PM Modi Says INDIA Bloc Leaders Doing Mujra (A Party In Which Prostitutes Dance And Sing) For Muslims
New
Age Islam News Bureau
26
May 2024
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi
------
• PM Modi Says INDIA Bloc Leaders Doing Mujra (A Party
In Which Prostitutes Dance And Sing) For Muslims
• If INDIA Bloc Comes To Power, It Will Change
Constitution For Benefit Of Muslims: PM Modi At Karakat Rally In Bihar
• New Muslim Film Festival in 'To Showcase UK Muslims
Stories', To Reclaim The Words Muslim And Islam
• ‘Don’t Be Afraid’: Exiled Director Mohammad Rasoulof
Sends A Message To Iranian Cinema From Cannes
• UN Expresses Concern Over Rise In Child Marriages In
Afghanistan
India
• 3 Linked To Terror Outfit Hizb-Ut-Tahrir Held Trying
To Set Up Islamic Caliphate And Implement Sharia By Overthrowing Non-Islamic
Govts
• Muslim OBC Groups In Raj Vow To Contest Quota Review
Attempt
• Modi insulting Muslims, will ensure he doesn't become
PM again: Owaisi
• Voting For ‘Change’: Civic Issues, Livelihood
Priorities For Muslims
-----
Europe
• Macron Ready To Debate Far-Right Politician Le Pen
Ahead Of EU Vote
• Spanish Defence Minister Says Gaza War Is 'Real
Genocide'
• Emmanuel Macron heads to Germany in first French
presidential state visit in 24 years
• Death toll after Papua New Guinea landslide soars to
more than 670
-----
Mideast
• Iran-Backed Hezbollah's Big Warning For Israel:
"Expect Surprises From Us"
• Iran's military supply line to Houthi terrorists
exposed by dissident group
• Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: 'Ideological
Army' For Special Assignments
• Hamas official rejects talk of new negotiations with
Israel
• Rafah Bombed Despite UN Top Court Order, Israel Says
No Palestinian Civilians Will Be Harmed
-----
South
Asia
• Taliban sets six conditions for attending third
UN-Hosted Doha Talks
• Russian Intelligence Chief: Cannot ignore what’s
happening in Afghanistan
• Bangladesh calls DW report 'false and fallacious'
• Bangladesh Observes 125th Birth Anniversary Of
National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam
• Fresh rainstorms, floods kill 17 in north
Afghanistan
• Bangladeshi MP murder case: Dhaka police’s team to
visit Kolkata for probe
-----
Pakistan
• Suspected Target Killer With Links To MQM-London
Arrested In Karachi IBO: Rangers
• Islamabad Safe City’s online system shut down after
hacking attempt
• PPP to join Punjab govt if offered ‘proper share’,
says Yousuf Gilani
• Stakeholders’ concerns on defamation bill to be
addressed: Punjab governor
• Five labourers killed, 11 injured in trailer-truck
collision in Thatta
-----
Arab World
• King Saud University Signs Academic Agreement With University
Of Tokyo
• Ancient castles in Sabya governorate reflect
architectural heritage
• KSrelief chief and WHO’s Tedros meet in Geneva, sign
agreements worth $20m
• First group of Moroccan pilgrims arrive in Saudi
Arabia through Makkah Route Initiative
• Saudi authorities foil drug smuggling attempts in
Jeddah, Hail, Jazan, Asir
-----
North America
• Minneapolis Muslims Fear Further Attacks After
Alleged Hit-And-Run In Mosque Parking Lot
• One Year After The Arrest Of Gulzar Imam Shamby
• US calls for rapid deployment to Haiti after killing
of 2 missionaries
• 'Will act immediately': North Korea accuses US,
South Korea of flying spy planes, ships
-----
Africa
• Burkina Faso Junta Extends Its Transition Term By 5
Years
• Islamic Scholars To Tinubu: Don’t Allow Kano To Be
Thrown Into Chaos
• Boosted By Gaza War, South African Muslim Party Open
To Deal With ANC
• Kano Emirate: Islamic Scholars, Clerics Hail
Judiciary, Security Agencies for Denouncing State Govt, Sanusi
• Tens of thousands cheer at ANC rally before South
Africa elections
• Cynthia voted for Nelson Mandela. Now she's
abandoning his successors
-----
Southeast
Asia
• AEON Bank Officially Launches Malaysia’s First
Islamic Digital Bank
• Islamic affairs minister advises Malaysian Haj
pilgrims to wear identification tags at all times
• Stepping over grave for content, PM’s Dept to refer
issue to Jakim
• Sarawak premier moots ‘constitution-like’ code of
ethics for global media industry
• PM Anwar visits Post-Normal Era Madani Exhibition at
Berjaya Times Square
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
-----
PM Modi Says INDIA Bloc Leaders Doing Mujra (A Party
In Which Prostitutes Dance And Sing) For Muslims
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi
------
By Gaurav Sharma
May 25, 2024
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday vowed to
thwart alleged attempts to rob Dalits and backward classes of reservations by
the INDIA bloc which he accused of "enslavement" and performing
"mujra" for Muslim vote bank. Addressing back-to-back rallies in
Buxar, Karakat and Patliputra Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar, the prime
minister also charged the opposition coalition with indulging in
"scaremongering", and claimed that he had been working "without
fear" to wipe out terrorism and root out corruption.
"Bihar is the land which has given a new
direction to the fight for social justice. I wish to declare on its soil that I
will foil the plans of the INDIA bloc to rob SCs, STs and OBCs of their rights
and divert these to Muslims. They may remain enslaved and perform 'mujra' to
please their vote bank," the PM said. Modi also alleged that the people of
Bihar have been hurt by insulting remarks against migrants of the state from
leaders of the Congress in Punjab and Telangana and the DMK and the TMC in
Tamil Nadu and West Bengal respectively, and claimed, "These RJD people
who keep doing 'mujra' with their lantern (poll symbol) do not have the courage
to speak a word in protest."
He also alleged that the opposition alliance was
banking on the support of those who were indulging in "vote jihad"
and referred to the Calcutta High Court order that struck down the West Bengal
government's decision to include a number of Muslim groups on the list of OBCs.
Modi claimed that the opposition alliance has "decided that if they are
voted to power, the first thing they would do is to change the Constitution so
that even the court is unable to overrule their attempts to divert reservations
to Muslims. I have been challenging them to refute me in writing but they have
been reluctant because they have a guilty conscience".
He spelt out names of several deprived castes,
including Yadavs who have been traditionally RJD supporters, which "could
end up losing their constitutional rights if the INDIA bloc succeeded in its
alleged plans". The PM, however, asserted that the opposition coalition
was "heading for a defeat" and on June 04 when the results will be
out, "RJD and Congress workers will be seen tearing off each other's
clothes. The 'shahiparivar' (royal family) of the Congress will put the entire
blame of defeat on Mallikarjun Kharge and leave for a vacation abroad".
"The INDIA bloc is like a balloon that has got
deflated today when voting is taking place for the sixth and penultimate phase
of the elections," claimed the PM. "Modi has been working to stamp
out Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, naxal insurgency and corruption without fear.
The INDIA bloc has tried to stop me at every step with scaremongering," he
alleged. Recalling the resolve he displayed in commissioning the surgical
strikes and scrapping of Article 370, Modi vowed to continue crackdown on
corruption, and indirectly referring to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his family,
he remarked "those who have snatched people's land in return for jobs will
be firmly dealt with".
Referring to Prasad's son and heir apparent Tejashwi
Yadav, whom he did not mention by name, Modi remarked "the Shehzada (crown
prince) will spend his time, after June 04, protecting his inheritance (Amaanat)
and securing bail (Zamaanat)". Referring to Akhilesh Yadav, who
heads the Samajwadi Party, the BJP's principal rival in neighbouring Uttar
Pradesh, the PM said, "His own party workers stood laughing when he
predicted a defeat for Modi in Varanasi and boasted that the INDIA bloc will
win all 80 seats in that state. The bicycle (SP poll symbol) stands punctured.
