Islamist Militants Attack Pakistani Army, Killing 23 Soldiers In Dera Ismail Khan Bordering Afghanistan
New Age Islam News Bureau
13 December 2023
A member of
the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) rehearses flag masting at the mausoleum of
Muhammad Ali Jinnah before the Defence Day ceremonies, or Pakistan's Memorial
Day, in Karachi, Pakistan September 6, 2020. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/File Photo
Acquire Licensing Rights
------
·
Islamist
Militants Attack Pakistani Army, Killing 23 Soldiers In Dera Ismail Khan
Bordering Afghanistan
·
Class 12
Boy Suspended Over Remarks Against Holy Prophet On The Social Media In UP
·
Biden
Warns Netanyahu Risks Losing Support For Hamas War
·
Human
Rights Watch And Other Groups Call On UK To Halt Arms Exports To Israel
·
Israel’s
Treatment Of Palestinian Captives Reminiscent Of Daesh: Iran FM
---
Pakistan
·
Why
Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan Terror Group Poses Gravest Threat Yet To Pak Army
·
DI Khan
Operation: Religious Scholars Pay Tribute To Security Forces For Destroying
Terrorists’ Hideouts
·
India’s SC
verdict on Article 370 would ‘further complicate’ Kashmir issue: Imran Khan
·
Ashrafi
rejects Indian Supreme Court’s judgement
----
India
·
UP: Kerala
Christian Couple, Jose And His Wife Elma, Arrested For Forced Religious
Conversion
·
India
Votes In Favour Of UNGA Draft Resolution Demanding Immediate Ceasefire In Gaza
·
Who turned
J-K from heaven to hell? asks Farooq Abdullah
·
Mahadev
app owner Ravi Uppal detained in Dubai; ED seeks deportation
·
Jamaat
disappointed with Article 370 verdict
·
Muslim
Students Organisation Terms SC's Verdict On Art 370 As ‘Balanced’
-----
North America
·
Anti-Semitic
And Anti-Muslim Hate In US Reaches ‘Staggering’ Record Amid Gaza War
·
Canada's
pro-Palestine demonstrators call on Trudeau to stop selling arms to Israel
·
US
Concerned by Potential 'Terrorist Activities in Afghanistan': Miller
·
Muslim
migrants in New York find refuge in a Nigerian church
·
Tennessee
Muslim family charged with assaulting son for converting to Christianity
·
Biden
points to Gaza hostages when asked about Israeli tunnel flooding reports
------
Europe
·
‘Bloodshed
In Gaza Will Continue,’ Says Russia On US Veto Of UN Security Council
Resolution
·
UK defence
ministry fined for Afghan data breach
·
Blinken
says Gaza journalists must be ‘protected from harm’: letter to AFP
·
British
MPs vote in favour of contentious Rwanda migrant deportation bill
·
British-Palestinian
50 days into hunger strike demands end to UK support for Israel
·
Ukraine
ready to ban largest Christian church – parliament speaker
----
Mideast
·
Hezbollah
Warning: Strikes On Israel To Continue As Long As Gaza Genocidal War Rages
·
Iran To
Send First Umrah Hajj Caravan To Mecca After 9 Years
·
Packed
hospitals, treacherous roads, harried parents: Newborns in Gaza face steeper
odds of survival
·
Gaza death
toll rises to 18,412: Health Ministry
·
Yemen’s
Houthis Warn Ships In Red Sea To Avoid Travel To Palestinian Territories
·
Palestinian
economy severely impacted by Israel-Hamas war: World Bank
·
Israel
begins pumping seawater into Hamas' tunnels in Gaza: Report
----
South Asia
·
Kashmir
Issue Should Be Resolved Through Dialogue Between India And Pakistan: China
·
Pakistan
Summons Afghan Charge D’affaires To Protest Dera Ismail Khan Attacks
·
64 Afghan
refugees arrested in Turkey
·
Former
Afghan Speaker Rahmani denies US Treasury’s corruption allegations
·
OCHA: $46
Billion Can Restrict Humanitarian Crisis
·
Taliban
Should Change Their Policy: Andisha
·
Japan
Announced $58.4 million Aid to Assist Afghan Returnees
·
Pagla
Mosque donation boxes yield almost Tk 22 crore in 2023
·
Afghanistan
excluded from COP28 as climate impacts hit home
----
Southeast Asia
·
Malaysian PM
Anwar: Strengthen Islamic Art And Culture Under Madani Concept
·
Malaysia fully
backs UN resolution for immediate Gaza ceasefire, says Wisma Putra
·
Centhra
urges govt to exert pressure for ceasefire in Palestine
·
World must
not waver in pressing for Gaza ceasefire: Minister
·
FM Marsudi
meets UNHCR commissioner, discusses Rohingya issue
·
Perlis
State Assembly approves motion condemning Israel's atrocities, oppression
against Palestinians
·
Foreign
Correspondents’ Club of Japan condemns Israel’s killing of journalists in Gaza
-----
Africa
·
As Bloody
Israel-Gaza War Rages, Cape Town Jews And Muslims Unite For Interfaith Peace
·
Muslim
Community Demands Justice For Victims Of Kaduna Bombing
·
Muslim
lawyers drag Mufti of Uganda Mubaje to court over corruption
·
Niger:
NGOs call on ECOWAS to let in humanitarian aid
·
Kenya: The
dangerous rise of 'medicalised' genital mutilation
·
Libya
sends illegal migrants home to Egypt and Nigeria
-----
Arab World
·
Saudi FM
Highlights Israel’s Human Rights Violations At Geneva Event
·
Saudi
Arabia, UK defense ministers discuss cooperation
·
Saudi Fund
for Development chief meets Canadian officials
·
Saudi
Islamic Ministry to hold exhibition in Morocco
·
King
appoints Prince Salman bin Sultan emir of Madinah and Prince Faisal bin Salman
his special advisor
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamist-militants-pakistani-army-afghanistan/d/131308
-----
Islamist Militants Attack Pakistani
Army, Killing 23 Soldiers In Dera Ismail Khan Bordering Afghanistan
A member of
the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) rehearses flag masting at the mausoleum of
Muhammad Ali Jinnah before the Defence Day ceremonies, or Pakistan's Memorial
Day, in Karachi, Pakistan September 6, 2020. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/File Photo
Acquire Licensing Rights
------
Dec 12, 2023
Islamist militants rammed an
explosive-laden truck into a police station in northwest Pakistan today,
killing at least 23 soldiers, the army said, the latest attack in recent months
claimed by a Pakistani Taliban group.
The bomb and gun attack occurred in the
district of Dera Ismail Khan on the edge of the lawless tribal regions
bordering Afghanistan, the army said in a statement.
Two security officials had earlier put
the roll at 24.
The police station was being used by the
Pakistani Army as a base camp, they said, adding that several militants first
rammed the truck into its boundary wall, then others attacked with guns. They
feared military ammunition stored inside might have also exploded.
Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti
condemned the attack and expressed grief over the deaths, a statement from his
office said.
Several people were wounded and in
critical condition, said Aizaz Mehmood, an official of the state-run rescue
service.
"We are still hearing
gunshots," he added.
In a statement, a Pakistani Taliban
group, the Tahreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), which has emerged recently, said its
militants carried out the attack aimed at the Pakistani army.
It was not immediately clear whether the
group was linked to the main Tahreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group of Islamist
and sectarian militants, which has targeted the state and its agencies for
years, seeking to overthrow the government and replace it with rule based on
their harsh brand of Islamic law.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/asia/south-asia/news/islamist-militants-attack-pakistani-army-killing-23-soldiers-3492556
----
Class 12 Boy Suspended Over Remarks
Against Holy Prophet On The Social Media In UP
12th December 2023
Aligarh: A Class 12 boy was beaten up by
fellow inmates of a hostel within a university campus in Aligarh, UP for
allegedly making objectionable comments against Holy Prophet Muhammad (PUBH)
and also posting them on the social media.
The school authorities said that it had
suspended the 18-year-old boy from Bijnor district and ordered an inquiry into
his comments.
The school authorities said the student
will remain under suspension till the completion of the probe.
The school officials said the students
were discussing the Israel-Hamas war on Monday evening when its course drifted
towards the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the 18-year-old boy made a few
objectionable comments.
“The protesting students have demanded
his expulsion and registration of a First Information Report (FIR). But they
have not given any written complaint so far,” said an official of the school
management.
He said that inmates of the hostel had
beaten up the boy after locking him inside a room.
“They forced him to delete his
objectionable post. The boy ran towards the office of the proctor when our
security personnel saved him. His parents were informed and they took him with
them late last night,” the official said.
The boy’s parents have also not given
any written complaint, the official added.
Source: siasat.com
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the full text of the
https://www.siasat.com/class-12-boy-suspended-over-remarks-against-holy-prophet-in-up-2933306/
------
Biden Warns Netanyahu Risks Losing
Support For Hamas War
U.S.
President Joe Biden warned Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu of losing global
support for its war against Hamas because of its indiscriminate bombing of Gaza
| Photo Credit: reuters
------
December 13, 2023
U.S. President Joe Biden warned Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday that the country risked losing global
support for its war against Hamas because of its "indiscriminate"
bombing of Gaza.
In his most blunt remarks since the
October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which provoked the current conflict, Biden
told donors that Netanyahu needed to "change" his stance on a
two-state solution for the Palestinians.
Mr. Netanyahu meanwhile said there was
"disagreement" with Biden over how a post-conflict Gaza would be
governed, reflecting a rare rift after weeks in which the U.S. leader has
strongly backed Israel.
Mr. Biden told a campaign event in
Washington that Israel had "most of the world supporting it" after
the Hamas attacks, in which Israel tallied 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians.
Hundreds were also taken hostage.
"But they're starting to lose that
support by the indiscriminate bombing that takes place," Mr. Biden said.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza
said Tuesday that more than 18,400 people -- also mostly civilians -- had been
killed in Israel's retaliatory bombardment of the coastal territory.
Mr. Biden had previously refrained from
describing Israeli bombing as "indiscriminate."
And speaking later Tuesday at a news
conference, Biden toned down his comments somewhat.
He said that the United States has to
support Israel in the face of the brutality of October 7, but that "the
safety of innocent Palestinians is still of great concern."
He also announced that National Security
Advisor Jake Sullivan will be sent to Israel this week for discussions with the
war cabinet.
The U.S. president also dismissed
arguments that he said Netanyahu had made about Allied forces in World War II
having "carpet-bombed" Germany and used nuclear weapons against
Japan.
Mr. Biden said he'd told Netanyahu that
international institutions were set up after the war "to see to it that it
didn't happen again" and reiterated that the United States had made
"mistakes" after the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York.
- 'Tough decision' -
Biden then said that Netanyahu had a
"tough decision to make" regarding his hard-right government.
"He's a good friend, but I think he
has to change, and, with this government, this government in Israel is making
it very difficult for him to move."
"They don't want a two-state
solution," he said, describing it as the "most conservative
government in Israel's history."
His comments reflect a growing split
over what happens after the war, with US calls for Gaza to be turned over to a
strengthened Palestinian Authority receiving a cool reception in Israel.
The Palestinian Authority is currently
in charge of the West Bank while Islamist Hamas controls the Gaza Strip.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu said following a
conversation with Biden that there was "disagreement" between the
allies over "the day after Hamas."
The Israeli premier said he hoped
"we will reach agreement here" but he vowed not to "repeat the
mistake of Oslo," referring to the 1993 peace accords signed in the United
States.
Washington has been calling for weeks
for Israel to take more care to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza, saying that
too many Palestinians have been killed.
An increasing number of voices in the
United States, notably from the left wing of the Democratic Party, have called
on Biden to take a firmer stand toward his Israeli ally, and even to condition
US military aid.
Biden sounded similar warnings about
Israel losing global support during a ceremony at the White House on Monday, to
mark the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
"We have to be careful. They have
to be careful. The whole world's public opinion can shift overnight, we can't
let that happen," he told guests.
Source:
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Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/biden-warns-netanyahu-risks-losing-support-for-hamas-war/article67633085.ece
-----
Human Rights Watch And Other Groups Call
On UK To Halt Arms Exports To Israel
Airbursts of
artillery-fired white phosphorus fall over the Gaza city port, October 11,
2023. (AFP)
------
December 13, 2023
LONDON: Human Rights Watch and other
civil society groups have called on the UK government to stop transfers of arms
to Israel, amid concerns that they might be used to commit “war crimes” against
Palestinians.
It comes as Israel continues its
two-month-long campaign of airstrikes and ground assaults in Gaza, during which
more than 17,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children, have been
killed, according to Palestinian officials.
In a detailed letter on Tuesday, the
groups said that since 2015, UK authorities have authorized sales of military
equipment to Israel worth at least £474 million ($595 million), including
components for combat aircraft, missiles and tanks, other technology, and small
arms and ammunition.
“The UK provides approximately 15
percent of the components in the F-35 stealth bomber aircraft currently being
used in Gaza, including the rear fuselage and active interceptor system,
ejector seats, aircraft tires, refueling probe, laser-targeting system, and the
fan propulsion system,” it said.
The letter also highlights previous
occasions on which UK-supplied components were used by Israel during conflicts
in the territory, most notably during the 2008-09 Gaza War.
It also cited a 2014 review by former
Prime Minister David Cameron of licensed exports to Israel that stated if
significant hostilities resumed in Gaza, the UK would suspend existing licenses
for equipment and parts used by the Israeli military, as officials would be
unable to determine whether or not export criteria were being met.
The letter mentioned provisions of
international and UK laws that require the government to halt arms transfers if
there is considered to be a substantial risk that equipment will be used in
serious violations of international humanitarian law or human rights
legislation. These legal obligations are enshrined within Articles 6 and 7 of
the International Arms Trade Treaty, it said, as well as the UK’s Strategic
Export Licensing Criteria.
The human rights groups said that since
Oct. 7, Israeli forces have carried out “unlawful” attacks on medical
facilities, residential buildings, evacuation convoys, bakeries, water and
electricity infrastructure, schools, and UN facilities providing shelter for
displaced Palestinians. More than 52,000 homes have been destroyed, they added,
and more than 1.9 million people are internally displaced, according to UN
figures.
“If carried out intentionally or
recklessly, attacks directed against the civilian population and civilian
objects are war crimes,” the letter said.
“The Israeli military have also used
white phosphorus munitions in Gaza, a densely populated area, which puts
civilians at unnecessary risk and is unlawful.”
Israeli authorities have also imposed a
near-complete blockade on Gaza, which represented a tightening of the existing
illegal blockade on the territory that has been in place for 16 years.
The UN has described the escalating
humanitarian crisis in Gaza as “intolerable” and “beyond dire.”
According to the letter, the actions of
Israeli authorities in depriving Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people of
access to water, food, fuel and power is a form of “collective punishment” and
a war crime.
“The UK risks being complicit in and
facilitating serious violations of international humanitarian law if it fails
to halt arms exports to Israel immediately,” it added.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2424876/world
-----
Israel’s Treatment Of Palestinian Captives
Reminiscent Of Daesh: Iran FM
Photo: Mehr
News
----
12 December 2023
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein
Amir-Abdollahian says the way the Israeli regime treated a group of
Palestinians it arrested earlier this week in Gaza is reminiscent of the
terrorist acts carried out by the Daesh group in Iraq and Syria in recent
years.
“The inhumane conduct of the Zionist
regime vis-à-vis Palestinian citizens held captive in the Gaza Strip is an
example of the Daseh-like nature of this regime,” said Amir-Abdollahian during
a high-profile United Nations meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday.
The comments come days after videos
released on the internet showed dozens of Palestinians being stripped and
abused by Israeli soldiers in a camp in northern Gaza.
The detained Palestinians, among them
journalists, were forced to kneel on the ground while being searched and
questioned by the Israeli guards.
Israeli regime authorities first denied
the authenticity of the video but later admitted they had wrongly arrested many
of those people on suspicion of being members of the Palestinian resistance group
Hamas.
