NGO Janhastakshep Points Finger at Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad For Communal Violence In Haryana
New Age
Islam News Bureau
11 August 2023
The report said a call had been given by the Bajrang Dal and the VHP for
a procession to be taken out in Mewat on July 31
File picture
------
•Punjab
And Haryana HC Recuses From Hearing, Refers Nuh Demolition Case Back To Chief
Justice
•Legal Activists: Govt’s Ban On ‘LGBTQ+’ Swatch
Pieces 'Unlawful, Unconstitutional, And Intolerant'
•Could Not Run Govt Without Military’s Support,
says Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif
•Uganda Defiant After World Bank Halts Funding
Over Anti-LGBTQ Law
India
•A Law
Graduate Who Studied In A Madrasa Among Jharkhand’s ‘Next-Gen Leaders’ Head To UK
Varsities — With Govt Help
• ‘Democracy
in India will prosper only in an environment of pluralism’: Infosys co-founder
Narayana Murthy
•Pakistani
intruder shot dead along international border in Punjab's Tarn Taran
•Khalistani
extremism on UK security minister’s agenda during India visit
•Indian Embassy objects to New York State Police
barring Sikh trooper from growing beard
•Capital punishment for mob lynching proposed:
Bill tabled for huge changes in criminal laws
-----
Southeast
Asia
•Legal Activists: Govt’s Ban On ‘LGBTQ+’ Swatch
Pieces 'Unlawful, Unconstitutional, And Intolerant'
•Anwar: Proposal to impose strict action against
those ridiculing Islam submitted to Agong
•Judiciary explains Islamic councils allowed to
join challenge on Kelantan's 20 Shariah offences, says lawyer's FB post
inaccurate
•BARMM bill seeks creation of PH's first higher
Islamic school
•Ahead of polls, study finds young voters still
firmly in Perikatan camp
•PM Anwar: Malaysia will become a great nation
in Asia if unity govt gets another five years
•Don’t be influenced by party traitors'
incitement, Nazri tells Umno members
•State polls: I forgive everyone to set a good
example, says Anwar
------
Pakistan
•National Minorities Day Being Observed Today in
Pakistan with The Aim to Highlight Their Religious and Socio-Economic Rights
•Pakistan's Imprisoned Former Prime Minister
Imran Khan Allowed Brief Visit By Wife
•Dismissal Of Bail Petitions Dims Imran’s
Chances of Freedom
•ECP bars federal postings, transfers till
appointment of caretaker govt
•Rising poverty, food insecurity, inflation
continue to haunt Pakistanis, says MoF
•Delimitation to have little impact on NA seats
•KP caretaker ministers ‘asked to resign’
•Outgoing National Assembly ‘weakened
democracy’, says think tank
•Probe to find those who ‘cleared’ Hazara
Express
•PM to award Tamgha-e-Imtiaz to martyred
paramedics during COVID-19
•SBP to issue Rs100 coin to 10th anniversary of
CPEC
•Return of Nawaz, Tareen to electoral politics:
Supreme Court to announce key ruling today
•Balochistan, Sindh PAs likely to go today
------
Africa
•Niger Military Names 21-Person Cabinet Ahead of
Key West African Summit
•Tunisia, Libya to share responsibility for
migrants stranded on border
•Ivory Coast: The N’zrama festival aims to
industrialise artisanal labour
•UN "concerned" about Bazoum's living
conditions
•Juan Branco urges Senegal's government to
release political prisoners
•Hawaii Fire Death Toll Hits 53, Expected to
Rise
-----
Europe
•US Library of Congress Apologizes for Calling
Woman ‘She’
•Switzerland Detains Four ‘Terrorism Supporters’
•Kiev’s transgender spokesperson ends boycott of
CNN
•Winchester Muslims agrees to buy Hyde Parish
Hall for use as a mosque
•'It Was Scary': Man Allegedly Attempted To Run
Over Several Muslim Families At California Park
•Haringey Mosque and Cultural Centre Celebrates
40 Years
•Harlow: Teens bailed in mosque arson
investigation
-----
Mideast
•A Look at
Known Iranian-Americans Held by Iran as The US Seeks A Prisoner Release Deal
•UN
Official Paints Bleak Picture Of Trauma Among Palestinians After Clashes At
Camp In Lebanon
•Daesh Attack Kills 23 Syrian Soldiers in
War-Torn East
•Israeli
forces kill Palestinian, wound eight, in West Bank raid – news agency
-----
North
America
•Trump Judge Orders Lawyers to Attend Training
Run by An Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate Group
•Blinken Says No Sanctions Relief for Iran Under
Prisoner Deal
•'It Was Scary': Man Allegedly Attempted To Run
Over Several Muslim Families At California Park
•Former Columbus Islamic center leader given
prison sentence for stealing more than $80K
•Islamic Republic: From Nation-State to Mafia
State
-----
South
Asia
•Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Urges Taliban to
Reopen Girls’ Schools, Universities
•Clerics: Defacing Tombstones of Siawash Is
Against Islamic Law
•Mullah Baradar meets Turkey’s foreign minister
•Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan bolsters
TTP: Zardari
•HRW Outlines Denial of Rights of Afghan Women,
Girls Over Past 2 Years
•Iran Ambassador Says US Trying to Limit
Afghanistan's Global Interaction
•Private Sector Plays Crucial Role in
Development of Kabul City: Deputy PM
------
Arab
World
•Makkah Conference Sends a Message of Peace: Grand
Mufti
•Yemeni Military Leader, Brig. Abdul Latif Al-Sayed,
Dies in Al-Qaeda Roadside Blast
•Mawhiba celebrates ‘Gifted Arabs’ initiative in
Riyadh
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/ngo-janhastakshep-bajrang-dal-vhp/d/130428
-----
NGO
Janhastakshep Points Finger at Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad for Communal
Violence In Haryana
The report said a call had been given by the Bajrang Dal and the VHP for
a procession to be taken out in Mewat on July 31
File picture
------
Imran
Ahmed Siddiqui
New
Delhi Published 11.08.23
The
report said a call had been given by the Bajrang Dal and the VHP for a
procession to be taken out in Mewat on July 31
The
report said a call had been given by the Bajrang Dal and the VHP for a procession
to be taken out in Mewat on July 31
Six
people were killed in the clashes on July 31.
“Even as
Manipur continues to burn and witness mayhem, Mewat (where Nuh falls) has
been set ablaze by the Hindutva hordes. When the rulers have no solution to
people’s problems, keeping them mired in one crisis after another, each
possibly bigger than the earlier one, is perhaps the only solution our rulers
can think of, and this precisely is what the RSS-BJP attempted to do in
Nuh-Mewat through their frontal organisations,” the committee said in its
report.
“There
is no mention whatsoever in the FIRs of violence, including use of firearms,
unleashed from the side of those taking out the so-called ‘Dharmik Yatra’. The
portends of this are clear, that in the FIRs only one side is the culprit while
the side represented by Bajrang Dal and VHP rabble-rousers are the victims, all
the videos showing the violence indulged in by the Hindutva goons
notwithstanding. Such a framing of the events in the FIRs also means that there
shall be arrest only of the Muslim youth, as has already started happening,”
the report said.
It said
a call had been given by the Bajrang Dal and the VHP for the procession to be
taken out in Mewat on July 31. The Yatra started from the Nalhar Shiv Mandir,
located a little outside the town of Nuh on the Aravali’s foothills, and passed
through the town covering a distance of about 40km.
The
practice of taking out such a Yatra started in 2021 and had led to communal
tension last year, too, when a Mazar (shrine) situated near a temple had been
damaged.
“Alongside
the call for the yatra, a concerted effort was made to raise the communal
temperature and provoke the local Muslims through social media posts. While
challenging Muslims to stop, Monu Manesar, accused of murdering two Muslim men
in February 2023, boasted that he shall be joining the yatra in person,” the
report said.
Monu, an
accused in the murder of two Muslims in Rajasthan in February, eventually
claimed he did not take part in the yatra.
The NGO’s
report highlighted that the government’s intelligence-gathering machinery and
the civil society in Nuh had forewarned of trouble in the areas that the yatra
participants were scheduled to walk through, but those warnings were ignored.
The
report also said some Muslim youths got provoked and retaliatory videos were
uploaded by them ahead of the procession.
The
report cited a viral video on social media which is said to have been made
during the riots and purports to show Dinesh Bharti of the Bharat Mata Vahini
waving a machete to incite people. On July 31 before the yatra began, Surendra
Kumar Jain, who claims to be the international joint general secretary of the
VHP, delivered an inflammatory speech at the Nalhar temple, the report said.
The
fact-finding team had journalists Saeed Naqvi and Astha Savyasachi,
photojournalist Pradeep, Janahastakshep members Anil Dubey and Satish and
convener Vikas Bajpai.
The
report pointed out that the Mewat Vikas Sabha, a civil society organisation,
had said that the yatra proposed by the Hindutva organisations was nothing but
a “calculated move to stir communal violence in Muslim-majority Nuh”.
“The
organisation alleged that the administration allowed the yatra to enter Mewat,
and when the violence began, the administration simply collapsed, and the
police disappeared.”
The
report highlighted the unity that had emerged between Jats and Muslims as a
bulwark against the communal designs of the Hindutva supporters. “The team
found that Jats were aware that the procession was staged by the BJP for their
political objectives. They also nurse a grouse against the BJP for its attitude
towards the Jat agitation demanding reservations in jobs, and for calling Jats
anti-national during the farmers’ movement,” the report said.
The fact-finding
committee has demanded a free, fair and independent inquiry by a sitting judge
of Punjab and Haryana High Court or the Supreme Court to reveal the conspiracy
behind the violence and fix accountability.
“The
chief protagonists of this violence — Bittu Bajrangi and Monu Manesar — be
arrested immediately and booked under sections of the IPC befitting of the
grievousness of their criminal actions,” the report said, adding those
responsible for unleashing violence from either side should be identified and
action taken against them in accordance with the provisions of the law.
“The
obvious bias in the FIRs which holds only the Muslim community to be
responsible for the violence in Nuh should be remedied immediately. The
one-sided criminal action that has been initiated against the Muslims in Nuh by
way of demolition of their homes should stop forthwith and the due legal
process be followed in every case,” the report said.
Another
report
Another
NGO, the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), has in its
fact-finding report titled “Exposing systematic violence and police complicity”
underscored how the violence was premeditated and planned. It pointed to
administrative negligence and the failure to take appropriate action despite
being alerted about potential unrest, including provocative speeches and hate
videos being circulated by Monu and Bittu.
The
report also accused the police of complicity in the violence, saying several
videos and eyewitness accounts suggested that law-enforcers had actively
participated in vandalism, destruction and intimidation during the riots.
It
alleged arbitrary and partisan police action against Muslims. The APCR report
also spoke of post-violence oppression.
“The
aftermath of the violence saw oppressive measures by law-enforcement agencies
including demolishing properties belonging to Muslims under the pretext of
lacking proper documentation. This added to the community’s sufferings and
further deepened economic losses,” said the report.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/ngo-janhastakshep-points-finger-at-bajrang-dal-vishwa-hindu-parishad-over-communal-violence-in-haryanas-nuh-district/cid/1958171
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Punjab And
Haryana HC Recuses From Hearing, Refers Nuh Demolition Case Back To Chief
Justice
By HT
Correspondent, Chandigarh
Aug 11,
2023
The
Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) bench of justice Arun Palli and justice
Jagmohan Bansal observed that as per high court rules, the Nuh demolition case
should have been listed for hearing before the first division bench since it
was a public interest litigation (PIL) matter.
The
Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) bench which was to take up the Nuh
demolition case has referred the matter back to the chief justice. The bench of
justice Arun Palli and justice Jagmohan Bansal observed that as per high court
rules, the matter should have been listed for hearing before the first division
bench since it was a public interest litigation (PIL) matter.
The
first division bench is presided over by chief justice RS Jha, who is not
holding the court.
As
hearing began, state’s additional advocate general Deepak Sabherwal told the
court that it was not at all a case of ethnic cleansing and due procedure has
been followed for demolition in both Nuh and Gurugram. However, he sought time
to file a written statement.
Source: hindustantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/punjab-and-haryana-hc-refers-nuh-demolition-case-back-to-chief-justice-citing-high-court-rules-for-pil-matters-101691731481130.html
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Legal Activists: Govt’s Ban On ‘LGBTQ+’ Swatch Pieces 'Unlawful, Unconstitutional, And Intolerant'
Swatch's
2023 Pride collection as shown during a raid by Malaysian authorities. —
Picture courtesy of Swatch Malaysia
------
11 Aug
2023
KUALA
LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Lawyers for Liberty today condemned the government’s
prohibition order against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer-themed
(LGBTQ+) Swatch timepieces as “unlawful, unconstitutional, and intolerant.”
The
lawyer group’s director Zaid Malek said that the order issued yesterday was
ostensibly issued due to concerns that the watches might be “prejudicial to
morality” and has been met with allegations of excessive intrusion into
personal choices and irrational limitations on freedom of expression.
“This is
an unlawful and unconstitutional order criminalising not only the publication
by the Swatch company but also making it a criminal offence for anyone now
owning any Swatch-related LGBT items.
“It is
also insufferable nannying and intolerance from a government that is supposed
to be led by ‘reformists’,” he said in a statement here.
He also
raised suspicions about the timing of the order, coinciding with upcoming state
elections tomorrow.
“With
the state elections in a few days, this appears to be yet another ploy to
garner votes from the Malay conservatives.
“As
such, we urge the government to withdraw the prohibition order under the PPPA
effective immediately and to uphold its duty to protect freedom of expression
under our constitution,” he said.
Malek
pointed out that Article 10(1)(a) of the Constitution guarantees the right to
freedom of expression, shielding individuals from criminalisation for sharing
LGBT-related content through various mediums.
While
Article 10(2)(a) permits limitations on the grounds of public order or
morality, Malek argued that such restrictions should remain within reasonable
bounds.
“The
order banning the Swatch watches over a particular design supposedly related to
LGBT is arbitrary and disproportionate, and hence unconstitutional,” he said.
According
to the government gazette published yesterday, the prohibition order was made
on August 9, 2023 by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail via his
powers under Section 7 of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984
(PPPA), with the publisher of this banned publication named as “Swatch Limited,
Switzerland”.
The Home
Ministry said the penalty, upon conviction, would be a maximum three-year
prison term or a maximum RM20,000 fine or both, based on Section 8(2) of the
Printing Presses and Publications Act.
On May
13 to 15, 2023, Home Ministry officers raided 16 of Swatch’s stores throughout
Malaysia and seized 172 watches worth RM64,795.
As a
response on June 24, the Swatch Group (Malaysia) SdnBhd filed the lawsuit via a
judicial review application at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/08/11/legal-activists-govts-ban-on-lgbtq-swatch-pieces-unlawful-unconstitutional-and-intolerant/84699
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Could
Not Run Govt Without Military’s Support, says Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif
Pakistan's outgoing PM Shehbaz Sharif (AP photo)
------
August
11, 2023
KARACHI:
Railing against former prime minister Imran Khan for running a hybrid regime,
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has admitted that even his government could not
run without support from the military.
In an
interview with Geo News broadcast on Thursday, when anchor Hamid Mir pointed
out that Pakistan was among the most prominent examples of hybrid regimes in
the world today, PM Shehbaz said that Mr Khan had relied heavily on the former
army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
“Mr Khan
also received military support during his tenure. His government was a blend of
various components, despite his accusations against others for the same. Every
government requires backing from key sectors, including the military,” he said.
Earlier,
in a separate interview with journalist Ammar Masood, PM Shehbaz reacted to the
publication of the purported text of a diplomatic cable describing a meeting
between Pakistan’s former US envoy and a senior State Department official.
Regarding
the publication of the purported text of the diplomatic cipher, the premier
said: “If the contents of the message are published in an international
newspaper and prove to be true, it would indeed be a ‘massive crime’.”
When
asked if he thought The Intercept story confirmed Mr Khan’s assertions about a
foreign plot to remove his government, PM Shehbaz said that he had chaired two
meetings of the National Security Committee on the subject. “In one of these
meetings, former ambassador and Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed explicitly
mentioned that there was no talk of a conspiracy during his conversation with
Donald Lu,” the outgoing PM explained.
Denying
the existence of a conspiracy against Mr Khan’s government, PM Shehbaz accused
the PTI chief of initially alleging a conspiracy, but later retracted his
statement.
He said
that former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and other high-ranking military
officials had also confirmed the absence of any conspiracy against Pakistan,
while ambassador Asad Majeed Khan had also emphasized that there was no hint of
a conspiracy.
“The PTI
chairman offered various reasons for his government’s downfall. However, none
of them seem logical, as his removal wasn’t due to his efforts to build
relationships with Russia and other nations. If that were the case, why would
Russia provide us with oil?” he questioned.
Pointing
to the change in Mr Khan’s stance over the cable, especially how the ex-PM
retracted his narrative and later denied any US conspiracy, the PM asked,
“Should we believe his initial or later statement?”
“Is it
acceptable for a former prime minister to display such strong hostility towards
the country?” he questioned.
During
the interviews, PM Shehbaz also shed light on the milestones his government
achieved within the 16 months of his rule.
“I was
not inherently suited for this role, yet with the backing of 13 political
parties, I managed to lead the administration,” he remarked, adding that his
regime had successfully brought Pakistan back from the brink of economic
disaster. “We faced a huge flood, the worst ever, and managed it well. Plus,
we’ve worked hard to improve how we deal with other countries and build new
friendships,” he added.
Regarding
a potential ban on PTI, he assured that those not linked with attacks on
military installations on May 9 wouldn’t face such action. He also expressed
unhappiness over the PTI chairman’s imprisonment, and advised him to be
cautious with his words.
PM
Shehbaz also stressed that he had no say in deciding where Mr Khan would be
incarcerated, and recounted the hardships he and his family had to endure
during their own time in prison.
“We,
Nawaz Sharif and I, have been in Adiala Jail, Attock [Fort] and Attock Jail.
Throughout, we managed with limited resources. During his time in power, Mr
Khan instructed officers to make me sleep on the floor despite knowing of my
back problem. So, we understand the challenges of this period,” he said, urging
authorities to ensure basic facilities for prisoners.
Nawaz’s
return
PM
Shehbaz also revealed that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif would return to Pakistan
next month, though he didn’t give an exact date.
“As soon
as the caretaker government takes charge, I intend to take a trip to London,
where I will meet my elder brother to finalise the programme,” he said. “But I
can tell you right now that, God willing, he [Mr Nawaz] will return to Pakistan
next month.”
On the
possibility of the caretaker government “creating any issues” for Mr Nawaz upon
his return, the premier said the elder Sharif “will face the law”.
He said
Mr Nawaz would lead the PML-N’s election campaign and take the helm as prime
minister for a fourth time if the party won polls.
Source: dawn.com
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the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1769541/could-not-run-govt-without-militarys-support-says-pm
---------
Uganda Defiant
After World Bank Halts Funding Over Anti-LGBTQ Law
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was applauded by supporters after
signing an anti-homosexuality law in May [File: Abubaker Lubowa/Reuters]
------
10 Aug
2023
President
Yoweri Museveni has criticised the World Bank’s decision to suspend new funding
to Uganda in response to a harsh anti-LGBTQ law and has promised to find
alternative sources of credit.
