Pakistani Court Sentences Two Female Seminary Students, Razia Hanfi and Umra Aman, To Death, Ayesha Naumani, To Life For Teacher’s Blasphemy Killing

New Age Islam News Bureau

21 March 2024

 

Photo: The Dawn, Pakistan

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·         Pakistani Court Sentences Two Female Seminary Students, Razia Hanfi and Umra Aman, To Death, Ayesha Naumani, To Life For Teacher’s Blasphemy Killing

·         ISIS India Head Haris Farooqi, Alias Harish And His Associate, Who Converted From Hinduism To Islam, Arrested In Assam

·         Boycott Indian Products: BNP Senior Joint Secretary General

·         Workers And Protesters Shut Down UK And Scotland Arms Factories Over Gaza War Complicity

·         New York City Mayor Hosts Muslims For Iftar With Turkish Cuisine

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Pakistan

·         Former Pakistani minister warns Taliban: ‘Another attack on Pakistan, our troops will seize Wakhan’

·         ‘He has done a lot for Muslims’: Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad praises underworld don Dawood Ibrahim

·         IK’s attendance issue: Another show-cause notice issued to jail authorities

·         Pakistan: Baloch insurgents attack Gwadar Port Authority complex, at least seven militants killed

·         Imran predicts govt’s fall, his release in four to five months

·         In meeting with COAS Munir, Saudi crown prince reaffirms kingdom’s willingness to ‘always stand with Pakistan’

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India

·         At Tamil Nadu Mosque, Kanji Porridge Made During Iftar Is Shared With Hindus And Christians

·         Lok Sabha Elections: BJP Hand In Glove With Badruddin Ajmal-Led , AIUDF, In Assam

·         Absence of madrasa board in two states hits pupils by disabling them to enroll in colleges and universities

·         2010 Bareilly riots case: HC rejects bail plea of cleric Tauqeer Raza

·         Shahi Idgah case: Muslim side objects to plea seeking worship at ‘Krishna Koop’

·         Illegal Rohingya migrants don't possess fundamental right to reside in India: Centre tells SC

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South Asia

·         World Happiness Report 2024: Only 14 Countries Unhappier Than Bangladesh

·         Afghanistan’s private sector struggles amid significant challenges: World Bank survey

·         Pakistan Initiates Second Wave of Afghan Migrant Expulsions

·         Fighting With Pakistan Displaces Hundreds in Dand-e-Patan, Paktia

·         Islamic Emirate Seeks Cordial Relations with European Countries, Welcomes Investments

·         Modern education needed for progress in Afghanistan, says education minister

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Europe

·         ‘Thousands In UK Close Barclays Accounts’ Over Bank’s Ties To Israeli Military Suppliers

·         Israeli Minister Slams 'Far-Left Woke' London As Most Anti-Semitic City In The West

·         'I saw most appalling atrocities': UK surgeon who volunteered in Gaza

·         Sunni Endowments Directorate received Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Muslims in Germany

·         Minister Apologizes After Unlawfully Collecting Data In Radical Islam Labour Investigation

·         French hate crimes spiked following Gaza war

·         Italian school closes to ‘celebrate’ Ramadan, while another prevents Easter blessing

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North America

·         Muslim Appeals Court Nominee’s Confirmation Imperiled Amid Antisemitism Accusations

·         Blinken says 'gaps are narrowing' to reach cease-fire deal in Gaza

·         US defence chief to host Israeli counterpart next week: Pentagon

·         US destroys Houthi drone, unmanned vessel in Red Sea in 'self-defence'

·         US Official Says Israel Sent Assurance It Is Using Arms Lawfully, Days Before Deadline

·         Canadian theatre accused of stalling Jewish festival over inclusion of Israeli film

·         Trump's son-in-law praises 'very valuable' potential of Gaza property

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Mideast

·         Breaking The Fast Among The Rubble: A Sorrowful Ramadan For Families In Syria

·         Israeli air strike kills three in West Bank: Palestinian ministry

·         Israel gave ‘negative’ response to Hamas’ proposal for Gaza truce: Official

·         Netanyahu after using US pier to push Palestinians out of Gaza: Report

·         Amid genocidal war, Palestinians find solace in the spirit of Ramadan fasting

·         Hamas highly value, appreciate Yemen's support for Palestinian people

·         Praying for peace, optimistic Israeli activists deliver Ramadan food aid to West Bank

·         IDF says it targeted Palestinian terror suspects in pair of West Bank drone strikes

·         Türkiye, Iraq to establish joint ops center for anti-terror fight

·         Gaza war death toll nears 32,000 as cease-fire diplomacy drags on

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Southeast Asia

·         Boycott Calls And Apologies In Malaysia Amid Uproar Over Socks With The Word ‘Allah’

·         Stronger international action needed to change situation in Myanmar: UN expert

·         Indonesia rescuers save 69 Rohingya refugees after boat capsizes

·         Malaysia may distribute Gaza humanitarian aid via airdrop, says defence minister

·         Unity government never “withhold” allocation for states, including Terengganu - PM Anwar

·         Chinese envoy urges both parties to Sudan's conflict to secure Ramadan ceasefire

·         ‘Allah’ socks: PM wants immediate action according to provisions of the law

·         Ministry to empower religious affairs offices to collect zakat funds

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Africa

·         South African Temples and Mosques Implement Civil Society's Security Guidelines

·         Gumi Reacts As FG Names His Ally, TukurMamu, 14 Others As Terrorism Financiers

·         Türkiye Diyanet Foundation opens mosque in central Uganda

·         Omdurman mosque fire sparks controversy: Sudanese army blames RSF

·         Ramadan: Peter Obi breaks fast with 1,000 Muslims in Suleja, installs borehole at Central Mosque

·         Labourer Receives 15-Month Prison Term for Mosque Theft in Abuja

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Arab World

·         General Authority for Two Holy Mosques Affairs Installs Three Children's ID Wristband Devices at Grand Mosque Entrances

·         Minarets of Prophet's Mosque: Architectural Masterpieces and Historical Landmarks

·         Yemen anger grows as death toll from Houthi blast climbs to 13

·         Thai parliament speaker praises Saudi Arabia for serving Islam, charitable work

·         Saudi embassy in Canada hosts Ramadan iftar event for MPs and diplomats

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:    https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pakistani-court-female-seminary-death-blasphemy/d/131972

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Pakistani Court Sentences Two Female Seminary Students, Razia Hanfi and Umra Aman, To Death, Ayesha Naumani, To Life For Teacher’s Blasphemy Killing

 

Photo: The Dawn, Pakistan

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Rehmat Mehsud

March 19, 2024

PESHAWAR: A local court in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has sentenced two female seminary students to death and another to life imprisonment for killing their teacher on blasphemy charges in March 2022, confirmed the lawyers involved the case on Tuesday.

The three women, Razia Hanfi, Ayesha Naumani, and Umra Aman from Jamia Islamia Falahul Binaat seminary in Dera Ismail Khan were arrested two years ago for murdering their teacher Safoora Bibi, alleging she had committed blasphemy.

The assault took at the seminary’s gate where the convicted students beat their teacher with sticks before slitting her throat. Subsequently, the police said the accused students had confessed to the crime, claiming that a teenage relative had dreamt of the victim committing blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Speaking to Arab News, public prosecutor Tanseer Ali said the court sentenced Razia Hanfi and Umra Aman to death, imposing a fine of Rs2 million each. The third accused, Ayesha Naumani, were given life imprisonment and a Rs1 million fine since she was under 18 when the crime took place.

“The court has decided the case on the basis of concrete evidence,” he said. “Thorough investigations into the matter by the police, confession of crime by the convicts in front of a magistrate and forensic evidence helped the court decide the matter.”

However, defense attorney Asad Aziz said the case became high-profile and sensitive, affecting the court’s verdict.

“We are going to challenge the decision in higher court,” he added. “I’m sure this judgment will not withstand further legal scrutiny and will be suspended.”

The administration of the seminary could not be reached for comment after the announcement of the verdict.

However, Shah Noor, a relative of the convicted girls, vowed to lodge in appeal in the high court during this week.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2479196/pakistan

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ISIS India Head Haris Farooqi, Alias Harish And His Associate, Who Converted From Hinduism To Islam, Arrested In Assam

 

ISIS India head Haris Farooqi, alias Harish Ajmal Farukhi of Chakrata, and one of his associates

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March 20, 2024

ISIS India head Haris Farooqi, alias Harish Ajmal Farukhi of Chakrata, and one of his associates were arrested in Assam on Tuesday.

According to media reports, based on specific intelligence inputs, the two were apprehended from Dharmashala area of Dhubri in Assam by the Special Task Force (STF).

They were brought to the STF office in Guwahati.

"The identity of both of them was ascertained and it is found that accused Haris Farooqi, alias Harish Ajmal Farukhi of Chakrata, Dehradun, is the head of ISIS in India," Assam Police chief public relations officer Pranabjyoti Goswami said.

His associate, Anurag Singh, alias Rehan of Panipat, got converted to Islam, while his wife is a Bangladeshi national, according to the police.

"Both of them are highly indoctrinated and motivated leaders/members of ISIS in India. They had furthered the cause of ISIS in India through conspiracies to carry out recruitment, terror funding and terror acts by means of IEDs at several places across India," the police said.

The duo are also wanted by the NIA. The Assam Police will hand them over to the NIA for further action.

Source: theweek.in

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2024/03/20/isis-india-head-and-his-associate-who-converted-from-hinduism-to-islam-arrested-in-assam.html

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Boycott Indian Products: BNP Senior Joint Secretary General

 

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir RizviFile photo

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Mar 21, 2024

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi yesterday expressed solidarity with the movement for boycotting Indian products.

Throwing away his Indian shawl in front of BNP's Nayapaltan headquarters, Rizvi said boycotting Indian products means boycotting the Awami League government as the party is an "Indian product".

He alleged that the ruling party made a mockery in the name of election on January 7 with the help of India.

"Realising this, people of Bangladesh are now boycotting Indian products in protest. We think boycotting Indian products is logical," he said at a press briefing at BNP's central office.

Reading out a statement, Rizvi said at least 63 parties, including BNP, have expressed solidarity with the boycott campaign.

People believe India is responsible for voting rights being taken away, killing of democracy, disappearances, murders, and injustice in Bangladesh, Rizvi alleged.

"People are expressing their anger by boycotting Indian products. The 'India Out' campaign has now spread everywhere, including social media. This is not a political programme but a spontaneous movement of the Bangladeshi people," he said.

Source: thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/boycott-indian-products-rizvi-3571571

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Workers And Protesters Shut Down UK And Scotland Arms Factories Over Gaza War Complicity

 

Workers for a Free Palestine swarm an arms factory in Rochester, Kent. (file photo)

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 20 March 2024

In a display of solidarity with Palestinians, hundreds of workers and protesters have shut down arms factories across England and Scotland to condemn the UK's complicity in the Israeli regime's war of aggression in Gaza.

The factories, which produce components for F-35 fighter jets, are accused of shoring up the Israeli regime's military offensive in Gaza.

Under the banner "Workers for a Free Palestine," a diverse coalition of individuals from various unions and sectors including health, education, hospitality, academia, and the arts, launched the protests on Wednesday.

Activists aimed to disrupt the supply chain of arms to Israel and denounce the UK's complicity in the ongoing genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza.

GE Aviation Systems in Cheltenham and Leonardo UK in Edinburgh were among the targeted sites where components for the F-35 jets are manufactured.

The protesters vowed to continue their protest actions for a month, demanding an immediate cessation of arms sales to Israel and advocating for a permanent ceasefire.

The decision to blockade the arms factories was prompted by Israel's impending invasion of Rafah, which the United Nations and other international organizations have warned would have catastrophic consequences for Gaza's population.

Unionists have called on workers across the UK to challenge their government's military support for the Israeli regime.

"We’re demanding our government immediately halt arms supplies to Israel before it launches this offensive in Rafah using British-made bombs. But we are not waiting for this genocide-appeasing prime minister to act," Zad, a union member, said in a press release.

This isn't the first time such protests have occurred.

In December, similar blockades targeted four other arms factories across the UK. Despite assurances from the UK government that it hasn't supplied lethal military equipment to Israel since October, evidence suggests otherwise.

Affidavits filed at the High Court revealed ongoing export licenses and pending applications for equipment likely to be used in offensive operations in Gaza.

Furthermore, the UK Ministry of Defence disclosed that Israeli warplanes have been permitted to take off from and land in the UK during the Gaza war, raising concerns about Britain's involvement in facilitating Israeli atrocities.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/20/722218/Protesters-blockade-UK-arms-factories-over-Gaza-war-

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New York City Mayor Hosts Muslims For Iftar With Turkish Cuisine

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams hosted a Muslim iftar dinner at the Surrogate's building in Manhattan, attended by Turkish Consul General Reyhan Özgür, New York, U.S., March 19, 2024. (AA Photo)

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MAR 20, 2024

New York City Mayor Eric Adams hosted an Iftar dinner for Muslim community representatives on Tuesday.

The Iftar, held at the historic Surrogate's Courthouse building in Manhattan, was attended by prominent figures of the Muslim community living in New York as well as diplomatic representatives from Muslim countries, including Reyhan Ozgur, the Turkish consul general in New York.

Speaking at the event, Adams recounted his efforts against the travel ban imposed on Muslims during the tenure of former U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that he always stands by the Muslim community in the city.

The menu for the iftar dinner, attended by nearly 200 guests, was prepared by Ali RizaDogan, the owner of a Turkish restaurant.

Dogan told Anadolu Agency (AA) that he has been preparing the municipality's Iftar menu for the last 18 years.

"It is a source of pride for me that they choose a Turkish restaurant every year. There were times when we served wearing Turkish flag T-shirts and hung Turkish flags," Dogan said.

Meanwhile, some Muslim civil society organizations and leaders did not attend this year's iftar dinner hosted by the municipality, citing Adams' lack of support for cease-fire calls in Gaza.

During the iftar dinner, a group of protesters gathered at the entrance of the building, chanting slogans in support of Palestine. Some of the protesters were arrested for obstructing traffic.

Source: dailysabah.com

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https://www.dailysabah.com/life/new-york-city-mayor-hosts-muslims-for-iftar-with-turkish-cuisine/news

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Pakistan

 

Former Pakistani minister warns Taliban: ‘Another attack on Pakistan, our troops will seize Wakhan’

Fidel Rahmati

March 21, 2024

Former Pakistani information minister Jan Achakzai warns that if the de facto administration’s forces keep attacking Pakistan, Islamabad may seize the “Wakhan corridor.”

Achakzai wrote on his social media platform X on Wednesday that Pakistan would swiftly enter Afghanistan and annex the Wakhan corridor to gain access to the Central Asian countries.

The Wakhan Corridor is a narrow strip of land in northeastern Afghanistan, extending between Tajikistan, Pakistan, and China. It serves as a buffer zone between Afghanistan and its neighbours.

Wakhan Corridor is renowned for its stunning natural beauty, including rugged mountain landscapes, high peaks, and the picturesque Panj River flowing through the valley.

The Wakhan Corridor has historically been a significant trade route connecting Central Asia with South Asia and the Middle East. It played a crucial role in the ancient Silk Road network.

Today, Wakhan Corridor remains one of Afghanistan’s most remote and least developed regions, with limited infrastructure and sparse population mainly comprising of Wakhi and Kyrgyz ethnic groups.

Despite its isolation, Wakhan Corridor attracts adventure travellers and researchers interested in its unique cultural heritage, wildlife, and ancient archaeological sites, making it a fascinating destination for exploration.

Amidst Achakzai’s statements, the Afghan Taliban reacted to Pakistan’s airstrike in Khost and Paktika by launching rocket attacks on Pakistani security forces’ positions along the border.

As tensions escalate, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has intensified attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern regions.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/former-pakistani-minister-warns-taliban-another-attack-on-pakistan-our-troops-will-seize-wakhan/

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‘He has done a lot for Muslims’: Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad praises underworld don Dawood Ibrahim

Mar 20, 2024

Abhinav Singh

Former Pakistan cricketer Javed Miandad has stirred the cauldron of controversy by praising underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and describing him as someone who had done a "lot of Muslims" over the years.

Miandad's son Junaid is married to Dawood's daughter Mahrukh and the two families share close ties. The wedding took place in 2005 in Dubai with strict security arrangements in place.

“I have known him for a long time, from Dubai. It is an honour for me that his daughter married my son. My daughter-in-law is very well-educated; she studied in a convent school and went to a renowned university,” Miandad told journalist Hassan Nisar on the latter's YouTube channel.

The controversial batter said those outside had a flawed perception of the underworld don, his family and how they operated.

“Understanding the real Dawood Ibrahim is not easy. The way people think about the family, they are not like that,” remarked Miandad.

"He (Dawood) has done a lot for Muslims. It will be remembered for long," he added.

Who is Dawood Ibrahim?

Dawood is a wanted terrorist in India, responsible for the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai that claimed the lives of 260 people. His underworld crime syndicate is known as the 'D-company' and operates in the shadows, conducting a proxy war against the neighbouring country of India.

In 2003, the US placed Dawood on the list of global terrorists. Moreover, the US Department of the Treasury Office has forbidden US financial entities from working with him. He has a smuggling route shared with and used by al-Qaeda.

Dawood Ibrahim was also one of the suspects in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed over 170 people. In 2010, Ibrahim made it to Forbes' World's 10 Most Wanted list after many attempts to locate him failed.

Dawood is believed to be living in the affluent Clifton locality in Karachi but Pakistani government continues to deny that the terrorist lives on its soil. Up until Osama bin Laden's assassination by the US military, the Pakistan government had similarly maintained that the al-Qaeda chief was not on its soil. 

