Incident of Quran Burning to Incite Religious Tensions Sparks, First of Its Kind, Communal Unity in Jharkhand
New Age Islam News Bureau
11 January 2024
Photo: Clarion India
------
·
Incident
of Quran Burning to Incite Religious Tensions Sparks, First of Its Kind,
Communal Unity in Jharkhand
·
Saffron-Clad
Hindutva Leaders Incite Minors Over ‘Love Jihad’, Conversions in Haryana
·
200
International Law Experts, Professors Announce Support For South Africa’s Case
Against “Israel”
·
Pro-Palestine
Activists Flock To The Hague On Eve Of Crunch Israel ICJ Case
·
Islamic
Emirate Calls UNSC Decisions on Afghanistan ‘Unilateral’
-----
India
·
Rama As A
Descendent Of Adam? Inside Indonesia’s Muslim Ramayanas
·
Muslims
Need Not Fear Anything Untoward Ahead Of Ram Temple Opening, Says VHP’s Alok
Kumar
·
Renew
Madrasa Modernisation Scheme: UP Madrasa Council Chairman to PM Modi
·
Uttar
Pradesh Police Arrests 9 Muslim Youth in Two Months in Crackdown Against 'ISIS
Module of AMU'
·
Muslim Shop
Manager Harassed Over 'Jai Shri Ram' Posters In Dehradun
·
BJP
leaders accuse Congress of being ‘anti-Hindu’ and ‘anti-Ram’
·
Justify
'minority' status if council is non-Muslim in nature: SC to Aligarh Muslim
University
-----
North America
·
Judge
Dismisses Muslim Couple’s Lawsuit Against School Where Daughter Converted To
Christianity
·
American
bases hit in Iraq, Syria in protest at Israel's US-backed war on Gaza
·
White
House official to visit Beirut, seeking to ease Israel-Lebanon tensions
·
Israeli
War Crimes of the Day: CAIR Condemns Latest Israeli Hospital Massacre in Gaza,
Killing of Medical Personnel
·
CAIR-Cleveland
Calls on Law Enforcement to Consider Hate Crimes Charges for Alleged
Anti-Palestinian Attack
·
CAIR
Oklahoma Denounces One-Sided Legislative Resolution Supporting Israel Without
Reference to Genocide in Gaza
-----
Europe
·
UK Not
Ready To Recognize Taliban Despite Regular Talks: Minister
·
UK public
overwhelmingly back Gaza ceasefire: Poll
·
UK doctors
forced to flee Gaza’s ‘only functioning hospital’ amid escalating Israeli
military operation
·
EU’s
special envoy urges continued interaction with Afghanistan
·
Danish
anti-Islam, anti-immigration, anti-tax party dissolves
·
UK, US
forces repel ‘largest attack’ yet by Huthis in Red Sea
-----
South Asia
·
Iran
Deports Nearly 900 Afghan Minors in 2 Months: Nimroz Official
·
Turkish
Charity constructs ’25-house settlement’ for Herat Quake victims
·
Taliban
detains Vajeh publishing employee amid restrictions
·
Historical
Treasures of Herat to be Transformed into Handicrafts Market: Khairkhah
·
Arson
Attack on Benapole Express: 2 leaders of BNP, Jubo Dal placed on remand
·
Bail in 9
cases not enough for Fakhrul’s release
-----
Mideast
·
Israel
Weaker Than ‘Spider Web,’ Desperately Relies On US For Security: Hezbollah
·
WHO Says
Humanitarian Situation In Gaza Strip Is “Indescribable”
·
Al-Aqsa
Committee Calls For Massive Exit Next Friday In Process Of Promised Conquest
& Holy Jihad
·
Palestinians
Hail South Africa For Bringing Gaza ‘Genocide’ Case
·
Muslim
Parliamentary Union Of OIC Calls For Israel To Be Prosecuted For Gaza War
Crimes
·
Israel,
Hezbollah trade strikes as diplomats call for calm
·
Iran
supports South Africa’s filing of ICJ case against Israel over 'genocidal acts'
in Gaza
·
Israel
paying $80 per day to soldiers in Gaza: PIJ envoy
·
Abbas
meets US’ Blinken in Ramallah, rejects displacement of Palestinians
·
Tehran
hosts urgent meeting of top Muslim lawmakers on Gaza
-----
Pakistan
·
Pakistan
Backs ICJ Probe Into ‘Genocide’ In Gaza
·
Illegal Nikah
Case: Court Adjourns Indictment Of Imran Khan And His Wife Bushra Bibi
·
Missing
persons’ case: IHC underscores need for prosecuting intelligence personnel
·
Kakar:
Afghan Soil Should Not Be Threat to Pakistan or Region
-----
Southeast Asia
·
In
Christian-Majority Philippines, Religion Not The Only Factor Splitting Views
Over Israel-Gaza War
·
Immigration
Dept Rescues 21 Bangladeshi Human Trafficking Victims In Klang Raid
·
Minister
Qoumas Pushes For Pilgrim-Oriented Hajj Services
·
Witness:
90 photos with potentially obscene content found in Ebit Lew’s phone data
·
Nadma:
Number of flood victims in Johor, Pahang rises as of this morning
-----
Africa
·
Nelson
Mandela’s Support For Palestinians Endures With South Africa’s Genocide Case
Against Israel
·
Africa:
Discriminatory Laws Against LGBT People, Deplores Amnesty
·
Israel/Hamas
War: Christian Pilgrims Now For Rome, Greece
·
Palestinians
gather in Ramallah's Mandela Square to thank South Africa for ICJ case
·
Morocco
takes leadership of UN Rights body amid criticism
·
UN
helicopter carrying 'several' foreigners captured by Al Shabaab in Somalia
-----
Arab World
·
Ansar
Allah Politician: American Movements In Red Sea Are Illegitimate & Unlawful
·
Third
Future Minerals Forum Opens under the Patronage of the Custodian of the Two
Holy Mosques
·
HRH Prince
Turki Al-Faisal chairs Service to Islam prize selection committee meeting
·
Ministry
of Islamic Affairs Showcases Hajj and Umrah Education App at Forum
·
Saudi and
Qatari culture ministers welcome direct flights between AlUla and Doha
·
Saudi
Islamic affairs minister meets Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina
·
Hajj,
Umrah conference aims to enhance services with diplomatic collaboration
·
Yemeni
army launches barrage of missiles, drones at US vessel in Red Sea
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/quran-burning-religious-jharkhand/d/131498
-----
Incident of Quran Burning to Incite
Religious Tensions Sparks, First of Its Kind, Communal Unity in Jharkhand
Photo: Clarion India
------
By: Clarion India
January 9, 2024
RANCHI – In a disturbing incident near
the Fatehpur Bazar Mosque in Jamtara district, Jharkhand, an attempt to incite
religious tensions has been reported before the upcoming state elections.
Unknown perpetrators allegedly burned pages of the Holy Quran in a field near
the mosque, causing a stir in the community.
As news of the incident quickly spread,
members of both the Hindu and Muslim communities came together to condemn the
act, demonstrating a strong sense of unity and coordination to thwart any
attempts to disrupt communal harmony. The incident marks the first of its kind
in the area, where people have been living peacefully side by side.
According to media reports, locals
discovered burnt pages of the Holy Quran a short distance from the mosque,
prompting a significant number of people to gather at the scene. The police
also swiftly responded to the situation, urging citizens to maintain law and
order and stay vigilant against any potential mischief by anti-social elements.
Maulana Zulfikar Nizami of the Fatehpur
Bazaar Mosque expressed his concerns, stating that this incident appears to be
a deliberate attempt by anti-social elements to disturb the prevailing social
harmony and brotherhood in the region. However, he emphasized that the
community remains steadfast in their unity and condemns the incident.
Alok Kumar, the in-charge of the local
police station, assured the public that efforts are underway to apprehend the
individuals responsible for the incident. He stated that the police are
committed to maintaining peace and order in the area and will take swift action
against those found guilty of disturbing the communal tranquility.
Source: clarionindia.net
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https://clarionindia.net/incident-of-quran-burning-sparks-communal-unity-in-jharkhands-jamtara-district/
-----
Saffron-Clad Hindutva Leaders Incite
Minors Over ‘Love Jihad’, Conversions in Haryana
A civil
right activist holds placards during a demonstration condemning the passing of
laws against 'Love Jihad' by various state governments, Bangalore, India,
December 1, 2020. [Manjunath Kiran/AFP]
-----
10th January 2024
In yet another incident of hate speech
against minorities, a video that emerged on social media on Wednesday, January
10, purportedly shows a group of Hindutva activists inciting fear and hate in
children against minorities.
The video, captured in Indri area under
Karnal district, Haryana, shows a group of saffron-clad men standing in front
of children as young as ten years old, and delivering a speech on ‘love jihad’
and religious conversions.
“Many Muslim men introduce themselves as
Hindus and lure young girls and women into marrying them. Then they force them
to convert to Islam. If the Hindu woman refuses, they cut them into pieces and
store their body parts in the fridge,” one of the Hindutva activists is heard
saying, referring to the nefarious Shraddha Walkar-Mehrauli-murder case, where
a Hindu woman was murdered by her boyfriend Aftab Amin Poonawala.
What made the case shocking was he cut
her body into 36 pieces and stored it in the fridge, eventually disposing off
the parts for several months. Aftab is currently in judicial custody.
‘Love jihad’ is a term coined by Sangh’s
affiliate Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) to describe Hindu women being lured by
Muslim men through fake identity to enter a relationship and for being
converted to Islam.
The Hindutva activists speak about
alleged religious conversions by Christians as well. “Whenever someone is sick
or is going through rough times, they (Christians) say ‘we will pray’ and try
to help the aggrieved person. Once they gain the person’s trust, they brainwash
them into converting to Christianity,” the Hindutva worker said.
“These are all strategies to create a
rift among Hindus. One must be aware of them,” he added.
Source: siasat.com
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the full text of
https://www.siasat.com/haryana-hindutva-leader-incites-minors-over-love-jihad-conversions-2953556/
-----
200 International Law Experts,
Professors Announce Support For South Africa’s Case Against “Israel”
Photo:
Mohammed Saqer via @PalestineRCS/X
-----
[11/January/2024]
WASHINGTON January 11. 2024 (Saba) - 200
professors and experts in international law, most of them from prestigious
American universities, have announced their support for a lawsuit filed by the
South African government before the International Court of Justice against the
government of “Israel” for violating the 1948 Genocide Convention.
The lawsuit said “As scholars and
practitioners in international law, genocide studies, international studies,
and similar fields related to global justice, we support South Africa’s
application before the International Court of Justice as a step towards a
necessary ceasefire in Gaza, and achieving Justice in Palestine.
It is noteworthy that the Republic of
South Africa began its procedures before the International Court of Justice on
December 29, 2023, against “Israel”, as it asked the court to recommend
temporary measures to stop the genocide committed by “Israel” against the
Palestinian people.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3295296.htm
-----
Pro-Palestine Activists Flock To The
Hague On Eve Of Crunch Israel ICJ Case
The Peace
Palace which homes the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the capital
city of the Netherlands [Rabeea Eid]
------
10 January, 2024
Pro-Palestine activists from across
Europe, including from the Arab diaspora, flocked to The Hague in the
Netherlands on Wednesday to show solidarity with South Africa as it files a
case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide.
The city is expected to see huge
demonstrations outside the ICJ building on Thursday and Friday when the
genocide hearing takes place.
Wednesday's protest, on the eve of the
hearing, follows calls by pro-Palestine groups to mobilise against Israel's war
on Gaza, which has killed over 23,000 Palestinians, and show support for South
Africa's efforts during the two-day hearing.
The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister
site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, spoke to activists from France, Germany, and Belgium,
who travelled to The Hague for the hearing.
The first ICJ hearing will begin on
Thursday at 10 am, when South Africa's arguments will be heard, while Israel's
response to the lawsuit will be heard on Friday.
The world's eyes will be on The Hague to
learn whether the court will issue a preliminary decision approving South
Africa's request for provisional measures to bring a halt to the fighting in
Gaza, which began on 7 October.
South Africa's 84-page brief states:
"The acts and omissions by Israel complained of by South Africa are
genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction
of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group,
that being the part of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip […] in manifest
violation of the Genocide Convention".
Amin Rajoub, a German citizen of
Palestinian origin who lives in Hamburg, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that he and
other activists are travelling to The Hague by car due to a train drivers'
strike in Germany.
"There are at least 50 people from
Hamburg coming. Our first message is that we stand with our families and the
people of Gaza, and our second message is one of support and gratitude to South
Africa, the only state that has worked on the international stage in this way,
for Palestine," he said.
"We were prevented from
demonstrating in Germany during the first months of the war, and were harassed
by the German authorities around all our actions taken against the war, and
were banned from using the term 'genocide'.
"We are here today to say to
Germans and Europeans that what is happening to Palestinians is genocide, and
we are here as Palestinians, as Arabs, and as Germans, to ensure the voices of
the Palestinian people are heard."
Rajoub, who is active in a political
group called 'Hamburg Revolution', said if South Africa's ICJ request is
successful, this will be hugely significant for free speech and pro-Palestine
activism in Europe.
"Whether or not the court agrees,
we will continue to actively work for the freedom of Palestine," he said.
"If the court agrees, then this is
evidence that Israel is a racist state whose goal is to eliminate the
Palestinian existence, and the resolution will allow us to say that, without
international governments penalising us because of our comments about the
nature of the State of Israel. It has always been our view that Israel is
perpetrating genocide, however, the decision will help us in the European
environment where we are acting."
A coalition of pro-Palestine movements
in the Netherlands called on people to bring Palestinian flags and keffiyehs
and show their solidarity with South Africa's efforts by joining protests
outside the Peace Palace, home of the ICJ, on Thursday and Friday from 9 am.
The court hearings will be broadcast live to the protesters outside the court.
"After 75 years of settler
colonialism and apartheid, Israel is finally being tried and held accountable
for the horrific actions it has imposed on the people of Palestine," the
statement said.
"South Africa has formally accused
Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, claiming violation of the 1948
Genocide Convention. South Africa has called for provisional measures to stop
the genocidal war against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza."
The statement said that over the past
three months, Israel has "implemented the largest live-broadcasted
genocide in the world" and the West had shielded it from genocidal acts.
"Israel has placed the whole Gaza
Strip, in which over two million people live, under a complete blockade for 16
years, and has deprived it of humanitarian aid, and basic items, as a form of
collective punishment," the statement added.
"And even after urgent requests by
human rights organisations, as well as UN resolutions, in the last few months,
Israel has persistently prevented the delivery of essential supplies to the
people of Gaza, while actively launching brutal attacks [on Gaza]. 2.3 million
Palestinians are now living without food, water, fuel, and medical supplies,
which is leading to famine and the spread of (infectious) diseases."
The group said that a failure to hold
Israel to account for breaking international law over the past decades poses a
threat to the international legal order.
"If the International Court of
Justice halts genocide and ultimately convicts Israel of genocide, this will
not only save the lives of thousands of Palestinians but perhaps restore the
significance and credibility of international law itself," the statement
added.
Dutch activist Dagmar Bosma told
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that thousands are expected to protest outside the court
during the two-day ruling, some coming from as far as Canada and the US.
Bosma hopes that the ICJ will approve
South Africa's request and issue an interim decision to end the fighting in
Gaza. This official condemnation of Israel's conduct in Gaza will aid
pro-Palestine activism in the Netherlands and Europe, she added, but if not,
there could be mass protests in Europe against the ruling and war in Gaza.
Source: newarab.com
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the full text of
https://www.newarab.com/news/activists-flock-hague-eve-crunch-icj-case
-----
Islamic Emirate Calls UNSC Decisions on
Afghanistan ‘Unilateral’
The Islamic
Emirate said the decisions of the UN Security Council regarding Afghanistan are
"unilateral."
------
HadiaZiaei
January 10, 2024
The Islamic Emirate said the decisions
of the UN Security Council regarding Afghanistan are "unilateral."
The spokesman for the Islamic Emirate,
Zabihullah Mujahid, said that this organization has not carefully assessed the
issues of Afghanistan in its statements and resolutions.
"This is something that does not
take into consideration the realities of Afghanistan. Sometimes when they
issued a statement or a resolution, they did not carefully assess the issues of
Afghanistan, and especially did not ask about the Islamic Emirate of
Afghanistan and did not share their views,” Mujahid said.
This comes as the UN reported on the
holding of meetings of the UNSC last year, saying it has approved various
resolutions regarding Afghanistan, Palestine and Ukraine.
The Security Council unanimously adopted
two resolutions concerning Afghanistan on 16 March. By the terms of resolution 2678 (2023), the
Council decided to extend UNAMA's mandate until 17 March 2024 and called upon
all relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders to coordinate with the
Mission in the implementation of its mandate and to ensure the safety, security
and freedom of movement of UN and associated personnel throughout the
country. By the terms of resolution 2679
(2023), the Council requested the Secretary-General to conduct and provide, no
later than 17 November, an independent assessment, after consultations with all
relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders, as well as the region and
the wider international community. Such
assessment should include forward-looking recommendations to address the
current challenges faced by Afghanistan.
As the year came to an end, on 29
December, the Council adopted resolution 2721 (2023), with 13 votes in favour
to none against, with 2 abstentions (China, Russian Federation). By the terms of the text, the 15-nation organ
requested the Secretary-General appoint a Special Envoy for Afghanistan,
provided with robust expertise on human rights and gender. Also requesting that Council members consider
the independent assessment on that country, it affirmed that the objective of
this process should be an Afghanistan at peace with itself and its neighbours,
fully reintegrated into the international community. In addition, the Council also recognized the
need to ensure the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of Afghan
women in the process throughout,” the report reads.
"Since UNAMA is an investigative
and humanitarian aid agency in Afghanistan, the extension of their work is
necessary for Afghanistan, and this agency should be in Afghanistan so that
Afghanistan is not deprived of humanitarian aid,” Bilal Fatemi, an
international relations analyst, told TOLOnews.
"The government should accept those
demands of the world that are not against our beliefs, so that the world
interacts with them and we will get rid of these problems,” Hamidullah Hotaki,
a political analyst, told TOLOnews.
The statement reads that according to
reports of the head of UNAMA, Roza Otunbayeva, 50 decrees have been issued
regarding women.
“Briefing the Council on 26 September,
Ms. Otunbayeva reported that more than 50 decrees issued by the Taliban aimed
at eliminating women from public life and education. The Mission’s view was to
maintain dialogue, to attempt to help change such policies. Ms. Bahous of
UN-Women said restrictions were being enforced more frequently and with more
severity, including by male family members, and accompanied by increases in
child marriage and in child labour. She also reported that Afghan women
continued to call on international actors to use all means at their disposal to
pressure for change, including sanctions without exceptions for travel, and the
issue of non-recognition,” the report reads.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186913
----
India
Rama as a descendent of Adam? Inside
Indonesia’s Muslim Ramayanas
ANIRUDH KANISETTI
11 January, 2024
The story of Rama stands out as one of
medieval Asia’s best-known, adapted and spun by rulers and poets from Central
Asia, throughout the Indian subcontinent, and into the endless archipelago of
Southeast Asia. Wherever it went, it was enriched by new cultures, new
languages. In the islands of present-day Indonesia, the Rama legend evolved
into its most creative and striking versions, developed by Sufi preachers and
devout Muslims, both at royal courts and in lively popular theatre.
