“Pakistan Is Weeping Because Congress Is Dying”, Call For ‘Vote Jihad’ Insult To Democracy: PM Modi
New Age Islam
News Bureau
03 May
2024
·
“Pakistan
Is Weeping Because Congress Is Dying”, Call For ‘Vote Jihad’ Insult To
Democracy: PM Modi
·
Cong
Leaders Came Forward To Save Kasab, Other Terrorists In 26/11 Attack: PM Modi
·
Pakistan
To Launch First Lunar Orbit Mission 'ICUBE-Qamar' Today
·
Iran
Imposes Sanctions On US, UK Officials, Entities Over Israel Support
·
Mosque
Attacker Given Ten Years For ‘Sadistic’ Attacks On Fellow Inmates
India
·
"Has
There Been A Deal In Wayanad That Muslims...?" PM Modi Attacks Congress
·
Congress
Altered Quota System Several Times To Benefit Muslims: BJP
·
Owaisi’s
support for YSRCP can influence voting pattern of Muslims
·
BJP not
against Muslims; PM Modi respected by several Islamic countries: Rajnath Singh
----
Pakistan
·
Deputy PM
Calls For Joint Action To Counter Islamophobia
·
President,
PM call for safety of Journalists, freedom in reporting
·
Govt To
Form New Body To Combat Misinformation: Attaullah Tarar
·
TTP
militant held after policeman was killed in Lahore in targeted attack
·
One
killed, 20 injured in twin blasts in Duki
·
Fazl
accuses establishment of poll manipulation to appease US
·
Interior
Minister Naqvi assures Chinese diplomat of full security to citizens working in
Pakistan
·
Naval
Chief visits headquarters of China's People's Liberation Army Navy in Qingdao
----
Mideast
·
Israel
Builds ‘Cyber Dome’ Against Iran’s Hackers
·
Hamas Is
Sending A Delegation To Egypt For Further Ceasefire Talks In The Latest Sign Of
Progress
·
Turkiye
Halts All Trade With Israel, Cites Worsening Palestinian Situation
·
Khamenei’s
Failed Legacy: Iran’s Youth Reject Political Islam
·
Kurds
deny torturing detainees in north Syria camps
·
Palestinian
groups say top Gaza surgeon died in Israeli custody
----
Europe
·
Turkic
Culture and Heritage Foundation to aid reviving mosque in Azerbaijan's
Gochahmadli
·
Teenager
arrested for planning mosque attack
·
Drone
hits passenger bus in Russian border region – governor
-----
Arab
World
·
Saudi
Arabia Calls For Unified Arab Efforts To Confront Environmental Challenges
·
Saudi
Justice Ministry To Host Training Conference
·
Saudi FM
discusses preparations for Expo 2030 with BIE chief
·
Digital
Cooperation Organization to attend Islamic Summit in Gambia
·
Saudi
Arabia launches Nusuk pilgrim card for the Hajj of 2024
·
Taif Rose
Festival's Spectacular Rose Carpet Draws Visitors in Droves
-----
South
Asia
·
US
Mission to Afghanistan Stands in Solidarity with Journalists on World Press
Freedom Day
·
Mujahid:
Bennett Has Grudge Against Afghans, Islamic Emirate
·
Attack on
Shia in Herat highlights vulnerability of communities: US Representative
·
Islamic
Emirate Calls UNAMA Report Repetitive and Propagandistic
·
Second
joint economic meeting held between Afghanistan and Iran
·
EU
contributes €15 million to combat climate change in Afghanistan
·
Press
freedom index: Bangladesh falls 2 spots, only Afghanistan worse in South Asia
·
Who do
you want to bring to power by ousting me: PM wonders about leftists
----
Africa
·
‘Repentant
Boko Haram Terrorists’ Set Ablaze NDLEA, Customs Checkpoints In Borno; Chase
Away Operatives
·
715
terrorists killed, 465 hostages rescued in April – DHQ
·
Military
court-martials two soldiers over Kaduna accidental bombing
·
Thousands
of desperate people still fleeing Sudan's war into South Sudan
·
Humanitarian
crisis escalates in Northeastern Mali as armed groups besiege major towns
·
Nigerian
Army Set To Acquire Ambush Protected Vehicles – COAS
----
North
America
·
UCLA Silent
On Approving Anti-Jihad Campus Speaker Event Amid Campus Protests
·
Does
Video Show Hundreds of Protesting UCLA Students Converting to Islam?
·
Sean
Hannity Hosts Founder Of An Anti-Muslim Hate Group To Discuss Student Protests
·
Muslim
group blasts Biden speech addressing chaos on college campus
·
Vancouver
Rally: Long Live October 7; Hamas, PFLP, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah
Are Not Terrorist Groups, They Are Heroes
----
Southeast
Asia
·
Perak
Mufti Says KK Mart’s Offence Against Islam Unproven, Urges Muslims To Stop
Boycott
·
Religious
Affairs Minister: Jakim Sets Up Special Hotline To Channel Complaints Regarding
Insults To Islam
·
Myanmar
junta bans men from applying to work abroad
·
Malaysia
drops to 107th spot in press freedom rankings
·
MADANI
gov’t firmly committed to resolving people’s issues, hardcore poverty - PM
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pakistan-congress-vote-jihad-democracy/d/132254
------
“Pakistan Is Weeping Because Congress Is Dying”, Call
For ‘Vote Jihad’ Insult To Democracy: PM Modi
May 3, 2024
ANAND/RAJKOT: PM Modi Thursday slammed an INDIA bloc
constituent’s call for “vote jihad” as “an insult to democracy and
Constitution”.
PM said he found the remark of Maria Alam, SP candidate
and niece of Congress veteran Salman Khurshid, at a rally in UP all the more
shocking as it came “from a person belonging to an educated Muslim family and
not someone who studied in a madrassa”.
During his Gujarat campaign, PM also picked on a Pakistan
ex-minister’s praise for Rahul Gandhi on X as a reflection of the neighbour’s
“desperation to see the shehzada become the next PM so that India gets a weak
govt”.
“Pakistan is weeping because Congress is dying here,”
PM said of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Fawad Hussain Chaudhry sharing a video of
the Wayanad MP & commenting, “Rahul on fire...”.
Congress aims to create rift between Ram & Shiva
devotees: PM Modi says
We have heard about ‘love jihad’ and ‘land Jihad’ so
far. This campaign for vote jihad is the latest. I presume you all know what
the meaning of ‘jihad’ is,” PM told a gathering in Anand, Gujarat’s milk city.
“Worse, not a single Congress functionary has condemned it yet.”
Modi also tore into Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge
for his allegedly disparaging remarks about Ram and Shiva devotees, accusing
him of trying to create a rift among Hindus in pursuance of his party’s
“appeasement” of Muslims.
At an election rally in Surendranagar, the PM said,
“Congress chief Kharge has made a very dangerous statement with malafide
intentions. They (Congress) aim to create differences among devotees of Ram and
Shiva so that they fight with each other. Even the Mughals could not break our
traditions dating back thousands of years, but now Congress wants to break it?”
Modi iterated that the Congress manifesto smacked of
“Muslim League’s declarations”, carrying forward its intent to grant
reservation based on religion to Muslims for three decades.
“Congress betrayed the Constitution...Its manifesto
proposes a separate quota for minorities, especially Muslims, in the allocation
of all govt tenders,” he said
“Govt contracts are not awarded based on caste or
religion. But Congress wants to do that for its vote bank. Govt buys arms and
ammunition for our Army from private players. So, are we going to give
contracts to people from a specific religion or select qualified contractors?”
Declaring that nobody would be able to divide the
country until he was alive, the PM announced the launch of a nationwide
campaign to spread awareness about the Constitution after the vote count on
June 4.
“I will expose this gang that wants to alter the
Constitution. I will reach out to people living in every corner of the country.
It's time we teach a lesson to these people,” he said.
Modi addressed four rallies covering Anand in central
Gujarat and several constituencies of Saurashtra, including Junagadh, Jamnagar
and Surendranagar.
Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/call-for-vote-jihad-insult-to-democracy-constitution-pm-modi/articleshow/109796189.cms
--------
Cong Leaders Came Forward To Save Kasab, Other Terrorists
In 26/11 Attack: PM Modi
PM Narendra Modi
-----
Jamnagar (Gujarat), May 02 (ANI):
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally
in Gujarat’s Jamnagar on May 02. While addressing the event he launched a
scathing on Congress over ‘vote jihad’ and said that when terrorist attacks
took place in the name of Jihad in the country, Congress people were the first
to come forward to defend those terrorists. Adding to that he said Congress
leaders came forward to save Kasab and other terrorists in the 26/11 attack. “I
clearly said that I could see the image of the Muslim League in their
manifesto, which many thought was a mere political statement... The narratives
that had been imposed during the partition of the country by the Muslim League,
unfortunately, similar scenes are being seen today. INDI alliance leaders, in
their rallies, are asking Muslim voters to go for vote jihad. And these words
came from a very senior Congress leader coming from a very well-educated
family. When terrorist attacks took place in the name of Jihad in the country,
Congress people were the first to come forward to defend those terrorists...
Congress leaders came forward to save Kasab and other terrorists in the 26/11
attack... When Jihadis were killed in the Batla House encounter in Delhi, tears
were flowing from the eyes of the Congress madam,” said PM Modi.
Source:
aninews.in
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https://www.aninews.in/videos/national/cong-leaders-came-forward-to-save-kasab-other-terrorists-in-2611-attack-pm-modi-over-vote-jihad/
--------
Pakistan To Launch First Lunar Orbit Mission 'ICUBE-Qamar' Today
China-Pakistan mission: A
Long March 5 rocket, carrying the Chang'e-6 mission lunar probe, lifts off as
it rains at the Wenchang Space Launch Centre in southern China's Hainan
Province on May 3, 2024. (AFP)
-------
May 03, 2024
Pakistan will launch its first lunar orbit mission
today (Friday).
According to Institute of Space Technology, the lunar
mission ICUBE-Qamar will be launched on board China's Chang'E6 from Hainan, China.
The satellite has been designed and developed by IST
in collaboration with China's Shanghai University and Pakistan's national space
agency SUPARCO.
The launch activity will be telecast live on the IST
website at 12:50 PM.
The primary purpose of CubeSats is to facilitate
scientific research, technology development, and educational initiatives in
space exploration.
Source:
radio.gov.pk
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https://www.radio.gov.pk/03-05-2024/pakistan-to-launch-first-lunar-orbit-mission-icube-qamar-today
--------
Iran Imposes Sanctions On US, UK Officials, Entities
Over Israel Support
A group gather in Palestine
Square in the Iranian capital Tehran, staging a demonstration to support Iran’s
drone and missile attacks on Israel on April 15, 2024. [Fatemeh Bahrami –
Anadolu Agency]
------
May 02, 2024
Tehran, Iran: Iran announced on Thursday sanctions on
several American and British individuals and entities for supporting Israel in
its war against the Palestinian group Hamas.
The Islamic republic, the regional arch-foe of Israel,
unveiled the punitive measures in a statement from its foreign ministry.
It said the sanctions targeted seven Americans,
including General Bryan P. Fenton, commander of the US special operations
command, and Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, a former commander of the US Navy's
Fifth Fleet.
British officials and entities targeted include
Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps, commander of the British army
strategic command James Hockenhull and the UK Royal Navy in the Red Sea.
Penalties were also announced against US firms
Lockheed Martin and Chevron and British counterparts Elbit Systems, Parker
Meggitt and Rafael UK.
The ministry said the sanctions include "blocking
of accounts and transactions in the Iranian financial and banking systems,
blocking of assets within the jurisdiction of the Islamic Republic of Iran as
well as prohibition of visa issuance and entry to the Iranian territory".
The impact of these measures on the individuals or
entities, as well as their assets or dealings with Iran, remains unclear.
The war in the Gaza Strip erupted after the October 7
attack by Palestinian Hamas operatives on Israel which killed 1,170 people,
mostly civilians, according an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Iran backs Hamas but has denied any direct involvement
in the attack.
Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com
Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has since
killed at least 34,568 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to
the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.
Source:
ndtv.com
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https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/iran-imposes-sanctions-on-us-uk-officials-entities-over-israel-support-5571249
--------
Mosque attacker given ten years for ‘sadistic’ attacks
on fellow inmates
Thomas Connington Was
Sentenced To A Further 10 Years In Prison At Edinburgh High Court On Thursday
(Andrew Milligan/Pa)/ Pa Archive
------
A man jailed for trying to burn down a mosque has been
sentenced to a further ten years for “premediated, sadistic and violent”
attacks on four other prisoners.
Thomas Connington, 36, pleaded guilty to attacking the
four men at HMP Perth between May 2021 and June 2023, while subject to a
lifelong restriction order imposed following the 2016 attack on the Central
Mosque in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh High Court heard he threw boiling water at
inmate Gordon Simpson on May 20, 2021, causing him second-degree burns, and on
August 13 that year he used a toothbrush with a razorblade embedded in it to
slash Adam Fraser, permanently disfiguring him.
He then attacked inmates Liam Russell and Sam Roan
with a toothbrush with a blade in it on June 23 2023, leaving the men seriously
injured and permanently disfigured.
Judge Lord Fairley told the court the attacks were
“premeditated, sadistic and violent”.
He told Connington: “In 2017 you were made subject to
an order for lifelong restriction.
“The judge who imposed the order described you as
someone who relishes violence and who may attack strangers randomly and without
reason. That description seems to me to be emphatically borne out.”
He told Connington that it was up to the probation
service to decide whether or not he should ever be released from his lifelong
restriction order, but warned him each new offence “decreases the likelihood you
will be deemed suitable for release back into society”.
“The only person who can change that will be you,” he
said.
He sentenced Connington to a further ten years in
prison, to begin as soon as his existing sentence ends.
Connington, who attended the hearing via videolink
from HMP Low Moss, showed no reaction as the sentence was handed down.
Earlier, prosecutor BJ Gill KC told the court that
Connington had “numerous previous convictions for violence”, including a number
of attacks on fellow prisoners.
Connington’s advocate, Kris Gilmartin, acknowledged
there was “scant mitigation” for his client’s actions, but said they arose as a
result of conflict with other prisoners, and were never directed at prison
staff.
He said: “They all relate to conflict or at least
perceived conflict with other prisoners and after each incident Mr Connington
has been completely co-operative with prison staff.”
Source:
news.stv.tv
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https://news.stv.tv/east-central/mosque-attacker-given-ten-years-for-sadistic-attacks-on-fellow-inmates
--------
India
"Has There Been A Deal In Wayanad That Muslims...?" PM Modi Attacks Congress
May 02, 2024
New Delhi: Attacking the Congress party, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi asked if there has been a 'deal' in Wayanad to extend
the benefit of reservation to the Muslim community.
Asserting that giving religion-based reservations is
"unconstitutional", he accused Congress of snatching reservations
from the SC, ST and OBC communities.
In an interview with TV9 Bharatvarsh, PM Modi said,
"There is a question in my mind. Has there been a deal in Wayanad, that
Muslims will be given a share in the reservation, and in return make us win the
seat of Wayanad? The country wants to know this."
"Today, what is happening, is they (Congress) are
finding ways to snatch the reservation for SC, ST and OBC, given to them by the
Constitution. They want to give religion-based reservation," he added.
PM Modi further said that it was decided by the makers
of the Constitution that reservation can't be given on the basis of religion.
