Indians Never Felt Inferior Despite 1,000 Years of Islamic Wars, British Did That in Just 150 Years: RSS' Hosabale
New Age
Islam News Bureau
29 July 20123
Dattatreya Hosabale
-----
India
• Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Plea On
Mob Violence Against Muslims By Cow Vigilantes
• Surankote Police Distributed Halwa and
Sharbat to Muharram Congregation in Jammu and Kashmir
• J&K: Govt organises convention to
revive and spread awareness on Sufism in Srinagar
• Behind Cluster of Vintage Shops In
Pune, A Mosque Where Prayers Were Offered For Success Of 1857 Mutiny
• PM Modi pays tributes to Imam Hussain
• 8,330 Indians Are Languishing in
Foreign Prisons UAE, Saudi Arabia Has the Highest Number of Inmates
• Uttar Pradesh: 2 Shia Groups Clash
Over Venue for Religious Meeting, 20 Booked
• Develop SOPs to probe 'love-jihad'
cases: Himanta tells Assam Police
--------
Pakistan
• Pakistan Calls for Israel to Be Held
Accountable for Palestine ‘Crimes’
• People of Balochistan have first right
on province’s resources: PM
• CDA urged to focus on better
development of Blue Area Business Centre
• Ashura processions under way across
the country amid tight security
--------
Mideast
• Shia Muslims hold mourning ceremony in
Baqi in Medina
• Islamic State Says It Bombed Shiite
Shrine in Syria which Killed 6, Injured 20
• Deaths as fire erupts in Iraqi shrine
city during Shia pilgrimage
• Muslims in Türkiye commemorate the
anniversary of the Karbala
• Turkey’s Erdogan: Ashura cause for
unity between Islamic countries
• Qur'an desecrators fail to stir up
religious conflict
--------
Europe
• Swedish Migration Agency Re-Examines
Residency Permit ofQuranBurner
• IS claims attack near Damascus Shia shrine
• Man 'exposes himself and shouts racist
abuse outside Swindon Mosque'
• Quran Burnings Fuel Endless Crisis
Between Sweden, Denmark andArab-Muslim Nations
---------
Africa
• United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) applauds Kenya’s efforts to resolve stateless situation of
Pemba community
• Uganda: Tayebwa applauds Natasha on
her NRA documentary
--------
North America
• US Families Sue French Firm Over
Financial Aid to Daesh, Other Terrorist Groups In Syria
• U.S. designates Islamic State
financier in Somalia
• Shi’ite Muslims commemorate Ashura,
amid heatwave
• Australian military copter crash halts
US-led war games, leaves 4 missing
• US nuclear test’s fallout reached as
far as Canada and Mexico, study finds
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Arab World
• Prince Faisal Renews Saudi Rejection
of Qur’an Burnings in Call with Swedish FM
• Deal signed to empower people with
special needs in Madinah
• US ambassador to Sudan returns to
Saudi Arabia to resume dialogue efforts
• Skills development program concludes
in Eastern Province
• Fennec in Riyadh for comedy, theatre
workshops
---------
South Asia
• Astana To Host Central Asia, USA
Meeting on Afghanistan
• UN responds to a media outlet report
on a controversial human rights figure
• Kazakhstan’s First Deputy FM, US
Special Envoy Discuss Afghanistan
• US Envoys for Afghanistan Meet with
Central Asian Nations' Representatives
• Ashura Marked in Separate Ceremonies
in Kabul
--------
Southeast Asia
• Time To Unite And Move Forward, Says
Kit Siang Over Claims Of ‘Tyrant’ Leading DAP
• People need more than empty promises,
Muhyiddin tells Anwar
• State polls: BN's Muhamad Khizri
unfazed to take on Sanusi in Jeneri
• State polls: GRS declares support for
unity govt candidates, says chairman Hajiji
• State polls: PM Anwar says last-minute
changes in candidates a normal process
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/rss-hosabale-islamic-wars-british/d/130329
------
Indians Never Felt Inferior Despite
1,000 Years of Islamic Wars, British Did That In Just 150 Years: RSS' Hosabale
Dattatreya Hosabale
-----
Despite enduring a 1,000 year of wars
against Islamic rule, Indians maintained a sense of self-dignity.