The Ramayana in the vernacular
On the island of Java in the 9th or 10th
century, an unknown poet completed his masterpiece: the Ramayana Kakawin. He
lived in a world that had been ‘globalised’ for many centuries. The courts of
Java were intimately connected to those of Bengal, and merchants and monks from
as far as present-day Gujarat and Sri Lanka lived on the island. This poet was
well aware of Sanskrit texts circulating in the Indian Ocean world, including
the Bhattikavya, a retelling of the Ramayana in polished contemporary Sanskrit,
making full use of the language’s grammatical features.
As his medieval Indian contemporaries
did, this poet used the Ramayana for his own political and cultural purposes.
Rather than Sanskrit, he wrote in Old Javanese, a significant departure from
the intellectual culture of his time.
As historian Malini Saran and diplomat
Vinod Khanna write in The Ramayana in Indonesia, the poet followed the
Bhattikavya for the first portion of his narrative but made significant
developments in characterisation, emotional depth, and dialogue. He also
grounded it securely in Javanese cultural ideas, summarised by Saran in her
paper ‘The Ramayana in Indonesia: alternate tellings’. In the 9th century, the
placenta was believed to have magical powers; as such, the bow won at Sita’s
wedding is a magical reincarnation of her birth placenta. Trijata, the daughter
of Vibhishana, is a major character in the Kakawin. She serves as Sita’s loyal
companion—so loyal that she does not hesitate to chastise Rama when he
questions his wife’s loyalty.
Scenes from the story of Rama as
portrayed in a 1975 rendition of the Javanese Ramayana Kakawin | Commons
In Valmiki’s Ramayana, Rama has little
to say to Vibhishana when he grants him the throne of Lanka. The Kakawin,
however, Rama delivers a powerful discourse on kingship, which would be quoted
and repeated in Java for centuries after. The body of the king, declares Rama,
contains eight deities, each representing a virtue which he must follow:
generosity, like Indra’s rains; punishing the wicked, like Yama; delighting the
good, like the glow of the moon. This was a powerful snapshot of how Javanese
litterateurs imagined kingship in the 9th century. But it was only one among
many circulating strands of the Rama legend, which wandering medieval bards and
singers also took to with relish. Their embellishments have not survived from
this early time. It would be a few more centuries before they were compiled, in
a very different politico-religious culture.
Muslim Ramayanas
est Asian traders and sailors were
active in Java even before the birth of Muhammad in the 7th century, but Islam
only arrived there many centuries later, in the 13th century. The question of
where Indonesian Islam was disseminated from, and how the archipelago converted
largely without violent conflict, is a knotty one and deserves a separate
column. In A History of Islam in Indonesia, historian CaroolKersten argues that
though the islands had a rich Hindu-Buddhist history, membership within the
wider Indian Ocean Muslim community may have offered protection against their
most dangerous rivals—the mainland empires of Angkor and Siam. Arabic
chronicles suggest that Sufi orders, established in the Hadhramut region of the
Arabian peninsula, had some Javanese members at this time. The Hadhramut
merchant diaspora may have helped in the conveying of teachers and texts
between these regions, which had a flourishing relationship.
By the 16th century, rulers in Sumatra,
the Malay Peninsula, and Java had converted to Islam. Islamicate legends and
titles appeared alongside Hindu and Buddhist ones in state chronicles known as
Hikayat and Sejarah. For example, in the SejarahMalayu, commissioned by the
court of Malacca, its ruling dynasty is said to be descended from Iskandar
(Alexander the Great in his Islamicate form) and from Raja Chulan (Rajendra
Chola). As Indologist S Singaravelu writes in ‘The Rāma story in the Malay
Tradition’, Malacca Sultans also granted their admirals and generals the title
of “Laksamana”, keeping with the old tradition that identified the king with
Rama, and the legend that Rama appointed Lakshmana as commander-in-chief.
Saran and Khanna note in Ramayana in Indonesia
that one tradition from Demak, northern Java, claims that its Sultan ordered
the burning of older texts upon his conversion. However, they show that this
rhetoric is disproven by the actual literary evidence from Javanese courts (and
a plethora of other legends). Here’s a quote from an 18th-century Javanese
ulema, recorded in the Serat Cabolek, a text documenting religious debates at
the time: “the essence of kawi [medieval poetic] works is expressed in many
metaphors from which the quintessence of mystical knowledge can be mastered…
these, just as the books of Rama in kawi, are books on Sufism”. There was no
contradiction, in the Javanese mind, between being a devout Muslim and revering
Rama. Indeed, Rama’s discourse on kingship from the 9th-century Ramayana
Kakawin continues to appear in texts from the early modern court of Mataram,
such as the Serat Rama.
A particularly vibrant retelling of the
Rama legend appears in an epic called the Hikayat Seri Rama, studied by Prof
Singaravelu. It begins with the origin story of Ravana, banished to an island
at the age of twelve for bullying his playmates. The Prophet Adam visits him
and intercedes with Allah, who then grants Ravana dominion. In some versions,
writes Singaravelu, Allah replaces Brahma, and Dasaratha is held to be Adam’s
great-grandson, thus integrating Rama into Java’s Islamicate sense of
history—no longer a god, but still a figure to be emulated.
By the 16th and 17th centuries,
Indonesian oral traditions had developed every character in the Rama legend,
giving them magical powers and intertwined backstories involving accidental
seductions, gossip, and other shenanigans. These are still preserved in the
Hikayat, and are so amusing that I recommend that readers look them up
themselves. One of my favourite episodes: Hanuman sneaks into Ravana’s bedroom
and ties the demon-king’s hair to his wife’s. He then leaves a note that the
knot can be untied if Ravana’s wife beats him, which she does. This impish
mischief, recorded in a Javanese Muslim chronicle, is a reminder that many
weavers, great and small, have participated in the tapestry of Rama’s history.
AnirudhKanisetti is a public historian.
He is the author of Lords of the Deccan, a new history of medieval South India,
and hosts the Echoes of India and Yuddha podcasts. He tweets @AKanisetti. Views
are personal.
This article is a part of the ‘Thinking
Medieval‘ series that takes a deep dive into India’s medieval culture,
politics, and history.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
Source: theprint.in
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------
Muslims need not fear anything untoward
ahead of Ram temple opening, says VHP’s Alok Kumar
NEELAM PANDEY
10 January, 2024
New Delhi: Muslims should carry on with
their work fearlessly and not be apprehensive about any untoward incident by
the Hindu community ahead of the 22 January Ram temple consecration ceremony in
Ayodhya, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar has said.
In an interview with ThePrint, Kumar
said he has full faith in the Hindu community. “I want to tell my Muslim
brothers that I have full faith in my Hindu brothers’ maryada (honour code).
Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram kamandir ban rahahai (It is the supreme man of
honour Shri Ram whose temple is being built).”
Three days ago, All India United
Democratic Front (AIUDF) president Badruddin Ajmal had during a public address
asked Muslims to avoid travelling by train during the Ram temple consecration
and asked them to stay home between 20 and 26 January.
Speaking at an event in Barpeta, Assam,
he had said: “We will have to be cautious. Muslims should not travel by train
from January 20 to January 25…During this period, we should not travel by train
and should stay at home. BJP is the biggest enemy of the Muslims. BJP is the
enemy of our life, our faith, our azaan (call for prayer)…”
During the interview, VHP’s Kumar
recounted an incident from the 90s when Mulayam Singh Yadav, then the Uttar
Pradesh chief minister, had — in the midst of the Ram temple movement — said
that no one would be able to enter Ayodhya, following which all trains
terminated at Lucknow and roads were dug up. “In such a situation, over 1 lakh
people travelled 135 km on foot and they could do this because they were
charged. They slept in sugarcane fields and in those villages there were so
many small mosques but ekbhi masjid kiekbhieethnahihilayigayi (not even one
brick of any mosque was moved),” said Kumar.
“If this andolan (agitation) would have
been against Muslims then not a single masjid would have been saved. This
andolan was not against Muslims but against those structures which were built
over our temples so that we remain constantly aware of our defeat and
humiliation,” he added.
Elaborating on the consecration
ceremony, Kumar said over 7,000 people are being invited from all walks of life
including priests, politicians, artists, doctors, singers, karsevaks, among
others.
On criticism by some religious leaders
that an “incomplete” temple is being inaugurated, Kumar said that the ground
floor, where ‘Ram Lalla’ will reside, is completely ready. “Apart from the
invitees, we have also reached out to the general public. We are reaching out
to over 10 crore people, asking them to participate in the puja from wherever
they are.”
He further said: “Aur main
kalpanakartahunkivishwamei 5 lakh sthano par ekathahua 7-8 crore ka Hindu samaj
jab ekheesamaykhadahokarussartimaibhaaglegatohphir ab Hinduwaokibarihai Bharat
kibarihai ye satyaghoshithojayega (When around 7-8 crore members of the Hindu
community will participate in the puja from over 5 lakh locations, the truth
will be declared — that it is the Hindus’ turn now, it is Bharat’s turn now).”
The VHP working president said they have
extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and “with respect also
invited the Leader of Opposition and parliamentary party chairperson of
Congress”.
“Presidents of all political parties are
being invited. I read Kharge ji’s statement that we will get to know who will
attend,” Kumar said, adding that the Opposition “is doing politics” over
invitations.
On opposition leaders saying that the
Ram temple inauguration is being politicised, Kumar said: “Aisa kaunsasamayhai
Bharat mei jab chunaavnaho? (When are elections not happening in India?) Had we
done this a year ago, you would have said this has been done for the five
assembly elections and now that it is ready we don’t call bhagwaan (god) for
five months because there is an election? VHP kedimaagmeichunaavkaganitnahihai
(VHP is not keeping election calculations in mind),” he added.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Source: theprint.in
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https://theprint.in/politics/muslims-need-not-fear-anything-untoward-ahead-of-ram-temple-opening-says-vhps-alok-kumar/1917923/
-----
Renew Madrasa Modernisation Scheme: UP
Madrasa Council Chairman to PM Modi
10th January 2024
Marziya Sharif
Lucknow: After Chief Minister Yogi
Adityanath-led government ordered to stop the payment of additional state share
under the Madrasa Modernisation Scheme, Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Council
Chairman Iftikhar Ahmed Javed on Wednesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi requesting that this scheme be renewed.
Javed said that after the Centre stopped
its contribution under the Madrasa Modernisation Scheme six years ago, the
state government has also issued an order on January 5 this year to stop the
additional state share for paying honorarium to the teachers teaching under
this scheme.
Javed in his letter to the prime
minister said that lakhs of madrasa students of the state have been connected
to the mainstream of education and society through the Madrasa Modernisation
Scheme.
Most of these beneficiaries belong to
the backward classes, he added.
He said that under this scheme, 60 per
cent of the total budget is contributed by the Centre while 40 per cent is
contributed by the state government.
“The Centre has not paid its share under
this scheme for almost six years, hence the state government has also not
contributed its share. Till now, the state government was giving money to the
madrasa teachers of this scheme in addition to its fixed state share,” he said.
Javed told PTI that at present a total
of 21,216 teachers teaching modern subjects are working in 7,442 madrasas of
Uttar Pradesh under the Madrasa Modernisation Scheme implemented in the state
in 1995.
Due to the closure of additional state
share, all of them have completely lost their employment, he said.
Javed has requested the prime minister
to renew the Madrasa Modernisation Scheme and implement it not only in the
state but in the entire country so that the slogan of “Quran in one hand and
computer in the other” of the Muslim students can be made successful.
However, Minister of State for Minority
Welfare Danish Azad Ansari said the government will pay the pending state share
from last year till now.
Ansari said the arrangement till now was
that till the time the central share is given in the Madrasa Modernisation
Scheme, the state share will be made available.
He added that the state share has not
been given since May last year which will be paid.
Source: siasat.com
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https://www.siasat.com/renew-madrasa-modernisation-scheme-up-madrasa-council-chairman-to-pm-modi-2953690/
-----
Uttar Pradesh Police Arrests 9 Muslim
Youth in Two Months in Crackdown Against 'ISIS Module of AMU'
Omar Rashid
New Delhi: In the past two months, the
Uttar Pradesh police have arrested nine Muslim youth, former and current
students of the Aligarh Muslim University, over terror charges as part of its
crackdown against what it has alleged to be an “ISIS module of AMU” and “ISIS
module of Aligarh.”
The arrests were based on an FIR the UP
Anti-Terrorism Squad lodged in Lucknow on November 3, 2023. The FIR invoked
Sections 121a and 122 of the Indian Penal Code along with Sections 13, 18, 18B
and 38 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
The charges relate to conspiring to
commit offences against the state, collecting arms with the intention of waging
war against the government of India, conspiring or attempting to commit a
terrorist act, recruiting people for terrorist acts and association with a
terror group.
The ATS has accused the accused persons
of planning to carry out a major terrorist act in the state or in other parts
of the country.
The first arrests took place in the
first week of November. On January 8, 2024 (Monday), the ATS made the latest
arrests in the matter. While one Aamas Ahmad was arrested in Aligarh, another
accused Abdul Samad Malik (25), a native of Sambhal, surrendered in a local
court, the police said.
Ahmad completed his graduation in
psychology from the AMU in 2022 and had appeared in an MBA entrance examination
last year. Malik is pursuing a Master in Social Works degree at the central
university.
The UP ATS alleged that the two men,
along with the previously arrested seven persons in the case, were preparing an
ISIS module in AMU and recruiting others for it. All the arrested men had taken
the “bayath” or oath of allegiance to the ISIS and were deeply inspired by the
outfit, the police claimed. The arrested youth were linked to the SAMU
(Students of Aligarh Muslim University), an informal student body on campus.
‘Violent jihad’
The crackdown in Aligarh started with
the arrest of two former AMU students Abdullah Arsalan and Maaz Bin Tariq on
November 5. Two days later, the UP ATS
arrested a third person, Wazihuddin, who had completed his PhD from AMU, from
Durg in Chhattisgarh. According to an AMU student, Wazihuddin headed the SAMU.
The UP ATS said it recovered “printed
literature” of ISIS and AQIS (Al Qaeda Indian Subcontinent) and a pen drive
with ISIS propaganda from the arrested persons. Memory card of their electronic
devices showed exchange of “banned literature” of AQIS and ISIS and information
regarding several groups supporting terrorism and “anti-national” ideology, the
ATS said.
On November 11, 2023, the ATS arrested
four others as part of its investigation of the “Aligarh Module of ISIS.” Those
arrested were identified as Raqib Imam, 29, who completed M.Tech from AMU;
Naved Siddiqui, 23, who is studying B.Sc in AMU; Mohammad Noman, 27, who
completed B.A. Honours from the university and Mohammad Nazim, 33, who police
said, was linked to the “ISIS module of AMU” through Noman. Noman, Nazim and
Siddiqui were arrested from their native Sambhal district while Imam was
arrested in Aligarh, said police.
The arrested persons were planning to
overthrow the government through a “violent jihad,” and impose Sharia law, the
ATS claimed. The police also said that
the four were allegedly distributing ISIS literature among “like-minded people”
and recruiting them to join the outfit. They had come in touch with each other
through meetings of SAMU and were using online platforms and physical meetings
to physically and mentally train people at “secret locations” for jihad, the
ATS said.
In 2008, the SAMU had organised a
month-long campaign on campus, Al-Haya Min Allah, against immorality.
‘No information’
An AMU official, speaking on the
condition of anonymity, said the narrative the police was trying to build was
“baseless.” While stressing that the charges stated by the ATS were yet to be
proven, the official said that the university had a “zero tolerance” policy
against such deviance. “There is no compromise in that regard and the
university is more than willing to co-operate [in the investigation],” the
official said.
AMU proctor Wasim Ali said while he was
aware that some former and current students of the varsity had been arrested,
no state agency had provided them any official information.
“The truth about these allegations and
on what basis they were made, will be known through the investigation or be
decided in court,” Ali told The Wire.
Ali said the arrests and the UP police
linking an alleged ISIS module to the central university would not deeply
impact the image of AMU.
“We have 25,000 students enrolled in the
university. Every year, thousands come and pass out. If 3-4 of these students,
most of them passed out, come to face such allegations, I don’t think it
impacts the image of the university. It is up to the individuals concerned,” he
said.
However, Ali did feel that given the
number of arrests made in the case, it was a “matter of concern.” “Our syllabus
and system are transparent. There is nothing in our syllabus that promotes such
things. The university functions and provides education as per the
constitutional framework of the country.”
Source: thewire.in
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https://thewire.in/government/uttar-pradesh-police-aligarh-isis
-----
Muslim shop manager harassed over 'Jai
Shri Ram' posters in Dehradun
Jan 11, 2024
PoulamiKundu
Hours after a video of a Hindu group
leader and her associates harassing a Muslim shop manager over 'Jai Shri Ram'
posters in Dehradun went viral on social media, police registered a case
against the Hindu group members.
After receiving a complaint from Ashish
Aswal, a traffic police constable, the Dehradun Police has registered an FIR
against Hindu group leader Radha Dhoni and others under Sections 153A
(promoting enmity between different groups), 295 A (deliberate and malicious
acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its
religion or religious beliefs), and Section 502 (statements conducing to public
mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
According to the complaint, a Hindu man,
Rakesh Borai, owned a shop called Aman General Store located on ISBT Haridwar
Road.
Borai had rented out his shop to Girish,
a resident of Raipur, Dehradun, who hired Shahnavaz, from Uttar Pradesh’s
Saharanpur to manage it.
While renting out his shop, Borai asked
Girish, the tenant, not to alter the shop's identity, model, or remove any
item, ensuring ownership remained intact.
On January 9, Radha Dhoni and her
associates visited the shop, expressing objections to the name and posters
related to Jai Shri Ram's posters which hurt religious sentiments. They
forcibly removed the board and posters, and now a video of the incident is
circulating on social media.
This incident created tensions between
the two communities.
Source: indiatoday.in
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https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/dehradun-hindu-group-harasses-muslim-shop-manager-over-jai-shri-ram-posters-2487188-2024-01-11
----
BJP leaders accuse Congress of being
‘anti-Hindu’ and ‘anti-Ram’
11.01.24
J.P. Yadav
Ministers and BJP leaders on Wednesday
rushed to accuse the Congress of being “anti-Hindu” and “anti-Ram”, seeking to
draw political mileage out of the principal Opposition party’s decision not to
attend the January 22 inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
Information and broadcasting minister
Anurag Singh Thakur claimed it was expected that the Congress would “boycott”
the Ram temple event given its “anti-Hindu” track record.
