Supreme Court of India To Hear Plea For Ban On More Forms of Talaq, Like Talaq-e-Kinaya, Talaq-e-Bain
New Age Islam News Bureau
11 October 2022
© Provided by The Times of
India
----
• Pakistan’s Mission To The UN : Empowered Pakistan
Women Have Become ‘Agents Of Change’,
• ‘We Can’t Stay Quiet’: Indonesian Activists Stand In
Solidarity With Iran’s Women
• Cleric Urges Muslim Faithful In Nigeria And The
World For Deep Reflection On The Virtuous Life Of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
• Ilhan Omar Equates Women Protesting Islamic Law In
Iran With Abortion Fight In US
India
• Fear, Panic In Kolkata’s Ekbalpore After 40 Arrests
Over Hindu-Muslim Clash on Milad-un-Nabi
• Gyanvapi Mosque Panel To Submit Response To Plea For
‘Shivling’ Carbon-Dating
• Clash Between Hindus And Muslims Over The Playing Of
Loud Music Near The Mosque During A Durga Puja Immersion Procession, Six
Injured
• NIA raids multiple places in J&K in terror
funding case
• Muslim NRI of Saudi Arabia cremated as per Hindu
customs by mistaken identity
--------
Pakistan
• Hilal-e-Pakistan Conferred On Muslim World League Secretary-General
• ‘Anti-Afghan Taliban’ Police Officer Shot Dead In
Quetta
• JUI-F refuses to join Balochistan government
• Sana claims leaks ‘resolved’; says staffers ‘did it
for money’
• Nawaz breaks silence as politicos gather in London
• President Alvi calls for ‘broader consultation’ on
army chief’s appointment
• Two militants killed, four policemen injured in
exchange of fire in Swat
--------
Southeast
Asia
• With Elections Looming, Hadi Presents Two Faces To
Voters
• Malaysia's Mahathir says will defend Langkawi in
upcoming election
• PM had lost support of Umno’s allies, says Ahmad
Maslan
• Malaysia’s Mahathir fears Najib would walk free if
graft-tainted party wins polls
--------
Africa
• Tanzania, Kenya vow to curb trans-boundary terrorism
• Show of force in Mozambique’s north, but terror
threat remains
--------
North
America
• US relations with Pakistan have gained new momentum:
Expert
• Russian attacks on Ukraine 'unacceptable,' says
Türkiye's UN envoy
• US lauds 'positive steps' towards reaching Armenia,
Azerbaijan peace
--------
South
Asia
• US, Islamic Emirate Of Afghanistan Held 'Detailed'
Talks In Doha On Doha Agreement, Human • Rights And Opening Of Girl’s School:
Source
• Taliban Releases the Manager of a Local Media Outlet
after 4 Months of Detention
• Human Rights Situation ‘Continues to Deteriorate’:
EU Envoy
• Taliban Official Assassinated in Northern Afghanistan
• Former Afghan Police Commander Assassinated in
Pakistan
--------
Arab
World
• Saudi Arabia Jails Nearly A Dozen Egyptians For Up
To 18 Years Over 1973 Arab-Israeli War
• Bahraini courts hand down death sentences to four
more political dissidents
• Islamic Scholar Mufti Menk Of Zimbabwe Talks About
Modernisation And Spirituality of Dubai
• Drone strike kills suspected ISIS member in northern
Syria
• Saudi defence minister discusses security, renewal
of truce with Yemeni leader
--------
Mideast
• Erdogan: Hard Winter Ahead for Europe
• Over 100,000 Palestinians Under Israeli Siege In
Shufat, Anata After Shooting Incident
• Hamas, Islamic Jihad Slam Israelis' Desecration Of
Qur’an After Extremist Settlers Burn Muslim Holy Book
• Israel Satisfied With Draft Of Maritime Border Deal
With Lebanon: Israeli Official
• Leader: Athlete Refusing to Compete with Zionist
Competitor Truly A Victor
• Rights Group: 50 Palestinian Prisoners on Hunger
Strike over Israel’s Detention Policy
• Oil workers in southern Iran strike, protest as
anti-regime demonstrations continue
• Palestinian churches concerned about UK’s possible
embassy move to al-Quds
--------
Europe
• Jerusalem Churches Raise Concern Over UK Embassy
Talks
• French architects learn about Saudi vision of the
future
• Britain no longer a leading nation: Somali drought
envoy
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/supreme-court-india-talaq-kinaya-bain/d/128155
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Supreme Court of India To Hear Plea For Ban On More
Forms of Talaq, Like Talaq-e-Kinaya, Talaq-e-Bain
© Provided by The Times of
India
----
Oct 11, 2022
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear
a plea seeking the court to declare Talaq-e-Kinaya, Talaq-e-Bain and all other
forms of unilateral and extrajudicial procedures of divorce among Muslims as
void and unconstitutional and sought response from the Centre.
A bench of Justices S A Nazeer and J B Pardiwala
issued notices to the ministry of law and justice and ministry of minority
affairs and tagged the case with petitions against Talaq-e-Hasan and
Talaq-e-Ahsan matters.
The bench passed the order on a petition filed by
Karnataka-based Syeda Ambreen that asserted the practices were arbitrary,
irrational and contrary to fundamental rights to equality, non-discrimination,
life and freedom to practise religion. The petition contended the practices are
an “evil plague similar to sati” that continue to trouble Muslim women and pose
serious health, social, economic, moral and emotional risks.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Pakistan’s Mission To The UN : Empowered Pakistan Women Have Become ‘Agents Of
Change’
Photo:
Radio Pakistan
----
October
10, 2022
UNITED
NATIONS: Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering its women in all
spheres of life a step it said will enable them to become “agents of change”.
“We
are proud that today Pakistani women participate in every facet of public
life,” Saima Saleem, a counsellor at Pakistan’s mission to the UN, said in a
debate on “Advancement of Women” in the General Assembly’s Third Committee
which deals with social, humanitarian and cultures issues.
In
this regard, she said Pakistani women have held and are holding some of the
country’s top positions.
“Despite
challenges,” Saleem noted, “Pakistan is a strong country and a resilient nation
because of the power of empowered women, who break the glass ceiling in all
fields and have become agents of change.”
At
the same time, the Pakistani delegate expressed concern over the series of
shocks the world has suffered in recent years — the Covid‑19 pandemic, commodity
inflation, food and fuel crises and climate change — that have
disproportionately affected women and girls.
Pakistan
has been affected by the worst disaster in its history, she said, pointing to
recent floods of epic proportions that have affected more than 33 million
people, of which almost six million need immediate humanitarian assistance.
While
the damage to infrastructure is evolving, it is currently estimated at $30
billion, Saleem said. Among those affected, more than 1.6 million are women of
reproductive age, with nearly 130,000 pregnant women in need of urgent health
services.
In
Pakistan, between 50 to 80 per cent of women are food producers, she noted,
adding that due to these traditional roles in the agriculture sector, women are
the first to be affected by climate change, she said.
To
this end, she drew attention to the national climate change policy that is
gender sensitive and caters to the needs of women and girls in the wake of
climate-induced disasters.
The
fight against the threat of climate change shall not be won without the
empowerment of all women and girls, and integrating their perspective and role
in disaster risk reduction policies, Saleem said.
“We
must mobilise the political will and necessary resources to take critical
decisions and to empower all women and girls to prevent humanity from moving
towards the path of destroying the hospitality of our planet.”
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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‘We
Can’t Stay Quiet’: Indonesian Activists Stand In Solidarity With Iran’s Women
Amid the ongoing outrage over the death of Mahsa
Amini, people protest against the Iranian regime outside Iran’s consulate in
London on Monday. (Reuters)
-----
Sheany
Yasuko Lai
October
10, 2022
JAKARTA:
Indonesian activists say they are acting in the interests of humanity by
joining the chorus of global solidarity with the Iranian women at the helm of
the largest anti-government protests in Iran since 2009.
Protests
and public anger in Iran have swollen since mid-September, spreading to as many
as 80 cities, following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who
was arrested by Iran’s morality police on accusations of failing to properly
cover her hair.
At
the forefront of the weeks-long uprising are Iranian women, who have cast off
their legally required head scarves and cut their hair in acts of defiance,
sparking a global show of solidarity in support of the demonstrations.
Several
Indonesian activists organized a small protest in front of the Iranian embassy
in Jakarta earlier this month, where they symbolically laid flowers at the gate
and held placards that read “Solidarity for Mahsa Amini.”
“We
want to call attention (to the fact) that what happened in Iran is an
international issue, an issue for every nation, and in the name of humanity
there must be solidarity,” Ririn Sefsani, a women’s rights activist based in
Jakarta and one of the solidarity protest organizers, told Arab News.
“The
world must step in, there must be global action to stop the violence in Iran,”
she added.
“Even
though our first action only involved a few people, we felt like we’re already
doing something and I hope we’ll inspire other people to do the same.”
Sefsani
said she is organizing another protest in solidarity with Iranian women, which
will take place later this month. Iranian authorities have escalated their
crackdown on demonstrations, reportedly killing dozens of people and arresting
prominent activists and journalists. Norway-based Iran Human Rights estimates
that at least 185 people have died, including 19 children.
Amnesty
International said Iranian security forces are responsible for deaths and
injuries across Iran, as troops have fired “live ammunition, metal pellets and
tear gas at protesters.”
Some
activists said there are some similarities with what is happening in Indonesia,
where women and girls in many parts of the country have been subject to dress
codes deemed “Islamic” for years. The world’s largest Muslim-majority nation is
not an Islamic state and officially recognizes six religions.
However,
Human Rights Watch said in a 2022 report that most of Indonesia’s provinces
impose “discriminatory and abusive dress codes on women and girls.”
“It’s
also important for us to kind of see how this is actually not very much far
from our reality in Indonesia,” Anindya Restuviani, program director at Jakarta
Feminist, told Arab News. “But even with no similarity with what’s going on in
Indonesia, I think it’s important for us to still show solidarity because of
intersectionality.”
Restuviani
said the international community must “create some kind of accountability” for
the perpetrators of violence in Iran. Though multilateral organizations such as
the UN are supposed to do something about it, “they choose not to,” she added.
Damaira
Pakpahan, a feminist who also co-organized the Jakarta protest, said acts of
solidarity “must be done” not only for women in Iran, but for women everywhere.
“Indonesian
women are part of the global women community, so there must be global
solidarity on issues that oppress women, discriminate against women, and this
is an important issue when it comes to women’s bodily autonomy,” Pakpahan said.
“This
is part of an international movement in solidarity that has to be done. It’s a
call for humanity; we have to do something, we can’t stay quiet.”
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2178816/world
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Cleric
Urges Muslim Faithful In Nigeria And The World For Deep Reflection On The
Virtuous Life Of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
Abuja-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yahya Al-Yolawi,
-----
By
Barakat Akolade
11
October 2022
As
Muslim faithful all over the world celebrate Maulud Nabiyy, the leader of
Jamuiyat Nasir Al-Fridaous Al-Tijaniyyah, Sheihk Musa Aloba, has called for
peace in the country while advising Muslim faithful against the quest for
mundane things.
Aloba
stated this at the 2022 Grand Taniat Rosul marking the end of the group’s
activities that culminated in this year’s celebration of Maulud Nabiyy at its
headquarters in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
In
a statement by the group’s media adviser, Shakir Ajayi, Aloba enjoined Muslims
in Nigeria and all over the world to use the occasion for deep reflection on
the virtuous life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the message of peace, love,
tolerance, humility, fairness and justice which he preached in words and deeds.
He,
therefore, advised the Muslim faithful to rededicate themselves to the
commandments of Allah, including shunning all kinds of mischief, which might
disrupt public peace and co-existence.
The
prominent Sufi teacher also urged all Nigerians to renew their faith in God and
intensify prayers for the country to surmount its challenges.
Source:
Guardian Nigeria
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://guardian.ng/news/cleric-urges-muslim-faithful-to-rededicate-themselves-to-allah/
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Ilhan
Omar Equates Women Protesting Islamic Law In Iran With Abortion Fight In US
Rep. Ilhan Omar speaks during a press conference on
Capitol Hill on Sept. 29, 2022. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for We, The 45
Million
-----
October
10, 2022
Rep.
Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., drew comparisons between women risking their lives to
protest Islamic law in Iran to women fighting for abortion rights in the United
States.
During
a campaign rally to re-elect Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on
Friday, Omar said pro-life Republicans are challenging women’s bodily autonomy,
much like Iran’s oppressive clerical regime led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Dozens of people throughout Iran have been killed by police and thousands
arrested in protests ignited by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
"As
we watch the brave, incredible young girls in schools in Iran who are standing
up to teachers, young women in buses and in public streets who are saying ‘no’
to the morality police – because there is no morality in trying to oppress
women," Omar said. "There is no morality in forcing people to
participate in a religion they don’t want to. And there is no morality in
believing government’s our God.
"So
we know the women in Iran are bravely chanting, ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ for
their rights, for their right to bodily autonomy," she continued.
"So, here in the United States, when the right extremists are challenging
our bodily autonomy, we have to stand up and say, ‘Women, Life, Freedom.’"
Omar
made the comments in front of a raucous crowd of students at the University of
Minnesota, where Ellison, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Pramila Jayapal,
D-Wash., were also in attendance.
"We
are here to do one single thing, and that is to protect and preserve our
democracy," Ellison said, Minnesota Public Radio reported. "What is
on the line is whether or not the United States, starting in Minnesota, will
remain a democratic, multiracial society that respects everyone's rights."
Omar
made headlines in July after she was one of more than a dozen members of Congress
arrested by Capitol Police during a abortion rights protest outside the Supreme
Court after it overturned Roe v. Wade.
"Today
I was arrested while participating in a civil disobedience action with my
fellow Members of Congress outside the Supreme Court. I will continue to do
everything in my power to raise the alarm about the assault on our reproductive
rights!" Omar tweeted on July 19.
Omar’s
office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment
Monday.
Source:
Fox News
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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India
Fear, Panic In Kolkata’s Ekbalpore After 40 Arrests Over Hindu-Muslim Clash on Milad-un-Nabi
SREYASHI
DEY
10
October, 2022
Kolkata:
Tinku Prasad assembled a broken frame of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, at his
vandalised pan shop. His brother Amarnath, sitting on the road, says they have
lost their livelihood. “This shop was started by our father 40 years ago, now
nothing remains, how will we eat? We have suffered a loss of Rs 2.5 lakh,” said
Amarnath.
Their
shop isn’t the only one that faced the brunt of violent clashes between Hindus
and Muslims Sunday night. The by lane on B.K. Road in suburban Kolkata’s
Mominpur area is covered with shattered glass, brickbats and charred shops.
“We
frantically dialled the police, even tried the police headquarters but the cops
came after two hours forty minutes. The damage was done,” Munto Shaw rued,
sitting on a bench outside his ransacked shop.
“We
were at the Milad when we heard screams. We began running for cover, we could
hear glass breaking. We had children with us, we were so scared. Then suddenly,
we saw flames from the lane and thick smoke. Police weren’t there; the
councillor also was unavailable. The forces came from the local station much
later and fired tear gas shells in front of our home,” Firoz told ThePrint.
Firoz
was born and brought up in Ekbalpore. “I was 12 or 13 when violence had broken
out here over a Tazia procession [in 1996 in this area]. But what happened on
Sunday was equally horrific,” he added.
Mohammed
Islai, a resident of B.K. Road and an eyewitness, said clashes broke out in
Ekbalpore’s Mayurbhanj and Mominpur localities around 7.30 pm. “Between 9 pm
and midnight. there was violence. Bricks were pelted, shops torched and
ransacked. We were helpless, the police came after everything was over. We
don’t know what triggered the violence,” said Islai.
On
Saturday night, a tiff broke out between Hindus and Muslims in Mominpur’s
Dompatti when flags to mark Prophet Muhammad’s birthday Milad-un-Nabi were
being installed, residents claimed.
“We
heard, a flag on the junction was taken down and vandalised which led to
clashes on Saturday night. The following night spread and houses in Dompatti
were attacked but we don’t know who it was,” said another resident Aslam.
The
lanes have been cleared out by Kolkata Police. Barricades were placed, and
Rapid Action Force deployed across the locality, especially outside temples.
Manju,
50, claimed she had to throw chili powder at miscreants to save herself before
running out of the house. “We stayed on the footpath outside fearing our lives.
Unidentified men threw lit glass bottles [molotovs] inside our house after
breaking the window,” said Manju pointing at the staircase. Behind her house
lies an empty field where children usually play football. “Police came after
four hours, I am scared to go back inside,” she said.
The
bedroom of Surendra Malik and his wife Geeta was set ablaze, their cupboards
ransacked. Surendra waded through knee-deep water in the room without
electricity. “I cannot describe the fear we felt last night. I thought I would
die. We ran outside only to come back to smoke and ashes. We have lost
everything,” Geeta said in tears.
Ramesh
Shaw, 40, who has been living at Dompatti since birth told ThePrint around
2,000 families live in the locality. “Both communities mind their own business,
but last night they came charging at us. They threw crude bombs, glass bottles
and electricity was also shut.”
Senior
police officers including Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), and those from
Special Branch, Kolkata Police Special Task Force and Central Intelligence
Branch now stand guard in the intersection where both Hindus and Muslims
reside.
Kolkata
Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal ordered the imposition of Section 144 of CrPC
(Code of Criminal Procedure) till 12 October. “Any unlawful assembly of five or
more persons carrying lathis, any lethal or other dangerous weapons or doing
any act which is likely to cause breach of peace and disturbance is
prohibited,” reads the order, accessed by ThePrint.
A
senior Kolkata Police officer told ThePrint, four separate cases were filed and
40 people arrested so far for rioting, arson, use of bombs and causing injuries
to police on duty. The officer confirmed, 15 police personnel had sustained
injuries while trying to control the violence. DCP, South-West Division, Saumya
Roy is undergoing treatment at a Kolkata hospital.
The
BJP has written to the West Bengal Governor, the Union Home Minister and the
Prime Minister seeking immediate intervention.
While Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has sought the
deployment of central forces. Former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta tweeted
that he had written to the Prime Minister drawing his attention to “the panic
of vulnerable Hindu communities in West Bengal to this ugly assertion of
sectarian identity”.
Trinamool
Congress MP Sougata Roy said the Kolkata Police has taken necessary steps to
bring the situation under control. “Kolkata Police has arrested the miscreants
and they will be punished as per the law of the land. The BJP needs to stop
playing politics over every incident as they are only trying to vitiate the
atmosphere in the state,” Roy told ThePrint.
The
Kolkata Police detained BJP state chief Sukanta Majumdar at the police
headquarters at Lalbazar when he was enroute Ekbalpore to meet the victims of
the clashes. A separate BJP delegation led by Suvendu Adhikari submitted a memorandum
at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Monday.
Source:
The Print
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Gyanvapi
mosque panel to submit response to plea for ‘shivling’ carbon-dating
Oct
11, 2022
The
lawyers of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee (AIMC), which manages Varanasi’s
Gyanvapi mosque, will on Tuesday submit their response in a local court to a
plea seeking carbon-dating or other scientific investigation of a structure on
the mosque premises claimed to be a “shivling”.
Four
Hindu plaintiffs sought the investigation of the structure last month. Madan
Mohan, one of the lawyers representing the plaintiffs, said Varanasi’s district
court on October 7 fixed October 11 for the next hearing in the matter and
directed the AIMC to file its response to their demand.
Tauhid
Khan, one of the lawyers representing AIMC, objected to carbon dating or any
scientific investigation of the structure, saying it was a part of the mosque’s
ablution area. “We will file our response,” Khan said.
The
court reserved its judgment on September 29 after hearing the plea of the four
plaintiffs seeking carbon dating. Another plaintiff, Rakhi Singh, moved an
application in the court against carbon dating stating it will make the
“shivling” unfit for religious practices.
Hindu
plaintiffs have claimed that the “shivling” was found close to a small
reservoir used to perform ritual ablutions before offering namaz at the
Gyanvapi mosque. The mosque management has maintained it was part of a fountain
system.
Source:
Hindustan Times
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Clash
Between Hindus and Muslims Over The Playing Of Loud Music Near The Mosque
during a Durga Puja immersion procession, Six Injured
11
OCT 2022
Six
people, including a policeman, were injured as members of two communities
indulged in stone pelting over the playing of loud music during a Durga Puja
immersion procession in the Baldirai area, Sultanpur on Monday evening, police
said.
The
incident took place in the evening when the immersion procession was passing at
the time of 'Azaan' from near a mosque in the Ibrahimpur area while playing DJ
music, Circle Officer of Baldirai Rajaram Chaudhary said.
Tempers
ran high and both sides indulged in stone pelting as the processionists were
asked to lower the sound, he said.
As
soon as the information about the incident was received, a police team led by
Chaudhary reached the spot and brought the situation under control.
At
least six people, including a police constable, suffered injuries in the
incident and they were taken to a Community Health Centre, the police officer
said.
A
police force has been deployed in the area and the situation is under control,
he said.
Source: Outlook
India
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
NIA
raids multiple places in J&K in terror funding case
Oct
11, 2022
SRINAGAR:
National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out raids at multiple
locations in Jammu and Kashmir in connection with the terror funding case
pertaining to the Jamaat-e-Islami, J&K.
Official
sources said that assisted by the local police and the CRPF, the NIA sleuths
were carrying out raids in Rajouri, Poonch, Pulwama, Shopian and a few other
places across J&K.
"These
raids are part of the ongoing investigation being carried out by the NIA in the
terror funding case," sources said.
Allegations
are that the suspects were involved in terror financing. Jamaat-e-Islami was
declared an unlawful association in 2019, but it continued to raise funds in
various forms on the pretext of charitable purposes.
These
funds were allegedly being diverted to terrorist organisations, such as
Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba, etc., for promoting terrorist activities
in Kashmir valley as well as the rest of India.
The
case was registered suo moto on February 5, 2021. The NIA had earlier filed a
charge sheet against four persons in the case.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Muslim
NRI Of Saudi Arabia Cremated As Per Hindu Customs By Mistaken Identity
Irfan
Mohammed
10th
October 2022
Jeddah:
In a tragic mistaken identity, the bodies of two NRIs who died in Saudi Arabia
got interchanged due to an alleged mistake that resulted in the wrong cremation
of an Uttar Pradesh man in Kerala.
The
bereaved family in Uttar Pradesh was not able to have a glimpse of their loved
one as it went to Kerala and cremated there while Kerala’s mourning family
performed cremation twice for the same person within three days.
The
death and even deprivation of the last glimpse of the beloved one can only be
described as a tragedy.
And
the worst aspect of the whole situation is that it was a tragedy that could
have been avoided.
While
one of the deceased was Muslim, the other was Hindu. Before the lapse could be
detected, the body of the Muslim man had already been cremated as per Hindu
customs.
The
deceased were identified as 46-year-old Shaji Rajan from Alappuzha district of
Kerala, and Javed Ahmed Idrishi, 45, who was from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
While Rajan had committed suicide in Al Ahsa town some two and half months ago
and Idrishi died at a hospital in Dammam on September 25.
The
body of Rajan was repatriated to the grieving family from Dammam via Colombo to
Tiruvananthapuram in Kerala through Air Lanka while Javed’s body was
repatriated to Varanasi via New Delhi from Dammam through IndiGo carrier.
Instead
of Rajan, Javed’s body was sent to Tiruvananthapuram. The family of Rajan
assumed that it belonged to their loved one and wanted to cremate the
unwrapping face since its months old. However, his daughter has threatened to
commit suicide if not shown the face of her father then only they opened and
she insisted that it was not her father yet mourning family hastily cremated
the body owing to unpleasant odour that emitting from the corpse, said family
sources.
At
the other end, Mustaqim Ashrafi, father-in-law of late Idrishi was in shock
after discovering the discrepancies in the name written on the wooden casket
coffin and tagged airway bill. He immediately altered his relatives in Saudi
Arabia, in turn they contacted Nass Vokkam Shoukat, noted community social
worker in Dammam to inform about the lapse and also authentication of the body.
“There
is are no words left to describe our eternal agony” Ashrafi told this
correspondent over the phone from Uttar Pradesh.
With
the help of the Embassy, Nass has contacted Uttar Pradesh Police and local
authorities to return the body to Kollam in Kerala, which is 2500 KM away.
