Non-Muslim Children In Madrasas: NCPCR Summons Chief Secretaries Of 11 States, UTs For Not Giving Data
New Age Islam News Bureau
05 January 2024
Representative
Image of Madrasas
-----
· Non-Muslim Children In Madrasas: NCPCR
Summons Chief Secretaries Of 11 States, UTs For Not Giving Data
· SC Dismisses Plea Seeking Recognition Of
Mathura’s Shahi Idgah Mosque Site As Krishna Janmabhoomi
·
Hindu
Temple Defaced With Pro-Khalistan Graffiti In California's Hayward
·
Amnesty’s
10-Point Human Rights Charter For Bangladesh Ahead Of Nat’l Polls
·
Israel
Struck Gaza With 65k Tons Of Missiles, Bombs: Report
------
India
·
Shocked,
saddened: India on bombings in Iran’s Kerman city
·
Uttar
Pradesh: Ram Bhajans To Be Played On UPSRTC Buses
·
Varanasi Court To Decide Saturday On Making ASI
Survey Report On Gyanvapi Mosque Public
·
India
sends warship after hijacking of Liberian-flagged vessel in Arabian Sea
·
Lashkar
terrorist linked to attacks on Army, Kashmiri Pandits killed in encounter
-----
North America
·
Houthi
Drone Boat Detonates In Red Sea A Day After US Warning
·
Openai Boss Says Muslims In Tech World Fear
Retaliation And Damaged Career Prospects In Speaking Up
·
CAIR
Condemns Islamophobic Harassment of Maryland Mosque, Seeks Stepped Up
Protection
·
CAIR-CA
and Statewide Muslim Leaders Meet with Governor Newsom to Discuss the Ongoing
Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
·
Muslim
American’s Challenge To No Fly List Reaches Supreme Court
·
Investigators
vow to find Imam Hassan Sharif killer
·
Canadian
man who killed Muslim family with car to be sentenced
-----
South Asia
·
Pro-BNP,
Jamaat Lawyers Observe Nationwide Court Boycott For 4th Day
·
Iranian
official confirms deaths of at least 11 Afghan citizens in Kerman blasts
·
Pakistan
deports nearly 300 Afghan migrants
·
Information
Access Limited in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan: Report
·
Islamic
Emirate Brings New Appointments
·
Mujahid
Reacts to UNAMA, Saying Arrests Based on 'Information'
·
Demand for
Afs Helped Value Rise Against Foreign Currencies
·
Islamic
Emirate Seeks Special Ways to Support and Treat Disabled People: Deputy PM
----
Mideast
·
Israel
‘has gone too far,’ Lebanon’s caretaker PM warns
·
Israeli
defence minister outlines new phase in Gaza war
·
ISIS
claims responsibility for two bombings in Iran's Kerman
·
Türkiye
stands by Iran in fight against terrorism, President Erdogan tells Raisi
·
Israeli
shelling pounds Gaza refugee camps as death toll nears 22,500
·
Pres.
Raeisi vows comeuppance for those involved in terror blasts
·
Muslim
solidarity with Iran: Raeisi to visit Ankara ‘in near future’
----
Pakistan
·
NAB
References: IHC Restores 10-Year Disqualification Period For Convicts Sentenced
By Courts
·
Caretaker
PM directs to effectively highlight Pakistan's stance on Kashmir issue at UN
·
Govt
taking steps to promote interfaith harmony in country: Aneeq Ahmed
·
SC larger
bench resumes hearing on lifetime disqualification case
·
Toshakhana
case: Indictment of IK, Bushra Bibi adjourned till tomorrow
----
Africa
·
Ugandan
LGBTQ Rights Activist Stabbed In 'Hate Crime'
·
Kano
Shari’ah Court orders arrest of Customs officer for failure to honour summon
·
ICJ hears
S’Africa’s genocide case against Israel Jan 11
·
Ogunlana
Drive gets first Mosque
----
Arab World
·
Saudi
Arabia, EU States Denounce Comments By Far-Right Israeli Officials On
Resettlement Of Gazans
·
First
Batch of Guests of Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj, Umrah and
Visit Arrives in Madinah
·
Qatar
Condemns Israeli Official’s Remarks
·
US
military build-up in Red Sea 'serious' threat to intl. shipping: Yemen
-----
Europe
·
Israeli Ambassador
To UK Claims Gaza Mosques, Schools Have Access To Tunnels
·
Sentencing
hearing continues for man found guilty in London attack on Muslim family
·
Stripping
an Islamist terrorist of his Irish citizenship
·
Ukrainian
economy shows certain resilience in 2023, UN report states
----
Southeast Asia
·
Palestine
Solidarity Picket: Police Record Statements From 13 Individuals
·
Japan to
accept earthquake relief from US only
·
Japan
quake death toll rises to 92, missing 242
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/non-muslim-children-madrasas-ncpcr-data/d/131459
-------
Non-Muslim
Children In Madrasas: NCPCR Summons Chief Secretaries Of 11 States, UTs For Not
Giving Data
Representative
Image of Madrasas
-----
04.01.24
Apex
child rights body NCPCR has summoned the chief secretaries of 11 states and
Union territories over "lack of action" in identifying Hindu and
other non-Muslim children enrolled in madrassas, and getting them admitted to
schools.
The
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had sought the
action around a year ago. It had said that the enrolment of non-Muslim children
in madrassas is a clear-cut violation and contravention of Article 28(3) of the
Constitution.
The
Article, it had said, prohibits educational institutions from obligating
children to take part in any religious instruction, without the consent of
parents.
Madrassas,
as institutions, are primarily responsible for imparting religious education to
children, the commission had said and had added that it has been also learnt
that those madrassas funded or recognised by the government are imparting
religious education as well as to some extent formal education to children.
Commission chairperson PriyankKanoongo said the child rights body has been
continuously asking all states and union territories (UTs) for the "last
one year to identify Hindu and other non-Muslim children going to madrassas or
living in madrassas, and get them shifted and admitted to schools".
The
commission had also asked all states and UTs to "make arrangements to
provide basic education to children enrolled there by mapping all unmapped
unrecognised madrassas".
But due
to "lack of action because of continuous neglect by states", the
NCPCR on Wednesday issued summons to the chief secretaries of 11 states and
sought clarification in the matter, the NCPCR said.
It has
summoned the chief secretaires of Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Goa, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,
Meghalaya and Telangana.
The
chief secretaries have been asked to be present in-person in front of the
commission with a clarification over the "non-action" and details
sought about madrassas, according to the copies of the NCPCR summonses which
are in possession with PTI.
The
chief secretaries of Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have been
summoned on January 12 while those of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Goa on
January 15.
The
Jharkhand chief secretary has been summoned on January 16 while those of
Karnataka and Kerala on January 17. The chief secretaries of Madhya Pradesh,
Meghalaya and Telangana have been summoned on January 18.
Except
for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff
and has been published from a syndicated feed.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/ncpcr-summons-chief-secretaries-of-11-states-uts-for-not-giving-data-on-non-muslim-children-in-madrassas/cid/1991532
----
SC
Dismisses Plea Seeking Recognition Of Mathura’s Shahi Idgah Mosque Site As
Krishna Janmabhoomi
Shahi Idgah Mosque and Shri Krishna Janmahoomi Temple, in Mathura.
Credit PTI Photo
-----
5th January
2024
New
Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking
recognition of Mathura's Shahi Idgah mosque site as the Krishna Janmabhoomi.
A bench
of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said that it was not inclined to
interfere with the order of the Allahabad High Court which had earlier
dismissed the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the petitioner,
advocate Mehek Maheshwari.
“We are
not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgment and hence, the special
leave petition is dismissed,” the bench ordered.
It
clarified that the dismissal of the plea by the apex court will not prejudice
the right of any party to challenge the constitutional validity of any
enactment.
In his
plea filed before the Allahabad High Court, Maheshwari prayed that Sections 2,
3 and 4 of the Places of Worship Act, 1991 be declared as unconstitutional and
contended that the bar placed by the 1991 Act will not be applicable in the
Janmabhoomi case since the land had always been temple land and no question of
changing its nature arose.
Maheshwari
had contended that various historical records cite the fact that the disputed
site, the Shahi Idgah mosque, is the actual birthplace of Lord Krishna and even
the history of Mathura dates back to the Ramayana era, while Islam came just
1,500 years ago.
The high
court dismissed the PIL at the threshold, without entering into the merits of
the case in October last year.
A
division bench of Chief Justice PritinkerDiwaker and Justice Ashutosh
Srivastava of the high court said: “Since the issues involved in the present
writ (PIL) is already engaging attention of the court in appropriate
proceedings (i.e., pending suits), we are not inclined to entertain the instant
writ petition and the same is accordingly dismissed.”
Source: daijiworld.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1155573
-----
Hindu
Temple Defaced With Pro-Khalistan Graffiti In California's Hayward
January
05, 2024
A Hindu temple
in Hayward, California, has been defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti.
This
incident at Sherawali Temple comes weeks after the Swaminarayan temple in
Newark, California was defaced by anti-India graffiti.
The
Hindu American Foundation has reported that Sherawali Temple in California was
defaced with pro-Khalistani graffiti.
It has
also shared a picture of the defacement. In a post shared on X, the Hindu
American Foundation stated, "#Breaking: Another Bay Area Hindu temple
attacked with pro-#Khalistan graffiti. The Vijay's Sherawali Temple in Hayward,
CA sustained a copycat defacement just two weeks after the Swaminarayan Mandir
attack and one week after a theft at the Shiv Durga temple in the same area.
HAF is in touch with temple leaders and in contact with @AlamedaPD&
@CivilRights."
The
Hindu American Foundation also highlighted the importance of installing working
security cameras and alarm systems, considering the rising threat from
Khalistan supporters.
Taking
to X, the Hindu American Foundation stated, "We are once again encouraging
all temple leaders to download the @HinduAmerican temple safety guide
https://hinduamerican.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/HAF-Temple-Safety-Secuirty-Guide.pdf...
The guide specifically discusses that temple graffiti qualifies as a hate crime
and also the importance of installing working security cameras and alarm
systems in view of the rising threat from #Khalistan proponents as well as the
omnipresent risk from anti-Hindu actors."
Earlier
in December, suspected pro-Khalistan activists had allegedly defaced the
Swaminarayan temple in Newark, California, police said. The exterior wall of
the Hindu temple was defaced with anti-India graffiti.
The
Newark Police Service had started an investigation into the vandalism.
"One
of the devotees, who lives close to the shrine, discovered anti-Hindu and
anti-India graffiti in black ink on an exterior wall of the building, and the
local administration was immediately informed," Bhargav Raval, the
spokesperson for the temple administration, told ANI.
The
spokesperson added the temple authorities were 'shocked' to find the
anti-Indian graffiti on its wall.
Shedding
more light into the incident, Jonathan Arguello, a police captain for the city
of Newark, said the 'targeted act' was being investigated.
"Based
on the graffiti, we believe it was a targeted act, and it's going to be
investigated with full thoroughness. I can also tell you that as a member of
the Newark Police Department and the Newark community, we're deeply saddened
when these types of acts occur, and we think they're senseless and they have no
room. We won't tolerate them here in Newark. So today, I wanted to make sure
that you understand how seriously we take these situations and know that we
will investigate as thoroughly as possible with utmost care and sensitivity. I
can also tell you that officers are currently investigating this via evidence
collection," the captain told reporters during a press conference.
The
police official said to piece together the chain of events leading to the act
of defacement, the footage from surveillance cameras in the neighbouring
residences were being looked into.
"Our
policies that any acts of violence or threats of violence, property damage,
harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias are
considered very serious and given the utmost care. We're handling this
investigation as a hate crime at this point, based on our conversations with
you and the physical evidence we've seen," he said.
The U.S.
State Department had condemned the vandalism of the Shri Swaminarayan Temple in
California.
It
welcomed the Newark Police Department's efforts to ensure that those
responsible are held accountable.In a post shared on X by the official handle
of the U.S. State Department for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
stated, "We condemn the vandalism of Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple
in California. We welcome efforts by the Newark Police Department to ensure
that those responsible are held accountable."
Source: thehindu.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/hindu-temple-defaced-with-pro-khalistan-graffiti-in-californias-hayward/article67708711.ece
----
Amnesty’s
10-Point Human Rights Charter For Bangladesh Ahead Of Nat’l Polls
Jan 5, 2024
Amnesty
International has urged Bangladesh to ensure that all arrests are carried out
in accordance with international human rights law and standards, including the
right to a free and fair trial and the right to be brought promptly before a
judge.
This
also includes the right to have access to legal counsel and to family as soon
as possible.
The
global rights body made recommendations for Bangladesh in a 10-point human
rights charter ahead of the January 7 national election.
The
statement, circulated yesterday, plots a ten-point charter for protecting human
rights in Bangladesh in the coming year.
It urged
Bangladesh to ensure the rights of people to protest.
"Amnesty
International verified evidence of unlawful use of force by the law enforcement
authorities at a mass protest held on July 29, analysing and geolocating
photographs and video footages from the protests and collaborating with
eyewitness accounts, which includes firing tear gas near hospitals, assaulting unarmed
protesters, people clad in civilian clothing attacking," said the
statement.
Amnesty
demanded an end to violent repression of workers' protests, and demanded
impartial investigations into the deaths of unionists and other protesters in
October.
It also
demanded accountability for custodial torture and death.
"Allegations
of custodial torture and death remain prevalent in Bangladesh, with NGOs such
as Odhikar and Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) estimating that there were 94
custodial deaths in the first nine months of 2023," they pointed out.
They
also recommended that Bangladesh ratify the Optional Protocol to the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and issue a declaration
under Article 22 of the Convention Against Torture so individuals facing
violations of human rights guaranteed by these treaties can send complaints
directly to the Human Rights Committee and Committee Against Torture.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.thedailystar.net/election-2024/news/news/amnestys-10-point-human-rights-charter-bangladesh-ahead-natl-polls-3511526
----
Israel Struck
Gaza With 65k Tons Of Missiles, Bombs: Report
Smoke rises and billows in different regions of Gaza as the Israeli army
conducts the most intense air attacks on the in Gaza Strip, Gaza on October 28,
2023 [Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency]
-------
05
January 2024
The
Israeli regime has reportedly dropped more than 65,000 tons of missiles and
bombs on the Gaza Strip during its ongoing genocidal war against the coastal
sliver.
Gaza's
Government Media Office (GMO) provided the information in a report on Thursday.
The
"occupation aircraft dropped over 45,000 missiles and giant bombs, some of
them weighing two thousand pounds of explosives, during the comprehensive
genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, deliberately targeting entire residential
areas," it said.