Museveni,
who has been in office since 1986, said in a statement on Thursday that Uganda
was trying to reduce borrowing and would not give in to pressure from foreign
institutions.
“It is,
therefore, unfortunate that the World Bank and other actors dare to want to
coerce us into abandoning our faith, culture, principles and sovereignty, using
money. They really underestimate all Africans,” he said.
Museveni
said that if Uganda needs to borrow, it could tap other sources and oil
production expected to start by 2025 would provide additional revenues.
He said
he hoped the World Bank would reconsider its decision, which could force the
country to revise its budget.
Human
rights organisations have widely condemned the anti-LGBTQ law approved in May,
which imposes capital punishment for “aggravated homosexuality”, an offence
that includes transmitting HIV through gay sex, and 20 years in prison for
“promoting” homosexuality.
The
World Bank said on Tuesday that the law contradicted its values and it would
suspend new funding until it could test measures to prevent discrimination in
projects it finances.
“We
believe our vision to eradicate poverty on a livable planet can only succeed if
it includes everyone irrespective of race, gender, or sexuality. This law
undermines those efforts. Inclusion and non-discrimination sit at the heart of
our work around the world,” it said in a statement.
The
World Bank has an existing portfolio of $5.2bn in Uganda, and these projects
will not be affected.
The
government will ask parliament to vote on a revised budget for July 2023 to
June 2024 to reflect the potential financial impact of the lending suspension,
junior finance minister Henry Musasizi told parliament on Thursday.
In June,
the United States imposed visa restrictions on some Ugandan officials in
response to the law. President Joe Biden also ordered a review of US aid to
Uganda.
Source: www.aljazeera.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/10/uganda-defiant-after-world-bank-halts-funding-over-anti-lgbtq-law
-----
India
A Law
Graduate Who Studied In A Madrasa Among Jharkhand’s ‘Next-Gen Leaders’ Head To UK
Varsities — With Govt Help
Written
by Abhishek Angad
Ranchi:
August 11, 2023
The
young men and women have been picked for two scholarships run by the Jharkhand
government – ‘Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Overseas Scholarship’ (22) and
‘Chevening Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship’(3).
A law
graduate who studied in a madrasa, a Dalit teacher who started earning for his
family when he was in class 6, the daughter of an autorickshaw driver, and a
22-year-old whose mother is an anganwadi worker — these are among 25 people who
have been chosen from over 1,100 applicants to spend a year across various
universities in the United Kingdom.
The
young men and women have been picked for two scholarships run by the Jharkhand
government – ‘Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Overseas Scholarship’ (22) and
‘Chevening Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship’(3).
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jharkhands-next-gen-leaders-head-to-uk-varsities-with-govt-help-8886875/
------
‘Democracy
in India will prosper only in an environment of pluralism’: Infosys co-founder
Narayana Murthy
By
Shobhit Gupta
Aug 11,
2023
Infosys
co-founder Narayana Murthy was addressing the convocation of Techno India
University in Kolkata.
Infosys
co-founder and chairman emeritus Narayana Murthy on Thursday said a democracy
works best and prosper in an environment of pluralism where every citizen has
the freedom to practise his/her own beliefs and faith without imposing it on
others.
“President
Franklin D Roosevelt defined a true democracy as having four freedoms – freedom
of expression; freedom of faith; freedom from fear; and freedom from want,” he
said.
Murthy,
who was addressing the convocation of Techno India University in Kolkata,
pointed out that if a mindset of highlighting commonalities of various beliefs
can be created, democracy in India will prosper.
“Democracy
in India will prosper only if we create a mindset that highlights the
commonality of our beliefs rather than our differences. Making India the best
country in the world requires the best from every one of you,” he said.
He said
in a democracy, one has the freedom to express opinions responsibly,
courteously and fearlessly, and where one also has the freedom to seek a better
quality of life.
"This
translates to the responsibility to create a just society, which embraces the
fundamental principle to provide the strongest set of civil liberties and
personal rights to everyone, and to tolerate new economic inequalities only if
such inequalities ameliorate the conditions of the poor citizens,” he added.
While
highlighting some of the problems prevailing in the country, Murthy said that
India, despite the laudable economic progress, has unresolved problems in
poverty, population, potable water and clean air.
"India
has not put population control on the front burner. The most urgent need at the
moment is to reduce our population growth rate. While certain parts of India
have made decent progress in reducing it, certain other parts have not paid
sufficient attention to this important issue," he added.
Exhorting
the graduating students, Murthy concluded that a professional is one who lives
by the rules of the profession and its ethics.
Murthy
was felicitated by Techno India University Chancellor Prof Dr Goutam
Roychowdhury and Co-Chancellor Prof Manoshi Roychowdhury. The university also
conferred the Doctor of Letters degree on industrialist Ratan Tata in absentia.
(With
inputs from PTI)
Source: hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/narayana-murthy-in-kolkata-democracy-in-india-will-prosper-only-if-we-create-mindset-that-highlights-commonality-101691726115846.html
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Pakistani
intruder shot dead along international border in Punjab's Tarn Taran
PTI
Chandigarh- 11.08.23
'Troops
of the border guarding force noticed suspicious movement by a person near
Thekalan village in the morning,' a BSF official said
A
Pakistani intruder was shot dead along the international border in Punjab's
Tarn Taran district on Friday, a Border Security Force (BSF) official said on
Friday.
He said
troops of the border guarding force noticed suspicious movement by a person
near Thekalan village in the morning, said the official.
The
troops challenged the intruder but he did not stop and continued moving ahead.
Sensing a threat, the BSF personnel opened fire, killing the man on the spot,
the official added.
Earlier,
in the intervening night of July 24 and 25, a vigilant BSF troops neutralised a
Pakistani smuggler who was trying to smuggle narcotics in Jammu and Kashmir’s
Samba district.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/pakistani-intruder-shot-dead-along-international-border-in-punjabs-tarn-taran/cid/1958231
-----
Khalistani
extremism on UK security minister’s agenda during India visit
By
Rezaul H Laskar
Aug 11,
2023
UK
security minister Tom Tugendhat told EAM S Jaishankar that the British government
has allocated new funds to tackle pro-Khalistan extremism
The UK
government has allocated new funds to enhance the country’s capability to
tackle pro-Khalistan extremism, an issue that has emerged as an irritant in
India-Britain ties in recent months, UK security minister Tom Tugendhat told
external affairs minister S Jaishankar during a meeting in New Delhi on
Thursday.
Tugendhat
said that the outlay of £95,000 will enhance the British government’s
understanding of the threat posed by pro-Khalistan extremism and complement
work being done by the India-UK joint extremism task force.
The
funding will also improve the UK’s ability to identify and disrupt extremist
narratives and activity, said a statement from the UK high commission.
Tugendhat,
who is in India on a three-day visit to attend the G20 anti-corruption
ministerial meeting, is also set to meet National Security Adviser Ajit Doval
on Friday. The activities of pro-Khalistan elements in the UK is expected to
figure in this meeting.
Doval
and Tugendhat will also discuss global security and outcomes from a meeting of
the joint extremism task force held early this month, the statement said.
Violent
protests by Khalistani elements outside the Indian high commission in London,
including one in March when protestors pulled down the national flag, and a
poster campaign in recent weeks that has targeted senior Indian diplomats had
angered the Indian government. The Indian side lodged a strong protest against
these activities, prompting the British leadership to offer assurances about
the safety of Indian missions and diplomatic staff.
Tugendhat,
whose visit is also aimed at bolstering bilateral cooperation on security
initiatives, said, “A deeper partnership between our two nations means we can
more effectively tackle the security threats we both face. I’m committed to
working together to enhance our understanding of and capabilities against
extremism – whatever form it takes.”
The
British high commission’s statement said the UK government remains committed to
working with its Indian counterpart “following the unacceptable attack against
the Indian high commission in London in March 2023”. The security of the Indian
mission and its staff “are of utmost importance” to the UK, which takes the
“protective security of the Indian high commission extremely seriously”.
“The
unique connection between our people brings both huge opportunities and
security challenges. Through mechanisms like the joint extremism task force, we
are acting jointly on countering threats, including pro-Khalistan extremism, as
well as on migration, to keep our people safe,” British high commissioner Alex
Ellis added.
Before
travelling to Kolkata for the G20 anti-corruption ministerial meeting on August
12, Tugendhat will visit the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to discuss
joint challenges posed by child sexual exploitation and abuse, and fraud.
“Corruption
also harms our prosperity, damages our society and threatens our national
security,” he said, adding that the G20 ministerial meeting will be an
opportunity to strengthen global resilience and cracking down on corruption.
The UK
government recently launched a fraud strategy, which includes a new National
Fraud Squad that will work with international partners, including the CBI, and
the UK intelligence community to ensure that fraud cells are shut down.
t the
G20 meeting, Tugendhat will emphasise the UK’s commitment to fight corruption,
which undermines national security and global prosperity, the British high
commission said.
The
UK-India home affairs cooperation covers extremism and counter-terrorism,
corruption, fraud, cyber security, public safety and migration.
The
joint extremism task force focuses on enhancing bilateral cooperation to tackle
extremism and ensures action against groups and individuals seeking to incite
violent extremism, or those involved in financing such activities.
India
and the UK are currently negotiating a free trade agreement and total two-way
trade in goods and services was worth £36.3 billion in the four quarters to the
end of the first quarter of 2023. Investments by the two sides support more
than half-a-million jobs across both economies.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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Indian
Embassy objects to New York State Police barring Sikh trooper from growing
beard
PTI/ New
York, August 11
The
Indian Embassy in Washington has taken up the issue of a Sikh New York State
Trooper being barred from growing a beard with senior levels of the
administration, as lawmakers voiced concern over the incident and termed it
"religious discrimination".
New York
State trooper Charanjot Tiwana sought permission to grow a beard for his
wedding in March last year. However, his request was denied on the grounds that
keeping a beard would pose a safety risk if required to wear a gas mask.
Indian
officials here took up the issue with the office of the New York State
Governor, and India's Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, has taken up
the matter with senior levels of the Biden administration. The New York State
Police and the Governor's office are also working on it, officials here said.
Assemblyman
David Weprin, representing Queens in the New York State Assembly, termed the
denial of Tiwana's request to grow his beard "a concerning incident of
religious discrimination" in the New York State Police.
In a
post on the social media platform X, Weprin said that he had sponsored the
Religious Garb Law, signed into law in 2019, "so no one will have to
choose between practising their religion and doing their job".
Calling
for immediate action by the New York State Police to accommodate Tiwana in
accordance with state law, Weprin said, "Quite frankly, I am appalled by
these discriminatory practices and clear violation of state law."
"New
York State is the most diverse in the country, and if we don't let those
officers serve with their religion and their faith, we won't have enough police
officers," a report in CBS News quoted Sgt.Gurvinder Singh, president of
the Sikh Officers Association, as saying.
The
report quoted a New York State Police spokesperson saying, "We have
recently updated our guidelines with respect to facial hair… The New York State
Police Uniform and Equipment Committee is currently working on a policy for the
design and issuance of turbans."
Shiromani
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Harjinder Singh Dhami had written to Sandhu
and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar "to raise a strong objection to
discriminatory policy" of the NY State Police "of forcing Sikh
troopers to cut hair and protect the rights of Sikh community".
In 2016,
the New York City Police Department, the country's largest police force,
announced it would allow Sikh officers to wear beards and turbans while in
uniform.
Source: tribuneindia.com
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Capital
punishment for mob lynching proposed: Bill tabled for huge changes in criminal
laws
Our Web
Desk Published 11.08.23
PTI
Union
Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday introduced three bills in the Lok Sabha to
replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure CRPC) and the
Indian Evidence Act, which are British-era laws, reports PTI.
The
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023,
and the BharatiyaSakshya Bill, 2023 will be sent to a parliamentary panel for
further scrutiny, Shah said.
A new
offence on acts of secession, armed rebellion, subversive activities,
separatist activities or endangering sovereignty or unity and integrity of
India has been added in the revised laws.
Shah
said the provision of sedition offences will be completely repealed in the new
bill replacing IPC.
The word
"sedition" is not in the proposed law. It is replaced by Section 150
for acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, ndtv.com adds.
"Whoever,
purposely or knowingly, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by
visible representation, or by electronic communication or by use of financial
means, or otherwise, excites or attempts to excite, secession or armed
rebellion or subversive activities, or encourages feelings of separatist
activities or endangers sovereignty or unity and integrity of India; or
indulges in or commits any such act shall be punished with imprisonment for
life or with imprisonment which may extend to seven years and shall also be
liable to fine," it says.
The
explanation states this: "Comments expressing disapprobation of the
measures, or administrative or other action of the Government with a view to
obtain their alteration by lawful means without exciting or attempting to
excite the activities referred to in this section."
The
Centre will also introduce provision of capital punishment in mob lynching
cases, Shah said in the Lok Sabha. Other proposed punishments include 20 years
jail to life imprisonment for gang rape,and death penalty for rape of a minor.
The
death sentence has also been retained in the new bill.
The new
bill prioritises laws for crimes against women and children, murders and
"offences against the state".
For the
first time, community service will be one of the punishments for petty
offences.
Also,
offences have been made gender neutral. In order to deal effectively with the
problem of organised crimes and terrorist activities, new offences of terrorist
acts and organised crime have been added with deterrent punishments.
The
fines and punishment for various offences have also been enhanced.
The new
bill seeks to revamp British-era laws. "The laws that will be repealed...
the focus of those laws was to protect and strengthen the British
administration, the idea was to punish and not to give justice. By replacing
them, the new three laws will bring the spirit to protect the rights of the
Indian citizen," he said in the Lower House of Parliament.
"The
aim will not be to punish, it will be to provide justice. Punishment will be
given to create a sentiment of stopping crime," Shah added.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bill-tabled-for-huge-changes-in-criminal-laws-capital-punishment-for-mob-lynching-proposed/cid/1958329
------
Southeast
Asia
Legal
Activists: Govt’s Ban On ‘LGBTQ+’ Swatch Pieces 'Unlawful, Unconstitutional,
And Intolerant'
By
Shathana Kasinathan
Friday,
11 Aug 2023 1:44 PM MYT
KUALA
LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Lawyers for Liberty today condemned the government’s
prohibition order against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer-themed
(LGBTQ+) Swatch timepieces as “unlawful, unconstitutional, and intolerant.”
The
lawyer group’s director Zaid Malek said that the order issued yesterday was
ostensibly issued due to concerns that the watches might be “prejudicial to
morality” and has been met with allegations of excessive intrusion into
personal choices and irrational limitations on freedom of expression.
“This is
an unlawful and unconstitutional order criminalising not only the publication
by the Swatch company but also making it a criminal offence for anyone now
owning any Swatch-related LGBT items.
“It is
also insufferable nannying and intolerance from a government that is supposed
to be led by ‘reformists’,” he said in a statement here.
He also
raised suspicions about the timing of the order, coinciding with upcoming state
elections tomorrow.
“With
the state elections in a few days, this appears to be yet another ploy to
garner votes from the Malay conservatives.
“As
such, we urge the government to withdraw the prohibition order under the PPPA
effective immediately and to uphold its duty to protect freedom of expression
under our constitution,” he said.
Malek
pointed out that Article 10(1)(a) of the Constitution guarantees the right to
freedom of expression, shielding individuals from criminalisation for sharing
LGBT-related content through various mediums.
While
Article 10(2)(a) permits limitations on the grounds of public order or
morality, Malek argued that such restrictions should remain within reasonable
bounds.
“The
order banning the Swatch watches over a particular design supposedly related to
LGBT is arbitrary and disproportionate, and hence unconstitutional,” he said.
According
to the government gazette published yesterday, the prohibition order was made
on August 9, 2023 by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail via his
powers under Section 7 of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984
(PPPA), with the publisher of this banned publication named as “Swatch Limited,
Switzerland”.
The Home
Ministry said the penalty, upon conviction, would be a maximum three-year
prison term or a maximum RM20,000 fine or both, based on Section 8(2) of the
Printing Presses and Publications Act.
On May
13 to 15, 2023, Home Ministry officers raided 16 of Swatch’s stores throughout
Malaysia and seized 172 watches worth RM64,795.
As a
response on June 24, the Swatch Group (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd filed the lawsuit via
a judicial review application at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Source: malaymail.com
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the full text of the original
------
Anwar:
Proposal to impose strict action against those ridiculing Islam submitted to
Agong
11-08-
2023
KUALA
LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has submitted a proposal to the
Yang di-PertuanAgong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Billah Shah to take strict
action against any party that ridicules and takes advantage of Islam for their
agenda.
Having
discussed the proposal with his deputies, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and
Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Anwar said the proposal had also been submitted to
the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
“Wait
for Aug 12 (after polling day for the elections in six states), no matter what
are the results... This is not about politics, I do not care who they support,
that is their rights.
“...but
if you take advantage of the religion, mocking Allah’s law, judging and
defaming people, accusing people who do not support them as disbelievers, that
they are enemies of Allah...I want to tell you tonight...we will not tolerate
this nonsense,“ he said.
Anwar
who is also Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman said this while speaking at the Kita
Selangor Grand Finale, here tonight, which was also attended by Ahmad Zahid as
Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and Fadillah who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak
chief whip.
Anwar
said the proposal was to defend the interests of all Malaysians, not just the
Malays.
“Yes, we
increase the understanding of Islam, the appreciation of Islam. We increase the
mastery of the Malay language and establish the Malay language (as) the medium
of instruction and the language of knowledge. We guarantee the privileges of
the Malays and Bumiputeras and we uphold the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers.
“But
listen carefully, do not insult any Malaysian from any race...Every citizen, be
them the Dayaks in Kapit, Chinese, Indian who are Hindus, they are all our
citizens and we must defend them,“ he said, adding that it is because people
from all races in Malaysia have the right to be respected and defended.
“This is
not a zero-sum game; I support the Malays does not mean I will kick the
Chinese...I’d like to stress that this country must be safe. This country must
assist all the people,“ he said.
Meanwhile,
in his speech, Ahmad Zahid said that the opportunity given by PH to BN to
contest 108 of 245 seats in the elections involving six states proved PH’s
sincerity in working with BN.
Therefore,
he said, the BN machinery was responsible for helping the candidates fielded by
the coalition and repaying PH sincerity by striving to win the state polls in
Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.
He also
reiterated his confidence that Selangor would be administered by the Unity
Government, adding that he wanted Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari to continue as
Selangor Menteri Besar after the elections.
“Even
though we are being attacked and defamed, I am confident that when red (PH) and
blue (BN) join forces in harmony, InsyaAllah (we will win),“ he added.
Polling
in the six states and the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election will be
held simultaneously this Saturday. – Bernama
Source: thesundaily.my
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/anwar-proposal-to-impose-strict-action-against-those-ridiculing-islam-submitted-to-agong-IG11351977
---------
Judiciary
explains Islamic councils allowed to join challenge on Kelantan's 20 Shariah
offences, says lawyer's FB post inaccurate
11 Aug
2023
KUALA
LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Malaysia’s judiciary today clarified that two Islamic
religious councils were allowed to participate as “amicus curiae” or friends of
the court in the Federal Court’s August 17 hearing of two Malaysian Muslims’
constitutional challenge to 20 Shariah offences under the Kelantan state law.
