Pakistan Supreme Court Judge Visits Jaranwala, Urges Muslims To Defend Churches
New
Age Islam News Bureau
20
August 2023
Photo:
The Nation
----
• Pakistan Supreme Court Judge Visits Jaranwala, Urges
Muslims To Defend Churches
• MEK Resistance Units In Zahedan: No To Shah, No To
Mullahs!
• Taliban Reiterates Call For ‘Healthy Relations’ With
Foreign Countries Based On Sharia
• Iranian Nomadic Family’s Video Viral As Infiltration
In Manipur From Myanmar
• 4 Boko Haram Commanders, 13 Fighters, 45 Family
Members Surrender To Troops
Pakistan
• Speakers deplore plight of minorities in Pakistan
• Mosques probed over protest call
• Jaranwala limps back to normalcy
• Army act, secrets law changes get president’s nod
• Ex-army man among 10 sworn in as Sindh caretaker
ministers
• Lahore ATC orders release of 20 suspects in May 9
riots case
-----
Mideast
• Erdogan’s New Islamist Allies Raise Fears Over
Domestic Violence Protections
• Enemy in a strategic dead end against Islamic Rep.
• Iran 1953: MI6 plots with Islamists to overthrow
democracy
• Tanker believed to hold sanctioned Iran oil begins
to be offloaded near Texas despite Tehran threats
• Israeli Colonizers Storm Al-Aqsa Mosque Under IOF
Protection
• Leader hails Ardabil role in promoting Shia
religion, unity
-----
South
Asia
• Afghanistan Celebrates 104th Independence Day In
Capital Kabul
• Taliban bringing water to Afghanistan’s parched
plains via massive canal
• If Sheikh Hasina loses January election, Bangladesh
could face prolonged political and economic instability
• Is Afghan Ambassador To India 'Missing' From Office?
What He Said
• SSB arrest two Bangladeshi nationals near
India-Nepal border in Bihar
-----
India
• RPF Constable Who Killed People on Moving Train Has
a History of Assaulting Muslims: Report
• Rajasthan Killing: 10 Detained In Connection With
Killing Of Muslim Man, Cop Denies Mob Lynching
• Bengal Chief Minister Sends Rajya Sabha MP To
Haryana's Nuh District To Offer Succour To Migrant Workers
• Rewari DC, Who Issued Showcause Notices Over Muslim Entry
Ban In Villages, Transferred
• Ghulam Nabi Clarifies 'Hindus In India Became
Muslims' Remark, Says His Statement Was With Regard To Hindu-Muslim Unity
• SC Pulls Up Gujarat HC For 'Lackadaisical' Approach
On Hearing Abortion Plea
• "Looking Forward To Meet Iranian President":
PM Modi
-----
Africa
• Over 100 Terrorists Reportedly Killed As Boko Haram,
ISWAP Clash In Lake Chad Area
• Niger Coup: Pray For Allah’s Intervention, Emir
Bayero Urges Nigerians
• Ex-Boko Haram members storm Maiduguri, protest
hunger, poor welfare
-----
North
America
• America Has Lost The War Against Islamist Terror In
Africa
• CAIR Urges Stepped Up Security for D.C. Mosque
Following Bomb Threat
• Hurricane Hilary, now a category 3 storm, nears
Mexico and California
• Tens of thousands flee western Canada wildfires
• 1 dead, 185 structures destroyed in eastern
Washington wildfire
-----
Southeast
Asia
• Kelantan MB Told To Apologise Over 'Opponents Of Islam'
Remark
• Anwar Vows To Defend Islam As Religion Of Federation
While Preserving Non-Muslims’ Rights
• National Day celebration is for the whole country,
there should be no differences, says Fahmi
• Fahmi urges architects to provide building designs
that support better internet infrastructure
• Adam Adli: Sports Ministry to continue supporting
national sprinter Muhammad Azeem
-----
Arab World
• Shia Cleric, Shiekh Yasser Auda, Blasts Corruption
In Iraq And Lebanon, Amid Attempts To Silence Him
• Saudi Minister Outlines Vision 2030’s Role In
Empowering Youth, Women At G20 Meeting In India
• Saudi commission rewards winners of Literary
Creativity contest
• New rule: Saudi companies required to disclose
training data
• Dubai Islamic Bank donates Dhs2.5m to Khalifa
Foundation's healthcare initiative
• KSrelief-backed prosthetics and mobile clinics serve
530 patients in Yemen
• Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister begins visits to
Pakistan and Bangladesh
-----
Europe
• Russia Says Ukrainian Drones Hit Military Airfield
In Novgorod Oblast
• Zelenskyy: Swedish-made Gripen jets nearing
appearance in Ukrainian skies
• Soviet-era Ukrainian tank plants come under
Rheinmetall ‘control’
• Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft suffers technical
glitch, space agency says
• 7 killed, scores wounded in Russian missile strike
on Ukraine's Chernihiv
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pakistan-sc-judge-jaranwala-churches/d/130484
-----
Pakistan Supreme Court Judge Visits Jaranwala, Urges
Muslims To Defend Churches
Photo:
The Nation
----
Our Staff Reporter
August 20, 2023
Under Articles 295, 295-A of the Constitution, a
person who ‘hurt religious sentiments of anyone’ is liable to be punished:
Justice Isa
n Punjab IGP asks Christian families to return to
their homes n Says 6,500 police officials are deployed on security duties in
Jaranwala.
FAISALABAD/LAHORE-Justice Qazi Faez Isa, senior puisne
judge of the Supreme Court (SC), visited Jaranwala on Saturday to inquire about
the situation of the local Christian community after Wednesday’s riots over
alleged desecration of the Holy Quran.
Justice Isa along with his wife paid a visit to the
Christian-populated area of Jaranwala, where he met the affectees and
assessed the conditions of the burnt buildings. Speaking to the Christian
victims, he said, “If anyone attacks churches, it is the responsibility of
Muslims [to catch] the attackers.”
Stating that he “does not communicate with
journalists” due to his profession, the judge informed one of the locals that
he had written a message for them. Justice Isa further told him that he had
brought some “food packets” for them, which he acknowledged were akin to a
“drop in the ocean.”
“We want others to do the same,” he added. “Who has
the greatest responsibility? [It is] Muslims. They should help you,” the SC
judge said.
“Why leave everything to the state?” he asked, noting
the glacial pace of state machinery to “tenders, etc”, which would take time.
Justice Isa asked the Christian leader to see who
needed aid the most according to their financial status and accordingly
distribute the items. He then communicated with the residents about which
other areas needed help and asked that he be taken there.
Separately, in a statement issued after his visit to
Jaranwala, Justice Isa quoted verses from the Holy Quran and said Muslims were
told to fight against those who harmed churches.
He highlighted that faith in Prophet Isa was one of
the principles of Islam and recalled events from history where Muslim
religious leaders had shown respect to Christianity.
The SC justice further stated that under Articles 295
and 295-A of the Constitution, a person who “hurt the religious sentiments of
anyone” was liable to be punished.
“Violating the Constitution is considered a grave
crime … what happened in Jaranwala was a violation of Pakistan’s law and
Constitution,” he asserted.
Noting that Islam was a religion that encouraged
people to wish peace upon others when they meet each other, Justice Isa rued,
“The few followers of this religion who call themselves Muslim violated the
teachings of their religion and displayed barbarism and abuse to this extent.”