"The
weight of the explosives dropped by the [Israeli] army on the Gaza Strip
exceeded 65,000 tons, which is more than the weight and power of three nuclear
bombs like those dropped [by the United States] on the Japanese city of
Hiroshima [in 1945]," it added.
More
than 24,200 people, most of them women and children, have died throughout Gaza
since October 7, when the regime launched the war against the Palestinian
territory in response to an operation staged by its resistance movements.
The top
UN court will hear a case on Israel’s genocidal acts in the besieged Gaza Strip
next week.
The GMO
said that "two-thirds of the bombs and missiles are unguided and
imprecise, commonly known as dumb bombs."
It
pointed out that the use of such bombs indicated the regime's deliberate,
indiscriminate, and unjustified targeting of civilians.
The
report documented the Israeli military's deployment of around nine types of
internationally banned projectiles against civilians.
Yitzhak
Barik, an Israeli general, warned that the regime has failed to meet its
“unrealistic” task of “destroying Hamas” and is sinking into the “mud of Gaza.”
Despite
targeting Gaza with the whopping amount of explosives, the regime has stopped
short of realizing any of its stated goals, including bringing about forced
displacement of the territory's population to neighboring countries and
obliterating the Gaza-based resistance movement of Hamas.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/01/05/717621/Palestine-Israel-Gaza-war-bombs-missiles
----
India
Shocked, Saddened: India On Bombings In Iran’s Kerman City
4th January 2024
Sakina
Fatima
New
Delhi: India on Thursday said it is shocked and saddened over the “terrible”
bombings in Iran’s Kerman city, and expressed solidarity with the government
and people of the Gulf nation.
At least
95 people were killed and many others injured on Wednesday in two bomb
explosions near the cemetery of slain Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, who was
killed in a drone strike in 2020.
“We are
shocked and saddened on the terrible bombings in the Kerman City of Iran. At
this difficult time, we express our solidarity with the government and people
of Iran,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“Our
thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and with the
wounded,” he said on ‘X’.
The
people killed and injured had gathered at a ceremony near Soleimani’s cemetery
to commemorate the commander on his fourth death anniversary.
Iranian
Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Iran is taking “legal and
international actions” over the terror attacks in Kerman.
“Based
on preliminary information from official sources, this ministry has initiated
immediate legal and international actions through the United Nations regarding
the terrorist attack in Kerman,” Amirabdollahian said in post on ‘X’.
Iran’s
supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued a message following the
attacks in which he warned “criminals” of punishment and a hard response over
the tragedy, according to IRNA news agency.
Source: siasat.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.siasat.com/shocked-saddened-india-on-bombings-in-irans-kerman-city-2948907/
----
Uttar
Pradesh: Ram bhajans to be played on UPSRTC buses
5th
January 2024
Marziya
Sharif
Lucknow:
The Uttar Pradesh Transport Department has instructed that all buses travelling
to and from Ayodhya should play a variety of Ram bhajans (devotional songs) to
drum up excitement for the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir slated for
January 22.
Nearly
1,500 buses passing through Ayodhya are being installed with public address
systems, on which this devotional music will be played all the way up to
January 22, said UPSRTC PRO Ajit Singh.
Moreover,
taxi and tourist bus drivers have been instructed on how to properly conduct
their businesses at the time, and interceptor vehicles will be deployed on all
routes between 200 km of Ayodhya to assist visitors and attend to safety
concerns.
This is
the first time that devotional songs will be played officially on state buses.
Source: siasat.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.siasat.com/uttar-pradesh-ram-bhajans-to-be-played-on-upsrtc-buses-2949289/
----
Varanasi
Court To Decide SaturdayOn Making ASI Survey Report On Gyanvapi Mosque Public
January
4, 2024
A
Varanasi court is likely to decide Friday on making the sealed ASI survey
report on the Gyanvapi mosque complex public and providing copies of it to the
Hindu and Muslim sides.
The
Archeological Survey of India (ASI) had on Wednesday urged the court not to
make its report public for at least four more weeks, according to the lawyer
for the Hindu side, Madan Mohan Yadav.
Varanasi
district court judge A K Vishvesh then adjourned the matter till Thursday.
However,
on Thursday, he could not take up the matter as he was engaged at an event
related to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, his office said and added that the
matter was then posted for Friday.
Following
a July 21 order of the district court, the ASI had carried out the scientific
survey of the Gyanvapi premises, located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in
Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, to determine whether the mosque was constructed over
a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple.
The
survey was ordered by the court after the petitioners claimed the 17th-century
mosque was constructed over a pre-existing temple.
On
Wednesday, Yadav had said the ASI requested the court for four more weeks
before the sealed survey report is opened.
The ASI
submitted its survey report to the district court in a sealed cover on December
18.
Yadav
said the ASI referred to a recent judgment of the Allahabad High Court while
seeking four weeks’ time.
The
Allahabad High Court had on December 19 dismissed several pleas from the Muslim
side challenging the maintainability of a suit seeking restoration of a temple
where the Gyanvapi mosque now stands in Varanasi.
In its
observation, Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal had said the Places of Worship
(Special Provisions) Act, 1991, did not define religious character and this can
only be determined through evidence presented in the court by opposing parties.
Either
the Gyanvapi compound has a Hindu religious character or a Muslim religious
character. It can’t have dual character at the same time, the judge had said.
“The
trial in this case of vital national importance should be concluded as soon as
possible, preferably within six months. If required, the lower court may direct
ASI for a further survey,” the high court had observed.
Yadav on
Thursday said that this high court order is likely to be put before Civil Judge
Senior Division Fast Track Court of Varanasi on January 19.
The
counsel for the ASI, Amit Srivastav, had on Wednesday told the judge of the
district court that high court had also said in its order that, if necessary,
the Civil Judge Senior Division Fast Track Court can order a survey of the
Gyanvapi complex once again.
Therefore,
if the survey report comes in the public domain now, a situation of
contradiction may arise. Therefore, four weeks’ time should be given to open
the survey report and make it available to the parties, the counsel had said.
During
the hearing in the district court on Wednesday, the Hindu side referred to its
application to the Supreme Court seeking permission for cleaning the mosque
‘wazukhana’ (used by people for ritual ablutions before offering namaz) as
several fish have died there.
The
Muslim side raised objection to this and said the ‘wazukhana’ is their property
and they should be given the responsibility to clean it.
The
Hindu side told the district court that the ‘wazukhana’ was sealed on the
orders of the Supreme Court. The Hindu side also said that it should be cleaned
either by them or the administration. The matter is also likely to be taken up
by the court on Friday, M M Yadav said.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/varanasi-court-rule-friday-asi-survey-report-gyanvapi-mosque-public-9095570/
----
India
sends warship after hijacking of Liberian-flagged vessel in Arabian Sea
January
05, 2024
NEW
DELHI: An Indian Navy warship was moving toward a hijacked Liberian-flagged
vessel in the Arabian Sea, and aircraft were closely monitoring the situation,
the Indian navy said on Friday.
At least
15 Indian crew members were on board the MV Lila Norfolk, which was hijacked
near Somalia’s coast and the navy received information about it on Thursday
evening, Indian news agency ANI, in which Reuters has a minority stake,
reported earlier, citing military officials.
The ship
sent a message on the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations portal saying
five to six unknown armed personnel had boarded on the evening of Jan. 4, the
Indian navy statement said.
An
Indian warship, the INS Chennai, was diverted and deployed to assist the
vessel, the statement said, adding that a naval aircraft overflew the hijacked
vessel on Friday and had established contact with it.
The
Indian navy has increased its surveillance of the Arabian Sea after a recent
spate of attacks in the region.
Earlier
this week, the navy said it had investigated a large number of fishing vessels
and boarded vessels of interest in the North and Central Arabian Sea.
“India
plays the role of a net security provider in the entire Indian Ocean region. We
will ensure that maritime trade in this region rises from the sea to the
heights of the sky,” Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said last month of the
increased surveillance in the region.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2436571/world
-----
Lashkar
terrorist linked to attacks on Army, Kashmiri Pandits killed in encounter
January
5, 2024
A
militant affiliated to the Lashkar-e-Taiba was killed in an anti-terror
operation in South Kashmir’s Shopian on Friday, state police said, adding that
he was involved in several terror cases, including attacks on Army personnel
and Kashmiri Pandits.
“Acting
on specific information regarding presence of terrorist in village Chotigam
area of Shopian, a joint cordon and search operation was launched in the wee
hours by Police, Army (34RR) and CRPF (178Bn) in the said area,” the state
police said.
During
the search operation, as the joint party approached the spot, “the hiding
terrorist fired indiscriminately on the joint search party, which retaliated
effectively, leading to an encounter”.
The
militant’s body was retrieved from the site, and security forces identified him
as Bilal Ahmed Bhat from ChekCholan, affiliated with the proscribed terror
outfit LeT.
As per
police records, he was involved in several terror cases, including “killing of
local Army personnel UmerFayaz from Kulgam”.
“He
hurled a grenade on non-local labourers in Hermain, resulting in on spot death
of two. He was also involved in killing of a Kashmiri Pandit, namely Sunil
Kumar Bhat, and injuring another Kashmiri Pandit, Pretimber Nath, both
residents of Chotigam, Shopian,” the police statement said.
Police
also said he was involved in “instigating local youth to join terrorist ranks
and induced 12 local youth into the ranks”. Besides, “he was also involved in
killing an arrested terrorist who was leading the search party during a CASO
(cordon and search operation) at Nowgam in 2022”.
Incriminating
materials, arms and ammunition, including an AK series rifle and three
magazines, were recovered from the site of the encounter.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/lashkar-terrorist-attacks-army-kashmiri-pandits-encounter-9096528/
-----
North America
Houthi
drone boat detonates in Red Sea a day after US warning
Jan 5, 2024
WASHINGTON:
A Houthi drone boat packed with explosives detonated in the Red Sea on Thursday
but failed to cause any damage or casualties, the U.S. Navy said, as the
Yemen-based group continued its attacks in defiance of international calls to
stop.
The
latest attack came one day after 12 countries including the U.S, Britain and
Japan issued a joint statement cautioning the Houthis of unspecified
"consequences" unless it halts its attacks, in what one U.S. official
on Wednesday suggested was a final warning.
The
Iran-aligned Houthis, who control much of Yemen, have launched wave after wave
of exploding drones and missiles at commercial vessels since Nov. 19, trying to
inflict a cost in what they say is a protest against Israel's military
operations in Gaza.
The
Houthi campaign has been extraordinarily disruptive to international shipping,
causing some companies to suspend transits through the Red Sea and instead take
the much longer, costlier journey around Africa.
Vice
Admiral Brad Cooper, who leads U.S. Naval forces in the Middle East, told
reporters on Thursday that the Houthi exploding boat drove out about 50 miles
(80 km) into the Red Sea and then detonated in dense shipping lanes.
"It
came within a couple of miles of ships operating in the area - merchant ships
and U.S. Navy ships - and we all watched as it exploded," Cooper told
reporters, adding the target of the attack was not clear.
Cooper
said there have now been 25 attacks by the Houthis against merchant vessels
transiting the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and added "there are no
signs that their irresponsible behavior is abating."
The
repeated Houthi attacks have increased pressure on President Joe Biden to
respond militarily, something his administration has been reluctant to do out
of fear of escalating already soaring regional tensions.
Retired
four-star Marine general Frank McKenzie, who led U.S. forces in the Middle East
until retiring in 2022, said the Biden administration's response to attacks in
the Red Sea and against U.S. troops at bases in Iraq and Syria has been too
"tentative" and "unfocused."
"To
reset deterrence, we must apply violence that Tehran understands,"
McKenzie wrote in an Op-Ed published on Thursday in the Wall Street Journal.
The
United States and other countries last month launched Operation Prosperity
Guardian to protect civilian vessels, which Cooper said now included
contributions from 22 countries. So far, Cooper said U.S. warships and U.S. partners
have shot down two cruise missiles, six anti-ship ballistic missiles and 11
drones.
On
Sunday, U.S. warships sank three Houthi speed boats to protect a commercial
vessel from being hijacked.
A senior
Biden administration official told reporters on Wednesday "if that
happened again, we would probably do the exact same thing." The same
official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the 12-nation statement to
the Houthis was very clear.
"I
would not anticipate another warning," the official said.
At the
United Nations, a U.S. representative told the U.N. Security Council the United
States believed the situation in the Red Sea had reached an "inflection
point."
Asked
whether Operation Prosperity Guardian might target Houthi positions with
strikes to prevent them from attacking ships, Cooper said that the 22-nation
coalition was purely defensive in nature.
"Anything
that happens outside of the defensive aspect of this operation is a completely
different operation," he said.
The
Houthis have said their attacks on commercial shipping target vessels with
Israeli links or were sailing to Israel.
But many
vessels have had no Israeli connection and were not bound for Israeli ports,
and major shipping lines have suspended their operations through the Red Sea.
Cooper
said the ships that have been attacked have direct connections to 55 countries.
"So
regardless of the vessel's company ownership or its destination, these Houthi
attacks are for sure destabilizing and contrary to international law and
clearly ... must stop immediately," Cooper said.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/houthi-drone-boat-detonates-in-red-sea-a-day-after-us-warning/articleshow/106559171.cms
----
Openai
Boss Says Muslims In Tech World Fear Retaliation And Damaged Career Prospects
In Speaking Up
Kanishka
Singh
5
January 2024
WASHINGTON
(Reuters) - OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on Thursday he felt members of the
Muslim and Arab communities in the tech industry were uncomfortable speaking
about their recent experiences, in an apparent reference to the impact of the
ongoing war in Gaza.
"Muslim
and Arab (especially Palestinian) colleagues in the tech community i've spoken
with feel uncomfortable speaking about their recent experiences, often out of
fear of retaliation and damaged career prospects," Altman wrote on social
media network X, formerly known as Twitter.
The
Microsoft-backed ChatGPT maker's high-profile boss urged the tech industry to
treat members of those communities with empathy.
A user
on X asked Altman in a reply how he felt about the experiences of the Jewish
community.
Altman
responded: "I am jewish. i believe that antisemitism is a significant and
growing problem in the world, and i see a lot of people in our industry
sticking up for me, which i deeply appreciate. i see much less of that for
muslims."
Rights
advocates note that antisemitism and Islamophobia have risen sharply in the
U.S. and elsewhere since Oct. 7 when Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked
Israel, killing 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's
subsequent assault on Gaza has killed more than 22,000 Palestinians, almost 1%
of its 2.3 million population, according to Gaza's health ministry.
The
Council on American-Islamic Relations said last month that in the two months
after the war began, incidents motivated by Islamophobia and bias against
Palestinians and Arabs rose by 172% in the United States compared to the same
period last year.
The
Anti-Defamation League said in December that between Oct. 7 and Dec. 7, U.S.
antisemitic incidents rose by 337%.