In a
statement by the Chief Registrar’s Office of the Federal Court of Malaysia, the
office put the record straight as it responded to an “inaccurate” Facebook
posting by Facebook user “Lukman Sheriff” — an account owned by lawyer Lukman
Sheriff Alias.
In
Lukman Sheriff’s Facebook post yesterday, the lawyer had claimed that Sisters
in Islam (SIS) had so far obtained amicus curiae status in the case which would
enable them to present their views, while also claiming that the Malaysian
Muslims Lawyers Association (PPMM) and the Badan PeguamSyarie Wilayah
Persekutuan (Federal Territories’ Sharie lawyers’ legal profession body) were
allegedly not able to be amicus curiae and would only be on watching brief and
also stating that the status of other bodies’ application had yet to be
determined.
But the
judiciary via the Chief Registrar’s Office said Lukman Sheriff’s Facebook post
was “inaccurate and trying to confuse the public”.
Referring
to the court’s records for that Federal Court case on Kelantan’s 20 Shariah
offences, the judiciary said that there are actually three entities that were
allowed by the court to be amicus curiae, namely SIS, Kelantan Islamic
Religious and Malay Customs Council (Maik) and the Federal Territories Islamic
Religious Council (Maiwp).
The
judiciary pointed out that SIS had as early as April 20, 2023 applied to the
court to be amicus curiae, while PPMM and the Badan PeguamSyarie Wilayah
Persekutuan had only applied on August 4 and August 7 — which the judiciary
noted was filed less than two weeks from the August 17 hearing date.
This is
despite the Federal Court having scheduled the hearing date of August 17 much
earlier.
When
contacted by Malay Mail today, the two Malaysians' lawyer Surendra Ananth said
the Federal Court had on May 11, 2023 fixed the hearing date of August 17.
Malay Mail's checks show that the case has been in news reports since late
2022.
The
Chief Registrar's Office also said those allowed to hold a watching brief in
the Federal Court’s proceedings for that case are: PPMM, the Badan PeguamSyarie
Wilayah Persekutuan, the Shariah Lawyers Association of Malaysia (PGSM), the
Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs), and the Malaysian
Bar.
“This
office views seriously the actions of certain quarters who issue statements
that can confuse the public and asks the public to be more careful in sharing
inaccurate reports or postings on social media,” the judiciary said via the
Chief Registrar’s Office.
On May
25, 2022, Kelantan-born lawyer Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid and her
daughter Tengku Yasmin Nastasha Tengku Abdul Rahman filed the constitutional
challenge directly at the Federal Court via Article 4(4) of the Federal
Constitution, and named the Kelantan state government as the sole respondent.
Under
Article 4(4), the validity of any laws made by Parliament or a state
legislature can be questioned in court, based on reasons that Parliament or a
state legislature did not have powers to make those laws. For such
constitutional challenges under the Article 4(4) route, it can only start if a
Federal Court judge grants leave or permission.
On
September 30, 2022, the Federal Court allowed the two women to start their
constitutional challenge.
This
means that the two women have cleared the first hurdle, and that a panel of
Federal Court judges will be hearing and deciding whether the Kelantan state
government had the power to make the state law on the 20 Shariah offences.
The
Federal Court will be hearing the two women’s constitutional challenge on
August 17. Generally, the courts do not have to deliver their decisions on the
same day as a court hearing, and can deliver decisions at a later date.
When
asked by Malay Mail today for other updates on the case, Surendra said the
Kelantan state government had applied to set aside the Federal Court's
September 30, 2022 leave order. Based on court documents, the Kelantan state
government had only on August 2, 2023 filed the application to set aside leave.
Surendra
told Malay Mail that the Federal Court is scheduled to deal with Kelantan's
application to set aside the leave order in a case management on August 14,
while the hearing on the two women's constitutional challenge is still
scheduled for August 17, 2023.
Surendra
confirmed today that the Kelantan Islamic Religious Affairs Department
(Jaheaik) has applied to be an intervener or be made a party to this court
case, and that no date has been scheduled yet for this matter. Based on court
documents, Jaheaik had filed the intervener application on August 9, 2023.
What is
the Federal Court case about?
The two
women’s challenge ultimately argues that the Kelantan state legislative
assembly did not have the powers to create these 20 Shariah provisions in a
state law, as it is the federal government instead which holds the powers under
the Federal Constitution to make laws on such crimes.
Through
the court challenge, the two women are seeking for the Federal Court to declare
that 20 provisions of Kelantan’s Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 are invalid
and null and void, as the Kelantan state legislature has no powers to make laws
on these matters.
In an
affidavit filed previously in court, Nik Elin Zurina stated a detailed list
that showed that all of the 20 challenged provisions in the Kelantan state law
had actually already been covered in multiple federal laws made by Parliament
such as the Penal Code, anti-human trafficking laws, gambling-related laws, the
Dangerous Drugs Act, and laws on misleading food labels.
Kelantan’s
Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 was gazetted on December 31, 2020 and
lists more than 50 offences, and is said to have come into force on November 1,
2021.
The
women’s court challenge is not about religion or going against any religious
authority, but is instead on whether it is the federal government or the state
government which has powers under the Federal Constitution to make laws on the
offences covered in the 20 provisions.
The
question in this court case is whether the Kelantan state legislative assembly
overstepped its limited scope of powers under the Federal Constitution to make
laws, and which means such laws would be invalid or have no legal effect.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/08/11/judiciary-explains-islamic-councils-allowed-to-join-challenge-on-kelantans-20-shariah-offences-says-lawyers-fb-post-inaccurate/84697
BARMM
bill seeks creation of PH's first higher Islamic school
August
11, 2023
A bill
that would establish the country's first higher Islamic institution in the
Philippines has been filed before the Parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Bangsamoro
Transition Authority Bill No. 31 will provide a "unique opportunity for
Muslim Filipinos to immerse themselves in Islamic and Arabic studies."
The bill
aims to establish a Kuliyyah Institution in Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur that
will offer Islamic and Arabic Studies courses for both baccalaureate and
postgraduate levels.
The
Institute, as a higher education institution, will be directly supervised by
the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education, which also has
regulatory authority over the profession, the measure said.
Under
the bill, the institution is envisioned to become a hub of knowledge and
learning, catering to individuals seeking to deepen their understanding of
Islamic principles, history, and culture.
Member
of the Parliament and Minister of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education
Mohagher Iqbal said it is ready to "embark on a historic initiative"
once the bill is approved.
Iqbal
said having the Islamic studies institution will develop a sense of identity
and pride among Muslim Filipinos.
Public
consultations were earlier held in Davao City and Quezon City gathering heads,
experts, and representatives from various national government agencies,
academic institutions, madaris, and civil society organizations for their
inputs on the bill.
The
resource persons recommended that the bill's provisions be enhanced to
establish the institution "as a university rather than an ordinary
institution" to elevate its status and academic offerings.
Deliberations
on the bill will begin next week.—Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News
Source: gmanetwork.com
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https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/878558/barmm-bill-seeks-creation-of-ph-s-first-higher-islamic-school/story/
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Ahead of
polls, study finds young voters still firmly in Perikatan camp
11 Aug
2023
By John
Bunyan
KUALA
LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Most young voters still favourPerikatan Nasional (PN) despite
various efforts of the unity government to win their support, according to a
study by think tank Ilham Centre.
It said
this was unchanged from the 15th general election (GE15) when young voters,
especially between 18 and 25 years’ old, backed the coalition.
“The
information gathered in this study proves that the pattern remains the same and
Pakatan Harapan (PH) is facing challenges to attract these voters.
“Even
though Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been aggressive in holding
dialogues and meeting young people on campus, it turns out that it is not
enough to change a large percentage of their support towards the ruling party,”
said Ilham Centre.
Ilham
Centre added that the provision of RM200 the e-Tunai Belia Rahmah to youths
also did not sway the group.
It said
the outcome of the six state elections in Kedah, Terengganu, Kelantan, Penang,
Selangor and Negeri Sembilan will depend on how the youth decide to vote
tomorrow.
“According
to statistics released by the Election Commission, it is expected that 4.9
million young voters between the age of 18 and 39 will vote in these state
elections,” it said.
Ilham
Centre then said that young voters have become more sophisticated and bold in
expressing themselves politically.
The
survey, which was conducted between July 28 and August 8, involved a total of
2,304 respondents, including 48 who participated in in-depth interviews.
Ilham
Centre said the data from face-to-face were collected by enumerators using
surveys and semi-structured interview protocols.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/08/11/ahead-of-polls-study-finds-young-voters-still-firmly-in-perikatan-camp/84740
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PM
Anwar: Malaysia will become a great nation in Asia if unity govt gets another
five years
11 Aug
2023
BALIK
PULAU, Aug 11 ? Malaysia will become a great nation in Asia if the unity
government continues to govern the country for another five years, Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
Anwar,
who is also finance minister, said this confidence was based on the unity
government’s track record of championing issues for various segments of
Malaysian society since taking over the country’s administration eight months
ago.
“Be it
an issue involving padi (subsidy), rubber (smallholders), military houses,
civil servant salary, (survival of) fishermen, we are trying to maximise
improvement within these eight months.
“Imagine
we continue to govern for another five years, Insya-Allah Malaysia will become
a great nation in Asia,” he said during a luncheon with the locals at Gulai
Kalut Hot Stall here today.
Anwar said
the government has various plans lined up for the benefit of the people in the
country, including improving the salary scale for private workers.
As such,
Anwar, who is also Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, called on voters,
particularly in Malay-majority areas in Penang, to give their mandate to the
candidates representing PH and Barisan Nasional (BN) when they go to the polls
tomorrow.
“Chinese-majority
areas look secure. I want the Malay-majority areas to also give their support.
I have asked the candidates to work hard and Insya-Allah, we will shoulder the
responsibility well to ensure the wellbeing of the people,” he said.
The
prime minister then joined the congregation at the nearby Masjid Qaryah Kampung
Perlis to perform the Friday prayers.
Also present
were BN’s candidate for Telok Bahang Ahmad Zaki Shah ShahHeadan; PH’s candidate
for PulauBetong Mohd Tuah Ismail and Balik Pulau Member of Parliament Datuk
Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik. ? Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/08/11/pm-anwar-malaysia-will-become-a-great-nation-in-asia-if-unity-govt-gets-another-five-years/84709
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Don’t be
influenced by party traitors' incitement, Nazri tells Umno members
11 Aug
2023
KUALA
LUMPUR, Aug 11 ? Former minister-turned-ambassador to the United States, Datuk
Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz called on Umno members not to give in to
incitement by party "traitors" ahead of polling day in the six states
tomorrow.
The
long-serving former minister said that former leaders who have left the party
have no right to talk about Umno’s survival, and reminded Umno members that
allowing these former leaders to bully them is akin to bringing bad luck to the
party.
“Those who
have joined other political parties have asked Umno members to not vote for
Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates in the state elections in an effort to hit
back at certain party leaders.
“If Umno
members are easily influenced by these people, our party will become weaker
while the traitor’s party will become stronger,” he was quoted as saying by
Astro Awani during a BN political speech in Kuang, near Sungai Buloh last
night.
To make
his point, Mohamed Nazri used Selangor as an example where if BN loses in all
12 seats being contested, then it will be difficult to even be given three
seats for the next election.
He said
any negotiations for seats after this will be based on the party’s performance
using this election as a gauge.
Mohamed
Nazri said Umno was very lucky to be given 12 seats to contest in Selangor
despite only winning five seats in the 2018 general election.
“If we
follow the formula by convention, each party will only be allowed to defend the
seat it won before this.
“But by
Allah’s will, Umno is given 12 seats despite only winning five seats in the
past election,” he was quoted saying by Astro Awani.
Mohamed
Nazri, who is the Padang Rengas Umno division chief, remarked that it was
interesting to note that DAP, which was said to be anti-Malay, was willing to
hand over the Dusun Tua state seat to Umno.
In
Penang, he said PAS had to hand over seats to Parti Gerakan.
“So, I
want to ask which Malay party was it that was beholden to a Chinese-based
party?” he questioned.
Mohamed
Nazri also stressed that Umno members need to realise that DAP's claims of the
party being anti-Malay and anti-Islamic are threats perpetuated by the
Opposition.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/08/11/dont-be-influenced-by-party-traitors-incitement-nazri-tells-umno-members/84706
--------
State
polls: I couldn't say no when asked to contest, says Independent Banting
candidate
11 Aug 2023
KLANG:
Independent candidate Ang Wei Yang says he could not say no to the people in
his neighbourhood who wanted him to contest for the Banting state seat.
"Initially
there was another person who was asked to contest but he declined and so they
asked me to run instead," said Ang, who holds a postgraduate degree in
bioengineering from Sheffield University.
Ang, 23,
who lives with his family in Jenjarom New Village, relayed how the local
community as well as neighbourhood resident associations gathered for a
discussion after they heard who would be contesting there.
Ang is
going up against Pakatan Harapan's V. Paparaidu and Perikatan Nasional's MK
Saravanan.
If
either of his opponents win, it will be the first time the Banting state
constituency will have a non-Chinese assemblyman.
"This
is one of the people's grouses. They want a candidate who can address their
issues and can establish direct communication with them," said Ang.
Ang said
he has outlined his own election manifesto.
"Firstly,
I would improve the tourism industry here so that it can boost the local
economy," said Ang who is the fourth of five siblings.
He said
he would also look into making the industries in the area more environmentally
friendly.
"The
people of Jenjarom New Village have on many occasions battled pollution emitted
by industries in the area, including illegal garbage processing factories.
"I
will also look into setting up more recreational facilities for the
people," he said.
Ang said
he hoped the Banting electorate would give him a chance to serve them which he
says he will carry out to his best ability.
"I
will initiate direct meetings with my constituents to hear me out," said
Ang.
Source: thestar.com.my
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/08/11/state-polls-i-couldn039t-say-no-when-asked-to-contest-says-independent-banting-candidate
---------
Pakistan
National
Minorities Day Being Observed Today in Pakistan with The Aim to Highlight Their
Religious and Socio-Economic Rights
Pakistan's
Imprisoned Former Prime Minister Imran Khan Allowed Brief Visit By Wife
Aug 10,
2023
Pakistan’s
imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan was allowed a brief visit by his
wife on Thursday at a high-security prison where the top opposition leader and
national cricket hero is being held, his lawyer said.
The
visit comes as Pakistan is inching toward new parliamentary elections. The
National Assembly, or lower house of parliament, was dissolved on Wednesday and
Khan's successor, incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is now expected to
install a caretaker government to administer day-to-day affairs and lead the
country until the vote, possibly by November.
Sharif’s
ruling Pakistan Muslim League party is expected to face tough competition from
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party or PTI — though Khan himself would be
unable to take part unless his conviction is overturned. Under Pakistan’s laws,
no one with a criminal conviction can lead a party, run in elections or hold
public office.
Thursday's
prison visit was the first time that the 70-year-old Khan saw his wife, Bushra
Bibi, since he was convicted by an Islamabad court over the weekend and
sentenced to three years for concealing assets from selling state gifts he
received while in power.
Bibi, a
spiritual healer from a deeply conservative family, is facing separate charges
with Khan for accepting a piece of land as a gift in exchange for providing
benefits to a real estate tycoon during Khan's term in office.
The
visit lasted just over half an hour — a time typically granted to common
prisoners, lawyer Naeem Haider Panjutha said in a video message on X, formerly
known as Twitter. High-profile prisoners are usually granted a longer time for
the weekly family visits.
The
lawyer, who is appealing what he says are dire prison conditions for Khan, said
he is still held in a small cell without air-conditioning and has been denied
permission to get home-cooked food and see his longtime physician. The Attock
prison in eastern Punjab province is notorious for its harsh conditions and its
inmates include convicted militants.
The
prison department said Thursday Khan can watch television, read newspapers and
get medical care provided by a prison doctor.
Khan was
ousted in a no-confidence vote in April 2022 but remains hugely popular. He has
been slapped with some 150 legal cases since his ouster, and has insisted that
his removal from power was a conspiracy by Washington, Sharif and the Pakistani
military — accusations that all three have denied.
Khan was
previously arrested in May, also on corruption charges, triggering a wave of
violent protests across the country. Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered his
release days later, saying the arrest was illegal.
In a
separate development, a court in the capital, Islamabad, on Thursday canceled
bail that Khan was granted a week ago in the real estate case where Bibi is the
co-accused.
Although
after parliament is dissolved, new elections have to be held within 90 days,
this time there is a twist. A delay until the spring is possible if Pakistan’s
election commission opts for redistricting ahead of an election, based on the
results of a recent census.
Source: hindustantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pakistans-imprisoned-former-prime-minister-imran-khan-allowed-brief-visit-by-wife-101691674391180.html
------
Dismissal
Of Bail Petitions Dims Imran’s Chances of Freedom
Dismissal
of bail petitions dims Imran’s chances of freedom
ISLAMABAD:
With the dismissal of former prime minister Imran Khan’s pre-arrest bail
petitions in the Rs190 million Al-Qadir Trust and the Toshakhana cases by an
accountability court on Thursday, chances for him securing an early release
appear to be fading.
Mr Khan
has two Toshakhana cases registered against him. The Election Commission of
Pakistan (ECP) accused him of concealing certain facts from declarations he
made before it, and got him convicted. The other Toshakhana case is being
investigated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for corrupt practice
and misuse of authority allegedly by the ex-premier.
Following
Mr Khan’s Aug 5 conviction by a trial court, his legal team moved the Islamabad
High Court (IHC) against the verdict and sought suspension of the sentence.
However, the IHC chief justice made it clear on Wednesday that he would decide
the petition after hearing the officials concerned.
PTI’s
counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmed had sought adjournment for a short period so that
the court could decide the case in a week’s time and they were optimistic about
Mr Khan’s release by next week. However, with the rejection of his petition by
IHC, the chances of an early freedom for Mr Khan have faded.
Since
NAB has already issued warrants for him, it would arrest him whenever he is
discharged from jail.
On
Thursday, accountability judge Mohammed Bashir sarcastically remarked that Mr
Khan would get some respite in the NAB custody as its air-conditioned lock-up
is way better than the barrack of Attock jail.
Khawaja
Haris argued before the accountability court that Mr Khan is likely to be
released within a week and requested the judge to extend his interim bail in
both the cases till Friday.
NAB
prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Khan Abbasi cited a decision of the Supreme Court in
the Musharraf case in which the apex court had ruled that “an accused required
in more than one criminal cases when arrested will be deemed to have been
arrested in all the cases”.
Judge
Mohammed Bashir observed that he is not authorised to grant pre-arrest bail in
absence of the accused.
He said
“short adjournment could be granted, but in the present case the accused is
serving out his sentence in jail. The case for suspension of sentence might be
fixed next week.”
The
court termed extending Mr Khan’s interim bail “a time-consuming process” and
dismissed his pre-arrest bail petitions in both the cases.
Bushra
visits Imran
Former
first lady Bushra Bibi met her husband Imran Khan at the Attock jail for the
first time since he was jailed.
Amid
heightened security she approached the jail along with lawyers.
However,
only Bushra Bibi was allowed to reach the jail and the meeting between the two
lasted about an hour.
Later,
she said her husband was well, Mr Khan’s lawyer said.
He said
Bushra Bibi told them that Mr Khan was still being kept in the same smaller,
more austere C-class cell, Reuters reported.