Also, Punjab Police Inspector General Police Dr Usman
Anwar gave detailed briefing about the security of the Christian community in
Jaranwala, restoration of houses and places of worship and said that the
journey to return to peace has now begun in Jaranwala.
Dr Usman Anwar said that more than 6,500 police
officers and personnel were on high alert and performing their duties. He
added that according to the vision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan and
directions of the Chief Minister Punjab, the process of reconciliation and
reconstruction had started. “Consequently, members of the peace committee,
scholars, Christian community leaders, priests are sitting together and there
has been a discussion; they hugged each other,” he added, terming it a great
progress in the process of reconciliation and reconstruction.
He said that many Christian families had returned to
their homes, Punjab Police shifted their children and families to Daanish
School and the restoration and renovation work of their homes was being
completed at a war footing.
The IG said, “We guarantee all the Christian families
that there is no need to panic or fear in the presence of the police force,
Ranges and intelligence agencies. All Christian families should return to their
homes, your homes are looking forward to you all. The Punjab government is
ensuring all possible help in the work of reconstruction of houses. Punjab
Police with support of the administration arranged accommodation and meals
for the Christian families, members of the peace committee and citizens of
Jaranwala love their Christian brothers as much as they did before the
incident.”
Dr Usman Anwar said that the investigation into the
incident on 100% merit was the work of the police which was being completed
with complete transparency.
Former Punjab Minister for Human Rights and Minority
Affairs Ijaz Alam Augustine has called for setting up a judicial commission
headed by a high court judge for a transparent investigation into the
Jaranwala tragedy.
In a press conference at the Lahore Press Club on
Saturday, he along with other leaders underlined the importance of bringing
to the fore the motives behind blasphemy allegations. They demanded
accountability of those involved in the encirclement and torching of churches
and homes and called for severe punishment to those who made hate speeches and
an apology to the state of Pakistan.
Addressing the press conference, Ijaz Alam Augustine
condemned the Jaranwala tragedy and said that in the 76-year history of
Pakistan, such an incident of burning churches, schools and Bibles had never
happened. “Today, the Christian community is very sad all over the world. We
have a question from the Punjab government that when the miscreants first acted
at 5am, why did the police and the administration reach the crime scene after
sixteen hours? Why were the riots not stopped and why was the police absent?
Churches were burnt in the presence of the police. We demand that the
administration be brought to justice. Why was a Christian Assistant
Commissioner suspended?” Ijaz Alam emphasized that had the criminals involved
in the incidents of Shanti Nagar, Joseph Colony and Gojra been punished, the
Jaranwala tragedy might not have happened today.”
Tolerance Movement Chairman of Samson Salamat said,
“My question is why the Chief Minister of Punjab has not yet visited Jaranwala?
He is only meeting representatives of religious minorities in his office. The
government of Punjab has announced construction and repair of churches and
houses but we demand that justice be provided immediately. The Christian
community protested together with their Muslim brothers against the
desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden and Norway and sent a message to the
world that we are all Pakistanis.”
Pakistan Minorities Alliance Chairman Tahir Naveed Chaudhry
and Akmal Bhatti Advocate appealed for the protection of the Christian
community. They demanded legislation in the next parliament and appealed for
the establishment of an internal action committee.
Shahid Rehmat, Chief Executive of Youth Development
Foundation, said, “We all have to ensure prevention of such incidents in the
future.” He insisted on taking emergency measures to rebuild the homes of the
Christian community. He said, “We all have to promote interfaith harmony among
ourselves so that the path of those who spread hatred can be blocked”.
Pastor John A.D, Bishop Sylvester Tahir Bhatti,
Bishop Dominic Javed and Bishop Tauqeer Nasir emphasized ensuring the safety
of the Christian community and announced that their peaceful protest would
continue till the Christian community gets justice and protection.
Source: Nation.Com.Pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.nation.com.pk/20-Aug-2023/sc-judge-visits-jaranwala-urges-muslims-to-defend-churches
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MEK Resistance Units In Zahedan: No To Shah, No To
Mullahs!
Activities by MEK Resistance
Units in Zahedan—August 18, 2023
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By Matin Karim
August 19, 2023
On Friday, August 18, members of Resistance Units, a
network of activists inside Iran affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin
Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), in Zahedan carried out anti-regime activities
despite a growing wave of repressive measures by the regime.
Zahedan has been one of the hotbeds of the nationwide
uprising that began in September 2022. Every Friday, locals held protest
rallies and chanted slogans against regime leader Ali Khamenei and the regime’s
suppressive entities, including the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij.
As one of the main victims of the Shah and mullahs’
dictatorships, the people of Sistan and Baluchestan have been very vocal in
rejecting all forms of dictatorships. “Death to the tyrant, be it the Shah or
the supreme leader!” has been one of the main slogans of protest in Zahedan and
other cities of Sistan and Baluchestan. This is while the remnants of the shah
regime have tried to create the impression that the people of Iran want to
return to the ousted Pahlavi monarchy.
“Baluchestan will never remain silent before the
crimes of the Shah and the mullahs,” one of the Resistance Units member said in
his message. “The heroes of Zahedan will not bow before the Shah and the
mullahs.”
Other Resistance Unit members held placards that read,
“Death to the tyrant, be it the Shah or the mullahs” and “Monarchy, mullahs, a
hundred years of crimes.”
Ahead of the anniversary of Iran’s nationwide uprising
that began in September 2022, the regime has been on a campaign of repression
to cause fear among the public, including an increase in executions and the
arrest of dissidents. The regime is especially focused on targeting the
supporters and network of the PMOI, which regime officials have recently
described as their main problem.
The regime is especially afraid of Zahedan, which on
September 30 will mark the first anniversary of the “Bloody Friday of Zahdan”
in which security forces opened fire on unarmed civilians and killed over 100
people, including more than a dozen children.
But as in in every corner of Iran, Resistance Units in
Zahedan have made it clear that they will not be deterred in their efforts and
will continue the fight for freedom and democracy in Iran. In their activities
on Friday, they held placards that read, “We will fight and overthrow this
regime.”
Source: english.mojahedin.org
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://english.mojahedin.org/news/mek-resistance-units-in-zahedan-no-to-shah-no-to-mullahs/
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Taliban Reiterates Call For ‘Healthy Relations’ With
Foreign Countries Based On Sharia
Taliban’s spokesman
Zabihullah Mujahid,/ Photo: amu.tv
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By Amu TV
20-08-2023
Marking Afghanistan’s Independence Day on Saturday,
the Taliban said it wants “healthy relations with regional countries and the
world based on Islamic Sharia.”
According to a statement issued by the Taliban’s
spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban emphasized the importance of avoiding
policies that oppress or harm Afghanistan and its people.
Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s acting interior
minister, meanwhile said at a ceremony marking the 104th anniversary of
Afghanistan’s independence from the British, that the international community
is guilty of oppressing the people of Afghanistan. “The world must engage with
[the Taliban] and end the ongoing oppression of Afghans,” Haqqani said.
However, the acting representative of Afghanistan at
the United Nations questioned the significance of commemorating this day given
the country’s current crisis and reliance on foreign assistance.
The Taliban’s acting chief minister Mawlawi Abdul
Kabir, who also attended the event, said that the international community’s
engagement with the Taliban is the only way to maintain security and stability
in the region.
