RSS-inspired Body Displays A Rare 16th Century Gold Ink Quran, Ancient Manuscripts At Indian Science Congress
New Age Islam News Bureau
04 January 2023
IMAGE: Holy Quran written in
Gold ink. Photograph: PTI Photo
-----
• 'Threatening Status Quo Unacceptable:' US Reacts To
Israel Minister's Visit To Al-Aqsa Mosque
• Al-Qaida's 'Bizarre' Silence Over Zawahiri Death Or
A Successor: Counter Terrorism Think-Tank
• ' Wirathu, Buddhist Bin Laden': Firebrand Monk
Stirring Up Religious Hatred Honoured By Myanmar Junta Chief
• Ben-Gvir’s Aqsa Visit ‘Puts Israel In Fight With
Half Of World’: Former Israeli Prime Minister
India
• ‘Terrorist Hotspot’ To ‘Tourist Hotspot’: MHA Report
On J&K
• Head constable at Israel Embassy residential complex
in Delhi shoots self, dies
• Focus on Love Jihad, Not Small Issues Like Roads,
Drains: BJP Karnataka Chief to Party Workers
• NCP President Says, ‘BJP Of Raising Communal Issues
To Divert The People’s Attention From Inflation And Unemployment’
• Assam delimitation: Questions grow over ‘communal’
district changes by Sarma, skirting deadline
• ‘World should be more concerned about terrorism’:
India’s foreign minister digs at Pakistan
--------
North America
• Bomb disposal team attend Edinburgh Central Mosque
over suspicious items
• Mosque in Sacramento firebombed in suspected hate
crime attack
• US says Pakistan ‘has right to defend itself from
terrorism’
• Canada arrests man for 'death and terrorism-related
threats' on Twitter
• US opposes rehabilitating Syria’s ‘brutal Assad
after Turkey thaw
• Pakistan Has the Right to Defend Itself Against
Threats of Terrorism: US
--------
Europe
• Turkish drone shows illegal Greek pushback of
irregular migrants
• Russia planning 'prolonged attack' with Iranian-made
drones: Ukrainian president
• Dutch analyst targeted by PKK for exposing terror
group’s oppression in Syria
• Europe’s security, energy problems boost Israeli
ties with countries on continent: Foreign minister
--------
South Asia
• Want Religious, Modern Subjects To Be Taught In
Afghanistan: Taliban Minister
• ISIS-Khorasan Poses Threat To Taliban In
Afghanistan: Afghan Diaspora Network Report
• Islamic Emirate Calls Recent Remarks by Pakistani
Officials Disappointing
• Islamic Emirate Works on Permanent Solution to
Women's Education, Work: MoI
• 185 former Afghan Army officers left stuck in India
--------
Mideast
• Palestinian PM, Mohammad Shtayyeh, Accuses Israel Of
‘Plan To Turn Al-Aqsa Mosque Into Jewish Temple’
• Top Commander Warns of Iranian Armed Forces'
Decisive Response to Israeli Threats
• Iran Upholds Death Sentences For Two Male Teenage
Protesters
• Israel’s Netanyahu Committed To Al-Aqsa Status Quo,
Official Says
• Israeli forces kill Palestinian child in Bethlehem:
Ministry
• EU Peace Envoy Calls For Maintaining Status Quo At
Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa
• Houthis abduct 3 YouTubers amid social media
influencer crackdown
--------
Pakistan
• No More Talks With Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan:
Interior Minister
• 'Our country morally debased, ugly': Pakistan actor
on ex-army official's 'honey trap' allegations
• Firing On Imran Khan Carried Out From 4 Sites, 3
More Shooters Involved: Probe Team
• PTI leaders could face arrest as contempt case
continues
• PPP says ready to work with MQM despite differences
• Police high-ups of twin cities agree to curb
terrorism
• Sharif, Malaysia PM discuss upcoming UN moot on
Pakistan floods
• Maryam Nawaz promoted to PML-N Senior Vice President
--------
Southeast Asia
• UAE, China Call For UN Security Council Meeting Over
Al Aqsa Mosque
• Lower your gaze, scholar tells critics of
‘inappropriate’ dressing
• Malaysia’s 15th General Election: How a less
influential Islamic party becomes the largest one in parliament
--------
Arab World
• Saudi Arabia Works With Telegram To Remove Over 15
Million Extremist Content In 2022
• Qatar strongly condemns Israeli National Security
Minister’s storming of Al Aqsa Mosque
• Egypt 'expresses regret' that official in new
Israeli gov't stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque: Statement
• UNESCO praises Saudi Arabia’s achievements in
e-education governance globally
• Saudi Arabia’s Jazan: A promised land rich in
culture and opportunity
• Saudi choral group set to start on a high note in
music industry
• Saudi aid agency gets National Award for Voluntary
Work in 2022
--------
Africa
• Tinubu Assures Muslim Leaders Of Just Governance To
All Nigerians
• Tanzania lifts 6-year ban on opposition political
rallies
• Burkina Faso military junta expels French ambassador
• 63 abducted in latest bandit attack in Nigeria
• 28 people found shot dead in northwestern Burkina
Faso
• Nine killed in central Somalia car bombings:
security sources, witnesses
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/manuscript-rss-quran-indian-science-congress/d/128798
--------
RSS-inspired Body Displays A Rare 16th Century Gold
Ink Quran, Ancient Manuscripts At Indian Science Congress
IMAGE: Holy Quran written in
Gold ink. Photograph: PTI Photo
-----
04 JAN 2023
A rare 16th century copy of the Holy Quran written in
gold ink preserved by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-inspired organisation is
kept on display at the 108th Indian Science Congress (ISC) currently being held
here in Maharashtra.
An official of the organisation that has displayed the
gold ink Quran on Tuesday said there are only four copies of this holy book in
the world.
The copy of the Quran and some ancient manuscripts, a
few of them believed to be centuries old, are displayed at a stall put up by
the Nagpur-based Research For Resurgence Foundation (RFRF) at the ISC
exhibition.
RFRF is the research wing of Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal
and works for preserving ancient Indian knowledge systems and implementing it
in the present perspective.
The Mandal was formed to accomplish a national
resurgence in the field of education, according to its website.
All about the gold-ink Quran
"This gold ink Quran was written in the 16th
century. There are only four copies of this Quran in the world," RFRF
Knowledge Resource Centre Director Bhujang Bobade told reporters..
Bobade, who is also the principal investigator at the
National Manuscript Authority in New Delhi, said the footnotes in this Quran
are written in the Nastaliq script.
He said Nastaliq and Kufi are the two scripts used in
Persian. Nastaliq is considered the world's best script.
Another speciality of the rare gold ink Quran
manuscript is it contains 385 pages without a single mistake.
"There are 385 pages with miniature writings in
gold ink. But despite the small size, there is not a single mistake on any of
these pages. This is the uniqueness of this book," said Bobade.
He said the copy of the Quran was given to them by the
family of Diwan of the Nizam of Hyderabad.
The advisor to Iran's President had specially visited
to see the RFRF collection, he said.
RFRF's collection of ancient manuscripts
He said RFRF has 15,000 manuscripts of Indian history,
religions and sciences of ancient India.
"The world knows about 'Akbarnama' written by Abu
Fazal in 1577. RFRF has that book but we also have 'Tibb-e-Akbar' written in Persian
which the world doesn't know about. 'Tibb-e-Akbar' was written in the 17th
century," Bobade said.
He said RFRF's collection also includes
'Taarikh-e-Taj' which explains the history of the Taj Mahal.
"The world knows about the Taj Mahal but they do
not know its actual history like the exact date when Mumtaz Mahal died.
'Taarikh-e-Taj' states Mumtaz Mahal died on June 17, 1631 on Wednesday at 9.30
pm. Similarly, it also mentions who all worked there and the locations from
where stones and marbles were brought," Bobade said.
The RFRF collection also includes the first manuscript
on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj written by Ramchandra Dixit at Manjrath village
in Beed district of Maharashtra.
"We also have the last letter written by the 17th
century Maratha king in his original writing," Bobade said.
He said the Garud Puran and the Vishnu Puran written
on palm leaves, which are thousands of years old, are also in the RFRF's
collection.
The RFRF has till now digitised 1.5 lakh ancient
manuscripts running into five crore pages, and made them available for
researchers.
"We have collected a database of more than 25
lakh manuscripts from 3,441 archives and museums. All these manuscripts are
digitised for people who want to do research. We have been working for the last
16 years to collect these ancient manuscripts and preserve them," Bobade
added.
Source: Outlook India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
'Threatening Status Quo Unacceptable:' US Reacts To Israel
Minister's Visit To Al-Aqsa Mosque
Al-Aqsa
---
January 04, 2023
A day after Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist
Israeli minister, visited Jerusalem's
controversial Al-Aqsa Mosque, the United States has voiced concern about the
visit, stating any action that changes the status quo of Jerusalem holy sites
is unacceptable.
Gvir's visit to the mosque compound, holy to both Jews
and Muslims, had invited criticism with Palestine leadership calling it "an unprecedented provocation."
While the Hamas group that governs the besieged Gaza Strip warned that such a
move would cross a 'red line,' other countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE and
Jordan had also criticized Gvir's actions.
Reacting to Gvir’s visit, United States White House
press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, "The US stands firmly and we have
been very clear for the preservation of the status quo with respect to holy
sites in Jerusalem. Any unilateral action that jeopardizes the status quo is
unacceptable and we will remain steadfast on that and be very clear."
As per the status quo agreement dating back to Ottoman
rule of Jerusalem, only Muslims are allowed to pray inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque
compound, and non-Muslims are allowed to visit the complex only at certain
times. Israel and other states agreed to maintain status quo access to these
holy sites after Israel captured them in the 1967 war, according to CNN.
State Department spokesman Ned Price too expressed
concern about the Gvir's visit. "We're deeply concerned by any unilateral
actions that have the potential to exacerbate tensions precisely because we
want to see the opposite happen," State Department spokesman Ned Price
said at a news conference. "We want to see tensions reduced. We want to
see tensions diminish," he said.
"The United States stands firmly for the
preservation of the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites in
Jerusalem," Price told reporters in response to a question about the visit
that sparked tensions in the region.
"Any unilateral actions undercutting the historic
status quo are unacceptable. The visit has the potential to exacerbate tensions
and to provoke violence", he said.
The visit also triggered protests from Israel as
former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid criticized Netanyahu over the visit,
calling him "weak" for entrusting the "most irresponsible man in
the Middle East to the most explosive place in the Middle East."
Source: The Week
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Al-Qaida's 'Bizarre' Silence Over Zawahiri Death Or A
Successor: Counter Terrorism Think-Tank
al-Qaida's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri
----
Jan 3, 2023
PARIS: Five months after the United States announced
the killing of al-Qaida's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan, the global
jihadist group has still not confirmed his death or announced a new boss.
In early August, US President Joe Biden said US armed
forces fired two missiles from a drone flying above the Afghan capital,
striking al-Zawahiri's safe house and killing him.
But the group's propaganda arms have continued to
broadcast undated audio or video messages of the bearded Egyptian ideologue who
led the group after US special forces in 2011 killed its charismatic founder
Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
"This is really bizarre," said Hans-Jakob
Schindler, director of the Counter-Extremism Project think tank.
"A network only works with a leader. You need a
person around which everything coalesces."
Almost all options remain open.
"It could of course be the case that the United
States is wrong about his death," researchers Raffaello Pantucci and Kabir
Taneja wrote in early December on the Lawfare website.
But "this would seem unlikely given the
confidence with which President Biden publicly spoke about the strike."
Another possibility is that the group has so far
failed to make contact with Zawahiri's most likely successor, his former number
two, who goes by the nom de guerre Saif al-Adl or "sword of justice".
A former Egyptian special forces lieutenant-colonel
who turned to jihadism in the 1980s, he is believed by observers to be in Iran.
The Islamic republic's Shiite rulers officially oppose
Sunni al-Qaida, but opponents have repeatedly accused Iran of cooperating with the
network and giving sanctuary to its leaders.
For Schindler, Saif al-Adl "is a liability but
also an asset for the Iranian regime".
According to its interests, Tehran could decide to
hand him over to the United States, or allow him to attack the West.
Al-Qaida may also be keeping quiet about Zawahiri's
demise under pressure from the Taliban, Pantucci and Taneja suggested.
The group issued a carefully worded statement in
August, neither confirming Zawahiri's presence in Afghanistan nor acknowledging
his death.
"Their decision not to comment could be part of
their efforts to manage their fragile but deep relationship with Al-Qaida,
while also avoiding drawing attention to the foreign terror group presence in
direct contravention of their agreement with the United States," they
said.
Saif al-Adl could also be dead or in hiding to avoid
the fate of his predecessor or the two last leaders of the network's main
rival, the Islamic State group, who were also killed last year.
Zawahiri did not try to emulate bin Laden's charisma
and influence after he took over the network but played a key role in
decentralising the group.
Al-Qaida is today a far cry from the group that
carried out the September 11, 2001 attacks against the United States.
It now has autonomous franchises scattered across the
Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia that are far less dependent on central
command than previously in terms of operations, funding and strategy.
Barak Mendelsohn, a US-based al-Qaida expert, said it
was hard to tell why the group was taking time to announce a new leader, adding
that the delay was not "very consequential".
"Ultimately the wait reflects al-Qaida central's
limited importance," he said.
"It's a symbol unifying groups across borders,
but its operational relevance is low."
Al-Qaida's arch-enemy Islamic State has faced similar
difficulties in filling its leadership since its "caliph" Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi killed himself during a US raid in Syria in 2019.
After his two successors were killed last year, IS
this autumn chose a relative unknown as its new chief, who claims heritage from
the prophet's Quraysh tribe to boost his legitimacy.
Tore Hamming, a fellow at the International Centre for
the Study of Radicalisation, said it was not essential for Al-Qaida to have a
symbolic leader to speak in its name.