“The Congress’s character can never
change. It is the same Congress that described Lord Ram as an imaginary figure,
that talked about rebuilding the Babri mosque, that keeps on speaking against
anything associated with Lord Ram, that uses its allies to put down Sanatan
Dharma...,” Thakur said, adding that there was “nothing new” in the decision
taken by the Congress.
“Today when the Congress has decided to
boycott the PranPratistha ceremony, it can be clearly seen that the people of
India will also boycott them,” he added.
Women and child development minister
Smriti Irani responded on similar lines. “The Congress party’s anti-Lord Ram
face has been exposed before the country. They had earlier presented documents
in court denying the existence of Lord Ram and now they have declined the
PranPratistha invitation,” she said.
“INDI Alliance leaders, under the
leadership of the Congress, have always opposed Sanatan (Dharma) and their
denying the invitation is in line with their hate for Sanatan,” Irani added.
The BJP posted a video on its X account,
recalling how Jawaharlal Nehru had similarly declined an invitation to attend a
ceremony at Somnath temple in Gujarat.
Slogans of “Congress Ram virodhi
(Congress against Ram)” and “Sanatan kaapman, Congress kihaiyehipehchan (Insult
of Sanatan, this is the Congress’s identity)” featured in the short video.
Internally, BJP leaders said they had
expected that the Congress leadership would decline the invitation and hoped to
draw political mileage out of it.
Party strategists believed that the Ram
temple issue would earn them a double bonanza: powering the BJP’s Lok Sabha
polls campaign and driving a wedge in the Opposition bloc.
Nitish Kumar’s JDU has already cautioned
INDIA bloc members against passing remarks on the Ram temple event, stressing
that it could hurt popular sentiments. Taking a divergent line, the party has
already declared that it will attend the event if invited, pointing out that
the Supreme Court has paved the way for the construction of the temple.
“The Congress’s decision to decline the
Ram temple ceremony strengthens our charge of the party being anti-Hindu,” a
BJP leader said.
Party leaders said they would soon run a
sustained campaign to highlight how the Congress and the INDIA bloc were
“deeply anti-Hindu”.
“This is not a coincidence but a
well-thought-out plan by the INDI Alliance to hurt the beliefs of Hindus, a
conspiracy to insult them.... 140 crore Indians will never forgive this
politics of hatred by the Congress,” BJP spokesperson JaiveerShergill, who not
long ago was with the Congress, said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bjp-leaders-accuse-congress-of-being-anti-hindu-and-anti-ram/cid/1992909
-----
Justify 'minority' status if council is
non-Muslim in nature: SC to Aligarh Muslim University
Jan 11, 2024
NEW DELHI: More than a century-old
Aligarh Muslim University's rollercoaster ride in courts over its claim to
being a 'minority institution' ran into a serious hurdle as Supreme Court on
Wednesday asked it to justify the minority character of its administration when
the varsity's 180-member governing council had just 37 Muslim members.
A bench of CJI D Y Chandrachud and
Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Surya Kant, J B Pardiwala, DipankarDatta, Manoj Misra
and Satish Sharma drew AMU counsel Rajeev Dhavan's attention to the composition
of AMU's governing council, termed as the 'Court of the University' under the
AMU Act, and asked whether non-Muslim nature of administration would undercut
its claim for minority educational institution (MEI) status.
Under Article 30(1) of the Constitution,
all religious and linguistic minority communities have the right to
"establish and administer educational institutions of their choice".
After Dhavan had elaborated on Muslims coming together to establish Muhammadan
Ango-Oriental (MAO) College which culminated in AMU in 1920, the question about
satisfying the second test - administration - came up.
The CJI asked, "Expressly by
statute, there is a requirement of 37 of 180 members being ordinarily Muslims.
Will that impact the requirement that a minority institution must be
administered by the minority community? If the test under Article 30 included
administration, will it be sufficient that the administration is given to a
composite multi-member body, in this case 37 of 180 are Muslims. Does it
satisfy the administration test to qualify as a minority institution?"
Dhavan said as long as the institution
was established by the minority community and its object was to cater to the
minority community, the administration need not be 100% controlled by the
minority community for retention of minority institution status.
The bench said, "What is worrying
is the test is for determining religious character of the administration of the
minority institution. Even when the controlling voice in administration is not
that of the minority community, can it be treated as administered by the
minority?
"It is an important issue to
consider. Can it be postulated that though an institution established by a
minority community, even if not administered by the community, it must be
treated as a minority institution because the minority community has some
presence in the administration? Will some presence make it qualify as
administered by the minority community?"
Dhavan said, "All vice-chancellors
of AMU since its inception have been Muslims. Hence, it is de facto administered
by minority community. Other features of AMU are Islamic in nature. Merely
because the state has a say in administration, it does not take away the
minority character of the varsity, which was established by Muslims for the
educational uplift of Muslims."
For the Old-Boys Association of AMU,
advocate Kapil Sibal said, "It cannot be argued that a minority
institution surrenders its minority status in exchange for state recognition of
degrees awarded by it. If that were to be the case, Article 30 would become a
dead letter.
"State recognition of the degrees
awarded by a university is sine qua non for its existence, and if state
recognition of degrees issued by a university established as an MEI comes at
the price of its minority status, there is effectively no right in the minority
communities under Article 30 to establish universities of their choice."
He further said, "Similarly, the
intake of students who belong to communities other than the minority that has
established the MEI, or the absence of compulsory religious instruction, does
not result in a loss of minority status under Article 30 as those are
constitutional requirements under Articles 14, 15 and 28 of the
Constitution."
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/justify-minority-status-if-council-is-non-muslim-in-nature-sc-to-aligarh-muslim-university/articleshow/106708624.cms
------
North America
Judge Dismisses Muslim Couple’s Lawsuit
Against School Where Daughter Converted To Christianity
January 10, 2024
Bob Smietana
ROCKFORD, Ill. (RNS) — A federal judge
in Illinois ruled that a state school district is not responsible for the
actions of a teacher who allegedly proselytized students in a public school
classroom, leading a Muslim student to convert to Christianity.
Judge Iain D. Johnston of the U.S.
District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, ruled
that officials of Community Unit School District 300 were not responsible for
the teacher’s actions, as he was disciplined and later resigned after being
confronted by those public school officials.
The ruling is the latest twist in a
long-running legal dispute over religion at Jacobs High School in Algonquin,
Illinois — a northwest suburb of Chicago — and, in particular, the conversion
of a teenage Muslim student.
Yosuf Chaudhry and Amena Alvi, who are
Muslim, sued Community Unit School District 300 in 2020 after learning their
then-teenage daughter converted to Christianity as a student at Jacobs. While
at the school, their daughter, referred to in a complaint as “B.D.,” allegedly
met with a teacher named Pierre Thorsen, who taught world history and world
religions and also sponsored a student Christian group called Uprising.
Thorsen, a popular teacher who was named
Educator of the Year for Kane County, Illinois, in 2015, was also named in the
complaint.
According to the complaint, Thorsen, who
taught classes in apologetics at local churches, allegedly promoted
Christianity during Uprising meetings and criticized other religions.
“Thorsen would repeatedly engage in
conversations with students before, during, and after school where he would
advocate for his faith and cast doubt, belittle, or discount other faiths,” the
complaint alleged.
After the couple’s daughter converted,
Thorsen allegedly also introduced her to members of his church who offered to
take her in if her family disowned her because of her change in religion. She
also received a Bible from her teacher, according to a revised version of the
couple’s complaint, filed in 2023.
The couple alleged the district should
have been aware that Thorsen had promoted Christianity for years and used his
classroom to allegedly proselytize students.
In his answer to the lawsuit filed by
Chaudhry and Alvi, Thorsen acknowledged giving lectures in churches but denied
using his role as a teacher to try to convert students. He also denied that he
criticized non-Christian faiths but did acknowledge giving the couple’s
daughter a Bible after she requested one. He also said she had used a borrowed
Bible during Uprising meetings. He acknowledged putting the daughter in touch
with people outside the school who could help her if her parents were angered
by the conversion.
“The goal was reconciliation and not
legal emancipation,” according to an answer to the parents’ complaint. “The
Bible and contact information were provided after B.D. already professed
conversion to Christianity, and after B.D. read the Bible on her cell phone
provided by her parents.”
Thorsen defended discussions of religion
in a public school and said he did not try to persuade B.D. to convert but
instead suggested she speak to other Muslims about her faith questions.
After Chaudhry and Alvi told their story
to the Daily Herald, a suburban Chicago newspaper, Thorsen sued the couple for
defamation.
School officials argued that they
confronted Thorsen about his actions after Chaudhry and Alvi complained and
that he was disciplined and resigned soon afterward.
Johnston agreed. He said the couple had
repeatedly failed to make a case that the district was responsible. Johnston
also said no other teachers appeared to have promoted religion, making it
unlikely the district approved of such conduct.
“The fact remains that when the Parents
informed the District of their concerns about Thorsen, he was investigated,
disciplined, and transferred to another school — a sequence that hardly raises
the reasonable inference that the District had previously known of and ratified
Thorsen’s conduct,” Johnston wrote in his order, dismissing the case against
the district.
The couple’s lawsuit against Thorsen
remains active.
Zubair Khan, an attorney for the couple,
was disappointed in the judge’s ruling.
“We disagree with this decision and we
will appeal it,” he said. That appeal will have to wait, he added, until the
case against Thorsen is decided.
The place of religion in public schools
has long been contentious and often led to drawn-out legal battles. While
student-led religious groups are allowed at schools, and outside groups can run
religious activities on weekends or after school, teachers and other school
officials are barred from promoting their faith to students.
Last fall, Joe Kennedy, an assistant
football coach in Washington state, returned to the sidelines after the Supreme
Court ruled his postgame prayers on the field were allowed under the U.S.
Constitution. Kennedy, who had fought a long legal battle to regain his job as
a coach, resigned soon after his brief return to the sidelines.
Thorsen has also sued the school
district, alleging school officials discriminated against his Christian faith
and saying they misled him into thinking he would be fired if he did not
resign. In his lawsuit against the district, Thorsen claims that any discussion
of religion took place in a “legitimate pedagogical way” and that he was
pressured to quit because talking about Christianity made people uncomfortable.
More than 4,000 people signed a
Change.org petition in support of Thorsen after he resigned.
Thorsen’s attorney declined to comment.
Johnston had previously dismissed some
of Thorsen’s claims against the school district but an amended complaint in the
case was filed in late December.
That complaint alleges school officials
restricted Thorsen’s ability to talk about religion with his students.
According to a letter filed as an exhibit in his lawsuit against the district,
Thorsen was told not to give preferential treatment to any particular religion
in his classes and told not to sponsor or participate in student religious
clubs. He was also told to end a Bible study that met in his classroom.
“Defendant otherwise created a hostile
environment, intolerable conditions, and undue restrictions against Christianity,”
Thorsen’s attorneys alleged in their recent complaint.
Source: baptistpress.com
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-----
American bases hit in Iraq, Syria in
protest at Israel's US-backed war on Gaza
11 January 2024
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq says its
fighters have struck two American bases in the Arab country and neighboring
Syria in protest at the Israeli regime's ongoing United States-backed war on
the Gaza Strip.
The resistance, an umbrella group of
Iraqi anti-terror movements, announced the strikes in separate statements on
Wednesday.
One strike featured a "drone"
attack against "the [US] occupation base" near the Erbil
International Airport in the northern Iraqi Kurdistan region.
Using "appropriate weapons,"
the resistance, meanwhile, hit another "American occupation base,"
titled as Hemo, which is located west of the Qamishli Airport in the
northeastern Syrian province of al-Hasakah.
The resistance said the strikes had
taken place "in response to the massacres of the Zionist entity against
our people in Gaza."
The Iraqi resistance fighters strike
Israeli and American targets across the Arab country and neighboring Syria in
support of Gaza.
At least 23,357 Palestinians, most of
them women and children, have been killed, and 59,410 others injured during the
war, which the regime launched following an operation staged by the coastal
sliver's resistance movements.
The United States, Israel's biggest
ally, has been providing the regime with unbridled military support since the
onset of the war, arming Tel Aviv with more than 10,000 tons of military
hardware.
Washington has also torpedoed the
prospect of cessation of the Israeli aggression by stonewalling ratification of
all United Nations Security Council resolutions that have called for
realization of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The Iraqi resistance also said it
conducted the strikes "in continuation of our path in resisting the
American occupation forces in Iraq and the region."
Baghdad says it seeks to end the
presence of the US-led military coalition in the country permanently.
The coalition rolled into Iraq and Syria
in 2014 under the pretext of fighting the Takfiri terrorist group of Daesh. It
retains its presence there, although, the Arab countries and their allies
defeated the terror outfit in late 2017.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia
al-Sudani recently said his government planned to set up a committee to arrange
the ouster of US forces.
The statements by the Islamic Resistance
finally confirmed that it would continue "striking the enemy's
strongholds," adding, "We promise you more to come."
Source: presstv.ir
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-----
White House official to visit Beirut, seeking
to ease Israel-Lebanon tensions
[11/January/2024]
WASHINGTON: Senior White House adviser
Amos Hochstein is expected to visit Beirut on Thursday, a US official said late
on Wednesday, as part of US efforts to ease tensions along the Israel-Lebanon
border.
Washington fears Israel’s war in Gaza
could spread violence across the region, with armed groups backed by Israel’s
arch-rival Iran launching solidarity attacks in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Lebanese armed group Hezbollah has been
trading fire with the Israeli military across Lebanon’s southern border since
Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza three months ago, prompting
Israel’s heavy assault the Palestinian enclave.
The border violence has forced tens of
thousands on both sides to flee and raised fears the conflict in Gaza could
spiral into the rest of the region.
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib
Mikati told a senior United Nations official on Tuesday that his country was
ready for talks on long-term stability on its southern border with Israel.
Hochstein, the US energy envoy, last
year floated the possibility of talks on drawing the land border between Israel
and Lebanon, after having mediated a 2022 deal setting the maritime borders
between the two countries.
Israel, Hezbollah trade fire across
Lebanon border
Israel has said it is giving a chance
for diplomacy to prevent Hezbollah from firing on people living in its north
and to push Hezbollah back from the border, warning that the Israeli army will
otherwise take action to achieve these aims.
More than 130 Hezbollah fighters have
been killed in Lebanon during the hostilities. Hezbollah has said it does not
seek full-scale war but would not hold back if Israel starts one.
Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel killed
1,200, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s subsequent offensive has killed
more than 23,000 Gazans, about 1% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, according to
the health ministry of Hamas-governed Gaza.
Source: brecorder.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40283157/white-house-official-to-visit-beirut-seeking-to-ease-israel-lebanon-tensions
-----
Israeli War Crimes of the Day: CAIR
Condemns Latest Israeli Hospital Massacre in Gaza, Killing of Medical Personnel
Ismail Allison
January 10, 2024
The Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy
organization, today condemned what is called the latest “Israeli war crimes of
the day” after Israeli shelling near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital killed or wounded
40 people and four members of a Red Crescent ambulance crew were “intentionally
targeted” and killed by Israel.
UN Under-Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths posted on
X, formerly Twitter: “The health sector in Gaza is being slowly choked off as
hospitals continue to come under fire.”
“We are devastated to hear that close
colleagues, Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) medics, have been killed
while performing their lifesaving work in Deir el-Balah, Gaza. This is
unacceptable,” said the International Committee of the Red Cross in Israel and
the occupied territories.
“Every day, the far-right Israeli
government offers new bloody evidence of its campaign of genocide in Gaza,”
said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “We demand that the Biden
administration end it active rhetorical, political and material support for
this obvious genocide, forced starvation and ethnic cleansing.”
Awad added: “Racism is at the core of
what we are witnessing in Palestine and America. Israel is systematically
killing Palestinians to destroy their lives and eliminate them in a genocidal
campaign. President Biden and far too many American politicians and media seem
to be indifferent because the victims are Palestinians, and therefore not
considered human beings.”
He said CAIR supports a letter sent by
press freedom groups to President Biden calling on him to do more to prevent
Israeli strikes on journalists. Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, the Knight
First Amendment Institute, and Reporters Without Borders co-signed the letter.
Earlier today, CAIR encouraged people
around the world to view oral arguments at the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) at the Hague in South Africa’s case accusing the Israeli government of
genocide in Gaza.
The ICJ is set to hold public hearings
on the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by South
Africa in the case South Africa v. Israel, in which South Africa is accusing the
Israeli government of genocide in Gaza. On Thursday, January 11, the court will
be hearing oral arguments from South Africa’s representation, and on Friday,
January 12, the court will be hearing oral arguments from Israel’s
representation.
You can watch the proceedings here.
The oral arguments will begin at 4 a.m.
ET, 3 a.m. CT, 2 a.m. MT, 1 a.m. PT, and 9 a.m. GMT on Thursday.
Awad also urged community members to
join the March on Washington for Gaza on January 13. The location for the
protest has been updated to Freedom Plaza (1455 Pennsylvania Ave NW,
Washington, DC.)
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil
rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American
Muslims.
La misión de CAIR esproteger las libertadesciviles,
mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a
losmusulmanesenlosEstadosUnidos.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/israeli-war-crimes-of-the-day-cair-condemns-latest-israeli-hospital-massacre-in-gaza-killing-of-medical-personnel/
------
CAIR-Cleveland Calls on Law Enforcement
to Consider Hate Crimes Charges for Alleged Anti-Palestinian Attack
Ismail Allison
January 10, 2024
The Ohio chapter of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) today called on law enforcement
authorities to consider hate crime charges against an alleged anti-Palestinian
attack on the owner of Algebra Teahouse, who was reportedly hit multiple times
by an pro-Israel extremist in the parking lot of his establishment.
Ayman Alkayali, owner of Algebra
Teahouse said this comes after multiple incidents from the same alleged
aggressor. Law enforcement and city officials have been called on multiple
occasions to address the verbal and physical harassment of Alkayali, his son
and his customers. This series of reported incidents allegedly escalated to an
increased level of danger yesterday, Jan. 9, around 2 p.m.
Alkayali stated: “He showed up outside
my teahouse against police orders and my son called the police right away. He
started to drive fast and I quickly became concerned for the safety of my
customers and residential neighbors, so I went out to the parking lot to inform
him these safety concerns and that’s when he proceeded to drive into my body at
least six times until I fell on to the ground in pain.”
Alkayali stated that after the alleged
aggressor caused him bodily injury during the course of the vehicular assault,
the individual reportedly pulled out his phone to record his victim. “He came
out of his van and started filming me,” said Alkayali. According to Alkayali,
the police arrived on the scene and arrested the extremist.
In a statement, CAIR-Ohio, Cleveland
& Northern Ohio Executive Director FatenOdeh said:
“We have reached out to law enforcement
and our public officials multiple times about anti-Palestinian extremists, and
they have not done enough to protect Clevelanders from this undue harm.