However, the relatively shorter period
psyche, leading to feelings of
inferiority
In a thought-provoking speech during a
book launch event, RSS Sar Karyavah (General Secretary) Dattatreya Hosabale
raised concerns about the psychological impact of British colonial rule on the
Indian populace.
"We never imagined the Mughals as
superior to us... "The people of this country have never accepted that the
barbarians who attacked us were superior to us," claimed the RSS general
secretary.
He claimed that during colonial
authority, a narrative was established that led people to feel they were slaves
and the "white man's burden." "It should have changed after we
gained independence," he remarked.
He further claimed that various attempts
were made to instil hatred for India, Hindus, its culture, and everything
associated with it.
Hosabale was addressing at the
presentation of Balbir Punj's book, 'Narrative Ka Mayajaal,' penned by renowned
journalist and former Rajya Sabha member Balbir Punj. Hosabale wrote the
foreword to the book, which analyses how narratives can shape civilisational
identities.
Hosabale questioned India's standing in
the world and emphasized the need to recognize the significant contributions
made by Indians throughout history. He criticized how the intellectual class
during British rule started to believe in a narrative that portrayed Indians as
unintelligent, uncivilized, and lacking in contributions to the world. Even
after gaining independence, this mindset persisted and was perpetuated by
various institutions, media, and opinion-makers.
"This country's so-called educated
people and media have accepted this narrative." Europe-centric notions
pervade our lifestyles, education systems, and social perspectives. "We
will not change the narrative unless we abandon the colonial mindset," he
stated.
The RSS General Secretary stressed the
importance of reclaiming Indian identity and understanding the nation's
cultural roots through the study of Sanskrit. He lamented how Sanskrit, a
language rich in heritage, had been marginalized and dismissed as a relic of
the past. Hosabale urged people to challenge the prevailing narrative by
embracing their native languages, like Hindi, and not solely relying on English
for intellectual pursuits.
In conclusion, Hosabale called for a
paradigm shift in how Indians perceive themselves, urging them to break free
from the mental shackles of colonialism and rediscover their true potential as
a nation with a profound history and a wealth of knowledge to offer the world.
Meanwhile, Punj believed that his book
would aid in the dismantling of "colonial narratives."
The book, written in Hindi and published
by Prabhat Prakashan, investigates popular tales and their impact on Indian
politics and culture.
The different chapters include subjects
such as the "Macaulay narrative," Dravid-Aryan hypotheses, Hindu and
Hindutva, two nation theory, and the Kashmir con ict, among others.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
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https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/indians-never-felt-inferior-despite-1000-years-of-islamic-wars-british-did-that-in-just-150-years-rss-hosabale/articleshow/102224147.cms
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‘Banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
Looking to Merge With Al Qaeda to Expand Influence’
Tehreek-i-Taliban
Pakistan
----
July 29, 2023
UNITED NATIONS: The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) might be seeking a merger with Al Qaeda to create an umbrella
organisation that shelters all militant groups operating in South Asia, warned
a monitoring report submitted to the UN Security Council.
“Some [UN] member states registered
concern that TTP might provide an umbrella under which a range of foreign
groups operate, or even coalesce, avoiding attempts at control by the Taliban,”
the report added.
The report, compiled by a UN committee
that monitors terrorist activities across the globe, endorsed Pakistan’s
complaint that the banned TTP has increased its influence in Afghanistan since
the Taliban takeover.
“One member state noted the possibility
of [Al Qaeda] and TTP merging. It assessed [Al Qaeda] to be providing guidance
to TTP for conducting increased attacks within Pakistan,” the report warned.
According to the document, training
camps run by various terrorist groups in Afghanistan’s Kunar province are being
used by fighters of the banned TTP as well.
“Since the reunification with several
splinter groups, and emboldened by the Taliban take over in Afghanistan, TTP
has aspired to re-establish control of territory in Pakistan.”
UN monitors noted that the proscribed
TTP remained focused on high-value targets in border areas and soft targets in
urban areas.