Sources
claimed that lawyers Naeem Panjutha, Sher Afzal Marwat and Ali Ijaz Buttar were
not allowed to meet the PTI chairman though they had showed the authorities
court orders to this effect.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1769528
---------
ECP bars
federal postings, transfers till appointment of caretaker govt
ECP bars
federal postings, transfers till appointment of caretaker govt
August
11, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
A day after the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) and the Federal
Cabinet, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday placed a bar on
postings and transfers at the federal level.
Through
a letter issued by the ECP with the signatures of its Secretary Omar Hamid
Khan, the attention of secretary of establishment division has been drawn to
the fact that the National Assembly had been dissolved, the Federal Cabinet has
been de-notified and caretaker prime minister and his cabinet will be
instituted soon.
“However
it has been learnt that large-scale transfers/postings are being planned by
various Divisions/Ministries/ Departments and Institutions. It is, therefore,
desirable and advised that till institution of caretaker government at federal
level, postings/transfers may be avoided,” the letter, a copy of which is
available with Dawn, said.
It says
that transfers and postings can be made in accordance with the law and the
policy, once the caretaker government is instituted. After the dissolution of
the National Assembly, a process to appoint a caretaker prime minister will
begin under Article 224-A of the Constitution.
PM
Shehbaz and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz will
hold consultations to finalise the name of the interim prime minister.
If they
failed to agree on the name within three days, the matter will go to the
parliamentary committee for the appointment of caretaker PM.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1769537/ecp-bars-federal-postings-transfers-till-appointment-of-caretaker-govt
--------
Rising
poverty, food insecurity, inflation continue to haunt Pakistanis, says MoF
August
11, 2023
Khaleeq
Kiani
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan continues to face five major and persistent economic challenges,
resulting in rising poverty and social vulnerabilities, said the Ministry of
Finance a day after the national assembly and the federal cabinet were dissolved.
In its
first quarterly performance report to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on
$1.5bn Building Resilience with Active Country-cyclical Expenditures (BRACE)
released on Thursday, the Ministry of Finance said the financial progress
remained satisfactory on Countrycyclical Development Expenditure Programme
(CDEP) in the quarter ending Dec 31, 2022 as 41.5pc of the budget for the
fiscal, under social protection, was utilised.
It said
the current expenditures increased by 30pc to Rs6.061 trillion in July-December
FY23 against Rs4.676tr in the comparable period of the last year. The bulk of
this rise stemmed from a sharp rise in mark-up payments which grew by 77pc
driven by higher servicing on domestic and foreign debt due to a higher level
of interest rates. Public Sector Development Programme (federal and provincial)
grew by just 4.5pc during the first half of the current fiscal year.
Total
expenditures grew by 19.8pc to Rs6.382tr in July-December FY23 against
Rs5.328tr in the same period of the previous year. Total revenue, during the
first half of FY23, grew by 18.8pc to reach Rs4.699tr against Rs3.956tr in the
same period of last year. The major contribution to this growth came from a
26.4pc increase in non-tax collection, while tax collection grew 17pc.
To
support the business and agriculture sectors, the government was taking
measures to generate employment, protect job losses, and ensure food security.
The overall financial progress achieved under the CDEP showed that 38.3pc of
the budget had been utilised till Dec 31, 2022.
The
report said a set of persistent challenges continue to haunt the national
economy. On top of the list are the high fuel prices also aggravated by steep
exchange rate depreciation. Overall, the impact of the Russian-Ukraine war on
the economy of Pakistan remains significant, mainly due to high fuel prices.
Fuel
prices have relatively high multiplier effects and can cause a reduction in
economic activity across different sectors. “High fuel prices not only reduce
the direct consumption of petroleum products but also shrink other sectors such
as electricity production, industrial demand, goods transportation, travelling,
mining, construction, and many others”.
After
fuel prices, edible oil has the most impact on GDP and household consumption,
but it is almost double for the poor. Due to the relatively higher elasticity
of oil with its price, demand shock is greater than wheat and almost double in
poor households. As Pakistan remains largely dependent on imported palm oil
(all from Malaysia and Indonesia), it remains highly prone to any upward shock
in prices and can also cause deterioration in the healthy diet structure of
children.
Third is
the persistent challenge of rising poverty. The report said the Russian-Ukraine
war crisis has a serious impact on poverty that can increase the burden on the
already tightened fiscal space. The post-Disaster Needs Assessment Report of
the 2022 floods has already warned that the national poverty rate may increase
by 3.7-4pc by pushing 8.4-9.1 million more people into poverty due to
devastating calamity. Any potential cash handouts or expansion of the Benazir
Income Support Programme can further increase the existing high fiscal
deficits.
Another
key challenge remains record inflation. It said the rising inflation,
particularly food inflation –– the highest in the history of Pakistan ––,
increase in administered prices of petroleum products, electricity, and gas and
continuous depreciation of the country’s currency have a negative impact on
household consumption which will lead to greater poverty, particularly in rural
areas, the ministry highlighted.
Moreover,
the country continues to reel under the effects of the 2022 floods. While the
global crisis, because of the Russian-Ukraine War, was expected to result in
slowing down the economic growth in Pakistan, its adverse impact on poverty,
food insecurity and deteriorated diet quality are likely to be more pronounced,
the report pointed out. However, the cataclysmic floods in 2022 in Pakistan
affecting 33 million people and 1.8 million hectares of cropland across the
country; damaging cotton and rice crops, perishing to 1.16 million floods and
major damages to public infrastructure and private properties will lead to
lower economic growth, higher poverty and food insecurity, and worsened diet
quality, especially in rural areas.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
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----------
Delimitation
to have little impact on NA seats
Legal
activists: Govt’s ban on ‘LGBTQ+’ Swatch pieces 'unlawful, unconstitutional,
and intolerant'
Delimitation
to have little impact on NA seats
ISLAMABAD:
Although three districts should see the number of their National Assembly seats
rise, it is unlikely that the fresh delimitation exercise would make any
significant changes to the number of National Assembly seats in most districts
throughout the country, a thorough examination of the official results of the
first-ever digital census reveals.
Since it
was not possible to amend articles 51 and 106 of the Constitution to allocate
more seats in the national and provincial legislatures, the yet-to-begin
delimitation exercise is expected to be confined to intra-provincial changes,
according to those privy to developments.
Under
clause 7 (2) of the election rules, the Election Commission of Pakistan is to
determine and notify the share of districts, by dividing their total population
with the quota per seat of the National Assembly. A fraction of more than 0.5
is to be counted as one seat and a fraction of less than 0.5 is to be ignored,
under the ECP’s formula.
A
careful calculation shows that no district will lose its share of National
Assembly seats, which means that even if some districts should see a rise in
the number of their NA seats, they may not get one in the upcoming delimitation
exercise. Instead, the per seat quota of population per constituency is set to
be higher than earlier delimitations.
Karachi,
Kasur and Gujranwala are due to get an additional seat each, but this may not
be possible
The per
seat quota for Punjab, with a total population of 127.68 million and 141
National Assembly seats, comes to 905,595.
Sindh,
with a total population of 55.69m and 61 seats in the NA, has a per seat quota
of 913,051.
Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa has a population of 40.85m and 45 NA seats, and will now have a per
seat quota of 907,913.
With a
population of 14.89m and 16 NA seats, the per seat quota for Balochistan is
930,900, while that of Islamabad with 2.36m people and three allocated seats
comes to 787,954.
Under
the standard formula, two districts in Punjab and one in Sindh deserve an
additional seat, but are unlikely to get it, as no district is losing its
share.
Gujranwala,
with a population of 5.95 million, currently has six NA seats. Under the new
formula, its share comes to 6.58, which would otherwise translate into a
seventh seat for the district.
Similarly,
Kasur currently has four NA. But its population of 4.08 million takes its share
to 4.51, which makes it eligible to get another seat.
In
Sindh, Karachi’s district South currently has two NA seats. But with a
population of 2.32 million its share comes to 2.55, which technically qualifies
it for a third seat.
However,
experts point out that thanks to a recent amendment in the Elections Act, under
which it is no longer necessary for planners to strictly adhere to district
boundaries, the ECP could have some room to maneuver.
This can
be done by giving districts, which are entitled to an additional fractional
share, another seat by joining some of its territory with an adjacent district.
Mansehra
district, for example, which had a share of 1.5 in 2018, received a second seat
with the addition of the 0.5 share of Tor Ghar, which was clubbed with it. Now,
the population of the district has reached 1.79 million and the share comes to
1.98 – putting it in a position to independently qualify for both seats.
However,
observers fear that Gerrymandering constituencies in this way – even if done in
the light of the legal cover provided by the amendment to the Elections Act –
might make the delimitation exercise controversial.
For
delimitation of constituencies in accordance with the quota, ECP is supposed to
constitute, a delimitation committee – for each province and Islamabad –
consisting of no less than three ECP officers. They will be responsible for
preparing draft proposals for delimitation of constituencies of the national
and provincial assembly of the respective province.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1769530
-------
KP
caretaker ministers ‘asked to resign’
KP
caretaker ministers ‘asked to resign’
August
11, 2023
Umer
Farooq
PESHAWAR:
At least 19 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s caretaker cabinet on Thursday
tendered their resignations to interim chief minister Azam Khan, which were
prompted by their purported involvement in politics.
Sources
told Dawn that the caretaker CM received the resignations from caretaker
ministers over a cup of tea. “Not that the caretaker members resigned but the
resignations were demanded by the caretaker chief minister as [at least] two
members of the caretaker cabinet resisted by saying they were not involved in
politics neither did they hold any political gathering,” they added.
The
exodus comes after a caretaker minister, Shahid Khattak, quit the cabinet on
July 24 over ‘personal commitment’ soon after he addressed a political
gathering organised by the Awami National Party. The participation of the
interim minister in the political gathering evoked a strong response from the
Election Commission of Pakistan on July 23. A day after, Mr Khattak stepped
down.
“This
is…when ECP asked Azam Khan to sack all those [cabinet members] involved in
politics,” sources said, adding there were credible reports that the decision
to introduce a new caretaker set-up had already been taken in view of the
political affiliation of most caretaker ministers.
When
contacted, caretaker minister for information Feroze Jamal Shah Kakakhel said
that the decision was taken when the ECP wrote a letter to Mr Khan, asking him
to immediately sack his ministers, advisers and special assistants “involved in
politics” to ensure free and fair polls in the province.
On July
31, the ECP wrote a letter and asked the caretaker chief minister that it was
bound by Article 218(3) of the Constitution to organise and conduct elections
in a free, fair, transparent and impartial manner.
‘Resignation
or de-notification’
“Nineteen
members of the caretaker cabinet have submitted their resignations to the
caretaker chief minister during a meeting held in the provincial capital [on
Thursday],” Mr Kakakhel confirmed.
According
to MrKakakehl, three out of the five remaining cabinet members were out of town
and had told the CM that they would submit their resignations on Thursday
night.
“Today
[Thursday night] is the last night of the caretaker cabinet. The chief minister
will be sending the summary along with the resignations of those who have
already resigned to Governor Ghulam Ali,” he said, adding that those who failed
to submit their resignation on Thursday night would be de-notified today.
A total
of 14 ministers, four advisers and six special assistants remained part of the
caretaker cabinet. Two members of the caretaker cabinet, including Adnan Jalil
and Shahid Khattak had resigned. Mr Khattak has already been awarded a ticket
by ANP for contesting general elections for the provincial assembly from PK-86
Nowshera.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1769529/kp-caretaker-ministers-asked-to-resign
--------
Outgoing
National Assembly ‘weakened democracy’, says think tank
August
11, 2023
Iftikhar
A Khan
ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) has
observed that the National Assembly dissolved days before completion of its
term has left democracy almost as vulnerable in the country as it was when it
was elected on July 25, 2018.
“The
National Assembly and our elected representatives have allowed themselves to be
used to weaken instead of strengthening democracy in the five-year tenure,” it
said in an analysis of performance of 15th National Assembly, without
mentioning the hasty passage of controversial bills like official Secrets Act
Amendment bill.
The 15th
National Assembly passed a total of 279 pieces of legislation in five years
with the latest flurry of hasty legislation undermining basic tenets of
constitutional scheme of democracy and human rights. The legislative activity
in the 15th National Assembly witnessed an increase of 45 per cent over the 192
laws passed during the 14th National Assembly.
The 15th
National Assembly witnessed two governments: the first from August 18, 2018 to
April 10, 2022, with PTI Chairman Imran Khan as the PM while the second
government was formed by a coalition of PDM and PPP with Mr Shehbaz Sharif as
the PM, which lasted from April 11, 2022, to August 09, 2023.
The PTI
government relied heavily on ordinances for the purpose of legislation. Of 75
ordinances laid in the National Assembly in five years, only three were
promulgated by the coalition government while 72 were promulgated by the PTI
government.
While
the 14th National Assembly passed and promulgated only 38 ordinances, a 97 per
cent increase was witnessed in the number of ordinances passed by the 15th
National Assembly.
The 15th
National Assembly passed the largest number of laws as compared with the
previous three assemblies starting from 2002. Just over the last three weeks of
the 15th National Assembly, 73 bills were passed.
Of these
73 bills, 36 (49pc) bills were not referred to committees concerned.
In its
five-year term, the 15th National Assembly was only convened for 452 sittings
or average 90 sittings per year.
The
previous (14th) National Assembly was convened for 495 sittings or on average
99 sittings per year which in itself is not a great performance but it still
shows a decrease of 9pc in sittings.
The
National Assembly only consumed a total of 1,245 working hours in five years or
on average 249 working hours per year which show a 21pc decrease in
productivity from the previous assembly which spent 315 working hours per year
on average. It must be noted that the average cost to taxpayers of each working
hour in five years comes to Rs24.23 million per hour.
Among 15
legislatures of Pakistan, this National Assembly is the fourth one which
completed its term.
Earlier
assemblies which completed their five-year term were elected in 2002, 2008 and
2013. The biggest show of confidence in the National Assembly comes from its
own membership in terms of their attendance.
The
prime minister, as the Leader of the House, sets that trend. But just 11pc
attendance by Prime Minister Imran Khan and only 17pc attendance of assembly
sittings by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif showed how much importance they gave
to the National Assembly sessions.
The
Pildat analysis notes that successive prime ministers have given limited
importance to the very house that elects them. As the prime minister, Mr Nawaz
Sharif did not attend more than 14pc sittings of NA sessions, while Mr Shahid
Khaqan Abbasi attended 19pc sessions.
The
average attendance of MNAs in the past five years stood at 61pc, though it was
67pc before the PTI’s decision to quit the National Assembly.
Despite
the high level of attendance documented in the National Assembly records, it
was frequently found lacking quorum — the presence of around 25pc of members
during a session.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
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-------
Probe to
find those who ‘cleared’ Hazara Express
August
11, 2023
Mohammad
Hussain Khan
•
Officials term fault in wheels ‘very, very serious’
• Public
asked to record witness statements on Aug 16-17
HYDERABAD:
With a probe into the Aug 6 Hazara Express derailment already underway,
following the inspection of damaged tracks, coaches, etc, Federal Government
Inspector Railways (FGIR) Ali Mohammad Afridi is set to visit Nawabshah railway
station on Aug 16 to record statements by anyone intending to give evidence.
He would
then go to Sukkur for collecting similar testimonies on Aug 17.
Those
wishing to send statements in writing can submit by post to the FGIR, a
Grade-22 officer who holds the highest authority for investigating major
accidents, said a Pakistan Railways statement on Thursday.
The
fact-finding exercise into the tragedy, which claimed 30 lives, would focus on
how the train’s engine was allowed to proceed following the detection of a
fault in its wheels at Kotri station — which was addressed through a temporary
fix — and how the weaknesses in the track were overlooked.
From
Kotri, the ill-fated train was allowed to go further only to meet with the
accident at the outer signal of Sarhari in district Sanghar. Kotri station
falls in the territorial jurisdiction of Karachi division.
In its
initial action, PR has suspended Hafiz BadarulArfeen (BS-18), divisional
executive engineer, Sukkur division; Atif Ashfaq (BS-18), works manager diesel,
Karachi division; Mohammad Majeed (BS-17), assistant executive engineer,
Nawabshah; Mohammad Arif, permanent way inspector, Shahdadpur; Bashir Ahmed,
power controller, Kotri railway station; and Kangle, a keyman, who is part of
the group that visits the particular beat of the track.
“An
inquiry is to be conducted to find out what sort of coordination was
established between the concerned power controller at Kotri railway station and
divisional engineer of Karachi division before the train was cleared for
further travel,” Nasir Khalili, PR’s divisional superintendent for Karachi
division, told Dawn.
A former
DS told Dawn that the divisional executive engineer runs a big set-up with
inspectors and assistants for regular maintenance of the track. “The officer
holding the post has to ensure the safety of the track through several
officials,” he said, adding that the works manager was tasked with supervision
of engines in the shed. A power controller, who chooses the engine for
different trains, was immediately answerable to the works manager.
“Staff
in PR’s shed works under the power controller to see which engine is to be
fitted to the bogies,” he added. “It is to be seen what sort of coordination
between power controller and superior officer was established that allowed
engine of this ill-fated train to continue after temporary fault rectification
in its wheels. These are the things to be fixed in a detailed inquiry,” said
the former officer.
According
to a serving railway officer, “This engine should not have been allowed to
proceed considering the fact that fault a in the wheels is always a very, very
sensitive matter. I wonder how it was allowed to go on after some fault was
noticed.”
He said
that since the track had been uprooted as a result of the accident, the
divisional executive engineer of Sukkur had been suspended. “The divisional
engineer is supposed to ensure upkeep of track. Likewise, permanent way
inspector is responsible for maintenance of track falling in his area. The
permanent way inspector is primarily responsible for track’s safety,” he
pointed out.
In this
case, it is the Shahdadpur-Mehrabpur stretch of track where the tragedy took
place. “Had the track been strong, the train would have stopped and bogies
would not have derailed,” he said. “The fact that this didn’t happen points to
a weakness in the track,” commented the officer.
A keyman
works under the permanent way inspector. “Around 3.5km area is primary
responsibility of keyman to keep looking at the track. He is supposed to keep
checking the track and tighten screws and bolts after finding anything
unsatisfactory or report the mater to the permanent way inspector ,” he
remarked.
About
the divisional superintendent’s role, he said that the DS was ‘generally’
responsible for administrative and financial matters involving his staff and PR
headquarters.
“Rest of
responsibilities are clearly defined since most of them are of technical
nature,” he said.
Hazara
Express is said to have remained halted at Kotri station for 22 minutes after
arriving from the Karachi Cantonment station and then it was allowed to go. The
suspended officials/officers are also likely to appear before the inquiry
officer.
PR’s
Sukkur division has become prone to major disasters and one of former Sukkur
division superintendents had highlighted all defects in the track and overall
state of up and down country tracks of the division in 2020-2021.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1769527/probe-to-find-those-who-cleared-hazara-express
--------
PM to
award Tamgha-e-Imtiaz to martyred paramedics during COVID-19
August
11, 2023
Prime
Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has decided to award Tamgha-e-Imtiaz
(posthumously) to the martyred doctors and health workers who took care of
patients without caring for their lives during Corona pandemic.
In a
statement today, the Prime Minister paid glowing tributes to the doctors and
the front line workers for their services during COVID-19. He said these sons
and daughters of the country died from the deadly pandemic while fulfilling
their responsibilities.
