Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir Says “Stable Hands And A Healing Touch To Move On From The Politics Of Anarchy And Polarisation”
New
Age Islam News Bureau
11
February 2024
Supporters
of Pakistan’s imprisoned former PM Imran Khan and Jamaat-e-Islami party chant
slogans during a protest against the delaying result of parliamentary election
by Pakistan Election Commission, in Karachi, Pakistan, on February 10, 2024. |
Photo Credit: AP
------
• Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir Says “Stable Hands
And A Healing Touch To Move On From The Politics Of Anarchy And Polarisation”
• Cometh Elections, Cometh CAA: Amit Shah Arms Modi
Government With Another Polarising Plank
• Opposition BNP & Radical Forces Encourage “India
Out” Campaign In Bangladesh
• In an Election Year, Trump’s Anti-Muslim Sentiments
Again Loom Large
• Tehran ‘Never Sought’ To Expand War In The Region,
Iran’s FM Says
Pakistan
• Pakistan Supreme Court Urged By A Petition To Order
Independents To Join Party Within Three Days
• Courts Flooded With Challenges As PTI-Backed
Hopefuls Assail ‘Rigging’
• Showdown as protests erupt against ‘rigged’
elections in Karachi
• MPA-elect among many PPP men booked over election
violence in Karachi
• Three PTI-backed NA candidates challenge provisional
poll results
• PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur may vacate DI Khan’s NA
seat
-----
India
• Community Citizenship Will Not Be Snatched Away,
Says Amit Shah
• Islamic Association For Peace, A Calcutta-Based
Organisation Cries China 'Persecution' Of Uyghurs
• NIA Carries Out Raids At 15 Locations In JEI Terror
Funding Case In J-K
• 6 Insurgents From Bangladesh Surrender In Tripura
-----
South
Asia
• How an Afghan Drug Kingpin Became Beijing’s Man in
Kabul
• 6 insurgents from Bangladesh surrender in Tripura
• Foreign currency smuggle attempt foiled in Islam
Qala port
• 8 killed, 1 injured in Afghanistan last week
• The positive stories Afghanistan needs
• Asia Album: Pottery making factory in Afghanistan
• Maoists were armed by ULFA, got 2 consignments of weapons
from Bangladesh, says Rajeev Bhattacharyya in his book
-----
North
America
• Two US Teens Seek Jewish-Muslim Dialogue In Strained
New Jersey Community
• US threatening sanctions to tear New Delhi away from
Moscow: Russian Envoy
• Nikki Haley Challenges Donald Trump On Her Home Turf
In South Carolina As GOP Primary Looms
-----
Mideast
• Iran Marks 45th Anniversary of Islamic Revolution
• Iranians start marking anniversary of Islamic
Revolution
• Iranians hold nationwide rallies to mark Islamic
Rev. anniv.
• Iran foreign minister’s claim on Hamas war: ‘US
asked us to request Hezbollah…’
• At least 9 Pakistanis killed in shooting in
southeastern Iran: Report
-----
Southeast Asia
• Indonesia's 2 Largest Islamic Groups Call for
Peaceful Presidential Elections
• Bersatu info chief tells Fahmi to ‘watch his mouth’
after Muhyiddin accused of disinformation over Kelantan constitutional
challenge
• Lawyers: Federal Court has jurisdiction to overturn
civil, Shariah laws that are in conflict with Constitution
• Johor Umno to organise Malay convention in June,
says Onn Hafiz
• Shariah Judiciary Dept: Federal Court’s Decision
Solely Because Provisions Exceeded • Jurisdiction Granted To State Legislative
Body
-----
Arab World
• Arab And Islamic Ambassadors’ Reception Honours
Brazilian President Lula
• Qatar felicitates Iran on Islamic Revolution
anniversary
• Ministry of Labour to organise myriad of sports
events at Museum of Islamic Art Park
• Saudi authorities thwart attempt to smuggle hashish
• KSrelief continues food security projects in Sudan,
Lebanon, Yemen
• Saudi embassies worldwide join Catwalk initiative
for ‘big cat’ conservation
• Saudi pavilion at New Delhi book fair showcases
culture, heritage
• UNRWA praises strategic cooperation with KSrelief
• Hai Vogue spotlights creativity and youth at
Al-Balad
-----
Europe
• Hungary's President Resigns Over A Pardon To Man
Convicted In Child Sexual Abuse Case
• King Charles gives 'heartfelt' thanks for support
after cancer diagnosis
• Harvard study says exercise not enough to balance
heart attack risk due to sugary drinks
• 'G20 was a clear confirmation': Russian envoy backs
permanent seat for India at UNSC
-----
Africa
• “I Am Seeking For Nothing Except To Leave A Country
In Peace” Sall Says As Protests Erupt
• Ramadan: Sultan Sends Crucial Message To Nigerian
Muslims
• Senegal: Clashes spread over election postponement
• Election protests turn deadly in Senegal
• Ecowas in crisis: Why West Africa's united front is
in tatters
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pakistan-army-anarchy-polarisation/d/131695
-----
Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir Says “Stable Hands And
A Healing Touch To Move On From The Politics Of Anarchy And Polarisation”
Supporters
of Pakistan’s imprisoned former PM Imran Khan and Jamaat-e-Islami party chant slogans
during a protest against the delaying result of parliamentary election by
Pakistan Election Commission, in Karachi, Pakistan, on February 10, 2024. |
Photo Credit: AP
------
February 11, 2024
KARACHI: As political parties make their moves to secure
alliances and assurances to form governments in the Centre and Punjab after the
elections, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has said the nation
needs “stable hands and a healing touch to move on from the politics of anarchy
and polarisation”.
In a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public
Relations (ISPR), which seems to endorse political efforts towards forming a
coalition among various political actors, the army chief said: “Political
leadership and their workers should rise above self-interests and synergise
efforts in governing and serving the people, which is perhaps the only way to
make democracy functional and purposeful.”
He said as the people reposed their combined trust in
the Constitution, it was “incumbent upon all political parties to reciprocate
the same with political maturity and unity. As we move forward from this
national milestone we must reflect on where the country stands today and where
our rightful place should be in the comity of nations”.
“Pakistan’s diverse polity and pluralism will be
well-represented by a unified government of all democratic forces imbibed with
national purpose,” he added.
“Elections and democracy are means to serve people of
Pakistan and not ends in themselves. The nation needs stable hands and a
healing touch to move on from the politics of anarchy and polarisation which
does not suit a progressive country of 250 Million people. Elections are not a
zero-sum competition of winning and losing but an exercise to determine the
mandate of the people.”
“Political leadership and their workers should rise
above self-interests and synergise efforts in governing and serving the people
which is perhaps the only way to make democracy functional and purposeful,” the
army chief said.
The COAS congratulated the entire nation, caretaker
government, Election Commission of Pakistan, political parties and all winning
candidates on successful conduct of elections. “The free and unhindered
participation by Pakistani people to exercise their right of vote demonstrated
their commitment to democracy and the rule of law as enshrined in Constitution
of Pakistan,” he said.
Gen Munir praised the personnel of law-enforcement
agencies for creating a safe and secure environment for the electoral process,
despite overwhelming odds.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1813201/army-chief-backs-efforts-towards-healing-alliances
-----
Cometh Elections, Cometh CAA: Amit Shah Arms Modi
Government With Another Polarising Plank
Amit Shah/File picture
------
Imran Ahmed Siddiqui
11.02.24
Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the
Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA would be notified and implemented before the
upcoming general election, appearing to arm the Narendra Modi government with
another polarising plank ahead of the polls.
The CAA, passed by Parliament in December 2019,
fast-tracks Indian citizenship for all refugees and asylum seekers from
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh except for the Muslims among them, and is
therefore seen by many as violating the constitutional principle of secularism.
“The CAA is an act (law) of the country. It will be
notified before the polls. There should be no confusion about it,” Shah said at
the ET-Now Global Summit in Delhi.
Shah added: “Our Muslim community is being misled and
instigated — the CAA is only meant to give citizenship to those who came to India
after facing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. It is not for
snatching anyone’s Indian citizenship.”
However, coupled with the promised update of the
National Register of Citizens (NRC) — which will seek to weed out non-citizens
based on select documents, including decades-old legacy papers — the CAA can
well be seen as a potential threat to Indian Muslims.
The CAA benefits persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Jains,
Buddhists, Parsis and Christians who came over to India before December 31, 2014,
from the three neighbouring Muslim-majority countries.
The CAA had triggered countrywide protests between
December 2019 and March 2020 — till the pandemic struck — the most prominent of
them being the 100-day women-led demonstration in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh. Police
firing and related violence killed many protesters across the country.
