J-K People Found Their Voice after Passage of Resolution on Special Status Restoration: CM Omar Abdullah
New Age Islam News Bureau
09 Nov2024
Omar Abdullah
File
------
· J-K People Found Their Voice after Passage of Resolution on Special Status Restoration: CM Omar Abdullah
· Quetta railway station blast kills 21, injures 30 others
· Palestinian leader tells Trump ready to work for Gaza peace
· Saudi Arabia highlights global humanitarian efforts at G20 Parliamentary Summit in Brazil
· Fyodor Lukyanov: Trump is back, and this time it’s different
· Birmingham Islamic State supporter convicted of terror offences after pal jailed
· Lakurawas: New Terrorist Group Takes Over Five LGA’s In Sokoto
· Sultan Nazrin: Political exploitation of race and religion threatens national unity, must be swiftly contained
· Strengthening cooperation between Kabul, Delhi discussed, ministry
------
India
· "Important day for Muslims of India,” says AIMIM President after SC overturns AMU judgement
· Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat accuses BJP of divisive politics, rejects 'vote jihad' claims
· Chaos over Article 370: Evicted BJP MLAs hold 'parallel Assembly' in Jammu and Kashmir
· Clerics, politicians hail SC decision on AMU as victory for Muslims
· Aligarh Muslim University minority status case: Dissenting judge trio query 1981 propriety
· Little to back Kerala IAS officer’s claim that his phone was hacked to create Hindu-Muslim WhatsApp groups, police say
· New kind of ''Jihad'' in Karnataka through Waqf Board, alleges Union Minister Pralhad Joshi
------
Pakistan
· Punjab govt bans public entry to parks, museums amid deteriorating air quality
· PM Shehbaz, Acting President Gillani commemorate birth anniversary of Dr Iqbal
· Govt sets up first-ever 'Cascade' centre to facilitate foreign nationals
· CJP Afridi-led SJC takes stock of IHC judges' letter on 'meddling' by spy agencies
· New cases in Sindh, KP push polio tally to 48
· Massive protest in Kurram against closure of roads
· Govt resolved to achieve $25bn IT exports target in 3 years: PM Shehbaz
· Iqbal inspired unity, self-determination among Muslim ummah, NA speaker
------
Mideast
· US defense chief holds first call with new Israeli counterpart
· Israeli army claims discovery of ‘Hezbollah training center’ near UNIFIL outpost as raids continue in Lebanon
· Buried for 14 hours after Israeli strike, Lebanese toddler makes recovery
· Islamic Resistance in Iraq attacks Zionist military targets with drones
· 40,000 Palestinians perform Friday prayers in al-Aqsa mosque
· Syrian state news agency reports Israeli strike in Aleppo region
· UN accuses Israel of ‘deliberate’ attack on peacekeeping position in Lebanon
· UN probe says women, children comprise the majority of Gaza war dead
· After Hamas rejection of hostage deal, US asked Qatar to expel the group
· Lebanon says three dead in Israel strikes on Tyre
· ‘Strong likelihood’ famine imminent in north Gaza, say food security experts
· Iraqi Islamic Resistance claims drone strike on Israeli military site
------
Arab World
· Virtual, AI-powered Saudi travel companion impresses visitors at travel exhibition in London
· How Saudi Arabia’s wild lotus shrub was brought back from the brink of extinction
· Makkah royal commission showcases city’s cultural, tourist offerings at World Travel Market
· Meet Reman Assere, Saudi Arabia’s youngest Arabic calligraphy instructor
· Saudi Arabia’s urban planning on display at WUF
· Saudi foreign minister, Blinken discuss regional crises
· Craft program agreement signed in Jeddah
· Saudi health minister unveils new healthcare projects in Qassim
· Hundreds of events set to wow audiences at Jazan’s winter festival
· Northern Borders region experiences unusual start to winter
-----
NorthAmerica
· FBI investigates racist text messages sent to black people across US
· US charges man over alleged Iranian plot to kill Trump
· Muslim-Americans favored Jill Stein in 2024
· Most Michigan Muslims voted for Jill Stein, followed by Trump, exit poll suggests
· Pelosi blames Biden for election loss as finger pointing intensifies
· Will Republicans win the House? The outstanding races to watch
· How US election fraud claims changed as Trump won
· Divided Arizona contends with Trump's sweeping border plan
· Trump’s victory shatters the EU’s illusion of American benevolence
------
Europe
· Beneath Australian tourist mecca lies nation’s ‘largest sorry business’
· 'You weren't on an Xbox' - judge slams boy racer who smashed into Blackburn mosque in police chase
· EU Commission warns staff of spy threat – Politico
· EU needs urgent economic overhaul – former ECB chief
· British Beacon Mosque Awards: Bayt Al Qaim shortlisted
· We must not turn blind eye to antisemitism, says Dutch king after attacks on Israeli football fans
· Russia jails soldiers who killed entire family in Ukraine
· Fresh Spain floods sweep away dozens of cars near Girona
· Crypto expert with links to gang shot dead at Brazilian airport
· Musk makes Ukraine conflict prediction
· Russian and Ukrainian officials meet in Belarus
-----
Africa
· Former DSS Operative Warns Nigeria To Prepare For War Amid Lakurawa Threat
· IG Takes Action Against Police Officers Who Extorted ₦10m From Youths In Bayelsa
· Mozambique: At least 3 dead in latest protest, army deployed
· Buratai Pays Tribute To Late COAS, Lagbaja
· Tinubu Govt Renovates VP Shettima’s Lagos Lodge With ₦5 Billion
· We’re Leaving₦27 Billion Debt For Projects, Obligations – Obaseki
· ‘FG Has Not Asked Workers To Close Their GTB Salary Accounts,’ Details Emerge
· UN agricultural fund calls for adaptation financing for small-scale farmers
· Shettima calls for selfless leadership, legacy-building at mosque commissioning
· UN sanctions two generals from Sudan’s paramilitary force
------
Southeast Asia
· Concentrated power, weak institutions cause justice failures – Sultan Nazrin
· West Jakarta Police Arrest Eight in Online Gambling Operation Tied to Cambodian Network
· HRD Corp to continue funding family, parenting courses - PM Anwar
· Malaysia’s bid for UN-Habitat Assembly presidency garners positive feedback
· Perak’s Sultan Nazrin presents state awards and medals to 56 people, list led by Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal
· Four injured after tour bus collides with trailer on North-South Expressway near Gopeng
· Sarawak police: 22kg of drugs worth nearly RM2m seized from men paid RM5,000 to smuggle them into Miri
-----
South Asia
· Deputy PM Mawlawi Hanafi Emphasizes Collective Efforts for Afghanistan’s Reconstruction and Stability
· Nuristan Leaders Pledge Support for Islamic Emirate, Call for Infrastructure and Community Development
· Muttaqi discusses political, economic relations with Indian envoy
· Islamic system and human rights
· DAB governor attends AAOIFI annual meeting in Bahrain
· Acting Minister Nomani Engages with Iranian Engineers on Housing and Development Initiatives in Afghanistan
· Urban Development Minister Meets Aga Khan Foundation’s Regional Director to Discuss Housing and Capacity Building Support
· Deputy Minister of Public Works Attends 81st Meeting of CIS Rail Transport Council
· CSTO warns of terrorist threats from Afghanistan persist
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/resolution-voice-restoration-cm-omar-abdullah/d/133669
------
J-K people found their voice after passage of resolution on special status restoration: CM Omar Abdullah
08.11.24
Omar Abdullah
File
-----------
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday claimed the people of Jammu and Kashmir "found their voice" after the passage of the resolution on the restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state and it seems that the "burden is off their shoulders".
Speaking on the vote of thanks for the Lt Governor's address in the House, he said, "The first session of the newly elected Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is short in duration but historic in terms of agenda." The first session of the new assembly began on Monday and is scheduled to end on Friday.
Abdullah said that when he spoke in the House the last time, Jammu and Kashmir was a state and had a special place and status in the country.
"It has all been snatched," he said in an apparent reference to the August 5, 2019, development when the special status under Article 370 was revoked and the state was bifurcated into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The chief minister remarked that the first session of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly is "short in duration but historic in terms of agenda".
"I have got an opportunity to talk like this in the House after a long time. In March 2014, I spoke on the governor's address as chief minister and in 2018 as the opposition. So much has changed since then and we have lost a lot." "When I think about it, I cannot believe it," Abdullah said.
Referring to the passage of the resolution asking the Centre to work out a constitutional mechanism for restoring the special status of the erstwhile state, the chief minister said, "After its passage, I am happy that people have found their voice and they are able to talk." "We felt suffocated and thought we wouldn't be able to talk. It seems that the burden is off the shoulders of the people. I have seen people who had forgotten their pens and keyboards find their footing again. They are feeling free enough to express themselves," he said.
Abdullah said, "While I will regret what we lost, I am happy that I have the enthusiasm that whatever time is fixed for me by Allah, I will not waste a day. I will serve the people."
Source:telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/j-k-people-found-their-voice-after-passage-of-resolution-on-special-status-restoration-cm-omar-abdullah/cid/2061672
--------
Quetta railway station blast kills 21, injures 30 others
By Salman Ashraf
November 09, 2024
People stand near an ambulance at the Quetta railway station, on November 9, 2024. — Reporter
------------
QUETTA: Balochistan's provincial capital Quetta was rocked with an explosion on Saturday morning which has so far killed 21 people and injured 30 others.
Early reports suggest that the explosion occurred at the railway station’s booking office shortly before the train reached the platform. With the station typically crowded, the risk of substantial casualties is high.
Police and rescue teams arrived at the blast site, while an emergency was declared at Quetta's Civil Hospital, with extra doctors and support staff summoned to assist.
The Jaffer Express was scheduled to depart for Peshawar at 9am, according to railway officials. The officials said that the train had not yet arrived at the platform when the explosion took place.
Officials informed Geo News that with several of the injured in critical condition, the death toll from the blast may rise.
Talking to the media, Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Operations Quetta Muhammad Baloch said that the explosion seemed to be a suicide blast. However, he noted that further investigation was underway.
Providing details on the death toll SSP Operations Baloch said that the death toll stood at 21 with 30 others wounded in the blast.
"The blast took place inside the railway station when the Peshawar-bound express was about to leave for its destination," said the police officer.
The blast, which also damaged the platform's roof, was heard far and wide in various areas of the city.
With the bomb disposal team inspecting the cordoned-off incident site, SSP operations that they would soon provide an update regarding the nature of the blast.
Talking to Geo News, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind confirmed the death toll and revealed that nearly 40 people were injured in the blast — of which 10 were in critical condition.
He further said that Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti has summoned an emergency meeting regarding the province's law and order situation and will shortly arrive back home after cancelling his foreign visit.
Responding to a query whether there was any specific threat regarding today's blast, the government spokesperson responded in the negative. However, he acknowledged that a general security threat did exist in light of the prevailing law and order situation in the province.
Echoing SSP Baloch's concerns regarding the blast apparently being suicidal in nature in light of the initial evidence, Rind said that the the nature of the explosion can be confirmed following the bomb disposal squad's report.
Condemning the deadly incident, Acting President Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani said terrorists were enemies of humanity who targeted innocent people.
Gillani reiterated the resolve to take all possible measures for the complete eradication of terrorism.
Meanwhile, Balochistan CM Bugti has directed the relevant officials to investigate the fatal incident.
The chief minister further reiterated the resolve to eradicate the scourge of terrorism from the province.
Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah also condemned the blast. Expressing sorrow, he said: "I am deeply saddened by the loss of lives in this act of terrorism in Quetta." He added that anti-state elements are trying to create an atmosphere of fear.
As per a report issued by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), the third quarter of the ongoing year witnessed a 90% surge in violence.
With a total of 722 people being killed, including civilians, security personnel, and outlaws, while 615 others were wounded in as many as 328 incidents recorded during the period under review, 97% of the se fatalities occurred in the aforementioned provinces.
Furthermore, over 92% of these incidents of terror attacks and security forces’ operations were recorded in the same provinces.
The total fatalities from three quarters of this year have now surpassed the total fatalities recorded for the entire 2023; the number of fatalities rose to at least 1534 in the first three quarters compared to 1523 in 2023.
Source:thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1249106-quetta-railway-station-blast-kills-4-injures-20
---------
Palestinian leader tells Trump ready to work for Gaza peace
November 08, 2024
Mahmud Abbas told Donald Trump he was ready to work toward a “just and comprehensive peace” in Gaza. (Reuters)
-------------
RAMALLAH: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas expressed readiness to work toward a “just and comprehensive peace” in Gaza during a phone call with US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, his office said.
Trump’s victory came with the Middle East in turmoil after the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, triggered by the unprecedented attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Congratulating Trump on his victory, Abbas expressed “readiness to work with President Trump to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on international legitimacy,” his office said in a statement.
It said that Trump also assured Abbas that he will work to end the war.
“President Trump stressed that he will work to stop the war, and his readiness to work with president Abbas and the concerned parties in the region and the world to make peace in the region.”
While Trump struck a note of peace during his campaign, he also touted his status as Israel’s strongest ally, even going so far as to promise Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he would “finish the job” against Hamas in Gaza.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578591/middle-east
---------
Saudi Arabia highlights global humanitarian efforts at G20 Parliamentary Summit in Brazil
November 08, 2024
Mishaal bin Fahm Al-Sulami, deputy speaker of Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council, took part in the 10th Summit of G20 Parliamentary Speakers held in Brazil. (SPA)
----------
RIYADH: Mishaal bin Fahm Al-Sulami, deputy speaker of Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council, commended Brazil’s initiative to launch the Global Alliance to Combat Hunger and Poverty, affirming that Saudi Arabia has been a member of the alliance since May 2024, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
This came during the 10th Summit of G20 Parliamentary Speakers held in Brasilia, Brazil, focusing on the theme “Parliaments for a Fair World and a Sustainable Planet.”
Al-Sulami led the Kingdom’s delegation at the international gathering, revealing that Riyadh would host the UN Conference on Land and Drought in December.
The deputy speaker elaborated on Saudi Arabia’s comprehensive approach to addressing poverty and hunger through the efforts of the government and the Shoura Council, which have created a social safety net through various support programs, the Social Development Bank, and the contribution of charitable organizations.
On the international front, Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian contributions have been substantial, SPA reported. From 1975 to 2024, the Kingdom provided nearly $133 billion in development assistance, reaching 171 countries worldwide. This aid has supported over 7,090 humanitarian and development projects. Currently, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre manages 1,700 projects aimed at combating hunger and poverty around the world.
Al-Sulami highlighted Saudi Arabia’s commitment to workplace equality through its adoption of ILO Conventions 100 and 111. The Kingdom’s laws ensure equal pay and employment opportunities, with no discrimination between men and women in jobs and wages. These efforts have yielded significant results, with female participation in the labor market reaching 37 percent by 2023, exceeding expectations set in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The Kingdom has also provided $187 million in urgent relief to Gaza, along with $1.6 billion in development and humanitarian assistance, according to SPA.
Saudi Arabia launched the Global Alliance for the Two-State Solution in partnership with other Arab and Islamic countries, the EU, and Norway, hosting its first meeting in Riyadh on Oct. 30, 2024. Following the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit held in Riyadh on Nov. 11, 2023, the Kingdom announced another edition of the summit scheduled for Nov. 11, 2024. These efforts aim to achieve an immediate ceasefire, end the Israeli occupation, provide relief to the Palestinian people, and establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
The P20 summit addressed several crucial topics, including parliamentary contributions to fighting hunger, poverty, and inequality; the role of parliaments in sustainable development; and adapting parliamentary systems to 21st-century governance challenges. Iman Al-Jubreen, a member of the Shoura Council delegation, presented a working paper on women’s representation in decision-making positions, sharing Saudi Arabia’s experience in women’s empowerment.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578550/saudi-arabia
---------
Fyodor Lukyanov: Trump is back, and this time it’s different
8 Nov, 2024
Donald Trump points to supporters with Melania Trump during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on November 06, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida © Getty Images / Getty Images
--------------
Let’s be clear, the outcome of the US election won’t change the world. Processes that didn’t begin yesterday won’t tomorrow. But the American vote has become an important indicator of long-term change.
The columnists of the liberal New York Times, which actively supported Kamala Harris, declared on the morning after the election: It is time to recognize that Trump and the Trumpists aren’t an accidental aberration and they don’t represent a temporary deviation from the course of history. They reflect the mood of most Americans. And we have to proceed on that basis.
Indeed, Trump’s current victory differs from his first success eight years ago. Firstly, he won convincingly not only the electoral college but also the popular vote, i.e. the majority of the country as a whole. Second, the outcome was largely a foregone conclusion.
In 2016, nobody knew what kind of president Trump might be. Now we do – all his traits and foibles are out in the open. And, to put it mildly, the ambiguous and not entirely effective nature of his presidential style. Democrats expected that the shambles of the first term would turn many away from the Republican. But that didn’t happen.
To be fair, the initial nomination of the not-so-capable Biden and his sudden replacement by a frankly unfit candidate did make the Republicans’ task easier. The hope that it would be possible to fill an empty shell with celebrity endorsements and thereby create the impression of a political choice has not materialized. This in itself shows that American voters are more aware of what is going on than political technologists have long believed.
US citizens are concerned with issues that directly affect their lives. Foreign policy has never been a priority. But influencing the international behavior of the United States certainly is. The era in which Washington was convinced of the need (and, of course, its right) to manage world affairs is coming to an end. The desire for leadership has been embedded in American political culture since its inception three hundred years ago, but the forms it has taken have varied. After the successful conclusion of the Cold War in favor of the US in the second half of the last century, expansionist sentiments took over completely.
The reasons are clear – the obstacles to external dissemination had disappeared. A more realistic part of the establishment believed that this was a favorable – but temporary – opportunity and it should be seized quickly. The other part fell into an anti-historical illusion about the finality of American domination. That Washington now could remake the world in its own image and then rest on its laurels.
The golden age of the ‘American world’ lasted from the early 1990s to the mid-2000s. The second term of Republican President George W. Bush. brought the first signs of a retrenchment. In reality, all subsequent presidents have continued this process, in various formulations. The inconsistency, however, was that while the framework of what was possible shifted, the ideational basis of the policy didn’t adapt. Rhetoric is not just words, it leads you into a rut. And this brings you to places that may not have been intended.
The situation in Ukraine is a vivid manifestation of this phenomenon. The US fell into this acute and very dangerous crisis through inertia, guided not by a well-thought-out strategy but by ideological slogans and specific lobbying interests. As a result, the conflict turned into a decisive battle for the principles of world order, which no one back at “headquarters” had planned or expected. In addition, the battle became a test of the real combat potential of all sides, including the West under American leadership.
Trump tried to make a conceptual turnaround during his first term, but at the time he himself was very ill-prepared to run the country, and his associates could not consolidate power. The situation is different now. The Republican Party is almost entirely on Trump’s side, and the Trumpist core intends to go after the ‘deep state’ in its first months in power in order to clean it up. In other words, to install like-minded people in the apparatus, including at mid-level, to prevent the systematic sabotage of the president’s policies that was done during his first term.
God knows whether it will work or not, especially since Trump himself has not changed: instincts and spontaneous reactions prevail over consistency and restraint. What’s important, however, is that the intentions of Trump and his allies – a turn towards America’s rigidly understood mercantile interests and away from ideology – are in line with the general direction of the world. This does not make the US a comfortable, let alone pleasant, partner for other countries, but it does offer hope for a more rational approach.
Trump keeps talking about ‘deals’, which he understands in a generally simplistic way. The Republicans around him believe in the strength and power of America, not to rule the whole world, but to impose its terms where it’s of benefit. What will come of all this is anyone’s guess. But there is a sense of turning the page and opening a new chapter. Firstly, because of the bankruptcy of those who wrote the previous one.
Source:rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/607389-trump-is-back-and-different/
---------
Birmingham Islamic State supporter convicted of terror offences after pal jailed
ByBen Perrin
8 NOV 2024
A Birmingham Islamic State supporter has today been convicted of terrorism offences after his pal was jailed. Police found Shaan Farooq had a phone, laptop, tablet and iPad containing extremist material and images which supported the banned organisation IS, which he intended to distribute to encourage terrorism.
The 19-year-old, from Saltley, had been arrested after police raided his home in August 2022. He has now been convicted of three counts of intentionally distributing terrorism material. He previously pleaded guilty to possessing terrorism material from May to July 2022.
Farooq has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced back at Birmingham Crown Court on December 11. At the same time of his arrest his friend Amir El-Harith was also being held at his Smethwick home on suspicion of terrorism offences.
El-Harith, 20, was jailed in July for a total of six and a half years for terrorism offences. Reporting restrictions were placed on his trial which have now been lifted following Farooq’s conviction.
El-Harith was sentenced to three years for three charges of dissemination of terrorist publications after he transmitted videos between April and June 2022 to encourage others to commit, prepare or instigate acts of terrorism with the material relating to Islamic State.
He received six-and-a-half years for three counts of encouraging terrorism between April and May 2023 after he published videos on Instagram. He pleaded guilty at an earlier court appearance to two counts of possessing terrorism information showing how to create explosive substances and was sentenced to three years and 10 months for each count. All sentences are to run concurrently.
Police said he continued to commit offences and access extremist material after his arrest in August 2022 and while on bail. He also received a four year serious crime prevention order, which will also begin on his release in addition to a four year extended licence period.
Police said every year thousands of reports from the public help police tackle the terrorist threat. If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, trust your instincts and ACT by reporting to police in confidence at gov.uk/ACT. Reporting won’t ruin lives, but it could save them, police say. Action Counters Terrorism. Remember, in an emergency, always dial 999.
Source:birminghammail.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-islamic-state-supporter-convicted-30330373
---------
Lakurawas: New Terrorist Group Takes Over Five LGA’s In Sokoto
9 November 2024
By George Oshogwe Ogbolu
A newly emerging terrorist organization known as “Lakurawas,” or the Mujahidin, has reportedly seized substantial control over five local government areas in Sokoto State, Nigeria.
Sources indicate to Vanguard that the group is imposing zakat and other forms of levies on local communities.
According to Investopedia, Zakat is an Islamic finance term referring to the obligation that an individual donate a certain proportion of their wealth each year to charitable causes.
Naija News understands that these affected local government areas include Tangaza, Gada, Illela, Silame, and Binji.
Witnesses report that the militants, who are heavily armed, communicate using a range of languages such as Hausa, Fulani, Tuareg, Kanuri, Tuba, and English.
Residents describe how the group arrives in large numbers, often using motorcycles. They leave a contingent behind to collect taxes and compel residents to harvest crops and supply food.
Those who resist face severe consequences, including the confiscation of livestock.
“We know when they are coming because they appear in significant numbers, usually on 10 to 15 motorcycles. After assessing the area, they station some members to oversee operations while others continue to different locations,” one local source shared.
Alhaji Isa Salihu Kalenjeni, Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area, confirmed the militants’ presence and their coercive tactics.
“They are forcing people to pay zakat while simultaneously robbing them. Recently, a shop owner was robbed of N2 million. His car was also taken and returned only after he paid N350,000,” Kalenjeni stated.
Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, highlighted the group’s affiliation with ISIS in the Sahel region, emphasizing that they exploit Nigeria’s porous borders with Niger and Mali.
He urged residents to report unusual activities, warning: “This is similar to the early days of Boko Haram. However, this time, we are taking action from the beginning. We are locating and neutralizing their positions. The key lesson here is to report any suspicious individuals or activities to the authorities before the situation escalates.”
General Buba further explained, “The group capitalized on the porous borders with the Niger Republic, extending to Mali, especially following the recent coup in Niger. These border vulnerabilities have facilitated their movement into Sokoto and Kebbi states, complicating joint border security efforts. Now, we have a clearer understanding of their locations and are responding accordingly.”
Source:naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/11/09/lakurawas-new-terrorist-group-takes-over-five-lgas-in-sokoto/
---------
Sultan Nazrin: Political exploitation of race and religion threatens national unity, must be swiftly contained
09 Nov 2024
KUALA KANGSAR, Nov 9 — The continued use of religious and racial issues as political tools pose a significant threat to national unity and must be curbed immediately, said the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah.
Sultan Nazrin said that when religion and ethnicity were utilised as legal tender for political gain, excessive rhetoric masked in religious fervour and provocative slogans associated with ethnic identities became more prevalent.
“Such rhetoric and slogans are akin to embers that can ignite a spark—if not swiftly contained, they risk igniting a conflagration of animosity capable of devastating our nation,” said His Royal Highness.
Sultan Nazrin made these remarks during his address at the Pledge of Royalty and Investiture Ceremony in conjunction with his 68th birthday celebration at Istana Iskandariah here today.