“TTP capability is assessed as not
matching its ambition, given that it does not control territory and lacks
popular appeal in the tribal areas,” the report added.
The UN committee reported that in June,
certain elements of the banned TTP were relocated away from the border area, as
part of the Taliban’s efforts to rein in the group under pressure from the
government of Pakistan.
Member states told UN monitors they were
concerned that the outlawed TTP could become a regional threat if it continues
to have a safe operating base in Afghanistan.
The UN committee, which submitted its
report to the Security Council on July 25, shed light on how the banned TTP was
gaining momentum in Afghanistan since the Afghan Taliban took control in August
2021.The report also highlighted how other terrorist outfits were using the TTP
cover to operate in the war-torn country.
“The distinctions between members of Al
Qaeda and affiliated groups, including TTP, and [IS-K] are at times blurred at
the edges, with individuals sometimes identifying with more than one group and
a tendency for people to gravitate towards the dominant or ascending power,”
the report noted.
“There is growing reporting that other
sanctioned terrorist groups are using support to TTP as a means to evade
control by the Afghan Taliban,” it added.
The document defined Afghanistan as a
place of global significance for terrorism, with approximately 20 terrorist
groups operating in the country and spreading their influence across regions
and to build theocratic quasi-state entities.
The UN committee observed that
relationship between the Taliban and Al Qaeda remains close and symbiotic. For
the most part, Al Qaeda “operates covertly in Afghanistan to help promote the
narrative that the Taliban comply with agreements not to use Afghan soil for
terrorist purposes”.
Under the patronage of high-ranking
officials of the de facto Taliban authorities, “Al Qaeda members infiltrate law
enforcement agencies and public administration bodies, ensuring the security of
Al Qaeda cells dispersed throughout the country”.
It estimated that the Al Qaeda core in
Afghanistan remains stable at 30 to 60 members, while all Al Qaeda fighters in
the country were estimated to be 400, reaching 2,000 with family members. Al
Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent had approximately 200 fighters.
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers, however,
have rejected the UN report as incorrect. “The UN Security Council report is
not true. Al Qaeda has no presence in Afghanistan,” Zabihullah Mujahid, the
primary spokesperson for the Afghan Taliban, tweeted on Friday.
Source: dawn.com
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1767395
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Revolution Leader al-Houthi: Imam Hussein
Presented in Karbala Greatest Lessons of Truth
The leader
of the revolution, al-Sayyed Abd al-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi
------
SANA'A July 28. 2023 (Saba)
The leader of the revolution, al-Sayyed
Abd al-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, affirmed that Imam Hussein, peace be upon
him, presented in the battle of Karbala the greatest lessons for the nation
throughout its history in steadfastness on the truth, loyalty to Islam, and the
advancement of responsibility.
In his speech today on
"Ashura", the Leader of the Revolution indicated that commemorating
this memory and talking about the revival of the Messenger of God's grandson,
his martyrdom, and the Karbala incident indicate the great, deep and extended
impact of his revival and martyrdom.
He said, "The commemoration of this
memory also indicates the shock of the great catastrophe that has been shaking
the living consciences of the sons of the Islamic nation through generations.
Al-Sayyed emphasized that the path of
the renaissance of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, extended after his
martyrdom, and the nation found that it had no choice but to move seriously and
decisive revolution to get rid of the Umayyad tyranny, and this was achieved
after a series of revolutions and sacrifices.
Al-Houthi stated that the nation in this
era faces tyranny, evil and Yazidi criminality represented by the Zionist
lobby, America, Israel and their allies and collaborators, as their war has
become explicit against the Holy Quran.
Al-Sayyed Abdul Malik explained that the
satanic endeavors led by America openly to promote immorality and homosexuality
and all steps that strike moral values are the culmination of their path in
deviating human societies from God’s approach and guidance.
He pointed out that the persistence of
the forces of evil and tyranny can only be stopped by serious action with
awareness and a sense of responsibility and trust in Allh.
Al-Sayyed considered the steadfastness
of the dear Yemeni people over nine years of siege, propaganda campaigns, and
efforts to stir up internal strife, a great divine success, and following the
example of the great scholars including Imam Hussein.
