Islamic State Member Sadiya Anwar Sheikh Was Planning Lone Wolf Attack Even After De-Radicalisation Twice
New Age Islam News Bureau
19
Jul 2020
• Islamic State Member Sadiya Anwar Sheikh Was Planning Lone Wolf
Attack Even After De-Radicalisation Twice
• Islamic State Propaganda in Malayalam Resurfaces On
Social Media
• Pakistan’s Hindus Call to Resume Work on Temple
Protested by Islamic Hardliners
• Maajid Nawaz,Anti-Extremist Activist Goes On Hunger
Strike To Protest China's Human Rights Violations Against Uighur Muslims
• The Uprising atBehbahan, Iran, With the Slogans ‘We
Do Not Want the Mullahs’ Rule’ and ‘the Mullahs Must Get Lost’
• Canada Denounces Indian Citizen Amendment Act; Calls
It Discriminatory Against Muslims
• India Puts on Trial 436 Indonesians Linked to
Tablighi Jamaat Meeting Amid Covid-19 Pandemic
• Mecca Restricts Entry into Holy Sites Without Permit
Ahead of Hajj
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India
• Islamic State Member Sadiya Anwar Sheikh Was Planning Lone Wolf Attack
Even After De-Radicalisation Twice
• Islamic State Propaganda In Malayalam Resurfaces On
Social Media
• Asaduddin Owaisi Treads Cautious Path on Telangana
Secretariat Complex Mosque Issue
• Secretariat Building Row: Muslim Leaders in TRS Should
Resign Until They Get CM's Assurance on Reconstruction of Mosques at Original
Site, Says Congress
• 3 militants killed in Shopian encounter: Police
• COVID19 threatens to exacerbate conflict,
humanitarian crises: WHO
------
Pakistan
• Pakistan’s Hindus Call to Resume Work on Temple
Protested by Islamic Hardliners
• Seven Aides to Pakistan PM Hold Dual Nationalities
• Call for increase in Pakistan-Iran trade activities
• Imran again throws his weight behind Buzdar
• Pakistan summons Indian envoy to protest LoC
ceasefire violation that left 2 injured
-------
Europe
• Maajid Nawaz,Anti-Extremist Activist Goes On Hunger
Strike To Protest China's Human Rights Violations Against Uighur Muslims
• Trocadero: Piccadilly mosque plans that received
racist comments withdrawn
• British Muslim Leader Facing The Death Penalty In
Bangladesh Sues Home Secretary Priti Patel For £60,000 After She Shared Report
On Twitter Linking Him To War Crimes
• Archbishop of Albania on Hagia Sophia: Outrageous
insult against Christianity and Islam
• France to probe Abu Dhabi crown prince over torture
accusations in Yemen
• First step taken towards developing Islamic finance
in Uzbekistan
------
Mideast
• The Uprising atBehbahan, Iran, With the Slogans ‘We
Do Not Want the Mullahs’ Rule’ and ‘the Mullahs Must Get Lost’
• Head OfIslamic Scholars Of Tyre:Secret Of Victory Over Enemies Is Following Of Imam
Khamenei
• Azerbaijan Ambassador to US: If Israel Nixes
Annexation, Ties With Muslim States To Improve
• Encouraging sabotage in Iran can ignite full range
escalation, Tehran warns
• Iranians can break outbreak chain by observing
health guidelines
--------
North America
• Canada Denounces Indian Citizen Amendment Act; Calls
It Discriminatory Against Muslims
• Million Muslim Votes: Campaign Seeks Unprecedented
Turnout In US Presidential Election
• Muslim Coalition for America Distributes 7,500 Face
Masks To LA-Area Low-Income Communities
• Coronavirus Victims: 1st Muslim Prison Chaplain In
Texas, Akbar Nurid-Din Shabazz
• 'Black Lives Matter' mural outside Trump Tower
defaced again
• UN chief: World 'at the breaking point' with vast
inequality
-------
Southeast Asia
• India Puts on Trial 436 Indonesians Linked to
Tablighi Jamaat Meeting Amid Covid-19 Pandemic
• Wan Junaidi suggests mosques, surau set up own
cooperatives
• 'Buy Malaysian Products' Campaign to boost economic
recovery - PPIPBM
• PM never said govt would recognise UEC, says PMO
-------
Arab world
• Mecca Restricts Entry into Holy Sites Without Permit
Ahead of Hajj
• OIC Secretary General Chairs Session on
Distinguished Efforts of Islamic Countries in Facing Covid-19
• Muslims urged to sight DhulHijjah moon on Monday
------
South Asia
• Hakeem Warns Changing Sri Lanka's PR System Will
Have Adverse Effects On Muslims
• Tamils And Muslims Have Implicit Faith In SLPP -
GaminiLokuge
• 18 Taliban militants killed, wounded in Faryab clashes:
Shaheen Corps
• SC asks civil courts to hear urgent matters, receive
filings of succession suits
• Plasma Therapy for Covid-19: Experts bemoan
‘complete anarchy’
--------
Africa
• Mali’s Protesters Turn to Populist Imam of Salam
Mosque to End Cycle of Corruption
• Armenian Deputies Bloc Visits Mufti of Tripoli: Dar
El Fatwa Has A National Role in Establishing Tranquility
• Kenyan mosques open under strict guidelines for
Friday prayers for the first time since March
• Muslim leader finally apologises for failed 1990
coup
• Islamic University in Uganda cuts staff salaries by
90%
• Fayemi postpones reopening of churches, mosques to
August 14
• Ekiti postpones church, mosque reopening until Aug
14
• Libya: GNA fighters head for front as battle for
Sirte looms
• Mali opposition rebuffs mediation offer, demands president
resign
• Al-Sunni confirms submission of request to SC for
hearing on Libya
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL; https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamic-state-member-sadiya-anwar/d/122410
------
Islamic State Member Sadiya Anwar Sheikh Was Planning Lone Wolf
Attack Even After De-Radicalisation Twice
Arvind Ojha
July 18, 2020
Sadiya was de-radicalised twice earlier but continued
to gather explosives for a possible lone wolf attack.
----
A journalism student in Pune, Sadiya Anwar Sheikh, who
was arrested by NIA a few days ago, is a highly radicalised extremist who had
undergone de-radicalisation twice before. Investigators have said she was
recently planning a lone wolf attack and was procuring explosives.
Investigators have said even after the
de-radicalisation, 20-year-old Sadiya continued to actively work for the
Islamic State and was procuring explosives from other terror organisations.
Investigators have said these new findings were revealed
in telegram interceptions of Sadiya. The woman asked for explosives and IED
from other terrorist organisations using the Telegram messenger app. Agencies
suspect she was planning a lone wolf attack.
As per the interrogation report accessed by India Today
TV, Sadiya was available on the Telegram app with the name of AHLEWAFA. She was
in touch with three other recruits of Islamic State Heena Beig, Jahaanaheb and
Abdul Bashir.
Heena, Sadiya, Jahaanaheb and Abdul Bashit all used to
publish a magazine named ‘Voice of India’ for the Islamic State. They used to
publish content against the government over the issues of CAA and NRC.
Investigators have said their plan was to execute a
lone wolf attack in Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi.
NIA has also taken custody of Nabeel from Pune who is
also an IS recruit.
The investigation by NIA has established the fact that
Islamic State has stronger roots in India. Perhaps this is the reason that
educated, young woman are falling for their propaganda. NIA and special cell
suspect several other recruits are still roaming free in the country. Islamic
State promotes women commanders as it makes their operations easier.
In 2018, Sadiya Anwar Sheikh went to J&K to marry
terrorist Zakir Musa. J&K Police detained her and de-radicalised her again.
When Zakir Musa refused to marry her, she proposed Waqar, the Jammu Kashmir IS
chief.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/exclusive-islamic-state-member-sadiya-was-planning-lone-wolf-attack-1701843-2020-07-18
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Islamic State Propaganda In Malayalam Resurfaces On
Social Media
Jul 19, 2020
KOZHIKODE: After a brief lull, Islamic State (IS)
propaganda has resurfaced on social media. The militant group’s online messages
in Malayalam had wound down following the deaths of senior operatives
SajeerMangalasseri Abdulla and Abdul Rashid Abdulla. While Sajeer was active on
Facebook in 2015 and 2016, Rashid focused on sending voice clips.
Rashid had sent more than 90 messages on various
aspects of life in Khurasan (Afghanistan) and the basic ideology of the IS.
They were succeeded by others, including KOP Thasleem Abdul Rehman alias Thaha
Muhammad and Ashfaq Majeed alias Abu Waqas.
The posts used to appear on the Telegram app even
after the surrender of a few Malayalis, including Nimisha Fathima and Ayesha
alias Sonia Sebastian, in Afghanistan last year. Abu Waqas posted messages
after the attack on a gurdwara in Afghanistan on March 25 this year. He claimed
that a Malayali named Muhammad Muhsin was involved in the attack.
This was followed by a period of silence, when the
messaging stopped. This was broken two months ago, when an account appeared on
Instagram that actively started sharing propaganda.
The subject matter of the messages, mostly in the form
of posters, was unchanged: calling upon ‘Muslims of Hind’ to wage jihad which
is the ‘only way through which the Mushriks (idolaters) will fear you.’ Some go
on to say, “neither nationalism nor democracy will save you. Only the law of
Allah will save you.’ Others were on perennial IS favourites such as why the
people of India should conduct Hijra (migration), the greatness of jihad in the
path of Allah and the issue of not keeping emotional bonding with non-believers
(al walawal bara). The rewards one will receive on becoming a shaheed (martyr)
are also explained in some of the messages. The last post from the account was
on July 7.
Security agencies believe that some of those who fled
India to join the IS might be behind the messages. Though the majority have
been killed or surrendered before the Afghan army, the whereabouts of a few
Malayalis are still unknown.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kozhikode/islamic-state-propaganda-resurfaces-on-social-media/articleshowprint/77046605.cms
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Pakistan’s Hindus Call to Resume Work on Temple
Protested by Islamic Hardliners
By Niala Mohammad
July 18, 2020
Members of a civil society group hold a demonstration
demanding the government allow the construction of a Hindu temple, in
Islamabad, Pakistan, July 8, 2020.
-----
WASHINGTON - A government-funded project to construct
a temple for minority Hindus in the capital, Islamabad, has stirred controversy
in majority-Muslim Pakistan, with hardline Islamic clerics and politicians
saying allocation of state money to the building goes against the Islamic
ideology of the country.
Members of the Hindu community, however, say the
project is their basic religious right and vow to build it at their expense if
the government does not provide them with support.
Lal Chand Malhi, a Hindu-minority member and federal
parliamentary secretary for human rights in Pakistan's National Assembly, told
VOA that Prime Minister Imran Khan has agreed to grant Rs100 million in funds
upon his request.
He said the building, known as the Shri Krishna
Mandir, or Krishna temple, would serve as a multipurpose complex that would
include a crematorium and community center for the estimated 4 million Hindus
living in Pakistan.
“The prime minister readily agreed to my request. He
was quite happy. And he directed the minister for religious affairs to clear
any obstacles in the way to provide the funds for the temple to the Hindu
Panchayath,” Malhi told VOA, adding, “there should be no obstacles. We should
be allowed to build the temple over here.”
Initial work on the temple started June 23 during a
ceremony. Its construction was welcomed by rights activists as an important
step toward religious tolerance in the country.
On July 1, Islamic clerics from various seminaries
held a press conference at the National Press Club in Islamabad protesting the
construction. Right-wing Islamic political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F),
vowed that it was not going to allow the construction, with its leader Maulana
Abdul Majeed Hazarvi threatening “severe reactions” if the government allowed
the temple to be built in an “Islamic state.”
The government has since halted the construction and
temporarily withdrawn funding after petitions were filed in court, challenging
the construction of the temple.
Islamabad High Court dismissed the petitions after the
government announced it would seek the guidance from the Council on Islamic
Ideology, a constitutional body responsible for giving legal advice on Islamic
matters.
Hafiz Maqsood Ahmed, the head of the Islamic political
party known as MarkaziJamiatAhle Hadith in Islamabad, told VOA that the temple
was seen by many Muslims of the country as offensive.
“Bringing idol worship here amid a Muslim community in
an Islamic society that is something different. The foundation of our country
is that there is no God but Allah,” Ahmed said.
Pakistani authorities deny that the construction was
stopped because of communal matters. The Capital Development Authority (CDA), a
public benefit corporation operating under the government, said the Islamabad
Hindu Panchayat failed to submit a building plan to begin construction.
"Until their building plans are approved, they
cannot begin construction on the site. As far as the CDA is concerned, we issue
allotments and approve building plans. They are responsible for the
construction,” Shahid Mehmood, the chairman of CDA Design Vetting Committee,
told VOA.
Pakistan has often come under international scrutiny
for marginalizing religious minority groups and openly allowing their
discrimination by hardline politicians, clerics and media outlets in the
country. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has designated
Pakistan a “Country of Particular Concern” for its “systematic” discrimination
of religious minorities.
Pakistani media earlier this month reported that a
group of men destroyed the temple’s boundary wall. The unverified video of the
attack was posted on Facebook and widely circulated in the country’s social media.
Pritam Das, the president of the Islamabad Hindu
Panchayat, confirmed the attack to VOA.
“We were constructing a boundary wall, but miscreants
demolished the wall and destroyed the water boring. People are coming on the
ground and giving [Islamic prayer] Azaan and offerings prayers. Others are
openly threatening us. We are helpless, in this situation. This boundary wall
was constructed with our own donations."
International watchdog groups, such as Human Rights
Watch and Amnesty International, have called the hard-liner’s campaign
discriminatory and are urging the government to immediately resume work on the
temple.
https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/pakistans-hindus-call-resume-work-temple-protested-islamic-hardliners
------
Maajid Nawaz, Anti-Extremist Activist Goes On Hunger
Strike To Protest China's Human Rights Violations Against Uighur Muslims
JULY 18, 2020
MaajidNawaz
-----
Maajid Nawaz, an anti-extremist activist and London
Broadcasting Company host, is currently on a hunger strike. He will continue to
do so until he has gathered enough support for the United Kingdom Parliament to
have a debate about human rights violations against Uighur Muslims by the
Chinese Communist Party.
"I declare a hunger strike in meditative silence
for #STOPUigurMuslimGenocide," Nawaz wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
"In protest against CCP enslavement, rape & harvesting of my Uigur
Muslim, Falun Gong, Buddhist or Christian brethren's organs, I'm on hunger
strike until the UK Parliament agrees to formally debate acknowledgment of the
Uigur genocide."