The Perak Ruler added that continued provocations involving race and religion could sow distrust among citizens, causing them to drift further from the path of unity.
At this juncture, Sultan Nazrin said the nation needs wise and prudent leadership that instils a sense of ease and comfort among the people, free from prejudice and suspicion, fostering instead an open-minded appreciation for Malaysia’s diversity.
The Sultan said that amid the sensationalised issues of religion and ethnicity, there is an increasing trend of individuals who unabashedly mock the royal institution.
“The Ruler’s role, beyond fulfilling constitutional responsibilities, is vital in bridging tradition with modernisation, enlivening the nation’s rich history and civilisational legacy.
“This legacy, shaped through respectful cultural practices, refined character and the beauty of language, forms the foundation for building a disciplined, advanced, modern and progressive nation. This role is exceedingly relevant and grows more so as our society faces various forms of cultural subversion and sabotage.
“The civilisation we have built is far too valuable to be allowed to crumble due to the actions of individuals and organisations that have a tenuous grasp of tradition and a hollow understanding of decorum.
“Their misguided intellect cannot be followed, nor can their ignorance be taught, yet they possess an overwhelming desire to introduce new order, often voicing and behaving inappropriately while promoting actions that starkly contradict the decorum and refinement of our customs,” he said.
Therefore, Sultan Nazrin called on the people to reject cultural encroachment and firmly oppose both words and deeds that violate the boundaries of custom and decorum.
“We must not permit anyone to become uncivilised or to live devoid of manners and respect for our heritage,” he said. — Bernama
Source:malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/11/09/sultan-nazrin-political-exploitation-of-race-and-religion-threatens-national-unity-must-be-swiftly-contained/156295
----------
Strengthening cooperation between Kabul, Delhi discussed, ministry
November 9, 2024
KABUL: The acting Minister of National Defense of the Islamic Emirate, Mawlavi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, in a meeting, with J.P. Singh, Deputy Secretary for PAI Affairs at the Ministry of External Affairs of India, discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries, the ministry said in a statement the other day. According to the statement, both sides underscored the importance of bolstering bilateral relations, with a particular focus on humanitarian assistance and other critical areas of shared interest. Both sides also emphasized expanding engagement and fostering deeper cooperation between Afghanistan and India. The Kabul Times
Source:thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/strengthening-cooperation-between-kabul-delhi-discussed-ministry/
---------
India
"Important day for Muslims of India, " says AIMIM President after SC overturns AMU judgement
Nov 08, 2024
New Delhi (/topic/delhi) [India], November 8 (ANI): Shortly after the Supreme Court (/topic/supreme-court) of India of India overruled its 1967 verdict on the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University, AIMIM (/topic/aimim) chief and Lok Sabha MP Assaduddin Owaisi (/topic/assaduddin-owaisi) hailed the decision on Friday, saying that the right of minorities to educate themselves has been upheld. "It is an important day for Muslims of India. The 1967 judgement had rejected minority status of #AMU when in fact it was. Article 30 states that minorities have the right to establish and administer their educational institutions in a manner that they deem fit," Owaisi said in a post on X. He congratulated the students and faculty of AMU, and said that the arguments made by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led union government were rejected in the court. "The right of minorities to educate themselves has been upheld. I congratulate all students and faculty of AMU today. It does not matter if the University was establishe before the Constitution, or if it was set up by a law of the govt. It is a minority institution if it was established by minorities. All the arguments of the BJP were rejected," the post added. The SC overruled by 4:3 majority the S Azeez Basha versus Union of India case which in 1967 held that since the Aligarh Muslim Univeristy was a Central university, it cannot be considered a minority institution. The majority verdict said the issue of AMU minority status is to be decided by a regular three-judge bench. The bench said that in order to determine whether an institution is a minority institution, what needs to be looked at is who established the institution. Owaisi further implored that after this judgement, the BJP should go for "course correction" He added, "The BJP has opposed minority status for AMU for all these years. What is it going to do now? It has made every effort to attack AMU and Jamia, and our right to even run madrasas." He said that the PM Modi led central government should "stop discrimin ting" against AMU, mentioning that as Jamia gets Rs 3 lakh per student, AMU gets 3.9 lakh, the Banaras Hindu University gets Rs 6.16 lakh per student. He said in the post, "The Modi govt should take this judgement in its stride. It should support AMU as it is also a central university. Jamia gets Rs3L per student, AMU gets Rs3.9L per student, but BHU gets Rs6.15L. Jamia and AMU have consistently performed well in national rankings. With the right support the Universities could be globally renowned. But for that, Modi must stop discriminating against them." (ANI)
Source:aninews.in
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/important-day-for-muslims-of-india-says-aimim-president-after-sc-overturns-amu-judgement20241108142902/
---------
Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat accuses BJP of divisive politics, rejects 'vote jihad' claims
Nov 08, 2024
Pune (/topic/pune) (Maharashtra (/topic/maharashtra)) [India], November 8 (ANI): Congress (/topic/congress) leader Balasaheb Thorat (/topic/balasaheb-thorat) on Friday said the party has never incited conflicts based on religion or caste, and criticized the BJP for practicing divisive politics. "Congress (/topic/congress) has never made anyone fight. Congress (/topic/congress) has neither made anyone fight based on religion nor based on caste. BJP does this... BJP is campaigning in a very wrong way," said Thorat. He added that the ruling party was making false accusations while continuing to divide communities. "The BJP always creates divisions within religions, pits people against each other, and stirs up caste-based conflicts," Thorat further added. Thorat also highlighted the progressive legacy of the Thackeray family. The Congress (/topic/congress) leader said, "The father of Bal Thackeray was a progressive leader in Maharashtra (/topic/maharashtra), and that progressive spirit continues in their blood, w rking in alignment with common progressive programs." Addressing the BJP's accusations of "vote jihad" and the "Bantenge to Katenge" campaign slogan, Thorat asked, "If the first time it was about vote jihad, then the onions they voted for--will that be called 'onion jihad'? If farmers voted for us, would that be 'farmer jihad'? If our mothers and sisters voted for us, would that be called 'mother-sister jihad'?" Ahead of the Maharashtra (/topic/maharashtra) Assembly polls on October 22, posters featuring Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the slogan "Bantenge to Katenge" appeared in various parts of Mumbai. BJP member Vishwabandhu Rai had then explained the motive behind the posters. Speaking to ANI he said, "The opposition is engaging in political maneuvers, and we have responded to that. The people of North India believe in Yogi and his slogan 'Bantenge to Katenge,' so we have started to respond to the opposition's tactics in Maharashtra (/topic/maharashtra) as well. In Haryana, you saw how pe ple stood together and supported the Bharatiya Janata Party. We are now applying this in Maharashtra (/topic/maharashtra)." (ANI)
Source:aninews.in
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/politics/congress-leader-balasaheb-thorat-accuses-bjp-of-divisive-politics-rejects-vote-jihad-claims20241108235943/
----------
Chaos over Article 370: Evicted BJP MLAs hold 'parallel Assembly' in Jammu and Kashmir
Muzaffar Raina
09.11.24
Disgruntled BJP legislators ran a “parallel Assembly” on the lawns of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and threatened to run a “parallel government” after several of them were evicted from the House on the second consecutive day for creating a ruckus over a resolution demanding restoration of special status.
The “parallel Assembly” observed two minutes' silence for the two village defence guards who were killed by militants in Jammu's Kishtwar on Thursday. Their bodies were recovered on Friday, triggering protests in the area.
The Valley was rocked by another gunfight on Friday in which the security forces killed two militants in Sopore, north Kashmir.
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, which is holding its maiden session after the Omar Abdullah government took office last month, witnessed chaos for the third consecutive day over the contentious resolution seeking to restore the special status. Friday was the last day of the five-day Assembly session.
As the House met for the day, BJP MLAs started protesting the special status resolution and later stormed the Well while raising slogans such as “Bharat Mata ki jai” and “Pakistan ka agenda nahin chalega”.
As the situation turned ugly with both government and Opposition members raising slogans against each other, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather asked marshals to evict the agitating MLAs.
A dozen BJP legislators and Langate legislator Sheikh Khurshid, who is the brother of Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul 'Engineer' Rashid, were marshalled out. Some MLAs were lifted by the marshals and dragged out as they tried to resist the eviction.
Later, around a dozen more BJP legislators staged a walkout. They assembled on the lawns to conduct separate proceedings, which was called a “parallel Assembly” by the BJP’s leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma.
The BJP has 29 MLAs in the 90-member Assembly. They are opposed to the restoration of the special status.
While speakers inside the House defended the restoration of the special status, the “parallel Assembly” questioned the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly's right to challenge a decision (abrogation of Article 370) taken by Parliament and approved by the Supreme Court.
The National Conference legislators said they were elected by the people and were within their rights to seek its restoration.
Sharma said: “We ran a parallel Assembly where issues of people were raised. Don’t take it lightly. If you continue... to challenge India’s sovereignty and integrity, we will run a parallel government. This is a warning.”
Source:telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/chaos-over-article-370-evicted-bjp-mlas-hold-parallel-assembly-in-jammu-and-kashmir/cid/2061729
--------
Clerics, politicians hail SC decision on AMU as victory for Muslims
Nov 08, 2024
Muslim clerics, scholars, politicians expressed happiness over the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) status on Friday. The country’s top court held that an institution will not lose its minority status merely because it was created by a statute, effectively overruling its decision of 1967.
A regular three-member bench will now deliberate and decide upon whether the institution is indeed a minority institution or not.
Muslim clerics say that it will improve the education opportunities for Muslims and this has set a tone for a change in the country for minority institutes.
Maulana Arshad Madani, the chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, and principal of Darul Uloom Deoband welcomed the decision, calling it a historic victory for the Muslim community. Speaking to Hindustan Times on phone he said, “The issue had been pending for over 50 years,” adding that it “should have been resolved much earlier.
AMU has always been viewed as a Muslim institution. It’s registered name is Aligarh Muslim University, and it was established by Muslims for the welfare of the Muslim community,”
Madani also highlighted the broader implications of the decision, stating that it would pave the way for other Muslim institutions to seek minority status, thereby, improving access to education for Muslims. “This will not only increase opportunities for Muslim students to secure admissions but also contribute to the overall development of the community,” he added.
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli, chairman of the Islamic Centre of India, described the apex court’s decision as a landmark judgment. He noted that the Supreme Court, by a 4:3 majority, overruled its 1967 ruling that AMU could not claim minority status because it was created by a statute.
He highlighted that on July 20, 1872, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan appealed to Muslim princely states for donations to establish an educational institution for the Muslim community. On April 24, 1875, he founded the Madrasatul Uloom, which marked the institution’s beginnings. It became a college on January 8, 1877, and in 1920, it evolved into the Aligarh Muslim University, providing modern education within an Islamic environment to foster scientific thinking among Muslim students.
Maulana Yasoob Abbas, general secretary of All India Shia Personal Law Board, also welcomed the decision. He said, “We hope that the three-member bench constituted will give the same decision on AMU. Now all the doubts about the status of AMU will be put to rest.”
Politicians say
Anshu Awasthi Congress spokesperson said, “The Supreme Court judgement is welcome under the circumstances when it is of utmost importance that the autonomy and original status of such institutes like BHU or AMU are protected while the BJP government and its parent body, RSS, under a subtle conspiracy, have been trying to turn such institutes of higher learnings into their camps. These institutes are prestigious and world-famous where people from around the globe come for learning. The institutes should be protected from the BJP government that intends to close down 27,000 schools in the state.”
Congress secretary Shahnawaz Alam too welcomed the decision affirming AMU’s minority status. In a press statement, Alam highlighted that the Modi government had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court in 2019, arguing that AMU could not be granted minority institution status. In contrast, the Congress-led UPA government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had advocated for granting AMU minority status.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ameeque Jamei said, “The SC judgement in the AMU case has sent a wave of joy in the entire country. This judgement conveys that in this country, be it religious minorities or linguistic minorities, they have a right to establish their own universities or schools, they have the right to run those institutions. Such institutions help the country in bringing backward sections into the mainstream. In the 1857 revolution, Aligarh played an important role. Sir Syed struggled all his life for the unity of the country. The judgement is the victory of the Constitution.”
Source:hindustantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/clerics-politicians-hail-sc-decision-on-amu-as-victory-for-muslims-101731081361445.html
----------
Aligarh Muslim University minority status case: Dissenting judge trio query 1981 propriety
Our Bureau
09.11.24
The three dissenting judges on the seven-judge Supreme Court bench that delivered Friday’s ruling on Aligarh Muslim University’s minority status questioned the judicial propriety of a two-judge apex court bench’s decisions on the matter in 1981.
That year, the two-judge bench (in the Anjuman-e-Rahmania case) had questioned the correctness of a five-judge verdict of 1967 (Azeez Basha case) that said that since Aligarh Muslim University had been established by a central law, it was a central university and not a minority institution. The two-judge bench had then referred the matter to a seven-judge bench, which was never formed.
Justice Surya Kant, Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma
wrote separate dissenting judgments on Friday asking how a two-judge bench could directly refer a matter to a seven-judge bench instead of referring it to a three-judge bench, which could have referred it to a seven-judge bench.
“The two-judge bench in Anjuman, being of lesser strength than the five-judge bench in Azeez Basha, lacked the authority to explicitly question the correctness of Azeez Basha and refer the matter to a seven-judge bench,” Justice Kant observed.
“With utmost respect at our command, we do not appreciate as to how a two-judge bench could dictate its viewpoint to the Chief Justice of India. This, to our mind, effectively impaired the Chief Justice’s authority as the master of the roster.
“Allowing such a practice would enable benches of lesser strength… to undermine the decisions of larger benches, potentially even an 11-judge bench. This would also place the Chief Justice in an untenable position, who would be bound by a judicial order while acting in an administrative role, leading to procedural complications and embarrassment.”
Justice Kant referred to Order VII, Rule 2, of the Supreme Court Rules, 1966, which said: “Where in the course of the hearing of any cause, appeal or other proceeding, the Bench considers that the matter should be dealt with by a larger Bench, it shall refer the matter to the Chief Justice, who shall thereupon constitute such a Bench for the hearing of it.”
He also referred to a ruling by a five-judge constitution bench in 2005 (Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community and another vs State of Maharashtra) that said: “A Bench of lesser quorum cannot doubt the correctness of the view of the law taken by a Bench of larger quorum. In case of doubt, all that the Bench of lesser quorum can do is to invite the attention of the Chief Justice and request for the matter being placed for hearing before a Bench of larger quorum than the Bench whose decision has come up for consideration.
“It will be open only for a Bench of coequal strength to express an opinion doubting the correctness of the view taken by the earlier Bench of coequal strength, whereupon the matter may be placed for hearing before a Bench consisting of a quorum larger than the one which pronounced the decision laying down the law the correctness of which is doubted.”
Justice Kant said: “The abovesaid rules do not bind the discretion of the Chief
Justice….”
Justice Datta observed: “I am left to wonder how the bench of 2 judges in Anjuman-e-Rahmania could at all request that the case be placed before a bench of at least 7 judges. Without a doubt, what the bench in Anjuman-e-Rahmania did was not only plainly impermissible in law but the referral order answers the test for holding a judgment per incuriam (made without considering the relevant laws or statutes).”
He said that if such instances were allowed, “I am afraid, tomorrow, a bench of 2 Judges, referring to opinions of jurists… could well doubt the ‘basic structure’ doctrine and request the Chief Justice of India to constitute a bench of 15 Judges.”
Justice Sharma remarked: “The bench of two judges in… 1981… could not have referred the matter to a bench of seven Hon’ble Judges directly, without the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India being a part of the bench.”
Source:telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/aligarh-muslim-university-minority-status-case-dissenting-judge-trio-query-1981-propriety/cid/2061724
---------
Little to back Kerala IAS officer’s claim that his phone was hacked to create Hindu-Muslim WhatsApp groups, police say
by Shaju Philip
November 9, 2024
Senior Kerala police officers say they have found little to substantiate Director of Industries and Commerce K Gopalakrishnan’s claim that his phone was hacked before new WhatsApp groups, with him as the admin, were created for IAS officers, allegedly on the basis of religion.
On October 30, a WhatsApp group called “Mallu Hindu Officers” was formed, in which senior IAS officers were added as members, and Gopalakrishnan was the admin. It was deleted hours later as several officials flagged the impropriety of such a group.
As the issue snowballed into a controversy, Gopalakrishnan said his phone was hacked after which 11 groups, including one called “Mallu Muslim Officers”, were formed.
On November 4, the IAS officer filed a complaint with the Thiruvananthapuram city police, reiterating his claim.
Police subsequently sought a report from WhatsApp as part of their investigation to determine whether the phone was hacked.
“The report from WhatsApp has not conclusively proved that the mobile phone was hacked. The forensic report of the mobile phone also said the gadget was reset three or four times. The officer (Gopalakrishnan) sticks to his version that the mobile phone was hacked, but there is no answer on why the gadget was reset. Since all data was deleted, we could not find much to back the claim that the phone was hacked,” a senior police officer said.
Police sources said a report has been submitted to the DGP, and that it is now up to the government to take a decision.
Gopalakrishnan declined to comment on the issue, saying he would only do so after getting the police report on his complaint.
Source:indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kerala-ias-officer-hindu-muslim-whatsapp-groups-police-9660338/
---------
New kind of ''Jihad'' in Karnataka through Waqf Board, alleges Union Minister Pralhad Joshi
Nov 08, 2024
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday alleged that a new kind of "Jihad" is taking place across Karnataka with the Waqf Board claiming ownership of lands belonging to farmers, temples and others. Hitting out at the Congress government headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he said the ruling party has reached "height of appeasement politics," and alleged that it has in a way made appeasement of minorities its "goal." "Across the state a new kind of 'Jihad' is happening through Waqf. Looking at the conduct of the Congress party and Siddaramaiah, they come across asCongress leaders are claiming that BJP had promised in its manifesto that it will protect the Waqf properties, he said. "Yes. We had said. It is on record...what we have said is existing Waqf properties that have been encroached upon and looted by senior Congress leaders will be saved." "They (Congress leaders) have taken illegal gratification worth thousands of crores (of rupees) from these lands, in the form of lease and rent," Joshi alleged. The Anwar Manippady report says that Waqf properties have been misused by very senior Congress leaders, Joshi said. "We had said that we will protect those lands. What are you (Congress govt) doing now? lands of Mutts and temples are being claimed by Waqf. I'm asking Siddaramaiah, what are you trying to do?""This is a big conspiracy. For the Congress party, the state and country don't matter. They have a soft corner for terrorists...what is happening? What has happened to the Congress party, have they lost their mind?," he asked. Manippady, as the then chairman of the Karnataka State Minority Commission, had prepared the report and submitted it to the government in March 2012 when the BJP was in power. It was later tabled in the legislature. "What is now happening (now) is, using Waqf, lands belonging to farmers, individuals, temples, Mutts, and in some cases entire villages, are being claimed," Joshi alleged. There were allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as aqf properties. Similar charges have surfaced from a few other places subsequently, and also by some organisations and religious institutions like Mutts. With the row escalating, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, directed officials that all notices issued to farmers be immediately revoked, and any unauthorised amendments in land records without due notice must also be nullified. Joshi also claimed that the Congress government in the state is now preparing to withdraw cases booked in KG Halli and DJ halli riots cases, in which a Congress Dalit MLA's house was burned. "I have credible information that they are withdrawing those cases also." He pointed out that in spite of the ban on Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the court upholding it, 125 cases against them were withdrawn by the Congress government earlier. Also, criminal cases filed in Hubballi riot incidents involving a mob attack on the police in 2022, includingJoshi expressed confidence about NDA winning all the three Assembly seats that are go ng for by-polls in the state on November 13. He said in the coming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, NDA's win will "surpass" its victory in the recent Haryana pol
Source:indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/new-kind-of-jihad-in-karnataka-through-waqf-board-alleges-union-minister-pralhad-joshi/articleshow/115080482.cms
----------
Pakistan
Punjab govt bans public entry to parks, museums amid deteriorating air quality
Muhammad Taimoor
November 8, 2024
The Punjab government on Friday barred the public from entering public parks, zoos, playgrounds, and museums amid deteriorating air quality across the province.
A day ago, Lahore’s air pollution reached unprecedented levels, ranking it as the world’s most polluted city for the past 48 hours, as dense smog blankets major districts of Punjab. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to alarming heights, surpassing 1,000 in some areas, a level deemed hazardous for public health and safety.
Friday’s notification put a “complete ban on public entry in all parks (public & private), zoos, playgrounds, historical places, monuments, museums and joy/playlands” from November 8 (today) till 17.
The ban encompasses Punjab’s districts of Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Chiniot, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Multan, Lodhran, Vehari and Khanewal.
“Any violation [of] this order shall be punished U/S 188 P.P.C,” the notification stated.
It also went on to note that the Punjab government is “striving hard to control all possible intrinsic factors which cause air pollution and deteriorate the quality of ambient air.”
Last week, the Punjab government declared smog a calamity, and the provincial administration notified a host of measures, such as vacations for disabled children and a ban on all activities “causing or leading to smog formation” to improve the hazardous air quality across the province, particularly in Lahore.
The provincial government also imposed a green lockdown in several areas of Lahore it considered “smog hotspots’, but enforcement remained lax at best on the first day. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has now declared smog a calamity under Section 3 of the Punjab National Calamities (Prevention and Relief) Act, 1958.
On Wednesday, the government had closed all public and private schools and colleges across 18 districts of the province from Nov 7 to 17 to protect students and staff from exposure to the toxic air.
Source:dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1871003/punjab-govt-bans-public-entry-to-parks-museums-amid-deteriorating-air-quality
----------
PM Shehbaz, Acting President Gillani commemorate birth anniversary of Dr Iqbal
November 09, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Paying homage to Dr Allama Mohammad Iqbal on Saturday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Acting President Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani commemorated the 147th birth anniversary of the national poet.
PM Shehbaz said Iqbal's ideas and thinking sparked the desire for a separate homeland for the subcontinent’s Muslims, which ultimately resulted in the establishment of Pakistan.
He said the teachings of Dr Iqbal on self-reliance, self-awareness and unity remained a source of inspiration for us to strive for progress and prosperity as a nation.
The premier urged the youth to rise above mediocrity and achieve greatness through unwavering faith and hard work.
He also expressed commitment to imbibing the vision of Allama Iqbal of building a nation that reflected his ideals of justice, equality, and excellence.
In a separate message, Acting President Gillani said Allama Iqbal's work united the Muslims of the subcontinent and his thoughts and speeches motivated them to wage a struggle to achieve a separate country for them.
"The message of Dr Iqbal emphasised Islamic values, advocating for spiritual and cultural revival, which has shaped Pakistan's identity while his vision continues to resonate with youth, guiding and educating them to uphold Pakistan's values and strive for progress," he maintained.
The 147th birth anniversary of national poet Iqbal is being observed countrywide with national fervour.
The changing of the guard ceremony took place in the morning, with Pakistan Navy Commander Central Punjab Rear Admiral Azhar Mahmood as the event’s chief guest.
A contingent of Pakistan Navy took over the duties of the guard of honour at the Mazar-e-Iqbal in Lahore.
After deployment of guards, wreaths were laid at the national poet's tomb by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Pakistan Navy officers, sailors and Navy civilians.
The philosopher poet also known as the Poet of the East, Muhammad Iqbal, was born in Sialkot on November 9, 1877.
He awakened the Muslims of the subcontinent through his universal poetry and political acumen by presenting idea of the creation of Pakistan through his historic address at Allahabad in 1930.
Iqbal's address gave a clear direction and separate identity to Muslims of the subcontinent to achieve Pakistan.
Special programmes in remembrance of him are aired on radio and TV channels to highlight poetry and thoughts of Iqbal on this day. It is being observed as a national public holiday today.
Source:thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1249104-pm-shehbaz-acting-president-gillani-commemorate-birth-anniversary-of-dr-iqbal
---------
Govt sets up first-ever 'Cascade' centre to facilitate foreign nationals
November 08, 2024
For the first time in the country's history, the government has established state-of-the-art “Cascade” service centre in Islamabad’s Diplomatic Enclave to provide a range of essential services to the diplomatic community and foreign nationals under one roof.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi inaugurated the service centre during a ceremony at the Diplomatic Enclave in the federal capital.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the interior minister said that the Cascade service centre will offer over a dozen services for foreign nationals and diplomats, eliminating the need for them to navigate multiple offices across the capital. Among the services available are the issuance and renewal of driving licenses, character certificates, police verification, reporting of missing persons, and tenant registration. These services are expected to significantly ease administrative processes for diplomats and international visitors, providing them with faster, centralized access to essential resources.
Furthermore, the centre will also facilitate foreign citizens by offering additional services like registration for foreigners, domestic staff, and volunteers, vehicle verification, and access to copies of first information reports (FIRs).