Source: wionews.com

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https://www.wionews.com/cricket/done-a-lot-for-muslims-former-pakistan-captain-javed-miandad-praises-underworld-don-dawood-ibrahim-702243

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IK’s attendance issue: Another show-cause notice issued to jail authorities

2024-03-21

ISLAMABAD: A local court, on Wednesday, issued another show cause to the Adiala jail superintendent after it was informed that marking attendance of Imran Khan via video link is difficult due to internet problems in hearing of bail petitions of Khan in six cases and his wife Bushra Bibi in one case.

Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, while hearing post-arrest bail petitions in cases registered against Khan in Tarnol, Kohsar, Karachi Company, Ramna, and Secretariat police stations, adjourned the hearing till March 26 after jail authorities informed the court that due to poor internet signals marking attendance of Khan via video link is not possible.

During the hearing, the PTI founder and his wife’s counsel Barrister Salman Safdar and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry appeared before the court.

At the start of the hearing, the judge said that the jail authorities had given an assurance that the attendance of Khan would be marked on Wednesday. Following the marking of attendance of Khan court will hear the arguments, the judge further said.

To this, PTI founder’s counsel Safdar said that we are going to Adiala jail if the court wants to send its staff there for attendance then we can take them along. To this, the judge said that that was not possible.

The court took a short break. Resuming hearing after the break, the jail authorities did not mark Khan’s attendance via video link. The jail authorities submitted a report through a police official before the court that currently Khan is also busy in the trial of another case [Al-Qadir Trust case], therefore, marking attendance of Khan via video link is difficult.

The police officer said that Adiala jail authorities said that the internet link was down.

To this, the judge asked the Adiala jail officials why theywere not removing the fault in the internet. What is the problem? the judge said. The judge said that another show cause notice be issued to the superintendent of Adiala jail. The court also directed the superintendent Adiala jail to submit a technical report before the court regarding internet issues.

The court also issued a directive to the superintendent Adiala jail to appear before it during the next hearing to be held on March 26.

It is pertinent to mention here that during the previous hearing, the court had directed Adiala jail authorities to remove internet fault and mark attendance of Khan via video link.

Source: brecorder.com

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https://www.brecorder.com/news/40294710/iks-attendance-issue-another-show-cause-notice-issued-to-jail-authorities

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Pakistan: Baloch insurgents attack Gwadar Port Authority complex, at least seven militants killed

 21.03.24

Baloch insurgents armed with automatic assault weapons on Wednesday stormed the Gwadar Port Authority complex in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province but security forces foiled the attack and claimed killing at least seven militants.

The separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is opposed to China's investments in Balochistan and accuses China and Pakistan of exploiting the resource-rich province, a charge rejected by the authorities.

Gwadar senior superintendent of police Zohaib Mohsin told the media “seven attackers have been killed and the firing has stopped”.

Makran division commissioner Saeed Ahmed Umrani confirmed the attack. He said the attackers entered the Gwadar Port Authority building and the clearing operation was going on. Earlier, local media reported that eight terrorists were killed in clashes.

So far there was no word on deaths of any security person or civilian.

The United Nations Department for Safety and Security said in a statement that seven personnel from three UN agencies based in Gwadar and two UN agencies on missions were “safe and accounted for”.

The Majeed Brigade of the proscribed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. It is the suicide squad of the BLA and mostly targets security forces and Chinese interests.

Named after a guard of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was killed while attempting to assassinate Bhutto, the port was formed in 2011.

Bhutto had initiated anoperation against miscreants in the province in the1970s.

Balochistan chief minister Sarfraz Bugti hailed security agencies for their response against the attackers, saying that “the message is loud and clear”.

He added that “whosoever chooses to use violencewill see no mercy from the state”.

Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is home to a long-running violent insurgency.

Balochistan insurgent groups have previouslycarried out several attacks targeting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects worth $60 billion.

Thousands of Chinese personnel are working in Pakistan on several projects being carried out under the aegis of the CPEC.

Balochistan faces a double threat by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and Baloch militants.

The attack comes on a day when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asserted that his government would not tolerate any acts of cross-border terrorism.

Incidents of terrorism have increased in Pakistan since the Taliban took over the government in Kabul, dashing hopes in Islamabad that a friendly government in Afghanistan would help to tackle militancy.

According to an annual security report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan witnessed 1,524 violence-related fatalities and 1,463 injuries from 789 terror attacks and counter-terror operations in 2023 — marking a record six-year high.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/pakistan-baloch-insurgents-attack-gwadar-port-authority-complex-at-least-seven-militants-killed/cid/2008226

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Imran predicts govt’s fall, his release in four to five months

March 21, 2024

Malik Asad

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan does not see the incumbent government lasting more than four to five months, and believes that its fall will pave the way for his re­­lease from Adiala Jail.

Talking to reporters after the hearing of a £190 million corruption reference at Adi­a­la Jail, Mr Khan said this was the reason why the PPP did not join the cabinet. He claimed that a decision in his case had already been made and termed the proceedings a mere formality.

Mr Khan said the case against him was baseless, claiming that the exchequer did not suffer any loss as the amount transferred from the UK was held by the government, and there was no element of criminality. He said Malik Riaz transferred the amount for the purchase of a house in the UK, adding that the seller was Hassan Nawaz Sharif who had bought the property for Rs9bn but sold it for Rs18bn. Mr Khan said Hassan Nawaz should be asked to provide the money trail.

The PTI founder said that the current state of affairs had exposed the entire system, adding that everything was being manipulated; the ECP, the caretaker government and the establishment are all in on it together.

Ex-PM, Qureshi acquitted in May 26, 2022 violence case; PTI leaders’ lawyer continues arguments in cipher case

Mr Khan lamented that Pakistan’s ties with Iran and Afghanistan had been soured and expressed the apprehension that it would lead to an increase in terrorism.

Imran acquitted in two more FIRs

Meanwhile, the judicial magistrate of Barakahu, Suhaib Bilal Ranjha, acqui­tted Mr Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and others in a case related to inciting the protesters for violence on May 26, 2022 during a march organised against then PDM government.

Judge Ranjha observed that prosecution did not pr­­o­­duce any tangible eviden­­ce that could connect the suspects with the crime. He acquitted the susp­e­cts, ob­­serving that there was no chance of conviction.

Cipher case

Separately, an IHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Faro­­oq and Justice Mian­gul Hassan Aurangzeb sought the record of attendance of a counsel who had cross-examined prosecution witnesses in the cipher case on behalf of Mr Khan and Mr Qureshi.

The bench passed the order while hearing appeals of the PTI leaders against their conviction in the cipher case as defence counsel Barrister Salman Safdar pointed out that a counsel, Abdul Rehman, had appeared in a case against Bushra Bibi.

Barrister Safdar said the trial court judge had appoi­nted the state counsel for cross-examination of prosecution witnesses and sou­ght a list of lawyers, which was provided the same day.

Advocate General Ayyaz Shaukat said he had recommended the names of the state counsel and explai­n­­ed the mechanism of making such appointments.

Barrister Safdar poin­ted out that one of the prosecutors was representing the state in a case against Bushra Bibi and said how could he examine the prosecution witnesses.

The court summoned the CVs of both the prosecutors and directed the superintendent of Adiala Jail to provide the attendance record of advocate Rehman by March 25.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1822822/imran-predicts-govts-fall-his-release-in-four-to-five-months

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In meeting with COAS Munir, Saudi crown prince reaffirms kingdom’s willingness to ‘always stand with Pakistan’

March 20, 2024

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said on Wednesday that the Kingdom wanted to strengthen bilateral ties with Pakistan, according to a press release issued from the military’s media wing.

The statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) came after Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir and other senior military leadership met the Saudi Arabian crown prince on Wednesday in what was his second official visit to the country.

The ISPR said that COAS Munir discussed wide-ranging issues of mutual interest, including regional peace and security, bilateral defence and security cooperation with the Saudi leadership.

According to the press release, Prince Salman said that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have historic brotherly and strong relations, adding that both countries have always stood up for each other.

COAS Munir thanked the Saudi leadership for their warm sentiments and support for Pakistan.

The army chief visited Saudi Arabia for the first time in official capacity last year to enhance bilateral ties between the two countries.

Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said “a comprehensive strategic partnership” with Saudi Arabia was in the works after receiving a call from the Saudi crown prince.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have long shared a multifaceted relationship rooted in mutual economic interests, strategic military cooperation, and shared Islamic heritage.

Historically, these ties have encompassed economic assistance, energy supplies and military collaboration, with Saudi Arabia being a significant source of financial aid and oil for Pakistan.

The military aspect of their relationship includes defence cooperation, training and joint exercises.

Over the years, this relationship has evolved into strategic ties, reflecting deeper cooperation not just in traditional areas but also in counterterrorism efforts, regional stability and political support on international platforms.

This transformation signified a broadening of their partnership to include not just economic and military dimensions but also diplomatic and regional security interests.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1822755/in-meeting-with-coas-munir-saudi-crown-prince-reaffirms-kingdoms-willingness-to-always-stand-with-pakistan

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India

 

At Tamil Nadu Mosque, Kanji Porridge Made During Iftar Is Shared With Hindus And Christians

MARCH 21, 2024

The holy month of Ramadan is underway and Muslims all over the country are maintaining devotion throughout the pious month offering Namaz at mosques and breaking their day-long fast with Iftar. The HamsaMukha Deen Jumma Mosque in the city of Manakavalam Pillai Nagar in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu also offers Namaz during Ramadan but with a pleasant twist. The Iftar after the evening prayers is shared between Hindus and Christians in the locality as well, serving as an exemplary instance of communal harmony.

The HamsaMukha Deen Jumma Mosque is located on the outskirts of the city and also houses temples and churches. Several families belonging to various religions reside in this area. At the mosque’s entrance, Islamic devotees perform special services daily during the Ramadan festival. As a daily custom, Muslims break their fast in the form of iftar with Kanji, a traditional Indian drink, with its roots in Punjab and other parts of Northern India.

Muslims distribute Kanji to people of other faiths as well. People bring vessels to the mosque and collect sweet porridge (Kanji) to consume. It is a common sight outside the mosque to see people from other faiths queuing up to collect their Kanji at the end of the evening Namaz.

The mosque authorities say that the significance of Kanji after fasting is that it cools the body and provides relief from heat. “We are delighted to offer Kanji Porridge to those from different religions. They also come eagerly to take it. When this mosque was renovated in our area, Hindus helped us and supported us. Christians also showed appreciation for the religious harmony in our area. We are living peacefully with religious tolerance in our area,” the authorities said.

They also divulged the recipe for the Kanji porridge. Start by washing and soaking the cardamom and dal in water. Next, place a cooker on the stove and heat it. Once the cooker is hot, add oil and ghee into it. Once both are heated well, add cinnamon bark, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves. Then, add fenugreek seeds. After the fenugreek seeds turn red, crush garlic and spring onions and add them. Also, add sliced onions and finely chopped tomatoes along with three green chillies sliced lengthwise.

The authorities shared the next steps. Add coriander, mint, ginger garlic paste, finely chopped carrot and add the required amount of salt and saute well. After this, these are sauteed well, add soaked tamarind and dal without water and mix well. Leave it for a minute and then pour water in it. Then turn it off, the authorities added.

Source: news18.com

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Lok Sabha Elections: BJP Hand In Glove With Badruddin Ajmal-Led , AIUDF, In Assam

21 Mar 2024

GulamJeelani

Former leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam, Aminul Haque Laskar, has alleged that the saffron party has lost political ideology in the state and that the party is 'hand in glove' with Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).

Laskar, who became the Assam BJP's first  Muslim MLA in 2016, joined the Congress on March 20, days ahead of Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

"When I became BJP MLA in 2016 , I was the only one from the Muslim community. But now that I have left, it will harm BJP's credibility among Muslims in Assam. BJP is now hand in glove in Assam with AIUDF," said Laskar, the former deputy speaker of Assam assembly.

The AIUDF is the third largest political party of Assam after the BJP and the Congress. It won 16 of the 136 seats in the Assam Assembly Elections in 2021. The party founder Badruddin Ajmal is its only Lok Sabha member from Dhubri constituency.

Also Read : Will he or won't he? Speculation over Varun Gandhi's BJP ticket from Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat

"I was with the BJP for 13 years. The BJP of those days and now is a lot different. That time BJP used to talk about change," Laskar was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Laskar, the chairperson of the Assam State Commission for Minorities, lost the 2021 Assembly Election to AIUDF's Karim Uddin Barbhuiya.

"I have resigned because BJP has lost its political ideology in Assam," said Laskar, who joined the Congress party in presence of party's Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh Alwar.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections begin on April 19. Assam will vote in three phases - April 19, April 26 and May 7. The results will be announced on June 4.

Source: livemint.com

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https://www.livemint.com/politics/news/elections-2024-bjp-hand-in-glove-with-aiudf-says-assam-muslim-leader-on-joining-congress-11710995820568.html

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Absence of madrasa board in two states hits pupils by disabling them to enroll in colleges and universities

 21.03.24

Basant Kumar Mohanty

Thousands of students pursuing education in madrasas in Delhi and Gujarat cannot enroll themselves in colleges and universities.

Without a madrasa board in these states to issue certificates, institutes of higher education do not recognise the academic training of these students.

Madras boards in other states issue certificates to madrasa students passing out Fauqania and Maulavi, considered equivalent to Class X and XII. Students with these certificates face no difficulty in admissions to colleges and universities.

Without certificates, madrasa students of Delhi and Gujarat can pursue further studies only in madrasas.

The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI), which issues minority certificates to schools and colleges set up by minorities, cannot award such a certificate to madrasas from Delhi and Gujarat as they are not affiliated institutions, said Jose Abraham, a Supreme Court advocate who has represented many petitioner institutions in the NCMEI.

"The certificates issued by madrasa boards are recognised as equivalent to certificates issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). But madrasa students of Delhi and Gujarat face problems without a madrasa board,” Abraham said.

The ministry of minority affairs funds recognised madrasas. Without boards, the Delhi and Gujarat madrasas fail to get funds.

Recently, a madrasa in Delhi applied for grants from the ministry. After being denied for lack of recognition, it applied for affiliation from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), a recognised school board for distance-mode students. The NIOS issued a letter to treat the madrasa as its exam centre, equivalent to recognition, Abraham said.

Armed with the NIOS letter, the madrasa applied for a minority certificate from the NCMEI, which responded positively.

However, it is learnt that the Delhi government plans to move Delhi High Court to challenge the NIOS recognition of the madrasa. "The ministry of education recognises the NIOS school board. Hence, the recognition granted by the NIOS to the madrasa in Delhi should be considered valid. The Delhi government’s stand to challenge the NIOS recognition is unconstitutional,” Abraham said.

This newspaper has emailed Gujarat chief secretary Raj Kumar and Delhi education secretary Ashok Kumar on the absence of madrasa boards. Their response is awaited.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/absence-of-madrasa-board-in-two-states-hits-pupils-by-disabling-them-to-enroll-in-colleges-and-universities/cid/2008235

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2010 Bareilly riots case: HC rejects bail plea of cleric Tauqeer Raza

 21.03.24

Prayagraj : The Allahabad High Court has declined to stay the non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan in 2010 Bareilly riot case.

However, the court directed Khan to appear before the trial court on or before March 27 and apply for bail. It directed the trial court to decide his bail application strictly in accordance with law.

The court said that the NBW till then shall not be executed against him only with a view to giving him an opportunity to appear before the court below.

The court also expunged certain remarks made by an additional sessions judge of Bareilly in one of his orders pertaining to the 2010 Bareilly riots case in which he had praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The court in its order on Tuesday said, “I have gone through the order under challenge whereby learned trial court while passing the impugned order mentioned certain unwarranted expressions containing political overtones and personal views… Besides this, he has also shared his personal experiences in the said order which is not at all required while passing judicial order,” it said.

The court said it is not expected from the judicial officer to express or depict his personal or pre-conceived notions or inclinations in the matter.

The judicial order is meant for public consumption and such type of order is likely to be misconstrued by the masses, said the court.

The court then said, “It is expected from a judicial officer that he should use a very guarded expression while focusing upon the issue in hand and should not use any observations which are tangent or alien to the core issue.” ( With PTI Inputs )

Source: muslimmirror.com

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https://muslimmirror.com/eng/2010-bareilly-riots-case-hc-rejects-bail-plea-of-cleric-tauqeer-raza/

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Shahi Idgah case: Muslim side objects to plea seeking worship at ‘Krishna Koop’

 20th March 2024

Prayagraj: The Muslim side on Wednesday objected to a plea seeking worship at ‘Krishna Koop’ situated on the Shahi Idgah premises in Mathura and asked the Allahabad High Court that no order on the application is required to be passed as the maintainability suit is pending before it.

The Muslim side has challenged the maintainability suit that seeks “removal” of Shahi Idgah mosque which it claims has been built on 13.37-acre land of Katra Keshav Deo temple.

After hearing the two sides, the high court adjourned the hearing for the next date, which will be decided later.

On Wednesday, an objection was raised by the Muslim side on the application moved under Section 151 of CPC (inherent power of court) filed by Ashutosh Pandey.

In his plea, Pandey has said that ‘Basoda puja’ is performed every year by Hindu devotees at ‘Krishna Koop’ (well) on ‘Mata Sheetla Saptami’ and on ‘Mata Sheetala Ashtami’.

This year ‘Mata Sheetla Saptami’ falls on April 1 and ‘Mata Sheetla Ashtami’ on April 2 as per Hindu calendar, the plea said.

On the said dates, as per past practice, the ‘Basoda puja’ has to be performed by the plaintiffs at Krishna Koop, but the defendants are preventing them from performing the puja, Pandey said in the plea.

It was argued by the Muslim side that pending hearing on the maintainability suit, no order on such an application is required to be passed.

The application was also opposed by the Muslim side saying that it is Waqf property and the plea is not maintainable.

However, the Hindu side submitted that people having faith and belief in Hinduism have to be given liberty to perform puja at the Krishna Koop.

The counsel for the Hindu side said that it is the discretionary power of the court to entertain such applications and to pass orders on them.

