US Using Afghan Taliban To Fight ISIS In Afghanistan, Says Leaked Pentagon Document
New Age Islam News Bureau
25 April 2023
The Afghan Taliban have expressed willingness to help the United States
(US) in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Afghanistan Image
Courtesy AP
------
North America
• Bills Would Add Muslim, Sikh,
Asian Holidays To State Holiday Calendar
• Crimes in Paterson's Muslim
community open discussion about mental health stigma
• Authorities investigating 2
mosque fires in consecutive days in Minneapolis
• Muslim rideshare drivers
improvise prayer spaces amid lack of relief stations in NYC
--------
Southeast Asia
• Indian-Origin Malaysian Jailed
For Smuggling Animals In Singapore
• Vikram Singh appointed CEO of
Citi Malaysia
• Malaysia’s energy needs face
Chinese pushback in South China Sea
• Na Tok Kong temple requests
extension after being evicted from Islamic council's land
--------
Mideast
• Israeli Troops Strom Al-Aqsa’s
Bab Al-Rahma, Ban Call to Prayer
• OIC, Arab League Decry Israeli
Assaults on Muslim, Christian Sanctities in Al-Quds
• Hostile Aircraft Systems
Hacked as Attempting to Intrude Iran's Airspace
• Palestinian Youth Martyred in
Israeli Raid in Occupied West Bank
• Hezbollah: US Hegemony
Retrenching, Occupation Forces Will Eventually Leave Middle East
• Tensions Rise After Azerbaijan
Blocks Land Route from Armenia
• Minister: Riyadh Asks for
Three Weekly Flights Between Iran, Saudi Arabia
• Arab League condemns Zionist
raids on al-Aqsa mosque
---------
Europe
• World’s First Sharia Crypto
Gets Public Launch
• Bradford's Muslim community on
Eid-Ul-Fitr memories as Ramadan ends
• Ramadan celebrated at Rochdale
Infirmary
• Haywards Heath Mayor sends
warm wishes to everyone celebrating Eid al-Fitr at the Ramadan Iftar Dinner
--------
Arab World
• Saudi Arabia Calls For
Cessation Of Military Operations In Sudan Urgently After Egyptian Diplomat
Killed
• Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to
EU presents credentials to European Council president
• KSA relief group offers
medical services to Syrians
• OIC condemns ‘terrorist’
attacks in Mali
• Saudi Fund for Development
signs two agreements in Kyrgyzstan
--------
South Asia
• First Army Formation To Reach
Dhaka During 1971 Bangladesh War Celebrates 60 Years
• Islamic Emirate Policies Are
Not Under Anyone’s Influence: Acting FM
• Taliban rejects Pentagon
report about presence of ISIS in Afghanistan
• Guy Ritchie's The Covenant and
why Hollywood is afraid of the war in Afghanistan
• Islamic Emirate Denies
Washington Post's Report on Daesh in Afghanistan
• UN Meeting on Afghanistan Will
Not Discuss Recognition: Faiq
• Bangladesh swears in new
President ahead of election
• Shahabuddin Chuppu takes oath
as Bangladesh’s 22nd president
• Lightning strikes kill 9 in
Bangladesh
--------
India
• Supreme Court Sends All Cases
Against Stand-Up Comic Munawar Faruqui, For Allegedly Hurting Religious
Sentiments, To Indore
• Makeshift Mosque Removed In
Hyderabad After Complaint From Hindu Groups
• Karnataka Govt Decision
Scrapping 4 Per Cent Quota To Muslims Will Not Be Implemented Till May 9: SC
• BJP Leader Sees Guddu Muslim
Link In Sambalpur Violence
• Atiq Ahmed's henchman Guddu
Muslim last located in Odisha, Chhattisgarh
• BJP Doesn’t Need Muslim Votes:
Senior Karnataka BJP MLA KS Eshwarappa
• CLP leader flays Amit Shah’s
statement on Muslim quota
--------
Pakistan
• Pakistani, Indian Border
Forces Exchange Sweets On Eid ul Fitr
• Pakistanis among foreigners
evacuated from Sudan
• 12 martyred, dozens wounded in
blasts inside Swat CTD
• Army chief spends Eid day with
troops on Afghan border
• Army Chief Gen Asim Munir
reaches China on 4-day visit, says ISPR
--------
Africa
• Muslims In Awka Eulogise Obi,
Say Allegations Against Him False
• Frytol celebrates Ramadan and
Eid-ul-Fitr with Muslim community
• Rite Foods urges refreshing
moments for Muslims with its quality brands for Eid el-Fitri celebration
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/us-afghan-taliban-isis-afghanistan-pentagon/d/129641
-------
US Using Afghan Taliban To Fight ISIS In Afghanistan, Says Leaked Pentagon Document
The Afghan Taliban have expressed willingness to help the United States
(US) in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Afghanistan Image
Courtesy AP
------
April 25, 2023
Washington: Barely a couple of years after compelling the United States
(US) to pull out its military forces from Afghanistan, the Afghan Taliban have
started engaging with their former adversaries – this time as allies.
According to a report in the Washington Post, the Afghan Taliban have
expressed willingness to help the United States (US) in the fight against the
Islamic State (ISIS) in Afghanistan.
The Afghan Taliban had captured Kabul in August 2021 when the United
Stated (US) and its NATO allies withdrew from Afghanistan after two decades of
war. Since then, the Taliban has been battling the Islamic State Khorasan
Province (ISIS-K).
Classified documents with the Pentagon have claimed that the ISIS has
been trying to use Afghanistan as a staging ground to plot terrorist attacks
against the United States (US) and countries across Asia and Europe.
The Washington Post quoted a senior US defence official as saying that
since Afghan Taliban is a natural enemy of the ISIS in Afghanistan, the
Pentagon has decided to form an alliance with the current rulers of Kabul.
“I would never want to say that we had mortgaged our counterterrorism to
a group like the Taliban, but it’s a fact that, operationally, they put
pressure on ISIS-K. In a strange world, we have mutually beneficial objectives
there,” the official told the Washington Post.
“The Taliban has served as a check on the ISIS in Afghanistan,” he
added.
Leaked reports from US intelligence agencies have revealed that the
Pentagon views the Islamic State (ISIS) – particularly the terrorist group’s
Afghanistan branch known as ISIS-K – as a potent threat.
According to media reports, US officials have claimed that Massachusetts
Air National Guard member Jack Teixeria had shared the leaked documents on a
personal Discord server before posting them online for the general public.
However, the Afghan Taliban has rejected the assessment in the leaked US
intelligence documents and have branded them as incorrect.
“Such reports reflect personal desires of their authors. The fact is
that the ISIS has no physical presence in Afghanistan as it had during the
invasion,” Afghan Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told the media.
Source: firstpost.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.firstpost.com/world/us-using-afghan-taliban-to-fight-isis-in-afghanistan-says-leaked-pentagon-document-12501822.html
--------
Taiwan Is Able To Engage With Predominantly Muslim Nations Through Islam
Taipei Grand Mosque. Photo by Filip Noubel, used with permission.
-----
Written by Filip Noubel
25 April 2023
Taiwan is a predominantly Buddhist and Taoist society yet it counts
several religious minorities, including Muslims. According to various estimates
there are about 250,000 Muslims on the island, thus representing around one
percent of the total population.
Taiwan's Muslims are predominantly Sunni, and originate from different
migration waves. Of the estimated 250,000, about 60,000 belong to the Chinese
Muslim community, also known as Hui (回) in Chinese or as Dungan in Central Asia. The
Hui are Chinese who converted to Islam as early as the seventh century and
sometimes intermarried with Arab and Persian traders. Some of them moved from
mainland China to Taiwan as the ethnic Chinese colonization started in the 17th
century. Another wave moved after 1949 when the Kuomintang lost the civil war
to the Communists and fled to the island, thereby imposing its rule over
Taiwan. An estimated 20,000 Hui soldiers served in the Kuomintang army and
eventually settled in Taiwan with their families. Finally, a third wave of
Chinese Muslims who had relations with Taiwan and/or the Kuomintang moved from
Thailand and Myanmar in the 1980s and created a small Muslim center in New
Taipei City.
The vast majority of Taiwan's Muslims are migrant workers from Southeast
Asia, mostly Indonesia and Malaysia. They do not have Taiwanese citizenship and
typically come for only a few years, with women largely working as domestic,
health, or hospitality workers and men finding employment in factories or on
fishing boats. None of those countries recognize Taiwan officially as an
independent state, but they maintain vibrant economic, tourism, and labor
relations and have representative offices on the island.
A well-established presence
Islam is present across Taiwan but perhaps more visible in Taipei, where
the Grand Mosque is established and sits on the side of the Da'an Park (大安森林公園) — a major
landmark in the center of the city. It was built in 1960 and has maintained
special ties with Saudi Arabia. Its architect,
Yang Cho-cheng (楊卓成), also designed some of
Taipei's most renowned landmark buildings, such as the Taipei Grand Hotel,
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, National Theater and Concert Hall.
The Chinese Muslim Association (中國回教協會), which keeps its
reference to China in its name as it was established in 1938 in mainland China,
plays a key role for local Muslims as the largest Islamic organization in the
community. It also plays an indirect diplomatic role as it maintains relations
and exchanges with Muslim nations that do not officially recognize Taiwan as an
independent country, yet engage with the island economically and religiously.
Eid al-Fitr: A celebration for Muslims and non-Muslims alike
On Sunday, April 23, a public celebration to mark the end of Ramadan,
known in Arabic as Eid al-Fitr (Holiday of breaking the fast), took place in
Da'an Park. The event has been a yearly occurrence since 2016 with the support
of the Taipei City government and other governmental departments. The
celebration included small stands promoting food, drinks, clothes, and
souvenirs from the Muslim world. It also provided information on Islam in
general and its role in Taiwan, as well as leaflets and counseling to migrant
workers — most of whom are from Indonesia.
The official ceremony also drew notable public figures, including
Taipei's mayor Chiang Wan-an (Kuomintang party), and the heads of
representative offices of Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia and
Indonesia. The mayor insisted on the need to develop Muslim-friendly tourism,
as tourists from such countries tend to travel in larger groups and have
specific needs that could boost an industry that was severely affected by the
COVID-19 pandemic. According to this The New Lens article:
A music performance followed, showing how non-Muslim Taiwanese also
participate in the promotion of Arabic, Turkish, and Iranian culture. One local
band, called TabRaqs, performed Egyptian and Turkish songs played on
Middle-Eastern instruments, as can be seen on their Instagram account:
For a country that only has full diplomatic relations with 13 countries
— none being a predominantly Muslim nation — Islam represents yet another
vector of engagement and an opportunity to showcase Taiwan as a tolerant and
democratic country.
Source: globalvoices.org
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://globalvoices.org/2023/04/25/end-of-ramadan-in-taipei-shows-role-of-islam-in-taiwans-diplomacy/
--------
Muslim Students Of Minnesota Voice Concerns Over Rising Islamophobia
Across The United States
FILE - Secretary of State Antony Blinken tours the "Burma's Path To
Genocide" exhibit at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, in
Washington, March 21, 2022.
------
April 24, 2023
As Ramadan comes to a close, Muslim University of Minnesota students
want to draw attention to Islamophobic violence across the United States.
Some Muslim students believe America has yet to acknowledge the impact
of Islamophobia, Internal Vice President of the University’s Muslim Student
Association Husaam Qureishy, said.
“It’s important to bring it up over and over again to ensure it’s not
swept under the rug,” Qureishy said. “These issues are still happening.”
A 2019 report from the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
found that fear of and discrimination against Muslims was on the rise
nationwide.
Rep. Ilhan Omar introduced legislation condemning white supremacy and
Islamophobia on the first full day of Ramadan, March 23. The final day of
Ramadan, the month-long holiday in Islam that includes fasting from sunup to
sundown, was Thursday.
Omar’s resolution also addressed the impact gun violence and mass
shootings have on Muslim communities by committing to end gun violence and
disavowing attacks on places of worship.
With the terror attacks inspired by the Christchurch, New Zealand,
mosque shooting in 2019 and a rise in Islamophobia across the country over the
past few years, Omar said the government must do more to protect religious
groups.
“We must reaffirm that all people of faith should have the right to
worship without fear,” Omar said in a statement announcing the resolution.
The resolution also recognizes the threat white supremacy poses in
radicalizing people and encouraging violence against religious minorities.
The resolution was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs,
where it currently sits.
Zayna Amanat, a Muslim student at the University, said Islamophobia is a
pressing issue that’s continually ignored.
“It’s honestly pretty annoying that this is the system we live in. The
approach to violence, the weapons of violence, and the acts of violence aren’t
going away,” Amanat said. “It doesn’t feel like the government actually cares.”
Government Affairs Director for the Council on American Islamic
Relations Robert McCaw said hateful beliefs drive anti-Muslim attacks.
“This reprehensive act of violence was driven by the extremist
ideologies of white supremacy, Islamophobia and the so-called ‘Great
Replacement Theory,’” McCaw said. “Too many lives have been lost in the name of
hate.”
The “Great Replacement Theory” is a belief primarily held in the U.S.
and certain other Western countries. It is a far-right conspiracy theory that
left-leaning elites are trying to replace white citizens with nonwhite
immigrants, including Black, Hispanic, Asian and Arab immigrants, according to
the Britannica Dictionary.
While many Muslim students agree with the resolution, some, like Amanat,
feel more needs to be done.
“A majority of the government doesn’t care about the people they’re
meant to serve. Real change can only happen when those people leave,” Amanat
said. “I think it’s important that they [not] only do things like this, but
they need to keep doing things like this.”
Source: mndaily.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://mndaily.com/276828/news/muslim-students-voice-concerns-over-rising-islamophobia/
--------
Dozens Of Israeli Flags Adorn Ibrahimi Mosque In Hebron
Israeli flags seen on Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron, West Bank on 5 May 2022
[Mamoun Wazwaz/Anadolu Agency]
-----
24 April, 2023
Israeli forces have adorned Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque with dozens of
Israeli flags as part of ‘celebrations’ to mark Israel’s national memorial day,
which commemorates the Israeli declaration of independence.
Flags stretched along the
perimeter of The mosque compound's high walls, in what many Palestinians see as
an act of rampant provocation in the midst of a rising tide of Israeli violence
across the Occupied West Bank.
Hebron has been the site of Israeli aggression and land grabs for
decades. In 1994, Jewish fanatic Baruch Goldstein burst into the sacred mosque
during Ramadan prayers and opened fire with an Israeli assault rifle, killing
at least 30 Palestinian worshippers.
Until recently, Israel's national security minister and extremist
settler Itamar Ben-Gvir displayed a picture of the murderer Goldstein in his
offices.
The mosque compound is holy to all three Abrahamic faiths - Judaism,
Christianity and Islam - but Israel's expansionary settler movement has for
years been keen claim the Prophet Abraham’s tomb.
Nearly thirty years on since Goldstein’s massacre at the Ibrahimi
Mosque, roughly 60 percent of the mosque compound is now accessible only for
Jewish worshippers.
Source: newarab.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newarab.com/news/dozens-israeli-flags-adorn-ibrahimi-mosque-hebron
--------
How Ramadan and Eid Advertising Is Changing Around the World
Photo: lbbonline.com/news
-----
Mon, 24 Apr 2023
The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is a key celebration in the marketing
calendar, but the way brands engage with it differs wildly depending on where
you’re sitting in the world. In countries with a Muslim majority, brands and
agencies have a well-developed and sophisticated understanding of cultural
nuances and contemporary trends. Creatives enjoy bringing together the sincere
spiritual, charitable and family-focused aspects of the festival with
technology and, where appropriate, a sense of playfulness.
In other parts of the world, Ramadan and connecting with Muslim
consumers throughout the year is something that is relatively new to brands and
creative agencies. And that marketing is evolving to fit the specific cultural
contexts.
First, to understand the opportunities and potential pathways for
brands, it’s worth getting a handle of Ramadan marketing at its most cutting
edge. For that you need to look to markets with large Muslim populations - for
example across the MENA region in countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt
and Lebanon you’ll find rich emotional storytelling, humour and incredibly
smart tech and data-driven experiences and innovations (check out the 2023
Ramadan trends from the MENA region here).
Equally, South East Asia is another part of the world where you can find
brands competing to stand out in the busiest shopping period of the year. While
the tried and tested formulas of sentimental TV ads have become an annual
highlight, marketers are finding they’re having to refresh their approach and
innovate in the face of demanding gen Z.
By contrast, in non-Muslim majority countries like the UK, Australia and
the USA, Ramadan and Eid-related marketing is still a developing phenomenon,
that’s just starting to scrape the surface.
Indonesia
In Indonesia, it doesn’t get bigger for marketers than Ramadan. While it
is a secular country, it is the most
populous Muslim-majority country and home to over 230 million followers.
To say that Ramadan is a colossal time for Indonesian businesses would
be an understatement, as Ajay Tawde, head of experience at Ogilvy Indonesia
points out. “Every year the impact of Ramadan on the Indonesian economy is
significant. The Indonesian government estimates that Ramadan-related spending
accounts for up to 2% of the country’s GDP. Mudik (home-coming) is a
mass-migration when Indonesians travel to their hometowns for Idul Fitri (Eid).
In 2023, the Indonesian government estimates, 27 million private cars and 25
private motorcycles will be used for Mudik,” he says. “The Indonesian Ramadan is
not only a time of spiritual reflection but also an essential economic event
for the country. The grand festivities and increased consumer spending during
Ramadan highlight the significance of this month in Indonesia.”
To really comprehend the surge in spending during this time of year
there’s one thing you need to know: employers are mandated by the government to
pay people extra, dispensing a Religious Holiday Allowance (Tunjangan Hari
Raya). So there’s literally more money in everyone’s pocket.
Small wonder, then, that it’s the time of year where marketers and
agencies pull out their biggest and most impressive TV ads. TV is also popular
in the evening, when families are breaking their fast together.
“TV is still a prominent medium during Ramadan and the prime hours are
before dusk and before dawn,” explains Khaira Chandra, senior strategist at
Wunderman Thompson Indonesia. “During this time, TV is used to alert viewers to
the call of prayer to signify the time to break the fast at dusk, and as a companion
while suhoor, the meal before the dawn before the fast, starts.”
