New Age Islam News Bureau
20 March 2023
Image used
for representational purpose only. Photo:Times of India
-----
• Islamic Leaders Urge Muslims to Pray
(Taraweeh) At Home Out Of Respect For Hindus Festival Nyepi (Day of Silence)
• IEA Authorities Ban Nowruz Celebration
in Afghanistan, Says “Islam Prohibits the Celebration of Nowruz”
• Khalistani Protesters with Amritpal Singh
Posters Pull Down Indian Flag in London
• ‘I’m Not a Muslim but I Will Fast:
Charity Invites Non-Muslims to 'Fast for a Day' This Ramadan
India
• 4 Months, 50 Rallies in Maharashtra,
One Theme: ‘Love Jihad’, ‘Land Jihad’ and Economic Boycott by ‘Hindu Jan
Aakrosh Morcha’
• Azaan at DC Office: ‘Act of Sedition’,
Says Karnataka BJP MLA Eshwarappa
• Karnataka: Man Questioned For Reciting
‘Azaan’ During Protest
• Muslim Students Federation writes to
UDF leaders about ending KSU alliance
• Dialogue with Christians to continue,
open for talks with Muslims in Kerala: RSS
• PFI recruits underwent 3-stage
training programme: NIA chargesheet
• PFI aimed to co-opt 10% of Muslims ‘to
subjugate majority community’: NIA
--------
Southeast Asia
• Maldivian President Urges To Utilise
Ramadan to Seek Solace and Strength in the Holy Quran
• Conversion to Islam without both
parents’ consent: Indira Gandhi, two ‘victims’ file court challenge against
such laws
• Maidam retracts mandatory wearing of
face masks at mosques, suraus
--------
South Asia
• UK Apologizes for Asking Afghan
Interpreters to Approve Asylum Documents from Kabul Authorities
• Islamic Emirate officials debarred
from participating in tenders
• Launch of Exclusive Column for ‘Afghan
Women’ On Khaama Press Website
--------
Europe
• Türkiye welcomes Kosovo-Serbia
agreement on implementing EU normalization deal
• Russia sends airmobile hospital to
Türkiye’s quake-hit Hatay region
• France welcomes Türkiye's decision to
ratify Finland's NATO bid in parliament
• Adidas team up with Muslim hiking
group this Ramadan to make the countryside more inclusive
--------
Pakistan
• PTI Supporters Protest outside White
House, Asking Govt to Stop Intimidating Imran Khan
• Imran Khan to Stage PTI Power Show at
Minar-i-Pakistan Next Week
• Imran Khan-led PTI seeks FIR against
Sanaullah, Maryam Nawaz over Zaman Park raid
• 4 died, 12 injured after unidentified
shooters attack van in Pakistan
• Minister urges Islamic states to pool
resources, expertise
--------
Middle East
• Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad Chiefs Meet
in Lebanon for Talks on Closer Coordination against Israel
• Türkiye, Saudi Arabia Sign Trade
Agreements in Various Areas
• Israel, Palestinians pledge to curb
violence during Egypt security meeting
• Iran's Raisi invited to visit Saudi
Arabia after detente
• Hamas, Hezbollah hold talks on
Palestinian, regional developments
• Israeli government faces '3 fights',
including internal unrest: Netanyahu
• Palestine appeals for US action
following settler attack on Jerusalem church
• Hamas slams Palestinian participation
in Egypt security meeting with Israel
• Gaza Strip-based Islamic Jihad group
accuse Israel of killing Palestinian commander in Syria
--------
Africa
• Sudan's Ruling Council Working To
Prevent 'Authoritarian Rule' In Sudan, Says President
• Islamic state claims responsibility
for killing 10 people in eastern DRC
• Prosecute electoral offenders –
Islamic group tells police
• Nigeria counts votes in governorship
elections marred by scattered violence
• Libya denounces remarks by Tunisian
president on sharing Bouri oil field
--------
North America
• Palestinian Terrorist Attack Casts
Pall over Peace Talks on Eve of Ramadan, Passover
• Biden welcomes meeting between
Israelis, Palestinians to curb violence in occupied West Bank
• Sisters United Muslim Association
creates a supportive and empowering environment
--------
Arab World
• Ramadan in Dubai: Distributing Meals
without Permit Will Result In $27,000 Fine
• Hilton launches ‘Green Ramadan’ at
Riyadh hotel
• Ramadan Sports Festival in Aspire from
March 28
• ‘Hatta Ramadan Championship’ to kick
off on 24th March
• Public staff to work 5 hours during
Ramadan
• This Ramadan, UAE retailers offer
fixed prices on more products to ease shopper concerns
• Ramadan 2023: Which Countries Have The
Longest Fasting Hours In The World?
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/friday-prayers-shivamogga-azan/d/129361
--------
Youth Offers Friday Prayers from Shivamogga DC's Office Building Days after Senior BJP Leader Said Azaan Was Disturbing Early-Morning Quiet
Image used
for representational purpose only. Photo:Times of India
-----
Mar 20, 2023
SHIVAMOGGA: Days after senior BJP leader
KS Eshwarappa said Azaan (a public prayer call) was disturbing early-morning
quiet and students preparing for examinations, a Muslim youth reportedly
offered Friday prayers from the building of the deputy commissioner's office in
Shivamogga, the hometown of Eshwarappa.
The Azaan video surfaced on social media
on Sunday, leading to a political row. BJP likened the act to separatism, while
JD(S) accused the ruling party of promoting enmity on religious lines. Cops
have filed a cased against the accused. tnn
Shivamogga police checking video
Shivamogga police have booked a case
against the accused, identified as Mousin Ahamed from the city's Ragigudda
locality. To condemn the controversial statement made by Eshwarappa about
Azaan, a group of Muslim youths gathered in front of the DC's office in
Shivamogga -- next to the Jayanagar police station - on Friday and raised
slogans.
During the protest, Ahamed allegedly
climbed the stairs at the DC's office and started offering prayers even as
Azaan was on at a nearby mosque. Some other youths waved flags in his support.
After a couple of minutes, police asked the protesters to disperse. This came
in for criticism from local Muslim leaders.
Shivamogga SP Mithun Kumar GK told TOI
that police officers questioned the accused and released him on station bail.
Jayanagar police who have registered a case are verifying the video and its
contents.
JD(S) leader and former chief minister
HD Kumaraswamy attacked BJP for fomenting enmity among followers of different
religions and added that "some youths in the Muslim community"
behaved recklessly by offering prayers from the DC's building. Speaking to
reporters at a village in Mandya district, Kumaraswamy advised both BJP leaders
and Muslim community to maintain decorum in the larger interest of peace and
order. He sought legal action against those who instigated the people.
In Chikkamagaluru, BJP national general
secretary CT Ravi said the act of offering azaan "displayed the mentality
of Pakistan leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah and al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. We
know how to curb this tendency."
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story:
--------
Islamic Leaders Urge Muslims to Pray
(Taraweeh) At Home Out Of Respect For Hindus Festival Nyepi (Day of Silence)
File photo
of a communal prayer performed at a mosque in Malang, East Java. Picture taken
in 2021. Photo: Unsplash/Sabilissalam Multimedia.
------
By Coconuts Bali
Mar 20, 2023
Nyepi Day (Day of Silence) falls on
Wednesday this year, coinciding with the start of Ramadan for Muslims. While
peace and quiet are mandated throughout the island during Nyepi, officials say
there is room for Muslims to carry out their religious duties at the start of
the holy month, particularly pertaining to the tarawih prayer.
Tarawih is a non-obligatory evening
prayer carried out throughout Ramadan, during which Muslims flock to nearby
mosques to observe the communal prayer. The first tarawih prayer is set to take
place on Wednesday evening, and questions were raised as to whether or not it
would clash with Nyepi, which requires a whole-island shutdown to mark the
Hindu new year.
According to the Bali Gubernatorial
Regulations on Nyepi Day this year, Muslims on the Island of Gods are
encouraged to perform tarawih at home or at nearby mosques as long as they walk
to the house of worship (so no motorbikes or cars), avoid the use of
loudspeakers, and use minimal lighting.
“We encourage them to observe the
prayers at home, unless the mosque is close to their houses then it is okay,”
said Bali Police spokesman Stefanus Satake Bayu Setianto to Coconuts Bali in a
text message sent today.
Separately, Gianyar Police Operations
Chief I Gede Sudyatmaja added that tadarus (Quran recitals) are not allowed at
mosques during Nyepi.
“As for the tadarus, it can be performed
in their own homes,” he said.
Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country,
but Balinese Hindus represent the majority in Bali.
The Bali chapter of Indonesia Ulema
Council (MUI), on the other hand, has encouraged Muslims on the island to
perform tarawih at home in order to maintain the island’s interreligious
harmony.
“It is only one night, we can observe
tarawih at homes,” said Samsul Arifin, the head of sermons for MUI Bali, as
quoted by RRI.
Source: Coconuts
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story:
--------
IEA Authorities Ban Nowruz Celebration
in Afghanistan, Says “Islam Prohibits the Celebration of Nowruz”
Nowruz
Celebration? Photo: Khaama Press
-----
Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation
of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in an announcement said the group’s
regulators have told people “Islam prohibits the celebration of Nowruz”.
According to this announcement, Taliban
observers have met with the worshipers of at least 35 mosques in Daikundi, and
have asked them to resist the “Western ideas, Khawarij and rituals that are not
in line with Islam”.
In this declaration, Nowruz is
attributed to the “era of ignorance” and people are warned that the occasion is
promoted by “foreigners” among Muslims.
The ministry of vice and virtue of the
Taliban has warned ordinary people to refrain from celebrating “alien and
un-Islamic customs, and days that are not holy in Islam”.
The popular festival was banned during
the Taliban’s previous rule between 1996 and 2001. However, last year the group
said they will not celebrate the Nowruz, but have no problem with those
celebrating it.
Nowruz has been celebrated for more than
3,000 years, observed by adherents of both the main branches of Islam – Sunnis
and Shias in Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia, and parts of the Middle East –
and usually marked by a public holiday.
Banning the Nowruz celebration, which
marks the arrival of spring in Daikundi, indicates the ruling regime’s opposition
to the popular festive, which prompted widespread criticisms in the past as
well.
Nowruz celebration is one of the ancient
rituals of the people of Afghanistan, being celebrated in different ways,
similar to other countries so-called “Nowruz region”.
The United Nations officially recognized
the “International Day of Nowruz” with the adoption of Resolution 64/253 by the
United Nations General Assembly in February 2010.
Source: Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/iea-authorities-ban-nowruz-celebration-in-afghanistans-daikundi/
--------
Khalistani Protesters with Amritpal
Singh Posters Pull Down Indian Flag in London
In a video
widely shared on social media, an official at the Indian High Commission in
London was seen rescuing the Tricolour from a Khalistani supporter and throwing
out the Khalistani flag./ Photo: India Today
-------
By Fidel Rahmati
March 20, 2023
The protestors carried banners and Amritpal
Singh posters while shouting slogans: We Want Justice, Release Amritpal Singh,
and We Stand with Amritpal Singh were written on the posters that included
Singh’s image.
The protest occurred when the Indian
Police in Punjab launched an operation to arrest the Khalistani leader and his
aide. Sources said the police detained him on Saturday near Jalandhar’s Nokodar,
Punjab state of India, but the police have not confirmed it.
Late on Sunday night, India summoned a
senior British diplomat to the Foreign Office. It demanded an explanation for
the total lack of British security that had earlier in the day allowed separatist
and extremist elements to enter the Indian High Commission and replace the
Tricolor with the Khalistani flag.
India expressed its concern and told the
second-highest ranking diplomat at the UK High Commission that the UK
government’s “indifference” to the safety of Indian diplomatic premises and
personnel in the country was “unacceptable”, said a statement by the Ministry
of External Affairs.
The statement also said that the UK
government was expected to take immediate steps to identify, arrest and prosecute
each of those involved in the incident and put in place stringent measures to
prevent the recurrence of such incidents.”
In a statement, the Ministry of External
Affairs said, “the UK Government was expected to take immediate steps to
identify, arrest and prosecute each one of those involved in today’s incident,
and put in place stringent measures to prevent the recurrence of such
incidents.
Source: Khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/khalistani-protesters-pull-down-indian-flag-in-london/
--------
‘I’m Not a Muslim but I Will Fast:
Charity Invites Non-Muslims to 'Fast for a Day' This Ramadan
Kim Seggers
who took part last year and will take part again (Image: One Voice)
------
By Shuiab Khan
‘I’m not a Muslim but I will fast (for
one day),’ is now in its ninth year, with members of the public, officials from
major local organisations from the public and private sector, and One Voice
members taking part.
