Kerala CM Slams 'The Kerala Story' For Raising Love Jihad Issue through Sangh Parivar Propaganda
New
Age Islam News Bureau
01
May 2023
Adah Sharma
in a poster of The Kerala Story
-----
India
• Karnataka Polls: After Mosques, Candidates Throng
Churches to Woo Voters
• Muslims Lagging Behind On Most Socio-Economic
Parameters in Delhi: Report
• BJP Bets Big On Muslims in Aligarh, Fields 19
Contenders
--------
South Asia
• UN Hosting Meeting of Special Envoys from Several
Countries on Afghanistan in Qatar Today
• Afghanistan’s central bank sells USD 14 million to
keep local currency stable
• Afghanistan Is Transit Route for Exporting
Turkmenistan’s Gas to Pakistan
• General Elections Provide Solution to the Current
Afghan Crisis: NRC
• Deputy PM Mawlavi Kabir meets scholars, elders of
Paktia
• Bangladesh Dance Troupes, Artists Celebrate Int'l
Dance Day
--------
Mideast
• Iranian President,Ebrahim Raisi,Goes To Syria To
‘Celebrate Victory’ – Officials
• Turkey's Intelligence Forces Eliminate Islamic State
Leader in Syria, Erdogan Announces
• Wars, Pious Muslim and Football: Five Faces of Turkish
President Erdogan
• Islamic extremists in Malta charged with terrorism
related acts
• Dozens of Israeli Settlers Invade Courtyards of
Al-Aqsa Mosque
• Dukhan Bank named ‘World’s Best Islamic Private Bank’
--------
North
America
• Pope Says Vatican Involved In Secret Ukraine Peace
Mission
• Paramus Declaration as an Islamophobia-Free Zone Just
Ahead of State Declaration of January as Muslim Heritage Month
• CAIR-MN Welcomes Arrest of Suspect in Two Minneapolis
Mosque Arson Attacks
• Canadian Muslim Organization Condemns 'Violent Arrest'
of Black Man by Edmonton Police
--------
Southeast
Asia
• Johor Islamic Dept, police to investigate ‘missing’
gravestones at Pandan cemetery
• Najib's application not discussed at Pardons Board
meeting on Friday
• PM Anwar: Changlun Mosque project in Kedah to continue
with additional allocation of RM3.07m
--------
Europe
• Brits Urged To Swear Oath to Their King for First Time
• Hungary issues NATO rebuke to Zelensky
• UN sends emergency envoy to Sudan
• Blackburn community mosque toilet block gets backdated
approval
--------
New Zealand
• King Charles' Coronation: Mosque Attack Hero Surprised
To Be On Invitation List
--------
Pakistan
• In A First, Islamabad Mosque Sets Up Free-Of-Charge
Marriage Hall for Needy Families
• Pakistan walking diplomatic tightrope between US,
rivals
• ECP official to move Supreme Judicial Council against
CEC
• No evidence of terrorism in Swat blasts: report
• Discussion between PM, junior minister leaked:
Pakistan can’t afford middle ground between US, China, says Khar
• Pakistan minister warned against sacrificing
partnership with China for US: Report
• Rulers term PTI chief’s demands ‘impractical’
---------
Arab World
• Saudi Foreign Minister Reiterates Call for
De-Escalation during Meeting with Sudan Envoy
• Japan Certified To Export Halal Kobe Beef to Saudi
Arabia
• King Faisal University shortlisted for world
sustainability award for third time
• Masam project clears 836 Houthi mines in Yemen
• Saudi commission discusses developing design sector
• Saudi shield initiative to train 3,000 mentors in drug
prevention
• Indian minister’s Saudi visit to boost strategic
partnership
--------
Africa
• Togo President Faure GnassingbeSays 140 People Killed
In Jihadist 'War'
• Port Sudan the exit point for some foreign nationals
• 51 South Africans evacuated from Sudan return home
• Sudan's former PM warns the country staring at worst
civil war
--------
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/kerala-love-jihad-sangh/d/129680
Kerala CM Slams
'The Kerala Story' For Raising Love Jihad Issue through Sangh Parivar
Propaganda
Adah Sharma
in a poster of The Kerala Story
-----
30.04.23
Kerala Chief
Minister PinarayiVijayan on Sunday slammed the makers of 'The Kerala Story'
film, saying they were taking up the Sangh Parivar propaganda of projecting the
state as a centre of religious extremism by raising the issue of 'love jihad'
-- a concept rejected by the courts, probe agencies and even the Union Home
Ministry. Vijayan said that the trailer of the Hindi film, at first glance,
appears to be "deliberately produced" with the alleged aim of
creating communal polarisation and spreading hate propaganda against the state.
He said that
despite the issue of 'love jihad' being rejected by probe agencies, courts and
the MHA, it was being raised in connection with Kerala as the main premise of
the film only to humiliate the state in front of the world.
The CM, in a
statement, said that such propaganda films and the alienation of Muslims
depicted in them should be viewed in the context of Sangh Parivar's efforts to
gain political advantage in Kerala.
He also accused
the Sangh Parivar of trying to destroy the religious harmony in the state by
"sowing the poisonous seeds of communalism".
Vijayan alleged
that since the Sangh Parivar's politics of division was not working in Kerala,
as it did in other places, it was trying to spread it through a film based on
"fake stories", unsupported by any fact or evidence.
"In the
trailer of the movie, we see a hoax that 32,000 women in Kerala were converted
and became members of the Islamic State. This bogus story is a product of the
Sangh Parivar's lie factory," the CM contended in his statement.
He said that
freedom of expression cannot be a justification for using cinema to spread
sectarianism in the state and create divisions.
"It is not
a licence to spread lies and communalism and divide the people in the
state," he added.
Viayan urged
Malayalis to reject such moves and be vigilant against the attempts to spread
communal unrest in the society through false propaganda.
He also warned
of legal action against anti-social activities.
A couple of
days ago, both the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala and the opposition Congress hit out
at the controversial upcoming movie 'The Kerala Story', saying freedom of
expression was not a licence to spew venom in society, and the film was an
attempt to destroy the communal harmony of the state.
The Congress
urged the government not to give permission to screen the controversial movie
as it aimed to create "communal divisions in society through false
claims".
The Democratic
Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the ruling CPI(M), had also
lashed out against the film and said its trailer itself hurt religious
sentiments and sought stern action against it.
'The Kerala
Story', starring Adah Sharma, is set to be released in cinemas on May 5.
The Kerala
Story', written and directed by SudiptoSen, is portrayed as
"unearthing" the events behind "approximately 32,000 women"
allegedly going missing in the southern state. The film falsely claims they
converted, got radicalised and were deployed in terror missions in India and
the world.
The film's
writer-director SudiptoSen's earlier movies are 'Aasma', 'Lucknow Times' and
'The Last Monk.' 'The Kerala Story' is backed by Sunshine Pictures Private
Limited, founded by VipulAmrutlal Shah, who serves as the producer, creative
director and co-writer on the film.
Except for the
headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has
been published from a syndicated feed.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/kerala-chief-minister-pinarayi-vijayan-slams-makers-of-the-kerala-story-for-raising-love-jihad-issue-through-sangh-parivar-propaganda/cid/1933463
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Bangladesh Journalists
Living in Fear after PM’s ‘Enemy of the People’ Remark
Protesters
take to the streets of the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, to challenge the Digital
Security Act. Photograph: Abu Sufian Jewel/Zuma Press Wire/Rex/Shutterstock
-----
Kaamil Ahmed
Mon 1 May 2023
Four weeks ago,
a reporter in Bangladesh was hauled from his office, badly beaten - and then
thrown from the roof of his building, leaving him with fractures in his back,
three broken ribs and a machete wound on his head.
The journalist,
Ayub Meahzi, believes he was targeted for reporting on alleged local government
ties to a criminal group. The attack in Chattogram, south-east Bangladesh, has
compounded fears of a deterioration in press freedom in the country, which
languishes near the bottom of a global press freedom index due to be updated
later this week by the group Reporters Sans Frontières.
In late March,
Bangladesh police arrested a journalist working for the country’s largest
newspaper, Prothom Alo, for a seemingly innocuous report that went viral, on
the subject of high food prices and living costs. The reporter, Shamsuzzaman
Shams, has been charged with producing “false news” and the newspaper labelled
an “enemy of the people” by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.
Journalists and
press freedom groups say the country has suffered since the 2018 introduction
of the Digital Security Act (DSA), a cybercrimes law the government says is
aimed at stopping propaganda and extremist material online but which has led to
dozens of arrests, as well as intimidation and violence against journalists.
A Bangladeshi
journalist working for an online news publication said the law’s vague wording
has made reporters and their editors extremely cautious about the stories they
write. “Ever since the DSA, we were cautious to not put ourselves into jail
because it was easy … it is an absolute fear,” the journalist said.
Media workers
say they have avoided critical stories on the ruling party or its projects, but
the attack on Prothom Alo, which involved protests and intimidation by
supporters of the ruling Awami League party, has emphasised how journalists can
face repercussions for a range of issues, including damaging the “national
image” or upsetting a minister or official.
“Reporting on
issues like a price hike seemed harmless. But after the arrest of Shams, it
seems obvious we can’t report on these seemingly innocuous issues as well,” the
journalist, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
They added that
it was not only fear of facing a lawsuit under the DSA, but also the threats
and intimidation journalists and their families face. “It’s a way of creating
panic among journalists. These police arrests happen mostly in the middle of
the night, and in some cases they [the journalists] are taken for a few days,
and no one knows where you are.”
In 2021, the
writer Mushtaq Ahmed died in custody after suddenly falling ill, nine months
after being detained for social media posts criticising the government’s
response to the Covid pandemic. Cartoonist Kabir Kishore, who was arrested
alongside Ahmed, said he himself was tortured and that Ahmed had spoken about
receiving electric shocks.
According to
the Digital Security Act Tracker, run by the Centre for Governance Studies in
Bangladesh, there have been more than 600 cases filed against journalists using
the law. Almost half of all cases filed under the law between October 2018 and
August 2022 were by people affiliated with a political party or government
officials.
“We didn’t know
which pieces could land us in trouble. We didn’t have a clear picture of what
might happen to us or our contributors, so we tended to exercise random,
arbitrary judgment on which stories to run,” recalled Nazmul Ahasan, who worked
on the opinions team at English-language newspaper the Daily Star.
“There were
very ordinary pieces we declined to publish … you have to think twice before
publishing a story on a mid-level police officer or ruling party member of
parliament,” said Ahasan.
Ahasan, now
living in the US, says this has left many journalists considering their
futures, with some looking to move abroad and others hoping that a change,
perhaps through elections, could ease pressure on them. In the meantime, they
avoid covering sensitive topics and tone down the language they use in
reporting.
Ali Riaz, a
professor of politics at Illinois State University, said the DSA “put serious
constraints” on journalists. “They’re exercising what is described as
self-censorship but it’s not self-censorship – it’s creating an environment of
fear, and they have to comply.”
Riaz said many
publications are owned by business-owners affiliated with the ruling party or
who fear damage to their interests if they upset the wrong people. He said the
country as a whole is suffering because journalists are scared of doing
investigative work on issues such as corruption.
“Journalists no
longer think: ‘This is something happening in front of me, whatever it takes
I’ll find out who’s behind it.’ No, they think: ‘What’s the minimum I can write
and stay alive?’”
Source: theguardian.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/may/01/bangladesh-journalists-living-in-fear-after-pms-enemy-of-the-people-remark
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High-Ranking
Clerics and Friday Prayers Imams in Iran Demand an End to Economic Crisis
Hassan
Aboutorabi-Fard delivering sermons during the Friday Prayers of Tehran on April
28, 2023
------
01-05-23
With no
prospect of controlling Iran’s economic crisis, even high-ranking clerics
representing Supreme the Leader have begun speaking out and demanding solutions.
Friday Prayers
Imams in some major cities expressed their unhappiness over the government's
performance, similar to criticism by many conservatives who backed President
Ebrahim Raisi’s election less than two years ago.
HashemHosseiniBushehri,
the Friday Prayers Imam of Qom, the venue of the country's most important
seminary said in his sermon on Friday: "State officials spend most of
their time in meetings with unknown results." He suggested that
"Decisions made in those meetings should be followed up seriously by
executive officials."
Referring to
the declining value of Iran’s currency, he said, "The government's
monetary policies should not change constantly. Some investors say they cannot
count on the government's monetary regulations even for one day as things might
change."
Bushehri also
echoed Ali Khamenei’s recent remarks criticizing discord among the executive,
legislative and judiciary bodies.
Friday Prayer
Imams are appointees of the Supreme Leader and often reinforce his messages.
Their demand for economic improvement can be seen as a sign that Khamenei’s
patience is running out, as high inflation can trigger more protests.
