Banned Group PFI Wanted To Turn India into Islamic State by 2047: Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in the Chargesheet
New Age Islam News Bureau
09 February 2023
• Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan
Threatened To Launch Terrorist Attacks against Embassies of India, China, and
Iran in Afghanistan: UN Report
• Peshawar Mosque Blast Conspiracy Was Hatched In
Afghanistan: Pakistan's Law Enforcement Officials
• 'No Details Found to Prove Ayman al-Zawahiri, Former
Leader of al-Qaeda, Was Killed in Kabul': Islamic Emirate
• Turkiye-Syria Quake Toll Tops 16,000, Cold Compounds
Misery
India
• Anjuman-I-Islam Prepares To Celebrate Progressive
Thought and the Spirit of Giving With Alumni
• BSF spots Pakistan drone in Punjab's Gurdaspur;
search operation underway
• India will never abandon Afghanistan people: Doval
at Russia meet
• J&K terror attack: Locals warned against helping
hiding terrorists
• MP: Muslim cleric among two injured in Khandwa; 3
minors detained
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Europe
• Sweden a target for Islamic extremists, say security
cops
• Former UK medical student-turned-Daesh fighter wants
to ‘face justice’ in Britain
• Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol would be
devastated if Türkiye quakes hit British Isles: Seismologist
• Greece says it 'fully' shares sorrow of Turkish
neighbours over earthquakes
• Main goal is to deny Iran nuclear weapons, says
Germany
• German chancellor pledges solidarity with Türkiye
after devastating earthquakes
• French parliament holds minute of silence after
deadly Türkiye earthquakes
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Pakistan
• Malala Calls Religious and Political Leadership for
Unity to Defeat Extremism in Pakistan
• 12 TTP Militants Killed InPakistan's Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa Province
• TTP refutes Imran’s assassination bid claim
• Only Way Forward In Relations with India Is PM Modi First
Restores Kashmir's Special Status: Imran Khan
• CTD arrests ‘man linked to IS’ in Karachi
• JI warns of protest if poll date for remaining UCs
not announced
--------
South Asia
• Motorbike bombing shakes Afghanistan’s Maimana city
• Bangladesh Sending Skilled Workers to Saudi Arabia
under New Employment Scheme
• Pakistanis living in Afghanistan to get travel
passes
• Taliban Whip 6 People in Ghor Accused of ‘Wine
Production’
• Moscow Hosts ‘Security Meeting’ on Afghanistan without
IEA Representative
--------
Arab World
• Saudi Arabia Holds World’s First Islamic Arts
Biennale
• First aid convoy en route to Turkish border to enter
northwest Syria
• Turkey earthquake: Saudi rescue, medic teams arrive
to help in recovery efforts
• UAE rescue crew saves Syrian family trapped under
earthquake rubble in Turkish home
• Syria requests assistance from EU after massive
earthquake
• Syria, Turkey earthquake: Saudi Arabia’s KSRelief
officially launches aid program
• Souq from life of Prophet Muhammad located in Makkah
--------
Mideast
• Turkey’s Erdogan Faces Crescendo of Criticism over
Quake Response
• Earthquake in Turkey, Syria: Baby Born Beneath
Rubble
• Deadly quake puts Erdogan under pressure in May
polls
• President Assures Turkey, Syria of Iran’s Support
Following Horrifying Quake
• Military Chief: Iran's Defence Systems Favoured by Several
Countries
• President Rayeesi Raps Europe's Miscalculation on
Iran's Domestic Affairs
• After fleeing war in Gaza, entire Palestinian family
dies in Turkey’s earthquake
• Turkey’s President Erdogan arrives to earthquake-hit
region
• Turkish President Erdogan vows to re-build
earthquake hit areas in one year
• Iranian prosecutors covered up rapes by
Revolutionary Guards, official document shows
• Israeli forces have killed nine Palestinian children
this year: Palestine
--------
Southeast Asia
• Indonesian Muslims Asked To Pray For Turkiye, Syria Quake
Victims
• Jakim: Mosques urged to work on own initiative in
helping Turkey, Syria quake victims
• Cops probe mother’s claim that teacher coaxed her
son into Islam
• Perak PAS chief apologises to Anwar over ‘LGBT’
remarks
• Earthquake of magnitude 5.5 strikes north coast of
Indonesia’s Papua
--------
North America
• Calls Mounting For US to Lift Sanctions Hampering
Aid Efforts in Quake-Stricken Syria
• American Islamic State Emir, Ruslan
MaratovichAsainov, Convicted on All Counts
• Elon Musk says Twitter to be’re-enabled' in Turkey
soon
• Balkan Muslims raise funds to help earthquake
victims in Türkiye
• Muslim-American Group Urges Public, Biden To
Increase Support For Those Aiding Quake Victims
• Candlelight vigil in US honors earthquake victims in
Türkiye, Syria
• Biden calls earthquake that struck Türkiye, Syria
'one of the worst’ in that region
• Washington supports War in Yemen despite promise to
end it
--------
Africa
• Intl. Rights Organizations Call On Morocco Not To
Extradite Shia Muslim Man to Saudi Arabia
• Death toll spikes to almost 70 as Somaliland
fighting enters 3rd day
• South African rescue, medical teams arrive in
Türkiye to help earthquake victims
• UN appeal $2.6B to assist 7.6M people in drought-hit
Somalia
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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Banned Group PFI Wanted To Turn India into Islamic
State by 2047: Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in the Chargesheet
February 09, 2023
Mumbai: Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has claimed
the Popular Front of India (PFI), banned by the Centre last year, aimed to
establish the "rule of Islam" in India by 2047, and also had plans to
obtain weapons and ammunition with the help of foreign countries or other
organisations to achieve their targets.
The ATS stated this in its chargesheet filed in a
local court last week against five PFI members who were arrested last year for
allegedly indulging in unlawful activities and waging a war against the
country.
The state ATS arrested the five PFI members - Mazhar
Khan, Sadiq Shaikh, Mohammad Iqbal Khan, Momin Mistry and Aasif Hussain Khan -
following raids my multiple agencies across various states in September last
year.
The accused have been charged under Indian Penal Code
sections for promoting enmity between different groups and conspiring to commit
certain offences against the state, as well as provisions of the Unlawful
Activities (Prevention) Act.
In the chargesheet filed on February 2, the ATS
claimed to have seized a document called “India 2047- towards rule of Islam in
India”.
The seized document, as per the ATS, provides a
roadmap for members of the group (PFI) to "overturn the government".
"We dream a 2047, where the political power has
returned to the Muslim community from whom it was unjustly taken away by the
British Raj. The roadmap towards this first starts with the socio-economic
development of Muslim community for which a separate roadmap was already
provided in the name of Empower India Foundation," the document said, as per
the chargesheet.
“For this one needs to repeatedly remind the Muslim
community of its grievances and establish grievances where there is none. All
our frontal organisations including the party should be focused on expanding
and recruiting new members," the document stated.
The chargesheet said the PFI wanted to create a split
among several communities by projecting the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
as an organisation interested only in the welfare of upper caste Hindus.
The accused had held several training courses in order
to achieve their targets, the ATS said.
The chargesheet also claimed another document was
found from the devices of the accused, Iqbal, which gave details of their plans
for expansion in Maharashtra.
In the said document, names of all the five accused
were mentioned as members who were scheduled to take "final class",
the chargesheet stated.
The organisation (PFI) had plans to obtain weapons and
ammunition with the help of foreign countries or other organisations to achieve
their targets, the ATS claimed.
The Centre in September 2022 banned the PFI and
several of its associates for five years under a stringent anti-terror law,
accusing them of having “links” with global terror groups like ISIS and trying
to spread communal hatred in the country.
Before the ban, the National Investigating Agency
(NIA), the Enforcement Directorate(ED) and various state police forces had
carried out raids in a massive pan-India crackdown on the PFI and arrested
several of its leaders and activists from various states for allegedly
supporting terror activities in the country.
Source:NDTV
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Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan
Threatened To Launch Terrorist Attacks against Embassies of India, China, and
Iran in Afghanistan: UN Report
Feb 9, 2023
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres (AFP photo)
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UNITED NATIONS: The ISIL-K have threatened to launch
terrorist attacks against the embassies of India, Iran and China in Afghanistan
and by targeting them, the terror group sought to undermine the relationship
between the Taliban and the UN member states in the Central and South Asia
region, according to a UN report.
The revelations were made in a report by UN
secretary-general Antonio Guterres on the threat posed by ISIL.
“The activities of Islamic State in Iraq and the
Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K) remained a significant terrorist threat in Central and
South Asia, and the group retained ambitions to conduct external operations,”
the 16th report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da'esh)
to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in
support of member states in countering the threat said here.
The Security Council will on Thursday hold a meeting
on 'Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts'
during which under-secretary-general of the United Nations Office of
Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov will present the report issued last week.
The report said that ISIL-K had positioned itself as
the “primary rival” to the Taliban and was reportedly set to portray the
Taliban as incapable of providing security in the country.
“By targeting diplomatic missions, Islamic State in
Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan also sought to undermine the relationship between
the Taliban and member states in the region,” it said.
“The group also threatened to launch terrorist attacks
against the embassies of China, India and the Islamic Republic of Iran in
Afghanistan,” the report said.
In June last year, India resumed its diplomatic
presence in Kabul by deploying a technical team in its embassy in the Afghan
capital, over 10 months after it pulled out its officials from the mission
following the Taliban's capture of power.
The reopening of the embassy took place after an
Indian team led by senior ministry of external affairs official JP Singh had
visited Kabul and met acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and
some other members of the Taliban dispensation.
The report of the secretary-general further added that
an attack in September last year on the Russian Embassy in Kabul was the first
against a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan since the takeover by the Taliban.
In December, ISIL-K claimed attacks against the
Embassy of Pakistan and a hotel frequented by Chinese nationals.
“Apart from high-profile attacks, ISIL-K conducted
near-daily attacks targeting Shia minorities, which also served to undermine
the Taliban's authority and challenge their nascent security agencies,” the
report said.
It said that UN member states in the Central and South
Asian region estimate the current strength of ISIL-K at between 1,000 and 3,000
fighters, of whom approximately 200 are of Central Asian origin.
Other member states believe that these numbers may be
as high as 6,000, it said. The group was concentrated primarily in eastern
Kunar, Nangarhar and Nuristan Provinces, but a large cell remained active in
Kabul and its environs. Balkh, one of the most economically developed provinces
in the north, is of primary interest to Islamic State in Iraq and the
Levant-Khorasan in terms of revenue generation.
“One member state reported that the group had started
to smuggle narcotics, which would represent a new development,” the report
said.
ISIL-K media organisation Voice of Khorasan released
propaganda in Pashto, Persian, Tajik, Uzbek and Russian with the goal of
recruiting from ethnic groups in the region to strengthen the group's
capabilities, the report said.
It added that one UN member state noted the
cooperation between the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement and ISIL-K, even
though historically the former had aligned itself with al-Qaida.
According to the member state, such cooperation
included jointly published Uighur-language propaganda posters, the exchange of
personnel, and military advice and planned joint operations, such as the
Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement sending members to join the operational unit
of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan responsible for tracking and
carrying out attacks against Chinese nationals.
In July last year, the two groups reportedly plotted
to purchase weapons and conduct terrorist attacks against Chinese targets in
Afghanistan. The Syrian branch of the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement had
actively recruited Chinese nationals from Da'esh in the Syrian Arab Republic, a
UN member state said in the report.
Source: Times Of India
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Peshawar Mosque Blast Conspiracy Was Hatched In
Afghanistan: Pakistan's Law Enforcement Officials
Feb 08, 2023
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Police Chief Moazzam
Jah Ansari said the suicide bomber has been identified through his DNA samples.
Photograph:(Reuters)
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Pakistan's law enforcement officials said Tuesday that
the plot to target a highly secure mosque in the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
province was hatched in Afghanistan. They added that the suicide operation,
that killed over 100 people, most of them policemen, was funded by an
intelligence agency.
The suicide attack happened on January 30, when a
Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up during the afternoon prayers in a
Peshawar mosque. Officials had earlier said that the bomber escaped scrutiny by
dressing up in a police uniform and entered on a motorcycle with a helmet and
mask on.
The motorcycle the attacker drove was sold twice in
Sarki Gate, a busy marker in Peshawar, officials said. Those who sold the
motorcycle have been arrested.
A total of 17 suspects involved in the devastating
blast have been held till now. The Counter Terrorism Department Peshawar has
announced a bounty of 10 million Pakistan rupees for the facilitators of the
suicide bomber.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Police Chief Moazzam
Jah Ansari said the suicide bomber has been identified through his DNA samples.
CCTV footage shows the bomber leaving his helmet at the gate before entering
the mosque.
"The facilitators behind this heinous attack will
be arrested soon," he said.
Pakistan has been hit by a wave of terrorist attacks,
mostly in the country's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, but also in Balochistan
and Punjab.
Meanwhile, President ArifAlvi inquired about the
health of the injured at the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar. Caretaker Chief
Minister Azam Khan was also present with him.
The President discussed in detail the arrangements and
medicare facilities being provided to the injured.
Source: WIONews
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'No Details Found to Prove Ayman al-Zawahiri, Former
Leader of al-Qaeda, Was Killed in Kabul': Islamic Emirate
By Mohammad Farshad Daryosh
The Islamic Emirate said that they have not found any
details to prove that Ayman al-Zawahiri, former leader of al-Qaeda, was killed
in Afghanistan.
In August, US President Joe Biden in a live address
announced the death of Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
“We have not reached a result yet. There has been no
clear and decisive reason to prove that such an incident happened. It is still
at a level of allegation. We have not received a satisfactory reason by the
US,” said Zabiullah Mujahid, Islamic Emirate’s spokesman.
However, the Islamic Emirate then condemned the drone
attack that took place in August, in which the US said Zawahiri was killed.
“If Zawahiri was alive, he might defend himself and
prove somehow the US claim wrong,” said Mohammad Hassan Haqyar, a political
analyst.
Some political analysts called the death of Zawahiri a
controversial issue and urged an international investigation into it.
“To be clearer to the public mind, it is better that
the sides agree on an investigation by an international and professional team
in this regard,” said Asadullah Nadim, a political analyst.
“This is a plan of the ISI and CIA to stress their
claim that Afghanistan is a sanctuary of terrorists,” said Bilal Fatimi, a
political analyst.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, 71, who led the al-Qaeda network
after the death of founder Osama bin Laden, was born to an Egyptian family in
1951 in Cairo.
