‘No Country Like India’, Even Gulf Countries Don’t Offer This Much Freedom For Islamic Work: Samastha Kerala Jamaat Ul Ulama
New Age Islam News Bureau
30 January 2023
Ponmala Abdulkhader Musliyar, secretary of Samastha
Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulama (Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musaliyar segment).
---------
• Ilhan Omar Blasts GOP's 'Islamophobia' Amid
Committee Removal Bid: ‘They’re Not OK’ With Muslims ‘Having A Voice’
• Danes Uneasy About Quran Burning In Front Of Mosque
• ‘Reformist’ Muslim-Majority Malaysia’s Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim Turns His Back On LGBTs
• Time for Elon Musk’s Starlink to Save Afghanistan’s
Women
India
• RSS Functionaries To Sit In With Muslim Religious
Leaders From Deoband, Bareilly
• Kerala Governor Recalls Words Of Aligarh Muslim
University Founder “You Must Call Me A Hindu” At Hindu Conclave
• No Need To Defame Country To Oppose Policies Of
Government: Sunni Students' Federation
• Saffron Rallyists Rail Against ‘Love Jihad’, Mouth Anti-Muslim
Lines
• Muslims keeping Assamese language alive, says
Badruddin Ajmal
• Rashtriya Muslim Manch welcomes renaming of Mughal
Garden as ‘Amrit Udyan’
--------
North America
• NYC Council Considering Naming Harlem Street To
Honour Separatist Nation Of Islam Leader Elijah Muhammad
• Canada has planned for years to handle returnees
from the Islamic State. Now the plan has to work
• US again issues warning of possible terrorist
attacks against tourists in Turkey
• Blinken: All options available to prevent Iran from
acquiring a nuclear weapon
--------
Europe
• Macron calls for restraint after Israeli-Palestinian
violence
• Turkey may accept Finland into NATO: Erdogan
• Muslims in London protest Quran burning
--------
Southeast Asia
• Johor school’s SPM workshop issue settled, says PTA
• Malaysia to Print 1 Million Quran Copies to
Distribute Worldwide
• It’s not race or religion that threatens Malays and
Malaysia but corruption, says PM Anwar
--------
South Asia
• Death Toll of Afghanistan’s Harsh Winter Reaches 166
People
• Pompeo slams ex-Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in his
book, calls him ‘a total fraud’ who hampered peace talks with Taliban
• Taliban raise concerns over ‘problems’ faced by
Afghan refugees in Iran
--------
Mideast
• Israeli Govt To Revoke Rights Of ‘Terrorist
Families’
• Reports Of Torture, Unfair Trials In Iran Trigger
Fresh Alarm Over Fate Of Protesters
• Israeli opposition leader apportions blame on
Ben-Gvir for synagogue attack
• Israeli officers seal off home of Palestinian synagogue
shooter
• Iran condemns Jenin carnage, reiterates sustained
support for Palestinian nation
• Israel stepping up armed crackdown on Palestinians
following retaliatory attack in al-Quds
• Türkiye Issues Travel Warning For EU, US Over
Anti-Muslim, Racist Attacks
• Iranian Speaker Hails Palestinians for Teaching
Great Lesson to Israel After Jenin Attack
--------
Africa
• Islamic State-Affiliated ADF Rebels Kill 15 In
Eastern DR Congo
• LP Guber Candidate, Asake, Woos Islamic Leaders
• Miyetti Allah condemns FG’s silence over death of
pastoralists
• Italy’s PM Meloni holds talks in Libya as Eni signs
$8 bln energy deal
• Tunisians elect weakened parliament on 11% turnout
• Parliamentarians agree on need to digitize OIC work
ahead of annual conference
--------
Pakistan
• Protest Over Mysterious Chopping Of ‘Allah Rakha’,
An Eight-Decade-Old Banyan Tree, In Lahore
• Unpacking TTP’s curious new narrative
• Govt advancing human rights in line with UN goals
• PM Shehbaz calls for global unity to fight
Islamophobia
--------
Arab World
• Bin Salman Urged Baghdad To Arrange Face-To-Face
Meeting Between Saudi, Iranian Fms: Iraqi FM
• Kuwait opens large mosque in Australia
• Egyptian singer Mohamed Ramadan 'breaks TikTok record'
for artists in Arab World
• Seven dead in eastern Syria air strikes: Monitor
• Report: Drones attack convoy in east Syria coming
from Iraq
• Philippines to send delegation to Kuwait to probe labour
abuses after recent killing
• Airstrikes target Iranian-backed terrorists in
eastern Syria
• Iran receives messages from nuclear deal parties
through Qatar
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
--------
‘No Country Like India’, Even Gulf Countries Don’t
Offer This Much Freedom For Islamic Work: Samastha Kerala Jamaat Ul Ulama
by Shaju Philip
January 30, 2023
Ponmala Abdulkhader Musliyar, secretary of Samastha
Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulama (Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musaliyar segment).
-----------
A prominent Muslim scholar belonging to pro-CPI(M) Sunni
Muslim organisation has stated that there is no other country like India where
Islamic works could be carried out.
PonmalaAbdulkhaderMusliyar, secretary of Samastha
Kerala Jamaat ul Ulama (Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musaliyar segment), said,
“When you examine various countries in the world, there is no other country
like India where we can carry out the Islamic work. Even in Gulf countries,
which we are familiar with, there is no freedom as we have in India. In Eastern
countries like Malaysia also we do not see the freedom for Islamic work as we
have in India. Will the organisational work which we are carrying out India be
possible anywhere else? There is no other country like ours which is suitable
for Islamic work,’’ he said.
The Musliyar was addressing a meeting of the Sunni
Students Federation of the A P Sunni segment in Kozhikode on Sunday. The A P
Sunni segment in Kerala is known for its Left leanings and its supremo
Aboobacker Musaliyar is one who wears his pro-Left stand on his sleeves.
Another Sunni segment is the E K faction, close to the Indian Union Muslim
League.
IUML leadership did not summarily reject the stand of
PonmalaMusaliyar, but supplemented his view saying it (the freedom for Islamic
work) demonstrated the strength of the Constitution. IUML state president
Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said if Muslims do not face any threat in
India, it is due to the strength of the Constitution, he said.
Source: Indian Express
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Ilhan Omar Blasts GOP's 'Islamophobia' Amid Committee
Removal Bid: ‘They’re Not OK’ With Muslims ‘Having A Voice’
January 29, 2023
Rep. Ilhan Omar says McCarthy's decision was a
political stunt and a blow to a democratic institution
--------
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., accused Republicans of
Islamophobia on Sunday after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy moved to eject her
from the House Foreign Affairs Committee for what he described as anti-Semitic
remarks.
Omar appeared Sunday on CNN’s "State of the
Union" alongside Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Eric Swalwell, D-Calif.,
after McCarthy removed the latter two from the House Intelligence Committee,
citing national security concerns.
Omar, who has apologized in the past for repeating
anti-Semitic tropes, said Republicans are targeting her because she’s Muslim.
"It is politically motivated, and in some cases
motivated by the fact that many of these members don't believe a Muslim refugee,
an African, should even be in Congress, let alone have the opportunity to serve
on the Foreign Affairs Committee," she said.
CNN anchor Dana Bash interjected, saying Omar has
"said this before" and that it seemed like she was "accusing
Kevin McCarthy of racism."
"I mean, I'm not making any accusations,"
Omar responded. "I'm just laying out the facts. You remember Donald Trump
coming into my state and saying Muslims, Somali refugees are infiltrating our
country. You remember Marjorie Taylor Greene coming to Congress after Rashida
[Tlaib] and I got sworn in and saying Muslims are infiltrating Congress. You
remember [Lauren] Boebert saying that I was a terrorist. What did McCarthy do?
He said, ‘she apologized, and we don't have to worry about her Islamophobia.’"
"These people are OK with Islamophobia," she
continued. "They're OK with trafficking, in their own ways, in
antisemitism. They are not OK with having a Muslim have a voice on that
committee."
Omar previously labeled McCarthy "racist"
and "xenophobic" for trying to remove her from the Foreign Affairs
Committee.
placeholder
McCarthy has said he is removing Omar from the
position as she has upset many of her colleagues in the past with controversial
anti-Israel statements that highlighted antisemitic tropes.
She once said, "It's all about the Benjamins,
baby" to explain why McCarthy criticized her for opposing the Jewish
country. She also sparked backlash for a remark comparing the U.S. and Israel
to Hamas and the Taliban.
McCarthy, as House speaker, has the authority to
approve committee appointments offered by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
While McCarthy had the authority to remove Schiff and Swalwell from their
select committee without a vote, a full House vote is needed for Omar’s
removal.
McCarthy can only afford to lose four votes in passing
the resolution to remove Omar, and Reps. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., Nancy Mace,
R-S.C., and Ken Buck, R-Colo., have said they will vote against it.
Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., is also recovering at home
with an injury, giving McCarthy zero wiggle room.
Source:FoxNews
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Danes uneasy about Quran burning in front of mosque
29/01/2023
File photo
----------
People living in Denmark expressed their frustration
at the burning of a copy of the Quran, the holy book for Muslims, by a
far-right Swedish-Danish figure.
On Friday, Swedish-Danish politician Rasmus Paludan,
the leader of the far-right StramKurs (Hard Line) Party, burned a copy of the
Quran in front of a mosque in Denmark.
The Islamophobic act came days after the far-right
leader burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in the Swedish
capital, Stockholm, during a police-approved protest.
Anadolu asked the people living in Copenhagen, the
capital of Denmark, for their views on the burning of the Quran.
AneAndresem, a 35-year-old Danish scientist, said that
Paludan was just doing it to irritate people.
"So I don't think what he's doing makes any
sense. Legally, he can do whatever he wants, he can say whatever he wants, but
that doesn't mean it was the right move. The Bible could've burned too. I
personally don't care because I'm not Muslim, but I can see the Muslims are
frustrated," she said.
Andresem said in countries such as Sweden, Norway and
Denmark, such acts are "permitted to protect freedom of expression."
A 51-year-old Danish entrepreneur DorchemieSvain also
described Paludan as "a lunatic," saying he did not understand why
the police and the state were allowed to devote so much time to this man.
He added: "If it provokes these people, you won't
do it. Why are you doing this? I think you shouldn't. Why would you do it if
such behavior makes people angry or upset?"
Another Danish citizen, who requested anonymity, said
Paludan's action is only causing trouble.
Global condemnations have poured in with Swedish Prime
Minister Ulf Kristersson condemning Paludan’s actions as "deeply
disrespectful," while the US called it "repugnant."
Source:YeniSafak
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/news/danes-uneasy-about-quran-burning-in-front-of-mosque-3659776
--------
‘Reformist’ Muslim-Majority Malaysia’s Prime Minister
Anwar Ibrahim Turns His Back On LGBTs
By Richard S Ehrlich
JANUARY 27, 2023
Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim's 'reformist'
credentials under fire for comment on LGBT rights. Image: Twitter
------------
Muslim-majority Malaysia’s newly elected Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was jailed twice for homosexual sodomy, is warning
lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT) that they, along with
communism and secularism, “would never be recognized” by his administration.
Anwar made the remarks after a popular hardline
Pan-Islamic Party (PAS) official, Razman Zakaria, claimed the prime minister
and his allies would legalize same-sex marriage in the Southeast Asian country.
PAS, an Islamist component party of the opposition
Perikatan Nasional coalition, won 49 seats out of the 222 available at last
year’s election, the most of any party and up substantially from the 18 it won
at the 2018 poll.
“Sometimes these [rival] politicians say if Anwar
becomes prime minister, then Islam will be destroyed, secularism and communism
will be established, and LGBT will be recognized,” Anwar said back on January
6.
“This is just a delusion. Of course, it will never
happen and, God willing, under my administration, it is unlikely to happen,”
the prime minister said.
“Such anti-LGBT sentiments, coupled with scapegoating
for political expediency and survival, are dangerous,” responded
ThilagaSulathireh, co-founder of Justice for Sisters. “It has effectively
increased LGBT-related misinformation and bias.”
Justice for Sisters spotlights violence and
persecution in Malaysia against transgender women, and has interviewed LGBT
Malaysians for New York-based Human Rights Watch.
“LGBTphobia in Malaysia is increasing at an alarming
state,” Thilaga wrote in a published statement on January 9.
“PAS has made the LGBT issue a major social media
campaign, particularly on TikTok and on some Facebook fan pages where [Anwar’s]
supporters are attacked with homosexual memes and jokes,” Focus Malaysia online
media reported on January 7.
For the past 25 years, PAS has emphasized Anwar’s
sodomy convictions and tried to quash his political popularity. Anwar along
with around 60% of Malaysia’s 33 million population is Muslim. Islam condemns
LGBT as a sin.
Malaysia’s secular, federal, anti-sodomy laws are
enshrined in Section 377 of the penal code, a legacy of British colonialism. It
punishes “carnal knowledge against the order of nature” with up to 20 years in
prison, plus a mandatory whipping.
Islamic courts also enforce anti-LGBT Shariah criminal
laws, based on the Koran and applicable only to Muslims, depending on which
Malaysian state they live in. In 2021, Forbes magazine reported that Malaysia
was among the “20 Most Dangerous Places For Gay Travelers.”
When Anwar, 75, was elected prime minister in November
2022, he became “the first to reach the top of an Islamic country after being
accused of homosexual relations,” noted Rome-based Agenzia Nova online media.
In addition to imprisonment, convicted LGBT Malaysians
can be whipped with a bamboo or rattan cane.
Shariah authorities publicly caned two women – each
six times – after they pleaded guilty to lesbian sexual relations in Terengganu
state, governed by PAS, in 2018. It was the first time lesbians in Malaysia
were beaten to punish them.
Anwar was Malaysia’s finance minister and deputy prime
minister until 1998 when he was convicted of sodomy committed in 1993, and
corruption. He denied the charges.
Anwar’s wife Wan Azizah Wan, clad in a Muslim-style
“tudung” headscarf, laughingly told the Washington Times in a 1998 interview,
“I have six children. If you think he’s bisexual, six children is a lot.”
The published charges against Anwar were explicit:
Anwar was told he “voluntarily committed carnal
intercourse against the order of nature against one Munawar Ahmad Anees, by
introducing your penis into his anus, and you have, therefore, committed an
offense under section 377B of the Penal Code.”
Anwar was beaten by police while in custody and
sentenced to 15 years – nine years for sodomy and six years for corruption.
