet their obligations”.
The head of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, an Iran-backed
militant group, called the agreement a “good development”.
“It could open new horizons in the region,” said
Hassan Nasrallah, who is often critical of Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan welcomes normalisation
Pakistan also warmly welcomed the normalisation of
diplomatic relations between the Saudi Arabia and Iran, facilitated by China.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Foreign Office
said Pakistan firmly believed that this important diplomatic breakthrough will
contribute to peace and stability in the region and beyond. “We commend the
role played by China’s visionary leadership in coordinating this historic
agreement which reflects the power of constructive engagement and meaningful
dialogue,” it said. The statement lauded the sagacious leadership of Saudi
Arabia and Iran for this very positive development.
Source: Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1741556/s-arabia-iran-patch-up-takes-world-by-surprise
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Student Seen Ripping Pages from Qur'an 'A Concerning
Incident of Islamophobia,' Says Ontario School Board
Kawartha Pine Ridge
District School Board says they became aware of a 'concerning' incident of
Islamophobia on March 3 at Courtice Secondary School after a student damaged a
copy of a Qur'an. The Qur'an had apparent damage on the front and had missing
pages on the inside. (Submitted by Munawara Mazlomyar)
------
Sara Jabakhanji
Mar 10, 2023
Students at a high school east of Oshawa, Ont., are
taking their concerns to the school board after a video appearing to show a
student tearing up pages from a Qur'an and crumpling them up began to circulate
last week.
School board officials say they became aware of a
"concerning incident of Islamophobia" on March 3 at Courtice
Secondary School after a student damaged a Qur'an earlier that day.
"While we cannot comment on individual
disciplinary actions, the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board takes all
allegations of discrimination seriously and is taking immediate steps to
address this very serious incident," said board chairperson Steve Russell
and superintendent of education Jamila Maliha in a statement Thursday.
"The [board] will not tolerate acts of hate
towards persons or symbols of faith and are resolute in our commitment to the
values of equity, diversity, inclusivity and the dignity and humanity of every
individual," it added.
"We are committed to repairing the harm that has
been caused to the Muslim community as a result of this incident."
CBC Toronto received video appearing to show the
student's actions but was unable to independently confirm its authenticity. In
the video, a boy appeared to open the Qur'an, tearing out pages and crumpling
them, then pointing both middle fingers at it.
Qur'an taken at event meant to fight Islamophobia,
says student
Munawara Mazlomyar, a Grade 12 student at the school,
said the incident left her "stunned."
She said the school's Muslim Student Association (MSA)
held an event that day called "Ask a Muslim a question," to engage
with non-Muslim students about the religion and try and tackle Islamophobia.
"We had Qur'ans in English translation displayed
because we wanted anyone who was interested in learning about our religion to
be able to take it and read about it," Mazlomyar said.
Mazlomyar said a student grabbed one of the Qur'ans on
display and that video later emerged of the same student ripping and crumpling
pages from it. She said the student also encouraged others to put the book down
their pants.
"I was extremely upset. I felt heartbroken
because the the reason we had them on display was for people to gain knowledge
about Islam."
Mazlomyar said as a visibly Muslim woman, the incident
made her feel unsafe at the school.
Mazlomyar said students should have been made aware of
the incident by school administration before finding out about what happened on
social media or by word of mouth. She is now calling on the school and board to
launch an educational campaign to counter Islamophobia and allow for classroom
discussions on the issue.
Education minister condemns incident
Ontario's Education Minister Stephen Lecce condemned
the actions on Friday.
"I don't want any child, particularly Muslim
children in that school or around the province or country to be
disheartened," Lecce said at a news conference unrelated to the incident.
"We believe in them, we support them and we're
going to continue to fund the organizations that advocate for them so that we
don't see these circumstances happen again."
Lecce added that he is pleased that the government
continues to fund the Muslim Association of Canada to help train staff and for
students to counter Islamophobia.
The school board meanwhile says it will continue to
consult community groups for feedback and support the students and staff
affected.
"As part of our next steps in response to this
issue, we have reached out to several community groups to work collaboratively,
answer questions and concerns, and hear
their suggestions about how to repair the harm that this incident has
caused," the statement reads.
Source: CBC
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/quran-torn-students-courtice-secondary-school-1.6774702
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Class 10 History Book Taught In Pakistan: Jammu Muslim
Genocide by Hindus; India Upset Balance of Power in Region
The chapter explicitly on
‘Indo-Pak Relations’ pitches the Kashmir issue as the major reason behind the
two nations not being able to develop friendly relations. Representational
pic/ANI
------
MARCH 10, 2023
Squarely blaming India for disturbing “balance of
power” in the region with nuclear tests, accusing Hindus of “organizing Muslim
genocide" and of not letting the Kashmir issue settle: the class 10
history book taught in Pakistani schools runs India down as a nation while
wrongly portraying historical events. News18 has accessed the textbook, which
is developed in line with the national curriculum, published by National Book
Foundation (Federal Textbook Board, Islamabad).
The history book titled ‘Pakistani Studies-II’ dives
into the administration and formation of successive governments in the state
including its relations with the world and immediate neighbours where it
repeatedly blames India for disturbing peace in the region. The book is full of
similar anti-India and anti-Hindu content.
The first chapter on steps taken by the Nawaz Sharif
government to resolve the “Kashmir dispute" labels India “arrogant”.
“India was officially invited to resolve the Kashmir dispute, but these efforts
did not succeed due to Indian arrogance. Hindu extremists demolished the
historic Babri Masjid in 1992 and the National Assembly of Pakistan condemned
this brutal incident by passing a resolution,” the text reads.
Further, the book not only blames India for
“disturbing the balance of power in the region” but also accuses it of forcing
Pakistan to launch a series of nuclear tests. “India conducted three nuclear
tests in Pokhran on May 11, 1998, this disturbed balance of power in the
region. The government of Pakistan was hard-pressed to reciprocate. Nawaz
Sharif made a historic decision to withstand all global pressure and go
nuclear. Six nuclear tests conducted at Chaghi (Balochistan) on May 28, 1998,
made Pakistan the 7th nuclear power of the world and the first one in the
Muslim World. This historic event shattered Indian dreams of hegemony in the
region,” it says.
The next chapter on Pakistan’s relations with its
neighbours has a line that reads: “Afghanistan on the west and India on the
east, are the two neighbours which have always created problems for us.”
The chapter on the history of the “Kashmir
dispute" accuses “Hindus and Sikhs of organising genocide against the
Muslim population”.
The textbook reads: “Under the Third June Partition
Plan, rulers of the princely states were given final authority to decide the
future of their respective states….Gandhi, Pandit Nehru and Viceroy Lord
Mountbatten also pressurized the Maharaja of Kashmir for accession to India.
The Maharaja started to disarm the Muslims living in the areas adjacent to the
Punjab border, Poonch and Jammu areas. The Maharaja deployed his troops in the
area. The Hindus and the Sikhs started organized genocide of the Muslim
population. Half a million Muslims were expelled from their homes in the Hindu
and Sikh majority areas of Jammu. Two hundred thousand Muslims lost their lives
probably due to cold weather or epidemics, nobody knows how many of them were
slaughtered on their way to west Punjab. Those who reach the west Punjab were
in miserable condition.”
The chapter explicitly on ‘Indo-Pak Relations’ pitches
the Kashmir issue as the major reason behind the two nations not being able to
develop friendly relations. The blame for the issue, however, has been entirely
put on India including that of the partition of East Pakistan in 1971 (currently
Bangladesh).
Sample this: “History of conflict between India and
Pakistan due to Kashmir issue dates back to the days of partition in 1947. Due
to this issue, the two countries could never develop good neighbourly relations
with each other. As soon as, after partition, the Indian forces occupied
Kashmir against the will of the people of Kashmir and the unrest in Kashmir
turned into full scale revolt. India played a key role in the separation of
East Pakistan as well. Indian propaganda about West Pakistan’s exploitation of
East Pakistan infused hatred in the people of East Pakistan which resulted in a
full scale rebellion in the province and ultimate dismemberment of Pakistan. In
1971 East Pakistan was separated from West Pakistan and a battle between Indian
and Pakistani forces was fought on western front as well.”
It then goes on to delve into the history of the
Kashmir Issue, tracing it back to undivided India and showing it in a poor
light while making anti-Hindu statements at the same time. “The 1947 partition
was based on the principle of Hindu and Muslim majority areas, but
unfortunately the Hindu Raja of Kashmir did not allow Muslim majority states to
be annexed with Pakistan. Obviously the Muslim majority population wanted the
state to be a part of Pakistan.”
It further stresses that Kashmir is important to
Pakistan due to its “Muslim identity”.
“The Kashmir issue has always been a source of
confrontation between India and Pakistan, but India is not ready to give
Kashmir people their right of self-determination. Kashmir is like Pakistan’s
jugular vein. Geographically, Kashmir has always been a part of the area which
is now Pakistan. Above all, Kashmir is important for Pakistan due to its Muslim
identity.”
The school textbook even goes to the extent of
including Kashmir in the list of states/nations in the world for whose
liberation Pakistan has been raising its voice. Under the subhead, ‘Pakistan
and World Affairs’, the textbook reads: “During this period Pakistan raised
voice in the favour of all these nations. Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts for the
right of self-determination of the people of Indonesia, Libya, Morocco,
Algeria, Tunisia, Eritrea, Kashmir and Palestine, will always be remembered.”
Prof H Senapaty, who works at NCERT’s regional wing at
Bhubaneswar, said that history books for any nation or society cannot show any
other nation, religion or its people in a negative light. It has to be just
facts and their elaboration, without any exaggeration. “In India, our approach
to developing school curriculum is clear cut to be objective. Especially,
textbook content on sensitive issues such as Kashmir or partition has to be
entirely just on facts, without drawing any interpretations.”
Source: News18
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Over 500 People Graduate from Jihadist Religious
Schools in Helmand in Afghanistan
Taliban officials reported
on Friday that more than 500 people have graduated from Jihadist schools in
Helmand, Laghman, and Sar-e-Pol provinces.
------
By Nizamuddin Rezahi
March 10, 2023
Taliban officials reported on Friday that more than
500 people have graduated from Jihadist schools in Helmand, Laghman, and
Sar-e-Pol provinces.
Bakhtar News Agency has reported that 300 people in
Helmand, 160 in Laghman, and 50 others in northern Sar-e-Pol province have
graduated from religious schools.
Following the collapse of the previous government, the
Taliban-run Administration has focused on establishing Jihadist schools across
Afghanistan.
Over the past 18 months, the ruling regime has also
incorporated several religious subjects into the school curriculum and removed
certain other courses that seemed unnecessary for the Taliban group.
According to the statements of the Minister of
Education of the Taliban, the group is going to establish three to ten
religious schools in each district throughout the country.
A decree attributed to Hibatullah Akhundzada, Taliban
Supreme leader, reveals that each religious school will have ten teachers and
eight staff members – which will train between 500-1000 students each
semester.
It is also reported that each student at the Jihadi
school receives 150 Afghanis per day. Additionally, each teacher at religious
schools will receive between 15,000-25,000 Afghanis as a monthly salary,
whereas, a teacher with an undergraduate degree receives only 9,000
Afghanis.
Educationists and experts believe that the Taliban-run
administration has drastically modified school and university curricula. They
have completely removed certain subjects, which can negatively affect students
in mastering modern subjects and will eventually lack competitiveness in the
job market.
Since the return of the Taliban to power in August
2021, the de facto authorities have imposed restrictions on the rights of women
and girls to attend education and work, which prompted worldwide criticism.
Instead of easing or removing the gender-based bans, the group emphasizes
establishing more and more Madrasas (religious schools) across the country.
Source: Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.khaama.com/over-500-people-graduate-from-jihadist-schools-in-afghanistan/
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Arab World
Nasrallah: Tehran-Riyadh rapprochement can open up new
horizons in region
10 March 2023
Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has welcomed a
surprise Chinese-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore
bilateral ties severed in 2016, saying it could open new horizons throughout
the region, including Lebanon.