(Reporting
by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Jamie Freed)
Source: uk.news.yahoo.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/openai-boss-sam-altman-says-032058344.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAL0Jj5VCEqhxEsD2u6eHdMtC6uTtR9GtxT_aM1IyBLCk5L5RDW3SyiRFXTd_iy5Yg01HY3PerCWCYGp4hLnJ18CoxS9Ye_RIJj4axEGv1QZsiCvV1IQJjGlvQX0yHkylkuumFcNnA6OkaWZlaBENNVGp8B6heYfWyXCYQKSpnQED
----
CAIR
Condemns Islamophobic Harassment of Maryland Mosque, Seeks Stepped Up
Protection
Ismail
Allison
January
4, 2024
Muslim
civil rights group seeks support from county leaders amidst unprecedented
hate/bias reports
The
Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the
nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned
reported Islamophobic harassment targeting the Islamic Center of Owings Mills
(ICOM) in Baltimore County, Maryland by a male individual who reportedly has
been making disruptive calls and sending hostile, hateful, anti-Muslim messages
to mosque leaders.
CAIR is
also urging the local Muslim community and Islamic institutions to take extra
security precautions by using advice offered in CAIR’s booklet, “Best Practices
for Mosque and Community Safety.”
A mosque
leader described “unhinged” chilling messages and conversations attacking Islam
and vilifying Muslims by the unnamed person that have created alarm and
concern.
CAIR is
calling for stepped up protection by law enforcement for the ICOM community,
and is urging County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. and the Baltimore County
Council to do more to address the unprecedented Islamophobia and support their
Muslim constituents.
“Muslim
and Arab communities in Maryland continue to grapple with the consequences of
surging bigotry, xenophobia, censorship, and erasure amidst the ongoing
genocide in Gaza and the persistent dehumanization of Palestinians,” said
CAIR’s Maryland director Zainab Chaudry. “In this tense political climate, it’s
all the more important that our elected officials publicly condemn rising hate
and extend their support to ICOM and other communities impacted by hate.”
This
report makes for at least seven Maryland mosques that have been targeted by
hate bias in recent weeks. The Maryland office of CAIR received an
unprecedented 223 complaints, reports of hate bias incidents and requests for
assistance between October 9 – December 2, 2023 – on average, a four-to-five
fold monthly increase as compared with the month of September.
Safety
concerns are mounting following yesterday’s tragic murder of a beloved Imam,
Hassan Sharif in Newark, New Jersey, who was fatally shot in a senseless act of
violence while opening the local mosque for the morning prayer service. No
arrests have been made in the crime, and a motive is not yet known.
New
Jersey Police Seek Killer of Muslim Leader Outside Newark Mosque
Chaudry
said: “To God we belong and to God is our return. CAIR extends its sincerest
condolences to the family of Imam Sharif and the Muslim community in Newark who
he served.”
CAIR is
America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission
is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice,
and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-condemns-islamophobic-harassment-of-maryland-mosque-seeks-stepped-up-protection/
----
CAIR-CA
and Statewide Muslim Leaders Meet with Governor Newsom to Discuss the Ongoing
Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
Ismail
Allison
January
4, 2024
(SACRAMENTO,
CA, 1/4/2024) – The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR-CA) organized a meeting between Governor Gavin Newsom and
Muslim leaders from across the state before the holiday break to discuss the
ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Attendees included representatives from
the Northern California Islamic Council, Palestinian American Medical
Association, West Valley Muslim Association, Muslim Students Association West,
and Shura Council of Southern California.
During
the meeting, CAIR-CA and its partner organizations outlined several asks of the
administration, including supporting a permanent ceasefire and a continued
commitment to ensure freedom of speech, particularly in universities, as
students engage in rallies.
The
meeting was held to ensure that the voices of the Muslim, Palestinian, and Arab
communities across California are heard during discussions of the genocide and
humanitarian crisis in Gaza. CAIR-CA invited key staff, doctors, lawyers,
community Leaders, and advocates from across the state who all supported an
immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unrestricted flow of aid to the
people of Gaza.
Israel’s
ongoing violence and indiscriminate bombing in Gaza has killed over 22,000
Palestinian civilians, including over 10,000 children, displaced 1.9 million
people, destroyed critical infrastructure, and cut off food, water, fuel, and
healthcare.
In a
statement, CAIR-CA CEO HussamAyloush said:
“We were
pleased by the Governor’s commitment to ensure his Muslim, Palestinian, and Arab
constituents are heard as the violent siege on Gaza continues and that CAIR-CA
had the platform to request the administration be proactive in ensuring the
dignity of Palestinians.
“In his
tenure, Governor Newsom has paved the path as a champion for civil rights, and
we urge him to continue to use his voice as the leader of Californians who
overwhelmingly demand a ceasefire.”
Hate
incidents targeting the Muslim and Arab communities have been on the rise
across the country since Oct. 7. In its most recent report, CAIR National
released data showing it received a total of 2,171 reports of anti-Muslim and
anti-Palestinian bias in the two months following Oct. 7—a staggering 172%
increase. These reports include incidents of harassment, workplace discrimination,
and bullying of K-12 students from peers, teachers, and administrators.
CAIR
condemns all forms of Islamophobia, anti-Arab hate, and antisemitism in the
strongest possible terms and calls on our national leaders to take action to
condemn these increased attacks on American citizens.
CAIR-CA
is a chapter of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy
organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil
rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ca-and-statewide-muslim-leaders-meet-with-governor-newsom-to-discuss-the-ongoing-humanitarian-crisis-in-gaza/
-----
Muslim
American’s challenge to No Fly list reaches Supreme Court
January
4, 2024
A lawyer
for the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Monday will argue before the
Supreme Court for the first time, asking the justices to help a Muslim man stay
off the government’s no-fly list that blocks people from boarding airplanes.
The FBI
says YonasFikre isn’t on the list right now, but Mr. Fikre is looking for a
firmer guarantee that he won’t be secretly added back to the list later. The
FBI insists his case is moot since he’s not currently listed, but a federal
appeals court ruled in favor of Mr. Fikre, saying the FBI needed to proactively
repudiate its past listing.
Now the
justices will weigh in on whether Mr. Fikre can continue his lawsuit.
A
coalition of groups from the left and right is hoping the court will slap down
the FBI, which maintains the list.
“In case
after case, we’ve seen the government remove people from the no-fly list and
prevent their legal challenges from being heard. Now the Supreme Court has the
chance to ensure Americans wrongly placed on this list are actually given their
day in court,” said Hina Shamsi, a lawyer at the American Civil Liberties
Union, which has weighed in on Mr. Fikre’s behalf.
But U.S.
Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar says Mr. Fikre has been off the no-fly
list for seven years and the government has said he won’t be put back on, given
the current known facts, unless something changes.
She also
said the Supreme Court has never required a proactive repudiation of past
behavior to find a case moot when all sides agree there is no current live
conflict. She said in the context of the no-fly list and national security,
it’s important the court not demand too much of the FBI.
“Individuals
might be placed on or removed from the No Fly List based on highly sensitive
information,” she argued to the justices in a brief last year. “Allowing moot
No Fly List claims to proceed to discovery would needlessly enmesh the parties
and courts in disputes about the use of such information and divert scarce agency
resources that otherwise could be devoted to protecting the national security.”
The
no-fly list has been shrouded in secrecy from the start, with Muslim groups in
particular arguing they’ve been unfairly targeted.
CAIR has
been battling the no-fly system for years and says the FBI regularly removes
names once someone sues. CAIR said it’s a tactic meant to try to shield the
list from a legal showdown.
Using a
leaked copy of the watchlist, CAIR estimates that 98% of the names on the list
are Muslims.
Until a
2014 court ruling, people weren’t even told they were on the list when they
were denied boarding. Now, the government must reveal their listing and the
Justice Department says they can also be told nonclassified information about
why they ended up there.
A Senate
report last month said before the 2001 terrorist attacks the no-fly list had
just 12 names. Now the No Fly list is the most heightened level of the broader
terrorist watchlist, which had 1.8 million records as of late 2022. U.S.
citizens and legal permanent residents made up less than 7,000 of those
records.
There is
a process for getting off the list, but it usually fails. From 2018 to 2022,
710 citizens or legal residents applied to get off the watchlist. Of those,
five were removed from the no-fly list and 99 were erased from the broader
terrorist watchlist, according to the Senate report.
“Many
individuals have complained the only effective way to get off the terrorist
watchlist is to sue the federal government,” the Senate report concluded.
Mr.
Fikre argues even that doesn’t work if the FBI is allowed to delete a name and
then try to shut down all legal challenges.
He said
he ended up on the list after he rebuffed the feds’ entreaty to spy on a mosque
in Portland, Oregon. When he refused he says the FBI put him on the no-fly list
and then told him he could get off it if he cooperated.
He was
in Sudan at the time, then moved to the United Arab Emirates, which he said
detained and tortured him at the FBI’s direction. He moved to Sweden but filed
a lawsuit in Oregon in 2013 challenging his listing.
He would
eventually fly back to the U.S. on a private jet in 2015.
Homeland
Security reviewed his case in 2015 and kept him on the list because it was
deemed he “may pose a threat to civil aviation or national security.” A year
later the government told him he’d been removed, and he has flown since — but
he wants a ruling that his initial placement was unconstitutional.
He lost
in district court, where a judge said it was unlikely the government would remove
him and then restore him, particularly after an FBI official said he won’t be
added “based on the currently available information.”
The 9th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that ruling, saying the government must
offer more assurances than that, and should say more about why Mr. Fikre was
listed in the first place.
Source: washingtontimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/jan/4/muslim-americans-challenge-to-no-fly-list-reaches-/
----
Investigators
vow to find Imam Hassan Sharif killer
January
05, 2024
CHICAGO:
New Jersey prosecutor Attorney General Matthew Platkin vowed at a press
conference here to find the assailant involved in the Jan. 3 shooting of Hassan
Sharif, 52, the imam of the Masjid Muhammad-Newark mosque.
Platkin
and other New Jersey law enforcement officials said they do not believe, at
this stage of the probe, that the killing was motivated by Islamophobia but
insisted the investigation into identifying the killer was moving forward.
The
shooter was dressed in all-black clothing and was seen by witnesses in the
mosque running from the scene after the attack on Sharif which occurred at
around 6:15 in the morning, police said.
“Imam
Sharif is just the latest casualty in the senseless gun-violence epidemic that
plagues our state and our country. Combatting the gun-violence epidemic is our
core priority in my office and law enforcement throughout the state,” Platkin
said at a media briefing Thursday.
“We will
bring these perpetrators to justice and we will do so, there is nothing we can
do to bring Imam Sharif back to his loved ones and to his community.”
So far,
no suspect has been identified.
Speaking
about the impact the killing has had on the region’s Muslim community, Platkin
said: “That wound, tragically, will never fully heal. And because of that we
must collectively redouble our efforts to end this senseless gun-violence
epidemic and do everything we can to spare future families the pain that Imam
Sharif’s loved ones are enduring right now.”
Platkin
said the probe “remains an active criminal investigation” but does not indicate
any form of religious or racial bias. That could change as the investigation
progresses.
Other
sources including Democracy Now! reported that Sharif was assaulted last
August.
Platkin
acknowledged seeing a “rise in violence particularly against the Muslim
community.”
The
congregation of Masjid Muhammad-Newark is predominantly African American and
located in an African-American community. Sharif’s murder is the second violent
attack on an imam in New Jersey recently.
Imam
Sayed Elnakib, 65, the imam at the Omar Mosque in Paterson, about 15 miles
north of Newark, was stabbed in his back in April 2023 while leading prayers.
After the assault, congregants restrained the knife-wielding assailant,
identified as Serif Zorba, 32, until police arrived. Zorba has been charged
with attempted murder.
The
Council on American Islamic Relations of New Jersey announced a $10,000 reward
for information leading to the arrest of the assailant. Crime Stoppers USA, a
national organization, has offered a $25,000 reward.
Sharif’s
killing drew condolences from across the nation.
The
Muslim Public Affairs Council in Los Angeles said: “MPAC sends its prayers to
the Newark Muslim community following Wednesday’s tragic shooting that claimed
the life of Masjid Muhammad Imam Hassan Sharif. Imam Sharif served selflessly,
working to build bridges of understanding between faith communities.”
Illinois
Senator Tammy Duckworth, who has been criticized for her alleged lack of
empathy toward the killing of Muslims and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,
issued a statement expressing condolences to Sharif’s family and concern about
the rise in gun violence in America.
“The
fatal shooting of Imam Hassan Sharif is devastating. My heart is with the
Muslim community in New Jersey — which is already facing an alarming rise in
Islamophobia — his loved ones and all who were inspired by his leadership,”
Duckworth said on X.
Platkin,
the attorney general, had earlier joined New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy in
announcing the state’s first-ever Muslim-American Heritage Month.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2436616/world
----
Canadian
man who killed Muslim family with car to be sentenced
January
05, 2024
MONTREAL:
A sentencing hearing in Canada began Thursday of the man convicted of murdering
four members of a Muslim family with his truck over two years ago.
Nathanial
Veltman, a 23-year-old self-proclaimed white supremacist, was found guilty of
murder in November. He has denied the claims.
On June
6, 2021, Veltman ran over the family with his pickup truck in the Ontario city
of London, killing both parents, the grandmother, and their 15-year-old
daughter. The sole survivor, a nine-year-old boy, was severely injured.
“This
was not only a crime against the Muslim community, but an affront to the safety
of all Canadians,” said Tabinda Bukhari on Thursday morning. Her daughter,
44-year-old Madiha Salman, was among those killed.
As many
as 70 people close to the victims will give impact statements during the
two-day hearing.
“The
sorrow and the sadness, the fear, the anger, the pain, they come again and
again,” said Amira Elgahawby, who was appointed last year as Canada’s special
representative on combating Islamophobia.
In
Canada, a guilty verdict for premeditated murder carries a minimum sentence of
life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole after 25 years.
According
to local media, Judge Renee Pomerance of the Superior Court of Justice in
Ontario will determine this month whether or not Veltman’s actions constitute
an act of terrorism, before announcing his sentence.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2436476/world
----
South Asia
Pro-BNP,
Jamaat lawyers observe nationwide court boycott for 4th day
Jan 5,
2024
Pro-BNP
and Jamaat-e-Islami lawyers observed court boycott programme across the country
yesterday, for fourth day, demanding "restoration of democracy and rule of
law and stopping injustice in the name of trials".
The
lawyers, backed by the opposition political parties, abstained from attending
court functions in 60 districts, Barrister Kayser Kamal, secretary general of
Bangladesh JatiotabadiAinjibi Forum (BJAF), a body of pro-BNP lawyers, told The
Daily Star.