Besides, Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, appearing for the Hindu side, opposed an application of the Muslim side moved for discharge of UP’s Additional Advocate General Manish Goel who was earlier appointed by the court as amicus curiae in the matter by its order dated January 17.

Jain said that there is no such provision to the effect that a government counsel cannot be appointed as amicus curiae.

Source: siasat.com

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https://www.siasat.com/shahi-idgah-case-muslim-side-objects-to-plea-seeking-worship-at-krishna-koop-2995676/

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Illegal Rohingya migrants don't possess fundamental right to reside in India: Centre tells SC

Suchitra Kalyan Mohanty

20 Mar 2024

NEW DELHI: In a significant development, the Union of India (UOI) on Tuesday, in its affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, said and made it clear to it that illegal Rohingya Muslim migrants do not have a fundamental right to reside and settle in India.

The Central govt filed the affidavit in the apex court while being asked by it to respond to a plea filed by a petitioner, Priyali Sur, seeking appropriate directions in the issue, including that of releasing detained Rohingyas.

The UOI, told the apex court that those illegally entering to India, would be dealt with in law and in accordance with the provisions of the Foreigners Act.

"Since India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, it (UOI) would handle the issue of Rohingyas based on its own domestic framework," the UOI said in its affidavit.

The Centre also pointed out that in this respect, the judiciary cannot create a separate category for granting refugee status to those illegally entering the country.

It stressed on the fact that India does not recognize UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) cards, which some Rohingya Muslims have used to claim refugee status. It also in its reply highlighted the concerns about illegal migration and activities such as obtaining fake Indian identity documents and human trafficking, which pose security threats.

“Continuance of Rohingyas’ illegal migration to India and their stay in India, apart from it being absolutely illegal, is fraught with serious security ramifications,” the reply of the UOI said.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the pleas after Holi vacation.

Source: newindianexpress.com

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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Mar/20/illegal-rohingya-migrants-dont-possess-fundamental-right-to-reside-in-india-centre-tells-sc

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South Asia

 

World Happiness Report 2024: Only 14 countries unhappier than Bangladesh

Mar 20, 2024

Only 14 countries in the world are less happy than Bangladesh according to the "World Happiness Report 2024".

Bangladesh ranked 129th out of 143 countries this year. The country was in 118th place out of 137 nations last year.

According to the report released today, Finland is the happiest country in the world.

Afghanistan has been ranked as the unhappiest, followed by Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Congo, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Malawi.

India, Pakistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka placed 126th, 108th, 118th and 128th respectively while Nepal placed 93rd in the happiness index.

The World Happiness Report is a publication of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. It contains articles and rankings of national happiness, based on respondent ratings of their own lives, which the report also correlates with various (quality of) life factors.

Meanwhile, the world's 20 happiest countries in 2024 are Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Kuwait, Austria, Canada, Belgium, Ireland, Czechia, Lithuania, and United Kingdom.

Source: thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/world-happiness-report-2024-only-14-countries-unhappier-bangladesh-3570946

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Afghanistan’s private sector struggles amid significant challenges: World Bank survey

Fidel Rahmati

March 21, 2024

On Tuesday, the World Bank disclosed that Afghan businesses express mounting apprehension regarding the country’s economic future, as outlined in its latest Private Sector Rapid Survey (PRSS).

Businesses persevere Despite significant challenges, such as a severely constrained banking and financial sector and subdued consumer demand. However, the latest findings from the third round of the PSRS highlight a notable uptick in the number of respondents expressing apprehension about the future. Additionally, concerns regarding restrictions on women’s economic activities have emerged as a prominent issue, further complicating the financial landscape.

The latest survey conducted in spring 2023 offers fresh insights into the business environment, highlighting the hurdles encountered by formal small, medium, and large firms in the country.

The report said that “Afghan businesses struggle to reach pre-August 2021 levels of operations, although the private sector shows signs of recovery since the first round of this survey in November 2021. Over one-third of surveyed firms report operating below capacity, and 8 per cent, primarily women-owned, are either temporarily or permanently closed.”

In 2023, most surveyed firms faced a drop in demand for their goods and services, with 80 percent experiencing a decline over the preceding six months. Small and medium-sized enterprises were notably impacted, with 80 percent reporting decreased demand, compared to 69 percent among larger firms.

The report also highlighted that “small and women-owned firms are more prone to closure, indicating their heightened vulnerability to economic shocks compared to men-owned businesses.”

Surveyed firms have seen a notable decline in employment levels compared to August 2021. With many Afghans leaving the country or turning to informal work, shrinking demand has compelled firms to cut investments and lay off staff, nearly doubling unemployment rates since August 2021.

Female employment has significantly dropped, with most women now employed by women-owned businesses. This has led to 50 percent of firms surveyed in March 2023 having no female employees, contrasting with only 10 percent reporting no male employees.

Challenges in the banking sector have led to correspondent banks’ limited transactions with Afghan banks, impacting domestic and international trade activities and increasing transaction costs. As a result, firms are increasingly relying on Hawala payment systems and cash transactions.

Additionally, survey findings reveal a low incidence of unofficial payments and bribes, with 92 per cent of firms reporting no such payments in the past six months. However, engagement with the interim Taliban administration (ITA) has proven ineffective in resolving business issues for over 60 per cent of surveyed firms. Women-owned and small businesses face more significant difficulties engaging with the ITA and have lower issue resolution rates than men-owned and larger enterprises.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/afghanistans-private-sector-struggles-amid-significant-challenges-world-bank-survey/

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Pakistan Initiates Second Wave of Afghan Migrant Expulsions

March 21, 2024

Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, the Interior Minister of Pakistan, announces the commencement of the second phase of Afghan migrant expulsions from his country in less than a month.

Naqvi states that all migrants without legal documentation, including Afghans, must return to their countries.

The Interior Minister of Pakistan said, "Any Afghan or anyone living illegally in Pakistan must be expelled from Pakistan. This does not mean they cannot return to Pakistan, but they can return to this country with legal documentation and visas."

However, some Afghan migrants in Pakistan criticized the government's improper treatment, saying that the Pakistani government is also expelling migrants who have legal documentation.

They request the caretaker government to seriously address their challenges in Pakistan.

Zahir Bahand, an Afghan journalist in Pakistan, said: "Currently, hundreds of Afghan refugees are spending time in Pakistani jails due to the lack of sufficient documents, which is considered a great injustice."

At the same time, the deputy minister of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR), Abdul Rahman Rashid, asked host countries, including Pakistan, to allow Afghan migrants to voluntarily return to their country.

Rashed said, "Our request from the host countries, especially Pakistan, which has close neighborhood ties and a common border with us, is to refrain from this political pressure and cooperate with us."

Ali Reza Karimi, an expert on migrant affairs, said: "The main reasons for the deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan are hostility, economic crisis, and the souring of relations between the Islamic Emirate and Pakistan."

This new decision by Pakistani authorities to expel Afghan migrants comes as Pakistan's bombings on Monday in Afghan territory and clashes between the forces of the Islamic Emirate and Pakistan near the Durand Line have also elicited reactions from some countries and Afghan political figures.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187921

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Fighting With Pakistan Displaces Hundreds in Dand-e-Patan, Paktia

March 20, 2024

After Pakistan's air strikes in Khost and Paktika and clashes between the forces of the Islamic Emirate and Pakistan’s border guards in the Dand-e-Patan district of Paktia, nearly 500 families in Dand-e-Patan have now been forced to leave their homes.

Residents of DandPatan in Paktia stated that the recent clashes have resulted in significant financial and human loss.

The area of Setia in DandPatan district was targeted by rocket attacks on Monday, resulting in the death of two civilians and injuring seven others, including women and children.

“Unfortunately, as a result of a tank shell fired by Pakistani forces hitting a vehicle, one person was martyred,” said Miakhil, a resident of Dand-e-Patan district.

“He went to take his children outside, a mortar struck, killing him and injuring his daughter and son,” said Gulal Khan, a resident of this district.

A number of these families, ask for security and for both sides to resolve their problems through dialogue.

“Many shells were fired, targeting civilian houses, not governmental organizations. Whenever there is a conflict Pakistan targets people's houses,” said MirajKhaksar, a resident of Dand-e-Patan.

“Injustice has been done to us all our lives. If there are people on that side of the line, they are Muslims, and they are always being shot at, and people on this side of the line are always suffering too,” said Jarnail Mangal, a resident of Dand-e-Patan.

Officials of Dand-e-Patan district said that in the counterattacks, the forces of the Islamic Emirate targeted the centers of the Pakistani border forces, but the Pakistani forces fired rockets at civilian houses.

“The cause of the war was that many outposts of the Islamic Emirate forces were attacked. The Islamic Emirate considered the general public and did not fire blindly,” said Ziauddin, the deputy of Dand-e-Patan district’s governor.

Recently, the Ministry of Defense announced in a statement the visit of the Deputy Chief of Army Staff to the Dand-e-Patan district of Paktia. The ministry said that the Islamic Emirate is not in favor of war, but if fired upon, security forces will respond.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187915

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Islamic Emirate Seeks Cordial Relations with European Countries, Welcomes Investments

 2024-03-20

KABUL (BNA) In a recent meeting between Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and Italian officials, a message of goodwill and cooperation was conveyed.

Hanafi expressed the Islamic Emirate’s desire for good and cordial relations based on interaction and mutual respect with European countries and nations worldwide.

The meeting took place with the Italian Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ms. Natalia Quintavalle, and Italy’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan, Mr. Gainfranco.

During the discussion, Ambassador Quintavalle expressed her satisfaction with the establishment of security in Afghanistan and acknowledged the achievements witnessed during her visit to the country.

She emphasized Italy’s ongoing commitment to assisting Afghanistan and conveyed Italy’s eagerness to implement development projects in areas such as health, water, public health, and bilateral relations.

In response, Deputy Prime Minister Hanafi conveyed his appreciation for Italy’s cooperation with the people of Afghanistan.

He reiterated the Islamic Emirate’s commitment to fostering positive relations based on interaction and mutual respect with European countries and other nations worldwide.

Hanafi also highlighted some of the Islamic Emirate’s achievements, including ensuring national security, combating drug production and trafficking, and addressing administrative corruption.

Source: bakhtarnews.af

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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/islamic-emirate-seeks-cordial-relations-with-european-countries-welcomes-investments/

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Modern education needed for progress in Afghanistan, says education minister

March 21, 2024

Marking the start of the new school year this week, Acting Minister of Education Habibullah Agha said that modern education is urgently needed, along with religious education, in the country in order for Afghanistan to progress.

Agha said the only way for the country to become self-sustainable and end the need for foreign help is to ensure modern education is provided alongside religious education.

Agha added that the Islamic Emirate is not against modern education because Islam is not against it.

He stated that this ministry is trying to improve the quality of religious and modern education in the country.

“Modern education is a need for the progress of our country,” he added.

Abdul Salam Hanafi, the administrative deputy of the Prime Minister, also stated that a nation without education will always need others and a nation dependent on others can never become independent.

Hanafi said that more work should be done to provide modern education and technology training along with religious education for students.

Source: ariananews.af

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https://www.ariananews.af/modern-education-needed-for-progress-in-afghanistan-says-education-minister/

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Europe

 

‘Thousands in UK close Barclays accounts’ over bank’s ties to Israeli military suppliers

March 20, 2024

LONDON: Thousands of people in the UK have closed their Barclays bank accounts over the financial institution’s links to the Israeli military, an activist group said.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign has organized two “mass account closure days” in an attempt to pressure the bank into cutting its financial ties with arms companies that supply the Israeli armed forces.

The group said more than 1,500 people took part in the first day of action, on Feb. 9, and during the second, on March 20, more than 1,000 people were expected to close their accounts.

Thousands more have “signed a pledge never to bank with Barclays while it remains complicit with Israel’s apartheid system,” the group added.

It said research shows deep financial ties between Barclays, one of the UK’s biggest banks, and major arms companies that supply the Israeli military. Barclays holds “more than £1 billion ($1.27 billion) in shares and provides over £3 billion in loans and underwriting to nine companies whose weapons, components and military technology are being used by Israel,” the campaign added.

Those arms companies include General Dynamics and Elbit Systems, both of which supplied munitions and weapons systems Israel has used in its operations during the war in Gaza, campaigners say. By providing financial services to such companies, Barclays is facilitating a military campaign the International Court of Justice has said could plausibly amount to genocide, they add.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign vowed to take further action to put pressure on the bank to distance itself from such businesses, including “social media campaigns, pickets and sit-ins.”

The group’s director, Ben Jamal, said: “More than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip, in what the ICJ has accepted is a plausible case of genocide. UN experts have warned that Gaza is facing imminent famine due to Israel’s blockade and attacks.

“To its eternal shame, Barclays is complicit, financing the companies that supply Israel with the weapons and military technology it uses to carry out its attacks.

“Barclays was forced to stop supporting apartheid in South Africa before, and we’ll force it to stop supporting Israel’s genocide and apartheid now.”

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2480021/world

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Israeli minister slams 'far-Left woke' London as most antisemitic city in the West

21/03/2024

George Bunn

A controversial Israeli minister has slammed "woke" London as the "most antisemitic place in the West."

Diaspora minister AmichaiChikli was warning about what he called "the dangers of open immigration allowing extremism to build up."

During a heated press conference with the Europe Israel Press Association, he called Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez an "anti Semite" and said US President Joe Biden caved into "political pressure" by criticising the Israeli campaign in Gaza.

Chikli also said a toxic mix of far-Left "wokeism" and Islamic extremism meant London was no longer safe for Jews.

He told the press conference: "The antisemitism we see today in the West is the worst since the 1930s and it is because of a ‘red and green’ alliance – the combination of the radical Left and the radical Islam groups that work together.

"[London] is a centre of Western civilisation, the country of the Magna Carta and one of the leading democracies of the West with a rich legacy of freedom of speech, of human rights. But it seems what is happening now in Britain is that freedom of speech no longer exists."

"Our enemies are Europe’s enemies. Our enemies are the enemies of Western civilisation...And this isn’t just a problem for the Jews but for the British people, when even the statue of Churchill needs its own security.

"Today in the UK, Jews are hiding their yarmulkes and their MagenDavids [stars of David] – they know that if they speak Hebrew on the subway they might get hit. And this is the reality for Jews in Europe."

Source: gbnews.com

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https://www.gbnews.com/news/far-left-woke-london-most-antisemitic-city-in-the-west-islamic-extremism

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'I saw most appalling atrocities': UK surgeon who volunteered in Gaza

20 March 2024

Four medical doctors from the US, UK, and France shared their experiences in Gaza at the United Nations on Tuesday. During a press conference at the UN, they recounted what they had seen firsthand and heard.

Dr. Nick Maynard, a cancer surgeon from Oxford, who has worked and volunteered in Gaza over the last 15 years, said he was not remotely prepared for what he saw.

"I saw things that I never would have expected to have seen in any health care setting", said Dr. Maynard.

"I saw things at Al-Aqsa Hospital, which I still wake up at night thinking about. Appalling injuries, in particularly women and children. The most devastating burns in small children. One child I'll never forget had burns so bad you could see her facial bones."

President of MedGlobal, Dr. Zaher Sahloul said that this high-level delegation of medical doctors had come to the United Nations to urge action to improve health care in the region.

"Our goal in the next three days is to get this message to the highest level, because we understand, I think everyone understands, that the only country that can influence the situation is the United States of America," Sahloul said.

"So by talking to the National Security Council staff and members of the Congress and the State Department (we) want to make sure that they know what we know and hopefully that will affect the decision making process."

After meetings at the UN, the delegation plans to meet with the Biden administration and the US Congress in Washington D.C.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/20/722215/-I-saw-the-most-appalling-atrocities---UK-surgeon-who-volunteered-in-Gaza

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Sunni Endowments Directorate received Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Muslims in Germany

 20 Mar 2024

Manama, Mar. 20 (BNA): Shaikh Dr. Rashid bin Mohammed Al Hajeri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sunni Endowments, received Abdul Samad Al Yazidi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Muslims in Germany.

The meeting highlighted the importance of the 'Bahrain Declaration' document which was launched by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and was well received internationally in recognition of the humanitarian values and principles it promotes. The document was translated into German by the German Institute for Dialogue and Understanding.

Al Yazidi lauded the approach of His Majesty the King of fostering the values of peace and humanity, and valued the efforts of the Sunni Endowments in promoting those values.

Source: bna.bh

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https://www.bna.bh/en/news?cms=q8FmFJgiscL2fwIzON1%2bDk5k20ifl4l%2bQV9KM9J91EA%3d

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Minister Apologizes After Unlawfully Collecting Data In Radical Islam LabourInvestigation

21 MARCH 2024

Outgoing Minister of Social Affairs Karien van Gennip has sent letters to 12 people apologizing for unlawfully using their personal data in an investigation into Salafist Islam and radicalization, she said in a letter addressed to the TweedeKamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament. It was discovered last autumn that her ministry had covertly investigated mosques and Muslims without their knowledge.

People could find out whether their personal data was a part of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (SZW) investigation by requesting access to their files. The initial 131 access requests showed that 12 cases involved the unlawful use of personal data "without the applicant being aware of this and without permission being granted from the person involved.” There are currently 48 access requests that are still being evaluated.

Thus far, there have only been searches regarding the names of people who have requested it. The ministry will soon notify all the people whose data was used illegally regardless of an access request; they were advised by the Dutch Data Protection Authority to send the emails. These people can still request the data even after being notified.

The data contains the names, residences, and religions of the people investigated. This data was saved in mail traffic and analysis. Notes were also made on the person’s behaviors, expressions and context of their activities, said the minister.

The information was saved “in the context of interpretations, signals, and monitoring on the subject of Salafism, social tensions, and radicalization.”

Most of the access requests (97 of 131) resulted in no personal data being found regarding the person who asked the ministry for their file. The ministry used the data of 22 people with permission or knowledge of the person involved. The minister says that the names of these people were noted due to them being network partners of the ministry or participating in a meeting organized by the ministry.