Nasrallah, who was speaking in a televised address
aired on Friday, said the Iranian-Saudi reconciliation announced earlier in the
day is a “good development” that will not be at the expense of the region’s
peoples.
“An Iranian-Saudi rapprochement won’t be at the
expense of Yemen, Syria and the resistance,” he said.
“It’s an important development, of course, and if it
proceeds in its natural course it could open up horizons in the entire region,
including in Lebanon,” he added.
After several days of intensive negotiations hosted by
China, Iran and Saudi Arabia finally clinched a deal on Friday to restore
diplomatic relations and re-open embassies, seven years after ties were severed
over several issues.
‘No one can impose president on Lebanese’
Commenting on Hezbollah’s recent nomination of
Suleiman Franjieh as the party’s candidate for the presidential race, Nasrallah
said nominating a candidate for the election is the “natural and legal”
obligation of any political party.
“We have called for dialogue over the president and no
one has the right to prevent anyone from nominating anyone,” Nasrallah said.
The Hezbollah chief added that no party or individual
had the right to impose their candidate on the Lebanese people.
“Some claimed that we want to impose a president on
the Lebanese and Christians, but this is not the case,” he clarified. “If a
country helps Lebanon, that does not grant it the right to impose a president.”
“We welcome any foreign assistance but we do not
accept dictations,” Nasrallah asserted.
Syria at heart of Axis of Resistance: Nasrallah
Regarding the developments in neighboring countries,
the prominent Lebanese figure said that what happens in Syria and Palestine
reflects on the regional countries and has a strong impact on Lebanon in
particular.
“Speaking about the present and future of Syria is
like speaking about the present and future of Lebanon,” Nasrallah said.
He said that if the Daesh Takfiri terrorists, who had
seized huge swathes of land in Syria and Iraq from 2014 to 2017, had remained
in the region, it would have affected Lebanon as well.
“Had Syria fallen into the hands of Daesh, al-Nusra
and the terrorists in the global war, what would have been the position of
Lebanon and its people?” Nasrallah asked the Lebanese people.
The Hezbollah chief went on to dismiss recent rumors
in diplomatic circles about growing division in the resistance front. It is not
true that Syria will “leave the Axis of Resistance” in order to “join the Arab
fold,” he commented. “Syria is at the heart of the Axis of Resistance.”
He reiterated that the developments in Palestine
affected the Lebanese people in all various aspects. “Everything that happens
in Palestine affects our country, its sovereignty, and its future,” he said.
“Imagine if Israel was strong and could impose its
will on the entire region. Would the Lebanese have dreamed of oil and gas?”
Nasrallah added.
In a gathering in Beirut on Wednesday night, Nasrallah
pointed out that the resistance front was more powerful today than ever before.
The leader of Hezbollah, who was meeting with a large
group of influential figures from various Arabic and Islamic countries,
including intellectuals, politicians, and media celebrities, asserted that the
axis of resistance had become strong enough to confront any aggressor
threatening the nations in the region.
Source: Press TV
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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UAE, Iraq Kurdistan Region leaders discuss ties, Erbil-Baghdad
relations in Abu Dhabi
10 March ,2023
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
discussed diplomatic relations with Iraq’s Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan
Barzani in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
The Emirates News Agency reported on Thursday that the
two leaders “reviewed the prospects of advancing cooperation between the two
sides.”
The meeting, which was held at the Qasr al-Shati
palace, discussed the situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, Erbil-Baghdad
relations and investment opportunities, a statement released by the Presidency
of the Kurdistan Region said.
“…both sides agreed that the resolution of the
Erbil-Baghdad issues will help establish political and economic stability in
Iraq and will open up broader prospects for progress,” the statement said.
They exchanged views on the latest developments in the
region and “stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation among all
parties to maintain peace and stability and to resolve conflicts,” it added.
The leaders also discussed investment opportunities
for UAE private sector and expanding trade exchanges of the UAE with Iraq and
the Kurdistan Region.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Temperatures in Middle East rise twice as fast as
global average, GCC countries act
10 March ,2023
The Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean are
facing rising temperatures almost twice as quickly as the rest of the world,
according to a report by The Cyprus Institute’s Climate and Atmosphere Research
Center and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry.
Findings conclude that the Middle East and North
Africa (MENA) region will see an increase of five degree Celsius in overall
temperatures in the next 100 years if no considerable action is immediately
taken by countries to remedy the situation.
Extreme weather conditions such as the deadly flash
floods in Fujairah in the UAE, extensive droughts, natural disasters such as the
series of earthquakes in Turkey, and generally low ground water levels can all
be seen as indicators of the ways in which climate change can affect
populations in the region.
It bodes all stakeholders well to remember that issues
concerning climate change are more intersectional than they may seem at first
sight. The effects of climate change can be seen on both the economy and
society in terms of housing crises, reduced food security, shortage of potable
water, rising crime rates, and an adverse influence on primary sectors such as
fishing, agriculture, forestry, and mining.
Climate change, despite the polarized opinions or
because of them, has reached an un-ignorable stage. In fact, a global poll by
the United Nations’ Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed that climate change has
made young people across the world reconsider their plans for parenthood,
underlining their uncertainty about the future of the planet.
What makes matters worse specifically in the Middle
East and the larger Global South are the instances of armed conflict across
Afghanistan to Somalia, Mali to Yemen, and Palestine to Israel. When risks
involved with climate change and extreme weather conditions are combined with
the effects of war, the consequences are multiplied several folds – making
vulnerable populations in these conflict zones even more exposed to the drastic
impact of climate change.
According to the study, what makes the Middle East
more susceptible to higher rises in temperatures than some other parts of the
world are geographical features such as large expanses of desert and lower
ground water levels.
The good news
The silver lining is that the Middle East has the
knowledge, resources, and distinct opportunity to take a global leadership role
in climate technology, which can exponentially define the region’s response to
climate change and curtail the adverse effects of it on everyday lives of the
people living in the Middle East.“The region has nature-given advantages
including some of the most competitive solar energy output in the world that
make it a very low-cost producer of renewable energy,” said Dr. Yahya Anouti.
The run up to COP28 in the UAE is another optimistic
step in the right direction as private and public entities in the country
continue to launch programs that address climate change issues.
Earlier this year, Dubai International Financial
Center (DIFC) announced its ‘Climate Finance Training Series’ aimed at helping
financial services practitioners understand the “COP28 process, global trends
in climate finance and best practice approaches to developing and implementing
the net zero strategies.”
Given the region’s current economic dependence on
crude oil and the complex nuances concerning both energy consumption and
production in the region, a goal for net zero strategies is challenging but
necessary.
The UAE Net Zero 2050 initiative is a national
campaign to reach net-zero emissions by the year 2050. The initiative is in
line with the Paris Agreement, which focuses on reducing greenhouse gases and
limiting the rise in global temperatures.
With the $500 billion mega project NEOM, Saudi Arabia
is embarking on its own journey to fight against the effects of climate change.
NEOM’s ethos includes being a “blueprint for tomorrow in which humanity
progresses without compromise to the health of the planet.”
Recently, NEOM also announced plans to train Saudi
chefs to work in what is being deemed as the “world’s most food self-sufficient
city.” In collaboration with the ethical food project CARE, the plan is to
oversee that the “journey of food from the planet to the plate” is carried out
with the utmost care for the natural environment – minimizing any contribution
to exacerbating climate change issues.
Source: Al Arabiya
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UAE sends 14 tonnes of aid to Ukraine
11 March ,2023
The UAE sent 14 tonnes of aid for war-ravaged Ukraine
on Friday.
The aid delivery included blankets, LED bulbs and
personal care supplies, the Emirates News Agency reported.
“These supplies are part of the UAE’s ongoing
humanitarian assistance aimed at alleviating the suffering of the Ukrainian
people amid the crisis,” the report said.
The delivery will be sent to the Polish capital city
of Warsaw before making its way to Ukraine.
In October of last year, the UAE announced a $100
million of aid for Ukrainians.
The UAE sent 11 aircrafts carrying approximately 550
tonnes of relief supplies.
At least 2,520 generators and six ambulances have been
delivered to support Ukrainians, both in the country and for refugees in
neighboring Poland, Moldova, and Bulgaria.
Polish President Andrzej Duda met with UAE leaders
during an official trip to the Gulf country this week. The war in Ukraine was
discussed, with Poland’s president thanking his Emirati counterpart for
supporting refugees.
Source: Al Arabiya
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https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2023/03/11/UAE-sends-14-tonnes-of-aid-to-Ukraine
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North America
US welcomes China-backed Saudi-Iranian deal to restore
ties, White House says
10 March ,2023
The US welcomes the recent agreement between Saudi
Arabia and Iran to re-establish ties and has “long encouraged direct dialogue”
between the two, a White House official said Friday.
Saudi Arabia and Iran said that they had agreed to
restore diplomatic ties, reopen embassies and exchange ambassadors within two
months, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported,
“Generally speaking, we welcome any efforts to help
end the war in Yemen and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region,” a
National Security Council official told Al Arabiya English. “De-escalation and
diplomacy together with deterrence are key pillars of the policy President
Biden outlined during his visit to the region last year.”
Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran after two of its
diplomatic posts were attacked in Tehran and Mashhad in 2016.
In the latest agreement, Riyadh and Tehran vowed to
activate a security cooperation agreement signed in 2001 and the trade, economy
and investment agreement signed in 1998. According to the statement, China’s
President Xi Jinping had made an initiative to host and sponsor talks between
delegates from Iran and Saudi Arabia to resolve disputes via dialogue and
diplomacy.
The NSC official said the US had “long encouraged
direct dialogue and diplomacy to help reduce tensions and reduce risks of
conflict.”
Source: Al Arabiya
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Iran-Saudi
détente spells a ‘catastrophe for US hegemony’: Analyst
10
March 2023
An
American geostrategic analyst and writer has said that the restoration of
diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia is “a catastrophe for US
hegemony, which is founded on permanent instability between any potential
allies and competitors.”
After
several days of intensive negotiations hosted by China, Iran and Saudi Arabia
reached an agreement on Friday to restore diplomatic relations and re-open
embassies in each other’s countries; seven years after ties were severed over
several issues.
Daniel
Patrick Welch said in an interview with Press TV on Friday, “It's huge.”
“Without
the Shia-Sunni split for the US to exploit, where the world could be headed?”
he asked poignantly.
“The
US and its imperial watchmen never sleep, and are always on the lookout for
things like this. Their fake veneer of ‘diplomacy’ and ‘values’ are, in fact,
the very opposite of what they portend. China's role is the hallmark of a new
era. Without having to rely on two-faced US ‘diplomats’ who are, usually,
largely managing their own interests, nations, societies and cultures at odds
could--gasp!--instead of spending trillions on destroying each other, might
actually work...dare we say it, together?... for the advancement of humankind,”
he stated.
“By
contrast, the US, brimming with the hubris of an out-of-touch rich uncle,
treats this role with none of the same sincerity. Like strolling into
Kazakhstan and saying things like 'we are a leader in Asia,'” the analyst
noted.
“Or,
another example would be to use brazen acts of terror and violence--like
blowing up gas pipelines between Russia and Germany--to turn potential allies
into adversaries at war. Backstabbing acts of evil which turn out to be the
distress signal of a dying empire,” Welch concluded.
Iran
and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement in the Chinese capital of Beijing to
restore their diplomatic relations and re-open embassies and missions.
The
deal was struck on Friday following intensive negotiations between Secretary of
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani and his Saudi
counterpart in Beijing. It was officially announced in a joint statement by
Iran, Saudi Arabia and China.
The
statement was inked by Shakhani, Musaid Al Aiban, Saudi Arabia’s national
security adviser, and Wang Yi, the director of the Office of the Central
Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party.
Source:
Press TV
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China
to US: Stop plundering Syrian resources, pull troops out
10
March 2023
China
has called on the United States to stop plundering the natural resources in
Syria and withdraw its military forces from the country.