He said
the whole nation will remain indebted to these dutiful doctors and frontline
health workers. He said the families of these doctors and frontline health
workers are the pride of the nation.
Tamgha-e-Imtiaz
posthumously will be conferred upon eighty-one doctors from Punjab,
eighty-seven from Sindh, twenty-three from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eight from
Balochistan, four from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and one doctor from Gilgit and
Islamabad for their hard work and dedication to save people's lives during Corona
pandemic.
Fifty-nine
nurses and frontline health workers from across Pakistan will also be honored
with Tamgha-e-Imtiaz posthumously for saving lives of the people without caring
about their lives during the Corona epidemic.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.radio.gov.pk/11-08-2023/pm-to-award-tamgha-e-imtiaz-to-martyred-paramedics-during-covid-19
--------
SBP to
issue Rs100 coin to 10th anniversary of CPEC
August
11, 2023
State
Bank of Pakistan will issue 100 rupee coin on Friday to mark the 10th
anniversary of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
According
to a statement issued by the Bank, the coin shall be issued through the
exchange counters of SBP Banking Services Corporation.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.radio.gov.pk/11-08-2023/sbp-to-issue-rs100-coin-to-10th-anniversary-of-cpec
---------
Return
of Nawaz, Tareen to electoral politics: Supreme Court to announce key ruling
today
By
Sohail Khan
August
11, 2023
ISLAMABAD:
The fate of Pakistan Muslim League supremo Nawaz Sharif and former Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secretary general Jehangir Tareen with regard to
electoral politics will be decided today (Friday) as the Supreme Court will
announce its judgment under the Supreme Court (Review of Judgements and Orders)
Act 2023, which expands the scope of a review petition.
three-member bench of the apex court, headed
by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsen and
Justice Munib Akhtar, will announce the judgment at 11am. The judgment was
reserved on June 19, 2023.
The PTI,
Ghulam Mohiuddin, Zaman Khan Vardak and Jurists Foundation had challenged the
vires of Supreme Court (Review of Judgments and Orders) 2023.
On May
8, the Supreme Court Review of Judgments and Orders Bill was approved by the
National Assembly and Senate and sent to President Arif Alvi to be formally
passed into a law.
Article
188 of the Constitution empowers the Supreme Court, subject to the provision of
any Act of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) and any rules made by the Supreme
Court, to review any judgment pronounced or any order made by it.
The law
provides the right to file a review petition to an aggrieved person against
whom an order has been made under clause (3) of the Article 184 of the
Constitution, prior to this legislation. Similarly, the law also states for
reviewing a suo motu judgment, a bigger bench than the one that issued the
order, will hear the case.
According
to the law, a petition needs to be filed by the person within 60 days of
commencement of this legislation. The law provides the right of an appeal
against conviction by the Supreme Court under its original jurisdiction under
Article 184(3) of the Constitution.
After
the enactment of law, it was believed in legal circles that it was possible to
create an opportunity for former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif to challenge
his disqualification.
Nawaz
Sharif was disqualified in 2017 by a five-member bench of the apex court from
the membership of parliament under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution, for
concealing in his nomination papers the receivable income from his son’s
company in the UAE.
The
former premier, however, couldn’t file an appeal as there was no law to
challenge the judgment of the top judiciary.
Similarly,
the apex court on December 15, 2017 also disqualified Jehangir Tareen. The
court had found Tareen to be dishonest under Article 62(1)(f) of the
Constitution and Section 99 of Representation of People Act (ROPA) on one count
among the multiple charges brought against him.
Source: thenews.com.pk/
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1099150-return-of-nawaz-tareen-to-electoral-politics-sc-to-announce-key-ruling-today
--------
Balochistan,
Sindh PAs likely to go today
August
11, 2023
Hafeez
Tunio/Syed Ali Shah
QUETTA/KARACHI:With
the dissolution of the National Assembly on Wednesday night, attention turned
towards the timing of the dissolution of the two remaining provincial
assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan.
Like the
National Assembly, both these assemblies held their inaugural sessions on
August 13, 2018, following their election in the July 25 vote. Therefore, their
five-year term is set to expire on Saturday, August 12.
As per
the Constitution, if the assembly completes its term, the next general election
would be held in 60 days. But if the term is not complete, even by a single
day, the elections would be held in 90 days.
The
National Assembly was dissolved on August 9, three days shy of its term
completion with a view to getting another month’s time for the election
campaign. Same consideration is expected for the Sindh and Balochistan.
According
to the political experts, these two remaining assemblies were likely to be
dissolved on Friday (today), one day before completing terms, to pave the way
for the general election in November, along with the National Assembly polls.
The two
other assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – where the Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was in government – were dissolved in January this year,
with a view to forcing the general elections across the country.
However,
it did not happen, while the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) did not hold
the election in the provinces in 90 days. Now the elections for these two
provincial assemblies will also be held along with the other assemblies.
Meanwhile,
the Sindh Assembly continued its session on Thursday, where the members
delivered their farewell speeches. Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani said that Friday
(today) would be the last day of the assembly.
A source
said that Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah would send the advice for the
dissolution of the assembly to Governor Kamran Tessori. “The governor on the
advice of the chief minister will sign the summary by midnight,” the source
said.
During
the session, the speaker told both the treasury and the opposition members to
share their five-year experience. “After the last sitting, we will have a photo
session before lunch with you,” he announced.
The
treasury members applauded the Sindh government and the performance of the
assembly, while some opposition members cried foul in not giving them the
chance to pass their private members’ bills and share in development budget.
After
the dissolution of the assembly, the provincial cabinet would also cease to
exist. The government and opposition would then hold consultation for the
appointment of the caretaker chief minister.
So far,
both sides are tight-lipped about their choices for the post. From the
government side, there were a few names taking rounds but no-one would confirm
or deny them. Similarly, nothing is being shared by the opposition.
A
similar situation prevails in Quetta, where Balochistan Chief Minister Mir
Quddus Bizenjo was also expected to send the advice for the dissolution of the
assembly on Friday (today).
So far,
there is no consensus on the nomination of the caretaker chief minister. The
opposition, led by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), has formed a three-member
committee to finalise its names.
The
committee comprises opposition leaderMalik Sikandar Advocate, the party’s
Balochistan Amir Maulana Abdul Wasey and provincial Assembly member Mir Younas
Aziz Zehri.
“So far
none from the government has formally contacted our parliamentary committee”, a
senior leader of the JUI said. However, official sources said that the chief
minister was expected to meet the opposition leader “very soon”.
The
ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) has yet to form any committee for the
negotiations with the opposition. The sources revealed that the BAP was
expected to nominate Mir Hamal Kalmati as its candidate.
Besides
Kalmati, the names of Mir Naseer Bizenjo, and Senator Kuhda Babar are also
being discussed for the post of the caretaker chief minister. Other names
taking rounds include Mir Behroz Regi and Dr Faiz Kakar.
To be
precise, the final announcement in this regard is expected within next couple
of days as the JUI Balochistan Amir Maulana Abdul Wasey has arrived in the
provincial capital to finalise the name.
Source: tribune.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2430192/balochistan-sindh-pas-likely-to-go-today
-------
Africa
Niger
military names 21-person cabinet ahead of key West African summit
11 Aug
2023
Niger’s
coup leaders have announced a list of 21 people they say will become ministers
in a new government, forcing their agenda ahead of a summit of regional leaders
demanding an end to their military takeover.
MahamaneRoufai
Laouali, cited as “secretary-general of the government”, read out the names on
state television overnight on Thursday, without specifying any further plans.
Three of
the generals who helped in the July 26 removal of democratically elected
President Mohamed Bazoum were named ministers of defence, interior and sports
in the government, which is about half the size of the previous one.
The
21-member cabinet will be headed by Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, a
civilian. The 58-year-old previously served as finance minister under the
administration of former President Mamadou Tandja.
Niger’s
previous government had 43 ministers of whom none were military officers.
Heads of
state in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are holding a
summit in Nigeria to agree on a plan of action for Niger, where the coup
leaders have refused to stand down.
Since
the coup, which shocked the region, ECOWAS has been calling for Bazoum’s
reinstatement. It imposed a number of sanctions including a no-fly zone and has
threatened the possible use of force to restore democracy.
The
defiant putschists rebuffed diplomatic overtures and ignored an August 6
deadline by ECOWAS to restore civilian rule. Military governments in neighbouring
Mali and Burkina Faso have promised to treat any military intervention in Niger
as a declaration of war on them.
Meanwhile,
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced concerns about
Bazoum and his family after his party reported that they were being detained at
the presidential residence without electricity or running water, and had gone
days without fresh food.
“The
secretary-general … once again calls for his immediate, unconditional release
and his reinstatement as head of state,” a UN spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Source: aljazeera.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/10/niger-military-names-21-person-cabinet-ahead-of-west-african-summit
-----
Tunisia,
Libya to share responsibility for migrants stranded on border
August
10, 2023
Tunisia
and Libya announced Thursday they had agreed to share responsibility for
providing shelter for hundreds of migrants stranded at their border, many of
them for over a month.
The
migrants, primarily from sub-Saharan African countries, had been driven to the
desert area of Ras Jedir by Tunisian authorities and left there to fend for
themselves, according to witnesses, rights groups and UN agencies.
Aid
groups said three groups of about 300 migrants from sub-Saharan African
countries in total remain stranded there in life-threatening conditions.
A
spokesman for Tunisia's interior ministry, Faker Bouzghaya, said during a joint
meeting with Libyan authorities in Tunis that "we have agreed to share the
groups of migrants who are at the border".
"Tunisia
will take charge of a group of 76 men, 42 women and eight children,"
Bouzghaya told AFP.
He said
the groups were transferred on Wednesday to reception centres in the cities of
Tatouine and Medenine and provided with health and psychological care, with the
help of the Tunisian Red Crescent.
Under
the agreement, Libya will take in the remaining 150-200 migrants, humanitarian
sources said.
The
Libyan interior ministry earlier on Thursday announced the bilateral agreement
to "put an end to the crisis of irregular migrants stranded in the border
area".
In a
later statement, it said there were no more migrants stranded at the border
following the agreement, adding that joint patrols were being organised to
"secure the border".
- 'At
least 27' deaths -
Racial
tensions had flared in Tunisia's second city of Sfax after the July 3 killing
of a Tunisian man following an altercation with migrants.
Up to
1,200 black Africans were "expelled, or forcibly transferred by Tunisian
security forces" to desert border regions with Libya and Algeria, Human
Rights Watch said.
The
Tunisian Red Crescent had on July 12 provided shelter to about 630 migrants
found at Ras Jedir, as well as 200 others who had been pushed towards Algeria,
non-governmental groups said.
But AFP
journalists and other media had reported that about 350 migrants had remained
stranded at Ras Jedir in the following weeks.
Some 40
kilometres (25 miles) south at Al-Assah, hundreds of other migrants were seen
pouring into Libya, with no access to food, water and vital supplies until they
were rescued by Libyan border guards in early August, according to an AFP team
there.
Since
the start of July, "at least 27 migrants" were found dead after being
abandoned in the Tunisian-Libyan border area and another 73 were missing, a
humanitarian source told AFP on Thursday.
Until
Wednesday migrants had continued to arrive in Libya at Al-Assah at a rate of
about 50 per day before being rescued by Libyan guards, the same source said.
Libyan
authorities have come under sharp criticism by the UN over reported violence
against migrants, about 600,000 of whom reside in the war-scarred North African
country.
The two
North African countries are major gateways for migrants and asylum seekers
attempting perilous voyages in often rickety boats in the hopes of a better
life in Europe.
Mediterranean
Sea crossing attempts from Tunisia had multiplied in March and April following
a incendiary speech by President Kais Saied who had alleged that
"hordes" of irregular migrants were causing crime and posing a
demographic threat to the mainly Arab country.
Xenophobic
attacks targeting black African migrants and students have increased across the
country since Saied's February remarks, and many migrants have lost jobs and
housing.
At least
11 migrants died in a shipwreck off the coast of Sfax, local court spokesman
Faouzi Masmoudi said on Monday, adding that another 44 were missing and only
two were rescued.
The
distance between Sfax and Italy's Lampedusa island is only about 130 kilometres
(80 miles).
The
United Nations has described the central Mediterranean migration route as the
world's deadliest, claiming hundreds of lives each year.
More
than 1,800 people have died attempting the route so far this year, according to
figures released Friday by the International Organization for Migration.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.africanews.com/2023/08/10/tunisia-libya-to-share-responsibility-for-migrants-stranded-on-border/
--------
Ivory
Coast: The N’zrama festival aims to industrialise artisanal labour
August
10, 2023
**The
Lake District has enormous cultural and economic potential. The initiators of
the N'Zrama Festival at the stadium in Toumodi, a town in the centre of the
Ivory Coast, see it as a cultural showcase but most importantly as an economic
pillar providing a solution to unemployment.
In
central Ivory Coast, the town of Toumodi hosted the first edition of the Nzrama
Festival in an attempt to position the Ivorian Lake district as a major
economic hub.
This
festival, dubbed a cultural showcase by its creators, enabled the region's
cooperatives to display their craft, derived from local cultures aiming to source
funding to industrialize their labour.
"We're
looking for and finding structures to help us process our products. Because we
process our products by hand. If we have someone, a company or the state can
help us with the processing,'' shares Dorothée Ando, Boutique Manager
"We
manufacture cassava and other food products, and we process them, not without
difficulty. We lack the proper material. We need help," added Kouamé
Akissi, Cooperative President.
These
requests are at the heart of the Lake District's new policy, which aims to
breathe new life into what was formerly known as the prosperous cocoa loop.
''We
have a duty to bring in investors, encourage our people and help the young,
after all it's the year of youth, so we must help young people achieve their
goals and continue to empower women,'' shares Dr Raymonde Goudou Coffie,
Minister-Governor of the Lake District.
In
recent years, the Ivorian government has launched a vast regional empowerment
project.
With
more than 60% of its land being arable, the Lake District holds an untapped
economic potential.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.africanews.com/2023/08/10/ivory-coast-the-nzrama-festival-aims-to-industrialise-artisanal-labour/
------
UN
"concerned" about Bazoum's living conditions
August
11, 2023
The
Secretary-General is “very concerned” over the "deplorable living
conditions" that President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger and his family are
reported to be living under as they continue to be arbitrarily detained by
members of the Presidential Guard in Niger.
In a
statement read on his behalf Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for
Bazoum's “immediate, unconditional release and his reinstatement as Head of
State.”
UN
Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, said that the UN is aware of reports that
Bazoum and his family are living without electricity, water, food or medicine.
Niger's
deposed president is running out of food and under increasingly dire conditions
two weeks after he was ousted in a military coup and put under house arrest, an
adviser said Wednesday.
The U.S.
State Department also expressed deep concern about the “deteriorating
conditions” of his detention.
“We are
aware of recent reports that President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger and his family
are living without electricity, water, food or medicine, and I can say the
following: The Secretary-General is very concerned over the deplorable living
conditions that President Bazoum and his family are reported to be living under
as they continue to be arbitrarily detained by members of the Presidential
Guard in Niger. The Secretary-General reiterates his concern over the health
and safety of the President and his family and once again calls for his
immediate, unconditional release and his reinstatement as Head of State. The
Secretary-General is also alarmed over continuing reports about the arrest of
several members of the government. He urgently calls for their unconditional
release and for the strict adherence to Niger’s international human rights
obligations,” said Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN
Secretary-General.
President
Bazoum, the West African nation's democratically elected leader, has been held
at the presidential palace in Niamey with his wife and son since mutinous
soldiers moved against him on July 26.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.africanews.com/2023/08/11/un-concerned-about-bazoums-living-conditions/
------
Juan
Branco urges Senegal's government to release political prisoners
August
11, 2023
Juan
Branco, who is the expelled lawyer to the embattled Senegalese opposition
leader Ousmane Sonko has urged President Macky Sall to release all political
prisoners.
Branco
was speaking for the first time in France since his forceful eviction from
Senegal.
The
Franco-Spanish lawyer urged the government of President Macky Sall to allow for
a democratic transition in the forthcoming Presidential elections.
"I
call on Macky Sall to ensure that my release is the first and that it opens the
door to the release of all political prisoners so that the democratic
transition demanded by the Senegalese people can once again take place. I call
on him to stop the violence he is inflicting on Ousmane Sonko, and to let him
stand freely in the forthcoming elections," said Branco.
On June
22, Branco said he had filed a criminal complaint against Sall in France for
"crimes against humanity", and had requested a probe by the
International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
His
initiatives also named Interior Minister Antoine Felix Abdoulaye Diome and
gendarmerie chief General Moussa Fall among more than 100 others accused.
"I've
seen bodies shot through with bullets. I have seen the wounds, the photographs
of which I was asked to forward, the documentary evidence of which was sent to
the International Criminal Court and the French courts. I have seen them with
my own eyes," said Branco.
Branco
gained notoriety in Senegal after joining the legal team of Sonko, a firebrand
politician and President Macky Sall's fiercest critic, who has faced a series
of legal troubles since 2021.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.africanews.com/2023/08/10/juan-branco-urges-senegals-government-to-release-political-prisoners/
-------
Hawaii
Fire Death Toll Hits 53, Expected To Rise
August
11, 2023
A
terrifying wildfire that scorched a historic Hawaiian town and left it in
charred ruins has killed at least 53 people, authorities said on Thursday,
making it one of the deadliest disasters in the US state’s history.
Brushfires
on the west coast of Hawaii’s Maui island — fueled by high winds from a nearby
hurricane — broke out on Tuesday and rapidly engulfed the seaside town of
Lahaina.
The
flames moved so quickly that many were caught off-guard, trapped in the streets
or jumping into the ocean in a desperate bid to escape.
“What
we’ve seen today has been catastrophic … likely the largest natural disaster in
Hawaii state history,” Governor Josh Green said.
“In 1960
we had 61 fatalities when a large wave came through Big Island,” he said
earlier in the day, referring to a tragedy that struck a year after Hawaii
became the 50th US state.
“This
time, it’s very likely that our death totals will significantly exceed that,”
he said.
Maui
County officials said confirmed fatalities stood at 53, and firefighters were
still battling the blaze in the town that served as the Hawaiian kingdom’s
capital in the early 19th century.
Pictures
taken by an AFP photographer who flew over Lahaina showed it had been reduced
to blackened, smoking ruins.
The
burned skeletons of trees still stand, rising above the ashes of the buildings
to which they once offered shelter.
Green
said 80 per cent of the town was gone.
“Buildings
that we’ve all enjoyed and celebrated together for decades, for generations,
are completely destroyed,” he said.
Thousands
have been left homeless and Green said a massive operation was swinging into
action to find accommodations.
“We are
going to need to house thousands of people,” he told a press conference.
“That
will mean reaching out to all of our hotels and those in the community to ask
people to rent extra rooms at their property,” he added
US
President Joe Biden on Thursday declared the fires a “major disaster” and
unblocked federal aid for relief efforts, with rebuilding expected to take
years.
Bodies
US Coast
Guard commander Aja Kirksey told CNN around 100 people were believed to have
jumped into the water in a desperate effort to flee the fast-moving flames as
they tore through Lahaina.
Kirksey
said helicopter pilots struggled to see because of dense smoke, but that a
Coast Guard vessel had been able to rescue more than 50 people from the water.