"We have seen with the Islamic State (group)
since 2019, it does not necessarily matter," he said.
IS elected new caliphs, but "no one knew who they
were and never heard from them. Yet still affiliates remained loyal," he
explained.
"For al-Qaida it could be the same, just with a
council of senior figures playing the role of an amir," or leader.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
' Wirathu, Buddhist Bin Laden': Firebrand Monk
Stirring Up Religious Hatred Honoured By Myanmar Junta Chief
'Buddhist bin Laden' :
Hardline Buddhist monk Wirathu (L) has long been known for his nationalist
anti-Islamic rhetoric © Handout / MYANMAR MILITARY INFORMATION TEAM/AFP
-----
03 January, 2023
A firebrand monk dubbed the "Buddhist bin
Laden" for his role in stirring up religious hatred in Myanmar received a
national award on Tuesday, with the junta saluting his work in the country.
Wirathu – who received the moniker from Time Magazine
in 2013 following deadly communal riots – was awarded the title of "Thiri
Pyanchi" on Tuesday, the military's information team said.
The award for "outstanding work for the good of
the Union of Myanmar" was presented by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, it
added.
Wirathu is one of hundreds of people receiving awards
and honourary titles as the junta prepares to mark the 75th anniversary of
Myanmar's independence from Britain on Wednesday.
Wirathu has long been known for his nationalist
anti-Muslim rhetoric – particularly against the Rohingya Muslim minority.
In 2013, he appeared on the cover of Time Magazine as
"The Face of Buddhist Terror".
He had called for boycotts of Muslim-owned businesses
and restrictions on marriages between Buddhists and Muslims.
Rights groups said these helped whip up animosity
towards the community, laying the foundations for a military crackdown in 2017
that forced about 740,000 Rohingya to flee over the border to Bangladesh.
Wirathu was later jailed by Aung San Suu Kyi's
government on sedition charges.
In September 2021, the junta announced it had released
Wirathu after all charges against him had been dropped.
Suu Kyi, 77, has been detained since being ousted by
the military coup almost two years ago.
Last week, a junta court handed down its verdicts in
the final charges against the Nobel laureate, who now faces the possibility of
spending the rest of her life behind bars with a total of 33 years in prison.
Source: The New Arab
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.newarab.com/news/buddhist-bin-laden-monk-honoured-myanmar-junta-chief
--------
Ben-Gvir’s
Aqsa Visit ‘Puts Israel In Fight With Half Of World’: Former Israeli Prime
Minister
Ben-Gvir’s Aqsa visit/ Photo:aa.com
----
03.01.2023
JERUSALEM
Former
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Tuesday criticized the visit of National
Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to the al-Aqsa Mosque complex in East
Jerusalem.
"In
order to allow Ben-Gvir to enjoy 13 minutes on the Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque
complex)", Israel was put in a fight with half of the world,” said Lapid,
who is now the opposition leader.
The
former premier termed Ben-Gvir's tour as "irresponsible on a national
scale and only emphasizes the weakness of (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu
in the face of his ministers."
Early
on Tuesday, the far-right minister entered the flashpoint site, a day after
announcing he postponed the visit amid warnings of unrest.
The
visit drew Palestinian and international condemnations, including the US,
Jordan, Türkiye, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
For
Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world's third-holiest site. Jews, for their
part, call the area as the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two Jewish
temples in ancient times.
Israel
occupied East Jerusalem, where al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli
War. It annexed the entire city in 1980, in a move never recognized by the
international community.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
India
‘Terrorist
Hotspot’ To ‘Tourist Hotspot’: MHA Report On J&K
Jan
4, 2023
NEW
DELHI: The home ministry on Tuesday, quoting from home minister Amit Shah’s
speeches and statements made in 2022, said there was now complete control of
the security forces on terrorism in J&K, which has transformed from a
“terrorist hotspot” to a “tourist hotspot”. While the home ministry’s ‘year end
review 2022’ document claims that 22 lakh tourists had visited Kashmir till
October 5, 2022, J&K government sources told TOI that the tourist arrivals
in the Valley had risen further to over 25 lakh by November 24, 2022. “This has
given employment to thousands of youths,” the MHA said. According to the MHA
report card, the number of terror incidents in J&K fell by 45% to 229 in
2021 from 417 in 2018 and the number of security forces martyred by 54% to 42
from 91 over the same period.
Mission
'zero terror': 2023 to wipe out 'terror eco-system' in J&K, says DGP
Dilbagh Singh
“Now
there are no incidents of stone pelting in Jammu & Kashmir as the
government under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi is moving ahead of the path
of development with firmness,” the MHA said, drawing from Shah’s statement
during the inauguration of 263 development projects worth Rs 1,960 crore in
Jammu region on October 4 last year. “In Jammu and Kashmir, 42,000 people
succumbed to terrorism and in Delhi no one flinched an eyelid, but now under
the leadership of PM Modi, there is complete control of the security forces on
terrorism,” added the home ministry document.
The
ministry reiterated that ‘Jamhooriyat’ (democracy) in Kashmir was only for
“three families, 87 MLAs and six MPs” earlier, but now 30,000 people had been
linked to it by “taking democracy to the village panches, sarpanches, BDC membe
rs and zilla panchayats”.
It
added that while only Rs 15,000 crore investment had come to J&K over 70 years
under the previous regimes, the policy interventions by Modi gov ernment had
attracted investment of nearly Rs 56,000 crore in the past three years.
Shah,
while appreciating the efforts of security agencies and the administration of
J&K for keeping streets free from violence and restoring the rule of law,
however stressed on the need to dismantle the entire terror ecosystem while
addressing a recent review meeting on J&K, said the MHA.
On
the no rtheast front, the MHA said many disputes including land boundary row
with Bangladesh, Bru-Reang issue, Bodo issue etc had been resolved through
agreements. Also, thousands of militants in the region had surrendered their
weapons and joined the mainstream of society and were now engaged in
development of the country. Many areas in northeastern states of Nagaland,
Assam and Manipur were taken out from the list of “disturbed areas” after
decades under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, the ministry added.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Head
constable at Israel Embassy residential complex in Delhi shoots self, dies
Jan
4, 2023
NEW
DELHI: A head constable posted at Israel Embassy residential complex in South
Delhi's Vasant Vihar shot himself dead on Wednesday.
The
exact reason behind taking such extreme step is not yet known.
However,
Delhi police said that during initial investigation, it was found that he
killed himself due to domestic reasons.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Focus
on Love Jihad, Not Small Issues Like Roads, Drains: BJP Karnataka Chief to
Party Workers
New
Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party’s Karnataka state president has said that party
workers in the state should focus on the issue of “love jihad” before the
assembly elections later this year, instead of “road, gutter, drain and other
small issues”. Nalin Kateel’s statement has drawn the opposition’s ire, with
the Congress accusing the BJP of creating communal strife to hide its
governance failures.
Chinese
Construction of Waterfalls in the building 350, फीट ऊंची इमारत से बह
निकला झरना - Travel
Nfx
Kateel
made these remarks at the BJP’s ‘Booth Vijay Abhiyaan’ for cadre in Mangaluru
on Monday (January 2). “I am asking you people – don’t speak about minor issues
like road and sewage. If you are worried about your children’s future and if
you want to stop ‘love Jihad’, then we need BJP for that. To get rid of love
jihad, we need BJP,” he said as part of his speech intended to motivate
booth-level workers.
The
state unit president also lauded the Union government for banning the Popular
Front of India. “Had the PFI not been banned, today we wouldn’t have BJP
leaders Monappa Bhandary and Hari Krishna Bantwal (of Dakshina Kannada) on
stage. MLA Vedavyas Kamath would not have been here. There would have only been
a garland over their photos,” he alleged, claiming that the group had planned a
“series of murders”.
The
Congress hit out at the leader’s remarks immediately, saying this is the worst
possible advice the party could give its workers and would only polarise
society. The Karnataka Congress tweeted a video of Kateel’s speech with the
message, “…Development of the state, employment and education are minor issues!
It’s shameful that BJP has asked its party workers not to talk about
development, of which it has done little.”
“This
is the worst (reply). They are not looking at development, they are looking at
hate, they are looking at dividing the country…That is why we are only looking
at development,” D.K. Shivakumar, Karnataka Congress chief, reportedly said.
“They are just playing people on emotion. We want jobs, we want that price rise
should not affect people, we are worried about the daily living of people.”
Source:
The Wire
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
NCP
President Says, ‘BJP Of Raising Communal Issues To Divert The People’s
Attention From Inflation And Unemployment’
Jan
04, 2023
Mumbai:
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday accused the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of raising communal issues to divert the people’s
attention from inflation and unemployment.
Pawar,
while addressing media in Baramati, spoke on ‘love jihad’ and said, “Those in
power want to divert the attention from basic problems that are hurting
interests of the common people and thus coming up with issues such as love
jihad.”
His
statement came in the backdrop of demands made by BJP leaders to bring
anti-conversion law in Maharashtra on the lines of other BJP-ruled states.
Taking
a dig at the ruling party, he said, “BJP is in power in the state along with
Eknath Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena and at centre, so why do they need
to make demands. Take a decision by taking those in confidence with whom you
are sharing power. Do whatever you want, no one will oppose it.”
In
December, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that they are going
to study laws brought by other states against religious conversion. He made the
statement in the backdrop of a fresh controversy over ‘love jihad’ following
the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by her live-in partner Aaftab Poonawala
in Delhi.
He
also tried to put an end to the controversy that broke out over NCP leader Ajit
Pawar’s remarks on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj by saying that he has no
problem calling Sambhaji a ‘Dharmaveer’ as long as people believe the fact
Sambhaji fought for protecting the state without caring for his life and other
dire consequences.
The
NCP supremo said there is nothing wrong in calling Chhatrapati Sambhaji as
‘Swarajya Rakshak’ (protector of independent state) considering historical
facts.
“Even
if someone wants to call him ‘Dharmveer’ and wants to see him through the lens
of a religion, I have no complaints. It is their opinion, they have all the
right to say something like that,” the veteran leader added.
Baramati
MP and NCP chief’s daughter Supriya Sule said, “If you hear his (Ajit Pawar)
entire speech, you will realise that he had no intention to insult Chhatrapati
Sambhaji. Since BJP has no issue left and their government has completely
failed in controlling issues such as inflation and unemployment, they are
making such allegations against ‘dada’ which is unfortunate,” Sule said.
Source:
Hindustan Times
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Assam
delimitation: Questions grow over ‘communal’ district changes by Sarma,
skirting deadline
by
Tora Agarwala
January
4, 2023
The
Election Commission’s announcement of delimitation in Assam, followed by the
government’s abrupt announcement to merge four districts, has thrown a fresh
pebble into the state’s troubled waters, roiled by its sensitive demographic
and ethnic fault lines.
Opposition
parties such as the Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) have
criticised the move to alter and merge district boundaries – a day ahead of the
start of the delimitation process – as “politically motivated” and “communal”,
and yet another bid by the BJP government to marginalise the Bengali-origin
Muslim community of Assam in the forthcoming exercise.
The
EC announced on December 27 a plan to carry out delimitation of the
parliamentary and Assembly constituencies in Assam based on the 2001 Census,
following years of deferral. Assam currently has 14 Lok Sabha and 126 Assembly
constituencies; and as per the provisions under which the exercise is being
held, the current delimitation cannot result in any change in the number of
seats, though there can be alteration of boundaries.
The
EC directive banned creation of any new administrative units starting January
1, till the completion of the exercise. On December 31, Chief Minister Himanta
Biswa Sarma held a Cabinet meeting – in Delhi – after which he announced the
merger of Tamulpur district with Baksa, Hojai with Nagaon, Biswanath with
Sonitpur, and Bajali with Barpeta, along with changes in boundaries of at least
14 other districts.
Sarma
denied that the district mergers and changes were linked to delimitation, and
said the reason was only “administrative” and would help the districts.
However, in reply to a query, he said the redrawing of the districts may have
“some impact” on delimitation too.
AIUDF
MLA Aminul Islam said the reason was clear, and that while the merger of the
districts would not benefit any community in Assam, it was “political messaging
to the Muslims to show where they stand, and to reiterate that the majority
community will get their way”. Islam said the target was specifically the
Bengali-origin community, the AIUDF’s main support base, often labelled
“outsiders” in the state.
In
his media interaction Sunday, while he denied that the decision over district
changes had anything to do with it, Sarma said the delimitation would serve the
interests of the “indigenous people”. “The NRC was unsuccessful and the Assam
Accord (to end the anti-outsider agitation in the state) also did not live up
to expectations. Delimitation can be one exercise that can safeguard Assam’s
future for the next two decades at least,” said Sarma, without clarifying.
Opposition
leaders said areas were being merged in a manner that the resultant
constituencies do not remain exclusive for Bengali Muslims. “It will be a
safeguard for the BJP and RSS, not Assam,” said Lurinjyoti Gogoi, president of
the Asom Jatiya Parishad, a regional political party.
Leader
of Opposition Debabrata Saikia of the Congress said the district merger ahead
of the delimitation made it clear that the whole exercise was meant “to satisfy
the need of one political party”. Several Muslim-majority areas such as Hojai
in central Assam and Badarpur in south Assam were being “balanced” with areas
which had Hindu populations, he said. “They are trying to merge
Muslim-dominated areas with Hindu areas, so that the Muslim vote gets diluted,”
Saikia alleged.
The
AIUDF’s Islam said apart from trying to “decrease the seats for Muslims”, the
attempt was also to keep the constituencies reserved for SCs and STs fewer, so
as to “increase the seats for the majority (Hindus)”.
Delimitation
was meant to provide equal representation for equal population segments, based
on a fair division of geographical areas, Islam added. “No political party
should have an advantage.”
Sarma
argued against such criticism saying the delimitation would be a data-based,
non-political exercise, “without depriving anyone of their rights”, or without
favouring one community over the other. “The Bengali Muslim population is the
reality of life… In districts like Karimganj Hailakandi, the community makes up
50 per cent of the population,” he said. But, the CM added, “Assam needs to protect
itself”.