His father Mohammed, who died in 1995, was a
pharmacology professor at Cairo University, where Zawahiri obtained a master’s
degree in surgery.
Source:ToloNews
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of the original story:
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-181961
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Turkiye-Syria quake toll tops 16,000, cold compounds
misery
February 9, 2023
Earthquake survivors rest at a temporary shelter in Idlib,
Syria. — Reuters
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Freezing temperatures deepened the misery Thursday for
survivors of a massive earthquake in Turkiye and Syria that killed at least
16,000 people, as rescuers raced to save countless people still trapped under
rubble.
The death toll from Monday’s 7.8-magnitude quake is
expected to rise sharply as rescue efforts near the 72-hour mark that disaster
experts consider the most likely period to save lives.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday
conceded “shortcomings” after criticism of his government’s response to the
massive earthquake, which is one of the deadliest this century.
Survivors have been left to scramble for food and
shelter — and in some cases watch helplessly as their relatives called for
rescue, and eventually went silent under the debris.
“My nephew, my sister-in-law and my sister-in-law’s
sister are in the ruins. They are trapped under the ruins and there is no sign
of life,” said Semire Coban, a kindergarten teacher, in Turkey’s Hatay.
“We can’t reach them. We are trying to talk to them,
but they are not responding… We are waiting for help. It has been 48 hours
now,” she said.
Still, rescuers kept pulling survivors from the
debris, even as the death toll continued to rise.
As criticism mounted online, Erdogan visited one of
the hardest-hit spots, quake epicentre Kahramanmaras, and acknowledged problems
in the response.
“Of course, there are shortcomings. The conditions are
clear to see. It’s not possible to be ready for a disaster like this,” he said.
Twitter was not working on Turkish mobile networks,
according to AFP journalists and NetBlocks web monitoring group.
Turkish police have also detained 18 people over
“provocative” social media posts that criticised the government’s response.
Children saved
Temperatures plunged to minus-five degrees Celsius (23
degrees Fahrenheit) in Gaziantep early Thursday. But the cold did not stop
thousands of families from spending the night in cars and makeshift tents, too
scared or banned from returning to their homes.
Parents walked the streets of the southeastern Turkish
city — close to the epicentre of the earthquake — carrying their children in
blankets because it was warmer than sitting in a tent.
“When we sit down, it is painful, and I fear for
anyone who is trapped under the rubble in this,” said MelekHalici, who wrapped
her two-year-old daughter in a blanket as they watched rescuers working late
into Wednesday night.
Officials and medics said 12,391 people had died in
Turkiye and at least 2,992 in neighbouring Syria from Monday’s quake, bringing
the total to 15,383. Experts fear the number will continue to rise sharply.
In Brussels, the EU is planning a donor conference in
March to mobilise international aid for Syria and Turkiye.
“We are now racing against the clock to save lives
together,” said EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Twitter.
“No one should be left alone when a tragedy like this
hits a people,” von der Leyen said.
‘People dying every second’
Due to the scale of the damage and the lack of help
coming to certain areas, survivors said they felt alone in responding to the
disaster.
“Even the buildings that haven’t collapsed were
severely damaged. There are now more people under the rubble than those above
it,” a resident named Hassan, who did not provide his full name, said in the
rebel-held Syrian town of Jindayris.
“There are around 400-500 people trapped under each
collapsed building, with only 10 people trying to pull them out. And there is
no machinery,” he added.
The White Helmets, leading efforts to rescue people
buried under rubble in rebel-held areas of Syria, have appealed for
international help in their “race against time”.
They have been toiling since the quake to pull
survivors out from under the debris of dozens of flattened buildings in
northwestern areas of war-torn Syria that remain outside the government’s
control.
A leading UN official called for the facilitation of
aid access to rebel-held areas in the northwest, warning that relief stocks
will soon be depleted.
“Put politics aside and let us do our humanitarian
work,” the UN’s resident Syria coordinator El-Mostafa Benlamlih told AFP in an
interview.
Syria appeals for EU help
The issue of aid to Syria is a delicate one, and the
sanctioned government in Damascus made an official plea to the EU for help, the
bloc’s commissioner for crisis management JanezLenarcic said.
A decade of civil war and Syrian-Russian aerial
bombardment had already destroyed hospitals, collapsed the economy and prompted
electricity, fuel and water shortages.
The European Commission is “encouraging” EU member
countries to respond to Syria’s request for medical supplies and food, while
monitoring to ensure that any aid “is not diverted” by President Bashar al-Assad’s
government, Lenarcic noted.
Dozens of nations, including the United States, China
and the Gulf States have pledged to help, and search teams as well as relief
supplies have already arrived.
The European Union was swift to dispatch rescue teams
to Turkiye after the massive earthquake struck the country on Monday close to
the border with Syria.
But it initially offered only minimal assistance to
Syria because of EU sanctions imposed since 2011 on Assad’s government over its
brutal crackdown on protesters that spiralled into a civil war.
The Turkiye-Syria border is one of the world’s most
active earthquake zones. Monday’s quake was the largest Turkey has seen since
1939, when 33,000 people died in eastern Erzincan province.
In 1999, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed more than
17,000.
Source: Dawn
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1736178/turkiye-syria-quake-toll-tops-16000-cold-compounds-misery
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India
Anjuman-I-Islam prepares to celebrate progressive
thought and the spirit of giving with alumni
Feb 09, 2023
By Faisal Malik
MUMBAI Over 149 years ago, a few progressive Muslim
intellectuals in Mumbai decided to establish the first Urdu medium school for
boys -- Anjuman-I-Islam -- on February 21, 1874, a year before Aligarh Muslim
University (AMU) was set up, with the view that it was time to impart modern
education in Muslim society. The high school was started in a small structure
at Babula Tank, near Umerkhadi, in the then Bombay province. At the time 120
students were enrolled to be educated under three teachers.
Now, as it prepares to step into its 150th year on
February 21, grand celebrations have been planned -- apart from the mandatory
inaugural and valedictory ceremonies, over one lakh alumni are expected to
arrive from across the world for separate get-togethers. “We are hoping to book
a stadium -- either Wankhede or Brabourne – to hold this get together,” said Dr
ZahirKazi, president, Anjuman-I-Islam and a senior radiologist. Plans are also
afoot to invite prime minister Narendra Modi to grace the inaugural ceremony, while
president DroupadiMurmu will be requested to preside over the valedictory
ceremony, he said.
With the exception of marking a landmark year, equally
noteworthy is acknowledging the institution’s growth and contribution to the
community.
A little over two decades since it was instituted the
school was shifted to the iconic structure built opposite Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj Terminus, previously known as Victoria Terminus, as the first
full-fledged school of Anjuman-I-Islam in 1893. Today, it is a conglomerate of
97 institutions imparting education in all streams, from kindergarten to PhD to
1.10 lakh students every year at various campuses.
How it began
Badrudding Tyabji, the first Indian barrister in the
Bombay high court, also the third president of Indian National Congress, along
with Qamruddin Tyabji, his elder brother and first Indian solicitor, Nakhuda
Mohammad Ali Rogay, businessman and a philanthropist, and Ghulam Mohammad
Munshi, a social worker, decided to start the high school, said Dr Kazi. He has
been at the helm of affairs for the past 14 years and played a significant role
in its exponential growth.
A hostel was constructed for scholars who came here to
read from afar. A first in the country, in the 1890s midday meal was started --
boiled eggs, bread and bananas were served to impoverished students who could
not afford a breakfast before coming to school. Next, in an effort to propagate
equality among genders, a dedicated girl’s school, Saif Tyabji Girls High
School at Bellasis Road, opened in 1936.
“There are no degree or courses in the country that we
are not teaching. Most importantly, 70% students in elementary education are
first generation learners,” said Dr Kazi.
The place where the institution grew holds the central
administrative office today. In the rest of the three-acre campus five colleges
— two catering colleges, a college of business management, college of home
science and a law college – were set up. Additionally, there is a polytechnic
for women, a junior college and two schools both in English and Urdu mediums.
It also has a library and a research centre, jointly boasting a collection of
50,000 books.
Setting fresh milestones
Looking forward, its goal now is to add new campuses
that will increase the intake by over 10,000-12,000 students.
“We will lay the foundation stone for a state of art
building at SabooSiddik college campus, in Byculla, which will have
postgraduate and PhD courses along with an incubation centre. Also on the anvil
is an integrated health education campus either in the Kalyan-Bhiwandi belt or
Panchgani, that will impart MBBS courses, a dental college, nursing,
physiotherapy and a homeopathic college,” Dr Kazi, who has been instrumental in
the expansion and consolidation of the institution, said.
A new campus in Solapur will house a college of
pharmacy, law, a degree college for girls and a high school. The management is
also in the final stages of acquiring space in Panaji, Goa, with an intent to
start a college of catering, pharmacy and a high school.
Anjuman-I-Islam has signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) for an exchange plan with MIT University, Cambridge and
five of their faculties from streams such as engineering, Master of Business
Administration (MBA), pharmacy and elementary education are going to Boston in
March to train.
It is in discussions with University of Maryland
School of Pharmacy, at Baltimore, Washington DC for a collaboration with
Anjuman-I-Islam’s Kalsekar School of Pharmacy, Panvel. Temple University,
Philadelphia (United States) has approached Anjuman-I-Islam’s Barrister A R
Antulay College of Law for a collaboration.
Social service
Anjuman-I-Islam also functions as a charitable trust,
managing two orphanages for girls – one at Versova, Mumbai, and another at Bund
Garden, Pune. Orphans are looked after here, educated and married when they
come of age.
A unit for rehabilitation and counselling – Sahara –
provides free and subsidised education to needy students, by collecting
donations. It has two branches, in Mahim and Mumbra.
Source: Hindustan Times
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BSF spots Pakistan drone in Punjab's Gurdaspur; search
operation underway
Feb 9, 2023
GURDASPUR (Punjab): Yet another incident of
infringement of Indian airspace by a suspected Pakistani drone has come to
light in Punjab's border area. Border Security Force spotted the drone in
Punjab's Gurdaspur near the Adia post late Wednesday, officials said.
BSF DIG Prabhakar Joshi at Gurdaspur Sector said,
"A Pakistani drone was spotted near the Adia post of BSF last night. BSF
troops fired towards the drone. Search operation underway by police and
BSF."
According to BSF, this is the fourth instance of a
Pakistani drone being spotted on the Indian side in the last three days and of
the BSF jawans on duty firing at it and forcing it back to Pakistan.
In 2022, a total of 22 drones were captured by the
jawans, said BSF in a statement. In addition, last year, according to BSF, a
total of 316 Kg of drugs were seized by the BSF and the BSF along the Punjab
border killed two Pakistani intruders.
The BSF earlier this year said, "The troops of
the Punjab Frontier have maintained an extremely high level of alertness and
vigil. Resultantly, BSF has successfully detected and captured 22 drones and
seized 316.988 kgs of heroin, 67 weapons, 850 rounds and killed two Pakistan
intruders and apprehended 23 Pakistan nationals in different incidents."
BSF, Punjab Frontier is responsible for safeguarding
the 553-km long tough and challenging India-Pakistan International Border on
Punjab.
Data collected by various security agencies have
revealed that there has been a threefold increase in drone sighting incidents
along the India-Pakistan border in the last year.
The Unidentified Aerial Vehicles (UAV) have emerged as
a major source of smuggling arms and ammunition, as well as drugs into India.
Drones have been sighted in different areas in Punjab and were within a range
of 2km 10 km of the International Border.
Source: Times Of India
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India will never abandon Afghanistan people: Doval at
Russia meet
Feb 9, 2023
NEW DELHI: Participating in the 5th Regional Dialogue
on Afghanistan in Moscow, NSA Ajit Doval asserted India will never abandon the
Afghan people in their time of need while also reiterating New Delhi’s position
that no country should be allowed to use Afghan territory to export terrorism
and radicalisation.
Doval said terrorism had become a major threat in the
region and that dealing with Daesh and terror outfits likLeT and JeM required
intensified intelligence and security cooperation.
Doval reaffirmed the importance of UNSCR 2593 (2021),
which was passed under India’s presidency of UNSC and calls for terror outfits
including those designated by UNSCR 1267 to be denied sanctuary in the region.
Apart from the Russia and India, Iran, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, China, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated in the
meeting. The third round of this dialogue was held in New Delhi under Doval in
November, 2021. Doval also said an inclusive and representative dispensation is
in the larger interest of the Afghan society and that natural resources of the
country should be utilised first for welfare of its people.
India has so far delivered 40,000 MT of wheat, 60
tonne of medicines, 5,00,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses, winter clothing and 28
tonne of disaster relief. India’s “technical team” in Kabul is overseeing the
humanitarian assistance programme.
India has also granted fresh scholarships to 2,260
Afghan students including 300 Afghan girls in the past two years.
Doval said that India has historical and special
relationship with Afghanistan and that well being and humanitarian needs of the
people of Afghanistan is India’s foremost priority. This will continue to guide
our approach, he said.
Source: Times Of India
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J&K terror attack: Locals warned against helping
hiding terrorists
Feb 9, 2023
JAMMU: Pursuing terrorists involved in the Dhangri
terror attack in which seven people were killed on January 1 and 2, Jammu &
Kashmir Police have warned of stern action against those facilitating them in
any way. Believing that the terrorists were still hiding in the higher reaches
of Rajouri and Poonch districts, the police issued an advisory late Tuesday,
asking people to help trace the terrorists.
The search for terrorists involved in the attack has
been going on since January 1 in the two districts. Appealing to the people of
Rajouri and Poonch to remain alert, the police have been using loudspeakers in
remote areas to warn people about the presence of these terrorists.
“The J&K Police urges the people of Rajouri and
Poonch that the terrorists who engineered the attack in Dhangri village on
January 1 are still hiding in the hills. They can plan another terror attack.
Some people in the region are helping them by providing them with food and
shelter, besides informing them about the movement of police and other security
forces. A close watch is being kept on such ‘terror facilitators’ and stern
legal action will be taken against them very soon,” the police advisory stated.
Police had earlier announced a Rs 10-lakh reward for
anyone sharing information about these terrorists. The National Investigation
Agency (NIA) teams probing the Dhangri attack also visited the spot on Tuesday
and recorded the statements of the locals. The case was handed over to the NIA
on January 12.
Source: Times Of India
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MP: Muslim cleric among two injured in Khandwa; 3
minors detained
8th February 2023
Khandwa: A Muslim cleric and one more person were
stabbed and injured on their way to the mosque in Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh
allegedly by three minor boys, all of whom have been detained, a police
official said on Monday.
