Gyanvapi Masjid Case: Hindu Petitioners' Win a Big Step in Varanasi Court, the Case Will Continue To Be Heard
New Age Islam News Bureau
12 September 2022
The Gyanvapi mosque is located next to the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple.
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• Taliban Says People of Afghanistan Do Not Want Their
Girls to Go to School
• Iran Urges E3 (France, Britain and Germany) to Put
Aside Language of Threat
• Pakistan Tehreek-e-Etihad for Struggle to Implement
Ideology of Pakistan
• Official US Story Of 9/11 is False: American
Economist and Author
India
• Karnataka: Footwear Thrown At a Mosque in Siraguppa
Town; Four Held
• Eight-year-old Muslim boy arrested after communal
violence erupts in Bihar’s Siwan
• Gyanvapi mosque case: Hindu side seek ASI survey, carbon
dating of Shivling if ruling comes in their favour
• ‘Tribal leader, RSS links’ — who is Ghulam Ali,
first Gurjar Muslim from J&K to be nominated to RS
• BJP Launches ‘Alpsankhyak Mitra’ To Garner Muslim
Votes In Gujarat
• Counter-terrorism, Afghanistan, extremism likely to
dominate PM Modi's SCO agenda
• Madrasa survey not targeted at anyone: Muslim
minister in Uttar Pradesh
• UP readies for survey of private madrassas,
proprietors fear action
--------
South
Asia
• Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Will Not Forget
People’s Sacrifices for Islamic System, Deputy PM
• Karzai tweets support for Afghan girls protesting
for education
• Black Hawk helicopter crashes during Taliban
training, 3 killed
• Taliban Rounds Up Thousands of Beggars in Afghan
Capital
• NRF claims repelling of Taliban’s attack killing 32
Taliban fighters
• Taliban in talks with Pakistan over release of 300
detained Afghans
--------
Mideast
• Iran urges IAEA ‘not to yield to Israel's pressure’,
says ready to cooperate
• Iran says it has developed Arash-2 drone designed to
hit Israel’s Tel Aviv, Haifa
• Yemen Military Forces Drive Al-Qaeda Out of New
Areas in Abyan, Shabwa
• Israel says its campaign against Iran nuclear deal
'successful'
--------
Pakistan
• Pak court freezes 13 bank accounts of companies
related to PM's younger son Suleman
• Pakistan: Hindu temple becomes refuge for flood-hit
Muslim families
• Chinese firm abandons Neelum-Jhelum hydropower
project in Pakistan
• Two more UAE planes arrive with relief goods for
flood victims
• CTD, intelligence agency arrest TTP terrorist
• Hindu temple in Pakistan becomes refuge for
flood-hit Muslim families
--------
North
America
• Two Decades Later, 9/11 Self-Professed Mastermind,
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Awaits Trial in US
• US President Joe Biden honours 9/11 victims at
Pentagon
• 9/11: NATO says it stands to keep people safe in a
‘Dangerous World’
• Americans mark 21st anniversary of 9/11 attacks
--------
Europe
• Churches, Mosques and Synagogues Lead Prayers for
the Queen and King Charles III
• What the UN Is Doing In Pakistan Is A Drop In The
Ocean Of What Is Needed: Chief Antonio Guterres
• PKK supporters attack Turkish citizen in Germany
• Europe bigwigs raise serious doubts on Iran’s
nuclear deal intentions
• Israeli PM Lapid in Germany to torpedo efforts to
revive Iran nuclear agreement
--------
Arab
World
• Grand Imam of Al-Azhar to attend Congress of Leaders
of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan
• Head of Turkish intelligence agency meets Sunni
Sovereignty Coalition in Baghdad
• Egypt Mufti Approves Execution of Judge Who Killed
Television Presenter Wife
• Four Turkish soldiers killed in operations in Iraq:
Ministry
• At least seven fighters from Kurdish-led force
killed in Syria: Monitor
• At least 11 Iranian pilgrims and their driver killed
in Iraq crash
• Saudi Arabia arrests citizen for smuggling 249,779
amphetamine pills into Jeddah
• Saudi Crown Prince Receives Letter from Indian PM
• Turkish intelligence 'neutralizes' senior PKK
terrorist in northern Iraq
• Millions of Shia pilgrims descending on Karbala to
commemorate Arb’aeen
--------
Africa
• Moroccans Rally against Ties with Israel, Slam Tel
Aviv Envoy for Sex Abuse
• Tunisian journalist granted bail in ‘terrorism’ case
• Ethiopia’s Tigray rebels say ready for AU-led peace
talks
• UN chief urges Sudan army leaders to withdraw from
political scene
• Nigeria Military Kills 420 Terrorists during
Month-Long Operations
• Libya’s parliament speaker arrives in Qatar
--------
Southeast
Asia
• Tourism Ministry urges public to collaborate with
Islamic Tourism Centre to attract international Muslim travellers
• UN weighs anti-China move as rights council opens
• PAS, Umno leaders held secret GE15 talks, says
spiritual leader
• Takiyuddin: PAS maintains Umno as a Ta’awun partner
under Ummah unity concept
• Indonesia considering buying Russian oil as fuel
prices soar: Report
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/gyanvapi-masjid-hindu-muslims-varanasi/d/127933
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Gyanvapi Masjid Case: Hindu Petitioners' Win a Big
Step in Varanasi Court, The Case Will Continue To Be Heard
The Gyanvapi mosque is
located next to the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple.
-----
By Alok Pandey, Edited by Deepshikha Ghosh
September 12, 2022
Varanasi: A court today agreed to hear a group of
Hindu women who want year-long access to pray inside the Gyanvapi mosque in
Varanasi, next to the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple. The women's petition will
be heard on September 22.
Here are 10 facts from this big story
The five women want permission for year-long puja and
rituals in a part of the mosque complex and claim there are idols of Hindu gods
and goddesses in other parts of the mosque complex. Muslim petitioners had
urged the court to throw out the petition.
Earlier this year, a lower court ordered the filming
of the centuries-old mosque based on the petition of the women.
The report of the filming was submitted to the
Varanasi court in a sealed cover, but the Hindu petitioners controversially
leaked details just hours later.
The report claimed a "Shivling" or relic of
Lord Shiva had been found in a pond within the mosque complex used for
"Wazoo" or purification rituals before Muslim prayers.
A court then banned large namaz gatherings in the
high-profile mosque. The gatherings should be limited to 20 people, said the
court.
The filming inside the mosque was challenged in the
Supreme Court by the Gyanvapi mosque committee, which said the move violates a
1991 law (Places of Worship Act) that maintains the religious status of places
of worship as of August 15, 1947.
The Muslim petitioners argued that "such
petitions and sealing of mosques will lead to public mischief and communal
disharmony, will affect mosques across the country."
In May, the Supreme Court assigned the case to the
city's most senior judge, referring to the "complexity and
sensitivity" of the dispute.
The Gyanvapi mosque located in Prime Minister Narendra
Modi's constituency (Varanasi), is one of the several mosques that Hindu
hardliners believe were built on the ruins of temples.
The Hindu petitioners have said they will seek carbon
dating and a proper archeological survey to establish that a temple stood on
the land.
Source: ND TV
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Taliban Says People of Afghanistan Do Not Want Their
Girls to Go to School
Afghan Girls/ Photo:
Khaama Press
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By Saqalain Eqbal
11 Sep 2022
Taliban Acting Minister of Education, Noorullah Munir,
stated that parents in Afghanistan do not want their daughters to go to school
due to the current situation.
During a speech in Uruzgan province in central
Afghanistan on Sunday, the 11th of September, Noorullah Munir, the Taliban’s
Acting Minister of Education, stated that people do not want to send their
16-year-old daughters to school because of the current circumstances.
While Afghan girls in grades six and above have been
forcibly kept out of school for more than a year, the Taliban official made the
statement shifting the blame on parents.
Some schools in the southern provinces of Afghanistan
were opened to girls in an unprecedented measure, but after almost two weeks
they ceased operations and the girls in Gardiz, the Paktia province’s capital,
began protesting.
The girls reportedly encountered closed gates and were
scattered by the Taliban with aerial fire on Sunday as they went to school
hoping to find happiness and receive an education.
Even though the Taliban group has been urged to reopen
girls’ schools and has been sanctioned by the international community, the
issue has not yet been addressed.
The travel exemptions for the acting ministers of
education and higher education were not renewed the previous time the travel
ban exemption was issued for another 13 Taliban officials because schools deny
girls the right to an education.
Even while the Taliban has previously claimed that the
suspension of girls’ schools is “not permanent”, the group has done little to
nothing to solve the issue, which prevents hundreds of thousands of girl
students in grades above sixth from receiving an education.
Source: Khaama Press
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original story:
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Iran Urges E3 (France, Britain and Germany) to Put
Aside Language of Threat
Iranian Foreign Ministry
Spokesman Nasser Kana'ani
----
2022-September-11
"It is regrettable that by [issuing] such an
ill-considered statement, the three European countries (France, Britain and
Germany) have followed in the footsteps of the Zionist regime down a path that
will lead to the failure of negotiations," Kana'ani noted on Saturday.
"It is obvious that if such an approach
continues, the E3 should also accept responsibility for its consequences,"
he added.
The spokesperson warned the European trio against
being swayed by third parties who have been against the negotiations and are
now making their utmost effort to derail the talks.
He emphasized that at a time that diplomatic efforts
and interactions are underway between the negotiating parties and the
coordinator of the talks to revive the nuclear deal, officially known as the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), it is surprising that the E3 has
issued such a statement regardless of a result-oriented approach sought in the
negotiations.
The diplomat once again reaffirmed the country's
goodwill and serious intention to reach a final agreement on the removal of
sanctions, and noted the negotiating sides have managed to achieve success at
several junctures because of the Islamic Republic's initiatives and plans.
Pointing to the E3's inaction in recent months and its
politically-motivated move to propose a resolution against Iran, which was
passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors in
June, the official advised the three countries "to play a more active role
in providing a solution to end a few remaining points of disagreement instead
of entering the phase of destroying the diplomatic process".
Kana'ani said Iran, as a responsible signatory of the
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has had constructive cooperation with the IAEA
and once again stressed the importance of avoiding politically-motivated moves
and leveling baseless accusations against the Islamic Republic.
"It is unfortunate that European countries, on
the one hand, fully support a regime that has hundreds of nuclear warheads and
does not adhere to any of international non-proliferation mechanisms, and on
the other hand, opposes the completely peaceful nuclear program of the Islamic
Republic of Iran, which has been under the most extensive [IAEA]
inspections," the spokesman added.
He advised the Europeans to make up for their failure
to fulfill their obligations vis-à-vis the Iranian nation and to avoid the language
of threat.
"The US' maximum failure in the maximum pressure
campaign should be a lesson for all parties who unwittingly think that threats
and sanctions can prevent the Iranian people from pursuing their maximum rights
and securing their interests," the sokesperson stated.
He once again expressed Iran's readiness to finalize
an agreement on the JCPOA revival and said if there is the necessary will and
resistance to foreign pressure, it is possible to reach an agreement quickly.
The United Kingdom, France and Germany on Saturday
announced in a statement they had “serious doubts” about Iran’s intentions to
revive the nuclear deal.
Iranian officials say an agreement on the 2015 accord
revival hinges on the political will of the West, adding a deal could be
achieved if the United States acts realistically. They vowed that Tehran will
not take a step back from its redlines in the negotiations with the world
powers.
On Monday, Kana'ani said that Tehran's response to
Washington's view regarding the EU's proposed draft text was constructive and
transparent, and added that receiving guarantees from the Western side is the
most important issue in the talks.
"Iran's response is constructive, transparent,
and legal and can provide the ground to conclude the negotiations in a very
short time if there is the necessary political will on the other side and it
acts constructively and moves forward like Tehran," the diplomat pointed
out.
Tehran and the five remaining parties to the nuclear
deal have held several rounds of negotiations since April last year to restore
the agreement, which was unilaterally abandoned by former US President Donald
Trump in May 2018.
In quitting the agreement, Trump restored sanctions on
Iran as part of what he called the “maximum pressure” campaign against the
country. Those sanctions are being enforced to this day by the Joe Biden
administration, even though it has repeatedly acknowledged that the policy has
been a mistake and a failure.
Iranian officials say the ball is in the US' court,
and the Biden administration should assure Tehran that it will not repeat
Trump's past mistakes.
Diplomats have also criticized Washington for raising
excessive demands from Tehran during the nuclear talks, and blocking efforts to
reach an agreement on the JCPOA. They emphasized the Tehran's will to reach a
good, strong and lasting agreement, and stressed that the US should lift
unilateral sanctions, and assure Iran that it will not repeat its past
mistakes.
Officials say although some progress has been made,
there are still outstanding issues that need to be resolved before a final deal
could be attained. They warn that Tehran has its own "Plan B" and it
will go into effect if Washington fails to make a political decision to revive
the 2015 agreement.
Source: Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14010620000099/Iran-Urges-E3-P-Aside-Langage-f-Threa
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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Etihad for struggle to implement
ideology of Pakistan
September 11, 2022
Chaudhary Aurangzeb, Chairman Pakistan
Tehreek-E-Etihad, delivered this message on seventy fourth death anniversary of
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the father of the nation.
He stated that the manifesto of Pakistan
Tehreek-E-Etihad clearly states the reason behind its existence which is to
implement the basic ideology of Pakistan, bring unity under that ideology and
uphold the constitution in a true democratic spirit specifically articles (33)
and (40) of the constitution of Pakistan.
“Pakistan came into being to create an Islamic State
where Muslims could lead their lives according to the teachings of Islam with
social justice, rule of law and complete independence. This idea was envisioned
by Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal and later implemented by Quaid-E-Azam Muhammad Ali
Jinnah. Pakistan Tehreek-E-Etihad will strive to implement that ideology and
turn Pakistan into a country which our Quaid wanted it to be”, he added.
Source: Pak Observer
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://pakobserver.net/pakistan-tehreek-e-etihad-for-struggle-to-implement-ideology-of-pakistan/
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Official US Story Of 9/11 is False: American Economist
and Author
A firefighter runs into
the street as the World Trade Center crumbles behind him on September 11, 2001
after two airplanes purportedly slammed into the twin towers. (Photo by Getty
Images)
----
11 September 2022
Over the past 21 years, the number of Americans who
believe that the official story of the September 11, 2001 attacks is false has
steadily grown, according to Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, American economist and
author.