Anwar’s adopted brother, SukmaDermawan, 37, and 51-year-old
former speechwriter Anees, both confessed – and were found guilty – of allowing
Anwar to sodomize them.
They were each sentenced to six months in jail. When
Anwar was imprisoned, Washington expressed concern and denounced the trial.
“I am deeply disturbed by the verdicts handed down in
Malaysia in the case of Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his adopted
brother,” then-US vice president Al Gore said at the time.
“The show trial the two men were forced to endure
mocked international standards of justice…I hope the appeals process will
overturn these verdicts.”
An appeals court acquitted and freed Anwar in 2004
after he spent six years in prison for sodomy. In 2008, a second separate
conviction for homosexual sodomy delayed his political return.
He was pardoned for that conviction and released in
2018. Malaysia’s then-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad supported the lengthy
trials which were ruining his former colleague.
Source:AsiaTimes
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://asiatimes.com/2023/01/reformist-anwar-turns-his-back-on-lgbts/
--------
Time for Elon Musk’s Starlink to Save Afghanistan’s
Women
By Fidel Rahmati
January 30, 2023
Starlink Satellite: (AP Photo/John Raoux)
-------------
Mark R. Whittington, a renowned space exploration
author, has discussed Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite that how best can help
Afghan women who are banned from education by the Taliban, the Hill reported.
Elon Musk is a multimillionaire entrepreneur and the
founder and CEO of SpaceX. Starlink is a group of satellites that provide
internet, voice and text communications directly from space and has
revolutionized how people communicate with one another. The project was started
in 2019 by SpaceX successfully.
The Starlink system can offer access to high-speed
Internet in remote areas without installing cables or constructing a
significant amount of new infrastructure.
Mark stated that Afghanistan is now in a situation
that needs Starlin the most. He further argues that this has been the
consequence of the abrupt military withdrawal of the United States from
Afghanistan, which led to the brutal suppression of women in the country.
On the other hand, people need access to the internet
in most parts of the country, mainly rural areas. As a result, “Starlink can
provide internet access in rural regions of the country, and the system could
turn all of Afghanistan into an online school that the Taliban would find
difficult, if not possible, to stop.”
Mark’s opinion on Starlink comes following the
Taliban’s decreed ban on women’s education in Afghanistan as the best possible
alternative to prevent further women’s isolation from the public.
The De facto authorities have decreed a ban on women’s
education in Afghanistan since December last year and subsequently banned them
from working in national and international organizations. In addition, the
Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education issued a new decree banning female
students’ enrollment from all public and private universities in Afghanistan.
He also stated that the report shows that Afghan
females started taking classes in an online university in the United States
called the University of the People and another in the UK called Future to
learn to bypass the recent decree on education.
The system has worked successfully in countries
indulged in conflict and political unrest. For example, Starlink has provided
Ukraine with a crucial weapon in its war against Russia and helped the Iranian
resistance in its opposition to the authoritarian regime.
He concluded that restoring the American moral
authority, which had been lost due to the withdrawal from Afghanistan, is
beyond evaluation. However, the US should still use Starlink in collaboration
with SpaceX to support Afghan women’s education despite the current regime.
Starlink should be made available through this cooperation to the growing
number of Afghan women and all other advocacy groups.
Source: Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.khaama.com/time-for-elon-musks-starlink-to-save-afghanistans-women/
--------
India
RSS functionaries to sit in with Muslim religious
leaders from Deoband, Bareilly
29.01.23
Senior RSS functionaries will meet Muslim spiritual
leaders from Deoband and Bareilly in the coming days, and discuss with them
various contentious issues, sources said on Sunday, as the Sangh continues with
its outreach exercise to the community.
The date for the meeting will be decided mutually,
they said, adding a meeting is also in the offing with senior Muslim spiritual
leaders in Kerala.
Earlier on January 14, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
(RSS) members had met with Muslim religious leaders and discussed various
issues including the temple issues in Kashi and Mathura, hate speech, and
Muslims living in ghettos. It was a follow-up to a meeting RSS chief Mohan
Bhagwat had on August 22 last year with five prominent members from the
community.
The August meeting was held at the residence of former
Delhi Lt governor Najeeb Jung, and the RSS was represented also by its joint
general secretary Krishna Gopal, Ram Lal and Indresh Kumar, the sources said.
During the meeting, they had talked about finding an
amicable solution of the Kashi and Mathura temple issues, they said. Prominent
Muslim bodies including Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind were
represented in the meeting, also attended by Ajmer Dargah's Salman Chishti.
Source: TelegraphIndia
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Kerala Governor Recalls Words Of Aligarh Muslim
University Founder “You Must Call Me A Hindu” At Hindu Conclave
28th January 2023
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan
on Saturday recalled the words of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, founder of the Aligarh
Muslim University who was said to have urged to call him a “Hindu” over a
century ago.
While speaking at a Hindu conclave here, the Governor
quoted the reported words of Sir Syed Khan that “you must call me a Hindu”
which he had made during an Arya Samaj meeting.
Khan said Sir Syed was given a reception by the Samaj
members when he completed his tenure in the Legislative Council during the
colonial regime.
Recalling the words of the reformer-educationalist,
Khan said he had asked the Samaj members why they didn’t call him a Hindu and
made it clear that he did not consider “Hindu” as a religious term.
“But, my serious complaint against you (Arya Samaj
members) is that why don’t you call me a Hindu? I do not consider Hindu as a
religious term…Hindu is a geographical term,” the Governor said recalling Syed
Ahmed Khan’s words.
Anybody who is born in India, anybody who lives on the
food which is produced in India, anybody who drinks water from the rivers of
India is entitled to call himself a Hindu and so “you must call me a Hindu”,
Khan said quoting the Aligarh University founder’s words.
Arif Mohammed Khan also said it was “perfectly fine”
to use the terminology like Hindu, Muslim and Sikh during the colonial era
because the Britishers had made the communities as the basis for deciding even
the ordinary rights of citizens.
The conclave was organised by the outfit Kerala Hindus
of North America (KHNA).
Union Minister V Muraleedharan took part in the
concluding session of the conclave held at Muscat hotel here.
He alleged a conspiracy has been going on in the state
to make it feel that it is wrong to say “I am a Hindu”.
Even before independence, the kings and rulers of the
country, who believed in “sanatana dharma”, had accepted all religious groups
with open arms, he said.
In the same manner that the union government under Prime
Minister Narendra Modi is opening the door for people suffering persecution in
neigbouring countries, he said.
Source:Siasat Daily
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
No Need To Defame Country To Oppose Policies Of
Government: Sunni Students' Federation
30 JAN 2023
The Sunni Students' Federation (SSF) on Sunday said
the ruling dispensation of the country should be "corrected" but not
by creating hatred against the nation.
A resolution passed at the state conference of the
SSF, the student wing of the A P Kanthapuram Aboobacker Musliyar faction of the
Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama, said there was no need to defame the
country to oppose the policies of the government.
The resolution said Islam cannot accept turning hatred
towards fascism and its violent nature into hatred against the nation.
"The ruling government should be corrected but
not by creating hatred against the country. The country and its ruling
dispensation should be seen as two different entities. And there is no need to
defame the country to oppose the policies of the government," the
resolution read.
It said the values of the nation should be upheld
uncompromisingly even while raising strong criticisms against the government.
Source:OutlookIndia
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Saffron Rallyists Rail Against ‘Love Jihad’, Mouth
Anti-Muslim Lines
Jan 30, 2023
By SaurabhaKulshreshtha
Mumbai : On Sunday morning, a sea of saffron-capped
agitators were seen on the streets of Dadar, raising saffron flags and
demanding a state law to curb alleged cases of ‘love jihad’ and religious
conversion. The rally was held by the Sakal Hindu Samaj, a conglomerate of
Hindutva organisations, under the banner of the Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha.
The rally, which commenced from Shivaji Park in Dadar,
ended at Kamgar Maidan in Parel. Slogans like ‘Jo Hindu hit ki baatkahega, vahi
Maharashtra pe raj karega (Only those who speak of Hindu interests will be
allowed to rule Maharashtra) rent the air—an indication that the saffron
parties and their allies were determined to introduce religious polarisation in
Maharashtra’s politics before the upcoming elections. Leaders from the BJP and
the Eknath Shinde-led BSS also participated in the rally.
The Sakal Hindu Samaj has under its umbrella Hindutva
organisations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Hindu Janajagruti
Samiti and Sanatan Sanstha. It has participated in several such rallies held by
right-wing outfits in the last few weeks across the state.
The rallies come at a time when the BJP-BSS government
is contemplating bringing in a law against love jihad or post-marriage
religious conversion on the lines of the BJP-ruled states. Indeed, the
Shinde-Fadnavis government in December set up a committee to look into
inter-faith marriages. ‘Love jihad’ is a term used by right-wing activists who
say that inter-faith marriages are nothing but a concerted effort by Muslim men
to convert Hindu women to Islam.
T Raja Singh, a BJP MLA from Telangana, who addressed
the public meeting at Kamgar Maidan, used aggressive and provocative language
against inter-faith love affairs and warned Muslim youths to keep their
distance from Hindu girls. “Be aware about ‘love jihad’ and (religious)
conversions,” bellowed Singh, addressing the Hindu community. “Do not buy goods
with ‘halal’ tags on them. Now that the BMC polls are coming, vote only for
those parties that talk about Hindu interests and have the capacity to free
land from encroachers of a particular community.”
Many BJP leaders such as Gopal Shetty, Manoj Kotak,
Atul Bhatkhalkar, Nitesh Rane, Pravin Darekar and former MP Kirit Somaiya
participated in the rally. SadaSarvankar from Eknath Shinde’s faction also
participated with his son and former corporator SamadhanSarvankar.
BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar, when questioned, said he had
participated in the protest not as a BJP MLA but “as a Hindu”. “We support the
demands by the organisers,” he said. “Though our party is in power at the
Centre and in the state, every issue cannot be solved by the government. The
support of society is important. In the case of love jihad, we want to send out
a message that Hindus are awake now and Hindu girls have the support of society
and several organisations.”
Vishwa Hindu Parishad spokesperson Shreeraj Nair
declared that the Shraddha Walkar murder case, incidents of land-grabbing and
the construction of religious structures and forcible conversion were the main
reasons that led to the decision to organise such protests. “Love jihad is a
known fact now,” he said. “In order to create awareness among Hindu girls and
society about it, we have all come together.” Nair said that 31 such rallies
had been organised in 12 districts, including Mumbai. There will be many more
rallies in the remaining districts of Maharashtra.
Ajit Pawar, Leader of the Opposition in the assembly,
was vocal in his criticism. “The BJP is trying to spread hatred in society by
supporting such rallies,” he said. “The issue of the anti-love jihad act is
being raised only for political benefit. Unfortunately, no one is raising a
strong voice against this Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha.”
Political analyst Prakash Bal said the rallies were
nothing but the politics of polarisation for the forthcoming municipal
corporation and zilla parishad elections in Maharashtra. “Besides, the BJP
central leadership knows very well that it has failed on the economic and
governance front, and that the polarisation of the Hindu vote bank is its only
hope to win the 2024 general elections,” he said. “That is the reason they are
using Hindu organisations belonging to the Sangh Parivar for rallies.”
Source: Hindustan Times
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Muslims keeping Assamese language alive, says
Badruddin Ajmal
29th January 2023
Guwahati: All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF)
chief Badruddin Ajmal on Sunday said that Muslim people in Assam are keeping
the Assamese language alive.
Speaking at a function in Dhubri, he said: “The
Assamese language’s heritage has been preserved, and it has also been protected
by Muslims residing in Assam. I can challenge that. But even after that,
Assamese people refer to us as Bangladeshis in a fraction of a second.”
Ajmal commented that Assamese is not taught in
Bangladesh.
“Then how can a Bangladeshi learn that language,” he
questioned.
The AIUDF leader further said that in Char areas of
Assam, Muslim people send their children to Assamese-medium schools.
“The problem is that our (Muslim) people send the
children to Assamese medium schools, but they don’t have the habit of speaking
Assamese at home,” he added.
Meanwhile, Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika has
criticised Ajmal for his remarks.
He said: “This is a ridiculous claim. I have noticed
that even Badruddin Ajmal speaks half Assamese language and mixes Bengali and
Hindi into it.”
Hazarika also asked Ajmal whether he could really
speak Assamese like him.
“There is absolutely no need for Badruddin Ajmal to
protect our language since Assamese people know it well enough to protect and
preserve it,” the BJP
Speaking at a function in Dhubri, he said: “The
Assamese language’s heritage has been preserved, and it has also been protected
by Muslims residing in Assam. I can challenge that. But even after that,
Assamese people refer to us as Bangladeshis in a fraction of a second.”
Ajmal commented that Assamese is not taught in
Bangladesh.
“Then how can a Bangladeshi learn that language,” he
questioned.
The AIUDF leader further said that in the Char areas
of Assam, Muslim people send their children to Assamese-medium schools.
“The problem is that our (Muslim) people send the
children to Assamese medium schools, but they don’t have the habit of speaking
Assamese at home,” he added.
Meanwhile, Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika criticised
Ajmal for his remarks.
He said: “This is a ridiculous claim. I have noticed
that even Badruddin Ajmal speaks half Assamese language and mixes Bengali and
Hindi into it.”
Hazarika also asked Ajmal whether he could really
speak Assamese like him.
Source:Siasat Daily
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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https://www.siasat.com/muslims-keeping-assamese-language-alive-says-badruddin-ajmal-2513732/
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Rashtriya Muslim Manch welcomes renaming of Mughal
Garden as ‘Amrit Udyan’
29th January 2023
New Delhi: Welcoming President DroupadiMurmu’s move to
rename all the gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi including Mughal Garden
as ‘Amrit Udyan’, Muslim Rashtriya Manch, a Muslim wing of Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Saturday said that the new name symbolises
‘VasudhaivaKutumbakam’.
The National Media Incharge of RSS’ Muslim wing Shahid
Saeed said that ‘Amrit’ means power, which is immortal or which is seen in
association with the gods.
Therefore, the ‘Udyan’ is given such great importance
and such great vastness.
He said, “Amrit Udyan is the eternal idea of India,
which reflects ‘VasudhaivaKutumbakam (the world is one family)’. It reminds me
of the ancient sages of India. 5000 years ago, Lord Shri Krishna inspired
Arjuna to establish Indraprastha in place of Khandavprastha at this very
place.”
Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh also
welcomed the move by saying that the country should celebrate its independence
in a true manner.