Without
mentioning the ongoing strikes and protests in the country's industrial
centers, Bushehri called on the government on the occasion of Labor Day to find
legal ways to help Iranian workers.
While inflation
has topped 50 percent and the rial has halved in value, workers’ monthly
salaries hover around $120-150. In the past ten days workers at more than 100
companies and plants went on strike.
Bushehri also
called for "a competitive parliamentary election, so that the enemies will
not be able to talk sarcastically about low turnout in Iranian elections."
The temporary
Friday Prayers Imam of Mashhad, another religious city in Iran, Mohammad
BagherFarzaneh, who was standing in for the firebrand cleric Ahmad Alamolhoda
criticized the government for the worsening situation and said: "Economic
problems cannot be concealed."
He said more
than 51 percent of Iranians in big cities do not own a home and inflation has
impoverished ordinary people.
However, also
echoing Khamenei he said that the "economic problems can be solved if
officials stand united, obey the Supreme Leader and have sympathy for each
other." He added that it was a shame that 43 years after the Islamic
revolution, the country's leader has to point out discords among the heads of
the three powers of the government.
Recently,
GhasemSaedi, a senior lawmaker from Khouzestan Province had said that "The
government has ruined the country's economic security," and warned the
government that it cannot protect its credibility by chanting meaningless
slogans.
In another part
of his sermons, Farzaneh said: "Today, no one can claim that the United
States does not have any infiltrators in Iran." He said that infiltrators
are the main element behind the discord among the country's officials, without
saying which high-ranking official in the government is a US infiltrator.
Meanwhile, the
Friday Prayer Imam of Tehran, Hassan Aboutorabi-Fard, the only Imam with some
executive experience under former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, also
criticized the government for making economic decisions without thinking about
the consequences and without considering the financial resources needed for implementing
those decisions.
Aboutorabi-Fard
warned the country's "rulers and managers" that their performance
will inevitably affect all aspects of people’s life.
However, it was
interesting that he also warned the government that measures to enforce hijab
should be taken in a way to boost national unity rather than creating discord
among the people and the government.
In recent
weeks, as more women have defied the regime’s dress code and appear in public
without a veil, hardliners in the government have been pushing for more
enforcement measures.
Already, harsh
policies against women triggered major nationwide protests leading to more than
500 deaths.
Source: iranintl.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202304308742
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“We Are Many – United against Hate” Wisconsin Muslim Project Connecting Muslims and Non-Muslims to Combat Racism
“We Are Many
– United against Hate” Wisconsin Muslim Project
------
Apr. 30, 2023
MADISON, Wis.
(WMTV) - A new project offers people a glimpse into the lives of Muslim Wisconsinites.
The Wisconsin
Muslim Project, which launched Saturday, encompasses a traveling photography
show and a PBS Wisconsin special meant to build bridges between Muslims and
non-Muslims in Wisconsin.
Nonprofit “We
Are Many – United against Hate” President and Founder Masood Akhtar says fear
and misunderstandings fuel hate and racism, which the project is working to
combat.
“Generally
speaking, some people have misconceptions about Islam and Muslim, so this whole
thing is designed to change it,” Akhtar said. “Whether there are portraits we
are trying to do, engagement that we’re talking about, or doing whatever is
necessary.”
The exhibition
focuses on 16 Muslim Wisconsinites and their families, telling their stories to
connect communities.
Source: nbc15.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.nbc15.com/2023/04/30/wisconsin-muslim-project-connecting-muslims-non-muslims/
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Malaysia Ranks
Highest Among Asean Countries In RSF's Latest World Press Freedom Index
Journalists
in Kuala Lumpur read newspapers with reports about the local killing of a North
Korean man believed to be Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korean
dictator Kim Jong Un, Feb. 17, 2017.
------
Monday, 01 May
2023
PETALING JAYA:
Malaysia jumped six places to 113 in the World Press Freedom Index 2022, which
was recently released by the non-profit group Reporters Without Borders.
Malaysia's
position at 113 out of 180 countries is up six places from the previous year
and is the highest among Asean countries, ahead of Thailand (115), Indonesia
(117), Singapore (139), Cambodia (142), Brunei (144), Philippines (147), Laos
(161), Vietnam (174) and Myanmar (176).
Earlier,
national journalism laureate Tan Sri Johan Jaafar was reported to have said
media freedom in the country had taken a massive leap after the 14th General
Election (GE14) in 2018.
"We have
to understand that there is no absolute freedom in the media world, or anywhere
else. But overall, there is a very good change after 2018, there is encouraging
freedom in terms of the media," he told national news agency Bernama.
According to
him, freedom of the media begins with the commitment of the government for the
media to perform its role as the fourth estate after the executive, legislature
and judiciary.
The veteran
journalist also said media agencies should not be deemed as opposing the
government when they publish articles that are critical of the policies or
actions taken by the government.
Meanwhile,
Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil was reported to have said that
media freedom was one of the commitments of the unity government led by Datuk
Seri Anwar Ibrahim in ensuring there was an effective check and balance process
of the administration.
National
Journalists Day (Hawana) celebrations which will be held in Ipoh, Perak, from
May 27 to 29 this year carry the theme "Media BebasdanSelamat,
TunjangDemokrasi (Free and Secure Media, A Pillar of Democracy)" to
re-emphasise the issues of media freedom and the safety of journalists in
carrying out their duties.
Source: thestar.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/05/01/malaysia-ranks-highest-among-asean-countries-in-rsf039s-latest-world-press-freedom-index
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India
Karnataka
polls: After mosques, candidates throng churches to woo voters
01st May 2023
By Mohammed YacoobExpress
News Service
BENGALURU: After making the rounds of mosques on
Friday, candidates of various parties lined up before churches in their
respective Assembly constituencies to woo voters. Jayanagar BJP candidate C K Ramamurthy met
Christian voters at a church in his constituency and appealed to them to
support him with their votes on May 10, the day of polling.
Similarly, CV
Raman Nagar Congress candidate Anand Kumar S, while campaigning at New
Baiyappanahalli on Old Madras, met people of the Christian Tamil community,
seeking their backing in the hustings.
In
Sarvagnanagar, Congress candidate and former minister KJ George attended Sunday
Mass with his wife and sought blessing
from the priest. He also appealed to his community members to back him
in the elections.
Govindrajnagar
candidate Priya Krishna met Christian community members at a church in the
constituency. He interacted with people and said all their issues will be
addressed once the Congress government comes back to power in Karnataka.
Shantinagar MLA
MA Harris, who has a good equation with the Christian community, met members of
St Patrick’s Church, Sacred Heart Church, All Saints Church and Infant Jesus
Church in his assembly constituency. He said he had also meet people from the
Hindu community at Sai Baba Temple on Thursday.
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2023/may/01/karnataka-polls-after-mosques-candidates-throng-churches-to-woo-voters-2570904.html
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Muslims Lagging
Behind On Most Socio-Economic Parameters in Delhi: Report
May 01, 2023
Ziya Us Salam
Muslims are
lagging behind their contemporaries on most socio-economic parameters in Delhi.
The Aam Aadmi Party’s much-talked about improvement in schools has failed to
reach the Muslim majority areas of the national capital. The community suffers
from one of the highest unemployment and maternal mortality rates and limited
political representation.
According to the
findings of the Delhi-based Institute of Policy Studies and Advocacy (IPSA) and
the Indian Muslim Intellectuals Forum (IMIF), “the distribution of government
educational institutions in the Muslim pockets has not improved even under the
present government as noted from the fact that there are an average of four
schools per ward run by the State government and the MCD in the Muslim
concentration wards as compared 10 in all wards.”‘
‘No promising
status’
The research
report, ‘Muslims of Delhi: A Study on their Socio-Economic and Political
Status’, which was released in New Delhi on Sunday, claimed “the educational
performance of Delhi’s Muslims does not reveal any promising status in the
midst of the hype of special achievements of the State’s educational department,
though their literacy rate is somewhat better than in many other States. There
is a big gender gap between Muslim males (15%) and females (30%) in terms of
illiterates, contrary to the lower national average”. In other words, the
percentage of illiterate Muslim women is a cause for grave concern amid all the
talk of “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao”.
The study
underlined that the fiscal share in the overall State budget for the
development of SC/ST/OBC/Minorities’ department, that directly takes care of
83% population of the NCT of Delhi, including Muslims, has come down from 0.98%
in 2013-14 to almost 0.60% since 2015, though the actual amount has partially
increased over the years along with the overall State budget.
Increase in MMR
Like education,
the Muslims seem to be lagging behind on health indices also. The Mother
Mortality Rate (MMR) in Delhi, despite tall claims of improvement in healthcare
system and proliferation of mohalla clinics, has increased from 37 in 2015 to
54 in 2020. The community’s women must be worst sufferer of the situation as
Non-Institutional Delivery is the highest for them (13.7%) as compared to
others at 8.2%.
In terms of
living conditions, the report underlies that only 69.70% Muslims avail of piped
drinking water. It is significantly lower than the 76.3% of Delhi’s overall
residents.
The report
revealed too that autonomous agencies such as Delhi Minorities Commission,
Delhi Waqf Board, Urdu Academy, etc are not functioning at their optimal level.
It attributed their community’s dismal showing to the absence of Muslim
representation at various levels of government.
“The number of
Muslim MLAs in Delhi remains static at around 5.5% while the Muslim population
is three times the number. The representation in the MCD is even lesser,” the
report stated. Most political parties seem averse to giving tickets to Muslim
candidates to contest elections from seats with a non-Muslim majority.
Source: thehindu.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/delhi-muslims-la
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BJP bets big on
Muslims in Aligarh, fields 19 contenders
April 30, 2023
THE BJP in
Aligarh has fielded 19 Muslim candidates – the most in the state – for the
coming urban local body polls. The party will be fielding around 350 Muslim
contenders across the state.
The polls will
be held on May 4 and 11 for a total of 760 urban local bodies for 14,684 posts
which include 17 mayoral ,199 for municipal council chairpersons and 544
nagarpanchayat chiefs and the counting will be held on May 13.
In Aligarh, the
BJP is banking on Muslim candidates contesting on the party symbol to pave the
way for the party’s new strategy in achieving ‘Mission 80’ in UP in the 2024 LS
polls.
The BJP has
allotted the party symbol to four Muslim candidates in Varanasi, the
constituency represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also, there are faces
from the community who, for the first time, are contesting on the lotus symbol
in Prayagraj, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s bastion Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Agra,
Firozabad and Mathura municipal corporations.
The BJP
candidates will be contesting for the post of the chairman in Nagar Palika
(municipality) Firozabad, Rampur, Tanda, Afzalgarh and Amroha municipal
councils. Zahida Begum from Zakir Nagar ward, Noor Bano from the Mualana Azad
Nagar,Mohammed Anwar from TantanPada ward etc are among the 19 Muslim
candidates who will be contesting on the lotus symbol for the Aligarh Municipal
Corporation in the polls.
“Our motto is ‘Sabka
saath, sabkavikas’ and we have never discriminated on caste and communal lines
while for the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party , Muslims are only a
vote bank. We want adequate representation from the minority community in power
to ensure development for all, without bias,” said Vineet Sharda, the BJP’s
trade cell chief in Meerut.
Countering the
BJP’s logic for “providing a platform for a share in power” to Muslim
candidates, Rajpal Singh, former chief of the Samajwadi Party’s Meerut unit, said,”
This is the latest gimmick from a party that never fulfilled its promises.
The BJP is a
party that engineers riots, sow seeds of communal disharmony for political
gains. They operate only for apnavikas (self development).”
That Aligarh
would be a test case for BJP’s latest strategy in preparing the ground for the
coming Lok Sabha polls was evident when former vice chancellor of Aligarh
Muslim University, Tariq Mansoor was picked by the party as a nominee for the
UP Legislative Council.
The BJP is eyeing
the marginalised Muslim community members, such as Pasmandas, to make inroads
into the vote banks of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Chief Minister
Yogi Adityanath has been emphasising on “triple engine government” in all the
public meetings he has addressed so far after beginning the BJP’s campaign for
the urban local body polls.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/bjp-bets-big-on-muslims-in-aligarh-fields-19-contenders-8583428/
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South Asia
UN Hosting
Meeting of Special Envoys From Several Countries on Afghanistan in Qatar Today
By
Fidel Rahmati
May 1, 2023
The United Nations is hosting a meeting of
special envoys from several countries on Afghanistan in Qatar on Monday to
discuss key issues, including human rights, particularly women’s rights,
inclusive governance, countering terrorism and drug trafficking.
“The meeting is
intended to achieve a common understanding within the international community
on how to engage with the Taliban on these issues,” the UN said in a statement
issued on Sunday.
UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will facilitate the two-day gathering. It
will focus on several other issues of mutual interest, including drug
trafficking and human rights, particularly those of women and girls.