Apart
from concerns of the Bengali-origin Muslim community, there is also some
anxiety among residents about losing district status, some of which had been
created with the promise of better, timely development. Bajali and Tamulpur,
now merged into other districts, in fact, were declared districts after the BJP
came to power in Assam. Tuesday saw sporadic protests in some areas where
boundaries have been altered.
Delimitation
last happened in Assam in 1976. While several states saw a fresh round of the
exercise in the first decade of the 2000s, it was deferred in Assam multiple
times because political parties opposed it citing the ongoing updation of the
National Register of Citizens (NRC), a list of bona fide citizens living in the
state. However, in February, 2020, the Union Law Ministry passed an order
noting that the circumstances that led to the deferring of delimitation in
Assam “have ceased to exist”.
In
2021, the BJP in its Assam Assembly elections manifesto promised delimitation
to “protect political rights of people”. Many analysts saw this as damage
control to placate “indigenous” interests after the party faced massive
protests because of passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which promised
speedier citizenship to migrants from neighbouring countries who were religious
minorities there. This was seen as a way to accommodate Hindu migrants from
Bangladesh, which were as much a target of the Assam anti-outsider agitation as
their Muslim counterparts.
The
2001 Census put Muslims at 30.9 per cent of Assam’s population, which went up
to 34.22 per cent of the 2011 Census. A large number of them are Bengali-origin
Muslims, often labelled Bangladeshis and derided as “outsiders” and a “threat”
to the “indigenous” population of Assam.
Source: Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
‘World
should be more concerned about terrorism’: India’s foreign minister digs at
Pakistan
By
Fidel Rahmati
January
3, 2023
During
a press conference S. Jaishankar, the external affairs minister of India, with
his Australian counterpart on Monday, cautioned the world about the threat of
terrorism.
He
continued by saying that the impact of cross-border terrorism could not be
contained to a single region, mainly when they are closely linked to the
trafficking of drugs, illegal weapons, and other types of global crime.
He
also called Pakistan the “epicentre of terrorism” and terror emanating from its
soil. Therefore, the epicentre of terrorism is located close to India, said in
an Australian TV program.
He
further added, “Pakistan is a country which attacked the parliament of India
some years ago, which attacked the city of Mumbai, which went after hotels, and
foreign tourists, which every day send terrorists across the border.”
He
continued, “Our expertise and thoughts are helpful to the world on
counter-terrorism because the epicentre of terrorism is situated near India.
He
also noticed the European countries for not condemning Pakistan. He asked the
audience, “Why don’t I hear sharp European condemnation of these practices that
have been going on for decades.” I think the world needs to be concerned about
how sincerely and firmly it takes up the challenges of terrorism, he said.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
North America
Bomb
disposal team attend Edinburgh Central Mosque over suspicious items
Soraya
Ebrahimi
Jan
04, 2023
Bomb
disposal experts and police have been called to Edinburgh Central Mosque after
suspicious packages were found in the building.
Emergency
services were alerted to the incident at 9.30am on Tuesday and police have
since swarmed the area and closed off nearby streets.
It
is understood that no local addresses or businesses have been evacuated.
“Police
were called to a report of a suspicious item found within a mosque on
Potterrow, Edinburgh,” a Police Scotland representative said.
"A
cordon has been put in place as a precaution and the EOD [explosive ordnance disposal
squad] are in attendance."
The
mosque's Facebook page carried a post saying: “Edinburgh Central Mosque will be
closed today for the next few hours and until further notice.
“This
is due to a couple of bags that we discovered inside the premises early this
morning.
“The
police have been notified about the bags and following a review of CCTV they
have advised that we evacuate the building and stop any activities until they
have removed the bags.
Source:
The National News
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Mosque
in Sacramento firebombed in suspected hate crime attack
03
January, 2023
Brooke
Anderson
A
Molotov cocktail that exploded in a mosque over the Christmas holiday weekend in
northern California is suspected to be a hate crime.
The
attack took place at the Islamic Center in Tracy near the state capital of
Sacramento. Though no one was there at the time, the damage from the improvised
explosive was significant, causing fire damage to the building.
"It's
very clear to me it's a hate crime," Ghaleb Abdulla, a member of the board
of trustees at the Islamic Center, was quoted as saying by local media. He
added that this was the first time in 15 years they'd had to call law enforcement
over such an incident. However, it comes at a time when there is a rise in
attacks on mosques across the United States.
Surveillance
footage shows what appears to be a man holding in his hand a large object that
he throws into the mosque later that day.
"Because
a house of worship was targeted by this act of vandalism, we urge law
enforcement authorities to investigate a possible bias motive for this
troubling incident, to conduct a swift and thorough investigation and to bring
appropriate charges when a suspect is apprehended," said Basim Elkarra,
executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Sacramento
Valley/Central California, in a public statement.
"Despite
these types of attacks, we will work to create safe places for Muslims and all
other faith communities," Elkarra added.
Source:
The New Arab
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.newarab.com/news/california-mosque-firebombed-hate-crime-suspected
--------
US
says Pakistan ‘has right to defend itself from terrorism’
January
4, 2023
The
United States has thrown its weight behind the counter-terrorism decisions
taken by the National Security Committee (NSC) in its recent meeting, saying
“Pakistan has a right to defend itself from terrorism”.
The
statement from US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price comes two days after
the NSC — the highest civil-military forum for decisions on matters pertaining
to national security — expressed firm resolve to crush terrorist groups
operating against Pakistan.
In
the NSC meeting that spanned for two days from Dec 31 to Jan 1, the forum had
categorically asked Afghanistan’s rulers — without directly naming them — to
deny safe haven to Pakistani terrorist groups on its soil and end their
patronage, while reiterating its intent to crush terrorist groups operating
inside the country with full force.
The
uncharacteristically strong-worded statement issued at the end of the NSC
meeting said: “Pakistan’s security is uncompromisable and the full writ of the
state will be maintained on every inch of Pakistan’s territory.”
At
a press briefing on Tuesday, the US State Department spokesperson said the US
was aware of the NSC’s recent statement.
“The
Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks. Pakistan
has a right to defend itself from terrorism,” Price said in response to a
question.
He
said that the [Afghan] Taliban must uphold the very commitment they had made
that their soil would never be used as a launchpad for international terrorist
attacks.
“These
are among the very commitments that the Taliban have been unable or unwilling
to fulfil to date,” he added.
The
meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by key
ministers, services chiefs, and top intelligence officials, also endorsed the
government’s road map for the restoration of economic stability in the country.
The
NSC meeting was called to deliberate on the surge in terrorist attacks and the
deepening economic crisis.
Most
of the attacks have been carried out by the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP).
The
increase in border incidents involving Taliban forces was also discussed at the
forum.
The
committee agreed on a number of steps to deal with the worsening security
situation, which has also drawn the attention of a number of important capitals
prompting them to issue advisories for their nationals residing here.
The
most important of all these actions was to send an unequivocal message to
neighbouring Afghanistan to end all its support to TTP.
“No
country will be allowed to provide sanctuaries and facilitation to terrorists
and Pakistan reserves all rights in that respect to safeguard her people,” the
NSC statement read.
Source:
Dawn
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1729880/us-says-pakistan-has-right-to-defend-itself-from-terrorism
--------
Canada
arrests man for 'death and terrorism-related threats' on Twitter
Servet
Gunerigok
03.01.2023
WASHINGTON
Canada
police arrested a man for making threats on Twitter who was later released.
Daniel
Houde, 19, from Ottawa, made "death and terrorism-related threats" on
the social media platform, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP).
"The
threats targeted, Parliament Hill, the Department of Defense, the Embassy of
the People's Republic of China, as well as the Embassy of the United States of
America in Ottawa," it said.
The
RCMP said its Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) in Ottawa
was made aware of the threats Nov. 8.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
US
opposes rehabilitating Syria’s ‘brutal Assad after Turkey thaw
04
January ,2023
The
United States called Tuesday on all nations to think twice about rehabilitating
Syria's “brutal” President Bashar al-Assad after his defense minister held a
breakthrough meeting with Turkey.
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a key supporter of rebels seeking to topple
Assad since 2011, has voiced openness to meeting the Syrian leader after rival
neighbors' defense ministers met last week in Russia.
“We
do not support countries upgrading their relations or expressing support to
rehabilitate the brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad,” State Department spokesman
Ned Price told reporters.
“We
urge states to carefully consider the Assad regime's atrocious human rights
record of the past 12 years as it continues to inflict atrocities on the Syrian
people and to deny access to life-saving humanitarian aid,” Price said.
Assad,
helped by Russian airpower, has largely restored control over Syria after the
conflict that has killed half a million people, displaced half the country's
pre-war population and saw the rise of the ISIS extremist group.
Hoping
to assuage the opposition, Turkey on Tuesday welcomed its leaders and
reiterated support for a UN Security Council resolution that calls for a
political settlement in Syria.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
Has the Right to Defend Itself Against Threats of Terrorism: US
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
January
4, 2023
Ned
Price, the Spokesperson of the United States Department of State has said that
Pakistan has every right to defend itself against the growing threats of
terrorism.
The
U.S. Department of States Spokesperson Ned Price on Tuesday defended Pakistan’s
decisiveness against the terror groups and said, the people of Pakistan have
immensely suffered from terror attacks over the past years. Therefore, Pakistan
has the absolute right to defend itself against the threats of terrorism.
This
comes as Pakistan’s National Security Council chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif on Monday conducted a consultative meeting with the country’s
high-ranking military and security officials to discuss security issues and
rising militancy in the country.
During
the meeting, it was clearly stated that no country can host terrorism if it
wants to be part of the international community, and not to live in complete
isolation.
Meanwhile,
Pakistan Center for Strategic and International Studies has highlighted in its
annual report that the number of terror incidents in the country has been the
highest in December over the past decade resulting in the death and injury of
scores of civilians and military personnel.
Islamabad
has pointed out that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) uses Afghan
soil to launch their attacks on Pakistan, prompting serious criticism from the
Afghan Taliban authorities in Kabul describing the act as ‘provocative and
irresponsible’.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-has-the-right-to-defend-itself-against-threats-of-terrorism-us/
--------
Europe
Turkish
drone shows illegal Greek pushback of irregular migrants
Faruk
Zorlu
03.01.2023
A
Turkish naval drone recorded footage of Greek forces illegally pushing back a
boat carrying irregular migrants to Turkish territorial waters, the National
Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
The
illegal Greek pushback was recorded north of the Greek island of Lesbos
(Midilli) in the Aegean Sea on Dec. 30, the ministry said in a tweet.
The
Turkish Coast Guard was immediately informed and rescued the irregular
migrants, it added.
Ankara
and international human rights groups have repeatedly condemned Greece’s
illegal practice of pushing back asylum seekers, saying it violates
humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of
vulnerable people, including women and children.
Türkiye
has been a key transit point for irregular migrants who want to cross into
Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution in
their countries.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
Russia
planning 'prolonged attack' with Iranian-made drones: Ukrainian president
Burc
Eruygur
03.01.2023
Russia
is planning a prolonged campaign of drone attacks on Ukraine, President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, urging his forces to remain on high alert.
“We
have information that Russia is planning a prolonged attack with Shaheds,”
Zelenskyy said in a video address on Monday night, referring to the
Iranian-made drones being used by Moscow in the ongoing war.
“Its
bet may be on exhaustion. On exhaustion of our people, our air defense, our
energy sector,” he added.
He
asserted that Ukraine will do everything to ensure that this offensive “fails
like all the others.”
Earlier
in the day, Ukrainian authorities reported shooting down at least 22 out of 40
drones over the capital Kyiv.
Zelenskyy
heaped praise on Ukrainian forces for their efforts, stressing that “everyone
involved in the protection of Ukrainian skies should be especially attentive.”
With
Russia confirming on Monday the loss of 63 soldiers in one of the deadliest
Ukrainian attacks on its forces in eastern Donetsk, Zelenskyy said Moscow is
facing a desperate need to “mobilize emotions” to make its people believe that
“everything is going according to the plan.”
“Our
task is to give Ukraine successes, achievements, even small victories every
day,” he said.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Dutch
analyst targeted by PKK for exposing terror group’s oppression in Syria
Muhammed
Enes Calli
03.01.2023
While
preparing for a run near her home in Istanbul on Dec. 2, a Dutch researcher
received two unexpected emails with a death threat and a warning.
"Hey,
I have been following your Twitter page for a while ... You are officially set
on a hit list. Be warned that we are following your steps everywhere and that
we will find you, no matter if you are in Istanbul, Turkey or Amsterdam in
Netherlands," said the email, accusing the researcher of being a
"Muslim Brotherhood supporter."
"We
will deliver something soon to your house door as proof of this," the
email concluded.
Rena
Netjes felt unsafe and did not want to leave her home after that message. For
her, it was not hard to discern why she got it. The long-time researcher and
journalist has been covering the Middle East for more than 25 years and is
critical of the PKK/YPG terrorist group's activities in northern Syria.
After
Netjes received a total of 12 such emails in a single month, as well as death
threats from the PKK terror group through its social media accounts, she
finally went public with the threats via Twitter on Sunday.
PKK/YPG's
attacks on locals
Speaking
to Anadolu Agency, Netjes, 56, said she has been conducting research on the
PKK/YPG's presence in Syria, as well as its oppressive policies on those living
in the area it occupies, kidnapping people and driving opponents out of their
homes. In recent years, she published reports highlighting the terror group's
pressure on people.
"I
interviewed people who were expelled by the PKK and crossed the border from
Syria into Türkiye. I asked them in Arabic why they fled. I thought they would
say the reason is Russian forces or the Assad regime. But to my surprise, women
were saying the YPG have taken their homes, which was a starting point for
me."