Members of Rashtriya Muslim Manch also thanked Prime
Minister Narendra Modi for naming the 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman and
Nicobar in the names of national heroes and termed it a commendable step.
“The islands whose names were changed included the
names of the British oppressors. Manch believes that it was very sad that the
names that were still floating around included the names of British generals
‘Havelock’, ‘Neil’ and ‘Ross’ who crushed Indian freedom fighters and inflicted
countless tortures. The Manch believes that the names of such people should not
have been mentioned at all. And for this, whatever praise may be given to
Narendra Modi is less,” he said.
Source:Siasat Daily
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North America
NYC Council Considering Naming Harlem Street To Honour
Separatist Nation Of Islam Leader Elijah Muhammad
By Carl Campanile
January 29, 2023
The City Council is set to rename a Harlem street
after Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad — a figure civil rights activists
consider a bigot who promoted black separatism.
According to a street-naming list, the corner of West
127th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard would become “The Most Honorable Elijah
Muhammad Way.”
The site is where Mosque Temple No. 7 — the Eastern
regional headquarters of the Nation of Islam — is located.
The honor for Elijah Muhammad is among 128 street
renamings on a list before the Council — which will vote on the entire list.
But naming an intersection for Elijah Muhammad along a
section of Malcolm X. Boulevard is expected to raise eyebrows at a Tuesday
public hearing.
NYPD Patrolman Phillip Cardillo was killed by Nation
of Islam radicals in 1972 at Mosque No. 7’s previous location on 116h Street in
1972 while responding to a fake emergency call. No one has been convicted in
the slaying.
Malcolm X was a protege of Elijah Muhammad, but the
pair had a falling out and Malcolm X split from the Nation of Islam.
Malcolm X was later assassinated by members of the
black religious and nationalist organization in the Audubon Ballroom on Feb.
21, 1965 — with speculation continuing to rage over whether others, allegedly
including Elijah Muhammad, ordered the hit.
Muhammad denied any involvement but said days after
the assassination that “Malcolm X got just what he preached.”
Harlem democratic socialist Councilwoman Kristin
Richardson Jordan put in the request to honor Elijah Muhammad.
But Councilman Robert Holden (D-Queens) said the
proposal to honor Elijah Muhammad should be removed from the list. The issue
will be discussed at the Council’s public hearing Tuesday.
“I’m going to oppose Elijah Muhammad. He was a black
supremacist. He was a bad guy,” Holden said. “It’s an insult to Malcolm X
Boulevard.”
Councilman Kalman Yeger (D-Brooklyn) said it would be
“highly embarrassing for the Council to pass… [the Elijah Muhammad street
renaming]. Streets renaming should be reserved for principled and respected
individuals.”
The Anti-Defamation League argued the Nation of Islam
has “maintained a consistent record of antisemitism and bigotry since its
founding in the 1930s.”
“The Nation of Islam opposes racial integration and
advocates for the creation of a separate nation for Black people,” the ADL
said. “Anti-white doctrines are incorporated into NOI ideology. Unlike many
civil rights activists who critique whiteness with regard to power structures
and systemic racism, the NOI engages in the demonization of and conspiracy
theories about the biological nature of all white people, portraying white
people as satanic, sub-human, and inherently inferior to Black people.”
The civil rights group said Elijah Muhammad “took over
and promoted the idea that white people were created by an evil Black scientist
and that Black people are the superior race.”
Others point out Elijah Muhammad drew blacks into the
Nation of Islam and encouraged self empowerment.
Richardson Jordan’s proposal says Muhammad “served as
the inspiration and mentor
to many, by preaching a new form of Islam tailored to
the needs and problems of African
Americans, such as economic self-reliance, clean
living and the promise of a future in
which African Americans would no longer be oppressed
by racial discrimination.”
The request noted Elijah Muhammad’s economic
development program for black people was an integral part of the growth of the
Nation of Islam. During his tenure in the 1970s, the Nation of Islam owned properties,
bakeries, barber shops, grocery stores, laundromats, night clubs, a printing
plant, retail stores, farmland and the Guaranty Bank and Trust Company.
The renaming has it backers.
“Absolutely. Elijah Muhammad was a historical figure
throughout the nation. It’s a good thing,” said Harlemite Keith Wright, leader
of the Manhattan Democratic Party and former state assemblyman,
And Council Republican Minority Leader Joseph Borelli
said local council members should be given deference in who they want to honor
in their district — even controversial figures.
“I don’t care who council members want to name streets
after in their districts. But I don’t want to hear bitching and moaning when we
want to honor Christopher Columbus,” said Borelli, who represents a Staten
Island district with a significant Italian American population.
Source: New York Post
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https://nypost.com/2023/01/29/nyc-council-considering-naming-harlem-street-after-elijah-muhammad/
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Canada has planned for years to handle returnees from the
Islamic State. Now the plan has to work
By Allan Woods
Jan. 29, 2023
Slowly and mysteriously, then in a growing wave, young
Canadians left behind their homes and families to join fellow Muslims fighting
in Syria and Iraq or to experience the radicalized utopia of an Islamic
caliphate promised by the Islamic State terrorism group.
Five or so years ago, psychologists such as Michael
King and Ghayda Hassan began preparing for their imminent return — one that is
expected only now, with a judge’s ruling last week that the federal government
must bring Canadian citizens home from overseas detention camps.
“When the caliphate kind of crumbled and lost all its
territory,” said King, of Alberta’s Organization for the Prevention of
Violence, “there was this massive fear that everyone was going to come back to
their countries of origin and charges wouldn’t be laid because it was hard to
collect evidence in foreign countries.”
Like surfers in a strange sea, psychologists, social
workers, police and radicalization experts waited in vain for that wave of
returning male ISIS fighters, female adherents and their children.
Now it is taking shape. Six women, between the ages of
27 and 40. Among them are 13 children between the ages of two and 14.
Separately, there are four Canadian men who range in
age from late 20s to early 40s. They have been detained for years in makeshift
Syrian prisons on suspicion they fought with or supported ISIS, but they have
never been charged with a crime.
Source:TheStar
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US again issues warning of possible terrorist attacks
against tourists in Turkey
30 January ,2023
The US embassy in Turkey warned Americans on Monday of
possible attacks against churches, synagogues, and diplomatic missions in
Istanbul, marking its second such notice in four days, following Quran-burning
incidents in Europe.
In an updated security alert, the US embassy said
“possible imminent retaliatory attacks by terrorists” could take place in areas
frequented by Westerners, especially the city’s Beyoglu, Galata, Taksim, and
Istiklalneighborhoods.
Turkish authorities are investigating the matter, it added.
On Friday, several embassies in Ankara including those
of the United States, Germany, France and Italy issued security alerts over
possible retaliatory attacks against places of worship, following separate
incidents in which the Muslim holy book, the Quran, was burned in Sweden,
Netherlands and Denmark.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Blinken: All options available to prevent Iran from acquiring
a nuclear weapon
29 January ,2023
US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, said on Sunday
that Iran has rejected the current proposal to return to the nuclear agreement,
adding that Washington still believes that diplomacy is the most effective way
to deal with the Iranian nuclear file.
Blinken said in an exclusive interview with Al-Arabiya
that Iranian youth are defending their basic rights in the face of Tehran’s
regime, adding that US focus now is on the Iranian regime's suppression of its
people in the streets.
‘We support the Iranian people’
Blinken highlighted US support to Iranian people,
stressing that the decision of “regime change” remains ultimately up to the
people. He added: “The Iranian regime is convincing its people of the idea that
the US wants regime change.”
In addition, he stressed that Iran supports Russia in
its war against Ukraine and provides it with drones and other weapons,
expressing his concern about Tehran providing Moscow with drones and missiles.
‘All options are available’
He stressed that US President Joe Biden stressed his
determination that Iran not acquire nuclear weapons, explaining that all
options are available on the table to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear
weapon.
He pointed out that Washington has punished all those
responsible for repression in Iran, stressing that his country continues to
search for ways to disrupt Iran's malign activities.
‘Deterring aggressors’
Blinken also said that the main goal of US military
efforts was deterring aggressors, specifically the US military exercises with
Israel.
He announced that he would hold talks with the
Israelis and Palestinians to reduce the escalating tensions.
‘Important relationships’
As for the Saudi-American ties, Blinken said that the
relations between his country and the Kingdom have been important and ongoing
for decades, noting that Saudi Arabia has provided great support to Ukraine in
the face of the Russian war.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Europe
Macron calls for restraint after Israeli-Palestinian
violence
30 January ,2023
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday called for
restraint after the latest flare-up in violence between Israelis and
Palestinians.
In a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Macron “recalled the need for all to avoid
measures likely to feed the spiral of violence,” said his office.
He also expressed his “readiness to contribute to the
resumption of dialogue between the Palestinians and the Israelis,” the
statement added.
Macron repeated his condemnation of Friday's shooting
attack outside a synagogue in Jerusalem that claimed seven lives.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Turkey may accept Finland into NATO: Erdogan
29 January ,2023
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said for the
first time Sunday that Ankara could accept Finland into NATO without its Nordic
neighbor Sweden.
Erdogan's comments during a televised meeting with
younger voters came days after Ankara suspended NATO accession talks with the
two countries.
Turkey and Hungary remain the only members of the
30-nation Western defense alliance to have failed to ratify the membership bids
by Sweden and Finland.
The Hungarian parliament is expected to approve both
bids in February.
But Erdogan has dug in his heels heading into a
tightly contested May 14 presidential election in which he is trying to
energize his conservative and nationalist base of support.
Erdogan's main complaint has been with Sweden's
refusal to extradite dozens of suspects that Ankara links to outlawed Kurdish
militants and a failed 2016 coup attempt.
He signaled on Sunday that he was willing to accept
Finland into the US-led defense bloc on its own.
“If necessary, we can give a different response
concerning Finland. Sweden will be shocked when we give a different response
for Finland,” Erdogan said in televised remarks.
He repeated his demand for Sweden to hand over
suspects sought by Ankara.
Source: Al Arabiya
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https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2023/01/29/Turkey-may-accept-Finland-into-NATO-Erdogan-
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Muslims in London protest Quran burning
Burak Bir
28.01.2023
LONDON
A group of Muslims on Saturday gathered outside
Sweden’s Embassy in London to protest the provocative burning of a copy of the
Quran by a far-right Swedish-Danish figure.
The protesters held signs condemning the Islamophobic
extremist act and chanted slogans.
Dozens of people from different communities in
Birmingham, Manchester, and London also performed prayer and recited verses
from the Quran, Islam’s holy book, in the area.
On Friday, Swedish-Danish politician Rasmus Paludan,
the leader of the far-right StramKurs (Hard Line) Party, burned a copy of the
Quran in front of a mosque in Denmark.
The Islamophobic act came days after the far-right
leader burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in the Swedish
capital, Stockholm, during a police-approved protest.
He also announced he would burn the holy book of the
Muslims every Friday until Sweden is included in the NATO alliance.
Global condemnations have poured in with Swedish Prime
Minister Ulf Kristersson condemning Paludan’s actions as "deeply
disrespectful," while the US called it "repugnant."
Source: Anadolu Agency
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of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/muslims-in-london-protest-quran-burning/2800302
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Southeast Asia
Johor school’s SPM workshop issue settled, says PTA
January 30, 2023
PETALING JAYA: The controversy over the SPM workshop
which was held exclusively for Muslim students of SMK Infant Jesus Convent has
come to an amicable conclusion, says the school’s parent-teacher association
(PTA).
The PTA said all those involved had apologised over
the issue and that moving forward, there will be more transparency practised by
the school.
“The lesson we have learned, as acknowledged by the
school’s principal, Ande Noor MunawarahBachok, is that going forward, the flow
of information must be transparent and made known to all, across the board.
“The matter was accepted by the PTA committee because
those involved have apologised,” it said in a statement that was undersigned by
seven committee members.
The PTA also detailed its findings on the issue as
well as the measures needed to prevent such an incident from occurring again.
“We found that there was no due process in the
approval and organisation of the SPM workshop, which was held only for Muslim
students at a hotel on Jan 19 and 20.
“The PTA committee members were not at all informed of
such a programme,” it said adding that the workshop sessions covered Islamic
topics, as well as Chemistry and Additional Mathematics.
The PTA said two more programmes were organised, on
Jan 26 and 27, respectively, with the first held in the school for all Form 5
students, and the second one at the same hotel for “21 students who had failed
or were ‘near misses’ in their examination”.
It added that due process was again not observed in
the organisation of the Jan 27 programme.
In a Twitter thread on Jan 23, social media user
@sangria200 posted a series of screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation in a
school chat group where parents alleged that the school had discriminated
against non-Muslim students by holding the SPM workshop only for Muslim
students at a hotel on Jan 19 and 20.
In response, the education ministry said the workshop
was not discriminatory and was intended for all the students, adding that it
was broken up into different sessions to avoid disrupting the festivities for
students celebrating Chinese New Year.
On the measures to prevent a recurrence of such
incidents, the PTA said details of all school programmes, especially those held
outside the school, “must henceforth be communicated to the entire PTA
committee, right from the initial planning stages”.
“Due process for the approval, organising and staging
of such events and programmes will then be forwarded to all PTA members.
“The SMK IJ Convent WhatsApp chat group will be
completely transparent, with guidelines on ethical communication within the group
made known to all,” it added.
Source: Free Malaysia Today
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Malaysia to Print 1 Million Quran Copies to Distribute
Worldwide
January 29, 2023
Anwar Ibrahim said on Saturday that the move was part
of a stern response against Swedish politician Rasmus Paludan for burning a
copy of the Muslim Holy Book in Stockholm, Sweden.
"The most efficient way to counter this crazy and
barbaric action is to continue with efforts that have been made.
"We are determined to print and distribute one
million copies of Quran across the globe immediately.
"It will follow with several programs on
understanding and appreciation of the Quran with clear message and content,"
he said after visiting the Quranic Arts Festival at Nasyrul Quran Complex,
Putrajaya Saturday.
Anwar said the printing and distribution process would
be done in stages.
"The program has started and we will start
contacting other Islamic countries to streamline the distribution.
"Most of the allocation is from the government.
We will seek the local religious councils and contact our friends in other
Muslim nations (for distribution)," he said.
Last Saturday, Paludan, the leader of the Danish
right-wing political party Hard Line burned a copy of the Quran during a
protest in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm.