The LBC host is encouraging his 274,000 Twitter
followers to sign a petition titled "Impose sanctions on China over its
treatment of Uyghur Muslims." If the petition gets 100,000 signatures, the
U.K. Parliament will debate the issue. At the time of publication, the petition
had over 78,000 signatures.
"The UK Government plans to introduce 'Magnitsky
law,' a law which targets people who commit gross human rights
violations," the petition reads. "Through this law or alternative
means, this petition urges the UK Government to impose sanctions on China for
their human rights violations on the Uyghur people."
"Since 2017, there have been many reports of the
'cultural genocide' of Uyghur Muslims, a minority Turkic ethnic group native to
Xinjiang, China," the petition states. "They are subject to mass
detention, mass surveillance, restriction of religious and cultural identities,
as well as other gross human rights abuses. Over a million Uyghurs have been
forced into 're-education' camps."
Nawaz tweeted that "1-2 million Uigur Muslims are
held in CCP concentration camps" and that there is evidence that the
Chinese government has an "organ-harvesting human slave trafficking
network."
"Genocide against Uigur Muslims in East Turkestan
is currently taking place," Nawaz said. "Up to two million people are
being held in concentration camps. Uighurs are suffering repression, torture
and the plundering of their bodies for spare parts for the organ transplant
market."
"The world seems to have turned a blind eye to
this abuse," he added. "We appear to care more about globalized
supply chains, cheap labor and greed than fairness and respect for fundamental
human rights. As a result, civil society and our political establishment is at
risk of being politically, morally and economically compromised by the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP)."
Nawaz also included a link to a Change.org petition
titled "End the Uigar genocide and concentration camps in China,"
which has nearly 15,000 signatures.
Nawaz is the founder of the Quilliam Foundation, a
London-based think tank that focuses on counter-extremism.
theblaze.com/news/maajid-nawaz-hunger-strike-uyghur-muslims-china
------
The Uprising at Behbahan, Iran, With the Slogans ‘We
Do Not Want the Mullahs’ Rule’ and ‘the Mullahs Must Get Lost’
18th July 2020
From the early hours of Thursday evening, July 16,
2020, a large number of people in Behbahan (south west Iran) took to the street
chanting “We do not want the mullahs’ rule”. The protesters gathered in Bank
Melli Square, opposite the Bank Melli building, which was the same location
that was torched by protesters during November 2019 uprising as a symbol of
regime’s plundering and looting.
People chanted, “Iranians will die, but they will not
accept humiliation”, “Shame on the Basij, leave the nation alone,” “Shameless
Basiji,” “Do not be afraid, we are all together,” “Mullahs must get lost,”
“Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, I give my life for Iran,” “Khamenei, you are the
devil, and Iran is not a legacy of your father,” and “You, the evil criminal
soaked in blood, get out of my country.”
In memory of Mahmoud and Mehrdad Dashtinia, two of the
martyrs of the November Uprising in Behbahan, the courageous Behbahani youth
chanted, “Dashti, Dashti, rest in peace.” The Dashti brothers were shot and
killed by the Revolutionary Guards during last November’s uprising.
Terrified of the spread of protest to other regions,
the clerical regime disrupted and cut off the Internet in Khuzestan Province an
hour after the protest in Behbahan started.
State Security Force (SSF) was dispatched to the scene
and tried to disperse the people by firing tear gas. However, the youths in the
neighborhoods and alleys resisted them by throwing rocks at them. Several
people had to be taken to hospitals after tear gas was fired. Dozens of young
people were arrested in clashes with the repressive forces.
The head of the Behbahan SSF, IRGC Col. Mohammad
Azizi, announced this morning that the demonstrators “Not only held their ground
after the SSF arrival, but also chanted abusive slogans, which is why the
police took tough action to disperse.” He threatened that the SSF would deal
decisively with these activities.
Hailing the rebellious people of Behbahan, the Iranian
Resistance called on the United Nations
Secretary-General, the UN Security Council and the High Commissioner for Human
Rights as well as other relevant international authorities to strongly condemn
the brutal repression by the religious fascism and to take immediate actions to
secure the release of those arrested in Behbahan.
https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/ncri-statements/statement-iran-protest/the-uprising-of-the-people-of-behbahan-with-the-slogans-we-do-not-want-the-mullahs-rule-and-the-mullahs-must-get-lost/
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Canada Denounces Indian Citizen Amendment Act; Calls
It Discriminatory Against Muslims
July 18, 2020
The Indian Citizen Amendment Act is still drawing
condemnation with the US and Canada. Hamtramck city council in the state of
Michigan became the fifth city in the US to criticise India’s new citizen act,
saying it discriminates against Muslims.
Canada joined in with New Westminster in the province
of British Columbia becoming the first Canadian city to join the chorus
opposing the act that allows illegal immigrants of most religions to apply for
Indian citizenship but leaves Muslims off the eligibility list.
The New Westminster council motion, passed July 13,
urged the Canadian government to “take a position in opposition” to the
controversial Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) that became law in India in January.
To date, the government of Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau has been mostly silent on the issue. “We aren’t hearing much from
Trudeau,” said Indo-Canadian secularist Gurpreet Singh of British Columbia,
co-founder of Indians Abroad for a Pluralist India. Singh made the remarks
earlier this year as violence flared in Indian cities. “We aren’t hearing much
even from the south Asian members of his cabinet or his caucus. And it’s very
unfortunate.”
The Indo-Canadian population in Canada was 1.37
million as of 2016, of a total population of about 36 million, so they
represent a significant minority. According to the 2011 census, Muslims make up
about 14 per cent of the population of India.
Hamtramck council noted that India was founded as a
secular republic where “all nationalities, ethnicities, races and religious
faiths are welcome,” as reported by TwoCircles.net, a non-profit organization
that says it represents the marginalized population of India. It is based in Michigan.
The city has a diverse population, as about 42 per
cent of its 22,000 residents are immigrants from Eastern Europe, South Asia,
and the Middle East.
New Westminster is similarly diverse, with 26,120 of
its 71,000 residents identified as visible minorities. The motion declared that
New Westminster “prides itself on providing a safe and inclusive community for
all citizens and residents including the diverse cultures and religions from
around the world,” reported the Georgia Straight, the Vancouver based
publication that is Canada’s largest urban newspaper.
The CAA, brought in by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
allows six religious minority communities – Christian, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi,
Hindu and Sikh – to apply for citizenship if they are able to prove they are
originally from Pakistan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh. Muslims cannot.
And India took particularly harsh action in the state
of Kashmir, revoking the section of the constitution that guaranteed special
rights to the Muslim majority state of 12.55 million (as of 2011). That added
to the tension between India and Pakistan, where Islam is by far the main
religion. Both countries claim Kashmir, but India rules.
In Canada, 215,000 people are of Pakistani origin, as
of 2017. There are only about 3,000 Canadians of Kashmiri descent as of 2016.
https://eurasiantimes.com/canada-denounces-the-indian-citizen-amendment-act-calls-it-discriminatory-against-muslims/
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India Puts on Trial 436 Indonesians Linked To Tablighi
Jamaat Meeting Amid Covid-19 Pandemic
JUL 18, 2020
JAKARTA (THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - More
than 400 Indonesian members of Tabligh, a multi-country Muslim missionary
movement, were taken to the courts in India over past few days for violating
immigration and quarantine policies in the South Asian country.
Malaysia, meanwhile, has brought home from India 62 of
its citizens who are members of Tabligh on a chartered flight, after they were
freed of similar charges by the Indian authorities.
Indonesia's Foreign Ministry director for citizens
protection JudhaNugraha said on Friday (July 17) that 150 Indonesians went on
trial on Tuesday, followed by 197 people on Wednesday and 89 people on
Thursday.
Mr Judha said the 436 Indonesians, who were stranded
in India after attending an Islamic gathering, were accused of violating their
visas as well as the Epidemic Disease Act and, therefore, contributing to the
spread of Covid-19.
At least 17 of India's 28 states have reported
Covid-19 cases linked to a Tabligh religious gathering in New Delhi, local
media reported.
During the court hearing, most of the defendants
admitted to the violations but said they never intended to break the law.
The judge has yet to hand down a sentence, but
according to previous cases in which other Tabligh members from other countries
were found guilty, the fines ranged from 5,000 rupees to 10,000 rupees (S$93 to
S$185).
Mr Judha added that the Indonesian government had
provided legal assistance to the accused individuals, including by temporarily
releasing them on bail so that they could be housed in better shelters while
awaiting sentencing.
Meanwhile, 96 Malaysians who were stranded in India,
including the 62 Tabligh missionaries, arrived at the Kuala Lumpur
International Airport (KLIA) on Saturday morning, Free Malaysia Today news site
reported.
Malaysia's Foreign Affairs Minister Hishammuddin
Hussein said the Malaysians, who were stranded due to the Covid-19 outbreak
there, will undergo 14 days of mandatory quarantine at two designated centres.
The 62 missionaries had been stranded since March and
were detained by Indian authorities for abusing their social visas to carry out
religious activities.
"However, a large number have gone through the
legal process and have been freed of the charges," Datuk Seri Hishammuddin
said in a statement.
A Tabligh gathering in Kuala Lumpur between from Feb
27 to March 1 led to the spread of Covid-19 infections in Malaysia, Singapore,
Brunei and Cambodia.
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/india-puts-on-trial-436-indonesians-linked-to-an-islamic-meeting-amid-covid-19-pandemic
------
Mecca restricts entry into holy sites without permit
ahead of Hajj
19 July 2020
Fines imposed on illegal entry into Mecca come into
effect on Sunday until August 2 ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage being held
this year in a limited capacity due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mecca
authorities announced.
Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry confirmed last week
it will be imposing a fine of 10,000 Saudi riyals ($2,666) for violators
entering the holy sites in Mecca without a permit during the upcoming Hajj
season.
“Whoever violates the instructions to deny entry to
the holy sites (Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah) without a permit shall be
punished starting tomorrow, Sunday, until the end of the twelfth day of DhulHijjah
with a fine of 10,000 riyals, and in the event of a repeat offense, the penalty
is doubled,” the Municipality of Mecca said in a tweet.
Saudi Arabia will allow limited Hajj pilgrimage this
year due to the continued risk of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Authorities confirmed they have limited the number of
pilgrims on this year’s Hajj to 10,000 in line with safety concerns over the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The penalty for illegal entry into the holy sites in
Mecca officially came into effect from midnight and will be in place until the
twelfth day of DhulHijjah. Relevant authorities began early this year compared
to previous years to ensure we put in place the protocols and measures that
will ensure a safe Hajj pilgrimage given the global coronavirus pandemic,”
Brigadier General Sami al-Shuwairekh, the official spokesperson for the General
Security of Mecca, told Al Arabiya.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a must
for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime. Last year, 2.5 million
pilgrims performed their Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/coronavirus/2020/07/19/Coronavirus-Mecca-to-fine-illegal-entry-into-Mecca-for-Hajj-until-August-2.html
------
India
Asaduddin Owaisi Treads Cautious Path On Telangana
Secretariat Complex Mosque Issue
Jul 19, 2020
HYDERABAD: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has
managed to stay afloat despite BJP and some Muslim organisations tried to
corner him on the demolition of two mosques in the secretariat complex. He
asserted that development and communal harmony were of paramount importance and
the TRS government was doing just that.
While terming the mosques being razed as an
unfortunate incident, Asaduddin said he was convinced by chief minister K
Chandrasekhar Rao’s promise of getting a larger mosque built on the same
premises along with the new secretariat complex. “Maintaining peace is the
constitutional duty of the government and the TRS regime is discharging it
well,” he told STOI.
He said the government was striking a balance between
carrying out developmental works and maintaining communal harmony. He
emphasised that there have been no major communal incidents in last six years.
“For any development to take place, peace and communal harmony are a necessity.
Apart from the CM, the AIMIM should also be given due credit for ensuring
harmony since the state was formed,” he said. Asaduddin, who is likely to meet
the CM along with religious scholars on the proposed mosque, would also put
forth demands like removal of Mohammed Saleem as Waqf Board chairman and filing
a criminal case and arresting the contractor for failing to protect the two
mosques, sources said.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/asad-treads-cautious-path-on-mosque-issue/articleshowprint/77044376.cms
-----
Secretariat building row: Muslim leaders in TRS should
resign until they get CM's assurance on reconstruction of mosques at original
site, says Congress
Jul 18, 2020
HYDERABAD: The Congress has demanded that Muslim
leaders in the ruling TRS should resign from their posts until they get a
written assurance from chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that the two mosques
that were demolished in the old secretariat premises would be constructed in
its original sites.
"The construction of the new secretariat complex
should begin only after re-construction of both the mosques at the same
site," demanded Congress minorities cell city unit chairman Sameer
Waliullah.
Except for assuring to construct more spaciously the
temple and the mosque, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao did not talk about
re-construction of places of worship at its original sites. “Two mosques were
demolished but CM KCR has talked about construction of only one mosque and has
been silent on the site of construction. Both the mosques should be
reconstructed at its original sites,” Sameer Waliullah said.
Stating that the 'black flags' campaign launched by
the Congress last week in protest against the demolition of mosques and a
temple in the old secretariat premises has evoked huge response in the State,
he appealed to the people to continue hoisting black flags and wear black masks
and badges demanding that the government construct the places of worship at
their original sites.
He also condemned the Telangana State Wakf Board for
its silence over the demolition of mosques despite the fact that both were Wakf
properties and one of them was a heritage structure.
The Wakf Board should have lodge a police complaint
against the demolition. “Wakf Board chairman Mohammed Saleem is trying to
mislead the Muslim community and is defending the demolition of mosques. Home
Minister Mahmood Ali is also misleading the Muslims on the issue,” alleged
Sameer Waliullah.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/secretariat-building-row-muslim-leaders-in-trs-should-resign-until-they-get-cms-assurance-on-reconstruction-of-mosques-at-original-site-says-congress/articleshowprint/77038957.cms
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3 militants killed in Shopian encounter: Police
Khalid Gul
July 19, 2020
Three militants were killed in a gunfight with
security forces in Amshipora village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on
Saturday, police said.
A police official said that acting on a specific
input, army’s 62 RR, special operation group (SOG) of JK police and 14
Battalion CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Miraz-Check, Amshipora
village last night.
The police official said that as the forces zeroed in
towards the suspected spot, a tin shed amidst orchards, the militants resorted
to indiscriminate firing.
“Three bodies were retrieved from the gunfight site,”
he said.
“The bodies of the slain militants were later taken to
PCR Srinagar,” he said.
The police official said several families laid claim
over them and reached PCR. However, none could identify them.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said they have conducted the
post mortem of the bodies.
