Majority of Poor Hindu Patients Treat Maulanas as Semi-God at Maharashtra Rahman Foundation Care Clinic
New Age Islam News Bureau
19 December 2023
Rahman Care Clinic nestled within the heart of Samrat Nagar in Neral
-----
· Majority of Poor Hindu Patients Treat Maulanas as Semi-God at Maharashtra Rahman Foundation Care Clinic
·
Iran's Wave of Executions As
229 Hanged Over Anti-Hijab Protests: ‘Alarming’
·
Pope OKs Blessings For Same-Sex
Couples If Rituals Don't Resemble Marriage
·
CAIR Joins USCIRF Urging Urgent
Designation of India as ‘Country of Particular Concern’
·
Nikah Case: Court Orders Open
Trial of Imran, Wife in Jail
----
India
·
Muslim
Side's Plea Against Hindus' Request for Worship atGyanvapi Mosque Complex
Rejected
·
FIRs lodged against those
providing shelter to Rohingyas in Jammu
·
National Investigation Agency Arrests
Eight Islamic State Operatives On Terror Charges In Four-State Raids
·
Advani ‘Requested’ Not to
Attend Ram Temple Consecration Ceremony: Champat Rai
------
Mideast
·
Israel Is Using Starvation of
Civilians As 'Weapon of War' In Gaza: Human Rights Watch
·
Israeli settlers assault
Palestinian worshippers at Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron
·
Islamic Jihad: US Support for
Israel 'Brazen Blessing For Regime's Nazi Crimes'
·
Israel continues genocide at
full scale but meets with equally stiff Palestinian resistance
·
Israeli strikes hit Rafah
houses, at least 20 killed – Gaza health ministry
·
Hezbollah strikes occupied
territories, warns Israel against targeting civilians in Lebanon
·
Israel faces Gaza ceasefire
calls, US vows more arms
-----
Europe
·
The Greek Village Where
Christians and Muslims Live in Harmony
·
Italy's premier stresses that
Israel’s right to self-defence should be in line with international law
·
Survey reveals divide among
French Muslims in criticism of Hamas
·
Oil up as Red Sea attacks
trigger supply fears and Russia hints at further export cuts
·
Top EU diplomat slams Israel
for targeting civilians
----
North America
·
Nevada Muslim Leaders Announce
Plan To Ditch Biden In Critical Swing State
·
CAIR-SFBA: More than 80
Movement, Organizational Leaders Announce Protest on Capitol Hill
·
CAIR Condemns Latest ‘Israeli
War Crimes of the Day’ After Deadly Gaza Maternity Ward Strike, Killing of 110
in Refugee Camp, Shooting of Christian Women at Church
·
Blinken, in call with Saudi
counterpart, condemns Houthis for Red Sea attacks
·
US
Forms 10-Nation Coalition to Tackle Houthi Attacks in Red Sea
----
Pakistan
·
Afghan Taliban Request Fazl to
Mediate Between Kabul and Islamabad
·
Imran Khan, Asad Umar acquitted
in May 25 violence case
·
Pakistan reaffirms pledge to
help Iran fight terrorism
·
Ex-PM Imran uses AI voice clone
to campaign from jail in virtual PTI rally
·
COAS, US CENTCOM chief discuss
cooperation in regional security matters
·
ECP contempt case: LHC rejects
plea to stop Imran’s jail trial
·
Pakistan concerned over
‘generous’ supply of weapons to India
------
Southeast Asia
·
Myanmar Stands on Humanitarian
'Precipice,' U.N. Warns
·
Magnitude-6.2 quake kills 118
in northwestern China's Gansu, Qinghai provinces
·
Israel atrocities against
Palestinians falls under the definition of genocide under international law -
Mapim
·
Human smuggling suspected in
Rohingya refugee influx: Indonesian VP
----
South Asia
·
UN Rejects Taliban’s Bid for Afghanistan
Seat for Third Time
·
Kabul Calls on Host Nations to
Not Use Afghan Refugees Politically
·
Leader of Pakistan's Jamiat
Ulema-e-Islam to Come to Afghanistan
·
Around 40 TTP terrorist
arrested by Afghan Interior Ministry
·
21,835 BNP men detained since
Oct 28: pro-BNP lawyers
·
WFP distributes cash aid to
280,000 deported Afghan migrants from Pakistan
·
Japan provides nearly $7
million in health aid to Afghanistan
·
IEA Works to Create Favorable
Conditions for Trade and Investment in Afghanistan: Hanafi
-----
Africa
·
Al-Qaeda Militants Free South
African Hostage After 6 Years
·
Kenyan Church Set Up to Welcome
LGBTQI+ Worshippers Secretly Operates For 10 Years
·
Bandits abduct Zamfara District
Head, Chief Imam, demand N5m
·
Uganda: Court hears challenge
to anti-gay law
·
Demonstrators commemorate Hamas
executive's killing in Tunisia in 2016
-----
Arab World
·
Ancient Hajj Routes Protection
Planned by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq
·
Fears Of Houthi Attacks Are
Rerouting Commercial Ships Away from The Red Sea
·
Yemen says will turn Red Sea
into ‘graveyard’ after US announces maritime coalition
·
Saudi Arabia Elected President
of the 11th Meeting of the Islamic World Heritage Committee
·
Noor Riyadh light festival sets
6 world records in latest edition
·
Saudi Islamic affairs minister
receives Iran ambassador
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/rahman-hindu-maulanas-semi-god/d/131342
------
Majority
of Poor Hindu Patients Treat Maulanas as Semi-God at Maharashtra Rahman
Foundation Care Clinic
Rahman Care Clinic nestled within the heart of Samrat Nagar in Neral
-----
Dec 18, 2023
As
Lakshmi made her third visit to the Rahman Foundation Care Clinic nestled
within the heart of Samrat Nagar in Neral, Maharashtra, She couldn’t help but
praise the unparalleled treatment offered at nominal charges. “It’s my third
time here, and each visit reaffirms the exceptional care and expertise of the
doctors. The nominal fees we pay for such quality treatment is unparalleled,”
she expressed gratefully.
Echoing
Lakshmi’s sentiment, Maulana Shaih Majid, overseeing the medical section of the
Rahman Foundation, emphasized the significant role the clinic plays in the
lives of the predominantly Maratha Hindu population. “The locals, hailing from
modest backgrounds, hold the clinic staff and doctors in high regard, almost
akin to semi-gods,” he mentioned with pride.
What’s
striking is that nearly 80% of the clinic’s beneficiaries are Hindus, a fact
that Maulanas Majid considers
instrumental in fostering communal harmony. “Serving these impoverished
communities is our way of contributing to unity in diversity,” he stated with
conviction.
Kavita,
another patient, expressed her regularity at Rahman Clinic. “I’m a frequent
visitor. The care and treatment we receive here, priced at a mere 20 rupees
including medication, is a lifeline for the underprivileged. A simple injection
costs just 10 rupees,” she shared, highlighting the clinic’s affordability and
accessibility for those in need.
Other
patients echoed similar sentiments, praising not only the cost-effective
treatment but also the warm and courteous demeanor of the entire clinic staff.
“Here, we receive top-notch treatment at minimal expenses, and the staff’s
friendliness adds a comforting touch to our visits,” remarked another patient.
The
clinic’s roster of highly qualified doctors further elevates its reputation.
Professionals like Dr. Vajaykumar Pawar (MBBS), Dr. Dipnayan Shinde Pawar
(MBBS, MD), Dr. Samiya (BUMS), and Dr. Sana (MPTH) cater to the medical needs
of patients at Neral Rahman Foundation Clinic, ensuring expert care within a
modest setting.
Rahman
Foundation’s reach extends far beyond the boundaries of Neral. With a network
encompassing nine Rahman Clinics, four hospitals, and a diagnostic center
spread across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar
Pradesh, the foundation extends its services to 8,000 to 10,000 patients
monthly, all at nominal charges. Additionally, the foundation actively conducts
medical check-up camps to further extend its outreach.
The
journey of Rahman Foundation, initiated in 1995 under the guidance of the
visionary Islamic scholar Maulana Khaleel ur Rahman Sajjad Naumani, has been
nothing short of remarkable. From establishing Islamic seminaries to
introducing CBSE pattern English medium schools, the Foundation’s evolution has
been multifaceted. In 2017, it ventured into providing medical services. Over
the last five years, the foundation has expanded its footprint, setting up
Rahman Care Clinics, Rahman Hospitals, and Rahman Diagnostic Centers across
five states, catering to approximately 8,000 to 10,000 patients every month.
‘Our
vision is to expand and replicate this model across India’ said Maulana Majid
with promising eyes.
Source: muslimmirror.com
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the full text of the original
https://muslimmirror.com/eng/neral-raigad-maharashtra-at-rahman-care-clinic-majority-of-poor-hindu-patients-treat-maulanas-as-semi-god/
------
Iran's
wave of executions as 229 hanged over anti-hijab protests: ‘Alarming’
Representative Image (Credit AP)
-----
Dec 18,
2023
Iran
Executions: Iran said it had executed a man who was sentenced to death after
being convicted of working with Israel’s intelligence services.
Iran
launched a spree of executions targeting activists and ethnic minorities,
rights groups and campaigners said. Iran has executed at least 229 people as
the regime in Tehran is targeting protesters following the uprising after the
death of Mahsa Amini. Iran said it had executed a man who was sentenced to
death after being convicted of working with Israel’s intelligence services.
He was
found guilty of “collecting and providing classified information to the Mossad
spy service with the aim of disrupting public order”, it said.
What UN
has said on executions in Iran?
In
November, the UN warned that Iran was carrying out executions “at an alarming
rate." At least 419 people had been sentenced to death in the first seven
months of the year, a 30 per cent increase from the same period in 2022, the
agency said. Kurdish and Baluchi minorities have been among the major victims
of the killing spree. Among the executions there are also two women and one
child, who were killed in November.
What
rights groups have said on Iran executions?
Shahin
Gobadi, spokesman for opposition group the People’s MojahedinOrganisation of
Iran (MEK), said that Iran is engaged in a war with the people of Iran itself
to prevent another uprising inside the country- referring to September 2022
protests after Mahsa Amini’s death in the custody of Tehran’s morality police.
In the
protests, more than 500 civilians were reportedly killed while thousands more
were arrested arbitrarily, according to Iranian activists.
Shahin
Gobadi said, “The mullahs want to prevent the resurgence of the uprising with a
wave of executions, including the secret killing of political prisoners, and by
intensifying repression, especially against the activists of the People’s
MojahedinOrganisation of Iran (MEK) and the Resistance Units affiliated to the
MEK."
“It is
time for the UK, the EU, its member states and the US to take practical steps
instead of simply verbally condemning the gross violation of human rights in
Iran,” he said.
According
to a report by Norway-based Iran Human Rights, 604 people have been executed in
the first ten months of this year, the highest number in eight years. In 2022,
the rights group recorded 582 executions, with the highest recent records being
972 in 2015.
Source: hindustantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/iran-executions-irans-wave-of-executions-as-229-hanged-over-anti-hijab-protests-alarming-101702827939401.html
-----
Pope Oks
Blessings for Same-Sex Couples If Rituals Don't Resemble Marriage
Pope Francis
-----
Dec 19,
2023
ROME:
Pope Francis has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples,
with a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting
that people seeking God's love and mercy shouldn't be subject to "an
exhaustive moral analysis" to receive it.
The
document from the Vatican's doctrine office, released Monday, elaborates on a
letter Francis sent to two conservative cardinals that was published in
October. In that preliminary response, Francis suggested such blessings could
be offered under some circumstances if they didn't confuse the ritual with the
sacrament of marriage. The new document repeats that rationale and elaborates
on it, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a
woman. And it stresses that blessings should not be conferred at the same time
as a civil union, using set rituals or even with the clothing and gestures that
belong in a wedding.
But it
says requests for such blessings should not be denied. It offers an extensive
definition of the term "blessing" in Scripture to insist people
seeking a transcendent relationship with God and looking for his love and mercy
should not be subject to "an exhaustive moral analysis" as a
precondition for receiving it.
"Ultimately,
a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God," it said.
"The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the
transcendence, mercy, and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances
of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live."
He
added: "It is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not
hindered."
In the
document, the Vatican said the church must shy away from "doctrinal or
disciplinary schemes, especially when they lead to a narcissistic and
authoritarian elitism whereby instead of evangelising, one analyses and
classifies others, and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his
or her energies in inspecting and verifying." People in
"irregular" unions, gay or straight, are in a state of sin but that
shouldn't deprive them of God's love or mercy, it said.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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the full text of the original
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/pope-oks-blessings-for-same-sex-couples-if-rituals-dont-resemble-marriage/articleshow/106103458.cms
-----
CAIR
Joins USCIRF Urging Urgent Designation of India as ‘Country of Particular
Concern’ Amidst Canada, U.S. Assassination Plots and Religious Freedom
Violations
Photo:
The Quint
----
Ismail
Allison
December
18, 2023
(WASHINGTON,
D.C., 12/18/23) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today
reiterated its longstanding appeal to the Biden administration, echoing the
recent statement by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
(USCIRF), urging the immediate designation of India as a “Country of Particular
Concern” (CPC).
USCIRF’s
call aligns with the pressing need to address widespread religious freedom
violations in India, particularly targeting India’s Muslim, Sikh, and Christian
populations.
“Due to
India’s systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of freedom of religion or
belief, USCIRF implores the U.S. Department of State to designate India a
Country of Particular Concern (CPC),” stated the recent USCIRF release.
The
government of India was reportedly behind a shocking murder of Sikh activist
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, while an attempted Indian assassination plot in the U.S.
aimed to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was allegedly thwarted by federal law
enforcement, underscoring the urgency in addressing rising religious
intolerance in India.
The
USCIRF statement also highlighted India’s transnational repression of religious
minorities and government critics, encompassing intimidation, violence, and
coercion by nations against individuals beyond their borders, often targeting
activists, journalists, and minority groups. Notably, this repression extends
to spyware usage and online harassment targeting journalists and activists
advocating for religious minorities. These campaigns followed PM Narendra
Modi’s visit and targeted a U.S. journalist questioning religious freedom in
India.
In a
statement, CAIR’s Director of Government Affairs Department Robert S. McCaw
said:
“India’s
continued hostility toward religious minorities not only endangers communities
within its borders but also resonates globally, threatening Sikhs and Muslims
in Canada and across North America. The recent violence, including the murder
in Canada and the attempted assassination plot in the U.S., underscores the
urgent necessity to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern. This
designation is crucial as a response and safety measure to protect the rights
of all religious groups, particularly in India.
“The
USCIRF’s findings highlight the critical necessity for swift action. It is
imperative that the Biden administration and State Department promptly
acknowledge these recommendations and take decisive steps to designate India as
a Country of Particular Concern. This designation stands as a vital measure to
safeguard religious freedoms and ensure the safety of religious communities in
India and abroad.”
In
March, CAIR welcomed the release of the USCIRF’s “2023 Annual Report” by
calling on the State Department to follow the commission’s recommendations by
finally designating India as a CPC.
For the
fourth year in a row, USCIRF recommended the U.S. government designate India a
CPC for targeting Muslims and other religious minorities. CPCs are countries
designated by the U.S. government where those listed governments engage in or
tolerate “particularly severe” violations of religious freedom.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-joins-uscirf-urging-urgent-designation-of-india-as-country-of-particular-concern-amidst-canada-u-s-assassination-plots-and-religious-freedom-violations/
-----
Nikah Case:
Court Orders Open Trial Of Imran, Wife In Jail
PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi. — AFP/File
-----
December
19, 2023
Khalid
Iqbal
ISLAMABAD:
Senior Civil Judge Qudrat Ullah has issued an order for a jail trial in the
illegal marriage case involving former prime minister and PTI founder Imran
Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi. The court delivered its judgment here on Monday.
Bushra
Bibi’s lawyer, Usman Gul, appeared before the court. Gul informed the court
that Bushra Bibi was in Lahore and unable to attend the court session. In
response, the court acknowledged that the ex-PTI chairman was in jail, whereas
Bushra Bibi was not.
Gul said
that Bushra Bibi was indisposed. The court commented that if she was genuinely
ill, she should have attached a medical application along with her plea. The
court also summoned the PTI founder in the case.
However,
the jail authorities declined to present Imran Khan in court and submitted
their reply. In the reply, the Adiala Jail superintendent said that the PTI
founder could not be presented in court due to security threats. He mentioned
that a letter was written to the police authorities for the appearance of the
PTI founder, but they cited security risks.
Subsequently,
the court ordered a jail trial against Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in
the illegal marriage case. According to the court order, the decision was made
after considering the response from the superintendent of Adiala Jail regarding
Imran Khan’s appearance in court.
The
order said that the court recognises the need for the case trial to be held at
a safer place, as suggested by the federal government, including Adiala Jail.
Furthermore, the court specified that the next hearing of the illegal Nikkah
case would take place in Adiala Jail and would be an open trial.
Family
members and citizens interested in attending the hearing may do so, while media
representatives and citizens can contact the superintendent under jail rules
for attendance.
