Call For Merger with India in PoK’s Gilgit After Arrest of Shia Cleric, Agha Baqir Al-Hussaini, Over Blasphemy
New Age Islam News Bureau
01 September 2023
Representational Image (PHOTO: TWITTER)
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India
·
Unable
to give an exact time period: Centre dithers on J&K statehood timeline in Supreme
Court
·
Pakistani
national, living with his wife, held in Hyderabad for 'illegally' entering
India
·
Jharkhand:
FIR against two AIMIM leaders over attempts to disturb communal harmony
·
Crackdown
launched against absconding terrorists in J&K
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Pakistan
·
Caretaker Interior Minister
Vows to Root Out Menace of Terrorism
·
Two Lashkar-i-Islam militants
shot dead in Peshawar
·
SC judge deplores attribution
of ‘malice’ to parliament
·
Missing persons’ issue to be
centre of BNP-M poll campaign: Mengal
·
Nine soldiers martyred in Bannu
suicide attack
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South Asia
·
Victims of Foreign Forces'
Strikes in Afghanistan Demand Justice
·
Afghan Refugees in Pakistan
Criticize Delay in Their Immigration Cases
·
Over 1,200 Afghan migrants
return from Pakistan
·
Biden pledges ongoing support
for Afghanistan
·
Bangladesh Nationalist Party
stares at tough times on streets
·
Bangladesh to end attacks on
Nobel laureate
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Mideast
·
Libya’s PM Rejects
Normalization with Israel Following Secret Meeting of Ministers
·
Houthi missiles hit Marib as
GCC chief arrives in Aden
·
US exploring land border
delineation between Lebanon, Israel: White House adviser
·
US arms control official to
visit Israel, Turkiye next week to discuss security issues
·
Jordan, Turkiye discuss
cooperation in higher education
-----
Africa
·
My Way of Life Converted My
Wife Mercy Aigbe to Islam, Says Adekaz
·
Niger: Nobody Is Interested in
War – Tinubu Tells Islamic Council
·
Nigerian Police Arrest Two
Suspected Kidnappers In Anambra, Operating In Shuttle Bus
·
Rep panel threatens
accountant-general with arrest
------
Southeast Asia
·
Using Race, Religion for
Political Gain Not Good for Country: Sarawak Premier
·
DAP Leader Sheikh Umar Defends
‘Malaysian Malaysia’ Clause, Says Not Unconstitutional
·
Loke: Preliminary report on
Elmina crash expected second week of Sept
·
Indonesia minister confident
M’sia ties to remain intact amid global challenges
·
Muhyiddin, Hadi ‘stubborn’,
don’t want to see PH-BN cooperate: Rayer
·
Thailand’s jailed ex-PM Thaksin
submits royal pardon request
·
Indonesia rejects Pentagon’s
‘joint statement’ on China and Russia
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North America
·
US, Germany Involved in
Training Saudi Forces Accused of Carnage at Yemen Border: Report
·
US Military Calls for End of
Fighting in East Syria and Warns It Could Lead to IS Resurgence
·
CAIR Recommends Vigilance,
Stepped-Up Security for Baltimore Area Mosques Following 2nd Threatening Call
·
Proud Boys leader jailed for 17
years over US Capitol attack
·
US Congress to consider pro-
and anti-Nazi amendments
------
Arab World
·
International Companies Racing to
Expand Their Investments In 2nd Saudi World Defence Show
·
Saudi authorities thwart
attempt to smuggle 50Kg of qat over Jazan border
·
KSrelief continues humanitarian
projects in Cameroon and Pakistan
·
Qatar detects first cases of
new Coronavirus variant EG.5
------
Europe
·
Evicted From Their 7-Year Home
In Milan’s Former Public Baths Which Will Become A Mosque
·
EU state completes mass
inspection of bomb shelters
·
Serbian MPs propose abandoning
EU ambitions for BRICS
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pok-gilgit-shia-cleric-blasphemy/d/130581
------
Call For Merger with India in PoK’s
Gilgit After Arrest of Shia Cleric, Agha Baqir Al-Hussaini, Over Blasphemy
Representational Image (PHOTO: TWITTER)
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Statesman News Service | New Delhi |
September 1, 2023
Arrest of a Shia cleric for blasphemy
under Pakistan’s strengthened blasphemy laws, have led to widespread protests
in the Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan area. With “Chalo, chalo Kargil
chalo” chants tearing the air, the protests are said to be the greatest the
area has ever seen. Local leaders in Gilgit warned the Pakistani government of
an impending civil war, and some even called for a union with India.
After Shia cleric Agha Baqir al-Hussaini
was detained and booked for his remarks during a religious gathering, riots by
the locals of Skardu erupted.
Agha Baqir al-Hussaini was detained for
his comments at a Skardu ulema council meeting when it was discussed if
Pakistan should tighten its blasphemy laws in order to attack the Shia
community. The fundamental principles of Islam are the same for Shias and
Sunnis, although Shias do not venerate Islamic leaders who fought against the
fourth Caliph, Ali.
Although Shias make up a sizable portion
of the population in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan is a nation with a Sunni
majority. Since Gen Zia-Ul Haq’s rule, many Pakistani governments have
attempted to alter the demographics of Gilgit-Baltistan by resettling Sunnis
there.
Baltistan, Diamer, and Gilgit are the
three administrative divisions of the Gilgit-Baltistan area. The towns of
Gilgit and Skardu serve as the primary administrative hubs.
Despite the Pakistani media’s lack of
coverage of the protests in Gilgit, social media has seen the emergence of
videos and accounts that show the intensity of the unrest. Since most of it
cannot be verified, even this is simply a trickle.
The Pakistani establishment’s control
over communication in the occupied territory is what led to this.
Accounts on X (previously Twitter) claim
that the first demonstrations on August 22 were by Sunnis calling for the
detention of Agha Baqir al-Hussaini. The Karakoram Highway, which connects the
hilly area to Pakistan, was subsequently shut.
The demonstrations took place in Daimer,
where Sunnis make up the majority.
Shias have been putting down protests in
response to those demonstrations and the detention of cleric al-Hussaini;
videos of these actions are currently being shared on X.
Protesters can be heard yelling insults
towards General Asim Munir, the head of Pakistan’s army.
In videos, local authorities can also be
heard warning that if the route was still closed, people would head to Kargil
rather than Sindh or Punjab (both in Pakistan). an allusion to India and Gilgit
joining forces. Along with demanding the release of al-Hussaini and the opening
of the roadway, they also threatened civil war.
Source: thestatesman.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.thestatesman.com/india/call-for-merger-with-india-in-poks-gilgit-after-arrest-of-shia-cleric-over-blasphemy-1503217560.html
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Suicide Bomber on Motorcycle Kills 9
Soldiers in Northwest Pakistan – Army
Caretaker PM
Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar called the incident "cowardly terrorist act".
(Representational)
-----
31 August, 2023
Nine soldiers were killed when a suicide
bomber on a motorcycle set off his explosives next to a convoy in northwestern
Pakistan on Thursday, the military said.
Another five soldiers were wounded in
the attack in Bannu district, the military's public relations wing said in a
statement.
Pakistan's restive northwest, which
borders Afghanistan, has seen a rise in attacks over the last year since talks
between Islamist militants and the government broke down.
The military said security forces had
cordoned off the area. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the
attack.
Another suicide bombing at a political
gathering in the northwest last month killed more than 60 people. That attack
was claimed by the Islamic State militant group.
Source: newarab.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.newarab.com/news/suicide-bomber-kills-9-soldiers-northwest-pakistan
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USCIRF: Islamic Emirate Issued 80
Religious Edicts, Decrees Since August 2021; Over Half of The Decrees Enforce
Severe Restrictions on Women and Girls
Photo: TOLO
News
-----
By Hadia Ziaei
31 August 2023
According to some women’s rights
activists, the continued imposition of restrictions will have a negative effect
on women and the current government.
The United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said in its report that since August
2021, the Islamic Emirate has issued of 80 religious edicts and decrees in
Afghanistan.
According to the report, over half of
the 80 religious edicts and decrees directly enforce severe restrictions on
women and girls, hampering their ability to live according to their own
religious interpretation, including bans on education, employment, and freedom
of movement.
“The Taliban have completely revamped
the country’s education sector through more than 20 written and oral decrees
since 2021. These decrees include bans on co-education and secondary education
for girls, restrictions on areas of study for female students (including
barring them from journalism, law, agriculture, and sciences), and a
prohibition on female students taking annual university entry exams. Since
2021, the Taliban have also enacted decrees that severely limit women’s freedom
of movement, including access to employment, parks, and beauty salons,” the
report reads.
Asra, 23, a second-semester economics
student at one of Kabul's public universities who also worked in one of the
city's female beauty salons, said that the restrictions placed in her path to
education and employment had a negative effect on her mental health.
"All women need to be active and
work, and my request to all those who hear our voice is to allow all Afghan
women to work, study and live,” she said.
According to some women’s rights
activists, the continued imposition of restrictions will have a negative effect
on women and the current government.
"We know that we will not have a
better future, not only the women, but also the government of the Islamic
Emirate will still not be able to have a better future if the Islamic Emirate
does not pay attention to the closed doors of schools, universities, and the
right to freedom and the right to work for women. It is a good opportunity. It
is up to the government of the Islamic Emirate to pay attention to the rights
of all Afghan citizens, especially women,” said Tafsir Seiaposh, a women’s
rights activist.
Although the Islamic Emirate did not
comment on the report of this commission, it said earlier that the rights of
women are provided in accordance with Islamic Sharia.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184898
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A Saudi-Israel Deal Could Dramatically
Reshape the Middle East — But Don’t Expect It Anytime Soon
Saudi Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a meeting in Athens, Greece, July 26, 2022.
Louiza Vradi
| Reuters
------
SEP 1 2023
Natasha Turak
Anticipation and rumors are growing
about the potential normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel
– two of America’s most important allies in the Middle East whose ties have
never formally existed.
Saudi Arabia doesn’t recognize Israel as
a state and has refused to do so since the latter’s independence in 1948. But
after decades of tension, recent years saw discrete but growing cooperation
between the two.
The shared threat perception of Iran, a
longtime common adversary, has brought the two closer together in terms of
coordination and intelligence sharing, according to numerous reports and
admissions by Israeli officials.
Saudi Arabia has also allowed Israeli
airlines to fly over its territory in recent years, and Israel officials
reported that Saudi Arabia received help from Israeli cybersecurity firms to
fend off certain cyberattacks. The rise of non-state actors and the perceived
threat of political Islamists, particularly in the wake of the Arab Spring,
also contributed to a sense of shared interests among Gulf states and Israel.
And just on Tuesday, the Wall Street
Journal reported that Riyadh is offering to restart its funding of the
Palestinian Authority in order to gain its leader Mahmoud Abbas’ support for
open relations with Israel.
A deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia
could dramatically reshape the geopolitics of the Middle East.
But major barriers remain in the way of
official normalization, which is a major goal of the Biden administration’s
foreign policy and one his team is trying to achieve during the president’s
current term.
One is the issue of Palestinian
statehood, and another is the raft of demands that Saudi Arabia has of the
U.S., including demands for U.S. security guarantees and support for its own
civilian nuclear program. And Israel, currently led by the most right-wing
government in its history, is very unlikely to want to meet Saudi demands for
concessions to the Palestinians.
Momentum – and divides
“I think there is finally a lot of
momentum from the Biden administration to push normalization forward, but there
are very clear challenges that won’t be easily bridged,” Sanam Vakil, director
of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, told CNBC.
“If something is going to develop, it
would most likely require broader discussions on Palestine, and in the current
climate in Israel, I think that is impossible to achieve,” she said.
Saudi Arabia is home to Islam’s holiest
sites, Mecca and Medina, giving it a crucial role in the Muslim world where
Palestinian statehood is deeply cared about. Israel’s current government led by
Benjamin Netanyahu has no intention of giving major concessions to the
Palestinians; Netanyahu in early August told Bloomberg TV that any minor
gestures on his part toward Palestinians would essentially be “just a box you
have to check to say that you’re doing it.”
“It’s questionable that there is any
potential governing coalition in the Knesset that would be ready, able, and
willing to do that, even to secure one of the most significant diplomatic
achievements in the country’s history,” Hussein Ibish, a senior resident
scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, wrote in an article
for the think tank.
The United Nations classifies Israel as
an occupier state over the Palestinian territories, whose occupations and
annexations following the 1967 Six-Day War remain in violation of international
law.
Whether or not Saudi Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman feels a personal conviction to keep making demands of
Israel on behalf of the Palestinians, the perception of his efforts on the Arab
street are important for his leadership, Vakil said.
“Concessions on Palestine will also be
important to Mohammed bin Salman, whose leadership is not just predicated on
the transformation of Saudi Arabia, but having broader regional and
international influence,” she said. “Abandoning the Palestinian cause completely
would not go well in the region, and he does have a broader constituency to
think about.”
Saudi Arabia wants military promises
Another big challenge is what Saudi
Arabia is demanding of Washington. Riyadh wants a security guarantee from the
U.S. in the face of potential threats or attacks, and it also wants more access
to advanced U.S. weapons as well as help with a civilian nuclear program.
Such demands will likely face resistance
from many members of Congress, particularly progressive left-wing Democrats and
hard-right Republicans who both want less American involvement in foreign
affairs. But even if a security guarantee and more advanced weapons access
demands are met, U.S. backing for a Saudi nuclear program is likely more
challenging.
The Saudis don’t want to have to abide
by the U.S. government’s Section 123 agreement, often dubbed the “gold
standard” of civilian nuclear partnerships. Washington already has such an
agreement with the United Arab Emirates, which launched the Arab world’s first
nuclear energy program in 2020. The 123 agreement prevents countries from
developing dual-use technology by barring uranium enrichment and fuel
reprocessing.