“We have also taken DNA samples. If it matches with any
family, they will be allowed to participate in their last rites,” the IGP said.
Their bodies have been taken to north Kashmir’s
Baramula district for burial. 2G internet service in the district was snapped to thwart any attempts of protests.
Lately, police have been denying the bodies of
militants to their families as their funerals attracted large crowds.
This was the second encounter in south Kashmir in the
past 24 hours. On Friday, three militants including a Pakistani national were
killed in Kulgam district.
https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/front-page-2/3-militants-killed-in-shopian-encounter-police/
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COVID19 threatens to exacerbate conflict, humanitarian
crises: WHO
July 19, 2020
Covid-19 threatens to exacerbate many issues the world
is facing, such as years of conflict and other humanitarian crises, the chief
of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned, while calling for continuity
of essential health services.
Although Covid-19 has rightly captured the world’s
attention, many countries, especially in Africa and the Middle East, are still
reeling from years of conflict and other humanitarian crises, WHO
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday at a routine
briefing, Xinhua reported.
He said the pandemic, and the restrictions put in
place to suppress it, are taking a heavy toll on 220 million people in
protracted emergencies. While it is too early to assess the full impact of
so-called lockdowns and other containment measures, up to 132 million more
people may go hungry in 2020, in addition to the 690 million who went hungry
last year.
According to the WHO chief, deep budget cuts to
education and rising poverty caused by the pandemic could force at least 9.7
million children out of school forever by the end of this year, with millions
more falling behind in learning.
Meanwhile, the economic impact of the pandemic in
humanitarian settings can aggravate already dire living conditions, such as
more displacement, food shortages, risk of malnutrition, decrease in access to
essential services, and mental health problems, said Tedros.
The pandemic is teaching us that health is not a
luxury item; it’s the foundation of social, economic and political stability,”
he said. “The impacts of the pandemic go far beyond health, and so do the
needs, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable countries.” The WHO chief
called on the international community to use Covid-19 as an opportunity to
build health systems that are more resilient and more able to withstand the
impact of health emergencies.
https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/front-page-2/covid19-threatens-to-exacerbate-conflict-humanitarian-crises-who/
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Pakistan
Seven Aides To Pakistan PM Hold Dual Nationalities
Syed Irfan Raza
19 Jul, 2020
ISLAMABAD: The cabinet division on Saturday issued the
details of assets and dual nationalities of 20 advisers and special assistants
to the prime minister.
The cabinet division’s notification placed on its
website shows that out of 19 non-elected cabinet members, seven special
assistants to the prime minister (SAPMs) hold dual nationalities. They are:
SAPM on Political Affairs Shahbaz Gill (United States), SAPM on Petroleum
Nadeem Babar (US), SAPM on Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari
(United Kingdom), SAPM on National Security Moeed Yousuf (US), SAPM on Power
Division Shahzad Qasim (US), SAPM on Parliamentary Coordination Nadeem Afzal
Gondal (Canada) and SAPM on Digital Pakistan Tania S. Aidrus (Canada and
Singapore).
Nadeem Babar owns properties both in Pakistan and the
US worth over Rs310 million. His business capitals amount to over Rs2.15
billion.
Zulfi Bukhari owns properties both in Pakistan and the
UK. He also owns a Toyota Land Cruiser in Pakistan and four vehicles in the UK
— Bentley (2017), Range Rover and two Mercedes.
Moeed Yousuf own properties worth over Rs100m.
Special assistants, advisers own properties worth
billions of rupees at home and abroad
Tania Aidrus owns properties in the US, Britain and
Singapore.
Worth of Shahbaz Gill’s properties is over Rs110m.
SAPM on Poverty Alleviation Sania Nistar owns a joint
property of 9.4 marlas in Saddar, Peshawar, and a Honda Civic (2014) car in her
spouse’s name.
SAPM on Establishment Shahzad Arbab owns a house,
plots and shops worth over Rs100m and fixed deposit amounting to Rs20m in his
wife’s name.
SAPM on Information and Broadcast retired Lt Gen Asim
Saleem Bajwa owns eight properties, including a house, plots, commercial plots
and agricultural land (65 acres), worth over Rs1.4bn.
SAPM on Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza owns a house
and property in Chattar, Islamabad, amounting to Rs20m and two plots in DHA
Rawalpindi and Taxila worth Rs15m each.
SAPM on Accountability Shahzad Akbar owns assets worth
Rs50m.
Adviser to the PM on Finance Dr Hafeez Shaikh owns
properties and assets worth around Rs300m. Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak
Dawood owns assets worth over Rs2bn. Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam
owns properties and assets worth over Rs140m. Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs
Dr Babar Awan owns assets worth Rs110m and Rs567m cash in hand.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1569842/seven-aides-to-pm-hold-dual-nationalities
------
Call for increase in Pakistan-Iran trade activities
19 Jul, 2020
QUETTA: Increase in trade activities between Pakistan
and Iran is the need of the hour and the two countries should cooperate with
each other for giving a boost to their economies so that they both could face
economic challenges they are facing currently.
These views were expressed during a meeting between
Collector Customs Appeasement and Facilitation Abdul WaheedMarwat and the
in-charge of the Economic Affairs of the Consulate General of Iran, Hussain
Jaffari, at Customs House here on Saturday.
Mr Marwat briefed the Iranian envoy on the ongoing
ITTMS project launched by the Asian Development Bank in Chaman through which
import and export would be streamlined on modern lines.
“The Pakistan government is interested in launching
this project at the Taftan border with Iran so trade activities could be
expanded between the two countries on modern lines,” Mr Marwat said. He
informed the Iranian envoy about reservations of the Pakistan government over
export of white spirit and requested the Iranian government for taking extra
checking to ensure security standards of white spirit. He said that the
Pakistan government was providing maximum facilities to Iranian traders.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1569861/call-for-increase-in-pakistan-iran-trade-activities
------
Imran again throws his weight behind Buzdar
Mansoor Malik
19 Jul, 2020
LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan has for the first
time shifted his focus from the provincial civil bureaucracy to public
representatives, directing Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar to
communicate closely with members of the national and provincial assemblies and
get their feedback about the prevalence of corruption and quality of governance
in the province.
Regretting that the government system had degenerated
and become more of a hurdle than a facilitator in development, Mr Khan
maintained that the system could not be reformed overnight though the process
of reformation of state institutions had begun.
The prime minister arrived here on Saturday and left
for Islamabad early in the evening after addressing the ground-breaking
ceremony of Quaid-i-Azam Business Park, Sheikhupura, which was arranged in
Lahore, besides having a one-on-one meeting with CM Buzdar, chairing a meeting
on the provincial health sector and exchanging views with MNAs and MPAs.
At the meeting, Mr Khan reportedly assured Mr Buzdar
that he would continue serving as the chief executive of the province till the
completion of his government’s constitutional term in 2023.
Following a briefing by the chief minister, it is
learnt that the prime minister expressed satisfaction over the Punjab
government’s progress in controlling coronavirus, setting up of River Ravi
Front Authority and other ongoing development projects in the province.
In separate meetings with MNAs and MPAs as well as
those belonging to south Punjab, the PM directed the bureaucrats to pay
“courtesy calls” on the lawmakers of areas where they were transferred and
posted to, to develop a liaison with the public representatives and address
people’s issues.
The lawmakers from south Punjab lauded the premier and
CM Buzdar for establishing South Punjab Secretariat to solve people’s problems
at their doorsteps.
Acknowledging that corruption was abound, particularly
at the lower level, Mr Khan asked the CM to allow access to all MNAs and MPAs,
take them on board, seek their feedback about ground realities and take
measures to plug corruption and improve governance in Punjab at a faster pace.
He also asked the chief minister to consider
development works being recommended by MNAs in their respective constituencies.
He also hinted that each the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA in Punjab would be
given Rs100 million as development funds for his/her respective constituency —
the practice prevalent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan also.
Sources told Dawn the prime minister stated that he
had been receiving information about rampant corruption and not-so-good
governance from various districts, including Mianwali, Lahore and Multan.
During his meeting with MNAs, PTI’s Ahmad Hussain
Deharr reportedly came up to the premier to say that there was rampant
corruption in Multan and outside interference in postings and transfers of
government officers in his constituency — referring to Foreign Minister Shah
Mehmood Qureshi. Mr Qureshi was also present in the meeting.
Earlier, Mr Deharr was served a show-cause notice for
violating party discipline and asked to appear before a sub-committee of the
party’s accountability and discipline committee.
Later speaking at the Quaid-i-Azam Business Park
ground-breaking ceremony, PM Khan said the Sheikhupura project would serve as a
great business opportunity for the entire country as foreign companies were
likely to invest here.
He lauded the selection of an area between the
business hubs of Lahore and Faisalabad for the business park and guaranteed
full support of the federal government to the chief minister in completing the
project at the earliest. To remove any hurdle in completing the project, the CM
should maintain liaison with federal minister Hammad Azhar, he said.
Mr Khan said his government was busy reforming
systems, ending red tapism and in true sense of the word ensuring ease of doing
business for people. He said he had personally spearheaded the housing and
construction sector during the past three months and tried to remove hurdles in
smooth functioning of businesses.
While presiding over another meeting to review health
projects and efforts to contain coronavirus, the prime minister directed the
relevant officials to utilise all available resources to complete the ongoing
projects. Earlier, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid briefed him about
the ongoing projects and the anti-Covid efforts. Mr Khan also stressed that the
government must ensure strict enforcement of Covid-19 guidelines across the
province during EidulAzha and Muharram.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1569859/imran-again-throws-his-weight-behind-buzdar
------
Pakistan summons Indian envoy to protest LoC ceasefire
violation that left 2 injured
Naveed Siddiqui
19 Jul, 2020
The Foreign Office (FO) on Saturday summoned a senior
Indian diplomat to register Pakistan's "strong protest" over the
latest ceasefire violations by Indian border forces along the Line of Control
(LoC), which left two women injured a day earlier.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a
tweet on Friday evening that Indian troops had initiated "unprovoked
ceasefire violation" in Rakhchikri and Baroh sectors along the LoC
targeting the civilian population.
"Due to [the] indiscriminate and unprovoked
firing", 35-year-old Shakeela Bibi, a resident of village Kirni, and
40-year-old Nazia Bibi, a resident of village Gahi, sustained serious injuries,
the FO spokesperson said in a statement.
"The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and
the Working Boundary have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas
with artillery fire, heavy-calibre mortars and automatic weapons," the
press release noted.
According to the FO, India has committed 1,697
ceasefire violations this year to date, resulting in 14 deaths and serious
injuries to 133 civilians.
Condemning the targeting of innocent civilians by
Indian forces as "deplorable", the FO said the Indian envoy was
conveyed that "such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003
Ceasefire Understanding, and are also against all established humanitarian
norms and professional military conduct".
"These egregious violations of international law
reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and
are a threat to regional peace and security," the statement added.
It said that by raising tensions along the LoC and the
WB, "India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights
situation" in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The FO called upon India to respect the 2003 ceasefire
agreement and to "maintain peace along the LoC and the WB" along with
investigating all such violations.
It also urged India to allow the United Nations
Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated
role as per United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The heavily militarised LoC that splits the disputed
Himalayan region of Kashmir has been witnessing skirmishes and artillery duels
in a serious breach of a truce agreement that the rival armies had signed in
November 2003.
Tensions between the two countries have remained high
after the Hindu nationalist government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
revoked the special status of Indian-occupied Kashmir in August last year.
Last Sunday, six civilians, including a woman and her
young daughter, were injured in two districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir due to
firing by Indian border troops from across the restive LoC.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1569764/pakistan-summons-indian-envoy-to-protest-loc-ceasefire-violation-that-left-2-injured
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Europe
Trocadero: Piccadilly mosque plans that received
racist comments withdrawn
18 July 2020
Plans to convert part of the Trocadero building at
London's Piccadilly Circus into a mosque which received thousands of racist
comments have been withdrawn.
The Aziz Foundation, an Islamic education charity,
submitted plans in February to turn two basement floors into a mosque for 1,000
worshippers.
When the plans were submitted, the Islamic education
charity said a mosque would help provide prayer space in a location where there
was "a significant shortfall in places of worship".
The Local Democracy Reporting Service reports that
local politicians have been critical of the high volume of objections that were
"racist".
Conservative councillor Matthew Green, cabinet member
for business and planning, said: "We find these racist, hateful comments
utterly repellent and will always move to ensure that they are taken down as
quickly as possible."
Previously, Labour councillor Hamza Taouzzale said:
"Some of the comments that I've unfortunately had to read through were
horrible, they really were. They were racist, they weren't aligned with any of
our views."
The Trocadero was originally built as a restaurant in
1896 and turned into an exhibition centre and entertainment space in the 1980s.
The underground floors of the Grade II-listed building
were last used as a cinema until 2006. Permission had already been granted to
use it as a community and arts centre.
The Aziz Foundation was founded by Asif Aziz, a
businessman and philanthropist who was born in Malawi and grew up in
Wandsworth.
He is the founder and chief executive of real estate
firm Criterion Capital, which bought the Trocadero and Piccadilly Hotel for
£225m in 2005.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-53456508
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British Muslim leader facing the death penalty in
Bangladesh sues Home Secretary Priti Patel for £60,000 after she shared report
on Twitter linking him to war crimes
19 July 2020
A British Muslim leader facing the death penalty in
Bangladesh for alleged war crimes is suing Home Secretary Priti Patel for
£60,000 in libel damages.
Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin, 71, who strenuously denies
claims linking him to the killing of pro-independence activists during the
country’s civil war in the 1970s, alleges that he was defamed in a Home Office
report last year.
The lawsuit says the Challenging Hateful Extremism
document by the Commission for Countering Extremism was shared on the Home
Office’s Twitter account, which has almost one million followers, and retweeted
by Ms Patel and others – including BBC journalist Mishal Husain and the human
rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
Mr Mueen-Uddin, who helped found the Muslim Council of
Great Britain and was pictured in 2003 with Prince Charles while vice-chairman
of the East London Mosque, alleges the report libelled him by stating that he
was responsible for serious criminal violence, including crimes against
humanity, during the Bangladeshi war of independence in 1971.
The father-of-four, who lives in North London, insists
he has not committed war crimes, is not a link between the perpetrators of the
1971 violence and the leadership of the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party’s UK
branch and is not and never has been a senior leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami
political group.
Seven years ago, Mr Mueen-Uddin was convicted in his
absence of crimes against humanity for allegedly leading a militia said to have
killed 18 intellectuals while it fought the split from Pakistan.