The award winning campaign began in 2015
with and more than 1,200 people have taken part. This year participants will be
asked to record their fast as a video diary.
Ramadan is the holy Islamic month where
Muslims forgo food and water between sunrise and sunset.
This year it is due to begin around
March 22, and will last for 29 or 30 days, culminating in the Eid festival.
Last year teams of staff from across
Blackburn with Darwen Council observed a day of fasting in solidarity with
their Muslim friends and colleagues, with chief executive Denise Park taking
part.
She said:“Opportunities such as this can
help us to understand more about the beliefs and practices of people from
different cultural and religious backgrounds to our own, to help our community
to be more accepting, tolerant and welcoming – and ultimately stronger.”
Marketing manager at One Voice
Blackburn, Sundas Bakhat, said: “Ramadan is the time of year when the Muslim
community take time to reflect on their lives and their spirituality.
“We are thrilled to be nearing our tenth
anniversary of this unique campaign.
"Community cohesion is a key
component of our charity and once again we are overwhelmed with the number of
people wanting to take part in the fast. We can’t wait to share their
experiences on video.”
Anyone interested in taking part between
March 27 to April 20 can email: sundas@1vblackburn.org
Source: Lancashire Telegraph
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original story:
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/23396866.charity-invites-non-muslims-fast-day-ramadan/
--------
India
4 Months, 50 Rallies in Maharashtra, One Theme: ‘Love Jihad’, ‘Land Jihad’ and Economic Boycott by ‘Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha’
By Nayonika Bose, Zeeshan Shaikh, Alok
Deshpande
March 20, 2023
Starting November last year, at least 50
‘Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha’ rallies have been held across Maharashtra, in almost
all of the state’s 36 districts. Each of these events has followed a set
pattern: a brief march through the heart of the city, amid a sea of saffron
flags and caps, followed by a short rally, where speakers on a makeshift dais attack
minorities, invoke “love jihad”, “land jihad”, “forced conversions”, and call
for the economic boycott of the Muslim community.
For the record, the BJP distances itself
from these rallies, saying they are by the Sakal Hindu Samaj, an umbrella body
of Hindutva and Sangh organisations, but almost all of these events have had
the presence of party leaders, including the local BJP MLA and MP. The
speeches, however, are largely delivered by right-wing hardliners, including
suspended BJP leader and Telangana MLA T Raja Singh, Kalicharan Maharaj and
Kajal Hindustani — at least two of them (Singh and Maharaj) face hate speech
cases both in the state and elsewhere.
While Singh was suspended by the BJP in
August last year for his remarks on Islam and Prophet Mohammed, he is a
familiar face at such rallies in Maharashtra. Kalicharan Maharaj, aka Abhijit
Dhananjay Sarang, is from Akola in Maharashtra. A proponent of a ‘Hindu
Rashtra’, he was arrested in December 2021 for his speech at a dharam sansad in
Raipur, where he allegedly hailed Nathuram Godse. Kajal Hindustani, aka Kajal
Shingala, is a Gujarat-based Hindutva activist.
At one such rally, at Mumbai’s Mira Road
on March 12, speeches were made against “Islamic aggression”, “love jihad” and
“land jihad”, with some of the speakers calling for an economic boycott of
Muslims.
“There are three major aspects of
Islamic aggression. First is love jihad, second comes land jihad and finally
there is the problem of conversion… For these…there is a Ram-led solution – one
where you will not be stopped by political leaders, the Supreme Court or even
the media. That solution is their economic boycott,” said Kajal Hindustani.
A 2-km march that preceded the speeches
was flagged off by Geeta Jain, independent MLA from Mira Bhayandar who is
supporting the government. The event was attended by BJP MLA Nitesh Rane along
with local BJP leaders and members of outfits such as the VHP and Bajrang Dal.
While Maharashtra Police personnel were
seen at most of the rallies recording the speeches, no case has been filed
against any of the speakers so far. T Raja Singh has been booked twice by the
Maharashtra Police for hate speeches in Latur (February) and Ahmednagar
(March), but those were at rallies not held under the banner of the ‘Hindu Jan Aakrosh
Morcha’.
“As per Supreme Court’s guidelines, we
are video recording everything that is being said at these rallies. We then
listen to them thoroughly, seek legal advice from appropriate individuals and
accordingly legal action is being taken,” said a senior Maharashtra Police
officer.
Despite a February 3 directive by the
Supreme Court that the Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha would only be allowed if there
is “no hate speech”, the speeches at these rallies have called Muslims
“unpatriotic”, whose “prime aim is to veer Hindu girls away from their religion
by converting them to Islam through marriage”.
Consider these:
November 20, 2022: At the first Hindu
Jan Aakrosh Morcha in Parbhani, held in the background of the outrage over the
murder of Shraddha Walkar by her partner Aaftab Poonawala, the organisers said
the rally was to create awareness in Hindu society about the dangers of ‘love
jihad’. Local BJP functionaries and Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray
faction MLA Rahul Patil were among those present.
January 29, 2023: At a rally in Mumbai,
open threats were issued to Muslims on issues such as the presence of mosques,
alleged pandering of the state to the Waqf Board, and halal meat. Addressing
the crowd at Kamgar Maidan, where the rally ended, Telangana MLA T Raja Singh,
while urging Hindus to boycott goods from shops run by members of the Muslim
community, said: “It is time the Hindu community stands up against the
domination by these people. There’s anger in the hearts and minds of people…
Our sisters and daughters are falling prey to the systematic designs of the
other community.” BJP MLAs Ashish Shelar and Pravin Darekar and MPs Gopal
Shetty and Manoj Kotak attended the rally.
February 27: At a rally in Vashi, Navi
Mumbai, more anti-Muslim rhetoric was raised. “Oh Abdul, listen to us, these
Hindu brothers have decided to boycott you starting today,” Kajal Hindustani
said. BJP MLA Ganesh Naik was present at the rally.
March 12: At a rally in Mira Road, Kajal
Hindustani claimed Muslim vendors laced vegetables and fruits with toxins.
“Today, almost all the vendors in Shanti Nagar, Poonam Garden, Jesal Park have
been occupied by jihadi vendors. Spend a little extra money and stop buying
from them. Ensure the money goes to a Hindu’s house.” Bhayander Independent MLA
Geeta Jain and BJP MLA Nitesh Rane were present at the rally.
Asked about the participation of BJP
leaders and ministers at these protests, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister
Devendra Fadnavis had said in January: “In some rallies, our party workers or
leaders have been present because they are also Hindus. If a rally is being
organised on the problems faced by Hindus, then it is natural that these
leaders may participate. But this is not an agenda of (the BJP).”
Speaking on condition of anonymity about
the rallies, a senior BJP leader pointed to the changed circumstances since the
party joined hands with the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena to come to
power in the state in June last year.
“Hindutva was cited as the main reason
by Eknath Shinde for overthrowing the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. A
message needed to be sent out that the new government will give justice to
Hindus, that it listens to Hindus and works for Hindus, even more than the
previous one,” he said, adding that ‘love jihad’ issues connect with a large
section of women.
“He (Uddhav) will always have the
advantage of being Balasaheb Thackeray’s son, but the dilemma for him will be
that his leaders can neither participate in these rallies nor condemn them,” he
said, while pointing out that the BJP has been raising these issues in every
state. “Love jihad is a common thread across the country. What Maharashtra is
witnessing now is an experiment to check whether these mobilisations will
reflect in votes.”
Asked about the hate speeches at these
gatherings, BJP’s Kankavli MLA Nitesh Rane, who was present at the Mira Road
event on March 12, told The Indian Express that he agreed with the call for
economic boycott of Muslims.
“All that money is used by them against
the Hindu community. If that money is used for the prosperity of the community,
no one would have an issue. But they use money in the name of terrorism, love
jihad and a lot of other things against Hindus. So obviously, we had to call
out to stop their economic prosperity,” Rane said.
BJP MLA Pravin Darekar, who, too, was
seen at many of these rallies, said: “Hindu girls are being lured and
converted… this is taking place in large numbers. There are land mafia from a
particular community who grab land and make religious places. Hindu society has
come together against all this.”
Besides the Morcha rallies, there have
been similar rallies across Maharashtra, including the ‘Hindu Rashtra Jagruti
Sabhas’ organised by the Hindu Janjagriti Samiti, a Goa-based organisation with
a stated aim of establishing a “Hindu nation”. These rallies too witness
inflammatory speeches.
Though the organisers of the two
gatherings are different, the speakers who get called are the same – T Raja
Singh, Kalicharan Maharaj and Kajal Hindustani, among others.
Source: Indian Express
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original story:
--------
Azaan at DC office: ‘Act of sedition’,
says Karnataka BJP MLA Eshwarappa
20th March 2023
Shivamogga: BJP MLA and former Karnataka
Minister K.S. Eshwarappa on Monday triggered a fresh controversy by calling it
an ‘act of sedition’, after a video of a Muslim youth performing ‘Azaan’ at the
premises of the District Commissioner’s office in Shivamogga district went
viral on the social media.
Speaking to the media, Eshwarappa said
that the youth, who performed Azaan is associated with the Socialist Democratic
Party of India (SDPI). The police had booked the youth under IPC Section 107
and granted him bail.
“I will write a letter in this regard to
the Chief Minister and Union Home Minister,” the MLA added.
“They have announced that they will
perform Azaan in the premises of the Vidhana Soudha. They are insulting Allah.
They are violating the Supreme Court guidelines by performing Azaan on
loudspeakers. The students who are writing exams are facing difficulties
because of Azaan,” Eshwarappa said.
“This is a system which will destroy
democracy. The people who will perform Azaan like this don’t know whether they
are living in Pakistan or India. Why do we need government departments if this
is what is happening? This incident has caused serious threat to democracy,” he
added.
“With total disregard, they have
challenged that Azaan will be performed opposite Vidhana Soudha. When I was
delivering speeches in Virajpet and Mangaluru, Azaan was performed on
loudspeakers,” he said.
“This is against the constitution. The
court has given specific directions regarding performing Azaan on
loudspeakers.”
Asked about JD (S) leader and former
Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy criticising him and the BJP for issuing
statements on Azaan, Eshwarappa asked him that doesn’t he know the directions
of the Supreme Court in this regard?
Azaan in protest against BJP MLA at DC’s
office:
The members of Muslim community had
staged a protest before the District Commissioner’s office in Shivamogga,
condemning the statements of Eshwarappa on Azaan.
One of the young protestors had
performed Azaan before the main entrance during the protest. The police had
objected to this and there was an exchange of words between police and the
protestors.
The community leaders had warned the
youth and pacified the situation. Later, the police had sent back the
protesters.
JD (S) leader Kumaraswamy had held BJP
responsible for the controversy and also slammed the role of a few miscreants.
Earlier, Eshwarappa had stirred a
controversy in Karnataka by stating that Allah listens only if the Azaan
prayers are done on loudspeakers.
Speaking at a rally organised as part of
the Vijay Sankalp Yatra, while delivering a speech at Shantinagar in Kavoor
near Mangaluru on Sunday, Eshwarappa made these controversial statements after
hearing prayers from mosques.
“Wherever I go, this is a headache,” he
had said.
“We call people who need loudspeakers to
be heard as deaf. The Supreme Court had given the order in this regard. This
problem is going to be solved. There shall be no doubts in this regard,”
Eshwarappa added.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given
a call to respect all religions. But, will Allah listen to prayers if done on
loudspeakers?” Eshwarappa asked.
“We also carry out worship in our
temples. Sholaks and bhajans are performed. Even we have more devoutness and
respect towards god than them,” he stated, referring to Muslims.
Source: Siasat Daily
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/azaan-at-dc-office-act-of-sedition-says-karnataka-bjp-mla-eshwarappa-2550970/
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Karnataka: Man questioned for reciting
‘azaan’ during protest
19th March 2023
Bengaluru: The police in Karnataka’s
Shivamogga have questioned a Muslim youth who recited ‘azaan’ during a protest
at the Deputy Commissioner’s office two days ago.
A Muslim organisation had staged a
protest at the office of the Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate on
March 17 against former minister and BJP legislator K.S. Eshwarappa over his
remarks about ‘azaan’, or the Islamic call for prayers.
During the protest, a youth had recited
‘azaan’ and the video of the same had surfaced on social media.