These
were lived experiences different from the stories Netjes heard in most Western
media, prompting her to learn more about what was really happening in Syria. She
visited the country's north four times in the last few years for in-depth
information for her research.
The
terror group and its supporters also vowed to target her social media accounts.
One
of the emails she received from an email account called "RojavaKurd"
account says: "We launched attacks against your Facebook, and we will
target your Instagram and Twitter in the future."
"Your
website will be shut down by DDoS (denial-of-service) attacks. We will never
let (allow) Turkish propaganda by you against Rojava. You have been warned.
Greetings from France!"
Another
email, titled "You will be dead soon," was more specific:
"Did
you know that your life is worth just $9,000? It is pretty easy to end your
life, without us doing the dirty work. There are services on the Dark Web, and
we could assign a hitman to kill you and end your miserable life."
All
those threats are familiar to Netjes, who recently investigated the YPG/PKK's
brutal activities in the region.
"I
had written about it in the Atlantic Council two years ago, about several Kurds
who were killed by the PKK/YPG. I met relatives and colleagues of them. But I
did not expect that I would find myself receiving similar threats."
"So,
I know it's not a joke. It can be real, and that's why I took it seriously and
went public. The story is not about me. It's about the people inside Syria who
are suffering. Let me then be the voice for those people who suffered and
became victims of the PKK/YPG."
Threats
of fake dating app profiles, LGBT-related sites
Netjes
believes she is being targeted by the PKK/YPG due to her criticism of the
terror group's activities as a "Western" researcher, in contrast to
most of her Western colleagues, who ignore the PKK/YPG's attacks on local
people.
"I
am one of the few Westerners who know Arabic and regularly goes into
opposition-controlled areas of Syria. The majority of Kurds are against the
PKK/YPG, as they're suffering. Many young Kurds who fled don't want to be
conscripted by the YPG to fight fellow Syrians. Kurds don't want to go back
after leaving Syria due to the Daesh(/ISIS) threat, but also for the YPG. They
don't go back. I have met many of them."
"The
US military was looking for a group that they would use against Daesh. But they
overlook the context, I think, and they overlook also what the group is doing,
because the US, for example, is very much against the Assad regime. But, the
PKK has very close connections with the Assad regime and they give them
oil."
Netjes
has been living in Türkiye since July 2018 and contacted the Dutch authorities
and shared the messages with Turkish security forces following the death
threats.
Other
messages from accounts linked to the terror group say they created multiple
fake profiles to use on dating apps and LGBT-related sites using a photo of
her.
"Don't
worry. Our network spans from France to Greece and Turkey. We will do whatever
it takes to find you. We are coming for you!" the group said in another
email.
Despite
the threats, Netjes continues to study the region and will soon publish an
article on the reasons why large numbers of people are leaving northeastern
Syria.
The
PKK and its Syrian branch, the YPG, have used terrorist bases across Türkiye's
border in northern Iraq and northern Syria to plot and carry out attacks on
Türkiye. The group has worked to create a terrorist corridor along the Syrian
border, threatening both Syrian locals and nearby Turkish residents.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Europe’s
security, energy problems boost Israeli ties with countries on continent:
Foreign minister
Seda
Sevencan
03.01.2023
Israel’s
foreign minister said Monday that Europe’s security and energy challenges give
Tel Aviv the opportunity to strengthen relations with European countries,
according to the country’s Foreign Ministry.
Speaking
at a press conference, Eli Cohen said that their priority will be the strategic
relations with their “closest ally” the US: “There is no substitute for
Israel-US relations. It is a long-term strategic partnership based first and
foremost on common values as well as on common interests.”
On
Europe’s security and energy problems, Cohen said: “The challenges faced by
Europe vis-a-vis security and energy position Israel as a key player. This is
an opportunity to deepen and strengthen the relationship with European
countries in comparison to recent years.”
Cohen
added: “With regard to the Russia-Ukraine issue, we will do one thing for
certain – in public – we will talk less.”
‘Palestinian efforts to harm Israel will
backfire’
Alongside
the strengthening of independent security capabilities for every scenario,
Israel will concentrate on forming an international front to prevent a nuclear
Iran, Cohen said.
He
also claimed that Palestinian attempts to harm Israel in the international
arena will exact a price from them, “pushing resolution of the conflict further
away.”
On
the normalization deals between Israel and several Arab states since the fall
of 2020, Cohen said the Abraham Accords “dramatically changed the face of the
Middle East.”
The
trade volumes between Israel and the countries of the Abraham Accords passed
the threshold of 10 billion Israeli shekels ($2.85 million) in the last year
alone. “Beyond the economic contribution, there is a very significant security
contribution to the countries involved as well as to the strengthening of
regional stability.”
Benjamin
Netanyahu was sworn in as Israel's prime minister for a sixth time last week,
leading a government seen as the most far-right in the country’s history.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
South Asia
Want
religious, modern subjects to be taught in Afghanistan: Taliban minister
3
January, 2023
Kabul
[Afghanistan], January 3 (ANI): The Taliban wants both religious and modern
subjects to be taught in Afghanistan, said Taliban acting minister of higher
education Neda Mohammad Nadim on Tuesday.
He
made these remarks at an event at Kabul University less than a month after a
ban on female students attending higher education institutes drew flak from
countries across the world, TOLOnews reported.
“The
curriculum revision and attention to progress are necessary for our society and
is the way forward,” said Nadim. Further Taliban appointed Deputy Minister of
Higher Education Lotfullah Khairkhwah mentioned that the higher education
curriculum will be prepared based on religious and national values with
international educational standards.
The
Tolo News further quotes Khairkhwah saying that “We ask our university
lecturers to make a curriculum that can protect our nation and religious
values,”. This change in curriculum will be taking place in all faculties of
universities.
Prior
to this, in December last year, Nadim had said that there is no opposition to
the barring of women from university education in the country.
Nadim
said, “there has been no opposition to the education of girls as per the recent
decree of this ministry”. He further said that the Taliban does not intend to oppose
the education of the new generation but wants to develop a system according to
the Islamic Sharia law and the values of Afghanistan.
The
Taliban-appointed education minister also pointed out the formation of a joint
commission between the education ministry and university professors to
reiterate these sectors should prepare in accordance with the legal provisions
of the church.
However,
to express their frustration and anger on the issues of university education
for female students banned by the
Taliban,
many male students from private and public universities have gone on strike
chanting slogans like “education for all or none”. Further Khaama Press report
said that with Afghan women being deprived of getting an education, some
university lecturers have resigned from their positions.
Contradicting
Nadim’s opinion on the education ban for female students in Afghanistan, the
Grand Imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar University, Ahmed El-Tayeb called for the
Taliban to reconsider their decision to ban Afghan women from accessing
university education, saying the decision contradicts Sharia.
The
Grand Imam said that he “deeply” regrets the decision issued by the authorities
in Afghanistan, preventing Afghan women’s access to university education.
Source:
The Print
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
ISIS-Khorasan
Poses Threat To Taliban In Afghanistan: Afghan Diaspora Network Report
January
03, 2023
Islamabad:
Islamic State Khorasan Province's (ISKP), the regional affiliate of the
terrorist group ISIS, is lodged in a power tussle with the Taliban in
Afghanistan. The group is gaining momentum and poses a major challenge to the
Taliban, who is also seeking international support, as it failed to contain
terrorism and improve its human rights record, the Afghan Diaspora Network
reported.
The
target of ISKP is to threaten diplomatic missions, international organizations
such as the UN and various NGOs in the region. It also aims to challenge
Taliban's increased hobnobbing with China and the US, it said.
Taliban
would not only find it difficult to maintain its supremacy but also to seek
international support as it is failing to contain terrorism and improve its
human rights record. Peace would never be a reality without shunning terrorism
and repression.
Recently,
ISKP attacked the "Longan Hotel" which is frequently visited by
Chinese visitors and other foreign nationals, indicating that the attack is the
beginning of the next phase of terrorist disturbances in Afghanistan, according
to some observers.
Not
only at the hotel, but ISKP has also made Pakistan Charge d'Affaire as their
target. The ISKP attempted to assassinate Pakistan Charge d'Affaire
Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, at his residence inside its embassy.
These
attacks may jeopardise the Taliban regime's efforts to enhance its global
strategic engagements including economic engagements, according to the Afghan
Diaspora Network citing analysts.
These
attacks have exposed the Taliban's constraints and undermined its capacity to
protect its global partners and its supremacy. It showed that it could not
provide foolproof security for the diplomatic establishments.
In
the last few years, ISKP had accelerated its attacks in Afghanistan and is now
seeking prominence in political matters of the state as well. It is finding
terror attacks as a handy tool to enhance its presence and control in the
country. Although the ISKP had indicated that the attack aimed to take revenge
and caution China over its crackdown on Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, the other
underlying objective is to curb Beijing's diplomatic overtures to the Taliban
regime since it assumed power in August 2021.
ISPK,
which projects itself as an alternative to the Taliban, apprehends that
Taliban's rule in Afghanistan is fast becoming inevitable and the world is
slowly going to restart engagement with the Islamist party which has not been
recognised so far by any country.
It
accuses the Taliban of abandoning the jihadi ideology by making peace with the
United States and betraying the cause of Muslims. ISKP also seeks to mobilise
mass support for its actions by taking refuge in the tenets of Islam and the
pretext of its protection, the Afghan Diaspora Network reported.
Earlier,
ISKP had also attacked the Russian embassy. ISKP's terror attacks are the product
of a well-calculated strategy to garner maximum publicity and impact. It has
been targeting high-profile landmarks like embassies or ethnic minorities like
Shia and Hazaras. The series of attacks intended to compel Russia, China and
other dominant influencers in Kabul to review their strategy and engagements in
Afghanistan. ISKP is displaying contempt for the international powers which
sympathize with the Taliban. Pakistan is also not an exception.
Terrorism
has its own boomerang effects. Taliban cannot prevent other terrorist outfits
from the acts it adopted as a strategy to capture power and bog down people to
accept its version of Islamic precepts and practices, howsoever retrograde,
reported Afghan Diaspora Network.
Source:
ND TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/isis-khorasan-poses-threat-to-taliban-in-afghanistan-report-3658711
--------
Islamic
Emirate Calls Recent Remarks by Pakistani Officials Disappointing
By
Imran Danish
The
Islamic Emirate on Tuesday said that the recent remarks by Pakistani officials
about Afghanistan are disappointing.
The
Islamic Emirate wants good relations with all neighboring countries, including
Pakistan, rejecting recent remarks by Pakistani officials as untrue, spokesman
Zabihullah Mujahid said.
“The
Islamic Emirate is making utmost efforts to avoid the use of Afghanistan’s soil
against Pakistan or any other country,” Mujahid said.
Earlier,
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in an interview with the GEO News said
that Afghanistan’s soil is being used against Pakistan despite an agreement
with “the Taliban government.”
“We
are in contact with the Afghan authorities and we hope based on the relations
they have with us, prevent terrorism and don't allow the Afghan soil to be used
against other countries," he said.
Pakistan’s
National Security Council said on Monday that no country will be “allowed to
provide sanctuaries and facilitation to terrorists.”
Former
President Hamid Karzai in reaction to Pakistan NSC's recent meeting chaired by
Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif said on Twitter: "The people of Pakistan are
Afghans' neighbors and brothers but insecurity and the current situation in
Pakistan are mostly due to policies of the Pakistani government."
Karzai
called on the Pakistani government to have a "deep review" of its
policies of the past decades and make changes in it and avoid threats over the
use of excessive force and facilitate good and civilized relations with
Afghanistan to ensure stability and peace in the region.
“When
Pakistan expressed the comments about terrorists taking advantage of other
soil, I think it is pointing to Afghanistan because there is no such issue with
India now,” said Tahir Khan, a Pakistani journalist.
Analysts
said that the two sides should find solution to the problem through
negotiations.
“If
there is any problem between the two countries, it should be solved through
negotiations. Threatening each other will not solve the problems,” said Hassan
Haqyar, a political analyst.
“Pakistan
is trying to have an obvious and hidden hostility. These issues are at the
level of allegations and Pakistan has not shared any evidence that Afghan soil
has been used against Pakistan,” said Janat Fahim Chakari, a political analyst.
The
tensions between the two neighboring countries have surged after Pakistan’s
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said Islamabad may attack the
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in Afghanistan if Kabul does not take
action to dismantle them.
Source:
Tolo News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-181457
--------
Islamic
Emirate Works on Permanent Solution to Women's Education, Work: MoI
By
Nazir Shinwari
The
Ministry of Interior Affairs said that the leadership of the Islamic Emirate is
working on ways to reopen universities for women and facilitate their access to
work.
Acting
Minister of Interior Sirajuddin Haqqani met with UNAMA’s envoy Markus Potzel.
The
Ministry of Interior (MoI) said that Potzel shared his concerns about
restrictions on women and girls' education.
Haqqani
said that efforts are underway to find a permanent solution for it within the
Sharia law and Afghan culture, according to the MoI.
“The
interior minister said that the Islamic Emirate leadership is committed to the
welfare and prosperity of the people and that efforts are underway to address
the problem,” said Abdul Nafay Takor, MoI’s spokesman.
The
UN Assistant Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Twitter that Potzel
conveyed the international community’s call to lift “bans on work and education
for women and girls.”
“The
ban on Afghan women aid workers will deepen the humanitarian crisis creating
greater economic misery and further Afghanistan’s isolation,” UNAMA said.
The
ban on women aid workers “affects the provision of humanitarian aid,” said
Darya Khan Baheer, an economic affairs analyst. “It also has a negative impact
on the country's economy.”
Female
students urged the Islamic Emirate to review its decision about the suspension
of higher education for women.
“I
call on the Islamic Emirate government to reopen universities for women,” said
Suraya Nabizada, a student.
“They
want to go to university. They were at the university but the universities were
suddenly closed for them,"” said Zakia Alami, a student.