“The
unfortunate and tragic error would have been avoided if the grieving family in
Kerala also noticed the airway bill tag same as in Uttar Pradesh”, said a
source.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Pakistan
Hilal-e-Pakistan
conferred on Muslim World League secretary-general
October
10, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
President
Dr Arif Alvi on Monday conferred Hilal-e-Pakistan on the Secretary-General of
the Muslim World League Dr Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa in recognition of
his services to Pakistan in different fields at a special investiture ceremony
in Islamabad at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The
award was conferred in recognition of his services in strengthening the
brotherly relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia; for being an instrument
for the award of scholarships to Pakistani students in educational institutions
and higher learning in Saudi Arabia; for pursuing and safeguarding the rights
of Pakistani expatriates in the Kingdom; for promoting peace and harmony by
holding conferences, seminars and dialogues within the Muslim societies and
also with rest of the world with the objective to create harmony and unity in
the Islamic world, and showcasing a peaceful harmonious and tolerant picture of
Muslims in the world.
Later,
Dr Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa and his delegation called upon the
president. Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul
Shakoor, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Nawaf bin Saeed Al Malki
also attended the meeting.
Talking
to the secretary-general, the president termed “Islamophobia” one of the
biggest challenges being faced by Muslims, and urged the need to allay the
fears of the world regarding Islam.
He
said that Islam advocated for peace, solidarity and harmony among the people of
the world, and people from different nations needed to be educated about the
true message of Islam.
The
president urged the need to highlight the true and harmonious nature of Islam
in the Muslim world and beyond.
Dr
Alvi said that Islamophobia needed to be countered and eliminated through
peaceful and harmonious actions in the Islamic world.
He
also underlined the need to hold inter-faith conferences, dialogues and
meetings to exchange ideas with religious scholars and leaders of other
religions to explain the real message of Islam.
The
president said that moderation in Islamic societies could go a long way in not
only eradicating extremism, terrorism and intolerance but would also ensure the
promotion of peace and socio-economic justice.
He
also expressed his concern over the increasing trend of Islamophobia in India,
adding that Islamophobia in India is deep-rooted and being patronised at the
state level.
He
urged the need for taking concrete actions to provide relief to the Muslims of
India from the negative impacts of Islamophobia.
During
the meeting, the president urged the Muslim World League to consider initiating
scholarships for students of Shariah, Islamic Studies as well as the scientific
and technical disciplines.
He
also emphasised the need for an exchange programme for government officials to
study governance, particularly the regulation of religious affairs.
The
president appreciated the Muslim World League’s efforts for the cause of Islam
and the welfare of the Muslim World and commended its work in setting up
vocational education and training centres, provision of water, and renovation
and construction of mosques and religious institutions.
The
president also appreciated the implementation of his idea communicated to the
ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan to set up an Islamic museum in Pakistan.
He
said that after the completion of the museum, the people of Pakistan and the
rest of the world would benefit from the exhibits and would learn about the
different aspects and phases of the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
The
president thanked the kingdom for providing valuable support to Pakistan to
help overcome its most pressing financial needs and for providing generous help
to alleviate the sufferings of the flood victims.
During
the meeting, Dr Muhammad Bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa appreciated Pakistan’s efforts
in raising its voice against Islamophobia at all world forums, including the
United Nations, which had declared March 15 as the “International Day against
Islamophobia”.
He
said that Pakistani scholars and civil society were deeply concerned with the
increasing trend of Islamophobia and were playing an active and effective role
to showcase the peaceful and true face of Pakistan to the rest of the world.
He
also appreciated the president’s address to the two-day International Seeratun
Nabi (PBUH) conference titled “Morality of Society, Reformation and
Development: In the Light of Seerat-un-Nabi (PBUH) organised by the Ministry of
Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony, in Islamabad.
Source:
Tribune Pakistan
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
‘Anti-Afghan
Taliban’ police officer shot dead in Quetta
Saleem
Shahid
October
11, 2022
QUETTA:
An ‘anti-Afghan Taliban’ former police officer was shot dead by unknown gunmen
in the provincial capital, police said on Monday.
Police
officials said the incident took place on Sunday in The Eastern Bypass area.
The
gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on Abdul Samad Achakzai who was riding a
motorbike along with his brother.
“Abdul
Samad Achakzai suffered multiple bullet injuries and died on the spot, while
his brother remained unhurt. However, one passerby suffered a bullet injury,”
Manzoor Ahmed, a senior police officer of the area, said, adding that soon
after the incident police reached the area and took the body and the injured to
Civil Hospital.
Samad
Achakzai was a police commander in the previous Ashraf Ghani government in
Kabul.
A
former adviser to former Afghan president Ghani on public affairs, Akhtar
Muhammad Badezai, on his Facebook page confirmed that Achakzai was a police
commander and served as deputy commander in Panjvai district of Kandahar
province till the Afghan Taliban captured Kabul in August last year.
Achakzai
also served as police commander in Urazgan province. He was a close relative of
General Abdul Raziq Achakzai, who was the chief of Kandahar border police.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1714404/anti-afghan-taliban-police-officer-shot-dead-in-quetta
--------
JUI-F
refuses to join Balochistan government
Saleem
Shahid
October
11, 2022
QUETTA:
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam has refused to accept an offer to join the coalition
government in Balochistan and announced that it would play the role of a strong
opposition in the assembly.
Chief
Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo had offered the JUI-F to join the six-party
coalition government.
JUI-F
provincial chief Maulana Abdul Wasey, in a press conference on Monday, said the
decision was taken as CM Bizenjo had failed to take decision on the party’s
charter of demands.
Speaking
along with Opposition Leader Malik Sikander, Mr Wasey said many rounds of
talks were held with the chief minister, who had sought time to discuss their
demands with other coalition partners. However, he added that the CM was not
empowered to make a decision on JUI-F’s offers.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1714408
--------
Sana
claims leaks ‘resolved’; says staffers ‘did it for money’
Syed
Irfan Raza
October
11, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah claimed on Monday that the leaks controversy,
which had put the cyber security of the PM’s official residence and the office
at stake, had been resolved and that no “hostile intelligence agency” was
involved.
The
comments came made during a TV show hours after former prime minister Imran
Khan, one of the primary characters in the leaked clips, announced that he
would approach the courts for a probe into the matter.
The
interior minister said the controversy was resolved, adding that there was no
proof of the involvement of a foreign spy agency in the episode. “Some staff
members of the PM’s House have been identified… such things are done for
money,” the minister added.
The
minister added that a “tiny” recording device was regularly planted on the
premises to record telephonic conversations and informal chats at the PM’s
Office. The interior minister added that the findings of the investigations
being carried out could also be shared with courts through an in-camera
briefing.
Editorial:
More leaks
According
to Mr Sanaullah, the probe would continue. He added that there was no harm in
making the report of this investigation public, but a final decision in this
regard will depend on PM Shehbaz Sharif, the federal cabinet, and the National
Security Committee (NSC).
Interestingly,
the government had formed three separate investigation and oversight bodies to
probe the audio leaks; one team comprised officials of the Inter-Services Intelligence
(ISI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB); the second one included officials of the
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to ascertain how the US cipher went missing
from the PM’s House; while a third team was an oversight committee headed by
the interior minister to supervise the investigations.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1714389/sana-claims-leaks-resolved-says-staffers-did-it-for-money
--------
Nawaz
breaks silence as politicos gather in London
October
11, 2022
LONDON:
For the first time since he came to London in 2019, Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif spoke publicly about the
personal and political challenges he and his family have faced since the
passing of his wife, Kulsoom.
In
a pre-recorded interview with a handful of journalists which was aired on
Sunday, the Sharif patriarch spoke at length about the pain of losing his wife,
the vilification the family endured in her last days, and the toll his
incarceration took on them.
Though
he has spoken about his tribulations in the last three years in private on
occasion, he has shied away from taking on the subject publicly, and has denied
requests for interviews.
Now,
with Maryam Nawaz by his side, the elder Sharif appeared to be in a mood to
engage and speak candidly. A source who met him ahead of Maryam’s arrival said
he was greatly anticipating their reunion, and that her arrival has emboldened
him.
Calls
for action against judges behind ‘injustices’ meted out to Sharif family; meets
Aleem Khan alongside daughter Maryam
Back
home, as Imran Khan threatens to march to the capital, and the all-important
retirement of the army chief inches closer, London is once again becoming a hub
of political activity.
The
prime minister was in London twice last month to hold important discussions
with his brother. Ahead of Maryam’s arrival, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry
Parvez Elahi, too, was seen in London. While rumours of a possible meeting with
Nawaz swirled, they have been roundly denied.
On
Monday, disgruntled PTI leader Aleem Khan was also seen leaving Stanhope House
after a meeting with Mr Sharif and his daughter, but all participants remained
tight-lipped about what was discussed.
Mr
Khan was seen leaving Hussain Nawaz’s office in Stanhope House, but when asked
by reporters to share what was discussed in the meeting, he responded by
saying, “please ask me about the weather”.
Later,
when Maryam Nawaz exited the building, she did not divulge details about the
meeting either. When a reporter asked about the possibility of a change in the
Punjab government, she was evasive.
This
is not Aleem Khan’s first meeting with Nawaz Sharif. In March this year, as the
then-opposition geared for a no-confidence vote against Imran Khan, Aleem Khan
met with Mr Sharif at his son’s office.
Though
Mr Sharif has largely kept his cards close to his chest for the major part of
the last three years, speculations are high that Maryam’s characteristic
outspokenness will rub off on him, and the coming days will see more
revelations.
The
former prime minister, who spoke to journalists alongside his daughter, said
that he and his sons had met Maryam after three years, Dawn.com reported.
“I
remember all those scenes, how my wife was on her deathbed and how cruelly we
were treated,” he said.
Recounting
his tribulations, Mr Sharif described one occasion, in Judge Arshad Malik’s court,
when he was informed that his wife’s health had worsened and that she was in
intensive care. “I was worried… so I went to the jail and in the room of the
jail superintendent I asked him to allow me to talk [to my family], but they
told me ‘we can’t’.
“I
pleaded with them, but they didn’t allow it… after three hours, they came and
said ‘we are very sorry your wife has died’.”
He
said he had insisted on being the one to inform his daughter who was also in
Kot Lakhpat at the time.
“These
are events that are never forgotten. This loss can never be repaired or
forgotten,” he said, adding: “Today, Maryam came after winning her case and
proved the case and punishment were false.”
To
a question regarding the cases against him allegedly being part of a “political
vendetta”, Nawaz quipped that the question contained the answer itself and
referred to the alleged leaked audio clip of former chief justice of Pakistan
Saqib Nisar regarding Nawaz and Maryam’s trial.
“There
is an audio leak and you can’t deny it, its forensic [analysis] has also been
carried out… do you need any greater evidence than this? Is there any bigger
evidence than the things that judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui said?”
He
alleged that he was punished and disqualified for life to keep him away from elections
and yet, today, the lifetime disqualification clause was being criticised as
“draconian”.
“So
where is the rectification for [what happened with me],” Nawaz asked, adding
that such matters should be brought before the nation.
He
claimed that in the process of “taking revenge” against him, he alleged the
country’s fortunes were also sunk.
Nawaz
said that the judges who had committed such “injustices” should be held
accountable.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1714398/nawaz-breaks-silence-as-politicos-gather-in-london
--------
President
Alvi calls for ‘broader consultation’ on army chief’s appointment
October
10, 2022
President
Dr Arif Alvi on Monday said that “broader consultation” on the appointment of
the chief of army staff (COAS) was a must so that a consensus could be
developed.
In
an interview with journalist Asma Shirazi on Aaj TV, the president desired that
a summary of the appointment be sent to him after the consultation has been
completed.
Army
Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa is set to retire on Nov 29. The outgoing COAS ended all
speculations about him getting another extension when at an event in Washington
he confirmed that he would be stepping down at the end of his extended tenure
in November.
The
next army chief’s appointment is at times mentioned as one of the major
subplots in the ongoing political crisis engulfing the country.
Responding
to a question about his role in the decision, President Alvi said that he would
approve the appointment of the next COAS in line with the procedure laid out in
the Constitution.
He
said that in the past, too, the opposition was consulted on the appointment of
the army chief. A similar discussion with the then-opposition was held when PTI
chief Imran Khan extended the three-year term of General Bajwa in 2019, the
president pointed out.