"When the Constitution was formed, months of
discussion took place. It was discussed between many knowledgeable people
whether reservations should be given on a religious basis. It was agreed upon
that it can't be given...now they are trying to give reservation on a religious
basis, because of vote bank," he said.
He also attacked the Congress party over not going to
the Pran Pratishtha of Ayodhya Ram Mandir and accused the BJP of asserting
their right to the temple.
"Can anyone have a right on the almighty? An
ordinary party like the BJP is nothing in front of Lord Ram. Lord Ram should be
of everyone. And why do they talk about this? To hide their hidden agenda,
which is to maintain their vote bank," PM Modi said.
"They (Congress) thought, if they went to Ram
Mandir, they would lose their vote bank...if you remember Rajiv Gandhi had
started his election campaign from Ram Mandir. But then their vote bank asked,
'If you do this, what is the difference between you and the BJP'. So they ran
away. Earlier they used to visit temples, but not now. Because their vote bank
had scolded them last time.
Source:
ndtv.com
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https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/has-there-been-a-deal-in-wayanad-that-muslims-pm-modi-attacks-congress-5574987
--------
Congress altered quota system several times to benefit
Muslims: BJP
May 3, 2024
NEW DELHI: Responding to senior Congress veteran P
Chidambaram’s claim that PM Narendra Modi continued to fight ghosts in his
election speeches on the quota issue, BJP on Thursday circulated a long list of
occasions when the quota system was altered especially to benefit the Muslim
community.
“Congress ensured that SC/ST reservation, as mandated
by the Constitution, was removed from Aligarh Muslim University (1981) and
Jamia Millia Islamia (2011) in favour of Muslims, even though both are govt
funded. Congress also ensured that ‘minority’ institutions, even if state
funded, don’t have to provide reservations for SC/ST/OBCs,” BJP IT department
head Amit Malviya said as he posted a list of times when the quota structure
was altered. He said not just this, Congress tried to give reservation to
Muslims in Andhra Pradesh five times but the courts struck it down every time.
After citing several attempts by Congress to introduce
5% Muslim quota in govt jobs and educational institutions between 2004-14, BJP
claimed that in June 2013, then minority affairs minister K Rahman Khan said
UPA was committed to implement a 4.5% Muslim quota. “Finally, the UPA govt went
to SC to plead for Muslim reservation. The SC clubbed the central Muslim quota
case of UPA govt with the Andhra Pradesh Muslim quota case and heard the matter
through a constitutional bench,” Malviya said.
Rebutting Chidambaram’s claim, Malviya said the 2024
Congress manifesto unequivocally implied Muslim reservation. “For instance,
what is the difference between Point 3 and Point 6 in the minorities section of
the manifesto? Point 3 says ‘encourage’ minorities to take full advantage of
opportunities. If the Congress manifesto had limited itself to just this, it
would have been okay. But Point 6 says ‘ensure’ minorities receive ‘fair share’
on exactly the same issues as mentioned in Point 3,” Malviya said.
Meanwhile, Baby Rani Maurya, a senior minister in Yogi
Adityanath’s cabinet and a known Dalit face, cited the several positions she
held, from governor to a senior minister, and said Congress and its allies
should respond to Modi’s “challenge” that there will not be any alteration in
the quota system to accommodate Muslims for their politics of appeasement and
vote bank.
Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/congress-altered-quota-system-several-times-to-benefit-muslims-bjp/articleshow/109796042.cms
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Owaisi’s support for YSRCP can influence voting
pattern of Muslims
May 02, 2024
In a move that can impact political winds in Andhra
Pradesh, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi
has declared his support for the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in the upcoming
elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assembly.
As the battle for winning the mandate appears to be a
tight-rope walk for the ruling YSRCP led by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy
and the Telugu Desam-Jana Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Front led by TDP
Chief N Chandrababu Naidu, AIMIM’s support may have some significant
implications on the voting pattern.
The Muslim population in Andhra Pradesh is 80.82 lakh
(9.56 percent) of the total 8.46 crore as per government estimates, and the
voters of this community can play a decisive role in some constituencies in
Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra.
Jagan Reddy, according to party sources, enjoys
support from many members of the Muslim community and is banking on their
continued support in the ensuing elections as well. His manifesto promises
?50,000 to ?1 lakh for the women of minorities.
The endorsement of Owaisi is expected to further help
the YSRCP consolidate its hold on Muslim voters. Even though MIM is not in the
fray in the AP polls, Owaisi does command respect in some quarters of the
Muslim population.
TDP’s move
TDP’s chief Naidu is making a desperate attempt to woo
the Muslim voters by promising to ‘fight for the preservation’ of four per cent
reservations for Muslims in the State. His other promises include financial assistance
of ?5,000 per mosque per month and the setting up of the Noor Bhasha Foundation
with an annual allocation of ?100 crore.
However, it remains to be seen how the electoral
alliance with the BJP is going to impact the voting patterns in Andhra Pradesh.
Source:
thehindubusinessline.com
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https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/elections/owaisis-support-for-ysrcp-can-influence-voting-pattern-of-muslims/article68132384.ece
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BJP not against Muslims; PM Modi respected by several
Islamic countries: Rajnath Singh
02.05.24
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday debunked
the opposition charge that the BJP was creating a Hindu-Muslim divide,
highlighting the goodwill enjoyed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in several
Islamic countries.
The former BJP president, who addressed election
rallies in Supaul and Saran Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar, also urged the
minority community to be wary of the Congress and its ally RJD, charging the
opposition parties with “seeking votes by kicking sand in your face”.
“In at least five Islamic countries of the Arab world,
Modi has been conferred with the highest honour. And they (the opposition) have
the temerity of charging us with (creating divisions) between Hindus and
Muslims,” Singh asserted.
“I would, however, urge my Muslim brethren not to be
ensnared by these people, the parties like RJD and Congress, which are trying
to get your votes by kicking sand in your face,” he said.
Singh, in his address, also said reservations along
religious lines is not possible under the constitution.
“Of course, there is a provision for quotas for the
backward classes and those sections of Muslim population that are lagging
behind are covered under the same,” he said.
“Muslims should also understand our motive behind
illegalising triple talaq. How can one tolerate such a practice which had
inflicted untold miseries upon so many Muslim sisters and daughters? We took
action without worrying about electoral consequences. I am glad to see that our
stand against triple talaq has also been appreciated by many Muslims,” the
defence minister said.
Singh also claimed that the NDA was on course to
achieve its target of 400-plus Lok Sabha seats, and “a beginning” has been made
in Surat, where the BJP candidate got elected unopposed, and in Indore, where
the Congress nominee withdrew his nomination papers and joined the saffron
party.
“Now, the opposition is crying hoarse that this would
imperil democracy. Let me tell you that since Independence, at least 28
candidates have got elected unopposed. Twenty of them belonged to the Congress
and two were from its ally Samajwadi Party,” Singh said, without elaborating.
He also said the grand old party would soon become
extinct “like dinosaurs” and “future generations would have to be told that
something called the Congress existed”.
“Mahatma Gandhi wanted the party to be disbanded. It
seems the party is being cursed by his soul,” Singh said.
The defence minister said he did “not wish to speak
against anybody who has been the prime minister since it involved an
institution and not just an individual”, while drawing a contrast between the
rule of Modi and Congress PMs since Jawaharlal Nehru.
“I do not say that those in our ranks have been
consecrated with milk. But, whenever somebody is found guilty of any wrongdoing,
the BJP-led NDA has not shied away from getting rid of tainted elements,”
asserted Singh.
The senior BJP leader lauded his Bihar ally, Chief
Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U), saying, “You may have many
grievances against him, but you cannot say that he is corrupt. In contrast, you
have the RJD, which has been most notorious with regard to its track record on
corruption, while in power”.
“Beware of parties like the RJD, which want to take
you back to the age of the lantern, and set up cow sheds doubling up as
schools,” said Singh, referring to the opposition party’s poll symbol and a
scheme launched by its president Lalu Prasad in the 1990s, when he was the
chief minister of Bihar.
He also claimed that under Modi, the global standing
of India has grown, citing the willingness of Russia and Ukraine to halt the
war for a few hours to facilitate return of students.
“Also, unlike in the past, terrorists cannot strike at
will as we have made known that India will hit back, even going across the border,
if the need arises,” the defence minister said.
He also alleged that the decade-long tenure of
Manmohan Singh was marked by stagnation.
“But, Modi worked a miracle. We have jumped to the
fifth spot and experts around the world agree that we are poised to be among
the top three by 2027,” said Singh, who also pointed out that “organisations
like the IMF say we have brought out 25 crore people from the clutches of
poverty, something which the Congress could not achieve despite slogans of
‘garibihatao’”.
Referring to the advocacy of inheritance tax by Sam
Pitroda “an advisor of the Congress’ top leadership who also heads the party’s
overseas wing”, the former BJP president asked, “Do you want such a system to
be in place?”.
The Union minister also stressed on Modi’s welfare
initiatives, touching upon the ‘Jan Dhan’ scheme, and the proposal to bring
“all people aged over 70 years, whether poor or not”, under the Ayushman Bharat
Yojana.
“We also intend to provide 300 units of electricity,
free of charge, to every household through rooftop solar panels,” Singh added.
Source:
telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bjp-not-against-muslims-prime-minister-narendra-modi-respected-by-several-islamic-countries-rajnath-singh/cid/2017266
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Pakistan
Deputy PM calls for joint action to counter
Islamophobia
May 02, 2024
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator
Mohammad Ishaq Dar has stressed the imperative for joint action to counter
Islamophobia, particularly in context of Israel's aggression against Palestine.
He was talking to Secretary General of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation, HisseinBrahim Taha, who called on the
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the 15th Islamic
Summit, held in Banjul, The Gambia today.
Senator Ishaq Dar shared Pakistan’s grave concerns
about rising Islamophobia, as manifested by an increasing number of incidents
of discrimination, violence, and incitement against Muslims around the
world.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
expressed deep concern on the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the dire
humanitarian situation there. He also expressed alarm at the escalation of the
conflict in the region.
Stressing upon an immediate ceasefire and unhindered
supply of humanitarian aid to Palestinians, Senator Ishaq Dar reiterated
Pakistan’s principled position calling for complete withdrawal of Israel from
all occupied Arab territories including Jerusalem, restitution of the
inalienable rights of the Palestinian people including their right of return to
Palestine, and establishment of an independent homeland for Palestinians along
the pre-June 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister also
briefed the Secretary General on the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied
Jammu and Kashmir and the use of excessive force by Indian security forces
there.
Noting the historic role of the OIC in support of the
just struggle of the Kashmiri people, he appreciated the role played by the OIC
Contact Group on Kashmir and the Special Envoy on Kashmir and OIC’s regular
monitoring of the human rights situation in IIOJK.
The OIC Secretary General reaffirmed OIC’s support to
the Kashmiri people and their legitimate right to self-determination as
reflected in various OIC resolutions.
During the meeting, Mohammad Ishaq Dar congratulated
the Secretary General on successfully holding the 15th OIC Islamic Summit.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister also
applauded the OIC’s efforts and initiatives for peace in the Middle East and
expressed full support of Pakistan for these initiatives.
Source:
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President, PM call for safety of Journalists, freedom
in reporting
May 03, 2024
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif in their messages on World Press Freedom Day have emphasized the need to
initiate measures for the safety and security of the journalists enabling them
to freely report on important issues.
They paid tribute to the journalists, media workers,
writers and cameramen and lauded their fight for truth.
In his message, President said an independent press is
essential for highlighting issues of global importance, dispelling fake news
and myths, and serving as a watchdog for society.
He said media also has a crucial role in creating
awareness about issues of global concern, including climate change, green
technologies, pollution, and global warming.
In his message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the
freedom of press and expression are the foundation of democracy and protection
of civil rights as well as the voice of truth in the society.
He urged the collective role of media and other
stakeholders to create conducive atmosphere to ensure smooth media functioning.
Prime Minister said the government firmly believed
that freedom of media and expression provide guarantee for democratic
durability.
He assured that the incumbent government will make
all-out efforts to uplift the media industry and resolve the issues confronting
it.
Source:
radio.gov.pk
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Govt to form new body to combat misinformation:
Attaullah Tarar
May 3, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting
Attaullah Tarar on Thursday said the government was focusing on forming a
separate authority to safeguard the digital rights of people and counter
propaganda and rumours on social media.
Speaking at a press conference, the minister said a
campaign by a section of media, intelligentsia and academia regarding online
harassment and fake news was witnessed on social media recently.
“There must be an end to harassment, including
online,” he said and called for a specific authority to address the issue of
online harassment as at present there was no law to protect the digital rights
of consumers.
He said it was necessary to create awareness among the
general public about their digital rights.
PM’s Saudi visit
Calling the recent visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif to Saudi Arabia “highly successful”, the minister said historic and
major developments will take place within the next few months because of the
visit.
The information minister said that the Saudi ministers
expressed their commitment to work with Pakistan regarding bilateral
cooperation and investment.
“Within a short span of just one month, the prime
minister held two meetings with the Saudi crown prince, which is of historic
significance for the two brotherly countries.”
Source:
dawn.com
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--------
TTP militant held after policeman was killed in Lahore
in targeted attack
May 3, 2024
LAHORE: In a quick action, police and law enforcement
agencies traced and arrested the alleged militant who had killed a policeman in
the Taxali Gate area earlier in the day on Thursday.
Constable Ghulam Rasool, who was posted in the
judicial wing of the Lahore police, embraced martyrdom in the Taxali Gate
attack.
A senior police officer said the suspected attacker
was riding a motorcycle and he was wearing a helmet. Some CCTV cameras showed
him chasing Ghulam Rasool on the road. The suspect targeted the constable near
a paan shop, fired three shots and escaped, leaving him critically injured.
Ghulam Rasool succumbed to his wounds instantly.
During an investigation, police obtained CCTV camera
recordings from various parts of the city wherein they spotted the suspect
riding his bike and wearing a helmet and gloves. He was first detected on the
roads of Gulberg from where he went to the Taxali Gate to target the constable.
After the incident, his last location was detected in Baghbanpura where he
disappeared.
According to the investigation, the suspect used a 9MM
pistol in the incident. Following the details, the Counter Terrorism Department
and police launched a search operation in the surroundings of Baghbanpura to
trace him.
In a statement released on social media with a title
‘KhoonKaBadlaKhoon’, the Khorasani Network of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) claimed responsibility of the incident, saying the constable was killed
by the firing of ‘Mujahidin’ at Taxali Gate.
After the incident, police and law enforcement
agencies sprung into action and they traced and arrested the militant in a raid
in the DHA near the Lahore University of Management Sciences. He was identified
as Abdullah Jan who was operating as Usman Khorasani. Police sources said Usman
was a part of ‘Khorasani group’ and was active in the TTP activities.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Police and other law enforcement
agencies have put their heads together to counter the new wave of targeted
attacks on policemen in Lahore after a third policeman was targeted and killed
in the Taxali Gate area and the Khorasani group of the TTP allegedly claimed
the responsibility.
This is not the first incident of police being
targeted in recent times. On April 25, Constable Muhammad Ali was shot in an
alleged ‘militants attack’ in Gulbahar Town near Wagah.
About five days ago, Sub-Inspector Rana Muhammad
Arshad of investigation wing was martyred in an armed attack in the Misri Shah
area where a motorcyclist opened multiple shots on him in an apparently
targeted attack. The attacker was on a motorcycle and wearing a helmet. The TTP
had reportedly claimed responsibility for the both attacks mentioned above on
social media.