“Television commercials during Ramadan are equivalent to Super Bowl ads,
where marketers dedicate a big portion of their advertising and promotional
spend on that one significant event,” says
Joseph Tan, CEO of Romp, part of Accenture Song. “During this season,
most brands from every category, including state-owned enterprises, would be
actively propagating messages of forgiveness, reflection and family
togetherness in their marketing effort. Typically, food, beverages, snack and
telco would be the more prominent categories considering the ritual of sahur
(meal before fasting), the time leading to break-fasting and meal consumption
during break-fast itself. Returning to hometown for Lebaran in a brand-new
motorcycle or car speaks volumes of one’s progress; hence automotive has a
considerable share of marketing presence to help attain those aspirations.”
Romp, part of Accenture Song’s Hari Raya campaign for Telkomsel, the
largest telco provider in Indonesia, where we showcased how Telkomsel can help
forge kinship not just at your destination with family but also with strangers
during the journey.
Over the years, brands have become an integral part of the annual
celebrations. Both Ajay Tawde and Khaira Chandra say that flavoured syrup brand
Marjan’s annual ad is the campaign that truly signals that Ramadan has arrived.
“Marjan always brings alive the spirit of Ramadan across Indonesia by
staying to the message that Ramadan is more joyful when you share it with
others. Their communication has used a beautiful fusion of Indonesian folklore
modernised for the challenges faced by Indonesian Muslims during Ramadan
today,” says Ajay.
“There is a popular saying of, ‘if you stumble upon new Marjan videos
and see Marjan start to get prominent display in supermarkets, then you know
it’s approaching Ramadan’,” agrees Khaira.
Other brands that are known for their Ramadan marketing include tea
brand Teh Botol Sosro whose ‘90s slogan ‘Berbuka Dengan Yang Manis’ (‘Break
your fast with the sweet one’) is still popular today. Khong Guan biscuit brand
is another that viewers look forward to.
Covid-19 has cast a long shadow over the past few years’ Ramadan
celebrations - this year, with restrictions finally more or less lifted,
there's been a real excitement around a real reunion.
“Most Muslims are excited about the much anticipated in-person family
reunion this Eid as covid domestic travel restrictions were in place for the
past two years,” says Joseph Tan. ”Hence brands would be eager to leverage this
and promote how their products or services would be significant or able to
enhance these monumental moments. More importantly, we believe that Mudik (the
quintessential trip back to one’s hometown) would be the contextual focal point
for most brands this year.
However, that’s not to say that consumers will be carelessly spending.
Still reeling from the impact of covid, and with a wary eye on the choppy
global economy, many consumers are keen to make sure they don’t fritter away
their THR allowance, as Ajay at Ogilvy explains.
“The last three years covid-19 changed not just life during Ramadan but
also how Ramadan was celebrated. In the past few years, while Ramadan was muted
due to movement, restrictions and uncertainty it was still imbued with hope and
optimism,” says Ajay. “While covid-19 might not be as big a caution during
Ramadan 2023, there is on-going volatility in consumer minds due to inflation,
war, layoffs, and the possibility of recession,” they say. “Ramadan brings
along THR (Tunjangan Hari Raya) a festive bonus given to all employees often
called 13th month salary. THR empowers consumers to participate in celebrations
and festivities. However, consumers are preparing to take some calculated
measure to ensure they do not splurge uncontrollably.”
Indeed, in their recent research into how Indonesia’s gen Z feel about
Ramadan, M&C Saatchi found that young people would prefer to save money and
spend on second hand fashions. If ‘deinfluencing’ has really hit Ramadan,
brands should take note.
“I think what surprised us was how pragmatic they are in the way they
are looking at life,” says Anish Daryani, founder and president director at
M&C Saatchi Indonesia. “They know things aren't easy, they know things are
getting tougher. So when we heard they wanted to cut their spending by 75%,
that was a bit of a shock. A lot of them said they wouldn't shop at all.”
More generally, as businesses race to shoehorn their brands and products
into Ramadan, there’s also increasing scepticism about authenticity,
particularly brands that make overblown use of the word ‘halal’ to describe
their goods on the shonkiest of premises.
Moreover, socially aware young people with gen Z’s sense of justice are
scrutinising brands’ credentials. Charitable giving is a key tenet of Ramadan
and an important value for Indonesia's youth. Smart brands are adapting and
figuring out how to communicate more authentically.
“Brands feel the need to be a little bit more genuine, especially when
they're trying to connect with the younger audiences, because they can really
see through the facade,” says Anish.” And so therefore, there is an attempt to
try not to exaggerate or try to be a little bit more genuine in the message
that they want to send out. So fundamentally, the messaging remains the same,
that doesn't change, the sense of Ramadan remains the same. But the way it’s
being delivered is evolving, it is more contemporary, it's more thought
provoking, and aligned to social causes, aligned to solving societal problems.”
Brands are also shifting in accordance with gen Z habits, showing up
beyond the traditional TV ads on platforms like TikTok. Trends like shop
streaming are also proving to be hugely popular.
“Since putting ads on TV during Ramadan is very costly, brands get
creative on digital,” says Khaira at Wunderman Thompson. “For example, there is
a rising trend of using TikTok Shops live stream to engage directly with
audiences. Scrolling TikTok and watching the live stream can be an activity to
kill time – and sometimes when a brand or a seller’s account has reached a
certain number of viewers, TikTok will give a random discount making viewers
anticipate the drastic and sudden discount. This further enhances the
popularity of TikTok Shops in Indonesia.”
Indeed, Tiktok in particular sees a surge of shoppers around Ramadan as
Ajay explains. “Live shopping via marketplaces (Lazada, Shopee, Tokopedia) as
well as TikTok has become extremely popular during Ramadan in Indonesia. The
popularity shows an ongoing re-orientation of a transactional e-commerce
shopper to a more involved ‘consumer’. TokopediaPlay (the livestreaming
platform of the ecommerce marketplace) saw a seven times increase in total live
streaming views during the month of Ramadan. Ngabuburit (leisure time prior to
breaking fast) especially has become an important period of live shopping. In
2021 TikTok debuted its livestreaming function on the first full day of
Ramadan. In 2022 an internal study by the platform revealed that 67% of TikTok
users shopped more during Ramadan.”
Indonesia during Ramadan can be hot and humid, and the countdown to
Iftar can try people’s patience - and that’s led to one really curious
behavioural trend. People are turning to gaming to while away the minutes.
“Gaming has become very popular during that time, so it helps them if they're
really hungry, and they're starving and impatient for the fast to break. Mobile
gaming has emerged as a sort of the distractor to be able to focus attention
also,” says Anish.
It’s not just tech and gen Z tastes that’s changing up Ramadan
advertising in Indonesia, there’s also an evolution in the way women are
portrayed. That, says Khaira at Wunderman Thompson, is something to be really
optimistic about. “There has been progress in women empowerment. The past few
years have seen brands communicating how the role of women is changing, and
they need not follow societal expectations fully. Since Eid is the time for
families to reunite, often women face questions around their single lives, whether
they will get married or when they will have kids. Olay Indonesia used their
platform to launch a campaign, #LiveWithoutLines, that shows how Indonesian
women can answer these questions. “
Malaysia
In Malaysia, Islam is the national religion so Ramadan and Eid are a
huge celebration, even for non-Muslims. Munas Van Boonstra is managing director
at Media.Monks Malaysia and she says that it’s the busiest retail period of the
year, with consumers spending more than at any other time. On the one hand,
there are the festive necessities - food, kitchenware and fashion - but there’s
also a push on big ticket items like TVs, appliances, cars and motorcycles and
home furnishings.
“Therefore, media spends for brands and industries during this massive
retail window is much higher than usual and for some brands would be the
highest in the year. Malaysia is expecting higher spending this year since the
start of the pandemic in 2020,” says Munas.
Competition is fierce and, says Munas, brands are pushing hard on
digital and social channels. “Brands have to invest into multiple video formats
across multiple platforms, engage content creators, personalisation at scale
and look into shoppertainment,” says Munas, who also says that brands need to
adapt to consumer expectations. “Marketers should consider bundles and packages
as consumers look for them.”
However, big brand TVCs are a central part of the mix for Ramadan and
Eid. Every year, Malaysia looks forward to rich, long-format storytelling ads
from organisations like Watsons, TNB (the country’s electricity board), and
Petronas as well as numerous FMCG and financial sector brands.Munas was
involved in this 2021 campaign for Malaysian telecomms company Maxis. The
campaign, Raya Si Sakan #NikmatRayaBersama saw them turn their prime festive
adspace into a space for small enterprises to promote their products and
services.
“The brand storytelling ranges from religious, heartwarming,
highlighting the less fortunate, encouragement of charitable acts and directing
communities towards good deeds to comedy,” says Munas.
There’s one ad that’s risen above the rest as the mainstay of the
season: the campaigns from Malaysian business leader and so-called King of
Dates Yusuf Taiyoob. His distinct breathy voiceovers have become iconic.
“Yusuf Taiyoob’s iconic whisper ad literally signals to Malaysians year
on year that it’s Ramadan time!” laughs Munas.
It’s also a time of year that frees brands up to connect with consumers
in a different way. “This is the season where we see a lot of sentimental and
emotional marketing with a higher than usual focus on charitable giving,” says
Munas. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to drive an empathic side of their brand
instead of potentially the usual sales-driven messaging.”
That being said, consumers are increasingly scrutinising brands’
activity to ensure they are truly lining up with the values they espouse during
the Holy Month. “Brands need to ensure that their Ramadan marketing campaigns
are authentic and aligned with their brand values. Consumers are increasingly
looking for brands that are genuine, so brands need to avoid appearing
opportunistic or insincere. I have seen brands force feeding their brand house
messaging.”
UK
Nearly 7% of the UK population is Muslim - according to the most recent
UK census that’s 3.87 million people - and more businesses are starting to
realise the extent of the opportunity. However, it’s fair to say that the local
marketing community is undergoing an inconsistent transition with significant
wins and a fair few cringe-inducing misses.
Arif Miah is creative strategy director of Mud Orange, a London-based
creative agency that works across fashion and food to finance, creating
impactful campaigns that are deeply rooted in contemporary culture and
authentically engage multicultural audiences. As he points out, Ramadan and Eid
are catalysts for a bustling seasonal economy.
“In Piccadilly Circus, London, ‘Happy Ramadan’ lights were switched on
to mark the start of Ramadan and will remain in place until Eid. As Muslims fast during the day, there is a
huge Ramadan economy that’s bustling across the 30 nights as people visit
mosques, eat out with friends, play sports, go to the gym and more to make the
most of non-fasting hours. You just have to visit a Muslim prominent area to
see the lively vibe as communities come together to celebrate. “
Historically, the biggest and most active advertisers in the UK around
Ramadan have been Muslim charities. “Ramadan is the Super Bowl for British
charity giving, as British Muslims are expected to donate £60 every single
second across the month. So, there’s loads of advertising from charities and
donation platforms to raise money, with promises of 100% donation policies to
attract donors during this charity giving season,” says Arif.
His agency Mud Orange worked with Givematch, the donation-matching tech
platform, to launch its first ever Ramadan campaign to give British Muslims a
smart, social and fun way to fulfil their charity goals. “To stand out against
the charity congestion, we tapped into the need to achieve ‘more’ during
Ramadan. We found that during Ramadan, life goes on steroids as there’s more
getting together with friends and family, more prayers, more giving, more
blessings, and ironically more food! So we produced the campaign ‘Moment for
more’, which doubles down on this cultural insight, showing that British
Muslims can supersize their Ramadan through Givematch. The creative uses
language and terms synonymous with Ramadan giving such as Donation Policies,
Zakat & Sadaqah, but flips it on its head to flaunt the power of donation
matching - injecting a fun tech flavour to disrupt the outdated approach most
charities take during the season.”
This year, brands have stepped up with campaigns that seek to strike a
chord with British Muslims. Uber Eats’ Iftar Incoming activity playfully
acknowledges the temporal nature of fasting. Adidas has teamed up with Muslim
hikers to launch a prayer mat that makes the great outdoors more accessible to
Muslims. But perhaps the biggest mainstream brand to engage with Ramadan at the
widest scale is supermarket Tesco.
Last year Tesco grabbed headlines with an outdoor campaign centred on
Iftar, the evening meal that signifies the end of the fast. Their huge digital
billboards filled up as evening drew nearer. This year Tesco has gone further
with a huge campaign centred on a Ramadan-specific TVC that focuses on the
wonder of the festival. For the ‘Together This Ramadan’ work, creative agency
BBH worked with strategic diversity and inclusion consultancy The
Unmistakables, as well as collaborating with Tesco’s own Muslim colleague
network.
That research is paying off and enabling work that resonates. “It's
great to see that brands have educated themselves to create campaigns
showcasing the true meaning of Ramadan,” says Fida Khalid, social media &
marketing manager at Untold Fable, UK. “Contrary to popular belief, Ramadan is
the best month of our year. We can’t wait for it to come and never want it to
end when it does. You wouldn’t think that depriving ourselves of food and water
would make us so utterly happy. We don’t care to fill the emptiness in our
stomachs, but rather the emptiness in our hearts and souls from trying to be
the best Muslims we can be, even if it’s just for 30 days, and to see brands illustrate
the beauty of this is just heartwarming.”
It’s perhaps unsurprising that it’s supermarkets like Tesco that have
taken the lead - even before these big mass campaigns, with Eid aisles and
such. As Arif points out, the extended period of feasting is unlike any other
festival in the UK.
“Supermarkets have led the way over the last 10 years with their Ramadan
aisles. Unlike what most will assume, fasting during the day means feasting
during the night – it’s like 30 Christmas dinners!” he emphasises. “So
Supermarkets dedicate a seasonal aisle dedicated to Ramadan, and although the
range of products are pretty stereotypical and don’t acknowledge trends in
Ramadan cooking, supermarkets have consistently served British Muslims well.
Fida is keen to work on a Ramadan campaign - pointing out Untold Fable’s
diverse talent network - but as an observer, she too has largely noticed the
advertising from supermarkets and charities. “The only brands I’ve ever seen
taking a role in Ramadan have been Muslim charities or supermarket brands.
Looking back at marketing efforts within the UK, Tesco has always been at the
forefront of Ramadan marketing in the UK, taking the initiative to get involved
annually with Ramadan campaigns stretching back a good few years. I believe
their efforts come from their rewards. By tapping into a lucrative consumer
need, Tesco has established a new customer base from the enormous market of
Muslim consumers within the UK, a significantly large scale audience that
brands are unaware of as Muslims contribute millions towards sales, such as the
£200 million spent on goods during the 2021 Ramadan alone.”
Outside of the supermarket and food space, other sectors are starting to
get in on the action, though it has largely been a fairly narrow and limited
affair. “More recently, fashion and beauty brands have played a role during
Ramadan, from The Body Shop Eid gift sets, MAC cosmetics' Ramadan range,
H&M’s modest collection, to ASOS Ramadan Edits. Throughout the month there
is a continuous ‘hum’ of brand activity, but the vast majority of brand
activity is isolated to their own channels such as in-store fixtures, website
tabs or email blasts,” says Arif. “Whilst activity is rising year on year,
Ramadan and Eid is still yet to be acknowledged as a brand moment which results
in the lack of creative attention.”
Fida agrees. The brands that are engaging represent small pinpricks in a
largely apathetic media landscape. “Personally, I don’t think there is a strong
presence of Ramadan or Eid in the UK,” she says. “Maybe it’s a lack of general
education or media coverage, but I always have to remind the non-muslims around
me that it’s Ramadan.”
Nonetheless there have been significant shifts in the Ramadan marketing
landscape. For one thing, Arif says there's a growing understanding of the true
meaning and significance. of Ramadan. “It’s been great to see brands start to
recognise Ramadan as an Islamic month rather than a month for ‘Asians &
Arabs’. For far too long Ramadan has been visualised by dangling lanterns and
samosas (not even a joke). Today, we see brands trying to engage the Muslim
experience by tapping into quirky cultural insights that are beneath the
surface.”
Another welcome shift is that international brands are starting to
understand British Muslim culture and experience as distinct and unique. “It’s
great to see a concerted effort to produce localised creative ideas. For a long
time, campaigns and executions have been imported from the Middle East which
fall flat and go viral for all the wrong reasons (see MAC makeup mishap). Even
though there’s still very shallow activity, it’s great to see brands starting
to have the British Muslim experience in mind.”
However, there’s still a lot of progress to be made and for every brand
that makes an effort to engage with Muslim creators and experts and takes the
time to make a meaningful connection, there are brands that see nothing but ‘£’
signs. Perhaps the most egregious example this year is fast fashion brand
Pretty Little Thing, which has been heavily criticised for selling skimpy
sleepwear and revealing dresses under its Ramadan edit.
“Like come on, front plunge sleepwear for Ramadan?” laughs Arif.
“Marketing teams need to work with creative partners that understand the
cultural moment and how your brand can best play a role across all
touchpoints.”
Brands and businesses in the UK are very much in the foothills when it
comes to Ramadan and Eid - Arif can’t wait for marketers to get past the sense
of novelty. “Although there’s been some
good progress, the campaigns we see this year are fixated on the cultural
nuances without considering the cultural experience. So whilst it’s attracted
attention from the marketing community, it doesn't really add any value or
creative connection with British Muslims. There’s almost a fetishisation around
food and time with basic execution which doesn’t excite British Muslims. Whilst
Ramadan is a time to connect with God, it’s also a time for togetherness,
community, rejuvenation and resolution – it’s like Christmas and New year all
in one. It will be great to see fully fledged campaigns that champions the
essence of Ramadan beyond the cultural quirks that others find interesting.”
Australia
In Australia, Ramadan is a festival that’s growing in significance and
major brands are starting to pay attention. In the most recent Australian
census, 813,392 people identified themselves as being part of the Islamic
faith, which is 3.2% of the population. That number is a 34.6% increase on the
previous census.