But he says the tribunal has been widely condemned and
discredited, citing Liberal Democrat peer Lord Carlile, who described the
tribunal as ‘not fit for purpose’ and the case against Mr Mueen-Uddin as
‘nothing short of farcical’.
In 2012, The Mail on Sunday revealed that Mr
Mueen-Uddin, who at the time had a senior role with the NHS, was facing
prosecution by the tribunal which is based in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka.
His writ, submitted to the High Court last month, also
claims that the Challenging Hateful Extremism report breached European data
protection regulations and that his personal information was unlawfully used.
The report, originally published in October last year,
remained on the Government’s website until March 20 after the Commission
initially dismissed Mr Mueen-Uddin’s complaint. It later removed references to
him and deleted his personal data.
Mr Mueen-Uddin, who fled Bangladesh after the war and
gained British citizenship, claims the report’s publication caused him severe distress
and embarrassment which was aggravated by the Commission’s failure to contact
him before publishing the allegations.
He says he suffered further when the Home Secretary’s
lawyers wrote to him in February, suggesting it was ‘fanciful’ that the report
had seriously harmed his reputation.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘This relates to claims
made within a report published by the Independent Commission for Countering
Extremism.
‘However, given the Home Office is the sponsoring
department for the commission, we are unable to comment further while legal
proceedings are ongoing.’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8537625/British-Muslim-leader-facing-death-penalty-Bangladesh-sues-Home-Secretary-Priti-Patel-60-000.html
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Archbishop of Albania on Hagia Sophia: Outrageous
insult against Christianity and Islam
Jul 18, 2020
As he stressed in the Greek newspaper Ta Nea, Turkey’s
intolerant attitude towards its decision on Hagia Sophia is not only a kind of
cultural “jihad” (“Holy War”) at a time when jihadists are condemned
internationally, but also it is an insult both against Christianity and Islam.
They converted the wonderful church of indivisible
Christianity into a mosque. They try to cover up its beautiful face, to make
its wonderful icons useless, and to hide its expressive eyes,” he stressed. He
also said, “In addition, they inaugurate a strange type of mosque, which is
strange to the classical Islamic one, with Christian icons being covered up,
which in their eloquent silence do not cease to bear testament to the Christian
truth. I do not know whether there is any similar Islamic place of worship in
the world.”
“The stubbornness of the Turkish authorities
underscores what we have been highlighting in recent decades: violence in the
name of religion violates the sanctity of religion itself. And no one, no
matter how strong and great one thinks one is, has the right to despise this
universal truth,” he concluded.
https://orthodoxtimes.com/archbishop-of-albania-on-hagia-sophia-outrageous-insult-against-christianity-and-islam/
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France to probe Abu Dhabi crown prince over torture
accusations in Yemen
July 18, 2020
French authorities are opening an investigation into
allegations that Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been complicit
in acts of torture in Yemen, where the UAE, along with Saudi Arabia and its
allies, has been waging a years-long bloody war.
Citing multiple sources with knowledge of the case,
AFP reported on Friday that a French investigating magistrate had been mandated
to take on the probe.
An initial inquiry was launched against bin Zayed last
October after two complaints were filed during his visit to Paris in November
2018.
Six Yemenis had lodged a complaint with a judge
specializing in crimes against humanity in Paris over acts of torture committed
in UAE-run detention centers in Yemen.
"My clients welcome the opening of this probe and
have great hope in French justice," said lawyer Joseph Breham representing
the six Yemenis.
The United Arab Emirates is Saudi Arabia’s key partner
in its devastating war on Yemen, which began in March 2015 with the arms
support from certain Western countries.
The purported aim was to return to power a
Riyadh-backed former regime and defeat the popular Houthi Ansarullah movement
that took control of state matters after the resignation of the then president
and his government.
Besides playing a significant part in aerial assaults
and deploying troops to Yemen, the UAE has been training militants fighting on
the ground against the Yemeni armed forces and allied fighters.
Additionally, the UAE is running secret prisons in
Yemen’s southern regions, which are mostly occupied by Abu Dhabi-backed
separatists.
The United Nations refers to the situation in Yemen as
the world's worst humanitarian crisis as the war has killed tens of thousands
of Yemenis and left 80 percent of the impoverished state's 29 million people
dependent on aid for survival.
https://en.abna24.com/news//france-to-probe-abu-dhabi-crown-prince-over-torture-accusations-in-yemen_1055840.html
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First step taken towards developing islamic finance in
Uzbekistan
18 July 2020
The ceremony of signing a Statement of Intent has been
held between the Agency for the Development of the Capital Market of the
Republic of Uzbekistan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and
the Islamic Development Bank, establishing cooperation for the introduction of
Islamic finance in Uzbekistan. The development of this new type of financing is
considered to be an essential alternative financial model for achieving the
Sustainable Development Goals in the country, Trend reports citing Timesca.
AtabekNazirov, Director of the Agency for the
Development of the Capital Market, said: “The Agency is firmly committed to the
Sustainable Development Goals agenda, and to developing new financial
instruments, particularly the Sukuk bonds which will bridge the gap in
achieving national Sustainable Development Goals in Uzbekistan.”
Unlike traditional bank finance which is motivated
primarily by profit, Islamic finance focuses on humanistic goals. It provides a
“symmetrical approach between cost, personal contribution and reward”. In
ordinary banking, preference is given to those activities which bring maximum
profit, associated with a high interest rate. Meanwhile Islamic finance is by
its nature not focused on maximizing profits.
“Uzbekistan and the countries of the world are going
through difficult times, experiencing one of history’s deadliest pandemics.
Against this backdrop, the Government of Uzbekistan is skillfully applying
immediate support, as well as developing long term strategies to help the
country recover from the crisis. This forward-looking approach can be observed
in the intentions of the Agency in accelerating the development of new
financing instruments,” said Ms. Matilda Dimovska, UNDP Resident Representative
in Uzbekistan, during the online signing ceremony.
“The efforts of CMDA to establish an enabling
environment for introducing green Sukuk bonds in Uzbekistan are commendable,
and UNDP stands ready to support that process.”
The development of Islamic finance in Uzbekistan has
the potential to be one of the most important elements in forming a national
public-private partnership market, and can be very useful for achieving SDGs
and reducing social tension.
The Vice President of the Islamic Development Bank for
Country Programs Mr. Mansur Mukhtar said: “Our bank is pleased to support the
initiatives of Uzbekistan on the way to expand financial opportunities for the
development of the country.”
It is expected that this agreement will become a
necessary foundation for developing Uzbekistan’s capital market. The
cooperation will help develop a legal and institutional framework for
introducing new financial instruments, and for taking the next steps towards
launching an Islamic financial product in 2021.
https://en.trend.az/casia/uzbekistan/3271432.html
------
Mideast
Head Of Islamic Scholars Of Tyre: Secret Of Victory Over Enemies Is Following Of Imam
Khamenei
July 18, 2020
Sheikh Ali Yasin, the head of the Islamic Scholars of Tyre, Lebanon referred to
the anniversary of the victory of Hezbollah over the occupying Zionist regime in the
2006 33-Day War and said, “The July War showed that the Islamic Resistance Axis is impenetrable
and invincible, and due to the presence of the Islamic Resistance Axis, the Zionists
haven’t dared to attack southern Lebanon again because the Islamic Resistance Axis,
with its own weapons, protects Lebanon and the unity of the country and has proved
the flimsy power of the enemies.”
The Lebanese Shi’ite scholar referred the sedition of
the United States in Lebanon and mentioned a sentence from Imam Musa al-Sadr when he
asked why the United States hates us – “Because we say there is no god but God and the
United States wants to be God on earth.”
He stated, “We have to prepare ourselves. The
Americans wanted to dominate the region but Imam Khomeini struck them with the first blow with
the formation of the Islamic Republic and the second slap was with the formation of
Hezbollah, which was able to support Lebanon and its independence and play a
deterrent role in the region.”
Referring to the role of General Qasem Soleimani in
the 33-Day War, Sheikh Yasin said, “He was a great man who gave his life for Islam
and his great role in cooperating with the commanders of the Islamic Resistance Axis in
Lebanon isn’t hidden from anyone. During the July War, he was with the youth of Hezbollah in
Jabal Amil under the fire of the Zionist regime.”
His Eminence referred to the role of the Lebanese
people in the 33-Day War and after the war and said, “Many Lebanese people, especially those
from the south, understand that if there is no Islamic Resistance, no one will remain and
this security depends on having the weapons of the Islamic Resistance. This is why voices
are heard to disarm the Islamic Resistance in order to achieve their plans and goals.
This wish will never be fulfilled, and the people know very well that the weapon of the Islamic
Resistance has led to the victory in the July War and the resistance against the front of
arrogance.”
He added, “As long as the Islamic Resistance exists in
Lebanon, the Zionist regime won’t be foolish enough to invade Lebanese territory because,
God-willing, it will be defeated and we will celebrate our victory once again.”
Regarding the current crisis in Lebanon, Sheikh Yasin
said, “Patience and stability is the key to the Islamic Resistance overcoming this
crisis and just as the Islamic Resistance overcame the Zionist regime and the Takfiris, it can
now overcome this crisis with good planning, patience and cooperation.”
In conclusion, he referred to the role of Imam
Khamenei and Sheikh Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah in the July War and said, “Imam Khamenei is
the deputy of the Imam of the Age [Imam al-Mahdi] and he wisely examines the situation
in his own decisions and from the line of the Ahl al-Bayt. They follow, and as long as we
have leaders like Imam Khamenei and Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah, by the grace of God Almighty,
we will never be afraid of our enemies.”
https://en.abna24.com/news//head-of-islamic-scholars-of-tyre%e2%80%8e-secret-of-victory-over-enemies-is-following-of-imam-khamenei_1055817.html
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Azerbaijan Ambassador to US: If Israel Nixes
Annexation, Ties With Muslim States To Improve
By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN
JULY 18, 2020
If Israel would choose not to annex the Jordan Valley
and/or portions of the West Bank, it would send “a message of goodwill” to the
Muslim nations, Azerbaijan Ambassador to the United States Elin Suleymanov told
The Jerusalem Post.
He said that “in the current situation in which Israel
is developing much better relations with the surrounding world, with Muslim
nations,” the move could be “damaging.”
Azerbaijan is a pioneer in that it has had deep
bilateral relations with Israel for more than 25 years. Since 1992, the
countries have collaborated in the diplomatic, economic, cultural and security
realms. Azerbaijan remains one of the few Muslim-majority countries to fully
recognize Israel and to normalize diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.
A top-level representative of the country has
presented at the AIPAC pro-Israel policy conference each year for the last six
years, the ambassador said.
Suleymanov said that Azerbaijan could not support
annexation because it “goes against international law” and the country’s belief
in a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Suleymanov warned that if Israel did choose to annex
“this type of action generally has consequences,” possibly for Israel’s
relationship with Azerbaijan, and definitely at the United Nations and with the
larger Muslim world.
More than 20% of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory – the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh region of western
Azerbaijan – has been considered occupied by Armenia since 1994. The UN
Security Council has recognized Azerbaijan’s right to this territory with
Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884.
Suleymanov said that when he meets with other Muslim
leaders, they often ask him about how relations between Azerbaijan and Israel
have developed and the benefits of these ties. Though he would not be specific,
he said that “the attitudes toward Israel in the region are improving and the
trajectory is good for Israel.
“If you weigh the value of things, I think the
relationships developing today have much more value than perhaps any benefit of
annexation, whatever it may be.”
As part of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan,
which was revealed back in January, Israel is permitted to annex 30% of the
West Bank. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Alternate Prime Minister Benny
Gantz included in their unity government agreement that the country could take
steps toward annexation sometime after July 1 this year.
https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/azeri-amb-israeli-ties-with-muslim-states-to-improve-if-does-not-annex-635431
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Encouraging sabotage in Iran can ignite full range
escalation, Tehran warns
19 July 2020
Tehran’s UN Mission has denounced a Bloomberg article
that has praised the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists and encouraged
sabotage in the country’s infrastructure, warning against “barbaric” measures
that can spark a full range escalation.
Alireza Miryousefi, minister and head of media office
of Iran’s Mission to the UN, responded to a Bloomberg opinion column written by
Eli Lake titled, “Sabotage in Iran Is Preferable to a Deal With Iran”.
In his response published on the American news outlet,
Miryousefi said Lake’s column is “one that against all journalistic standards
encourages violence, terror and sabotage, and makes a number of factual errors
and assumptions.”
He noted that “praising the illegal assassination of
nuclear scientists and encouraging sabotage in Iran’s infrastructures amounts
to what are inhumane, barbaric acts that promote violence and terrorism. Such
measures do nothing less than keeping tensions high, and could ignite a full
range escalation.”
Lake’s article argued that recent incidents in Iran,
among them the one at Natanz nuclear facility, showed that there were better
ways to frustrate what it called the “nuclear ambitions” of the Islamic
Republic.
Iran has not officially declared whether the incident
at the Natanz complex was an accident or an act of sabotage, but the Supreme
National Security Council (SNSC) said the main cause has been determined and
will be announced at an appropriate time.
Some reports suggested Tel Aviv’s alleged role, but
Israeli officials neither confirmed nor denied the regime’s involvement.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have said much of the
speculation linking the incident to Israel is nothing but bluster which pleased
Israeli leaders, warning Tel Aviv of serious consequences if it turned out to
be true.
The ex-Israeli minister of military affairs figure
says Netanyahu should gag an unnamed official leaking to the press Tel Aviv’s
alleged role in an incident at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility.
The Bloomberg article further claimed that one of the
recent incidents in Iran appeared to have targeted “an underground research
facility for chemical weapons.”
Iran’s UN Mission spokesman refuted the claim, saying
the country has been “the biggest victim of chemical weapons attacks in
contemporary history” conducted by the regime of former Iraqi dictator Saddam
Hussein with “the shameful aid of Western countries”.
“Iran has no program or plans to produce chemical
weapons, and the claim made in the opinion piece is not just bizarre, but
completely fallacious,” he stressed.
Miryousefi also hailed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action (JCPOA) as a “historic agreement” that was concluded in 2015 after two
years of intensive negotiations.
“It was the [US President Donald] Trump administration
that unilaterally withdrew from this international accord and violated UN
Security Council resolution 2231, which enshrined it in international law.
Consequently, the rest of the world has strongly criticized this blatant US
retreat from its obligations,” he added.
Lake, born in Philadelphia to a Jewish family, is a
columnist for the Bloomberg View. He is known for his controversial articles
about security matters. His critics say his past sources lacked credibility,
"used to manipulate the discourse on national security".