“This alleged act of violence really
comes from the top as our leaders set the tone for their constituents to
follow. For more than two months, we have been calling on Cleveland City
Council to pass a ceasefire resolution that promotes peace across the globe and
decries rising anti-Palestinian and anti-Jewish discrimination in
Cleveland.
“Week after week, our city leaders have
ignored the growing calls of Clevelanders resulting in Cleveland residents like
Mr. Alkayali allegedly being physically and emotionally harmed by their neglect
to serve as our leaders for all Cleveland residents.”
Washington, D.C., based CAIR release
updated civil rights data showing that it has continued to receive a
“staggering” increase in complaints of anti-Muslim or anti-Arab bias over the
past two months.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil
liberties and advocacy organization. CAIR-Ohio’s mission is to enhance
understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower
American Muslims. CAIR-Ohio has offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland.
La misión de CAIR esproteger las
libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y
empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstadosUnidos.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-cleveland-calls-on-law-enforcement-to-consider-hate-crimes-charges-for-alleged-anti-palestinian-attack/
-----
CAIR Oklahoma Denounces One-Sided
Legislative Resolution Supporting Israel Without Reference to Genocide in Gaza
Ismail Allison
January 10, 2024
The Oklahoma Chapter of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK) denounces a one-sided joint legislative
resolution in support of Israel that fails to address Israel’s genocide
perpetrated against the people of Gaza.
Authored by Senator Julie Daniels and
Representative Mark Lepak, this resolution does not address Oklahomans of
Palestinian descent who have lost loved ones in the last three months and only
further perpetuates Islamophobic stereotypes.
SEE: Text of Joint Resolution in Support
of Israel
CAIR Oklahoma’s Government Affairs
Department notes that since Oct. 7, the Oklahoma Legislature has only
recognized support for the state of Israel, denouncing the rise of antisemitism
while simultaneously ignoring the right of Palestine to exist and refusing to
acknowledge the sharp rise in Islamophobia in America.
CAIR’s National office has reported that
from October 7th to December 2nd, 2023, CAIR offices across the country
received 2,171 complaints, including reports of anti-Muslim and
anti-Palestinian bias.
SEE: Oklahoma’s Jewish and Muslim
Communities Face Rising Threats Amid Israel-Hamas War
In Gaza, International aid organization
Save the Children released data saying that more than 10 children per day have
lost one or both of their legs since October, while many medical operations
have been conducted without anesthesia due to hospitals being targeted and
under-supplied. Nearly two million Gazans are internally displaced, and other
humanitarian organizations report “crisis-levels of food insecurity,” with over
95% of the water supply being listed as “unfit for human consumption.”
This ongoing genocide has merited a case
against Israel under the United Nations’ Genocide Convention being brought to
the International Court of Justice by South Africa.
SEE: Israeli Authorities’ Cutting of
Water Leading to Public Health Crisis in Gaza
SEE: What to Know About South Africa’s
Genocide Case Against Israel
“In the same manner that we have
unequivocally denounced all forms of antisemitism and Islamophobia, we denounce
the legislature’s use of their power to propagate a selective, one-sided
resolution that ignores or even justifies the suffering of Palestinians who are
experiencing an egregious humanitarian crisis,” said CAIR-OK Executive Director
Adam Soltani. “Resolutions, bills, or other filings from the Legislature that
fail to acknowledge a fair and balanced understanding of the impact of this
crisis on both the Jewish and Muslim community work only to exacerbate
Islamophobia, antisemitism, and anti-Palestinian hate in Oklahoma.”
“This one-sided support for the state of
Israel by the Oklahoma Legislature signals a lack of willingness to acknowledge
the violence and loss being carried out against innocent Gazans, including more
than 23,000 killed, of whom 40 percent are children,” said Nicole Baumann,
CAIR-OK Advocacy Coordinator. “We have and will continue to call on the
Oklahoma Legislature to do a better job of representing the diverse population
it serves, which includes more than 40,000 Muslims and many Palestinians who
have lost family members and loved ones in this ongoing conflict.”
CAIR-OK encourages community members
similarly concerned about the one-sided approach put forward by these and other
lawmakers to contact their elected officials here at home and hold them
accountable for their actions and messaging. The organization also recommends
that the community engage with lawmakers who participate in this one-sided,
biased rhetoric that only increases Islamophobia and anti-Semitism and puts
Oklahoman communities at risk.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil
rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American
Muslims.
La misión de CAIR esproteger las
libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y
empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstadosUnidos.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-oklahoma-denounces-one-sided-legislative-resolution-supporting-israel-without-reference-to-genocide-in-gaza/
---
Europe
UK not ready to recognize Taliban
despite regular talks: Minister
Fidel Rahmati
January 11, 2024
A Foreign Office minister stated that
Britain is still cautious about recognizing the Taliban and is “some way off”
from doing so, even though there are regular discussions between officials from
both sides.
Andrew Mitchell emphasized that the UK
Government maintains a “pragmatic dialogue” with the Taliban and believes in
continuing to exert pressure on them to alter their approach.
He also mentioned that the government
will carefully consider calls to reopen the UK embassy in Afghanistan, but he
highlighted that due to the current security and political conditions, it is
not feasible to re-establish diplomatic representation in Kabul.
Mr. Mitchell responded to renewed
appeals from former Conservative minister Tobias Ellwood, who urged the UK to
re-engage with Taliban-led Afghanistan due to concerns about a potential
“looming” economic, humanitarian, or terrorism crisis.
Last summer, Mr. Ellwood faced criticism
for asserting that security in Afghanistan had “vastly improved” and that
corruption had decreased following the Taliban’s return to power.
British Deputy Foreign Minister stated
that the Taliban have increasingly adopted “repressive” policies that have a
“destructive impact” on Afghan women, children, as well as ethnic and religious
minorities.
A senior official from the British
Foreign Ministry mentioned that they will consider the “request [from Tobias
Ellwood] for the reopening of the embassy and continue to assess it.”
He added, “Our intention since August
2021 [the fall of Kabul] was that if political and security conditions permit,
we will revive our diplomatic presence in Kabul. We still do not believe that
the conditions are favorable, but our officials will continue to travel to
Kabul, and this matter is under review.”
He stressed that they “must engage in
pragmatic dialogue with the Taliban, but it does not mean recognition of this
group. We will continue to exert pressure to change the behavior of the
Taliban.”
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.khaama.com/uk-not-ready-to-recognize-taliban-despite-regular-talks-minister/
-----
UK public overwhelmingly back Gaza
ceasefire: Poll
January 10, 2024
LONDON: The British public
overwhelmingly support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, a new poll has found.
Commissioned by Medical Aid for
Palestinians and the Council for Arab-British Understanding, the poll was
conducted by YouGov on Dec. 20-21 last year.
It found that 71 percent of the UK
public believe there definitely (48 percent) and probably (23 percent) should
be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The results come as civilian casualties
in the Palestinian enclave reach more than 23,000 dead and 58,000 wounded,
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported.
Just 12 percent of the British public
believe that there should definitely not (6 percent) and probably not (6
percent) be a ceasefire.
A YouGov poll carried out in October
last year showed similar levels of support among the British public for a
ceasefire.
MAP CEO Melanie Ward said: “Three months
of bombardment and siege have resulted in an unprecedented humanitarian crisis
in Gaza.
“Children are starving, the health
system is collapsing and nearly 2 million people displaced from their homes.
“The message from the public couldn’t be
clearer: This must end now, and our politicians must play their part in making
that happen.”
The poll also asked respondents about
their views on the UK government’s actions toward the conflict.
Just 17 percent approved of Britain’s
handling of the war, compared to 29 percent disapproval.
The main opposition Labour Party’s
response to events in Gaza was viewed negatively by 30 percent of respondents,
compared to 9 percent who approved.
Neither the ruling Conservative Party
nor Labour support a ceasefire. Chris Doyle, Caabu director, said: “This poll
shows a total and utter lack of public confidence in the way both the UK
government and the Labour Party have handled this.
“The figures could hardly be lower. This
should be a wake-up call to the political leaderships to realign themselves
both with public sentiment, international law and the need to address the
catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2439266/world
----
UK doctors forced to flee Gaza’s ‘only
functioning hospital’ amid escalating Israeli military operation
January 11, 2024
LONDON: British doctors forced to stop
working and flee what appears to be the only hospital in the central Gaza Strip
that is still functioning expressed “deep concern” about their patients and the
remaining staff there as Israel’s war on the territory enters its fourth month.
Deborah Harrington, who worked for
Medical Aid for Palestinians as an obstetrician at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in
Deir al-Balah, told the BBC that Israel’s ongoing military operation in the
territory has resulted in “a real decrease” in the number of staff able to work
at the facility in the past two weeks.
She said between 600 and 700 patients
were still being treated inside the hospital each day, and hundreds of
displaced Palestinians are sheltering there or in the vicinity.
Surgeon Nick Maynard told the BBC:
“Without any functioning or sufficient healthcare staff, it will be an
unmitigated disaster for those people living in middle Gaza.”
Hospitals are specifically protected by
international humanitarian law from attacks. Any military operations in the
vicinity of medical facilities must take precautions to protect patients,
healthcare workers and other civilians.
Medical Aid for Palestinians and the
International Rescue Committee said on Monday that their workers had been
“forced to withdraw and cease activities” because of “increasing Israeli
military activity” around Al-Aqsa Hospital.
World Health Organization chief TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus
said it had “received troubling reports of increasing hostilities and ongoing
evacuation orders near the vital Al-Aqsa hospital … which, according to the
facility’s director, forced over 600 patients and most health workers to
leave.”
He added that Al-Aqsa was “the most
important hospital remaining in Gaza’s middle area and must remain functional,
and protected, to deliver its lifesaving services. Further erosion of its
functionality cannot be permitted. Doing so in the face of such trauma, injury
and humanitarian suffering would be a moral and medical outrage.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2439536/middle-east
------
EU’s special envoy urges continued interaction
with Afghanistan
January 10, 2024
Tomas Niklasson, the EU’s special envoy
for Afghanistan, says he discussed the establishment of an inclusive government
and interaction with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in a recent
meeting, which was attended by EU members and officials from the previous
government.
This comes amid an increase in
international engagement with the Islamic Emirate despite the government not
yet having been officially recognized.
Niklasson meanwhile said he met with the
Deputy Director General of the European Union in Asia and the Pacific, the
Deputy Director General of the European Union in Afghanistan and Hekmat Khalil
Karzai, the former deputy foreign minister under the old government in
Brussels.
Niklasson said in a post on X that in
this meeting they discussed sustainable peace, the establishment of an
inclusive government and the need to continue the interaction of the European
Union with Afghanistan.
“We discussed in Brussels the
continuation of talks on Afghanistan, sustainable peace and inclusive
governance, and the need for continued engagement of the European Union with
Afghanistan,” he said.
At the same time, the US special
representative for Afghanistan Thomas West said in a meeting with the head of
the Japan Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF), Atsushi Sunami, that he appreciated
Tokyo’s continuous cooperation in supporting the people of Afghanistan.
According to West, Sunami pledged to
support peace and sustainable livelihood in Afghanistan.
On the other hand, the head of the
political office of the Islamic Emirate in Qatar says he met the Japanese
ambassador to Afghanistan in Doha. Suhail Shaheen wrote on X that he discussed
the current situation in Afghanistan with Kuromiya Takayoshi, Head of Mission
of Japan for Afghanistan at this meeting.
“We discussed the current situation,
humanitarian aid, treatment of drug addicts, poppy alternative projects for
farmers, the importance of engagement and other issues,” said Shaheen.
However, the Islamic Emirate has always said
that it wants to interact with all the countries of the world, especially the
neighboring countries.
The international community has
conditioned the legitimacy and interaction with the caretaker government on the
establishment of a comprehensive government, attention to human rights,
especially the rights of women and girls, and the non-use of Afghan soil
against other countries.
Source: ariananews.af
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.ariananews.af/eus-special-envoy-urges-continued-interaction-with-afghanistan/
------
Danish anti-Islam, anti-immigration,
anti-tax party dissolves
JANUARY 10, 2024
LAURA HÜLSEMANN
Denmark’s far-right, populist The New
Right party is being dissolved.
“If we are to rebuild center-right Denmark,
we need to gather all the good forces — but in slightly fewer center-right
parties,” party founder PernilleVermund said Wednesday as she announced the
dissolution.
Vermund pursued a libertarian economic
agenda and stood for strict controls on migrants in Denmark, which already has
some of the most stringent immigration laws in Western Europe. Her party also
demanded Denmark’s withdrawal from the EU, or “Dexit.”
In the 2022 parliamentary elections, The
New Right got 3.7 percent of the vote, and nabbed 6 seats. But within a week of
the election, Mette Thiesen left the group followed by two other MPs, while
another MP got cancer — leaving the party with two sitting parliamentarians.
“I didn’t see that coming!” Morten
Messerschmidt, chairman of Denmark’s more established right-wing Danish
People’s Party, said after the announcement.
The New Right had been a fierce
competitor to the Danish People’s Party and it has “previously given us gray
hairs,” Messerschmidt admitted. “But it also means that the Danish People’s
Party will have an even more important role in Danish politics.”
It is not clear whether Vermund will now
join another party.
Source: politico.eu
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.politico.eu/article/denmark-new-right-party-pernille-vermund-anti-islam-anti-immigration-anti-tax-party-dissolves/
------
UK, US forces repel ‘largest attack’ yet
by Huthis in Red Sea
2024-01-11
LONDON: US and UK forces have shot down
more than 20 drones and missiles over the Red Sea launched by Yemen’s Huthis,
in what London branded Wednesday the “largest attack” yet by the Iran-backed
rebels.
The Western allies’ warships and planes
took out 18 drones and three missiles in their latest Red Sea military
intervention on Tuesday, the US military said.
The Huthis later said they had fired a
“large number” of missiles and drones at a US ship, without giving details of
timing and location.
HMS Diamond, a British destroyer,
intervened with “her guns and Sea Viper missiles” as drones were “heading for
her and commercial shipping in the area”, UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps
said.
It comes a week after 12 nations led by
the United States warned the Huthis of consequences unless they immediately
halted firing on commercial vessels in the busy international shipping
corridor.
The Huthis say they are targeting
Israeli-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is
battling group Hamas.
“Overnight, HMS Diamond, along with US
warships, successfully repelled the largest attack from the Iranian-backed
Huthis in the Red Sea to date,” Shapps said in a statement. Shapps later said
on Sky News that there was “no doubt at all Iran is guiding what is happening there
in the Red Sea”, providing Huthis with equipment and intelligence to enable the
attacks.
“Enough is enough,” said Shapps.
“We must be clear with the Huthis that
this has to stop and that is my simple message to them today: Watch this
space.”
Source: brecorder.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40283092/uk-us-forces-repel-largest-attack-yet-by-huthis-in-red-sea
------
South Asia
Iran Deports Nearly 900 Afghan Minors in
2 Months: Nimroz Official
January 10, 2024
Nearly 900 Afghan minors have been
deported from Iran to Nimroz province in Afghanistan in the last two months, a
local official in Nimroz said.
Sediqullah, 14, is one of hundreds of
children who have been deported by Iranian security forces but whose families
remain in Iran
He is striving to find a way to join his
family again.
“My two brothers and parents are still
in Iran, I have been arrested and repatriated,” said Sediqullah, an Afghan
returnee.
“We ask the Afghan government to give us
money so that we can go to our homes,” said another returnee, Muhammad.
“There was a problem in my family, to
solve that, I decided to work to earn money,” said Edrees, an Afghan returnee.
Local officials in Nimroz province said
that they are trying to find ways to return these minors to their homes.
“The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has
signed several MoUs with different organizations to return these children to
their homes,” said Muhammad Omar Zubair, head of the directorate of Labor and
Social Affairs in Nimroz province.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
It comes as the repatriation of Afghan
refugees from Pakistan and Iran has recently increased.
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186901
----
Turkish Charity constructs ’25-house
settlement’ for Herat Quake victims
Fidel Rahmati
January 10, 2024
The Taliban office in Herat has
announced the construction of a 25-house settlement in the Zindajan district of
Herat province.
According to the Taliban office, this
settlement has been built by a Turkish charity organization called “Adif” in
the village of “Azghalac” and has been distributed to the residents, as
reported by Afghanistan International.
According to a statement from the
Taliban office in Herat, the construction of this settlement took two months.
It has been mentioned that the charity
organization responsible for building this settlement has also provided
household items along with the keys to the houses to the people.
There is no information provided in the
statement regarding the cost of constructing these houses.
Zindajan district in Herat province
suffered extensive destruction due to consecutive earthquakes earlier this
year, resulting in the loss of approximately 2,500 lives.
Meanwhile, in Herat, earthquake victims
are enduring dire conditions as they face a harsh winter. International
organizations report that many of these victims continue to live in substandard
conditions without necessities and amenities. The situation remains challenging
for those affected by the disaster.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.khaama.com/turkish-charity-constructs-25-house-settlement-for-herat-quake-victims/
----
Taliban detains Vajeh publishing
employee amid restrictions
Fidel Rahmati
January 10, 2024
The Taliban security forces forcefully
detained an employee of the Vajeh Publishing House and Bookstore.
Qasim Farzam, the head of publications
at Vajeh Publishing, revealed that the Taliban violently apprehended one of
their colleagues.
Qasim Farzam, responsible for
publications at Vajeh, posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday 10th of January
that the Taliban once again visited bookstores and confiscated numerous books.
Farzam added that one of his colleagues
who resisted the Taliban’s actions was brutally subjected to physical violence,
with a cover over their head, and forcibly transported.
Previously, the Taliban’s Ministry of
Higher Education had ordered the collection of all non-religious books and
those believed to influence people’s beliefs from university libraries.
The incident highlights the continued
challenges and restrictions faced by those involved in publishing and education
in the country under Taliban control.
The actions of the Taliban have raised
concerns about freedom of expression and access to knowledge in the country.
Since the political landscape shifted in
August 2021, the country has witnessed a series of restrictions imposed on
various fronts, including media, publishing houses, education, especially for
girls, and universities. These measures have had a significant impact on the
freedom of expression and access to education in the country.
In a concerning development, there have
been reports of girls being detained across Kabul city simply for not adhering
to what the authorities consider a “proper hijab.” These girls are then taken
to police stations, sparking outrage among the public.
Critics argue that such actions
constitute a violation of human rights and women’s rights, while also
undermining the principles of freedom of expression. National and international
figures and organizations have joined in condemning these actions, highlighting
the urgent need for addressing such issues in the country.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-detains-vajeh-publishing-employee-amid-restrictions/
------
Historical Treasures of Herat to be
Transformed into Handicrafts Market: Khairkhah
2024-01-10
HERAT (BNA): Mullah KhairullahKhairkhah,
Acting Minister of the Ministry of Information and Culture, expressed the
central government’s commitment to preserving and reconstructing the historical
treasures of Herat on his recent visit to the city’s historical sites.
The Acting Minister of Information and
Culture highlighted the ministry’s dedication to protecting and reconstructing
all historical treasures across the country.