The
order also accepted Bushra Bibi’s plea for exemption from court appearance,
emphasising that she must attend the next hearing, and her exemption plea would
not be accepted next time. The court adjourned further hearing of the case
until December 22. It is worth noting that a jail trial is also ongoing against
the PTI founder in cipher, ECP co tempt and Toshakhana cases.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1139740-nikah-case-court-orders-open-trial-of-imran-wife-in-jail
------
India
Muslim
Side's Plea Against Hindus' Request for Worship at Gyanvapi Mosque Complex
Rejected
19 DEC
2023
In a
setback for the mosque committee in the Gyanvapi case, Allahabad High Court on
Tuesday rejected Muslim side's plea challenging Hindus' request to worship at
masjid complex.
On
Monday, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) submitted a survey report in a
sealed cover on the Gyanvapi mosque complex in the district court, which
scheduled the next hearing for December 21.
Representing
the Hindu petitioners, advocate Madan Mohan Yadav, said, "The report in
sealed cover was placed before the court by the ASI's standing counsel Amit
Srivastava."
The
survey was ordered by the court after the petitioners claimed the 17th-century
mosque was constructed over a pre-existing temple. Four senior officials of the
ASI were also present in the court when the report was submitted. The ASI was
given multiple extensions to complete the survey.
"The
court has fixed December 21 to open the sealed report and submit its copies to
the advocates of either side. The Muslim side made a plea before the court to
not make the survey report public. We countered this plea by requesting the
court to make it public." Yadav
said.
Gyanvapi
Case Timeline
-In
October 1991, a petition was filed before Varanasi civil judge on behalf of
Swayambhu Jyotirlinga Bhagwan Vishweshwar along with five others, seeking the
restoration of Gyanvapi land adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
-The
petitioner in the 1991 plea had put forward three demands: Declaration of the
entire Gyanvapi complex as a part of the Kashi temple, removal of Muslims from
the complex area, and demolition of the mosque. This 1991 petition is where the
Gyanvapi case holds back its roots.
-In
1998, the Allahabad High Court stayed proceedings in the lower court for 22
years after a fresh case was filed by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee in HC,
asserting that the temple-mosque land dispute could not be adjudicated by a
civil court because it was not permissible by the law.
-In
2019, the case revived after Supreme Court's verdict in the Babri Masjid-Ram
Janmabhoomi title dispute. In this second case, Varanasi-based lawyer Vijay
Shankar Rastogi, who claimed to be the “next friend” of Swayambhu Jyotirlinga
Bhagwan Vishweshwar, filed a petition in the lower court alleging illegality in
the construction of the Gyanvapi mosque. He sought an archaeological survey of
the mosque.
-In
2020, Rastogi's plea prompted the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee to oppose
the petition seeking an ASI survey of the entire Gyanvapi complex.
-In
March 2021, the Places of Worship Act 1991 was taken up by a Supreme Court
bench headed by the former Chief Justice S A Bobde to examine its
substantiality. The bench asked for Centre's response to a PIL filed by
advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay that questioned the validity of the act.
-Months
later, a third case was filed in 2021 by five Hindu women seeking permission
court to conduct daily prayers at what they claimed was “a shrine behind the
western wall of the mosque complex” and protection of the idols. The Varanasi
court in 2022 heard the petition by the five women.
-In July
this year, district court issued directions that mentioned the need to survey
beneath the mosque's domes, the cellars and the western wall.
-The ASI
then in August this year carried out the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi
premises to determine whether the mosque was constructed over a pre-existing
structure of a Hindu temple.
-On
December 11, the Varanasi district court gave one more week to the
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to submit a scientific survey report of
the Gyanvapi mosque complex. This is the sixth time that the court has granted
an extension to the ASI to file its survey report. Earlier, extension were
granted on September 6, October 5, November 2, November 17 and November 30.
Source: outlookindia.com
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https://www.outlookindia.com/national/gyanvapi-allahabad-hc-reject-s-mosque-committee-s-plea-against-hindu-side-s-request-worship-request-at-complex-news-337331
-----
FIRs
lodged against those providing shelter to Rohingyas in Jammu
December
19, 2023
Seven
FIRs have been lodged at different police stations here against persons
allegedly involved in providing shelter and government benefits to Rohingyas,
police said on Tuesday.
The FIRs
were lodged at police stations Satwari, Trikuta Nagar, Bagh-e-Bahu, Channi
Himmat, Nowabad, Domana and Nagrota following searches at different locations
in Jammu district, a police spokesperson said.
The
official said the FIRs were registered against people who are accused of
providing shelter to foreign immigrants and also helping them avail government
benefits.
The
searches in the presence of magistrates were conducted at different locations
where the Rohingyas are accommodated and also at the residential places of the
facilitators, the spokesperson said.
During
searches, the official said illegally acquired Indian documents like PAN cards,
Adhaar cards, bank documents among other incriminating material were seized.
“Investigation
into the matter has started and other details will be shared subsequently.
Stringent action in the future shall be taken against all such defaulters,” the
spokesperson said.
A day
earlier, police in Kishtwar district registered a case following recovery of
illegally obtained documents like Adhaar cards during a crackdown against
Rohingyas in the district.
The case
was registered under various sections of Indian Penal Code including 420
(cheating), 467 (forgery of important documents), 468 (forgery for purpose of
cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) at police station
Dachhan.
Rohingyas
are Bengali-dialect speaking Muslim minority from Myanmar. Following
persecution in their country, many Rohingyas entered India illegally through
Bangladesh and took shelter in Jammu and other parts of the country.
According
to government data, over 13,700 foreigners, including Rohingya Muslims and
Bangladeshi nationals, are settled in Jammu and other districts of Jammu and
Kashmir, where their population has increased by over 6,000 between 2008 and
2016.
Earlier
in March 2021, police found over 250 Rohingyas, including women and children,
living illegally in Jammu city during a verification drive and subsequently
lodged them in a holding centre inside Sub-jail Kathua.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/firs-shelter-rohingyas-jammu-9073955/
------
National
Investigation Agency arrests eight Islamic State operatives on terror charges
in four-state raids
19.12.23
Imran
Ahmed Siddiqui
The
National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday claimed to have foiled a terror
attack plan by arresting eight alleged Islamic State operatives and seizing
explosive raw materials during raids in four states.
The
agency in a statement said it raided 19 locations across Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Jharkhand and Delhi and arrested eight operatives of the Ballari
module of the proscribed IS terror outfit, including its alleged leader Minaz
alias Md Sulaiman, foiling their plans to carry out IED blasts.
The
raids were conducted on the 19 locations spread across Ballari and Bangalore in
Karnataka, Amaravati, Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra; Jamshedpur and Bokaro in
Jharkhand and Delhi.
“The
eight ISIS agents arrested during the raids were involved in actively promoting
terror and terror-related acts and activities of ISIS, the proscribed
organisation. They were operating under the leadership of Minaz alias Md.
Sulaiman,” the agency said.
The
raids, the statement said, also led to the seizure of explosive raw materials
such as sulphur, potassium nitrate, charcoal, gunpowder, sugar and ethanol,
sharp-edged weapons, unaccounted cash and incriminating documents, along with
smartphones and other digital devices.
The NIA
claimed that a preliminary probe revealed that the accused had planned to use
the explosive raw materials to make IEDs, which were to be used in terror acts.
The
searches were carried out through close coordination and the operational
assistance of Karnataka police, Maharashtra police, Jharkhand police and Delhi
police.
The
eight accused have been identified as Minaj alias Md Sulaiman, Syed Sameer,
Anas Iqbal Sheikh, Mohammad Muniruddin, Syed Samiullah, Md Muzammil, Shayan
Rahman and Md Shahbaz.
The NIA
had registered a case against the ISIS-inspired Ballari module on December 14
and had been working with the state police and central agencies to track and
apprehend its members of this module, the agency said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/national-investigation-agency-arrests-eight-islamic-state-operatives-on-terror-charges-in-four-state-raids/cid/1987821
-------
Advani
‘requested’ not to attend Ram Temple consecration ceremony: Champat Rai
19.12.23
Veteran
BJP leaders L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, who led the agitation for the
Ram temple in Ayodhya, have been ‘requested’ not to attend the consecration
ceremony of the temple next month.
“Both
are elders of the family and considering their age and health, they were
requested not to come, which was accepted by both,” Ram Temple Trust General
Secretary Champat Rai told reporters on Monday.
Rai said
preparations are in full swing for the consecration ceremony on January 22,
which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The
preparations would be completed by January 15 and the puja for ‘pranpratistha’
will start from January 16 and will continue till January 22, he added.
Giving a
detailed list of the invitees, Rai said Advani and Joshi may not attend the
consecration ceremony due to health and age-related reasons.
Advani
is now 96 and Joshi will turn 90 next month.
A
three-member team has been formed to visit former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and
invite him to the ceremony, Rai said.
“Shankaracharyas
of six ‘darshanas’ (ancient schools) and around 150 saints and sages and will
participate in the ceremony,” he added.
He said
that about 4,000 saints and 2,200 other guests have been invited for the
ceremony.
Heads of
major temples like Kashi Vishwanath, Vaishno Devi and representatives of
religious and constitutional institutions have also been invited, Rai added.
Spiritual
leader Dalai Lama, Mata Amritanandamayi of Kerala, yoga guru Baba Ramdev, cine
stars Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Arun Govil, film director
Madhur Bhandarkar and prominent industrialists such as Mukesh Ambani, Anil
Ambani, famous painter Vasudev Kamat, ISRO Director Nilesh Desai and many other
eminent personalities have been invited to the function, he said.
After
the consecration ceremony, ‘mandal puja’ will be held from January 24 for 48
days as per ritual traditions. The temple will be opened for devotees on
January 23, he added.
Rai said
that proper arrangements have been made for the guests to stay at more than
three places in Ayodhya. Apart from this, 600 rooms have been made available by
various monasteries, temples and household families.
Meanwhile,
authorities of the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation said they have begun preparing
for the consecration ceremony.
Municipal
Commissioner Vishal Singh said that fibre toilets will be installed for
devotees and changing rooms will be set up for women at designated places.
The ‘Ram
Katha Kunj’ corridor will be built in the Ram Janmabhoomi complex which will
showcase tableaux displaying 108 events from Lord Ram’s life, he added. –IANS
Source: muslimmirror.com
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-----
Mideast
Israel
is using starvation of civilians as 'weapon of war' in Gaza: Human Rights Watch
18th
December 2023
JERUSALEM:
The group Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday accused the Israeli government of
intentionally starving civilians in Gaza as part of its offensive in the
besieged Palestinian territory.
"The
Israeli government is using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in
the occupied Gaza Strip, which is a war crime," the New York-based group
charged in a report.
"Israeli
forces are deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food and fuel, while
wilfully impeding humanitarian assistance, apparently razing agricultural
areas, and depriving the civilian population of objects indispensable to their
survival," it added.
"In
addition, Israel’s continuing blockade of Gaza, as well as its more than
16-year closure, amounts to collective punishment of the civilian population, a
war crime. As the occupying power in Gaza under the Fourth Geneva Convention,
Israel has the duty to ensure that the civilian population gets food and
medical supplies," HRW's statement read.
The
rights body also noted that Israel's crushing blockade and its military's
extensive airstrikes in the Gaza Strip have resulted in "widespread damage
or destruction to objects necessary for the survival of the civilian
population."
HRW also
urged the Netanyahu administration to "immediately cease using starvation
of civilians as a method of warfare" and lift its blockade of the Gaza
strip.
Meanwhile,
the Israeli government hit back at HRW, accusing it of being an
"anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli organisation."
"Human
Rights Watch ... did not condemn the attack on Israeli citizens and the
massacre of October 7 and has no moral basis to talk about what's going on in
Gaza if they turn a blind eye to the suffering and the human rights of
Israelis," foreign ministry spokesman Lior Haiat told AFP.
The
deadliest ever Gaza war began with the unprecedented attack by Hamas on October
7, when the group killed 1,139 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around
250, according to updated Israeli figures.
The
health ministry in the Hamas-run territory says more than 18,800 people, mostly
women and children, have died in Israel's campaign in Gaza.
Following
months of fierce bombardment and fighting, most of Gaza's population has been
displaced and people are grappling with shortages of food, water, fuel and
medicine.
Israel
on Friday approved the "temporary" delivery of much-needed aid to
Gaza via its Kerem Shalom crossing. A humanitarian aid convoy entered Gaza
through the crossing on Sunday, the first since Israel approved the move, an
Egyptian Red Crescent official said.
A total
of "79 trucks began entering today," the official, who is not
authorised to speak to the media, said on condition of anonymity.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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------
Israeli
settlers assault Palestinian worshippers at Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron
Ahmed
Asmar
19.12.2023
A number
of Palestinian worshippers in the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron city, southern the
occupied West Bank, were assaulted by Israeli settlers on Monday evening
prayer.
According
to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the Israeli settlers used pepper
spray to attack the Palestinians in the Ibrahimi Mosque, resulting in cases of
suffocation and burns among the worshippers.
Wafa
also reported that the settlers were protected by the Israeli army during their
assault.
Social
media activists posted videos on their social media accounts showing
Palestinian worshippers coughing and lying on the ground.
The
Israeli authorities did not comment on the incident.
After
the 1994 massacre of 29 Palestinian worshippers inside the mosque by a Jewish
extremist settler, Baruch Goldstein, the Israeli authorities divided the mosque
complex between Muslim and Jewish worshippers.
UNESCO
World Heritage Committee decided in July 2017 to include the Ibrahimi Mosque
and the old city of Hebron on its World Heritage List.
Hebron
is home to roughly 160,000 Palestinian Muslims and about 500 Jewish settlers.
The latter live in a series of Jewish-only enclaves heavily guarded by Israeli
troops.
Source: aa.com.tr
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------
Islamic
Jihad: US support for Israel 'brazen blessing for regime's Nazi crimes'
18
December 2023
The Palestinian
Islamic Jihad movement has strongly blasted the United States' unfaltering
support for Israel in its genocidal war against the Gaza Strip, saying
Washington's backing encourages the regime to continue its crimes against
Palestinians.
The Gaza-based
movement made the comment in a statement on Monday after US Secretary of
Defense Lloyd Austin alleged that by waging the war on Gaza, Israel was
exercising its "bedrock right" to "self-defense."
The
American official, who was speaking at a press conference with the Israeli
minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant also reiterated
"unshakable" commitment of the United States to support the Israeli
regime in its war.
"The
statements made by the American War Minister Lloyd Austin over the remains of
nearly 20,000 martyrs and tens of thousands of wounded, [and] amidst [Israel's]
deliberate bombing of hospitals, schools, medical centers, ambulance crews,
journalist teams, residential buildings, and refugee tents, are a brazen
American blessing for the Zionist enemy to continue its barbaric and Nazi
crimes against our people," the Islamic Jihad said.
The
movement added that Austin's repetition of Washington's claim that Tel Aviv is
defending itself "is a confirmation that the United States is the main
party managing the occupying regime and its criminal military machine."
The
Palestinian Health Ministry says women and children comprise 70 percent of
approximately 18,800 people killed during the Israeli war on Gaza.
The
Islamic Jihad affirmed that the US defense secretary's support for the Israeli
aggression on Gaza "exposes the falsehood" of all so-called political
propositions promoted by the US administration for cessation of hostilities in
Gaza.
The
movement also took the regional countries to task for remaining silent in the
face of Lloyd’s remarks.
“It is a
disgrace for the Arab regimes and the peoples of our Arab and Islamic nations
not to move to respond to this brazen American aggression and its incitement
[of Israel] to continue the genocide against our people in front of the whole
world,” it said.
Israel
started its military aggression against Gaza on October 7 following an
operation by the territory's resistance groups, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm.
Some 19,500 people, most of them women and children, have been killed in
Israel's strikes so far.
As the
regime's most dedicated ally, the US has supplied it with more than 10,000 tons
of military equipment since the onset of the aggression.
The
United States has supplied Israel with more than 10,000 tons of military
equipment since the beginning of Tel Aviv
Washington
has also cast its veto against all the United Nations Security Council
resolutions that called for implementation of an immediate ceasefire across the
besieged Palestinian territory.
Source: presstv.ir
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------
Israel
continues genocide at full scale but meets with equally stiff Palestinian
resistance
19th
December 2023
Harsh Thakor
The
genocidal attack by the State of Israel and imperialism, mainly Yankee, against
the Palestinian people, has escalated at an untold scale. Just between the 6th
and the 7th of December, 350 Palestinian people were killed. These figures are
escalating while the struggle for Gaza City and Khan Yunis is increasing. The
Health Ministry of Gaza stated the 7th of December at 16:00 GMT, that the
death-toll was 17.177 people murdered and more than 46.000 injured due to the
Israeli attacks. Last week the bombings against the Jhabalia camp refugee have
been intensified, and it is being constantly attacked with hundreds of dead
people every day. This is a clear example of war crime and of bombing civilian
areas, attacking on daily basis areas with dense population in which most of
the murdered people are unarmed women and children. Also numerous studies,
including from imperialist media, have proved that most of the territory of
Gaza has been damaged due to the bombings. Source: The Guardian.
The
examples of massacres of civilians and how Israel attacks not only military
targets, are illustrated from the beginning of the attack against the Gaza
Strip. One of the most well-known examples are the attacks against convoys of
injured people running from the hospitals, or convoys of families running from
the war, even if they were following the directives of the Armed Forces of
Israel. Recently, there have been reported instances of almost complete
elimination of the family of a journalist of Al Jazeera, in total 22 people
murdered, including elder people, children, unarmed civilians and the murder of
a journalist of Reuters, who was reporting on the genocidal attacks perpetrated
against the Palestinian people of Gaza.