The Saudis have made clear that this is
not the agreement they want. And that worries many lawmakers and
non-proliferation experts, particularly given Saudi Arabia’s role in the Yemen
war, now in its eighth year. Any deal on this is also complicated by the fact
that Saudi Arabia has its own natural supplies of uranium and intends to mine
them itself.
“If we see Riyadh climb down from those
demands, then I think normalization becomes significantly more likely,” said
Ryan Bohl, senior Middle East and North Africa analyst at Rane.
A question of timing?
Importantly, time is running out to hash
out a deal before the Biden administration is consumed by its re-election
campaign.
Riyadh may have an interest in dragging
things out, as that could pressure the Biden administration to offer more
concessions in order to push something through before the election. Or, should
Biden lose, it sets up a possible negotiating framework for the next
administration, said Bohl.
Normalization with Israel would allow
Saudi Arabia “a strategic breakthrough with a regional military and
technological powerhouse that will be key to its security as the United States
continues to retrench from the region,” Bohl said.
“In other words, I think Saudi Arabia
and Israel will keep trying to find a path towards normalization, but it will
remain to be seen as to when either side is able to tame their domestic
political barriers that make a full-scale breakthrough possible.”
Source: cnbc.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/01/saudi-arabia-israel-deal-could-dramatically-reshape-the-middle-east-.html
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Niger's Military Rulers’ Orders Police
To Kick Out French Ambassador After Ultimatum
Photo: Pars Today
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31 August 2023
Niger's military rulers have revoked the
diplomatic immunity of France's ambassador and ordered police to expel him from
the African country, according to a statement.
The latest communique sent by Niger's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs said French Ambassador Sylvain Itte "no longer
enjoys the privileges and immunities attached to his status as a member of the
diplomatic staff of the embassy."
The document also said the diplomatic
cards and visas of the ambassador's families have been canceled.
The military said in a recent statement
that the visas of the ambassador and his family were canceled.
The credentials of the French ambassador
to Niger were just withdrawn by the Niger military, which gave Itte 48 hours to
leave the country last week. The deadline expired on August 28.
The new military rulers say the
ambassador refused to meet with them. They say the French government’s behavior
is “contrary to the interests of Niger.”
President Emmanuel Macron has said
France’s ambassador to Niger will stay in the coup-hit African country despite
the ultimatum by the new military leaders to leave.
Macron has also reiterated France's
support for Niger's ousted president Mohamed Bazoum. He dismissed calls from
some in the United States and Europe for Western powers to give up on Bazoum.
Thousands of people have surrounded a
French military base on the outskirts of the capital Niamey.
The French Foreign Ministry in Paris
said on Thursday that the people involved in the military coup in Niger had
"no authority" to ask France's ambassador in Niamey to leave.
"We constantly evaluate the safety
and operating conditions of our embassy," the ministry added.
Macron said on Monday that the
ambassador would stay in the Sahel country.
Thousands of protesters in Niger have
rallied in the capital Niamey to voice their support for the military
government, demanding the immediate withdrawal of French troops from the
African country.
Protesters call for France to withdraw
troops
Hundreds of women protested outside the
French embassy and a military base in Niamey, calling for France to remove its
troops and military bases from the country. They banged on pots, pretended to
sweep and chanted anti-French slogans.
Others gathered in front of the 101
Squadron airbase to protest and show support for Niger's defense and security
forces. They also demanded the withdrawal of French troops stationed at the
base.
Ousmane Naomi, one of the protest
organizers, stated, "We are here to convey to France that times have
changed. They must respect us and acknowledge our importance."
Massive protests in support of the
military also emerged on the streets of Niamey.
Niger's neighbor such as Mali and
Burkina Faso have warned against any military intervention, warning that it
would be a "declaration of war" against them too.
A parliamentary committee from a major
West African bloc plans to meet with Niger
Burkina approves sending troops to Niger
Burkina Faso's government on Thursday
approved a bill authorizing the dispatch of troops to neighboring Niger, which
faces threatened military intervention.
The draft law was approved in a meeting
of Burkina's military-dominated government, according to a statement seen
Thursday.
It gave no details about the deployment of the
force but said the decision had been made "by a joint agreement"
between the two countries.
"What affects security in Niger
fundamentally affects security in Burkina Faso," the statement quoted
Defense Minister Kassoum Coulibaly as saying.
Italy warns against military
intervention
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani
said on Thursday that a military intervention in Niger would be a
"disaster" that could trigger a new migration crisis.
"We need to work day by day for a
diplomatic solution," Tajani told reporters as he arrived at a meeting of
EU foreign ministers in the Spanish city of Toledo.
Asked if he feared military intervention
could lead to a migration crisis, Tajani replied: "Yes, of course. To have
a war in Niger (means) more people leaving this country, as in Sudan -there are
more and more people leaving Sudan."
“Niger is the base of many of the
military and intelligence operations for the Pentagon” in Africa, said Abayomi
Azikiwe.
Anti-French sentiments on rise across
Africa
The impoverished Sahel region, which
lies south of the Sahara, has suffered a series of coups in recent years.
Military administrations have replaced pro-Western leaders in Mali, Burkina
Faso and Guinea as well as Niger.
The upheavals have led to the creation
of new military governments hostile to France, a former colonial power in West
Africa that has troops across the region.
Earlier this month, the military rulers
scrapped a series of Niger’s cooperation agreements with France in a bid to
bring to a close the French military presence across the country and the
subsequent looting of the resources of the impoverished nation.
France has between 1,000 and 1,500
troops in Niger, who are claiming to be fighting the so-called war on
terrorism. In Niger, there are not only French forces but American and European
soldiers as well.
Burkina Faso and Mali have already
expelled French troops, many of whom are now stationed in Niger.
The French president recently admitted
the failure of France’s policies across various parts of Africa.
“France and its diplomats have faced
particularly difficult situations in some countries in recent months, from
Sudan, where France has been exemplary, to Niger...,” Macron said on Monday.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/08/31/709991/France-Niger-Sylvain-Itte-Mohamed-Bazoum-Burkina-Faso-
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India
Unable to give an exact time period: Centre dithers on J&K statehood timeline in Supreme Court
01.09.23
R. Balaji
The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court
that elections would be held soon in Jammu and Kashmir as the process of
updating the voters' list was near complete and it was for the state and
central election commissions to undertake the poll process, but declined to
give a specific timeframe for restoring statehood to the region.
Solicitor-general Tushar Mehta told the
five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud
that the Centre was ready to conduct elections to the three-tier system —the
panchayat, municipality and the legislature — in view of the improved law and
order, besides overall development of the region following the abrogation of
Article 370.
“The Centre is ready for elections in
any time now. Till now, updating of voters' list was going on and is
substantially done. The first election will be in the panchayats. District
development elections have already taken place. The Leh elections are over, the
Kargil elections are at the end of next month," the law officer said.
“The central government is ready for
elections anytime. Till date, updating of the voters' list was going on, which
is substantially over. There is some portion still remaining which the election
commission is doing…. It is for the state election commission and the central
election commission... to decide when to hold it and which election… is to be
held first…,” Mehta told the bench.
Mehta, however, added: “I am unable to
give an exact time period for the conversion to full statehood. Complete
statehood may take some time, but Union Territory status is only a temporary
phenomenon. As far as statehood is concerned, I have already made a statement
before this court, apart from the statement of the home minister on the floor
of Parliament. The Union Territory status is temporary...”
He was responding to the August 29
directions by the bench to the Centre to spell out the “road map” and a
“specific timeframe” for restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
The bench is hearing a batch of
petitions challenging the August 2019 decision of the NDA government to
abrogate Article 370, which granted special privileges to the people of Jammu
and Kashmir.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing
for some of the petitioners, had some heated exchanges with Mehta after the
solicitor-general pointed to purported development measures taken by the Centre
to claim conditions were conducive for the smooth conduct of elections.
“What affected the conduct of elections
earlier mostly was stone pelting and calls for bandhs and hartals…. Elections
are already over in Leh. The Kargil Hill Development Council elections will be
held by the end of this month,” Mehta said.
When Mehta listed data to bolster his
claim of normality, Sibal objected on the ground that these were not germane to
the issue being examined by the bench with regard to the constitutional
validity of the scrapping of Article 370 provisions.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/modi-government-dithers-on-jammu-and-kashmir-statehood-timeline-in-supreme-court/cid/1962961
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Pakistani national, living with his
wife, held in Hyderabad for 'illegally' entering India
PTI Hyderabad, 01.09.23
A 24-year old Pakistani national, who
illegally entered India in 2022 and was residing in the city with his wife, was
arrested, police said.
Based on credible inputs, Faiz Mohammed
from Shangal district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan, was apprehended on
Thursday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Zone) P Sai Chaitanya said in a
release.
Faiz had entered India through the Nepal
border without a valid visa and had been staying illegally in Kishan Bagh area
here at the residence of his wife, who is from Hyderabad, they said.
A Pakistani passport and other documents
were seized from his possession.
He came to Hyderabad to meet his wife
and son after being promised by his in-laws to procure fake ID proof to enable
him to stay in India.
A case was registered under relevant
sections of IPC and the Foreigners Act against Faiz. The man's in-laws, who are
named as accused in the case are absconding.
In 2018, Faiz had gone to the UAE to
work in a garments company. A year later, he met a 29-year old woman from
Hyderabad and helped her secure a job there. The accused then got married to
her and the couple was blessed with a son, police said.
The woman, subsequently, came back to
Hyderabad in August 2022 and was staying at Kishan Bagh in the city.
Further investigations were on, police
said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/pakistani-national-held-in-hyderabad-for-illegally-entering-india/cid/1963036
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Jharkhand: FIR against two AIMIM leaders
over attempts to disturb communal harmony
01.09.23
The Giridih district administration
lodged an FIR against AIMIM candidate Abdul Mobin Rizvi and party spokesperson
Muzaffar Hasan Noorani on Thursday for alleged violation of the model code of
conduct and disturbing communal harmony ahead of the by-elections in
Jharkhand's Dumri Assembly seat scheduled on September 5.
“The permission had been granted to
party applicant Muzaffar Hasan Noorani (son of party candidate for Dumri
by-poll Abdul Mobin Rizvi) for a period between 11am and 5pm on Wednesday. But
during scrutiny of a video being circulated on social media, it is evident that
‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were raised during the rally which in the first
instance is a violation of model code of conduct. In addition the slogans are
an attempt to disturb communal harmony,” the FIR states.
AIMIM Jharkhand president Mohammad
Shakir has denied these allegations and alleged a conspiracy. He said the
edited video was deliberately made viral.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/fir-against-aimim-candidate-abdul-mobin-rizvi-muzaffar-hasan-noorani-over-attempts-to-disturb-communal-harmony-ahead-of-dumri-assembly-bypoll/cid/1962965
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Crackdown launched against absconding
terrorists in J&K
01 September 2023 | Pioneer News Service |
Jammu
The Union Territory administration in
Jammu & Kashmir has launched a massive crackdown against absconding terror
operatives involved in terrorism and disruptive activities.
To begin with, the State Investigation
Agency (SIA) assisted by the CID wing of the Jammu and Kashmir police has
managed to apprehend eight terrorists in TADA cases for over three decades.
According to a statement issued by the
spokesman of Jammu and Kashmir police, "These absconding terrorists had
managed to escape from the clutches of the law for decades by going underground
and remaining untraced for some time and then resurfaced to enjoy normal family
life at their native or some distant places. Some of these terrorist absconders
have managed to get government services and contracts, others found engaged in
private businesses and even working in Court".
The special drive was launched to trace
and produce before the Court all absconders of terrorism-related cases for
facing trial under the law to achieve 'Zero' terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to a police spokesman,
"SIA has so far verified and identified 369 (215-Jammu and 154-Kashmir)
absconders out of 734 absconders (317 in Jammu and 417 in Kashmir) in 327
TADA/POTA cases. Out of 369 verified
absconders, 127 remained untraced, 80 have died while 45 are residing in
Pakistan/Pok and other countries abroad and 4 are lodged in jail".
During the preliminary investigations
launched in separate cases, SIA is ascertaining how these absconder terrorists
managed to escape from the law and live a normal life at their native place
without being traced for so long and other aspects of larger criminal
conspiracy and nexus thereof and role of insiders, if any.
The absconding terrorists have been
identified as Adil Farooq Faridi son of Abdul Ghani Faridi resident of H No.
230 Shahidi Chowk Jammu (Government employee presently posted in JK BOSE,
Jammu), Mohd. Iqbal @ Javed son of Sikander Khan resident of Asthan Mohalla
Doda, Mujahid Hussain @ Nisar Ahmed son of Abdul Rasheed Gathwan resident of
Asthan Mohalla Doda, Tariq Hussain son of Ghulam Ali Misger resident of
Barshalla Doda, Ishtiaq Ahmed Dev @ Ajaz sim of Mohd. Ayoub Dev resident of Sah
Mohalla Doda, Ajaz Ahmed @ Mohd. Iqbal son of Abdul Rehman resident of Dandi
Bhaderwah, Jameel Ahmed @ Jugnu @ Chika Khan son of Faiz Ahmed resident of
KursariBhaderwah, and Ishfaq Ahmed son of Ghulam Ahmed Sheikh resident of Bun
Doda (working as a writer in Court Complex Doda).
Source: dailypioneer.com
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https://www.dailypioneer.com/2023/india/crackdown-launched-against-absconding-terrorists-in-j-k.html
-----
Pakistan
Caretaker Interior Minister vows to root
out menace of terrorism
September 01, 2023
Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz
Khan Bugti has expressed government’s determination to root out the menace of
terrorism from the country.
Addressing the 43rd passing-out parade
of Pakistan Coast guards in Karachi on Friday, he clearly stated that violent
and subversive elements would not be allowed to impose their ideology to
majority of people on gun-point.
Interior Minister vowed to establish
peace at any cost in the Balochistan as this province guarantees the prosperity
of the country.
He said Pak-Army along with civil armed
forces is performing its duty to establish peace in Balochistan and other parts
of the country.