During their visit, Minister Khairkhah
proposed utilizing these historical sites for future cultural events and
exhibitions.
Moreover, he emphasized the ministry’s
efforts to transform these historical structures into covered markets
specifically designed for selling handicrafts.
This transformation aims to attract
foreign tourists and revitalize both the cultural and economic aspects of
Herat.
One notable example of the historical
treasures in Herat is the historical dams, which were constructed during the
reign of Amir Abdul Rahman Khan.
These dams cover an extensive area of
14,000 square meters and are situated in the heart of Herat city.
By repurposing these historical sites
into handicrafts markets, the government envisions creating a vibrant hub for
local artisans to showcase their crafts and offer unique products to domestic
and international visitors.
The initiative also seeks to promote
cultural exchange, support the local economy, and enhance tourism in the
region.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/historical-treasures-of-herat-to-be-transformed-into-handicrafts-market-khairkhah/
-----
Arson Attack on Benapole Express: 2
leaders of BNP, Jubo Dal placed on remand
Jan 11, 2024
A Dhaka court yesterday placed BNP's
Dhaka South City unit Joint Convener Nabi Ullah Nabi and Jubo Dal leader Mansur
Alam on a three-day remand in a case filed over their alleged involvement in
setting fire to the Benapole Express train in Dhaka on January 5.
Dhaka Judicial Magistrate MdJulhas Uddin
passed the order after case investigating officer Ferdous Ahmed Biswas,
inspector of Dhaka Railway Police Station, produced the two men before the
court with a 10-day remand prayer, said a police official at the Chief Judicial
Magistrate's Court.
Earlier in the day, Nabi and Mansur were
shown arrested in the sabotage case, following two separate petitions filed
with the court by the investigator.
At least four people were killed and
several others were injured after the train was set on fire on the night of
January 5 in Dhaka's Golapbag.
The next day, SM Nurul Islam, a director
of the railway, filed a murder case with Dhaka Railway Police Station against
some unnamed people.
In addition, on January 6, Mansur was
shown arrested in another arson case filed with Bangshal Police Station, while
Nabi was shown arrested in a case filed with Jatrabari Police Station over
political violence. Both were placed on remand in the cases that day.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/arson-attack-benapole-express-2-leaders-bnp-jubo-dal-placed-remand-3516251
------
Bail in 9 cases not enough for Fakhrul’s
release
Jan 11, 2024
A Dhaka court yesterday granted BNP
Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir bail in nine cases filed over
violence centring the October 28 BNP rally in Dhaka.
However, Fakhrul will remain
incarcerated as he is yet to secure bail in two other cases for which he has
been in jail since October 29, said Sheikh Shakil Ahmed Ripon, one of his
lawyers.
Yesterday, Sultan Sohag Uddin,
additional chief metropolitan magistrate of Dhaka, granted bail to Fakhrul
after hearing the bail petitions in nine cases, Additional Public Prosecutor
Tapash Kumar Pal told The Daily Star.
On January 9, the BNP leader was shown
arrested in the nine cases, following petitions filed with the court by his
lawyers.
The defence told the court that they
cannot file bail petitions in the cases until police showed Fakhrul arrested.
They submitted petitions before the court so that they could proceed with the
petitions. The court granted the petitions and fixed yesterday for the bail
hearing.
Of the nine cases, six were lodged with
Paltan Model Police Station and the rest with Ramna Model Police Station.
The charges in the cases include killing
of a police constable, illegal gathering on the street, vandalism of vehicles,
rioting, snatching a law enforcer's weapon, damaging properties, assaulting
police personnel, and preventing them from discharging their duties.
Meanwhile, the High Court yesterday
rejected Fakhrul's bail petition in the case filed over the vandalism of the
chief justice's residence on October 28.
The bench of Justice Md Salim and
Justice ShahedNuruddin, however, directed the jail authorities concerned to
take necessary steps for providing proper treatment to Fakhrul.
Delivering the verdict, the bench said
there is a possibility of hampering of investigation of the case if they grant
Fakhrul bail.
This verdict means Fakhrul cannot walk
out of jail, Deputy Attorney General BM Rafael told this newspaper.
Fakhrul's lawyer Zainul Abedin told
reporters that there was a scope for this client to move an appeal before the
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against the HC judgment.
On December 7 last year, the HC bench
refused to grant him bail but issued a rule asking the state to explain why
Fakhrul should not be granted bail in the case.
The BNP leader on December 3 filed the
bail petition, saying that he was not involved in the vandalism of the chief
justice's residence in any way.
He is an elderly person and he has been
suffering from different diseases, including heart problems, he said in the
petition.
On October 29, Fakhrul was arrested in
the case filed with Ramna Model Police Station. Later, he was shown arrested in
another case filed with Paltan Model Police Station over vandalism and
obstructing police on October 28. The BNP leader is in prison in the two cases.
Earlier, he was denied bail in the cases
by Dhaka courts.
Source: thedailystar.net
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-----
Mideast
Israel weaker than ‘spider web,’
desperately relies on US for security: Hezbollah
10 January 2024
Israel’s plea to the United States to
return the illegal settlers who fled the occupied territories amid the Gaza war
shows that the regime is “weaker than a spider’s web,” says a senior official
of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement.
Sheikh Nabil Qaouk, deputy head of
Hezbollah’s executive council, made the remarks during the funeral procession
for Wissam al-Tawil (Hajj Jawad), a top commander of the resistance group who
was assassinated on Monday in an Israeli strike on his car in southern Lebanon.
“If Israel were not weaker than a
spider’s house, it would not have appealed to the US and Western countries to
return settlers to northern settlements, it would not have asked the UN and
world powers to implement Security Council Resolution 1701, and it would not
have urged the United States and 20 other states to protect shipping safety in
the Red Sea,” he said.
Qaouk also cited recent figures released
by Israeli media, saying they indicate that 90 percent of Zionists do not
believe in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but rather in Hezbollah Secretary
General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah who says Israel is “weaker than a spider’s
web.”
“Israel has failed and no one believes
Netanyahu’s lies anymore,” he stated.
Israel waged the genocidal war on the
Gaza Strip on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried
out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its
intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.
However, more than three months into the
offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has failed to achieve its objectives of
“destroying Hamas” and finding Israeli captives despite killing 23,210
Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 59,167 others.
The Islamic Jihad chief says the
assassination of top Hezbollah commander Wissam al-Tawil clearly shows that all
forces of the Axis of Resistance are united to liberate the holy city of
al-Quds from the Israeli occupation.
Also in his remarks, the Hezbollah
official described Tawil as a brave commander who participated in the fight
against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group and trained thousands of fighters
wishing to battle Israel.
“With the martyrdom of Wissam al-Tawil,
the military of the occupying regime will not be spared from resistance attacks
and settlers will not return to the northern settlements. Israel’s defeat will
not be compensated for,” he said.
Tensions have increased on the Lebanese
border between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters since the beginning of the
Gaza war. Hezbollah fighters have targeted Israeli military sites in solidarity
with the oppressed Palestinians in besieged Gaza.
Source: presstv.ir
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-----
WHO says humanitarian situation in Gaza
Strip is “indescribable”
[11/January/2024]
GENEVA January 11. 2024 (Saba) -
Director-General of the World Health Organization TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus has
confirmed that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is “indescribable,”
noting that the distribution of aid is expected to face obstacles that are
“almost difficult to overcome,” after more than three months of continuous
Zionist aggression on the Strip.
“People wait for hours in line to get a
small amount of water that may be contaminated or bread that is not nutritious
if eaten alone,” Ghebreyesus said during a press conference in Geneva.
He pointed out that "only 15
hospitals are partially functioning," adding that "the shortage of
drinking water and health facilities and the miserable living conditions have
created an ideal environment for the spread of diseases."
Ghebreyesus reiterated the call for
"an immediate ceasefire or at least the establishment of safe humanitarian
routes, allowing aid to be distributed on a broader scale in the Palestinian
territories."
He added "Delivering humanitarian
aid to Gaza still involves challenges that are difficult to overcome. Severe
restrictions on movement due to bombing, fuel shortages, and communications
outages prevent the World Health Organization and its partners from reaching
what they need."
Ghebreyesus continued "We have
supplies, teams, and plans, but what we lack is the ability to dispose of
them," calling on the Zionist enemy to allow humanitarian aid to be
delivered to the Strip.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3295290.htm
----
Al-Aqsa Committee calls for massive exit
next Friday in process of promised conquest & holy jihad
[10/January/2024]
SANA'A Jan 10. 2024 (Saba) - The Supreme
Committee of the National Campaign to Support Al-Aqsa called for a large and
widespread public demonstration in the “Promised Conquest and Holy Jihad” march
next Friday in the capital, Sana'a, and the provinces.
In a statement received by the Yemeni
News Agency (Saba), the committee identified Al-Sabeen Square as a place for a
large mass rally on Friday afternoon in the capital, Sana’a, in support of the
resistance and the Palestinian people in Gaza and the occupied territories, and
readiness for any options required by the stage.
The committee called on everyone to
actively participate in the march, to send a message to the arrogant powers
that the Yemeni people, leadership, government and people stand by the people
and the Palestinian resistance and their just cause, and to support and support
the armed forces in continuing to prevent the passage of Israeli ships or those
heading to the occupied ports, until the aggression is stopped and the siege
imposed on our brothers in Gaza and the occupied territories is lifted.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3295228.htm
---
Palestinians hail South Africa for
bringing Gaza ‘genocide’ case
January 11, 2024
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories:
Dozens of Palestinians gathered Wednesday in front of the statue of Nelson
Mandela in the occupied West Bank to thank South Africa for bringing a
“genocide” case against Israel over its bombardment of Gaza.
The crowd waved Palestinian flags,
listened to speeches and held signs saying “Stop the genocide” and “Thank you
South Africa.”
Hearings at the UN’s top court will
begin on Thursday with South Africa hoping the judges will compel Israel to
halt its bombardment.
“It’s very important to show
appreciation to the people who understand our pain,” Ramallah mayor Issa Kassis
told AFP after addressing the crowd.
“We feel that South Africa listens to
our heart.”
South Africa’s ruling African National
Congress has long supported the Palestinian cause, often linking it to its own
struggle against the apartheid government, which had cooperative relations with
Israel.
Mandela famously said South Africa’s
freedom would be “incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”
MvuyoMhangwane, South Africa’s
representative to the Palestinians, said his countrymen had not forgotten
Mandela’s words.
“The message is to remind them
(Palestinians) that we are friends of Palestine forever, for better or for
worse, and to say that Palestine is not alone,” he said.
While the UN’s International Court of
Justice (ICJ) makes binding decisions, it has little ability to enforce them.
Nonetheless, Israel and the United
States have reacted furiously to the case.
On Tuesday, top US diplomat Antony
Blinken dismissed the case as “meritless” and said it was “particularly
galling” because Hamas, Iran and others had the stated aim of wiping Israel
from the map.
Last week Israeli government spokesman
Eylon Levy said South Africa was giving “political and legal cover” for the
attack launched by Hamas on October 7.
The attack resulted in about 1,140
deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official
figures.
Israel has since bombarded Gaza by land,
sea and air, killing at least 23,357 people, mostly women and children,
according to the Gaza health ministry.
“South Africa has made itself criminally
complicit with Hamas’s campaign of genocide against our people,” said Levy,
accusing the country of “abetting the modern heirs of the Nazis.” Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2439561/middle-east
-----
Muslim Parliamentary Union Of OIC Calls
For Israel To Be Prosecuted For Gaza War Crimes
10 January 2024
A meeting of the Parliamentary Union of
the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has called for Israeli leaders to be
prosecuted for the regime’s crimes against the besieged Gaza Strip, warning
that the ongoing situation risks triggering an “unprecedented explosion” in the
region.
The call was made via the final
communiqué of the 5th emergency meeting of the permanent Palestine committee of
the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the
Iranian capital of Tehran on Wednesday. The meeting was merged with the first
meeting of the Palestine Committee of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly.
The communiqué said Israel must be put
on trial for its war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide against
civilians in Gaza.
“We want the international community to
fully take up its responsibility to condemn these measures and try to put an
immediate end to the aggression,” the communiqué said.
The statement hailed South Africa for
filing a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and called
for PUIC members to support South Africa’s efforts to bring Israeli criminals
to justice.
‘Situation risks explosion’
The statement said the world must work
to put an immediate end to Israel’s onslaught, warning that Muslim nations
cannot remain indifferent as Israel keeps slaughtering Palestinians and that
the situation risks causing an explosion of anger leading to a conflict in the
region.
The communiqué said PUIC members support
the Palestinian people’s resistance against Israel in all its forms, as all
nations under occupation are entitled to defend themselves in the face of
attacks.
The statement rejected Israel’s plan to
forcibly displace Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and called for the
return of all Palestinians to their homeland.
The communiqué also slammed US support
for Israel's onslaught, saying
Washington has provided the regime with various types of advanced weapons and
ammunition.
The top UN court will hear a case on
Israel’s genocidal acts in the besieged Gaza Strip next week.
It said the US has also attempted to
whitewash Israel’s crimes in the international arena and used its veto power to
prevent the UN from taking action against the regime.
The statement also called on member
states to support Palestinians financially and politically, and work to deliver
more aid to the besieged strip and help Palestinians rebuild the houses
destroyed by Israel’s war machine.
Representatives from 26 Islamic and
Asian countries, including Bahrain, Turkey, Algeria, Oman and China, attended
the PUIC meeting in Tehran.
The PUIC was established in Iran in
1999, with its head office in Tehran.
In the Wednesday meeting, Iran’s
Parliament Speaker Mohammad BaqerQalibaf said the Israeli regime was founded on
genocide and aggression and its survival depends on perpetrating such heinous
crimes.
“What is coming to pass in the Gaza
Strip today is a cause of deep concern and shame for humanity. It is double
injustice to a nation that has been deprived of all human rights and has been
under aggression and occupation for more than seven decades,” Qalibaf said.
“No awakened conscience can be
dismissive of the heinous and widespread bloody crimes being committed by the
Israeli Zionist regime’s war machine in Gaza and its horrendous effects on the
peace and security of the region and the world.”
Source: presstv.ir
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------
Israel, Hezbollah trade strikes as
diplomats call for calm
January 10, 2024
BEIRUT: Israel has continued its strikes
against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon amid mounting fears of a war on the
border.
Hezbollah also struck back against
targets in Israel despite warnings from Israeli officials.
Reports in local Lebanese and Israeli
media say that Israel’s provocative targeting of Hezbollah could lure the group
into all-out conflict.
Since Oct. 8, when Hezbollah fired
dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas-led attack, the group
has continued to carry out low-level strikes on Israel, alarming the Lebanese
government.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati
has attempted to ease tensions. In talks with German Foreign Minister
AnnalenaBaerbock, he said: “Lebanon respects all international resolutions,
starting with the armistice agreement, to achieve permanent stability in
southern Lebanon.”
Mikati urged support for the Lebanese
army “to enable it to carry out its duties.”
He added: “The time has come to find a
permanent and just solution to the Palestinian cause, starting with a ceasefire
and launching an international path for a final and comprehensive solution
based on the two-state principle.”
Meanwhile, Israel ramped up efforts on
its northern border, using incendiary material to ignite forest fires in
Lebanon.
The Lebanese Army Command said in a
statement: “A joint army and UNIFIL patrol in the outskirts of the border town
of Labbouneh found three hoses used to pump incendiary materials that were placed
by the Israeli enemy, from inside the occupied Palestinian territories to
Lebanese territory. A specialized army unit worked to dismantle them in the
presence of UNIFIL members.
“During this time, army and UNIFIL
members were exposed to enemy fire, but no casualties were reported.”
The statement added: “Another joint
patrol found in the outskirts of the town of Aita Al-Shaab two similar hoses
that were extended from the Israeli enemy’s Tal Al-Raheb military center, and a
specialized army unit dismantled them.”
The Lebanese army is monitoring the
situation on the southern border with the help of UNIFIL.
The Israeli army targeted a house in
KfarShuba using a drone, killing a Hezbollah member, Nabegh Ahmed Al-Qadiri,
from KafrShuba, and resulting in injury to the house’s owner, Ibrahim Qasab.
Al-Qadiri’s home was destroyed by
Israeli artillery bombardment, so he had sought refuge in Qasab’s house.
The Israeli army announced strikes on
“targets in Lebanon, including military infrastructure in KafrShuba.”
The Israeli bombardment of Lebanese
border villages and towns from Naqoura to KafrShuba continued. With the
assistance of UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army, the Lebanese Red Cross successfully
retrieved a partially decomposed body from Metulla.
Israeli news outlets reported on
Wednesday that “Hezbollah launched a powerful missile, which landed in an
undisclosed settlement, resulting in significant destruction to nearby homes
within a hundred-meter range.”
The Israeli newspaper YediothAhronoth
reported that “the great destruction inflicted by Hezbollah on the northern
settlements can be described as unprecedented.”
Baerbock urged the need to implement
Resolution 1701 in southern Lebanon, during her meetings with Lebanese
officials in Beirut on Wednesday.
Among the provisions of the resolution
are the cessation of hostilities and the absence of armed Hezbollah personnel
within UNIFIL’s area of operations.
The German stance was expressed a day
before by US presidential adviser Amos Hochstein, who will arrive in Beirut on
Thursday for a brief visit. He will meet Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri,
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun and the head
of General Security, Brig. Gen. Elias Al-Baysari.
The visit is part of international
efforts to prevent military escalation on the border, with hostilities already
leading to mass evacuations from hundreds of settlements in northern Israel.
Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Bou
Saab, who had met Hochstein in Rome, said: “A war will not bring Israeli settlers
back to their northern settlements, but rather push them further away and
prolong the issue for a year.”
He added: “The solution is not in war
but in diplomatic efforts.”
Source: arabnews.com
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-------
Iran supports South Africa’s filing of
ICJ case against Israel over 'genocidal acts' in Gaza
10 January 2024
Iran has voiced its support for South
Africa’s decision to file a case against Israel at the International Court of
Justice (ICJ) over crimes of genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,
stating that the Tel Aviv regime has committed a raft of crimes against Gazans
in flagrant violation of international conventions.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry, in a
statement released on Wednesday, said Israel, enjoying unconditional and
unrestricted support from certain governments, has been carrying out full-scale
and vicious military attacks against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip
and the occupied West Bank over the past three months, and has been infringing
upon all international conventions concerning oppressed Palestinians.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran once again
strongly denounces the apartheid Zionist regime’s war crimes and genocide
against the Palestinian nation, and expresses its support for resistance as a
liberation move and legitimate right recognized by international law for the
Palestinian nation in the struggle against occupation,” the statement read.
It went on to urge international bodies
and agencies, including the UN Security Council, to adopt immediate and
practical steps aimed at complete cessation of Israeli military strikes on
Gaza.
The majority of respondents viewed the
US position about Israeli aggression on besieged Gaza Strip negatively.