Since it was announced that mosques and people were investigated, many people have told Van Gennip about how their trust in the government has been damaged due to the incident. “This disturbs me,” she wrote in the letter to the TweedeKamer.

The Dutch Data Protection Authority is currently investigating the ministry’s dealings. The department will keep the illegally obtained data until it is over. The whole procedure will “take some time,” said Van Gennip.

Source: nltimes.nl

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https://nltimes.nl/2024/03/21/minister-apologizes-unlawfully-collecting-data-radical-islam-investigation

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French hate crimes spiked following Gaza war

March 20, 2024

PARIS: Racist, xenophobic and religion-based hate crimes surged 32 percent in France last year, government figures showed on Wednesday, with a spike following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza on Oct. 7.

Police recorded 8,500 crimes and misdemeanors “committed because of the ethnicity, nationality, supposed race or religion” of the victim across 2023, the Interior Ministry’s statistics service said.

The statisticians highlighted “a marked acceleration toward the end of the year.”

There were twice as many crimes and misdemeanors recorded in October-December as in the same period in 2022.

“The increase can be seen from October, with a level of offenses holding at the same high level in November before falling back in December,” the report said.

France’s Representative Council of Jewish Institutions had said in January that it recorded four times as many anti-Semitic acts last year as in 2022, at 1,676, with an “explosion” in numbers after Oct. 7.

Men, people aged 25 to 54, and citizens of African countries were especially targeted, it added. But only 4 percent of the victims filed a criminal complaint.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2480041/world

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Italian school closes to ‘celebrate’ Ramadan, while another prevents Easter blessing

March 21, 2024

ROME – In examples which suggest the strains of a county navigating the transition from being almost entirely Catholic to a more multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, one Italian school has announced a day off to allow Muslim students to celebrate the end of Ramadan, while another has refused permission for a Catholic priest to offer a traditional Easter blessing.

Inevitably, both incidents have generated national controversy and become the subject of intense political debate, especially among political and social conservatives. This is believed to be the first time an Italian school has closed in observance of an Islamic feast.

“While some want to remove Catholic symbols, such as crucifixes in classrooms, for fear of giving ‘offense,’ in the Province of Milan a principal has decided to close a school for the end of Ramadan,” Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the right-wing Lega party, said on social media. “It’s an unacceptable choice against the values, identity and tradition of our county.”

The school that’s decided to close for the Eid al-Fitr feast marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is located in a community of roughly 40,000 people called Pioltello, located on the eastern edge of Milan.

Pioltello has one of the highest concentrations of immigrants in the country, and its Iqbhal Masih school, named for a 12-year-old Pakistani Catholic who was shot to death in 1995 after escaping forced labour, has a student population estimated to be roughly 40 per cent Muslim.

Taking advantage of a regulation which allows schools to add three additional days off to the holidays established by regional and national law, the governing council of the school, which included a kindergarten, grade school and middle school, decided to close on 10 April, the date set this year for Eid al-Fitr.

Principal Alessandro Fanfoni said the choice was practical, since in years past at the end of Ramadan no more than three or four Muslim students would come to school, making it largely a lost day.

Italy’s Minister of Instruction, Giuseppe Valditara, also a member of the Lega party, announced that he’s asked for clarification from school officials, and insisted that only the regional and national governments have the authority to add holidays to the school calendar.

The decision to close for the Islamic holy day, however, has drawn support from the Archdiocese of Milan.

Deacon Roberto Pagani, who’s led the archdiocese’s office for ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue since 2013, told the Italian newsmagazine Famiglia Cristiana: “We’re in favour of this gesture.”

“Since Muslims in Italy share and celebrate Christmas and Easter with us Catholics, I find it beautiful that an initiative for interreligious dialogue is starting with a school that’s trying to build bridges between young people who live different faiths at home,” Pagani said.

“If we don’t follow the path of reciprocal awareness and respect, then we become integralists,” he said. “In the Diocese of Milan, we’re working to show respect to persons of other faiths who live in our territory, and who want to dialogue, interact and integrate.”

On 20 March, Archbishop Mario Delpini of Milan added his own voice of support, calling the decision to close for the end of Ramadan a “legitimate measure” given that “one of the most important things in life is religion”.

Such sentiments, however, haven’t been enough to deter figures such as the president of the Italian Senate, Ignazio La Russa, a member of the country’s governing conservative coalition, who wondered aloud if schools now also will have to close for Hindu festivals. Attilio Fontana, president of the Lombardy region in which Milan is located, said that if schools shut down out of respect for every tradition present in the area, they’d have to close 100 times a year.

On 18 March, a reportedly far-right group erected a banner at the school reading, “Italian schools, never Muslim: It’s forbidden to close.”

Meanwhile, roughly 200 miles to the south, in a neighbourhood of the town of Verghereto, another school made another choice related to the increasing diversity of Italian society – refusing to grant permission for a local priest to enter the school to deliver a traditional blessing in the run-up to Easter.

Father Adolph Wosa of Tanzania, who serves as pastor of the local parish of St. Andrew the Apostle, confirmed the decision after it had first been made public by a local conservative politician.

“I hadn’t yet gone to the school to offer the Easter blessing, but this afternoon I called a teacher to ask the director if I could give the blessing,” he told reporters on 18 March.

“She told me no, because it violates the secular nature of the state,” he said.

Wosa said he “won’t give up,” insisting: “I want to be able to bless the school, while respecting students of other religions.”

Daniela Corbi, director of the local school system, defended the refusal to grant permission for the blessing.

“The law is clear: The school is secular, and religious activity is not permitted inside. Easter blessings are a religious activity, so they’re not possible,” she said.

“This isn’t a law that I’m imposing,” Corbi said. “It’s imposed by the law, and I’m obliged to follow it regardless of my personal convictions.” She added, however, that it might be possible to allow a priest to offer blessings on school property after hours to whoever requested it.

The refusal has aroused the indignation of several local leaders, including a former member of the regional government, Luca Bartolini, who’s a member of the Brothers of Italy party of Prime Minister GiorgiaMeloni.

“It’s an incomprehensible choice,” he said. “If there can’t be an Easter blessing in order to guarantee the secular character of the school then why doesn’t the director show up for work also on Christmas day?”

In the end, a compromise was reached: Wosa will be allowed to deliver the blessing after the end of the school day, outside the school, and attendance will be voluntary.

This isn’t the first time that the issue of Easter blessings in schools has generated controversy in Italy.

In 2023, the mayor of the small central Italian town of Pennabilli, who is a former member of the Lega party, signed a decree authorising such blessings after the local school director had refused permission.

Wosa said he was choosing to look on the bright side, that the blessing will be offered after all.

Bartolini said he would have preferred that the blessing be given in class “as it’s always been done, and as happens in so many other schools”.

While the Catholic Church and Islam jostle in modern Italy, there are also reports of lapsed Italian Catholics reverting to ancient Roman gods, seers and sorcerers.

Photo:  Muslim worshippers arrive to attend a morning prayer on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at the industrial area of Parco Dora in Turin on 21 April 2023. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images.)

Source: catholicherald.co.uk

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https://catholicherald.co.uk/italian-school-closes-to-celebrate-ramadan-while-another-prevents-easter-blessing/

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North America

 

Muslim appeals court nominee’s confirmation imperiled amid antisemitism accusations

March 21, 2024

The confirmation of Adeel Mangi, a judicial nominee who would be the first Muslim-American to serve on any federal appeals court, appears increasingly imperiled, as he faces accusations of antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment from Senate Republicans, among other charges.

Leading nonpartisan Jewish organizations have rejected the accusations against Mangi and Mangi pushed back aggressively against insinuations that he supports terrorism or antisemitism, but enough Senate Democrats reportedly share concerns about Mangi to potentially sink his nomination. Republicans are pushing the administration to withdraw the nomination.

Republicans’ campaign against Mangi, who has been nominated for the Philadelphia-based Third Circuit, emerged during his confirmation hearing, when he repeatedly faced questions about his views on antisemitism and Israel.

Critics seized on Mangi’s membership on an advisory board for the Rutgers University Center for Security, Race and Rights, which they said hosted speakers who support terrorism and celebrated the Oct. 7 attack or blamed it on Israel. The center’s director has also shared Oct. 7 denialism.

Mangi said that his role with the center was limited to once-annual meetings to advise the center on academic research, and that he had no insight into or oversight over speakers, events or comments by its director.

“I will condemn, without equivocation, any terrorism, any terrorist or any act of terrorism, or any defense of any act of terrorism,” Mangi said, in response to questions about speakers sponsored by the center. “I don’t know anything about this event, or who these people are. I’ve never heard of any of them. If someone on there is a terrorist, I condemn them.”

He unequivocally condemned Hamas and the Oct. 7 attack as “abominable, and against everything I stand for,” saying he has “no patience, none, for any attempts to justify or defend those events.”

Pressed on whether he views Israel as a colonialist state, and other similar comments by the center’s director, Mangi said repeatedly that Middle East policy issues fall outside his remit as a judicial nominee and that he did not have the expertise to answer. He did say, however, that Israel has a right to exist.

Republicans subsequently accused Mangi of supporting “cop killers,” citing his membership on the board of a criminal justice reform group. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) cited Mangi’s affiliation with that group, which sponsored a fellowship named for a member of the Weather Underground terrorist group and the release of individuals convicted of killing police officers, in comments on Tuesday opposing Mangi’s confirmation.

Cortez Masto is the only Democrat publicly opposing Mangi so far. A spokesperson indicated to JI that she does not share Republicans’ concerns relating to Israel and antisemitism, telling Jewish Insider that her reservations relate to his “law enforcement record.”

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said on Wednesday that he would not support any judicial nominees who lack Republican support, a possible death knell for Mangi’s nomination.

Several other Democratic swing votes are publicly undecided on Mangi’s confirmation.

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) told JI on Monday that he’s “looking at” Mangi’s nomination, and that there are “a lot of considerations,” declining to elaborate further or say whether he shared Republicans’ concerns about Israel and antisemitism.

He noted that no vote has been scheduled yet on Mangi.

Pennsylvania’s other senator, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), meanwhile, told JI that Democratic leadership should bring Mangi’s nomination up for a vote and suggested he’d be supportive.

Nonpartisan and liberal-leaning Jewish organizations have come out in Mangi’sdefense, rejecting the accusations and line of questioning that Mangi faced.

The Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement that Mangi was “berat[ed]… with endless questions that appear to have been motivated by bias towards his religion,” which the statement called, “profoundly wrong.”

It described the questioning as “an attempt to create controversy where none exists” and “urge[d] leaders to refrain from fueling discrimination and hate — and urge[d] the Senate to offer Mr. Mangi a fair vote, based on his qualifications and fitness for the job.”

The American Jewish Committee likewise said in a statement that the questions had “thin pretext” and turned “serious issues into a tool of partisan attack,” noting that Mangi had clearly expressed his support for Israel and opposition to terrorism and antisemitism. It also implied that the questions had stoked “fears of and against American religious minorities.”

“American Jewish Committee (AJC) has joined several U.S. Supreme Court briefs led by Mangi and find him to be an able jurist, a person of integrity, champion of pluralism, and adversary of discrimination against any group,” the statement continued. “Ultimately, the Senate must determine Mangi’s fitness for the job, and we expect that Senators will disregard the untoward implications underlying that unnecessary and unhelpful line of questioning.”

Neither the ADL nor AJC explicitly endorsed Mangi’s confirmation.

The National Council of Jewish Women led a letter with 15 liberal-leaning Jewish organizations expressing support for Mangi’s confirmation, asserting, “the Senate has the opportunity to confirm one of the most preeminent lawyers with an impeccable career and credentials that more than prepare him for a lifetime position on our federal courts.”

Conservative-leaning Jewish groups, meanwhile, are opposing Mangi’s confirmation.

RJC National Chairman Norm Coleman and CEO Matt Brooks blasted Mangi’s “radical affiliations,” including to the Rutgers center, which they said should have “disqualified him from being nominated for a lifetime judicial appointment.” They said that accusations that the questioning of Mangi was driven by Islamophobia are groundless “deflection tactics.”

A joint statement by the Zionist Organization of America, Americans Against Antisemitism, StopAntisemtism and Students Supporting Israel compared Mangi’s service on the Rutgers board to involvement with the Ku Klux Klan, and described Mangi’s claims of ignorance about its activities and leadership as not credible.

Source: jewishinsider.com

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https://jewishinsider.com/2024/03/adeel-mangi-muslim-appeals-court-nominee-antisemitism-accusations/

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Blinken says 'gaps are narrowing' to reach cease-fire deal in Gaza

IclalTuran

21.03.2024

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said early Thursday that a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas is “very much possible’ and the “gaps are narrowing” as talks in Qatar continue.

“It’s getting closer. I think the gaps are narrowing, and I think an agreement is very much possible,” Blinken said in an interview with the Saudi Al-Hadath channel during his visit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“We worked very hard with Qatar, with Egypt and with Israel to put a strong proposal on the table. We did that. Hamas wouldn’t accept it. They came back with other requests, other demands. The negotiators are working on that right now. But I believe it’s very much doable, and it’s very much necessary,” he said.

“If Hamas cares at all about the people it purports to represent, then it would reach an agreement,” he added.

Such an agreement, according to Blinken, would have the “immediate effect of a cease-fire, alleviating the tremendous suffering of people, bringing more humanitarian assistance in, and then giving us the possibility of having something more lasting.”

Blinken is visiting the Middle East for the sixth time since Oct. 7 as talks are ongoing to reach a temporary cease-fire agreement that includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for freedom for Palestinian prisoners.

Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, where he met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to discuss the importance of an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and the situation in the city of Rafah, which Israel is threatening to invade despite international warnings.

The US State Department said Blinken will visit Egypt after Saudi Arabia for talks with the Egyptian leadership and will arrive in Israel on Friday.

His tour of the region coincides with the launch of new negotiations meditated by Egypt, Qatar and the US to assist in reaching an agreement between the Palestinian group Hamas and Israel to ensure a cease-fire and prisoner exchange.

??????? Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Nearly 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and more than 74,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide, and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Source: aa.com.tr

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/blinken-says-gaps-are-narrowing-to-reach-cease-fire-deal-in-gaza/3170126

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US defense chief to host Israeli counterpart next week: Pentagon

ServetGunerigok

21.03.2024

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will host his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant next week, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

In a statement, Pentagon Spokesman Pat Ryder said Austin spoke with Gallant earlier in the day regarding the negotiations for the release of hostages and a temporary cease-fire in Gaza.

"Secretary Austin raised the need to consider alternatives to a major ground operation in Rafah, while reiterating the shared goal of defeating Hamas," said Ryder.

The two defense chiefs also discussed the need to do more to protect civilians and urgently increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave through land crossings.

"Secretary Austin appreciated Minister Gallant's firm and full commitment to protect US servicemembers in the eastern Mediterranean who will enable the maritime humanitarian aid corridor," said Ryder.

"Secretary Austin looks forward to hosting Minister Gallant at the Pentagon next week for a bilateral meeting to continue these conversations," he added.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to send a team to the US to discuss Israel's plan to invade Rafah "without a major ground invasion."

Source: aa.com.tr

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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-defense-chief-to-host-israeli-counterpart-next-week-pentagon/3170127

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US destroys Houthi drone, unmanned vessel in Red Sea in 'self-defense'

AlperenAktas

21.03.2024

The US military and coalition forces destroyed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an unmanned surface vessel launched by Yemen’s Houthi group in the Red Sea, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said Wednesday.

"On March 20, a coalition aircraft successfully engaged and destroyed one unmanned aerial vehicle and United States Central Command successfully engaged and destroyed one unmanned surface vessel, both launched by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, " CENTCOM wrote on X.

There were no injuries or damage to US or coalition ships, it added.

CENTCOM also said it determined that the weapons presented an "imminent threat" to US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region.

"These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy and merchant vessels," it added.

Yemen’s Houthi group has been targeting cargo ships in the Red Sea owned or operated by Israeli companies or transporting goods to and from Israel in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently announced the creation of a multinational mission, Operation Prosperity Guardian, to counter Houthi attacks.

Source: aa.com.tr

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/us-destroys-houthi-drone-unmanned-vessel-in-red-sea-in-self-defense/3170139

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US official says Israel sent assurance it is using arms lawfully, days before deadline

21.03.2024

 JACOB MAGID

Israel has submitted a letter to the Biden administration committing to use American-supplied weapons in Gaza in accordance with international humanitarian law, a US official said Wednesday, meeting a key US condition to avoid putting future arms transfers at risk.

The US has yet to publicly confirm having received the assurance from Israel, despite reports that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant signed the relevant letter last week.

Israel had until a March 24 deadline to submit the written assurance.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that the US had not yet received the written assurance from Israel, but a US official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Wednesday that the written assurance had made it to Washington.

The US State Department now has until early May to assess the credibility of the Israeli assurance and submit a report to Congress on the matter.

The written assurance is a new condition the US placed on all aid recipients, laid out in a memo signed by Biden on February 8. US security aid recipients were already required to use it the funds in line with international law, though the request for written assurances was new.

The directive does not single out Israel, but it came at a time of increasing calls from progressive lawmakers for conditions on US aid to the Jewish state, amid concerns that Jerusalem was not doing enough to protect civilians in Gaza.

Israel launched a military offensive in Gaza on October 7 in response to a brutal onslaught by thousands of Hamas-led terrorists based in the Strip, who murdered some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped 253.

Earlier this month, the Walla news site reported that a defense official warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a war cabinet meeting that failure to send in the assurance would turn a technical matter into a diplomatic incident.

The February 8 memo stated that US departments and agencies will “engage with foreign partners to share and learn best practices for reducing the likelihood of and responding to civilian casualties, including through appropriate training and assistance.”

“In order to effectively implement certain obligations under United States law, the United States must maintain an appropriate understanding of foreign partners’ adherence to international law, including, as applicable, international human rights law and international humanitarian law.”