The protesters had reportedly threatened
to recite ‘azaan’ in front of the Vidhana Soudha as well.
The police have registered a case
against the youth who has been summoned and questioned about the incident,
confirmed Shivamogga Superintendent of Police, G.K. Mithun Kumar.
The SP said the youth was advised not to
repeat such activity. The officer also clarified that the youth has not been
arrested.
The police are checking the antecedents
of those who participated in the protest. The SP said action would be taken if
the police find anything suspicious about them.
Source: Siasat Daily
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/karnataka-man-questioned-for-reciting-azaan-during-protest-2550461/
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Muslim Students Federation writes to UDF
leaders about ending KSU alliance
Mar 20, 2023
KOZHIKODE: Muslim Students Federation
(MSF), the student wing of IUML, has decided to sever its alliance with KSU
over erosion of KSU votes for the candidates of United Democratic Students
Federation (UDSF) alliance in the recently-held Calicut University student union
elections.
MSF leaders said they have written to
UDF leaders in state about their decision to end the alliance and go ahead
after getting the approval from UDF leaders.
Sources said MSF state president PK
Navas, who is the convener of UDSF, has sent his resignation letter from the
post.
MSF leaders alleged that while
university union councillors (UUCs) belonging to KSU from Thrissur didn't vote
in full for MSF candidates, KSU also failed to secure their votes in Kozhikode.
They added that while all votes were
polled for the chairperson candidate who belonged to KSU, there was erosion in
KSU votes polled for general secretary candidate from MSF.
Meanwhile, KSU leaders denied the charge
and added that the total number of votes for UDSF was 226 and the candidates
who contested in the general seats had it and additional votes, secured by some
candidates, were personal votes.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original story:
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Dialogue with Christians to continue,
open for talks with Muslims in Kerala: RSS
by Shaju Philip
March 19, 2023
In a bid to get closer to the prominent
minority communities in Kerala ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, RSS on
Saturday said dialogues with Christians will continue and indicated that it was
also ready for opening talks with Muslims in the state.
RSS state prantha karyavahak P N Eswaran
and prantha sangh chalak K K Balram told the media that the Christian community
in Kerala is no more afraid of the RSS. “There had been a time when the
Christian community had been afraid of RSS. We have held several rounds of
discussions with the Christian leaders and the dialogue will continue. We have
formed state and district-level mechanisms for dialogues with Christians,’’
they said.
Dropping hints that the RSS is keen on
engaging with the Muslims in Kerala, the RSS leaders said that Muslim leaders
in the state have not come forward for any discussion so far. “If they come
forward, we can consider it depending upon the issue at stake. At the same
time, there will not be any dialogue with anti-nationals,’’ said the RSS
leaders.
Eswaran said the RSS did not see Indian
Union Muslim League (an ally of Congress) as an extremist outfit. “IUML does
not have the extremist approach even though it has communal interests. It is a
democratic party. There was a talk with an IUML legislator in Malappuram,” he
said.
Referring to its dialogue with various
Muslim organisations in Delhi in January this year, Eswaran said the dialogue
was not with Jamaat-e-Islami alone. Their (Jamaat) representative was among the
Muslim intellectuals who came for the dialogue with the RSS. A discussion with
Jamaat would happen only if they are ready to abandon their extreme stand, he
said.
Recently, the Jamaat-e-Islami presence
in the RSS dialogue with Muslim organisations in Delhi had triggered a
political controversy in Kerala with ruling CPI(M) flaying the dialogue. CPI(M)
was of the view that the dialogue would not help minorities at a time the
secular community in the country was fighting against the Hindutva agenda of
the RSS.
Source: Indian Express
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PFI recruits underwent 3-stage training
programme: NIA chargesheet
March 20, 2023
The banned Popular Front of India (PFI)
had put in place a “three-stage screening and grooming programme to radicalise
gullible Muslim youth”, according to the latest chargesheet filed by the
National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a Delhi court.
According to the chargesheet, PFI had
charted a systematic process to first identify prospective members, drill its
ideology into them, and prepare them to sacrifice their lives for the
organisation. This assessment was based on the confessions of those arrested
and information from other witnesses.
The chargesheet said the initiation
would start with the standard questions pertaining to knowledge of Islam and
the history of Muslim rule in India, among other things. NIA said the newcomers
would also be apprised about the “prevailing poor situation of Muslims in
India, atrocities committed on them by right-wing organisations and possible
solutions to alleviate the situation”.
Once satisfied, PFI ideologues would
take the new recruits to ‘Second Class’. “Later the accused would further
radicalise and provoke them (recruits) with communally hateful speeches against
the Indian government and every other group or organisation which opposes the
extremist and Jihadi ideology of PFI. To substantiate their theory, they cited
the incidents of different communal riots, Babri Masjid demolition and various
other incidents to invoke fear and insecurity in the minds of impressionable
Muslim youth and portray the Indian government and people of non-Muslim
communities in a bad light,” the chargesheet added.
According to NIA, the ‘Third Class’ is
for those who have already attended the first two classes and complied with the
instructions given to them. “During this period, they are taught about the importance
of the organisation… This functions like a Shura Council under Shariat Law and
they are asked to be faithful to the organisation and its leaders. They are
also asked to be ready to sacrifice everything, including family and their own
life, for the organisation so that after death they will get entry into
paradise. An oath called ‘Bayat’ is taken by holding the hand of the chairman
or his representative to this effect,” the chargesheet said.
One of the arrested men, identified as
Mohammed Yusuf has recorded his statement before the magistrate under Section
164 of CrPC. Yusuf, a lawyer, said he was a member of the Manitha Neethi
Pasarai (MNP) of Tamil Nadu from 2001 till its merger with the National
Development Front (NDF) of Kerala and Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) to form
PFI in 2006. “Yusuf said the national executive council is the top
decision-making body in PFI. To achieve its objectives – freedom, justice and
security of the Muslim community – PFI launched various social welfare schemes,
but these were the front face to hide their anti-national and violent terrorist
activities,” the chargesheet said.
“Advocate Yusuf also said that the real
objective of PFI was to overthrow the democratically elected government and
replace it with a Shariat-based social order for converting India into an
Islamic nation. To achieve their objective, the PFI leadership was also
providing basic and advanced-level physical efficiency training to its cadres
in different states across India,” it added.
In his statement, Yusuf also claimed
that during the basic and advanced-level PE training, cadres were taught about
warm-up, stretching exercises, Yoga poses, and different types of kicks and
punches for self-defence. “The participants in these exercises are also trained
in the use of easy-to-wield weapons such as sticks, knife and sickle to kill a
person by attacking his vulnerable body parts. Usually, the basic training
course continues for five days, while the advance-level training was given for
a period of six months to one year, during which the participants were trained
in the defensive and offensive forms of martial arts as well as the use of
weapons for self-defence and to attack vulnerable persons during mob violence,”
according to the chargesheet.
“Yusuf also said that those PFI cadres
who successfully completed the advanced training course were inducted into the
hit squads or service teams of PFI. They operated at the district level under
the direct supervision of PFI’s district president. Members of PFI’s service
teams were tasked to identify and target the local area leaders of other
organisations who oppose the activities of PFI. For organising these training
camps across India and for purchase of weapons to carry out murders of the
identified persons, the necessary funding is arranged by the NEC members in
cash as well as bank transfers,” the chargesheet said.
Source: Indian Express
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PFI aimed to co-opt 10% of Muslims ‘to
subjugate majority community’: NIA
Mar 20, 2023
NEW DELHI: Popular Front of India (PFI)
was aiming to associate at least 10% of the country’s Muslim population with
itself ”to subjugate the majority community and bring back the glory of Islam,”
according to the chargesheet filed by NIA on Saturday against PFI and its 19
office-bearers led by chairman O M A Salam.
NIA submitted that the objective of the
radical Islamic outfit, now banned under UAPA, was to unveil a new Constitution
based on the Islamic Shariah law, “with the help of external forces”, once its
goal of establishment of Islamic government in India was realised by the 100th
year of India’s Independence.
As reported by TOIon Sunday, the PFI’s
vision document titled ‘India 2047: Establishing Rule of Islam in India’ —
seized during one of the NIA raids against PFI — there would be four stages of
progression towards Islamic rule — uniting Muslims and providing weapons
training to PFIcadres; selective use of violence to demonstrate strength and
terrorise opponents; alliances with SCs/STs/OBCs to divide Hindus for political
gains; and infiltrating the police, Army and judiciary.
NIA sources said that a protected
witness who was once a member of the core team of PFI, disclosed that the
chargesheeted accused in the sessions held by them had mentioned that in case
of any disturbance from Pakistan, the Indian Army would be busy in the north,
and with PFI’s training they can capture the south, and move towards the north.
“This indicates the PFI’s intention of waging war against India and to
overthrow thedemocratically established government,” it stated.
The PFI vision document records its
intent to acquire plots of land in Muslim-dominated localities or remote
locations for training and stockpiling of weapons and explosives. The outfit,
it adds, trains and funds cadres for the identification, reconnaissance and
elimination of all those who do not believe in the establishment of Islamic
rule in India.
The chargesheet reveals how accused
leaders and cadres of PFI, to further the criminal conspiracy to drive a communal
wedge and carry out an armed rebellion to dismember the country, overthrow its
democratic government and establish Islamic rule, sought to raise funds through
monthly donations (Baith-Ul-Maal) from cadres, Masjid collection during Friday
prayers, Ramzan collection, bucket collection, public collection and collection
in the name of relief (cyclone etc. ) funds. These funds were distributed to
PFI trainers and service teams from six PFIbank accounts, as per money trail
established by NIA.
It was also revealed that these money
transfers — done with the connivance and consent of accused members of the
national executive committee, the apex body of PFI — were for funding weapons
training and terrorist camps organised by PFI for its cadres across the country,
gathering of arms & ammunition and explosive substances for causing bomb
blasts and murdering innocent people.
While probe into PFI accounts revealed
that arrested accused PFI trainer Anshad Badruddin had between January 2018 and
January 2021 received a total amount of Rs. 3. 5 lakh into his two accounts.
NIA probe found that PFI cadres are
imparted weapons training — under the guise of yoga classes and ‘Healthy People
Healthy Nation’ campaign — in three stages. They are taught from three books
codenamed as Book-1, Book-2 and Book-3 relating to training in knife, rods and
sickle/ sword respectively. An assessment of the members is taken on the final
day to select persons for advanced training who can be chosen to be members of
service team or hit squad to attack targets — basically anyone opposing the
idea of Islamic rule — identified by the organisation.
Source: Times Of India
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Southeast Asia
Maldivian President Urges To Utilise
Ramadan to Seek Solace and Strength in the Holy Quran
20 March 2023
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih called
on the public on Monday to make the best use of the fasting month of Ramadan,
to seek solace and strength in the beacon of light that is the Holy Quran, and
to remain steadfast in the path of religious practices and good behaviour. He
made these remarks while speaking at the closing ceremony of the 35th National
Quran Recitation Competition.
At the ceremony in the Islamic Centre,
President Solih congratulated the winners and stated the importance of
memorising and practising the Tajweed rules of the Holy Quran for the present
and the hereafter. He also urged the participants of the competition to
continue on their paths.
President Solih also noted the high
number of Hafizes in the country and spoke about the importance of doing more
to maintain their prestige. He also asked the public to question the reason
behind the need to invite Hafizes from other countries to lead the Tarawih
prayers during Ramadan.
Reaffirming the administration’s
commitment to upholding and preserving the true values and principles of Islam
and the Holy Quran, President Solih urged all to strive hard towards instilling
those in young children. Speaking in this regard, the President called on
higher education institutions to promote the teachings of the Holy Quran and
the message of Islam, supported by scientific research and technological
advancements in the modern world.
Source: Presidency
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Conversion to Islam without both
parents’ consent: Indira Gandhi, two ‘victims’ file court challenge against
such laws
By Ida Lim
Monday, 20 Mar 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 — Two women who
claimed to have been “victims” of unilateral conversion where they were
converted to be Muslims as children without both parents’ consent, as well as
Hindu mother M. Indira Gandhi have filed a lawsuit against eight laws enabling
unilateral conversion to Islam in seven states and Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and
Labuan.
Indira, the two women named Aisyah
Muhammad Ali and Mimi Mastura Abdullah, and 11 others filed the lawsuit at the
High Court in Kuala Lumpur on March 3 through an originating summons.
The eight respondents in the lawsuit
were named as the state governments of Perlis, Kedah, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan,
Pahang, Perak, Johor and the government of the federal territories of Malaysia.