"We
call on the United States to sincerely respect the sovereignty, independence
and territorial integrity of other countries, and to immediately stop its
illegal military presence and marauding in Syria," Chinese Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a news briefing on Friday.
China
also urged the US to lift the illegal sanctions slapped on Syria and to stop
all actions that exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the country.
"The
United States has illegally intervened in military activities related to the
Syrian crisis, which has led to the death of a large number of innocent
civilians and a serious humanitarian disaster," Mao said, adding that his
government calls on the US authorities to lift "illegal unilateral
sanctions" against Syria and to stop actions that aggravate the
humanitarian situation in the country.
According
to the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, since 2014 the Syrian crisis in
the country has resulted in at least 350,000 people losing their lives in the
violence, and 14 million being in dire need of humanitarian aid.
In
the meantime, the US Congress on Thursday rejected a bill calling for the exit
of US occupation troops from Syria.
The
majority of US House lawmakers, 321 to 103, voted against the Syria War Powers
resolution which required US President Joe Biden to bring American troops home
within 180 days.
The
rejected bill, which was introduced by Florida Republican lawmaker Matt Gaetz,
followed a recent incident in which four American soldiers were wounded while
conducting a raid in the Arab country.
Gaetz
slammed US lawmakers for voting against the bill, insisting that the US
Congress had never authorized military action in Syria in the first place.
“There
is no role for the United States of America in Syria. We are not a Middle
Eastern power. We have tried to build a democracy out of the sand, blood, and
Arab militias,” Gaetz said.
“Time
and again, the work we do does not reduce chaos. Oftentimes, it causes chaos –
the very chaos that then subsequently leads to terrorism. While today’s vote
may have failed, my fight to end forever wars and bring our troops home has
only just begun,” he added.
Gaetz
further noted that several prior Inspector General Reports have concluded that
a resurgence of Daesh in Syria is “unlikely,” instead claiming that the American
presence has served as a “recruiting tool” for the terrorist group.
US-led
occupation forces invaded Syria in 2014 under the pretext of the emergence of
the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group which had seized huge swathes of land in both
Syria and neighboring Iraq and aimed to overrun Iran as well.
It
took over three years for the national Iraqi and Syrian armies to liberate the
areas from the grip of the world’s most notorious terrorist group.
Source:
Press TV
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Dozens
of NGOs warn Biden against supporting Israel against Iran
10
March 2023
Forty-five
NGOs have urged US President Joe Biden to reject the remarks made by American
ambassador to Israel Tom Nides who had said Washington would back Israel in
“whatever action” they take against Iran.
In
a letter, the organizations called on Biden to “clarify that these comments do
not reflect US policy towards Iran for the sake of regional stability, future
diplomacy, and respect for Congress’ constitutional responsibility for war
powers.”
The
NGOs expressed concern that the Israeli far-right cabinet would “perceive these
remarks as tacit approval for military action, even when such action most
likely will damage US national security interests, further embroil our military
in regional conflict, and prevent future diplomacy.”
The
warning comes as the US diplomat had recently said “Israel can and should do
whatever they need to deal with [Iran] and we’ve got their back.”
The
Israeli regime has on numerous occasions threatened to carry out attacks
against Iranian facilities and infrastructure, claiming that Iran was close to
building nuclear weapons.
The
NGOs further asked Biden to express “opposition to the military option known,
publicly and privately,” warning that aggression by Israel would lead to a
broader regional war. “Publicly or even privately offering unconditional US
support for unspecified military action by Israel, or any ally, sets an
extremely dangerous precedent and risks further escalation,” they wrote.
“Ambassador
Nides’ loose talk raises concerns that the administration may again ignore
Congress’ constitutional role, and the public’s clear preference, by rushing
into a conflict over which the people and their representatives have no say,”
they added.
They
also said that it is “confounding that Ambassador Nides implied that Israel’s
unilateral decision-making would bind US foreign policy. The United States
should never outsource its foreign policy to other states – to do so would be highly
irresponsible and an abdication of the government’s responsibility to protect
the American people.”
Meanwhile,
there are reports that the Biden administration has drawn closer to Israel in
recent weeks, conducting large-scale joint military exercises with the regime.
Israel,
which possesses nuclear weapons and has refused to sign the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has made various covert attempts in recent
years to sabotage Iran’s peaceful nuclear program by assassinating Iranian
scientists and carrying out cowardly attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
This
is while Iran showed to the world the peaceful nature of its nuclear program by
signing the JCPOA in 2015 with six world powers — the US, Germany, France,
Britain, Russia and China. Iran fully observed its nuclear obligations under
the JCPOA until 2019, a year after the US, under Israel’s influence, withdrew
from the accord and targeted Iran with a “maximum pressure” campaign.
Source:
Press TV
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India
Maharashtra
Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha's 1 Lakh 'Love Jihad' Cases Claim Sparks
Reactions in House
Mar
11, 2023
MUMBAI:
Maharashtra women and child welfare minister Mangalprabhat Lodha's recent
remark that the state had experienced more than one lakh cases of
"love-jihad" sparked strong reactions in the House on Friday. NCP MLA
Jitendra Awhad said the data was wrong while BJP MLA Ashish Shelar demanded a
law against love-jihad.
While
speaking in the assembly earlier this week, Lodha had said, "Maharashtra
had more than one lakh cases of love jihad which has upset society. The
inter-faith marriage committee that the state government has set up does not
interfere in anyone's personal life or religion. But we want to prevent another
Shraddha Walkar case. This is government's responsibility."
Objecting
to Lodha's statement, NCP leader Awhad told the state assembly that the
minister had provided wrong information. "Lodha has said there were more
than 1 lakh cases of 'love jihad'. But there have been only 3,693 inter-faith
marriages, according to the records. Such wrong information from the minister
can create problems in society," Awhad said. Love jihad is a term used by
right-wing groups to refer to an alleged campaign by Muslim men to lure Hindu
women into marrying them and converting to Islam.
BJP
MLAs Yogesh Sagar and Ashish Shelar objected to Awhad's statement. "There
was no reference to any community in Lodha's statement. Is Awhad advocating the
side of love jihad?" Sagar asked.
Shelar
said that there should be a law against love jihad. "We are not scared to
speak up if a single Hindu woman is fooled in this manner or she suffers
atrocities. There should be a law against love jihad." He said there was
no need for Lodha to apologise. Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi demanded that
Lodha apologise for giving wrong information. "There is nothing called
love jihad. They just want to drag religion into everything," he stated.
Azmi's statement led to an outburst from water supply minister Gulabrao Patil.
"How can you say love jihad does not exist? There are cases in my village.
Awhad is saying this because his constituency is Mumbra and he wants
votes," he alleged.
Source:
Times Of India
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Indian
police arrest three after Muslim man killed for possessing beef
11
March ,2023
Police
in India have arrested three men in eastern Bihar state in connection with the
death of a Muslim man who was attacked because he was suspected of carrying
beef, a police official said on Saturday.
The
victim, Naseem Qureshi, 56, died earlier this week after being attacked by a
mob on suspicion of carrying beef, the sale and consumption of which is
restricted in some parts of the country by local governments.
Cows
are sacred in Hinduism, and there have been frequent attacks on those accused
of killing them for meat or leather, predominantly people from the minority
Muslim population or those on the lower rungs of India’s ancient caste system.
Hardline
Hindu groups have been demanding a complete ban on cow slaughter across India.
Self-styled
Hindu cow vigilante groups have taken to enforcing the law themselves ever
since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government came to power
in 2014.
Bihar
is currently ruled by a regional party, and Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party sits
in the opposition.
In
the latest incident in the state, the victim was allegedly surrounded by over
twenty people and attacked, according to a police statement in court.
Police
intervened but Qureshi died on the way to the hospital, according to the
statement.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Kashmir
Times Editor Anuradha Bhasin’s Article, “Modi’s Final Assault On India’s Press
Freedom Has Begun” In New York Times Angers Centre
Muzaffar
Raina | Srinagar
11.03.23
The
Jammu-based editor of the Kashmir Times newspaper has in an opinion piece
published in The New York Times accused the Narendra Modi government of
stifling press freedom in Kashmir and the rest of India, infuriating the
Centre.
Anuradha
Bhasin, owner and executive editor of the Kashmir Times, has in the article
suggested that Prime Minister Modi might replicate “on a national scale” the
“disturbing model” executed in Jammu and Kashmir.
“His
Hindu-chauvinist movement, which has normalised intolerance and violence
against Indian Muslims, has already put severe pressure on India’s
once-rambunctious press, with journalists shrivelled and jailed, and the
government using strong-arm tactics against media outlets to ensure favourable
coverage,” says the op-ed article, published on Wednesday under the headline
“Modi’s final assault on India’s press freedom has begun”.
Union
information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur on Friday slammed The New
York Times but chose not to mention the author, whose newspaper was among the
very few to speak out against the government clampdown on Jammu and Kashmir
after the dilution of Article 370 in August 2019. Bhasin had challenged in the
Supreme Court the communication blockade imposed in the region in 2019.
Bhasin’s
article in NYT says: “In January, draft
amendments to digital media guidelines were introduced that would essentially
allow the government to block any content it doesn’t like.”
“An
ignorant public and a government free of scrutiny and accountability are
threats to democracy. But Modi appears intent on replicating this across India.
The proposed amendments to national guidelines for digital media that were
unveiled in January are strikingly similar to those imposed on Kashmir,
empowering government fact-checkers to label online content as fake or false.
“Days
after those changes were announced, the government ordered online platforms to
block links to India: The Modi Question, a BBC documentary critical of the
Prime Minister. Indian tax agents later raided the British broadcaster’s
offices in India. Such raids have been used repeatedly to pressure critical
voices in the media.”
Bhasin
recently released her maiden book, A Dismantled State: The Untold Story of
Kashmir After Article 370. She is presently in the US.
In
her opinion piece, she has accused Modi of systematically debasing India’s
democratic ideals, bending courts and other institutions to his will. “The
media stands as one of the last remaining institutions capable of preventing
India’s descent into authoritarianism. But if Modi succeeds in introducing the
Kashmir model of information control to the rest of the country, it won’t be
just press freedom that is at risk, but Indian democracy itself,” she says.
On
Friday, Union minister Thakur tweeted:
“New York Times had long back dropped all pretensions of neutrality
while publishing anything about India.” “NYT’s so called opinion piece on
freedom of press in Kashmir is mischievous & fictitious, published with a
sole motive to spread propaganda about India and its democratic institutions
and values.”
The
minister added: “This is in continuation with what NYT and a few other
link-minded (sic) foreign media have been spreading lies about India and our
democratically elected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji. “Such lies can’t
last long. Some foreign media nourishing a grudge against India and our Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi have long been systematically trying to peddle lies
about our democracy and pleuritic (sic) society.” Thakur said that in India,
media freedom was “as sacrosanct as other fundamental rights”.
“Democracy
in India and We the people are very matured and we don’t need to learn grammar
of democracy from such agenda driven media. Blatant lies spread by NYT abt
press freedom in Kashmir is condemnable. Indians will not allow such mind-sets
to run their decisive agenda on India soil,” he tweeted.
Bhasin
has been trolled vigorously over the article by the Right-wing ecosystem, which
has not spared her late father Ved Bhasin, an eminent journalist who supported
independence for Kashmir.
Kashmir
Times, the oldest English daily in Jammu and Kashmir, is headquartered in Jammu
but also ran an edition from Srinagar. But it had to close its Srinagar edition
a few months after the August 2019 clampdown because of a financial crunch,
having been starved of government advertisements in an apparent act of
reprisal.
In
October 2020, the administration sealed the newspaper’s Srinagar office, which
operated from government space allotted to the daily in 1993 along with some
other newspapers and journalists.
Bhasin
had called it a vendetta against her decision to approach the Supreme Court and
for constantly talking about the curbs on civil liberties and lack of
democratic space in Kashmir.
Bhasin’s
NYT piece details the ordeal Jammu and Kashmir’s journalists faced after August
2019, when physical movement and Internet access were curbed.