“It was
a really rapidly developing scene and pretty harrowing for the victims that had
to jump into the water,” she added.
For
resident Kekoa Lansford, the horror was far from over. “We still get dead
bodies in the water floating and on the seawall,” Lansford told CBS.
“We have
been pulling people out… We’re trying to save people’s lives, and I feel like
we are not getting the help we need.”
Green
said around 1,700 buildings were believed to have been affected by the blaze.
“With
lives lost and properties decimated, we are grieving with each other during
this inconsolable time,” Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said.
“In the
days ahead, we will be stronger as a … community,” he added, “as we rebuild
with resilience and aloha.”
Evacuations
Thousands
of people have already been evacuated from Maui, with 1,400 people waiting at
the main airport in Kahului overnight, hoping to get out.
Maui
County has asked visitors to leave “as soon as possible,” and organised buses
to move evacuees from shelters to the airport.
The
island hosts around a third of all the visitors who holiday in the state, and
their dollars are vital for the local economy.
At the
airport in Kahului, Lorraina Peterson said she had been stuck for days without
food or power, and was now looking at a lengthy wait for a flight.
“I don’t
know if we’ll be able to get a hotel room, or we’ll have to sleep here on the
floor,” she said.
With a
hurricane passing to the south of Hawaii, high winds fueled flames that
consumed dry vegetation.
Thomas
Smith, a professor with the London School of Economics, said that while
wildfires are not uncommon in Hawaii, the blazes this year “are burning a
greater area than usual, and the fire behaviour is extreme, with fast spread
rates and large flames.”
The
Hawaii fires follow other extreme weather events this summer in North America,
with record-breaking wildfires still burning across Canada and a major heat
wave baking the US southwest.
Europe
and parts of Asia have also endured soaring temperatures, with major fires and
floods wreaking havoc.
As
global temperatures rise over time, heat waves are projected to become more
frequent, with increased dryness due to changing rainfall patterns creating
ideal conditions for bush or forest fires.
Source: dawn.com
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Europe
US
Library of Congress apologizes for calling woman ‘she’
10 Aug,
2023
The US
Library of Congress, the largest library on earth, issued a public apology via
Twitter (now rebranded as X) on Monday for using “incorrect pronouns” to
describe a non-binary author hosting a book signing at the taxpayer-funded
institution.
“We
deeply apologize to Casey McQuiston for using incorrect pronouns for them in
our last post,” the oldest federal cultural establishment in the US tweeted.
The offending post was apparently deleted, as it did not appear in the
library's Twitter feed on Tuesday.
The
Library of Congress hosted a book signing for McQuiston, who self-identifies as
queer as well as non-binary, on Tuesday to celebrate the Amazon Prime
adaptation of the author’s book “Red, White, and Royal Blue” and formally added
the novel to its LGBTQ+ collection. The book tells the story of a feud between
a British prince and the son of the US president that blossoms into a
homosexual romance.
Followers
of the storied cultural institution on Twitter recoiled from its embrace of
grammatical incorrectness in service to political correctness, describing the
post as “embarrassing” for the US, for librarians, and for literacy in general.
Even
professional anti-wokesters like Libs of TikTok appeared to be at a loss for
words – the account merely called the library’s tweet “beyond parody” – while
several others questioned whether the Library of Congress did not have more
pressing matters to attend to.
Last
September, the library’s decision to allow proudly obese pop star Lizzo to play
a 200-year-old crystal flute that had belonged to founding father and fourth US
president James Madison during her Washington DC concert similarly polarized
onlookers. The singer, a classically-trained flautist, boasted in a tweet after
the show that she was “THE FIRST & ONLY PERSON TO EVER PLAY THIS
PRESIDENTIAL 200-YEAR OLD CRYSTAL FLUTE” alongside a video of her trilling on
the instrument while twerking in a bedazzled gold leotard.
Despite
its legendary status – it holds more than 175 million works in over 470
languages – the Library of Congress has recently come under pressure to follow
the example of the Biden administration in emphasizing diversity, equity, and
inclusion.
Source: .rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/581116-library-congress-apologizes-nonbinary-woman/
-----
Switzerland
detains four ‘terrorism supporters’
10 Aug,
2023
Swiss
law enforcement carried out a major counter-terrorism operation on Thursday,
detaining four suspects over alleged links to a Syrian-based terrorist group.
The
operation was commissioned by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland
(OAG), with seven properties searched simultaneously in two cantons. It was not
immediately clear whether any incriminating evidence had been recovered during
the raids.
All four
suspects – aged 28, 49, 53, and 57, respectively – are Syrian nationals, the
OAG said in a statement. Two of the suspects were living in refugee asylums,
while two others had been granted residence permits on other grounds, the body
noted.
“The
suspects are believed to have carried out various support activities for a
terrorist group. The group concerned is connected with Jabhat Al-Nusra, the
former Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda,” the office said, referring to a Syrian-based
Jihadist group currently known as Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Multiple
fatalities in Damascus mosque bombingREAD MORE: Multiple fatalities in Damascus
mosque bombing
The
terrorist group is still active in the country, arguably remaining the main
force opposing Syria’s government after Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) and
lesser groups were crushed during the years-long war in the country.
The
arrests come after a lengthy investigation, with three separate legal
proceedings on the suspects occurring between January and September 2022. The
OAG hinted that foreign security agencies had been involved in the case, but
did not provide any concrete information on the matter.
“As part
of the criminal proceedings, the OAG has also been in contact with several
other countries by way of international mutual assistance,” it said.
The OAG
promised to provide further updates on the case shortly. As of now, it remains
unknown whether the suspects will remain in custody. “As always, the
presumption of innocence applies to all four suspects,” the OAG noted.
Source: .rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/581121-switzerland-syria-terrorism-supporters/
------
Kiev’s
transgender spokesperson ends boycott of CNN
10 Aug,
2023
The
outlet has removed a reference to “Western mercenaries” after a former US
journalist representing Ukraine’s army demanded an apology
The
transgender American war correspondent who was selected last month to run the
Ukrainian military’s English-language propaganda operation has called off a
boycott of CNN after apparently persuading the media outlet to cease referring
to foreign fighters in the country as “mercenaries.”
Sarah
Ashton-Cirillo ended the boycott campaign on Thursday afternoon, hours after it
began, citing CNN’s “rapid response” to her public complaint earlier in the
day. The network revised an article published last week that had included a
reference to “Western mercenaries,” changing their description to “Western
foreign fighters.”
Ashton-Cirillo
had posted a video message on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter,
denouncing CNN and its diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson. “Nic Robertson, you
referred to us as foreign mercenaries. There’s nothing further from the truth,
nor further from the legal definition.”
The
former freelance journalist, who joined Ukraine’s military last year, also
chided Robertson for failing to respond to emails complaining about his choice
of words. “Based on your terminology of us as Western mercenaries, which has
clearly put our lives in danger, along with the fact that your colleagues
decided to show … rotting bodies of Ukrainian soldiers in the sun for the world
to see, I have to recommend that nobody in the Armed Forces of Ukraine works
with CNN in any capacity until we’ve received an apology directly from you Nic,
as well as the CNN production team on the ground here,” Ashton-Cirillo said.
Ironically,
Ashton-Cirillo was criticized in October 2022 for recording a video of herself
with a dead body visible in the background as she reported on a missile strike
in Kiev. Last week, Ashton-Cirillo caused another stir on social media by
referring to Russian soldiers as inhuman. “We are human, and those guys most
definitely aren’t,” the Ukrainian spokesperson said.
Source: rt.com
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the full text of the original
https://www.rt.com/news/581123-ukraine-army-propagandist-ends-cnn-boycott/
-----
Winchester
Muslims agrees to buy Hyde Parish Hall for use as a mosque
10th
August
By Toby
Oliver
The
Winchester Muslim Cultural Association has agreed to purchase a historical hall
in the heart of the city to use as its permanent home.
The
association has been looking for a home for the last 20 years and identified
Hyde Parish Hall for a mosque and community centre.
The hall
was recently sold by the Parochial Church Council (PCC) of St Bartholomew’s
Church to fund the refurbishment and upkeep of the medieval church.
Miff
Kayum, Winchester Muslim Cultural Association secretary, told the Chronicle
that a mosque is a 'significant opportunity' for Muslims in the city.
MrKayum
said: "Our vision for the parish hall is that it will be an asset for the
whole city. and to have a multi-faith community centre.
READ
MORE: Kyoto Kitchen Winchester prepares for official launch
"We've
been using different venues across the city for prayers and other events. Our
activities have been spread, so it has been hard to consolidate our work and
build on the services we provide.
"It
also means we can increase our work across the city such as inviting schools to
a working mosque."
According
to the 2021 census, 904 Muslims live in the Winchester City Council district
and 98 in the St Batholomew ward.
The
cultural association currently has around 500 members.
The
total cost of the purchase and refurbishments will cost around £890,00.
MrKayum
added: "It's a really significant opportunity to provide for the whole
community. We're confident we can raise the funds.
Hampshire
Chronicle: Hyde Parish Hall
"For
the call to prayer, we won't be having loudspeakers on the side of the
building. The call to prayer is done internally and many people can join online
through Zoom so they can pray at home. We're really grateful for the support
from our friends in Winchester."
In a
Facebook post, the association said: “The sale of Hyde Parish Hall has
attracted some interest and the WMCA was one of the interested parties.
“The
WMCA committee met on several occasions and sought advice from property owners
and developers within our community and made presentations to Jummah
congregation. The Winchester Muslim Community agreed that a bid of £700K should
be offered for the purchase of Hyde Parish Hall, given its suitability for our
purposes, the listed nature of the building and the anticipated refurbishment
works.
“The
WMCA committee sought references from our local MP Steve Brine and partner
organisation Winchester City of Sanctuary to submit with our offer.
“Alhamdulillah
- our offer for Hyde Parish Hall has been accepted and formal heads of terms
issued. Solicitors have now been engaged.
SEE
ALSO: Hyde Parish Hall put up for sale to fund St Bartholomew's Church
“The
committee felt that given the response of our community that the shortfall of
£250K plus refurbishment costs and contingency funds, that this amount could be
easily raised with a concerted and clear fundraising strategy.
“In
terms of time frame, the sellers have asked for completion in the next two
months although the committee feel this is unrealistic and will finalise an
agreed timeframe in discussion with our solicitor.
“We have
met with our solicitor and performed the necessary ID checks and engagement
process.
“Our
discussion with the solicitor has confirmed that, as a registered charity,
there is no stamp duty – Alhamdulillah.
“However,
there are some steps we need to take and some discussion to have as a community
around how we structure the sale such as whether we use trustee’s names or
whether we set up a limited company to facilitate the purchase. This may have
an impact on stamp duty.
“At this
stage we are seeking written professional advice and then we will organise a
special general meeting to present the different options and ask for the
community’s approval.
“Going
forwards there will be a lot of excitement and there will be a lot of work to
do.”
In the
past the association has looked at several properties in Winchester, including
the former Roman Catholic church on Stoney Lane in Weeke. In the end no
agreement could be reached and the site
was eventually was sold for housing.
The
association has launched a Just Giving page to help fund the purchase.
Source: hampshirechronicle.co.
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https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/23715362.winchester-muslims-agrees-buy-hyde-parish-hall-use-mosque/
--------
'It Was
Scary': Man Allegedly Attempted To Run Over Several Muslim Families At
California Park
11 August 2023
Asif, a
father of four who works in the health care industry, took his family to a
California park for a farewell potluck dinner on Sunday. A friend was leaving
town, and nearly 25 family members and friends gathered to give them a proper
send-off.
Instead,
the gathering ended in fear when a 33-year-old man allegedly began threatening
the Muslim families, hurling racist remarks and even attempting to run over
several people, including children. The incident happened at Heron Landing
Community Park in Rancho Cordova, nearly a dozen miles east of Sacramento.
The man,
later identified by authorities as Robert Avery, first approached the women in
the group, yelling obscenities and racial remarks, said Asif, who is being
identified by a pseudonym. He said the men of the group quickly intervened,
attempting to shield the women and children, and called 911.
“We
didn’t want to engage him. We were not sure what he had in terms of weapons,”
said Asif. “We also didn’t want to validate him.”
Avery
allegedly continued to harass the families, using racial slurs and demanding
they leave. Police said he also threatened to bring his gun and “shoot and
bomb” the Muslim families, before leaving briefly and returning a few minutes
later with his vehicle.
Video
footage posted to YouTube by CAIR, a Muslim civil rights group, shows a silver
car driving through a picnic area adjacent to a sports field as an adult lifts
a child out of the way. People can be heard screaming in the background as a
member of the group calls 911.
This
video contains disturbing footage.
Avery
was arrested on charges related to assault with a deadly weapon, criminal
threats and a hate crime, according to a statement from the Sacramento County
Sheriff’s Office. Avery, who police said is a registered sex offender, turned
himself in Monday morning and was booked that same day. He is currently being
held on $125,000 bail.
Neither
the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office nor the local district attorney’s office
responded to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Layli
Shirani, the senior civil rights attorney at CAIR-Sacramento, told HuffPost the
attack left the families traumatized, especially at a time when gun violence is
on the rise.
“There’s
just so many layers to the credibility of the acute fear that this group of
people must have been put into on that day,” Shirani said. “I can’t even
imagine what they’re feeling, especially those who are there with small
children.”
Asif’s
four children, who range in age from 10 months to 7 years old, were present at
the attack. He said his eldest two daughters have been sleeping with their
parents out of fear since then.
“It was
scary for them. It was scary for all of us,” said Asif, who now doesn’t let his
children play outside without his supervision.
“We have
reports of incidents where Muslims or Muslim-appearing people gather and are
harassed. That happens quite a bit” in the Sacramento-valley area, said
Shirani. “It’s very harmful to hear those slurs and the feeling of being
unwelcome.”
Nationwide,
there were more than 130 anti-Muslim incidents in 2021, according to the most
recent federal data. The number is likely higher, however, as not all incidents
are reported.
Just
last week, two women were arrested in Milwaukee for allegedly grabbing and
punching several Muslim women at a park. The victims said they believed the
attack was a hate crime.
Asif
said he’s still traumatized and unsure when he’ll be able to recover from
Sunday’s incident.
“It’s a
moment that’s etched into my memory, a stark reminder of the prejudice that
still exists in the world,” he wrote in a personal note the day after the event
in an attempt to process what happened, and later shared with HuffPost.
“In
those agonizing moments, our resilience was put to the test,” he added.
Source: uk.news.yahoo.com
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--------
Haringey
mosque and cultural centre celebrates 40 years
10
August 2023
The
London Islamic Cultural Society was founded to ‘engage and support the diverse
communities of Haringey and North London’
A
Haringey mosque which doubles as a cultural centre celebrated its 40th
anniversary last month.
The
London Islamic Cultural Society (LICS) was set up by a small group of migrants
from Guyana to ‘engage and support the diverse communities of Haringey and
North London’. It became the first purpose-built mosque in Haringey, and can be
found on Wightman Road, Wood Green.
For a
celebratory event held at the mosque on Sunday, 23rd July, the LICS team, led
by President Bibi Khan MBE DL, and members of the community were joined by
Guyana’s High Commissioner to the UK, Dr Rajendra Singh, Deputy Mayor of London,
Joanne McCartney, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, Catherine West, mayor of
Haringey, Cllr Lester Buxton, leader of Haringey Council, Cllr Peray Ahmet,
deputy lieutenant for Haringey, Captain Peter Baker, local councillors and
representatives from the Metropolitan Police.
Guests
celebrated the LICS’ history with student recitations, speeches and a sit-down
meal. The LICS’ work on furthering interfaith relationships with local churches
and synagogues, along with Haringey Multi Faith Forum, The Gospel Centre Foodbank,
NHS Haringey and the Safer Neighbourhood Team, was highlighted.
President
of LICS, Bibi Rabbiyah Khan MBE DL, said: “As we mark this incredible
milestone, we reflect on all that LICS has achieved so far and pay tribute to
those who were so instrumental in the creation and development of this
organisation. We are overwhelmed by the positive feedback and stories of
appreciation we receive from the local community and proud to have such a
positive influence on the lives of many. As we look ahead to the next 40 years
– and hopefully many more after that – we will remain committed to providing
Islamic teachings and broader cultural, social, educational and charitable
services to the wider community, irrespective of religion.”
Source: haringeycommunitypress.co.uk
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https://haringeycommunitypress.co.uk/2023/08/10/london-islamic-cultural-society-haringey-anniversary/
-------
Harlow:
Teens bailed in mosque arson investigation
August
10, 2023
Two
teenage boys have been bailed over what police suspected was a "racially
aggravated" arson at a mosque in Essex.
Curtains
and carpets were damaged in the prayer area at Northbrooks Mosque on Harberts
Road, Harlow, during the blaze on Tuesday. No-one was hurt.
The
suspects, arrested on suspicion of arson, were released under police bail until
18 October.
Mosque
secretary Jamal Uddin said he and colleagues were "absolutely
devastated" by the fire.
He said
they would try to carry out some refurbishments to make way for Friday prayers.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-66465346
-----
A Look
at Known Iranian-Americans Held ByIran As The US Seeks A Prisoner Release Deal
AP/
August 11, 2023
Iran has
transferred five Iranian-Americans from prison to house arrest, part of a
possible deal over billions of dollars of Iranian assets frozen in South Korea.
Three of
the five prisoners have been previously identified while two others have not
been named publicly. Those identified include:
Siamak
Namazi
Siamak
Namazi, an energy executive, was arrested in 2015. He had been an advocate of
closer ties between Iran and the West.
Iran
sentenced both Namazi and his father, Baquer Namazi, to 10 years in the
country’s notorious Evin Prison on what the US and UN say are trumped-up spying
charges.
Baquer
was placed under house arrest for medical reasons in 2018 but prevented from
leaving Iran despite his family’s pleas that he travels to receive emergency
heart surgery after suffering multiple hospitalizations. He ultimately left
Iran in October 2022.
Siamak
is the longest-held Iranian-American held in Tehran. He appealed to President
Joe Biden in an essay in The New York Times in June 2022 as American and
Iranian nuclear negotiators met for indirect talks in Doha, Qatar, demanding he
intervene to “end this nightmare.”
Emad
Sharghi
The
murky espionage charges against Iranian-American businessman Emad Sharghi came
to light in early 2021, when an Iranian court announced that the venture
capitalist had been sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison.
His
family says Iran had cleared him of spying charges in December 2019 after
jailing and interrogating him for months. Iran says security forces then caught
Sharghi on the country’s northwestern border and re-arrested him as he tried to
flee Iran while free on bail.
Morad
Tabhaz
Morad
Tahbaz, a British-American conservationist of Iranian descent, was meant to be
released from prison on furlough as part of Iran’s deal with the UK to resolve
a long-running debt dispute in March 2022.
That
agreement freed two high-profile detainees, charity worker Nazanin
Zaghari-Ratcliffe and retired civil engineer Anoosheh Ashoori, who flew home to
London. But Tahbaz remained stuck in Iran. Reports soon emerged that he was
sent back to prison despite the furlough promise.