On
Tuesday, Fran Equiza, the UN’s Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan,
met with Mohammad Abbas Akhund, the acting minister of disaster management.
Source:
Tolo News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-181456
--------
185
former Afghan Army officers left stuck in India
By
Fidel Rahmati
January
3, 2023
Afghanistan
was a major beneficiary of India’s military training programs among the
regional countries before the fall of the Republic government in the dim-August
of 2021.
The
Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDFA) was allowed to apply for up
to 1,000 slots each year at Indian institutes, including the Indian Army
Academy in Dehradun and the Officers Training Academy in Chennai.
After
the fall of Kabul and took over of Afghanistan by the present regime, the
Afghan officers and police who were in training in India could return to
Afghanistan.
However,
after the fall of Kabul, the Indian government allowed 185 Cades of the Afghan
National Defense and Security Forces (ANDFS), who were stranded in the country,
to undergo a 12-month training or receive medical care. despite that, now they
are facing an uncertain future in New Delhi.
The
officials in New Delhi said they had further training to advance their
knowledge and better serve their nation. However, they expressed sorrow that
they could not return to their country to serve the nation.
They
also stated that neither they could return home nor financially get support. As
a result, they are struggling financially and facing psychological issues.
Despite
calling for a national amnesty, the acting administration in Afghanistan still
reports detained, prosecuted, tortured, and missing dozens of former Afghan
army soldiers, police officers, and former national security personnel, said
one of the officers.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/185-former-afghan-army-officers-left-stuck-in-india/
--------
Mideast
Palestinian
PM, Mohammad Shtayyeh, Accuses Israel Of ‘Plan To Turn Al-Aqsa Mosque Into
Jewish Temple’
03
January ,2023
Palestinian
Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh cast a visit by a far-right Israeli official
to a contested Jerusalem holy site on Tuesday as a bid to turn a major mosque
there “into a Jewish temple.”
Addressing
his cabinet, Shtayyeh also called on Palestinians to “confront the raids into
al-Aqsa Mosque” after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir toured
the periphery of the mosque compound. Ben-Gvir did not approach the mosque.
Israel
denies having such designs. Ben-Gvir once advocated ending a ban on Jewish
prayer at the site, but has been more non-committal on the issue since aligning
with Benjamin Netanyahu. Other members of his Jewish Power party still advocate
such a move.
The
rise of Ben-Gvir in Netanyahu’s government, one of the most right-wing in
Israel’s history, has deepened Palestinian anger about their long-failed
efforts to secure a state.
Hours
before the visit, Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian teenager in a clash in
nearby Bethlehem, medical officials and witnesses said, the latest in a growing
death toll in the West Bank. Israel’s army said troops fired on Palestinians
who threw improvised explosives, rocks and firebombs at them.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Top
Commander Warns of Iranian Armed Forces' Decisive Response to Israeli Threats
2023-January-3
Maj.
Gen. Mousavi raised the alarm on the last day of Zolfaqar 1401 joint drills on
Monday, which included three days of exercises held over an area stretching from
the Strait of Hormuz all the way to the Sea of Oman and North of the Indian
Ocean.
“We
often hear nonsensical comments from the Zionist regime and some of their
officials. We tell them that in case of a threat directed at any part of the
Islamic Republic of Iran from the Zionist regime, the [Iranian] Armed Forces
will respond decisively and with multiple force,” the senior commander told
reporters.
“In
the past few days, the Iranian Army showcased some of its capabilities in
defending the country and responding to the enemy,” he continued, adding, “We
have shown the world that we can respond to any threat in the best way.”
Pointing
to the Zolfaqar 1401 wargames, Mousavi said the military exercises were aimed
at deterrence and security, and were carried out so that aggressor countries
and those who are belligerent and totalitarian avoid miscalculations in
thinking that they can invade another country.
Stressing
that the Zionist regime is now at the nadir of its rootless history, the chief
commander noted, “That is why the prime minister of that regime has been forced
to form a coalition with the most radical people in order to organize his messy
cabinet.”
The
Israeli regime's new cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has
announced an end to the “Arab-Israeli conflict” would be his top priority, as
well as stopping Iran’s nuclear programme and building up Israel’s military
capacity.
Military
officials have warned that any mistake by the US and Israel will be met with
Tehran's crushing response. Iranian officials say Washington and Tel Aviv are
well aware of Tehran’s capabilities and capacities, and caution that Tehran
does not compromise or joke with its national security.
Iran
says the Israeli regime is just playing mouth as it lacks the power and needed
capability to take real action against Tehran, but, meantime warns that it
won't be hesitant to devastate Israel in case of the slightest move by Zionist
regime.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
Upholds Death Sentences For Two Male Teenage Protesters
03
January ,2023
Iran’s
judiciary upheld death sentences for two male teenagers who had taken part in
anti-government protests that have gripped the country since September.
If
the executions are carried out they will be the youngest people put to death
since unrest erupted over Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police
custody in Tehran after being detained for allegedly flouting Islamic dress
codes.
The
protests, dominated by young women and men, have become some of the biggest
against Iran’s theocratic leadership since it took power after a revolution in
1979. An increasing crackdown by authorities has triggered international
condemnation.
Mehdi
Mohammadifard, 18, has been sentenced to death on charges of “warring against
God and “corruption on earth, the judiciary’s official website, Mizan Online,
said on Tuesday. It said he had confessed to making a Molotov cocktail using a
water bottle and petrol.
Mohammad
Boroughani, 19, has also had his death sentence confirmed, Mizan said on
Monday, despite public pleas from his family and several rights groups
including Amnesty International.
It’s
unclear whether they had lodged formal appeals against the sentences and Mizan
said that Mohammadifard’s sentence can still be challenged or appealed in
Iran’s supreme court.
The
death sentences of two others, 22-year-old Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Mohammad
Hosseini have also been upheld, the semi-official Fars news reported on Tuesday.
The
Islamic Republic has already hanged two 23-year-olds arrested in the protests.
The Iran Human Rights group has identified 39 others who have either been
officially sentenced to death or are at risk of capital punishment because of
their charges.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Israel’s
Netanyahu committed to al-Aqsa status quo, official says
03
January ,2023
Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is committed to “strictly keeping the status
quo” at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, an official in his office said on Tuesday,
after an ultra-nationalist minister’s visit sparked Arab condemnation.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Israeli
forces kill Palestinian child in Bethlehem: Ministry
03
January ,2023
Israeli
forces killed a child in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Tuesday, the
Palestinian health ministry reported, as Israel said police officers fired on
people throwing Molotov cocktails.
The
health ministry announced “the death of the child Adam Essam Shaker Ayyad, 15,
with a bullet in the chest fired by the occupation soldiers during the
aggression on Bethlehem at dawn today.”
“Israel’s
military said rocks and Molotov cocktails were thrown at border police officers
during an operation in Bethlehem’s Dheisheh refugee camp.
“The
forces fired toward Molotov cocktails (sic) hurlers who risked their lives,
hits were identified,” the army said in a statement.
The
official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported clashes erupted when Israeli
forces entered Dheisheh, in the southern occupied West Bank, to search houses.
Ayyad
is the third Palestinian killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since the
start of the year.
On
Monday two Palestinian men were shot dead in the northern city of Jenin, when
clashes broke out as the army demolished the homes of two Palestinians accused
of killing an Israeli soldier in September.
More
than 150 Palestinians and 26 Israelis were killed last year across Israel and the
West Bank, including Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, according to an AFP tally.
In
December, the United Nations said 2022 was the deadliest year in the West Bank
since its records began in 2005.
The
inauguration last week of the most right-wing government in Israel’s history,
led by Benjamin Netanyahu, has sparked fears of a military escalation in the
Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War.
Two
of Netanyahu’s extreme-right coalition partners have taken charge of critical
powers regarding the West Bank.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
EU
peace envoy calls for maintaining status quo at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa
Qais
Abu Samra
03.01.2023
RAMALLAH,
Palestine
The
EU Middle East peace envoy on Tuesday called for maintaining the status quo at
East Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex.
Tension
escalated across the Palestinian territories early Tuesday when Israeli
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa complex despite
warnings that it could stoke tension.
The
EU’s Sven Koopmans tweeted that the "internationally agreed" status
quo on the holy sites in Jerusalem along with Jordan's custodianship over these
sites "are essential to regional peace, stability and the equilibrium
between the major religions in Jerusalem."
The
status quo allows Muslims to worship at the Al-Aqsa complex and followers of
other religions to visit the site.
Ben-Gvir’s
visit triggered a storm of Palestinian and international condemnations,
including from the US, Jordan, Türkiye, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
In
the face of growing condemnations of the visit, Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said Tuesday he is committed to the status quo at the flashpoint
site.
For
Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world's third-holiest site. Jews, for their
part, call the area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two Jewish
temples in ancient times.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Houthis
abduct 3 YouTubers amid social media influencer crackdown
SAEED
AL-BATATI
January
03, 2023
AL-MUKALLA:
Three well-known Yemeni YouTubers have been kidnapped by Houthis in Sanaa, as
the militia steps up its crackdown on online influencers who expose its
leaders’ flaws.
Activists
reported that Houthis have abducted Mustafa Al-Mumari, Hamoud Al-Mesbahi, and
Ahmed Elaw for posting videos on social media which support prominent YouTuber
Ahmed Hajar, who was seized from a Sanaa street more than 10 days ago.
The
social media posts also criticized widespread corruption and the failure to
address famine.
Al-Mumari
is a popular social media personality in Yemen with more than 2 million YouTube
subscribers and tens of thousands of Facebook fans.
He
had earlier appeared in a video in which he sharply criticized the Houthis for
kidnapping his friend, Hajar.
He
urged the Houthis to combat rampant institutional corruption, and named some
“corrupt” Houthi leaders.
He
added: “If you are trustworthy and searching for the corrupt, I will provide
you with evidence.
“If
my claims are untrue, put me to death; if they are genuine, hold those (corrupt
officials) responsible.”
Al-Mumari
and Al-Mesbahi were kidnapped from a street in Sanaa and taken to a security
facility shortly after the video was posted.
Elaw
had made a video on his channel three days ago demanding the release of his
detained friends, and warning the Houthis against ignoring corruption or
popular unrest.
He
said: “We shall not forget our imprisoned brethren and will continue to
advocate for their release.”
The
Houthis quickly stormed his home and kidnapped him.
The
abductions came as a Yemeni attorney in Sanaa said on Tuesday that Houthi
intelligence, security personnel and prosecutors had begun interrogating Hajar
in preparation for his trial.
Lawyer
Abdul Majeed Sabra told Arab News: “The specialized criminal prosecution is now
interrogating Ahmed Hajar at the Shamlan building of the Security and
Intelligence Service.”
The
Houthis have not yet claimed responsibility for the abduction of the recent set
of YouTubers, but their supporters claimed their social media posts had been
backed by the militia’s adversaries.
Abdulsalam
Jahaf, a member of the Houthi Shoura Council, said: “Anyone who serves the
enemy is an enemy, and the security services are tasked with apprehending
anyone who attempts to compromise our security.”
Yemeni
officials and analysts believe that the campaign by the Houthis against social
media influencers is aimed at silencing prominent figures who can reach
millions of Yemenis.
Yemen’s
Minister of Information Muammar Al-Eryani said the Houthis fear an uprising
owing to their repressive rule, inability to pay public wages, and failure to
provide services.
He
added: “These frantic campaigns serve as confirmation of the hysteria that has
engulfed the Houthi militia’s leaders following calls for a popular uprising to
remove this scourge.”
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2226266/middle-east
--------
Pakistan
No
More Talks With Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan: Interior Minister
Jan
04 2023
Interior
Minister Rana Sanaullah Tuesday said that there will be no talks with the
banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or any other terrorist organisation.
The
statement from a senior member of the federal cabinet comes as the country
witnesses a sharp increase in terrorism incidents from the terror outfit based
in Afghanistan after the end of the TTP ceasefire last year.
Talking
about the National Security Committee meeting, in an interview, Sanaullah said
Pakistan has decided to share evidence with the Taliban government as the
terrorists based in Afghanistan are involved in terror activities here.
The
interior minister said that Afghanistan had promised that its territory would
not be used against any other country, and the Afghan government would be asked
to fulfil that promise.
He
said that it has been decided in the NSC meeting that there will be no talks
with TTP or any other terrorist organisation.
In
the meeting, the army chief had categorically said that mixed messages should
not be given on the issue of negotiations with terrorists, the narrative should
be clear that there will be no negotiations with any terrorists.
The
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that General Asim Munir made
this point in the meeting in clear terms with the evidence.
He
reiterated his stance that international laws allow action in case of
aggression in self-defence.
The
interior minister said that talks will be held with the Afghan government,
adding no Pakistani territory is under the control of terrorists.
Afghan
govt upset over 'provocative statements'
Meanwhile,
Taliban chief spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid has said that the Afghanistan
government desired better relations with all its neighbours, including
Pakistan, and believed in all the resources and means that could help them meet
the goal.
His
statement came a day after the NSC, asked the government in Kabul — without
naming it — not to provide sanctuaries to Pakistani terrorist groups on its
soil.
Expressing
his disappointment over the recent statements by the Pakistani authorities, the
Taliban spokesperson said they are trying their best to ensure that Afghan soil
is not used against Pakistan or any other country.
“It
is also the responsibility of the Pakistan side to try to control the situation
and avoid issuing baseless and provocative statements,” he said, adding that
such statements and an atmosphere of mistrust are not in the interest of any
party.
Source:
Geo TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.geo.tv/latest/462816-no-more-talks-with-ttp-rana-sanullah
--------
'Our
country morally debased, ugly': Pakistan actor on ex-army official's 'honey
trap' allegations
Jan
3, 2023
NEW
DELHI: Pakistan actor Sajal Ali has hit out at allegations made by a retired
army official that she and several other female actors were used as 'honey traps'
by the country's army. "It is very sad that our country is becoming
morally debased and ugly; character assassination is the worst form of humanity
and sin," tweeted Ali, who featured opposite Sridevi in the 2017 Bollywood
film 'Mom'.