On Friday, 500 people held a rally in front of the
Hampshire Place building in Kuala Lumpur, which houses the Swedish embassy
protesting the action of Paludan and called on the Swedish government to take
action against the politician.
Among the organizers of the rally were Angkatan
Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada), PartiPribumi Bersatu Malaysia along with component
members of Perikatan National as well as Islamic non-governmental organizations
(NGOs).
Source:IQNA
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https://iqna.ir/en/news/3482259/malaysia-to-print-1-million-quran-copies-to-distribute-worldwide
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It’s not race or religion that threatens Malays and
Malaysia but corruption, says PM Anwar
By Ida Lim
28 Jan 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — The real threat to the survival
of the ethnic Malay community and Malaysia as a whole is corruption as well as
leaders who steal the country’s wealth, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
said today.
Anwar was countering politicians who harp on race and
religion, saying these are irrelevant to good governance.
“People can harp upon issues of race or religion, to
me, it's completely irrelevant. It's a way and attempt by political leaders to
disguise and hijack the central issues of governance in this country. They are
going to appeal to the race, including the Malays, that their position, their
power base is challenged.
“Now my answer to that question is, it is not being
challenged by Malay businessmen or Chinese businessmen or Indian businessmen or
Sabah, Sarawak. The Malay survival is being threatened by a corrupt system, a
greedy coterie of leaders who have been stealing public funds from this
country, so we will have to continue to work together to make sure we save this
country from corruption,” he said in his keynote speech at the Associated
Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia's (ACCCIM) Chinese New
Year open house here.
Anwar did not name the leaders who were said to have
stolen public monies.
As someone who went from being the Opposition leader
to the prime minister, Anwar said he looks at files and papers, but does not
have the power to investigate and prosecute.
“You in the business community know precisely what I'm
talking about, every deal, every contract, they will attempt, and of course in
the process, huge commissions and bribery.
“It's not for me to conduct investigations or
prosecute, but I trust the authorities will not delay this, because we are not
talking about the political survival of an individual or party or a government,
we are talking about the survival of this great nation of Malaysia for all
Malaysians in this country,” he said to applause from the audience.
In his speech, Anwar also alluded to ACCCIM president
Tan Sri Low Kian Chuan’s earlier speech on issues of good governance and a firm
commitment and determination to wipe out corruption which had become systemic
and endemic in Malaysia.
Earlier, Low had pointed out how excessive regulations
raise the costs of business transactions and discourage investments while also
leading to corruption, and noted that eradication of corruption, regulatory and
compliance reforms and enhancement of public delivery services would be
necessary to ease the cost of doing business in Malaysia.
Low, who heads the 102-year-old ACCCIM representing
over 11,000 members from the local business community, was proposing for
priority to be given to the implementation of progressive and moderate policies
and the enhancement of a conducive business environment that would help boost
both local and foreign investment.
In his speech, Anwar cautioned against any
"silly, racist" arguments that would push the idea of him purportedly
neglecting Malay businessmen just because he attended the Chinese New Year
reception hosted by the Chinese business community.
Noting the need for Malaysia to give space to all
races, Anwar said attention will continue to be given to segments in society
which are the poorest and marginalised including those from the Malay and
Bumiputera community, saying however: "But this is not a zero-sum
game."
"I come today, Azizah and the ministers, to
honour our friends -- Chinese friends in the business community. This is not a
zero-sum game, this does not mean therefore I neglect Malay businessmen. unless
some silly racist arguments are being forwarded," he said, referring to
his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Cabinet members who also
attended the event.
He used his own experience of growing up in a
multiethnic Bukit Mertajam in Penang where "we were all like family"
to illustrate how different races in Malaysian society show love and tolerance
towards each other.
While pointing out he is a Malay and had a strict
upbringing by his parents who ensured he fasted and prayed, Anwar said he had
childhood friends of Chinese and Indian ethnicity, and noted the
"phenomenal" respect by non-Muslims towards Muslims' practise of
their faith.
He cited an anecdote such as when his father's
non-Muslim friend was very particular and ensured that halal food was served
when they ate at his house, noting that there was no need to force non-Muslims
as they understand such matters.
"He is very particular, what I eat, what is
halal, what is haram, you don't need to force them, they understand, this is
what we mean by tolerance, love and affection," Anwar said to applause.
Source:MalayMail
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South Asia
Death Toll of Afghanistan’s Harsh Winter Reaches 166
People
By Nizamuddin Rezahi
January 29, 2023
Afghanistan’s State Ministry for Disaster Management
has announced that due to the “harsh winter” more than 166 people have died
across the country so far.
Rahman Zahid, a disaster management authority in a
video said that 168 individuals have died due to extreme weather conditions and
gassing in 24 provinces of the country.
Mr. Zahid added that hundreds of houses have collapsed
and nearly 80,000 livestock has died across the country, leaving server
economic impacts on the living conditions of vulnerable families.
In the meantime, the weather forecast authorities have
warned of possible snowfall in at least 19 provinces in the coming days, which
will further complicate the living conditions of the people who are in dire
need of humanitarian support.
The country’s weather forecast bureau on Saturday
announced there will be heavy snowfalls in the coming days in provinces
including, Badakhshan, Nuristan, Kunar, Nangarhar, Laghman, Kapisa, Panjshir,
Parwan, Kabul, Logar, Paktika, Zabul, Ghazni, Maidan Wardak, Bamyan, Daikundi
and Ghor.
Meanwhile, humanitarian aid organizations had warned
of the consequences of the harsh winter, 50 percent of Afghanistan’s 38 million
population is in dire need of aid and winterization support. It is also stated
that nearly four million children suffer from serious malnutrition in the
country.
Amid the humanitarian crisis, the harsh winter is a
new addition to the problems of the Afghan people. With gender-based bans
restricting women employees from working with non-governmental aid
organizations have interrupted the distribution of aid to needy families across
the country during these difficult times.
Instead of easing the situation for women employees of
NGOs, the de facto government of Afghanistan issued a new decree banning female
students from taking the university entrance exam (Kankor) in all private and
public universities of this year.
Source: Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/death-toll-of-afghanistans-harsh-winter-reaches-166-people/
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Pompeo slams ex-Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in his
book, calls him ‘a total fraud’ who hampered peace talks with Taliban
January 29, 2023
Ashraf Ghani, the former Afghanistan President who
fled the country when the Taliban seized power in Kabul, was “a total fraud”
solely focused on his own desire to stay in power, and a big hurdle in any
peace talks, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has alleged.
In his book titled ' Never Give an Inch: Fighting for
the America I Love,' Mr. Pompeo claims that both Mr. Ghani and Afghanistan's
former chief executive Abdullah Abdullah were involved in corruption at the
highest levels that limited the U.S.’ ability to successfully exit the war-torn
country in August 2021.
The U.S. completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan on
August 31, ending its 20-year-old military presence in the war-torn country.
“As negotiations accelerated, Ghani was always a
problem. I met scores of world leaders, and he was my least favourite. That’s
saying a lot when you have Kim (Jong-un), Xi (Jinping), and (Vladimir) Putin in
the mix. Yet Ghani was a total fraud who had wasted American lives and was
focused solely on his own desire to stay in power,” Mr. Pompeo writes in his
book that hit the bookstores last week.
“Never once did I sense that he was prepared to take a
risk for his country that might imperil his power. This disgusted me,” he
writes in the book that gives a detailed account of the negotiations the
previous U.S. administration led by ex-President Donald Trump had with the
hardline Taliban militants.
The Trump administration had appointed former diplomat
Zalmay Khalilzad as the special envoy for talks with the Taliban.
Mr. Pompeo claims that Mr. Ghani won his re-election
mainly because of massive electoral fraud.
“According to the final nominal tally, Ghani had
defeated the country’s chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah. But the truth was
that Ghani simply had bribed more voters and vote counters than the other
candidates had,” writes the former Secretary of State.
Mr. Pompeo says both Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah were
fighting about who would be the next President without regard for whether there
would even be a government to lead in Afghanistan.
“At General (Austin Scott) Miller’s request, I hopped
a plane to Afghanistan on March 23, 2020, to tell them that they needed to find
an accommodation, or I would advise President Trump that we should exit the
country immediately, beginning with the elimination of the roughly USD 5–6
billion per year in foreign assistance that we were providing at the time,” he
said.
This was a real threat, Mr. Pompeo notes.
“While the public focus was almost always on how the
aid provided security assistance, its larger purpose was to preserve civil
order. It funded schools and health care, but it also meant ‘walking around
money’ for local leaders. That’s a euphemism for bribery, and it’s the sad reality
of both how American aid and Afghan society worked,” he said.
“My message got their attention. Eventually, we shaved
off USD 1 billion in assistance to show we weren’t bluffing. In May, Abdullah
essentially gave control to Ghani, and we had, at least, a head of the Afghan
government,” he said.
After joining the Trump administration, Mr. Pompeo
said, he assessed that Afghan low-level corruption secured a measure of
stability, as it kept the country from completely unravelling, albeit at a
staggering cost to the government’s credibility with its own people.
“The fact was that even Afghan’s president Ashraf
Ghani and the country’s chief executive Abdullah Abdullah both led cartels that
stole millions of dollars in aid money from the United States. That corruption
at the highest levels limited our ability to exit successfully,” the
59-year-old former top American diplomat claims in his book.
Mr. Ghani has previously denied taking "millions
of dollars belonging to the Afghan people" and also explained the reasons
why he had to flee to Dubai overnight from Kabul.
In a statement he shared on Twitter in September 2021,
Mr. Ghani said: “Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but
I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6
million citizens".
"I must now address baseless allegations that as
I left Kabul I took with me millions of dollars belonging to the Afghan people.
These charges are completely and categorically false.
"Corruption is a plague that has crippled our
country for decades and fighting corruption has been a central focus of my
efforts as president. I inherited a monster that could not easily or quickly be
defeated," the 73-year-old former Afghan president said in the statement.
In his book, Mr. Pompeo writes that Mr. Ghani, for all
his eloquence and charm, was not the leader of a war-torn, deeply divided
tribal nation seeking to build the political institutions needed.
“He was a dim bulb in his political instincts and a
Brussels-style manager in a cauldron of violence that demanded an Ultimate
Fighting Championship mindset. Nor did he have much credibility among Afghan
leaders, nearly all of whom had been fighting in one war or another for their
entire adult lives,” Mr. Pompeo said.
Mr. Ghani’s years in the West had made him masterful
at gaming American lawmakers and nonprofit organisations, he claims.
“He also spent extravagantly on lobbyists. I say with
no exaggeration that Ghani had more friends inside the district of Columbia
than he did in Afghanistan. When I met him the first time during my CIA days, I
told him straight up: ‘You’re squandering your time on K Street and Capitol
Hill when you should be hustling for allies in Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif,’
Pompeo wrote.
Source: TheHindu
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Taliban raise concerns over ‘problems’ faced by Afghan
refugees in Iran
PARWIZ KAROKHAIL
January 29, 2023
KABUL: The Taliban administration has raised concerns
with Tehran over difficulties faced by Afghan refugees in Iran, an official
said on Sunday, as reports of mistreatment continue to emerge from the
neighboring country.
Iran has for decades hosted millions of Afghans
fleeing armed conflict in their country.
Nearly 600,000 Afghan passport holders live in Iran
and about 780,000 are registered as refugees, according to 2022 data from UN
High Commissioner for Refugees, while 2.1 million Afghans remain undocumented.
The number of Afghans crossing into their western
neighbor has increased since 2021, when the Taliban took control of the country
and international sanctions slapped on their administration shattered the economy.
Many have since been forcibly expelled back to Afghanistan, and reports of
their abuse at the hands of Iranian security forces have been on the rise.
This month, videos circulated on social media shed new
light on the ordeal faced by Afghan refugees in Iran. At least one clip showed
topless Afghan men chained together and kneeling on the sand, crying and
pleading as they are whipped with a belt. Other footage has emerged since last
year, with reports of abuse not only by the Iranian police but also by criminal
gangs and human traffickers.
“There is no doubt that Afghans have faced a number of
problems in neighboring Iran,” Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, spokesman for the
Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, told Arab News on Sunday.
“We have talked to Iranian officials…and shared such
concerns and problems of Afghans with them,” Haqqani added. “One of the
problems is that a big number of Afghans have been forcibly expelled from
Iran.”
Iranian security forces have “unlawfully killed” at
least 11 Afghans, according to a report by Amnesty International published last
August, which also documented the forced returns and torture of Afghans.
Last April, viral footage showing the mistreatment of
Afghan refugees in Iran prompted a wave of protests targeting Iranian diplomatic
missions in Kabul and Herat.
Those reports, however, have not deterred Afghans from
seeking a better life in Iran, said social activist Dr. Azad, who is based in
the western province of Herat.
“About 80 percent of Herat residents have been living
in poverty and economic problems,” he told Arab News. “Almost one member of
each family from Herat province is traveling to neighboring Iran to find work
until they can provide food for their family.
“Those who have passports and those without any documents
have all had to face different problems with the Iranian authorities.”
But problems faced by Afghan refugees in Iran are
multifaceted and do not always directly involve Iranian officials, said
Attaullah Khogyani, an Afghan activist based in Tehran.
“Afghan refugees have a lot of problems in Iran.
Sometimes they are arrested and beaten very badly, and after the arrest, they
are forcibly expelled to Afghanistan,” Khogyani, whose work focuses on refugee
rights, told Arab News in a phone interview.
“There are some groups who abduct Afghans and then ask
them to pay money, taking away their passports and other legal documents too,”
he added.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2241046/world
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Mideast
Israeli govt to revoke rights of ‘terrorist families’
29 January ,2023
The Israeli security cabinet announced measures to
revoke certain rights of “terrorist families” after two attacks in east
Jerusalem, one of which killed seven people near a synagogue.
Meeting late Saturday, the security cabinet “decided
on a series of steps to ... exact a price from terrorists and those who support
them,” according to a statement.
It announced the revocation of the rights to social
security of “the families of terrorists that support terrorism” and a
discussion on Sunday by the council of ministers of a bill to revoke their
Israeli identity cards.
At the start of the meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu promised a “strong” and “swift” response to the Palestinian attacks
over the past two days.
The measures announced are in line with proposals from
his far-right political partners which enabled him to return to power at the
end of December, following elections the previous month.
They are likely to apply to Palestinians with Israeli
nationality (Israeli Arabs) and Palestinians with resident status in annexed
east Jerusalem.