Dr. Roberts, who was Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury in the Reagan Administration and associate editor of the Wall Street
Journal, made the remarks in an article on Sunday as Americans commemorated the
21st anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the United States that left nearly
3,000 people dead.
“There has never been an official US investigation of
the attack,” wrote Dr. Roberts.
“After much pressure from families of those who died
in the collapse of the towers, the White House finally and most reluctantly
assembled a 9/11 Commission consisting largely of politicians and a
neoconservative staff director to sit and listen to the government’s narrative
and to write it down. This is what comprised the 9/11 Commission Report,” he
stated.
“NIST’s account of the collapse is simply a computer
simulation that delivered the results NIST programmed into the simulation,” he
noted.
American leaders have called the 9/11 attacks had been
one of the darkest days in the history of the country.
US officials assert that the attacks were carried out
by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists, 15 of them Saudi nationals, but many experts and
independent researchers have raised questions about the official account.
They believe that rogue elements within the US
government, such as former Vice President Dick Cheney, orchestrated or at least
encouraged the 9/11 attacks in order to accelerate the US war machine and
advance the Zionist agenda.
“For 21 years I reported on the independent
investigations and findings of scientists, scholars, engineers, and architects
that concluded on the basis of hard evidence that the government’s narrative
was a false account,” wrote Dr. Roberts.
“Initially, the distinguished scientists, architects,
and engineers who rejected the official narrative were characterized by the
presstitutes as ‘conspiracy theorists,’ following the line the CIA had employed
against experts who disputed the official narrative of President John F.
Kennedy’s assassination. However, over time the efforts of Architects &
Engineers for 9/11 Truth convinced more and more Americans that the official
story was false. In recent years polls have shown that half of those polled no
longer believe the official narrative,” he stated.
“It was obvious to me early that 9/11 was an inside
job, a false flag event blamed on Muslims in order to justify two decades of a
‘war on terror’ whose purpose was to destroy Israel’s Middle Eastern
opponents,” he wrote, adding that “and profits and power for the US
military/security complex are all the ‘war on terror’ was about.”
The former top US official added, “The reason it was
obvious to me that 9/11 was an inside job is that, as it was presented, it
amounted to the worse humiliation a superpower had suffered in all of recorded
history. A handful of young Saudi Arabians without support of any state or
security agency had delivered a crushing blow to the image of the United
States. The almighty National Security Apparatus was incapable of warding off a
handful of foreigners who, magically, caused US airport security to fail four
times on the same morning, hijack 4 airliners, cause the US military to conduct
a simulation of the attack at the same time an actual attack was occurring,
thus causing massive confusion that prevented the US Air Force from
intercepting the hijacked airliners. The young men also prevented VP Dick
Cheney, who was monitoring ‘the attack on America,’ from blocking the attack on
the Pentagon.”
“When you look at this record of extraordinary failure
of the multi-trillion dollar National Security State and hear no demand from
the President of the United States, the Pentagon and Joint Chiefs of Staff,
Congress, and the media for investigation and accountability for the
government’s total failure, hearing instead opposition to any inquiry, you know
for an absolute fact that the highest levels of the US government were
responsible for the attack in order to unleash war on the Middle East, just as
Pearl Harbor was a Roosevelt orchestration to get the US into a war that
Congress and the American people opposed,” he pointed out.
“If in fact the US government believed its narrative,
the government, embarrassed to the hilt, would have been demanding explanation
and accountability. There would have been endless investigation. Many heads
would have rolled. I spent a quarter century in Washington, and I know for a
fact that the government would not have been content to assemble a Commission
and then read an implausible account to them and call that an investigation of
America’s and their own humiliation,” he continued.
“What the government did instead of an investigation
was to quickly destroy all the evidence. The massive steel beams of the towers
clearly cut at an angle by high temperature explosives were quickly collected
over objections by fire marshals, shipped out of the country in order to get
rid of the evidence, and sold as scrap metal in Asia,” he noted.
Following the 9/11 attacks, the United States under
the presidency of Republican George W. Bush invaded and occupied Afghanistan,
despite the fact that no Afghan was involved in the attacks. The occupation
continued for 20 years. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans died in the US war on
the country.
Wesley Clark, the retired 4-star US Army general and
Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the 1999 War on Yugoslavia, said in the
famous 2007 interview that the purpose of the 9/11 attack was to take out the
governments of seven countries in five years. These seven countries were Iraq,
Syria, Somalia, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, and Iran.
Clark’s interview serves as a reminder of the
diabolical timeline of the American Empire’s hegemonic project. All of these
countries have been directly or indirectly been the object of US aggression.
Iran has been a target of malicious US intentions but
the United States failed to launch a war against it due to the Islamic
Republic’s strong defense against the global hegemon.
Source: Press TV
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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India
Karnataka: Footwear thrown at a mosque in Siraguppa
town; four held
11th September 2022
By Kiran Balannanavar
BALLARI: With an intention to create a communal clash
during the Lord Ganesha immersion procession, a group of youths threw footwear
at a mosque in Siruguppa of Ballari district on Saturday night.
Soon after the video went viral on social media, the
police nabbed four youths and registered a case at Siruguppa police station.
The police are strictly monitoring social media and asked the users not to
share provoking videos of the incident.
In the viral video, it is recorded that the procession
was moving slowly and when it came near the mosque, the police surrounded the
procession to control the mob. But suddenly a youth threw a slipper at the
mosque. The video has been recorded by some locals.
It can be recalled that ahead of the Ganesha festival,
a peace meeting was held by the Ballari superintendent of police and he
instructed all religious heads to maintain peace and harmony during the
festival time.
Reacting to the incident, Alok Kumar, Additional
Director General of Police (ADGP) Law and Order tweeted “We have secured the
accused persons. Appropriate legal action is being taken against them”.
Saidulu Adavath, Superintendent of Police, Ballari
said with an intention of creating a communal clash a youth threw a slipper on
a mosque in Siruguppa town during the Ganesha immersion procession.
In this regard, four miscreants have been arrested and
the main accused Nitesh Kumar, 22, who threw the slippers is from Sindhanur
town. His friends Bhimanna, 23, Ashok, 22, and Anjeneyalu, 21, residents of
Siraguppa town supported his action, have also been arrested.
Source: New Indian Express
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of the original story:
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Eight-year-old Muslim boy arrested after communal
violence erupts in Bihar’s Siwan
11th September 2022
Communal violence erupted on Thursday, September 10,
during a Mahavir Akhara procession in Bihar’s Siwan district, prompting the
arrest of a 70-year-old man and an eight-year-old Muslim minor boy along with
many others.
The march, which passed near a mosque, was made up of
saffron-clad males who were reportedly armed with clubs and yelled communal
sentiments. This allegedly resulted in stone pelting in Barharia’s Purani Bazar
neighbourhood.
According to a report by Maktoob media, Mohammad
Yasin, 70, and his eight-year-old grandson Rizwan Qureshi were both taken into
custody by the police, despite the family’s insistence that they are both
innocent. Yasin recently underwent two surgeries and also suffered from other
health issues, the report said.
According to their family, they were booked for
incitement of violence and kept in custody.
Rizwan’s brother Azhar told Maktoob Media, “My younger
brother was kept in a private ward and my family was initially not allowed to
meet him. When my mother saw him, he was handcuffed and scared. He was so
terrified that he was unable to recognise his own mother. The child was just
crying to go back home.”
The report further said that they were produced in
court allegedly with a rope tied around their waist. Rizwan’s family has
presented the child’s birth certificate but the police officials have been
allegedly demanding money for his release.
According to several media reports, the Siwan Police
have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against 35 persons in connection
with the event, including 25 Muslims and 10 Hindus, and have detained 20
people.
The Wire obtained the FIR under Indian Penal Code
sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful
assembly), 188 (disobedience to order), 296 (disturbing religious assembly),
337 (causing hurt), 338 (causing grievous hurt), 435 (mischief with intent to
damage), 427 (mischief with substance), 505 (intentional insult with intent to
provoke breach of peace), 307 ( (party to criminal conspiracy).
Speaking to The Wire, a resident said, “On Thursday
(September 8) evening, during the Asr prayers, a Mahavir Akhara rally passed by
the mosque. The people were armed with sticks and chanting communal slurs. Some
shops around the area were vandalised with lathis and the same happened with
the mosque. After this, stone pelting ensued from both sides.”
He added, “Essentially this is an administrative
failure, the area has always been sensitive. The Mahavir Akhara took out a
rally four days ago too, however, police were present at that time, so nothing
like this happened. Moreover, some Muslims of the region have also asked the police
to beef up security, since the area is ‘communally sensitive’. However, only
two chowkidars and a junior police officer were assigned.”
Prem Chand, the magistrate, who is also a complainant
in the FIR, told The Wire, “I was made the Dand Adhikari (magistrate) of the
region for a day so I filed the complaint. Stone pelting took place in front of
the mosque, and when the Akhara reached the region [Purani Bazar area] from the
mosque. After this, the administration dealt with the situation as a clash ensued.
A shop was also damaged during stone pelting.”
AIMIM chief Owaisi reacts to the minor’s arrest:
AIMIM chief and Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin
Owaisi strongly criticised Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and asked whether
the arrested boy would have been treated in the same manner like an ‘animal’ if
he belonged to the chief minister’s caste.
Source: Siasat Daily
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of the original story:
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Gyanvapi mosque case: Hindu side seek ASI survey,
carbon dating of Shivling if ruling comes in their favour
September 12, 2022
As Varanasi district court is set to deliver its
verdict today on the maintainability of civil suits challenging the title of
the Gyanvapi mosque and the land surrounding it, the Hindu side said that they
will seek for Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) survey and carbon dating of
‘Shivling’ if the judgment comes in their favour.
District Judge AK Vishvesh had last month reserved the
order till September 12 in the matter. The decision relates to the
maintainability of Hindu women’s plea seeking permission to worship Hindu
deities in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex.
Speaking to ANI, Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain,
representing the Hindu side said, “Today the court will deliver its judgment on
the maintainability of the suit. 1991 Worship Act applies in our favour. If
judgment comes in our favour, then we will seek for ASI survey, carbon dating
of Shivling.”
Another lawyer, representing the Hindu side, Sohan Lal
Arya said that the verdict will prove to be the first day of planting the
foundation stone of Kashi Vishwanath.
“Moreover, this day is going to be a very happy day
for the Hindu community of the world. Court will give its verdict from 2:00 pm
and we have offered prayers for the ‘darshan’ of Lord Shiva in the morning.
After the verdict, we will have ‘darshan’. After the verdict comes in our
favour, the people of Kashi celebrate by ringing bells and clapping. The people
of Kashi will work to awaken the Hindu society,” said Sohan Lal Arya.
Security has been tightened and prohibitory orders
(Section 144) have been imposed in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi on Sunday a day
ahead of the district court order.
The police have deployed forces in areas where a mixed
population resides in the city and patrolling is ongoing to ensure no law and
order situation arises on the maintainability of a plea by five Hindu women
seeking permission to worship the Shringar Gauri Sthal within the Kashi
Vishwanath-Gyanvapi Masjid complex.
“A Varanasi court may pronounce judgment on a crucial
matter. Section 144 was implemented in the city. Police force posted in areas
where the mixed population resides. Patrolling is on. We are trying our best
that no law and order situation arises,” said Police Commissioner, A Satish
Ganesh.
Varanasi Assistant Commissioner of Police, Santosh
Kumar Singh, said that more than 2000 police personnel have been deployed and
all necessary arrangements have been made to maintain law and order.
“Peace Committee meetings have been held several times
and police is on alert. along with this, we have also talked to the religious
leaders and an appeal has been made to maintain peace,” said Singh.
The petition was filed by five Hindu women seeking
permission to worship the Shringar Gauri Sthal within the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi
Masjid complex.
Following this, a local Varanasi court ordered in May
a videography survey of the complex. The survey work was completed on May 16
and the report was presented in the court on May 19.
After the videography survey claims were made by the
Hindu side that a structure, resembling a Shivling was found in the mosque
complex. The Masjid committee contested that it was a fountain and not a
Shivling.
The Supreme Court on May 20 transferred the case from
a civil judge (senior division) to a district judge, saying considering the
“complexities and sensitivity” of the issue, it is better if a senior judicial
officer having an experience of over 25-30 years handles this case.
The bench also said that no manner of restriction
should be imposed on Muslims entering the mosque to offer namaz or religious
observances.
The matter had reached the Supreme Court on a petition
filed by the Mosque Management Committee, which challenged the civil judge’s
orders.
Source: The Statesman
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‘Tribal leader, RSS links’ — who is Ghulam Ali, first
Gurjar Muslim from J&K to be nominated to RS
ANANYA BHARDWAJ
11 September, 2022
New Delhi: Ghulam Ali Khatana, a Gurjar Muslim from
Jammu and Kashmir, was nominated for the Rajya Sabha by President Droupadi
Murmu Saturday.
A leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Tribal
Morcha and Minority Morcha, a party spokesperson for Jammu and Kashmir and a
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker, the 51-year-old is the first Gurjar Muslim to have been nominated for the
upper house.
A notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs
Saturday read, “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-clause (a) of clause
(1) of article 80 of the Constitution of India, read with clause (3) of that
article, the President is pleased to nominate Shri Ghulam Ali to the Council of
States to fill the vacancy caused due to the retirement of one of the nominated
members.”
Khatana, who hails from Jammu, has studied electrical
engineering and was active in student politics. His initiation on to the larger
political platform happened in 2001 when he joined the Jammu and Kashmir
National Panthers Party.
“I was inspired by Raja Hari Singh, the great
reformer, and wanted to work for the people. After spending a few years at the
Panthers Party, I felt the need to expand my base and associated myself with
the RSS,” he told ThePrint in a telephone interview.
Khatana joined the RSS in 2008 and worked with the
organisation for two years before moving on to the BJP, where he was made
in-charge of the BJP Minority and Tribal Morchas.
