PM Modi’s Advice To The Muslim Community To ‘Introspect’

New Age Islam News Bureau

13 May 2024

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

------

·         PM Modi’s Advice To The Muslim Community To ‘Introspect’

·         Terror Group “Voice of Khorasan” Linked To Islamic State Names Berlin, Dortmund, Munich As Targets Ahead Of Euros

·         Erdogan Suffers From A God Complex, Revered For Attributes Belonging To Allah And The Prophet

·         US Senator, Lindsey Graham, Calls On Israel To Nuke Gaza, Says US Made The Right Call Against Japan

·         Tahir Ashrafi Lauds ‘Route To Makkah’ Facility Launched At Karachi Airport

 

 

India

·         Modi's Attack On 'Religion-Based Reservation' Leaves Andhra Parties Facing 'Muslim Conundrum'

·         'Give Such A Big 'Fatwa' That Kejriwal Won't Have To Go To Jail Again': Mann Appeals To Delhi Voters

·         INDIA Bloc Leaders Scared Of Pakistan’s Nuclear Power: Prime Minister Narendra Modi

·         5 Booked For Assaulting Muslim Woman Over Interfaith Relationship In Bidar: Police

·         Sena (UBT)’S Khaire Could Benefit From Maratha And Muslim Anger

·         Muslims elected 14 times to LS from Telugu land

----

Europe

·         Labour Could Lose A Wide Range Of Voters Over Gaza, Not Just Muslim Ones

·         German court backs intelligence agency’s designation of far-right party as suspected extremist case

·         Black, Asian and minority ethnic people make up nearly 70% of UK’s anti-terror detentions, data shows

·         UK investigating Hamas’ claim that British hostage killed in Gaza

--------

Mideast

·         Powerful Iraqi Shi’ite Cleric Sadr Girds For Political Comeback

·         "Jihad": Gaza Is Test For All Of Us And We Will Fight Until Victory

·         Zionist Settlers renew storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards

·         Israel Offensive On Rafah Would Not Eliminate Hamas: Blinken

·         Tunisia reports increase in migrant interceptions

·         Israel turns its guns on northern Gaza again

--------

North America

·         Majority Of US College Students Support Pro-Palestine Campus Protests: Poll

·         Protesting Students Walk Out On Seinfeld Graduation Speech For Supporting Israel Over Its War In Gaza

·         US police tear-gas students, arrest dozens as Gaza war protests spread

·         Biden Administration Urges Israel To Protect Civilians In Gaza

·         Two Americans, one Russian citizen among 20 detained in Georgia, Russia’s TASS reports

--------

Pakistan

·         Deputy PM Arrives In Beijing, China

·         Video of SSP serving tea to political leaders goes viral

·         Pakistan Army inaugurates Girls school in Darra Musa, Peshawar

·         Governor Kundi shows olive branch to KP govt after war of words

·         JI plans rally in Lahore on 16th to express solidarity with farmers

·         PM promises unwavering support to Saudi investors

·         Training being imparted to cops to e-tag outlaws: IG Memon

--------

Arab World

·         Saudi Commission Explores Impact Of Biennales On Artists

·         Bahrain-Based Al Baraka Seeks Expansion As Pakistan Embraces Islamic Banking

·         Saudi Forces Participate In Eager Lion Military Drill In Jordan

·         Saudi deputy FM receives US deputy assistant secretary of state

·         Jeddah Historic District, Cruise Saudi team up to boost visitor numbers, economy

·         Swiss artist pays homage to heritage in Riyadh show

·         Riyadh to host Global AI Summit in September

·         Taif governor receives Vietnamese ambassador

·         Jeddah governor launches initiative for a more balanced life

--------

South Asia

·         Deputy PM Hanafi Holds Productive Meeting with Turkish Traders, Boosting Investment Prospects

·         Haqqani inaugurates school worth $480,000 in Parwan

·         Will renew passports of 69,000 Rohingyas

·         EU sends medical and vital supplies to flood victims in Afghanistan

·         Efforts underway to resume suspended climate change projects in Afghanistan

·         No departmental action against the UNO yet

--------

Africa

·         Mozambique's president confirms Cabo Delgado town under Islamist attack

·         Violent Clashes Erupt In Sudan's North Darfur

·         Terrorists kill two, abduct 10 at Kaduna football viewing centre

·         Civil war heroes deserve to be celebrated – Igbo movement

·         4m Somalia children hit by war and climate change, experts say

--------

Southeast Asia

·         Jokowi to Inaugurate Al Azhar Summarecon Islamic School Building in Nusantara

·         GP Ansor to Gather Its Diaspora Across 20 Countries

·         Police Arrest Suspected Papuan Rebel Accused of Murdering Military Officer

·         PM Anwar to meet captains of industries, state leaders in Doha

·         Foreign Honours, Medals, Orders Without King’s Consent Not Valid, Says Council Of Datuk Dato’ Malaysia

·         Govt welcomes airlines to launch international flights at LTSIP - Loke

·         PM Anwar wishes Happy Mother’s Day

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:     https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pm-modi-muslim-introspect/d/132310

-----

PM Modi’s Advice To The Muslim Community To ‘Introspect’

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

------

Keshav Upadhye

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently gave an advice to the Muslim community and asked them to ‘introspect’ during his interview to a television channel. Never before in the post-independence history of the nation has any leader at the supreme position given such explicit advice to Muslims. Until now, no powerful leader nor chief minister of any state has ever communicated in such an explicit manner.

During the second round of Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized some of the promises made in Congress’s manifesto and also discussed how the party’s Muslim appeasement tactics can be harmful not only to the Muslim community but to also the nation. Naturally, Prime Minister’s remark on the mention about Muslims made in Congress manifesto was expected to spark debate in the media and political circles. Another reason for this heightened discourse was the fact that PM Modi had never, until now, expressed any opposition to any particular religion in the last ten years. Against this backdrop, it is important to also take a look at how some mullahs-maulavis issued ‘fatwas’ urging Muslims to vote against the BJP.

PM Modi’s remarks must be viewed in the light of the divide that has developed between Hindus and Muslims in the years following independence due to various reasons. No matter how hard we may deny, but we cannot ignore the fact that there have been rifts in the relationship between Hindus and Muslims in the country. It is only after examining this extensive past 75 years’ worth has Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the educated Muslims ‘to introspect’.

“We are not against Islam. We are not against Muslims. I ask the educated members of the Muslim community to introspect and consider what lies ahead for their future generations. If you keep thinking that you’ll decide who will be in power and who will be dethroned, you will spoil the future of your children. I don’t want any community to live like bonded labourers just because somebody is always fearmongering,” PM Modi said during the interview.

Upon examining the strained relations between Hindus and Muslims over the past 75 years, one will realize that Prime Minister Modi effectively addressed the most delicate issue. “The country is progressing fast, competing with other developed nations. Don’t you think you need to find out the reasons why your community is lagging behind? This probably could have been my first time to appeal to the Muslim community in this manner,” saying this PM also questioned, “weren’t you benefitted from the numerous initiatives introduced by my government?” I am sure such harsh and explicit remarks of PM Modi will not go unanswered neither by the so-called ‘thekedaars’ of this religion nor by those who have been using Muslims as a vote bank, or the founders of different political parties, like the Congress, that came to power solely on the basis of Muslim support.

Muslims need to compare and evaluate the kind of development they experienced during Congress’s tenure vis-à-vis the numerous advantages the poor, underprivileged and exploited people received under the Modi administration. People need to understand who their true savior is. The religious thekedaars only took advantage of these people for their benefit. Even their knowledgeable members never questioned why they did not make the expected progress in 75 years. They always lived in constant fear of a small group of fanatics. Prime Minister appealed to their learned members and urged them to consider their children’s future because progress cannot be made while living in fear. This shows PM Modi’s earnest and sincere efforts for their betterment.

In 1986, after the Supreme Court ordered alimony to Shah Bano, some Muslim orthodoxy and fanatics, outraged with the decision, pressurized the then Rajiv Gandhi government forcing a constitutional amendment that overturned the court’s decision. It was Modi administration that put an end to the practice of Triple Talaq which was incredibly unjust to Muslim women. The extremist’s stance on matters such as Ram Janmabhoomi was responsible to affect the religious harmony in the country. Another factor contributing to the tension in Hindu-Muslim relations over the last 25-30 years has been Pakistan’s conspiracy to destabilize India with aid from terrorists’ groups and support it garnered from some sections of our own nation. Also, the general disregard for this community’s youth, who were being encouraged to wage jihad against their own country by majority of the political parties, was another factor contributing to the negative perception.

Against this broad background, Prime Minister Modi’s appeal to the community’s educated members to oppose their fundamentalists is significant in a number of aspects. PM Modi posed a serious question – do you want to ignore everything that transpired in the nation during Congress’ longest regime and cast your votes by believing the promises they made in their manifesto? Numerous Muslim women have been benefitted from the various schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the Mudra Yojana that offers opportunities for self-employment and the construction of toilets by Modi administration. A few months ago, PM Modi visited Kashmir and interacted with the beneficiaries. At that time Muslim youth, both men and women spoke extensively about the advantages they had received under his governance. It was during this interaction that PM Modi appealed to those present to go around and try to dispel any misunderstandings and inhibitions about the Bharatiya Janata Party. He also urged them to meet and interact with BJP workers, as ‘nobody will sideline them’. He reassured, ‘that it isn’t BJP’s domain to harass anybody because of their religion and there is no need to be afraid of anyone.

I sincerely hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘potion’ forces intellectuals of this community to ‘introspect’ while serving as a ‘sharp potion to their fundamentalists.

Keshav Upadhye, BJP Chief Spokesperson

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/voices/pm-modis-potion-in-the-interest-of-the-muslims/

--------

Terror Group “Voice of Khorasan” Linked To Islamic State Names Berlin, Dortmund, Munich As Targets Ahead Of Euros

 

ISIS militants shown in 2014 ISIS propaganda (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

-----

12 May 2024

A terror group linked to Islamic State has named three German cities as targets ahead of the Euros next month.

Host cities Berlin, Dortmund, and Munich were listed by “Voice of Khorasan,” based in Afghanistan. A disturbing montage included a fighter in camouflage, brandishing a machine gun inside an empty football stadium.

The headline reads: “Where do you want?” followed by “Then score the last goal.” Berlin, Dortmund, and Munich - where Germany open the tournament against Scotland on June 14 - are listed below.

England are in Gelsenkirchen on June 16 against Serbia, before a trip to Frankfurt to play Denmark four days later and then on to Cologne to face Slovenia on June 25. The final on July 14 is in Berlin.

It was initially thought Champions League games could be hit. But experts believe the threat relates to the Euros. Stefan Bisanz, managing director of consulting plus Holding GmbH, used to work for the German Federal Ministry of Defence.

He told the Mirror : “Berlin has been named as a target before. It stirs up fear among fans that this could happen. These terrorist groups are using these pronouncements to radicalise people all over the world.”

Organisers are working with intelligence services across Europe to combat the threat. Christoph de Vries, a conservative german Christian Democrat (CDU) politician, has described the extremist publication as “a blatant threat.”

He reassured the public about the preparedness of German security authorities, adding: “Our security authorities are very well prepared and there is an intensive international exchange.”

German state officials believe Islamic State has a network of more than 100 agents in western Europe, with 50 in Germany. Police were placed on alert over the Easter period following terror attacks in Moscow.

Four gunmen from Tajikistan stormed a concert hall dressed in camouflage and killed 144 people, wounding another 551.

Source: mirror.co.uk

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

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/terror-group-linked-islamic-state-32792370

--------

Erdogan Suffers From A God Complex, Revered For Attributes Belonging To Allah And The Prophet

 

Turkish President Erdogan addressed his party's deputies in Parliament on April 17, 2024, following a defeat in the March local elections.

-------

May 13, 2024

A collection of God and prophet-like public praises uttered by and for Turkey’s strongman, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, offers a glimpse into the psychological state of a leader who believes he possesses superior abilities and apparently suffers from a God complex.

Having ruled a country of 85 million, extending from Asia to Europe, with the imperial legacy of the Ottoman Empire for 22 years, Erdogan has decimated the opposition, imprisoned his critics and opponents, consolidated all levers of power in his hands, destroyed checks and balances and become the sole decision-maker on all matters in his own country.

His inflated view of his abilities and infallibility, coupled with the presence of yes-men surrounding him, reinforces his narcissistic personality and shores up his superiority complex. He considers himself the caliph, the leader of the entire Muslim community worldwide, and therefore believes he deserves special consideration.

Following his party’s defeat in the March local elections, which relegated his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to second place for the first time in two decades, Erdogan addressed his party’s lawmakers in parliament on April 17, stating, “Ladies and gentlemen! Let everyone see and know this: Nothing is over until we say it’s over.”

At face value, this expression seems innocent enough for a politician who suffered a defeat in the elections and aimed to mobilize his demoralized support base. Yet, in the context of political Islamic circles, in which Erdogan has deep roots, it has quite shocking ramifications since it appears to challenge the divine will of Allah, one of the six main pillars of Islam, which means Allah is the ultimate decision-maker and everything happens only according to His divine will.

The remark reflects Erdogan’s inner thinking as he has become accustomed to being the final arbiter in Turkish matters after a long rule of near-absolute power. Erdogan did not utter these words in a vacuum; he has a long track record of seeing himself in such a godly manner. The worshipful praise from his followers has certainly contributed to shaping the president’s psyche.

This was not the only instance where Erdogan expressed his God-like attributes publicly and openly. In March 2014, speaking at a campaign rally, Erdogan said, “We have come for mercy, not for wrath. Our mercy will prevail over our wrath.” He was explaining how his government would act against his critics and opponents. This expression was, in fact, a direct reference to Allah’s unique attribute in the conventional Islamic school of thought, which was described in a saying of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad: “When Allah decreed the creation, He pledged Himself by writing in His Book which is laid down with Him: ‘My Mercy prevails over My Wrath.'”

Erdogan’s statement was criticized within the opposition bloc of the political Islamic platform. Milli Gazete, the flagship daily of the opposition Islamic political Saadet Party, wrote, “Erdogan’s mentioning Allah’s attribute in connection with himself sparked controversy. … His associating himself with the attributes of Allah astonished the audience.”

Attributions of God-like superiority to Erdogan were also expressed by his associates and senior members of his ruling party, the AKP. Erdogan remained silent in the face of such expressions, tacitly signaling that he, in fact, enjoys such comparisons.

In July 2011 the AKP’s then-Bursa deputy Hüseyin Şahin stated after talking and visiting Erdogan that “even touching our esteemed Prime Minister [Erdogan], I believe, is an act of worship. I’m saying this because even his presence energizes us.” When he was criticized for such remarks, the lawmaker said he stood by his statement. Şahin served in parliament until 2018.

Fevai Arslan, another lawmaker from Erdogan’s ruling AKP, said in January 2014, “There is Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a leader who embodies all the attributes of Allah. They wanted to thwart him.” Arslan made these remarks during the opening ceremony for campaign headquarters in his home province of Düzce. Arslan served as a lawmaker in parliament until 2018.

Describing Erdogan as a world leader, the lawmaker claimed that world powers do not want Turkey to become a leading nation in the Middle East and that is why they wanted to prevent Erdogan from winning the elections on March 30, 2014. “The Turkish people have not allowed all this since 2002 [when Erdogan first came to power], and hopefully they will not allow it in the future, either,” he added.