Tahbaz
was caught in a dragnet targeting environmental activists while visiting Iran
in January 2018 and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2353246/middle-east
------
UN
official paints bleak picture of trauma among Palestinians after clashes at
camp in Lebanon
EPHREM
KOSSAIFY
August 11,
2023
NEW YORK
CITY: The armed hostilities between July 30 and Aug. 3 at Ein El-Hilweh, a camp
for Palestinian refugees in southern Lebanon, and their aftermath have once
again shone a spotlight on the dire circumstances in which the camp residents
are living.
Dorothy
Klaus, director of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East, on Thursday described the effects of the violence on the people in
the camps as “profound” as she called for an urgent and sustained aid effort.
She said
that about 400 houses were destroyed during the recent hostilities and hundreds
of families were displaced either within the camp or to nearby areas. The
fighting also took a toll on vital infrastructure in the camp, including an
UNRWA school complex that serves more than 3,000 children. The agency is still
having difficulty accessing some parts of the camp, she added.
Ein
El-Hilweh is the largest of 12 camps for Palestinian refugees that were
established in Lebanon in 1948 after the creation of Israel. Since a 1969
agreement between Lebanese authorities and the Palestine Liberation
Organization, the nation’s army has largely avoided entering the camps.
However,
in the wake of the recent clashes between rival armed groups in Ein El-Hilweh,
which left at least 11 people dead and dozens wounded, some Lebanese officials
are calling for the military to take control of the camps.
Ein
El-Hilweh, which is home to about 50,000 people, has experienced many bouts of
violence over the decades, including interfactional fighting and clashes
between Palestinian groups and Lebanese forces.
Klaus
said that since the latest violence subsided, UNRWA has managed to restore
essential services in “about 50 percent of the camp … we’ve been collecting
garbage, disinfecting and started removing rubble there.”
But she
painted a harrowing picture of “trauma and distress” among the residents,
including “children having been traumatized, women’s hair having been turned
white during the hostilities.”
The
trauma experienced by communities of Palestinian refugees is deeply rooted in
decades of displacement and conflict, Klaus added. The residents of many
refugee camps, including Ain El-Helweh, have endured violent clashes and
destruction of property many times, creating an environment in which
psychological scars run deep, she said.
Traumatic
experiences have also contributed to alarmingly high rates of non-communicable
diseases, which Klaus attributed to extreme levels of stress among refugees.
Relations
between camp residents and communities in surrounding areas add to the
complexity of the situation, Klaus said as she highlighted the detrimental
effects hostilities in camps can have on nearby locations. The city of Saida,
for example, suffered economic losses during the recent violence due to
shutdowns during the peak summer tourism season, she added.
This in
a country that is four years into a devastating economic crisis during which
the nation’s currency has lost about 98 percent of its value, gross domestic
product has fallen by 40 percent, inflation is in triple digits, and about
two-thirds of the central bank’s foreign-currency reserves have been drained,
according to the International Monetary Fund. As a result, a large proportion
of the population has been pushed into poverty.
This financial
crisis has been exacerbated by vested interests among authorities in the
country, which have resisted calls for the implementation of crucial economic
and political reforms, the IMF said last month, warning that a continued lack
of remedial action from authorities could lead the country “down an
unpredictable road.”
Klaus
told Arab News that this very fragile environment further complicates the
relationship between Palestinian refugees and their host country, in which
their access to employment opportunities is already restricted, along with
property-ownership rights, and access to basic services.
She said
the refugees, who had already been grappling with poverty, have been pushed
into increasingly dire circumstances by the economic crisis and approximately
80 percent of them now live in impoverished conditions.
“Poverty
has already been more than twice the level of what it used to be in the
Lebanese population prior to the economic crisis,” Klaus said.
“So that
means the resilience levels in the Palestinian population in Lebanon have been
even less, with the impact of the crisis on employment (being) relegated to
sectors which do not offer fixed employment. And Palestinians in Lebanon hardly
ever have a regular contract, let alone any form of social security.
“So that
means about 50 percent of men above the age of 16 are currently unemployed and
the remainder have sporadic unemployment, and all of that difficulty is
reflected in their income and their ability to sustain themselves.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2353176/middle-east
----
Israeli
forces kill Palestinian, wound eight, in West Bank raid – news agency
REUTERS
August
11, 2023
RAMALLAH,
West Bank: Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man during an operation in a
refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Friday, the official Palestinian news
agency WAFA reported.
There
was no immediate comment from the Palestinian Health Ministry or the Israeli
military.
Director
of the Thabet Thabet Government Hospital in Tulkarm, doctor Amin Khader, told
Palestine TV that the Palestinian man who died sustained a gunshot wound in the
chest and that at least eight people were wounded.
The
Fatah party, which dominates the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank,
identified the dead man as Mahmoud Jarrad. It said he was a member but it did
not claim him as a fighter.
Violence
in the West Bank has worsened over the past 15 months amid stepped-up Israeli
raids, rampages by Jewish settlers on Palestinian villages and Palestinian
street attacks.
A UN
tally showed at least 196 Palestinians and 24 people in Israel have been killed
in hostilities since January.
The West
Bank is among territories Israel captured in a 1967 Middle East war where
Palestinians have limited self-rule and which they want as the core of an
independent state.
Israel
subjects millions of Palestinians to military rule there and it has continued
to build settlements, considered by most countries as illegal, which it
disputes.
US-brokered
peace talks aimed at establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza
and East Jerusalem collapsed in 2014 and show no sign of resuming.
Some
40,700 Palestinians are registered with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in
two camps in the Tulkarm area. They are Palestinian refugees, or their
descendants, who were forced out or fled their homes during the 1948 war
surrounding Israel’s creation.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2353331/middle-east
------
North
America
Trump
judge orders lawyers to attend training run by an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group
August
10, 2023
Alex
Bollinger
U.S.
District Judge Brantley Starr – who was appointed by Donald Trump – has ordered
three lawyers representing Southwest Airlines to attend a “religious liberty
training” run by the anti-LGBTQ+ hate group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).
The airline has already said that it’s appealing the ruling.
The case
involves flight attendant Charlene Carter, who said she was fired after she
sent repeated messages to her union’s president opposing abortion. She said
that her messages came from her deeply held Christian beliefs, so she was fired
for her religion. Judge Starr ruled for her last year and ordered Southwest to
give her her job back.
Starr
also told Southwest to tell its employees that it “may not” discriminate
against them on the basis of religion, and its lawyers wrote and released a
statement saying that it “does not” discriminate on the basis of religion. This
did not please Carter – whose lawyers called it “Southwest Airlines’ bald-faced
attempt to dodge its responsibility to inform flight attendants of its
wrongdoing” – and she asked the court for further sanctions against the
airline. This past Monday, Starr ordered the lawyers to attend the hate group’s
training sessions.
David
Lopez, former general counsel for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC), said that the order to attend a hate group’s training sessions could
violate the lawyers’ rights.
“The
court is moving into some really dangerous territory here,” he told Reuters.
The
Southern Poverty Law Center, which follows extremism in the U.S., has
designated ADF as a hate group for years, citing statements from its leadership
attacking the humanity of LGBTQ+ people. For example, one senior legal counsel
at ADF said that the “homosexual agenda” requires “recruitment among those that
are at an emotionally vulnerable stage of development,” implying that gay
people molest children in order to turn them gay.
“We
mention the new promotion of pedophilia in the context of talking about the
influence of homosexual behavior on college campuses, because, despite all
objections to the contrary, the two are often intrinsically linked,” ADF
founder Alan Sears and former ADF Vice President Craig Osten wrote in their
book.
The
organization represented a Christian web designer in 303 Creative LLC v.
Elenis, the Supreme Court decision last month that said that some creative
professionals have a constitutional right not to serve LGBTQ+ people if they
feel that doing so would violate their religious beliefs. The group has filed
numerous lawsuits trying to turn back LGBTQ+ protections.
ADF also
opposes reproductive freedom and helped the state of Mississippi win in Dobbs
v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the 2022 Supreme Court decision that
overturned Roe v. Wade.
The New
Republic notes that it’s not clear why Starr ordered the lawyers to attend the
hate group’s training sessions since Carter didn’t mention them in her court
filings and they are not involved in her case.
Starr
gave the lawyers until August 28 to attend the eight-hour training session.
Southwest
has already said that it’s appealing the order.
Source:
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/08/trump-judge-orders-lawyers-to-attend-training-run-by-an-anti-lgbtq-hate-group/
-------
Blinken
says no sanctions relief for Iran under prisoner deal
AFP/
August 11, 2023
WASHINGTON:
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that the United States would
offer no sanctions relief to Iran under a draft deal that would free five
Americans.
“In any
event, in any respect, Iran will not be receiving any sanctions relief,”
Blinken told reporters when asked about the expected release of $6 billion in
frozen Iranian funds.
“Iran’s
own funds would be used and transferred to restricted accounts such that the
monies can only be used for humanitarian purposes,” he said.
Blinken
said that the United States has been in contact with the families of five
Americans freed from prison to house arrest in an expected first step to their
release.
“My
belief is that this is the beginning of the end of their nightmare, and the
nightmare that their families have experienced,” he said.
Blinken
said he was not aware of other Americans held in Iran.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2353191/middle-east
-----
'It Was
Scary': Man Allegedly Attempted To Run Over Several Muslim Families At
California Park
Aug 10,
2023
Rowaida
Abdelaziz
Asif, a
father of four who works in the health care industry, took his family to a
California park for a farewell potluck dinner on Sunday. A friend was leaving
town, and nearly 25 family members and friends gathered to give them a proper
send-off.
Instead,
the gathering ended in fear when a 33-year-old man allegedly began threatening
the Muslim families, hurling racist remarks and even attempting to run over
several people, including children. The incident happened at Heron Landing
Community Park in Rancho Cordova, nearly a dozen miles east of Sacramento.
The man,
later identified by authorities as Robert Avery, first approached the women in
the group, yelling obscenities and racial remarks, said Asif, who is being
identified by a pseudonym. He said the men of the group quickly intervened,
attempting to shield the women and children, and called 911.
“We
didn’t want to engage him. We were not sure what he had in terms of weapons,”
said Asif. “We also didn’t want to validate him.”
Avery
allegedly continued to harass the families, using racial slurs and demanding
they leave. Police said he also threatened to bring his gun and “shoot and
bomb” the Muslim families, before leaving briefly and returning a few minutes
later with his vehicle.
Video
footage posted to YouTube by CAIR, a Muslim civil rights group, shows a silver
car driving through a picnic area adjacent to a sports field as an adult lifts
a child out of the way. People can be heard screaming in the background as a
member of the group calls 911.
Source: huffpost.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/california-driver-attack-muslim-families_n_64d52fb2e4b0f17c0907d4a1
-------
Islamic
Republic: From Nation-State to Mafia State
AUGUST
10, 2023
OMID
SHAMS
It has
been almost a year since the murder of Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality
police and the outbreak of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, the biggest
anti-government movement in Iran since the 1979 revolution. To put down this
formidable wave of protests, the Islamic Republic has resorted to actions that,
for all practical purposes, have transformed it from a nation-state and a
constitutional state to a criminal state or a mafia state.
The End
of Nation-State
There
are many and sometimes incompatible definitions of “nation-state,” but these
definitions share a common element that, in one form or another, represents the
inherent characteristic of the concept of nation-state: the relationship
between those who rule a territory and the people living in it. “A modern state
in which a government has sovereign power within a defined territorial area and
the mass of the population are citizens” is how the American sociologist Frank
W. Elwell defines the nation-state.
Encyclopedia
Britannica offers a similar definition: “Nation-state, a territorially bounded
sovereign polity — i.e., a state— that is ruled in the name of a community of
citizens who identify themselves as a nation.” And the British philosopher
Ernest André Gellner views nation-state as a political unit in which there is
harmonious relationship between the state and citizens who have a common identity
(the nation).
In all
these definitions, the concept of nation-state is framed as a clear
relationship between the state and the citizens who share a common identity.
The government of the Islamic Republic, however, has not only fully severed its
relationship with the citizens, it has also unilaterally terminated the
contract between the government and the citizens.
During
the past year, Iranian society has clearly shown that what is accepted by
citizens as a common identity based on common cultural and even religious
beliefs and values is in complete contrast to the set of beliefs and values
that the government considers to be the foundations of a common identity. In
other words, the national identity of the citizens and the national identity of
the government are not only inconsistent with each other but are completely
contradictory. As a result, the nation and the government see each other as
hostile and as representatives of alien beliefs and values.
On one
side of this confrontation stands a government that tries to impose hijab, as an inherent element
of religion and a foundation of national identity, by resorting to naked force,
whereas hijab is neither an inherent element of religion nor the foundation of
a common identity among Iranians. This puts the government in the position of
an alien force that has nothing to do with the dominant values of the society
which form the common identity of the citizens or the national identity. In
fact, since forcing hijab on the whole society has no religious justification,
the government has deviated from both the religious and the national identity.
Consequently,
"mandatory hijab," which neither originates from religious values nor
is a reflection of national values, is nothing but a symbol of the government’s
domination over the inhabitants of this land, and since this imposition is
accompanied by violence, cruelty and naked discrimination, the nation views the
government as an alien and despotic usurper.
The
Islamic Republic has now placed itself on the threshold of its deepest internal
conflict. A regime that claims to be a religious and national government has
engaged in all kinds of anti-religious, anti-human and anti-national acts to
impose what it considers to be religious and national values.
By
killing children, blinding minors, raping women, destroying and setting fire to
the graves of the dead, and by persecuting and imprisoning the fathers and
mothers of the dead, the Islamic Republic has turned itself into an entity
several times more gruesome and ghoulish than those monsters government
loudspeakers have been talking about for decades during Muharram, the Islamic
calendar month when the Shia mourn the unjust murder of their saints.
Today,
thanks to cell phone cameras, this naked ruthlessness cannot be denied and it
reminds everybody of the most wicked and gruesome monsters of mythology. A
government whose motto was “independence,” and which claimed it had risen up
against “capitulations” to foreign powers and appealed to nationalism whenever
it found itself in a tight spot, has now fallen so low that it brings in
Russian advisors and Lebanese and Iraqi paramilitary forces to crush its own
citizens.
The
Islamic Republic has turned into the ugliest version of everything that came to
power by becoming a deeply anti-religion, anti-nation and anti-human
government.
The End
of Constitutional Government
A
constitutional government is a government in which the exercise of power is
restrained by the constitution in order to protect citizens against the
arbitrary exercise of power. In other words, a constitutional government is a
government based on the protection of collective interests against the rulers.
In July,
a court in Mashhad stripped Marzieh Mohebi, a lawyer for more than 30 years, of
her citizenship, allowed the confiscation of her properties by the government
and ruled that she was an “enemy infidel.” This marked a turning point, a sign
that the Islamic Republic has now entered a tragicomical post-constitutional
phase, a situation in which a citizen working as a lawyer is considered an
enemy infidel.
The
court has declared a citizen to be an enemy infidel on the charge of
"communication with hostile organizations abroad" because she
defended the accused and informed the world about the situation of her clients.
This means that the government no longer bothers to have the slightest
relationship with the law.
What
happened to Marzieh Mohebi now applies to the entire Iranian society. The
Islamic Republic has completely withdrawn from the contract between the rulers
and the citizens and has abandoned all its obligations under domestic and
international laws. The Islamic Republic no longer obeys any laws as it tampers
with the rights of Iranians, even for the sake of appearances.
In a
situation where hundreds of people, including dozens of children, have been
killed during the protests, even an investigation for the sake of window
dressing like the years past is not on the government’s agenda. Instead, the
227 members of parliament have called for the execution of protesters. Not only
complaints filed against security agents never get anywhere, but Hojatoleslam
Ahmad Reza Pour-Khaghan, head of the Judiciary Organization of the Armed
Forces, has abandoned any pretense of impartiality toward unindicted protesters
by ranting against them and calling for them to be tried by military tribunals.
Of
course, the government of the Islamic Republic did not leave the domain of laws
at one fell swoop. However, at least in the last decade, senior officials of
the Islamic Republic have used official platforms to publicly promote breaking
the law and committing extra-judicial criminal acts.
Yousef
Tabatabaei-Nejad, the Friday Imam of Isfahan, a city where at least 15 woman
have been victims of acid attacks because of their unsatisfactory hijab,
announced in a sermon in October 2020: "Society should be made to be
insecure for women who unveil. They should not be allowed to break the norms so
easily on the streets.” Prior to the attacks, Tabatabaei-Nejad had spoken out
about the need to “use force” against "bad hijab:” “Some people believe
that coercion is not necessary in society and one must use cultural tools, but
nothing can be done with advice alone.”
While
the last nails are being hammered onto the coffin of rule of law, the Islamic
Republic violated all its international obligations, alongside its own
constitution and civil code.
There is
no international norm or law that the Islamic Republic remains committed to,
from the violation of all human rights obligations, the shooting down of a
passenger plane and the rapid march toward the development of nuclear weapons
and the testing of ballistic missiles in contravention to Security Council
resolutions to providing weapons to an occupying government, military attacks
on the refineries of a neighboring country, sea piracy in the Strait of Hormuz,
proven participation in terrorist attacks across the world, taking foreign
citizens hostage and so on.
In such
a situation, the whole government establishment cannot be viewed as a
nation-state or a constitutional government. The closest political model for
the Iranian regime is a criminal state or a mafia state.
The
Islamic Republic as a Mafia State
Robert
J. Bunker, an American professor of strategic studies, says that criminal
states are a new form of dangerous state: “It is a by-product of belligerent
non-state entities and their networks at war with the nation-state form.” He
identifies various forms that have originated from jihadi insurgency, including
lawless zones (anarchy) as a result of state failure, criminal takeover
(illegal business) and oligarchic regimes (dynastic).
The
Islamic Republic has an undeniable resemblance to these three models. The
Iranian regime has put an end to rule of law, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps (IRGC), which functions as a criminal organization, has monopolized all
the tools of political, military and economic power. The oligarchy has put all
the means of power and wealth in the hands of a small group of individuals
close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who consider the ownership of all the
individual and collective affairs of the society as their inherent right and
have no responsibility toward society and no obligation to be accountable.
Perhaps
we can arrive at a more accurate definition of the nature of the Iranian regime
if we borrow and expand the definition of mafia state as specified by Moisés
Naim, a journalist, writer and former Venezuelan Minister of Trade and
Industry. He defines a mafia state as a state in which criminal gangs have
taken over parts of the system of government.
However,
what we mean in this article by the concept of mafia state is the complete
change in the nature of a nation-state or a constitutional state to a criminal
super-organization that controls the legislative power as well.
In such
a definition of mafia state, we are not dealing with a criminal organization
which is hiding behind the façade and the machinery of a constitutional state
but with a government that uses the methods of criminal organizations to seize
and control power at all governmental levels.
In
Moisés Naim’s definition of mafia state we are dealing, for example, with the
Chinese triad gangs in Myanmar who are hiding behind statesmen who pretend to
obey the rule of law and have changed their modus operandi from torturing and
mutilating their competitors and opponents to arresting, trying and punishing
them through legal channels.
In Iran,
however, the political system has abandoned all legitimate tools of political
control and, like a criminal gang, tries to keep its control on society through
threats, extortion, kidnapping, terror and by showcasing cruelty and torture.
The
purpose of this endeavor is not to administer the country and society but only
to obtain money from the society and expand its money-making power. A
government that uses chemical attacks on girls’ schools, not during a military
confrontation but as a tool to spread terror among the people, must be viewed
not as a nation-state but only as a criminal super-organization that has
captured the instruments of government.
It is
only through this lens that the self-contradictory, malignant and destabilizing
foreign policy of the Islamic Republic can be understood as an integrated and
coherent whole because from the point of view of a nation-state that is focused
on national interests, the logic of the Islamic Republic's hostile and
isolationist behavior in the international arena cannot be understood. These
policies can only be understood from the point of view of a criminal
organization that controls the instruments of government, focuses on the
interests of a particular group, and only thinks about expanding the sphere of
influence of this group and enriching it.
In the
face of such a criminal model of governance, any normal political, economic and
cultural relations would practically mean empowering a mafia state that
naturally seeks to replicate itself by connecting with other criminal
organizations in the world and empowering them with instruments of government.
Source: iranwire.com/en
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https://iranwire.com/en/politics/119351-islamic-republic-from-nation-state-to-mafia-state/
-------
South
Asia
Pakistan’s
Jammat-e-Islami chief urges Taliban to reopen girls’ schools, universities
Fidel Rahmati
August 10, 2023
Sirajul
Haq, Chief of Pakistan’s Islamist political party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), has
highlighted a concerning disparity in education within the Islamic Emirate. He
pointed out that while the daughters of some ministers of the Islamic Emirate
can pursue education in foreign universities and get an education,
unfortunately, the opportunity for education remains inaccessible to many young
girls in public.
This
dissonance in access to education underscores broader issues of inequality that
need to be addressed.
During
an interview with Mashaal Radio, Sirajul Haq urged Taliban officials to reopen
the doors of schools and universities for Afghan girls.
He said
his advice to the Taliban is to provide education conditions for girls in
schools and universities based on Islamic principles.
The
remarks align with the second year of the Taliban’s reign in Afghanistan.
Despite this, educational institutions remain closed for girls and women.
The de
facto administration has enforced restrictions upon women, depriving them of
fundamental rights such as access to education and employment.
Meanwhile,
experts emphasize that the ongoing closure of schools and universities for
girls widens the gap between the government and the people.
Earlier,
authorities stated that varying opinions exist concerning the resumption of
classes for girls in schools and universities. They emphasized that resolving
these differences would require a certain amount of time.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.khaama.com/pakistans-jammat-e-islami-chief-urges-taliban-to-reopen-girls-schools-universities/
------
Clerics:
Defacing Tombstones of Siawash Is Against Islamic Law
By Hadia
Ziaei
August
10, 2023
In the
meantime, Kabul residents asked the current government to hand over the
perpetrators of this event to justice.
After
some of the tombstones of the former TOLOnews presenter Yama Siawash and the
Central Bank's press advisor were damaged, several religious clerics said that
this is against Islamic law.
"Destroying
the grave or kicking the grave is not allowed according to Sharia. Those who do
such things must be punished by the government,” said Sangin Qaderi, a
religious cleric.
In the
meantime, Kabul residents asked the current government to hand over the
perpetrators of this event to justice.
“Why are
the perpetrators not arrested? We did not get the reason. It's not just this
tomb, but all the tombs have been destroyed,” said Muqeem, a resident of Kabul.
“Whoever
did this should be punished, the destruction of the tombs of people who served
their country through their profession should be respected,” said Esmayel,
another resident of Kabul.
The
tombstones of Yama Siawash were damaged two nights ago by unidentified
individuals.
The
Islamic Emirate's spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said that they will follow up
with this event and will bring the perpetrators to justice.
"We
take serious measures to avoid this. No one is allowed to destroy someone's
grave. Afghanistan is a country with people of different ideologies, and we see
it in Kabul in the provinces, but no one is allowed to harm their graves. They
are the graves of the dead, may Allah forgive them, and disrespecting someone's
grave will be severely punished. Our security agencies are notified and have
started the investigation,” Mujahid said.
Yama
Siawash, who worked as media adviser of the Central Bank and was a former
TOLOnews’ presenter, Hamdullah Anas, the deputy head of the Central Bank
office, as well as Aminullah Rezadee, a driver at the bank, were killed in the
explosion that targeted their vehicle in Makrorayan-e-Char area in downtown
Kabul on November 7, 2020.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184583
-------
Mullah
Baradar meets Turkey’s foreign minister
August
11, 2023
The
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund,
met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss various issues
including regional relations, and trade and economic cooperation.
In a
post on X (formerly Twitter), Baradar’s office stated that he called for the
establishment of joint investment chambers, air corridors and Turkish
investment in Afghanistan.
At the
meeting, Baradar asked the Turkish government to treat Afghan migrants living
in the country with respect.
Hakan
Fidan meanwhile assured the IEA of cooperation in strengthening trade relations
and investment in Afghanistan.
Source: ariananews.af
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https://www.ariananews.af/mullah-baradar-meets-turkeys-foreign-minister/
------
Taliban’s
resurgence in Afghanistan bolsters TTP: Zardari
Fidel
Rahmati
August
10, 2023
Pakistan’s
Foreign Minister has said that the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan has
bolstered the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The TTP has been
implicated in a series of attacks in the neighbouring country over the past
year.
Speaking
at a press conference on Wednesday, Zardari discussed what he characterized as
a need for more progress on the fronts of Afghanistan and India.
Zardari
said: “What do you expect? Should we bring change in 16 months? That did not
happen in 70 years.”
Addressing
the surge in terror attacks within Pakistan, Zardari emphasized that the
resurgence of the Taliban had undoubtedly bolstered the TTP’s confidence. “If
Afghan Taliban blame Pakistan, that would first hurt its people and then
Pakistan,” he pointed out.
In a
recent development, General Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), pointed
out Kabul’s alleged role in fostering “the engagement of Afghan nationals” in
acts of terrorism within Pakistan, asserting that such actions are profoundly
damaging to the prospects of regional peace and stability.
“The
involvement of Afghan nationals in terrorist incidents in Pakistan is
detrimental to regional peace, stability and deviation from the Doha Peace
Agreement by the interim Afghan government,” A press release issued by the Inter-Services
Public Relations (ISPR) conveyed the COAS’s concern.
The
statement came shortly after the Foreign Office verified that Afghan militants
were accountable for the assault on the Zhob cantonment last month. General
Asim Munir’s remarks shed light on this incident, emphasizing the alleged
involvement of Afghan militants.
Meanwhile,
Regarding the international recognition of the Taliban administration, Zardari
emphasized that Kabul must first address the global community’s concerns before
any steps towards recognition can be considered.
Zardari
also said Pakistan’s approach to Afghanistan has been quite clear, adding, “We
have maintained robust, practical engagement with the Afghan interim government
working on areas such as security, border control, and markets, commerce,
health, education, transit trade, and … bilateral cooperation.”
He said
Pakistan continues to promote “peace, security, and stability” for Afghanistan.
Pakistani
officials have consistently voiced their concerns regarding the presence of
militants, notably the TTP, within Afghanistan’s borders. Concurrently, the
Taliban has refuted these accusations, emphasizing their commitment to
preventing any individual or group from utilizing Afghanistan’s territory
against Pakistan.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.khaama.com/talibans-resurgence-in-afghanistan-bolsters-ttp-zardari/
------
HRW
Outlines Denial of Rights of Afghan Women, Girls Over Past 2 Years
August
10, 2023
In a report,
HRW said that Afghan females have been denied the right to an education,
employment, and social involvement since the Islamic Emirate took power.
Human
Rights Watch (HRW) criticized the imposition of restrictions on women in
Afghanistan.
In a
report, HRW said that Afghan females have been denied the right to an
education, employment, and social involvement since the Islamic Emirate took
power.
“Over
the past two years, Taliban authorities have denied women and girls their
rights to education, work, movement, and assembly. The Taliban have imposed
extensive censorship on the media and access to information, and increased
detentions of journalists and other critics,” the report reads.
"The
current government should open schools and universities to girls without
delay,” said Fazl Hadi Wazin, a university lecturer.
In the
meantime, some female students said that they are very worried about the
closure of schools and universities for girls in Afghanistan.
"We
haven't gone to school for three years. One year because of corona and two
years because of the Islamic Emirate. We hoped that schools would be opened for
us, but they were not opened,” said Shakeba, a student.
"I
ask the Taliban leaders to let us continue our education,” said Farahnaz,
another student.
Gordon
Brown, the former prime minister of the UK, in an interview with BBC said that
the “Taliban’s” treatment of women and girls should be declared a crime against
humanity.
He said
that the Afghan government has severely restricted the freedom of women and
girls since regaining power in 2021.
This
comes as the Islamic Emirate has already asked the countries of the world not
to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184579
HRW
Outlines Denial of Rights of Afghan Women, Girls Over Past 2 Years
August
10, 2023
In a
report, HRW said that Afghan females have been denied the right to an
education, employment, and social involvement since the Islamic Emirate took
power.
Human
Rights Watch (HRW) criticized the imposition of restrictions on women in
Afghanistan.
In a
report, HRW said that Afghan females have been denied the right to an
education, employment, and social involvement since the Islamic Emirate took
power.
“Over
the past two years, Taliban authorities have denied women and girls their
rights to education, work, movement, and assembly. The Taliban have imposed
extensive censorship on the media and access to information, and increased
detentions of journalists and other critics,” the report reads.
"The
current government should open schools and universities to girls without
delay,” said Fazl Hadi Wazin, a university lecturer.
In the
meantime, some female students said that they are very worried about the
closure of schools and universities for girls in Afghanistan.
"We
haven't gone to school for three years. One year because of corona and two
years because of the Islamic Emirate. We hoped that schools would be opened for
us, but they were not opened,” said Shakeba, a student.
"I
ask the Taliban leaders to let us continue our education,” said Farahnaz,
another student.
Gordon
Brown, the former prime minister of the UK, in an interview with BBC said that
the “Taliban’s” treatment of women and girls should be declared a crime against
humanity.
He said
that the Afghan government has severely restricted the freedom of women and
girls since regaining power in 2021.
This
comes as the Islamic Emirate has already asked the countries of the world not
to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184579
-------
that
Washington is trying to turn Afghanistan into a crisis area that will affect
Afghan neighbors.
Qomi claimed that the US is trying to return
Afghan special forces to Afghanistan under pretexts.
“US is
replacing Daesh terrorists with its forces(Afghan SpecialForces) in Afghanistan
after they were forced to withdraw from the country. The US is also seeking to
transfer the special forces they've trained during the era when its forces were
in Afghanistan.” Hassan Kazemi Qomi.
The
ambassador said that the US does not want stability to be established in
Afghanistan because it fears that a stable Afghanistan will attract the
investment of different countries like China, with which Americans are in
serious competition.
“US
intends to limit Afghanistan’s global interactions. For example, the Americans
have blacklisted officials from Afghanistan, so interactions between Kabul and
other countries are affected by this list. They are managing Afghanistan's
foreign relations with this limitation,” said Hassan Kazemi Qomi.
Qomi
called on the Islamic Emirate to fight against the alleged US plan, which
according to Qom involves destabilizing Afghanistan by creating military bases
in Central Asia under the pretext of terrorism.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184576
-------
Private
Sector Plays Crucial Role in Development of Kabul City: Deputy PM
2023-08-10
KABUL
(BNA): Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs Mawlavi Abdul Kabir in a
meeting with the deputy mayor Kabul Municipality highlighted the contribution
of the private sector crucial in the urban development of Kabul city.
According
to a statement from the office of Mr. Kabir, the Deputy Prime Minister for
Political Affairs met with Mawlavi Habib-ur- Rahman Mansour, deputy mayor of
Kabul city in of cultural and social affairs.
During
the meeting, Mr. Mansour stated that 25 intersections and a large number of
flowerpots have been constructed in Kabul city in collaboration with the
private sector over the past few months.
He
stated that thousands of honest local and street representatives have been
appointed, who have proven to be very positive in urban affairs and security.
Approximately
12,000 saplings have been planted in collaboration with local residents in
different regions of Kabul city this year, said the deputy mayor.
undreds
of madrasas have also been established with public supporting around Kabul,
with 200 to 800 students enrolled in each of these centers.
Mr.
Mansoor went on to say that 20,000 acres of land in Kabul, including 140 local
parks, have been recovered from usurpation, with the majority of the parks
currently undergoing maintenance.
While
praising the work of the Kabul municipality, the Deputy Prime Minister for
Political Affairs stated that the relevant departments ought to take part in
the development of Kabul city alongside the Kabul municipality.
He
highlighted the importance of the private sector in the development of Kabul
city and assured of the government’s support for those working for the progress
of the country’s capital.
The
Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the need of collaboration between the
municipality and local representatives for the city security and discipline,
and he offered necessary directives to the Kabul municipality’s officials.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://bakhtarnews.af/en/private-sector-plays-crucial-role-in-development-of-kabul-city-deputy-pm/
-------
Arab
World
Makkah
conference sends a message of peace: Grand mufti
ARAB
NEWS
August
11, 2023
RIYADH:
Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Al-Asheikh, the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia and
head of the Senior Scholars Council, praised the approval of the upcoming
Islamic conference, to be held in Makkah from Aug. 13-14, by the Kingdom’s
leadership.
Titled
“Communication with the Departments of Religious Affairs, Ifta and Sheikhdoms
in the World,” and organized by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah
and Guidance, the event will be attended by 150 scholars, including muftis and
heads of Islamic associations and sheikhdoms.
The
grand mufti said the approval of the Saudi leadership to hold this conference
is proof of the Kingdom’s care for Muslims worldwide and its keenness to spread
the peaceful message of Islam.
He said
that holding this conference in Makkah at a time of conflicts and hatred is evidence
of Saudi Arabia’s message of tolerance, moderation, coexistence and its
rejection of hatred and violence, stressing the importance of scholars’ roles
in clarifying the message of Islam according to the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah.
Al-Asheikh
said he appreciated the objectives and topics of the conference would
contribute to strengthening unity among Muslims, rejecting extremism and
exchanging visions and experiences between scholars and muftis.
He also
praised the efforts made by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and
Guidance to strengthen the bonds of communication between religious affairs
departments in various countries, which will be reflected in the advancement of
Islamic societies.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2353061/saudi-arabia
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Yemeni
military leader, Brig. Abdul Latif Al-Sayed,
dies in Al-Qaeda roadside blast
SAEED
AL-BATATI
August
11, 2023
AL-MUKALLA,
Yemen: A Yemeni military commander at the forefront of the fight against terror
groups in Yemen for more than a decade was killed in a blast from an explosive
device planted by Al-Qaeda in southern Yemen on Thursday.
Brig.
Abdul Latif Al-Sayed, commander of the Security Belt forces in Abyan province,
was the highest-ranking official to die in the campaign against Al-Qaeda in
more than a year.
Al-Sayed
and three of his troops were killed when their vehicle was destroyed by an IED
planted by Al-Qaeda in the Omaran valley.
The
Yemeni commander was inspecting forces sent into mountainous terrain in the
Moudia district of Abyan to expel Al-Qaeda militants from their strongholds.
The
pro-independence Security Belt, backed by various military and security units
loyal to the Southern Transitional Council, launched an offensive in the
southern provinces of Abyan and Shabwa a year ago, targeting Al-Qaeda militants
using rural and remote mountain areas in the two provinces as havens.
Al-Qaeda
has employed lethal guerrilla tactics against the advancing troops, planting
land mines and roadside bombs, and carrying out hit-and-run attacks.
More
than 100 soldiers, including some field commanders, have died in the attacks.
Mohammed
Al-Naqeeb, a spokesman for pro-independence southern forces, told Arab News that
Al-Sayed’s death will not deter troops from their operations against Al-Qaeda.
“We will
not retreat from our war against terrorism, despite the high cost. Each time a
commander receives the honor of martyrdom, our ground forces make significant
advances,” he said.
Al-Naqeeb
said that southern forces have advanced into mountainous regions in Abyan in
the past three days, seizing control of a Al-Qaeda base in the Al-Janan valley.
Al-Sayed
was born in the Khanfar region of Abyan in 1972 and was a member of Al-Qaeda
until defecting in 2012. Using his knowledge of the terror group, he founded
armed groups in Abyan to help the army in its fight.
Early in
2015, when the Houthis advanced into the southern province, Al-Sayed relocated
his fighters from Abyan to Aden to repel the militants.
Al-Qaeda
tried to kill Al-Sayed more than 10 times and executed some of his relatives in
an effort to force him to surrender.
Local
and international terrorism experts believe Al-Sayed’s death will severely
affect military operations against Al-Qaeda, despite security and military
officials’ assurances that they will continue the fight.
“His
passing is a devastating setback to efforts to combat terrorism, especially in
Aden and Abyan,” Fatehi bin Lazerq, editor of Aden Al-Ghad newspaper, told Arab
News.
Al-Sayed’s
significance “extended far beyond his role as a security official, so his
passing will have a major effect,” Lazerq said.
After
the liberation of Aden from the Houthis in July 2015, Al-Sayed took part in
military operations across Aden and the neighboring province of Abyan to expel
Al-Qaeda and Daesh militants who exploited the chaos to seize control of areas
in both provinces.
Elisabeth
Kendall, a terrorism expert and mistress of Girton College at the University of
Cambridge in the UK, told Arab News that in addition to being a severe setback
for anti-Al-Qaeda troops, Al-Sayed’s killing represents a significant triumph
for Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, often known as AQAP, which
had been hunting him for years.
“On the
practical level, (Al-Sayed) has been one of the fiercest opponents of AQAP. On
the symbolic level, AQAP has been attempting to assassinate him for around a
decade, so achieving this at last is a significant boost, particularly to AQAP
in Abyan,” she said.
“His
assassination removes one of AQAP’s most capable and driven opponents from the
southern arena and will raise AQAP morale.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2353121/middle-east
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Mawhiba
celebrates ‘Gifted Arabs’ initiative in Riyadh
HAIFA
ALSHAMMARI
August
10, 2023
RIYADH:
The King Abdul Aziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and
Creativity, known as Mawhiba, celebrated the completion of the second season of
its “Gifted Arabs” initiative in Riyadh on Wednesday.
About
387 students from 16 Middle East countries took part in a range of programs,
which lasted three weeks, with the students living for the entire period with
their fellow participants.
The
initiative was organized in partnership between Mawhiba and the Arab League
Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization.
The
achievements of the students were highlighted during the closing ceremony,
hosted by King Saud University and Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University,
including in engineering, physics, Earth and space sciences, medicine,
biological and chemical sciences, computer science, and applied mathematics.
At the
end of the closing ceremony, Amal Al-Hazzaa, the secretary-general of Mawhiba,
honored the participating students and presented memorial gifts to the
initiative’s partners.
Saudi
student Norah Aldahash said: “I registered (for) the computer science program
through Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University, specifically the coding
field, which was one of the best options because I learned a lot from it, and I
plan to register next year with different fields.”
Shaima
Ali Larbi, a 17-year-old participant from Algeria, told Arab News: “I am
participating as part of the medical field. This is the best version of the
program in my opinion because I watched the previous ones. The ceremony was
well organized, too.”
Fateh
Bshaina, the charge d’affaires at the Embassy of Libya in Riyadh, said: “My
feelings are very positive, especially since I noticed during the first
ceremony that Libyan participants were around 16 students, whereas now 20
students participated in person, and 30 others participated virtually, and I
look forward to next year.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2352671/saudi-arabia
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