Thursday’ attack is stated to be the third such
incident that has been reported in the provincial capital in recent times.
According to the police inquiries, the suspects had
used 30-bore pistols in the first two attacks and a 9mm pistol in the last.
The investigators suspect that ‘one attacker’ might be
behind all the three incidents and the police investigators are exploring all
possible options, including the possibility that the suspect might be a
‘psychopath’ as was evident from his mysterious movements and activities.
However, the security agencies also launched
investigations to check possible involvement of the banned militant
organisations when ‘Khorasani Network’ claimed responsibility for the targeted
killing of the constable at Taxali Gate on Thursday.
As the statement surfaced, the security agencies and
the Punjab Police’s high command activated the forces besides the network of
the special security agencies to investigate the case to check possible
involvement of the TTP or any other banned militant organisations.
Inspector General of Police Punjab Dr Usman Anwar told
Dawn the law enforcement agencies, including police and the officials from the
sensitive agencies, were working jointly to explore all possible factors,
including the involvement of the TTP as it claimed on social media to be behind
the attacks on the three police officials.
Meanwhile, police issued new guidelines in the wake of
the ‘targeted attacks’ for the police personnel, directing them to wear
bulletproof jackets while discharging duties at the pickets, particularly, at
the entry/exit points of the city. They were also directed to be armed with the
weapons while discharging duties or leaving the offices after completing duties
to avoid further any untoward situation.
The Khorasani group that claimed the responsibility
for the attack on Thursday was formed by Abdul Wali, known as Omar Khalid
Khorasani. Abdul Wali was thought to have been close to Osama bin Laden and
al-Zawahiri of al-Qaida, according to media reports.
Khorasani hailed from the tribal region of Pakistan
and got religious education from various madressah of Pakistan. He was a
hard-core militant who started out as an anti-India jihadist and took part in
violence in India-held Kashmir. He later joined Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) in 2007. In 2014, Khorasani broke away from the TTP, formed his own
group, Jamaatul Ahrar, and announced allegiance to the Islamic State in
Afghanistan.
The group carried out some of the deadliest attacks in
Pakistan, including a bombing in Lahore in 2016 that killed at least 75 people
from the Christian community on Easter Sunday. Khorasani later dissolved
Jamaatul Ahrar and rejoined the TTP in the group’s drive to reunify several
estranged groups. He was killed in a roadside bomb attack in Afghanistan in
2022.
Source:
dawn.com
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One killed, 20 injured in twin blasts in Duki
May 3, 2024
QUETTA: One person was killed, and 20 others injured,
including two officials of Balochistan police’s Counter Terrorism Department
(CTD), in two explosions that took place in the coal field area of Duki
district in northern Balochistan on Thursday.
Officials said that the explosions, in which
improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were used, took place with an interval when
people and police officials gathered at the site of the first blast.
In the first blast, a truck loaded with coal was
targeted while carrying coal to Punjab.
“An IED exploded close to the truck, injuring three
people,” officials said, adding that the truck was damaged.
The second blast took place at the site of the first
explosion when security personnel reached after the blast, resulting in the
killing of one person and injuring 15 more people.
“In the twin explosions, one person lost his life on
the spot, while 20 others were injured,” a senior police officer Jalil Marri
told Dawn, adding that the injured include two CTD officials who went to the
site for investigation.
A heavy contingent of police and other law enforcement
agencies cordoned off the area and shifted the body and injured to district
hospitals in Duki and Loralai.
The provincial health secretary, Abdullah Khan
Nourzai, imposed an emergency in the civil hospitals of Quetta and Loralai
after the blast.
Later, the seriously injured were shifted to the Civil
Hospital in Quetta.
Initial investigations revealed that both blasts were
conducted with remote controls.
The young boy who lost his life in the blast was identified
as 15-year-old Jahangir Nasar.
The injured officials of CTD were identified as
sub-inspector Mohammad Rahim and Shafa Mohammad.
Other injured individuals include Abdul Rehman,
Mohammad Qasim, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Asif, Naik Dad, Murad Mohammad
Kamran, Naseebullah, Abdul Wadood, Mohammad Tariq, Hakimullah, Shah Wali,
Roozudin, Najeebullah, Asmatullah and Muhammad Sadiq.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, Home
Minister Mir ZiaullahLangove, provincial ministers Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran,
Mir Ali MadadJattak, and senior central vice president of PML-N Sardar Yaqoob
Khan Nasar, strongly condemned the IED explosions in Duki, stating that those
responsible would be brought to justice soon.
Two police officers injured
In a separate incident, a deputy superintendent of
police and another officer were injured in an armed attack on their vehicle in
the Pishin district late on Thursday night.
Officials said that DSP AinuddinKakar and Station
House Officer Rozi Khan Kakar of Pishin police station were targeted by unknown
armed men in KilliTarkha, a locality on the outskirts of Pishin town while they
were on patrol in the area.
“Armed men opened fire on their vehicle, resulting in
serious injuries,” a senior police officer said, adding that police immediately
rushed to the site and shifted the injured police officers to Pishin hospital.
However, they were later shifted to the trauma centre
at the Civil Hospital Quetta. Rozi Khan’s condition is stated to be serious.
Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a
search operation to trace the terrorists.
Source:
dawn.com
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Fazl accuses establishment of poll manipulation to
appease US
May 3, 2024
KARACHI: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman made bold
accusations on Thursday, claiming that apart from domestic reasons, external
influences also played a significant role in the Feb 8 election results,
alleging that his party was denied its true mandate by the establishment as the
United States was angry over his engagements with Palestinian group Hamas and
the Afghan Taliban.
Mr Rehman went on to accuse the military establishment
of “always bowing to US priorities”, adding that he was “penalised” only for
standing with the people of Palestine and bringing Afghanistan and Pakistan
closer.
“It was my crime that I supported Hamas,” he said
while addressing a huge rally called the “Awami Assembly” in Karachi.
“I even met the Hamas leadership (in Doha in November
2023) and reiterated our support. The US became angry. On the one hand, it’s
our establishment, which bows to US priorities and on the other, it was me who
has been penalised for supporting Muslims,” he alleged.
The JUI-F chief then referred to his visit to
Afghanistan weeks before the general elections in January, which was
“meant to bring the two countries closer.
However, he alleged that the US got angry again only
because it wanted to weaken the Afghanistan government and “our efforts were
creating hurdles” in this regard.
“So, should I quit supporting Muslims and the Islamic
world only to become a member of the National Assembly? This isn’t possible,”
he said.
He demanded free and fair re-elections and vowed that
his party would not accept any polls in which results were changed at
gunpoint. He also accused the winning parties of securing mandate in the Feb 8
polls through “deals”.
“These are fake assemblies. These are fake not only because
the elections were fraudulent or the vote count was bogus but also because the
seats were decided by sale and purchase. Deals were made for the provincial
government to the presidency,” Mr Rehman said.
Source:
dawn.com
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Interior Minister Naqvi assures Chinese diplomat of
full security to citizens working in Pakistan
May 3, 2024
KARACHI: Calling security of Chinese citizens in
Pakistan a “national responsibility,” interior minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi on
Thursday assured the neighbouring country of their safety and cited the fresh
instructions to all “relevant institutions” about ensuring that policy under
the defined standard operating procedures (SOP).
The fresh development came during his visit to the
Chinese Consulate in Karachi, where he met Chinese Consul General Zhao Shiren.
A statement issued after the meeting said that issues of mutual interest and
bilateral cooperation were discussed between the two sides.
“Security of Chinese citizens in Pakistan was also
discussed,” said the statement. “The interior minister informed the meeting
about the measures taken for the safety of Chinese nationals and said that
their security was our national responsibility. He also said that instructions
had been issued to all relevant institutions to ensure the safety of Chinese
citizens as per SOPs, it added.
The minister also said that any conspiracy to harm
friendship of the two countries will not be allowed to succeed.
MQM-P delegation meets Naqvi
Meanwhile, a Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P)
delegation called on the interior minister and discussed the law and order
situation in Karachi and the overall political scenario in Sindh.
A statement issued after the meeting said that the
delegation, which comprised Federal Minister for Education and party convenor
Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Dr Farooq Sattar and Mustafa Kamal, also discussed
matters of mutual interests.
Mr Naqvi assured the delegation of playing his due
role in resolving their issues.
“I will try my best to solve all your problems,” the
statement quoted Mr Naqvi as saying. He also asked “everyone” to put personal
differences aside and think about the country. “The serious problems faced by
the country can be solved only with the consensus of the political parties,” he
added.
Source:
dawn.com
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--------
Naval Chief visits headquarters of China's People's
Liberation Army Navy in Qingdao
May 03, 2024
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf visited
headquarters of China's People's Liberation Army Navy at Qingdao, China.
The Naval Chief met Chinese Navy Commander Admiral Hu
Zhongming to discuss bilateral naval cooperation and regional maritime security
issues.
He highlighted the role of Pakistan Navy for regional
maritime peace and stability through Maritime Security Patrol.
The Commander People's Liberation Army Navy
appreciated the role of Pakistan Navy in joint maritime security in the region
and emphasized the importance of strong bilateral maritime cooperation.
The visit of the Naval Chief will further expand the
defence relations between the two countries in general and between the armed
forces in particular.
Source:
radio.gov.pk
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-------
Mideast
Israel builds ‘cyber dome’ against Iran’s hackers
May 03, 2024
TEL AVIV: Israel’s Iron Dome defense system has long
shielded it from incoming rockets. Now it is building a “cyber dome” to defend
against online attacks, especially from arch foe Iran.
“It is a silent war, one which is not visible,” said
AviramAtzaba, the Israeli National Cyber Directorate’s head of international
cooperation.
While Israel has fought Hamas in Gaza since the
October 7 attack, it has also faced a significant increase in cyberattacks from
Iran and its allies, Atzaba said.
“They are trying to hack everything they can,” he told
AFP, pointing to Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement but adding that so far
“they have not succeeded in causing any real damage.”
He said around 800 significant attacks had been
thwarted since the war erupted. Among the targets were government
organizations, the military and civil infrastructure.
Some attacks could not be foiled, including against
hospitals in the cities of Haifa and Safed in which patient data was stolen.
While Israel already has cyber defenses, they long
consisted of “local efforts that were not connected,” Atzaba said.
So, for the past two years, the directorate has been
working to build a centralized, real-time system that works proactively to
protect all of Israeli cyberspace.
Based in Tel Aviv, the directorate works under the
authority of the prime minister. It does not reveal figures on its staff,
budget or computing resources.
Israel collaborates closely with multiple allies,
including the United States, said Atzaba, because “all states face cyber
terrorism.”
“It takes a network to fight a network,” he said.
Israel’s arch foe Iran is “an impressive enemy” in the
online wars, said Chuck Freilich, a researcher at the Institute for National
Security Studies, which is affiliated with Tel Aviv University.
“Its attacks aim to sabotage and destroy infrastructure,
but also to collect data for intelligence and spread false information for
propaganda purposes,” he said.
Iran has welcomed Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel,
which resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an
AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive against Hamas has
killed at least 34,596 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to
the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
Regional tensions have soared, particularly after Iran
for the first time fired hundreds of missiles directly at Israel last month in
retaliation for a deadly Israeli air strike on the Iranian consulate in
Damascus.
It was the most dramatic escalation yet after a
years-long shadow war of killings and sabotage attacks between Israel and Iran.
Freilich argued in a study published in February that
Iran was relatively slow to invest in cyberwarfare, until two key events
triggered a change.
First, its leaders took note of how anti-government
protesters used the Internet as a tool to mobilize support for a 2009
post-election uprising.
In the bloody crackdown that crushed the movement,
Iran’s authorities cut access to social media and websites covering the
protests.
Then, in September 2010, a sophisticated cyberattack
using the Stuxnet virus, blamed by Iran on Israel and the United States, caused
physical damage to Tehran’s nuclear program.
Freilich said the attack “demonstrated Iran’s extreme
vulnerability and led to a severe national shock.”
Since then, Iran has gained substantial expertise to
become “one of the most active countries in cyberspace,” he said
While Israel is considered a major cyber power, Iran
was only likely to improve, said Freilich.
He pointed to assistance from Russia and China, as
well as its much larger population and an emphasis on cyber training for
students and soldiers alike, adding that the trend was “concerning for the
future.”
Atzaba insisted that the quantity of hackers is
secondary to the quality of technology and the use it is put to.
“For the past two years, we have been developing a
cyber dome against cyberattacks, which functions like the Iron Dome against
rockets,” he said.
“With cyber dome, all sources are fed into a large
data pool that enables a view of the big picture and to invoke a national
response in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.”
The Israeli system has various scanners that
continuously “monitor Israeli cyberspace for vulnerabilities and informs the
stakeholders of the means to mitigate them,” he said.
Israel’s cyber strength relied on close cooperation
between the public, private and academic sectors, as well as Israel’s “white
hat” hackers who help identify weaknesses.
“We work hand in hand,” he said.
Source:
arabnews.com
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Hamas is sending a delegation to Egypt for further
ceasefire talks in the latest sign of progress
May 03, 2024
BEIRUT: Hamas said Thursday that it was sending a
delegation to Egypt for further ceasefire talks, in a new sign of progress in
attempts by international mediators to hammer out an agreement between Israel
and the militant group to end the war in Gaza.
After months of stop-and-start negotiations, the
ceasefire efforts appear to have reached a critical stage, with Egyptian and
American mediators reporting signs of compromise in recent days. But chances
for the deal remain entangled with the key question of whether Israel will
accept an end to the war without reaching its stated goal of destroying Hamas.
The stakes in the ceasefire negotiations were made
clear in a new UN report that said if the Israel-Hamas war stops today, it will
still take until 2040 to rebuild all the homes that have been destroyed by
nearly seven months of Israeli bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza. It
warned that the impact of the damage to the economy will set back development
for generations and will only get worse with every month fighting continues.
The proposal that US and Egyptian mediators have put
to Hamas -– apparently with Israel’s acceptance — sets out a three-stage
process that would bring an immediate six-week ceasefire and partial release of
Israeli hostages, but also negotiations over a “permanent calm” that includes some
sort of Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, according to an Egyptian official. Hamas
is seeking guarantees for a full Israeli withdrawal and complete end to the
war.
Hamas officials have sent mixed signals about the
proposal in recent days. But on Thursday, its supreme leader, Ismail Haniyeh,
said in a statement that he had spoken to Egypt’s intelligence chief and
“stressed the positive spirit of the movement in studying the ceasefire
proposal.”
The statement said that Hamas negotiators would travel
to Cairo “to complete the ongoing discussions with the aim of working forward
for an agreement.” Haniyeh said he had also spoken to the prime minister of
Qatar, another key mediator in the process.
The brokers are hopeful that the deal will bring an
end to a conflict that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to
local health officials, caused widespread destruction and plunged the territory
into a humanitarian crisis. They also hope a deal will avert an Israeli attack
on Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have sought shelter
after fleeing battle zones elsewhere in the territory.
If Israel does agree to end the war in return for a
full hostage release, it would be a major turnaround. Since Hamas’ Oct. 7
attack stunned Israel, its leaders have vowed not to stop their bombardment and
ground offensives until the militant group is destroyed. They also say Israel
must keep a military presence in Gaza and security control after the war to
ensure Hamas doesn’t rebuild.