“The water issue with Iran has been happily resolved
with understanding instead of war. This is an example of our good policy and
interaction with the world,” he added.
“We make Afghanistan shine in the political field so
that it becomes a rival of the world. We will build Afghanistan’s economy on
our own feet so that the country becomes economically self-sufficient,” Kabir
said.
He also expressed the Taliban’s goals of elevating
Afghanistan’s global standing and strengthening its economy for
self-sufficiency. He noted that minor attacks from neighboring countries along
the borders have decreased significantly under the Taliban’s rule.
Source: Amu.Tv
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Iranian Nomadic Family’s Video Viral As Infiltration
In Manipur From Myanmar
Photo: en.youturn
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BY KINJAL
19TH AUGUST 2023
In a video being shared on social media, a group of
people are seen making a difficult trek through the mountains. It has been
claimed that the people in the video are from Myanmar and are secretly entering
the Indian state of Manipur. According to the viral caption, they have found a
secret route through which they illegally enter India.
Twitter user Sarvesh Kumar promoted the clip with a
similar claim. His tweet garnered more than 16,000 views before it was deleted.
(Archived link)
Twitter handle ‘@KBSingh32860309’ also shared a
similar video. On taking a closer look, it becomes evident that this one also
features the same people seen in the first video. (Archived link)
Alt News performed a search on YouTube using relevant
keywords about the video, which led us to a video posted by a YouTube channel
named ‘DENA’. This video was uploaded on YouTube on March 12 of this year. According
to the title, the video features an Iranian nomadic family with three children
making their way through treacherous terrain. Scenes from the video in question
appear here at the 42:35 mark.
Although this video has been shot from a different
angle, the people featured in it are also seen in the viral videos. This can be
seen more clearly in the side-by-side comparison of a frame taken from the
viral video and the YouTube video below:
Upon checking the ‘About’ section of the YouTube
channel ‘DENA’, we found that it posted content featuring Iranian nomadic
families. These communities live on Mount Dena, located in the Zagros mountain
range of Iran. There are a number of other videos on this channel depicting
many other Iranian families embarking on the risky journey. At the same time,
other videos on YouTube feature a glimpse into the lives of Iran’s nomadic
communities.
To sum it up, the viral video of people climbing
difficult paths is not of people from Myanmar illegally entering India through
Manipur. In reality, the video features Iranian families.
Source: Alt News.In
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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4 Boko Haram Commanders, 13 Fighters, 45 Family
Members Surrender To Troops
Photo: Vanguard
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August 20, 2023
Following two days of intense offensive by troops of
the Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJTF, against terrorists in the Lake Chad
fringes, four Boko Haram commanders, 13 main fighters and 45 family members,
yesterday, surrendered to troops of Sector three in Cross Kauwa and Baga of
Kukawa Local Government Area, LGA, Nigeria.
The Military Public Information Officer-N’Djamena, Lt.
Col. Abubakar Abdullahi, who made the disclosure said an escalated kinetic and
non-kinetic operations by the MNJTF led to the positive development.
Abdullahi said: “This is coupled with dwindling
logistic supplies in Boko Haram hideouts and mass surrenders, which has rattled
Boko Haram insurgents. Surrendered items include seven AK-47 rifles, one FN
Rifle (SLR), 440 rounds of assorted calibre ammunition and other essential
tools of insurgency.
“On the inaugural day of the mass surrender, two
commanders, nine main fighters and 21 family members yielded to the relentless
operations of troops stroked by the 19 Brigade in Cross Kauwa and 403
Amphibious Brigade in Baga.
“They voluntarily surrendered six AK 47 rifles, one FN
Rifle (SLR), 20 magazines (with two fully loaded), 12 rounds of 5.6 millimetre
ammunition, two hand grenades, three Bandoliers, and 180 rounds of 7.62 millimetre
ammunition amongst numerous items.
“The tide of surrenders continued onto the following
day when two other commanders, four fighters and 24 family members responded to
the call for peace.
“Surrendering at the 403 Amphibious Brigade location
in Baga, they submitted two AK-47 rifles, seven magazines, 99 rounds of 7.62 millimetre
ammunition, two transistor radios, a cash sum of N213,800, and a variety of
personal items.
On its part, MNJTF, said: “The MNJTF remains committed
to fortifying the stability of the Lake Chad Basin region,” adding that
“Violence is not a viable course and that surrendering provides the safest
route towards peace and rehabilitation.”
Source: vanguardngr.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/08/4-boko-haram-commanders-13-fighters-45-family-members-surrender/
-----
Pakistan
Speakers Deplore Plight Of Minorities In Pakistan
Staff Reporter
August 20, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Representatives of civil society, media and
minority and human rights organisations on Saturday deplored the plight of
non-Muslims living in Pakistan as Chairman One-Man Commission on Minority
Rights Dr Shoaib Suddle expressed his “helplessness” in the implementation of
the 2014 Supreme Court’s decision regarding the rights of the minorities.
Speaking as a chief guest at the National Advocacy
Conference on Minority Rights organised by the National Commission for Justice
and Peace, Dr Suddle put the blame on bureaucracy for non-implementation of the
decision announced by the then judge of the Supreme Court Justice Tassaduq
Hussain Jilani and expressed his “pessimism” about any change in the situation
for the minorities without changing the national mindset and society’s
attitude.
“Our bureaucratic system is the main hurdle in the SC
judgement’s implementation,” said Dr Suddle, complaining that the bureaucrats,
particularly those sitting in the provinces, did not respond to his
communications for months. Besides this, he said, these bureaucrats and those
sitting at the helm of affairs did not give due importance to the minorities’
rights. He categorically declared that he was not getting any cooperation from
the authorities.
Almost all the speakers condemned last week’s
Jaranwala incident where a number of churches and houses of Christians were set
on fire on blasphemy charges.
Source: Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1771039/speakers-deplore-plight-of-minorities-in-pakistan
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Mosques probed over protest call
August 20, 2023
LAHORE: A Muslim cleric is among a dozen people being
investigated for using mosque loudspeakers to order protests against alleged
blasphemy by Christians which erupted into mob violence in Pakistan earlier
this week, a senior police official said.
More than 80 Christian homes and 19 churches were
vandalised when hundreds rampaged through a Christian neighbourhood in
Jaranwala in Punjab province on Wednesday.
Reports that holy Quran had been desecrated were
broadcast from mosques, with one cleric telling his followers it was “Better to
die if you don’t care about Islam”.
Source: Brecorder.Com
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of the original story:
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40258815/mosques-probed-over-protest-call
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Jaranwala limps back to normalcy
Tariq Saeed
August 20, 2023
TOBA TEK SINGH: Some semblance of normalcy started to
return to the blighted town of Jaranwala, whose streets are still littered with
debris and ashes left behind by the mob violence perpetrated against Christian
churches and homes earlier this week.
Meanwhile, two Christian brothers accused of
desecrating the pages of the Holy Quran were remanded into police custody, even
as Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa visited Jaranwala to express
solidarity with the Christian community.
On Saturday, shops and markets reopened after three
days, while contingents of police and Rangers personnel continued to patrol the
area as Christians who had fled their homes on Wednesday started to return to
pick up the pieces.
Source: Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1771175/jaranwala-limps-back-to-normalcy
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Army act, secrets law changes get president’s nod
Iftikhar A. Khan
August 20, 2023
ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi on Saturday gave his
assent to the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the Pakistan Army
(Amendment) Bill 2023, allowing the pieces of proposed legislation to become
acts of parliament.