This
Israeli carnage has not been caused only against the Palestinian people who
inhabit Gaza. but also in the occupied West Bank.. From the 7th of October
until the 7th of December 266 Palestinian people have been killed and 3.640
detained. Moreover, from the 7th of October until the 4th of December, there
have been 308 armed attacks by Israeli settlers. In the occupied West Bank the
Palestinian resistance has shimmered its flame against the invader and there
were several armed clashes near to Jemin.During these months Yankee imperialism
has illustrated how it is the main prop of imperialism which is arming and
using the State of Israel to wipe out the Arabic people. According to the
Security Ministry of Israel, from the 7th of October they have received 10.000
tons of military material from USA. Also Yankee imperialism is protecting
Israel from missiles and other attacks launched from Yemen by the Houthies.
The
country-selling governments of the Arabic countries are subservient to
imperialism and their intentions. For example Saudi Arabia, which is on the
side of imperialism, specially protecting Yankee military targets and Israeli
territory, and from October have been intercepting missiles launched by the
Houthis from Yemen. Despite this, the Palestinian people heroically resists, it
doesn’t surrender. The Al-Qassam Brigades recently stated that in between the
4th and the 7th of December they destroyed 135 Israeli military vehicles.
Heroic
Palestinian Resistance
During
the last week the Palestinian resistance have made several heroical actions
against the invaders, causing harsh casualties while they defend their nation.
On the Friday 1st of December there was a successful ambush, eliminating 60
Israeli soldiers, and also destroying several vehicles.
Last
weekend, the National Front of Resistance of Palestine inflicted massive
defeats to the Zionist invader. Al-Qassam Brigades reported they eliminated 10
Zionist soldiers in the eastern axis of the Khan Yunis and attacked Israeli
targets, specifically the port of Tel Aviv The Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed the
destruction of 28 vehicles, including some tanks. In another action, in between
the 5th and the 6th of December, the National Front of Resistance of Palestine
eliminated nine Israeli soldiers.
The
governments of the Arab nations have shown that they are lackeys of
imperialism, but the peoples of these countries are fighting together with the
Palestinian people. The most recent attack was from Iraqui groups against the
Yankee military base of Ain Al-Asad, being attacked by a drone. These attacks
are more frequent from the beginning of the Palestinian counteroffensive on the
7th of October.
The
Arabic peoples have shown solidarity with armed actions against the State of
Israel, especially in the border of Lebanon, where Hezbollah have attacked
several Israeli military targets causing mortal blows. They have carried out
attacks for weeks, with several of these attacks in the last days. An anti-tank
missile eliminated a Israeli soldier, being confirmed by the Armed Forces of
Israel.
While
imperialism and its dogs of war have everything at their disposal, the
Palestinian people and its National Front continue inflicting lethal blows to
the invaders. Irrespective of the technology, bombs and tons of military
material being deployed, the will of a people cannot be razed to the ground
which is illustrated with the struggle in Jhabalia, Khan Yunis, Gaza City and
in the occupied West Bank. Also day after day it is more clear how the
imperialists with their lies, to justify the genocide against Palestinian
people, trying to divert the attention from the horrendous crimes of the
genocidal State of Israel. Neverthless when the Israeli attack started, many
people stated Israel in n o time would triumph, but after even more than two
months, the flag of Palestinian resistance still waves.
Reason
for success of Palestinian Resistance
The
successes of the Palestinian National Resistance are because it unleashes out a
war of resistance using the methods of the people’s war, like the Viet Cong
guerrillas and so many other revolutionary struggles led by the proletariat.
The leadership of the Palestinian front, given the extreme conditions of its
patriotic cause, mobilizes the masses, systematically builds its own armed
forces and defeats the enemy. The Gaza Strip, under their control, is a support
base where they build anti-Zionist and anti-imperialist political power, where
all politics is guided to combat the invader. The Palestinian guerrilla forces
undertake operations on their internal lines within the external lines, the
result of the tactic of attracting the Zionist enemy so that it penetrates
deeply into the terrain where the resistance dominates, creating opportunities
to apply absolute superiority in each combat thanks to a correct policy
management, permanent initiative, popular mobilization and prior preparation of
the land with its immense network of tunnels. The Palestinians fight
quick-decision offensive battles within a protracted war in its strategic
defensive stage.
Recent
Protests
The
genocide continues to be denounced by protesters all around the world. Here we
share some of them:
In a demonstration
held on the 12th of November against the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Forum (APEC) summit in San Francisco, US, revolutionaries carried a banner
expressing support to the national resistance of the Palestinian people.
Revolutionaries expressed their support to the national resistance of the
Palestinian people in a demonstration against APEC summit in San Francisco, US.
Source: Reader’s photos
In
Kristiansand, Norway, around 300 participated in a demonstration against
Israel’s occupation and genocide on the 18th of November. Some days later, on
the 22nd of November, a support concert was held. In the event, historical
background of the struggle of the Palestinian people was recounted and there
was music and other art presented. Also traditional Palestinian food was
served. A demonstration was held in Kristiansand on the 18th of November.
In
Bergen, Norway, daily demonstrations have occurred, mobilising 70-150 people
every day. Kampkomiteen held speeches in many demonstrations, saying in one of
them:
”One
slogan we have shouted in each and every demonstration in Bergen is also
constantly becoming more criminalized. From the river to the sea, Palestine
will be free! In Austria, it is forbidden. In Germany, the Netherlands and
Great Britain the politicians are discussing the same. Why? Because they say
that this slogan implicates the destruction of Israel. But it is necessary to
destroy Israel. To criminalize this point of view is to criminalize the right
of the Palestinians to an own country. It is a denial of what is a genocide!”
Daily
demonstrations have continued in Bergen
In
Trondheim, Norway, high school students organized a school strike and a
demonstration on the 16th of November. The demonstration expressed support to
the national resistance of the Palestinian people and denounced the genocide
carried out by Israel.
The UAW,
the largest union in US have called for a ceasefire. It represents 400,000
workers in the US and more than 580,000 retired workers. The UAW’s acceptance
for permanent cease-fire was openly declared by Brandon Mancilla, director of
UAW Region 9A, in remarks at a hunger strike for ceasefire labour press
conference in front of the White House on Friday. Brandon wrote on Twitter: Our
International Executive Board will also be forming a Divestment and Just
Transition working group to study the history of Israel and Palestine, our
union’s economic ties to the conflict, and explore how we can have a just
transition for US workers from war to peace.
The
UAW’s cease-fire endorsement makes the auto-workers union part of a growing
contingent of the American labour movement that is pressing for a negotiated
end to the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip, where U.S.-backed Israeli bombing has
killed more than 15,000 people in less than two months. Dozens of unions have
signed onto a petition launched by the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine
Workers of America, which demands the release of all hostages, an end to
Israel’s siege of Gaza, and a cease-fire that sets the stage for “negotiations
for an enduring peace.”
In the
climate conference summit COP28 held in Dubai, Arab Emirates, over 100
activists demonstrated on the sidelines of the summit demanding a ceasefire in
Gaza. The activists shouted slogans as “From the river to the sea, Palestine
will win!” or “Free Palestine!” Activists in the COP28 summit. Source: Thomson
Reuters
In Amman
and other cities of Jordan, people are gathering on Friday in pro-Palestine
protests and to denounce the massacres committed by Israel. People protesting
in support of Palestine. Source: Social Media
In the
Amazonas State University, a seminar on the situation of Palestine was held, as
A Nova Democracia reported. The seminary, called “Palestinian voices and the
International Human Right” gathered more than 200 attendants and was an
important place to denounce the crimes committed by Israel and to support the
Palestinian National Resistance. Amazonas. Source: AND
Also the
Committee in Solidarity with the Palestinian People did several presentation on
the support of the Palestinian National Resistance and the rejection of the
State of Israel. The presentations were held on 27th and 29th of November in
the Federal High School of Goiás and in the Education Campus of the UFG.
Source: muslimmirror.com
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------
Israeli
strikes hit Rafah houses, at least 20 killed – Gaza health ministry
December
19, 2023
GAZA/MANAMA/JERUSALEM:
Israeli missiles and air strikes on the Rafah area in southern Gaza struck
three houses killing at least 20 Palestinians, Gaza health officials said on
Tuesday.
Tens of
thousands of displaced Palestinians have crammed into Rafah on Gaza’s border
with Egypt to escape Israeli bombardments further north, despite fears that
they will also not be safe there.
Early on
Tuesday residents in Khan Younis, a city also in southern Gaza, reported fierce
gunbattles between militant Hamas fighters and Israeli forces. Israeli tanks
and planes bombed areas near the city center, residents said.
A World
Health Organization official said on Monday that the Kamal Adwan hospital in
northern Gaza that Israeli troops raided last week is no longer functioning and
patients including babies have been evacuated,
“We
cannot afford to lose any hospitals,” said Richard Peeperkorn, WHO
representative for Gaza.
Peeperkorn
also said about 4,000 displaced people taking refuge in the grounds of the
Nasser medical complex in Khan Younis were at risk as Israel pursues military
operations there.
The Gaza
health ministry said on Monday that 19,453 Palestinians had been killed and
52,286 wounded in the Israeli assault on the Hamas-ruled enclave in more than
two months of warfare.
Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to achieve total victory over
Hamas, whose fighters killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages in a surprise
Oct. 7 raid into Israel, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s
intensifying retaliation against Hamas has increased concern among governments
and international organizations over the civilian death toll, hunger and
homelessness.
Father-of-four
Raed, 45, who has moved his family twice, said Gazans were exhausted trying to
stay alive.
“Money
has lost its value, most of the items are not available. We rose from our beds
after surviving a night of bombardment to tour the streets searching for food,
we got tired,” he said in the Rafah area. “We want peace, truce, ceasefire,
whatever they call it, but please stop the war.”
Source: arabnews.com
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-----
Hezbollah
strikes occupied territories, warns Israel against targeting civilians in
Lebanon
19
December 2023
Hezbollah
resistance movement says it has struck an Israeli settlement situated near the
Lebanese border with the occupied territories in response to the regime's
earlier attack on civilians attending a funeral procession in southern Lebanon.
"Islamic
Resistance announces the launch of a missile barrage targeting the occupied
village of al-Khalsa (known as the settlement of KiryatShemona)...on Monday,
December 18, 2023," the movement said in a statement carried by Lebanon's
al-Manar television network.
The
movement added that the attack came in response to an earlier Israeli strike on
a funeral procession in the town of Aita Shaab in southern Lebanon, adding,
"The Resistance affirms that any harm to civilians will be met with equal
measures."
Lebanon’s
resistance movement Hezbollah on Friday staged seven more anti-Israel
operations in support of Gaza on Friday,
Earlier
during the day, the movement had released other statements, reporting its
latest strikes against a number of Israeli targets lying similarly close to
Lebanon's border with the occupied territories.
The
movement reported striking two platforms related to Israel's so-called Iron
Dome missile system north of the Kabri settlement with artillery,
"achieving precise hits."
Hezbollah
also said it had hit a gathering of enemy forces and vehicles in the vicinity
of the al-Hamra site "with appropriate weapons."
The
movement's media, meanwhile, published a video showing its fighters targeting
the Israeli regime's Avivim barracks and Birket Risha site.
The
Israeli military has been carrying out attacks against the Lebanese territory
since October 7, when it launched a war of genocide on the Gaza Strip,
prompting retaliatory strikes from Hezbollah in support of the Palestinian
people in the besieged territory.
The
movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory operations as long as the regime
continues its onslaught against Gaza.
Sheikh
Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s deputy secretary-general, says the Lebanese resistance
movement will continue retaliatory strikes against Israel until the regime ends
its war on Gaza.
So far,
the Israeli military aggression has claimed the lives of around 19,500 people
across Gaza.
Source: presstv.ir
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-----
Israel
faces Gaza ceasefire calls, US vows more arms
Dec 19, 2023
GAZA
STRIP, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Israel faced another round of global pressure
on Tuesday for a ceasefire in Gaza with a new UN vote and fresh Western
diplomatic efforts, although the United States vowed to continue arming its
ally.
The UN
Security Council was set to convene Tuesday to weigh a call for a ceasefire in
the besieged Palestinian territory, after a previous bid was vetoed by the
United States.
UK
foreign minister David Cameron was also due to meet French and Italian leaders
to push for a "sustainable ceasefire" in the conflict, his office
said.
The war
in Gaza began when Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on October
7, killing around 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and abducting 250,
according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
The
Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says Israel's military response has killed
more than 19,400 people, mostly women and children.
The
ministry said an Israeli strike killed at least 20 people on Tuesday in the
southern city of Rafah, near the border with Egypt.
On a
visit to Israel, US defense secretary Lloyd Austin vowed Monday to keep arming
its ally, which Washington has already provided with billions of dollars in
military aid.
"We'll
continue to provide Israel with the equipment that you need to defend your
country... including critical munitions, tactical vehicles and air defence
systems," Austin said.
Austin
was touring the Middle East as concerns grew over the war's spread around the
region, with Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen attacking international shipping
in the Red Sea in solidarity with Hamas.
Austin
announced the formation on Monday of a 10-nation coalition to quell the rising
number of Huthi attacks on tankers, cargo ships and other vessels in the Red
Sea.
The
coalition includes the United States, United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France,
Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain, Austin said.
In the
latest incidents, Huthi rebels said Monday they had attacked two
"Israeli-linked" vessels in the Red Sea.
The UN
Security Council had been scheduled to vote on a ceasefire resolution on
Monday.
A draft
of the resolution had called for an "urgent and sustainable cessation of
hostilities" in Gaza to allow "safe and unhindered humanitarian
access".
However
the United Arab Emirates, which had introduced the latest text, requested the
vote be postponed to Tuesday to allow for complex negotiations to continue,
diplomatic sources told AFP.
Qatar,
which helped mediate a week-long truce and hostage-prisoner exchange last
month, has also said there are "ongoing diplomatic efforts to renew the
humanitarian pause" outside of the UN process.
US news
platform Axios on Monday reported that Mossad chief David Barnea, CIA director
Bill Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
met in Warsaw.
International
alarm has mounted over the plight of 2.4 million Gazans forced to endure daily
bombardment, food and water shortages and mass displacement.
The EU's
top diplomat Josep Borrell accused Israel on Monday of displaying an
"appalling lack of distinction" in its campaign in Gaza, highlighting
the deaths of Israeli hostages, worshippers and other Palestinian civilians.
Human
Rights Watch said on Monday Israel was "using starvation of civilians as a
method of warfare".
"Israeli
forces are deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food and fuel, while
wilfully impeding humanitarian assistance, apparently razing agricultural
areas," the New York-based group said.
An
Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said the organisation "has no moral
basis to talk about what's going on in Gaza," accusing Human Rights Watch
of ignoring "the suffering and the human rights of Israelis".
A report
by Washington's Director of National Intelligence, quoted by US media, said
that nearly half of munitions dropped by Israeli aircraft on Gaza were
"dumb" bombs -- unguided munitions with limited accuracy.
Israeli
air force officers on Monday defended their actions.
"All
the bombs we use are high-precision bombs," an officer told reporters
during a military-organised visit of the Palmahim air base, on the
Mediterranean coast south of Tel Aviv.
Israel
has approved aid deliveries into Gaza via its Kerem Shalom crossing, aside from
the Rafah crossing with Egypt, and dozens of trucks entered through Kerem
Shalom on Monday, said an AFP journalist.
US State
Department spokesman Matthew Miller hailed the opening of the crossing for
humanitarian assistance and the arrival into Gaza of trucks carrying commercial
goods as "important breakthroughs".
At the
Rafah crossing, previously the only point where aid had been allowed through,
families gathered in the hopes of finally being allowed across to safety.
"We've
been here for about a month," said Safa Fathi Hamad. "We are going to
die, food is very limited and we have no protection."
Israelis
protested Monday in central Tel Aviv, calling for swift action to release the
remaining 129 hostages believed to be held in Gaza.
The
anger and fear of hostages' families has intensified after Israeli forces
mistakenly shot dead three captives who had escaped their captors.
Reports
said the trio waved white flags and used food leftovers to write a
Hebrew-language message on a white sheet before they were shot.
Hamas's
military wing released footage it claimed showed three of those still held
captive. The video featured three bearded men sitting on chairs at an
undisclosed location and asking to be released.
The Gaza
war has also seen violence spiral in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli
forces shot dead four Palestinians in a West Bank refugee camp Monday, the
Palestinian health ministry said, taking the toll in the occupied territory to
over 300 during the Gaza war.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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-----
Europe
The Greek Village Where Christians and
Muslims Live in Harmony
December 18, 2023
Maria Korologou
Platani is a beautiful village on the
Greek island of Kos in the Dodecanese complex, where Christians and Muslims
coexist in harmony. The village has remained untouched through the years and
continues to attract visitors with its diversity.
A Jewish cemetery and a Muslim one, a
Christian church, a Mosque and the residents’ houses, make the picturesque
scenery of the village Platani.
The village is located next to the town
of Kos, right before the archaeological site of Asclepeion. In this village
live most of the 1,500 Muslims of the island. A mosaic of diversity and
harmonious coexistence of civilizations, Platani, stayed intact in time and
still fascinates the tourists of Kos.
Mixed marriages between Christians and
Muslims are a common phenomenon there, as well as common companies.