“There is a large and growing community for whom this is the most
important time on their cultural calendar. And increasingly, organisations,
brands, and audiences recognise this every year and embrace the traditions and
engagement opportunities that Ramadan and Eid provide,” says Lou Petrolo,
managing partner at Etcom, WPP Australia’s multicultural communications agency.
As more organisations focus on diversity and inclusion, and brands are
becoming more open with their involvement, it’s becoming seen as less of niche
interest and more as an exciting opportunity to connect.
“Major brands are being more overt and open with their involvement in
Ramadan. Ramadan is now often part of their communications strategy, and they
are publicising their involvement and promoting their products and services
beyond channels that only speak to the Islamic community. More and more brands
are looking to showcase their offering to the community through Ramadan and EID
events,” says Lou.
However CultureVerse is a multicultural communications and engagement
business (part of the Think HQ group). Jessica Billimoria (head of
CultureVerse), Farida Sharifi (senior community engagement coordinator) and
Nicolas Ojeda Amador (localisation & production executive) note that this
engagement isn’t universal and that Ramadan activity isn’t as prominent as
other cultural festivals and events throughout the year. “The most noticeable
brands taking a role in Ramadan are major supermarkets. Then we tend to see
many smaller retailers and restaurants tying their marketing approach with
Ramadan and Eid. It’s actually surprising that Kmart hasn’t jumped on board!”
they say. “However, perhaps given this celebration is so connected to faith and
religious practices we wonder if brands are more hesitant to leverage it as a
marketing opportunity compared to something like Lunar New Year?”
Lou points to the incredibly popular Ramadan Nights cultural celebration
in the Sydney neighbourhood of Lakemba. In 2022, it attracted over 1.2 million
people - more than the Muslim population of the country - and it’s predicted
that this year’s outing will be even more popular. It’s something that the
CultureVerse team has evolved from an informal gathering to a more organised
festival.
“While some people feel it’s lost its roots as a Muslim event,
CultureVerse’s senior community engagement coordinators first experienced the
market in March this year and felt it took her back to her childhood and the
buzz of Ramadan she experienced in Pakistan,” they say.
CultureVerse highlights that there’s more exciting and relevant media
platforming stories around Ramadan. “New ideas like the new podcast ‘My Ramadan’ by SBS which features well-known
Muslim personalities and everyday Australians sharing their experiences of
Ramadan and Eid. It builds understanding in an engaging and accessible way,
about what this celebration is and how things are changing.”
There are plenty of examples of big brands stepping up. Etcom has worked
with Woolworths, who acknowledge Ramadan by including more fresh fruit and
other product lines like dates and dried fruits, which are traditionally used
to break fast. They also supply free water to communities via mosques. They’ve
also worked with MoneyGram, who activate incentives and special offers to help
the community in sending money to loved ones overseas. Major retail and leisure
brand Westfield extends its trading hours at shopping centres to allow Muslims
to shop and eat before sunrise and into the evening during the festival.
Meta Australia has been celebrating Ramadan with a range of initiatives,
joining forces with Muslim creators and organisations, who will be sharing
their experiences across platforms like Facebook and Instagram. KitKat is also
promoting its Ramadan gift boxes to Australian customers, and in recent years
major local advertiser Meat and Livestock Australia has stepped into marketing
lamb during Ramadan, focusing on the great supply of very fresh and Halal red
meat available in Australia.
One of Culture Verse’s biggest projects is around creating supportive
driver safety campaigns that remind fasting drivers to take precautions. “We
tend to work with a lot of government clients, and we’re seeing road safety
messaging connected to Ramadan and targeted to communities who are fasting
during this time. Driver fatigue connected to fasting has played a role in road
accidents and deaths in the past, so we’ve worked on proactive messaging in
English and additional languages, with bespoke and culturally-tailored visuals
to bring a reminder about road safety and fatigue to communities at risk.”
From Lou’s perspective, it’s not enough for brands to just dash out some
‘Ramadan Mubarak’ messaging. “Brands must authentically engage with communities
before, during and after the month to build trust, credibility and loyalty
among the audience. Brands that show accurate cultural understanding and a
commitment to the community are the ones that establish prominence, affinity
and longevity with the Islamic community.
USA
hen it comes to Ramadan and Eid, it’s instructive to compare the USA
with the UK. Both countries have a similarly-sized Muslim population - in
America 3.45 million people follow Islam according to the Pew Research centre.
However, retail brands are only starting to dip their toes in the water with
Eid collections - a recent Associated Press report revealed that Target and
Party City have been featuring Ramadan goods in store, while Walmart’s
collection only has a presence online. Mainstream, above the line campaigns?
Not quite.
There are a few possible reasons for that. While in real terms, the
Muslim community is sizeable, it still represents just 1.1% of the population.
Moreover, many Muslims in the USA are recent immigrants, with 58% of Muslims
over the age of 18 in the USA born overseas.
W. Sky Downing is VP strategy director at Hero Collective and she’s an
American adlander who has had the opportunity to see the potential for Ramadan
up close, having worked in the MENA region for four years on brands like
Infiniti, UNHCR (United Nations), Nido, Kit Kat, Canon, and Lux.
“I worked with the UNHCR in Lebanon during the Syrian refugee crisis,
which was an eye-opening experience,” she recalls. “One of the projects I
worked on was how to expand the giving season of Ramadan beyond the 30 days and
keep the donations coming in throughout the year. I helped with their
storytelling strategy and how to capture content, encouraging them not just to
document the tragedies that were happening and why the money was needed, but to
follow stories that showed where the money was going and how it changed
people’s lives.”
However, W. Sky believes that brands in the USA are hesitant and yet to
truly engage with the Muslim community as a significant part of American
culture. She notes that racial and religious discrimination still
disproportionately impacts American Muslims.
“I would be remiss not to acknowledge the history of anti-muslim
sentiment in the United States and the legacy it still leaves today. According
to a recent Gallup poll, Muslims (48%) are more likely than Americans of other
major religious groups to say they, personally, have experienced racial or
religious discrimination in the past year,” she says.
“For improvement to be noted, I think brands have to start accepting
that Muslim populations are a vital part of the US population that has been
historically under-acknowledged. I believe many American brands are unsure how
to approach or remedy this in a meaningful way. The first step, though, begins
with learning and understanding.
“For many looking from the outside, the perception of Ramadan is that
those of Muslim descent are simply fasting for a 30-day period, not far off
what some may do for Lent. However, there is more to it than just fasting. The
observance of Ramadan has the ability to teach us love, humility, and patience.
And in turn, I learned that there was so much to learn and celebrate, even for
those who may not be Muslim or observe this moment each year. So, as we face a
cultural evolution of inclusivity, I can’t help but think about how US brands
(as well as consumers) can lean into the spirit of the Ramadan season and
create a genuine engagement experience that is reflective of the Muslim
experience.”
Source: lbbonline.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.lbbonline.com/news/how-ramadan-and-eid-advertising-is-changing-around-the-world
--------
North America
Bills would add Muslim, Sikh, Asian holidays to state holiday calendar
April 24, 2023
A set of bills introduced in the state House would add Muslim, Hindu,
Sikh and Asian holidays to Michigan’s official calendar.
The new holidays would be Diwali, Vaisakhi, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and
the Lunar New Year.
State Representative Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) is one of the
sponsors. He is Muslim and said the roster of sponsors showcases the state’s
ethnic and religious diversity.
“This is the byproduct of a reflective democracy when you have people
that are elected that come from these backgrounds or understand that lived
experience,” he said. “This is the power and the product of when you have
people that come from these communities in the halls of power.”
Aiyash said official recognition of these holidays would also make it
easier for workers and school districts to arrange time off. “And this is a
great first step to begin the conversations of giving folks the opportunity to
then discuss with their workplaces, their schools about giving them time off to
celebrate their holidays,” Aiyash told Michigan Public Radio.
The legislation would not mandate days off, but school boards, public
universities, community colleges and public employers could take those
religious celebrations into account when setting academic calendars and in
contract bargaining.
Michigan currently has 12 officially recognized holidays, including
Christmas Eve and Christmas. The others are Thanksgiving and the adjacent
Friday , New Years Eve and New Years Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day,
President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th , and Labor Day. Election
Day is also recognized as a holiday in even-numbers years.
Source: michiganradio.org
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.michiganradio.org/arts-life/2023-04-24/bills-would-add-muslim-sikh-asian-holidays-to-state-holiday-calendar
--------
Crimes in Paterson's Muslim community open discussion about mental
health stigma
Hannan Adely
NorthJersey.com
Two troubling incidents in Paterson — an imam stabbed during a prayer
service and the smearing of feces on the letters “Allah” in a school sign —
have sparked conversations about mental health care in the Muslim community.
In both recent cases, the suspects were from Muslim backgrounds and had
exhibited alarming behavior. Serif Zorba, of Paterson, has been charged with
attempted murder in the stabbing attack. Mohamed Bekheet, of Clifton, was
charged with bias intimidation and criminal mischief for allegedly defacing the
Dr. Hani Awadallah sign.
In the aftermath of the crimes, there was speculation about why —
whether the men had vendettas, were Islamophobic or had mental health issues.
Whatever the reason, Selaedin Maksut, executive director of the New Jersey
chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said it was a critical
reminder of the need for greater awareness around mental health issues.
“It is a reality we cannot ignore,” he said. “Although it’s something
culturally we have shied away from, it’s necessary we have these conversations.
We see this in Paterson. If we care for the souls who walk our streets, we
should provide resources to them, the same way we provide food or shelter.”
For Muslims, social and cultural stigma may pose a barrier for
individuals who need help, but that is starting to shift as more organizations
reach out to communities to let them know that mental health care is available
and is compatible with the Islamic belief system.
Mosque stabbing, sign defacement spur discussion
On April 9, Zorba allegedly lunged at Imam Sayed Elnakib during early
morning prayer, stabbing him twice before he was subdued by worshippers. Zorba,
32, disagreed with the mosque and its leader for collecting money in the “name
of Islam,” according to a police affidavit.
Zorba raised alarm at a nearby mosque days earlier when he remained
bowed in prayers, with a scarf over his face and head, unmoving for 90 minutes
and questioned the imam about why he wore a tie — falsely claiming Islam
doesn’t allow it.
A Passaic County judge ordered a psychological evaluation for Zorba. The
imam is recovering from two stab wounds that punctured a lung, said mosque
President Abdul Hamdan.
The day before the stabbing, Mohamad Bekheet, 32, was arrested for
allegedly smearing feces on the sign in front of Dr. Hani Awadallah School, a
K-8 building on Marshall Street in Paterson. He blocked out the word “Allah,”
which means "God" in Arabic.
On his Facebook page, Bekheet shared in now-deleted posts photographs of
the defaced sign and of a torn Quran, the Muslim holy book, lying on the floor
in what appeared to be feces. According to state records, Bekheet is a licensed
marriage and family therapist.
Stigma in the Muslim community
Suzy Ismail, founding director of Princeton-based Cornerstone Counseling
Marriage and Family Intervention, stressed that there is no single type of
person who might struggle with mental health. She educates people at workshops
and wellness events at mosques throughout New Jersey about identifying signs of
illness and using preventive techniques.
But obstacles persist. Some Muslims may want to keep such problems
hidden, fearing that they would reflect badly on the family. Others believe
psychiatry is a Western invention. Among Muslims, there is also a notion that
problems can be solved through prayer and faith alone.
But faith and mental health care are not mutually exclusive. In fact,
Muslims pioneered humane treatment of mental health conditions during the
Islamic Golden Age, a period of scientific, economic and cultural advancement
from around the eighth century to the 13th century.
Mental health in Islamic history
Mental health was emphasized by early Islamic scholars, who were among
the first people to discuss the concept of talk therapy, Dr. Rania Awaad, a
clinical associate professor of psychology at Stanford University School of
Medicine, said during a workshop in Paterson in November.
Speaking at the Islamic Center of Passaic County, Awaad said scholars
urged people to take care of “mind, body and soul.”
They viewed mental disorders as medical conditions and not something
caused by an outside malevolent force — a common belief in Europe at the time.
Pioneers in modern medicine, Muslims set up the first mental hospitals as early
as the eighth century, using humane treatments and supports for the patient.
At the workshop, called "Understanding Mental Health Needs in the
Muslim Community," Awaad also noted that some Muslims may shy away from
care because a provider isn’t familiar with their faith, culture or language.
She told them more Muslims have entered the field of mental health and can be
found via searchable provider databases online.
Muslim leaders and care providers say attitudes are changing. "I'm
not sure we'd even be in the masjid [mosque] having this conversation 10 years
ago," said Awaad, director of the Stanford Muslim Mental Health &
Islamic Psychology Lab.
Muslim therapists help faith be a part of healing
Still, some Muslims believe that prayer and faith alone are enough to
deal with mental illness. At Cornerstone Counseling, Ismail emphasizes that
faith, along with treatments and therapies, can be part of the healing.
“We work with clients from whatever faith background,” Ismail said. “We
find what motivates them, what keeps them going, what is the intrinsic factor
that makes them want to seek healing and move forward, whether that is faith or
some other element.”
Today, Cornerstone has a wait list for care as more Muslims, like other
Americans, are seeking mental health treatment, especially since the COVID
pandemic, she said.
At Cornerstone, the staff focuses on elements of community, hope and
faith to build resilience when helping clients. "What helps people through
a crisis is feeling that there is something better or something more,"
Ismail said.
Source: www.app.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.app.com/story/news/2023/04/25/muslim-mental-health-islamic-therapy-support/70139291007/
--------
Authorities investigating 2 mosque fires in consecutive days in
Minneapolis
April 25, 2023
Emergency crews have responded to fires at two mosques in south
Minneapolis over the past two days, and authorities are asking for help
identifying a man believed to be involved in one of the fires.
According to the Minneapolis Fire Department, the first fire happened
Sunday evening at the Masjid Omar Islamic Center inside the 24 Somali Mall at
the corner of 24 Street East and Elliot Avenue South. Mosque security had put
out a trash fire in a bathroom before firefighters could arrive.
The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR-MN) said a man went into the mosque with flammable liquid and started the
fire. The organization issued a photo of the fire which shows a gas can and
some charred debris inside a bathroom stall.
In a statement, CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein says he wants
the incident to be investigated as a potential bias-motivated crime.
“If not for the actions of the worshipers, this disturbing incident
could have resulted in injuries or even deaths,” Hussein wrote. “We thank fire
and law enforcement officials for their response and hope that a motive for this
arson attack at a house of worship may be determined. Given past incidents
targeting state mosques and Islamic institutions, we urge law enforcement
authorities to investigate a possible bias motive for this crime.”
Minneapolis police put out a call for help identifying a suspect
believed to be involved in Sunday’s fire, releasing the photos below:
On Monday, Minneapolis firefighters responded to another fire near 27th
Street East and Bloomington Avenue. The fire department said smoke was showing
from the roof of the three-story Mercy Islamic Center.
Crews found a fire on the top floor and evacuated the building; several
people, including children, were on the second floor, the fire department said.
The fire was extinguished without spreading to other floors, and the building’s
structure was not compromised.
No injuries were reported in either fire.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS asked the Minneapolis Police Department if they’re
examining any link between the two fires but has yet to receive a response.
Source: kstp.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/authorities-investigating-2-mosque-fires-in-consecutive-days-in-minneapolis/
--------
Southeast Asia
Indian-Origin Malaysian Jailed For Smuggling Animals In Singapore
April 25, 2023
Indians Abroad
Singapore: A 36-year-old
Indian-origin Malaysian was sentenced to 12 months in prison for smuggling 26
puppies and a cat in laundry bags from Malaysia to Singapore, media reports
said.
Describing the case as "one of the most serious cases of animal
smuggling to date", the National Parks Board (NParks) said one puppy was
found dead and 18 subsequently died from canine parvovirus infection, Channel
News Asia reported on Monday.
Gobysuwaran Paraman Sivan was sentenced to prison for illegally
importing pet animals without a licence and causing the animals unnecessary
pain and suffering in the process, the report said.
He smuggled 26 puppies and one cat in a lorry from Malaysia on October
18, 2022.
Immigration officers at Tuas Checkpoint, on the Singapore side of the
bridge link with southern Peninsular Malaysia, stopped a Malaysian-registered
lorry and found the 27 pets hidden in various compartments of the lorry,
according to NParks.
Officers found some animals confined in laundry bags and stowed away in
the vehicle's overhead compartment.
Other animals were packed behind the driver and passenger seats in
plastic containers, the report added.
"Had these puppies been sold, canine parvovirus might have spread
to other dogs in the community," said NParks.
Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious and relatively common cause of
acute, infectious gastrointestinal illness in young, unvaccinated dogs.
Source: ndtv.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.ndtv.com/indians-abroad/indian-origin-malaysian-jailed-for-smuggling-animals-in-singapore-3976425
--------
Vikram Singh appointed CEO of Citi Malaysia
Tuesday, 25 Apr 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: Vikram Singh will take the helm as CEO of Citi Malaysia on
May 1, 2023, the financial services group said in a statement today.
VIkram will report directly to Citi South Asian and Asean head Amol
Gupte as he leads the country team of the Malaysian franchise and oversees the
Citi Solutions Centers in the country.
According to Citi, Vikram joined the group in 1999 and has 24 years of
corporate banking experience managing 18 markets in Asia Pacific.
He had held various leadership roles in India and the Philippines,
covering corporate and investment banking.
His most recent role with Citi was as head of Asia Pacific regional
account management, Global Subsidiaries Group in Singapore.
"Malaysia is a key market for Citi and has a strong institutional
franchise. Vikram's long career and experience with the firm will be invaluable
in leading the next stage of growth in a market that also supports many of our
global businesses and functions," said Gupte.
Source: thestar.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2023/04/25/vikram-singh-appointed-ceo-of-citi-malaysia
--------
Malaysia’s energy needs face Chinese pushback in South China Sea
25 Apr 2023
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – When Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
made his first official visit to China earlier this month, Chinese officials
questioned Malaysia’s oil and gas exploration within its exclusive economic
zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea.