Publicly at least, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu continues to insist that is the only acceptable endgame.
He has vowed that even if a ceasefire is reached,
Israel will eventually attack Rafah, which he says is Hamas’ last stronghold in
Gaza. He repeated his determination to do so in talks Wednesday with US
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was in Israel on a regional tour to push
the deal through.
The agreement’s immediate fate hinges on whether Hamas
will accept uncertainty over the final phases to bring the initial six-week
pause in fighting — and at least postpone what it is feared would be a
devastating assault on Rafah.
Egypt has been privately assuring Hamas that the deal
will mean a total end to the war. But the Egyptian official said Hamas says the
text’s language is too vague and wants it to specify a complete Israeli pullout
from all of Gaza. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about
the internal deliberations.
On Wednesday evening, however, the news looked less
positive as Osama Hamdan, a top Hamas official, expressed skepticism, saying
the group’s initial position was “negative.” Speaking to Hezbollah’s Al-Manar
TV, he said that talks were still ongoing but would stop if Israel invades
Rafah.
Blinken hiked up pressure on Hamas to accept, saying
Israel had made “very important” compromises.
“There’s no time for further haggling. The deal is
there,” Blinken said Wednesday before leaving for the US
An Israeli airstrike, meanwhile, killed at least five
people, including a child, in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza. The bodies were
seen and counted by Associated Press journalists at a hospital.
The war broke out on Oct. 7. when Hamas militants
broke into southern Israel and killed over 1,200 people, mostly Israelis,
taking around 250 others hostage, some released during a ceasefire on November.
The Israel-Hamas war was sparked by the Oct. 7 raid
into southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly
civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages. Hamas is believed to still hold
around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.
Since then, Israel’s campaign in Gaza has wreaked vast
destruction and brought a humanitarian disaster, with several hundred thousand
Palestinians in northern Gaza facing imminent famine, according to the UN More
than 80 percent of the population has been driven from their homes.
The “productive basis of the economy has been
destroyed” and poverty is rising sharply among Palestinians, according to the
report released Thursday by the United Nations Development Program and the
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.
It said that in 2024, the entire Palestinian economy —
including both Gaza and the West Bank -– has so far contracted 25.8 percent. If
the war continues, the loss will reach a “staggering” 29 percent by July, it
said. The West Bank economy has been hit by Israel’s decision to cancel the
work permits for tens of thousands of laborers who depended on jobs inside
Israel.
“These new figures warn that the suffering in Gaza
will not end when the war does,” UNDP administrator Achim Steiner said. He
warned of a “serious development crisis that jeopardizes the future of
generations to come.”
Source:
arabnews.com
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--------
Turkiye halts all trade with Israel, cites worsening
Palestinian situation
May 02, 2024
ANKARA: Turkiye stopped all exports and imports to and
from Israel as of Thursday, the Turkish trade ministry said, citing the
“worsening humanitarian tragedy” in the Palestinian territories.
“Export and import transactions related to Israel have
been stopped, covering all products,” Turkiye’s trade ministry said in a
statement.
“Turkiye will strictly and decisively implement these
new measures until the Israeli Government allows an uninterrupted and
sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
The two countries had a trade volume of $6.8 billion
in 2023.
Turkiye last month imposed trade restrictions on
Israel over what it said was Israel’s refusal to allow Ankara to take part in
aid air-drop operations for Gaza and its offensive on the enclave.
Earlier on Thursday, Israel’s foreign minister said
that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was breaking agreements by blocking ports
to Israeli imports and exports.
“This is how a dictator behaves, disregarding the
interests of the Turkish people and businessmen, and ignoring international
trade agreements,” Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz posted on X.
Katz said he instructed the foreign ministry to work
to create alternatives for trade with Turkiye, focusing on local production and
imports from other countries.
Source:
arabnews.com
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--------
Khamenei’s Failed Legacy: Iran’s Youth Reject
Political Islam
On Teacher's Day, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic
Republic often boasts that teachers "are the architects of Iran's
future."
In Ali Khamenei's myopic worldview, this future likely
entails today's young Iranians carrying on the torch of the 1979 Islamic
Revolution, along with its tenets of political Islam.
But, the ruler's decades-long endeavor to indoctrinate
and shape post-revolution generations of Iranians through the education system
and dozens of state and religious propaganda outfits has failed, tarnishing the
legacy of the Islamic Republic.
From widespread secularization to the populace's
resolute anti-regime stance and protests, Iran has witnessed profound
transitions over the past decade. In the process, it's evident that the people
have turned their backs to the aspirations of both Supreme Leader.
Today's youth, thoroughly detached from the state,
often lead dual lives: experiencing pervasive oppression at schools and
universities while encountering contrasting narratives of pre-revolutionary
life at home. Despite crackdowns on internet access amid protests, Generation Z
has found a window into life in the West, solidifying their rejection of their
daily reality.
But, Khamenei can’t take all the credit for this
rejection – after all, he is only the second Supreme Leader. His predecessor,
Ruhollah Khomeini, did his share to try and forcibly imprint his worldview onto
Iranian youth through school curriculums.
Khamenei, though, is unlikely to cease his efforts.
Recently, the regime's education officials have hinted at several overhauls,
indicating a further tightening of control over what is taught to children and
students.
Here is a brief overview of what you need to know
about the Islamic Republic’s quest to mold the future Iranian generations
through schools and universities – and how they failed in their goal to
establish Iran as a successful example of political Islam.
Islamic ‘Revolutionary’ Overhaul of Iran's Education
System
Let’s take a step back.
For a period after the revolution in 1979, after the
ouster of Iran’s monarch Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iranian universities were
shut down to completely alter the country’s education system according to the
new government's ideological framework.
“Iran's new revolutionary authorities are engaged in a
massive upheaval of the country's educational system from the primary grades
through the universities,” reads a Washington Post article from 1980.
Literature textbooks would start with songs and
slogans of the Islamic revolution – and instead of reading the great Persian
poets, young children would learn chants like “Khomeini, Khomeini, you are
light from God” and "This American shah should be executed."
In directives that could be called revisionism,
history textbooks were rewritten to promote Islamic principles and so-called
revolutionary values, with hardly any mention of the ancient kings of Persia.
The Islamic Republic’s first Supreme Leader Rouhollah
Khomeini early on saw the potential in using the education system to pass on
the ideals articulated with the birth of Islam 14 centuries ago.
Conversely, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s “White
Revolution” in the 60s and 70s had aimed to modernize Iran through means that
included educational advances – including the deployment of teachers to
villages that had no schools. The educational system was secular and mostly
based on the European models, although students had a weekly hour about the White
Revolution and modernization.
Schools Under Siege by Radical Indoctrination and
Political Islam
Several studies show that over the last decades, the
Iranian school curriculum for Grades 1 - 12, has promoted radical ideological
indoctrination.
“Gender discrimination permeates Iran's textbooks.
Women are accorded little importance as individuals, and their contributions to
society outside the home are largely ignored. This attitude toward women is
justified in the textbooks through numerous references to the Koran and the
lives of prophets and Imams,” an extensive Freedom House study by Saeed
Paivandi reads.
Textbooks advocate for the destruction of Israel,
glorify child martyrdom and jihad, while fostering animosity toward the US.
School materials also venerate past Iranian empires and promote false
narratives in history textbooks.
“Iran largely continues to educate students for the
prospect of a global war, and the spreading of the Islamist-Khomeinist
revolution. There is a greater focus on Iran’s desire to export its global
Islamic Revolution to the Arab Middle East compared to past curricula, with
students encouraged to engage in militant activity to achieve Iranian
hegemony,” a study by IMPACT-se read, which evaluated Iranian school materials
for UNESCO peace and tolerance criteria.
Today, the regime continues its agenda to forcibly
imprint political Islam on Iran’s youth, as evident by the growing influence of
clerics and mosques in Iran's educational system – particularly with the
recruitment of clerics as teachers, the establishment of mosque-centered and
seminary-affiliated schools.
In line with Khamenei's anti-Western stance, measures
have included prohibiting primary students from studying English and removing
the requirement for older students to learn English. Arabic, however, remains
compulsory "as the language of the Qur'an" for first and second-year
secondary students, as per education officials.
In a nod to the government’s close economic dependance
and ties to Beijing, Iranian authorities are reportedly seriously discussing
the possibility of adding Chinese to the foreign languages taught in the
nation's schools.
In some universities, the flags of Israel and the US
are painted at entrances, a regime tactic to force students to walk over them
as a sign of disrespect. Yet, social media videos often show Iranian students
carefully avoiding to walk on the flags – highlighting their resistance and the
failure of Khamenei's policies.
Schools, Universities as Battlegrounds Against Regime
Since 1979, schools and universities have emerged as
focal points of unrest and opposition to the regime.
From prominent activist Majid Tavakoli’s historic
speech in 2009 on the steps of Amir-Kabir University on the Day of students,
bravely and directly attacking Supreme Leader Khamenei, to Iranian schoolgirls
in 2022 ripping out images of Khomeini and Khamenei from their textbooks, while
chanting “Death to the dictator” – the youth has shown their opposition to the
regime’s doctrine.
Following the most recent round of nationwide
anti-regime protests in 2022 and 2023, security forces unleashed a fresh wave
of crackdowns at universities – using both verbal and physical assault to
suppress the student opposition movements.
Amid protests, tens of thousands were arrested –
including at least hundreds of students, teachers and professors.
The state has kept up its pressure and tactics to
target teachers who joined demonstrations, including arrests, threats,
expulsions, and forced retirements.
Regime's Repression Targets Iranian Schoolgirls
Girls’ school particularly became a focal point for
unrest after the killing of Mahsa Jina Amini in September 2022, while she was
in the custody of the so-called morality police for a hijab violation.
Amid and following those protests, thousands of
schoolgirls were reportedly poisoned – with human rights activists and Iranian
journalists blaming the regime in Tehran for another “form of gender-based
attacks in the country.” Activists also suggest that the wave of attacks were a
reprisal for the students’ participation in nationwide protests.
Strengthening those arguments, are the fact that it
took Khamenei three months to comment on the attacks and that no arrests have
been made in connection with the reported poisonings.
Last year, IranWire exclusively reported that Iranian
schoolgirls have been forced to watch pornographic videos at school, aimed at
deterring them from joining anti-government protests.
These sessions, conducted by the regime’s security
forces, used the explicit content to argue that the protesters' demands would
lead to moral decay.
“A cleric accompanied by a woman wearing a hijab and
men in uniforms and civilian clothes visited the school and gathered students
in 10th, 11th and 12th grades in a classroom. The visitors forced them to watch
videos with porn scenes, including rapes and sexual intercourses between humans
and animals, in a bid to convince the children that the protesters’ demands
would lead to sexual decadence in Iran,” the report read.
The incident caused significant distress among the
students, with one student suffering a nervous breakdown and needing to be
hospitalized for two days.
Universities at the Heart of Regime’s Foreign Policy
Strategy
Universities in Iran have also played an integral role
in the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy strategy – which includes recruiting
foreign students as ideological ambassadors. These students, often from
influential families, are trained to promote Iran’s agenda globally under the
guise of "cultural secretaries."
Iran’s Al-Mustafa International University plays a key
role in this strategy, receiving substantial funding to educate foreign students
and spread the regime’s Shiism worldwide. The institution has students from
China, African countries and Latin America. The university has faced
international sanctions for allegedly recruiting combatants for conflicts like
the war in Syria.
Tehran’s Sharif University for instance, is also under
international financial sanctions and known for its close ties to the military
and being engaged in military and ballistic missile-related projects for the
Iranian government.
Iran's Teachers Confront Hostility and a Failing
Educational System
While the Supreme Leader has verbally revered the role
of teacher’s in the country, teachers themselves have been met with hostility
by the regime.
Their jobs have been hampered by severely low
salaries, poor working and living conditions – and in return, placated with
unfulfilled promises.
Recently, teacher’s have warned that the regime’s
brand of ideological curriculum means a “dead end” for children – and that the
authorities have failed in the education sector.
Teachers report that students are rejecting the
mandated school curriculum, which is heavily dominated by ideological and
religious content, even within science subjects. They say this has led to a
significant loss of interest among students.
The regime's security forces have also often attacked
gatherings of parents voicing their concerns about the significant qualitative
shortcomings of the country's educational system, including a shortage of
staff.
Among its shortcoming, an expert report published last
year by the ‘reformist’ news outlet Etemaad, showed several significant
qualitative deficiencies in Iran's education system – including a lack of
justice in providing educational opportunities and a legitimacy gap, stemming
from disparities between students' expectations and authorities' ideological
perspectives.
Source:
iranintl.com
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Kurds deny torturing detainees in north Syria camps
May 03, 2024
JEDDAH: Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria on
Thursday denied claims by Amnesty International that they tortured Daesh
militants and their dependents detained in internment camps.
More than 56,000 prisoners with links to the Islamist
militant group are still being held five years after Daesh were driven out of
their last territory in Syria. They include militants locked up in prisons, and
Daesh fighters’ wives and children in Al-Hol and Roj camps.
Amnesty secretary general Agnes Callamard said Kurdish
authorities had “committed the war crimes of torture and cruel treatment, and
probably committed the war crime of murder.”
The semi-autonomous Kurdish administration in
northeast Syria said it “respects its obligations to prevent the violation of
its laws, which prohibit such illegal acts, and adheres to international law.”
Any such crimes that may have been perpetrated were
“individual acts,” it said, and asked Amnesty to provide it with any evidence
of wrongdoing by its security forces and affiliates.
“We are open to cooperating with Amnesty International
regarding its proposed recommendations, which require concerted regional and
international efforts,” it said.
Kurdish authorities said they had repeatedly asked the
international community for help in managing the camps, which required “huge
financial resources.”
Al-Hol is the largest internment camp in northeast
Syria, with more than 43,000 detainees from 47 countries, most of them women
and children related to Daesh fighters.
Source:
arabnews.com
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Palestinian groups say top Gaza surgeon died in
Israeli custody
May 02, 2024
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Palestinian
advocacy groups said Thursday that the head of orthopedics at Gaza’s largest
hospital Al-Shifa has died in Israeli custody, alleging he had been tortured
during his detention.
Dr. Adnan Ahmed Atiya Al-Barsh died at the Israeli-run
Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank last month, the Palestinian Prisoners
Affairs Committee and the Palestinian Prisoners Club said in a joint statement.
Contacted by AFP about the reported death in custody,
the Israeli army said: “We are currently not aware of such (an) incident.”
Barsh, 50, had been arrested with a group of other
doctors last December at Al-Awda Hospital near the Jabalia refugee camp in
northern Gaza.
He died on April 19, the prisoners groups said, citing
Palestinian authorities.
“His body is still being held,” they added.
The groups said they had also learnt that another
prisoner from Gaza, Ismail Abdel Bari Rajab Khadir, 33, had died in Israeli
custody.
Khadir’s body was returned to Gaza on Thursday, as
part of a routine repatriation of detainees by the army through the Kerem
Shalom border crossing, the groups said, citing authorities on the Palestinian
side of the crossing.
The groups said evidence suggested the two men had
died “as a result of torture.”
They alleged that Barsh’s death was “part of a
systematic targeting of doctors and the health system in Gaza.”
The health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza said the
surgeon’s death amounted to “murder,” adding that it brought to 492 the number
of health workers killed in Gaza since the war erupted nearly seven months ago.