The incident took place late Sunday night and ‘alim’
(scholar) Sheikh Uzefa and one Mohammad Talha, in his mid-20s, have been
hospitalized in nearby Indore, the official said.
“Three minors were detained during the day for the
incident. Uzefa is in stable condition while Talha is out of danger. Both were
injured near the chest,” Khandwa Superintendent of Police Vivek Singh told PTI
over the phone.
Source: Siasat Daily
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https://www.siasat.com/mp-muslim-cleric-among-two-injured-in-khandwa-3-minors-detained-2521554/
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Europe
Sweden
a target for Islamic extremists, say security cops
February
8, 2023
STOCKHOLM:
Sweden has moved into the spotlight for violent Islamic extremists globally
after a number of incidents including the recent public burning of the Muslim
holy book, the Quran, the security services said today.
“Recent
developments with threats targeted at Sweden and Swedish interests are serious
and affect Sweden’s security,” the Swedish security service Sapo said in a
statement.
“The
developments mean that Sweden is deemed to be in greater focus than previously
for violent Islamic extremists globally.”
Sweden
and neighbour Finland last year launched bids to join Nato, following Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine.
The
membership process has been held up by Turkey, which says the two Nordic
countries, primarily Sweden, are not doing enough to fight terrorism.
The
burning of the Quran by a far-right politician outside the Turkish embassy last
month has ratcheted up tensions.
Thousands
of Afghans took to the streets to protest after Rasmus Palundan’s actions,
which also provoked anger in other parts of the Muslim world.
Turkey
has also strongly condemned a stunt in which an effigy of President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan was hanged in Stockholm by protesters.
Sweden
has warned its citizens in Turkey to avoid crowds and demonstrations.
Sapo
said it had not raised its formal assessment of the threat level against the
country, which is at three on a scale up to five, equivalent to “elevated”.
Source:Free
Malaysia Today
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Former
UK medical student-turned-Daesh fighter wants to ‘face justice’ in Britain
February
08, 2023
LONDON:
An imprisoned former medical student from the UK who traveled to Syria to join
Daesh has said that he hopes to return to Britain to “face justice,” the Daily
Mail reported.
Ibrahim
Ageed, 29, joined the terror group in 2015 aged 21, together with his brother,
Mohammed, who was 23.
The
pair left their final-year studies at the University of Medical Sciences and
Technology in Leicester to travel to Turkiye and then Syria.
Ageed
was captured and imprisoned after the collapse of Daesh in Syria and Iraq, and
has spent the past four years in northeast Syria’s Al-Sina prison.
His
story is similar to that of Shamima Begum, 23, who left London aged 15 with two
school friends to join the terror group.
In
an interview, Ageed claimed that it was his “right” to return to Britain,
warning that Daesh “could make a comeback.”
He
said: “I believe I’ll be subjected to the justice system, but I’m ready to face
the music and I believe it’s my right, basically, to go back home.”
Ageed
described being “completely isolated” while imprisoned, saying that people
initially joined Daesh from around the world because they had “lost hope.”
Source:ArabNews
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2247401/world
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Birmingham,
Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol would be devastated if Türkiye quakes hit
British Isles: Seismologist
Busra
Nur Cakmak
09.02.2023
Birmingham,
Manchester, Sheffield, and Bristol would be devastated if the quakes which hit
Türkiye took the British Isles under its grip, said an expert.
“To
give you an idea of the sheer scale of the Turkey earthquake, if we overlay the
USGS ShakeMap onto the British Isles, the fault (red colours) would have
ruptured from the Severn Estuary to the Humber Estuary. Much of England would
have seen at least Intensity Level 7 shaking,” said Stephen Hicks, a
seismologist at University College London (UCL), on Twitter.
Hicks
said that buildings on the British Isles would not stand up to such strong
shaking and “England would have essentially been sliced into two by the
unzipping rupture.”
“Of
course this is academic because the UK doesn’t have faults this big to generate
such large earthquakes,” said Hicks.
The
map showed gaps from Wales and southwest England but Hicks suggested that those
places “would have not got away as lightly as the map suggests … these apparent
gaps are just due to the coastline of the eastern Mediterranean Sea.”
He
also shared the Turkish Red Crescent’s relief fund for those who want to
donate.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Greece
says it 'fully' shares sorrow of Turkish neighbours over earthquakes
BeyzaBinnurDönmez
09.02.2023
The
Greek Embassy said Wednesday that Greece "fully" shares the sorrow of
its Turkish neighbors after two strong earthquakes jolted southern Türkiye,
killing over 9,000 people.
"We
deeply feel for the innocent victims of this monstrous event and fully share
the sorrow of our Turkish neighbors and friends," the Ankara-based embassy
said on Twitter.
"GeçmişolsunKomşu!"
it added, meaning "Get well soon, neighbor!"
It
also noted that a liaison team was dispatched Wednesday by the embassy to Hatay
to reach the Greek rescue team in the field and to assist the second rescue
team due to land at Incirlik Air Base.
At
least 9,057 people were killed and 52,979 others injured when two powerful
earthquakes shook Pazarcık and Elbistan districts Monday in Kahramanmaras
province.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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Main
goal is to deny Iran nuclear weapons, says Germany
Oliver
Towfigh Nia
08.02.2023
BERLIN
Germany
on Wednesday reiterated that the main objective is to prevent Iran from
acquiring nuclear weapons as talks over reviving the 2015 nuclear deal remain
stalled.
“Our
goal in the entire game ... is and remains to prevent Iran from being
nuclear-armed, and we do not want a nuclear weapons race in the Near and Middle
East,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Andrea Sasse told reporters in Berlin.
“It’s
a very serious question. It is very concretely about Iran not being
nuclear-armed and being able to develop nuclear weapons,” she added.
Berlin
has previously urged Tehran to show “political will” to resolve a lingering
standoff over a nuclear probe.
The
Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency has been calling on Iran to
explain the presence of undeclared man-made uranium found at three sites,
requesting “access to locations and material” as well as the collection of
samples.
In
the absence of progress, the UN nuclear watchdog said it could not guarantee
the authenticity and integrity of Iran’s nuclear program.
Tehran
has repeatedly said that traces of enriched uranium found in Iran were brought
into the country from abroad.
The
US and its Western allies argue that the nuclear talks were stalled because
Tehran was “making demands that have nothing to do” with the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text of
the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/main-goal-is-to-deny-iran-nuclear-weapons-says-germany/2812089
--------
German
chancellor pledges solidarity with Türkiye after devastating earthquakes
AyhanSimsek
08.02.2023
BERLIN
Chancellor
Olaf Scholz has reaffirmed Germany’s solidarity with Türkiye in the wake of
devastating earthquakes that killed more than 8,500 people.
“We
are shocked in the face of so much suffering and destruction,” Scholz told
lawmakers, during his address at the parliament on Wednesday.
“The
German government has immediately promised support to the Turkish government. I
have reaffirmed this yesterday during my telephone call with President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan,” he stressed.
Scholz
said German search and rescue teams, and technical experts have already started
working in the earthquake region, and noted that additional teams were on the
way.
The
German chancellor also praised recent telephone call between Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
“In
the face of a catastrophe like this, we have to get closer, we have to support
each other,” he said.
The
German parliament held a minute of silence for earthquake victims earlier on
Wednesday, and authorities in Berlin announced that flags were lowered to
half-staff at public buildings to mourn the victims.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text of
the original story:
--------
French
parliament holds minute of silence after deadly Türkiye earthquakes
Nur
AsenaErturk
08.02.2023
France's
National Assembly (Parliament) held a minute of silence for the victims of the
deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria on Tuesday, the French Embassy in
Türkiye said on Twitter.
President
of the National Assembly Yael Braun-Pivet described it as a "terrible
tragedy."
"France
with its partners, mobilized itself to provide emergency support to the
affected populations," she said, and added: "French rescue teams have
been sent to the area to attend the rescue and assistance operations."
Yael
Braun-Pivet then invited the MPs to hold a minute of silence in order to
"commemorate the victims and express support to their loved ones."
At
least 8,574 people were killed and 49,133 others injured in Türkiye after two
strong earthquakes on Monday jolted the southern part of the country, according
to the country’s disaster agency.
The
7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province,
struck 10 provinces.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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Pakistan
Malala
Calls Religious and Political Leadership for Unity to Defeat Extremism in
Pakistan
February
09, 2023
Malala
Yousafzai has urged the religious and political leadership of Pakistan to
reject terrorism, militancy and Taliban and put on a united front against the
menace of extremism.
Speaking
to Geo News at the screening of her Oscar-shortlisted documentary film
"Stranger at the Gate", the education activist called on the
Pakistani leadership to unite for the sake of peace.
"We
will have to unite against Taliban and tell them that their is no justification
for extremism in Islam," said the Nobel laureate.
Malala
said the Taliban should not be allowed to use "Islam, our traditions and
values."
She
said she decided to become executive producer of the film to spread the message
of harmony and forgiveness
Source:
TheNews
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12
TTP militants killed in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
Feb
8, 2023
PESHAWAR:
Pakistan's security forces gunned down 12 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
militants on Wednesday in the country's restive northwest, police said, as the
government stepped up its offensive against outlawed groups following a spike
in terror attacks.
The
terrorists' vehicle was targeted during the operation conducted in the
LakkiMarwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering South
Waziristan, officials from the Counter Terrorism Department said.
The
militants of the Azahruddin group of the TTP were intercepted by the CTD when
they were fleeing towards the adjoining Tank district, and in the ensuing gun
battle, 12 of them were gunned down.Weapons, ammunition, and Afghan currency
were recovered from the possession of those killed, they said.
The
operation, based on prior intelligence, comes amidst the government's recent
decision to step up operations against terror groups like the TTP.
Pakistan
has been hit by a wave of terrorism, mostly in the country's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
province, but also in Balochistan and the Punjab town of Mianwali, which
borders the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
On
January 30, a Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up during the afternoon
prayers at a well-guarded mosque in Peshawar, killing 101 people and injuring
more than 200 others.
The
Azahruddin group of the TTP has been active in the area against the police and
has conducted numerous attacks against law enforcers. In December 2022, it
killed six police officials in the district.
The
TTP, set up as an umbrella group of several militant outfits in 2007, called
off a ceasefire with the federal government and ordered its militants to stage
terrorist attacks across the country.
The
group, which is believed to be close to Al-Qaeda, has been blamed for several
deadly attacks across Pakistan, including an attack on army headquarters in
2009, assaults on military bases, and the 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel in
Islamabad.
Source:
Times Of India
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TTP
refutes Imran’s assassination bid claim
February
9, 2023
PESHAWAR:
The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has refuted the claim made by
former prime minister Imran Khan that people from South Waziristan had been
tasked with killing him.
TTP
said its war was against the security forces and intelligence agencies, not
against any political personality.
“We
have received information that the head of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in a
meeting with the party’s provincial spokespersons claimed an assassination
attempt was being planned by the TTP and South Waziristan residents have been
tasked with executing the task,” a TTP statement said.
It
added that a similar baseless claim was made by some party members 10 days ago.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1736057/ttp-refutes-imrans-assassination-bid-claim
--------
Only
way forward in relations with India is PM Modi first restores Kashmir's special
status: Imran Khan
Feb
8, 2023
LAHORE:
Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan has said that the only way forward
in relations with India is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi restores the
special status of Kashmir.
In
2019, Modi government revoked Article 370 of the Constitution which gave
special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union
territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
"India
had revoked the special status for Kashmir. Now the only way forward in holding
talks with India is first the Modi administration restores it," Khan told
PTI on Tuesday evening while interacting with foreign media at his Lahore's
Zaman Park residence.
To
another question about rule of law, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader said,
"There will be no future for Pakistan if there is no rule of law. Take
India for example. It progressed because of rule of law."
Khan
is looking up to the judiciary to "protect the Constitution" and
"foil" the ruling PML(N)-led coalition's design to delay elections in
Pakistan's Punjab and KyberPakhtaunkhawa provinces where polls are due in 90
days following the dissolution of assemblies last month.
The
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader, who was ousted as prime minister through a
vote of no confidence by PMLN and its allies in April last year, alleged that
the ruling coalition with the backing of their handlers in the military
establishment has planned to oust him from politics.
"They
have made a plan to disqualify me. All efforts are being made at all powerful
quarters in the country to keep me out of politics," he claimed.
Asked
if army chief gen Syed Asim Munir was also behind such efforts, Khan said,
"He has been in office for two months and I give him a benefit of
doubt."
Khan
also alleged that his political rival and three-time prime minister Nawaz
Sharif, wants him disqualified. "Nawaz has set a condition (to the
establishment) for his return from the United Kingdom and that is my
disqualification," he claimed.
The
PML(N) recently declared that its supreme leader Nawaz Sharif will return ahead
of the general elections.
Imran
Khan also claimed that the PML(N) and its allies have also planned to target
his party's leaders and rig the elections.
Khan
also accused Nawaz Sharif of striking a deal with former army chief Qamar
JavedBajwa during his extension vote in the parliament.
"Giving
an extension to Gen Bajwa was my biggest mistake. It was a huge blunder. After
a deal with Nawaz, Bajwa ensured that Nawaz, his family members and partymen
get relief in multi-billion corruption cases," he alleged.
Imran
Khan said he fails to understand how the military establishment can "side
with the corrupt criminals like Sharifs and Zardaris".
"There
is a visible gulf between the Pakistan Army and the people. They are angry over
the Army's support to those who looted this country. And let me tell you this
is very dangerous for the country," Khan said.
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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CTD
arrests ‘man linked to IS’ in Karachi
February
9, 2023
KARACHI:
The Counter-Terrorism Department on Wednesday claimed to have arrested a man
linked with militant Islamic State group.
“Acting
on a tip-off, the CTD conducted a raid in Korangi Industrial Area and arrested
Abdul Malik,” a police spokesperson said, adding that he was an Afghan national
who had been living in Karachi since long.
He
used to collect ‘donations for IS’ in Ramazan and sent the money to
Afghanistan.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1736125/ctd-arrests-man-linked-to-is-in-karachi
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JI
warns of protest if poll date for remaining UCs not announced
February
9, 2023
KARACHI:
The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) on Wednesday warned of staging a sit-in outside the
Election Commission of Pakistan building in Karachi if the constitutional body
failed to announce schedule for the local government elections in the remaining
11 union committees (UCs) in the city within next two days.
Addressing
a press conference at Idara Noor-i-Haq, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman
said that the local government elections were held on January 15 in the city,
but the ECP could not announce till now the schedule for the polls in 11 union
councils where the elections were postponed because of demise of candidates.