As part
of the proigramme, a section of lawyers staged sit-in at the Supreme Court Bar
Association (SCBA) premises since 9:00am to 4:00pm with one hour's break today.
On
December 31, BJAF and Bangladesh Lawyers Council, a forum of
pro-Jamaat-e-Islami lawyers, at separate press conferences announced that they
will boycott all the courts across the country since January 1 to January 7 in
protest against what they said holding of the dummy elections and convicting
and sentencing BNP men in fabricated cases.
BJAF
President AJ Mohammad Ali, former SCBA leaders Subrata Chowdhury, AM Mahbub
Uddin Khkon, MdBodruddozaBadal and MdRuhul Quddus Kazal and BJAF's SC unit
General Secretary GaziKamrul Islam Sajal, SCBA member and lawyer Syed
MamunMahbub among others, also attended the programme at the SCBA premises.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.thedailystar.net/election-2024/news/news/pro-bnp-jamaat-lawyers-observe-nationwide-court-boycott-4th-day-3511441
-----
Iranian
official confirms deaths of at least 11 Afghan citizens in Kerman blasts
Fidel Rahmati
January
5, 2024
The
Special Assistant to the President of Iran for Afghan Affairs states that among
the casualties of the recent attacks in Kerman, there were 11 Afghan nationals.
However,
Fars News Agency has reported the Afghan casualties as 8 individuals, while
IRNA, another news agency, has reported 12 casualties.
During
the commemoration ceremony of the fourth anniversary of Qasem Soleimani’s death
in Kerman on Wednesday, two explosions occurred.
The
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting announced that, following the death of
one of the attackers in the Kerman attack, the death toll reached 85 people. It
had previously been reported that these explosions resulted in the deaths of at
least 103 individuals and injuries to around 300 others.
According
to Iranian authorities and the ISNA news agency, among the deceased, 11 Afghan
nationals had come to visit the gathering and the Cemetery in Kerman.
ISIS
claimed responsibility for the Iran-Kerman bombings in a statement published on
a Telegram channel on Thursday.
This has
been described as one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in recent decades. The
bombings resulted in a significant loss of life and have raised concerns about
security and stability in the region. Authorities are investigating the
incident to determine the full extent of the damage and to take measures to
prevent such attacks in the future.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.khaama.com/iranian-official-confirms-deaths-of-at-least-11-afghan-citizens-in-kerman-blasts/
-----
Pakistan
deports nearly 300 Afghan migrants
Fidel
Rahmati
January
5, 2024
The Ministry of Migrants and Repatriates,
under Pakistan’s caretaker government, has persistently carried out the
deportation of Afghan migrants residing in Pakistan as part of an ongoing
process.
On
Thursday, the Ministry of Migrants and Repatriates of Pakistan’s caretaker
government announced that approximately 299 Afghan migrants have been deported
from Pakistan to their home country.
The
ministry added that this number of migrants entered the country through the
Spin Boldak border of Kandahar province as of January 4.
The
Spokesperson for the Spin Boldak border authority also stated that 58 families,
comprising 299 individuals, were forcibly returned through the mentioned
border.
Meanwhile,
with the arrival of winter in Afghanistan, the wave of Afghan migrants
returning from Pakistan and Iran has recently intensified.
Pakistani
officials are pressing on with their deportation plan for Afghan migrants,
citing various reasons such as security concerns, even as the Taliban
government denies these allegations. This deportation initiative is unfolding
at a time when the country is grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis,
worsened by the harsh winter conditions.
The
expulsion of Afghan migrants further compounds the existing dire situation, as
there are inadequate provisions for proper shelters, job opportunities, and
access to medical facilities for the returnees.
The
decision to continue the deportation efforts underscores the complex challenges
faced by both Pakistan and the Afghan migrants, as they navigate the delicate
balance between security concerns and humanitarian needs during these trying
times.
Previously,
the interim government of Pakistan initiated the process of deporting
undocumented Afghan migrants in the country after November 1, 2023, stating
that approximately one-seventh of the seven million Afghan migrants residing in
various parts of the country without legal documents would be deported from
Pakistan.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-deports-nearly-300-afghan-migrants/
-----
Information
Access Limited in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan: Report
Fidel
Rahmati
January
4, 2024
The Internews
reports that after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, access to reliable
information for Afghans has significantly decreased. A recent study by this
organization indicates that censorship and severe restrictions have eroded
public trust in government-run and private media within the country.
This
research highlights how the information ecosystem in Afghanistan has undergone
significant changes since the Taliban regained power. The absence of
standardized mechanisms for information circulation and the Taliban’s control
over media content has led many Afghan citizens to lose confidence in both
Taliban-controlled government media and local private media outlets.
The
report also underscores the impact of political changes on the use of social
media in Afghanistan, emphasizing increased control over information flow
within the country, challenges of mistrust, the spread of rumours and
misinformation, and limitations on freedom of expression.
Upon
their return to power in 2021, the Taliban imposed extensive restrictions on
civil liberties and media activities in Afghanistan. As a result, many Afghan
media outlets ceased operations, and some journalists were detained and
imprisoned for not complying with the Taliban’s directives.
The
Institute for News research also reveals that restrictions on women have been
even more severe, resulting in decreased access to reliable information from
non-official sources. The study demonstrates that women in Afghanistan have
less access to credible information compared to men, as restrictions on women’s
education and employment have deprived them of information from alternative
sources like social groups, schools, and salons.
In
Afghanistan, some women and girls, due to illiteracy, struggle to access
information through social media or the internet, hindering their ability to
receive accurate news or health-related information.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.khaama.com/information-access-limited-in-taliban-controlled-afghanistan-report/
-----
Islamic
Emirate Brings New Appointments
Jan 5, 2024
Zabihullah
Mujahid, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate said that based on the order of
the leader of the Islamic Emirate, new appointments have been made in the
provinces of Faryab, Farah, Herat, Balkh, Kandahar and Nimroz.
MawlawiGhawsuddin
Rahbar, commander of the special forces company in Faryab, is appointed
governor of Farah province.
Haji
AbdulraziqRashed, former mayor of Herat province, is appointes security commander
of Balkh province.
Mullah
AbdulzahirMudaser, former security commander of Balkh, is appointed as security
commander of Nimroz province.
Mullah
Nematullah Hassan, former mayor of Kandahar, was appointed the mayor of Herat
province.
Mullah
Hekmatullah, the former head of the Finance department of Kandahar, was
appointed the mayor of Kandahar province.
Noor
Ahmad Saeed, former head of Information and Culture of Kandahar, was appointed
the head of the Finance department of
Kandahar province.
The
Islamic Emirate said these appointments were needed to bring changes in the
government and added that this is done to improve the governance situation.
Zabihullah
Mujahid, the spokesman of the Islamic
Emirate, said: “Share their experiences in one province and another province,
especially in security matters, which is one of the most important and
important goals of the Islamic Emirate, to ensure the security of the country
and to protect the country's borders in general.”
Meanwhile,
some political experts said that if expertise and experience are considered in
new appointments, it can help to improve the situation.
“Change
is one of the principles of the government. It should be done according to
meritocracy and it is necessary for a government to implement it,” said Maeen
Gul Samkanai, a political expert.
“The
benefit is that innovation and initiatives come. If there is someone who can't
do a good job, maybe someone else will come and do it better,” said Aziz Maarej, a political expert.
Earlier,
based on the order of the Islamic Emirate’s leader, Mohammad Aman Obaid, the
former governor of Daikundi was appointed the governor of Kabul, Mohammad Qasem
Khalid, the former governor of Kabul, was appointed the governor of Nimroz, and
Najibullah Rafi, the former governor of Nimroz, was appointed the governor of
Daikundi.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186823
------
Mujahid
Reacts to UNAMA, Saying Arrests Based on 'Information'
HadiaZiaei
January
4, 2024
The
Islamic Emirate's spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, responded to UNAMA's
request to cease arbitrary arrests by saying that all arrests are done in
accordance with the law.
Mujahid
pointed out that the arrests are not arbitrary and that the claims made by
UNAMA are questionable.
"If
someone was arrested on the basis of any information or suspicions, they were
detained and later released, which means that no one had experienced injustice
or mistreatment, so this is not true,” Mujahid told TOLOnews.
UNAMA on
X said that “continued arbitrary detention of Afghanistan girls’ education
advocates Ahmad Fahim Azimi&Sadiqullah Afghan & women’s rights activist
MunizhaSediqi since October is worrying.”
“UNAMA
urges an end to arbitrary arrests. Rights to family, lawyers, care, fair trial
must be upheld,” it said.
Meanwhile,
some women’s rights activists asked the Islamic Emirate to provide more
facilities for women in the country.
“We ask
them to pay attention to women's jobs. Whatever the law is, they should
announce that according to this law, you can do whatever job you want,” said
Tafsir Siyaposh, a women’s rights activist.
“I ask
the Islamic Emirate's government to free women's rights advocates and education
rights advocates as soon as possible and let them continue their activities,”
said Hadis Shamal, another women’s rights activist.
This
comes as in the most recent case, after more than three months in detention,
women's rights activists NedaParwani and Zhulia Parsi were both released from
the Islamic Emirate's custody.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186819
----
Demand
for Afs Helped Value Rise Against Foreign Currencies
January
4, 2024
The head
of the council of money exchangers of Afghanistan, Bahram Khan Zadran, said
that the demand for Afghan currency in the market helped its price to rise
against the foreign currencies.
In an
interview with TOLOnews, Zadran said that the use of foreign currency for daily
business dealings has been banned.
“When
the dollars, euro, rial, dirham and dinar come to the market, it increases the
demands of the afghani currency. Secondly, Da Afghanistan Bank (Central Bank)
is successful because. During the republican government, when they were making
promises, the promises would not be fulfilled but now they [Central Bank]
fulfill their promise,” he said.
Zadran
said that despite the smuggling of dollars having been reduced, some people
still, under the pretext of money-exchanging, are taking the dollar out of the
country.
According
to him, the Central Bank is monitoring the carrying of money out of the
country.
“They
use the name of money exchange for this [smuggling], everyone comes and
smuggles the dollar. Anyone who has money is either a trader or a jeweler,” he
said.
According
to Zadran, nearly 240 money exchangers received licenses since the arrival of
the Islamic Emirate, and it urged the Central Bank to issue licenses to other
money exchangers.
“We want
from the Central Bank and the Financial Ministry to give licenses to the money
exchangers. This is the main problem of the money exchangers,” Bahram said.
This
comes as the Central Bank said earlier that the price of Afghan currency
against the foreign currencies has risen by 26.4 percent.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://tolonews.com/business-186817
Islamic
Emirate Seeks Special Ways to Support and Treat Disabled People: Deputy PM
2024-01-04
KABUL
(BNA): Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, the Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs,
has said that the Islamic Emirate is looking for special ways to support and
treat disabled people so that they do not face any difficulties.
The
Deputy Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement saying that Mawlavi Abdul
Kabir made these remarks while meeting with some of the disabled mujahideen of
the Islamic Emirate. He praised their sacrifices and devotion and called them
the pride and the shining personalities of the Islamic Emirate.
The
Deputy Prime Minister also stated that the Islamic Emirate is searching for
specific solutions to assist and heal all the disabled people, and to prevent
them from encountering any challenges.
Mawlavi
Abdul Kabir also held separate meetings with some eminent scholars, influential
tribal elders, and government officials. He talked about the role of scholars
in enhancing the relations between the government and the people.
The
scholars who attended these meetings expressed their cooperation with the
Islamic Emirate.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/islamic-emirate-seeks-special-ways-to-support-and-treat-disabled-people-deputy-pm/
----
Mideast
Israel
‘has gone too far,’ Lebanon’s caretaker PM warns
January
04, 2024
NAJIA
HOUSSARI
BEIRUT:
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned what he described as
repeated Israeli violations of the country’s sovereignty in a meeting on
Thursday with Maj. Gen. Aroldo Lazaro, UNIFIL’s head of mission and force
commander.
Mikati
told the leader of the peacekeeping force that Israel has ignored UN
resolutions for years, and called for “voices to be raised” in the UN in
support of Lebanon.
The
caretaker prime minister’s comments coincided with the funeral of Hamas deputy
political leader Saleh Al-Arouri, who died in a suspected drone strike in
southern Beirut on Tuesday.
Al-Arouri
was buried in the Palestinian Al-Shuhada cemetery in Shatila, Beirut, along
with two Hamas officials, Azzam Al-Aqra’ and Mohammed Al-Rayes, who were also
killed in the blast.
Gunshots
were fired in the air during the funeral, and mourners raised the Palestinian
flag and banners of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Lebanese
security services are investigating Al-Arouri’s death, while Hezbollah is also
carrying out its own probe into the assassination.
A
security source said that the investigations are “complex,” and focused on the
type of drone, its route, and the specifications of the missiles launched.
Retired
Brig. Gen. George Nader suggested in a media statement that there might be “an
agent from the decision-making circle, and not from outside, if we were to talk
about a security breach.”
Nader
said: “Israel has technology that allows it to fly drones at 30,000 feet or
7,000 meters without being heard or seen. Fighter jets can launch missiles at a
distance of 15,000 meters without being heard or seen, with very high accuracy
exceeding 99 percent.”
He
added: “There are two ceilings above the room where Al-Arouri was present that
were destroyed and fell on him. This indicates the capabilities that Israel
possesses.
“Technically,
the assassination has several possibilities, and we must wait for the
investigation.”
Former
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, in a statement denouncing Al-Arouri’s assassination,
questioned the reason for “the presence of this number of armed Palestinian
organizations and other armed organizations in various Lebanese regions,
including in Beirut’s southern suburbs.”
He said:
“In principle, this matter requires the approval of the Lebanese official
authorities, especially since Lebanon is ultimately a republic that must
preserve and protect its sovereignty and emphasize not endangering its security
and stability.”
Siniora’s
reaction came as Israel’s operations on Thursday targeted border villages,
including Maroun Al-Ras, near a Lebanese army point, where a fighter jet
launched two air-to-surface missiles.
The
Israeli army attacked the former Israeli detention site in the town of Khiam
with phosphorus bombs, and shelled the outskirts of BintJbeil, Yaroun, and Aita
Al-Shaab.
Hezbollah
announced on Thursday that it had targeted “a position of Israeli soldiers in
Shtula and the Al-Jardah military point, and a gathering of soldiers in Metula
and the Branit military site, achieving direct hits.”
Israeli
media said Hezbollah fired an anti-tank missile toward Metula, hitting a
building there.
Israeli
drone strikes continued late on Wednesday and Thursday, targeting residential
buildings.
Hezbollah
paid a heavy toll, losing nine fighters in less than 24 hours, including field
official Hussein Hadi Yazbek in the Naqoura area.