The Taliban
returned to power in August 2021 and have restricted Afghan women and girls
from participating in most public and daily life areas.
Women nationals
have also been barred from working with the UN in a country where nearly 29
million people depend on humanitarian assistance.
Last week, the
UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution denouncing the decision,
stating that it violates human rights and humanitarian principles.
The 15-member
body called for the “full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women
and girls in Afghanistan.”
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/un-hosting-meeting-of-special-envoys-from-several-countries-on-afghanistan-in-qatar-today/
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Afghanistan’s
central bank sells USD 14 million to keep local currency stable
30th April 2023
Kabul:
Afghanistan’s central bank Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) sold $14 million by
auction on Sunday to stabilise the exchange rate of the national currency
afghani, the bank said in a statement released here on Sunday.
The local
currency afghani has been tumbling against foreign currencies, especially the
US dollar, over the past couple of months. The exchange rate of 1 US dollar
increased from last week’s 86 afghani to 87.15 afghani on Sunday, Xinhua news
agency reported.
Afghanistan’s
central bank has injected millions of US dollars into the country’s
money-exchange market over the past month to prevent the fall of the afghani
against foreign currencies.
Afghanistan has
received more than 2 billion dollars in cash over the past 18 months as part of
the international community’s humanitarian aid to prevent the economic collapse
of the cash-strapped country.
Source: siasat.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.siasat.com/afghanistans-central-bank-sells-usd-14-million-to-keep-local-currency-stable-2579462/
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Afghanistan Is
Transit Route For Exporting Turkmenistan’s Gas to Pakistan
By
Fidel Rahmati
May 1, 2023
Mohammad Yunus Mohmand, the head of the
country’s Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said the gas transfer from
Turkmenistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan is a crucial milestone in economic
development.
Previously,
Turkmenistan’s gas was transferred to Pakistan via Iran; however, since the
arrival of the de facto administration, now transferring cargo is saved via
Afghanistan to South Asia, he said.
“This year, our
exports are approximately $1,868 million, which shows a significant increase. I
sincerely thank the Supreme leader of the Taliban, HebatullahAkhundzadah, who
made the environment favourable for all businessmen and investors and
considered them the economic army of Afghanistan,” he added.
According to
officials, the initial shipment included 50 Gas tankers that entered Pakistan
through Kandahar’s Spin Boldak port.
Geographically
Afghanistan is connecting Central Asia and South Asia, which can play a
significant role in regional connectivity, and the transfer of goods and
products has the potential to improve the country’s economy.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-is-transit-route-for-exporting-turkmenistans-gas-to-pakistan/
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General
Elections Provide Solution to the Current Afghan Crisis: NRC
By
Nizamuddin
Rezahi
April 30, 2023
The grand council comprises renowned former
Afghan politicians currently in exile, including former vice president Yunus
Qanouni, former Balkh governor Ata Mohammad Noor, and Mohammad Mohaqeq and
others, who formed the union after the overthrow of the previous government of
Afghanistan.
In the
announcement published by the council, it is stated that underestimating the
massive crisis in Afghanistan does not help the Afghan people escape the
current violent situation, but requires significant changes.
The National Resistance
Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan prior to the Doha meeting to be
chaired by the United Nations Secretary-General on Monday, May 1st, in an
announcement said that the way forward to reach a comprehensive solution is not
to ignore the Afghan crisis and recognize the Taliban regime as the legitimate
rulers of Afghanistan.
The two-day
meeting to be chaired by António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General will be
held in the capital city of Doha, where representatives from around the world
will participate to discuss Afghanistan.
This meeting
has received the attention of the media and people’s criticism from various
aspects due to the statements of Amina Jane Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary
General of the United Nations, which she made about two weeks ago at Princeton
University.
Ms. Mohammad
highlighted that pathways to the legitimacy of the Taliban-run administration
will be discussed in the upcoming meeting. Her remarks raised speculations that
the UN is trying to convince the international community to recognize
Afghanistan’s de facto regime formally.
Source: khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/general-elections-provide-solution-to-the-current-afghan-crisis-nrc/
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Deputy PM
Mawlavi Kabir meets scholars, elders of Paktia
May 1, 2023
KABUL: Deputy
Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate for Political Affairs Mawlavi Abdul Kabir
met with a number of scholars, youths and influential figures of Paktia
province, the Prime Minister’s office said in a statement Sunday. In the
meeting, the elders and youths called the Islamic system in the interest of
Afghans and assured of their full support to the Islamic Emirate as well as
assured of any necessary cooperation with the current system, said the
statement. Also, they shared problems and suggestions relating to the province
with the Deputy Prime Minister, said the statement. Meanwhile, the Deputy Prime
Minister appreciated their sacrifices and efforts for supporting the Islamic
Emirate and taking a constructive and active part in Jihad and assured that
special attention will be paid to address their challenges, the statement
added. “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) is a common home for all
Afghans and all officials are ready to honestly serve the war-affected people
and country,” the statement quoted the Deputy Prime Minister as saying. The
Kabul Times
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://thekabultimes.com/deputy-pm-mawlavi-kabir-meets-scholars-elders-of-paktia/
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Bangladesh
dance troupes, artists celebrate Int'l Dance Day
2023-04-30
DHAKA, April 30
(Xinhua) -- International Dance Day was celebrated Saturday in Bangladesh to
promote art and culture and raise awareness among the public regarding the art
of dance.
Dance troupes
and artists celebrated the day by participating in different programs held
across the South Asian country.
The main
program to mark the day, held at the National Theater Hall of Bangladesh
Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka, the national fine and performing arts academy,
featured a procession, a seminar, a discussion session, an awards ceremony and
a dance show.
International
Dance Day was initiated by the Dance Committee of the International Theater
Institute in 1982. ■
Dancers perform
during a ceremony marking the International Dance Day in Dhaka, capital of
Bangladesh, on April 29, 2023. The International Dance Day was celebrated
Saturday in Bangladesh. (Xinhua)
Source: english.news.cn
Please
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https://english.news.cn/20230430/724f9c052dd048cab64c4ddf07b11b1e/c.html
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Mideast
Iranian
President,Ebrahim Raisi,Goes To Syria To ‘Celebrate Victory’ – Officials
1 May, 2023
Ebrahim Raisi
will become the first Iranian president to visit Syria in over a decade when he
travels to Damascus this week for talks that Tehran’s ambassador to Damascus
has touted as a “turning point” in regional relations.
The two-day
trip to Damascus will foster closer ties between embattled nations that oppose
Western world dominance, Ambassador Hossein Akbari said on Sunday in an
interview with Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, apparently alluding to
America’s hegemonic foreign policy. “This trip will not only be beneficial for
Tehran and Damascus, but it is a very good event that other countries in the
region can also take advantage of.”
The timing of
the visit makes it all the more important because of changes happening in the
region, Akbari said. Iran and Saudi Arabia reportedly plan to open embassies in
each other’s countries within days after agreeing last month to normalize
relations under a deal brokered by China. Meanwhile, some Arab countries are
normalizing relations with Damascus after years of joining the US in backing
rebel fighters in a failed regime-change campaign against Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad.
The Syrian
uprising began in 2011, triggering a war that killed over 500,000 people and
created a massive refugee crisis. Assad emerged victorious, regaining control
of most of his country, thanks largely to military and economic support from
Iran and Russia. Iranian officials hope that success will inspire other nations
opposed to US hegemony.
“This trip can
open a space and chapter of interaction between the countries that oppose the
domination system, especially the countries that are in the area of sanctions
and have common interests,” Akbari said. “Other countries can also use it.”
Mohammad
Jamshidi, Tehran’s deputy presidential chief of staff for political affairs,
said Raisi’s trip to Syria will be a “celebration” for the so-called “axis of
resistance.” He added, “West Asia has undergone a tense period of geopolitical
change with two results: victory of Iran and failure of the US.”
General Qasem
Soleimani, the Iranian military commander who was assassinated by US forces in
January 2020, taught his country’s leader that “successful diplomacy is rooted
in being powerful in the field,” Jamshidi said.
The last Iranian
president to visit Damascus was Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who traveled to the Syrian
capital in 2010.
Source: rt.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.rt.com/news/575591-iran-president-visit-syria/
--------
Turkey's
Intelligence Forces Eliminate Islamic State Leader in Syria, Erdogan Announces
May 01, 2023
Turkish
President Tayyip Erdogan confirmed on Sunday that Turkish intelligence forces
had successfully eliminated Islamic State leader Abu Hussein al-Qurashi during
an operation in Syria. In an interview with TRT Turk broadcaster, Erdogan
stated, "This individual was neutralized as part of an operation by the
Turkish national intelligence organization in Syria yesterday."
Erdogan
revealed that Turkish intelligence had been tracking Qurashi for an extended
period. According to Syrian local and security sources, the raid took place in
Jandaris, a northern Syrian town controlled by Turkey-backed rebel groups that
was severely impacted by the Feb. 6 earthquake affecting both Turkey and Syria.
The Syrian
National Army, an opposition faction with a security presence in the area, has
yet to issue any comment. A resident reported that clashes began on the
outskirts of Jandaris from Saturday night into Sunday morning, lasting
approximately an hour before a large explosion was heard. Security forces later
surrounded the area to prevent anyone from approaching.
Al-Qurashi
became the leader of IS in November 2022 after the previous leader was killed
in an operation in southern Syria. In 2014, Islamic State captured vast
territories in Iraq and Syria, and its leader at the time, Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi, proclaimed an Islamic caliphate across the region. However, IS
eventually lost control of these territories due to campaigns led by
U.S.-backed forces in Syria and Iraq, as well as Iranian, Russian, and various
paramilitary-backed Syrian forces.
Despite being
reduced to a few thousand militants hiding in remote areas of both countries,
IS remains capable of executing significant hit-and-run attacks. The U.S.-led
coalition, along with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), continues
to carry out raids against IS officials in Syria. In some instances,
high-ranking IS members have been targeted while hiding in areas where Turkey
has significant influence.
Source: btimesonline.com
Please
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https://www.btimesonline.com/articles/158508/20230501/turkeys-intelligence-forces-eliminate-islamic-state-leader-in-syria-erdogan-announces.htm
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Wars, Pious
Muslim and Football: Five Faces of Turkish President Erdogan
APRIL 30, 2023
Abhorred and adored,
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been compared to sultans and pharaohs while stamping
his outsized personality and domineering style on Turkey over 20 years.
Elected as
prime minister and then as an uber-powerful president under a tailor-made
constitution, Erdogan has become Turkey’s most important and polarising leader
in generations.
A builder, a
political brawler and a campaign beast, here are five of Erdogan’s most
emblematic traits.
BUILDER
Filling Turkey
with bridges, highways and airports, Erdogan has propelled the developing
country into the 21st century with mega-investments, stimulating growth.
He calls them
his “crazy projects": a towering third bridge over the Bosphorus, another
one across the Sea of Marmara, a third spanning the Dardanelles Strait.
They all set
records, as did Istanbul’s Camlica Mosque — the largest in Turkey, replete with
six minarets and space for 30,000 worshippers.
But perhaps the
grandest of the megaprojects is the Istanbul Canal, being built just west of
the Bosphorus on land the city once envisioned as an evacuation zone in case of
a long-feared earthquake.
There is much
more, including high-speed rail, a third Istanbul airport — designed to be the
world’s largest — and power plants, including the country’s first nuclear one,
controversially built by Russia.
FOOTBALL PLAYER
Raised in
Istanbul’s working-class district of Kasimpasa, the young Erdogan dreamt of
little but football, kicking around a ball made of paper and rags, according to
popular lore.
His tall frame
— 1.85 metres, or just over six feet — made him a sought-after centre-forward.
He received
offers from several professional clubs, including Istanbul’s Fenerbahce.
But his father,
an austere sailor from the Black Sea, told him to pursue religious studies.
Erdogan gave up
reluctantly but remained a big fan, mingling with players throughout his
career.
In 2014,
businessmen with ties to Erdogan’s ruling party acquired Basaksehir, the least
storied of Istanbul’s six clubs.
Based in a
conservative district of the same name, Basaksehir quickly became a powerhouse,
winning the league in 2020.
PIOUS MUSLIM
Erdogan’s
father would have approved if the future president had instead become an imam.
In the secular
Turkey created by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Erdogan attended one of the first
religious public schools, combining studies of the Koran with other subjects.
Islam became
the rallying cry of his electorate and its new movement, called the Justice and
Development Party (AKP).
Erdogan
advocates piety, frowns on smoking and drinking, and defends traditional family
values at the expense of the LGBTQ community and emancipated women.
The AKP
celebrates motherhood as well as the wearing of headscarves at school and in
the civil service — a right that Ataturk had abolished with Turkey’s formation
in 1923.