Both the bills were approved by the Senate and
National Assembly and sent to the president for his approval amid criticism by
opposition lawmakers a few weeks ago.
Section 6-A of the secrets act creates a new offence
of unauthorised disclosure of the identities of members of intelligence
agencies, informants or sources. The offence would be punishable by up to three
years in jail and a fine of up to Rs10 million.
Source: Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1771172/army-act-secrets-law-changes-get-presidents-nod
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Ex-army man among 10 sworn in as Sindh caretaker
ministers
Tahir Siddiqui
August 20, 2023
KARACHI: Caretaker Chief Minister retired Justice
Maqbool Baqar inducted 10 former members of civil-military bureaucracy, health
professionals, businessmen and lawyer as members of his interim cabinet on
Saturday.
The caretaker cabinet members, which will run the
provincial affairs until new elected government takes the reins, included
retired Brigadier Haris Nawaz, former bureaucrat Muhammad YounusDagha,
businessman MubeenJumani, Dr Saad Khalid Niaz, Dr Junaid Shah, Rana Hussain,
Ishwar Lai, Arshad Wali Muhammad, Omar Soomro and Khuda Bux Marri.
Retired Brig Nawaz, a security and defence analyst,
was given portfolio of home and prisons departments of the province that has
been hit by a recent spate of kidnapping for ransoms in riverine (Katcha) areas
and street crimes in Karachi.
Source: Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1771122/ex-army-man-among-10-sworn-in-as-sindh-caretaker-ministers
-----
Lahore ATC orders release of 20 suspects in May 9
riots case
Wajih Ahmad Sheikh
August 20, 2023
LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court, on Saturday, ordered
the release of 20 individuals after they were cleared of charges during an
identification parade related to a case involving the burning of police
vehicles during the May 9 riots.
Judge Ejaz Ahmad Buttar, however, approved a 14-day
physical remand for 12 other suspects, who had been identified, giving their
custody to Sarwar Road police.
Additionally, in the same case, PTI social media activist
Ayesha Ali Bhutta has been granted a three-day physical remand, while another
activist named Abdullah Wasim has been released on bail.
Source: Dawn.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1771174/lahore-atc-orders-release-of-20-suspects-in-may-9-riots-case
-----
Mideast
Erdogan’s New Islamist Allies Raise Fears Over Domestic
Violence Protections
19 August 2023
Two years after Turkey withdrew from an international
treaty on women’s rights, allies of the governing party have their sights set
on amending the country’s domestic violence legislation.
In this May’s parliamentary and presidential
elections, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP)
returned to power at the head of the People’s Alliance coalition. Among the
pre-election demands of two smaller Islamist parties was that the government
repeal law No 6284, which offers protections against domestic violence.
The law was passed in 2012 after Turkey ratified the
Istanbul Convention, a major international treaty on preventing violence
against women. Erdogan withdrew Turkey from the Istanbul Convention by decree
in 2021, claiming it was fuelling the corruption of family values as well as
increasing divorce rates and encouraging homosexuality.
Source: Insideturkey.News
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the original story:
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Enemy in a strategic dead end against Islamic Rep.
Aug 19, 2023
TEHRAN, Aug. 19 (MNA) – The commander of the Islamic
Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Sat. that the enemies have faced a
"strategic dead end" in confronting the Islamic Republic of Iran as
the sanctioning policy is not effective anymore.
Major General Hossein Salami made the remarks at the
24th meeting Supreme Assembly of Commanders of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards
Corps (IRGC) in Tehran on Saturday.
Salami stated that the Leader of the Islamic
Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who commands all Iranian armed
forces, have guided Iran through all the sanctions, threats, economic pressure,
big seditions and psychological warfares successfully.
Source: En.Mehrnews.Com
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of the original story:
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/204839/Enemy-in-a-strategic-dead-end-against-Islamic-Rep
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Iran 1953: MI6 plots with Islamists to overthrow
democracy
by Mark Curtis
August 19, 2023
In many accounts the CIA is regarded as the prime
mover behind the 1953 coup in Iran, yet Britain was in fact the initial
instigator and provided considerable resources to the plot, which UK planners
named ‘Operation Boot’.
In the early 1950s, the Anglo–Iranian Oil Company
(AIOC), or BP as it is now known, was run from London and owned jointly by the
British government and private citizens. It controlled Iran’s main source of
income, oil, and by 1951 had become, according to one British official, “in effect
an imperium in imperio [an empire within an empire] in Persia”.
Britain’s ambassador in Tehran, Sir Francis Shepherd,
had a typically colonialist take on the situation. The declassified files show
his writing: “It is so important to prevent the Persians from destroying their
main source of revenue…by trying to run it themselves”
Source: Markcurtis.Info
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Tanker believed to hold sanctioned Iran oil begins to
be offloaded near Texas despite Tehran threats
BY JON GAMBRELL
August 20, 2023
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An American-owned
oil tanker long suspected of carrying sanctioned Iranian crude oil began
offloading its cargo near Texas late Saturday, tracking data showed, even as
Tehran has threatened to target shipping in the Persian Gulf over it.
The fate of the cargo aboard the Suez Rajan has become
mired in the wider tensions between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic, even as
Tehran and Washington work toward a trade of billions of dollars in frozen
Iranian assets in South Korea for the release of five Iranian-Americans held in
Tehran.
Already, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has
warned that those involved in offloading the cargo “should expect to be struck
back.” The U.S. Navy has increased its presence steadily in recent weeks in the
Mideast, deploying the troop-and-aircraft-carrying USS Bataan and considering
putting armed personnel on commercial ships traveling through the Strait of
Hormuz to stop Iran from seizing additional ships.
Source: Ap News.Com
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Israeli Colonizers Storm Al-Aqsa Mosque Under IOF
Protection
by M.S
August 20, 2023
Israeli colonizers stormed Sunday, August 20, 2023,
the Al-Aqsa Mosque under high protection from Israeli occupation forces IOF.
Israeli settlers stormed the mosque and performed
provocative tours and Talmudic rituals near the Bab al-Maghariba area, the
Islamic Endowments Department in occupied Jerusalem reported.
The Israeli forces continued to prevent Palestinian
worshippers from entering the Al Aqsa mosque, provocatively checking their ID
cards and detaining some of them at the mosque’s external gates.
Source: Days Of Palestine.Ps
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Leader hails Ardabil role in promoting Shia religion,
unity
Aug 20, 2023
TEHRAN, Aug. 20 (MNA) – Ardabil province, since the
Safavid era, has had a great role in Iran in terms of creating national unity
and promoting the Shia religion, Leader
of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says.
On August 13, Leader of the Islamic Revolution
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei met with members of the organizers of the
National Congress in honor of 3400 martyrs of Ardabil Province.
Ayatollah Khamenei hailed that the Ardabil province,
since the Safavid era, has had a great role in the country in terms of creating
national unity and spreading the Shia religion.
Source: En.Mehrnews
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South
Asia
Afghanistan Celebrates 104th Independence Day In
Capital Kabul
2023-08-20
KABUL, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The 104th Independence Day
of Afghanistan anniversary from British colonialism was celebrated in a special
ceremony on Saturday in its capital Kabul, with the attendance of high-ranking
government officials and security personnel.