China was concerned that state-owned energy company Petronas “carried
out a major activity at an area that is also claimed by China,” Anwar said in
response to a parliamentary question on April 4.
Anwar said he told his Chinese counterparts that Malaysia considers the
area Malaysian territory and “therefore Petronas will continue its exploration
activities there”.
The exchange highlights Beijing’s increasing efforts to pressure Kuala
Lumpur not to exploit energy resources under its control, even as Anwar looks
to deepen Sino-Malaysian ties, analysts say.
Beijing claims sovereignty over more than 90 percent of the South China
Sea via its “nine-dash line”, which cuts into the EEZs of Vietnam, the
Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.
In 2016, an international arbitration panel at The Hague ruled that
there was no legal basis for Beijing’s claims over the strategic waterway.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, countries have
special rights to exploit natural resources within their EEZ, which extends 200
nautical miles (370km) from the coastline.
“Given that it’s Anwar’s first visit to Beijing in his newfound capacity
as Prime Minister, I believe China would have found it opportune to try to
convince Malaysia to cease energy work in those concerned areas, especially off
Sarawak,” Collin Koh, a research fellow at the Singapore-based Institute of
Defence and Strategic Studies, told Al Jazeera.
Koh said Beijing is aware of Malaysia’s deep economic ties with China
and the economic leverage it is capable of using to prod Kuala Lumpur on the
issue.
China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 14 consecutive
years, with bilateral trade reaching $203.6bn in 2022.
While Anwar did not name the exploration site under dispute, he was
widely understood to be referring to the Kasawari gas field located about 200
km (124 miles) off the coast of Sarawak state in Malaysian Borneo.
Chinese vessels and aircraft have repeatedly entered waters and airspace
near the gas field in recent years, drawing protests from Kuala Lumpur.
In 2021, then Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said he
expected more Chinese vessels to enter the area “for as long as” Petronas
developed the site, which was discovered in 2011 and contains an estimated 3
trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas resources.
“Kasawari certainly gets as much pressure as any other drilling site in
the South China Sea [from Chinese ships],” Greg Polling, director of the Asia
Maritime Transparency Initiative based in Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera.
“We’ve historically seen the CCG [Chinese Coast Guard] focus on
harassing the offshore supply vessels contracted to keep rigs and drilling
ships operating,” said Polling, explaining that Chinese ships have been known
to intentionally risk collision in order to pressure companies to stop taking
contracts servicing the rigs.
Polling said that the Chinese Coast Guard disrupts operations at
Kasawari, Vietnam’s Nam Con Son gasfield and Indonesia’s Tuna gasfield because
they are the only major projects developed inside the nine-dash line.
Despite its expansive claims in the South China Sea, Beijing has said it
wishes to work with Malaysia to handle its differences through dialogue and
consultation.
Koh said Beijing and Kuala Lumpur have exercised restraint over the
issue despite their differences.
“There’s as yet nothing drastic undertaken beyond the posturing of their
maritime forces, whereas the diplomatic communications between these two
capitals have largely stayed out of public limelight — to avoid inflaming the
situation — via backchannel,” Koh said.
“China is keen to cultivate a friendly Malaysian government under Anwar,
and it’ll appear that both countries continue to emphasise the so-called ‘big
picture’ of their comprehensive relations that encompass areas of concord more
than just the South China Sea dispute.”
The richness of the Kasawari field, which Petronas CEO Tengku Muhammad
Taufik Tengku Aziz has said is big enough to ensure his company remains one of
the world’s top five exporters of liquefied natural gas, demonstrates how high
the stakes in the South China Sea have become.
Malaysia’s oil and gas industry is a major pillar of the economy,
accounting for about 20 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), according to
the Malaysian Investment Development Authority.
The Kasawari gasfield’s estimated 3 trillion cubic feet of recoverable
gas reserves alone constitute approximately 10 percent of Malaysia’s natural
gas reserves, said Yeah Kim Leng, an economics professor at Malaysia’s Sunway
University who is a member of an advisory committee to Anwar.
“Slated to begin operations this year, the oil field is therefore a key
asset to sustain the country’s oil and gas export earnings and meeting its
domestic energy needs both directly and indirectly through imports,” Yeah told
Al Jazeera.
The gas field is expected to produce up to 900 million cubic feet of gas
daily once in operation.
Petronas declined to comment on China’s activities near its operations
in the South China Sea.
A spokesperson, however, said the Kasawari development, which includes
the world’s largest carbon capture and storage project, will be crucial to the
company’s efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“Kasawari Gas Field project, off the coast of Sarawak is the beginning
of Petronas’ adoption of CCS for high carbon dioxide fields,” the spokesperson
said, adding that the project is expected to capture more than 3.3 million
metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year upon its completion in 2026.
Source: aljazeera.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2023/4/25/malaysian-energy-needs-clash-with-china-claims-in-south-china-sea
--------
Na Tok Kong temple requests extension after being evicted from Islamic
council's land
By Zarrah Morden
Tuesday, 25 Apr 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 — The Na Tok Kong temple in Taman Sri Kuching has
applied for an extension to file its defence in an eviction suit by the Federal
Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP), according to court documents.
Law Teck Wah, who represents the second and third defendants in the case
(Datuk Asai Worshippers’ Association and the Taman Sri Kuching Welfare
Association), submitted an affidavit saying that an extension of two weeks was
needed because the two defendants were unaware of the suit until the receipt of
a letter from MAIWP’s lawyers on February 23, informing them of an online
hearing on March 10.
The two defendants represented by Law are registered associations
responsible for the care and management of the temple, Law’s affidavit filed on
April 5 said.
It went on to claim that the defendants had not been presented with the
documents filed in court.
“The documents were never in the second and third defendants' records or
possession.
“Given that Na Tok Kong Temple is a house of worship visited by many
worshippers at all times, the second and third defendants are unable to
identify who the documents had been presented to,” documents sighted by Malay
Mail said.
Besides that, it claimed that all the committee members of both
associations were senior citizens who were unable to read Malay or English,
leading to difficulties in understanding the contents of the letter received
from MAIWP and delays in taking appropriate actions such as appointing a lawyer.
“The documents obtained by the second and third defendants were only
obtained once a lawyer had been appointed and a search was done through the
e-filing system,” it said.
In August last year, MAIWP’s lawyers said in a letter to the defendants
that the land the temple was situated on belonged to the Islamic council and
that the temple had been built without permission.
“Following that, we have been instructed by MAIWP to demand all
residents and parties residing on the real estate give vacant possession of the
said real estate to MAIWP in good and orderly condition with all buildings and
construction that have been built without MAIWP's permission, agreement or
approval to be completely demolished and removed,” the letter said.
In a supporting affidavit sworn by MAIWP’s legal unit manager Wan Mohd
Sanusi Mohd Noor, he claimed that the real estate was subject to conditions
that it be used only as the site for a surau and other activities related to
the Islamic faith.
He said that MAIWP had suggested the building of a surau on the land for
Muslim residents of Taman Sri Kuching, following requests from residents.
“However, the plaintiff was unable to do so because it was found that
there was already a house of worship, which is a Buddhist temple, that had been
built on the land without the permission or approval of the plaintiff,” the
affidavit said.
Despite the description, the temple is not Buddhist. Na Tok Kong, also
called “Datuk Kong” or "Datuk Keramat", is a Chinese guardian deity
that has roots in both the Taoist ancestral worship and the pre-Islam Malay
practice of guardian spirit worship.
A Datuk Kong idol is usually depicted wearing the Malay headgear of
songkok, with items from the Malay culture decorating the shrine — sarong, baju
Melayu, rattan cane, Jawi script, ornaments for the Aidilfitri celebration, or
keris.
The other defendants in the suit are the temple itself, residents of the
temple, and all people residing on the land.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/04/25/na-tok-kong-temple-requests-extension-after-being-evicted-from-islamic-councils-land/66286
--------
Mideast
Israeli Troops Strom Al-Aqsa’s Bab Al-Rahma, Ban Call to Prayer
24 April, 2023
Israeli occupation troops stormed Monday, April 24, 2023, the Bab
Al-Rahma (Gate of Mercy) chapel in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and confiscated
many of its contents.
Palestinian eyewitnesses said that Israeli troops stormed the vicinity
of Bab Al-Rahma and deployed “at the upper door, the main door, and inside the
chapel,” and prevented the Palestinian worshipers from being inside and around
the chapel.
The witnesses added that the Israeli forces confiscated fans, lights,
electric cables and headphones from inside the chapel.
Local Palestinian sources reported that the Israeli occupation forces
banned the call to Al-Ishaa prayer in Al-Aqsa Mosque, under the pretext that
there were Jewish celebrations in Al-Buraq Square adjacent to the mosque.
On Saturday morning, the second day of Eid Al-Fitr, the occupation
forces stormed the Bab al-Rahma chapel, took off the electricity cables, and
broke the fans and lights. In the evening, the electric cables inside the
chapel were repaired.
Source: daysofpalestine.ps
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://daysofpalestine.ps/israeli-troops-strom-bab-al-rahma-in-al-aqsa-mosque-ban-call-to-prayer/
--------
OIC, Arab League Decry Israeli Assaults on Muslim, Christian Sanctities
in Al-Quds
2023-April-24
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab
League strongly condemned the Israeli regime’s escalations and repeated
assaults on sacred Muslim and Christian sites in the occupied Old City of
Al-Quds, particularly the recent incursion into a prayer area at the Al-Aqsa
Mosque.
The general secretariat of 57-member OIC, in a statement on Sunday,
deplored such attacks as a flagrant violation of international law, Geneva
Conventions, and international resolutions, saying the attacks amount to
incitement and a serious provocation to the feelings of some two billion
Muslims worldwide, presstv reported.
The organization held Israeli authorities fully responsible for the dire
repercussions of daily assaults on sacred places in Al-Quds, calling on the
international community to assume its responsibilities and put an end to
repeated Israeli violations, which would fuel religious conflict and extremism
and lead to instability throughout the region.
Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and the Occupied Arab
Territories in the Arab League, Saeed Abu Ali, also censured Israeli assaults
on Muslim and Christian sanctities as an act of deliberate desecration and
vandalism, warning against the adverse consequences of such measures.
Abu Ali noted that Israeli troops resumed their assaults on Al-Aqsa
Mosque on the second day of the Eid Al-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the
holy fasting month of Ramadan, by breaking into the Bab Al-Rahma (The Gate of
Mercy) prayer area.
He said that the sacrilegious move and deliberate act of sabotage
resulted in serious damage to the electrical wiring, doors and stuff inside the
quarter, which is an integral part of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
According to Palestinian news outlets, Israeli forces stormed the Bab
Al-Rahma prayer area on Saturday and inflicted great damage inside, as Muslim
worshipers were celebrating the Eid Al-Fitr holiday.
The Israeli troops also assaulted Palestinian youths, who were on their
way to perform the Eid prayers, beating them with sticks near the Lions’ Gate
in occupied Al-Quds.
Palestinian resistance groups Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have condemned
the Israeli acts of violence and vowed to defend their sanctities in the face
of the regime’s assaults.
During the holy month of Ramadan, Israeli authorities imposed strict
restrictions on the entry and exit of Palestinians to and from the gates of
Al-Aqsa Mosque. Amid heightened tensions with Palestinian worshipers, Israeli
settlers also pressed ahead with their frequent incursions and provocative
rituals at the holy site.
Source: farsnews.ir
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14020204000596/OIC-Arab-Leage-Decry-Israeli-Assals-n-Mslim-Chrisian-Sanciies-in-Al
--------
Hostile Aircraft Systems Hacked as Attempting to Intrude Iran's Airspace
2023-April-24
TEHRAN (FNA)- CEO of Iranian Defense Ministry's Electronics Industries
Rear Admiral Amir Rastegari said that the country has managed to hack the
control systems of three spy aircraft near the Iranian air border, forcing the
hostile planes to leave the area.
"Some time ago, a hostile aircraft moved acroos our FIR [Flight
Information Region] and started emitting waves to gather data. We disrupted the
activity of the plane," Rear Admiral Rastegari said in an interview with
Tasnim news agency.
"The pilot of the plane thought that his system was malfunctioning;
so he called the base and informed them that the aircraft system had a problem
and he will return; We have recorded their conversations," he stated.
"The next day, two other planes flew and started spying; this time
we disrupted both of them as we have achieved the technology at that
bandwidth," the official added.
Rastegari underscored that Iran has been engaged in "electronic
warfare for many years" to protect the country's space and air borders,
and every aggressor who has tested it has realized our power."
He underlined that the country's armed forces enjoy such capability
which can thwart any threat within a few hundred kilometers.
Iran has in recent years made major breakthroughs in its defense sector
and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and
systems.
Iranian military officials have hailed the country’s major progress in
stretching its air defense network, and stated Iran's forces are at the highest
level of preparedness to defend the country against any possible aggression by
enemies. They underline that the country's deterrence power has made the
enemies more cautious in their moves, underscoring that all their interests and
equipment are within range of Tehran's weapons. They warned Iran is capable of
targeting the enemy’s vital and sensitive interests all over the place in case
it has ill intentions.
Back in August, Commander of the Iranian Army Air Defense Force
Brigadier General Alireza Sabahifard underlined the country's high military
capabilities and deterrence power, and said that the country's Air Defense
Force is able to monitor even the slightest movements of enemies within the
range of 3,000km.
“The Air Defense Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran has taken
important measures in recent years to increase national security,” Brigadier
General Sabahifard stated.
“Today, the Air Defense Force is equipped with detection and
identification systems such as radars with a range of 3,000 kilometers, which
is rare in the world," he noted.
“Now we have reached a point where we proudly announce that all the
equipment and systems used in the Air Defense Force of the Islamic Iranian Army
are made by genius Iranian youths and we do not use any foreign equipment,” the
top commander added.
He warned the enemies any violation of Iranian airspace will be met with
a ‘tough and destructive response’, adding the enemies could never imagine our
deterrence power would reach this level.
“If the enemies could hit us, they would make the Islamic Republic of
Iran’s airspace unsafe, whereas they never can, and this is due to the
deterrence power of the armed forces and the existing military equipment,”
Sabahifard stressed.
Source: farsnews.ir
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14020204000493/Hsile-Aircraf-Sysems-Hacked-as-Aemping-Inrde-Iran's-Airspace
--------
Palestinian Youth Martyred in Israeli Raid in Occupied West Bank
2023-April-25
TEHRAN (FNA)- Israeli forces killed a young Palestinian man and injured
three others during a raid on a refugee camp in the eastern West Bank city of
Ariha, amid simmering tensions across the occupied territories.
The governor of Ariha and the Jordan Valley, Jihad Abu Al-Asal, told the
official Palestinian Wafa news agency that the man, identified as 20-year-old
Suleiman Ayesh, was fatally shot in the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp early on
Monday.
He added that Palestinian medical sources confirmed that three people
were also injured as Israeli troops fired shots indiscriminately at residents
of the camp.
The Israeli military claimed in a statement that it was operating in the
area when two suspects were spotted fleeing. Soldiers opened fire and struck at
least one of the suspects.
Over the past months, Israel has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns
and cities throughout the occupied territories. As a result of these attacks,
dozens of Palestinians have lost their lives and many others have been
arrested.
Most of the raids have focused on the West Bank cities of Nablus and
Jenin, where Israeli forces have been trying to stifle a growing Palestinian
resistance against occupation.
Local and international rights groups have condemned Israel’s excessive
use of force and “shoot-to-kill policy” against Palestinians.
Since the start of the holy month of Ramadan, the Israeli regime has
also imposed strict restrictions on the entry and exit of Palestinians to and
from the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
On April 4, heavily armed Israeli forces stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque
compound before firing tear gas and stun grenades into the Qibli prayer hall,
where hundreds of men, women, elderly people, and children were staying
overnight to pray. Some eyewitnesses said rubber-coated steel bullets were also
fired.
Israeli forces have wounded and rounded up hundreds of Palestinians
during the attacks that have seen a rise since the beginning of the fasting
month of Ramadan. Illegal Israeli settlers have, meanwhile, been freely
violating the compound under the Israeli military and police force’s protection.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry also said Israel is violating
Palestinians' human rights on a massive scale, including through restriction of
their freedom of movement, to ensure security and freedom of Israeli settlers.
In a statement released on Monday, the Ramallah-based Palestinian
ministry denounced the blocking of numerous checkpoints and the entrances of
Palestinian cities, including Jericho and Nablus.
The punitive measures and restrictions were imposed by the Tel Aviv
regime on Eid Al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of the holy fasting month of
Ramadan.
The ministry said the restrictions were a form of collective punishment
against the Palestinians.
The ministry accused Israeli authorities of turning the Palestinian
people’s holidays and occasions into tragedies, while settlers celebrate their
holidays freely.
Elsewhere in the statement, the ministry said Israeli settlers are left
free to attack Palestinian property, but all the while the Palestinians are
forced to restrict their movement. It said it is following up on Israeli crimes
against Palestinians at all levels, including at relevant international and
European courts.
Source: farsnews.ir
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14020205000156/Palesinian-Yh-Maryred-in-Israeli-Raid-in-Occpied-Wes-Bank
--------
Hezbollah: US Hegemony Retrenching, Occupation Forces Will Eventually
Leave Middle East
2023-April-24
TEHRAN (FNA)- A high-ranking official with Lebanon’s Hezbollah
resistance movement said that the US hegemony is witnessing a serious retreat
worldwide, in particular in the Middle East region.
Speaking in the Southern province of Bint Jbeil, head of Hezbollah’s
Executive Council Seyed Hashem Safieddine stressed that the people and
countries of the Middle East need to break free of their dependence on the
United States in order to be able to resolve regional issues, presstv reported.
“You are very wrong when it comes to analyzing the current events and
status quo [of the region], the US will leave the region sooner or later,”
Safieddine said, addressing those who link their fate to US policies.
“We have come to know the US very well throughout four decades of
confronting US hegemony and projects in the West and the Middle East region as
well,” he said, pointing out that it is logical to think US presence in the
region is coming to an end.
In terms of Lebanon and its internal politics, the Hezbollah official
reiterated that the only way for the Middle Eastern country to be able to
resolve its issues is to distance itself from Washington and its policies.