Interior Minister lauded the services of
Pakistan coast guard particularly securing the coastline of the country.
Source: radio.gov.pk
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https://www.radio.gov.pk/01-09-2023/caretaker-interior-minister-vows-to-root-out-menace-of-terrorism
-------
Two Lashkar-i-Islam militants shot dead
in Peshawar
September 1, 2023
PESHAWAR: Two militants of the banned
Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) were killed on Thursday in an intelligence based operation
carried out by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of police in Regi Model
Town, an area on the outskirts of the provincial capital, CTD officials said.
They said the CTD planned an operation
in Jumma Khan Khwar area of the township after receiving information about the
presence of militants in the area.
“CTD received intelligence on Aug 30
that the militants, in Zone-IV of the township, were planning a suicide attack,
attacks on security forces and police-posts besides targeted attacks,” said a
statement issued by the CTD.
It added that during the operation, an
intense exchange of fire took place between the raiding team and the militants
for almost 30 minutes.
Later, the CTD launched a search
operation in the area and recovered dead bodies of two suspected militants, the
statement said. Uniform of security forces, hand grenade, arms and ammunition
besides communications devices were also recovered from the area. The statement
claimed that around six militants managed to escape.
Earlier on July 20, two police personnel
were martyred and two others sustained injuries in a militant attack on a
police post in the township.
The attack took place at around 11.45pm
and officials believed the militants were equipped with night-vision devices.
“Our personnel wore bulletproof jackets
and bulletproof helmets and militants opened fire at them from a distance of
around 50 metres. Headshots and that too precisely forehead shots were only
possible without night-vision goggles,” Superintendent of Police Arshad Khan
told Dawn.
The SP said militants attacked the
police team with US made M-4 rifles and the investigation team had recovered
around 21 empties from the spot.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1773287/two-lashkar-i-islam-militants-shot-dead-in-peshawar
-----
SC judge deplores attribution of
‘malice’ to parliament
Nasir Iqbal
September 1, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The attribution of malice
of “colourable exercise of jurisdiction” to parliament in amending NAB laws
shakes the foundations of parliamentary democracy, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali
Shah observed during a hearing on Thursday.
He was part of a three-judge bench which
had taken up the challenges by former prime minister Imran Khan to the August
2022 amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO).
“We, the unelected 17 people (judges),
can touch legislation made by representatives of 250 million only when it
violates Article 8 of the Constitution, which bars enactments in derogation of
fundamental rights,” Justice Shah observed.
He contested an impression that the
Rs500 million threshold, which entitles the National Accountability Bureau
(NAB) to take cognisance of corruption allegations, means that an accused who
has committed corruption involving an amount below that limit would go
scot-free. He can be tried by another forum, Justice Shah argued.
“When the parliament in its wisdom wants
this to happen, how can we attribute any malice to parliament,” Justice Shah
wondered.
Could the court put a clog on parliament
if it concluded that the investigation had been very costly and to no avail,
the judge added.
But Khawaja Haris Ahmed, the counsel for
Imran Khan, contended it would amount to a colourable exercise of jurisdiction,
adding this court could put a clog on parliament since corruption affects
fundamental rights, especially when the apex court in the past had taken
cognisance under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution on the wastage of public
money.
“You want to say that colourable
exercise is when the accused gets exonerated because of amendments to the NAB
law,” observed Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial.
The CJP asked the petitioner’s counsel
to cite judgements in which the phrase “colourable exercise of jurisdiction”
has been used.
Fundamental rights the key
Justice Ijazul Ahsan observed that the
Supreme Court could examine and strike down laws on the touchstone of
“colourable exercise of jurisdiction” by parliament if it affects fundamental
rights.
“The ingredient still is the fundamental
right and this is exactly what we are trying to search for the last many
hearings in the petition challenging the amendments in NAB laws,” Justice Shah
observed.
The effect of setting the threshold of
Rs500m in the NAB law is that the provision of plea bargain has become
redundant since an accused who enters into plea bargain, instead of paying the
settled instalments, will now try to contest the case in an accountability
court where NAB would argue the case was not in their jurisdiction, the counsel
contended.
The CJP said the 2022 amendments had put
the entire investigation against an accused for committing corruption in limbo
since the new law did not provide any mechanism to transfer the reference or
assigning it to any other forum. “This is a major omission.”
The CJP observed the entire system
grinds to a halt if the administrative machinery suffers from a lack of timely
decision-making. This is the reason why many public sector organisations, for
example the Pakistan International Airlines, or the electricity distribution
network., are running losses, Justice Bandial added. In Karachi the authorities
have tried to address the issue of line losses, the CJP said.
Senior counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan
contended on behalf of the government that the major reason for line losses was
the “Kunda” system (electricity theft).
The counsel contended that load-shedding
was confined to areas where electricity bills were not paid, but when the
K-Electric tried to enforce this decision, the Supreme Court restrained the
utility from doing so.
Now laws are enforced on affluent areas
where the consumer has the capacity to pay bills, but no law is enforced where
no bills are paid as the administration feels a law and order situation might
ensue, the counsel said.
Referring to the Rs500m threshold, the
counsel recalled the court judgments in which NAB was asked to focus on mega
corruption, adding the criteria of Rs500 million was not irrational.
The Supreme Court may consider these
amendments as dilution of penalties, but for some it may be rationalisation of
the law. “Change in a law is not unconstitutional,” he added.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1773416/sc-judge-deplores-attribution-of-malice-to-parliament
------
Missing persons’ issue to be centre of
BNP-M poll campaign: Mengal
Saleem Shahid Published
September 1, 2023
QUETTA: Balochistan National
Party-Mengal (BNP-M) President Sardar Akhtar Mengal has announced that his
party would contest the upcoming elections on the slogan of “recovery of
missing persons”.
He lamented that despite raising the
issue at all forums, nothing was done by the government to resolve it.
Speaking at a seminar, organised by the
‘Voice for the Baloch Missing Persons’ to observe the International Day of the
Victims of Enforced Disappearance on Wednesday, Mr Mengal said his family was
also a victim of enforced disappearance, as his elder brother Asad Mengal was
picked up and disappeared by the forces in the 1970s and the family was later
informed he was no more.
“Despite knowing Asad Mengal is no more,
we are still waiting for him. I wake up from a deep sleep to remember my elder
brother in the night,” Mr Mengal told the gathering.
He said that Kashmir Day, Freedom of the
Press, Women’s Day and other national and international days were being
observed officially but no government institution and institutions, including
the human rights ministry, organised any event to commemorate this day.
“The issue of missing persons was raised
at all forums, including national and provincial assemblies and even the
Senate, but no step was taken to recover them,” Mr Mengal said, adding that
many commissions were formed on the issues but it still persisted.
Although the government released 400
people, it came at the cost of the disappearances of 2,000 more, he claimed.
“Whenever the family asked about my
brother, the authorities said the sovereignty of the country was at stake and
they never gave any reply about his whereabouts,” he said. “If the sovereignty
of the country is linked with dead bodies and blood, the country cannot protect
itself.”
Referring to the suicide attack in
Turbat carried out by a young girl, Mr Mengal said he didn’t endorse or support
such actions, but “we need to consider what led that young girl to take such a
step.”
He claimed that her uncle was forcibly
detained and grandfather was threatened to leave the BNP if they continued to
struggle for the recovery of their missing family members.
Addressing the event, National Party
Vice President Kabir Mohammad Shahi questioned how the Constitution could
ensure people’s safety if it couldn’t defend itself.
“Our mothers and sisters are on the
streets protesting for the recovery of their loved ones. There is not a single
home in Balochistan which hasn’t received a dead body or is not awaiting the
recovery of a missing relative,” Mr Shahi claimed.
“The fiancées of missing individuals
wait and ask the authorities the same question: ‘Should we wait for them or
not?’”
He asserted the people of Balochistan
were only requesting the presentation of missing individuals in courts. “If
they are not brought to trial, what is the purpose of spending billions on the
courts?”
Voice for Baloch Missing Persons
Chairman Nasarullah Baloch, Awami Party’s Mahbat Kaka, Advocate Rahab Buledi of
Supreme Court Bar Association, Advocate Changez Hayee Baloch, Dr Shari, Baloch,
Balochistan Union of Journalist President Irfan Saeed, Bijar Khan Marri, Mitta
Khan Marri and others also spoke at the seminar.
‘Politicising of missing persons’ issue’
The Balochistan government has
“expressed disappointment” over what it called the “continued politicisation of
the issue of missing persons”.
A spokesman for the interim provincial
government said certain political parties that have raised the issue of missing
persons in the lead-up to the elections campaign were accusing the government
of being responsible for these disappearances.
“The government firmly advises against
exploiting this sensitive matter for political gains,” he said and “vehemently
denied the allegations” and asserted the government’s “unwavering commitment to
locating and rescuing all missing individuals”.
He said the missing persons issue had
been exploited to receive votes by political parties and was once again
becoming a contentious topic during elections.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1773367/missing-persons-issue-to-be-centre-of-bnp-m-poll-campaign-mengal
------
Nine soldiers martyred in Bannu suicide
attack
September 01, 2023
Nine soldiers have been martyred while
five others injured in a suicide blast in Jani Khel, Bannu.
According to ISPR, a Motorcycle borne
suicide bomber exploded himself on a military convoy.
The area has been cordoned off by
security forces and sanitization is being carried out to eliminate any
terrorists found in the area.
Security forces of Pakistan are
determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our
brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.
President Dr. Arif Alvi has strongly
denounced the suicide attack on a military convoy in Jani Khel area of Bannu.
Expressing profound grief and sorrow
over the loss of precious lives in the suicide attack, the President reaffirmed
the nation's unwavering resolve to root out terrorism.
Arif Alvi said the entire nation stands
by their security forces in the war on terrorism. He said efforts will continue
till the complete elimination of terrorism.
The President paid glowing tributes to
the martyrs for rendering lives for the sake of the country.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq
Kakar expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of nine valiant soldiers in
Bannu Division.
In a tweet , he said such acts are
utterly reprehensible.
The Prime Minister said his thoughts are
with the families of the martyred and injured.
He said Pakistan stands resolute against
such terror.
Source: radio.gov.pk
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https://www.radio.gov.pk/01-09-2023/nine-soldiers-martyred-in-bannu-suicide-attack
------
South Asia
Victims of Foreign Forces' Strikes in
Afghanistan Demand Justice
By ShamsurrahmanKhpalwak
31 August 2023
Families of those killed in airstrikes
by foreign troops in Afghanistan said that during the previous 20 years many
civilians have been killed and injured.
Families demanded justice from
international institutions, especially human rights institutions.
One of the villages that was a target of
night operations, airstrikes, and missile assaults by foreign troops for the
past twenty years is Qala-e-Ander, which is located on the Kabul-Kandahar
highway in Maidan Wardak province.
According to local residents, nearly 300
people died in this village during various operations of foreign forces.
"Foreign forces attacked our house,
my brothers were martyred, our house was destroyed, my mother was injured, my
uncle's house was destroyed. They attacked and bombarded the village, our
fellow villagers were martyred and injured,” said Nik Mohammad, who lost two of
his brothers in the operation of foreign forces in 2015.
"Eight people were martyred and one
was injured, it is known to everyone. See their pictures. They did not deserve
to die,” said Gul Bibi, a victim’s mother.
The targeting of civilians by foreign
troops, according to some family members of the victims, is a crime for which
justice should be served by international courts and human rights
organizations.
"They should come and give us our
rights. They should see our orphans and martyrs. They should be held
accountable. They should see our houses,” said Nazar Mohammad, a resident of
Maidan Wardak.
"They came with a lot of horror.
Lots of atrocities happened in the last twenty years. We ask the international
court to pay our compensation and hand them over to the law,” said Malik
Shahzad, another resident of Maidan Wardak.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184895
------
Afghan Refugees in Pakistan Criticize
Delay in Their Immigration Cases
By Mitra Majeedy,
31 August 2023
Afghan immigrants in Pakistan criticized
the delay of their immigration cases.
Immigrants from Afghanistan said that
the Pakistani military has mistreated them for the past two years and that
their future is uncertain.
This situation has caused some
immigrants to commit suicide.
Maryam Sadat, a citizen of Afghanistan,
committed suicide on Wednesday in Islamabad.
"Three of our young people have
lost their lives in the last two months due to the lack of attention of the
immigrant-receiving countries and their false promises,” said Mir Ahmad Rauf,
the head of the Council of Afghan Immigrants in Pakistan.
"Afghan immigrants are struggling
with mental health issues. If the international community does not pay
attention to their cases, a great humanitarian disaster will occur in
Pakistan,” said Zahir Bahand, a journalist.
Some Afghan immigrants once again
complained about the mistreatment of Pakistani police.
"The immigrants are facing many
problems due to not having Immigration cards, and the military detains them,”
said Malik Awal Khan Miakhail, the head of migrants in the South Zone Council.
The Ministry of Refugees and
Repatriation (MoRR) said that the Afghan embassy in Islamabad is in talks with
Pakistani authorities to solve the problems of Afghan migrants.
According to Abdul Rahman Rashid, deputy
minister of Refugees and Repatriation, citizens of the country are arrested in
Pakistan due to lack of legal documents.
"We have attachés there, and the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives are there, and we communicate
through the consulates. The Afghans who were detained there were released by
the attachés of the Ministry of Refugees and the Foreign Ministry,” Rashid told
TOLOnews.
Based on the data of the MoRR, nearly 3
million citizens of the country are currently migrants in Pakistan.\ Source:
Please click the following URL to read
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Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184899
-----
Over 1,200 Afghan migrants return from
Pakistan
By Fidel Rahmati
August 31, 2023
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Refugees
and Repatriation said that over 1,269 Afghan refugees returned home from
Pakistan via Spin Boldak in Kandahar province.
More than 1,200 Afghan migrants have
returned from Pakistan, with 116 former prisoners released from Karachi jails,
as officials in Spin Boldak confirmed.
