PM Modi Breaks Silence On 'Anti-Muslim' Allegations; "Not Against Islam" Or "Against Muslims"

New Age Islam News Bureau

07 May 2024

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

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·         PM Modi Breaks Silence On 'Anti-Muslim' Allegations; "Not Against Islam" Or "Against Muslims"

·         France on Edge as Muslim Brotherhood Makes Stealthy ‘Entry’ Into National Politics

·         Iran's Cyber Police Step Up Online Crackdown On Un-Islamic Activities

·         A British Special Forces Officer Has Revealed War Crimes In Afghanistan

·         South Florida Jewish And Muslim Leaders Discuss Pro-Palestinian Protests Rocking U.S. Colleges

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India

·         Ayodhya Is An Example Of Hindu-Muslim Brotherhood Across India: Iqbal Ansari One Of The Pivotal Litigants In The Ram Mandir

·         India Votes In Third Phase Of National Elections As PM Modi Escalates His Rhetoric Against Muslims

·         All Parties Want Muslim Votes But Can't Find Candidates From Community, Says Owaisi

·         Recovered 5,000 acres from ‘Land Jihad’, says Uttarakhand CM

·         Will not allow even 0.5% quota for Muslims: Nadda

·         BJP will end Muslim reservations after forming govt in Andhra, Karnataka: Amit Shah

·         PM Modi misleading public with inflammatory claims about Muslims: Jharkhand civil society group

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Europe

·         Islamic State Redux: Exploring ISIS-K, Their Conflict With Russia, And The Prospect Of New Terrorist Attacks

·         Russia to hold nuclear drills to ‘cool hot heads’ in West – Foreign Ministry

·         Labour Leader Calls For Reclaiming Muslim Voters’ Trust

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Mideast

·         Muscat: Sharia Index Forum Reviews Prospects Of Investment Compatible With Islam

·         Israeli Islamist Leader Sheikh Raed Salah: The World Must Prepare For The 'Day After America', Islam Will Conquer Europe Through Da'wa

·         Israel: Authorities raid Al Jazeera after shutdown order passed

·         Islamic Summit Conference commends Qatar's efforts to achieve development, establish global peace

·         Islamic Resistance in Iraq Strikes Israeli Bases with Drones

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South Asia

·         Islamic Emirate to Attend Russia-Islamic World Forum in Kazan

·         UK Forces Member Alleges War Crimes in Afghanistan, Calls for Police

·         Tehran to Fence 'Vulnerable Areas' on the Afghanistan Border

·         Local Badakhshan Officials Visited Argo to Hear Demands

·         Over 10 contracts signed between Afghan and Turkmen companies

·         PM urges IOM to raise more funds for Rohingyas

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North America

·         'Squad' Member Caught At Fundraiser Hosted By Islamic Leader Who Praised Hamas Attack On Israel

·         ASU Police Are Accused Of Removing HijabsOf Four Muslim Women; Experts Say That Plays Into Muslim Women Misconceptions

·         Political editor hits out at Musk over Muslim mayors fact-checking fail

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Pakistan

·         Pakistan Committed To Promote Regional Peace, Stability: Kh Asif

·         'Terrorist Bid Foiled' As Two 'RAW Agents' Arrested In Karachi

·         Embattled PTI Eyes Return To Power After 'Securing Relief From Top Court'

·         Govt committed to provide robust mechanism to Saudi investors: PM

·         PM vows to work closely with Italy to cement bilateral ties

·         Pakistan calls for addressing escalating threats in outer space

·         World Bank offers support to Pakistan in achieving development goals

·         OIC Contact Group on Jammu & Kashmir calls for early resolution of J&K dispute

·         PTI leader discusses ‘rule of law’ with US ambassador

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Southeast Asia

·         Malaysian Muslim Group Says Brands Boycott Over Gaza Counterproductive, Suggests Buying Out Firms Instead

·         Education Minister Says Already Working To Address Spike In Statutory Rapes

·         Milei To Business Community: Argentina Can Be ‘New Mecca Of The West’

·         Avoid being deceived by offers of departure using non-Hajj visa: Govt

·         MITI encourages local companies to form investment partnerships with Saudi Arabia

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Arab World

·         Inaugural Red Sea Fashion Week To Highlight Saudi Talent To A Global Audience, Official Says

·         Saudi Arabia warns Israel against targeting Gaza’s Rafah

·         Recognizing Excellence in Islamic Finance and Development Initiatives

·         Saudi ministries sign deal to achieve goals in fields of culture, human resources

·         Saudi justice minister opens International Conference on Judicial Training

·         Saudi Heritage Commission event celebrates ancient Rakah

·         Saudi officials hold talks with UK’s Africa, development minister

·         First National Greening Forum held in Riyadh

·         Education minister pushes for ‘practical partnerships’ at Saudi-Canadian forum

·         KAUST program inspires young scientific talent

·         King Salman academy to host Arabic education forum in Seoul

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Africa

·         Kenyan Army Kills 6 Al Shabaab Militants In Coastal Region

·         Terrorists Launch Fresh Attacks In Southern Kaduna, Kill Six Persons, Injure Others

·         Nigeria: Detention Of Investigative Journalist Sparks Concern For Press Freedom

·         Unique Mosque In Historic Burkina Faso City Retains Its Authenticity

·         Kenya LGBTQ+ Dating App Blackmail Cases Go To Court

·         Attack on ICRC convoy in Sudan's South Darfur kills two drivers, injures three

·         Uganda urges UK to stop meddling in local affairs after sanctions

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:     https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pm-modi-anti-muslim/d/132277

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PM Modi Breaks Silence On 'Anti-Muslim' Allegations "Not Against Islam" Or "Against Muslims"

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

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May 07, 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he does not oppose Islam or Muslims and wants the community to think about their future growth as they vote in an ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024 that completes its third phase on Tuesday, May 7.

PM Narendra Modi's statement, which he made in an interview with Times Now, comes as the Opposition accused him and the Bharatiya Janata Party of targeting Muslims for electoral gains and the allegations grew after Modi allegedly referred to Muslims in a recent speech as "infiltrators" who have “more children”.

He denied discriminating against Muslims and has linked his recent comment to what he described as the opposition Congress party's election plan to redistribute the wealth of majority Hindus among Muslims. The Congress denies making any such promise.

"We are not opposed to Islam and Muslims," Modi said in the interview aired on Monday.

“This is not our domain. When it is about their abuses, they have been spinning this narrative since Nehru era. They have always been abusing us as anti Muslim. Secondly, they used to abuse us because by putting in very little work, they would yield dividends. So, they would vilify us as anti-Muslim and then would claim they are friends of Muslims. They gained through this. That is why they created this atmosphere of fear. They were reaping benefits by fearmongering. But the Muslim community is aware now. When I abolished triple talaq and ended that practice, Muslim sisters feel that I am genuine about their concerns. When I give Ayushman cards, they say I am a genuine man. When I give Covid vaccines, they say I am a genuine man. They realise I am not discriminating against anyone. The Opposition's problem is this that their lies have been caught. That is why to mislead, they have to keep saying all kinds of lies,” Modi said when asked about being branded as Anti-Muslim.

Modi is seeking a rare third straight term in the seven-phase election that began on April 19 and ends on June 1. Eleven states and union territories are voting in the third phase on Tuesday, and surveys suggest Modi will win comfortably when results are declared on June 4.

"I want to say to the Muslim community: introspect, think. The country's progressing, if you feel any shortcomings in your community, what is the reason behind it? Why didn't you get government benefits in the time when Congress was in power?" Modi said.

"Think of your children and your own future," Modi said, referring to Muslims and the elections. "I don't want any community to live like labourers because someone is scaring them," he added.

In the interview, the prime minister also said the poor in the country include all Hindus, Christians, and Parsis and all should get the benefits of reservations.

"I have never said that Muslims won't get reservations. All I'm saying is that religion cannot be the base of providing reservation. Poor in the country include all Hindus, Christians, and Parsis; all should get the benefits of reservations. Dalits and tribals for long have faced injustice for thousands of years, and there is a special reason that the makers of our constitution have taken the right decision, and we are grateful for that. No political party opposes this," Modi said.

Source: hindustantimes.com

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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-narendra-modi-says-he-does-not-oppose-islam-muslim-community-lok-sabha-election-2024-phase-3-101715056769772.html

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France on Edge as Muslim Brotherhood Makes Stealthy ‘Entry’ Into National Politics

 

President Macron at the Elysee Palace, Paris, February 26, 2024. Gonzalo Fuentes/pool via AP

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Monday, May 6, 2024

The new buzzword to beat  in France is l’entrisme — as in “entryway.” It’s the politically correct euphemism to describe the infiltration of a resolutely secular French political space and broader society by radical elements — namely the Muslim Brotherhood.

With issues like anti-Semitic attacks, school violence, and immigration looming ahead of European parliamentary elections in June, the entry of radical Islamic discourse into the life of the country is seen as increasingly troubling. That is something the National Rally of Marine Le Pen and rising star Jordan Bardella have warned about for a long time.

Now President Macron appears to be recognizing the dangers, albeit belatedly. In his latest defense council meeting on Friday, Monsieur Macron requested a report on the state of the threat that is currently posed by the Muslim Brotherhood and its acolytes in France. His interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, stated afterward that mounting an effective offensive against “Islamism” would require “a shock” in the country.

The first such shock came in the form of a recent clampdown by the courts on any public speech that tries to condone Hamas’s October 7 attack against Israel or to frame Hamas as a resistance movement. Doing so is now tantamount, legally, to condoning terrorism. Offenders can face up to seven years’ imprisonment.

The Wall Street Journal reported that French prosecutors are now investigating politicians on the far left, union officials, and hundreds of other people “for allegedly condoning terrorism and inciting antisemitism since October.”

Even though turmoil in the Middle East has exacerbated violence against French citizens — particularly against Jewish ones — Western Europe’s biggest country has struggled with Islamic extremism for years. The  Islamist attacks at Paris of November 2015 and the deadly attack on the offices of a satirical magazine before that left lasting scars.

It is notable that Mr. Macron brought in the tough-talking Monsieur Darmanin, along with a former ambassador to Algeria, François Gouyette, to draft an initial report on the Muslim Brotherhood threat in France. That report may not come before September, but placing the issue on the top of a crowded domestic agenda may aim to galvanize awareness among local elected officials.

They are sometimes slow to react to potentially criminal incidents in which radical Islam may play  a supporting role. The problem is not just with Paris. A French intelligence “note” that was reported in various French newspapers in recent days points to the region of Isère and its capital, Grenoble, as a “laboratory of Islamist offensives” that is now being confronted with a “strong Brotherhood activism.”

According to the intelligence note, a trio of locals born respectively in Algeria, Tunisia, and France have been trying for years to infiltrate local Muslim authorities. Having made a headquarters of sorts from the “great mosque of Echirolles,” described as “the main nerve center of Isère Brotherhood,” they seek in various ways to impose their dogmatic reading of Islam across the wider region.

So it appears that the radical Islamic “entryway” is occurring both on and far away from the Champs-Élysées. It could be that Mr. Macron, by taking a tougher line against the radicals, wishes to steal some thunder from the National Rally, which is surging ahead of Mr. Macron’s flailing Renaissance party in virtually every poll.

With five weeks to go before the vote for the European parliament on June 9, Mr. Bardella’s conservative party list is well ahead of Mr. Macron’s center-left coalition of European candidates: 32 percent versus 17 percent, according to the latest Ipsos/Le Monde poll. As if to underscore that gap, Mr. Macron’s lead coalition candidate,  Valérie Hayer, performed poorly in a televised debate last week with Mr. Bardella.

An even bigger debate is coming in the days ahead when Mr. Bardella, who is Ms. Le Pen’s telegenic protégé, will face off with France’s meek prime minister, Gabriel Attal, whose role in the European parliamentary elections next month may not be insignificant. This will be yet another kind of  “entrism” — something akin to a lean shark entering a fish tank occupied by a tasty halibut.

Few if any French voters are happy about radical Islam entering into the public life of their nation, forged as it was in secular traditions. Look for Mr. Bardella to sink his teeth, on national television, into Mr. Attal over attempts to stamp out a toxic Islamism that he will aim to portray as too little action, too late.

Mr. Grant, a California native who has written for many major newspapers including France-Soir and the New York Times and worked in television at Paris (France24) and Tel Aviv (i24news), is now based in Athens as a staff reporter and editor of The New York Sun.

Source: nysun.com

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https://www.nysun.com/article/france-on-edge-as-muslim-brotherhood-makes-stealthy-entry-into-national-politics

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Iran's Cyber Police Step Up Online Crackdown On Un-Islamic Activities

 

Instagram app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021.

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07-05-24

The head of the Iranian cyber police unit has introduced new measures to crack down on online activities that reportedly contravene Islamic, social, and cultural norms.

The latest measure will monitor the behavior of Iranian people in the digital realm, singling out anything that may be viewed as "moral and cultural offenses" by the regime.

This move is largely seen as a continuation of the authorities' renewed crackdown on women's hijabs, dubbed "Plan Noor." The so-called morality police have resumed their aggressive practices on the streets since April 13, targeting women refusing to cover their hair.

Vahid Majid, the Cyber Police Chief, detailed that the crackdown would target individuals involved in streaming “obscene” live content, producing “vulgar” materials, and engaging in online modeling.

According to Majid, an operation has already resulted in the identification and subsequent legal action against the operators, managers, and members associated with 10 pages and websites.

Built by the Islamic Republic, Iran’s internet has one of the world’s most comprehensive Internet censorship systems. While access to many popular websites and online services, including YouTube and Facebook is blocked, Iranians often find ways to circumvent restrictions. The regime routinely uses its digital network amid national protests to orchestrate Internet shutdowns and has also increased other forms of censorship.

The latest censorship of the digital realm coincides with recent actions by the cyber police to block access to several popular social media pages in Iran, as well as moves by the judiciary to summon and charge individuals over online comments.

Majid claimed that 91% of content he describes as "morally offensive" originates from Instagram, which, like other major platforms including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Telegram, and WhatsApp, is officially blocked in Iran.

Despite the restrictions imposed by authorities, a survey by the Iranian Students Polling Agency (ISPA) published in February revealed that a significant portion of the Iranian population continues to access these platforms.

Approximately 46.5% of Iranians are reported to use Instagram, 35.3% use WhatsApp, and 34.6% use Telegram, reflecting a robust engagement with social media despite governmental filters.

Source: iranintl.com

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https://www.iranintl.com/en/202405067146

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A British Special Forces Officer Has Revealed War Crimes In Afghanistan

 

Photo:  Khaama Press

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May 6, 2024

The British newspaper “Sunday Times” reported that a British special forces officer recently alerted the police in the country about war crimes committed by the British SAS special forces in Afghanistan.

According to the recently published report by “Sunday Times,” this British officer has provided evidence of the killing of Afghan civilians by the British air forces.

The source, who provided information to the British police on condition of anonymity, was the operational commander of the British SAS special forces between 200 and 2013.

The report states, “In these cases, there are confessions from serving soldiers, emails to the Prime Minister’s Office warning of the crisis, and daily notes from police inspectors.”

The British special forces in Afghanistan are accused of killing civilians and leaving their bodies with weapons between 2010 and 2013.

Based on this report, the British government has initiated investigations under the title “Independent Research on Afghanistan” to examine these allegations.

On the other hand, investigations by a British legal organization called “Leigh Day” indicate that British special forces (SAS) in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2014 likely killed at least 80 Afghan civilians.

A letter from “Piers Doggart,” a public inquiry lawyer on these killings, seen by The Guardian, indicates that the killings of this number of civilians were carried out with “cold-bloodedness.”

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/a-british-special-forces-officer-has-revealed-war-crimes-in-afghanistan/

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South Florida Jewish And Muslim Leaders Discuss Pro-Palestinian Protests Rocking U.S. Colleges

 

Photo: Yahoo News

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May 6, 2024

MIAMI — It has been a chaotic week on college and university campuses from coast to coast. Pro-Palestinian protests reached a boiling point, prompting police intervention and leading to dozens of arrests.

CBS News Miami's Lauren Pastrana does a deep dive with perspective from leaders of local Jewish and Muslim groups for their take and perspective on the protests, the fallout and the fear and threats they are creating.

Source: cbsnews.com

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

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-florida-jewish-and-muslim-leaders-discuss-pro-palestinian-protests-rocking-u-s-colleges/

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India

Ayodhya Is An Example Of Hindu-Muslim Brotherhood Across India: Iqbal Ansari One Of The Pivotal Litigants In The Ram Mandir

May 6, 2024

Yesterday marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inaugural visit to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya since the sacred Pran Pratishtha ceremony held earlier this year in January. Following this historic occasion, PM Modi embarked on a spirited road show. However, amidst the fervor of the moment, an intriguing sight unfolded as the cameras captured Iqbal Ansari, a figure synonymous with the Babri Masjid litigation, standing outside his residence in Ayodhya. Holding a poster emblazoned with the words “Mai Hu Modi Ka Pariwar” (I am Modi’s Family), Ansari’s presence, juxtaposed with his legal history, added a unique dimension to the day’s events. Above the poster, a simple yet profound plate bore the inscription “Iqbal Ansari – Babri Masjid litigant,” encapsulating the complexity and convergence of narratives in Ayodhya.