In the lawsuit, Indira and the 13 others
are seeking for the High Court to declare the state enactments which allow the
unilateral conversion of children into Islam as being void or invalid due to
its breaching of the Federal Constitution, especially Article 12(4) and in
light of the Federal Court’s 2018 decision.
Under Article 12(4), the religion of a
person aged under 18 is to be decided by his “parent or guardian”.
The Federal Court had on January 29,
2018 already decided in a case — involving Indira’s successful challenge
against her three children’s unilateral conversion into Islam by the Muslim
convert ex-husband without her knowledge or consent — that the word “parent” in
Article 12(4) is to be interpreted as “parents” if both are still alive.
In other words, the Federal Court had
decided in 2018 in the Indira case that for children born from a civil marriage
or a couple who were both non-Muslims, the consent of both the mother and the
father (if both are still living) is required before a certificate of
conversion to Islam can be issued to such children.
The other court orders that Indira and
the 13 others are seeking include a declaration that the practice of unilateral
conversion is unconstitutional and contrary to Article 12(4).
If the High Court declares the state
laws enabling unilateral conversion to be invalid and declares unilateral
conversion to be an unconstitutional practice, Indira and the 13 others are
seeking for a further declaration that any and all unilateral conversions that
took place in Malaysia before the Federal Court’s January 2018 decision in
Indira’s case to be void or invalid for breaching Article 12(4).
Alternatively if the first two orders
are granted, they want the court to require any and all unilateral conversions
in Malaysia — after the Federal Court’s 2018 Indira decision — to require the
consent of both parents, and to reverse the unilateral conversion of these
children if either parent refuses to grant consent within a one-year period
from the date of the court’s order in this lawsuit.
Indira and the 13 others who filed the
lawsuit listed the eight laws which they say are unconstitutional due to their
enabling of unilateral conversions of children to Islam with just the consent
of either the mother or father, instead of requiring both parents to consent.
These eight laws are Perlis’s
Administration of the Religion of Islam Enactment 2006’s Section 117, and its
equivalent in other states: Administration of Islamic Law (Kedah Darul Aman)
Enactment 2008’s Section 80; Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of
Malacca) Enactment 2002’s Section 105; Administration of the Religion of Islam
(Negeri Sembilan) Enactment 2003’s Section 117; Pahang’s Administration of
Islamic Law Enactment 1991’s Section 103; Administration of the Religion of
Islam (Perak) Enactment 2004’s Section 106; Administration of the Religion of
Islam (State of Johor) Enactment 2003’s Section 117 and Administration of
Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993’s Section 95.
Apart from Ipoh-based Indira and the two
women, the others who filed the lawsuit include former Malaysian Hindu Sangam
president and former Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) president S. Mohan; Arumugam Dorasamy
or Arun Dorasamy who chairs the Indira Gandhi Action Team (I.N.G.A.T) and is a
former Malaysia Hindu Sangam youth leader; and non-governmental organisation
Pertubuhan Hindu Agamam Ani Malaysia dealing with the Hindu community’s social
welfare.
The rest are all residents in the seven
states and federal territories where the state laws are being challenged:
Perlis, Kedah, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Johor and Kuala Lumpur.
In the lawsuit, Indira and the 13 others
said that these state laws’ provisions for unilateral conversion of children is
“unconstitutional” and has “led to, is leading and will lead to violation of
rights” of those who had filed the lawsuit and every non-Muslim citizen of
Malaysia “whose child or children may be unilaterally converted to Islam”.
In an affidavit by Aisyah, she said her
father had converted her to Islam when she was aged nine at the Johor Islamic
Religious Department at Kota Tinggi without her mother’s consent, adding
however that she does not profess or practise Islam but instead practises
Hinduism.
Similarly, Aisyah said Mimi Mastura was
converted to Islam by her mother at the age of 10 without the father’s consent
at the Johor Islamic Religious Department at Johor Bahru, but added that the
latter also practises Hinduism and had at all times neither professed nor
practised Islam.
Aisyah cited the Federal Constitution’s
Article 4(1) which states the Federal Constitution to be Malaysia’s supreme law
and states that any law inconsistent with it shall be made void or invalid, and
also cited Article 75 where the federal law will prevail if any state law is
inconsistent with federal laws.
Based on those two provisions, Aisyah
said the courts can declare the eight listed legal provisions as being
unconstitutional due to their contradiction with the Federal Constitution’s
Article 12(4).
Source: Malay Mail
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Maidam retracts mandatory wearing of
face masks at mosques, suraus
20-03- 2023
KUALA TERENGGANU: All mosque or surau
congregants in Terengganu no longer have to wear face masks from today.
The instruction to abolish the guideline
was made by the Terrengganu Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council
(Maidam) with the consent of Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.
Maidam president Datuk Shaikh Harun
Shaikh Ismail said the retraction was made after considering the current
declining Covid-19 cases.
“On Sept 7, 2020, Maidam issued an
instruction making the wearing of face masks mandatory among mosque or surau
congregants that remained in effect till today.
“After considering the current situation
and guidelines from the Terengganu state health department, we retract the
instruction and congregants have a choice to continue wearing face masks,” he
said in a statement today. Shaikh Harun said that those with symptoms like
cough, fever or cold are encouraged to wear face masks to avoid infecting
others.
Source: The Sun Daily
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South Asia
UK Apologizes for Asking Afghan
Interpreters to Approve Asylum Documents from Kabul Authorities
Fidel Rahmati
March 20, 2023
The British government confirmed on
Sunday that 37 applicants to the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Police (ARAP)
scheme, designed to relocate those who directly assisted British forces, asked
to validate their documents with the Taliban government. However, the UK
refuses to recognize the Taliban’s government.
Several applicants have received emails
from officials requesting documentation to be sent with stamps from the Afghan
government.
Following an earlier denial of the
practice, the MoD has now expressed its “unreservedly for this error”. One MP
compared the request to “asking them to sign their death warrant”, and
charities said that individuals were trying to flee the country and were being
put in danger.
However, the Ministry finally admitted
to the mistake “we corrected the mistake and urgently strengthened our internal
guidelines to ensure this does not happen again”. The MoD spokesperson said.
“We apologize unreservedly and continue to work tirelessly to move eligible
people to safety,” he added, reported by Guardian.
Source: Khaama Press
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Islamic Emirate officials debarred from
participating in tenders
Noorullah Zazai
19 Mar 2023
KABUL (Pajhwok): In yet another decree,
Islamic Emirate supreme leader Maulvi Haibatullah Akhundzada has debarred
government officials from participating in public tenders as bidders.
The Office of Administrative Affairs
wrote on its twitter page that government officials could not participate in
tenders to secure procurement and other contracts.
“The leader of the Islamic Emirate of
Afghanistan, Amirul Momineen Sheikhul Hadith Haibatullah Akhundzada has
prohibited (Islamic) Emirate officials from participating in procurement and
contracts of ministries and institutions in a new decree”.
According to the decree, Emirati
officials could not directly or indirectly participate as bidders in the
procurement of goods, services and building materials, mining and other
contracts.
Source: Pajhwok
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Launch of exclusive column for ‘Afghan
women’ on Khaama Press website
March 20, 2023
We are thrilled to announce the
initiation of a dedicated webpage on our website focusing exclusively on the
situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. Our goal is to empower, inform,
and create awareness around the challenges and triumphs faced by Afghan women.
Khaama Press remains deeply committed to
supporting women and girls and promoting the ideas of a free society in
Afghanistan. We believe in being a voice for the voiceless and strive to make a
positive impact on the lives of Afghan women by bringing their stories to the
forefront.
This new webpage will serve as a
platform to bring attention to the latest news, stories, and events related to
the lives of women in Afghanistan. It will feature articles, interviews, and
multimedia content that highlight the resilience, strength, and accomplishments
of Afghan women while also addressing the hardships they continue to endure.
We firmly believe that by amplifying
their voices and shedding light on their experiences, we can contribute to
positive change and foster a more just and equitable society for all. To make
this webpage as comprehensive and inclusive as possible, we invite you to
submit any news, stories, or updates related to women in Afghanistan that could
affect their lives. Please share your stories, concerns and news or insights to
our dedicated email address: afghanwomenvoices@khaama.com
Source: Khaama Press
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Europe
Türkiye welcomes Kosovo-Serbia agreement
on implementing EU normalization deal
Dilara Hamit
19.03.2023
Türkiye on Sunday welcomed an agreement
reached between Kosovo and Serbia on implementing an EU-backed deal to
normalize ties.
“We welcome that in the wake of reaching
agreement on the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia in
Brussels on February 27, 2023, within the framework of the European Union
roadmap, the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia agreed on the implementation annex of
the said agreement on March 18, 2023 in Ohrid,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry
statement said.
The ministry expressed hope that the
parties will “fully comply with the provisions of the said agreement and
achieve concrete results in the coming period.”
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Russia sends airmobile hospital to
Türkiye’s quake-hit Hatay region
Burc Eruygur
19.03.2023
Russia on Sunday announced that it has
sent an airmobile hospital to Türkiye to provide assistance to earthquake
victims.
“The hospital will be deployed in the
Erzin district of the province of Hatay,” a statement by the Russian Embassy in
Ankara read on Telegram.
More than 49,500 people were killed in
Türkiye by magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes that hit on Feb. 6, according to
officials.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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France welcomes Türkiye's decision to
ratify Finland's NATO bid in parliament
Esra Taskin
19.03.2023
PARIS
France on Saturday welcomed Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's announcement to move ahead with Finland's NATO
membership bid.
In a written statement, the Foreign
Ministry said both Finland and Sweden have important and interoperable military
capacities, and strengthening of NATO is beneficial for all allies.
Türkiye on Friday said it is starting
the approval process of Finland's NATO membership in its parliament.
For Sweden, however, Erdogan said the
process "will be directly linked to the concrete steps" which it will
take.
Abandoning decades of military
non-alignment, Finland and Sweden formally applied to join NATO last May.
But Türkiye, a longstanding NATO member,
asked the two Nordic states to take concrete action against terror groups.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Adidas team up with Muslim hiking group
this Ramadan to make the countryside more inclusive
Zesha Saleem
Monday 20 Mar 2023
Ahead of Ramadan this week, Adidas have
teamed up with walking group, Muslim Hikers, in a bid to make the outdoors a
more inclusive space.
Signs to Mecca have been installed along
a popular Peak District hiking route, and a new prayer mat has been launched.
Along with global sports retailer,
Wiggle, Adidas TERREX – which offers specialist gear for outdoor pursuits – has
worked closely with Muslim Hikers to identify the obstacles they face in the
countryside.
Muslim Hikers is a community walking
group, set up in 2020, to encourage Muslims to get outside – although everyone
is welcome.
Ethnic minorities account for only 1% of
visitors to national parks, and a diversity review commissioned by the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) found that while
people from ethnic minority backgrounds valued the natural environment of the
countryside, they felt excluded in what was seen as an ‘exclusively English
environment’.
Shockingly, Muslim Hikers have faced
online abuse and were accused of ‘not being proper walkers’ following a
Christmas Day hike in 2021.
Now, more is being done to support
Muslims in the countryside – in particular, the new campaign focuses on
facilitating prayer whilst outdoors.
Muslims pray in the direction of Mecca
up to five times a day, so signs pointing to the holy city have been introduced
along Cave Dale, in Derbyshire.
Alongside that, a new prayer mat –
designed by a 7th generation Muslim craftsman – will be launched on Wiggle’s
website.
Currently 100 prayer mats have been donated
to Muslim Hikers as part of the partnership.
If you want one yourself, they will be
on Wiggle’s website in April 2023, for £20 each.
Specifically made to withstand the
outdoors, it comes with pockets in four corners to insert rocks in to keep it
down.
As well as that, these waterproof mats
are very compact, so you can roll it into your backpack for storage.
Compared to using jackets and makeshift
alternatives, these new prayer mats will let Muslims pray comfortably while
hiking.
‘Working with Wiggle and adidas TERREX
has allowed us to take a huge step in the right direction when it comes to
promoting inclusivity in the outdoors,’ said Haroon Mota, founder of the Muslim
Hikers.
Source: Metro UK
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Pakistan
PTI Supporters Protest Outside White
House, Asking Govt to Stop Intimidating Imran Khan
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
March 20, 2023
The protest came after Imran Khan’s
Zaman Park residence in Lahore was stormed by Punjab police in large numbers,
while Khan was in Islamabad to attend a judge’s hearing regarding the
Toshakhana case on Saturday.