The repatriation effort saw 144 families
choosing to return to Afghanistan voluntarily.
Upon registration and submission of the
required documents for processing, the returning Afghan migrants were directed
to the offices of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
These organizations played a pivotal
role in assisting the returnees with their transition and reintegration
process.
Several returnees required medical
assistance due to illness, ensuring their health needs were promptly addressed
as part of the repatriation process.
According to the reports, approximately
50,000 Afghan refugees have been repatriated from Iran in the past month,
according to the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation of Afghanistan.
The Ministry disclosed on its social
media platform X (formerly Twitter) that these refugees entered the country via
the Silk Road and the Islam Qala border crossing.
Of these, 46,838 refugees returned
through the Silk Road, while 2,652 crossed via the Islam Qala border crossing.
Among them, 569 returnees have been
referred to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for further
assistance.
This return surge follows an escalating
trend of Afghan refugees being expelled or voluntarily returning from Iran and
Pakistan.
The Ministry officials have noted a
daily influx of hundreds of Afghan migrants from Iran, contributing to over two
million repatriated refugees in the past two years.
Source:
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https://www.khaama.com/over-1200-afghan-migrants-return-from-pakistan/
------
Biden pledges ongoing support for
Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
August 31, 2023
US President Joe Biden reassures
continued support for the people of Afghanistan on the second anniversary of
the US military withdrawal from the country.
In a statement released on the White
House website, President Joe Biden highlighted that the US remains
Afghanistan’s largest humanitarian assistance donor. He also paid tribute to
the sacrifice of American service members, noting that 2,461 died and 20,744
were wounded throughout the two-decade war.
“These service members dared all,
risked, and gave all to our nation. We owe them and their families a debt we
can never fully repay,” Biden stated.
President Biden lauded the collaborative
efforts of US military members, diplomats, intelligence professionals, and
development specialists who played a crucial role in the two-decade Afghanistan
mission and the subsequent military withdrawal.
“Together, they helped evacuate
approximately 120,000 people in one of the largest airlifts in history.”
President Biden thanked US citizens and
local governments for their support in welcoming over 117,000 Afghan refugees
to the United States. He emphasized the contributions of Afghan allies and
reaffirmed his commitment to stand by them, recognizing their vital role in
Afghanistan and within the nation.
President Biden has called on the US
Congress to approve the Afghan Adjustment Act, a measure designed to establish
a route towards permanent legal status for Afghan refugees. This initiative
aims to address their status and provide a more secure future for those who
have sought refuge in the United States.
After the US withdrawal in August 2021,
Afghanistan’s republic government collapsed, leading to the rapid resurgence of
the Taliban. Amid the evacuation at Kabul International Airport, a suicide
attack resulted in the deaths of 13 US service members and around 170 Afghan
citizens.
Biden’s administration faced sharp
criticism for the chaotic Afghan withdrawal, resulting in Taliban control.
GOP’s Cory Mills moved to impeach Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over the
turmoil. House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul termed the withdrawal a
“massive error” and a “complete surrender” to the Taliban.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/biden-pledges-ongoing-support-for-afghanistan/
------
Bangladesh Nationalist Party stares at
tough times on streets
Sajjad Hossain
Fri Sep 1, 2023
BNP’s Caretaker Movement
The BNP observes its 45th founding
anniversary today amid growing doubts among supporters about the effectiveness
of their movement demanding Awami League government's resignation.
Many leaders and activists feel that the
rallies and processions they have been organising will not cut as they can see
that the party lacks a proper strategy and coordination between top leaders and
the rank and file, a BNP standing committee member told The Daily Star.
They fear that the non-partisan
polls-time administration might be an elusive goal, especially since the BNP
events in August visibly lacked energy and organisation.
"We are going through the toughest
time. The one-point movement [for election under a caretaker government] lacks
public support and direction. If it fails, the BNP may become irrelevant,"
said the leader of a Dhaka city unit, requesting anonymity.
As the party has not been in power for
15 years, the longest the party has ever been in opposition, even the key
leaders doubt whether their party has a future after the parliamentary
election, likely to be held in January.
Insiders say the absence of dynamic
leadership and weakness as an organisation have hamstrung BNP's ability to
launch a united movement.
Since late July, the BNP has been
demonstrating in Dhaka.
The number of people attending the
events was not as large as expected by the top leaders. Besides, the programmes
saw attacks, arrests, and lawsuits against countless activists across
Bangladesh.
From July 28 to August 29, law enforcers
accused 13,430 activists in 327 cases, arrested at least 1,620, and injured
1,250, according to the BNP.
The BNP will observe its anniversary by
placing wreaths at the grave of its founder Ziaur Rahman in the capital at
10:30am, holding a rally in Nayapaltan around 3:00pm, and taking out a
procession after the rally.
In different districts and cities,
discussions and other events will be held, said a statement issued yesterday.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is
restricted from leaving her house and acting chairman Tarique Rahman is leading
the party from London.
The BNP was founded on September 1,
1978, by late president Ziaur Rahman with a 19-point programme "to build a
self-reliant Bangladesh".
The party formed governments four times
-- once under the leadership of Ziaur and thrice under his widow Khaleda Zia.
It boycotted the January 5, 2014 election, but participated in the 2018
election when Khaleda was in jail.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/bnp-stares-tough-times-streets-3408061
------
Bangladesh to end attacks on Nobel
laureate
1 September 2023
By Akbar Hossain & Kelly Ng
in Dhaka and Singapore
More than 170 global figures have called
on Bangladesh's prime minister Sheikh Hasina to stop the
"persecution" of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Prof Yunus - known internationally as
the "banker to the poor" - has been slapped with swathes of lawsuits,
with several more filed in recent weeks.
The open letter said these represented
an assault on democracy.
Ms Hasina responded harshly, accusing
the 83-year-old of "begging" for an international statement.
She added that she welcomed
international experts to assess the ongoing legal proceedings against Prof
Yunus.
While much of the Western world lauds
Prof Yunus for his pioneering use of microloans, Ms Hasina regards the
83-year-old as a public enemy.
She has repeatedly described Prof Yunus
as a "bloodsucker" of the poor and accused his Grameen Bank of
charging exorbitant interest rates.
The bank, which Prof Yunus started in
1983, offers small, long-term loans to help poor people start their own small
businesses. The concept has since taken off around the world. In 2006, Prof
Yunus and the bank were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The letter, whose signatories included
former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Virgin Group founder Richard
Branson and U2 lead singer Bono, asked that the "continuous judicial
harassment" of Prof Yunus be stopped.
"We sincerely wish that he [will]
be able to continue his path-breaking work free of persecution or
harassment," it added.
Muhammad Yunus, 'world's banker to the
poor'
Many believe Prof Yunus' attempt to
create a political party in 2007 with the apparent support of the
military-backed caretaker government angered Ms Hasina, especially because she
was imprisoned at the time.
Prof Yunus did not follow through on the
plan and has since said politics "is not [his] cup of tea".
What are the cases against Prof Yunus?
Last week, 18 ex-employees of Grameen
Telecom, another company Prof Yunus founded, filed a case accusing him of
depriving them of their job benefits.
Separately, on August 22, he went on
trial for supposedly violating labour laws.
They also come just four months before
Bangladesh's next general election and amid growing calls to ensure free and
fair polls.
There have been other cases in the past.
In 2011, Bangladesh's central bank
forced him out of Grameen Bank on the grounds that he had served beyond the
mandatory retirement age of 60.
In 2013, the authorities accused Prof
Yunus of evading taxes on overseas income, which supposedly included his Nobel
Prize award and royalties from a book.
Prof Yunus' lawyer Abdullah Al-Mamun
says these cases are baseless and influenced by the government.
Ali Riaz, a political scientist at
Illinois State University told the BBC that Ms Hasina "deeply
resents" Prof Yunus' iconic standing in the world, even though he has not
recently expressed any political ambitions.
Some believe Ms Hasina fears Prof Yunus'
reputation soaring above that of her late father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman whom
many Bangladeshis revere as the man who led their country to independence. He
was assassinated in 1975.
The regime's sustained attacks on Prof
Yunus also represent a growing intolerance of dissent, threatening the
democratic principles on which it was founded, Prof Riaz said.
"The sudden rush in filing the
cases and trying to get a speedy trial indicates that fairness and justice are
not the objectives but instead making an example out of him is the goal.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66667433
------
Mideast
Libya’s PM rejects normalization with
Israel following secret meeting of ministers
AP
August 31, 2023
CAIRO: One of Libya’s rival prime
ministers rejected Thursday the prospect of normalizing relations with Israel
days after news broke of a secret meeting between the countries’ two foreign
ministers.
Last Sunday, the Israeli Foreign
Minister Eli Cohen publicly announced that he and Libya’s foreign minister had
held a private meeting in Rome the previous week, the first ever between top
diplomats from both countries.
The next day, Libya’s Prime Minister
Abdul Hamid Dbeibah suspended Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush and launched
investigation into the meeting. It is illegal to normalize ties with Israel
under a 1957 law in Libya, which has long been hostile toward Israel and
supportive of the Palestinians.
“We affirm our rejection of any form of
normalization,” Dbeibah said during a televised ministerial meeting on Thursday
evening. “Long live Libya, long live Palestine, and long live the Palestinian
cause in all of our hearts,” he remarked.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry declined to
comment on Dbeibah’s remarks.
The meeting ignited angry street
protests in several Libyan cities, prompting Mangoush to flee to Turkiye for
fear of her safety. Her exact whereabouts remain unknown.
“Unfortunately there was an individual
in the government who acted independently,” Dbeibah said in reference to the
Rome meeting. Harsh measures would be taken in response, he added, but provided
no further details.
Two senior Libyan government officials
previously told The Associated Press that the prime minister did in fact know
about the talks between his foreign minister and the Israeli chief diplomat.
One of the officials said Dbeibah gave his approval the meeting, while the
second said Mangoush then briefed the prime minister about it after her return
to Tripoli.
The second official also said Dbeibah
gave his initial approval for joining the US-brokered Abraham Accords, but he
was concerned about public backlash in a country where the support for the
Palestinian cause is strong. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity
because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Libya slid into chaos after a
NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. For
years, the country has split between the Western-backed government in Tripoli
and a rival administration in the country’s east. Each side has been backed by
armed groups and foreign governments.
Source: arabnews.com
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Houthi missiles hit Marib as GCC chief
arrives in Aden
AEED AL-BATATI
August 31, 2023
AL-MUKALLA: Houthi attacks continued in
Yemen on Thursday as the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council
arrived in the port city of Aden.
The militia reportedly fired four
missiles at camps for displaced people in Marib. They hit three camps but
caused no damage or injuries to the civilian population, according to the
government’s executive unit for camps for internally displaced people.
The unit urged the international
community to protect Yemeni civilians from Houthi aggression and said: “The
Houthi militia’s attacks on cities and civilian hiding places are heinous acts
that threaten the safety and stability of society. We demand immediate action
to control and bring to justice these militias.”
GCC chief Jassem Mohammed Al-Budaiwi
visited Aden on Thursday to show support for the country’s Presidential
Leadership Council and push for peace efforts to end the war. It was the first
time in several years that he had visited Yemen, and he met the leader of the
council, Rashad Al-Alimi, Yemen’s official media reported.
During the meeting, Al-Budaiwi
reaffirmed the GCC’s support for the leadership council and its efforts to
restore peace and stability, and for the intensifying UN-led peace process. He
also called for the implementation of all provisions of the 2019 Riyadh
Agreement, designed to ease tensions between factions in Yemen, and thanked
Saudi Arabia and Oman for their efforts as mediators during the conflict.
“The visit of the Gulf Cooperation
Council secretary-general to the interim capital, Aden, confirms the Gulf’s
continued support for Yemeni legitimacy, as well as the Gulf’s support for the
government’s efforts to establish security, stability, development and the
provision of services to citizens,” Abdul Baset Al-Qaedi, undersecretary at
Yemen’s Information Ministry, told Arab News.
Yemeni officials said the GCC has been
playing an important role in defusing tensions in Yemen for more than a decade,
and its peace efforts resulted in two significant power transitions.
Under the 2011 GCC Peace Initiative,
former President Ali Abdullah Saleh ceded power to his deputy, Abed Rabbo
Mansour Hadi. In 2022, the GCC-sponsored Riyadh Consultation on Yemen brought
together hundreds of Yemenis from across the political, religious, social and
tribal spectrum in a single forum that resulted in the formation of the
Presidential Leadership Council.
Al-Budaiwi’s trip to Aden coincided with
visits by Hans Grundberg, the UN’s special envoy for Yemen, to a number of
regional cities in an attempt to persuade factions in the country to renew a
UN-brokered truce and strike a peace agreement.
The UN envoy had visited
government-controlled Marib on Wednesday, where he met Sultan Al-Aradah, the
city’s governor and a member of the leadership council, to discuss peace
efforts and other issues.
Al-Aradah told the envoy that the
Houthis are not serious about ending the conflict in Yemen and are
collaborating with terrorist organizations to undermine the peace process.
Source: arabnews.com
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US exploring land border delineation
between Lebanon, Israel: White House adviser
REUTERS
August 31, 2023
BEIRUT: The United States is exploring
the possibility of resolving the long-standing border dispute between Lebanon
and Israel, senior White House adviser Amos Hochstein said on Thursday at the
end of a two-day visit to Lebanon.
Hochstein said it was “natural” to look
into the issue following the delineation in 2022 of the maritime border between
the two countries, which paved the way for offshore exploration activities to
begin on behalf of Lebanon last week.
The senior White House adviser said he
visited southern Lebanon during his trip “to understand and learn more about
what is needed to be able to potentially achieve an outcome.”
“It is time for me to hear from the
other side, and to make an assessment if this is a right time,” he said.
The current demarcation line between the
two countries is known as the Blue Line, a frontier mapped by the United
Nations that marks the line to which Israeli forces withdrew when they left
south Lebanon in 2000.