Zülfü Tolga Ağar, a long-time AKP lawmaker, likened Erdogan to God in a speech he made in August 2019, stating, “When we are told about the President, it feels like we are being told about Allah.” Ağar is the son of former interior minister Mehmet Ağar, who is now in charge of coordinating organized crime syndicates and mafia groups in Turkey on behalf of President Erdogan.

Addressing some 1,500 party faithful in November 2009, İsmail Hakkı Eser, the AKP’s then-Aydın provincial office head, told the crowd, “Let no one doubt the love and respect our people under this roof have for our Prime Minister [Erdogan]. We are devoted to our Prime Minister; he is like a second prophet to us. Betraying the Prime Minister is something we can never accept.” Eser continues to serve as a senior member of the AKP in Aydın and has assumed official roles such as a member of the city council.

Former EU affairs minister Egemen Bağış declared several cities to be holy, akin to the Islamic holy sites of Mecca and Medina, in February 2013, saying, “Rize, Istanbul and Siirt are holy cities because these three cities have been instrumental in the birth of the greatest leader in the history of the Republic of Turkey.” Rize is Erdogan’s family’s  home province, while Istanbul is where he was brought up and entered politics. Siirt, his wife’s home province, is the constituency where he was elected to parliament for the first time in a March 2003  repeat election. Despite being incriminated in a multi-million dollar graft scheme, Erdogan stood by Bağış and appointed him ambassador to the Czech Republic.

Some went as far as saying that Erdogan surpassed the Islamic Prophet. Efkan Ala, then interior minister, said, “Prophet Muhammad was overtaken by pride, so God warned him. We, on the other hand, will not be tempted by pride.” His successor, Süleyman Soylu, claimed in December 2021 that the work of the Erdogan government was the work of Allah. “Don’t just look at what we do. We don’t do it by ourselves. We believe that it is Allah who makes us do it,” he told the party faithful in Bursa province.

In February 2010 Oktay Saral, an AKP politician who governed the Of district of Trabzon province, called for the worship of Erdogan and said that a prayer of gratitude, similar to Muslim rituals for God, must be performed because Erdogan is the blessed leader of the Islamic world. A year later, Erdogan rewarded him by making him a member of parliament.

Some of Erdogan’s deputies likened his speeches to the Sunnah, which refers to the sayings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad and is considered to be the second authoritative source of knowledge for Muslims after the holy Quran.

Speaking in Çanakkale province in May 2013, former MP Agâh Kafkas described Erdogan’s bargaining for a project completion deadline with contractors who were awarded government tenders as akin to the Islamic Prophet’s model, saying, “This is the Sunnah of our Prime Minister. This is the difference with Tayyip Erdogan.” His words sparked reactions from Islamic circles, who criticized the deputy for exploiting religious and sacred values for political goals.

AKP Ordu deputy Şenel Yediyıldız made similar remarks, attributing Erdogan’s behavior to the Prophet’s Sunnah. Attending a wedding ceremony in August 2021, the lawmaker said he wanted to follow Erdogan’s Sunnah before handing the marriage certificate to the newlywed couple.

There have been dozens of instances of God-like attributions made for Erdogan during his more than two decades of rule in Turkey. None of them were challenged by Erdogan himself, who appeared to enjoy such praise. In his self-perception, perhaps he feels like a god or a God-chosen messenger who came to power to lead Muslims all over the world.

At times, Erdogan’s belief in his omnipotence created headaches for him and his government. When he declared himself an economist who knew all about free market forces and instructed the central bank to change course by adopting unorthodox and unconventional policies, the Turkish economy and finances went into deep trouble. He was eventually forced to change course after substantial damage was inflicted on Turkey’s foreign currency reserves, investment portfolio and currency value.

He has deliberately stoked tension with Russia, the US, the European Union and Gulf states at different times using various pretexts, only to later back down when his bullying tactics started to hurt him and his inner circle, threatening his rule in Turkey.

The constraints he faces in shaping economic and foreign policy do not appear to have permanently changed Erdogan’s mindset as he is ready to engage in risky or reckless behavior when he sees an opportunity. At times, he seems to have a hard time making meaningful connections between events and loses sight of objectivity. He believes he is an invincible underdog who will come back on top every time, despite the blows and defeats he perceives as only temporary. In other words, he ignores his faults and often shifts the blame to others when mistakes happen.

He certainly believes he is entitled to special treatment, demanding admiration, blind loyalty and respect from people. He has no regard whatsoever for accountability. He lacks empathy, especially for his fellow Muslim citizens who oppose his rule. In his self-deluded world, there are only two camps: us vs. them, as Erdogan often describes such division in Turkish society and the Muslim community worldwide. Polarization and division have been the hallmarks of his long rule.

Compounding matters further is that President Erdogan is surrounded by yes-men and women who worship him and dare not utter views that would displease him. The profile of people he has chosen to include in his inner circle paints a picture of those who shy away from critical thinking and avoid challenging views in the governance of the country.

In reality, Erdogan is nothing but a thug, a narcissistic dictator who abuses religion for his political ambitions while enriching his family members and associates with billions of dollars through pervasive corruption in his administration and profits from all sorts of illicit business activities and criminal enterprises.

Source: nordicmonitor.com

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

https://nordicmonitor.com/2024/05/turkeys-president-suffers-from-god-complex-revered-by-his-followers-as-allah-and-prophet/

-----

US Senator , Lindsey Graham, Calls On Israel To Nuke Gaza, Says US Made The Right Call Against Japan

 

US Senator Lindsey Graham

-----

13 May 2024

US Senator Lindsey Graham says Israel should drop nuclear bombs on Gaza to end the war and do “whatever” it deems necessary in the aggression, drawing a comparison to when the US dropped atomic bombs on Japan during World War II.

Graham, a South Carolina Republican, suggested that Israel would be right to flatten the besieged Gaza Strip simply because the US did it to the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 and killed more than 200,000 people.

“Why is it OK for America to drop two nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end their existential threat war? Why was it OK for us to do that? I thought it was OK,” he told NBC News on Sunday,

“So, Israel, do whatever you have to do to survive ... Whatever you have to do.”

Graham also urged US President Joe Biden to provide the occupying regime with more bombs.

“When we were faced with destruction as a nation after Pearl Harbor, fighting the Germans and the Japanese, we decided to end the war by bombing Hiroshima, Nagasaki with nuclear weapons,” he said, calling the atomic attacks “the right decision” by the US.

“Give Israel the bombs they need to end the war. They can’t afford to lose,” the US senator added.

The remarks came days after Biden claimed that he had halted a weapons shipment to Israel and that he might continue to do so if the regime launched a full-scale assault on Rafah, the southernmost Gaza city where 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering.

Israel unleashed its US-baked Gaza onslaught on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out a historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The Tel Aviv regime has so far killed at least 35,034 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 78,755 others.

Source: presstv.ir

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

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/05/13/725487/Senator-Graham-Israel-whatever-Gaza-US-nuked-Japan

--------

Tahir Ashrafi lauds ‘Route to Makkah’ facility launched at Karachi Airport

 

Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

-----

May 12, 2024

Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi has appreciated Route to Makkah facility launched at Jinnah International Airport Karachi.

Talking to media, he said this expansion would prove a crucial step in facilitating pilgrims traveling to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Hajj.

Ashrafi underscored the efforts made by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif during his government’s previous tenure to expand the Route to Makkah initiative.

He also extended gratitude to Saudi Crown Prince, Muhammad bin Salman, for issuing a directive to establish this facility at the Karachi airport.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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

https://www.radio.gov.pk/12-05-2024/tahir-ashrafi-lauds-route-to-makkah-facility-launched-at-karachi-airport

--------

 India

Modi's Attack On 'Religion-Based Reservation' Leaves Andhra Parties Facing 'Muslim Conundrum'

12 May 2024

Kurnool/Kadapa: The BJP's recent move to craft a national narrative around Muslim reservations, likely as part of its polarisation strategy, has taken Andhra Pradesh's political parties by surprise.

While the opposition TDP has formed an alliance with the BJP for both the assembly and Lok Sabha polls, and the ruling YSRCP has consistently supported bills introduced by the saffron party-led Centre in Parliament over the past five years, Prime Min...

Notably, Modi has refrained from discussing the removal of Muslim reservations in his recent election rallies in Andhra Pradesh. However, in adjoining Telangana, where the BJP is contesting alone in the Lok Sabha polls, both Modi and his trusted aide...

During one of his election addresses in Telangana, Modi emphasised that the allocation of reservations for Muslims had been at the expense of rightful shares for Dalits, Adivasis, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and declared his opposition to cont...

Significantly, both Telugu states currently provide reservations to certain backward class groups among Muslims under the BC category.

In Andhra Pradesh, Muslims constitute approximately 9.5 per cent of the population according to the 2011 census. Among the total 13 districts (old), Muslims are particularly concentrated in the Rayalaseema region's four districts: Kurnool, Kadapa, An...

According to the 2010 report of the Justice Srikrishna Committee, tasked with examining the demand for Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation, Muslims constitute a higher proportion of the population in the Rayalaseema region (12.5 per cent) compared to coasta...

"Everyone knows that the BJP engages in communal politics just before elections to gain an advantage. We need not worry about their rhetoric. Even if they retain power and form the government again, are they going to kill us? Nobody can harm us," rem...

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy chose Kurnool to affirm his stance on Muslim reservations. Standing alongside Md. Imtiaz, the YSRCP candidate for the Kurnool assembly segment, Jagan addressed a gathering, reaffirming his commitment to Muslim res...

However, not everyone blames Naidu for aligning with the BJP. "Since the formation of the TDP by the late NTR, I have been voting for the TDP. Even now, I will vote for the TDP. I'm confident Naidu is capable of persuading Narendra Modi to maintain t...

On May 7, at the Prajagalam election rally in Punganur, Naidu attempted to allay Muslim concerns. He assured the Muslim community that he would uphold and continue the existing four per cent reservation for them at all costs, pledging his unwavering ...

"The president of our party made it clear that we would protect Muslim reservations at all costs. I view Jagan's statement as hypocritical. In the last five years, Jagan has never worked in the interest of Muslims. YSRCP leaders have unlawfully occup...

Despite assurances from the TDP, some Muslims remain wary of the BJP. "These parties should not be allowed to enter our town. Once they enter, they will engage in divisive communal politics," remarked Ansar Bhasha, an auto driver at Bellary Junction ...

The state OBC lists in Andhra Pradesh include Muslim groups such as Mehtar, Pinjari/Noorbash, Laddaf, and Dudekula, with quotas ranging from 7 per cent to 10 per cent.

"It's unfortunate that political parties are politicising the issue of Muslim reservations. This is not good. Many groups among us are living in deplorable conditions," expressed Mansoor Ali at Kadapa's seven-road junction.

In a boost to Jagan, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised Naidu for aligning with the BJP.

Source: deccanherald.com

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

https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/andhra-pradesh/andhra-pradesh-assembly-elections-2024-modis-stance-on-religion-based-reservation-leaves-andhra-parties-facing-muslim-conundrum-3019697#google_vignette

--------

 

'Give such a big 'fatwa' that Kejriwal won't have to go to jail again': Mann appeals to Delhi voters

12 May 2024

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said, “You all have to vote on May 25. If you give such a big 'fatwa' then Kejriwal Sahab will not have to go to jail again... BJP's government is not being formed. AAP and INDIA alliance are coming to power.”

Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com

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

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/give-such-a-big-fatwa-that-kejriwal-wont-have-to-go-to-jail-again-mann-appeals-to-delhi-voters/videoshow/110058508.cms

--------

 

INDIA Bloc Leaders Scared Of Pakistan’s Nuclear Power: Prime Minister Narendra Modi

PTI Muzaffarpur, Hajipur (Bihar)

13.05.24

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lashed out at the opposition INDIA bloc, calling its leaders “cowards” who were “scared of Pakistan’s nuclear power”.

Addressing three back-to-back rallies in Bihar’s Hajipur, Muzaffarpur and Saran Lok Sabha constituencies, Modi made an apparent reference to a recent statement of National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, without mentioning him by name.

“The INDIA bloc seems to have leaders who are scared of Pakistan and have nightmares of its nuclear power,” he said.

The remarks come in the backdrop of comments by Abdullah about Pakistan having atom bombs and not wearing bangles.

“If Pakistan does not wear bangles, we will make the country wear these. I knew they did not have foodgrains. Now, I come to know they do not even have adequate supply of bangles,” the PM said.

“But, we must look carefully at the opposition which seems to be full of cowards and timid people, who give a clean chit to Pakistan on terrorism, raise doubts on surgical strikes… their Left allies even want our nuclear arsenal to be dismantled,” he said.

Modi maintained that the INDIA bloc had worked out a formula, which would allow five of its leaders, if the coalition came to power, to enjoy a year of premiership each.

“Just imagine what type of a mess we would get to see if the bloc’s plan to have a different PM, every year, for five years, succeeds. However, they are a motley group that is bound to fail,” he said.

“The current elections are for having a government that will give a further boost to the standing and clout enjoyed by the country,” the PM said.

Modi also said the money recovered in raids against politicians “belonged to the country’s poor”.

“I will tell you why they are crying hoarse against the action of agencies like the ED. During the previous Congress regime, the ED seized only Rs 35 lakh, which could be contained in a school bag. Ever since we took over, the agency has recovered Rs 2,200 crore, which would require 70 small trucks to be carried,” said Modi.

The prime minister said unlike his opponents, who were concerned about promoting their offspring, “I have no ‘waaris’ (successor). The common people are my waaris”.

He reiterated the charge that parties like the Congress and RJD will “give away reservations” to Muslims “to pursue their vote bank politics”, but added that “as long as I am alive, I will not let this happen”.

“Kidnapping and extortion flourished during the RJD rule in Bihar... NDA fights for social justice, 60 per cent Union ministers from OBC/SC/ST categories,” he asserted.

“It has been several days since I challenged the Congress-led opposition to give it in writing that it will not give reservations on religious lines. They are yet to respond,” Modi said.

The PM also alleged that the opposition had plans to impose “inheritance tax” but “Modi would stand like a wall in their way, thwarting attempts to rob people of their wealth”.

He accused the opposition parties of “deliberately hurting people’s sentiments by making obnoxious statements about the Ram temple in Ayodhya”.

Targeting RJD leaders Lalu Prasad and his son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, mentioning neither by name, Modi referred to the fodder scam, the “land for jobs scam” and “attempts to take credit for work done by our ally (Chief Minister and JD(U) president) Nitish Kumar”.

Speaking on a day when the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections were underway, he urged the people to turn out in large numbers and vote for the NDA to enable formation of a strong government.

In his speech, Modi also touched upon his government’s track record on development, citing construction of highways at a rapid rate and underscoring commitment to social justice and empowerment, while accusing the opposition of trying to put hurdles in the way of measures like women’s reservations.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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

https://www.telegraphindia.com/elections/lok-sabha-election-2024/india-bloc-leaders-scared-of-pakistans-nuclear-power-prime-minister-narendra-modi/cid/2019484

------

 

5 Booked For Assaulting Muslim Woman Over Interfaith Relationship In Bidar: Police

May 13, 2024

A case was registered on Sunday against five people who had allegedly assaulted a Muslim woman for being in relationship with a Hindu man, the police said.