Friday’s synagogue attack, one of the deadliest in
Jerusalem in years, was carried out by a 21-year-old Palestinian resident of
east Jerusalem.
Hours later, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy shot and
wounded a father and son in east Jerusalem on Saturday.
Deploring scenes of people in several Palestinian cities
celebrating the killings near a synagogue in a Jewish settlement neighborhood
in east Jerusalem, the security cabinet also agreed “on steps to strengthen
settlements that will be submitted this week,” without giving further details.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Reports of torture, unfair trials in Iran trigger
fresh alarm over fate of protesters
29 January ,2023
Rights groups warned that several young people,
including teenagers who’ve been jailed by Iran for their involvement in
anti-government protests, are at risk of being executed, and have been
tortured.
In a statement, London-based Amnesty International
urged Iran to immediately quash death sentences for three protesters — ages 18,
19 and 31 — charged with at least two capital offenses each after court
hearings that lasted less than an hour.
Widespread demonstrations against the leadership of
the Islamic Republic erupted in mid-September over the death in police custody
of MahsaAmini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman. She collapsed at a police station
after being arrested for allegedly flouting Iran’s strict dress code for women.
Iran has been condemned by many countries for its use
of violence and executions to suppress the protests, which have been largely
led by women and young people and have presented a major challenge to the
hardline clerical leadership.
Arshia Takdastan, Mehdi Mohammadifard and Javad Rouhi
are each accused of “inciting arson or vandalism by dancing, clapping, chanting
or throwing headscarves into bonfires during protests in a town in northern
Iran on Sept. 21, according to Amnesty.
The men have have been subjected to “floggings,
electric shocks, being hung upside down and death threats at gunpoint by the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in order to extract confessions, Amnesty
said, citing “informed sources on the ground.
In its statement, Amnesty added that one of the men
had been raped and another sexually tortured while in detention. Rouhi was also
charged with a third capital offense of apostasy after being accused of burning
a copy of the Koran.
Activists have also called for the release of 21-year-old
Armita Abbasi, who was arrested in October after criticizing the Islamic
Republic in social media posts and is due to stand trial on Sunday. According
to a Nov. 21 report by CNN, citing interviews with unnamed doctors in Iran, she
has been repeatedly raped in detention and needed treatment in hospital for
severe bleeding.
Iran’s state-run media denied the reports.
According to the BBC, Abbasi’s father confirmed in an
Instagram post on Saturday that she’ll be represented by a court-approved
lawyer after her original attorney resigned from his position because he was
barred from meeting her.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Israeli opposition leader apportions blame on Ben-Gvir
for synagogue attack
Zain Khalil
29.01.2023
JERUSALEM
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has held National
Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir responsible for a shooting attack that killed
at least seven Israelis near a synagogue in occupied East Jerusalem.
"You are responsible, hold the responsibility
instead of looking all day for a person to blame," Lapid told the local
Ynet radio.
"This man does not know how make anything, he is
living in the TikTok [mobile application] and looks for someone to blame,"
Lapid added.
The opposition leader also accused Ben-Gvir of failing
to carry out his duties as national security minister.
The accusation came after seven Israeli settlers were
killed in a shooting attack near a synagogue in Neve Yaakov settlement in East
Jerusalem Friday night.
On Saturday, Ben-Gvir accused Israel's Attorney
General GaliBaharav-Miara of being late in ordering the closure of the house of
the Palestinian attacker.
Israeli settlers verbally attacked Ben-Gvir as he
visited the scene of the attack on Friday. A video published by Yedioth
Ahronoth newspaper showed the far-right minister while being escorted away by
police amid verbal altercations with settlers.
Ben-Gvir triggered a storm of Palestinian condemnations
on Jan. 3, when he visited the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in East
Jerusalem amid warnings of unrest.
Ben-Gvir holds far-right views on the Palestinians and
has called for their displacement. He has repeatedly joined Israeli settlers in
storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in East Jerusalem.
In November, Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned in
a leaked audio that "the whole world is worried" about Ben-Gvir’s
far-right views.
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
rejected a request by Ben-Gvir to allow settlers to organize a
"provocative" flag march in Jerusalem.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Israeli officers seal off home of Palestinian
synagogue shooter
29 January ,2023
Israeli officers on Sunday sealed off the Jerusalem
family home of a Palestinian gunman who killed seven people outside a synagogue
on the outskirts of the city, police said, after Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu promised “a swift response.”
Seven people including a 14-year-old were shot dead on
Friday in the attack on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which drew
wide international condemnation and heightened fears of already spiraling
violence escalating further.
It was the worst such Palestinian attack on Israelis
in the Jerusalem area since 2008 and followed a fatal Israeli raid in the
occupied West Bank city Jenin on Thursday, the deadliest there in years.
The shooting presents a challenge to Netanyahu, who
returned to power in December at the head of a hard-right nationalist
government, promising to improve personal safety for Israelis after a spate of
lethal Palestinian street attacks last year.
The Israeli military said on Saturday it was sending
additional troops into the occupied West Bank, which has seen months of
worsening clashes that culminated in 2022 with the highest death toll,
including militants and civilians, in more than a decade.
Still, there was no sign Israel was preparing for a
large-scale military response to the shooting. With US Secretary of State
Anthony Blinken visiting this week, Israeli and Palestinian leaders were
expected to try to contain the violence.
After convening his security cabinet for a late-night
meeting on Saturday, Netanyahu said the government would pursue sanctions
against families of assailants and that he would present steps this week to
“strengthen settlements.”
Sworn in a month ago, Netanyahu’s government - the
most right-wing in Israel’s history - has prioritized settlement building on
lands the Palestinians seek for a state, though it has not yet taken major
steps on the ground in that direction.
Most world powers consider as illegal Israel’s
settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, land it captured in the 1967
war.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has not remarked
on Friday’s attack and on Saturday blamed Israel for the spiraling violence.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Iran condemns Jenin carnage, reiterates sustained
support for Palestinian nation
30 January 2023
Iran will continue its support to the Palestinian
nation in face of Israeli aggression, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein
Amir-Abdollahian has said, as Palestine is struggling against the escalating
acts of violence committed by Israeli settlers and army under the new extremist
far-right cabinet.
In separate phone calls with the heads of the
Palestinian Hamas resistance group Ismail Haniyeh and Secretary General of the
Islamic Jihad Ziyad al-Nakhalah, Amir-Abdollahian strongly condemned the
Israeli killings of innocent Palestinian people, the Iranian Foreign Ministry
Website reported early on Monday.
He emphasized that Iran will stand by its Palestinian
brethren. His statement comes following the recent round of crimes committed by
the Israeli regime in the Jenin camp, where 10 Palestinians including a woman
were killed.
Palestinian media outlets reported that Israeli
occupation forces raided the Jenin camp early on Thursday, killing 10 and
injuring more than 20, leaving residents and popular resistance groups with no
choice but to defend themselves and confront the occupation forces.
They said that more than 70 Israeli armed vehicles
stormed the flashpoint city and the neighboring refugee camp, while Israeli
snipers were deployed on rooftops and heavily armed soldiers opened fire at
Palestinian youths who tried to block their way.
The Iranian foreign minister also paid tribute to the
souls of the Palestinian martyrs and expressed sympathy with their families and
the Palestinian nation. He reassured that Palestine has the continued support
of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
For his part, Haniyeh thanked Iran for its principled
positions in supporting the Palestinian nation on all levels.
Nakhalah also said, “We are proud of the positions
announced by the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has been always standing with
us against the Zionist regime and its actions against Palestine and its Holy
places.”
‘Some Arab states pressuring Palestinian resistance’
Washington and Tel Aviv have claimed repeatedly that
Iran is deeply involved in encouraging so-called Palestinian “terrorism”
against Israel.
However, Saleh abu Izzah, a senior Palestinian
political analyst from the Jenin camp, believes that Iran is sincere in its
relations with other nations and that the Palestinian people have all the right
to defend themselves in face of Israeli aggression.
Speaking to Press TV website, Abu Izza said while Iran
supports the Palestinian people who live under apartheid, unfortunately, there
has been immense pressure from some Arab countries on the Palestinian
resistance to stop its retaliation to Israeli crimes.
Following the Jenin massacre, regional countries,
including the UAE and Turkey, have condemned Palestinian resistance operations
against the Israeli apartheid regime. The UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco
agreed to normalize relations with Israel under US-brokered agreements in 2020,
when former US president Donald Trump was in office. Also, Saudi Arabia has
been encouraging other nations to normalize with the Israeli apartheid regime,
signaling it is willing to follow the lead of other Arab countries.
“The Israeli Institute for National Security Studies
issued a strategic report a few days ago in which it expressed worry and fear
over what it called an imminent danger facing Israel, meaning the resistance in
the West Bank that Israel wants to crush” Abu Izzah, a senior expert in West
Asia affairs, told Press TV.
Nevertheless, Abu Izza noted that the resistance
factions in Palestine have a legitimate right to fight the Israeli occupation,
which committed the Jenin massacre.
The political analyst went on to say that “the Jenin
refugee camp massacre is a continuation of Israeli crimes and human rights
violations against the Palestinian people. It is part of the Israeli scheme to
crush the Palestinian resistance in the occupied West Bank.”
Palestinians, who seek an independent state in the
occupied West Bank and Gaza, with East al-Quds as its capital, have condemned
the Israeli massacre through rallies across occupied Palestine.
International bodies and many Arab countries, like
always, failed to condemn the Israeli deadly attacks, which are a blatant violation
of human rights.
Iran, meanwhile, has shown sincerity and consistency
in its stance toward the Palestinian people. Iranian officials have time and
again expressed support for Palestine’s right to fight the Israeli apartheid
regime and its policies of deliberate killing.
Earlier on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman
Nasser Kan’ani said the inaction and the deafening silence of relevant
international organizations and so-called advocates of human rights in the West
over the daily crimes committed by the Tel Aviv regime are painful and a cause
for shame.
Kan’ani also called on Muslim states to adopt a united
stance and act in defense of the oppressed Palestinian people and their
legitimate resistance against the occupiers.
Source: PressTV
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Israel stepping up armed crackdown on Palestinians
following retaliatory attack in al-Quds
29 January 2023
Israel has announced plans to provide illegal settlers
with firearms and weapons in response to the recent retaliatory operations by
Palestinians, which killed at least seven illegal settlers in the occupied
al-Quds, amid escalating violence in the occupied territories.
Speaking after an emergency meeting late on Saturday,
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a "strong, swift and
precise" response to the latest retaliatory attacks and said his cabinet,
comprised of a group of hardline politicians, had decided to expedite gun
permits for Israeli people to defend against Palestinian street attacks.
Netanyahu also announced that his cabinet had decided
on a series of steps to “strengthen settlements” in the coming week, without
providing further details.
He said that more soldiers and police would be
deployed, and security forces would embark on a series of operations to gather
intelligence, confiscate illegal firearms and carry out arrests.
Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right security minister, said
after the cabinet meeting that he would soon propose a law allowing for the
“death penalty” against perpetrators of such attacks.
The Israeli threats came hours after two retaliatory
operations. In a shooting operation carried out on Friday near a synagogue in
an illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied East al-Quds seven illegal
settlers were killed and 10 others wounded. Two illegal settlers were also
injured in another shooting attack in the same area on Saturday.
On Thursday, the Israeli regime's forces raided the
city of Jenin and its neighboring refugee camp in the north of the Tel
Aviv-occupied West Bank, gunning down nine Palestinians.
Palestinian resistance groups have hailed the
retaliatory operation near the synagogue, describing it as a "direct
response" to the deadliest Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank
in years.
The Israeli raid comes in the context of recent
escalations that have been on the rise, especially in light of the new
extremist far-right cabinet headed by Netanyahu and his extremist affiliates.
Over the past months, Israel has ramped up attacks on
Palestinian towns and cities throughout the occupied territories. As a result
of these attacks, dozens of Palestinians have lost their lives and many others
have been arrested.
Most of the raids have focused on Nablus and Jenin,
where Israeli forces have been trying to stifle a growing Palestinian
resistance in the occupied cities.
More than 170 Palestinians, including at least 30
children, were killed across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem last
year. In January 2023 alone, at least 38 Palestinians including five children
have been killed.
Source: Press TV
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Türkiye issues travel warning for EU, US over
anti-Muslim, racist attacks
JAN 28, 2023
As the protests over a Quran burning by a far-right
politician in Sweden and Denmark gripped other countries, the United States and
European Union countries warned their citizens to avoid crowds in Türkiye. In
response, Türkiye's Foreign Ministry issued a travel warning for Turkish nationals
visiting European countries due to the surge in anti-Muslim, xenophobic and
racist acts.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministry
referred to the "dangerous levels" of the surge in anti-Muslim,
xenophobic and racist acts, including anti-Türkiye propaganda by supporters of
the PKK terrorist group. The statement noted that the developments reflect the
worrying level of racist and discriminatory rhetoric in Europe and said Turkish
citizens planning to visit countries where such demonstrations occur should be
cautious and refrain from visiting areas with large crowds that support the
ideologies mentioned above.
The ministry also suggested that Turkish citizens stay
calm if they experience such hostility in European countries and contact local
security forces, or the ministry, embassies and consulates. It also provided a
phone number for the Consulate Call Center, which can be contacted by Turkish
citizens at times of emergencies.
The ministry's travel warning followed weeks of
anti-Türkiye and anti-Muslim demonstrations in Europe, mainly in Sweden, as
Turkish officials criticized Swedish authorities for failing to take action
against terrorist sympathizers and far-right figures who desecrated the Quran.
Sweden's bid for NATO membership is facing a dead end as ties strained over the
past two weeks due to anti-Türkiye propaganda in the country, which recently
peaked with Quran burning by Rasmus Paludan.
Earlier on Saturday, the Swedish, Norwegian and Danish
foreign ministries issued a travel advisory, calling on their citizens to avoid
large gatherings in Türkiye amid ongoing tensions. Several embassies in Ankara
including those of the United States, Germany, France and Italy on Friday
released security alerts for their citizens in Turkey that flagged
"possible retaliatory attacks by terrorists against places of
worship."
The U.S. Embassy said in its warning that Quran-burning
incidents could lead to "possible retaliatory attacks by terrorists
against places of worship in Türkiye."
"Terrorists could attack with little or no
warning, targeting places of worship or places Westerners frequent," the
warning on its website said, after days of peaceful protests in Türkiye to
condemn the anti-Muslim act by Danish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan.