On
Wednesday evening, the Israeli army stepped up its attacks, destroying a
three-story building in Naqoura with drones.
Among
Hezbollah members killed were Hadi Ali Rida from Teffahta, Ibrahim Afif Fahs
from Jibchit, and Hussein Ali Mohammad Ghazaleh from Adloun, in addition to
Abbas Hassan Jammoul, Hassan Dakik, and Mohammad Hadi Obeid.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2436371/middle-east
----
Israeli
defense minister outlines new phase in Gaza war
January
04, 2024
JERUSALEM:
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday outlined Israel’s plans for the next
stage of its war in Gaza, with a new more targeted approach in the northern
section of the enclave and a continuing pursuit of Hamas leaders in the south.
The
announcement came as Israel continued drawing down its forces in Gaza to allow
thousands of reservists to return to their jobs after growing international
pressure to shift to less intense combat operations.
“In the
northern region of the Gaza strip, we will transition to a new combat approach
in accordance with military achievements on the ground,” Gallant’s office said
in a statement it said outlined the guiding principles reflecting Gallant’s
vision for the next phases of the war.
He said
operations would include raids, demolishing tunnels, air and ground strikes,
and special forces operations.
In the
south of the besieged enclave, where most of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is
now living, many in tents and other temporary shelters, the operation would
continue to try to eliminate Hamas leaders and rescue Israeli hostages.
“It will
continue for as long as is deemed necessary,” the statement said.
After
the war, Gallant said Hamas would no longer control Gaza and Israel would
reserve its operational freedom of action. But he said there would be no
Israeli civilian presence and Palestinian bodies would be in charge of the
enclave.
“Gaza
residents are Palestinian, therefore Palestinian bodies will be in charge, with
the condition that there will be no hostile actions or threats against the
State of Israel.”
Israel
launched its offensive in Gaza following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas gunmen who
killed some 1,200 people in communities near Gaza and took around 240 into
captivity as hostages, according to Israeli estimates.
Israel’s
offensive has killed more than 22,000 people, according to Palestinian health
authorities, forced most of the population out of their homes and reduced much
of Gaza to rubble.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2436416/middle-east
----
ISIS
claims responsibility for two bombings in Iran's Kerman
[05/January/2024]
TEHRAN
January 05. 2024 (Saba) - The ISIS terrorist organization - the arm of the
Zionists and the Americans in the region - claimed responsibility for the two
terrorist bombings that took place in Kerman province, southeastern Iran,
coinciding with the commemoration of the martyrdom of martyr Hajj Qasem
Soleimani.
A
statement issued by ISIS said that the two terrorist bombings were carried out
by two suicide bombers, “Omar Allah Al-Muwahid” and “Saif Allah Al-Mujahid,”
and they detonated their explosive belts among civilians.
On the
other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced that
Tehran had begun its immediate legal measures regarding terrorist operations in
Kerman.
Abdollahian
said based on preliminary information, the Iranian Foreign Ministry began
immediate legal measures through the United Nations, following the terrorist
attack that occurred in the Rawdat Al-Shuhada in the city of Kerman, killing 94
people and inuring 284 others.
Iran's
representative to the United Nations Amir Saeed Irani also announced in a
letter to the Security Council that Tehran is committed to all mechanisms to
prosecute those responsible and their accomplices in this terrorist act.
It is
worth noting that ISIS is active in carrying out terrorist operations in the
countries of the axis of resistance under the umbrella of America and the
Zionist enemy entity, while it turns a blind eye to the Zionist-American crimes
and massacres in the Gaza Strip, which claimed the lives of tens of thousands
of Palestinians as martyrs and wounded.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3293696.htm
-----
Türkiye
stands by Iran in fight against terrorism, President Erdogan tells Raisi
January
04, 2024
ISTANBUL
: Turkey stands by Iran in fight against terrorism, President Erdogan told his
Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi in a phone call following the deadly attack
in Kerman city.
The
Turkish president on Wednesday expressed condolences to his Iranian counterpart
over the deadly explosions near the tomb of slain Iranian General Qassem
Soleimani, Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said in a statement posted on
X.
Condemning
the terrorist attack on civilians, Erdogan expressed Türkiye’s support for Iran
in the fight against terrorism and wished the Iranian people patience for their
losses.
During
the call, Erdogan reiterated his call for joint action in the fight against
terrorism with Iran.
Meanwhile,
it was decided to postpone the visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to
Türkiye to a later date. Raisi was scheduled to arrive in Türkiye on Thursday.
Earlier
on Wednesday, at least 103 people were killed and over 170 others injured when
multiple explosions ripped through an area where a ceremony was being held to
commemorate a top Iranian general who was assassinated four years ago by the
US.
The
explosions took place on a route leading to the cemetery in the southeastern
city of Kerman where Soleimani, the former head of the Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps’ Quds Force, was laid to rest, according to state media.
Soleimani
was killed on Jan 3, 2020, in a US drone strike outside Baghdad airport in
Iraq. — AA
Source: muslimmirror.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://muslimmirror.com/eng/turkiye-stands-by-iran-in-fight-against-terrorism-president-erdogan-tells-raisi/
-----
Israeli
shelling pounds Gaza refugee camps as death toll nears 22,500
January
05, 2024
GAZA:Israel
announced a more targeted approach in hunting down Hamas fighters and their
leaders as its aerial assault pounded the Gaza Strip, forcing some displaced
families to flee for safety riding donkey carts loaded with belongings and
children.
Israel's
ground and air blitz has laid waste to Gaza. The total recorded Palestinian
death toll had reached 22,438 by Thursday - almost 1% of its 2.3 million
population, the Gaza health ministry said.
Israeli
shelling of Gaza on Thursday killed more than 20 Palestinians, including 16 in
Khan Younis city in a southern coastal area packed with people who had fled
from other parts of the enclave, Gaza health officials said.
Among
the dead were nine children, they said. Separately, five Palestinians were
killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in Al-Nusseirat refugee camp, health
officials told Reuters. Gaza residents said Israeli planes and tanks had also
bombarded two other refugee camps, prompting many to head south.
People
poured out of Al-Bureij, Al-Maghazi and Al-Nusseirat refugee camps on Thursday
following the attacks, with some families riding on donkey carts loaded with
mattresses, luggage and children. Rain has turned the earth to mud, adding to
the misery of the displaced Palestinians.
With
nightfall on Thursday, residents of the central Gaza Strip said Israeli planes
and tanks intensified their shelling toward the eastern directions of the camps
of Al-Maghazi and Al-Nusseirat.
Defence
Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday outlined a new stage of Israel's war in Gaza:
a more targeted approach in the north and further pursuit of Hamas leaders in
the south while Israel seeks to free remaining hostages held by Hamas. The
change in strategy comes after months of brutal Israeli assaults on the
civilian population of Gaza that failed to do any significant damage to the
Hamas resistance movement.
Under
international pressure to shift to less intense combat operations and in the
face of economic challenges, Israel has been drawing down its forces in Gaza to
allow thousands of reservists to return to their jobs.
Gallant
said in a statement that operations in the north would include raids,
demolishing tunnels, air and ground strikes, and special forces operations.
After
the war Hamas would no longer control Gaza, Gallant claimed, adding that the
enclave would be run by Palestinian bodies so long as there was no threat to
Israel.
Aiming
to help prevent the conflict from expanding, US Secretary of State Antony
Blinken was set to travel on Thursday to the Middle East for a week of
diplomacy, the State Department said.
Gaza
bloodshed
In
Thursday's reported strike in Al-Mawasi on the western side of Khan Younis,
Israeli shells landed near tents erected in the area by displaced people,
health ministry officials said.
Footage
on Palestinian media showed several bodies wrapped in blankets inside a
hospital morgue in Khan Younis.
"Nowhere
is safe in Gaza. Wherever you go, there are strikes. In the country, next to
the camps, in Al-Mawasi. There is no safe space," said Bahaa Abu Hatab,
the brother of one of the dead.
In its daily
briefing, the Israeli military claimed Israeli warplanes killed three Hamas
fighters who had tried to detonate explosives next to ground troops, and
Israeli soldiers killed two more.
Later
the military claimedsoldiers had destroyed an underground military compound on
the Gaza Strip coast with a weapons cache including mortars, grenades, and RPG
missiles.
Concern
conflict may spread
Israel's
war against Hamas is nearing the three-month mark amid international concern
that the conflict is spreading beyond Gaza, drawing in the Israeli-occupied
West Bank, Hezbollah forces on the Lebanon-Israel border, and Red Sea shipping
lanes.
The
concern grew after a drone strike on Tuesday killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh
al-Arouri in Lebanon's capital Beirut. He was buried in the Palestinian camp of
Shatila in the city on Thursday, amid throngs of mourners launching volleys of
gunfire.
Hezbollah
leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed on Wednesday that Hezbollah "cannot be
silent" following the killing, but he made no concrete threats to act
against Israel in support of Hamas.
Hezbollah
has been embroiled in nearly daily exchanges of shelling with Israel across
Lebanon's southern border since the Gaza war began. The attacks have severely
degraded Israeli surveillance infrastructure on the border and inflicted
significant casualties on IDF troops.
Israel
neither confirmed nor denied assassinating Arouri.
The
Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Friday that a 17-year-old boy was killed
by Israeli forces and four others injured in Beit Rima in the West Bank.
Israel
has claimed it has killed 8,000 fighters in Gaza, however, video and picture
evidence exists for less than 100 fighters martyred.
Adding
to the violence in the region, two explosions on Wednesday killed nearly 100
people during a memorial ceremony for the late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani
at the cemetery in southeastern Iran where he is buried. The militant group
Islamic State claimed responsibility.
Source: tribune.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2452236/israeli-shelling-pounds-gaza-refugee-camps-as-death-toll-nears-22500
-----
Pres.
Raeisi vows comeuppance for those involved in terror blasts
04
January 2024
President
Ebrahim Raeisi reiterates Iran's resolve to consign those behind the recent
hugely deadly terror blasts in the country's southwest to justice.
The
chief executive made the remarks during a phone call with his Serbian
counterpart AleksandarVučić on Thursday.
"No
degree of support or patronage from no power can provide a security margin to
the agents that have been involved in this atrocity," Raeisi said.
The
comments came a day after two back-to-back explosions killed at least 84 people
and wounded scores of others at a memorial ceremony that was being held for
Iran's former senior anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani
in the city of Kerman. The Daesh Takfiri terrorist group has claimed
responsibility for the atrocity.
Daesh
has claimed responsibility for two explosions that killed at least 84 people
and wounded scores at a memorial for top anti-terror commander Gen. Qassem
Soleimani in the southeastern Iranian city of Kerman.
Raeisi
asserted that cowardly measures such as this would not hold the great Iranian
nation back from pursuing its high goals of confronting oppression, tyranny,
and injustice.
The
Serbian official, for his part, condemned the acts of terror, expressing
condolence on the part of the Serbian government and people with the Iranian
government and nation.
Vučić
expressed hope that the masterminds and perpetrators of the terror attacks be
immediately consigned to justice and face the legal implications of the
atrocity.
The
Serbian president finally noted that his country stood by Iran's side in the
fight against terrorism.
Earlier,
the United Nations Security Council released a statement, condemning the
"cowardly terrorist attack" and condoling with the victims' families
and the Iranian government.
The
United Nations Security Council in a statement on Thursday condemned the attack
in Iran that killed 83 people
Leaders
from Russia, Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and other countries
from across the globe have likewise voiced strong condemnation of the atrocity.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/01/04/717616/Iran-terror-attacks-Kerman-President-Raeisi
----
Muslim
solidarity with Iran: Raeisi to visit Ankara ‘in near future’
04
January 2024
Iran and
Turkey have agreed that President Ebrahim Raeisi will travel to Ankara soon
after he cancelled his planned visit following terrorist bombings in Kerman on
Wednesday.
The
visit, due to begin on Thursday, was delayed after a telephone call with
President Raeisi in which his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan
condemned the attack and offered condolences and the two presidents called to
act jointly in the "fight against terrorism".
Turkey’s
Foreign Minister HakanFidan called his Iranian counterpart Hossein
Amir-Adollahian Thursday night to “express condolences and solidarity of the
government and people of Turkey with the government and people of the Islamic
Republic of Iran” over the terrorist attack.
Amir-Abdollahian
thanked high-ranking Turkish officials, including the president and the
minister of foreign affairs, and emphasized diligent efforts of the Iranian
authorities to “accurately identify the perpetrators and orderers of this
barbaric and terrorist act”.
The two
foreign ministers also agreed that the official visit by President Raeisi to
the “friendly and brotherly neighbor Turkey” will go ahead in the near future.
Erdogan
had first announced in November that “Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi is
coming to us on the 28th of the month” to focus on forging a joint response to
the Israeli invasion of Gaza, but the visit did not take place due to
conflicting schedules of their foreign ministers.
Both
Turkey and Iran oppose the illegal US presence in Syria and have strongly
condemned the ongoing Israeli genocide against the Palestinians.
Late
Thursday, Amir-Abdollahian took a call from his Syrian counterpart Faisal
Mikdad who strongly condemned the terrorist bombings in Kerman and extended
condolences to the families of the victims.
Mikdad
stressed the need to hold the forces behind the crime responsible and make
necessary coordination to uncover its perpetrators and for the world to get
united against terrorism.
He also
reiterated Syria’s “full solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran, as
people and leadership, and with all families of the victims who met to
commemorate human memory of martyrs of truth and justice, General Qassem
Soleimani and Commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq, late Abu
al-Mahdi al-Muhandis” who were assassinated in a US drone strike in Baghdad on
Jan. 3, 2020.
For his
part, Amir-Abdollahian expressed his appreciation for the solidarity of the
Syrian people with the Iranian people “as the two countries have agreement on
the necessity of combating terrorism in every way and resisting the growing
Zionist tendency to take revenge on the Palestinians and their achievements in
confronting the Zionist attacks on Gaza”.
Pakistani
Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jillani also spoke to Amir-Abdollahian and
“expressed deep condolences over deaths in the dastardly terrorist attack that
took place yesterday in Kerman”, a foreign ministry statement said.
“On
behalf of the Government and people of Pakistan, Foreign Minister expressed
solidarity with the people of Iran at this moment of grief,” it said.
Jillani
“termed terrorism as a common threat to both Pakistan and Iran which needs to
be countered by effective measures”, it added.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/01/04/717614/Iran-Turkey-President-Raeisi-s-visit-Syria-Pakistan-
----
Pakistan
NAB
references: IHC restores 10-year disqualification period for convicts sentenced
by courts
2024-01-05
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday restored the 10-year disqualification
period for the convicts sentenced by the courts in the National Accountability
Bureau (NAB) references under its accountability laws.