Countries receiving military aid from the US were given 180 days to provide the required assurances, the memo said, but those, like Israel, who were engaged in active conflicts had only 45 days.

US officials left open the possibility that arms sales could be halted or delayed without the assurance.

The memo was criticized by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee at the time, which called it “an unnecessary directive that imposes new requirements on Israel and our other most important allies.”

The White House has shown increasing willingness in recent months to voice dissatisfaction with Israel over civilian casualties in Gaza and the humanitarian situation there, including adopting a harsher tone.

The memo was issued shortly after Biden said during a conference that Israel’s conduct in the Strip has been “over the top.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, visiting Tel Aviv last month, said that Israel cannot use the October 7 attack as “a license to dehumanize others,” in a stinging rebuke from the administration.

Tensions have escalated over Israel’s plans for a large-scale ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which is both Hamas’s last major stronghold in the Strip and where over a million Gazans displaced by the fighting are now located.

Biden told MSNBC earlier this month that an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be a “red line,” but said he would not stop sales of defensive arms like Iron Dome anti-missile interceptors.

For months, the US indicated that it could potentially support an offensive if — and only if — Israel presented a credible plan beforehand for how to protect civilians sheltering in the southern Gaza city.

In a phone call with Netanyahu Monday, Biden effectively ruled out support for a major ground offensive in Rafah, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu said that while he will soon approve plans for an evacuation of the civilian population, preparations for a military operation will “take some time.”

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said on Wednesday that 104 Palestinians had been killed in fighting in the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, bringing its official death toll since October 7 to 31,923.

These figures cannot be independently verified, and are believed to include both civilians and Hamas members killed in Gaza, including as a consequence of terror groups’ own rocket misfires. The IDF says it has killed over 13,000 operatives in Gaza, in addition to some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on October 7.

Source: timesofisrael.com

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https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-official-says-israel-sent-assurance-it-is-using-arms-per-international-law/

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Canadian theater accused of stalling Jewish festival over inclusion of Israeli film

ANDREW LAPIN

March 21, 2024

JTA — A Canadian movie theater said it was postponing a Jewish film festival, over the objections of the local Jewish federation, owing to “security and safety concerns at this particularly sensitive time.”

The Playhouse Cinema in Hamilton, Ontario said in a Tuesday statement that it decided over the weekend to postpone the Hamilton Jewish Film Festival, which it had been slated to host in April. The theater said it did so “after receiving numerous security and safety related emails, phone calls, and social media messages.”

The theater’s statement, posted to social media, did not provide details on the nature of the safety concerns, and the theater did not respond to requests for comment as of press time.

But the statement came as the arts world has been roiled by protest over the Israel-Hamas war. One of the films to be screened, “The Boy,” is a short film about life on the Israel-Gaza border and was directed by Yahav Winner, who was murdered in Hamas October 7 onslaught along with roughly 1,200 other Israelis. Over 250 more were kidnapped into Gaza that day.

A spokesperson for the Hamilton Jewish Federation, which had been partnering with the theater on the festival, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency it was “deeply dismayed” by the decision, which it said the theater made on its own.

“This decision, made in response to a few complaints and threatening emails objecting to our festival’s lineup, including films from Israel, is profoundly disappointing,” the federation said in its statement. “We believe this action represents a missed opportunity to engage the Greater Hamilton community in a meaningful cultural event, particularly in the wake of the alarming rise of antisemitism in recent times.”

The federation added that the move to postpone the festival “was not mutual and was made solely by the Playhouse Cinema.” It also said that “there were no specific threats or incidents that warranted the cancellation of the festival.”

The federation said it would still host the festival “later this spring” in its own facility, without the theater’s involvement.

While the theater’s statement did not mention the war, it comes as debate over the fighting has spread across the world of arts and culture. Jewish spaces and cultural institutions headed by Jews are increasingly feeling heat from a rise in pro-Palestinian activism and antisemitic attitudes, and Jewish performers and authors have had their events canceled. Events featuring Palestinian artists or pro-Palestinian viewpoints have likewise been canceled.

The protests have impacted film festivals in Europe as well as North America. Last month, an Israeli film festival in Barcelona was forced to change venues due to a harassment campaign. In November, an Israeli-American director-actress was disinvited from a Stockholm film festival.

Canada has also seen tensions around the war. In recent months two Canadian theaterscanceled planned stage productions of a play about an Israeli medical rescuer, and a university student union in British Columbia came close to voting on a measure calling for an end to an area Hillel’s campus presence. In February, an International Women’s Day event to be held in Ontario disinvited a Canadian cyclist due to criticism of her past service in Israel’s military. That event was later canceled altogether.

This week the Canadian parliament came close to voting on a measure that would have recognized Palestine as a state until the demand was removed at the last minute. Canadian Jewish groups still criticized the motion’s passage, which included non-binding calls for a ceasefire, continued funding of a United Nations refugee aid group whose employees had ties to Hamas and a ban on Canadian weapon sales to Israel.

Deborah Lyons, Canada’s special envoy for preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism, said on Wednesday that the postponement of the Hamilton festival was “reminiscent of 1930s Germany when hateful anti-Jewish propaganda and exclusion of Jews in business and culture led to the slaughter of 6M European Jews as the majority of its citizens stayed silent.”

In addition to “The Boy,” the festival’s scheduled offerings had included “Women in Sink,” a short film about a hair salon in Haifa’s Christian Arab community, and “The Man in the Basement,” a modern French drama about Holocaust denial.

In its statement, the theater affirmed a general commitment to diversity, saying, “The Playhouse Cinema’s mission is to be a welcome home to a variety of cultural groups, serving the Hamilton area through our film programming, and in offering our venue for rentals.” Among the theater’s current offerings is the Holocaust drama “One Life.”

Jews on social media criticized the theater’s decision to postpone the festival.

“If the Playhouse Cinema was shocked at receiving threats for hosting a Jewish event, just wait until they hear what it’s like to actually be a Jew in Canada,” Joe Roberts, chair of the progressive Zionist group Meretz Canada, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“Every time we cancel something Jewish because of ‘security and safety concerns’ we are empowering those who use threats and intimidation and terror,” Brian Dijkema, the Jewish president of the Hamilton-based nonpartisan Canadian think-tank Cardus, posted on the platform.

Source: timesofisrael.com

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https://www.timesofisrael.com/canadian-theater-accused-of-stalling-jewish-festival-over-inclusion-of-israeli-film/

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Trump's son-in-law praises 'very valuable' potential of Gaza property

March 21, 2024

Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of Donald Trump and former White House adviser, has said Gaza's "waterfront property" has a “very valuable” potential, suggesting Israel should remove civilians while it “cleans up” the area, Euronews reported on Wednesday.

“Gaza’s waterfront property, it could be very valuable, if people would focus on building up livelihoods,” Kushner said in an interview dated 15 February.

It was posted earlier this month on the YouTube channel of the Middle East Initiative, a program of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and first reported on Tuesday by The Guardian.

 “…I think from Israel’s perspective, I would do my best to move the people out and then clean it up,” Kushner added.

In last month's interview, Kushner also suggested that getting civilians out of Rafah and potentially into Egypt might be possible “with the right diplomacy.”

He also put forward a plan for the Negev desert in southern Israel.

Kushner suggested that he “would just bulldoze something in the Negev, I would try to move people in there,” adding: “I know that won’t be the popular thing to do, but I think that’s a better option to do, so you can go in and finish the job.”

“I think Israel’s gone way more out of their way than a lot of other countries would, to try to protect civilians from casualties," Kushner added.

The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,923, with 74,096 others wounded, the Gaza Health Ministry said Wednesday. More than 10,000 are also missing under the rubble.

The casualties account for about 5% of Gaza's 2.3 million population.

Source: tehrantimes.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/496378/Trump-s-son-in-law-praises-very-valuable-potential-of-Gaza

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Mideast

 

Breaking the fast among the rubble: A sorrowful Ramadan for families in Syria

March 21, 2024

DAMASCUS: Families in northwestern Syria are celebrating Ramadan in bomb-ravaged houses against the backdrop of a dire economic crisis, surging rents, and the ongoing 13-year civil war.

During the holy month, Muslims traditionally go without food or drink from dawn to dusk, then break their daily fast with iftar, a meal after sunset. But the challenges faced by people in Syria grow by the year.

“This year is much more difficult because electricity and water are not available in these buildings, and we cannot provide cooking methods,” 48-year-old Ibrahim Qaq told Arab News.

“We are afraid that the house will fall in an instant because all of its walls are cracked due to the air raids it was subjected to previously. When any earthquake or strong bombardment occurs, this house may fall.”

Qaq was displaced from the city of Maarat Al-Numan five years ago and moved between refugee camps in northwestern Syria before settling in the city of Jericho, in southern Idlib.

Eight months ago, his rent increased from $25 to $40, forcing him to move his family into an abandoned house close to the front lines of the civil war that had been damaged by airstrikes.

The daily threat of bombs and missiles looms over Qaq and his family. However, he said the alternative, to move back to a camp for internally displaced people, would be even worse, as the tents occupants live in are exposed to harsh weather during the winter and summer months.

His wife, Fatima Umm Zakaria, said: “We became afraid of the arrival of the month of Ramadan because it requires many costs that we cannot afford because we have no fixed source of income and we lost all of the money we had.

“During Ramadan, we love to cook and live in the beautiful atmosphere of Ramadan, but the war has exhausted us.”

The ever-worsening economic and humanitarian crises, coupled with the effects of the ongoing civil war, have also forced young people in northwestern Syria, including Qaq’s children, to set aside their dreams.

“I dropped out of school because we were displaced and I started working in the construction industry with my brother in order to cover the expenses of the house,” 20-year-old Omar Qaq told Arab News.

“I was hoping to complete my studies but there is no room for that in light of these circumstances in which we live.”

He said he wishes his family could return to its home in Maarat Al-Numan and celebrate Ramadan in the way they did before the war, rejoicing in its arrival.

The UN’s World Food Program was forced to suspend aid to the Syrian people at the beginning of this year due to lack of funding, which has further eroded living conditions in a country where millions lack sufficient access to food. About 6 million people live in northwestern Syria, of which almost 50 percent are displaced, according to aid agencies.

Source: arabnews.com

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Israeli air strike kills three in West Bank: Palestinian ministry

March 21, 2024

JENIN, Palestinian Territories: An Israeli strike on Wednesday killed three Palestinians in a car in the occupied West Bank, including a senior Islamic Jihad militant, the Palestinian health ministry said.

AFP journalists saw a crowd gathered around the charred remains of a vehicle and blood on the pavement in the northern West Bank city of Jenin after the army said “an aircraft struck two senior Islamic Jihad operatives.”

The military said it had “eliminated” Ahmed Barakat, whom it accused of a May 2023 attack that killed an Israeli settler.

Three other militants were also “struck” in the attack, according to a military statement.

According to the Palestinian ministry, the strike killed three people including Barakat and wounded one.

Islamic Jihad’s armed wing confirmed in a statement that Barakat, whom it said headed its military operations in Jenin, had been killed.

Witness Amir Al-Sabah, 30, said: “Suddenly there was an explosion near my car. Because of the force of the blast, my car caught fire, so I had to get out.”

Emergency workers sprayed blood off the street with a hose after the strike, while a drone could be heard buzzing overhead.

Jenin and its adjacent refugee camp are a stronghold of armed Palestinian groups opposing Israel, which has occupied the West Bank since 1967.

Israeli troops regularly carry out incursions into Palestinian communities but until several months ago had rarely struck the West Bank from the air.

Violence in the territory has intensified since war broke out between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the Gaza militants’ October attack on southern Israel.

According to the Ramallah-based health ministry, Israeli troops and settlers have killed at least 435 Palestinians in the West Bank since the Gaza war began.

The Hamas attack on October 7 resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

Militants also seized about 250 hostages, of whom Israel believes 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 who are presumed dead.

Israel’s military has since waged a relentless offensive against Hamas that has killed at least 31,900 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the Hamas-ruled territory’s health ministry.

Source: arabnews.com

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Israel gave ‘negative’ response to Hamas’ proposal for Gaza truce: Official

21 March 2024

A senior Hamas official says the resistance group showed “flexibility” in formulating its latest proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but Israel provided a “negative” response to the offer.

Osama Hamdan, a Lebanon-based Hamas official, made the remarks at a news conference in Beirut on Wednesday, as a new round of talks, involving Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators, is underway in Doha aimed at securing a Gaza truce deal.

“The movement responded to the demands of the mediators … and showed flexibility that paves the way for an agreement,” he said.

However, he added, the mediators “informed us of the occupation’s position on the proposal... It is a negative response in general and does not meet the demands of our people and resistance...It even retreats from” previous agreements.

Hamdan also said that Israel is procrastinating “to hamper negotiations and, perhaps, lead them to a dead end.”

Israel escalates its aggression in Gaza with the beginning of every round of ceasefire negotiations in a bid to gain advantage at the negotiating table, he noted.

“We reiterate that what the occupation has not achieved through the military battle and the crime of genocide, it will not achieve with political tricks and negotiation games.”

The Hamas official further held "criminal" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his “terrorist” cabinet, and all the supporters of the bloody Gaza onslaught responsible for the failure of efforts aimed at achieving a prisoner exchange deal.

He also called on the administration of US President Joe Biden to stop sending weapons to Israel and providing the occupying regime with economic and financial support.

“Our people, with their patience, steadfastness, and sacrifices, and our resistance with its bravery, strength, and competent management of this battle, will not allow this Nazi enemy and its fascist regime” to make up for their losses in Gaza through political games and prolonging the truce negotiations, he emphasized.

Israel waged its brutal US-backed war on the Gaza Strip on October 7 after Hamas carried out a historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for the regime's intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

However, almost six months into the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has failed to achieve its objectives of "destroying Hamas" and finding Israeli captives despite killing at least 31,923 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 74,096 others.

Source: presstv.ir

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Netanyahu after using US pier to push Palestinians out of Gaza: Report

 20 March 2024

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu considers using a floating pier on the Gaza coast being constructed by the United States to push the Palestinians out of their homeland, a report says.

US President Joe Biden said earlier this month that the US military will construct a port off Gaza to get more humanitarian aid into the besieged territory by sea.

The Pentagon is sill developing the temporary port off Gaza’s coast.

According to officials, the port will increase the amount of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians by “hundreds of additional truckloads” per day.

But Netanyahu told a private meeting of the parliament, known as the Knesset, that the port could facilitate the removal of Palestinians from Gaza, Israel’s Kan News reported.

He said there was “no obstacle” to the Palestinians leaving Gaza apart from the unwillingness of other countries to accept them, the report said.

US Army ships have sailed from Virginia with equipment to build the pier, the Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Major General Pat Ryder said on March 12.

Netanyahu’s flagrant remarks have sparked serious reactions from the Palestinians.

Mustafa Barghouti, leader of the Palestinian National Initiative, said in a message on X that Netanyahu “never gave up his dream of a complete ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza.”

A week after Israel launched its bloodiest ever campaign in Gaza in early October, the regime issued a secret ten-page document — leaked to the internet — outlining the expulsion of the Palestinian population of Gaza to northern Sinai, Egypt.

The revelation was followed by remarks made by Israel’s far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich, who called for the people of Gaza to voluntarily leave their homeland and migrate to Western countries.

Smotrich’s plan for “ethnic cleansing” of Gaza’s 2.3 million population raised fears of yet another “Nakba” or “catastrophe,” which refers to the occupying regime’s violent expulsion of about 750,000 Palestinians from their homeland when it proclaimed its illegal advent on May 15, 1948.

The Gaza Strip, one of the most densely populated places in the world, has been under relentless air and ground strikes by Israel since early October. A staggering 85 percent of the total population — 1.9 million civilians — have been forcibly displaced.

Source: presstv.ir

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Amid genocidal war, Palestinians find solace in the spirit of Ramadan fasting

 20 March 2024

In the month of Ramadan,mothers in Gaza would prepare Qatayef, the traditional dessert associated with the month of fasting, its smell spreading through nooks and corners of the neighborhood.

Little children, after breaking their fast,would run around ecstatically, shouting “Ramadan Kareem yahallou”, with their infectious laughter echoing through the narrow and serpentine alleys.

The densely-populated coastal Palestinian territory would wear a festive look with a galaxy of lanterns adorning the crowded streets. Mosques would reverberate with soulful prayers and supplications, adding an aura of spirituality to the joy felt by people.

It's again that time of the year, but now an eerie silence has replaced the trademark hustle and hustle and gloom and doom have taken the place of joy and excitement amid the ongoing genocidal war.

The ghostly stillness is broken by the sound of death. Sirens and bombs are dropped on homes and streets by the Israeli regime. The open-air prison has turned into an open-air graveyard.

Most of the mosques have been reduced to rubble. Fasting, rather than being a spiritual experience,has become a way of life for locals amid crippling siege and starvation.

But the war-weary people of the besieged territory have not abandoned their faith in divine justice.

Ramadan this year is manifesting the indomitable resilience and hope of Palestinians amid the ongoing genocide, now into its sixth month. The people living in desperate conditions in makeshift tents have been demonstrating their unshakable faith in line with the true spirit of Quranic teachings.

Light from traditional lanterns flickers in the tent city of Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, where the full-scale Israeli military invasion seems imminent.

Since the start of the holy month of fasting, Palestinians displaced to the southern part of the strip have put lamps and fairy lights outside their plastic tents. The illumination appears as a flash of festivity and celebration in a scene that is dominated by death and destruction.

Ramadan, which was traditionally the time of joy and family reunions, is now a somberaffair.People sit on the ground surrounded by the debris of buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes to break their fast.

Many Palestinians had hoped that the holy month would bring much-needed relief from ongoing Israeli bombardments, however, the regime blocked efforts to reach a truce deal.