The president of the Turkish Muslim
Association of Kos, The Brotherhood, Mazlum Payzanoglu, who is a close friend
to Muslims and Christians, stresses that the Association’s dance and music
groups participate in the Ippokrateia Festival in Kos, while the Turkish-speaking
and Greek-speaking residents of the village live and have their shops and cafes
side by side.
Racism is out of bounds in the Greek
Village of Christians and Muslims
“Civilization makes a country rich,”
Payzanoglu told the Athens Macedonia News Agency (AMNA). He also mentioned that
in this village the Muslims of Kos have been celebrating for a long time both
the Turkish Bayram and the Christian Easter. Words like “racism” and
“discrimination” do not exist in their vocabulary.
The Turkish-speaking Muslims, who have
Greek nationality, are mainly residents of Kos that were not included in the
exchange of populations imposed by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923, because the
Dodecanese were then under Italian occupation.
Until 1964, the name of the village was
Kermentes, but the Greek authorities changed it to Platani, as part of the
general policy in Greece at the time to replace the Turkish names of places
with Greek ones.
In 1971, the dictatorship closed all the
mixed schools, where, apart from Greek, the Turkish-speaking children also
learned Turkish. Since then, these schools have not reopened.
Serif Karavetzir owns one of the
traditional taverns in the village square. Lahmacun, adana kebab, ismir kofte,
yaurtlu, ekmekkataif, kazandibi and many other delicacies constitute the
gastronomic experience that a tourist or a local should not miss.
Karavetzir says that the relations
between Christians and Muslims were always excellent. Back in 1960, when he
opened his tavern in Kermentes, there were much fewer people in the village
than today and they were almost all Muslims. Now, the population of the village
has very much increased and it is rather equally divided between Christians and
Muslims.
Mixed marriages
These changes are the result of mixed
marriages and, secondarily, of the fact that many Greek-speaking people from
Kos moved to Platani.
“Moreover, many Muslims from Kos went to
Turkey, while Greek-speaking Cretan Turks as well as some Turkish-speaking
people from Bodrum in Asia Minor came to Platani,” Karavetzir explained.
Karavetzir, Payzanoglu, and all the
Turkish-speaking people in Kos have relatives and friends in Asia Minor and
visit Turkey very often. Bodrum is just a half-an-hour distance from the Kos
port.
One of the basic requests of the Muslims
of Cos is, according to Payzanoglu, the establishment of bilingual schools. To
fill the gap, the Turkish Muslim Association of Kos ran a Turkish language
school.
But, as he says, “It is not the same
with the ordinary school where children go anyway. They could integrate the
Turkish language classes into the schedule, like in the past. Now, the
non-Christians cannot attend the religious course, if they wish to.”
Source: greekreporter.com
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----
Italy's premier stresses that Israel’s
right to self-defense should be in line with international law
Ahmet Gencturk
18.12.2023
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
reiterated Sunday that Israel’s right to self-defense should be in line with
international law, local media reported.
“We have sided with Israel after the
Hamas attacks, and we ask Israel to defend itself in line with international
law, protecting the civilian population,” said Meloni, speaking on the final
day of the annual Atreju political festival in Rome organized by her right-wing
Brothers of Italy (FdI) party.
Referring to Italy’s policy on Russia’s
war in Ukraine, she highlighted the government’s clear and strong support for
Kyiv.
“Respect in foreign policy is obtained
by keeping one's word. Italy has everything to lose in a world in which the
force of law is replaced by the law of the strongest," she added.
Meloni also said that Russia’s attack on
Ukraine has been motivated by its nostalgia for Soviet imperialism.
Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from
the air and land, imposed a siege and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation
for a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.
At least 18,800 Palestinians have since
been killed in Israeli attacks, mostly of them women and children, and 51,000
injured, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
The Israeli death toll in the Hamas
attack stands at 1,200, while more than 130 hostages are still being held by
the Palestinian group in Gaza, according to official figures.
Source: aa.com.tr
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-----
Survey reveals divide among French
Muslims in criticism of Hamas
DECEMBER 19, 2023
In contrast to the 55% of French Muslims
who are critical of Hamas, 45% see these actions as a form of resistance
against colonization, revealing a significant division in opinions within the
community.
Polarized views on Hamas: The majority
disapproval contrasts with a sizable minority that interprets Hamas's actions
as resistance.
Limited sympathy for Hamas: Only 19% of
French Muslims sympathize with Hamas, with greater support among younger and
more devout Muslims.
Different interpretations of Israeli
operations: A majority of Muslims (62%) describe Israeli operations in the West
Bank as "ethnic cleansing," compared to 38% of the general French
population.
Support for Palestinian Authority,
limited support for Hamas
Perceived bias in Government and media:
The survey suggests a belief among French Muslims of a pro-Israel bias in the
French government and media, particularly among left-leaning and Maghreb-origin
Muslims.
Support for the Palestinian Authority:
Despite mixed opinions on Hamas, 59% of French Muslims show support for the
Palestinian Authority, indicating a nuanced approach to the conflict.
Conducted online from November 21 to 29,
2023, the survey involved a representative sample of 1,002 people from the
Muslim population in mainland France aged 15 and over.
Source: jpost.com
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-----
Oil up as Red Sea attacks trigger supply
fears and Russia hints at further export cuts
Sibel Morrow
18.12.2023
Oil prices rallied on Monday due to
naval and commercial ship attacks in the Red Sea that raised fears of possible
disruptions to oil supply routes as well as the greater possibility of Russia
reducing oil exports earlier than planned.
International benchmark crude Brent
traded at $77.31 per barrel at 10.09 a.m. local time (0709 GMT), a 0.99%
increase from the closing price of $76.55 a barrel in the previous trading
session on Friday.
The American benchmark, West Texas
Intermediate (WTI), traded at the same time at $72.50 per barrel, up 1% from
Friday’s close of $71.78 per barrel.
After diving to six-month lows last week
over uncertainties about the US interest rate decision, prices gained around 1%
last week, supported by lower US inventories and sustained risk-on sentiment
from the Fed’s dovish pivot.
Prices started the week with a bearish
sentiment over growing supply fears following the launch of new attacks by the
Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen on naval and commercial ships in the Red Sea.
The Suez Canal, the SUMED pipeline, and
the Bab el-Mandeb Strait are strategic routes for Persian Gulf oil and natural
gas shipments to Europe and North America.
According to the US Energy Information
Agency (EIA), total oil shipments via these routes accounted for about 12% of
total seaborne-traded oil in the first half of 2023, and liquefied natural gas
(LNG) shipments accounted for about 8% of worldwide LNG trade.
According to international media
reports, the recent attacks led the US administration to consider the launch of
an expanded maritime protection force involving Arab states to combat the
increasingly frequent Houthi attacks being mounted from Yemen’s ports on
commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Price upticks were also helped after
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Sunday that his country
may increase oil export cuts by an additional 50,000 bpd or higher in December
2023 on top of the current cuts of 300,000 barrels per day (bpd).
"In December, we will add
additional volumes. The figure will be more than $300,000. We will decide based
on the results in December. Maybe the additional volume will reach 50,000
barrels. Maybe more," Novak said.
Stronger dollar increases bearish market
sentiment
The strengthening of other currencies
against the US dollar further prompted investors to purchase cheaper
dollar-indexed crude oil.
The dollar index, which measures the
value of the American dollar against a basket of currencies, including the
Japanese yen, British pound, Canadian dollar, Swedish krona, and Swiss franc,
fell 0.09% to 102.09 on Monday.’
Source: aa.com.tr
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-----
Top EU diplomat slams Israel for
targeting civilians
18 Dec, 2023
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell
condemned what he described as Israel’s indiscriminate targeting of civilians
in Gaza in a post to social media on Monday, declaring an urgent need for a
“humanitarian pause.”
“We are witnessing an appalling lack of
distinction in Israel’s military operation in Gaza,” Borrell wrote, citing the
recent deaths of “worshippers, three Israeli hostages, and hundreds of other
civilians” at the hands of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“Far too many civilians have been killed
in Gaza, as pointed out among others also by the French, German, and UK foreign
ministers,” the diplomat continued. Borrell was referring to a Sunday op-ed
co-authored by the UK’s David Cameron and Germany’s Annalena Baerbock, as well
as comments made during a press conference by France’s Catherine Colonna that
same day.
The shooting of a Palestinian Christian
mother and daughter at the enclave’s only Catholic Church by an Israeli sniper
on Saturday attracted condemnation from international religious leaders,
including Pope Francis.
“They were shot in cold blood inside the
premises of the Parish, where there are no belligerents,” the Latin
Patriarchate of Jerusalem said in a statement following the killing, stressing
that no warnings had been given. The Israel Defense Forces are reportedly
looking into the incident.
On Friday, the IDF killed three Israeli
hostages who had escaped their captors in Shejaiya in what a preliminary report
has concluded was a violation of the military’s own rules of engagement. The
three men were unarmed, wearing civilian clothing, and waving white flags, but
they were shot by a soldier who allegedly felt threatened.
Borrell last month warned Israel to heed
international law in its campaign in Gaza and not give in to the desire for
revenge over the October 7 attack by Hamas that left 1,200 Israelis dead. The
foreign policy chief said that the conflict could not be “solved with the mass
exodus of more than two million” people from the enclave.
At least 19,453 people have been killed
in Israel’s bombardment of the Palestinian enclave since October 7, the Gaza
Health Ministry reported on Monday. Another 52,286 are said to have been
wounded.
Source: rt.com
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------
North America
Nevada Muslim leaders announce plan to
ditch Biden in critical swing state
December 18, 2023
Muslim community leaders in Nevada, a
critical swing state, pledged Monday to actively campaign against President
Biden because of his refusal to call for a cease-fire in Gaza.
During a press conference in Las Vegas
on Monday, Nevada’s Muslim leaders announced their plans to ditch not only Mr.
Biden but other politicians who have not pushed for a cease-fire.
“Why should we vote for you when you
won’t even do the most basic moral action of calling for a cease-fire,” said a
woman who identified herself as Sister Nadia at the press conference.
She said Mr. Biden’s actions have
“disgraced and disappointed” Muslim Americans across the country.
The president has tried to balance his
support for Israel with calls for restraint in its military response to the
Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7. But he’s been unwilling to urge Israel to
pursue a cease-fire.
That reluctance has spurred accusations
in the Muslim-American community, including in the pivotal state of Michigan,
that the president has abandoned them as Palestinian civilians continue to die
amid Israel’s relentless onslaught in Gaza.
“Our community’s voice is powerful, and
we are using it to hold leaders accountable,” said AlazisEddebbarh, a social
activist and religious leader in Nevada’s Muslim community. “We cannot support
a presidency that turns a blind eye to the genocide of innocent Palestinian
children.”
At least 17,487 Palestinians have been
killed since Israeli forces unleashed an aerial and ground blitz against Hamas
in Gaza, following the terrorist group’s sneak attack on Israel, according to
data released last week by the Gaza Health Ministry.
Roughly 1,200 people were killed in the
Hamas attack on Israel, according to numbers released by the Jewish state.
Agencies continue to warn that the
humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening each day, with most of the 2.3 million
people there homeless with little food, water, medicine, or food.
“The Muslim community’s support is not
unconditional,” said Fateen Seifullah, the Imam of Las Vegas’ oldest mosque.
“Biden has abandoned our values, and therefore, we abandon Biden.”
Despite withdrawing its support for Mr.
Biden, it doesn’t mean that the Muslim community will embrace former President
Donald Trump, who is GOP frontrunner in 2024 but also is strongly pro-Israel
and has called for limiting immigration from Muslim-majority countries.
Sister Nadia suggested as much when she
called for reforming America’s two-party political system so voters don’t have
to decide between “the lesser of two evils.”
As the war between Israel and Hamas
continues to rage, Muslim Americans have soured on Mr. Biden.
A Reuters/Zogby poll released last month
found that just 17% of Arab Americans support Mr. Biden, down from 59% in 2020.
In contrast, 40% of Arab American respondents said they would vote for former
President Donald Trump in 2024.
The same poll revealed that for the
first time since 1997, a majority of Arab Americans did not identify as
Democrats. Now, 32% say they are Republicans and 31% identify as independents.
Mr. Biden has tried to mollify Muslim
Americans by announcing a series of meetings and initiatives aimed at improving
relations. In November, he established the first national strategy to fight
Islamophobia. White House officials met with Muslim and Arab American leaders
to discuss ways to be more supportive of their communities.
During an October meeting with
Muslim-American leaders, Mr. Biden apologized for his comments questioning the
veracity of the Palestinian death count reported by the Gaza Ministry of
Health, which is controlled by Hamas.
Mr. Biden told the group that he was
“disappointed in myself” and vowed to “do better,” the Washington Post
reported. The apology was prompted by fierce criticism of his comments by
Muslim leaders.
The Muslim-American leaders urged Mr.
Biden during the meeting to show more sympathy toward the Palestinians, and he
hugged one of the attendees at the end of the meeting, according to The Post.
At private Democratic Party events last
month, protesters in what should have been friendly crowds repeatedly heckled
the president with demands that he secure a cease-fire.
For Mr. Biden, the need to soothe angry
liberals and Muslim Americans is about his political survival.
Arab Americans account for just a
fraction of the U.S. population and about half the number of Jewish Americans.
But their communities reside in battleground states that could shift an
election if they withhold their support from Mr. Biden in 2024.
Mr. Biden squeaked about a victory in
Nevada in 2020 over former President Trump by about 34,000 votes. Although the
Muslim population in the state is about 7.400, any erosion of support could be
fatal to Mr. Biden’s reelection chances in the Silver State.
In several other swing states, the U.S.
Religious Census, which tracks statistics for faith communities, found that the
Muslim adherent population in several states exceeded Mr. Biden’s margin of
victory in 2020.
Mr. Biden won Georgia by about 12,000
votes, and its Muslim population is around 123,000. He won by about 154,000
votes in Michigan, which has more than 242,000 Muslim adherents. Wisconsin,
which Mr. Biden won by 21,000 votes, has 69,000 Muslim adherents.
Source: washingtontimes.com
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-----
CAIR-SFBA: More than 80 Movement,
Organizational Leaders Announce Protest on Capitol Hill Calling for Ceasefire
and End of U.S. Funding for Weapons to Israel, Border Militarization
Ismail Allison
December 18, 2023
(WASHINGTON D.C., 12/18/23) — Tomorrow
(Dec. 19), more than 80 national movement and organizational leaders will stage
a protest on Capitol Hill to demand a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and oppose
the Biden administration’s proposed military aid package sending billions of
taxpayer dollars to Israel, U.S. southern border militarization, and
immigration enforcement.
Leaders will take this unprecedented
action as the U.S. Senate debates the $106 billion spending package, with
President Biden and Senate Democrats signaling a willingness to concede to
Republicans’ demands for sweeping immigration reforms to pass the package prior
to Congress’ holiday recess. If passed, the package will further fuel Israel’s
genocide in Gaza as the Biden administration refuses to call for a ceasefire
and cause irrevocable harm to immigrants and migrants in the U.S. and at our
borders.
The diverse coalition includes leaders
from Palestinian, immigrant, Jewish, veteran, climate, labor, and youth groups
representing the interests of tens of millions of people across the U.S.,
including constituents of critical states, such as Michigan, Pennsylvania,
Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Florida. The action signals growing solidarity
between communities across movements, as seen in the release of a separate
joint statement from more than 60 racial and economic justice, immigrant,
Palestinian, Jewish, environmental, labor, and allied groups opposing the
supplemental package and attempts from Congress and the Biden administration to
use their communities as bargaining chips.
The leaders announced their
participation in tomorrow’s action through videos of themselves explaining
their intentions rolled out of their organizations’ respective social media
platforms this afternoon. The videos are also accessible here.
WHAT: More than 80 national movement and
organizational leaders will risk arrest to protest the proposed military
funding package sending billions of dollars to Israel to fuel its genocide in
Gaza and occupation of the Palestinian people, and to increase border
militarization and immigration enforcement in the U.S. and at our southern
border.
WHEN: Tuesday, December 19, at 10:00
a.m. ET / 7:00 a.m. PT
WHERE: U.S. Capitol
VISUALS: The coalition of leaders will
carry children’s shoes to pay tribute to the more than 8,000 children killed by
the Israeli military in Gaza and the thousands of children victimized by ICE
and increasing militarization at the U.S.-Mexico border. There will also be
banners featuring slogans such as “Ceasefire Now” and “Stop Funding War on Our
Communities.”
Sponsoring organizations: Action Center
on Race and Economy, Adalah Justice Project, Grassroots Global Justice
Alliance, and the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights
Participating organizations: 350.org;
Amistad Law Project; Athena Coalition; CAIR Philadelphia; CAIR San Francisco
Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA); Center for Popular Democracy; Climate Organizing Hub;
Communities United for Status & Protection; Community Labor United;
Detention Watch Network; Detroit Action; Fight for the Future; Florida Rising;
Florida Palestine Network; Funding Freedom; Grassroots International; HEAL Food
Alliance; Highlander Research & Education Center; Jewish Voice for Peace
Action; Jews for Racial & Economic Justice; Justice Is Global; Kairos
Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice; LeftRoots; MediaJustice;
Minnesota Environmental Justice Table; Movement Law Lab; MPower Change; Muslim
Counterpublics Lab; Muslims for Just Futures; Nasty Woman Cosmetics; Native
Organizers Alliance; New Justice Project; New York Communities for Change; One
Fair Wage; OPEIU Local 12; Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition;
Political Research Associates; POWER Interfaith; Progressive Maryland; Puget
Sound Sage; Reclaim Philadelphia; Resource Generation; Right to the City
Alliance; Rising Majority; Showing Up for Racial Justice; State Power Caucus;
Survivors Know; TakeAction Minnesota; The New Justice Project MN; The
Organizing Center; Upturn; We the People Michigan.
CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR,
America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission
is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice,
and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
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----
CAIR Condemns Latest ‘Israeli War Crimes
of the Day’ After Deadly Gaza Maternity Ward Strike, Killing of 110 in Refugee
Camp, Shooting of Christian Women at Church
Ismail Allison
December 18, 2023
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 12/18/2023) – The
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil
rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the latest “Israeli war
crimes of the day” after deadly Israeli strikes on a Gaza maternity hospital
and other medical facilities, the killing of more than 100 people in a refugee
camp and the killing of two Christians seeking shelter in a besieged
church.
An Israeli tank shell reportedly struck
the maternity ward of the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, killing
13-year-old Dina Abu Mehsen and injuring several others. Abu Mehsen had lost
her parents and siblings – and her legs – in a previous Israeli attack and was
being treated in the hospital. Continuous shooting was reported at the entrance
to al-Shifa Hospital where at least 26 Palestinians were reportedly killed in
an attack.
‘Bloodbath’: Israel continues to target
Gaza hospitals and civilians
Pope Francis condemned Israel’s killing
of two Christian women sheltering at a Catholic parish in Gaza, noting that
“unarmed civilians are targets for bombs and gunfire.”
At least 110 people were killed in
Israel’s bombing of Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp.
“While the rest of the world is
expressing horror at these daily war crimes by the far-right Israeli
government, the Biden administration refuses to use our government’s immense
political and financial influence over the Israeli government to stop this campaign
of genocide and ethnic cleansing,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad
Awad. “There must be a permanent ceasefire to stop the indiscriminate slaughter
in Gaza and to allow the pursuit of a just, lasting peace.”
Over the weekend, CAIR called for United
Nations to investigate reports that Israeli forces in Gaza bulldozed medical
tents with injured Palestinians inside, allegedly burying civilians alive and
said that the Israeli military’s killing of three unarmed, shirtless Israelis
waving a white flag is further proof that Israeli troops are “wantonly killing
Palestinian civilians.”
Israel has killed some 20,000 people in
Gaza, mostly women and children, and including hundreds of UN workers,
journalists and medical personnel.
Earlier today, CAIR said that the
Israeli military’s killing of three unarmed, shirtless Israelis waving a white
flag is further proof that Israeli troops are “wantonly killing Palestinian
civilians.”
CAIR recently called on the Biden
administration to respond to reports that Israel forces shot women, children
and babies “execution-style” after they sought refuge in a school in Gaza.
CAIR condemned the attempted
assassination of an Al Jazeera journalist (and the ultimate death of another)
by Israeli forces, the desecration of Gaza cemeteries by Israeli troops in
Gaza, and a deadly airstrike targeting a UN school in Gaza.
OTHER ISRAELI WAR CRIMES:
A new US intelligence assessment
concluded that nearly half of the air-to-ground munitions that Israel has used
in Gaza have been unguided, also known as “dumb bombs.” Unguided munitions are
typically less precise and can pose a greater threat to civilians.
CAIR condemned the Israeli government’s
celebration of IDF troops who took over and desecrated a mosque in the West
Bank as an “attack on Islam.”
CAIR said the far-right Israeli
government’s controlled demolition of a U.N. school in Gaza is “further
evidence of the ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing.”
Video posted online shows a man,
reportedly with special needs, being detained by Israeli soldiers and then shot
at point-blank range.
CAIR condemned an Israeli attack on
another hospital in Gaza and said the Biden administration is actively
participating in Israel’s “ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Palestinian
people.”
CAIR condemned another “war crime of the
day” – the slaughter of at least 50 civilians in airstrikes on two UN-run
schools sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza.
CAIR recently called on the Biden
administration to address reporting that the U.S. supplied the Israeli
government with white phosphorus used in attacks on civilian areas.
The Israeli government’s extremist
leaders have declared that there are no innocent civilians in Gaza, justified
cutting off water, electricity and other basic necessities because Palestinians
are ‘human animals,’ embraced an ancient biblical verse about the mass
slaughter of an entire city from animals to infants, demanded a million
residents of northern Gaza leave their homes or face death, and announced that
the aim of the bombing in Gaza was destruction rather than accuracy.
CAIR said a new report by Heritage for
Peace detailing Israel’s ongoing destruction of Palestinian cultural sites
shows its desire to entirely “eliminate Palestinian existence.”
Washington, D.C., based CAIR questioned
whether Western leaders even regard Palestinians as “human” after more than 700
women, children and men were massacred by Israel within just the last 24
hours.
CAIR condemned the “Israeli war crime of
the day” after more than 100 men, women and children were killed in the bombing
of residential buildings hosting displaced families in Gaza’s Jabalia refugee
camp.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil
rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American
Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las
libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y
empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstados Unidos.
Source: cair.com
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------
Blinken, in call with Saudi counterpart,
condemns Houthis for Red Sea attacks
19 Dec 2023
WASHINGTON, Dec 19 ― US Secretary of
State Antony Blinken held a call with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince
Faisal bin Farhan yesterday in which he condemned attacks by Yemen's Houthi
movement on commercial vessels in international waters in the Red Sea, the
State Department said yesterday.
The take
The Houthis, who are backed by Iran,
have waded into the war between Israel and Islamist group Hamas by attacking
vessels in vital shipping lanes and even firing drones and missiles at Israel,
more than 1,000 miles from their seat of power in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.
The Houthi group said yesterday it launched a drone attack on two cargo vessels
in one of its latest attacks in the region.
Several countries have agreed to jointly
carry out patrols in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to try to safeguard
commercial shipping against attacks by Houthi rebels, who say they are
supporting Palestinians under siege by Israel in the Gaza Strip.
Key quote
“The Secretary also condemned continued
attacks by the Houthis on commercial vessels operating in international waters
in the southern Red Sea and urged cooperation among all partners to uphold
maritime security,” the State Department said in a statement after the call.
In the call, Blinken discussed about
“preventing the further spread of the conflict,” according to the State
Department.
Context
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said
earlier this month there must be an immediate end to fighting in Gaza and
alleged that governments worldwide do not seem to see it as a priority.
Even as the United Nations has demanded
an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the United States and
Israel have resisted those calls, saying it would help Hamas rearm and regroup.
Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel left
1,200 dead and Israel's subsequent assault on Gaza has killed nearly 20,000,
according to the local health ministry, with many more missing and presumed
buried under rubble. ― Reuters
Source: malaymail.com
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US Forms 10-Nation Coalition to Tackle
HouthiAttacks in Red Sea
December 19, 2023
The United States has announced a
coalition of ten nations as part of its efforts to put an end to the relentless
missile and drone strikes by Houthi rebels targeting ships traversing the Red
Sea.
The multinational security initiative
saw countries like Britain, France, Bahrain, and Italy coming together to
confront the threats posed by this non-state group.
Lloyd Austin, the US Defense Secretary,
highlighted the critical importance of nations upholding the principle of
freedom of navigation. He highlighted the necessity for joint action against
the challenges presented by the Huthi rebels, who are backed by Iran. Their
escalated attacks on tankers, cargo ships, and other vessels have posed a
significant risk to the Red Sea route, a passageway responsible for nearly 12%
of global trade.
The primary goal of this security
coalition, Austin said, revolves around ensuring unhindered navigation for all
countries while enhancing regional security and prosperity. The coalition
involves the United States, United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy,
Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain, uniting their efforts against the
Huthi threats, he said.
However, recent events have led to
misunderstandings and repercussions. For instance, the owner of Swan Atlantic,
Norway's Inventor Chemical Tankers, clarified that the vessel was transporting
biofuel feedstock from France to Reunion Island, emphasising its lack of
association with Israel. The ship, managed by a Singaporean firm, faced minimal
damage during the attack, and fortunately, the Indian crew remained unharmed.
In response to the heightened risks,
several major players in the shipping industry have taken precautionary
measures. British oil giant BP joined the list of those suspending transit
through the Red Sea, while Evergreen, a Taiwanese shipping company, immediately
halted its Israeli cargo shipments. Companies like Frontline, among the world's
largest tanker firms, announced the rerouting of ships and limited new business
that could utilize the longer and more fuel-consuming route via South Africa's
Cape of Good Hope.
The severity of the Red Sea attacks has
prompted insurance companies to escalate premiums on ships, rendering some
routes through the Suez Canal economically unfeasible. Renowned shipping
companies such as Mediterranean Shipping Company, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd,
Euronav, and A.P Moller-Maersk from various countries have temporarily ceased
using the Red Sea, impacting nearly 15% of global container freight.
The situation has been labeled as a
maritime security crisis, not just regionally but with implications extending
beyond, affecting commercial and economic interests, as per Torbjorn Soltvedt
from analysis firm Verisk Maplecroft.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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Pakistan
Afghan Taliban request Fazl to mediate
between Kabul and Islamabad
December 19, 2023
PESHAWAR: The ruling Afghan Taliban have
confirmed inviting Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman to
play a mediator’s role between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In a brief Pashto audio message shared
with Pakistani journalists by the media department of the Afghan government,
chief spokesman for the regime Zabihullah Mujahid said the ‘Islamic Emirate of
Afghanistan’ had officially invited the JUI-F leader to keep abreast of
aspirations of the Afghan people and government towards Pakistan and its
people.
“And let the people of Pakistan know
that we never want unrest in Pakistan, our relations soured or any step taken
against Pakistan. We certainly don’t want this, and Maulana Fazlur Rehman sahib
can play this role very well,” Mr Mujahid said in the brief audio message.
The Afghan Taliban’s statement comes two
days after their envoy to Pakistan, Sardar Ahmad Jan Shakib, met the JUI-F
chief in Islamabad to formally extend the invitation for mediation.
JUI-F says its chief will visit
Afghanistan in 10 days
Relations between the Taliban government
and Pakistan have seen a rapid deterioration after an increase in terrorist
attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Pakistan blames the Tehreek-i-Taliban
Pakistan for them insisting that the outlawed terror group is operating from
its bases in Afghanistan.
The Afghan Taliban, which initially
hosted the failed peace talks between Pakistan and the TTP, now say the
militant groups are no longer based in Afghanistan. They have asked Islamabad
to address its internal security challenges instead of blaming Kabul for them.
Mr Mujahid’s statement came immediately
after reports suggested that the Afghan Taliban had rounded up a few dozen TTP
fighters.
Though details of the arrests weren’t
disclosed, Kabul’s move suggests that the Afghan Taliban that were long
considered to be close to Pakistan were finally ready to contemplate action
against Pakistani militants on their soil.
Some unconfirmed reports, mostly
circulating on social media, indicate that the Afghan Taliban arrested 30-40
TTP men immediately after Pakistan lodged a strong protest with Afghanistan
over an attack on its northern border in Chitral region in Sept this year.
The attack was repulsed.
Meanwhile, spokesman for the JUI-F
Mohammad Aslam Ghauri told Dawn that his party’s chief would visit Kabul soon
after the nomination and scrutiny of candidates for the Feb 8 general elections
in the country.
“[The visit will come] next week or in
10 days, Inshallah [God willing],” he said.
Source: dawn.com
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Imran Khan, Asad Umar acquitted in May
25 violence case
December 19, 2023
Malik Asad
ISLAMABAD: Judicial Magistrate of Koral
on Monday acquitted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Asad Umar in a case
registered against them related to alleged violence on May 25, 2022.
Mr Khan, Mr Umar and others including
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Faisal Javed, Ali Nawaz Awan, Ali Amin Gandapur and Raja
Khurram Nawaz, were nominated as accused in this case.
The FIR alleged that during the May 25
long march, they had incited protesters to violence, leading to the blockade of
highways and engagement in sabotage acts by the enraged protesters.
Proceedings against the other suspects
in the FIR have been adjourned till February 24.
In a relevant development, a local court
in Islamabad sought a hearing of the case related to the marriage of Mr Khan
with Bushra Bibi during the latter’s iddat period, at Adiala jail.
Local court seeks hearing of iddat case
in Adiala jail
Senior Civil Judge Qudrat Ullah decided
to conduct the trial of the former premier and founder of Pakistan
Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) due to security concerns.
Earlier, on Dec 14, the judge directed
the superintendent of Adiala Jail to produce Mr Khan before the court on Dec
18.
However, the Adiala jail superintendent
submitted a report to the court “based on intelligence information” that
expressed apprehension of “serious security threats” and “making it impossible
for the jail authorities to produce” Mr Khan before the court.
After perusal of the report submitted by
the SP Jail, the judge noted that Mr Khan “is a former prime minister and,
therefore, this court considers that the forcing of attendance of said
respondent before this court may ensue danger to the life of respondent, as
well as those litigants who attend proceeding before various courts in their
cases”.
The judge felt that “the security
situation in the District Courts Complex, Islamabad, may become highly
dangerous and make the entire complex vulnerable to any sought of adventure by
miscreants”.
“Keeping above facts in mind, this court
considers that it will be appropriate to hold the trial of the respondents
[Imran and Bushra Bibi] at a place which comparatively safer and secure, as
decided by the federal government, including holding of trial at Central Jail
Adiala, Rawalpindi,” said the order of the court.
It said, “While persuaded by above
compelling circumstances, this court orders the holding of the trial of
respondent in terms of proviso to sub section (1) of section 352 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure… at a place to be decided by the federal government as per
law and procedure including Central Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi.”
According to the court order, since Mr
Khan’s trial could not be separated from that of his wife, they could be
jointly tried at the jail premises with the approval of the federal government
/ competent authority.
However, the court order also states
that the trial would be open, allowing not only family members but also the
public to witness the proceedings.
It’s worth noting that the Special Court
(Official Secrets Act) conducted an in-camera jail trial of Mr Khan and Mr
Qureshi in the cipher case. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared it illegal,
and the Special Court started the denovo trial at Adiala jail.
Although the court declared the hearing
“open,” media coverage was restricted to a few selected television channels for
a limited number of hearings. The Special Court eventually decided to conduct
the proceedings in-camera, barring media coverage.
Judge Qudrat Ullah stated in the order
that those who intend to witness the proceeding “have to seek permission
regarding attending the proceeding as per the procedure laid down in Prison
Rules” adding that “they shall further be bound to adhere to all the legal
requirements and must be abided by the rules of the prison and will maintain
the decorum of the court”.
The court exempted personal attendance
of Bushra Bibi and made it clear that “no request for exemption shall be
entertained on next date of hearing if the same is not supported by some valid
and legal reason”.
Further proceeding in this matter has
been adjourned till Dec 22.
Source: dawn.com
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----
Pakistan reaffirms pledge to help Iran
fight terrorism
December 19, 2023
Baqir Sajjad Syed
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday
reaffirmed its commitment to Iran in combating terrorism, recognising it as a
shared challenge.
This assurance was extended by caretaker
Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani during a phone call with his Iranian
counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian.
The Foreign Office said that Minister
Jilani emphasised Pakistan’s unwavering dedication to collaborating with Iran
against the threat of terrorism, a significant obstacle to regional peace and
stability.
This discussion occurred against the
backdrop of a recent attack on a police station in Rask, a town in Iran’s
Sistan-Baluchestan province, where 11 Iranian security personnel lost their
lives.
Jilani expresses solidarity with Iranian
FM, discusses concerns over Gaza crisis
The militant group Jaish Al-Adl (Army of
Justice), which predominantly operates in southeastern Iran and is designated
as a terror organisation by Tehran, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Following the incident, Iranian Interior
Minister Ahmad Vahidi, while visiting the site, urged Pakistan to prevent
terrorist groups from establishing bases within its borders, as reported by
Irna, the official news agency of Iran. He also noted that initial
investigations suggested the assailants had entered Iran from Pakistan.
Minister Jilani, during the call,
strongly condemned the terrorist attack, mirroring the Foreign Office’s earlier
expression of full solidarity with Iran amidst this tragedy.
‘Collective threat’
The FO had previously said: “Terrorism
poses a threat not only to regional but also global peace and security, and
must be combated through all available means, including bilateral and regional
cooperation.”
In their conversation, Mr Jilani and
MrAbdollahian also discussed various issues of mutual and regional interest, as
per the Foreign Office’s statement.
Concerns over Gaza
Furthermore, the statement highlighted
Mr Jilani’s deep concern about the critical situation in occupied Palestine,
particularly in Gaza.
He underscored the need for an immediate
ceasefire, lifting the siege, ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian aid including
medical supplies to Gaza’s people, and renewing diplomatic efforts for a
lasting peace in the Middle East, grounded in a fair resolution of the
Palestinian issue.
Source: dawn.com
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-----
Ex-PM Imran uses AI voice clone to
campaign from jail in virtual PTI rally
December 18, 2023
Artificial intelligence allowed former
prime minister Imran Khan to campaign from behind bars with a voice clone of
his giving an impassioned speech on his behalf during a virtual PTI rally.
Imran has been in jail since August. He
is being tried for leaking classified documents, allegations he says have been
trumped up to stop him from contesting general elections due on February 8.
But the PTI used artificial intelligence
to make a four-minute message from the 71-year-old, headlining a “virtual
rally” hosted on social media overnight on Sunday into Monday despite internet
disruptions.