He
said that the ECP announced date for useless by-elections on the seats which
recently became vacant after the government accepted resignations by the
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmakers. He also demanded of the ECP to decide the
cases of six union councils, declaring them open-and-shut cases on the basis of
form 11 and 12.
He
said: “The JI accepts the mandate of the Pakistan Peoples Party on its seats,”
and asked PPP to accept his party’s mandate as well.
The
JI leader also asked the ECP to arrange oath taking for the elected chairmen,
vice-chairmen and councillors in union councils.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1736121/ji-warns-of-protest-if-poll-date-for-remaining-ucs-not-announced
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South Asia
Motorbike
bombing shakes Afghanistan’s Maimana city
By
Fidel Rahmati
February
9, 2023
A
motorbike bomb exploded near a mosque in Maimana city, Faryab provinces of
Afghanistan, according to local people.
The
explosion took place on Wednesday close to the Imam Abu Hanifa Mosque in
Miamana capital city of Faryab in northern Afghanistan that at least six
people, including three Taliban members, were injured in the explosion, said
local people.
So
far, no one has claimed responsibility for the explosion. However, the security
situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated over the past couple of months,
causing further challenges for the interim government in Kabul.
Since
August 2021, armed groups linked to the Islamic State of Khorasan
Province-Afghan branch gained power and carried out bombings, targeting
civilian citizens, Taliban officials, ethnic minorities, and foreign nations.
Source:
Khaama Press
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of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/motorbike-bombing-shakes-afghanistans-maimana-city/
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Bangladesh
sending skilled workers to Saudi Arabia under new employment scheme
SHEHAB
SUMON
February
08, 2023
DHAKA:
Bangladesh is preparing to send skilled workers to Saudi Arabia for the first
time under the newly launched Skill Verification Program, authorities said on
Wednesday.
Under
the Workers’ Recruitment and Skill Verification Program, which aims to improve
the professional competence of employees in the Saudi labor market, the Kingdom
will recruit skilled workers from the South Asian country.
In
its initial phase, the program will focus on five professions: Plumbers,
electricians, welders, automotive electricians and air conditioning
technicians.
The
SVP deal between Saudi and Bangladeshi authorities came into effect this week.
“Saudi
authorities will hire the first batch of skilled workers as a pilot program.
One thousand migrant workers will be hired ... the number will be increased
gradually. We are going to begin this recruitment process very soon,” Mohammad
Salah Uddin, training director at the Bangladeshi Bureau of Manpower Employment
and Training, told Arab News.
“We
are very well prepared. Initially, the Saudi authorities want to conduct the
testing process of migrant workers in the capital. Later on, we will expand the
testing process outside of Dhaka, in accordance with our capacity and demand.”
The
bureau has 95 training centers and will soon launch another 15, Uddin said.
“We
have sufficient infrastructure and capability to prepare skilled workers as per
demand from the Saudi authorities.”
BRAC,
the largest development organization based in Bangladesh, sees the employment
of skilled workers as a new trend in the country’s work migration.
“I
think the migration process in the coming days will follow this system. All the
migrant-receiving countries will ask for skilled workers. All of our training
centers run by the government and private organizations need to strengthen
their efforts in this regard,” Shariful Hasan, head of BRAC’s migration program,
told Arab News.
“Most
of our migrant workers are currently unskilled, and they don’t have any kind of
certificate to be considered skilled workers. They don’t receive training from
any training center and get employed as unskilled workers. The new initiative
opens a horizon of prospects,” Hasan told Arab News.
With
about 2 million people joining the Bangladeshi workforce every year, having at
least a fourth of that number trained should not be a problem for the South
Asian nation.
“If
the government takes the initiative to prepare at least half a million people
as skilled workers, I don’t see any problems with it. We have technical
training centers at the grassroots level also. There is no point in providing
conventional university degrees to all the youth. Rather, if we equip many of
them with technical knowledge, it will bring good results in the long run,”
Hasan said.
“It’s
an opportunity since the workers will get a higher salary as skilled workers
and their migration costs will be reduced significantly.”
About
2.8 million Bangladeshi nationals live in Saudi Arabia, with most employed in
low-profile jobs at construction sites or as household staff. They play a
significant role in the Bangladeshi economy by sending large amounts of
remittances home, contributing more than 5 percent to the country’s gross
domestic product.
Riyadh’s
Ambassador to Dhaka, Essa Al-Duhailan, told reporters in the Bangladeshi
capital on Tuesday evening that the new employment program would guarantee
higher salaries for Bangladeshis — at least double those of average workers.
“If
he is an ordinary worker, he might get SR800 ($213) to 1,000, but a skilled
worker will get SR1,500 to 1,800, or even more,” Al-Duhailan said.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2247286/world
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Pakistanis
living in Afghanistan to get travel passes
February
9, 2023
NORTH
WAZIRISTAN: Authorities here have decided to issue special cards to Pakistani
nationality holders living in the border areas inside Afghanistan to facilitate
their hassle-free cross-border movement.
Officials
said that all those, who were interested in receiving the special cards for movement
from Afghanistan into Pakistan, would be issued a form, which would be filled
and submitted to the office of the tehsilsdar concerned. The forms, according
to the officials, would be attested and thoroughly checked before being
submitted.
Meanwhile,
Utmanzai elders said that Pakistani nationals living across the border in
Khost, Paktia and Paktika provinces were facing immense problems while
travelling across the border to meet their family members.
On
request of the area residents, the armed forces decided to issue special passes
to Pakistani nationals having a valid national identity card.
Source:
Dawn
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1736055/pakistanis-living-in-afghanistan-to-get-travel-passes
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Taliban
Whip 6 People in Ghor Accused of ‘Wine Production’
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
February
8, 2023
Taliban
officials on Tuesday flogged six people allegedly accused of ‘wine production
and immortality‘ in western Ghor province.
The
Islamic Emirate high court confirmed in a statement that the accused
individuals were lashed on Tuesday in Firuzkoh, the provincial capital of Ghor
province.
Prior
to the international community had opposed ‘public execution, flogging, and
amputation’. The United Nations, Human
Rights Watch, and other advocacy groups have described lashing Afghan men and
women as a “cruel act”, and called on Islamic Emirate authorities to respect
human rights and values under all circumstances.
The
Taliban authorities have increasingly flogged people in public accused of
different crimes across the country in recent months. For the first, they
publicly executed an alleged person in Farah province on December 7, where
high-ranking Taliban leadership had participated to witness the event.
The
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Amnesty
International, Human Rights Watch, and several rights groups have described the
act as “cruel, inhuman and humiliating”, and repeatedly urged the Taliban
authorities to stop public punishment.
Source:
Khaama Press
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of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-whip-6-people-in-ghor-accused-of-wine-production/
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Moscow
Hosts ‘Security Meeting’ on Afghanistan Without IEA Representative
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
February
8, 2023
Russia
hosted the fifth round of meetings of National Security Advisors of regional
countries on Afghanistan starting on Wednesday in Moscow.
National
Security Advisors of Iran, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan were among the participants.
The
Moscow security meeting was held in the absence of the representative of the
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, although Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid
had asked the member countries to allow the IEA envoy to the meeting.
The
fifth round of meetings of National Security Advisors comes as the security
situation in Afghanistan is rapidly deteriorating and has already led to the
closure of several foreign embassies in Kabul.
Earlier
in the week, Saudi Arabia evacuated its diplomats to Islamabad, mainly due to
several security threats in the Afghan capital Kabul. Following Saudi Arabia’s
move, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey have on Wednesday decided to minimize
their diplomatic activities and move out their diplomats from Kabul.
The
fourth round of the meeting of the Heads of Security Councils of regional
states was held nine months ago in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on May 27, 2022. In
that meeting, they asked the Taliban to form an inclusive government in Afghanistan,
which has not yet been fulfilled by the Taliban regime.
Amid
the many challenges, the Taliban-run administration is plagued with political
isolation. This is a wake-up call for Afghanistan’s de facto authorities as
foreign embassies have already started closing their diplomatic missions in
Kabul.
Source:
Khaama Press
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of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/moscow-hosts-security-meeting-on-afghanistan-without-iea-representative/
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Arab World
Saudi
Arabia holds world’s first Islamic arts biennale
Satyen
Mohapatra
9th
February 2023
The
world’s first Islamic Arts Biennale providing a survey of Islamic arts and
culture in the religion’s birthplace, modern-day Saudi Arabia, is being held at
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, gathering over 44 Islamic artists from Saudi Arabia,
Egypt and a large number of rare Islamic artefacts from different parts of the
world.
The
Diriyah Biennale Foundation is holding this at the Hajji Terminal or Canopy
Terminal in Jeddah. The world’s largest cable-stayed fabric-roofed
construction, inspired by the tent structures.
The
open locale with desert and sky would almost transport the viewers to the
ancient Islamic world.
The
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, was held in Dec.2021in which over 60
acclaimed international artists had participated. It was held in the outskirts
of Riyadh.
The
present venue is that of Western Hajj Canopy Terminal at King Abdulaziz Airport
in Jeddah. The Terminal designed by Skidmore, Owings &Merrill was awarded the 1983 Aga Khan Award for
Architecture.
The
building was used by pilgrims from all over the world to rest onway to Mecca.
The
118,000-square-meter space is housing five galleries, two pavilions and one
grand canopy, 280 artifacts, as well as more than 50 new commissioned artworks
from around the Muslim world.
Besides
exhibition spaces it has a theatre, a mosque, workshops, classrooms, retail
shops, and dining outlets.
The
theme for the event is Awwal Bayt, which means ‘first house’ in Arabic. Awwal
Bayt is a Quranic term that is used to signify the importance of the most
sacred site, the Ka’bah in Mecca, and the direction, the Qiblah, which Muslims
all around the world face for their daily obligatory prayers.
It
thus connects devout Muslims all over the world.
The
exhibition is showcasing Islamic contemporary and historical artefacts
including some authentic artifacts from
the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah and Masjid-al-Haram.
The
curatorial team has scholars connected with Victoria and Albert Museum,
National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC.
The
Foundation plans to host a biennale every year, alternating between the
Contemporary Art Biennale and the Islamic Arts Biennale.
The
event aims to showcase the art and creativity of Islamic culture, from both the
past and present.
It
is showcasing 280 rare and priceless artifacts and more than 50 new
commissioned artworks from around the Muslim world.
This
place is the confluence of millions of
Muslims from all over the world going for Haj and as such is an ideal
place to hold the exhibition.
The
Biennale is organized around two main themes: Qiblah and Hijrah.
The
Qiblah is the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, which every Muslim faces in
their daily prayers. It unites Muslims in prayer all over the world.
There
are also specially commissioned artworks that reflect on the theme of migration
and how pilgrimage has coloured the cultural life of the Muslim world.
The
exhibition also showcases rarely seen historical artifacts from the cities of
Mecca and Medina and the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as its custodian.
The
artefacts come from different parts of the world like Mali, Egypt, Tunisia,
Greece, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Oman, and Qatar.
The
Islamic Arts Biennale will have number of programs featuring a number
activities like excursions, workshops,
meet-the-artist sessions, panel discussions, talks, seminars, performances and
film screenings, highlighting the integral role of arts and culture.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/saudi-arabia-holds-worlds-first-islamic-arts-biennale-2522537/
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First
aid convoy en route to Turkish border to enter northwest Syria
09
February ,2023
The
first convoy of humanitarian assistance for northwest Syrians hit by the
earthquake is en route to the southern Turkish border with the hope of crossing
on Thursday, two aid sources told Reuters.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Turkey
earthquake: Saudi rescue, medic teams arrive to help in recovery efforts
09
February ,2023
Saudi
rescue and medic teams arrived in Turkey’s Adana on Thursday after King Salman
and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman directed operating an air bridge to
provide aid to the victims of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake, Al Arabiya
reported.
Saudi
Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) officially
launched its aid program on Wednesday to aid people who have been affected by
the deadly earthquake in Syria and Turkey.
The
Kingdom is also accepting donations through its “Sahem” program which had
received $16.5 million (62 million Saudi riyals) by Wednesday.
The
death toll from the massive earthquake that struck both countries has climbed
above 16,000.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
UAE
rescue crew saves Syrian family trapped under earthquake rubble in Turkish home
09
February ,2023
Emirati
rescue teams from the United Arab Emirates have pulled a Syrian family of four
trapped under rubble in Turkey after the devastating earthquake that has killed
more than 15,000 people across the region.
As
part of the UAE’s ‘Gallant Knight/2’ operation, the mother, son, and two
daughters of a Syrian family were rescued from the ruins of their home after a
five-hour search and rescue operation in the Kahramanmaraş province.
Emirati
medical professionals gave the family immediate support before they were taken
to hospital.
The
Emirati search and rescue teams were thanked and praised by the family’s
friends and relatives who were present at the scene of the collapsed house,
state news agency WAM reported.
They
also praised the support of the Turkish authorities for relief efforts.
The
death toll from the catastrophic earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria rose to
more than 15,000 as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of collapsed homes
in the stricken zone, Turkey’s disaster management agency said Thursday.
The
agency said 12,391 people had been confirmed killed in Turkey after Monday’s
early morning earthquake and series of aftershocks, which brought down
thousands of buildings in southeastern Turkey.
On
the other side of the border in Syria, another 2,902 people have been reported
to have been killed.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Syria
requests assistance from EU after massive earthquake
08
February ,2023
Syria
has requested assistance from the European Union, two days after a massive
earthquake hit it and neighboring Turkey, the European Commission said on
Wednesday.
“Earlier
today, this morning, we have received a request from the government of Syria
for assistance through the civil protection mechanism,” European Commissioner
for crisis management JanezLenarcic told reporters.
Lenarcic
said member states were being encouraged to contribute with assistance as
requested.
A
country can request assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism when
the scale of an emergency or disaster overwhelms its response capabilities.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Syria,
Turkey earthquake: Saudi Arabia’s KSRelief officially launches aid program
08
February ,2023
Saudi
Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) has
officially launched its aid program to provide on the ground support and aid to
people in Syria and Turkey who have been affected by the major earthquake that
hit the two countries, Supervisor General Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah announced on
Wednesday.
King
Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had on Tuesday
directed KSrelief to operate an air bridge to provide aid to the victims of the
7.8-magnitude earthquake.
The
supervisor general confirmed that its volunteer teams would be traveling to
provide on the ground support, and KSrelief will focus on providing medical and
food relief to those affected.