The prisoners groups said the latest deaths brought to
18 the number of deaths in Israeli custody since the war began on October 7.
There have been repeated Israeli military operations
around Gaza’s hospitals that have caused heavy damage.
Medical facilities are protected under international
humanitarian law but the Israeli military has accused Hamas of using Gaza’s
hospitals as cover for military operations, something the militant group
denies.
The Al-Shifa hospital, where Barsh worked, has been
reduced to rubble by repeated Israeli military operations, leaving what the
World Health Organization described last month as an “empty shell.”
The war started with an unprecedented Hamas attack on
southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians,
according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel estimates that 129 captives seized by militants
during their attack remain in Gaza. The military says 34 of them are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive against Hamas, has
killed at least 34,596 people in Gaza, most of them women and children,
according to the health ministry.
Source:
arabnews.com
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Europe
Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation to aid reviving
mosque in Azerbaijan's Gochahmadli
2 May 2024
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 2. The Turkic Culture and
Heritage Foundation will take part in the restoration of a mosque in the
village of Gochahmadli of Azerbaijan's Fuzuli region, the President of the
Foundation of Turkic Culture and Heritage, AktotyRaimkulova said, Trend
reports.
She made the remark during the panel session Ensuring
sustainable peace for revival and preservation of culture in post-conflict
periods held within the framework of the VI Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in
Baku.
“Azerbaijan has fully restored its sovereignty over
all its lands. The country is now undertaking reconstruction and rehabilitation
work. Our fund is very interested in contributing to these processes. "The
Fund is preparing to participate in the restoration of the mosque in
Gochahmadli village in Fuzuli district," Raimkulova said.
She also emphasized Turkic states' interest in
participating in the restoration of Azerbaijan's liberated territories.
Meanwhile, in Baku, the second day of the VI World
Forum on Intercultural Dialogue is underway.
To note, a total of 700 guests from different
countries around the world are taking part in the forum on the theme
"Dialogue for Peace and Global Security: Cooperation and
Interaction.".
The event, organized by the Ministry of Culture of
Azerbaijan, is being held in partnership with reputable international
organizations, including the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC),
UNESCO, ISESCO, and the UN World Tourism Organization.
Source:
en.trend.az
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Teenager arrested for planning mosque attack
A foreign law enforcement service notified the
counter-terrorism TEK centre on the morning of April 29 in connection with a
TikTok video post about a planned attack in a mosque in Hungary and a
subsequent post announcing an impending live-streamed attack.
Law enforcement agencies then took swift action to
protect religious places of worship, communities and institutions in Hungary
After several hours attempting to identify the
subject, police discovered that the teenager had followed online the Australian
man who killed 51 people in New Zealand in March 2019, during which he
live-streamed his attack on two mosques, the police statement said.
Police set out to intercept the teen as he took a
scheduled bus to Kazincbarcika, a town in north-east Hungary. In the meantime,
the suspect travelled to meet his girlfriend, whom he had threatened to kill.
He was taken into custody at Kazincbarcika Police Station on suspicion of
harassment, it added.
He is now being held in a secure facility on Budapest
for questioning on suspicion of planning to commit an act of terrorism.
Source:
budapesttimes.hu
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Drone hits passenger bus in Russian border region –
governor
3 May, 2024
A drone struck a passenger bus on Friday morning in
one of the villages in Russia’s Belgorod Region, local governor
VyacheslavGladkov has said. He later reported that another UAV hit a car in the
same settlement.
The attacks happened in the village of Voznesenka,
located not far from the border with Ukraine, Gladkov wrote on Telegram.
According to the governor, an FPV drone had targeted a
passenger bus which was being used to transport the employees of one of the
local firms.
A driver and two passengers were inside the vehicle at
the moment of the attack, he said.
"As a result of the explosion, one person was
injured. The man suffered a barotrauma and a bruise to his right arm,” Gladkov
said.
A few hours later, the governor reported another UAV
attack in Voznesenka, saying that a kamikaze drone had struck a parked car in
the village.
"There is one victim. A man with shrapnel wounds
to his back and upper and lower extremities was rushed by ambulance to the
regional clinical hospital,” he said.
The targeted car suffered “serious damage,” while
three more vehicles were hit with shrapnel. Windows were also blown out in a
nearby building, the governor said.
In the town of Shebekino in Belgorod Region, a
kamikaze drone also struck a gas station; the explosion set one of the gas
storage tanks on fire, Gladkov said.
No one was injured in the incident, the governor
stressed, adding that the emergencies services have arrived on site.
Source:
rt.com
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Arab
World
Saudi Arabia calls for unified Arab efforts to
confront environmental challenges
May 02, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and
Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadli has stressed the importance of regional action
to combat environmental challenges facing the Middle East and North Africa
region and the world, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.
Speaking during the 38th meeting of the Arab
Organization for Agricultural Development in Riyadh, the minister spoke of
biodiversity, the area’s natural resources and the range of agricultural
environments, while stressing the challenges facing the region. He called for a
united effort to reduce the impact on the region’s peoples.
Al-Fadli said that the Arab region was capable of
utilizing technology and innovation, as well as seizing opportunities to invest
in agriculture and improve practices to become more productive, efficient and
sustainable in the use of water and natural resources.
He said enhancing trade, regional and international
cooperation, and the benefits of international organizations were sources of
optimism.
The minister said that the Arab region could take
advantage of opportunities in technology, innovation and investment in
agriculture by improving practices to make the utilization of water and natural
resources more productive, efficient and sustainable.
Ibrahim Al Dukhairi, the director general of the
organization, pledged his support for sustainability and agricultural
development in the region, along with the development of the Arab landscape and
food security.
He pointed out the significance of strategies to
launch the necessary initiatives and partnerships to achieve the region’s
goals.
Source:
arabnews.com
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Saudi Justice Ministry to host training conference
May 03, 2024
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Justice is to hold the
International Conference of Judicial Training in Riyadh from May 6-7.
The Judicial Training Center hosts the event which
will see the participation of several international training institutes,
centers, and experts in the field of judicial and legal training. The objective
is to facilitate the exchange of experiences and deliberations on contemporary
trends in the era of digital transformation.
Called “The Future of Judicial Training in the Era of
Digital Transformation,” the event will delve into the prospects of training in
the future. It will explore paths for enhancing training content; strategies
for harnessing modern technology; artificial intelligence in judicial training;
and effective methodologies for measuring the training’s impact.
Source:
arabnews.com
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Saudi FM discusses preparations for Expo 2030 with BIE
chief
02-05- 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin
Farhan received the Secretary-General of the Bureau International des Expositions
Dimitri Kerkentzes in Riyadh on Thursday.
During the meeting, the two officials discussed the
Kingdom’s preparations to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh and coordination to ensure
that the exhibition would be “exceptional,” Saudi Press Agency reported.
Writing on social media platform X, Kerkentzes said:
“We underlined the importance of careful planning to deliver a transformational
World Expo in 2030.”
The BIE chief met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman on Wednesday.
World Expo 2030 will be hosted in Riyadh after the
Kingdom defeated challenges from South Korea and Italy to host the prestigious
event in November 2023.
Source:
arabnews.com
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Digital Cooperation Organization to attend Islamic
Summit in Gambia
May 02, 2024
RIYADH: The Digital Cooperation Organization, which
works to shape the global digital economy, will take part in the upcoming 15th
annual Islamic Summit Conference in the Gambian capital Banjul.
DCO Secretary-General Deemah Al-Yahya will head a
delegation at the event, which runs from Saturday to Sunday alongside a series
of summits organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to enhance
cooperation and understanding between Islamic countries.
“The DCO’s participation in the conference embodies
our firm commitment to strengthen multilateral action to reduce the digital gap
and accelerate digital transformation and prosperity in cooperation with all
concerned parties in the public and private sectors and civil institutions, as
well as international and regional organizations concerned with development,”
Al-Yahya said.
“It is consistent with the goal of the organization,
digital cooperation aimed at promoting comprehensive and sustainable
development in the global digital economy within a cooperative framework.”
Al-Yahya said she would hold talks with several heads
of state as well as the leaders of other delegations during the event.
The agenda of the conference, which is being held
under the slogan “Promoting Unity and Solidarity Through Dialogue for
Sustainable Development,” covers areas of political, economic, social, cultural
and technological interest as well as issues related to the media, law, social
affairs, administration and finance.
The DCO has signed a memorandum of understanding with
the OIC to provide a framework for cooperation to develop a sustainable digital
economy and collaborate in the field of digitization of human resources to help
enhance internet connectivity in remote and rural areas.
Source:
arabnews.com
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Saudi Arabia launches Nusuk pilgrim card for the Hajj
of 2024
May 02, 2024
RIYADH — The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has
launched the Nusuk pilgrim card, which will be in use for the forthcoming
annual pilgrimage of Hajj 2024.
Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah released
the Nusuk card by presenting its copy to Indonesian Minister of Religious
Affairs YaqutCholilQoumas in Jakarta on Tuesday, April 30, during his official
visit to Indonesia.
Dr. Al-Rabiah and his Indonesian counterpart Qoumas
discussed the final preparations and ways to streamline services for the
pilgrims of Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country which is sending the
largest-ever contingent of 241000 pilgrims for this year’s Hajj.
During the visit, the minister met with senior
Indonesian officials, heads of Hajj service providing companies and investors
to review the available opportunities that raise the quality and standard of
facilities and services for the guests of God.
The launching of the card is the latest in a series of
reforms introduced by the government of Saudi Arabia as part of its continuous
endeavors to provide everything that will add to the ease and comfort of the
pilgrims and enable them to benefit from the highly advanced technologies to
facilitate their lifetime journey of faith.
The Nusuk pilgrim card aims to raise the efficiency of
operational procedures for the upcoming Hajj season to make the pilgrimage much
easier and simplified as well as to bring down instances of performing Hajj in
an illegal way. It is designed to be easy to read automatically. The card
facilitates Hajj workers to identify and verify the identity of each pilgrim,
and also helps prevent unauthorized individuals from entering the holy sites,
and thus ensuring the safety and security of all pilgrims.
The ministry revealed that the card is in digital and
physical (print) formats. The print copy of the card will be delivered to
pilgrims through their respective Hajj missions or Hajj service providing
companies and establishments with which the pilgrims have concluded contracts
to perform the pilgrimage.
The digital copy is available through the pilgrim’s
account on the Nusuk and Tawakkalna applications. The ministry stated that the
pilgrim must scan the QR code on the printed card, and then follow the
instructions that lead to obtaining the digital version of the card.
The ministry indicated that the card provides a wide
range of services for the pilgrims. The most important of these services is
proving the identity of the pilgrim in front of the relevant authorities and
enabling them to verify his data for the purpose of making available the best
possible services. It will also provide key information such as the pilgrim's
personal data, address and health records, linked to a smartphone application.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah urged pilgrims coming
from within Saudi Arabia and abroad to obtain the card before their arrival at
the Holy Sites. The foreign and domestic pilgrims are obliged to carry the card
during their travel and movements throughout the Hajj period from the time of
their arrival until their departure. The ministry emphasized that the card is
mandatory for entry and travel within the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah as
well as for their movement between the Holy Sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah.
The card also contains details of the respective Hajj
mission of the pilgrim and ways to communicate with it, in addition to knowing
the schedules of the pilgrims’ grouping and residential addresses. The ministry
stated that the pilgrim can also receive special alerts, in addition to the
evaluation of the provided services, and file their observations and complaints
via the digital card.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had previously warned
those wishing to perform Hajj rituals against falling in the trap of fake Hajj
campaigns and bogus Hajj service providers. It urged pilgrims to apply for Hajj
only through official agencies and channels.
During last March, the ministry launched the second
edition of its “Jusoor Initiative” aimed to enhance communication with various
countries around the world, as well as to review the Kingdom’s efforts in
serving the guests of God, and facilitate the procedures for their arrival to
the Two Holy Mosques.
In a related development, the Muslim World League
appreciated the statement issued by the Saudi Council of Senior Scholars in
which it reiterated that it is not permissible to perform Hajj without a
permit. Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Al-Issa, secretary general of MWL and chairman of
the Association of Muslim Scholars, confirmed that the council’s statement
establishes a legal basis for addressing undesirable behavior on the part of
some pilgrims that cause harm to the legal pilgrims and place a burden on
firms, agencies and bodies that engage in ensuring smooth operation of the hassle-free
Hajj, as well as in offering the best possible services for the pilgrims.
Source:
saudigazette.com.sa
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Taif Rose Festival's Spectacular Rose Carpet Draws
Visitors in Droves
02 May, 2024
The Taif Rose Festival, known as Qitaf 19, is
captivating residents and tourists alike at Al-Rudaf Park, organized by the
Taif Rose Cooperative Society in collaboration with the Taif Municipality and
other relevant sectors. The festival's main highlight is a massive flower and
rose carpet covering 5,206 square meters and comprising 1,026,491 flowers and
roses of diverse shapes and colours, with designs inspired by Taif's heritage
and historic palaces.
Visitors can enjoy cultural competitions, traditional
performances, and interactive fountain shows. The festival also features rose
kiosks where fragrant Taif rose products can be purchased. Government agencies
have set up pavilions to showcase their services.
The Taif Municipality has made extensive preparations
to accommodate the expected influx of visitors, ensuring that every festival
brings joy and happiness to all attendees.
Source:
alriyadhdaily.com
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South
Asia
US Mission to Afghanistan Stands in Solidarity with
Journalists on World Press Freedom Day
May 2, 2024
Kabul, Afghanistan – On the eve of World Press Freedom
Day, the US Mission to Afghanistan has issued a poignant reminder of the perils
and persistence of journalism in the country. In a statement delivered by Mario
Crifo, the Director of Public Affairs and Spokesperson for the U.S. Mission
based in Doha, Qatar, the enduring struggle of Afghan journalists was both
celebrated and lamented.
“Afghan journalists are among the most professional,
courageous, creative, and dedicated in the world,” Crifo stated, acknowledging
the once flourishing state of Afghan media. He reminisced about the diversity
and vibrancy of the Afghan press, which at its zenith was a beacon of
independence and a critical source of information for the Afghan populace.
However, the landscape of journalism in Afghanistan
has drastically altered. The statement highlighted a series of increasing
challenges including harassment, detention of journalists, a vague regulatory
environment, and restricted access to information about government activities.
The decline in female participation in the media and the dwindling
opportunities for their education in the field were particularly emphasized as
significant setbacks.
Despite these hurdles, Crifo underscored the
resilience of Afghan media professionals who continue to uphold the ethics of
journalism—accuracy, independence, impartiality, humanity, and accountability.
“They work hard to maintain a commitment to truth… to preserve Afghan media’s
most valuable asset — its credibility,” he said.
The deterioration in press freedom in Afghanistan is
not isolated but part of a broader context of challenges faced by journalists
in the country. In recent years, Afghanistan has seen an unhealthy atmosphere
for journalism characterized by no access to information, censorship,
detentions, and even closure of media outlets. These conditions pose dire
threats not only to the profession but also to the broader aspiration of
democracy and public discourse.
On World Press Freedom Day, Crifo expressed solidarity
with Afghan journalists and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to
defending press freedom, a sentiment echoed on behalf of US Secretary of State
Antony Blinken and Chief of Mission Karen Decker.
As the international community marks this significant
day, the focus remains sharply on Afghanistan where journalists continue to
navigate one of the world’s most challenging environments for press freedom.