On another note, the senior Hezbollah official said that the resistance
has succeeded in sowing fear in the heart of the Israeli regime through new
equations and developments that took place in the past few weeks.
Safieddine said the US does not want the people of the region to rule
themselves and their region but blindly follow American diktats; something that
the resistance will not allow to happen.
The Israeli regime is America’s number one ally in the region, and the
two share intelligence on terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and Middle Eastern
politics.
“The resistance today has become influential in Lebanon and the region,
no one pull us back 100 years backward. Today is the era of resistance,” he
concluded.
Many analysts believe that Washington is growing weaker in the region
owing to the changing equations and the presence of the resistance front.
Also recently, an American geo-strategic analyst and writer said that
the restoration of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia is “a
catastrophe for US hegemony, which is founded on permanent instability between
any potential allies and competitors”.
A study has shown that the United States has waged 400 wars since its
founding less than 250 years ago, and a quarter of these have been in the
Middle East, West Asia and Africa. The study goes on to say the US deploys
Special Forces in more countries than it does ambassadors.
The US Department of State, the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and
Labor, claims that promoting freedom and democracy and protecting human rights
around the world are central to US foreign policy.
However, there have been numerous US interventions over the past couple
of decades or so in different parts of the world. West Asia in particular.
Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Libya have all been subject to direct US
interventions and are experiencing chaos as result.
Source: farsnews.ir
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14020204000877/Hezbllah-US-Hegemny-Rerenching-Occpain-Frces-Will-Evenally-Leave
--------
Tensions Rise After Azerbaijan Blocks Land Route from Armenia
TEHRAN (FNA)- Azerbaijan has said it has established a checkpoint on the
only land route to the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a step that was
followed by claims of border shootings by both Azeri and Armenian forces.
Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan,
but its 120,000 inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Armenians and the region
broke away from Baku in a war in the early 1990s, Reuters reported.
Azerbaijan said on Sunday that it had established a checkpoint on the
road leading to Karabakh, saying the move was essential due to what it cast as
Armenia’s use of the road to transport weapons.
Azerbaijan “took appropriate measures to establish control at the
starting point of the road”, the foreign ministry said.
“Providing border security, as well as ensuring safe traffic on the
road, is the prerogative of the government of Azerbaijan, and an essential
prerequisite for national security, state sovereignty and the rule of law,” it
added.
Armenia said the checkpoint at the Hakari bridge in the Lachin Corridor
was a gross violation of the 2020 ceasefire agreement that ended a 2020 war.
It called on Russia to implement the agreement, which states that the
Lachin Corridor, the only road across Azerbaijan that links Armenia to
Nagorno-Karabakh, must be under Russian peacekeepers’ control.
“We call on the Russian Federation to ultimately implement the
trilateral statement,” Armenia’s Foreign Ministry said of the agreement that
was brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The United States government said it was “deeply concerned” by
Azerbaijan establishing the checkpoint on the only land route to the contested
region of Nagorno-Karabakh, saying it undermines efforts towards peace in the
region.
The US State Department also said there should be free and open movement
of people and commerce on the Lachin Corridor, and urged both sides to resume
peace talks.
Pictures of the bridge posted on social media by Azeri officials showed
one side of it blocked by vehicles and soldiers.
Armenia’s Defence Ministry said a soldier named Artyom Poghosyan was
killed at approximately 07:50 GMT when Azeri forces opened fire on an Armenian
position in Sotk, an Armenian village East of Lake Sevan. Azerbaijan denied it
killed the soldier.
Azerbaijan then claimed that Armenian soldiers fired on Azeri units at
approximately 11:10 GMT in the Lachin district, a claim Armenia denied.
In 2020, Azerbaijan retook territory in and around the enclave after a
second war that ended in a Russian-brokered ceasefire upheld by Russian
peacekeepers.
Azeri civilians identifying themselves as environmental activists have
been facing off since December 12 with Russian peacekeepers on the Lachin
Corridor.
Armenia says the protesters are government-backed agitators who are
effectively blockading Karabakh. Azerbaijan denies blockading the road, saying
that some convoys and aid are allowed through.
In recent months, Armenia has repeatedly called on Moscow to do more to
support the peace and ensure unfettered access between Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh through the Lachin Corridor.
Source: farsnews.ir
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14020204000845/Tensins-Rise-Afer-Azerbaijan-Blcks-Land-Re-frm-Armenia
--------
Minister: Riyadh Asks for Three Weekly Flights Between Iran, Saudi
Arabia
2023-April-24
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran’s Roads and Urban Development Minister Mehrdad
Bazrpash said that Saudi Arabia has requested launch of ree weekly flights
between the two countries amid an improvement in bilateral relations between
Tehran and Riyadh.
Bazrpash stated on Sunday that Saudi authorities had asked Iran to
launch three regular flights per week to the Arab country.
"The flights will be launched regardless of arrangements existing
between the two countries about flights carrying Iranian pilgrims to hajj
ceremony in Saudi Arabia," he added.
“Launching flights between Iran and Saudi Arabia, in addition to hajj
flights, has been taken into consideration in order to expand collaborations,”
the minister continued, noting that Tehran will do its best to launch the
flights.
The announcement comes amid plans by Iran and Saudi Arabia to reopen
embassies and to restore diplomatic relations some seven years after the two countries
cut their official ties.
During a telephone conversation with his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin
Farhan Al-Saud, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian described his
recent meeting with bin Farhan as well as the exchange of technical delegations
tasked with reopening the embassies of the two countries as "positive and
constructive".
“My colleagues at the Foreign Ministry and the delegation sent to Riyadh
and Jeddah are trying reopen the Embassy and consulate general of the Islamic
Republic of Iran in Saudi Arabia as scheduled and before the Hajj season,"
he added.
Bin Farhan, for his part, expressed hope that the two top diplomats will
soon meet each other in Tehran and Riyadh.
The senior official stated that Saudi Arabia will provide the necessary
facilities for Iranian Hajj pilgrims and for the purpose of reopening the
Iranian Embassy and consulate general in Riyadh and Jeddah.
Iran and Saudi Arabia announced on March 10 a Chinese-brokered deal to
restore ties seven years after they were severed. In a joint statement after
signing the agreement, Tehran and Riyadh highlighted the need to respect each
others’ national sovereignty and refrain from interfering in the internal
affairs of one another.
Back in early April, Amir Abdollahian and bin Farhan met in China in the
first formal meeting of the two countries’ top diplomats in seven years. They
issued a joint statement following the long-awaited meeting, voicing their
readiness to reopen embassies and work toward establishing security and stability
in West Asia.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kana'ani has also said that
President Ebrahim Rayeesi has invited Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
for an official visit.
President Rayeesi has extended an invitation to King Salman to visit
Tehran, the spokesperson told reporters, noting that the Iranian president has
offered to reciprocally host the Saudi king after receiving an invitation to
visit Riyadh.
He stated that Tehran and Riyadh are pushing to implement their
agreements on re-opening of embassies and that the missions will begin
operation no later than May 9.
Source: farsnews.ir
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14020204000188/Miniser-Riyadh-Asks-fr-Three-Weekly-Flighs-Beween-Iran-Sadi-Arabia
--------
Arab League condemns Zionist raids on al-Aqsa mosque
Apr 24, 2023,
TEHRAN, Apr. 24 (MNA) – Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and
the Occupied Arab Territories in the Arab League Said Abu Ali has denounced the
assault by the Israeli police on the Al Aqsa Mosque.
The Arab League warned of the threat of attacks and plots by the Zionist
regime against Islamic and Christian holy sites, especially the desecration and
sabotage it carried out against the al-Aqsa mosque especially Bab al-Rahma
cemetery, Arab media reported.
In a statement on Monday, Said Abu Ali blamed the Zionist authorities
for the full and direct consequences of such increasingly persistent crimes
against Islam and Christian sanctities, especially at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
On the second day of Eid al-Fitr, the occupying regime authorities
resumed their attacks on the Bab al-Rahma cemetery in al-Aqsa Mosque with
deliberate desecration and sabotage of the power grid and breaking down the
doors and contents inside the mosque, which is an integral part of al-Aqsa
Mosque, he added.
Earlier, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) had strongly condemned
the assault by Zionists on the Bab al-Rahma cemetery in al-Aqsa Mosque on
Saturday evening.
During the holy month of Ramadan, Israeli authorities imposed strict
restrictions on the entry and exit of Palestinians to and from the gates of
al-Aqsa Mosque. Amid heightened tensions with Palestinian worshipers, Israeli
settlers also pressed ahead with their frequent incursions and provocative
rituals at the holy site.
Source: en.mehrnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/199819/Arab-League-condemns-Zionist-raids-on-al-Aqsa-mosque
---------
Europe
World’s First Sharia Crypto Gets Public Launch
By David Thomas
24 April 2023
The new cryptocurrency and blockchain will target the Muslim population
after religious leaders approved the project in June 2022.
The Haqq blockchain advisory board will only allow Sharia-compliant
applications. These exclude gambling, speculation, short-selling, and debts and
receivables sales.
The coin received Fatwa, or a religious green light, in June 2022.
Authorities liked the Haqq blockchain’s proof-of-stake consensus method,
decentralized nature, and commitment to charity. The coin is reportedly the
first digital asset that follows the Quran’s rules. Islamic Coin garnered 50%
of private sales from non-Muslims.
Haqq’s software will limit ISLM’s supply to 100 billion tokens and
reduce the token’s emission rate by 5% every two years.
Non-profit foundation Evergreen DAO will receive 10% of each mined
Islamic Coin to fund community projects. A Sharia board will decide which
projects Evergreen will invest in.
Between 1% and 5% of tokens will go to a block proposer and delegators.
The blockchain code will send the rest to validators and delegators based on
the number of staked coins.
Is ISLM Overhyped?
Reaction to the imminent launch date was mostly positive, with several
Twitter followers asking how to get the coin.
Others asked whether Islamic Coin was different or trying to attract
Muslims with the Islamic language.
Last year, the project’s co-founder, Mohammed AlKaff AlHashmi, told
BeInCrypto that if 3-4% of the Muslim population adopts ISLM, the crypto will
become a “Bitcoin-scale asset.” A bold remark considering that Ethereum boasts
a $200 billion-plus market cap.
However, according to Arabian Business, Sharia-compliant finance could
fuel the growth of the Islamic finance market to $3.7 trillion by 2024.
Islamic banks make money by sharing profit and loss with depositors and
grant loans through unique sale and leasing contracts. For example, in a home
loan deal, the bank leases mutually owned property to a client. The client
takes owns the house after paying off the bank’s share.
Traditional banks earn money by charging borrowers a higher interest
rate than they pay depositors and charge fees for late payments.
Sharia-compliant banking incentivizes payment by recovering a percentage of the
funds for contribution to ethical causes.
Source: beincrypto.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://beincrypto.com/worlds-first-sharia-crypto-gets-public-launch/
--------
Bradford's Muslim community on Eid-Ul-Fitr memories as Ramadan ends
24th April
By Natasha Meek
Muslims in Bradford have reflected on what Eid means to them after a
special weekend packed with memories, delicious food, and prayer.
Followers of Islam had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the crescent
moon to mark the start of Eid-Ul-Fitr.
It follows the holy month of Ramadan, where Muslims around the world
fast from dawn to sunset.
For many, the Islamic holiday started on Friday (April 21) after the
sight of the waxing moon appeared in Saudi Arabia.
Some Eid celebrations began on Saturday, due to differences in
moon-sighting methods based on the Islamic calendar.
Sharing a photo of her home cooked food and snacks, Khansa said Eid is a
time for connection and community.
Khansa said: “We look forward to Eid after the month of Ramadan. The
atmosphere is lovely in the community, giving us all an opportunity to
reconnect with relatives we have not seen in a while, friends and neighbours.
“The occasion puts time on a standstill for a few days. I enjoy being
able to sit, talk and eat with my family without the usual drudgery of life
rushing around.
“As a child, I really looked forward to Eid because grown ups showered
us with money, gifts and sweets. As an adult, I love being that grown up who
gifts children because it keeps the spirit of Eid alive and brings about the
same excitement I had.”
On Eid ul-Fitr, Muslims must make an Eid prayer and give charity to the
poor and needy before performing prayers.
Many people choose to visit the graves of relatives and friends.
Khansa’s day starts by preparing dishes to take to her mother and mother
in law - with this year’s recipes including chicken biryani, keema pastries,
and a special salad.
It is a juggling act as her two young children play by her side and try
to help out.
Her eldest child goes to prayers with his father and by late morning,
the whole family comes together at her mother’s house for traditional Eid
breakfast, chana puri.
The family then spend time at her in-laws’ house.
She added: “By evening I am back at my mother’s house to catch up with
my seven siblings and numerous nephews and nieces. The catching up never
stops.”
Describing what Eid-Ul-Fitr means to her, mum Shazia said: “Eid brings
out all sorts of emotions.
“Tradition is reading the Eid namaaz, cooking a sweet dish, saying a
prayer in the morning and giving money to the young‘uns called ‘Eidi’.
“Eid means reflecting on the end of Ramadan, realising how blessed we
are and making memories.”
Shazia wakes up for Eid and showers before the grand task of cooking for
loved ones commences.
She gives her children Eidi and presents, feeds everyone, and visits her
father’s grave.
When the night falls, it’s time to head out for dessert.
The power of memories made during Eid was reflected by other T&A
readers.
Rifat Khan said: “My best memories of Eid are waking up to the aroma of
delicious home cooked food, the smell of my dad's favourite fragrance when he
returned home from the Eid prayers. Receiving Eid gifts and money and running
to the sweet shop with my siblings to spoil ourselves. Best days of my life.”
Linda J Bussey said: “Years ago, when I worked at the community dental
clinic in Keighley, one of the nurses’ mum insisted we all went round for some
food at Eid. So lovely of her and she made the most amazing biryani.”
Omar Aly said: “I remember waking up and getting dressed in fresh
clothes and having a massive breakfast. Then going to my Grandma's house where
the whole family would get together, exchange gifts, play games, all have a
great time and more food, of course.”
Describing her memories, Taslim Akhtar said: “Mother's cooking and all
[the] family being together, never been the same without mum again, but try to
make it best as possible for my own kids now so they can tell their kids about
memories of us.”
Farena Bashir said: “My favourite Eid memory was feeling butterflies in
my stomach when my dad entered the house after Eid Namaz and greeted us all
with that lovely phrase 'Eid mubarak', there is nothing quite like it.”
Source: thetelegraphandargus.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/23476529.bradfords-muslim-community-eid-ul-fitr-memories-ramadan-ends/
--------
Ramadan celebrated at Rochdale Infirmary
24 April 2023
Staff and patients celebrated Ramadan on the link bridge at Rochdale
Infirmary last week.
Throughout the world, the month of Ramadan is considered one of the
holiest and most sacred times of the year for Muslims.
Community organisation Aspire 2 Inspire Communities gave out food packs
to staff, patients and visitors.
Information booklets about Ramadan, prayer fridge magnets, and stickers
were also handed out.
Mohammed Tariq, Rochdale Care Organisation BAME staff network lead,
said: “It’s fantastic to see so many people attend wanting to find out more
about Ramadan and what it means for Muslims.
“I am really grateful to Kalsoom, Aqub and the Aspire 2 Inspire team for
joining us today and making this event a huge success.”
They were joined by Steve Taylor (chief officer, Rochdale Care
Organisation), Clare Nott (HR director) Dr Shona McCallum (medical director)
and Patricia Hughes (interim director of nursing).
Aspire 2 Inspire Communities is based on Regent Street, Rochdale. It
works with young people from black and minority ethnic communities, new and
emerging communities, refugees and asylum seekers, families facing financial
hardship, and young people with additional needs, disabilities and language
difficulties.
Source: rochdaleonline.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/151482/ramadan-celebrated-at-rochdale-infirmary
--------
Haywards Heath Mayor sends warm wishes to everyone celebrating Eid
al-Fitr at the Ramadan Iftar Dinner
24th Apr 2023
Cllr Howard Mundin says: “Last night’s Ramadan iftar raised awareness
about the struggles and accomplishments of our diverse community in Haywards
Heath and promoted dialogue and understanding between communities of all
backgrounds. Ramadan is not just about abstaining from food and drinks during
the day, it is a time for people to focus on their inner selves, show
compassion and kindness to those in need, and this dinner was a time to come
together as a community and share thoughts and blessings with others.
“The event sponsor, Fatma’s Kitchen put on a sumptuous delicious feast
for us with exceptional service at a dinner which showcased its inclusivity and
the diversity of our community.
“The Dialogue Society is a registered charity with a new presence in
Haywards Heath and it was such an interesting evening hearing from locals from
different faiths and their experiences within our town. I send my warmest
wishes to everyone celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr this weekend and thank you to the
Dialogue Society and Fatma’s Kitchen in Haywards Heath for a fitting tribute to
the spirit of Ramadan and a reminder of the importance of interfaith harmony
and community.”
Ramadan is a holy month of fasting observed by many Muslims in the
United Kingdom. As one of the five pillars of Islam, fasting during Ramadan is
a form of worship of utmost importance. Among the many positive attributes
Muslims aspire to develop during this period, empathy with those less fortunate
and a reinforcement of positive, proactive community engagement.
The Dialogue Society, upholds the belief that the inclusion of our
diverse communities of all faiths (or none), cultures, ethnicities, abilities,
and sexual and/or gender identities are crucial to the well-being of our
society overall.
The society believes inclusion and the cost-of-living crisis are
mutually exclusive; in short, more inclusion aids in tackling the
cost-of-living crisis, whereas an increase in the cost of living contributes to
the increase in hate crime and reduces inclusion.
Source: sussexexpress.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/haywards-heath-mayor-sends-warm-wishes-to-everyone-celebrating-eid-al-fitr-at-the-ramadan-iftar-dinner-4115935
--------
Arab World
Saudi Arabia calls for cessation of military operations in Sudan
urgently after Egyptian diplomat killed
April 25, 2023
RIYADH — The Assistant Administrative Attaché at the Egyptian Embassy in
Khartoum was killed on his way to the Egyptian Embassy to follow up on the
procedures of the evacuations of the Egyptian citizens.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Saudi Arabia's sincere
condolences and sympathy to Egypt.