Tensions have flared along it this
summer, with rockets being fired at Israel during flare-ups of
Israeli-Palestinian violence, and members of the heavily armed Lebanese group
Hezbollah or its supporters facing off with Israeli forces.
Lebanon’s caretaker foreign minister
Abdallah Bou Habib said last week that determining the land border could put an
end to those tensions.
The UN peacekeeping force known as
UNIFIL, which had its one-year mandate renewed on Thursday, has hosted meetings
of Lebanon, Israel and the United Nations on points of contention preventing
the delineation of the land border.
Source: arabnews.com
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US arms control official to visit
Israel, Turkiye next week to discuss security issues
ARAB NEWS
September 01, 2023
LONDON: A senior US official is set to
travel to Israel and Turkiye next week to discuss security issues and weapons
control, the State Department said on Thursday.
“Assistant Secretary of State for Arms
Control, Verification and Compliance, Mallory Stewart, will travel to Jerusalem
and Ankara during the week of Sept. 4-9,” the State Department said in a
statement.
“In Jerusalem, she will meet with
officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for discussions on strategic
stability, multilateral arms control, responsible uses of artificial
intelligence and space security,” it added.
Meanwhile, in the Turkish capital,
Ankara, Stewart will hold talks with officials from the Foreign Ministry and
the Ministry of National Defense “on strategic stability, risk reduction, and
current arms control and security matters.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Jordan, Turkiye discuss cooperation in
higher education
ARAB NEWS
August 31, 2023
AMMAN: Mamoun Al-Debi’e,
secretary-general of Jordan’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific
Research, has met a delegation from Turkish universities to discuss ways of
strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Al-Debi’e highlighted the value of
Jordan’s higher education and the advantages that attract international
students to study at local universities, Jordan News Agency reported.
He noted the recently issued bylaw for
the recognition of diplomas from non-Jordanian higher education institutions,
emphasizing the ministry’s flexibility in assisting it to recognize
international universities and streamline the enrollment procedure for
students.
The meeting also looked at facilitating
visits between faculty members and researchers employed in Jordanian and
Turkish universities.
Source: arabnews.com
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-----
Africa
My Way of Life Converted My Wife Mercy
Aigbeto Islam, Says Adekaz
September 1, 2023
Alhaji Kazeem Adeoti aka Adekaz has
opened up on how his way of life and personality influenced his wife, Mercy
Aigbe’s conversion to Islam.
In a chat with The Nation, Adekaz said
he never forced, imposed, nor suggested to the star actress to convert to Islam
when she did a few months back.
“The word influence is relative because
you could influence somebody by a way of life. I never forced, I never imposed,
in fact, I never suggested but I just believe that she was just influenced by
my way of worship and doing things, so I guess I was able to influence her
positively. Not only in terms of religion but also in other positive ways,” he
said.
Continuing, the businessman, film
producer and politician said he would be fine, if Aigbe had remained a
Christian.
“Of course yes. I never said she would
have to practise Islam if she was going to get married to me, we never had that
conversation. I have a lot of cousins, friends, nephews and nieces that are
Christians and even in my family, we are mixed when it comes to religion,” he
said.
Adekaz, who co-owns IbakaTV, also
affirmed his involvement in politics as well as his readiness to serve if
called upon. He said, “Yes, I have always been a politician, it’s just that I
was trying to see how possible I could be available to be in active politics
and serve and I think it wasn’t the right time but we are in the game.”
Source: thenationonlineng.net
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Niger: Nobody is interested in war –
Tinubu tells Islamic council
31st August 2023
Deborah Tolu-Kolawole
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said
all diplomatic options would be exhausted with the military junta in Niger
Republic before any last resort of military intervention would come into the
picture, insisting that any forceful removal of a democratic government
remained “wholly unacceptable,” a statement by the State House said.
Receiving the Nigeria Supreme Council of
Islamic Affairs, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, at the
State House, President Tinubu noted that the alternative of kinetic
intervention in Niger Republic had not been jettisoned.
“I must thank you for your several
visits to Niger Republic, Your Eminence, but you will still have to go back. My
fear has been confirmed in Gabon that copycats will start doing the same thing
until it is stopped. We are neighbours with Niger Republic, and what has joined
Nigerians together with their great people cannot be broken. Nobody is
interested in a war. We have seen the devastation in Ukraine and Sudan. But, if
we don’t wield the big stick, we will all suffer the consequences together,”
the President warned.
President Tinubu noted that Nigeria,
under General Abdulsalami Abubakar, instituted a nine-month transition
programme in 1998, and it proved very successful, leading the country into a
new era of democratic governance. The President said he saw no reason why such
could not be replicated in Niger, if their military authorities were sincere.
“Your Eminence, please don’t get tired,
you will still go back there. The soldiers’ action is unacceptable. The earlier
they made positive adjustments, the quicker we will dial back the sanctions to
alleviate the sufferings we are seeing in Niger,” the President affirmed.
On the hardship faced by many Nigerians
post-fuel subsidy removal, the President assured that all ongoing reforms would
liberate and reposition the economy, which would benefit the majority of the
population in terms of opportunities, infrastructure, healthcare and education.
“Nigeria is headed for a promise. Our
diversity will turn into prosperity, not adversity. We will build a country
that our children will be proud of,” the President says.
The President told the delegation that
the Federal Government had opened talks with the state governments to provide
land for the proper sustenance of animals with a view to developing
pan-national animal husbandry and agro-allied production and processing
facilities for mass export, job creation and revenue generation.
“If Nigeria is still looking for
vaccines for basic health issues; if infant and maternal mortality are rampant,
then we should examine ourselves. I will commit to consulting with other
leaders, like the NSCIA, and we will meet the needs of our people,” he said.
In his contribution at the meeting, Vice
President Kashim Shettima said the President had budgeted N50 billion to
support the ongoing rebuilding of lives and property in the North- West and
North-East, and with a new focus on dialogue to address security challenges.
The Sultan of Sokoto pledged “one
hundred per cent loyalty” to the President, affirming that a leader can only
reach a position by the will of God, and not man.
His Eminence assured the President that
the NSCIA would be available to advise and support President Tinubu to realise
his dream for the country, adding that “God will hold all leaders to account,
in justice and fairness.”
He suggested that the distribution of
palliatives across the country should be monitored and augmented, where it
fails to reach some of the people in dire need.
“I honestly believe we will come out of
the challenges stronger,” the Sultan of Sokoto concluded.
Source: punchng.com
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------
Nigerian Police Arrest Two Suspected
Kidnappers In Anambra, Operating In Shuttle Bus
August 31, 2023
Nigerian police operatives from the
Anambra State command attached to the Area Command Headquarters, Onitsha have
arrested two suspected kidnappers, rescued a kidnap victim, and recovered arms
and a vehicle.
The Anambra State Police Public
Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who made this known in a statement on
Thursday, said that the officers while on township patrol on Wednesday received
a distress call at about 9.30pm of a kidnap incident around Borromeo
Roundabout.
According to the police spokesperson,
the operatives responded to the distress call and caught up with a shuttle bus
in which the kidnapped victim was held.
“The highly trained operatives
professionally engaged the kidnappers in a shootout without harming the hostage
who was rescued unhurt.
“Two suspects were arrested at the scene
while others managed to escape with gunshot wounds. The Police team recovered
one Barreta pistol, nine rounds of 9MM live ammunition, and a shuttle bus
without number plates which the criminals used for the kidnap operation.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Aderemi
Adeoye, while commending Police Operatives for the remarkable feat, charged
them to intensify efforts aimed at apprehending the fleeing gang members. He
also called on hospitals in the area to report anyone presenting gunshot
injuries while treatment is ongoing to save lives.”
Source: saharareporters.com
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-----
Rep panel threatens accountant-general
with arrest
August 31, 2023
The House of Representatives Ad hoc
committee investigating non-remittance to National Housing Fund (NHF) and
utilisation of funds, says the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF),
Oluwatoyin Madein, must appear before it.
The committee says she should appear
before it on 7 September or face an arrest warrant.
The committee said this at its resumed
sitting in Abuja on Thursday when the Director, Integrated Personnel Payroll
Information System (IPPIS), appeared before it over non-remittance to NHF.
The committee had invited IPPIS, a
department in the Office of AGF to explain why it had not remitted to NHF.
However, disturbed by the information
given by the IPPIS director, the committee said the AGF should appear in
person.
A letter brought by the Director of
IPPIS to explain why the AGF could not appear today did not assuage the
feelings of the committee, thereby, forcing the committee to re-invite Mrs
Madein.
The committee said the IPPIS director
could not answer most of the questions posed to him, adding that he should come
with the AGF and must be ready to give further explanation on 7 September.
The Chairman of the committee, Dachung
Bagos, said, “We cannot take the same man that could not give us the
information we need from the Office of the Accountant General of the
Federation.
“The speaker requested fair hearing from
us and we wouldn’t want to be seen as witch hunting anyone. We would give the
fair hearing for the AGF to appear another day.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
that IPPIS had claimed it had challenges in remitting to NHF.
The committee also asked Remital, a
private organisation that remits the funds, to also reappear on 7 September
because IPPIS was not ready to answer questions from the committee.
The chairman of the committee commended
Remital for appearing before it with requisite documents. He blamed IPPIS for
not ready with necessary documents to quiz the organisation
Also appearing at the investigative
hearing are the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), United Bank for Africa (UBA),
Zenith Bank, Sterling Bank, Heritage Bank.
Mr Bagos said there was a need to know
the investment of the banking sector according to the NHF Act that set up the
NHF.
In his presentation, the General Manager
of UBA, Eke Ogba, said it had remitted about N2.5 billion from January 2011 to
July 2023 to NHF.
“This is a huge sum. We have given the
summary monthly. We have also given the summary of what is deducted monthly on
each worker.
“I do not have the knowledge of
investment; we only deduct and remit. I will get the details of the investment;
all we have is how much has been deducted from each staff member,” he said.
Source: premiumtimesng.com
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Southeast Asia
Using Race, Religion for Political Gain
Not Good for Country: Sarawak Premier
31 Aug 2023
MUKAH – The attitude of certain leaders
who are willing to play up the issue of race and religion just to gain
political backing is not good for the country, especially when Malaysia is
facing various global challenges, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari
Openg.
He said this was because such desperate
action could split the unity of the multiracial community and distract the
country from focusing on using all its resources to implement comprehensive
development.
“In conjunction with this year’s
National Day celebrations, let us all strive to understand that the interests
of the country should prevail over everything else.
“The country needs a strong government
to shoulder the responsibility of planning a clear economic direction towards
making Malaysia a high-income nation so that we understand the true meaning of
independence,” he said at the 2023 Sarawak-level 66th National Day celebration
at the Mukah Polytechnic Hall here today.
Malaysia, he said, has managed to
diversify its economy from agriculture and commodities to an economy driven by
manufacturing and services activities to become the main exporter of electric
and electronic goods.
He said that based on a World Bank
report, the country’s economic growth has averaged around 5.4% since 2010 and
the country is expected to transition from an upper middle-income economy to a
high-income economy by 2024.
“However, we must not be complacent and
continue to ‘bicker’ with one another because that will tend to take us towards
division in terms of differences in religion and race or in terms of region.
“If we are suspicious of one another and
are busy ‘fighting’ as the late Tok Nan (Tan Sri Adenan Satem) said, then all
our energy and thoughts will only be focused on defeating our rivals,” he said.
As such, Abang Johari said our
appreciation of the struggles of former leaders is not just chanting the slogan
“Merdeka” but to continue strengthening the spirit of unity and the spirit of
mutual respect between the races so that the country can move forward with
confidence and courage towards becoming a nation that is respected in this
region and in the whole world.
Regarding Sarawak’s economic growth,
Abang Johari said the region’s income had increased one and a half times to
RM12 billion last year and has also been recognised by the World Bank as a
high-income state with a gross national income per capita of RM61,442 or
US$13,205.
“However, we are not totally happy with
this achievement because the people’s household income stood at RM4,978 in
2022, it has yet to reach the national level,” he said. – Bernama, August 31,
2023
Source: thevibes.com
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DAP leader Sheikh Umar defends
‘Malaysian Malaysia’ clause, says not unconstitutional
By Muhammad Yusry
01 Sep 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 — DAP’s “Malaysian
Malaysia” slogan in Clause II of its party constitution is not in violation of
the Federal Constitution, central executive committee (CEC) member Sheikh Umar
Bagharib Ali told a news portal last night.
He was responding to a suggestion from a
bitter foe-turned-ally for the DAP to amend its constitution to woo Malay
voters who disagree with its ideas on secularism, Free Malaysia Today reported.
“There is no issue with ‘Malaysian
Malaysia’ as that spirit aligns with the essence of the Federal Constitution
“Elements, such as (Malay) language,
Malay privileges, religion and more are already explicitly provided in the
Federal Constitution,” he was quoted as saying.
Sheikh Umar who is also the Johor DAP
vice-chief said the slogan should not be seen as threatening the country’s
diverse cultures.
The former Paloh assemblyman said DAP
followed the requirements for an organisation's registration as well as the
Federal Constitution when it was formed.
“Until today, DAP operates as a
legitimate political party and participates in general elections,” he was
quoted as saying.
Yesterday, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul
Hadi Awang said his party stopped working with the DAP when the latter insisted
the Islamist party embrace secularism.
PAS and DAP were previously partners in
the same Pakatan Rakyat coalition formed in 2008, the forerunner to the current
ruling Pakatan Harapan.
Prior to that, PAS and DAP had teamed up
to form Barisan Alternatif in the reformasi era of the late 1990s to take on
the Barisan Nasional coalition in the general elections.
Last Wednesday, Umno supreme council
member Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed called on new ally DAP to amend its party
constitution in order for the federal government coalition to gain support from
Malay voters.
Nur Jazlan said Umno is having
difficulties in doing so due to the perception of DAP’s purported “extreme”
views on a secular state and “Malaysian Malaysia” slogan.