“The
shutdown lasted nearly six months, forcing hundreds of journalists to line up
for hours to file their stories via a single designated site that had Internet
access. Each had 15 minutes to do so. Internet speeds have been excruciatingly
slow since,” the article says.
“Journalists
are routinely summoned by police, interrogated and threatened with charges such
as income tax violations or terrorism or separatism. Several prominent
journalists have been detained or sentenced to jail terms.”
Bhasin
writes that journalists work under a cloud of fear. “In late 2021, I spoke to a
journalist, Sajad Gul, who was being harassed for his reporting. Fearing
arrest, he told me he slept fully dressed each night and kept his shoes at his
bedside — unusual in Kashmir, where shoes are customarily removed before
entering a home — in case he had to make a quick getaway. He was arrested in
January last year and remains in custody,” the article says.
“Many
journalists self-censor or have simply quit. Fearing arrest, some have fled
into exile overseas. The Indian government has put at least 20 others on no-fly
lists to prevent them from leaving the country.” While the opinion piece has
triggered a debate in the country and outside, most Valley journalists chose
not to share or comment on it, perhaps for the fear of being hounded. The article
mentions how the Srinagar office of the Kashmir Times was raided on October 19,
2020, evening while “its reporters and photographers rushed to meet deadlines”.
“Government
officials and police swept into the offices in Srinagar, chased out the staff
and locked the door that remains to this day,” it says. “The raid was
punishment for daring to question the policies of PM Modi. The newspaper has
been an independent voice in J&K since it was founded by my father in 1954,
weathering tumultuous decades of war and military occupation. It may not
survive Mr Modi. His repressive media policies are destroying Kashmiri
journalism, intimidating media outlets into serving as government mouthpieces
and creating an information vacuum in our region of about 13 million people.”
Bhasin
claimed that Kashmiri journalism had flowered against heavy odds in the past
but all of “that has disappeared under Mr Modi, whose government aims to
silence any separatist voices or those advocating conciliation or a negotiated
settlement in Kashmir”.
“Kashmiri
newspapers are heavily reliant on government advertising and media subsidies,
and the government uses that leverage to ensure that those newspapers tell the
officially approved version of the truth. Today, few Kashmir news outlets dare
to question official policy, and many have become blatant government
mouthpieces just to stay in business,” Bhasin’s article says. “An information
vacuum hangs over Kashmir, with the public under-informed — or misinformed —
about what’s going on in the region. Important news is suppressed, downplayed
or twisted to suit government ends.” Qazi Irshad, a photojournalist with the
Kashmir Times, said that while the newspaper’s Srinagar office was shut, its
Jammu office operated with skeletal staff. “Some two dozen staff lost their
jobs when the print edition was closed here (in Srinagar),” he told The
Telegraph.
“The
tragedy is that when the government recently opened the (locks of the) Srinagar
office, I happened to be around and accompanied them. I found all the things —
old files, equipment including a generator worth lakhs — missing from one of
the two buildings. I spoke to the editor who asked me to file a complaint with
the police, which I did.
Source:
Telegraph India
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South Asia
Bangladesh:
189 Houses, 50 Shops Of Ahmadi Muslims Looted And Set On Fire, Says Bitter
Winter Report
9
March, 2023
Dhaka
[Bangladesh], March 9 (ANI): In another attack on minorities, 189 houses and 50
shops of Ahmadi Muslims were either looted or set on fire in northern
Bangladesh, in the city of Ahmednagar in Panchagarh district, the Bitter Winter
reported.
In
a previous incident in a grim sequence of events, Jahid Hasan, a young man
around 25 years of age, was clobbered to death on March 3. An Ahmadi Muslim,
Hasan was murdered on the day of the inauguration of the 98th annual convention
of Bangladeshi Ahmadi Muslims in the city of Ahmednagar in Panchagarh district,
the Bitter Winter reported.
Jahid
Ahmadi was trying to protect the convention grounds from the aggression of a
large group of thugs, and his assassination followed attacks over three nights,
the report said, adding that four other Ahmadis were also hospitalised in
critical condition while more than 100 suffered injuries.
The
Ahmadiya Mosque of Darul Wahid Mohalla neighbourhood and the Ahmadiya Medical
Clinic and Laboratory was set ablaze, the report stated further, adding that
189 houses and 50 shops belonging to Ahmadi Muslims were looted or set on fire.
Alarmingly, all these incidents took place in broad daylight and under the eyes
of the police, the Bitter Winter reported.
The
detailed news of this extended violence and killing was broadcast by the
International Human Rights Committee (IHRC), a non-profit and non-governmental
organisation focusing on freedom of religion or belief based in London.
The
IHRC confirmed that the mob, which stormed the Ahmadi convention, was incited
by the preaching of extremist Sunni Muslim clerics, who consider the Ahmadis
heretics.
IHRC
was also alerted to rumours of imminent attacks against the Ahmadiya Centers of
Nasirabad, Kafuria, Islam Ganj and Borchor in Bangladesh on 10, 2023, the
report stated.
This
was an unacceptable episode of persecution against believers, motivated by
intolerance and hatred, which no religious doctrine can allow and no
theological dispute should justify, the Bitter Winter reported.
Some
schools of Islamic thought consider Ahmadis as non-Muslims.
Further,
according to the report, the situation of the Ahmadis in Pakistan turned
unbearable in the first half of the 1980s, compelling many to leave or suffer
harsh discrimination and open persecution.
The
government of Pakistan discriminates against the Ahmadiya Muslims in several
forms, with gangs of violent people encouraged to attack them in the streets
openly, beat them, and even kill them, often in front of police officers who do
not intervene, the Bitter Winter reported.
Unlike
Pakistan, Bangladesh has no state law discriminating against Ahmadiyas or
declaring them non-Muslims. But there are fanatics who replicate the situation
of Pakistan, whose Islamic fundamentalists are a source of inspiration for their
Bangladeshi counterparts, the report said.
Pakistan,
which is home to a Sunni majority, was born out of the Partition of India in
1947. The erstwhile East Bengal or East Pakistan also suffered the same fate.
Source: The Print
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Afghan
Caretaker Government Calls on UN to Give Afghan Seat to Islamic Emirate
By
Mohammad Farshad Daryosh
The
Afghan caretaker government called on the UN to give the seat of Afghanistan to
its designated ambassador.
It
has been more than 19 months since the Islamic Emirate came to power but the
seat for Afghanistan in the UN has been held by the former deputy ambassador to
the UN who is currently the chargé d'affaires of the Afghanistan Permanent
Mission to the UN.
The
Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, Zabiulllah Mujahid, said that chargé d'affaires of
the Afghanistan Permanent Mission to the UN, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, cannot
represent the Islamic Emirate and that the seat should be given to the
caretaker government.
“Regarding
the Afghan seat in the UN, it is our right to be represented in the UN. Also,
Afghanistan’s assets which are frozen by the US also belong to Afghans. It (US)
in exchange for ending its war and invasion is now using hateful policies,” he
said.
The
Islamic Emirate in September 2021 appointed Suhail Shaheen, who is currently
heading up the political office in Qatar, as Afghanistan’s ambassador to the
UN.
“The
Afghanistan seat in the UN should be handed over to the Taliban because the Taliban
are ruling in the territory. The UN had a clear message for the Taliban, that
if they reopened the doors of the schools for the girls, they would give the
seat to the Taliban,” said Aziz Maarij, a former diplomat.
But
the question is why this seat has not yet been handed over to the Islamic
Emirate.
“In
the UN ... there are official conditions for recognition of Afghanistan. The
rights of women, including their work and education, are a vital part of it and
should be implemented in Afghanistan so that the UN can recognize Afghanistan,”
said Toreq Farhadi, a political analyst.
Source:
Tolo News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-182431
--------
181
Afghan Inmates Handed Over To Islamic Emirate by Iranian Officials
10
March 2023
Iranian
officials handed over at least 181 Afghan inmates to the Islamic Emirate at the
Islam Qala Port, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
The
Afghan caretaker government reached an agreement with Iran to hand over the
Afghan inmates in Iran’ prisons.
The
deputy spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, said that
including these prisoners the total number of inmates transferred from Iranian
prisons to the Islamic Emirate in the last week is around 900.
An
agreement was made about transferring Afghan inmates who were in prisons in
Iran. This is a good step but it needs to continue,” said Asifa, a refugees' rights
activist.
Takal
said that following negotiations with Iran, it was decided that the Iranian
government would hand over a large number of Afghan prisoners to the Afghan
government.
“Either
a refugee or a migrant who is committing a crime, the host country has the
right to arrest him/her based on international laws with access to a lawyer,”
said Shakir Hayat, a political analyst.
The
prison sentences of each inmate will be considered by courts in Afghanistan.
“The
return of the criminal is allowed in the international judicial system.
International countries can exchange the criminals or perpetrators based on an
agreement," said Abdulhbib Wafa, legal analyst.
“Addressing
the case of the citizens abroad is good, but there should be a guarantee that
these inmates should not face treatment based on tribal and ethnic diversity
and they should be treated without any political hatred," said Nisar Ahmad
Shirzai, military veteran.
Source:
Tolo News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-182437
--------
Explosion
Rocks Kabul City, Two People Injured
By
Fidel Rahmati
March
10, 2023
The
Kabul police’s spokesman, Khalid Zadran, acknowledged an explosion in the
city’s fifth district of Kabul on Friday evening.
The
blast occurred at the intersection of Spin Kelly in the Khushal Khan Mina area,
fifth district of Kabul, where two people were injured.
The
police forces have gone to the place for investigation, Zadran said.
During
the last week, security has deteriorated, and Islamic State Khorasan has
intensified its attacks in the country.
Meanwhile,
a suicide bombing on Thursday claimed the lives of the Taliban governor of
Balkh in the northern province of Afghanistan and two others.
The
report also said that another explosion occurred in provincial district five in
Kabul city earlier Tuesday, having no casualties.
In
addition, three people were killed, and three others were wounded in the Herat
Western province of Afghanistan, including the General Director of water supply
and water pipes regulation.
The
Islamic State claimed responsibility for killing the Balkh governor and the
General Director of Herat’s water supply in separate statements on Thursday.
The
IS-Khorasan is the main challenge for Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government,
killing Taliban members, foreign nationals, and people.
Despite
the Islamic Emirate rulers’ repeated claims that the Afghan conflict is
concluded, the de facto government still faces significant security challenges.
Since the Taliban took over in August 2021, the extremist Islamic State
Khorasan (IS-K) group has violently attacked the provincial capital Kabul and
other areas.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/explosion-rocks-kabul-city-two-people-injured/
--------
Afghan
diaspora in Vienna hold anti-Taliban protest
11
March, 2023
Vienna
[Austria], March 11 (ANI): Afghan diaspora members incljuding women assoiciated
with Afghan diaspora organizations AKIS (Afghanische Kultur, Integration und
Solidaritat) staged a protest in Vienna against actions of the Taliban on women
and children after regaining their control over Afghanistan.
On
Friday (local Time), many prominent Afghan women diaspora members including
Tamana Ayoubi, Fariba Sadig, Saleh Wasel, and Ali Baqeri protested at the
entrance of the UN building in Vienna.
The
AKIS was at the forefront of this protest.
Demonstrators
raised slogans against the Taliban and also the interference of Pakistan in
fghanistan Affairs.
They
also spoke about the inhumane way Pakistan treats Afghan Refugees, especially women
and children. Around 100 Afghan women participated in this demonstration. At
the end of the protest, they also submitted a memorandum to UN authorities,
urging all member states to act decisively on this issue.
The
Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, at least 20 years post they
were ejected by US troops. Women’s rights have been neglected, ever since,
under their harsh rule.
In
November, last year, the Taliban intrusively disrupted a women’s press
conference held in the Dasht-e-Barchi area and also arrested several women
journalists, reported Khaama Press.
Taliban
disrupted the event and took the women human rights protestors to an
undisclosed place.
Since
the Taliban took over Afghanistan in mid-August last year, it rolled back
women’s rights advances and media freedom revoking the efforts on gender
equality and freedom of speech in the country.