In
2019, Alvi went on, the National Assembly had approved a law to extend Gen
Bajwa’s terms after questions were raised before the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
“The
law must have been introduced in the Parliament after closure was reached
during a consultation.”
‘Not
convinced about foreign conspiracy’
Talking
about PTI’s alleged foreign conspiracy, President Alvi said that he was not
convinced that the United States had lodged a conspiracy to oust Imran.
Ever
since his ouster, Imran has said that the no-confidence motion against him was
part of a foreign conspiracy, claiming that the cable received from the
ambassador on March 7, a day before the opposition officially filed the
no-trust move against him, was evidence of the conspiracy.
During
the interview today, Alvi said: “I sent that letter to the chief justice. I am
convinced that there must be a probe on it. I am not convinced on the fact that
a conspiracy was hatched. But I have my doubts [and] there must be a probe.
“I
also said that you won’t get a smoking gun on it,” he stated, adding that he had
requested the Supreme Court to take into account the circumstantial evidence.
‘Impartial
as president’
In
response to a question on bridging gaps between the incumbent government and
PTI, Alvi said that he was impartial as the president of the country and that
his affiliation with the PTI was a thing of the past. “The party is my past. It
is a very good past.”
The
president said that there were several problems in the country that “a
maverick” alone could not solve. A president could make efforts to bridge that
gulf, he stated.
On
Imran’s refusal to hold talks with the government, the president said that the
PTI chief had become “extremely frustrated” when his government was ousted.
“After
becoming frustrated, he decided that he would not sit in the National
Assembly,” he said, adding that if he was consulted regarding the decision, he
“might have offered different advice”.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Two
militants killed, four policemen injured in exchange of fire in Swat
October
10, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Two alleged terrorists were killed and four security forces injured on Saturday
in an exchange of fire in the Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the
counter-terrorism department of police said.
According
to police, the law enforcement agencies conducted an intelligence-based
operation in the Ingaro Dherai area of the district.
During
an exchange of fire, two wanted members of a proscribed militant outfit were
killed while four security forces including an army officer got severely
injured, police said.
The
law enforcement agencies seized arms and ammunition from the terrorists’
custody, it added.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Southeast
Asia
With
elections looming, Hadi presents two faces to voters
K.
Parkaran
October
11, 2022
A
statement by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang last week appears to have gone
unnoticed, if only by the media who did not pick it up despite Hadi’s
conciliatory tone, unlike his usual brashness that is unsettling to
non-Muslims.
Writing
in his column in the party organ HarakahDaily, he said PAS accepts the concept
of moderation where there won’t be any force used against any religious
practices as long as no one acts extremely against other religions.
He
went on to say that since this concept is guaranteed in the Federal
Constitution, PAS will oppose any quarters who try to defy this.
Hadi,
whose pronouncements are regarded almost like Gospel truth for a section of PAS
supporters, said racial fanaticism is “haram” (forbidden) although it is
natural for human beings to love one’s own religion, family and racial
identity.
However
no one should go above their religious beliefs and break the limits. But his
subsequent paragraph negated all his exhortations, and left me wondering if
this Malay-supremacist champion meant what he had said.
Hadi
said: “Because pure Islam does not force others and is fair to people of all
races, PAS emphasises that it is mandatory for an Islamic leadership. Only Islam
has the spiritual beliefs that brings about self-control personally and
civilised behaviour in social (settings) and politics.”
He
added that this concept has been embedded in the Malay-Muslim community and
must be respected by others. In view of this, he said, PAS will oppose racial
fanatics and liberals and anyone who is extreme to the point of losing their
morality.
Hadi
appears to be contradicting his own stand. On one hand he says Islam is fair to
all races and fanaticism is forbidden but in the same breath adds that an
Islamic leadership is mandatory and this must be respected by all.
No
one disputes that Islam indeed has beautiful tenets that enjoin its followers
to treat everyone equally and fairly, without the use of force on anyone.
So
Hadi’s statement is a bundle of contradictions, to say the least. Yet this is
the brand of politicial Islam practised by PAS to try and remain in power and
eventually to be the majority party in a ruling coalition.
Malaysians
have not forgotten how Hadi masterminded the fall of the Pakatan Harapan
government in 2020, using the race and religious card incisively.
At
that time, PAS leaders were openly saying that there were too many non-Malay
ministers and deputies in the government, with Hadi saying all key ministerial
positions must be helmed by Malay-Muslims. This was despite the fact that more
than two-thirds of the PH Cabinet were already made up of Muslims.
The
party had also distributed the list of the number of non-Muslim elected
representatives which it said had too many non-Malays. He knows the fact that
these representatives were voted in by all races. PAS was not happy and used
this as a bogeyman to spook the Malays.
Even
in the past three months Hadi and several PAS leaders had intruded into the
constitutional rights of non-Muslims by calling for action against concerts and
alcohol consumption, among other matters.
An
obvious message from his statement appears to be clear. Hadi obviously knows
from news reports and social media that non-Muslims are pretty upset about his
blatant use of the race and religious card which sounds very unreasonable to
many.
So
with a general election to be held soon, he has begun to placate non-Muslims by
saying PAS accepts the concept of moderation and that everyone is equal, and that
the party will oppose any form of racism.
Right
after that, Hadi says all races in Malaysia should have an Islamic leadership
because pure Islam does not force others and is fair to all races. I agree with
him but also must remind him that all other religions also have a focus on
being fair, honest and treating humanity with kindness. And of course, all
religions abhor corruption.
Hadi’s
call for an Islamic leadership immediately after saying PAS will practise the
concept of moderation is obviously meant for the Malay-Muslim audience with the
election approaching. Can we trust a party like PAS then to lead a multiracial
and multi-religious secular country like Malaysia?
Actually,
PAS is already practising a political concept whereby there are two classes of
members in the party, the main Malay-Muslim wing and the minority non-Muslim
wing. Members in its non-Muslim wing have absolutely no voting rights and
cannot hold any leadership position in the party.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Malaysia's
Mahathir says will defend Langkawi in upcoming election
October
11, 2022
PUTRAJAYA
— Former two-time prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad confirmed on Tuesday (Oct
11) he will seek reelection by defending his Langkawi parliamentary seat in the
coming general election.
However,
the Opposition lawmaker did not indicate if he is presenting himself as
candidate to be prime minister again, saying the issue depends on whether the
Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) coalition helmed by his Parti Pejuang Tanah Air
(Pejuang) wins the polls or otherwise.
“PM
candidates are only relevant if we win. If we lose, it is not relevant,” he
told a news conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here.
Dr
Mahathir also said GTA plans to field 120 candidates nationwide in the 15th
general election.
“We
will contest in at least 120 seats, including in Sabah,” he said.
He
added that the coalition candidates will stand under Pejuang’s banner as the
Registrar of Society has yet to approve GTA’s application.
The
sole exception would be in Kelantan, where GTA candidates will stand under the
banner of Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), which is led by Datuk
Ibrahim Ali as president.
Dr
Mahathir said the full list of GTA candidates will be announced by its
respective party presidents in the near future.
GTA
filed its registration as a political coalition on September 6.
Source:
Today Online
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
PM
had lost support of Umno’s allies, says Ahmad Maslan
'Ainin
Wan Salleh
October
10, 2022
KUALA
LUMPUR: Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was forced to dissolve Parliament
today as he had lost the support of Umno’s allies in the government, says Umno
secretary-general Ahmad Maslan.
“Umno’s
position is that a dissolution of Parliament is the best step (forward) since
representatives from the parties that form the government no longer show
solidarity with the prime minister in his administration,” he said.
“They
have even declared Umno and Barisan Nasional as their enemies, showing a loss
of trust and respect for Umno in leading the country,” he said during a press
conference at the party’s headquarters here.
He
added that the Umno Supreme Council meeting today had discussed preparations by
the party’s machinery to face the 15th general election (GE15).
Election
dates are to be set by the Election Commission, but Ahmad said Umno had
recommended that the elections be held before mid-November to avoid the coming
monsoon season.
Umno’s
general assembly, slated to be held on Nov 23-26 will be moved to a new date,
Ahmad said.
Ahmad’s
remark about “enemies” was a reference to a statement last month by Bersatu
president Muhyiddin Yassin that his party’s main enemy in GE15 is Barisan
Nasional.
He
said Perikatan Nasional need not be afraid about facing off against BN.
However, PN component member PAS distanced itself from Muhyiddin’s remarks.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Malaysia’s
Mahathir fears Najib would walk free if graft-tainted party wins polls
October
11, 2022
KUALA
LUMPUR: Malaysia’s veteran politician and opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad
predicted on Tuesday that disgraced former prime minister Najib Razak would be
released from jail if his graft-tainted ruling party wins an upcoming general
election.
Najib
began a 12-year jail term in August after being convicted in the first of
several cases related to the looting of billions of dollars from state fund
1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Malaysia
is set to hold a general election in the coming weeks after Prime Minister
Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolved parliament on Monday, buckling to pressure from
factions in the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) that remain
loyal to Najib and others charged with corruption.
Speaking
a day later, Mahathir warned that UMNO would rush to get Najib released from
prison through a royal pardon as well as drop dozens of other corruption
charges if it wins the election.
“Should
they be able to win and form the government, that is the first objective, not
about the welfare of the people,” Mahathir, who had two stints as prime
minister, told a news conference.
Criminal
prosecution of UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is facing 47 graft
charges in a case unrelated to 1MDB, will also be dropped, Mahathir said.
Najib
and Zahid have both pleaded not guilty, saying they are victims of a political
vendetta.
They
were both prosecuted, along with other party leaders, after UMNO lost the 2018
election for the first time in Malaysia’s history as voters punished the party
for 1MDB and other corruption scandals.
Having
led the country for 22 years until 2003, Mahathir came out of retirement to
forge a coalition to defeat Najib, his former protege, but that alliance fell
apart in 2020, ending Mahathir’s second stint as prime minister and allowing
UMNO to make its way back into power.
Now
aged 97, Mahathir said he will defend his parliamentary seat in the election,
and that he was willing to work with anyone to defeat UMNO.
UMNO
is hoping to win a big enough mandate in the upcoming polls to form the
government on its own, without the coalition partners it had under Ismail’s
administration.
Despite
Najib’s claim of political vengeance, the far ranging 1MDB scandal has
implicated financial institutions and high-ranking officials globally. At least
six countries opened investigations.
Investigators
have said some $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB — co-founded by Najib during
his first year as prime minister in 2009 — and that over $1 billion went to
accounts linked to Najib.
The
US Department of Justice has called it their biggest kleptocracy investigation.
Najib
has said he was misled by 1MDB officials.
Other
opposition leaders have also slammed UMNO for pushing for early elections at a
time when the economy is slowing down.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2179026/world
--------
Africa
Tanzania,
Kenya vow to curb trans-boundary terrorism
Kizito
Makoye
11.10.2022
DAR
ES SALAAM, Tanzania
Kenya
and Tanzania have agreed to step up their fight against cross-border terrorism
and human trafficking, which have put their countries in a bad light
internationally.
“We
have agreed to fight terrorism, drug and human trafficking, and the rest of the
transboundary crimes that are making our region uncompetitive and giving us a
bad name,” Kenyan President William Ruto said during a press briefing shortly
after holding talks with his Tanzanian counterpart Samia Suluhu Hassan.
The
East African nations have lately been plagued by a spate of cross-border
terrorism activities which observers say greatly contributed to the waning
investor confidence in their lucrative sectors such as tourism and natural gas
exploration.
The
two countries are seeking to build the capacities of their security agencies to
fight cross-border crimes such as terrorism, human and drug trafficking and
animal poaching, which pose a threat to the stability of the East African
region
Ruto,
who is in Tanzania for a two-day state visit, said the two countries have
agreed to enhance cooperation between their security forces by sharing
information and strategies to tame security challenges and secure the region
while reducing negative effects from unsecured boundaries.
Tanzania,
which discovered huge reserves of natural gas in southern parts of the country,
has been experiencing sporadic incidents of terrorism where gunmen from
Mozambique’s restive province of Cabo Delgado have been sneaking into the
country to commit crimes that have left dozens of people dead and resulted in
loss of property.