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/19/629915/Iran-UN-mission-sabotage-escalation
-------
Iranians can break outbreak chain by observing health
guidelines
18 July 2020
President Hassan Rouhani says has called on all
Iranians to join hands and break the chain of the outbreak by observing health
guidelines.
Rouhani further emphasized, “Victory over the disease
is possible, but it may be a little difficult and time consuming. We will
definitely win and we must stand firm and know that victory is certain.”
The president added that about 25 million Iranians
infected with the coronavirus have overcome the disease, but another 30-35
million people are at risk of contracting it.
Citing a report provided by the Health Ministry,
Rouhani announced the figures during a meeting of the National Headquarters for
Managing and Fighting the Coronavirus in Tehran on Saturday.
"Our estimate is that as of now 25 million
Iranians have been infected with this virus and overcome it and about 14,000
have lost their dear lives,” he said. “There is the possibility that between 30
and 35 million other people will be at risk" in the coming months.
Rouhani's deputy head of communications, Alireza
Moezi, said on Twitter hours later that the 25 million in fact refers to
"those who have encountered the virus and achieved complete immunity".
More than 200,000 people were hospitalized over the
past 150 days, Rouhani added, predicting that the figure would almost double in
the future.
Based on the Heath Ministry’s report, he said, out of
1,000 people infected with the coronavirus, 500 have no symptoms and may not
even realize they have contracted the disease. About 350 people have mild
symptoms while 150 may need to be hospitalized.
Authorities in Tehran are rolling back
anti-coronavirus curbs for a week, after a surge in new infections that has
driven daily cases back toward the peak in March.
Iran has been among the countries hit hard by the
coronavirus that first showed up in China in late December 2019 before
spreading across the globe.
Rouhani said that some reports show that the disease probably
began to spread in Iran from the provinces of Qom and Gilan where passengers
had arrived from the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Authorities on Saturday reimposed one-week
restrictions in the capital Tehran including banning religious and cultural
functions, closing boarding schools, cafes, indoor pools, amusement parks and
zoos.
The Health Ministry reported 188 deaths in the past 24
hours to take Iran's total to 13,979. Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said
2,166 new cases were detected over the period, taking the overall number
271,606.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/07/18/629865/Iran-Hassan-Rouhani-coronavirus
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North America
Million Muslim Votes: campaign seeks unprecedented
turnout in US presidential election
Cody Combs
July 18, 2020
As the 2020 US presidential election approaches,
several groups are working to ensure that as many of America's approximately
3.4 million Muslim citizens as possible make their voices heard at the ballot
box.
“The strategies are kind of old school and new school,”
said Wael Alzayat, chief executive of Emgage, a family of organisations working
to promote and empower Muslim Americans through civic engagement.
In particular, Mr Alzayat was referring to the Million
Muslim Votes, a new campaign supported by several civic groups seeking to
increase American Muslim voter participation, by turning out one million Muslim
voters in the 2020 presidential election. According to polling from the
Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU), in the 2016 election, American
Muslims were the least likely faith group to be registered to vote.
Mr Alzayat said some of the “old school” strategies
for ensuring turnout in 2020 include using voter data to contact people by
phone.
“We have access to the voter data and the likely
Muslim voters who are registered, so it’s literally contacting households and
getting a hold of people and making sure they commit to voting,” he said.
“People who actually say ‘I commit to vote’ are more likely to vote.”
Mr Alzayat said the group was making sure not to
overlook postal mail and email to ensure that voters do not miss educational
materials and important election dates.
However, coronavirus outbreak has forced all civic
engagement groups to adjust their strategies leading up to the presidential
election in November 3.
Covid-19 has also caused some of the informational
community meetings spearheaded by the group to fall by the wayside, but Mr
Alzayat insisted the impact had been minimal.
Attending one of those online meetings is none other than
presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who recently accepted an
invitation from Emgage Action to speak at the online Million Muslim Votes
summit on July 20.
"He is meeting with Emgage Action to hear the
concerns of Muslim Americans," Mr Alzayat wrote in an email. "Our
voices are being heard in a way that was unthinkable even a few years
ago."
According to the group, the 2018 midterm elections saw
a 25-point increase in registered Muslim voter turnout in Florida, Ohio,
Michigan and Virginia. Emgage highlighted Florida in particular, which saw 53
per cent of the state’s 110,000 registered Muslims participate in the midterm
election.
Although there has recently been a record number of
American Muslims running for US political office at the local, state and
national levels, Mr Alzayat said there was plenty of room for improvement in
terms of voter turnout.
“Despite those gains, the Muslim vote turnout is still
lower than the general population numbers but we do feel like the gap is
closing and we hope to narrow it in the upcoming elections,” he said.
Emgage currently has voter canvassing and phone bank
operations in Texas, Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida and New York,
while also maintaining a similar presence with the help of other organisations
in the states of Illinois, Ohio and California.
Some of the other groups assisting with Million Muslim
Votes include the US Council of Muslim Organisations, MPower Change, and the
Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition.
“2020 is our year…and let’s just be honest here, this
current administration does not want us or our votes to count,” Indian American
and Muslim singer Zeshan B says in the ad, just before a clip of US President
Donald Trump calling for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the
United States”.
Mr Alzayat said the ad was actually cut from a longer
ad that focused on the power of minority communities to protect their rights.
“We thought that the footage could be very appropriate
for the Million Muslim Votes campaign, so we worked with him [Zeshan B] to
adapt it and you saw the results, it’s successful,” he said.
But given the partisan tone of the ad, Mr Alzayat
insisted it was important to differentiate Emgage Action's ad from Million
Muslim Votes overall.
According to the 2016 report from the Institute for
Social Policy and Understanding, the economy was the most important issue among
Muslim voters, followed by civil rights, education, immigration, national
security and health care.
In terms of the ideological spectrum, 43 per cent of
those surveyed by ISPU identified as moderate, whereas 32 per cent identified
as somewhat liberal and 17 per cent as somewhat conservative.
President Trump, however, has definitely changed
dynamics. Ever since his 2016 presidential campaign, experts say Mr Trump’s
rhetoric aimed at Muslims has significantly affected political involvement and
political leanings.
“One thing President Trump has been doing is unifying
the viewpoints of all minorities in opposition to him, I suspect the same thing
has been happening with Muslim Americans,” said Peter Yacobucci, associate
professor of political science at Buffalo State University.
Mr Yacobucci said although Muslim American votes might
not make a significant impact on a national scale, they could make a significant
difference in several swing states.
“It just so happens that Michigan is a key
battleground state for the 2020 race, and I could envision that’s where Muslim
American votes could truly matter,” he said, referring to state’s relatively
large Muslim population.
According to Mr Alzayat, younger Muslims in the US are
increasingly making their voices heard, helping to change the landscape and
increasing the importance of the Muslim vote.
“Right now about half of the Muslim population in
America is US-born,” he said, noting that some of the older Muslim Americans
who emigrated to the US tended to be less civically engaged. “A lot of the
immigrants come from places that don’t have strong electoral or civic
participation positions.”
Iman Abid, a Muslim American activist in Rochester,
New York, says candidates have definitely started to pay more attention to the
Muslim community.
“I’ve seen far more political candidates stepping into
mosques and having conversations at interfaith centres … really trying to
understand what it is that Muslim Americans need in this country.”
Ms Abid echoed the sentiment that younger Muslim
Americans have been taking more interest in civic engagement for quite some
time, adding that the recent growth of the Black Lives Matter movement had
created another plank for many.
Despite Mr Trump’s call for a “total and complete
shutdown of Muslims entering the US” and his promises to close “some mosques”,
among other comments, he does have some Muslim support.
A 2018 ISPU survey looking at Trump support among
Muslims found that 13 per cent of American Muslim voters approved of the
president's job performance.
“Muslims who identify as Republican are significantly
more likely than either Democrats or self-reported independents to support the
president’s job performance,” according to a summary of the findings.
There is also the Bernie Sanders factor. The socialist
senator from Vermont evoked unprecedented enthusiasm among Muslims in the US,
and although he has endorsed Mr Biden, it remains to be seen whether all of his
supporters will show up to vote in November.
These variables show just how complicated gauging
Muslim American civic engagement can be, but Mr Alzayat remains undeterred,
saying he is confident Million Muslim Votes can achieve its objective.
“Increasingly you see the community getting excited
behind this campaign and we have a few more months until the election so we can
definitely build and maintain this momentum,” he said.
https://www.thenational.ae/world/the-americas/million-muslim-votes-campaign-seeks-unprecedented-turnout-in-us-presidential-election-1.1050712
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Muslim Coalition for America distributes 7,500 face
masks to LA-area low-income communities
July 17, 2020
As the coronavirus’s second surge worsened, the Muslim
Coalition for America distributed 7,500 reusable face masks to low-income
communities in Southern California this week.
MCA delivered
face masks at the Watts Empowerment Center and Verbum Dei High School, in
response to continuing calls by Gov. Gavin Newsom and other leaders to
Californians to wear a face covering while in public to stem the spread of COVID-19.
More strict “Safer at Home” measures have be rekindled
in recent days, as the number of new cases and hospitalizations connected to
the virus have risen at alarming levels.
https://www.presstelegram.com/2020/07/17/muslim-coalition-for-america-distributes-7500-face-masks-to-la-area-low-income-communities/
------
Coronavirus Victims: 1st Muslim Prison Chaplain In
Texas, Akbar Nurid-Din Shabazz
July 17, 2020
Even before a recent surge of new cases of the
coronavirus in Texas, community leaders were dying from the disease - leaders
like Akbar Nurid-Din Shabazz, whose community was locked behind bars.
In 1977, Shabazz became the first Muslim chaplain in
the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He was a confidant and mentor to
many, and he died of COVID-19 on April 23.
CHANG: Eugene Farooq was Shabazz's longtime friend and
colleague. Farooq credits him with revolutionizing and expanding Islam in the
Texas prison system.
EUGENE FAROOQ: Someone very dedicated who sacrificed a
lot of pleasures in life to give attention to men who really needed it most.
MCCAMMON: Men like Basile Abdullah (ph). Abdullah grew
close to Shabazz while he was in prison. He was struck by Shabazz's commitment
to care for every inmate no matter their religious beliefs.
CHANG: When Abdullah's life sentence was reversed, he
promised to make a contribution to his local Islamic community by building a
mosque. But his prison record got in the way, which is when Shabazz told him...
BASILE ABDULLAH: Never let someone change you from
your identity. Make the best of that identity. Don't be ashamed of that
identity.
MCCAMMON: Finally, in 2008, Abdullah and former
inmates set up a mosque in Houston.
ABDULLAH: And coming in contact with him and knowing
him in the prison and outside of the prison has put me into a life that I could
not have lived. I could not have - the things that I have done could not have
happened.
CHANG: Akbar Nurid-Din Shabazz Jr. knew his father to
be a generous man, but it took his father's death to show him just how big of
an impact he had had on the people around him.
AKBAR NURID-DIN SHABAZZ JR: I mean, I never told him
how proud I was of him, and I think about that. You know, of course, I told
him, you know, that I love him and that kind of thing. But after he passed, I
really started to hear about the impact he had on others.
https://www.npr.org/2020/07/17/892393065/coronavirus-victims-1st-muslim-prison-chaplain-in-texas-akbar-nurid-din-shabazz
------
'Black Lives Matter' mural outside Trump Tower defaced
again
19.07.2020
A "Black Lives Matter'' mural painted on the
street in front of the Trump Tower in New York City has been defaced for the
third time in less than a week.
e on Saturday arrested two women for pouring black
paint on the mural.
A video showed one of the women smearing the paint on
the mural, shouting "they don't care about Black lives'' and "refund
the police."
On Friday, three people were caught on a surveillance
video splattering blue paint on the mural while a woman was seen littering with
flyers that mentioned the shooting death of a 1-year-old boy in Brooklyn.
One person was seen wearing an "All Lives
Matter'' shirt.
Several streets in New York and other parts of the
country have been painted with "Black Lives Matter'' in solidarity with
the movement demanding justice and reforms in the wake of the recent killing of
Black people, including George Floyd.
President Donald Trump had said in a tweet earlier
this month that painting the words on Fifth Avenue in front of his tower would
"denigrate" the "luxury Avenue."
https://www.dw.com/en/black-lives-matter-mural-outside-trump-tower-defaced-again/a-54230360
-------
UN chief: World 'at the breaking point' with vast
inequality
19.07.2020
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has
warned the world is at a "breaking point" and calls for a new model
for global governance to tackle inequalities exacerbated by the coronavirus
pandemic.
Delivering the annual Nelson Mandela lecture online on
Saturday, Guterres said the pandemic "has been likened to an X-ray,
revealing fractures in the fragile skeleton of the societies we have
built".
"It is exposing fallacies and falsehoods
everywhere: The lie that free markets can deliver healthcare for all; the
fiction that unpaid care work is not work; the delusion that we live in a
post-racist world; the myth that we are all in the same boat," the UN
chief said.
He outlined the main drivers of inequality including
systemic racism, the legacy of colonialism, patriarchy, gaps in access to
technology, and inequalities in global governance.
"The nations that came out on top 70 years ago
have refused to contemplate the reforms needed to change power relations in
international institutions," Guterres said in his blunt speech, pointing
to the voting rights in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), where the
United Kingdom, China, France, Russia and the United States have veto powers.
Guterres said the response to the pandemic "must
be based on a new social contract and a new global deal that create equal
opportunities for all and respect the rights and freedoms of all".
The new model would ensure inclusive and equal
participation in global institutions, fair globalisation, a stronger voice for
the developing world in global decision-making, and a more inclusive and
balanced multilateral trading system, he said.
He said developed countries are strongly invested in
their own survival and have "failed to deliver the support needed to help
the developing world through these dangerous times".
The novel coronavirus has infected more than 14
million people and there have been nearly 600,000 known deaths worldwide. The
UN has appealed for $10.3bn to help poor states, but has received only $1.7bn.
Guterres's address marked what would have been the
birthday of former South African President and Nobel Peace Prize winner
Mandela.
South Africa, the world's most unequal country a
quarter-century after the end of the racist system of apartheid, is quickly
becoming one of the world's hardest-hit nations in the pandemic and now makes
up roughly half of Africa's confirmed coronavirus cases. Already, its public
hospitals are nearly overwhelmed.
The speech by the UN chief took aim at the vast
inequality of wealth - the 26 richest people in the world hold as much wealth
as half the global population, Guterres said.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks alongside
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in February [Salvatore Di Nolfi
via Reuters]
Developing countries, and especially African nations,
are underrepresented at the levels of power including at financial institutions
such as the World Bank and political ones like the UNSC.