The leader of revolution called on the
sons of the Islamic nation to take a firm and serious stance that rises to the
level of responsibility towards the enemies for their offense to the Holy
Quran.
He advised and warned Western societies
that the Jewish lobby is pushing them towards the abyss, and to where they will
receive God's wrath and torment.
Al-Sayyed Abdulmalik Badr Al-Din
Al-Houthi pointed out that the situation that Western societies have reached is
a bad and backward condition, and a terrible state of slavery. He said, "I
call on them to liberate themselves from the slavery of the Jews, and to return
to the divine message."
He stated that the reality that human
society is experiencing is distressed and dangerous, while the situation of
Western societies is heading towards a very dangerous situation at the global
level.
Al-Houthi pointed out that Western
civilization is a barbaric civilization that denies morals, values, and human
dignity, oppresses, tyrannizes, and oppresses, and does not care for the right
and sanctities.
The Leader of the Revolution affirmed
Yemen's firm and principled stance towards the Palestinian cause and the
Palestinian people and its continuous endeavor to enhance cooperation and
coordination with the brothers in Palestine and the axis of jihad and
resistance.
He said, "What we hope from
cooperation with the axis of jihad and resistance is to achieve the desired
goal of purifying Palestine and saving the Palestinian people."
The leader of the revolution called on
the coalition of aggression to end the aggression, siege and occupation, and to
deal with the war files on the issue of prisoners, reconstruction and damage, and
to desist from conspiracies.
He also called on the Yemeni people for
permanent readiness to continue confronting the enemies in order to deter them
and save the country from their evil, tyranny and conspiracies.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3254427.htm
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Muslims Stand ‘Shoulder to Shoulder' At
Largest Islamic Convention In UK
This year’s
Jalsa Salana in Alton, Hampshire, will see around 40,000 Muslims coming
together in prayer and reflection (Hannah Cottrell/PA)
------
Hannah Cottrell, PA
29 July, 2023
Muslims spoke about the importance of
“standing shoulder to shoulder” as a community as they attended the first day
of the largest Islamic convention in the UK.
Around 40,000 Muslims are expected to
attend the Jalsa Salana, which began on Friday and ends on Sunday – with some
travelling from overseas to reach Oakland Farm in Alton, Hampshire, where the
convention takes place.
Fraz Ahmad, 19, a law student from
Bradford – who said he journeyed for five hours on Friday morning to reach
Alton, told the PA news agency: “I think it’s really important to remove the misconceptions
around Islam and change the narrative, change the perspective, that people have
upon it.
“By people coming here and having a look
at what true Islam looks like, and what we believe Islam is about, that’s the
only way that narrative is going to change.”
The convention, which is in its 57th
year, was formed with the help of around 5,000 volunteers from the Ahmadiyya
Muslim community, which is deemed to be the fastest growing sect within Islam.
The convention offers people that chance
to come together to “self-reflect” and “focus on spiritual goals for the coming
year” and also features several highly symbolic services and sermons from the
leader, or Caliph, of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor
Ahmad.
On Friday, the Caliph hoisted the flag
for the community alongside the Union flag, which was raised by Rafiq Hayat,
the national president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association in the UK.
It was followed by a sermon from the
Caliph, who addressed the current issues facing the community and society as a
whole.
Across the weekend, around 270,000 meals
will also be prepared onsite by the volunteers, and the bread factory at the
convention provides around 9,000 rotis – a flatbread which is eaten with meals
– every hour for the attendees.
Sarah Ward, a 43-year-old primary school
teacher from Kingston, south-west London, said it is “really nice” to see the
diversity of the Muslim community as well as the unity that comes with the
convention.
“We know, as Muslim women, we’re very
diverse, we’re not monolith, we’re from different backgrounds, we have
different skills, we have different passions, we do different jobs, but we come
together as one community,” the mother-of-three told PA.
“We’re united under our Caliph, and it’s
really nice to see that diversity yet that unity that’s there.”
Of the Jalsa Salana, Ms Ward added: “As
much as Jalsa changes – in that the marquees might be bigger or we might have
more facilities – the essence of why we come to Jalsa is exactly the same.