The PTI said Imran sent a shorthand
script through lawyers which was fleshed out into his rhetorical lingo.
The text was then dubbed into audio
using a tool from AI firm ElevenLabs, which boasts the ability to create a
“voice clone” from existing speech samples.
“My fellow Pakistanis, I would first
like to praise the social media team for this historic attempt,” the voice
mimicking Imran said.
“Maybe you all are wondering how I am
doing in jail,” the stilted voice adds. “Today, my determination for real
freedom is very strong.
“Our party is not allowed to hold public
rallies,” Imran said in the clip, urging supporters to turn out in large
numbers during the general elections. “Our people are being kidnapped and their
families are being harassed,” he said.
The audio was broadcast at the end of a
five-hour live stream of speeches by PTI supporters on Facebook, X (formerly
Twitter) and YouTube, and was overlaid with historic footage of the former
prime minister and still images.
It was bookended with genuine video
clips from the former cricketer’s previous speeches according to the PTI, but a
caption appeared at intervals flagging it as the “AI voice of Imran Khan based
on his notes”.
“This was a no-brainer for us when Imran
Khan is no longer there to actually meet at a political rally,” said US-based
PTI social media chief Jibran Ilyas. “It was to get over the suppression.”
PTI was the first political party in the
country to widely harness the potential of social media, using apps to target
younger audiences who carried them to power five years ago.
“We wanted to get in election mode,”
Ilyas told AFP. “No PTI political rally is complete without Imran Khan.”
Global network monitor NetBlocks said
social media was restricted for seven hours starting late on Sunday in an
incident “consistent with previous instances of internet censorship” targeting
the PTI chief.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
said the interruptions were being investigated but that internet accessibility
overall appeared to be normal.
Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza
Solangi said the query on internet disruptions could be referred to the telecom
regulator or the information ministry, saying, “I have no information about
it.”
He, however, didn’t respond to whether
it was a violation of free speech and assembly mandated by election laws for a
free and fair voting, which in this case could be a pre-poll rigging.
Nonetheless, the virtual rally was
viewed by more than 4.5 million people across Facebook, X and YouTube.
“It wasn’t very convincing,” said
38-year-old business manager Syed Muhammad Ashar in the eastern city of Lahore.
“The grammar was strange too. But I will
give them marks for trying,” he said. “Frankly, nothing can replace a real
rally and a real speech,” he added.
But media worker Hussain Javed Afroze
praised the digitally-delivered oration.
“No other party uses technology like PTI
does,” the 42-year-old said. “These are new tools, so I think it’s a positive
thing to use them,” he said.
Source: dawn.com
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------
COAS, US CENTCOM chief discuss
cooperation in regional security matters
December 19, 2023
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim
Munir discussed on Tuesday cooperation in regional security matters with the
commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM ) General Michael Erik Kurilla.
As per Inter-Services Public Relations
(ISPR), the COAS met the US commander during his visit to CENTCOM Headquarters
at Tampa Bay in Florida.
The two discussed matters of shared
interests, particularly cooperation in regional security, the ISPR said.
COAS urges UNSC to mobilize world to end
hostilities in Gaza
“Both sides discussed avenues of joint
training and reiterated the need for enhancing training interactions between
Centcom and the Pakistan Army,” the military’s media affairs wing said.
During his visit to the US, the army
chief has held meetings with Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, Secretary of
State Antony Blinken, and other high-ranking defence officials in Washington.
In his meeting with United Nations
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on December 17, the army chief reiterated
the significance of a peaceful solution to the longstanding Kashmir dispute.
“Peace in South Asia will remain elusive
until a peaceful solution to the longstanding Kashmir dispute is found in
accordance with the [UN Security Council] UNSC resolutions and the aspirations
of Kashmiri people,” the ISPR quoted the COAS as saying.’
Source: brecorder.com
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----
ECP contempt case: LHC rejects plea to
stop Imran’s jail trial
December 19, 2023
LAHORE: A three-member bench of the
Lahore High Court, headed by Justice Alia Neelam, rejected a plea of former PTI
Chairman Imran Khan to stop the jail trial in the contempt of the Election
Commission of Pakistan case.
The ECP lawyer presented the
notification of jail trial in the court. The court remarked that even lawyers
of institutions, who come here do not have complete information and they hide
the facts.
“Fawad Chaudhry also filed an
application in the Islamabad High Court and it was decided. If the facts are
hidden, then how can we see the matter? You should follow the law, we will not
follow this way. Our shoulders are very delicate, we cannot carry such a
burden. It is not possible to hear the main case without removing the objection
of the registrar’s office to the application,” Justice Alia Neelam remarked.
An objection was also raised that the
certified copy of the court decision was not attached to the application. PTI
lawyer Ishtiaq A Khan said that the case was fixed for the indictment of the
former PTI chairman. “The certified decision of the court has not been received
yet,” he added. On the inquiry of the court, the lawyer said the the case was
being heard in Adiala Jail, to which Justice Alia Neelam said that how does the
court have jurisdiction over the principal seat? The lawyer said that the Election
Commission was working all over the country but the court said the case should
be heard in Islamabad or the Rawalindi bench.
The lawyer said that the full bench was
not available in Rawalpindi due to holidays and requested the court to order an
open trial in which the public and lawyers were allowed to hear, and the
Election Commission should be stopped from taking any action against the
petitioner.
Ishtiaq A Khan said he would challenge
the notification, to which the court said he would have to prepare a complete
application. The court said the roster of one member of the bench was only till
today. “You said that the jail trial is being conducted without a notification
but now the notification has been presented in the court,” it added.’
Source: thenews.com.pk
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----
Pakistan concerned over ‘generous’
supply of weapons to India
18th December 2023
Islamabad: Pakistan has expressed
serious concerns over what it termed as “generous” supply of conventional
weapons to “one state” in South Asia in an obvious reference to India,
insisting that it was promoting regional instability and endangering the elusive
balance in the region.
Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent
Representative at the UN, Ambassador Muhammad Usman Iqbal Jadoon told the
Security Council that “the policy of double standards towards South Asia, based
on a narrow strategic, political and commercial considerations, must be
eschewed”.
Ambassador Jadoon was speaking at a
debate on ‘addressing the threat posed by diversion, illicit trafficking and
misuse of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition to peace and
security’ attended by at least 60 countries at the Security Council.
“Regretfully, the goal of limiting and
gradual reducing conventional weapons has been realized. Instead, we find
ourselves amidst a persistent increase in global military expenditures.
“Many destabilising developments are
evident in South Asia where one State’s military spending vastly outnumbers
that of all others,” he added.
Without naming India, Ambassador Jadoon
expressed Pakistan serious concerns over the supply of conventional weaponry to
one state in South Asia.
“The generous supply of conventional
weaponry to this state, together with its strategic capabilities, is fueling
instability, jeopardiSing the delicate regional balance, hindering resolution
of longstanding disputes, reinforcing its sense of impunity and hegemonic
designs and impeding the realization of durable peace and sustainable
development in the region.
“This conventional imbalance can also
lead to outbreak of conflict between nuclear-armed states due to the inherent
danger of escalation,” Ambassador Jadoon added.
The envoy further highlighted that
Pakistan did not intend to get engaged in the regional arms race and that it
was committed to the establishment of a strategic restraint regime in South
Asia, which includes element of conventional force balance.
Referring to the Kashmir dispute between
Pakistan and India, Ambassador Jadoon said that peace and stability in the
region can only be achieved through the resolution of disputed in accordance
with the Security Council resolutions and maintenance of balance between
conventional and strategic military forces.
Pakistan also referred to the possession
of modern and sophisticated weaponry with terror outfits like the
Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), which has been involved in various major terror
attacks in the country, calling on the international community to investigate
into how these weapons were acquired.
“While we successfully neutralized all
of those involved, the possession of sophisticated weaponry by these
terrorists, none of which they have capability to manufacture, indicates the
bigger problem today.
“It is the responsibility of all States,
this Council and the UN to take measures to prevent illicit trade, transfer and
diversion of these arms,” he added.
Source: siasat.com
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----
Southeast Asia
Myanmar stands on humanitarian
'precipice,' U.N. warns
December 19, 2023
One-third of the population of Myanmar,
or more than 18 million people, now require humanitarian aid, the United
Nations warned Monday, seeking a billion dollars in donations next year to
combat the need.
The humanitarian situation in the
Southeast Asian country has worsened since the coup there nearly three years
ago, the global body said.
"Myanmar stands at the precipice in
2024 with a deepening humanitarian crisis that has spiraled since the military
takeover in February 2021 with the civilian population that is now living in
fear," said a report by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) published Monday.
The 18.6 million people who are
currently in need of humanitarian assistance is one million more than a year
ago and 19 times as many as in 2020, before the coup.
"Children are bearing the brunt of
the crisis with 6 million children in need as a result of displacement,
interrupted health care and education, food insecurity and malnutrition, and
protection risks including forced recruitment and mental distress," warned
Marcoluigi Corsi, the UN's interim humanitarian coordinator for Myanmar.
The report highlighted the particular
concern of mass displacement, with nearly 2.6 million people pushed out of
their homes as of December 11 — an increase of 1.1 million since the same time
last year — including more than 660,000 people who have been displaced since
late October amid the escalating conflict between the military and ethnic
minority fighters in the country's north.
Further exacerbating the situation,
"conflicts and violence are expected to worsen in 2024," the report
said, while denouncing "systematic military violence against
civilians."
Given the dire circumstances, OCHA
called Monday for $994 million in donations to help the 5.3 million people that
have been identified as priorities for aid in Myanmar in 2024.
"We cannot afford a repeat of the
gross underfunding seen in 2023," when only 29 percent of required funding
was met, Corsi said, pointing out that an estimated 1.9 million people who had
been prioritized for aid in 2023 were not reached.
"Millions of lives are at stake and
we all must do everything we can to prevent Myanmar becoming a forgotten
emergency," he said, even as the majority of UN international aid programs
remain underfunded.
Source: thehindu.com
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-----
Magnitude-6.2 quake kills 118 in
northwestern China's Gansu, Qinghai provinces
19 Dec 2023
BEIJING, Dec 19 ― A magnitude-6.2
earthquake jolted a remote and mountainous county on the northern edge of the
Qinghai-Tibetan plateau just before midnight yesterday, killing at least 118
people and injuring hundreds, according to Chinese state media.
Authorities have mobilised an array of
emergency responses, but rescue work could prove challenging in subzero
temperatures. Most of China is grappling with freezing temperatures as a cold
wave that started last week continued to sweep through the country.
Twenty people have been reported missing
in the quake's aftermath after hours of rescue and relief efforts that began
before sunrise, according to state media.
Earthquakes are common in western
provinces such as Gansu, which lie on the eastern boundary of the
Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, a tectonically active area. China's deadliest quake in
recent decades was in 2008 when a magnitude-8.0 temblor struck Sichuan, killing
nearly 70,000 people.
The epicentre of the latest quake was
5km from the border between Gansu and a neighbouring province. Strong tremors
were felt in many parts of Qinghai province, the official Xinhua news agency
said.
The quake struck Jishishan county in
China's northwestern province of Gansu at 11.59pm local time (1559 GMT)
yesterday at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles), according to China Earthquake
Networks Center (CENC).
In Gansu, 105 were killed in the quake
as of 7.50am today (2350 GMT Monday), and of 397 injured as of 9.30am, 16 were
in critical condition, provincial authorities told a news conference.
The death tally in Qinghai rose to at
least 13 with 182 injured, state media reported.
About 2,200 rescue personnel from the
provincial fire department and 900 from the forest brigade, as well as 260
professional emergency rescue personnel, were dispatched to the disaster zone,
Xinhua reported, adding that the military and police were also engaged in
rescue work.
China's Ministry of Emergency Management
upgraded its earthquake emergency response to second-highest level, Xinhua
reported. Its national health commission sent a team of medical experts and
coordinated emergency teams from other provinces.
The province, which has allocated 20
million yuan (RM13.1 million) to the local government for emergency response
work, also sent supplies that included 2,600 cotton tents, 10,400 folding beds,
10,400 quilts, 10,400 cotton mattresses, and 1,000 sets of stoves.
Local authorities have also imposed
traffic restrictions into Jishishan for until rescue work is done, CCTV said.
Social volunteers are requested not to enter the disaster zone as well, local
media said.
Race against the cold
As the disaster area is in a
high-altitude region where the weather is cold, rescue efforts are working to
prevent secondary disasters caused by factors beyond the quake, Xinhua said.
The temperature in Linxia, Gansu, near
where the quake occurred, was about minus 14 degrees Celsius (6.8°F) on Tuesday
morning.
The weather was the largest difficulty
in the rescue efforts, local media said, citing a local disaster response
expert.
Although the 72 hours after a quake are
the most likely time to rescue survivors, that will be shortened by the harsh
weather, with trapped victims facing the higher risk, it said.
Some water, electricity, transportation,
communications and other infrastructure have been damaged but officials
provided no further details.
Power to the quake-hit area was being
gradually restored, after the state grid sent 18 emergency repair teams, CCTV
said. At noon local time, about 88 per cent of the power supply had been
restored in Jishishan.
State media footage showed fire rescue
personnel combing through rubble of collapsed buildings.
Photos from Xinhua showed a crumbled
brick hut in a village some 150km away, and parts of a two-storey building
wrecked.
Tremors were felt as far as 1,000km away
in central Henan province, where local media outlets shared videos of furniture
swaying in people's homes.
Woken up by the quake, residents left
their buildings and drove out to open areas for safety, local media outlet Jimu
reported, showing a photo of people huddled in thick blankets outdoors.
At a university in Gansu's capital,
Lanzhou, some 180 km away from the epicentre, students dressed in down jackets
were seen lingering in groups outside their dormitory after the quake, a video
posted by state-backed The Paper showed.
Amajor hydropower dam 50km from the
epicentre was unaffected by the quake. CCTV reported that the dam, on the upper
Yellow River, was operating normally.
Preliminary analysis shows that the
quake was a thrust-type rupture, one of three above magnitude 6 to have struck
within 200km of the epicentre since 1900, CCTV said. The state media reported
at least 32 aftershocks in the hour after the quake hit.
Gansu officials told reporters that the
last strong quake of at least magnitude 5.0 to hit within 100 km of the
epicentre was in 2019.
A total of nine aftershocks at magnitude
3.0 and above were recorded by this morning, two of which were at least 4.0 in
magnitude, CENC said.
Three thousand kilometres from
Jishishan, another earthquake struck at 9.46am local time (0146 GMT) Tuesday in
the Xinjiang region, at a magnitude of about 5.5 and a depth of 10km in the
city of Artux, CENC said. ― Reuters
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2023/12/19/death-toll-rises-to-111-after-earthquake-in-chinas-gansu/108203
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Israel atrocities against Palestinians
falls under the definition of genocide under international law - Mapim
December 19, 2023
Ahmad Mukhsein Mukhtar
ALOR STAR: The atrocities committed by
Israel against Palestinians fall under the definition of genocide under Article
II of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
(CPPCG).
Malaysia Consultative Council of Islamic
Organisations (Mapim) president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said Israel's belligerent
acts have violated all five acts related to genocide, including ethnic
cleansing and collective punishment.
"This crime is glaringly evident, a
clear case defined as genocide with five criteria. It is undeniably genocide.
We cannot evade the fact that this is genocide.
"Secondly, they are guilty of
ethnically cleansing Palestinians, aiming to forcibly expel Gazans into Sinai.
"Thirdly, they committed collective
punishment, claiming of targeting Hamas but harming civilians, including
children and the elderly, and devastating hospitals. This is
unacceptable," Azmi told a press conference after receiving RM173,500 in public
donations for Palestinians from the Pattani Islamic Council.
According to Article II of the CPPCG,
genocide involves committing any of the five genocidal acts with the intent to
destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.
These acts include killing group
members, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting
conditions leading to physical destruction, imposing measures to prevent births
and forcibly transferring children.
Commenting further, Azmi urged the
government to continue efforts to persuade other countries to condemn Israel's
genocide.
"We strongly advocate for
international legal action against Israel. Currently, only 10 countries, seem
to be influenced by the United States in their support for Israel, while 150 or
more countries, including Western nations, choose not to support this.
"Israel and the United States are
facing the world in this. Not just Gaza or Palestine."
Azmi lauded Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim's unwavering commitment in rejecting calls to condemn Hamas
actions in defending Palestinians.
During the first session of the
Asean-Japan Summit on Sunday, Anwar reiterated Malaysia's stance in the
Palestine-Israel conflict and once again condemned Israeli destruction of Gaza.
Anwar had touched on the situation in
Gaza, saying that Malaysia- along with all other Asean nations- welcomes the
adoption of the recent United Nations General Assembly resolution on Dec 12
demanding for a humanitarian ceasefire and release of hostages.
The nonbinding resolution was supported
by 153 countries including Japan, France, China and Russia, while only 10
countries, including Israel and the United States, voted against it. Britain,
Germany, Italy and 20 other countries abstained.
Source: nst.com.my
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https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/12/992234/israel-atrocities-against-palestinians-falls-under-definition-genocide
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Human smuggling suspected in Rohingya
refugee influx: Indonesian VP
18.12.2023
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian
government is currently investigating the suspected link between human
trafficking and the increasing number of Rohingya refugee arrivals in several
countries, including Indonesia, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said on Monday.