Amir-Abdollahian said during the UN
meeting in Geneva, which was attended by top diplomats from the West Asia
region, that there was no doubt that the Israeli actions in Gaza in the past
two months were blatant examples of war crimes and genocide.
EU foreign policy chief JosepBorrell
warns that the southern part of Gaza faces a ‘dark prospect’ amid Israel’s
relentless bombing campaign.
He warned that the conflict would spread
to other parts of the region if there is no immediate action to halt “the
savage attacks by the apartheid regime of Israel” towards the people in Gaza.
Nearly 18,500 people have been killed in
Gaza as a result of the Israeli attacks that started on October 7, the day on
which Hamas launched a major operation into the occupied territories near Gaza,
killing some 1,200 Israeli settlers and military forces.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/12/716271/Iran-Amir-Abdollahian-Geneva-speech-Israel-terrorist-conduct-Gaza
----
Pakistan
Why Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan terror
group poses gravest threat yet to Pak army
Dec 12, 2023
NEW DELHI: Twenty-five Pakistani army
soldiers were killed in three separate incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on
Tuesday, marking the military’s highest single-day death toll from terrorist
attacks reported so far this year.
Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), a new
group affiliated with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has claimed
responsibility for the attacks.
Only military targets
The TJP was formed only in February this
year but has already carried out nearly a dozen deadly terror attacks.
What makes the group specially dangerous
is that it has focussed on attacking only military targets, going so far as to condemn
any terror attacks that end up killing civilians.
While TTP's attacks have often had many
civilian casualties, the TJP has reportedly only targeted and killed military
personnel. The TJP has stated that it aimed to establish an Islamic system in
Pakistan through armed jihad.
The TJP has claimed responsibility for
several attacks on security forces and installations in Pakistan, and has
killed over 50 soldiers.
Notable incidents include an attack on
the military camp of the Pakistani Frontier Corps in Balochistan, an assault on
an under-construction college in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and another attack
in the town of Kabal, also in KPK.
Notable incidents:
Bolan suicide bombing: In March, a
suicide bomber on a motorcycle targeted a security vehicle in Quetta,
Balochistan, resulting in the death of nine security personnel and the injury
of 13 others.
2023 Muslim Bagh attack: In May, the TJP
launched an assault on a military compound in Balochistan's Muslim Bagh
district, leading to the deaths of six militants and seven soldiers.
On July 12, an attack occurred at the
Zhob garrison in Balochistan, where nine Pakistani army soldiers and five
militants lost their lives in the ensuing clashes with security forces, with
TJP claiming responsibility for the initial attack.
In a high-profile incident, the TJP
claimed responsibility for an attack on the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Training
Air Base Mianwali in early November. The attack, carried out by nine heavily
armed militants, resulted in damage to three phased-out, non-operational
aircraft. The PAF successfully eliminated all nine militants, preventing
further damage to the airbase.
TJP's activities, along with those of
other militant groups, have contributed to a rising number of attacks on
Pakistani security forces.
The loss of security personnel reached
an eight-year high in the first nine months of 2023, with significant
casualties among both army and police personnel.
In the third quarter of 2023 Pakistan
had seen over 190 terrorist acts and at least 445 Pakistani armed forces got
killed by groups such as Pakistani Taliban and Tehreek-e-Jihad.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/why-tehreek-i-jihad-pakistan-terror-group-poses-gravest-threat-yet-to-pak-army/articleshow/105939438.cms
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DI Khan operation: Religious scholars
pay tribute to security forces for destroying terrorists’ hideouts
December 13, 2023
Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: Religious scholars of all the
schools of thought have paid tribute to the Pakistan Army, security agencies,
martyrs and Ghazis for destroying the hideouts of terrorists in Dera Ismail
Khan and killing 27 terrorists as a result of the intelligence-based operation.
They said they salute the security
agencies of the country, soldiers of Pakistan Army and police for doing Jihad
for the stability of the motherland of Pakistan.
Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council Hafiz
Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, Pir Naqibur Rahman, Allama Ziaullah Shah
Bukhari and others said the enemy forces hostile to Pakistan are playing a
hideous game through terrorist activities in the homeland. All sections of the
society are well aware of the nefarious designs of the enemy that is why the
entire nation is united under the leadership of the COAS to end this scourge of
terrorism. Ulemas-Mashaykh and religious scholars agreed that terrorists and
their facilitators had nothing to do with religion and ideology, and they were
the tools of the enemies of Pakistan and its people. The religious scholars
said that the armed forces of Pakistan had supported the nation in every
difficult time and played an important role in taking the country out of
difficulties.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1137801-di-khan-operation-religious-scholars-pay-tribute-to-security-forces-for-destroying-terrorists-hideouts
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India’s SC verdict on Article 370 would
‘further complicate’ Kashmir issue: Imran Khan
13th December 2023
Neha Khan
Islamabad: Pakistan’s jailed former
prime minister Imran Khan has said that India’s Supreme Court verdict upholding
the abrogation of Article 370 would “further complicate” the Kashmir issue.
The Supreme Court on Monday unanimously
upheld the Centre government’s decision of August 2019 to abrogate Article 370,
which bestowed a special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Khan, who has been incarcerated in the
Adiala jail of Rawalpindi, in a message said that the Indian top court’s ruling
was a sheer violation of the UNSC resolutions, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
party said in a post on X.
Khan “made it clear that the
controversial and unlawful decision of the Indian top court would further
complicate the Kashmir issue instead of helping to solve the decades-long
conflict,” it added.
He vowed that his party would continue
to provide full diplomatic, moral and political support to the Kashmiri people.
Khan, addressed by his party as
“Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman-for-life”, recalled that the Kashmir
issue was the main bone of contention between Pakistan and India.
He emphasised that the then PTI
government led by him had strongly reacted when India tried to alter the
special status of Kashmir in 2019, referring to the downgrading of bilateral
diplomatic ties.
Khan added that he wanted to establish
good ties with India while putting national interests first. However, after
August 5, 2019, it was not possible because “we did not want to compromise on
the aspirations” of the Kashmiri people, he said.
Source: siasat.com
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https://www.siasat.com/indias-sc-verdict-on-article-370-would-further-complicate-kashmir-issue-imran-khan-2933656/
------
Ashrafi rejects Indian Supreme Court’s
judgement
2023-12-13
ISLAMABAD: The caretaker Special
Representative for Religious Harmony and Islamic Countries Hafiz Tahir Mahmood
Ashrafi on Tuesday rejected the Indian Supreme Court’s judgement on the status
of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and stated that Pakistan
will raise Kashmir issue at all the international forums including the OIC.
Speaking at a news conference, Ashrafi
said that the Indian higher judiciary has become the mouthpiece of Narendra
Modi who is conspiring to convert the Muslim majority in the occupied Jammu and
Kashmir into a minority.
He said the Indian Supreme Court’s
judgment on the status of IIOJK is not acceptable and Pakistan will take the
issue at every relevant international platform, including the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
He said that the issue of Kashmir is one
of the oldest issues on the UN agenda and its resolution lies in the UN
Security Council resolutions. He said Pakistan will continue to stand by their
Kashmiri brothers and sisters, adding that it will continue to extend
political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri people for their right
to self-determination.
The Special Representative also
announced to launch Hajj awareness campaign across the country in cooperation
with Hajj Organizers Association of Pakistan. He said Hajj package under the
government scheme has been reduced by Rs100,000. He said that the government
wanted to give some relief to the people of Pakistan intending to perform Hajj
under the government scheme.
Source: brecorder.com
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https://www.brecorder.com/news/40278224/ashrafi-rejects-indian-supreme-courts-judgement
------
India
UP: Kerala Christian Couple, Jose And
His Wife Elma, Arrested For Forced Religious Conversion
12th December 2023
Sant Kabir Nagar: A couple has been
arrested for allegedly forcing a woman to undergo religious conversion in
Aurahi village here district, a police official said on Tuesday.
Superintendent of Police (Sant Kabir
Nagar) Satyjeet Gupta said Jose and his wife Elma, both residents of Kerala,
were arrested on Monday after a complaint was filed against them by Nirmala
Nishad the same day.
In her complaint, Nishad alleged that
every Sunday, a prayer was held in her village in which speakers talked about
Christianity.
Nishad’s child has been missing for the
past three years, so she had gone to attend the prayer, in which the speakers
said that if she decided to forgo Hinduism, then her child would come back, she
alleged.
The woman also claimed that several
derogatory words were used for Hindu Gods and Goddesses during the talks.
A case has been registered under section
298 (Uttering words, etc, to wound religious feelings) of IPC and the Uttar
Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act against the couple.
A probe is on into the matter, police
said.
Source: siasat.com
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https://www.siasat.com/up-kerala-couple-arrested-for-forced-religious-conversion-2933210/
-----
India votes in favour of UNGA draft
resolution demanding immediate ceasefire in Gaza
13.12.23
India voted in favour of a draft
resolution in the UN General Assembly that demanded an immediate humanitarian
ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict as well as the unconditional release of
all hostages.
The 193-member UN General Assembly
adopted the draft resolution, introduced by Egypt, at an Emergency Special
Session here Tuesday. The resolution was adopted with 153 votes in favour,
while 23 nations abstained and 10 voted against the text.
The resolution, sponsored among others
by Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab
Emirates and Palestine, demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza
and reiterated its demand that all parties comply with their obligations under international
law, “notably with regard to the protection of civilians." It also
demanded the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as
ensuring humanitarian access.” The resolution however did not name Hamas and
the US proposed an amendment to the draft resolution, calling for the insertion
of the paragraph: “Unequivocally rejects and condemns the heinous terrorist
attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting 7 October 2023 and the
taking of hostages” in the main text. India voted in favour of the amendment.
In October, India had abstained in the
General Assembly on a resolution that had called for an immediate humanitarian
truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict and unhindered humanitarian access in the
Gaza strip. The Jordanian-drafted resolution had also demanded the immediate,
continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of essential goods and services
to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip.
The vote in the UNGA Tuesday came days
after the 15-nation UN Security Council failed to adopt a resolution on the
Israel-Hamas conflict that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian
ceasefire after permanent member the United States vetoed the text.
The UNSC resolution, tabled by the
United Arab Emirates, backed by over 90 Member States, got 13 votes in its
favour while the United Kingdom abstained.
More than 1,200 people were killed,
including 33 children, and thousands injured in the terror attacks by Hamas and
other Palestinian armed groups on October 7. According to the Ministry of
Health (MoH) in Gaza, so far at least 18,205 Palestinians have been killed in
Gaza, about 70 per cent of whom are said to be women and children, and about
49,645 are reportedly injured, the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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------
Who turned J-K from heaven to hell? asks
Farooq Abdullah
12th December 2023
New Delhi : Veteran politician and
former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday, December
12, accused the BJP of turning the erstwhile state “into hell” by downgrading
it to a Union territory.
Abdullah, who is at present Lok Sabha MP
from Srinagar, triggered controversy when he mentioned earlier that “let
Kashmir go to hell.”.
However, as the controversy started
playing on various news channels, Abdullah clarified by posing questions to the
BJP and accusing the party of turning heaven on earth into hell.
The BJP has been accusing the Abdullah
dispensation and his successive governments of mismanaging the affairs of Jammu
and Kashmir, which led to the rise of terrorism in the erstwhile state.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad
Poonawalla reacted to Abdullah’s statement, saying, “After DMK demanding
self-determination, now Farooq says this! Merely because SC upheld the
abrogation of 370, which has ended the politics of ‘parivarvaad’ (nepotism),
‘patharbaazi’ (stone pelting), and ‘Pakistan parasti’ (support)!
“This is the INDI Alliance’s true face!
They want Article 370 back, and they don’t care about J&K at all. Or else
the INDI Alliance must condemn this statement,” he wrote on X, referring to the
opposition bloc of which the National Conference is also a member.
However, Abdullah, in his clarification,
listed several issues, including the downgrading and bifurcation of Jammu and
Kashmir and not holding elections for the last four years.
“I have not set Kashmir on fire. Jammu
and Kashmir was heaven. Who turned it into hell? Have we been able to win
hearts? If elections can be held anywhere in the country, then why not in
Kashmir?” Abdullah asked.
He accused a section of the media of
promoting hatred in the country and advised that the media should be used to
win hearts. “We have a lot of enemies, and at this time, such a spread of hatred
will only weaken us,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Abdullah had said
India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was not responsible for Article
370, as he expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court’s order upholding
its abrogation.
His response came after Home Minister
Amit Shah in Parliament blamed Nehru for the Kashmir problem, pointing to the
“mistakes” of ordering an “untimely” ceasefire and taking the issue to the
United Nations.
Abdullah told reporters, “I don’t know
why they have venom against Nehru. Nehru is not responsible. When Article 37
came, Sardar Patel was there.”
“Nehru was in America when the Cabinet
meeting happened. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was also present when the decision
was made,” said Abdullah, a former chief minister of the erstwhile state.
In a significant victory for the
Narendra Modi government, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the 2019
revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to the
erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, even as it ordered assembly elections
there by September-end and the restoration of statehood “at the earliest.”.
“The matter was in their hands from the
beginning. Let’s see what happens in the future,” Abdullah said, reacting to
the verdict.
Asked if the abrogation of Article 370
had ushered in development in Jammu and Kashmir, he said, “Go there and see for
yourself.”.
“We want elections to be held. We were
hoping that if the Supreme Court removes Article 370, they will also ask for
elections to be held immediately. They gave time until September; what is the
point? On statehood, they said they’d talk about it later. Where is justice?”
Abdullah posed.
Asked about India’s claim on
Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, he said, “This decision has to be taken by the
government. We have never stopped anyone. We are nothing.” ( with PTI inputs)
Source: muslimmirror.com
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----
Mahadev app owner Ravi Uppal detained in
Dubai; ED seeks deportation
December 13, 2023
Ravi Uppal, one of the two main owners
of the Mahadev online betting app, has been detained in Dubai by the local
police on the basis of a red notice issued by the Interpol at the behest of the
Enforcement Directorate (ED), official sources said Wednesday, Decem,ber 13,
2023.
Uppal, 43, was detained last week in
that country and the ED authorities are in touch with the Dubai authorities to
get him deported to India, they said.
The businessman is being probed by the
ED in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal betting through online
apps apart from the Chhattisgarh and Mumbai Police crime branch.
The federal probe agency had filed a
money laundering charge sheet against Uppal and another promoter of the
Internet-based platform, SourabhChandrakar, before a special Prevention of
Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Chhattisgarh's Raipur in October.
A red notice was subsequently issued
against the two by the Interpol on the basis of the ED's request based on a
court issued non-bailable warrant.
Process is on to find Chandrakant, 28,
too, the sources said.
The agency had informed the court in the
charge sheet that Uppal has taken a passport of Vanuatu, an island country in
the Pacific Ocean, even as he has not renounced Indian citizenship.
Uppal, the ED said in the prosecution
complaint, "generated and enjoyed proceeds of crime and is involved in
their concealment and layering." It had alleged Uppal was "looking
after the delivery of the liasioning money to the bureaucrats and politicians
of Chhattisgarh through Chandrabhushan Verma", an assistant sub inspector
of police, and some others.
The projected proceeds of crime in this
case is about ₹6,000
crore, according to the ED.
The agency had claimed in November, just
before the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly polls, that forensic analysis
and statement made by a 'cash courier' named Asim Das have led to
"startling allegations" that Mahadev betting app promoters have paid
about ₹508
crore to former Chhattisgarh chief minister and senior Congress leader BhupeshBaghel so far, adding these allegations were "subject
matter of investigation".
Das had later submitted before the
special court in Raipur that he had been framed as part of a conspiracy and he
had never delivered cash to politicians.
The ED investigation has shown that
Mahadev Online Book App is run from a central head office in the UAE, officials
said. It operates by franchising "Panel/Branches" to their known
associates on 70-30 per cent profit ratio, it had said.
Large scale hawala operations are done
to siphon off the proceeds of betting to off-shore accounts, it had said.
Large expenditure in cash is also being
done in India for advertising of betting websites to attract new users and
franchise (panel) seekers, the ED had said.
The company promoters hail from Bhilai
in Chhattisgarh and the Mahadev online book betting application is an umbrella
syndicate arranging online platforms for enabling illegal betting websites.’
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/mahadev-app-owner-ravi-uppal-detained-in-dubai-ed-seeks-deportation/article67633366.ece
-----
Jamaat disappointed with Article 370
verdict
December 12, 2023
Ziya Us Salam
Noted Muslim organisation, the
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), has voiced its “disagreement and disappointment”
with the Supreme Court verdict on Article 370.
In a statement to the media, JIH
president Syed SadatullahHussaini said here on December 12: “We do not agree
and are disappointed by the decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the
scrapping of Article 370. Surprisingly, the apex court did not take notice of
how this decision was taken four years ago. Article 370 was abrogated suddenly
and unilaterally without consulting the people or the State Assembly, and
without proper debate in Parliament. That goes against the basic principles of
our parliamentary democracy.”
Mr. Husaini also expressed
disappointment that the court did not address the issue of abrogating the
statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, hitherto the sole Muslim-majority State in the
country. “Federalism has been seriously compromised. With this Supreme Court
judgment in its defence, the Union government can now pick any State of India
and convert it into a Union territory. Will this be good for democracy and the
federal structure of our Union,” he asked.
The Jamaat also asked for immediate and
concrete steps to restore the status of Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement
released to the media, the Muslim body asked the government to follow the top
court’s order on conducting free and fair elections by September in the State.
“The government must immediately restore statehood and conduct free and fair
elections before the deadline set by the Supreme Court.”
Mr. Husaini also urged the government to
“most sincerely comply with the Supreme Court demand for setting up an
impartial Truth and Reconciliation committee to investigate and report on the
violations of human rights both by the State and non-state actors at least
since the 1980s and recommend measures for reconciliation also”.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/jamaat-disappointed-with-article-370-verdict/article67631840.ece
-----
Muslim Students Organisation terms SC's
verdict on Art 370 as ‘balanced’
Dec 12, 2023
The Muslim Students Organisation of
India (MSO) has described the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the abrogation
of Article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir as balanced.
The Islamic student's body also
expressed hope for the restoration of the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir as
soon as possible so that the local people will get a chance to run the
government as per their wish.
However, the body has urged the central
government to make efforts for maintaining peace and harmony in the valley,
reducing the presence of the military and providing employment and education
opportunities for the youth.
It further said that the expectations of
the people can be fulfilled by the establishment of new universities, one
Jawahar Navodaya School and ITI in every tehsil.
In an appeal to the Kashmiri youth, the
MSO said that they should now play a crucial role in building a better future
and keep themselves away from the ideology of "Political Islam".
In a press release, the MSO said that
the Kashmiris didn't get much benefit from Article 370, but rather the
political parties used it for their own sake. The valley has been continuously
suffering from Pakistan sponsored terrorism for the last several decades.
The Supreme Court earlier upheld the
government's decision to abrogate Article 370, which bestowed a special status
on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and said steps should be taken to
conduct the election to the Union Territory's Assembly by September 30 next
year.
Jammu and Kashmir's Lt Governor Manoj
Sinha said that the top court's judgment would boost the efforts of the centre
and union territory administration to take Jammu and Kashmir to new heights of
development and provide justice to the deprived sections.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/muslim-students-organisation-terms-scs-verdict-on-art-370-as-balanced-101702377045573.html
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North America
Antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate in US
reaches ‘staggering’ record amid Gaza war
December 13, 2023
A shotgun fired twice outside of a New
York state synagogue.
A group of college students of
Palestinian descent in Vermont shot while wearing keffiyehs.
Since the outbreak of war between Hamas
and Israel, antisemitic, Islamophobic, and anti-Arab hate incidents have reached
unprecedented levels, according to civil rights advocates.
Between 7 October and 7 December,
antisemitic incidents reached the highest level ever for a two-month period
since the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) began tracking the figure in 1979,
topping 2,000.
"This terrifying pattern of
antisemitic attacks has been relentless since the Israel-Hamas war began on
Oct. 7, with no signs of diminishing,” Jonathan Greenblatt CEO of the ADL, said
in a statement.
“The lid to the sewers is off, and
Jewish communities all across the country are being inundated with hate. Public
officials and college leaders must turn down the temperature and take clear
action to show this behavior is unacceptable to prevent more violence.”
The data included 40 incidents of physical
assault, 337 acts of vandalism, 749 instances of written or verbal harassment,
and 905 demonstrations that met the ADL’s broad definition of antisemitism,
which includes “antisemitic rhetoric, expressions of support for terrorism
against the state of Israel and/or anti-Zionism.”
Muslim leaders also warned of a
terrifying rise in hate incidents.
The Council on American-Islamic
Relations tracked 2,171 requests for help and reports of bias since 7 October.
“From Burlington to Chicago and
elsewhere, innocent Americans are suffering the consequences of this wave of
bigotry,” Corey Saylor, research and advocacy director at CAIR, told CNN.
“Until our nation stops the violence overseas and rejects bigotry here at home,
we fear that both Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism will continue to
spin out of control.”
Federal officials have also warned of
the tense domestic situation.
“The US remains in a heightened threat
environment and recent events reinforce that,” a DHS spokesperson told The
Independent last month. “As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, we have seen
an increase in reports of threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities
and institutions. Lone offenders, motivated by a range of violent ideologies,
pose the most likely threat.”
Source: independent.co.uk
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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/antisemitism-islamophobia-hate-crime-israel-b2463030.html
------
Canada's pro-Palestine demonstrators
call on Trudeau to stop selling arms to Israel
13 December 2023
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have urged
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party to support a
permanent ceasefire in Gaza and put an end to its arms sales to Israel.
Media reports said on Wednesday that
pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered outside Ottawa's Shaw Centre to tell
Trudeau that Canada's vote on a Gaza ceasefire was "not enough" and
the prime minister needed to take decisive action to stop the Israeli regime's
genocidal war on Gaza.
Canada voted in favor of a non-binding
resolution at the United Nations on Tuesday that calls for "an immediate
humanitarian ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas, in a move that broke
with years of Canadian policy and shocked pro-Zionist groups.
UN ambassador Bob Rae told the assembly
that Canada supports a humanitarian ceasefire, because it is a necessary step
in calling for an end to the "continuous" suffering of Palestinian
civilians.
"We are alarmed at the diminishing
safe space for civilians in Gaza," he said, while noting Canada's support
for the unsuccessful amendment to the motion.
"The ongoing humanitarian crisis
has weighed heavily in Canada's decision to support this resolution."
The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly
passes resolution calling for immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the genocidal
Israeli war on Gaza.
The vote at the UN General Assembly
signaled a slight shift in Canada's long-standing position of siding with the
Israeli regime as it carried out brutal atrocities against the defenseless
Palestinians.
Gaza's Health Ministry says more than
18,205 Palestinians have been killed, most of them women and children, while
nearly 50,000 others wounded by the Zionist forces since Oct.7.
"Thousands of children are now
orphans," Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Tuesday on Parliament
Hill.
"Countless Palestinian civilians in
Gaza are suffering without water, food, fuel or medicine and their homes have
been reduced to rubble."
The National Council of Canadian Muslims
called the UN vote a "milestone" that had to be transformed into
"the reality of action and deeds."
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/13/716292/Trudeau-Pro-Palestine-Demo-Canada-Ottawa-Arms-Ceasefire-Israel-Gaza
-----
US Concerned by Potential 'Terrorist
Activities in Afghanistan': Miller
Nazir Shinwari
December 12, 2023
The US State Department spokesperson
Matthew Miller said that Washington continues to be “concerned about the
treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan.”
He made the remarks at a press
conference in Washington D.C.
“We’ve made clear that we maintain the
capability to conduct over the horizon anti-terrorism activities. And of course, we expect the Taliban to
prevent Afghanistan from being a haven for terrorism, as it has been in the
past,” he said.
However, the Islamic Emirate has not
commented on it but earlier said that there is no threat from Afghanistan to
any country.
"The Islamic Emirate needs to have
positive relations based on its moderate policy. If any country has a concern
about a security issue, it should be directly shared with the Islamic Emirate,”
said Mohammad Matin Mohammad Khail, military analyst.
“After the Islamic Emirate came to
power, the security was fully implemented in Afghanistan and the Islamic
Emirate’s forces seriously fought the terrorism," said Ahmad Khan Andar,
military analyst.
This comes as earlier Pakistan and some
other regional countries voiced concerns over rising threats from Afghanistan.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-186461
----
Muslim migrants in New York find refuge
in a Nigerian church
December 12, 2023
Fiona André
NEW YORK (RNS) — Five times a day, the
sanctuary of Hosanna City of Refuge Church in Queens, New York, turns into a
space for Islamic prayer.
This small house church has welcomed
more than 150 migrants since 2007. Given the growing number of them who are
Muslim migrants from West Africa, the church’s pastor, the Rev. Phillip Falayi,
has invited them to perform their five daily prayers in the church’s sanctuary
— which is also his basement.
For the pastor, catering to the
migrants’ physical and spiritual needs is equally important.
“They are Muslim. Our intention is to
assist them, not convert them. Just because I’m a pastor and you live in my
house doesn’t mean you have to do what I’m doing in terms of faith,” he said.
This Pentecostal congregation of 30
people, Nigeria Americans for the most part, gathers for services in the
basement of Falayi’s house twice per week, on Sunday and on Tuesday for Bible
study. At night, the basement houses up to 20 people, who usually stay in the
church’s shelter for two months.
As New York’s migrant crisis has
worsened — in 18 months, 140,000 migrants have arrived in the city — the church
has partnered with some of the city’s overloaded shelters to take in the people
the shelters can no longer house.
Falayi, a Nigerian immigrant and the son
of ministers who regularly housed people in need, believes his church’s calling
is to serve migrants and unhoused people in New York.
“How can you prepare people for the
kingdom of God when they are hungry? Can you preach to people when they have no
place to live? I thought about that, and started looking at it from that end,”
he said.
Every day, the house where Falayi lives
with his wife and three kids is full of people. The living room, where the
family shares meals with the residents, is filled with boxes of paperwork —
asylum applications and immigration services letters — piled up. Since most
migrants need a fixed address to communicate with immigration services, the
church now receives mail for hundreds of residents and former residents.
CheikhDramé, who is 34, was sent from
Brooklyn’s Hall Street shelter to Hosanna City of Refuge Church. The shelter,
which opened in July, is supposed to be the largest in the city’s history.
Still, it can only welcome migrants briefly and is on a constant rotation to
accommodate the need.
He has spent a month in the church’s
shelter and occasionally leads the Friday prayer with the other Muslim residents.
Dramé, who fled his hometown of Dakar, Senegal, because of religious
persecution, said the efforts made by the church to accommodate Muslim
residents are admirable.
“They are Christian, but still, they are
lending us this space for our prayer. That’s good of them,” he said.
Sometimes, Falayi invites Imam Cheikh
Tirana Ndao of the Daru Salam Islamic community and Imam Omar Niass from the
Ansaru-Deen Islamic mosque to conduct the Friday prayer service in the church.
The two faith leaders have been working similarly with migrants in their
mosques. Together, the church and the mosques have organized events to offer
legal advice to asylum-seekers.
When they arrived at the church, every
resident received a kit with essential hygiene products and a new set of
clothes. Falayi also takes them to get a haircut from a nearby salon that
agreed to give discount prices to the church.
After offering essential care, the
pastor looks at every migrant’s immigration status, case by case, evaluating
each situation, judging who could file for asylum. Over the years, he has
learned to craft compelling asylum applications and understand the complex
jargon of immigration law.
“I read up on it and made some calls to
a few friends to make sure I was doing the right thing. And now I can do it,”
he said while going through a box full of past applications he filed.
It’s crucial, said the pastor, to listen
to people’s stories. A lot of residents come from tragic situations and have
been traumatized by the long and arduous journey to America, he explained.
Falayi said the church wants to care for their bodies and minds and counsel
them appropriately.
“I make sure their head is right, their
heart is right. Because if you hear their stories, they’ve been through a lot,”
said Falayi, who recently took a mental health course to address the residents’
traumas better.
Most migrants come from Francophone West
African countries or from Venezuela, explained the pastor. He communicates with
them through the help of Google Translate.
Recently, Falayi created a seven-step
program to help residents have a successful integration, which includes English
classes. Before they leave the shelter, the pastor also looks over
apprenticeship possibilities with the residents.
The shelter solely runs on donations and
Falayi’s funds. Members of the church and neighbors regularly come by to donate
clothes and hygiene products, he said.
In June, Mayor Eric Adams announced a
new collaboration with houses of worship to accommodate 1,000 more migrants.
The program enables the houses of worship to receive funds to cover expenses to
welcome migrants overnight. The Hosanna City of Refuge doesn’t qualify for the program
because the basement does not have a sprinkler system, said Falayi.
Still, the church won’t give up on its
mission, he said.
“You see this door. It is never locked.
It’s always open to everyone,” he said while pointing at the glass front door,
adorned with a Hosanna City of Refuge Church sticker.
Source: religionnews.com
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-----
Tennessee Muslim family charged with
assaulting son for converting to Christianity
December 12, 2023
Bradford Betz
A Muslim family in Nashville, Tennessee,
was arrested early Tuesday for allegedly assaulting their son for converting to
Christianity, according to local reports.
The victim told police his father,
mother, and brother repeatedly punched him and spat in his face, according to
an arrest warrant obtained by FOX 17.
Arrest records show the mother,
RawaaKhawaji, scratched the back of his right hand with a knife.
tennesseemuslim family
Nick Kadum, left, RawaaKhawaji and John
Kadum. (Metro Nashville Police Dept.)
The victim accused his family of
demanding that he renounce Christianity and return to Islam.
Officers conducted a welfare check at
the home after the victim’s employer called police with concerns.
Responding Metropolitan Nashville Police
Department (MNPD) officers were reported to have found the victim
"trembling and wide-eyed" with "disheveled hair." The
victim also appeared to have been "cut haphazardly" with lumps on his
face.
The victim was transferred to a local
hospital for treatment.
The father, mother, and brother, were
all arrested early Tuesday on charges of domestic assault, bodily injury, and
aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Online records show the brother, John
Kadum, and the father, Nick Kadum, were released Tuesday afternoon.
The mother, RawaaKhawaji, remains in
custody on a charge of domestic violence.
Source: foxnews.com
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Biden points to Gaza hostages when asked
about Israeli tunnel flooding reports
December 13, 2023
WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden
declined to directly answer a question on reports that Israel was pumping
seawater into Hamas’ Gaza tunnel complex, referring only to assertions that
there were no hostages in the areas targeted.
Citing unnamed US officials, the Wall
Street Journal reported that Israel had recently begun pumping seawater into
Hamas’ vast labyrinth of tunnels underneath Gaza, in a process that would
likely take weeks.
ABC News later published a similar
report and said the flooding appeared limited as Israel evaluates the strategy’s
effectiveness.
Israel’s military said it was looking
into the reports. An Israeli defense ministry spokesperson declined to comment.
Responding to a question about the
reports at a press conference in Washington, Biden said: “With regard to the flooding
of the tunnels. I’m not at lib-, well. There (are) assertions being made that
... there’s no hostages in any of these tunnels. But I don’t know that for a
fact.”
Biden added: “I do know that, though,
every civilian death is an absolute tragedy, and Israel has stated its intent,
as I said, to match its words ... with actions.”
The Journal, citing Biden administration
officials, has said the flooding could help destroy the tunnels, where Israel
believes the militant group is hiding hostages, fighters and munitions.
Other officials have expressed concerns
the seawater would endanger Gaza’s fresh water supply, the Journal added.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2424886/middle-east
----
Europe
‘Bloodshed in Gaza will continue,’ says
Russia on US veto of UN Security Council resolution
December 12, 2023
MOSCOW : The US veto last week of a
United Nations Security Council resolution requesting an urgent humanitarian
cease-fire in Gaza means that “bloodshed will continue,” Russia said on Monday.
More than 17,000 people have so far lost
their lives in Israel’s attacks on Gaza, and last Friday the US vetoed a
resolution requesting an urgent humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, said a Russian
Foreign Ministry statement.
“This means that horrific bloodshed and
catastrophic destruction will continue to occur by one country’s decision,” the
statement added.
The draft resolution, co-sponsored by
more than 90 countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Türkiye, was
voted on in an emergency Security Council session.
Thirteen council members voted yes,
while the UK abstained and the US vetoed the resolution.
Since the veto – a power only the five
permanent Security Council members have – Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan has decried the move, saying it shows why reforms to the council are
needed, a cause he has championed with the slogan, “The world is bigger than
five.” — AA
Source: muslimmirror.com
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https://muslimmirror.com/eng/bloodshed-in-gaza-will-continue-says-russia-on-us-veto-of-un-security-council-resolution/
-------
UK defence ministry fined for Afghan
data breach
December 13, 2023
The UK defence ministry has been fined
£350,000 ($440,000) for disclosing personal information of 265 Afghans seeking
to flee the Taliban, a data watchdog announced on Wednesday.
"This deeply regrettable data
breach let down those to whom our country owes so much," said UK data
commissioner John Edwards.
The error saw the email addresses of
hundreds of people, including Afghan interpreters potentially eligible for
relocation to Britain, openly included in the "to" field, rather than
blind copied.
It first came to light in September
2021, soon after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, and the chaotic efforts
to evacuate vulnerable people from the country.
Ben Wallace, who was defence minister at
the time, apologised and disclosed that one official had been suspended.
Britain's Afghanistan evacuation plan
has been widely criticised, with the government accused by MPs of
"systemic failures of leadership, planning and preparation".
Hundreds of Afghans eligible for
relocation were left behind, many with their lives potentially at risk after
details of staff and job applicants were left at the abandoned British embassy
in Kabul.
In his ruling, Edwards said "very
challenging" conditions on the ground and fast-paced decision-making were
no excuse for not protecting personal information.
Those affected "were vulnerable to
reprisal and at risk of serious harm," he added. "When the level of
risk and harm to people heightens, so must the response."
A total of 245 people had their details
inadvertently disclosed, 55 of whom had thumbnail pictures on their email
profiles.
Two people "replied all" to
all recipients and one included their location, Edwards' office said.
"The data disclosed, should it have
fallen into the hands of the Taliban, could have resulted in a threat to
life," it added in a statement.
Recipients were told to delete the
email, change their email address and tell the team in charge of relocations of
their new details via a secure form.
Two other data breaches were discovered
during the investigation. A total of 265 people were affected in all three
incidents.
In response, the Ministry of Defence
acknowledged the seriousness of the breach and said it had overhauled its
procedures.
The ICO said it reduced the fine from
£1,000,000 to £700,000 because of the MoD's immediate response to the error,
then cut it further as it is a public body.
Source: thehindu.com
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-----
Blinken says Gaza journalists must be
‘protected from harm’: letter to AFP
December 13, 2023
PARIS: The United States will always
insist on the need to protect journalists reporting from Gaza during the
conflict between Israel and Hamas militants, Secretary of State Antony Blinken
said in a letter to Agence France-Presse on Tuesday.
AFP and other international media groups
had written to Blinken in late October urging his help in protecting
journalists on the ground in Gaza after several were killed since the outbreak
of fighting.
“The United States has and will continue
to underscore with Israel, and with all countries, that journalists must be
protected from harm,” Blinken wrote.
“We stand unequivocally for the
protection of journalists during armed conflict and mourn those who have been
killed or injured.”
Since the war between Israel and
Palestinian militant group Hamas began in October, at least 63 journalists and
media workers — 56 Palestinian, four Israeli and three Lebanese — have been
killed, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
AFP and the other media groups also
urged Blinken’s help in evacuating their employees from Gaza as Israeli
bombards the territory in retaliation for the attack by Hamas on October 7 that
killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures, and saw around 240 hostages
taken.
Israel imposed a total shutdown of the
territory’s borders on October 9.
“US citizens’ and foreign nationals’
continued safe passage out of Gaza remains our top priority, and we are working
with Egypt, the UN, and Israel to facilitate their ability to exit Gaza
safely,” Blinken wrote.
Around 100 French lawmakers mainly from
left-wing parties on Monday sent a letter to Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne
also calling for all possible efforts to secure the exit of AFP journalists
stranded in Gaza.
The Hamas-run health ministry on Tuesday
updated its death toll since the Gaza war began to 18,412 people, mostly women
and children.
Source: arabnews.com
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------
British MPs vote in favor of contentious
Rwanda migrant deportation bill
12 December 2023
British lawmakers have voted in favor of
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's contentious plan to send migrants to Rwanda.
In a tense vote on Tuesday afternoon,
members of Parliament on Tuesday voted 313 to 269 in favor of the so-called
Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.
"The British people should decide
who gets to come to this country — not criminal gangs or foreign courts,"
Sunak said on social media after the controversial bill passed.
Sunak called the bill "the toughest
ever anti-immigration law", proposing that "the British people should
decide who gets to come to this country -- not criminal gangs or foreign
courts."
"We will now work to make it law so
that we can get flights going to Rwanda and stop the boats," he wrote on
X.
Sunak's Conservatives hold the large
majority but the prime minister could only win a knife-edge parliamentary vote
because dozens of MPs within his party opposed the bill.
Sunak's climate minister Graham Stuart
was even recalled to London from the COP28 summit in Dubai to cast his vote.
The importance Sunak has attached to the
policy could mean that its failure would bring about his downfall.
Human Rights Watch UK director Yasmine
Ahmed slammed the bill as "a defeat for human decency and a hammer blow
for the rule of law.”
MP Mark Francois said the so-called
"five families" of hardline Tory factions opposed the bill as it
stood.
"The prime minister has been
telling colleagues today he is prepared to entertain tightening the bill,"
the arch-Brexiteer said before the vote.
"With that aim, at the committee
stage we will aim to table amendments which, we hope, if accepted, materially
improves and removes some of its weaknesses," he said.
"Let's pick this up again in January."
Political scientist Tim Bale, from Queen
Mary University of London, told AFP that Sunak's "arm-twisting and
promise-making in the end did the trick.”
"But it's a temporary reprieve
rather than a triumph for Rishi Sunak," he added.
"There are plenty of hurdles he
still has to jump and, given the level of abstentions from Tory MPs who want to
see the bill made even more draconian than it is already, there's absolutely no
guarantee they'll be surmountable,” he stated.
"And even if they are, this legislation
still has to get through the (upper chamber House of) Lords."
Source: presstv.ir
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-----
British-Palestinian
50 days into hunger strike demands end to UK support for Israel
12 December 2023
A
British-Palestinian man, who has lost nearly 20kg since starting a hunger
strike 50 days ago, is demanding the UK government act to stop Israel's
months-long bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
Wael Arafat,
originally from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, said he planned to continue his
hunger strike until the British government backed a ceasefire.
"I want the
UK government to do something, and I want the Israeli government to stop
killing people," he said.
Arafat, 28,
stopped eating and drinking on October 22, after learning that his sister and
her four children had been killed by an Israeli air strike on their home in
Gaza City.
Over the past week,
Arafat has taken a small amount of fluids through an IV drip, after doctors
told him his condition had seriously deteriorated.
Arafatis
currently unable to walk but remains conscious and talking.
"I know I
might die. I know something could happen to my health," Arafat was quoted
as saying by Middle East Eye from a hospital in Bath, southwest England, where
he is being treated.
"I don't
want to die. I'm doing this for my own people who are suffering. Every person
in Gaza is my brother and sister," he said.
Hamas and Islamic
Jihad decried Britain’s decision to conduct Gaza surveillance flights as
‘direct involvement’ in Israel’s ‘genocidal war’ on the Strip.
Arafat lost both
his parents when he was five years old and was brought up by his grandmother in
Gaza, before moving to the UK as a young teenager. Arafat had only found out he
had a sister in Gaza two years ago, and made contact with her through his
former neighbours.
Deir al-Balah has
frequently been the target of Israeli bombardment, including air strikes this
month which killed scores of civilians.
"There is no
safe place in Gaza," said Arafat. "People have been told to move but
it's not safe to. We want to be heard. We want to say enough is enough."
He said he felt a
hunger strike was the only way to make his voice heard.
Israeli
airstrikes have been pounding locations across Gaza Israel had declared as safe
zones.
"It's
exactly what they do in [Israeli] prisons," he said, referring to
Palestinians who stop eating or drinking to protest their detention and
inhumane conditions in Israeli jails. "They don't have a voice, they only
have the hunger strike."
Israel’s
relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip keeps taking a heavy toll on the
civilian population in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Israeli
airstrikes have been pounding locations across Gaza, including southern parts
that Israel had declared as safe zones.
Palestinian
foreign minister slams global inaction on humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
The Israeli
regime continues its genocidal aggression against the Gaza Strip for the 67th
consecutive day, with US, Britain and EU support.
Israel’s genocide
in Gaza began on October 7. So far, over 184,00 Palestinians have been killed,
mostly women and children. Over 50,100 Palestinians have also been wounded.
Source: presstv.ir
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Ukraine ready to
ban largest Christian church – parliament speaker
13 Dec, 2023
A bill that would
ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) might be passed already in early 2024,
the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, RuslanStefanchuk, has said.
Authorities in
Kiev have long accused the UOC of having ties with the Russian Orthodox Church,
despite the religious organization condemning Russia’s military operation in
Ukraine and announcing its autonomy from Moscow shortly after the outbreak of
the conflict in February 2022.
When asked about
the legislation during a TV appearance on Rada TV on Tuesday, Stefanchuk said
that “the committee must make the necessary decisions, carry out consultations,
and accept it as a proposal in the second reading.”
“I hope that this
issue might be settled in the beginning of the next year,” the speaker
stressed.
The legislation,
which had been prepared on the order of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky,
passed its first reading in the parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, in October. The
bill would allow authorities to ban the UOC if an expert review panel confirms
its connections with Russia. It garnered the support of 267 out of 450 MPs.
The Church, which
has millions of followers across Ukraine, condemned the legislation, saying
that it goes against the Ukrainian Constitution and violates religious freedom.
The head of the
Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has also called upon religious
leaders and international organizations to interfere to stop “mass violations
of religious rights of the followers of the UOC.” The actions of Ukrainian
authorities were “on par with the most sinister God-fighting regimes of the
past,” he insisted.
The
administration of President Zelensky supports the Orthodox Church of Ukraine
(OCU), which had been created by Ukrainian authorities shortly after the coup
in 2014 that had installed a pro-Western government. The emergence of the OCU,
considered non-canonical by the Russian Orthodox Church, prompted years of
religious tensions in the country.
Since the start
of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, Ukrainian authorities and activists
have been seizing the UOC’s places of worship and handing them over to the
government-backed OCU. For instance, the OCU’s monks were evicted from the
country’s holiest Orthodox site, the Kiev PecherskLavra.
According to Tass
news agency, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has launched 65 criminal
cases against the UOC’s priests; 17 clerics have faced sanctions, and 19 of
them were stripped of their Ukrainian citizenship.
Source: rt.com
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----
Mideast
Hezbollah
warning: Strikes on Israel to continue as long as Gaza genocidal war rages
13 December 2023
A high-ranking
official with Hezbollah says the Lebanese resistance movement will continue
retaliatory strikes on the Israeli-occupied territories as long as the Tel Aviv
regime presses ahead with its brutal assault against Palestinians in the Gaza
Strip.
Speaking at a
memorial ceremony in the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut on Tuesday,
Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s deputy secretary-general reaffirmed the
Lebanese resistance movement’s unwavering support for the Gaza-based resistance
groups amid Israel’s war on the besieged territory.
“Hezbollah will
continue striking the Israeli occupation sites on Lebanon border as long as the
Zionist war on Gaza continues,” Qassem was quoted by Lebanon’s al-Ahed news
website as saying.
“The pace of
military operations in southern Lebanon is determined by the field, and the
Zionists shouldn't try their luck with escalation because the situation will be
worse for them.”
He pointed out
that Hezbollah, from the very beginning, announced that the Lebanese front
would be supportive of Gaza, as it sees its support as a duty and in line with
the interests of Palestine and Lebanon.
“What Hezbollah
is doing is legitimate resistance and defense, and even a religious duty,
because this enemy only understands the language of force in order to deter it
and prevent it from achieving its goals now and in the future,” he added.
He also asserted
that Hezbollah is “completely ready” for any border escalation, and that
Lebanon’s southern front will remain open in support of Palestinians in the
face of the Zionist aggression against Gaza.
The group
targeted Israeli soldiers in al-Samaqah region with a number of missiles,
causing casualties among the troops.
Hezbollah and
Israel have been exchanging fire since early October, shortly after the regime
launched its devastating war on the besieged Gaza Strip following a surprise
operation by the Palestinian resistance groups into the Israeli-occupied
territories.
The movement has
vowed to keep up its retaliatory operations as long as the regime sustains its
warfare against the besieged Palestinian territory.
The Israeli
aggression has so far killed at least 18,412 Palestinians, mostly women and
children, and injured 50,100 others.
The Tel Aviv
regime has also imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel,
electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living
there.
Source: presstv.ir
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-----
Iran to send
first Umrah Hajj caravan to Mecca after 9 years
Dec 13, 2023
TEHRAN, Dec. 13
(MNA) – The head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization of Iran says the first
caravan of Umrah Hajj pilgrims will soon embark on the spiritual journey to
Mecca after a nine-year hiatus.
“Following the
necessary coordination with the Saudi Hajj officials and the signing of
relevant memorandums and contracts, the first convoy of Umrah pilgrims will be
dispatched to Saudi Arabia on December 19,” Seyyed Abbas Hosseini told
reporters on Tuesday.
As part of the
first caravan, the official said, 550 Iranian pilgrims will spend 10 days
performing the Umrah rituals, with 5 days in Medina and 5 days in Mecca.
An agreement has
been reached with Saudi officials for 70,000 Iranians to make the Hajj
pilgrimage to the holy land by the end of the calendar year, he added.
Iran and Saudi
Arabia restored their diplomatic relations under a China-brokered deal back in
March.
Source: mehrnews.com
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-----
Packed hospitals,
treacherous roads, harried parents: Newborns in Gaza face steeper odds of
survival
13th December 2023
DEIR AL-BALAH:
The birth of their daughter should have marked the beginning of a joyful
chapter for the young Palestinian couple.
Instead, the
devastating war in Gaza, now in its third month, has turned childbirth and
parenthood into a time of worry and fear for Salim and Israa al-Jamala.
First, they
endured a perilous journey, dodging missile fire, to reach a maternity ward.
And now, the couple is sheltering with their newborn in the partially tented
courtyard of another hospital where they can't care properly for their now
3-week-old daughter, her mother's namesake.
His wife's breast
milk is not sufficient because she cannot eat enough as a result of widespread
food shortages, said the 29-year-old Salim, rocking baby Israa, swaddled in
blankets in a crib cobbled together from wood scraps. Baby formula and medicine
for the infant's persistent cough are not available and in any case not
affordable.
The war,
triggered by a deadly Oct. 7 Hamas assault on southern Israel, has unleashed
unimaginable destruction, with more than 18,000 Palestinians killed and close
to 50,000 wounded in Israel's offensive, according to health officials in
Hamas-run Gaza. The initial Hamas attack killed about 1,200 people in Israel,
most of them civilians.
Amid the
devastation, about 5,500 births are expected over the next month, out of an
estimated 50,000 women in Gaza who are currently pregnant, according to the
World Health Organization.
Yet the health
sector is close to collapse, with two-thirds of Gaza's 36 hospitals now out of
service. The 12 remaining health facilities are only partially operational.
Even in the functioning hospitals, doctors report a lack of basic medicines and
the kind of equipment needed to treat newborns, including ventilators, formula
milk and disinfectant.
The severe
shortage of fuel is another major concern for hospitals that have run solely on
generators since the early days of the war when Israel cut Gaza's electricity
supply.
“Electricity
sometimes comes on for a few minutes" before dropping off, said
WisamShaltout, head of the neonatal intensive care unit at the Al-Aqsa Hospital
in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.
Salim and Israa's
odyssey began in mid-October. During that period, the Israeli military had been
issuing daily warnings to residents of northern Gaza, including Gaza City, to
head to the southern half of the territory ahead of a looming Israel ground
offensive in the north.
Heeding the
warnings, Salim, a heavily pregnant Israa and their 5-year-old son fled their
home in the Sheikh Radwanneighborhood of Gaza City and headed south on foot.
The family of three shortly arrived at Shifa hospital in Gaza City before
managing to secure a taxi later that day to take them to Al-Aqsa Hospital where
they found shelter.
When 26-year old
Israa went into labor on Nov. 23, the pair were told to head to Al-Awda
Hospital, near the Nuseirat refugee camp, as it still had a maternity ward.
The couple
managed to find a Red Crescent ambulance to take them to Al-Awda, just 6
kilometers (3.7 miles) away. But it was a frightful stop-start journey that
took more than an hour because three airstrikes hit near the road.
Most arriving at
Al-Awda's maternity ward have no vehicle to help. Some pregnant women are too
scared to go at all, fearing airstrikes that in some cases have also struck
ambulances, said Dr. Yasmin Kafarneh, who runs the obstetrics department at
Al-Awda.
She said she
believes her department is the only functioning maternity ward in southern
Gaza. Before the war, the department used to handle around six births a day.
Now, pregnant women arrive from all over and more than 70 babies are delivered
each day.
Under the current
conditions, first-time mothers are permitted to stay and receive treatment in
the hospital for around four hours after giving birth, while those who have
previously given birth can stay for only half that time.
Israa gave birth
at 2 a.m. on Nov. 24, but the joy was short-lived. Just after daybreak, the
family was told by medical staff they had to leave to make room for others.
They secured a
donkey cart to carry them back to their shelter at the Al-Aqsa Hospital. They
have little to eat, some days just onions.
Their neighbors
make fires to stay warm, sometimes burning plastic that releases toxic fumes.
“The atmosphere here is all smoke, all dust," Salim said. “It is not an
appropriate environment for a newborn girl!”
The baby's health
has deteriorated, said Salim, troubled by her persistent cough.
Israa was born
just hours before a cease-fire took effect that lasted a week. After fighting
resumed and ground forces advanced in central and southern Gaza, their shelter
became even more crowded.
Given the
circumstances, Salim said he has done the best he can. But he's scared for his
daughter. “I do not know whether she will be alive tomorrow," he said.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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------
Gaza death toll
rises to 18,412: Health Ministry
Dec 13, 2023
TEHRAN, Dec. 13
(MNA) – The Gaza Health Ministry has announced that the number of Palestinian
martyrs in Gaza has risen to 18,412 since the beginning of the Zionist regime's
invasion of the enclave on October 7.
Gaza Health
Ministry released the new figures on Tuesday, saying that the number of
Palestinian martyrs in the Gaza Strip mounted to 18,412 since the beginning of
the Zionist regime’s invasion.
Over 50,000
people have been injured in the Zionist regime's invasion of the Gaza Strip
over the past two months, the ministry added.
Earlier, Gaza’s
Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qudra told Al Jazeera that 22 hospitals
and 46 health facilities in the Gaza Strip have been shut down.
Also, World
Health Organization officials have announced that only 11, or less than a
third, of Gaza's hospitals remain partially functional.
The Zionist
regime waged its war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas launched an operation
against the occupied territories on that day in response to the Israeli
regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against the
Palestinians.
The Tel Aviv
regime has also blocked water, food, and electricity to Gaza, plunging the
coastal strip into a humanitarian crisis.
Source: mehrnews.com
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------
Yemen’s Houthis
warn ships in Red Sea to avoid travel to Palestinian territories
December 13, 2023
CAIRO: A senior
official from Yemen’s Houthis on Tuesday warned cargo ships in the Red Sea to
avoid traveling toward the occupied Palestinian territories, after the
Iran-aligned group claimed an attack on a commercial tanker earlier in the day.
The Houthis
earlier said they hit a Norwegian commercial tanker with a missile in their
latest protest against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, underlining the risks of a
conflict that has shaken the Middle East.
In addition to
avoid heading toward the Palestinian territories, ships that pass Yemen should
keep radios turned on, and quickly respond to Houthi attempts at communication,
Mohamed Ali Al-Houthi, head of Yemen’s Houthi supreme revolutionary committee,
said in a message on the X social media platform.
Al-Houthi also
warned cargo ships against “falsifying their identity” or raising flags
different from the country belonging to cargo ship owner.
The Iran-aligned
group attacked the tanker, the STRINDA, because it was delivering crude oil to
an Israeli terminal and after its crew ignored all warnings, Houthi military
spokesperson YehiaSarea had previously said in a statement.
The Houthis have
waded into the Israel-Hamas conflict — which has spread around the region —
attacking vessels in vital shipping lanes and firing drones and missiles at
Israel more than 1,000 miles from their seat of power in the Yemeni capital of
Sanaa.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2424891/middle-east
-----
Palestinian
economy severely impacted by Israel-Hamas war: World Bank
December 13, 2023
WASHINGTON: The
Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is having a severe impact on the Palestinian economy,
the World Bank said Tuesday, adding that a sharp economic contraction is likely
this year and next.
“The loss of
life, speed and extent of damages to fixed assets and reduction in income flows
across the Palestinian territories are unparalleled,” the World Bank said in a
statement.
The conflict, now
dragging into its third month, has resulted in the death of more than 18,400
people in Gaza, the majority of them women and children, according to the
Hamas-run health ministry.
The violence was
sparked by Hamas’ cross-border attacks on October 7 that killed 1,200 people,
according to Israeli figures, and saw around 240 hostages taken back to Gaza.
The UN estimates
1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.4 million people have been displaced by the war, half
of them children.
UN agencies and
aid groups fear the Palestinian territory will soon be overwhelmed by
starvation and disease, and are pleading with Israel to boost efforts to
protect civilians.
In a new analysis
published Tuesday, the World Bank estimated that, as of mid-November, around 60
percent of information and communication infrastructure as well as health and
education facilities had been damaged or destroyed.
And 70 percent of
commerce-related infrastructure had been crippled or ruined.
Almost half of
all primary, secondary and tertiary roads were also damaged or destroyed, and
more than half a million people were living without a home due to the conflict.
Beyond the
immediate human cost, the Israel-Hamas conflict has also “severely impacted the
Palestinian economy,” the World Bank said.
Gaza’s
contribution to the overall Palestinian economy, which includes the West Bank,
had already shrunk from around 36 percent in 2005 to just 17 percent last year,
according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
Israel’s fierce
response to the Hamas attacks on October 7 has pushed Gaza’s unemployment rate
up to around 85 percent, while its decision to shut the door to Palestinian
workers from the West Bank has put almost 200,000 people out of work.
Despite Gaza’s small
contribution to the economic figures, the World Bank now expects the overall
Palestinian economy to contract by 3.7 percent this year, down sharply from its
pre-war forecast of a 3.2 percent increase.
Next year, the
situation is expected to be even worse.
Whereas the World
Bank previously anticipated growth of 3.0 percent in 2024, it now expects an
overall contraction of 6.0 percent — on the assumption that the severity of the
conflict decreases next year.
If the war drags
on, the economic impact could deteriorate further.
Following the
onset of the war, prices in Gaza jumped by 12 percent, on average, in October,
the Bank said, reflecting “pent-up demand for products that are increasingly
difficult to find on the local markets.”
By contrast,
consumer inflation in the West Bank rose by just 0.1 percent over the same
period.
In response to
the conflict, the World Bank unveiled financial support on Tuesday to provide
“emergency relief for the affected people of Gaza.”
The development
lender announced an additional $20 million in funds for medical care,
humanitarian needs, and financing for food vouchers and parcels in the besieged
Palestinian territory.
This comes on top
of the $15 million it has already delivered, it added.
Source: arabnews.com
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----
Israel begins
pumping seawater into Hamas' tunnels in Gaza: Report
Dec 13, 2023
WASHINGTON: The
Israeli military has begun pumping seawater into Hamas' tunnel complex in Gaza,
the Wall Street Journal and ABC News reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed U.S.
officials.
The Journal
reported the process would likely take weeks. ABC News reported that the
flooding appears to be limited as Israel evaluates the strategy's
effectiveness.
Israel's military
did not provide comment on the reports. An Israeli defense ministry
spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Some Biden
administration officials have said the process could help destroy the tunnels,
where Israel believes the militant group is hiding hostages, fighters and
munitions, the Journal reported.
Other officials
have expressed concerns the seawater would endanger Gaza's fresh water supply,
the Journal added.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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-----
South Asia
Kashmir issue
should be resolved through dialogue between India and Pakistan: China
12th December
2023
Neha Khan
Beijing: The
Kashmir issue should be resolved through dialogue and consultation between
India and Pakistan, China on Tuesday while reacting to India’s Supreme Court
judgment on Article 370 upholding the central government’s decision on the
erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
“On the Kashmir
issue, China’s position is consistent and clear,” Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Mao Ning said, replying to a question by a Pakistani journalist
seeking China’s reaction on the issue.
India’s Supreme
Court on Monday unanimously upheld the central government’s decision to
abrogate provisions of Article 370 bestowing special status to the erstwhile
state of Jammu and Kashmir. The apex court also directed restoration of
statehood “at the earliest” as well as holding elections to the assembly by
September 30 next year.
“This is a
dispute left from the past between India and Pakistan and it should be properly
addressed through peaceful means, according to the UN charter, United Nations
Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and relevant bilateral agreements,” she
said.
Relevant parties
need to settle the dispute through dialogue and consultations and safeguard
peace and stability in the region, Mao said.
Pakistan, China’s
all-weather ally, on Monday said India’s Supreme Court verdict upholding the
abrogation of Article 370 has “no legal value”, asserting that the
international law does not recognise New Delhi’s “unilateral and illegal
actions” of August 5, 2019.
Source: siasat.com
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------
Pakistan summons
Afghan charge d’affaires to protest Dera Ismail Khan attacks
December 13, 2023
Pakistan has
summoned Afghanistan’s top diplomat in Islamabad to protest Tuesday’s suicide
attack in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that left at least 23
soldiers dead, local media reported.
According to the
report Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), a new group affiliated with the
Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack on the
checkpost.
The Foreign
Office (FO) released a statement affirming that the foreign secretary had
urgently called in the Afghan charge d’affaires to deliver Pakistan’s “strong
demarche in the context of today’s deadly terrorist attack” in DI Khan.
During the
meeting, the Afghan charge d’affaires was requested to promptly communicate the
following demands to the interim Afghan government: conduct a thorough
investigation and take stern action against the perpetrators of the attack,
publicly condemn the terrorist incident at the highest level.
The Afghan
diplomat was also asked to implement “immediate verifiable actions” against all
terrorist groups and their sanctuaries, apprehend and extradite the individuals
responsible for the attack and the TTP leadership in Afghanistan to Pakistan,
and adopt all necessary measures to prevent the persistent use of Afghan soil
for terrorism against Pakistan.
“The events of
today serve as another stark reminder of the looming terrorist threat to peace
and stability in the region. It is imperative that we collectively confront
this menace with unwavering determination. Pakistan, on its part, remains
resolute in its commitment to combat terrorism,” the FO emphasized in its
statement.
While Pakistan
attributed these attacks to groups operating from sanctuaries across the
border, the Islamic Emirate government in Afghanistan consistently denies these
allegations.
Source: ariananews.af
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----
64 Afghan
refugees arrested in Turkey
Fidel Rahmati
December 13, 2023
The Turkish
police have arrested 64 Afghan refugees in two different cities in Turkey.
Media reports,
citing Turkish police, stated on Wednesday that about 48 Afghan refugees were
arrested by the police in the city of Ağrı in Turkey.”
However,
authorities in the country have added that 16 Afghan refugees were also
arrested by the police in the city of Sakarya in Turkey.
This is while the
Turkish police recently announced that they started the operation to arrest
refugees lacking legal documents, during which 64 Afghan refugees in two cities
in Turkey were arrested and then handed over to the immigration office.
The Turkish
police have emphasized that the country’s police authorities have also arrested
three people in connection with the smuggling of refugees.
The Turkish
police have announced that these refugees will soon be returned to Afghanistan.
In recent months, Turkey has deported a large number of Afghan refugees from
the country.
This is while the
Turkish government has deported more than four thousand refugees from its
territories since the beginning of the year.
It is noteworthy
that Turkey is one of the main routes for Afghan migrants to reach Europe. Most
of these migrants enter Turkey from Iran.
Source: khaama.com
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-----
Former Afghan
Speaker Rahmani denies US Treasury’s corruption allegations
Fidel Rahmati
December 13, 2023
Mir Rahman
Rahmani, the former speaker of the Afghan House of Representatives, has denied
financial corruption charges made by the United States Treasury Department
against himself and his son Ajmal Rahmani in a statement reacting to the
imposition of sanctions.
In the statement,
Mr. Rahmani called the allegations against him ‘contrary to international norms
and principles and conventions agreed upon among United Nations member
countries’.
He stated that
financial reports and independent and credible national and international
institutions on the audit of contracts related to his company, which attest to
the transparency of all the contracts accused, are available and will be
provided to relevant authorities if needed.
He says the
aspects mentioned in the United States Treasury Department’s report regarding
‘exorbitant electoral expenses’ are also ‘not true’.
The United States
Treasury Department sanctioned Mr. Rahmani and his son Monday on ‘corruption in
former security and defence forces contracts’ charges.
He requests an
investigation by U.S. judicial and legal authorities into the unauthorized
release of the report and pledges to soon update the Afghan people with new
findings.
The U.S.
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has sanctioned Mir Rahman Rahmani
and Ajmal Rahmani, along with 44 entities, for severe human rights abuses and
corruption under Executive Order 13818, targeting global corruption and human
rights violations.
The report
emphasized that The Rahmanis’ involvement in a major corruption scheme
involving U.S.-funded Afghan security contracts led to these sanctions. They
misappropriated millions, corrupting Afghanistan’s stabilization and security
efforts through inflated contracts and fraudulent activities.
Source: khaama.com
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-----
OCHA: $46 Billion
Can Restrict Humanitarian Crisis
Habib Rahman
Qooyash
December 13, 2023
The United
Nations has requested $46 billion for the prevention of the humanitarian crises
in the next year.
The United
Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that
Afghanistan is one of five countries which needs humanitarian assistance.
OCHA requested $3
billion for Afghanistan.
“Requesting money
for five major countries reflects the number of people in need and severity of
their need in these countries. This request includes $4.4 billion for Syria,
$3.1 billion for Ukraine, $3 billion for Afghanistan, $2.9 billion for Ethiopia
and $2.8 billion for Yemen,” OCHA in the statement said.
Following the
increasing concerns of the aid organizations over increasing poverty in
Afghanistan, some residents of Kabul also want the needy people to be helped
during winter.
Mohammad Nadir,
who leads a 7 member family, says that he can’t earn over 100 Afs per day and
said that it is too hard to find food for the family.
"I think
everybody in Afghanistan is like me, they are hungry," Mohammed Nadir said
In the meantime,
the Ministry of Economy said that due to the imposed financial restrictions,
Afghans need assistance and the ministry continues its efforts for transparency
in the distribution of the assistance.
"The
Ministry of Economy of the Islamic Emirate continues its efforts to distribute
the aid to the needy people with transparency and evaluation.
We want the
international community to continue its assistance to Afghanistan," said
Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy.
On the other
hand, some experts consider humanitarian assistance important for the solution
of the economic challenges of Afghanistan and want facilities in the
distribution of aid to the people.
"As the
Afghanistan people are in bad economic situation, this is the human, moral and
social job of the international community to not leave Afghanistan people
alone," said Abdul ZohoorMadabir, an economic expert.
This comes as
OCHA in 2023, due to the lack of budget, decreased their assistance for 10
million people from May until November.
Source: tolonews.com
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------
Taliban Should
Change Their Policy: Andisha
Dec 12, 2023
The permanent
representative of Afghanistan to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Nasir
Ahmad Andisha, on the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights (UDHR), emphasized the importance and support of women's education, work
and participation in society.
In a statement at
the human rights conference, the world was asked to take steps to support women
in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the
Islamic Emirate commented on the need for a presence of the representative of
the Islamic Emirate at s luch conferences.
At the 75th
Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the permanent
representative of Afghanistan to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva
emphasized the importance and support of women's education, work and
participation in the society in Afghanistan.
In the statement
of the UDHR conference, the international community was asked to take necessary
measures in the area of human rights violations, especially women's rights in
Afghanistan.
The statement
said: “The Taliban must reverse their oppressive policies, allowing women in
Afghanistan to study, work and engage in society. Their draconian rules, which
include denying girls’ education beyond primary level and restricting women’s
freedom and employment, have led to a surge in suicides and suicide attempts
among women since the Taliban takeover. The gender apartheid is erasing women
from society, undermining Afghanistan’s prospects for a peaceful and prosperous
future.”
Meanwhile, the
Islamic Emirate, emphasizing the provision of human rights in the country, said
that the presence of a representative from Afghanistan in such conferences is a
necessity.
"In the case
of Afghanistan, if a meeting is held, Afghanistan's presence there is necessary
so that Afghanistan's position can be interpreted more accurately,"
Zabihullah Mujahid said.
But some women
activists do not consider such meetings to be fruitful.
"If the
meetings were in Afghanistan or outside of Afghanistan, especially with the
world and the United Nations, they were only limited to slogans and speeches
and were based on a single text; They never wanted to act, they never wanted to
be with the people of Afghanistan, especially women. We hope that the world
will still hear the voices of the Afghan people, especially the women, and that
the government of the Islamic Emirate will also pay attention," said Tafsir
Syahposh, a women rights activist.
Earlier, on World
Human Rights Day, the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for
Afghanistan asked the current officials in Afghanistan to accept and support
human rights obligations as the cornerstone of a stable, peaceful and
prosperous future for Afghanistan.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-186467
-----
Japan Announced
$58.4 million Aid to Assist Afghan Returnees
2023-12-12
KABUL (BNA) In a
meeting with Acting Economy Minister Qari Din Mohammad Hanif, today, Tuesday
the Japan ambassador to Kabul, Takayoshi Kuromiya, announced $58.4 million his
country’s aid to assist Afghan returnees who are forcibly deported by Pakistan.
In the meeting,
the representatives of the Ministries of Finance, Foreign Affairs, Rural
Rehabilitation and Development, the Afghan Red Crescent Soceity and the
representative of member of the security committee for returnees’ security
attended, said the Economy Ministry in a statement.
During the
meeting the ambassador of Japan said that these aids will be delivered by UNHCR
or the United Nations for returnees for the needy returnees.
Ambassador
Kuromiya in this meeting also assured of his country’s preparation to plan and
conduct reconstruction projects in Afghanistan.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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------
Pagla Mosque
donation boxes yield almost Tk 22 crore in 2023
Dec 12, 2023
MdAminul Islam
A total of Tk
21,87,85,181 has been collected from the donation boxes at the historic Pagla
mosque in Kishoreganj this year.
Additionally,
diamonds, foreign currency and gold jewellery have also been collected from the
boxes.
The boxes were
opened four times this year, with the latest being on December 9.
On that day, the
nine donation boxes were opened at 7:30am, and 23 bags of money were collected.
After a counting process that went on for 15 hours, the total came out to Tk
6,32,51,423.
The boxes were
opened in the presence of Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad, deputy commissioner of
Kishoreganj and president of the Pagla Mosque committee, and Mohammad Rasel Sheikh,
superintendent of police, Kishoreganj.
Previously, eight
donation boxes were opened on August 19 of this year. In 23 bags, the
collection amounted to Tk 5.78 crore.
Before that, the
boxes were opened on May 6, when Tk 5.59 crore was collected from 19 bags.
On January 7,
during the year's first opening of the boxes, Tk 4.18 crore was collected from
20 bags.
On each occasion,
foreign currency, gold jewellery, and diamonds were also collected.
The historic
Pagla Mosque has usually had eight donation boxes made of steel, but this year,
one more box was added to take the number to nine.
Sources in the
mosque committee said money collected from the donation boxes is used for the
development of the mosque, as well as for other mosques, madrasas, and orphanages
in the district. The money is also used for social welfare.
Efforts are
underway to build an international standard Islamic complex at the mosque. The
complex will be named "Pagla Mosque Islamic Complex". Initially, the
cost for this construction has been estimated at Tk 115 crore. As many as
30,000 devotees will be able to offer prayers at this complex.
Source: thedailystar.net
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-----
Afghanistan
excluded from COP28 as climate impacts hit home
December 13, 2023
Humanitarian
concerns have been raised over Afghanistan being left out of United Nations
climate negotiations for a third year in a row, as the country grapples with
worsening drought and floods.
Dozens of people
were killed in Afghanistan, one of the world's most vulnerable countries to
climate change, after heavy rains triggered flash floods that swept across drought-stricken
land earlier this year.
But the country
is absent from the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, having been left out of such
U.N. talks since the Taliban took over Kabul in 2021.
No foreign
government has formally recognised Taliban leadership, and it does not have a
seat at the U.N. General Assembly.
Foreign officials
have cited the Taliban's restrictions on women as the reason for current
isolationist policies, particularly its barring of girls and women from high
school and universities.
However, some
have questioned the country's continued exclusion. Humanitarian and
international officials told Reuters they made efforts this year to allow
Afghan representatives to be able to attend, coinciding with broader talks
among foreign governments and multilateral institutions on how to deal with the
Taliban.
Though ultimately
unsuccessful, "there's hope that maybe next year you might see engagement
with Afghanistan in some capacity again," said Qiyamud Din Ikram of the
nonprofit Refugees International on the sidelines of the COP28 summit.
IMPACT ON WOMEN
The U.N.
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)'s COP Bureau, which is
responsible for accrediting parties to the annual summits, decided at a
November 2022 meeting to defer a decision on future Afghanistan representation.
The Taliban
administration has called its COP28 exclusion "regrettable".
"Efforts
were made to have the representatives of Afghanistan participate in the 28th
U.N. Climate Change Conference...but no positive response was received,"
said Rouhullah Amin, head of climate adaptation at the country's National
Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), now run by the Taliban.
A senior U.N.
source said U.N. and other international officials had made efforts in recent
months to get NEPA officials and other Afghan representatives present at COP28.
The UNFCCC did
not respond to a request for comment on Afghanistan's lack of participation at
COP28.
In rural
Afghanistan, women are responsible for fetching water for their families, an
increasingly difficult task as the country struggles with drought.
Women make up
many of the 20 million Afghans facing severe food insecurity, exacerbated by
declining food aid as governments slash Afghanistan's humanitarian funding.
Some nonprofits
have said isolationist policies can further hurt women.
PayvandSeyedali,
Afghanistan's country director for nonprofit Women for Women International,
said: "We don't have the luxury of not engaging with the de facto
authorities in Afghanistan."
The Taliban say
they respect women's rights in line with their interpretation of Islamic law.
Others said
Afghan women feel disengagement is appropriate until the Taliban rolls back
restrictions.
"Every time
they see the Taliban being welcomed in foreign capitals, it sends a message that
their (women's) rights do not matter to the rest of the world," said
Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch.
FROZEN FINANCES
The Taliban's
takeover of government institutions has also meant that Afghanistan is unable
to access key U.N. climate funds, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
GCF spokesperson
Stephanie Speck said the fund no longer had a recognized focal point in
Afghanistan following the COP Bureau's 2022 decision.
The GCF had
approved nearly $18 million for a sustainable energy project in Afghanistan
before the Taliban's takeover. That project has now been "put on hold to
allow for a full review of current and emerging risks", Ms. Speck said.
Other proposals
that the previous Afghan government had been working on sought more than $750
million, including for projects to improve irrigation and deploy rooftop solar
panels in Kabul. They, too, have been postponed, according to a NEPA document
seen by Reuters.
RENEWED DIALOGUE
Some have
questioned the isolationist approach to the Taliban. A report on Taliban
engagement, commissioned by the U.N. Security Council, concluded last month
that "the status quo of international engagement is not working".
It recommended
expanding international cooperation on climate adaptation and response.
"Conversations
with the Taliban on climate change adaptation could potentially be a confidence
building measure," said Paul KloumanBekken, Norway's charge d'affaires for
Afghanistan who regularly meets Taliban officials in Kabul.
Roza Otunbayeva,
who heads the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, called the situation
"unsustainable."
"It is time
to think creatively, to ensure that in one year's time we are not approaching
COP29 with yet another statement on Afghanistan's absence."
Source: thehindu.com
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-----
Southeast Asia
Malaysian PM
Anwar: Strengthen Islamic Art And Culture Under Madani Concept
12 Dec 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec
12 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has emphasised the need to
continuously strengthen Islamic art and culture under the Madani concept.
He said the
Madani concept is not solely aimed at developing the economy but also to
elevate Islamic art and culture, which are among the pillars of civilisation in
this region.
Therefore, he
hoped that Malaysians, especially the youth, would take full advantage of the
Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM), which showcases the history of Islamic art
and culture.
“I have also
asked (Communications Minister) Fahmi Fadzil to further promote IAMM so that it
becomes a distinctive attraction,” he said in his speech at the launch of the
exhibition “A Journey through Islamic Art” and “Alif Lam Ra: Contemporary
Muslim Calligraphy” at IAMM this evening.
Both exhibitions
were launched in conjunction with IAMM’s silver anniversary celebration. Also
present were the prime minister’s wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail,
Fahmi, and IAMM director Syed Mohamad Albukhary.
On IAMM’s 25th
anniversary, Anwar congratulated its establishment and commended the efforts of
the museum, including the Albukhary Foundation, which have contributed
significantly to the growth and vibrancy of the Islamic art scene in Malaysia.
“The IAMM has
spread the message of shared heritage to other institutions around the world
and has given it more presence. I have lost track of the number of times
visitors would ask me about the museum before I had a chance to praise its
attractions.
“Whether for
Muslims or those of other faiths, knowledge of Islamic culture needs to be
recorded and housed as much as the art does,” he said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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-----
Malaysia fully
backs UN resolution for immediate Gaza ceasefire, says Wisma Putra
13 Dec 2023
RAHIMY RAHIM
PETALING JAYA:
Malaysia fully backed the resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian
ceasefire in Gaza, says Wisma Putra.
In a statement,
the Foreign Ministry said that the resolution calling for an immediate
ceasefire shows the United Nations General Assembly expressing its grave
concern for the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip
"The
Assembly further called for an immediate and unconditional release of all
hostages, as well as ensuring unhindered humanitarian access," said Wisma
Putra.
"All parties
are urged to comply with their obligations under international law including
international humanitarian law, notably with regard to the protection of
civilians," it added.
The UN General
Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a draft resolution Tuesday (Dec 12) demanding
an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza.
The non-binding
resolution was presented by Egypt with the support of nearly 100 countries,
including Türkiye.
It passed with
153 votes in favor as the 193-member General Assembly gathered for an emergency
special session on Palestine.
Ten countries,
including the US, Israel and Austria, voted against the resolution, while 23
countries including the UK, Germany, Italy and Ukraine abstained.
Wisma Putra added
that the resounding support for the resolution by a group of cross-regional
countries reflects the unwavering support of the international community to
find a just, lasting and peaceful settlement to the Palestinian-Israel
conflict.
"This is even
more urgent given the grim humanitarian tragedy currently unfolding in the Gaza
Strip due to the relentless Israeli aggression," added Wisma Putra.
The resolution
came after the US vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution on Friday (Dec
8) that demanded an immediate cease-fire to halt the ongoing bloodshed in the
Gaza Strip as the death toll continues to mount.
Source: thestar.com.my
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-----
Centhra urges
govt to exert pressure for ceasefire in Palestine
AinunJariah
December 13, 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: A
human rights group strongly urged the United Nations (UN) to ensure Israel's
accountability for the genocidal attack on Gaza.
The Centre For
Human Rights Research and Advocacy (Centhra) founder and chairman, AzrilMohd
Amin emphasised the critical need for immediate action, stressing the
importance of seeking retribution to enforce the resolution.
He highlighted
that without swift measures, the resolution loses its effectiveness and becomes
futile.
At the same time,
Azril urges the Malaysian government to exert further pressure for effective
implementation of the resolution.
"As a
current member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC 2022-2024),
Malaysia must take substantial steps to ensure the resolution's demands are met
where ceasefire is imposed and further loss of life of innocent civilians, especially
those of women and children, can be prevented," he said in a statement
today.
He also
highlighted that the UN General Assembly's determined approval of the Middle
East resolution (Item 5 - A/ES-10/L.27 Protection of civilians and upholding
legal and humanitarian obligations) yesterday sent a powerful signal regarding
the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
"The UN
General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a draft resolution yesterday, demanding
an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
"The
non-binding resolution, presented by Egypt, with the support of nearly 100
countries, including Turkiye, passed with 153 votes in favour as the 193-member
General Assembly gathered for an emergency special session on Palestine.
"Ten
countries, including the United States (US), Israel, Austria, Czech Republic,
Guatemala, Paraguay and Liberia, voted against the resolution while 23 others,
including the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Ukraine, abstained from
voting.
Azril asserted
that the resolution, known as Uniting for Peace, forcefully demands a
humanitarian ceasefire, the protection of civilians, immediate release of
hostages, and urgent humanitarian aid.
This adoption
unequivocally signifies widespread opposition to Israel's ongoing military
actions, particularly conveying this message to the US.
It was recently
reported that the UN on Tuesday demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in
the Gaza Strip as US President Joe Biden warned Israel it was losing
international support because of its "indiscriminate" bombing of
civilians in its war against Hamas.
After dire
warnings by UN officials about a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the
193-member UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire with
153 countries voting in favour and 23 abstaining.
The US and
Israel, which argue a ceasefire only benefits Hamas, voted against the measure
along with eight other countries.
The resolution is
not binding but carries political weight, reflecting a global view on the war.
The US vetoed a similar call in the 15 member Security Council last week.
Source: nst.com.my
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https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/12/990121/centhra-urges-govt-exert-pressure-ceasefire-palestine
------
World must not
waver in pressing for Gaza ceasefire: Minister
December 13, 2023
Jakarta (ANTARA)
- Countries around the globe should continue to put tenacious efforts to put an
end to the raging war between Palestinian Hamas and Israeli occupation forces
in Palestine's Gaza Strip, Foreign Affairs Minister RetnoMarsudi stated.
Marsudi made the
statement during the Ministerial High-level Event on human rights situation in
Palestine that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday (December 12). Her
remark was made in response to the United Nations Security Council's failure to
adopt a resolution that calls for a ceasefire.
"I affirmed
that we must not give up. We must continue our efforts to fight for peace and
push for a ceasefire," she stated during an online press conference from
Geneva on Wednesday.
Apart from
pressing for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the minister also invited the
world to take a firm stance against the double standards demonstrated by
western countries in relation to the Palestinian-Israeli issue.
Marsudi observed
that some western countries that have been backing Israel tend to voice for
human rights protection unequivocally, but simultaneously, they are looking
away from the blatant violations of human rights committed by Israel in the besieged
Gaza Strip.
"Indonesia
rejects the inconsistencies in the implementation of human rights," she
stressed.
The minister then
emphasized that Israel's gross violations of human rights in the pretext of
self-defense cannot be justified.
"Hence, we
must condemn its (Israel's) acts in the strongest terms possible," she
affirmed.
She further noted
that Indonesia had conveyed its support for the implementation of
accountability mechanisms, including one being run by the Independent
International Commission of Inquiry established by the United Nations Human
Rights Council, to document violations and gather relevant evidence.
"I have also
pushed relevant parties to provide full access for the independent commission,
so it can carry out its mandate as expected," she noted.
Marsudi affirmed
that Indonesia will also participate in the proceeding of the International
Court of Justice's advisory opinion on the Palestinian issue.
"This serves
as proof of our concrete commitment. Indonesia will make the most of this opportunity,"
she stated.
Foreign affairs
ministers of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Tunisia, Palestine, and Bahrain, as well as
deputy foreign affairs minister of Turkey also joined the Ministerial
High-level Event on the human rights situation in Palestine.
Source: antaranews.com
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------
FM Marsudi meets
UNHCR commissioner, discusses Rohingya issue
December 13, 2023
Jakarta (ANTARA)
- Foreign Affairs Minister RetnoMarsudi held a meeting with the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, to discuss the issue of
Rohingya refugees' arrival in Indonesia.
At the meeting
that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday (December 11), she
highlighted the challenges that Indonesia is facing with the influx of Rohingya
refugees.
"And I
conveyed, there is a strong suspicion of problems of human smuggling and trafficking,"
the minister remarked while delivering an online press statement on Wednesday.
Marsudi stated
that during the one-on-one conversation, which took place quite openly, Grandi
understood the challenges that Indonesia is facing.
He promised that
the UNHCR would do its best to help resolve the problem, among other things, by
providing assistance to support the lives of refugees.
"I also
conveyed to the UNHCR to continue to urge countries parties to the Refugee
Convention to immediately start accepting resettlement, so that the burden does
not shift to other countries, such as Indonesia," the minister remarked.
There has been an
increase in the number of Rohingya refugees who landed in Indonesia. The UNHCR
stated that more than 1,200 Rohingya people have landed in Indonesia since
November 2023, with at least 300 people arriving in Indonesia's westernmost
province, Aceh, last week.
President Joko
Widodo (Jokowi) last week stated that a human trafficking network is suspected
to be behind the increase in the number of Rohingya refugees in Indonesia.
Despite not being
a party to the United Nations' 1951 Refugee Convention, Indonesia is
temporarily accommodating Rohingya refugees who have entered the Indonesian
territory for humanitarian reasons.
President Jokowi
directed the temporary humanitarian assistance to the refugees to be given by
still prioritizing the interests of the local community.
Source: antaranews.com
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-----
Perlis State
Assembly approves motion condemning Israel's atrocities, oppression against
Palestinians
13-12- 2023
KANGAR: Perlis
State Assembly sitting today approved a motion expressing condemnation of the
Israeli regime's atrocities, committing international crimes, and oppressing
the Palestinian people.
The motion was
tabled by Perlis MenteriBesarMohdShukriRamli (pix) and seconded by Kayang
Assemblyman and state Housing, Local Government, Human Resources Development,
and Poverty Eradication Committee chairman, AsrulAimran Abd Jalil.
While tabling the
motion, MohdShukri proposed that there should be no entertainment programmes
such as singing and dancing, distracting the people when ushering in the New
Year in the state.
“The Perlis
government hopes for the non-stop support of the Malaysian people, especially
in Perlis. While we continue to organise various entertainment programmes that
are distracting, our Palestinian brothers are being shot and martyred there.
“While we can
prepare our children to attend school, Palestinian boys were recently arrested
and interrogated by the Israeli military, and over 300 schools were affected
and unable to operate,“ he said during the sitting at the Perlis State
Legislative Assembly Complex today.
Assemblymen from
both the government and opposition blocs, namely Fakhrul Anwar Ismail
(PN-Bintong) and Gan Ay Ling (PH-InderaKayangan), participated in discussing
the motion before it was approved by the assembly.
While discussing
the motion, Gan urged everyone to reflect on and feel the pain that Palestine
has endured throughout the ongoing conflict. She emphasised that the struggle
in Palestine is not just a political dispute but also a humanitarian struggle.
“Palestine, a
land full of history and cultural heritage, is now shaken by cruelty and
injustice. Humanity is needed now more than ever to give a voice to those
marginalised and pleading to live with dignity,“ she said.
Meanwhile,
Fakhrul Anwar said that Islamic countries must immediately unite and come
together to form an effective power bloc to help Palestine. He emphasised the
need for swift action in mobilising all available strengths and advantages,
such as the power of crude oil supply, military power, and campaigns to boycott
Israeli goods and its allied countries. –Bernama
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
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https://thesun.my/local_news/perlis-state-assembly-approves-motion-condemning-israel-s-atrocities-oppression-against-palestinians-AO11863751
-----
Foreign
Correspondents’ Club of Japan condemns Israel’s killing of journalists in Gaza
December 12, 2023
TOKYO: The
Freedom of the Press Committee of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan has
issued a statement condemning the killing of journalists and their relatives in
the Gaza Strip by Israel.
The statement
condemned “the reckless disregard for the lives of journalists in the ongoing
Israel-Hamas war” and noted “with deep concern reports that in some cases the
families of journalists appear to have been targeted by Israeli forces.”
The FCCJ referred
to Al-Jazeera reports detailing the killing of 22 family members of Gazan
correspondent Moamen Al-Sharafi when the Israeli military shelled the Jabalia
Camp on December 6 in the northern Gaza Strip, a place where Al-Sharafi’s
“father, mother, three siblings and his children had sought refuge.”
Al-Sharafi was on
duty elsewhere in Gaza when the bombing occurred.
Also referenced
was the killing on October 25 of the wife, daughter, and grandson of Wael
Dahdouh, Al-Jazeera’s bureau chief for Gaza, after an Israel airstrike hit the
Nuseirat refugee camp.
“.. In Gaza, 63
journalists and media workers (56 Palestinians, 4 Israelis, and 3 Lebanese) have
been killed, with another 11 journalists injured and three missing, according
to the Committee to Protect Journalists,” the FCCJ statement said.
The statement
pointed out that the death toll of the past eight weeks had surpassed the
combined number of 15 journalists killed in 2022 covering Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine and the 30 journalists killed during the height of the Syrian war,
regarded as two of the deadliest recent war zones.
It added a quote
from Sherif Mansour, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ coordinator for the
Middle East and North Africa: “The Israeli army has refused to take any
responsibility for the killings, saying to the international media
organizations that they cannot guarantee the safety of the media or their
employees.”
In conclusion,
the statement from the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan said: “The FCCJ
urges all parties in the Israel-Hamas war to stop targeting journalists and to
respect their work. We call for the Israeli authorities to thoroughly
investigate all the incidents cited in this report.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2424686/world
----
Africa
As bloody
Israel-Gaza war rages, Cape Town Jews and Muslims unite for interfaith peace
12 Dec 2023
Matthew Hirsch
Claremont Main
Road Mosque may seem an unlikely place to host a Hanukkah service, but this is
exactly what happened on Friday evening.
For the eighth
time, South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP) held a “Shabbos against
genocide in Palestine” service. This time it also coincided with the second
night of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Uniquely it was hosted at the
Claremont Mosque.
Over 50 Jews,
Muslims and Christians came together to hold this interfaith service.
The evening
started at about 6:15pm outside the mosque with a Sabbath service that included
songs, prayers and poems. A Hanukkah menorah candle with the word “ceasefire”
on it was lit.
The menorah is
used to hold candles on Hanukkah. The festival lasts eight days. Additional
candles are lit on each night. It commemorates the successful Maccabean Revolt
in Jerusalem against the Seleucid Empire about 2,200 years ago. (Photo: Matthew
Hirsch)
Speeches were
made by Anthony Hodgson of SAJFP, Imam Rashied Omar of the Claremont Mosque,
and Dean Michael Weeder of the Anglican Church.
At about 7:30pm
the group went inside the mosque to host the Muslim Maghrib prayer.
Omar commended
those who had gathered for the service. “It is unique in the world. Many things
are going wrong in our country, but there are precious things like our
interfaith movement that we can offer the world,” he said.
“I don’t think
what you are experiencing here will happen easily anywhere else in the world …
We should not take it for granted. We should cherish it. We should celebrate
it,” Omar said.
Maulana Syed
Aftab Haidar said that to have a Jewish service at a mosque was unique. “I
don’t know anywhere else other than Cape Town where this is possible. It brings
us together.”
Anglican
theologian Michael Worsnip said, “If Jews, Christians and Muslims are not
standing first for humanity before anything else … then their faith is useless.
If we are not standing for humanity, what is the point?”
After the Sabbath
and Hanukkah service, the Muslim sunset prayer Maghrib was held inside the
mosque. (Photo: Matthew Hirsch)
In a statement
prior to the service, the SAJFP said: “We will not allow our Judaism and the
memory of our ancestors to be weaponised for further and interlinked genocidal
projects. Palestine’s freedom requires an end to Zionism. In turn, genuine
safety for Jews is contingent on Palestine’s freedom and equal rights.”
“We aim for our
Shabbos service to be a moment to form community and bonds in a time of deep
fragmentation and division.”
The SAJFP said
there would be another interfaith service in Bo-Kaap on Thursday, the eighth
and final night of Hanukkah. DM
Source: dailymaverick.co
Please click the following URL to read the
full text of the original
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-12-12-as-bloody-israel-gaza-war-rages-cape-town-jews-and-muslims-unite-for-interfaith-peace/
-------
Muslim Community
Demands Justice For Victims Of Kaduna Bombing
AbdullahiEgba
December 13, 2023
The Sultan of
Sokoto and President General of Jama’atuNasrul Islam (JNI), Sa’ad Abubakar has
said the Muslim community will not rest until justice is done for victims of
the accidental drone attack on TudinBirin village of Kaduna State.
Military air
strikes intended to flush out bandits from TudunBiri, Igabi Local Government
Area of Kaduna State, hit the wrong target, killing about 120 people and
injuring scores of others.
The Sultan made
this known during the annual Jama’atuNasril Islam (JNI) Central Council
Conference held in Minna on Monday, adding that the annual meeting could not be
held for the last five years due to insecurity, especially in northern Nigeria.
This meeting
which is an annual gathering of traditional and Islamic leaders in the country,
condemned the bombing by the Army insisting they want justice for the victims
and their families by bringing the perpetrators to book per the constitution.
The minister of
Information and National Orientation, Idris Malagi while speaking at the event
offered an apology to the Muslim community and Nigerians over the incident,
assuring that President Bola Tinubu’s directive for a thorough and full-fledged
investigation into the incident would be done openly and transparently.
Malagi said that the
president had approved the commencement of the FULAKO Initiative, which would
facilitate the building of houses, clinics, schools and veterinary hospitals as
part of the non-kinetic response to problems of banditry and kidnapping in
Northern Nigeria.
The Governor of
Niger State UmaruBago who was represented at the event by his Deputy Yakubu
Garba said Nigerians must rise above religious sentiment to condemn the attack
and charge participants to focus on the ways to achieving universal education
in northern Nigeria in particular.
EtsuNupeYahayaAbubakar
in his welcome speech asked Muslims to seek knowledge of the religion while
appreciating the government of Niger State for supporting the program which is
holding for the first time outside Kaduna State.
The meeting held
for the first time outside Kaduna State, and at the end of a closed-door
session, a communique will be issued to collect resolutions on various national
issues including the 2023 general election, insecurity and socioeconomic
development of the Muslim community.
Source: channelstv.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.channelstv.com/2023/12/13/muslim-community-demands-justice-for-victims-of-kaduna-bombing/
------
Muslim lawyers
drag Mufti of Uganda Mubaje to court over corruption
December 12, 2023
Muslim lawyers
through their association have dragged to the High court the Mufti of Uganda,
Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje over the alleged fraudulent sale of Muslim property.
Mubaje is sued
alongside businessman Justus Kyabahwa. The Uganda Muslim Lawyers Association
(UMLAS) argues that the sale of the two square miles of land in Sembabule
district to Kyabahwa; a transaction that has since gone wrong and threatens the
auctioning of other Muslim properties including the Uganda Muslim Supreme
Council (UMSC) headquarters at Old Kampala was contracted corruptly from the
very start.
In a suit where
UMSC and Hajji RamathanMugalu, the former secretary general of UMSC are also
defendants, implores the court to hold that the transaction involving the sale
of the Sembabule land was meant from the very beginning to defraud UMSC of not
only that property but also others across the country.
“The plaintiff
brings this suit under public interest litigation on behalf of the
wider Ugandan Muslim community whose
constitutional right to
practice their religion with dignity is being jeopardized and infringed upon by
the collaborative fraudulent actions,” the suit reads in part.
It alleges that
Mubaje and Mugalu’s decision to sell the Sembabule land to Kyabahwa constitutes
a blatant violation of their fundamental religious function and duty to the
Muslim community in Uganda. UMLAS lists several declarations that they want the
court to make.
These include
that; Mubaje and Mugalu accepting corrupt inducements from Kyabahwa to execute
a sales agreement on June 24, 2020, in respect to land found on LRV 3693 folio
12 ranch No 31A land at Sembabule district was a blatant breach of trust and
fiduciary duty to the detriment of UMSC and the entire Uganda Muslim community.
UMLAS also wants
the court to declare that the entry into the agreement by Mubaje and Mugalu was
ultra vires and illegal as it contained payment of interest [ribah] which is
prohibited by sharia law which is the foundational instrument governing the
affairs of UMSC. The lawyers also want the court to issue a declaration that
the agreement between UMSC and Kyabahwa was orchestrated through collusion,
connivance, deceit, fraud, and a premeditated and coordinated scheme involving
Mubaje and Mugalu and therefore was tainted with illegalities and was to the
detriment of UMSC and the Muslim community.
On June 24, UMSC
acting through Mugalu, Mubaje, and Abdulkadir Idi Balonde, the former chairperson
who has since died, sold two square miles of land to businessman Justus
Kyabahwa at Shs 3.584 billion. In the agreement that they signed, they agreed
to transfer the ownership of the land to the businessman within 150 days
failure of which they would refund the money at 12 per cent interest per month.
However, the land
already had a 15-year lease with Enterprise Holding Services ending in 2028.
Therefore, UMSC was not only unable to transfer the land but also unable to
refund the money leading to its accumulation to the current Shs 19 billion.
In August, the
High court gave a no-objection order to the attachment of several UMSC
properties to enable Kyabahwa to recover his money. Among the properties
attached includes; land at William Street Kampala, land at Old Kampala plot 23
to 25 comprising the National Mosque, land at Kyanja, one square mile of land
at Bukwe, Hoima, one acre of land located at Lubas road Jinja, plot of land at
Mbale city, shares in Uganda Ranches Limited and Commercial Holding Ltd, two
square miles of land at Migyera in Buluri and plot of land in Entebbe opposite
Victoria Mall.
In their suit,
the lawyers say that even these court cases that resulted in the attachment are
a coordinated and fraudulent litigation scheme orchestrated by Mubaje, Mugalu,
and Kyabahwa to legitimize the fraudulent and illegal transaction supported by
the sale agreement. The lawyers, therefore, seek a declaration that the
agreement is not binding on the UMSC as it is tainted with fraud, corruption,
practices, and illegalities and was never executed by the directors/authorized
officers of UMSC rendering it null and void and therefore unenforceable.
They also want
the court to hold that any liability arising from or loss suffered by any party
due to the land sale agreement should be borne by the three defendants and not
by the Uganda Muslim community.
“At the time of
the impugned agreement, the land was encumbered with the interests of third
parties including but not limited to Enterprise Holding Services Limited whose
interests and encumbrances were duly known and acknowledged by the 2nd
[Mubaje], 3rd [Mugalu] and 4th [Kyabahwa] defendants in the impugned
agreement…The agreement was entered into by the 4th defendant with actual and
or constructive notice that the subject land was encumbered and that the 1st
[UMSC] defendant was the subject of a subsisting suit in Maska High court
circuit and the 4th defendant induced the 2nd and 3rd defendants with
individual corrupt benefits as an investment to offer him a future opportunity
exploit the unconscionable terms in the impugned agreement and strip the 1st
defendant of its valuable properties,” the suit reads in part.
Having known that
the land was encumbered, the suit adds, Mubaje, Mugalu, and Kyabahwa knew too
well that the agreement would be impossible to implement.
“The impugned
agreement was never intended for implementation…given the legal and practical
challenges known to all three parties at the time of its execution. Instead, it
was meticulously calculated, corrupt, fraudulent and illegal scheme…to unjustly
deprive the 1st defendant and consequently the Muslim community of their
rightful properties,” the suit further reads.
It adds that it’s
for this reason that Kyabahwa paid Mubaje and Mugalu bribes and kickbacks to
agree to an agreement that fetches 12 per cent interest per month which
translates to Shs 430 million per month against the Islamic principles barring
against accumulating interest. UMSC is yet to file its response to the suit.
Source: observer.ug
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https://www.observer.ug/news/headlines/80012-muslim-lawyers-drag-mufti-mubaje-to-court-over-corruption
------
Niger: NGOs call
on ECOWAS to let in humanitarian aid
December 13, 2023
On Tuesday,
international NGOs working in Niger called on the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) to ease its sanctions against Niamey to allow emergency
humanitarian aid to enter from neighbouring Benin.
The twenty or so
organisations are calling for the "immediate reopening" of the border
with Benin, which has been blocked because of regional sanctions, to facilitate
the entry of humanitarian aid into Niger, where they say more than 4.3 million
people need urgent assistance.
At the end of a
summit in Abuja on Sunday, ECOWAS maintained the economic and financial
sanctions imposed on Niger after the coup d'état on 26 July, making their
easing conditional on a "short transition" in particular.
"The
international NGOs in Niger have expressed their deep disappointment at the
lack of humanitarian exemptions granted by ECOWAS to the sanctions imposed on
Niger", the organisations, which include Acted, Oxfam, the Norwegian
Refugee Council (NRC) and Médecins du Monde, said in a statement.
"We call for
the immediate opening of the border between Benin and Niger to humanitarian
aid", said the NGOs, who deplored the fact that ECOWAS had "ignored
calls" from the humanitarian community "to ensure that civilians in
Niger have access to vital aid".
"We want to
convince the ECOWAS heads of state to expressly state that there are
humanitarian exemptions to the sanctions", OusmaneDrabo, NRC regional
spokesman, told AFP.
"We have
provided access to medical and humanitarian goods, but the military authorities
are refusing to use it", said the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar
Touray, on Sunday. In their statement, the NGOs said that humanitarian
exemptions would "alleviate the suffering" of more than 4.3 million
Nigeriens "in urgent need of humanitarian aid" and "for whom the
consequences are worsening by the day".
The absence of a
humanitarian exemption "risks seriously compromising access to medical
assistance, food and other essential needs for the most vulnerable populations
in Niger", stressed Mohammed Chikhaoui, humanitarian representative of
these international NGOs operating in Niger.
According to him,
more than 2 million people faced food insecurity between October and December
2023, forcing 15% of the population to move because of a lack of access to food
or assistance.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/12/niger-ngos-call-on-ecowas-to-let-in-humanitarian-aid/
------
Kenya: The
dangerous rise of 'medicalised' genital mutilation
12 Dec 2023
As
EdinahNyasugutaOmwenga fought for her life after developing complications
during childbirth, she overheard doctors in the Kenyan hospital describe her
condition as a textbook example of the damaging -- even deadly -- effects of
genital mutilation.
But unlike
thousands of girls across East Africa, Omwenga underwent female genital
mutilation (FGM) in a hospital, at the hands of a health worker -- part of a
worrying trend keeping the illegal practice alive.
"I was seven
years old... no one told me it would cause so many problems," Omwenga, now
35, recalled.
When Kenya banned
FGM in 2011, few expected that the practice -- traditionally performed in
public with pomp and ceremony -- would migrate to backroom clinics and private
homes, with nurses and pharmacists doing the procedure underground.
Medicalised FGM
-- as it is known -- is defended by practitioners and communities alike as a
"safe" way to preserve the custom, despite risks to the victim's
physical, psychological and sexual health.
According to a
2021 report by UNICEF, medicalised FGM is growing in Egypt, Sudan, Guinea and
Kenya, where it threatens to undo progress made by the East African nation in
stamping out the tradition, which involves the partial or total removal of the
clitoris.
Kenya estimates
that FGM rates fell by more than half "from 38 percent in 1998 to 15
percent in 2022". However, campaigners caution that actual figures are
likely to be higher.
- 'Traditions
defy education' -
In Kisii county,
300 kilometres (180 miles) west of Nairobi, more than 80 percent of FGM
procedures are carried out by health workers, according to government data.
Doris
KemuntoOnsomu spent years administering the cut to schoolgirls in the hilly
region, believing it was a significantly safer alternative to the traditional
procedure she underwent as an adolescent.
"Because I
was aware of the risk of infection, I would use a fresh blade every time,"
she told AFP.
"I thought I
was helping the community." The lucrative gig added 50 percent to her
monthly income as a health worker before she stopped the practice. Demand came
from all quarters, including upper middle-class households.
"Traditions
defy education. It takes a long time to unlearn certain practices," the
67-year-old said.
Tina -- not her
real name -- the daughter of an engineer, was at her grandmother's house in
Kisii when a health worker turned up late at night to perform the procedure on
the eight-year-old and her cousin.
"It felt
like the world was ending, it was very painful," she told AFP, recounting
her confinement on the orders of her grandmother, who told her she had to
remain in seclusion until the wound was healed.
Now a student at
the University of Nairobi, the 20-year-old campaigns against the practice,
reflecting a growing push by FGM survivors to eradicate the custom.
As the youngest
of five sisters raised in Kisii, Rosemary Osano said she "felt
pressure" to go along with tradition when she was cut.
"People feel
like we have adopted Western culture in so many ways... so they want to hold on
to this (practice) as a way of holding on to their culture," the
31-year-old graduate told AFP.
- 'Save me from
FGM' -
The belief also
persists across the diaspora, with families flouting local laws and travelling
to Kenya for the procedure.
In October this
year, a London court convicted a British woman for taking a three-year-old girl
to a Kenyan clinic to undergo medicalised FGM.
"It's done
by the elite, they know it's wrong but they do it to defend their
culture," activist EsnahsNyaramba told AFP.
"They say
that without this (cut) the girl will be a harlot," she added.
President William
Ruto has urged Kenyans to stop practising FGM, but Nyaramba said the
authorities needed to take tougher action against perpetrators, including
health workers and victims' families.
"If you
(throw) a parent... in jail and highlight it, then people will fear it."
But other campaigners caution that a crackdown could drive the practice even
further underground.
Instead,
organisations have chosen to focus on building awareness and persuading
families to opt for alternative rites of passage, combining celebratory
coming-of-age rituals with traditional teachings.
At a recent
ceremony organised by Kenyan non-profit Manga HEART in Kisii, around 100 girls
-- wearing kitenge skirts and aged between seven and 11 years old -- sang songs
and recited rhymes, urging their parents to "save me from FGM".
As the children
received "certificates of achievement", their beaming relatives
applauded and ululated -- the public ceremony reflecting an emerging resolve to
end the dangerous practice. Some of the grandmothers and mothers celebrating
that day knew the stakes all too well.
"I lost a
lot of blood during FGM... but I couldn't stop it from happening," said
Omwenga, the mother-of-three who nearly died during childbirth.
"I am here
today because my girl is not going to go through FGM," she said. "I
don't want my daughters to suffer like me."
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/12/kenya-the-dangerous-rise-of-medicalised-genital-mutilation/
----
Libya sends
illegal migrants home to Egypt and Nigeria
December 13, 2023
TRIPOLI: Libya on
Tuesday repatriated nearly 1,000 migrants from Egypt and Nigeria who had been
staying in the North African country illegally, officials and AFP journalists
said.
The 664 Egyptians
were to be taken by bus to the Emsaed border post with Egypt, nearly 1,400
kilometers (870 miles) east of Tripoli.
General Mohamad Bardaa,
who heads the country’s anti-immigration body affiliated to the interior
ministry, said 300 Nigerians were taken to the airport to be flown home.
Libya, plunged
into chaos with the ouster and killing in 2011 of long-time dictator Muammar
Qaddafi, is now ruled by rival administrations in the west and east and has
become a hub for illegal migration to Europe.
Migrants seeking
to make the perilous sea crossing to Europe from north Africa often fall into
the hands of trafficking gangs that extort them for money.
Thousands of
people, mostly Egyptians, have also lived illegally in and around the Libyan
capital for years, working in agriculture, business and construction.
In similar
operations last month, 600 Egyptians were sent home on November 6 and 250 were
repatriated to Niger and Chad on November 28.
According to
International Organization for Migration figures, there were more than 700,000
migrants — mostly from Niger and Egypt — in Libya between May and June this
year.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2424866/middle-east
-----
Arab World
Saudi FM
highlights Israel’s human rights violations at Geneva event
December 12, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan led the Kingdom’s delegation at an
event commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The high-level
event, which ran from Dec. 11-12 in Geneva, focused on boosting international
cooperation for the protection of human rights amid global challenges,
including wars.
During his
speech, Prince Faisal highlighted that the anniversary of the declaration
coincided with the human rights violations taking place in occupied Palestine.
He emphasized the
critical role of the international community in upholding and advancing human
rights through cooperation in both times of peace and war, as outlined in the
Geneva conventions and their additional protocols, which focus on protecting
civilians.
Prince Faisal
pointed out Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law in Palestine
and expressed the Kingdom’s strong condemnation of these acts. He also
reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights’ call for an immediate cease-fire.
“The bitter
reality in the Gaza Strip will affect international security and the
credibility of United Nations bodies by allowing the selective implementation
of international law,” the foreign minister said.
He underscored
the need to grant Palestinians their rights to a dignified life, security,
essential needs and self-determination.
Prince Faisal
reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to advocating for an immediate cease-fire,
ensuring safe aid delivery to Gaza, releasing Palestinian prisoners, and
forging a path toward a just and enduring peace.
Discussions at
the event also centered on the importance of upholding and promoting respect
for social, cultural, economic, civil and political rights and implementing
measures to safeguard them.
Prince Faisal
also led a delegation from the ministerial committee formed by the
extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit, which held multiple meetings in
Geneva.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the
full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2424651/saudi-arabia
------
Saudi Arabia, UK
defense ministers discuss cooperation
December 13, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi
Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman received a phone call on
Tuesday from his British counterpart Grant Shapps, the Saudi Press Agency
reported.
During the call,
the ministers reviewed relations between their countries.
They also
discussed regional and international developments, and ways to reduce
escalating tensions between nations.
Source:
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2424961/saudi-arabia
----
Saudi Fund for
Development chief meets Canadian officials
December 12, 2023
RIYADH: CEO of
the Saudi Fund for Development Sultan Al-Marshad met Canada’s Minister of
International Development Ahmed Hussen and an accompanying delegation, as well
as the Canadian ambassador to the Kingdom, Jean-Philippe Linteau, on Tuesday.
During the
meeting, the officials reviewed the Saudi fund’s development projects around
the world, as well as opportunities for future development cooperation between
both parties.
The visit
included a tour of the fund’s exhibition, which showcased its many initiatives
in developing nations, as well as the influence of these projects on the
progress and prosperity of the recipients’ lives.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2424771/saudi-arabia
------
Saudi Islamic
Ministry to hold exhibition in Morocco
December 12, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi
Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, in cooperation with
the Moroccan Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, will hold the Jusoor
(Bridges) Exhibition in Casablanca from Dec. 13-31.
The event’s
pavilions will highlight the strong relations between Saudi Arabia and Morocco,
and the two countries’ care for Muslims around the world.
Rare Islamic
manuscripts and literature will also be on display, as well as photos and
documentaries about Makkah and Madinah, and images of historic mosques.
Visitors will be
able to virtually visit the Grand Mosque in Makkah using VR technology.
The exhibition
will open to visitors daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Last month, the
Saudi ministry concluded the Jusoor Exhibition at Skanderbeg Square in Tirana,
Albania. The event ran for 13 days and attracted more than 70,000 visitors.
About 10,000
copies of the Holy Qur’an were distributed to visitors, along with Albanian and
Macedonian language translations.
Attendees were
provided with information about the Kingdom’s initiatives in serving the Two
Holy Mosques, as well as its efforts in facilitating Hajj and Umrah for
pilgrims.
Visitors learned
about the Kingdom’s commitment to serving Islam and Muslims, and caring for the
Mus’haf through the King Fahd Glorious Qur’an Printing Complex.
The exhibition
showcased the ministry’s mobile apps, such as Correct Quotation and Rushd.
Visitors explored informative corners that displayed old manuscripts, Saudi
coffee, Arabic calligraphy and traditional Saudi clothing.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2424571/saudi-arabia
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King appoints
Prince Salman bin Sultan emir of Madinah and Prince Faisal bin Salman his
special advisor
December 12, 2023
RIYADH —
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has appointed Prince Salman bin
Sultan as new emir of the Madinah region at the rank of minister. In a series
of royal decrees issued on Tuesday, the King appointed Prince Faisal bin
Salman, emir of Madinah, as special advisor to Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques at the rank of minister and five new deputy emirs of various regions.
Prince Faisal bin
Salman was also appointed chairman of the Board of Directors of the King
Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah), and this was on the
basis of the recommendation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin
Salman. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince issued an order appointing Prince Faisal
bin Salman as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the King Fahd National
Library.
As per the royal
decrees, Deputy Emir of Makkah Prince Badr bin Sultan is relieved of his
position and replaced by Prince Saud bin Mishaal. Prince Saud bin Bandar has
been appointed new deputy emir of the Eastern Province, replacing Prince Ahmed
bin Fahd bin Salman.
The royal decrees
also included the appointment of Prince Khalid bin Saud bin Abdullah as deputy
emir of the Tabuk region, Prince Miteb bin Mishaal, deputy emir of Al-Jouf, and
Prince Khaled bin Sattam deputy emir of Asir. Prince Mansour bin Muhammad,
governor of Hafar Al-Batin, is relieved of his position, and replaced by Prince
Abdulrahman bin Abdullah.
The King has also
made the following appointments: Dr. Hisham bin Abdulrahman, assistant minister
of interior; Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed, deputy minister of interior; Khaled bin
Farid, advisor to the Royal Court; Eng. Khalil bin Ibrahim, deputy minister of
industry and mineral resources for industrial affairs; Dr. Abdullah
Al-Maghlouth, assistant minister of media; Musaed bin Abdulaziz, mayor of
Makkah; Eng. Abdullah bin Mahdi, mayor of the Asir region; Dr. Yousef bin
Sayyah, deputy chief of General Intelligence for intelligence affairs, and
Zuhair Al-Zuman, assistant president of the Human Rights Commission.
The King has
directed the competent authorities to approve and implement his orders.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
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https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/638629/SAUDI-ARABIA/King-appoints-Prince-Salman-bin-Sultan-emir-of-Madinah-and-Prince-Faisal-bin-Salman-his-special-advisor
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islamist-militants-pakistani-army-afghanistan/d/131308