Speaking
during a televised press conference, President Hassan said drug and human
trafficking crimes have tarnished the international images of Tanzania and
Kenya.
“We
want our security forces to seriously discuss issues related to terrorism and
human trafficking and come up with solutions,” she said.
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-kenya-vow-to-curb-trans-boundary-terrorism/2707963
--------
Show
of force in Mozambique’s north, but terror threat remains
October
10, 2022
QUIONGA,
Mozambique: A column of brand-new armored vehicles is parked outside what
remains of a government building in Quionga, a village in Mozambique’s restive
northern province of Cabo Delgado.
Kalashnikovs
on their shoulders, Mozambican soldiers stare at the convoy — an unusual sight
in this northern settlement, which just a year ago was controlled by insurgents
who have wreaked havoc across the region.
Senior
Rwandan officers were visiting on Monday.
They
arrived to oversee a joint military operation with their more poorly equipped
local counterparts, a show of force to impress residents and the journalists
accompanying them.
“We
can say to a large extent that the insurgents have been defeated,” says Rwanda
Defense Force spokesman, Gen. Ronald Rwivanga.
But
the display of confidence belies a still precarious security situation in the
region. Only last week, the UN warned that the conflict had not subsided.
It
has been five years since terrorists affiliated to Daesh launched an insurgency
that monitoring groups say has killed more than 4,000 people.
Forces
from Rwanda and other African countries, deployed in July 2021 after years of
jihadist attacks, have helped Mozambique retake control of much of the
province.
The
militants had raided Quionga last year, burning down the local government
office and setting up shop in the village.
They
were using it as a base to carry out attacks on both sides of the nearby
Tanzanian border.
Rwandan
forces eventually ousted them in August 2021.
A
year on, calm has returned to the area, and so have most of Quionga’s
inhabitants.
Outside
a field hospital for civilians, Rwandan and Mozambican generals pat each other
on the shoulder.
Rwandan
troops have secured the key districts of Palma and Mocimboa da Praia, formerly
terrorist strongholds.
“The
only incidents recorded are now isolated attacks involving very few
individuals,” says Gen. Rwivanga.
“The
insurgents no longer have major bases.”
Yet
only last week, conflict tracker ACLED recorded a string of attacks, including
the beheading of a farmer, and clashes between the militants and security
forces.
Known
locally as Al-Shabab, analysts say the terrorist group has splintered into
smaller cells and started to stage incursions further south.
“The
conflict has now spilled into the neighboring province of Nampula, which
witnessed four attacks by armed groups in September affecting at least 47,000
people and displacing 12,000,” the UN said in a statement last week.
Since
2017, almost a million people have been forced to flee their homes because of
the fighting, it added.
The
government is hoping energy giants will resume work on gas projects in the
region, where the largest deposits south of the Sahara were found in 2010.
TotalEnergies
halted a $20 billion project last year, after a deadly raid on the coastal town
of Palma.
The
French oil giant’s base is a heavily protected enclave built on the sandy coast
of the Afungi peninsula.
Its
powerful neon lights shine through the night, creating a halo that can be seen
for miles.
Some
excavators are still at work near the shore, where building barges lie waiting
to be shipped offshore where the gas extraction is to take place.
Inside
the compound, the large dormitories and a high-end gym stand empty.
Mozambican
and Rwandan soldiers guarding the facilities, as well as the few employees who
remain on site, are instructed not to give interviews.
Rumors
at the camp hold that operations could soon resume.
But
last month TotalEnergies said that would not happen until “security and safety
conditions have been permanently restored in the region.”
The
terrorist leaders are yet to be apprehended and the group’s inner working
remain a mystery.
“We
do not understand how they work and how they manage to entice the population,
there is a lack of intelligence,” said Mirko Manzoni, the UN’s special envoy to
Mozambique.
Mozambique’s
security forces are ill-trained and equipped compared to their Rwandan
colleagues — and they are little trusted by locals.
Outside
some villages, makeshift checkpoints made of wooden poles are guarded with old
rifles. Some soldiers wait for passing vehicles sitting under the vegetation.
“Who
are they going to arrest with this? It’s only to tax local people,” said one
Rwandan officer on condition of anonymity.
Mozambican
forces are responsible for about 20 percent of the incidents reported in the
area, according to ACLED.
As
AFP visited the village of Mute, residents gathered to discuss the funeral of
an old man beaten to death by a soldier.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2178826/world
--------
North
America
US
relations with Pakistan have gained new momentum: Expert
Muhammet
Nazim Tasci
11.10.2022
A
new momentum is being observed in relations between Pakistan and the US, which
had been deteriorating with the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, according to
a Pakistani expert.
"Pakistan's
close relations with China are one of the most important factors in the
Washington-Islamabad rapprochement," Ameer Abdullah Khan, an international
relations expert at Pakistan’s National Defense University, told Anadolu
Agency.
“Pakistan's
growing dependence on China for its economic and defense needs was instrumental
in the US accepting the F-16 deal,” Khan stressed.
With
the rapprochement with Pakistan, Washington is sending a message to India as
well as China, Khan said, adding New Delhi’s stance on the Ukraine war and its
purchase of Russian energy pushed the US to make this move.
The
recent increase in high-level visits by Pakistani officials to the US and
Washington's approval of the sale of an F-16 support package to Islamabad worth
$450 million point to an increasing momentum in bilateral relations.
After
the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August last year, relations between
the US and Pakistan became chilly, given Islamabad’s long history of support
for the Taliban. In addition, then Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit
to Moscow on the day Russia kicked off its invasion of Ukraine exacerbated
tensions between Washington and Islamabad.
Khan’s
remarks on his removal from office, which he blamed on collaboration between
the opposition and the US, were also another factor in the deteriorating
relations.
“High-level
visits by the prime minister, foreign minister and land forces commander to the
US mark the re-warming of relations, which fell to their lowest level after the
Taliban's control of Afghanistan and Imran Khan's narrative of an anti-US
conspiracy,” he noted.
Khan
further said that the government of current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
values relations with the US and will work with the Biden administration in
achieving its regional goals.
Meanwhile,
Mohammad Faisal, an expert at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad,
said the new government in Pakistan needed US support to revive an agreement
with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and for this reason, the Sharif
administration is trying to open a new page with Washington.
Pakistan
was on the verge of bankruptcy in June and July and trying to establish close
contacts with the US, Faisal said, adding the flood disaster was effective in
establishing an urgent relationship with Washington.
After
the flood disaster in Pakistan, many US officials and congressmen visited this
country. Washington has so far provided $66 million in aid for Pakistani flood
victims.
In
July, Donald Blome was appointed as the new ambassador to Pakistan, a post that
had not been filled for four years.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-relations-with-pakistan-have-gained-new-momentum-expert/2707955
--------
Russian
attacks on Ukraine 'unacceptable,' says Türkiye's UN envoy
Michael
Hernandez, Betül Yürük
11.10.2022
WASHINGTON
Russian
attacks across Ukraine that claimed the lives of more than 10 people Monday are
"deeply worrying and unacceptable," Türkiye's ambassador to the UN
said.
Addressing
the General Assembly in the wake of the widespread strikes, Feridun Sinirlioglu
said that while the world continues to urge an end to the bloody conflict, this
morning "we woke up once again to shocking news."
"In
the face of this news, we reiterate once again our strong support to Ukraine’s
territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty," said Sinirlioglu.
The
death toll from Russia's attacks across Ukraine on Monday rose to 11 with
dozens more wounded, authorities announced. Some 64 people were injured during
the shelling, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
Multiple
explosions were reported in the Ukrainian cities of Odesa, Zhytomyr,
Khmelnytsky, Dnipro, Lviv, Ternopil, and Kyiv, a day after Russian President
Vladimir Putin accused Ukrainian intelligence of carrying out what he called a
"terrorist attack" on the Kerch Bridge, which connects Russia to
Crimea.
Russia
has illegally occupied Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula since 2014, and Putin opened
the bridge in 2018 as a symbol of Russia's hold on the territory.
Due
to Monday's strikes, the Philharmonic building in Kyiv as well as the Hanenko and
Shevchenko museums and Shevchenko Park were damaged.
Turning
to Russia's recent attempts to annex additional Ukrainian regions following
referendums widely rejected by the West as "shams," Sinirlioglu said
Türkiye rejects "the illegitimate referanda," saying they constitute
"a grave violation of international law."
"Russia’s
decision to annex the Donetsk, Luhansk, Herson and Zaphorizhia regions of
Ukraine is illegal," he said. "It cannot be accepted."
"The
decision to annex Ukrainian territory will only serve to further jeopardize the
prospects for peace. We call upon the Russian Federation to reverse its
decision and return to diplomacy," he added.
Sinirlioglu
also said "it is our obligation to ensure that conflicts are resolved
through peaceful means.
"We
must collectively ensure that the founding principles of the UN, enshrined in
its Charter, are upheld. This is the only way to save ourselves from the
scourge of war.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
US
lauds 'positive steps' towards reaching Armenia, Azerbaijan peace
Michael
Gabriel Hernandez
10.10.2022
WASHINGTON
Secretary
of State Antony Blinken "expressed appreciation" during a telephone
call on Monday with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for "positive
steps" taken to achieve peace between Baku and Yerevan.
Blinken
pointed in particular to "recent direct talks between the foreign
ministers and leaders," spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. Price was
likely referring to last Thursday's meeting in Prague of Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev and Armenian
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
During
his call, Blinken welcomed Azerbaijan's release of 17 Armenian prisoners of war
last week, and urged "President Aliyev to continue time-bound and
measurable steps to support the peace process," the State Department said.
"Secretary
Blinken reiterated U.S. support, including for clear border delimitation,
transportation linkages, recovery and identification of missing persons, return
of detainees, and other issues," said Price.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
South
Asia
US,
Islamic Emirate Of Afghanistan Held 'Detailed' Talks In Doha On Doha Agreement,
Human Rights And Opening Of Girl’s School: Source
October
11, 2022
After
the report by CNN, a source from the Islamic Emirate confirmed that a
delegation of the Islamic Emirate met with US officials in Doha and held
detailed talks on Saturday.
The
meeting between officials from the US and Islamic Emirate was the first in
three months, following the US announcement that the leader of the al-Qaeda
network, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was killed in a drone strike in Kabul.
According
to the source, the Islamic Emirate delegation was comprised of representatives
from the intelligence department, the Foreign Ministry and the Defence
Ministry. The US delegation included the US special envoy for Afghanistan, representatives
from the CIA as well as the State Dept and Department of Defence, the source
said.
Finding
solutions for the dispute and allaying suspicions were reportedly the purpose
of the talks.
“These
negotiations, which spread through the media and of which everyone is now
aware, might have achieved some agreements that called for the Islamic Emirate
to take action with two or three issues. First to fulfil the Doha agreement,
second to observe human rights and to reopen girls' schools, and third to form
an inclusive government,” said Sayed Ishaq Gailani, leader of the National
Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan.
Prior
to these talks, the US Chargé d’Affaires Karen Decker said that she sees no
chance that Washington would militarily engage in Afghanistan. “In the interest
of opening a dialogue and giving you my thoughts, I would say there is no
chance that the US would engage militarily in Afghanistan and that no one
should be counting on that outcome,” Decker said.
Despite
the resumption of talks and new progress, both sides still give slightly
different versions of the talks. Kabul says the talks focused on the issue of
US drones in Afghan airspace and drone strikes in the country, violations of
the Doha agreement and its fulfillment, restrictions on Afghan banks, and the
transfer of Afghan assets from the Swiss bank.
But
Washington said its delegation discussed matters relevant to countering
terrorism, women’s access to work and education as well as the formation of an
inclusive government.
“The
Americans may reach agreements on some issues with the (Afghan) government in
Doha; for example issues related to intelligence. But on some other issues,
such as the formation of an inclusive government, and changes in Afghanistan,
they (US) may not get an immediate result,” said Torek Farhadi, a political
analyst.
Source:
Tolo News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-180237
--------
Taliban
Releases the Manager of a Local Media Outlet after 4 Months of Detention
By
Saqalain Eqbal
10
Oct 2022
The
Taliban Directorate of Intelligence prison released the former owner and editor
of Radio Aftab, a local radio station in Daikundi province of central
Afghanistan, after 4 months of detention, Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC)
reported.