Source: English.News.Cn
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Taliban bringing water to Afghanistan’s parched plains
via massive canal
By Gerry Shih
August 20, 2023
AQCHA, Afghanistan — The morning sun was still rising
over the shriveled wheat fields, and the villagers were already worrying about
another day without water.
Rainwater stored in the village well would run out in
30 days, one farmer said nervously. The groundwater pumps gave nothing,
complained another. The canals, brimming decades ago with melted snow from the
Hindu Kush, now dry up by spring, said a third.
Village chief Mohammed Ishfaq threw his hands up. If
everyone could hold out for two more years, he said, then the excavators and
engineers — hundreds of them already working over the horizon — would arrive.
“If we only had that water,” Ishfaq said, “everything will be solved.”
Source: Washington Post.Com
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If Sheikh Hasina loses January election, Bangladesh
could face prolonged political and economic instability
PRANAY SHARMA
Aug 20, 2023
Pressure is mounting on India to bail Bangladesh out
from a US-imposed political crisis that is shrinking Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina’s space to manoeuvre and encouraging political opponents, particularly
Islamist fundamentalist outfits, to put her in a corner in the run-up to the country’s
parliamentary election scheduled for January 2024.
The Sheikh Hasina government is perhaps India’s
closest and only reliable partner in a neighbourhood fraught with anti-Indian
feelings and shifting loyalties. Although India has traditionally been the
acknowledged “big power” in South Asia, in recent years that position has been
seriously challenged by China, whose interest and footprint in the region are
increasing with each passing day.
Meanwhile, the Joe Biden administration in the US has
announced a series of punitive measures to check Bangladesh’s “democratic
backsliding” and ensure the parliamentary election is free and fair. In
addition to the threat of imposing visa sanctions against anyone who engages in
election rigging, the US State Department has imposed sanctions on a number of
serving and retired officials of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), a
paramilitary force that has been accused of helping Sheikh Hasina’s party, the
Awami League, win past elections. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister since 2009, has
been accused of manipulating elections and intimidating political opponents to
pave the way for her unchallenged authority and successive victories that have
made her the longest serving leader in the country.
She has maintained that elections in Bangladesh have
always been free and fair. But the US and European nations have put pressure on
her to rein in supporters, officials, and government agencies and allow all
political parties to participate in elections without fear. This became evident
during a recent byelection in Dhaka, when an attack on an opposition party
candidate by Awami League supporters led the EU to issue a strongly worded
statement criticising the government.
Source: The Hindu
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Is Afghan Ambassador To India 'Missing' From Office?
What He Said
August 19, 2023
New Delhi: Afghanistan's ambassador to India Farid
Mamundzay said that he is not missing and is away from the country for
"personal and family reasons."
Over reports of him 'missing' from his office,
Mamundzay told ANI, "I continue my job as the Afghan Ambassador to India.
I am presently away from India for personal and family reasons and will be
returning to the Embassy in New Delhi in the near future."
"India holds a significant place in our
diplomatic relations, and we recognise its importance on regional and global
stages. During my absence, the acting ambassador has effectively managed and
overseen all mission-related activities," he said.
Source: Www.Ndtv.Com
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SSB arrest two Bangladeshi nationals near India-Nepal
border in Bihar
By Avinash Kumar
Aug 19, 2023
Following their arrest, two passports, two visas,
three cell phones, five SIM cards, a chequebook, two identity cards and foreign
currencies, including pounds and Bangladeshi currencies, were recovered from
them, said officials
The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel arrested two
Bangladesh nationals late on Friday evening for illegally crossing the
India-Nepal border in Bihar’s Madhubani district, officials said.
SSB Commandant Govind Singh Bhandari said that the two
Bangladeshi nationals, identified as Mohammad Tarikul Islam (32) and Mohammad
Alamgir Hussain (31), were arrested while trying to cross into Nepal from India
through the Mahinathpur border outpost falling under Basopatti police station
of Madhubani district.
Source: Hindustan Times
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India
RPF Constable Who Killed People on Moving Train Has a
History of Assaulting Muslims: Report
The Wire Staff
20-08-2023
New Delhi: Former Railway Protection Force (RPF)
constable Chetan Singh Chaudhary, who killed his senior and three Muslims on a
moving train on July 31, had abused, assaulted, and threatened a 45-year-old
Muslim auto driver in Ujjain in 2016, Hindustan Times reported.
Singh threatened one Wajid Khan over a span of several
months in 2016-17. Khan filed a complaint with RPF officials in 2017 after
Singh physically assaulted him. After an inquiry – which Khan said was delayed
by a year – Singh was transferred from his post.
Recounting the harassment he faced at the hands of
Chaudhary, Khan said Chaudhary used to forcefully get into his auto and
pressurise him to drive to far-off places without paying. In one instance when
Khan could not give a ride to Chaudhary in his auto due to personal reasons, in
late January or February 2017, the latter abused him, calling him a “traitor”
and “terrorist”. Chaudhary said Muslims are “terrorists” and that their real
place was in jail, Khan recounted.
Source: Indian Express.Com
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Rajasthan Killing: 10 Detained In Connection With
Killing Of Muslim Man, Cop Denies Mob Lynching
by India News Desk
August 20, 2023
Ten people have been detained in connection with the
killing of a Muslim youth by a group of people in Rajasthan’s Kotputli-Behror
district, police said on Saturday, reports PTI.
Waseem, 27, was killed and two people accompanying him
were injured after they were assaulted by a group, allegedly including Forest
Department officials, at Narol village on suspicion of smuggling wood, police
said, reported Indian Express. The incident took place late Thursday night.
Police reached Narol village late on Thursday after
receiving information about a scuffle and found that three injured men had been
taken to a local hospital. Wasim, who was referred to the Kotputli Hospital,
succumbed to his injuries.
Source: Livemint.Com
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Bengal Chief Minister Sends Rajya Sabha MP To Haryana's
Nuh District To Offer Succour To Migrant Workers
Snehamoy Chakraborty
20.08.23
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday sent her
party’s new Rajya Sabha member Samirul Islam to Haryana’s Nuh district, where
communal riots had broken out on July 31, to offer succour to migrant workers
“spending sleepless nights” and other affected people.
After spending several hours in the area and speaking
to people to take stock of the situation in the BJP-ruled state, Samirul said:
“I came to Nuh following an instruction from our chief minister Mamata
Banerjee, who is really concerned about the plight of the migrant labourers,
especially Muslims, who are spending sleepless nights.... The migrant community
is still in panic. Through me they sent a request to the chief minister urging
her to stand by them.”
Samirul, who chairs the West Bengal Migrant Workers’
Welfare Board, said he visited multiple places in Nuh, meeting local people and
migrant workers from various states.
Source: Telegraph India.Com
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Rewari DC, who issued showcause notices over Muslim
entry ban in villages, transferred
By: Express News Service
August 20, 2023
The Haryana government Saturday transferred 16 IAS
officers, including Rewari’s Deputy Commissioner Mohd Imran Raza who had issued
showcause notices to several sarpanches and panchayat members for passing
resolutions or writing letters barring the entry of Muslims to their villages
following the July 31 communal violence in Nuh.
Raza, who had taken over as Rewari’s DC in April, has
been transferred as DC, Jind. Earlier, he had confirmed that several gram
panchayats and sarpanches have been issued the showcause notices under Section
51 of the Haryana Gram Panchayati Raj Act, which pertains to suspension and
removal of a sarpanch or panch.