Hour-long clashes between PTI workers
and policemen broke out, which resulted in the injury of at least 25 people. 30
automobiles, including motorbikes, and a police chowki was set on fire during
the clashes in the federal capital. The recent treatment of PTI leaders and
supporters by Pakistani police prompted widespread criticisms in Pakistan and
beyond.
Following the recent clashes and the
government’s effort to arrest the PTI Chairman, a considerable number of
Pakistanis in the US gathered in front of the White House and raised their
voice in support of Imran Khan. The protestors included a large number of
women.
“We are here to draw attention to the
deteriorating human rights situation and the threat to democracy in Pakistan,”
said Junaid Bashir, a senior PTI leader in Virginia. “We want the government to
stop intimidating Imran Khan immediately.”
“What we witness during the last few
days in Pakistan is not politics. It’s an attack on democracy and democratic
values, which needs to be condemned in strongest terms” Karman Rizvi, a
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) said.
Source: Khaama Press
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Imran Khan to Stage PTI Power Show at
Minar-i-Pakistan Next Week
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
March 19, 2023
He added the rally would take place on
Wednesday (March 22), and it would be a “referendum” on where the nation stood.
On Saturday, as Khan arrived at the
Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) to attend a hearing in the Toshakhana case,
clashes between his supporters and police broke out. At least 25 people were
injured, 30 automobiles, including motorbikes, and a police chowki was set on
fire during hours-long clashes in the federal capital.
Meanwhile, Punjab police conducted a
search operation in Imran Khan’s residence in Lahore while he was in Islamabad
to appear before the judge. Khan said the entire nation knew he always respected
the law, and he alleged that 96 cases had been registered against him.
“Whenever I leave the house, more cases
are registered against me. Who is doing this? The criminals responsible for
doing this to the country are the ones registering cases against me,” Imran
Khan said.
Khan alleged the coalition government
for an attempt on his life in Wazirabad, adding they had backup of handlers.
Imran said that he was ready to hand himself over to the police but he was
stopped from doing so by his party workers who feared harm would befall the
party chief.
“Yesterday, when I left my house, I said
my goodbyes to my wife. I knew that I’d either be arrested or killed. With that
thought in mind, I left my home.”
The chaos at Zaman Park residence in
Lahore was disappointing for many reasons according to PTI members and
government opposition. The party chief’s house was attacked similarly to that
of terrorist hideouts. Police rangers and armored vehicles had surrounded
Khan’s residence from three directions, and police used water cannons and tear
gas to disperse the crowd.
Talking to reporters, Dr. Uzma Khanum,
Imran Khan’s sister had said the policemen “seemed blood-thirsty” as they
brutally thrashed unarmed people in the house and alleged that the police
also abducted her husband and some servants.
Furthermore, a Lahore court on Sunday
directed the police to present 102 detained PTI workers before an
Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) tomorrow, a day after they were arrested during the
raid that took place at Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence when the police
forced its way into his house.
Source: Khaama Press
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Imran Khan-led PTI seeks FIR against
Sanaullah, Maryam Nawaz over Zaman Park raid
Mar 20, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan-led Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has sought the registration of a First Information Report
(FIR) against Rana Sanaullah and Maryam Nawaz in the Zaman Park raid that took
place in Lahore on Saturday, ARY News reported.
The application filed against Interior
Minister Rana Sanaullah and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief
organizer Maryam Nawaz blamed the two leaders for the raid, followed by clashes
at Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence.
In order to file a police report (FIR)
against Maryam Nawaz, Rana Sanaullah, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Mohsin Naqvi,
and Inspector General (IG) Punjab, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) submitted
a request to the Race Course police station, ARY News reported.
The application was filed by the
caretaker of Imran Khan's residence.
It included the names of CCPO Lahore
Bilal Siddique Kamyana, DIG Operations Afzal Kausar, SSP Operations Sohaib
Ashraf, Superintendents Police (SPs) of CIA, headquarters, and Saddar, reported
ARY News.
While addressing the nation, a day after
a search operation was conducted at his residence after Khan visited the court,
the former PM said that the officials broke into his house when his wife
'Bushra Bibi' was alone.
"I want to ask everyone, police,
army officers, the judges of this country and the people [about] the respect of
chaddor and char dewari in Islam," Khan said. He said he wanted to address
the matter last night but could not. "It was good that I didn't because I
was angry. And a person should not talk when he is angry," he added.
Source: Times Of India
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4 died, 12 injured after unidentified
shooters attack van in Pakistan
Mar 20, 2023
BALOCHISTAN: In Pakistan, unidentified
attackers opened indiscriminate fire at a van carrying a wedding party in
Balochistan's Nasirabad district, leaving 4 people dead and 12 people injured,
Dawn reported.
According to the local police, around 20
people, including children and women, were going to Gandawah on Saturday, but
when they reached the Soheje Levies checkpoint, the motorcycle-riding attackers
opened fire at the van using automatic weapons.
Giving details about the case, Jhal
Magsi's deputy commissioner said that as a result of the attack, four people,
including a woman were killed on spot and 12 others sustained injuries.
The bodies and the injured were shifted
to the district hospital in Gandawah. Hospital officials said the condition of
four injured people was critical and they were being shifted to Quetta.
The police said that they still had no
clue regarding the motive of the attack. However, Jhal Magsi's deputy
commissioner said there could be tribal enmity behind the killings, according
to Dawn.
Authorities were investigating the
incident and a search operation was launched by the forces to trace the
attackers.
Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qudoos
Bizenjo has taken notice of the incident and sought a report from Jhal Magsi's
deputy commissioner about the incident.
He has directed officials to immediately
arrest the culprits and provide the injured with the best possible treatment.
On the same day, seven people, including
a tribal elder and his two brothers, were killed after unidentified shooters sprayed
their vehicle with bullets in Balochistan's Zhob district, Dawn reported.
According to Dawn, the deceased tribal
elder, identified as Ahmed Khan Kibzai, was traveling in the vehicle along with
his two brothers and some other people. When his vehicle reached the Khurlam,
located close to the Pakistan-Afghan border, unidentified shooters attacked
them with automatic weapons leaving seven people dead on the spot, and one
person injured.
"The victims tried to escape from
the vehicle but were not given a chance to save their lives," a senior
Levies official said, adding that the bodies of Kibzai and his two brothers
were charred after the vehicle later caught fire due to firing.
Levies officials rushed to the site
after receiving information about the incident and shifted the bodies and
injured to the district hospital in Zhob.
"We have received seven bodies and
one injured in the hospital," hospital sources said, adding that all
victims died of multiple bullet injuries, reported Dawn.
Source: Times Of India
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Minister urges Islamic states to pool
resources, expertise
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for
Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain on Sunday emphasized
the role of universities in developing skills among youth and responding more
effectively to the rapidly developing realities and challenges.
The minister was speaking at the
inaugural session of the 5th Vice-Chancellors’ Forum of Universities in the
Islamic World on the theme “Towards Disruptive Technology in a Globalised
World” on Sunday.
Over 250 Vice Chancellors, including 40
from 20 OIC countries are participating in the Forum, which is aimed at sharing
experiences, pooling resources, fostering collaborations, strengthening
networks between universities, and promoting dialogue on the future of higher
education in the Islamic World.
The VC Forum 2023 is being jointly
organized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, Ministry of
Federal Education and Professional Training, Islamabad, COMSATS University
Islamabad (CUI), Islamic World Educational, and Scientific and Cultural
Organization (ICESCO), and British Council Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister
called upon all Islamic countries to pool resources and expertise to benefit
the entire Muslim Ummah.
He said the most important outcome of
education is the development of a good moral character.
He highlighted the need to develop a
framework for mutual recognition of degrees among OIC member states, which can
potentially facilitate greater movement of skilled manpower and increase
collaborative research between Islamic countries.
In his video message, President of
Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi highlighted the huge potential of the youth bulge of the
country and called for setting a vision for higher education.
He said the Muslims could not keep pace
with adoption of technology, which needs to change on war-footing.
He added that in the last 10 years,
sectors focusing on natural resources were overtaken by large technological
conglomerates like Amazon and Google.
These companies have attracted
intellectual capital from the world and raised the need for greater access to
quality online education particularly in developing countries.
Dr Salim M. AlMalik, Director General,
ICESCO, while referring to the Holy Quran said that Mankind has been given
limited knowledge, yet this little knowledge has caused great disruption such
that what is taught in universities is almost redundant by the time students’
graduate.
He informed the audience that the
development of robotics would make 97 million jobs obsolete in the next 10
years, 375 million people would have to switch their jobs, causing immense
disruption and increasing the digital divide.
Dr. AlMalik also emphasised the need to
reconstruct the glorious Islamic heritage in science.
Chairman HEC, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed urged
the participants to contemplate how the Muslim Ummah can be steered into the
right direction. He reminisced the immense contributions of early Muslims, that
were fundamental to advances in science and technology being at the root of
global development today.
He gave an overview for establishing the
platform of VC Forum and how it will help higher education institutions in the
Islamic world to collaborate and contribute to socio-economic development.
Dr. Ahmed called for devising tangible
initiatives and support of the governments for reshaping the higher education
landscape in the Islamic world.
In his welcome note, Rector Comsats
University Islamabad, Prof Dr Muhammad T. Afzal emphasized the importance of
curriculum development and providing equal opportunities to students.
He urged the government to allocate at
least 4 percent of the GDP to education only then would the country be able to
reverse the current negative trend of brain drain.
He lauded the Government’s initiatives
for creating internship opportunities for the youth and called for making
internships an integral part of the curriculum.
He strongly recommended addressing the
challenges of access, quality and relevance of teaching and research as well as
financial sustainability of universities in the Muslim world.
Advisor to the President of Council of
Higher Education, Turkiye, Mustafa Turker Ari informed the audience about the
havoc caused by recent earthquakes in Turkiye that has affected 9 percent of
the entire student population and how the country was responding by initially
resorting to online education, which would gradually lead to hybrid mode.
He said that his country laid great
emphasis on Techno Parks in view of the strong global competition for creating
entrepreneurial opportunities for the youth.
Maria Rehman, Country Director, British
Council Pakistan talked about reforming the educational system, building
partnerships for increasing access to quality learning, which is quite a
challenge. She pointed out the disconnect between universities and industry and
the need to bridge this gap.
A Memorandum of Understanding between the
HEC and the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) was signed during the
opening ceremony.
Source: Brecorder
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Middle East
Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad Chiefs Meet in
Lebanon for Talks on Closer Coordination Against Israel
2023-March-19
TEHRAN (FNA)- Secretary-General of the
Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement, Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, and Palestinian
Islamic Jihad Chief Ziyad Nakhalah discussed increased cooperation between the
two groups in the face of the Israeli regime and talked over the latest
developments in the Middle East.
The two sides reviewed the challenges
facing the Palestinian resistance during a meeting in a Southern suburb of
Beirut on Saturday and underlined the need for greater future cooperation
between the two movements in a way that would further bolster the resistance
front to counter Israeli plots, Lebanon’s Arabic-language Al-Mayadeen
television news network reported.
Nasrallah and Nakhalah also praised the
heroism of the Palestinian nation, and the bravery of resistance fighters “who
have been courageously standing up against Israeli militia groups and military
forces across the occupied Palestinian territories, especially in Al-Quds and
the West Bank”.
Last week, the Hezbollah leader stressed
the significance of all developments taking place throughout Palestinian lands.
“Special attention should now be paid to
rendering assistance to Palestinian resistance fighters, who are trying to push
the occupying Israeli regime into the abyss,” he said at the time.
Over the past months, Israel has ramped
up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities throughout the occupied territories.
As a result of these attacks, dozens of Palestinians have lost their lives and
many others have been arrested.
Most of the raids have focused on Nablus
and Jenin, where Israeli forces have been trying to stifle a growing
Palestinian resistance in the occupied cities.
Source: Fars News Agency
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Türkiye, Saudi Arabia sign trade
agreements in various areas
İbrahim Khazen, Hacer Başer
20.03.2023
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia signed trade
agreements in various areas at the Saudi-Turkish Business Forum on Sunday.
More than 450 companies from both
countries participated in the forum as well as Saudi Commerce Minister Majid
Bin Abdullah Al Qasabi and Turkish Trade Minister Mehmet Mus, according to the
Saudi Arabian official news agency SPA.
In his speech at the forum held in the
Saudi capital Riyadh, Qasabi said the forum will contribute to the creation of
new opportunities for economic cooperation between the two countries.