“I finally joined the BJP in 2010 and since then have
worked as the national executive member of the Tribal Morcha in Uttar Pradesh,
Jammu, Gujarat, and many other states. I was also a key member of the Minority
Morcha and have worked at the grassroot level with people from economically
weaker sections, Dalits, tribals and others,” he said.
“My aim has always been to work towards making the BJP
a mainstream political party in J&K” he added.
Khatana has also been secretary of the BJP’s J&K
unit, in-charge of the Muslim majority areas of Doda and Ramban in Jammu, and
state spokesperson for the party.
‘Elated that small-time party worker like me was
nominated’
Talking about his nomination to the Rajya Sabha,
Khatana said he felt “elated”.
“I have never cared for rewards. I believe in doing my
work and maybe that is what has borne fruit — that a small-time party worker
like me has been nominated for such a position. When [Prime Minister Narendra]
Modiji came to power, he had said that ignored communities will be politically
empowered and that is what he is doing now,” he said.
“For me, party [BJP] comes before my family and I am
thankful to the party leadership for giving me this opportunity to work for the
tribals, the minority section,” he said.
Source: The Print
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BJP
Launches ‘Alpsankhyak Mitra’ To Garner Muslim Votes In Gujarat
11
SEP 2022
The
BJP's minority cell has launched a drive to connect with Muslims in Gujarat,
which goes to polls later this year, by making at least 100 "Alpsankhyak
Mitra" in assembly segments having a sizeable population of the community,
party leader Jamal Siddiqui said on Sunday.
People
belonging to minority communities, mainly Muslims, will also be included in the
BJP's booth committees in such assembly segments, the party's minority cell
chief said.
"The
BJP's minority cell has started a drive to connect at least 100 Muslims hailing
from non-political background with the party as its sympathisers. They could be
spiritual leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs and could also be those working
in government," Siddiqui said.
Each
such "Alpsankhyak Mitra (friend from the minority community)" of the
party would be given the responsibility to ensure 50 minority votes for the BJP
from their surroundings, he said.
He
further said members of the minority cell will be included in the BJP's booth
committees in 109 assembly segments that have substantial Muslim population --
from 25,000 to one lakh votes.
The
BJP's outreach comes at a time its state government in Gujarat is under attack
for releasing 11 men convicted for raping a Muslim woman, Bilkis Bano, and
killing her family members during the 2002 communal riots.
Asked
about this, Siddiqui defended his party's government saying it had formed a
committee "following the instructions of the High Court and that committee
decided to release the convicts."
"It
was only the BJP government which punished them and they have been released
after serving a certain punishment...after all, mercy is part of Indian
culture," Siddqui said.
When
asked about 2002 riots, Siddiqui said it was an unfortunate incident and people
have no move forward.
"Riots
happened in 2002, it was unfortunate. It is past now, people have moved on.
People have seen that Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn't differentiate on
basis of caste and religion. People irrespective of their faith have benefited
from welfare schemes of his government," he said.
As
per the 2011 census, Muslims are the biggest minority in Gujarat, constituting
9.65 per cent of the population. But it could send only three MLAs, all
belonging to the Congress, to the assembly in the 2017 elections.
Source:
Outlook India
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Counter-terrorism,
Afghanistan, extremism likely to dominate PM Modi's SCO agenda
Sep
12, 2022
NEW
DELHI: PM Narendra Modi is likely to underline the threat from radicalisation
and extremism at the upcoming SCO summit in Samarkand while seeking a zero
tolerance policy on terrorism and also unanimity in the group on designation of
terrorists. He will also look to address the security situation in Afghanistan
with focus on the need to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation among
member-states and check the activities of terrorist groups still running terror
training camps in the country.
Modi
is likely to emphasise that a peaceful, stable and inclusive Afghanistan is
crucial for regional peace and security and that India will remain an important
stakeholder in the country.
PM
will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the summit, and also Russian
President Vladimir Putin, at the summit and while they will exchange
pleasantries, there's no confirmation yet of any structured bilateral meeting
with either of the 2 leaders. Diplomatic sources said though India and Russia
are still exploring the possibility of a bilateral meeting. In the case of Xi
too, sources did not fully rule out substantive bilateral talks between Modi
and Xi.
The
fact that disengagement at Gogra-Hot Springs would be done and dusted by the
time Modi lands in Uzbekistan can allow India some flexibility in dealing with,
if it happens, the first physical meeting between the 2 leaders since 2019.
That disengagement was announced at what is also known as patrolling point-15
barely a week before a possible meeting is significant in itself. With the
border situation in eastern Ladakh not fully resolved, India has been reluctant
to officially confirm in advance, like with foreign minister Wang Yi's visit in
March, any bilateral engagement with China.
Source:
Times Of India
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Madrasa
survey not targeted at anyone: Muslim minister in Uttar Pradesh
Sep
10, 2022
The
lone Muslim face in the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, Danish Azad Ansari, on
Saturday said the madrasa survey by the Yogi government 2.0 would be a
two-pronged exercise and it would not be targeted at anyone.
His
comment comes a day after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday
became the latest opposition leader to hit out at the madrasa survey exercise
that she claimed was aimed at terrorising Muslims.
The
46-day madrasa survey began on Saturday but the minister clarified that while
officers would be visiting private, unaided and unrecognised madrasas for the
exercise, the survey would also include those madrasa owners who would approach
the government voluntarily with details of students and other things so that
they are able to avail of the benefits of government schemes.
“Survey
forms are also available with the district minority welfare officers. It is
being made to appear as if our officers would be raiding the madrasas. It’s not
like that. Yes, our teams would be visiting madrasas for collecting data, but
madrasas owners, too, can approach us with details so that we could ensure
benefits of various government schemes reach them. Once they show interest, we
will also impart skill development training,” Ansari said to HT.
The
survey proforma of the 46-day exercise that started on Saturday and would
conclude on October 25 contains questions like how old is the madrasa, how many
students are enrolled with it, what is the teaching methodology. District
magistrates would share the survey report with the state government.
Madrasa
owner would also be required to indicate their priorities for government
initiatives for minorities. To aid the government initiative, the ruling
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), too, rolled out a madrasa outreach initiative
aimed at allaying apprehensions of Muslims on the issue.
“We
are attributing intentions to the whole exercise when the fact is that there
are a whole lot of schemes for minorities, like “Seekho Aur Kamao”, “Nayi
Roshni” and “Nai Udaan”. We would like to link the students with various skill
development schemes so that along with madrasa curriculum, these students could
also be connected to skill development courses,” the minister said.
“Seekho
Aur Kamao” is a skill development scheme for youths between 14 years and 35
years. It is aimed at creating employment opportunities, improving
employability of existing workers and school dropouts. “Nai Roshni” is a scheme
to empower minority women. “Nai Udaan” is meant to help such minority students
prepare for the mains examination who clear the prelims conducted by the Union
Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Staff Selection Commission or the State
Public Service Commission. Financial assistance is also provided under it. The
objective of this scheme is to increase representation of minority in civil
services.
Source:
Hindustan Times
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UP
readies for survey of private madrassas, proprietors fear action
11th
September 2022
Lucknow:
With the Uttar Pradesh government set to conduct a survey of private madrassas,
proprietors of the theological schools fear that their institutions may be declared
illegal and “run over by bulldozers”.
According
to sources, the fear was expressed by them on September 6 in New Delhi at a
meeting of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, one of the leading organisations of Islamic
scholars belonging to the Deobandi school of thought.
However,
state minister Danish Azad Ansari said the apprehension has no basis.
The
Muslim body’s president Maulana Arshad Madani told PTI, “Nobody has any
objection if the government wants to conduct a survey of private madrassas but
care should be taken so that it doesn’t interfere in their internal matters.”
The
sources said it was decided at the meeting that views of the Muslim community
will be placed before the government, a close eye will be kept on the exercise
and a steering committee be formed to protest any wrongdoing.
It
was also decided to hold a meeting on September 24 in Darul Ulum Deoband to
chalk out the future course of action.
Earlier,
AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and BSP supremo Mayawati had
raised questions over the exercise, for which teams were to be formed by
September 10.
The
government has maintained that the exercise is aimed at streamlining private
religious seminaries so that students there could learn science and computers.
AIMIM
chief Owaisi had described the exercise as “mini NRC” (National Register of
Citizenship).
BSP
supremo Mayawati has alleged that the government is trying to interfere in the
internal matters of the seminaries with an intention to “terrorise” Muslims.
Meanwhile,
UP’s Minister of State for Minority Affairs Danish Azad Ansari assured that no
centre will be razed.
“Those
expressing such an apprehension should tell if any madrassa was brought down by
any bulldozer in the previous five years of the state government. The anxiety
has no basis,” he told PTI.
The
lone Muslim minister in Yogi Adityanath government said the state government is
working honestly to bring madrassas into mainstream.
“The
purpose of the survey is to know the actual condition of the madrassas and help
these in lifting their standard,” he added.
The
minister said during the survey, owners of private madrassas will be asked as
to which schemes of the government they wanted.
They
will also be given information about development programmes run by the
government for minorities.
“Relevant
papers and forms regarding schemes for minority communities will be made
available to them during the survey so that welfare schemes reach villages and
towns deprived of them till now,” Ansari said.
Ansari
asked critics to stay away from politics “if they are supporters of Muslims
upliftment”.
All-India
Muslim Personal Law Board member and Lucknow city Qazi Maulana Khalid Rasheed
Farangi Mahli too criticised Owaisi for dubbing the survey as “mini NRC” and
said everything should not be politicised.
He,
however, said before carrying out the survey of private madrassas, the state
government should strengthen the arrangements in government-affiliated
madrassas and a similar survey be conducted in every primary schools run by the
government.
The
Uttar Pradesh government had on August 31 taken the decision to conduct the
survey to assess basic facilities available in private madrassas. There are
16,461 such theological schools in Uttar Pradesh at present, of which 560 are
registered with the government and getting financial assistance.
Teams
formed for the survey will include the deputy commissioner, district basic
education officer and the district minority welfare.
They
will complete the exercise by October 15.
The
DMs should hand over the reports to the state administration by October 25.
Sources
said basic information like the name of a madrassa, its owner, whether it is
run from a rented premises, number of students enrolled, arrangements of
drinking water, toilet, power supply and furniture will be collected.
Source:
Siasat Daily
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https://www.siasat.com/up-readies-for-survey-of-private-madrassas-proprietors-fear-action-2410152/
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South
Asia
Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan Will Not Forget People’s Sacrifices for Islamic System,
Deputy PM
September
12, 2022
KABUL:
Deputy Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Mawlavi Abdul Kabir met with a
number of scholars, influential figures, and tribal elders of Muqbel district
of Paktia province, here in Kabul, a statement from the deputy prime minister
office said the other day.
At
the outset, speaking on behalf of others Mawlavi Mohammad Haleem, Shaikh Yaha
and Malik Haji Wakil said the people’s views and suggestions, when shared, are
fortunately heard by the authorities of the Islamic Emirate.
“To
defeat the cruel enemy the people have always cooperated their Muslim brothers
and for maintaining the system they are ready for giving more sacrifices”, they
assured.
Deputy
PM, while thanking them said that the Islamic Emirate will not forget support
and sacrifices of the people.
“This
is why we are trying day and night for security, development and welfare of the
people.”
Source:
The Kabul Times
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https://thekabultimes.gov.af/iea-will-not-forget-peoples-sacrifices-for-islamic-system-deputy-pm/
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Karzai
tweets support for Afghan girls protesting for education
Sep
12, 2022
KABUL:
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai called on the ruling Taliban on Sunday to
re-open girls’ high schools and applauded female students in the eastern
province of Paktia who residents said have been publicly protesting against the
measure.
“The
voice of Paktia’s female students is the voice of all our girls and of
Afghanistan,” tweeted Karzai. “We ask the acting Islamic government to open the
schools,” he said. Taliban made a sudden U-turn on vows to open girls’
highschools in March. Authorities in Paktia said this week that girls’ high
schools had re-opened, though the move had not been officially approved. But
three locals and three Taliban officials said schools were shut on Saturday.
One person said the closure had prompted girls to protest. Video footage showed
dozens of girls marching down a street while chanting.
Source:
Times Of India
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Black
Hawk helicopter crashes during Taliban training, 3 killed
Sep
12, 2022
KABUL:
A Black Hawk helicopter commandeered by the Taliban after the chaotic US
withdrawal from Afghanistan crashed during a training session at the weekend,
killing two pilots and a crew member, the defence ministry said.
The
incident occurred Saturday on the campus of the country's defence university in
the capital Kabul.
The
Black Hawk crashed due to "a technical problem during a training
exercise", the ministry said, adding five crew members were also injured.
When
exiting the country last year, the US military left behind billions of dollars
worth of aircraft, vehicles, weapons and other hardware -- much of which it
said had been rendered inoperable.
Some
helicopters were also flown by former Afghan government forces to central Asian
countries before the Taliban took full control of the country.
The
Taliban have managed to repair some aircraft, including helicopters, which are
believed to be now flown by pilots from the former government forces.
Source:
Times Of India
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Taliban
Rounds Up Thousands of Beggars in Afghan Capital
By
Saqalain Eqbal
06
Sep 2022
Mullah
Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban government’s Deputy Prime Minister for
Economic Affairs, stated that pursuant to an order of the Taliban supreme
leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, over 3,000 beggars have been rounded up
from the streets of Kabul, the Afghan capital.
The
Taliban senior official, in a video message on Monday, the 5th of September,
stated that the “Beggar Collection Committee” has gathered 3,048 beggars
begging in different parts of Kabul city.
Of
the 3,048 beggars that were gathered, 2,109 were women, according to the beggar
collection committee led by Mullah Baradar.
Only
629 of the aforementioned number of female beggars in Kabul city were deemed
“deserving” with the others being classified as “professional beggars” by the
committee that collected them.
The
number of deserving beggars for men and children is presented as to be 60 out
of 283, and 269 out of 656 respectively.
According
to Taliban officials, all deserving beggars have been referred to the Afghan
Red Crescent Society, where they will receive the necessary support from their
respective organizations.
The
Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister had previously been ordered to cooperate with
the appropriate agencies to start the process of rounding up panhandlers from
Kabul city and addressing and resolving their issues.
Beggars
who are highly disadvantaged and unable to work were to receive a monthly
stipend, and minor beggars were to receive an education, according to the
statement made public when the order was announced.