The Ministry renewed the Kingdom's call to quickly stop military
operations, exercise maximum restraint, avoid escalation, give priority to the
interest of the Sudanese people by preserving their gains and capabilities, and
return to the framework agreement aimed at reaching a political declaration
that achieves security, stability, and prosperity for Sudan and its people.
Source: saudigazette.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/631888/SAUDI-ARABIA/Saudi-Arabia-calls-for-cessation-of-military-operations-in-Sudan-urgently-after-Egyptian-diplomat-killed
--------
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to EU presents credentials to European Council
president
April 24, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the European Union Haifa Al-Jedea
presented her credentials to the president of the European Council Charles
Michel on Monday.
During the meeting, Al-Jedea conveyed the greetings of King Salman and
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Michel.
Al-Jedea and Michel discussed issues of mutual interest and ways to
enhance cooperation.
Michel praised the developmental renaissance the Kingdom is witnessing,
including its ambitious Saudi Vision 2030, and the strength of Saudi-European
relations.
Al-Jedea hailed the distinguished relations between the Kingdom and the
EU and highlighted their ongoing development in all fields.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2292271/saudi-arabia
--------
KSA relief group offers medical services to Syrians
April 25, 2023
JEDDAH: Supported by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, the
Urgent Medical Response Project, which aims to help relieve the suffering of
people affected by the earthquake in Syria, provided various medical services
to 70,896 beneficiaries during March.
About 20 mobile clinics were operated in areas affected by the
earthquake, providing healthcare services and distributing infant milk formula
and wheelchairs to needy people there.
The beneficiaries consisted 43 percent males and 57 percent females.
Meanwhile, the center distributed 253 tons and 500 kg of food baskets to
Syrian and Palestinian refugees and needy families in several Lebanese regions.
This comes as part of the humanitarian and relief aid that the Kingdom
provides to countries and people in need in various countries worldwide.
Elsewhere, the center recently distributed 127 tons and 200 kg of food
baskets in the districts of Midi, Haradh, Hiran, and Abs in the Yemeni
governorate of Hajjah, benefiting 16,632 people.
The center also distributed food packages in Niger and Bangladesh.
More than 30 tons of food packages were distributed in Niger, and in
excess of 64 tons was received in
Bangladesh and 3 tons in Albania.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2292426/saudi-arabia
--------
OIC condemns ‘terrorist’ attacks in Mali
April 25, 2023
JEDDAH: The general secretariat of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation, also known as the OIC, has condemned Saturday’s twin terrorist
attacks in Sevare and Mourdia in central Mali, in which at least nine people
were killed and more than 60 injured.
OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha described the attacks as
despicable, calling for an end to such acts of violence.
He reaffirmed the OIC’s full support for Mali and the Sahel countries in
their war against terrorism.
He offered his condolences to the families of the victims and wished the
injured a quick recovery.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2292406/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi Fund for Development signs two agreements in Kyrgyzstan
April 24, 2023
BISHKEK: The Saudi Fund for Development, represented by CEO Sultan bin
Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, and Kyrgyzstan’s Finance Ministry, represented by
Minister of Finance Almaz Baketaev, signed two agreements on soft development
loans worth $130 million.
The signing ceremony was held on Monday in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek,
and was attended by Saudi Deputy Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Saad
Al-Dhawayan, and several officials from both sides.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2292351/saudi-arabia
--------
South Asia
First Army formation to reach Dhaka during 1971 Bangladesh war
celebrates 60 years
The HQ 101 Area was raised in 1963 after the Chinese aggression for
providing logistic support to all formations and units in the northeast
April 24, 2023
RAHUL KARMAKAR
The first Army formation to reach Dhaka, formerly Dacca, during the 1971
Bangladesh Liberation War celebrated 60 years of service to the nation on April
24.
The HQ 101 Area was raised on the outskirts of Meghalaya’s capital
Shillong in 1963 as the 101 Communication Zone soon after the Chinese
aggression. It went beyond its role of providing logistic support to all
formations and units in the northeast to take part in active combat.
The Area undertook counter-insurgency operations in Mizoram from
1966-69. During the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, it took part in operations
in the Sylhet and Mymensingh districts of present-day Bangladesh, then East
Pakistan.
It was the first formation to reach Dhaka on the morning of December 16,
1971, leading to the surrender by Pakistan that afternoon, earning it the name
“First in Dacca”.
“Over time, HQ 101 Area has evolved to provide logistic support in
remote and challenging terrain in border areas across the northeast. It has
contributed immensely in nation-building by aiding infrastructure development,
providing humanitarian aid and ensuring outreach to remote villages,” a defence
statement said.
The celebration on Monday commenced with a solemn ceremony to pay
tributes to the soldiers at the Shillong War Memorial by the Army’s Eastern
Commander, Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita. Major General R.K. Jha, the officiating
General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 101 Area and all soldiers also paid
tributes.
Lt Gen Kalita praised the soldiers for carrying forward the legacy of
dedicated service. He flagged in a motorcycle rally organised by the HQ 101 Area.
The rally, flagged off on April 9 by Meghalaya Governor Phagu Chauhan,
traversed through Meghalaya, Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal
Pradesh in celebration of the “spirit of patriotism”.
As a part of the celebration, a special cover and stamp were released
and the busts of Maj. Gen. Gurbaksh Singh Gill and Maj. Gen. Gandharv Nagra
were unveiled on Monday. The two, who were the GOCs of 101 Area, had helped
curate the victory in the 1971 war, Army officials said.
Source: thehindu.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/first-army-formation-to-reach-dhaka-during-1971-bangladesh-war-celebrates-60-years/article66773106.ece
--------
Islamic Emirate Policies Are Not Under Anyone’s Influence: Acting FM
By Shamsurrahman Khpalwak,
24-04-23
Muttaqi made the remarks at a gathering during his visit to the
southeastern province of Khost.
“Afghanistan has moderate policies today, an economic-centric policy, so
that this country, after 40 to 45 years of chaos, is moving toward success and
good fortune and competition,” he said.
Addressing the problems of Afghans abroad, Muttaqi said that efforts are
underway to rescue 120 Afghan nationals who are stranded in the conflict in
Sudan.
He also said that after 40 years, a government has been created in
Afghanistan through which all ethnic groups of Afghanistan experience safety
and peace.
“Today, I spent time on the issue of how to safely evacuate our 120
Afghans who are stranded in the war in Sudan,” Muttaqi said.
Muttaqi stressed the need for the unity of Afghans.
Political analysts said a neutral policy is best for the country.
“A neutral policy based on notions, ambitious and mass economic,
cultural and social interests, is a successful policy,” said Sediq Mansour, a
political analyst.
“The good path is that the Islamic Emirate should reach an agreement and
engagement with the international community,” said Torialai Zazai, a political
analyst.
Muttaqi also referred to the shifting of thousands of Afghan inmates
from Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia to Afghanistan.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183090
--------
Taliban rejects Pentagon report about presence of ISIS in Afghanistan
Apr 24, 2023
Taliban has denied the media report citing “classified Pentagon
assessment” stating that Afghanistan has become a significant coordinate site
for the Daesh/ISIS group that plans attacks in Europe and Asia and carries out
“aspirational plotting” against the US, TOLO News reported.
The head of the Taliban-led Qatar-based Political Office Suhail Shaheen
refuted the report. He said that Daesh has been suppressed in Afghanistan, TOLO
News reported. The statement of Suhail Shaheen comes after The Washington Post
in its report cited a “classified Pentagon assessment” that demonstrates the
threat as a “growing security concern.” Suhail Shaheen said that The Washington
Post report is not as per the ground realities in Afghanistan.
“The report of The Washington Post is not in accordance with the ground
realities in Afghanistan. These reports are made based on their personal wish.
The fact is that the Daesh has no physical presence in Afghanistan as it had
during the invasion,” TOLO News quoted him as saying.
The attack planning detailed in US intelligence findings revealed that
the Discord messaging platforms revealed particular efforts to target
embassies, churches, business centres and the FIFA World Cup tournament which
had over 2 million spectators in Qatar, TOLO News cited The Washington Post
report.
In December, Pentagon officials knew about nine such attacks coordinated
by ISIS leaders in Afghanistan and the number increased to 15 by February, The
Washington Post reported citing the assessment.
As per the news report, Najibullah Jami, a political analyst, said that
there has been no threat in Afghanistan and the neighbouring nations,
particularly Central Asia.
“The presence and activity of Daesh inside Afghanistan, which is aiming
to reach their final targets–to the neighboring countries and particularly the
Central Asia — not only causes instability in Afghanistan but also in
neighboring countries,” TOLO News quoted Najeeb Rahman Shamal, political
analyst as saying.
Earlier in January, a suicide attack took place outside the Taliban-led
Foreign Ministry in Afghanistan’s Kabul. Five people died and several others
were injured in the attack, Dawn reported.
Kabul police chief Khalid Zadran said an explosion took place on the
road outside the Taliban-led Afghan foreign ministry in which five were killed
and a number of others were injured.
Zadran said that the Taliban condemns such an “aimless and cowardly
attack on Muslims.” Kabul police chief said, “The perpetrators will be found
and punished for their evil deeds.”
Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai condemned the explosion,
calling it an “act of terrorism, a crime against humanity and an act against
all human and Islamic values.”
The United Nations also condemned the attack.”This is just another
example of the rising insecurity which is of great concern to us,” UN spokesman
Stephane Dujarric said. It is “no way to bring any sort of peace to
Afghanistan.”
In a statement, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
said expressed its condolences to the affected families and said that violence
is not part of any solution to bring lasting peace to Afghanistan.
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) tweeted, “UNAMA
condemns today’s attack outside Foreign Ministry in Kabul. Reports of numerous
casualties, including civilians. Rising insecurity is of grave concern.
Violence is not part of any solution to bring lasting peace to #Afghanistan.
Our condolences to the families affected.”
Source: thestatesman.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thestatesman.com/world/taliban-rejects-pentagon-report-about-presence-of-isis-in-afghanistan-1503175167.html#:~:text=Taliban%20has%20denied%20the%20media,the%20US%2C%20TOLO%20News%20reported.
--------
Guy Ritchie's The Covenant and why Hollywood is afraid of the war in
Afghanistan
By Caryn James
24th April 2023
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, the new action-thriller about an army sergeant
who returns to Afghanistan is the latest tentative US attempt to explore the
conflict, writes Caryn James.
Guy Ritchie's The Covenant is an intense action movie, full of gunfire
and explosions that make you feel caught in the midst of danger. And like so
many war films it relies on a slender plot about heroic choices. Jake
Gyllenhaal plays John Kinley, a US army sergeant in Afghanistan in 2018, whose
life is saved by his Afghan interpreter, Ahmed (Dar Salim). In the kind of single-handed
exploit that only happens in movies, after Kinley returns home and learns that
Ahmed and his family are being hunted by the Taliban for having helped the
Americans, he returns to Afghanistan to try to save him. So far, just another
commercial adventure.
But the film's real-world resonance, shallow but there, points toward a
burgeoning trend on screen, for works centring on the 20-year-long US war in
Afghanistan, which ended when their military left in 2021. It took just a few
years after the US withdrew from Vietnam for some great films to arrive,
including Apocalypse Now (1979) and The Deer Hunter (1978). The Covenant and
other tentative responses suggest that while filmmakers are now setting their
stories in Afghanistan, coming to grips with that conflict on screen may take a
lot longer. The Hollywood landscape is more cautious than ever today, and the
US too politically divided for movies to risk alienating half the audience. (A
recent Pew Research Center poll revealed that US opinions about Afghanistan are
split along party lines.)
Although the war in Afghanistan now stands as the longest in US history,
it has rarely been top of mind in public awareness. The US military entered
Afghanistan in 2001 in the wake of 9/11, to prevent attacks that might come
from terrorists based there, but the war was quickly overshadowed by other
global conflicts, first in Iraq and more recently Ukraine. The Covenant is
especially timely now, though. Two weeks ago the Biden administration released
a report about the US troop withdrawal and the chaotic evacuation as thousands
of Afghans crowded Kabul airport trying to leave. The Taliban took control of
the country within weeks of US and UK troops exiting, restricting human rights,
especially for women and creating a worldwide crisis of Afghan refugees.
Guy Ritchie's The Covenant (that's the full, clumsy title, which at
least distinguishes it from several other movies called The Covenant) lands in
that context, but it is not the first or only Hollywood treatment of the conflict,
and in particular, of the relationship between US soldiers and their Afghan
guides. In fact, there is another one opening next month: Kandahar (released in
the US on 26 May) is a Gerard Butler action movie about a CIA operative trapped
in a dangerous part of Afghanistan with his interpreter. The trailer shows
Butler saying "Nobody's coming to save us", a cue for the two of them
to battle the enemies and save each other.
There have been earlier, tone-deaf attempts as well. The United States
of Al (2021-22) was a bland CBS network buddy comedy about an Afghan guide who
lives in the US with the Marine he helped and the Marine's family. Tina Fey
plays a journalist in Kabul in the 2016 comedy-infused drama Whiskey Tango
Foxtrot, a movie so culturally insensitive that it cast the American
Christopher Abbott as her Afghan interpreter. The Covenant, despite its
melodramatic plot and one-dimensional characters, captures more reality than
that.
In his professional journey as a filmmaker, Ritchie has moved from his
gritty early British gangster films all the way to Disney's Aladdin, and The
Covenant aims to be another mainstream hit. The press notes for the film say
that Ritchie had long wanted to make a war movie. "I'd heard various
anecdotes about Afghanistan that all sounded in equal measure horrifying and
inspiring," he says. "The story of one man's selflessness for another
was what I found inspiring about the premise." Though that's a statement
that could apply to almost any war film.
The truth behind the fictions
But The Covenant is also built on some verifiable facts and sentiments,
adding ballast to its explosive surface. Text at the end of the film says that
300 Afghans have been killed and thousands are in hiding from the Taliban for
having cooperated with the US. Annie Pforzheimer, a former US diplomat who was
Deputy Chief of Mission in Kabul in 2017-18, says the text rings true.
"That number obviously will be out of date almost immediately, but there
are many well-documented cases that the UN and independent human rights
observers have been reporting," she tells BBC Culture.
And the bond between Kinley and Ahmed echoes a strong connection
Pforzheimer has observed first-hand. "Soldiers who served and diplomats
who served closely for 20 years with Afghan interpreters, police, military, and
officials feel a deep sense of loyalty to them," she says, adding that
films like The Covenant "reflect the real feeling of [their] helplessness
and a little bit of wish fulfilment."
The Covenant also has an unexpected critical edge in its emphasis on how
US Visas promised to Ahmed and his family are tangled in so much red tape that
the Taliban would likely find him before he could leave the country. Furious,
Kinley yells at an army officer: "The deal was that we offered his family
sanctuary. Then we tied a noose around his neck and kicked the stool out from
under him." Putting politics and florid dialogue aside, his frustration
reflects the fact that veterans' groups and other non-profits are calling
attention to a backlog of Special Immigration Visas to the US, the kind
promised to Afghan guides.
With lower budgets and few commercial expectations, documentaries can
afford to be more pointed in their criticism of the US's approach to
Afghanistan. Matthew Heineman's Retrograde, shortlisted for the best
documentary Oscar, embeds a camera crew with US Special Forces, aka Green
Berets, just before the US withdrawal and reveals the bond between US soldiers
and their Afghan counterparts. "We appreciate you guys," a US
officer, unhappy with the decision to leave so abruptly, says in a bleak tone
to the Afghans.
The complicated mechanics and budgets for major features help explain
the time lag between the end of any war and great films about it. But public
attitudes are just as important. The bedrock assumption that World War Two was
a noble war has guided every film about it, from the 1940s through to Saving
Private Ryan (1998) and beyond. By the time the Vietnam War ended in 1975,
opinions were beginning to coalesce around the idea that US involvement was a
mistake, clearing the way for films like Platoon (1986).
Keeping things apolitical
But most films about battles in Iraq and Afghanistan are determinedly
apolitical, praising the heroism of the soldiers as a way of sidestepping
deeper issues about the divisive wars themselves. Another Gyllenhaal movie,
Jarhead (2005), takes place in the early 1990s during the Gulf War, and a
Marine casually gets the film out from under any question about that conflict
by imploring his comrades to forget "politics, all right? We're
here", adding that "all the rest" doesn't matter.
The Outpost (2020), about a major battle in Afghanistan, does something
similar when a soldier says, "Freedom ain't free," the only vaguely
politically-tinged comment in the entire film, which focuses on the bravery of
the soldiers and the horrors of the violence.
The film historian and critic David Thomson, whose book The Fatal
Alliance: A Century of War on Film, will be published in November, says
violence is the attraction of war movies. He tells BBC Culture: "There's
really no such thing as an anti-war film, because whatever the intention the
filmmakers had, the mechanism of the medium makes the act of war, the shooting,
the killing, enticing and alluring."
And even the best Hollywood war movies assume a Western point of view.
Meanwhile films from Afghanistan exist, but are often overlooked. Sahraa
Karimi's 2019 feature, Hava, Maryam, Ayesha, which premiered at the Venice Film
Festival, is a beautifully observed, light-handed yet trenchant story about
three pregnant Afghan women from different classes. Karimi, one of the most
prominent filmmakers recently working in Afghanistan, hurriedly left Kabul in
2021 when the Taliban took over and now considers herself an exile, living in
New York. She is planning to shoot a film based on her escape, called Flight
from Kabul, and tells BBC Culture, "The story happens two months before
the fall of Kabul. I want to show the world that we had our lives, our issues,
we had our dreams, and though the security situation wasn't very good, still
every day we woke up and started a new day, with new hope."
She says of mainstream US films about her country, "Afghanistan,
for famous directors with Hollywood budgets, is a story from behind the mountain,
which is exotic, interesting, but it is not authentic." She adds: "It
is a very Western perspective about what was going on in Afghanistan, where
somebody is going to save the interpreter or something. There are lots of
things Afghan people and their stories can share with the world, without going
into this victim and saviour formula."