The
Kingdom will be accepting donations through its “Sahem” program, which had
already received more than $3.4 million in the days following the earthquake
before the King and Crown Prince had made their announcement yesterday.
Over
9,500 have died in both Syria and Turkey as a result of the earthquake,
official data showed on Wednesday, with the number expected to keep rising as
rescue workers continue to dig through the rubble of destroyed buildings.
One
UN official said thousands of children may have died.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
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Souq
from life of Prophet Muhammad located in Makkah
February
08, 2023
JEDDAH:
A Saudi scientific team has located the site of an ancient souq in the Makkah
region that served as one of the most important Arab markets during the
pre-Islamic and early Islamic eras.
Dubbed
Souq Habasha, the site was discovered in cooperation between the King Abdulaziz
Foundation for Research and Archives, the Ministry of Culture and its Heritage
Commission.
Souq
Habasha was an ancient seasonal Arab market and one of the largest in the
Tihamah region west of the Arabian Peninsula. The souq was held every year for
eight days starting on the first day of Rajab in the Islamic calendar, and was
annually held until the Islamic year 197 (813 A.D.).
Fahd
Al-Samari, secretary-general of the foundation and head of the scientific
committee of Souq Habasha, delivered a statement in a video that was published
on Darah’s official Twitter account.
He
said: “Documenting historical information must be within a specific methodology.
Therefore, the department has entered a number of experiences in documentation,
such as documenting the Okaz market, and some sites from the Prophet Muhammad’s
biography in the Kingdom. The Habasha market will be an ancient historical and
cultural asset for the Kingdom.”
Abdullah
Al-Zahrani, a member of the Souq Habasha scientific committee, said: “This
collaboration project was made to locate the souq and it is a good example of
joint cooperation between many parties as well as researchers, historians, geographers
and prophet’s biography experts who will add a lot to verify this site.”
Studies
and research projects have attempted to trace the location of the market for
more than 40 years, with field sites proposed by the committee finally being
inspected last year.
Abdullah
Al-Welaie, another member of the Souq Habasha scientific committee, said: “We
worked on drawing complete caravan routes, including the coastal road, the
Tihama road, peaks of the Sarawat Mountains, as well as the Elephant road. Four
tracks were drawn on accurate maps that really helped determine the location of
the market and were then handed over to historians.”
Historians
said that the market was mentioned in the biography of the Prophet Muhammad,
who had taken part in the souq to trade before his mission.
The
team conducted studies, verified sources and carried out an archaeological
survey, following up discussions with qualified sources to determine the
location of Souq Habasha.
Historical
markets in the region were typically located in areas with an abundance of
water, rainfall and grazing land. Accordingly, Souq Habasha was located on the
southern bank of Wadi Qanuna in Ardiyat, a coastal city in the Makkah region.
It
is positioned in the middle of a vast floodplain, bound by the Al-Durbat
mountains to the east, Al-‘Irm mountains to the west stretching for five km,
and Umm Al-Rimth mountains to the south, in a vast area where water sources and
plant cover are prominent.
The
market also passes through Al-Janad street, which served as one of the most
important landmarks in determining the location of the souq.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2247426/saudi-arabia
--------
Mideast
Turkey’s
Erdogan faces crescendo of criticism over quake response
08
February ,2023
Criticism
of Turkey’s earthquake response mounted on Wednesday, with the political
opposition and people in the disaster zone accusing the government of a tardy
and inadequate relief effort.
The
anger grew louder as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, facing a tight election in
three months’ time, visited the afflicted area for the first time and
acknowledged some problems with the initial response.
Monday’s
quakes have killed more than 11,000 people across southern Turkey and northwest
Syria. They cracked infrastructure and flattened thousands of buildings,
causing hardship for millions and leaving many homeless in bitterly cold weather.
“Where
is the state? Where have they been for two days? We are begging them. Let us do
it, we can get them out,” said SabihaAlinak, near a snow covered collapsed
building where her young relatives were trapped in the city of Malatya.
From
the outset, Turks have complained of a lack of equipment and support as they
waited helplessly next to rubble, lacking the necessary expertise or tools to
rescue those trapped - sometimes even as they could hear cries for help.
Kemal
Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition party, had earlier in the week said
the disaster was a time for unity, not criticism. But on Wednesday he accused
the government of failing to cooperate with local authorities and weakening
non-governmental organizations that could help.
“I
refuse to look at what is happening as above politics and align with the ruling
party. This collapse is exactly the result of systematic profiteering
politics,” he said. “If there is anyone responsible for this process, it is
Erdogan. It is this ruling party that has not prepared the country for an
earthquake for 20 years.”
Rescue
workers have struggled to reach some of the worst-hit areas, held back by
destroyed roads, poor weather and lack of resources and heavy equipment, while
some areas are without fuel or electricity.
Military
response
NasuhMahruki,
founder of a search and rescue group active in response to the 1999 earthquake
that killed 17,000, said the army did not act soon enough because Erdogan’s
government annulled a protocol enabling it to respond without instruction.
“When
this was cancelled (their) duties and responsibilities in combating disasters
were taken away,” he told Reuters.
“In
the first seconds (after the 1999 quake), the Turkish Armed Forces started to
work and were on the scene with the people within hours,” he said, contrasting
this with the current situation where the military had to wait for
instructions.
“Now
it seems the responsibility is with AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management
Authority), but it is not prepared for such a colossal problem,” Mahruki added.
Speaking
in Kahramanmaras, near the epicenter of the earthquake, Erdogan said: “We had
some problems in airports and roads but we are better today.”
“I
would like to ask you not to give a chance to provocateurs, other than the
statements especially from AFAD... Because today is the time for unity,” he
said.
He
did not appear to have had a direct confrontation with any local people.
A
government official, who requested anonymity, said the efforts were hampered by
damaged roads, bad weather and being unable to use airports due to damage.
“It
seems that we should have been more prepared,” the person said.
In
the southern city of Antakya, one of the hardest hit, Melek, 64, said she had
not seen rescue teams as of late Tuesday. “We haven’t seen any food
distribution here unlike previous disasters in our country. We survived the
earthquake, but we will die here due to hunger or cold.”
Selim
Temurci, spokesman for the opposition Future Party, said AFAD’s efforts were
insufficient due to personnel shortages and the vast expanse of destruction.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Earthquake
in Turkey, Syria: Baby born beneath rubble
09.02.23
A
baby girl rescued after being born under the rubble of her home has provided a
small symbol of hope after the earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria.
The
dust-covered newborn was pulled from the wreckage of a four-storey apartment
building more than 10 hours after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck in
rebel-held northern Syria.
“Had
the girl been left for an hour more, she would have died,” said Dr HanuMaarouf,
who is caring for the baby.
Her
relations in the small Syrian town of Jindayris found her still attached to her
mother by the umbilical cord.
“We
heard a voice while we were digging,” Khalil al-Suwadi said yesterday. “We
cleared the dust and found the baby with the umbilical cord. So we cut it and
my cousin took her to hospital.”
The
crying infant was the sole survivor among her immediate family of Monday’s
pre-dawn earthquake, which flattened the her family home and killed her mother,
Afraa Abu Hadiya, father, Abdullah, four siblings and an aunt.
Unicef
said that “thousands of children” may have been killed after the most powerful
earthquake in Syria and Turkey for almost a century. Three British citizens
were reported missing after at least 6,200 people were killed in Turkey and
Syria, where thousands are still waiting for rescue workers to arrive.
The
rescued baby, who suffered cuts and bruises, was taken to a children’s hospital
in the nearby town of Afrin and placed in an incubator.
It
is understood she is getting better by the hour and her relatives are at her
side. Her condition was last night said to be stable. The girl’s forehead and
fingers were still blue from the cold and she remains on a drip.
Video
footage of her escape was widely shared on social media on Monday. It showed a
man sprinting from the rubble clutching the baby. A second man brings a blanket
to protect the child from the sub-zero temperatures, while a third yells for a
car to take her to hospital.
Rescue
efforts have been further hampered by aftershocks. One on Monday was almost as
powerful as the first earthquake, while tremors with a magnitude of 7.6 and 5.5
were reported on Tuesday.
Source:
TelegraphIndia
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/earthquake-in-turkey-syria-baby-born-beneath-rubble/cid/1915243
--------
Deadly
quake puts Erdogan under pressure in May polls
Feb
9, 2023
ISTANBUL:
The stakes could hardly be higher for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Just
three months before the biggest test of his political career, a massive
7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria, killing more than 15,000
people.
On
May 14, Turkey will vote in presidential and parliamentary elections that polls
conducted before the disaster showed would turn into a tight race for Erdogan,
who has led the country since 2003.
And
even before disaster struck in the pre-dawn hours of Monday, Erdogan was trying
to put out a series of crises at the same time.
His
unconventional approach to economics has set off an inflationary spiral that
saw consumer prices soar by 85 percent in annual terms last year.
At
the same time, his government has been swatting away accusations of cronyism,
corruption and bungling the response to environmental disasters, including
wildfires in 2021.
Appearing
to understand the challenge, Erdogan is fighting back.
Hours
after the earthquake, he took centre stage at a press conference in Ankara --
one of many that followed in the next three days.
On
Wednesday, he hugged a weeping woman affected by the quake near its epicentre
in the province of Kahramanmaras before paying a visit to Hatay, where the
death toll is even higher.
He
even acknowledged his government's "shortcomings" during the Hatay
visit, but insisted it was "not possible to be ready for a disaster like
this".
Erdogan
no doubt remembers it was Turkey's last major earthquake, in 1999, that
catapulted his party to victory in 2002 after promises of better governance.
The
then-prime minister Bulent Ecevit came under heavy criticism for bungling the
1999 relief effort.
After
Monday's quake hit, Turkey swiftly declared a level four emergency that calls
for international assistance. Support from dozens of countries -- including
regional rivals -- has swiftly poured in.
Experts
say Erdogan could strengthen his position if he manages the crisis well. But
failure could see him suffer the fate of Ecevit.
"An
effective emergency response may even strengthen the AKP leader and its party
by triggering a sense of national solidarity under Erdogan's leadership,"
WolfangoPiccoli of the London-based political risk consultancy Teneo said.
"However,
the large scale of the earthquake -- ten southern provinces were hit -- will
pose a significant challenge to the government," he added in a note.
"If
the post-earthquake response is not successful, Erdogan could lose the
elections in May," said Emre Caliskan, a research fellow at the UK-based
Foreign Policy Centre.
Frustration
is building in southern Turkey. Many destitute families lashed out at the
government for failing to reach them and save their loved ones from the rubble.
Others
waited for more than 24 hours for state relief workers to provide food and
shelter.
Analyst
Gonul Tol, who was in Turkey at the time of the quake and lost relatives in the
tragedy, said the anger was palpable in Hatay, one of the most affected
provinces.
"I
cannot imagine him (Erdogan) not being impacted by this because of the level of
frustration, I saw that anger firsthand. I am sure it will have an
impact," said Tol, who is the Turkey programme director at the US-based
Middle East Institute.
Tol
also said that in 1999, civil society organisations worked tirelessly to help
victims.
This
time, there are fewer because Erdogan has cracked down on many in the wake of a
failed 2016 coup.
"Twenty
years later, we are in no better place," she told AFP. "Erdogan has
not only weakened state institutions but he also weakened Turkish civil
society."
Erdogan,
however, faces no criticism from most mainstream media, experts pointed out,
giving the president an obvious advantage over the opposition.
News
channels have reported very little on the impact of poor construction after
homes crumbled, including those built only six months or a year ago.
Yet
after the 1999 disaster, the government had introduced construction regulations
to ensure new buildings would survive big tremors.
"The
opposition says that the number of earthquake-related deaths were not just due
to natural disaster, but the result of poorly regulated and bad quality
construction," Caliskan said, adding that opponents put the blame squarely
on the government.
Within
days of the 1999 quake, newspapers slammed the government over the response.
Not so this time.
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
President
Assures Turkey, Syria of Iran’s Support Following Horrifying Quake
2023-February-8
Speaking
in a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan
on Tuesday, Rayeesi sympathized with the Turkish government and nation over the
powerful earthquake in the country.
Iran's
president voiced Tehran’s readiness to provide immediate help to the
neighboring state, expressing hope that the Turkish government would take the
necessary measures to alleviate the sufferings of the people.
Noting
that apart from neighborliness, Iran and Turkey are friendly and brotherly
countries, he stated that the Iranian government and nation are standing by
Turkiye in these tough times.
President
Erdogan, for his part, hailed the offer of sympathy and good-will of President
Rayessi.
He
said that the recent quake was Turkey’s biggest earthquake of the past 50
years, expressing hope that his country will be able to accomplish preliminary
rescue measures at the earliest.
In
another phone call on Tuesday, the Iranian president talked to his Syrian
counterpart Bashar Al-Assad.
Rayeesi
offered his condolences to the “Syrian brothers and sisters” over the
earthquake, saying, “The Islamic Republic has always stood by the Syrian nation
and government at difficult times and it is now ready to provide immediate
relief to the Syrian victims of the earthquake.”
Assad,
for his part, thanked the Iranian president for his call and sympathy with
Syria.
Damascus,
he added, wants to benefit from the Islamic Republic’s experiences and
capabilities in order to improve relief efforts in Syria, which was hit by its
first earthquake in the past 250 years.
Rayeesi
agreed to Assad’s request to use Iran’s experiences in dealing with natural
disasters, including earthquakes, and to send a technical team to Syria.
A
7.8 magnitude tremor, one of the strongest to hit the region in more than 100
years, struck Southeastern Turkey and Northwestern Syria early Monday, killing
at least 9,000 people, injuring tens of thousands more and reducing hundreds of
buildings to rubble.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Military
Chief: Iran's Defense Systems Favored by Several Countries
2023-February-8
Maj.
Gen. Baqeri made the remarks on Tuesday during a ceremony at Imam Khomeini’s
holy shrine, where military commanders and officials renewed their allegiance
to the ideals of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini.
He
highlighted Iran’s self-reliance in manufacturing defense products, saying the
homegrown Iranian military products have found many clients in the world.
“Today,
the Islamic Republic’s defense power and deterrence capability are so fertile
that we produce more than 90 percent of our needed products, and that our
defense equipment has found many requesters,” the military official noted.
The
top general also hailed the Iranian Armed Forces’ readiness to counter threats
posed by the enemy.
“Our
defense deterrence does not allow the emergence of threats. But if there is a
one percent chance of threat, our armed forces … stand fully vigilant with all
their facilities,” he continued.