“We come here to listen to the speeches
of our Caliph, to self-reflect, to self-improve.
“It’s a pause in the year where we come
together and we just have that space to enjoy our sisterhood and focus on our
spiritual goals for the coming year, and you always come away quite refreshed.”
Munazzah Chou, 38, from Farnham, said
the five daily prayers – which also include an “extra special” morning prayer
at the convention – are made “more amazing” due to the “sheer scale” of the
Jalsa Salana.
“During Jalsa, everybody gets together and
it’s an amazing experience,” Ms Chou, a doctor, told PA.
“Prayer, in general, is all about coming
together, standing shoulder to shoulder in a row, there’s no hierarchy, and
during Jalsa, the sheer scale of it makes it more amazing.”
The mother-of-three added that the
convention provides “the feeling of sisterhood” and allows attendees to
“[express] our morals”.
“Hospitality is a huge part of being a
Muslim, so being hospitable towards travellers and everybody you meet, it’s a
big part of that, and every year we get an experience of that”, she added.
Meals are to be cooked onsite over the
course of the weekend, with 772 pots of food made to cater for the convention
on Friday alone.
The kitchen also plans to prepare around
270,000 meals in total from South Asian and European cuisines across the three
days.
Javed Uddin, 57, from Leicester – who
has been preparing meals for the convention for over 20 years, said he “loves
working here”.
“We’re all different ages, we come from
different parts of the UK and abroad, and we all work together,” Mr Uddin told
PA.
“We usually cook dahls, which is
lentils, in the afternoon, and then we cook lamb and potatoes in the evening.”
Mr Uddin, who works at Asda, added:
“When you do worldly things, you can work here like 14, 15 hours, which I’ve
done many times, and you’re shattered and finishing at three, four, five
o’clock in the morning, but it just keeps you going.”
The site is also equipped with a
roti-making factory, which produces around 9,000 rotis every hour which are
then hand-packaged and sent across the site.
Fathay Rashid, 31, from London – who has
been working in the onsite factory for around 10 years, said around 350,000
rotis will be prepared across the course of the three-day convention.
Mr Rashid, who is a pilot, said they
begin making the dough batches for the roti at 3am, the bread of which consists
of whole wheat flour, water, sugar and yeast.
Of his role at the Jalsa Salana, he
said: “I love it. Every year I come back to do this, it’s voluntary work.
“All the people you see every year,
they’re like family, home.”
On Saturday, the Caliph will lead the
afternoon prayer with the women in the female section of the convention, while
all attendees will gather to pledge allegiance to the Caliph in a human chain
formed of 40,000 people on Sunday.
Source: irishnews.com
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https://www.irishnews.com/news/uknews/2023/07/29/news/muslims_stand_shoulder_to_shoulder_at_largest_islamic_convention_in_uk-3481593/
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Tunisia: Hundreds Of Prominent Arab And Muslim
Figures Demand Release Of Rached Ghannouchi
Rached
Ghannouchi greets supporters upon arrival at a police station in Tunis, on 21
February 2023, in compliance with the summons of an investigating judge (AFP)
-----
28 July 2023
Hundreds of influential figures from
across the Arab and Muslim world demanded the release on Friday of Rached
Ghannouchi and other political detainees in Tunisia following 100 days since
his arrest.
According to the signatories of the open
letter to Tunisian authorities, Ghannouchi’s arrest is part of a “widespread
crackdown” on dissent that has intensified since February 2023, as more than a
dozen opposition figures were arrested including judges, politicians,
activists, and businessmen.
“Their sole crime is defying attempts to
roll back Tunisia’s democratic gains, reestablish dictatorship, and halt the
progress opposition leaders are making towards building a broad and diverse
alliance to defend democracy,” the letter stated.
The signatories include leaders,
academics, and influential figures across the Muslim world like Abdel Rahman
bin Farhat, a member of the Algerian parliament; Abderrahim Sheikhi, the former
president of the Movement for Unity and Revolution in Morocco; and Hussein
Ghazi al-Samarrai from the Iraqi Fiqh Council.