Screenshot
2023-01-03 193952
The
28-year-old actor was reacting to a YouTube video by retired Pakistan army
officer, Adil Raja, who claimed that some of the country's female actors were
working with General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former ISI head Faiz
Hameed to trap politicians.
He
did not name the actors but did give out their initials as MH, MK, KK and SA
Several
comments on the video claimed that Raja was referring to actors such as Mehwish
Hayat, Mahira Khan, Kubra Khan and Sajal Ali.
General
Qamar Javed Bajwa called me playboy during our last meeting: Imran Khan
In
a later video, Raja said the initials he mentioned could be of any actor or
model and he never named or defamed anyone.
Kubra
Khan also reacted to Raja’s video and said she will take action against him. “I
stayed quiet initially because obviously a fake video isn’t going to take over
my existence but enough is enough. I will not take these allegations
lightly," the actor said, adding that she will give Raja three days to
prove his allegations or retract his statement and publicly apologise.
Mehwish
Hayat called the allegations baseless. "Shame on you for spreading
baseless allegations and insinuations about someone you know nothing about and
even bigger shame on people who blindly believe this," Hayat said, adding:
"But this stops and it stops now! I will not allow anyone to defame my
name in this way."
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Firing
on Imran Khan carried out from 4 sites, 3 more shooters involved: Probe team
Jan
3, 2023
LAHORE:
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the assassination attempt on
Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan has said that the firing was
carried out from four different sites and three more shooters, other than the
arrested suspect, were involved in the attack.
Khan,
the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), suffered bullet injuries in
the right leg on November 3 when two gunmen fired a volley of bullets at him
and others standing on a container-mounted truck in the Wazirabad area (some
150-km from Lahore), where he was leading the long march to press for snap
polls.
"Shots
were fired by three unknown shooters, from unknown weapons from a considerable
height other than the gun attack carried out by the suspect, Naveed Meher,
arrested from the spot," the Dawn newspaper reported quoting a member of
the JIT on Tuesday.
The
JIT, led by Lahore Police chief Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, said Khan was hit by
three bullets on the container-mounted-truck during the protest rally. A total
of 13 people had suffered bullet injuries during the attack.
The
JIT also pinpointed "some mismanagement" in the security arrangements
at the PTI's rally.
Earlier,
Punjab Home Minister Omar Sarfraz Cheema had said that the gun attack on Khan
was an "organised one and well-thought-out conspiracy".
Naveed
is a "trained assassin" and he was present at the crime scene with his
accomplices, the minister said.
He
said Naveed also failed a polygraph test. Naveed had told police he wanted to
kill Khan as music was played during Azan time during his rally.
Meanwhile,
Prime Minister's Special Assistant Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday moved the Lahore
High Court, challenging the "illegal detention" of two PML-N workers
-- Mudassar and Ahsan -- in connection with the gun attack on Khan.
Talking
to reporters outside the court, Tarar said the JIT has illegally detained the
two PML-N workers.
Prime
suspect Naveed and his cousin Muhammad Waqas are in the JIT custody.
Khan,
70, had blamed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah
and Major General Faisal Naseer of ISI for hatching a plot to assassinate him.
The
Punjab Police had registered the FIR in connection with the assassination
attempt on Khan but didn't name the high profile suspects in it.
Khan
had dismissed the FIR, saying without the mention of Sharif, Sanaullah and
Faisal it is a mere "piece of trash".
The
Punjab Police said they nabbed Naveed from the crime scene and he had confessed
to his crime.
Khan
had claimed that Naveed is a trained shooter and there was another shooter who
opened fire on him from another direction.
The
JIT has so far recorded the statements of the policemen and PTI workers who
were present close to Khan at the time of attack on him.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
PTI
leaders could face arrest as contempt case continues
Iftikhar
A. Khan | Nasir Iqbal
January
4, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
As the Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Election Commission of Pakistan to
go ahead with contempt proceedings against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other
party leaders, the ECP warned them their arrest warrants would be out if they
failed to show up at next hearing on Jan 17.
“We
hold that the petitioner ECP may continue its proceedings in accordance with
law including, by decision on the objections (challenging competence of the
commission to issue contempt notices) raised on behalf of the respondents (PTI
leaders),” Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial stated in a four-page
order on a set of ECP petitions.
The
petitions seeking consolidation and transfer of all six challenges to the
contempt notice of ECP against PTI leaders was heard by a three-member SC
bench. Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Ayesha A. Malik were part of the
bench.
The
petitions were moved by Advocate Sajeel Sheryar Swati on behalf of ECP with a
plea to order consolidation of all the six petitions before one high court
instead of defending the commission’s stance for issuance of the contempt
charges against PTI leaders in different high courts.
The
commission had issued notices to Mr Khan, PTI Secretary General Asad Umar,
Fawad Chaudhry, Mian Shabbir Ismail and Danial Khalid Khokhar in August and
September last year to appear in person or through their counsel before it to
explain their position on contempt for allegedly using ‘intemperate’ language
against the chief election commissioner.
However,
they moved Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench, Sindh High Court and Islamabad
High Court against the ECP power to issue the contempt notices and proceed
under Section 10 of the Elections Act, 2017.
SC
accepts ECP plea for ‘expeditious’ disposal of cases by high courts
Section
10 of the Elections Act 2017 empowers ECP to exercise the same power as enjoyed
by a high court to punish any individual for contempt of court under the
Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003.
In
its order, the apex court held that since the objections to ECP authority were
raised by the respondents in the pending proceedings under Section 10, the same
were required to be considered and decided by ECP before passing a final order
on the matter.
Regarding
ECP’s request to club together all petitions pending against it before the high
courts, the apex court accepted the ECP plea that it would be satisfied if the
high courts were directed to decide the pending petitions at the earliest.
Contempt
proceedings
While
giving them last chance to appear, the ECP adjourned the contempt proceedings
against Mr Khan, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry, albeit with the warning that
their absence before the commission at the next hearing on January 17 would
result in issuance of arrest warrants.
The
PTI leaders were directed to submit their reply to show-cause notices by the
next hearing.
During
the hearing, ECP member Akramullah Khan remarked why the ECP should not issue
arrest warrants for the PTI leaders. To which, lawyer Ali Bokhari asked the ECP
to issue notice instead of warrants, as Mr Khan was unable to appear before the
commission due to his health condition.
He
said Fawad Chaudhry sought exemption from appearance, because his mother was
hospitalized whereas Asad Umar missed his flight.
The
bench asked the PTI counsel to submit Imran Khan’s medical certificate and also
submit an answer to show-cause notice.
ECP
member Nisar Durrani warned that arrest warrants would be issued if they failed
to show up at the next hearing. He reminded the lawyer that Asad Umar had not
appeared before the commission for the past four months.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1729843/pti-leaders-could-face-arrest-as-contempt-case-continues
--------
PPP
says ready to work with MQM despite differences
Qurban
Ali Khushik
January
4, 2023
DADU:
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Tuesday his party would continue
to work with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) despite differences,
an assurance that did little to placate PPP’s ally in the Centre, as the MQM
later in the day announced a protest for Jan 9 if local government polls were
held without fresh delimitation.
Taking
to the media in Zafarabad village during his visit to the flood-hit Khairpur
Nathan Shah in Dadu district, Mr Bhutto-Zardari thanked the nation for
supporting flood-hit people, but called for more assistance as winter had
aggravated their problems.
Commenting
on his party’s issues with the MQM, the foreign minister said the two parties
have had differences in the past and would do so in the future also, but they
would continue to work together.
He
underscored the need to work together on the provincial local bodies’ law to
make it stronger, adding that the PPP was ready to talk to the MQM to resolve
all issues and all its reservations would be addressed. He said some PPP
leaders had reservations about the delay in local bodies’ elections.
He
was accompanied by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, provincial ministers
Syed Nasir Shah, Sharjeel Inam Memon and Jam Khan Shoro and local lawmakers.
Blankets
for flood-hit
On
the devastating floods that hit the country in mid-June, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said
some areas of Dadu district and other parts of Sindh were still inundated and
the affected people needed blankets, warm clothes and other items amid the
extreme cold.
To
a question, he said the federal government, through the Benazir Income Support
Programme, was supporting the flood-hit people, and Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif had announced the release of extra cash through the programme for the
benefit of the people.
He
said the loss of lives and billions of dollars in flood could not be covered
within a short time.
Bilawal
seeks more aid for flood-hit as winter aggravates problems
He
announced that the federal and provincial governments would present flood
rehabilitation plans to the world at the International Conference on Climate
Resilient Pakistan on Jan 9 at Davos. “We will ensure that we get support from
around the world and help the people affected by climate change to stand on
their feet,” he stressed.
The
PPP chief said that after the floods, a crisis had arisen in every sector,
including agriculture, and the health and educational infrastructure had been
badly damaged, adding that 50 per cent of educational institutions had been
destroyed in Sindh.
Answering
a question, he said the development and rehabilitation of the country,
especially Sindh, would soon begin through a public-private partnership. Sindh
provided a wind energy corridor and solar and green zones would be established
here. He further said power would be generated and supplied at cheap rates.
Earlier,
the foreign minister took an aerial view of the flood-hit areas by air and also
got a briefing on their rehabilitation. He also visited the flooded Ramanpur
village of Khairpur Nathan Shah by road.
Mr
Bhutto-Zardari also condoled with PPP MNA Irfan Leghari and former MNA Imran
Leghari over the death of their father, former federal minister Haji Zafar
Leghari.
PTI
marches ‘a failure’
Taking
a dig at PTI chief Imran Khan, the foreign minister said the former premier
launched two long marches to achieve his goal of early elections but failed
both times.
He
also said PTI lawmakers were avoiding appearing before the National Assembly
speaker to verify their resignations, and whenever Raja Pervaiz Ashraf called
them, their senior party leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Pervez Khattak
disappeared, delaying the matter themselves.
The
PPP chief remarked that Mr Khan didn’t want political stability and that his
politics was damaging the country.
Referring
to the former prime minister’s statement that his PTI government was
negotiating with Afghanistan to “resettle” the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) in the country, the foreign minister said it was akin to
supporting terrorism.
“The
one who called us imported was importing terrorism. Today, PTI representatives
are themselves paying extortion to the Taliban,” he remarked.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1729837/ppp-says-ready-to-work-with-mqm-despite-differences
--------
Police
high-ups of twin cities agree to curb terrorism
January
3, 2023
RAWALPINDI:
A special meeting of police high-ups of twin cities was held regarding the
establishment of joint check posts and operations, intelligence-based
operations (IBOs) and to curb terrorism and prevent crime.
According
to the police spokesman, IG Islamabad Dr Akbar Nasir Khan visited Regional
Police Office here on Tuesday.
RPO
Rawalpindi Region Nasir Mehmood Satti welcomed IG Islamabad whereas City Police
Officer CPO Rawalpindi Shehzad Nadeem Bukhari and Regional Officer CTD
Rawalpindi Attaur Rahman participated in the meeting.
In
the meeting, the police forces of the twin cities agreed to adopt a joint plan
of action in the strategy against terrorism and criminal elements.
Addressing
the occasion, IG Islamabad said that all the forces of the country were united
to eliminate terrorism.
He
underlined that joint meetings of police forces will continue on a monthly
basis.
The
police forces of the twin cities will unite against terrorism and end criminal
elements, Dr Akbar vowed.
Regional
Police Officer RPO Nasir Mehmood Satti said that mutual cooperation would be
ensured to protect people’s life and property.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/01/03/police-high-ups-of-twin-cities-agree-to-curb-terrorism/
--------
Sharif,
Malaysia PM discuss upcoming UN moot on Pakistan floods
January
3, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
The prime minister on Tuesday held a telephonic conversation with his Malaysia
counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim, to discuss bilateral ties, floods in Pakistan and
the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan scheduled to take
place on January 9 in Geneva.
The
conference, co-hosted by Islamabad and the United Nations, will bring together
governments, corporates and civil society to support Pakistan after the
devastating floods, according to the world body.
During
the conversation, Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Ibrahim on his election as the
leader of the Southeast Asian nation.
Ibrahim,
75, was elected in November, bringing to a close his three-decade quest for the
job that had eluded him time and again and led to him spending nearly a decade
in jail.
The
two prime ministers expressed satisfaction over the momentum of bilateral
relations and agreed on the importance of frequent high-level exchanges to
strengthen dialogue and cooperation.
Sharif
underscored Pakistan’s desire to forge a broad-based relationship with Malaysia
with robust political dialogue and trade and economic linkages.
The
two also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the historic ties
between Pakistan and Malaysia anchored in strong economic and trade
cooperation.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Maryam
Nawaz promoted to PML-N Senior Vice President
4th
January 2023
Islamabad:
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday promoted his Maryam Nawaz to
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Senior Vice President, Information
Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced in a statement, media reports said.
Issuing
the notification which was signed by Shehbaz Sharif, the Information Minister
said that the Prime Minister has announced the organisational decision of the
party, Geo
News
reported.
“Pursuant
to the powers conferred under the Constitution of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz,
the undersigned is pleased to appoint Ms Maryam Nawaz Sharif as ‘Senior Vice
President’ with immediate effect,” stated the notification.
It
said that Maryam Nawaz is authorised to re-organise the party at all functional
tiers/levels as “chief organiser”, Geo News reported.
Meanwhile,
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar congratulated Maryam on the occasion and offered his
best wishes to her.
“Heartiest
congratulations and best wishes for Maryam Nawaz Sharif on her appointment as
SVP/Chief Organiser of PML-N by the party President Shehbaz Sharif in
consultation with the party Quaid Nawaz Sharif,” Dar wrote.
Maryam
Nawaz was appointed one of the 16 vice presidents of the party on May 3, 2019.