“In
the hybrid war with the enemy, the armed forces will stand by the officials and
people with all their strength and will not allow the enemy to succeed,” Major
General Baqeri added.
He
also referred to the rising power of the Resistance Front against Israel,
saying the occupying regime only makes verbal threats.
“Today,
the Zionist regime only makes verbal threats, but it knows that it does not
have the power to carry them out as it is surrounded by the member countries of
the Resistance Axis,” the top commander added.
Military
officials say the military power of Iran is strong, extraordinary and deterrent
despite enemy sanctions and pressures, and hail the country's defense sector
for its remarkable developments in the recent decades. They stress the Iranian
Armed Forces’ deterrent power dissuades the United States and Israel from
implementing its threats against the country.
The
Islamic Republic’s military doctrine holds that the country’s armed capability
solely serves defensive purposes.
Iranian
military experts and technicians have in recent years made substantial headway
in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces
self-sufficient in the weaponry sphere.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
President
Rayeesi Raps Europe's Miscalculation on Iran's Domestic Affairs
2023-February-8
Receiving
credentials of the new ambassador of France to Tehran Nicolas Roche on Tuesday,
Rayeesi warned about the dominance of extremism and support for Islamophobia in
France.
Iran's
president advised the new French envoy to put the correct transmission of the
facts on his agenda.
Criticizing
some European countries for their miscalculations about Iran's domestic
affairs, he considered such miscalculations as a result of having no knowledge
about the greatness of the Iranian nation.
Roche,
for his part, expressed hope for the improvement and expansion of cooperation
between the two countries.
"On
behalf of the French President, he is instructed to work towards resolving the
existing misunderstandings in relations and expanding cooperation between the
two states," he added.
READ
MORE: Iran to Close French Cultural Institute in Response to Charlie Hebdo's
Insulting Cartoons
Tehran
and Paris have been engaged in a diplomatic row over French meddlesome stance
on recent unrest Iran.
President
Emmanuel Macron also held a meeting with a number of anti-Tehran figures,
including Masih Alinejad, at the Elysée last year. In the meeting, the French
president described the recent unrest in Iran as a "revolution".
Iranian
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kana'ani condemned Macron for meeting several
anti-Tehran individuals at the Elysee Palace, and cautioned that the move will
surely remain in the memory of the Iranian nation.
“It
is surprising that the president of a country claiming to support freedom,
lowers his level and meets with a hated pawn who, in the recent months, has
clearly tried to spread hatred, violence and terrorist acts in the Islamic
Republic of Iran and also against its diplomatic missions as well as diplomats
of the Islamic Republic abroad,” Kana'ani said.
The
diplomat called the statements quoted from Macron that he supports the
so-called revolution, led by these people, as "regretful" and "a
cause for shame".
The
spokesperson added the meeting is a flagrant violation of France’s
international responsibilities in fighting terrorism and violence, and is
regarded as a promotion of these vicious phenomena.
He
emphasized that such anti-Tehran measures will undoubtedly be kept in the
memory of the great Iranian nation, who are well aware of the selective approaches
of some European leaders, going against human rights.
Protests
erupted in several cities across Iran over the death of MahsaAmini, a
22-year-old Iranian woman who fainted at a police station in mid-September and
days later was pronounced dead at a hospital. The demonstrations soon turned
violent.
Iranian
officials blame Western countries for orchestrating the riots to destabilize
the country.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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After
fleeing war in Gaza, entire Palestinian family dies in Turkey’s earthquake
08
February ,2023
Twelve
years ago, Abdel-Karim Abu Jalhoum fled war and poverty in the Palestinian
territory of Gaza for safety in Turkey.
On
Monday, the massive earthquake that devastated parts of Turkey and Syria killed
him and his entire family.
The
Palestinian foreign ministry said Abu Jalhoum, his wife Fatima, and their four
children, were among 70 Palestinians who had been found dead. The overall death
toll in the quake has shot beyond 11,000.
“My
brother went to Turkey to seek a better life away from wars and blockades here
in Gaza,” Abu Jalhoum’s brother, Ramzy, 43, told Reuters as relatives and
neighbors trickled into the family’s house in the town of Beit Lahiya in
northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday to pay respects.
“We
lost the family. An entire family was wiped off the civil registration record,”
he said.
Abu
Jalhoum had worked as a taxi driver in Gaza but struggled to support a growing
family and left in 2010 for Turkey. There, he worked in a wood factory in
Antakya, and Fatima and their children joined him once he was established.
In
Antakya, life was promising for the 50-year-old father, 33-year-old Fatima and
their children, Noura, 16, Bara, 11, Kenzi, 9 and Mohammad, their 3-year-old
who was born in Turkey. Six months ago, they had moved to a new apartment,
according to the family.
In
the hours after the tremors, the extended family desperately tried to make
contact, calling everyone who could offer any information. On Tuesday, they
recognized the family in a photo showing them buried under the rubble,
lifeless.
In
the picture, Abu Jalhoum is seen embracing his children, seemingly trying to
protect them with his own body as their home collapsed on them.
There
are no exact figures as to how many Palestinians live in Turkey, but many,
especially from Gaza, have in recent years moved to Turkey, fleeing a densely
populated territory that has witnessed frequent wars that have left the economy
in ruins.
The
United Nations relief agency UNRWA estimates around 438,000 Palestinian
refugees live in Syria.
The
Palestinian Authority, which has a limited rule in the Israeli-occupied West
Bank, said it had sent a rescue mission to the impacted areas.
At
the family house in Beit Lahiya, Abu Jalhoum’s mother, Wedad, prayed their
bodies could be returned home for burial.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Turkey’s
President Erdogan arrives to earthquake-hit region
08
February ,2023
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave an update on the casualty figures during a
visit to Kahramanmaras, a southern Turkish city at the epicenter of the initial
quake, saying the death toll from a massive earthquake that struck Turkey and
Syria rose above 11,200.
Officials
and medics said 8,574 people had died in Turkey and 2,662 in Syria from
Monday's 7.8-magnitude tremor, bringing the total to 11,236.
Television
images showed him hugging a weeping, elderly woman and walking through a large
crowd towards a Red Crescent humanitarian relief tent.
Facing
a tough May 14 re-election, Erdogan pledged to rebuild the damaged regions
within a year.
He
also appeared to push back against criticism that the government's response to
Turkey's worst disaster in decades has been slow.
“Initially
there were issues at airports and on the roads, but today things are getting
easier and tomorrow it will be easier still,” he said in televised remarks.
“We
have mobilised all our resources,” he added. “The state is doing its job.”
Thinly
stretched rescue teams worked through the night in Turkey and Syria, pulling
more bodies from the rubble of thousands of buildings toppled by a catastrophic
earthquake. The death toll rose Wednesday to more than 9,500, making the quake
the deadliest in more than a decade.
As
the scale of the disaster became ever more apparent, the death toll looked
likely to rise considerably. One UN official said thousands of children may
have died.
Erdogan
on Tuesday declared a three-month state of emergency in 10 southeastern
provinces hit by a major earthquake that has claimed thousands of lives.
Rescue
and recovery work in the isolated region near Syria has been hamstrung by a
fierce winter storm that has made some roads impassable and slowed the delivery
of food and aid.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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of the original story:
--------
Turkish
President Erdogan vows to re-build earthquake hit areas in one year
08
February ,2023
Turkey’s
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised to rebuild areas hit by two deadly
earthquakes within a year as he toured one of the worst-stricken towns on
Wednesday.
Speaking
on a visit to a tented community of displaced people in Kahramanmaras, Erdogan
said his government had mobilized all available means to deal with the fallout
from the quakes that hit the country on Monday, which have killed almost 10,000
people across Turkey and Syria to date.
Obstacles
including harsh weather conditions and damage to infrastructure have been
overcome, he said, and basic supplies such as gas cannisters used for heating
are on their way.
“We
aim to rebuild homes in Kahramanmaras and nine other provinces within one
year,” Erdogan said, before heading to another quake zone in Hatay province.
“If anyone prefers not to stay in tents, we can transfer them to hotels in
Alanya, Mersin and Antalya, on the Mediterranean coast,” he said.
A
handout of 10,000 lira ($531) will be given to each family affected by the
quakes, the president said.
The
scale of the disaster remains unknown but Bloomberg Economics estimates that
quake-related public spending, including rebuilding efforts, can make up 5.5
percent of the gross domestic product.
Erdogan
is working on the assumption that general elections will be held as planned in
Turkey in May, according to people familiar with the matter, despite the
logistical challenges. He declared a three-month state-of-emergency on Tuesday
for the provinces hit by the quake, which will allow him to take swift security
and financial measures in response to the disaster.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Iranian
prosecutors covered up rapes by Revolutionary Guards, official document shows
February
09, 2023
DUBAI:
Iranian state prosecutors stand accused of covering up rapes by two members of
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
According
to an internal judicial document, the IRGC members allegedly raped two women,
ages 18 and 23, in a van in Tehran last September, The Guardian newspaper
reported on Wednesday. They had been detained during the protests that began
that month following the death of MahsaAmini after she was arrested by Iran’s
“morality police.” The women were accused of acting suspiciously and their
phones were examined for any evidence that they had taken part in the protests.
The
judicial document was reportedly initially leaked to news channel Iran
International by hacktivist group Edalat-e Ali (Ali’s Justice). It is the first
internal document to surface and expose a specific case of this kind, although
activists have long suspected that some female detainees were sexually abused
by security officials during the protests.
Dated
Oct. 13, 2022, the document was written by Mohammad Shahriari, the deputy
prosecutor and head of the prosecutor’s office in Tehran, and addressed to Ali
Salehi, the general and revolution prosecutor. A report on a collection of
witness statements, it states that two named women were assaulted by two named
male security officials.
The
case came to the attention of prosecutors after one of the IRGC officers called
one of the victims after the assault. She recorded the conversation and filed a
complaint. The officer initially denied the charges but later changed his story
to claim the women had consented to sex. He reportedly was detained, with his
father, at their home in Tehran. The other accused officer was arrested
separately and taken to a police intelligence unit prison.
The
report details how the two men eventually admitted having intercourse with the
women, which the document describes as rape. The first officer said they had
detained the two women near a gas station while deployed on Sattarkhan Street
in western Tehran. The officers initially took them to the Revolutionary
Guard’s headquarters but left when they were told it was not possible to
process the accused women there.
The
document continues: “Considering the problematic nature of the case, the
possibility of the leaking of this information into social media and its
misrepresentation by enemy groups, it is recommended that the necessary order
(is) issued for it to be filed top secret.
Source:
Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2247551/middle-east
--------
Israeli
forces have killed nine Palestinian children this year: Palestine
09
February 2023
Israeli
forces have shot and killed forty-two Palestinians, including nine children,
since the beginning of the year, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
The
ministry said in a report on Wednesday that the number of Palestinians who have
been killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of 2023 has risen to 42,
including an elderly woman and nine children, eight of them during January
alone, Palestine’s official Wafa news agency reported.
It
said the Israeli regime has committed more crimes against Palestinians in the
occupied territories in 2023 than any other time in recent years, adding that
the new year has so far been particularly hurtful to children.
The
ministry explained that last year, 224 Palestinians, including 53 children and
17 women, were killed at the hands of Israeli troops and settlers across the
occupied territories, marking 2022 the deadliest year for Palestinians since
2005.
It
also said eight of the slain Palestinians were younger than ten years of age,
45 were aged between 11-17 years, 108 between 18-29 years of age, 27 between
30-39 years of age, 19 between 40- 49 years of age, 11 between 50-59, and five
aged over 60.
Israeli
forces launch raids on various cities of the occupied West Bank almost on a
daily basis under the pretext of detaining what the regime calls “wanted”
Palestinians. The raids usually lead to violent confrontations with residents.
Over
the past months, Israel has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities
throughout the occupied territories. As a result of these attacks, dozens of
Palestinians have lost their lives and many others have been arrested.
Meanwhile,
the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs says Israel
has arrested more than 50,000 children since 1967.
The
commission also stated that about 160 children are still being held behind bars
in Israeli detention centers to date. Among the detainees are three girls, of
whom two are 16 years old and the third is 17, who are held in the Damon
prison.
Moreover,
it said, more than 600 Palestinian children were kept by Israeli courts under
house arrest in 2022, noting that Israeli authorities resort to house arrest as
a form of punishment mainly for children under the age of 14 due to the fact
that the law does not permit their imprisonment.
There
are reportedly more than 7,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. Hundreds of
the inmates, including women and minors, have been apparently incarcerated
under the practice of the so-called administrative detention. Some prisoners
have been held in administrative detention for up to 11 years.
Source:
Press TV
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Southeast Asia
Indonesian
Muslims asked to pray for Turkiye, Syria quake victims
Jakarta
(ANTARA) - The Religious Affairs Ministry has appealed to all Muslims in
Indonesia to hold the Salat al-Gha'ib, or absentee funeral prayer, for victims
of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkiye and Syria earlier this
week.
"To
show condolence for the victims who passed away due to the earthquake in
Turkiye and Syria, Muslims throughout Indonesia are encouraged to carry out the
Salat al-Gha'ib," Director of Islamic Affairs and Sharia Guidance at the
ministry Adib said here on Wednesday.
He
suggested that the absentee funeral prayer be held after the Friday prayer. In
Jakarta, the Salat al-Gha'ib is scheduled to be held at Istiqlal Mosque.
The
quake rattled Turkiye and Syria at 4:17 a.m. local time on Monday (February 6,
2023).
General
Secretary of the central board (PP) of the Islamic organization Muhammadiyah
Abdul Mu’ti also invited Muslims in Indonesia to pray that the earthquake
victims would stay strong and patient.
"As
a spiritual support, PP Muhammadiyah asks Muslims, especially Muhammadiyah
members, to send prayers and carry out the Salat al-Gha'ib for those who have
died," he said.
Earlier,
the Indonesian Government said that it will send humanitarian aid to Turkiye.
"The
assistance is being prepared by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Defense Ministry,
and Social Affairs Ministry. It is currently being prepared and will be sent as
soon as possible," President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) informed on Tuesday
(February 7, 2023).
As
of Wednesday, the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Ankara, Turkiye, had managed to
evacuate 123 people from a number of areas affected by the disaster, consisting
of 120 Indonesian citizens, two Malaysian nationals, and one Myanmar national.
Indonesian
Ambassador to Turkiye Lalu Muhammad Iqbal informed that an Indonesian citizen
was among those who died in the quake.
The
body of the victim, identified as Nia Marlinda, was found among the rubble in
Kahramanmara along with her Turkish husband and one-year-old child.