The police said that a 26-year-old Muslim woman was allegedly attacked by a group of men who questioned her association with a 45-year-old Hindu man, identified as Ashok Reddy, auto driver and resident of Basavakalyan in Bidar district. The incident took place two weeks ago and came to light after it went viral on social media.

Police inspector Ambarish Vagmode said: “The incident occurred two weeks ago at a park on the outskirts of Basavakalyan town. We have received a complaint from auto driver Ashok Reddy, a native of Basavakalyan, who was accompanying the woman. We have booked five persons on Sunday (aged 20–28) under IPC Sections 354 (assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation). We have identified the accused, and a search is underway to arrest them.”

On January 20, a group of nine individuals had reportedly harassed an interfaith couple in Haveri district. Following a complaint, the police apprehended nine people involved in the incident and booked them under various sections of the IPC. The incident unfolded at the Byadagi bus stand in Haveri district, where the couple - a Muslim woman and a Hindu man - was reportedly conversing when they were allegedly attacked.

On January 8, in Hanagal, in Haveri district, seven people were accused of assaulting an interfaith couple in a hotel room. Later, the accused were arrested. According to the 26-year-old victim, the assailants subjected the couple to verbal abuse and physical assault and even filmed the woman, who attempted to shield her identity with a burqa. The woman alleged that she was subjected to gang rape by the group.

Source: hindustantimes.com

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

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/5-booked-for-assaulting-muslim-woman-over-interfaith-relationship-in-bidar-police-101715542316872.html

--------

 

Sena (UBT)’s Khaire could benefit from Maratha and Muslim anger

May 13, 2024

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar: The communally sensitive Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (erstwhile Aurangabad) is witnessing a three-corner fight in the Lok Sabha election. The division of Muslim votes, the lack of coordination between the ruling partners and unrest among Maratha voters has given an edge to the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate in a close contest, but it remains to be seen if the edge translates into victory.

The Sena (UBT)’s Chandrakant Khaire is pitted against sitting AIMIM MP Imtiyaz Jaleel and minister Sandeepan Bhumare of the CM Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Jaleel defeated Khaire by 4,492 votes in 2019 and won the polls, mainly because of the split in the Maratha votes and the consolidation of Muslim and Dalit votes. Harshavardhan Patil, former MLA and Maratha leader had polled 2.84 lakh votes, which is believed to have resulted in Khaire’s defeat. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi led by Prakash Ambedkar had an alliance with the AIMIM, and this helped Jaleel in consolidating Dalit and Muslim votes.

Jaleel this time is banking mostly on Muslim votes. Khaire, who has served four consecutive terms from 1999 to 2014, belongs to the OBC community, while Bhumare is a Maratha. Among the constituency’s 20.59 lakh registered voters, there are over 6.1 lakh OBC voters, 6.5 lakh Maratha voters, about 4 lakh Muslims and over 2.1 lakh Dalit voters.

Rather than issues related to water scarcity and infrastructural development, Aurangabad constituency is witnessing a debate on liquor, Maratha reservation and the splits engineered in the NCP and Shiv Sena. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, in his rally in the city on Friday, asked the electorate whether it would prefer liquor in its taps instead of water. Liquor bottles made an appearance on the dais at a party rally, and Sena (UBT) candidate Chandrakant Khaire announced that he would ensure a complete ban on country liquor once he was elected.

The liquor issue was highlighted by the Thackeray camp to expose Shinde camp candidate Bhumare, who has nine liquor permits in the district. “This has been highlighted by our opponents and is a talking point among voters,” said a leader from Shinde-led Shiv Sena. “Also, Bhumare’s assembly constituency, Paithan, falls in Jalna district and thus he is termed an ‘outsider’. His candidature was announced very late, giving him comparatively little time to campaign. All these factors are working against him.”

The leader claimed that despite all this, Bhumare would get the Maratha votes, as he was the only Maratha fielded by prominent parties in the constituency. However, political observers say this is illogical, as the community is particularly upset with the ruling alliance for eventually dismissing Manoj Jarange-Patil, the leader of the over-eight-months-long Maratha reservation stir.

A Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said that Jarange-Patil had been speaking openly against the ruling parties, and this could lead to Maratha votes deviating to Khaire to some extent. “Muslim religious gurus have also appealed to their community to not waste their votes on a Muslim candidate (Jaleel), as this could benefit the ruling alliance candidate,” he said. “If the voters heed this and don’t vote for Jaleel, the Muslim votes could go to Khaire. Dalit votes too this time are in favour of the opposition alliance. Although Khaire is not very popular or known for performance, all this will benefit him.”

The Shinde faction leader quoted above admitted that there was a lack of coordination between the three ruling allies—the Shinde Sena, the BJP and the NCP (Ajit Pawar). “The Shinde Sena and BJP have five of six sitting MPs, and this should play in favour of Bhumare,” he said. “Our endeavour will be to have better coordination among the partners at least for the last two days.” The leader added that the tussle between the two Shiv Sena-UBT leaders, Khaire and Ambadas Danve, could lead to Khaire paying a price in the election.

The candidates all expressed confidence in their electoral prospects. “I am banking on my performance in the last five years paying dividends,” said Jaleel. “I believe that not only Muslims but all voters, especially young voters, will vote for me.” Bhumare said that both his opponents were “busy pleasing Muslim voters”. “There is a fight between Khaire and Jaleel for the No 2 position. I am confident of my victory,” he said. Riposted Khaire, “People know who can work for their district better. Voters don’t want outsiders to bring liquor culture into our district.”

Maratha reservation activist and political observer Balasaheb Sarate-Patil said that among the three top contestants, Jaleel was the best in terms of merit. “But Marathwada voters do not approve of ‘Razakars’ (pre-independence stormtroopers active in the annexation of Hyderabad state ),” he said, in a reference to the AIMIM’s Hyderabad roots. “Even Muslims and Dalits would prefer the Sena (UBT)’s Khaire.” Sarate-Patil said that although Bhumare was a Maratha, the community’s anger with the ruling alliance could go against him.

Observers from the district believe that in the fight between the two Senas, the margin of victory will be narrow. Political observers also complain about real issues being ignored. “This city has not seen any industrial or infrastructural development for years,” said Sudhir Gavhane, former vice-chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial University. “None of the parties have found a solution to water scarcity or taken steps on agrarian issues. The Lok Sabha election too is being fought on religious, caste and political issues. It is unfortunate.”

Source: hindustantimes.com

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

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/sena-ubt-s-khaire-could-benefit-from-maratha-and-muslim-anger-101715538773856.html

--------

 

Muslims elected 14 times to LS from Telugu land

May 13, 2024

Hyderabad: At a time when Muslim reservation has become a bone of contention in the poll campaign, election data shows that barring the Owaisi family’s successful run in the Hyderabad seat, Muslims represented Lok Sabha seats from the Telugu state 14 times since 1952.

Interestingly, until BJP began contesting the Secunderabad seat in 1984, many Muslims continuously represented this seat starting from 1957 up until 1977. A Mohiuddin (1957, 1962), Bakara Ali Mirza (1967) and MM Hashim (1971, 1977) won from the seat. It became a BJP turf years later and is currently represented by BJP Telangana chief G Kishan Reddy.

Ibrahimpatnam parliament constituency, which existed only once in 1952 and was later merged with Secunderabad, also had a Muslim representative, SA Khan.

After the Owaisis, it was former central minister Mohammed Kamaluddin Ahmed who had won as MP most times. He won from the Warangal LS seat in 1980 and later won from Hanumakonda seat thrice in 1989, 1991 and 1996, which was the last time Muslim MPs were elected from any of the seats, barring Hyderabad.

Ahmed defeated one of BJP’s first-ever MPs, C Janga Reddy, from Hanumakonda in 1989 as Congress candidate. Janga Reddy won the seat in 1984 for the first time, defeating then Congress big gun PV Narasimha Rao.

Muslim candidates from Congress were also elected from Warangal LS seat in 1957 (BA Mirza) and 1962 (SA Khan) and Nalgonda in 1967 (MY Salim) and 1977 (Mohd Abdul Lateef).

We also published the following articles recently

Can a candidate contest from two seats in Lok Sabha Elections? What the law saysIn Indian Lok Sabha Elections, candidates like Rahul Gandhi strategically contest from two seats, following legal provisions. Examples include Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sonia Gandhi, and Narendra Modi, reflecting diverse regional commitments and electoral strategies.109882758

PM Modi praises BJP candidate from Kanpur Lok Sabha seat Ramesh Awasthi in letterPM Modi's letter to BJP's Awasthi in Kanpur expresses confidence in bringing people's blessings to Parliament, lauds Awasthi's talent, positive thinking, and leadership impact in organizing historic social programs, while also criticizing Congress and highlighting election trends favoring BJP's progress.110037004

Why Telangana Congress invited Gandhis to contest from Khammam, turning it into a hot seatKhammam, Telangana seat, gained prestige as Congress urged Gandhis to contest. Ministers sought tickets. R Raghuram Reddy, Nama Nageswara Rao, Tandra Vinod Rao contest amidst campaign and outcome analysis.109992258

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/muslim-representation-in-lok-sabha-seats-from-telugu-land/articleshow/110062790.cms

--------

 

Europe

 

Labour could lose a wide range of voters over Gaza, not just Muslim ones

12 May 2024

Miqdaad Versi’s article about Labour and the Muslim community was interesting (There is a way for Starmer’s Labour to fix the big rift with Muslim voters – if it has the will, 6 May). However, while older Muslims tended to support the Labour party in the past and were loyal, younger generations have become extremely savvy and knowledgeable about local and world politics. They will not blindly follow politicians.

The hegemony enjoyed by the two main parties is slowly disintegrating, and many are now considering smaller parties. Therefore I am not sure the Labour party will gain the trust and support of the community in the future, and I would be extremely surprised if it does. In my area, five independent candidates defeated Labour’s candidates in the local elections.

Baser Akoodie

Batley, West Yorkshire

• Great to hear the disenfranchised Labour-leaning Muslim voice in Britain, thanks to Miqdaad Versi. His point about Labour “core values of human rights, justice and international law” is important. But the exclusive focus on Muslim voters in relation to Labour is misleading. Experts were doing the same thing after the local elections, talking about this portion of the electorate as if it were the only demographic that Labour’s disgraceful policies on Gaza and Israel had alienated. Implying that only Muslim votes were lost because of this is at best simplistic and at worst a wilful manipulation of the truth.

One effect of the campus protests in the US has been to allow students in other countries to realise that they aren’t alone.

Paul Gander

London

• Labour’s response to losing Muslim votes in recent local elections misses the point (Labour ‘working to get support back’ after losing votes over Gaza stance, 5 May). To say “the better lives that people want for the Palestinian people is something the Labour leadership shares” is a wholly inadequate response to what many people see in Gaza. People want a stop to the slaughter and destruction of the Palestinian people and their society. And they want the actions of the Israeli government and army to be condemned. To call for “better lives” in the face of 35,000 deaths, destitution and the rising threat of famine suggests that the Labour leadership does not understand or care about the depth of feeling of many people in this country, not just Muslims.

Geoff Skinner

Kensal Green, London

• Martin Kettle is right to question the assumption that discontent with our politicians’ response to Gaza comes only from “the Muslim vote”, or “the left” (If Keir Starmer isn’t careful, Gaza could do for him what the Iraq war did for Blair, 9 May). There are many who are neither Muslim nor left, but react with horror and disgust to the spectacle of a civilised, articulate people reduced to clustering around tiny body bags and moving from one rubble heap to another to escape merciless bombardment.

We would feel – did feel, on 7 October – this disgust whether the victims were Palestinian, Jewish or anyone else. Accusations of antisemitism are misplaced. Our disgust encompasses Hamas too, but we had perhaps hoped for better from Israel, and from politicians claiming to speak for us.

Peter Millen

Source: uk.news.yahoo.com

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

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/labour-could-lose-wide-range-153421832.html

--------

 

German court backs intelligence agency’s designation of far-right party as suspected extremist case

May 13, 2024

BERLIN: Germany’s domestic intelligence agency was justified in designating the far-right Alternative for Germany as a suspected case of extremism, a court ruled Monday, rejecting an appeal from the opposition party.

The administrative court in Muenster ruled in favor of the BfV intelligence agency, upholding a 2022 decision by a lower court in Cologne, German news agency dpa reported. Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has rejected the designation strongly.

The party could still seek to appeal the verdict at a federal court.

AfD was formed in 2013 and has moved steadily to the right over the years. Its platform initially centered on opposition to bailouts for struggling eurozone members, but its vehement opposition to then-Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to allow in large numbers of refugees and other migrants in 2015 established the party as a significant political force.

AfD has been polling strongly in Germany in recent months as discontent is high with center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition government.

However, its support declined somewhat following a media report in January that extremists met to discuss the deportation of millions of immigrants, including some with German citizenship, and that some figures from the party attended. The report triggered mass protests in the country against the rise of the far-right.

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2509256/world

--------

 

Black, Asian and minority ethnic people make up nearly 70% of UK’s anti-terror detentions, data shows

May 12, 2024

LONDON: Nearly 70 percent of people stopped at UK ports under anti-terrorism laws since 2021 were from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, new figures released on Sunday show.

The Guardian newspaper requested police data under freedom of information laws, which also revealed fewer than one in five who were stopped were recorded as white.

Campaigners have criticized the statistics, saying they prove the UK’s anti-terrorism laws are disproportionately affecting Black and minority ethnic groups and not being used effectively enough to arrest the rise of far-right, white extremism, The Guardian reported.

Of the 8,095 people stopped at UK ports since 2021 under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, 5,619 (69.4 percent) were recorded as being from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, compared with 1,585 (19.6 percent) recorded as white British, white Irish or white other stopped under the same law.

The head of public advocacy at the anti-Islamophobia group Cage International has also pressed British police to publish data on the religious background of those stopped under the Terrorism Act.

Anas Mustapha said: “This new data reaffirms what we already know about its racist and Islamophobic impact. However, despite evidence demonstrating that the majority of those stopped are Muslim and that forces record data on religion, the government has resisted calls to produce a religious breakdown of those harassed at the borders.

“Schedule 7 is one of the most intrusive and discriminatory of all police powers. We’ve supported hundreds of British holidaymakers impacted by the policy and it’s clear that the power is abused and must be repealed.”

A spokesman from the UK’s counter-terrorism police said the law was a “vital tool” in collecting evidence to support convictions of terrorists, as well as helping with intelligence-gathering in the prevention of attacks on British streets.

“The use of Schedule 7 powers regularly features in some of our most complex and high-risk investigations and prosecutions,” the spokesman said.

“We face an enduring terrorist threat from overseas, and whilst we are seeing a much greater prevalence of online activity, travel remains an element of terrorist methodology that provides us with potentially crucial opportunities to act.

“Where the powers are used, there are a range of robust safeguards and measures in place to ensure appropriate usage.”

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2508971/world

--------

 

UK investigating Hamas’ claim that British hostage killed in Gaza

May 12, 2024

LONDON: The UK’s Foreign Office said on Sunday it was investigating a claim by Hamas that a British-Israeli hostage in Gaza had died from injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike over a month ago.

Nadav Popplewell, 51, was captured along with his mother Channah Peri on Oct. 7 during a border incursion when the Palestinian group launched a surprise attack on Israel.