The ministry also voiced Iran’s support
for South Africa’s “responsible, courageous and honorable” move, which it said
was based upon international law in defense of the Palestinian nation.
It finally called for the international
community’s strong support in order to hold the perpetrators of Gaza crimes to
account.
Israel waged the war on Gaza on October
7 after Palestinian resistance groups of Hamas and Islamic Jihad carried out
the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm into the occupied territories in response
to the occupying regime’s intensified crimes against the Palestinian people.
At least 23,357 Palestinians, most of
them women and children, have been killed in the war, and 59,410 individuals
injured.
Tel Aviv has also imposed a “complete
siege” on Gaza, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than
two million Palestinians living there.
Source: presstv.ir
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------
Israel paying $80 per day to soldiers in
Gaza: PIJ envoy
Jan 10, 2024
TEHRAN, Jan. 10 (MNA) – The war on Gaza
has taken a significant toll on the economy of the Israeli regime, which is
paying its soldiers $80 per day to fight in the besieged Palestinian territory,
an Islamic Jihad official has said.
Addressing a press conference in Tehran
on Wednesday, Nasser Abu-Sharif, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's representative
in Iran, dismissed the Israeli regime’s claim that the “third phase” of the war
on Gaza is a more targeted operation, saying it not a change of tactic but a
sign of weakness and retreat.
He said the Israeli regime would
undoubtedly deploy all its forces into Gaza at once if it deemed it possible.
The Islamic Jihad official pointed out
that the Israeli regime is paying its soldiers $80 per day in Gaza, adding that
these individuals were previously employed in other professions before the war.
Consequently, the war in Gaza has
created a shortage of manpower in various sectors of the Israeli economy,
Abu-Sharif said.
The Israeli regime had no choice but to
withdraw some of its soldiers from Gaza, he explained. “Therefore, this is not
a tactic but a consequence of the weakness and failure of the Zionist regime.”
Source: mehrnews.com
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-----
Abbas meets US’ Blinken in Ramallah,
rejects displacement of Palestinians
Qais Abu Samra
10.01.2024
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
rejected any attempts to displace Palestinians during his meeting with US
Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the West Bank on Wednesday.
Blinken arrived in Ramallah on Wednesday
as part of a regional tour that started with Türkiye for talks on the conflict
in the Gaza Strip.
“We will not allow the displacement of
any Palestinian whether in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank,” Abbas said during
the meeting as cited by the state news agency Wafa.
The Palestinian leader warned against
Israeli measures for displacing the Palestinians from their lands.
“The Gaza Strip is an integral part of
the Palestinian state,” he stressed.
Several Israeli officials have called
for the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip amid a deadly Israeli
offensive on the seaside enclave.
Talks between Abbas and Blinken also
covered the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and Israeli violence
in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a
statement.
Blinken reiterated the US stance that
all Palestinian tax revenues collected by Israel should be continuously
transferred to the Palestinian Authority, the Wafa news agency reported.
The chief diplomat also affirmed support
for taking tangible steps to establish a Palestinian state to live in peace and
security with Israel.
Abbas is scheduled to fly to Jordan
later Wednesday to attend a 3-way Arab summit with the leaders of Jordan and
Egypt.
Washington has so far refrained from
calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and has provided Tel Aviv with military,
intelligence, and diplomatic support.
Israel has pounded the Palestinian
enclave since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7,
killing at least 23,357 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring
59,410 others, according to local health authorities.
Around 1,200 Israelis are believed to
have been killed in the Hamas offensive.
About 85% of Gazans have been displaced,
while all of them are food insecure, according to the UN. Hundreds of thousands
of people are living without shelter, and less than half of aid trucks are
entering the territory than before the start of the conflict.
Source: aa.com.tr
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----
Tehran hosts urgent meeting of top
Muslim lawmakers on Gaza
January 10, 2024
TEHRAN – In a critical response to the
relentless aggressions by the Zionist regime against the Palestinian people,
participants in the fifth emergency session of the meeting of the standing
committee of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) convened
in Tehran on Wednesday.
The session brought together
representatives to discuss the urgent need for comprehensive support for the
resistance of the Palestinian people against the occupying forces.
The final statement issued by the PUIC
highlighted the severity of the situation, condemning the brutal actions of the
Zionist regime as thousands of lives have been lost, accompanied by extensive
destruction of vital infrastructure in Gaza.
Emphasizing the urgent need for
intervention, the participants called for an immediate cessation of hostilities
in Gaza. They expressed concern over the deliberate opposition by the Zionist
regime to any prospect of a ceasefire and the opening of corridors for
humanitarian aid to reach the people in the Gaza Strip and other occupied
Palestinian territories.
The statement solidified the stance of
member countries, urging collective action against the Zionist regime's
aggression in the ongoing crisis.
The ongoing crisis, as discussed in the
meeting, poses a serious challenge to the entire region, with potentially
dangerous consequences for global peace and security.
Speaker criticizes U.S. and its Western
allies for deceitful stance on Palestine
Addressing the meeting, Iran’s
Parliament Speaker Mohammad BagherGhalibaf defended the rights of the
Palestinians to resist occupation and aggression.
He called for strong resistance against
the harsh and inhumane policies of the Zionist regime against Palestinians,
cautioning against being swayed by misleading narratives propagated by the
usurper regime.
Highlighting the Oct. 7 al-Aqsa Storm
Operation as a spontaneous and natural response to the oppression and
aggression faced by the defenseless people of Palestine, Ghalibaf underscored
the importance of recognizing the operation as a legitimate move in defending
inherent rights.
Ghalibaf emphasized that achieving peace
hinges on the realization of justice and the protection of the rights of the
victims of atrocities.
Ghalibaf stressed the imperative of a
firm stand against the harsh and inhumane policies of the Zionist regime.
Islamic countries: United for Palestine
Representatives from 26 Islamic and
Asian countries, including Bahrain, Turkiye, Algeria, Oman, and China shared
their view of the ongoing atrocities in Gaza, highlighting the urgent need to
take necessary actions for the trial of the Zionist regime and halt the war.
A representative from the Palestinian
parliament underscored the imperative for Islamic nations to stand in support
of Palestine, vehemently denouncing bilateral ties with the Zionist regime as a
tacit approval of ongoing atrocities.
"It has been nearly 96 days since
the aggression against the rights of the Palestinian people and the assault on
Gaza. Explosives have been unleashed on the population, and Israeli aggression
along the western borders and Jerusalem persists," Fahmi Al-Za’aeer noted.
President of the Algerian Parliament
Ebrahim Boughali also urged advocates for the freedom of Palestine and global
leaders to take necessary actions for the trial of the Zionist regime in
international courts.
"All tools should be used to
prosecute Israel's crimes against the Palestinian people in international
courts," said Qassem Hashem, the representative from the Lebanese
Parliament.
During another segment of the meeting,
the Speaker of the Syrian Parliament declared, "The cause of Palestine
resonates in the conscience of our nation. We stand in solidarity with the
Palestinian people and defend them."
The representatives discussed the urgent
need for comprehensive support for the resistance of the Palestinian people
against the occupying forces.
The final statement issued by the PUIC
further highlighted the severity of the situation, condemning the brutal
actions of the Zionist regime.
Source: tehrantimes.com
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-----
Pakistan
Pakistan backs ICJ probe into ‘genocide’
in Gaza
January 11, 2024
UNITED NATIONS:Pakistan on Tuesday
warned that failure of international efforts to halt the "brutal"
Israeli war on Gaza risked escalation that could engulf the entire region, as
the UN General Assembly debated the use of the veto by the United States in the
Security Council last month.
“The council has been paralysed due to
the resistance and negative vote of a permanent member,” Ambassador Usman
Jadoon, acting permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the
193-member Assembly -- without naming the US.
“A heavy responsibility rests on those
who have enabled the prolongation of this war and the continuing slaughter of
innocent civilians in Gaza,” the Pakistani envoy pointed out.
The veto is a special voting power held
by the permanent members on the Council, whereby if any one of the five -
China, France, Russia, the UK and the US - casts a negative vote, the
resolution or decision automatically fails.
Tuesday's meeting was held under the
Assembly's standing mandate to convene within 10 working days of a veto being
cast in the Council. “Beyond the imperative of an immediate and sustainable
ceasefire, we must ensure the provision of adequate humanitarian assistance to
the besieged population of Gaza,” the Pakistani envoy said, upholding the
peoples' right to life and dignity.
There must be consequences and
accountability for Israel’s criminal actions in Palestine, the Pakistani envoy
said. In this regard, he said Pakistan welcomed South Africa’s initiative to
bring Israel's transgressions under the Genocide Convention to the Hague-based
International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Pakistan, he added, also looks forward
to the Advisory Opinion of the ICJ on the legal consequences arising from the
policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,
including East Jerusalem. “The root cause of this crisis lies in Israel's
prolonged occupation and denial of Palestinians' inalienable right to
self-determination. Israel's brutal campaign against the occupied people of
Palestine struggling for their freedom cannot be justified under the guise of
self-defence,” Jadoon said.
“The international community cannot
accept the fait accompli Israel is seeking to impose to destroy Palestinian
nationhood,” he said.
“The choice before us regarding
Palestine is stark: engage in a determined and sustained diplomatic endeavour
to implement the two-state solution, or bear witness to the ongoing genocide
perpetrated by extremist Israeli leaders, with the tacit or explicit support of
some foreign political leaders.”
in the end, the Pakistani envoy called
for working collectively to prevent the genocide in Palestine, achieve a two
state solution and establish a secure, viable, contiguous, and sovereign state
of Palestine on the basis of the pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif
as its capital.
On Dec 22, the United States vetoed an
amendment proposed by Russia that would have called for "an urgent
suspension of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access”.
Subsequently, the 15-member Council adopted a watered-down resolution calling
for speeding aid deliveries to desperate civilians in Gaza but without the
original plea for an “urgent suspension of hostilities” between Israel and the
Palestinian fighters.
The vote was 13 in favour to none
against, with 2 abstentions (United States, Russian Federation). In his remarks, the Pakistani envoy said that
the Council has regrettably failed in fulfilling its obligation to impose a
ceasefire. “Pakistan, therefore, reiterates its call for an immediate and
unconditional ceasefire,” Ambassador Jadoon said, highlighting that Israel's
war in Gaza is brutal -- a veritable genocide.
“This latest exercise of the veto
reinforces our conviction that the reform of the Security Council should not
add more permanent members to its composition,” he said, referring to the push
by India, Brazil, Germany and Japan for permanent seats in an expanded Security
Council -- a move Pakistan and its
allies stoutly oppose.
“Israel's indiscriminate slaughter of
innocent Palestinian civilians, including children and women, is a flagrant
violation of international law, including the principles of the UN Charter,
international humanitarian and human rights law," Jadoon said, adding that
this genocidal war must be stopped forthwith in accordance with the General Assembly's
resounding call for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire.
“Pakistan strongly and unequivocally
condemns Israel's rejection of a humanitarian ceasefire,” he said.
Source: tribune.com.pk
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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2452885/pakistan-backs-icj-probe-into-genocide-in-gaza
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Illegal NikahCase: Court Adjourns
Indictment Of Imran Khan And His Wife Bushra Bibi
2024-01-11
ISLAMABAD: A local court, on Wednesday,
deferred the indictment of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan
and his wife Bushra Bibi in an illegal Nikah case due to the absence of Khan’s
wife till January 15.
The civil judge, Qudratullah, while
hearing the case at Adiala Jail postponed the framing of the charge against
Khan and his wife in the Nikah case. Jail authorities produced Khan before the
court. Khan’s counsel Salman Akram Raja, Bushra Bibi’s lawyer Usman Gull as
well as counsel for the complainant Rizwan Abbas appeared before the court.
However, Khan’s wife did not appear
before the court. At the start of the hearing, Bushra Bibi’s counsel told the
court his client was ill due to which she could not appear before it.
He filed an application before the court
seeking exemption from personal appearance before the court for his client.
The PTI chief and his wife’s counsel
requested the court to adjourn the hearing of the case till Monday next.
Abbasi, while objecting to the accused
counsel’s plea to adjourn the hearing till Monday, said that the court had
fixed today’s date for framing the charge against the accused. He requested
indicting the accused on Thursday (today).
To this, the PTI founder’s lawyer told
the court that he has to appear before Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday
(today) in some other cases, therefore, it would be difficult for him to appear
before this court.
The judge said that if you [the defence
counsel] are busy in IHC on Thursday before noon then we fix this case for same
afternoon. To this, Raja, Khan’s counsel said that he did not know at which
time hearings will end in IHC as well as he has some personal engagement on
Thursday.
The court, after hearing the arguments,
adjourned the hearing of the case till January 15.
The court had earlier recorded the
statement of Bushra Bibi’s former husband and the complainant Khawar Maneka,
his servant Muhammad Latif, Mufti Muhammad Saeed who had solemnised the Nikah,
and former advisor to the prime minister on sports and tourism Awn Chaudhry.
Source: brecorder.com
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https://www.brecorder.com/news/40283104/illegal-Nikah-case-court-adjourns-indictment-of-ik-spouse
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Missing persons’ case: IHC underscores
need for prosecuting intelligence personnel
2024-01-11
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court
(IHC) has stressed the prosecution of intelligence agencies’ personnel to
resolve the issue of enforced disappearances.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, who heard
a case regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission of
Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, on Wednesday, said the enforced
disappearance takes place because the State institutions do not believe in the
rule of law and emphasized prosecution of intelligence agencies’ officials
allegedly involved in it.
Justice Kayani heard a petition filed by
lawyer Imaan Mazari seeking the recovery of missing Baloch students.
During the hearing, the bench remarked
whether it is difficult for the police if it writes a supplementary statement
in the FIR and makes the intelligence officers, accused?
Justice Kayani added that the time will
come when intelligence officers will be prosecuted. He said that the prime
minister and secretaries of interior and defense must give an affidavit that
enforced disappearance will not happen in the future.
He added that the police force is the
front face of the state, not the other institutions. He further said that the
trials of terrorists are held in anti-terrorism courts and questioned whether
it is forbidden to hold the trial of Baloch extremists in the same courts.
Source: brecorder.com
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Kakar: Afghan Soil Should Not Be Threat
to Pakistan or Region
SodabaNazhand\
January 10, 2024
The prime minister of the caretaker
government of Pakistan, Anwar ul-Haq Kakar, claimed that Afghanistan’s soil is
used against Pakistan.
Speaking to digital media platform
Infer, Kakar asked the current Afghan government to take responsibility so that
Afghanistan soil should not be a threat either to Pakistan or anyone else in
the region.
“We are telling them that whatever
circumstances brought you into the government, now this is your responsibility
and you should be accountable for it -- that anyone from the soil of
Afghanistan should not be a threat either to Pakistan or anyone else in the
region,” he said.
Referring to the issue of deportation of
Afghan immigrants from Pakistan, Anwar ul-Haq Kakar said that most Pakistanis
were behind this decision.
“Majority of the Pakistanis were behind
this move. There are some who were critical and who opposed this. I’m not
saying that there was a consensus, but my own assessments, the kind of survey
we were receiving, (the) majority of the Pakistanis supported this. First of
all, non-documented aliens do not have any lawful right to stay here,” Kakar
noted.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of using
its territory against it, although the Islamic Emirate consistently pledges its
security and that Afghanistan's territory will not be used against other
countries.
The spokesman of the Islamic Emirate,
Zabihullah Mujahid, repeatedly emphasized that providing security in Pakistan
is not the responsibility of the Islamic Emirate, but the responsibility of the
government Pakistan.
"The official position of the
current Afghan government is that the country's territory will not be used
against any country; this is included in the Doha agreements, and this is
evidence that the government of Afghanistan cannot deviate from this. Secondly,
we do not have the capacity to interfere in other countries' internal
affairs," political analyst Moeen Gul Samkanai told TOLOnews.
"The Pakistani government's
persistent claims about the TTP group's activities and presence in Afghanistan,
and their claim that they are making Pakistan insecure from Afghanistan, are
false and baseless,” Najib Rahman Shamal, another political analyst, told
TOLOnews.
This comes as Pakistan's expulsion of
Afghan immigrants and its claim that it has used Afghan soil against other
countries have put a strain on ties between Kabul and Islamabad.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186906
-----
Southeast Asia
In Christian-majority Philippines,
religion not the only factor splitting views over Israel-Gaza war
11 Jan, 2024
Raissa Robles
Jennifer, 29, spent part of the holidays
crocheting drink coasters shaped like watermelons and selling them to friends
and relatives to raise funds for the children of Gaza and newly-arrived
Filipino-Palestinian refugees.
“It seemed like a nice way to use my
talents and to help this need that is so urgent,” said Jennifer, a historian
who asked to use a pseudonym “to avoid harassment”.
She chose the watermelon design after
learning that “watermelons are symbols of Palestinian resistance because they
mimic the colours of their flag”.
Jennifer managed to raise 7,600 pesos
(US$450) with this crocheting project for the refugees and for the United
Nations’ Children in Gaza crisis campaign.
Like many Filipinos, Jennifer has strong
opinions about the fighting in the Middle East, triggered by Hamas’ assault on
Israel on October 7, and the latter’s retaliatory attacks on Palestinians in
Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
“[Israelis] have the right to make
incursions into the West Bank and Gaza to retrieve their hostages, but they
don’t have the right to indiscriminately kill civilians, which is what they are
doing,” she said.
Jennifer’s heartfelt opposition to
Israel’s actions runs counter to the official stance of the Philippine
government. Shortly after the outbreak of violence, President Ferdinand Marcos
Jnr told Israel’s ambassador to Manila, IlanFluss, that the Philippines “will
always stand with Israel in this war against the inhuman terrorist attacks by
Hamas”.
Some Filipinos share Jennifer’s
sentiments, including those who staged a rally in front of the Israeli embassy
in Manila after the Philippines abstained from a United Nations resolution
calling for a humanitarian truce in Gaza, making it the only country in
Southeast Asia not to support the measure.
But in a country of 120 million with a
Christian-majority population, supporters of the Palestinian cause find
themselves in the minority, with even critics of Marcos Jnr and his predecessor
Rodrigo Duterte supporting Israel’s counterstrikes in Palestinian conclaves. In
extreme cases, some who agree with the government’s support for Israel have
even advocated the mass extermination of Palestinians on social media.
One notable example is the Philippines’
special envoy to China and ambassador to Britain, TeodoroLocsin Jnr, who said
on X that “Palestinian children should be killed [because] they might grow up
to become as gullible as innocent Palestinians letting Hamas launch rockets at
Israel”.
A lawyer, lawmaker and former foreign
secretary, Locsin has since deleted his post and apologised, but a local Muslim
group has filed a disbarment case against him, and the department he used to
head has distanced itself from his post.
According to Jose Antonio Custodio, a
defence analyst and fellow at the Consortium of Indo-Pacific Researchers,
Filipinos are emotionally invested in the conflict because “from the formative
years of every Filipino-Christian, Israel and the Jews play a very significant
role” in shaping their world views.