Interior Minister Naqvi emphasised that these services are intended to streamline processes and improve the overall experience for foreign nationals residing in or visiting Islamabad.
“This service centre is a reflection of our commitment to creating a secure, welcoming environment for diplomats and international visitors,” Naqvi added.
He added that the initiative aligns with the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to prioritise the comfort and security of foreign representatives.
The minister also shared that over 1,500 police and FC personnel, along with 20 dedicated police vehicles, are stationed at the Diplomatic Enclave to ensure the highest standards of security.
In his address, Naqvi stated, “Beautifying the Diplomatic Enclave and the entire capital is part of our mission, as we look to project Islamabad as a modern, secure, and visitor-friendly capital.”
The new service centre aims not only to provide essential services but also to foster closer coordination and cooperation between law enforcement and diplomats.
Islamabad’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) provided a detailed briefing on the range of services available to foreign nationals at the centre, further highlighting the effort to ensure ease of access to these resources.
Following the inauguration, the minister, accompanied by a delegation of diplomats, visited the various service counters at the Cascade centre.
He expressed satisfaction with the infrastructure, expressing confidence that the centre would serve as a model of efficiency and service delivery.
Source:thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1248890-govt-sets-up-first-ever-cascade-centre-to-facilitate-foreign-nationals
---------
CJP Afridi-led SJC takes stock of IHC judges' letter on 'meddling' by spy agencies
By Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui
November 08, 2024
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has decided to expand scope of consultation on the letter written by six judges of Islamabad High Court (IHC), alleging “brazen meddling” by the country’s intelligence agencies in judicial affairs.
According to a press release issued by the Supreme Court, the decision was taken during the meeting of top judicial body, chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi.
The meeting was attended by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Hashim Kakar.
During the meeting, the council discussed the agenda items regarding amendments to the code of conduct of judges under Article 209(8) of the Constitution and letter of six judges of Islamabad High Court.
"The Council considered different options and modalities in this regard and decided to widen the consultation on the subject as the code applies to the heads of different institutions in addition to judges and decided to take up the matter in the next meeting once again," it stated.
On March 25, a letter of six judges of the IHC came to surface wherein they had demanded former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa to convene a Judicial Convention to consider the matter of interference in judicial functions, or intimidation of judges in a manner that undermines independence of the judiciary.
The IHC judges — who wrote the letter to the SJC — include Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Fafat Imtiaz.
The letter emerged days after the Supreme Court declared the removal of former IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui illegal, directing that he may now be considered as a retired judge.
The verdict noted that the SJC proceeded against Justice Siddiqui on the "assumption that the truth or falseness of the allegations levelled" by the former judge was "irrelevant".
On Nov 2, The News reported that the IHC judges held a meeting with CJP Afridi and expressed their reservations over the problems they face while discharging judicial functions.
Although, there was no official confirmation regarding the development, however, it was learnt that CJP Afridi, after taking oath of his office, had held a meeting with IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, who is also the chairman of the high court’s administrative committee.
Meanwhile, the top judicial body — in today’s meeting — also examined ten complaints against the judges under Article 209 of the Constitution filed by different people and held that "no substantial evidence has been adduced by the complainants, therefore the Council has filed those complaints."
The Council also discussed in detail the issue of rule-making of the council and establishment of its secretariat.
It agreed to the proposal of registrar and decided that rule making process of the council should be undertaken and draft should be placed before the council in the next meeting.
The JCP authorised CJP Afridi to hire the services of a competent individual with proven ability to work as secretary of the council for a period of 3 months who would be tasked to assist the council in conducting its meetings, oversee rule making exercise, and firm up infrastructure and human resource requirements of the Council's secretariat.
Furthermore, the SJC decided to hold regular meetings on monthly basis in future to clear the backlog on fast track.
JCP meeting
On the other hand, CJP Yahya Afridi also chaired the second meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan constituted under the recently-enacted 26th Constitutional Amendment to consider a single point agenda of formation of a constitutional bench within the Sindh High Court.
It was attended by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Ameen-ud-Din Khan and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail (via video link); Justice Muhammad Shafl Siddiqui, SHC Chief Justice, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Attorney-General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, Senator Farooq H Naek; Senator Syed Shibli Faraz, MNA Sheikh Aftab Ahmad, Leader of Opposition in NA Omar Ayub, Roshan Khurshid Barucha, Sindh Law Minister Zia ul Hassan Lanjar, member of Sindh Bar Council.
Following an extensive and thoughtful exchange of views, the commission unanimously endorsed the proposal put forth by SHC CJ Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui that all the existing high court judges are nominated to be the judges of constitutional benches for expeditious disposal of the existing huge backing of cases.
Source:thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1248840-cjp-afridi-led-sjc-takes-stock-of-ihc-judges-letter-on-meddling-by-spy-agencies
---------
New cases in Sindh, KP push polio tally to 48
Ikram Junaidi
November 9, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported two more polio cases, with the latest victims of crippling virus being found in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bringing this year’s number of cases from across the country to 48.
Also, the country has detected wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in environmental samples collected from two more districts i.e. Bajaur and Gujrat.
According to an official of the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health, the lab has confirmed the detection of two WPV1 cases.
“The victim is a male child from Ghotki district of Sindh.”
Ghotki borders the districts of Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan and Shikarpur where the virus has been reported earlier this year.
“This is the first polio case from Ghotki. Second case has been reported in a 28-month-old male child from Dera Ismail Khan district of KP. D.I. Khan is among the polio-endemic districts in southern KP. This is the third polio case from Dera Ismail Khan and 48th case from Pakistan at large this year. Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the child is under process.
“So far, 23 cases have been reported from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 10 from KP and one each from Punjab and Islamabad. Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the child is under process,” he said.
“The oral polio vaccine is essential to keep children protected from disability from a polio infection. The Polio Programme brings the oral polio vaccine to citizens’ doorsteps multiple times a year, while the Expanded Programme for Immunisation provides vaccines against 12 childhood diseases at nearest health centers free of charge,” he said.
“We urge parents across the country to ensure multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine for all children under five in their care and ensure that their routine vaccination doses are also complete,” he said.
Meanwhile, the NIH lab has confirmed the detection of WPV1 in environmental samples collected from two new districts as well as 15 other districts where samples had tested positive previously.
“As of Nov 8, 2024, sewage samples collected from Gujrat, Multan, Bannu, D.I. Khan, Tank, Bajaur, Nasirabad, Barkhan, Quetta, Dukki, Dera Bugti, Khuzdar, Sibi, Qila Saifullah, Mastung, Karachi East and Karachi Malir tested positive for WPV1.”
These are the first WPV1 detections of the year from Bajaur and Gujrat, while the remaining 15 districts have previously reported virus detections in either humans or sewage samples, he told Dawn.
Replying to a question, the official explained that if virus was found in the sewage, the sample was called positive and whenever a child was paralysed with the virus, it was called a positive case.
“A sewage water sample from an area is the basic parameter to determine if polio vaccination campaigns are being carried out successfully. After detection of samples immediately polio campaigns are held to eradicate the virus from the area,” he said.
Polio is entirely preventable with the help of multiple doses of an easily accessible oral polio vaccine.
“The Pakistan Polio has concluded the first phase of a nationwide polio vaccination campaign that reached 44.9 million children under five with the vaccine,” the official said, adding that the second phase would be held in six districts of KP — Kurram, Lakki Marwat, Tank, D.I. Khan, upper and lower South Waziristan from Nov 11 to 15.
Source:dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1871167/new-cases-in-sindh-kp-push-polio-tally-to-48
---------
Massive protest in Kurram against closure of roads
Our Correspondent
November 8, 2024
KURRAM: A massive protest was held in Kurram on Thursday against the prolonged closure of roads leading to the district.
Khurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud said the roads have been closed over security concerns after attacks on passenger vehicles on Oct 12.
Dozens have lost their lives in violent clashes over tribal and sectarian disputes in the district over the past few months.
The main Thall-Parachinar Road has been closed for three weeks which, according to media reports, has created a shortage of food, medicines and other essential commodities in the district, with over half a million population.
On Thursday, locals started a march from Parachinar, the district headquarters of Kurram, as all educational institutions remained closed in the area.
Children, youth and people of all ages participated in the march, which started from the Parachinar Press Club.
Talking to the media, tribal leaders Jalal Bangash and Agha Tajammul Hussain said the main highway has been closed for nearly a month, leaving the local population stranded.
After waiting for 27 days, people are now forced to take to the streets, Mr Bangash added.
The tribal leaders emphasised that their march was not against any tribe or sect. It is a protest “against the government’s failure to provide security to the people”.
By evening, the protesters covered a distance of 25 kilometres and reached the Samir area.
“We are holding this unarmed protest to send a message of peace to all tribes in the district and to show the world our suffering,” the tribal elders said, adding the march would continue until all roads are opened.
They also demanded security for the travellers.
On Tuesday, two passengers were killed when unknown assailants opened fire on vehicles in Uchat area of lower Kurram.
According to local police, unknown armed men opened fire on vehicles in Dad Kamar area, killing two persons, including Mushtaq Hussain, the driver of a vehicle, and Wahab Ali.
Source:dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1870908/massive-protest-in-kurram-against-closure-of-roads
--------
Govt resolved to achieve $25bn IT exports target in 3 years: PM Shehbaz
November 8, 2024
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reiterated the government’s resolve to meet its target of $25 billion in IT exports in the next three years, highlighting the government’s efforts to promote the telecommunications sector.
In August, the PM said the completion of the Information Technology Park project would help boost the country’s exports in the sector and be a significant milestone in achieving the target.
The prime minister, chairing a meeting to review ongoing IT projects, digitisation efforts, and initiatives to boost IT exports, expressed satisfaction with the progress on the IT Park project in Islamabad.
He instructed officials to consult with Korean experts to explore ways to reduce the project’s completion timeline, according to a press release issued by the PM Office’s Media Wing.
During Friday’s meeting with a five-member delegation of the Holland-based VEON Group, led by Chairman Augie K Fabela, PM Shehbaz said that the government was taking steps to introduce 5G internet services to provide fast and reliable internet connectivity even in remote areas.
“The 5G services would also help the government realise its vision of Digital Pakistan,” he added.
The telecommunication sector had a significant role in promoting a cashless and digital economy, he said, lauding the services of VEON Group’s subsidiary Jazz in Pakistan’s telecommunications and financial technology sectors.
The prime minister said that the government was willing to collaborate with VEON Group in IT, digitisation and artificial intelligence.
The members of the delegation appreciated the government’s efforts towards achieving economic stability and said that Pakistan had become an important investment destination for the IT and telecom sectors.
Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Ali Pervaiz Malik, Coordinator to the PM Rana Ehsan Afzal and other relevant senior officers attended the meeting.
Source:dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1871052/govt-resolved-to-achieve-25bn-it-exports-target-in-3-years-pm-shehbaz
---------
Iqbal inspired unity, self-determination among Muslim ummah, NA speaker
November 09, 2024
ISLAMABAD - National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq paid a rich tribute to Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal on his 147th birth anniversary. He said that Muslims of the sub-continent as per vision of Allama Muhammad Iqbal succeeded in achieving a separate homeland. He mentioned that Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s poetry served as a beacon light for Muslims, encouraging them to pursue their goals with determination. NA Speaker emphasized that Iqbal’s philosophical guidance energized the freedom movement and awakened the Muslims of the subcontinent to a sense of self-respect, unity, and dignity. He added that Allama Iqbal’s message emphasizes unity, discipline, and faith, and by following his teachings our country can overcome the current challenges.
The Speaker urged the younger generation to draw inspiration from Iqbal’s thoughts and to play a constructive role in the socio-economic development of the country. He emphasized that the best way to honour Allama Iqbal’s legacy is by promoting justice, tolerance, brotherhood, and discipline in society. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of incorporating Iqbal’s teachings into educational curriculum to educate the generations to come with his profound ideas and vision.
The Speaker stated that Iqbal’s visionary teachings provide solutions to the issues faced by the Muslim Ummah, and by following these teachings, the Muslim world can address the challenges it confronts. Furthermore, he stated that Iqbal’s message transcends time, race, and geographical boundaries, offering guidance to people of all ages to come.
Deputy Speaker National Assembly Syed Mir Ghulam Mustafa Shah while paying a rich tribute to Allama Muhammad Iqbal stated that through his philosophy and farsightedness, he encouraged the Muslim Ummah to struggle for self-determination. He added that Iqbal’s ideas and messages promote peace and unity, and hold solutions to the current regional and global divides.
Source:nation.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.nation.com.pk/09-Nov-2024/iqbal-inspired-unity-self-determination-among-muslim-ummah-na-speaker
---------
Mideast
US defense chief holds first call with new Israeli counterpart
November 08, 2024
WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed Lebanon and Gaza on Friday in his first call with his new Israeli counterpart Israel Katz, the Pentagon said.
Katz was sworn in before parliament the previous day, after his predecessor’s shock dismissal by the prime minister over a breakdown in trust during the war in Gaza — a conflict that began with a devastating Hamas attack against Israel on October 7, 2023. Austin “held an introductory call today with the new Israeli minister of defense, Israel Katz, and congratulated him on his recent appointment,” Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said in a statement.
He told Katz that Washington is committed to a deal that allows Lebanese and Israeli citizens displaced by more than a year of cross-border violence to return to their homes, as well as to the return of hostages seized by Palestinian militant group Hamas, Ryder said.
The US defense chief also discussed “the need to improve the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza,” after he and Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israel in a letter earlier this month that it needed to allow more aid into the small war-wracked coastal territory.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578594/middle-east
---------
Israeli army claims discovery of ‘Hezbollah training center’ near UNIFIL outpost as raids continue in Lebanon
NAJIA HOUSSARI
November 08, 2024
BEIRUT: The Israeli army on Friday continued to destroy houses in Lebanon’s southern border villages to establish a buffer zone. The latest bombing targeted the areas of Yaroun, Aitaroun and Maroun Al-Ras in Bint Jbeil.
Several videos showed residential houses and tourist, social and religious facilities being set with explosives and blown up remotely.
In parallel with the deliberate destruction, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued “a new urgent warning to the residents of southern Lebanon,” instructing them “to refrain from returning to the south, or to their houses or olive fields,” describing the region as “a dangerous combat zone.”
Adraee also accused Hezbollah of “using ambulances to transport saboteurs and arms” and called on “medical personnel to avoid dealing and cooperating with Hezbollah members.”
The army will take the “necessary measures against any vehicle transporting armed members regardless of its type,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army claimed that “surveillance cameras of the Oded Brigade reservists captured a Hezbollah training center just 200 meters from a UNIFIL outpost.”
The army claimed that “the forces discovered the training facility, which was used by Hezbollah for training, studying, and storing large quantities of weapons.”
It said that “the facility contained missile launchers used for firing at Israeli settlements, as well as documents and instructional books detailing Hezbollah’s operational methods, maps of Israel, explanations of the Israeli army’s equipment, and additional weapons.” The army said “the weapons were confiscated and the compound was dismantled.”
The Israeli army resumed raids on the Baalbek-Hermel area, killing and injuring people and causing further destruction.
The Ministerial Emergency Committee estimated that, as of Thursday evening, Israel had conducted 121 raids, including 56 on Nabatieh, 24 on Baalbek and 23 in the south.
The committee said the number of people killed so far in Israeli attacks on Lebanon exceed 3,100, while 14,000 people have been injured.
More than 1.2 million people have been displaced, with close to 200,000 staying in shelters, it added.
Lebanese observers believe this transitional phase, from now until US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, is the most dangerous period for Lebanon.
Raids on Kfar Tebnit killed two people after a building comprising residential apartments and commercial shops was destroyed.
A raid on Zebdine in Nabatieh killed Mohammed Fayez Mokaddam and his sons, Fayez and Hadi Mokaddem, after their building was destroyed.
Zaher Ibrahim Ataya, a medic with Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Committee from the southern town of Tair Harfa, was killed when Israeli forces struck a newly established medical center.
The strike was part of a broader Israeli aerial campaign that targeted more than 50 towns across the Tyre and Bint Jbeil districts in the past 48 hours.
The Lebanese Red Cross chief Georges Kettaneh announced that rescue teams have returned to Wata Al-Khiyam to complete the recovery of victims from an incident on Oct. 27.
Working alongside UNIFIL forces and the Lebanese Army, teams recovered four bodies and remains, with efforts continuing to ensure the mission’s completion.
Earlier the Red Cross retrieved 17 bodies from the site where civilians, who had been tending to livestock, sought shelter in a building during an Israeli incursion.
The Israeli military initially stalled permission for the Lebanese Red Cross to recover the victims, eventually granting only a four-hour window for the operation.
The Israeli air campaign extended to Lebanon’s Bekaa region, with strikes hitting Hrabta town west of Baalbek and Hosh Al-Sayyed Ali near the Syrian border north of Hermel.
Sirens sounded across northern Israel, including Haifa, Nazareth, Kiryat Shmona and surrounding areas, as well as the Ramat Trump settlement in the Golan Heights and Israeli media reported approximately 30 rockets launched from Lebanon toward northern Israel and Haifa’s suburbs.
The Israeli military confirmed detecting about 20 rockets, with some being intercepted, and reported drone incursions in northern airspace, including one near Caesarea.
The Israeli military announced the death of a soldier from Battalion 8207, Alon Brigade (228), who succumbed to wounds sustained in southern Lebanon on Oct. 26, while Israeli army radio detailed a fierce battle in the border village of Aitaroun that claimed the lives of six Israeli soldiers.
Hezbollah said on Friday it had launched “dozens of rockets reaching as far as Haifa and south of Nazareth.”
The group claimed strikes on several targets, including the Stella Maris naval base and Ramat David air base, northwest and southeast of Haifa, respectively, Kiryat Shmona settlement, and military gatherings in Misgav Am and Margaliot settlements.
In response to Israeli infiltration attempts, Hezbollah reported targeting Israeli forces south of Adaisseh with artillery fire. The group also claimed to have destroyed a military bulldozer and inflicting casualties on accompanying infantry forces trying to advance northwest of Kfarkila.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578561/middle-east
---------
Buried for 14 hours after Israeli strike, Lebanese toddler makes recovery
November 08, 2024
SIDON, Lebanon: Rescuers did not expect to find two-year-old Ali Khalifeh alive after an Israeli strike on southern Lebanon killed his entire family and left him trapped under the rubble for 14 hours.
Amputated, bandaged and hooked to a respirator in a hospital bed that was way too big for him, “Ali is the sole survivor of his family,” said Hussein Khalifeh, his father’s uncle.
The toddler’s parents, sister and two grandmothers all perished in the strike on September 29, days after Israel intensified its attacks on Hezbollah militants.
The strike on Sarafand, some 15 kilometers (nine miles) south of the coastal city of Sidon, flattened an apartment complex and killed 15 people, many of them relatives, according to residents.
“Rescue workers had almost lost hope of finding anyone alive under the rubble,” 45-year-old Khalifeh told AFP from the hospital in Sidon where his two-year-old relative was being treated.
But then “Ali appeared among debris in the shovel of the bulldozer, after we all thought he had died,” he said.
“He emerged from the rubble, barely breathing, after 14 hours.”
Israel has been at war with Hezbollah since late September, when it broadened its war focus from fighting Hamas militants in Gaza to securing its northern border with Lebanon.
An escalating Israeli air campaign, after nearly a year of low intensity cross-border fire, has killed more than 2,600 people across Lebanon since September 23, according to health ministry figures.
Signs of the violence were apparent even at the hospital in Sidon where Ali was rushed to following the strike on Sarafand.
The toddler, under a medically induced coma after doctors amputated his right hand, has since been transferred to a medical facility in the capital Beirut where he is due to undergo pre-prosthetic surgery.
“Ali was sleeping on the couch at home when the strike hit. He is still asleep today... were are waiting to complete his surgeries before waking him up,” said the relative Hussein Khalifeh.
Other family members were also fighting to stay alive after the Sarafand strike.
One of Khalifeh’s nieces, 32-year-old Zainab, was trapped under the rubble for two hours before being rescued and transferred to the nearest hospital, said the man.
It was there that she was later informed that her parents, her husband and three children, aged between three and seven, had all been killed.
The strike left her with only one, severely injured eye.
Zainab said she “did not hear the sounds of the missiles that rained down on her family’s home,” according to Khalifeh.
“She only saw darkness and heard deafening screams,” he said.
Ali Alaa El-Din, a doctor treating her, said that “the psychological scars that Zainab suffered are much greater than her physical injury.”
He has also tended Zainab’s sister Fatima, 30, who was wounded in the same strike.
Both had injuries “throughout their bodies, with fractures in the feet and damage to the lungs,” said the doctor.
Medically, he added, “Zainab and Fatima’s cases are not among the most difficult cases we have faced during the war, but they are the most severe from a psychological and human perspective.”
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578557/middle-east
---------
Islamic Resistance in Iraq attacks Zionist military targets with drones
08 Nov 2024
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced that its mujahideen attacked, on Friday, military targets of the Zionist enemy in occupied Palestine military targets of the Zionist enemy in occupied Palestine, using drones.
The Iraqi resistance said in three consecutive statements: In continuation of our approach in resisting the occupation, in support of our people in Palestine , Lebanon, and in response to the massacres committed by the usurper entity against civilians, including children, women and the elderly, our mujahideen attacked three Zionist military targets in the north of the occupied territories today, Friday, using drones.
The Iraqi Resistance stressed that their operations continue to crush the enemies' strongholds at an escalating pace.
At dawn on Thursday, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq attacked a Zionist military target in occupied Palestine using drones.
Source:saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3393699.htm
---------
40,000 Palestinians perform Friday prayers in al-Aqsa mosque
08 Nov 2024
Thousands of Palestinian citizens performed Friday prayers in al-Aqsa Mosque in light of the strict military measures imposed by the Zionist enemy authorities on access to the mosque.
The Islamic Endowments Department in al-Quds estimated that about 40,000 worshipers performed Friday prayers in al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Palestinian News Agency reported that the Zionist enemy forces obstructed the worshipers' access to al-Aqsa Mosque to perform the prayer, checked their identities, and arrested a number of young men and prevented them from entering the mosque.
The Zionist enemy forces continue to impose strict restrictions on the entry of worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially during Fridays.
The Zionist enemy authorities prevent thousands of citizens from the West Bank governorates from reaching al-Quds to perform prayers in al-Aqsa Mosque, as they require the issuance of special permits to cross their military checkpoints surrounding al-Quds.
Source:saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3393671.htm
---------
Syrian state news agency reports Israeli strike in Aleppo region
November 09, 2024
DAMASCUS: Syrian state media reported an Israeli strike Saturday on the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib that injured soldiers and caused damage.
“At around 00:45 after midnight, the Israeli army launched an air aggression from the direction of southeast Aleppo, targeting a number of sites in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib,” the official SANA news agency said.
The report added that the attack had “resulted in the injury of a number of soldiers and some material losses,” without providing further details.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported the strikes had targeted military installations.
The war monitor also said members of the Iranian revolutionary guards and pro-Tehran factions were based in the area.
Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria, mainly targeting army positions and Iran-backed fighters including from Hezbollah.
The Israeli military has intensified its strikes on Syria since it launched its war on Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon.
Israeli authorities rarely comment on the strikes but have repeatedly said they will not allow arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence in Syria.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578606/middle-east
----------
UN accuses Israel of ‘deliberate’ attack on peacekeeping position in Lebanon
EPHREM KOSSAIFY
November 08, 2024
NEW YORK: The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon on Friday said two Israeli excavators and a bulldozer destroyed part of a fence and a concrete structure in one of its positions in Ras Naqoura in southern Lebanon.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon added that in response to its “urgent protest,” the Israel Defense Forces denied any activity was taking place inside its position.
UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel, an area that has seen more than a year of fighting that turned into fierce clashes since last month between Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah fighters.
Israel claims that UN forces provide cover for Hezbollah, and has told UNIFIL to evacuate peacekeepers from southern Lebanon for their own safety.
But UNIFIL said the incident, which took place on Thursday, “like seven other similar incidents, is not a matter of peacekeepers getting caught in the crossfire, but of deliberate and direct actions by the IDF.”
UNIFIL issued a statement warning that “the IDF’s deliberate and direct destruction of clearly identifiable UNIFIL property is a flagrant violation of international law and resolution 1701.”
It called on the IDF and all other actors to honor “their obligation to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times.”
UNIFIL also expressed concern over the destruction and removal this week of two of the blue barrels that mark the UN-delineated line of withdrawal between Lebanon and Israel (the Blue Line). Peacekeepers said they directly observed the IDF removing one of them.