The
ambassador said that Marlinda will be buried in Turkey.
Currently,
the embassy is working on finding 2 Indonesian workers in Diyarbakir whom it
has still not been able to contact.
Source:
AntaraNews
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of the original story:
--------
Jakim:
Mosques urged to work on own initiative in helping Turkey, Syria quake victims
08
Feb 2023
KOTA
BARU, Feb 8 — Mosques throughout the country have been urged to take their own initiatives
to help the victims of Monday’s earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
Malaysian
Islamic Development Department (Jakim) deputy director-general (Operations)
Ruslan Said said the initiatives include holding solathajat (prayer of need)
and launching a fundraising effort for the victims.
“The
natural disaster has resulted in the loss of many lives and property damage.
“In
addition to extending our sympathy, we Malaysians will always help those
affected by natural disasters whether in the country or abroad,” he told
reporters at the Kelantan Islamic Foundation, Tunjong, here today.
Ruslan
said Jakim had coordinated an aid programme involving three mosques, namely the
National Mosque, the Putra Mosque and the TuankuMizan Zainal Abidin Mosque,
Putrajaya.
“This
programme will be announced by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department
(Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Na’im Mokhtar soon,” he said.
Meanwhile,
Ruslan said the national-level MahrajanMemanahSekolahMenengah Agama Malaysia
2023 programme, which is now in its fourth year, will be held from Aug 6 to 9
at the Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Kubang Kerian campus.
Source:MalayMail
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--------
Cops
probe mother’s claim that teacher coaxed her son into Islam
February
9, 2023
PETALING
JAYA: A mother has lodged a report that her 15-year-old son’s teacher had
coaxed the boy into converting to Islam. Police said an investigation is under
way.
Cheras
police chief Zam Halim Jamaluddin said the report was lodged on Tuesday morning
and several witnesses have had their statements taken.
He
added that the secondary school teacher is in his 40s.
Investigations
are being conducted under the Penal Code for causing disharmony on grounds of
religion and making statements that lead to public alarm and distress.
Source:Free
Malaysia Today
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of the original story:
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Perak
PAS chief apologises to Anwar over ‘LGBT’ remarks
K.
Parkaran
February
9, 2023
TAIPING:
Perak PAS chief Razman Zakaria has apologised in court to Anwar Ibrahim for
claiming in an election campaign speech last year that the latter had condoned
LGBT practices.
His
apology was made at the High Court here as part of a consent judgment to settle
a defamation suit brought against him by Anwar.
Anwar’s
lawyer, SN Nair, said his client had agreed to the settlement as a goodwill
gesture and to let the matter rest “in the interest of all parties”.
“When
a man repents and seeks forgiveness in good faith, it takes a gracious leader
to rise to the occasion and accept the apology and withdraw the suit,” said
Nair, who said the settlement had vindicated Anwar.
The
suit was filed on Dec 5 over Razman’s claim that Anwar would promote an LGBT
agenda, allow same-sex marriage and support the communist agenda if he became
prime minister.
Razman
Zakaria at the High Court, flanked by his lawyer Naran Singh (left) and Anwar
Ibrahim’s lawyer SN Nair.
Anwar,
who is chairman of Pakatan Harapan and president of PKR, was standing for
election as MP for Tambun at the general election in November last year.
He
won by a majority of 3,736 votes against Ahmad Faizal Azumu of Bersatu and two
others and became prime minister on Nov 24.
Razman
is the Perak state assemblyman for GunungSemanggol and current leader of the
state opposition.
The
suit was filed on Dec 5 at the High Court here. Anwar had demanded RM5 million
in damages and an injunction to prevent Razman from making further defamatory
statements against him.
The
statement of claim said Razman’s allegations had implied that Anwar had abused
his powers as an MP, was deceitful, a traitor, a hypocrite and not a good
Muslim.
Reading
out the unconditional apology before judicial commissioner Noor RuwenaNurdin,
Razman said his slanderous statement made during the 15th general election
campaign had caused immeasurable damage to Anwar’s reputation.
“I
hereby withdraw all allegations I made against Anwar Ibrahim and wish to tender
my unreserved apology. I also promise not to repeat the allegations in any form
in future.”
He
appealed to Anwar to withdraw his suit against him and said he would also
withdraw his statement of defence.
Source:Free
Malaysia Today
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of the original story:
--------
Earthquake
of magnitude 5.5 strikes north coast of Indonesia’s Papua
09
February ,2023
An
earthquake of magnitude 5.5 struck the north coast of Papua, Indonesia, the
European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) said on Thursday.
The
quake was at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.21 miles), EMSC said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
North America
Calls
mounting for US to lift sanctions hampering aid efforts in quake-stricken Syria
08
February 2023
As
rescue efforts continue in the war-torn Syria following massive earthquakes
there, calls are growing for the US and its allies to remove their sanctions,
which are said to be hampering international aid efforts in the country.
China
has now added its voice to an international outcry over the sanctions, with
foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning urging the US to remove its unilateral
sanctions on Syria and provide convenience for humanitarian assistance to the
quake-hit regions in the Arab country.
Mao
said the US has been involved in the Syrian crisis for a long time with
frequent military intervention and harsh economic sanctions, which have caused
a large number of civilian casualties and made it difficult for people to
obtain basic living guarantees.
"Up
to now, the US military is still occupying the main oil producing areas of
Syria, plundering more than 80 percent of the oil production, smuggling and
burning Syrian food stocks, which are making the humanitarian crisis there
worse," Mao said.
She
stressed that in the face of the earthquake, the US should put aside its
geopolitical obsession, and lift unilateral sanctions on Syria immediately,
opening the door to international humanitarian assistance.
Syria
has been a target of US sanctions since 1979, when it was blacklisted as a
state sponsor of terrorism by Washington. Since the start of the Syrian
conflict in 2011, the US and its Western allies have dramatically tightened their
economic sanctions and restrictions on the Arab country.
The
US sanctions intensified with the passing of the Caesar Act in 2019, which
targeted any individual and business that participated either directly or
indirectly in Syria reconstruction efforts.
Earlier,
the Syrian foreign ministry said the US sanctions are blocking humanitarian
work in Syria.
In
a statement, the ministry said that the Syrians, while dealing with the
earthquake catastrophe, are digging among the rubble with their own hands or using
the simplest tools as equipment for
removing the rubble is banned by the US sanctions.
It
said that the Syrians are also denied access to medicines and medical equipment
that would help them face dangers and diseases.
On
Tuesday, Syrian Arab Red Crescent President Khaled Hboubati also called for the
lifting of the US and Western sanctions as the country is in dire need of
rescue equipment.
Speaking
at a press conference in Damascus, Hboubati stressed that the country needs
heavy machinery and ambulances and firetrucks to continue its search and rescue
operations and clear rubble.
The
Iranian Foreign Ministry has also called on the world to pressure the US to
lift the sanctions on Syria.
The
ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani has urged the international community to
force the US to lift the siege of the Arab state so that international
humanitarian aid can be delivered to the quake-stricken people without any
obstacle and at the shortest time.
And
on Monday, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), a US-based
advocacy group, called for the "immediate" lifting of the US
sanctions to facilitate the delivery of aid to Syria.
So
far, the US and its allies have resisted calls for creating a political
opening, and ruled out the possibility of dealing directly with the Syrian
government in quake relief efforts.
State
Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday the US will send aid to Syria
through non-governmental organizations without engaging with the Syrian
government, which it opposes.
Meantime,
the World Health Organization has urged the global community to lend a helping
hand to Syria as the country’s humanitarian needs are particularly high.
The
United Nations and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies have also called for emergency aid to help prevent the humanitarian
situation in Syria from worsening.
Source:
Press TV
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
American
Islamic State Emir, Ruslan MaratovichAsainov, Convicted on All Counts
Jeff
Seldin
February
08, 2023
WASHINGTON
—
A
naturalized U.S. citizen who became so enamoured with Islamic State that he
abandoned his wife and child to join the terror group in Syria, eventually
rising to the rank of emir, faces life behind bars after being convicted of all
charges against him.
The
U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday that a jury has found the now
46-year-old Ruslan MaratovichAsainov guilty on five counts, including
conspiracy to provide material support, receiving and providing training,
obstruction of justice and support to a terror group that led to the death of
one or more persons.
Asainov
“was so committed to the terrorist organization’s evil cause that he abandoned
his young family here in Brooklyn, New York, to make an extraordinary journey
to the battlefield in Syria,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement.
“Even
after being captured [Asainov] still pledged his allegiance to ISIS’ murderous
path,” Peace added. “There is no place in a civilized world for the defendant’s
bloody campaign of death and destruction.”
Asainov
was captured by U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces following the fall of
Baghuz, the Islamic State’s last shred of territory in Syria, in March 2019.
He
was extradited to the U.S. in July 2019 and was immediately charged with
providing support to the terror group.
Training
camps
According
to court documents, Asainov, a naturalized citizen who came to the U.S. from
Kazakhstan, traveled to Syria in late 2013, where he began fighting with IS as
a sniper.
Eventually,
he became one of the terror group's emirs, responsible for establishing
training camps for IS recruits and for teaching them how to use weapons.
He
also began communicating with a confidential informant for the FBI, asking for
money while periodically sending the informant photos of himself and other IS
fighters in combat gear.
"We
[IS] are the worst terrorist organization in the world that has ever
existed," he wrote in one communication, adding he wished to die on the
battlefield.
In
other messages, officials say Asainov talked about fighting in places like
Kobani, Deir el-Zour and Tabka.
In
addition to the messages, U.S. officials said some of the evidence against
Asainov was based on interviews with "at least one other individual who
provided material support and resources to ISIS during part of the same time
period as the defendant."
More
American IS
Since
2016, the U.S. has repatriated at least 39 citizens from Syria and Iraq,
including 15 adults and 24 children.
Of
the adults, at least 11 have been charged with crimes. U.S. officials told VOA
that some of the adults were not charged because they were minors when they
were brought by their families to join IS.
Source:
VOANews
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.voanews.com/a/american-is-emir-convicted-on-all-counts/6954072.html
--------
Elon
Musk says Twitter to be’re-enabled' in Turkey soon
Feb
9, 2023
WASHINGTON:
Twitter CEO Elon Musk has said that the Turkey government has informed the
company that access to the microblogging site will be "re-enabled
shortly."
"Twitter
has been informed by the Turkish government that access will be re-enabled
shortly," Musk tweeted on Wednesday (local time).
As
the country continues to battle the aftermath of the powerful February 6
earthquakes, aid workers and locals have been relying on Twitter and other
social media networks to post information on rescue efforts and coordination of
aid.
The
Washington Post reported that in the wake of the quakes, a number of users said
their access to Twitter was largely blocked or limited without using a VPN.
Many condemned what they suspected was a decision by the government to do so,
saying it could have not come at a worse time.
According
to the US-based paper, Turkey has a long history of restricting social media
platforms during national emergencies, terrorist attacks or political
incidents, arguing that the government is safeguarding national security or
preventing the spread of disinformation.
The
disruption in access to social media services has left emergency responders
with fewer mediums to coordinate ongoing rescue operations and facilitate aid
delivery.
Turkey
also seemed to be also affected by the outage reported by Twitter users
globally on Wednesday.
Omer
FatihSayan, Turkey's deputy minister of transportation and infrastructure, met
with Twitter officials over video conference on Wednesday, according to the
Anadolu Agency as cited in the Washington Post. "Sayan reminded Twitter
that the social media company is legally responsible for preventing the spread
of disinformation that could lead to panic and chaos," the US daily
reported.
Also,
as per media TikTok in a statement said that some of its users in Turkey were
having problems using the social media site.
Outage
tracker DownDetector revealed that more than 9,000 Twitter issued reports as of
5 am on Thursday, as per CNN.
Reports
started to witness a decline within half an hour as some of the users were able
to tweet again.
Source:
Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
--------
Balkan
Muslims raise funds to help earthquake victims in Türkiye
ErenBeksac,
Furkan Abdula
08.02.2023
PRIZREN/SKOPJE
People
in the Western Balkan countries of Kosovo and North Macedonia have mobilized to
help earthquake victims in Türkiye after the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes,
the epicenter of which were Pazarcik and Elbistan districts of Kahramanmaras
province.
In
the Seydi Bey mosque in the city of Prizren, which lies in the south of Kosovo,
the community raised funds to support their Turkish brethren, in the wake of
the disaster caused by the earthquakes that affected 10 provinces.
Prizren
Provincial Mufti Besim Berisha announced that more than €2,000 ($2,144) had
been collected in a short time, with women also donating their earrings and
rings.
Berisha
said €2,221 euros, 100 Turkish liras, two pairs of gold earrings, a gold ring,
and a gold coin were collected in one go.
The
collected aid is expected to be delivered to the earthquake victims in
coordination with Türkiye's institutions and organizations in Kosovo as soon as
possible.
Flowers
left in front of Turkish consulate
Various
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Kosovo's municipalities such as
Prizren, Pristina, and Mamusha are also organizing charity campaigns.
"The
people of Kosovo are mobilized to help Türkiye, both in terms of clothing and
financial aid. We collected over 50,000 pieces of clothing and were able to
collect a large amount of financial aid,” Onur Kovac, president of the Empathy
Association, the NGO that collected the aid, told Anadolu.
Flowers
were also left in front of the Consulate General of Türkiye in commemoration of
the victims killed in the earthquakes.
In
the morning sessions of the Kosovo assembly, a minute's silence was observed in
memory of those who lost their lives in Türkiye and Syria.
President
of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani also declared a one-day national mourning in the wake of
the deadly quakes.
North
Macedonia
Turkish
students in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, also launched a
humanitarian aid collection campaign for earthquake victims in Türkiye.
Students
set up tents in Macedonia Square as people brought basic necessities such as
canned food, blankets, clothes, diapers, and soft drinks.
Besides
fundraising campaigns by non-profits, aid was also collected in the Old Turkish
Bazaar in the capital.
In
the historical Mustafa Pasha Mosque in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia,
the Quran was recited and prayers were held for those affected by the disaster.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Muslim-American
group urges public, Biden to increase support for those aiding quake victims
Rabia
İclalTuran
09.02.2023
WASHINGTON
The
US's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization urged the American
public and the Biden administration Wednesday to increase support for those
aiding the victims of Monday’s powerful earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.
"We
urge all American Muslims and the broader public to increase their support for
the heroes working to assist those affected by the earthquake through
donations, volunteering, or any other means they can," NihadAwad executive
director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said in a
statement.