The Foreign Office said it was actively seeking more information on the matter.

Popplewell’s family has requested media outlets refrain from airing footage released by Hamas, showing him in captivity with visible injuries, the BBC reported.

The UK’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron, speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, confirmed viewing the video but provided no further updates on the investigation.

Cameron said: “We don’t want to say anything until we have better information.”

He described Hamas as “callous” for releasing the video and playing “with the family’s emotions in that way.”

The Foreign Office added that the department’s thoughts “are with his family at this extremely distressing time.”

The Israeli military has not issued a statement on the matter.

Israel’s military campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas has killed over 34,900 people, the majority of whom are women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel has reported that 128 hostages are unaccounted for.

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2508866/world

--------

 

Mideast

 

Powerful Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Sadr girds for political comeback

May 13, 2024

NAJAF, Iraq: Powerful Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is laying the groundwork for a political comeback two years after a failed and ultimately deadly high-stakes move to form a government without his Shi'ite rivals, multiple sources said.

His return, likely planned for the 2025 parliamentary election, could threaten the growing clout of rivals including Iraqi Shi'ite parties and armed factions close to Iran, and undermine Iraq's recent relative stability, observers say.

However, many among Iraqi's majority Shi'ite population are likely to welcome Sadr's re-emergence, especially his masses of mostly pious and poor followers who view him as a champion of the downtrodden.

Reuters spoke to more than 20 people for this story, including Shi'ite politicians in Sadr's movement and in rival factions, clerics and politicians in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, and government officials and analysts. Most spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

"This time, the Sadrist movement has stronger plans than the last time round to win more seats in order to form a majority government," a former Sadrist lawmaker said, though the final decision to run has not officially been made.

Sadr won the 2021 parliamentary election but ordered his lawmakers to resign, then announced a "final withdrawal" from politics the next year after rival Shi'ite parties thwarted his attempt to form a majority government solely with Kurdish and Sunni Muslim parties.

A dominant figure in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, self-styled nationalist Sadr has railed against the influence of both Iran and the United States in Iraq.

Iran views Sadr's participation in politics as important to maintaining Iraq's Shi'ite-dominated political system in the long term, though Tehran rejects his aspirations to be recognised as its single most dominant force.

The United States, which fought Sadr's forces after he declared a holy war against them in 2004, sees him as a threat to Iraq's fragile stability, but also views him as a needed counter to Iranian influence.

Many Iraqis say they have lost out no matter who is in power while elites siphon off the country's oil wealth.

CLERICAL NOD

Since March, Sadr has stepped back towards the limelight.

First, he held a rare meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a prominent cleric revered by millions of Shi'ites who played a central role in ending the deadly intra-Shi'ite clashes in 2022 that preceded Sadr's political exit.

Sadrists interpret the March 18 audience with Sistani, who stays above the fray of Iraq's fractious politics and does not typically meet politicians, as a tacit endorsement, according to six people in Sadr's movement.

A cleric close to Sistani said Sadr spoke about a possible return to political life and parliament and "left this important meeting with a positive outcome". Sistani's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Days after the meeting, Sadr instructed his lawmakers who resigned in 2021 to gather and re-engage with the movement's political base.

He then renamed his organisation the Shi'ite National Movement, a swipe at rival Shi'ite factions he deems unpatriotic and beholden to Iran as well as a bid to further mobilise his base along sectarian lines, a person close to Sadr said.

While some analysts fear the disruption of a Sadr return to frontline politics, others say he could re-emerge humbled by the routing of his forces during the intra-Shi'ite strife as well as the relative success of the current Baghdad government, including its balancing of relations between Iran and the U.S.

"Of course, there is always a greater risk of instability when you have more groups balancing power, especially when they are armed. But the Sadrists should return less hostile," said Hamzeh Hadad, an Iraqi analyst and visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

"The political parties know it's best to share power than to lose it all together," he said.

A senior Sadrist politician said the movement might seek to ally with some ruling Shi'ite factions, such as popular Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, while isolating others including arch-rival Qais Al-Khazaali, leader of the powerful, Iran-backed political and military group Asaib Ahl al-Haq.

Advisers to Sudani said he was keeping his options open.

"There are groups in the framework that we have long-time relations with and could ally with before or after elections. What we don't accept is to get into deals with corrupt militias," the senior Sadrist said.

In Sadr City, Sadr's sprawling, long-impoverished stronghold on the east side of Baghdad, many supporters await his return in the hope this could translate into jobs and services.

"This city supports Sadr and I don't think he would forget us after all the sacrifices we have made for him," said Taleb Muhawi, a 37-year-old father of three who was waiting to hear back on a government job.

"He needs to shake things up when he comes back."

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2509126/middle-east

--------

 

"Jihad": Gaza is test for all of us and we will fight until victory

[12/May/2024]

GAZA May 12. 2024 (Saba) - Islamic Jihad confirmed on Sunday that the Palestinian resistance continues to fight until victory, as the Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip enters its eighth month.

According to the agency (Palestine Today), the Secretary-General of the movement, Ziad al-Nakhaleh, said during a meeting of secretaries of the resistance factions in the Syrian capital Damascus, that the Palestinian people and their resistance are fighting in Gaza in a battle they have never faced before.

Al-Nakhaleh added that the Palestinian people are fighting in Gaza as they have never fought before, and that the Israeli occupation is facing resistance that they have never faced before.

He stressed that resistance is the best option, despite all the sacrifices and pure lives of the Palestinian people.

"The Gaza war is an opportunity for all fighters to confront the enemy," al-Nakhaleh said, noting that "without a fight, we will remain under occupation."

Source: saba.ye

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

https://www.saba.ye/en/news3329078.htm

--------

 

Zionist Settlers renew storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards

[12/May/2024]

OCCUPIED AL-QUDS May 12. 2024 (Saba) - Herds of Zionist settlers, on Sunday, renewed their storming of the courtyards of the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied Quds city, under the protection of the Zionist enemy forces.

The Palestinian News Agency, Wafa, reported that dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa in groups, from the direction of Mughariba Gate, and carried out provocative tours of its courtyards and performed Talmudic rituals.

It is noteworthy that groups of extremist settlers are calling for a major storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque the day after tomorrow, Tuesday, and raising the occupation flags inside to celebrate what is called “Independence Day.”

Source: saba.ye

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

https://www.saba.ye/en/news3329087.htm

--------

 

Israel offensive on Rafah would not eliminate Hamas: Blinken

May 13, 2024

WASHINGTON: An all-out Israeli offensive on the Gaza city of Rafah would provoke “anarchy” without eliminating Hamas, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday, as Washington stepped up a pressure campaign against such an assault.

Separately, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan emphasized Washington’s concerns about an offensive in a call with his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi.

“Mr. Sullivan reiterated President Biden’s longstanding concerns over the potential for a major military ground operation into Rafah, where over one million people have taken shelter,” a White House readout of the phone call said.

It said Hanegbi “confirmed that Israel is taking US concerns into account,” but did not elaborate.

Israeli bombardment in the eastern parts of Rafah have already sent 300,000 Gazans fleeing.

The United States and other countries, as well as top UN officials, have warned that a full-out assault on Rafah could have a disastrous impact on the refugees driven there by fighting elsewhere in Gaza, many of them living in desperate conditions.

Israel has said it is attempting to keep civilian casualties to a minimum.

But Blinken, when asked on CBS’s “Face the Nation” whether the US concurred with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that Israeli forces had killed more civilians than Hamas militants since the war began, replied simply, “Yes, we do.”

Blinken said a full-scale invasion could come “potentially at an incredibly high cost” and that even a massive assault on Rafah was unlikely to end the Hamas threat.

“Israel’s on the trajectory, potentially, to inherit an insurgency with many armed Hamas left, or if it leaves, a vacuum filled by chaos, filled by anarchy and probably refilled by Hamas,” he said.

Blinken also confirmed that the hold President Joe Biden has placed on weapons to Israel — as the US continues pressing it to better protect civilians and avoid an all-out invasion of Rafah — is limited to 3,500 “high-capacity” bombs.

He said the United States was continuing to press Israeli leaders to provide a plan for Gaza once the war is finally over, telling NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “we’ve been talking to them about a much better way of getting an enduring result.”

The US diplomat said Hamas militants had already returned to certain areas of northern Gaza that Israel had “liberated.”

Blinken also spoke Sunday with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, insisting again the United States opposed a major Israel ground operation in Rafah, the State Department said.

“The Secretary underscored the urgent need to protect civilians and aid workers in Gaza and urged the Minister to ensure assistance can move into Gaza and help address distribution challenges inside of Gaza as Israel pursues Hamas targets,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Israel struck Gaza on Sunday and troops battled militants in several areas of the Hamas-run territory, where the health ministry said the death toll in the war had exceeded 35,000 people.

More than seven months into the war, UN chief Antonio Guterres urged “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and an immediate surge in humanitarian aid.”

Asked about a State Department report issued Friday that said Israel likely has violated norms of international law in its use of US weapons, Blinken said there was still too little evidence to warrant ending all military support.

The chaotic and dangerous conditions of an ongoing war, he said, made it “very difficult” to determine exactly what was happening, or what weapons were used, in any specific action.

Republicans have been sharply critical even of Biden’s limited halt to providing bombs.

Senator Tom Cotton, who serves on the Armed Services Committee, told CBS that the State Department report “was very clear: there is no evidence that Israel is violating international law.”

He said Israel “is doing more than any military in history to prevent civilian casualties.”

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2509141/middle-east

--------

 

Tunisia reports increase in migrant interceptions

May 13, 2024

TUNIS: Tunisia on Sunday reported a 22.5 percent rise in the number of migrants “intercepted on shore or rescued at sea” as they attempted to cross the Mediterranean to Italy.

The National Guard reported that more than 21,000 people had been prevented from leaving Tunisian shores or had been rescued during the first four months of 2024.

A press statement from the National Guard, which also overseas Coast Guard operations, said 21,545 people were intercepted between January 1 and April 30, compared with 17,576 over the same period last year.

It said the interceptions occurred in an equivalent number of operations — 751 this year and 756 in 2023.

Tunisia and neighboring Libya have become key departure points for migrants, often from sub-Saharan African countries, who risk perilous Mediterranean sea journeys in the hopes of a better life in Europe.

Since January 1, the bodies of 291 shipwreck victims have been recovered compared with 572 last year in almost triple the number of operations (1,967 this year against 686 in 2023), the statement said.

The National Guard also said it had prevented 21,462 people from entering Tunisia across its borders with Algeria in the west and Libya in the east, four times the 5,256 number from last year.

The number of alleged smugglers and their accomplices detained more than doubled, with 529 arrests and 261 prosecutions, up from 203 and 121 respectively last year.

Sfax, the North African country’s second city, remained the main point of departure for clandestine attempts to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa less than 150 kilometers (90 miles) away.

The National Guard said 19,457 would-be migrants were prevented from making the perilous journey in the first four months of 2024, as opposed to 15,468 last year.

Last year many thousands of people from sub-Saharan countries fleeing poverty and conflict, notably in Sudan, and thousands of Tunisians seeking to escape the country’s economic and political crisis attempted to make the crossing.

At Italian instigation, the European Union signed an agreement last summer to provide 255 million euros in financial aid to debt-ridden Tunisia in return for a commitment to curb migrant departures.

According to Romdhane Ben Amor, spokesman for the Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights NGO, the state’s approach to the problem “is not one of rescue but of interception.”

A recent report by the UN’s International Organization for Migration said that over the past decade more than 27,000 migrants have died trying to make the crossing, over 3,000 of them in the past year alone.

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2509106/middle-east

--------

 

Israel turns its guns on northern Gaza again

May 12, 2024

JEDDAH/RAFAH: Israeli tanks and troops battled Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters in central and northern Gaza on Sunday as the invading forces returned to parts of the enclave from which they had earlier pulled out after some Hamas militants regrouped in areas the military said it had cleared months ago.

Palestinians reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp and other areas in northern Gaza, which has been largely isolated by Israeli forces for months. UN officials say there is a “full-blown famine” there.

Residents said Israeli warplanes and artillery also struck the Zeitoun area east of Gaza City, where troops have battled militants for over a week. They have called on tens of thousands of people to relocate to nearby areas.

“It was a very difficult night,” said Abdel-Kareem Radwan, a 48-year-old from Jabaliya. He said they could hear intense and constant bombing since midday Saturday. “This is madness.”

First responders with the Palestinian Civil Defense said they were unable to respond to multiple calls for help from both areas, as well as from Rafah.

In central Gaza, staff at the Al Aqsa hospital in Deir Al-Balah said an Israeli strike killed four people.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the top Israeli military spokesman, said forces were also operating in the northern towns of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, which were heavily bombed in the war’s opening days.

“We have identified attempts by Hamas to rebuild its military capabilities in Jabalia, and we are acting to destroy these attempts, military spokesman Daniel Hagari said. There were also intense clashes and heavy gunfire from Israeli helicopters in the Zeitun area.

Hamas’ military wing said it shelled Israeli special forces east of Jabaliya and fired mortar shells at troops and vehicles entering the Rafah border crossing area.

“Hamas’ regime cannot be toppled without preparing an alternative to that regime,” columnist Ben Caspit wrote in Israel’s Maariv daily, channeling the growing frustration felt by many Israelis more than seven months into the war.

“The only people who can govern Gaza after the war are Gazans, with a lot of support and help from the outside.”

In Rafah, the exodus of Palestinians from Gaza’s last refuge accelerated Sunday as Israeli forces pushed deeper into the southern city.

Israel had begun a limited ground offensive in defiance of the US and other allies. Kuwaiti Hospital said it had received the bodies of 18 Palestinians killed in the past 24 hours.

The Health Ministry said at least 63 people had been killed over the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll from Israel’s offensive in Gaza to at least 35,034, mostly women and children.

In the US, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel had still not explained how it would protect civilians in Rafah.

“There are certain systems that we’re not going to support and supply for that operation,” he said.

“Israel needs to have a clear, credible plan to protect civilians, which we haven’t seen.”

Rafah is considered Hamas’ last stronghold. Some 300,000 of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there have fled the city following evacuation orders from Israel, which says it must invade to dismantle Hamas and return scores of hostages taken from Israel in the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war.

Neighboring Egypt issued its strongest objection yet to the Rafah offensive, saying it intends to formally join South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice alleging Israel is committing genocide in Gaza — an accusation Israel rejects. The foreign ministry statement cited “the worsening severity and scope of the Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians.”

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement that he cannot see how a full-scale invasion of Rafah can be reconciled with international humanitarian law.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated opposition to a major military assault on Rafah, and told CBS that Israel would “be left holding the bag on an enduring insurgency” without an exit from Gaza and postwar governance plan.

Gaza has been left without a functioning government, leading to a breakdown in public order and allowing Hamas’ armed wing to reconstitute itself even in the hardest-hit areas. On Sunday, Hamas touted attacks against Israeli soldiers in Rafah and near Gaza City.

Israel has yet to offer a detailed plan for postwar governance in Gaza, saying only that it will maintain open-ended security control over the enclave of about 2.3 million Palestinians.