Ghannouchi, the leader of Tunisia’s main
opposition party, Ennahda, was arrested on 17 April on the orders of a Tunisian
judge and was under investigation by authorities for money laundering and
incitement to violence, charges he denies and that his supporters claim were
politically motivated.
“All supporters of the values of freedom
must stand with Tunisian democrats as they resist the onslaught against
Tunisia’s democracy, a source of hope and inspiration in the Arab and Muslim
worlds, which cannot be allowed to turn into another source of despair,” the
letter stated.
On 15 May, Ghannouchi was sentenced in
absentia to a year in prison in the most high-profile escalation of an
authoritarian crackdown underway in the country since President Kais Saied took
office.
Ghannouchi served as the speaker of
parliament, elected through democratic means, which Saied dissolved against constitutional
provisions. He led a centrist Islamist party that aimed to find common ground
with Tunisia's secular factions in the administration.
The 81-year-old political leader was
handed a prison sentence and a fine in connection with public remarks he made
at a funeral last year when he praised the deceased as a “courageous man” who
did not fear “a ruler or tyrant”.
Saied, a former constitutional law
professor, was democratically elected president in 2019, vowing to clean up
corruption and cut through political chaos.
However, in 2021, he shuttered
parliament and began consolidating power. He has arrested journalists,
activists and political opponents, in what Amnesty International has decried as
“a politically motivated witch hunt”.
In May, nearly 150 academics in Europe
and North America - including from the universities of Oxford, Harvard, and
Columbia - called for the release of Ghannouchi and all political prisoners in
Tunisia, amid what they described as a "fierce onslaught" against the
sole democracy to emerge from the 2011 Arab Spring.
Source: middleeasteye.net
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https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/arab-and-muslim-figures-demand-release-rached-ghannouchi
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India
Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Plea On Mob
Violence Against Muslims By Cow Vigilantes
July 29, 2023
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday
agreed to hear a plea filed by a women's organisation seeking directions to
states to take immediate action in consonance with a 2018 verdict of the apex
court to effectively deal with incidents of lynching and mob violence against
Muslims by cow vigilantes.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai and JB
Pardiwala issued notice to the Centre and the DGPs of Maharashtra, Orissa,
Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana seeking their responses to the
plea.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing
for the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), an organisation linked to
the Communist Party of India, pleaded against referring the matter to high
courts for adjudication.
"If that happens, then I will have
to go to various high courts. But what will the victims get? Compensation of
two lakhs after ten years. This is despite the 2018 verdict in Tehseen
Poonawala case regarding mob violence. What remedy do I have, where will I
go?" Mr Sibal said.
He said the last time he had moved the
apex court he was asked to approach the high courts concerned.
The bench then told him it was issuing
notice to the parties concerned on the petition.
The plea, filed through advocate Sumita
Hazarika and Rashmi Singh, sought urgent intervention of the apex court in view
of the "alarming" rise in cases of lynching and mob violence
targeting Muslims despite clear guidelines and directions issued by the top
court in 2018 with regard to cow vigilantes.
"In view of the alarming rise in
cases of lynching and mob violence against the Muslim community, the Petitioner
is seeking a writ in the nature of mandamus to the concerned State authorities
to take immediate action in terms of the findings and directions of this court
in Tehseen Poonawalla (2018 verdict) so as to effectively contain and deal with
the same," the plea said.
The apex court had in 2018 issued a set
of guidelines to curb cow vigilantism that targeted mostly Muslims.
The petition said urgent relief was
being sought as states had failed to take necessary action against the
perpetrators.
"The positive duty of the State to
protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all individuals and the primary
responsibility of the State to foster a secular, pluralistic and
multiculturalist social order, have been recognized by this Court in several
judgments including in Tehseen Poonawalla (2018 verdict). It is further
submitted that this court recognized its own constitutional duty to take a call
to protect lives and human rights," the PIL said.
In its 2018 verdict, the top court had
held the states have the principal obligation to see to it that vigilantism, be
it cow vigilantism or any other vigilantism of any perception, does not take
place, and issued guidelines to be adopted by the authorities to deal with such
incidents.