"The nations that came out on top more than seven
decades ago have refused to contemplate the reforms needed to change power
relations in international institutions," Guterres said. "The
composition and voting rights in the United Nations Security Council and the
boards of the Bretton Woods system are a case in point.
A new generation of social protection is needed,
including universal health coverage and perhaps a universal basic income, he
said, adding "individuals and corporations must pay their fair
share".
Education spending in low and middle-income countries
should more than double by 2030 to $3 trillion a year, he said. In the face of
enormous shifts from climate change, governments should tax carbon instead of
people.
Answering questions after his speech, Guterres called
for "massive support" for the developing world including debt
write-offs. He said the suspension of debt payments until the end of this year,
which was agreed upon by the G20, the world's 20 major economic powers,
"is clearly not enough".
And he noted, without naming names, that
"leadership and power are not always aligned".
"Let's face facts," Guterres said in his
address. "The global political and economic system is not delivering on
critical global public goods: public health, climate action, sustainable
development, peace."
Guterres concluded: "Now is the time for global
leaders to decide: Will we succumb to chaos, division and inequality? Or will
we right the wrongs of the past and move forward together for the good of
all?"
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/chief-world-breaking-point-vast-inequality-200718163541857.html
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Southeast Asia
Wan Junaidi suggests mosques, surau set up own
cooperatives
18/07/2020
KUCHING, July 18
-- Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Seri Dr
Wan JunaidiTuanku Jaafar has suggested that mosques and surau nationwide set up
their own cooperatives to generate income through cooperative business
activities.
"Next, we will submit a proposal to get feedback
and comments from the Cabinet because it involves all parties and
ministries," he told reporters after attending the Cooperative Capacity
Building and Encouragement programme in Kampung Boyan here today.
He said if the initiative was implemented, mosques and
surau would no longer need to depend solely on government assistance, besides
being able to provide benefits to their congregation.
"These small cooperatives can unite to become a
medium-sized cooperative before going on to become a big enough cooperative
with a large number of members, providing benefits and returns to the
congregation as well as surrounding residents," he said.
According to Wan Junaidi, a meeting with Minister at
the Prime Minister Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli
Mohamad Al-Bakri would be held in the near future to discuss the proposal so
that the mosques and surau could be united in a cooperative.
He said the development of such a cooperative was
important as it could drive the economy, especially in helping small and
medium-sized enterprises in local communities access to quick and easy funds
without having to go through the bureaucracy.
"Through cooperatives, they can set up their own
ar-rahnu (pawnbroking), wholesale market and such, and this will not only
provide funds to the mosques and surau managing the cooperatives but also
generate income for the congregations involved," he said.
https://www.bernama.com/en/general/news.php?id=1861991
-------
'Buy Malaysian Products' Campaign to boost economic
recovery - PPIPBM
19/07/2020
KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 -- The 'Buy Malaysian Products'
Campaign (KBBM) launched yesterday will speed-up the country’s economic
recovery with the support of all Malaysians.
Bumiputera Manufacturers and Services Industry
Association of Malaysia (PPIPBM) president Datuk Azman Yusoff said in a
statement today the campaign was also part of the government’s efforts to
establish a Bumiputera Prosperity Council to encourage Bumiputera manufacturers
to increase productivity.
“For this, Bumiputera manufacturers and entrepreneurs
must come up with high quality products with attractive packaging to entice
consumers and be on par with imported goods,” he said in the statement.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
launched the national-level Mega Sales Programme and ‘Buy Malaysian Products’
Campaign at Suria KLCC as part of the effort to revive and maintain Malaysia’s
economic competitiveness post COVID-19.
Hosted by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Ministry, the campaign is a nationwide consumer awareness initiative, to be
held until the end of the year.
https://www.bernama.com/en/general/news.php?id=1862043
------
PM never said govt would recognise UEC, says PMO
19/07/2020
KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 -- Prime Minister Tan Sri
Muhyiddin Yassin had never said that the government would recognise the Unified
Examination Certificate (UEC) at his recent meeting with leaders of the
Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Hua Zhong), the Prime Minister's
Office (PMO) said today.
"With regard to the issue of recognition for UEC
raised at the meeting between the Hua Zhong leadership and the prime minister
on July 16, 2020, we wish to clarify that the prime minister did not say the
government would recognise UEC," PMO said in a statement.
According to the statement, the prime minister instead
said UEC had gained partial recognition when the government previously accepted
UEC holders for a teaching degree programme (PISMP) specialising in the Chinese
language at Institut Pendidikan Guru Malaysia (IPGM).
It said the government had in 2012 accepted UEC
holders for the PISMP programme in Chinese language on condition that they
passed the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and obtained at least a credit in
Bahasa Melayu.
"The prime minister also stressed that UEC should
follow the National Education Policy if it is seeking a resolution of the
matter by the government in the future,” the statement added.
News reports said Hua Zhong claimed that Muhyiddin had
expressed his hope that one day the government would recognise UEC.
It claimed that Muhyiddin said this at their meeting
at the Parliament building a few days ago.
https://www.bernama.com/en/news.php?id=1862032
-------
Arab world
OIC Secretary General Chairs Session on Distinguished
Efforts of Islamic Countries in Facing Covid-19
2020/07/18
Jeddah, July 18, 2020, SPA -- Secretary-General of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Dr. Youssef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen
chaired here a session entitled "Distinguished Efforts of Islamic
Countries in Dealing with Coronavirus Pandemic", organized by the Muslim
World League and the Emirates Council for Fatwa through video conferencing
technology on July 18 and 19, 2020.
At the opening of the session, the Secretary General
praised the efforts paid by the OIC Member States, noting the continuous
coordination between the OIC General Secretariat and the Islamic countries
regarding the response to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) at various political,
health, economic, humanitarian, educational and cultural levels.
Dr. Al-Othaimeen noted the wise decision taken by the
Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, regarding the Hajj of this year, as
the Kingdom took into account the health and safety of Muslims.
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2111299
-------
Muslims urged to sight DhulHijjah moon on Monday
July 18, 2020
RIYADH — The Supreme Court has called on all Muslims
in the Kingdom to spot the new moon on the evening of Monday, the 29th day of
the month of DhulQadah (July 20). The sighting of the moon will determine the
exact beginning of this year's Hajj rituals
"The Supreme Court hopes anyone seeing the moon
by the naked eye or the telescope to notify the nearest court and register a
testimony or contact the nearest center to help him reach the nearest
court," it added, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Saturday.
"The court hopes that whoever has the sighting
ability to take interest in the matter and join the committees formed for this
purpose in different regions."
According to astronomical calculations, the month of
DhulHijjah will begin this year on July 22 and the climax of Hajj at the Mount
Arafat near Makkah will take place on July 30.
The Hajj is one of Islam's five pillars. Saudi Arabia
is bracing for holding a limited pilgrimage this year due to fears of the new
coronavirus.
The Kingdom has announced that 70 percent of this
year’s pilgrims will be expatriate residents while the remaining 30 percent
will be Saudis. The maximum number of participating pilgrims has been set at
10,000 to ensure a safe Hajj for all.
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/595636/SAUDI-ARABIA/Muslims-urged-to-sight-Dhul-Hijjah-moon-on-Monday
------
South Asia
Hakeem warns changing Sri Lanka's PR system will have
adverse effects on Muslims
18 July 2020
Rauff Hakeem, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SBW)
candidate for the Kandy district and leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
(SLMC) described the proportional representation system as advantageous to Muslims
on the island at an election meeting in Gampola.
Numerically smaller political parties which represent
the different ethnic groups on the island have called for maintaining the
current electoral system rather than making the return to the first-past-the-post-system
previously employed in Sri Lanka. Hakeem argues this is because certain parties
are trying to change the system in an effort to bend the electoral system and
legislations to a party’s whims.
This change could have worrying implications for
Muslims and others who are already deferred to the sidelines by a Sinhala
Buddhist nationalist government.
Hakeem’s comments come after current Sri Lankan
president Mahinda Rajapaksa attacked “communal political parties” last year,
having previously attempted to introduce amendments that would raise the
threshold of votes political parties would need to secure from 5 to 12 per
cent. The move would effectively silence the numerically smaller parties that
represent the island’s different nations.
The Sri Lankan government has a long-standing history
of Islamophobia, and has more recently persecuted Muslims through arbitrary
arrests and detainments under counterterrorism and emergency laws in the
aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks last year.
Taking after India, sections of the Sri Lankan media
are also using COVID-19 to stigmatise Muslims, using them as scapegoats for the
spread of the pandemic, warned Hakeem. Claims have been made which insist on
re-investigations and re-inquiries of Muslims, leading to criticism that the
Special Presidential Commission failed to conduct proper procedure.
Despite these challenges imposed by the state, Hakeem
has allied his party with Sajith Premadasa’s SJB. He claimed that with a
proportional representation system, the SLMC can purchase bargaining power.
“The SLMC this time around is contesting under three
different symbols and at different electoral districts. In many of the
electorates, it contested as an ally of the SJB under the ‘telephone’ symbol,
in Puttalam under the ‘Scale’ symbol and in Batticaloa under its own party
symbol ‘Tree’”, Hakeem said.
Though Hakeen has allied his party with the SJB,
Premadasa too has pledged to work with current president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to
bring about a “disciplined society” if Rajapaksa wins the upcoming
parliamentary elections.
In the past, Hakeem and the SLMC have allied
themselves with both the UNP and SLFP, having held the post of Minister of
Posts and Telecommunication in 2007 under Mahinda Rajapaksa.
https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/hakeem-warns-changing-sri-lankas-pr-system-will-have-adverse-effects-muslims
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Tamils and Muslims have implicit faith in SLPP -
GaminiLokuge
19 July, 2020
Sri Lanka PodujanaPeramuna (SLPP) Colombo District
Candidate and former State Minister of Urban Development GaminiLokuge said the
Tamils and Muslims have realised that the SLPP is not a party that offers false
promises to get political mileage. In an interview with the Sunday Observer,
the former State Minister said that the SLPP is committed to promoting the
wellbeing of all communities. Tamil and Muslim voters would decide whether they
would vote for those who give false promises or elect an SLPP led Government to
fulfill their expectations. He said many people who didn’t vote for the
President at the last Presidential Election have appreciated the program
launched by him to rebuild the country and are willing to give a two-thirds
majority to the Government at the General Election to make the President’s
endeavour a success.
Q. What are your views on the 19th Amendment to the
Constitution? Do you want its salient features to remain or to scrap it
altogether?
A. The 19th Amendment should be abolished. The need of
the hour is to formulate a new Constitution suitable to the country. The 19th
Amendment introduced by the former Yahapalana Government has led to
controversies. Various sections have raised serious concern about the
independent commissions set up under the 19th Amendment. The time has come to
scrap the 19th Amendment and formulate a new Constitution to suit current
needs.
Q. What made the UNP die a slow death? Could you
attribute all ills of the party to leader Ranil Wickremesinghe or are there
others to share it?
A. All those who have contributed to ruin the UNP
should be held responsible for its present plight. They should have made
reforms to take the party forward. If they have failed to fulfil that task,
they all should be held responsible for destruction of the party.
Q. Would you like to comment on Samagi Jana Balawegaya
(SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa’s pledge to give Rs.20,000 to the people and
cancel the March and April electricity bills?
A. The Yahapalana Government which was in power eight
months ago could have done that. Will the people accept these utterances by
Sajith Premadasa targeting the election? If they were concerned about the
people, they should have implemented such proposals during their tenure in
office as that was a Government which had a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The people are well aware that these are false pledges to hoodwink them to get
their votes.
Q. Much emphasis is laid on the need to have a
competent team to run the country. Would you like to elaborate on this?
A. Those who are not genuine and don’t have a capacity
to emerge as politicians make such statements to get the people’s votes. The
people know that it was Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and other political
leaders around him who gave the strength and the leadership to make Gotabaya
Rajapaksa the President.
The Prime Minister and those leaders carried out a
vigorous campaign throughout the country to educate the public and seek their
mandate to elect Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the President. These newcomers think it
would be easy for them to get elected to Parliament. It is not an easy task. As
we all as a team could form a new political party, SLPP and made its candidate
the President, it won’t be an issue for the same team to govern the country
with President Rajapaksa.
Q. Have the Viyathmaga contestants posed a threat to
veteran politicians in the SLPP?
A. There is no such a threat. The people are aware
that except minor offences, such as stealing some coconuts, ordinary people
never resort to bigger frauds or corruptions. If we take the Central Bank bond
scam and other financial frauds and malpractices in the world, all those were
committed by well-educated and intelligent people. The people have a good
understanding about this. Professionals and intellectuals rallied round the
SLPP as we formed a broad political entity by securing a resounding victory at
the last Local Government election. We welcomed them to the SLPP as we also
need professionals and intellectuals of such calibre.
Q. Is new legislation needed to prevent political
crossovers?
A. In a matter of national importance, if the leaders
of a party are heading in the wrong direction, a Parliamentarian should have
freedom to represent the correct point of view to rescue the country from that
disaster. I don’t say political crossovers are a healthy feature for democracy.
However, in a matter of national importance, it is the duty of Parliamentarians
to safeguard the country. On such an occasion, a politician should have the
right to take a correct decision on behalf of the country.
Q. What made the JVP lose its grip on the votes?
A. This is because our voters are intelligent. After
the JVP entered Parliament, they did the opposite of what they said on the
political stage. They became a cat’s-paw of capitalist parties. The JVP was at
the forefront of defeating the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2015. When
the military operations were launched against LTTE terrorists, it was the JVP
that crossed over to the Opposition to weaken the then Government by catering
to the agendas of international forces. The JVP voted to postpone the
Provincial Council elections. The JVP will not secure a single parliamentary
seat and at leat 3.5 percent votes at the election.
At the last General Election, the JVP said they had
nominated professionals from their National List. When the JVP MPs who
contested the election were defeated, they got rid of professionals and allowed
defeated JVP candidates to enter Parliament.
Q. Will not the confrontation between some SLPP and
SLFP politicians be detrimental to securing a two-thirds majority at the
election?
A. There is no issue among our leaders. There would be
intense competition even between a father and a son at an election under the
preferential voting system.
For example, at a General Election, a father and a
daughter contested under the same party banner in a district and the daughter
secured victory defeating her father. This is the nature of the preferential
voting system.
Q. Voters say it is the responsibility of political
parties to nominate decent candidates while politicians assert that the voters
should be wise to vote for suitable candidates. Where to draw the line?