Internationally mediated talks over a ceasefire and hostage release appeared to be at a standstill.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a Memorial Day speech vowed to continue fighting until victory in memory of those killed in the war. But in Tel Aviv, hundreds of protesters stood outside military headquarters and raised candles during a minute-long siren marking the day’s start, demanding an immediate ceasefire deal to return the hostages.

Netanyahu has rejected postwar plans proposed by the United States for the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, to govern Gaza with support from Arab and Muslim countries. Those plans depend on progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state, which Israel’s government opposes.

The Oct. 7 attack killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 250 hostage. Militants still hold about 100 captives and the remains of more than 30.

Israel’s offensive has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures. Israel says it has killed over 13,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2509096/middle-east

--------

 

North America

 

Majority of US college students support pro-Palestine campus protests: Poll

12 May 2024

A new opinion poll has revealed that the majority of US college students support pro-Palestine demonstrations on campuses across the country as Israel’s genocidal war on the besieged Gaza Strip continues to rage for over seven months.

The survey, conducted by Intelligent, an online magazine focused on higher education and ran by the New York Post on Sunday, said 65 percent of American college students support the recent protests as anti-Israel demonstrations spread to scores of US campuses.

The poll said 43 percent of those surveyed had participated in a demonstration for Gaza and more than half of them — 63 percent— expressed their sympathy for the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in its fight against the illegal entity.

One in 10 of those polled also admitted to having an “unfavorable” opinion of Jewish people and a portion of them — 9 percent— said they do not believe Israel has the right to exist.

According to the survey, 75 percent of supporters gave a thumbs-up to encampments, and 45 percent approved of blocking students from getting to class as a form of protest, with 38 percent voicing support for graduation ceremonies being canceled due to the protests.

The poll, which was conducted online in the beginning of May, surveyed 763 current full-time US college students.

Pro-Palestine demonstrations in US campuses started last months with Columbia University’s “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” and continued with sit-ins and rallies in other universities across the country.

The peaceful protests were met with arrests, detentions, police violence, surveillance and disciplinary measures, and sanctions against members of the educational community exercising their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

The Associated Press has recorded at least 75 instances since April 18 in which arrests were made at US campus protests. Nearly 2,900 people have been arrested at 57 colleges and universities. The figures are based on AP reporting and statements from schools and law enforcement agencies.

The demonstrators are demanding their universities cut direct or indirect financial ties with US weapons manufacturers and Israeli institutions.

Many also want their universities to end academic relationships with the regime’s institutions.

Israel waged its US-backed genocidal war on Gaza on October 7 following a historic operation by the Palestinian resistance groups against the usurping entity.

The Tel Aviv regime has so far killed at least 34,904 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 78,514 others.

Source: presstv.ir

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

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/05/12/725419/Intelligent-online-magazine-college-students-demonstrations-genocidal-war-Gaza-Strip-

--------

 

Protesting Students Walk Out On Seinfeld Graduation Speech For SupportingIsrael Over Its War In Gaza

May 13, 2024

WASHINGTON: Dozens of students walked out of Duke University's graduation ceremony Sunday as comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who has vocally supported Israel over its war in Gaza, received an honorary doctorate, videos posted on social media showed.

Accounts posting the footage said the students at the prestigious university were protesting the usually apolitical star's stance over Israel, which has drawn controversy. Students could be seen carrying a Palestinian flag.

It is the latest unrest over the war to rock US campuses, which have become a political flashpoint after weeks of protests that have seen thousands arrested.

A live feed from Duke of the graduation ceremony did not show the walkouts, but boos were audible, forcing university president Vincent Price to briefly halt his introduction of Seinfeld as the comedian stood next to him.

Seinfeld accepted the honorary degree to cheers, and delivered the school's commencement address without further interruption.

The 70-year-old did not allude to the war, and touched on being Jewish only briefly, in a riff about privilege.

"I grew up a Jewish boy from New York. That is a privilege if you want to be a comedian," he said.

Duke had earlier said that degrees would be awarded to some 6,900 students during the ceremony, though it was not clear how many attended in person.

For decades, Seinfeld has been a resolutely apolitical comedian, best-known for making one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time -- a show, bearing his name, that was famously "about nothing."

But he has been unusually outspoken over his support for Israel since the fighting in Gaza began, drawing controversy.

He traveled to Tel Aviv in December to meet with the families of hostages taken by Hamas militants in their October 7 attack on Israel. When asked by GQ magazine about his motivation for the trip, he replied: "Well, I'm Jewish."

He and his wife Jessica have also been active on social media against anti-Semitism in the United States.

Police have arrested more than 2,000 people nationwide in the recent weeks of campus unrest. The demonstrations have also spread overseas, including to France and Canada.

Students have been protesting Israel's war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, and demanding that their schools divest financially from US weapons manufacturers and Israeli entities.

Campus authorities have sought to support the right to protest while acting against complaints of anti-Semitism and hate speech at the demonstrations.

In at least one incident, counter-protesters physically attacked demonstrators at the University of California, Los Angeles. Jessica Seinfeld announced recently on Instagram that she had donated money to fund counter-protests at UCLA.

The Duke walkout came a day after dozens of students at Virginia Commonwealth University also walked out of their graduation ceremony as state governor Glenn Youngkin delivered the commencement address.

Reports suggested they were demonstrating support for Palestinians and protesting other policies by the governor on education and racial equality.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/protesting-students-walk-out-on-seinfeld-graduation-speech/articleshow/110069411.cms

--------

 

US police tear-gas students, arrest dozens as Gaza war protests spread

Sunday, 12 May 2024

US police tear-gassed pro-Palestinian demonstrators and arrested dozens of students after clearing their encampments at colleges and several universities across the country.

On Friday, police dismantled pro-Palestinian encampments at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania police officers in riot gear entered the campus around daybreak and arrested 33 protesters with the assistance of Philadelphia Police at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment.

In Cambridge, Massachusetts, police in riot gear arrived at MIT around before dawn, encircled the camp and gave protesters about 15 minutes to leave.

At least ten students were arrested, the university’s president said.

In the meantime, protesters outside the camp began chanting pro-Palestinian slogans but were quickly dispersed by police officers.

At the University of Arizona in Tucson, campus police in riot gear fired tear gas at protesters late Thursday. Two people were arrested, a university spokesperson said.

Police also arrested 13 people at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.

Protesters at the University of Wisconsin-Madison agreed Friday to permanently dismantle their two-week-old encampment, in return for the opportunity to connect with “decision-makers” who control university investments by July 1.

The university agreed to increase support for scholars and students affected by wars in Gaza.

At Harvard University, where protesters remain camped on Harvard Yard, at least twenty students were on involuntary leaves of absence for their involvement in the ongoing pro-Palestine encampment on Friday morning.

The decision to place the students on involuntary leave comes just hours after protesters said they rejected an offer from the interim Harvard president to end the encampment.

Students placed on involuntary leave will not be able to finish exams, stay in Harvard housing, and “must cease to be present on campus until reinstated,” Harvard spokesperson Jason A. Newton wrote in an emailed statement on Friday.

The encampment has remained in the center of Harvard Yard since April 24.

Since mid-April, students have been demonstrating against Israel’s war on Gaza at about 140 colleges in the United States.

The demonstrators are demanding their universities cut direct or indirect financial ties with US weapons manufacturers and Israeli institutions.

Many also want their universities to end academic relationships with the regime’s institutions.

On Friday morning, an affiliated college of Columbia University in New York announced that it fully divested from Israel.

The School Union Theological Seminary (UTS) said the Union’s Board of Trustees voted Thursday to divest from “companies profiting from” the regime’s genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) — a student group organizing around human rights for Palestinians — described the move as the beginning of the domino effect and called on students to “remain steadfast and refuse to capitulate in our demand for divestment.”

Source: presstv.ir

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

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/05/11/725390/US-police-arrest-students-pro-Palestinian-encampment-

--------

 

Biden administration urges Israel to protect civilians in Gaza

May 13, 2024

WASHINGTON: An all-out Israeli offensive on the Gaza city of Rafah would provoke "anarchy" without eliminating Hamas, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday, as Washington stepped up a pressure campaign against such an assault.

Separately, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized Washington's concerns about an offensive in a call with his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi.

"Mr. Sullivan reiterated President Biden's longstanding concerns over the potential for a major military ground operation into Rafah, where over one million people have taken shelter", a White House readout of the phone call said.

It said Hanegbi "confirmed that Israel is taking US concerns into account," but did not elaborate.

Israeli bombardment in the eastern parts of Rafah has already sent 300,000 Gazans fleeing.

The United States and other countries, as well as top UN officials, have warned that a full-out assault on Rafah could have a disastrous impact on the refugees driven there by fighting elsewhere in Gaza, many of them living in desperate conditions.

Israel has said it is attempting to keep civilian casualties to a minimum.

But Blinken, when asked on CBS's "Face the Nation" whether the US concurred with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement that Israeli forces had killed more civilians than Hamas militants since the war began, replied simply, "Yes, we do."

Blinken said a full-scale invasion could come "potentially at an incredibly high cost" and that even a massive assault on Rafah was unlikely to end the Hamas threat.

"Israel's on the trajectory, potentially, to inherit an insurgency with many armed Hamas left, or if it leaves, a vacuum filled by chaos, filled by anarchy and probably refilled by Hamas", he said.

Blinken also confirmed that the hold President Joe Biden has placed on weapons to Israel -- as the US continues pressing it to better protect civilians and avoid an all-out invasion of Rafah -- is limited to 3,500 "high-capacity" bombs.

He said the United States was continuing to press Israeli leaders to provide a plan for Gaza once the war is finally over, telling NBC's "Meet the Press" that "we've been talking to them about a much better way of getting an enduring result."

The US diplomat said Hamas militants had already returned to certain areas of northern Gaza that Israel had "liberated."

- Death toll tops 35,000 -

Blinken also spoke Sunday with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, insisting again the United States opposed a major Israel ground operation in Rafah, the State Department said.

"The Secretary underscored the urgent need to protect civilians and aid workers in Gaza and urged the Minister to ensure assistance can move into Gaza and help address distribution challenges inside of Gaza as Israel pursues Hamas targets," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Israel struck Gaza on Sunday and troops battled militants in several areas of the Hamas-run territory, where the health ministry said the death toll in the war had exceeded 35,000 people.

More than seven months into the war, UN chief Antonio Guterres urged "an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and an immediate surge in humanitarian aid."

Asked about a State Department report issued Friday that said Israel likely has violated norms of international law in its use of US weapons, Blinken said there was still too little evidence to warrant ending all military support.

The chaotic and dangerous conditions of an ongoing war, he said, made it "very difficult" to determine exactly what was happening, or what weapons were used, in any specific action.

Republicans have been sharply critical even of Biden's limited halt to providing bombs.

Senator Tom Cotton, who serves on the Armed Services Committee, told CBS that the State Department report "was very clear: there is no evidence that Israel is violating international law."

He said Israel "is doing more than any military in history to prevent civilian casualties."

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/biden-administration-urges-israel-to-protect-civilians-in-gaza/articleshow/110072282.cms

--------

 

Two Americans, one Russian citizen among 20 detained in Georgia, Russia’s TASS reports

May 13, 2024

Tbilisi: Some 1,000 protesters stood firm outside parliament in Georgia on Monday, vowing not to back down in their fight against a Russia-styled “foreign agent” bill, a day before it’s due to be adopted.

Protests have gripped the small Caucasus nation for weeks over the bill, which critics say will erode democracy and derail the ex-Soviet republic’s long-held ambition of joining the European Union.

Critics say the measure, which resembles one Russia has used to crack down on dissent, will steer Tbilisi back under Moscow’s influence.

The ruling Georgian Dream party has portrayed it as necessary for Georgia’s sovereignty, saying it will boost transparency of civil groups’ funding.

The bill is due to go for a third and final reading in parliament on Tuesday.

On Monday, it passed a committee vote, a final step before it goes for a vote in parliament.

The bill targets NGOs that receive foreign funding, with Georgian Dream’s billionaire backer Bidzina Ivanishvili accusing them of working on foreign orders and plotting a revolution.

Part of Tbilisi’s main Rustaveli Avenue was closed off around parliament on Monday.

Hundreds of riot police officers lined a street behind parliament, and some scuffles broke out between them and protesters.

Authorities a day earlier warned that they would arrest people who blocked parliament, but thousands defied the warning and came to the parliament’s gates anyway.

“We are planning to stay here for as long as it takes,” 22-year-old Mariam Kalandadze told AFP.

“This law means not joining Europe,” she said, adding that “this is something that I have wanted my whole life.”

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2509211/world

---------

 

Pakistan

 

Deputy PM arrives in Beijing, China

May 13, 2024

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar has arrived in Beijing, China.

He will co-chair the Fifth Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, covering the full spectrum of bilateral relations.

The Deputy Prime Minister will also hold meetings with Chinese leaders and senior officials as well as with prominent business enterprises.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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

https://www.radio.gov.pk/13-05-2024/deputy-pm-arrives-in-beijing-china

--------

 

Video of SSP serving tea to political leaders goes viral

May 13, 2024

A video of a senior superintendent of police (SSP) went viral on social media on Sunday in which he was seen serving tea to some political leaders during a ceremony.

Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon took action against the SSP's action, labelling it as "very wrong". He added that a written explanation will also be sought from him.

IG Memon further said that even though this action by the Sindh SSP was an individual act, he will still have to give an answer.

The viral video shows the senior cop serving tea to political leaders who are sitting in what is seen as a ceremony. Sindh minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Saeed Ghani could also be seen sitting in the video.

However, it is not clear where the political function was taking place.

It should be noted that a video of SSP Mirpurkhas Asad Chaudhry also went viral on social media a few days ago in which he was seen serving tea to guests in a PPP function.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1188494-video-of-ssp-serving-tea-to-political-leaders-goes-viral

--------

 

Pakistan Army inaugurates Girls school in Darra Musa, Peshawar

May 13, 2024

Pakistan Army has inaugurated a school in Darra Musa near Peshawar for the education of girls.

The inauguration of the school is a testament to the success of Pakistan Army's "Ilm Tolo Da Para".

Pakistan Army is also working on many skill development programs to empower youth and women.

A large number of youth and women have also benefited from these programs.

Pakistan Army has also inaugurated a dispensary to provide basic health facilities to the people of the area.

Residents of the area thanked the Pakistan Army for the inauguration of the girls' school and dispensary.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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

https://www.radio.gov.pk/13-05-2024/pakistan-army-inaugurates-girls-school-in-darra-musa-peshawar

--------

 

Governor Kundi shows olive branch to KP govt after war of words

May 13, 2024

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: After a war of words between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for several days, the former on Sunday vowed to extend all possible support to provincial government for resolving issues of people rather than indulging in confrontation.

Addressing a press conference at Kundi Model Farm, he said that after taking oath as governor, he always wanted to work for the betterment of people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including former Fata. “I repeatedly wished to work together with the provincial government for the development and welfare of the province,” he said.

Mr Kundi said that he would never want to make Governor’s House a centre of conspiracies as it would ultimately cause sufferings to people of the province. He said that he himself would meet with provincial presidents of all political parties so that a comprehensive case could be prepared for the development of the province.

“We are democratic people and will never want to impose governor’s rule,” he responded to a question about the possibility of governor’s rule in the province. He said that provincial government was given a mandate by people and it should deliver.