Source: Indian Express.Com
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Ghulam Nabi Clarifies 'Hindus In India Became Muslims'
Remark, SaysHis Statement Was With Regard To Hindu-Muslim Unity
Sunil Bhat
Aug 19, 2023
Issuing clarification on his "Hindus in India
became Muslims" remark, Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chief Ghulam
Nabi Azad said his statement was with regard to Hindu-Muslim unity.
“A very few Muslims have come from outside as most of
them are Indian Muslims. Islam never expanded -- either in the World or our
Country -- on the strength of a sword. It has expanded through love and
message,” Azad said.
“I also said that Hindu Dhram is ancient, and it's the
truth as Islam did not originate in our country, but it reached here as it
expanded in other nations over centuries,” he added.
Source: The Wire.In
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SC Pulls Up Gujarat HC For 'Lackadaisical' Approach On
Hearing Abortion Plea
Aug 20, 2023
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Saturday pulled up the
Gujarat HC for not showing urgency in deciding the abortion plea of a 26-week
pregnant woman and posting the hearing 12 days after getting a medical report,
which favoured termination. It directed that her medical exam be done once
again as the pregnancy is now more than 27 weeks, reports Amit Anand Choudhary.
As time is running out for the Gujarat woman, a bench
of Justices B V Nagarathna and UjjalBhuyan assembled on Saturday to grant her
an urgent hearing and directed that fresh medical examination be conducted
during the day and the report be filed by 6 pm on Sunday.
"There must be a sense of urgency in such matters
and not a lackadaisical attitude of treating it as any normal case and just
adjourning it. We are sorry to make this remark," the bench observed.
Source: Times Of India
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"Looking Forward To Meet Iranian President":
PM Modi
August 19, 2023
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on
Saturday that he looked forward to meeting Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim
Raisi in South Africa on the sidelines of the BRICS summit scheduled to be held
from August 22-24.
The two leaders had spoken over phone on Friday and
discussed a range of bilateral issues, including realising the full potential
of Chabahar Port.
PM Modi said on X, "Pleased to speak to Iranian
President H.E. Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi yesterday. We discussed strengthening
of bilateral and regional cooperation, including realising the full potential
of Chabahar Port. Look forward to meeting President Raisi in South Africa on
the sidelines of the BRICS Summit."
Source: Www.Ndtv.Com
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Africa
Over 100 Terrorists Reportedly Killed As Boko Haram,
ISWAP Clash In Lake Chad Area
August 19, 2023
Afight between the Islamic State's West Africa
Province (ISWAP) terrorist group and its rival, Boko Haram has reportedly led
to the death of over 100 terrorists.
A counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in
Lake Chad, ZagazolaMakama on Saturday said the fighting between the BakouraBuduma
Boko Haram faction and ISWAP reportedly left over 100 terrorists dead at
Bakuram on the fringes of Lake Chad of Marte.
According to the report, the ISWAP faction considered
it as a retaliation for the abduction of 60 of its fighters and three
commanders by the Boko Haram rival group.
Source: Sahara Reporters
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Niger coup: Pray for Allah’s intervention, Emir Bayero
urges Nigerians
by Kola Oyelere
August 19, 2023
Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero has called on
entire Nigerians to seek Allah’s intervention following the political
instability in Niger Republic.
He therefore urged the ECOWAS under the leadership of
President Bola Ahmad Tinubu to consider applying diplomatic strategies in
resolving the crisis instated of using military forces.
He said Niger Republic and Nigeria are brother keepers
in terms of religion, culture and other day today activities which need special
prayers to protect against any attempt that would destroy them.
Source: tribune onlineng
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Ex-Boko Haram members storm Maiduguri, protest hunger,
poor welfare
By AlabiraNabordo
August 19, 2023
Some former members of the Islamist militia, Boko
Haram, protested in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Friday alleging
abandonment by the government.
The former terrorists, who are undergoing a
deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme at the Hajj Camp in Maiduguri,
broke out of the facility, and protested on the streets asking the government
to pay them the N30,000 allowance it promised.
The former Islamists reportedly said they were forced
to protest to register their disappointment to the world and the authorities
because they have been neglected, left without adequate food and other welfare
amenities.
TSource: Premiumtimesng
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North
America
America Has Lost The War Against Islamist Terror In
Africa
20 August 2023
After 9/11, the US built a network of military
outposts across the northern tier of Africa to fight a shadow war against
Islamist groups, and Niger became central to the effort. From Base Airienne
201, known to locals as ‘Base Americaine’, US drones were sent across the region
to track down Islamist terrorists. The coup against President Bazoum marks
another disruption in this long-running, mostly secret, war on terror. American
troops in Niger are currently confined to their bases. The future of America’s
two-decade counterterrorism campaign there is in doubt.
In 2008, about 2,600 US military personnel were
deployed in Africa, but today, there are around 6,500 troops and civilian
contractors. The US government couldn’t identify even one transnational terror
group in sub-Saharan Africa after the Twin Towers attacks but embarked
nonetheless on wide-ranging counterterrorism efforts there. Over the years,
America has conducted drone strikes in countries like Libya and Somalia, and
its commandos have fought in countries including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Kenya,
Libya, Mali, Somalia, and Tunisia. Just over half of the US forces are
stationed at Camp Lemonnier, a sprawling base in the tiny nation of Djibouti in
the Horn of Africa. More than 1,000 are still deployed in Niger. Personnel rotate
in and out of that country like they would in any other war zone.
After two decades of failing to crush terrorism in
Africa, the US has quietly admitted that things are going wrong. An assessment
last year by one of the Pentagon’s own research institutions couldn’t be
grimmer. The number of Islamist terror attacks in the western Sahel (the strip
of Africa between the Sahara Desert in the north and the tropical savannas to
the south) has quadrupled since 2019, it said, and the violence had ‘expanded in
intensity and geographic reach.’ The researchers found fatalities linked to
militant Islamist groups in the Sahel jumped from 218 in 2016 to 7,889 in 2022.
An increase of more than 3,000 per cent in six years.
Source: Spectator.Co.Uk
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CAIR Urges Stepped Up Security for D.C. Mosque
Following Bomb Threat
Ibrahim Hooper
August 19, 2023
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/19/2023) – The Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and
advocacy organization, today called on local law enforcement authorities to
step up security measures for a Washington, D.C., mosque following a bomb
threat reportedly targeting that house of worship.
That threat was reportedly made against Masjid
Muhammad, also called “The Nation’s Mosque,” yesterday during Friday communal
prayers (jummah). The mosque was evacuated, and police came to the scene, but
no bomb was found.
The bomb threat targeting Masjid Muhammad came as law
enforcement authorities across the country are investigating a series similar
fake bomb threats targeting synagogues.
Source: Cair.Com
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Hurricane Hilary, now a category 3 storm, nears Mexico
and California
Aug 20, 2023
Hurricane Hilary, a powerful Category 3 hurricane, was
charging through the Pacific Ocean on Saturday heading toward Mexico and the
United States, where it could cause heavy rain and dangerous flooding even
after weakening.
The storm, which weakened on Saturday to a Category 3
hurricane, was about 235 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's
Baja California Peninsula as of 8 a.m. Saturday in Los Angeles, the National
Hurricane Center said in an advisory. Meteorologists have said that the storm
may cause "life-threatening" and potentially "catastrophic"
flooding in Baja and the Southwestern United States, starting this weekend.