“Despite the unacceptable pressures being exerted on the mission through various channels, peacekeepers will continue to undertake our mandated monitoring and reporting tasks under resolution 1701,” UNIFIL said.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578556/middle-east
--------
UN probe says women, children comprise the majority of Gaza war dead
November 08, 2024
GENEVA: The UN on Friday condemned the staggering number of civilians killed in Israel’s war in Gaza, with women and children comprising nearly 70 percent of the thousands of fatalities it had managed to verify.
In a fresh report, slammed by Israel, the United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) detailed a raft of violations of international law since Hamas’s deadly Oct. 7 attack in Israel sparked the war in the Gaza Strip.
Many could amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and possibly even “genocide,” it warned, demanding international efforts to prevent “atrocity crimes” and ensure accountability.
“Civilians in Gaza have borne the brunt of the attacks, including through the initial ‘complete siege’ of Gaza by Israeli forces,” the UN said.
“Conduct by Israeli forces has caused unprecedented levels of killings, death, injury, starvation, illness and disease.”
It pointed to “the Israeli government’s continuing unlawful failures to allow, facilitate and ensure the entry of humanitarian aid, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and repeated mass displacement.”
Israel’s mission to the UN in Geneva “categorically” rejected the report, decrying “the inherent obsession of OHCHR with the demonization of Israel.”
“Gaza is now a rubble-strewn landscape,” Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN rights office’s activities in the Palestinian territories, said via video-link from Amman.
“Within this dystopia of destruction and devastation, those alive are left injured, displaced and starving.”
Friday’s report also found that Hamas and other armed groups had committed widespread violations that could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, including seizing hostages, killings, torture and sexual violence.
Those violations, it said, were especially committed in connection with the October 7, 2023 attack, which resulted in 1,206 deaths, mostly of civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
The report also tackled the contentious issue of the proportion of civilians among the nearly 43,500 people killed in Gaza so far, according to the health ministry in the Palestinian territory.
UN agencies have been relying on death tolls provided by the authorities in Hamas-run Gaza due to lack of access. This has sparked harsh criticism from Israel but the UN has repeatedly said the figures are reliable.
The rights office said it had now managed to verify around 10,000 of the more than 34,500 people reportedly killed during the first six months of the war.
“We have so far found close to 70 percent to be children and women,” Sunghay said, highlighting the stringent verification methodology that requires at least three separate sources.
He said the findings indicated “a systematic violation of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.”
He said 4,700 of the verified fatalities were children and 2,461 were women.
The rights office found that about 80 percent of all the verified deaths in Gaza had occurred in Israeli attacks on residential buildings or similar housing.
Children between the ages of five and nine made up the largest group of victims, with the youngest victim a one-day-old boy and the oldest a 97-year-old woman, it said.
Israel says its operations in Gaza target militants and are in line with international law.
But Friday’s report stressed that the verified deaths largely Gaza’s demographic makeup rather than that of combatants.
This, it said, clearly “raises concerns regarding compliance with the principle of distinction and reflect an apparent failure to take all feasible precautions to avoid, and in any event to minimize, incidental loss of civilian life.”
UN rights chief Volker Turk called on all countries to work to halt the violations and to ensure accountability, including through universal jurisdiction.
“It is essential that there is due reckoning with respect to the allegations of serious violations of international law through credible and impartial judicial bodies,” he said.
“The violence must stop immediately, the hostages and those arbitrarily detained must be released, and we must focus on flooding Gaza with humanitarian aid.”
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578603/middle-east
---------
After Hamas rejection of hostage deal, US asked Qatar to expel the group
November 09, 2024
WASHINGTON/DOHA: The US has told Qatar that the presence of Hamas in Doha is no longer acceptable in the weeks since the Palestinian militant group rejected the latest proposal to achieve a ceasefire and a hostage deal, a senior administration official told Reuters on Friday.
“After rejecting repeated proposals to release hostages, its leaders should no longer be welcome in the capitals of any American partner. We made that clear to Qatar following Hamas’s rejection weeks ago of another hostage release proposal,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Qatar then made the demand to Hamas leaders about 10 days ago, the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said. Washington has been in touch with Qatar over when to close the political office of Hamas, and it told Doha that now was the time following the group’s rejection of the recent proposal.
Three Hamas officials denied Qatar had told Hamas leaders they were no longer welcome in the country.
Qatar, alongside the US and Egypt, has played a major role in rounds of so-far fruitless talks to broker a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages the militant group is holding in the enclave.
The latest round of Doha talks in mid-October failed to reach a ceasefire, with Hamas rejecting a short-term ceasefire proposal.
The spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for confirmation or comment.
Last year, a senior US official said Qatar had told Washington it was open to
reconsidering the presence of Hamas
in the country once the Gaza war was over.
This came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
told leaders
in Qatar and elsewhere in the region that there could be “no more business as usual” with Hamas after the group led the Oct. 7 attacks on Southern Israel.
Qatar, an influential Gulf state designated as major non-NATO ally by Washington, has hosted Hamas’ political leaders since 2012 as part of an agreement with the US Doha has come under criticism from within the US and Israel over its ties to Hamas since Oct. 7.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has said repeatedly over the last year that the Hamas office exists in Doha to allow negotiations with the group and that as long as the channel remained useful Qatar would allow the Hamas office to remain open.
Negotiators from Israel’s Mossad spy agency have repeatedly met mediators in Doha over the last year and Qatari government officials have shuttled back-and-forth to Hamas leaders in the political office.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578599/middle-east
---------
Lebanon says three dead in Israel strikes on Tyre
November 08, 2024
BEIRUT: The Lebanese health ministry said at least three people were killed and 30 others wounded on Friday in Israeli strikes on the southern city of Tyre.
The official National News Agency said the strikes targeted three buildings in the city and caused heavy damage to neighboring apartment blocks.
It said Israel had issued no evacuation warning ahead of the strikes.
Israel has been at war with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah since late September, when it broadened its focus from fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip to securing its northern border, even as the Gaza war continues.
Hezbollah began low intensity strikes on Israel in support of Hamas following its Palestinian ally’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which triggered the Gaza war.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578581/middle-east
---------
‘Strong likelihood’ famine imminent in north Gaza, say food security experts
November 08, 2024
LONDON: There is a “strong likelihood that famine is imminent in areas” of the northern Gaza Strip, a committee of global food security experts warned on Friday, as Israel pursues a military offensive against Palestinian militants Hamas in the area.
“Immediate action, within days not weeks, is required from all actors who are directly taking part in the conflict, or have influence on its conduct, to avert and alleviate this catastrophic situation,” the independent Famine Review Committee (FRC) said in a rare alert.
The warning comes just days ahead of a US deadline for Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or face potential restrictions on US military aid.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578563/middle-east
----------
Iraqi Islamic Resistance claims drone strike on Israeli military site
2024-11-09
Shafaq News/ The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) announced on Friday it had carried out a drone strike targeting a military site in Northern Israel.
IRI affirmed in a statement its commitment to intensifying its operations against “enemy” strongholds, pledging that further strikes would occur "at an increasing pace."
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has mounted near-daily rocket and drone attacks on Israeli targets amid the ongoing war involving Gaza and Lebanon.
Since April, Israel has reported multiple aerial incursions from its eastern border, although it has refrained from attributing responsibility to a specific group. Israel has also announced that it has intercepted drones outside its airspace on several occasions.
Source:shafaq.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraqi-Islamic-Resistance-claims-drone-strike-on-Israeli-military-site
----------
Arab World
Virtual, AI-powered Saudi travel companion impresses visitors at travel exhibition in London
November 09, 2024
RIYADH: The Saudi Tourism Authority unveiled the beta version of SARA, its new travel companion app for visitors to the Kingdom, at the World Travel Market exhibition in London this week.
It allows users to interact with a digital female guide, powered by AI, who is deeply knowledgeable about Saudi Arabia and offers insights and advice about the country’s tourist destinations, historical landmarks, archaeological sites, cultural diversity, international events, and anything else a visitor might be interested in.
SARA was on show in the Visit Saudi pavilion at the World Travel Market, which began on Monday and concluded on Wednesday. Officials said she interacted directly with attendees, who were captivated by her engaging stories about the Kingdom’s tourist attractions and experiences, and the extensive information she was able to provide.
The app reflects the nation’s progressive approach to smart tourism, they added, and leverages the latest developments in AI so that it can respond to questions, understand visitor needs, and offer personalized information and suggestions in a natural and seamless conversational style.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578602/saudi-arabia
----------
How Saudi Arabia’s wild lotus shrub was brought back from the brink of extinction
HAIFA ALSHAMMARI
November 08, 2024
RIYADH: After coming to the brink of extinction, the wild lotus shrub has been rediscovered in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region. This revival is owed in large part to the afforestation and land reclamation efforts of nature reserves and the Saudi Green Initiative.
Protecting and preserving wild areas, along with restoring trees and plants to the environment, such as this annual shrub with its vibrant red flowers, are key components of Saudi Arabia’s sustainable development agenda.
The wild lotus is native to areas stretching from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Arabian Peninsula. It thrives in arid regions and dry shrubland biomes, found in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and the Sinai Peninsula.
Nasser Al-Majlad, president of Aman Environmental Society, told the Saudi Press Agency that the wild lotus shrub has been found thriving in streams in the valleys of the Kingdom’s Northern Borders region.
Locally known as “Hamar Ward” or “Harbith,” the shrub blooms during the hot summer months, producing small, red flowers. Its scientific name is Lotus lanuginosus.
“Wild Lotus, or Hamar Ward, is an herbaceous perennial wild plant, branched, extending vertically to 40 cm or 20 cm, and its leaves are compound with five leaflets and their dimensions are from 1.3 to 0.5 cm,” Obid Aloni, an environmental activist and member of Al-Yusr and Desert Plants Association, told Arab News.
Herbaceous perennial plants complete their life cycle over a period of more than two years. They have non-woody stems, allowing them to reach their full height and produce flowers year after year.
Aloni, who has specialized in plants and agriculture for 30 years, told Arab News that the wildflower serves as a stunning embellishment in both cultivated and rocky landscapes.
“It is planted usually at the beginning of winter — for those who want to plant it — like spring flowers,” he said, adding that the species had almost reached extinction if not for the efforts of royal reserves in Saudi Arabia.
In addition to the wild lotus shrub, Saudi Arabia’s wilderness is home to a diverse array of flower species — including the Convolvulus buschiricus. Native to Hegra in the Madinah province, this shrubby plant has hairy stems that can grow up to 1 meter in height. It also has pink, scentless flowers measuring 2.5 cm in width.
Also found in Hegra is the Retama raetam, a shrubby plant with thin, flexible branches. Its small flowers, measuring one cm in width, are accompanied by simple, narrow leaves that are 10 mm long.
Other Saudi wildflowers include the Lavandula dentata in Asir’s Jabal Soudah, Echinops in Diriyah and Teucrium oliverianum in Tumair, Riyadh province. Teucrium oliverianum, commonly known as “ahneh,” is also found in the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, located in the Kingdom’s northern provinces.
Afforestation and the preservation of natural habitats in the Kingdom have advanced significantly in recent years, driven by environmental protection schemes like the Saudi Green Initiative.
One of the key goals of the SGI is to rehabilitate more than 74 million hectares of land by planting 10 billion trees nationwide, while also restoring the Kingdom’s natural greenery.
Through extensive planting efforts, the Saudi government aims to restore vital ecological functions, improve air quality, and, ultimately, reduce the frequency of sandstorms.
Since 2021, more than 49 million trees and shrubs have been planted, and 94,000 hectares of degraded land have been rehabilitated, according to the SGI website.
Saudi Arabia’s commitment to environmental protection extends beyond its borders, making a significant impact at both a regional and global level.
The Kingdom launched the Middle East Green Initiative in 2021 to help mitigate the impact of climate change in the wider region and position Saudi Arabia as a leader in global sustainability efforts.
The MGI also promotes afforestation with the aim of planting some 50 billion trees across the Middle East.
Also contributing greatly to the restoration of nature in Saudi Arabia is the NEOM giga-project taking shape on the Kingdom’s northwestern coastline. In collaboration with the National Center for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification, NEOM has been implementing its own regreening initiative since 2022.
Khaled Al-Abdulqader, the center’s CEO, highlighted in a NEOM report that the regreening initiative will significantly support efforts to protect the environment, in addition to “directly contributing to the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative.”
Through dedicated afforestation efforts, wildflowers like the wild lotus and other native plants may have the opportunity to grow and thrive, even in some of the most arid regions of the world.
The Kingdom’s commitment to maintaining a healthy environment and balancing its ecosystem is a key goal of its Vision 2030 agenda, aimed at ensuring sustainable development while creating a thriving society.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578590/saudi-arabia
----------
Makkah royal commission showcases city’s cultural, tourist offerings at World Travel Market
November 08, 2024
LONDON: The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites this week showcased key projects that highlight the Saudi city’s rich cultural and historical significance, as part of the Saudi delegation at the World Travel Market 2024 in London.
Major initiatives featured by the RCMC included the Hira Cultural District, the Revelation Exhibition, the Kiswa Factory of the Holy Kaaba, and the Institute of Manuscripts and Revival of Islamic Heritage.
The RCMC pavilion also provided insights into major infrastructure developments, such as Makkah’s public transportation system.
This system, with 12 bus routes covering all neighborhoods, is designed to ensure seamless, reliable travel and improve the quality of life for both residents and visiting pilgrims.
This year’s World Travel Market event, which finished on Thursday, also saw Ahmed Al-Khateeb, the Saudi minister of tourism and chairman of the Saudi Tourism Authority, launch the Kingdom’s participation with the Saudi Land Pavilion.
The pavilion included the Visit Saudi exhibition, organized by the Saudi Tourism Authority for the fourth consecutive year and supported by more than 70 partners in the sector, including destinations, hotels, airlines and travel companies.
Al-Khateeb said: “Saudi Arabia, the fastest-growing tourist destination globally, seeks to solidify its leadership in world tourism, aligning with the Saudi Vision 2030 goals by highlighting unique destinations, new projects, and significant investment opportunities.”
He added: “Saudi Arabia is the largest global investor in the tourism sector.”
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578587/saudi-arabia
---------
Meet Reman Assere, Saudi Arabia’s youngest Arabic calligraphy instructor
TAREQ AL-THAQAFI
November 08, 2024
MAKKAH: After qualifying at just 11 years old, Reman Assere officially became Saudi Arabia’s youngest calligraphy instructor.
Her journey started in fifth grade, sparked by a school activity. She began with basic exercises but, with continuous practice and self-learning through platforms such as YouTube, she steadily refined her skills.
Her ambitions and her love of the art drove her to undertake professional training in Kufic calligraphy, believed to be the earliest example of a universal style of Arabic calligraphy. Once qualified, she was registered on the Ministry of Culture’s official platform, Al-Khattat.
What truly set her apart and caught people’s attention was her relentless dedication to learning. Even during vacations, she practiced tirelessly, seeking out special events and connecting with other calligraphers.
Now aged 15, Assere told Arab News that her professional training was carried out under the guidance Shurooq Al-Harbi. She also highlighted the pivotal role played in her development by Prof. Siraj Al-Omari, whose ongoing support and encouragement were instrumental.
Today, Assere has become proficient in both in writing and teaching Kufic calligraphy and is expanding her expertise to include the Diwani style.
However, her journey has been far from easy. A lack of calligraphy institutes in her native region of Abha posed considerable challenges and meant she had to rely on online courses or travel to other cities.
It was worth it, however. Her numerous awards include first place in the 2023 Cultural Skills Competition and the Ministry of Education’s National Olympiad for Arabic Calligraphy. She has also demonstrated her talents at prominent events, such as the Layalina Festival in Wadi Al-Dawasir and the Abha Shopping and Entertainment Festival.
Assere has also led courses at the Holy Mosque Library in Makkah and organized calligraphy workshops in schools.
Today, she is recognized as one of the most influential trainers in Arabic calligraphy, teaching across all age groups. She takes pride in seeing her students compete in calligraphy competitions, a testament to the success of her approach and teaching methods.
Even in an age of rapid technological advancements, Assere is confident that calligraphy’s unique beauty will endure. She believes the future is bright for students and trainees, as the art of calligraphy continues to inspire and cultivate creativity.
She explained how the beauty of Arabic calligraphy is in the balance and harmony of its letters, with fluid lines that interlace. For Assere, Arabic calligraphy not only captures the essence and grace of the Arabic language, but it also allows the writer to convey thoughts and emotions.
Arabic calligraphy is celebrated for its variety of styles, including Kufic, Naskh, Thuluth, Diwani, and Ruq’ah, each with a unique character and distinct lettering technique. Rooted in precise geometric principles, Arabic calligraphy achieves a harmonious visual balance, allowing for flexibility in letter formation, overlapping designs, and intricate decorative motifs.
Assere said: “The beauty of Arabic calligraphy extends beyond writing; it is a visual art that enhances both artworks and decorations. Over time, it has become a cultural symbol that embodies Arab and Islamic identity.”
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578584/saudi-arabia
---------
Saudi Arabia’s urban planning on display at WUF
November 08, 2024
The Saudi presence also underlined the positive effect of these strategies on achieving sustainable urban development and improving the quality of life in Saudi cities, in line with the goals of Vision 2030.
Through representatives and officials of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and more than 30 national entities, the Saudi pavilion showed the Kingdom’s efforts to adopt and expand comprehensive urban planning practices focused on sustainability, and apply the requirement to study environmental impact in municipal and investment projects.
The meetings highlighted the concept of smart municipalities aimed at improving the quality of municipal services in Saudi regions and adopting modern technologies and enhanced municipal regulations for smart city policies, as well as the use of artificial intelligence technologies and data in improving the quality of life.
The pavilion highlighted prominent Saudi infrastructure development initiatives, in line with international quality standards, that meet the needs of residents and visitors of Saudi cities, the Saudi Press Agency reported, in addition to urban landscape development projects and visual distortion treatment projects.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578578/saudi-arabia
---------
Saudi foreign minister, Blinken discuss regional crises
November 08, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke on the phone on Friday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the call, they reviewed regional issues, with a particular focus on Gaza and Lebanon and ongoing efforts to address the issues there, SPA added.
In a separate call on Friday with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Blinken stressed the need to stop the fighting in Sudan and the need to support efforts to form a civilian government, the State Department said.
Blinken also discussed the need to expand humanitarian access to Sudan and thanked the UAE for its provision of aid for Gaza and Lebanon, according to a State Department statement.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578566/saudi-arabia
---------
Craft program agreement signed in Jeddah
November 08, 2024
JEDDAH: The Princess Seeta bint Abdul Aziz endowment organization, or Wqfsba, has signed an agreement with the Daam Association for the Care of Divorced Women, Widows and their Children. It aims to support the programs and projects set for 2025, including research collaborations, supporting craft and industrial projects, as well as training and empowering beneficiaries and their children to be self-reliant.
The agreement was signed during a visit by Princess Jawaher bint Turki bin Abdullah, chairperson of the programs and activities committee at the endowment organization, to an exhibition held by the Daam association in Jeddah, showcasing the products made by beneficiaries.
The exhibition aims to support beneficiary families and promote community programs focusing on empowering women as well as supporting handicraft projects.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578588/saudi-arabia
---------
Saudi health minister unveils new healthcare projects in Qassim
November 08, 2024
BURAIDAH: Saudi Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel visited Qassim to review several healthcare projects designed to enhance the quality, efficiency and accessibility of medical services for residents.
These initiatives align with the objectives of the Health Sector Transformation Program, a key component of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which aims to foster a “vibrant society” enjoying a healthy and prosperous life, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
His visit marked the inauguration of several healthcare projects, including 54 initiatives valued at more than SR 448 million ($119.4 million). Among these were key projects under the Qassim Health Cluster, such as the dental center in Unaizah, along with community-supported initiatives worth nearly SR102 million.
Highlights included the Prince Faisal bin Mishaal Fertility Center in Buraidah, the Abdullah Saleh Al-Othaim Diabetes Treatment Center at Al-Rass General Hospital, the Al-Rajhi Bank Cardiac Catheterization Center, and several other specialized healthcare facilities.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578576/saudi-arabia
---------
Hundreds of events set to wow audiences at Jazan’s winter festival
November 08, 2024
RIYADH: Audiences will be spoilt for choice at the Jazan Winter Festival, with 300 fantastic events on the program, reported the Saudi Press Agency.
General supervisor Yahya bin Jaber Al-Ghazwani told a press conference that the festival, under the patronage of Jazan Governor Prince Mohammed bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz, included 200 diverse events implemented by the region’s secretariat and 100 by other government agencies and departments.
Al-Ghazwani said this year’s winter season would last for 90 days with events taking place at 42 sites across Jazan city and the region’s governorates.
The calendar includes the international book fair, craft bus, Saudi international coffee festival and Jazan international festival for performing arts, along with concerts, cultural events, forums, poetry evenings, sports events, waterfront events, and park and heritage events.
On Thursday, the skies above Jazan’s North Corniche witnessed the launch of more than 3,000 balloons in various colors to celebrate the Jazan Winter Festival 2025.
Hundreds of residents, visitors and volunteers marveled at the spectacle, which included artistic formations of illuminated balloons.
The event marks the start of a busy winter season aimed at promoting local tourism in an atmosphere of joy and entertainment.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578549/saudi-arabia
----------
Northern Borders region experiences unusual start to winter
RASHID HASSAN
November 08, 2024
RIYADH: Heavy rain, snow and giant hailstones mean the Northern Borders region in Saudi Arabia is experiencing an unusual start to winter.
Video clips shared on social media show hail and snow blanketing areas in Al-Jouf, Hail and Tabuk with the mountains now covered, according to local residents.
Posting a video on X, a user called Sarahh wrote: “Hail suffered heavy hail on 2 November, the desert road between Rafha and Hail turned white. Heavy hail also occurred in Turaif and north of Madinah region.”
While snowfall is not unusual in the region each year, the early onset of winter has taken people by surprise as it is usually experienced in December and January.
“The heavy rainfall, hailstorm, with record-breaking sub-zero temperatures at this time and snowfall as a result … are a pleasant surprise and also an indicator that climate change is real. For those who say climate change is not real, take a peek at the cold weather conditions that Saudi Arabia is currently going through in the Northern Borders region at the onset of winter,” said Riyadh resident Mohammed Al-Harbi.
The weather has also caused flash floods in some areas, while on Friday the National Center for Meteorology forecast: “Dust-stirring winds will blow and moderate to heavy rain accompanied by hail, leading to flash floods in parts of Hail, Al-Jouf, the Northern Borders, Jazan, Aseer, and Al-Baha.”
Light to moderate rain is expected in parts of the Makkah and Madinah regions, it said, adding that there may also be fog in those areas and in southern parts of the Eastern region.
Meanwhile, winds over the Red Sea will be westerly to north westerly at speeds of 10-30 km per hour in northern and central parts, and southwesterly to westerly at speeds of 10-30 km per hour in the southern part. Waves may reach from 1-1.5 meters with thunder clouds forming in the latter, with calm to choppy waters.
In the Arabian Gulf, winds will be northerly to northwesterly, reaching 10-40 km per hour. Waves may range from 1-2 meters and the sea will be relatively calm.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578545/saudi-arabia
---------
NorthAmerica
FBI investigates racist text messages sent to black people across US
Nov 9, 2024
Authorities are investigating racist text messages sent to black Americans across the country telling them to report to a plantation "to pick cotton".
Black Americans, including school and college students, were among the recipients in states including Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania.
“The FBI is aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country and is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter,” the agency said.
The messages appear to have started on Wednesday, the day after election day. Some of the messages mentioned the Trump campaign – which strongly denied any connection.
Steven Cheung, a campaign spokesman, said: “The campaign has absolutely nothing to do with these text messages.”
The source of the anonymous messages and the total number sent are unclear.
A 42-year-old mother in Indiana sent a copy of the texts her high-school-aged daughter received to the BBC.
The messages said that the daughter had "been selected to become a slave at your nearest plantation" and would be "picked up in a white van" and "searched thoroughly once you’ve reached your destination".
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous for her safety, called the messages “extremely, extremely alarming” and made her feel "really vulnerable".
“It’s because of America’s history, but the timing is specific to the day after the election,” she said. “This had to be a strategised effort.”
Another recipient, Hailey Welch, told a University of Alabama student newspaper that several students on the campus had also received the messages.
“At first I thought it was a joke, but everyone else was getting them. People were texting, posting on their stories, saying they got them,” Ms Welch told The Crimson White. “I was just stressed out, and I was scared because I didn’t know what was happening.”
The wording of the messages varied but generally instructed recipients to report to a “plantation” or wait to be picked up in a van, and referred to “slave” labour.
The texts were sent from numbers with area codes in at least 25 different states, according to CBS News, the BBC's partner network in the US.