The CAA is expected to bring electoral gain to the BJP
in border states such as Bengal and Assam where illegal immigration from
Bangladesh has been used as a political issue. A recent NRC update in Assam has
already excluded lakhs of Hindus and Muslims from the citizens’ list.
The BJP had used the promise of implementing the CAA
as a polarising plank during the 2021 Assembly polls in Bengal, where 30 per
cent of the population is Muslim. But the issue brought it little purchase and
the party was routed.
Bengal BJP leaders have recently become vocal again
about a swift implementation of the CAA, portraying it as a one-stop solution
for all the problems faced by, for instance, the Matuas — a Hindu community
most of whose members came over from Bangladesh.
State BJP leaders are said to have told their central
leadership that if the CAA isn’t implemented at the earliest, the party would
lose further ground in Bengal.
“The CAA was a promise of the Congress government.
When the country was divided and minorities were persecuted in those countries,
the Congress had assured the refugees that they were welcome in India and would
be provided with Indian citizenship,” he said.
Source: Telegraph India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
-----
Opposition BNP & Radical Forces Encourage “India
Out” Campaign In Bangladesh
Photo: Economic Times
-----
By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury
Feb 11, 2024
New Delhi: The recent “India Out” campaign in
Bangladesh close on the heels of a similar campaign in Maldives has its origin
in anti-liberation and radical sections in the neighbouring country that enjoys
patronage of Pakistan and pro-Pak parties including BNP and outlawed
Jamaat-e-Islami.
The campaign has the potential to rock Bangladesh
economy as citizens are being encouraged to boycott Indian products that
dominate daily lives, Dhaka-based sources told ET. The campaign, sources
claimed, is aimed at weakening Bangladesh economy and subsequently the Hasina
government akin to the artificial crisis that was created in early 1970s to
weaken the then Sheikh Mujib government.
There are reports that suppliers for the Indian
consumer goods giant Marico recently faced a lukewarm reception in Dhaka’s
Panthapath area much to their surprise. Grocery shops, usually eager to stock
their shelves with hair oil, cooking oil, body lotion and other products, refused
to take new deliveries.
Exiled BNP leaders in UK and London are allegedly
behind the boycott call following Sheikh Hasina’s return to power for the
fourth straight time and want to target Bangladesh’s principal development
partner India, alleged an expert on India-Bangladesh ties.
The traditional anti-India forces, largely radical
elements and pro-BNP segment of Bangladesh society, may have drawn inspiration
from Maldives President Mohammed Muizzu’s “India Out” campaign, alleged the
above-mentioned expert. BNP yet again boycotted the national elections alleging
it was an “one-sided affair”.
Obaidul Quader, general secretary of Awami League, is
of the opinion that the “India out” campaign is run by opposition parties who
instead of taking part in the election blame “India for their misfortune.”
“They [the opposition parties] have this trump card of
bashing India if anything goes against them,” said Quader, “I don’t think
common people of Bangladesh support this campaign. They know that the Awami
League will never work against the interest of people.”
Hashtag #BoycottIndianProducts picked up momentum when
several X accounts allegedly backed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
launched what appears to be a coordinated campaign on January 18, a day after
BNP’s media cell claimed that “opposition to India is increasing in Bangladesh”
and that “Bangladesh has suffered the most politically due to the wrong
policies of the Indian government.”
But her term came to an end after she pardoned a man
sentenced in 2018 to more than three years in prison. He was found guilty of
pressuring victims to retract their claims of sexual abuse by the institution's
director, who was sentenced to eight years for abusing at least 10 children
between 2004 and 2016.
"I decided in favor of clemency in April of last
year in the belief that the convict did not abuse the vulnerability of the
children entrusted to him. I made a mistake," Novak said Saturday. "I
apologize to those I have hurt and to any victims who may have felt I am not standing
up for them.
Also implicated was JuditVarga, another key Fidesz
figure who was minister of justice at the time and endorsed the pardon. Varga
was expected to lead the list of European Parliament candidates from Fidesz
when elections are held this summer.
But in a Facebook post on Saturday, Varga announced
that she would take political responsibility and "retire from public life,
resigning my seat as a member of parliament and also as leader of the EP
list."
At the presidential headquarters in Budapest on
Saturday evening, around 200 people gathered in what was originally planned as
a protest to call on Novak to resign.
"I'm glad that she resigned but I think things
aren't solved this way. She's not the main criminal, you've got to look all the
way to the top," said Anna Bujna.
ErzsebetSzapunczay, another attendee, said she was
"very, very happy" with Novak's resignation, but that "she
should have resigned from the first moment, like many people in this
government, because she's not alone.
"Her resignation was correct, because this way
she saves herself from even more people hating her and being outraged that she
represented this country until now," she said.
Orban's Fidesz enjoys the highest level of support
among Hungary's political parties, and a fragmented opposition has contributed
to his winning four straight election victories.
His government, considered the most friendly to the
Kremlin in the European Union, has been criticized within the bloc for holding
up key decisions such as support for Ukraine and admitting Sweden into the NATO
military alliance.
On Saturday, the head of Fidesz's parliamentary
delegation, Mate Kocsis, said in a statement that Novak and Varga had made a
"responsible decision," and that the party was grateful for their
work.
Source: Indianexpress.Com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story
-----
In an Election Year, Trump’s Anti-Muslim Sentiments
Again Loom Large
Photo: Good Men Project
------
February 11, 2024
By KOUROSH ZIABARI
For many young Iranians reeling from the Islamic
Republic’s authoritarianism, education and exchange programs overseas represent
a breakout opportunity to pursue a new life in relative freedom and safety.
There are 9,295 students from Iran studying in the U.S. as of 2022, making Iran
the 15th-ranked country of origin of international students in America, despite
the absence of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
As the presidential race heats up this election year,
the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House has given renewed
impetus to anti-Muslim sentiments nationwide. And the former president is
poised to again target immigrants, including those hailing from Muslim-majority
countries. As Trump’s bête noire, Iran is expected to be caught in the
crosshairs, and young Iranians, including exiled professionals and students,
fear they may face renewed reprisal–because of their country of birth.
The American Middle Eastern Network for Dialogue at
Stanford, known as AMENDS, is a student-led initiative founded in 2011 that
brings youth leaders from the Middle East and North Africa, including Iran, to
Stanford University in California to take part in programs aimed at forging
closer ties with the U.S. Each year as many as 30 participants – among them
aspiring entrepreneurs, artists and activists – participate in sessions in
which they can share their achievements and perspectives with members of the
campus community.
Esmaeil Pirhadi, a musician and traditional
multi-instrumentalist from Iran, was 25 years-old when he learned he had been
accepted as a 2017 AMENDS fellow. He was told his flight tickets would be
purchased, his lodging would be arranged and he would receive a letter inviting
him to apply for a visa at a U.S. embassy in a neighboring country. Before he
could embark on his journey, then-President Donald Trump introduced Executive
Order 13769, better known as the Muslim ban. Pirhadi, now 32, has yet to visit
the U.S.
“Myopia doesn’t have borders,” Pirhadi said. “It can
be the product of an undemocratic system or the product of the thinking of an
intolerant leader in a democratic country.”
He completed his master’s in ethnomusicology at Tehran
University of Art in fall 2021 and now works as a part-time lecturer at his
alma mater.
The executive order, signed by Trump on Jan. 27, 2017,
was superseded 38 days later by another presidential directive that blocked the
nationals of six Muslim-majority countries — Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria
and Yemen — from traveling to the U.S. Iraq was originally on the list and then
removed in the modified version of the travel ban. The order, which faced legal
challenges as unconstitutional by enforcing religious discrimination and violating
the Establishment clause of the First Amendment, was upheld by the Supreme
Court.
The ban followed through on Trump’s pledges as a
presidential candidate. “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete
shutdown of Muslims entering the United States,” he said in December 2015.
Trump ramped up his anti-Muslim rhetoric throughout the 2016 election campaign
and the travel ban was one of his first major policy initiatives in office.
President Joe Biden has since lifted the moratorium
and Trump has vowed to reinstate a more comprehensive version if he is
reelected to the White House in November.
The restrictions were conceived on the assumption that
Muslim migrants, as well as dual citizens, posed a threat to the U.S. and that
denying them travel rights would make the country safer. The order referred to
protecting the nation from “foreign terrorist entry” as its goal. Critics of
the ban say there is little evidence that Muslims constitute an existential
threat or that the prohibitions strengthened U.S. national security.
“The domestic law enforcement agencies have repeatedly
highlighted that the greatest terror threat facing the United States comes from
groups associated with the far-right, not those associated with militant
jihadism,” Jon Hoffman, a policy analyst in defense and foreign policy at the
Cato Institute in Washington, said in an interview with Columbia News Service.