A
division bench comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Saman Rafat
Imtiaz issued stay orders while hearing the accountability watchdog’s
application seeking suspension of a single bench’s verdict of limiting the
disqualification to five years since the National Accountability Ordinance
(NAO) provides for a 10-year disqualification for a convict.
The
bench issued the orders while accepting NAB’s application to suspend the single
bench’s order about the disqualification of former Balochistan minister Mir
FaiqJamali and restore the 10-year disqualification period for the NAB convicts
to contest elections. During the hearing, the special NAB prosecutor argued
that the disqualification period starts from the time the convict is released
from jail.
He added
that the PML-N ticker-holder Mir Faiq was awarded a 10-year disqualification.
The prosecutor further said that the Supreme Court had upheld his sentence. He
informed the bench that according to the NAB law, the disqualification will be
for 10 years.
At that
Justice Kayani said the NAB official’s arguments did not address the question
raised as the “sentence is not controversial.” He asked whether the subsidiary
legislation in the Constitution could be different from the interpretation
given in it. To this, the prosecutor replied that the matter had been discussed
in the Constitution’s Article 63 (disqualification of parliament members) in a
“general” sense.
He
contended that the NAB ordinance is a special law and the sentence of 10-year
disqualification is present in it. The prosecutor continued that the apex court
recently upheld the sentence in the Khalid Langove case. Subsequently, the IHC
issued a stay order on the earlier ruling of a single bench restoring 10-year
period for disqualification.
An
accountability court had sentenced Jamali to 14-year imprisonment with a Rs 6
million fine over corruption charges. He was released from prison after
completing his jail term in October 2013.
In July
2019, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the then Chief
Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and
Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, barred Jamali from contesting elections till 2026.
The case was filed by Jamali, seeking clearance to contest the elections.
Source: brecorder.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40282155/nab-references-ihc-restores-10-year-disqualification-period-for-convicts-sentenced-by-courts
-----
Caretaker
PM directs to effectively highlight Pakistan's stance on Kashmir issue at UN
January
05, 2024
Caretaker
Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has directed to effectively highlight
Pakistan's stance on Kashmir issue at the United Nations.
The
Prime Minister issued these directives while meeting Pakistan's Permanent
Representative to the United Nations, Munir Akram, who called on him in
Islamabad today.
He said
identification of opportunities for the economic welfare of the country at the
global level should be the topmost priority of all diplomatic representatives
of Pakistan.
Anwaar-ul-Haq
Kakar appreciated Munir Akram for effectively raising Palestine issue at the
United Nations.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.radio.gov.pk/05-01-2024/caretaker-pm-directs-to-effectively-highlight-pakistans-stance-on-kashmir-issue-at-un
----
Govt
taking steps to promote interfaith harmony in country: Aneeq Ahmed
January
05, 2024
Caretaker
Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Aneeq Ahmed has said the
government is taking concrete steps to promote interfaith harmony in the
country.
Speaking
at a seminar regarding interfaith harmony at a private university in Islamabad
on Friday, he said Islam is a religion of peace and Islamic teachings emphasize
on respect of the believers of all the religions.
The
Minister said Islam gives complete liberty to people to exercise their beliefs.
He said minorities also enjoy complete freedom and safety in Pakistan.
Aneeq
Ahmad said future of Pakistan is bright and there is no reason to spread
disappointment in the society. He stressed on the need to create awareness
among youth about interfaith harmony by organizing seminars in the educational
institutions.
Speaking
in the seminar, Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology Qibla Ayaz lauded
the efforts of Ministry of Religious Affairs to promote interfaith harmony in
the society particularly in young generation. He said social fabric should be
based on interfaith respect and harmony.
Scholars
belonging to different religions also spoke on the occasion and appreciated the
efforts of Pakistan government to organize such seminars in the educational
institutions.
They
also lauded the performance of Evacuee Trust Property Board for launching
projects for welfare of the non-Muslims.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.radio.gov.pk/05-01-2024/govt-taking-steps-to-promote-interfaith-harmony-in-country-aneeq-ahmed
-----
SC
larger bench resumes hearing on lifetime disqualification case
January
05, 2024
Maryam
Nawaz
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court resumed on Friday the hearing on the lifetime
disqualification case — an important judgment that will determine whether
lawmakers’ ineligibility to contest polls is for life or five years under the
amended Election Act 2017 in line with Article 62 (1)(F).
The top
court took notice of the contradictions regarding the duration of
disqualification and an SC verdict during a past hearing on a petition filed by
former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) provincial lawmaker Sardar Meer
Badshah Khan Qaisrani last month.
Qaisrani
had challenged his lifetime disqualification over a fake degree in 2007.
A
seven-member bench — headed by CJP Isa and comprising Justice Syed Mansoor Ali
Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan
Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, and Justice Musarrat Hilali — presided
over the hearing.
Proceedings
were being broadcast live on SC's website and YouTube channel.
In the
previous hearing on Thursday, CJP Isa remarked that disqualifying anyone for
life from parliament was "against Islam", adding that the court was
seeking “clarity” on whether the disqualification period for a lawmaker was
five years — as per the amendment in Election Act 2017 — or a lifetime ban
under the aforementioned article which deals with the criteria to contest
elections.
CJP Isa
said that the solution to this matter is present in Islam.
"The
Holy Quran mentions that the status of humans is very high," the top judge
said, referring to a verse from Surah Sajda which explains that human beings
are not bad but their deeds are.
"Disqualifying
anyone [for life] is against Islam," he added.
Today's
hearing
As the
proceedings commenced today, CJP Isa said that the top court would not take up
individual cases related to elections but would only hear matters related to
constitutional interpretation.
Following
this, Jahangir Tareen's lawyer, Advocate Makhdoom Ali Khan, started his
arguments.
Justice
Shah questioned Khan if according to him, the declaration of disqualification
would come from the civil court. To this, Advocate Khan replied in the
positive.
Justice
Mazhar then asked whether Article 62(1)(f) can be implemented before the
elections or even after the polls.
At this,
Khan replied, "The candidate is disqualified pre-elections if we read
Articles 62 and 62 together".
After
this, the CJP asked, "Why are we limiting ourselves to only one specific
part of the Constitution and disregarding the constitutional history and
fundamental rights?"
"Do
not limit yourself and as a constitutional expert, explain to us in a broader
context," the CJP told the lawyer.
"Does
any other country have such a stringent test for parliamentarians? Are our
politicos different from the politicians of the world?" the chief justice
asked, saying that lifetime disqualification should have some “logic” behind
it.
After
this, Justice Mandokhail inquired whether a lawmaker, who was sentenced for
fraud, contest polls after completing his sentence.
At this,
Advocate Khan replied that one can contest the polls after serving the
sentence. "The sentence for corrupt practices is two years," he
added.
At this
point, Justice Hilali asked whether an entire constituency could be affected by
the mistake of one person. "If a court declares someone dishonest but the
society considers that person honest then what will happen to the
verdict?" Hilali asked.
"Can
the court suspend Section 232 of the Election Act?" interjected Justice
Mazhar. At this, Advocate Khan said that a petition against the said clause is
necessary, and only then the court could take a decision on the amendment.
Justice
Mazhar asked if the returning officer could give a declaration after finding
out a candidate had lied in his papers. To this, the lawyer replied in the
negative, adding that a high court can give a declaration under Article 199.
At this
point, the lawyer said that the court must suspend the decision of lifetime
disqualification in the Samiullah Baloch case.
Justice
Shah inquired whether amendments could be made to the Constitution through
sub-constitutional legislation. At this, CJP Isa replied that amendments can be
made through legislation.
The
court then took a break till Friday prayers.
The case
The fate
of many politicians, including PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and
Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) founder Jahangir Tareen, depends on the verdict
of this case.
Whether
the aforementioned politicians can contest the upcoming polls or not will be
determined by the outcome of the case.
The SC
conducted the last hearing of this case on January 2, during which CJP Isa
advised against assuming that a particular party was being favoured.
Earlier,
during a hearing on December 11 last year, CJP Faez Isa observed that the
Supreme Court’s judgment on lifetime disqualification and the amendments made
to the Elections Act 2017 could not exist simultaneously.
He had
said either the legislation enacted by the parliament to the Elections Act 2017
would prevail or the judgment, delivered by the Supreme Court.
“The
issue has to be settled once and for all,” the CJP had remarked and referred
the matter to a three-member committee, constituted under Section 2 of the
Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023 that decides fixation of cases
before benches of the apex court.
The
Supreme Court, in a judgment in 2018, had held that any person disqualified
under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution would be considered disqualified for
lifetime.
Later
on, the former coalition government of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) made
an amendment to the Elections Act 2017, decreasing the legislators’ disqualification
to five years, retrospectively.
Former
three-time prime minister Nawaz and IPP chief Tareen are the only two lawmakers
who were disqualified for life in June and December 2017, respectively, after
they were found to be "dishonest" under Article 62(1)(f) of the
Constitution.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1144950-sc-larger-bench-resumes-hearing-on-lifetime-disqualification-case
-----
Toshakhana
case: Indictment of IK, Bushra Bibi adjourned till tomorrow
2024-01-05
ISLAMABAD:
An Accountability Court on Thursday deferred the indictment of Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife
Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana corruption reference till January 6.
The
Accountability Court judge, Muhammad Bashir, while hearing the case at Adiala
jail, postponed the framing of charges against Khan and his wife in the
Toshakhana case after the prosecution requested it to grant it time.
The PTI
chief and his wife’s counsel Sardar Latif Khosa and the National Accountability
Bureau (NAB) Deputy Prosecutor General, Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi, and prosecutor
Amjad Pervez appeared before the court.
At the
start of the hearing, the prosecutor requested the court to defer the
indictment and grant it six to seven days.
The
court approved the NAB’s request and adjourned the hearing of the case till
January 6.
Meanwhile,
arguments over the bail pleas of Khan and his wife in the Toshakhana case and
the Al Qadir Trust case could not be completed.
Khosa
while talking to the media after the hearing, said that the NAB has appointed
Amjad Pervez as the new prosecutor who is also the lawyer of Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif.
The new
prosecutor, Amjad Pervez, requested the court to grant him seven to 10 days for
reviewing the case.
He said
that following his insistence and objecting to the prosecutor’s request the
court adjourned the hearing till January 6. The PTI will contest the general
elections whether it gets the bat symbol or not, we have made our strategy in
advance, he said.
Khosa
said that no PML-N candidate can visit their constituency. The PTI chief’s
lawyer further said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) can punish
the Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) under sections 185, 186, and 187 of the
Election Act and can also transfer them. Courts have the responsibility to
ensure the basic rights of people, he said.
The
anti-graft watchdog filed the reference against Khan and his wife on December
21. Khan was disqualified on October 21, 2023, from the National Assembly for
five years by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after he was found
guilty of concealing facts about selling expensive gifts.
According
to the NAB, the inquiry proceedings have revealed that as former prime minister
of Pakistan, Imran Khan was presented with 108 gifted state assets, out of the
same, 58 gifted state assets were retained by Khan.
He did
not deposit the gifted state assets in Toshakhana for fair price assessment in
contravention of rules and subsequently retained said gifted state items worth
millions of rupees, it says.
The
gifted state assets were retained without fair price assessment for your
benefit, it said, adding that moreover, Khan sold/misappropriated some of the
gifted state assets for personal benefit.
Source: brecorder.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40282159/toshakhana-case-indictment-of-ik-bushra-bibi-adjourned-till-tomorrow
------
Africa
Ugandan
LGBTQ rights activist stabbed in 'hate crime'
Jan 5,
2024
Prominent
LGBTQ rights activist Steven Kabuye was attacked and severely injured by
unknown assailants in Uganda while heading to work on Wednesday morning, according
to his organization.
Coloured
Voice - Truth to LGBTQ, shared on the social platform X, reported that Kabuye
is in critical condition, requesting everyone to keep him in their thoughts and
prayers.
A
distressing video on Kabuye's account depicts him in pain, showing a knife in
his stomach and an apparent wound on his arm.
Frank
Mugisha, another rights activist, condemned the attack, emphasizing that
"hate crimes have no place in Uganda" and urged the police to conduct
a thorough investigation, as reported on X.
As of
now, the police have not issued any statements regarding the incident.
Last
year, Uganda passed one of the world's strictest anti-homosexuality laws,
sparking global outcry. The law resulted in the World Bank suspending new loans
to Uganda, and the US imposing visa restrictions on key officials. Convictions
for engaging in homosexual acts carry a potential life imprisonment sentence
under this law.
Rights
groups have contested the law in the Constitutional Court, arguing that it
violates the right to equality and dignity. The government defends the law,
asserting that it safeguards traditional family values.
Disturbingly,
a report by rights groups documented over 300 human rights abuses against LGBTQ
individuals in Uganda during the first eight months of the previous year,
including beatings, torture, arrests, and evictions from homes.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.africanews.com/2024/01/04/ugandan-lgbtq-rights-activist-stabbed-in-hate-crime/
----
Kano
Shari’ah Court orders arrest of Customs officer for failure to honour summon
olaOyelere
January
4, 2024
The Kano
State Upper Shari’ah Court, on Thursday, issued an order for the arrest of a
Customs officer, Yusuf Ismail Mai Biscuit, over
his failure to attend court proceedings concerning a property ownership
case filed against him.
However,
the presiding judge, Garba Hamza Malafa, gave the order in respect to the prayer by counsel to the Applicant,
AbdullahiShehuAliyu.
According
to him, the applicant, Aliyu, approached the court praying for its
intervention, alleging that the defendant threatened to eject him from his
property No 1,136 C located at Kawaji layout, in Nassarawa LGA of Kano State.
The
presiding Judge alleged that Yusuf Ismail Mai Biscuit pasted with red paint on
the wall of his residence, commanding him to vacate from his property despite
the fact that he obtained the property legally from the original owner of the
property.
However,
when the case came up on Thursday for mention, counsel to the applicant,
Barrister Idris Saleh Bello informed the court that the defendant was neither
attending the court nor represented.
Barrister
Bello then prayed the court to use its discretionary power by effecting the
bench warrant against the defendant.
He also
said his prayer was pursuant to the provision of section 352 of ACJL 2019.
Barrister
Bello argued that the bailiff of the court served the defendant with the court
summons, urging him to attend the court on the 4th of January.
“We are
all aware that everyone is governed by the rule of law, now it is 10am and the
defendant was duly informed in the summon paper that the court will commence
sitting by 9am.”
He then
added that his failure to attend the court today without any reason is a contempt of court
which is criminal in nature.
Consequently,
the Court enquired from the bailiff of the court, who confirmed that he served
the defendant with the summon paper hand to hand, which he instantly showed the
court the proof of the service.
The
presiding judge ordered the Nigeria Police to arrest the defendant as prayed.