TextNow, a mobile provider that allows people to create phone numbers for free, said it found one or more of its accounts were used to send text messages "in violation of its terms of service". The company disabled the accounts within an hour of discovering the misuse, it said in a statement.
"We do not condone the use of our service to send harassing or spam messages and will work with the authorities to prevent these individuals from doing so in the future," it said.
Civil rights group NAACP condemned the messages saying they were a consequence of President-elect Trump’s election.
"These actions are not normal, ” said the group's chief executive Derrick Johnson. “These messages represent an alarming increase in vile and abhorrent rhetoric from racist groups across the country, who now feel emboldened to spread hate and stoke the flames of fear that many of us are feeling after Tuesday's election results.”
Jessica Rosenworcel, chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission, which is also investigating the messages, said: "These messages are unacceptable. We take this type of targeting very seriously.”
In several states, top law enforcement officials said they were aware of the messages and encouraged residents to report them to the authorities if they received them.
The office of Nevada’s attorney general said it was working to “probe into the source of what appear to be robotext messages”.
In a statement, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said Louisiana Bureau of Investigation officers had traced some of the messages to a virtual private network – a method of masking the origins of electronic communications – based in Poland.
Murrill said investigators “have found no original source - meaning they could have originated from any bad actor state in the region or the world”.
The Indiana mother responded to reports the messages could have originated abroad, telling the BBC: “It doesn't make it any safer or better that it could have been foreign.”
“They know the mindset of America,” she said.
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy93dp4zk3o
----------
US charges man over alleged Iranian plot to kill Trump
Madeline Halpert
Nov 9, 2024
The US government has brought charges against an Afghan national in connection with an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Donald Trump before he was elected as the next president.
The Department of Justice on Friday unsealed an indictment against Farhad Shakeri, 51, alleging he was tasked with “providing a plan” to kill Trump.
The US government said Mr Shakeri has not been arrested and is believed to be in Iran - which described the claims as "completely baseless".
In a criminal complaint filed in Manhattan court, prosecutors allege that an official in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard directed Mr Shakeri in September to devise a plan to surveil and kill Trump.
“The Justice Department has charged an asset of the Iranian regime who was tasked by the regime to direct a network of criminal associates to further Iran’s assassination plots against its targets, including President-elect Donald Trump,” US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
The justice department also charged two others allegedly recruited to kill an American journalist who was an outspoken critic of Iran.
The other individuals were identified by the justice department as Carlisle Rivera, also known as "Pop", 49, from Brooklyn, and Jonathon Loadholt, 36, from Staten Island.
The two appeared in court in the Southern District of New York on Thursday and are being detained pending a trial.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said similar accusations of attempts to assassinate US presidents had been made in the past, which Iran denied and went on to be false.
In a statement, Mr Baghaei added that repeating such claims risked "further complicating the issues between the US and Iran".
Trump has faced two separate alleged assassination attempts this year. In July, a gunman grazed the former president's ear after shooting at him during a Pennsylvania rally.
Then, in September, a man was arrested for pointing a rifle at Trump who was golfing on his course in West Palm Beach.
Mr Shakeri was asked to come up with a plan to kill Trump in seven days, the indictment alleges.
According to prosecutors, Mr Shakeri told law enforcement that he did not intend to propose a scheme to kill Trump within that seven-day timeframe, so the Iranian Revolutionary Guard officials put the plan on pause.
Mr Shakeri said the Iranian government told him it would be easier to try to assassinate Trump after the election, because they believed he would lose, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors described Mr Shakeri as an Afghan national who came to the US when he was a child. He was eventually deported around 2008 after spending 14 years in prison for a robbery conviction.
Prosecutors say the 51-year-old used “a network of criminal associates”, from prison, including Mr Rivera and Mr Loadholt, to conduct surveillance on the Iranian government’s targets.
Mr Shakeri promised Mr Rivera and Mr Loadholt $100,000 to murder the American journalist, who had reported on the Iranian regime’s human rights abuses and corruption, prosecutors alleged. The journalist, who was not named, had been targeted in the past, prosecutors said.
In a post on social media Friday, Brooklyn-based journalist Masih Alinejad said the FBI had arrested two men for attempting to kill her. She said the alleged killers came to the front of her house in Brooklyn.
"I came to America to practice my First Amendment right to freedom of speech—I don’t want to die," Ms Alinejad wrote. "I want to fight against tyranny, and I deserve to be safe."
In addition to the American journalist and Trump, the indictment alleges the Iranian government sought to kill two Jewish American businesspeople living in New York City, who were supportive of Israel on social media.
Mr Shakeri also told prosecutors that his Iranian contacts asked him to plan a mass shooting to target Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka in October 2024, a year after the Hamas attacks on Israel.
Mr Shakeri, Mr Rivera and Mr Loadholt were all charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. They also face counts of money laundering conspiracy - which could lead to 20 years in prison - and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire.
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx28x187rmko
---------
Muslim-Americans favored Jill Stein in 2024
NOV 08, 2024
A majority of Muslim-Americans voted for Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein in this week’s election, while just 21 percent supported Republican Donald Trump and 20 percent voted for Vice President Kamala Harris, according to newly released data.
The survey, conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and released on Friday, polled 1,575 verified Muslim-American voters nationwide. ,
CAIR also released exit polling results from Michigan and Maryland voters. Out of the 502 Muslim-Americans surveyed in Michigan, 59% supported Dr. Stein, 22% voted for Trump, and 14% pulled the lever for Harris. Stein received 81% of the vote from Muslim-Americans in Maryland with Harris earning 12% and Trump around 4%.
The results stand in stark contrast to results from previous cycles. CAIR found that in 2020 President Biden had support from 69% of those surveyed, with Trump earning 17%, and other candidates 3%. Additionally, a study released in October of 2016 found that 72% of Muslim-American voters supported Hillary Clinton, while 4% voted for Trump, and 5% chose other candidates.
CAIR says the dramatic shift away from the Democratic Party candidate can be explained in large part by President Biden’s Middle East policy. ”Our final exit poll of American Muslim voters confirms that opposition to the Biden administration’s support for the war on Gaza played a crucial role,” CAIR National Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw said, “leading to a sharp drop in support for Vice President Harris compared to the support President Biden received from Muslim voters in 2020, and a sharp rise in support for third party candidate Jill Stein. President-Elect Trump also managed to make in-roads with Muslim voters.”
Source:responsiblestatecraft.org
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/muslim-americans-favored-stein/
---------
Most Michigan Muslims voted for Jill Stein, followed by Trump, exit poll suggests
By Steve Neavling
Nov 8, 2024
Many Arab Americans in Michigan followed through on their pledge to vote against Kamala Harris on Tuesday, with fewer than one in seven Muslims casting a ballot for the Democratic nominee, according to an exit poll released Friday.
In fact, about 59% of the state’s Muslim residents voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein, according to the poll, conducted through a partnership between Molitico Consulting and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group.
About 22% cast a ballot for Trump, and 14% voted for Harris, according to the survey of 502 Muslim voters.
The Trump campaign heavily courted Arab American voters in Dearborn and Hamtramck, two cities with the highest concentration of Arab Americans in the U.S.
Meanwhile, Harris shut down pro-Palestinian protesters at her first Detroit rally and repeatedly refused to meet with leaders of the Uncommitted Movement, causing the antiwar group to decline to endorse her.
Trump narrowly defeated Harris in Michigan, 49.7% to 48.3%.
Muslim Americans in other states also favored Stein, according to a nationwide poll by CAIR and Molitico. About 53% voted for Stein, while Trump received 21% and Harris 20% nationwide.
“Our final exit poll of American Muslim voters confirms that opposition to the Biden administration's support for the war on Gaza played a crucial role, leading to a sharp drop in support for Vice President Harris compared to the support President Biden received from Muslim voters in 2020, and a sharp rise in support for third party candidate Jill Stein,” CAIR National Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw said. “President-Elect Trump also managed to make in-roads with Muslim voters.”
Until this election, a majority of Muslims voters in Michigan favored Democrats, although some local Arab Americans and conservatives found common ground in recent months over their opposition to LGBTQ+ rights.
Source:metrotimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.metrotimes.com/news/most-michigan-muslims-voted-for-jill-stein-followed-by-trump-exit-poll-suggests-37805422
---------
Pelosi blames Biden for election loss as finger pointing intensifies
Christal Hayes
Nov9, 2024
Former US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said Democrats might have fared better in Tuesday's election if President Joe Biden had exited the race sooner.
Pelosi - one of the most powerful politicians in Washington - told the New York Times that "had the president gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race".
Her remarks are the latest finger pointing from Democrats after the party lost hold of the White House and potentially both chambers of Congress on Tuesday.
Pelosi is widely reported to have led the Democrats’ push to oust Biden, who ended up leaving the race at the end of July after weeks of pressure following a poor debate performance against Donald Trump.
As Biden ended his campaign, he quickly endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to take his place. She suffered a bruising defeat to President-elect Trump on Tuesday.
Pelosi told the New York Times: "The anticipation was that, if the president were to step aside, that there would be an open primary."
An open primary would have involved a number of Democratic candidates competing to be elected by party members to succeed Biden as their White House nominee.
Pelosi argued that Harris would have done well in such a primary process and it would have made her "stronger going forward".
"But we don’t know that. That didn’t happen. We live with what happened," the California congresswoman, who was re-elected to her 20th term in the House on Tuesday, said.
"And because the president endorsed Kamala Harris immediately, that really made it almost impossible to have a primary at that time. If it had been much earlier, it would have been different."
Speaking to political news outlet Politico, Harris aides also laid the blame at Biden’s feet and said he should have bowed out sooner.
“We ran the best campaign we could, considering Joe Biden was president,” said one unnamed aide. “Joe Biden is the singular reason Kamala Harris and Democrats lost tonight.”
However, a former Biden aide told Axios, another political news outlet, that Harris was making excuses.
"How did you spend $1 billion and not win?” said the aide, adding an expletive.
An unnamed former Biden aide told Politico this week that former President Barack Obama’s advisers were to blame because they “publicly encouraged Democratic infighting to push Joe Biden out, didn’t even want Kamala Harris as the nominee”.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat, blamed the election loss on those who plotted to oust Biden.
“For those that decided and moved to break Biden, and then you got the election that you wanted, it’s appropriate to own the outcome and fallout,” he told political outlet Semafor in an interview.
Congressman Tom Suozzi, New York Democratic congressman, said the election loss was partly due to the party's focus on "being politically correct".
He said the party had struggled to counteract Republican attack lines on "anarchy on college campuses, defund the police, biological boys playing in girls' sports, and a general attack on traditional values".
Ritchie Torres, another New York Democratic congressman, posted on X, formerly Twitter, blaming "the far left”.
He said radicals within the party had “managed to alienate historic numbers of Latinos, Blacks, Asians, and Jews from the Democratic Party with absurdities like ‘Defund the Police’ or ‘From the River to the Sea’ or ‘Latinx’”.
Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who ran for president as a Democrat in 2016 and 2020, accused the party in a lengthy statement of abandoning working people.
"While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change," he wrote. "And they’re right."
He argued Democrats probably wouldn't learn from the election outcome.
But Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison responded on X that Sanders' accusation was "straight up BS".
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn7m24zg85eo
-----------
Will Republicans win the House? The outstanding races to watch
Nov 9, 2024
Rachel Looker
The party that will control the US House of Representatives for the next two years is not yet decided - but the Republicans look to be inching towards a majority that would hand them full control of the US government.
On Friday morning, the party was a handful of seats short of the 218 needed to take control of the lower chamber of Congress.
The Senate, or upper chamber, and the White House have already flipped to Republicans - meaning President-elect Donald Trump could have significant power to carry out his political agenda after he is sworn in on 20 January 2025.
Control of the House gives a party the power to initiate spending legislation and launch impeachment proceedings against officials.
Under Trump, a unified Republican Party could more easily push through tax cuts and introduce border control measures.
Here are some of the races that have yet to be called.
California: Democrats hold out hope for five potential gainsDemocrats are closely monitoring five seats in California they see as crucial to winning back the House.
Challengers are hoping to defeat the incumbent Republicans and flip the seats blue, but polling has shown incumbents holding onto their seats by narrow margins.
The key races to watch are:
California's 45th congressional district: Republican Congresswoman Michelle Steel, the incumbent, has been leading against Democrat Derek Tran
California's 27th: Democrat George Whitesides is challenging incumbent Republican Congressman Mike Garcia. Garcia has been leading by a narrow margin
California's 41st: Incumbent Republican Congressman Ken Calvert is running against Democrat Will Rollins, and has also been leading by a narrow margin
California's 22nd: Democrat Rudy Salas is challenging incumbent Republican Congressman David Valadao, who has been enjoying a lead
California's 13th: Incumbent Republican Congressman John Duarte is running against Democrat Adam Gray, and has been leading
Arizona: two toss-up seats
There are two closely-watched races in this swing state.
Republican Juan Ciscomani, the Republican, appears to be neck and neck with his Democratic challenger, Kirsten Engel, in Arizona's 6th district, located in the south-east corner of the state.
In Arizona's 1st district, David Schweikert has a slight lead over Democratic challenger Amish Shah. This district covers north-eastern Maricopa County, outside Phoenix.
Maine: Democrat looks to defend seat in toss-up race
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Jared Golden is fighting to keep his seat in Maine's 2nd congressional district - one of two congressional districts in the state. This encompasses the majority of the state north of Augusta and Portland.
Golden is currently leading in the race against his Republican challenger, Austin Theriault. Almost all votes have been counted.
Ohio: Democrat leads by less than one point
Democrats are looking to hold onto one seat in Ohio's 9th congressional district, which encompasses Toledo in the state's north.
Incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, who has served in Congress since 1983, narrowly leads in the race against her Republican challenger, Derek Merrin, with almost all votes now counted.
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c04ld19vlg6o
---------
How US election fraud claims changed as Trump won
Nov 9, 2024
Mike Wendling & Jake Horton
In the build-up to Tuesday’s US election, claims of voter fraud flooded social media - but as Donald Trump’s victory crystallised, the chatter largely subsided.
The claims didn’t stop entirely, however. A number of right-wing influencers and organisations pushing stories about “cheating” and a “rigged” vote pointed to incomplete vote totals and continued to repeat discredited theories about the 2020 election.
And disappointed Democratic Party supporters developed their own unsubstantiated voter fraud theories, some of which went viral on X, formerly Twitter, and other platforms.
The reach of the posts is nowhere near the deluge of content that circulated after Trump lost the 2020 election.
And with no support from losing candidate Kamala Harris or other Democratic Party officials, the chances seem slim of a large-scale movement developing along the lines of the “Stop the Steal” drive four years ago, which culminated in a riot at the US Capitol.
How did fraud claims develop on election day?
The BBC tracked a huge wave of pre-election fraud claims that carried through election day and into the evening.
These included claims of the vote being “stolen” in some key swing states, with exaggerated takes on real events being used in some cases to bolster the allegations.
Early on election day in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, a Republican stronghold, there were problems with voting machines malfunctioning. The issues were fixed and voting hours in the affected areas were extended.
However, many online immediately used the story to suggest nefarious activities were taking place.
One post at 08:45 local time on Tuesday said: “The election steal is happening!”
Other rumours were spread in posts that popped up throughout the day, including one at around 14:00, which claimed ballots in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, had been pre-marked for Kamala Harris.
In Milwaukee, the biggest city in the swing state of Wisconsin, elections officials made a decision to re-run around 30,000 ballots out of an “abundance of caution”, after doors on the back of voting machines were left open.
Once the count was completed, it showed that support for Harris had dropped compared with Joe Biden's four years earlier.
Like many of the pro-Trump posters, Harris supporters pointed to real but isolated events - fires at ballot drop boxes in Washington and Oregon, and a series of fake bomb threats that disrupted voting at several polling locations on election day - as evidence of widespread voter fraud.
However, there’s no evidence that the incidents significantly altered the vote or changed the outcome.
Several posts from Democratic Party activists questioning the result went viral and were seen by millions on X and other platforms.
Pam Keith, a Harris supporter in Florida, posted: “Is it possible that the machines were hacked to switch the tallies from Harris to Trump?” Her message was seen more than one million times on X, according to the site’s metrics. The BBC has reached out to her for comment.
Unlike Trump’s campaign in 2020, however, the Harris campaign and top Democratic Party officials have not endorsed allegations of cheating or voter fraud.
On election day, fraud rumours also came from President-elect Trump himself, who has repeatedly argued from the outset of his political career that the voting system is unfairly stacked against him.
Just after 16:30 Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social: “A lot of talk about massive CHEATING in Philadelphia. Law Enforcement coming!!!”
The now president-elect did not give any details and the Philadelphia Police Department told BBC Verify they were not aware of what Trump was referring to.
Seth Bluestein, the Republican City Commissioner in Philadelphia, posted on X: "There is absolutely no truth to this allegation. It is yet another example of disinformation. Voting in Philadelphia has been safe and secure."
Trump has not repeated the fraud allegations since election day.
We have contacted several hugely influential accounts that regularly posted about election fraud claims in the build-up to the vote, but none of them replied.
With data firm NodeXL, the BBC tracked accounts that engaged with Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Lara Trump and Elon Musk on X around election day.
Posts mentioning vote fraud peaked at 15:00 EST on 5 November - but then dropped off significantly that evening and into the next day as polls closed and results came in.
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy9j8r8gg0do
---------
Divided Arizona contends with Trump's sweeping border plan
Nov 9, 2024
Donald Trump has offered a sweeping immigration pitch that he has promised to begin on the first day of his presidency, including mass deportations and a major crackdown on illegal border crossings. Arizona could find itself on the frontline of these moves, and the sharply divided state is contending with what they could mean.
In the Phoenix home of the Villalobos family, members across three generations discussed Donald Trump's decisive election victory with their friends.
Over Latin jazz and a dinner of empanadas, beans and rice, the group - mostly women - were close to tears.
“I really had hope for humanity, and I feel like we were let down,” said Monica Villalobos, 45. “It changes the way we think about ourselves in the Latino community.”
Her family made America their home after immigrating from Jalisco, Mexico. They worry that friends and relatives' families could be torn apart with deportations.
Trump has promised the biggest mass deportations of migrants in US history, and has pledged to seal the border and stop the “migrant invasion". He is also promising to hire 10,000 Border Patrol agents and says he will ask Congress to give all agents a 10 % pay raise.
His message is one that resonates with many voters here who consistently rank immigration and border security as top concerns. Many detail seeing the impacts of illegal migration firsthand, but voters are divided on how to handle it.
Arizona was, for a time, a Republican stronghold. Trump was the first to lose here in more than 20 years when Joe Biden came out victorious in 2020. The 2024 result is still too close to call - a testament to just how split residents are.
Voters on Tuesday, however, overwhelmingly approved a Republican-supported measure that gives sheriffs, police and state law enforcement the authority to enforce federal immigration laws and arrest those who cross the border illegally. It had faced opposition from Democratic and Latino groups, who argue it could result in racial profiling.
There are an estimated 12 million undocumented migrants in the US, and many have lived and worked here for decades. When discussing Trump's mass deportation proposals, Ms Villalobos's niece, 19-year-old university student Alexandra de Leon, said they were "terrifying".
“It’s your neighbours, it's the people you see in the grocery store, it's your teachers, it's your friend’s parents,” she said. “To know that those people are in danger and their families could be torn apart at any moment… it's heartbreaking.”
One of the main storylines of election night was the extent to which Trump racked up huge support from Latino voters nationwide. He saw a mammoth 14 percentage-point bump compared to the 2020 election, according to exit polls.
One of these supporters is Jorge Gonzalez, Sr, who moved his family to Arizona from Mexico 20 years ago in the hope of building a more prosperous future. Now the proud owner of a body shop in Phoenix, he believes Trump’s policies will help him as a business owner.
“As a person I don’t like him, but as a politician, I like how he ran the economy. Many Latinos probably think he managed the country better,” he said.
“He allowed a large number of undocumented workers to come here and get work visas. I didn't see any family separations,” he added. “I saw that he integrated and allowed undocumented immigrants to live and work here in a regulated way."
Across the yard, Jorge’s son, Jorge Jr, was under a car examining brake pads and checking an engine.
As he swapped out wrenches, he said Trump had the right tools to be a successful president.
“I don't like his attitude. His mouth gets the better of him a lot of times, but when you are in a position of power or leadership, you need to be able to be a little bit tough,” he said.
When asked about the mass, militarised deportations Trump campaigned on in his home state, Jorge Jr just laughed.
“That's impossible!” he said, noting the millions of undocumented immigrants in the US. “You will need a lot of resources, planes, food, detention centres, police, more ICE officers, so I don't think it will be feasible.”
If the Trump administration were to move forward with mass deportations, they would likely face a host of challenges. Experts are wary that federal immigration authorities do not have proper staffing to track down migrants, or the capacity to hold them until a court date.
“You learn to develop a thick skin, especially coming from where we come from,” Jorge Jr said. “We don't pay attention to a lot of the things that people say, because we know those are just words and there's a long gap between the things that we say and the things that we actually do.”
Others are excited to see Trump's proposals come to fruition.
Mark Lamb, the sheriff in Pinal County - a conservative area just south-east of Phoenix - said Trump winning the White House would deter migrants.
“Once you start holding people accountable, securing the border, you're going to start to see a lot of these folks will go back on their own. And then we can start to go after the criminals, people that are causing problems in communities.”
But how Trump’s policies will actually work on the ground is still anyone’s guess.
“I don't think anybody has the resources right now,” Sheriff Lamb said. “But the people he picks are going to really have to figure out what that looks like.”
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2069w5lxw5o
---------
Trump’s victory shatters the EU’s illusion of American benevolence
8 Nov, 2024
EU officials are almost begging Trump not to bend them over a barrel. Biden didn’t have to since they assumed the position for him voluntarily.
While waiting for the US presidential election results to roll in, Washington’s viceroys in Europe – ambassadors from London and Paris to Brussels and Berlin who risked getting turfed out if Trump won – apparently opted for a quiet evening of singlehandedly stress-eating buckets of Ben and Jerry’s on the couch instead of hosting soirees and running the risk of choking on caviar if Trump ended up winning.
One senior American diplomat told Politico, “I don’t think there was appetite to watch another Trump victory,” calling the last one in 2016 “calamitous.” This kind of makes it sound like the place ended up looking like a frat house after a night of alcohol poisoning from drowning their sorrows.
Their EU establishment pals weren’t in much of a mood to celebrate, either. They’ve been acting like they’re facing imminent divorce from a marriage that everyone can see is toxic except them, behaving like a split from establishment Washington under Biden is about the worst thing that could happen to them. Right – because the EU is doing just so great right now, so is their riding shotgun with Uncle Sam on Ukraine. And on top of everything else, they’re really sticking it to Putin, who’s no doubt wiping his tears with Chinese yuan instead of euro now. And they’re not at all getting screwed on trade already with pricy American liquified natural gas to replace the cheap Russian gas. Life is just wonderful. Just ask all the Europeans who are voting the European establishment out in successive elections from France and eastern Germany to Austria and Slovakia.
But they figure that, if they’re forced into a transatlantic marriage with this Trump guy, then they’ll miss all the good times when the Biden administration was actually just gaslighting the heck out of them while the EU mistook it for goodwill. Pro tip: Friends don’t muse, mafia-style, right in front of you (and the press), about ending your economic lifeline. They don’t adopt “green” policies that just happen to offer incentives to lure away your imploding industry as a result of Nord Stream getting mysteriously whacked. They don’t cheer you on in adopting anti-Russia sanctions that destroy your own economy while theirs doesn’t have nearly the same exposure – and then say that they’ll help you out by selling you pricier energy replacements.
The fact that Western Europe is even lamenting Biden’s exit and Trump’s arrival sounds like it’s dealing with more of a clinical situation than a political one, particularly the way they’ve willingly assumed the position, yet again, despite fearing that they’d be made to.
For example, Britain’s Labour Party Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s relations with Trump were qualified recently as warm, probably just because of the flames from their bad bet going up in smoke. That would be the gamble of Labour going all-in against Trump with its operations director posting a shout-out on LinkedIn for volunteers from the UK to go pound the pavement in the US for Trump’s Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, whose campaign would pay for their hotel stay. Guess they were betting on Trump not noticing. He did though. And even called it foreign election meddling.
Trump also may or may not have noticed Labour officials barely coming short of calling him the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler. “Trump is not only a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathizing sociopath. He is also a profound threat to the international order that has been the foundation of Western progress for so long. It is because I cherish and champion those values that this Friday, I will march with London against Donald Trump,” Tottenham Labour MP David Lammy said over the summer, according to Time magazine.