“The religious highlight for a
Filipino-Christian is to make pilgrimages to Israel aside from Rome,” the
56-year-old said.
Data from Israel’s tourism ministry
showed 34,000 Filipinos visited the country in 2019 and even more were expected
to arrive last year – based on the 19,300 Filipinos who visited from January to
June – until the war broke out.
Likewise, political activist
NuelleDuterte suggested the heated discourse among Filipinos over the Middle
East conflict “boils down to religion and race”.
“Perhaps it has to do with Filipinos,
being Catholics and Christians, identifying with Israel being the promised
land,” said Nuelle, a New Zealand-based psychiatrist whose uncle is Rodrigo
Duterte.
“Based on comments I read [online],
there’s an attachment to biblical Israelites, a belief that the bible is a
historical book which says Israel belongs to people of Jewish faith, and
prejudice towards Muslims and people from the Middle East [Arabs] are the core
reasons for people’s pro-Israel stance.”
The belief that Jews are the “chosen
people” destined to occupy the Holy Land and build a “third temple” in
Jerusalem to replace the second one destroyed in the 7th century is shared by
some Christian Filipinos as part of an apocalyptic prophecy involving the
return of the Messiah.
While the Philippines is predominantly
Catholic, it also has a large Muslim minority based mainly in the southern
provinces, which resisted Spanish and American colonisers, and full
assimilation to the Philippine republic in 1946. The region has endured
separatist insurgencies for decades, and even after a peace deal was reached
with the government in 2014, some rebels still carry out attacks.
Popular support for the Palestinian
cause is stronger in the Philippines’ south, with thousands of people joining
demonstrations against Israel’s actions in places like Cotabato City on the
island of Mindanao. Smaller rallies have taken place in Manila, mostly led by
human rights activists.
Custodio said the support for Israel
could stem from the country being a source of economic betterment for thousands
of Filipinos. “[Some] 30,000 Filipinos work as caregivers in Israel and they
support hundreds of thousands of Filipinos back in the Philippines,” he said.
“One of those murdered by Hamas was a
Filipino caregiver who bravely and selflessly stood by her patient instead of
fleeing [and] four Filipinos died during the October 7 Hamas attack,” Custodio
said, adding that this generated sympathy and anger back home.
Walden Bello, an adjunct professor of
sociology at the State University of New York at Binghamton, noted that social
media had changed the perspectives of younger Filipinos from their parents’
generation because it helped elevate the narratives of the Palestinian people.
“Many youths [today] have relatives in
the Middle East, Europe and the US, and they have absorbed the more positive
Palestinian narrative,” said the 78-year-old human rights activist.
Government statistics on contractual
deployments appear to support Bello’s assessment, with data showing that of the
1.96 million overseas Filipino workers on short-term work contracts in 2022,
54.8 per cent worked in Arab countries.
Bello observed that most Filipinos
condemned Hamas’ initial attack, but as Israel retaliated without let-up, many
young people started researching the issue and “then they began to discover the
real history of Israel and Palestine. What becomes very evident is the
[Palestinian] history of dispossession, of being turned out of their homes and
of hoping one day to go back”.
NuelleDuterte, a vocal critic of her
uncle’s deadly war on drugs who has publicly expressed her sympathy for
Palestinians, said she noticed some critics who had previously opposed the
former president’s controversial rights record had now turned against her to
accuse her of being “pro-terrorist”.
“I get more pushback from anti-Digong
people regarding my thoughts on Gaza and Palestinians,” she said, referring to
Rodrigo Duterte’s nickname. “I’ve been told I’m exactly like Digong because
they think I’m pro-terrorist and don’t care about the murders on October 7.”
Nuelle noted the irony of this,
considering Rodrigo had condemned Palestinians. On a talk show in October after
Hamas’ initial attack, he had said Israel should turn Gaza into “ the world’s
biggest cemetery”.
“It’s interesting to me how the people
who promote continued mass killing of Palestinians in Gaza can’t see how
similar they sound to Digong, who spearheaded the mass killing of drug addicts
and pushers in the Philippines,” Nuelle said.
Source: scmp.com
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https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3247982/christian-majority-philippines-religion-not-only-factor-splitting-views-over-israel-gaza-war
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Immigration Dept rescues 21 Bangladeshi
human trafficking victims in Klang raid
10-01- 2024
PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department
successfully rescued 21 Bangladeshi men believed to be victims of human
trafficking during an operation conducted in Klang, Selangor on Monday.
Immigration director-general Datuk
RuslinJusoh (pix) said all victims, aged between 20 and 40, were rescued during
the operation conducted around 3.30 pm at a shop-house premises following a
public-tip off and intellgence.
“All individuals are believed to be
victims of exploitation, having been promised jobs by a company. Investigations
showed that they were neglected without any work for about six months, and some
of them had valid temporary work passes, but were not paid wages by their employer.
“Their passports were also held and kept
by the employer without their consent,” he said in a statement today.
Ruslin said the department has
identified the companies and employers involved and has begun an investigation
under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007
(Act 670). –Bernama
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/local_news/immigration-dept-rescues-21-bangladeshi-human-trafficking-victims-in-klang-raid-FP11969905
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Minister Qoumas pushes for
pilgrim-oriented Hajj services
January 11, 2024
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Religious Affairs
Minister YaqutCholilQoumas urged his ranks at the Ministry of Religious Affairs
to exert utmost efforts to ensure detailed pilgrim-oriented services in the
2024 Hajj pilgrimage.
"I would like to ask all officials
to prepare Hajj services in a detailed manner. It is important to pay attention
to every single relevant aspect," he remarked in Medina, Saudi Arabia, on
Wednesday, as cited from a statement received here on Thursday.
Qoumas then affirmed that President Joko
Widodo had instructed the ministry to ensure that this year's Hajj pilgrimage
will be much better than those in the previous years.
He also noted that this year, the
government would continue to adopt the theme of "Elderly-friendly
Hajj," considering that the total number of elderly pilgrims this year
reaches around 40 thousand people.
"This will serve as one of the
legacies of President Joko Widodo. We need to continue to prepare Hajj services
by placing pilgrims as the focus," he remarked, adding that all services
must provide convenience to Indonesian pilgrims in performing the annual
Islamic ritual.
Related news: Indonesia to send 241,000
people to this year's Hajj pilgrimage
On a separate occasion, Saudi Arabian
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Waleed Abdulkarim, emphasized that the Saudi
Government would continue to improve the Hajj system, management, and services.
Continuous improvement is essential to
properly serve pilgrims coming from all over the world, including those from
Indonesia, he stated.
Abdulkarim noted that the Saudi government
and people view providing the finest services to pilgrims as a noble deed
despite acknowledging the complexity in Hajj preparations.
He then invited the Indonesian Religious
Affairs Ministry to continue to maintain sound communication with the Saudi
Arabian Government to deal with likely problems and challenges in the
implementation of the Hajj pilgrimage.
Source: antaranews.com
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https://en.antaranews.com/news/302832/minister-qoumas-pushes-for-pilgrim-oriented-hajj-services?utm_source=antaranews&utm_medium=desktop&utm_campaign=top_news
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Witness: 90 photos with potentially
obscene content found in Ebit Lew’s phone data
10-01- 2024
TENOM: A police officer told the
Magistrate’s Court here today that 90 photographs believed to contain obscene
elements were found in data extracted from the mobile phone of preacher
EbitIrawan Ibrahim Lew, or Ebit Lew (pix).
Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) Forensic
Computer Crime Investigation Unit analyst Insp Yip Chang Ching, 43, said that
on March 10, 2022, he analysed the data, which was stored in a pen drive, and
found the photographs and three video recordings with suspected pornographic
elements.
He said this in his examination-in-chief
by deputy public prosecutor Zahida Zakaria when asked about the findings of his
analysis on the pen drive, a case exhibit handed over by LGMS Berhad to PDRM.
The eighth prosecution witness said he
took about four hours and 50 minutes to open the extracted files for reading by
forensic software.
“After opening the files, I spent about
two days studying and analysing the data to retrieve the required data
according to the application in the analysis form prepared by the investigating
officer,” he said in the trial of Ebit Lew here.
Yip said the data he analysed also
contained reports of two outgoing calls answered by third parties, lasting 136
seconds and 1,346 seconds at 7.28 am on May 1, 2021 and 7.50 am on May 20, 2021,
respectively.
He said he handed over the pen drive to
the investigating officer on Jan 10 last year.
Lew, 38, faces 11 charges, including
outraging the modesty of a woman in her 40s by sending obscene words and images
to the victim’s phone number via the WhatsApp application between March and
June 2021.
The charges under Section 509 of the
Penal Code provide for a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine or both
on conviction.
The trial before Magistrate Nur
AsyrafZolhani continues tomorrow. –Bernama
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/local_news/witness-90-photos-with-potentially-obscene-content-found-in-ebit-lew-s-phone-data-MO11970491
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Nadma: Number of flood victims in Johor,
Pahang rises as of this morning
11 Jan 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 ― The number of
flood victims in Johor and Pahang increased this morning to 9,146 victims
sheltering in 76 temporary relief centres (PPS), compared with 8,586 evacuees
last night.
According to the latest report from the
National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) command centre, the number of flood
victims in Johor increased to 7,536 compared to 7,025 recorded last night.
All victims were placed in 53 PPS in six
districts, namely Kota Tinggi in 26 PPS with 4,448 victims, 12 PPS in Johor
Baru (1,710 victims), nine PPS in Kluang (1,163 victims), four PPS in Segamat
(103 victims) and each one PPS each in Kulai (90 victims) and Pontian (22
victims).
In Pahang, the number of victims
increased to 1,610 victims compared to 1,561 people last night, who took
shelter in 23 PPS in three districts involving 11 PPS each in Pekan and Rompin
and one in Maran.
Meanwhile, a survey of the status of the
Irrigation and Drainage Department's Telemetry Station found that several
rivers in Johor still recorded danger levels, namely Sungai Endau in Kluang,
Sungai Jemaluang in Mersing and Sungai Johor in Kota Tinggi.
In Pahang, the Sungai Pahang in Maran,
Pekan and Bera and the Sungai Rompin in Rompin also recorded dangerous levels,
as did the Sungai Kedah in Kota Setar, Kedah; Sungai Perak in Hulu Perak,
Perak; Sungai Arau in Arau, Perlis and Sungai Terengganu in Hulu Terengganu,
Terengganu.
The report also said 52 roads were
closed due to floods, damaged bridges and landslides, including Jalan Johor
Baru-Endau and JalanDesaru-Pengerang in Kota Tinggi, Johor;
JalanTemerloh-Jerantut and JalanSerengkam in Maran Pahang.
In the meantime, Nadma reported that a
PPS was opened in Kuching, Sarawak to house 38 victims from 12 families. ―
Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/01/11/nadma-number-of-flood-victims-in-johor-pahang-rises-as-of-this-morning/111795
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Africa
Nelson Mandela’s support for
Palestinians endures with South Africa’s genocide case against Israel
January 11, 2024
CAPE TOWN: Barely two weeks after he was
released from prison in 1990, Nelson Mandela flew to Zambia to meet with
African leaders who had supported his fight against South Africa’s apartheid
system of forced racial segregation.
One figure stood out among the men in
dark suits eagerly waiting to greet Mandela on the airport tarmac: Palestinian
leader Yasser Arafat, wearing his black and white checkered keffiyeh headdress,
had traveled to see the newly freed Mandela.
He grabbed Mandela in a bear hug and
kissed him on each cheek. Mandela smiled broadly. It was confirmation of the
solidarity between two men who considered their peoples’ struggles for freedom
to be the same.
South Africans continue to support the
Palestinian cause, and the country has taken the rare step of bringing a
genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice because of
its war in Gaza.
South Africa is not a diplomatic heavyweight
and is geographically far from the conflict. But its ruling African National
Congress, which Mandela led from an anti-apartheid liberation movement to a
political party in government, has retained its strong pro-Palestinian stance
even after Mandela died in 2013.
“We have stood with the Palestinians and
we will continue to stand with our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” Mandela’s
grandson, Mandla Mandela, said at a pro-Palestinian rally in Cape Town in
October, days after the Hamas attack in southern Israel spurred the war on
Gaza. Mandla Mandela, an ANC lawmaker, wore a black and white Palestinian
keffiyeh around his neck as he spoke to a large crowd.
Nelson Mandela regularly raised the
plight of the Palestinians. Three years after apartheid and white minority rule
was dismantled in South Africa and Mandela was elected president in historic
all-race elections in 1994, he thanked the international community for its
help. He added: “But we know too well that our freedom is incomplete without
the freedom of the Palestinians.”
Mandela and South African leaders after
him compared the restrictions Israel placed on Palestinians in Gaza and the
West Bank with the treatment of Black South Africans during apartheid, framing
the two issues as fundamentally about people oppressed in their homeland.
Israel provided weapons systems to South Africa’s apartheid government and
maintained secret military ties with it up until the mid-1980s, even after
publicly denouncing apartheid.
The ANC has consistently criticized Israel
as an “apartheid state,” even before the current war. International rights
groups have also accused Israel of the crime of apartheid against Palestinians
and that “resonates strongly with South Africa,” said ThamsanqaMalusi, a South
African human rights lawyer.
Malusi said many in the South African
government experienced the oppression of apartheid and that could help explain
its decision to lodge the case against Israel at the UN’s top court.
While Mandela, the Nobel Peace
Prize-winning statesman, also reached out to Israel in an attempt to foster a
peaceful solution, anti-Israeli rhetoric in South Africa has strengthened over
the years, sometimes seeping into everyday life. For example, the ANC’s youth
wing pressured South African grocery store chains to drop Israeli products and
threatened to forcibly shut them down if they didn’t.
Israel’s assault on Gaza sparked renewed
solidarity with the Palestinian cause in South Africa. Thousands have marched
in support of Gaza in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and buildings in the Cape
Town neighborhood of Bo Kaap were adorned with pro-Palestine graffiti in the
weeks after the war broke out.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
— the current leader of the ANC — has criticized both Israel and Hamas for what
he calls atrocities committed by both sides in the conflict. But he also
appeared in public wearing a keffiyeh and holding a Palestine flag, even as he
offered condolences to Israel over the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, leaving little
doubt where South Africa’s sympathies lie.
ANC officials, including Mandla Mandela,
hosted three Hamas officials in South Africa last month, including the group’s
top representative in Iran. They attended a ceremony marking the 10th
anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death before a statue of the former South
African President at the seat of government in a nod to his historic connection
with the Palestinian cause.
On Wednesday, the eve of the court
proceedings, Palestinians in the West Bank city of Ramallah crowded around
another statue of Mandela, waving Palestinian and South African flags and
holding signs that read: “Thank You South Africa.”
The Hamas visit to South Africa was not
welcomed by all, though.
South Africa’s main opposition party has
said it considers Hamas a terrorist organization, as do the United States and
European Union, and support for Palestinians in South Africa has complicated
racial connotations. Black and mixed-race South Africans, brutally oppressed
under apartheid, have been at the forefront of the support for Palestinians.
Support is not as pronounced among South Africa’s white minority.
South Africa’s ANC-led government says
it is taking a morale stance in its genocide case against Israel, first seeking
an order for Israel to stop the assaults in Gaza that have killed more than
23,300 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and children, according to the
Gaza Health Ministry.
But the case has given rise to
accusations of hypocrisy: The ANC has itself ignored international court
orders.
The ANC government refused to arrest
then-Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir when he visited South Africa in 2015
while the subject of a warrant on allegations of genocide by the separate
International Criminal Court. South Africa has also retained strong ties with
Russia and President Vladimir Putin since the invasion of Ukraine, overlooking
an ICC indictment against Putin for alleged war crimes in relation to the
abduction of children from Ukraine.
Source: arabnews.com
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Africa: Discriminatory Laws Against LGBT
People, Deplores Amnesty
January 10, 2024
The year 2023 saw a surge in
discriminatory laws directed against LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
and intersex) people on the African continent, according to a report by Amnesty
International.
In a new brief covering 12 African
states, Amnesty International exposes the increasing use of legal systems in
2023 to systematically target and discriminate against LGBTI people.
These include cases where laws have been
used to persecute and marginalize members of the LGBTI community, highlighting
a tendency to use legal mechanisms as instruments of repression.
“Across Africa, LGBTI people find
themselves facing a worrying setback in progress, challenges to their identity
and significant obstacles to their legal and social rights,” said
TigereChagutah, regional director for LGBTI. East and Southern Africa at
Amnesty International.
“Arbitrary arrests and detentions have
increased, with simply being yourself considered a criminal offence,” he adds.
In some places, the death penalty looms like a terrifying specter – an unjust
and brutal punishment for being who they are. We face what is surely a growing
crisis of a homophobic legal war."
On the continent, 31 countries continue
to criminalize consensual same-sex sexual relations, in flagrant violation of
human rights standards established at the African Union and global level.
Existing laws have tightened in several
African nations.
Climate of fear and repression
In Uganda, where consensual homosexual
relations were already illegal, the situation became tougher with the adoption
of the Homosexuality Suppression Act in 2023.
In Ghana, LGBTI people continue to face
persistent discrimination and a range of human rights violations. The situation
could become even more precarious if the Ghanaian Parliament passes one of the
strictest anti-LGBTI bills on the continent.
In Malawi, LGBTI people live in a
worrying and hostile environment, with discriminatory legislation and human
rights violations creating a climate of fear and repression.
In Zambia, there is a notable and
worrying increase in homophobic sentiment. This upsurge appears to be due to a
variety of factors, including existing laws, cultural norms, and political
events that contribute to shaping a problematic environment for the LGBTI
community.
In Kenya, a member of Parliament
submitted the Family Protection Bill 2023. This includes measures likely to
limit fundamental rights, such as the right to assembly, respect for private
life and access to information and services relating to sexual and reproductive
health. It aims to prohibit consensual same-sex sexual relations, same-sex
marriage and related activities.
Amnesty International calls on African
states and governments to publicly recognize and protect the fundamental rights
of all, equally, without discrimination.
“It is important to recognize that these
challenges facing LGBTI people in Africa go beyond legality and encompass a silent
struggle for the hearts and minds of societies.
Undoubtedly, the abuse of rights
increases their vulnerability and highlights the need for a coordinated
regional and international intervention, said Samira Daoud, regional director
for West and Central Africa. to Amnesty International.’
Source: africanews.com
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Israel/Hamas war: Christian pilgrims now
for Rome, Greece
GbengaOmokhunu | Abuja
January 11, 2024
The Nigeria Christian Pilgrims
Commission (NCPC) has made changes in the destinations for Christian pilgrims
in the hold lands.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and
Hamas as well as concern for the safety and welfare of Nigerian pilgrims
necessitated the change from Israel and Jordan to the Biblical sites in Rome
and Greece.
NCPC’s Executive Secretary, Reverend
Yakubu Pam, announced this yesterday in Abuja.