"We are figuring out why they are
arriving here. Indonesia is not their destination country, but a kind of
transit point, and we found suspected human trafficking. Now, this must be
prevented before it becomes a problem that continues in the future," he
added.
Amin said that human trafficking must be
prevented so that the issue of Rohingya refugees does not become a long-term
problem.
He pointed out that Indonesia is not a
party to the 1952 United Nations (UN) Refugee Convention.
Amin said that in handling Rohingya
refugees, the Indonesian government is continuing to coordinate with the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in finding shelters so that
Rohingya arrivals do not interfere with the lives of locals, in addition to
carrying out trafficking prevention efforts.
"We are also preventing possible
attempts to bring in Rohingya refugees by trafficking syndicates that are
allegedly behind the Rohingya arrivals. We will be closely monitoring
this," he added.
He explained that the government's
decision to take in the Rohingya refugees is based on humanitarian grounds.
"But it requires significant costs,
therefore, we are coordinating with UNHCR, whose mandate includes supporting
refugees," he added.
Meanwhile, the Banda Aceh Police has
arrested and named an ethnic Rohingya, Muhammed Amin, as a suspect in an
alleged case of human smuggling to Indonesia.
"The suspect, 35 years old, is from
Myanmar. He is a refugee from Camp 1 Blok H-88 Kutupalum, a Rohingya shelter in
Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh," the chief of Banda Aceh Police, Police Chief
Commissioner Fahmi Irwan Ramli, said on Monday.
Source: antaranews.com
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https://en.antaranews.com/news/301335/human-smuggling-suspected-in-rohingya-refugee-influx-indonesian-vp
-----
South Asia
UN rejects Taliban’s bid for Afghanistan
seat for third time
Fidel Rahmati
December 19, 2023
For the third time, the UN Credentials
Committee has postponed the decision on assigning the Afghanistan seat to the
Taliban.
With the United Nations refraining from
assigning Afghanistan’s seat to the Taliban, Nasir Ahmad Faiq, the
representative of the former government at the UN, remains in his position.
The UN General Assembly has passed a
resolution without a vote to not transfer the Afghanistan seat to a Taliban
representative.
The United Nations has stated that it
has received two correspondences regarding the Afghanistan seat from the
permanent representative of the former Afghan government and the Taliban’s
Foreign Ministry.
Previously, the United Nations had twice
refrained from transferring Afghanistan’s seat in the organization to the
Taliban.
Currently, Nasir Ahmad Faiq, a diplomat
appointed by the former government, is the permanent representative of
Afghanistan to the United Nations.
Following their takeover of Afghanistan
in August 2021, the Taliban sought a UN seat but this is the third time that
the UN refused to transfer the Seat to the Taliban administration.
The UN has emphasized that for
recognition, the Taliban must commit to women’s rights, including access to
education and employment, form an inclusive government, and adhere to
international obligations.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/un-rejects-talibans-bid-for-afghanistan-seat-for-third-time/
-----
Kabul Calls on Host Nations to Not Use
Afghan Refugees Politically
December 18, 2023
Coinciding with International Migrants
Day, the senior officials of the Islamic Emirate on Monday in a ceremony asked
the countries not to use Afghan immigrants as a political tool.
Criticizing the deportation of Afghan
immigrants by some neighboring countries, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy
prime minister for economic affairs, asked these countries to deal legally with
Afghan immigrants.
International Migrants Day has arrived
while Afghanistan witnessed the deportation of thousands of migrants from
Pakistan, Iran and other countries in recent months.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, said:
"The expulsion of our Muslim brothers by the countries is an illegal
decision and against fairness and good neighborliness. The perpetrators failed
to achieve the goals that were behind this persecution [expulsion].”
Second Deputy Prime Minister, Abdul
Salam Hanafi, who was present at the ceremony at the Government Media and
Information Center (GMIC), said: "A large number of our brothers and
sisters returned to their homeland from different countries, the number of them
reaches more than 700,000, who came to Afghanistan in a short time and by
force."
The Islamic Emirate’s Prime Minister,
Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, in a message on the occasion of International
Migrants Day, asked international institutions to support the rights of Afghan
immigrants.
Khalil Rahman Haqqani, the acting
Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, discussed the causes of illegal
migrations in the country during the commemoration of the International
Migrants Day.
Khalil Rahman Haqqani, the acting
minister for refugees and repatriation, said: “Afghans were tortured by
different countries and are present all over the world. Even now, after forty
years of sadness and poverty, they destroyed their property, children, culture
and customs.”
The Ministry of Refugees and
Repatriation has also announced the creation of fifteen committees, including
the land distribution committee, to deal with the problems of immigrants who
have just returned to the country.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186543
-----
Leader of Pakistan's Jamiat
Ulema-e-Islam to Come to Afghanistan
Hadia Ziaei
The Islamic Emirate said that the
purpose of inviting the leader of Pakistan's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Maulana
Fazl-ur-Rehman, to Afghanistan is to solve the current challenges between Kabul
and Islamabad.
This comes as the leader of Pakistan's
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam is scheduled to come to Kabul to talk with the officials
of the Islamic Emirate.
“The wrong belief that sometimes is
expressed as propaganda is that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is against
Pakistan or that the insecurity in that country is related to Afghanistan, we
can easily answer this propaganda and Maulana has the personality to convey our
message and goal to Pakistan,” said the Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, Zabihullah
Mujahid.
The visit of Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman to
Kabul will take place while relations between Kabul and Islamabad have been
strained in recent months due to immigration, terrorism and other issues.
Analysts believe that the leader of
Pakistan's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, during his trip to Kabul, will discuss issues
such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistani (TTP), terrorism and other issues with
officials of the Islamic Emirate.
“There are many issues, including the
issue of TTP which is problematic. There are other issues, the issue of
immigrants,” Tahir Khan, a Pakistani journalist, told TOLOnews.
“I hope that the trip will give a
favorable result regarding the illegal treatment of immigrants, TTP, and some
questions that have been raised in Afghanistan in relation to Pakistan, and
convey the message to the government of Pakistan,” Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, a
political analyst told TOLOnews.
Meanwhile, some political analysts have
different views regarding the visit of the leader of Pakistan's Jamiat
Ulema-e-Islam, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, to Afghanistan.
“I think that Maulana's mission that is
carried out in agreement with ISIS and Pakistan’s establishment will fail and
the tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan will increase,” said Wahid Faqiri,
a political analyst.
Pakistan has accused the Islamic Emirate
of harboring terrorist groups and using Afghanistan's soil against this
country, claims which has always denied by the Islamic Emirate.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186550
-----
Around 40 TTP terrorist arrested by
Afghan Interior Ministry
December 18, 2023
Afghan interim government for the first
time in a one year, has admitted the arrest of around 40 terrorists of the
banned out-fit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, operating on Afghan soil.
According to Afghan Media, Spokesperson
of Afghanistan's Interior Ministry Abdul Mateen Qani said the interim
authorities have also captured a large number of Daish operatives.
The Afghan Media further stated that TTP
terrorists were arrested in light of the evidence shared by Pakistan,
disclosing their hideouts inside Afghanistan.
It is pertinent to mention that
Pakistan's Foreign Office recently demanded of the interim Government of
Afghanistan to take strict action against militants operating on its soil.
Pakistan had urged Afghanistan to take
all necessary measures to prevent the persistent use of its soil for terrorism
against Pakistan.
The current Afghan leadership has
assured that it will act immediately if there is any evidence about the TTP.
Source: radio.gov.pk
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-----
21,835 BNP men detained since Oct 28:
pro-BNP lawyers
Dec 18, 2023
Bangladesh JatiotabadiAinjibi Forum
(BJAF), a body of pro-BNP lawyers, today alleged that the "unelected"
government has illegally detained 21,835 BNP men since October 28 to foil BNP's
movement for restoring democracy and people's right to vote.
A total of 1,249 BNP leaders and
activists have been sentenced to different terms of imprisonment in connection
with 79 cases over the last 14 weeks, BJAF Secretary General Kayser Kamal said
in a written statement during a press conference.
The press conference was arranged at
Supreme Court Bar Association in protest against a statement made by Awami
League leader and Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque in an interview.
During an interview with a private TV
channel, Razzaque said BNP leaders who were in jail were offered release if
they participated in the January 7 national election.
However, BNP did not accept the
proposal, he added.
"Had the 20,000 BNP leaders and
activists not been arrested, would you have seen the cars that are plying the
streets today amid hartal? We had no other alternatives. Whatever we did, we
did thoughtfully," said Razzaque in the interview.
Kayser Kamal, also BNP's legal affairs
secretary, told the press conference that the statement of Razzaque was
confessional, as it indicates that the "fascist" government is making
the constitutional institutions compliant to it.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/national-election-2024/news/21835-bnp-men-detained-oct-28-pro-bnp-lawyers-3497641
-----
WFP distributes cash aid to 280,000
deported Afghan migrants from Pakistan
Fidel Rahmati
December 19, 2023
The World Food Programme has announced
that it has distributed cash aid to 280,000 deported migrants from Pakistan so
far.
on Monday, the organization said on its
social media platform X about the assistance for returning migrants from
Pakistan.
According to the World Food Programme,
many of the migrants deported from Pakistan have no place to go and are
uncertain about how they will survive the harsh Afghan winter.
The World Food Programme had previously
stated that they need a budget of $27.5 million to assist migrants deported
from Pakistan.
The organization also emphasized that
thousands of migrants forced to return face hunger and despair and are in
urgent need of assistance.
Since November, Pakistani authorities
have initiated the forced deportation of Afghan migrants, a move that has been
met with substantial criticism. This controversial action, disregarding
widespread disapproval, underscores the challenging circumstances faced by
Afghan migrants and highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics in the region.
The decision by Pakistan to proceed with
these deportations amidst such backlash reflects a critical moment in the
ongoing humanitarian and diplomatic discourse surrounding the plight of
displaced populations.
This comes as the arrival of winter and
the return of a wave of deported migrants from Pakistan raises concerns about
the increasing level of their needs.
Meanwhile, statistics show that nearly
500,000 Afghan migrants have returned to the country since the start of the
deportation process from Pakistan.
Source: khaama.com
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-----
Japan provides nearly $7 million in
health aid to Afghanistan
Fidel Rahmati
December 18, 2023
Japan has announced its commitment to
continue aiding Afghanistan in collaboration with the World Health
Organization, providing $6.9 million to strengthen Afghanistan’s capacity to
respond to infectious diseases. The World Health Organization welcomed this
assistance and stated that the budget would be used to support health
facilities in Afghanistan through coordination with the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA).
According to a statement released by the
organization, the initiative aims to provide secondary and tertiary healthcare
services to patients with infectious diseases, support laboratories for
accurate diagnosis of various diseases, and ensure the full functionality of
the Japan-Afghanistan Leprosy Hospital and the National Tuberculosis Hospital
in Kabul.
Over 76,000 individuals across
Afghanistan are expected to benefit from this project. TakyoshiKuramaya,
Japan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, expressed his country’s commitment to
further reducing the negative impacts of certain diseases through these advancements.
He added, “I sincerely hope that by
reducing the burden of leprosy and preventing such diseases, Afghanistan will
become a country where all children, women, and men can live in peace.”
Lao Da Peng, the World Health
Organization’s representative in Afghanistan, stated that the organization
appreciates Japan’s unwavering support and its continuous involvement in
efforts to prepare and respond to infectious disease outbreaks in Afghanistan.
Earlier, the World Health Organization
had warned of a serious vulnerability in Afghanistan’s healthcare system in a
report. The report highlighted that the lives of millions of people in
Afghanistan are at risk due to food insecurity, the spread of infectious
diseases, and ongoing droughts.
Specialized infectious disease hospitals
in Afghanistan require support to strengthen their capabilities for effective
response. This support will enable these hospitals to mitigate the future
impacts of infectious disease outbreaks and reinforce the overall healthcare
system in the country.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/japan-provides-nearly-7-million-in-health-aid-to-afghanistan/
-----
IEA Works to Create Favorable Conditions
for Trade and Investment in Afghanistan: Hanafi
2023-12-18
KABUL (BNA): Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi,
Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, stated that the Islamic
Emirate is working to create practical trade and investment conditions in the
country.
According to a statement released by the
Deputy Prime Minister’s office, Hanafi stated in a meeting with some Shia
leaders that the Islamic Emirate strives to create favorable conditions for
trade and investment in Afghanistan, which will contribute to the people’s and
country’s prosperity and development.
He also stated that Afghanistan is the
common home of all Afghans and urged all citizens of the country living abroad
to return home and contribute to the development of their country.
Abdul Hafiz Jalili, a national trader,
and Abdul Ghani Kazemi, who represented others at the meeting, stated that the
Islamic Emirate has undertaken a variety of initiatives throughout the country
to encourage traders and investors to return and engage in trade and
investment.
They also noted that the Islamic Emirate
has concentrated on expanding economic and business prospects in the country by
providing required facilities for traders and investors.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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-----
Africa
Al-Qaeda militants free South African
hostage after 6 years
Fatma Esma Arslan
18.12.2023
Militants linked to the Al-Qaeda
terrorist network have released South African paramedic Gerco van Deventer, who
was kidnapped in Libya six years ago, the non-governmental organization that
facilitated his release said Sunday.
"Gift of the Givers announces the
unconditional release of Gerco van Deventer, taken in Libya on Friday, 3
November 2017, sold to (al-Qaeda affiliate Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin)
in Mali in 2018 and finally released unconditionally yesterday (on the border
between Mali and Algeria) after a period of six years and one month, making him
the longest held South African hostage in captivity," said the South
African-based Gift of the Givers.
It added that Deventer was taken to a
hospital in Algeria for health checks and would be sent to his country later.
Van Deventer, 48, was kidnapped while
traveling to a power plant construction site around 1,000 kilometers (621
miles) south of the capital Tripoli.
Gift of the Givers had been in
communication with Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups for a long time to secure his
release.
Source: aa.com.tr
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/al-qaeda-militants-free-south-african-hostage-after-6-years/3085382
------
Kenyan church set up to welcome LGBTQI+
worshippers secretly operates for 10 years
2023-12-18
In the heart of Kenya, a discreet church
has quietly flourished over the past decade, choosing not to publicize its
services in a deeply religious country due to its inclusive stance towards the
LGBTQ+ community.
John, a pastor initially ordained in a
mainstream church, shared with the BBC the emotional impact of finding this
church after leaving his parish when leaders deemed his sexuality sinful.
"I never imagined in my life as a priest, I would be in a space where I
would say three words that people think are conflicting. That I am black, I am
gay, I am a priest."
This unconventional church, discovered
through social media or word of mouth, maintains strict confidentiality and
careful vetting of those seeking to join to ensure safety. In a society where
gay sex remains illegal, the church operates discreetly, with congregants
understanding the paramount importance of security.
Founded by openly non-binary lesbian
Pauline, the church started as a small gathering seeking mutual support.
Pauline, using "they" and "them" pronouns, expressed the
desire to meet other queer Christians who affirm themselves, highlighting the
isolation experienced after their father's death from HIV/AIDS.
Over a decade, the congregation has
grown to over 200 members, each facing the decision to leave mainstream places
of worship due to discrimination. Regina, confronted with an ultimatum at her
previous church regarding her relationship, chose her girlfriend and eventually
found solace in the affirming environment of this church.
Despite facing attacks and
discrimination, including being locked out of premises, ransacked compounds,
physical assaults, and corrupt police demanding bribes for protection, the
church has persevered, changing locations nine times in its ten-year existence.
One of the congregation's challenges has
been reclaiming their faith and liturgy. The church has crafted its version of
the Apostles' Creed, affirming the identity of queer individuals. The creed
begins, "We believe in one God, our creator, the source of our being as
queer and beloved children."
Recognizing the need for flexibility,
the church's schedule allows worshippers who are not open about their sexuality
to attend mainstream churches before participating in its services.
In response to the growing homophobia in
Kenya, the church introduced "Chat and Chew," a discussion forum
providing a safe space for worshippers to share their experiences as LGBT
Kenyans, addressing issues such as relationships, family rejection, and
homelessness.
Despite the challenges and threats to
their safety, Pauline expressed the determination to continue providing a
welcoming space. "When we started, we didn't think that this space would
become so important. But we cannot give up; we have to think of a way forward.
I want this space to be open to everyone and find a balance where we all
respect each other despite our beliefs and traditions."
Source: africanews.com
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Bandits abduct Zamfara District Head,
Chief Imam, demand N5m
December 19, 2023
Gunmen suspected to be bandits, on
Monday, kidnapped the village head of Rakyabu, in Tsafe Local Government Area
of Zamfara State, Magaji Sa,idu and the Chief Imam of the village, Malam
Abdullahi.
According to a local, the community
leaders were abducted from their homes when the bandits stormed the village on
Monday night.
He said that the bandits demanded the
sum of N5 million as ransom but the community were only able to raise N500,000
(five hundred thousand Naira).
“The N500,000 was raised through
donations by the people of the village who wanted to rescue their village head
and the Chief Imam. The bandits have collected the money but refused to release
the victims.
“They collected the money and told us
that we must pay the remaining balance which is N4.5 million,” he lamented.
He called on the relevant authorities to
come immediately for the rescue of the victims.
The spokesperson of the State Police
Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar could not be reached for comment as of the time of
filing this report.