Her
appointment was challenged by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which had
expressed its reservations. The then Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had
questioned how a person, who has been sentenced by a court, can be appointed as
a Vice President.
Maryam
Nawaz has been highly active in running the party’s election campaigns and
holding public gatherings in different cities.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/maryam-nawaz-promoted-to-pml-n-senior-vice-president-2494737/
--------
Southeast Asia
UAE,
China call for UN Security Council meeting over Al Aqsa Mosque
Betül
Yürük
04.01.2023
The
United Arab Emirates and China called Tuesday for a UN Security Council meeting
after Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered
Al-Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards in occupied East Jerusalem amid warnings of unrest.
The
Council is expected to convene on Thursday, diplomats said.
The
visit drew fierce condemnation across the world, with the US, Israel's closest
ally, expressing deep concern over the recent developments.
''We're
deeply concerned by any unilateral actions that have the potential to
exacerbate tensions precisely because we want to see the opposite happen,''
State Department spokesman Ned Price said
''The
United States stands firmly for the preservation of the historic status quo
with respect to the holy sites in Jerusalem.''
He
added that any unilateral actions undercutting the status quo are
''unacceptable.”
For
Muslims, Al-Aqsa represents the world’s third-holiest site. Jews, for their
part, call the area the Temple Mount, saying it was the site of two Jewish
temples in ancient times.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Lower
your gaze, scholar tells critics of ‘inappropriate’ dressing
Sean
Augustin
January
4, 2023
PETALING
JAYA: Muslims ought to refrain from looking at people who in their view are
inappropriately dressed instead of attempting to police what others wear, a
prominent Turkish scholar said.
Mustafa
Akyol said while the Quran prescribed for Muslim women to safeguard their
modesty, such Islamic norms should not be imposed on women with different
religious traditions and world views.
At
the same time, he said, the Quran also told Muslim men to “lower their gaze”.
“In
other words, it commands Muslim men to refrain from looking at any scenes that
may be morally inappropriate for them, not eliminate them.
“It
tells them to control their own behaviour, and not the behaviour of other
people,” the senior fellow at Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and
Prosperity told FMT.
Akyol
was responding to reports on plans by the Melaka Islamic religious affairs
department (JAIM) to put up signboards reminding tourists in Pulau Besar to
dress modestly. JAIM also warned tourists not to take part in activities
considered sensitive to Muslims.
This
followed a three-minute video of beachgoers in bikinis at a beach on the island
which had been making the rounds on social media since Dec 25.
“Wearing
such attire (such as bikinis) is only suitable for the bedroom, not to be shown
off to the community in Pulau Besar,” JAIM chief Che Sukri Che Mat was quoted
as saying.
Akyol
said every society had certain norms of appropriate behaviour and dress code.
Muslims,
however, are not supposed to impose specific Islamic norms on non-Muslims, he
said.
“So,
as a Muslim, I believe we should follow our own ethical guidelines as we
believe in them, but do not impose them on other people through legal means.”
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Malaysia’s
15th General Election: How a less influential Islamic party becomes the largest
one in parliament
January
4, 2023
Malaysia’s
fifteenth general election, held in late November, is arguably the most
historic in the country’s history. For the first time, no coalition managed to
secure a parliamentary majority, resulting in a hung federal parliament.
Adding
to the unexpected twist, the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) – one that
historically wielded less influence among Muslims and ethnic Malays – achieved
their best ever result and came in first with 49 of the country’s 222 federal
parliamentary seats. The secular Democratic Action Party clinched the second
spot, with 40 seats.
PAS
is part of the Perikatan Nasional coalition (translated as National Alliance).
Together with the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu), which won 25
seats, the coalition secured 74 seats.
Meanwhile,
the two other coalitions – the centre-left Pakatan Harapan (translated as
Alliance of Hope), and the centre-right Barisan Nasional (translated as
National Front) – secured 81 and 30 seats respectively.
After
a week of intense negotiations, the two coalitions – Pakatan Harapan and
Barisan Nasional – agreed to form a unity government. The constitutional
monarch, King Sultan Abdullah appointed Anwar Ibrahim, Pakatan Harapan’s
Chairman, as Prime Minister of the unity government. Anwar later chose the
Chairman of Barisan Nasional, Ahmad Zahid, as the Deputy Prime Minister.
This
alliance between the two coalitions was unprecedented, with the two perceived
as unlikely bedfellows. The Barisan Nasional, dominated by the United Malays
National Organisation (UMNO), had vehemently championed for Malay rights and
interests, while the Pakatan Harapan campaigned for racial equality.
Secularism
vs Islamism
Politics
in Malaysia has historically been structured along ethnic lines. UMNO has
historically dominated the political scene by mobilising the Malay electorate
on the grounds of ethnicity and Malay nationalism. However, since Malays are
legally obliged to profess the Muslim faith under the Malaysian constitution,
PAS has attempted to peel off Malay support from UMNO by challenging the
latter’s secular narrative.
Unlike
UMNO, PAS claims to be more intentional in upholding Islamic values. After it
became the ruling government in the states of Kelantan and Terengganu, it
enacted Syariah legislations in 1993 and 2002 respectively. However, the
federal government, then controlled by Barisan Nasional, prevented such laws from
being enforced on the grounds of incompatibility with the federal constitution.
Factors
behind PAS’ victory
While
PAS had in the past remained less influential among Malays compared to the more
mainstream UMNO, PAS currently has almost double of UMNO’s 26 seats after the
latest election. This can be linked to fortuitous circumstances facilitating
PAS’ electoral turnabout, strategic alliances and clever messaging in recent
years.
UMNO
was plagued by a series of corruption allegations spanning from the era of
former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is now imprisoned for his role in the
1MDB scandal, to current leader Zahid Hamidi (the newly-sworn Deputy Prime
Minister) who is now facing corruption trials.
UMNO
has thus lost much credibility as the champion for Malay rights, especially
after senior UMNO politicians broke off in 2016 to form Bersatu while remaining
publicly committed Malay nationalists. Bersatu later allied with PAS to form
the Perikatan Nasional coalition.
This
arrangement to collaborate with a rising Malay nationalist party (Bersatu) has
enabled PAS to compensate for its historical deficits in Malay nationalist
credentials. In this election, Perikatan Nasional campaigned on a welfarist,
anti-corruption, and political stability platform, while equating support for
Barisan Nasional as a vote for corruption.
Perikatan
Nasional also claimed that Pakatan Harapan is detrimental for Malay interests,
with Muhyiddin Yassin reportedly commenting during his campaign trail that
Pakatan Harapan is supported by a proxy that intends to “Christianise”
Malaysia.
The
success of Perikatan Nasional’s electoral strategy could be understood by the
complimentary nature of PAS and Bersatu, with each party using its strengths to
cover for its ally’s weaknesses.
For
instance, PAS’ status as a religious party contributed moral credibility to the
Perikatan Nasional coalition, while contesting under a major Malay-based
coalition with Bersatu offered PAS the cover to credibly compete across all
Peninsula states.
In
regions outside its traditional East Coast stronghold, PAS ran a restrained
campaign to avoid the perception as being extreme, staying laser-focused on
economic and corruption issues while avoiding references to Syariah law.
High-profile social media influencers also endorsed PAS while releasing catchy
Tiktok videos, which in hindsight was instrumental in gaining young Malay
votes.
This
proved to be a winning strategy, with PAS for the first time capturing parliamentary
seats in Melaka and being just short of replicating a similar feat in Johor.
This is a remarkable accomplishment given that PAS historically had minimal
sway even among Malay and Muslim voters in the states south of Klang Valley.
The
rise of political Islam in Malaysia post-election
Despite
its historic gains in the general election, PAS now faces a daunting task in
maintaining its recent electoral momentum.
Firstly,
concerns over corruption and a faltering economy played into the hands of PAS’
largely negative messaging. This may soon backfire since the present unity
government is now opening new corruption investigations against senior
Perikatan Nasional leaders.
PAS
also seems to have returned to old playbooks to bolster its Islamist
credentials, particularly with an eye towards impending state polls in the
three PAS administered states of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu. PAS has
recently passed legislative amendments in the Terengganu state assembly to
criminalise pregnancies outside marriage, while banning all forms of
(previously) licensed gambling in Kedah starting January 2023.
Such
a legislative record may affect PAS’ credibility should it attempt to
articulate a broad-based, multi-ethnic electoral platform for future state and
federal elections.
PAS’
extraordinary ascent has ironically created a major paradox for the party
moving forward. Given Malaysia’s ethnic and religious diversity, the more
intensely PAS pushes forth an Islamist agenda to enhance its moral standing,
the more challenging it becomes for PAS to retain its recent electoral gains in
demographically mixed and urban constituencies.
However,
should PAS decide to shift towards the centre to appeal to voters in its
recently won constituencies, opportunities may open up for electoral rival UMNO
to encroach into PAS’ own traditional strongholds.
Source:
The Conversation
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Arab World
Saudi
Arabia works with Telegram to remove over 15 million extremist content in 2022
04
January ,2023
Saudi
Arabia’s Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology (Etidal) and Telegram
removed 15,021,951 extremist content throughout 2022 and shut down 6,824
channels that were being used to spread radical ideology, the Saudi Press
Agency (SPA) reported.
From
September to December 2022, Etidal and Telegram coordinated to remove 8,494,035
different types of extremist content on 3,616 channels that were linked to
al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
At
least 4,172,215 extremist content that was broadcasted by 2,654 channels that
belonged to ISIS was removed, while 3,696,483 extremist content linked to 703
accounts belonging to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham were taken down.
The
monitors also found that al-Qaeda had shared 625,337 different extremist
content through 259 channels.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Qatar
strongly condemns Israeli National Security Minister’s storming of Al Aqsa
Mosque
04
Jan 2023
Doha:
The State of Qatar has strongly condemned Israeli National Security Minister’s
storming of the courtyards of Al Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the
Israeli occupation forces, considering it a flagrant violation of the
international law and the Hashemite guardianship over the holy sites in
occupied Jerusalem.
In
a statement issued yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned against
the policy pursued by the Israeli government in the occupied Palestinian
territories, and asserted that compromising the religious and historic
situation of Al Aqsa Mosque is not only a violation of the Palestinians, but of
millions of Muslims worldwide.
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the Israeli occupation authorities responsible
for the violence cycle that would happen as a result of this systematic
escalation policy against the Palestinian people and on their lands and Islamic
and Christian holy places.
The
Ministry urged the international community to urgently act to stop these
violations.
Source:
The Peninsula Qatar
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Egypt
'expresses regret' that official in new Israeli gov't stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque:
Statement
Amr
Kandil
3
Jan 2023
“Egypt
has expressed regret that an official at the new Israeli government stormed
Al-Aqsa Mosque while accompanied by extreme elements under the protection of
the Israeli forces,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on
Tuesday.
Earlier
on Tuesday, the extreme-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who had
stormed Al-Aqsa compound numerous times as Knesset member and is known for his
violent rhetoric against Palestinians, stormed the compound for the first time
as minister.
Egypt
also affirmed its categorical rejection of all unilateral measures that violate
the legal and historic status quo of Jerusalem, the foreign ministry statement
said.
“Egypt
has warned of the negative repercussions of these measures on the security and
stability in the occupied lands and the region and on the future of the peace
process,” the ministry said.
Egypt
also calls for all parties to “exercise self-restraint, act responsibly and
refrain from any measures that could inflame the situation,” the statement
added.
The
storming of Al-Aqsa by Ben-Gvir comes only days after the new government of
Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in on Thursday.
The
Palestinain presidency condemned the Israeli minister's visit to the mosque
compound, calling on the United States to force the Israeli authorities' to
halt the escalation "before it is too late."
Egypt:
Need to resume peace negotiations
Meanwhile,
in a phone call with PM Netanyahu on Sunday to congratulate him on his
inauguration, Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed the necessity of
refraining from any unilateral measures that would lead to tensions and
complicate the regional scene.
The
Egyptian president also affirmed to Netanyahu the importance of achieving a
fair and comprehensive peace between the Palestinian and Israeli sides in a way
that contributes to achieving security and prosperity for all peoples of the
region.
El-Sisi
also stressed to Netanyahu Egypt’s keenness to continue intensified efforts to
resolve the Palestinian cause, maintain Palestinian-Israeli calm and resume
negotiations between the two sides.
Cairo has repeatedly condemned Israeli violence
against Palestinians in the occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Egypt
supports the establishment of a Palestinian state with its capital in East
Jerusalem as part of a two-state solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Along
those lines, Cairo has steadfastly opposed Israeli settlement expansion
policies in East Jerusalem which aim to displace the Palestinian residents of
the city in order to change its demographic composition.
Egypt
has warned that such practices undermine efforts to reach peace between the two
sides.
Tensions
in occupied territories
At
dawn on Tuesday, the Israeli army killed a 15-year-old boy in Dheisheh refugee
camp in Bethlehem, making him the third Palestinian victim of deadly Israeli
army raids in less than three days in the occupied West Bank.
In
2022, more than 150 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli army in raids on
Palestinian towns and villages.
Meanwhile,
26 Israelis were killed during the same period.
Source:
Ahram
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/483589.aspx
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UNESCO
praises Saudi Arabia’s achievements in e-education governance globally
January
03, 2023
The
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has
praised the achievements of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in e-education
governance, through its “Guide to measuring information and communication
technologies (ICT) in education,” reported the official Saudi Press Agency
(SPA).
The
guide noted that National E-Learning Center is an example to be followed at the
international level through its support and development of governance
procedures in the electronic education and training sector.
In
its publication, the UNESCO cited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s model of
quality control and confidence in e-learning through the e-learning standards
launched by the National E-Learning Centre for educational institutions in
public and higher education institutions.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Saudi Arabia’s Jazan: A promised land rich in culture and opportunity
RAHAF
JAMBI
January
03, 2023
JAZAN:
Jazan province this winter is a hotbed of tourists searching for relaxation,
walks through beautiful scenery, the chance to sample the region’s famous
coffee — and even scouting investment opportunities in an expanding leisure
industry.