According to the Government Accountability Office,
domestic terrorism-related activity increased by 357% from 2013 to 2021. From
Sept. 12, 2001, when President George W. Bush declared the War on Terror, to
April 2017, radical Islamists were responsible for 27% of the 85 violent
extremist incidents that resulted in death on the U.S. soil, while white
supremacists and far-right terrorists perpetrated 73% of the lethal violence.
Trump never railed against domestic terrorists.
Biden revoked the travel ban on his first day in
office and introduced measures to remedy some of the damage caused to
individuals and families by his predecessor. For example, Biden proposed that
immigrant visa applications of people from the targeted countries who were
turned down because of their national origins should be reconsidered. He said
the previous actions were “a stain on our national conscience” that defied the
nation’s history of welcoming people of all faiths.
Recent studies point to continuing harm caused by
Trump’s travel ban, other immigration policies and derisive rhetoric. The
effects include an erosion of mental and physical wellbeing of those targeted
by the actions. Studies reveal a surge in anxiety and trauma across the
demographics that were singled out by the former president.
Researchers at the Warren Alpert Medical School of
Brown University in Providence, R.I., link the travel ban to an increase in
missed primary care appointments and more frequent emergency department visits
among people from Muslim-majority countries living in Minnesota. In their
study, published in 2021, the researchers, led by Elizabeth Samuels, followed
nearly 18,000 residents in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area born in nations
targeted by the travel ban and tracked their health from 360 days before the
order was signed until 360 days afterwards.
The researchers concluded that in the period following
the presidential order, people from the targeted countries made 232 additional
emergency department visits to clinics and hospitals in the region and missed
101 additional appointments than what they were otherwise expected to miss. A
surge of emergency hospitalizations was attributed to a jump in stress-related
diagnoses. The missed scheduled appointments, analysts said, were due to these
people being increasingly fearful of being asked questions about their origins.
“It’s clear that U.S. immigration policies can have
significant effects on the health of people living here in the U.S.,” Samuels
said in an interview posted on Brown’s website.
The executive order reinforced concerns among Muslims
about Islamophobia in the U.S., according to Eli Clifton, a research director
at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a Washington-based research
group.
“Trump’s Muslim Ban confirmed the worst suspicions for
much of the Muslim world about U.S. antipathies towards Muslim, and non-white,
populations,” he said in an interview. “The ban explicitly targeted a group for
their religious affiliations while making exceptions for Muslims from countries
that had long standing security or military aid agreements with the U.S., such
as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan.”
Don’t like ads? Become a supporter and enjoy The Good
Men Project ad freeAmna Khalid, an associate professor of history at Carleton
College in Northfield, Minn., said the travel ban mirrored deep-seated though
unfounded bias against Muslims by U.S. policymakers. “The ban was rooted in
ridiculous assumptions,” she told Columbia News Service. “I doubt it had any
impact on safety in America.”
Hoffman of the Cato Institute said Trump used the
travel ban simply as a political tool. “Trump does not care about the human
costs since he wants power,” Hoffman said. “If Islamophobia is viewed by him as
a lucrative political currency among his base of supporters, he will continue
to exploit it for his own gain.”
Despite the anti-Muslim suspicions that were elevated
by Trump, Muslim-Americans are by some measures among the nation’s most
successful minority groups. According to the Institute for Social Policy and
Understanding, U.S. Muslims are more likely to have earned a college degree
compared with their fellow residents. In the 25 or older age group, 46% of
Muslim-Americans hold college degrees, compared with 38% for the overall
population.
Iranian-Americans in particular excel in education and
achievement. According to the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, a
Washington-based nonprofit, 86% of Iranian-Americans hold at least one college
degree. One in five Iranian-American households have annual income exceeding
$100,000, compared to the median income of $74,580 for all U.S. households,
according to 2022 Census data.
Trump acknowledged the accomplishments of
Iranian-Americans in a message on the occasion of the 2017 Persian New Year,
Nowruz. “For many years, I have greatly enjoyed wonderful friendships with
Iranian-Americans, one of the most successful immigrant groups in our country’s
contemporary history,” he said in a statement published by the White House.
Still, under the former president, U.S. relations with
a number of Muslim countries deteriorated after improving during the
administration of Barack Obama.
Trump’s rhetorical attacks on Muslims added to a
climate of fear toward the nearly 3.5 million Muslims in the U.S. and landed
amid rising Islamophobic violence. In July 2019, he aimed a series of derisive
tweets at four Democratic congresswomen, which included two Muslims, Ilhan Omar
and Rashida Tlaib.
“Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally
broken and crime infested places from which they came,” the then president
wrote.
Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security
advisor, was one of the influential administration officials voicing negative
views of Muslims. In November 2016, speaking at the Ahavath Torah Congregation
in Stoughton, Mass., Flynn referred to “Islamism” as “a vicious cancer inside
the body of 1.7 billion people on this planet and it has to be excised.”
In the first year of the Trump presidency, anti-Muslim
hate crimes increased 15%, surpassing the 2001 levels, according to the Council
on American-Islamic Relations. In a survey in the early months of the Trump
presidency, the Washington-based Pew Research Center found unprecedented
anxiety and unease among Muslims in the U.S. Although most of them said they
still believed in the promise of the “American Dream,” 75% of American Muslims
reported that they perceived a lot of anti-Mulsim discrimination.
“There is no question that former President Trump’s
various and eventually successful efforts to enact a Muslim ban did tremendous
harm to relations between the United States and Muslim communities everywhere,”
Caleb Elfenbein, a professor of history and religious studies at Grinnell
College in Iowa, said in an interview. “It eroded a good deal of whatever trust
there might have been, as bad policies often do. The effects and legacies of
policies always outlast implementation.”
According to Elfenbein, Trump capitalized on
anti-Muslim social movements that grew between 2001 and his election in 2016
and created the conditions for that momentum to be rekindled. “His Islamophobic
rhetoric built on a movement that merely required activation to achieve a more
prominent place in American public life,” Elfenbein said.
Louise Cainkar, a sociology professor at Marquette
University, maintains that the Trump administration’s anti-Muslim policies were
less an anomaly than an extension of U.S. politics in the post-9/11 era.
American Muslims have generally found it difficult to integrate into mainstream
life or have been met with conditional inclusion while being scapegoated.
“I think the Muslim world is used to this kind of
anti-Muslim stuff emanating from the U.S. – it is nothing new,” she said in an
interview. “Trump did not start the flames of racial intolerance but hate crime
data shows he increased them and made them more violent.”
While the Biden administration has rescinded the
travel ban and recently unveiled the country’s first National Strategy to
Counter Islamophobia, Muslims remain a vulnerable community in the U.S. The
ripple effects of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip portend a new
challenge for Muslim Americans.
In the view of Muslims around the world, Islamophobia
is entrenched in U.S. society, according to Lawrence Pintak, former dean of the
Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University and author of
“America & Islam: Soundbites, Suicide Bombs and the Road to Donald Trump.”
“Calls in recent weeks for the revoking of visas for
Palestinians or even the expulsion of Palestinians already in the country,
against the backdrop of the Biden administration’s ironclad support for Israel,
confirm that for many,” Pintak said in an interview. “There is every evidence
that anti-Muslim sentiment will again be weaponized in the 2024 election cycle
as a result of the Gaza conflict.
Source: Goodmenproject.Com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story
-----
Tehran ‘Never Sought’ To Expand War In The Region, Iran’s
FM Says
Iranian Foreign Minister
Hossein Amir-abdollahian speaks during a news conference [File: Atta
Kenare/AFP]
------
10 Feb 2024
Iran has never sought war in the region, the country’s
foreign minister has said on a visit to Lebanon to discuss Israel’s war on Gaza
and its impact on regional security.
“Iran and Lebanon confirm that war is not the
solution, and that we absolutely never sought to expand it,” Foreign Minister
Hossein Amir-abdollahian said at a news conference alongside Abdallah Bou
Habib, Lebanon’s foreign minister, in Beirut on Saturday.
His visit to Beirut came as the United States and
Israel have continued to blame Iran and its aligned armed groups in Iraq,
Syria, Lebanon and Yemen for escalating tensions in the region via attacks on
US and Israeli targets.
“After months of aggression and genocide by the
Zionist regime [Israel] in Gaza and the West Bank, Tel Aviv has not achieved
any of its stated goals,” Amir-abdollahian told reporters.
During his visit, the Iranian diplomat met Lebanese
Prime Minister Najib Mikati, speaker of Lebanon’s Parliament, ZiadNakhale, the
secretary-general of the Islamic Jihad Movement, and some Hamas officials. He
also met Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
After his meetings in Lebanon, Amir-abdollahian is
scheduled to visit the Syrian capital Damascus, where Iran also allegedly
wields influence over other groups. He is then due to head to Qatar, which has
been the main mediator between Israel and Hamas.