The Shehzada of UP seems to have drawn inspiration from the Shehzada of
Congress (Rahul Gandhi)".
Modi, known for his ability to connect with the
masses, also asked the people to remember that "every vote for every NDA
candidate is not just to elect the local MP but the prime minister...when you
go back to your homes please tell your neighbours and family members, who may
not have come here, that I have sent my greetings (Jai Shri Ram). Also, please
visit the nearest temple and offer prayers for a developed India on my
behalf".
Addressing the rallies, Modi said, "You have your
Modi, whose actions and intentions you have known for 10 years. On the other
hand, you have the motley group called INDIA bloc which is full of people
hoping for the prime minister's post, even if just for a year. The PM also promised
the people that his next five years in power would ensure faster development
for Bihar with better electricity supply and more pucca houses even as he
slammed the previous Congress-led UPA government for lacking the resolve to
provide free foodgrains to the common people.
Source: One India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
-----
If INDIA Bloc Comes To Power, It Will Change Constitution
For Benefit Of Muslims: PM Modi At Karakat Rally In Bihar
BJP supporters during a
public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Lok Sabha
elections, in Mirzapur, Sunday, May 26, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI
------
25.05.24
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday vowed to
thwart alleged attempts to rob Dalits and backward classes of reservations by
the INDIA bloc which he accused of "enslavement" and performing
"Mujra" for Muslim vote bank.
Addressing back-to-back rallies in Karakat and
Patliputra Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar, the prime minister also charged
the opposition coalition with indulging in "scaremongering", and
claimed that he had been working "without fear" to wipe out terrorism
and root out corruption.
"Bihar is the land which has given a new
direction to the fight for social justice. I wish to declare on its soil that I
will foil the plans of the INDIA bloc to rob SCs, STs and OBCs of their rights
and divert these to Muslims. They may remain enslaved and perform 'mujra' to
please their vote bank," the PM said.
Modi also alleged that the people of Bihar have been
hurt by insulting remarks against migrants of the state from leaders of the
Congress in Punjab and Telangana and the DMK and the TMC in Tamil Nadu and West
Bengal respectively and claimed, "These RJD people who keep doing 'mujra'
with their lantern (poll symbol) do not have the courage to speak a word in
protest." He also alleged that the opposition alliance was banking on the
support of those who were indulging in “vote jihad” and referred to the
Calcutta High Court order that struck down the West Bengal government's
decision to include a number of Muslim groups in the list of OBCs.
Modi claimed that the opposition alliance has “decided
that if they are voted to power, the first thing they would do is to change the
Constitution so that even the court is unable to overrule their attempts to
divert reservations to Muslims. I have been challenging them to refute me in
writing but they have been reluctant because they have a guilty conscience”.
Modi spelt out names of several deprived castes,
including Yadavs who have been traditionally RJD supporters, which "could
end up losing their constitutional rights if the INDIA bloc succeeded in its
alleged plans".
The PM, however, asserted that the opposition
coalition was heading for a defeat and “on June 04 when the results will be
out, RJD and Congress workers will be seen tearing off each other’s clothes.
The 'shahiparivar' (royal family) of the Congress will put the entire blame of
defeat on Mallikarjun Kharge and leave for a vacation abroad," claimed the
PM.
"Modi has been working to stamp out
Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, naxal insurgency and corruption without fear. The
INDIA bloc has tried to stop me at every step with scaremongering," he
said.
Recalling the resolve he displayed in commissioning
the surgical strikes and scrapping of Article 370, Modi vowed to continue
crackdown on corruption, and indirectly referring to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad
and his family, remarked “those who have snatched people’s land in return for
jobs will be firmly dealt with".
Modi, known for his ability to connect with the
masses, also asked the people to remember that “every vote for every NDA
candidate is not just to elect the local MP but the prime minister……when you go
back to your homes please visit the nearest temple and offer prayers for a
developed India on my behalf”.
The PM also promised the people that his next five
years in power would ensure faster development for Bihar with better
electricity supply and more pucca houses even as he slammed the previous
Congress-led UPA government for lacking the resolve to provide free foodgrains
to the common people.
Addressing the rallies, he also referred to the “PM
Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana” which “seeks to reduce to zero your electricity
bill, no matter how much you consume”, in an obvious bid to counter freebies on
offer in many states ruled by parties opposed to the BJP.
Mocking at the predictions of many pollsters who have
forecast a dip in the NDA's tally, Modi said, "INDIA bloc has come up with
its exit polls even before the elections are over. Soon they might go back to
crying hoarse on EVMs.
Source: Telegraph India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
-----
New Muslim Film Festival in 'To Showcase UK Muslims
Stories', To Reclaim The Words Muslim And Islam
Festival director Sajid
Varda is also an actor and producer
------
Noor Nanji
26-05-2024
A new film festival in the UK celebrating Muslim
cinema will "showcase stories we don't usually see", its director has
said.
Sajid Varda has told BBC News that too often there is
a "negative portrayal" of Muslims in the mainstream media, "so
this festival is largely to reclaim the words Muslim and Islam".
Getty Nabhaan Rizwan attends the UK film premiere of
'The French Dispatch' at the Royal Festival Hall during the 65th BFI London
Film Festival in London, United Kingdom on October 10, 2021Getty
There will also be a screening of In Camera, a feature
by Naqqash Khalid that stars Rizwan as a young actor caught in a cycle of
auditions and repeated rejections.
Other highlights include Dammi, a short film by
French-Algerian director Yann Demange starring Ahmed as a man who travels back
to Paris to reconnect with his estranged father.
British star Ahmed was the first Muslim to be nominated
for best actor at the Oscars - a ceremony which has been criticised for its
lack of diversity, leading to award rule changes.
Ahmed has regularly spoken up about diversity on
screen. The Riz Test, a set of criteria to measure how Muslims are portrayed on
film and TV, was created by two film fans in the actor's honour.
Varda, who founded the charity UK Muslim Film to
champion underrepresented talent and voices, has said he rarely sees movies
from the Muslim world at film festivals.
"It's about owning our narrative and showcasing
beautiful stories from around the world, and also help mainstream audiences be
exposed to our cultures and our faith," he said.
There will also be a screening of the British
Pakistani filmmaker Moin Hussain's offbeat sci-fi film, Sky Pearls, which tells
the story of a directionless, alienated and lonely man who works nightshifts in
a fast-food restaurant.
"It’s not so much about needing a Muslim film
festival," he said. "The Muslim International Film Festival is here
because there is a market for it.
Source: Bbc.Com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm55zmv1933o
-----
‘Don’t Be Afraid’: Exiled Director Mohammad Rasoulof Sends
A Message To Iranian Cinema From Cannes
Rasoulof at a press
conference in Cannes with, from left, Iranian actors Setareh Maleki and Mahsa
Rostami. Photograph: Julie Sebadelha/AFP/Getty Images
------
Vanessa Thorpe
25 May 2024
The newly exiled Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof,
who fled his home country last month ahead of taking his new film to the Cannes
festival, has spoken of drawing from his real life encounters with the
repressive justice system in the Islamic Republic.
Rasoulof, who fled Iran after receiving an eight-year
prison sentence for making the film The Seed of the Sacred Fig, also made an
impassioned call for resistance directed at the film-makers and artists he left
behind.
“My only message to Iranian cinema is: don’t be
afraid,” he said, adding that he believes the leadership of the theocratic
state is afraid. “They want to discourage us – but don’t let yourself be
intimidated. They have no other weapon but fear. We have to fight for a
dignified life in our country.”