The occupying entity has been bent on destroying Gaza’s religious and cultural fabric.Its heritage minister AmihaiEliyahu recently called to “wipe out” the month of Ramadan, even suggesting that the regime could use nuclear weapons in the Palestinian territory.

Starvation in Ramadan

Even though UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for “silencing guns” during Ramadan, the Israeli regime has continued its indiscriminate bombings in the holy month across the strip.

Worse, it has been using hunger as a weapon of war against Palestinians in the month of fasting. People have been forced to break their fast with grass, or canned food, if lucky.

“We don’t know what we are going to eat to break the fast,” a displaced Palestinian sheltering in Rafah was quoted as saying earlier this week.

“The situation is appalling. Every minute, every hour, it is getting worse,” the UN agency for Palestinians, UNWRA, said in a tweet on X, earlier this month.

Ramadan spreads have been replaced with bread cooked over wood fires this year. The flour comprises mostly animal feed which is difficult to cook and swallow.

Starvation is worse in the north of the territory where many people have reportedly died due to malnutrition and dehydration in recent months, especially children.

“Days from the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan and with no ceasefire agreement in sight for Gaza, UN humanitarians reiterated deep concerns that a growing number of children are dying of starvation”, the world body said in a statement on March 7.

According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, at least 23 children and 4 adults have died of malnutrition and dehydration at hospitals in northern Gaza. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an “explosion” in child deaths if aid doesn't reach people immediately.

Videos circulated on social media show children in northern Gaza scrabbling through the rubble to find something to eat.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been reportedly killed by the regime’s forces in recent weeks while waiting for food trucks, especially in Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza City.

Praying in ruins

Videos have been doing rounds on the internet showing hundreds of Palestinians offering congregational Ramadan prayers in the ruins of a mosque destroyed by the regime’s airstrikes.

With places of worship turned to rubble, people are unable to find enough space for special nightly prayers during Ramadan. Limited access to water has also made obligatory ablution difficult.

According to local authorities in Gaza, the regime’s bombardment of the strip has destroyed more than 1000 mosques. The blockaded territory had 1,200 mosques before the war started on October 7.

As per the figures given by Gaza’s ministry of religious affairs, more than 100 religious preachers have been killed in the aerial blitz of the occupying regime across the territory.s

Places of worship where people had sought refuge from Israeli bombings were also not spared by the regime. The religious places were targeted by airstrikes,massacring scores of Palestinians.

In November last year Euro-Med Monitor, a Geneva-based human rights organization documented dozens of casualties due to Israeli attacks on mosques.

Targeting the places of worship constitutes a clear violation of international human rights that the regime has been transgressing since the start of its genocidal war on Gaza.

The death toll in the Palestinian territory is close to 32,000 now, almost 70 percent of them children and women, with thousands of others still trapped under the rubble.

In the face of death, destruction and starvation, displaced Palestinians say the effort to preserve Ramadan traditions is driven by their faith in God and the divine justice, which is never denied.

Source: presstv.ir

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Hamas highly value, appreciate Yemen's support for Palestinian people

[21/March/2024]

BEIRUT March 21. 2024 (Saba) - Hamas leader Osama Hamdan has praised the role played by the Yemeni armed forces in supporting the Palestinian people and supporting their valiant resistance.

Hamdan said in the press conference in the Lebanese capital, Beirut: “We value and highly appreciate what the brothers in Ansarullah and the brotherly Yemeni armed forces, the brothers in Hezbollah in brotherly Lebanon, and the efforts of the Iraqi resistance factions in targeting the Zionist entity in order to support our people and support our valiant resistance.. we appreciate their efforts to carry out more operations ... for stop the aggression and genocidal war ...”

He sent a message to the people of Gaza as saying " we say to the great people of Gaza as they break their fast and have their morning meal with the grasses of the land that are available to them: Your thirst and hunger caused by this occupation will go away, as will its injustice and criminality, God willing, without return, and your veins will continue to pulse with pride, dignity, and resistance, and the reward will be proven. Your struggle, your sacrifices, your patience, and your unity, may blossom into clear victory, liberation, and return, soon, God willing."

Hamdan added that Hamas is striving with every effort, strength and effectiveness to end this aggressive war on Gaza and is intensifying its efforts and endeavors in all directions in order to bring in relief and humanitarian aid and heal the wounds of the patient people stationed on the proud land of Gaza.

Source: saba.ye

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Praying for peace, optimistic Israeli activists deliver Ramadan food aid to West Bank

[21/March/2024]

ELIYAHU FREEDMAN

KHAN AL-AHMAR, West Bank — Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the message “Peace is possible” in English, Hebrew and Arabic, Gary Kamen drove over two hours from the Galilee to Jerusalem last week to pick up aid boxes that he delivered to needy Bedouin families in the West Bank hamlet of Khan al-Ahmar for Ramadan.

“It is very special for me to help with anything that might bring about cooperation and peace, which I do believe the majority of both populations easily buy into,” said the 60-year-old tour guide at the drop-off point near the village entrance.

“Now that the war has started, I’ve increased my amount of volunteer work bringing Jews and Arabs together because I have more time,” he said, noting that almost all of his bookings were canceled after the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on October 7 with the terror group’s shock assault on southern Israel.

Gary is one of dozens of Israelis volunteering to pack and deliver boxes of food after a partnership of 16 Israeli human rights organizations and activists launched a “Food Aid for Ramadan” campaign. Ramadan began on March 12 this year and ends on April 9.

While several dozen Israeli left-wing activists attempted but failed to deliver aid to Gaza last week, a small group of Israelis has successfully transported aid to Palestinian farmers living in rural areas of the West Bank since the start of the war. Their efforts are now growing in scale, as months of unemployment, a freeze in the Palestinian Authority’s funds, and a rising number of attacks by Jewish settlers in the West Bank have led to worsening living conditions.

“We are getting reports of very deep food insecurity in the towns in Area B and C in the West Bank that we are working in,” said Anton Goodman, a staff member for Rabbis for Human Rights, referring to the 82 percent of the West Bank that is under partial or full Israeli control. “People don’t have electricity or gas and are missing plenty of meals during the day — there’s just no safety net for a lot of these people.”

Since October, Goodman has helped Rabbis for Human Rights deliver approximately 50 tons of food to 2,000 Palestinian families, while the new Ramadan partnership aims to provide 15 tons to 750 families this month. Each box weighs about 20 kilograms (44 pounds) and contains a week’s worth of dry goods such as flour, pasta and cooking oil in addition to dates and halva to break the Ramadan fast with sweets. Some boxes are marked as containing feminine hygiene products as well as diapers and baby formula for mothers.

“We think that helping Israelis is no less important, of course, but we see ourselves as connected to more marginalized communities that we knew no one else would be there for,” said Jerusalem-based activist NoaDagoni, who has led volunteer efforts to pack and deliver aid boxes since the war’s first days.

Aiding, but not abetting

Thousands of Hamas-led terrorists launched a surprise onslaught on southern Israel on October 7 and brutally murdered some 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and abducted 253 more to the Gaza Strip, leading Israel to launch a military operation aimed at freeing the hostages and ousting Hamas from power in the Strip.

After an October attempt to gather food at a Jerusalem community center was scrapped — “some angry residents discovered that we were collecting donations for Arabs and not soldiers or residents of Gaza-adjacent communities” — the YMCA of Jerusalem offered a large storage room for collecting and packing aid, said Dagoni. On Thursday and Friday, teams of 30 volunteers worked in an assembly line within the YMCA’s storage area to fill the boxes, in addition to about 20 volunteers on each of those days at Tel Aviv’s “Culture of Solidarity.”

Questions over Israel’s humanitarian responsibility to Palestinians have divided Israelis for months, who fear that aid will end up in the wrong hands and will prolong Hamas’s fighting capabilities.

In addition, media reports that a vast majority of Palestinians supported the October 7 massacre have fueled Israelis’ anger toward the “other side.” A February poll by the Israel Democracy Institute found that 68% of Jewish respondents oppose the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza — even if Hamas and the UNRWA aid organization are not partners in the delivery — while 85% of Arab Israeli respondents support such aid.

“I’m uncomfortable talking about what I do… I will tell people that I do volunteer work and for certain people, I will bring up what kind of volunteer work I’m doing,” said Kamen of neighbors in his 150-home community of Shorashim, which he describes as full of “typical centrist Israelis.”

“I don’t know if anybody in my community would look at me and say it’s disloyal,” he said, but he anticipated that a common reaction would be, “You’re wasting your time, there’s no way that those people will ever accept us.”

During his dozens of deliveries, Goodman told The Times of Israel, he has been stopped a few times by Israeli soldiers while crossing West Bank checkpoints loaded to the brim with white boxes.

“There was a commander who was super aggressive and angry when he realized what we were doing and he said, ‘You’re supporting Hamas,’” he said.

After a few minutes of tearing open the boxes, Goodman said, “Another reserve soldier came and said, ‘Rabbis for Human Rights? You guys are cool,’” and allowed him to proceed without further delay.

Jihad is out of work

Tayeb Musa of the Ca’abne Bedouin tribe was one of about a dozen men receiving the boxes in Khan al-Ahmar, a small community of 15 families that lies off a dirt road between the Jewish communities of Ma’aleAdumim and MizpeYeriho within spitting distance of Route 1. For years, the community’s primitive tin-roof houses have been considered illegal structures and have been under threat of demolition.

“These are nice Israelis that stand with us and support us against the settlers. If it were not Ramadan we would have tea together in our homes,” Musa said, greeting the small contingent of volunteers.

During the holy month of Ramadan, devout Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and then break their fast with an festive iftar meal.

“There has been no work since the start of the war. I used to work in tourism. He worked at a printing shop until the owners fired him,” he said, pointing to a nearby man named Jihad.

Musa explained how the aid boxes have become a lifeline for the community, which does not receive government assistance.

“The Palestinian Authority are thieves. In my life, I can’t remember any time that they helped us. The Israeli army invades our house at night and points a gun in our faces — does that help me? According to international law, Israel is obligated to help us, but do they respect international law?” he said at the delivery point, reiterating accusations against Israel heard over six days in February at the International Court of Justice.

Musa has a simple prayer for Ramadan. “I wish that things return to how they were before the war,” he said.

Source: timesofisrael.com

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IDF says it targeted Palestinian terror suspects in pair of West Bank drone strikes

EMANUEL FABIAN

20 March 2024

The IDF carried out a pair of drone strikes within hours of one another in the West Bank on Wednesday reportedly killing several Palestinian terror suspects in each bombing as it intensified its use of the tactic that was once reserved for Gaza and other territories where the army operates.

The earlier strike on Wednesday afternoon killed three Palestinian terror operatives and seriously wounded another as they were driving in the West Bank city of Jenin, the military and Palestinian health officials said.

The slain gunmen were named by Palestinian media as Ahmed Barakat, Muhammad Fayed and Mahmoud Rahhal. Seriously wounded in the strike was Muhammad Hawashin.

According to the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security agency, the four were Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives.

The IDF said Barakat carried out two major shooting attacks last year, including the killing of Meir Tamari near the West Bank settlement of Hermesh in May 2023, and another attack in the area in June 2023 that wounded four soldiers and one civilian.

Hawashin was identified by the Shin Bet as a commander of a local PIJ wing in Jenin.

According to the IDF and Shin Bet, Barakat and Hawashin were also behind an attempt to send a suicide bomber into Israel on March 11, and directed a shooting and bombing attack against troops near the Homesh outpost on March 8, in which seven troops were wounded.

The IDF released footage showing the strike on the vehicle the four terror operatives were in.

Surveillance camera footage circulated online also showed the moment of the strike.

Roughly six hours later, the IDF said it killed two more terror suspects in another drone strike in the West Bank’s Nur Shams refugee camp, adding that the pair were armed and posed a threat to troops.

The drone strike kicked off what the IDF said was an hours-long, brigade-level raid in the refugee camp near Tulkarem.

According to Channel 13, this was the 46th airstrike that the IDF conducted in the West Bank since the war in Gaza began over five months ago.

Security forces in Jerusalem and the West Bank have been on high alert since Ramadan started last week. Tensions were already high between Israelis and Palestinians due to the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, triggered by the October 7 massacre, which saw Hamas terrorists murder about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnap 253.

Since October 7, the IDF has said troops have arrested some 3,500 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 1,500 affiliated with Hamas.

Palestinians say over 400 people have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since hostilities broke out, most while carrying out attacks or during clashes with IDF troops during nightly raids that have largely concentrated on a handful of areas in the northern West Bank. However, killings of innocent bystanders have also been alleged.

Source: timesofisrael.com

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Türkiye, Iraq to establish joint ops center for anti-terror fight

MAR 20, 2024

Defense Minister YasarGüler said Türkiye and Iraq would set up a joint operations center to fight PKK terrorists, as Ankara reiterates its determination to clear terrorists off the country's southern borders with Iraq and Syria.

Speaking at an iftar gathering with the families of fallen soldiers in the Kahramanmaras province, Güler said Türkiye expects to permanently solve security issues posed by the PKK terrorists and their offshoots.

Noting that his trip to Baghdad with Foreign Minister HakanFidan and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalin was positive, Güler said Türkiye has been fighting the PKK for the past four decades with no cooperation from Iraq.

He said that Iraqi governments have not even classified the PKK as a terrorist group, Güler said the talks were productive as Iraq ended up declaring the PKK as an outlawed group.

"Hopefully we will have more joint work with them from now on. We will establish a joint operations center," he said, adding that the local administration in Irbil viewed it positively.

Türkiye and Iraq will also establish commissions in the fields of energy, agriculture and more to further enhance cooperation, according to the defense minister.

Last week, Türkiye and Iraq agreed to establish a joint committee to work on counterterrorism during talks between their top officials in Baghdad.

The two countries are also gearing up for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Baghdad after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, further signifying a pivotal moment in bilateral relations.

PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq to plot cross-border attacks in Türkiye.

In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, Britain and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

The conflict was long fought mainly in rural areas of southeastern Türkiye but is now more focused on the mountains of northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, where PKK militants have their headquarters in Qandil. Türkiye has since 2019 conducted a series of cross-border operations in northern Iraq against the PKK, dubbed "Claw," the latest of which is the ongoing "Claw-Lock" launched in April 2022.

It was preceded by Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle, launched in 2020 to root out terrorists hiding out in areas close to the Turkish border.

Source: dailysabah.com

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Gaza war death toll nears 32,000 as cease-fire diplomacy drags on

MAR 20, 2024

The Palestinian death toll in Israel's Gaza war approached 32,000 as a painfully slow diplomatic push to secure a cease-fire dragged on further Wednesday.

As part of the renewed truce efforts, U.S. top diplomat Antony Blinken returned to the Middle East.

Global concern has mounted over the military conflict now in its sixth month, in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas in response to its Oct. 7 incursion.

Battles have raged at Gaza City's Al-Shifa Hospital complex, which is crowded with thousands of patients and displaced people.

Overnight bombing and battles killed another 90 people, said the health ministry in Hamas-tun Gaza, which put the territory's overall Palestinian death toll at 31,932.

When a thunderstorm hit Gaza on Tuesday, Oum Abdullah Alwan said her children "screamed in fear" because "we can't tell the difference between the sound of rain and the sound of shelling."

Amid the fighting, talks have resumed in Qatar this week to halt the war and siege and free the remaining hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

United Nations agencies have warned that Gaza's 2.4 million people are on the brink of famine, and U.N. rights chief Volker Türk charged Israel may be using "starvation as a method of war."

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken, who was expected in regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia Wednesday, has warned that Gaza's "entire population" is suffering "severe levels of acute food insecurity."

Hostage families protest

Long Israel's top ally, the United States has voiced increasing concern over the humanitarian crisis and Israel's plans to launch a ground assault on Gaza's far-southern city of Rafah.

The city is the last area still untouched by Israeli ground troops and is now home to some 1.5 million Palestinians, many of them displaced from other parts of Gaza and sheltering in tents along the Egyptian border with nowhere else to flee.

Blinken is due to make a Thursday visit to Egypt, the main entry point for aid deliveries to Gaza and a key mediator in truce efforts.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will visit Washington in the coming week for talks with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin, Israel said, as pressure builds to call off the planned offensive in Rafah.

The men are due to discuss "efforts to secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas, the need for more humanitarian aid to reach Palestinian civilians and plans to ensure the safety of the more than 1 million people sheltering in Rafah," a U.S. defense official said.

Netanyahu's office also said a delegation would visit Washington at "the request of U.S. President Joe Biden" to discuss the planned assault.

Israel's deadliest-ever war on Gaza was triggered by the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion that caused 1,160 deaths, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

The resistance members also seized about 250 hostages, of whom Israel believes 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 who are presumed dead.

Relatives and friends of the captives rallied for their release on Wednesday, blocking the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv.

'Truce talks ongoing'

Mediators have met in Qatar, where Hamas' political leadership is based, to revive a failed attempt to secure a cease-fire by the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan last week.

Israel's spy chief David Barnea kicked off the talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators Monday, but there was little indication of an imminent agreement.

A source with knowledge of the negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity because of their sensitivity, told AFP that "technical teams are still in Doha" and the "talks are ongoing."

The proposal being discussed would temporarily halt the fighting as hostages are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and the delivery of relief supplies is stepped up.

The war has meanwhile ground on unabated, and Israeli troops were pressing their assault on Al-Shifa, Gaza's biggest hospital, which they allege Hamas has used for military purposes.

The Israeli army acknowledged Wednesday that it killed at least 90 Palestinians during a two-day raid there.

It also arrested 160 others and transferred them to Israel for further interrogation, while 300 are still being interrogated at the site in the hospital, the military said in a statement.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh accused Israel of seeking to "sabotage ongoing negotiations in Doha."

As the war has drawn greater global scrutiny, Canada will halt all arms shipments to Israel, a government official told AFP on Tuesday, a decision that angered Israel.

Canada, which exported $15.5 million of military material to Israel in 2022, had already reduced its shipments to non-lethal equipment such as radios since Oct. 7.