The U.S. Embassy was quick to issue a travel advisory
for its citizens last year as well over a rally by the opposition Republican
People's Party (CHP). After last year's travel warning, U.S. Ambassador in
Ankara Jeff Flake was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to express Türkiye's
grievances over the warning, while Turkish police and the Foreign Ministry
advised Turkish citizens in the United States to stay away from "widely
participated events."
Though they have been close allies, Türkiye and the
United States are often at odds over a number of issues, and embassy warnings
to U.S. citizens traveling to Türkiye are among the areas of dispute.
Washington angers Ankara over what politicians call an exaggeration of the
situation in Türkiye.
In 2018, Türkiye issued a travel warning to the United
States, citing a number of far-right and racist incidents, including shootings,
shortly after the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory for visitors
to Türkiye, urging them to “reconsider travel” over safety concerns.
Türkiye's warning for travelers to the United States
issued on the Foreign Ministry's website points out nationwide protests over
the death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee and notes that it was
"observed" that xenophobic, racist verbal and physical assaults
prevailed across the country. Nichols, a young black man, died after being
beaten by five police officers. The city of Memphis has disbanded the special
police unit involved in the beating whose video emerged and sparked protests.
Several dozen demonstrators called for police reform on Saturday afternoon as
they gathered in the chilly rain in front of city hall shouting, "No
justice, no peace!" and carrying signs with slogans such as "Justice
for Tyre Nichols." At one point, a police car ended up surrounded by a
group of protesters, who directed their angry chants at the vehicle. Protests
in Memphis, Washington, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and a handful of other
cities on Friday evening were small and largely peaceful after the video was
released.
The five Memphis officers, who are all black, were
charged with second-degree murder in the beating of Nichols, who died in
hospital on Jan. 10, three days after being stopped on suspicion of reckless
driving. Despite nationwide calls for police reform following George Floyd's
death and subsequent protests in 2020, the number of people who died in the
U.S. during interactions with police hit a 10-year high in 2022, at 1,186
fatalities, according to the website Mapping Police Violence.
In its warning to Turkish travelers, the Foreign
Ministry urged them to avoid areas where protests are concentrated and act calm
"against possible xenophobic, racist harassments and attacks, and contact
local security forces in such cases." It called upon travelers to monitor
local media against the possibility of such incidents and follow additional
warnings and announcements by U.S. authorities and Turkish diplomatic missions
in the United States.
In a travel warning for European countries, the
ministry noted the escalation in anti-Muslim, xenophobic and racist incidents
and anti-Turkish propaganda rallies by groups affiliated with terrorists. The
ministry said these developments revealed the dangerous heights of religious
intolerance and hatred in Europe and expressed concerns about racist movements
in the continent. It urged travelers planning to visit European countries to
avoid sites of protests and contact local security forces in case of xenophobic
and racist attacks and follow warnings by local authorities as well as Turkish
diplomatic missions in the countries they visited.
Turkish officials have criticized their Western
counterparts for remaining indifferent to anti-Muslim sentiments and ideologies
fueling them, while experts believe Türkiye can lead the fight against it.
Türkiye has continuously called on world leaders to take action to stop the
demonization of Muslims and has been taking action to tackle the growing
problem.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has frequently said
that Western countries insist on not taking measures against growing anti-Islam
sentiment. Erdoğan also called on Turkish institutions to take action on issues
related to Muslims and Turks in these countries.
According to the European Islamophobia Report 2021,
Islamophobia was "as pressing a problem" across the continent as it
was in previous years. It said countries such as the United Kingdom and France
became "the main spots of anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobic incidents."
"Furthermore, anti-Muslim campaigns of far-right
parties in EU member states dominate the discrimination against Muslim
individuals and communities," read the report, which focused on 27
European countries and was prepared with contributions from 35 leading
academics and experts in the field.
The report links the persistence of anti-Muslim racism
to "the backdrop of a general worrisome trend: The decline of liberal
democracy in Europe." It warns that major forces within Europe, singling
out countries like France, are still "investing less in the fight against
Islamophobia, and more ... into normalizing Islamophobia."
Source: DailySabah
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Iranian
Speaker Hails Palestinians for Teaching Great Lesson to Israel After Jenin
Attack
2023-January-29
Qalibaf
made the remarks in a meeting with Speaker of the People's National Assembly of
Algeria Ibrahim Boughali on the sidelines of the 17th Session of the
Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States Conference (PUIC).
The
Iranian speaker expressed hope that the Tehran-Algiers relations would lead to
unity among the Islamic World and the fight against the Zionist regime to
defend the oppressed Palestinian people.
"Islamic
countries must know that the Zionist regime seeks to remove the issue of
Palestine from the agenda of the Islamic world," he underscored,
underlining that the issue of Palestine is the first issue of the Islamic
world.
"The
Zionists seek to disrupt the unity among Islamic countries and normalize ties
between Islamic states and the regime," he said, stressing that Islamic
governments and especially nations should raise the cost of such moves in such
a way that no Islamic government dares to normalize ties with the Zionist
regime.
"The
pressures of the new Israeli government on the Palestinian people have
increased," Qalibaf stated, noting, "Of course, Palestinians have
given them a great lesson these days."
On
Thursday, the Israeli military carried out a deadly raid on the Jenin refugee
camp in the occupied West Bank. Ten Palestinians were killed, including an
elderly woman, following several hours of intense confrontations between dozens
of Israeli soldiers and Palestinian resistance fighters.
The
latest killings bring the total number of Palestinians killed in Israeli fire
so far in 2023 to at least 30, including five children.
In
a retaliatory operation near a synagogue in an illegal Israeli settlement in
the occupied East Al-Quds on Friday, eight settlers were killed and many others
injured. Tel Aviv has announced that the gunman involved in the shooting was
"neutralized" by Israeli soldiers.
Over
the past months, Israel has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities
throughout the occupied territories. As a result of these attacks, dozens of
Palestinians have lost their lives and many others have been arrested.
The
United Nations marked 2022 as the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West
Bank in 16 years.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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Africa
Islamic
State-Affiliated ADF Rebels Kill 15 In Eastern DR Congo
January
29, 2023
BUNIA,
DR CONGO —
A
wave of attacks on villages in eastern DR Congo attributed to Islamic
State-affiliated ADF rebels killed at least 15 people Sunday, local officials
said.
These
latest killings come a week after a similar attack left more than 20 dead.
"There
were simultaneous attacks this Sunday between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on three
villages," said local official DieudonneMalangai.
"In
Manyala village we found seven bodies... at Ofay, there were eight dead,
including seven women," Malangai told AFP, and indicated that the final
toll might be higher.
A
humanitarian source confirmed seven fatalities in Manyala and "at least
eight" in Ofay.
"These
ADF rebels also attacked Bandibese village but ran into resistance from
soldiers who intervened and so there were no civilian deaths," Malangai
said after the raids on three villages in the Ituri province bordering Rwanda.
"We
are tired of giving the death toll day after day," he added.
ADF
fighters were also blamed for last week's raids in the neighboring province of
North Kivu which claimed at least 23 lives while in the same province at least
14 other people were killed in a bomb blast at a Pentecostal church.
Islamic
State portrays the ADF, which has its roots in Rwanda, as its central African
incarnation.
Source:
VOANews
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.voanews.com/a/islamist-rebels-kill-15-in-eastern-dr-congo/6939403.html
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LP
guber candidate, Asake, woos Islamic leaders
By
SaxoneAkhaine
30
January 2023
Labour
Party (LP) Governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Jonathan Asake, assured the
Muslim community in the state that he will operate on the principles of justice
as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, if elected into office in March.
Asake
gave the assurance in Zaria, at the weekend, when he and his running mate,
Bashir Idris, met with Muslim clerics, in continuation of their dialogue with
stakeholders in the state.
He
said as religious leaders, who command large following, majority of whom have
been negatively affected by the policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
government, it was imperative to seek their prayers, support and interact on
the way forward for the state.
The
governorship flag-bearer said he would defend the rights of citizens to
exercise their socio-cultural and religious freedom at all times, adding that
inclusiveness would be his watchword.
In
a statement by his media aide, James Swam, the governorship candidate urged the
clerics to deeply reflect on the prevailing economic and security situations of
the state and preach the truth, so that the electorate would understand what
choice to make on March 11.
Said
Asake: “I came to unveil myself to you, to seek your prayers and support to
succeed in becoming the governor of Kaduna come March 11, so that, together, we
can secure the state and restore hope to the people. I will defend all and
promote all. Each person will exercise their freedom as the constitution
permits.”
He,
however, lamented that poverty, unemployment, banditry, kidnapping, as well as
ethnic and religious conflicts were the result of bad leadership in the state,
and pledged to reverse the trends within a record time in office.
Asake
told the clerics that only LP has the family as its centrepiece as emphasised
on its logo showing a father, mother and child. He said, as the party of the
working class and the downtrodden, the people of the state would not regret
voting LP.
Imam
Shugaba Muhammad, who spoke on behalf of other Islamic leaders, urged the
candidate to keep to his promise, stressing the need for an open door policy.
Source:Guardian
Nigeria
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://guardian.ng/politics/lp-guber-candidate-asake-woos-islamic-leaders/
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Miyetti
Allah condemns FG’s silence over death of pastoralists
29
January 2023
The
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has condemned the
silence of the Nigerian Government and the military authorities over the
killing of pastoralists in Nasarawa State.
About
40 herders and butchers were killed by a military drone fire on January 25 in
Rukubi village, Doma, Nasarawa state.
MACBAN
described the silence as reprehensible and a lack of regard for the loss of
lives of ordinary Nigerians. It said the deceased were “victims of high
handedness of Benue State Government and the officers of the Makurdi-based
Operation Whirl Stroke who deployed an aircraft/drone.”
The
herders’ organisation demanded an explanation for what it described as
“intentional killings” of the pastoralists and butchers.
Before
their deaths, MACBAN said the pastoralists went to Makurdi earlier in the day
to retrieve their 1250 livestock earlier impounded by the Benue State livestock
guards after paying a fine of N29 million.
“If
nothing, we expect the President to commiserate with families of the victims of
this heinous crime, MACBAN’s spokesman Muhammad Nura Abdullah said in a
statement.
“MACBAN
recalls this is the third time in one year that the Air Force was involved in
the bombing of pastoralists and livestock in Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba States.
“The
recent killings constitute a war crime and a panel of inquiry must be
constituted to find out on whose authority the drone/aircraft was used and
punish the culprits.”
MACBAN
claimed in the statement that “the trucks carrying the livestock were closely
monitored until they reached the destination before the armed drone was
unleashed on pastoralists.”
The
group also criticised President Muhammadu Buhari for being nonchalant about the
killings.
“We
find it shameful that while people were being killed, the President was
enjoying a state dinner in Katsina State,” Abdullahi said.
Source:Guardian
Nigeria
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Italy’s
PM Meloni holds talks in Libya as Eni signs $8 bln energy deal
29
January ,2023
Prime
Minister GiorgiaMeloni visited Libyan capital Tripoli on the occasion of the
signing of an $8-billion energy deal for Italian oil giant Eni SpA, and held
talks aimed at bolstering energy and migration ties with the north African
country.
Under
the agreement, Eni will invest in Libyan gas fields as part of a broader
strategy to secure more oil and gas from North Africa. Meloni is also seeking
to reinforce security ties aimed at reducing illegal immigration across the
Mediterranean to Italy.
The
deal between Eni and Libya’s National Oil Corp. (NOC) is the first major gas
project in the country since 2000, Eni said in a statement on Saturday. Gas
production will start in 2026 and will peak at 750 million cubic feet of gas
per day, according to the company. The agreement will generate $13 billion in
revenue for Libya, the NOC said in a statement.
The
agreement “is a turning point for Libya’s rejuvenated oil and gas sector and a
signal to the world that we are open for business,” NOC Chairman Farhat
Bengdara said. Two offshore platforms will be connected to Eni’s Mellitah plant
and the deal will also include a carbon capture and sequestration plant.
Eni
and Noc are also in talks to develop the Bouri 2 field, he added. Discoveries
over the past four years can raise gas production to more than 4 billion cubic
feet, the NOC chairman said.
The
deal “strengthens Eni’s role as the main company operating in Libya,” Eni’s
Executive Officer Claudio Descalzi said during the visit on Saturday, according
to news agency Ansa.
Stronger
ties
During
her visit, Meloni met Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who leads the
Tripoli-based administration that controls part of the divided country.
FathiBashagha leads another administration based in the central city of Sirte.
Hundreds of foreign mercenaries are also thought to remain in the country.
Italy
wants to help stabilize the country and accelerate the process toward elections
which had been originally scheduled for 2022, Meloni said in a press statement
in Tripoli. Eni’s deal with NOC is a step toward fulfilling Italy’s ambition of
becoming “an hub for Europe’s gas supply,” she added.
“Irregular
migration from Libya to Italy is still high,” Meloni said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Tunisians
elect weakened parliament on 11% turnout
January
29, 2023
TUNIS:
Tunisia announced that a mere 11 percent of the electorate had voted on Sunday
in parliamentary runoffs, with critics of President Kais Saied saying the empty
polling stations were evidence of public disdain for his agenda and seizure of
powers.
The
head of the electoral commission, over which Saied assumed ultimate authority
last year, gave a provisional turnout of 11.3 percent for Sunday’s runoff
votes.
During
December’s first round, the official turnout was only slightly lower, at 11.2
percent.
“Today
Tunisians issued a final verdict rejecting Kais Saied’s process and elections,”
Nejib Chebbi, head of the main opposition coalition, the Salvation Front, told
a news conference.
Economic
decline in Tunisia, where some basic goods have disappeared from shelves and
the government has cut subsidies as it seeks a foreign bailout to avert
bankruptcy, has left many disillusioned with politics and angry with their
leaders.
“We
don’t want elections. We want milk and sugar and cooking oil,” said Hasna, a
woman shopping in the Ettadamon district of Tunis on Sunday.
The
newly configured parliament has had its role shrunk as part of a political
system Saied introduced last year after a power grab in 2021 that grants the
presidency nearly absolute power.
About
887,000 voters cast ballots from a total electorate of 7.8 million, the
electoral commission said. Final results were not expected on Sunday. The main
parties boycotted the vote and most seats are expected to go to independents.
“I’m
not interested in elections that do not concern me,” said NejibSahli, 40,
passing a polling station in the Hay Ettahrir district of Tunis.