Speaking after the premiere of The Seed of the Sacred
Fig, screened on the last day of the 77th annual film festival on the Côte
d’Azur, Rasoulof gave details of his knife-edge decision to flee the country.
“I had counted on the slow pace of the legal
administration in Iran to be able to finish this film,” he said, explaining
that he had sent footage out to Europe for editing while he awaited an appeal
verdict and sentence. “We learned that the existence of the film was known to
the authorities and that the secret service might arrest members of the team.
So I had to think whether I wanted to be arrested or to leave Iran and join the
cultural Iran that now exists outside the country.
“It took two hours. I paced around my house and said
goodbye to my many plants. It was not an easy decision. It is still not easy.
It so happens I could see the wall of the prison from my house. So I looked at
the prison and I looked at the mountain, and I left all my possessions and
walked out of my house.”
SetarehMaleki, in a sleeveless top and with long hair,
sits next to Mohammad Rasoulo, in a short-sleeved shirt, glasses and a headset,
and on his right Mahsa Rostami, smiling and applauding, all of them with
microphones in front of them and the silhouette of five people on a screen
behind them
Rasoulof at a press conference in Cannes with, from
left, Iranian actors SetarehMaleki and Mahsa Rostami. Photograph: Julie
Sebadelha/AFP/Getty Images
Joining two of his actors, SetarehMaleki and newcomer
Mahsa Rostami, in front of the Cannes press, Rasoulof emphasised his debt to
the rest of the cast and crew inside Iran, including those who face state
recriminations. His “heart was with them”, he said, adding: “I think about them
all the time. I hope the restrictions they are suffering will be lifted soon.”
Rasoulof, 52, is already known for There is No Evil,
which won the top prize at the Berlin film festival four years ago, and for A
Man of Integrity, which earned him plaudits at Cannes in 2018 but also resulted
in a string of travel restrictions, prison sentences and film-making bans in
Iran. In 2023 he was unable to take up an invitation to join the Cannes
competition jury because he was under detention.
The idea for The Seed of the Sacred Fig, he said,
sprang from “years of confrontation with the secret services and with cultural
censorship”. Rasoulof recounted how, during a previous stint in prison, he and
fellow film director Jafar Panahi tried to follow the demonstrations going on
in the streets outside their cell.
The film is set during the 2022 protests in Iran and
includes real demonstration footage as it follows a family of four with a
father who works in the justice system. His daughters are played by Rostami and
Maleki.
His new film, shot clandestinely to avoid state censorship,
received rapturous support from the audience at Cannes as the director held
aloft images of the missing actors unable to join him to see their film compete
for the coveted Palme d’Or prize, which will be awarded this evening.
Maleki said she had not been scared to take part in
the film, and she saluted her director’s bravery. “Who else would have this
courage to make this film?” she said, adding that she was not ashamed to have
also been forced to leave her home country: “It is the Islamic Republic that
should be ashamed, not me.”
Rasoulof said that, in depicting characters inspired
by Iranian prison warders and security guards, he had tried to understand the
thinking of loyalists. “It is the individuals who concern me. What is their
mindset? They are human beings, so what can justify their way of thinking?” he
asked. “How did they get to that point? How do they persuade themselves?”
Source: The Guardian
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
-----
UN Expresses Concern Over Rise In Child Marriages In
Afghanistan
Child marriage in
Afghanistan
-----
By Fidel Rahmati
May 25, 2024
The United Nations Women’s Section has reported a 25%
increase in child marriages in Afghanistan due to the ban on girls’ education.
In a published report, the organization has called on
the international community to pay attention to the Afghanistan situation,
including restoring human rights, particularly women’s rights.
The report, prepared in collaboration with the
International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Assistance
Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), also praises Afghan women’s efforts.
According to the UN Women’s section, “Afghan women are
still forming civil society organizations, running businesses, and providing
services to their communities. Most importantly, Afghan women continue to find
ways to convey their demands to the international community.”
This comes as the United Nations and several human
rights and women’s organizations have expressed concern about the rise in
forced and underage marriages following the ban on girls’ education in
Afghanistan.
According to a report by the Special Inspector General
for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), forced and underage marriages of girls
in Afghanistan have increased in recent months. Since 2021, 35% of girls in
Afghanistan have been forced into marriage before the age of 18, and 17% before
the age of 15.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stated
that forced marriages in South Asia, including Afghanistan, have increased due
to family economic problems and the ban on education, with many families
considering their daughters a “burden.”
Source: khaama Press
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.khaama.com/un-expresses-concern-over-rise-in-child-marriages-in-afghanistan/
-----
India
3 Linked To Terror Outfit Hizb-Ut-TahrirHeld Trying To
Set Up Islamic Caliphate And Implement Sharia By Overthrowing Non-Islamic Govts
May 26, 2024
CHENNAI: Police Saturday arrested three members of
Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT), a terrorist outfit banned for trying to establish an
Islamic State Caliphate and implement Sharia by overthrowing non-Islamic govts,
reports Vivek Narayanan.
On Friday, Chennai police arrested an engineering
graduate, Hameed Hussain, his father, Mansoor, and brother, Abdul Rahman under
UAPA. Cops said Hussain used to upload videos on social media about the
Caliphate rule, while Mansoor used to hold secret meetings in various parts of
Chennai to spread HuT's ideology.
Kabir Taneja of Observer Research Foundation said HuT
has been active since 1950s in the Middle-East and places like Jerusalem.
"It was galvanised by or around Muslim Brotherhood ecosystem," he
added.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
Muslim OBC groups in Raj vow to contest quota review
attempt
May 26, 2024
Jaipur: Muslim communities in Rajasthan’s OBC list
have denounced CM Bhajan Lal Sharma’s move to review their status in the light
of a recent Calcutta HC order. The HC scrapped 77 classes, mostly Muslims,
categorised as OBCs by Bengal’s TMC govt, terming the inclusions
“unconstitutional”.
Retired Col Shaukat Ali Khan, convenor of Rajasthan
Kayamkhani Mahasabha, said the proportion of Muslims within the 21% Rajasthan
OBC quota for employment and educational institutions was already negligible.
He said the community would resist any attempt to rescind its quota.
“BJP is raising this issue solely to polarise society
along religious lines. OBC quota granted to our community in 2000 was entirely
based on survey reports, which underscored dismal socio-economic indicators.
Akin to other communities on the list, the benefits of the quota have aided the
community in overcoming centuries of backwardness. I see no justification or
rationale for the govt to reevaluate it,” Khan said.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
Modi insulting Muslims, will ensure he doesn't become
PM again: Owaisi
26 May 2024
AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi shows his inked finger along
with his family members after casting his vote at Vattapally polling station
during the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls, in Hyderabad.Credit: PTI Photo
Nasriganj: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on S...
Nasriganj: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday
charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi with heaping 'insults' on Muslims by
claiming that 'mangalsutras' of women and quotas for deprived castes will be
taken away by the I.N.D.I.A. bloc and given to ...
Addressing an election rally in the Karakat Lok Sabha
constituency of Bihar, Owaisi, whose party is not a part of the opposition
coalition, vowed to ensure that Modi did not get a third consecutive term in
office, which would lead to 'scaremongering ...
Source: Deccan Herald
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of the original story:
-----
Voting For ‘Change’: Civic Issues, Livelihood
Priorities For Muslims
May 26, 2024
New Delhi: The Muslim community, an important
constituency in itself given its numerical significance in Delhi, considered
the electoral issues that others in the city had also raised, such as good
civic facilities, water supply and women’s safety. But they seem to have
overwhelmingly regarded employment creation and national progress benefiting
all sections of society as decisive factors while voting.