After
the Taliban forces discovered journalistic posts on his social media accounts,
Mirza Hasani, the former editor and owner of Radio Aftab, was arrested in Herat
province in north-eastern Afghanistan.
Hasani
was detained on suspicion of working as a reporter for the National Resistance
Front (NRF), an anti-Taliban militant group, and was subsequently transferred
to the Taliban’s intelligence agency’s prison in Kabul.
Through
a messaging gap, the AFJC claimed to have confirmed Hasani’s release with his
wife Sakina Rahimi. Hasani was detained for four months in direct violation of
press freedom before being freed in Kabul.
According
to the AFJC, the request of the complaints investigation commission and the
efforts of advocates for journalists’ rights made it possible for Hasani to be
released.
The
AFJC welcomed Hasani’s release but urged the Taliban to also release Khalid
Qadiri, who is also detained by the Taliban and given a one-year prison term.
“We
(AFJC) also call on authorities to release Journalist Khalid Qadiri who was
sentenced to one year in prison in May for allegedly spreading anti-Islamic
Emirate propaganda and committing espionage for foreign media outlets, and urge
them to ensure journalists can do their work without interference, fear, or
reprisal,” AFJC said.
Abdul
Hanan Mohammadi, a local reporter for Pajhwok News Agency, was released from
the Taliban’s Intelligence Directorate prison in Kabul about two weeks ago,
despite the Taliban government officials’ claims that there are no journalists
held in the group’s prisons.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Human
Rights Situation ‘Continues to Deteriorate’: EU Envoy
By
Saqalain Eqbal
10
Oct 2022
As
he traveled back from Kabul to Brussels, Tomas Niklasson, the special envoy of
the European Union (EU) for Afghanistan, said that the situation of human
rights in Afghanistan “continues to deteriorate.”
The
EU official met with ambassadors, UN officials, women’s rights activists, and
members of civil society during his week-long stay in Kabul, the capital of
Afghanistan, as well as the Taliban’s acting Ministers of Justice, Foreign
Affairs, Information and Culture, and Education.
He
also visited former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, according to a string of
tweets from Monday, October 10.
With
regard to the current situation in Afghanistan, Niklasson wrote that “The HR
(human rights) situation continues to deteriorate.”
The
deterioration of women’s and girls’ rights to education, employment, and
political participation, the rights of Hazaras and other ethnic and religious
minorities, and restrictions placed on the right to free speech are major
causes for concern according to Niklasson.
While
human rights and living conditions continue to deteriorate in Afghanistan, the
country’s population is also dealing with one of the worst humanitarian crises
in the world, leaving them in desperate need of aid as the winter season draws
near.
Tomas
Niklasson also called on China, Russia, and the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation to follow in the footsteps of the EU, the UK, and the US in
stepping up humanitarian aid, saying that “Afghanistan is facing a harsh
winter.”
He
also noted that the Taliban has the obligation of protecting Afghans, and
stated that the group should take firm actions with regard to the increasing
number of terrorists in the country.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/human-rights-situation-continues-to-deteriorate-eu-envoy-465334/
--------
Taliban
Official Assassinated in Northern Afghanistan
By
Saqalain Eqbal
09
Oct 2022
The
Taliban Head of Economy for the northern Afghan province of Faryab, Abdul
Rahman Munawar, was assassinated by unknown armed men, local sources said.
According
to local sources, unknown armed men assassinated the Taliban official, Abdul
Rahman Munawar, on Saturday, October 8, when he was on his way to his house.
The
Taliban Head of Information and Culture for Faryab province, Shamsullah
Mohammad, confirmed the veracity of the assassination and said that the
incident took place in a village in the Qaisar district of Faryab.
“Abdul
Rahman Munawar, the head of economic affairs of the Taliban in this province,
was killed by unknown armed men while he was on his way home,” Mohammadi told
the media.
The
Taliban information and culture official added that while the assassination’s
perpetrators were successful in escaping the scene, Taliban forces are still
looking for them and that an investigation is ongoing.
The
Taliban forces are actively looking for the two unidentified armed men who
killed Abdul Rahman Munawar.
Security
officials for the Taliban have stated that they do not yet understand the
motivation behind the murder and that no individual, group, or organization has
claimed responsibility as of yet.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-official-assassinated-in-northern-afghanistan-64734/
--------
Former
Afghan Police Commander Assassinated in Pakistan
By
Saqalain Eqbal
10
Oct 2022
Abdul
Samad Achakzai, a former commander of the Afghan police, was assassinated by
unidentified armed men in Quetta, the provincial capital of Pakistan’s
Balochistan, said local sources.
According
to local sources, the incident that resulted in the death of an Afghan national
who was also a former police commander took place on Sunday, October 9.
A
former military man, who confirmed the death of former commander Achakzai, also
said that he escaped to Pakistan to save his life after the republic regime
collapsed to the Taliban.
The
former military member praised Achakzai as a brave commander and claimed that
he was heavily involved in the conflict in the southern provinces, defending
the country.
The
security officials of the government of Pakistan have not yet responded to the
incident.
Abdul
Samad Achakzai was a former commander of the local police for Uruzgan province
in the center of Afghanistan, who also served as the police chief for the
Panjwayi district of Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/former-afghan-police-commander-assassinated-in-pakistan-56375/
--------
Arab
World
Saudi
Arabia jails nearly a dozen Egyptians for up to 18 years over 1973 Arab-Israeli
War
10
October 2022
A
Saudi court has sentenced 10 Egyptian men for up to 18 years over trying to
organize a remembrance event for the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, also known as the
Yom Kippur War, between the Tel Aviv regime and a coalition of Arab states led
by Egypt and Syria.
Two
relatives, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, told AFP
news agency that the court found the men, from Nubian ethnic group, guilty of establishing a “terrorist group.”
The
Egyptian men were first arrested in October 2019 for trying to organize the
event. They were released without charge in December that year, but were
re-arrested the following July.
“I
have intense anger at the extreme injustice to which our people have been
subjected,” the relative said.
One
man received an 18-year sentence, one was jailed for 16 years, two for 14 years
and the others for between 10 and 12 years, the relative said.
Rights
groups had previously campaigned for the men's release, and denounced the
proceedings against them as a "travesty" of justice.
They
said the men were being prosecuted “for the peaceful exercise of their right to
freedom of expression in trying to organize a community event.”
Activists
said the men had been “denied regular family contact and only allowed access to
government-appointed lawyers,” and that “at least two of them are elderly and
in ill health.”
Three
of the men are over 60 years old, the relative said.
Prominent
human rights group Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, in a Twitter post,
denounced Monday's sentences as “harsh.”
Democracy
for the Arab World Now, a US-based advocacy organization, also said the rulings
were “unfair.”
The
report comes amid Saudi Arabia’s back-channel attempts to normalize diplomatic
relations with Israel.
Back
on July 15, Saudi Arabia, in an apparent gesture of openness towards Israel,
announced that it was lifting restrictions on “all carriers” using its
airspace.
The
Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said in a statement on its
Twitter page at the time that the country's airspace was open to all carriers
that meet its requirements for over flights, in line with international
conventions that say there should be no discrimination between civil aircraft.
The
move was welcomed by US President Joe Biden, who was scheduled to land in Saudi
Arabia for a controversial visit.
Saudi
Arabia did not show any opposition when the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain,
Sudan and Morocco in 2020 became the first Arab countries in decades to
normalize relations with Israel in a deal brokered by former US President
Donald Trump.
The
oil-rich kingdom is yet to jump on the bandwagon, but the two sides have seen
growing contacts and de-facto rapprochement in recent years, despite claims
that it is committed to the 2002 so-called Arab Peace Initiative, which
conditions normalizing ties with Israel on the establishment of an independent,
sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.
The
Riyadh regime in November 2020 granted permission for Israeli airlines to use
its airspace, hours before the first Israeli flight to the UAE was set to take
off.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Bahraini
courts hand down death sentences to four more political dissidents
10
October 2022
A
London-based human rights organization says Bahraini courts have convicted and
sentenced four anti-regime activists to death following unfair trials and based
on confessions coerced through torture and ill-treatment.
The
Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) said in a 61-page report,
entitled "The Court is Satisfied with the Confession’: Bahrain Death
Sentences Follow Torture, Sham Trials,” that Bahraini courts routinely violated
the defendants’ rights to fair trials, including the right to legal counsel
during interrogation, the right to cross-examine prosecution witnesses, and
through reliance on secretly sourced reports.
The
report went on to note that much of the torture and ill-treatment occurred in
two locations – the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Ministry of
Interior, which is housed in a compound in the Adliya district of the capital
Manama, and the Royal Academy of Policing, located adjacent to Bahrain’s
notorious Jau Prison.
BIRD
called on Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah to commute the death
sentences for all individuals, starting with those convicted on the basis of
confessions extracted under torture or ill-treatment.
The
human rights organization also urged Bahraini authorities to quash the
sentences of all persons whose convictions involved the use of coerced
confessions and/or fair trial violations.
It
further called for pressure on the Manama regime through public and diplomatic
channels from the European Union and the United Kingdom, and at the same time
urged London to suspend funding, technical assistance as well as training for
Bahrain’s security services and the judiciary.
Meanwhile,
dozens of people have staged rallies across Bahrain to dismiss the upcoming
parliamentary elections in the country, amid an escalation of political
repression and absence of meaningful reforms.
The
participants demanded holding a referendum in the country, reiterated their
commitment to the Palestinian issue, and condemned normalization of relations
with the Israeli regime.
Protesters
in Hamala village called for the immediate release of Sheikh Abdul-Jalil
Al-Miqdad, a Bahraini Shia cleric who has been sentenced to life in prison, and
other imprisoned political opponents.
Earlier,
Bahrain’s most prominent Shia cleric repudiated the country’s November 12
parliamentary polls, saying the ruling Al Khalifah regime has shut the door on
free elections and political reforms in the tiny Persian Gulf Arab kingdom
while trying to enslave the nation.
“The
[Manama] regime slams the door in the face of any voter or democracy advocate
and seeks to place the yoke of slavery on the nation,” Grand Ayatollah Sheikh
Isa Qassim wrote in a post published on his Twitter page on October 3.
“The
regime actively directs every Bahraini citizen to the path of slavery and
vassalage. Isn’t there anyone who would fear God and sound the alarm on the
situation of his homeland and compatriots?” the senior cleric added.
Demonstrations
have been held in Bahrain on a regular basis ever since a popular uprising
began in mid-February 2011.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Islamic
Scholar Mufti Menk Of Zimbabwe Talks About Modernisation And Spirituality of
Dubai
by
SM Ayaz Zakir
11
Oct 2022
Dr
Ismail Mufti Menk, Zimbabwean preacher and renowned Islamic scholar, was
recently in Dubai for a campaign at Mamzar Park.
Titled
‘Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) - If you know Him, you will love Him’, the campaign
was organised by Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Islamic Culture under the
supervision of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department.
In
an interview with Khaleej Times, Dr Menk shared his thoughts on what the
emirate has to offer. “There are so many aspects to talk about in this
beautiful city. There is modernisation, a futuristic look, growth in financial
and economic perspective, and mind-boggling achievements. But what a lot of
them forget is the spiritual aspect of the city,” said Dr Menk.
There
are so many beautiful mosques here, which are scattered all around the city and
are relatively at full capacity, added Dr Menk.
Speaking
about the campaign, “The idea of the event was to remove ignorance and replace
it with education.”
The
scholar thanked the UAE authorities for this opportunity to talk about the life
of Prophet Muhammed’s (PBUH) teachings and kindness.
Dr
Menk also highlighted reducing hatred for the betterment of humanity and living
in coexistence with each other. “The reduction of hatred among each other will
be a great achievement and by accomplishing that will help us respect one
another more, come closer together and civilizations will be able to understand
each other,” said Dr Menk.
Reducing
hatred will also protect the globe and assist towards positive growth of the
inhabitants of this globe, he added.
In
the city with his family, Dr Menk participated in several activities that the
emirate has to offer.
“My
children decide the adventure activities they want to try, and I participate
with them. We did Skydive, Scuba Dive, zipline, jet ski, water boat, and much
more. Safety records are quite high,” said the scholar.
'Prophet
Muhammed (PBUH)- If you know Him, you will Love Him' is a 10-day campaign that
began its this first-ever public talk by the Zimbabwean preacher.