Independent
observers, including the local Mourakiboun group, have questioned official
turnout figures, accusing authorities in many districts of withholding data
they rely on to monitor the election’s integrity.
The
commission denied this and said polling station officials had been too busy to
cooperate with monitors.
Opposition
groups have accused Saied of a coup for shutting down the previous parliament
in 2021, and say he has trashed the democracy built after Tunisia’s 2011 revolution
— which triggered the “Arab Spring.”
Saied
has said his actions were both legal and necessary to save Tunisia from years
of corruption and economic decline at the hands of a self-interested political
elite.
Though
his new constitution passed in a referendum last year, only 30 percent of
voters took part.
Opposition
activist Chaima Issa, who has led protests against Saied and faces a military
court on charges of insulting the president, described the poll as a “ghost
election.”
At
one polling station in the Ettadamon district of Tunis, no voters attended
during the 20 minutes a Reuters journalist spent there.
At
another Ettadamon polling station, one voter who gave his name as Ridha said he
was supporting Saied: “He is a clean man fighting a corrupt system.”
In
a cafe in Ettahrir, another district of the capital, only one of seven men
sitting drinking coffee said he might vote.
Another
man in the cafe, who gave his name only as Imad, said he did not believe his
vote mattered after Saied’s political changes.
“The
president alone is deciding everything,” he said. “He does not care about
anybody and we do not care about him and his elections.”
Many
Tunisians appeared initially to welcome Saied’s seizure of powers in 2021 after
years of weak governing coalitions that seemed unable to revive a moribund
economy, improve public services or reduce stark inequalities.
But
Saied has voiced no clear economic agenda except to rail against corruption and
unnamed speculators, whom he has blamed for rising prices.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2241171/middle-east
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Parliamentarians
agree on need to digitize OIC work ahead of annual conference
January
29, 2023
ALGIERS:
Parliamentary committees of member states of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation on Saturday agreed on the need to digitize the OIC’s work and
organize periodic virtual sessions and meetings to enhance its work.
General
secretaries unanimously agreed during preparatory meetings for the 17th session
of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States, which is set to be held in
the Algerian capital, Algiers, on Sunday.
PUIC
Secretary-General Mouhamed KhouraichiNiass renewed his call for setting up a
cooperation mechanism between Islamic and international parliaments to
strengthen relations in all fields.
Niass
expressed his hope to develop a work program to achieve the objectives of the
PUIC’s General Assembly and to exchange scientific and practical expertise to
upgrade the performance of the General Secretariat.
On
Friday, the ninth meeting of the standing committee specialized in cultural and
legal affairs and the dialogue of civilizations and religions was held, where
members reviewed a number of draft resolutions related to Islamic sanctities in
Muslim and non-Islamic countries, especially the protection of the Al-Aqsa Mosque
from threats.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2240771/middle-east
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Pakistan
Protest
Over Mysterious Chopping Of ‘Allah Rakha’, An Eight-Decade-Old Banyan Tree, In
Lahore
January
30, 2023
LAHORE:
Allah Rakha, around an eight-decade-old banyan tree, along with other trees on
the campus of Government Associates College, Lake Road, was chopped down on
Saturday.
According
to legend, the banyan tree was named by Maulana Abdul Haq Abbas, the founder of
AnjumanMadrasatul Banat, which has managed a number of educational institutions
from the pre-Partition era, when he relocated here from India in August 1947
with a busload of students from Jalandhar.He found a small sampling of pilkhan
tree (banyan family) badly damaged during looting and burning, which also
damaged the nearby building and the furniture lying there, says Anjuman’s
president Dr Amin U Khan, also a grandson of Maulana Abbas.
He
says Maulana Abbas tried to restore the tree and put a brick fence around it
with the help of students praying, if the sampling survived, they would call it
Allah Rakha.
The
tree not only survived, but also grew to have girths of more than three meters
and a crown diameter of around ten meters. It was providing shelter to about
350 house sparrows, which were counted every year by the Good Citizens Society,
and shelter to students during the summer. It has eighty years of carbon
sequestered in its stem.
The
area people allege that the principal of the government-run college quietly
decided to sell the tree on a holiday. They say as they learnt about the
‘tree-chopping spree’ they protested and managed to save one branch of Allah
Rakha.
They
hope that with the help of friends, they will be able to preserve Allah Rakha
for a long time.
AnjumanMadrasatul
Banat administrator Ilyas Shah says he has also submitted a written complaint
with the police because the college authorities cannot change anything,
including the landscape, on the campus because the ownership of the premises
lies with the Supreme Court.
Source:Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1734266/protest-over-mysterious-chopping-of-allah-rakha-in-lahore
--------
Unpacking
TTP’s curious new narrative
Dr
Raza Khan
ISLAMABAD':
After
remaining dormant for nearly five years, the largest militant network of
Pakistan, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), commonly known as Pakistani
Taliban, has made a strong comeback in terms of its attacks inside Pakistan,
thanks to the return to power of Afghan Taliban in Afghanistan, where the TTP
is based. In order to become a force to reckon with and to sustain the group,
its leadership has come up with a seemingly elaborate narrative.
The
new narrative can mainly be attributed to TTP’s current head, Maulvi Noor Wali
Mehsud, a far more articulate head of the TTP than its founder Baitullah Mehsud
(2007-2009), followed by Hakimullah Mehsud (2009-2013) and Maulvi Fazlullah
(2013-2018). The foremost reason for this being that Noor Wali has received formal
religious education while Baitullah and Hakimullah did not study at an
established Muslim seminary. Although Fazlullah received education at a
madrassah, it was not at par with that of Mehsud.
Loopholes
in the previous narrative
Under
Mehsud, the TTP leadership realised the need for a shift in its previously
extant narrative or to come up with a more comprehensive a narrative or
discourse. An elaborate narrative is a sine-qua-non both for internal and
external consumption. For an internal audience, a comprehensive narrative is
critically needed to justify its operations, and for the external public, the
narrative must significantly communicate the need for TTP’s formation and its
resort to violence, so as to win followers.
Considering
TTP’s history, it never had an extensive, compelling and profound narrative.
The only consistent line of argument on its part regarding its terrorist
attacks in Pakistan and on its security forces had been that the country joined
the US, and the West orchestrated the global war on terror. In groups such as
the TTP, this war view dislodged an ‘Islamic Emirate’ in Afghanistan in 2001,
referring to US-NATO occupation of Afghanistan by forcibly ousting the Afghan
Taliban regime there, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US.
The
previous narrative could not justify much of its violence in Pakistan,
specifically the attacks on civilians and non-combatants and above all
schoolchildren (2014 Peshawar school massacre). Consequently, the group became
disliked in Pakistan and elsewhere for such loathsome activities.
Against
this backdrop, the TTP ought to shift its narrative and come up with strong
concatenated argumentations regarding the raison d’etre, and more importantly
for its continued and gushing violence. It has to assume a new identity to
overcome public hatred and fear. The new narrative could be instrumental in
shaping a new identity and personality of TTP.
The
new narrative
The
foremost argument in the new discourse of the TTP has been to associate itself
with society in Pakistan as the vanguard of Islam and society’s Islamic
personality. More importantly, TTP’s bid to link itself with the
Muslim-dominated society of Pakistan is aimed at exploiting the profound
Islamic sentiments of common Pakistanis. “The mujahideen of Tehreek-e-Taliban
Pakistan are children of their Islamist nation, no matter how many operations
the government conducts, the impression of Mujahideen in this Islamist society
cannot be eradicated,” said the TTP head, during an interview to a Turkish
media outlet in November 2022.
According
to Dr Naila Qazi, a specialist in political sociology at the University of
Peshawar, “The TTP would not be able to make a place in the Pakistani society,
which may be Islamic in orientation and associate emotionally with everything
Islamic, because it does not support mass violence in the name of religion, for
instance, on adherents of other religions. Having said this, over the last two
decades, the Pakistani society has become profoundly radicalised, supporting
violence in individual instances on the pretext of religion. The TTP efforts to
associate with Pakistani society by exploiting its Islamic sentiments could be
successful to a certain extent, particularly given that the country’s political
and economic situation has remained adverse for decades.”
It
is important to understand that the TTP leadership has been cognizant of the
profound political and economic issues of Pakistan and hence, it has started
arguing more vociferously, that as long as the western democratic constitution
with its parliamentary political system are in vogue, people will suffer. This
argument of the TTP has considerable substance and logic, because Pakistan’s
parliamentary political system, which is personality and individual driven, and
designed to provide benefits to specific groups, families, institutions and
individuals has brought misery to the people.
Wearing
the political hat
The
TTP has been excessively eulogising Afghan Taliban victory in Afghanistan,
moreso after realising that the Afghan Taliban enjoy a sympathy vote in
Pakistan, particularly among the fellow Pashtun tribes, and those who have a
myopic worldview in the backdrop adverse political, economic and social
conditions prevalent for decades.
It
also presents itself as a group that could replicate the Afghan Taliban style
of victory and hence impose what it considers Islamic Shariah in Pakistan, and
dispense Islamic punishments like Afghan Taliban have been doing in
Afghanistan. Of late the TTP has even started claiming that the Afghan Taliban
victory in Afghanistan and restoration of their ‘Islamic Emirate’ in August
2021 was indeed due to the sacrifices of the TTP.
While
this may not sit well with the Afghan Taliban, the aim of such an argument by
TTP is to solicit Pakistani support to help it establish a ‘puritanical
Islamic’ rule in the country.
The
bottom line
Not
just confusing, TTP’s new narrative has a lot of contradictions. On the one
hand, it claims to be a countrywide movement which is why the group’s name
includes “Pakistan.” But on the other hand, the TTP claims to be a Pashtun
nationalist movement, glorifying Pashtuns and their role in Islamic causes. It
does not recognise the Durand Line and believes that the border has divided the
Pashtun “nation” making a clear Pashtun ethno-linguistic nationalistic
division. The two Islamist and ethno-nationalist claims of the TTP are
self-contradictory. Islam only advocates one Islamic nationalism and does not
accommodate narrow nationalism.
Source:
Tribune Pakistan
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2398281/unpacking-ttps-curious-new-narrative
--------
Govt
advancing human rights in line with UN goals
January
30, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government has taken a range of legislative, policy and
institutional steps to advance the human rights agenda, aligning it with the
Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Human Rights Council of the United
Nations.
According
to official sources, to safeguard rights of women and children, Women’s
Property Rights Act, 2020, Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Act 2020 and,
Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021 had been enacted. The Transgender
Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 guaranteed rights for transgender citizens
and prohibited any discrimination against them in their enjoyment of
fundamental rights of voting, inheritance, education, work, property, access to
public areas. The enactment of ICT Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2020
went further to safeguard and prevent any discriminatory acts against persons
with disability. Senior citizens were also protected from discrimination under
ICT Senior Citizen Act, 2022.
The
Human Rights Council through the Universal Periodic Review mechanism
periodically reviews the human rights record of every UN member state. The
ultimate goal of UPR is to strengthen the realization and enjoyment of human
rights in a country.
Established
in 2007, this peer-driven review mechanism provided a platform for dialogue and
constructive engagement among states.
In
line with the goals of the United Nations, Pakistan had also paid significant
attention to strengthening rule of law, accountability and access to justice in
the country. Among these were the Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018, which laid
down a comprehensive system to deal with juvenile cases with enhanced focus on
social rehabilitation and reintegration. Under the Legal Aid & Justice
Authority Act, 2020, a legal aid and justice authority had been established for
providing affordable and quick access to justice of the poor and vulnerable
segments.
The
Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act, 2022 criminalised
torture, death and rape in custody and protected due process and fair trial
rights of under trial persons.
The
government had also taken credible steps to provide a safe and enabling
environment to journalist community. The Protection of Journalists and Media
Professionals Act, 2021 (Journalist Act) was its concrete example. The act
stipulated establishment of a Commission as a grievance redressal mechanism for
journalists and media professionals in any case of intimidation and harassment.
Despite
the serious social and economic impacts of the COVID pandemic, global economic
downturn and devastating floods of 2022, the Government had taken wide ranging
measures to alleviate poverty, provide adequate standard of living, strengthen
social safety net, and reduce inequalities.
The
Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) was a flagship initiative under which
unconditional cash transfers had been disbursed to the poor and the
marginalized. During the pandemic, the program was launched to help poor
families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and an amount of approximately Rs
180 billion to around 14.9 million beneficiaries (Rs 12,000 per beneficiary)
was disbursed.
Moreover,
the government was also implementing the National Population Action Plan with
the target to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health by
taking multi-pronged measures including involvement of all public and private
sector health facilities. A national campaign to fight malnutrition and
stunting among children was also underway.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/01/30/govt-advancing-human-rights-in-line-with-un-goals/
--------
PM
Shehbaz calls for global unity to fight Islamophobia
January
29, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
The prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has condemned the desecration of the Quran
by a far-right Danish politician, calling for global unity to combat the rising
issue of Islamophobia.
Anti-Islam
activist Rasmus Paludan, a Danish-Swedish dual national, burned two copies of
the holy book, one near a mosque in the Danish capital and another outside the
Turkish embassy.
He
has vowed to continue the actions every Friday until Sweden is admitted into
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Sweden and Finland, both seeking to
join the military alliance amid the armed crisis in Ukraine, would require the
approval of all group members.
Turkey
has already indicated that it will block Sweden’s bid, in part due to Paludan’s
initial actions, and had already been pressuring the two countries to crack
down on Kurdish militant groups and other organisations considered terrorists
by Ankara.
The
prime minister took to Twitter Sunday to express his disappointment and called
on the international community to come together to fight against Islamophobia.
“The
highly offensive desecration of the Holy Quran by a Danish politician is the
third such incident in a row that should be strongly condemned by the civilised
world,” he wrote.
The
Foreign Office also issued a statement condemning the desecration and conveyed
Pakistan’s concerns to the Danish authorities.
Pakistan
has strongly condemned the senseless and deeply offensive act of desecration of
the Holy Quran in Denmark, by the same Islamophobe who committed a similar act
in Sweden a few days ago.
In
a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the
repetition of the vile act leaves little doubt in the minds of Muslims around
the world that freedom of expression is being blatantly abused to spread
religious hatred and incitement to violence.
“This
repetition of the vile act leaves little doubt in the minds of Muslims around
the world that freedom of expression is being blatantly abused to spread
religious hatred and incitement to violence,” the Foreign Office Spokesperson
said in a press release.
“We
urge them to be mindful of the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and Muslims
around the world and take steps to prevent such hateful and Islamophobic acts,”
it was further added.