But after Trump’s re-election, Starmer congratulated Trump, calling their relationship one of “closest of allies.” Guess all they can really do now is hope that he won’t remember any of this stuff, or ever bring it up again to use against them at an inopportune time. Like, for instance, when trying to score a US-UK post-Brexit trade deal despite the fact that their beloved Joe Biden couldn’t even be bothered putting a ring on it.
Meanwhile, over in Brussels… “I warmly congratulate Donald J. Trump. The EU and the US are more than just allies. We are bound by a true partnership between our people, uniting 800 million citizens. So let’s work together on a strong transatlantic agenda that keeps delivering for them,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media. Back in 2021, this unelected, de facto queen of Europe, heading up the battalion of desk bureaucratic jockeys that dictates EU policy, and whose role is perhaps best described as micro-managing Europe’s decline, was openly suggesting that the democratically elected Trump was a threat to democracy.
Even those who aspire to a seat aboard this sinking ship have joined in. The world’s most famous model of lawn care workwear, Vladimir Zelensky (aka the president of Ukraine), suggested to the BBC over the summer that dealing with Trump would mean that he’d have to apply an Uno reverse card to all sucking up that he’s used to receiving from the West, and start personally practicing his puckering – or as he calls it “hard work.” He added that perhaps Trump doesn’t really understand what goes on in Ukraine – as though anyone else has a clue either, given that Zelensky himself recently said that only about 10% of US military aid is even making it to the front lines. If anyone can see through BS, it’s probably lifelong New York real estate mogul, Trump. So that work would probably involve trying to bamboozle him. Good luck with that.
But in the wake of Trump’s victory, any suggestion that he was perhaps a dimbulb, who couldn’t appreciate the finer points of the war racket, vanished. Instead, Zelensky wrote a post that was so long it could be the social media equivalent of War and Peace, reminiscing about their “great meeting” back in September, and how he’s looking forward to “personally congratulating” Trump. He sounds like a high maintenance guy who would blow up your phone and camp out on your lawn after a first date.
Without Washington setting the GPS for the transatlantic alliance, the EU clown car is totally lost. And now that anti-establishment Trump has won again, they’re freaking out about being taken on a joyride. Or even that Trump may bail on their mutual Ukraine adventure and leave them broken down and stranded at the roadside along regime-change highway.
Perhaps it’s starting to dawn on them that it’s the Biden administration that took them so far down that road in the first place. Because EU leaders are now talking like maybe they need to start planning their own road trips – or lack thereof – totally independent of Washington, now that Trump is in charge.
Still, it’s hard to see anything but white-knuckle driving days ahead for the EU leaders to get control of the wheel after going all-in on the American-led agenda and against their own people’s interests on everything from Ukraine to their own economy – all under the totally delusional pretext that, if they crashed, Uncle Sam would always be there to give them a free ride.
In any case, they can’t say that their own people didn’t warn them, screaming from the backseat for them to stop before they launched themselves over a cliff.
Source:rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/607352-trump-victory-shatters-eu-illusion/
---------
Europe
Beneath Australian tourist mecca lies nation’s ‘largest sorry business’
8 November 2024
Rottnest Island is best known for its clear waters, undulating sandy dunes and friendly quokka, a furry marsupial about the size of a cat. But few visitors acknowledge its violent past.
Situated about 20km off the coast of Perth in Western Australia, the island was originally known as Wadjemup – or “the land across the seas where the spirits lie” – by the Whadjuk Noongar people, its custodians for tens of thousands of years.
Beneath this touristy haven lies Australia’s biggest deaths in custody site. Hundreds of men and boys were incarcerated there for almost a century and were buried in unmarked graves.
Their deaths are finally being honoured as Indigenous people gather from all over the state for a sombre commemoration.
Between 1838 and 1931, at least 4,000 Aboriginal men and boys were forcibly sent to the Rottnest Island Aboriginal Establishment. There, children as young as seven and men in their 80s suffered ill-treatment, disease and neglect.
At least 380 men and boys are buried in shallow graves on the island.
Aboriginal people have long campaigned for the history of the site to be acknowledged and told, says Whadjuk Noongar traditional owner of Wadjemup, Karen Jacobs.
“This is Australia’s biggest death in custody site and outside of Perth, even here, very few people know about it,” she says.
“Aboriginal lives had no value, absolutely no value at that time.”
This week hundreds of delegates from Albany to the Kimberley to the Central Desert have made their way to the island, to honour those lives lost and pay their final respects.
Jacobs says the island rests on Whadjuk land, so it was especially important that the local community honour those who were stolen from their communities and kin, many of whom never saw their home again.
“This is our largest sorry business. They’re someone’s son, someone’s brother, someone’s father, someone’s grandfather,” she says.
These commemorations have been decades in the making.
Recognition of the buried history of Rottnest has been slow and painful. In the 1970s the first human remains were discovered. Later, ground research revealed the scale of the burial ground, but generations of holidaymakers continued to pitch their tents on the grounds known as “tentland”, before the practice was finally banned in 2007.
“This is unfinished business and it’s 160 years overdue,” says Noongar musician, author and cultural adviser, Richard Walley.
The commemorations are bittersweet, he says, as the community comes together to share stories and recognise what was lost.
“It’s the same as a funeral process, there is that sharing but the emotions and the sorrow is very deep,” Walley says.
Many of the men and boys incarcerated were resistance fighters and warriors who battled encroaching settlers. Others were elders and knowledge holders whose removal from their communities had a devastating impact.
“They were a hindrance to the expansion of colonisation. They were the leaders and the governments of the day wanted them removed,” Walley says.
“This is truth-telling at its rawest and people need to understand the impact that colonisation has had on our people. That’s very important to know and understand, that it wasn’t a peaceful settlement. It was far from it. It was a brutal settlement,” he says.
Doris Eaton has made the journey from Port Headland, about 1,600km away, to Wadjemup. She has long heard the stories about men and boys stolen from their lands and taken in chains to the island.
“We need to free their souls and that’s what we’re doing here. Their spirits can be free and they can go back to home,” Eaton says.
The Njamal and Pitjikarli elder says remembering their loved ones helps to reconcile the state’s painful past.
“You’ve got to tell the truth, the healing comes from that. We’ve all got to come together to share this pain, black and white, because we are all part of that difficult journey.”
Thousands of years ago, Wadjemup was connected to the mainland. It was a place of celebration and ceremony for generations of Noongar people, where families would come together for dance, funerals and community gatherings for both joy and sorrow.
“The island has always been recognised as a place of ceremony, spiritual healing and celebration … But a lot of our cultural practice was so just traumatised with settlement and [its use] as an offshore prison,” Jacobs says.
Herbert Bropho’s grandfather was taken to the island from the small town of Wyndham, 3,000km away in WA’s north. Bropho has sat with elders who have travelled from Wyndham to pay their respects. Throughout the week these stories have been shared between communities whose loved ones were imprisoned on the island.
“We’re here to recognise these men and all the families from each community area are coming down to pay their respects … If it wasn’t for these men that stood up and fought for us, we wouldn’t be here today,” he says.
Bropho, who is one of the cultural advisers for the Rottnest Island Authority, says too many people remain ignorant about the site’s true history.
“Many of these stories are never heard – the yarns about men who were jailed, those [who] ran away, those who married and many who died and never left the island.
“We don’t hear those stories but the truth is coming out and I hope that everyone listens to that truth,” he says.
The commemorations have been spearheaded by the Wadjemup Project through the Rottnest Island Authority that was set up in 2020 as an Aboriginal-led process to reconcile the island’s history through truth-telling, healing and honouring the former prison sites, including historic buildings such as the quad, that confined prisoners in its tiny cells.
The hope for many, including Karen Jacobs is that the site can once again be returned to Aboriginal stewardship.
“We need to return the island to its point of significance, which is all about celebration and spiritual healing, to return it back to the true focus and the significance of the island of Wadjemup,” Jacobs says.
Source:yahoo.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/beneath-australian-tourist-mecca-lies-140026209.html
---------
'You weren't on an Xbox' - judge slams boy racer who smashed into Blackburn mosque in police chase
ByRachel Smith
9 NOV 2024
A judge slammed a VW Golf driver who crashed into a mosque in a high speed chase through Blackburn, saying: "You were playing on an Xbox. This was real."
Mohammed Kahhar, 23, was at the wheel of his car when officers spotted what they believed was a drug deal outside Shadsworth House, Blackburn, on December 22, 2023. At 9.55pm the officers began to follow the Golf as it accelerated away at speed.
Kahhar drove at speeds of around 55mph to 60mph in the residential 30mph zone. As the car turned right into Shadsworth Road, officers activated their emergency equipment, signalling for him to stop.
There were two other men onboard the Golf during the mile and a half chase. Kahhar failed to comply with a give way sign to oncoming vehicles travelling along North Road. As he turned ongo Audley Range he briefly lost control of the vehicle, narrowly missing a parked car, before regaining control and carrying on.
He cut in front of two cars which were waiting at a red light, causing one of the vehicles to take evasive action, before driving on the wrong side of the road in an erratic manner.
As he turned into Queens Park Road, he lost control of the car and collided with the wall of the mosque. His passengers fled the scene leaving Kahhar blocked in by the police, who arrested him. Kahhar was found to be in possession of cannabis and cash.
Judge Michael Maher sentenced him on the basis he had not been dealing drugs but had bought them in the exchange seen by police. There were no drugs in his system when he was arrested, Preston Crown Court heard.
The defendant pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance and possession of a class B drug.
Judge Maher said: "You weren't playing an Xbox. You were driving a car. There were real life, flesh and blood individuals in that car and there may well have been people in the street. It is sheer dumb luck there weren't any people in your way.
"The risk you posed to other road users who might have been out on that sleepy night is something I cannot ignore. What your barrister says, frankly, is that you are young and stupid. You remain a working man and you are capable of channeling your energy in a productive way.
"But when the blue lights were turned on and there was a chase you put yourself, your passengers and other road users at risk."
He sentenced Kahhar, of Whitendale Crescent, Blackburn, to 10 months suspended for 18 months with 240 hours of unpaid work. He also ordered the defendant to return to court in four months to report on his progress. Kahhar will be banned from driving for 12 months and must take an extended retest if he wants to drive in the future.
Source:lancs.live
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/you-werent-xbox-judge-slams-30313147
---------
EU Commission warns staff of spy threat – Politico
8 Nov, 2024
The European Commission has warned EU bureaucrats about a rampant spy problem in Brussels, Politico reported on Friday, citing an internal memo.
Officials received the memo via email earlier this week, with the EU’s executive body describing espionage as a “real” threat that no one, no matter how junior in rank, was safe from.
”Brussels is one of the world’s biggest spy hubs, with hundreds of active intelligence officers who target our institution,” the memo reads.
The spies can be disguised as effectively anyone, the document suggested, listing such “common covers” as “diplomats, journalists, lobbyists, scientists or PhD students.”
The purported spy infestation of the Belgian capital has been repeatedly linked to Russia, and staff were warned in 2019 that the capital was crawling with Moscow’s spies. More recent warnings claimed that the threat had increased since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022. Back in March, Brussels expelled “dozens” of Russian diplomats, accusing them of spying.
Brussels hosts numerous international institutions, including EU bodies and the headquarters of the US-led NATO bloc. The city also has offices of some 100 other international organizations, as well as around 300 foreign diplomatic missions.
Over the past few years, both EU and Belgian officials have repeatedly sounded the alarm about a growing spy threat in Brussels. According to previous estimates by Belgian security services, undercover intelligence agents comprised up to 20% of personnel in some foreign diplomatic missions.
Source:rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/607378-eu-commission-brussels-spies/
---------
EU needs urgent economic overhaul – former ECB chief
8 Nov, 2024
The European Union urgently needs a major economic revamp to restore the bloc’s competitiveness, former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi has warned. The official, who previously also served as Italy’s prime minister, originally presented a gloomy report on the state of the EU’s economy back in September.
Speaking to Politico on Friday, Draghi argued that while “some of [his report’s] suggestions... were urgent even before because the European economy was stagnating, they are even more urgent today,” with Donald Trump having been elected US president.
According to the former bank chief, Brussels should first and foremost focus on preventing further “fragmentation of the single market and a fragmentation of the capital markets.” Draghi said that the current state of affairs is preventing European businesses from scaling up to compete internationally.
In the analysis published in early September, Draghi called on the EU to invest heavily in its economy – more than twice as much as it did after World War II.
“To digitalize and decarbonise the economy and increase our defense capacity, the investment share in Europe will have to rise by around 5 percentage points of GDP,” he wrote, acknowledging that the task was “unprecedented.”
The Italian economist argued that with the geopolitical environment “in flux” and the prospect of less US protection down the road, the EU needs to quickly funnel large sums of money into defense.
Compounding the economic outlook for the bloc is the fact that it “has abruptly lost its most important supplier of energy, Russia” in the wake of the Ukraine conflict escalation back in February 2022.
“We have reached the point where, without action, we will have to either compromise our welfare, our environment, or our freedom,” Draghi wrote in his report.
The former ECB president suggested that the bloc should issue new debt in order to rise to the “existential challenge” it is currently facing.
While on the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly threatened to slap a universal 10% tariff on imported goods, claiming that “our allies have taken advantage of us.”
Back in 2018, during his first term in office, the Republican imposed 25% tariffs on imports of European steel and 10% on aluminum.
Meanwhile, late last month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported that productivity was declining across the EU.
Source:rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/business/607374-draghi-eu-needs-urgent-economic-overhaul/
----------
British Beacon Mosque Awards: Bayt Al Qaim shortlisted
9 NOV 2024
By Rowan Newman
A BRADFORD mosque has been shortlisted for a special award at a prestigious national ceremony.
The Bayt Al Qaim Centre, located on Bolton Lane, is up for the Best Madrassah Service gong in the British Beacon Mosque Awards 2024.
The judges of this category are looking for "commendations relating to management competence, in organising events, programmes, services, working with different communities, sharing their expertise, approachability and integrity".
On the Bradford centre, a spokesperson for the awards said: "Bayt al Qaim Madrassah provides a nurturing, inclusive, and innovative environment where children receive quality Islamic education through the MUS syllabus, themed topics like the 'Green Madressa' and essential life skills, supported by programs for SEND students, career guidance, charity initiatives, and engaging workshops.
"With impressive achievements such as raising £10,000 for Palestine, a structured rewards system, and impactful events like the 'Love Thy Neighbour'project, Bayt al Qaim Madressa is a model institution of community and educational excellence, making it an outstanding candidate for the Best Madrassah Award."
With an expected attendance of 500 guests, the awards ceremony will be held on November 23 in Greater Manchester.
Source:thetelegraphandargus.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/24711403.british-beacon-mosque-awards-bayt-al-qaim-shortlisted/
---------
We must not turn blind eye to antisemitism, says Dutch king after attacks on Israeli football fans
9 NOV 2024
Paul Kirby
The Dutch king says Jewish people must feel safe in the Netherlands, after violent attacks against Israeli football fans in the centre of Amsterdam.
Willem-Alexander said "our history has taught us how intimidation goes from bad to worse," adding that the country could not ignore "antisemitic behaviour".
Youths on scooters had criss-crossed the Dutch capital in "hit-and-run" attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters who were visiting Amsterdam for a Europa League match, authorities said.
Police said five people were treated in hospital and others suffered minor injuries. At least 62 people have been arrested.
"My heart goes out to the victims and to their families here and in Israel as well," Amsterdam's Mayor Femke Halsema told a press conference on Friday.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof flew back early from a summit of EU leaders in Budapest where he said he had been following developments with horror.
"The perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted," he promised.
The violence on Thursday night was condemned by leaders across Europe, the US and Israel. For many, it was especially shocking coming on the eve of commemorations marking Kristallnacht, the 1938 Nazi pogroms against German Jews.
Three-quarters of Jewish people in the Netherlands were murdered during the Holocaust in World War Two.
The king alluded to that history, saying: "Jews must feel safe in the Netherlands, everywhere and at all times. We put our arms around them and will not let them go.”
US President Joe Biden said the attacks "echo dark moments in history when Jews were persecuted".
There had already been trouble and some arrests the night before Thursday's match, involving Maccabi fans as well as pro-Palestinian protesters.
Police chief Peter Holla confirmed there had been incidents "on both sides". Israeli supporters had removed a Palestinian flag from a wall and set it alight and attacked a taxi, although there had been no further trouble until the following night, he said.
There were also reports of supporters setting off fireworks. One unverified video showed fans going down an escalator chanting anti-Arab slogans.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned "anti-Arab chants" and an "attack on the Palestinian flag," calling on the Dutch government to "protect Palestinians and Arabs" living in the Netherlands.
The national co-ordinator for combating antisemitism in the Netherlands said a line had been crossed and the "readiness to commit such violence was disgusting".
Mayor Halsema said Dutch counter-terror co-ordinator NCTV had not flagged any concrete threat about the game itself as there was no animosity between the fans of the two clubs. There was no trouble at the game in which Ajax inflicted a heavy 5-0 defeat on the visiting team.
But the unrest spiralled out of control soon afterwards.
Halsema spoke of fans being "attacked, abused and pelted with fireworks" as they walked from the Johan Cruyff Arena to the centre of Amsterdam.
Police initially said it was unclear who had taken part in the riots, although the mayor later spoke of young men on scooters. She was careful not to give details about the ethnic backgrounds of those involved in the attack, emphasising that it was part of the police investigation.
Several videos circulated on social media, with one showing a man being kicked and beaten on the ground and another showing someone being run over. In some unverified videos, people could be heard shouting pro-Palestinian slogans.
Two British visitors said they came under attack as they tried to help an Israeli beaten up by people on mopeds. Jacob, 33, told the BBC he saw "10 people stamping and kicking" the man, and that they had seen "lots of little gangs chasing people".
Asked whether locals had been provoked by a Palestinian flag being torn down in the city, the mayor said what had happened in the centre of her city had nothing to do with protests about the situation in the Middle East.
"I am deeply ashamed of the behaviour that unfolded," Halsema told reporters. "On Telegram [messaging] groups people talked of going to hunt down Jews. It's so terrible I can't find the words for it."
In a statement, Telegram said it had closed a group chat on the platform which "may have been linked to the disturbance". The company said it did not tolerate "calls to violence" and would cooperate with the Dutch authorities.
The mayor confirmed reports that taxi drivers had been involved in the attacks, after the head of the Netherlands' Central Jewish Committee (CJO) said they had "moved in groups and cornered their targets".
Israeli airline El Al said it was operating free "rescue flights" to Amsterdam to bring passengers back to Israel.
On Friday, those flights started arriving back at Israel's Ben Gurion airport, where passengers were swarmed by reporters in the arrival hall and asked to share their experiences of the violence.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke of a "pogrom" against Maccabi fans and Israeli citizens.
Herzog said on X that he trusted the Dutch authorities would act immediately to "protect, locate and rescue all Israelis and Jews under attack".
The violence in Amsterdam has raised questions about security for Israeli fans elsewhere in Europe.
Israel's national security council had urged fans to avoid a basketball game in the Italian city of Bologna on Friday due to the risk of "copycat actions", though there were no reports of violence following the EuroLeague fixture.
According to Italian media, Bologna's police chief assigned a special escort to the Israeli players for their travel to the match, which Virtus Bologna won 84-77.
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2y33ee1klo
---------
Russia jails soldiers who killed entire family in Ukraine
Hafsa Khalil
9 NOV 2024
A Russian court has sentenced two Russian soldiers to life in prison for killing a family of nine in occupied Ukraine, in a rare example of the country holding its troops to account for alleged war crimes.
The entire Kapkanets family were killed in their home in the Donetsk region last year by Anton Sopov, 21, and Stanislav Rau, 28, prosecutors said. Among the victims were two children aged five and nine.
The family had been celebrating a birthday at the time, Ukraine's ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said a day after the killings.
Some details of the case are unclear, such as whether the soldiers pleaded guilty, as the trial was held behind closed doors due to military secrecy, Russian media reported.
Sopov and Rau were convicted of killing 53-year-old Eduard Kapkanets, his wife Tatiana, their adult sons with their wives, a nine-year-old granddaughter, a four-year-old grandson and a more distant relative of the family.
Ukrainian officials at the time said they believed the family was murdered for refusing to give up their house to the Russian troops.
State news agency Tass reported that the men had been convicted for murder "motivated by political, ideological, racial, national or religious hatred".
The Ukrainian city of Volnovakha was captured by Russian forces just weeks after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Most of the town has been destroyed.
Russia denies all allegations of war crimes in Ukraine, despite well-documented evidence to the contrary.
This includes the bombing of a theatre in Mariupol which had been sheltering hundreds of people in March 2022 and the killing of hundreds of people in the town of Bucha that month.
Russian forces are also accused of running a network of torture chambers across occupied Ukraine, where civilians and prisoners of war are tortured and in some cases killed.
The UN has accused Russian forces in Ukraine of rapes, "widespread" torture and killings and the International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for Vladimir Putin's arrest.
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn012ed0z2ro
----------
Fresh Spain floods sweep away dozens of cars near Girona
9 NOV 2024
Mallory Moench
New floods have hit the region of Girona in north-eastern Spain, sweeping away around 30 cars in the town of Cadaqués, according to Spanish media reports.
Videos posted by a local journalist showed a torrent of water gushing down the street and a pile of cars blocking a bridge early on Friday.
No casualties were reported in the latest round of flooding to hit the country.
More than 200 people were killed last week, most in the Valencia area, in one of the worst floods in Europe this century.
The disaster ignited intense anger at the authorities for not issuing emergency alerts sooner.
Flooding in Cadaqués in the early hours of Friday morning caused around 30 vehicles to pile up under a bridge, Catalonia's fire service said on X, but luckily no one was injured or trapped.
More potentially dangerous weather is expected in the region on Friday night.
Catalonia's meteorological service issued a rain warning from Friday evening until Saturday afternoon for the area of Alt Emporda, where Cadaqués is located. The weather agency warned rain intensity could exceed 20 mm (0.7 inches) in 30 minutes.
The agency recorded 76.8 mm (3 inches) of rain in Cadaqués on 7 and 8 November, with more than 100 mm logged in two other towns nearby.
Spain received 72% more rainfall from 1 October to 5 November than the normal value for that time period, according to Aemet, Spain's weather agency.
The rainfall, which experts said was intensified by climate change, led to flash floods that trapped people in their cars.
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crk4zlkdgk8o
--------
Crypto expert with links to gang shot dead at Brazilian airport
9 NOV 2024
A Brazilian businessman, with ties to one of the country's most powerful criminal groups, has been shot dead at Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo.
Antônio Vinicius Gritzbach had recently entered into a plea bargain with local prosecutors to provide information about Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) - or First Capital Command.
He received death threats from the gang as a result, local media reports.
Three others were injured in the attack, with footage online showing the aftermath. Police said officers had been deployed to the airport and surrounding area.
The moment two hooded men exited a car holding sub-machine guns and began firing outside the airport terminal was caught on security camera.
Gritzbach, a former member of the PCC, dropped his bag and tried to run away - but he was shot many times and died at the scene.
A cryptocurrency expert, Gritzbach had been in the process of telling officials how he helped the group launder millions of dollars.
Reports in Brazilian media suggest he was once considered a key player in the gang's operation.
As part of his plea deal, Gritzbach had promised to help investigators locate other members and hand over documents.
In exchange, São Paulo prosecutors are said to have offered Gritzbach a judicial pardon and a reduction of his sentence for money laundering.
The PCC was formed in the early 1990s and has gone on to become one of Brazil's most feared drug gangs. Its members, however, are not confined to Latin America.
Last year, a report by security services in Portugal alone suggested the group had 1,000 associates in the European country's capital, Lisbon.
São Paulo's organised crime taskforce estimated in 2023 that PCC makes almost $1bn (£773,000) from international cocaine trafficking.
Source:bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly0re9xpvlo
---------
Musk makes Ukraine conflict prediction
8 Nov, 2024
Elon Musk has suggested that the Russia-Ukraine conflict will be over soon and that the clock is ticking for those who sought to profit from it.
The owner of X was a major ally of US President-elect Donald Trump during his campaign. On Friday, he reportedly took part in a phone call between Trump and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, according to several US outlets.
“The senseless killing will end soon. Time is up for the warmonger profiteers,” Musk posted on X later in the day. He did not confirm or deny the reporting about his role on the call.
His post was in reply to a claim by prolific X commentator Mario Nawfal, about “Trump’s plan for Ukraine.”
According to Nawfal, Trump “reportedly plans an 800-mile demilitarized zone between Russia and Ukraine, with British and European troops patrolling the area. Under the proposal, Russia would retain its territorial gains, and Ukraine would agree not to join NATO for 20 years.” He cited Newsweek as the source.