Despite Nur Jazlan’s claim, Clause II in
DAP’s party constitution only describes the Federal Constitution as a secular
document and a “secular framework as the supreme law of the land”
Another article under the clause
promoting national integration also called for the party to “infuse a national
spirit and unity amongst all races to forge a common identity of a united
Malaysian Malaysia”.
Since DAP became part of the unity
government, both the party and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim have
insisted that it respects the positions of Malays, Islam and Malay Rulers in
the country.
Source: malaymail.com
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Loke: Preliminary report on Elmina crash
expected second week of Sept
Dawn Chan
September 1, 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: The preliminary report of
the doomed Beechcraft Model 390 (Premier 1) crash is expected to be released
during the second week of September, said Anthony Loke.
The Transport Minister said the
30-minute audio of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was still being analysed by
the ministry's Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) after the data was
transmitted from the United States on Monday.
"As I have promised, the
preliminary report will be out within 30 days of the Aug 17 incident.
"The deadline is Sept 17. I want to
do it before Malaysia Day (Sept 16)," he said at the Malaysian
International Trade and Exhibition Centre, here, today.
Loke had earlier this week said the
preliminary report will be published on the ministry's website and handed over
to the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Loke added that AAIB head
Brigadier-General Tan Chee Kee will be flying home tomorrow from the US.
Tan was expected to return to Malaysia
immediately after the successful audio extraction on Monday but it had to be
delayed due to the Category 3 hurricane in Florida.
On Tuesday, Loke said the CVR audio was
successfully extracted and the voice recording of the aircraft in the Aug 17
crash in Bandar Elmina, Shah Alam was very clear and in good condition.
The data was successfully downloaded and
transmitted back to Malaysia via a safe e-mail system and investigators had
begun to process, analyse and investigate in the lab.
On Aug 17, 10 people were killed in the
deadly private jet crash on the Guthrie Highway near Bandar Elmina, just
minutes from landing at the nearby Subang's Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport from
Langkawi.
Initial investigations showed that the
aircraft with eight people onboard veered to the right from its flight path
before the crash.
The victims were six passengers,
including Pahang's Pelangai state assemblyman Datuk Seri Johari Harun, two
pilots and two on the ground motorists who were struck by the aircraft.
CAAM chief executive officer Datuk
Captain Norazman Mahmud had said the aircraft departed from Langkawi
International Airport at 2.08pm bound for Subang's Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah
Airport.
The first contact made by the aircraft
with Subang Air Traffic Control Tower was at 2.47pm and landing clearance was
given at 2.48pm, he said.
At 2.51pm, the Subang Air Traffic
Control Tower observed smoke plummeting from the crash site but no mayday call
was made by the aircraft, he added.
The victims, as listed in the flight
manifest were Johari, 53; Kharil Azwan Jamaludin, 43; Shaharul Amir Omar, 49;
Mohamad Naim Fawwaz Mohamed Muaidi, 35; Muhammad Taufiq Mohd Zaki, 37; and
Idris Abdol Talib @ Ramali, 41.
The aircraft, confirmed to be airworthy,
was piloted by Shahrul Kamal Roslan, 41, and assisted by Heikal Aras Abdul
Azim, 45, who were both experienced and had valid licences.
Rescue workers recovered one intact body
and human remains were removed from the scene and brought to the Tengku Ampuan
Rahimah Hospital in Klang for post mortem.
The victims' next-of-kin were also asked
to give their DNA samples at the Klang Selatan district police headquarters for
identification purposes.
On Aug 18, the AAIB began analysing the
CVR.
Loke said investigators managed to open
the CVR and removed the memory puck component that contained the voice
recording data from the plane.
However, they were unable to recover the
data as it was badly damaged.
Singapore's Transport Safety
Investigation Bureau offered their help to obtain the data.
On Aug 21, Loke said the CVR would be
sent to Florida after Singaporean investigators had difficulties in data
extraction from the memory puck.
On Aug 24, Tan and his team of
investigators left for Florida for the data retrieval process.
Source: nst.com.my
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------
Indonesia minister confident M’sia ties
to remain intact amid global challenges
01 Sep 2023
JAKARTA – Indonesia’s Human Resources
Minister Ida Fauziyah expressed confidence that the bilateral relationship
between Indonesia and Malaysia will remain intact amid a dynamic and
challenging global situation.
He believes that ties in the economic,
trade and investment sectors can be further improved through the joint
commitment of both countries to strengthen cooperation across various fields.
“Malaysia is Indonesia’s second-largest
trading partner and ranked fifth in investment in 2022,” he said at the 66th
Malaysia National Day reception last night.
Cooperation also extends to the
sub-regional level through the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle and
the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area.
The visits of national leaders also
strengthened the relationship, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s
visit here in January and President Joko Widodo’s visit to Putrajaya in June,
he said.
Regarding efforts to increase protection
for Indonesian workers in Malaysia, Ida Fauziyah affirmed that close
cooperation is ongoing and welcomed by the Malaysian government.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Ambassador to
Indonesia Datuk Syed Md Hasrin Tengku Hussin was happy with the level of close
relations at the government, economic and investment levels as well as between
the people of the two countries so far.
“Insya-Allah, next week, the prime
minister will lead the Malaysian delegation to the 43rd Asean Summit in Jakarta
and this will be his third visit to Indonesia this year,” he said.
The reception organised by the embassy
was jovial and attended by more than a thousand guests including the former
vice president of Indonesia Jusuf Kalla, politicians and leaders of the
Indonesian government, the diplomatic corps, the business community, the media,
and the Malaysian diaspora. – Bernama, September 1, 2023
Source: thevibes.com
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Muhyiddin, Hadi ‘stubborn’, don’t want
to see PH-BN cooperate: Rayer
01 Sep 2023
JOHOR BARU – A DAP lawmaker has
denounced attempts by Perikatan Nasional (PN) to cause the fall of the federal
unity government, saying that they are motivated by jealousy and ill feelings
following the strong cooperation and working relationship between Pakatan
Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN).
Jelutong MP RSN Rayer claimed that the
strong negative sentiments PN leaders have expressed against the unity
government after the last general election show that they totally disregard the
harmony of the people and the development of the nation.
In contrast, he said, elected
representatives from both PH and BN remain strong and will abide by the king’s
call to set aside all differences and work together for the nation.
“Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had rejected
calls to set up a unity government, while Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang wants to see
the fall of the government.”
Muhyiddin is chairman of PN and
president of component Bersatu, while Hadi is president of PAS.
“They are both stubborn and do not want
to see PH and BN work well together,” Rayer alleged.
“They do not want to stop seeking ways
to topple the government,” he said after accompanying the PH candidate for the
Pulai parliamentary seat, SuhaizanKaiat, to meet the Indian community in Tampoi
recently.
Rayer said that he had personally
accepted the working relationship between PH and BN as it has been proven to be
successful and also in line with what the king wants.
“Yes, we used to oppose Umno in the
past, but now we are friends and will work together for the people,” he added.
Muhyiddin had in fact characterised the
pledge to support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to head the unity
government as unconstitutional and invalid as early as December last year, the
month after the general election and the formation of the government.
However, Anwar won a motion of
confidence in the Dewan Rakyat through a voice vote on December 19.
This came after the coalitions of PH,
BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, and Warisan signed an
agreement in Putrajaya on December 16 to seal their cooperation in the unity
government.
Other objectives contained in the
agreement include upholding the supremacy and rule of law, the independence of
the judiciary and public institutions, and the effectiveness and
professionalism of the security forces.
The agreement also spelt out the need to
strengthen the principle of separation of powers between the executive,
legislative and judicial branches so that the federal government has strong
checks and balances to prevent centralisation of power and abuse.
Following the conclusion of the
six-state elections on August 12, Muhyiddin had characterised the results as a
referendum showing that the majority had rejected the unity government.
He said PN had captured 60% or 146
seats, mostly Malay-majority constituencies, out of the 245 seats up for grabs
in the state polls. Notably, PN successfully retained control of Kedah,
Kelantan, and Terengganu, he added.
Hadi has also in the past defended the
opposition’s democratic right to overthrow the government, claiming that the
Yang di-PertuanAgong’s decree for a unity government is no stumbling block for
such attempts. – The Vibes, September 1, 2023
Source: thevibes.com
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------
Thailand’s jailed ex-PM Thaksin submits
royal pardon request
01 Sep 2023
BANGKOK – Thailand’s jailed former prime
minister Thaksin Shinawatra has requested a royal pardon for the eight-year
jail term he is serving, outgoing justice minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said.
However, he did not elaborate further on
whether the application was written by Thaksin or his family.
“We have received (the request), the
rest will be according to the procedure,” he was quoted saying by Bangkok Post.
He added that the length of the process
depends on the length of the king’s considerations.
Officials said the process may take one
to two months depending on the number of sufficient documents submitted.
The pardon application process in
Thailand begins with the prisoner submitting an application to the justice
minister through the Corrections Department. Then, the minister forwards the
application to the prime minister, who sends it to the privy council for a
recommendation. It is then submitted to King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
74-year-old Thaksin returned to Thailand
on August 22 after a 15-year self-imposed exile. On the same day, the Supreme
Court sentenced the former prime minister to eight years in prison for
corruption charges.
He was hospitalised at Police General
Hospital for health problems few hours into his first night in the Bangkok
Remand Prison. Thaksin complained of chest pains, high blood pressure, low
blood oxygen level and insomnia when detained at the prison medical ward.
Prison medical officers said he needed
close monitoring.
Earlier this week, an anti-Thaksin group
had lodged a complaint with the Corrections Department opposing Thaksin’s
attempt to seek a royal pardon, arguing that there should be no clemency for
corruption cases because they have gravely damaged the country’s governance and
reputation.
Thaksin’s homecoming occurred just hours
before SretthaThavisin of the Pheu Thai Party won a parliamentary vote to
become Thailand’s prime minister.
The Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai Party has
formed a coalition government with 11 other parties, including two
military-linked rivals: PalangPracharath Party and the United Thai Nation.
This has sparked speculation that an
agreement was made to cut Thaksin’s jail term. – Bernama, September 1, 2023
Source: thevibes.com
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Indonesia rejects Pentagon’s ‘joint
statement’ on China and Russia
1 Sep, 2023
Indonesia’s military chief has denied
issuing any shared statements with his US counterpart during a visit to
Washington last week, after the Pentagon published a “joint” press release
attributed to Jakarta which criticized Moscow and Beijing.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday,
Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said the US statement does not reflect his
country’s positions, stating that Indonesia seeks friendly relations with both
Russia and China.
“There is no joint statement and no
press conference. What is important for me to underline is that our
relationship with China is very good. We respect each other, we already have
mutual understanding. I conveyed that in the US,” he said, adding “We are close
friends with China, we respect America, and we seek friendship with Russia.”
The official went on to announce plans
to visit Beijing and Moscow in the coming months, voicing hopes that Jakarta
could serve as a “bridge” between rival states.
Russia and China have no border dispute
– MoscowREAD MORE: Russia and China have no border dispute – Moscow
The Pentagon missive, published on
August 24 was titled ‘United States DoD and Indonesia MoD Joint Press
Statement’ and took on a different tone. It claimed that both the US and
Indonesia “shared the view that the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) expansive
maritime claims in the South China Sea are inconsistent with international
law.” It also went on to “jointly” condemn Moscow’s actions in Ukraine,
demanding a “complete and unconditional withdrawal” of Russian forces.
Though Indonesia’s Defense Ministry
noted Subianto’s meetings with Pentagon head Lloyd Austin, it made no mention
of any joint statement with Washington, and offered no comments about Russia or
China.
Beijing was quick to jump on the
American statement, with China’s embassy in Jakarta claiming the remarks had
not been approved by Indonesian officials beforehand.
“We’re informed by the Indonesian side
that what the US side described is not true. In fact, no such content can be
found in the press release by the Indonesian side at the same meeting,” the
embassy told reporters last weekend, slamming US efforts to “to sow discord and
stir up trouble.”
US Navy vows to counter China’s
‘aggressive behavior’ – mediaREAD MORE: US Navy vows to counter China’s
‘aggressive behavior’ – media
During Subianto’s trip to the US, the
two countries agreed to boost military cooperation, including joint war games
and additional US weapons sales. The Pentagon further said Washington would
help Jakarta’s military modernization drive, proposing “fighter aircraft
upgrades, new multi-role fighter aircraft, and additional fixed and rotary wing
transport aircraft,” among other gear.
Highlighting the growing military ties,
Indonesian officials announced a deal to purchase 24 Sikorsky S-70M Black Hawk
transport helicopters from US arms giant Lockheed Martin last week, soon after
signing a major contract with Boeing for two-dozen F-15 fighter jets. Jakarta
is working to revamp its air fleet, which currently operates systems from
several different countries, including both US- and Russian-made fighter jets.
Source: rt.com
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-----
North America
US, Germany involved in training Saudi
forces accused of carnage at Yemen border: Report
01 September 2023
American and German military advisors
have reportedly trained Saudi soldiers accused of targeting civilians and
carrying out “deliberate mass killings” on the border with Yemen.
British daily newspaper The Guardian
reported that German federal police service and the US military have been
involved in training Saudi border guards who have been accused by Human Rights
Watch (HRW) of carrying out a targeted campaign resulting in the deaths of
hundreds of Ethiopian migrants.
A report by the HRW last month suggests
the possibility of a crime against humanity, painting a harrowing picture of
the violence faced by individuals attempting to cross the Saudi border from
Yemen. HRW's investigation, which included interviews with numerous Ethiopian
survivors, satellite imagery analysis, and forensic examination of wounds,
unveils a distressing pattern of extreme brutality. Witness accounts depict
scenes of mass killings, including women and children falling victim to
shelling.
The Guardian reported that Saudi
authorities have been treating illegal incursions along the Yemen-Saudi border
as a “counter-terrorism” issue, which allows them to respond to the movement of
people across the border with lethal force.