Three trade cooperation agreements were
signed between representatives of the Saudi and Turkish business world.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Israel, Palestinians pledge to curb
violence during Egypt security meeting
Ibrahim al-Khazen
19.03.2023
Israel and the Palestinians pledged
during a security meeting in Egypt’s Red Sea city of Sharm El-Sheikh on Sunday
to curb violence and incitement amid rising tensions in the occupied West Bank.
The meeting brought together delegates
from Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Jordan and the United States.
“The parties reaffirmed their commitment
to advancing security, stability and peace for Israelis and Palestinians
alike,” read a joint statement issued following the meeting.
The two sides also recognized “the
necessity of de-escalation on the ground, the prevention of further violence,
as well as of pursuing confidence building measures, enhancing mutual trust,
creating political horizon, and addressing outstanding issues through direct
dialogue,” it added.
The Israeli government and the
Palestinian Authority also reiterated commitment to immediately work to end
unilateral measures for a period of 3-6 months.
“This includes an Israeli commitment to
stop discussion of any new settlement units for 4 months, and to stop
authorization of any outposts for 6 months,” the statement said.
The Israeli and Palestinian sides also
agreed “to develop a mechanism to curb and counter violence, incitement, and
inflammatory statements and actions, which will report to the quintet
leadership in April, in a resumed session of the meeting in Sharm El Sheikh.”
“The two sides reaffirmed their
commitment to all previous agreements between them, and reaffirmed their
agreement to address all outstanding issues through direct dialogue,” the
statement said.
The two sides also agreed to establish a
mechanism to improve the economic conditions of the Palestinian people and to
significantly enhance the fiscal situation of the Palestinian Authority.
“They also reiterated the commitment of
upholding unchanged the historic status quo at the Holy Sites in Jerusalem,
both in word and in practice,” the statement said. “They emphasized the
necessity of both Israelis and Palestinians to actively prevent any actions
that would disrupt the sanctity of these sites, inter alia during the upcoming
Holy Month of Ramadan, which coincides with Easter and Passover this year.”
Sunday’s security meeting was held as
tension was rising high across the occupied West Bank in recent months amid
repeated Israeli military raids into Palestinian towns.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Iran's Raisi invited to visit Saudi
Arabia after detente
Syed Zafar Mehdi
19.03.2023
TEHRAN, Iran
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz has
welcomed the Tehran-Riyadh detente and called for economic and regional
cooperation between the two countries, the Iranian president's top aide said
Sunday.
In a post on Twitter, Mohammad Jamshidi,
the deputy chief of staff for political affairs in the Iranian president's
office, said the Saudi king in a letter to President Ebrahim Raisi invited him
to visit the Arab country.
King Salman "called for strong
economic and regional cooperation" between the two countries that severed
ties in January 2016, he added.
Raisi, for his part, "welcomed the
invitation and stressed Iran's readiness to expand cooperation".
There has been no official comment on
the letter from the Saudi government yet.
Iran and Saudi Arabia, two regional
arch-foes, last week reached an agreement in Beijing to restore diplomatic ties
and re-open embassies after two years of marathon talks in Iraq and Oman.
The final round of talks, brokered by
China, that led to the breakthrough was spearheaded by top security officials
of the two countries.
Earlier on Sunday, Iranian Foreign
Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said he will meet his Saudi counterpart soon,
adding that three places have been proposed for holding the high-profile
meeting.
The top Iranian diplomat said Tehran and
Riyadh have so far agreed to have technical teams visit the diplomatic missions
in order to re-open them as agreed by the two sides in the joint statement last
week.
The diplomatic breakthrough between
Tehran and Riyadh has set off a wave of tension-easing talks between Iran and its
estranged Persian Gulf neighbors, including Saudi Arabia's key ally, Bahrain.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/irans-raisi-invited-to-visit-saudi-arabia-after-detente/2850191
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Hamas, Hezbollah hold talks on Palestinian,
regional developments
Nour Abu Eisha
19.03.2023
GAZA CITY, Palestine
Palestinian movement Hamas held talks on
Sunday with Lebanese group Hezbollah on developments in the occupied
territories, the movement said in a statement.
A Hamas delegation led by political
deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri met with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan
Nasrallah in Lebanon.
"Both sides reviewed the latest
developments in occupied Palestine, especially the resistance in the West Bank
and Jerusalem, and the internal events inside Israel,” the Hamas statement
said.
Israel has seen mass protests over the
past two months over a planned judicial overhaul by the government of Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seen by the opposition as an attempt to reduce the
powers of the judicial authority in favor of the executive authority.
Sunday’s meeting came as tensions have
been rising across the occupied West Bank in recent months amid repeated
Israeli raids into Palestinian towns.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Israeli government faces '3 fights',
including internal unrest: Netanyahu
Abdelraouf Arnaout
19.03.2023
JERUSALEM
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said Sunday his cabinet is experiencing "three fights", including
internal unrest amid mass protests against his government’s plan for judicial
overhaul.
Speaking at his weekly cabinet meeting,
Netanyahu described the ongoing protests against the judicial reform plan as
"anarchy."
"We won't accept anarchy," he added.
The Israeli premier said the two other
fights his government is dealing with are the Palestinian attacks and Iran's
nuclear program.
Netanyahu called on the Israeli police
to take a tougher stance against the anti-government protests, and to not allow
protesters to block roads. He also urged the army chief of staff to contain a
wave of protests within the military.
"I expect from the military chief
of staff and the heads of the branches of the security services to aggressively
combat the refusal to serve. There's no place for refusal to serve in the
public discourse," he said. "A state that wishes to exist can't
tolerate such phenomena and we will not tolerate it as well."
For more than two months, thousands of
Israelis have taken to the streets to protest Netanyahu’s plan for judicial
overhaul, seen by the opposition as an attempt to reduce the powers of the
judicial authority in favor of the executive authority.
Proposed by Justice Minister Yariv
Levin, the reform, if enacted, would be the most radical change ever in the
system of government in Israel.
The planned change would severely limit
the power of the Supreme Court of Justice, give the government the power to
choose judges, and end the appointment of legal advisers to ministries by the
attorney general.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Palestine appeals for US action
following settler attack on Jerusalem church
Awad al-Rujoub
19.03.2023
RAMALLAH, Palestine
Palestine on Sunday appealed for US and
international action to halt Israeli settler attacks against holy sites in
occupied East Jerusalem.
Two Israeli settlers on Sunday broke
into the Church of Gethsemane in Jerusalem and attempted to sabotage the
content inside, but were confronted by a Palestinian man who was present at the
church, according to the Governorate of Jerusalem.
In a statement, the Palestinian Foreign
Ministry strongly condemned the settler attack on the church.
“The repetition of these assaults is
part of the official Israeli targeting of Jerusalem and its Christian and
Islamic holy sites,” the statement said.
“These assaults are part of Israel’s
Judaization of Jerusalem and attempts to impose Israeli sovereignty [on
Jerusalem] and detach the city from its Palestinian surrounding," it
added.
The ministry called on the United
Nations to activate international protection for the Palestinians amid
continuing Israeli attacks.
Israeli police, meanwhile, said a
settler had been arrested for breaking into the church and threatening visitors
with a sharp object.
Tensions have been running high across
the occupied West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli raids into
Palestinian towns.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Hamas slams Palestinian participation in
Egypt security meeting with Israel
Nour Abu Eisha
19.03.2023
GAZA CITY, Palestine
Palestinian group Hamas on Sunday
condemned the participation of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in a planned
security meeting with Israel in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.
The five-party meeting on Sunday will be
attended by delegates from the PA, Israel, Egypt, Jordan and the US.
Egypt said the meeting aims to follow up
on efforts to ease tensions between the Palestinians and Israel.
"We condemn the PA participation in
the Sharm El-Sheikh security meeting with Israel, which escalates its
aggression against the Palestinian people," Hamas said in a statement.
The group also condemned what it
described as the “PA insistence on deviating from the [Palestinian] national
consensus."
Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip,
renewed its call for the Ramallah-based authority to halt its security
coordination with Israel and “stop participating in dangerous security schemes
that target the Palestinian resistance”.
Tensions have been running high across
the occupied West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli raids into
Palestinian towns.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Gaza Strip-based Islamic Jihad group
accuse Israel of killing Palestinian commander in Syria
19 March, 2023
Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad
said on Sunday that one of its commanders had been shot dead in Syria in an
assassination that the Iran-backed group blamed on Israeli agents.
The Gaza Strip-based group said Ali
Ramzi al-Aswad, 31, was killed Sunday morning "by agents of the Zionist
(Israeli) enemy" in the countryside outside the Syrian capital Damascus.
"The assassination was carried out
by direct shooting near his house," an Islamic Jihad official, who asked
not to be named, told AFP.
Aswad, a Palestinian refugee living in a
Syrian camp and also known as Abu Abed al-Rahman, was a member of the group's
Al-Quds Brigade armed wing, it said.
Many of the group's senior leaders have
been based in Damascus, and the killing is the latest reported targeting of the
group by Israel.
Since civil war erupted in Syria in
2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in the neighbouring country,
targeting government troops as well as Iran-backed forces and Lebanon's
Hezbollah fighters.
The Israeli military rarely comments on
individual strikes against Syria but has vowed repeatedly to keep up its air
campaign to stop arch-foe Iran from consolidating its presence.
Last week, Israeli airstrikes targeting
a weapons depot in Syria killed an army officer and two pro-Iran fighters, said
the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.
Source: The New Arab
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Africa
Sudan's ruling council working to
prevent 'authoritarian rule' in Sudan, says president
Adel Abdel-Rahim
19.03.2023
KHARTOUM, Sudan
Sudan's president said on Saturday that
the country's Transitional Sovereign Council was working to establish civilian
rule and prevent tyranny.
"The country's leadership is
striving to establish a civilian rule that relies on the support of the armed
forces and people (...) and to prevent the establishment of an authoritarian
rule in the future," Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan said, according to a statement
by the council.
He also stressed that the Sudanese army
would always be on the side of the people, adding that the army was "part
of them and is the backbone for the state and people."
On Jan. 8, political dialogue kicked off
in Sudan, based on a framework agreement signed between Sudan's military and
political forces on Dec. 5 to resolve the country's months-long crisis.
The deal pledges a two-year transition
period and the appointment of a civilian prime minister by the political
parties that signed the agreement, as well as reforming and unifying the
military.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Islamic state claims responsibility for
killing 10 people in eastern DRC
March 19 (Reuters) - Islamic State
claimed responsibility for an attack that took place in an eastern village in
the Democratic Republic of Congo killing 10 people and injuring many others, a
telegram account for the group said on Sunday.
Source: Reuters
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Prosecute electoral offenders – Islamic
group tells police
March 19, 2023
The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria,
MMWG, has called on the police authorities to ensure that those arrested for
electoral crimes during Saturday’s governorship and state House of Assembly
elections throughout the country face the full wrath of the law.
This was even as the group called on the
9th National Assembly to pass the Executive Bill forwarded to it for the
establishment of National Electoral Offences’ Commission, NEOC before the end
of its tenure.
MMWG, in a statement signed by its
National Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi and issued on Sunday,
particularly warned that the offenders “must not be freed but tried
appropriately in the court of law.”
“In all elections held in the country so
far, prosecution and punishment for election offences have been non-existent;
this year’s election must not go the same way as we now have revised an
electoral law that punishes electoral offenders,” it stated.
The group commended the electorate for
turning out to vote in the two elections conducted by the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, across the country.
It also hailed INEC and security
agencies on the success of the elections, pointing out that their officials
performed creditably.
MMWG, therefore, appealed to all to
accept the results of the elections as might be released by the INEC in line
with the peace accord signed before the exercise.
Similarly, it commended President
Muhammadu Buhari on his fight against corruption including vote-buying, but
urged him to give a presidential order immediately to the Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN, to end the artificial scarcity of new and old naira created by
the apex bank.
The group further stated that “with the
election over, locking out of customers from the gates of commercial banks must
come to an end from tomorrow (20th March, 2023) as Nigerians of all categories
have been highly tormented and humiliated with difficulties they had in
accessing their funds in various banks for the past six weeks.
“Only God can save most Nigerians from
dangers arising from the hardship imposed on them by the CBN for its decision
not to fund commercial banks sufficiently even after the Supreme Court’s
judgment since 3rd March this year.
Source: Daily Post Nigeria
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https://dailypost.ng/2023/03/19/prosecute-electoral-offenders-islamic-group-tells-police/
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Nigeria counts votes in governorship
elections marred by scattered violence
Olanrewaju Kola
18.03.2023
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria
Nigeria’s election commission officials
counted ballots after polls to elect new state governors closed on Saturday,
amid reports of violence in several parts of the country.