The courage and commitment of these professionals serve as a critical pillar in
the pursuit of truth and transparency, essential components for any functioning
society.
Source:
khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/us-mission-to-afghanistan-stands-in-solidarity-with-journalists-on-world-press-freedom-day/
----
Mujahid: Bennett Has Grudge Against Afghans, Islamic
Emirate
HadiaZiaei
May 2, 2024
The Islamic Emirate has called the recent statements
by Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for
Afghanistan, as biased.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate,
told TOLOnews that Richard Bennett has a grudge against the current regime and
the citizens of Afghanistan, and this is his way of venting it.
"Richard Bennett's remarks do not need a
reaction. He is a biased individual who, given the security and stability we
have under the regime ruling Afghanistan, is merely venting his frustrations,
which we should not regard as significant,” said Zabihullah Mujahid.
Previously, Richard Bennett stated that the interim
government in Afghanistan is not prepared to be accountable for its actions
concerning human rights issues. The UN's Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan has
once again called on the Islamic Emirate to fulfill its commitments to the
world regarding human rights.
Mr. Bennett said, "As we mark the second
anniversary of my term as the Special Rapporteur, I urge the Taliban to meet
their international human rights obligations and for the international
community to steadfastly insist on significant improvement in human rights by
the Taliban."
LamiaShirzai, a women's rights activist, told
TOLOnews, "If the United Nations and human rights institutions truly
valued the rights of Afghan women and girls, they could have taken more serious
actions up to the extent of imposing sanctions."
Rashid Qutbzadah, an international relations expert,
stated, "As long as the political directives of the international
community are accepted by the Emirate, this pressure will continue, and this
pressure is more political than it is about human rights."
It is not only Richard Bennett, the international
community has consistently criticized human rights violations in Afghanistan;
however, the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly emphasized that it has fulfilled
its commitments regarding human rights, especially the rights of women and
girls, within the framework of Islamic laws.
Source:
tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188603
-----
Attack on Shia in Herat highlights vulnerability of
communities: US Representative
Fidel Rahmati
May 2, 2024
Rina Amiri, the Special Representative for Women’s
Affairs in Afghanistan, condemned the recent attack on Shia Muslims in Herat
province.
Ms. Amiri wrote on her X account on Thursday, May 2nd,
that this violent act reminds us of the vulnerable communities’ exposure to
harassment and torture.
The Islamic State (ISIS) group claimed responsibility
for the attack on a Shia mosque in Herat late on Tuesday.
The Taliban’s Interior Ministry said that in an armed
attack on Monday night at the Imam Zamani mosque in Mohammadi town, at least
six worshippers, including a woman and a child, were killed.
This incident underscores the ongoing threat of
extremist violence targeting religious minorities in Afghanistan. The attack on
Shia Muslims adds to the already dire security situation in the country, posing
significant challenges to peace and stability efforts.
Furthermore, such attacks deepen communal tensions and
exacerbate divisions within Afghan society, hindering efforts towards
reconciliation and national unity.
The Taliban regime has failed to secure Afghan
communities. It faces mounting pressure to address the root causes of extremism
and violence, ensuring the protection of all citizens’ rights and freedoms.
Source:
khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/attack-on-shia-in-herat-highlights-vulnerability-of-communities-us-representative/
----
Islamic Emirate Calls UNAMA Report Repetitive and
Propagandistic
May 2, 2024
Following the publication of UNAMA's quarterly report
on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid, the
spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, stated that UNAMA has not taken into
account the realities of Afghanistan in its report.
Mujahid told TOLOnews that the reports of the UNAMA in
Afghanistan are repetitive.
"The government is making all efforts to
apprehend all destructive individuals who spill the blood of the people and
bring them to the justice . What we see in the UNAMA report is repetitive and
propaganda that is unsubstantiated. The Sharia rights of the people, including
women and men, are secured and not lost,” said Zabihullah Mujahid.
In this report titled "Human Rights Situation in
Afghanistan" released by the United Nations Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan, it is stated that nearly 80 civilians died in three explosions in
Afghanistan during the first five days of 2024.
The report addresses human rights situations,
casualties from airstrikes in Khost and Paktika provinces , corporal
punishment, freedom of the media, and some other issues.
The report also details casualties from explosive
materials, reporting the deaths of 79 civilians from the sixth to the eleventh
of January in three explosions.
According to the report, the most severe explosion
among them was in the city of Kandahar on the twenty-first of March, which
resulted in 75 casualties in this event.
Salim Paigeer, a political analyst, said, "The
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan must take specific measures about the security
threats that exist today or yesterday to prevent certain groups that operate
through bombing and suicide attacks."
In the section on women and girls' rights, similar to
the previous UNAMA report, criticism has been made of the lack of change in
lifting the bans against women and girls.
"The new
educational year in Afghanistan started on the twentieth of March without the
presence of Afghan girls in schools,” reads part of the report.
Based on this report, as a result of Pakistani
airstrikes and clashes between Pakistani forces and the forces of the Islamic
Emirate on the eighteenth of March, more than twenty civilians also suffered
casualties.
Source:
tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188602
----
Second joint economic meeting held between Afghanistan
and Iran
Fidel Rahmati
May 2, 2024
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan
announced that Nouruddin Azizi, the acting minister, held discussions with
General Mohammad Karimi, the governor of Sistan and Baluchistan province in
Iran, and the special representative of the Iranian president at the
Afghanistan-Iran border.
According to the ministry’s press release on Thursday,
May 2nd, both sides discussed expanding trade between Afghanistan and Iran
during this meeting.
Based on the press release, both parties also
discussed enhancing transit through the Chabahar Port route.
Officials from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce
stated that this was the second meeting of the Afghanistan delegation led by
Acting Minister Nouruddin Azizi and the Iranian delegation.
Despite the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan,
Iran maintains close political and trade relations with the authorities of the
group. However, it is among the countries that have not officially recognized
it.
Previously, an Iranian deputy foreign minister
referred to Afghanistan as a “golden opportunity” for Iran and emphasized the
need to seize the markets in this country.
Source:
khaama.com
Please
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https://www.khaama.com/second-joint-economic-meeting-held-between-afghanistan-and-iran/
----
EU contributes €15 million to combat climate change in
Afghanistan
Fidel Rahmati
May 2, 2024
Rafaela Iodice, the European Union official in
Afghanistan, says the EU has contributed 15 million euros to combat climate
change and assist vulnerable women in Afghanistan.
She stated this on Thursday, May 2nd, in a message
posted on her social media platform from X, mentioning that Afghanistan is the
most vulnerable country to climate change.
According to Iodice, PeterisUstubs, Head of Asia,
Central Asia, Middle East, and Pacific Division of the European Union, signed
the document for this aid during his trip to Afghanistan.
The EU official in Afghanistan emphasized that this
aid will be utilized to combat climate change and natural disasters in the
country.
The European Union had previously warned that the
consequences of climate change in Afghanistan would increase poverty and the
need for food.
It is noteworthy that Afghanistan is one of 19
countries vulnerable to climate change, according to reports.
It’s worth mentioning that devastating floods, rising
temperatures, decreased precipitation, untimely rains, depletion of
groundwater, and changes in humidity are among the major factors of climate
change.
Source:
khaama.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/eu-contributes-e15-million-to-combat-climate-change-in-afghanistan/
---
Press freedom index: Bangladesh falls 2 spots, only
Afghanistan worse in South Asia
May 3, 2024
Bangladesh has slipped two notches on the World Press
Freedom Index 2024 published today by Reporters Without Borders on the occasion
of World Press Freedom Day.
The country was ranked 165th among 180 nations,
placing it only above Afghanistan among South Asian countries.
The country's score dropped to 27.64 out of 100, a
decrease from 35.31 last year, when it was ranked 163rd.
In 2022, Bangladesh held the 162nd position with a
score of 36.63, while in 2021, it was at 152nd place with a score of 50.29.
Nepal has now emerged as the leader in press freedom
in South Asia, ranking 74th globally with a score of 60.52, followed by the
Maldives at 106th with a score of 52.36.
Bhutan, previously leading in the region, now stands
in third place in the region with a score of 37.29 and a global ranking of
147th.
Sri Lanka follows closely behind at fourth place with
a score of 35.21 and a global rank of 150th.
Pakistan occupies the fifth position in the region,
standing at 152nd place.
India holds the sixth position regionally and has
climbed to 159th globally from last year's 161st.
Afghanistan now ranks at the bottom of the region,
plummeting 26 places to 178th, with a score of 19.09.
The report highlights that in the Asia-Pacific region,
which is the world's second most challenging region for journalism, Myanmar,
China, North Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan are among the top 10 most
dangerous countries for media personnel.
Norway retains its top spot in the global index with a
score of 91.89, followed by Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Finland, Estonia, Portugal,
Ireland, Switzerland, and Germany, rounding up the top 10.
The 2024 World Press Freedom Index assesses the level
of freedom enjoyed by journalists and media across various countries and
territories, analysing five contextual indicators: political context, legal
framework, economic context, sociocultural context, and safety.
The report underscores that press freedom worldwide
faces threats from political authorities, as indicated by the significant
decline in the political indicator, which has experienced a global average
decrease of 7.6 points.
Source:
thedailystar.net
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/rights/news/press-freedom-index-bangladesh-falls-2-spots-only-afghanistan-worse-south-asia-3600956
----
Who do you want to bring to power by ousting me: PM
wonders about leftists
May 2, 2024
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked the country's
leftist parties who they want to bring to power by ousting her.
"The leftists have turned 90 degrees. Well, they
want to oust me. But could they determine who would come next? It is my
question. Who would come to power and who would work for the country? But it is
not clear who they want to bring," she said.
The premier said this while addressing a press
conference at her official residence GonoBhaban on the outcome of her recent
six-day visit to Thailand.
Replying to a question, she said since it is not clear
whom the leftists want to bring to power next, they do not get a response from
the people.
She said yes, movement is being carried out. Staying
in a foreign land as a fugitive, someone is engaged in movement as well as
giving orders online thanks to digital Bangladesh established by her
government, she added.
"Let those who are waging a movement do it. We
are not hindering it," she said.
Criticising the US' way to curb ongoing demonstrations
carried out against Israeli aggression on Palestine, the PM said there is a
possibility now for Bangladesh to stop the movement here following the American
style.
"I think our police can now follow the American
police. We asked them (Bangladesh Police) to show patience," she said,
adding that a law enforcer was beaten to death in October 2023.
"So, our police can take measures to curb movement
in American style," she went on.
Replying to another question, the prime minister said
her government's goal is to make the ongoing upazila election meaningful.
In this context, she said a good number of political
parties boycott elections as they have no capacity to run in the polls.
"Why do they boycott elections? The reason is
that they actually don't have capacity to compete in the elections," said
Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League.
The prime minister returned to Bangladesh on April 29
after concluding her visit, which began on April 24 at the invitation of her
Thai counterpart SretthaThavisin.
Source:
thedailystar.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/who-do-you-want-bring-power-ousting-me-pm-wonders-about-leftists-3600296
----
Africa
‘Repentant Boko Haram Terrorists’ Set Ablaze NDLEA,
Customs Checkpoints In Borno; Chase Away Operatives
May 2, 2024
Suspected repentant Boko Haram insurgents on Wednesday
attacked the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigeria Customs
Service checkpoints at KasuwanFara, a suburb of Maiduguri metropolis, Borno
State.
According to a counter-insurgency expert and security
analyst, ZagazolaMakama in a post on X, the suspects also chased away all
personnel on duty before setting ablaze all structures at the checkpoints.
No fewer than 3000 ex-Boko Haram members had passed
through the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration camp in the
last few years.
Makama said the incident followed a fierce encounter
earlier between the suspected ex Boko Haram combatants and the police at the
KasuwanFara Divisional Police Office.
“The suspected repentant insurgents, reportedly
wearing military uniform, had pounced on the police office to forcefully set
free their eight colleagues arrested at the suburb over criminal activities
bordering on dealing in hard drugs.
“The arrest was made on April 24 during a raid carried
out by the police on the notorious spot at the criminals-ridden KasuwanFara.
Due to the rise and persistence of criminal activities and sinister operations
by drug peddlers comprising dismissed military personnel, repentant insurgents
and other hoodlums, who assemble there to conduct nefarious activities, the
area had since been earmarked for closure by Borno State Government.
“The April 24 raid, where the eight suspected
repentant insurgents were arrested and 426 bottles of spirits such as dry gin
confiscated, was conducted to sanitize the area, pending the final closure. The
arrested persons were detained at the KasuwanFara police division since the day
of their arrest.
“Subsequently, at about 7:40am of Thursday, May 2, a
dozen of the suspected repentant insurgents in military uniform, stormed the
KasuwanFara police station in an attempt to rescue their arrested fellows. The
Divisional Police Officer alongside his men were able to repel the attack while
the perpetrators fled.
“Consequently, the assailants, in an apparent transfer
of aggression, reverted to attacking NDLEA and NCS personnel checkpoint along
the Maiduguri-Gubio road KasuwanFara, where they burnt down the checkpoints
alongside the sandbags heaped on the road and fled the scene."
“The Borno Police Command spokesman, ASP Kenneth Daso,
who confirmed the incident, said investigations are ongoing to apprehend the
attackers, and the arrested eight suspects have been transferred to Anti-Crack
Squad Div HQ for further action,” the report said.
Source:
saharareporters.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://saharareporters.com/2024/05/02/repentant-boko-haram-terrorists-set-ablaze-ndlea-customs-checkpoints-borno-chase-away
---
715 terrorists killed, 465 hostages rescued in April –
DHQ
3rd May 2024
Gift Habib
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters, on Thursday, said
troops killed over 715 terrorists in April, while 465 kidnapped hostages were
freed in the same period.
The feat, according to the military, was achieved through
coordinated ground and air operations.
The Director of Defence Media Operation, Maj-Gen
Edward Buba, disclosed these during a bi-weekly media briefing in Abuja.
Buba stressed the non-negotiable defeat of terrorist
groups to prevent further harm to citizens.
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According to him, operations in April included
ambushes, raids, and fighting patrols, with aerial assets identifying and
targeting terrorist leaders and their bases.
He said, “The synchronised strikes between the ground
and air forces during the period under review resulted in over 715 terrorists
neutralised.
“During the process, troops arrested 146 persons and
rescued 465 kidnapped hostages.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 937 assorted weapons,
23,034 assorted ammunition, and denied the oil theft of an estimated sum over
N2 billion (N2,572,397,190),” he said.
He listed some of the engagements of the troops and
the successes they recorded in the fourth month of the year.
“On April 13, 2024, during the airstrikes, three
senior terrorist commanders (Ali Dawud, Bakura Fallujah, and Mallam Ari) were
neutralised at Kolleram Village along Lake Chad.
“Additionally, on April 15, 2024, the enclave of
terrorist commander, Babaru, in Kankara LGA of Katsina State was destroyed. On
April 19, 2024, the terrorist hideout belonging to a senior terrorist
commander, KamiluBuzaru, in Danmusa LGA of Katsina State was decimated.
“Similarly, on April 20, 2024, a gathering of senior terrorist
commanders, Ado Ailero and KamiluBuzaru in Danmusa LGA of Katsina State was
disrupted by airstrikes. Battle Damage Assessment of all these strikes revealed
that several terrorist combatants and their commanders were neutralised,” he
added.