Source:
Khaleej Times
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Drone
strike kills suspected ISIS member in northern Syria
10
October, 2022
A
drone strike in northern Syria killed a suspected member of the ISIS group on
Monday, a war monitor and an AFP correspondent said.
It
was not immediately clear who was behind the attack that came days after US
forces said they had targeted ISIS officials in Syria in a series of raids.
Two
explosions hit near the Turkish-held border-town of Tal Abyad in northern
Syria, residents and an AFP correspondent said.
The
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a drone strike had
targeted a suspected member of the terrorist group.
The
suspected terrorist was killed while on a motorbike, according to the monitor
which relies on a wide network of sources inside Syria.
“I
heard aircraft and then a first strike followed by a second one less than a
minute later,” resident Ismail al-Barho told AFP.
“I
came to the site of the strikes and found a charred body,” he said, adding that
a civilian was also wounded.
Another
resident identified the dead man as Ammar al-Yehya Ibn Ali, a 35-year-old
Syrian who was known to have been a former member of ISIS.
The
resident spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
Monday’s
strike came after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out a raid
in northeast Syria on Thursday, targeting an ISIS official known to facilitate
the smuggling of weapons and fighters.
In
a later statement the same day, it said it had launched another air strike that
killed two senior ISIS members.
Washington
first deployed troops in northeast Syria in 2014 as part of a coalition to
combat the ISIS group.
When
they lost the last territory the controlled after a military onslaught backed
by the US-led coalition in March 2019, the remnants of ISIS in Syria mostly
retreated into desert hideouts.
They
have since used these hideouts to ambush Kurdish-led forces and Syrian
government troops, while also continuing to mount attacks in Iraq.
In
July, the Pentagon said it had killed Syria’s top ISIS terrorist in a drone
strike in the north of the country.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Saudi
defence minister discusses security, renewal of truce with Yemeni leader
October
11, 2022
RIYADH:
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met the head of the
Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, on Monday.
The
pair discussed efforts to renew a UN-brokered truce which expired on Oct. 2,
and has not been extended by Iran-backed Houthi militia.
They
also discussed ways to achieve security and stability in Yemen and alleviate
the suffering of the Yemeni people, Prince Khalid tweeted.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2178851/saudi-arabia
--------
Mideast
Erdogan:
Hard Winter Ahead for Europe
2022-October-10
Speaking
at the TUGVA youth forum, Türkiye's leader noted that the whole continent “is
on fire now”, RT reported.
“The
entire Europe is wondering: ‘How will this winter go?’” he said.
Meanwhile,
according to Erdogan, his country will have no issues with energy resources in
the coming months.
“Thank
God, we have made all our preparations… we have prepared everything for our
nation, both natural gas and coal,” he stated.
He
also noted that the main issue for the nation is “how to deliver natural gas to
our citizens at more affordable prices”, adding that Ankara is doing its best
to achieve this goal.
Erdogan
went on to explain that Ankara is acting as a leading mediator between Ukraine
and Russia which have been locked in conflict since late February. Several
months ago, Ankara and the UN brokered a deal between Moscow and Kiev which
unblocked Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea. Erdogan has also
repeatedly urged the two parties to strike a peace deal.
His
comments come as Europe is reeling from an energy crisis fueled by skyrocketing
gas prices due to sanctions the West has imposed on Russia over the conflict.
While
EU authorities have taken measures to cut energy consumption in a bid to
alleviate the situation, various officials and public figures have warned of
the desperate situation the continent may find itself.
Earlier
this month, Microsoft founder Bill Gates claimed that in a few months Europe
may face a “very scary situation” as many could be unable to heat their homes.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14010718000754/Erdgan-Hard-Winer-Ahead-fr-Erpe
--------
Over
100,000 Palestinians under Israeli siege in Shufat, Anata after shooting
incident
11
October 2022
Israeli
forces have trapped more than 100,000 Palestinians in the Shufat refugee camp
and the nearby Anata town amid an ongoing search for the shooter that killed an
Israeli soldier.
According
to Palestinian news outlets, the Shufat refugee camp and the town of Anata,
northeast of al-Quds, have been besieged by Israeli forces since Saturday
night, after an Israeli soldier was killed and two others were injured in a
shooting attack at the checkpoint leading to the camp.
Entrances
and exits to the camp and town have been closed as Israeli forces began search
and arrest raids in the area as part of a large-scale campaign to find the
suspect.
Reports
from the refugee camp said at least 20 people were arrested since the attack,
including, according to what Israeli military claims, members of the family of
the alleged attacker.
Anata
mayor Taha Rifai told the Palestinian WAFA news agency that Israeli forces
continued on Monday to break into homes, terrorize families, stop people in the
streets and check their papers while forcing shops to shut down.
Since
the beginning of the Israeli blockade, Palestinians have been unable to leave
to receive necessary health treatments, and many basic supplies like flour are
running low. Education within the camp has been suspended as well.
Thaer
al-Fasfos, an activist and member of the camp’s popular committee, told Middle
East Eye that the situation within Shuafat is “tragic” and that many patients
need to go to hospitals in al-Quds to receive dialysis or chemotherapy, but
have been unable to do so.
Shawan
Jabarin, chair of Alhaq, a Palestinian human rights group, described the siege
as a “collective punishment” in which Israeli authorities “feel they are immune
from accountability.”
“The
life of a Palestinian has no sanctity to them, as well as their livelihoods and
dignity. This is embedded in the [Israeli] occupation’s mindset,” he said,
adding that “from a legal point of view, this collective punishment amounts to
a war crime and violates the Geneva Convention.”
‘Resistance
operation will spread’
Ziyad
al-Nakhalah, Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement,
described the recent shooting operations in the West bank as a case of
“resistance” that is “not spontaneous.”
This
is a case of “resistance, an armed uprising, and a true and serious revolution
against the occupation. We are doing all that we can in order to escalate this
intifada,” al-Nakhalah said in an interview with Lebanon’s al-Mayadeen
television network on Monday.
He
also said there are efforts to “develop the capabilities of the resistance in
the West Bank and spread this into [19]48-occupied territories.”
Israeli
forces have been recently conducting near-nightly raids and killings in the
northern occupied West Bank, mainly in the cities of Jenin and Nablus, where
new groups of Palestinian resistance fighters have been formed.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Hamas,
Islamic Jihad slam Israelis' desecration of Qur’an after extremist settlers
burn Muslim holy book
10
October 2022
The
Gaza-based Hamas and Islamic Jihad resistance movements have vehemently
condemned the desecration of the Holy Qur’an by the extremist Israeli settlers
in the Old City of al-Khalil, south of the occupied West Bank.
In
a press release on Monday, Hamas spokesman Abdul-Latif Qanu said the
desecration of the Muslim holy book was an “unprecedented escalation” and a
“disrespectful racist behavior,” stressing that such a crime showed that the
occupying regime and its settlers want “a religious war on Islam.”
Qanu
also said that the Jewish religious holidays “involve attacks on the
Palestinian people and their holy sites.”
In
yet another blasphemous act and provocation against Palestinian Muslims, the
Israeli settlers tore and burned the copies of the Holy Qur’an on Monday before
"throwing them in a trash container" in the Old City of al-Khalil.
Islamic
Jihad official Khader Adnan said in a statement that the burning of the Holy
Qur’an by Zionist extremists is “an [at of] aggression targeting our true
religion and the eternal message of our Prophet (PBUH), and a dangerous
escalation in the context of the aggression against the sanctities, and the
storming of al-Aqsa Mosque.”
Adnan
stressed the need to boost resistance in all its forms in the areas of clashes
with the occupation and its settlers in response to the crime of burning the
Muslim holy book and targeting of holy sites.
The
Islamic Jihad official said the crime had targeted the “most sublime religions
and heavenly missions,” calling for a responsible stance by Muslim scholars in
the face of the blasphemous act.
The
sacrilegious move took place following a series of recent violations committed
by groups of Israeli settlers against al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied city of
al-Quds.
Over
the past couple of weeks, hundreds of settlers escorted by the Israeli police
have intruded into the holy site on a daily basis and provocatively performed
rituals during the Jewish holidays.
Over
270 Israeli settlers break into al-Aqsa again
Meanwhile,
Palestinian media said scores of Israeli settlers in different groups intruded
into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds on Monday
morning and later in the afternoon.
The
reports said at least 278 extremist settlers, under tight protection from the
Israeli military forces, broke into the compound through the Moroccan Gate and
performed rituals and Talmudic prayers.
The
Israeli occupation police imposed movement restrictions on Muslim worshipers at
al-Aqsa Mosque’s entrances and gates while the intrusion was taking place.
More
than 4,400 Israeli settlers made their way into the holy site and prayed there
last month.
Such
mass settler break-ins almost always take place at the behest of Tel
Aviv-backed temple groups and under the auspices of the Israeli police in
al-Quds.
The
al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which sits just above the Western Wall plaza, houses
both the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Israel
satisfied with draft of maritime border deal with Lebanon: Israeli official
11
October, 2022
Lebanon
and Israel have received a final draft of a US-mediated maritime border deal
that satisfies all of their requirements and could imminently lead to a
“historic deal,” negotiators from the two countries said on Tuesday.
“If
everything goes well, Amos Hochstein's efforts could imminently lead to a historic
deal,” Lebanon's lead negotiator Bou Saab told Reuters minutes after receiving
the draft from Hochstein, the U.S. official engaged in months of shuttle
diplomacy to try to end the dispute.
Israeli
National Security Advisor Eyal Hulata who headed the Israeli negotiating team
echoed Saab's remarks:
“All
our demands were met, the changes that we asked for were corrected. We
protected Israel's security interests and are on our way to an historic
agreement,” he said in a statement.
While
limited in scope, an agreement would ease security and economic concerns in
both countries, whose shared history is rife with conflict.
The
deal would resolve a territorial dispute in the eastern tip of the
Mediterranean sea in an area where Lebanon aims to explore for natural gas, and
near waters where Israel has already found commercially viable quantities of
hydrocarbons.
Hezbollah,
a Lebanese political party and militia backed by Iran, has threatened to use
force against Israel should Israel explore for gas near the disputed area
before Lebanon is allowed to do so in its own maritime zone.
“We
received minutes ago the final draft... Lebanon felt that it takes into
consideration all of Lebanon's requirements and we believe that the other side
should feel the same,” Bou Saab said.
Israel
last week rejected last-minute amendments to the deal by Lebanon that briefly
appeared to jeopardize long-standing efforts to reach an agreement.
Officials
from both countries were in close contact via the U.S. mediator over the past
few days in an effort to resolve outstanding differences.
Lebanon's
president said that a deal would not signify a “partnership” with Israel, a
country Lebanon does not recognise and officially regards as an enemy.
“We
are avoiding a sure-fire war in the region,” Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister
Najib Mikati said last week.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Leader:
Athlete Refusing to Compete with Zionist Competitor Truly A Victor
2022-October-10
During
the meeting, Iran's Supreme Leader stressed that the issue of sports is an
issue that needs to be addressed as a central rather than a marginal matter.
He
also raised some important points with regards to sports and martyred athletes.
Ayatollah
Khamenei further emphasized the need to combine technical victory in the
sporting field with the victory of values and ethics.
"Sometimes
a person might become deprived of a medal; our athlete will refuse to compete
with his opponent who has been sent by the usurping regime of Israel," the
Supreme Leader said, adding that he is deprived of getting the medal, but yet
he is victorious.
"If
anyone violates this principle, it would mean that he’s violating his moral
victory. If you compete with that opponent, if you face them, it would mean
that you’ve officially chosen to recognize the usurping regime - the regime
that murders children," Ayatollah Khamenei added.
Commenting
on the double-standard approach of the world’s Arrogant Powers towards sports,
which has been manifested in “opposing the boycott of the Zionist regime by
Muslim athletes” and “resorting to the sports boycott of Russia”, the Supreme
Leader said that arrogant leaders and their followers and in fact, the servants
of the world’s superpowers raise their voices to say, "Hey, don’t
politicize sports".
He
recalled that you saw what they did with sports after the war in Ukraine! They
banned some countries from participating in sporting events for political
reasons; That is, they easily cross their own red lines when their interests
demand it, but then when our athlete refuses to compete with the Zionist side,
they start finding faults with it.