Iqbal Ansari stands as one of the pivotal litigants in the Ram Mandir – Babri Masjid Dispute. He is the son of Hasim Ansari, the primary plaintiff in the title suit initiated back in 1961. Born in 1921 in Ayodhya, Ansari was the first to lodge the suit in the Fizabad court. His history is marked with resilience, having endured a two-year imprisonment in 1952 for reciting the Azan in the Babri Masjid. Affectionately known as Hasim Chacha in Ayodhya, he shared a close bond with the Akhara Parishad president, Mahant Gyandas, often commuting together to court on a rickshaw. Their efforts to reconcile the dispute post the 2010 Allahabad High Court Verdict illustrate their shared commitment to resolution.

Over five decades, Ansari steadfastly rejected out-of-court settlements, demonstrating unwavering faith in the country’s legal system. Following Hasim Ansari’s passing in 2016, his son Iqbal Ansari assumed responsibility for the case. Residing in Mohalla of Kothiya Panji Tola in Ayodhya, Iqbal Ansari is renowned for resolving community issues, earning him the endearing title of Netaji among locals. Despite being the secondary litigant after his father, he was among the first voices to welcome the Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict.

Today, Iqbal Ansari’s nameplate still bears the inscription “Babri Masjid litigant,” underscoring the enduring significance of the Ayodhya dispute to his identity. Even after the Supreme Court’s verdict and the inauguration of the Ram Mandir, Ansari has openly declared his affiliation with Modi’s Pariwar. This gesture, transcending mere symbolism, merits historical acknowledgment and scrutiny.

In a contemporary India where fearmongers warned of heightened Hindu nationalism and alleged Muslim persecution under Modi’s BJP, Ansari’s gesture carries profound implications. The resolution of the land dispute, the construction of the Mandir, and the allocation of a site for the Masjid have ushered in a new era for Ayodhya. The town experiences unprecedented economic growth, while communal harmony persists unabated.

In an exclusive NewsX interview with the man himself Iqbal Ansari shares his views on the same:

“Iqbal Ansari’s Special Welcome To PM Modi With ‘ Modi Ka Pariwar’ (pamphlet)”

Look, our question is about Ayodhya, the revered land of Ayodhya, which is sacred for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians—Ayodhya belongs to everyone. Whoever comes to Ayodhya, comes with faith. PM Narendra Modi started his election campaign from Ayodhya, sought the blessings of Lord Rama, and then carried out a roadshow. We are also citizens of this country, and as many people as there are in this country, I consider them all my family. When the Prime Minister came to Ayodhya and held a roadshow, all the people of Ayodhya were present. We also tried to join in, to show that we too are a part of PM Modi’s family.

“With Time The City Witnessed Development”

Ayodhya, a city steeped in faith, where the roots of everyone’s beliefs run deep. But once upon a time, development seemed like a distant dream. However, fast forward to today Ayodhya has undergone a remarkable transformation. An airport now graces its skyline, connecting it to the world beyond. A bustling railway station stands as a symbol of progress, and well-paved roads weave through its vibrant streets. Ayodhya has truly blossomed into a sight to behold, captivating the hearts of all who visit.

“The Bhaichara Between Hindu – Muslim Before And After Ram Mandir”

Look, on November 9th, when the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on the temple and mosque, Muslims across the country showed respect. The spirit of brotherhood has always existed, and it has never faded away. Today, as the temple stands ready, adorned with celebration and the worship of Ram Lalla, people from all over the country and abroad have come, and not a leaf has stirred, no complaints have been uttered. So, when all Muslims have come together, we are also united.

The Building Of Mosque In Ayodhya

The Supreme Court has allocated 5 acres of land, granting it to the Sunni Central Waqf Board, with zafar farooqui as its chairman. Now, when will they develop it remains a question. So far, no Muslim in the country has raised any complaints because where the land for the mosque was given, there already exists a mosque. Muslims do not discuss matters that used to create tensions between Hindus and Muslims anymore. If the need arises, the local people will take action.

The Moral From The Mandir – Masjid Dispute

The foundation of our nation should be built upon harmony between Hindus and Muslims, reflecting the syncretic culture of the Ganga-Jamuna tradition. It should embody the principle of inclusive development for all, governed by a uniform law that applies to everyone. The level of brotherhood in our country should be so profound that it becomes a model for the entire world. There should be no room for hatred between Hindus and Muslims. In Ayodhya, people of every faith and caste reside, where all deities are revered, yet there is no conflict between Hindu and Muslim gods and goddesses.

How Evident Is Sabka Sath Sabka Vikaas

Some things are evident that whatever laws are made, they are made for everyone. It’s happening, there is no discrimination anywhere, if someone is getting ration, everyone is getting it.

For Iqbal Ansari, his declaration aligning with Modi’s Pariwar signifies more than political aspirations or social media influence. It reflects a deeper sentiment rooted in the evolution of his personal journey and the broader narrative of reconciliation in Ayodhya.

Source: newsx.com

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https://www.newsx.com/national/ayodhya-is-an-example-of-hindu-muslim-bhaichara-across-india-iqbal-ansari-exclusive-on-newsx/

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India votes in third phase of national elections as PM Modi escalates his rhetoric against Muslims

May 7, 2024

NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of Indian voters across 93 constituencies were casting ballots on Tuesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mounted an increasingly shrill election campaign, ramping up polarizing rhetoric in incendiary speeches that have targeted the Muslim minority.

In recent campaign rallies, Modi has called Muslims “infiltrators” and said they “have too many children,” referring to a Hindu nationalist trope that Muslims produce more children with the aim of outnumbering Hindus in India. He has also accused the rival Indian National Congress party of scheming to “loot” wealth from the country’s Hindus and redistribute it among Muslims, who comprise 14% of India’s more than 1.4 billion people.

Tuesday’s polling in the third round of multi-phase national elections has crucial seats up for grabs in states including Karnataka, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. Most polls predict a win for Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party, which is up against a broad opposition alliance led by the Congress and powerful regional parties. The staggered election will run until June 1 and votes will be counted on June 4.

Modi, who voted in western Ahmedabad city on Tuesday, had kicked off his campaign with a focus on economic progress, promising he would make India a developed nation by 2047. But in recent weeks, he and the ruling BJP have doubled down heavily on their Hindu nationalism platform, with Modi employing some of his most divisive rhetoric in his decade in power.

Analysts say the change in tone comes as the BJP aims to clinch a supermajority or two-thirds of the 543 seats up for grabs in India’s lower Parliament by consolidating votes among the majority Hindu population, who make up 80%. They say Modi’s party is also ratcheting up polarizing speeches to distract voters from larger issues, like unemployment and economic distress, that the opposition has focused on.

While India’s economy is among the world’s fastest growing, many people face growing economic stress. The opposition alliance hopes to tap into this discontent, seeking to galvanize voters on issues like high unemployment, inflation, corruption and low agricultural prices, which have driven two years of farmers’ protests.

“The mask has dropped, and I think it is political compulsions that have made them do this,” said Ali Khan Mahmudabad, a political science professor at New Delhi’s Ashoka University.

Changes in the BJP’s campaign may also be a sign of anxiety around low voter turnout it had not anticipated, Mahmudabad said. Voter turnout in the first two phases have been slightly lower than the same rounds in the last election in 2019, according to official data.

“In recent elections, the BJP’s wins have been associated with getting the voters out (to vote),” Mahmudabad said. “There may be some fatigue, anti-incumbency or even disenchantment,” which has led the BJP to escalate their rhetoric.

Modi, in numerous speeches in recent weeks, has said women's wealth could be at risk if Congress comes to power, claiming the party would snatch away their “mangalsutra” — a sacred gold chain that indicates a Hindu woman's marital status — and give it to its voters, a veiled reference to Muslims. The opposition won’t stop there, he has repeatedly claimed, saying the party was conspiring to take away “your property” and “distribute it among selected people.”

Others in Modi's party have echoed his remarks. A recent video posted by the BJP on Instagram was more direct. The animated campaign video, which has since been taken down from the social media platform, said if the Congress party comes to power, it will take money and wealth from non-Muslims and redistribute it to Muslims.

The Congress party and other political opponents have characterized Modi’s remarks as “hate speech” that could fan religious tensions. They have also filed complaints with India’s election commission, which is overseeing the polls, for breaching rules that ban candidates from appealing to “caste or communal feelings” to secure votes.

The commission can issue warnings and suspend candidates for a period of time over violations of the code of conduct, but it has issued no warnings to Modi so far.

Modi's critics say India’s tradition of diversity and secularism has come under attack since the prime minister and his party rose to power a decade ago. While there have long been tensions between India’s majority Hindu community and Muslims, rights groups say that attacks against minorities have become more brazen under Modi.

The party denies the accusation and says its policies benefit all Indians.

Mahmudabad, the political scientist, said Modi’s party had counted on getting votes from the fervor over a Hindu temple that was built atop a razed mosque that Modi opened in January. Many saw the glitzy spectacle as the unofficial start of his election campaign.

“Instead, people are talking about inflation, unemployment and economic distress,” Mahmudabad said. “And so in order to galvanize and consolidate their vote, the BJP has raised the specter of Muslims.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/india-votes-third-phase-national-045037321.html

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All Parties Want Muslim Votes But Can't Find Candidates From Community, Says Owaisi

07 May 2024

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: All parties in Maharashtra want Muslim votes in the Lok Sabha polls but have not fielded candidates from the community, All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi said here on Monday.

Addressing a rally in Amkhas Maidan, Owaisi also said parties have come together to ensure the defeat of his Aurangabad MP Imtiaz Jaleel.

"Political parties are seeking votes of Muslims but could not find candidates from the community for any of the 48 seats in Maharashtra. They are not bothered about results elsewhere but two Shiv Sena, two NCPs and half Congress are here to defeat Ja...

Criticizing Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Chandrakant Khaire, the AIMIM chief said the former used to call himself a Hindutva leader but arrived at the Idgah here after realising the importance of (Muslim) voters.

"Those whose politics was earlier based on 'khan ya baan' (Muslims and Hindus) are now talking about namaz'," he asserted.

Dubbing Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray as 'newly secular', Owaisi said the former chief minister must clear his stand about Babri Masjid demolition and say whether it was a sin or not.

Source: deccanherald.com

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https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/india/lok-sabha-elections-2024-all-parties-want-muslim-votes-but-cant-find-candidates-from-community-says-owaisi-3010782

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Recovered 5,000 acres from ‘Land Jihad’, says Uttarakhand CM

May 07, 2024

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, on Monday, claimed that his government had taken stringent action against what he termed ‘Land Jihad’ by recovering 5,000 acres which was illegally encroached on and pointed out that his State was the first in the country to adopt the Uniform Civil Code to promote equality before law.

Addressing an election campaign meeting at Musheerabad in support of Telangana BJP president and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, he said while B.R. Ambedkar ensured reservations for the marginalised sections, the Congress and its allies have brought religion-based quota due to “appeasement” politics.

The BRS’ ‘car’ has gone to the repair shop while the Congress party’s ‘hand’ influence is over with only the BJP’s ‘lotus’ blooming, he said and accused the Congress government of not implementing the guarantees promised before the Assembly polls and also not taking up proper investigation into the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme and other scams of the BRS government.

“What more guarantee do you need when Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has said reservations will not removed as long as he alive,” he said about the Congress’ charge against the BJP removing quotas if it returns to power.

Mr. Dhami praised Mr. Kishan Reddy’s candidature and asserted that no one can match him in his contributions towards public life and service to the party, so he was sure to win again.

Rajya Sabha MP K. Laxman said the entire country is looking forward to the Uniform Civil Code to be implemented and it will be done once Mr. Modi takes over for his third term.

Mr. Kishan Reddy reminded about Mr. Modi’s proposed meetings in Telangana on May 10 and urged the party cadre to make it a success. Those in favour of the PM should vote before 10 a.m. and post their selfies on the social media on the polling day, he added.

Source: thehindu.com

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Will not allow even 0.5% quota for Muslims: Nadda

May 07, 2024

BJP national president J.P. Nadda has accused the Congress and its allies of being “anti-Ram, anti-national and against reservations for the SC/ST/OBC”, and stated that they do not deserve to be voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections.

“I am saying this with full responsibility that the Congress will cut the quota of SC/ST/OBCs and hand it over to the Muslims. They have done it four times here, and every time the courts had intervened. We will not allow even 0.5% quota to go the Muslims’ way,” he asserted at a public meeting in Nalgonda on Monday.

Continuing the party’s strident stance against reservations for Muslims, Mr. Nadda accused Karnataka Chief Minister K. Siddaramaiah of reinstating the 4% quota for minorities after the BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai had reverted the quota to the OBCs. “Beware, these people will snatch away your rights if you give them power,” he said.

The BJP president alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had supported JNU students’ agitation when they had organised a protest “in support of the main accused in Parliament attack” where “anti-national” slogans were raised. “Will you given power to such people? One among the protesters is also contesting in this election under the Congress ticket,” he claimed.

In the same vein, Mr. Nadda charged the Congress of being “anti-Ram” as senior leader Sonia Gandhi had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court where it was stated “Ram is an imaginary person with no historical or scientific evidence. But, once you elected Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister, the courts cleared the decks and a grand Ram temple has been built,” he attested.

The Gandhis were also accused of keeping “silent” when DMK leaders including Udaynidhi Stalin and A. Raja have been comparing ‘Sanatana Dharma’ with various diseases like “dengue, malaria and AIDS” and questioned if such leaders should be given support.

The BJP leader, campaigning in support of S. Saidi Reddy, said a vote for Mr. Modi will propel the country towards progress and development which will have a ripple effect on Telangana and Nalgonda, paving the way for employment opportunities for the youth.

“Mr. Modi has introduced a new political culture in the country and left no stone unturned in the last 10 years with HIRA — highways, internet, railways and airways with 55,000 km of national highways and 52,000 track built and 2 lakh villages connected with internet,” he said. In Telangana, 2 crore houses will be built for the downtrodden, he promised.

Former MLC N. Ramchander Rao translated his speech.

Source: thehindu.com

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BJP will end Muslim reservations after forming govt in Andhra, Karnataka: Amit Shah

Samastipur (Bihar): Slamming the Congress over "vote bank politics", Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that the Muslim reservations provided by the Congress in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka will be abolished after Bharatiya Janata Party is voted to power in both these states.

Addressing a public rally in Bihar's Ujiyarpur on Monday, the Union Home Minister alleged that the Congress gave reservation to Muslims by reducing the quota for SCs, STs and OBCs in Karnataka and Andhra.

"Congress put obstacles in the reservation of backward class people. In Karnataka, they formed government and overnight, without conducting a backward class survey, the Muslim community was included in the backward community and they were given a 5 per cent reservation. Congress reduced the 5 per cent reservation of backward communities and gave it to Muslims. When BJP will form government in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, we will end this reservation of Muslims," Shah said.

In Karnataka, for example, Muslims had a 4 per cent sub-quota within the 32 per cent OBC quota, which the Basavaraj Bommai government in 2023 redistributed among Vokkaligas and Lingayats.

In Andhra Pradesh, as per the 2011 census, Muslims constitute about 9.5 per cent of the population.

In Andhra, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other prominent BJP leaders have categorically stated that the BJP will not give reservation to Muslims based on religion, contradicting his stance, his ally, Chandrababu Naidu, from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has promised to preserve the 4 per cent reservation for the Muslims under the OBC category in the state.

Amit Shah, however, continued his attack on the Opposition over a range of issues, including alleged corruption.

Amit Shah also lashed out at the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led by former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav and the Congress for not attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ram Temple in Ayodhya held earlier this year.

"RJD's Lalu Prasad, Congress always opposed construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. RJD and Congress leaders did not attend Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ayodhya Ram Temple because of vote bank politics," he added.

He also said that the cash recovered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from a person who sources said worked as the house help of Sanjiv Lal, the personal secretary (PS) to Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam, proves that the leaders of the INDIA bloc are "corrupt".

"Cash recovery in Jharkhand proves INDIA bloc leaders are corrupt," Shah added.

Amit Shah was addressing the rally in Bihar's Samastipur to gather support for Nityanand Rai, the Union Minister pitted by the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.

Nityanand Rai is contesting against Alok Mehta of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Besides Ujiarpur, HM Amit Shah will also campaign for NDA candidate Shambhavi Choudhary. She is contesting from the Samastipur (SC Reserved) seat on the Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (LJPR) ticket.

Source: thehawk.in

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PM Modi misleading public with inflammatory claims about Muslims: Jharkhand civil society group

06-05-24

A coalition of civil society organisations in Jharkhand on Monday approached the state’s chief electoral officer seeking action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for misleading people with “inflammatory comments” targeting Muslims.

The collective, named Loktantra Bachao 2024 [Save Democracy 2024], complained to the state’s Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar against speeches that Modi had made on May 3 in Chaibasa and on May 4 in Palamu. In a subsequent statement, they expressed concern that Kumar “showed no sign” that he would act on the complaint.

Four activists – Jean Dreze, Elina Horo, Siraj Dutta and Tom Kavla – comprised the delegation that met with Kumar on Monday.

In the earmarked speeches, Modi alleged that the Congress intends to divert reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes for the benefit of Muslims – a false claim that he has made several times on the campaign trail in recent weeks.

The Congress manifesto, in reality, does not make any mention of religion-based reservations.

The activists also told the electoral officer that Modi had made fabricated facts to the effect that the Congress was planning to rob Adivasis and other communities of their property, which would be redistributed among Muslims.

They also complained against Modi’s use of derogatory terms such as “infiltrators” and “vote jihad”. The Congress manifesto contains no reference to private property being confiscated if it comes to power in the Lok Sabha election.

Loktantra Bachao 2024 alleged that Modi, through such statements, was trying to stoke hatred between Muslims on one hand and Dalits, Adivasis and people from backward communities on the other. It contended that this violated the Model Code of Conduct, a set of guidelines that political parties, candidates and governments have to follow while campaigning.

The collective further alleged that Modi’s speeches constituted an offence under provisions of the Indian Penal Code dealing with promoting enmity between religions and outraging religious feelings, and that they also violated the Representation of the People Act.

The coalition of civil society organisations also demanded that Modi be barred from giving election speeches in Jharkhand, and asked that strict measures be taken against any inflammatory speeches made during the election campaign.

Loktantra Bachao 2024 said that Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar did not show any interest in the complaint and did not engage with the delegation that approached him.

“When the delegates pressed him on what he intended to do, he simply said that the ‘rules’ would need to be studied, inquiry would have to be made and the complaint would have to be forwarded to the Election Commission of India,” the collective said in a statement. “When the delegation asked the CEO what action would be taken to check such inflammatory and communal speech in the coming days, he remained non-committal.”

Elections in Jharkhand will be held in four phases from May 13 to June 1.

Source: scroll.in

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Europe

 

Islamic State Redux: Exploring ISIS-K, Their Conflict With Russia, And The Prospect Of New Terrorist Attacks

30 March 2024

The responsibility for the tragic terrorist assault at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, which claimed over 140 lives, has been claimed by ISIS-K — an Afghan faction of the Islamic State (ISIS). Beyond the word of ISIS itself, the group’s involvement has been confirmed by various global intelligence agencies, including American sources. Notably, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow has issued warnings about the potential for further strikes in Russia. When not repeating unfounded conspiracy theories about a Ukrainian-Western plot being behind the attack, even Russian authorities have acknowledged the fact of the ISIS link. The Insider delved into discussions with experts in warfare and terrorism to decipher the objectives behind such attacks by the Islamic State, why the terrorist group perceives Moscow as its adversary, and the likelihood of similar attacks recurring.

Aymenn Al-Tamimi, a researcher at the Middle East Forum:

“I believe that the Islamic State has long been interested in attacking Russia because it views it as a 'crusader' state, due to its support for the Syrian government and its relations with the Taliban. The current regimes in Syria and Afghanistan are seen as 'apostate,' and supporting these regimes, in ISIS's eyes, is akin to waging war against Islam. Moreover, there is a broader idea of fighting 'apostates' and 'infidels,' including Christians, who ultimately must either embrace Islam, become 'dhimmis' — second-class citizens in the caliphate — or die.

I wouldn't attach much significance to the timing of the attack. Perhaps there is some connection to the recent presidential elections in Russia — a desire to shatter the illusion of stability. What's much more important is the fact that such an attack was successfully carried out.”

Paweł Wójcik, an independent researcher specializing in Islamic State information resources and propaganda:

“Firstly, in January, ISIS announced the start of a new campaign against Christians and Jews worldwide, and Russia is considered a Christian country. Secondly, Russia intervened in the conflict in Syria ten years ago, and then fought against the ISIS affiliate Wilayah Caucasus, which carried out numerous attacks in different regions of the Russian Federation from 2016 to 2019. Thirdly, recently, and this is particularly important, Russia has been trying to reassert itself in central Syria, fighting for influence in the Sahel, and encountering the local ISIS affiliate — the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.

There is no doubt that the Islamic State is behind the attack in Moscow. In the past, there were cases when Russian special services were suspected of organizing attacks in Russia, but now it's different — the Crocus attack clearly caught them off guard. I can also say that it was accompanied by the standard ISIS information campaign; similar propaganda materials were published after attacks in Iran, Afghanistan, or Indonesia. Additionally, ISIS's published photos of the militants serve as evidence.”

There is no doubt that the Islamic State is behind the attack in Moscow

Israeli military expert David Sharp:

“The Islamic State now exists more as individual cells united by a common ideology. According to this ideology, Russia is one of the enemies of the Islamic State, along with the Taliban and certain branches of Al-Qaeda. In the past, ISIS militants have already taken action against Russia. Could their motivation have been further fueled by Moscow's alignment with the Taliban, with whom ISIS is in conflict in Afghanistan? It's a possibility we can't dismiss. Given the chance to strike Russia, they wouldn't hesitate, as it aligns with their ideology and strategy. They wouldn't shy away from striking the U.S. either. In Russia, they have both sympathizers and cells comprising individuals from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

I don't believe the attack on “Crocus” was timed to coincide with any specific event; rather, it was an opportune moment operationally. This reflects a long-term strategy, with typical actions targeting places with lots of civilians to maximize damage.”

Understanding ISIS-K

The ISIS faction in Afghanistan, known as Islamic State Khorasan Province (or ISIS-K), has been active since 2014. It claimed responsibility for the explosion at the Russian embassy in Kabul in September 2022 and has also threatened attacks on Russian soil. Initially composed mainly of Afghans who splintered from the Taliban, the group later saw militants from other countries, including former Soviet republics in Central Asia, joining its ranks. A 2023 report by the UN Security Council noted that ISIS-K includes citizens from Pakistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Aymenn Al-Tamimi:

“The ISIS branch in Khorasan appears to have capitalized on the withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan and the Taliban's inability to completely suppress rival groups, allowing it to forge connections with militants beyond the region and engage in preparing terrorist attacks. The 'Central' ISIS group in Iraq and Syria is relatively weak and primarily focused on survival and continuing local conflicts. African branches have gained strength in recent years but seem focused on organizing rebellions in their own countries rather than preparing attacks in Europe or Russia. ISIS-K has already been implicated in attacks outside its region. I believe there is an increased risk of new attacks in Russia and other countries.”

Paweł Wójcik:

“Despite U.S. efforts to destroy the global ISIS network, the group has retained significant potential for attacks due to successful reorganization in recent years. It has allowed the most important branches to survive: in Somalia, Khorasan, Sahel, Greater Sahara, and possibly even in Southeast Asia. In recent months, the U..S has warned of an intensified threat to Europe Russia has already been attacked, and now we know that France, Germany, and Sweden are under constant pressure from jihadists.”

David Sharp:

“The Islamic State had resources in the past decade when there was a quasi-state in the territories of Iraq and Syria, with large cities and millions of people under their control. During that time, ISIS gained many supporters among radical Islamists worldwide. Today, there is no unified territory controlled by ISIS, but there are regional branches controlling small areas, and there are underground groups united by a common ideology. They create problems for local authorities and other adversaries, including organizing some terrorist attacks. This is a decentralized network with many participants.”

Sergey Migdal, security expert and former Israeli police officer:

“After the US army withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021 and the Taliban came to power, all Western allies of the U.S. and humanitarian organizations left the country. One of the few countries that established relations with the Taliban leadership and maintained an embassy in Kabul was Russia. Then we saw how the Taliban were invited to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, despite the fact that formally the Taliban are still banned in Russia and considered an extremist organization.

It was this foreign policy of Russia that led to the terrorist attack in Crocus. ISIS now considers Russia the main supporter of the Taliban. It's not about an ideological inclination to kill infidels, Russians, or Slavs; it's about ISIS fighting the Taliban for power. The leaders of ISIS-K want to return Afghanistan to the 1990s and make the country a new central base for ISIS.

ISIS now considers Russia the main supporter of the Taliban

The second enemy of ISIS in the region, after the Taliban, is Shiite Iran, with which Russia maintains friendly relations, even supplying it with Su-35 fighters. Russia pursues such a foreign policy because it is willing to support any groups, including scoundrels, Islamists, and dictators, as long as they oppose the U.S. and the West, which supports Ukraine.

Islamic State Khorasan Province sees Russia as one of the barriers to its quest for power in Afghanistan. They believe that if Russia weakens, becomes preoccupied with other issues, and ceases to support the Taliban, they may have a chance of prevailing.

Another critical aspect pertains to the potential involvement of Tajiks in the terrorist attack. ISIS often leverages ethnic minorities for its operations. In forming the Afghan branch, ethnic Tajiks played a significant role, given the sizable Tajik population in Afghanistan, including those who fled the civil war in Tajikistan during the 1990s. Currently, the Tajik community in Afghanistan, which has absorbed tens of thousands of people from Tajikistan, maintains strong ties with Tajiks in Russia.

The Tajik community in Afghanistan maintains strong ties with Tajiks in Russia

It's important to note that many Tajiks fled Tajikistan for Russia not only for employment opportunities but also due to the harsh policies of the Tajik government and security services, which vigorously combat any signs of what they perceive as Islamic extremism. Reports suggest that even sporting a beard as a young man can be perilous, as it might lead to suspicions of Islamist affiliations, resulting in detention and intense interrogation. In contrast, Russia allows individuals to wear beards, attend mosques, and access a wide range of online content. This presents an opportunity for ISIS-K to target individuals who are already devout and susceptible to radicalization.

The story recounted by the heavily beaten suspected terrorist in the forest is evidently a fabrication implanted during the briefing preceding the operation. Those dispatched to execute the attack are regarded as expendable, sacrificial pawns, serving to delay and complicate the investigation process. Notably, only in Russia are suspects promptly interrogated upon apprehension, with the interrogations subsequently made public; this practice is absent in the West, as it could impede the investigation.”

Is there any doubt as to who is behind the terrorist attack?

Despite all of the available evidence, the Russian authorities are attempting to link the Crocus attack with Ukraine. Alexander Bortnikov, the director of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), has claimed that Ukrainian intelligence services had trained militants in the Middle East and were involved in preparing the attack. Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has also accused Ukraine of involvement, answering “of course it was Ukraine” when asked who was behind the attack. And Vladimir Putin himself has suggested that the terrorist attack might represent “a link in a series of attempts by those who have been fighting against Russia since 2014 with the hands of the Kyiv regime.”

Furthermore, the Kremlin's network of internet bots has begun spreading pseudo-journalistic articles alleging that the U.S., Ukraine, and the British intelligence service MI6 are behind the Crocus terrorist attack, dismissing Washington's data on ISIS responsibility as fake.

Last May, Meduza published an investigation claiming that the FSB was recruiting former ISIS militants and attempting to infiltrate them into units composed of Chechens and Crimean Tatars fighting in the war on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Paweł Wójcik:

“The evidence of Islamist involvement in the terrorist attack is so compelling that Moscow, despite its desire, cannot completely dismiss this version. However, they will always blame Ukraine, no matter what happens. Moreover, acknowledging a purely jihadist attack now means admitting increased internal vulnerability and security problems, which the Russian authorities cannot afford against the backdrop of the ongoing war with Ukraine. Therefore, even if they acknowledge the involvement of Islamists, they will continue to accuse Ukraine, the U.S., and Britain.”

Sergey Migdal:

“The revelation that the terrorist attack in Russia was carried out by ISIS surprised many, although it shouldn't have. Over the years, Russia's conflict with Ukraine has dominated headlines, while Islamist groups like Hamas or the Houthis, currently in the spotlight, have not clashed with Russia. However, the reality is that ISIS has long been an adversary of Russia and remains a persistent threat. In March, the FSB announced the foiling of a terrorist plot: members of Wilayat Khorasan were reportedly planning an attack on a synagogue in Moscow. This incident underscores Russia's awareness of the ongoing threat posed by such extremist groups.”

The likelihood of new terrorist attacks

On March 8, exactly two weeks before the attack on Crocus, the U.S. Embassy in Russia warned of potential terrorist attacks in the capital, emphasizing that the extremists would target “major events in Moscow, including concerts.” Notably, the terrorists struck Crocus just as a concert by the band “Picnic” was about to begin. However, they did so well after it was predicted they might, as the American statement suggested the attacks would occur within 48 hours of its release.

Experts interviewed by The Insider believe that new terrorist attacks in Russia are entirely possible, as radical Islamists have both the motive and the resources — as well as supporters, to carry them out.

David Sharp

“Nothing can be guaranteed, but new terrorist attacks are possible. There is a common base for radical Islamic terror in Russia. There is a sizable Muslim community, the majority of whom are law-abiding citizens, but among labor migrants and ‘new’ Russian citizens, there are supporters of radical organizations, with new ones constantly emerging. Moreover, some of them have combat experience in various countries: Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq. The Islamic State, like any other radical organization, has been conducting its propaganda.

Russia has already faced radical Islamic terrorism with ethnic elements. To a significant extent, it has been suppressed and localized in the Caucasus as a slow-paced confrontation. However, when there is a base and potential, and given that such attacks occur in many countries worldwide, similar incidents will recur. Overall, the question here is that more attention will be paid to combating Islamist underground activities after what happened, but this does not even depend on the effectiveness of intelligence agencies.

It is also important to note that bad examples are contagious for both individual activists operating outside organization frameworks and for the branches themselves. Look at how successful we were. Why not organize a new terrorist attack, whether in Moscow or Paris?”

Paweł Wójcik:

“New attacks are likely. ISIS has been carrying out attacks in Russia for at least eight years. There is no indication that they intend to change their modus operandi. As recently as March 28, an official spokesperson for the “central” ISIS group and the organization's weekly newspaper confirmed that Russia remains a target. Considering the inevitable repression against migrants from Central Asia in Russia, as well as wars in Syria, Mali, and Burkina Faso, we should expect new developments.”

Russia and the Islamic State: from coexistence to war

In the early years of the Islamic State's activity, Russian authorities entertained the idea of a peculiar coexistence with the group. As of 2017, Russian nationals were the largest group of foreign fighters inside ISIS, numbering 3,417 — for comparison, there were 3,244 fighters from Saudi Arabia, 3,000 from Jordan, and 2,926 from Tunisia.

Russia’s security services played a significant role in the process by offering local Islamists unhindered travel from Russia to Turkey. From there, they would journey on to Syria to join ISIS or other jihadist formations. According to Reuters, this process intensified particularly in the lead-up to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, as authorities feared attacks by militants during the games. The group itself was only recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia at the end of 2014, by which time it already controlled significant swathes of Iraq and Syria. Some Dagestani militants even pledged allegiance to ISIS, breaking away from the Caucasus Emirate.

At least one instance is known of direct cooperation between Russians and the Islamic State. This involves the company Stroytransgaz, owned by oligarch Gennady Timchenko, which from 2007 was constructing a gas processing plant at the Tuweinan field in eastern Syria. According to Foreign Policy, work was halted when in 2013 the facility was seized by Syrian rebels, together with the group Jabhat al-Nusra, which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda. However, after the Islamic State established control over the plant in early 2014, the group consented to allow construction to resume, and according to a Turkish official, Russian engineers were among the crew. For ISIS, the benefit of the deal lay in the fact that gas from the field was directed to a power plant under its control in Aleppo. The quasi-state's activities largely depended on the Syrian energy system, and the fees collected from the population in the controlled territories, including for utilities, constituted part of its income. The facility was finally handed over in 2015 — shortly before Russia entered into direct conflict with the Islamic State by taking up support for Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad.

Russian engineers completed the construction of the plant on the ISIS-controlled territory

Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war commenced in the fall of 2015 with strikes targeting territories held by Syrian opposition and jihadist groups not affiliated with ISIS — and often antagonistic towards the more radical organization. Major confrontations unfolded primarily in the provinces of Idlib and Latakia, where ISIS had been forced to retreat in 2014 following clashes with local rebels and jihadists. However, the threat posed by the Islamic State to the Syrian regime, a key factor prompting Russia's involvement, remained undeniable. Since 2014, ISIS had besieged regime forces in Deir ez-Zor, a major city in the east, and the capture of Palmyra (Tadmur) threatened strategically vital airfields like Shayrat and Tiyas (T4), along with cities including Homs and even the capital, Damascus. Furthermore, in 2015, ISIS claimed responsibility for bombing a Russian passenger plane over the Sinai Peninsula. Consequently, Russian airstrikes and ground operations, supported by local forces and the Russian Aerospace Forces, extended into territories controlled by ISIS.

In March 2016, the Wagner Group, backed by the Russian Aerospace Forces and pro-government factions, successfully expelled ISIS from the city of Tadmur and secured control over the ancient ruins of Palmyra, which had suffered significant damage during ISIS rule. Concurrently, a more ambitious offensive by Syrian regime forces towards the Tabqa airbase, aimed at reaching Raqqa — ISIS's de facto capital — faltered despite Russian airstrikes, and Syrian government troops were pushed back to their initial positions. Additionally, by the end of the same year, ISIS managed to force a weak Syrian garrison out of Tadmur, prompting the Wagner Group to “liberate Palmyra” once again. Subsequently, the siege of Deir ez-Zor was lifted, and the right bank of the Euphrates River was cleared, establishing a de facto demarcation line between President Assad's forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by an international coalition led by the United States.

Amidst the sieges of the major cities Raqqa and Mosul by Kurdish and Iraqi forces, with support from the Western coalition, the efforts of Russian-Assad forces against ISIS seemed more tangential. This partly explains why Putin's objectives in Syria, as discussed by Kremlin analysts (1, 2), were not fully realized. There was no repetition of the Yalta Conference of 1945, where the global landscape was reshaped amidst the fight against a common enemy. Furthermore, the involvement of the Wagner Group in these operations appeared to be driven more by mercenary motives. Entities linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin secured contracts from Syrian authorities for the “liberation” and development of oil and gas fields. Episodes tied to this involvement include a disturbing video depicting the brutal beating of a Syrian person with a sledgehammer at one of these fields, as well as direct clashes with American forces near the village of Kasham, stemming from attempts to redistribute ISIS's oil and gas resources.

However, the conflict between Russia and ISIS did not end there. The group maintained a presence in Syria and continued its fight against the Bashar al-Assad regime, still backed by Russian troops. Additionally, there were several instances of confrontation with Russian military personnel and mercenaries in Africa, with clashes continuing to this day. In 2019, Mozambican authorities enlisted Wagner Group fighters to combat the local ISIS branch in the northern part of the country — in exchange for contracts benefiting Russian companies. However, the private military company suffered setbacks, failing to coordinate effectively with local forces and proving ill-prepared for jungle warfare and dense urban combat. Nonetheless, operatives from the Wagner Group, and their successors, the state-supported Africa Corps, continue to engage in combat against ISIS and other jihadist groups in Northwest African countries Mali and Burkina Faso. In these regions, ruling military juntas have recently distanced themselves from France and turned to Russia for support. The Wagner Group has faced accusations of committing mass civilian killings during counterterrorism operations, which often serve as fertile ground for terrorist propaganda and recruitment efforts.

Another area of tension between Russia and ISIS lies in Central Asia. Russian security forces collaborate with law enforcement agencies in the Central Asian republics of the former USSR, most of which are Russian allies in the counterterrorism effort via their membership in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization. Additionally, Russia maintains amicable relations with the Taliban movement, which seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 — a fact highlighted by ISIS-K propaganda. In September 2022, ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack near the Russian embassy in Kabul, which resulted in the deaths of two Russian diplomatic staff. The Russian mission was one of the few that continued operations following the Taliban's assumption of power.

Source: theins.ru

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Russia to hold nuclear drills to ‘cool hot heads’ in West – Foreign Ministry

6 May, 2024

Russia’s upcoming exercises to test its tactical nuclear weapons should be viewed in light of the “belligerent statements” made by some Western officials and NATO’s “destabilizing actions,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Moscow announced plans to test its military’s ability to deploy tactical nuclear weapons. The exercises, which were ordered by President Vladimir Putin, will be held in the near future, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the move was a response to the continued “power politics” pursued by the US and its allies against Russia. Washington and Kiev’s other backers openly declare their support for Ukrainian “terrorist acts” and “directly contribute” to such attacks, the statement read, pointing to the continued supply of ever more powerful Western weapons to Ukraine. It particularly drew attention to the US-made ATACMS missiles capable of “striking targets deep inside Russian territory.”

Last week, former UK prime minister and current Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated that Kiev had every right to use British weapons to strike targets inside Russia as well.

The US has also created new threats to Russia’s national security through deployment of its intermediate-range ground-based missile systems around the world, the ministry said. Such weapons were banned under the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), but Washington unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2019.

The move left Russia with no choice but to leave the treaty as well. However, Moscow introduced a moratorium on fielding weapons that used to be covered by the treaty. Russia now reserves the right to a “mirror response” to American actions, the ministry said, adding that the moratorium could be lifted.

Moscow also slammed statements by French President Emmanuel Macron about a potential NATO troop deployment to Ukraine. “This cannot be perceived in any other way than a demonstration of the readiness and willingness to enter a direct military confrontation with Russia,” the ministry warned.

Last week, Macron said that Western nations would have to consider such an option if Kiev officially requested it. “Such actions of the NATO member states show that they deliberately strive for further escalation of the Ukraine crisis towards a direct military clash between NATO and Russia,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Source: rt.com

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Labour leader calls for reclaiming Muslim voters’ trust

06 May, 2024

By: Shajil Kumar

While Labour party sounds upbeat about its performance in the just-concluded local elections, its disappointing show in areas with a sizeable Muslim population is worrying its leaders.

The latest to express concern is deputy campaign coordinator Ellie Reeves who admitted the party had “a lot of work to do” to rebuild support and make the voters “understand our position”, BBC reports.

Earlier, Labour party leader Kier Starmer and national campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden had expressed similar concerns.

“I have heard you. I have listened. And I am determined to meet your concerns and to gain your respect and trust again in the future,” said Starmer.

The party’s delay in calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict has cost it dear. Labour lost out to independents, the anti-war Worker’s Party of Britain and Greens in areas with large Muslim populations.

Labour called for an immediate ceasefire in February, after months of infighting and saw many resignations over the issue.

The party lost control of the Oldham council in a shock defeat, after ruling it for 13 years. The council has pockets with a huge Muslim population.

In the West Midlands mayoral race, where Labour’s Richard Parker beat incumbent Andy Street, Akhmed Yakoob, an independent backed by George Galloway, polled nearly 70,000 votes.

As per a BBC analysis, in 58 local council wards, where more than one-in-five residents identify as Muslim, Labour’s share of the vote was down 21 per cent than in 2021, the last time most seats were contested.

It was a downside to an otherwise positive performance for Labour, which saw it gain more than 170 councillors to take control of eight councils.

Interestingly, London bucked this trend as mayor Sadiq Khan had called for a ceasefire much before the party leadership did.

Labour’s vote is up by three points on average in parts of London where more than 15 per cent identify as Muslim, compared with 4.5 per cent where the proportion is less than this.

The Greens, who called for an “immediate ceasefire” just over a week after the war began, have increased their share of the vote from 2021.

Muslim Vote demand

Meanwhile, a Muslim pressure group has issued Starmer with a list of 18 demands, including ending military ties with Israel, to win back voters, The Telegraph reports.

The Muslim Vote, a campaign to get Muslim voters to back pro-Palestine candidates, said the Labour leader must deliver on its requests if he is “serious” about his pledge.

The pressure group has also called for recognising Palestine as a state, pledging a travel ban on Israeli politicians involved in the war and apologising for Labour’s initial delay in calling for an immediate ceasefire.

The group warned Starmer that if he fails to do so, its supporters will vote for the Green Party or Lib Dems.

Ali Milani, the chair of the Labour Muslim Network, has warned Labour could face serious electoral consequences because of its stance on Gaza.

Source: easterneye.biz

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https://www.easterneye.biz/labour-party-muslim-voters-trust/

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Mideast

 

Muscat: Sharia Index Forum Reviews Prospects Of Investment Compatible With Islam

06/May/2024

Muscat: The Sharia Index Forum, organised by Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) in cooperation with Alizz Islamic Bank, opened today at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC).

The forum discussed the economic prospects of the index and its role in promoting investments compatible with Islamic Sharia and attracting local and foreign investors.

The opening of the forum was held under the auspices of Dr Said bin Mohammed Al Saqri, Minister of Economy.

The forum studied three working papers. The first dealt with Sharia-based aspects of corporate stock trading. The second paper made an analysis on Islamic investment funds and their impact on stock exchanges and financial institutions. The third paper highlighted Alizz Islamic Bank’s Sharia-compliant financial products.

Moreover, experts and economic officials engaged in panel discussions that focused on Islamic finance and its significance to the economy.

The session discussed the role of investment funds and their contributions to domestic development in accordance with the Sharia perspective. It looked into the flexibility of Islamic Sharia, its economic advantages and ways to direct charitable funds towards investment. The participants also reviewed key challenges facing efforts aimed at achieving compliance with the Islamic Sharia and related legal requirements.

Source: timesofoman.com

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https://timesofoman.com/article/145235-sharia-index-forum-reviews-prospects-of-investment-compatible-with-islam

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Israeli Islamist Leader Sheikh Raed Salah: The World Must Prepare For The 'Day After America', Islam Will Conquer Europe Through Da'wa

May 6, 2024

Sheikh Raed Salah, the head of the Islamic Movement in Israel, said in a February 2, 2024 Friday sermon that was posted on Mawteni48 that the world must prepare for the "day after in America." He said that America has grown old, that it is on the verge of retirement, and it is about to be admitted into a nursing home. Salah quoted a hadith according to which the Muslims will take over a "white house," and he claimed that it refers to Islam taking over the White House in Washington, DC. He continued to say that the "future" caliphate will spread Islam into every home in every continent in the world, including in America. Salah stated that Islam will conquer Rome, which symbolizes all of Europe, through da'wa, and he said: "By virtue of its justice and mercy, Islam will enter Rome."

Raed Salah served a 16-month prison sentence for inciting terrorism and for being a member of the outlawed Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement, he was released in December 2021.

"What About 'The Day After' In America – After America Has Finished Playing Its Role? It Is On The Verge Of Retirement"

Raed Salah: "The politicians who are asking about 'the day after' in Gaza has forgotten to ask themselves about 'the day after' in America – not only in Gaza. What about 'the day after' in America – after America has finished playing its role? America has grown old. It is old. It is on the verge of retirement. It is about to be admitted into a nursing home.

"The Prophet Muhammad Said A Small Army Of Muslims Will Conquer The White House[;] Islam Will Enter Every Home In Every Continent"

"The Prophet Muhammad has said: 'A small army of Muslims will conquer the white house, the house of Kisar [the Persian ruler].'

"Ever since the days of Adam and to day – this is 2024 – we have never known of any house that was built and named 'the White House,' except for the 'White House' in Washington.

"Perhaps this hadith is clear evidence that the future caliphate [that will follow] the ways of the prophets will lead to the spreading of Islam, and Islam will enter every home in every continent without exception, including every home in America.

"The Prophet Muhammad has said: 'The city of Heraclius will be conquered first.' Heraclius means the city of Constantinople, which is now called Istanbul. Half of this prophecy has already been fulfilled – the conquest of Constantinople. The second half of the same prophecy is yet to be fulfilled – the conquest of Rome by da'wa. The modern Muslim scholars have said that Rome will be conquered by da'wa. By Virtue of its justice and mercy Islam will enter Rome. 'Rome' does not mean a specific geographic location. No. Rome Symbolizes Europe."

Source: memri.org

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https://www.memri.org/reports/israeli-islamist-leader-sheikh-raed-salah-world-must-prepare-day-after-america-which-has

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Israel: Authorities raid Al Jazeera after shutdown order passed

Israel has eventually ordered the local offices of Qatar's Al Jazeera satellite news network to close Sunday (May. 5).

The extraordinary order, which includes confiscating broadcast equipment, preventing the broadcast of the channel’s reports and blocking its websites, is believed to be the first time Israel has ever shuttered a foreign news outlet operating in the country.

Al Jazeera went off Israel’s main cable and satellite providers in the hours after the order.

The network has reported the Israeli-Hamas war nonstop since the militants' initial cross-border attack Oct. 7 and has maintained 24-hour coverage in the Gaza Strip amid Israel's deadly ground offensive that has killed and wounded members of its staff as well as their relatives.

In December, an Israeli strike killed an Al Jazeera cameraman as he reported on the war in southern Gaza. The channel’s bureau chief in Gaza, Wael Dahdouh, was wounded in the same attack. Dahdouh, a correspondent well-known to Palestinians during many wars, later evacuated Gaza but only after Israeli strikes killed his wife, three of his children and a grandson.

As of May 3, the Committee to protect journalists (CPJ) recorded the deaths of 97 journalists and media workers in the ongoing war. 92 were Palestinian, 2 Israeli, and 3 Lebanese.

While including on-the-ground reporting of the war's casualties, its Arabic arm often publishes verbatim video statements from Hamas and other regional militant groups.

“Al Jazeera reporters harmed Israel’s security and incited against soldiers,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “It’s time to remove the Hamas mouthpiece from our country.”

Al Jazeera issued a statement vowing it will “pursue all available legal channels through international legal institutions in its quest to protect both its rights and journalists, as well as the public’s right to information.”

“Israel’s ongoing suppression of the free press, seen as an effort to conceal its actions in the Gaza Strip, stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law,” the network said. “Israel’s direct targeting and killing of journalists, arrests, intimidation and threats will not deter Al Jazeera."

Information war

Israeli media largely has avoided the plight of those in the Gaza Strip, instead focusing on the Oct. 7 attack, the hostages held there and tales of Israeli military heroism.

Al Jazeera is one of the rare international media outlets to remain in Gaza throughout the war, broadcasting airstrikes by the Israeli army, overcrowded hospitals and reporting on alleged massacres carried by the Israeli Defence forces.

The Israeli government has taken action against individual reporters over the decades since its founding in 1948, but broadly allows for a rambunctious media scene that includes foreign bureaus from around the world.

It blocked the foreign broadcasts of the Hezbollah-affiliated, Beirut-based Al Mayadeen news channel at the start of the war.

A law passed last month allows the government to take action against Al Jazeera, Netanyahu's office said.

Israeli Communication Minister Shlomo Karhi later published footage online of authorities raiding a hotel room Al Jazeera had been broadcasting from in east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians hope to one day have for their future state. He said officials seized some of the channel's equipment there.

“We finally are able to stop Al Jazeera’s well-oiled incitement machine that harms the security of the country,” Karhi said. His office said it would bar Al Jazeera from operating in Israel for at least 45 days, a measure that can be renewed.

The ban did not appear to affect the channel’s operations in the occupied West Bank or Gaza Strip, where Israel wields control, but which are not sovereign Israeli territory.

The decision threatens to heighten tensions with Qatar at a time when the Doha government is playing a key role in mediation efforts to halt the war in Gaza, along with Egypt and the United States.

Qatar has had strained ties with Netanyahu in particular since he made comments suggesting that Qatar is not exerting enough pressure on Hamas to prompt it to relent in its terms for a truce deal. Qatar hosts Hamas leaders in exile in Doha.

The sides appeared to be close to striking a deal, but multiple previous rounds of talks have ended with no agreement.

Disputed order

The Foreign Press Association in Israel criticized the order.

“With this decision, Israel joins a dubious club of authoritarian governments to ban the station,” it said. “This is a dark day for the media.” The New York-based Committee to Project Journalists similarly warned the move represented an “extremely alarming precedent for restricting international media outlets working in Israel.”

Omar Shakir, Human Rights Watch’s Israel and Palestine director, criticized the Israeli order as “an assault on freedom of the press.”

“Rather than trying to silence reporting on its atrocities in Gaza, the Israeli government should stop committing them,” he added.

Israel has long had a rocky relationship with Al Jazeera, accusing it of bias. Relations took a major downturn nearly two years ago when Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by Israeli fire during an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank.

Those relations further deteriorated following the outbreak of Israel’s military intervention in the aftermath of the Oct.7 attacks in Israel by Palestinian armed groups. Hamas' military wing, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Popular Resistance Committees, and other Palestinian paramilitary organizations carried out a cross-border attack in southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. Since then, the Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed over 34,000 people, according to local health officials there, who don't break figures down into civilians and combatants.

Criticism of the channel is not new, however. The U.S. government singled out the broadcaster during America’s occupation of Iraq after its 2003 invasion toppled Saddam Hussein.

Al Jazeera has been closed or blocked by other Mideast governments.

Most notably in 2013, Egyptian authorities raided a luxury hotel used by Al Jazeera as an operating base after the military takeover that followed mass protests against President Mohammed Morsi. Three Al Jazeera staff members received 10-year prison sentences but were released in 2015 following widespread international criticism.

In a statement Sunday (May. 5), Hamas condemned the Israeli government order, calling on international organizations to take measures against Israel.

Source: africanews.com

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https://www.africanews.com/2024/05/06/israel-authorities-raid-al-jazeera-after-shutdown-order-passed/

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Islamic Summit Conference commends Qatar's efforts to achieve development, establish global peace

MAY 06, 2024

The final communique of the 15th Islamic Summit Conference of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation noted the efforts of the State of Qatar in the humanitarian, legal, and economic fields aimed at maintaining international peace and security and supporting the development process, as well as its permanent cooperation with the United Nations.

In this context, the communique welcomed the inauguration of the United Nations House in the State of Qatar, which serves as a center for international work in the region.

The final communique of the Islamic Summit Conference, held in Banjul, Gambia, from May 4 - 5, highlighted Qatar's efforts in the Afghan issue, as it hosted the 2nd meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan under the auspices of the United Nations and with the attendance of the UN Secretary-General, along with its role in coordinating the international efforts in Afghanistan and facilitating the dialogue between the United Nations, concerned countries, and the Afghan caretaker government to ensure compliance with the Doha Agreement to establish international peace and security in the region.

The communique also welcomed the State of Qatar's hosting of the 2nd meeting of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Agencies in the OIC Member States in Nove. 26 - 27, 2024, in Doha, in addition to Qatar's joining Sudan's funding countries with medical and health supplies when the crisis broke in April 2023.

The communique also praised the State of Qatar's hosting of the meetings of the 11th session of the Conference of the States Parties (COSP) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, scheduled for 2025.

The communique noted the State of Qatar's success in hosting the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in March 2023 under the theme "From Potential to Prosperity," praising the outcomes of the conference, especially regarding the Doha Program of Action for the LDCs, urging the parties to work together toward achieving the Doha Program of Action.

The Islamic Summit Conference condemned in the strongest terms the crimes of genocide committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, calling for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors through all possible ways to deliver urgent aid to the Gaza Strip.

Source: gulf-times.com

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https://www.gulf-times.com/article/681933/qatar/islamic-summit-conference-commends-qatars-efforts-to-achieve-development-establish-global-peace

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Islamic Resistance in Iraq Strikes Israeli Bases with Drones

May, 06, 2024

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for targeting two Israeli military bases in occupied Palestinian territories using drones.

The group, comprising various anti-terror movements in Iraq, made the announcement through separate statements early Monday.

“In support of our people in Gaza and in response to the massacres committed by the usurping entity against Palestinian civilians, including children, women, and the elderly,” the group stated, “the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, on the morning of Monday, 06-05-2024, targeted a military facility of the Zionist occupation in our occupied lands by drone.”

In a second statement, the group declared, "The fighters of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, on the morning of Monday, 06-05-2024, targeted a military air base for the Zionist occupation in “Eilat,” Umm Al-Rashrash, in our occupied lands by drone."

Emphasizing their continued opposition, the Iraqi resistance affirmed its commitment to striking the enemy's strongholds.

These operations follow closely on the heels of a missile strike the Iraqi resistance claimed to have launched against a strategic target in the port of Haifa in the occupied territories using an advanced Arqab cruise missile.

Earlier instances of resistance include attacks against Israeli targets in Tel Aviv and Beersheba, both within occupied lands, and one against an Israeli interest in the Dead Sea area. Notably, the attack on Tel Aviv targeted the Glilot intelligence center linked to the Israeli Mossad spy agency.

The conflict in Gaza, which escalated after an operation by territory’s resistance fighters in October 2023, prompted Israel to initiate a genocidal war. The siege imposed by Israel on Gaza has led to dire humanitarian conditions, with shortages of fuel, medicine, electricity, food, and water affecting over two million Palestinians. The toll of the Israeli onslaught stands at 34,683 Palestinians killed and 78,018 injured, primarily women and children.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has extended its operations to target major American military bases in Syria and Iraq, expressing outrage over the US support for Israel’s crimes in Gaza.

Source: tasnimnews.com

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https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2024/05/06/3080471/islamic-resistance-in-iraq-strikes-israeli-bases-with-drones

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South Asia

 

Islamic Emirate to Attend Russia-Islamic World Forum in Kazan

06-05-24

Scheduled for the fifteenth of May, a significant global gathering titled the "Russia-Islamic World: Kazan Forum" is set to take place in Kazan. Representatives from diverse nations have been extended invitations to attend this event, with the agenda prominently featuring discussions on Afghanistan.

Dmitry Zhirnov, Russia's ambassador to Kabul, invited the representative of the Islamic Emirate to this international meeting in Kazan during a meeting with Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the political deputy of the Prime Ministry.

Hamdullah Fetrat, deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, told TOLOnews about the meeting: "During this meeting, Dmitry Zhirnov also provided information about the meeting while inviting the political deputy of the Prime Ministry to participate in the international meeting in Tatarstan, Kazan."

The deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, regarding the meeting of the Russian ambassador with officials of the Islamic Emirate, said that securing Kabul-Moscow relations in these meetings was called beneficial by both sides and emphasized the progress and development of relations.

A number of political analysts said that holding the World Islamic Assembly meeting is important and said that lifting sanctions on Afghanistan should also be addressed at this meeting.

Hamidullah Hotak, a political analyst, said: "My request from the Islamic Emirate is to proceed well with neighboring countries and the world, accept the legitimate demands of the countries, and the only way for the country's progress is good relations with the countries."

Sayed Bilal Ahmad Fatemi, another analyst, said: "We want Afghanistan to emerge from this deadlock, and the ongoing external obstacles for warfare in Afghanistan should be reduced, and the Islamic Emirate should resolve their problems so that they can become a member of the international community."

It has been said that Nooruddin Azizi, the acting minister of industry and commerce, will represent the Islamic Emirate at this meeting; however, the caretaker government has not officially said anything about this.

The Russia - Islamic World: Kazan international economic forum is expected to have special representatives from China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and some other countries participating.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188668

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UK Forces Member Alleges War Crimes in Afghanistan, Calls for Police

06-05-24

The UK’s Sunday Times has reported that a senior member of the UK Special Forces has provided information to the British police regarding the alleged war crimes committed by the Special Air Service (SAS) of the country.

According to the report, this British officer has informed the police of a safe containing documents related to the war crimes of the British Special Air Services in Afghanistan.

“Within the files are witness accounts from serving soldiers, emails to Number 10 warning of the crisis, as well as diaries of police investigators. The source who has not been named was responsible for the SAS’s overseas operations between 2009 and 2013.” part of the report reads.

Mohammad Asif Faqiri, a lawyer, said: "They should be punished in their country for the crimes they have committed. Their government should compensate the relatives of those who were killed."

Aziz Maaraj, a political analyst, said: "For forty to forty-five years, the Eastern and Western blocs have instigated wars in Afghanistan, all of them committing war crimes, and it is up to the legitimate and legal government of Afghanistan to recognize this and seek compensation through international courts."

Although the Islamic Emirate has not recently commented on this, the spokesman for the Islamic Emirate had previously stated that they do not believe in the partiality of these investigations and that the British Army conducts fabricated research to justify its crimes and divert public attention.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said: "The crimes committed in Afghanistan are more extensive than what is said and started not from 2010 but from 2001 to 2020. This matter requires an impartial body and impartial investigation, as well as precise accountability. We do not believe in these processes they announce; it is an attempt to exonerate and justify the crime, and the people of Afghanistan are not confident in this process."

Some relatives of the victims of the alleged war crimes committed by foreign forces in the country are demanding compensation and justice for the victims of the war crimes of foreign forces in Afghanistan.

Janan, a resident of Uruzgan, said: "My family has been made to cry and many in our village have been martyred; we demand their trial."

Sayed Wali, another resident of Uruzgan, said: "Many innocent people have been martyred; we demand compensation and the trial of foreign forces."

The UK Special Forces are accused of committing war crimes in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013.

The British government initiated a study called "The Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan" in February 2023 to investigate these allegations.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-188674

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Tehran to Fence 'Vulnerable Areas' on the Afghanistan Border

06-05-24

Tehran has once again emphasized border fencing along the Iran-Afghanistan border.

Sardar Qasem Rezaei, the Deputy Police Chief of Iran, stated that only vulnerable points along the Iran-Afghanistan border will be fenced.

"Physical barriers will only be created in vulnerable areas. In addition, our border guards and residents also participate in securing the border," said Qasem Rezaei.

The Islamic Emirate welcomed the border closure by Iran and stated that this will be coordinated with Afghanistan.

Hamdullah Fetrat, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, pledged that all borders are under the control of the Islamic Emirate's forces and Afghanistan's soil poses no threat to any country.

"Afghanistan's security and defense forces control all the geography and border lines of the country, and the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran wants to fence in the border and vulnerable points is a good action and this will be done in coordination with the Islamic Emirate," he added.

Some military and political experts believe that there is currently no need for fencing between Afghanistan and Iran.

Kamran Aman, a military analyst, told TOLOnews: "The condition of the border is such that whenever the opposite side wants to build a fence or a high wall or take any measure, it must have the agreement of the neighboring country."

Mohammad Hassan Haqyar, a political analyst, said: "The border between Iran and Afghanistan is secure due to the efforts of the Islamic Emirate, and there is no need for fencing at this border."

This comes as Iranian security officials had previously stated that they plan to block their borders to combat the entry of drug traffickers and armed terrorist groups into the country.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-188666

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Local Badakhshan Officials Visited Argo to Hear Demands

06-05-24

Local authorities from Badakhshan have gone to the Argo district of this province to investigate and hear the demands of the protesters.

Protesters claim that their wheat fields, garden walls, and houses have been destroyed by security forces under the pretext of eradicating poppy fields, prompting them to protest.

Protesters are demanding that the government ensure justice and deploy other forces to destroy the poppy fields.

Ghulam Rasool, a representative of the protesters in the Darayim district of Badakhshan, said, "They even flattened apple trees with a tractor. The tractors crushed the wheat crops to destroy a poppy plant that was there."

Hafizullah, another representative of the protesters in the Argo district, told TOLOnews, "The team that came must be replaced, and another team should come. We have eradicated drugs; a little remains and we are ready to eradicate that as well but in the right way."

Protesters in Badakhshan are demanding justice and serious and legal action against drug traffickers.

 "Those who have a high hand in drug matters, meaning smugglers and drug production centers there, must be eradicated,” said Abdul Hamid, a religious scholar.

Meanwhile, local officials in Badakhshan have assured that they are addressing the demands of the protesters.

"We traveled with some military and civil officials, and the meeting took place with tribes, scholars, and influencers, and the result of the meeting was very good and satisfied the people." Said Mohammad Amin Taib, the deputy governor of Badakhshan.

Hamdullah Fetrat, the deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, about the situation in Badakhshan said, "The situation is under control and I must say that the fight against drugs is ongoing, and the fight by the forces of the Islamic Emirate that started to prevent smuggling is also ongoing."

Protests in the districts of Argo and Darayim in Badakhshan province turned violent on Friday and Saturday, resulting in the death of two people due to the firing by security forces at the protesters.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188662

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Over 10 contracts signed between Afghan and Turkmen companies

May 7, 2024

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan has announced the signing of more than 10 contracts and two memoranda of understanding between companies from Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

In a press release on Monday, May 6th, the ministry stated that these contracts were signed between traders from Afghanistan and Turkmenistan in Herat.

According to the press release, these agreements cover sectors such as construction materials, including steel bars, repair paints, marble, and food products.

Nouruddin Azizi, the Taliban’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, has also met with Atageldi, the head of the Union of Traders and Industrialists of Turkmenistan.

He urged Turkmen traders and industrialists to invest more in Afghanistan.

Previously, the Taliban Ministry of Industry and Commerce had also announced the establishment of a large joint logistics center in the port of Torghundi and a trilateral transit agreement between Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

Furthermore, according to a report from Central Asian Times, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan also signed export contracts worth $44 million with Afghan traders on Tuesday, 30th April.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/over-10-contracts-signed-between-afghan-and-turkmen-companies/

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PM urges IOM to raise more funds for Rohingyas

May 7, 2024

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to raise more funds from newer sources for assistance of the Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh

"As the fund for the assistance of Rohingya (in Bangladesh) decreased, the IOM should find new partners to raise more funds to help the displaced Myanmar nationals," PM's Speech Writer M Nazrul Islam quoted her as telling to the organisation's Director General Amy Pope.

The IOM DG paid a courtesy call on the prime minister at Gono Bhaban.

In a media briefing after the meeting at PM's official residence, Islam said the premier also called upon the IOM to help relocate Rohingyas to Bhasan Char as an abode for one lakh Rohingyas has been built there with all the facilities, including education, healthcare services and employment.

Around 30,000 Rohingyas have so far been relocated to the Bhasan char.

Source: thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/pm-urges-iom-raise-more-funds-rohingyas-3604016

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North America

 

 

'Squad' member caught at fundraiser hosted by Islamic leader who praised Hamas attack on Israel

May 7, 2024

A member of the far-left "Squad" facing a tough challenge from within his own party recently attended a fundraiser co-hosted by an Islamic leader who said he was "happy to see" the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who represents New York's 16th Congressional District, attended the May 1 fundraiser at a private residence in Fairfax, Virginia, and didn't seem to mind the presence of Nihad Awad, a highly controversial and antisemitic figure who serves as the national executive director and co-founder of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

Awad faced sharp scrutiny last year after expressing his pleasure with the Hamas attack that resulted in the deaths of nearly 1,200 Israelis, including women and babies, and claiming Israel "does not have a right to self-defense."

"The people of Gaza only decided to break the siege – the walls of the concentration camp – on Oct. 7," Awad said during the 16th annual Convention for Palestine on Nov. 24 near Chicago. "And yes, I was happy to see people breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land and walk free into their land that they were not free to walk in."

He continued, "And yes, the people of Gaza have the right to self-defense, have the right to defend themselves. And yes, Israel as an occupying power does not have that right to self-defense."

The Biden administration later scrambled to distance itself from CAIR following Awad's comments, stating it was removing the group from its publicly listed pledge to fight antisemitism.

At the time, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told Fox News Digital in a statement, "We condemn these shocking, Antisemitic statements in the strongest terms."

"The horrific, brutal terrorist attacks committed by Hamas on October 7th were, as President Biden said, ‘abhorrent’ and represent ‘unadulterated evil,’" Bates said.

"October 7th was the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust," he continued. "The atrocities of that day shock the conscience, which is why we can never forget the pain Hamas has caused for so many innocent people."

"There are families who are in agony mourning loved ones, and there are also families in agony as they do everything in their power to free loved ones being held hostage," Bates said. "Every leader has a responsibility to call out Antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head."

Ahead of the fundraiser, Awad posted on social media praising Bowman as "a staunch defender of Palestinian rights" and asking people to attend the fundraiser and donate.

It's unclear why Bowman decided to attend a fundraiser alongside Awad, and his campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Bowman is facing what is expected to be a tough primary battle against George Latimer, who serves as a Westchester County executive and previously served in the New York State Assembly and state Senate.

The primary will be held on June 25. The winner will likely become the next representative of the district as elections analysts rate the race as either "safe" or "solid" Democrat.

Source: foxnews.com

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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/squad-member-caught-fundraiser-hosted-islamic-leader-praised-attack-israel

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ASU Police Are Accused Of Removing HijabsOf Four Muslim Women; Experts Say That Plays Into Muslim Women Misconceptions

May 6, 2024

As student protests continue on college campuses in Arizona and around the country, one story from Arizona State University’s arrests earlier this month has caught the attention of many. Campus police are accused of removing the hijabs of four Muslim women who had been arrested in the midst of the protests.

Now, ABC15 reports, those women are considering legal action. ASU has said it is reviewing the incident.

There have been multiple cases like this in recent years. Many have resulted in lawsuits that have been settled, sometimes for millions of dollars.

Asma Uddin says it’s all part of a larger problem of misconceptions of Muslims — and Muslim women, in particular.

Uddin is a fellow with the Aspen Institute's Religion and Society program, as well as the author of many books about Muslim’s and religious liberty. Uddin spoke with The Show about the religious significance of hijabs for Muslim women and more.

Full conversation

ASMA UDDIN: Well, the headscarf plays an extremely prominent role in Islam. Of course, every person who wears it, every woman who wears it comes to it with her own sort of subjective experiences and interpretations of her religion. But across the board, she's wearing it because it's a reflection of, sort of her devotion to God, her willingness and desire to please God and to abide by what she understands to be an obligation of her religion. Beyond that, I think there might be other things associated with, as with pretty much everything we wear. Oftentimes it's a, it's a form of self-expression. And so hijab also serves that function for many people. Fundamentally, as a religious obligation, it sort of carries a sort of central role in people's religious identity and their idea of, of whether they're doing the thing that is moral or that is right and that God wants them to do in public spaces.

Because hijab is generally for public spaces or in spaces where you're with men who are not related to you. Even though it looks like it would just be an accessory, for many Muslim women who wear it, it serves as the same function as clothing that covers something that's intimate that you don't want exposed in public. And so when somebody forcibly removes it, it's essentially the same as forcibly removing something that you think would otherwise expose you in a really sort of problematic and deeply sort of offensive way in public.

LAUREN GILGER: That's really interesting. And in a way I had never heard it described. Can you tell us what the law says about this? Like, I know individual police departments might have different policies or might not have any policies on hijabs in particular. But like there have been lawsuits happening about this around the country. I mean, is there, is there anything in the law that describes how law enforcement should address religious dress?

UDDIN: So it falls under the bigger umbrella of religious accommodations. And religious accommodations could be for a wide range of things that religious individuals need in order to be able to live out their faith in the public space. And religious garb is something that again is not unique to Muslim women or Muslims generally. It's something that a diverse array of religious believers practice in some way, right. So whether it be Jewish men who wear yarmulkes or orthodox Jewish women who cover their hair with a wig or in some other way, or if it's Amish women or other Mennonite women who wear something on their heads, if it's Sikh men who wear turbans, I mean, there's just an array of different types of things that will qualify as religious garb and a lot of cases, it's something that's very, you know, either highly encouraged or required by their respective faiths.

And our law understands that this is something that is a core part of the protection of freedom of religion and creates broad protections for that in the law. To say that when you're faced with this, when a government entity such as law enforcement, is faced with somebody who is wearing religious garb that they must accommodate the specific beliefs and practices around that religious garb.

GILGER: Do you think that there is a broader misunderstanding that happens? Not just among law enforcement. Of, of Muslim women and their motivations for wearing something like this.

UDDIN: 100%. I mean, we have a long history, not just nationally but globally of a sort of a deep misunderstanding and mistrust of Muslim religious garb. I mean, we've seen cases in Europe, in a number of different European countries, a number of them haven't gone to the European Court of Human Rights, different governments have banned, for example, the face veil that some, very few, but some Muslim women wear. And they see that as, as problematic on a number of fronts, whether it be creating security concerns, right? That was the argument made by France. Or that it just kind of makes people uncomfortable, which raised interesting questions during the pandemic, that some forms of face coverings didn't raise a lot of the same concerns that for some reason, that particular form of veil did.

But it's an ongoing conversation in a lot of Western societies that don't understand these forms of religious dress and often impose their own interpretations onto them, that it's something that a woman is being forced to wear, that it is sort of a symbol of her subjugation and quite paradoxically at the same time as sort of describing this modest religious dress as a form of submissiveness, it's also seen as a reflection of aggression. So somehow a Muslim woman is both submissive and aggressive at the same time. I'm not sure how that works. But you know, saying that this is somehow an expression of something that might be scary or nefarious.

GILGER: Do you think that that Islam and Muslim people are treated differently in this broader conversation in this country about not just religious garb as you're talking about there, but religious freedom?

UDDIN: 100%. I have a book called "When Islam Is Not a Religion: Inside America's Fight for Religious Freedom." And in it, I sort of take the reader through a wide array of different forms of religious exercise that Muslims engage in and that they're often receive some sort of resistance, either by political actors, by various nonprofits and activists who are set up essentially to generate fear and distrust the Muslims and color their religious exercise as something else. And also to some extent that, you know, there's empirical data demonstrating that judges actually also treat Muslim forms of religious exercise differently and often worse than other forms of religious exercise.

GILGER: So let's then lastly talk a little bit about potential solutions. I mean, maybe it's a little Pollyannish. But I wonder, do you think lawsuits and the ones that we've seen settled so far, a few of them seem to have resulted in policy changes for whatever specific police department was involved. But do you think this is about training law enforcement? Do you think it's about this kind of broader conversation and bringing that to light?

UDDIN: I think the fact that it keeps happening despite the fact that there's these multimillion dollar payouts, one lawsuit by itself having resulted in a $17.5 million settlement. And the fact that the police just keep doing it. I mean, there seems to be a fundamental inability to understand in the moment, especially that what is happening is fundamentally problematic from the perspective of religion and religious liberty and specifically the way that Muslim women need their religious requirements accommodated.

You know, but, but more broadly, I mean, in a lot of these cases, again, there's a very sort of Muslim specific part of it, but there's also, you know, resonances beyond to like other religions. As I noted, I mean, there's been incidents involving Sikh men with turbans and, and their rights to that religious garb being openly violate, violated. But beyond that, it's also just, I think increasingly a misunderstanding of religion, and the nature of what religious devotion and sense of religious obligation, like what that is and how people experience that and why it's important to respect that.

Source: kjzz.org

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Political editor hits out at Musk over Muslim mayors fact-checking fail

07 May 2024

A regional political journalist has hit out at Elon Musk for failing to fact-check “complete and utter b****cks” written by Laurence Fox.

Liverpool Echo political editor Liam Thorp criticised the billionaire after he responded “wow” to an inaccurate claim by actor and right-wing activist Laurence Fox, who published a list of cities in England supposedly run by Muslim mayors.

Among Mr Fox’s claims were that Leeds and Sheffield, neither of which have directly-elected mayors, were run by Muslims.

After Mr Musk’s reply, which appeared to endorse Mr Fox’s claims, Liam took to X, the platform owned by Mr Musk, in order to discredit it.

Liam, pictured, wrote: “Even the most cursory Google could show you that the vast majority of this is complete and utter b****cks.

“But I guess that’s too much to ask of one of the richest people in the world.

“There is no Mayor of Leeds. There’s an apolitical, civic Lord Mayor of Leeds and that’s currently a lady called Al Garthwaite

“There is no Mayor of Sheffield, there’s an apolitical, civic Lord Mayor of Sheffield called Colin Ross.

“Obviously the wider point is a nonsense attempt at stirring up hatred anyway – but the sheer lack of any fact-checking from Musk is remarkable.”

HTFP has approached X for a comment.

Source: holdthefrontpage.co.

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Pakistan

 

Pakistan committed to promote regional peace, stability: Kh Asif

May 07, 2024

Minister for Defence and Defence Production Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said Pakistan is committed to stability and peace in the region.

He was talking to Ambassador of France to Pakistan Nicolas Galey who called on him in Islamabad.

The Defence Minister highlighted that Pakistan attaches great importance to its bilateral relations with France.

He emphasized on enhanced collaboration between Armed Forces of two countries.

The Minister expressed that Pak-France bilateral relations are based on principles of mutual respect.

Defense Minister reiterated Pakistan's commitment to address global challenges of terrorism and extremism.

The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan's role in regional stability and ensured to play his role for further improvement in diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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'Terrorist Bid Foiled' As Two 'RAW Agents' Arrested In Karachi

May 07, 2024

KARACHI: A major terrorist bid was foiled by police and intelligence agencies as they arrested two 'agents' of the Indian spy agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), in a joint operation in Karachi, Korangi Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hasan Sardar said on Monday.

The official said that two hand grenades, a 9mm pistol and ammunition had been seized from the "terrorists" arrested during the targeted operation.

Sardar further said that the nabbed terrorist had been involved in the recce of a target pointed out by foreign elements. He said that the terrorists used to send the images and information gathered during the recce abroad and received millions of rupees from foreign bank accounts for that.

Indian infiltration inside Pakistani territory for intelligence and terrorist purposes is not something known as a number of incidents of extra-territorial activities by RAW and arrest of its agents have been reported in the past.

Earlier this year, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Syrus Qazi exposed the “sophisticated and sinister” Indian campaign of extra-territorial and extra-judicial killings.

Pakistan has "credible evidence" for Indian agents' link to the killings of two of its citizens on Pakistani soil, Qazi had revealed in January.

These claims were provided further credence by British daily newspaper, The Guardian, through a report that revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Indian government “ordered killings” on Pakistan’s soil.

Quoting intelligence operatives, the report stated that New Delhi has adopted a policy of targeting those it considers hostile to India on foreign soil.

Already strained by historical baggage and border disputes, Islamabad and New Delhi's ties hit new lows after 2016's Kulbushan Yadav spy arrest and the 2019 revocation of Indian Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir's (IIOJK) special status.

The Kashmir move, a blatant violation of international laws, froze diplomacy and choked trade between the two adjoining countries. Pakistan has, for more than four years, conditioned restoring ties with its nuclear neighbour to the restoration of IIOJK’s special status.

India’s notorious spy agency RAW, which is directly controlled by the office of PM Modi, allegedly began to carry out assassinations abroad following the 2019 Pulwama attack.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1186042-terrorist-bid-foiled-as-two-raw-agents-arrested-in-karachi

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Embattled PTI eyes return to power after 'securing relief from top court'

May 06, 2024

The embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is eyeing a return to power after the Supreme Court’s favourable verdict suspending the Peshawar High Court (PHC) judgment on the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) reserved seats.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Monday along with Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, PTI leader Asad Qaiser welcomed the apex court’s verdict.

“The PTI will soon come into power if the courts continue to deliver such verdicts,” he remarked.

The PTI-led government was toppled in April 2022 via an opposition's no-confidence motion. However, the Imran Khan-founded party alleged that its ouster was the result of a US conspiracy hatched by colluding with the then-opposition parties.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court three-member bench headed by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah accepted the PTI-backed SIC plea against the high court's ruling that deprived the party of its reserved seat quota allocated on the basis of the party’s strength in the assembly.

"[We are accepting the [SIC's] pleas [against the PHC verdict], Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said and asked under what law [reserved] seats were allocated to other parties.

Barring the members, who have taken oath on the reserved seats, from casting their votes in legislation, the SC said that it will hear the case on a daily basis from June 3.

Furthermore, the court noted that the said issue only concerns the additional reserved seats allotted to the political parties later on.

Speaking about the wheat import scandal, the PTI leader alleged that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was involved in the scam that reportedly caused billions of rupees loss to the national exchequer.

“We are standing by farmers and the government is playing drama on the [wheat] scandal,” he said as the farmers have announced staging countrywide protests from May 10 against the government’s inability to procure wheat from them at the fixed price.

Due to the non-purchase of wheat by the provincial governments, wheat is being sold at a lower price than the official rate — a matter of grave concern for the farmers.

Speaking about other matters, Qaiser said the PTI was standing with every party which considered the incumbent coalition government “illegal”.

Referring to the ruling alliance lawmakers, Qaiser said even their children knew that “they are sitting in parliament illegally”.

The PTI leader also complained that the opposition party was not being allowed to hold political rallies in the country.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1185999-embattled-pti-eyes-return-to-power-after-securing-relief-from-top-court

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Govt committed to provide robust mechanism to Saudi investors: PM

May 07, 2024

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed government's commitment to provide a robust and free of hurdles mechanism to Saudi investors.

He was addressing a dinner ceremony hosted in the honor of Saudi investors and businessmen in Islamabad.

Expressing pleasure over the tangible progress during business to business session of Saudi investors with Pakistani side, the Prime Minister thanked the Saudi delegation for visiting Pakistan.

The Prime Minister said Special Investment Facilitation Council is a very robust, all-encompassing vehicle to undertake all the important projects in the interest of the people of Pakistan and to our mutual benefits.

He expressed hope that in a very short time we will witness solid agreements worth billions of dollars with Saudi investors.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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https://www.radio.gov.pk/07-05-2024/govt-committed-to-provide-robust-mechanism-to-saudi-investors-pm

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PM vows to work closely with Italy to cement bilateral ties

May 07, 2024

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated Pakistan's commitment to work closely with Italy to further cement bilateral ties.

He was talking to the Ambassador of Italy Marilina Armellin who paid a courtesy call on him in Islamabad.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan deeply values its multifaceted relations with Italy spanning over many decades, which had always been marked by goodwill and trust.

He added that the two sides also shared similar views on a number of important regional and global issues.

Emphasizing the importance of high-level exchanges, the Prime Minister extended a cordial invitation to Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni to undertake an official visit to Pakistan.

He conveyed his appreciation for Prime Minister Meloni's policies at home and abroad that had made Italy an important member of the EU.

Expressing satisfaction over the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Italy bilateral relations, the Prime Minister urged the two sides to enhance cooperation in the fields of education, trade and investment, legal migration, as well as cultural exchanges.

The Ambassador said she would strive to promote stronger relations between the two countries.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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https://www.radio.gov.pk/06-05-2024/pm-calls-for-enhancing-pak-italy-cooperation-in-diverse-fields

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Pakistan calls for addressing escalating threats in outer space

May 07, 2024

At the United Nations, Pakistan has called for collective action to address escalating threats in outer space.

Participating in UN General Assembly debate in New York on the use of the veto regarding the Outer Space Resolution, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Munir Akram underscored the gravity of the situation, citing the proliferation of weapons in space and the increasing militarization of outer space by major powers.

He expressed concern over the deployment of missile defense systems and their integration with outer space technologies, warning of the destabilizing impact on global and regional security.

Munir Akram emphasized the need for multilateral cooperation, particularly within the Conference on Disarmament, to address the growing threats posed by the weaponization of outer space.

He stressed Pakistan's commitment to promoting inclusive and transparent deliberations on global disarmament issues within appropriate forums.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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https://www.radio.gov.pk/07-05-2024/pakistan-calls-for-addressing-escalating-threats-in-outer-space

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World Bank offers support to Pakistan in achieving development goals

May 07, 2024

World Bank has expressed the readiness to extend technical assistance and financial support to facilitate Pakistan in achieving its developmental objectives.

This was stated by South Asia Regional Vice President of the World Bank Martin Raiser during his meeting with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in Islamabad.

The Finance Minister briefed Martin Raiser on the macro-economic situation of the country and efforts of the government for stabilization of the economy.

The Finance Minister outlined the Government's priority reform areas including increasing the tax to GDP ratio, reducing the costs in energy sector, SOE reforms, privatization and human capital development.

The Finance Minister requested the World Bank Vice President to align country partnership framework with the priority reform areas of our government.

Martin Raiser said the World Bank Group will provide necessary support to the government in implementing its reform agenda.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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https://www.radio.gov.pk/07-05-2024/world-bank-offers-support-to-pakistan-in-achieving-development-goals

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OIC Contact Group on Jammu & Kashmir calls for early resolution of J&K dispute

May 06, 2024

OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir has called for an early and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

Its meeting was held in Banjul, The Gambia on the sidelines of the 15th Islamic Summit of the OIC.

The participating delegations from different member states expressed support for the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people for realization of their inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, who led the Pakistan delegation briefed the Contact Group on India’s ongoing efforts to transform Kashmiris into a disempowered community in their own land.

He apprised the meeting that India was systematically denying the Kashmiri people their fundamental rights and freedoms.

Ishaq Dar said the Indian authorities have created an environment of fear and intimidation in the IIOJK to crush dissent.

He urged the international community to take cognizance of the Indian leaders’ provocative statements and unwarranted claims about Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which constitute a serious threat to regional peace.

The Deputy Prime Minister also stressed that India must release all the political prisoners, lift curbs on the outlawed political parties, revoke the illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 and the subsequent steps aimed at demographic change and political engineering, and implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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https://www.radio.gov.pk/06-05-2024/oic-contact-group-on-jammu-kashmir-calls-for-early-resolution-of-jk-dispute

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PTI leader discusses ‘rule of law’ with US ambassador

May 07, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan Thursday discussed with US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome the state of democracy and the rule of law in Pakistan.

During the meeting with the US Ambassador, Leader of the Opposition Onar Ayub highlighted “the ‘vendetta’ unleashed against hundreds of political prisoners, including founder chairman Imran Khan, his wife and other PTI leaders, their trial by the military courts.”

According to the party’s Central Media Department here, during the meeting, detailed discussions were held on the state of democracy and the rule of law in Pakistan, as well as the state of basic human rights and the state of economy in the country. The party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, senior leader Asad Qaiser and Information Secretary PTI Raoof Hasan were also part of the meeting.

The meeting also discussed ‘state aggression’ against people’s right to vote, ‘declared and undeclared restrictions on fundamental political freedoms, and illegal administrative measures against freedom of expression and communication’. They informed the US ambassador about the ongoing series of extra-constitutional and legal political vendetta against hundreds of political prisoners, including founder-chairman Imran Khan, his wife, men and women leaders of the PTI, as well as the contents of the recent report of the US State Department on the ongoing basic human rights violations in the country.

Opposition Leader Omar Ayub said that Pakistan is in the grip of a very serious political, constitutional and economic crisis. He emphasised that the fundamental rights, political freedoms and right to vote provided to the citizens by the Constitution are the guarantees of political stability in the country. Pakistan has a long history of deep business and economic relations with the US which also happens to be our largest trading partner, Ayub added. During the meeting, Omar Ayub also expressed his desire to continue and expand relations with the United States on the basis of mutual trust and respect for bilateral benefit. The US Ambassador’s reiterated commitment to continue to play a participatory role in Pakistan’s multifaceted development. The two sides also agreed on the continuation of bilateral relations.

Later, talking to the media, Omar Ayub said they discussed with the US ambassador the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law, military courts, the cases of the founder PTI and party leaders. He told the US Ambassador that they would not tolerate interference from any country. In response to queries, Ayub said that they discussed in general terms the PTI founder’s ouster under the London Plan, but they did not raise their reservations about the US role with the ambassador.

Omar said that the meeting was held at the initiative of the ambassador. The US Ambassador desired a meeting through the Foreign Office which was also attended by the US political officer, he said. “We have repeatedly said that these are internal problems of Pakistan and only the rule of law would usher in investment,” he said.

In a statement, the US embassy in Pakistan confirmed that Ambassador Blome met PTI leader Ayub and other opposition leaders.

The acting spokesperson of the US mission said: “The US ambassador underscored the need for far-reaching economic reforms, stable and secure future of the people in Pakistan.” Common interests, opportunities and shared goals were also discussed in the huddle, the spokesperson added. The US envoy stressed the need to expedite Green Alliance framework projects for climate change. The US support for economic reforms and recovery of the cash-strapped nation, issues related to regional security and human rights were also discussed, the spokesperson added.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1186229-pti-leader-discusses-rule-of-law-with-us-ambassador

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Southeast Asia

 

Malaysian Muslim Group Says Brands Boycott Over Gaza Counterproductive, Suggests Buying Out Firms Instead

07 May 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — Boycotting major brands in Malaysia will have unintended consequences to the local economy including undermining Muslims who own or work for these firms, said the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM).

Its director-general, Datuk Dr Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil, said boycotts may backfire as large companies like McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut are among the biggest corporate taxpayers in Malaysia and whose largest shareholders are Muslims.

“It is feared that emotionally-driven boycotts without proper planning could undermine the economy of Muslims themselves. This action also affects the job sector, especially involving local workers employed by the boycotted entities, who may face pay cuts or job loss,” he said in a statement today.

He said the orchestrated movement to boycott companies allegedly supporting Israel in the conflict with Palestine was a key effort among Malaysian Muslims but the move could end up doing more harm.

He said that an alternative could instead be to take over these companies by buying majority stakes in them

“This would provide greater long-term benefits, especially in socio-economic aspects in Malaysia.

“The profits gained can eventually be channelled into more beneficial endeavours for Malaysia and, at the same time, contribute to the primary goal of supporting Palestine,” he said.

Mohamed Azam said that it has been apparent that boycotting has been the chosen method of protest against companies deemed acting out of public interest such as that against supermarket chain, KK Super Mart & Superstore Sdn Bhd (KK Mart), following the issue of stockings with the word Allah written on them in one of its branches.

However, he pointed out that Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Wan Zahidi Wan Teh said that boycotts like that against KK Mart should be stopped, arguing that it goes against Islamic justice and are not in line with the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.

“IKIM believes that the boycott issue should be examined based on principles of justice and considering the benefits and harms deeply. Are the actions taken fair and correct, and do they bring about goodness or, on the contrary, more harm than good?” he said.

“Boycott represents real consumer power, especially in conveying messages to companies that act against the public interest. It also serves as an important signal to Malaysian entrepreneurs to conduct business honestly and maintain the quality of products and services.

“Economic experts have said that boycotts tended to be reactive, short-term, and emotion-driven actions that may yield temporary results, but are not effective in the long run and do not address the real issues,” he said.

Mohamed said that the impact of boycotts has been said to be minimal on the domestic economy as they target specific businesses but more severe impacts will be felt by the targeted businesses, leading to decreased sales and profits, and even facing the risk of losses.

“At the same time, the country's position as a trading nation and investment destination is severely affected,” he said.

“IKIM believes that the boycott issue should be thoroughly examined. Alongside conducting research on this issue, IKIM will soon organize roundtable discussions involving experts from various fields to find the best solutions regarding this matter,” he added.

Source: malaymail.com

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Education minister says already working to address spike in statutory rapes

07 May 2024

KUALA KANGSAR, May 7 — Efforts are already ongoing to combat the rise in statutory rapes disclosed by the Royal Malaysia Police’s Criminal Investigation Department, said Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

Saying her ministry was aware of the new data, Fadhlina said it was a grave problem and measures were already being explored to curb the issue.

“We have been working closely with the Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry and the Legal Affairs Division (law) of the Prime Minister’s Department on the advocacy programmes for sexual harassment.

“We have also recently held a convention on anti-sexual harassment involving both the Education and Law Ministries,” she told a press conference at the Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah (USAS) here.

Yesterday, Bukit Aman’s CID director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain expressed concern over the reported rise in statutory rape cases nationwide since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

He said it was worrying because the perpetrators and victims in some cases were both minors who did not view their acts as criminal due to mutual consent.

However, he stressed that minors could not legally consent even if the acts were voluntary.

Today, Fadhlina said her ministry also contributed to the guideline on the management of sexual harassment at the education institutions.

“We have introduced the ‘safe sport code’ training for the teachers and students, specially for sport related activities, in order the children can do the activities safely without any sexual disturbance.

“What we wanted is that the children to believe that the place where they lodge a report on sexual harassment is safe,” she added.

Fadhlina then reiterated that the ministry will not compromise on any sexual harassment in schools.

Source: malaymail.com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/05/07/education-minister-says-already-working-to-address-spike-in-statutory-rapes/132929

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Milei to business community: Argentina can be ‘new Mecca of the West’

07-05-24

President Javier Milei delivered a speech at the Milken Institute's Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, on Monday, during which he claimed that Argentina can be “the new Mecca of the West.”

Before an audience of US investors, business leaders and economists, Milei delivered a typically energetic speech that warned against the threat of “global socialism” and called for a return of Western values and free-market economics.

He called on the business community to take advantage of the “enormous” investment opportunities his country had to offer and asked for their assistance to make Argentina “the Rome of the 21st century.”

Blaming Peronism and “collectivism” for decades of economic stagnation in Argentina, he said his reform plans were taking hold in the country, which is gripped by runaway inflation and rising poverty.

"Today, for the first time in 150 years, and against the backdrop of an increasingly less free world, Argentina is becoming a freer country day-by-day," he claimed.

Addressing US investors and entrepreneurs directly, the La Libertad Avanza leader repeated his previous line that businesspeople are “the heroes of history” thanks to their belief in “superiority” of free enterprise and capitalism.

“Merit, ambition, freedom, innovation and optimism are essential values. I want to invite you to bet on Argentina,” said Milei.

While in Los Angeles, Argentina’s President met with a number of top business leaders and famous names, including ex-Boca Juniors star Guillermo Barros Schelotto and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

He also met with a second time with billionaire Elon Musk on the sidelines of the conference. The SpaceX and Telsa CEO later posted photographs of him and Milei posing together online.

Earlier in the day, underlining Argentina’s diplomatic shift under his administration towards Western nations, the United States and Israel, Milei posed backstage with a huge Israeli flag for a photograph shared on social media.

During his speech, the President asked the business community to help him make “Argentina the new Rome of the 21st century” and a “land of opportunities.”

Lashing out at the “populism” of his predecessors in office, Milei said investors could “generate enormous investment opportunities” if they only bet on the country.

Recalling a previous speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos back in January, the libertarian leader said it is clear that “the West is in danger,” which he said was a result of a shift “away from the ideas of freedom.”

“Instead of defending the ideas that generated the prosperity that everyone here enjoys, they listen to siren songs that lead inexorably to socialism and consequently to poverty," said Milei.

The president continued: "For us, the only task of the state is to protect the life, liberty and property of Argentines, so that everyone can be the architect of their own destiny. It is a vision similar to the one held by all the prosperous countries of the West in the great moments of their history.”

Talking up his reform plan, Milei argued that the “only way to lift 60 percent of Argentines out of poverty is with economic growth, and there is only economic growth with freedom."

He declared: "Argentine society demands a profound and urgent change of course to re-embrace the ideas of freedom.”

Source: batimes.com.ar

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https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/milei-to-business-community-argentina-can-be-new-mecca-of-the-west.phtml

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Avoid being deceived by offers of departure using non-Hajj visa: Govt

May 6, 2024

Padang (ANTARA) - The Religious Ministry's West Sumatra Office reminded people to not be scammed by fraudulent Hajj travel services offering departures for the Holy Land using visas other than the Hajj visa.

"It should be emphasized that the visas (for prospective pilgrims) in 2024 have been issued, so there are no other visas other than the Hajj visa," Head of the Religious Ministry's West Sumatra Office, Mahyudin, remarked here on Monday.

He made the statement as a follow-up to the religious affairs minister's announcement that the Indonesian Hajj quota has been filled, so the public is urged to not be lured by any offer to go to the Holy Land using a non-Hajj visa.

To prevent people from falling victims to such fraud, Mahyudin said his side has disseminated information to all district and city governments regarding the departure to Saudi Arabia using the Hajj visa.

"We have asked them to prevent the public from being deceived by individuals who said they issue visas other than the Hajj visa, as they do not exist," he stated.

Meanwhile, he explained that the special Hajj program has in place its own mechanism under the ministry that always supervises the implementation in each province.

He revealed that a team from the central government regularly monitors for irregularities in special Hajj departures in every province.

Tight supervision is deemed necessary, considering that the government has given permission to several official travel agencies to depart people to the Holy Land.

He ensured that the government will act firmly against travel agencies conducting illegal activities by revoking their operational licenses, among other stringent measures.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabian government has tightened its regulation for people looking to perform Hajj.

Source: antaranews.com

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MITI encourages local companies to form investment partnerships with Saudi Arabia

07-05- 2024

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) is calling upon local companies to establish investment partnerships with companies from Saudi Arabia, especially in the services sector.

Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said Saudi Arabia is inviting Malaysian companies to invest in the country in order to bolster bilateral trade and investments.

He highlighted that Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Vision 2030 plan welcomes investments from countries like Malaysia, especially in the services sector.

“We have expertise in diverse sectors, including electrical and electronics, tourism, logistics, and facility management.

“This opens up opportunities for Malaysian companies to expand their business into the country,“ he said after a dinner reception in honour of the Saudi Arabian delegation’s visit to Malaysia yesterday.

In this regard, Tengku Zafrul said the Malaysia-Saudi Business Council has been established to boost business-to-business activities between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce Dr Majid Abdullah Alkassabi encouraged Malaysian companies to come to Saudi Arabia to explore potential business opportunities in the country.

He added that the visit was of significant importance as it was a fact-finding mission where the parties sought to build connections and jointly discover the multitude of opportunities available.

“So we are preparing a comprehensive plan... a cooperation plan based on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s direction to prepare a joint plan and to enhance the bilateral trade cooperation,” he said.

Source: thesun.my

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Arab World

 

Inaugural Red Sea Fashion Week to highlight Saudi talent to a global audience, official says

May 06, 2024

RIYADH: The head of the Saudi Fashion Commission said on Monday that the inaugural Red Sea Fashion Week later this month will highlight the talent in the Kingdom to a global audience, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Burak Cakmak, the CEO of the commission, said: “With Red Sea Fashion Week we set out to forge a distinctive and dynamic platform that not only highlights the vast creativity and skill within Saudi Arabia but also elevates our nation as a key player on the global fashion stage.

“This initiative is a vibrant testament to our dedication to cultivating local talent and integrating them into the international arena, resonating deeply with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals of enriching our cultural fabric and broadening our economic horizons.”

The first edition of Red Sea Fashion Week, the latest initiative from the Saudi Fashion Commission to promote the Kingdom’s fashion industry, begins on May 16 at the new St. Regis Red Sea Resort. It runs until May 18.

A fashion show will be held on the first day, followed by two days of side events and further shows featuring a collection of luxury fashion, jewelry, ready-to-wear items, and resort wear collections from Saudi and international designers.

Saudi Arabia hosted its first fashion week in 2023 in Riyadh, and hosted a pop-up event in Milan last year on the sidelines of the city’s fashion week.

Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi Arabia warns Israel against targeting Gaza’s Rafah

May 06, 2024

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia warned of the dangers of Israel targeting the city of Rafah as part of its “bloody” and “systematic campaign to storm all areas of the Gaza Strip and displace its residents” on Monday.

The warning came after Israel’s military ordered tens of thousands of people in the southern Gaza city of Rafah to begin evacuating earlier on Monday, signaling that a long-promised ground invasion could be imminent.

The Foreign Ministry affirmed the Kingdom’s categorical rejection of continuous violations of international law by Israeli forces which are exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the territory and limiting international peace efforts.

The ministry renewed the Kingdom’s call on the international community to intervene immediately to stop the Israeli genocide taking place in occupied Palestinian territories.

The UN’s human rights chief Volker Turk said on Monday that Israeli orders to relocate Palestinians from Rafah are inhumane and risked exposing them to further danger and misery. He warned that such actions can sometimes amount to a war crime.

Source: arabnews.com

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Recognizing Excellence in Islamic Finance and Development Initiatives

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, May 6, 2024/APO Group/ -- The Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) announces the winners of the Private Sector Forum (PSF) 2024 Awards, celebrating outstanding contributions to Islamic finance and development initiatives across 57 member countries.

The IsDB Group, comprising the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), the Islamic Corporation for the Development (ICD), and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), leverages its diverse tools to support member countries in achieving their development goals.

The PSF 2024 Awards honors exceptional achievements, groundbreaking innovations and impactful initiatives by market practitioners driving positive change through Shariah compliant financial instruments in the areas of trade finance, export credit and private sector development, in six categories:

ICIEC:

Export Credit Agency of the Year: Kazakh Export

The ICIEC cooperated with Kazakh Export, for the export of locomotives to Azerbaijan Railways by providing insurance support for a US$29.8 million lease finance facility of 10 ‘Evolution – Type’ diesel locomotives to Azerbaijan Railways for 10 years, while supporting intra-OIC trade and meets SDG 9 of the UN.

 Most Innovative Investment Development Initiative of the Year: African Development Bank (AfDB)

The ICIEC has signed a risk-sharing arrangement with African Development Bank (AfDB) to support financing dedicated to ESG projects in Côte d’Ivoire. The ICIEC has provided an insurance capacity of EUR194 million (US$210.13 million), backstopping the EUR400 million (US$433.25 million) partial credit guarantee (PCG) issued by the AfDB against the non-payment risk associated with a facility of EUR533 million (US$577.31 million) extended by Standard Chartered Bank to the government of the Côte d’Ivoire.

ICD:

Most Impactful Islamic Financial Institution of the Year: Kazakhstan’s JSC Leasing Group

ICD issued last year a Tenge-denominated sukuk which was rated “A+” by Fitch. With a size of KZT 2 billion, this is the first sukuk in the national currency of one of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

The sukuk proceeds were used to support Kazakhstan's JSC Leasing Group’s on-lending activities. The ultimate beneficiaries are mostly small and medium-sized enterprises. With the volatility in currency markets representing a major risk for companies with revenues in local currency, ICD provided a local currency financing solution to Leasing Group.

Leasing Group is listed on the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange.

Most Impactful ICD Investee Company of the Year: Tunisia’s Wifak Bank

Tunisia’s Wifak Bank made the transition a fully-fledged Shariah compliant bank in 2016, while the ICD participated in the capital increase reserved for strategic partners including the Tunisian sovereign wealth fund and other Tunisian investors. In line with ISO 26000 standards, Wifak is quantifying its carbon footprint and is attempting to reduce it while also making progress on SDGs 5, 8, 9, and 17. Wifak’s Fitch rating outpaces the sovereign rating as it provides 55,000 individuals/SMEs with access to financial resources and employed over 300 local talents while collaborating with a fintech company to introduce digital payments.

ITFC:

Trade Finance Deal of the Year: Turk Eximbank

ITFC has awarded Türk Eximbank the "Trade Finance Deal of the Year" award. This recognizes their long-standing partnership and Türk Eximbank's key role in expanding ITFC's private sector initiatives in Turkey. Since 2009, ITFC has provided Türk Eximbank with approximately US$3.5 billion in financing, with an impressive US$3.2 billion mobilized from external sources.  This collaborative effort has significantly impacted Turkey's trade landscape, with a particular focus on SMEs and the textile sector.

Outstanding Contribution to Intra-OIC Trade Development: Foreign Trade Training Centre (FTTC)

ITFC has awarded the Foreign Trade Training Centre (FTTC) the "Outstanding Contribution to Intra-OIC Trade Development" award.  This recognizes the FTTC's dedication to boosting Egypt's global trade position and its successful partnership with ITFC. Founded by the Egyptian Ministry of Trade & Industry, the FTTC plays a vital role in developing export professionals, strengthening trade ties within the OIC.  Through ITFC-supported programs like TREE and STEP, the FTTC has trained hundreds of new exporters and entrepreneurs, contributing to Egypt's goal of reaching USD 100 billion in exports within five years.

The winners were announced and awarded on Sunday, April 28th during the 2024 Private Sector Forum at the InterContinental Hotel in Riyadh.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Group Business Forum (THIQAH).

Source: africa-newsroom.com

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Saudi ministries sign deal to achieve goals in fields of culture, human resources

May 07, 2024

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, and the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi signed a cooperation agreement on Monday aimed at achieving their respective goals.

The agreement will also work to develop human capital in the culture and arts sectors.

It is hoped the partnership will lead to the development of local cultural identity; the growth in local economic interaction; an increase in job opportunities and social development; and the creation of a legislative and regulatory environment that encourages investment and innovation in the cultural sector.

It is expected this will lead to increased economic activity and new job opportunities, targets which form part of Saudi Vision 2030, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The ministries will study ways to encourage and motivate the participation of the private sector in developing the culture and arts sectors as part of the agreement.

Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi justice minister opens International Conference on Judicial Training

May 06, 2024

RIYADH: The Saudi justice minister on Monday opened the International Conference on Judicial Training in Riyadh.

Walid Al-Samaani made the opening speech at the two-day event, which has attracted more than 600 experts and 45 speakers from around the world.

He highlighted the strides made by the Kingdom in the judiciary sector since the launch of its Vision 2030 initiative.

He also outlined the ministry’s commitment to improving the efficiency of the judiciary and “pivotal role of training, qualification and legal knowledge management in achieving justice.”

The Judicial Training Center was dedicated to improving the skills of the Kingdom’s judicial and legal personnel through collaborations with its partners and had been instrumental in qualifying judges and training lawyers, judicial assistants and notaries, the minister said.

Al-Samaani also commented on the transformation of the justice system, driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which has focused on fortifying legal principles, embedding values of transparency and ensuring legal certainty.

A key area for development was the digital transformation and integration of artificial intelligence, which the ministry was advancing to enhance judicial quality, he said.

Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi Heritage Commission event celebrates ancient Rakah

May 06, 2024

DAMMAM: The Heritage Commission is holding an event to celebrate ancient Rakah, with historical reenactments, guided tours, archaeological experts and handicrafts.

Once a major trading spot, some 1,500 years ago, the area takes its name from an indigenous tree species that once flourished there. The sandy environment was also once under the sea and shells can be found still glued to the rocks.

Many of the guides are female archaeology graduates from Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, formerly known as the University of Dammam.

Wala Al-Nafaiai, who co-founded Dam Studio, a local business that specializes in handmade goods made of cow and camel hide, said she was looking forward to showing off her products to visitors.

 “We want our customers to enter our space, either in our booth at the event this week or our studio location, and in just a short time be able to produce something customized to take home, she told Arab News.

 “Instead of going to a restaurant, we want you to spend the time to have an experience, produce something practical and learn skills you can utilize later.”

Al-Nafaiai said she was delighted with how many people had taken part in the workshops she provided at her booth.

“It was so crowded … I was surprised that there were more adults than children who wanted to join in, although the craft was very simple,” she said.

“It seems many (people) enjoy customizing something that they feel connected to once they make it with their own hands. And that is our goal and the goal of the Heritage Commission who invited us to join this successful event.”

Visitors were also able to learn about the importance of dates to the community in ancient times and how local people would make and trade date syrup with visiting merchants.

Organized in cooperation with the Sharqiya Development Authority, the festival ends on Tuesday. For more information, visit heritage.moc.gov.sa or @mocheritage.
Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi officials hold talks with UK’s Africa, development minister

May 06, 2024

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji on Monday received UK Minister of State for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell in Riyadh.