Newsweek, however, merely repeated anonymous speculation reported earlier this week in the Wall Street Journal – the same newspaper that had accused Musk of “secret communications” with the Kremlin, which both he and Russia denied as fake news.
The Journal said that one of the many ideas being proposed within Trump’s transition team involved Kiev promising not to join NATO for 20 years in exchange for the US continuing to “pump Ukraine full of weapons.”
Under that supposed plan, the front line would be frozen in place and both sides would agree to an 800-mile (1,290km) demilitarized zone. A peacekeeping force would be deployed to this DMZ, but would not involve either Americans or UN blue helmets, according to “three people close to the president-elect.”
“We can do training and other support but the barrel of the gun is going to be European,” a member of Trump’s team reportedly told the WSJ. “We are not sending American men and women to uphold peace in Ukraine. And we are not paying for it. Get the Poles, Germans, British and French to do it.”
Parts of the rumored proposal sound vaguely similar to what Trump’s running mate, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, suggested during a podcast in mid-September.
However, the Journal quoted a former National Security Council aide from Trump’s first term as saying that anyone claiming to have a “more detailed window into his plans on Ukraine simply doesn’t know what he or she is talking about.”
Source:rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/607387-musk-ukraine-warmonger-profiteers/
---------
Russian and Ukrainian officials meet in Belarus
8 Nov, 2024
Delegations from Moscow and Kiev have met in Belarus to exchange bodies of the fallen and discuss humanitarian matters, Russian Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova has revealed.
The last time Moskalkova met with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmitry Lubinets, was in January 2023.
“We exchanged lists of persons visited by mutual consent and letters from prisoners to their relatives, and also discussed further humanitarian cooperation in providing assistance to civilians, including establishing the location and reunification of families, and mutual visits to prisoners,” Moskalkova said on Friday, in a statement posted on Telegram.
One family reunification has already taken place. Anna Kondratyevna, a 91-year-old resident of Cherkasy Region, was brought to Belarus so she could be transferred to Russia and be taken care of by her family there.
“Her son asked us for help in transferring his mother to Russia, where he could look after her,” Moskalkova said, noting that the Ukrainian side agreed, but the situation was complicated by the fact that Kondratyevna could not move independently.
The meeting in Belarus was also used to exchange the remains of fallen soldiers. Russia received 37 bodies, while handing Ukraine 563. Among the remains handed over to Ukraine were the bodies of 62 POWs killed in January this year, when a Russian Il-76 transport airplane was shot down over Belgorod Region by Ukraine’s US-supplied Patriot missiles.
The lopsided numbers point the real ratio of casualties on the battlefield, multiple Russian media outlets have said.
Moskalkova announced a pending meeting with Lubinets in mid-October, without revealing its time and place. She said at the time that the talks would address the condition of detention of prisoners, allegations of torture, and the fate of civilians forcibly relocated by Ukrainian invaders in Russia’s Kursk Region.
Source:rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/607382-russia-ukraine-belarus-talks/
---------
Africa
Former DSS Operative Warns Nigeria To Prepare For War Amid Lakurawa Threat
8 November 2024
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
A former Department of State Services (DSS) operative, Seyi Adetayo, has called for urgent action in response to the emergence of a new terrorist group, Lakurawa, warning that Nigerians must recognize the country is effectively at war.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, Adetayo equated Lakurawa with established terror groups such as ISWAP, Boko Haram, and splinter bandit factions that have destabilized much of Nigeria’s North East.
“Lakurawa will become another name that dominates our discourse on terror until Nigeria declares itself at war and implements measures to enhance military and intelligence operations,” Adetayo stated.
The Director of Defense Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, had previously confirmed in November that “Troops are confronted with Lakurawa in the Northwestern states of Sokoto and Kebbi.”
According to Buba, the group is linked to terrorist elements from the Sahel region, particularly from Mali and Niger, who have migrated into Nigeria due to regional instability. Their operations are reported to be concentrated in Kebbi and Sokoto states.
Security experts have partially attributed the group’s foothold to local communities in these states, criticizing them for initially accepting the group rather than reporting their presence to authorities.
The group’s influence has since expanded, leading to heightened security concerns.
Adetayo stressed that the Nigerian military needs significant reinforcement. “Massive recruitment into the army is essential as the current strength of our soldiers is insufficient. If left unchecked, more young boys will be drawn to these terror groups, turning Nigeria into a nation where movement becomes perilous,” he cautioned.
Offering a different perspective, retired military strategist Maj. Gen. Pat Akem noted that while the emergence of Lakurawa is serious, there is no need for panic.
He assured citizens that President Bola Tinubu has introduced proactive measures to counter the threat. “War should not be declared,” Akem argued.
“The president has already mandated the armed forces to act decisively against these bandits.”
Akem also emphasized that declaring war without the necessary resources would be counterproductive.
He highlighted the need to bolster the military’s reputation, cautioning against its involvement in policing and anti-banditry operations that he believes undermine its capabilities.
Source:naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/11/08/former-dss-operative-warns-nigeria-to-prepare-for-war-amid-lakurawa-threat/
---------
IG Takes Action Against Police Officers Who Extorted ₦10m From Youths In Bayelsa
8 November 2024
By Oladipo Abiola
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested some officers of the Zone 16 Zonal Headquarters, Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, for extorting the sum of ₦10 million from some youths in the area.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, disclosed on Friday that the erring officers have been detained and subjected to orderly room trial.
The IGP, in a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the extorted money has been recovered through the efforts of the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 16.
The statement identified the erring officers as ASP Emmanuel Ubong, Inspector Nse Okon, Inspector Adiewere Collins, and Inspector Kuromare Marine.
Egbetokun vowed that under his watch, the Police could not condone such behaviours, and stringent punishment would be meted out to corrupt officers.
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., has condemned alleged extortions by some officers of the force in some areas within the country, most especially the extant case involving the officers of the Zone 16 Zonal Headquarters, Yenegoa, identified as ASP Emmanuel Ubong, Inspector Nse Okon, Inspector Adiewere Collins, and Inspector Kuromare Marine.
“The officers were alleged of extorting the sum of Ten Million Naira from a group of young Nigerians. The money has been recovered through the efforts of the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 16, and the Officers have since been detained and subjected to orderly room trial.
“The Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of IGP Egbetokun, maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any act of corruption and police misconduct, as the Force takes every allegation of extortion and abuse of power extremely seriously.
“The IGP has however reassured the general public that the force will continue to investigate all allegations levelled against erring officers of the Force thoroughly. In pursuit of restorative justice, the Inspector-General of Police has mandated severe consequences for any officer, no matter how highly ranked, found culpable, acting as a deterrent to those who may seek to compromise the integrity of the Force,” the statement reads.
Source:naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/11/08/ig-takes-action-against-police-officers-who-extorted-%e2%82%a610m-from-youths-in-bayelsa/
---------
Mozambique: At least 3 dead in latest protest, army deployed
9 November 2024
At least 3 people were killed Thursday in Mozambique's capital following clashes with the police.
Maputo's largest hospital made the announcement on Friday (Nov. 08), it added that 66 people had been injured.
Independent candidate Venancio Mondlane who was backed by the Podemos party has been alleging electoral fraud occurred during the October 9 polls.
The casualties add up to the at least 20 people dead Amnesty International reported Wednesday (Nov. 06) since the beginning of the protests in late October.
The politician who arrived second according to disputed results then called for a week of protests ending Thursday (Nov. 07).
During the tense day, thousands of demonstrators set fires and barricaded roads in Maputo. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets.
Mozambique's armed forces have been deployed.
Earlier this week, the Constitutional Council ordered the National Elections Commission explain the discrepancies in the numbers of votes cast in the three elections that were held last month.
Incumbent President Filipe Nyusi of Frelimo has repeated he is open to dialogue and warned against the economic repercussions of the protests.
Source:africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/11/08/mozambique-at-least-3-dead-in-latest-protest-army-deployed/
--------
Buratai Pays Tribute To Late COAS, Lagbaja
9 November 2024
By Richard Ogunsile
Former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd) has expressed sadness over the demise of the Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja.
Buratai characterized Lagbaja as a paragon of discipline and commitment, commending his extraordinary life and enduring legacy.
Lagbaja served under Buratai as the Commander of the 9 Brigade in Ikeja and the Commander of the 2 Brigade in Uyo before his promotion to Major General and subsequent appointment as Director of Campaign Plan at Army Headquarters in 2020.
Buratai conveyed his condolences to President Bola Tinubu, Lagbaja’s family, and the Nigerian Army.
He praised Lagbaja’s leadership and vision, which significantly contributed to the transformation of the Nigerian Army into a formidable institution.
“General Lagbaja’s legacy will endure through the lives he touched and the nation he served with dedication and commitment,” Buratai said.
Late COAS, Lagbaja Was Killed Diabolically – Family Members Claim
Meanwhile, Pa Tajudeen Lagbaja, the head of the family of the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, has expressed deep regret over obtaining the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) form for the deceased.
He stated that had he known the military career would lead to such a tragic end; he would not have facilitated the process.
Other members of the family have raised allegations that Lt. General Lagbaja’s death may have been influenced by diabolical means linked to a land dispute in his hometown of Ilobu, the headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State.
The dispute reportedly began in 2023 when a delegation from the Nigerian Army proposed establishing a hospital in the community.
While speaking with The Nation, he stated that had he known the military career would lead to such a tragic end, he would not have facilitated the process.
“If I knew his life would be cut short, I would not have obtained the NDA form for him,” Pa Tajudeen lamented, reflecting on the untimely death of the late COAS.
The distraught family head said, “Everyone who is born must die. We give glory to God. The year that I obtained an NDA form for him if I had known that he would die before me, I would not have done so. I regret obtaining the form for him. But it is destiny.
“The death that killed Taoreed Lagbaja ought to take me, his father’s younger brother. I took him as one of my children. We are greatly bereaved; we are sad. He constructed a borehole in his father’s compound and other places in the community.
“We can never forget him; his death is so shocking to us. I have accepted fate. All the promises he made to me have hit a brick wall. He always gives us hope in the family despite the sorrow. I give thanks to God.”
Source:naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/11/09/buratai-pays-tribute-to-late-coas-lagbaja/
---------
Tinubu Govt Renovates VP Shettima’s Lagos Lodge With ₦5 Billion
9 November 2024
By George Oshogwe Ogbolu
Amidst economic hardship and rising inflation in Nigeria, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government has allocated N5 billion for the renovation of the vice president’s official residence in Lagos State.
In November 2023, the Federal Government passed a N2.17 trillion supplementary budget, which earmarked N3 billion for renovations at the vice president’s Lagos residence and N2.5 billion for refurbishing his official quarters within the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.
However, an analysis conducted by The PUNCH through GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks government expenditures, revealed that a total of N5,034,077,063 was spent on the Lagos residence renovations in May and September of this year.
A breakdown of the expenditure shows that on May 31, 2024, the State House paid N2,827,119,051 to Denderi Investment Limited, an engineering firm, for renovation work at the vice president’s official quarters in Lagos. On September 5, 2024, the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President made additional payments to the same firm—N726,748,686 for further renovation work and N1,480,209,326 for Phase 2 of the project.
It is worth recalling that in November 2023, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) announced plans to spend N15 billion on constructing a “befitting” residence for the vice president in Abuja.
This announcement was made by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike while defending the FCTA’s N61.5 billion supplementary budget before the House of Representatives committee.
The proposed expenditures have drawn criticism from advocacy groups. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) condemned the allocation, arguing that it contravenes both the Nigerian Constitution and the nation’s international anti-corruption and human rights commitments.
“Approving the N15 billion expenditure for the vice president’s residence would be a serious breach of public trust and a violation of constitutional obligations, especially when the Federal Government plans to allocate 30 percent (N8.25 trillion) of the 2024 budget of N27.5 trillion for debt servicing,” stated Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP’s Deputy Director.
Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, criticized the current administration for failing to uphold its commitment to reducing the cost of governance.
He noted that the administration’s budgetary allocations over the past 16 months reflected a lack of genuine efforts to cut costs.
Debo Adeniran, Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, added that without a new constitution to regulate government spending, wasteful expenditure would persist in Nigeria’s governance.
Source:naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/11/09/tinubu-govt-renovates-vp-shettimas-lagos-lodge-with-%e2%82%a65-billion/
---------
We’re Leaving₦27 Billion Debt For Projects, Obligations – Obaseki
9 November 2024
By Rachel Okporu Fadoju
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has revealed that that his administration is leaving behind a debt of almost ₦27 billion to pay for projects and obligations.
Naija News reports that Obaseki made this known on Friday, November 8, 2024, at the inauguration of 10-man caretaker committee members of the State’s Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benin City.
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Monday Okpebholo, who defeated the PDP’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, in the September 21, 202,4, governorship election in the State, would be sworn in on Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
Obaseki, who dissolved his cabinet ahead of the inauguration of the new governor, said the incoming administration will struggle to change the perception of debt after his exit from office.
He also alleged that the APC is borrowing between N2 billion and N5 billion to finance the inauguration of Okpebholo.
Speaking further, Obaseki assured the people that he would not be far away from the party or leave the party but would remain to give advice.
He also assured the party’s chieftains and faithful that the party would reclaim its stolen mandate.
He said, “In this holiday period, they will want to spend as much money as possible to confuse the people. They are going to struggle to change their perception.
“We have almost N27 billion to pay for projects and obligations, but they have started blowing it, and they have gone to borrow money for the inauguration which is going to cost them N2 to N5 billion. That is the money they will first take from the treasury.
“We will get our stolen mandate back, for the sake of Nigeria because if we allow the APC to go with our stolen mandate, it will mark the end of democracy in Nigeria.
“This fight is not for our candidate but for the people of Nigeria and our nation’s democracy.”
Source:naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/11/09/were-leaving-%e2%82%a627-billion-debt-for-projects-obligations-obaseki/
---------
‘FG Has Not Asked Workers To Close Their GTB Salary Accounts,’ Details Emerge
8 November 2024
By Oladipo Abiola
Certain reports claiming the federal government has directed civil servants to move their salary accounts away from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) has been debunked.
The denial follows a viral WhatsApp message that reads: “Please let’s all take note, seems GTB now has serious problems and may be shut down any moment from now. Anyone that has money in the bank should do the needful.”
However, the spokesperson for GTB, Cornelius Onuoha, on Friday debunked the message.
He said those behind the messages are the same set of people seeking to blackmail the bank since it declared a N1 trillion profit.
The report is “absolutely false”.
“It is a totally false story. The federal government has also commented about it. These same set of people are looking for ways to blackmail the bank since it declared a N1 trillion profit,” Onouha told The Cable.
Naija News recalls following the decision of the federal government to discontinue the use of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) to pay salaries to staff of Federal Tertiary Institutions (FTIs), the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Bawa Mokwa, also denied any order from the government requiring workers o change their salary accounts.
Mokwa, in a statement on November 4, clarified that the OAGF has not issued any instruction to workers to switch their salary accounts.
He told workers not to make any panic-driven decisions as their welfare remains the top priority of the government.
He explained that any decision to change salary accounts is entirely personal for each worker, with no mandate from the IPPIS office.
“The OAGF explained that whenever there is an application for change of salary account, such is always a personal decision of the worker concerned. The IPPIS Office has not issued any general directive to this effect as there was no reason to do so,” Mokwa said.
“The OAGF tasked financial institutions to implement necessary strategies to boost customers’ confidence and guarantee efficient fulfillment of their obligations to persons whose salaries are domiciled in such financial institutions and Nigerians in general.
“The OAGF noted that there are agencies that are statutorily mandated to determine the health as well as viability of financial institutions and expressed optimism that those agencies are up to their tasks,” Mokwa said.
Source:naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/11/08/fg-has-not-asked-workers-to-close-their-gtb-salary-accounts-details-emerge/
---------
UN agricultural fund calls for adaptation financing for small-scale farmers
8 November 2024
Ahead of the COP29 climate change summit, the United Nation’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has urged world leaders to agree on an ambitious global finance goal for adaptation.
The New Global Quantified Goal (NCQG) will be one of the main areas under discussion in Azerbaijan, and it said assisting small-scale farmers to adapt to climate change should be part of this.
“This is essentially a negotiation on how much money richer countries should contribute to support developing countries deal with climate change,” said IFAD President, Alvaro Lario.
“IFAD is calling on global leaders to agree to this climate finance plan and to include a specific goal for adaptation, prioritising the needs of small-scale farmers.”
Lario said small farms around the world are the backbone of our global food systems, but they are “the ones that are bearing the brunt of climate change”.
“They're the most vulnerable and the least preferred. Investing in them is a prerequisite if we want to keep food security.”
Countries in Africa have contributed little to the causes of climate change, but are among the hardest hit.
African leaders have long been calling for increased mitigation and adaptation financing to help fund change on the continent.
Agriculture in Africa in largely rain-fed and is being severely impacted by the extreme weather events associated with climate change.
Zimbabwe has been experiencing its worst drought in over 40 years, but thanks to an IFAD funded irrigation project farmers are still able to grow some crops.
“This year people could not harvest anything so there are big changes, and the rains no longer come at the time we expect. The seasons have changed,” said Tinomuounga Hove, chairperson of the Biri Irrigation Scheme.
“Having an irrigation scheme helps us a lot, because firstly we can grow crops throughout the year. Secondly, despite the fact that there were no rains this year, we were still able to grow crops.”
In other parts of the world, IFAD is financing projects that support climate adaptation to help smallholder farmers produce more food.
Climate negotiators and activists from around the globe will gather in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, from 11-22 November.
Source:africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/11/08/un-agricultural-fund-calls-for-adaptation-financing-for-small-scale-farmers/
---------
Shettima calls for selfless leadership, legacy-building at mosque commissioning
November 9, 2024
by Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja
Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians, particularly leaders, to prioritize community service and legacy-building over personal gain.
He urged Nigerians to prioritise spiritual obligations and community service over personal interests in an era where people are becoming more individualistic and giving less premium to God.
Speaking on Friday during the inauguration of the Ibapon Central Mosque in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, the Vice President expressed worry about the shifting societal values in contemporary Nigeria.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President said “today, the world is unfortunately marked by a mindset that values self-interest over selflessness, and many see giving back or even engaging in spiritual obligations as burdens or distractions,” VP Shettima said.
According to him, the Mosque, a multi-million naira project built by Senator Abdulfatai Omotayo Buhari representing Oyo North Senatorial District, is a “gift for generations” that stands in stark contrast to prevailing materialistic trends.
“Every second of our lives is a reminder of our impermanence, and the brevity of life underscores the urgency of filling our days with deeds that matter in the hereafter,” the VP added.
VP Shettima lauded the project, describing it as an example of Sadaqah Jariyah (continuous charity), noting that such initiatives represent the kind of legacy-building that society desperately needs.
“This is a legacy, a bridge between this world and the next, grounded in kindness and devotion,” he stated.
In a pointed message to political leaders and wealthy Nigerians, Shettima questioned the lasting impact of material accumulation: “We must ask ourselves—what remains when this race ends? In the end, all that endures are the records of our selfless deeds, our adherence to our faith, and our acts of charity.”
The new religious edifice is expected to serve as a major spiritual centre for Muslims in Ogbomoso and surrounding communities, with the Vice President expressing hope that it will “be a source of spiritual strength and inspiration for this community and beyond.”
Earlier, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, also eulogised Senator Buhari, saying the Mosque project was not just a service to the Muslim Ummah but to humanity at large.
“My prayer is that God reward you with Al-Jannatul Firdaus. You are an epitome of good character and someone who is always at the forefront of service to this country and humanity at large,” he said.
On his part, Oyo State Deputy Governor, Barr. Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Lawal, said the immediate family of Senator Buhari would be proud to have someone who makes them very proud all the time.
“On behalf of the Governor of Oyo State, we appreciate the Vice President for coming to our state,” he said.
He said the Mosque project is not just a physical building but a spiritual exercise in which the reward extends beyond one’s earthly life.
“It is also a means of spiritual purification and unity, fostering the unity of Nigeria because whenever we worship, we call for the unity and peace of Nigeria,” he added.
Responding, Senator Buhari said it was indeed an honour and a dream come true for him to have completed the Mosque project.
He specifically thanked the Vice President, the governors of Oyo and Kwara States, members of the National Assembly, and community members who contributed to the success of the worship centre.
There was also a welcome address by the Aare Musulumi of Ogbomosoland and the turbaning of two Imams for the newly commissioned Mosque.
Other officials at the event included the Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; the Soun of Ogbomoso Land, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, state government officials and traditional rulers.
Source:thenationonlineng.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thenationonlineng.net/shettima-calls-for-selfless-leadership-legacy-building-at-mosque-commissioning/
---------
UN sanctions two generals from Sudan’s paramilitary force
November 09, 2024
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions Friday on two generals in Sudan’s paramilitary force for their key roles in the war against the country’s military that has seen ethnically motivated attacks and atrocities.
Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital, Khartoum, and spread to other regions, including Darfur. The UN says over 14,000 people have been killed and 33,000 injured, and recently warned that the country has been pushed to the brink of famine.
The council’s sanctions committee added Maj. Gen. Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed, head of the Rapid Support Forces’ operations department, and Maj. Gen. Abdel Rahman Juma Barkalla, the RSF commander in West Darfur, to the sanctions blacklist.
Britain’s UN Mission tweeted on X that the two generals were added for threatening the peace, security and stability of Sudan, “including acts of violence and human rights abuses.”
The UN sanctions order all countries to freeze the asses and impose a travel ban on the generals. The United States Treasury imposed sanctions on both generals earlier in the year, freezing any assets in the US and banning all financial transactions with them.
Two decades ago, Darfur became synonymous with genocide and war crimes, particularly by the notorious Janjaweed Arab militias, against populations that identify as Central or East African. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes. That legacy appears to have returned, with the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor, Karim Khan, saying in January there were grounds to believe both sides may be committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide in Darfur. The RSF was born out of the Janjaweed.
Human Rights Watch said in a report in May that attacks by the paramilitary force and its allied militias, which killed thousands in Darfur in 2023, constituted a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the area’s non-Arab population.
The rights group said the RSF and its militias targeted the ethnic Masalit and other non-Arab groups in El Geneina, the capital city of West Darfur state. Masalit who were captured were tortured, women and girls were raped and entire neighborhoods were looted and destroyed, Human Rights Watch said.
Its report is entitled “The Massalit Will Not Come Home: Ethnic Cleansing and Crimes Against Humanity in El Geneina, West Darfur, Sudan.”
The RSF controls the capitals of four of the five states in Darfur and has intensified its military campaign for control of the lone holdout, North Darfur capital El Fasher.
Source:arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2578615/middle-east
----------
Southeast Asia
Concentrated power, weak institutions cause justice failures – Sultan Nazrin
BERNAMA
09-11- 2024
KUALA KANGSAR: The continued use of religious and racial issues as political tools pose a significant threat to national unity and must be curbed immediately, said the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah.
Sultan Nazrin said that when religion and ethnicity were utilised as legal tender for political gain, excessive rhetoric masked in religious fervour and provocative slogans associated with ethnic identities became more prevalent.
“Such rhetoric and slogans are akin to embers that can ignite a spark—if not swiftly contained, they risk igniting a conflagration of animosity capable of devastating our nation,” said His Royal Highness.
Sultan Nazrin made these remarks during his address at the Pledge of Royalty and Investiture Ceremony in conjunction with his 68th birthday celebration at Istana Iskandariah here today.
The Perak Ruler added that continued provocations involving race and religion could sow distrust among citizens, causing them to drift further from the path of unity.
At this juncture, Sultan Nazrin said the nation needs wise and prudent leadership that instils a sense of ease and comfort among the people, free from prejudice and suspicion, fostering instead an open-minded appreciation for Malaysia’s diversity.
The Sultan said that amid the sensationalised issues of religion and ethnicity, there is an increasing trend of individuals who unabashedly mock the royal institution.
“The Ruler’s role, beyond fulfilling constitutional responsibilities, is vital in bridging tradition with modernisation, enlivening the nation’s rich history and civilisational legacy.
“This legacy, shaped through respectful cultural practices, refined character and the beauty of language, forms the foundation for building a disciplined, advanced, modern and progressive nation. This role is exceedingly relevant and grows more so as our society faces various forms of cultural subversion and sabotage.
“The civilisation we have built is far too valuable to be allowed to crumble due to the actions of individuals and organisations that have a tenuous grasp of tradition and a hollow understanding of decorum.
“Their misguided intellect cannot be followed, nor can their ignorance be taught, yet they possess an overwhelming desire to introduce new order, often voicing and behaving inappropriately while promoting actions that starkly contradict the decorum and refinement of our customs,” he said.
Therefore, Sultan Nazrin called on the people to reject cultural encroachment and firmly oppose both words and deeds that violate the boundaries of custom and decorum.