PM
felicitates newly elected Punjab PbBC office bearers
Meanwhile,
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday extended his best wishes to
newly-elected Vice Chairman, Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) Basharat Ullah Khan and
Chairman Executive Committee Tahir Shabir.
On
his Twitter handle, the prime minister said that Asma Jehangir Group had always
stood firm for the rule of law and strengthening of democracy in the country.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/01/29/pm-decries-quran-burning-in-denmark/
--------
Arab World
Bin
Salman urged Baghdad to arrange face-to-face meeting between Saudi, Iranian
FMs: Iraqi FM
30
January 2023
Iraqi
Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein says Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin
Salman has urged senior Iraqi authorities to arrange a face-to-face meeting
between the top diplomats of Riyadh and Tehran, amid a diplomatic process
between the two neighbors aimed at mending strained ties.
Hussein
told Iraq’s Kurdish-language Rudaw television news network on Sunday evening
that “Mohammed bin Salman has demanded senior Iraqi officials set up the meeting
between Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian
counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian [in the Iraqi capital city of Baghdad]. We
are busy organizing the event, and the timing will be announced later on.”
The
Iraqi foreign minister noted that Saudi and Iranian delegates have already held
five rounds of security-level meetings in Baghdad.
The
confidential negotiations will be publicized through Iraq’s mediation, and
Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers will meet in public, Hussein explained.
Earlier
this month, the Saudi foreign minister said Riyadh was trying to find a path to
dialog with Tehran as the best way to resolve differences.
Speaking
at a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 17, the chief Saudi diplomat
said a decision by Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states to focus on their
economies and development was a “strong signal to Iran and others in the region
that there is a pathway beyond traditional arguments and disputes toward joint
prosperity.”
He
added, “I think the more we can build a sense of cooperation in the region and
the more we can work together, the more we can deliver not just prosperity for
our people, but also for our immediate region and beyond.”
Amir-Abdollahian
expressed hope on January 13 during a visit to Lebanon that diplomatic ties
between Tehran and Riyadh could be restored through dialog between them.
“We
are ready to restore ties, and such a move would have positive repercussions on
the entire region,” Amir-Abdollahian told a news conference in Beirut.
He
also said the first steps should be resuming talks on reopening Iran’s
consulate in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, and Saudi Arabia’s consulate in
the holy northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad for citizens interested in
religious travel.
Saudi
Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran in January 2016 after Iranian
protesters, enraged by the execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir
al-Nimr by the Saudi government, stormed its embassy in Tehran.
The
kingdom then pursued a confrontational foreign policy toward the Islamic
Republic, especially during the administration of former US President Donald
Trump, with whom the Saudi rulers had close ties.
Saudi
Arabia appears to have recently changed its antagonistic course, showing
willingness through diplomatic channels and third parties to mend fences with
Tehran and resume bilateral relations.
Source:
Press TV
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Kuwait
opens large mosque in Australia
January
29, 2023
KUWAIT:
Rahma International and the General Secretariat of Awqaf, represented by Ahmed
Abdul-ilah, opened one of the largest mosques in Australia in Sydney in the
presence of the representative of the King of Britain and governor of the State
of New South Wales Margaret Beazely, as well as ministers of labor and
diversity and representatives of official authorities in Australia.
Head
of the European sector at Rahma International and its representative Khaled
Al-Mullah said: “On behalf of the Awqaf general secretariat, the main supporter
of the mosque, and under the supervision of Rahma International, we open this
blessed Islamic edifice and a distinctive architectural masterpiece in the city
of Sydney.”
He
said the mosque is an educational hub that preserves the identity of Muslim
children and works to educate them, conducting prayers, sermons as well as
memorization of the Holy Quran, launching scientific courses in faith,
jurisprudence, hadith and Islamic culture, and a pioneering advocacy role in
embracing new Muslims.
“The
mosque is characterized by its multiple facilities, with 500 worshipers
benefiting. It was built with modern architectural methods and means, which
were praised by the crowds present at the opening ceremony. It shows Kuwait’s
keenness in exporting major Islamic and advocacy projects that enhance the
presence of Muslims as well as their various educational incubators in various
parts of the world,” Mullah said.
In
related news, Society for the Revival of Islamic Heritage implemented a charity
bank project in Kuwait in cooperation with the general secretariat of the awqaf
and Islamic affairs ministry. The director of coordination and follow-up
department at the society, Nawaf Al-Sanae, said: “This project aims to help
poor families, low-income families, widows, divorcees, orphans, new converts
and workers in Kuwait. The implementation of this agreement represents one of
the successful steps achieved by the association in partnership with the
General Secretariat of Awqaf in the field of implementing endowment banks.”
“Since
its inception, the society has been striving to meet realistic social and
developmental needs, taking into account achieving interdependence between
endowment projects as well as other projects through charitable partnership
with the General Secretariat of Awqaf,” he clarified.
Source:
Kuwait Times
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of the original story:
https://www.kuwaittimes.com/kuwait-opens-large-mosque-in-australia/
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Egyptian
singer Mohamed Ramadan 'breaks TikTok record' for artists in Arab World
January
29, 2023
Egyptian
singer Mohamed Ramadan announced that a hashtag bearing his name on social
media app TikTok exceeded 8 billion views, making him the first artist to reach
such heights in the Arab world.
The
Arabic hashtag of his name is formatted to #Mohamed_Ramadan (translated), and
has brought him increased social media success as the number one viewed hashtag
of any artist's name in the Arab World on the app, according to reports he has
retweeted.
"Thanks
God for being Number One in the Arab World. Trust in God. Success will keep
escalating," Ramadan said in an Instagram post.
The
artist is preparing to release his new
music video 'NASSABA' , featuring Algerian rapper Didine Canon, next Wednesday.
The
clip was filmed by the Pyramids in Cairo, Ramadan revealed. The location was
chosen to promote tourism in the country, according to local media.
Ramadan
has over one million monthly listeners on Spotify, and over 14.4 million
subscribers on YouTube.
Source:
The New Arab
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.newarab.com/news/live-fire-east-jerusalem-israeli-forces-demolish-homes
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Seven
dead in eastern Syria air strikes: Monitor
30
January ,2023
Seven
people have been killed after air strikes destroyed a convoy of trucks that
crossed into eastern Syria from Iraq, a war monitor said Monday.
“Seven
truck drivers and their assistants, all of them non-Syrians, were killed as a
result of unidentified aircraft targeting a convoy of Iran-backed groups, last
night,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Report:
Drones attack convoy in east Syria coming from Iraq
30
January ,2023
Drones
attacked a convoy of trucks in eastern Syria Sunday night shortly after it
crossed into the country from Iraq, Syrian opposition activists and a
pro-government radio station said. There was no immediate word on casualties.
The
strike comes amid heightening tension between Iran and its rivals in the
region.
It
was not immediately clear who was behind the attack on the convoy in the Syrian
border region of Boukamal, which is a stronghold of Iran-backed militias.
The
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor,
said the drones appear to have been from the US-led coalition, adding that they
targeted six refrigerated trucks. The group said there were casualties and
ambulances rushed to the area.
Another
activist said the strike hit a convoy of trucks of Iran-backed militiamen. Omar
Abu Layla, a Europe-based activist from Deir el-Zour who runs a group that
monitors developments, tweeted that there was no immediate word on casualties.
The
pro-government Sham FM radio station also reported that six refrigerated trucks
were hit.
In
Baghdad, an official with an Iran-backed militia confirmed there was a strike
saying it only targeted one truck. He gave no word on casualties.
The
attack in eastern Syria came hours after bomb-carrying drones targeted an
Iranian defense factory in the central city of Isfahan causing some damage at
the plant.
Last
month, Israel’s military chief of staff strongly suggested that Israel was
behind a strike on a truck convoy in Syria in November, giving a rare glimpse
of Israel’s shadow war against Iran and its proxies across the region.
Lt.
Gen. Aviv Kochavi, who finished his military service earlier this month, said
Israeli military and intelligence capabilities made it possible to strike
specific targets that pose a threat.
Israeli
leaders have in the past acknowledged striking hundreds of targets in Syria and
elsewhere in what it says is a campaign to thwart Iranian attempts to smuggle
weapons to proxies like Lebanon’s Hezbollah group or to destroy weapons caches.
The
November strike hit tanker trucks carrying fuel and other trucks carrying
weapons for the militias in Syria’s eastern province of Deir el-Zour, the
Observatory reported at the time. It said at least 14 people, most of them
militiamen, were killed in the strike.
The
strike, along the border with Iraq, targeted Iran-backed militiamen, Syrian
opposition activists said at the time. Some of those killed in the attack were
Iranian nationals, according to two paramilitary officers in Iraq.
At
the time, Israel declined to comment on the strike.
Iran
is a main backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad and has sent thousands of
Iran-backed fighters to help Syrian troops during the country’s 11-year civil
war. Both Iran and Assad’s government are also allied with Hezbollah, which has
fought alongside Assad’s forces in the war.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Philippines
to send delegation to Kuwait to probe labor abuses after recent killing
28
January ,2023
The
Philippine government said Saturday it will take steps to assess and prevent
abuses including rape and maltreatment of Filipino workers in Kuwait, after a
housemaid was killed and dumped in a desert in the Gulf country.
The
remains of JullebeeRanara were flown home Friday night from Kuwait, where the
35-year-old was reportedly killed by her employer’s son then dumped with burn
marks, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople said.
Filipino
officials were trying to confirm news reports that she was raped and was
pregnant when she was killed by the 17-year-old suspect, who has been taken
into custody by Kuwaiti police, she said. The Philippine government would do
everything to ensure justice for the victim, she said.
“It’s
a very gruesome, senseless crime and so the perpetrator must be punished,” Ople
said in an online news conference.
Her
killing is the latest tragedy to befall an overseas worker from the Philippines,
where about a tenth of its more than 110 million have left mainly due to
unemployment and poverty and now work or live in more than 200 countries to
provide for families back home. The huge income they send home has helped keep
Manila’s economy afloat.
Ople
said she would send a team of officials to Kuwait to find out what sparked a
rise in cases of abuse of Filipino workers in recent years in the tiny emirate
and what preventive steps could be taken. Sexual abuse and rape, human
trafficking, labor contract violations and illegal terminations were among the
common complaints of Filipinos, she said.
About
268,000 Filipinos currently work in Kuwait, including many housemaids. More
than 400 Filipinos sought shelter in recent weeks in an emergency center run by
the Philippine Embassy due to labor problems, and nearly half have flown back
to Manila, Migrant Workers Undersecretary Hans Cacdac said.
Kuwait’s
ambassador to Manila, Musaed Saleh Althwaikh, expressed his condolences and
assured Ople that Ranara’s “tragic passing” was an isolated case.
“Kuwaiti
society is shocked and saddened to hear about the demise of Mrs. Ranara,” the
ambassador said in the letter, copies of which were provided to journalists.
“Our justice system will not lose sight in ensuring justice for Mrs. Ranara.”
In
2018, then-President Rodrigo Duterte banned the deployment of workers to Kuwait
after a Filipino housemaid, Joanna Demafelis, was found dead and mutilated
inside a freezer in an abandoned apartment. The ban was eventually lifted.
The
killing led to the signing of a 2018 labor pact between the Philippines and
Kuwait, which provided more protection to Filipinos, including a ban on a
practice of employers to take hold of the passports and travel documents to
prevent workers from fleeing when abuses happen or disputes arise.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Airstrikes
target Iranian-backed terrorists in eastern Syria
Esref
Musa, Omer Koparan and Mehmet BurakKaracaoglu
30.01.2023
DEIR
EZ-ZOR/TAL ABYAD, Syria
Iranian-backed
foreign terrorist groups were targeted in eastern Syria in airstrikes Sunday
night, according to local sources.
A
logistics convoy of foreign terrorists came under attack in Abu Kamal district
of Deir ez-Zor province, according to information obtained by an Anadolu
correspondent from field sources.
The
strikes were carried out by unmanned combat aerial vehicles whose ownership
remains unknown.
There
were at least four trucks loaded with sealed boxes in the convoy, which entered
Syria from Iraq.
No
details were shared regarding casualties.
The
Israeli army announced in November last year that it targeted an Iranian arms
convoy on the Syria-Iraq border.
Deir
ez-Zor is a strategic location on the border that has land routes from Iran to
Lebanon and trade routes and oil pipelines.
It
was captured by forces of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime following the
withdrawal of the Daesh/ISIS terrorist group in 2017.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Iran
receives messages from nuclear deal parties through Qatar
Syed
Zafar Mehdi
29.01.2023
TEHRAN,
Iran
Iran's
foreign minister on Sunday said Tehran received messages from other parties to
the 2015 nuclear deal through Qatar aimed at resuming the stalled talks.
Hossein
Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks during a joint press conference in the
Iranian capital with his Qatari counterpart Mohammad bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim
Al-Thani.
He
thanked the Qatari government for its efforts in bringing all parties to the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear
deal, back to their commitments in order to salvage the deal.
The
marathon talks in Vienna aimed at reviving the landmark 2015 nuclear deal
between Iran and world powers remained stalled since August last year due to
key disagreements between Iran and the US.
Recent
protests in Iran and reports regarding Tehran's supply of drones to Russia for
use in the Ukraine war have exacerbated tensions between the two sides, with US
officials publicly saying the nuclear talks are no longer on the agenda.
The
top Qatari diplomat, for his part, said he came to Tehran carrying messages
from the US, adding that it provided a "good opportunity" to solve
problems that are impeding the revival of the agreement.
The
two officials also discussed bilateral and regional issues, Amir-Abdollahian
said, including the "development of commercial and economic
cooperation" and removal of obstacles.
The
Iranian foreign minister stressed that Iran has "always welcomed regional
dialogue" to ensure "strong and stable" cooperation with all
regional countries.
He
also confirmed the exchange of messages between Iran and Bahrain "through
an intermediary", while referring to "great developments" in
Iran's relations with its Persian Gulf neighbors.
On
tension-easing talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, brokered by Iraq, the top
Iranian diplomat said the new round will resume as agreed between the two
sides.
On
relations with Ukraine, Amir-Abdollahian said it cannot be termed
"hostile", adding that the first round of talks between the two sides
was held in Oman while welcoming the second round.
He
also commented on drone attacks on a military complex in the central province
of Isfahan on Saturday night, calling it an "attempt by Iran's enemies to
destabilize the country's security".
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
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