Foreign
assistance, access to foreign reserves, and financial links were all severely
disrupted once the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan.
Source:
Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/taliban-rounds-up-thousands-of-beggars-in-afghan-capital-57686/
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NRF
claims repelling of Taliban’s attack killing 32 Taliban fighters
11
Sep 2022
The
National Resistance Forces in Afghanistan has claimed to have repelled a
Taliban’s attack with killing dozens of the Taliban fighters, Voice of America
reported.
According
to VOA, the NRF spokesperson, Sebghatullah Ahmadi has reported that the NRF led
by Ahmad Massoud has been able to repel a strong attack of the Taliban forces
on their military bases in Enaba, Rukha, Bazarak, Dara, Abashar and Khenj
districts of Panjshir province.
Ahmadi
has also claimed that the Taliban forces have been defeated carrying high
casualties with at least 32 deaths and 13 injuries.
The
number of casualties NRF forces had in this ambush is yet to be reported.
The
Taliban has not yet commented about the reported incident, however, they have
recently assigned Mullah Abdul Qayoum Zakir, one of their prominent leaders as
the lead for Panjshir and Andarab wars, the two places where NRF forces have
military presence.
This
comes as that Afghanistan republic administration fell in to the hands of
Taliban last August after the elected president, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani fled
while an intra-Afghan talks between the Taliban and Afghan side were in place
in Doha, Qatar.
Hundreds
of the Afghanistan National Security Defense Forces members and special forces
headed towards Panjshir province after the fall of the administration last year
in order to establish a resistance force against the Taliban led by Ahmad
Massoud and some other anti-Taliban figures.
Afghanistan,
a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country in South Asia has been into the war
and political instability for at least four decades now. The main motive behind
these conflicts has been the the failure of different regimes in the
implementation of ‘social justice’ in a way to please different ethnic and
religious groups residing in this country.
Source:
Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/nrf-claims-repelling-of-talibans-attack-killing-32-taliban-fighters-31654/
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Taliban
in talks with Pakistan over release of 300 detained Afghans
11
September, 2022
Kabul
[Afghanistan], September 11 (ANI): The Taliban is in talks with Pakistan to
free 300 Afghans detained for not having legal documents.
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the officials of the Afghan Embassy in
Islamabad are in talks with Pakistani officials over the release of around 300
Afghans detained by Pakistani police, reported Tolo News.
Pakistan
remains the largest country of asylum for Afghans, with 1.5 million Afghans
residing in Pakistan, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) report.
MoFA’s
deputy spokesman, Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, said in a video that some of the
detainees had been freed due to efforts of the Afghan embassy. Still, the rest
of them will be released after paying the fines.
“Some
of them have been freed today and the decision to release others will be taken
in the future. I must say that there are some individuals who are taking
advantage of this issue and collecting money under the pretext of helping these
detainees,” he said.
The
Pakistani police have arrested around 300 Afghans including women and children,
reported Tolo News.
Some
Afghan refugees in Karachi, Pakistan expressed frustration over their
situation, saying that many members of their families have been held by the
Pakistani police for over several months.
They
said that they have been fined by the court for not having legal documents but
are now unable to pay their fines, reported Tolo News.
“My
mother and cousins are among them. It has been two months that they have been
detained,” said an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.
“My
four daughters and wife are among them. I have been dealing with this case for
the past two months,” said another Afghan refugee.
The
reports of the detention of around 300 Afghans by Pakistani police were
published in early August.
“Children
and women are among them as well as some men… the ambassador has yet to follow
up (with) this, neither the consulate. We don’t have enough money to hire a
lawyer. I came to Karachi and hired a lawyer for them,” said Haji Nazar
Khogianai, a civil rights activist in Pakistan.
Pakistani
human rights activists also voiced concerns over the attitude of the Pakistan
government towards the Afghan refugees.
For
the past five years, Afghanistan’s situation has been a peculiar one in the
region with a steady increase of forcibly displaced people every year. Last
year, Afghanistan’s situation deteriorated dramatically with a 12 per cent
increase of forcibly displaced persons by the end of the year compared to
end-2020.
UNHCR
in Iran, Pakistan and Tajikistan pre-screened/pre-registered Afghans who may be
in need of international protection. By the end of 2021, the number of new
arrivals who approached UNHCR and Ppartners was the following: in Pakistan
(1,08,000), Tajikistan (2,700) and Iran (27,800) reached 1,38,500.
“Pakistan
remains the largest country of asylum for Afghans, with 1.5 million Afghans
residing in Pakistan. This includes POR card holders, unregistered nuclear
family members of POR card holders (UMRF), asylum-seekers, and newly arrived
Afghans in 2021,” the UNHCR report said.
In
Afghanistan, the number of internally displaced persons has been increasing rapidly
in the past 5 years. Globally, Afghanistan remains the 6th largest IDP country
and the largest IDP population in Asia and the Pacific region at 3.5 million —
a 20 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
By
the end of 2021, there were 7,77,000 newly displaced Afghans during the year
due to the deterioration in conflict and insecurity in Afghanistan. 58 per cent
of the IDP population in Afghanistan are children under 18 and 21 per cent are
women.
The
UNHCR report has argued that durable solutions for Afghans include voluntary
repatriation, resettlement to a third country, local integration,
naturalization and return to the place of origin prior to displacement.
However,
a growing number of displaced populations have limited opportunities for a
durable solution.
As
new refugee situations intensify and existing ones remain unsolved, there is an
urgent need for durable solutions.
Since
the Taliban took over in mid-August last year, Afghanistan has not only seen a
mass exodus but also the illegal crossings of Afghans into neighbouring
countries like Iran via Nimroz province and Turkey.
Source:
The Print
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Mideast
Iran
urges IAEA ‘not to yield to Israel's pressure’, says ready to cooperate
12 September,
2022
Iran
is ready to continue its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, Iranian
Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday, calling on the agency
“not to yield to Israel’s pressure” over Tehran’s nuclear activities.
The
International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors meet on Monday,
three months after adopting a resolution urging Iran to give credible answers
to the agency’s investigations into uranium traces at three sites in Iran.
Iran
has rejected the probes as politically motivated.
“Iran
announces its constructive cooperation with the agency as its obligation ...
While Iran has obligations, it also has rights,” Kanaani told a televised news
conference.
“The
agency should preserve its credibility.”
Israel,
widely believed to be the Middle East’s only nuclear power, has pledged never
to allow Iran to obtain atomic weapons, saying Tehran advocates its
destruction. Iran denies ever seeking nuclear arms and says its atomic program
is peaceful.
“Naturally
Iran expects constructive actions from IAEA and the members of its governing
board,” Kanaani said.
After
16 months of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington, EU foreign policy
chief Josep Borrell said on August 8 the bloc had laid down a final offer to
overcome an impasse for the revival of the agreement.
Earlier
this month, Iran sent its latest response to the EU’s proposed text. But
Britain, France and Germany said on Saturday they had “serious doubts” about
Iran’s intentions after it tried to link a revival of the deal with a closure
of the IAEA’s investigations.
Kanaani
called the European statement “unconstructive.”
“Both
the US and Europe should prove that they do notprioritize the interests of the
Zionist regime [Israel] when taking political decisions,” he said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Iran
says it has developed Arash-2 drone designed to hit Israel’s Tel Aviv, Haifa
12
September, 2022
Iran
has developed an advanced long-range suicide drone “designed to hit Israel's
Tel Aviv, Haifa,” the semi-official Mehr News on Monday quoted Iran’s ground
forces chief as saying.
Brigadier
General Kiomars Heidari said the drone, named Arash-2, is a newer version of
Arash-1.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Yemen
military forces drive Al-Qaeda out of new areas in Abyan, Shabwa
SAEED
AL-BATATI
September
11, 2022
AL-MUKALLAH:
Yemeni military and security forces have taken control of a large swath of
valley and mountainous areas in the southern provinces of Abyan and Shabwa,
which have long been considered safe havens for Al-Qaeda militants.
Local
media and officials said that military and security forces led by the
pro-independence Southern Transitional Council stormed the arid and mountainous
Khaber Al-Marakesha, an area in Abyan known for nearly 10 years as an Al-Qaeda
hideout and the cradle of some militants, including Jalal Baliedi, a senior
Al-Qaeda leader killed by a US drone in the same region in 2016.
Other
military forces, including the Giants Brigades and the Shabwa Defense Forces,
are on the verge of completely pushing Al-Qaeda militants from the Al-Musainah
region and are now fighting their way into a long and rugged valley called
Mouthab.
Residents
told Arab News that the military forces encountered stiff resistance from
Al-Qaeda militants who planted landmines and booby traps to obstruct their
progress deeper into those rugged areas.
“The
Al-Qaeda militants were outnumbered by the attacking forces and were unable to
halt their advances,” a local journalist who preferred anonymity said, adding
that the militants fled to a chain of rugged mountains between Abyan, Shabwa
and Al-Bayda.
Mohammed
Al-Naqeeb, a spokesperson for pro-independence southern troops, told Arab News
that their forces have taken control of three valleys in Abyan that house three
military training facilities for Al-Qaeda.
“We
drove Al-Qaeda out of Al-Naseel, Moujan and Al-Sari. Al-Qaeda has a large
military camp in Al-Sari,” he said.
“The
terrorist elements have fled to the mountains, and the military operation
continues.”
Hundreds
of soldiers were deployed on Sunday in Lawder, Ahwar and other areas of Abyan
province to thwart any attempts by Al-Qaeda militants to mount counterattacks.
Twenty
troops and six militants were killed in an Al-Qaeda attack on a military
outpost for southern forces in Ahwar, Abyan last week, the militants’ deadliest
attack in months.
Many
military operations to push terrorists out of those places in the past have failed
because militants conduct ferocious counterattacks based on their understanding
of the local geology.
Military
analysts now believe that because the military and security personnel battling
Al-Qaeda terrorists are made up of locals who are intimately familiar with the
targeted areas, they may be able to drive the extremists out of their long-held
strongholds in the southern provinces.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2160556/middle-east
--------
Israel
says its campaign against Iran nuclear deal 'successful'
Zain
Khalil
11.09.2022
JERUSALEM
Israeli
Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Sunday termed his country's campaign against
signing a deal with Iran over its nuclear program as "successful."
"Israel
is conducting a successful diplomatic campaign to stop the nuclear
agreement," Lapid said on Twitter before departing to Germany.
He,
however, said still there is "a long way to go."
The
Israeli premier also praised the positions of France, the UK, and Germany for
raising doubts about signing a nuclear deal with Iran.
On
Saturday, the three countries accused Iran of “continuing to expand its nuclear
program far beyond any plausible civilian justification.”
"In
recent months, we have had a quiet and intense dialogue with them, and they
were presented with up-to-date intelligence information on Iranian activity at
the nuclear sites," Lapid said.
On
Saturday, Iran held France, the UK, and Germany responsible for the failure to
reach a deal over its nuclear program.
The
Iran nuclear deal – officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
(JCPOA) – was signed in 2015 by Iran, the US, China, Russia, France, the UK,
Germany, and the EU.
Under
the agreement, Tehran has committed itself to limiting its nuclear activity to
civilian purposes and in return, world powers agreed to drop their economic
sanctions against Iran.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
Pak
court freezes 13 bank accounts of companies related to PM's younger son Suleman
Sep
11, 2022
LAHORE:
A special Pakistani court has ordered the freezing of 13 bank accounts of companies
related to Suleman Shehbaz, the younger son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,
in connection with a multi-million dollars money laundering case, a media
report said on Sunday. The order was issued by the special court of the Federal
Investigation Agency (FIA) on September 7.The investigating officer submitted
to the court details of 13 bank accounts of various companies related to
Suleman, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Prime
Minister Shehbaz and his sons - Hamza Shehbaz (former Punjab chief minister) and
Suleman - have been booked by the FIA for allegedly laundering over Rs 14
billion.
Suleman
has been absconding in the UK since 2019. Shehbaz often says Suleman looks
after the family business there.
In
his order, Presiding Judge Ijaz Hassan Awan has observed that since Suleman is
still at large and has not surrendered before the court, therefore, in addition
to his moveable and immovable properties, these 13 bank accounts have also been
attached, the report said.
The
judge also issued show-cause notices to the officials of different banks for
not complying with an earlier order about the attachment of the accounts owned
by two other proclaimed offenders.
The
judge also summoned the bank officials on September 17 when the FIA prosecutor
would also come up with the reply of the prosecution to the petitions of PM
Shehbaz and his son Hamza, seeking acquittal in the case.
The
indictment of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza was delayed
early this week after their counsel told the court that their clients have
filed a petition for their acquittal.
The
counsel also sought one-time exemption from appearance for the Premier, saying
he could not attend Wednesday's proceedings as he was busy in flood relief
activities.
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Pakistan:
Hindu temple becomes refuge for flood-hit Muslim families
11th
September 2022
Quetta:
Tucked in the Kachhi district of Balochistan, the tiny village of Jalal Khan is
still reeling from the flooding that destroyed houses and left mass destruction
in its wake, Dawn reported.
The
village was cut off from the rest of the province due to inundation in the
Nari, Bolan, and Lehri rivers, leaving the residents of the remote area to fend
for themselves.
During
these testing times, the local Hindu community opened the doors of the Baba
Madhodas Mandir to the flood-hit people and their livestock, Dawn reported.
According
to locals, Baba Madhodas was a pre-partition Hindu dervish (saint) equally
cherished by Muslims and Hindus of the area. “He used to travel on camel,” says
Iltaf Buzdar, a frequent visitor to the village from Bhag Nari tehsil.
Buzdar
says as per the stories narrated by his parents, the saint transcended
religious boundaries. “He would think of people through the prism of humanity
instead of their caste and creed,” he quotes his parents, Dawn reported.
The
worship place — frequented by Hindu worshippers from across Balochistan — is
made of concrete and covers a large area. Since it is located on high ground,
it remained relatively safe from the floodwaters and could serve as a sanctuary
to the flood-hit people in their bleakest hour.
Most
members of the Hindu community in Jalal Khan have migrated to other cities of
Kachhi for employment and other opportunities, but a couple of families remain
on the temple premises to look after it.