Some political analysts viewed the Iranian foreign
minister’s trip tour to Lebanon and other regional countries as a way of
influencing the outcome of negotiations on the Gaza war.
Iran was not represented in Saudi Arabia at a meeting
on Thursday, where ministers from Arab nations discussed initiatives for Gaza
after the war ends.
“Interestingly, the exclusion of Iran and inclusion of
Qatar is something for us to take note of because the Saudis were saying that
this is an Arab problem that requires Arab solutions. Iran, of course, wants to
have a say in what transpires once the war is over,” Mehran Kamrava, a
political analyst, told Al Jazeera.
On Saturday, Amir-abdollahian said a political
solution was the only way to end the Gaza conflict, and that Tehran was in
talks with Riyadh on the issue.
Moreover, Khodr pointed out that his trip to Lebanon
also coincided with the Israeli threat to widen its attacks on Hezbollah if it
does not get security guarantees along the border.
After 17 years of relative calm along the
Israel-Lebanon border, Hezbollah and the Israeli army began launching attacks
in the area on October 8, a day after Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing
about 1,100 people there, and Israel launched a relentless assault on Gaza that
has killed more than 28,000 Palestinians.
On Friday, Amir-abdollahian told reporters in Beirut
that “Hezbollah and the resistance in Lebanon have courageously and wisely
carried out their deterring and effective role”.
He said Tehran will continue “its strong support to
the resistance in Lebanon, as we consider Lebanon’s security as the security of
Iran and the region”.
Source: Www.Aljazeera.Com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
-----
Pakistan
Pakistan Supreme Court Urged By A Petition To Order
Independents To Join Party Within Three Days
Nasir Iqbal
February 11, 2024
ISLAMABAD: A petition has been filed in the Supreme
Court to bind the elected independent candidates to join a political party
within three days of the official notification of their victory.
The petition has been filed two days after the general
elections, the unofficial result of which shows PTI-backed independent
candidates in clear majority in the National, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
assemblies so far.
The application, filed by Advocate Moulvi Iqbal Haider
on Saturday, argued that part of the national or provincial assemblies as an
independent member should be unfair, illegal, unconstitutional and contrary to
the parliamentary form of governance.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1813167/sc-urged-to-order-independents-to-join-party-within-three-days
-----
Courts flooded with challenges as PTI-backed hopefuls
assail ‘rigging’
Imran Gabol
February 11, 2024
LAHORE/KARACHI/ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR/GUJRAT: The courts
were flooded with legal challenges on Saturday as candidates challenged the
provisional results in their constituencies in a bid to turn the tide.
A vast majority of those filing such challenges were
PTI-backed independents, including high-profile politicians such as Parvez
Elahi and his wife Qaisera, former KP finance minister TaimoorJhagra and ex-KP
speaker Mahmood Jan, Islamabad-based lawyer Shuaib Shaheen, former Punjab
health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, as well as Usman Dar’s mother Rehana Dar.
In Lahore, the victories of former PM Nawaz Sharif,
his daughter Maryam Nawaz, Attaullah Tarar and former defence minister Khawaja
Asif were assailed in separate petitions before the high court, which allege
manipulation of Form 47s.
The petitioners claim that they were successful
against their opponents as per the Form 45 handed to them. However, in their
absence, their victories were allegedly turned into defeats in the Form 47. The
have also alleged collusion in the alteration of election results and demand
that the results of Form 47 be prepared according to the Form 45s.
In PP 146 Sialkot, Omar Dar’s wife, Ruba Omar, has
challenged the election results. According to Form 45, Ruba Omar had won, but
she was evidently defeated in Form 47 due to collusion.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
Showdown as protests erupt against ‘rigged’ elections
in Karachi
Imtiaz Ali
February 11, 2024
KARACHI: Protests against ‘flawed and rigged’ election
results intensified on Saturday when law enforcers fired tear gas at protesters
and baton-charged them in the metropolis.
A large number of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP)
workers sustained injuries in the baton charge while many were briefly detained
by police from the Numaish intersection and Nishtar Park.
After the police action, the dispersed TLP protesters
joined another demonstration being staged by the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) outside the office of the provincial election
commission.
Soldier Bazar police SHO Shahzad Ilyas said that the
TLP workers tried to gather at the busy intersection of NumaishChowrangi on
main M.A. Jinnah Road near the mausoleum of the Quaid-i-Azam. The law enforcers
did not allow them to gather there. The protesters were forcefully removed from
the M.A. Jinnah road.
TLP leader Mufti Mohammed Qasim Fakhri claimed that
the administration, by not allowing them to stage a protest, wanted to create a
law and order problem in the metropolis.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1813144/showdown-as-protests-erupt-against-rigged-elections-in-karachi
-----
MPA-elect among many PPP men booked over election
violence in Karachi
Imtiaz Ali
February 11, 2024
KARACHI: Rangers have lodged a terrorism FIR against
two Pakistan Peoples Party candidates for allegedly storming into a polling
station in Gulshan-i-Maymar on Feb 8, attacking security personnel, holding
polling staff hostage and extending them threats of dire consequences, police
said on Saturday.
A police officer, who wished not to be named, said
that the case was registered against PPP candidates for NA-244 and PS-116
—Hafiz Abdul Bar and Ali Ahmed Jan —on a complaint of an official of the paramilitary
force.
According to the FIR, a Rangers inspector stated that
he along with other personnel was performing duty at a polling station at a
private school in Gulshan-i-Maymar when at around 9am, PPP candidate Hafiz
Abdul Bar and Ali Jan along with their guards arrived there to cast their
votes. They left the premises after casting their votes, but came back at 10am,
started shouting at the polling staff and got the polling process stopped.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
Three PTI-backed NA candidates challenge provisional
poll results
Ishaq Tanoli
February 11, 2024
KARACHI: Three independent candidates, who are members
of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, have moved the Sindh High Court impugning the
provisional results of the National Assembly seats from where they contested
the Feb 8 general elections.
Interned PTI’s provincial president Haleem Adil Sheikh
contested the poll from NA-238 (Karachi-East), Arsalan Khalid from NA-248
(Karachi-Central) and Advocate Khalid Mehmood was in the field as independent
candidates from NA-231 (Malir).
They filed separate petitions before the SHC and cited
the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), provincial election commissioner,
returning officers (ROs) concerned, inspector general of police and other as
respondents.
The petitioners, through their lawyer Ali Tahir,
submitted in their petitions that they belonged to the PTI, but they had been
categorised as independent candidates by the ROs after their party lost its
electoral symbol.
They submitted that as per Form-45, obtained by their
polling agents from presiding officers at all the polling stations of the
constituencies in questions, they were leading with big margins.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1813140/three-pti-backed-na-candidates-challenge-provisional-poll-results
-----
PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur may vacate DI Khan’s NA
seat
February 11, 2024
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: There is a likelihood of PTI
provincial president Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur vacating the National
Assembly seat he won along with the provincial one from here.
He won Thursday’s general election in one National
Assembly constituency (NA-44) and one provincial assembly constituency (PK-113)
but he can keep one seat only.
“We think Ali Amin [Gandapur] will vacate the NA-44
seat as he’s likely to become [KP] CM. However, the nomination for this key
office will be made by PTI founder Imran Khan,” PTI leader Gandapur’s brother
Sardar Umar Amin Khan told Dawn here.
Source: Www.Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1813131/pti-leader-ali-amin-gandapur-may-vacate-di-khans-na-seat
-----
India
Minority Community Citizenship Will Not Be Snatched
Away, Says Amit Shah
By HT News Desk
Feb 10, 2024
New Delhi: The Muslim community is being provoked over
the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), home minister Amit Shah said on Saturday.
Declaring that the CAA will be implemented before the Lok Sabha elections, he
assured the minority community that their citizenship will not be snatched
away.
"CAA is an Act of the country, it will definitely
be notified. It will be notified before the polls. CAA will be implemented by
the polls, and there should be no confusion around it," Shah said at the
ET Now-Global Business summit in the national capital.
"Minorities in our country, and especially our
Muslim community, are being provoked. CAA cannot snatch away anyone's
citizenship because there is no provision in the Act. CAA is an act to provide
citizenship to refugees who were persecuted in Bangladesh and Pakistan,"
he added.
The act makes it easier for non-Muslim refugees from
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh -- who arrived in India before December
31, 2014 -- to get Indian citizenship.
Source: Hindustan Times
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
Islamic Association For Peace, A Calcutta-Based
Organisation Cries China 'Persecution' Of Uyghurs
Saibal Gupta
11.02.24
The Islamic Association for Peace, a Calcutta-based
Muslim organisation, protested outside the Chinese consulate in Salt Lake here
on Saturday morning against Beijing's alleged mistreatment of Muslim Uyghurs in
Xinjiang.