CAIR
also encouraged imams, or Muslim religious leaders, across the country to
"devote their Friday sermons to urging the community to stand with quake
victims in Türkiye and Syria."
Earlier
on Wednesday, representatives of CAIR met with Turkish ambassador to the US
Hasan Murat Mercan and expressed their condolences for the victims of the
deadly earthquakes that hit southern provinces of the country.
At
least 9,057 people were killed and 52,979 injured after 7.7 and 7.6-magnitude
earthquakes shook Pazarcık and Elbistan districts Monday in Kahramanmaras
province.
Nine
other provinces have been affected by the deadly quakes including Malatya,
Adiyaman, Hatay and Osmaniye.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Candlelight
vigil in US honors earthquake victims in Türkiye, Syria
Rabia
IclalTuran
09.02.2023
WASHINGTON
A
candlelight vigil was held in Washington, D.C., to honor the victims of the
deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.
Nearly
50 people gathered at Dupont Circle to show solidarity with the people who are
affected by the earthquakes and the search and rescue workers saving lives.
The
vigil was organized by Syrian-Americans living in Washington, D.C., and was
also attended by Turkish-Americans, US citizens and many other people.
A
minute of silence was observed to honor the victims of the tragedy as well as
for those who are searching for loved ones.
Those
attending the vigil urged people to support the victims of the earthquake by
sending help or donating through online campaigns.
Hazem
Rihawi of the American Relief Coalition for Syria told Anadolu that the event
would help the community in Washington, D.C., to understand the impact of the
earthquake on both countries.
"It's
showing more solidarity, hoping that the community contribute and help and
assist in any way possible," he said.
"I
hope the message will reach them to understand the impact of this," he
added. "It's a crisis beyond comprehension, and it must be shown to the
world and especially in such a capital like Washington, D.C.," he added.
He
said that the aim also is to encourage the US administration "to put more
resources to support both people regarding this crisis."
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Biden
calls earthquake that struck Türkiye, Syria 'one of the worst’ in that region
ServetGünerigök
09.02.2023
WASHINGTON
US
President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the devastating earthquake that struck
Türkiye and Syria this week was "one of the worst" in the region.
"On
behalf of the American people, our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of
Türkiye and Syria," Biden said during an event in the state of Wisconsin.
"The
death toll is rising. It's one of the worst earthquakes in that region in over
100 years. And we mourn the loss of so many lives, and we offer our deepest
condolences," he added.
The
president also hailed the efforts of rescue teams in pulling out people from
under the rubble.
"The
earthquake was incredibly powerful, significant aftershocks, and a second
quake. But you see dads and moms pulling little babies out from underneath the
rubble. So many people dying. And our thoughts are also with the survivors
who've been torn apart by this tragedy," he said.
Biden
also recalled that he called President Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately after
the quakes and that the US offered its full support to Türkiye.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Washington
supports War in Yemen despite promise to end it
08
February 2023
One
of Joe Biden's promises during his presidential campaign was to immediately
move to end all support for the Saudi led coalition's war in Yemen.
In
February 2021 Biden stood at a podium at the State Department and proclaimed
that the war in Yemen must end.
Biden
underlined the humanitarian crisis as the key reason the United States withdrew
support.
This
war has to end and to underscore our commitment; we're ending all American
support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arm
sales.
US
President, Joe Biden
An
investigation by the Government Accountability Office found that the United
States is training the Saudi led coalition with US troops on the ground in
Yemen. Biden confirmed that the United States has troops in Yemen in a letter
to Congress in June last year. Simply put, he lied to the world when, in 2021,
he claimed that the United States was withdrawing US troops from the war in
Yemen.
On
the contrary, the United States is making billions of dollars from the war in
Yemen, while close to 200,000 have been killed from direct violence.
According
to data acquired from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, between 2015 and
2021, the United States sent $54.2 billion in weapons and services to Saudi
Arabia and the UAE.
In
addition, the Department of Defense provided $644 million for military training
to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, almost entirely through the foreign military sales
program.
The
DOD uses acquisition and cross servicing agreements to build nations for
logistical support and items ranging from flying hours, fuel and bombs.
Saudi
Arabia has paid the United States $157 million in flying hours, with the UAE
having paid $104 million for flying hours since the Saudi led intervention
began in Yemen in 2015.
The
United States billed Saudi Arabia and the UAE for $319 million in acquisition
and cross servicing agreements for logistical support. Also, the United States
sent $18.6 billion in missiles, $6.2 billion in aircraft, $3.3 billion in
ships, and, $2.8 billion in military training, to attack one of the poorest
nations in the world.
The
United States is well aware that the coalition is not fighting an advanced
military in Yemen. Billions of dollars have been spent destroying the country,
killing hundreds of thousands of people.
The
UN Security Council approved a resolution to blockade Yemen, which has been in
effect since 2015, the object being to prevent arms from flooding the conflict
zone, however, the embargo has only succeeded in starving the Yemenis and
inducing famine.
During
a February 9 phone call in 2022 with the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz
al Saud, President Joe Biden assured King Salman that the United States would
continue to support the war in Yemen.
The
phone call came just one year after Biden lied to the world and announced that
the US was withdrawing its support for the war in Yemen.
The
Defense Security Cooperation agency's defense Institute of International Legal
Studies, conducted training at the Saudi War College which focused on the law
of armed conflict, including laws related to air to ground targeting in May
2017, April 2018, June 2019 and May 2020.
The
DOD claims they are not responsible for civilian deaths because they provided
the Saudis with training to avoid civilian casualties.
According
to the Yemen data project over 23,000 Saudi led coalition airstrikes have been
logged since March 2015 which have led to thousands of civilian casualties.
A
Yemeni human rights organization has warned that the Saudi led war in Yemen, as
well as the crippling siege in the impoverished Arab country, could result in
the death of thousands of children suffering from cancer.
The
Entesaf Organization for Women's and Children's Rights, in a statement on the
occasion of World Cancer Day, declared that more than 3000 Yemeni children, who
have developed cancer as a result of Saudi aggression and the tight sea, land,
and, air, blockade imposed upon the country, are now at significant risk of
death.
Entesaf
criticized international organizations and other relevant bodies for neglecting
Yemeni cancer patients over the past years revealing that the incidence of
Leukemia is increasing among Yemeni children.
The
number of children suffering from blood cancer has soared from 300 to 700 in
the capital Sanaa due to the use of internationally banned weapons, supplied by
the United States and the United Kingdom, used by Saudi led coalition in Yemen.
Approximately
one thousand children are also believed to have contracted leukemia in other
Yemeni regions for the same reasons. The rights organization pointed to the
dire shortage of medicine needed for the treatment of patients. diagnosed with
cancer because of the Saudi led military onslaught and siege, stating that many
children lose their lives as a result.
The
Human Rights Organization noted that the economic hardship caused by the
ongoing military aggression and the blockade have prevented child cancer
patients from seeking treatment abroad and called for the opening of Sanaa
International Airport for humanitarian purposes.
It
holds Saudi Arabia and its allies fully responsible for all the crimes and
violations being perpetrated against the Yemeni nation, especially children,
urging the international community to bear the legal and humanitarian
responsibility for the violations against innocent civilians.
Saudi
Arabia in collaboration with its Arab allies, and with arms and logistics
support from the US and other Western States, launched a devastating war in
Yemen in March 2015.
The
objective was to crush the popular Ansarullah Resistance Movement, which has
been running the state in the absence of a functional government in Yemen, and
to reinstall the Riyadh friendly regime of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi.
Source:
Press TV
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Africa
Intl.
rights organizations call on Morocco not to extradite Shia Muslim man to Saudi
Arabia
08
February 2023
Several
international human rights organizations have called upon Morocco to
cancel plans to hand over a man from
Saudi Arabia’s Shia-populated Qatif region to the kingdom, amid a heavy-handed
crackdown against members of the religious community and opponents of Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The
right groups, including ALQST for Human Rights and the European Saudi
Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR), in a letter addressed to Moroccan Prime
Minister Aziz Akhannouch urged authorities in the North African country to
abandon extradition of Hassan al-Rabea, 26, as he will likely be subjected to
“enforced disappearance, torture, and arbitrary sentences that may lead to his
death” in Saudi Arabia.
According
to the letter, a Moroccan court ruled last week that Rabea could be extradited,
despite concerns about ill-treatment in his home country.
He
was detained on January 14 at Marrakesh Airport on an arrest warrant issued at
the request of Saudi authorities, who are seeking to try him for leaving the
kingdom “irregularly” with the help of “terrorists.”
His
brother, Ahmed al-Rabea – who is based in Canada – has deplored the court
ruling as a “disappointing decision.”
“This
shows that Moroccan law is just a cheap commodity for Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Rights
groups have said Hassan is just the latest member of his family to be punished
for anti-regime protests in Qatif that his relatives participated in years ago.
His eldest brother, Ali, is in prison facing the death sentence for trumped-up
terrorism charges.
ESOHR
has called Moroccan authorities “partners in the crime” and labeled the
extradition a “flagrant violation of international law.”
The
Switzerland-based MENA Rights Group also said it has submitted an urgent request
to the United Nations Committee against Torture to stop Rabea's extradition.
Saudi
Arabia has stepped up politically-motivated arrests, prosecution, and
conviction of peaceful dissident writers and human rights campaigners, in
particular in Eastern Province.
The
province has been the scene of peaceful demonstrations since February 2011.
Protesters have been demanding reforms, freedom of expression, the release of
political prisoners, and an end to economic and religious discrimination
against the region.
The
protests have been met with a heavy-handed crackdown, with regime forces
increasing security measures across the province.
Ever
since bin Salman became Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and de facto leader in
2017, the kingdom has arrested dozens of activists, bloggers, intellectuals,
and others perceived as political opponents, showing almost zero tolerance for
dissent even in the face of international condemnations of the crackdown.
As
a result, Islamic scholars have been executed, women’s rights campaigners have
been put behind bars and tortured, and freedom of expression, association, and
belief continue to be denied.
Over
the past years, Riyadh has also redefined its anti-terrorism laws to target
activism.
Source:
Press TV
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Death
toll spikes to almost 70 as Somaliland fighting enters 3rd day
Mohammed
Dhaysane
08.02.2023
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
Nearly
70 people have been killed and dozens wounded as clashes between Somaliland
forces and local clans continued for a third consecutive day on Wednesday.
At
least 69 people, including children, have been killed over the past three days
in Lasanod, a hospital medic told Anadolu over the phone.
“The
first day of fighting was deadly as at least 40 people were killed. Yesterday
there were at least 24 more deaths, including soldiers on both sides,” he said,
requesting anonymity.
Fartun
Ismail Ahmed, a Lasanod resident, told Anadolu that there has been heavy mortar
shelling in the city, with residential areas, hospitals, and places of worship
also damaged.
Fighting
started in Lasanod, the administrative capital of Sool in Somalia’s breakaway
region, after a group of local leaders, civil society groups, and religious
leaders announced on Monday that they will no longer recognize the Somaliland
government.
In
a statement, they said the territory will now be ruled from Mogadishu,
Somalia’s capital.
The
Somaliland administration has labelled the local forces “terrorists” and blamed
them for the violence.
Somalia’s
government, facing immense public pressure to intervene, on Tuesday called for
“immediate cessation of hostilities.”
Volker
Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, issued a statement the same
day, urging authorities to conduct a “credible and impartial investigation” to
determine who is responsible for the violence and hold them to account in fair
trials, including for reported damage to homes.
Early
last month, at least 20 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 30 more
wounded in clashes between protesters and security forces in Somaliland.
The
casualties occurred during more than a week of unrest in Lasanod.
The
town is disputed between Somaliland and the semiautonomous state of Puntland,
with the neighbors having fought several times over the territory.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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South
African rescue, medical teams arrive in Türkiye to help earthquake victims
Hassan
Isilow
08.02.2023
JOHANNESBURG
South
African search and rescue experts, as well as medical teams arrived in Türkiye
on Wednesday to help victims of Monday’s deadly quakes in which over 9,000
people have so far died, a humanitarian organization said.
“Gift
of the Givers teams landed this morning in Turkiye ... the Turkish government
and their agency AFAD, Turkish Airlines, police and people at the airport
received us with open arms,’’ Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, head of the South
Africa-based humanitarian organization, told Anadolu via telephone.
Sooliman
said Turkish officials set up a dedicated flight for them and their equipment
to fly to Adana, where they will land and later travel to the earthquake zone.
The
South African team includes 27 search and rescue team members, and 20 medical
personnel to treat trauma.
“Tonight,
we are busy running against time to send six other search and rescue personnel
to Turkiye,’’ Sooliman said.
He
added that the South African Police Service has also agreed to send five
sniffer dogs and their handlers to Turkiye. “Dogs make a huge impact in search
and rescue, and help in finding where people are buried,’’ he said.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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UN
appeal $2.6B to assist 7.6M people in drought-hit Somalia
Mohammed
Dhaysane
08.02.2023
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
The
United Nations humanitarian partners in Somalia and its government on Wednesday
sought $2.6 billion to assist millions of people in the drought-hit Horn of
Africa country.
The
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimated that
8.25 million people -- nearly half of Somalia’s population need “immediate”
lifesaving humanitarian and protection assistance.
With
five consecutive poor rainy seasons -- the longest and most severe drought in
Somalia's recent history has devastated the country.
“Famine
is a strong possibility from April to June and beyond if humanitarian
assistance is not sustained and if the next rains underperform, as current
forecasts indicate,” the UN said.
The
drought has displaced more than 1.4 million people.
The
UN said the prolonged drought in Somalia also killed at least 3.5 million
livestock, destroying livelihoods and reducing children's access to milk.
“Even
though technical famine thresholds have not been reached, the situation is
extremely alarming: prolonged and extreme conditions have resulted in
higher-than-normal deaths and excess mortality will continue to accumulate
unless assistance is further scaled up and sustained in crucial sectors,” the
UN said in a statement on Wednesday.
Amid
an anticipated reduction in funding for humanitarian assistance in Somalia, the
UN said 8.3 million people will likely experience high levels of acute food
insecurity between April and June.
The
figures include more than 727,000 who are likely to face “catastrophic
conditions.”
About
8 million people lack access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services,
the UN said.
The
statement added that the conflict and insecurity in the country continues to
hinder humanitarian access.
“The
people of Somalia are paying the price for climate emergency they did very
little to create," said Salah Jama, Somalia's deputy prime minister.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/un-appeal-26b-to-assist-76m-people-in-drought-hit-somalia/2811541
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