Lack of distribution for modest foreign-language films can make them
seem almost invisible, though. Karimi's films, including her documentary Afghan
Women Behind the Wheel (2009) are not available to stream. Neither is the
highly regarded A Letter to the President (2003) by another Afghan woman
director, Roya Sadat. They are squeezed out by movies with explosions and brave
male soldiers, with their long history of commercial success.
One thing for sure is that there will be more mainstream films about
Afghanistan on their way. Thomson calls the video from Kabul airport a moment
of "incredible cinematic imagery, people falling off planes." Already
used in documentaries, those images are ready-made for the next – let's hope
for deeper – generation of war movies.
Guys Ritchie's The Covenant is out in US cinemas now
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20230421-guy-ritchies-the-covenant-hollywood-afghanistan
--------
Islamic Emirate Denies Washington Post's Report on Daesh in Afghanistan
23 APRIL 2023
The Washington Post cited a “classified Pentagon assessment that
portrays the threat as a growing security concern.”
“The attack planning, detailed in US intelligence findings leaked on the
Discord messaging platforms and obtained by The Washington Post, reveal
specific efforts to target embassies, churches, business centers and the FIFA
World Cup soccer tournament, which drew more than 2 million spectators last
summer in Qatar,” The Washington Post reported. “Pentagon officials were aware
in December of nine such plots coordinated by ISIS leaders in Afghanistan, and
the number rose to 15 by February, says the assessment, which has not been
disclosed previously.”
The head of the Islamic Emirate’s Qatar-based Political Office, Suhail
Shaheen, denied the report and said that Daesh has been suppressed in
Afghanistan.
“The report of The Washington Post is not in accordance with the ground
realities in Afghanistan. These reports are made based on their personal wish.
The fact is that the Daesh has no physical presence in Afghanistan as it had
during the invasion,” he said.
“The Islamic Emirate is around 21 months old now. There has been no
threat, not only from inside Afghanistan but also in the regional neighboring
countries and there is no threat based on the Doha agreement to any country,”
said Najibullah Jami, a political analyst.
“The presence and activity of Daesh inside Afghanistan, which is aiming
to reach their final targets—to the neighboring countries and particularly the
Central Asia -- not only causes instability in Afghanistan but also in
neighboring countries,” said Najeeb Rahman Shamal, political analyst.
The report comes as the Islamic Emirate recently conducted several
operations against Daesh in various parts of the country, in which it said that
key Daesh members were killed.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183077
--------
UN Meeting on Afghanistan Will Not Discuss Recognition: Faiq
By Fatima Adib
25-04-23
Naseer Ahmad Faiq, in an interview with the BBC, said that the meeting will
discuss a united framework of the international community regarding political,
economic, and social issues in Afghanistan.
"In this meeting we will discuss a solution for Afghanistan's
political, economic and social issues,
The recognition of the Islamic Emirate will not be an issue of the
meeting," said Naseer Ahmad Faiq, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Afghanistan
Permanent Mission to the UN.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate said that they have completed all the
conditions to be recognized.
"Recognition is the right of the government and the people, and the
Islamic Emirate is sovereign in Afghanistan and now people have the right to be
recognized as other countries in the world," said Zabiullah Mujahid,
spokesman for Islamic Emirate.
Meanwhile, some political analysts said that the Islamic Emirate must
implement the Doha Agreement to gain the trust of the international community.
Even if the Islamic Emirate has completed all the conditions for
recognition, it will not recognize them until the political and intelligence
interests of America and the international community are met," said Salim
Kaker, a political analyst.
"In order to gain the trust of the international community and
international aid organizations, peace, stability and security should be provided
so that these countries can continue their aid to the people of
Afghanistan," said Najeeb Rahman Shamal, a political analyst.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
The UN is set to host an international conference on Afghanistan in Doha
on May 1 and 2.
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183088
--------
Bangladesh swears in new President ahead of election
Mr. Shahabuddin, 73, was an anti-corruption commissioner and fought in
the country's 1971 War of Independence against Pakistan
April 24, 2023
Mohammed Shahabuddin, a former judge and a ruling party official, was
sworn in as the President of Bangladesh on April 24, just months before a
general election.
Mr. Shahabuddin, 73, was an anti-corruption commissioner and fought in
the country's 1971 War of Independence against Pakistan, the Presidential
palace said.
"He was sworn in as the 22nd President of the People's Republic of
Bangladesh today," Shampad Barua, Secretary of the President, told AFP.
He was elected by lawmakers in February after the ruling Awami League
party nominated him instead of the Speaker of Parliament, who had been seen as
the favourite.
Mr. Shahabuddin replaces Abdul Hamid, a former Speaker and Awami League
stalwart, whose second term expired on April 24.
The election comes as the country faces mounting protests over the next
general election, scheduled to be held in January 2024.
The Opposition has staged a series of giant protests in recent months,
demanding that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down and let a caretaker
government hold a free and fair election.
The Opposition accuses Ms. Hasina, who has been in power since 2009, of
rigging the previous two votes, and Western countries and rights groups have
also raised concerns. Ms. Hasina has rejected the demand.
If Ms. Hasina was forced to resign or the protests descend into chaos,
the otherwise largely ceremonial Presidential office could end up playing a
bigger role. Although he enjoys few powers in his new position, Mr. Shahabuddin
now oversees the military.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 24 sent a message of
congratulations to Shahabuddin, China's official news agency Xinhua reported.
China and Western countries are vying for influence in the South Asian
country of 170 million people, with Beijing investing billions of dollars on
infrastructure projects there under its Belt and Road initiative.
Russia is also building a $12.65-billion nuclear power plant outside
Dhaka to improve the country's shaky electricity network.
Bangladesh has agreed to pay Russia about $300 million in yuan to settle
payment for building the facility, Bloomberg News reported last week.
Source: thehindu.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/bangladesh-swears-in-new-president-ahead-of-election/article66774099.ece
--------
Shahabuddin Chuppu takes oath as Bangladesh’s 22nd president
24 Apr 2023
Shahabuddin Chuppu, a retired judge, has been sworn in as the new
president of Bangladesh for a five-year term, replacing Abdul Hamid.
Parliamentary Speaker Shirin Sharmin Choudhury on Monday administered
the oath of office to Shahabuddin, the 22nd president of the South Asian
republic, at the Bangabhaban presidential palace in Dhaka.
The event was aired live by state-run Bangladesh Television and other
private broadcasters.
Chuppu, the nominee of the ruling Awami League (AL) party, was elected
unopposed on February 13 as no other candidate submitted papers to contest the
race.
With 302 members, the AL party has the majority in the 350-seat national
parliament, and no other party had the numbers to nominate a presidential
candidate.
After taking the oath, the new president was congratulated by the
outgoing president, Hamid – the only person in Bangladesh to hold the
presidential post for 10 years in two consecutive terms.
According to the country’s constitution, the presidential election must
be held 60 to 90 days before the expiry of each five-year term.
Born in 1949 in the northern Bangladeshi town of Pabna, Chuppu retired
as a judge in 2006.
A freedom fighter in the country’s independence war in 1971, he also
served as commissioner of the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission from 2011 to
2016.
Source: aljazeera.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/24/shahabuddin-chuppu-takes-oath-as-bangladeshs-22nd-president
--------
Lightning strikes kill 9 in Bangladesh
2023-04-24
Dhaka, April 24 (IANS) A series of lightning strikes in Bangladesh
killed nine people in less than two hours amidst heavy rain, officials said on
Monday.
The deaths were reported in different areas of Sunamganj, Moulvibazar
and Sylhet districts between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday, reports Xinhua news
agency.
The majority of the fatalities occurred in rural areas where people were
working on their farmlands.
Death due to lightning strikes is common in the densely populated country
during this time of the year, as the weather changes from the dry to the rainy
summer season.
Bangladesh has seen a surge in lightning strike deaths, with hundreds of
fatalities recorded annually in the past few years.
Experts claim that it is attributable to climate change, which has made
Bangladesh more vulnerable to the impacts.
Source: investing.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://in.investing.com/news/lightning-strikes-kill-9-in-bangladesh-3611684
--------
India
Supreme Court Sends All Cases Against Stand-Up Comic Munawar Faruqui,
For Allegedly Hurting Religious Sentiments, To Indore
Apr 25, 2023
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday transferred all FIRs and
complaints registered against stand-up comic Munawar Faruqui for allegedly
hurting religious sentiments to Indore in Madhya Pradesh.
Faruqui’s counsel urged the court to transfer the cases to Delhi but
considering that no FIR was lodged in Delhi and only a complaint had been
filed, a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sanjay Karol transferred the cases to
Indore where the first FIR was filed against him.
Faruqui was arrested on January 1, 2021, by Madhya Pradesh police
following allegations of making derogatory remarks against Hindu deities during
a public show.
The sessions court and the Madhya Pradesh high court had rejected his
bail plea. Later, the Supreme Court had granted him interim bail on February 5,
2021.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/supreme-court-sends-all-cases-against-comic-faruqui-to-indore/articleshow/99742557.cms
--------
Makeshift Mosque Removed In Hyderabad After Complaint From Hindu Groups
Apr 24, 2023
By Abdul Basheer: Authorities on Saturday removed a temporary mosque set
up using a container truck cabin on the banks of the River Musi located in
Hyderabad's Amberpet.
Sources said that the structure of the makeshift mosque was illegal and
permission was not taken from the concerned authorities for its construction.
Local groups objected to the mosque and lodged complaints with the
district collector and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation post which the
local revenue authorities and police acted and removed the structure.
The matter came to light after some Hindutva groups raised the matter,
following which the revenue officials removed the structure.
According to the police, the Amberpet MRO had written a letter
requesting police to remove the structure on April 19. Later, the structure was
removed under police protection.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/makeshift-mosque-removed-in-hyderabad-after-complaint-from-hindu-groups-2364007-2023-04-24
--------
Karnataka govt decision scrapping 4 per cent quota to Muslims will not
be implemented till May 9: SC
25.04.23
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that the Karnataka government's
decision to scrap four percent quota for Muslims will not be implemented till
May 9 after the state sought time to file its reply.
A bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna said the earlier regime
of four percent quota to Muslims will continue to hold field till May 9, when the
matter will be heard next, without any prejudice to the contentions to be
raised by the state government.
At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state
government, said he will be filing the reply during the day.
"I will be filing it today but the problem is I (solicitor general)
am in personal difficulty as I am arguing before the constitution bench which
is hearing pleas related to same-sex marriage. Kindly put the matter for some
other day", he told the bench. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing
for the petitioners, opposed the request for adjournment by Mehta, and said the
hearing has already been deferred four times.
Mehta said the interim order passed by the court is already in the
petitioners' favour. Dave requested the court to record the submission of Mehta
that impugned orders, scrapping the quota for Muslims will not be implemented
and the earlier order of March 30, 2002, granting the quota will hold the field
till next date of hearing.
The bench agreed with Dave and recorded the submission, while posting
the matter for further hearing on May 9.
On April 18, the top court had deferred till April 25 hearing on a batch
of pleas challenging scrapping of the four per cent Muslim quota.
It had recorded the assurance given by the state government on April 13
that no quota benefits in admission to educational institutions and appointment
in government jobs will be given to Vokkaligas and Lingayats till the next date
of hearing.
On April 13, the Karnataka government's decision to scrap four per cent
Muslim quota ahead of the assembly polls came under the scanner of the Supreme
Court, which questioned the government order and said prima facie it appeared
to be on a "highly shaky ground" and "flawed".
Taking note of the observations, the Karnataka government had assured
the top court that it will put on hold its March 24 orders by which it had
given quotas in admission to educational institutions and appointment in
government jobs to Vokkaligas and Lingayats, till the next date of hearing.
The four per cent reservation for Muslims was to be equally split
between the two communities.
The top court said from the records tabled before it appears that the
Karnataka government's decision is based on "absolutely fallacious
assumption".
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph
Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/karnataka-government-decision-scrapping-4-per-cent-quota-to-muslims-will-not-be-implemented-till-may-9-supreme-court/cid/1932222
--------
BJP Leader Sees Guddu Muslim Link In Sambalpur Violence
25th April 2023
SAMBALPUR: Clinging on to the
issue of deteriorating law and order in the state ahead of the Jharsuguda
by-election, the BJP on Monday claimed links of dreaded criminal Guddu Muslim
of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Raja Khan with the violence during Hanuman Jayanti
celebrations in Sambalpur.
Addressing media persons at Jharsuguda, Bargarh MP and senior BJP leader
Suresh Pujari said West Bengal has become a hotbed of anti-national activities.
Hundreds of people are commuting every day in buses that are plying between Motijharan
in Sambalpur and Murshidabad, the epicentre of terrorism in West Bengal. But no
efforts are being made by the district police to collect information about
people coming from other states to Sambalpur, he said.
While the special task force of UP is on the lookout for Guddu Muslim, a
notorious associate of slain gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, it is being
claimed that Guddu visited Puri and Bargarh in Odisha. This has raised
questions about the links of Guddu with the violence in Sambalpur. “What
connection do Raja and Guddu have with the Sambalpur riots?” questioned Pujari.
Raja has multiple criminal cases in his name and is accused of two
murders in the recent past. He was running his crime empire from Luhurachati on
the border of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. “What is the relationship between Guddu
and Raja when one is from UP and the other belongs to Bargarh? There is no
crime without political patronage. Who is backing Raja politically? There is a
need for investigation into the connections of Guddu. I am afraid they are
planning to execute something big in Odisha,” he claimed.
The Centre has repeatedly warned Odisha government over the security of
Sri Jagannath temple in Puri. Dreaded criminals like Guddu taking shelter in
Puri as a hideout is a cause of concern. The presence of Guddu in Bargarh also
raises questions about the safety of Hirakud Dam, he said.
“Terrorists and dreaded criminals are now taking refuge in Odisha as a
safe haven. It is unfortunate that neither the Odisha DGP nor the state
government has given any statement regarding Guddu and Raja so far,” the BJP
leader added.
OPCC president attacks state govt
Jharsuguda: President of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Sarat
Pattanayak attacked the state government on various issues on Monday.
Addressing Congress workers at Panpali in Laikera block here, the OPCC chief
said life of people in Odisha has been difficult during the BJD rule. Though
Jharsuguda has many factories, there is no employment for local youths.
Pollution is at its peak in the district and there is no sign of law and order,
he claimed. “The BJD government has been in power for 22 years, but the life of
people in Odisha has not changed. It is time to give a chance to the Congress
which has been fighting for the rights of people since Independence,”
Pattanayak said.
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2023/apr/25/pujari-sees-guddu-muslim-link-in-sambalpur-violence-2569206.html
--------
Atiq Ahmed's henchman Guddu Muslim last located in Odisha, Chhattisgarh
Apr 25, 2023
Ashish Srivastava
By Ashish Srivastava: The last location of Guddu Muslim, an accused in
the Umesh Pal case and slain don Atiq Ahmed's henchman, has been traced to
Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Police learned that the last location of Guddu Muslim was in Bargarh in
Odisha.
Police have also started questioning Raja Khan, an aide of Guddu Muslim.
He revealed that the latter has grown a beard to avoid detection and being
captured by the police.
There is strong evidence that Guddu Muslim travelled to places like
Meerut, Ajmer, Jhansi, Nashik, Pune and now Bargarh in Odisha.
Police said that Guddu Muslim has now fled to Chhattisgarh.
Guddu Muslim is one of the 10 people named in the murder of Umesh Pal,
in which Atiq Ahmed was an accused. Of the 10, six -- Atiq Ahmed and five
others linked to him -- have been killed and Guddu Muslim has managed to evade
authorities so far.
Guddu Muslim prefers hurling bombs, instead of using guns, to kill
people. He had been working with Atiq Ahmed since the gangster-politician
bailed him out of jail.
Known to the police as the 'bomb specialist', Guddu Muslim, in a widely
circulated video of the daylight murder of Umesh Pal this February, was seen
throwing crude bombs while riding a pillion on a motorcycle. The video led to
his naming in the FIR.
GUDDU MUSLIM MOST DANGEROUS CRIMINAL
According to Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF) chief Amitabh
Yash, Guddu Muslim is the most dangerous criminal from Atiq Ahmed's gang.
“Among all the absconding criminals from Atiq Ahmed’s gang, Guddu Muslim
is the most dangerous. I arrested him in 1999, when he was smuggling drugs. But
he got bail with the help of Atiq’s lawyers. He is a bomb maker. When Umesh Pal
was murdered, I identified him (Guddu Muslim) easily on CCTV,” Yash said.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/guddu-muslim-odisha-chhattisgarh-last-location-atiq-ahmed-prayagraj-2364270-2023-04-25
--------
BJP Doesn’t Need Muslim Votes: Senior Karnataka BJP MLA KS Eshwarappa
25th April 2023
SHIVAMOGGA: Senior BJP MLA KS Eshwarappa said that the BJP does not need
the votes of Muslims in Shivamogga, but nationalist Muslims will vote for the
saffron party. He was speaking at a Veerashaiva-Lingayat meeting organised by
the BJP in Shivamogga on Monday. Former chief minister BS Yediyurappa was also
present. Eshwarappa said that people should not only raise issues regarding
development but should be worried about conversions.
“They say that there are 50,000 to 55,000 (Muslim) voters in Shivamogga
constituency. I would like to tell you directly that we do not need a single
Muslim vote,” the former minister said.
Eshwarappa added, “We don’t need Muslim votes because we lent much help
to the Muslims when they had health or educational issues, and such Muslims
will vote for us.”
“Yediyurappa is a model leader for Hindus, including Lingayats. He is a
true Hindu and party candidate Channabasappa is a leader who can build the
Hindu community in the city. Many people say to me that if any other party
wins, there will be no security for Hindus,” he added.
Eshwarappa said that the Opposition has been dividing Hindus and Muslims
to seek Muslim votes. “We don’t allow making Hindus inferior and Muslims
superior. But, some nationalist Muslims will definitely vote for the BJP. Let
those anti-nationals who identify themselves with Congress continue to do so.