Rattan
Kumar, 55, a shopkeeper in the Bhag Nari tehsil, is in-charge of the temple at
present. “There are over one hundred rooms in the temple as a large number of
people from all over Balochistan and Sindh come here for pilgrimage every
year,” he tells Dawn.
It’s
not like the temple did not bear the brunt of abnormal rains. Sawan Kumar,
Rattan’s son, told Dawn a few rooms were damaged, but overall the structure
remained safe. At least 200-300 people, mostly Muslims, and their livestock
were given refuge on the premises and looked after by the Hindu families, Dawn
reported.
Initially,
the area was completely cut off from the rest of the district. The displaced
said they were provided rations via helicopter sorties, but after they moved to
the temple, they were being fed by the Hindu community.
Israr
Mugheri is a doctor in Jalal Khan. Since his arrival, he has set up a medical
camp inside the temple. “Besides locals, Hindus have also housed the goats and
sheep along with other domesticated animals,” he told Dawn. “There were
announcements on the loudspeaker by the local Hindus, calling upon Muslims to
rush to the temple to take refuge,” he adds, Dawn reported.
Those
who took refuge there say they are indebted to the local community for coming
to their aid and providing them food and shelter during this difficult hour.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/pakistan-hindu-temple-becomes-refuge-for-flood-hit-muslim-families-2410188/
--------
Chinese
firm abandons Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project in Pakistan
11
September, 2022
Muzaffarabad
[PoK], September 11 (ANI): The Chinese engineers and staff have abandoned their
repair of the mega 969-megawatt Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project in
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir which is shut down since early July this year after
Pakistan faced a continuous shortage of fuel and electricity.
The
Chinese have given the excuses of local protests over the plant and the failure
of the Pakistan police to offer credible security, however, China’s sudden
reversal of the project has created a major rift between Pakistan and China
over joint hydropower projects.
The
plant is located near Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the Chinese
engineers were working to unblock a crucial tunnel.
The
hydropower project worth Rs 508 billion saw a sudden halt within three years of
its operation, exposing serious differences between Pakistani and Chinese
authorities over joint projects, particularly the Dasu and Mohmand power
projects besides the Neelum-Jhelum plant, Islam Khabar reported.
A
3.5 km long tunnel that diverted water from the plant to the river developed a
serious fault and forced a complete shutdown of the plant, at a time when the
country was faced with a serious power crisis. The major cracks in the tailrace
tunnel forced the authorities to shut down the project.
The
Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), which operates hydropower
stations, later also confirmed that the project’s “tailrace tunnel has been
blocked and as a result, the power station has been closed for safety reasons”.
The
Pakistani authorities blame the Chinese for project slippages and inefficient
operations. The Chinese, on the other hand, have their own complaints of
delayed payments which they cite as the main cause of the delays, Islam Khabar
reported.
WAPDA
had pointed out in meetings with the Chinese company officials about slow progress
despite time extensions, substandard construction quality, and poor supervision
and management.
On
the question of tunnel failure, the WAPDA had accused the Chinese of
inefficiency at the stage of tunnelling which caused a delay in blocking the
ingress of river water into the damaged tunnel.
The
failure of the plant also brought to the fore the issue of the security of
Chinese nationals working on Pakistani projects.
The
Chinese stopped work at the plant fearing threats from local residents.
Security has been a sore point with the Chinese firms working on several
projects in Pakistan, especially those linked to the China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC).
The
Pakistani authorities counter the allegations by accusing the Chinese of not
following security protocols at the site.
After
the power plant came to a grinding halt in July, the contractor of the project,
China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC), agreed to repair and restore the tunnel
without an official agreement.
On
July 10, the Chinese firm mobilised equipment and manpower to empty the tunnel
of water to identify the cause of the blockage. The company said the entire
restoration process would take at least six months, during which the plant
would remain shut. It sought PKR 120 million from the Neelum Jhelum Hydropower
Corporation as interest-free financial support for the job.
However,
not satisfied with the Chinese offer, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on July 13
issued directions to hire best international consultants to ascertain the cause
of excessive water leakage in the powerhouse and pressure in the tailrace
tunnel, evaluate the structural strength of underground works, identify lapses
in design/construction which caused the blockage, suggest remedial measures,
and provide technical assistance to NJHPC in preparing and pursuing the
insurance claim.
But
the Prime Minister’s Office was persuaded to review its directive on the
pretext that it would take a long time to hire international consultants and
firms to identify the causes of tunnel failure and find a suitable solution to
make the plant operational.
It
is not known where the pressure came from-Chinese supporters in the bureaucracy
or the Pakistan Army. In the end, the Chinese firm was, once again, engaged to
carry out the repair and restore the blocked tunnel.
However,
within a few days of the operation to dewater the tunnel, the Chinese firm had
to stop its operations and demobilise its workforce after local residents
disrupted the work in protest. The local residents had been protesting over the
hydroelectric projects since 2018. They have several grouses-inequitable share
of power, royalty, employment and environmental destruction.
The
hydropower plant, completed at an estimated approved cost of about Rs508bn,
became functional in August 2018 and has a capacity of producing around 1,500
MW of electricity.
The
project’s construction was taken in hand in 2002 after 21 years of delay and
completed in April 2018 — again with repeated cost overruns and missed
deadlines, the Dawn reported.
Source:
The Print
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Two
more UAE planes arrive with relief goods for flood victims
September
11, 2022
KARACHI:
Two more planeloads of relief goods from United Arab Emirates (UAE) reached
here at Jinnah International Airport on Sunday.
The
Gulf nation has contributed most for the flood affectees and this was the 17th
and 18th flights from the UAE Air Force to bring relief goods. The material was
handed over in the presence of Adviser to CM Sindh on rehabilitation, and representatives
from Corps V and NDMA.
On
Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation UAE,
Ministry of Community Development UAE and Emirates Red Crescent in coordination
with the Embassy of Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and Consulate General of Pakistan in
Dubai have launched a volunteering initiative to collect donations for the
flood affectees in Pakistan.
This
volunteering initiative was launched simultaneously at following locations
across the UAE: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC), Abu Dhabi; Dubai
Exhibition Center, Expo City Dubai and Expo Center, Sharjah
Charge
d’ Affaires, Mr. Imtiaz Feroz Gondal along with Dr. Hamdan Mussallam Al
Mazrouei, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Red Crescent and
Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation participated in the launch of this campaign in Abu
Dhabi.
More
than 30,000 boxes were donated today. Each box consists of food and hygiene
kits to support a family of 5 for a whole month.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
CTD,
intelligence agency arrest TTP terrorist
September
11, 2022
KARACHI:
Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and a federal agency in a joint operation
conducted late Saturday night, arrested a terrorist affiliated with a banned
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from Metroville, SITE.
According
to spokesman for CTD on Sunday, the arrested terrorist identified as Muhammad
Shah alias Dung, alias Talha, alias Muhammad Ali, had come to Karachi to
constitute his network in the megalopolis. A pistol along with two magazines
and 14 rounds were recovered from his possession.
The
accused was also wanted by CTD Peshawar for his involvement in heinous
terrorist activities. He was trained militant and belonged to TTP-Tariq Geedar
Group.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/09/11/ctd-intelligence-agency-arrest-ttp-terrorist/
--------
Hindu
temple in Pakistan becomes refuge for flood-hit Muslim families
Sep
11 2022
Quetta,
Sep 11 (IANS): Tucked in the Kachhi district of Balochistan, the tiny village
of Jalal Khan is still reeling from the flooding that destroyed houses and left
mass destruction in its wake, Dawn reported.
The
village was cut off from the rest of the province due to inundation in the
Nari, Bolan, and Lehri rivers, leaving the residents of the remote area to fend
for themselves.
During
these testing times, the local Hindu community opened the doors of the Baba
Madhodas Mandir to the flood-hit people and their livestock, Dawn reported.
According
to locals, Baba Madhodas was a pre-partition Hindu dervish (saint) equally
cherished by Muslims and Hindus of the area. "He used to travel on
camel," says Iltaf Buzdar, a frequent visitor to the village from Bhag
Nari tehsil.
Buzdar
says as per the stories narrated by his parents, the saint transcended
religious boundaries. "He would think of people through the prism of
humanity instead of their caste and creed," he quotes his parents, Dawn
reported.
The
worship place -- frequented by Hindu worshippers from across Balochistan -- is
made of concrete and covers a large area. Since it is located on high ground,
it remained relatively safe from the floodwaters and could serve as a sanctuary
to the flood-hit people in their bleakest hour.
Most
members of the Hindu community in Jalal Khan have migrated to other cities of
Kachhi for employment and other opportunities, but a couple of families remain
on the temple premises to look after it.
Rattan
Kumar, 55, a shopkeeper in the Bhag Nari tehsil, is in-charge of the temple at
present. "There are over one hundred rooms in the temple as a large number
of people from all over Balochistan and Sindh come here for pilgrimage every
year," he tells Dawn.
It's
not like the temple did not bear the brunt of abnormal rains. Sawan Kumar, Rattan's
son, told Dawn a few rooms were damaged, but overall the structure remained
safe. At least 200-300 people, mostly Muslims, and their livestock were given
refuge on the premises and looked after by the Hindu families, Dawn reported.
Initially,
the area was completely cut off from the rest of the district. The displaced
said they were provided rations via helicopter sorties, but after they moved to
the temple, they were being fed by the Hindu community.
Israr
Mugheri is a doctor in Jalal Khan. Since his arrival, he has set up a medical
camp inside the temple. "Besides locals, Hindus have also housed the goats
and sheep along with other domesticated animals," he told Dawn.
"There were announcements on the loudspeaker by the local Hindus, calling
upon Muslims to rush to the temple to take refuge," he adds, Dawn
reported.
Those
who took refuge there say they are indebted to the local community for coming
to their aid and providing them food and shelter during this difficult hour.
Source:
Daiji World
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=998838
--------
North America
Two
Decades Later, 9/11 Self-Professed Mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Awaits
Trial in US
September
11, 2022
NEW
YORK: Hours before dawn on March 1, 2003, the US scored its most thrilling
victory yet against the plotters of the September 11 attacks — the capture of a
dishevelled Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, hauled away by intelligence agents from a
hideout in Rawalpindi.
The
global manhunt for al-Qaeda’s No. 3 leader had taken 18 months. But America’s
attempt to bring him to justice, in a legal sense, has taken much, much longer.
Critics say it has become one of the War on Terror’s greatest failures.
As
Sunday’s 21st anniversary of the terror attacks approached, Mohammed and four
other men accused of 9/11-related crimes still sit in a US detention centre in
Guantanamo Bay, their planned trials before a military tribunal endlessly
postponed.
The
latest setback came last month when pretrial hearings scheduled for early fall
were canceled. The delay was one more in a string of disappointments for relatives
of the nearly 3,000 victims of the attack. They’ve long hoped that a trial
would bring closure and perhaps resolve unanswered questions.
“Now,
I’m not sure what’s going to happen,” said Gordon Haberman, whose 25-year-old
daughter Andrea died after a hijacked plane crashed into the World Trade
Center, a floor above her office.
He’s
traveled to Guantanamo four times from his home in West Bend, Wisconsin, to
watch the legal proceedings in person, only to leave frustrated.
“It’s
important to me that America finally gets to the truth about what happened, how
it was done,” said Haberman. “I personally want to see this go to trial.”
If
convicted at trial, Mohammed could face the death penalty.
When
asked about the case, James Connell, an attorney for one of Mohammed’s
co-defendants — one accused of transferring money to 9/11 attackers — confirmed
reports both sides are still “attempting to reach a pretrial agreement” that
could still avoid a trial and result in lesser but still lengthy sentences.
David
Kelley, a former US attorney in New York who co-chaired the Justice
Department’s nationwide investigation into the attacks, called the delays and
failure to prosecute “an awful tragedy for the families of the victims.”
He
called the effort to put Mohammed on trial before a military tribunal, rather
than in the regular US court system, “a tremendous failure” that was “as
offensive to our Constitution as to our rule of law.”
“It’s
a tremendous blemish on the country’s history,” he said.
The
difficulty in holding a trial for Mohammed and other Guantanamo prisoners is
partly rooted in what the US did with him after his 2003 capture.
Mohammed
and his co-defendants were initially held in secret prisons abroad. Hungry for
information that might lead to the capture of other al-Qaeda figures, CIA
operatives subjected them to enhanced interrogation techniques that were
tantamount to torture, human rights groups say. Mohammed was waterboarded —
made to feel that he was drowning — 183 times.
A
Senate investigation later concluded the interrogations didn’t lead to any
valuable intelligence. But it has sparked endless pretrial litigation over
whether FBI reports on their statements can be used against them — a process
not subject to speedy trial rules used in civilian courts.
The
torture allegations led to concerns that the US might have ruined its chance to
put Mohammed on trial in a civilian court.
But
in 2009, President Barack Obama’s administration decided to try, announcing
that Mohammed would be transferred to New York City and put on trial at a
federal court in Manhattan.
“Failure
is not an option,” Obama said.
But
New York City baulked at the cost of security and the move never came.
Eventually, it was announced Mohammed would face a military tribunal. And then
over a dozen years passed.
Kelley
said talk of military tribunals two decades ago surprised many in the legal
community who had been successfully prosecuting terrorism cases in the decade
before. The concept of a tribunal, he said, “came out of the blue. Nobody knew
it was coming.”
Then-Attorney
General John Ashcroft was not in favour of tribunals and had been supportive of
the Manhattan federal terrorism prosecutions, he said.
Now,
Kelley said, with the passage of time it will be much more difficult to
prosecute Mohammed in a tribunal, much less a courtroom. “Evidence goes stale,
witness memories fail.”
The
passage of time hasn’t dulled the memories of the victims’ families or dampened
their interest in witnessing justice.
Eddie
Bracken’s sister Lucy Fishman was killed at the trade centre. The New Yorker
opposed Obama’s proposal to move the trial to federal court — Mohammed is
charged with “a military act,” and should be tried by the military, he
reasoned. And while he is somewhat frustrated by the delays, he understands
them.
“The
whole world is looking at us and saying, ‘What are they doing after all this
time?’” he said. But he realises the case is “a process that the world is
seeing, that needs to be done under a microscope. […] It’s up to the United
States to do their due diligence, make sure it’s done right.”