In
another part of his speech, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution
addressed the issue of the Western world’s efforts to expport their culture
into the Islamic Republic of Iran through new, advanced sports, and said,
"Our duty is to bring the innovative sports that the other side has
created – such as football, volleyball, and the other team sports that exist –
let’s learn to advance in these and become professionals without accepting
their culture. We shouldn’t let this turn into a bridge for western culture. We
need to let our own culture govern it."
Iranian
athletes abstain from playing against the athletes of the Israeli regime
because they do not recognize the regime.
Athletes
from other Muslim countries in numerous instances have taken the same measure.
In
a similar move in early september, as the 2022 Karate 1-Premier League was
underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, a Kuwaiti karateka withdrew from facing a Zionist
opponent.
Earlier
this year, a Kuwaiti tennis player had quitted a game against a Zionist rival
in the semifinals of an international tournament in Dubai, UAE.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Rights
Group: 50 Palestinian Prisoners on Hunger Strike over Israel’s Detention Policy
2022-October-10
In
a statement released on Sunday, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said
thirty Palestinian inmates had stopped taking meals two weeks ago in protest
against Israel’s so-called policy of administrative detention, The Palestinian
Information Center reported.
According
to the PPS, at least 20 more Palestinian prisoners have joined 30 others
already refusing food in Israeli jails.
The
majority of the hunger-striking inmates were being held in solitary confinement
in the notorious Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
In
recent days, hundreds of detainees at Israeli prisons have refused to take
their meals in solidarity with the hunger-striking detainees.
The
detainees in a message last month said that the practices of the Israel Prison
Services (IPS) “are no longer governed by the security obsession as an actual
driver of the occupation, but rather are acts of revenge due to their past”.
Nearly
500 detainees have been refusing to show up for their military court hearings
since the beginning of the year. The boycott includes the initial hearings to
uphold the so-called administrative detention order, as well as appeal hearings
and later sessions at Israel’s “supreme court”.
Palestinian
prisoners are held for lengthy periods without being charged, tried, or
convicted, which is in sheer violation of human rights. Advocacy groups
describe Israel’s use of the detention policy as a “bankrupt tactic” and have
long called on Israel to end its use.
There
are reportedly more than 7,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. Human rights
organizations say Israel violates all the rights and freedoms granted to
prisoners by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
They
say administrative detention violates the right to due process since the
evidence is withheld from prisoners while they are held for lengthy periods
without being charged, tried, or convicted.
Palestinian
detainees have continuously resorted to open-ended hunger strikes in an attempt
to express their outrage at their detention. Israeli jail authorities keep
Palestinian prisoners under deplorable conditions without proper hygienic
standards.
The
prisoners have been subjected to systematic torture, harassment and repression
all through the years of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Oil
workers in southern Iran strike, protest as anti-regime demonstrations continue
10
October, 2022
Workers
at petrochemical plants in southern Iran went on strike and staged protests on
Monday, according to videos shared on social media, as anti-government protests
sparked by the death of a young woman continued.
Over
a thousand workers at the Bushehr, Damavand and Hengam petrochemical plants,
located in the port city of Assaluyeh, went on strike and staged protests,
Radio Farda, the Iranian branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, reported.
Striking
workers shouted slogans against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and blocked access
roads, according to videos shared by @1500tasvir, a Twitter account with over
200,000 followers that monitors protests and violations in Iran.
Commenting
on the strike on Twitter, Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace, noted that striking oil workers “played a
critical role” in the 1979 revolution that toppled the former Shah of Iran and
brought about the Islamic Republic.
The
strike comes amid ongoing anti-government protests that erupted across Iran
mid-September after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman, died in
police custody.
Activists
and protesters say Amini was beaten by police officers while in detention,
causing serious injuries that led to her death. Police deny the allegations.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Palestinian
churches concerned about UK’s possible embassy move to al-Quds
10
October 2022
Church
leaders in occupied al-Quds have expressed their “grave concern” about Britain
potentially moving its embassy to the holy city.
On
Monday, the Council of the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in al-Quds
warned moving the British embassy "would severely undermine this key
principle... and the political negotiations that it seeks to advance".
"The
religious Status Quo in al-Quds is essential for preserving the harmony of our
Holy City and good relations between religious communities around the
globe."
Britain's
review, they said, implied there was no need for the so-called peace talks and
that the "military occupation of those territories and the unilateral
annexation of east al-Quds are both acceptable."
Christians
have lived in the territory "under many different empires and
governments" for some 2,000 years, the leaders said.
Church
leaders in Britain have made a similar warning.
The
archbishops of Canterbury and Westminster recently expressed concern about the
consequences of moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to al-Quds. Archbishop of
Canterbury Justin Welby raised concerns about the decision, which was made by
British Prime Minister Liz Truss during a meeting with her Israeli counterpart
Yair Lapid in September.
Britain
has long kept its embassy in Tel Aviv as part of its longstanding policy. By
moving the British embassy to al-Quds, Truss would be following in the
footsteps of Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, who moved
the US embassy to al-Quds despite worldwide condemnation.
In
2018, all 13 Christian denominations gathered in occupied al-Quds to condemn
Trump’s decision to move the American embassy there. They announced in a joint
statement that the action will definitely ramp up hatred, conflict, violence
and suffering in al-Quds and the occupied territories.
The
Muslim Council of Britain also said in a letter to the British government that
the decision is a sign of “legitimizing the occupation of East Occupied al-Quds
by Israel.”
Israel
lays claim to the entire al-Quds, but the international community views the
city’s eastern sector as occupied territory while Palestinians consider it the
capital of their future state.
Last
month, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the Israeli regime has no rightful
claim or sovereignty over the occupied al-Quds. The possible move by the UK
would amount to “complicity in Israel’s illegal annexation of the city,” the
ministry said.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/10/10/690723/Quds-UK-embassy-Israel
--------
Europe
Jerusalem
churches raise concern over UK embassy talks
October
10, 2022
JERUSALEM:
Jerusalem church leaders on Monday expressed their “grave concern” about
Britain potentially moving their embassy in Israel to the contested and sacred
city.
British
Prime Minister Liz Truss last month told her Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid
“about her review of the current location of the British embassy in Israel,”
according to her office.
The
announcement raised the prospect of London following in Washington’s steps
under former president Donald Trump, who in 2018 relocated the US embassy from
Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The
move broke with decades of international consensus, as governments have refused
to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of either an Israeli or Palestinian state
before a lasting peace accord is reached.
On
Monday, Jerusalem church heads warned moving the British embassy “would
severely undermine this key principle... and the political negotiations that it
seeks to advance.”
The
Council of the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem represents all
denominations in the city, which is home to the holiest site in Christianity.
The
Old City, in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, also hosts the most sacred site in
Judaism and the third-holiest site in Islam.
“The
religious Status Quo in Jerusalem is essential for preserving the harmony of
our Holy City and good relations between religious communities around the
globe,” said the church heads.
Britain’s
review, they added, implied that there was no need for peace talks, and that
“the continuing military occupation of those territories and the unilateral
annexation of east Jerusalem are both acceptable.”
Israel
has occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank — the site of numerous biblical
tales including the birth of Jesus — since the 1967 Six-Day War.
Noting
that Christians have lived in the territory “under many different empires and
governments” for some 2,000 years, they pressed the British government to “redouble
their diplomatic efforts” toward an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.
Their
intervention from Jerusalem follows similar statements by church leaders in
Britain.
A
spokesperson for the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the senior bishop
of the Anglican Church, last week told the UK website Jewish News he was
“concerned about the potential impact of moving the British embassy” to
Jerusalem.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2178641/middle-east
--------
French
architects learn about Saudi vision of the future
LAMA
ALHAMAWI
October
11, 2022
RIYADH:
Top French architects have traveled to Saudi Arabia to learn about the
Kingdom’s landmark infrastructure projects, share expertise and explore
opportunities to get involved.
Members
of AFEX, a nonprofit group representing 120 French firms, met top executives
from Saudi giga-projects for a symposium in Riyadh. They will also tour the
city, before traveling to Jeddah and AlUla to view projects and learn more
about the country’s ambitions.
The
events are part of the second Saudi-French Strategic Partnership for Designing
Sustainable Cities for Tomorrow, organized by AFEX in partnership with Business
France, a government agency promoting French firms abroad.
“We
are here today to first understand the ambitions of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia. The impact of Vision 2030 is obviously to change the Kingdom rapidly, but
it also has an impact internationally,” said Reda Amalou, AFEX’s president.
The
tour directly connects architects with the leaders of Saudi giga-projects from
the Ministry of Culture, Red Sea Development Project, Qiddiya, NEOM’s The Line,
Diriyah Gate Development Authority, and the newly added Boutique Group.
“Expertise
ranges from heritage, culture, health, transportation, tourism and eco-tourism,
and it’s something that is very wide in terms of expertise and could be
something of interest in partnerships,” said Amalou.
“Some
of the projects are a utopia coming to reality, which the whole world is
looking at as something which is exemplary, but it is also about pushing the
boundaries of development in terms of sustainability and how we move towards
those very large-scale projects and very in-depth changes in a sustainable
way.”
The
participants in the tour include 21 French design and architecture firms, the
largest such delegation to gather in one country. Some are new to the Kingdom,
while others have been contributing to major projects such as AlUla.
Speakers
at the Riyadh symposium included Sumaya Al-Sulaiman, CEO of the Architecture
and Design commission, who highlighted the role of the Ministry of Culture in
preserving the Kingdom’s architectural styles in future projects.
“It’s
important that we have these cultural exchanges and that we have different
platforms where we make sure people understand where we are coming from and how
we define ourselves,” Al-Sulaiman said.
Ludovic
Pouille, France’s ambassador, concluded the forum by presenting tokens of
appreciation to guests who spoke about the Kingdom’s projects.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2178876/saudi-arabia
--------
Britain
no longer a leading nation: Somali drought envoy
October
10, 2022
LONDON:
A senior Somali official has claimed that the UK has lost its place as one of
the world’s leading nations, with dire consequences for the third world.
Abdirahman
Abdishakur Warsame, the presidential envoy for Somalia’s drought response, told
The Guardian during a tour of Europe to drum up support for his country that
the UK’s loss of status is harming developing nations because it had played a
crucial role in advocating on their behalf on issues such as food security and
climate change.
Warsame,
who holds dual British and Somali citizenship, said the UK used to be second
only to the US on the international stage in terms of influence, but is now
letting down its allies.
As
a result, he said, countries such as his are being left to face “the new
climate reality” on their own, with promises from the international community
of access for poorer states to a $96.8 billion climate fund failing to
materialize.
“We
are living with the deadly consequences of climate change in Somalia,” he
added. “Millions of children are malnourished, many will die, and we don’t have
one penny of that climate fund.”
He
added: “Everyone has been saying, ‘When you have famine declared, you will have
attention.’ We are facing more than the scale of 2011, when we lost a quarter
of a million of our people. But in 2011 half the people died before famine was
declared.
“We
are more than famine in Somalia. We are coming out of a long conflict and have
had a successful, peaceful election; we are building our institutions, we are
building our national army, we are pushing back Al-Shabaab. But at the same
time we have this drought.
“In
the 2017 drought, the UK and its leadership was vital, its advocacy and energy
was great, and it encouraged people like me to match that commitment. Britain
was a great ally to Somalia but that is all gone.
“The
UK is still an ally, and they help with security, but when it comes to
humanitarian response they are not there, not in leadership or in aid. It’s all
gone. The UK used to provide a leadership that others would follow.”
Warsame
criticized a preoccupation with Ukraine by European nations for glossing over
impending climate-related disasters, including famine in Somalia.
“No
one is interested in the climate, in food security,” he said. “It’s all
‘Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine.’ It gets all the political attention.”
He
added: “If we had not had Ukraine, COVID-19 and the (2019-2022) locust invasion
then the effect might be less, but the drought is caused by climate change.
“We
have had four failed rainy seasons now. The cycle of drought used to be every
10 years, now it’s four years and soon it will be two years. That is not caused
by Somalia — that was caused by the climate crisis.”
Warsame
said climate funds, diverted into technology, infrastructure, agriculture and
fishing, would ward off the threat of famine in Somalia if it was given access
to the $96.8 billion pot.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2178581/world
--------
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