Source: dailypost.ng
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------
Uganda: Court hears challenge to
anti-gay law
2023-12-18
A Ugandan constitutional court on Monday
began hearing the first challenge to an anti-gay law that has triggered
criticism from the United Nations and led to US visa restrictions on government
officials.
The East African nation adopted one of
the world's harshest laws against homosexuality in May, prompting an uproar by
rights advocates and Western powers, with US President Joe Biden threatening to
cut aid and investment to Kampala.
But President Yoweri Museveni's
government has struck a defiant tone, with officials accusing the West of
trying to pressure Africa into accepting homosexuality.
"We agreed to proceed with written
submissions as opposed to oral submissions," Nicholas Opiyo, the lawyer
representing the petitioners, told the court in Kampala on Monday.
"Court shall give judgement on
notice," Uganda's deputy chief justice Richard Buteera, who is heading the
panel of five judges at the constitutional court, said during Monday's hearing.
The petitioners calling for the law to
be overturned include several human rights activists, two law professors from
Makerere University in Kampala and two legislators from Museveni's National
Resistance Movement party.
No date has been set for the ruling.
Washington this month imposed visa bans
on unnamed officials deemed responsible for "undermining the democratic
process" in Uganda and abusing human rights, including those of the LGBTQ
community.
The United States has also announced
plans to remove the country from the African Growth and Opportunity Act(AGOA)
trade pact from January 2024.
The legislation contains provisions
making "aggravated homosexuality" a capital offence and imposes
penalties for consensual same-sex relations of up to life in prison.
The US, the European Union and UN chief
Antonio Guterres have slammed the legislation, warning that foreign aid and
investment for Uganda could be jeopardised unless the law is repealed.
But the law enjoys broad support in the
conservative country, where lawmakers have defended the measures as a necessary
bulwark against Western immorality.
Ugandan state minister for foreign
affairs Henry Okello Oryem told AFP earlier this month that the West was
seeking "to coerce us into accepting same-sex relationships using aid and
loans."
The World Bank announced in August it
was suspending new loans to Uganda over the law, which "fundamentally
contradicts" the values espoused by the US-based lender.
In 2014, international donors slashed
aid to Uganda after Museveni approved a bill that sought to impose life
imprisonment for homosexual relations, which was later overturned.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/18/uganda-court-hears-challenge-to-anti-gay-law/
------
Demonstrators commemorate Hamas
executive's killing in Tunisia in 2016
2023-12-18
Nearly a thousand protesters, many
shouting Free Palestine, marked the seventh anniversary of the assassination of
Hamas executive Mohamed Zouari in Sfax, central-eastern Tunisia.
59-year-old Zouari was shot dead in the
city on December 15, 2016. At the time, Tunisian authorities blamed foreign
agents for the engenieer's murder.
On Saturday (Dec. 16), the march
coordinator highlighted the context of this year's commemoration.
"Every year we commemorate the
anniversary [of the assassination] of the martyr Mohamed Zouari, but on a
limited scale. This year's commemoration is special because it coincides with
the flooding of al-Aqsa [Hamas attack on 7 October]," Mourad Ayedi said.
The Hamas operation killed 1.140 people,
mostly Israeli civilians on October 7.
Since then, Israel's military response
has killed 18,800 Palestinians mainly women and children.
No resolution of the decades-long
conflict seems within reach.
The U.N. General Assembly voted
overwhelmingly on Tuesday (Dec. 13) to demand a humanitarian cease-fire in
Gaza. The vote in the 193-member world body was 153 in favor, 10 against and 23
abstentions, and ambassadors and other diplomats burst into applause as the
final numbers were displayed.
The United States and Israel were joined
in opposing the resolution by eight countries — Austria, Czechia, Guatemala,
Liberia, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay.
Ongoing offensive
Three Israeli hostages who were
mistakenly shot by Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip had been waving a white
flag and were shirtless when they were killed, military officials said Saturday
(Dec. 16), in Israel's first such acknowledgement of harming any hostages in
its war against Hamas.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said
in a nationwide address that the killings “broke my heart, broke the entire
nation’s heart,” but he indicated no change in Israel’s intensive military
campaign. “We are as committed as ever to continue until the end, until we
dismantle Hamas, until we return all our hostages,” he said.
On December 16, the siege of Catholic
Christians in the Holy Land announced that an unarmed mother and her daughter
were killed by Israeli Denfence forces as they look for safety inside the
convent of the Sisters of Mother Teresa.
For a month, Palestinians have been
living under relentless bombardment by the Israleli military which has targeted
“hospitals, refugee camps, mosques, churches, and UN facilities,” the United
Nations Secretary-General said last month.
Since the outbreak of war, violence in
the West Bank from Israeli forces and settlers has reached record levels. Since
Oct. 7, 287 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, according to the
Palestinian Health Ministry. That's the deadliest year on record in the West
Bank in 18 years, it said.
Source: africanews.com
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Arab World
Ancient Hajj routes protection planned
by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq
December 18, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Iraq
are developing a plan to protect Hajj routes that have been used over the
centuries by pilgrims in the Arabian Peninsula.
The initiative is being developed by the
Kingdom’s Heritage Commission, the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage in
Bahrain, and the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage in Iraq, the Saudi
Press Agency reported on Monday.
The plan was mooted at a recent workshop
and encompasses the famous Zubaydah route from Iraq to Makkah.
The workshop took place in the Hail
region due to its significance as a major station along the Hajj route, notably
the archaeological site “Faid Al-Athari.” This site served as a pivotal station
for pilgrims and trade during the early Islamic era.
The participants at the workshop
discussed ways to boost collaboration between heritage experts from the three
countries. They have already visited the ancient city of Faid, known for its
archaeological sites along the Zubaydah route, to ensure proper management of
its visitor centers.
The experts discussed legal protection
mechanisms, delineation of site boundaries, and integration of sustainable
development goals into management and protection strategies. They also
highlighted the global significance of transboundary sites.
These efforts align with the Ministry of
Culture’s mission of international cultural exchange as a strategic objective
within the Saudi Vision 2030 framework.
Source: arabnews.com
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Fears of Houthi attacks are rerouting
commercial ships away from the Red Sea
December 18, 2023
The attacks on commercial vessels in the
Red Sea by Yemen's Houthi rebels have scared off some of the world's top
shipping companies and oil giants, effectively rerouting global trade away from
a crucial artery for consumer goods and energy supplies that is expected to
trigger delays and rising prices.
BP said Monday that it has “decided to
temporarily pause all transits through the Red Sea,” including shipments of
oil, liquid natural gas and other energy supplies. Describing it as a
“precautionary pause," the London-based oil and gas corporation said the
decision faces ongoing review but crew safety was the priority.
Both oil and European natural gas prices
rose partly over market nerves about attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis, who
confirmed two new attacks Monday. It is the latest targeting of container ships
and oil tankers passing through a narrow waterway that separates Yemen from
East Africa and leads north to the Red Sea and Suez Canal, through which an
estimated 10% of the world’s trade passes.
Besides critical energy supplies
reaching Europe and beyond on tankers moving through the area, food products
like palm oil and grain and most of the world’s manufactured products are
transported by container ships, with many heading through the Suez Canal.
Almost all goods that stores needed for
Christmas will have already been delivered, but online orders could be delayed,
analysts say, because four of the world’s five largest container shipping
companies have paused or rerouted movements through the Red Sea in the last
several days.
MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM Group and
Hapag-Lloyd are leaders in alliances that move basically all consumer goods
between Asia and Europe, so “virtually all services will have to make this
rerouting,” said Simon Heaney, senior manager of container research for Drewry,
a maritime research consultancy.
Ships will have to go around the Cape of
Good Hope at the bottom of Africa instead, adding what some analysts have said
could be 10 days or longer to voyages.
Depending on what companies decide to
do, they will have to add more ships to make up the extra time or burn more
fuel for the longer journey and if they decide to go faster to meet their
itineraries — both of which would release more climate-changing carbon dioxide,
Heaney said.
“The impact will be longer transit
times, more fuel spent, more ships required, potential disruption and delays —
at least in the first arrivals in Europe,” he said, noting that ships could
arrive from their longer journeys to ports “in clumps.”
That brings up the cost of shipping, but
“I don’t think it’s going to go to the heights that it reached during the
pandemic,” Heaney said.
Supply chain disruptions increased as
people stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up orders for all
sorts of products, driving up consumer prices around the world.
The Houthis have targeted Israeli-linked
vessels during Israel’s war with Hamas but escalated their attacks in recent
days, hitting or just missing ships without clear ties.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the Houthi
military spokesman, said they launched what he described as “naval aircraft” at
the Cayman Islands-flagged Swan Atlantic, a chemical and oil products carrier,
and Panama-flagged MSC CLARA cargo ship. He didn’t offer further details.
Denmark-based operator Uni-Tankers said
the Swan Atlantic, which was carrying vegetable oils to France's Reunion Island
off Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, was hit by an unknown object that ignited a
small fire. Crew members put it out and all were reported to be safe, the
company said in a statement. It received military aid and continued on its
journey.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said
at a news conference during a visit to Israel that he was convening a meeting
of ministers in the region this week to address the Houthi threat on shipping.
“These attacks are reckless, dangerous,
and they violate international law,” Austin said. “But we’re going to make sure
that we’re doing everything that we can to ensure freedom of navigation in the
area.”
Disruptions expected from the Red Sea
could have far-reaching effects because they would happen at the same time
ships are being restricted through the Panama Canal, a major trade route
between Asia and the United States.
Some companies had planned to reroute to
the Red Sea — which is a crucial thoroughfare for Asia-Europe shipments — to
avoid delays at the Panama Canal caused by a lack of rainfall, analysts say.
Now, some may be scared away from that
alternative by the threat of Houthi attacks. That means those taking extra
precautions to avoid risks and delays from both global trade arteries will have
to take the longer journey around Africa.
“It’s unprecedented that the two have
coincided,” Heaney said, adding that neither the Suez nor Panama canals are
closed, "it’s just that they’re becoming less viable for the short term.”
The cancellations also will mean
problems for cash-strapped Egypt, he said, with millions in fees that shipping
companies pay to clear the Suez Canal representing a big source of income for a
country whose economy is struggling with high inflation and a weakening
currency.
Source: thehindu.com
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Yemen says will turn Red Sea into
‘graveyard’ after US announces maritime coalition
19 December 2023
Yemen’s defense minister has denounced
the formation of a US-led maritime task force in the Red Sea to protect the
passage of merchant vessels bound for the Israeli-occupied territories,
cautioning the Western alliance that any assault on Yemeni soil will have dire
consequences.
“We are in possession of munitions and
military gear that can sink your warships, submarines and aircraft carriers,”
Major General Mohammad al-Atifi said on Monday.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces will turn the
Red Sea into a graveyard of the US-led coalition if the alliance decides to
take any action against Yemen,” he said.
Earlier on Monday, Pentagon chief Lloyd
Austin announced the formation of the coalition – including Bahrain, Canada,
France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, Spain and the UK – to
patrol the Red Sea in response to Yemeni strikes on ships bound for the
Israeli-occupied territories, which came in retaliation for the Tel Aviv
regime’s war on the Gaza Strip.
Ansarullah vows to confront US-led
coalition
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance
movement has pledged to confront the US-led coalition, stressing that
Washington will experience both military and prestige defeats if it attacks
Yemen.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces have painful
options, which they will employ in response to any act of aggression against
their homeland. We only target ships that are either Israeli-owned or heading
towards Israeli ports,” said Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of Ansarullah’s
political bureau.
A senior Ansarullah official says Yemeni
retaliatory operations will expand to hit depths of the Israeli-occupied
territories if the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip does not stop.
Bukhaiti stressed that Yemen stands
fairly committed to safe navigation at sea, adding, “We are only acting against
the interests of the Zionist regime. We will confront any coalition that
Washington establishes in the Red Sea.”
The senior Yemeni official noted that
negotiations are underway through intermediaries with a number of countries,
including the United States, to persuade Yemeni forces to stop their
retaliatory operations.
BP halts oil, gas shipments through Red
Sea
Furthermore, the British oil and gas
giant has halted all shipments of energy through the Red Sea after an increase
in attacks on Israel-bound ships by the Yemeni Armed Forces in Yemen, including
two further strikes on Monday.
BP said it had paused shipping in the
region indefinitely, citing a “deteriorating security situation” amid tensions
in the aftermath of the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.
The 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.
The relentless Israeli strikes against
Gaza have killed at least 19,453 people, most of them women and children, in
Gaza. Another 52,286 individuals have been wounded as well.
Reports revealed that Israeli shipping
companies have already decided to reroute their vessels in fear of attacks by
Yemeni forces.
The Yemeni forces have also launched
missile and drone attacks on targets in the Israeli-occupied territories of
Palestine after the occupying regime’s aggression on Gaza.
Source: presstv.ir
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Saudi Arabia Elected President of the
11th Meeting of the Islamic World Heritage Committee
18 Dec, 2023
At the Islamic World Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) today, the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia was elected as the president of the 11th meeting of the Islamic World
Heritage Committee for the next four years, led by Advisor of the Saudi
National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, Eng. Mohammad
Al-Aidroos.
This is part of the new composition of the
committee, which was adopted during a conference of the Ministers of Culture in
the Islamic World, hosted by Qatar in September 2023.
A
statement by ICESCO indicated that, during the meeting, discussions centered
around the submissions made by member states to register their historical sites
and cultural elements on the heritage lists in the Islamic world.
Additionally, there was a review of the report
detailing the activities of the Islamic World Heritage Center of the ICESCO.
The ICESCO Director General Dr. Salem bin
Mohammed Al-Malik commended the previous composition of the Islamic World
Heritage Committee, led by Kuwait.
He acknowledged the committee's efforts and
accomplishments in registering the heritage of the Islamic world. He also
emphasized that the committee serves as a fundamental pillar in the
organization's strategy to protect and preserve heritage, which also involves
building the capabilities of youth and professionals in the field of heritage.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
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Noor Riyadh light festival sets 6 world
records in latest edition
December 18, 2023
RIYADH: The Noor Riyadh 2023 festival,
organized by the Royal Commission of Riyadh City, has secured new Guinness
World Records for the third consecutive year, earning six additional titles.
The largest festival of light held its
third annual celebration from Nov. 30 to Dec. 16, featuring large-scale
immersive installations across five main hubs in the Kingdom’s capital,
attracting almost 3 million visitors.
The show secured additional world
records, adding to its previous achievements and bringing the festival’s
three-year total to 14 Guinness World Records.
Khaled Al-Hazani, executive director of
Riyadh Art, said: “Noor Riyadh 2023 has not only illuminated our city, but also
our hearts and minds. As we close this chapter, we look forward to the ongoing
exhibition and the continuous enrichment of Riyadh’s art and culture landscape.
“Our journey toward transforming the
capital into a vibrant, creative global hub and ‘gallery without walls’ is
aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and we are thrilled to contribute to
this dynamic evolution.”
German interaction designer Christopher
Bauder’s “DIALOGUE” sparked a dynamic between Riyadh’s most iconic landmarks,
Al-Faisaliyah Tower and Kingdom Tower, through an overwhelming light display.
It set two records: One for the most lights (560) in a light show on a single
building in Al-Faisaliyah, and the other for the most lights used in a
temporary light and sound show, illuminating both Al-Faisaliyah Tower and
Kingdom Tower.
Studio Drift’s “Desert Swarm”
illustration created the largest drone bird swarm with 3,000 drones. The
festival also launched the most drones in a week, illuminating the skies with
glistening performances.
French artist Miguel Chevalier’s “Magic
Carpet, Origin of the World” presented the largest interactive
projection-mapped display, featuring a carpet-like arrangement of multiplying
cells that came alive under the footsteps of visitors.
Yinka Ilori’s “Block Cubes” became the
world’s largest temporary skate park, earning the festival its sixth record and
showcasing a surprising approach to light-based installations.
Noor Riyadh 2023 was curated by Jerome
Sans, Pedro Alonzo, Fahad bin Naif and Alaa Tarabzouni under the theme “The
Bright Side of the Desert Moon.” Its captivating artworks explored light as a
unifying force in times of isolation and were spread across the landscapes of
King Abdullah Financial District, JAX District, Salam Park, Wadi Hanifa and
Wadi Namar.
It included unique highlight works, such
as SUPERFLEX’s immersive video art projections in King Abdullah Financial
District and Muhannad Shono’s exploration of light and formlessness in JAX
District.
While the festival has come to an end,
Noor Riyadh still shines bright in its accompanying exhibition, “Refracted
Identities, Shared Futures.” The show is curated by Neville Wakefield and Maya
Al-Athel, and features 32 works from artists representing 16 countries, on
display until March 2.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi Islamic affairs minister receives
Iran ambassador
December 18, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Islamic
Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh met with
the Iranian ambassador to the Kingdom in Riyadh on Monday.
During the meeting with Alireza Enayati,
Sheikh Abdullatif highlighted the efforts made by the Saudi leadership to serve
Islam and Muslims.
He pointed out that the Islamic Affairs
ministry seeks, through its various programs, to demonstrate that Islam is a
religion of moderation and calls for coexistence and compassion among all
people.
Enayati praised Saudi efforts to spread
moderate Islam and serve the religion, pilgrims, holy sites, and the two holy
mosques.
The ambassador also praised the ministry
for encouraging people to engage with the Qur’an by organizing recitation and
memorization competitions and caring for mosques.
Source: arabnews.com
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URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/rahman-hindu-maulanas-semi-god/d/131342