“The
wheels of justice turn. They turn slowly, but they turn. And when the time
comes, and it’s said and done, the world will know what happened,” he adds.
While
Mohammed has lingered at Guantanamo, the US killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin
Laden in a 2011 raid and deputy-turned-successor Ayman al-Zawahri in a drone
strike just this August.
Investigators
with the military commission at Guantanamo Bay said he plotted the 9/11 attacks
for three years. They cited a computer hard drive seized at his arrest which
they said contained photographs of the 19 hijackers, three letters from bin
Laden and information about some hijackers.
Mohammed,
at his tribunal hearing, conceded in a written statement that he swore
allegiance to Osama bin Laden, that he was on al-Qaeda’s council and that he
served as operational director for bin Laden for the organising, planning,
follow-up and execution of the September 11 plot “from A to Z.”
According
to the statement, he also took credit for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade
Center; an attempt to down US jetliners using bombs hidden in shoes; the
bombing of a nightclub in Indonesia; and plans for a second wave of attacks
after the 2001 attacks targeting landmarks like the Sears Tower in Chicago and
Manhattan’s Empire State Building.
He
also claimed credit for other planned attacks, including assassination attempts
against then-President Bill Clinton in 1994 or 1995 and an assassination plot
against Pope John Paul II at about the same time, the statement said.
Mohammed’s
nearly two decades in legal limbo differs from the fate of his nephew, Ramzi
Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing that killed six
people, injured 1,000 others and left a crater in the parking garage beneath
the twin towers.
Yousef
is serving life in prison after being convicted at two separate civilian
trials. He was also captured in Pakistan, in 1995, but was brought to the
United States for trial.
At
the time, Yousef said his right to kill people was comparable to the US
decision to drop a nuclear bomb in World War II. Mohammed has offered a similar
justification, saying through an interpreter at a Guantanamo proceeding that
killing people was the “language of any war.”
Bracken
traveled to Guantanamo in 2012 to watch one hearing for Mohammed and his
co-defendants, and would probably go again if a trial ever happened.
“I
don’t know if I want to go there again to bring back all the hurt and pain. But
if I’m allowed to go, then I guess I would go. Yeah. My sister would do that
for me.”
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
US
President Joe Biden honours 9/11 victims at Pentagon
Sep
12, 2022
WASHINGTON:
US President Joe Biden on Sunday paid tribute to the victims of the 9/11 terror
attack by al-Qaeda terrorists, taking part in a remembrance event at the
Pentagon, and delivered remarks to honour those killed.
"I
know for all those of you who lost someone, 21 years is both a lifetime and no
time at all," Biden said at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in
Arlington, Virginia. "It's good to remember. These memories help us heal,
but they can also open up the hurt and take us back to that moment when the
grief was so raw."
Biden
in his remarks urged for national unity on the 21st anniversary of the
September 11, 2002 attack.
"I
hope we'll remember that in the midst of these dark days, we dug deep. We cared
for each other. And we came together," Biden said, as rain fell on troops
standing behind him.
"We
honour the police officers and firefighters, the passengers on Flight 93, and
the civilians and service members who all leapt into action. And, we honour the
young men and women who joined the thousands of American troops who served
around the world to protect our nation," Biden said.
The
President talked about a message sent to the American people on September 11,
2001, from Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who died Thursday,
recalling that she "pointedly reminded us, quote, 'Grief is the price we
pay for love.'
Before
the speech, Biden participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon,
pausing briefly before a ceremonial wreath to touch it and then putting his
hand over his heart. He was joined at the event by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff Mark Milley and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
A
total of 2,977 people lost their lives on this day, 21 years ago in a fatal
terror attack. On September 11, 2001, the United States faced the deadliest
terrorist attack in its history. More than 3,000 people were killed in the
terror attacks. In a span of just 102 minutes, the twin towers of New York's
World Trade Center collapsed after planes hijacked by Al Qaeda operatives
crashed into them.
On
the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked
four commercial airliners scheduled to travel from the northeastern US to
California. They seized control of the jets to use them as passenger-filled
missiles.
The
hijackers crashed the first two planes into the twin towers of the World Trade
Center in New York City, and the third plane into the Pentagon (the
headquarters of the American military) in Arlington, Virginia, and yet another
one crashed in Pennsylvania before reaching its presumed target. The attacks
claimed nearly 3,000 lives.
Passengers
on United Airlines Flight 93 overcame the hijackers and the plane crashed in a
field, preventing another target from being hit.
The
first lady, Jill Biden, attended a ceremony in Pennsylvania on Sunday morning,
while Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff attended
one in New York City.
"We
will never forget the 2,977 lives lost on 9/11. Today standing at Ground Zero,
I am reminded of the impact this attack had on our nation and those who lost
loved ones. Doug and I stand with you today and every day," US Vice
President tweeted.
Harris
attended an event at Ground Zero in Manhattan. She said that she stood with
those lost at Ground Zero, Shanksville, and the Pentagon twenty-one years ago.
The vice President was accompanied by her husband and second gentleman Doug
Emhoff, Mayor Eric Adams and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
"On
this solemn day of remembrance, we honour those who lost their lives, as well
as our first responders who risked everything in the face of grave terrorism.
Today, we continue to honour their courage and strength," Harris said,
adding, "My heart is with those who lost loved ones."
By
a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001, US Congress had designated
September 11 of each year as "Patriot Day," and by Public Law 111-13,
approved April 21, 2009, the Congress has requested the observance of September
11 as an annually recognized "National Day of Service and
Remembrance."
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
9/11:
NATO says it stands to keep people safe in a ‘Dangerous World’
By
Saqalain Eqbal
11
Sep 2022
In
a message that was posted in memory of 9/11 and the lives lost, NATO said it
unites North America and Europe to keep people safe in a “dangerous world.”
The
NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, wrote on his Twitter handle on
Sunday, September 11, that NATO remembers the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the
innocent lives that were lost in the “dark hours”.
In
tribute to the September 11 terrorist attacks victims, Stoltenberg wrote, “All
for one and one for all.”
21
years after the deadliest terrorist attack to ever occur on American soil,
Americans are reportedly mourning 9/11 with silent moments, candlelight vigils,
recitation of the names of the victims, volunteer work, and other memorials.
On
this day 21 years ago, terrorists hijacked passenger jets and drove them into
the Pentagon, the World Trade Center twin towers in New York, and an empty
field in Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people.
After
the Taliban government in Afghanistan refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, the
founder of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda and the mastermind of 9/11, the
US launched a new “global war on terror” and invaded Afghanistan in 2001.
The
then-leader of al-Qaeda at that time resided in Afghanistan, where he oversaw
training facilities and devised attack strategies against the US and other
nations.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/9-11-nato-says-it-stands-to-keep-people-safe-in-a-dangerous-world-45778/
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Americans
mark 21st anniversary of 9/11 attacks
11
September 2022
Americans
have commemorated the 21st anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the
United States that left nearly 3,000 people dead.
Ceremonies
were being held on Sunday across the country to remember the victims, including
the recital of the names of the dead, tolling of church bells, and a tribute at
the site where New York City's twin towers tumbled.
The
ceremonies were held at the places where hijacked jets crashed on September 11,
2001 — the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon, and a field in
Pennsylvania.
Americans
marked the day with candlelight vigils, interfaith services and other
commemorations. Some Americans are joining in volunteer projects on a day that
is federally recognized as both Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and
Remembrance.
On
Sunday, US President Joe Biden spoke and laid a wreath at the Pentagon, while
first lady Jill Biden was scheduled to speak in Shanksville, Pennsylvania,
where one of the hijacked planes went down after passengers and crew members
tried to storm the cockpit as the alleged hijackers headed for Washington.
Biden
touted the killings of two al Qaeda leaders following the 9/11 attacks.
“The
enduring resolve of the American people to defend ourselves against those who
seek us harm and deliver justice to those responsible for the attacks against
our people has never once faltered,” Biden said.
“It
took 10 years to hunt down and kill Osama bin Laden, but we did, and this
summer I authorized a successful strike on [Ayman] al-Zawahiri,” he continued.
Vice
President Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff were due at the National Sept.
11 Memorial in New York, but by tradition, no political figures speak at the
ground zero ceremony. It centers instead on victims’ relatives reading aloud
the names of the dead.
American
leaders have called the 9/11 attack had been one of the darkest days in the
history of the country.
The
9/11 attacks killed 2,983 people and caused about $10 billion worth of property
and infrastructure damage.
US
officials assert that the attacks were carried out by al-Qaeda terrorists but
many experts have raised questions about the official account.
They
believe that rogue elements within the US government orchestrated or at least
encouraged the 9/11 attacks in order to accelerate the US war machine and
advance the Zionist agenda.
The
US Congress has passed legislation that allows relatives of the victims to sue
Saudi Arabia for compensation.
Ties
between Saudi officials and terrorists behind the 9/11 attacks were exposed
when US lawmakers released 28 secret pages of a congressional investigation.
Certain
documents related to the FBI's investigation of 9/11 reportedly contain
evidence of Saudi involvement in the strikes.
Successive
US administrations have refused to release the classified documents because
they reportedly could expose a potential link between Saudi Arabia and the 9/11
attacks. Fifteen out of 19 alleged 9/11 attackers were Saudi nationals.
Source:
Press TV
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of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/09/11/689021/Americans-mark-21st-anniversary-of-9-11
--------
Europe
Churches,
mosques and synagogues lead prayers for the Queen and King Charles III
By
Rob Hastings
September
11, 2022
Remembrance
services for the Queen have been held in churches around the country, while
Jews, Muslims and members of other faiths have also paid tribute to her and
prayed for King Charles III.
Thousands
of mourners descended on Windsor on Sunday to pay their respects near to the
palatial Castle that was a favourite home of Elizabeth II.
St
Stephen and St Agnes Church was among many places of worship to mark the late
sovereign’s life with a table displaying photos of her as a young woman and in
later years. These were placed next to a card with a prayer for her successor,
King Charles III.
“Everlasting
God, we pray for our new King,” it said. “Bless his reign and the life of our
nation. Help us to work together so that truth and justice, harmony and
fairness flourish among us through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
Reverend
Canon Sally Lodge, Rector of Windsor, led the church service, saying: “Gracious
God, we give thanks for the life of your servant Queen Elizabeth, for her faith
and her dedication to duty. Bless our nation as we mourn her death and may her
example continue to inspire us.”
In
Scotland, where the Queen’s body was being driven from Balmoral to Edinburgh on
Sunday, her hearse passed Glenmuick Church at the village of Ballater, where
Rev David Barr rang its bells 70 times after her death was announced on
Thursday.
A
Jewish prayer for the Queen was read at many synagogues on Saturday. Written by
movement president Rabbi Alexandra Wright, senior rabbi of the Liberal Jewish
Synagogue St John’s Wood.
Noting
how she “served her people with enduring devotion and grace, uniting races,
creeds and tongues with outstretched hand and cheerful countenance”, it said
that she “sought comfort from her faith and led by example, speaking truth,
abiding by her oath of majesty, accepting the discipline of her sovereignty and
serving God with humility and intent”.
In
Gloucester, Imam Hassan of the Masjid-e-Noor mosque spoke for many in the
Muslim community with :his tribute. After the Queen’s death, he said: “We as a
community of people of all faiths are coming together to remember and celebrate
all of her achievements and her dedication to public service. We know His
Majesty King Charles III has a lot of love for our community and our county of
Gloucestershire and we wish him all the best in his new reign as our king.”
The
Government published advice for religious groups on how to mark the Queen’s
life following her death. To help vicars and their congregations, the websites
for the Church of England and Church of Scotland have also provided orders of
service which can be customised, including suggested hymns, prayers and
scripture readings.
Source:
I News
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What
the UN is doing in Pakistan is a drop in the ocean of what is needed: Chief
Antonio Guterres
Sep
11, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Chief Antonio Guterres on Saturday exhorted the international community to step
up efforts to help flood-ravaged Pakistan rebuild resilient communities and
infrastructure to resist future disasters, while conceding "what the UN is
doing in Pakistan is a drop in the ocean of what is needed." Secretary
General Guterres made these remarks in Sukkur in Pakistan's Sindh province,
where he was visiting flood-hit areas.
Taking
an aerial view of the flood-affected regions along with Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif, the UN chief termed the flood devastation 'unimaginable'.
Countries
vulnerable to climate change, including Pakistan, must be supported to rebuild
resilient communities and infrastructure to resist future disasters, Guterres
said, as he rounded-off the two-day solidarity trip to the country.
He
said that there needs to be a serious discussion on loss and damages as
"what the UN is doing in Pakistan is a drop in the ocean of what is
needed."
"We
are perfectly aware of our limited capacity and our resources. But you can
absolutely be sure about one thing: we are in total solidarity with the
Pakistani people," Geo TV quoted him as saying.
The
UN chief said that he will ask the international community to ensure that they
help Pakistan "now" while vowing to raise awareness about the
disastrous situation, the report said.
Last
week, the UN had launched an appeal for USD 160 million in aid for Pakistan.
In
a tweet, the UNSG said developing nations were paying a "horrific
price" for the world's reliance on fossil fuels.
"Pakistan
and other developing countries are paying a horrific price for the
intransigence of big emitters that continue to bet on fossil fuels,"
Guterres said.
"From
Islamabad, I am issuing a global appeal: Stop the madness. Invest in renewable energy
now. End the war with nature," he added. Guterres said on Friday that
floods are estimated to have caused about USD 30 billion in economic losses to
Pakistan.
He
said that there was "no memory of anything similar to what has happened
with the impact of climate change in Pakistan" and added the number of
losses and victims was appalling.
Nearly
1,400 people have died in flooding that has inundated a third of the country,
wiped-out crops and displaced more than 33 million.
The
UN secretary general called the lack of global attention to climate change
"insanity".
"This
is insanity, this is collective suicide," Guterres told a news conference
here.
The
massive losses from the catastrophic monsoon rains and floods in Pakistan, the
war in Ukraine and other factors may force it to slash its GDP growth rate for
the financial year 2022-2023 from five per cent to three per cent, according to
government estimates.
Source:
Times Of India
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PKK
supporters attack Turkish citizen in Germany
Mesut
Zeyrek
11.09.2022
BERLIN
The
supporters of the PKK terrorist organization in Germany attacked a Turkish
citizen on Sunday.