According to the US training agreement,
Washington was required to monitor how the training was being used. The
agreement also stated that those being trained were only allowed to operate
defensively, to protect themselves and their sites from attacks.
Yemen’s al-Masirah news channel has
revealed footage of what it described as a mass grave containing dozens of
African migrants killed by Saudi border guards.
A source told the newspaper that Saudi
Arabia uses extensive electronic surveillance that makes it possible to
differentiate between groups of migrants and those involved in armed incursions
or drug smugglers.
The training of Saudi authorities by the
US military is part of a long-running program known as Ministry of
Interior-Military Assistance Group (MOI-MAG), which dates back to 2008.
“The US army Security Assistance Command
provided border guards training, which had been funded for a period from
2015-2023, with the funding period ending in July this year,” a US official
told The Guardian.
German training of Saudi forces started
in 2009 and paused only briefly following the gruesome killing of prominent
dissident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul
back in October 2018.
The training partnerships between Saudi
forces and the United States and Germany were purportedly agreed as part of the
kingdom's efforts to bolster its security.
For years, Ethiopian and Yemeni refugees
and migrants have sought to cross the border into Saudi Arabia. Many of them
are escaping economic hardship and conflict at home, with Saudi Arabia being a
favored final destination as well as a transit point toward other Persian Gulf
states.
The journey has become increasingly
dangerous in recent years. Around 430 deaths and more than 650 injuries were
recorded between the January 1 and April 30, 2022 period alone.
Earlier this month, Ethiopian survivors
recounted how they were shot with heavy machine guns at Saudi Arabia's border
with its southern neighbor.
One described being directly targeted by
border guards, who would “aim and fire at large rocks, which would send
shrapnel and stone flying in multiple directions and maximize casualties
amongst the refugees.”
Saudi authorities are covering rampant
human rights abuses at its migrant detention centers while continuing to arrest
foreign migrants in a vicious witch-hunt, says a report.
Activists have asked why Saudi forces
were unable to differentiate between civilians and those who are armed.
The kingdom's surveillance technologies
include CCTV, ground monitor sensors and thermal imaging, which help pick up on
people's movement and location.
In October, several UN special
rapporteurs highlighted the killings in a letter, describing them as “gross
human rights violations against migrants.”
Saudi authorities have denied
responsibility, saying that they found no evidence to show violations.
‘Presence of US occupation forces to
escalate Yemen crisis’
Meanwhile, a senior member of Yemen’s
popular Ansarullah resistance movement says the presence of US occupation
forces on Yemeni soil is “contrary to international law,” and suggests a new
bout of aggression and blockade against Yemen.
Ali al-Qahoum, a member of Ansarullah's
political bureau, told Lebanon’s Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news
network that US military presence in Yemen hints at a surge in military attacks
on Yemen.
The Yemeni Ansurallh resistance movement
has warned US Navy vessels against approaching the Arab country’s territorial
waters.
Qahoum highlighted that terrorists from
al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Daesh Takfiri groups, are
sponsored by the West and spread both in Yemen and across the Middle East to
advance their colonial schemes.
He highlighted that the Sana’a-based
National Salvation Government, Yemeni nation and Ansarullah chief Abdul-Malik
al-Houthi are closely monitoring the movements of US and other foreign
occupation forces in Yemen.
Such deployments run contrary to all
international principles, and will not last long whatever the justification,
Qahoum pointed out.
Source: presstv.ir
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------
US military calls for end of fighting in
east Syria and warns it could lead to IS resurgence
01 September, 2023
The United States military called for an end
to days of fighting between rival U.S.-backed groups in east Syria Thursday,
warning it may help the resurgence of the Islamic State group.
The fighting that broke out Monday — and
left at least 40 people dead and dozens wounded in the eastern oil-rich
province of Deir el-Zour — was the worst in years. East Syria is where hundreds
of U.S. troops have been based since 2015 to help battle IS militants.
The clashes pitted members of the
Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces against its former ally the Arab-led Deir
el-Zour Military Council and some regional Arab tribesmen who had sided with
them.
The Combined Joint Task Force -
Operation Inherent Resolve said in a statement that it continues to closely
monitor events in northeast Syria adding that “we remain focused on working
with the Syrian Defense Forces to ensure the enduring defeat of Daesh, in
support of regional security and stability.” It used the Arabic acronym to
refer to IS.
Sporadic clashes occurred in different
parts of the area along the border with Iraq on Thursday and both sides were
reportedly bringing in reinforcements.
On Wednesday, the SDF and the council
jointly said that Ahmad Khbeil, better known as Abu Khawla, would no longer
command the Deir el-Zour Military Council. He and four other militia leaders
were dismissed over their alleged involvement in “multiple crimes and
violations,” including drug trafficking.
Khbeil was also removed over
“coordination with external entities hostile to the revolution,” apparently a
reference to his purported contacts with the Syrian government in Damascus and
its Iranian and Russian allies.
The latest round of clashes raised
concerns of more divisions among the SDF and its allies in eastern Syria, where
IS had once controlled large swaths of territory and where the extremist
group's militants still stage occasional attacks.
“Distractions from this critical work
create instability and increase the risk of Daesh resurgence,” the U.S.
military said. “The violence in northeast Syria must cease, and the effort
returned to creating peace and stability in northeast Syria, free from the
threat of Daesh.”
On any day, there are at least 900 U.S.
forces in eastern Syria , along with an undisclosed number of contractors. They
partner with the SDF to work to prevent an IS comeback.
Source: newarab.com
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CAIR Recommends Vigilance, Stepped-Up
Security for Baltimore Area Mosques Following 2nd Threatening Call
(BALTIMORE, MD, 8/31/2023) – The Council
on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights
and advocacy organization, today recommended vigilance and stepped-up security
measures for Baltimore-area mosques after a second mosque based in the
Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia (DMV) area received a threatening call in
recent weeks.
Earlier today, leaders at the Islamic
Society of Baltimore took the precaution to cancel all evening events after
receiving a “suspicious call” that has been reported to local and federal
authorities who are investigating. [NOTE: Anyone with information about the
call is encouraged to report tips to FBI Baltimore at 410-265-8080, the FBI tip
line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov,
and to notify the Baltimore County Police Department at 410-887-1340.]
Earlier this month, CAIR called on local
law enforcement authorities to step up security measures for Masjid Muhammad, a
Washington, D.C., mosque following a bomb threat reportedly targeting that
house of worship.
The bomb threats targeting the mosques
come as law enforcement authorities across the country are investigating a
series similar fake bomb threats targeting synagogues.
“These incidents appear to fit a
pattern,” said CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “As a precaution, we urge
mosques in the area to coordinate with local authorities to step up security
measures, and to ask community members to remain vigilant even while they
continue to practice their faith.”
CAIR urges religious institutions to
apply for Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which “provides funding support for
target hardening and other physical security enhancements and activities to
nonprofit organizations.”
The civil rights group is also urging
religious institutions nationwide to take extra security precautions by using
advice offered in CAIR’s booklet, “Best Practices for Mosque and Community
Safety.” The advice in the booklet is
applicable to institutions of all faiths.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR and the
American Muslim community stand in solidaritywith all those challenging
antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white
supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil
rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American
Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las
libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y
empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstados Unidos.
Source: cair.com
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------
Proud Boys leader jailed for 17 years
over US Capitol attack
01 Sep 2023
WASHINGTON, Sept 1 — Two senior members
of the Proud Boys militia were handed hefty prison sentences Thursday for their
role in the 2021 assault on the US Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump.
Joe Biggs, the Florida leader of the
self-styled paramilitary group, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for
seditious conspiracy and other charges, one year shy of the longest sentence
given a participant in the January 6, 2021 riot.
Zachary Rehl, leader of the Philadelphia
Proud Boys arm, got 15 years in prison on the same charges.
Prosecutors called them key figures in
the attack by thousands seeking to forcibly overturn Joe Biden’s November 2020
election victory, after Trump repeatedly claimed without any basis that there
was massive fraud in the vote.
The attack, which followed a rally at
the White House in which Trump urged supporters to march to the Capitol to
protest against certification of the election, “broke our tradition of the
peaceful transfer of power, which is one of the most precious things that we
had as Americans,” Judge Timothy Kelly said Thursday.
Kelly rejected prosecutors’ call for up
to 33 years in prison, saying the attack was hardly a terrorist-like mass
casualty event, and neither Biggs nor Rehl killed anybody.
Nevertheless, Kelly said, “There is a
need for deterrence.”
‘Aimed to terrify officials’
They were two of five Proud Boys
figures, including national chairman Enrique Tarrio, convicted on May 4 for
taking a leading role in the military-style assault on the Capitol.
Rehl, Biggs, Tarrio and Ethan Nordean
were convicted of seditious conspiracy, while the fifth, Dominic Pezzola, was
found innocent on the sedition charge.
All five were also convicted for
obstruction of a congressional proceeding, impeding law enforcement and
destruction of government property.
Biggs, 39, is a US Army veteran who had
worked closely with Tarrio to organise the group to storm the seat of Congress.
Two months before the attack, he posted
that it was time for “war,” referring to Trump’s election loss to Biden.
After January 6, he declared on social
media that the attack was a “warning” for the government.
Ahead of sentencing Thursday, prosecutor
Jason McCullough said what Biggs and his fellow rioters had done in shutting
down the Congress that day was “no different than the act of a spectacular
bombing of a building.”
“They aimed to intimidate and terrify
elected officials,” he said, equating the January 6 attack to terrorism.
A tearful Biggs however expressed deep
regret for what had happened.
“I’m so sorry,” he told the federal
court in Washington.
“I know that I messed up that day, but
I’m not a terrorist,” he said.
Trump blamed
Norman Pattis, the attorney for both
Biggs and Rehl, told the court that they followed the guidance of Trump in
undertaking the attack, and questioned why Trump himself had not been charged
with sedition.
Earlier this month a Justice Department
special prosecutor charged Trump with separate conspiracy crimes for his role
in advancing the false claim that the election had been stolen from him.
“What they did is they listened to the
president of the United States,” Pattis told the court.
The are “guilty of believing the
president who told them the country was being stolen from them,” he said.
Rehl, 38, a former US Marine, broke out
in tears as he asked the judge for a lighter sentence.
“I wasted all my time on politics for
people who aren’t even here today, who never offered any support, and who
carelessly watched as I sank further to the bottom,” he said.
Over 1,100 charged
Biggs’s sentence was one year short of
the 18-year sentence given in May to Stewart Rhodes, the founder of another
far-right militia central to the Capitol siege, the Oath Keepers.
Kelly’s rulings Thursday suggested that
Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio, who organised the group to go to
Washington but was not at the Capitol himself, can expect a similar outcome
when he is sentenced on September 5.
Prosecutors also recommended 33 years
behind bars for him.
More than 1,100 people have been charged
by the Justice Department in the Capitol attack.
Some 630 of them have pleaded guilty to
various charges, and 110 have been found guilty at trial.
The government continues to prosecute
people who took part in the insurrection, which resulted in five deaths and saw
scores of police officers attacked and hospitalised.
On Thursday the Justice Department
announced that two men were arrested in Virgina on charges relating to their
participation in the storming of the Capitol, after being identified from
open-source photographs and videos. — AFP
Source: malaymail.com
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US Congress to consider pro- and
anti-Nazi amendments
1 Sep, 2023
Congresswoman Victoria Spartz, an
Indiana Republican, has proposed an amendment to the 2024 Pentagon funding bill
that would remove the 2018 prohibition on funding Azov due to the Ukrainian
unit’s neo-Nazi character.
Fellow Republican Andy Ogles of
Tennessee, however, wants to explicitly ban the Pentagon from providing
intelligence to Azov.
The Spartz amendment would “Strike
section 8105 of the bill which prohibits funds to the ‘Azov Battalion,’”
according to documents posted on the website of the House Rules Committee. It
would amend HR 4365, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the next
fiscal year, which begins in October.
Journalist Aida Chavez noticed the
amendment on Thursday, along with several other proposals by Republican
lawmakers, who have a slim majority in the House.
Ogles, on the other hand, wants to
expand Section 8105 to ban the US from providing intelligence to Azov, and also
ban any aid to the ‘Russian Volunteer Corps’ (RVC). He had previously tried to
ban any “funding, equipment, training, fuel, or other support” to “the Russian
Volunteer Corps, the Azov Battalion, or any other neo-Nazi militia” in Ukraine
in an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Zelensky visits Ukrainian Neo-Nazi
leader (VIDEO)READ MORE: Zelensky visits Ukrainian Neo-Nazi leader (VIDEO)
The Azov Battalion was originally a
militia set up by the notorious neo-Nazi Andrey Biletsky after the 2014
US-backed coup in Kiev, which took part in Ukraine’s crackdown on dissidents in
Kharkov and Donetsk. Biletsky admitted to several Western outlets that he
handpicked their symbols – the Wolfsangel rune used by the German 2nd SS Panzer
Division ‘Das Reich’ in WWII, and the Black Sun logo beloved by SS leader
Heinrich Himmler.
Spartz was elected in 2020 and
represents Indiana’s 5th congressional district. She was born in Chernigov in
present-day Ukraine, and immigrated to the US in 2000. Her amendment is the
first time any US lawmaker has attempted to repeal Section 8105 since it was
passed in 2018.
In late 2019, a group of 40 House
Democrats wrote to the State Department, describing Azov as a “violent white
supremacist” group “that openly welcomes neo-Nazis into its ranks.” The unit
responded by accusing them of hostility to Ukraine.
Azov has since been fully integrated
into Ukraine’s armed forces. The ‘Azov Tactical Group’ is currently operating
as part of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, recently visited by President
Vladimir Zelensky on the Donbass front.