At least 19 ad hoc electoral officials
were kidnaped and later rescued in the southeastern Imo state, said Chinenye
Chijioke, the spokesperson of the Independence National Electrical Commission
(INEC) in the state.
Also, local media reported that two
people were killed in the city of Bori in the southern Rivers State when police
opened fire to disperse voters protesting alleged election irregularities.
Voting in Lagos, Nigeria's business hub
also witnesses violence.
In a video message, Gbadebo
Rhodes-Vivour, the governorship candidate of the opposition Labour Party (LP)
in the state, said his party agent was shot dead.
Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi told
Anadolu that the details of violence will be released later.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Libya denounces remarks by Tunisian
president on sharing Bouri oil field
20.03.2023
TRIPOLI, Libya
Libya on Sunday decried remarks by
Tunisian President Kais Saied about sharing the Bouri oil field.
In a statement, Libyan Oil and Gas
Minister Mohammed Oun said the case of the Bouri oil field was decided by a
verdict from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1982 in favor of
Libya.
He added that the maritime borders
between Libya and Tunisia were also defined and that the ICJ's verdict was
based on an agreement between the two countries.
Oun also indicated that Libya's top
leadership would respond to Saied's remarks.
Meanwhile, the head of the Energy
Committee of the Libyan parliament, Issa al-Oraibi, said his committee is
reviewing the Tunisian president's remarks in order to officially respond.
Saied claimed last week that Tunisia
gets little benefit from the Bouri oil field, adding there was an intention to
share the field with Libya.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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North America
Palestinian Terrorist Attack Casts Pall
Over Peace Talks on Eve of Ramadan, Passover
Sunday, March 19, 2023
A Palestinian terrorist opened fire at
an Israeli vehicle in the West Bank on Sunday, wounding two people, Israeli
officials said. The attack cast a shadow over Egyptian-mediated efforts to
lower tensions ahead of a sensitive holiday period beginning this week.
The shooting came as Israeli and
Palestinian officials were meeting in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm
el-Sheikh in a bid to rein in a spiral of violence as the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan begins this week. The shooting immediately raised questions about the
prospects for the new talks.
The meeting was the second attempt by
the sides, shepherded by regional allies Egypt and Jordan as well as the United
States, to end a year-long spasm of violence that has seen more than 200
Palestinians killed by Israeli fire and more than 40 Israelis and foreigners
killed in Palestinian attacks.
Whatever progress emerged out of the
previous meeting in Jordan late last month, which ended with pledges to
de-escalate tensions, was quickly derailed when a new burst of violence erupted
on the same day. A Palestinian gunman shot and killed two Israelis in the West
Bank and Jewish settlers in response rioted in a Palestinian town.
As Sunday’s talks were underway, a
Palestinian gunman opened fire on an Israeli car in the same town — Hawara — as
last month’s violence, the Israeli military said. Israeli medics said a man was
shot in the upper body and was seriously wounded while his wife was slightly
injured.
The Israeli army said the suspect was
shot — either by the wounded man or by soldiers — and arrested. His condition
was not immediately known. Hawara lies on a busy road in the northern part of
the West Bank that is used by Israeli residents of nearby Jewish settlements.
Bloodshed has been surging since last
month’s meeting in Jordan, making expectations for Sunday’s second installment
low.
The killing of an Islamic Jihad
terrorist in neighboring Syria added to the tensions Sunday. The militant
group, which is active in the northern West Bank, accused Israel of
assassinating the commander. Israel had no comment.
Still, mediators want to ease tensions
ahead of Ramadan, which starts this week and which will coincide next month
with the weeklong Jewish holiday of Passover.
Ahmed Abu Zaid, a spokesman for the
Egyptian foreign ministry, said Sunday’s meeting would be attended by
“high-level political and security officials” from each side, as well as from
Egypt, Jordan and the United States. He wrote on Twitter that the talks are
part of efforts to achieve and support calm between Israel and the
Palestinians.
Mr. Abu Zaid said regional and
international participation in the meeting aims at establishing “mechanisms” to
follow and activate what the parties agree on, but provided no additional
details.
The talks are part of efforts to support
“dialogue between the Palestinian and Israeli sides to work towards ceasing
unilateral measures and escalation, and to break the existing cycle of violence
and achieve calm,” he said.
Prime Minister Netanyahu made no mention
of the summit in his weekly Cabinet meeting. Israeli media said senior security
officials were set to attend.
The upcoming period is sensitive because
large numbers of Jewish and Muslim faithful pour into Jerusalem’s Old City, the
emotional heart of the conflict and a flashpoint for violence, increasing
friction points. Large numbers of Jews are also expected to visit a key
Jerusalem holy site, the Temple Mount. Clashes at the site in 2021 helped
trigger an 11-day war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, which
rules the Gaza Strip.
While the latest violence began under
the previous Israeli government, it has intensified in the first two months of
the new government, headed by Mr. Netanyahu and his coalition. The violence is
one of the worst rounds between Israel and the Palestinians in the West Bank and
Jerusalem in years.
Source: NYSUN
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Biden welcomes meeting between Israelis,
Palestinians to curb violence in occupied West Bank
Muhammed Enes Calli
20.03.2023
ISTANBUL
US President Joe Biden welcomed a
meeting Sunday between Israelis and Palestinians in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city
of Sharm El-Sheikh to discuss ways to curb violence in the occupied West Bank.
Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone following the meeting, which brought together
delegates from Israel and the Palestinian Authority and was attended by
Egyptian, US and Jordanian officials.
"The President reinforced the need
for all sides to take urgent, collaborative steps to enhance security coordination,
condemn all acts of terrorism, and maintain the viability of a two-state
solution," the White House said in a statement.
"The President also underscored his
belief that democratic values have always been, and must remain, a hallmark of
the U.S.-Israel relationship, that democratic societies are strengthened by
genuine checks and balances, and that fundamental changes should be pursued
with the broadest possible base of popular support."
Sunday’s security meeting was held as
tensions have been sharply rising across the occupied West Bank in recent
months amid repeated Israeli military raids into Palestinian towns.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Sisters United Muslim Association
creates a supportive and empowering environment
BRUNA MEGGETTO ALLAK, CORRESPONDENT
MARCH 20, 2023
Sisterhood, family, happy place and love
– these are the words used by Sisters United Muslim Association (SUMA) members to
describe what the organization means to them, according to SUMA president
Juwayriyya Dayala.
When Dayala ended up in the hospital
after an accident, the caring nature exhibited by her fellow members confirmed
the truth behind those words. “You have such an amazing family,” the paramedics
told her upon seeing the gathering of girls that followed her to the hospital.
Dayala said that what the paramedics didn’t know is that the sisterhood among
them was not based on blood relations, but something stronger.
Dayala initially attended SUMA meetings
upon receiving invitations from friends. She said discovering the organization
also meant finding her place at USF after moving from Chicago for college.
Sharing the same values discussed in
weekly gatherings is one of the reasons why these girls responded to her
struggle in such a helpful way, and what makes them a true sisterhood,
according to Dayala.
The positive impact of SUMA on her life
led Dayala to run for president of the organization, where she said she hoped
to extend the family experience to more people at USF. She wanted to offer
students something to look forward to amid the hardships of college life and
contribute to building a more intimate relationship with God and religion in a
lighter way, both for Muslims and non-Muslims. As a representative of Islam,
she said clearing up misconceptions about Muslim women is also a part of her
mission. “I wear my hijab like a flag. I know I’m representing my religion. It
keeps me conscious,” Dayala said. “It also means to me freedom because I’m
getting to control how much I’m showing.”
“Wearing my religion like a flag allows
others to become more familiar with it, and USF is all about empowering other
people and cultures.”
A prime example of this is “Hijab Day
for Everybody,” where the organization sets up a stand at each Wednesday’s
Bulls Market in association with other Muslim organizations offering hijabs for
anyone interested in trying.
“Everyone was really excited about it,
and people would say ‘I had no idea how beautiful I could feel in it,'” Dayala
said.
For Cuban-American member Salma Borges,
wearing her hijab is like wearing a crown.
“I learned that a Muslim woman covered
and wearing her veil is compared to a hidden pearl in its shell and I found it
so beautiful,” Borges said.
It was after her first meeting with SUMA
that she decided to take her shahada – the declaration of faith to become
Muslim. The support from SUMA has been crucial for her during the challenges of
choosing to wear different clothing.
“Regardless, it’s not like you have to
wear something to fit in or be appreciated or loved by the girls. And we have
many Muslims who choose not to wear the veil as well. But we know that sitting
among these girls, it’s going to inspire them. I’m coming to these gatherings
to be inspired by others as well,” Dayala said.
As an organization with a focus on
inspiring and reaching out to others, this has always been at the core of SUMA.
The club was founded in 1995 by USF alum Najia Kurdi, who said it was necessary
given that there was not much Muslim presence on campus at the time. Inspired
by her advisor, Kurdi started the club with the support of two non-Muslim
friends. Initially called Sister’s Ummah, the name carried the Arabic word for
community.
“It was an organization that was out
there to try to help build those bridges and those ties of friendship, helping
people to recognize the similarities we had and not the differences,” Kurdi
said.
She wanted to change the feeling of
being an “oddball” she had experienced since elementary school, where she was
the only Muslim student, according to Kurdi. To establish means to be seen as
she wanted, rather than what the media or others would say — a place where
people could reach her on her own terms — was a motivation for creating SUMA.
The group’s events, filled with Islamic
art and food, created a safe space for those who were curious, and their active
work helped them become a powerful voice, both inside and outside of USF.
This was especially true following the
events of Sept. 11, 2001, according to Kurdi. The organization was thrust into
the forefront of public discourse, as Kurdi was asked to be a spokesperson in a
time and place that was extremely uncomfortable and dangerous. From speaking
against claims that “Muslim women are oppressed” or “just weird,” the shift to
being labeled as “evil” is something Kurdi said made the organization an
important representation of who they really were.
Although more information has become
available and the Muslim presence at USF has grown exponentially, new struggles
have arisen. As the organization has blossomed from three people to hundreds,
the need for a designated space for their activities has yet to be fulfilled,
according to Dayala.
“Having our own space would give us a
sense of belonging when compared to being allocated to an all-purpose room,”
Dayala said.
Furthermore, although there are some
good options when it comes to halal food on campus, there definitely could be
more offerings that aren’t mixed with meat contamination, according to Dayala.
Thursdays are still the favorite day of
the week for many of the girls that attend the Halaqa meetings, which boost
their energy and confidence along with the other events, according to Dayala.
Sitting in a circle, they deepen their relationships with their faith and with
one another. Against the backdrop of a colorful sunset sky and students
returning from classes on the MSC lawn, Dayala said girls of all ages, from
different places around the world and with different faiths, come together in
support of their sisterhood, their community, their Ummah.
Source: US Foracle
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Arab World
Ramadan in Dubai: Distributing meals
without permit will result in $27,000 fine
20 March ,2023
Dubai residents who plan to distribute
Iftar meals during Ramadan this year have been advised to obtain a permit to
avoid a hefty fine of 100,000 AED ($27,227).
The Department of Islamic Affairs and
Charitable Activities in Dubai announced this during a press conference on
Friday, citing the need to ensure the safety of donated meals.
For all the latest headlines follow our
Google News channel online or via the app.
Ramadan is a significant month for the
Muslim community, marked by fasting during daylight hours and ending with
Iftar, the evening meal that breaks the fast. This year, it is expected to fall
on March 22 or 23.
Muslims around the world gather to share
Iftar meals, often donated by individuals, restaurants, or charitable
organizations.
During the holy month, Muslims typically
engage in acts of charity such as providing assistance to the underprivileged
through the donation of food and funds.
Mohammed Mosabh Dahi, deputy director
for charitable activities at the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable
Activities, told local media that any person or institution distributing meals
without a permit will be considered an unauthorized charitable act.
Violators will be subject to legal
accountability, as stated in the decree regulating fundraising in the Emirate
of Dubai for the year 2015.
The penalties for advertising or
collecting donations without a license are between 5,000 AED and 100,000 AED,
or a jail term of not less than a month and not over a year, or any of the two
penalties.
To obtain a permit, people can get in
touch with the department and provide information about the localities and date
they plan to distribute meals. This will allow the authorities to guide others
to different localities to distribute the Iftar meals safely.