The 2011 census counts the Muslims as 12.9% of Delhi’s
population. The North East Lok Sabha constituency has the highest component of
Muslims voters at 20.7%, but others too have a sizeable percentage. Chandni
Chowk has 14%, East Delhi and New Delhi 16.8%, North West Delhi 10.6%, South
Delhi 7% and West Delhi, 6.8%. These numbers, however, are estimates of
political parties and not official figures.
“A BJP govt at the Centre and an AAP govt in Delhi
cannot work together,” reasoned software designer Mohammad Haseeb, 36, at a
polling booth in Mehrauli. “We had a BJP MP for 10 years and we want a change.
I want my representative to take up our problems in Parliament,” he added,
citing unemployment and law and order as major issues in Delhi.
Nawab Khan, 64, arrived at the Jafrabad polling
station with sons Danish Khan, 35, and Basit Khan, 29. "There is a scarcity
of job opportunities. I have voted with this in mind,” said the sexagenarian.
The sons concurred with their father's opinion. At Rohini Sector 5, Mohammad
Wasim, 28, said he worried about the state of employment in the country.
"There is a need to generate more jobs than ever,” he said. Wasim, who
works in the hospitality industry, added, “Without this, our youth will not be
able to realise their aspirations, their dreams."
Source: times of India
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of the original story:
-----
Europe
Macron ready to debate far-right politician Le Pen
ahead of EU vote
May 26, 2024
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron said on
Saturday that he was willing to debate with far-right politician Marine Le Pen
ahead of the June 9 European Parliament election, saying part of France's
destiny was at stake in that ballot.
Le Pen's eurosceptic National Rally (RN) party leads
opinion polls by a huge margin, with as much as 33% of the vote, or about twice
as much as what is forecast for Macron's, centrist, pro-EU party. "My dear
compatriots, wake up, look closely at who they are!," Macron told Le
Parisien newspaper in an interview, speaking of the RN. "I'm willing to debate
with Mrs Le Pen," Macron said. "The ball is in her camp."
Le Pen immediately replied on X that she was willing
to debate, but only on the condition that Macron agreed to resign or call snap
parliamentary elections if his party loses on June 9 - which he would have no
reason to agree to. Macron beat Le Pen in two presidential election runoffs, in
2017 and 2022, but her popularity has kept growing since.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshowprint/110431122.cms
-----
Spanish defence minister says Gaza war is 'real
genocide'
May 26, 2024
MADRID: The Spanish defence minister said on Saturday
that the conflict in Gaza is a "real genocide", as relations between
Israel and Spain worsen following Madrid's decision to recognise a Palestinian
state. Reuters couldn't immediately reach Israeli officials for comment on
Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.
Israel has strongly rejected accusations made against
it by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that it is
committing a genocide against Palestinians, saying it is waging war on the
Hamas militant group which unleashed an attack on Oct 7.
The remark by Spanish defence minister Margarita
Robles in an interview with TVE state television echoed a comment by Spanish
deputy prime minister Yolanda Diaz who earlier this week also described the
Gaza conflict as a genocide. "We cannot ignore what is happening in Gaza,
which is a real genocide," Robles said. She also said Madrid's recognition
of Palestine was not a move against Israel, adding that it was designed to help
"end violence in Gaza".
Source: Times Of India
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of the original story:
-----
Emmanuel Macron heads to Germany in first French
presidential state visit in 24 years
May 26, 2024
NEW DELHI: French President Emanuel Macron arrives in Germany
on Sunday for a three-day state visit. This will be followed by a bilateral
cabinet meeting as the two biggest powers in the European Union aim to
demonstrate unity before the upcoming EU parliamentary elections.
Macron's trip included visits to the capital Berlin,
Dresden in the east, and Muenster in the west. This visit marks the first
French presidential state visit to Germany in 24 years.
The visit will be observed as an assessment of the
strength of the German-French relationship, which plays a key role in EU
policymaking. This comes at a time when Europe is facing significant
challenges, ranging from the conflict in Ukraine to the potential election of
Donald Trump as the US president in November.
Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have contrasting
leadership styles. They have had public disagreements on various issues such as
defence and nuclear energy since Scholz assumed office in late 2021. Recently,
they have managed to find compromises on different issues, including fiscal
reform and adjustments to power market subsidies. This has enabled the EU to
make agreements and present a more unified stance.
Source: Times Of India
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Death toll after Papua New Guinea landslide soars to
more than 670
26 May 2024
The estimated death toll from a massive landslide in
Papua New Guinea has soared to more than 670.
SerhanAktoprak, chief of the UN migration agency’s
mission in the South Pacific island nation, said the revised death toll is
based on calculations by Yambali village and Enga provincial officials that
more than 150 homes had been buried by Friday’s landslide. The previous
estimate had been 60 homes.
Rescuers had earlier said they had given up hope of
finding more survivors under earth and rubble up to 26ft deep after the
landslide hit Yambali a few hours before dawn on Friday.
Source: Lbc.Co.Uk
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Mideast
Iran-Backed Hezbollah's Big Warning For Israel:
"Expect Surprises From Us"
by ChandrajitMitra
May 26, 2024
With the Gaza conflict still raging in its eighth
month, Iran-backed Lebanese outfit Hezbollah is reportedly preparing for a
surprise attack on Israel. The group's secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah has
warned Israel to be ready for surprises in a televised speech.
Hezbollah, which emerged as a strong force during the
Lebanon civil war, had been engaged in fighting Israel in a show of support for
the Palestinian cause and Gaza.
Israel has been conducting a military offensive in
Gaza since the October 7 attack by the Palestinian Hamas group left over a
thousand dead in bordering Israeli towns.
Source: Ndtv
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Iran's military supply line to Houthi terrorists
exposed by dissident group
Beth Bailey
May 25, 2024
FIRST ON FOX – An exiled Iranian resistance group has
uncovered damning evidence showing top regime officials' direct involvement in
supporting the Houthis in their attacks against ships in the Red Sea.
Fox News Digital reviewed evidence provided by The
People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) that claims to show how the
Iranian-backed terror proxy based in northern Yemen is supplied by Tehran. The
Houthis have conducted more than 50 attacks targeting ships traversing the Red
Sea and the Gulf of Aden since Oct. 7.
The MEK noted several methods and locations that the
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) uses to ship a variety
of weaponry, including drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, anti-ship
mines, radar equipment and communication systems, to the Houthis. They noted
that some of the missiles in the Houthis’ possession are manufactured by the
Aerospace Industries Organization, which has been sanctioned by the U.S.
Treasury Department.
Adding fuel to the group's claims, a February 2024
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report demonstrates Iranian support to Houthi
proxies through side-by-side comparisons of Houthi and Iranian unmanned aerial
vehicles and missile systems. Among the ballistic missiles in both countries’
arsenals is the Iranian Shahab-3, which the Houthis call the
"Toofan."
Also included in the Houthis’ weapons inventory are
Iranian missiles that have been used to target Israel. The DIA report also
shows the remains of what they believe was a Paveh land-attack cruise missile,
designated the "Quds-4" by the Houthis. The DIA says the device was
"fired by the Houthis toward Israel in late October 2023."
Source: Yahoo
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Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: 'Ideological army'
for special assignments
Lior Ben Ari
25-05-2024
Israel-Iran tensions escalated in the wake of the
assassination in Damascus of senior Revolutionary Gard member, Mohammad Reza
Zahedi. One more assassination of a member of the Iranian organization since
the war began, ultimately led to a large-scale Iranian response – and for good
reason. The Revolutionary Guard isn’t just Tehran’s old military force but a
critical organization wielding great power and importance in the Ayatollah's
regime.
The Revolutionary Guard was founded shortly after the
Islamic revolution bringing Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini to power.
Shortly after his appointment as Supreme Leader of Iran, Khomeini issued an
order to give autonomy to the newly-formed IRGC, designed to defend the
revolution and the new regime from external threats, but primarily from threats
from within.