GIFTED ORATOR
A master
campaigner who comes alive on stage, Erdogan is a gifted public speaker who
relishes a challenge, priding himself on never losing a national election.
Derailed by
stomach issues in recent days, past campaigns have seen Erdogan hop between
eight cities in a day, giving impassioned speeches to crowds of supporters.
A populist and
a performer, he announces pay hikes, kisses babies, hugs elderly women and even
hands out small change to kids — a custom on religious holidays.
Pro-government
media, which now dominates, lap it all up, broadcasting his performances live
across the nation and replaying them deep into the night.
REGIONAL
POWERBROKER
Erdogan has
leveraged Turkey’s strategic position between Europe and the Middle East —
guarding the southern shores of the Black Sea and the northern ones of the
Mediterranean — to diplomatic advantage.
He assumed the
role of mediator when Russia invaded Ukraine, becoming one of the few world
leaders with open access to Vladimir Putin and Russia’s vast energy resources.
But he also
supplied Kyiv with weapons and won international plaudits for helping broker a
deal to resume Ukraine’s grain exports.
On the other
hand, he drew Western wrath for launching incursions into Syria. At one stage,
he appeared to be simultaneously brawling with all of Turkey’s neighbours,
stretching from Iraq to Greece.
He broke off
relations with Israel and Egypt, intervened in the war in Libya, and helped
Azerbaijan defeat Armenia in their 2020 war over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Facing a new
economic crisis, Erdogan has been mending fences, seeking investments and
engaging in “earthquake diplomacy" with Greece after a massive February
shock killed more than 50,000 people.
Source: news18.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.news18.com/world/wars-pious-muslim-and-football-five-faces-of-turkish-president-erdogan-7680499.html
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Islamic
extremists in Malta charged with terrorism related acts
30 April 2023
by Kurt Sansone
/ Marianna Calleja
Updated with
court details
Seven young
people from Syria appeared in court on Sunday to face terrorism related
charges, including teaching others how to use explosives and firearms.
Aged between 21
and 27, the men were arrested on Saturday morning by the police in an operation
that also involved Europol, the European law enforcement agency.
The accused
Ajil Al Muhsen, Adnan Maashi, YazanAbduklaziz, Ahmed Kadas, Khalil Al Mahmoud,
Ahmed Ahmed and Mohammed Mohammed are believed to be Islamic extremists.
They appeared
before duty magistrate Astrid May Grima and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Bail was not requested and they remained under arrest.
The
arraignments happened in the evening amid tight security in and outside the law
courts in Valletta.
Five of the men
live in Hamrun, one lives in Pietà and the other in Birkirkara.
Police accused
the men of disseminating extremist messages inciting and glorifying terrorism,
and recruiting or attempting to encourage others to commit terrorist acts.
They were also
accused of teaching others how to use explosives and firearms, and attempting
to travel to the EU to take part in terrorist acts.
The court
accepted the prosecution’s demand for a freeze on the money and assets
belonging to the accused.
No bail was
requested and the seven men were remanded in custody.
Source: maltatoday.com.mt
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/court_and_police/122607/several_to_be_charged_with_disseminating_extremist_material_terrorism#.ZFAJQnZByM8
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Dozens of
Israeli Settlers Invade Courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque
30 April, 2023
Dozens of
colonial Israeli settlers backed by Israeli forces invaded Sunday, 30 April
2023, the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque and performed provocative rituals.
Local media
sources reported that Israeli settlers broke into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa and
performed provocative Talmudic rituals in some of its yards under the Israeli
occupation forces’ protection.
The former
Israeli Knesset member Rabbi Yehuda Glick led the settlers’ invasion into the
courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, sources added.
Meanwhile,
Israeli occupation forces are widely spread across the compound of the Al-Aqsa
Mosque to protect the colonial settlers, prohibiting the presence of
Palestinians.
Colonial
settlers’ backed by the Israeli occupation forces repeatedly invade Muslims and
holy places in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem in a flagrant violation of
all international conventions and laws, guaranteeing Palestinian people’s right
to worship in their sacred sites.
Israeli
colonial settlers repeated violations of Muslim, as well as Christian, symbols
as a deliberate attempt to Judaise the occupied Jerusalem, with the progressive
expulsion of the local population; the Palestinians.
In 2022, 56670
colonial Israeli settlers invaded Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards and performed
Talmudic provocative rituals in its squares, according to Palestinian figures.
Source: daysofpalestine.ps
Please
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https://daysofpalestine.ps/dozens-of-israeli-settlers-invade-courtyards-of-al-aqsa-mosque-12/
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Dukhan Bank
named ‘World’s Best Islamic Private Bank’
01 May 2023
Doha: Dukhan
Bank has achieved another worldwide recognition for the outstanding quality of
its private banking service by winning the World’s Best Islamic Private Bank
award at Global Finance World’s Best Islamic Financial Institutions Awards for
2023 for the second year in a row.
This significant
achievement follows bank’s successful transformation into a Qatari public
shareholding company by listing its shares on the Qatar Stock Exchange and
commencement of trading from 21 February 2023.
Year after
year, Dukhan Bank has led the Islamic banking sector as demonstrated by its
unrivalled private banking proposition offering an end-to-end portfolio of
financing, banking and investment products and services for high-net-worth
individuals (HNWIs).
Global Finance
is a leading international magazine and industry analyst that evaluates and
awards the top performers among banks and other financial services providers on
global and regional levels in technology, leadership, brand and sustainability
categories in more than 150 countries.
The winners of
this year’s awards are institutions that contributed to the growth of Islamic
financing. They successfully met their customers’ needs for Shariah-compliant
products with modern and efficient delivery channels, while creating the
foundation for continued growth and safety in the future.
Dukhan Bank
Acting Group Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Hashem said: “We are extremely proud
to win this award and to be named for the second consecutive year as the
World’s Best Islamic Private Bank by the respected experts at Global Finance. I
would like to dedicate this award to our committed and hardworking teams from
senior management, head of departments to the entire employees of Dukhan Bank
who have worked extremely hard over many years to achieve this level of global
recognition.”
He added: “This
award is a testament to Dukhan Bank’s unrelenting efforts to offer innovative
Shari’ah-compliant products and services to the banking industry for an
enhanced customers’ experience. The award recognizes Dukhan Bank’s position at
the pinnacle of Islamic banking as we meet and exceed the growing
sophistication and increasing demands of private banking clients, particularly
within the digital realm.”
Dukhan Bank was
selected as the winner of the award by the Global Finance editorial team after
extensive consultations with bankers, corporate finance executives and analysts
throughout the world.
The selection
team follow a wide array of criteria, ranging from growth in assets,
profitability, geographic reach, strategic relationships, new business
development and innovation in products. Other criteria considered were
reputation, customer satisfaction and the opinions of analysts and others
involved in the industry.
ChaoukiDaher,
GM-Head of Private Banking, said: “We are honored to receive this award once
again. Winning the award back-to-back reflects the unwavering dedication of our
team to service excellence and the high level of trust our clients repose in
us. We will continue to introduce pioneering approaches to maintain our leading
position in the Islamic banking market and across all our operations.”
Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/01/05/2023/dukhan-bank-named-worlds-best-islamic-private-bank-1
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North
America
Pope says
Vatican involved in secret Ukraine peace mission
Monday, 01 May
2023
ABOARD THE
PAPAL PLANE, May 1 — The Vatican is involved in a peace mission to try to end
the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Pope Francis said yesterday, adding
that it was also ready to help repatriate Ukrainian children taken to Russia or
Russian-occupied land.
“There is a
mission in course now but it is not yet public. When it is public, I will
reveal it,” the pope told reporters during a flight home after a three-day
visit to Hungary.
“I think that
peace is always made by opening channels. You can never achieve peace through
closure... This is not easy.”
The pope added
that he had spoken about the situation in Ukraine with Hungarian Prime Minister
Viktor Orban and with Metropolitan (bishop) Hilarion, a representative of the
Russian Orthodox Church in Budapest.
“In these
meetings we did not just talk about Little Red Riding Hood. We spoke of all
these things. Everyone is interested in the road to peace,” he said.
Since Russia
invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Francis has pleaded for peace practically on
a weekly basis, and has repeatedly expressed a wish to act as a broker between
Kyiv and Moscow. His offer has so far failed to produce any breakthrough.
Pope Francis,
86, has said previously that he wants to visit Kyiv but also Moscow on a peace
mission.
Ukraine Prime
Minister Denys Shmyhal met the pope at the Vatican on Thursday and said he had
discussed a “peace formula” put forward by Ukrainian President
VolodymyrZelenskiy.
Shmyhal also
asked for help in the repatriation of children. Kyiv estimates nearly 19,500
children have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied Crimea since Moscow
invaded in February last year, in what it condemns as illegal deportations.
“The Holy See
is willing to do this (help repatriate the children) because it is the right
thing,” Francis said on the plane. “All human gestures help but gestures of
cruelty don’t help. We have to do all that is humanly possible”.
Francis, who
appeared in relatively good condition during the trip, also spoke of his health
following his hospitalisation in late March for what the Vatican said at the
time was bronchitis.
He said he felt
a strong pain at the end of his general audience on Wednesday, March 29 and
tried to sleep.
“I did not lose
consciousness but I had a high fever and at 3pm the doctor took me to the
hospital right away,” he said.
“It was a
strong and acute pneumonia in the lower section of the lung. Thank God I can talk
about it. The body responded well to the treatment, thank God,” he said. He was
released on April 1.
A part of one
of his lungs was removed when he was a young man in Argentina more than half a
century ago.
The pope said
there were no changes to plans to go to Lisbon in August for an international
youth gathering and then separately to Marseilles and Mongolia. — Reuters
Source: malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2023/05/01/pope-says-vatican-involved-in-secret-ukraine-peace-mission/67151
---------
Paramus
Declaration as an Islamophobia-Free Zone Just Ahead of State Declaration of
January as Muslim Heritage Month
April 30, 2023
PARAMUS, NJ -
The Borough Council declared Paramus an islamophobia-free zone last week, and
over the weekend, Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill that would designate
January of each year as Muslim Heritage Month.
“I am extremely
pleased that this was signed into law today and I would like to thank Senator
Stack for joining me in sponsoring this legislation,” said Senator Joe
Pennacchio (R-26), a sponsor of the legislation, said on Saturday, April 29.
“There are nearly 300,000 Muslim Americans in New Jersey, including numerous
current and former elected officials dedicated to public service in their
communities. It is long past time to recognize our Muslim brothers and sisters
for their contributions to the diverse fabric of New Jersey.”
With the joint
resolution, SJR-105, Pennacchio seeks to elevate awareness and appreciation of
the Muslim American community and their accomplishments in New Jersey.
"We are
excited to be celebrating the Governor's signing into legislation the Muslim
Heritage Resolution, a historic moment for the Muslim community in New Jersey,"
said Zainab Syed, President of American Muslims for Democracy, one of the
coalition organizations that worked hard to make this signing possible.
"New Jersey will be among a few states that recognize the
American Muslim
legacy. We are extremely grateful for the support from the governor's office
and legislators that contributed to the passing of this legislation.”
The 3.45
million Muslims in the United States represent diverse racial and ethnic
backgrounds, including immigrants and native-born Americans, and comprise
approximately 1.1% of the nation’s population, according to Pennacchio's
weekend news release on the matter.
Muslims are the
world’s second-largest religious group, with 1.9 billion adherents representing
approximately 25 percent of the world’s population. Significant Muslim
achievements helped shape our world, including notable milestones in
philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, medicine, architecture,
music, literature, and the arts.
Paramus Mayor
Christopher DiPiazza offered his support for the Paramus proclamation on April
25.
“I speak on
behalf of the governing body who have enjoyed celebrating Ramadan with everyone
in the Muslim community. I always say, that’s what makes Paramus one of the
best towns to live in,” Mayor DiPiazza said.
“Paramus has
led the way in many great initiatives in the past, making it a welcoming town
for everyone and this is a great next step. Our children need this, and it is
time for Paramus to take the lead and show the way in how to create a safe
space for everyone. We welcome the passing of this proclamation,” a Paramus
resident said.
Source: tapinto.net
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/paramus/sections/government/articles/paramus-declaration-as-an-islamophobia-free-zone-just-ahead-of-state-declaration-of-january-as-muslim-heritage-month
---------
CAIR-MN
Welcomes Arrest of Suspect in Two Minneapolis Mosque Arson Attacks
April 30, 2023
(MINNEAPOLIS,
MN, 4/30/23) – The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR-MN) today welcomed the arrest of the suspect allegedly involved
in arson attacks targeting two mosques in Minneapolis.
SEE: Arrest
made in suspected Minneapolis mosque arsons
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/04/30/arrest-made-in-suspected-minneapolis-mosque-arsons
In a statement,
CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein said:
“We welcome the
arrest of the arson suspect and express gratitude to law enforcement for their
swift action. This arrest brings some relief to our community, which has been
on edge for the past week. We hope to learn more about the suspect’s
motivations and any potential accomplices who may have incited these attacks on
our houses of worship.”