The tropical storm warning in effect early Saturday
indicated that tropical storm conditions were possible within the coverage area
over the next 36 hours. The area stretched from the California-Mexico border to
Point Mugu, around 40 miles west of Santa Monica by road, and includes Catalina
Island. The warning was the first ever issued for Southern California,
according to the hurricane center.
Source: Times Of India
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshowprint/102863796.cms
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Tens of thousands flee western Canada wildfires
Aug 20, 2023
CANADA: Residents of western Canada scrambled to
evacuate Saturday as raging wildfires encroached on two metropolitan areas -
separate blazes that have sent tens of thousands fleeing over the course of
just days.
The devastating fires in British Columbia and the
Northwest Territories are just the latest in a summer of dramatic wildfires
across the country that have left millions of acres scorched. According to
estimates, 19,000 people were evacuated from Yellowknife, the Northwest
Territories' capital, over 48 hours, its environment minister Shane Thompson
said late Friday. The city, home to some 20,000, was largely a ghost town
following the largest ever evacuation from the region.
More than 2,000 kilometres south in British Columbia,
fire also bore down on Kelowna, a city of 150,000 people in the Okanagan
Valley. Thousands in the area were ordered evacuated or told late Thursday to
be ready to leave at a moment's notice, while those on the University of
British Columbia's Okanagan campus were ordered Friday to leave
"immediately."
Source: Times Of India
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1 dead, 185 structures destroyed in eastern Washington
wildfire
Aug 20, 2023
MEDICAL LAKE: A wind-driven wildfire in eastern
Washington state has destroyed at least 185 structures, closed a major highway
and left one person dead, officials said Saturday. The blaze started on the
west side of Medical Lake, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Spokane, at
about 12:30 p.m. Friday, Washington State Department of Natural Resources
spokesperson Isabelle Hoygaard said Saturday.
It grew to 14.8 square miles (38 square kilometers) by
Saturday morning, with zero containment. The burned structures were a mixture
of homes and outbuildings.
Level 3 evacuations - Go Now - were ordered for the
town as winds blew the flames south, Hoygaard said. The blaze burned through
the south side of the town and then jumped Interstate 90 Friday night, forcing
its closure. The major east-west thoroughfare remained closed in both
directions Saturday morning.
Source: Times Of India
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Southeast
Asia
Kelantan MB Told To Apologise Over 'Opponents Of
Islam' Remark
N Faizal Ghazali
20-08-2023
Two opposition Kelantan lawmakers have given the state
menteribesar seven days to apologise for purported “extreme” remarks against
them or face legal action.
Referring to MohdNassuruddinDaud’s remarks on Friday,
Galas assemblyperson MohdSyahbuddin Hashim accused the PAS menteribesar of
calling them “opponents of the Islamic struggle”.
Source: Malay Siakini
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Anwar vows to defend Islam as religion of federation
while preserving non-Muslims’ rights
By ShathanaKasinathan
20 Aug 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — The government will implement
comprehensive strategies to foster deeper understanding of Islam in order to
counter Islamophobia in the country, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
pledged last night.
“I repeat in this country that Islam is the religion
of the federation and I will continue to defend the faith, continue to spread
Islam, and provide adequate allocations and support to train Muslims who do not
understand, and implement Islamic programmes and Islamic reform,” he said.
Citing Palestinian intellectual Edward Said, Anwar
said that opposition to Islam often stems from ignorance and superficial
knowledge of the religion.
Source: Malay Mail
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National Day celebration is for the whole country,
there should be no differences, says Fahmi
19 Aug 2023
PUTRAJAYA, Aug 19 — Minister of Communications and
Digital Fahmi Fadzil said there should be no differences in the National Day celebration
at the Federal and state levels, as it was a national event.
Commenting on the statement of PerikatanNasional (PN)
Youth chief Ahmad FadhliShaari that the four states under the PN administration
may use a different National Day logo and theme for state-level celebrations
from the one announced at the Federal level, Fahmi said the difference would
create an atmosphere of disunity.
“I urge for this matter to be looked into and we want
to unite, put all this aside, as the time for politics is over with the
completion of the state elections,” he told the media after launching the Astro
#DemiNegaraku campaign and Home of Kids here today.
Source: Malay Mail
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Fahmi urges architects to provide building designs
that support better internet infrastructure
20 Aug 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — Communications and Digital
Minister Fahmi Fadzil has urged architects to ensure that their designs for new
buildings in the country provide for these premises to be properly equipped
with internet infrastructure.
He said this is in line with the rollout of 5G, which
is now readily available in Malaysia.
“I believe a lot of newer buildings, insya-Allah will
be much better equipped. We now have 5G. So, a lot of these structures will
have to be fitted out in order for us to take full advantage of the fastest
internet that we have.
Source: Malay Mail
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Adam Adli: Sports Ministry to continue supporting
national sprinter Muhammad Azeem
20 Aug 2023
IPOH, Aug 20 — The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) hopes
that the country’s top sprinter Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi will continue to work
hard to improve his performances despite failing to qualify for the semi-finals
of the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Deputy Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim said the
ministry would continue to give its support to ensure the TelukIntan-born
athlete gets the best training in the United States.
“Azeem has also been adopted as a sports icon for the
ministry’s programmes, and this is part of our support for him,” he told
reporters after launching the state-level Fit Malaysia programme here today.
Source: Malay Mail
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Arab
World
Shia Cleric, Shiekh Yasser Auda, Blasts Corruption In
Iraq And Lebanon, Amid Attempts To Silence Him
19 August, 2023
A Lebanese Shia cleric who has angered politicians and
religious leaders in Lebanon and Iraq said Friday that groups including
Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah are trying to silence voices of dissent within the
sect — including his own.
Shiekh Yasser Auda has developed a reputation on
social media in recent years for his criticism of corruption in Iraq and
Lebanon. He has also spoken out against the use of violence against opponents
of Iran-backed groups in the two crisis-hit countries. He vowed in an interview
with The Associated Press on Friday not to bow down even if it costs him is
life.
His comments came two days after a department within
The Supreme Islamic Shia Council of Lebanon, the country’s top Shia religious
authority, issued a statement naming 15 clerics whom it said are not qualified
to provide religious guidance. Auda was at the top of the list and was almost
stripped of his religious status.
But the council later issued a statement saying that
the position of the General Directorate for Religious Advocacy did not
represent its point of view.
Source: Newarab.Com
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Saudi minister outlines Vision 2030’s role in
empowering youth, women at G20 meeting in India
ARAB NEWS
August 19, 2023
RIYADH: Speaking at the G20 Ministerial Meeting on the
Digital Economy held in India, Saudi Minister of Communications and Information
Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha highlighted the pivotal role of Saudi Vision 2030
in enhancing the Kingdom’s competitiveness through empowering youth and women,
and building a sustainable future for the Kingdom based on technology and
innovation.
Al-Swaha said that the digital economy is the biggest
social equalizer and economic multiplier through the creation of future jobs
and new business models.
On the achievements of the Kingdom in the digital
field, Al- Swaha said that Saudi Arabia has provided the world with a
pioneering model in bridging the digital divide and succeeded in bringing digital
infrastructure to 99 percent of the population.