In the North-East, the military spokesperson reported
that Operation Hadin Kai troops conducted missions in the Sambisa Forest,
Timbuktu Triangle, and the Tumbus around Lake Chad, resulting in the
elimination of 248 terrorists, the arrest of 422 and the rescue of 163
kidnapped hostages.
Additionally, he said 714 Boko Haram and ISWAP
terrorists, along with their families, surrendered, with recovered items
including 208 AK-47 rifles, 34 fabricated guns, 45 Dane guns, and various
caches of ammunition.
In the North-Central area, he said Operation Safe
Haven neutralised 32 terrorists, arrested 148, and rescued 35 kidnap victims,
seizing weapons and ammunition.
Maj-General Buba said Operation Whirl Stroke targeted
criminal strongholds, killed 60 terrorists, arrested 99, and rescued 57
hostages, with arms and ammunition also recovered.
In the North-East, Operation HadarinDaji, he said,
continued efforts against terrorists, killing 297, apprehending 141, and
rescuing 143 hostages, with significant weapon and ammunition recoveries.
In the South-South, the Operation Delta Safe
operations, according to him, targeted violent extremists, crude oil theft, and
illegal refining, resulting in killings, arrests, and significant recoveries as
well as successes of Operation UDO KA in the South-East.
Source:
punchng.com
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https://punchng.com/715-terrorists-killed-465-hostages-rescued-in-april-dhq/
----
Military court-martials two soldiers over Kaduna
accidental bombing
3rd May 2024
Gift Habib
The Defence Headquarters said, on Thursday, that two
military personnel will face court martial for the December 3, 2023 accidental
bombing on the TudunBiri village of Kaduna State.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen.
Edward Buba, revealed this during a press briefing at the Defence Headquarters
in Abuja on Thursday.
Buba said the investigation launched into the incident
had been concluded with two personnel indicted
The accidental bombing led to the death of at least 85
civilians with several injured.
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The villagers were said to be celebrating Maulud, an
Islamic festival, when the incident happened with the Army promptly owing up to
the accidental bombing and describing it as highly regrettable.
President Bola
Tinubu ordered a probe into the incident while the military promised that any
personnel found culpable would be punished.
The DHQ, on December 8, instituted an eight-member
panel to initiate an investigation into the incident.
Buba told The PUNCH in January that the panel
comprised senior officers across the geopolitical zones of the country.
Giving an update at the Thursday press briefing in
Abuja, the DHQ spokesman said, “I want to speak briefly about the incident in
TudunBiri village in Kaduna State as the investigation has been concluded.
“The military conducted a painstaking investigation into
the accidental drone strike and has initiated disciplinary actions against
troops that were indicted.
“Accordingly,
the affected personnel are to face a court martial for acts of omission or
commission with respect to the incident.”
Buba said the investigation report had been submitted
to relevant authorities but refrained from providing further details.
“I am, however, constrained to speak much about the
incident as it would be adjudged as prejudicial being a case before a court
martial.
“However, it must be made clear that the incident was
a mistake, as the victims of the strike were mistaken for terrorists.
“It is hoped that there would be no repeat of strikes
on non-combatants in ongoing operations. The military will take extra
precautions in the future to ensure that non-combatants are safe,” he added.
Source:
punchng.com
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https://punchng.com/military-court-martials-two-soldiers-over-kaduna-accidental-bombing/
----
Thousands of desperate people still fleeing Sudan's
war into South Sudan
May 02, 2024
Since the war broke out in Sudan a year ago, more than
half a million people have crossed into South Sudan using various border
crossings.
The small town of Renk, some 45 kilometres across the
border in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state, is the biggest entry and transit
point.
Life is already not easy in this rain and
resource-scarce town, but its population has boomed since it became the main
transit route for people fleeing the fighting.
As the figures continue to grow daily, most of the
people arrive hungry, tired, and desperate, looking for support and protection
at the Renk Transit Centre where things are really hard.
"As you can see, this is where they live and
conditions are terrible. They do not have shelter, they lack food, water is
still a problem here,” said Plan International case worker, Harriet Konga.
Sudan has been torn by war for over year now, ever
since tensions between its military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces
exploded into street clashes in the capital Khartoum in April 2023.
Plan International said close to 20,000 refugees from
Sudan are currently taking shelter in Renk, and the sheer volume of people
posed a major challenge to efforts to provide humanitarian aid and support.
"They seek peace, they need shelter, they need
water, sanitation hygiene. I see a number of kids are just playing around the
mud, they have not gone to school and have fear of the war. They want to move
to a better place from here," said Sheeram KC of Plan International –
Nepal.
Every day, thousands of refugees and South Sudanese
returnees relocate from Renk to other parts of the country.
South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in
2011, has also been struggling to integrate rival military forces, draft a new
constitution, and prepare for its delayed first elections due to take place in
December.
The landlocked country is facing an economic crisis
due to a decline in oil exports after war-torn Sudan declared force majeure on
oil shipments – South Sudan’s main export -- passing through the country in
March.
Source:
africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2024/05/02/thousands-of-desperate-people-still-fleeing-sudans-war-into-south-sudan/
----
Humanitarian crisis escalates in Northeastern Mali as
armed groups besiege major towns
May 02, 2024
A humanitarian crisis is worsening in northeastern
Mali where armed groups linked to Islamic State have besieged major towns
leaving residents including some 80,000 children vulnerable to malnutrition,
locals and an aid group warned Wednesday.
Siege in Ménaka: Four Months of Desperation
The town of Ménaka has been under siege for four
months, driving up the prices of food. Other essential goods like medication
are increasingly hard to find, residents and aid groups say.
"The humanitarian situation is catastrophic, with
displaced people going from house to house asking for food for their families.
Children are threatened with starvation," Wani OuldHamadi, deputy mayor of
the town of Ménaka, told the Associated Press.
Mali, along with its neighbors Burkina Faso and Niger,
has for over a decade battled an insurgency fought by armed groups, including
some allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Following military coups
in all three nations in recent years, the ruling juntas have expelled French
forces and turned to Russia's mercenary units for security assistance instead.
Children Trapped: The Grim Reality
Col. AssimiGoita, who took charge in Mali after a
second coup in 2021, promised to beat back the armed groups, but the United
Nations and other analysts say the government has rapidly lost ground.
The aid group Save the Children said some 80,000
children were trapped inside the town of Ménaka facing malnutrition and
disease, and many were unaccompanied having fled violence elsewhere..
"Children in Menaka are trapped in a living
nightmare. Let us be clear: unless the blockade is lifted , starvation and
disease will led to deaths," SiakaOuattara, the country director, said in
a statement.
Ayouba Ag Nadroun, a man who fled to Ménaka to escape
violence in other parts of the country said he was unable to provide for his
extended family of some 15 members, including many women and children, and
surviving on scarce handouts of aid. "I have no job, how can I help
them?" he told the AP.
"The blockades subject villagers to violence,
hunger and fear and have long been a tactic used by these jihadist groups to
punish communities for their perceived support of the government," said
Sahel analyst Corinne Dufka adding that they had often succeeded in pressuring
the communities to sign non-aggression accords with the groups.
Political Turmoil: Promises Unkept
Mali's leader, Goita, has promised to return the
country to democracy in early 2024. But in September, the junta canceled
elections scheduled for February 2024 indefinitely, citing the need for further
technical preparations.
Last month, his ruling junta ordered all political
activities to stop, and the following day ordered the media to stop reporting
on political activities.
Source:
africanews.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/05/02/humanitarian-crisis-escalates-in-northeastern-mali-as-armed-groups-besiege-major-towns/
----
Nigerian Army Set To Acquire Ambush Protected Vehicles
– COAS
2 May 2024
The Nigerian Army has announced that it will receive
several mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles within the next few weeks.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. TaoreedLagbaja
revealed this while speaking to troops during a familiarization tour at the 23
Brigade in Gibson Jalo Cantonment, located in Yola, Adamawa State.
The Army chief, while praising President Bola Tinubu
for his administration’s support in the Army’s transformation, highlighted that
the anticipated delivery was integral to the agenda aimed at revitalizing the army.
Lagbaja noted that significant efforts have been made
to tackle insecurity in previously troubled regions like the South-South,
South-East, and North-Central.
He emphasised that the most persistent challenges in
the North-West and parts of the North-East are currently being actively
addressed.
Lagbaja said, “The current government, in its effort
to reposition the Army is doing a lot. In the next few weeks, we are expecting
mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles to enhance the conduct of our operations
nationwide.
“With the support we are getting from Mr President,
putting everything together, in the foreseeable future, I see the security
situation across Nigeria improve tremendously.”
Speaking directly to the troops, the COAS clarified
that his visit was aimed at understanding their living conditions and
operations firsthand, ensuring them that the challenges would be dealt with
while motivating them to remain diligent.
“I want to encourage you to be unrelenting in the
discharge of your duties. Is it anti-banditory? Is it counter-terrorism? Is it
normal internal security operations? Whatever task you are given, you should
take it as a duty that must be discharged creditably. The Army will address the
challenges that confront you and your family,” the Army chief assured the
troops.
Source:
naijanews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/05/02/nigerian-army-set-to-acquire-ambush-protected-vehicles-coas/
----
North
America
UCLA silent on approving anti-jihad campus speaker
event amid campus protests
May 2, 2024
UCLA has appeared to prioritize the anti-Israel
protesters over campus events, according to the school's Young Americans for
Freedom (YAF) chapter.
Young America’s Foundation, the organization behind
YAF, reported Tuesday that UCLA has not responded to the chapter's request to
host "Jihad Watch" founder Robert Spencer on campus May 15 despite
filing for approval weeks prior.
UCLA YAF Chairman Matthew Weinberg said he initially
did not receive any feedback from UCLA Student Organizations, Leadership &
Engagement administrators Kenneth Qian, Mike Cohn and Kristopher Kaupalolo
regarding the event. After finally meeting with administrators, he was told
"there is no timeframe" for its approval.
Weinberg told Fox News Digital no one in the school
had given him a reason for the delay, but one administrator and member of the
Los Angeles Police Department voiced security concerns.
"The fact that the school prioritizes agitators,
some who aren’t even students, that are clearly violating campus policy and
have been physically assaulting Jewish students over students who engage in the
free exchange of ideas like people in our chapter to me is absurd and
demonstrates cowardice. It demonstrates a lack of moral clarity and this needs
to be addressed," Weinberg said.
Weinberg said Spencer is still planning to speak on
campus as scheduled, though it will ultimately depend on UCLA.
"It's hard to say. It seems to me that it's
intentional on the school’s end, but we can only hope for the best,"
Weinberg said.
"We’re actually concerned that what they might do
is delay the approval for the very, very, very last minute so that either the
event doesn't happen because we can't get enough people to show up or they try
to make it so that maybe Robert Spencer isn't able to even attend the event or
very few people can go," he added.
Weinberg also criticized the media as "rather
despicable" for hesitating to cover the chaotic events on campuses until
anti-Israel protesters clashed with counter-protesters.
"The entire mainstream media has decided we're
not going to cover what's going on in college campuses to the significant
degree which they are now when Jewish students are being assaulted,"
Weinberg said.
"Many Jewish students are uncomfortable going to
campus. I know personally one that was pepper sprayed over the weekend on
campus. There are many Jewish students across the country that are being beaten
up on campus just wearing the Star of David, just for showing support for
Israel. And I just find it morally reprehensible that the focus is now because
there is a counter-protest," Weinberg said.
UCLA did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for
comment.
YAF also shared a letter of demand by their lawyers to
commit to approving or rejecting the speaking event by Thursday.
"We further ask that you respond to this letter
by May 3, 2024, confirming (1) that the University will comply with its
obligations to avoid viewpoint discrimination under the First Amendment; (2)
that the University will not enable an illegal ‘heckler’s veto’ by leftwing
activists who may react violently to YAF’s presentation; and (3) that the
University understands its officials are personally liable for their ongoing
unconstitutional conduct," the letter said.
Weinberg said that they plan further legal action if
the school does not respond by the appointed day.
Clashes at UCLA erupted Tuesday night as
counter-protesters tried to pull down parade barricades, plywood and wooden
pallets protecting a tent encampment built by anti-Israel protesters.
Photos and videos online captured a glimpse of the
chaos as they showed people throwing chairs, using sticks and weapons to beat
each other and shoving and kicking one another. Firecrackers were also tossed
into groups of people and pepper spray was deployed at various times.
Source:
foxnews.com
Please
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https://www.foxnews.com/media/ucla-silent-approving-anti-jihad-campus-speaker-event-amid-campus-protests
--------
Does Video Show Hundreds of Protesting UCLA Students
Converting to Islam?
May 2, 2024
In May 2024, a video circulating on social media
purported to show hundreds of students converting to Islam and participating in
Islamic prayer during pro-Palestine protests at the University of California,
Los Angeles (UCLA). However, a closer examination reveals that the claim is
misleading.
Several social media accounts linked to the video clip
and provided a description of what they believed was taking place in it. One
tweet, which had been viewed a staggering 5.3 million times at the time of
writing, claimed the students were converting to Islam, writing, "Hundreds
of American students convert to Islam and participate in an Islamic call to prayer
at UCLA."
However, the video itself does not support this claim.
The clip in question was first shared to X on May 1,
2024, by user Anthony Cabassa, who described what it depicted as a "group
of Pro Palestine protestors praying as the sun sets on campus." The
original source of the video remains unclear.
Tweets from X accounts ChazzP12 and Mario Nawfal
shared the same video, writing that "protesters of all faiths were
welcomed to join in solidarity."
The clip does indeed show a large gathering of protesters
at UCLA participating in prayer, but contrary to what has been claimed online,
it does not depict hundreds of students converting to Islam. This distinction
is crucial, as participating in prayer does not equate to conversion to Islam.
Rather, the clip reportedly captured a moment when a group of people were seen
participating in Islamic prayer as the sun set. Hours later, police swept in to
dismantle the protest camp and arrest more than 2,000 protesters, according to
multiple reports.
Converting to Islam involves a personal declaration of
faith known as the Shahada, which can be made privately or publicly, often in
the presence of witnesses or within the Muslim community. An English
translation of the Shahada is: "I bear witness that there is no God but
God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God."
Additionally, conversion may involve learning about
the fundamental beliefs and practices of Islam, including the Five Pillars
(Shahada, Salah, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj), and embracing them in your daily life.
The protests on the UCLA campus, along with protests
that have taken place at several other universities across the country since
mid-April, were part of a broader movement of students supporting Palestine
amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
The protests were fueled by concerns over the Israeli government's military
response in Gaza and the subsequent displacement of Palestinian families there.
Demonstrators were calling for an end to the war, justice for Palestinian people,
and for their universities to cease doing business with Israel and companies
that support the conflict in Gaza.
The claim that the video shows hundreds of students
converting to Islam during the UCLA protests is misleading. While the video
captured a large gathering of protesters participating in Islamic prayer, there
is no evidence to suggest that mass conversions took place.
Source:
snopes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ucla-students-converting-to-islam/
--------
Sean Hannity hosts founder of an anti-Muslim hate
group to discuss student protests
05/02/24
On April 26, Fox News’ Sean Hannity hosted anti-Muslim
activist Brigitte Gabriel on his radio program The Sean Hannity Show. Gabriel
is the founder and chairman of ACT for America, a Southern Poverty Law
Center-designated anti-Muslim hate group that masquerades as an organization
created to fight terrorism.