Khomeini called the Revolutionary Guard an
"ideological army." They’re not considered part of the Iranian
military. They have their own independent command and receive instructions
directly from the supreme leader. Over the years, they’ve become a central
force in the country and are heavily involved in important decision-making
processes, such as whether and how to respond to assassinations.
The Revolutionary Guard has units parallel to Iranian
ground, air, and naval forces and even an intelligence branch parallel to that
of the military. Iran currently has two armies whereas the difference between
them is each organization's goals. The Iranian army aims to defend Iranian
borders from external threats, while the Revolutionary Guard protects the
Iranian revolution and aims to expand it beyond the country's borders.
Source: Ynet News
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https://www.ynetnews.com/article/skzm4y1v0
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Hamas official rejects talk of new negotiations with
Israel
25 May 2024
Hamas official Osama Hamdan has said that there is no
need for new negotiations with Israel, amid Israeli media reports that there is
an intention to renew Gaza truce talks.
In a phone interview with Al Jazeera Arabic on
Saturday, Hamdan said that the immediate requirement is for Israel to withdraw
from the Gaza Strip and for all aggression to stop.
“There is no guarantee that it [Israel] will accept
new proposals to go to negotiations … If there are no serious guarantees, this
means giving Israel more time to continue the aggression,” he added.
Earlier this month, Hamas approved a proposal for a
ceasefire in the seven-month Gaza war put forward by mediators Qatar and Egypt
although Israel said the proposal falls short of its demands.
Source: Aljazeera
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Rafah Bombed Despite UN Top Court Order, Israel Says
No Palestinian Civilians Will Be Harmed
By: Shankhyaneel Sarkar
MAY 25, 2024
Israel bombed the Gaza Strip, including Rafah, on
Saturday, despite an order from the UN’s top court for it to “immediately halt”
its military offensive in the southern city.
At the same time, renewed efforts are getting underway
in Paris aimed at securing a ceasefire in the war sparked by Palestinian
militant group Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel.
In a case brought by South Africa alleging the Israeli
military operation amounts to “genocide”, the International Court of Justice
ordered Israel to halt its Rafah offensive and demanded the immediate release
of hostages still held by Palestinian militants.
“Israel has not and will not carry out military
operations in the Rafah area that create living conditions that could cause the
destruction of the Palestinian civilian population, in whole or in part,”
National Security Adviser TzachiHanegbi said in a joint statement with Israel’s
foreign ministry spokesman.
Source: News18
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South
Asia
Taliban sets six conditions for attending third
UN-Hosted Doha Talks
By Fidel Rahmati
May 25, 2024
Sources reveal that Taliban officials have set six
conditions for participating in the third Doha meeting during their talks with
UN and Qatari delegations in Kabul.
The appointment of a UN special envoy was a key topic
of discussion during the second Doha meeting on Afghanistan, held on February
18-19, 2024. UN Secretary-General António Guterres chaired the event.
The Taliban boycotted after their demands, including
sole representation of Afghanistan and no criticism of their governance, were
unmet. Afghan civil society highlighted human rights issues, especially women’s
treatment.
According to the Taliban, the third condition for the
Taliban’s participation in the upcoming Doha meeting is that the agenda and
composition of the third Doha meeting be discussed with the Taliban.
Source: khaama Press
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Russian Intelligence Chief: Cannot ignore what’s happening
in Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
May 25, 2024
Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia’s intelligence
service, said at the meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States that
Russia cannot ignore the events unfolding in Afghanistan.
Bortnikov also stated at the Bishkek meeting in
Kazakhstan that if foreign interventions in Afghanistan cease, the Taliban
administration could establish order in the country.
Meanwhile, Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russia’s
foreign intelligence service, accused the United States and Britain of
destabilizing Afghanistan and Central Asian countries.
Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee head reports
a growth in terrorist groups in northern Afghanistan, with Russia blaming the
US and some Western nations for supporting such groups in Central Asia.
Source: khaama Press
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Bangladesh calls DW report 'false and fallacious'
Mathias Bölinger
26-05-2024
In a rejoinder issued five days after the joint
release of the investigation by DW, Netra News, and SüddeutscheZeitung,
Bangladesh's Defense Ministry called DW's documentary "false and
fallacious". It was a "misleading portrayal of Bangladesh Army
personnel in UN Peacekeeping Missions," the army wrote.
Earlier this week, DW, Netra News and
SüddeutscheZeitung revealed that officers from an elite force in Bangladesh –
the Rapid Action Battalion – that commits torture, murder, and abductions, are
being sent on UN peacekeeping missions. DW and its partners found more than 100
officers, 40 of them deployed in the last five years.
The Defense Ministry's rejoinder was sent to DW as
well as numerous media outlets in Bangladesh. Alongside accusations of factual
inaccuracy, the document falsely claimed DW had not sought an official reaction
to the investigation. Prior to publication, DW had sent out a list of questions
to the home ministry, which oversees the Rapid Action Batallion, and the office
of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also defense minister. None of the above replied to the questions.
Source: Www.Dw.Com
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https://www.dw.com/en/bangladeshs-military-calls-dw-report-false-and-fallacious/a-69182179
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Bangladesh Observes 125th Birth Anniversary Of
National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam
26-05-2024
The 125th birth anniversary of the national poet Kazi
Nazrul Islam was observed in Bangladesh on Saturday, 25th May. The High
Commission of India marked the occasion, at an event organized by Indira Gandhi
Culture Centre (IGCC) in partnership with Netaji Subhas-Kazi Nazrul Social and
Cultural Welfare Trust at Gazipur near Dhaka. Social Welfare Minister of
Bangladesh Dipu Moni graced the event as the Chief Guest. Many eminent artists
participated with stirring recitals of Kavi Nazrul’s poetry and songs.
Addressing the gathering, High Commissioner Pranay
Verma described Kavi Nazrul as an icon of the shared heritage of Bangladesh and
India. He called Kavi Nazrul’s works and the values they radiated, as a
lighthouse for humanity’s collective conscience, which will continue to inspire
generations to come.
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh
organised programmes to mark the day at the places linked with the memory of
the great poet across Bangladesh in places like Trishal in Mymensingh,
Doulatpur in Cumilla, Tewta in Manikganj and Karpasdanga in Chuadanga and
Chattogram.
State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Mohibur
Rahman inaugurated the three-day programme at Trishal, Mymensingh to mark the
birth anniversary of Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on Thursday.
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and Cultural
organisation Chhayanaut organised special programmes on this occasion. The
Bangla Academy and Dhaka University representatives paid tribute to the poet by
placing a wreath at his grave in Dhaka early in the morning.
Source: Ddnews.Gov
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Fresh rainstorms, floods kill 17 in north Afghanistan
25 May 2024
MAIMANA, Afghanistan, May 25, 2024 (BSS/XINHUA) - New
rounds of rainstorms
and flooding have claimed 17 lives and injured 11
others in north
Afghanistan's Faryab and the neighboring Sari Pul
province over the past two
days, local officials said Saturday.
In the Lawlash district of Faryab province, 12 people
have lost their lives
Source: Bss News
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Bangladeshi MP murder case: Dhaka police’s team to
visit Kolkata for probe
May 26, 2024
A four-member team of Indian police is currently
investigating the murder incident
A team of the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan
Police will visit India to investigate the brutal killing of Bangladeshi
lawmaker Anwarul Azim Anar, who was found murdered in Kolkata earlier this
week.
Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid, chief of the Detective
Branch, told a press conference here on Saturday that he along with several
officers of the DB “will leave Dhaka for India tonight or tomorrow dawn to
investigate the murder incident.”
Source: Hindustan Times
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Pakistan
Suspected target killer with links to MQM-London
arrested in Karachi IBO: Rangers
Imtiaz Ali
May 25, 2024
A suspected target killer and robber, allegedly from
the Altaf Hussain-led Muttahida Qaumi Movement, commonly called MQM-London, was
arrested on Saturday in an intelligence-based operation jointly conducted by
Rangers and Karachi police in the Eidgah area near the Civil Hospital.
According to a Rangers spokesperson, the suspect,
Mohammed Hamid alias Hamid Piya, was involved in the killings on political and
ethnic grounds and was also the ringleader of a gang of robbers.
During an initial probe, the Rangers spokesperson
said, Hamid confessed of his involvement in targeted killings from 1994 to April
2014, including the murder of a policeman.
Source: Dawn
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Islamabad Safe City’s online system shut down after
hacking attempt
Munawer Azeem
May 26, 2024
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Safe City Authority’s online
system was knocked down by hacker(s) leading to its shut down, police officers
privy to the development told Dawn on Saturday.
The hacker(s) entered the main server of the system on
Thursday and then the server having data and record of criminals, they said.
Some servers, including that of Complaint Management System, Criminal
Management Record System, Human Resources Management System and the ones
operating software and applications for the Operation Division were shut down
immediately.
The firewall of the system issues an alert in case of
any trespassing into any server. There was no alternate arrangement or any
backup server to make the software and applications operational, so they were
shut down, said the officers.
Later, the IT department of the authority closed all
the logins to the software and applications, the officers said. Through the
login, officials get access to different servers and make the software and
applications operational.
Source: Dawn
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PPP to join Punjab govt if offered ‘proper share’,
says Yousuf Gilani
Zulqernain Tahir
May 26, 202
LAHORE: Acting President Yousuf Raza Gilani has said
that the PPP might join PML-N’s Punjab government if offered “a proper
share”.
The Senate chairman, who’s serving as the acting
president in the absence of Asif Ali Zardari, made these remarks on Saturday
while talking to reporters at his residence.
Mr Gilani, who belongs to PPP, said his party
leadership could consider joining the cabinet of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz
Sharif if provided with a “proper space” in the province.
Source: Dawn
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Stakeholders’ concerns on defamation bill to be
addressed: Punjab governor
May 26, 2024
TAXILA: Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider has said
concerns of all stakeholders about the defamation bill will be addressed.
He said not only journalists but also no common man
should be denied their right to freedom of speech. But this right would not be
a licence to defame others through allegations.
“I have not studied the bill yet. It will be reviewed
keeping in mind the legal and constitutional requirements. If this law
conflicts with human rights, freedom of the press and the Constitution, then
amendments could be made at any stage,” he added.
Source: Dawn
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Five labourers killed, 11 injured in trailer-truck
collision in Thatta
Mohammad Hussain Khan
May 25, 2024
At least five people were killed and 11 injured on
Saturday when a pickup tuck collided with a trailer in Jhirk, Thatta, police
said.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)
Imran Khan, the deceased were labourers on their way to a factory in Kotri when
the Suzuki pickup they were travelling in collided with a 22-wheel trailer.
The Suzuki pickup was completely crushed in the
accident, while the trailer has been impounded and the driver and conductor
have been arrested, the SSP said.
Source: Dawn
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Arab
World
King Saud University signs academic agreement with
University of Tokyo
ARAB NEWS
May 26, 2024
TOKYO: King Saud University and the University of
Tokyo have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen academic
collaboration in physics, chemistry and Earth sciences.
The MoU was signed by the acting rector of King Saud
University, Dr. Abdullah Al-Salman, and the president of the University of
Tokyo, Dr. TeruoFujii, in the presence of the director of Prince Mohammed bin
Salman Center for Future Science and Technology, Dr. Hiroaki Aihara.
This collaboration is a major milestone in fostering
future partnerships between the two universities.
The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Center, based at the
University of Tokyo, will play a crucial role in enhancing and advancing this
cooperation.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2517211/saudi-arabia
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Ancient castles in Sabya governorate reflect
architectural heritage
ARAB NEWS
May 25, 2024
RIYADH: The Sabya governorate in the Jazan region is a
treasure trove of archaeological wonders, each with its own unique story.
Among these is the Sabya Archaeological Castle, whose
origins date to the early 20th century. The castle, steeped in history, is a
must-visit for any archeology enthusiast or researcher.
The Sabya Archaeological Castle, an architectural
marvel, boasts spacious rooms with high ceilings and thick walls. The walls,
adorned with beautiful geometric and floral patterns, are a testament to the
skill of the craftsmen who built them.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2517046/saudi-arabia
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KSrelief chief and WHO’s Tedros meet in Geneva, sign
agreements worth $20m
ARAB NEWS
May 25, 2024
GENEVA: The chief of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid
and Relief Center (KSrelief) Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah met with
Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus
on Saturday in Geneva.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues of
common interest related to joint relief and humanitarian projects in the health
sector, as well as the mechanisms for delivering medical assistance to patients
and the injured worldwide.
Tedros praised the medical projects and programs
carried out by the Kingdom, through KSrelief, to improve the health situation
of those in need in various countries.
The first agreement aims to address the severe
shortage of kidney dialysis supplies in Sudan to reduce mortality among kidney
failure patients across various Sudanese states by providing dialysis supplies
sufficient for some 235,000 dialysis sessions, securing 100 dialysis machines,
and paying the salaries of medical staff in 77 dialysis centers, with a value
of $5 million.
The fourth agreement aims to improve water and
sanitation services in healthcare facilities, ensuring sustainable water
supplies to serve the neediest populations in Yemen, valued at $3,750,000. The
agreement includes drilling solar-powered wells in 10 healthcare facilities.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2516956/saudi-arabia
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First group of Moroccan pilgrims arrive in Saudi
Arabia through Makkah Route Initiative
ARAB NEWS
May 25, 2024
RIYADH: The first group of Hajj pilgrims from Morocco
arrived at the Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah
on Saturday, having departed from Mohammed V International Airport in
Casablanca.
The initiative aims to make the journey for pilgrims
to complete Hajj as easy as possible, through electronic registration in their
country of origin, including those related to immigration, health, luggage,
travel, and housing in Makkah and Madinah.
They are transported by buses on designated routes,
with service agencies delivering their luggage to their places of stay, Saudi
Press Agency reported.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2516951/saudi-arabia
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Saudi authorities foil drug smuggling attempts in
Jeddah, Hail, Jazan, Asir
ARAB NEWS
May 25, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi authorities recently made several
drug-related arrests in operations across the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency
reported on Saturday.
The General Directorate of Narcotics Control arrested
five individuals for violating border security regulations in Jeddah, among
them an Ethiopian female on a visitor visa who had attempted to sell 27 kg of
hashish and amphetamine.
Additionally, in the Al-Raboah sector of the Asir region,
Border Guard patrols apprehended five border security violators of Ethiopian
and Yemeni nationalities attempting to smuggle 352 kg of qat.
Preliminary legal procedures have been completed, and
the seized drugs have been handed over to the authorities. All those arrested
have been referred to the Public Prosecution.
Source: Arab News
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2517051/saudi-arabia
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North
America
Minneapolis Muslims fear further attacks after alleged
hit-and-run in mosque parking lot
By Matt McKinney
MAY 25, 2024
Osman Ahmed sits down due to his injuries while
Alhikma Islamic Center Imam AbdirazakKaynan speaks Friday in Minneapolis at a
news conference about an attack on Ahmed in the parking lot of the center.
Officials at a Minneapolis mosque fear it will be
targeted again, two days after one of its members was injured in an alleged
hit-and-run attack in the parking lot.
The attack was the latest in a string of incidents —
from mosque burnings to Muslims being attacked at their mosques with pepper
spray or, in one instance, a hammer — that have made Minnesota the leading
state nationwide for mosque attacks, according to the Council on
American-Islamic Relations.
"We are on edge," Jaylani Hussein, executive
director of CAIR-MN said Friday at a news conference. "This was an
attempted murder. ... We need for our leaders to take this seriously."
In Wednesday's assault, a van slammed into Osman
Ahmed, a member of the Alhikma mosque at 116 E. 32nd St., in the mosque parking
lot just after he stepped out of his vehicle. Security video shows a van
steering into Ahmed as he runs, knocking him to the pavement.
Source: Star Tribune
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One Year After The Arrest Of Gulzar Imam Shamby
By Shaikh Moazam Khan
May 26, 2024
The windswept plains and rugged mountains of
Balochistan hold within them a story of resilience, a yearning for progress,
and a future waiting to be written. Yet, the narrative surrounding this land
has often been hijacked by small but disruptive Baloch separatist movements. A
significant figure within these movements was Gulzar Imam Shambay, whose
capture in April 2023 marked a turning point. These groups have cast a shadow
on the genuine aspirations of the Baloch people, but Shambay’s capture has
created a significant leadership vacuum within the Baloch Nationalist Army
(BNA), formed from the merger of the Baloch Republican Army (BRA) and the
United Baloch Army (UBA). This absence has unleashed internal conflicts over
resources and finances, severely hindering the insurgency’s ability to function
as a cohesive unit, leaving the BNA on the verge of collapse.
The humane treatment extended to surrendered members,
like SarfarazBangulzai and his men, presents a tempting proposition for others.
Bangulzai’s defection, along with his fighters, has created a domino effect,
potentially leading to a mass exodus from the BNA. This critical situation
presents a unique opportunity to explore possibilities of peace talks. The key
question is: can a path towards a peaceful resolution be forged, or are there
insurmountable obstacles?
The Pakistani state emphasizes reconciliation and
inclusivity, aiming to foster a sense of shared identity and belonging among
the diverse groups within Balochistan. The Baloch are an inclusive nation
striving for a peaceful and prosperous future for all its citizens. Any attempt
to create division among them in the name of a greater Balochistan is seen as a
designed plan to break Pakistan. This narrative emphasizes that Balochistan
belongs to its people and that the state will not allow “anarchists working at
the behest of foreign agencies” to hijack Baloch nationalism.
The leadership is acutely aware of the grievances of
the Baloch people, particularly the harm inflicted by “misguided dissidents” in
remote areas. To address these concerns, the government offers Baloch youth
opportunities for success through improved access to quality education and
employment opportunities. They also promise a share in the prosperity promised
by the exploration of mineral resources in the province. Furthermore, law
enforcement actions and the fencing of the international border have
demonstrably improved security in Balochistan. This enhanced security, coupled
with the offer of reconciliation, presents a compelling reason for dissidents
to lay down arms and rejoin society.
The onus now falls on the patriotic Baloch to deny
space to these anarchists through collective action and cooperation with
security forces. The anti-state elements (ASAs) employ a multifaceted approach
to exploit various issues in Balochistan — physical attacks, political
maneuvering, and manipulation of humanitarian concerns — to cultivate a hostile
perception of Pakistan both domestically and internationally.
Source: Eurasiare View
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https://www.eurasiareview.com/26052024-one-year-after-the-arrest-of-gulzar-imam-shamby-oped/
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US calls for rapid deployment to Haiti after killing
of 2 missionaries
May 26, 2024
The murder of two US missionaries in Haiti this week
by powerful gangs underscores the urgent need to deploy an international
security force to the troubled Caribbean nation, the US department of state
said.
Natalie and Davy Lloyd, a married missionary couple,
were ambushed and killed Thursday night along with a third person as they left
church. "Unfortunately, this serves as a reminder that the security
situation in Haiti cannot wait - too many innocent lives are being lost,"
US department of state spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement released
late Friday.
Haiti's turmoil has escalated following the
assassination of President JovenelMoise in 2021, and gangs now control large
parts of the capital. More than half the population are going hungry and more
than 300,000 people have been forced from their homes due to violence. Last
year, the UN authorized a Kenyan-led security force to intervene, but its
deployment has faced delays due to logistical and financial challenges.
Source: Times Of India
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshowprint/110431044.cms
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'Will act immediately': North Korea accuses US, South
Korea of flying spy planes, ships
May 26, 2024
NEW DELHI: North Korea accused US and South Korea of
increasing surveillance activities along the inter-Korean border warning that
it would take action if its sovereignty and security is violated, state media
KCNA reported.
"Even now, the US and South Korean puppet air
forces are continuously mobilising various aircraft with little or no time gap
throughout the day, carrying out aerial reconnaissance activities at a level
comparable to wartime situations," North Korea's defence minister Kim Gang
Il said in a statement published by KCNA.
He claimed that between May 13 and 24, the United
States flew at least 16 RC-135 and U-2S strategic reconnaissance planes, as
well as an RQ-4B drone, over the Korean peninsula.
North Korean defectors and activists in South Korea
often send balloons filled with anti-Pyongyang leaflets, as well as food,
medicine, money, tiny radios, and USB sticks loaded with South Korean news and
dramas.
Source: Times Of India
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Africa
Burkina Faso junta extends its transition term by 5
years
26-05-2024
Burkina Faso's military leader will stay in power for
five more years after a new charter was signed following national consultations
on Saturday, May 25. The talks in the capital, Ouagadougou, included civil
society, security forces, and transitional lawmakers, but most political
parties did not participate.
"The duration of the transition is fixed at 60
months from July 2, 2024," said Col. Moussa Diallo, the chairman of the
organizing committee of the national dialogue process, in a speech after the
talks.
Burkina Faso is one of a growing list of West African
countries where the military has taken power, accusing the elected governments
of failing to keep their promises. The current junta seized power in September
2022 by ousting the military regime of Lt. Col. Paul Henri SandaogoDamiba about
eight months after it staged a coup to remove democratically elected President
Roch Marc Kaboré.
The transitional government has been running Burkina
Faso under a constitution approved by a national assembly that included army
officers, civil society groups and traditional and religious leaders. The junta
had set a goal of conducting elections to return the country to democratic rule
by July 2024.
Source: Africa News
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https://www.africanews.com/2024/05/26/burkina-faso-junta-extends-its-transition-term-by-5-years/
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Islamic Scholars To Tinubu: Don’t Allow Kano To Be
Thrown Into Chaos
By Greenbarge Reporters
May 25, 2024
Islamic Scholars, the Ulamas of Kano have called on
President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the State is not thrown into unnecessary
chaos.
They reminded the President in a statement today, May
25, that Kano State is one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria despite its
political complexity, but feared that the ongoing happenings in the Emirate, if
not carefully handled, could escalate and degenerate into chaos.
“While it is the purview of the State House of
Assembly to enact Laws for good governance, the State Government needs the
cooperation and support of the Federal Government. The State Assembly amended
the Kano State Emirates Law and the Governor assented.
“The State Governor also has responsibility as the
Chief Executive of the State as the act in question has already been completed.
“Therefore there is no need for violent enforcement of any order or violent
resistant to it, and we vehemently oppose any measures5 that will bring
escalation of conflict in the State.
“Kano State is one of the most peaceful states in
Nigeria, therefore we the undersigned call on both contending parties to use
civil means in resolving their differences to allow peace to reign in the
state.
Source: Greenb Reporters
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Boosted by Gaza war, South African Muslim party open
to deal with ANC
26 May, 2024
South Africa's small Muslim political party Al Jama-ah
is gaining support due to the conflict in Gaza and sees itself as a potential
coalition partner for the African National Congress after next week's vote, its
leader said on Wednesday.
Solidarity with the Palestinians is a popular position
in South Africa, where many people liken their treatment by Israel to the
plight of its own Black majority during apartheid -- a comparison strongly
rejected by Israel.
Polls suggest that the ANC, which has governed South
Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, could lose its parliamentary
majority for the first time in the election on May 29, forcing it into
coalition with one or more parties to stay in power.
If the ANC gets close to 50% of votes, which
translates into 50% of parliamentary seats, analysts say it could likely enlist
a few small opposition parties to keep its leader, President Cyril Ramaphosa,
in power.
Hendricks said the ANC had already approached Al
Jama-ah for support, although the ANC says publicly it expects to win the
election outright and is not planning to form a coalition.
Source: Newarab
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https://www.newarab.com/news/south-african-muslim-party-open-deal-anc
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Kano Emirate: Islamic Scholars, Clerics Hail
Judiciary, Security Agencies for Denouncing State Govt, Sanusi
MAY 25, 2024
In a rare show of solidarity, Islamic scholars and
clerics in Kano State have commended the judiciary and security agencies for
their efforts in maintaining peace and order in the Kano Emirate crisis.
The scholars and clerics praised the judiciary for its
prompt intervention in the crisis, which they said helped to prevent a
breakdown of law and order in the state.
They made this known in a statement jointly signed by
Khalifa Sheik LawiAtikuSanka, Khalifa NalAbdulkadir Ramadan, Prof Abdullahi
Pakistan, Mallam Yusuf Ahmad Gabari, Mal LawanAbubakar Triumph, Sheik Mal
MohdBakari, Imam UsainiYakubuRano, Imam JamiluAbubakar and Professor Ibrahim
MuazzamMaibushira.
Source: Authorityngr
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Tens of thousands cheer at ANC rally before South
Africa elections
25 May 2024
Tens of thousands of supporters dressed in yellow,
green and black gathered for the final rally of the governing African National
Congress (ANC) party in Johannesburg, South Africa’s biggest city, before
watershed general elections next week.
Some 28 million registered voters will cast their
ballot on Wednesday in a move that could see the ANC fail to clinch a majority
in the national assembly for the first time in 30 years. Polls suggest ANC
could win less than 50 percent of the vote.
If the predictions are accurate, it would mean that
President Cyril Ramaphosa will need to strike a deal with one or more coalition
partners to form a government and keep the country’s top job.
The biggest issues at stake in Africa’s most advanced
economy include sky-high unemployment, violent crime, deteriorating public
infrastructure, and stark economic inequality.
Source: Aljazeera
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Cynthia voted for Nelson Mandela. Now she's abandoning
his successors
Fergal Keane
26-05-2024
They were shadow people, moving beyond the light of
small fires on a winter dawn. There was no hint then that I was about to
encounter one of the most extraordinary sights of my time in South Africa.
In this part of the country, winter is a cold, dry
season that burns the veld brown. The ground is hard like flint and when the
wind blows across the plains, dust covers the squatters and all that they
carry.
I could hear digging, and coming closer I saw a woman
hacking at the earth. Nearby other men and women were doing the same thing.
They had old garden tools, machetes, pieces of stone, anything to make holes
into which they placed pieces of plastic, tin and wood.
To see that vote in a nation brutalised by apartheid
was to witness an awe-inspiring moment in the story of humanity. The first
voters – mostly the elderly – who quietly cast their ballots pushed history inexorably
forward.
Thirty years later South Africa is a very different
country. Democracy has endured. The fear and racist brutality of the past is
gone. But there is widespread disillusionment with the ruling African National
Congress (ANC) in power since Nelson Mandela became the country’s first black
president.
As the sun rose, the squatter camp gradually vanished
under the earth. One hour before, there had been a community of several dozen
shacks and flimsy tents. Now there were only people, wrapped in blankets,
sitting around fires.
Children dressed in their school uniforms were heading
off in the direction of the main road, about a mile away beyond the fields. No
matter what degradation they suffered here, parents fought to give their young
an education.
Cynthia had seven children then, and took care of them
on her own. Her husband walked out on the family several years before and had
not been heard from since.
Every day she, and the other squatters, buried their
homes so that they would not be bulldozed by the government. And every evening
Cynthia came back, dug up her home and slept there with the children. They had
been teargassed, shot at with rubber bullets, but still they returned. There
was nowhere else to go.
“I want to live in a nice house with my children
because I’m suffering. I want to be the same like white people. I’m suffering
because I’m black,” she said back then. Cynthia fed her family by working on a
rubbish dump, collecting tin cans which she sold in return for a pittance. Just
enough to sustain life on the margins of existence.
In the unfolding narrative of her life is the story of
millions of South Africa’s poorest people. She was born on a white-owned farm
in 1946 – two years before Afrikaner nationalists came to power and began implementing
the policy of apartheid.
Source: Www.bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce55x06ely2o
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Southeast
Asia
AEON Bank officially launches Malaysia’s first Islamic
digital bank
26 May 2024
SHAH ALAM, May 26 — AEON Bank (M) Bhd officially
launched its digital bank today, making it the first Islamic digital bank in
Malaysia.
Chief executive officer Raja TehMaimunah Raja Abdul
Aziz said the bank aims to offer safe, simplified and inclusive
shariah-compliant digital banking solutions to all Malaysians, such as savings
accounts, retirement savings plans, various borrowing options, and payment
services.
“This will allow us to offer financial services to our
customers comprehensively. The purpose of our business is to bring finances
closer to everyone, helping us achieve our mission,” she told a press
conference in conjunction with the public launch ceremony here today.
“The (beta) test was meant to identify anything that
needed to be improved and fixed. We got a lot of good feedback, including on
the overall architecture.
Source: Malay Mail
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Islamic affairs minister advises Malaysian Haj
pilgrims to wear identification tags at all times
26 May 2024
SEPANG, May 26 — Haj pilgrims are reminded to always
wear the identification tags and bracelets provided by the LembagaTabung Haji
(TH) so that they can be easily identified in case of any emergency.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious
Affairs) Datuk MohdNa’im Mokhtar said pilgrims are also reminded to maintain
their health and are encouraged to consult TH facilitators if they encounter
any issues regarding the rituals of haj to ensure that they are correct and
complete.
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia was also
present to wish the more than 250 pilgrims who will depart at 1.30pm today from
the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA Terminal 1) a safe journey.
Earlier, at a separate event, MohdNa’im handed over
incentives totalling RM144,500 from the Federal Territories Islamic Religious
Council (MAIWP) to 289 prospective haj pilgrims from B40 families.
Source: Malay Mail
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Sarawak premier moots ‘constitution-like’ code of
ethics for global media industry
By SulokTawie
26 May 2024
KUCHING, May 26 — Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari
Openg today suggested a definitive code of ethics for the global media industry
in light of the many current challenges it faces.
Speaking at the opening of the Sarawak Media Conference
2024 held in conjunction with the National Journalists Day here, he also
suggested that regulations be set up under the United Nations (UN).
“In climate change, for example, we have sustainable
development goals (SDGs) and part of the SDGs I think the media industry has to
operate with one global code of ethics,” he said.
Source: Malay Mail
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PM Anwar visits Post-Normal Era Madani Exhibition at
Berjaya Times Square
26 May 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim today visited the Post-Normal Era Madani Exhibition held at Berjaya
Times Square here.
He arrived at the exhibition venue at 11am and spent
about an hour viewing the display featuring works by six local artists
highlighting the main pillars of the Madani concept, namely Sustainability,
Compassion, Respect, Creativity, Well-being and Confidence.
Among the participating artists is sculptor Liu Cheng
Hua, who showcases “Golden Shafts,” a type of gold mining equipment made from
locally sourced bamboo widely used in Raub, Pahang, in 2014.
Also exhibited are artworks titled Human Needs Human,
Panorama and AkuBukanPendatang by Stephen Menon, a painter and printmaker known
for his innovative techniques and thought-provoking works.
Source: Malay Mail
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pm-modi-mujra-prostitutes-muslims/d/132388