“The provincial government will not be allowed to cover its incompetence by making us shield and becoming political martyrs,” he said. He suggested to the provincial government to include mega projects in Public Sector Development Programmes (PSDP), which was in the preparation stage. He added that he would try to help the provincial government in getting funds from centre.

The governor said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was confronting numerous challenges including law and order, economic issues and shortage of electricity and gas. He said that Dera Ismail Khanwas a food basket.

He added that the entire province would be prosperous if Dera Ismail Khan was prosperous and irrigated.

“The law and order is a burning issue being faced by the province,” he said, adding that provincial government should take concrete steps in that regard.

He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was getting Rs60 billion to Rs80 billion from centre for addressing its law and order issue. “Despite this, the salaries of police are low as compared to other provinces,” he added.

Mr Kundi said that provincial government should inform the people as to where it spent that amount during their last nine-year tenure. He said that the amount should be spent on strengthening security forces and providing facilities to police.

He also demanded judicial inquiry into ‘Kulachi incident’ in which former provincial minister Israr Khan Gandapur was killed. He said that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur should have ordered an inquiry into the matter in which one of his competent ministers was killed. He said that families of victims of the incident should also be taken onboard about the judicial inquiry.

The governor said that chief minister should also explain the accusations levelled against him in the provincial minister’s murder case. He said that the latest incidents including abduction of a judge and targeting of customs officials in the district of the chief minister were also manifestation of law and order situation.

To another query, he said that dialogue could be held with those, who respected Constitution. He also stressed the need for complete implementation of National Action Plan (NAP).

Mr Kundi said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was producing tobacco and its tax should also be given to the province. About Rs100 billion was promised for uplift of merged districts which should be used to provide basic facilities including health, education and others to the people of those areas, he added.

He said that after the 1991 water accord, it was committed to give a canal to each province and work on those projects was in final stages in all the three provinces except Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He pledged that he would make efforts to get funds allocated for the project in the upcoming budget.

The governor said that construction of dams would help in irrigation of barren lands. He urged provincial government to pay attention to those issues instead of indulging in confrontation. He said that during the devastating floods of 2022, only Sindh province was prepared to deal with natural disaster. “Now 2.1 million houses have been constructed for flood victims and women would be given ownership of these houses,” he added.

He said that he held a meeting with Peshawar Electric Supply Company chief and asked him to resolve the issue of loadshedding issue in Dera Ismail Khan. He promised that duration of loadshedding would be minimised in phases up to zero level. The process would be started in urban areas and then in rural localities.

Expressing concerns over gas-related issues being faced by the people of his hometown, he said that he was briefed by the SNGPL officers in Dera Ismail Khan about the problems and he would talk to higher authorities to get them resolved.

He said that Gomal University was suffering from political crises. “This university belongs to us,” he added.

Source: dawn.com

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

https://www.dawn.com/news/1833181/governor-kundi-shows-olive-branch-to-kp-govt-after-war-of-words

--------

 

JI plans rally in Lahore on 16th to express solidarity with farmers

May 13, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Emir of Jamaat-i-Islami Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday gave a call of protest rally in Lahore on May 16 to express solidarity with farmers who are already protesting against the government for not procuring fresh crop of wheat in the country.

Speaking at a press conference, the JI chief warned the provincial government of Punjab to refrain from blocking the route of the Jamaat rally otherwise the government will be responsible for any untoward incident at the Mall Road, Lahore.

“We are going to hold a peaceful rally in Lahore on May 16 along with farmers and if the government tries to block our way, the responsibility for any untoward situation will lie with the provincial government,” the JI emir said, adding that if the federal government was serious in addressing the problem of farmers it should do it at once so that there is no more protest on the issue.

He said first the government had promised the growers that their crop will be procured, but later it backed out of its promise.

Mr Rehman also condemned the decision of the last caretaker government for importing wheat despite expectations of a bumper crop in the country.

The JI chief also urged people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to avoid violent protest on the issue of wheat flour and electricity and said both the government and the people of the area must refrain from giving any opportunity to India to take advantage of the situation.

About a recent statement of former caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar regarding unveiling of facts about Form 47 (result of recent general elections), the JI leader said that Mr Kakar must be taken into protective custody and he must be inquired about his statement.

“The life of caretaker prime minister must be in danger after he passed these remarks while replying to a PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi, because the entire government of PML-N is standing on the basis of alteration in the Form 47,” he added.

The Islamabad police on Friday prevented a pro-Palestinian rally by JI from moving towards the US Embassy, where demonstrators wanted to stage a sit-in to protest against Israel’s genocide of Palestinian people in Gaza.

Source: dawn.com

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

https://www.dawn.com/news/1833113/ji-plans-rally-in-lahore-on-16th-to-express-solidarity-with-farmers

--------

 

PM promises unwavering support to Saudi investors

May 12, 2024

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday assured the local and foreign investors as well as foreign companies of government's unwavering support, in a meeting a  Saudi business group.

The Saudi trade delegation was led by Sardar Ilyas Khan, the president of a well-known Saudi business group.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Hanif Abbasi, officials from the group among others were also present on the occasion.

During the meeting, PM Shehbaz appreciated Khan’s efforts in bringing foreign direct investment in Pakistan and his cooperation to improve bilateral trade between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

The premier also hailed the Saudi group for providing 13,000 employment opportunities to Pakistanis.

Meanwhile, Khan stressed the need to enable one-window operation to facilitate foreign investors in Pakistan. He said that Pakistan was among the most beautiful countries in the world. “It’s economy can be managed.”

Moreover, PM Shehbaz also emphasised the importance of local production to increase the GDP growth and highlighted the importance of increasing exports.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1188268-pm-promises-unwavering-support-to-saudi-investors

--------

 

Training being imparted to cops to e-tag outlaws: IG Memon

May 12, 2024

KARACHI: Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon Sunday said the law enforcement agency was working on electronic tagging of outlaws and training was being imparted to cops about it.

On April 22, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Shah ordered the IG to start e-tagging of repeat criminals. He directed him to initiate a pilot project with 4,000 anklet devices. Memon had told the CM that SOPs were being devised for the e-tagging process.

Talking to Geo News, the Sindh IG said the number of repeat offenders was between 8,000 and 12,000 in Karachi and daily around 400 street crime incidents were happening in the megalopolis.

He apprised Karachi housed 108 police stations and a population of about 0.25 million fell within limits of each of them.

“Street crimes are a big challenge for police as more than 80,000 such incidents are reported annually in Karachi alone,” he said, adding that the law enforcers had launched a crackdown on the culprits.

He said the incidents of killing and injuring over resistance during a robbery had upped and police had arrested a large number of criminals involved in such incidents.

“Abour 64% of the suspects involved in killing citizens and 62% of the suspects who injured citizens during robbery have been caught,” said IG Memon.

He said 67 investigation officers had been specified to investigate the robbery cases. Whereas, he said, drug peddling was another big problem in the metropolis.

Memon said strict security measures were being adopted and surveillance cameras were also being installed at entry and exit points of the province.

“We are making every effort to improve police’s performance in the province,” he said.

Source: thenews.com.pk

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

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1188218-training-being-imparted-to-cops-to-e-tag-outlaws-ig-memon

--------

 

Arab World

 

Saudi commission explores impact of biennales on artists

May 12, 2024

RIYADH: Various experts recently took part in a virtual meeting to consider the role of biennales in visual art.

The event was organized by the Visual Arts Commission as part of its ongoing review of the sector, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Biennales are large-scale exhibitions held every two years that provide a platform for artists to engage with specific themes. The meeting outlined the criteria for artist participation, focusing on career robustness and foundational achievements.

Shahad Al-Blihed gave her insights into curating the Saudi pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale.

She analyzed Manal Al-Dowayan’s work “Shifting Sands: A Battle Song,” emphasizing its reflection of Saudi women amid cultural shifts.

The Venice event demonstrated the commission’s commitment to boosting local artists internationally, the report said.

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2509026/saudi-arabia

--------

 

Bahrain-Based Al Baraka Seeks Expansion As Pakistan Embraces Islamic Banking

(Bloomberg) –

Bahrain-based Al Baraka Bank is looking to deepen its footprint in Pakistan as the South Asian nation embraces interest-free Islamic banking.

The bank will open 15 new branches across Pakistan as a first step, Muhammad Atif Hanif, the bank’s chief executive officer in Pakistan, said in an interview.

“This is just first year and we expect a lot more strong expansion in years to come,” he said.

Islamic banking, based on Sharia law, does not offer interest but rather profit sharing as a return on investment.

The system has been growing in Pakistan since the Federal Shariat Court ruled in 2022 against interest-based banking in favor of an “equitable, asset-based, risk-sharing and interest-free” economy by December 2027.

Islamic banking has 23% of overall deposit share of the banking industry, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.

Under its five-year plan, Al Baraka is creating links between Pakistan and the bank’s existing ties to non-traditional markets in the Persian Gulf and Africa.

“They will get new markets and we, business. Even those aren’t our clients will try to grab the opportunity,” Hanif said.

Source: bnnbloomberg.ca

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

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/al-baraka-seeks-expansion-as-pakistan-embraces-islamic-banking-1.2072041

--------

 

Saudi forces participate in Eager Lion military drill in Jordan

May 12, 2024

RIYADH: Units from the Saudi Armed Forces are participating in the Eager Lion military drill, held in Jordan from May 12-23, with the involvement of the armies of 31 countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The head of the Saudi Armed Forces Education and Training Authority, Maj. Gen. Adel Al-Balawi, explained that the exercise aims to exchange expertise and train on planning and implementing joint operations and missile air defense operations, as well as implementing counter-terrorism and maritime security operations to confront regional threats.

The Armed Forces, represented by the General Staff, the Joint Forces Command, and the land, air, sea, and air defense branches, are participating in the exercise.

Recently, the Royal Saudi Air Force concluded its participation in the mixed air exercise Desert Flag, conducted at Al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, alongside forces from several friendly countries.

The commander of the forces involved, Lt. Col. Adel bin Saeed Abu Malhah, said that the exercise, which lasts for three weeks, included the implementation of offensive and defensive air counter-operations and support for surface forces within new and complex scenarios under various threats.

He noted that the RSAF participated with six fighter jets from the F-15SA system with full air, technical, and support crews, conducting 80 daytime and night sorties and aerial refueling.

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2508801/saudi-arabia

--------

 

Saudi deputy FM receives US deputy assistant secretary of state

May 13, 2024

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji received Daniel Benaim, US deputy assistant secretary of state for Arabian Peninsula affairs, in Riyadh on Sunday.

The two sides discussed strengthening Saudi-US relations and ways to enhance cooperation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The most prominent regional and international developments were also discussed, as well as the efforts put forth in these areas.

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2509151/saudi-arabia

--------

 

Jeddah Historic District, Cruise Saudi team up to boost visitor numbers, economy

May 12, 2024

JEDDAH: The Jeddah Historic District Program and Cruise Saudi have agreed to work together to increase the number of international cruise visitors to the city while preserving its cultural and historical integrity.

The program, established in 2018 under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, oversees various initiatives within the so-called Historic Jeddah region with the aim of promoting it as a cultural center.

Cruise Saudi is owned by the Public Investment Fund and manages cruise-related services and infrastructure, including the development of terminals and operation of shore excursions.

Since its creation it has welcomed more than 300,000 cruise passengers.

The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding to boost economic activity and promote the region, using private sector expertise to improve the visitor experience.

The initiative is expected to create jobs, support small businesses and promote long-term economic activities that benefit the entire community.

“The tourism sector is experiencing growth and prosperity, which contributes to enhance the Kingdom’s presence on the global tourism map in line with Saudi Vision 2030,” Abdulaziz bin Ibrahim Al-Issa, director general of the Jeddah Historic District Program, said.

“Our strategic partnership with Cruise Saudi is not only to drive economic growth but also to actively engage in the regeneration of the district. We are committed to protecting both the tangible and intangible heritage that earned the district its UNESCO status.”

Cruise Saudi CEO Lars Clasen said: “This partnership is pivotal in the strategic regeneration and sustainability of the district. With this alliance, we are dedicated to presenting Cruise Saudi tourists with an experience that inspires the visitors with the district's enriched heritage.

“Jeddah’s Historic District is one of our most popular Shorex destinations and we continue to witness just how much international passengers enjoy exploring its unique historic sites through the tours and experiences we offer.

“This MOU represents our shared vision and marks an exciting new chapter, paving the way for collaborative efforts to draw even more visitors to this enchanting destination while protecting its heritage and authenticity.”

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2508966/saudi-arabia

---------

 

Swiss artist pays homage to heritage in Riyadh show

May 12, 2024

RIYADH: In Ahlam Gallery’s latest solo exhibition, Swiss painter Vlad Pocol examines the ties that link past, present and future — with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 as a reference point.

“If you could explain your artworks in one word, what would it be?” one listener asked. “Intuition,” Pocol replied, explaining the basis of his first show in the Kingdom.

The artist relied on intuition when he decided only a few months ago that Saudi Arabia would be his new home, leading him to create an exhibition based around three ideas: heritage, transition, and vision.

The immersive exhibition titled “From Roots to Vision: A Migration” urges observers to think about heritage, and challenge the possibilities of the future as we weave our past legacy for generations to come. 

Pocol told Arab News: “It’s great to evolve, but it’s also important to stay rooted in our own heritage. I’ve taken Saudi Arabia as an example. Everyone is so excited with what’s happening with the Vision (2030), but everyone is still so rooted and respectful and inspiring in a collective way … that can also inspire us in an individual way.”

Within the “Heritage” collection, “Identites” delves into the themes of self-reflection and outsider perceptions. Four papier mache panels woven together by rope encourage the viewer to see alternative versions of themselves as they are layered in complexity with oil paint.

“Legacite” is a series of six artworks that explores the themes of circularity, continuity, and generational cycles. In a single dot, each painting prompts a reflection on the viewer’s part within these continuous loops. 

The highlight of the show, “Sans Fin,” is a mirage of moving images constructed by strokes of paint. The piece is inviting, yet mysterious, prompting us to question our capability to grow using the metaphor of a black hole — you never know what may lie in the unknown. 

In 2018, when Pocol was a lawyer, he was invited by a colleague to a workshop centered around recreating the work of a contemporary artist. After an accident that resulted in a damaged painting, he developed a technique to repair the artwork.

“My technique gives structural movement. When you see my paintings, you enter a world … it’s moving. My energy also comes up in the artwork,” he said.

In “Transition,” the works invite viewers to consider what lies beneath the surface, with more sculptural works coming into play.

Another installation is made of discarded materials salvaged from artwork waste. What we deem as undesirable is turned into something valuable, and even beautiful, challenging us to reconsider sustainability practices and our role in global consumption.  

In the “Vision” collection, the artist’s optimism about the future is linked to the promise of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

His work “Dessen” is based on a childhood memory of winning his first drawing contest, and celebrates the impact of early creative expressions on future artistic development. 

While “Elles” is a tribute to femininity and the women in his family, nearby twin works are inspired by the artist’s migration from Romania to Switzerland. 

Pocol describes the green-colored “Ja Deu Tu Certo” as “one of the most personal” works in the collection.

“Any pieces I’ve offered to my mom have been green because I really believe in the power of healing and the green (color). My mother has been fighting metastatic cancer for two years now,” he said. The work conveys his belief that “she will be well.”

He said the color also holds significant meaning in Saudi culture, as it stands for pride and patriotism.