Pam said although the commission had
arranged for Nigerian Christian pilgrims to embark on the year’s main
pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan late last year, the outbreak of the October 7,
2023 invasion of Israel and the subsequent conflicts that spread beyond the
country’s borders necessitated a pause and the new decision to redirect the
Christian pilgrimage to Rome (Italy) and Greece instead.
Addressing reporters in Abuja, Reverend
Pam emphasised that the safety and security of Nigerian citizens has always
been the prime concern of the commission.
The NCPC chairman said the Christian
pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan, earlier scheduled for December 2023, was
suspended due to safety concerns.
He added that it was being replaced with
pilgrimage to Rome and holy sites in Greece by the end of this month.
Pam said it took years before the NCPC
under his watch considered visits to remarkable Biblical sites in Jordan, a
Muslim country.
The commission chairman said after a
prolonged wait for the Israel/Hamas conflict to end, his teams’ previous researches
on Biblical sites in Greece and Rome were properly analysed.
Pam said he had personally led teams to
inspect accommodation facilities and existing biblical sites, among other
tasks.
He said: “I have led NCPC teams to
inspect holy sites across Greece and Rome. We have discussed extensively with
government and local authorities and security. Accommodation and good
hospitality is assured as the very first batch of Nigerian Christian pilgrims
visit these places to connect physically with New Testament locations of the
gospel and do spiritual exercises, including meditation and prayers for our
dear nation.
“Also, arrangements for smooth flight,
good meals and local transportation have been concluded for the 2023/2024 main
pilgrimage. State governments, states’ offices of Christian pilgrims welfare
boards, churches and individuals have been formally informed about the
modalities and the N3 million cost that only requires some augmentation of
payment previously made for the Israel/Jordan trip.
“Unknown to many, Apostles Paul and
Peter, as well as the early Christians are why we have Christian sites in Rome.
It was …also in Greece they founded several Christian communities in Asia Minor
and Europe from the mid-40s to the mid-50s AD and began the spread of Christianity
across the world,” he said.
Source: thenationonlineng.net
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Palestinians gather in Ramallah's Mandela
Square to thank South Africa for ICJ case
January 11, 2024
Palestinians gathered Wednesday (Jan.10)
in the Nelson Mandela Square of Ramallah to thank South Africa for filling a
case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Participants held banners calling for a
ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Mandela compared the plight of
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank with that of Black South
Africans under the apartheid system.
The mayor of Ramallah which is located
in the occupied West Bank was full of gratitude.
"Today we say thank you. Thank you
to South Africa," Issa Kassis said.
"Thank you for filing case against
occupation at the ICJ. We believe that many countries felt our pain, but South
Africa decided to put it materially in paper, on paper and filed a case."
The case is expected to begin
preliminary hearings on Thursday (Jan. 11) at the ICJ.
The filing argues that Israeli acts
which are allegedly genocidal in character include the killing Palestinians in
Gaza, causing serious mental and bodily harm, and deliberately inflicting
conditions meant to "bring about their physical destruction as a
group."
Five countries including Jordan, Turkey, and Malaysia have so far
openly expressed their support for the case, while only Israel and the United
States have opposed it.
According to an investigation by +972
Magazine and the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call, which cited several current
and former sources in Israel's intelligence community reported that the Israeli
army deliberately target civilian infrastructure.
Israeli government spokesperson Eylon
Levy on January 2nd called the accusations "blood libel" and said
that Israel would appear before the ICJ in the Hague to dispel the claims.
Levy also said that the case lacked
"both a factual and a legal basis".
Israel’ war in Gaza has killed more than
23,200 Palestinians. About two-thirds of the dead are women and children,
health officials say.
In the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas militants
stormed through several communities and killed some 1,200 people, mainly
civilians. They abducted around 250 others, nearly half of whom have been
released.
Source: africanews.com
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Morocco takes leadership of UN Rights
body amid criticism
January 10, 2024
Morocco was on Wednesday voted to lead
the United Nations Human Rights Council after beating off a challenge from
South Africa.
In a vote in Geneva on Wednesday,
Morocco’s Ambassador Omar Zniber was elected council president after polling 30
votes. His South African opponent, MxolisiNkosi, managed just 17 votes.
The ballot came after Africa, whose turn
it was to assume the presidency of the Human Rights Council, failed to agree on
a single candidate.
Prior to the vote, South Africa
criticized Morocco's human rights record, saying the kingdom's election as
chair of the Council would stain the UN rights body's legitimacy.
Morocco is seen by several African
countries as an occupying power in Western Sahara. Rabat's candidacy was also
opposed by its neighbor Algeria.
The UN Human Rights Council was
established in 2006 with a mandate to protect and promote human rights around
the worlds.
Source: africanews.com
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----
UN helicopter carrying 'several'
foreigners captured by Al Shabaab in Somalia
11 Jan 2024
Al Shabaab militants have captured a
United Nations helicopter carrying two Somali men and several foreigners after
it made an emergency landing in an area controlled by the Islamist group, a
military official has said.
The aircraft encountered a defect
shortly after taking off from Beledweyne city in central Somalia, Major Hassan
Ali told Reuters, before it landed near Hindhere village, bordering Galguduud
region.
"Two Somali men and several
foreigners were onboard. It was also carrying medical supplies and it was
supposed to transport injured soldiers from Galguduud region," he said.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in
Somalia (UNSOM) later confirmed there had been an incident involving a
UN-contracted helicopter that was conducting an air medical evaluation.
It said it was gathering information
about what happened and response efforts were under way.
A UN worker who wished to remain
anonymous said earlier that the aircraft crew included five foreigners.
Two UN sources familiar with the matter
told Reuters the aircraft carried nine passengers.
Reuters could not independently verify
the identities of those captured or their nationalities.
Al Shabaab, linked to Al Qaeda, has been
waging an insurgency against the Somali government since 2006 in a bid to
establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.
While the government has managed to ward
off the militants from several territories since the mid-2010s, Al Shabaab
controls swathes of land in southern and central Somalia and has continued to
target civilians and stage attacks on military establishments.
Spokespeople for the Somalia government
did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Source: rte.ie
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Arab World
Ansar Allah politician: American
movements in Red Sea are illegitimate & unlawful
[11/January/2024]
SANA'A January 10. 2024(Saba)-The Ansar
Allah Political Office confirmed that the United States of America is adopting
a policy of lying and misleading public opinion, that its military movements in
the Red Sea are to protect maritime navigation.
The political office of Ansar Allah said
in a statement, a copy of which was received by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba),
“Although the whole world is certain that the Yemeni operations at sea target
Israeli ships or those heading towards Israel , that other ships pass normally
, in a safe manner, and that the Yemeni operations.
It is a moral, faith and humanitarian
position within the framework of victory and support for our Palestinian
brothers in Gaza who are subjected to the ugliest Israeli-American aggression
and siege.”
He pointed out that by militarizing the
Red Sea, the American is the one who threatens maritime navigation ,seeks to
destabilize security and stability in the region.
He added, "The American military
movements in the Red Sea are illegal and without any justification other than
providing more support to the Zionist entity by protecting its ships and
encouraging it to continue its aggression against the Palestinian people."
The statement of the Ansar Allah
Political office reiterated that avoiding escalation in the Red Sea is possible
by stopping the aggression, lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip, any different
steps will only increase the expansion of the conflict, and America bears full
responsibility for its continued support for the Zionist entity.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3295273.htm
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Third Future Minerals Forum Opens under
the Patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
10 Jan, 2024
The third Future Minerals Forum (FMF),
held under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin
Abdulaziz Al-Saud, opened today at the King Abdulaziz International Convention
Center in Riyadh.
Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources
Bandar Ibrahim Alkhorayef, speaking at the opening of the event, stressed the
wise leadership’s keenness to see the forum achieve success and desired goals,
and thanked the leaders and decision makers in the industrial sector from
various countries for taking part in the two-day event.
Alkhorayef also announced that the
estimated mineral wealth value of the Kingdom increased by 90%, to reach an
equivalent of SAR9.375 trillion, due to the discoveries of rare earth elements
and transition metals such as phosphate ore, zinc, and gold. That is
substantially up from the previous estimates of SAR5 trillion, announced in
2016.
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources
said that 30% of the geological survey work in the Arabian Shield region was
completed, and that the results will be available in the national geological
database.
The General Program for the Geological Survey
Initiative aims to raise the quality of data and the accuracy of geological
maps, to enhance and facilitate the exploration of mineral resources in the
Kingdom, Alkhorayef noted.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
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http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/67c5cb8de80846df9775ebf90f6a7bb3
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HRH Prince Turki Al-Faisal chairs
Service to Islam prize selection committee meeting
10 Jan, 2024
A prize selection committee for King
Faisal Prize for Service to Islam, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Turki
Al-Faisal, met today to select the 2024 King Faisal Prize laureate in the
Service to Islam category: one of the Prize’s five categories.
The Service to Islam prize reflects the
primary objectives of the King Faisal Prize to ingrain Islamic values and ideas
in the society and highlight their key role in enriching knowledge and human
development. It aims to benefit Muslims in their present and future through
awarding and acknowledging the distinguished efforts of individuals and institutions
that have excelled in serving Islam and Muslims. To qualify for the prize, an
individual or an institution should have rendered exceptional services to Islam
and Muslims through knowledge and deeds or provided other outstanding services
that offer far-reaching benefits to Islam and Muslims.
Later this evening, HRH Prince Turki
Al-Faisal will announce the names of the 2024 King Faisal prize laureates that
were selected over the past 3 days in all five categories, during a ceremony
held in Riyadh for guests and media. The event will be streamed live at 8:00 pm
(KSA time) through King Faisal Prize’s website and social media platforms.
53 laureates have previously received
the Service to Islam prize during the past 45 years. The list of Service to
Islam Laureates has comprised rulers, heads of states, thought leaders and
social scientists as well as distinguished institutions.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
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Ministry of Islamic Affairs Showcases
Hajj and Umrah Education App at Forum
10 Jan, 2024
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah
and Guidance--via its pavilion at the third annual Hajj and Umrah Services
Conference and Exhibition, organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MoHU)
in partnership with the Pilgrims Service Program--is showcasing the Hajj and
Umrah education application using multilingual three-dimensional (3D)
virtual-reality (VR) technology, which aims to assist pilgrims, Umrah
performers, and visitors to avoid mistakes in rituals.
The application for teaching Hajj and Umrah
using 3D multilingual VR technology allows users to experience a virtual tour
that simulates a real visit to the Grand Mosque and the holy sites of Mina,
Arafat, and Muzdalifah, where the user can live the Hajj and Umrah experience.
It also presents a virtual environment that
simulates the geographical reality and the chronological order of the Hajj and
Umrah rituals, and ways to clear away difficulties while performing the Hajj
and Umrah.
The ministry’s pavilion at the exhibition was
unique, with its variety of services offered to the visitors, the wide range of
electronic services and systems, including the 3D applications to inform
visitors about the efforts made by the ministry to serve pilgrims, Umrah
performers, and visitors.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
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Saudi and Qatari culture ministers
welcome direct flights between AlUla and Doha
January 11, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Culture Minister Prince
Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and his Qatari counterpart, Abdulrahman bin Hamad
Al-Thani, on Wednesday officially inaugurated the direct route between Doha and
AlUla that was recently introduced by Qatar Airways.
“The launch of direct flights to AlUla
from Doha confirms our countries’ approach of working together to strengthen
ties through advanced transportation networks,” Prince Badr said.
“As part of our work, we are keeping up
with the expected increase in flights to AlUla Governorate as a global tourist
destination, and the number of international flights will help AlUla progress
to various other stages in collaboration with our brothers in the region.”
Sheikh Abdulrahman said the new route is
a significant step toward confirming the role of the Qatari-Saudi Coordination
Council’s Culture, Tourism, and Entertainment Committee in enhancing and
strengthening cultural ties, adding that cultural heritage is an important
factor in shaping public awareness, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The flights between AlUla and Doha were
announced in early October and began toward the end of that month. The Royal
Commission for AlUla seeks to transform the historic area into a major
logistics hub in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Part of this vision includes the
expansion of AlUla International Airport’s capacity from 400,000 to 6 million
passengers annually.
Since its designation as an
international airport in March 2021, it has undergone significant development
and now covers an area of about 2.4 million square meters, and is capable of
accommodating 15 aircraft at a time.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi Islamic affairs minister meets
Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina
January 10, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of
Islamic Affairs Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh on Wednesday received the
Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sheikh HuseinKavazovic, and his
accompanying delegation, during their visit to the Kingdom, the Saudi Press
Agency reported.
During the meeting held in Riyadh, they
discussed various topics related to Muslim affairs in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
along with other countries in the Balkans region.
Source: arabnews.com
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Hajj, Umrah conference aims to enhance
services with diplomatic collaboration
January 10, 2024
JEDDAH: The third Hajj and Umrah
Services Conference and Exhibition taking place in Jeddah features a range of
panel discussions, the foremost being the pivotal role of “Diplomatic
Collaboration in Hajj and Umrah Operations.”
The panel discussion underscored the
integrated efforts of diplomatic representatives both within and outside Saudi
Arabia, shedding light on the coordination and communication required to
provide essential support and assistance for pilgrims.
Moderated by Dr. AlhassanYehiaAlmanakhra,
undersecretary for international cooperation at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah,
the panel brought together distinguished speakers, including Osama Nugali,
Saudi ambassador to Egypt; Fahad Abualnasr, Saudi ambassador to Turkiye;
Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama, Djibouti ambassador to Saudi Arabia; and Essa
Al-Duhailan, Saudi ambassador to Bangladesh.
The discussion explored the multifaceted
role of diplomatic representations in coordinating with various sectors to
facilitate rituals for pilgrims.
Nugali commended the integration of
modern technology in the visa issuance process, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030
goals, and eliminating the need for pilgrims to visit embassies or consulates.
“Within the requirements related to
Hajj, every visa is issued for a specific purpose, whether it is for Hajj or
Umrah, according to the regulations and instructions. This is well-known to
diplomatic representations, especially in Egypt, where I serve as an
ambassador. This indicates that integrated efforts among all parties contribute
to eliminating what is known as backwardness, which is considered a challenge,”
he said.
The discussion emphasized coordination
mechanisms with Saudi authorities, covering consular, administrative,
financial, health, and humanitarian services provided to pilgrims.
Collaborative efforts focused on
enhancing communication between embassies and consulates to streamline
procedures, handle emergencies, and address any complaints related to pilgrims.
Nugali stressed the importance of
information exchange between embassies and the Saudi government to ensure a
seamless pilgrimage experience, emphasizing the elimination of challenges
through integrated efforts.
Abualnasr highlighted the successful
coordination with Turkish authorities, offering training courses for pilgrims.
“In the Saudi Embassy in Turkiye, we are
keen on providing Turkish pilgrims with all the necessary information, and
regulations in the Kingdom. The success is evident as the Turkish Hajj mission
achieved first place in the Excellence Award for Hajj missions presented by the
Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. This serves as motivation for working entities to
offer the best services to the guests of the Almighty.”
The session emphasized the ambassadors’
crucial role in identifying and addressing gaps and challenges, contributing to
the success of pilgrimage missions.
Bamakhrama said: “All Hajj missions fall
under the representatives of those countries, and every service provided to
pilgrims is considered important for all Arab and Islamic countries. Challenges
can be identified, addressed, and overcome through cooperation.”
Bamakhrama emphasized the complementary
nature of the relationship between diplomatic missions and the Hajj and Umrah
system.
Al-Duhailan referred to the integrated
efforts between diplomatic missions abroad and the Hajj and Umrah system,
particularly focusing on the importance of awareness in countries such as
Bangladesh.
He highlighted the importance of
awareness, especially in countries like Bangladesh, where the population
exceeds 170 million, with more than 90 percent being Muslims aspiring to visit
the holy sites.
“The collaboration with the Saudi
Embassy in Bangladesh focuses on providing educational programs and
enlightenment.”
The four-day conference organized by the
Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, brings together exhibitors, innovators,
researchers, and entrepreneurs.
With over 81 speakers from various
sectors and high-level delegations from more than 70 states, the event aims to
address challenges, enhance readiness, and exchange experiences to shape the
future of Hajj and Umrah services.
The event, held under the patronage of
King Salman, was inaugurated by Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, deputy
governor of Makkah, on Monday.
Held under the theme “A Passage to Nusuk,”
the event brings together more than 200 exhibitors, leading thinkers,
innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs to offer insights, address
challenges, and anticipate the future of services for Hajj and Umrah.
Source: arabnews.com
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Yemeni army launches barrage of
missiles, drones at US vessel in Red Sea
10 January 2024
The Yemeni military says it has fired a
barrage of rockets, drones and cruise missiles targeting a US ship in the Red
Sea in a “preliminary response” to a recent deadly attack by the US Navy that
sank three boats and killed nearly a dozen people off the coast of the Arab
country.
Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces
Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a statement on Wednesday that the
country’s naval, missile and drone units took part in the “joint operation.”
He went on emphasize that the targeted
US vessel was “providing support” to Israel during its war against Palestinians
in the Gaza Strip.
Saree underlined that “Yemeni forces
will not hesitate to exercise the legitimate right to defend their homeland and
nation, and proportionally respond to all potential threats and hostile moves.”
He noted that Yemeni forces will continue
to block passage of Israeli-owned and Israel-bound ships in the Red Sea and the
Arab Sea until the bloody onslaught against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip
stops and the crippling siege on the coastal territory is lifted.
Yemeni Armed Forces will continue to
allow all international shipping companies to sail their vessels in the waters
of both seas, except for ships bound for ports in the Israeli-occupied
territories, Saree pointed out.
Earlier on Wednesday, the US military
said American and British forces had shot down 18 drones and three missiles
launched by Yemeni forces towards shipping lanes in the Red Sea.
It was the “largest attack... to date”
by the forces in the Red Sea, UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said in a
statement.
The US Navy helicopters opened fire on a
group of Yemeni boats on December 31 last year, sinking three of them and
killing the people on board, according to the US Central Command.
The Ansarullah resistance movement
acknowledged that 10 of their fighters were killed in the confrontation and
warned of consequences.
The group said in a statement the boats
were performing tasks aimed at “establishing security and stability and
protecting maritime navigation.”
In addition, the boats were “performing
their humanitarian and moral duty… to prevent Israeli ships or those heading to
the ports of occupied Palestine from passing through the Red Sea.”
This was the latest in Yemen's
retaliatory operations in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amid
unrelenting Israeli offensives.
Yemenis have declared their open support
for Palestine’s struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime
launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7 after the territory’s
Palestinian resistance movements carried out a surprise retaliatory attack,
dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.
Reports revealed that Israeli shipping
companies have already decided to reroute their vessels in fear of attacks by
Yemeni forces.
Yemeni forces have also launched missile
and drone attacks on targets in the Israeli-occupied territories after the
regime’s aggression on Gaza.
Source: presstv.ir
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/quran-burning-religious-jharkhand/d/131498