At
a demonstration in the city of Essen, the supporters attacked a Turkish citizen
waiting at a red light in his car.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/pkk-supporters-attack-turkish-citizen-in-germany/2682717
--------
Europe
bigwigs raise serious doubts on Iran’s nuclear deal intentions
Shweta
Desai
10.09.2022
PARIS
France,
Germany, and the United Kingdom have raised serious doubts over Iran’s
intentions to revive the 2015 nuclear deal and called upon Tehran to urgently
“cooperate in good faith,” according to a joint statement released on Saturday.
The
three European countries are at the forefront to bring Iran and the United
States together on the table to restore the deal, formally known as the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which the US withdrew in 2018 under
the Trump administration.
They
blamed Tehran for not taking "advantage of the decisive diplomatic
opportunity,” after a set of final texts, allowing Iran to return and respect
its commitments under the JCPOA was presented in August, after a year-and-a-half
of negotiations.
“Instead,
Iran has continued to expand its nuclear program far beyond any plausible
civilian justification,” the statement said.
They
also noted Tehran’s “position is inconsistent with its legally binding
international obligations and jeopardizes the prospects of restoring the
JCPOA.”
The
statement said Iran has “reopened separate issues, related to its legally
binding international obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and its safeguards agreement under the NPT concluded with
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”
It
also claimed that Tehran has not taken any action on the IAEA’s resolution in
June asking it to explain the presence of uranium particles found at three undeclared
sites in 2019.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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of the original story:
--------
Israeli
PM Lapid in Germany to torpedo efforts to revive Iran nuclear agreement
12
September 2022
Israeli
Prime Minister Yair Lapid has arrived in Germany in his latest bid to coax
Western signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal to stop efforts aimed at reviving
the landmark accord and removing sanctions against Tehran.
An
Israeli diplomatic official, who requested anonymity, told AFP news agency that
Iran will be the focus of the talks between the Tel Aviv regime’s delegation
and German authorities in Berlin.
“It’s
important to continue to coordinate positions and influence the European
position. Germany has an important role in this,” the unnamed official said.
The
Israeli prime minister, traveling with senior security officials, is scheduled
to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier before returning to the occupied territories
late on Monday.
Meeting
his cabinet before taking off for Germany on Sunday, Lapid said Israel is
conducting a successful diplomatic campaign to “stop the nuclear agreement and
prevent the lifting of sanctions on Iran.”
“It
is not over yet,” he added. “There is still a long way to go, but there are
encouraging signs.”
Lapid
also thanked the three European signatories to the Iran deal, officially known
as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), for what he termed the
“strong position” they had voiced in a tripartite statement on Saturday.
In
a press release on Saturday, France, Britain and Germany questioned Iran’s
intentions and commitment to a successful outcome on the JCPOA, charging that
Tehran’s position contradicts its legally binding obligations and jeopardizes
prospects of restoring the nuclear deal.
The
European trio also claimed they have been negotiating “with Iran in good faith
since April 2021 to restore and fully implement” the JCPOA, along with other
participants in the deal and the United States.
Iranian
Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani said on Saturday that the three
European countries “have followed in the footsteps of the Zionist regime down a
path that will lead to the failure of negotiations.”
The
United States, under former president Donald Trump, abandoned the JCPOA in May
2018 and reinstated unilateral sanctions that the agreement had lifted.
The
talks to salvage the agreement kicked off in the Austrian capital city of
Vienna in April last year, months after Joe Biden succeeded Trump, with the
intention of examining Washington’s seriousness in rejoining the deal and
removing anti-Iran sanctions.
The
talks, however, still remain unfruitful as Washington has failed to rejoin the
JCPOA by removing its illegal sanctions and providing Tehran with guarantees
that it will not leave the deal again.
Israeli
officials, including Lapid, have repeatedly warned that even if the nuclear
deal is concluded, they are not committed to respecting it and will in fact
seize every opportunity to strike at Iran’s nuclear program.
Source:
Press TV
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--------
Arab
World
Grand
Imam of Al-Azhar to attend Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional
Religions in Kazakhstan
11-09-2022
ABU
DHABI, 11th September, 2022 (WAM) -- His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand
Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders will lead a
high-level delegation to the capital of Kazakhstan Nur-Sultan to attend the 7th
Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions which will take place on
14 and 15 September 2022 under the theme, ‘The role of leaders of world and
traditional religions in the spiritual and social development of mankind in the
post-pandemic period’.
The
Grand Imam’s visit comes after an official invitation from the President of
Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to attend and participate in the 7th Congress
of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions and deliver a speech in its
opening ceremony. The Grand Imam will also meet various senior public and
religious officials in the central Asian nation during his visit.
Along
with meeting the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the
Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan, the Grand Imam will also meet His Holiness
Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church who is also set to participate at
the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
The
Grand Imam is also scheduled to visit a number of major landmarks in Kazakhstan
including the Hazrat Sultan Mosque, the largest mosque in Central Asia. His
Eminence will lead Dhuhur prayers at the mosque with other Islamic delegations
in attendance.
For
his part, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed
Abdelsalam is set to participate in the 20th meeting of the general-secretariat
of the congress, which will take place on Tuesday 13 September. Judge
Abdelsalam is set to deliver a speech at the meeting to encourage the promotion
coexistence and human fraternity among followers of different religions.
Source:
WAM
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
http://wam.ae/en/details/1395303082346
--------
Head
of Turkish intelligence agency meets Sunni Sovereignty Coalition in Baghdad
11
Sep 2022
While
the Turkish state's invasion attacks in South Kurdistan continue, MIT chief
Hakan Fidan paid a visit to Baghdad.
It
was reported that Fidan met with Hamis Hançer, the Leader of the Sunni
Sovereignty Coalition.
According
to UTV, close to the Sunni Sovereignty Alliance, the PKK and the political
crisis in Iraq were on the agenda of Fidan's visit to Iraq.
Source:
ANF English
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--------
Egypt
Mufti approves execution of judge who killed television presenter wife
12 September,
2022
Egypt’s
Grand Mufti approved the execution of Judge Ayman Haggag and an associate who
were convicted of murdering Haggag’s television presenter wife,
government-owned newspaper al-Ahram reported on Sunday.
Haggag
and businessman al-Gharabli are due to be executed by hanging after the
country’s top religious authority approved a court sentence that was handed
down in August.
The
pair were convicted of murdering Haggag’s wife Shaimaa Gamal in June, who
presented a show on Giza’s LTC TV.
Her
body was found in a villa following a tipoff from al-Gharabli who had confessed
to his role in the crime.
Haggag
had reported his wife as missing three weeks earlier.
In
reality, the judge had lured his wife to the remote villa where he had already
dug her grave, according to a statement from the prosecution.
He
then struck her on the head and strangled her to death, with the help of
al-Gharabli.
They
placed her body in the grave and poured corrosive material over it to make it
unrecognizable to forensic experts.
Prosecutors
say that Gamal had blackmailed her husband, giving him cause to plot her
murder.
Haggag
claimed that he had killed his wife in self-defense after she allegedly
attacked him with a knife.
However,
prosecutors noted that no knife was found at the scene of the crime, and Haggag
made no mention of self-defense in his confession.
They
also pointed out that al-Gharabli’s confession did not corroborate Haggag’s
claim of self-defense.
The
pair’s sentence can be appealed in Egypt’s court of cassation within 60 days.
The
killing was one of latest in a string of high-profile murders of women in
Egypt.
On
June 19, Nayera Ashraf was stabbed to death in Mansoura, north of Cairo, by a
man whose advances she had rejected.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Four
Turkish soldiers killed in operations in Iraq: Ministry
12
September, 2022
Four
Turkish soldiers were killed in a clash with militants in northern Iraq,
Turkey's defense ministry said late on Sunday.
The
ministry said the incident took place in a region where Turkey was carrying out
a cross border operation.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
At
least seven fighters from Kurdish-led force killed in Syria: Monitor
11
September, 2022
At
least seven fighters from a Kurdish-led force were killed Sunday in two ISIS
group attacks in eastern Syria, a war monitor said.
“Six
fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed” in an ISIS attack
along the road linking Deir Ezzor province with Hasakeh, said Rami Abdel
Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human rights.
A
seventh was shot dead by ISIS-linked gunmen in the west of Deir Ezzor province,
the Observatory said.
The
attacks were carried out in areas under the control of the SDF, which is a key
US partner in fighting ISIS and is the Syrian Kurds’ de facto army.
ISIS
seized swathes of Syria and neighboring Iraq in 2014, declaring a “caliphate”
to administer the millions-strong population.
A
long and bloody fightback by Syrian and Iraqi forces with backing from the US
and other powers led to its eventual defeat in March 2019, but sleeper cells of
the Sunni Muslim extremist group still carry out attacks in both countries.
On
Thursday, the SDF said two of their fighters were killed and six ISIS fighters
arrested following clashes in a volatile Syria camp where a security operation
was underway.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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At
least 11 Iranian pilgrims and their driver killed in Iraq crash
11
September, 2022
Eleven
Iranian pilgrims and their local driver died Sunday in central Iraq when their
minibus collided with a truck, a health official said.
The
vehicle carrying the pilgrims slammed into the parked truck in Babil province
south of Baghdad, provincial health authorities spokesman Ahmed al-Jibouri told
AFP.
“Eleven
Iranians died on impact, along with their Iraqi driver,” he said, adding that
four other pilgrims were in critical condition.
He
said a fire had erupted, and that the driver of the truck had been taken in for
questioning.
Conflict,
neglect and endemic corruption have left oil-rich Iraq’s infrastructure,
including roads and bridges, in disrepair.
Many
roads are full of potholes and are plunged into total darkness at night.
But
officials also say speed, mobile phone use and driving under the influence
contribute to crashes.
In
July, the health ministry said 4,800 people died in traffic accidents last year
in Iraq, or more than 13 a day.
According
to official statistics, almost two million Iranian pilgrims have entered Iraq
to attend this year’s Arbaeen pilgrimage – one of the world’s biggest religious
gatherings – in the Shia shrine city of Karbala.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Saudi
Arabia arrests citizen for smuggling 249,779 amphetamine pills into Jeddah
September
12, 2022
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate for Narcotics Control seized 249,779
amphetamine pills that were smuggled into Jeddah through the Jeddah Islamic
Port, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday.
The
pills were hidden in drilling equipment when authorities discovered them,
according to SPA.
A
citizen from Riyadh was arrested and he was referred to the Public Prosecution,
authorities said.
The
drug seizure was conducted in coordination with the Kingdom’s Zakat, Tax and
Customs Authority, SPA reported.
Meanwhile
in the Najran region, border patrol guards thwarted an attempt to smuggle 25
kilograms of hashish into the Kingdom.
The
smuggler was arrested and the necessary legal measures were taken against him,
authorities said.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2160756/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
Crown Prince Receives Letter From Indian PM
September
12, 2022
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a letter from Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Saudi Press Agency reported early Monday.
The
letter was handed over by India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
during his meeting with the crown prince in Jeddah.
The
meeting discussed enhancing bilateral relations and efforts toward regional and
international issues.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2160706/saudi-arabia
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Turkish
intelligence 'neutralizes' senior PKK terrorist in northern Iraq
Ali
Kemal Akan
12.09.2022
Turkish
intelligence forces have “neutralized” a so-called senior member of the PKK
terror group in northern Iraq, security sources said on Monday.
Vedat
Aksac, code-named Sahan, said to be in charge of a ringleader of the PKK's
assassination team, and two other terrorists were neutralized in an operation
by Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in Iraq’s Erbil region,
said the sources, requesting anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the
media.
While
Aksac was about to be sent to metropolitan cities illegally, he was tracked
down by the MIT and neutralized in the operation.
Ates
was active in the YDG-H, a PKK offshoot, and personally involved in the terror
group’s activities, the sources added.
Turkish
authorities use the term "neutralize" to imply the terrorists in
question surrendered or were killed or captured.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Millions
of Shia pilgrims descending on Karbala to commemorate Arb’aeen
11
September 2022
Millions
of Shia Muslims from dozens of countries are converging on the Iraqi holy city
of Karbala to commemorate Arba’een, the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary
of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam.
For
at least two weeks, pilgrims from countries including Iran, Azerbaijan,
Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, have been arriving in the city, located
about 100 kilometers (62 miles) southwest of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, with
tens of thousands coming before the actual day of Arba’een, which falls on
September 17 this year.
Pilgrims
travel to the holy city in order to have a chance to touch the gilded grille
that surrounds Imam Hussein’s tomb and slip messages through the bars.
They
carry their belongings in backpacks or bags perched on their heads as they are
moving toward Karbala on foot from different directions. Many young men carry
tents so that they can sleep on the streets.
Street
signs are put up in Farsi as well as Arabic for millions of Iranians among the
crowd.
According
to the Head of Iran's Arbaeen Central Headquarters Seyed Majid Mir-Ahmadi, it
is estimated that 2.6 million Iranian nationals have so far crossed Iranian
land border crossings into Iraq, and the process is going on smoothly following
several days of hiatus.
“We
are nicely managing the arrival and departure of pilgrims,” he emphasized,
noting that “Thank God Iranian officials could efficiently handle the increased
congestion of pilgrims at border crossings. Currently, the situation is
favorable and all pilgrims are crossing into Iraq.”
Mir-Ahmadi
stated that 600,000 Iranians have also returned back to the country.
Traffic
is moving steadily at border crossings, and the entry and exit of pilgrims are
done easily, he added.
Every
year on Arba’een, millions of people from around the world flock to Karbala.
Large groups of mourners travel on foot toward the holy city to take part in
the largest annual Islamic gathering on earth.
Source:
Press TV
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--------
Africa
Moroccans
rally against ties with Israel, slam Tel Aviv envoy for sex abuse
10
September 2022
Dozens
of people in Morocco have rallied against ties between their country and the
Israeli regime, condemning the Israeli envoy in Rabat for the sexual abuse of
Moroccan women.
On
Friday, about 100 people held a protest rally outside parliament in the capital
Rabat against the North African country’s normalization of relations with the
Israeli regime after Tel Aviv recalled its ambassador, David Govrin, amid an
investigation over sex abuse allegations.
Govrin
is facing allegations of exploiting several Moroccan women, sexual harassment
and indecent exposure. There were also complaints of sexual harassment within
the mission.
Demonstrators,
who burned an Israeli flag at the end of the rally, denounced both 59-year-old
Govrin and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, four days after Israeli
public broadcaster Kan reported a foreign ministry delegation had been sent to
the Moroccan capital, following sexual abuse accusations against the envoy.
Moroccans
have been resolute in their opposition to the normalization deal and have also
continued to voice their continued support for the liberation of the occupied
Palestinian territories.
“Today,
we are in front of the parliament to protest against the hideous acts”
committed by Govrin, said a pro-Palestinian activist. “Morocco’s dignity is not
for sale, the normalization must end.”
Israel
and Morocco agreed on December 10, 2020 to normalize relations in a deal
brokered with the help of the administration of former US President Donald
Trump, making the North African country the fourth Arab state to normalize with
the regime. The others were the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.
Trump
sealed the agreement in a phone call with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI. As part
of the agreement, the US president agreed to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty
over the Western Sahara region, which has been at the center of a dispute with
neighboring Algeria.
Source:
Press TV
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--------
Tunisian
journalist granted bail in ‘terrorism’ case
11
September, 2022
A
Tunisian journalist and activist was released on bail Sunday, five days after
his arrest on suspicion of “terrorism,” his website said.
Ghassen
Ben Khlifa, editor of the website Inhiyez and a prominent pro-Palestinian
activist, was arrested at his home on Tuesday.
The
case against him is the latest in what civil society groups describe as a
growing threat to freedom of the press in Tunisia under President Kais Saied.
Police
officers also searched Ben Khlifa’s house and seized two computers, according
to multiple media reports.
His
lawyer, quoted by local media, said Ben Khlifa was suspected of running a
Facebook page that “incites terrorism.”
The
judiciary has agreed to release Ben Khlifa on bail for the duration of the
investigation, according to Inhiyez.
Dozens
of activists and journalists demonstrated in central Tunis on Friday to demand
his release.
The
North African country has seen a spike in prosecutions of journalists,
including in military courts, since Saied seized wide-ranging powers last year.
Civil
society groups have warned of a return to the methods used by security services
under autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was overthrown in the 2011 revolt
that sparked the Arab Spring uprisings.
In
a report released in early May, the SNJT journalists’ union warned against
“serious threats” to press freedom in the country.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Ethiopia’s
Tigray rebels say ready for AU-led peace talks
11
September, 2022
Ethiopia’s
Tigray rebels said Sunday they were ready to take part in peace talks led by
the African Union, removing an obstacle to potential negotiations with the
government to end almost two years of brutal warfare.
The
announcement came amid a flurry of international diplomacy after fighting flared
last month for the first time in months, torpedoing a humanitarian truce in
northern Ethiopia.
“The
government of Tigray is prepared to participate in a robust peace process under
the auspices of the African Union,” said a statement by the authorities in the
northernmost region of Tigray.
“Furthermore
we are ready to abide by an immediate and mutually agreed cessation of
hostilities in order to create a conducive atmosphere.”
The
Ethiopian government has long insisted that any peace process must be brokered
by the AU, which is headquartered in Addis Ababa.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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UN
chief urges Sudan army leaders to withdraw from political scene
Mohammad
Tareq
10.09.2022
UN
Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called on Sudan’s army chief, Gen. Abdel
Fattah Al-Burhan, and his deputy to withdraw from the country’s political
scene.
The
call was made in a UN Security Council report on the situation in Sudan and the
activities of the UN mission in the country.
Guterres
urged all Sudanese leaders and actors "to put national interests first and
find a way out of the current political impasse."
The
UN chief said Al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo must abide by
their commitments to withdraw from political scene and "to translate them
into reality."
"Reaching
a solution to the impasse is more urgent than ever. It can be achieved only
through Sudanese-owned and -led political dialogue that offers a credible path
to a legitimate civilian-led democratic transition," Guterres said.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Nigeria
military kills 420 terrorists during month-long operations
Olanrewaju
Kola
10.09.2022
MAIDUGURI,
Nigeria
More
than 400 Boko Haram and Daesh/ISIS in West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists
have been killed by Nigeria forces in operations in northeast Borno State, an
army commander said Friday.
"Our
ground troops have killed at least 420 Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists in many
of our operations in Borno State within August," said Maj. Gen Christopher
Musa, commander of the Counter-terrorism Joint Task Force Northeast.
He
said the air force conducted airstrikes on terrorist locations, leading to the
deaths of dozens and the military received an order from the president to stop
terrorism in the region before the end of 2023.
Nigeria
has faced 13 years of terrorism activities by Boko Haram and its affiliate,
ISWAP, in the northern region.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Libya’s
parliament speaker arrives in Qatar
Ahmet
Gençtürk
11.09.2022
Libyan
Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh arrived in Qatar to meet Emir Tamim bin Hamad
Al-Thani, Qatari, according to media reports.
Saleh
and his accompanying delegation were welcomed Friday by Qatar’s Speaker of the
Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim, senior Qatari officials and the
Libyan Ambassador in Doha, Mohammed Mustafa Al Lafi, said state-run Qatar News
Agency.
Libyan
lawmaker Abdel-Men'em Al-Arfy told Anadolu Agency that Saleh was invited by
Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman and the visit “aims to bring
closer the views of the two sides.”
In
recent years, the Libyan Parliament accused Qatar of supporting armed groups
opposed to the East Libya-based assembly, an accusation denied by Doha.
Oil-rich
Libya has remained in turmoil since 2011 when longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi
was ousted after four decades in power.
The
situation has worsened since March when parliament appointed a new government
led by former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/libya-s-parliament-speaker-arrives-in-qatar/2682239
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Southeast
Asia
Tourism
Ministry urges public to collaborate with Islamic Tourism Centre to attract
international Muslim travellers
11
Sep 2022
KUCHING,
Sept 11 — The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) is urging the
public to establish partnerships with the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) to
generate income and attract more foreign tourists.
Its
minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said in an effort to restore the tourism
industry affected by Covid-19, Motac needs ideas from the youth in creating new
Islamic tourism products.
“Malay
Islamic cultural arts such as archery, calligraphy and various other arts can
be an attraction for foreign tourists. Those who are blessed with this gift
have the potential to make it a side career, which can also benefit local
residents.
“ITC
offers training programmes, capacity building and advisory services such as
Muslim-Friendly Tourist Guide training (MFTG) aimed at increasing the knowledge
about Muslim tourists and how to meet their needs,” she said while speaking at
the closing ceremony of the Mini Islamic Arts and Culture Carnival 2022 here,
today.
ITC
also hosts Islamic Tourism Entrepreneurship and Leadership Seminar (ITELS) to
attract more business operators and tourism entrepreneurs to explore the
Muslim-friendly tourism market, she added.
Nancy
said the Muslim tourism market is able to generate high profits with their
tendency to take long vacations and heavy spending.
Source:
Malay Mail
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UN
weighs anti-China move as rights council opens
September
11, 2022
GENEVA:
Western countries face a dilemma as the UN Human Rights Council opens tomorrow:
confront China over human rights violations in its Xinjiang region and risk
failing or miss the biggest opportunity to bring accountability in years.
A
report by the UN rights office on Aug 31 found that China’s “arbitrary and
discriminatory detention” of Uyghurs and other Muslims there may constitute
crimes against humanity.
China
vigorously denies any abuse.
High
commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet, whose office released the
report, has since concluded her term.
Her
successor, Austria’s Volker Turk, is not yet in Geneva and no follow-up action
is formally on the crowded council agenda that includes the crises in Ukraine
and Ethiopia.
That
means any China action may have to be initiated by one of the 47 nations that
make up the council tasked with promoting and protecting human rights globally.
Western
diplomats said a group of democracies is considering a range of options
including a resolution on China for the first time in the council’s
16-year-history – a move that might include an investigative mechanism.
For
some, what is at stake is the west’s moral authority on human rights that has
prevailed in the decades since the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
adopted in the aftermath of millions of civilian deaths in World War II.
China,
with some support from other countries, has in recent years stressed the
importance of economic rights, stoking concerns about a weakening of
international norms as first conceived by the declaration and a shift away from
accountability for abuses.
“If
the majority decide it is not worth acting after the violations denounced in
the (China) report, it would mean that the universalist vision of human rights
is at stake and the legal order would be weakened,” a western diplomat said.
The
diplomat added that “intensive discussions” on potential follow-up actions are
underway.
“There’s
a cost of inaction, a cost of action and a cost of a failed attempt to act,”
another western diplomat told Reuters, also speaking on condition of anonymity.
Rights
groups accuse China of abuses against Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority
numbering around 10 million in the western region of Xinjiang, including the
mass use of forced labour in internment camps.
The
US, a member of the council, has accused China of genocide.
Doomed
to fail?
The
council, in a meeting scheduled to run through Oct 7, has no legally binding
powers but its debates bring heightened scrutiny and its actions can launch
investigations.
Sometimes
these provide evidence before national and international courts such as in the
case of a former Syrian intelligence officer jailed for state-backed torture in
Germany in January.
China,
which had sought to prevent publication of the Xinjiang report, has been
lobbying strongly against any follow-up action through diplomatic cables, or
demarches, in capitals, diplomats said.
“The
developing world will reject all anti-China initiatives initiated by western
countries,” China’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Chen Xu told
reporters.
“Any
kind of anti-China effort is doomed to failure.”
Winning
passage of a resolution would be tough.
Between
1990 and 2004, 11 draft motions were proposed on the human rights situation in
China at the council’s predecessor but none passed.
There
are signs that western sway has declined since the council’s creation in 2006
amid a backsliding in freedoms globally.
“I
am not sure if they have the numbers,” said Olaf Wientzek, director of the
Geneva office of the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation think tank.
Wientzek
shared with Reuters a rough prediction of vote counts indicating that a China
motion would be defeated 16 to 14 with 17 abstentions.
“The
stronger the mandate, the bigger chances of it being defeated,” Wientzek added.
Taking
on China and Russia?
Other
options include convening what is called a “special session” of the council –
an action needing at least third of votes on the council to pass.
Another
is an oral condemnation, or “joint statement” – a weaker step but one with no
minimum number of votes for adoption.
The
China dilemma facing democracies is complicated by calls by NGOs for a parallel
motion tasking an independent expert with boosting human rights scrutiny inside
Russia.
Acting
on both Russia and China at once might risk a bigger anti-democratic alliance
on human rights, according to diplomats.
Russia
was suspended from the council in April over its February invasion of Ukraine
but remains active in informal meetings.
Russia
has said it quit and denies killing civilians in Ukraine.
It
remains to be seen what role new UN rights chief Turk will play on China after
Bachelet faced criticism for being too soft.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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PAS,
Umno leaders held secret GE15 talks, says spiritual leader
Anne
Muhammad
September
7, 2022
PETALING
JAYA: PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin confirmed that there have been secret
discussions between the Islamic party and certain Umno leaders to ensure
straight fights with Pakatan Harapan in the 15th general election.
He
said PAS is trying to drive home the point that the opposition coalition is the
real enemy, not Bersatu.
“If
we can join forces, we should,” he told FMT when asked to comment on
negotiations that had been held under Muafakat Nasional, the pact the two
parties forged in 2019 to unite the Malay-Muslim electorate.
PAS
secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan had revealed on Sept 4 that talks were held
with certain Umno leaders who could persuade the party leadership.
Ties
between Umno and PAS have deteriorated after PAS joined Bersatu to form
Perikatan Nasional (PN) when Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration took over
Putrajaya in March 2020.
While
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently said it was time for the party to
move on without PAS, the Islamic party is adamant on maintaining ties.
Hashim
claimed that Umno grassroots wanted the two parties to unite under MN, but it
had been rejected by the top leadership.
“We
know of one person (who does not want MN), but does he speak for the majority
of members?” he said.
On
Sunday, PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad said the party had always said “yes” to
both Umno and Bersatu in order to push for unity among the Malay-based parties,
despite being ridiculed for doing so.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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Takiyuddin:
PAS maintains Umno as a ta’awun partner under ummah unity concept
11
Sep 2022
KUALA
LUMPUR, Sept 11 — PAS will continue to consider Umno and all parties under the
umbrella of ummah unity as ta’awun partners (cooperation partners) especially
in building a righteous country blessed by God, said PAS secretary-general
Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
He
said the party will continue to be open and ready to hold meetings,
discussions, and consultations with all ta’awun friends by focusing on points
of commonality and bridging any differences for the good of the country and the
people.
According
to Takiyuddin the matter was among the subjects decided in the PAS central
committee meeting today.
He
said the party will continue to be consistent and committed to the unification
of ummah agenda as the main focus of national unity between the Malay Muslims,
Bumiputras and people of various races in this country.
“This
situation will be the key formula towards the stability of the country and the
well-being of the people. This is also in line with the motion brought by the
Central PAS Dewan Ulamak and is unanimously supported in the 68th PAS Annual
General Assembly in Alor Setar recently.
“PAS
is also keeping to its stand of not cooperating with Pakatan Harapan and not
accepting the concept of a big tent sponsored by any party even in facing GE15
(15th general election),” he said in a statement today.
Source:
Malay Mail
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Indonesia
considering buying Russian oil as fuel prices soar: Report
12
September, 2022
Indonesian
President Joko Widodo is considering joining India and China in buying Russian
oil to offset increasing pressure of rising energy costs, the Financial Times
reported on Monday.
“We
always monitor all of the options. If there is the country (and) they give a
better price, of course,” Widodo said in an interview with the Financial Times
when he was asked whether Indonesia would buy oil from Russia. (https://on.ft.com/3U2HeIn)
Earlier
this month, Widodo hiked subsidized fuel prices by 30 percent and said that the
price hike was his “last option” due to fiscal pressures, sparking protests
across the nation of 270 million people.
Any
move to purchase Russian crude at prices above the cap agreed by G7 countries
could subject Indonesia to US sanctions.
In
August, Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said that Indonesia had been offered
Russian crude at a 30 percent discount. Following this, the country’s
state-owned oil company, Pertamina said it was reviewing the risks of buying
Russian oil.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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