Taliban
banned women from attending university last December, nine months after the
Islamist group barred girls from returning to secondary schools amid a brutal
crackdown on women’s rights since it seized power in 2021.
Taliban
also announced a ban on female NGO workers – prompting multiple major foreign
aid groups to suspend their operations in the country.
Not
only in education, but Taliban had also rolled back women’s rights advances and
media freedom revoking the efforts on gender equality and freedom of speech in
the country.
Source:
The Print
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://theprint.in/world/afghan-diaspora-in-vienna-hold-anti-taliban-protest/1434915/
--------
Southeast Asia
Selangor
Sultan: Preaching Accreditation Necessary To Preserve Islam
10
Mar 2023
SHAH
ALAM, March 10 — The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has
stressed that the need for Islamic preachers to obtain accreditation is not to
prevent or make it difficult for them to teach, rather it is a preventive
measure to fulfil the maqasid syariah (objectives of syariah) in relation to
preserving Islam.
He
said accreditation can only be granted to those who have extensive knowledge of
Islam to allow them to teach or hold religious talks in mosques or surau
throughout the state.
“To
ensure that the religion of Islam continues to be protected from any element of
wrong teachings, slander and ill will that can adversely affect the religion,
society and the country, an accreditation is required,” he said through a
Facebook post on the Selangor Royal Office page today.
Sultan
Sharafuddin also called on Muslims in Selangor to understand and appreciate the
message in the Friday prayer’s sermon entitled ‘Teaching Accreditation, a
Necessity’ read in mosques across the state today.
The
sermon urged preachers accredited by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council to
always comply with the laws and instructions from religious authorities, among
other things.
Stressing
the importance of the message, the Selangor Ruler also said Islamic preachers
should also use their teaching credentials in the right situation, not for
personal gain and benefit.
“Do
not insert jokes that are extreme as the public will only remember the jokes
instead of the knowledge presented, which will eventually cause them to be more
attracted to the speakers because of their jokes, not the knowledge,” he added.
He
also cautioned the preachers against touching on party politics and causing
enmity among Muslims, or between races or groups of people in this country or
talking about matters that can incite hatred or contempt towards any religion
and the government.
“The
Selangor Islamic Religious Department often receives complaints that some
mosques or surau are still inviting unaccredited preachers,” he said, adding
that some unaccredited preachers continue to hold religious talks in mosques
and surau despite knowing that they need to be accredited before they can
preach.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Indonesia
has surplus food ahead of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr: Ministry
Jakarta
(ANTARA) - The Trade Ministry has estimated a rice surplus of around 9 million
tons, cooking oil surplus of around 352 thousand tons, and beef surplus of around
58 thousand tons for the January–April period this year.
With
these figures, the ministry is sure of sufficient food supply ahead of the
Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr periods.
"Based
on the Food Balance of the National Food Agency, our food supply is sufficient
to meet the needs of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr," the ministry's acting
director general for domestic trade Kasan said in Jakarta on Friday.
He
informed that the government has continued to maintain the food supply and food
price stability for the community at affordable prices, especially ahead of the
2023 Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
In
addition, he said that the ministry has adopted several strategies to reduce
the price and maintain food commodity supply ahead of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr
by streamlining the food supply chain to support equitable sustainable
development.
Its
strategies have included increasing and expanding the inter-island trade
distribution network, utilizing maritime outlets, and increasing the range and
quality of basic commodity data in the ministry's staples market monitoring
system (SP2KP), which is reported real-time, with help from regional
stakeholders, he addressed.
The
ministry is also providing trade education through the electronic system and
digitalization of markets and micro, small, and medium trading businesses
(UDMKM), Kasan added.
"In
addition, ahead of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, the ministry held a joint meeting
with the Provincial and District/City Trade Services throughout Indonesia,
which includes the discussion regarding supply chain preparations for staple
goods," he said.
Kasan
informed that at the end of February, the ministry imported sugar, meat, rice,
garlic, soybeans, and one-day-old broiler chicken (DOC broiler) for chicken
meat to meet basic needs for Ramadan, which is predicted to fall on March 23
and Eid al-Fitr on April 21.
The
State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry, through its food holding or ID FOOD,
also imported 237,575 tons of sugar and 100 thousand tons of beef.
Source:
Antara News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Jakarta
supervising food distribution to markets ahead of Ramadan
Jakarta
(ANTARA) - The Jakarta Food Security, Marine, and Agriculture Office supervises
food distribution to several markets in the capital city to ensure available
supplies ahead of the Ramadan fasting month.
"We
are monitoring distribution to the markets," head of the office Suharini
Eliawati remarked here on Friday.
Eliawati
noted that the Jakarta Provincial Government has the Food Security Task Force
comprising related agencies, including the police, that had been tasked with
ensuring smooth supply and distribution of food.
According
to the office head, Jakarta's food supply areas, such as West Java and Central
Java, are currently entering the harvest period.
Hence,
she said, the supply of some food commodities, such as rice, chili, and
shallots, is normal, as they are backed by the harvesting period ahead of
Ramadan.
"The
supply condition is normal in March 2023 because it is currently the harvest
period," Eliawati explained.
She
noted that the peak of the rainy season during the January-February 2023 period
had disrupted several horticultural commodities, such as chili and shallots.
However,
as the rainy season is coming to an end and several supplying regions are
entering the harvest season, food supply is projected to be smooth, especially
during the high demand ahead of Ramadan.
"Currently,
the food supply in Jakarta is relatively safe. There had been a slight decrease
in horticultural food supplies due to the high rainfall in supplying
areas," Eliawati remarked.
Hence,
with smooth supply and distribution, food prices can be controlled ahead of
Ramadan despite her predicted slight increase in the prices of eggs that are in
high demand.
"As
it is happening, the current price increase is not significant, but the
increase reached 0.96 percent to 10 percent last year," she pointed out.
Meanwhile,
the provincial government, in collaboration with the Agriculture Ministry, has
supplied 17 tons of chili and 175 tons of shallots to the Kramatjati Market in
an effort to balance supplies.
Source:
Antara News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Malaysia’s
former PM Muhyiddin Yassin arrested on multiple graft charges
March
09, 2023
KUALA
LUMPUR: Malaysia on Thursday arrested former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin
and will charge him with graft, the country’s anti-corruption agency said.
The
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said in a statement Muhyiddin was
arrested after he was questioned over an economic recovery project launched by
his government.
Muhyiddin,
who was prime minister for 17 months between 2020 and 2021, will be charged
under laws related to abuse of power and money laundering.
The
ex-premier and his party have faced graft investigations since losing to Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim in a tightly contested election in November.
Anwar
last year ordered a review of government projects worth billions of dollars
approved by Muhyiddin, including COVID-19 relief programs, alleging they did
not follow proper procedures.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2265381/world
--------
Pakistan
Pakistan
FM Warns the Global Community against Underrating Anger Caused By Islamophobia
Like the Burning Of Holy Books
Anwar
Iqbal
March
11, 2023
UNITED
NATIONS: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari urged the global community on
Friday not to underestimate the resentment and sense of injustice Muslims felt
when faced with deliberate acts of Islamophobia, like the burning of holy
books.
The
foreign minister was speaking at a special high-level event at the UN
headquarters in New York to highlight the International Day to Combat
Islamophobia, which will be observed on March 15.
In
a message condemning Islamophobia, UN Secretary General António Guterres urged
all nations to “keep working together to advance the shared values of
inclusion, tolerance and mutual understanding”. He warned that the “growing
hate that Muslims face is not an isolated development but the resurgence of
Ethno-nationalism”.
In
2020, former prime minister Imran Khan initiated the move that led to the
recognition of March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. The
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) backed the move.
Seeks
appointment of UN special envoy to combat Islamophobia; Guterres asks all
states to advance shared values of inclusion, tolerance
March
15 was chosen as the anti-Islamophobia Day because it was on this day in 2019
that a gunman attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 51
people. The day will be observed in 140 countries.
OIC
Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha said in his message that March 15 was a
reminder for all that “hatred could manifest into disastrous violence, when
it’s committed on the ground of faith or religion”.
Addressing
the event, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief Nazila Ghanea
underlined the need to collectively combat the forces of hate, saying: “An
attack on one is an attack on us all.”
The
Pakistani foreign minister, who chaired the proceedings with UN General Assembly’s
President Csaba Korosi, pointed out how Islamophobia prevailed today, how
Muslims were unjustly targeted because of their religion, and how the issue
remained underreported.
“The
dangers of Islamophobia often gain international attention when a heinous act
of violence and terrorism strikes innocent Muslims while the daily, silent drip
of discrimination, hatred, and hostility against Muslims remains largely
ignored and underreported,” he regretted.
Mr
Bhutto-Zardari offered a practical action plan which includes “the appointment
of a UN Special Envoy to combat Islamophobia, the adoption of international
measures for the protection of Holy Sites and the adoption of laws to outlaw
hate speech”.
He
also suggested providing legal assistance and appropriate compensation to the
victims of Islamophobia and the establishment of national and international
judicial mechanisms and laws to punish those responsible for such acts.
Mr
Korosi said freedom of religion has been guaranteed by the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and that “this is an international law
that must not be breached”. The UNGA president urged member states to uphold
this fundamental freedom.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1741537/bilawal-warns-against-underrating-anger-caused-by-islamophobia
--------
Pakistani
Forces Kill Five TTP Militants In Waziristan
By
Fidel Rahmati
March
10, 2023
At
least five Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants have been killed in a special
operation in North and South Waziristan district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
of Pakistan, the military announced in a statement on Friday.
“Weapons,
ammunition and a large quantity of equipment were also recovered from the
killed terrorists,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
In
a separate statement on Friday, Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said
12 alleged militants were arrested linked to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) and al-Qaeda.
The
statement said that the militants were arrested due to three separate special
operations from three cities of the province, including Lahore.
Meanwhile,
the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the army was determined to
eliminate the threat of terrorism from the country.
The
statement also said that during the last three months, security forces had
killed more than 150 terrorists in several special operations.
Security
forces conducted 6,921 operations nationwide in the last three months,
arresting at least 1,007 terrorists.
Only
in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, around 1,960 operations have been conducted, of which 1,516
were area-domination operations, 301 were based on intelligence, and 143 were
area-sanitization operations.
The
statement read that only in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were 89 militants killed, and
540 were detained due to security forces’ operations.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/pakistani-forces-kill-five-ttp-militants-in-waziristan/
--------
Pakistan
praises Saudi Arabia and Iran for resuming diplomatic relations
March
11, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan welcomed the normalization of diplomatic relations between Saudi
Arabia and Iran on Friday, calling it an “important diplomatic breakthrough”
and applauding China’s role in helping the two sides reach an agreement.
The
two Middle Eastern countries decided to restore ties and reopen diplomatic
missions while reaching an agreement brokered by the Chinese authorities.
The
development was announced in a trilateral statement which mentioned the
reopening of embassies within two months along with renewal of bilateral
cooperation in other fields.
“Pakistan
firmly believes that this important diplomatic breakthrough will contribute to
peace and stability in the region and beyond,” said the foreign office in a
statement. “We commend the role played by China’s visionary leadership in
coordinating this historic agreement which reflects the power of constructive
engagement and meaningful dialogue.”
The
foreign office praised the “sagacious leadership” of Saudi Arabia and Iran in
the wake of the development.
“With
a history of consistently supporting and coordinating efforts for bridging gaps
between the two brotherly countries, Pakistan will continue to play a
constructive role in the Middle East and the region,” it added. “We hope this
positive step would define a template for regional cooperation and harmony.”
It
may be recalled that the kingdom decided to downgrade its diplomatic relations
with Iran after protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic facilities in 2016.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2266426/world
--------
Saudi-Pakistani
telehealth platform to train 1,500 Afghan doctors
KHURSHID
AHMED
March
10, 2023
KARACHI:
A Saudi-Pakistani online education platform will start training more than 1,500
Afghan doctors, its CEO told Arab News, as the program received financing from
the Islamic Development Bank.
The
EduCast platform, based in Karachi, is a joint venture run by Pakistani expats
in Saudi Arabia and professionals in Pakistan. It was established in 2016 and
has since been providing services in Yemen, Pakistan and to Hajj pilgrims in
Saudi Arabia.
For
the platform’s eDoctors program, the IsDB has recently approved $180,000 under
its technical assistance grant for setting up innovative online health
education centers in Afghanistan, where the health system — understaffed,
poorly equipped, and underfunded for years — is on the brink of collapse.
“EduCast
has been awarded grant assistance from the IsDB to carry out the Afghanistan
Medical Education uplift program and provide online specialist opinion services
to Afghan doctors in six Afghan provinces,” Abdullah Butt, founder and CEO of
EduCast, told Arab News on Thursday.
EduCast
is already present in Afghanistan, where since last year it has been operating
a teleconsultation with doctors at the Shefajo Hospital for women and children
in Kabul.
The
new program aims to train and certify 1,500 Afghan doctors through
doctor-to-doctor online consultation and virtual seminars and provide in-person
training at health institutions in neighboring Pakistan.
“Starting
from the current month, we will set up telehealth education and clinical
support facilities in six regional hospitals in Kabul, Jalalabad, Kandahar,
Herat, Mazar-e Sharif and Khost,” Butt said.
“The
online training program will be followed by in-person training for one or two
months in Pakistan’s hospitals in Peshawar, Karachi and Islamabad in key
health-related areas of high demand, including maternal and neonatal child
health, and infectious and non-communicable diseases.”
Doctors
practicing in Afghanistan have been lacking continuous medical education
training in their relevant fields for years, and the situation further worsened
when most of the international aid organizations withdrew from the country
after the Taliban took control in 2021.
“Medical
universities in Afghanistan do not offer CME-related programs, so establishing
telemedicine and e-health as national platforms has been suggested to improve
overall health care service delivery,” Butt said.
“In
the IsDB-funded project, the provision of health care services in Afghanistan
was identified as a solution to the adverse impacts of economic and political
instability, after the withdrawal of international donor agencies from
Afghanistan.”
Since
its launching in 2019, about 1,200 doctors from all over the world joined the
eDoctors program.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2266331/world
--------
Police,
ulema vow to maintain peace in Bannu
March
11, 2023
LAKKI
MARWAT: The local police and ulema have agreed to launch integrated efforts to
maintain peace and promote harmony, tolerance and brotherhood in the society.
The
consensus was reached at a meeting held here on Friday with district police
officer Ziauddin Ahmed in the chair.
The
religious figures hailed the police for result-oriented actions against
criminals and anti-peace elements. They said strenuous efforts by police helped
maintain law and order and eradicate crimes.
On
the occasion, Mr Ahmed asked the ulema to promote sectarian harmony and use
their influence to purge the society of vices and crimes. “Religious figures
are placed in high esteem in the society, so they should raise awareness among
people about importance of peace,” he maintained.
Also,
the district police officer paid a visit to the University of Science and
Technology and a medical college to check security arrangements there.
He
went to different departments of the educational institutes and checked
deployment of cops.
He
also checked operational condition of weapons the policemen possessed and
directed the cops to be vigilant.
EXHIBITION:
The agriculture extension department arranged an exhibition of farm products at
the commissioner’s office in Bannu on Friday.
Divisional
commissioner Parweiz Sabatkhel inaugurated the exhibition.
Agriculture
experts briefed the commissioner and other government officials about the
locally-produced products, including rice, sesame, canola, sunflower and millet
seeds, and oil extracted from sesame, canola and sunflower; besides vegetables,
sugarcane, gur and banana.
On
the occasion, the farmers, who got high yield, received cash prizes from the
divisional commissioner.
Mr
Sabatkhel asked farmers to take advantage of incentives offered by the
government and use modern agricultural equipment to boost their per acre yield.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1741504/police-ulema-vow-to-maintain-peace-in-bannu
--------
China-Pakistan
joint AI cancer screening lab put into operation
March
10, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
China-Pakistan joint AI medical diagnosis lab in Islamabad has been put into
operation, China Economic Net (CEN) reported on Friday. The lab, located in the
Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital, will provide free cervical cancer screening to
10,000 Pakistani women in its first phase of operation.
“It
can also be used in the early diagnosis of other high incidence clinical
tumors, such as breast cancer, gastric cancer, oral cancer, etc.,” said the
project lead from Landing Med, a Chinese medical technology company that
provided three cervical cancer screening devices along with 5,000 sets of
supporting consumable items to Pakistan last December for the lab construction.
Different
from traditional clinical procedure where patients have to visit the hospital
several times for specimen collection, report analysis, and treatment, the
AI-powered lab streamlined the operation by processing the specimen, scanning
the slides and uploading them to the 5G cloud platform.
Once
data upload is complete, a medical team in China can make diagnosis remotely
and a report can be generated in about 5 minutes.
Up
to now, the service has been available to surrounding residents after trial
diagnosis for the hospital staff proved efficient and reliable.
Cervical
cancer has become the third most common cancer in Pakistan after head and neck
and breast cancers, and around 64 percent of Pakistani women who have this
cancer lose their lives as they only discover the disease when it becomes
almost incurable in the third or the fourth stage of cancer.
According
to a study by the World Health Organization, cervical cancer incidence in
Pakistan reached 4.7 per 100,000 women in 2020. However, from 2015 to 2019,
fewer than 1 in 10 Pakistani women were screened for cervical cancer.
Thus
AI-powered, efficient and effective screening services can greatly enhance
screening coverage.
China-Pakistan
AI Cervical Cancer Screening Program started in 2019 on the ninth meeting of
the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Joint Cooperation Committee.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Europe
UK's
largest Islamic bank: Soccer boosting Gulf property investments
Jack
Dutton
March
10, 2023
Gulf
investment in northern England real estate is rising, and Middle Eastern
ownership of British soccer clubs is helping to drive it, according to Andrew
Ball, chief executive officer of the Bank of London & the Middle East
(BLME).
The
London-headquartered BLME is the largest Islamic bank based in Europe, and the
lender focuses on savings, wealth management and real estate investments.
Around half of the bank's £750 million ($894 million) real estate portfolio in
the UK is within Greater London, with the remainder outside.
In
an interview with Al-Monitor, Ball said that five or six years ago London was
nearly the sole British investment location for the lender’s Middle Eastern
clients, but that has since changed as investors look for higher returns on property.
London
has long been considered a “safe haven” investment in real estate due to the
stability of the city’s property market, while regions in the north often
provide higher returns on investment.
“Because
of return profiles, and in general, the sophistication level of clients, we are
seeing a lot of real estate investment in the [northern] regions,” Ball
said.
“One,
because the clients see it as a better return, but secondly, where we get very
sophisticated clients, they are actually doing the development themselves, so
there's a lot of partnering with UK developers.”
The
bank has seen investment in property in Northern England almost double in two
years, from £67 million in March 2021 to £110 million today.
Ball
said that popular investment destinations over the last couple of years include
Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds.
Gulf
countries are greatly investing in British soccer clubs, and that is likely
helping drive property investment in northern English cities, Ball said. The
Saudi Public Investment Fund bought an 80% stake in Newcastle United in October
2021, while Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Abu Dhabi United Group took
over Manchester City in September 2008. Qatari and Saudi investors are
reportedly interested in purchasing Manchester United from the Glazer family.
“We're
seeing a lot of activity up in the northeast, probably in line with the [Saudi]
Public Investment Fund investment in Newcastle United, so that's a very active
market for us,” Ball added.
Ball
said that student accommodations as well as co-living and co-working spaces are
popular with investors from Gulf countries.
He
said much of the focus was on residential development, as it is seen as a safe
medium- to long-term investment given the uncertainties in the UK economy.
Over
the last six months, Britain has had three prime ministers, seen the value of
the pound tank (before recovering), and has been predicted by the International
Monetary Fund to be the only major world economy to fall into recession this
year. High-interest rates are also making some investments less attractive,
Ball said.
Despite
the recent political and economic turmoil in the UK, Ball said that there is
still “a lot of continued interest” in the country from Gulf investors and
believed that was set to continue.
The
weakness of the sterling against the dollar is helping to drive this, he said.
Ball added that it was also because of many students from Gulf countries were
studying at British universities and there being mature legal and financial
systems in the UK, which has more Sharia-compliant banks than any other Western
country.
“Where
clients would buy [property] quicker in the UK pre-COVID, [now] they're sort of
being a lot more selective in terms of what they're looking for — longevity and
long-term yields, but there’s certainly no shortage of appetite,” Ball
said.
Most
of the investment BLME is seeing from the region is from Saudi Arabia but also
Kuwait due to the bank being partially owned by Kuwait City-based Boubyan
Bank.
Ball
said there was lots of wealth creation in the kingdom. “What we see is perhaps
somebody might buy a buy-to-let property and an off-plan residential apartment
block with a good income and take that as the first step, and then build up
their portfolios here [in the UK].”
BLME
has also seen investment from Qatar, Bahrain and to a lesser extent the UAE due
to the strong representation of Emirati banks in London.
Last
July, BLME released research showing that the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions
had little effect on real estate investment from Gulf countries into the UK.
Source:
Al Monitor
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Killer
of Afghan refugee who had sought ‘a safer life’ in London jailed for 10 years
March
11, 2023
BEIRUT:
A 17-year-old was jailed on Friday for 10 years for stabbing to death an
18-year-old Afghan refugee who had come to the UK in search of “a safer life.”
Hazrat
Wali died in hospital shortly after an attack at Craneford Way Playing Fields
in Twickenham, London, on Oct. 12, 2021, that left him with a 10 cm-deep knife
wound, the BBC reported.
A
jury at the Old Bailey found the teenage attacker, who cannot be named for
legal reasons, not guilty of murder but convicted him of the lesser crime of
manslaughter. During his trial, he admitted carrying a weapon but said he had
not intended to cause serious harm to Wali, who was a student and an aspiring
cricketer.
Shortly
before the fatal attack, the defendant had appeared at Wimbledon magistrates’
court where he was sentenced to a youth rehabilitation order for carrying a
knife at a shopping center two months earlier.
Sentencing
him on Friday, Judge Sarah Plaschkes K.C. told the killer: “When you stabbed
Hazrat he was unarmed and outnumbered by you and your friends.”
She
added that he had made a “deliberate decision to carry a fearsome weapon” that
day, and added: “You told the jury that you took the knife to the magistrates’
court. You left it in some bushes outside and collected it once the hearing
concluded.”
The
court earlier heard that the defendant had attacked an employee at a McDonald’s
restaurant just an hour after stabbing Wali. In that case, he pleaded guilty to
affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2266461/world
--------
UK
police investigating after worshipper set on fire outside mosque
March
10, 2023
LONDON:
Police in the UK are looking for a man believed to have set another man on fire
outside a mosque in London.
The
82-year-old victim was doused in a flammable liquid before the suspect
allegedly used a lighter to ignite it, causing severe burns, outside the West
London Islamic Center on Feb. 27.
The
Metropolitan Police released a photograph of the suspect who, they said, had
engaged the victim in conversation for at least five minutes as they both left
the mosque before launching the attack.
“I
know this will be an incredibly shocking incident for the community, and we are
carrying out a full investigation into what happened,” said Detective Sergeant
Steven Constable.
“Understandably,
there is a great deal of local concern in the wake of this incident and local
officers have been carrying out reassurance patrols daily at the mosque.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2266251/world
--------
Denmark
ends arms sale ban against Saudi Arabia, UAE
Ebad
Ahmed
11.03.2023
Denmark
announced an end to an arms sales ban against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates in light of its new foreign policy doctrine of “pragmatic realism.”
Foreign
Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen in an interview with the Politiken news outlet
said Thursday that the bans imposed in 2018 and 2019 after the murder of Saudi
journalist Jamal Khashoggi and in the backdrop of the war in Yemen will be
reversed.
“You
can be a country that is problematic in our eyes, and still have some
legitimate security policy interests,” said Rasmussen. “And my line is that our
line must be located in the same place as the lines of other European
countries.”
The
foreign minister, however, reiterated that his ministry will carry out a
country analysis and security assessments on an annual basis to prevent Danish
weapons from being used against its population or in wars where “the countries
in question engage inappropriately.”
Media
reports suggest that Denmark has more than 200 companies in its defense sector.
"We
must find a balance that ensures that the Danish defense industry has the same
opportunities to participate in international competition, create jobs and
development as the others – and at the same time stand guard over some basic
principles," he said.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/denmark-ends-arms-sale-ban-against-saudi-arabia-uae/2842695
--------
UK
provides $6.31 million in assistance to Rohingya in Bangladesh
SM
Najmus Sakib
11.03.2023
The
UK announced a new £5.26 million ($6.31 million) funding package Friday for
persecuted Rohingya living in Bangladesh with a commitment to push for a
long-term solution to enable their return to Myanmar.
Visiting
Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, announced the new package,
according to a statement.
A
total of £4.26 million will be distributed through the World Food Program (WFP)
and £1 million will go through the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, for pressure
cookers to reduce the consumption of cooking gas in refugee camps in Cox’s
Bazar.
Bangladesh
is currently hosting more than 1.2 million Rohingya in 33 squalid refugee camps
in the southern border district of Cox's Bazar.
Trevelyan
will visit refugee camps in Cox Bazar to set out how the UK is providing new
humanitarian support through the WFP to supply food for 449,000 people living
in the camps this month, according to the statement.
She
will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister A. K. Abdul Momen
as well as hold talks with civil society organizations to strengthen
UK-Bangladesh ties and partnership on climate action.
Trevelyan
said that the UK is committed to supporting the Rohingya people who continue to
live in Cox’s Bazar.
“The
UK continues to push for a long-term solution that will enable the Rohingya to
return to Myanmar on a safe, voluntary and dignified basis,” she said.
British
High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Robert Chatterton Dickson, said: “This visit
reaffirms the UK’s firm commitment to Bangladesh as a fast growing Indo-Pacific
partner with strong people to people connections and our ambition to work even
more closely together in the future.”
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Swedish
minister says new bill to fill hole in anti-terrorism legislation
Selen
Temizer
10.03.2023
BRUSSELS
A
new bill will fill the gap in Swedish legislation on anti-terrorism, according
to the country's justice minister.
Speaking
to Anadolu, Gunnar Strommer said the new bill that was sent to parliament on
Thursday will strengthen the Swedish anti-terrorist legislation.
"The
meaning of the bill is that we will prohibit participation in terrorist
organizations. We have, for many years, strengthened the Swedish anti-terrorist
legislation. However, this was a hole that it was important for us to
fill," he noted.
Strommer
further noted that this bill now enables them to achieve the required
amendment.
The
new legislation will provide Sweden with a powerful new tool to prosecute those
who support terrorism, but also align Swedish laws with those of its neighbors,
he stressed.
Actions
like logistic support and transportation or serving food to support and
strengthen terrorist organizations will be considered a criminal offense,
Strommer added.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Trilateral
mechanism with Türkiye to continue even after Finland, Sweden’s NATO accession:
Finnish Foreign Ministry
Aysu
Bicer
10.03.2023
LONDON
The
trilateral mechanism meeting between Türkiye, Finland and Sweden will continue
even after the completion of the NATO accession process of Finland and Sweden,
the Finnish Foreign Ministry said.
On
Thursday, the third trilateral mechanism meeting between the three countries
was held in Belgium and the fourth meeting will be held in spring.
In
a statement, the Finnish Foreign Ministry said that during the meetings, the
focus was on the implementation of the agreement signed in Madrid in June 2022.
Last
June, Türkiye and the two Nordic countries signed a memorandum at the NATO
summit in Madrid to address Ankara's legitimate security concerns, paving the
way for their eventual membership in the alliance.
The
memorandum addresses Türkiye's concerns, including arms exports and the fight
against terrorism.
Following
Thursday’s meeting, the Turkish presidential spokesman said that Finland and
Sweden should take steps to address Ankara's security concerns.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Mideast
Senior
Cleric: Poisoning Students Enemies' Plot to Undermine Iran's Security
2023-March-11
Addressing
a congregation of people at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla
(congregational prayers site), Ayatolallah Khatami said,
Speaking
at the sermons of Friday prayers held at Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla (Mosque)
in Tehran, Ayatollah Khatami said that the enemies sought to undermine the
security by resorting to poisoning schoolgirls.
Pointing
out that the leaders of the recent riots in Iran had 3 plans, the senior cleric
said that deceiving young Iranians and taking them to the streets was the
enemies' first plan.
"The
second plan of the enemy was an armed conflict which didn't happen and
failed," Ayatollah Khatami added.
He
considered the enemies' third plan to be constantly annoy the great nation of
Iran and added that consecutive poisonings are examples of this harassment.
He
considered the enemy's other goal of creating serial poisonings to stop the
scientific and educational progress of Iran's children and said that accusing
the Islamic Establishment and religious people was one of the other goals of
the enemies in that regard.
Elsewhere
in his remarks, Khatami referred to the remarks of the Supreme Leader of the
Islamic Revolution regarding the issue of the schoolgirls poisonings and said
that as Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei stressed, those who commit such crimes
should receive capital punishment.
In
a relevant development on Wednesday, the Iranian Intelligence Ministry assured
the Iranian people that it will investigate carefully the recent health
problems of female students, and disclosed that the root causes of some
incidents have been unearthed.
The
ministry of intelligence issued a statement on Wednesday night, assuring the
Iranian nation that it will make all-out efforts to complete the ongoing probe
into recent health problems of schoolgirls.
The
statement emphasized that the intelligence ministry will provide the Iranian
people with the results of investigations on different issues.
"On
the health problems of some schoolgirls at some schools throughout Iran in
recent weeks, the officers of the ministry kicked off investigating on the
issue from the beginning in Qom city and the investigations have been used by
other related entities," the statement read.
"However,
the root causes of certain previous incidents were discovered, but the results
cannot be generalized to all other cases; so, an interval is needed to reach
precise results," it added.
Following
the strong decree by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed
Ali Khamenei on the follow-up of the school incidents, as well as President
Ebrahim Rayeesi’s presence in the intelligence ministry, the country's forces
assure that they will use all equipment and technical capabilities in order to
finalize the probe into the incidents, according to the statement.
The
intelligence agents have been facing several challenges and complicated cases
so far, and they made all-out efforts and sacrifices to stand against insecurity,it
said.
The
Iranian Intelligence Ministry also urged the Iranian people, especially parents
of the students not to pay attention to foreign media hype and propaganda,
which try to disturb tranquility of the Iranian society, it added.
The
Iranian Interior Minister has reported that the country's security agents have
detained several individuals in connection with the mysterious poisonings of
female students.
Hundreds
of cases of respiratory distress have been reported in the past months among
Iranian schoolgirls in several cities, with some needing hospital treatment. In
most cases, students suffered respiratory problems, nausea, fatigue and
dizziness.
Mohammad
Hassan Asafari, a member of the parliamentary fact-finding committee, has
confirmed that around 230 schools in 25 out of Iran’s 31 provinces have been
affected, and that more than 5,000 schoolgirls and boys have been poisoned.
On
Monday, Ayatollah Khamenei called on Iranian officials to seriously investigate
the case, and urged authorities to hand the perpetrators behind the heinous
crime the severest punishment possible.
The
Leader described the poison attacks affecting hundreds of girls at schools
across several cities in Iran as "a major and unforgivable crime".
"If
it is proved that the students were poisoned, the perpetrators of this crime
should be severely punished," he underlined.
The
Supreme Leader underscored that “no amnesty” will be offered to such people.
Denouncing
the mysterious poisoning cases across Iran as a "crime and an inhumane
act" committed by the enemies, President Rayeesi has also called for
accurate and timely information on the incidents.
Iran's
president warned on Sunday that the act is “another link in the chain of the
enemy’s plots” which has been carried out to create chaos in the country,
manipulate public opinion, and instill fear among the students.
The
chief executive said the enemy, as part of a psychological war, is “seeking to
create stress and anxiety among students and parents so that chaos is formed”.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Israel
opposition sees Saudi-Iran deal as Netanyahu failure
10
March ,2023
Restoration
of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran represents a failure of
foreign policy by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his opponents
charged on Friday.
They
said he has neglected the country’s external relations to focus on domestic
judicial reform, a project which has split the country and brought tens of
thousands of protesters into the streets against what they see as a threat to
democracy.
It
is “a total and dangerous foreign policy failure of the Israeli government,”
opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Twitter, echoing the sentiments of other
key opponents.
Three
years ago, however, foreign policy was Netanyahu’s triumph.
He
hailed “a new era” in relations between Israel and the Arab world – most of
which views Israel as a pariah – when his country and the United Arab Emirates
agreed to normalize ties.
Under
the US-brokered Abraham Accords, a similar deal was reached with Bahrain, and
later Morocco.
Since
the start of that process Netanyahu never hid his ultimate aim: to bring the
world’s major Sunni Muslim power, Saudi Arabia, into the accords as part of a
regional alliance against Israel’s enemy Iran.
That
has not happened.
Instead,
Riyadh and its regional rival, Iran, on Friday said they had agreed to restore
ties and reopen diplomatic missions in a surprise, Chinese-brokered announcement.
Contacted
by AFP, Israel’s foreign ministry had no immediate comment.
But
several Israeli opposition figures viewed the Riyadh-Tehran rapprochement as a
failure for Netanyahu, the country’s longest-serving prime minister.
He
returned to power in December in a coalition with ultra-Orthodox Jewish and
extreme-right allies.
“It’s
a collapse of the regional defense wall that we began to build against Iran,”
Lapid continued.
“This
is what happens when you are occupied all day by an insane legal project instead
of handling Iran.”
Israel’s
entire political elite sees an existential threat in Iran’s controversial
nuclear program. Tehran denies seeking to acquire an atomic weapon.
Justice
Minister Yariv Levin, named to Netanyahu’s new cabinet in December, announced
measures which would give more weight to the government in the committee that
selects judges, and would deny the Supreme Court the right to strike down any
amendments to Israel’s quasi-constitution.
Netanyahu
staged his comeback to head the government 18 months after his ouster following
12 continuous years in office.
During
his record term as premier, Netanyahu was a strong opponent of easing pressure
on Iran.
Former
defense minister Benny Gantz accused Netanyahu and his cabinet of a “coup
d’etat” while “the enormous security challenges confronted by the State of
Israel increase.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Iran:
EU States Failed to Launch INSTEX Mechanism
2023-March-10
Reacting
to the decision of INSTEX shareholders to shut down the system, Kana'ani
recalled that after the unilateral and illegal withdrawal of the United States
from the JCPOA, the European governments had pledged to realize the
continuation of Iran's economic interests from the JCPOA's sanctions lifting
obligations by adopting the necessary solutions.
"One
of the mechanisms that the Europeans proposed to fulfill this commitment was
the establishment of INSTEX as a financial channel to facilitate trade between
Iran and Europe," he cited.
Saying
that although the Islamic Republic of Iran has never relied on this mechanism,
Kan'ani emphasized that Tehran did not hesitate to provide any necessary
cooperation for the operation of that channel.
"But
unfortunately, European governments, in addition to their inaction towards
their other obligations, also failed to effectively launch INSTEX and did not
take the necessary and essential measures to activate it in the form of
fulfilling Europe's obligations under the JCPOA," the senior Iranian
diplomat added.
Kana'ani
considered the main reason for the failure of INSTEX to be the lack of serious
will and the inability of European governments to fulfill their obligations
after the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA, as well as
their cooperation with the illegal sanctions of the United States.
"These
countries also did not inject any financial resources or long-term credit lines
into the channel during the whole time of INSTEX's operation," he further
said.
Kana'ani
went on to say that blaming Iran for the closure of INSTEX is a false attempt
to cover up the absolute failure of Europe to have the slightest ability to be
financially independent of the US.
INSTEX
is a system that European countries launched in 2019 to protect trade with Iran
against US sanctions. High-ranking European officials have repeatedly admitted
that since private companies cannot be forced to do business with a country,
INSTEX is only a symbolic measure.
European
countries announced on Thursday that they have shut down the INSTEX system.
The
foreign ministers of France and Germany claimed that the 10 shareholders of
Instex (Belgium, Germany, Finland, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Norway,
Spain, Sweden, and England) came to the conclusion that after Iran's refusal to
work with this system, there is no reason to continue its operation.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14011219000347/Iran-EU-Saes-Failed-Lanch-INSTEX-Mechanism
--------
Iran
Blasts West's Double Standards in Syrian Crisis
2023-March-10
Hossein
Amir Abdollahian made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Syrian
counterpart Faisal Mekdad in Damascus on Thursday night.
Stating
that Iran and Syria are friends at difficult times, Amir Abdollahian reiterated
that Tehran welcomes the recent developments in Syria's relations with the
countries of the region.
"We
are happy that the countries of the region have adopted a realistic behavior
towards Syria and the reality of Syria's important regional role and important
position," he added.
The
Iranian foreign minister went on to say that bilateral and multilateral
regional dialogues are the key to the region's progress and development.
"The
Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes any initiative, dialogue, normalization, and
development of regional relations. In this framework, we welcome the
quadrilateral meeting of Iran, Syria, Turkey, and Russia with the aim of
achieving greater cooperation and getting the region out of crisis and
misunderstandings," he added.
Tehran
will continue its humanitarian and relief efforts to help the Syrian earthquake
victims, he added.
The
Syrian foreign minister, for his part, appreciated Iran's timely humanitarian
aid to the quake-hit Syrian territories.
Elsewhere
in his remarks, Mekdad also condemned the Zionist Israeli regime's occupation
of Syrian territories in Golan Heights.
"We
are optimistic about the current developments and we are trying to normalize
the situation in the region and outside the region, as well as to have enough
time to resist the policies that Israel has taken in the Golan region, Mekdad
said.
He
also said, "The hardliner government in Israel is trying to dominate the
entire region and occupy more lands."
Referring
to Tehran-Damascus ties, the Syrian foreign minister said that coordination
between the two countries continues at the highest level.
The
Syrian Foreign Minister also stated in response to a question that "The
main priority is leaving Syrian lands by foreign and illegitimate forces, both
in the northwestern and northeastern regions of Syria, and this is a priority
for us and our friends. After that, the war against terrorism is one of our
priorities, and as far as different countries rush to our aid, we will able to
free the world from the suffering that terrorism can cause."
Regarding
relation between Tehran and Damascus, Mekdad said that "the relations
between Iran and Syria are not limited to these two frameworks, but are much
broader than that. Since the beginning of the Islamic revolution, we had a lot
of cooperation in economic fields and political coordination, developments that
are important for both countries, both regional and international
developments."
Stating
that the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran is very important both in the
region and the world, Mekdad said that Iran seeks security and stability in the
region, and Syria also supports the establishment of stability and security in
the region.
"This
cannot be achieved when the occupation continues and we see the presence of
foreigners in the region," he added.
Citing
that Iran's role in the Astana Process and also in all stages of developments
in Syria has been a positive role, the top Syrian diplomat called for the
withdrawal of foreign forces from Syria.
"The
role played by Iran in the Astana process as well as in all stages of
developments in Syria has been a positive role. The role played by Iran has
always been positive and shows the country's true belief in international laws
and ending the problems in the region. From the very beginning, we welcomed
Iran's joining the four-way talks between Syria, Russia, Turkey and Iran,"
the top Syrian diplomat further underscored.
In
a relevant development on Thursday, Amir Abdollahian traveled to the Syrian
province of Lattakia which was jolted by a devastating earthquake last month,
where he underlined Tehran's determination to continue assistance to the
Damascus government to overcome the crisis.
Amir
Abdollahian was welcomed by the Lattakia governor upon his arrival on Thursday
and visited quake-stricken areas in the province.
The
top Iranian diplomat underscored that the Islamic Republic is a true friend of
the Syrian nation and government, adding that Tehran would continue its efforts
to provide help until the Syrian Government will overcome the crisis.
He
said that the Red Crescent of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic
Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have been providing aid to the Syrian people
since the earthquake hit the Arab country.
During
his two-day visit, the top diplomat also held talks with Syrian President
Bashar Al-Assad and Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad.
Before
heading to Syria, the foreign minister had traveled to Turkey and visited
quake-hit areas in the country.
A
7.8 magnitude tremor, one of the strongest to hit the region in more than 100
years, and series of aftershocks struck Southeastern Turkey and Northwestern
Syria in early February, killing at least 52,000 people, injuring tens of
thousands more and reducing hundreds of buildings to rubble.
The
UN has announced that at least five million people in Syria have been affected
by the quake and need shelter, food and medicine. The disaster has multiplied
the suffering of Syrians who have endured years of foreign-backed war and
Western sanctions that left millions dead, displaced and impoverished.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14011219000249/Iran-Blass-Wes's-Dble-Sandards-in-Syrian-Crisis
--------
Erdogan
officially calls Turkish elections for May 14
10
March ,2023
President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially set Turkey’s parliamentary and presidential
elections for May 14, a month ahead of schedule, signing the decision in a
ceremony shown live on television on Friday.
“Our
nation will go to the polls to elect its president and parliamentarians on May
14,” Erdogan said in a speech after signing the election decision.
Erdogan
set the clock ticking for the biggest test of his 20-year rule that will decide
not only who leads Turkey but how it is governed, where its economy is headed
and what role it may play to ease conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East.
On
Monday, Turkey’s six-party main opposition alliance named Kemal Kilicdaroglu,
leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), as its presidential candidate to
challenge Erdogan.
Polls
suggest that the presidential and parliamentary votes will be tight, with the
opposition bloc running slightly ahead of the governing alliance.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Settler
kills suspected Palestinian gunman in West Bank
10
March ,2023
An
Israeli settler killed an assailant in the occupied West Bank on Friday, the
Israeli military said, the latest bloodshed in a surge of violence in the
Palestinian territory.
The
incident occurred at Dorot Illit settlement in the north of the West Bank, the
army said in a statement.
“A
terrorist armed with knives and explosive devices arrived at the Dorot Illit
area” before the settler spotted the assailant, opened fire and “neutralized”
him, it said.
Contacted
by AFP, the military confirmed the assailant had been shot dead. The
Palestinian health ministry said the settler killed 21-year-old Abd al-Karim
al-Sheikh at Qalqilya, a Palestinian city near Dorot Illit.
It
came hours after a member of the armed wing of Hamas opened fire on a cafe in
Tel Aviv, wounding three people before being shot dead by police.
One
of the wounded remained in critical condition on Friday, said the hospital
where he is being treated.
Israeli
Defense Minister Yoav Galant said he had ordered the immediate destruction of
the assailant’s house in Nilin, near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Overnight,
the Israeli army, the Shin Bet internal security service and border police
deployed at the attacker’s home, the military said.
During
the operation, “two members of the terrorist’s family were apprehended... for
further questioning,” it said in a statement.
On
Thursday morning, three armed Palestinians including two extremist fighters
were killed in an Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank.
Extremists
and Hamas vowed to avenge the deaths.
Since
the start of the year, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has claimed the lives
of 77 Palestinian adults and children, including militants and civilians.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Africa
Islamic
State claims responsibility for east Congo village attack
MARCH
10, 2023
Islamic
State claimed responsibility for an attack that targeted the village of
Mukondi, around 30 km (20 miles) south of the city of Beni in North Kivu
province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the group's Amaq agency
reported on Friday.
Islamist
militants killed at least 35 people in an overnight attack on the village in
retaliation for a military crackdown on rebel activity, an army spokesperson
said on Thursday
Source:
J Post
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-733976
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Ramadan:
CBN told to release more new naira notes
March
10, 2023
By
Don Silas
The
Chief Imam of Nurul Yaqeen Jumma’at Mosque Life Camp, Abuja, Sheikh Yahya
Al-Yolawi, on Friday called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to release
more redesigned naira notes as the months of Ramadan is fast approaching.
Al-Yolawi
made the plea while delivering his Jumma’at sermon, titled, “The Significance
of Ramadan Fast: Health, Spiritual, Social and Psychological Benefits of
Ramadan Fast,” in Abuja.
He
noted that Muslims spend more money during Ramadan on charitable activities and
food items.
The
cleric said: “And that largely depends on the accessibility of cash in and out
flow of individuals and organisations and that is essential in the world of
business. Keeping that spirit even after Ramadan is very crucial to the growth
and development of your business.
“I
would like to use this medium to call on the Federal Government and the Central
Bank of Nigeria to release more cash to the country as Ramadan is fast
approaching.
“People
are in utmost need of money for Ramadan expenses and other activities. May
Allah make it easier for all of us, Ameen.”
This
year’s Ramadan is expected to commence on Wednesday, March 22 and end in the
evening of Friday, April 21.
Source:
Daily Post Nigeria
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://dailypost.ng/2023/03/10/ramadan-cbn-told-to-release-more-new-naira-notes/
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Tunisia’s
president to restore diplomatic ties with Syria
11
March ,2023
Tunisian
President Kais Saied has said he plans to restore diplomatic relations with
Syria, more than a decade after they were broken off in protest of Damascus's
repression of political opponents.
“Nothing
can justify the absence of a Tunisian ambassador in Damascus and an ambassador
from Syria in Tunis,” Saied said during a sit-down with Tunisian Foreign
Minister Nabil Ammar, according to a video released by the presidential office
Friday night.
He
went on to say that the “question of the regime in Syria concerns only the
Syrians,” rejecting any interference in the affairs and “choices” of others.
Saied
had mentioned his intention to “reinforce the diplomatic representation” of
Tunisia in Syria back in February.
Tunisia
expelled Syria’s ambassador in 2012 over the bloody repression of opponents of
President Bashar al-Assad at the outset of the country’s civil war.
The
diplomatic rupture, undertaken when former president Moncef Marzouki was still
in office, was strongly criticised by the opposition at the time.
In
2015, Tunisia took a step toward re-establishing relations when it designated a
consular representative to Assad’s regime to “follow” the situation of
Tunisians in Syria.
Thousands
took to the streets of Tunis in October to protest against a dramatic power
grab by Saied that was later enshrined in a new constitution.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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More
than 1,000 Africans rescued in one night: Tunisia coast guard
10
March ,2023
More
than 1,000 Africans trying to reach Europe have been rescued in a single night
off Tunisia, the coast guard said Friday, after a wave of violence against
Black migrants.
Last
month President Kais Saied ordered officials in the North African country to
take “urgent measures” to tackle irregular migration, claiming without evidence
that “a criminal plot” was underway to change Tunisia’s demographic makeup.
His
comments fueled attacks, evictions and other retaliation against migrants,
international rights groups said Thursday, after West African countries flew
home hundreds of their fearful nationals.
Tunisia’s
coast guard said in a statement that it had rescued 1,008 migrants overnight
Thursday-Friday off the coast, which lies about 130 kilometers (80 miles) from
the Italian island of Lampedusa at its closest point.
Most
of the rescued migrants were from sub-Saharan Africa but 54 Tunisians were also
rescued, the coast guard said.
Its
spokesman added that at least 25 crossing attempts to Italy had been disrupted
overnight.
Fourteen
Africans drowned in the Mediterranean when two migrant boats sank off Tunisia
this week, a spokesman for the court in charge of the investigation into the
deaths said on Thursday.
According
to figures from the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES),
drawn from official sources, around 21,000 undocumented migrants from other
parts of Africa live in Tunisia, a country of about 12 million inhabitants.
Saied
has seized almost total power since July 2021. Critics accuse him of seeking to
install a new dictatorship in the country grappling with inflation and
shortages of essential goods.
The
World Bank effectively suspended new lending to cash-strapped Tunisia after
Saied’s remarks.
On
Wednesday he denied racism. “I am African and I am proud to be African,” Saied
said in a video released by the presidency.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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