Reflecting on showcasing his works in the Kingdom, Pocol said: “It’s so significant to have my exhibition here. While I have roots from Romania, 30 percent of my genes are Middle Eastern. Being here in Saudi Arabia is very subconscious. I feel at peace, like I’m coming back to something. 

“I’ve traveled a lot in my life and it’s the first time I’m able to find a new home outside of Switzerland … once you follow your intuition, it gets you to whatever is meant for you. That’s why I’m here in Saudi Arabia. It’s meant to be.”

The exhibition will run until June 2.

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2508951/saudi-arabia

--------

 

Riyadh to host Global AI Summit in September

May 12, 2024

RIYADH: The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority will host the third Global AI Summit from Sept. 10 to 12 at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, president of SDAIA, highlighted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s dedication to advancing the national data and artificial intelligence agenda, aiming to bolster the Kingdom’s global presence in these fields.

The summit will bring together international ministers, organization heads, CEOs of major tech companies, and AI experts to discuss global AI developments and announce initiatives and agreements, advancing international efforts in data and AI under the Kingdom’s banner.

Topics at the conference include AI innovation, industry trends, shaping a better future with AI, fostering human talent in the field, and other key areas.

This summit, under the crown prince’s leadership, is a testament to the successes of Vision 2030, which position Riyadh as a global hub for cutting-edge AI developments, the SPA said.

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2508891/saudi-arabia

--------

 

Taif governor receives Vietnamese ambassador

May 12, 2024

TAIF: Taif Gov. Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud received the Ambassador of Vietnam to the Kingdom Dang Xuan Dung on Sunday.

The Vietnamese ambassador praised the development and prosperity in the Kingdom.

He also expressed his admiration for Taif’s evolution and the region’s various crops, including its roses.

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2509016/saudi-arabia

--------

 

Jeddah governor launches initiative for a more balanced life

May 12, 2024

RIYADH: Jeddah Gov. Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi inaugurated the work-family balance initiative on Sunday, organized by the Al-Mawaddah Association for Family Development under the slogan “Balance Your Life.”

The initiative began in the presence of Mohammed Al-Radi, the association’s general manager, along with several of the organization’s members, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The campaign aims to raise parents’ awareness of the importance of work-family balance, and enhance interaction and cooperation among employers to promote family-supportive work environments.

It also aims to honor employers from various sectors who adopt sustainable practices reflecting their interest in the family and society, such as providing educational and welfare programs for children and the elderly.

The initiative also includes knowledge seminars to raise employees’ awareness of the importance of work-family balance and organizations’ awareness of creating a family-supportive work environment and adopting policies and programs that promote a balance between work and family life.

Al-Radi said: “This awareness initiative is one of several social initiatives and programs offered by the association to improve the quality of family life.”

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2508806/saudi-arabia

--------

 

South Asia

 

Deputy PM Hanafi Holds Productive Meeting with Turkish Traders, Boosting Investment Prospects

2024-05-12

KABUL(BNA): Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Deputy PM for Administrative Affairs, facilitated a fruitful meeting yesterday, May 11th with a group of dynamic Turkish traders and investors, fostering positive dialogue and potential cooperations.

In this significant meeting, investors and traders conveyed their contentment with the supportive environment provided by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan for foreign investors and traders. They lauded the efforts aimed at fostering growth in trade and investment sectors.

Additionally, the mentioned investors showcased their eagerness to contribute to Afghanistan infrastructure development, particularly in mining and infrastructure projects, utilizing diverse investment channels. They sought cooperation from the Islamic Emirate to facilitate and support their endeavors in bolstering Afghanistan’s economic landscape.

For his part, Deputy PM Hanafi conveyed sincere appreciation for the keen interest demonstrated by Turkish traders and investors. Reaffirming the Islamic Emirate’s open-door policy, assured full support for investments in diverse sources, pledging to streamline necessary facilities to bolster their initiatives in Afghanistan’s burgeoning economic landscape.

Embracing a new chapter of opportunity, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan extends a cordial invitation to both domestic and international traders, beckoning them to invest in the nation’s bright economic horizon. Promising unparalleled support and enhanced facilitation.

Source: bakhtarnews.af

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

https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/deputy-pm-hanafi-holds-productive-meeting-with-turkish-traders-boosting-investment-prospects/

--------

 

Haqqani inaugurates school worth $480,000 in Parwan

May 12, 2024

KABUL: The acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation Khalil Rahman Haqqani, inaugurating a school worth 480,000 U.S. dollars in central Parwan province, said that the country’s development depends on modern education, according to a statement from the ministry the other day. Emphasizing the importance of modern sciences, Haqqani said in addition to religious sciences, teaching modern sciences is a serious need in the country’s development and prosperity, according to the statement. The school with financial support from UNHCR, has been constructed in the city of Charikar, the center of Parwan of the province, the statement said. “We need to prioritize education and learning above all for the future generation, for the children first and foremost,” the statement quoted Haqqani as saying. Meanwhile, UNHCR’s Representative in Afghanistan, Leonard Zulu, emphasized the importance of providing better educational opportunities for girls and boys in Afghanistan. With the construction of the school, a large number of students now have access to a standard building and appropriate educational facilities. Earlier, residents of Parwan had requested the current system and aid agencies to implement developmental projects like schools, medical centers, and roads in various parts of the province. The Kabul Times

Source: thekabultimes.com

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

https://thekabultimes.com/haqqani-inaugurates-school-worth-480000-in-parwan/

--------

 

Will renew passports of 69,000 Rohingyas

May 13, 2024

Bangladesh will renew passports of 69,000 Rohingyas who went to Saudi Arabia after the country's independence with Bangladeshi passports.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan made the disclosure yesterday after a meeting with a visiting Saudi delegation, led by Saudi Deputy Interior Minister Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Daoud. The Saudi government urged Bangladesh to renew the passports.

Talking to reporters after the meeting held at city a hotel, the home minister said some Rohingyas from Bangladesh went to Saudi Arabia after the country's independence.

"We don't know their number. They [Saudi] told us that it is around 69,000. The Saudi Arabian rules state that if they [Rohingyas] don't have passports, they will be sent back. In that case, we had an agreement with the Saudi Arabia authorities that the Rohingyas would not be sent back and their passports would be renewed," the minister said.

Asked why Bangladesh is taking responsibility of 69,000 Rohingyas in Saudi Arabia, the minister said Saudi Arabia would not send anyone back.

"The Saudi government will not give Rohingyas citizenship. Then how will they live in the country? That's why they need some documents. We signed a deal last year in this regard. They [Saudi delegation] came here to talk directly whether we are having any difficulties [in renewing the passports," he said.

In reply to a query, the home minister said the Rohingyas went there with Bangladeshi passports. "So, we will just renew their passports. Their names and addresses will remain the same as they are in their passports."

The minister added that they also discussed different bilateral issues during the meeting.

Asaduzzaman said the delegation proposed having an extradition agreement between the two countries.

"Bangladesh has extradition treaties with many countries. It would be good if Saudi Arabia made this deal. We have proposed sending Ansar members there from Bangladesh for security purpose. They will look into the proposal. As you know, we have made the Ansar as a guard regiment for VIP security," he said.

Bangladesh has deals with some Middle Eastern countries which allow on-arrival visas for Bangladeshis, he said, adding, "We are in discussion with the UAE, and the agreement with the UAE will be signed. Saudi Arabia has agreed [to ink such a deal with us]."

Asked about the management of pilgrimage this year, the home boss said the pilgrims do not need to wait for immigration at Saudi Arabia as the immigration is done in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has introduced a system called Road to Mecca, he said.

"Pilgrims will deposit their luggage here in Bangladesh. The luggage will be delivered to their hotels in Saudi Arabia. I hope the pilgrims will take this opportunity," the minister said.

The home minister said the deputy interior minister of Saudi Arabia said around 30 lakh Bangladeshis are working in Saudi Arabia.

Source: thedailystar.net

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

https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/will-renew-passports-69000-rohingyas-3608546

--------

 

EU sends medical and vital supplies to flood victims in Afghanistan

May 13, 2024

 The European Union’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department has announced that it has sent 97 tons of medical equipment and other vital supplies to 13 relief organizations in Kabul.

The agency stated on Sunday, May 12, that these supplies were transported to Kabul on a new flight via the ‘Humanitarian Air Bridge’.

The statement mentioned that ‘while our partners are responding to recent floods in Afghanistan, the European Union’s Humanitarian Air Bridge to the country has been resumed.’

The European Union’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department emphasized that since the year 2021, more than 1,600 tons of aid have been sent to Afghanistan through 35 humanitarian flights.

This comes as devastating floods in various provinces of the country have led to human casualties and substantial financial damages.

According to reports, more than 300 people have died in the province of Baghlan alone due to recent floods.

Previously, the World Food Programme had also warned that vehicle access to most of the affected areas in Baghlan is impossible.

Source: khaama.com

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

https://www.khaama.com/eu-sends-medical-and-vital-supplies-to-flood-victims-in-afghanistan/

--------

 

Efforts underway to resume suspended climate change projects in Afghanistan

May 13, 2024

The National Environmental Protection Agency urges the global community to resume suspended projects in Afghanistan’s climate change response sector.

In a newsletter issued on Sunday, the National Environmental Protection Agency stated that Hafez Azizurrahman, the head of the agency, in a meeting with Stephen Rodrigues, the head of the United Nations Development Programme for Afghanistan, called for the resumption of suspended projects in Afghanistan’s climate change combat sector.

According to the newsletter, Hafez invited the Taliban to the COP28 meeting and emphasized that environmental issues should not be politicized.

Meanwhile, Stephen Rodrigues stated in the meeting that efforts are being made to restart suspended projects in Afghanistan’s climate change combat sector.

It is noteworthy that, according to information from the National Environmental Protection Agency, the global community’s work on 32 projects in the environmental sector in Afghanistan is currently halted.

Source: khaama.com

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

https://www.khaama.com/efforts-underway-to-resume-suspended-climate-change-projects-in-afghanistan/

--------

 

No departmental action against the UNO yet

May 13, 2024

More than a month has passed since the Information Commission's recommendation to take departmental action against Sherpur's Nakla Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sadia Ummul Banin for misconduct with a local journalist, but no action has been taken against her so far.

Following such a recommendation, the officials concerned usually get removed from the post, and a committee is formed to investigate such misconduct.

However, the public administration ministry has not paid heed to the information ministry's recommendation as of now.

On March 7, local journalist Shafiuzzaman Rana of the Bangla daily Desh Rupantor applied to the Nakla UNO office seeking information. Instead of providing information, UNO Sadia directed an assistant commissioner (land) to set up a mobile court, and the journalist was sent to jail.

Information Commission investigated the incident and found evidence of the UNO's reluctance to provide information, which is tantamount to misconduct.

According to sources, the commission has only investigated the issue of not providing information, as the matter of the mobile court is not under their jurisdiction.

Information Commissioner Shahidul Alam Jhinuk investigated the incident.

On April 2 last month, UNO Sadia appeared at the hearing of the Information Commission and presented her argument. Later that day, the commission made its decision.

The investigation found evidence that Sadia obstructed the delivery of information as a UNO of the upazila.

The decision taken by the Information Commission states, "The Commission has investigated the matter of its own volition. After reviewing the hearing and investigation proceedings, it was found that the Designated Officer (RTI) refused to accept the request for information without any reasonable reason under Section 27(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2009."

The commission, in its decision, also said UNO Sadia, and the RTI officer in charge have obstructed access to information mentioned in Section 27(3) of the Right to Information Act, 2009.

"It was recommended to the senior secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration to take departmental disciplinary action against the UNO, considering her to have misbehaved," mentioned the decision letter.

Officials of the field administration wing of Ministry of Public Administration declined to comment on what decision is being taken in this regard.

Contacted, Sherpur DC Abdullah Al Khairum told The Daily Star that he had no information on the matter.

"It's our job to implement the decisions that come from the higher-ups," he said, adding that there is no scope to take any step in this regard from our level.

Asked, Mymensing Divisional Commissioner Ommey Salma Tanzia said they too have no information about the issue, saying that the public administration ministry is entitled to comment on this.

According to the public administration sources, they were yet to take any steps in this regard. However, the sources said a decision will be taken soon.

Source: thedailystar.net

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

https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/no-departmental-action-against-the-uno-yet-3608591

--------

 

Africa

 

Mozambique's president confirms Cabo Delgado town under Islamist attack

Mozambique's army is fighting Islamist insurgents who launched a major attack on the northern town of Macomia on Friday morning, President Filipe Nyusi said in a televised address.

The town is in Cabo Delgado, a gas-rich northern province where Islamic State-linked militants started an insurgency in 2017. Despite a large security response, there has been a surge in attacks since January this year.

"Macomia is under attack since this morning. Fire exchange still continues," he said, adding that the militants initially withdrew after about 45 minutes of fighting, but then regrouped and came back.

Friday's attack appeared to be the most serious militant attack in some time. Local media reported that a large number of fighters were involved and many residents had fled.

A regional force from the Southern African Development Community which deployed in Mozambique in 2021 started withdrawing last month as its mandate ends in July.

Nyusi said that attacks can take place in such periods of transition, and that he hoped the SADC forces would be able to step in and help. It was unclear if they were still deployed in the area or involved in the fight.

Rwanda has also deployed troops to Mozambique to help fight the insurgency.

The offensive comes as French oil company TotalEnergies is seeking to restart a $20 billion liquefied natural gas terminal in Cabo Delgado that was halted in 2021 due to the insurgency. That project is some 200 kilometres (124 miles) north of Macomia, the town under attack.

ExxonMobil, with partner Eni, is also developing an LNG project in northern Mozambique and said last week that it was "optimistic and pushing forward" as the security situation had improved.

Source: news24.com

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

https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/mozambiques-president-confirms-cabo-delgado-town-under-islamist-attack-20240510

--------

 

Violent clashes erupt in Sudan's North Darfur

MAY 11 2024

Violent clashes erupted on Friday between the Sudanese Armed Forces (Saf) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur State in western Sudan, the independent Sudan Tribune news portal reported.

An eyewitness from El Fasher told Xinhua that fierce ground clashes took place on Friday between the Saf and the RSF in the central neighborhoods of the city.

"Both sides used heavy weapons, resulting in a number of casualties who were transferred to El Fasher's southern hospital," the eyewitness said.

"Our forces on the front defenses east of El Fasher launched a surprise attack on the positions of the RSF in Al-Manhal School, Al-Borsa area, and Al-Kahraba neighborhood, inflicting heavy losses of lives and military equipment on them," an unnamed senior commander in the joint force of the Sudanese army and allied Darfuri armed groups was quoted by Sudan Tribune as saying.

On Friday, Minni Arko Minnawi, governor of the Darfur region, said on social media platform X that "The joint force and other regular forces have defeated the RSF, burned a number of its combat vehicles, and forced it to retreat from El Fasher."

Source: theeastafrican.co.ke

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

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/rest-of-africa/violent-clashes-erupt-in-sudan-s-north-darfur-4620438

--------

 

Terrorists kill two, abduct 10 at Kaduna football viewing centre

13th May 2024

Terrorists have killed three football fans and abducted 10 others in a fresh attack on the Idah community of the Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State,

The incident, it was learnt happened last Wednesday when the victims were watching the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Idah is located along the Bwari federal highway that links the Federal Capital Territory with Kaduna State.