The department has outlined the
application process, which requires the following:
Applications can be submitted through
the department's website or by calling 800600.
The decision to require permits for
Iftar meal distribution is aimed at ensuring the safety of donated meals. The
authorities have also stressed the importance of following the required rules
on food distribution during Ramadan.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Hilton launches ‘Green Ramadan’ at
Riyadh hotel
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia
Hilton has marked a global first in
launching its new Green Ramadan, which aims to improve local sourcing and
reduce food waste across hotels in KSA, Qatar and the UAE, at Hilton Riyadh
Hotel & Residences.
Hilton partnered with the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) West Asia and Winnow, to launch the initiative
towards reduction in food waste across key markets.
With reports from UNEP West Asia showing
that food waste increases by 25% - 50% in the region during religious and
social festivities, Hilton is introducing measures to minimise waste during the
holy month of Ramadan and drive awareness around local sourcing and food waste.
The initiative is in line with Hilton’s Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals to
reduce food waste sent to landfill by 50%.
The partnership will combine Hilton’s
drive towards a net zero future, UNEP’s ‘Recipe of Change’ food waste reduction
campaign and Winnow’s AI technology – allowing for digitally led tracking of
food waste throughout Ramadan. In doing so, Hilton will gather data to predict
future procurement and production needs while also minimising its long-term
environmental impact.
As part of the initiative, participating
Hilton hotels across KSA, Qatar and the UAE will compost excess food waste,
prioritise local food sourcing within a 50-mile radius, promote plant-based
dishes, restrict plastic use across operations, and partner with food banks.
In Riyadh, Hilton Riyadh Hotel &
Residences will offer guests a tasteful dining experience at Amara, its Ramadan
tent, which will feature local produce from Nadec and Pure Harvest Smart Farms
as part of a thoughtfully curated menu that helps to significantly cut
food-related emissions. The hotel is also partnering with the Ita’am Food Bank
to reinforce charitable giving and will donate 100 meals per day throughout
Ramadan. Additionally, the hotel will collaborate with Black Cow to collect and
compost Iftar buffet leftovers to be used as organic fertilisers locally.
Emma Banks, vice president, F&B
strategy & development, EMEA, Hilton, said: “As a global hospitality brand,
Hilton has a responsibility to lead the industry in the pursuit of sustainable
solutions. We are delighted to embrace the holy month of Ramadan with the
introduction of the Green Ramadan initiative. Our partner, Winnow, will play a
crucial role in this digital-first approach to collecting food waste data and
using it to inform our local procurement requirements. We’re also aligning
closely with UNEP West Asia’s ongoing ‘Recipe of Change’ campaign aimed at
reducing food waste across the value chain.”
“We hope that Hilton’s Green Ramadan
initiative will set the standard for years to come by encouraging local food
sourcing and reducing food waste,” added Banks.
Sami Dimassi, UNEP representative and
regional director, West Asia, said: “We are very pleased to collaborate with
Hilton to activate this campaign across its key markets in the Middle East.
Reducing food waste is not only about saving food, but also about saving
resources. The only way forward is to work hand-in-hand by engaging the local
community, private sector, and influencers. Today, every plate counts and so
does every wasted plate. Let us all fight food waste and work towards a more
sustainable future.”
Source: Trade Arabia
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http://www.tradearabia.com/news/TTN_407593.html
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Ramadan Sports Festival in Aspire from
March 28
20 Mar 2023
Doha: Ramadan Sports Festival in Aspire
is back on its ninth edition and will run from March 28 to April 8.
Aspire Zone Foundation announced this on
its official social media accounts where it emphasised that the 12-day festival
features eight activities in total that range from sports competition to
physical challenges.
“These trigger the interest of active
leisure seekers. All competitions will be held from 9:30pm until midnight,” it
said. Moreover, it added that amazing prizes await for people who are
exercising their passion on sports.
Source: The Peninsula Qatar
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‘Hatta Ramadan Championship’ to kick off
on 24th March
Mon 20-03-2023
DUBAI, 20th March, 2023 (WAM) -- The
“Hatta Ramadan Championship” is set to take place from 24th March to 14th April
in Hatta with participation of huge numbers of athletes and remarkable presence
of fans.
The Championship is held annually during
the Holy Month of Ramadan, and it is organised by the Team Games Co. in Hatta
Sports Club with the support of Dubai Sports Council.
The event is held at Al Dhahra School
for Basic and Secondary Education in Hatta and it comprises three sports competitions;
these are: futsal, volleyball and running.
The volleyball and futsal competitions
will kick off on the 2nd day of Ramadan. The futsal competition will be held
with participation of 16 teams; to be classified into four groups and it will
be arranged in collaboration with Hatta Cultural Club, while the volleyball
competition will be contested by eight teams.
The running competition is scheduled on
the 9th day of Ramadan, and the participants in this competition are classified
into four groups; as follows: the 6 km men and women categories and the 2 km
boys and girls categories.
Registration door for participating in
all competitions will be closed on Monday 20th March. The draw ceremony for the
futsal and volleyball competitions is scheduled on 21st March at Hatta
Community Centre.
Several accompanying events will be held
for families and children on the sideline of the Championship, including sports
activities and entretaining competitions. Daily withdrawals will be arranged
for public to win valuable prizes.
A walkathon for elderly locals besides
children’s activities will all take place at the new Walk Tracks in Hatta. An
exhibition for the sale of families’ products will be arranged in collaboration
with the Community Development Authority.
The Championship is held in
collaboration with DSC and Dubai Police in Hatta which is assigned to deal with
the security sides and to ensure the flow of fans’ entry to watch the
Championship’s competitions. The event is sponsored by Hatta Kayak, Hatta Guest
House and Al Shaafar Investment.
Source: WAM
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Public staff to work 5 hours during
Ramadan
MARCH 20, 2023
HE Mohamed bin Abdullah Al Sulaiti,
Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, issued today a circular specifying
working hours during the holy month of Ramadan for ministries, government
agencies, public bodies and institutions.
The circular stated that, on the
occasion of the advent of the blessed month of Ramadan for the year 1444 AH, it
was decided that the number of official working hours during the holy month for
civil servants will be five hours per day, starting from nine in the morning
until two in the afternoon.
Source: Gulf Times
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This Ramadan, UAE retailers offer fixed
prices on more products to ease shopper concerns
March 20, 2023
Manoj Nair, Business Editor
Dubai: UAE hypermarket operators and
food commodity retailers in the UAE are focusing on keep prices constant where
possible during the Ramadan phase, and ensure that consumers do not feel the
need to hold back on spending because of inflationary-led price gains.
In this regard, major retailers have
expanded the scope of ‘fixed-price’ promotions through the next few weeks. At
Lulu Group, “This Ramadan, we have 200 products where prices will remain the
same,” said V. Nandakumar, Director of Marketing with the Abu Dhabi headquartered
retailer. “In the past, we typically kept constant pricing on about 100
products as part of the Ramadan campaign.
“We made the change to 200 because we
noticed slight shifts in consumer spending even on daily/weekly essentials,
especially food purchases. We have dealt with inflationary price increases in
the best way possible by keeping prices constant on most food items.” (On the
non-food side too, the strategy is being followed on what could constitute as
essential purchases during Ramadan.)
Tackle costs
Other supermarket chains too have got
into the swing of things for their own Ramadan promotions, by tackling the cost
factor. Not surprisingly, straightforward discounts remain the most popular
option, while there are banks offering cashback opportunities on grocery
spending done through their credit cards.
But cost spirals remain a heavy concern
for businesses. Last week, the UAE authorities allowed retail prices on eggs
and other poultry products to be increased ‘temporarily’ after fielding
requests from local producers on the steep increase in costs at their
operations. And that without end-user prices being increased, it could result
in more losses sustained by the businesses.
According to retail industry sources,
the hike on egg and poultry prices is a one-off, and as has been made clear by
the authorities, this is being seen as a temporary measure.
On imported food staples, retailers say
that the still strong dollar makes inward shipments into the UAE manageable.
“Plus, shipping costs have come down drastically since October 2022, and that
also eases the pressure on prices for the UAE consumer,” said one food trader.
Major Ramadan campaigns are on
The Ramadan-related promotions,
especially from supermarket and online marketplaces, have been running for a
few days now. According to Kamal Vachani, Group Director at Dubai-based Al Maya
Group, the early start always helps with the bulk buys made before the actual
start of Ramadan.
“We strategized in-store offerings with
three major promotion cycles,” said Vachani. “The pre-Ramadan bulk purchases
and deals, and then once Ramadan starts, the emphasis naturally shifts to
repeat purchases, with offers on top up buying.”
“Then the promotions focus on the ‘deep
offerings’ towards buying vital products and the best possible deals on Eid
purchases.”
Also, where possible, food importers and
wholesalers are opting to place higher orders to ensure there are adequate
supplies at all times. “Placing higher orders means more costs – but we have
learnt the lessons of having sufficient stocks at all times,” said one trader.
“We foresee a heavier spending pattern through the next few weeks and lasting
beyond Eid. We need to be prepared for the shopper rush.”
Source: Gulf News
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Ramadan 2023: Which countries have the
longest fasting hours in the world?
Ismaeel Naar
Mar 20, 2023
Ramadan is expected to begin on March 23
this year and more than a billion Muslims will start observing a month-long
fast during daylight hours.
The holy month begins almost two weeks
earlier each year and, for half the world, it will move away from the longer,
hotter days of summer towards the shorter, cooler winter.
So, which countries, especially in the
Arab and Muslim world, will have the most daylight hours and which nations will
have the shortest fast?
Shortest Ramadan fast in 2023
This year, Muslims in Chile will face
the shortest fasting hours during Ramadan with an average of 11 hours and 30
minutes.
Being in the southern hemisphere, New
Zealand, Argentina and South Africa are also looking at a shorter fasting
period, between 11 and 12 hours a day during the month.
Longest Ramadan fast in 2023
Muslims in the city of Reykjavík, Iceland,
will have the record this year of being residents of the city with the longest
fasting hours.
They are expected to endure 16 hours and
50 minutes a day of fasting during the holy month.
How can you fast for Ramadan when it
never gets dark?
While nowhere is expecting a midnight
sun this Ramadan, Muslims in countries with exceptionally long daytimes during
the holy month cannot actually adhere to a 20-plus hour fast.
So, what do they do?
In countries where the sunset and
sunrise are less than three hours apart, fatwas have been declared in order to
allow residents to follow the schedule of other cities. Many, for example, will
follow the fast times of Makkah in Saudi Arabia.
Then there are the extremes ― UAE
astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi will be on the International Space Station for the
month of Ramadan.
The ISS hurtles around the Earth at aout
17,500kph, meaning astronauts will experience 16 sunrises and sunsets a day.
“I’m in the definition of a traveller,
and we can actually break fast and it’s not compulsory," Dr Al Neyadi told
a press conference ahead of the launch in January.
He said he plans to observe some fasts
but others he will need to eat to focus on the mission. Like those in extreme
places, Dr Al Neyadi can follow the GMT timezone or the time in Makkah.
This year, Saudi Arabia and much of the
Middle East will be fasting for about 13.5-14 hours a day.
Tunisians will experience the longest
fast day of Ramadan at 14 hours and 55 minutes.
Tunisia: Shortest day – 13 hours and 44
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 55 minutes
Algeria: Shortest day – 13 hours and 30
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 56 minutes
Libya: Shortest day – 13 hours and 42
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 42 minutes
Morocco: Shortest day – 13 hours and 37
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 41 minutes
Egypt: Shortest day – 13 hours and 39
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 34 minutes
Iraq: Shortest day – 13 hours and 39
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 41 minutes
Bahrain: Shortest day – 13 hours and 30
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 17 minutes
UAE: Shortest day – 13 hours and 30
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 13 minutes
Saudi Arabia: Shortest day – 13 hours
and 29 minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 11 minutes
Oman: Shortest day – 13 hours and 31
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 13 minutes
Kuwait: Shortest day – 13 hours and 31
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 23 minutes
Lebanon: Shortest day – 13 hours and 45
minutes, longest day - 14 hours and 48 minutes
Jordan: Shortest day – 13 hours and 40
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 40 minutes
Palestine: Shortest day – 13 hours and
53 minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 52 minutes
Syria: Shortest day – 13 hours and 44
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 47 minutes
Qatar: Shortest day – 13 hours and 29
minutes, longest day – 14 hours and 13 minutes
Mauritania: Shortest day – 13 hours and
28 minutes, longest day – 14 hours
Source: The National News
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URL:
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