"The situation on the ground makes it so that we can't" export any kind of military equipment, a Canadian official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Israel slammed the decision, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz saying on social media platform X that it undermines Israel's right to self-defense against Hamas.

Source: dailysabah.com

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Southeast Asia

 

Boycott calls and apologies in Malaysia amid uproar over socks with the word ‘Allah’

MAR 20, 2024

KUALA LUMPUR – Cash registers and electronic signboards at KK Super Mart convenience stores across Malaysia have begun displaying an apology after socks printed with the word “Allah” were found on sale at some outlets, raising ethnic and political tensions in the country.

The founder of the convenience stores – which are similar to 7-Eleven outlets – has twice apologised publicly for the blunder since the controversy broke out on March 13, while its management team has been called up by the powerful Islamic Development Department Malaysia (Jakim).

In an unusual move, Malaysia’s King, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, on March 19 waded into the issue and demanded “stern action” against those responsible for the controversy.

He said: “Blunders in relation to religious and race issues such as these are unacceptable.”

In his first comments on the issue, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on March 20: “My stance is clear. There are reports, lines were crossed and there must be action taken. But after following the law, we move on.”

He told reporters at a breaking-of-fast event: “We shouldn’t continue discussing it as a massive disaster. Take firm action and then move on.”

The alarm was first raised online the week before in the Muslim-majority country, spurring calls for a boycott after the made-in-China socks were found in several outlets of the chain.

Yes, I would also like to receive SPH Media Group's SPH Media Limited, its related corporations and affiliates as well as their agents and authorised service providers. marketing and promotions.

The socks angered Muslims because the word “Allah”, the Arabic word for God, is considered sacred.

“The word ‘Allah’ is revered by all Muslims. Furthermore, we are currently in the month of Ramadan. As such, incidents that could provoke anger should not happen,” said Sultan Ibrahim.

The company’s four-paragraph apology, which has been on display at its 800 stores since March 18, reads: “KK Super Mart would like to apologise to the Muslim community for the Miranosock brand’s socks bearing the word ‘Allah’.”

The company said it has terminated the services of its local sock supplier Xin Jian Chang and is taking legal action against it.

“Harmony in a multi-religious and multi-ethnic community is our objective. We regret the issue that occurred and sincerely apologise,” the note adds.

KK Super Mart founder Chai KeeKan in his second apology on March 16 expressed his regret over the incident.

“I humbly apologise to all Malaysians, especially those of the Muslim faith,” he said.

He told a news conference that inspections of the firm’s 800 branches found only three outlets carried the socks.

Datuk Seri Chai blamed the vendor but admitted that a lack of oversight led to the slip-up.

“I’m furious with the sock supplier, and have asked how this could have happened. For the past three days, I’ve had less than 10 hours of sleep (in total),” he said.

Meanwhile, two KK Super Mart cashiers, who requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media, told The Straits Times that the blunder happened because their supervisors and managers are allegedly mainly foreign nationals.

“If our supervisors were Malaysians, this wouldn’t have happened; but the majority of our supervisors are Bangladeshis. There are only a few Malaysians who hold the post. A Malaysian would notice the socks and inform the upper management instead of allowing them to be sold,” one of the cashiers told ST.

KK Super Mart said after a meeting with Jakim on March 19 that it will review procurement procedures.

Jakim, which is under the Prime Minister’s Department and administers Islamic affairs, said KK Super Mart has been issued a warning.

“KK Super Mart has given an explanation, and will take action to prevent (this incident) from recurring,” said Jakim chief HakimahMohdYusoff in a statement on March 19.

Xin Jian Chang said on the same day that it is considering legal action against the China supplier for negligence as the Malaysian company had not ordered the socks, but they were mistakenly sent as part of a consignment.

The issue divided politicians in the ruling PakatanHarapan-BarisanNasional alliance over whether KK Super Mart should be boycotted.

Umno Youth chief Muhammad AkmalSalleh joined others who called for a boycott, while Democratic Action Party secretary-general Anthony Loke said the company has apologised, so political leaders should cool down.

Muslims who ST spoke to on March 20 were mixed on the issue.

Engineering firm manager Dzulkarnain Zakaria, 44, said: “I would rather go to a locally owned Muslim grocery store than to KK Mart. I will never set foot in their stores again.”

Company driver Faruq Jasni, 30, said he will boycott the chain for around six months so they will understand the gravity of their error.

But 49-year-old businesswoman AsmidaryatiAwang said that Muslims are encouraged to forgive another’s mistake when they apologise.

“If they didn’t apologise, I would boycott them. But they did.

“We must also consider that many of their workers are Muslims, they are Malays. If we boycott them, they might lose their jobs,” said Ms Asmidaryati.

A face-to-face confrontation took place after Facebook user ChiokWai Loong uploaded a message telling Muslims to stop being so sensitive over the issue.

Martial arts exponent Abdullah Nazirulakra met Mr Chiok and warned him against offending Muslims.

“You may not understand, but Muslims elevate the name ‘Allah’. We don’t place His name on our footwear because it’s an insult to our God,” Mr Abdullah told Mr Chiok.

Mr Chiok then deleted the post and in a video posted on March 18, apologised to Mr Abdullah and Muslims in general for his insensitivity.

Source: straitstimes.com

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Stronger international action needed to change situation in Myanmar: UN expert

BeyzaBinnurDonmez

20.03.2024

A UN expert warned on Wednesday that "turning the tide" in Myanmar requires stronger international action as the military junta escalates attacks on civilians.

"The steady decline of Myanmar’s military junta, driven by significant battlefield losses and widespread citizen opposition, has led it to escalate of attacks on civilians, underscoring the need for stronger, coordinated international action," Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, told the Human Rights Council in his speech.

Andrews called for an end to "appeasement and engagement with the junta without conditions" and added: "Going forward, the first condition must be to stop the killing."

He underlined that the past five months have seen a marked escalation of attacks on civilians "with airstrikes against civilian targets increasing fivefold."

"Now, it has launched a program of forced military recruitment, pushing young people to go into hiding, flee the country, or join resistance forces – young people who are unwilling to be drafted into the junta’s campaign of brutality," he warned.

Despite provisional measures handed down by the International Court of Justice in the genocide case brought by the Gambia, he said, systematic human rights violations against the Rohingya, including these attacks, continue "unabated."

"Those who have bet on the junta to restore order and stability in Myanmar have made a losing bet. The junta is the principal driver of violence, instability, economic decline, and lawlessness in the country," the special rapporteur said.

Andrews warned that the chaos in Myanmar could spill into the region and the world.

He urged the international community to provide greater support "until the junta’s atrocities are brought to an end."

Myanmar has been under junta rule since February 2021 and the military, locally known as Tatmadaw, has faced severe resistance from ethnic groups in many regions of the country.

At least three ethnic armed groups, which united under the so-called Brotherhood Alliance, have been fighting the junta regime to take control in the northern parts of Myanmar since late October.

The groups are attacking junta forces, which rule the Buddhist-majority southeast Asian nation, capturing many towns and junta outposts.

Many people have been reported killed during the attacks.

Source: aa.com.tr

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Indonesia rescuers save 69 Rohingya refugees after boat capsizes

21 Mar 2024

MEULABOH (Indonesia), March 21 — Indonesian authorities rescued at least 69 Rohingya refugees today and were taking them to shore after their boat capsized a day earlier, according to an AFP journalist aboard the rescue vessel.

Rescuers were rushing to save the group of Rohingya after they spotted them in the water, stranded and holding onto an overturned boat off the coast of western Aceh province.

The mostly Muslim Rohingya are heavily persecuted in Myanmar, and thousands risk their lives each year on long and expensive sea journeys, often on flimsy boats, to try to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.

“69 people were evacuated today by the search and rescue team,” said the journalist.

Footage from the boat seen by AFP showed men, women and children being taken to safety by the local search and rescue agency.

The refugee group’s wooden boat and another vessel trying to help them both capsized yesterday, with survivors estimating around 150 Rohingya had been on board with dozens swept away.

On Wednesday, six Rohingya were rescued by fishermen.

“As it was dark the process was difficult and they couldn’t find them. This morning they will continue to search and rescue them,” said Faisal Rahman, United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) protection associate.

One of the survivors said dozens of refugees had been swept away by currents and were missing or feared dead.

“I have communicated with one of the six rescued by the locals. He said the boat took 151 people. Once the boat capsized approximately around 50 people maybe missing and passed away,” Rahman said.

“We are still coordinating with respective government agencies to do our best to save as many lives as possible.”

Local police and the regional government did not respond to requests for comment.

From mid-November to late January, 1,752 refugees, mostly women and children, landed in the Indonesian provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, according to UNHCR.

The agency said it was the biggest influx into the Muslim-majority country since 2015. — AFP

Source: malaymail.com

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Malaysia may distribute Gaza humanitarian aid via airdrop, says defence minister

 21 Mar 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — Malaysia is not ruling out the possibility of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza via airdrop.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the government is discussing the best alternative way to deliver the aid.

“If we were to provide humanitarian aid through airdrop, perhaps we can send the goods and let the receiving party conduct the airdrop...not from our aircraft.

“As for reaching the destination, that falls under the purview of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM),” he told reporters here today.

He said this after attending an Aidilfitri Donation Ceremony by contributors comprising private companies, banks and the public to the ATM at the auditorium of WismaPertahanan.

The media had earlier reported that a total of 480 food boxes, donated by the Malaysian public, were airdropped in northern Gaza via a C130 cargo plane belonging to the Royal Jordanian Air Force. This effort was carried out through the non-governmental organisation, Karisma Humanitarian Outreach Mission, in collaboration with the Hashimiyah Jordan Welfare Organisation, Childcare Charity Association and the Royal Jordanian Air Force.

Meanwhile, at the event, ATM received a total contribution worth RM2.524 million, including goods and cash, representing a 41 per cent increase compared to the contributions received last year.

Mohamed Khaled added that from the contributions received, ATM has prepared 15,000 festive bags to be distributed to ATM personnel who are on duty safeguarding the country’s security and sovereignty during the upcoming Aidilfitri celebration.

“This includes army personnel serving at the national borders, whether in the Peninsula, Sabah, Sarawak and also abroad under United Nations peacekeeping missions,” he said. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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Unity government never “withhold” allocation for states, including Terengganu - PM Anwar

21-03- 2024

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today insisted that the Unity government has never ‘withheld’ any federal grant to any states, including Terengganu, whose allocation has been increased this year.

He said the development allocation for Terengganu has been increased to RM1.59 billion this year compared to RM1.55 billion in 2023.

The budget given by the federal government under the Unity Government to Terengganu is more than the previous government,“ he said when speaking at the Finance Ministry’s assembly here today.

Anwar, who is also the Minister of Finance, said the government under his leadership has never been cruel towards Terengganu, with the federal government having disbursed the “wangihsan” (compassionate money) to the state based on the 2023 petroleum revenue amounting to RM786 million.

“(Besides the compassionate money), the federal grant to Terengganu in 2022 was RM399 million, in 2023 we increased it to RM413.64 million, and in 2024 there will be more... (so) is this cruel,“ he said.

According to Anwar, Terengganu has a large number of poor people and because of that, the allocation is channelled directly to the needy in the state without going through the Members of Parliament (MPs).

“The development allocation is more than the compassionate money, but it is channelled directly to the people’s projects.

“If there is an emergency or something urgent, for example erosion in Lake Kenyir, we will continue to allocate funds to speed up the project,“ he said.

The prime minister also reminded the Implementation and Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister’s Department to ensure that the allocation to all the constituencies, regardless of whether they are under PAS or Bersatu, should be given to all.

“It’s just that we don’t give it through the Members of Parliament, we give it to the people. We focus on the poor, if they are hardcore poor, it doesn’t matter which party they belong to, in which constituency they are we help, regardless of race, religion, constituency or party,“ said the prime minister.

Source: thesun.my

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Chinese envoy urges both parties to Sudan's conflict to secure Ramadan ceasefire

2024-03-21

UNITED NATIONS, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on both parties to the conflict in Sudan to secure a Ramadan ceasefire without delay.

"We call on both parties to the conflict to implement (Security) Council resolution 2724 by securing a Ramadan ceasefire without delay so as to minimize civilian casualties and prevent further spillover of the conflict to neighboring countries," Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, told the UN Security Council briefing on the food issue in Sudan.

The envoy said that the UN should step up coordination with the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and other regional organizations to synergize their good offices with a view to achieving an early and durable solution for peace.

As the briefers have noted, amid the ongoing conflict in Sudan, the humanitarian situation in the country continues to worsen with 18 million people suffering from hunger and many parts of the country facing pronounced food insecurity, the ambassador said.

"China appreciates the work undertaken by UN humanitarian agencies and welcomes the Sudanese authorities opening multiple humanitarian border crossings and actively facilitating relief efforts," he said. "We call on all Sudanese parties to continue to guarantee rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access. It is worth noting that funding shortfalls remain the biggest challenge to the humanitarian relief work."

"Currently, the humanitarian repeal for Sudan is less than 5 percent funded with quite a few humanitarian agencies likely to see their funding drying up," the envoy said.

He stressed that the international community, traditional donors in particular, need to act responsibly by scaling up financial and food aid and do all they can to mitigate the impact of the conflict on people's lives and to avert an even greater humanitarian crisis.

"It must be pointed out that humanitarian relief efforts should primarily aim to save lives and aid those in need. Humanitarian issues should not be politicized."

Dai underscored that in the recent past, certain countries have used humanitarian aid as a political tool to pressure and sanction and even gone so far as to directly interfere in internal affairs of Sudan and to steamroll democratic transition.

"This is one of the major contributors to the prolonged turmoil in Sudan, which eventually plunged the country into a deep crisis. The tragedy unfolding in Sudan deserves in-depth reflection by the Council."

The ambassador noted that a ceasefire and return to order in Sudan is the fundamental way to alleviate the humanitarian situation.

"Since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan, China has through bilateral channels provided Sudan with multiple consignments of medical supplies and food aid, doing our part to ease the humanitarian crisis on the ground," he said.

China will continue to work with the international community and make unremitting efforts to end the conflict and bring about lasting peace in Sudan, he added. ¦

Source: english.news.cn

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‘Allah’ socks: PM wants immediate action according to provisions of the law

20-03- 2024

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pix) has called for immediate action to be taken according to the provisions of the law regarding the sale of socks bearing the word “Allah” in a chain of convenience stores recently.

Speaking to reporters at the MADANI Ramadan breaking of fast event with media practitioners here today, Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, reminded all parties not to insult Islam.

“My view is clear, if there are reports of transgression, there must be immediate action, decisions should follow legal channels and proceed immediately, why should we be trapped in this prolonged issue?

“If there are reports, take action, do not insult any religion... what more, Islam, so let us not continue with this discussion as if it is a major catastrophe in the country,” he said.

Recently, a video and a screenshot of socks bearing the word “Allah” went viral on social media, allegedly sold in a convenience store chain in Petaling Jaya, sparking outrage among Muslims.

The parties involved have issued an apology and so far, 80 police reports have been lodged nationwide. The police have also recorded statements from eight individuals, including the owner and founder of KK Supermart& Superstore SdnBhd regarding the issue.

Anwar said if immediate action has been taken, all parties need to be level-headed and continue to focus on areas which the country will explore.

On differences of opinion among Unity Government leaders on the issue, Anwar, who is also PakatanHarapan chairman, said that any leader can provide their views, but they should not rush to judgment or follow narrow-minded thinking.

“In the framework of a free and democratic political body, we should not follow a system of wala’ (blind loyalty) (because) a party that practices wala’ restricts free thinking,” he said.

“We can advise, but my advice is not to be hasty and not to be driven by narrow thinking. There are problems, actions are taken and we move forward,” he said.

Anwar stressed that any form of punishment given should not be excessive.

“Some people make mistakes, just like we all make mistakes, sometimes out of negligence. So let’s not act as if we are punishing someone more than necessary,” he said. –Bernama

Source: thesun.my

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Ministry to empower religious affairs offices to collect zakat funds

March 20, 2024

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Religious Affairs Ministry will authorize religious affairs offices (KUAs) at the local level to collect zakat (Islamic alms) funds to optimize the collection of Islamic alms and donations throughout the country.

The ministry's director general of Islamic community guidance, Kamaruddin Amin, said that his side is intensifying communication with the National Alms Agency (Baznas) to ensure KUAs are ready to serve as zakat collection bodies soon.

"There is one thing that I am intensively discussing with colleagues at Baznas right now, which is to make KUAs, with its massive numbers nationwide, as a zakat collector unit," Amin said at the Zakat Wakaf Impact Forum event, which was followed from here on Wednesday.

He added that authorizing KUAs to collect zakat is consistent with the ministry's effort to optimize the offices as hubs of religious services.

As zakat collection units, KUAs, besides bolstering alms collection nationwide, would also help enhance Islamic financial literacy among Muslims, he said.

"KUA is a place with high intensity of residents' activities. There are large numbers of religious figures and assistants at KUAs, and they will be our literacy agents," the director general added.

Amin said that the authorities need to promote knowledge about Islamic alms among residents to address the current low literacy level regarding zakat and waqf (endowment) among Muslims, even those with university education.

Literacy on Islamic alms has a big influence in encouraging more residents to perform their alms obligation, he added.

"This is our challenge. Hence, it is one of our directorate general's priority programs. I encourage alms and endowment agencies throughout Indonesia to help increase zakat and waqf literacy among Muslims," Amin said.

Source: antaranews.com

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Africa

South African Temples and Mosques Implement Civil Society's Security Guidelines

March 21, 2024

Sathish Raman

In Johannesburg, on March 20th, a significant development unfolded as leaders of Hindu temples and mosques across South Africa, grappling with criminal threats to their congregations, embraced a security guide initially crafted for Christian institutions. This guide, developed by AfriForum—a civil rights organization founded by members of the former minority white Afrikaner ruling community—aims to bolster the safety of religious spaces amidst rising concerns over security.