“Although
the defendant was neither in court and not represented without any ground, the
bailiff affirmed to the court that he served the summons on the defendant,” the
Judge said.
The
presiding Judge stated that this case is a direct complaint from the
complainant’s counsel. “It is therefore crucial the defendant to attend the
court”
Source: tribuneonlineng.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://tribuneonlineng.com/kano-shariah-court-orders-arrest-of-customs-officer-for-failure-to-honour-summon/
-----
ICJ
hears S’Africa’s genocide case against Israel Jan 11
5th
January 2024
Israel
is to face accusation of genocide before an international court, with hearings
based on a South African complaint scheduled for January 11 and 12.
The
dates were announced Wednesday evening by the International Court of Justice,
the highest United Nations court, in The Hague, Netherlands.
The
petition is against the backdrop of the ongoing Isreal-Palestine war, which
began last October and has claimed at least 22,000 lives.
According
to the court, South Africa will present its case on January 11 and Israel on
the 12, with two hours planned for each side.
South
Africa had invoked the Genocide Convention in its complaint filed with the
court on Friday. Both South Africa and Israel have signed the convention.
South
Africa had requested immediate measures, saying the court should order an end
to the violence against Palestinians in order to protect their rights “from
further serious and irreparable harm.”
According
to South Africa, Israel’s attacks are “genocidal in nature,” as they are aimed
at destroying the Palestinians in the area.
LiorHaiat,
a spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, has rejected South Africa’s claims
after the filing.
“Israel
rejects with disgust the blood libel spread by South Africa and its application
with this complaint” to the ICJ, he wrote last week on X.
The
lawsuit “lacks both factual and legal basis,” he wrote, adding that the ICJ and
the international community should “completely reject South Africa’s baseless
claims.”
Hamas is
solely responsible for the suffering in Gaza, as Israel is doing whatever it
can to minimise harm to the civilian population, Haiat wrote.
Hamas
uses Palestinians as human shields and steals humanitarian aid from them, he
added.
The ICJ
is the highest court of the United Nations and is supposed to dispense justice
in conflicts between states.
Its
judgments are binding, but UN judges have no way of enforcing them. To do so,
they would have to appeal to the UN Security Council.
Source: punchng.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://punchng.com/icj-hears-safricas-genocide-case-against-israel-jan-11/
-----
Ogunlana
Drive gets first Mosque
TajudeenAdebanjo
January
5, 2024
For
years, the popular Ogunlana Drive in the heart of Surulere, Lagos, was without
a Mosque where Muslim could congregate to offer five daily prayers.
But an
Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Al Mukhtar, promised to break the jinx. He
commenced the Mosque project on January 2, 2023,
On
Wednesday, January 3, Sheikh Al Mukhtar gathered cream in the society to open
the multi-million ultra-modern mosque.
The ever
busy highbrow Ogunlana Drive received dignitaries from all walks of life. They
came to witness the inauguration of the mosque named Masjid Rosullulah Islamic
Centre.
The
personalities were led by the Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Sulaimon Abou-Nolla;
Sheikh Sulaiman Onikijipa; Sheik Adam Abdullah Al Illory; Sheikh YahyahAgboola;
Sheikh Abdul Qadr Bukhari; Ojora of Ijora, Oba FataiAremuAromire; Oniru of Iru Kingdom, Oba Abdul WasiuLawal;
Oloworo of Oworo, Oba BabatundeSaliu, Adimula of Awori Kingdom, Oba Sulaiman
Adekunle, among others.
The
initiator of the project, Sheikh Al Muktar, Mosques usually play an active role
in the guidance of the Muslim community.
He said
its absence in some major areas in Lagos state is worrisome.
He added
that in Lagos, Islam is not a strange religion, saying it was accepted
wholeheartedly by Lagosians and has played prominent roles during elections.
He said:
“Lagosians embrace Islam out of love for the religion. Traditional religion is
the major practice of the people but when Islam came, they embraced it. Eighty
percent of members of the royal families in Lagos State identify with Islam.
That is the reason most of the monarchs have Muslim names alongside their
traditional names. Also, they always reserve space for Mosque and Eid Prayer
Ground whenever they are selling their lands in their domains.”
He said
the project was a collective effort and was successfully built through generous
support from traditional rulers and Muslim philanthropists.
“So many travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and
Umrah due to how neat and beautiful the place is. Why can’t we have such
beautiful mosques in our state? I broke the jinx and built an ultra-modern
mosque along Ogulana Drive.
“I was
able to achieve the milestone through contribution from Muslim philanthropists
who donated towards the project,” he said.
Sheikh
Abou-Nolla congratulated the initiator of the project.
“If you look at the environment, you will see
that there is no Mosque, most especially on Ogunlana Drive. Alhamdulillah! we
are having one that the Muslims in the vicinity can pray in. Religion is
important to our lives and the Islamic Centre is a major factor in Islam that
we need to reckon with,” he said.
The
Chief Imam of Lagos appealed to the Muslims to collaborate and support the
organisation to maintain the mosque.
Oba
Lawal, who is the chief host, thanked Allah for making the project seen the
light of the day.
“I remember vividly the project started on
January 2, 2023, and exactly a year after, we have a befitting Mosque facility.
I must commend the foundation, group and community for coming together to
achieve this,” he said.
He urged
Muslim philanthropists to collaborate and do more of this project.
“It is a
challenge; this project has inspired us, a lot of us have to do more to ensure
we have this kind of mosque across our various kingdoms,” he noted.
Source: thenationonlineng.net
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://thenationonlineng.net/ogunlana-drive-gets-first-mosque/
------
Arab World
Saudi
Arabia, EU states denounce comments by far-right Israeli officials on
resettlement of Gazans
January
04, 2024
RIYADH —
Saudi Arabia and a number of European nations on Thursday joined the United
States in condemning comments by far-right Israeli officials calling for the
resettlement of Gazans outside of Gaza.
In
recent days, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance
Minister Bezalel Smotrich have reiterated remarks that Israel's war with Hamas
presents an opportunity to encourage Palestinian migration from the enclave.
In a
statement Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry expressed its “condemnation
and categorial rejection of the extremist statements of two ministers in the
Israeli occupation government.”
"The
Kingdom stresses the importance of the concerted efforts of the international
community to activate international accounting mechanisms toward the
persistence of the Israeli occupation government, through its statements and
actions, in violating the rules of international legitimacy and international
humanitarian law," said the statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
Meanwhile,
European Union members including Netherlands and Slovenia echoed earlier
condemnation of the Israeli officials' comments by EU foreign policy chief
JosepBorrell.
“This
does not fit a future two-state solution, with a viable Palestinian state
alongside a secure Israel,” the Dutch Foreign Ministry said in a post on X,
formerly Twitter.
US State
Department spokesperson Matt Miller said Tuesday the US had been "told repeatedly
and consistently" by Israel "that such statements [made by the
far-right officials] do not reflect the policy of the Israeli government."
Responding
to the US rebuke, Ben Gvir on Tuesday called the United States a "good
friend" of Israel but said the "emigration of hundreds of thousands
from Gaza" will allow Israeli settlers to return and "live in
security."
Smotrich
also responded to the State Department's rebuke, saying Israel could not afford
to live in close proximity to "a hotbed of hatred and terrorism where 2
million people wake up every morning with a desire to destroy of the State of
Israel."
Last
month, US officials discussed post-war Gaza governance plans with the
Palestinian Authority along with regional US allies — making it a key focus as
they try to look beyond the immediate conflict.
On
Tuesday, Miller said the State Department had been "clear, consistent, and
unequivocal that Gaza is Palestinian land and will remain Palestinian land,
with Hamas no longer in control of its future and with no terror groups able to
threaten Israel."
"That
is the future we seek, in the interests of Israelis and Palestinians, the
surrounding region, and the world," he said. — Agencies
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/639335/World/Mena/Saudi-Arabia-EU-states-denounce-comments-by-far-right-Israeli-officials-on-resettlement-of-Gazans
-----
First
Batch of Guests of Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj, Umrah and
Visit Arrives in Madinah
04 Jan,
2024
The
first batch of Umrah performers ordered to be hosted in 2024 as part of the
Guests of Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj, Umrah and Visit,
implemented by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, arrived in
Madinah today.
It includes 250 Islamic influential figures
from 14 East Asian countries: Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan,
Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Hong Kong, Japan, Brunei, Thailand, Republic of Korea,
Cambodia, and Mongolia.
The second and third batches of Umrah
performers are scheduled to arrive later today, completing the arrival of the
1000 Umrah performers ordered to be hosted.
Upon arrival in Madinah, the guests expressed
their sincere thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for
their generous gesture, and said that it reflects their commitment to serving
Islam and Muslims.
The General Secretariat of the Guests of
Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj, Umrah and Visit has prepared a
program to enable the guests to visit the Prophet's Mosque, Quba Mosque and
historical sites in Madinah before going to Makkah to perform Umrah.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/f8a6081ea6454476ad9ec7247a841510
-----
Qatar
Condemns Israeli Official’s Remarks
04 Jan,
2024
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar in a statement said that the State of Qatar
condemns in the strongest terms the statements made by the Ministers of Finance
and National Security of the Israeli occupation government regarding the forced
displacement of the residents of Gaza, the reoccupation of the Strip and the
building of settlements. It also considers these statements an extension of the
occupation's approach in violating the rights of the brotherly Palestinian
people, a contempt for international laws and agreements, and its toxic
attempts to block the way to peace opportunities, especially the two-state
solution.
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar affirms that the policy of collective
punishment and forced displacement practiced by the occupation authorities
against the residents of Gaza will not change the fact that Gaza is Palestinian
land, and will remain Palestinian.
The
Ministry stressed in this context the need for the international community to
line up with determination to confront the extremist and provocative policies
of the Israeli occupation, in order to avoid the continuation of the cycle of
violence in the region and its expansion to the world.
According
to the statement, the Ministry reiterates that the only guarantee for achieving
sustainable peace in the Middle East is to reach a just and comprehensive solution
to the Palestinian issue, in accordance with the Arab initiative and the
two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent and
viable state of Palestine on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its
capital, and giving the Palestinian people their inalienable rights.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://tolonews.com/world-186814
----
US
military buildup in Red Sea 'serious' threat to intl. shipping: Yemen
05
January 2024
Yemen's
Ansarullah resistance movement has cautioned that the US militarization of the
Red Sea in an attempt to serve the Israeli regime will pose a serious threat to
international shipping in the strategic waterway.
Ansarullah
made the statement on Friday after the United States, which has over the past
weeks been spearheading a maritime coalition in the Red Sea under the pretext
of safeguarding the transit of vessels in the area, claimed that the Yemeni
forces and the popular resistance movement were targeting international ships
and jeopardizing the security of the Red Sea.
The
United States and the coalition members warned Yemen's Armed Forces of
“consequences” if they continued their missile and drone attacks against ships
en route to Israeli ports in support of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza
Strip.
Ansarullah
said the Yemeni armed forces never attacked international ships and that the
security and safety of international maritime transport in the Red Sea, the
Arabian Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait was guaranteed by them.
“The US
claim and the statement of 12 countries regarding the [Yemeni] threat to
international shipping is not true. This threat stems from the militarization
of the Red Sea by the United States to serve the Israeli regime and encourage
the regime to continue its crimes against Gaza,” the resistance movement said
in a statement.
“The
Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and its genocidal crimes against
Palestinians, which has entered the fourth consecutive month, should have
forced the so-called international community or the UN Security Council to stop
such massacres by the Israeli regime,” it added.
Ansarullah
categorically censured the Israeli
aggression against the besieged territory and said it has so far killed more
than 22,000 Palestinians, injured tens of thousands of others, and
"destroyed everything in Gaza.”
“The
bloody events that have been taking place in Gaza for the past three
consecutive months would not have been possible without the support of the
United States and the complicity of Western countries with the criminal Zionist
regime and encouraging it to continue its crimes against civilians in the Gaza
Strip,” Ansarullah said.
A senior
official of Yemen’s Ansarallah resistance movement says the country’s armed
forces are "eager" to engage in a confrontation with the United
States in case of escalating tensions in the strategic Red Sea.
Underlining
that the regional countries cannot remain idle in the face of Israel’s
genocidal war in Gaza and its suffocating siege on the Palestinian territory,
the resistance movement said, “The Yemeni armed forces have carried out their
missile, drone and naval operations to target the ships of the Israeli regime
or the ships that move towards the ports of occupied Palestine.”
The
statement said the US and its allies should know that their “evil alliance”
will not prevent Yemen from continuing to support the oppressed people of Gaza
by carrying out military operations against the ships of the Israeli regime or
the ships that move towards the occupied Palestinian ports.
“Any
attack on Yemen calls for a large-scale response, and Yemen does not accept any
threat to its security and stability, and rejects the claim of the United
States and its allies that Yemen is a threat to international shipping in the
Red Sea,” Ansarullah said.
“The
alliance of the United States and its allies was formed to support the Israeli
regime and protect the ships of this regime, which is a real threat to the
security and safety of international shipping and the security of the entire
region,” the movement added, stressing that the coalition should bear the
consequences of its escalation in the strategic waterway.
The
spokesperson for Yemen’s armed forces says the country’s military warns that US
support will not protect Israeli shipments in the Red Sea.
Yemenis
have declared their open support for Palestine’s struggle against the Israeli
occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7
after the territory’s Palestinian resistance movements carried out a surprise
retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying
entity.
The
relentless Israeli military campaign against Gaza has killed at least 22,438
people, most of them women and children. More than 57,614 individuals have been
wounded.
Reports
revealed that Israeli shipping companies have already decided to reroute their
vessels in fear of attacks by Yemeni forces.
Yemeni
forces have also launched missile and drone attacks on targets in the
Israeli-occupied territories after the regime’s aggression on Gaza.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/01/05/717632/US-militarization-Red-Sea-serious-threat-to-international-shipping
-----
Europe
Israeli
ambassador to UK claims Gaza mosques, schools have access to tunnels
AysuBicer
04.01.2024
Israel's
Ambassador to the UK TzipiHotovely claimed that all mosques and schools in the
Gaza Strip have access to tunnels, emphasizing the need to destroy them and their
associated infrastructure.
Hotovely
made the remarks while answering questions from journalist Iain Dale on LBC
Radio on Wednesday.
Responding
to a question about her previous statements rejecting a two-state solution,
Hotovely argued that it is the Palestinian side, which rejects any plan and
does not want Jews in Palestinian territories, that opposes a two-state
solution.
"I
think just to make things clear, the Palestinians refused every time they were
offered to have their own state since going back even to 1948. They wanted to
replace the Jewish state. They didn't want ever to have a state next to Israel.
They wanted to replace Israel and this is part of the problem," she said.