A. That is true. If we are nominated to contest from a
political party, it is up to the voters to elect suitable candidates to
Parliament. If the MPs have not fulfilled their duties, the people can reject
them at the next election. This has always happened in our political history.
The people elect a capable group of Parliamentarians to the Legislature while
those who are first elected to Parliament will have to go home after the next
election if they have failed to fulfil their duties. It is the right of the
people to elect suitable candidates to Parliament. The people elect us to
Parliament based on our conduct and the program we implemented to resolve their
issues.
Q. What is your assessment of Tamil and Muslim votes?
A. The Tamils and Muslims have realised that the SLPP
is not a party which offers false promises to get political mileage. We are a
political party which is committed to the wellbeing of all communities. They
would decide whether they would vote for those who give false promises or elect
an SLPP led Government which has a potential to fulfil their rights. That would
be witnessed at the General Election.
Q. The Opposition alleges that the restrictions
imposed on the Covid-19 pandemic were lifted by the Government targeting the
election. Would you comment on this?
A. Though the Opposition acts in such an absurd manner
and makes such irresponsible statements, the people are not ignorant. They have
a good understanding of the prevailing situation.
The people compare us with other countries on the
Covid-19 pandemic control. Another Covid-19 cluster has emerged. The Government
has taken steps to prevent the spread of the virus. The Opposition wants to
postpone the election by creating even a second wave of Covid-19. The people
are aware of their ulterior motives.
Q. Earlier the Election Commission Chairman Mahinda
Deshapriya said it would be difficult to conduct the election if health
guidelines are not gazetted. Your comment?
A. The Government since inception successfully managed
the Covid-19 situation in the country. Despite laws, the Covid-19 outbreak was
controlled due to effective and timely moves by the Government. In the future
too, the Government would take measures in keeping with the situation. There is
no need for new laws to control the Covid-19 pandemic because of the election.
It has been controlled in accordance with existing laws.
Q. Serious concern has been raised about independent
commissions set up under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Would you
explain?
A. It is obvious when looking at the conduct of some
members appointed to these Commissions. Otherwise, the people don’t want to
complain about it. One member of the Election Commission even went to the court
against the dissolution of Parliament. However, there is a forum for him to
discuss that matter within the Election Commission without going to court. He
is not a suitable person to hold that position.
Q. Will the Government secure a two-thirds majority
and form a stable Government?
A. The voters at the election will fulfil that task on
behalf of the Government. Many people who didn’t vote for Gotabaya Rajapaksa at
the last Presidential Election have commended the program launched by him to
rebuild the country. They are willing to give a two-thirds majority to the
Government at the election to make the President’s endeavour a success.
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2020/07/19/opinion/tamils-and-muslims-have-implicit-faith-slpp-gamini-lokuge
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18 Taliban militants killed, wounded in Faryab clahes:
Shaheen Corps
19 Jul 2020
The Afghan security forces killed or wounded at least
28 Taliban militants during the clashes in northern Faryab province, the Afghan
military said.
The 209th Shaheen Corps in a statement said the Taliban
militants launched attacks in Kohistan and SherinTagab districts, targeting the
security posts in the central parts of the two provinces.
The statement further added that the security forces
effectively responded to the attacks, killing at least 12 Taliban militants.
The security forces also wounded at least 6 Taliban
militants during the clashes, the 209th Shaheen Corps added.
The Taliban group has not commented regarding the
clashes so far.
https://www.khaama.com/18-taliban-militants-killed-wounded-in-faryab-clahes-shaheen-corps-08966/
------
SC asks civil courts to hear urgent matters, receive
filings of succession suits
July 19, 2020
The Supreme Court (SC) has asked all civil courts
across the country to hear urgent civil matters and receive filings of
succession suits.
Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain took the decision
after discussing the matter with senior judges of the SC, according to a
circular issued by the Supreme Court administration yesterday.
SC Registrar Md Ali Akbar signed the circular, saying
that the conducting judges of the courts will hear the urgent matters and
receive the succession suits, keeping physical distance and strictly following
the health guidelines.
Only inheritors of the deceased can file such
succession suits with the specific civil courts seeking permission for
withdrawal of money from banks and other financial organisations the deceased
deposited.
The judges of the courts concerned will fix necessary
action plans for maintaining physical distancing in the courtrooms during
hearing of the urgent civil matters and the filings of the succession suits
respectively in order to contain the coronavirus pandemic, according to the
notification.
The judges will receive urgent matters and filings of
succession suits in such way so that mass gatherings cannot be taken place at
the concerned courts during the proceedings.
On completion of one suit, the conducting court can
hear and receive filing of another suit. Moreover, the conducting judges will
fix a specific time to hear and dispose of the succession suits, maintaining a
physical distance and strictly following health guidelines.
The circular also said a maximum of six people --
including lawyers and plaintiffs -- can stay at a courtroom during hearing of a
suit while wearing face masks.
On July 12, the SC asked all the Women and Children
Repression Prevention Tribunals, Chief Judicial Magistrates and Chief
Metropolitan Magistrates across the country to receive filings of complaint
cases.
The same day, the SC issued another circular which
empowered the lower courts across the country to receive surrender petitions
seeking bails of people accused of criminal cases filed against them.
Earlier, the lower courts could hear and dispose of
only bail petitions filed by the detained accused through videoconferencing.
The regular activities of courts remained closed since
March 26 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
https://www.thedailystar.net/supreme-court-asks-civil-courts-hear-urgent-matters-receive-filings-succession-suits-1932665
------
Plasma Therapy for Covid-19: Experts bemoan ‘complete
anarchy’
July 19, 2020
Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
Although plasma therapy holds hope for the treatment
of critical Covid-19 patients, indiscriminate use of it in the absence of a
guideline is posing serious health risks in the country, experts said.
The government only last month gave permission to
three public hospitals -- Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and Rajarbagh Police Hospital -- to
conduct randomised clinical trials of plasma therapy for Covid-19 patients.
But many hospitals in the country have already been
providing plasma therapy to Covid-19 patients without such a guideline in
place.
Prof MA Khan, a haematologist at DMCH, termed the
current situation "hopeless", saying, "There is a complete
anarchy over plasma therapy in Bangladesh."
Plasma therapy for Covid-19 involves taking antibodies
from the blood of a person who has fully recovered from the novel coronavirus
and transfusing these antibodies into a critically ill Covid-19 patient, to
help improve their immune system.
He told The Daily Star that he sent a proposal to the
national technical advisory committee over formulating a policy on plasma
therapy on June 20, but was yet to receive a reply.
"Doctors are still confused as to when to give
plasma therapy. The government should take the initiative to formulate a
guideline. We are tired of repeating ourselves on this issue."
Providing convalescent plasma therapy to a Covid-19
patient without a guideline is risky and may endanger the life of the patient,
healthcare experts said.
They said a guideline, among many things, can regulate
the person's eligibility to donate plasma and whether the donor has developed
the necessary antibody levels in their blood. This requires several standard
testing protocols. Plasma therapy is now at the clinical trial stage, not for
treating coronavirus patients, they added.
For example, on an average, 14 percent of people in
the country have other viral infections in their blood, they said. Without
maintaining proper procedures, indiscriminate plasma therapy can be disastrous
for patients. Negative HIV and hepatitis B and C tests are required otherwise
the donor is disqualified.
Most important, however, is the level of antibodies --
if not sufficient, preferably at 80 percent, then the whole exercise will be
futile, experts said.
The donor has to have passed 14 days since fully
recovering from Covid-19 and show a negative RT-PCR test; an ELISA test, a
method through which plasma-neutralising antibody testing is done, is also
required to check whether sufficient antibodies have developed in the donor's
blood.
Plasma neutralising antibody test kits are still not
widely available in the country -- with the government giving permission for
this test to be conducted in the country on June 21.
Dr Sheikh Saiful Islam Shaheen, assistant professor of
the Department of Transfusion Medicine at BSMMU, said the permission at the
moment is only for clinical trials, not for treating patients.
"After the clinical trial, the decision will be
taken on using plasma therapy. Besides, we don't have any capacity right now to
do antibody tests for plasma therapy," he said.
Dr Shaheen, who is leading one such clinical trial at
BSMMU, said, "Antibody measurement of the donor is a must. If sufficient
antibodies are not formed, it may harm the patient. In some cases, it may
create mild to severe allergic reactions, which may endanger the life of the
patient."
Prof Dr Mohammad Shahidullah, head of the national
technical advisory committee on coronavirus, said, "We have started
randomised clinical trials and after getting trial results, we will decide
whether we will form the guideline. Now, people are giving plasma therapy without
knowing many things which is risky."
During a pandemic, transfusion of convalescent plasma
is used as empirical treatment for severely ill and critically ill
patients."
Hospitals in the country are giving plasma therapy as
part of ethically practicing in a desperate situation, when patients are
critically ill, he added.
In neighbouring India, there is a specific guideline
for plasma therapy -- laboratory tests including CBC [complete blood count],
hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, HIV, malaria, and syphilis are conducted
before giving plasma therapy.
Only people aged between 18 and 60 and weighing not
less than 50kg are eligible for plasma donation in India. Those with
comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer are excluded.
But the FDA issued guidance for health care providers
that recommends using convalescent plasma therapy for clinical trials and for
patients with serious or immediately life-threatening diseases who aren't
eligible to participate in trials.
https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/news/plasma-therapy-covid-19-experts-bemoan-complete-anarchy-1932485
------
Africa
Mali’s Protesters Turn to Populist Imam of Salam
Mosque to End Cycle of Corruption
18 Jul 2020
Jason Burke
A fragile calm has returned to Bamako. The debris has
been cleared from the streets and the barricades around the Salam mosque in the
neighbourhood of Badalabougou are gone. For the moment, a bloody confrontation
between security forces and demonstrators in the capital of Mali appears to
have been averted.
But the pause is likely to be temporary. Leaders of
the landlocked west African nation’s protest movement have promised to go
“right to the bitter end” to force through dramatic political change, after six
weeks of rising unrest. “We will wage this battle until we bring in a new
democratic era in Mali. We have lost too many killed to retreat now,” Mohamed
Salia Touré, a prominent protest leader and young politician, told the
Observer.
A major prayer meeting and protest has been called
off, putting a brake on the campaign against president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.
At least 11 people have been killed and more than 150 wounded, many by security
forces who fired on demonstrators during three days of street clashes earlier
this month.
The violence has prompted condemnation from the
African Union, the UN and the EU, as well as the dispatch of a regional
mediation team. But there is little sign of any resolution to the crisis in
Mali, which is seen as the strategic key to the Sahel. This swath of desert and
scrub interspersed with fertile irrigated land stretches from Senegal on
Africa’s Atlantic coast to Sudan on the Red Sea. The zone is threatened by
climate change, famine, weak governments and extremism. The Covid-19 pandemic
has aggravated all these problems, and added more.
“The regional situation is extremely tense,” said
Alioune Tine, an activist and UN human rights expert. “We’re caught in a
hellish circle of violence, contestation, and insurrection. Those who have
power don’t want to give it up, and corruption has stripped politics and states
of any legitimacy.”
Imam Mahmoud Dicko at launch of his movement, the
Coordination of movements, associations and sympathisers last September.
Photograph: Michele Cattani/AFP/Getty Images
The failure of states to protect or serve their
populations, say analysts, has led to the emergence of many different types of
protest movement including rebellions by armed groups, jihadists and popular
movements.Mali was plunged into instability in 2012, when a military mutiny
removed the elected president, and an alliance of ethnic and Islamist militants
seized much of the north of the country, including the city of Timbuktu.
French troops forced the extremists to retreat from
Timbuktu but neither they, nor local Malian forces, have been able to
decisively defeat the insurgency since – though they did kill a senior al-Qaida
leader. Thousands have died, and many more been displaced in the continuing
conflict.
Keïta, a 75-year-old veteran of Mali’s politics, came
to power in 2013 and won a second term as president in 2018. But there has been
rising anger at government incompetence, endemic corruption and a deteriorating
economy. Protesters took to the streets when the constitutional court overturned
the provisional results of parliamentary polls held in March and April after
Keita’s party had performed poorly.
The leader of the protest movement is Mahmoud Dicko, a
rotund 66-year-old imam who studied Islam in Saudi Arabia and rose to prominence
as chairman of Mali’s High Islamic Council. He successfully opposed the
introduction of sex education in Malian schools which he said would encourage
homosexuality and led a campaign which forced the government to weaken
legislation promoting gender equality.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/18/malis-protesters-turn-to-populist-imam-to-end-cycle-of-corruption
------
ARMENIAN DEPUTIES BLOC VISITS MUFTI OF TRIPOLI: DAR EL
FATWA HAS A NATIONAL ROLE IN ESTABLISHING TRANQUILITY
18 Jul 2020
NNA - The Armenian Deputies Bloc indicated, in an
issued statement on Saturday, that its members visited today the Grand Mufti of
Tripoli and the North, Sheikh Mohammad Imam, in his office at the Dar El Fatwa
in Tripoli, to "congratulate him on his new position, and to deliberate on
joint national, social and northern affairs and ways of cooperation in the
interest of the homeland and citizens."
The Bloc members emphasized "the national role of
the Dar El Fatwa in establishing a sense of reassurance and tranquility among
all components of the North region in general, and Tripoli in particular, in
light of the difficult circumstances the country is passing through,"
stressing on social solidarity and collaboration in overcoming the challenges.
The statement indicated that "the Bloc members
were accompanied during their visit by Youth and Sports Minister VartyOhanyan,
and headed by the Secretary-General of the Tashnag Party HagopPakradounian,
with the participation of MPs HagopTerzian and Alexander Matossian, the Party's
North branch official AvanshiHarmandayan and a number of Tashnag officials, in
the presence of the Tripoli Endowments Department Head, Sheikh Abdel-Razzaq
Islambouli."
http://nna-leb.gov.lb/en/show-news/117951/Armenian-Deputies-Bloc-visits-Mufti-of-Tripoli-Dar-El-Fatwa-has-national-role-in-establishing-tranquility
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Kenyan mosques open under strict guidelines for Friday
prayers for the first time since March
July 19, 2020
INTERNATIONAL - For the first time since March,
Kenyans were allowed to attend Friday midday prayers his week as imams wore
face masks while leading prayers.
Arab Boys Mosque in Kenya's oldest city Mombasa, on
the coast about 490km east of the capital Nairobi, opened its doors to the
faithful while following strict guidelines to mitigate the spread of the
coronavirus (Covid-19), the BBC reported.
Worshippers brought their own prayer mats and wore
face masks, only 100 people were allowed inside the mosque, physical distancing
guidelines were observed, everyone's temperature was checked upon entry, and
only people between the ages of 13 and 58 were admitted. The mosque's imam also
wore a mask while leading fellow Muslims in prayer.