The protestors also decried China's "cartographic
aggression", pointing to the inclusion of the entire Arunachal Pradesh as
Chinese territory in the 2023 Standard Map released by the Ministry of Natural
Resources.
Najib Ullah, chairman of the Islamic Association of
Peace (IAP), said: “The Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang province are subject to
religious persecution and we want to voice our protest in solidarity with our
brothers and sisters in China.”
Source: Telegraph India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
NIA Carries Out Raids At 15 Locations In JEI Terror
Funding Case In J-K
By: PTI
February 10, 2024
National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday
conducted raids at 15 locations across Jammu and Kashmir as part of its
crackdown on the proscribed Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in a terror funding case, an
official said.
The raids in the twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu
along with Budgam in central and Kulgam and Anantnag in south Kashmir led to
the seizure of incriminating documents and digital devices connected with the
activities of JeI and its related Trusts and more than Rs 20 lakh, a
spokesperson of the federal agency said.
However, official sources said two persons were also
detained in Jammu for questioning during the raids targeting a private school
and its functionaries including chairman at Gujjar Nagar and Shaheedichowk in
Jammu.
They said the residences of former Jamaat chief Sheikh
Ghulam Hassan and another leader, Sayar Ahmad Reshi, in Kulgam district were
among those raided.
Source: Indianexpress.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/nia-raids-15-locations-jei-terror-funding-case-j-k-9154937/
------
6 Insurgents From Bangladesh Surrender In Tripura
by Debraj Deb
February 10, 2024
Six insurgents surrendered to the Tripura Police
Special Branch Friday evening after fleeing their hideouts in Bangladesh.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, Deputy Inspector
General (Intelligence) KrishnenduChakravertty said the six insurgents were
members of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (ParimalDebbarma) faction.
They have been identified as Jatindra Tripura alias
Modi, 36, Mokhiram Tripura, 36, RomawiaReang alias Empro, 50, and
JohanjoyReang, 36, from North Tripura district; and Pradip Tripura, 27, and
Mani Charan Tripura alias Bocheng, 38, from Dhalai district.
The police said the insurgents surrendered two Chinese
rifles, one country-made Sten gun, six live rounds of 70 mm weaponry, two
Chinese grenades, 15 live rounds of 7.62 mm calibre, two extortion notice
books, and 1,000 Bangladeshi Taka.
Source: Indianexpress.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/tripura-insurgents-bangladesh-surrender-police-nlft-9154911/
------
South
Asia
How an Afghan Drug Kingpin Became Beijing’s Man in
Kabul
By Lynne O’Donnell
FEBRUARY 10, 2024
A drug kingpin whose heroin empire helped fund the
Taliban’s long war in Afghanistan—and who was released early from a U.S. prison
in a trade for an American hostage—has now gone into business with China.
Bashir Noorzai, a close friend of the extremists’
supreme leader, has set up murky joint-venture deals with Chinese firms in
Afghanistan that have won at least two minerals and petrochemical contracts,
which mining and security sources said are little more than rentier operations
raking in cash but doing nothing to develop the impoverished country.
The Taliban’s multibillion-dollar heroin production
and export enterprises have dominated the global market for decades. Before his
imprisonment, Noorzai was the don of the heroin trade, sometimes referred to as
the “Pablo Escobar of Afghanistan” after the Colombian cocaine king who ran the
Medellín cartel until his death in 1993.
Noorzai—a confidant of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the
Taliban’s commander of the faithful—was freed in September 2022, in a deal
struck by the Biden administration for the return of former U.S. Navy diver
Mark Frerichs, who’d been held hostage by a Taliban offshoot called the Haqqani
network for two-and-a-half years.
Source: Foreignpolicy.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/02/10/noorzai-afghanistan-taliban-china-mining-drug-kingpin/
-----
6 insurgents from Bangladesh surrender in Tripura
by Debraj Deb
February 10, 2024
Six insurgents surrendered to the Tripura Police
Special Branch Friday evening after fleeing their hideouts in Bangladesh.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, Deputy Inspector
General (Intelligence) KrishnenduChakravertty said the six insurgents were
members of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (ParimalDebbarma) faction.
They have been identified as Jatindra Tripura alias
Modi, 36, Mokhiram Tripura, 36, RomawiaReang alias Empro, 50, and
JohanjoyReang, 36, from North Tripura district; and Pradip Tripura, 27, and
Mani Charan Tripura alias Bocheng, 38, from Dhalai district.
Source: Indianexpress.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/tripura-insurgents-bangladesh-surrender-police-nlft-9154911/
-----
Foreign currency smuggle attempt foiled in Islam Qala
port
February 11, 2024
HERAT: Trafficking of 1.1 million Saudi Riyals has
been thwarted in the country’s western province of Herat, the 207th Al-Farooq
Army Corps of the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement the other
day. The money was placed in a private vehicle and smuggled via Islam Qala
ground port to the neighboring country of Iran, the statement said, adding two
persons have been arrested in connection with the case. All relevant officials
in the country’s customs houses and ports were tasked and strictly monitoring
and no one will be allowed to export or import commodities without legal
procedures, the statement added. The Kabul Times
Source: The Kabul Times.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://thekabultimes.com/foreign-currency-smuggle-attempt-foiled-in-islam-qala-port/
-----
8 killed, 1 injured in Afghanistan last week
Ahmad Shah Erfanyar
10 Feb 2024
KABUL (Pajhwok): Last week, the European Union special
envoy for Afghanistan discussed the upcoming Doha meeting with Afghan
officials.
Niklasson called the two-day summit the beginning of a
positive phase in relations between Afghanistan and the the global fraternity.
Local officials said one kidnapper was killed in a
clash with security forces in Kunduz. Aa man in Nursitan murdered three members
of a family and injured a fourth. One person was killed in a clash over land
ownership in Ghazni.
Note: These figures are based on reports reaching
Pajhwok Afghan News. Some incidents may have gone unreported or sources could
have provided incorrect figures.
Source: pajhwok.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://pajhwok.com/2024/02/10/8-killed-1-injured-in-afghanistan-last-week/
-----
The positive stories Afghanistan needs
Hujjatullah Zia
10 Feb 2024
These days, Afghanistan makes international headlines
more and more rarely and when it does, it is always about yet another tragedy.
A humanitarian crisis, an earthquake, a deadly attack, a drought, expelled and
suffering refugees.
I used to work for Daily Outlook Afghanistan, the
first English-language media outlet in the country. In our small newsroom, we
recognised the negative psychological impact that the constant stream of bad
news had. So we set out to look for positive stories to print side-by-side with
our regular coverage and try to counter this decades-old tendency to paint
Afghanistan in all-dark colours.
Daily Outlook Afghanistan is no more. The newspaper,
like many other media outlets, had to shut down shortly after the Taliban
takeover of Kabul in 2021. Most of my colleagues fled to neighbouring Iran and
Pakistan; one of them, Alireza Ahmadi, tragically died in the bombing of Kabul
airport on August 26 that year. So now there are even fewer journalists in the
world looking for the positive Afghan story.
I, myself, fell into the dark trap of fatalism. From a
writer, who always viewed and analysed political issues from the positive side
and tried to give hope to the readers amid two decades of war and violence, I
turned into a man full of chagrin. Life became extremely hard overnight. I was
unemployed, struggling to provide for my family. Everything seemed meaningless
to me.
Source: Www.Aljazeera.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/2/10/the-positive-stories-afghanistan-needs
-----
Asia Album: Pottery making factory in Afghanistan
2024-02-11
LAGHMAN, Afghanistan, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Traditional
Afghan pottery has been made in villages of different regions, some for over
1,400 years, using the same methods passed down through generations.
Afghanistan's potters, locally known as Kulali, manufacture earthen pots in
rural and suburban areas.
Source: Www.Aljazeera.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://english.news.cn/20240211/85b085a01542495cbc5f2e34ef41ac51/c.html
-----
Maoists were armed by ULFA, got 2 consignments of
weapons from Bangladesh, says Rajeev Bhattacharyya in his book
February 11, 2024
At a time when Union Home Minster Amit Shah publicly
stated that the menace of Naxalism will be over in the next three years, comes
a revelation that the CPI Maoists had received two consignments of
sophisticated weapons from Bangladesh between 2019 to 2022 through the
northeast-based militant outfit United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).
This was after Maoist Polit Bureau member and its
military strategist, Koteshwara Rao alias Kishenji, secretly travelled to Dhaka
sometime between 2019 to 2022 to meet proscribed ULFA’s co-founder
PareshBaruah, who is now believed to be hiding in Yunnan province of China,
author Rajeev Bhattacharyya said during the release of his book ‘ULFA: The
Mirage of Dawn’ here on Saturday.
In the chapter 8, titled as “The Dragon’s Thunder”, of
the book, Bhattacharyya wrote; “A senior PWG (People’s War Group) functionary,
Kishenji, who later became a politburo member of CPI(Moist) and the chief
military strategist of the group, arrived in Dhaka after crossing the border in
north West Bengal to purchase weapons from ULFA”.
“Two consignments consisting of RDX, pistols and
assault rifles were delivered to the group at convenient locations along the
India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal. The third met with a mishap when the
truck carrying the weapons was confiscated at Bograin Bangladesh. This incident
made healdlines in the local media which also mentioned the possible
involvement of the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) in the episode,” the book
read.
Source: The Hindu Businessline
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
North
America
Two US teens seek Jewish-Muslim dialogue in strained
New Jersey community
11-02-2024
TEANECK, New Jersey, United States — They are only
teenagers, but a pair of New Jersey high school students — one Jewish and one
Muslim — are tackling an issue much bigger than themselves, bridging divides in
their town shaken by the Israel-Hamas war.
The effort originated soon after the October 7 attack
by Palestinian terror group Hamas on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people.
Israel responded with a military offensive to topple the Hamas regime in Gaza
and release some 250 hostages who were abducted by Palestinian terrorists
during the assault.
LioraPelavin, 15, a fellow student at Teaneck High
School, and a Jew, quickly responded and helped to pull together an initial
session for the end of October.
The unexpected success of that first meeting led to a
second, larger one, and the girls since have enjoyed support — but also faced
some derision — from their traditionally tolerant town.
Elbatrawish had expected the initial meeting would
draw perhaps 10 people, but soon realized “we were getting way more than we can
hold,” she said — about 60 in all.
Source: Www.Timesofisrael.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
US threatening sanctions to tear New Delhi away from
Moscow: Russian Envoy
Feb 11, 2024
NEW DELHI: The Russian envoy to India, Denis Alipov,
said on Saturday while his country remains New Delhi's "reliable and
time-tested friend", the US is trying to threaten the relationship with
sanctions.
"In India, Russia enjoys a solid reputation as a
reliable, sincere, well-intentioned, time-tested friend. Such an image was
initially shaped due to the major contribution of the USSR to Indian
socio-economic development, and it largely persists to this day," he said.
In an interview with the RT news agency, the Russian
envoy added, "US officials who come here do not hesitate to directly state
that they are pursuing the goal of tearing New Delhi away from Moscow. They are
even making threats with secondary sanctions. Some Indian partners are forced
to exercise caution, sometimes, frankly speaking, excessively, but there are
also a significant number of those for whom such an approach is
unacceptable."Highlighting the growing bilateral ties, the Russian envoy
said, "Our ties continue to steadily expand in a wide range of areas
according to our converging national interests. But unlike our Western
partners, we have never conditioned cooperation on politics, have not
interfered in domestic affairs, and have always maintained mutually respectful
and trusted relationships. Therefore, even now we mainly see a growing desire
to keep working together and finding ways to overcome well-known impediments
caused by destructive unilateral approaches."
"It should be noted that over the recent years
the number of such contacts has increased manifold, and they are becoming more
and more meaningful, including distributing information detailing the economic
and investment potential and promising areas for interaction. It is indicative
that the current bilateral trade turnover, which at the end of 2023 may exceed
$60 billion, is several times higher than the pre-sanctions figures," he
added.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
Nikki Haley challenges Donald Trump on her home turf
in South Carolina as GOP primary looms
Feb 11, 2024
CONWAY: With two weeks to go before the South Carolina
Republican primary, Nikki Haley is trying to challenge Donald Trump on her home
turf while the former president tries to quash his last major rival's narrow
path to the nomination.
Trump, turning his campaign focus to the southern
state days after an easy victory in Nevada, is expected to rev up his
supporters at a Saturday afternoon rally in Conway, near Myrtle Beach.
Trump, who has long been the frontrunner in the GOP
presidential race, won three contests in a row and is looking to use South
Carolina's Feb. 24 primary to shutter Haley's chances and turn his focus fully
on an expected rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden in the general
election.
Haley skipped the Nevada caucuses, condemning the
contest as rigged for Trump, and has instead focused on South Carolina, kicking
off a two-week bus tour across the state where she served as governor from 2011
to 2017.
Speaking to about a couple hundred people gathered
outside a historic opera house in Newberry Saturday morning, Haley painted
Trump as someone an erratic and self-absorbed figure not focused on the American
people.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
Mideast
Iran Marks 45th Anniversary of Islamic Revolution
February 11, 2024
TEHRAN, IRAN — Iran marked Sunday the 45th anniversary
of the 1979 Islamic Revolution amid tensions gripping the wider Middle East
over Israel's continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Thousands of Iranians marched through major streets
and squares decorated with flags, balloons and banners with revolutionary and
religious slogans.
In Tehran, crowds waved Iranian flags, chanted
slogans, and carried placards with the traditional "Death to America"
and "Death to Israel" written on them. Some burned U.S. and Israeli
flags, a common practice in pro-government rallies.
Source: Www.Voanews.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.voanews.com/a/iran-marks-45th-anniversary-of-islamic-revolution/7482842.html
-----
Iranians start marking anniversary of Islamic
Revolution
2024/02/11
About 7,300 domestic and foreign journalists and
reporters are covering the national event, which is taking place simultaneously
in 1,400 cities and over 35,000 villages from all over Iran.
Before the start of the rallies, children and
teenagers attended routes that converge at Azadi Square, carrying the Iranian
flag and wearing head bands with slogans on them.
Ten-Day Fajr celebrations, commemorating the
anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, will be held in 140 points in over 70
countries of the world.
Source: Www.ilna.ir
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
Iranians hold nationwide rallies to mark Islamic Rev.
anniv.
Feb 11, 2024
Rallies to mark the 45th anniversary of the 1979
Islamic Revolution have begun in Tehran along with other major and small cities
across the nation.
This is an annual public rally where Iranians take
part across the country to celebrate the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution
and renew their allegiance to the ideals of the Revolution, its founder Imam
Khomeini (RA) and Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
45 years ago, on the 12th of Bahman 1357 in Persian
Calender (February 1, 1979), Imam Khomeini (RA), the great founder of the
Islamic Republic of Iran, after fifteen years of exile and distance from his homeland,
stepped into the soil of Islamic Iran amid the enthusiastic welcome of the
people.
Ten days after his arrival to Iran, on the 22nd of
Bahman 1357 (February 11, 1979), the Islamic Revolution of Iran reached victory
over the former Shah of Iran.
Source: En.Mehrnews
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/211886/Iranians-hold-nationwide-rallies-to-mark-Islamic-Rev-anniv
-----
Iran foreign minister’s claim on Hamas war: ‘US asked
us to request Hezbollah…’
Feb 10, 2024
Israel-Hamas War: "During this war and in the
recent weeks, there was an exchange of messages between Iran and America,"
Hossein Amirabdollahian said.
Iran and the United States have exchanged messages
throughout Israel's four-month-old war on Hamas in Gaza, including about
Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, the Iranian foreign minister said on Saturday.
"During this war and in the recent weeks, there
was an exchange of messages between Iran and America," Hossein
Amirabdollahian said through a translator at a press conference capping a
day-long visit to Beirut.
Source: Www.Hindustantimes.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
At least 9 Pakistanis killed in shooting in
southeastern Iran: Report
Feb 11, 2024
Iran Shooting: At least nine people were killed in a
shooting targeting foreign nationals, identified as Pakistanis, in Southeastern
Iran, news agency Reuters reported citing local media.
This follows a similar incident last month that took
the lives of 9 Pakistani workers.
Source: Www.Hindustantimes.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
Southeast Asia
Indonesia's 2 Largest Islamic Groups Call for Peaceful
Presidential Elections
11 February 2024
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The two largest Islamic social
organizations in Indonesia have expressed hope that the political situation
ahead of the upcoming presidential election will remain conducive until its
completion.
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah urged on Friday
that the election to be carried out honestly, fairly, and transparently, in
accordance with the agreed election principles.
"We are happy that the campaign went smoothly,
and there were no incidents that disrupted this political process. We hope this
will run smoothly until everything is finished, whatever the outcome,"
PBNU Secretary General Saifullah Yusuf (Gus Ipul) said on Friday.
Source: En.Tempo.Co
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
Bersatu info chief tells Fahmi to ‘watch his mouth’
after Muhyiddin accused of disinformation over Kelantan constitutional
challenge
By John Bunyan
11 Feb 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 — PartiPribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s
information chief Datuk Razali Idris has slammed Communication Minister Fahmi
Fadzil for accusing the party president of spreading fake news over the
constitutional challenge of Kelantan state laws.
Razali said Fahmi should be careful with his
accusations against Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin while heaping praises on his party
president.
“Muhyiddin is a former prime minister, former deputy
prime minister, former menteribesar and has also held several positions in
Cabinet.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
Lawyers: Federal Court has jurisdiction to overturn
civil, Shariah laws that are in conflict with Constitution
11 Feb 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 — The Federal Court, the
country’s highest court, has jurisdiction to overturn civil laws and Syariah
laws if they conflict with the Federal Constitution.
Among them were Sections 3 and 7 of the Pensions
Adjustment (Amendment) Act 2013; Section 498 of the Penal Code related to the
case of a man who entices a married woman, and the drug case involving a
provision under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
On Friday (Feb 9), the Federal Court, in an 8-1
majority decision, ruled that 16 provisions of offences under the Kelantan
Syariah Criminal Code Enactment (1) 2019, are null and void, on the grounds
that the State Legislature does not have the power to enact laws on said
offences, because there are federal laws covering the same.
The Federal Court made the ruling after allowing a
petition, filed by Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid and her daughter, Tengku
Yasmin Nastasha Abdul Rahman, to challenge the constitutionality and legality
of 18 provisions of offences under the enactment.
The Malaysia Legal and Human Rights Practitioners
Association (ProGuam) president, Noorazmir Zakaria, was of the view that the
Federal Court has jurisdiction to decide disputes related to the interpretation
of any provision in the Federal Constitution, in addition to hearing appeals.
“Similarly, if there is any challenge related to a
written law which is said to be in conflict with the Federal Constitution or
related to the interpretation of the Federal Court, it can be brought to the
relevant court,” he said, when contacted by Bernama today.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
Johor Umno to organise Malay convention in June, says
Onn Hafiz
11 Feb 2024
JOHOR BARU, Feb 11 — Johor Umno will organise the
‘Konvensyen Orang Melayu’, a gathering to seek views and direction from the
Malay grassroots community in the state, in June.
State Umno chief Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said this was
among the key initiatives discussed during the state party committee meeting
today.
“The convention will involve all Malay
non-governmental organisations and is expected to be held in early June,” he
told newsmen here today after chairing the meeting for the first time since
being appointed to the post in December.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
Shariah Judiciary Dept: Federal Court’s Decision
Solely Because Provisions Exceeded Jurisdiction Granted To State Legislative
Body
11 Feb 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 — The decision by the Federal
Court to strike down 16 provisions in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code
Enactment (1) 2019 on Friday was solely because they exceeded the jurisdiction
granted to the state legislative body (DUN), according to the Department of
Syariah Judiciary Malaysia (JKSM).
“The same offence can still be enforced under relevant
laws such as sodomy under the Penal Code and halal under the Trade Descriptions
Act.
“This decision can also be described as strengthening
the Islamic law in Malaysia when the Federal Court in its judgment stated that
the takzir punishment found in the Syariah Court is in line with the Penal Code
in the civil court, and the indication is that there has been harmonisation
between civil and Syariah law,” it said in a statement today.
It said that the decision also meant that the DUN had
a role to play in ensuring that every enactment enacted did not exceed the
powers it had before a provision was enacted.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
Arab
World
Arab And Islamic Ambassadors’ Reception Honours
Brazilian President Lula
ARAB NEWS
February 10, 2024
BRASÍLIA: Saudi Ambassador to Brazil Faisal Ghulam
participated in a reception held by the ambassadors of Arab and Islamic
countries in honor of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Saudi
Press Agency reported on Saturday.
On behalf of the ambassadors of the Arab and Islamic
countries, Ghulam delivered a speech in which he reviewed the developing
relations between the Arab and Islamic countries and Brazil.
He also discussed the humanitarian conditions in Gaza
and the importance of an immediate ceasefire, and thanked the president for
Brazil’s position concerning the events in the Gaza Strip.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2457701/saudi-arabia
-----
Qatar felicitates Iran on Islamic Revolution
anniversary
Feb 11, 2024
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed
bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, in a separate message to President Raeisi, also
extended congratulations on the occasion.
45 years ago, on the 12th of Bahman 1357 in Persian
Calender (February 1, 1979), Imam Khomeini (RA), the great founder of the
Islamic Revolution, after fifteen years of exile and distance from his
homeland, stepped into the soil of Islamic Iran amid the enthusiastic welcome
of the people.
Ten days after his arrival to Iran, on the 22nd of
Bahman 1357 (February 11, 1979), the Islamic Revolution of Iran reached victory
over the former Shah of Iran.
Source: En.mehrnews
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/211895/Qatar-felicitates-Iran-on-Islamic-Revolution-anniversary
-----
Ministry of Labour to organise myriad of sports events
at Museum of Islamic Art Park
11 Feb 2024
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Labour (MoL) will arrange
a series of sports events on Tuesday at the Museum of Islamic Art Park to
celebrate National Sport Day.
This initiative is a part of its ongoing engagement
with the national workforce, entrepreneurs, employees, and the general public.
The event lineup features a range of sports activities, encompassing children’s
obstacle courses, sack races for kids, soccer, volleyball, pool, badminton,
kids’ tug of war, horseback riding, giant bowling, snakes and ladders, tennis,
along with exclusive events for children.
The Ministry invites the national workforce in the
private sector, business owners, workers, employees, their families and the
public to participate in the sporting events and activities organiSed by the
Ministry of Labour on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, starting at 8am.
Source: Thepeninsulaqatar
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
Saudi authorities thwart attempt to smuggle hashish
ARAB NEWS
February 11, 2024
JAZAN: Saudi border guards in Al-Deyergovernate, Jazan
region, foiled an attempt to smuggle 39 kg of hashish.
The seized narcotics were handed over to the competent
authority, and preliminary legal procedures were completed, state news agency
SPA reported.
Also, the general directorate of narcotics control
arrested three Ethiopian nationals in Jazan for attempting to smuggle 44 kg of
hashish.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2457891/saudi-arabia
-----
KSrelief continues food security projects in Sudan,
Lebanon, Yemen
ARAB NEWS
February 11, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi aid group KSrelief has continued its
food security projects across Sudan, Lebanon and Yemen.
KSrelief provided 931 food parcels to displaced
families in Gedaref state, in Sudan, from which 5,001 individuals benefited, as
part of a project to support food security in the country.
KSrelief has continued the implementation of Al-Amal
Charitable Bakery Project in Akkar governorate and Al-Minieh district in
Lebanon.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2457886/saudi-arabia
-----
Saudi embassies worldwide join Catwalk initiative for
‘big cat’ conservation
RASHID HASSAN
February 10, 2024
RIYADH: The Saudi-led Catmosphere foundation
celebrated its annual event, Catwalk, on Saturday, with a global call for
participation.
Saudi embassies worldwide responded by participating
in the initiative for a 7 km walk, featuring a host of engaging activities
along the route.
The Catwalk initiative is an annual celebration in
honor of the declaration last year by the UN designating Feb. 10 as the
International Day of the Arabian Leopard.
Through various social activities, Catmosphere, a
non-profit founded by Princess Reema bint Bandar, works to prevent the Arabian
leopard from becoming extinct, educates participants about the animal, and
connects people with their environment.
“I was elated that the UN recognized the International
Day of the Arabian Leopard last year — an initiative by the Kingdom, supported
by over 30 member states,” said Princess Reema, who also serves as Saudi
ambassador to the US.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2457731/saudi-arabia
-----
Saudi pavilion at New Delhi book fair showcases
culture, heritage
ARAB NEWS
February 10, 2024
NEW DELHI: Saudi Arabia on Saturday inaugurated its
pavilion at the New Delhi International Book Fair.
The event, which invited Saudi Arabia as the guest of
honor, runs until Feb. 18 at the Pragati Fair Square in the Indian capital.
Several Saudi entities led by the Literature,
Publishing and Translation Commission are taking part in the fair with the aim
of highlighting Saudi culture.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2457626/saudi-arabia
-----
UNRWA praises strategic cooperation with KSrelief
ARAB NEWS
February 10, 2024
RIYADH: UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini
has praised the strategic cooperation between the agency and Saudi aid center
KSrelief.
Following a meeting with KSrelief Supervisor General
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah at the center’s headquarters in Riyadh, Lazzarini said:
“We have implemented the first phase of support with the center, which cost $15
million. We also requested the center to continue providing basic needs for the
most vulnerable groups, such as winter clothes, urgent medical materials and more.”
Lazzarini described UNRWA’s partnership with the
center as “long term” and based on “trust, predictability, shared future goals
and vision.” The framework guides the two sides in humanitarian work in both
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2457571/saudi-arabia
-----
Hai Vogue spotlights creativity and youth at Al-Balad
JASMINE BAGER
February 10, 2024
JEDDAH: Al-Balad, Jeddah’s historic district, was
alight with youthful energy as Vogue Arabia magazine’s first block party, Hai
Vogue, came to town.
On Feb. 8 and Feb. 9, the space was filled until the
small hours with mini activations and expertly curated spaces showcasing talks,
performances and, of course, the big reveal of the February cover of the
magazine, which was shot just steps away in Al-Balad.
“Tonight is the culmination of years of effort and
work from Vogue Arabia here in the Kingdom. Nearly six years ago, we started
this special journey that actually began with Jeddah. And so, coming back to
Jeddah for our first-ever Vogue brand event is a very special moment for us,
and we’re very, very excited to be here,” Shashi Menon, CEO and founder of
Nervora, the publisher of Vogue Arabia, told the crowd.
Saudi spoken-word artist Amal Al-Harbi began the
festivities with her distinct booming voice and sharp wit, presenting a
delicate poem on stage inspired by the beauty of Jeddah. Hejazi dancers
entertained the crowd with traditional folk dance and singing throughout.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2457566/saudi-arabia
-----
Europe
Hungary's president resigns over a pardon to man
convicted in child sexual abuse case
Feb 11, 2024
BUDAPEST: Hungary's conservative president, Katalin
Novak, has resigned following public outrage over a controversial pardon she
granted to a man involved in a child sexual abuse case. The decision caused a
significant political scandal for the long-serving nationalist government. Novak,
who has held the presidency since 2022, made the announcement in a televised
message, acknowledging her mistake and the unrest it caused.
This resignation marks a rare episode of political
turmoil for Hungary's ruling party, Fidesz, which has been accused of
undermining democratic institutions under the leadership of Prime Minister
Viktor Orban. Novak, a prominent ally of Orban and former vice president of
Fidesz, previously served as the minister for families and has been known for
advocating traditional family values and child protection.
However, her tenure came to an end after pardoning a
man convicted of pressuring victims to retract their claims of sexual abuse.
Novak expressed regret for her decision and apologized to those affected. The
resignation also implicates JuditVarga, another key Fidesz figure who endorsed
the pardon.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
King Charles gives 'heartfelt' thanks for support
after cancer diagnosis
Feb 11, 2024
NEW DELHI: King Charles of Britain on Sunday expressed
his gratitude to all who sent him messages of support following his cancer
diagnosis. This is the first public statement from the King since Buckingham
Palace announced that he would be postponing some engagements in order to
undergo treatment.
In a statement, King Charles said, "I would like
to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good
wishes I have received in recent days."
"As all those who have been affected by cancer
will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement,"
the King said.
King Charles also expressed his appreciation for the
attention his diagnosis has brought to organizations that support cancer
patients in Britain and around the world. He believes that shining a light on
these organizations will help raise awareness and improve the lives of those
battling the disease.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
Harvard study says exercise not enough to balance
heart attack risk due to sugary drinks
Feb 11, 2024
Excessive consumption of sugary drinks has been linked
to an increased risk of heart disease. These beverages, often high in added
sugars and calories, can contribute to weight gain, obesity, and elevated blood
sugar levels, all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular issues.
Moreover, sugary drinks may raise blood pressure and triglyceride levels,
leading to inflammation and damage to blood vessels over time. Several studies
and experts have suggested that including more physical activity in daily
routine, which is considered healthy for the heart, will cut down the risk of
heart disease due to sugary drinks.
However, a new study by Harvard makes some shocking
revelations. The study has suggested that even if you are physically active you
can never outweigh the risks of getting a heart-related disease associated with
drinking sugar-sweetened beverages. Researchers said they aimed to test the
hypothesis behind marketing strategies that often show physically active people
drinking these beverages, possibly suggesting that consuming sugary drinks is
not harmful provided people remain active.
Following around 1 lakh adults over 30 years, the
researchers led by Harvard School of Public Health, US, found that the WHO-recommended
150 minutes of weekly exercise, aimed to protect against cardiovascular
disease, were not enough to counter the adverse effects of sugar-sweetened
beverages.
Their data showed the participants consuming these
drinks more than twice a week had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease,
regardless of physical activity levels.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
'G20 was a clear confirmation': Russian envoy backs
permanent seat for India at UNSC
Feb 11, 2024
NEW DELHI: Russian ambassador to India Denis Alipov
has called for urgent reforms within the United Nations (UN) and its affiliated
agencies. Alipov emphatically backed the idea that India must become a
permanent member of the UN Security Council.
"We are of the view that India as a permanent
member of the Security Council could make a significant contribution to
promoting balance as well as an agenda focused on the interests of the world
majority, primarily the countries of the Global South," the Russian envoy
said in an interview with RT news agency.
"We have repeatedly indicated our support for New
Delhi's candidacy. Our Indian partners have proven themselves worthy during
their non-permanent membership in the UNSC in 2021-2022 and have successfully
led the Council twice. Their G20 presidency was also a clear confirmation of
their high professionalism in multilateral diplomacy and the ability to find
consensus amid growing geopolitical tensions," he added.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
Africa
“I am seeking for nothing except to leave a country in
peace” Sall says as protests erupt
11-02-2024
In his first interview since announcing the
postponement of the presidential election, Senegal's MackySall argues his
decision to intervene was necessary to prevent worse electoral chaos.
“I am for an inclusive, transparent and peaceful
process that allows me to pass on the baton smoothly and in peace. That is the
most important thing for our country today. You are right that West Africa is
currently in a extremely difficult time, it's not at such a time when I am
about to end my term that I will reinvent myself in a new career as a dictator
or non-democrat," Sall told the Associated Press.
"That’s a picture they are painting, but it
doesn’t correspond to my profile or my personality and that doesn’t correspond
to reality. The reality is that if there hadn’t been this crescendo of
successive crises, despite the breaches, we wouldn’t have gone in this
direction''.
Source: Www.africanews.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
-----
Ramadan: Sultan sends crucial message to Nigerian
Muslims
Goodness Adaoyiche
February 11, 2024
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar, has sent an
important message to Muslims in the country over this year’s Ramadan fasting.
The Sultan, who doubles as president-general of the
Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), enjoined Muslims in
Nigeria to look out for the crescent of Sha’aban 1445AH after sunset on
Saturday, 29th Rajab, 1445AH (February 10, 2024) ahead of this year’s Ramadan
fasting.
Source: Politicsnigeria.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://politicsnigeria.com/ramadan-sultan-sends-crucial-message-to-nigerian-muslims/
-----
Senegal: Clashes spread over election postponement
11-02-2024
A student died in clashes with police on Friday in the
northern city of Saint-Louis, an opposition leader and a local hospital source
said.
Mr Sall had earlier called off the polls indefinitely,
arguing this was needed to resolve a dispute over the eligibility of
presidential candidates.
The death was confirmed by a local hospital source
speaking on condition of anonymity, and by an official at the university the
student attended, according to the AFP news agency.
The country's mass protests erupted last weekend. On
Friday, demonstrators in Dakar fought running battles with security forces,
throwing stones and burning tyres.
Source: Www.bbc.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68259142
-----
Election protests turn deadly in Senegal
11-04-2024
On Saturday (Feb. 10) at least two people were
confirmed dead after protests were held across Senegal, Friday (Feb. 09).
The victim in Saint-Louis was a student. He was killed
on a school campus following demonstrations in the northern city, according to
a statement from the public prosecutor.
Parliament backed a delay until December and voted to
keep Sall in power until his successor takes office, which is unlikely to be
before early 2025.
Source: Www.Africanews..Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/11/election-protests-turn-deadly-in-senegal/
-----
Ecowas in crisis: Why West Africa's united front is in
tatters
10-02-2024
By Paul Melly
As West African ministers gathered in Nigeria's
capital for yet another emergency meeting, they must have been wondering what
further shocks could befall their region - its stability and political cohesion
already tested to breaking-point.
The session of the mediation and security council of
the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) had originally been
summoned to discuss last month's announcement from the military juntas leading
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger of their intention to withdraw from the 15-member
bloc "without delay".
But by the time they arrived in Abuja, the ministers
found themselves confronted with an entirely new crisis added to their agenda -
the decision of Senegal's head of state, MackySall, to postpone the 25 February
presidential election.
On Monday, with gendarmes ejecting opposition members
from the national assembly, his parliamentary supporters voted to push the
polls back until 15 December.
This sparked a storm of protest from the opposition
and civil society, with even the governing party's own candidate, Prime
Minister Amadou Ba, opposed to a decision that shakes to its foundations a
country that had hitherto been seen as one of West Africa's most resilient and
institutionally rooted democracies.
Source: Www.bbc.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68255833
-----
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pakistan-army-anarchy-polarisation/d/131695