Not worth your sympathy: The story of
Ukraine's neo-Nazi Azov battalionREAD MORE: Not worth your sympathy: The story
of Ukraine's neo-Nazi Azov battalion
Several other House Republicans have
proposed more Ukraine-related amendments to the Pentagon funding bill. Matt
Gaetz of Florida and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia want to block any funds
from being used for Ukraine. Greene also wants to ban “the conduct of ground
operations in Ukraine by the US Armed Forces or intelligence officials of the
US.”
Paul Gosar of Arizona has proposed
redirecting all $300 million from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative
(Section 8104) to the pay of enlisted service members, while his colleague Andy
Biggs wants to delete the entire section outright. Montana’s Matt Rosendale
would block all spending on Ukraine “until a border wall system along the
US-Mexico border is completed and operational control of such border is
achieved.”
Source: rt.com
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------
Arab World
International companies racing to expand
their investments in 2nd Saudi World Defense Show
August 31, 2023
RIYADH — Several leading Saudi, regional
and international companies are showing massive interest to expand their
investments through participating in the second edition of the World Defense
Show (WDS) which will be held in February 2024 in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
The exhibitors were quick to reserve 93
percent of the exhibition space, estimated at about 47,000 square meters, that
is, five months before the scheduled commencement of the leading global defense
and security event. The WDS serves one of the pillars of Vision 2030, achieving
the Kingdom’s goal to localize 50 percent of its military equipment spending by
2030.
The General Authority for Military
Industries (GAMI) is organizing the event on February 4-8 under the patronage
of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, and the event embodies the
government’s aspirations to organize one of the best defense and security
exhibitions in the world. The event focuses on the future of the defense
industry by showcasing the latest global technological developments across
land, sea, air, space, and security sectors.
It also facilitates communication with
decision-makers in the defense field from the Kingdom and the world, featuring
royal visits, official delegations, government officials, and executives from
various defense and security industries. The exhibition draws its importance
from the Kingdom’s strategic location at the heart of global supply chains,
making it an exceptional venue for the event.
The second edition of the show targets
750 exhibitors from 45 countries, 115 official delegations, and 100,000
visitors from within the Kingdom and abroad. The Chinese, Turkish, American,
and UAE pavilions will be among the largest pavilions at WDS, along with
pavilions of South Korea, Russia, Croatia, Austria, Poland, Estonia, Greece,
Ukraine, and other countries.
The show will witness new programs, most
notably: “the Future Platform of Defense”; “the Future of Defense Forum”;
“Journey to the Future”; “Space Platform”; and “Communication and Acquaintance
Meetings,” in addition to the basic programs that the event witnessed during
last season, including air shows, accompanied conferences, and ground and live
demonstration area.
The first day of the exhibition will be
dedicated to the presence of important figures, delegations, exhibitors and the
media, in addition to organizing the high profile “Future of Defense Forum”. It
includes prominent speakers presenting their visions and ideas and discussing
the future of defense and security.
Through the “Future of Defense
Platform,” inventors will present their ideas to investors, demonstrating the
importance of continuous innovation for the future of the industry. The “Space
Arena” will highlight the rapid progress in space technology and its crucial
role in the future of the military, defense and security industries.
Regarding the “Journey to the Future”
program, visitors will have a unique experience by highlighting the features
and activities that focus on the future of defense, and thus enhancing
interaction between attendees and exhibitors.
During the first edition of World
Defense Show, held in March last year, 81 percent of exhibitors agreed that the
event offers world-class display and networking features, and 77 percent of
companies saw the event as focusing on technology and innovation, while 82
percent described the quality of the exhibition as excellent.
On behalf of King Salman, Crown Prince
and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, who is also chairman of the Board of
Directors of GAMI, inaugurated the first edition of the show and toured its
facilities, which witnessed the participation of more than 590 companies from
around the world.
The first edition witnessed
unprecedented interest from local and global defense markets. It saw the
presence of 600 exhibitors, and 65,000 commercial visits from 45 countries, as
well as 100 official delegations, 16,000 registered exhibitors, and 26 of the
top 40 global defense companies, which resulted in the conclusion of purchase
contracts worth SR29.7 billion ($7.7 billion).
The show achieved great success,
exceeding expectations to become one of the leading defense exhibitions that
attracts the sector’s attention. The main objectives of holding the exhibition
focus on strengthening the Kingdom’s position in the defense and security
industry at the global level, benefiting from the latest technologies,
exchanging experiences, presenting ideas, and displaying products to explore
the future of the sector.
The Saudi government targets the
exhibition to become one of the three most important exhibitions in the defense
and security industry in the world by 2030, and for the country to have an
effective role within the global supply chains concerned with the fields of
land, sea, air, space, and security defense.
The exhibition supports international
business tourism by hosting high-level international delegations, exhibitors
and visitors, and also the country’s goals of localizing more than 50 percent
of government spending on defense and military services and products by 2030.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
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https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/635401/SAUDI-ARABIA/International-companies-racing-to-expand-their-investments-in-2nd-nbspSaudi-nbspWorld-Defense-Show
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Saudi authorities thwart attempt to
smuggle 50Kg of qat over Jazan border
September 01, 2023
RIYADH: Border guards in Jazan foiled an
attempt to smuggle 50 kilograms of qat into the Kingdom on Thursday.
The Saudi government has urged anyone
with information related to suspected smuggling operations or customs
violations to call the confidential hotline 1910, the international number 00
966 114208417, or email 1910@zatca.gov.sa.
Those notifying the authorities of
suspected cases of drug smuggling are treated with strict confidentiality.
Financial rewards are offered for valid tips.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2365456/saudi-arabia
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KSrelief continues humanitarian projects
in Cameroon and Pakistan
September 01, 2023
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid
and Relief Center (KSrelief) distributed food aid and dates in Cameroon and
Pakistan on Thursday.
KSrelief gifted 25 tons of dates to
Cameroon to foster brotherly relations between the countries.
The Saudi relief center also distributed
more than 45 tons of food parcels in Pakistan, benefiting 3325 individuals in
flood-affected areas.
These initiatives are part of the relief
and humanitarian projects the Kingdom provides through its humanitarian arm.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2365436/saudi-arabia
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Qatar detects first cases of new
Coronavirus variant EG.5
Bernama-Xinhua
September 1, 2023
DOHA, Qatar: Qatar has detected the
country's first cases of the EG.5 coronavirus variant, the country's Ministry
of Public Health said yesterday (September 1).
The ministry said the cases showed minor
symptoms and required no hospitalisation, without revealing the exact number of
infections.
It added that the ministry "was
closely monitoring the epidemiological situation in relation to the new
Covid-19 sub-variant", reported Xinhua.
The ministry urged the country's
citizens, particularly people at a higher risk of severe infections, such as
the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, to adhere to
preventive measures.
It recommended wearing masks, practising
regular hand hygiene, and maintaining physical distance in crowded settings.
EG.5 is a sub-variant of Omicron
XBB.1.9.2. and the first EG.5-related case was reported in February. On August
9, the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated it as a "variant of
interest", but meanwhile noted that the variant poses a low risk to public
health. --BERNAMA-XINHUA
Source: nst.com.my
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https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2023/09/949722/qatar-detects-first-cases-new-coronavirus-variant-eg5
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Europe
Evicted From Their 7-Year Home InMilan’s
Former Public Baths Which Will Become A Mosque
By Giulia Carbonaro
01/09/2023
The mosque, the first to be built
legally in the Italian city, will replace the former public baths which for
seven years have been occupied by a group of migrants who can't afford a home
in Milan's rental market.
For the past seven years, the
dilapidated former public baths in Milan’s Via Esterle, an imposing building
that bears the scars of time on its tired facade, had been the home of a group
of migrants and low-paid workers legally living and working in Italy.
That changed this week when local
authorities forcibly evicted them after the building was sold to be converted
into a mosque.
Built in 1928, during Italy’s fascist
years, and later transformed into a buttons factory and a mechanics school
before being abandoned in 1999, the building was occupied in 2016 by a group of
migrants who decided to make it their home.
Through the years, the group has grown
to include about 40 people, all around the age of 30, mostly African and
Muslim, according to Italian media, though some reported that Italians are also
living in it.
While they can all legally find
employment in Italy, most of them can only find seasonal or temporary jobs that
don’t pay enough for them to afford rent in Milan. They’re Deliveroo riders,
cooks, factory, agricultural, and warehouse workers.
And while the former public baths are
falling apart, the building still offers the migrants beds, showers, kitchens,
bathrooms, and even a space for prayer.
Once notified by city authorities that
they needed to leave the building for the construction of the new mosque, the
former baths’ residents complained, accusing Milan of “selling off” its
residents.
“Together with this place, the town hall
is selling its residents too?” a sign outside the building reads.
The activist group “Ci Siamo - Rete
Solidale” (literally: “We’re Here - Solidarity Network”) said the eviction is
an example of the city “not wanting to see their poor or let them be seen.”
But despite protests and the solidarity
of local activists, the group was evicted on Tuesday. Now, they worry they will
be forced into homelessness.
Interviewed by Fanpage, one of the
former residents said that none of them can afford to find a place for rent,
“that’s why this is home for us. To rent a place we need to wait for years to
have the right documents, we need a fixed contract, while we have temporary
jobs of 2 to 6 months.”
“In Milan, if you’re a foreigner and you
want to rent a home you need to have an Italian guarantor.”
Local authorities said they’ll intervene
to help families with minors find a new home, but won’t help the others because
they were occupying the building illegally.
Asfa Mahmoud, president of the
organisation that won the contract to build a mosque over the former baths, had
previously said that he hoped local authorities would find a solution to house
the residents.
“We hope city authorities will find a
solution for these guys, we don’t want to have a war between the poor. We want
to enter Via Esterle in a pacific way,” he said. That did not happen.
The mosque, which will be the city’s
first legal one, will be built in one of the most multicultural neighbourhoods
in Milan.
Source: euronews.com
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https://www.euronews.com/2023/09/01/evicted-from-their-7-year-home-in-milans-former-public-baths-which-will-become-a-mosque
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EU state completes mass inspection of
bomb shelters
31 Aug, 2023
Finland has announced the completion of
a mass inventory of its bomb shelters, amid concerns raised by Russia’s
military operation in Ukraine. According to the Interior Ministry, the country
has over 50,500 active shelters.
According to the Finnish government, 91%
percent of shelters were found to be robust enough to sustain an attack
conducted with conventional weapons, while 83% can provide shelter from
chemical or nuclear emergencies. All the facilities are equipped with
ventilators, impervious doors, stackable beds, and even dry closets, which are
required by law.
In total, the shelters can fit some 4.8
million inhabitants in case of an attack, the inspections found. According to
the latest census, Finland’s population totals 5.5 million people. The majority
of shelters were found to be in suitable condition and some are currently being
used to house swimming pools, sports centers, and even a Santa Claus theme
park.
However, the Interior Ministry’s project
manager, Ira Pasi, pointed out that some facilities are in need of repair and
have “faults that prevent them from being put into use within the 72 hours
required by law.” Under Finnish law, the proper upkeep and maintenance of
shelters is the responsibility of each building’s owner.
Pasi noted that the main problems with
shelters are caused by the neglect of regular maintenance, errors in planning
or installation, and mistakes in the alteration, repair, and use of the
facilities. She suggested that the root causes of these issues were lack of
knowledge and skills, as well as attitudes and motivation.
“Over the decades, Finland has built a
civil protection infrastructure worth billions of euros, which is worth taking
care of,” Pasi said in her report. The document outlined four recommendations
for improving the shelter system, mainly focusing on better communication and
education about civil defense.
The inspection of Finland’s shelters
comes after the Nordic country broke with its historic neutrality last year and
officially became a NATO member due to the perceived threat from Russia.
Moscow, however, has repeatedly insisted
that it harbors no malice towards its neighbor, with which it shares a 1,300km
border. Russian officials have condemned Finland’s accession to the US-led
military bloc as a “threat to Russia’s security,” and have accused Helsinki of
dismantling what had been a longstanding, mutually-beneficial relationship
between the two countries.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/582135-finland-bomb-shelters-inspection/
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Serbian MPs propose abandoning EU
ambitions for BRICS
31 Aug, 2023
Serbian MPs propose abandoning EU
ambitions for BRICS
A group of Serbian lawmakers has
proposed joining the BRICS group of nations, arguing that Belgrade’s
aspirations of EU membership have stalled and that the move would offer better
economic prospects.
The Movement of Socialists, which acts
as a junior partner to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, submitted a
resolution on the issue to the Serbian parliament on Monday.
In a statement, the group insisted on a
public dialogue to address “the indisputable fact that Serbia’s so-called
European path has a clear alternative embodied in… BRICS.”
The MPs insisted that the world “has
become multipolar again,” adding that “the political hegemony of the collective
West” was clearly coming to an end.
The Movement of Socialists, which is led
by Aleksandar Vulin, the head of Serbia’s main intelligence agency, also
denounced “the imposition of EU integration as a ready-made solution and the
only way,” as well as “the hypocrisy of the Brussels administration.”
It further claimed that the EU was
engaged in “political blackmail” by pushing Serbia to give up part of its
territory, in reference to the bloc’s demands that Belgrade recognize the
breakaway region of Kosovo.
The group of MPs stated that nearly
two-thirds of Serbians view BRICS membership as “a better and more acceptable
integration option” which offers improved long-term prospects for economic
development. This is evidenced by the recent expansion of BRICS, the statement
added.
Earlier this month, BRICS – which
currently consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – approved
the candidacies of six countries to join the group. Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia,
Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates will all become full-fledged
members in January 2024.
Commenting in June on Serbia’s future,
President Aleksandar Vucic suggested it may have to choose between BRICS and
the EU. While reiterating that Belgrade would “stick to the European path,”
Vucic admitted that EU membership was not on the cards in the foreseeable
future.
“[The choice between BRICS and the EU]
will be a matter for the new Serbian population in some ten or 20 years,” the
president said, claiming that many countries want to “get out of the West’s
dominance.”
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/582144-serbia-abandon-eu-ambitions-brics/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pok-gilgit-shia-cleric-blasphemy/d/130581