Yesterday,
CAIR-MNjoined leaders and members of the Muslim community for a solidarity
event for Minneapolis mosques targeted by arson.
Last week,
CAIR-MN held a news conference with Minnesota Muslim leaders to respond to
arson attacks targeting the two mosques.
Video: CAIR-MN
Calls for Bias Crime Probe in Back-to-Back Mosque Arsons
Masjid Al Rahma
(Mercy Mosque) was damaged by fire, with the flames found on the third floor.
Firefighters evacuated several people, including children, and no one was
injured. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
In a separate
incident, a man reportedly attempted to set another Mall 24 Mosque in
Minneapolis on fire using gasoline. Police are searching for the suspect, and
it is unknown whether the two incidents are related.
Earlier this
month, CAIR-MN called to for an investigation vandalism targeting Ummatul Islam
Mosque in Minneapolis., Minn., as a possible hate crime.
CAIR-MN is
urging the local Muslim community and Islamic institutions nationwide to take
extra security precautions by using advice offered in CAIR’s booklet, “Best
Practices for Mosque and Community Safety.”
Last year, CAIR
released a report, titled “Still Suspect: The Impact of Structural
Islamophobia,” documenting more than 6,720 complaints to CAIR offices nationwide
involving a range of issues including immigration and travel, workplace
discrimination, denial of public accommodations, law enforcement and government
overreach, hate and bias incidents, incarceree rights, school incidents,
anti-BDS/free speech, among other reported issues.
CAIR-MN’s
mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote
justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de
CAIR-MN esprotegerlaslibertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensióndel Islam,
promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los EstadosUnidos.
Source: cair.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/breaking-cair-mn-welcomes-arrest-of-suspect-in-two-minneapolis-mosque-arson-attacks/
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Canadian Muslim
Organization Condemns 'Violent Arrest' of Black Man by Edmonton Police
April, 30, 2023
TEHRAN (Tasnim)
– The National Council of Canadian Muslims reported that a man who was
restrained on the ground with a knee to his neck by an Edmonton Police Service
officer following a traffic stop is filing a formal complaint.
In a video
shared by the organization on social media, the man can be seen being
restrained by two Edmonton Police Service officers, with one of them having his
knee on the back of the man's neck, a use of force that has been criticized
following the 2020 killing of George Floyd in the United States. The group also
provided CBC News with the full-length video.
According to
the police, officers stopped the man for driving 47 km/h in a playground zone.
The man was leaving a mosque on April 21 with his wife and two children,
following Eid al-Fitr prayer. The man refused to give officers his name,
license, insurance, or registration, which led to police warning the man he
would be arrested. The man felt officers were agitated, and he asked for a
supervisor to be present before providing documentation. Officers removed the
man from his car, restrained him, and arrested him. In the video, filmed by the
man's wife, the man can be heard calling the two officers racist and screaming.
Young children can also be heard crying in the background.
The man was
ticketed for speeding, failure to provide his driver's license, and
registration and insurance, then told he was free to go. The man asked to be
taken to the hospital, saying he had a sore shoulder. The NCCM said the man
suffered injuries from the interaction, and he and his family had significant
mental distress.
The NCCM said
the man is filing a complaint to the EPS professional services branch.
"Having a knee violently pinned on the back of a man's neck over an
alleged minor speeding infraction — there were no criminal code charges — could
have, as all Canadians know, produced far more tragic results," said Omar,
NCCM's Alberta advocacy officer. NDP members of parliament, Blake Desjarlais
and Heather McPherson, released a statement expressing their concerns over the rise
in hate-motivated attacks in Canada and particularly in Edmonton.
Kevin Walby, a
University of Winnipeg associate professor of criminal justice, said the video
"represents the violence of policing in response to a very minor
transgression." Dan Jones, associate chair of justice studies at NorQuest
College and a retired Edmonton police officer, said police training needs to do
more to teach officers to meet agitation with calmness.
Islamophobia
has manifested itself in the vandalism of mosques as well as physical assaults,
including violence against Muslim women wearing hijab. The violence has turned
tragically deadly on several occasions.
Last August, a
report released by the government agency, Statistics Canada, revealed that hate
crimes against Muslims across the country had jumped by 71 percent in 2021.
The study found
that the number of recorded attacks against Muslims increased from 84 incidents
in 2020 to 144 in 2021. In 2019, a total of 182 incidents targeting Muslims had
been reported.
Street racism
is often inspired by online hate speech and extremism, which has increased in
the country.
A 2016 Forum
Poll revealed that 41 percent of Canadian adults expressed some level of bias
against racial groups, with Muslims having the highest negative rating at 28
percent.
Another survey
published in 2016 by the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, found
that only 32 percent of Ontarians had a “positive impression” of Islam.
Source: tasnimnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2023/04/30/2887360/canadian-muslim-organization-condemns-violent-arrest-of-black-man-by-edmonton-police
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Southeast
Asia
Johor Islamic
Dept, police to investigate ‘missing’ gravestones at Pandan cemetery
Sunday, 30 Apr
2023
JOHOR BARU,
April 30 — The Johor State Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ) and the police
will investigate the issue of ‘missing’ gravestones at the MukimTebrau Muslim
Cemetery in Taman Istimewa, Pandan, here, recently.
JAINJ director
Jamaludin A Hamid meanwhile urged the public to remain calm and not make any
speculations over the matter that had gone viral on Facebook since Friday
(April 28).
“JAINJ is aware
of a viral screenshot of the missing gravestones in the cemetery which has
caused concern among the next of kin and members of the community.
“Therefore, we
have suggested the appropriate measures to be taken by the cemetery’s
management in order to prevent theft,” he said in a statement today.
Yesterday,
Bernama reported that 11 gravestones at the cemetery were missing, believed to
have been stolen by irresponsible individuals for resale.
Checks carried
out at the cemetery yesterday found that most of the gravestones stolen were
made of river stones which cost more than RM450 per set.
Also missing
was a white gravestone believed to cost RM350 a set. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/04/30/johor-islamic-dept-police-to-investigate-missing-gravestones-at-pandan-cemetery/67093
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Najib's
application not discussed at Pardons Board meeting on Friday (April 28)
Monday, 01 May
2023
KUALA LUMPUR:
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib TunRazak’s application for a royal
pardon was not discussed at the meeting of the Pardons Board for the Federal
Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.
The Board had
it's 59th meeting on on Friday (April 28) at the Istana Negara
Its secretary
Datuk Seri KhairulDzaimee Daud said the application will be discussed at the
appropriate time, according to applicable legislation and regulations.
KhairulDzaimee,
who is also the director-general of the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime
Minister’s Department, said the Pardons Board had considered a total of 10
cases of pardon appeals under Regulation 54 and Regulation 113 of the Prisons
Regulations 2000.
“According to
Article 42 of the Federal Constitution, the Yang di-PertuanAgong has the
authority to grant pardons, postponements and legal relief in relation to all
offences which have been tried by military courts and all offences committed
within the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.
“Rulers and
Yang di-PertuaNegeri of a state also has the power to grant pardons,
postponement of the law and legal relief in relation to all other offences
committed within those states,” he said in a statement today. – Bernama
Source: thestar.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/05/01/najib039s-application-not-discussed-at-pardons-board-meeting-on-friday-april-28
--------
PM Anwar:
Changlun Mosque project in Kedah to continue with additional allocation of
RM3.07m
30/4/2023
KUALA LUMPUR,
April 30 — The government has agreed to continue the construction of the
Changlun Mosque in Kedah with an additional allocation of RM3.07 million,
taking the total cost of the project to RM5.77 million.
Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the project would be implemented as soon as
possible for the benefit of the local community.
“The unity
government is concerned and committed to ensuring balanced development in all
states of the country,” he said in a statement today.
Anwar also
reiterated that the unity government had never sidelined any state for the sake
of the people’s welfare.
“This is the
commitment of the unity government in shouldering the responsibility by placing
the people’s rights as the main pillar,” said Anwar, who is also Finance
Minister. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/04/30/pm-anwar-changlun-mosque-project-in-kedah-to-continue-with-additional-allocation-of-rm307m/67101
--------
Europe
Brits urged to
swear oath to their king for first time
King Charles
III leaves Westminster Palace after the presentation of addresses by both
houses of Parliament last September in London. © Getty Images / Ian Vogler
Next week’s
coronation of King Charles III will feature an invitation for all British
people to swear their allegiance to the new monarch and his descendants in what
organizers have billed as a “chorus of millions.”
The ceremony
has been revised to include a “homage of the people,” rather than the
traditional “homage of peers” in which dukes pledge their allegiance to the
sovereign, according to plans announced on Saturday by the Church of England.
Archbishop of
Canterbury Justin Welby will call upon “all persons of goodwill” in the UK and
its territories – those attending the ceremony at Westminster Abbey and those
watching on television or the internet –
to recite the following vows: “I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your
Majesty and to your heirs and successors according to the law, so help me God.”
The archbishop will then proclaim, “God save the king” and ask all to respond:
“God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May the king live forever.”
The public
pledge is among several tweaks to a ceremony with ancient traditions, some of
which date back nearly half a millennium. “Our hope is at that point, when the
archbishop invites people to join in, that people wherever they are, if they’re
watching at home on their own, watching the telly, will say it out loud – this sense
of a great cry around the nation and around the world of support for the king,”
a Lambeth Palace spokesperson said.
Among other
changes to the traditional ceremony, the coronation will feature female clergy
taking a prominent role and leaders of other faiths presenting the king with
regalia for the events, including his robe, ring and bracelets. A hymn will be
sung in Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic. The service will celebrate
tradition while adding “new elements that reflect the diversity of our
contemporary society,” the archbishop said.
However, King
Charles III will take the traditional oaths, including a pledge to maintain
“the Protestant Reformed religion.” The archbishop will preface the oath by
saying that the Church of England will seek to foster an environment where
“people of all faiths and beliefs may live freely.”
Source: rt.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.rt.com/news/575589-uk-coronation-public-oath-to-king/
--------
Hungary issues
NATO rebuke to Zelensky
30 Apr, 2023
Hungarian
Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has rebuked statements by Ukrainian President
Vladimir Zelensky, who has publicly accused Budapest of behaving
“inappropriately” for a NATO member state.
It was “fortunately”
not for Zelensky to decide on Hungary’s behavior, Szijjarto said in a Facebook
post on Sunday, suggesting also that Budapest already provides enough support
for Kiev.
“Hungarian
people have already paid an extremely high price for this war,” Szijjarto
wrote, adding that multiple representatives of Ukraine’s Hungarian ethnic
minority had persisted in the ongoing hostilities between Kiev and Moscow.
If this
statement means ‘I respectfully thank the Hungarians for letting in and taking
care of more than a million refugees from Ukraine, and I respectfully thank you
for continuously sending aid’ then [the response is] ‘You are welcome and can
count on us in the future as well.’
The sarcastic
remarks by Hungary’s top diplomat apparently came in response to statements
made by Zelensky in an interview with Nordic media outlets on Friday. The
Ukrainian president accused Budapest of siding with Russia in the ongoing
conflict and of treating NATO as an “adversary” altogether.
“It seems to me
that confusion reigns among the Hungarian political elite. This is a very
strange situation. Can a NATO country simultaneously be with Russia and against
NATO?” Zelensky stated, adding that Budapest has been displaying “inappropriate
behavior” for a member of the US-led NATO alliance.
NATO member
questions Stoltenberg’s pledge to UkraineREAD MORE: NATO member questions
Stoltenberg’s pledge to Ukraine
Hungary has
taken a reserved stance on the ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine,
which have been raging since February 2022. The country has opposed EU
sanctions against Russia, particularly those harming its own interests, such as
restrictions in the nuclear and conventional energy fields. Apart from that,
Budapest has repeatedly said it will not support Ukraine’s applications to
either NATO or the EU. Hungary has also refrained from providing military aid
to Kiev and has refused to allow such shipments from elsewhere to flow through
its territory.
Hungary and
Ukraine have long been at odds over the fate of the ethnic Hungarian minority
in Ukraine. Some 150,000 ethnic Hungarians, living primarily in the
Transcarpathian region of the country, have been affected by the
Ukrainianization efforts undertaken by the authorities of post-Maidan Ukraine.
While the crackdown has primarily focused on Russian speakers, it affected
other minorities as well.
Kiev, for its
part, has long accused Budapest of meddling in the country’s domestic affairs,
with its practice of issuing Hungarian passports to Ukraine’s ethnic Hungarians
resulting in multiple diplomatic incidents.