“We must not permit anyone to become uncivilised or to live devoid of manners and respect for our heritage,” he said.
Source:thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/concentrated-power-weak-institutions-cause-justice-failures-sultan-nazrin-DG13262551
---------
West Jakarta Police Arrest Eight in Online Gambling Operation Tied to Cambodian Network
Taufik Hidayat, Apdul Hamidin
November 8, 2024
Jakarta. West Jakarta Police raided a home in Cengkareng, West Jakarta, on Friday, dismantling an operation allegedly tied to a Cambodian online gambling network.
Acting on a public tip-off, officers discovered the residence had been transformed into a base for recruiting locals to open bank accounts used for gambling transactions. Four people were initially arrested in the raid, with the alleged ringleader, identified as RS, 31, and three more suspects detained the following day.
According to Police Chief M. Syahduddi, RS paid around Rp 10 million ($635) per account, covering recruitment, mobile phone purchases, and other expenses. Operating since 2022, the syndicate reportedly gathered over 4,200 bank accounts, generating transactions worth Rp 21 billion ($1.34 million) daily. Officers seized evidence including 35 phones, 713 ATM cards, 370 passbooks, laptops, and financial records. The suspects now face up to 10 years in prison as authorities pursue additional charges against them.
The raid comes amid a nationwide crackdown on online gambling, following President Prabowo Subianto's directive to eliminate illegal betting platforms. High-profile arrests in recent weeks have included influencers, artists, and students accused of promoting gambling sites on social media.
In a separate case, Kendari City’s official website in Southeast Sulawesi was hacked and temporarily redirected visitors to a gambling site named "Slot Gacor Thailand." Kendari’s Head of Communications and Information, Nismawati, confirmed the incident, saying that their team is working to restore full functionality to the website by Nov. 10.
Additionally, Indonesian police arrested a 25-year-old identified as SK, accused of developing 35 gambling websites and evading authorities by frequently moving between Indonesia and the Philippines. SK allegedly used search engine optimization to boost site visibility, circumventing detection by the Ministry of Communication and Digitalization, which is actively blocking illegal gambling sites.
The crackdown has exposed a deeper network of corruption; Jakarta Police recently uncovered a syndicate involving 11 officials from the Communication and Digitalization Ministry. Raids in Bekasi led to the seizure of Rp 73 billio in cash and 16 vehicles. The officials are suspected of accepting bribes to keep gambling sites online.
Popular TikTok influencer Gunawan "Sadbor" from Sukabumi, West Java, is also under investigation for promoting online gambling. House Representative Denny Wahyudi from the PDIP faction was questioned for unknowingly promoting gambling sites, joining a list of 26 artists and influencers facing similar charges.
Additionally, the Financial Transaction Reporting and Analysis Center (PPATK) reported that it has blocked 13,481 bank accounts suspected of facilitating illegal online gambling transactions. In the third quarter of 2024 alone, the financial crime watchdog froze approximately Rp 280 trillion ($17.77 billion) in these accounts.
Gambling is a crime under Indonesian law, punishable by up to six years’ imprisonment.
Source:jakartaglobe.id
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://jakartaglobe.id/news/west-jakarta-police-arrest-eight-in-online-gambling-operation-tied-to-cambodian-network
----------
HRD Corp to continue funding family, parenting courses - PM Anwar
BERNAMA
09-11- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) will continue its initiative to fund courses focused on family development and parenting for employees, using employer levy contributions, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the effort is in support of the National Family Month celebration.
“I fully support this initiative and hope that more employers will send their employees to attend family development and parenting skills courses.
“This offer is available throughout November this year,” he said in his speech in conjunction with the launch of the November Malaysian Family Month 2024, themed “Kasih Keluarga, Jiwa MADANI”.
The Prime Minister’s speech was read by his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, at the event held at the Kuala Lumpur Botanical Gardens today.
Anwar emphasised the importance of family time and announced a strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) to implement special vacation packages for families throughout November.
This includes offers from tourism agencies, hotels, homestays, theme park associations, and traders.
He also suggested that airlines join in by offering family packages to any family vacation destination.
In addition, the Prime Minister hopes that all ministries and state governments will also support November as National Family Month.
He said that family day activities in every ministry and government agency should also become a mandatory annual event every November.
For the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and communities, he strongly encouraged them to implement family welfare programmes according to their respective capacities.
“I would like to remind that employers who carry out family day and family activities at the workplace are eligible for tax relief.
“You can contact the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) for further clarification on this matter,” he said.
At the same time, Anwar said that families in Malaysia are currently facing various challenges influenced by rapid social, educational, economic, and technological changes.
Global megatrends such as demographic changes, including the ageing population and declining fertility rates, as well as climate change, are having a significant impact on family institutions worldwide.
“These changes require action from all levels of society to work together to help strengthen family institutions in order to build a MADANI family that is stronger, more resilient, and prosperous.
“Therefore, the government assures that through the MADANI Malaysia Development Agenda, efforts will continue to elevate the status of family institutions,” he said.
Also present at the event were the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and her Deputy Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad.
Source:thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/hrd-corp-to-continue-funding-family-parenting-courses-pm-anwar-GG13262411
---------
Malaysia’s bid for UN-Habitat Assembly presidency garners positive feedback
BERNAMA
09-11- 2024
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s bid for the presidency of the UN-Habitat Assembly has garnered positive feedback from the international community, said Housing and Local Government (KPKT) Minister Nga Kor Ming.
He said the feedback was received during bilateral meetings with China, Egypt, India, and the United Arab Emirates during the 12th World Urban Forum in Cairo, Egypt.
Given Malaysia’s diverse population and varying income levels, Nga emphasised that the country is well-equipped to represent the interests of all communities.
“As ASEAN Chair, Malaysia strives to be a regional model in affordable housing, particularly through the 4P (People, Public, Private Partnership) approach.
“While we have attracted foreign direct investment and developed a growing housing market, Malaysia remains committed to addressing the needs of low- and middle-income households by ensuring access to affordable housing,” he said in a statement today.
Nga also announced that these countries have been invited to attend the 7th Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development on April 14-15, 2025, in George Town, Penang.
He further pointed out that the new Urban Renewal Act will use George Town’s successful urban renewal as a model to regulate urban redevelopment rates.
During the bilateral talks, Nga stressed Malaysia’s goal to enhance international cooperation in accelerating the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals, including promoting smart city development through global idea-sharing and experience exchanges.
Source:thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/malaysia-s-bid-for-un-habitat-assembly-presidency-garners-positive-feedback-BG13262672
---------
Perak’s Sultan Nazrin presents state awards and medals to 56 people, list led by Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal
09 Nov 2024
KUALA KANGSAR, Nov 9 — The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, today presented state awards and medals to 56 people bestowed the honour in conjunction with His Royal Highness's birthday on Nov 1.
Raja Permaisuri of Perak Tuanku Zara Salim was also present at the investiture held at Istana Iskandariah here.
The recipients of the awards and medals were led by Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal Tan Sri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, who was one of the recipients of the Darjah Dato' Seri Paduka Mahkota Perak (SPMP), which carries the title Datuk Seri.
Other recipients of the award were Auditor-General Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi and Yee Lee Corporation executive chairman Datuk Lim Kok Cheong @ Lim A Heng.
Sultan Nazrin presented the Darjah Dato' Paduka Cura Si Manja Kini (DPCM), which carries the title Datuk, to Economy Ministry secretary-general Datuk Nor Azmie Diron.
Eight people received the Darjah Dato’ Paduka Mahkota Perak (DPMP) which also carries the title Datuk.
They were Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff, Petronas Group Communications Department former general manager Abdul Rahim Mydin, Perak Islamic Religious Department director, Harith Fadzilah Abdul Halim. Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, Otorhinolaryngology head Dr D. Philip Rajan; National Library director-general Salasiah Abdul Wahab; Prime Minister’s Department Advisory Board chairman Yong Zarida Sazali; Malaysian Ambassador to The Hague, Roseli Abdul and Perak Menteri Besar Incorporated (MB Inc) chief executive officer, Anuar Zainal Abidin.
Six people received the Darjah Dato’ Pahlawan Taming Sari (DPTS) which carries the title Datuk Pahlawan. They were Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri, Bukit Aman Special Branch director Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail and Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation and Community Safety Department chief SAC Ng Kong Soon.
Director-general of the Engineering Services Division of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), Maj Gen CSM Thevendran; MAF Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Brig Gen Dr Sharifah Sofiah Syed Zainol; and Commander Naval Area 1 of the Royal Malaysian Navy, Rear Admiral Farizal Myeor.
His Royal Highness presented the Darjah Paduka Cura Si Manja Kini (PCM) to 12 people and the Darjah Paduka Mahkota Perak (PMP) to 26 people. — Bernama
Source:malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/11/09/peraks-sultan-nazrin-presents-state-awards-and-medals-to-56-people-list-led-by-keeper-of-the-rulers-seal/156306
----------
Four injured after tour bus collides with trailer on North-South Expressway near Gopeng
09 Nov 2024
By Malay Mail
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — A tour bus carrying 41 people collided with a trailer along the North-South Expressway near Gopeng early this morning.
Four passengers — three women and a child — sustained minor injuries in the crash, as reported by The Star.
A Perak Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said the department received a call about the incident at 4.03am.
“The bus was ferrying passengers from Melaka heading to Kedah. There were 33 women, three men and five children inside the bus,” he said.
The trailer driver escaped unhurt.
No one was trapped in the bus, and all passengers managed to exit safely.
“The victims received initial medical treatment, and they were later sent to the nearest hospital,” the spokesman added.
Source:malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/11/09/four-injured-after-tour-bus-collides-with-trailer-on-north-south-expressway-near-gopeng/156289
---------
Sarawak police: 22kg of drugs worth nearly RM2m seized from men paid RM5,000 to smuggle them into Miri
09 Nov 2024
By Malay Mail
MIRI, Nov 9 — Two men were paid RM5,000 to smuggle nearly 22 kilograms of drugs from Peninsular Malaysia into Sarawak were arrested at the outer arrival hall of Miri Airport recently, Bernama reported.
Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mancha Ata said the local suspects, aged 36 and 42, were apprehended in an operation conducted by a team of officers from the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (JSJN) of the Sarawak Police Contingent Headquarters.
Mancha said investigations revealed that the drugs were obtained from Peninsular Malaysia before being brought into Miri via the airport, with the suspects receiving RM5,000 for the job.
“Preliminary urine tests on both suspects also returned positive results for methamphetamine, amphetamine, and benzo drugs,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Both suspects are currently remanded until November 13, and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Source:malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/11/09/sarawak-police-22kg-of-drugs-worth-nearly-rm2m-seized-from-men-paid-rm5000-to-smuggle-them-into-miri/156259
---------
South Asia
Deputy PM Mawlawi Hanafi Emphasizes Collective Efforts for Afghanistan’s Reconstruction and Stability
2024-11-09
KABUL (BNA): Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, recently met with several prominent leaders from the Shia community.
According to a statement from ARG, Asadullah Saadati, representing the attendees, expressed appreciation for the establishment of nationwide security and highlighted the importance of citizen efforts to reinforce peace and stability across the country.
He noted that Afghanistan’s infrastructure has suffered severe damage due to years of conflict, causing significant hardship for the Afghan people. Saadati emphasized that the current phase calls for service delivery and national reconstruction, underscoring the need for lasting unity and cohesion to rebuild the nation.
Deputy Prime Minister Hanafi reiterated that Afghanistan is a shared home for all, and the Islamic Emirate, as a responsible government, is committed to serving the Afghan people. He stated that the country’s progress and development depend on the collective efforts of all citizens and urged the public to unite in defending Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and supporting the Islamic system.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/deputy-pm-mawlawi-hanafi-emphasizes-collective-efforts-for-afghanistans-reconstruction-and-stability/
----------
Nuristan Leaders Pledge Support for Islamic Emirate, Call for Infrastructure and Community Development
2024-11-09
NURISTAN (BNA): The Nuristan Department of Borders and Tribal Affairs organized a gathering in Parun, the provincial capital, to discuss the stability of the Islamic system, unity, and coordination among the people of Nuristan.
During the event, Mawlawi Mohammad Ali Jan Ahmad, Deputy Minister for Jirgas and Coordination at the Ministry of Borders and Tribal Affairs, emphasized that unity, prosperity, progress, and conflict resolution among the people remain top priorities.
He assured attendees that the needs and concerns of the Nuristan community would be conveyed to the leadership of the Islamic Emirate, and that several development projects would soon commence in border districts to address local needs, with plans to extend attention to other areas in subsequent phases.
The Deputy Minister called on the people to remain united and to fully support the Islamic Emirate’s governance for continued progress. Mawlawi Mohammad Nader Mohammad, Head of the Nuristan Department of Tribal Affairs, urged tribal leaders to share their insights and suggestions for strengthening the Islamic system’s stability.
Additionally, Nuristani tribal elders expressed their firm support for the Islamic Emirate, emphasizing the importance of unity and outlining their key needs. They requested focused attention on road infrastructure, healthcare, and education, as well as prioritized efforts toward local conflict resolution.
Mawlawi Faisal Mukhtar, Deputy Governor of Nuristan, and Mufti Mohammad Yousuf Jamalzi, the provincial police chief, commended the people of Nuristan for their steadfast support of the Islamic Emirate, while noting that the province still faces significant challenges requiring immediate attention.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/nuristan-leaders-pledge-support-for-islamic-emirate-call-for-infrastructure-and-community-development/
----------
Afghanistan common home for Afghans, Hanafi
November 9, 2024
KABUL: The Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi said that Afghanistan was a common home for all Afghans and the current system as a responsible government is a servant of the people. Speaking at the meeting with a number of scholars and elders of Shiite, Hanafi stated that the country’s progress and prosperity depended on joint cooperation and efforts of all citizens, calling on countrymen to work for its development, according to a statement from Arg on Friday. Meanwhile, Asadullah Saadati spoke on behalf of others and expressed gratitude for the provision of security throughout the country by the current system, according to the statement. He said that the country’s infrastructure was severely destroyed and the Afghan nation suffered a lot during decades of wars, and now everyone should work toward the country’s development and creation of unity among Afghans. The Kabul Times
Source:thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/afghanistan-common-home-for-afghans-hanafi/
---------
Japan to host international conference on Afghanistan’s cultural heritage
November 9, 2024
KABUL: Deputy Minister of Art and Culture for the Ministry of Information and Culture Mawlavi Atiqullah Azizi, met with Japanese Ambassa dor Takuyoshi Kurumaya and his deputy in Kabul, the other day. During the meeting, Azizi emphasized the need for strengthening historical and cultural relations between the two countries. “Japan has made significant efforts to restore Afghanistan’s historical sites and has provided financial support for numerous construction projects,” said the Deputy Minister. Expressing gratitude for Japan’s contributions, he also expressed hope for continued support and coordination in protecting Afghanistan’s historical and cultural heritage. The deputy minister highlighted several historical areas and monuments that urgently need repair and preservation. Ambassador Takuyoshi Kurumaya acknowledged the efforts of the Ministry of Information and Culture in safeguarding and restoring cultural heritage. He noted, “If this strategy and determination persist, the international community will likely step forward to assist Afghanistan in the cultural sector. “We are working to host an international conference on Afghanistan’s cultural heritage in Tokyo to draw global attention to the protection and development of this heritage,” he added. Ambassador Takuyoshi Kurumaya concluded by stating that Japan views cultural issues as independent of politics and is committed to supporting them regardless of the circumstances. The Kabul Times
Source:thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/japan-to-host-international-conference-on-afghanistans-cultural-heritage/
---------
Muttaqi discusses political, economic relations with Indian envoy
November 9, 2024
KABUL: The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi, in a meeting with J.P. Singh, Indian foreign ministry’s joint secretary for the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division, discussed enhancing bilateral political and economic ties between the two countries. According to a statement from the ministry the other day, Muttaqi expressed hope that relations between India and Afghanistan would expand in various fields. He stated that Indian visa facilities should be increased for Afghan citizens, especially businesspersons. Meanwhile, J.P. Singh said that relations with Afghanistan are important for India and have an ancient history. Along with humanitarian aid to Afghans, India has also started development assistance to Afghanistan and is engaged in technical discussions with relevant Afghan institutions, J.P. Singh said, adding that negotiations will be held between technical delegations of regional countries including Afghanistan and India on the Chabahar port soon. The Kabul Times
Source:thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/muttaqi-discusses-political-economic-relations-with-indian-envoy/
---------
Islamic system and human rights
November 9, 2024
When the issue of human rights is discussed in Islam the real purpose is that these rights have been granted by Allah the Almighty not by any king or by any legislative assembly. Knowledgeable religious scholars said that the rights granted by the kings or the legislative assemblies can also be withdrawn in the same manner in which they are conferred. The same is the case with the rights accepted and recognized by the dictators, as they can confer them when they please and withdraw them when they wish or they can openly violate them when they like. But since in Islam, human rights have been conferred by Allah, the Almighty, no legislative assembly in the world, or any government on earth has the right or authority to make any amendment or change in the rights conferred by Allah. No one has the right to abrogate them or withdraw them. Nor are they the basic human rights which are conferred on paper for the sake of show and exhibition and denied in actual life when the show is over. Nor are they like philosophical concepts which have no sanctions behind them. The charter and the proclamations and the resolutions of the United Nations cannot be compared with the rights sanctioned by Allah; because the former does not apply to anybody while the latter is applicable to every believer. They are a part and parcel of the Islamic Faith. Every Muslim or administrators who claim to be Muslim will have to accept, recognize and enforce them. If they fail to enforce them, and start denying the rights that have been guaranteed by Allah or make amendments and changes to them, or practically violate them while paying lip service to them, the verdict of the Holy Quran for such governments is clear and unequivocal. The holy Quran says: “Those who do not judge by what Allah has sent down are the disbelievers.” The following verse also proclaims: They are the wrongdoers, while a third verse in the same chapter says: “They are the evil-livers. In other words, this means that if the temporal authorities regard their own words and decisions to be right and those given by God as wrong they are disbelievers. If on the other hand, they regard God’s commands as right but wittingly reject them and enforce their own decisions against God’s, then they are the mischief-makers and the wrong-doers. Fasiq, the lawbreaker, is the one who disregards the bond of allegiance, and Zalim is he who works against the truth. Thus all those temporal authorities who claim to be Muslims and yet violate the rights sanctioned by God belong to one of these two categories, either they are the disbelievers or are the wrong-doers and mischiefmakers. The rights that have been sanctioned by God are permanent, perpetual, and eternal. They are not subject to any alterations or modifications, and there is no scope for any change or abrogation. To be continued Haroon Dawlatzay
Source:thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/islamic-system-and-human-rights/
---------
DAB governor attends AAOIFI annual meeting in Bahrain
November 9, 2024
KABUL: The acting Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank, Noor Ahmad Agha, attended the 19th annual meeting of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) and the Islamic Development Bank in Bahrain, the bank said in a statement the other day. Addressing the event, the bank governor emphasized the importance of establishing institutions to enhance the management of the Islamic banking system, according to the statement. Providing insights on Afghanistan’s prohibition of interest-based banking, the development of Islamic banking, and the stability of the country’s banking system, he asked the AAOIFI, the Islamic Development Bank, and other relevant organizations for support in capacity building, training programs, effective management of Islamic banking system. The two-day conference was attended by around 300 representatives from central banks and Islamic commercial banks of various Islamic countries. The Kabul Times
Source:thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/dab-governor-attends-aaoifi-annual-meeting-in-bahrain/
---------
Acting Minister Nomani Engages with Iranian Engineers on Housing and Development Initiatives in Afghanistan
2024-11-09
KABUL(BNA); Sheikh Hamdullah Nomani, Acting Minister of Urban Development and Housing, held a meeting at his office with a group of Iranian engineers and their Afghan colleagues.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, during the meeting, engineers Ali Arbab, Mustafa Pakdaman, and Abdulrazak Ghafoori from Iran, along with their Afghan partner Engineer Nasir Ahmad Sultanzada, presented housing and construction plans using the BMI system.
The engineers also stated that, if provided with the necessary facilities, they are prepared to invest in Afghanistan. They introduced a new system for the implementation of construction projects, which allows for troubleshooting in case any issues arise, based on the original designs.
The proposal from the Iranian engineers for cooperation in construction projects and investment in Afghanistan was well received by the Acting Minister, Sheikh Hamdullah Nomani. He assured them that the Ministry would facilitate their investment opportunities in the New Kabul City project.
It was also noted that the engineers used a special device (glasses) to present the housing and construction design plans to Sheikh Nomani and other engineers from the Ministry, which were accepted.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/acting-minister-nomani-engages-with-iranian-engineers-on-housing-and-development-initiatives-in-afghanistan/
--------
Urban Development Minister Meets Aga Khan Foundation’s Regional Director to Discuss Housing and Capacity Building Support
2024-11-09
KABUL(BNA): Sheikh Hamdullah Nomani, Acting Minister of Urban Development and Housing, met with Shadman Haji Bekov, Asia Regional Director of the Aga Khan Emergency Management Foundation.
According to the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, Sheikh Nomani acknowledged the valuable and significant contributions of the Aga Khan Foundation in various sectors, particularly in collaboration with the Ministry of Urban Development.
During the meeting, Shadman Haji Bekov reiterated the Foundation’s readiness to assist in building suitable housing for victims of natural disasters in Afghanistan, should the Ministry require such support. He also expressed willingness to provide future cooperation in capacity-building programs for the Ministry’s engineers.
Mr. Bekov invited the Acting Minister to visit Badakhshan Province to observe the Foundation’s activities in the region.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/urban-development-minister-meets-aga-khan-foundations-regional-director-to-discuss-housing-and-capacity-building-support/
---------
Deputy Minister of Public Works Attends 81st Meeting of CIS Rail Transport Council
2024-11-09
KABUL (BNA): Mawlawi Mohammad Ishaq Sahibzada, Deputy Minister for Railways at the Ministry of Public Works, participated in the 81st session of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Rail Transport Council, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
According to the Ministry’s Media Office, discussions centered on fostering international cooperation in Afghanistan’s rail sector and promoting fundamental advancements in rail infrastructure and technology. The meeting aimed to attract international support and collaboration to enhance Afghanistan’s rail transport capabilities.
On the sidelines of the conference, Deputy Minister Sahibzada held separate meetings with railway officials from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. These discussions focused on implementing joint railway projects and increasing the volume of trade and goods transit through expanded rail networks in the region.
The Rail Transport Council, established in 1992, is an international organization dedicated to promoting cooperation and coordination among its member states in the field of rail transport. Afghanistan recently achieved observer status within the council, marking a step towards deeper involvement in regional railway initiatives.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/deputy-minister-of-public-works-attends-81st-meeting-of-cis-rail-transport-council/
---------
CSTO warns of terrorist threats from Afghanistan persist
By Fidel Rahmati
November 8, 2024
The Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) warned that the risk of terrorism spreading in Central Asia remains persistent.
Imangali Tasmagambetov emphasized that the CSTO continues to monitor the challenges and threats emanating from Afghanistan.
On Thursday, November 7, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that Tasmagambetov, referring to Afghanistan, stated that the threats of expanding terrorist activities, illegal migration, and the trafficking of weapons and drugs still exist in Central Asia.
Tasmagambetov also announced that the CSTO’s counter-terrorism center and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) would deepen their cooperation to prevent potential dangers by utilizing shared resources and capabilities.
Simultaneously, Sergei Lebedev, Secretary-General of the CIS, expressed support for the CSTO’s proposal to establish a security belt around Afghanistan. Lebedev voiced hope that this initiative would help curb terrorist group activities in the region.
The CSTO had previously declared, about two weeks ago, that it would soon approve a plan to strengthen Tajikistan’s border with Afghanistan.
This plan aims to enhance regional security by fortifying one of the key borders at risk of illegal crossings and potential terrorist infiltration from Afghanistan.
The escalation in preventive measures reflects the growing concern among CSTO and CIS members regarding the stability of Central Asia and the impact of threats from Afghan territories.
These efforts underscore the CSTO’s strategy to create a collaborative defense against terrorism, illegal migration, and trafficking to maintain peace and stability in Central Asia.
The recent surge in ISIS attacks and other terrorist group activities in the region has heightened security concerns, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated regional responses.
As tensions escalate, the presence of these groups is increasingly destabilizing, leading regional powers to intensify their focus on counter-terrorism initiatives and cross-border security.
The continuous threats from ISIS and other militant organizations in Central Asia pose serious risks, demanding enhanced cooperation and vigilance from regional security alliances to safeguard peace and stability in the area.
Source:khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/csto-warns-of-terrorist-threats-from-afghanistan-persist/
---------
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/resolution-voice-restoration-cm-omar-abdullah/d/133669