All have failed in dividing Hindus in the name of caste.”
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2023/apr/25/bjp-doesnt-need-muslim-votes-ks-eshwarappa-2569123.html
--------
CLP leader flays Amit Shah’s statement on Muslim quota
April 24, 2023
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka alleged
that Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s reported statement that the reservations
being provided to Muslims in Telangana in education and employment would be
scrapped once the BJP comes to power in the State was “unconstitutional.”
Addressing a press conference at Gunturupalli village in Elkaturthy
mandal of Hanamkonda district en-route his ongoing State-wide padayatra on
Monday, the CLP leader came down heavily on Mr Amit Shah over his comments on
Muslim minorities quota during his speech at a BJP public meeting held in
Chevella in Ranga Reddy district on Sunday.
The then Congress government introduced the 4% quota for Muslim
minorities in education and employment thereby enabling a large number of
socially and economically backward Muslims pursue higher educational and bag
job opportunities in the State over the past 19 years, he noted.
Taking umbrage at Mr Shah’s statement over the Muslim quota, the CLP
leader alleged that his comments tantamount to violating constitutional spirit.
The BJP is trying to thrust its divisive politics on Telangana and the
BRS is acting hand in glove with the BJP clandestinely, he charged, alleging
that the BJP was spreading “communal venom” in Telangana for its narrow
political gains.
The Congress party will foil such “nefarious designs” and keep the
divisive forces away from Telangana, he said exuding confidence that the
Congress party will emerge triumphant in the next elections by trouncing the
BRS.
Source: thehindu.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/clp-leader-flays-amit-shahs-statement-on-muslim-quota/article66774857.ece
--------
Pakistan
Pakistani, Indian border forces exchange sweets on Eid ul Fitr
April 24, 2023
LAHORE – As the tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries
continue unabated, Pakistani border forces exchanged sweets and pleasantries
with their Indian counterparts on Eid ul Fitr – one of the major festivals.
Following the years-old tradition, Pakistan Rangers gave treats to
Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) at the Pakistan-India Wagah Border Post. It
was learnt that Pakistani Wing Commander Bilal handed over sweets to BSF deputy
inspector general JS Oberoi.
Amid heightened tensions in the disputed Himalayan region, the exchange
of delicious sweets and greetings is a regular feature between Pakistan Rangers
and Indian Border Force as the two sides exchanged sweets on major occasion
like Independence Day, and Diwali as events of national importance has been
recurring feature in past years.
The arch-rival nations have a rich tradition of celebrating Eid, a major
Islamic festival. One of the key aspects of Eid festivities is the preparation
and sharing of traditional sweets and desserts.
Meanwhile, bilateral ties between the South Asian nations are at their
lowest of late, with allegations of ceasefire violations and involvement in
terrorism from both sides.
Islamabad and New Delhi hold stretched history of tensions that dates
back to the partition while the two sides even engaged in several wars in
deadly border skirmishes, and their relations have often been strained.
The recent tensions stemmed from the unilateral decision of Modi-led
government that revoked the special status of illegally occupied Jammu and
Kashmir around four years back.
Source: pakobserver.net
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://pakobserver.net/pakistani-indian-border-forces-exchange-sweets-on-eid-ul-fitr/
--------
Pakistanis among foreigners evacuated from Sudan
April 25, 2023
KHARTOUM: Battles raging in Sudan have sparked multiple evacuation
operations to rescue foreign citizens and embassy staff by road, air and sea.
The main airport in the capital Khartoum has been the site of heavy
fighting and is under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces that
is battling the army.
Many evacuations are taking place from Port Sudan on the Red Sea, an
850-kilometre (530-mile) drive from Khartoum.
Here is an overview of what various nations have done in efforts to take
stranded citizens to safety.
Saudi Arabia led the first reported successful evacuations on Saturday,
with naval operations picking up more than 150 people.
Riyadh announced the “safe arrival” of 91 Saudi citizens and around 66
nationals from 12 other countries — Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates,
Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, India, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Canada
and Burkina Faso.
On Sunday, the US military sent three Chinook helicopters to evacuate
American embassy staff from Khartoum.
More than 100 US forces took part in the rescue to extract fewer than
100 people, which saw the choppers flying from Djibouti to Khartoum, where they
stayed on the ground for less than an hour.
US officials have warned that any wider effort to evacuate American
citizens is unlikely in the coming days.
Canada has also pulled its embassy team out, Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau said.
The British army has evacuated UK embassy staff and their families in a
“complex and rapid” operation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. British
citizens still trapped in Sudan have been calling on social media for help.
The Norwegian ambassador said he and other Norwegian diplomats had also
been evacuated, while Switzerland said 12 citizens had left with the help of
other countries.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Monday that 1,000
EU citizens had been evacuated.
France has airlifted 400 people of multiple nationalities to Djibouti.
Among them were 25 Swedish citizens.
The Netherlands’ Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said a “handful” of
Dutch people had been evacuated on a French aircraft, with another group
leaving Khartoum by road in a UN convoy.
Italy evacuated around 200 people in a military operation on Sunday,
rescuing all Italian citizens who “had asked to leave” and other nationalities,
including representatives of the Vatican.
Greece said a first group of evacuees left with French help on Sunday,
and another group in the Italian operation.
Berlin said it had airlifted 300 people — including Germans and other
nationalities — following an aborted attempt on Wednesday.
A Spanish military plane with 100 passengers — 30 Spanish and 70 other
nationalities — left Sunday for Djibouti, Madrid said.
The Irish government has deployed 12 defence personnel to Djibouti to
help evacuate 150 citizens.
Ankara began operations on Sunday, taking some of its estimated 600
nationals by road from Khartoum and the southern city of Wad Madani.
But plans were postponed from one site in Khartoum after “explosions”
near a mosque designated as the assembly area, the embassy said.
Egypt’s military last week evacuated 177 of its soldiers from Sudan. On
Sunday the foreign ministry said 436 citizens had left by land. Over 10,000
Egyptians are thought to live in Sudan.
Jordan on Saturday said it had begun the evacuation of some 300 citizens
with Saudi and UAE support, while 52 Lebanese and 105 Libyans had also left on
a Saudi naval vessel.
Iraq said 14 citizens had arrived in Port Sudan.
Tunisia sent an airplane on Monday morning, with some citizens having
already left aboard Saudi ships.
Chad is sending airplanes to collect 438 citizens who are leaving
Khartoum by bus for Port Sudan, the government said.
Some of the 800,000 South Sudanese refugees in country — who fled war in
their home country — are also returning back on their own, according to the UN
refugee agency.
China said Monday it had “safely evacuated” a first group of citizens.
Beijing’s foreign ministry said it will “try every means to protect the
lives, properties and safety of 1,500 plus Chinese compatriots in Sudan”.
Indonesia had moved 538 nationals from Khartoum to Port Sudan, where
they are waiting for a boat to Jeddah, with another group of 289 due to travel
in a second phase.
The Philippines said Monday it would begin evacuating nearly 700
Filipinos “within the next 24 hours” on buses to Egypt.
Source: brecorder.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40238676/pakistanis-among-foreigners-evacuated-from-sudan
--------
12 martyred, dozens wounded in blasts inside Swat CTD
April 25, 2023
PESHAWAR: At least twelve people were killed and dozens injured in an
attack inside a counter-terrorism police station in Swat on Monday, causing the
building to collapse, officials said.
Numerous blasts ripped through the building in Kabal town in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa province, the latest in a string of high profile attacks targeting
police in Pakistan.
“Explosions occurred within the police station, resulting in the
complete collapse of the building,” said Khalid Sohail, a senior police officer
in the local counter-terrorism department.
Bilal Faizi, spokesman for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial rescue
service said “at least seven dead bodies have been recovered from the collapsed
building while 44 injured are shifted to nearby hospitals.”
“A series of two to three bomb explosions occurred,” Akhtar Hayat
Gandapur, the inspector general of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police told AFP.
He put the death toll at eight and the injured figure at more than 40
“with the majority of the victims being policemen”.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, however two attacks on
large police bases have been linked to the Pakistani Taliban, known as
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) since the start of the year.
Source: brecorder.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40238670/12-martyred-dozens-wounded-in-blasts-inside-swat-ctd
--------
Army chief spends Eid day with troops on Afghan border
April 25, 2023
BAJAUR: Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir visited Bajaur tribal
district on Saturday to spend the Eid day with troops deployed along Pakistan-Afghanistan
border in the region.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations
(ISPR), the COAS offered Eid prayers with the officers and troops and
appreciated their morale.
The army chief, the statement said, said on the occasion that army was
committed to defending the frontiers and that the armed forces were always
ready to thwart any threat to ensure the territorial integrity of the country.
“For the defenders of Pakistan, irrespective of the difficult terrain or
weather and despite being away from the loved ones, duty takes precedence and
nothing is more sacred than guarding the frontiers of our beloved country,”
remarked the COAS.
The statement added that the COAS paid rich tribute to the martyrs and
emphasised that “on this day of Eid we must not forget those who laid down
their lives for the defence of the motherland and eliminating the scourge of
terrorism”.
The visiting army chief, the statement said, also extended his well
wishes to the families of Shuhada on this special day.
Moreover, the COAS appreciated the operational vigil of troops guarding
the borders.
Earlier on arrival, the COAS was received by commander Peshawar Corps,
the statement added.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1749113/army-chief-spends-eid-day-with-troops-on-afghan-border
--------
Army Chief Gen Asim Munir reaches China on 4-day visit, says ISPR
April 25, 2023
ISLAMABAD – Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir on Monday
reached China to pay a four-day official visit.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), COAS Munir’s
ongoing, both sides will hold discussions on enhancing the bilateral military
relations, the military’s media wing said.
General Asim will lead a high-security delegation to Beijing where the
army chief will discuss the security issues between the two allies.
The two sides will also talk about issues including CPEC security and
military cooperation between Islamabad and Beijing.
Munir’s visit will be the second high-level military delegation to visit
China in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Director General ISI General Nadeem
Anjum visited China on April 11-12.
Earlier, COAS Asim Munir had announced uplifting projects during his
visit to Gwadar. He was briefed on the prevailing security situation,
formations’ operational preparedness, security for China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor, and efforts being made for ensuring a peaceful and secure environment
in the country.
On Eid day, the Army chief visited the Pak-Afghan border at Bajaur to
spend Eidul Fitr with troops and to uplift their morale and resolve, the ISPR
added.
The COAS Munir hailed the commitment and professionalism of the soldiers
posted at the border. The army chief lauded the border security arrangements
and operational preparedness, it further said.
He expressed that the military is committed to the defence of the
frontiers and Pakistan’s armed forces are always ready to thwart any threat to
ensure the territorial integrity of Pakistan.
Source: pakobserver.net
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://pakobserver.net/army-chief-gen-asim-munir-reaches-china-on-4-day-visit-says-ispr/
--------
Africa
Muslims In Awka Eulogise Obi, Say Allegations Against Him False
Apr 25, 2023
AWKA – There was a deluge of
praises on Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate in the February 25
election, Mr. Peter Obi, by the Muslim community in Awka, Anambra State, on
Monday as he again paid visit to Awka Central Mosque.
As a matter of fact, the Muslims had promised to visit Obi, annoyed
that he overlooked them to visit Onitsha Muslim community whereas they believe
Obi belongs to them specially, because he governed from Awka in his days as
governor.
From the leader of the community, Alhaji Musa Bello; leader of Miyetti
Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Gidaddo Sedikki,
as well as the youth leader, Alhaji Abdulahi Garba Haruna, spoke glowingly
about Obi.
They recalled how Obi sponsored them to Mecca in his days, a favour that
has since eluded them, gave agriculture loans, scholarship to their members.
They said that when Obi was running for the presidency they tried to
reach his running mate, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, to dispel rumours of
certain allegations leveled against Obi then.
Alhaji Garba Haruna said: “This is the second time we are hosting you in
our mosque. You are our new president. People try to blackmail you but we did
the much we could to protect you. We, as our Arewa community you have been
sponsoring us on hajj. But since you left office, we are no longer sponsored”.
In his speech, Obi said he came to celebrate Eid-el-Fitr with them and
explained that he didn’t come to Awka first because it is the capital of the
state.
Obi said he is committed to a better society, and better Nigeria.
According to him: “What our children want is a good education, good job
and good health. It is we politicians that try to divide everything. We are all
children of Almighty God”.
He cited the example of Dubai where the Catholic Church was built and
donated by the Emir and England where the Queen donated and built the Central
Mosque even though she was the Head of the Church of England.
Obi said all the allegations against him against Muslims were false
because when as governor, the Commissioner of Police, his ADC and his Chief
Security Officer were all Muslims and from the North.
He said: “No matter what happens, Nigeria will remain one. What Nigeria
desires is a better life, job opportunity”.
He promised to assist the community complete the mosque. He donated bags
of rice, noodles and soft drinks.
Even at that, Obi said he is now ready to do works of charity because
meeting the people and rendering assistance has nothing to do with politics.
He added: “Politics is about caring about the good of the society. I am
leaving here now and I’m going to the hospital to support people in the
hospital because that is what politics is all about”.
Asked why he does not take rest after the hectic electioneering
campaigns, Obi responded: “Those who need rest should rest. Those of us who
don’t need rest should go ahead with our lives”.
Source: independent.ng
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://independent.ng/muslims-in-awka-eulogise-obi-say-allegations-against-him-false/
---------
Frytol celebrates Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr with Muslim community
24 April 2023
Wilmar Africa Limited, the producer of Frytol, a vegetable oil,
continues to show its commitment to the well-being of Ghanaians by supporting
its Muslim consumers to observe the season of Ramadan.
Towards the end of this month-long spiritual journey, Frytol joined the
Muslim community to observe this special season by supporting praying Muslims
break their fast with delicious fried snacks each day.
Ramadan is solemn and a period where Muslims get closer to Allah by
observing the fast and praying each day.
In this holy month of Ramadan, thousands of Muslims abstain from food
and drink from dawn till dusk while praying, reflecting and observing communal
bonding and connections.
Frytol is leveraging its purpose to support the Muslim community in
living a life of goodness to the fullest.
As a cooking oil brand, Frytol primarily promotes the importance of
joyous food moments and the social connections of communal celebrations
especially during festive seasons such as Eid-ul-Fitr.
Over the last few days, Frytol visited four major mosques in Accra
namely, Madina, Nima, Mamobi and Cantonments Mosques to join in the night fight
feast after the fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
Source: myjoyonline.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.myjoyonline.com/frytol-celebrates-ramadan-and-eid-ul-fitr-with-muslim-community/
--------
Rite Foods urges refreshing moments for Muslims with its quality brands
for Eid el-Fitri celebration
Apr 24, 2023
Rite Foods Limited, the market leader in the food and beverage sector of
the Nigerian economy, with arrays of quality brands, admonishes Islamic
believers to have rejuvenating moments with its award-winning brands as they
celebrate this year’s Eid el-Fitri festival, to mark the successful completion
of the one-month fasting during Ramadan.
Ramadan fasting, which is the period of penitence and self-denial, is in
fulfilment of the fourth pillar of Islam, observed annually by the Muslim
Faithful, globally, as enshrined in Islam.
Commending Muslims for their uprightness and excellent conduct during
Ramadan which has led to the Eid el-Fitri celebration, Rite Foods’ Managing
Director, Mr Seleem Adegunwa, avowed that the company’s unique products.
Rite Foods products comprise of the 13 variants of the Bigi Carbonated
soft drink, the premium Bigi Table Water, the Sosa fruit drink with its five
variants, the Fearless energy drinks, Bigi and Rite sausages, which are
available for consumers’ delight and satisfaction in the memorable celebration.
Adegunwa affirmed that the company’s consumers which comprise Islamic
believers should get refreshed after fasting with its array of brands that are
produced in a world-class factory with modern technology and artificial
intelligence, under good hygienic conditions in line with global best
practices.
He stated that the leading company in the food and beverage industry of
Africa’s largest economy will continue in its stride to deliver unparalleled
products stemming from adequate research and development, to cater to the needs
of consumers across the country as a Proudly-Nigerian brand, and outside its
shores, as a Proudly-African organisation.
The Rite Foods boss also called on Muslims to use the Eid el-Fitri
period to pray to Allah for a peaceful and great nation, and for the
actualisation of set developmental goals.
In the same vein, the Company’s Assistant Brand Manager, Boluwatife
Adedugbe, pointed out that Rite Foods, with brands that are the hallmark of
distinctiveness in its market segment, is poised towards putting its consumers
at the topmost of its priority, hence it felicitated with Muslims during the
Ramadan period which now culminates into the Eid-el-Ftri celebration.
She stated that the company’s unrivalled and innovative products with
their unmatched flavours are available across the country for consumers’
satisfaction, irrespective of their religious and cultural beliefs, on
memorable occasions.
Certainly, Rite Foods’ brands are the preferred consumers’ choice as
reflected in its numerous laurels, as the Bigi Cola CSD won the “Fastest
Growing Bigi Cola Brand of the Year” in 2022, at an award ceremony organised by
Marketing Edge Magazine, while its Bigi and Rite sausages clinched the “Fastest
Growing Sausage Brand of the Year,” at the same event.
The sausage brands also earned ECOWAS Sausage Roll Snack Manufacturing
Company of the Year at the ECOWAS Manufacturing Excellence Award in 2021, which
was powered by BusinessDay Newspapers (Ghana], and Daily Independent Newspapers
in Nigeria.
Bigi’s contribution to worthy initiatives was applauded with the “Most
Outstanding CSD Brand of the Year” at the Brandcom 2021 Awards, for its market
leadership position in the beverage industry, while the company’s Fearless
energy drink brand was bestowed with the “Most Outstanding Energy Drink Brand
of the Year,” which are among other awards credited to the company’s products.
Source: championnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://championnews.com.ng/rite-foods-urges-refreshing-moments-for-muslims-with-its-quality-brands-for-eid-el-fitri-celebration/
--------
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/us-afghan-taliban-isis-afghanistan-pentagon/d/129641