Source: rt.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.rt.com/news/575572-hungary-ukraine-nato-zelensky/
--------
UN sends
emergency envoy to Sudan
1 May, 2023
The United
Nations emergency relief coordinator, Martin Griffiths, has been appointed to
lead the international body’s effort to mediate the crisis in the East African
nation. Violence between rival military factions in Sudan entered its third
week, even as a ceasefire was extended on Sunday for another 72 hours.
“I am on my way
to the region to explore how we can bring immediate relief to the millions of
people whose lives have turned upside down overnight,” Griffiths said on Sunday
night, after United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres named him as a
special envoy.
“The scale and
speed of what is unfolding is unprecedented in Sudan,” Guterres’s spokesman
StephaneDujarric said in a statement announcing Griffiths' “immediate”
deployment.
Around 500
civilians are thought to have lost their lives since the conflict broke out in
the politically turbulent country on April 15, between army forces controlled
by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and those controlled by Mohamed HamdanDaglo –
otherwise known as Hemedti – who is the commander of the paramilitary Rapid
Support Forces (RSF).
On Sunday both
sides agreed to extend a humanitarian ceasefire for another 72 hours, but
accused the other of violations and maintained the right to respond in the
event of “transgressions.” None of the previous truces have firmly taken hold,
as violence continues in the country’s capital, Khartoum – which has reported
widespread outages of electricity, as well as food and water shortages.
The worsening
armed conflict could prompt a full-blown civil war, which would be a “nightmare
for the world,” former Sudanese prime ministerAbdallaHamdok warned on Saturday.
“God forbid if
Sudan is to reach a point of civil war proper,” he said, speaking at an event
in Nairobi, Kenya. He added that he believed civil wars in Syria, Yemen, and
Libya would be “small play” compared to what he fears might break out in Sudan.
Source: rt.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.rt.com/africa/575593-sudan-un-special-envoy/
--------
Blackburn
community mosque toilet block gets backdated approval
30th April
Backdated
planning permission has been granted for a toilet extension to a community
mosque in a former Blackburn Church.
The addition is
to the 19th Century former home of St. Chad’s Church and Day School in
Pleckgate Road.
In January last
year Pleckgate Community Centre was given approval to use the building,
previously been used as a workshop, as a place of Islamic worship and religious
instruction.
Now Blackburn
with Darwen planners have granted retrospective permission for the extension.
A report
recommending approval by town hall officer Nick Blackledge says: "The
application site relates to the former St. Chad’s Church and Day School.
"Most
recently it has been is use for commercial storage.
"The
building has since been vacated and is subject to the grant of planning
permission for a place of Public Worship and Religious Instruction including
demolition of outbuilding.
"The site
is located and accessed to the east of Pleckgate Road, between its junction
with Wilworth Crescent to the north and Woolridge Playing Fields to the south,
in a predominantly residential area.
"Although
recognised as a building of some architectural and culture significance, it is
neither nationally of locally listed.
"No
additional prayer capacity is proposed, by virtue of the extension providing
for WC’s.
"The
proposed extension represents a sympathetic addition, being well proportioned
and reflecting the architectural style of the host building, including gable
roof profile, stone elevations and slate roof.
"A soft
landscaping scheme will assist in integrating the scheme into the natural
environment.
"Seventeen
neighbours were consulted by letter. No comments were received."
St Chad’s was a
single-storey stone-built building constructed circa 1870.
It later became
a day school and also had a Sunday School. It is understood that services
continued to be held in the building until the 1970s.
The approval
has four conditions attached including the submission of a scheme detailing
hard surfacing and marking out of the car park.
The January
2022 planning permission specified that the building will not be used for
Friday prayers or for weddings and funerals, nor would there be a resident
imam.
Source: lancashiretelegraph.co.uk
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/23486056.blackburn-community-mosque-toilet-block-gets-backdated-approval/
--------
New Zealand
King Charles'
coronation: Mosque attack hero surprised to be on invitation list
01-05-23
Abdul Aziz, who
confronted the terrorist who attacked Linwood Islamic Centre, is preparing to
travel to the UK as part of the country's official delegation at King Charles'
coronation.
Aziz was armed
with only an eftpos machine when he chased away the terrorist on 15 March 2019.
Now the New
Zealand Cross recipient is heading to the UK, as a part of the country's
official delegation accompanying Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to the King's
coronation at Westminster Abbey in London this weekend.
Other
delegation members include Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, Opposition leader
Christopher Luxon, the head of the Kīngitanga movement,
KīngiTūheitiaPōtatauTeWherowhero VII, and his wife, MakauArikiAtawhai, former
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and Victoria Cross recipient Willie Apiata.
Aziz told First
Up he was surprised and honoured to receive an email invitation and it will
enable him to visit Britain for the first time.
He said his
family and friends were also happy for him to be chosen.
He met both
King Charles and Prince William on their visits to Christchurch after the
mosque attacks and expressed the hope that he would get a chance to speak to
them again during any social events organised around the coronation.
When told that
coronation quiche could be on the royal menu - an initiative of King Charles -
he said he had never eaten it before but if it has been chosen by the King he
was confident it would be "amazing".
Aziz was
hopeful he would have some time after the coronation to visit a UK-based family
who lost an uncle in the mosque attacks.
"They know
I'm coming and they are very happy."
He will take
time after the main royal event to go sight-seeing for about a week before
returning home.
Source: rnz.co.nz
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/489072/king-charles-coronation-mosque-attack-hero-surprised-to-be-on-invitation-list
--------
Pakistan
In a first,
Islamabad mosque sets up free-of-charge marriage hall for needy families
Monday May 01,
2023
ISLAMABAD:
Masjid Rehmat ul Alamin F/8 in Islamabad has established a free-of-charge
marriage hall in the federal capital to help deserving families celebrate their
daughters' weddings with respect and dignity.
This
compassionate initiative aims to make the special day of deserving families
even more memorable by providing a free-of-charge marriage hall equipped with a
stage for the bride and groom, as well as crockery, tables, chairs, and trained
waiters to serve food to the guests of orphan and deserving brides.
The hall has a
three-hour time limit and includes a stage for the bride and groom. The mosque
management allows parents to either solemnize the Nikkah of their daughter
themselves or choose a Khateeb of their choice for the ceremony.
To book the
hall, deserving parents can contact the mosque management committee.
Taj Qamar, a
member of the mosque committee, said that the marriage-related activities will
continue uninterrupted even during prayer times.
He advised
people to associate the departure of their daughters with the call to prayer
(Azan) and prayer (Salah) to eliminate some superstitions and create a blessed
environment that will facilitate a new life.
According to
Qamar, the mosque recommends that families planning to attend the event should
limit the number of guests to 100 or 120 individuals, with an equal number of
men and women, and prioritise Islamic teachings while avoiding extravagance by
religious teachings.
To ensure a
successful event, three men and three women from the family should take
responsibility for arranging and maintaining order, with one man and one woman
appointed to oversee the event and ensure that the mosque administration does
not participate in the ceremony.
Source: geo.tv
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.geo.tv/latest/484812-mosque-in-islamabad-sets-up-free-of-charge-marriage-hall-for-needy-families
--------
Pakistan
walking diplomatic tightrope between US, rivals
Anwar Iqbal
May 1, 2023
WASHINGTON:
Classified documents — released recently by a US airman — show that Pakistan,
and some other nations, have been quietly distancing themselves from the United
States on key issues like Ukraine.
The documents,
published by The Washington Post and other US media outlets, include two
Pakistani memos warning policymakers not to annoy China to maintain links with
the United States.
In one of the
memos, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar argues that
Pakistan can “no longer try to maintain a middle ground between China and the
United States.”
The internal
memo was sent to official recipients in Pakistan in March.
Titled
“Pakistan’s Difficult Choices”, the memo cautions Islamabad should avoid giving
the appearance of appeasing the West. It warns that the instinct to preserve
Pakistan’s partnership with the United States would ultimately sacrifice the
full benefits of the country’s “real strategic” partnership with China.
Another
document, dated February 17, details Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s
deliberations with a subordinate about an upcoming UN vote on the Ukraine
conflict. It also anticipated renewed Western pressure to back the UN
resolution condemning Russia’s invasion.
Pakistan is among
the 32 countries that have abstained from voting every time a US-backed
resolution on the Ukrainian conflict was raised in the UN General Assembly.
In the memo,
one of his aides advises PM Sharif that supporting the measure would signal a
shift in Pakistan’s position following its earlier abstention on a similar
resolution.
The aide says
Pakistan has the ability to negotiate trade and energy deals with Russia, and
backing the resolution could jeopardise those ties.
Last week,
Pakistan placed its first order for buying crude oil from Russia and its US
Ambassador Masood Khan said Islamabad had consulted Washington before placing
the order. The US administration, he said, had no objection to the proposed
deal.
A Washington
Post report says the leaked documents show how major developing nations seek to
“evade the intensifying standoff between the United States, Russia and China
and, in some cases, exploit that rivalry for their own gain.”
The documents
provide a rare glimpse into how key emerging powers — including India, Brazil,
Pakistan, and Egypt — are balancing their relations between the US and Russia
and China.
Matias Spektor,
a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said developing
nations were reluctant to take sides on the US-China, US-Russia disputes. “It’s
unclear who will end up in a pole position in 10 years’ time, so they need to
diversify their risk and hedge their bets,” Mr Spektor added.
The Biden
administration, however, has told these countries that it’s not asking them to pick
sides between the US on one hand and China and Russia on the other.
The Post notes
that India, too, is avoiding taking sides between Washington and Moscow. One
leaked document details a Feb 22 conversation between Indian national security
adviser Ajit Kumar Doval and his Russian counterpart, NikolayPatrushev.
Mr Doval
assures Mr Patrushev of India’s support for Russia in multilateral venues and
tells him that New Delhi would ensure the war does not come up during a Group
of 20 meeting chaired by India, despite “considerable pressure” to do so.
At the meeting
of G-20 foreign ministers in New Delhi a week later, disagreement over Ukraine
resulted in a failure to forge a consensus on broader global challenges.
Mr Doval cites
India’s resistance to pressure for supporting Western-backed UN resolutions
over Ukraine, saying his country “would not deviate from the principled
position it had taken in the past”.
Source: dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1750266/pakistan-walking-diplomatic-tightrope-between-us-rivals
--------
ECP official to
move Supreme Judicial Council against CEC
Iftikhar A.
Khan
May 1, 2023
ISLAMABAD: An
official of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) performing duties as
district election commissioner in Faisalabad has decided to move the Supreme
Judicial Council (SJC) for the removal of ECP chief Sikandar Sultan Raja over
“abuse of administrative authority”.
Incensed over
the rule of ‘outsiders’ in the Election Commission and controversial
promotions, DEC Irfan Kausar also decided to challenge the appointments of key
ECP officers, including its secretary Omar Hamid Khan. In multiple letters
written to the ECP secretary, the official expressed his intention to follow in
the footsteps of another ECP officer, Adnan Bashir, and file a reference
against the ECP chief in the SJC. Mr Bashir, a few months ago, had moved the
judicial council against his boss.
Grounds for
CEC’s removal
The letter sent
to the secretary through the provincial election commissioner said the
reference against the CEC will include the alleged use of undue influence for
the furtherance of pecuniary interests in real estate and private businesses,
and getting lucrative postings for the extended family of bureaucrats. Other
accusations include spending of public funds during a financial crunch, failure
to comply with constitutional commands, abuse of administrative authority, and
tarnishing the administrative fabric of the ECP to influence general elections.
The official
also sought a statement of assets of CEC Raja and his dependents, minutes of
Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP) meetings, and allocations made to
the Public Works Department in the financial year 2022-23. A copy of service rules
along with amendments, and the seniority list of the ECP officers were also
demanded.
In separate
letters to the ECP secretary, he declared his intention to challenge the
appointments of Secretary Omar Hamid Khan (retired federal secretary), Special Secretary
Zafar Iqbal Hussain (retired ECP officer), Additional Secretary (HR) Khalid
Siddique (a retired civil servant), noting that these appointments had been
made unlawfully.
The ECP
official also wrote a letter addressed to President Arif Alvi, the National
Assembly speaker, the Senate chairman, and members of parliament to invite
their attention towards alleged illegal appointments in the ECP made in the
absence of service rules.
The letter
added that the ECP chief has the “sole administrative authority without the
oversight of the commission in the absence of the service rules”.
“Now the ECP’s
organisational structure is at the mercy of the commissioner who has appointed
his retired colleagues and class fellows to senior administrative posts.
Mid-career ECP cadre officers are being promoted arbitrarily,” the letter said,
seeking the intervention of parliament and the president.
Source: dawn.com
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No evidence of
terrorism in Swat blasts: report
Umer Farooq
May 1, 2023
PESHAWAR: No
evidence of terrorism and militancy was found in the blasts inside the police
station of Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Swat, according to a report
submitted by the fact-finding committee.