A top government official in the Kagarko Local Government Area, who pleaded anonymity for security reasons, confirmed the incident to The PUNCH on Sunday.

According to him, one of the slain victims was a nephew to the former acting District Head of Ida, Felix Ibrahim.

The 10 kidnapped victims were identified as Hanatu Sati, Rose Mary Sati, junior Samuel, Japhet Emmanuel, Chinedu, Salansa, Jostin Manda, Doris Markus, Morin Felix, Mrs. Abraham with her two children.

“The terrorists invaded the village at about 9:30 pm, took vantage position and began to shoot indiscriminately at the spectators.

“In the course of running for safety, two were shot dead while over 10 persons were abducted,” the government official said.

He added that some sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

When contacted, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, said,” I will get back to you.”

Source: punchng.com

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

https://punchng.com/terrorists-kill-two-abduct-10-at-kaduna-football-viewing-centre/

--------

 

Civil war heroes deserve to be celebrated – Igbo movement

13th May 2024

The Igbo-Biafra Nationalists Movement, on Sunday, described the Nigeria-Biafra civil war as a heinous crime against the people of the South East and demanded justice for the region.

The convener of the movement, Uche Mefor, in a statement made available to newsmen in Owerri, Imo State, insisted that the accomplices of the war should be made to confess.

Mefor said the remembrance of the war heroes, slated for May 30, remained sacrosanct because it was a day of honour for the departed men.

He called on the Igbo to observe the day in prayers and supplications.

“May the memories of the Biafra heroes and heroines inspire humanity. The 30th day of May is sacrosanct, as we remember our fallen heroes and heroines of Biafra

“The Igbo-Biafra Nationalists Movement and the Indigenous People of Igbo Nation for Self-Determination are calling on Igbo-Biafrans and the entire South-East region to pay tribute as usual to the memories of our kith and kin who paid the ultimate price for statehood, by standing against the genocidal orgy of violence directed against the people of Biafra,” the statement read.

The Indigenous People of Biafra had last week, in a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, declared May 30 a day for sit-at-home in the five South-East states to honour the memories of fallen herous in the 1967-1970 civil war.

IPOB said, “Annually, we celebrate May 30 as our heroes and heroines day, when we remember the men and women who died that we may live, before, during, and after the war against Biafrans between 1967 and 1970 and beyond, and even until now.

“To honour our heroes and heroines, Biafrans are asked to observe this one-day sit-at-home in reverence to the spirits of our departed heroes who fought for us to be alive today.

“Every Biafran in Biafra territory is expected to sit at home on this day and reflect on the danger of the forced unity called Nigeria that has taken millions of lives of Biafrans.

“Other Biafrans outside Biafra territory are also encouraged to honour our heroes by observing the sit-at-home if possible or by limiting their activities on this day.”

Source: punchng.com

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

https://punchng.com/civil-war-heroes-deserve-to-be-celebrated-igbo-movement/

--------

 

4m Somalia children hit by war and climate change, experts say

MAY 11 2024

As Somali forces navigate a delicate transition to assume the country’s security responsibilities from African Union peacekeepers who have secured civilians and personnel of international agencies for the past 17 years, experts say that four million children in Somalia have been affected by conflict and climate change.

Isha Dyfan, UN independent expert on the human rights situation in Somalia, announced this Thursday, at meetings with government officials, UN representatives, children rights activists and other humanitarian agencies operating in Somalia.

“I noted slow progress in the implementation of the National Action Plan on children, and I wish to call upon the Federal Government to take measures to promote and protect women and children’s rights,” she said.

Ms Dyfan said children represent 60-70 percent of the internally displaced persons and other vulnerable populations, all being victims of forced eviction and its impact, and children are further at risk of mines and hazardous materials in the liberated areas.

After decades of isolation, Somalia has recently started to enjoy goodwill from the international community. Last December, the country qualified for debt cancellation under the highly indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative, making it eligible for up to $4.5 billion of debt relief.

The UN expert urged Somalia to use debt forgiveness and channel the funds – and money from other lenders were the government is sourcing funding for the country’s rebuilding – into sectors that will produce a healthy, educated population.

This push ties in with the proposals of the African Union, that 15 percent of Somalia’s new debt should be spent on education and healthcare.

In December 2023, the Somali security conference held at the UN headquarters in New York delineated the government’s strategic priorities and roadmap for the security sector over the next six years, including the requirement for international support.

UN officials also describe the level of sexual and gender-based violence as an “epidemic,” with allegations of rape and gang rape, homicide and the lack of accountability for perpetrators.

Despite this desire, Somalia still faces security challenges, with its civilians, especially women and children, continuing to bear the brunt of deadly attacks carried out by Al Shabaab.

The Federal Government of Somalia has also started reforms by launching several initiatives to protect the rights of children during armed conflict.

These include measures to prevent the recruitment and use of children as soldiers, implementing age verification processes and biometric registration within the Somali National armed forces to ensure compliance and end the tag of child soldiers in its army.

UN officials describe the level of sexual and gender-based violence as an “epidemic problem,” with allegations of rape and gang rape, homicide and the lack of accountability for perpetrators.

In her discussions with Somali officials, Ms Dyfan tasked the government to strengthen capacity for investigations and prosecutions of perpetrators, so that survivors can report the crimes without fear.

With little or no protection, rape victims and survivors live in fear of reprisals and stigma with no hope of access to justice and effective remedies.

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/4m-somalia-children-hit-by-war-climate-change-4620060

--------

 

Southeast Asia

 

Jokowi to Inaugurate Al Azhar Summarecon Islamic School Building in Nusantara

May 13, 2024

Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is set to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Al Azhar Summarecon Islamic School building in Indonesia's future capital, the Nusantara Capital City (IKN), East Kalimantan (Kaltim) at the end of May 2024.

"The groundbreaking ceremony will be graced by President Jokowi at the end of May 2024 in the sub-zone area of public service facilities (SPU) 1 in IKN," said Adrianto P Adhi, President Director of Summarecon Agung (SMRA), in a release on Monday.

The Al Azhar Summarecon Islamic School, covering an area of 2.9 hectares (ha), will offer education from elementary to high school levels. Currently, the land permit is undergoing the issuance process by the Nusantara Capital City Authority (OIKN).

"The Al Azhar Summarecon IKN School is intended for the families of civil servants and the general public in IKN," he added.

The school will be equipped with sports facilities, laboratories, and a multipurpose building, and will include the Al Azhar Summarecon IKN Mosque.

"This integrated educational institution is Summarecon's contribution as one of the property developers in IKN, in collaboration with the Al Azhar Islamic Boarding School Foundation (YPI)," he further explained.

Edi Darnadi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Syiar Bangsa Foundation, mentioned that the Syiar Bangsa Foundation, under Summarecon's auspices, has Al Azhar schools in four areas developed by Summarecon, namely Bekasi, Serpong, Bandung, and Makassar.

Source: jakartaglobe.id

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

https://jakartaglobe.id/news/jokowi-to-inaugurate-al-azhar-summarecon-islamic-school-building-in-nusantara

--------

 

GP Ansor to Gather Its Diaspora Across 20 Countries

May 13, 2024

Jakarta. GP Ansor, the youth arm of the Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama, is planning to gather all of its diasporas spread across 20 countries.

Addin Jauharudin, the chair of GP Ansor’s executive board, is hoping that this gathering will motivate the diasporas to innovate for Indonesia.

“Our diaspora will form a forum that lets Nahdlatul Ulama’s youths share their thoughts on how they make innovations across many fields, be it technology, construction, biotech, and the environment,” Addin said in the group’s gathering in Malaysia.

“This networking will pave the way for a cluster of academics and professionals to team up to think about how they can contribute to Indonesia. … Once they return to Indonesia, they can connect with the government and the industry to make some breakthroughs,” Addin said.

According to him, the best practices from the different countries should be able to be replicated in Indonesia. For instance, Europe’s public service management, Malaysia’s construction, Bangkok’s agriculture, and Chinese technologies. Under Yaqut Cholil Qaumas’s leadership, GP Ansor has established six overseas branches in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, South Korea, Egypt, Taiwan, and Japan. The group is planning to expand this to 20 countries by establishing Ansor ambassadors.

“We are preparing global ambassadors to build a strategic partnership with partners in Japan, China, Korea, the Middle East, the US, and Europe,” Addin said.

Source: jakartaglobe.id

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

https://jakartaglobe.id/news/gp-ansor-to-gather-its-diaspora-across-20-countries

--------

 

Police Arrest Suspected Papuan Rebel Accused of Murdering Military Officer

May 12, 2024

Jayapura. A suspected Papuan rebel was apprehended on Saturday on charges of murdering a middle-ranking army officer, with police stating that he was found in possession of the victim’s cellular phone.

Anan Nawipa was detained in a village in Paniai regency, Papua, following an investigation into the April 11 murder of First Lieutenant Oktovianus Sogalrey, the commander of the Aradide District Military Command in the easternmost province.

A joint team of police and military personnel discovered "strong indications" of Anan’s involvement in the murder, according to Bayu Suseno, the spokesman for the Cartenz Peace Operation Task Force in Papua.

“We arrested Anan after our team conducted a thorough investigation into the murder of the district military commander. During the arrest, we recovered the victim’s cellphone from Anan’s bag," Bayu stated.

"During interrogation, Anan confessed to participating with fellow members of the rebel group in fatally shooting the officer," Bayu added.

The body of Oktovianus was discovered on the Trans-Papua road between Enarotali and Aradide.

The Free Papua Movement (OPM) circulated a video showing Oktovianus being shot while riding his motorcycle. One of the assailants proceeded to attack him with a machete as he lay on the ground.

The assailants were seen dancing around the body before posing for a photograph.

OPM spokesman Sebby Sambom stated that at the time of the attack, it was carried out by a team led by Osea Satu Boma.

Source: jakartaglobe.id

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

https://jakartaglobe.id/news/police-arrest-suspected-papuan-rebel-accused-of-murdering-military-officer

--------

 

PM Anwar to meet captains of industries, state leaders in Doha

Monday, 13 May 2024

DOHA, May 13 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is kicking off his latest mission to woo new investments from West Asia with his first official visit to this capital city of Qatar.

A busy schedule awaits him today, starting with an official welcoming ceremony at about 10.30 am Qatar time (3.30 pm Malaysia time) by the Qatari government at the Amiri Diwan here.

He will be received by Qatari Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who will later host a luncheon for the Prime Minister.

This will be followed by a meeting with his counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is also Qatar’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Among the issues likely to be discussed is an update on the current situation in Gaza, especially as Israel continues its aggression on the Palestinians with the latest invasion into the southern city of Rafah.

Later in the afternoon, Anwar, who is also the finance minister, will engage with around 30 captains of industry in Qatar, offering insights on Malaysia’s expansive investment landscape and the current trajectory of the Malaysian economy.

With petroleum and natural gas accounting for over 70 per cent of Qatar’s total government revenue, Malaysia is keen on securing a share of this lucrative sector while simultaneously seeking out new avenues for collaboration.

According to his post on X (formerly known as Twitter), the prime minister will also participate in the Qatar Economic Forum as well as officiate the official opening of the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s branch campus in Doha.

After the roundtable discussion with industry leaders, Anwar will also deliver a one-hour public lecture at the Qatar National Library for the Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

The prime minister will then conclude his second day in Qatar by meeting with approximately 500 Malaysians residing in the country.

There are currently around 5,500 Malaysians actively employed in various sectors across Qatar.

The Malaysian delegation to Qatar includes Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan; Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz; and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Last year, Malaysia total bilateral trade with Qatar amounted to RM4.2 billion, as the Gulf state became Malaysia’s fifth largest trading partner, sixth largest export destination and sixth largest import source from the West Asia region.

From January to March 2024, Malaysia’s total trade with Qatar jumped by 178.4 per cent to RM1.43 billion (US$303.9 million) from RM514.9 million (US$116.7 million) in the corresponding period in 2023.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Malaysia and Qatar bilateral relations, marking a significant milestone in their enduring partnership. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/05/13/pm-anwar-to-meet-captains-of-industries-state-leaders-in-doha/134013

--------

 

Foreign honours, medals, orders without King’s consent not valid, says Council of Datuk Dato’ Malaysia

12 May 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — The honours, medals or orders received by Malaysians from foreign countries without the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong are not valid and not recognised for use within the country, said Council of Datuk Dato’ Malaysia (MDDM) president Datuk Awalan Abdul Aziz.

He said it is a provision under the Offences Relating to Awards Act 2017 (Act 787), which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of up to RM500,000, depending on the seriousness of the offence committed.

“Only the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultans and Yang Dipertua Negeri are authorised to confer legitimate honours upon individuals,” he told reporters.

He was commenting on the prevalence of title misuse issues after the charity golf tournament hosted by MDDM at Bukit Kiara, here today.

Awalan said he hoped that all states would adopt Act 787 to curb the problem, adding that the act, gazetted in 2018, is not comprehensively enforced as there are still states that have not adopted or established similar enactments. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/05/12/foreign-honours-medals-orders-without-kings-consent-not-valid-says-council-of-datuk-dato-malaysia/133967

--------

 

Govt welcomes airlines to launch international flights at LTSIP - Loke

13-05- 2024

KOTA BHARU: The government welcomes airline companies to initiate international flight operations at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (LTSIP) near Pengkalan Chepa, here.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said, however, these airlines must obtain prior permission and approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom).

“Actually, there are no issues for airlines to commence international flights from LTSIP, such as routes from Singapore, Thailand or any country in the Asian region. It is up to them,” he told reporters today.

Earlier, Loke attended the opening ceremony of the First Phase Operation of LTSIP’s expansion and upgrade project here, with state Public Works, Infrastructure, Water and Rural Development Committee chairman Dr Izani Husin also present.

Prior to this, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the federal government agreed with the Kelantan government’s proposal to extend LTSIP’s runway by 400 metres to transform it into an international airport and would ask the Transport Minister to expedite the ongoing construction project.

Phase 1 of the new LTSIP terminal, which started operating on May 1, can accommodate 1.5 million passengers, while construction for Phase 2, which is expected to accommodate four million passengers, is set to commence immediately.

Loke also gave assurance that the construction of Phase 2 of LTSIP would not encounter any issues and would be completed according to schedule.

Source: thesun.my

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

https://thesun.my/local_news/govt-welcomes-airlines-to-launch-international-flights-at-ltsip-loke-JD12445840

--------

 

PM Anwar wishes Happy Mother’s Day

12-05- 2024

KUALA LUMPUR: In conjunction with Mother’s Day today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim took a moment to express his deep appreciation to all women who are mothers, especially his late mother, Che Yan Hamid Hussein and his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

In a Facebook post tonight, Anwar expressed his gratitude for all the sacrifices, hard work and endless advice given by mothers out of love for their children.

“Remember the kindness of our mothers. Embrace them and kiss their hands at every moment, as long as the Almighty permits us to be with them,“ read the post.

In the post, the Prime Minister also shared two photos of himself embracing his late mother and beloved wife.

Mother’s Day is celebrated globally on the second Sunday of May every year.

Source: thesun.my

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

https://thesun.my/local_news/pm-anwar-wishes-happy-mother-s-day-ND12444966

--------

 URL:     https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pm-modi-muslim-introspect/d/132310

New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism