Global Terrorist Group ISIS Has 66 Known Indian-Origin Fighters: US Report On Terrorism
New Age Islam News Bureau
03 June 2022
Representative Image/ File
----
• Attacks on Religious Minorities in India Occurred
Throughout 2021, Alleges US State Department Report
• US Says Some Indian Officials Support Religious
Attacks
• Biden to Visit Former 'Pariah' Saudi Arabia This
Month: Reports
• Imran Khan Juxtaposes His Decision to Call off Long
March with Hudaybiyyah Agreement
India
• RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat: “There Is No Need to look
for a Shivling in Every Mosque”
• Ensure Headcount of Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and Muslims
with 3 Wives & 15-20 Children: Bihar Minister
• Notices to Centre, ASI over Idols of Hindu Deities
'Buried' In Agra Mosque
• Planning Underway To Remove Dangling Part Of Jama
Masjid Finial: Shahi Imam
• "No Muslim Man Should Marry 3 Woman", Says
Assam Chief Minister
• No backchannel talks with Pakistan, clarifies India
• Jammu and Kashmir: Terrorists fire at two labourers
in Budgam district, 1 dead
• ‘No Muslim man should marry 3 women’: Assam CM
Himanta Biswa
• 'Safe' postings of choice for non-Muslim teachers,
other education department staff in J&K
--------
North
America
• US highlights China, Russia, Myanmar violations in
religious freedom report
• US envoy to UN thanks Türkiye for role in
humanitarian aid to Syria
• Congressman says US foreign policy has ‘blind spot’
on Israel-Palestine conflict
• US will join Europe to back IAEA resolution against
Iran: State Department
• Biden welcomes truce extension in Yemen
• Afghans evacuated to Albania protest for faster move
to US
--------
Pakistan
• Shehbaz Sharif livid as Imran Khan says Pakistan
will split into three
• Pak: China Banks to Give $2.3 Billion Funding To
Boost Foreign Reserves
• Cabinet committee deliberates filing sedition
charges against Imran Khan
• Google launches suicide hotline for Pakistan
• Two Pakistanis held by FIA for alleged involvement
in human smuggling, secretly filming women in Turkey
--------
Europe
• Australia’s First Muslim Federal Ministers Anne Aly
and Ed Husic Hope Appointments Mark ‘New Era’ Of Inclusivity
• Over 1,000 anti-Muslim attacks reported in Austria
in 2021
• Muslim doctor on Queen's Birthday Honours list urges
UK govt to help poor families
• Though recognized as terror group, PKK openly maintains
dangerous foothold in Europe
• Anti-Extremism Prevent Strategy 'Failing To Engage
Muslim Communities'
• Russia urges Turkey to ‘refrain from actions’ which
could escalate tensions in Syria
--------
South
Asia
• Mullah Yaqoub Wants Cordial Bilateral Ties with India
• India reminds Pakistan of its 'shameful history' of
genocide in Bangladesh
• Security concerns leave Afghan evacuees stuck in
Balkan camp
--------
Southeast
Asia
• 'Shariah-Compliant Commission Needed for Muslim
Country like Malaysia'
• Malaysia ranks first again in global Muslim travel
index amid 'fragile' events
• Najib hits back at criticism of false claims on
income inequality
--------
Africa
• Tunisian Judges’ Association Calls President Saied’s
Move to Sack Judges a ‘Massacre’
• US Says Tunisia Undermining Democratic Institutions
after Purge of Judges
• UN's efforts to stabilize Libya discussed at
international environmental meeting
--------
Mideast
• Iran Calls Exodus of Black Staffers from Biden White
House 'Systematic Racial Discrimination'
• Ayatollah Khamenei Asks Pope to Continue Defending
Oppressed People in Yemen, Palestine
• Family Members Not in Contact with Jailed Iranian
Ex-Official for 28 Days
• Iran Offers SCO Members to Launch Single Currency
Mechanism to Resolve Trade Problems
• Israel prefers diplomacy on Iran but could act
alone, PM Bennett tells IAEA chief
• Israeli soldiers kill two Palestinians in West Bank,
Palestinian health ministry says
--------
Arab
World
• Militant Attack on Bus Kills Three, Wounds 21 in
Eastern Syria
• US envoy to UN says won’t allow Syria to be Russian
‘bargaining chip’ on Ukraine
• Ukrainian embassy says Russia ships ‘stolen’ wheat
to Syria
• US, Saudi Arabia welcome extending Yemen truce, urge
for permanent peace
• Lebanese spy chief says he will visit Syria over
missing US reporter
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/global-terrorist-isis-terrorism-indian-us/d/127164
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Global Terrorist Group ISIS Has 66 Known Indian-Origin
Fighters: US Report On Terrorism
Representative Image/ File
----
December 17, 2021
Washington: There were 66 known Indian-origin fighters
affiliated with the global terrorist group ISIS, the latest US State Department
report on terrorism has said as it commended India's counterterrorism forces,
including the NIA, for actively detecting and disrupting transnational and
regional terror forces.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in the 2020
Country Reports on Terrorism issued on Thursday, said that India collaborates
with the United States on implementing UNSCR 2309 and is enforcing compliance
with the dual-screen X-ray mandate for cargo screening at airport locations.
The UN Security Council Resolution 2309 calls
governments to meet their responsibility to keep citizens secure while
travelling by air.
The report said that there were 66 known Indian-origin
fighters affiliated with ISIS, as of November.
No Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) were repatriated
to India during 2020, it said.
Highlighting the US-India cooperation, the report said
that the United States continues to build its strategic partnership with the
Government of India, including through bilateral engagements such as the 17th
Counterterrorism Joint Working Group and Third Designations Dialogue in
September, as well as the third 2 2 Ministerial Dialogue in October.
It also commended the Indian counterterrorism forces,
including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), for actively detecting and
disrupting transnational and regional terror forces.
"Indian counterterrorism forces, at the federal
and state levels, actively detected and disrupted transnational and regional
terror forces.
"The National Investigation Agency examined 34
terrorism-related cases related to ISIS and arrested 160 persons, including 10
alleged al-Qaeda operatives from Kerala and West Bengal, in September,"
the report said.
Giving details of the terrorists' arrests made by the
NIA, the report said that the premier investigation agency arrested 10 alleged
al-Qaeda-affiliated operatives from Kerala and West Bengal on September 19 and
26.
“Through the end of September, the NIA had
investigated 34 terrorism cases it indicated were related to ISIS and arrested
160 persons,” it said.
The Kolkata Police counter-terrorism Special Task
Force on May 29 arrested Abdul Karim, the second-in-command of
Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, on suspicion of involvement in a 2013 bombing
in Bodh Gaya, it said.
“India responds to the US requests for information
related to terrorism investigations in a timely manner and makes efforts to
mitigate threats in response to US information.
“Over the past two years, collaborative efforts have
disrupted terrorist travel and alerted US authorities to possible threats in
the United States and against US interests,” the report said.
Officials in India remain concerned about internet use
for terrorist recruitment and radicalisation to violence, as well as for
fomenting interreligious tensions, it said.
“In 2020 there were multiple reports in the media and
from the NIA of suspected cases of online terrorist radicalisation,
particularly in southern Indian states,” the report said.
India is active in leadership roles in the many
regional and international fora in 2020, where it has promoted multilateral
counterterrorism cooperation, it said.
India has agreed to share intelligence on terrorism
with Sri Lanka and the Maldives. India's longstanding defence relationship with
Russia extends to counterterrorism issues, the US State Department report
added.
Source: ND TV
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Attacks on Religious Minorities in India Occurred
Throughout 2021, Alleges US State Department Report
Secretary of State Antony
Blinken
----
Jun 2, 2022
WASHINGTON: The US state department in its annual
report to the Congress on international religious freedom has alleged that in
India in 2021 attack on members of the minority communities, including
killings, assaults, and intimidation, occurred throughout the year.
Released by secretary of state Antony Blinken at the
Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department, the report gives its own
perspective to the status and violations of religious freedom across the globe
and have separate chapters on each of the countries.
India previously rejected the US religious freedom
report, saying it sees no locus standi for a foreign government to pronounce on
the state of its citizens' constitutionally protected rights.
The India section of the report avoids giving any
opinion on the status of religious minorities, but documents various aspects of
it as appeared in the Indian press and the Indian government reports. It also
liberally quotes the allegations of various non-profit organisations, and
minority institutions on attacks on them, but most of the time is quite silent
on the results of the investigations being undertaken by the officials,
responses of the government.
"Attacks on members of religious minority
communities, including killings, assaults, and intimidation, occurred
throughout the year. These included incidents of ‘cow vigilantism' against
non-Hindus based on allegations of cow slaughter or trade in beef," said
the India section of the report.
t does takes note of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's
statement that Hindus and Muslims in India had the same DNA and should not be
differentiated by religion.
"In July, Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of the RSS,
which is commonly considered to be the ideological parent to India's ruling
party BJP, publicly stated that Hindus and Muslims in India had the same DNA
and should not be differentiated by religion," the report said.
"There can never be any dominance of either
Hindus or Muslims (in the country); there can only be the dominance of
Indians," Bhagwat said, adding that members of the Muslim community should
not be afraid that Islam is in danger in India. He also said that killing
non-Hindus for cow slaughter was an act against Hinduism, the report said.
"Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on
September 12 publicly stated that earlier governments in Uttar Pradesh had
favoured Muslim constituents in benefits distribution," it said.
The report said that the police arrested non-Hindus
for making comments in the media or on social media that were considered
offensive to Hindus or Hinduism.
NGOs, including faith-based organisations, continued
to criticise 2020 amendments passed to the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act
(FCRA) as constraining civil society by reducing the amount of foreign funding
that NGOs, including religious organizations, could use for administrative
purposes and adding onerous oversight and certification requirements, it said.
The government continued to say the law strengthened
oversight and accountability of foreign NGO funding in the country.
According to the media reports, FCRA licenses of 5,789
NGOs, including hundreds of faith-based organisations, lapsed after the
government said the organisations did not apply for renewal in time. In
addition, during the year the government suspended FCRA licenses of 179 NGOs,
including some that were faith-based, the report said.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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US Says Some Indian Officials Support Religious
Attacks
Representative image. Credit: IANS Photo
----
02 June, 2022
The United States said Thursday that some Indian
officials have supported attacks against religious minorities, in a rare if
indirect criticism of the record of its emerging ally.
Unveiling an annual report on international religious
freedom, Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered bleak assessments of several
US adversaries including China, Iran and Myanmar.
But he said that elsewhere as well “the rights of
religious minorities are under threat in communities around the world.”
“In India, the world’s largest democracy and home to a
great diversity of faiths, we’ve seen rising attacks on people in places of
worship,” Blinken said.
Rashad Hussain, the US ambassador at large for international
religious freedom, added: “In India, some officials are ignoring or even
supporting rising attacks on people and places of worship.”
In the report, the State Department pointed to laws
restricting religious conversions, quoted accounts of discrimination against
Muslims and Christians, and said that “politicians made inflammatory public
remarks or social media posts about religious minorities.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu
nationalist government has championed a series of measures that critics have
called discriminatory.
India frequently bristles at foreign criticism of its
record and has denounced the US Commission on International Religious Freedom,
an autonomous government panel, which has repeatedly recommended that the State
Department put India on a blacklist.
The State Department did not announce new designations
Thursday and it is highly unlikely that it would take action against India,
identified by successive US administrations as a key global partner in the face
of a rising China.
The report also pointed to concerns in India’s
historic rival Pakistan, which is on the religious freedom blacklist.
Blinken said that at least 16 people were sentenced to
death in Pakistan last year on accusations of blasphemy, although no one was executed.
Mere allegations of blaspheming Islam have set off
violence in Pakistan and critics say that such charges are often used to abuse
minorities.
Source: Al Arabiya
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original story:
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Biden
to Visit Former 'Pariah' Saudi Arabia This Month: Reports
US
President Joe Biden will visit Saudi Arabia in June. (Image: AP/File)
-----
June
3, 2022
US
President Joe Biden will visit Saudi Arabia this month, reports said Thursday,
a stark reversal for a leader who once called for the kingdom to be made a
pariah.
The
reported decision comes hours after Saudi Arabia addressed two of Biden's
priorities by agreeing to a production hike in oil and helping extend a truce
in war-battered Yemen.
The
New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN, quoting anonymous sources, said
that Biden would go ahead with the long-rumoured Saudi stop on an upcoming
trip.
CNN
said that Biden would meet Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, 36-year-old Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was accused by US intelligence of ordering the
2018 murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
White
House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she had no travel to announce,
adding only: "The president will look for opportunities to engage with
leaders from the Middle East region."
Biden
plans this month to travel to a NATO summit in Spain and Group of Seven summit
in Germany.
He
is also widely expected to travel to Israel where, as in Saudi Arabia, he is
sure to face pointed questions about slow-moving US diplomacy with the two
countries' rival, Iran.
While
running for president, Biden called for Saudi leaders to be treated as
"the pariah that they are" after the ultraconservative kingdom's
chummy relationship with his predecessor Donald Trump.
Trump
had largely shielded Saudi Arabia from consequences after Khashoggi, a US
resident who wrote critically about Crown Prince Mohammed in The Washington
Post, was lured into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul where he was strangled and
dismembered.
Trump's
son-in-law and top aide, Jared Kushner, had developed a close bond with the
prince known by his initials "MBS," reportedly conversing with him
over WhatsApp chats.
Shortly
after taking office, Biden released the intelligence report that said MBS
authorized Khashoggi's killing and his administration imposed visa restrictions
on dozens of Saudis accused of threatening dissidents.
Biden
also scaled back support from a Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen amid revulsion
over civilian casualties.
Addressing
some US concerns
A
close partner of the United States since the World War II era, Saudi Arabia has
repeatedly managed to woo administrations in Washington that initially sought a
greater distance.
US
officials were pleasantly surprised on Thursday as major oil producers led by
Saudi Arabia grouped under OPEC+ agreed to a larger than expected hike in oil
production.
A
rise in supply could help bring down skyrocketing prices at the pump, seen as a
major contributor to sagging poll numbers for Biden whose Democratic Party
faces difficult congressional elections in November.
Officials
in Washington said that Saudi Arabia was also supportive in diplomacy that led
Thursday to the extension of a fragile two-month truce between Yemen's
Riyadh-backed government and Iranian-affiliated Huthi rebels.
"Saudi
Arabia demonstrated courageous leadership by taking initiatives early on to
endorse and implement terms of the UN-led truce," Biden said in a
statement.
Saudi
Arabia has also addressed concerns of US officials who saw the kingdom as
overbearing in troubled Lebanon.
Secretary
of State Antony Blinken, presenting an annual report on religious freedom,
praised "important recent moves" to increase interfaith dialogue even
as he acknowledges that the kingdom still bans any public practice of religions
other than Islam.
How
to address human rights will likely be a complicated question for Biden, with
MBS reportedly angered when US officials previously raised the killing of
Khashoggi.
In
a rare interview earlier this year with The Atlantic, MBS said of whether Biden
understood him: "Simply, I do not care."
"It's
up to him to think about the interests of America," he said with a shrug.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1692913/biden-to-visit-former-pariah-saudi-arabia-reports
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Imran
Khan Juxtaposes His Decision to Call off Long March with Hudaybiyyah Agreement
Prime
Minister Imran Khan. — Instagram/@imrankhan.pti
-----
Jun
02 2022
Another
clip of PTI Chairman Imran Khan is circulating on social media in which the
ousted prime minister is juxtaposing his decision to call off his “Azadi March”
on May 26 with the historic Hudaibiya Agreement.
In
an interview with a private television channel, the former prime minister said
that “Sulah Hudaibiya" was on May 26 morning when “I decided against
staging a sit-in”.
“I
consider it [my decision] 'Sulah Hudaibiya’ because the treaty was a compromise
to reach a bigger mission,” he added.
The
incident of Hudaibiya reserves in history a significant phase of Islam when
Muslims got an opportunity to unexpectedly notch gains from the jaws of an
apparent defeat.
The
pact of Al-Ḥudaybiyah
was a compromise that was reached between Prophet Muḥammad
(PBUH) and Meccan leaders, in which Mecca gave political and religious recognition
to the growing community of Muslims in Medina.
Earlier,
a clip from the same interview was doing the rounds where the PTI chairman
warned that if the establishment does not "take the right decision"
then Pakistan would break into "three parts".
The
ousted prime minister said the country is on the brink of "suicide"
if "right decisions" are not taken, as it might move towards
defaulting.
"The
actual problem here is of Pakistan and establishment. If the establishment does
not take the right decision, then I will give it to you in writing that they
will be destroyed, and the armed forces will be the first ones to be
destroyed," he told the interviewer.
Source:
Geo TV
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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India
RSS
chief Mohan Bhagwat: “There Is No Need to look for a Shivling in Every Mosque”
Jun
3, 2022
NAGPUR:
Striking a note of conciliation amid a rash of claims and counter-claims linked
to religious shrines, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said Thursday that “there is no
need to look for a shivling in every mosque”. He said even the dispute over
Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque could be resolved amicably by Hindus and Muslims.
Referring
to disputes centring on certain “incidents” linked to the history of a place of
worship, Bhagwat said, “These (incidents) cannot be changed by either Hindus or
Muslims of the country...Invaders took to breaking down temples to crush the
morale of the Hindus, and also create an impression among newly converted
Muslims.”
He
said the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri worship case could be resolved just by talks
between the two communities. “If it comes from the court, the decision should
be acceptable to both sides.”
Bhagwat
was addressing RSS workers at an annual event in Nagpur to mark the completion
of their third year of training. He said RSS had taken part in the Ram
Janmabhoomi campaign in Ayodhya “due to certain very important reasons”.
“It
was also made clear that the organisation would not be part of any new
movement. There is no need to raise fresh disputes every day,” he said.
Bhagwat
described Muslims of India as “descendants of Hindus and even Kshyatriyas who
were converted into a different faith”.
“Hindus,
while raising any such issue, should understand that Muslims are their own
people. Just that their faith was changed. If they are ready to return, we
would welcome them with open arms. Even if they do not want to, there is no
reason to be displeased. Indians already worship a multitude of deities. There
are many faiths in the country, and Muslims would remain one of them,” he said.
The
RSS chief said the onus was on both communities to exercise restraint and not
provoke each other. Hindus have “always shown restraint”, he said.
Bhagwat
also spoke of the Russia-Ukraine war, saying “it reminds us of how western
powers would make India and Pakistan fight so that their armaments could be
tested”.
“Russia
has attacked Ukraine because it is powerful. India still has to reach that
level,” the RSS chief said, backing Delhi's neutral stand on the conflict.
“India has maintained a balanced position in the whole episode.”
Source:
Times Of India
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Ensure
headcount of Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and Muslims with 3 wives & 15-20
children: Bihar minister
Rohit
Kumar Singh
Patna
June
3, 2022
After
the Bihar cabinet approved the decision to conduct a caste-based census in
Bihar, with the backing of all the political parties, now differences have
cropped up within the Bharatiya Janata Party over the modalities of headcount.
Bihar
cabinet minister Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu said that in the caste-based census,
Rohingyas and Bangladeshi Muslims living illegally in Bihar should also be
counted. While Union Minister and BJP's firebrand leader Giriraj Singh demanded
that the Rohingyas and Bangladeshi Muslims should not be included.
The
state cabinet minister expressed his concern that there are people from the
Muslim community who have three wives or have 15 to 20 children and want to
hide this number. They do not want to be part of the headcount. Bablu demanded
that every person should be counted during the caste-based census.
“There
are many people living in Bihar who hide numbers when the counting starts. Many
people have three wives and 15-20 children, which they do not want to count. I
want every person to be counted so that it will make clear the speed with which
the population of minorities has increased in Bihar," said Bablu.
Bablu
argued that in the last few years, the Muslim population in Bihar has increased
very rapidly and the caste-based census will give a clear picture at what speed
the Muslim population is increasing in Bihar.
Source:
India Today
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Notices
to Centre, ASI over idols of Hindu deities 'buried' in Agra mosque
03rd
June 2022
MATHURA:
A group of petitioners in the Shahi Idgah Masjid-Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi
dispute suit on Thursday sent legal notices to the Centre and the
Archaeological Survey of India seeking relocation of idols of Hindu deities,
which they claimed are buried under the staircase of an Agra mosque.
The
notice said the movement of the public on the staircase be stopped immediately.
The
notices have been sent under Section 80 of the Code of Civil Procedure, under
which parties are required to respond within 60 days.
The
petitioners claimed that costly idols taken from the Mathura's Keshav Dev
temple were buried under the staircase of the Agra's Begum Sahiba Masjid mosque
by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb when he allegedly destroyed the temple here in
1670.
"Relocate
the deities within the stipulated time failing which they would be liable to
bear the cost," said advocate Mahendra Pratap Singh, one of the
petitioners.
The
notices have been sent to the Union government through the central secretariat,
New Delhi; Director, Archaeological survey of India, New Delhi; Superintendent,
Archaeological survey of India; Agra; and the Director, Archaeological survey
of India, Mathura.
Source:
New Indian Express
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Planning
Underway To Remove Dangling Part Of Jama Masjid Finial: Shahi Imam
02
JUN 2022
Jama
Masjid authorities along with engineering and heritage experts are currently
chalking out a plan to remove the dangling part of the finial of the main dome
of the 17th-century grand mosque in Delhi which was damaged in a fierce
thunderstorm recently. Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari on Thursday
also said as part of the plan, aerial photographs of the mosque, with closer
shots of the main dome have also been taken to aid the experts.
"The
dangling part is posing a threat to the wall and minarets near it, and to
people on the ground too as there is a risk that if it rolls off the dome, it
may hit the wall, and pieces of the stone may fall on the ground. So, we are
chalking out a plan to first safely bring down the dangling part of the damaged
finial," Bukhari told PTI. On Tuesday, a day after the storm had hit
Delhi, he had written to ASI requesting the removal of the dangling part of the
crown and repair of the ornamental structure that has topped the grand mosque
since its construction.
"We
have not received any response from ASI on our request, so we are planning on
our own. Jama Masjid office, the Delhi Waqf Board, a structural engineering
expert, and experts from INTACH are working together to come up with a feasible
plan to rescue the dangling portion of the finial," the Shahi Imam added.
On Tuesday, Delhi Waqf Board Chairman Amanatullah Khan and a team of experts
from INTACH had visited Jama Masjid located in the heart of the Walled City,
and inspected the damage caused to the finial. Khan had also gone up on the
terrace to see the damaged parts lying there, accompanied by other officials.
Bukhari
said, "Together, we are brainstorming the possible ways to bring down that
heavy part. A Delhi-based scientist is helping us, and one solution that we
have thought of is to bring a tall crane and move it from a street on the
Chawri Bazaar side, and pull it up and bring the hanging part down with a
harness attached". However, it is still under planning, and it is not
exactly known how effective this step might be. A senior official of INTACH
said, "This is an emergency scenario, and we as a heritage institution
have decided to help in this process, for the safety of the people and the
monument.
"Our
team had recently visited the Jama Masjid premises after the storm. Even a
couple of months ago, a team from INTACH had visited as Jama Masjid authorities
have been contemplating a conservation project," the official told PTI.
When asked if the finial, which is as old as the mosque, can be repaired, the
INTACH official said, yes, it is repair-worthy. "It is also a piece of
heritage, and it has just broken which needs to be fixed and the ensemble
reinstalled. A preliminary study suggests the material of the finial is copper,
with gold plating on the surface. Some portions have faded but it can be
refurbished to return its shine," the official said, adding only
metallurgical examination can tell the exact composition.
At
Shahi Imam's Office, a smaller piece of the huge finial is kept in store while
two large pieces are lying on the terrace below the dome. "The part which
is still hanging from the main dome would weigh around 350 kg, and the entire
ensemble weight would have been about 500 kg. So, it is essential to remove
that portion from the dome," Bukhari had earlier said. An architectural
jewel and a very popular tourist attraction, Jama Masjid is a 17th-century
monument, originally named Masjid-e-Jahanuma, built by Mughal Emperor
Shahjahan. He himself had laid the foundation of stone on the strong basements
of a hillock on October 6, 1650, which was a Friday. The grand mosque was
completed in 1656, according to information shared by the Shahi Imam's Office,
on its history.
Source:
Outlook India
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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"No
Muslim Man Should Marry 3 Woman", Says Assam Chief Minister
June
02, 2022
Karbi
Anglong, Assam: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma while advocating for
an equal share of the property for the wife, also batted for the marriage of a
Muslim man with one woman instead of three.
The
Assam Chief Minister also called for a legal divorce in the community instead
of giving 'Talaq'.
"Assam
government is very clear that no Muslim man should marry three women. Don't
give Talaq, give divorce legally. An equal share of the property should be
given to daughters like sons. Give 50 per cent share of the property to the
wife. Views of the government and the common Muslims are same," he said
during a press conference on Wednesday.
Giving
credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the reduction in
"discrimination against students of the northeast", Assam Chief
Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said the progress took place due to the PM's
outreach to the region in the last few years.
The
remarks of the Chief Minister came while addressing a press conference on
Wednesday where he said that such discrimination against the students has
"gone down to a huge extent".
"If
you look at the last 2-3 years, because of PM Narendra Modi's huge outreach to
the northeast now racial discrimination against students of the northeast has
suddenly gone down to a huge extent," Chief Minister Sarma said.
Later
in the day, the Assam CM took to Twitter to appreciate PM Modi's
"visionary leadership", and said that he has "repositioned India
as a strong global power".
Source:
ND TV
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
No
backchannel talks with Pakistan, clarifies India
Jun
3, 2022
NEW
DELHI: India desires normal and peaceful ties with Pakistan but in an
atmosphere free of terror, hostility and violence, said the government on
Thursday. The foreign ministry also described as speculative reports in
Pakistan media that back-channel talks were taking place between the two
countries.
The
MEA spokesperson said that the diplomatic missions here and in Islamabad were
still functioning and that the local staff were in touch with their
interlocutors.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Jammu
and Kashmir: Terrorists fire at two labourers in Budgam district, 1 dead
Jun
2, 2022
NEW
DELHI: Terrorists on Thursday fired at two labourers in Magraypora in Chadoora
area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district, killing one of them. The labourers
are reportedly not local residents.
The
victims were shifted to a hospital for treatment, where one of them succumbed
to injuries, the police said. The deceased has been identified as Dilkhush
Kumar (17), who hailed from Bihar. The injured labourer, Goria from Punjab, is
stable, officials said.
Earlier
on Thursday, a bank employee from Rajasthan was shot dead by terrorists in
Jammu & Kashmir's Kulgam district, officials said.
The
deceased, an employee of Ellaqui Dehati Bank, was identified as Vijay Kumar. He
was shot inside the bank premises, officials added.
A
resident of Hanumangarh in Rajasthan, Kumar was rushed to a hospital but
succumbed to injuries on the way.
"Terrorists
fired upon a bank manager at Ellaqie Dehati Bank at Areh Mohanpora in Kulgam
district. He received grievous gunshot injuries in this terror incident,"
the police said.
Meanwhile,
Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday held a meeting with National Security
Advisor Ajit Doval to discuss the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir which
has witnessed a spate of targeted killings since May 12.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
‘No
Muslim man should marry 3 women’: Assam CM Himanta Biswa
2nd
June 2022
Karbi
Anglong: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma while advocating for an equal
share of the property for the wife, also batted for the marriage of a Muslim
man with one woman instead of three.
Sarma
also called for a legal divorce in the community instead of giving ‘Talaq’.
“Assam
government is very clear that no Muslim man should marry three women. Don’t
give Talaq, give divorce legally. An equal share of the property should be
given to daughters like sons. Give 50 per cent share of the property to the
wife. Views of the government and the common Muslims are same,” he said during
a press conference on Wednesday.
Giving
credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the reduction in “discrimination
against students of the northeast”, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
has said the progress took place due to the PM’s outreach to the region in the
last few years.
The
remarks of the Chief Minister came while addressing a press conference on
Wednesday where he said that such discrimination against the students has “gone
down to a huge extent”.
“If
you look at the last 2-3 years, because of PM Modi’s huge outreach to the
northeast now racial discrimination against students of the northeast has
suddenly gone down to a huge extent,” Sarma said.
Later
in the day, the Assam CM took to Twitter to laud PM Modi’s “visionary
leadership”, and said that he has “repositioned India as a strong global
power”.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
'Safe'
postings of choice for non-Muslim teachers, other education department staff in
J&K
Jun
3, 2022
SRINAGAR:
The J&K school education department on Thursday directed the chief
education officers of Kashmir division to post non-Muslim staff in
"safe" locations of their choice as protests snowballed over a
schoolteacher from Jammu falling to terrorist bullets in Kulgam last Tuesday
and dozens of Kashmiri Pandit and migrant employees took flight from the
Valley.
The
move, which came a day after lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha ordered the
shifting of all migrant employees in the Union Territory to district
headquarter towns by June 6, coincided with a rural bank manager from Rajasthan
becoming the eighth victim in a rash of targeted terror attacks since May 1.
Sources
said many Kashmiri Pandits living in rented houses in Srinagar's Shivpora
neighbourhood had left for their native places in Jammu division for fear of
more selective terror attacks. What was a trickle at the start of the week
seems to have turned into an exodus after Thursday's killing of Vijay Kumar,
branch manager of Ellaqui Dehati Bank at Areh Mohanpora in Kulgam.
Nearly
8,000 government employees from different districts of Jammu and around 2,000
from various parts of the country work in the Valley.
Ramesh
Chand, a schoolteacher posted in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, said the
continued terror attacks on civilians had made it amply clear that nobody was
safe in J&K, be it Muslims, Hindus or Sikhs. "Anyone can become a
victim of a terror attack at any time."
Fellow
schoolteacher Anjana Bala, who works in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, said
it was pointless shifting non-Muslim employees within the Valley because there
was no such thing as a safe zone given how terror outfits were striking at
will. She said those from Jammu division should be sent back there, at least
till a semblance of normalcy returns.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
North
America
US
highlights China, Russia, Myanmar violations in religious freedom report
Servet
Gunerigok
02.06.2022
WASHINGTON
The
US took aim at several countries, including China, Russia, Myanmar and India in
its annual religious freedom report Thursday, which reviews the state of
religious freedom in nearly 200 nations and territories.
Speaking
at a press conference with Rashad Hussain, US ambassador-at-large for
international religious freedom, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said
governments are failing to respect their citizens' basic rights and some others
continue to use blasphemy and apostasy laws.
"We
know that when the fundamental right of each person to practice their faith, or
to choose not to observe a faith is respected, people can make their fullest
contributions to community successes," said Blinken.
He
said the report documents how religious freedom and the rights of religious
minorities are under threat in communities around the world.
"For
example, in India, the world's largest democracy, and home to a great diversity
of faiths, we've seen rising attacks on people in places of worship," said
the top diplomat.
Blinken
also urged Europe to do more to combat rising hate, including anti-Semitism and
anti-Muslim sentiment.
The
report pointed to genocide committed in Myanmar against Muslims and stressed
the abuse of Muslims and other ethnic groups by the Chinese government.
Blinken
said the Chinese government "continues its genocide and repression of
predominantly Muslim leaders and other religious minority groups," and
"continues to harass adherence of other religions."
On
Russia, the top diplomat noted the US' designation of it as a country of
particular concern last year and said Moscow has doubled down on its violations
of religious freedom rather than reverse course.
"Russian
courts regularly reach new milestones for excessive prison sentences against
individuals exercising their religious freedom," he said.
Turning
to Afghanistan, Blinken said "conditions for religious freedom have
deteriorated dramatically" under the Taliban, and cited the plight of
women and girls whose rights he said were diminished by the Taliban.
In
Vietnam, Blinken said authorities harass members of unregistered religious
communities.
The
report also includes several countries that have shown progress, said Blinken.
"For
example, last year, the Kingdom of Morocco launched an initiative to renovate
Jewish heritage sites like synagogues and cemeteries and to include Jewish
history in the Moroccan public school curriculum," said Blinken.
"And
Taiwan authorities are making it easier for employers who refuse to give their
workers a weekly rest day in order to attend services," he added.
For
Saudi Arabia, he said the US recognizes "the important recent moves to
increase interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance."
Hussain
said the report gives voice to countless individuals around the world who have
been killed, beaten, threatened, harassed or jailed for seeking to exercise
their beliefs or with the dictates of their conscience.
The
ambassador said too many governments remain undeterred in repressing their
citizens.
"It
comes as no surprise that the People's Republic of China is a glaring example
here," said Hussain.
"Anti-Semitism,
anti-Muslim hatred and xenophobia are on the rise in many countries," he
said. "Democratic backsliding, and the rise of nationalism and nativist
rhetoric and policies have been used to justify violence towards members of
ethnic or religious minority groups and historically marginalized
peoples."
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
US
envoy to UN thanks Türkiye for role in humanitarian aid to Syria
Behlul
Cetinkaya
02.06.2022
HATAY,
Türkiye
The
US ambassador to the UN on Thursday thanked Türkiye for facilitating and
supporting humanitarian aid to war-torn Syria.
Speaking
to reporters after visiting the World Food Program (WFP) distribution center in
the Reyhanli district of Türkiye's southern Hatay province, Linda
Thomas-Greenfield expressed her gratitude to the Turkish government for hosting
refugees.
She
recalled the US' announcement last month of $800 million in additional
humanitarian aid, adding that they expect a decision to extend the cross-border
aid to Syria at the UN Security Council session slated for July 10.
Syria
has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked
down on pro-democracy protesters.
According
to UN estimates, hundreds of thousands of people have since been killed and
millions more displaced.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Congressman
says US foreign policy has ‘blind spot’ on Israel-Palestine conflict
RAY
HANANIA
June
02, 2022
CHICAGO:
American foreign policy has a “blind spot” when it comes to getting accurate
information on challenges facing Israelis and Palestinians or achieving peace,
Illinois Congressman Sean Casten (D-6th) told Arab News Wednesday.
Elected
in 2018 after defeating conservative Peter Roskam, Casten said he saw how the
“status quo” provokes extremists on both sides, Hamas and Israeli settlers,
during two visits to Israel and later the West Bank.
Casten
said he supports a two-state solution but believes it will be difficult to
achieve under current circumstances. He stressed that he supports Israel’s
right to security in the face of threats from Hamas, as well as the rights of
Palestinian civilians, citing the experiences he saw Palestinian farmers face
from armed settlers while in Bethlehem last February.
“We
had gone in the last time I was there, which was last February. We had gone in
and met with several Palestinians. They (Israeli settlers) have got a farm up
on the hill above their farm, and it is essentially an outpost with armed
settlers who are regularly coming down and shooting their (Palestinian)
livestock,” Casten recalled from the trip.
“And
we’re sitting there saying we are members of Congress. Why don’t we just walk
up? And they were saying no, no… ‘You are going to get shot if you do that, do
not walk up there,’ which is weird because normally as a member of Congress, we
can go anywhere. We then come back, and we met with Tom Knives, the US
ambassador to Israel, who is a lovely guy, and we start telling him about this
and it was clear he was not aware of those realities on the ground because as
the ambassador to Israel, he cannot travel into that region except in a
supervised fashion. And so, we need to have information. We have this blind
spot in US foreign policy right now.”
Casten
said the situation he saw there reinforced his belief that re-opening the US
Consulate in Jerusalem for Palestinian affairs, which is one of the goals of
President Joseph Biden, is essential.
“We
have Palestinian communities who need representation. They don’t have an
embassy anymore. Should we push to create that embassy? That seems like a good
thing Congress should do. We’re not taking sides. We are just saying we need to
make sure that people [are safe]. We talked to a guy who runs the Hope Flowers
School that teaches non-violence in Bethlehem. He doesn’t have anyone to reach
out to right now. So, we raise that issue and then we hear, well, ‘Be careful
pushing that because as you have seen the Knesset is very divided right now and
if you push too hard that might create the rise, the return of the Israeli
political right,’” Casten said.
“I
am completely in [support] of that (opening the US Consulate). But the
challenge is how do we do that in a way that is responsive to the circumstances
on the ground there?”
Casten
complained that the US understanding of the Israeli-Palestine conflict is
dominated by activists on both sides in the US and that a greater effort needs
to be made to hear the views of everyone involved to better understand the
reality. He said that the US must “understand how it affects the politics on
the ground there” in order to address those challenges.
Appearing
on “The Ray Hanania Show,” broadcast on the US Arab Radio Network and sponsored
by Arab News, Casten said his experiences showed how one cannot only listen to
activists who advocate for their causes but must also hear from others to
better understand the hurdles that prevent peace.
“There
is so much pressure in our US system to be responsive to US citizens who are
advocates for the region. And I think it is so dangerous to only listen to
those groups if you haven’t spoken to groups on the ground…I have met with
everyone from Prime Minister (Mohammed) Shtayyeh to (President) Mahmoud Abbas
to (Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu and (Alternate Prime Minister) Yair
Lapid this last time,” Casten said.
“Everybody
will tell Americans who are there that the system is very brittle. If you push
us too hard, you will see the rise of the right on the Israeli [side], if you
push us too hard you will see the rise of Hamas on the Palestinian side. And
there is this tremendous pressure that says, ‘Please don’t violate the status
quo.’ And yet we all know that the status quo is untenable. I think the surest
way to compromise the security of everyone in the region is to continue the
status quo where you have a group of people with no property rights and
increasingly little hope.”
Casten
observed how the recent signing of peace accords between Israel and other Arab
states has changed the dynamics of what many Israelis believe is the path to
peace.
“The
feeling on the ground in Israel, I think there used to be a sense in Israel
that there is no path to regional peace without a resolution to the Palestinian
issue,” Casten said.
“And
with the passage of the Abraham Accords, with the increasing concerns of a
nuclear Iran, the feeling I get on the street when I talk to Israelis over
there is that they have almost inverted that until we have regional peace, we
don’t need to worry about the Palestinian issue. I don’t know how to solve
that. I feel better about our opportunity to solve that when we have more
centrist moderate governments. Of course, the Israeli government has been very
brittle now for four or five years.”
Casten
said he supports the two-state solution but is unsure how it can be achieved in
today’s political dynamics.
“I
absolutely support it, and I wish I could tell you that I saw a path to getting
it done. I don’t know how you have a democratic Jewish Israel that doesn’t have
two states with coherent borders,” Casten said.
“I
will also share with you, I have yet to meet an Israeli leader who is committed
to the idea that they don’t have complete control of security, which is one and
one-half states. And I have yet to meet a leader in the Palestinian authority
who doesn’t have a business card that doesn’t have a map that runs from the
Jordan to the sea.”
Casten
also said he was optimistic in cases like the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh that
one could criticize Israel without being anti-Israeli. Palestinian witnesses
have said they believed the Palestinian-American citizen was killed on May 11
by an Israeli sniper’s bullet, but the Israelis have resisted that conclusion.
“There
are a lot of pressures in our domestic politics. But I think we should be able
to manage,” Casten said when asked if responsibility for Abu Akleh’s killing
will be resolved.
“I
have always been partial to that beautiful line of Frederick Douglass when he
said that the best friend of the nation is who acknowledges her faults rather
than cloak himself in the specious garb of patriotism. He was, of course,
talking about America. But I think in the same way, for the United States to be
a good friend of Israel, as we are, we also have to be willing to say as your
friend, you are not perfect.”
Casten
is a scientist, clean energy entrepreneur and CEO who has dedicated his life to
fighting climate change. He serves on the Science, Space, and Technology
Committee, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and is vice chair of the
House Financial Services Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship,
and Capital Markets.
Casten
faces fellow Democrat Congresswoman Marie Newman in the June 28 election
primary. Newman did not respond to several requests to appear on the radio
show.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2095416/world
--------
US
will join Europe to back IAEA resolution against Iran: State Department
03 June,
2022
The
US will join European powers to submit a resolution calling on Iran to “fully
cooperate” with the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a State
Department official said Thursday.
“We
can confirm that we plan to join the UK, France and Germany in seeking a
resolution to focus on the need for Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA,”
State Department Spokesman Ned Price said during a press briefing.
“It
is essential that Iran does fully comply with its binding obligations,” he
added.
The
US move comes despite Iran’s warning that such a resolution would be
unconstructive while threatening to “respond” if the West went ahead.
The
UN nuclear watchdog released a report questioning nuclear material found at
three different locations. And Iran reportedly failed to provide adequate
answers over the IAEA’s questions.
Reports
have indicated that the US had previously pushed back against efforts to
condemn Iran for its lack of clarification on the sites, particularly as the
Biden administration fights tooth and nail to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.
But
as efforts to reach a deal have stalled, it appears Washington has decided to
change course on the matter.
“Iran
needs to comply with the IAEA in answering these outstanding questions regarding
its obligations under the [non-proliferation treaty] and its comprehensive
safeguards,” Price said on Thursday.
Asked
what had changed for the Biden administration to now seek the resolution, Price
said recent reports were a cause for “deep concern about questions” on Iran’s
activities.
JCPOA
updates
While
indirect talks between the US and Iran on the nuclear deal have been stalled
for months, an article in the Jerusalem Post suggested that Israel had put a
new proposal on the table for the US to study.
The
report said that Israel’s national security advisor, who was in Washington this
week, said the US could propose to Iran that it would lift economic sanctions
if Tehran agreed to scrap the “sunset clauses” in the 2015 nuclear deal.
The
sunset clauses, which were set to expire less than 10 years from now, would
allow Iran to enrich uranium at a level potentially needed to develop a nuclear
weapon.
Price
played down the report, saying the US continues to believe that mutual return
to compliance with the original JCPOA would be the best way forward to secure
US national security interests.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Biden
welcomes truce extension in Yemen
Servet
Gunerigok
02.06.2022
WASHINGTON
US
President Joe Biden welcomed on Thursday the extension of a truce mediated by
the UN concerning the Yemen conflict.
He
urged all parties to move to an inclusive peace process.
"Ending
the war in Yemen has been a priority of my administration," Biden said in
a statement, and he thanked his Special Envoy Tim Lenderking and UN’s Envoy to
Yemen Hans Grundberg.
"Their
work, however, is not finished. I urge all parties to move expeditiously
towards a comprehensive and inclusive peace process. Our diplomacy will not
rest until a permanent settlement is in place," he said.
Biden
lauded Saudi Arabia for demonstrating "courageous leadership by taking
initiatives early on to endorse and implement terms of the UN-led truce,"
and Oman for hosting and facilitating dialogue.
"Egypt
and Jordan opened their airports to flights from Yemen over the past month
thereby enabling a key component of the truce process," said Biden.
The
truce between Yemen’s warring rivals was extended for two months Thursday,
shortly before it was set to expire.
Grundberg
said the extended truce enters into force upon the expiry of the current truce
Thursday at 1900 Yemeni local time (1600GMT).
The
truce holds the same condition as the agreement that took effect April 2.
According
to the UN envoy, civilian casualties dropped significantly since the truce took
effect.
Yemen’s
warring rivals agreed to a UN-brokered two-month truce under which all military
operations were halted. The agreement included the operation of commercial
flights from the rebel-held Sanaa Airport in the Yemeni capital.
Yemen
has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iranian-aligned
Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including Sanaa.
The
Saudi-led coalition entered the war in early 2015 to restore the Yemeni
government to power.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/biden-welcomes-truce-extension-in-yemen/2604305
--------
Afghans
evacuated to Albania protest for faster move to US
June
02, 2022
TIRANA,
Albania: A group of people evacuated from Afghanistan as the Taliban returned
to power last year held a protest Wednesday in Albania over the failure to
expedite their move to the United States.
A
small group of families in Shengjin, a town located 70 kilometers (45 miles)
northwest of Albania’s capital, Tirana, called on the US to speed up the
process of their transfer. Some women and children held posters reading, “We
are forgotten.”
Some
2,400 Afghans were evacuated to Albania in August and September 2021 and given
temporary shelter in Shengjin and another resort town, Durres.
Non-governmental
organizations from United States and other countries provided financial support
for accommodating them.
The
Albanian government said at the time that it would house thousands of Afghans
for at least a year before they moved to the United States for final
settlement. More recently, the government pledged to keep them for longer than
a year if their US visas were delayed.
The
Foreign Ministry says 900 of the evacuees remain in Albania. Those no longer in
the European country went to the US and Canada.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2095661/world
--------
Pakistan
Shehbaz
Sharif livid as Imran Khan says Pakistan will split into three
Jun
2, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday hit back at his ousted
predecessor Imran Khan for making "naked threats against the
country".
In
an interview, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman warned that if the
establishment did not take the right decision then the country would split into
three and quoted that as his reason for "putting pressure" on the
powers that be, The Express Tribune reported.
In
a reference to the interview, Sharif, who is on a three-day visit to Turkey,
asked Khan to rein his threats in and called him "unfit" to hold any
public office.
"Do
your politics but don't dare to cross limits and talk about division of
Pakistan," he warned.
In
an interview with Bol TV, Khan had said: "If the establishment doesn't
make the right decisions then I can assure in writing that they and the army
will be destroyed because what will become of the country if it goes bankrupt.
"Pakistan
is going towards a default. If that happens then which institution will be
(worst) hit? The army. After it is hit, what concession will be taken from us?
Denuclearisation.
"If
the right decisions aren't made at this time then the country is going towards
suicide."
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Pak:
China banks to give $2.3 billion funding to boost foreign reserves
Jun
3, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
China has once again come to the rescue of cash-strapped Pakistan as finance
minister Miftah Ismail said on Thursday that the Chinese banks have agreed to
refinance his country with $2. 3 billion worth of funds which will “shore up
Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves”. “The terms and conditions for
refinancing of RMB 15 billion deposit by Chinese banks (about USD 2. 3 billion)
have been agreed,” finance minister Miftah Ismail tweeted. “Inflow is expected
shortly after some routine approvals from both sides. This will help shore up
our foreign exchange reserves,” he added.
Pakistan’s
foreign exchange reserves are under severe stress and declined by $190 million
to $10. 3 billion during the week ended on May 6, according to the State Bank
of Pakistan.
Pak
slashes fuel subsidies for second time in a week Pakistan said on Thursday it
will slash fuel subsidies for a second time in a week in a bid to control the
fiscal deficit and secure IMF bailout money. FM Miftah Ismail said petrol and
diesel prices for consumers have been increased by 17% at the pumps starting on
Friday, up 30 Pakistani rupees each per litre.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Cabinet
committee deliberates filing sedition charges against Imran Khan
June
3, 2022
A
special committee of the federal cabinet has deliberated filing a sedition case
against former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan
and the chief ministers of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for
allegedly planning an "attack" on the federation during the party's
'Azadi March'.
According
to an Interior Ministry statement reported by state-run APP yesterday, the
meeting was chaired by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and attended by
Minister for Communication Maulana Asad Mahmood, Adviser to the Prime Minister
on Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz
Sadiq, Minister for Law Justice Azam Nazir Tarar and officials of the Islamabad
police.
"The
ministry briefed the committee over the PTI’s long march on May 25 and its
formal plan to attack the federation," it stated.
The
ministers also discussed filing a sedition case against Imran and the
provincial chief executives under Section 124A of the Code of Criminal
Procedure, which criminalises words/expression which “brings or attempts to
bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection”
towards the government.
“However,
the committee postponed the meeting to deliberate over the matter further till
June 6 to present its final recommendations before the federal cabinet,” the
statement added.
Meanwhile,
during the meeting, Sanaullah termed PTI’s long march "fitna
(sedition)" and said it was a "riot march rather than a 'Haqeeqi
Azadi March'".
"It
was an armed attack on the federation, besides [being] a mutiny. Formal
planning was done to hold the capital hostage on May 25," he alleged,
further claiming that the PTI chairman incited his supporters through hate
speeches against the state.
With
a "plan", he pointed out, about "2,500 miscreants" were
brought to Islamabad before May 25. "These miscreants tried to capture
D-Chowk before the arrival of Imran Khan."
"The
armed group not only attacked the police, Rangers and FC personnel, but set
fire to trees and the metro station too. Imran Niazi also violated the May 25
decision of the Supreme Court," the minister added.
The
march
Imran
Khan's march for 'haqeeqi azadi' — true freedom — on May 25 was preceded by the
authorities invoking of Section 144, a measure used to curb gatherings.
Shipping containers were put in place on major thoroughfares to block their
path.
Undeterred
by the moves, the marchers, who tried to force through the containers to make
their way to Islamabad, were met with tear gas as police tried to disperse them.
Police also charged at them with batons.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Google
launches suicide hotline for Pakistan
June
3, 2022
KARACHI:
To tackle the rising number of suicidal cases as well as mental health issues,
Google has launched a suicide hotline for Pakistan on Thursday in collaboration
with ‘Umang Pakistan’ enabling users to get quick help at the top of the search
result page as they browse anything related to suicide.
Recognised
by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Umang is a mental health helpline that
offers support to vulnerable Pakistanis ideating or planning suicide.
According
to the WHO, around 130,000 to 270,000 people attempt suicide in Pakistan each
year. Meanwhile, search interest in mental health issues has also been on the
rise. Google Trends suggests that topics such as anxiety, depression and
suicide, peaked in the 2020-21 period in the country.
Google
Regional Director of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Farhan Qureshi shared:
“As we see from Trends [Google], Pakistanis are looking for answers about their
mental health. We understand time is of the essence when searching for help,
especially for those who may be facing suicidal thoughts. We hope that this
feature aids vulnerable users in finding help in times of need.”
Umang
Pakistan Founder and chief executive officer Kinza Naeem said: “Mental health
is the biggest unaddressed problem of our era, especially at a place like
Pakistan where more than 40 per cent of the population is suffering from some
degree of mental health issues.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1692781/google-launches-suicide-hotline-for-pakistan
--------
Two
Pakistanis held by FIA for alleged involvement in human smuggling, secretly
filming women in Turkey
June
3, 2022
RAWALPINDI:
The Federal Investigation Agency’s cyber crime wing has arrested two Pakistani
illegal immigrants allegedly involved in human smuggling and secretly filming
women in Turkey.
Both
the suspects had been arrested by Turkish police and deported to Pakistan.
A
FIA spokesman said the suspects were involved in human trafficking and secretly
making films of women in Turkey and uploading those on social media. Both were
deported to Pakistan by the Turkish authority which led to the registration of
a case against them by the cyber crime wing and launching of an investigation to
track down their accomplices.
The
arrests of the suspects – Mohammad Junaid and Ameer Khan - came about in
separate operations after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, currently on an
official visit to Turkey, took notice and directed the FIA to take action against
them.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1692812/two-illegal-immigrants-held
--------
Europe
Australia’s
first Muslim federal ministers Anne Aly and Ed Husic hope appointments mark
‘new era’ of inclusivity
Mostafa
Rachwani
3
Jun 2022
For
Anne Aly, her swearing in this week as minister for early childhood and youth
was more than just a personal achievement.
It
was a moment that signified change and hope for her and fellow Muslim cabinet
minister, Ed Husic.
Making
history on Tuesday, Aly and Husic were sworn in to the federal cabinet, proudly
clutching their Qurans, as the nation watched on.
It
was a moment they had been hoping would happen, a potential reflection of
changing perceptions of a community that has struggled with online and
in-person vilification and abuse.
“In
the post 9/11 years, Muslims around Australia were left with a profound sense
of loss,” Aly told the Guardian
“It
particularly impacted young Muslims who had never considered themselves
anything but Australian. The political rhetoric that followed those years fed
into Islamophobia and division.
“I
hope that we are now witnessing a new era – an era where Australia is truly
inclusive and where that inclusivity is reflected in our political
institutions.”
Aly
was also the first Muslim woman elected to parliament, winning her seat of
Cowan in Western Australia in 2016 and increasing her margin by 9% this year.
She
said she was keenly aware of the significance of her appointment, beyond the
responsibility it entails, reflecting on how her younger self would see this
moment.
“Growing
up, I often struggled with finding a sense of belonging. I think young Anne
would be looking on this moment and I hope that it would give her some
reassurance that she does belong.
“As
a Muslim woman I realise that the significance of my appointment extends beyond
my own feelings and has an impact for young women who can see themselves
reflected in the leadership of this nation.
“I
hope that it sends them a message that there is a place for them and that they
do belong.”
A
counter-terrorism expert before becoming a politician, Aly said it was a “great
honour” to be appointed to the frontbench, adding that it was “heartening” to
be part of the most diverse cabinet in history.
“I
have always said that our parliament should be a reflection of the people we
serve, not just in terms of diversity of gender or ethnic background but also
in professional and life experience.
“When
I was first elected to parliament in 2016, it was a very different place to the
parliament of 2022. Seeing the breadth of diversity among my colleagues in the
Albanese Labor government is a significant moment both personally and in the
history of our nation.”
It
comes after Islamophobia Register Australia (IRA) reported a fourfold increase
in reports of in-person incidents of anti-Muslim hate, and a spike in online
Islamophobia, in particular after the Christchurch massacre.
The
third Islamophobia in Australia report, released earlier this year, also showed
an increase in the instances of Muslims being associated with being terrorists.
Husic,
who was appointed minister for industry, told the ABC he was nervous waiting
for the ceremony to begin.
“I
felt the moment, the weight of that moment.”
Husic,
who represents Chifley in Sydney’s west, is the son of Bosnian migrants and had
previously served as parliamentary secretary to the former prime minister Kevin
Rudd.
At
the time he was also sworn in while holding a Quran and faced a fierce backlash
online, but said he felt things have changed in the intervening years.
“I
think things have changed quite a bit and the country is a lot more
understanding and accepting,” he said.
Source:
The Guardian
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Over
1,000 anti-Muslim attacks reported in Austria in 2021
Askin
Kiyagan
02.06.2022
VIENNA
Austria
saw 1,061 incidents of anti-Muslim racism and Islamophobia last year, according
to a new report released on Thursday.
According
to the 2021 Report on Anti-Muslim Racism released by the Austrian Documentation
and Counseling Center for Muslims (Dokustelle Osterreich), the majority of the
attacks took place on digital platforms as more social interaction was on the
internet due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The
report said that 69% of those exposed to anti-Muslim racism, verbal and
physical attacks, were women and 26% were men.
In
many incidents, women wearing headscarf were verbally harassed, and in some
cases, they were subjected to physical assaults.
While
65.4% of the attacks against Muslims were carried out on online platforms,
34.6% of them happened in various areas of social life.
The
report also said that 77% of the racist attacks were carried out by men and 22%
by women.
The
report said hate speech and incitement toward Muslims contributed to 78.5% of
the total incidents.
While
insults constituted 9.1% of the reported cases of anti-Muslim racism, physical
damage to property belonging to Muslims constituted 2.4%.
Some
4% of the reported cases were discriminatory practices and racist behavior
against Muslims in various areas of social life.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/over-1-000-anti-muslim-attacks-reported-in-austria-in-2021/2604313
--------
Muslim
doctor on Queen's Birthday Honours list urges UK govt to help poor families
02
June, 2022
A
British Muslim doctor named in Queen Elizabeth II's Birthday Honours list made
a tearful plea for the UK government to do more to help struggling families.
Oxford
University Hospitals consultant Dr Raghib Ali received an OBE for his services
to Britain's National Health Service (NHS) amid the Covid-19 pandemic, during
which he returned to the frontline as an unpaid volunteer.
“Growing
up, there were days when we would not have food to eat. The chances of a child
in my circumstances and getting a job let alone going to a top university like
Cambridge were pretty much zero," Dr Ali, 46, told The Mirror.
"The
Government must do more to help children who have big dreams but are growing up
in poor backgrounds. There are pockets of deprivation in every city across the
country."
Speaking
about his father, who he lost during the pandemic, Dr Ali said: "He always
had high ambitions for his children. He would have been so shocked and amazed
to see me get this honour."
Queen
Elizabeth's Birthday Honours list was announced on Wednesday, in the runup to
her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Source:
The New Arab
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/muslim-doctor-given-obe-urges-uk-govt-help-poor-families
--------
Though
recognized as terror group, PKK openly maintains dangerous foothold in Europe
Busra
Nur Cakmak
02.06.2022
With
demonstrations by a known terrorist group taking place openly in major European
cities, the Turkish government is sounding the alarm over a group that has
killed tens of thousands and supported human trafficking, drugs, and organized
crime being free to walk the streets.
On
Wednesday, a group of terrorist organization PKK protestors held a march in
central London shouting anti-Turkish slogans, marching from Highbury and
Islington station to Leicester Square under police cordon.
The
group of around 50 men and women carried pictures of Abdullah Ocalan, the
terror group’s convicted ringleader, and various PKK symbols and flags. Police
were seen walking alongside the marchers, who also disrupted the normal flow of
traffic.
After
supporters of the PKK terror group also recently held demonstrations in France
and Germany – both members of the European Union – the Turkish Foreign Ministry
on Monday summoned the envoys of both countries to lodge a protest, Türkiye’s
top diplomat said on Tuesday.
“We
have summoned both ambassadors to the ministry ... Our missions in those countries
(France and Germany) have also made contacts," said Mevlut Cavusoglu,
adding that the envoys were given a diplomatic note stressing that no more such
demonstrations should be allowed.
The
PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the European Union, and
the US, and is responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women,
children, and infants. The YPG – which also has a presence in Europe, openly
sanctioned by several governments – is the terrorist PKK’s Syrian branch.
Recruitment
The
EU’s law enforcement agency Europol classified the PKK as an
“ethno-nationalist” and “separatist” terrorist group, saying in its 2020 and
2021 reports that the group still uses European countries for propaganda,
recruitment, and fundraising activities, even though in most it is officially
banned.
“The
group maintained an apparatus that provided logistical and financial support to
its operatives in Turkey and neighbouring countries and promoted its political
objectives. This apparatus mainly operated under the guise of legally
recognised entities, such as Kurdish associations,” said Europol’s EU Terrorism
Situation & Trend Report.
According
to the report, PKK recruitment networks within Europe also played a part in EU
citizens or residents joining conflicts in the Middle East such as in Syria and
Iraq.
Fundraising
The
PKK also “continued to use Europe for fundraising by legal and illegal means.
These included fundraising campaigns and donations as well as extortion and
other organised criminal activities,” said Europol.
The
report said that one individual was arrested in Germany in 2020 for being in
charge of PKK structures in a number of federal states. Another was convicted
“of charges relating to his role in the Mainz area (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany)
as a full-time PKK cadre as of early May 2018,” as he was in charge of
organizing and supervising fundraising campaigns and events, the report said.
The
terrorist fundraiser sent some €223,000 ($238,460) to the PKK while receiving a
monthly salary of €250 as financial support, in addition to reimbursement of
travel and other expenses, it added.
Similarly,
Europol stated in its 2020 report: "Members and sympathizers of the PKK
continued to be involved in legal and illegal activities to raise funds in order
to support the group and its affiliates."
Vandalism
Several
European countries told Europol that the group was also involved in serious and
organized criminal activities, according to the report.
PKK
sympathizers vandalized mosques and shops belonging to the Turkish community in
Germany. Such incidents were also reported in Belgium and Switzerland, Europol
said in a 2020 report.
This
May, at a children’s festival in Basel, Switzerland, a group of 30 PKK
supporters verbally attacked Turkish families taking part in the festival. Then
they threw iron barriers meant to mark off the celebration area at them,
leaving at least six people wounded and needing medical treatment.
The
Turkish government denounced the attack.
Drug
trafficking
The
terrorist group PKK plays an active role in continent-wide drug trafficking,
the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and Europol also reported.
A
report by the agency and Europol decried growing gang violence and drug-related
homicide in Europe, and cited the terrorist PKK’s role in this.
“The
PKK … has been reported to be involved in organized crime,” said the 260-page
2019 EU Drug Market Report, citing “examples of its engagement in the drug
trade in the EU.”
The
document explains the drug market’s links to wider criminal activities, human
trafficking, and terrorism.
“Organized
crime may feed terrorism through a variety of channels, including supplying
weapons, financing terrorist activities through drug distribution and
infiltrating financial markets,” it warned.
Turkish
officials have stressed the PKK’s pivotal role in European drug trafficking and
organized crime.
In
2018, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the terrorist PKK controls the vast
majority of drug trafficking in Europe, earning billions in the process.
“Especially
in Europe, the PKK controls 80% of the drug trade, and it is estimated that the
terrorist group earns around $1.5 billion a year,” said Soylu, adding that it
uses its profits from illegal drugs to buy weapons for attacks.
Violent
left-wing and anarchist extremism and terrorism ‘never completely disappeared’
Individuals
who joined the YPG/PKK out of "left-wing extremist ideological
convictions," acquire or strengthen combat skills that could "be used
in terrorist activities in Europe," said an internal EU discussion paper
by Gilles de Kerchove, coordinator of the office of EU Counter-Terrorism,
released last year by non-profit monitoring group Statewatch.
The
document, titled “EU action to counter left-wing and anarchist violent
extremism and terrorism,” said that though the main terror threat in Europe
comes from "jihadist terrorists," violent left-wing and anarchist
extremism and terrorism have "never completely disappeared."
It
added that for many left-wing violent extremists in Europe, solidarity with
left-leaning militias in northern Syria, such as YPG/PKK terrorists, carries
"great importance"
The
document said that despite this, European authorities do not prosecute
"volunteers" who join the YPG as armed fighters, because the bloc
does not recognize the group, which is the PKK's offshoot in Syria, as a
terrorist group.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Anti-extremism
Prevent strategy 'failing to engage Muslim communities'
3 Jun
2022
The
government's flagship counter-extremism Prevent strategy is failing to engage
with Muslim communities, a government adviser has said.
Dame
Sara Khan said a "vacuum" of information about its purpose had been
left by the government, which was then being filled by Islamists.
She
added the government must address the concerns of Muslim communities.
Dame
Sara also said fears of racism accusations made some local authorities
uncomfortable with tackling extremism.
The
controversial Prevent scheme was launched in 2007 and was designed to stop
people becoming terrorists and to reduce the terror threat to the UK by
stopping people from being drawn into terrorism.
In
the year to March 2020, just over 6,000 people were referred to the Prevent
scheme in England and Wales, because of concerns they were at risk of
radicalisation.
However,
it has long been criticised by some Muslim groups for what they see as an
unfair focus on their communities.
Speaking
on the BBC's Political Thinking podcast, Dame Sara said the government had
failed to explain what the counter-terror strategy is to Muslim communities,
which "in essence... left a vacuum" about the purpose of the scheme
to be "dominated" by Islamists.
"So
those types of challenges have continued and I think continuing to engage with
communities, explaining what the programme is, addressing concerns - that's got
to continue in a much better way than we've seen previously," she added.
Dame
Sara - a human rights campaigner who advises the government on social cohesion
- has been a vocal supporter of Prevent, but has faced previous allegations of
being too close to the Home Office.
This
intervention, from an adviser admired by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, comes as
ministers are preparing to publish a review into how effective the strategy is.
Dame
Sara, who now advises levelling up secretary Michael Gove on how local
communities can counter extremism, also claimed that some groups have used
accusations of Islamophobia as a cover for extremist practices.
She
said she had seen examples of local councillors who felt unable to push back
against the radicalisation of young Muslims.
Dame
Sara is not the only Conservative critic of the scheme, with former justice
secretary Robert Buckland arguing last year that it needs urgent work and a
more "joined up" approach, following the killing of Sir David Amess.
Source:
BBC
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-61679347
--------
Russia
urges Turkey to ‘refrain from actions’ which could escalate tensions in Syria
02
June, 2022
Russia
urged Turkey to “refrain” from launching an offensive operation in Northern
Syria to avoid “provoking an additional escalation of tensions” in the country,
after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced launching a military
campaign targeting Kurdish “terrorists”.
“We
received with alarm reports of such a forceful operation. Such a step, in the
absence of the consent of the legitimate government of Syria, would constitute
a direct violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, and
would provoke an additional escalation of tension in this country,” Russian
foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.
She
added: “We hope that Ankara will refrain from actions that could lead to a
dangerous deterioration of the already difficult situation in Syria.”
Erdogan
had announced that Turkey will launch a cross-border operation against the
Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers a
terrorist group linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) – an outlawed
Kurdish group which has led an insurgency against Turkey and created a conflict
that has killed tens of thousands.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
South
Asia
Mullah
Yaqoub wants cordial bilateral ties with India
3
Jun 2022
KABUL
(Pajhwok): Acting Defence Minister has expressed optimism regarding the
establishment of cordial relationship with India and other countries in the
region.
In
an exclusive interview with Indian TV Channel News 18, Mulalh Yaqoub said: “I
am positive about this aspect and we always want to have these relations with
India. This is the policy of the Islamic Emirate, to have cordial and neutral
relations with all countries. Similarly, we want to have amicable ties with
India and there is no problem.”
He
added: “My view is that we should have cordial relations with India. We welcome
India by keeping our doors open for them. We hope that India will also take
initiatives and strengthen the relationship with us.”
He
was also positive regarding humanitarian support provided by India after the
regime change last year in Afghanistan.
“We
have great expectations as India has provided much assistance in the past to
Afghanistan. When our government was formed, India also provided humanitarian
aid and assisted us, which is exemplary.”
“We
appreciate and convey our gratitude for the support provided by India and we
hope that India will continue its assistance to the people of Afghanistan.”
When
asked about defence relationship with Indian, Mullah Yaqoub said: “Yes, we want
such a relationship with all countries and also want this relationship with
India. But, before the beginning of defence relations, the first requisite is
to have good diplomatic relations and take it forward.”
“When
we will together have cordial political and diplomatic relations, then only we
would be ready for defence relations. Neither there will be any problem with it
nor do we see any issue with it.”
Referring
to Afghan military personnel of the past government currently Indian, he said:
“We have taken many steps in this regard and have called upon, invited and
requested all those Afghans who went to foreign countries.”
“Many
of them returned and are working here with their duties. Those men who remained
here, we are aware of this and call upon them to return. It is Afghan tradition
not to desert anyone and we are pledged to this.”
When
asked about Durand Line disputes with Pakistan, he said. “Our relations with
Pakistan on the Durand Line and on a regional basis are political in nature.
Inshallah, our relations are good and there are no major issues between us.”
“On
the issue of boundaries, I would mention that both countries are separate and
issues are bound to come up as is evident with other countries. However, these
incidents are not serious enough to cause a disruption in our relations.”
“We
have made efforts to resolve the issues which come up between us through talks.
There are no major issues between us. On the matter of the Indian embassy, we
request that they should come and open their embassy and send an ambassador
here and agree to have our ambassador in India so that diplomatic relations
could begin, which will also set the ground for defence and other relations.”
Source:
Pajhwok
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://pajhwok.com/2022/06/03/mullah-yaqoub-wants-cordial-bilateral-ties-with-india/
--------
India
reminds Pakistan of its 'shameful history' of genocide in Bangladesh
June
3, 2022
Responding
to Islamabad's attack on New Delhi at the UN Security Council over Kashmir,
India has reminded Pakistan of its "shameful history" of committing
the genocide of hundreds of thousands of people in Bangladesh for which it has
not apologised or even acknowledged.
"The
reign of terror unleashed by Pakistan on the population of the then East
Pakistan, saw hundreds of thousands killed brutally; several thousands of women
were raped," Kajal Bhatt, a counsellor in India's UN mission, said on
Thursday.
"Today,
we are discussing how to strengthen accountability and justice for serious
violations of international law," but Pakistan is going on "like a
broken record" spewing "malicious" propaganda against India, she
added.
"The
irony is perhaps lost on the representative of Pakistan, given their shameful
history of committing genocide in what was then East Pakistan, and what is now
Bangladesh, over 50 years back for which there has not even been an
acknowledgement much less apology or accountability," Bhatt said while
exercising the right of reply to Pakistan's statement.
"Innocent
women, children, academics and intellectuals were treated as weapons of war in
an act of calculated genocide carried out by the Pakistani army what it called
'Operation Searchlight'."
Albania,
which is the President of the Council this month, convened the debate on
"Strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of
international law".
During
the debate, Pakistan's Acting Permanent Representative Aamir Khan accused India
of "grave breaches of international criminal law" in Kashmir and of
trying to change its demographics from Muslim majority to Hindu majority by
cancelling its special constitutional status.
In
response, Bhatt said: "The only attempts at demographic changes are being
perpetrated by terrorists supported by his country who have been targeting
members of religious minorities in Jammu and Kashmir as well as those who
refuse to toe their line.
"The
only contribution that Pakistan can make is to stop its support for terrorism
directed against my country and my people. India will continue to take firm and
decisive steps to respond to cross border."
She
said that Khan "presents a live example in the Security Council of how a
state continues to evade accountability for serious crimes of genocide and
ethnic cleansing".
Source:
Business Standard
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Security
concerns leave Afghan evacuees stuck in Balkan camp
03
June, 2022
For
some Afghans who were evacuated as their country fell to the Taliban last
summer, the journey to the United States has stalled, and perhaps ended, at a
sun-baked cluster of tents and temporary housing on an American base in the
Balkans.
While
more than 78,000 Afghans have arrived in the US for resettlement since August,
the future for those who have been flagged for additional security vetting and
diverted to Camp Bondsteel, in the small nation of Kosovo, remains up in the
air.
The
US won’t force the dozens there to return to Afghanistan, where they could face
reprisals. Their frustration is growing.
Some
Afghans at the base, which has been shrouded in secrecy, took the unusual step
this week of staging a protest, holding up signs with messages such as “we want
justice,” according to photos sent to The Associated Press.
“They
just keep repeating the same things, that it takes time and we must be
patient,” one of the Afghans, Muhammad Arif Sarwari, said in a text message
from the base.
Their
complaints open a window into an aspect of the evacuation and resettlement of
Afghans that has gotten little attention because US authorities, and the
government of Kosovo, have been reluctant to say much about the people sent to
Bondsteel.
The
base houses a mix of adults and children, because some of the people who have
so far failed to get a visa to the US are traveling with family.
Sarwari,
a former senior intelligence official with the Afghan government, said there
are about 45 people there, representing about 20 or so individual visa cases,
after a flight to the US left with 27 of the refugees on Wednesday.
The
Biden administration won’t provide details, but acknowledges that some of the
evacuees did not make it through what it calls a “a multi-layered, rigorous
screening and vetting process” and won’t be permitted to enter the US
“While
the vast majority of Afghan evacuees have been cleared through this process,
the small number of individuals who have been denied are examples of the system
working exactly as it should,” said Sean Savett, a spokesman for the National
Security Council.
In
all, about 600 Afghans have passed through Bondsteel, according to the
government of Kosovo, which initially authorized use of the base for evacuees
for a year but recently agreed to extend that until August 2023.
Kosovo,
which gained independence from Serbia in 2008 with US support, has also
provided little information about the Afghans at Bondsteel, citing the privacy
of the refugees.
Prime
Minister Albin Kurti said in a statement that the government is proud of its
role providing temporary shelter to them.
Afghans
are housed in a section of Bondsteel called Camp Liya, named for an Afghan
child handed to the US Marines over a fence at the Hamid Karzai International
Airport during the evacuation, according to a US military publication.
It
was the chaotic nature of that evacuation that led to the need for an overseas
facility in the first place. As the Afghan government collapsed, thousands of
people made it onto military transport planes with minimal screening before
they arrived at one of several overseas transit points.
The
people sent to Bondsteel were stopped and diverted for a host of reasons,
including missing or flawed documents or security concerns that emerged during
overseas vetting by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, officials
have said.
At
the same time, some in Congress have criticized the administration for what
they say has been inadequate vetting of Afghan refugees.
Sarwari
made it to Kuwait from Afghanistan in early September with his wife and two of
his daughters and says he doesn’t know why he’s been held up.
He
was a prominent figure in Afghanistan, serving as the former director of
intelligence after the US invasion in 2001. Before that, he was a top official
with the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance.
Both
positions would make him a target of the Taliban if he were to return.
“The
vetting team keeps telling us sorry, Washington is just deciding some political
issues,” he said.
Sarwari
has applied for a special immigrant visa, which is issued to people who worked
for the US government or its allies during the war. He has not received a
response, according to his lawyer, Julie Sirrs.
“In
theory, he is free to leave but it’s not clear where he could go,” Sirrs said.
“He obviously cannot return to Afghanistan. He’s clearly in danger if he
returns.”
He
and others live a circumscribed existence on Bondsteel. Although technically
not detained, they cannot leave the arid, rocky base and have spent months in
tents, which were adorned with handwritten signs during this week’s protest.
One said “unfair decision,” while another said “children are suffering.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Southeast
Asia
'Shariah-Compliant
Commission needed for Muslim country like Malaysia'
By
Mohamed Basyir
May
31, 2022
KUALA
LUMPUR: The establishment of Shariah-Compliant Commission, as proposed by Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob recently, is necessary for a Muslim
country such as Malaysia.
Deputy
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Ahmad
Marzuk Shaary said that various aspects relating to shariah compliance would be
under the purview of the commission.
He
said that the proposal will be reviewed further before implementation.
"Shariah
compliance is not only about food, whether halal or not, but also on other
matters such as muamalat (engagement between people).
"It
is a good initiative to set up the commission, we welcome the proposal, and it
must be welcomed by others as well especially the religious bodies," he
said after officiating the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP)
Cashless Food Distribution to Asnaf initiative and Majlis Semarak Syawal here
today.
Also
present were MAIWP acting chief executive officer Mohd Nizam Yahya and Boost
Life chief executive officer Ungku Norliza Syazwan Ungku Halmie.
The
Prime Minister announced yesterday that the regulation of the country's halal
industry can be comprehensively consolidated by setting up a Shariah-Compliant
Commission.
Source:
NST
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Malaysia
ranks first again in global Muslim travel index amid 'fragile' events
03
Jun 2022
Malaysia
has maintained its position as the top halal travel destination in the world.
The country came first again in the list of top 'Muslim-Friendly Destination of
the Year (OIC)', according to the MasterCard-CrescentRating Global Muslim
Travel Index (GMTI) 2022.
Malaysia
has held the top position since the launch of the index in 2015. Turkey, Saudi
Arabia and Indonesia took joint second position this year.The GMTI monitors the
overall performance of the Muslim travel market.
Tourism,
Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the country is honoured
to be named the top Muslim-friendly destination once again.
"We
remain dedicated in advocating for Muslim-friendly tourism and hospitality in
the local and global scale," she said during her keynote address.
Nancy
also highlighted the importance of sustainable tourism during the event, which
was broadcasted virtually.
"Ultimately,
in this day and age, tourism isn’t just about making travellers feel good, but
it’s about the transformative potential of tourism to everyone who has a stake
in this industry – everyone from the tourist, the investor, the industry
player, the community, the government, the country, and more," she said.
According
to Nancy, Islamic tourism reflects the values of sustainable tourism."It
promotes sustainability in many forms, from economic, social and spiritual
sustainability to environmental, cultural and heritage sustainability,"
she said.
A
fragile rise
The
index was revealed in conjunction with the Halal In Travel-Global Summit 2022
that was held in Singapore recently.
MasterCard
and CrescentRating reported that prior to the pandemic, the Muslim traveller
market exhibited a strong growth with 108 million Muslim travellers in 2013,
jumping up to 160 million in 2019.
The
latest GMTI report revealed that this market is expected to pick up again now
that global borders are reopening, with a forecast of 230 million Muslims
travelling by 2028.
In
Malaysia, the Muslim traveller market contributed to 5.3 million international
arrivals with an expenditure of RM16.72bil in 2019.
CrescentRating
founder and chief executive officer Fazal Bahardeen, in the report's foreword,
warned that the momentum could be disrupted by several global events that are
currently taking place.
"This
recovery process is fragile and could be disrupted by the continuing war in
Ukraine, fuel price increases, and other health threats such as the emerging
monkeypox or Covid-19 variants," he said.
However,
Fazal remained optimistic about the global growth of Muslim travel.
"We
stay optimistic that economies will recover soon from the pandemic’s damage to
lives and livelihoods. Moreover, as the travel industry gears up for
quarantine-free international travel, we believe the Muslim travel sector could
contribute immensely to accelerating the recovery," he said.
He
added that it's important for stakeholders to focus on key drivers that will
propel the halal travel market forward in its next development phase.
"Gen
Z, millennials, and women are the most influential and growing demographic
within the Muslim population. 70% of the estimated population of two billion
are under 40 years with Gen Z and millennials representing 50% of the
population."In addition, women travellers represent one of the
fastest-growing segments within the Muslim travel market. They make up around
45% of the global Muslim arrivals," he explained.
More
meaningful holidays
The
GMTI 2022 also noted that meaningful travel in the Muslim travel space is
gaining momentum, as younger Muslims are looking for personal development while
exploring the world.
"The
importance of giving back to the community and protecting the environment to
conserve natural resources is fundamental to the objectives of the faith. In
addition, the lockdown during the pandemic and the damage it did to the lives
and livelihoods has further increased the awareness of being community and
socially conscious even when traveling," the report said.
Islamic
Tourism Centre director-general Datuk Dr Mohmed Razip Hasan said the modern
Muslim traveller now has more sophisticated needs.
“Muslim
travellers now seek meaningful and transformative experiences that will
hopefully contribute to their growth as human beings upon returning to their
homeland," he said.
And
destinations should respond accordingly to these new needs of Muslim
travellers.
"Destination
managers could create value for this particular group of Muslim tourists by
offering them to sign up for volunteer programmes at the destination they are
visiting, mingle and socialise with the local community and get themselves
involved in activities like going to religious classes and joining community
clean up programmes,” he explained.
Attending
to the needs of the modern Muslim travellers will make businesses relevant,
said Mastercard division president (Southeast Asia) Safdar Khan.
"With
the rise of environmental sustainability, businesses must look beyond
developing personalised travel experiences, and consider how they may
incorporate sustainability in their offerings.
"Asia
Pacific is renowned for its popularity with Muslim travellers. As queues and
crowds once again become a familiar sight at airports, it is important to look
at the changing nature of travel, and the shifts in the demographics of Muslim
travellers due to the rising influence of Gen Z, millennials, and women,"
he said.
At
the same time, Safdar reminded stakeholders to focus on tourism's biggest
selling point – experiences.
Source:
The Star
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Najib
hits back at criticism of false claims on income inequality
May
31, 2022
PETALING
JAYA: Former prime minister Najib Razak has hit back at criticisms over his
statement that income inequality had widened under the Pakatan Harapan (PH)
administration.
Najib,
who raised the issue during his recent debate with opposition leader Anwar
Ibrahim, cited data from the statistics department to show the increase in the
Gini coefficient during PH’s time in government.
“I
don’t do false claims or fake news,” he said on Facebook.
Najib
was responding to allegations that he made false claims on the matter as World
Bank statistics only provided data up until 2015.
He,
however, said the statistics department provided data up until 2019.
“As
you can see, Malaysia’s Gini coefficient experienced its sharpest drop in
history during my time as prime minister, dropping from 44.1 to 39.9,” he said.
He
said that during his administration, B40 and M40 household income experienced
higher yearly growth compared to T20 due to the policies introduced at the time
and the expansion of various programmes for jobs and small businesses.
The
introduction of the goods and services tax (GST), Najib said, further
contributed to the positive growth of B40 and M40 household income as wealthier
people faced increased taxes the more they spent on non-exempted items.
“Income
equality improved at its fastest pace during this time, lifting millions of
Malaysians out of hardcore poverty,” he said.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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Africa
Tunisian
judges’ association calls President Saied’s move to sack judges a ‘massacre’
02
June, 2022
The
Tunisian Judges Association on Thursday called the president’s decision to sack
dozens of judges as a “massacre” and called on members to oppose it.
President
Kais Saied on Wednesday dismissed 57 judges, accusing them of corruption and
protecting terrorists in a purge of the judiciary - his latest step to tighten
his grip on power in the North African country.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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US
says Tunisia undermining democratic institutions after purge of judges
03
June, 2022
Washington
on Thursday accused Tunisia’s President Kais Saied of undermining the country’s
democratic institutions after he fired dozens of judges amid a raft of measures
that appeared designed to consolidate one-man rule.
Saied,
who has also replaced the independent electoral commission and said he will
introduce a new constitution this month, accused the judges of corruption and
protecting terrorists in a televised address on Wednesday.
US
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the purge was part of “an alarming
pattern of steps that have undermined Tunisia’s independent democratic
institutions.”
US
officials had communicated with their Tunisian counterparts the importance of
checks and balances in a democratic system, Price said during a regular press
briefing.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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UN's
efforts to stabilize Libya discussed at international environmental meeting
Mehmet
Nuri Uçar
03.06.2022
TRIPOLI,
Libya
The
chairman of Libya's Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Menfi, met with UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday to discuss the UN's efforts to
stabilize Libya and end the transitional period.
According
to the media office of the Presidential Council, Menfi and Guterres met at
Stockholm+50, the UN conference on the environment being held from June 2-3 in
the Swedish capital Stockholm.
Menfi
praised the UN’s efforts through its mission in Libya to support the people in
reaching a peaceful solution to restore security, stability and peace to the
country.
Guterres
also stressed the importance of the work by all parties to maintain stability
in the capital Tripoli and throughout the country.
The
UN is making efforts for holding elections in Libya as soon as possible on a
constitutional basis.
At
the meetings of the UN-led Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in November 2020, it
was decided to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in the country on
Dec. 24, 2021, but they could not be held on the scheduled date.
The
House of Representatives, based in the eastern city of Tobruk, elected Fathi Bashagha
as prime minister in a session which most of the deputies in the country’s west
did not attend on Feb. 10 on the grounds that the mandate of the Government of
National Unity (GNU) had expired on Dec. 24, 2021.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Mideast
Iran
calls exodus of Black staffers from Biden White House 'systematic racial
discrimination'
Adam
Lucente
June
2, 2022
An
Iranian official is calling out the United States for racism after a report on
Black employees leaving the White House.
What
happened: The US news outlet Politico reported on May 31 that at least 21 Black
staffers have left the White House since late 2021 or are planning to leave.
The employees noted a lack of support from their superiors and insufficient
opportunities for promotion in the US President Joe Biden administration. Some
White House staffers refer to the exodus as “Blaxit,” referring to a “black
exit.”
The
head of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights Kazem Gharibabadi commented on the
report today, saying it demonstrates racism in American society.
“The
exodus of African American staffers from the White House #Blaxit is emblematic
of the systematic racial discrimination against non-White ethnic minorities,”
said Gharibabadi, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
Why
it matters: This is not the first time Gharibabadi has spoken out on racial
issues in the US. In December, he pledged to sanction unspecified American
individuals and entities due to issues regarding police treatment of Black
people in the country.
Al-Monitor
could not find evidence the Islamic Republic followed through with the
sanctions. Many American politicians, defense contractors and others are
already sanctioned by Iran, including former President Donald Trump, per the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Iran
has extensive issues of its own with racial, ethnic and religious
discrimination. Kurds in Iran are disproportionately executed and
underrepresented in top government positions, according to the United Nations.
Members of the Baha’i religious group are regularly smeared in state media and
lack official recognition by the government, according to the Atlantic Council
in Washington, DC. Arabs in the southwest Khuzestan province have for years
accused the government of failing to provide them with clean drinking water,
and this has led to protests.
Some
of Iran’s proxy groups in the Middle East also espouse hatred toward Jews. The
Houthi rebels in Yemen regularly use the slogan “damn the Jews” in their
propaganda, for example. Interestingly, Iran is home to the largest Jewish
community in the Middle East outside of Israel. Though only around 8,000 Jews
remain in Iran, compared to more than 200,000 Iranian Jews worldwide, most of
them in Israel and the United States.
Source:
Al Monitor
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Ayatollah
Khamenei Asks Pope to Continue Defending Oppressed People in Yemen, Palestine
2022-June-2
In
his message, Ayatollah Khamenei lauded certain stances taken by the pontiff in
strengthening interaction between Islam and Christianity and speaking for the
oppressed people in the world.
“We
expect you to continue to work to defend the oppressed people of the world,
specially in Palestine and Yemen, and to have a clear and transparent stance in
that respect,” the message read.
It
further noted that the Leader of the Islamic Revolution expects action to be
taken in defense of the Palestinian people and believes that the Palestinian
issue should be decided by native Palestinians in a free election with the
participation of all the native people, including followers of all religions.
The
message was delivered to the supreme authority of the Catholic Church on Monday
through Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, the head of Islamic seminaries in Iran, who
was on a visit to the Vatican.
Pope
Francis, for his part, conveyed his warm greetings to the Leader of the Islamic
Revolution.
Pope
Francis and Ayatollah Arafi, during their meeting at the Vatican, emphasized
the need to boost synergy and cooperation among different religions, especially
Islam and Christianity.
He
also spoke about challenges facing the contemporary world, oppression against
nations, poverty and hunger, warmongering rhetoric, illegal occupation of
sovereign states, internationally organized oppression, environmental crises,
and increase in extremism, according to Hawzah News.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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Family
Members Not in Contact with Jailed Iranian Ex-Official for 28 Days
2022-June-2
Nouri’s
family members said that he has not been able to contact them for 28 days now,
the Iranian Judiciary’s Media Center reported on Wednesday.
The
Swedish judiciary has reportedly cut off communication with his family after
relocating him to another detention center, leading to serious concerns among
his family in Iran.
Nouri
was arrested upon arrival in Sweden at Stockholm Airport in November 2019 and
immediately imprisoned. He has been held in solitary confinement for over two
years.
Swedish
prosecutors have requested the maximum penalty of life imprisonment for Nouri,
accusing the former Iranian judiciary official of prisoner abuse.
The
charges against Nouri stem from allegations leveled against him by members of
the anti-Iran Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) terrorist group. Nouri has
vehemently rejects the allegations.
Iran's
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has denounced his detention as
“illegal”.
Swedish
judicial authorities have been preventing Nouri from contacting his family
since moving him to a different detention center.
Upon
arrest, he was forbidden for around eight months from making phone calls to his
family members, and barred from meeting them in person for two years.
Last
month, Iran’s Judiciary Spokesman Zabihollah Khodayian said on Tuesday that
Hamid Nouri who is deprived of human rights is being tried in a
politically-driven trial in Sweden.
Nouri’s
trial couldn’t be described as judicial because it is political and lacks
international and even Sweden's national legal standards, Khodayian said.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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Iran
Offers SCO Members to Launch Single Currency Mechanism to Resolve Trade
Problems
2022-June-2
Safari
said on Wednesday that Iran has made the proposal in a letter sent to the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization almost two months ago.
He
added that the country will make follow-ups, and expressed the hope that the
proposal would be approved by the organization.
Safari
said that the use of a single currency by the SCO member states help them
resolve issues they face in trade.
Back
in September 21, Iran’s bid to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization was unanimously approved by the bloc’s seven permanent members.
Safari
said that Iran is currently engaged in preparing required documents so that it
can practically enjoy the benefits of a full member and increase its
interactions with other parties of the organization.
Spokesman
of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration Rouhollah Latifi announced
last month that the volume of trade between Iran and the SCO has grown to over
$37bln in the past Iranian year (ended on March 20).
Bilateral
trade between Iran and the SCO members last year was equal to 54,856,000 tons
of goods, valued at 37.168 billion dollars, Latifi said.
That
marked a 33-percent increase compared to the year before, he added. Iran
exported 45,349,000 tons of goods, worth 20.596 billion dollars, to the SCO
member states last year — registering an increase of 41 percent year on year.
Total
imports from the SCO weighed 9,507,000 tons, worth 16.572 billion dollars,
marking a 24-percent increase compared to the year before, Latifi said.
China,
Afghanistan (which has observer SCO status), and India were the top three SCO
importers of Iranian goods last year, he added.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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Israel
prefers diplomacy on Iran but could act alone, PM Bennett tells IAEA chief
03
June, 2022
Israel
told the UN nuclear watchdog on Friday that it would prefer a diplomatic
resolution to the standoff over Iran’s nuclear program but could take
independent action, reiterating a long-standing veiled threat to launch
preemptive war.
The
warning to visiting International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi
followed calls by Western powers on the IAEA Board of Governors to rebuke
Tehran for failing to answer questions on uranium traces at undeclared sites.
That
dispute has further clouded so-far fruitless attempts by negotiators to
resurrect a 2015 Iran nuclear deal that former US President Donald Trump quit
in 2018.
Since
Washington’s walkout, Iran - which says its nuclear designs are peaceful - has
stepped up uranium enrichment, a process that could produce fuel for bombs.
Israeli
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett “stressed (to Grossi) the importance of the IAEA
Board of Governors delivering a clear and unequivocal message to Iran in its
upcoming decision,” a statement from Bennett’s office said.
“While
it prefers diplomacy in order to deny Iran the possibility of developing
nuclear weapons, Israel reserves the right to self-defense and action against
Iran to stop its nuclear program if the international community fails to do so
within the relevant time-frame,” it added without elaborating.
There
was no immediate comment from Grossi’s office.
Israel’s
advanced military, widely assumed to have nuclear weapons, this week signaled
strategic reach by going public with an air force strike exercise over the
Mediterranean Sea and the rare deployment of a naval submarine to the Red Sea.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Israeli
soldiers kill two Palestinians in West Bank, Palestinian health ministry says
02
June, 2022
Israeli
soldiers shot dead two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, the
Palestinian health ministry said.
In
an early morning arrest raid near the city of Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers
opened fire when locals threw homemade bombs and rocks at them, the Israeli
army said.
One
man was killed, though it was not clear if he was involved in the
confrontations, Palestinian officials said. The Palestinian foreign ministry
condemned the killing.
“The
escalation in field executions is clear evidence that the ruling Israeli
coalition is implementing the plans and policies of the right and far right in
the occupying state,” it said in a statement.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
Palestinian Prisoners Club, which advocates on behalf of Palestinians in
Israeli jails, said the man killed had been released from an Israeli jail in
2014. It did not elaborate on the reasons for his detention.
Later
on Thursday, a 17-year-old Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire after he
approached Israel’s West Bank barrier, according the Palestinian Health
Ministry.
The
Israeli army said of the shooting near the barrier that three suspects had
hurled a fire bomb at soldiers, who responded with live fire. The incident, it
said, was under review.
Violence
in territories where Palestinians seek statehood has simmered since
US-sponsored peace talks stalled in 2014.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Arab
World
Militant
attack on bus kills three, wounds 21 in eastern Syria
02
June, 2022
Militants
attacked a civilian bus in eastern Syria on Thursday, killing three people and
wounding 21, Syrian state TV reported.
The
TV said the bus was attacked near a village in a desert area of the province of
Deir el-Zour, which borders Iraq. It did not say whether the bus was attacked
with machinegun fire, a missile or a roadside bomb.
The
report gave no further details and there was no immediate claim of
responsibility for the attack. Large parts of Deir el-Zour were once controlled
by the extremist ISIS.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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US
envoy to UN says won’t allow Syria to be Russian ‘bargaining chip’ on Ukraine
02 June,
2022
The
US envoy to the United Nations said on Thursday she plans to meet her Russian
counterpart to kick off likely contentious talks over aid deliveries into Syria
from Turkey, but she will not let Moscow use the issue as a “bargaining chip”
on Ukraine.
US
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield has had few interactions with Russian UN
Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia outside meetings of the 15-member UN Security council
since Moscow invaded neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24.
“Since
Ukraine we have not had any regular meetings, but it is my intention - when I
return to New York - to meet with him on Syria,” she told reporters while
traveling back to the United States from Turkey, where she visited the border
with Syria to assess a long-running humanitarian aid operation.
The
Security Council mandate allowing the cross-border deliveries is due to expire
on July 10. But Syrian ally Russia has signaled opposition to renewing the
operation, arguing that it violates Syria’s sovereignty and territorial
integrity and that more help should be delivered from within the country.
Already
fraught tensions between the United States and Russia have only worsened in
recent months. Washington has responded to Russia’s war in Ukraine with tough
unilateral sanctions on Moscow, sent weapons to Ukraine and internationally
isolated Russia at the United Nations.
“We
will not allow the situation in Ukraine or the situation in Syria to be used as
a bargaining chip with the Russians,” warned Thomas-Greenfield ahead of
Security Council negotiations on the Syria aid operation.
A
Security Council resolution needs nine votes in favor and no veto by Russia,
China, the United States, France or Britain to pass. In the past decade, the
council has been divided on Syria - Russia has vetoed more than a dozen
resolutions related to Syria and was backed by China for many of those votes.
“It’s
a massive ongoing operation and it would be so tragic, so catastrophic, if this
Security Council resolution is not renewed,” Mark Cutts, deputy UN regional
humanitarian coordinator, told Thomas-Greenfield during a visit to a UN
shipment hub on the Turkish border with Syria on Thursday.
Every
month some 800 trucks deliver humanitarian assistance to more than 4 million
people in northwest Syria.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Ukrainian
embassy says Russia ships ‘stolen’ wheat to Syria
02 June,
2022
Russia
has sent its ally Syria an estimated 100,000 tons of wheat stolen from Ukraine
since invading the country, the Ukrainian embassy in Beirut said, describing
the shipments as “criminal activity.”
In
a statement to Reuters, the embassy said the shipments included one aboard the
Matros Pozynich, a Russian-flagged vessel which docked at Syria’s main sea port
Latakia in late May.
Data
from Refinitiv showed the Matros Pozynich loading wheat at the port of
Sevastopol in Crimea - annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014 - with a May 19
departure date and the discharge location given as Syria.
Satellite
images from Planet Labs PBC on May 29 showed the same vessel docked in Latakia.
Ukraine’s
embassy in Lebanon, citing Ukrainian law enforcement, alleged the grain aboard
the Matros Pozynich had been “stolen” from Ukrainian storage facilities in
areas newly occupied by Russian forces.
Russia’s
defense ministry and the Syrian information ministry did not immediately reply
to Reuters’ requests for comment. Russia has previously denied allegations of
stealing wheat from Ukraine.
“The
wheat is stolen from a facility that combines wheat from three Ukrainian
regions into one batch,” the embassy said.
“This
is criminal activity,” it said, adding that it had tried to reach out to the
Syrian authorities but had never received a response.
The
embassy said more than 100,000 tons of “plundered” Ukrainian wheat had arrived
in Syria over the last three months.
With
international wheat prices above $400 a ton, such a volume would be worth more
than $40 million.
Reuters
was not able to independently verify the Ukrainian allegations.
Syria’s
information ministry did not immediately respond to emailed questions from
Reuters seeking comment on the accusation the country had received 100,000 tons
of stolen Ukrainian wheat, and that the deliveries amounted to criminal
activity.
Neither
did it respond to a question on whether Syria had failed to answer Ukrainian
correspondence on the issue.
The
Syrian agriculture ministry and officials at the Latakia port did not
immediately respond to requests for comment.
Russia
has been an important source of wheat imports for Syria since the start of its
civil war in 2011, both as commercial imports and humanitarian aid. Moscow has
also provided President Bashar al-Assad with vital military support during the
conflict, sending its air force to Syria in 2015.
Russia
pledged to supply Syria with one million tons of wheat under a bilateral deal
in 2021, according to Interfax.
Syrian
grain imports have included shipments from Crimea.
The
Matros Pozynich had initially set its destination for Beirut, Lebanon, but
turned its transponder off on May 25 off the Lebanese coast, according to
Refinitiv ship tracking data.
On
Wednesday, the ship turned its transponder back on and could be tracked sailing
west, away from the Syrian coast, according to movements shown by
MarineTraffic.com.
500,000
tons
Russia
invaded Ukraine in February, launching what it called a “special operation” to
disarm and “denazify” the country.
Ukraine
and its Western allies call this a baseless pretext for a war to seize
territory.
In
a statement last month, Ukraine’s agriculture ministry said the theft of
500,000 tons of wheat had already been recorded from occupied regions of the
country.
The
grain was being sent either to Russia, primarily from the Kharkiv, Donetsk and
Luhansk regions, or to Crimea from the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, the
ministry added.
In
April, the Kremlin denied allegations of stolen wheat, saying it did not know
where the information came from.
Russian
Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko was quoted as saying by the Interfax
news agency on May 25 that Russia strongly denied Western media reports of
stealing grain from Ukraine: “We are not stealing anything from anyone.”
However,
the Russian-controlled Ukrainian region of Kherson began exporting grain to
Russia, the TASS news agency reported, citing Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of
the pro-Russian military-civilian administration, earlier this week. He did not
say
how payment had been organized.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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US,
Saudi Arabia welcome extending Yemen truce, urge for permanent peace
02 June,
2022
The
US and Saudi Arabia welcomed on Thursday the extension of a two-month truce in
Yemen and reaffirmed their support for efforts that aim to reach a permanent
solution to the crisis in the war-torn country.
“I
welcome the announcement today of a continuation of the truce in the Yemen
conflict,” US President Joe Biden said in a statement.
Biden
noted that the past two months in Yemen “have been among the most peaceful periods
since this terrible war began seven years ago.”
He
added that now that the truce has been extended for two more months, it’s
important to make efforts to make it permanent.
The
president called on all parties to work toward achieving a “comprehensive and
inclusive peace process.”
Biden
also praised the cooperative diplomacy from across the region that made the
truce possible.
“Saudi
Arabia demonstrated courageous leadership by taking initiatives early on to
endorse and implement terms of the UN-led truce.”
He
also highlighted Oman’s significant role in hosting and facilitating dialogue
as well as Egypt’s and Jordan’s moves of opening their airports to flights from
Yemen over the past month.
Separately
on Thursday, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) also welcomed
extending the truce.
The
Kingdom also voiced hope that the efforts of UN special envoy Hans Grundberg
will succeed in opening roads in Taiz to facilitate the movement of civilians,
according to a statement issued by the foreign ministry.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2022/06/02/US-GCC-welcome-extending-Yemen-truce
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Lebanese
spy chief says he will visit Syria over missing US reporter
June
03, 2022
BEIRUT:
Lebanon’s intelligence chief has said he will visit Syria for talks with Syrian
leaders about the fate of a US reporter who went missing in Syria a decade ago.
Major
General Abbas Ibrahim, said US officials want him to resume efforts to bring
home Austin Tice and other Americans missing in Syria. Tice, a freelance
journalist and former marine, disappeared while reporting in 2012.
In
an interview with General Security magazine, his agency’s official publication,
Ibrahim said that in past talks with Damascus on Tice, Syria had raised demands
related to the withdrawal of US forces, a resumption of diplomatic relations,
and the lifting of some US sanctions.
“We
are working to resume the negotiations from where they ended” at the end of
former President Donald Trump’s term, he said.
He
did not say when he planned to visit Syria.
In
May, US President Joe Biden told Tice’s parents that his administration would
work “relentlessly” until his return was secured.
“The
American officials want me to resume my efforts to resolve this problem. They
want their people back. This is what they are aiming for,” Ibrahiam said.
Ibrahim,
who said he met with Tice’s mother during a recent trip to the United States,
said Syria had not given “clear answers” on Tice’s health or the conditions of
his detention.
He
said he could not confirm whether Tice was alive in the absence of confirmation
from the Syrian government.
The
United States suspended its diplomatic presence in Syria 2012 as it descended
into a civil war which the United Nations says has killed at least 350,000
people.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2095946/middle-east
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/global-terrorist-isis-terrorism-indian-us/d/127164