AfriForum's security assessment guide, designed to enable churches to proactively enhance their safety through audits and the implementation of protective measures, has been recognized for its applicability beyond Christian churches, extending its benefits to mosques and temples. AV Mohammed, Chairman of the Grey Street Mosque—an iconic structure established by Indian settlers in 1930 and a beacon for international tourists—highlighted the universal need for such security insights across all places of worship.

Recent years have seen a troubling spike in criminal activities targeting worshippers at these sacred spaces, including armed robberies and vehicle thefts during prayer times. Hindu temples have not been spared, with incidents involving the theft of sacred Mangal sutras and deity statues. The Grey Street Mosque has responded by ramping up security measures, especially during the Ramzan period, to protect worshippers from potential threats.

Faisal Suleman, Chairman of the South African Muslim Network, expressed his condemnation of the escalating violence and criminal acts against religious institutions both within South Africa and globally. He urged the South African government to take decisive action to safeguard these spaces.

The Clairwood Shree Siva Soobramaniar Temple, represented by spokesperson Sidney Govindsamy, has also felt the brunt of criminal activities. Located in an industrial zone prone to break-ins, the temple has had to enhance its security infrastructure significantly. Govindsamy believes that AfriForum's assessment could serve as a valuable resource for religious institutions facing similar challenges.

Natasha Gunpath from Foresthaven Hindu Dharma Sabha in Phoenix—a township with historical ties to the apartheid era—shared concerns about community safety following recent incidents affecting local devotees. The call for vigilance among worshippers underscores the broader community's apprehension regarding crime.

This collective move towards adopting AfriForum's security guide underscores a shared commitment among diverse religious communities to protect their congregations and preserve the sanctity of their worship spaces in the face of growing security challenges.

Source: oneindia.com

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Gumi reacts as FG names his ally, TukurMamu, 14 others as terrorism financiers

 Goodness Adaoyiche

March 21, 2024

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, reacted to the naming of his ally, TukurMamu as one of those financing terrorist activities in Nigeria.

The controversial cleric said Mamu, a Kaduna-based publisher, should be prosecuted if found guilty of financing terrorism instead of his continuous detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) since he was arrested in Cairo, capital of Egypt, in September 2022.

Politics Nigeria reports that Mamu led the negotiations for the release of the passengers kidnapped from a Kaduna-bound train in March 2022.

On Wednesday, the federal government named Mamu and 14 others as financiers of terrorism in Nigeria.

But speaking on a Twitter space organised by DailyTrust on Wednesday, Gumi said the security agencies had no right to label Mamu or anyone as a terrorism financier.

DSS had arraigned Mamu before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism financing, among others, but he pleaded not guilty.

Gumi said what happened between Mamu and the security agency was a “clear case of misunderstanding” but he did not want to comment on it at the moment since the case was before the court.

“Mamu’s case is in the court. Let’s wait to hear from the court. It’s wrong to resort to media trial. Let’s wait for the court to state of he is a financier or not. I think if he is acquitted, he has a strong case to make on libel,” Gumi said.

“Who declares someone a terrorist financer? Is it the court of law or a security agency? Security agency has no right to declare anyone a terrorist financer. The case is already in court, so why are they judging him on the pages of the newspaper? Once a case is in court, you allow the court to decide.”

When asked if he had links with terrorism, Gumi said: “I am a public figure; many people come to me. The good, the bad, the ugly. As a preacher, I cannot send anybody away, no matter how bad. If you ask, especially pastors, armed robbers come to them and confess but they cannot still take them to the authorities.

“What I know of Mamu and his arrest is a misunderstanding between him and the committee that was supposed to deal with the release of some victims. But since the case is in court, we hope the court will be just to him.

“That is what we wanted all along; take him to court. Instead of incarcerating someone and leveling phantom allegations against him. Bring your proofs, And if Mamu is found guilty, he should have full fledged punishment. But as of what I know, let’s wait for the court.”

Shortly after the arrest of Mamu two years ago, Gumi had said he was arrested because of his role in assisting victims of terrorist attacks.

The cleric Mamu’s arrest  was God’s way of testing his faith, praying that he would overcome it.

“Take him to court to face trial. Keeping him in custody despite being a family man was just to intimidate him. This intimidation is also terrorism. Arresting people unjustly is also terrorism; just like the terrorists do by going to somebody’s house to kidnap him,” he said.

“How can we continue in this situation under a government that is about to wind up? Our hope is for them to finish successfully not in a bad light. It’s not about TukurMamu, you all know that whenever they arrest innocent people, I always talk, not to talk of someone that I know and I’m only advising the government to release him so that we can apologize to him to forget what happened.”

Source: politicsnigeria.com

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Türkiye Diyanet Foundation opens mosque in central Uganda

Hamza Kyeyune

21.03.2024

The Türkiye Diyanet Foundation opened a mosque in central Uganda's Luwero district on Wednesday.

Gul Mosque, whose construction began late last year with funds from the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation, which supports the work of Türkiye’s Directorate of Religious Affairs, will benefit more than 500 residents.

Turkish Ambassador to Uganda FatihAk was the chief guest at the Gul Mosque’s opening, where he distributed Ramadan aid packages to the community.

In his remarks, FatihAk said Türkiye is a country that stands against religious extremism.

“Our mosques are not only places of worship, but also educational and social service institutions, that play an important role in keeping young people away from bad habits, raising them as useful individuals for society, and ensuring women are more active participation in social life,” he said.

“The Islamic school represented by Türkiye is an understanding that stands against extremism in religion,” he emphasized.

Ilyas Bulut, coordinator for the foundation, told Anadolu that the mosque was built in response to local Muslims' requests for a prayer space.

"We responded to the residents' request, as there was no mosque in the area. We built this place of worship with our partner, the Zumar Foundation," he said.

He added that more mosque construction projects are underway in different parts of the country.

Türkiye is a leading sponsor of the construction of new mosques around the world, enhancing the country's international image as an Islamic world leader who looks after Muslims everywhere.

The mosques are funded by a variety of Turkish sources, including government departments, foundations, and wealthy businessmen.

The prayer leader or Imam of the Gul Mosque praised the Turkish people for their generosity in providing a permanent mosque in the area.

Source: aa.com.tr

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Omdurman mosque fire sparks controversy: Sudanese army blames RSF

March 20, 2024

(OMDURMAN) — A massive fire heavily damaged the mosque and dome of the late Sufi leader Sheikh Hassan Al-FatihQaribullah in Omdurman’s Wad Nubawi area. The fire also affected the site housing the Sheikh’s grave.

In a statement to Sudan Tribune, Sheikh Hassan al-Fateh’s son refuted claims that his father’s grave was exhumed. He clarified that the fire caused internal structural damage and an explosion inside the dome, exposing the wooden grave cover. He added that despite knowing the mosque had been attacked, they remained silent and prevented filming to avoid stoking tensions without clear information.

Leaked video clips by Sudanese army soldiers showed the destruction and accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of being responsible. The videos sparked social media controversy, with accusations flying between the army and RSF supporters. Some blamed extremist groups, citing Sudan’s security vacuum, while others pointed to the RSF’s past control of Wad Nubawi.

A prominent RSF leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, categorically denied involvement. He blamed the fire on “Takfiris and ISIS”, who, according to him, are fighting alongside the army. He further claimed the army recently sought help from extremist militias who are now active in Omdurman.

The RSF leader emphasized their withdrawal from Wad Nubawi on March 3rd and asserted that they protected mosques throughout their presence, including the one in question. He concluded by urging the international community to address the growing threat of terrorism in Sudan, a danger to the region and the world.

Source: sudantribune.com

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https://sudantribune.com/article283535/

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Ramadan: Peter Obi breaks fast with 1,000 Muslims in Suleja, installs borehole at Central Mosque

Jerry Wright-Ukwu

March 20, 2024

In continuation of his nationwide tour during the sacred Ramadan season, Peter Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, made a stop at the Barkin-IkuSuleja Niger State Central Mosque.

During his visit, Obi offered aid to approximately 100 individuals and broke the Ramadan fast with about 1000 devout Muslims.

Obi also installed a borehole to provide a reliable source of clean water at the Mosque.

He wrote on X:

”In continuation of my nationwide tour of identifying and sharing with the Muslim faithful during this sacred Ramadan season, I made a stop at the Barkin-IkuSuleja Niger State Central Mosque, located along the Suleja – Kaduna road in Niger State.

”It was a privilege to offer aid to about 100 individuals, break the Ramadan fast with about 1000 individuals, and share a meal with the devout Muslim community, fostering a spirit of togetherness and solidarity, while also addressing a critical societal need by installing a borehole.

”During this visit, I had the honour of listening to a Tafsir by the Chief Imam, who revealed the pressing needs of the community that has been deprived of a basic necessity for over three decades – a reliable source of clean water.

”I am thankful that this act of support was able to meet their need for the last 30 years and exemplify the core values of our movement – empathy, inclusivity, and a commitment to uplifting the lives of all citizens, regardless of creed or background.

”It is my fervent hope that this gesture will not only alleviate the immediate challenges faced by the community but also serve as a symbol of our unwavering dedication to the welfare and progress of every Nigerian.

”As we continue our journey, I am reminded of the profound significance of unity and compassion, especially during this holy month.”

Source: politicsnigeria.com

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Labourer Receives 15-Month Prison Term for Mosque Theft in Abuja

March 20, 2024

 Alexis Uchendu

In Abuja, a 36-year-old labourer, TerkaaAkishi, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for stealing two Qurans and a cell phone from a mosque in the Asokoro area.

The Grade 1 Area Court in Lugbe handed down the verdict on Tuesday, March 19, after finding Akishi guilty of trespass and theft. Though given the option to pay a fine of N40,000, Akishi opted for the prison sentence.

The prosecution, led by Mr. EmekaEzeganya, revealed that Akishi unlawfully entered the mosque and stole the items, which were later recovered during police investigations.

The severity of the sentence highlights the court’s stance against theft and trespassing, particularly within religious premises, serving as a deterrent to potential offenders.

Source: abujacityjournal.com

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https://abujacityjournal.com/livenews/2024/03/20/labourer-receives-15-month-prison-term-for-mosque-theft-in-abuja/

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Arab World

 

General Authority for Two Holy Mosques Affairs Installs Three Children's ID Wristband Devices at Grand Mosque Entrances

21 Mar, 2024

The General Authority for the Care of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque has allocated three identification (ID) wristband printing devices for children at the main entrances of the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

These devices can be found at the King Abdulaziz Gate, the King Fahd Gate, and Ajyad Bridge.

The objective of the initiative is to streamline the process of locating children in the event they go missing during Umrah or prayers, ensuring a sense of comfort and security for their families.

The wristbands contain contact information, making it easier for the mosque staff to assist in swiftly reuniting the missing children with their guardians.

The initiative reflects the authority's dedication to the safety of children and its commitment to providing worshippers with the most enriching religious experience possible.

Source: alriyadhdaily.com

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https://alriyadhdaily.com/article/70fcd210cbc64461a8806964a076af4c

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Minarets of Prophet's Mosque: Architectural Masterpieces and Historical Landmarks

21 Mar, 2024

The Prophet's Mosque in Madinah is adorned with minarets visible to visitors from all directions of the city, accompanied by outstanding nighttime illuminations that reflect the care and attention given to the mosque and its architecture.

The ten minarets of the Prophet's Mosque constitute an Islamic architectural landmark that has undergone numerous enhancements and additions over the ages, resulting in this magnificent appearance. They represent a form of Islamic architectural art that seamlessly blends with the mosque's components.

The concept of minarets in the Prophet's Mosque originated during the time of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) when Bilal ibn Rabah (may Allah bless him) called for prayer from the roof of the nearest house, marking the early use of minarets. Later, during the Umayyad Caliphate under Al-Walid ibn Abd Al-Malik's rule, significant expansion work was carried out, including the construction of four minarets at each corner of the mosque, representing the initial minarets of the Prophet's Mosque.

The Prophet's Mosque has undergone various improvements throughout history, with significant expansions during the era of the Saudi state to accommodate increasing numbers of worshippers. Late King Abdulaziz Al-Saud carried out improvements between 1370-1375 AH, retaining two minarets on the southern side while constructing two new ones on the northern side, each reaching a height of seventy meters.

Each minaret consists of four floors, with the first being square-shaped, extending above the mosque's surface and ending with a square balcony supported by stalactites. The second level is octagonal, adorned with arches terminating in a triangular shape, and surmounted by a balcony. The third and fourth levels are circular, embellished with colored pendants, columns, and arches, ending with balconies.

From 1406 AH to 1414 AH, the expansion continued, adding six new minarets reaching a height of 104 meters, bringing the total to ten. These new minarets complemented the architecture of the initial Saudi expansion.

The Saudi expansions continued, with the largest expansion in the history of the Prophet's Mosque in late 1434 AH, increasing its capacity to accommodate up to two million worshippers. This project stands as the largest in the history of the mosque and a significant Islamic event globally.

Under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the dedication to serving the Two Holy Mosques continues. The major expansion project of the Prophet's Mosque and its related projects serve Islam, Muslims worldwide, and the visitors of Madinah.

Source: alriyadhdaily.com

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https://alriyadhdaily.com/article/0e78cccba983445ea00215d575cbc46b

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Yemen anger grows as death toll from Houthi blast climbs to 13

March 20, 2024

AL-MUKALLA: Hundreds of Houthi troops were sent to the Yemeni town of Radaa on Wednesday amid rising anger at the death toll from a militia attack on a residential area the previous day.

The Houthis on Tuesday blew up a home in Radaa, in the central province of Al-Bayda, killing nine members of a single family, and destroying at least four mud buildings nearby.

Four other people are said to have died when a Houthi rocket struck their home during a clash with residents trying to stop the militia from destroying their properties.

Nasser Ali Al-Sanae, a Yemeni activist from Radaa who fled Houthi repression and now lives in Marib city, told Arab News that friends reported seeing at least 30 vehicles from Houthi security and military units enter the town, hours after the militia suppressed a protest condemning the attacks.

“They have positioned soldiers in every part of town and shot live bullets at people who went out to protest the killing,” Al-Sanae said.

On Monday, tensions erupted in Radaa when a local tribesman shot and killed two Houthis suspected of murdering his brother.

The Houthis responded by surrounding the man’s home and destroying it with explosives.

In Sanaa, the Houthi Ministry of Interior said that the soldiers made a mistake by using “excessive force in an illegal way” while chasing “wanted criminals” who killed two of their troops.

In an attempt to defuse the rising outrage against the militia, the Houthis sent officials to Radaa to meet with relatives of the dead, vowing to compensate them and punish the security men who destroyed the house.

Houthi leader Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi said on Wednesday that the militia had compensated victims of the bombing and also questioned security personnel.

Since seizing control in Yemen by force in late 2014, the Houthis have demolished hundreds of opponents’ residences in a bid to quell any opposition, Yemeni activists and authorities say.

“Houthis have blown up hundreds of homes in the past. It’s a common practice and a tactic they use to humiliate their foes, silence dissent, and scare the community at large into submission,” Hisham Al-Omeisy, a Yemeni conflict analyst, said on X.

At the same time, Yemen’s government, the EU, and local and international rights organizations have condemned the Houthi destruction of homes in Radaa and the resulting fatalities, and urged the militia to bring the offenders to justice.

Yemen’s Prime Minister, Ahmed Awadh bin Mubarak, described the Houthi demolition of homes in Al-Bayda and their assaults on ships in the Red Sea as “fascist crimes,” and pledged to take action.

“We have no choice but to cut off and defeat this terrorist arm,“ bin Mubarak said on X.

The EU delegation and the French Embassy in Yemen also denounced the Houthi attacks on homes and the civilian deaths in Al-Bayda.

“We are deeply shocked by reports about the blowing up of a house in Radaa, Al-Bayda province, which killed & injured many innocent people, including women & children. This horrific crime is a serious human rights violation. It should be investigated & those responsible held to account,” the EU mission said on X.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2479966/middle-east

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Thai parliament speaker praises Saudi Arabia for serving Islam, charitable work

March 20, 2024

RIYADH: The speaker of the Thai parliament, Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, on Wednesday praised Saudi Arabia for the major role it plays in serving Islam and Muslims worldwide.

The Kingdom also makes key contributions to global development, the provision of humanitarian aid and charitable donations to the needy, he added.

His comments came on the sidelines of a Ramadan iftar banquet hosted by the religious attache at the Kingdom’s embassy in the Thai capital, Bangkok. Guests included the Saudi ambassador to Thailand, AbdurahmanAlsuhaibani, diplomats from Arab and Islamic countries, members of the Central Islamic Council of Thailand, and the heads of other Islamic organizations.

Matha thanked the Kingdom for providing academic scholarships to Thai students, and expressed his appreciation for the support of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries.

He also hailed the Kingdom for the charitable contributions and initiatives it provides during the holy month, in addition to other programs and activities it organizes, as a result of which he said Saudi Arabia is a perfect role model for charitable work worldwide.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2480056/saudi-arabia

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Saudi embassy in Canada hosts Ramadan iftar event for MPs and diplomats

March 20, 2024

RIYADH: The Saudi Embassy in Ottawa hosted a Ramadan iftar banquet for members of Canada’s parliament, ambassadors from Islamic and Arab nations, and the heads of Islamic organizations in the country.

The Saudi ambassador to Canada, Amal Yahya Al-Moallimi, welcomed guests to the event on Tuesday. She told them there is a lot of pain during the Muslim holy month this year in light of the suffering of the people of Palestine, and reiterated the Kingdom’s firm support for the Palestinian cause, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

During more than five months of war between Israel and Hamas in the besieged Gaza Strip following the Oct. 7 attacks, more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, including about 13,000 children and 8,800 women, according to figures from the Palestinian health ministry.

Guests at the banquet thanked the Saudi government for the services it provides to Islam and Muslims worldwide, and wished the Kingdom continued progress and prosperity.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2479986/saudi-arabia

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