Gabriel has previously appeared on Fox News’ Hannity
multiple times. On the April 26 program, she joined his radio show to comment
on the student protesters in encampments at universities around the country.
She called for the FBI’s counterterrorism task force to look into student
protestors, whom she called “mini-Jihadists,” and cast doubt on the fact that
people are hungry in the Gaza Strip. International assessments have concluded
that there is a famine unfolding in Gaza. Gabriel then thanked Sean for
“bringing people like me on” to discuss “the important issues that most talk
radio hosts are afraid to talk about.”
Gabriel has recently appeared on a QAnon show to urge
the audience to join and raise funds for ACT for America. Here is a partial
summary of Gabriel and her organization’s islamophobia.
Source:
mediamatters.org
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.mediamatters.org/brigitte-gabriel/sean-hannity-hosts-founder-anti-muslim-hate-group-discuss-student-protests
--------
Muslim group blasts Biden speech addressing chaos on
college campus
May 2, 2024
A leading Muslim advocacy group slammed President
Biden’s speech Thursday decrying the anarchy on college campuses, saying he
failed to condemn attacks on protesters by law enforcement and supporters of
Israel.
Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director for
the Council for American-Islamic Relations, said the Democratic president
should have called out attacks on protesters and violence by law enforcement.
“President Biden’s vague, both-sides speech failed to
specifically mention and condemn the violent attacks that pro-Israel rioters
and law enforcement officers have launched against students protesting the Gaza
genocide at UCLA and other schools across the country,” he said.
Mr. Mitchell further criticized Mr. Biden for not
blaming Israel for causing the protests and for failing to call out incidents
of what he described as Islamophobia and “anti-Palestinian racism.”
“If President Biden is concerned about unrest on
college campuses, he should start specifically condemning attacks on peaceful
protesters and stop funding the genocide that has triggered student protests,”
Mr. Mitchell said. “Until then he’s part of the problem.”
Mr. Biden ended his 10 days of silence on Thursday,
delivering a three-and-half-minute speech saying “order must prevail” on
college campuses while acknowledging the right to demonstrate peacefully.
In his remarks, the president deemed the actions of
protesters harassing Jewish students as antisemitic but also condemned all hate
speech.
Source:
washingtontimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/may/2/muslim-group-blasts-joe-biden-speech-addressing-ch/
--------
Vancouver Rally: Long Live October 7; Hamas, PFLP,
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah Are Not Terrorist Groups, They Are Heroes
May 2, 2024
In a speech that lead to her arrest by Canadian
authorities, Charlotte Kates, the International Coordinator of Samidoun:
Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, said in an April 26 rally in
Vancouver, British Columbia that the October 7 attack changed the world because
it showed that Palestine was "almost free" of Zionism, from the River
to the Sea. She led the crowd in a chant: "Long live October 7!"
Kates went on to say that Hamas, the Popular Fron for the Liberation of
Palestine (PFLP), Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and Lebanese Hizbullah are
not terrorist groups, but rather they are heroes. She told the audience that
they must not be ashamed and afraid of these groups, who fight and
"sacrifice for all of us" and for a better world. Kates demanded that
these groups be removed from Canada's terror list. Kates then told the audience
that they must "live up" to the example the resistance fighters set
every day with their guns, rockets, and missiles.
Charlotte Kates' speech was uploaded to various
accounts on X. The rally was streamed live on "Free Palestine Tri-cities
BC" on Instagram. However the livestream no longer exists on the account.
Kates is the wife of former PFLP official and fellow activist Khaled Barakat.
"We Stand With The Palestinian Resistance And
Their Heroic And Brave Actions On October 7"
Charlotte Kates: "We demand a free Palestine from
the River to the Sea. And we stand with the Palestinian resistance and their
heroic and brave actions on October 7. As they said, long live October 7th! And
we say today: long live October 7th!"
Crowd: "Long live October 7th!"
Kates: "They wanted to make... Justin Trudeau
denounced that statement, Pierre Poilievre denounced that statement. Every one
of these Canadian politicians who could not find one word to denounce the
slaughter of 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza, who could not find one word to
denounce the mass graves of Palestinian doctors, and patients, and mothers and
fathers and sisters and brothers and beloved ones. They could not find one
word. But they could find all the words to denounce the beautiful, brave, and
heroic resistance of the Palestinian people – which did not begin on October 7,
which has continued for over 75 years, which has continued for over 120 years,
and which has never stopped fighting for the liberation of Palestine, and is
today fighting not only for the liberation of Palestine, but for the defense of
humanity against genocide.
"Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad [PIJ], Popular
Front For The Liberation Of Palestine [PFLP], And Lebanese Hizbullah Are Not
Terrorists; They Are Resistance Fighters, Freedom Fighters, Heros For A New
World"
"And so we must make it clear also that it is
long past time to delist Palestinian and Lebanese resistance organizations from
Canada's so-called list of terrorist entities. Hamas is not a terrorist
organization. [Palestinian] Islamic Jihad is not a terrorist organization. The
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is not a terrorist organization.
Hizbullah is not a terrorist organization. These are our resistance fighters.
These are our heroes.
[...]
"They are not terrorists. They are resistance
fighters. They are freedom fighters. And they are heroes for a new world.
[...]
"October 7 Showed That Palestine Is Almost Free
Of Zionism From The River To The Sea"
"So I want all of us to not be silent about the
resistance. To not be silent about the armed resistance. To be loud and clear
about it and to say that it is true that October 7 changed the world.
[...]
"It showed that Palestine is almost free of
Zionism from the River to the Sea.
[...]
"Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine, Hizbullah – these are not names to be ashamed of.
These are not names to be afraid of. These are the names of those who fight and
sacrifice for all of us and for a better world.
"Resistance Fighters Set An Example With Their Guns
And Missiles... And With Their Hope For One Resistance That Stretches from
Palestine To Yemen, Syria, Iran, Iraq, To Every Single One Of Us, That Is
Committed To See The End Of Zionism, The End Of Imperialism"
"And so what can we do here? We can camp-in on
campus. And we can say that we demand that every resistance organization is off
the so-called terror list, and that the Zionist regime and the settler-funders
here are on it instead. Because everything that we can do is just to live up to
the example that the resistance fighters set every day. Yes – with their guns,
with their missiles, and with their rockets. But also, with their medicine,
with their books, with their love, and with their hope and joy for the future
of a liberated Palestine and for the future of humanity – and for one
resistance front that stretches from Palestine to Yemen, to Syria, to Iran, to
Iraq, to every single one of us that is committed to see the end of Zionism,
the end of imperialism, and victory for Palestine. Victory for the
resistance."
Source:
memri.org
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.memri.org/reports/speech-leading-her-arrest-international-coordinator-samidoun-charlotte-kates-vancouver-rally
--------
Southeast
Asia
Perak Mufti says KK Mart’s offence against Islam
unproven, urges Muslims to stop boycott
John Bunyan
03 May 2024
IPOH, May 3 — Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Wan Zahidi Wan
Teh today said that Muslims in the country should refrain from boycotting
establishments such as KK Super Mart because the act departs from the concept
of Islamic jurisprudence.
According to the Islamic judicial methods, Wan Zahidi
pointed out that one of the important pillars in criminal behaviour is the
intention and desire to do it, or “alqasduljinaei” (criminal intent).
He said that this element cannot be proven through
“shahadah” (direct evidence), but only by confession or via the “qarainulahwal”
method of proof (circumstantial evidence).
“From the explanation by KK Super Mart and also their
open apology plus their explanation to the Malaysia Islamic Development
Department, it is clear that motive and intention in this case is unproven.
“Hence, based on Islamic jurisprudence, accusations of
insulting Islam against KK Super Mart are unproven,” he said in a statement.
Wan Zahidi also stressed that the principle of
universal justice has a sacred position in Islam and it emphasises that justice
is upheld and delivered to anyone who is entitled regardless of race.
“When the issue was sensationalised and fomented
sentiments of anger and hatred, the way it was handled had strayed far from the
principles of Islamic justice for all,” he said.
The controversy involving the KK Super Mart started on
March 13 when images of socks sold at one of the convenience store chain’s
outlets with the word “Allah” were circulated on social media.
Despite the company’s management apologising, the
situation became a heated issue with a nationwide boycott called by Umno Youth
chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh.
Previously on March 27, Sultan Ibrahim had expressed
his displeasure at the controversy and called for stern action to be taken
against those responsible.
Since the incidents, three of the store’s branches
namely the outlet on JalanSatok in Kuching, outlet in Bidor, Tapah and the
outlet in Sungai Isap, Kuantan came under fire-bombed attacks.
All three incidents were believed to have been linked
to the earlier “Allah” printed socks controversy.
In March, Datuk Seri Chai KeeKan, the founder and
executive chairman of the KK Super Mart was charged under Section 298 of the
Penal Code for deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of others,
alongside his wife. Both claimed trial.
Source:
malaymail.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/05/03/perak-mufti-says-kk-marts-offence-against-islam-unproven-urges-muslims-to-stop-boycott/132221
----
Religious Affairs minister: Jakim sets up special
hotline to channel complaints regarding insults to Islam
02 May 2024
PUTRAJAYA, May 2 — The Department of Islamic
Development Malaysia (Jakim) has set up a 24-hour hotline as a platform to
report complaints regarding insults against Islam, including those triggered
through social media platforms.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious
Affairs), Datuk MohdNa’im Mokhtar, stated that Jakim will also collaborate with
State Islamic Religious Departments (Jain), the Royal Malaysia Police, the
Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and other relevant
parties to address issues concerning insults to Islam.
“The public can lodge complaints and reports regarding
any insult against Islam through the WhatsApp hotline at 017-3234533 or email
to aduan@islam.gov.my.
“The Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs)
consistently affirms its commitment to safeguarding the sanctity and dignity of
Islam. Any party found to be insulting Islam must be brought to justice as a
lesson to all,” he said in a statement today.
MohdNa’im also called on all parties to always act
responsibly in preserving unity and harmony in the country.
“Any form of provocation and extreme actions must be
stopped. Unity is a blessing that must be maintained to achieve the essence of
Malaysia Madani,” he said. — Bernama
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/05/02/religious-affairs-minister-jakim-sets-up-special-hotline-to-channel-complaints-regarding-insults-to-islam/132120#google_vignette
-----
Myanmar junta bans men from applying to work abroad
03 May 2024
YANGON, May 3 — Myanmar’s junta has suspended the
issuing of permits for men to work abroad, it said, weeks after introducing a
military conscription law that led to thousands trying to leave the country.
The junta, which is struggling to crush widespread
armed opposition to its rule, in February said it would enforce a law allowing
it to call up all men to serve in the military for at least two years.
The move sent thousands queuing for visas outside
foreign embassies in Yangon and others crossing into neighbouring Thailand to
escape the law, according to media reports.
The labour ministry has “temporarily suspended”
accepting applications from men who wish to work abroad, the ministry said in a
statement posted by the junta’s information team late yesterday.
The measure was needed to “take more time to verify
departure processes and according to other issues,” it said, without giving
details.
More than 4 million Myanmar nationals were working
abroad in 2020, according to an estimate by the International Labour
Organisation citing figures from the then-government.
Analysts say many more work abroad off the books.
Recruits
The military service law was authored by a previous
junta in 2010 but was never brought into force.
It allows the military to summon all men aged 18-35
and women aged 18-27 to serve for at least two years.
That law also has a stipulation that, during a state
of emergency, the terms of service can be extended up to five years and those
ignoring a summons to serve can be jailed for the same period.
The Myanmar junta announced a state of emergency when
it seized power in 2021, with the army recently extending it for a further six
months.
A first batch of several thousand recruits has already
begun training under the law, according to pro-military Telegram accounts.
A junta spokesman said the law was needed “because of
the situation happening in our country”, as it battles both so-called People’s Defence
Forces and more long-standing armed groups belonging to ethnic minorities.
Around 13 million people will be eligible to be called
up, he said, though the military only has the capacity to train 50,000 a year.
More than 4,900 people have been killed in the
military’s crackdown on dissent since its February 2021 coup and more than
26,000 others arrested, according to a local monitoring group. — AFP
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2024/05/03/myanmar-junta-bans-men-from-applying-to-work-abroad/132190
-----
Malaysia drops to 107th spot in press freedom rankings
03 May 2024
MALAYSIA dropped 34 spots to place 107th in the
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2024’s World Press Freedom rankings. It was at
73rd spot last year.
This is the first time in three years Malaysia did not
top the list for Southeast Asia. Thailand took the honour at 87th place.
“The threat of defamation proceedings keeps journalists
on a short leash in Mongolia (109th), while news sites critical of the
government are often blocked in Malaysia (107th),” said the report accompanying
the index.
In the past 12 months, access to news sites such as
UtusanTV and MalaysiaNow was partially blocked.
In the report, Malaysia was described as “a culturally
diverse constitutional monarchy. Although the federal government has a
draconian legislative arsenal to restrict press freedom, these restrictions are
resisted by a vibrant civil society.
Malaysia attained an average score of 52.07 across
five indicators: political (44.35), economic (45.63), legislative (34.04),
social (52.62), and security (83.72).
The index put Malaysia in the company of Maldives
(106) and Burundi (108).
Other Asean countries ranked as follows: Indonesia
(111), Brunei (117), Singapore (126), Philippines (134), Cambodia (151), Laos
(153), Myanmar (171), and Vietnam (174).
The index ranks 180 countries on the level of freedom
enjoyed by journalists and the media.
RSF is an international organisation based in Paris
which provides safety resources to journalists and conducts research on the
state of press freedom worldwide. – May 3, 2024.
Source:
thevibes.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/101836/malaysia-drops-to-107th-spot-in-press-freedom-rankings
----
MADANI gov’t firmly committed to resolving people’s
issues, hardcore poverty - PM
02-05- 2024
KOTA BHARU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
said addressing issues such as hardcore poverty, infrastructure development and
basic amenities remain an enduring commitment of the MADANI Government,
particularly in Kelantan.
He said these issues should ideally be resolved
promptly to overcome prolonged hardship for those affected.
“The Federal Government has never neglected to assist
any state government.
“I raised this matter while attending the Kelantan
state development briefing, which I chaired for the first time, discussing
solutions to development issues in Kelantan,” he said at the MADANI 2024
Aidilfitri Celebration at the Rural Transformation Centre (RTC) in Tunjong,
near here tonight.
Anwar said the Federal Government’s efforts to assist
the Kelantan government involve senior government officials who attended the
briefing, including Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri MohdZuki Ali and
Public Service Department director-general Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul
Aziz.
Anwar said that he also emphasised to the Kelantan
government and relevant ministries the need to focus on eradicating hardcore
poverty in the state, which is expected to be resolved within two months.
“Therefore, I hope that all ministries and related
agencies give specific and immediate attention to ensure the smooth planning
and effective implementation of projects in Kelantan,“ he said.
He said that these projects are high-impact
initiatives for the people, especially in rural areas, providing long-term
benefits to the people of Kelantan.
“One of the priority projects in Kelantan is improving
the irrigation system in the Kemubu agricultural area.
“Thus, I have agreed for the Ministry of Agriculture
and Food Security to find the best way to resolve this issue, which is expected
to involve a cost of RM20 million,“ he said.
Source:
thesun.my
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local_news/madani-gov-t-firmly-committed-to-resolving-people-s-issues-hardcore-poverty-pm-IG12411797
-------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pakistan-congress-vote-jihad-democracy/d/132254