A
plan to build the province’s tourism economy was approved by Prince Mohammed
bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz, who is in charge of the Tourism Development Council
in the Jazan region. Since then, the Jazan City Track and the Farasan Islands
Track were approved as tourist hiking routes.
The
Heritage Village, meanwhile, is an important tourist attraction. During a tour
of the site by an Arab News team, the village’s Director Mohammed Ali said that
it was popular due to its architectural style and its cultural heritage.
There
are several historic buildings made of stone and mud that detail the historical
way of life.
“The
Jazan region has established a name for itself globally in every sphere, be it
business, development, or tourism. In the Al-Raith governorate of the Global
Islands, for example, there is one of the biggest model gardens in the world,”
Ali said.
“In
the mountainous governorates, coffee is grown, which UNESCO has called one of
the best products in the world.”
According
to Ali, the village, which spans 7,000 acres, is where the customs and
traditions of the mountains, Tihama, and maritime environments come together in
one location.
In
the village marketplace, local resident Hamouda Hussain is one of a number of women
selling traditional products.
“I
have loved sewing since I was a child, and I am here selling my products, which
are popular traditional clothes,” she told Arab News. “I also make oud mixtures
and incense for the body. I see many tourists who come from everywhere to the
heritage village and buy my products.
“Tourists
flock more in the winter, spring break, founding day, and national day,” she
added.
After
visiting the village, visitors can take a ferry to the Farasan Islands, whose
reserve is known for its diverse ecosystems and rare wildlife was included in
the “Man and the Biosphere Program,” a UNESCO initiative.
The
ferry captain’s assistant, Yousef Al-Seeni, said that nothing makes him happier
than seeing visitors from all over the world come to the islands.
“We
have received many tourists from around the world, and they are pleased with us
because the sailing time is only an hour,” Al-Seeni said. As a result, they
enjoy us as well as the view of the island and dolphins, as well as the
opportunity to indulge in their favorite pastimes like diving, fishing, and a
variety of sports like hiking and tasting the delectable seafood.”
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2226306/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
choral group set to start on a high note in music industry
SALEH
FAREED
January
03, 2023
JEDDAH:
A new Saudi choral group has been established to create and present Saudi and
Arab classical songs.
The
group, called Choralla — comprising six women and four men and led by Egyptian
composer Dr. Karim Abdelaziz — recently performed its first concert at
Al-Shallal Park Theater in Jeddah, attended by 350 people.
According
to the choir’s chairman, Dr. Bander Arab, the young group of singers together
possess the ability to perform ensemble pieces to a professional standard.
“We
have brought together an amazing group of singers who have passion for great
music. We’re already well into preparation for the inaugural program of
concerts which we are sure will be very special occasions for us,” he said.
“Since
I was a child, I used to hum beautiful songs with myself, and I was fascinated
by many musical instruments. At the same time, I learned to play and read
musical notes. Despite my preoccupation over the past two decades with many
leadership positions in the private and governmental sectors, I did not forget,
even for a moment, this great passion that fascinated and controlled me.”
Arab
told Arab News that the choir forms a unified, integrated sound texture, with
dimensions that the solo voice cannot reach, so that listeners feels more
pleasure when hearing performances of popular songs.
“Choral
music is very different from solo singing. In choral music, you kind of have to
agree that you’re going to work together,” explains Arab.
“The
band gathered a group of amateurs who are passionate about music and singing,
and its goal is to present Arabic singing in a public concert every month. The
group adopts the scientific method in its training, and promises its audience
that they will leave the concert happy,” he added.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2226311/saudi-arabia
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Saudi
aid agency gets National Award for Voluntary Work in 2022
January
03, 2023
RIYADH:
Prince Faisal bin Bandar, governor of Riyadh and chairman of the board of
directors of the Charitable Society for Orphan Care in the region, Insan, on
Tuesday received a certificate granting the association the practice of
humanitarian activity outside the Kingdom by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid
and Relief Center.
This
came during his meeting with KSrelief Supervisor General Dr. Abdullah
Al-Rabeeah and Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Suwailem, vice chairman of the executive
committee of Insan, and other key officials.
Prince
Faisal listened to a brief about the certificate, confirming the excellence of
Insan in its activities, after it received the National Award for Voluntary
Work in 2022.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2226286/saudi-arabia'
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Africa
Tinubu
assures Muslim leaders of just governance to all Nigerians
By
Ahmad Muhammad
04
January 2023
Promises
to tackle nation’s problems
The
All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed
Tinubu, has assured Muslim leaders in the country that he will offer fair and
just leadership to all Nigerians if elected president.
Tinubu
gave the assurance in a town hall meeting with Muslim leaders from the
northwest geopolitical zone in Kano, yesterday.
He
urged the religious leaders to ensure they preach unity and harmony among their
followers, rather than division and disunity, saying that is the only way the
nation could experience development.
“Religious
leaders like you are agents of harmony and hope, not division and disunity. All
well-meaning Nigerians, regardless of political affiliation, must join hands
against violence, hunger, ignorance and bigotry.
“We
all must live together. No one has the right to try to lord over the other.
Allah stands against such injustice. And where Allah stands, all bad things
must fall. Mean-spirited politicians – those thinking only of themselves or
those who think they mean more than the nation itself – will go to great
lengths to deceive or recruit eminent persons to unknowingly preach division
and hatred.
“They
cannot win with the truth. So, they will try to win with a lie. But a lie never
wins in the end. Those they cannot beat with honesty, they seek to beat with
untruth and falsity. They want to turn servants of God into preachers of
division and hateful sentiment,” Tinubu said.
The
presidential candidate further told the Muslim leaders that he had demonstrated
a sense of unity and oneness in all his campaigns and would continue to do so.
He
pledged to conduct himself in public office on the values and ideals of
fairness and justice, adding that he would always speak about facts and truths,
policies and programmes.
On
expectations from him, if elected, he reminded the faith leaders of his record
as Lagos State governor.
Tinubu
said: “I promise to be a fair and just leader. This pledge is based on the
Islamic teachings on leadership. A leader in a plural society is enjoined to be
a leader for all. If elected, I shall govern in harmony with our nation’s
democratic Constitution.
“More
than that, I shall tackle this nation’s problems with a commitment to solving
them. I say this, not as a boast; I say it based on my record. As Lagos
governor, I assembled, perhaps, the most diverse team by any state government.
That team was based on competence, not tribal this or regional that. It was not
based on the attire one wore or the accent one spoke with, but on the quality
of one’s ideas and contributions to society.
“If
given the chance by Almighty Allah, I will operate in the same spirit of
inclusiveness and innovation in order to renew the hope of our people. My
highest priorities shall be the protection of our land and prosperity of its
people.”
Source:
Guardian Nigeria
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://guardian.ng/news/tinubu-assures-muslim-leaders-of-just-governance-to-all-nigerians/
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Tanzania
lifts 6-year ban on opposition political rallies
04.01.2023
DAR
ES SALAAM, Tanzania
Tanzania’s
President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Tuesday lifted a ban on rallies of opposition
parties imposed in 2016 by her predecessor John Magufuli.
Hassan
announced the decision in a televised address after meeting leaders of the
ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party and the main opposition CHADEMA in the
commercial hub of Dar es Salaam.
“I
have come here to allow those meetings. I have come to lift the ban on public
political rallies and I am saying the ban is officially lifted,” she said.
She
said opposition parties have the right to hold rallies and the government is
fully prepared to provide security for their gatherings.
In
a separate statement from the presidency, Hassan said any rallies will have to
be held “in accordance with the law and existing regulations.”
She
also urged political parties to criticize and advise the government in a
civilized manner.
The
ban on opposition rallies was just one of a raft of repressive laws enforced by
Magufuli, who ruled from September 2015 until his death in March 2021.
Analysts
say his regressive policies severely trampled on fundamental basic rights such
as freedom of speech and assembly, and led to a sense of fear among citizens
and politicians alike.
“I
think this is a very important move which will obviously provide political
mileage to the president, and also certainly iron out differences with foreign
donors who were increasingly disturbed by actions that curtailed democracy in
Tanzania,” Max Mmuya, a political scientist and former lecturer at the
University of Dar es Salaam, told Anadolu Agency.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/tanzania-lifts-6-year-ban-on-opposition-political-rallies/2779204
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Burkina
Faso military junta expels French ambassador
James
Tasamba
04.01.2023
KIGALI,
Rwanda
Burkina
Faso's military junta has expelled France's ambassador to the West African
country, a regime source confirmed Tuesday, amid deteriorating bilateral
relations.
"Ambassador
Luc Hallade was asked to leave the country," the source in the Foreign
Ministry told Anadolu Agency, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the
sensitivity of the matter.
"We
have asked for his replacement," the source added, without divulging
details.
Efforts
to get a comment from the French Embassy in Ouagadougou were futile.
Hallade's
expulsion came days after the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in
Burkina Faso, Barbara Manzi, was also expelled in December and declared persona
non grata.
Also
in December, the military junta expelled two French citizens accused of
espionage.
Anti-French
sentiments surged last year in the West African country.
The
French Embassy in Ouagadougou was attacked twice by protesters demanding the
departure of France from Burkina Faso.
The
landlocked African country witnessed two coups last year.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/burkina-faso-military-junta-expels-french-ambassador/2779096
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63
abducted in latest bandit attack in Nigeria
Ibrahim
Garba Shuaibu
03.01.2023
KANO,
Nigeria
Numerous
people were abducted by armed gunmen in central Nigeria, police confirmed on
Tuesday
While
Wasiu Abiodun, a police spokesman, declined to confirm to Anadolu Agency the
number of people abducted across three communities in the West African
country's state of Niger, a security source revealed that the number was 63.
The
incident occurred late on Monday in the Pandogari area of the northeastern part
of the state, a few kilometers away from a security camp.
Most
of the people, 41, were kidnapped from the village of Durmin, while 14 were
taken from Jarmiya village and eight from Pandogari.
Abiodun
said security personnel had rescued about 13 people from the hideout of the
gunmen, known locally as bandits, who then staged a reprisal by abducting
dozens of others.
Authorities
have since stepped up efforts to find the bandits, he added, with security
forces immediately mobilizing tactical teams to the scene.
A
community leader in Durmin village, Adamu Dangana, told Anadolu Agency that the
motorcycle-riding bandits came in large numbers and abducted local residents.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/63-abducted-in-latest-bandit-attack-in-nigeria/2778790
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28
people found shot dead in northwestern Burkina Faso
Aurore
Bonny
03.01.2023
DOUALA,
Cameroon
The
bodies of 28 people who were shot dead have been found in a town in
northwestern Burkina Faso, authorities said.
“The
tragedy occurred in Nouna, capital of the province of Kossi, on the night
between Dec. 30 and Dec. 31,” Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo, a government
spokesman, said in a statement late on Monday.
He
did not share any further details, saying an investigation has been launched to
identify the attackers and their motives.
Armel
Sama, a prosecutor in Nouna, said all the victims were male and had multiple
gunshot wounds.
However,
a local rights group, Collective Against Impunity and Stigmatization of
Communities (CISC), claimed there were children among the victims.
The
CISC said the attacks were carried out by armed civilians posing as members of
the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP), a group trained and
funded by the government to aid anti-insurgency efforts.
The
attackers mainly targeted influential and wealthy members of the community, the
group said.
Burkina
Faso remains plagued by insecurity, largely due to an insurgency that has
spilled over from neighboring Mali.
Political
instability is also rife in the West African country, with two coups last year.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/28-people-found-shot-dead-in-northwestern-burkina-faso/2778579
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Nine
killed in central Somalia car bombings: security sources, witnesses
January
04, 2023
MOGADISHU:
At least nine people were killed and several others wounded in simultaneous car
bomb attacks in a town in central Somalia on Wednesday, security officials and
witnesses said.
“The
terrorists attacked Mahas town this morning using vehicles loaded with
explosives,” local security official Abdullahi Adan told AFP by phone.
“They
have targeted a civilian area and we have confirmed that nine people, all of
them civilians, died in the two explosions.”
The
attack, blamed on Al-Shabab jihadist fighters, took place in the Hiran region
of central Somalia, where a major offensive was launched last year against the
Al-Qaeda-linked group.
“The
terrorists, after having (been) defeated, resorted to desperately targeting
civilians, but this will not stop the will of the people to continue defeating
them,” said Osman Nur, a police commander in Mahas.
“They
have killed innocent civilians in the explosions,” he added.
Witnesses
said the blasts occurred near a restaurant not far from a district
administration building in Mahas.
“I
saw the dead bodies of nine civilians including women and children, this was a
horrible attack,” said one witness, Adan Hassan.
Somalia’s
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has declared “all-out war” against Al-Shabab,
which has been waging a bloody insurgency against the fragile
internationally-backed federal government for 15 years.
In
July, local clan militias known as “Macawisley” launched a revolt against
Al-Shabab in parts of central Somalia, and Mohamud sent in troops in September
to support the fight-back.
In
recent months, the army and the militias have retaken swathes of territory in
the central states of Galmudug and Hirshabelle (where Hiran is located) in an
operation backed by US air strikes and an African Union (AU) force known as
ATMIS.
But
the insurgents have frequently retaliated with bloody attacks, underlining
their ability to strike at the heart of Somali towns and military installations
despite the offensive.
Although
forced out of the country’s main urban centers around 10 years ago, Al-Shabab
remains entrenched in vast swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.
On
October 29, 121 people in the capital Mogadishu were killed in two car bomb
explosions at the education ministry, in the deadliest attack in the troubled
Horn of Africa nation in five years.
Eight
civilians died on November 27 in a 21-hour siege at a hotel in Mogadishu
popular with politicians and government officials.
A
triple bombing in October in the city of Beledweyne, the capital of Hiran, left
30 people dead including local officials.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2226511/world
--------
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