The two sides discussed topics of common interest and ways to strengthen relations between their countries, the foreign ministry said.

The UK’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Neil Crompton also attended the meeting.

 Elkhereiji also held talks with the British Special Envoy for the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, Sarah Montgomery, and her delegation. The two sides discussed prominent regional and international developments.

Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Envoy for Climate Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir also received Mitchell at the ministry’s office in Riyadh to review various regional and international issues of mutual concern.

During his visit, Mitchell is also expected to meet with the CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development, Sultan Al Marshad, and Assistant Finance Minister and G20 Sherpa Abdulmuhsen Al Khalaf.

Source: arabnews.com

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First National Greening Forum held in Riyadh

May 06, 2024

RIYADH: As countries around the world push to invest in nature-based solutions to environmental problems, experts in Saudi Arabia came together in Riyadh to discuss the most pressing issues at the inaugural National Greening Forum.

Launched under the patronage of Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, the forum was organized by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification and attended by Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al-Hogail, several other ministers, organisations and specialists from local, regional and international sectors related to the environment.

CEO of the center, Khalid Al-Abdulqader, said in his opening speech that the forum will “unify and consolidate national efforts to enhance vegetation cover and mitigate land degradation.”

Addressing the restoration of green spaces in the Kingdom, he said: “We are committed to restoring natural green spaces using sustainable irrigation methods, planting local tree species, and ensuring their protection and monitoring through advanced technologies.”

In a panel discussion titled “Nature-Based Solutions: Key to Transformation,” industry specialists and experts discussed various issues related to promoting the natural growth of trees and their environmental effect, as well as the industries tied to environmental issues and ways their institutions work to find sustainable solutions for the future.

“Vegetation and afforestation are part of nature, which includes the atmosphere, soil, and organisms. The correlation between all of these is the main element for these solutions. So, organizing and monitoring this relationship is key for sustainability and greening,” said Dr. Ahmed Al-Farhan, board member of the center and a faculty member at King Saud University.

For ages, large plumes of dust and sand sweeping across most of Saudi Arabia were a natural, seasonal occurrence, but this year there has been an unusual and noticeable decrease in sandstorms.

Jamaan Al-Qahtani, executive director of the Regional Center for Dust and Sandstorms, explained: “Sandstorms need two factors to occur: dry, load-bearing soil and winds fast enough to carry it.” A few years ago, he said, there were indications that the Kingdom was experiencing fewer sandstorms.

“This April was a 60 percent drop on the average of the past 20 years. March was 30 percent, and January was more than 60 percent. Last year, Riyadh had a record of only one sandstorm.”

Explaining the reason behind this, he said: “We attribute that firstly to rainfall and the timing of that rainfall. When rain falls during the best time for vegetation, that helps with stabilizing the soil.”

The environmental system also plays a pivotal role in preventing degradation, as well as laws that restrain individuals and other entities from tampering with the environment.

Sand and dust storms affect 11 of the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals. For example, 7 million people in total die from all sources of air pollution and degraded air quality. The Middle East and North Africa region loses $150 billion annually due to weather and climate disasters, Al-Qahtani said. 

To meet the growing demand for fresh water in Saudi Arabia, authorities launched a project in 2022 that alters the structure of clouds to increase rainfall; a technique known as cloud seeding.

Ayman Al-Bar, executive director of the Regional Cloud Seeding Program, said “environmental phenomena have become much more severe and common than before.” He went on to say that one of the initiatives under the Middle East Green Initiative, the cloud seeding program, targets an increase in rainfall of between 10% and 20%.

The various initiatives under the program work to intensify vegetation cover, combat desertification, localize technology, and transfer knowledge, he said. In the fifth stage, which covers Riyadh, Hail, and southern parts such as Abha, Taif, and Asir, 1,530 flight hours were spent on precipitation efforts and 110 hours on research. “Preliminary reports indicate that precipitation exceeds 4 billion cubic meters of rainfall in the targeted area,” Al-Bar said.

Dr. Talal Al-Harigi, CEO of Imam Abdulaziz Royal Nature Reserve, said: “When it comes to carbon sequestration, which is capturing carbon through natural solutions, trees naturally grow by taking in carbon dioxide. When some soil patches deteriorate, we’ve undergone processes for soil rehabilitation and preparing them to receive rain either from rainfall or other sources.”

Nature reserves are a prime example of nature-based solutions, Al-Harigi said. Within the Imam Abdulaziz Royal Nature Reserve, the King Khalid Royal Reserve, and others, authorities found that vegetation cover was refreshed and that there was greater soil stability, as well as improved soil fertility.

Ultimately, most industries are affected by environmental deterioration and climate change, and while natural disasters are expected to increase and worsen, Saudi Arabia has taken a leading role in creating sustainable solutions for generations to come.

The forum highlighted the role of public, private and nonprofit sectors in achieving the Saudi Green Initiative target of planting 10 billion trees and providing a platform to participating organisations to engage and exchange knowledge.

Source: arabnews.com

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Education minister pushes for ‘practical partnerships’ at Saudi-Canadian forum

May 06, 2024

RIYADH: During the KSA-Canada Education Partnership Forum in Riyadh on Monday, Saudi Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan emphasized the need for “practical partnerships” between the two countries, stating that he is not interested in more agreements, but rather in meaningful collaborations.

“I want you to think beyond the traditional way of partnerships. We have had a lot of MoUs (memorandums of understanding) that have been signed previously and I want to tell you I am not interested in more MoUs. We want to make sure that these are carried into practical solutions,” Al-Benyan told the forum.

The Canadian Embassy, in partnership with the Saudi Ministry of Education, hosted the forum, bringing together leading educational institutions from Canada and the Kingdom to explore areas of collaboration.

The forum will continue on Tuesday with discussions focused on joint study programs, collaborative research initiatives, curriculum development, student and faculty exchanges, and partnerships in technical and vocational training.

Jean-Philippe Linteau, the Canadian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said: “Canada is back, and Canada is eager to work with Saudi Arabia.

“We have over 70 people that have traveled from Canada and we have over 70 Saudi institutions that are here to meet them, (this) shows (that) the desire, the appetite for that collaboration between our two countries in the education sector is very, very strong,” the envoy told Arab News.

“I am confident that out of today we will have many partnerships and successes that will develop over time for the benefit of Saudi students and Canadian education institutions as well,” he added.

Spearheaded by the Canadian Embassy’s trade division, the education forum brought together leaders from several universities, including the University of Toronto, McMaster University, Western University, Humber College, and dozens of others.

The forum will include a tour for the Canadian delegation to meet the senior leadership of King Saud University, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.

On Tuesday, experts will discuss key areas of cooperation within the framework of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, including information technology, tourism and hospitality, healthcare, clean energy, mining, and agriculture.

The Saudi minister said that this forum marks “the start of a practical partnership” that “looks into the ways and means to make an impact.”

Al-Benyan added: “We would like to see more student exchange and faculty exchange.”

The Canadian envoy in turn emphasized the importance of people-to-people ties when growing partnerships.

He told Arab News: “The best thing that can happen is we brought all of these people from Canada here, they will see the new Saudi Arabia, they will go back and they will tell people what they saw and what they missed, for the ones that were not here, and I think we will get more and more collaboration coming up.”

Source: arabnews.com

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KAUST program inspires young scientific talent

May 06, 2024

RIYADH: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is creating new opportunities for young people in Saudi Arabia by supporting research and innovation in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and space.

These efforts are part of the Space 2102 program, organized in partnership with the Communications, Space and Technology Commission and the Saudi Space Agency.

The program hosted 150 outstanding students, aged from 13 to 15, from various regions, in a five-day event, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

A team of international experts and KAUST faculty provided the students with training and education.

The Space 2102 program included lectures, software training, and enrichment activities to guide and develop the students’ learning journey.

Dr. Najah Ashry, vice president of the strategic national advancement division at KUAST, highlighted the success of the Space 2102 program, which aims to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of talented young Saudis in fields such as science, technology, and space.

KAUST’s early-onset enrichment activities help to engage the best young minds in the program, which improves the likelihood of science-based future leaders and entrepreneurs emerging and of a new era of leadership, research, and exploration in the Kingdom, the SPA reported.

The Space 2102 program concluded with a CubeSat challenge, where teams used technology to design and test their own missions. The focus was on using science and technology to address the conservation and rehabilitation of coral reefs in the Red Sea.

Source: arabnews.com

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King Salman academy to host Arabic education forum in Seoul

May 06, 2024

RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language is partnering with the Korean Association of Arabic Language and Literature and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies to host an international conference in Seoul, South Korea.

The conference, titled “Challenges and Prospects of Teaching Arabic Language and Literature,” is set for May 9 and 10, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

Participants will discuss key issues involving Arabic-language education globally and explore new approaches in response to evolving trends and needs.

The event will involve scholars, researchers and language experts; and will help promote Arab culture, the SPA reported.

The conference will focus six key areas related to teaching Arabic as a second language in Korea: modern methodologies, teaching materials, evaluation techniques, instructional strategies, and the current state of Arabic-language learning in Korea.

By bringing together experts and academics from Saudi Arabia, Korea and other regions, the conference is designed to assist Arabic-language teachers and non-native speakers.

The King Salman academy is also set to launch its upcoming international conference on computational linguistics.

Source: arabnews.com

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Africa

 

Kenyan Army Kills 6 Al Shabaab Militants In Coastal Region

MAY 02 2024

Kenya's military said on Wednesday that its forces killed six Al Shabaab militants, including a foreign fighter, during an operation in the coastal county of Lamu.

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) said it launched a targeted operation at 1:00 pm local time (1000 GMT) against an active Al Shabaab camp in Kumba, about 10 kilometres west of Pandanguo, near the vast Boni forest where the insurgents hide.

"The operation successfully neutralized six members of Al Shabaab, including a foreign national, and resulted in the confiscation of significant logistical supplies," the KDF said in a statement.

According to the statement, the raid was staged following intelligence reports that the group was planning an attack in the area.

The KDF said some of the terrorists managed to escape and advised the public to remain vigilant as the operation may lead to increased activities by the group, especially as the number of injured terrorists is reportedly high.

Source: theeastafrican.co.ke

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Terrorists Launch Fresh Attacks In Southern Kaduna, Kill Six Persons, Injure Others

6 May 2024

Suspected terrorists unleashed terror on the Ambe community in the Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, leaving a trail of death and destruction.

Naija News reports that the attack, which occurred late Sunday night, resulted in the tragic loss of at least six lives and left eight others injured.

According to a reliable source familiar with the incident, the injured victims were promptly evacuated to a nearby medical facility for urgent medical attention.

However, attempts to reach Mansir Hassan, the spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, for official confirmation proved futile.

Nevertheless, the federal lawmaker representing Jema’a/Sanga federal constituency,  Daniel Amos, confirmed the grim reality of the attack in a statement released on Monday in Kaduna State.

Expressing profound sadness over the incident, Amos condemned the ruthless assault and urged security agencies to swiftly apprehend the perpetrators to face the full wrath of the law.

In his statement, Amos lamented, “I am saddened by the news of the late-night attack on the peaceful Ambe community in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State. According to reports reaching me, the brutal attack by suspected bandits claimed the lives of six innocent people, while eight others sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment.”

He continued emphasizing the need for solidarity and resilience in the face of such heinous acts, stating, “It is unacceptable that our people cannot live in peace without fear of being attacked by these criminal elements. We must continue to promote peaceful coexistence among our diverse communities, irrespective of our differences.”

Amos reassured the residents of Sanga LGA of his commitment to their safety and well-being, promising to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure security measures are bolstered in the region.
Source: naijanews.com

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Nigeria: Detention of investigative journalist sparks concern for press freedom

07-05-24

Opposition figures and activists in Nigeria have called for the release of Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist associated with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).

Ojukwu was detained last Wednesday in Lagos by the Nigerian police, who accused him of violating the nation's cybercrime laws.

Local reports on Sunday say he was subsequently transferred to the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC).

The Nigerian police in a statement confirmed the detention saying Daniel Ojukwu is under investigation following a petition against him.

The petitioner's identity was not disclosed.

Nigerian opposition figure and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar denounced the arrest, emphasizing the critical role journalists play in upholding transparency within the government.

Rights group Amnesty International labeled the detention as "draconian," and brought the case to headlines as the international community marked  #WorldPressFreedomDay on May 3.

Nigeria, - Africa's most populous nation - is ranked 112th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Source: africanews.com

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Unique mosque in historic Burkina Faso city retains its authenticity

07-05-24

Burkina Faso has been plagued by terrorist attacks since 2015, a security crisis that has shaken the country and had a negative impact on the economy.

In the historic town of Bobo-Dioulasso, dating back from the 15th century, tourism has taken a hit.

Its impressive Grand Mosque with its unique architecture, dates back from the 1800s and was once a major attraction for tourists from abroad, including Europe, Asia, and the United States.

But in recent years, tourists are few and far between, due to a number of factors, as Siaka Sanou, Director of Arts and Tourism for the Hauts Bassins region explains.

“Among these, I think the most recurrent is the insecurity. Since the 2014 insurrection, we’ve witnessed a series of attacks in Burkina Faso, all of which have had a negative impact on tourists coming to the country," he says

Constructed from Banko, a mixture of terracotta, clay, fine sand, and organic elements, the mosque is supported by wooden poles.

The historic centre of the town, including the mosque, was added to UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List in 2012 , and it is a “must see” for tourists to the country.

“We used to see a lot of tourists, especially during the holidays. We could have between 25 and 50 a day. But now you can go a week, a month, without seeing any,” says Zakaria Sanou who is a tourist guide at the mosque.

To change this, Sanou says the authorities have decided to focus on promoting local tourism, targeting schoolchildren and students.

“In particular the ‘Do you know my beautiful country’ campaign aims to encourage the younger generation to discover their country's cultural heritage,” he says.

“We have managed to maintain the number of visits to this site with tourists from Burkina Faso, and by actively involving, students, schoolchildren, and workers, so that this site is really visible.”

In 2019, the mosque was restored at a cost of more than 500 million dollars.

Given the local context, only domestic tourism can revive the city’s beautiful architecture. An initiative that will boost social cohesion between peoples and religions.

Source: africanews.com

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

https://www.africanews.com/2024/05/06/unique-mosque-in-historic-burkina-faso-city-retains-its-authenticity/

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Kenya LGBTQ+ dating app blackmail cases go to court

May 07, 2024

Joe smiled nervously from behind his shades as he emerged from the cramped wood-panelled magistrate's court in Kenya's capital Nairobi.

The slim 24-year-old man, wearing black track pants and a grey hoodie, had just testified how he and his friend had been beaten and robbed by a man they had met on Facebook last year.

"The perpetrator and the three friends who attacked us thought we wouldn't go to the police because we are gay," said Joe, who asked not to be identified by his real name, as he stood outside Milimani Law Courts last month.

"If we are one of the first to seek justice, maybe others will too," he said.

Kenya's LGBTQ+ community has long stayed silent about blackmail and extortion on platforms like Facebook and dating apps like Grindr, afraid of being outed and jailed themselves in a country where gay sex can land you in jail for up to 14 years.

Source: theeastafrican.co.ke

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

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/magazine/kenya-lgbtq-dating-app-blackmail-cases-go-to-court-4615352

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Attack on ICRC convoy in Sudan's South Darfur kills two drivers, injures three

MAY 03 2024

An attack by gunmen on a humanitarian convoy of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Sudan's South Darfur killed two drivers and injured three other staff on Thursday, the ICRC said in a statement.

The team was on its way back from Layba to assess the humanitarian situation of communities affected by armed violence in the region when the incident occurred, the ICRC said.

More than a year of war between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has driven at least 8.5 million people from their homes. Fighting tore through the capital and has unleashed waves of ethnically-driven violence in the western region of Darfur.

The ICRC did not say who was to blame for the deaths and called for the immediate protection of all civilians, including humanitarian workers and medical personnel.

"Reports today of the deaths of two ICRC staff members and the injury of three staff members in South Darfur is further evidence of this war's horrific cost. These dedicated employees became victims of the violence and suffering they were working to mitigate," U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello, said on X on Friday.

Source: theeastafrican.co.ke

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

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/humanitarian-convoy-attacked-in-sudan-2-killed-4611660

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Uganda urges UK to stop meddling in local affairs after sanctions

MAY 01 2024

Uganda has asked Britain to stop meddling in the local politics of the East African country after London announced sanctions on three of Uganda's senior officials over allegations of corruption.

The Ugandan parliament on late Tuesday urged Britain to respect the country's sovereignty.

It is important that foreign partners, including Britain, respect the sovereignty of Uganda and avoid the temptation to meddle into our local politics, including arm-twisting decision makers to align with their value system, especially homosexuality, the parliament said in a statement.

The British government on Tuesday announced that it had sanctioned Uganda's Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and two lawmakers, Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, over corruption allegations.

Kitutu and Nandutu, former ministers, have been charged with corruption in Uganda's Anti-Corruption Court for allegedly stealing iron sheets intended for the impoverished northeastern region of Karamoja.
Source: theeastafrican.co.ke

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

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/uganda-urges-uk-to-stop-meddling-in-its-affairs-after-sanctions-4609634

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