Muslim leaders are split on whether to re-open mosques
and many are actively telling worshippers to rather practice their faith at
home to reduce the spread of the virus.
Earlier this week, on Wednesday, Muslims were allowed
to attend a prayer service for the first time, but most mosques remained
closed, the Daily Nation newspaper reported.
Places of worship in Kenya were closed in March to
curb community transmissions of Covid-19, and were initially allowed to resume
services from July 7, radio station Capital News reported.
Interfaith Council chairman Archbishop Anthony Muheria
made the announcement after President Uhuru Kenyatta made a statement on the
country’s phased approach to lifting Covid-19 lockdown regulations on July 6.
The Arabic term imam translates to "to stand in
front of," as they lead prayers and proceedings in mosques. Imams are also
well-respected members of the community who provide support and spiritual
insight, according to Learn Religions website.
According to The Conversation network of
not-for-profit media outlets, Fridays are of particular importance in the
Islamic faith because of the "Al-Jumah" chapter in the Qur’an.
Al-Jumah means the day of congregation and is also the Arabic word for Friday.
World Health Organisation (WHO) figures show that as
of July 18, Kenya has a total of 11,673 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with 217
related deaths.
https://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/kenyan-mosques-open-under-strict-guidelines-for-friday-prayers-for-the-first-time-since-march-51162149
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Muslim leader finally apologises for failed 1990 coup
July 18, 2020
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) —Two weeks before
Trinidad and Tobago observe the 30th anniversary of the failed coup against the
then Government of Prime Minister ANR Robinson, the man who led the
insurrection, has finally apologised to the population.
But Yasin Abu Bakr, 79, the leader of the Jamaat al
Muslimeen, says he also wants to “heal the nation and foster national
consensus.
Bakr's change of heart is contained in an affidavit
filed in support of his challenge of a decision to pursue a criminal complaint
against him after he refused to answer a summons to testify before a Commission
of Inquiry into the 1990 attempted coup.
The storming of Parliament and the State-owned
television station, resulted in a state of emergency being imposed on July 28.
By the time the rebellion ended, much of Port of Spain had been reduced to a
smouldering heap of rubble and destruction.
He said that it was as a result of the extra-legal,
arbitrary and/or summary executions by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service
(TTPS), a corrupt government and ripe conditions of social unrest.
“As a country, we must guard against all three
categories individually and collectively. Also, please consider that I am very
much concerned that there may be killer gangs in existence in the TT Police
Service masquerading as TTPS officers. That also may have been a reason for my
non-attendance at the commission. A witness in fear of the TTPS,” Bakr said in
his lawsuit in which he named Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard as
the defendant.
On March 14, 2014, the then Kamla Persad Bissessar
Government, which had set up the Commission of Inquiry, received a copy of the
report that probed the events that led to the 1990 attempt. The commission's
report had earlier been presented to then President Anthony Carmona and the
Government had promised that it would be laid in Parliament.
Bakr said Trinidad and Tobago spent millions of
dollars enquiring into the events of 1990, and he believes it is now necessary
for him to provide answers.
“By way of this affidavit, I shall answer. I believe
that it is necessary at this stage,” he said, adding “I hope you understand my
rationale behind the 1990 events.”
He said that there was “a series of events culminating
in the coup d'état on July 27, 1990”, and in the affidavit, describes Gaspard
as a “good man” who should not remain silent.
The private summons, filed by the secretary to the
commission, is now before the magistrates' court and an in-person case
management hearing is set for July 20 to set a date for the hearing of the
matter.
Last week, Bakr's attorneys filed a judicial review
application, which will be heard by Justice Nadia Kangaloo at a virtual
hearing.
Bakr is seeking a declaration that the continuation of
the prosecution of him is irrational and tantamount to an abuse of process. He
wants an order to stay the matter in the magistrates' court.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/muslim-leader-finally-apologises-for-failed-1990-coup_198779?profile=1373
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Islamic University in Uganda cuts staff salaries by
90%
July 18, 2020
The Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) has announced
salary cuts of up to 90 per cent for its staff members following a review of
the terms of employment amidst the COVID-19 lockdown.
The university secretary Hussein Lukyamuzi says that
the institution is unable to pay salaries to staff members as a result of the
COVID-19 lockdown which has affected the operations of all educational
institutions.
Lukyamuzi states in a letter dated July 16, that the
university council, the top governing body of the university convened an
extraordinary meeting on June 24 and on July 8, in which it reviewed the
effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on the university's finances and
operations.
The meetings concluded that while the university was
able to pay salaries to the staff at all IUIU campuses up to May 2020, it is
unable to continue paying full salaries to staff as from June 2020.
The meeting concluded that only a small percentage of
staff should be retained to run basic and critical services of the university
at each of the campuses. These will be paid only 50 per cent of the usual
salaries. The rest of the staff will be paid 30 per cent for June 2020, 20 per
cent for July, August, and September 2020 and 10 per cent for October, November
and December 2020.
“The university does and shall not be able to pay
staff any portion of the salary that may not be paid as from June 2020.
Consequently, any portion of the salary that the university shall not pay
between June and December 2020 shall be forfeited by the staff," according
to the letter addressed to all members of staff.
But the same staff have been tasked to keep in touch
with their students online, recruiting new students for the university and
carrying out community support activities as far as possible.
Haji Ali Dago, the head of Language, Literature and
Linguistics commended the university for not disowning its staff like it had
done before when it decided to suspend all its staff members. He, however, said
that the university ought to pay staff members their arrears when the lockdown
is lifted and school resumes.
He said unless the university exempts students from
paying the fees for the semester for which they did not study and leaves them
to complete the academic year, there is no way it can fail to pay arrears.
https://www.observer.ug/news/headlines/65737-islamic-university-in-uganda-cuts-staff-salaries-by-90
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Fayemi postpones reopening of churches, mosques to
August 14
By Ayodele Afolabi
18 July 2020
The Ekiti State government has backtracked from its
earlier decision to reopen worship centres yesterday, shifting the date to
August 14.In a statement by the Commissioner for Health, Dr.Mojisola
Yaya-Kolade, the government said the action was taken in view of the
unpreparedness of the leaders of churches and mosques to comply with conditions
stipulated for reopening of the religious centres.
“The latest communiqué of the Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN) is indicative of the fact that worship centres are not yet ready
to comply with conditions stipulated by the government for reopening of worship
centres.
“In view of the foregoing, the state government has
shifted the date for the reopening of worship centres to August 14, 2020, to
give the worship centres enough time to meet the prescribed conditions,” he
said.
The Commissioner said in as much as fumigation of
religious centres remains a prerequisite for reopening, such should not be done
in contravention of the Ekiti State Environmental Health and Sanitation Law.
She stated that those within the ages of one to 12 and
65 and above were exempted from attending any congregational programme in any
religious centre because of their vulnerability.
https://guardian.ng/news/fayemi-postpones-reopening-of-churches-mosques-to-august-14/
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Ekiti postpones church, mosque reopening until Aug 14
July 18, 2020
Ekiti State Government has shifted the reopening of
places of worship in the state to August 14 following alleged inability of the
worship centres to meet the prescribed conditions for reopening.
Health Commissioner, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, who
reiterated commitment of the state government to safety of lives and property,
said, “the government will leave no stone unturned in the enforcement of the
regulations on the reopening of worship places in the state.”
The mosques and churches, shut down since March, were
billed to reopen for worship once a week on Fridays for Muslims, effective from
July 17 and once a week on Sundays, effective from July 19 for Christians.
But the Muslims, under the aegis of Nigerian Supreme
Council for Islamic Affairs, Ekiti State chapter, suspended the reopening of
all major mosques across the state since all the safety protocols could not be
met within the timeframe stipulated by the government.
Yaya-Kolade said in a statement on Friday that a
communiqué from the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State chapter “is
indicative of the fact that the worship centres have yet to be ready to comply
with the conditions set out by government for the reopening of the worship
centres.”
Consequently, she said the August 14 date was “to give
the worship centres enough time to meet the prescribed conditions for
reopening.”
The state government had said only the worship centres
that met the stipulated COVID-19 guidelines issued with the certificate of
fitness would be allowed to reopen.
Yaya-Kolade reiterated that the guidelines included
that children between one and 12 years as well those above 65 years should stay
away from the worship centres; maximum of two hours for the congregational
service once a week and possession of infrared thermometres for the testing of
congregants.
Others included social distancing of two metres in the
sitting arrangements of congregants and fumigation of the worship centres with
certificate of fumigation from the Ministry of Environment at no cost,
provision of running water in front of buildings to ensure regular hand
washing, use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and wearing of face masks.
https://punchng.com/ekiti-postpones-church-mosque-reopening-until-aug-14/
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Libya: GNA fighters head for front as battle for Sirte
looms
July 19, 2020
Libya's internationally-recognised Government of
National Accord (GNA) on Saturday moved fighters closer to Sirte, a gateway to
Libya's main oil terminals that the GNA says it plans to recapture from the
eastern-based self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA).
Witnesses and GNA military commanders said a column of
about 200 vehicles moved eastwards from Misrata along the Mediterranean coast
towards the town of Tawergha, about a third of the way to Sirte.
The GNA recently recaptured most of the territory held
by the LNA in northwest Libya, ending eastern-based renegade military commander
Khalifa Haftar's 14-month campaign to take the capital, Tripoli, before the new
front line solidified between Misrata and Sirte.
But Egypt, which backs the LNA alongside the United
Arab Emirates (UAE) and Russia, has threatened to send troops into Libya if the
GNA and Turkish forces try to seize Sirte.
The United States has said Moscow has sent warplanes
to Jufra via Syria to act in support of Russian mercenaries who are fighting
alongside the LNA. Moscow and the LNA both deny this.
The LNA has itself sent fighters and weapons to
bolster its defence of Sirte, already badly battered from earlier phases of
warfare and chaos since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising which led to the
overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
Meanwhile, leaders of France, Italy and Germany said
in a joint statement on Saturday they were "ready to consider"
sanctions on foreign powers violating an arms embargo in Libya.
The statement did not directly name any foreign actors
funnelling arms to Libya but multiple powers have been sending fighters and
weapons, fuelling a bloody proxy war that reflects wider geopolitical rifts and
divisions in the Middle East and within NATO.
"We ... urge all foreign actors to end their
increasing interference and to fully respect the arms embargo established by
the United Nations Security Council," the statement said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, France's President
Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said they, therefore,
"look forward to the proposals the EU High Representative/Vice President
will make to this end."
Voicing "grave concerns" over the escalating
military tensions in Libya, they urged "all Libyan parties and their
foreign supporters for an immediate cessation of fighting and for a stop of the
ongoing military build-up throughout the country".
Also on Saturday, Libya's National Oil Corporation
(NOC) called for the immediate withdrawal of foreign mercenaries from oil
facilities in the country.
In a statement, the NOC condemned the deployment of
Russia's Wagner Group and Syrian and Janjaweed mercenaries in Libyan oil
installations, most recently at Es Sidra port.
The NOC demands their immediate withdrawal from all
facilities, it said, calling the UN to send observers to supervise the
demilitarisation in the areas of NOC operations across the country.
Libya, with the largest oil reserves in Africa, can
produce 1.2 million barrels of crude oil per day. However, production has
fallen below 100,000 barrels a day due to interruptions by pro-Haftar fighters
over the past six months.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/libya-gna-fighters-head-front-battle-sirte-looms-200718204213310.html
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Mali opposition rebuffs mediation offer, demands
president resign
July 19, 2020
Mali's opposition alliance has rejected a plan
proposed by international mediators to defuse tensions, sticking to its demand
that President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita must resign.
The rejection was the latest setback in efforts to end
Mali's political standoff that has spiralled into violent clashes which have
left 11 people dead.
In a statement late on Friday after several meetings
with a delegation from the 15-nation ECOWAS bloc, the June 5 Movement said the
president's departure had been a "red line" for the mediators.
The June 5 Movement has triggered a showdown with the
government over its unflinching demands that Keita resigns for perceived
failures in tackling the dire economy and Mali's eight-year conflict.
Three days of clashes between protesters and security
forces left 11 dead and 158 injured, according to an official tally - in the bloodiest
bout of political unrest in years.
The ECOWAS mediation team led by former Nigerian
President Goodluck Jonathan has been in Mali since Wednesday, meeting the
parties in a bid to defuse the crisis.
On the agenda were discussions about the March-April
parliamentary election, the disputed outcome of which many analysts say is the
root of the crisis.
Mali's constitutional court in April tossed out about
30 results from the elections in a decision that handed seats to members of
Keita's party, triggering protests.
But the mediators' compromise offer is substantially
similar to an earlier offer made by Keita, which the opposition has already
rejected.
The mediating team proposed that Keita remains
president, for example, but that new judges be appointed to the constitutional
court so that it could revisit its decision on the parliamentary election.
Reporting from Dhaka, Senegal, Al Jazeera's Nicolas
Haque said regional leaders were eager to end the political crisis in Mali amid
fears of the unrest spreading.
"There is a real fear that these protests in
Bamako could spread to other capitals in the region ... where we have seen high
levels of distrust among citizens of their leadership," he said.
"There is going to be a presidential election in
neighbouring Burkina Faso and also an election in Ivory Coast, so they are
closely watching this."
One of the June 5 Movement's leaders, ChoguelMaiga,
said late on Friday the mediators' proposals had "reduced our entire
struggle to electoral issues".
In the statement issued on Friday, the opposition
movement said it was insisting the president quit based on his "proven
inability to turn Mali around" and the loss of territory, among other
issues.
Swaths of Mali lie outside of government control
because of an armed conflict that began in the north in 2012, before spreading
to the centre, as well as into Burkina Faso and Niger.
With the latest political crisis, Mali's allies and
neighbours are eager to avoid the fragile Sahel nation of some 20 million
people sliding into chaos.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/mali-opposition-rebuffs-mediation-offer-demands-president-resign-200718160527554.html
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Al-Sunni confirms submission of request to SC for
hearing on Libya
July 18, 2020
Libya’s delegate to the United Nations Taher Al-Sunni,
confirmed that the Libyan Mission has submitted an official request to press
the Security Council (SC) to hold a hearing this month with the Sanctions
Committee and a team of experts, on the Libyan situation.
Al-Sunni explained in a tweet that the request
included addressing the countries involved in the violation of the arms
embargo, which has contributed to supporting the aggression against Tripoli
since April of last year.
https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/al-sunni-confirms-submission-request-sc-hearing-libya
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamic-state-member-sadiya-anwar/d/122410