The
fact-finding committee, formed following blasts inside CTD police station in
Swat, has submitted its report to the government, saying no evidence of
sabotage was found in the explosions.
Officials told
this scribe that a lesser known militant group, which recently came into the
limelight, claimed responsibility for the CTD police station blasts in Swat.
However, the fact-finding committee comprising secretary of home and tribal
affairs and deputy inspector general of special branch of police visited the
blast site and ruled out possibility of any militant attack on the police
station, they added.
Sources didn’t
say what triggered the incident, adding the detailed report will bare it all.
On April 25,
two powerful explosions inside the CTD police station left 18 persons dead and
leaving 57 injured including police officials and civilians. The roofs of the
CTD office, the police station and the nearby mosque also collapsed in the
incident.
On the same
day, home and tribal affairs department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa constituted the
fact-finding committee to probe the nature of blasts with the direction to
submit a comprehensive report covering all aspects of the incident.
“A detailed
report has been submitted and there is no evidence of a vehicle-borne or a
suicide blast inside the CTD police station in Kabal, Swat district. No
militant factor is involved in it,” sources privy to the developments told
Dawn.
They said
militants always wanted more damage including loss of life and property. For
that reason, militants always used ball bearings, shrapnel or any other lethal
material but the fact-finding committee did not find even a single ball bearing
or its signs at the site, they added.
Sources, who
requested anonymity keeping in view sensitive nature of the issue, said that
the team visited the blast site and found that there was no impact of ball
bearings on the damaged buildings.
“To the naked
eye, there is no evidence of vehicle-borne or suicide blast. Even the gates of
the buildings are intact as per the report,” they said.
When asked if
the team found anything related to negligence on part of those, who had to
handle the explosives dumped inside the police station, they said that it
wasn’t possible to say anything about it as there was nothing left.
“The room where
the explosive material was kept and its attachments are all gone,” they said.
They added that it was evident that the explosives placed in the Malkhana as
case property caused the explosions.
The explosions,
which reportedly occurred on the premises of CTD office, shattered the roof of
the police station, the office, and a mosque located inside the station. The
blasts also caused fire. According to senior officials, at least 20 policemen
were trapped under the debris of the roof, which collapsed due to the intensity
of the explosion.
On April 26,
Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan told journalists that the blasts
occurred after rocket-propelled grenades, mines and other arms seized in
different cases and stored in the warehouse went off owing to short-circuiting
of electricity.
On the same
day, a preliminary investigation carried out by the police department into the
twin blasts found that the explosions were caused by an electricity
short-circuit at the warehouse and ruled out the possibility of a militant
attack on the CTD police station.
Source: dawn.com
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--------
Discussion
between PM, junior minister leaked: Pakistan can’t afford middle ground between
US, China, says Khar
By By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
May 01, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar suggested that Pakistan
must stop maintaining a “middle ground” between China and the United States,
the Washington Post reported on Sunday.
President
Biden’s global agenda faces significant challenges as major developing nations
seek to evade the intensifying standoff between the United States, Russia and
China and, in some cases, exploit that rivalry for their own gain, classified
American intelligence assessments show, according to the newspaper.
The documents,
among a trove of US secrets, leaked online through the Discord messaging
platform, provide a rare glimpse into the private calculations by key emerging
powers, including India, Brazil, Pakistan and Egypt, as they attempt to
straddle allegiances in an era when America is no longer the world’s
unchallenged superpower.
Among the
leaked data is a record of an important discussion between Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif and Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar wherein the two, along
with an assistant, were talking about Pakistan’s ties with the United States
during the month of March this year.
The record of
the discussion on crucial foreign policy, which has been named Discord Leaks,
also reveals the prime minister’s conversation on the United Nations’ voting on
the Ukraine and Russia conflict, according to the Washington Post.
During the
discussion, an assistant advised the prime minister that supporting the
resolution could jeopardise Pakistan’s trade and energy deals with Russia and
would give the impression of a change in Pakistan’s position. When the UN
General Assembly voted on February 23, Pakistan was among 32 countries that
abstained.
According to
the leaked documents, Khar said that Pakistan should avoid appeasing the West
and that the country’s desire to maintain a strategic partnership with the US
would sacrifice the full benefits of its original strategic partnership with
the long-term friendly nation China.
“According to
one of the leaked documents, Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s minister of state
for foreign affairs, argued in March that her country can ‘no longer try to
maintain a middle ground between China and the United States’,” the Washington
Post wrote in its story.
Pakistani
officials, according to the US news outlet, have refused to comment on the
matter. The White House also did not respond to a request for comment.
The story by
Washington Post, in which the record has been leaked, revolved around the
declining support for the US on the war between Russia and Ukraine. The
American publication’s story comes at a time when the US has already confirmed
that it has no objection to Pakistan’s decision to import oil from Moscow.
“Each country is going to make its own sovereign decisions as it relates to its
energy supply,” US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said during a
weekly briefing.
The statement
was issued in response to a question regarding Pakistan’s deal with Russia
after it placed its first order for crude oil. Accordingly, one cargo ship will
dock at the Karachi Port in May.
Meanwhile,
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping for two days
of closely-watched talks in March this year — a meeting crucial for the
region’s altering political and diplomatic atmosphere.
Meanwhile, the
Foreign Office has declined to comment on the reported conversation between
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina
Rabbani Khar that appeared in a US newspaper.
Highly-placed
sources in the Foreign Office told The News Sunday evening that in accordance
with the established policy, the Foreign Office doesn’t offer any comments on
such reported leaks. The government does not discuss such subjects publicly, it
said.
In the
meanwhile, the government is considering a thorough probe as such “spying”
activities are detrimental to the national interests. A decision to initiate a
formal probe is likely to be taken this week, the sources added. Another source
told this scribe that relevant agencies have been tasked to look into the
matter.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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--------
Pakistan
minister warned against sacrificing partnership with China for US: Report
May 01, 2023
In March, Khar
argued that her country can "no longer try to maintain a middle ground
between China and the United States," the report revealed.
The latest US
intelligence documents revealed that Minister of State for Pakistan's Foreign
Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar had cautioned the country against sacrificing its
strategic partnership with China to maintain a cordial relationship with the
United States, ARY News reported.
In March, Khar
argued that her country can "no longer try to maintain a middle ground
between China and the United States," the report revealed.
The highly
classified findings of the US intelligence revealed the internal assessment of
Pakistan's policymakers on how to tackle the challenge of the growing tussle
between the United States and China.
The US - in the
leaked documents - had been able to gain access to the top-secret memo written
by Khar.
The leaked
intelligence findings offer new insights into the challenges facing President
Biden as he seeks global support for his efforts to reject the spread of
authoritarianism, contain Russia's belligerence, and counter China's growing
global reach.
In an internal
memo she titled "Pakistan's Difficult Choices," Khar cautioned that
Islamabad should avoid giving the appearance of appeasing the West, and said
the instinct to preserve Pakistan's partnership with the United States would
ultimately sacrifice the full benefits of what she deemed the country's
"real strategic" partnership with China, according to ARY News.
Meanwhile,
another document, dated February 17, describes PM Shehbaz Sharif's
deliberations with a subordinate about an upcoming UN vote on the Ukraine
conflict, and what the government anticipated would be renewed Western pressure
to back a resolution condemning Russia's invasion.
The aide
advised the prime minister that support for the measure would signal a shift in
Pakistan's position following its earlier abstention on a similar resolution,
the intelligence document says.
The aide noted
that Pakistan had the ability to negotiate trade and energy deals with Russia,
and backing the Western-backed resolution could jeopardise those ties. When the
UN General Assembly voted Feb 23, Pakistan was among 32 countries that
abstained, according to ARY News.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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---------
Rulers term PTI
chief’s demands ‘impractical’
Zulqernain
Tahir
May 1, 2023
LAHORE: After
PTI chief Imran Khan demanded the dissolution of the National Assembly by May
14 to pave the way for a successful outcome of talks, the federal coalition
termed his ultimatum ‘impracticable’ and asked him to be more flexible for the
success of this dialogue between the government and the opposition.
Ahead of the
third round of talks between the PML-N-led federal coalition and the PTI
scheduled for Tuesday (tomorrow), the PML-N warned that Mr Khan’s party will be
the “ultimate loser” if the negotiations failed — the general elections may be
“delayed for a year under a constitutional provision”.
Reacting to Mr
Khan’s demand to dissolve the National Assembly by May 14 to go into polls on
the same day, PML-N Secretary General and Federal Minister for Development
Ahsan Iqbal said: “We want to tell Imran Khan that he cannot hold talks at
gunpoint. The first condition of talks is, there are no pre-conditions. Mr Khan
is so desperate that he wants his way or the highway.”
In a
conversation with Dawn on Sunday, Mr Iqbal said the federal coalition parties
sat with the PTI with an ‘open mind’; however, if Imran Khan continued to stick
to his demand for the dissolution of assemblies (National, Sindh and
Balochistan) by May 14, then this was not acceptable to the federal coalition.
“The people of
Sindh and Balochistan cannot be punished for the folly of Imran Khan who
dissolved Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies to force elections…under the
patronage of his ‘handlers’ in the institutions,” the minister said, adding the
PTI would have to agree on a code of conduct for polls besides the same-day
elections.
‘Ultimate
loser’
“And let me
tell…if talks fail the ultimate loser will be the PTI as there is a provision
for delaying elections for a year under the Constitution. Imran Khan has warned
of creating a law and order situation in the country (if polls are not held
this July) and in such a scenario the elections will be delayed for another
year,” Mr Iqbal warned.
When asked if
the elections would be held in Punjab in May in light of the Supreme Court’s
order in case of no breakthrough in parleys, the minister said: “We clearly see
politics behind this apex court’s verdict.”
Defence
Minister Khawaja Asif also does not see a ‘positive outcome’ of talks. “What
will be the result of the negotiations with the PTI as they are setting
conditions,” he said.
The Pakistan
Peoples Party (PPP), which pushed the PML-N to hold parleys with the PTI on
elections, is still optimistic. “I hope that dissolution of the assemblies by
May 14 is a proposal and not a condition set by Mr Khan. This suggestion is not
viable. Who will present the budget if the National Assembly is dissolved in
May? It cannot be left to the caretaker setup to negotiate with the IMF and
present the budget (for the upcoming financial year),” PPP senior leader and
PM’s special assistant Qamar Zaman Kaira told Dawn.
Mr Kaira said
despite such a suggestion the PPP believed better sense would prevail and that
these talks would not end up in failure.
Jamaat-i-Islami
chief Sirajul Haq, who recently called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and
Imran Khan to push them for a consensus on polls, said: “We are hopeful for a
breakthrough in the dialogue and that both the federal coalition and the PTI
will not head for a deadlock.”
On the other
hand, the PTI has also shown optimism that its parleys with the government will
succeed.
“PTI wants the
success of talks with the government, but it has formulated a strategy in case
of failure. It is not possible for the PTI to sit silently if the Constitution
is considered as a piece of trash and the public as insects,” PTI senior leader
Fawad Chaudhry said in a tweet.
Mr Chaudhry
also called on the people to prepare for a ‘movement’. “The movement is
starting tomorrow (Monday) with rallies in Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar,
culminating in a historic long march,” he said.
Source: dawn.com
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--------
Arab World
Saudi foreign
minister reiterates call for de-escalation during meeting with Sudan envoy
April 30, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received in Riyadh on Sunday Special
Envoy of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council’s President Dafallah Al-Haj
Ali.
During the
meeting, the foreign minister reiterated Saudi Arabia’s call for de-escalation
in Sudan, where deadly clashes between rival generals’ forces have entered
their third week.
He called for
prioritizing national interest to save lives and preserve Sudan’s gains,
reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Fighting
erupted on April 15 between forces loyal to the army and paramilitary Rapid
Support Forces (RSF), leaving over 500 people killed and thousands wounded
while uprooting tens of thousands more from their homes.
Source: arabnews.com
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Japan Certified
To Export Halal Kobe Beef to Saudi Arabia
May 01, 2023
TOKYO: Japan
has become the third country certified to ship beef to the Muslim world
including Saudi Arabia.
The
certification for the Kingdom was confirmed at a signing ceremony attended by Prince
Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al-Saud and TomoshigeKanzawa, president of the
Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association.
Beef in Saudi
Arabia can only be eaten if it is processed in a way prescribed by religious
rules and is certified as halal. Saudi company Fam Al-Ghidha was appointed as
an authorized halal Kobe beef distributor for 13 Arabic-language countries.
Prince Faisal
traveled to Japan to sign the contract and tasted Kobe beef. The ceremony was
also attended by Hyogo Prefecture Gov. Motohiko Saito and Masao Imanishi, the
deputy mayor of Kobe City.
In October last
year, the meat centre in Sanda City in central Japan met the standard of halal
certification for the first time in the country.
This year, 145
head of halal Kobe beef are scheduled to be shipped to Saudi Arabia.
In addition to
the Sanda Meat Center, Kumamoto Chuo Meat Center and Sugimoto Honten, both
based in southern Japan, have also been approved to export beef to the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia.
Source: arabnews.com
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King Faisal
University shortlisted for world sustainability award for third time
April 30, 2023
JEDDAH: King
Faisal University in Al-Ahsa has been shortlisted in the International Green
Gown Awards for the third year in a row, this time for its participation in
five sustainability-focused initiatives.
The awards,
which were established in 2004 by the Association of Commonwealth Universities,
the International Association of Universities and the UN Environment Program,
recognize the exceptional sustainability initiatives undertaken by universities
and colleges around the world.
Khaled
Al-Barrak, supervisor of the university’s strategic planning and corporate
identity department, said: “This nomination reflects the university’s
development of its corporate identity which is aimed at contributing to
achieving food security and environmental sustainability, and the projects that
have a sustainable impact.”
He added that
the university had adopted a “clear and effective institutional identity and
strategy, with the impact reflected in its position in international forums and
awards.”
Among the
initiatives that led to the university’s nomination is its 2020-24 strategy,
which was launched to provide a sustainable educational and research
environment.
It was also
recognized for the efforts of its women’s development unit, which aims to
support Saudi women and enable them to contribute more to the academic and
research community, the Al-Bilad Bank Chair Project for Food Security, which
aims to develop sustainable research solutions, and its Climate Action 2030
initiative.
Source: arabnews.com
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Masam project
clears 836 Houthi mines in Yemen
April 30, 2023
RIYADH: An
ongoing Saudi program to clear landmines in Yemen saw 836 devices laid by the
Iran-backed Houthis dismantled in the fourth week of April.
Overseen by the
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, special teams destroyed one
anti-personnel mine, 217 anti-tank mines, 614 unexploded ordnance, and four
other types of explosive devices.
The KSrelief
project, known as Masam, is one of several initiatives undertaken by Saudi
Arabia on the orders of King Salman to help the Yemeni people.
It clear routes
for much-needed humanitarian aid aimed at supporting the country’s citizens.
The demining
operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij,
Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale, and Saada.
A total of
396,558 mines have been cleared since the start of the project.
More than 1.2
million mines have been planted by the Houthis, claiming the lives of hundreds
of civilians.
The project
trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It
also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.
In June 2022,
the project’s contract was extended for another year at a cost of $33.29 million.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi
commission discusses developing design sector
April 30, 2023
RIYADH: The
Saudi Architecture and Design Commission organized an open meeting on Sunday in
conjunction with the celebration of International Design Day, which falls on
April 27 each year.
The meeting
reviewed the role of design and its ability to effect positive change. It also
reviewed the commission’s role in developing the design sectors.
The
commission’s CEO Dr. Sumaya Al-Sulaiman addressed the commission’s objectives
under the “Square Strategy,” which reflects the aspiration to launch a new era
for architecture and design in Saudi Arabia.
The meeting is
part of a series of open meetings that the commission has been organizing as a
channel of communication and social engagement. It aims to enrich the cultural
landscape of architecture and design, provide a space for constructive dialogues,
and exchange visions and ideas to advance the sector.
The main
objectives of the strategy include developing the sector, contributing to the
gross domestic product, fostering talent, obtaining global recognition,
achieving sustainability, and supporting innovation.
Al-Sulaiman
said that the commission focuses on impacting the lives of practitioners in the
field by providing job opportunities in the creative sectors.
This will be
facilitated through simplifying licensing procedures to regulate design
professions and raise the quality of output, she said.
Holding events
to create a space for Saudi professionals to network while bringing in the
latest insights and ideas through direct investment and support for academic
institutions in the field will also contribute to the growth of the sector,
Al-Sulaiman added.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi shield
initiative to train 3,000 mentors in drug prevention
April 30, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi
Arabia’s Ministry of Education launched the second phase of the Shield
initiative for public education, one of the initiatives of the National Drug
Control Strategy, to train mentors in educational institutions and proactively
protect students from the dangers of drugs.
The project
aims to equip students with knowledge and life skills and enhance their
participation in community development.
The ministry
hopes to train over 3,000 student mentors across all education departments
through programs that will qualify them in awareness-building and prevention
methods in the fight against drug abuse.
During the
first phase of the Shield initiative, the Ministry of Education trained over
100 mentors in all education departments, helping to raise community awareness
of the harms of drugs and promote positive behavior in students.
Source: arabnews.com
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Indian
minister’s Saudi visit to boost strategic partnership
April 30, 2023
NEW DELHI:
India’s junior foreign minister will seek to further the country’s strategic
partnership with Saudi Arabia when he arrives in Riyadh on Monday, according to
New Delhi.
Minister of
State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan will also visit Bahrain as part of
a five-day trip, which includes meeting his counterparts and the Indian
diaspora in both countries, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said on
Sunday.
Muraleedharan’s
visit comes after India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar made his
first official trip to Saudi Arabia in September. He and his Saudi counterpart,
Prince Faisal bin Farhan, co-chaired the inaugural ministerial meeting of the
Committee on Political, Security, Social and Cultural Cooperation under the
framework of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.
Saudi-Indian
ties reached new highs when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Delhi in
February 2019. In October that year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
visited Riyadh at the invitation of King Salman, and the Strategic Partnership
Council was established.
The partnership
is focused on political issues, security, sociocultural relations and defense
corporation.
While in
Riyadh, Muraleedharan will meet Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Al-Khuraiji as
well as various Indian companies and organizations. On Wednesday, he will visit
the Eastern Province to meet its top leaders.
The trip comes
just days after Muraleedharan’s visit to Jeddah, where he coordinated the
evacuation of Indian nationals from Sudan under Operation Kaveri.
Observers said
Saudi Arabia’s support for the operation had helped bolster relations between
India and the Kingdom as most Indians were evacuated by sea through the port of
Jeddah.
Delhi said it
was extremely grateful to the Kingdom on Thursday, when the first group of
evacuees from Sudan reached the Indian capital after fleeing intense fighting
that has so far killed over 500 people and injured at least 4,200 others.
After visiting
the Kingdom, Muraleedharan will travel to Bahrain, where he “will hold
discussions with various dignitaries and meet Indian community organizations,”
the ministry said.
Source: arabnews.com
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--------
Africa
Togo President
Faure GnassingbeSays 140 People Killed In Jihadist 'War'
01-05-23
Around 40
soldiers and 100 civilians have been killed in a jihadist "war" in
northern Togo, President Faure Gnassingbe has said, in a ground-breaking
interview.
The small West
African nation, along with neighbouring Benin, Ghana and Ivory Coast, is
increasingly facing threats of a jihadist spillover from Burkina Faso and Mali.
"We have
paid a heavy price, especially our defence and security forces, who have lost
around 40 men unfortunately, and then we add civilian victims, a hundred or so
civilian victims in the country," Faure Gnassingbe said in an interview
with local private station New World TV broadcast on Thursday. The president's
family has ruled Togo since 1967.
The interview
-- his first since taking over from his father in 2005 -- marked mark the 63rd
anniversary of the country's independence from France.
"What is
happening to us is a form of aggression by two groups... one is called the
Islamic State in the Greater Sahara and the other, the Group for the Support of
Islam and Muslims," he said, referring to a group linked to al-Qaeda. This
campaign by "two terrorist organisations... is a form of war," said
Gnassingbe.
The president
said a three-tiered strategy had been put in place to confront the threat,
including launching a military operation known as Koundjoare in September 2018.
"It was a
preventive operation at first, which then became defensive, and now
occasionally we are also on the offensive," he said.
The
56-year-old, reelected three times in polls contested by the opposition,
addressed concerns over the government and military's choice to stay mum over
the more frequent attacks when questioned by the media including AFP.
"There is
something indecent about proclaiming someone's death," he said.
"It is not
because we don't issue statements that we don't have successes. We do have
successes."
Members of the
political opposition and civil society have often criticised the authorities'
silence over the situation in the north.
An official
asking to remain anonymous recently told AFP that this was "a choice,
because we have to protect our defence and security forces."
- Thousands
displaced -
Gnassingbe
warned the Togolese people "should expect a long fight with dramatic
moments, which is is inevitable in times of war."
"But I
want to assure my countrymen that in the end, we will win," he said.
In addition to
military operations, he said the government had set up "an
interministerial committee for the prevention and fight against violent
extremism."
The aim, he
said, was "to try and deradicalise or prevent radicalisation, because it
is men, young people, who are being used to conduct these attacks."
The president
said that nearly 12,000 people had been from their homes by the government in
order to "better protect the border."
The region is
also hosting people displaced from Burkina Faso, and the president said that
about half of the 100 civilians killed in the jihadist "war" in the
north were not Togolese citizens.
Earlier this
month, the country's parliament voted to extend a state of emergency in the
north, a measure that allows security forces and local authorities more
flexibility to take urgent measures to combat threats from militant groups.
Source: africanews.com
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--------
Port Sudan the
exit point for some foreign nationals
30-04-23
Port Sudan has
become a focus for foreign nationals hoping to escape the violence by sea --
with passenger ships making crossings to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
But despite the
huge numbers trying to get out, there are some who are making their way back to
the war torn country so they can be with their families.
One passenger
said: "Death will find us anywhere, it is important we are with our
families."
Warring
factions trying to seize control of the east African nation of Sudan have
plunged the country into chaos with at least 400 dead and thousands displaced.
Water and food
are in short supply.
One woman told
how she had left her one-and-a-half year old child at home while she went on a
pilgrimage to Mecca.
"I'm
suffering a lot 'til I found a ticket," she said.
At Port Sudan
hundreds of displaced people from all over the world were waiting to try and
leave on a ferry.
A woman, who
was also displaced by the Syrian war, said "We are suffering. Even in
Syria we didn't see war like this."
The violence is
a result of a struggle for power between two powerful generals and their
armies: Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, who leads the Sudanese armed forces, and Gen.
Mohammed HamdanDagalo, the head of a paramilitary group known as the Rapid
Support Forces.
Source: africanews.com
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--------
51 South
Africans evacuated from Sudan return home
30-05-23
Following an
anxious wait for their families in the arrivals hall of Johannesburg's OR Tambo
airport, more than fifty South African citizens return home after being
evacuated from Sudan following clashes between two rival generals.
A ministerial
delegation headed by South Africa's international relations minister
NalediPandor is there to greet them. "It was traumatic... it feels good to
be back home in our own country," evacuee Nelson Newel says.
All South
Africans including the ambassador to Sudan are now back home.
"Mixed
feelings, I'm excited to be home, I'm very said for the people of Sudan because
I made some good friends and I've left some staff members and colleagues
behind." says AshwiinRamraj,
evacuated from Sudan.
"It feels
very good man, it feels good to be safe, it feels good not to be worrying about
bombs, ja it was very tough that side."
Foreign nations
have scrambled to evacuate thousands of their citizens by air, road and sea
since the fighting plunged the country into deadly turmoil on April 15.
"We just
want South Africa to be assured because all of us have been waiting for you to
come back, and we are absolutely happy that you have been able safely return
home." international relations
minister NalediPandor told journalists.
President Cyril
Ramaphosa had initially said there were 77 South Africans who had been rescued
a few days ago.
Source: africanews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.africanews.com/2023/04/30/51-south-africans-evacuated-from-sudan-return-home/
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Sudan's former
PM warns the country staring at worst civil war
01-05-23
Sudan's former
prime ministerAbdallaHamdok has issued red flag over the ongoing violence in
his country warning the clashes could deteriorate into one of the worst civil
wars than those experience in Syria and Libya if the fighting is not stopped.
The former
premier is now calling for a truce between the warring generals from both the
Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.
The former
leader further insisted that there should be a defined role of the military in
Sudan rather than engaging in politics and the leadership of the country.
Hamdok was
answering questions for Mo Ibrahim who is the founder of the Ibrahim Foundation
when he also called for a strong and unified approach by the international
community in helping end the conflict that poses greater risk to millions of
Sudanese.
The fighting is
the culmination of a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
and Mohamed HamdanDaglo, head of the RSF and also known as Hemeti.
The violence
has killed at least 528 people and wounded about 4,600, the health ministry
said, but those figures are likely to be incomplete, with fighting in 12 out of
Sudan's 18 states.
Khartoum
authorities on Sunday put civil servants on open-ended leave "due to the
security situation".
The UN World
Food Programme has warned the unrest could plunge millions more into hunger in
a country where 15 million people already need aid to stave off famine.
Source: africanews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.africanews.com/2023/05/01/sudans-former-pm-warns-the-country-staring-at-worst-civil-war/
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URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/kerala-love-jihad-sangh/d/129680