Source: Arab News
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Saudi commission rewards winners of Literary
Creativity contest
ARAB NEWS
August 19, 2023
RIYADH: The Literature, Publishing, and Translation
Commission announced the winners of its Literary Creativity competition at the
Kingdom International Schools theater in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency
reported on Saturday.
Through the competition — part of the Human Capability
Development Program — the commission aims to “highlight literary talent; honor,
celebrate and encourage Saudi writers and poets; and stimulate literary
production through financial support and empowerment.”
The competition covered four categories: short
stories, novels, poetry and Nabati poetry. The winners in each were awarded
SR150,000, with second place receiving SR100,000 and third place receiving
SR50,000.
Source: Arab News
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New rule: Saudi companies required to disclose
training data
ARAB NEWS
August 19, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social
Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi on Saturday issued a decree requiring companies with
more than 50 employees to disclose their training data annually on the Qiwa
portal.
The new rule is intended to improve training in
private sector companies, “enhancing workforce capabilities and promoting
development and growth opportunities,” according to the ministry.
It also aims to “enhance performance and productivity,
and support the national program to incentivize private sector training for job
market readiness.”
Source: Arab News
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Dubai Islamic Bank donates Dhs2.5m to Khalifa
Foundation's healthcare initiative
20-08-2023
The Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has donated Dhs2.5
million to the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation (KF) to support its
recently launched healthcare initiative "Your Giving is a Cure and
Happiness.”
The health assistance was announced during a ceremony
for signing an agreement between the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation,
Dubai Islamic Bank and Emirates Health Services.
The KF's health initiatives aim to encourage social
engagement and ensure the provision of medical aid and healthcare services to
vulnerable patients. It consists of establishing a digital donation platform
that will help reduce the financial burdens facing vulnerable patients by
providing them with healthcare services and medical supplies.
Source: Gulf Today
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KSrelief-backed prosthetics and mobile clinics serve
530 patients in Yemen
ARAB NEWS
August 20, 2023
RIYADH: Clinics supported by Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief
have provided medical services to 530 patients in Yemen’s governorates of
Hadramout and Hajjah in July alone, the Saudi Press Agency reported on
Saturday.
In Hadramaut, the Prosthetics and Rehabilitation
Center, located in the Seiyun district, served 308 people who have lost limbs,
mostly due to land mines and unexploded ordnances.
“The center measured, manufactured, fitted, delivered,
and maintained artificial limbs and prosthetics for 67 patients. Additionally,
241 patients benefited from physiotherapy services, which included
physiotherapy sessions and specialized consultations,” the SPA report said.
Source: Arab News
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Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister begins visits to
Pakistan and Bangladesh
ARAB NEWS
August 20, 2023
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr.
Tawfiq Al-Rabiah began an official visit to Pakistan and Bangladesh, the
state-run SPA news agency reported on Saturday.
“The purpose of the visits is to explore pioneering
initiatives in the development of Umrah systems and the facilitation of
visitors’ journeys to the Two Holy Mosques,” SPA said.
During the visits, Al-Rabiah, who is also chairman of
the Guests of God Service Program Committee will also meet with several
officials to discuss streamlining the arrival procedures for Umrah performers
from Pakistan and Bangladesh, and enhancing their religious and cultural
experiences, aligning with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Source: Arab News
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Europe
Russia says Ukrainian drones hit military airfield in
Novgorod Oblast
BY OLENA MUKHINA
19/08/2023
On the morning of 19 August, Ukraine launched a drone
attack on a military airfield in Novgorod Oblast in Russia, damaging at least
one aircraft.
As a result of the attack, a fire broke out in the
aircraft parking area which was promptly extinguished by firefighting teams.
One aircraft was damaged, the ministry said, but no casualties were reported.
Source: Euromaidan Press
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Zelenskyy: Swedish-made Gripen jets nearing appearance
in Ukrainian skies
OLHA HLUSHCHENKO
20 AUGUST 2023
Ukrainian President VolodymyrZelenskyy has said that
the Ukrainian military has begun participating in test flights on Swedish
Gripen combat aircraft, and that Ukraine is conducting negotiations so that
these aircraft can "appear in our skies."
Quote: "We are trying very, very hard to increase
the capabilities of military aviation.
This is one of the hardest tasks, but I am sure: we will accomplish it.
Now, we have a breakthrough result regarding Gripen
fighters – cool, modern Swedish combat aircraft. Our soldiers are already starting to test
them. And we are step by step, negotiation
by negotiation, we are getting closer to the fact that Gripen fighters will
appear in our sky."
Source: Pravda.Com
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Soviet-era Ukrainian tank plants come under
Rheinmetall ‘control’
By BoykoNikolov
Aug 20, 2023
Regarded as a significant force within the defense
industry, the German conglomerate Rheinmetall, under the stewardship of its CEO
Armin Papperger, has consistently demonstrated a robust alliance with the
Ukrainian government. Papperger’s assertive statements have unequivocally
conveyed that Rheinmetall is poised to broaden its sphere of influence by
strategically situating the company’s manufacturing facilities within Ukrainian
territories.
In the face of continuing threats from the east, Mr.
Pepperger’s comments carry a significant weight. Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy
Chairman of the Russian Security Council, has unequivocally stated that missile
attacks would be directed towards the Rheinmetall plants located in Ukraine.
Armin Paperger, in his official statement, indicated
the potential commencement of services for Ukrainian tanks in the imminent
future. Speculations suggest that the renovation endeavors could initiate as
early as August. Furthermore, an existing cohort of over ten Ukrainian
nationals is currently undergoing intensive training in Germany, specifically
tailored to equip them with the necessary skills to operate within the
company’s manufacturing units. An additional group of twelve individuals is
expected to bolster this workforce in the near future.
The chief executive officer of the conglomerate has
expressed a resolute intent to expedite the commencement of German tank
production in Ukraine. The firm’s strategy encompasses the leasing of erstwhile
Soviet factories from Ukrainian defense industry corporations, with the
objective of modifying these facilities in accordance with NATO stipulations.
Source: Bulgarian Military
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Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft suffers technical glitch,
space agency says
Aug 19, 2023
An "abnormal situation" occurred at Russia's
Luna-25 spacecraft on Saturday as it was preparing to transfer to its
pre-landing orbit, Russia's national space agency Roskosmos said.
The Russian spacecraft is scheduled to land on the
south pole of the moon on Monday, part of a big power race to explore a part of
the moon which scientists think may hold frozen water and precious elements.
"During the operation, an abnormal situation
occurred on board the automatic station, which did not allow the manoeuvre to
be performed with the specified parameters," Roskosmos said in a short
statement.Specialists are analysing the situation, it said, without providing
further details.
Source: Times Of India
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7 killed, scores wounded in Russian missile strike on
Ukraine's Chernihiv
Aug 20, 2023
CHERNIHIV: Seven people including a 6-year-old child
were killed, at least 129 wounded, and 41 were in hospital after a Russian
missile struck a central square in the historic northern Ukrainian city of
Chernihiv on Saturday, Ukrainian officials said.
"A Russian missile hit right in the centre of the
city, in our Chernihiv. A square, the polytechnic university, a theatre,"
President VolodymyrZelenskiy, who was on a visit to Sweden, posted on Telegram
messaging app.
"An ordinary Saturday, which Russia turned into a
day of pain and loss," he added of the strike on Chernihiv, a city of
leafy boulevards and centuries-old churches about 145 km (90 miles) north of
the capital Kyiv.
Source: Times Of India
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