When
Dale referred to statements by some Israeli ministers suggesting the relocation
of Palestinians in Gaza to other countries, Hotovely pointed out that ministers
can express their opinions within the Israeli system, which she sees as part of
freedom of expression.
"There
is something very strange about the Israeli system that ministers can say
whatever they want as part of our freedom of speech, but our policy is made at
the moment by the Cabinet War. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that
the Gaza Strip should go through two important things for a better future both
for us and the Palestinians. One is the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.
Second is de-radicalization of the education system in the Palestinian
schools," she added.
She also
claimed that in schools, Palestinian children are taught that they can kill Jews.
Hotovely,
making a characterization of "Nazi ideology" regarding the education
provided in Palestinian schools, including those under United Nations control,
also addressed a question about the bombing of all civilian structures in Gaza.
"I
really want to mention the fact that Gaza has an underground tunnel city and in
order to get to this underground tunnel city, those areas must be destroyed.
"And
one of the things we were exposed to after getting into the areas in Gaza that
we try to find all those tunnels and underground metro city that Hamas has
built thanks to this great support of Iran, Qatar, of the international
community generosity, everything turned to be this horrible terrorist city. One
of the things we realize is that every school, every mosque, every second house
has access to these tunnels."
When
Dale brought up the destruction of entire streets and buildings captured by the
media, Hotovely justified it by saying, "because that entire street is
connected to the tunnel system controlled by Hamas, which poses a threat to our
cities."
Despite
launching a ground operation in late October, Israel has yet to provide
concrete evidence of Hamas tunnels.
On Oct.
27, Israel army spokesman Daniel Hagari claimed that five hospital buildings
were directly involved in Hamas activities and that the buildings sat atop
underground tunnels.
However,
none of the five hospital buildings that Hagari identified appeared to be
connected to the tunnel network, according to The Washington Post's
investigative reports published on Dec. 21. Moreover, there is no evidence that
the tunnels could be accessed from hospital wards, the daily added.
In
response to Dale's suggestion that Israel claims the entire Gaza needs to be
destroyed to eliminate tunnels, causing a humanitarian crisis, Hotovely gave
the example of Tokyo after World War II.
"The
Americans destroyed everything during the Second World War. Basically, Tokyo
was devastated all buildings, hundreds of people were killed and Tokyo got back
to life because after the Japanese were defeated by the Americans after a long
American occupation and a whole change of educational system, Tokyo and modern
Japan has become a great country that everyone admires with its great
technology. I think we need to remember that the problem is not the devastation
of the buildings," she said.
Hotovely
claimed that Israel is trying to minimize civilian casualties by relocating
Gazans to safe areas, but accused Hamas of using civilians as shields.
Hotovely
also called the International Criminal Court case filed by South Africa against
Israel for genocide "absurd," claiming that Israel is a victim of
Hamas aggression. She argued that Hamas should be the party brought to court.
She
expressed her personal belief that Jewish settlements in the occupied
Palestinian territories are legal because they are located in areas where the
Jewish people have had a connection for over 3,000 years.
She also
commented on the issue of illegal activities by Jewish settlers, emphasizing
that Israel is a legal state in which everyone who commits a crime faces
justice.
Source: aa.com.tr
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/israeli-ambassador-to-uk-claims-gaza-mosques-schools-have-access-to-tunnels/3100236
----
Sentencing
hearing continues for man found guilty in London attack on Muslim family
Jan 05,
2024
LONDON,
Ont. — A sentencing hearing is set to continue today for a man who killed four
members of a Muslim family in London, Ont.
Nathaniel
Veltman, 23, was found guilty in November of four counts of first-degree murder
and one count of attempted murder for hitting the Afzaal family with his truck
while they were out for a walk on June 6, 2021.
His
trial was heard in Windsor, Ont., but the sentencing proceedings, including
victim impact statements, are taking place in London, where the attack took
place.
A
relative of the family killed in the truck attack recalled picking up clothes
from her grand-niece’s bedroom floor a day after the murders and “desperately seeking
solace” in her scent for the final time.
Hina
Islam’s comments were among the emotional victim impact statements delivered at
Veltman’s sentencing hearing yesterday after a jury learned he targeted the
Afzaal family because they were wearing traditional Muslim clothing.
Forty-six-year-old
Salman Afzaal; his 44-year-old wife, Madiha Salman; their 15-year-old daughter,
Yumna; and her 74-year-old grandmother, Talat Afzaal, were killed, while the
couple’s nine-year-old son was seriously hurt but survived.
Islam,
Madiha Salman’s aunt, told the sentencing hearing that living in the same
neighbourhood as her cherished relatives offered her “a profound sense of
grounding and security,” but she lost her sense of safety after the attack.
The
attack triggered national calls to combat Islamophobia.
Veltman’s
trial was the first where Canada’s terrorism laws were put before a jury in a
first-degree murder trial.
Justice
Renee Pomerance, who oversaw the trial, instructed the jury they could convict
Veltman of first-degree murder if they unanimously agreed prosecutors had
established he intended to kill the victims, and planned and deliberated his
attack.
She also
told the jurors they could reach that same verdict if they found that the
killings were terrorist activity.
The
terror component isn’t a separate charge, and juries don’t explain how they
reach their verdict, so it’s unclear what role — if any — the terror
allegations played in their decision.
Pomerance
may make findings on that issue as part of the sentencing process later this
month.
Prosecutors
had argued the attack was an act of terrorism by a self-professed white
nationalist while defence lawyers argued Veltman didn’t have criminal intent to
kill the victims and didn’t deliberate and plan the attack.
During
the trial, Veltman testified that he was influenced by the writings of a gunman
who committed the 2019 mass killings of 51 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in
New Zealand.
He also
said he had been considering using his pickup truck, which he bought a month
earlier, to carry out an attack and looked up information online about what
happens when pedestrians get struck by cars at various speeds.
He told
the jury that he felt an “urge” to hit the Afzaal family after seeing them
walking on a sidewalk, adding that he knew they were Muslims from the clothes
they were wearing and he noticed that the man in the group had a beard.
Jurors
had also seen video of Veltman telling a detective that his attack had been
motivated by white nationalist beliefs. Court also heard that he wrote a
manifesto in the weeks before the attack, describing himself as a white
nationalist and peddling unfounded conspiracy theories about Muslims.
This
report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 5, 2024.
Source: nationalpost.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/sentencing-hearing-continues-for-man-found-guilty-in-london-attack-on-muslim-family
------
Stripping
an Islamist terrorist of his Irish citizenship
Bernice
Harrison
Jan 5
2024
The
Department of Justice is to introduce a new process for stripping citizenship
from Irish citizens, three years after the previous system was struck down by
the Supreme Court.
The
system will allow the State to revoke the citizenship of Islamist terrorist Ali
CharafDamache, something it has been trying to do since 2018. A convicted
terrorist, Algerian-born Damache is in jail in the US where his Irish
citizenship helped earn him a shorter sentence through a plea bargain.
About 40
other revocation cases are also pending for a range of other issues, for
example where an applicant has been later found to have given false
information.
Irish
Times crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher explains how Irish
citizenship can be revoked, how rare the move is, on what grounds it might
happen and how the planned new system will change the process.
Source: irishtimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.irishtimes.com/podcasts/in-the-news/stripping-an-islamic-terrorist-of-his-irish-citizenship/
-----
Ukrainian
economy shows certain resilience in 2023, UN report states
5
JANUARY 2024
The
Ukrainian economy demonstrated a modest recovery in 2023, with GDP growth of
4.6% following a previous decline of 29.1%.
Source:
A report by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
on World Economic Situation and Prospects 2024, as reported by Ukrinform news
agency
The
report reads that last year, Ukraine's economy demonstrated a certain
resilience amidst the issues of the current war, especially in terms of
interrupted electricity supply.
Quote:
"There is a slight improvement this year, but this is an improvement on
paper because the economy has already shrunk, and it's very painful," said
Shantanu Mukherjee, Director of the Economic Analysis and Policy Division at
UN-DESA.
He added
that the slight improvement does not signify a full economic recovery compared
to the pre-war period.
The UN
report notes an increase in private consumption and capital expenditure on
reconstruction in Ukraine. Agricultural production was lower than in the
pre-war period, and grain shipments from Black Sea ports remained problematic
after Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
In turn,
alternative export routes face logistical difficulties due to the Russian
attacks on ports on the Danube.
Temporary
restrictions imposed by the EU in the summer on grain imports from Ukraine to
five regional countries, followed by individual restrictions imposed by
Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, have also impacted railway and road transport.
Source: pravda.com.ua
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/01/5/7435946/
----
Southeast Asia
Palestine
solidarity picket: Police record statements from 13 individuals
05-01-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: Police have completed recording the statements of 13 individuals in
connection with the organisation of the 'Kepung Demi Palestin' picket which was
held near the United States (US) Embassy last week.
WangsaMaju
district police chief Supt Ashari Abu Samah said the individuals were
interviewed at WangsaMaju police headquarters (IPD) this morning to facilitate
the investigation under Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
“Several
other individuals will also be called to assist in the investigation,“ he said
when contacted by Bernama.
Former
Batu Member of Parliament Chua Tian Chang, known as Tian Chua, who is also part
of the Palestine Solidarity Secretariat, gave his statement at 10.30 am.
Statements
were also recorded from MCA Youth deputy chief Mike Chong Yew Chuan; MUDA
secretary-general Amir Hariri Abd Hadi; lawyer Datuk AmbigaSreenevasan; Parti
Amanah Negara (Amanah) Youth leader MohdHasbieMuda; Sejagat president Syed
Sheikh Al-Attas Syed Hassan, and social activist HishamuddinRais.
Tian
Chua said the secretariat fully cooperated with the police and answered all
questions related to the six-day picket which started on Dec 26.
“I
believe our action was perfectly legal and protected under the law. It is up to
the police to conclude, if they think otherwise.
“They
(police) are still collecting evidence as to whether it is against the law or
not. It is too early to say,“ he said at a press conference after giving his
statement at the WangsaMaju IPD today.
The
picket was an initiative by Malaysians concerned with the ongoing crisis in
Gaza, which has so far killed approximately 21,822 Palestinians as of Dec 31,
as well as a sign for peace.
It
symbolised the siege on Gaza and demanded an immediate ceasefire and halt to
the killing of Palestinians.
The
gathering brought together 48 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) comprised
of community, youth, and student bodies as well as a diverse spectrum of
political groups. –Bernama
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://thesun.my/local_news/palestine-solidarity-picket-police-record-statements-from-13-individuals-GN11947054
----
Japan to
accept earthquake relief from US only
Jan 5, 2024
TOKYO:
Japan plans to accept a relief team from the United States but no aid from
other governments, the daily Nikkei reported on Friday, four days after an
earthquake killed 91 people and forced the evacuation of thousands in the Noto
peninsula.
The US
and Japan are discussing how and when the US would dispatch troops to the Noto
peninsula, the Nikkei report said.
"We
are not accepting any personnel or material aid at the moment given the
situation on the ground and the efforts that would be required to receive
them," Japan's top spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Friday.
He added
that he would not comment on what discussions have taken place with the US
Japanese
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said there were offers for help and messages of condolence
from governments including Taiwan and China.
The full
extent of casualties and damage from the earthquake that struck on New Year's
Day remains unclear, with rescue teams struggling to reach hard-hit areas due
to severed roads and damaged infrastructure.
But with
more than 200 people still unaccounted for, the disaster is likely the
deadliest since 2016 and could be the worst since a massive earthquake and
tsunami struck the east coast of Japan in 2011.
The US
armed forces was deeply involved in disaster relief efforts in the 2011
earthquake, providing over 24,000 personnel with 24 ships and 189 aircraft.
"We
may receive assistance in the future, but nothing has been decided at this
time," a spokesperson for Japan's Ministry of Defence told Reuters on
Friday.
The US
forces have about 54,000 personnel in Japan, making Japan the host of the
biggest US military presence abroad, according to the Chicago Council on Global
Affairs.
At least
100 hectares (247 acres) of land also appears to be flooded from a tsunami
triggered by the earthquake, the daily Asahi newspaper reported citing Japan's
transport ministry.
"We
still don't have a full picture, and it's likely that the area flooded by the
tsunami could spread," an unnamed transport ministry official said
according to the report.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/japan-to-accept-earthquake-relief-from-us-only/articleshow/106558949.cms
----
Japan
quake death toll rises to 92, missing 242
Jan 5,
2024
The
death toll from a devastating earthquake in central Japan rose to 92 on Friday,
regional authorities said, with the number of missing jumping to 242.
Two
elderly women were pulled from the rubble, but hopes of finding other survivors
faded as thousands of rescuers raced against the clock four days after the
7.5-magnitude quake on New Year's Day.
Thousands
of rescuers from all over Japan have been battling aftershocks and roads
littered with gaping holes and blocked by frequent landslides in the Ishikawa
region to reach hundreds of people in stranded communities.
On
Thursday afternoon, 72 hours after the quake, the two older women were
miraculously pulled alive from the remains of their homes in Wajima, one of
them thanks to a sniffer dog called Jennifer.
The port
city of Wajima on the Noto Peninsula was one of the worst hit, with a pungent
smell of soot still in the air and faint columns of smoke visible from a huge
fire that destroyed hundreds of structures on the first day.
"I
was relaxing on New Year's Day when the quake happened. My relatives were all
there and we were having fun," Hiroyuki Hamatani, 53, told AFP amid the
burnt-out cars, wrecked buildings and fallen telegraph poles.
"The
house itself is standing but it's far from livable now... I don't have the
space in my mind to think about the future," he told AFP.
The
powerful main tremor, followed by hundreds of aftershocks, injured at least 330
people, local authorities said.
Around 30,000
households were without electricity in the Ishikawa region, and 89,800 homes
there and in two neighbouring regions had no water.
Hundreds
of people were in government shelters.
The Suzu
area was also devastated, with fishing boats sunk or lifted like toys onto the
shore by tsunami waves that also reportedly swept one person away.
NoriakiYachi,
79, fought back tears after his wife was pulled from the rubble there and
confirmed dead, the Asahi Shimbun daily reported.
"My
life with her was a happy one," Yachi said.
Japan
experiences hundreds of earthquakes every year and most cause no damage, with
strict building codes in place for more than four decades.
Earthquakes
have hit the Noto region with intensifying strength and frequency over the past
five years.
The
country is haunted by a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea quake in 2011, which
triggered a tsunami that left around 18,500 people dead or missing.
It also
swamped the Fukushima atomic plant, causing one of the worst nuclear disasters
in history
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/asia/japan/news/japan-quake-death-toll-rises-92-missing-242-3511511
----
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/non-muslim-children-madrasas-ncpcr-data/d/131459