The PIL referred to several incidents of
mob violence, the most recent being the killing of a 55-year-old truck driver
named Jaharuddin on June 28, 2023 in Bihar's Saran district on suspicion of
carrying beef. It said the killing happened on the heels of two such incidents
in Maharashtra's Nashik.
The PIL sought direction to the Centre
to provide a minimum uniform amount to the victims of such violence in addition
to the compensation determined by the respective states after considering
factors like the nature of bodily injury, psychological injury and loss of
earning, including loss of employment opportunities, and legal and medical
expenses.
Source: ndtv.com
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-plea-on-mob-violence-against-muslims-by-cow-vigilantes-4250201
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Surankote Police Distributed Halwa and
Sharbat to Muharram Congregation in Jammu and Kashmir
July 29 2023
A good deed is never lost; he who sows
courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love and
Surankote Police yet again won hearts buy distributing *Halwa and Sharbat* among
Congregation participants of Moharram on eve of Moharram congregation
Breaking ice between general public and
police,Surankote police is always seen spreading happiness and sharing sorrow
say it be Eid and Diwali celebration in Surankote town say it be providing
support and helping hand during waterlogging in Surankote town.
Today on occasion of Muharram
Congregation in Surankote town *SSP Vinay Kumar Sharma and his team remained
part of congregation whole day , got distributed water , biscuits , Sharbat and
Halwa to participants of Moharram Congregation in Surankote town. These
gestures bring confidence in community and promote feeling of oneness among
public and police and this was welcomed by civil society of Surankote Town
Source:
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---------
J&K: Govt organises convention to
revive and spread awareness on Sufism in Srinagar
Srinagar, July 28(ANI): The Jammu and
Kashmir government organised a convention to revive and educate people about
the importance of Sufism on July
27. Sufism is one of the important parts
of Kashmir’s traditional history. Cluster University of Srinagar in
collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages
(JKAACL) organised the National Convention on Sufism: A Bridge Between
Communities at Sher-i-Kashmir International
Conference Centre (SKICC) to revive the
Sufi culture and connect the young generation with their roots. The convention
was headed by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha and Kerala
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. They highlighted the role and
imp(hotrttpa:/n/(whctwtepw:o/./(ffbhaciSttte.uplbysf/o:i2/so/ntmkw5.8citoiirtnmle)rI/.casonlaminme/Aw.NsI.)in)
Source: aninews.in
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Behind Cluster Of Vintage Shops In Pune,
A Mosque Where Prayers Were Offered For Success Of 1857 Mutiny
The City Jama Masjid located in Pune’s
Shukrawar Peth was built in 1839 for Rs 15,000 from public contributions.
Written by Atikh Rashid
July 29, 2023
The Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency
of 1885 describes the mosque as a “chief Muhammadan place of worship in the
city” built around 1839 by public subscription for Rs 15,000. (Express Photo)
On May 10, 1857, Indian sepoys in Meerut
broke into an uprising that is now remembered as India’s first war of
independence. While Pune, then Poona, did not see any active conflict unlike
several other cantonment towns in the country, tension was palpable as the news
reached the city through newspapers and word of mouth. The city did see
surreptitious meetings, pamphleteering and a surge in rumours, as per accounts
by historians.
Among the reactions to the mutiny that
have been recorded by historians is that of prayers offered at City Jama Masjid
on May 22, 1857, a Friday, for the success of the mutiny.
“After the usual Friday prayers, some
10-12 men remained in the mosque and commenced talking about the war operations
before Delhi. The whole party simultaneously rose clapping their hands in the
attitude of prayer, bought with the aid of the Prophet on behalf of the
mutineers,” as per a contemporary government report quoted in South India in
1857 War of Independence by V D Divekar. The attendees were identified as
Jaffer Mulla, Mahomed Hayat, Hussain Arab, RhaimuNaichiwala, MaddarNaichiwala,
Imam Pattewala and Jamaluddin who were later reported to the police by the informers.
It is not known if any punitive measure was taken against the attendees.
The Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency
of 1885 describes the mosque as a “chief Muhammadan place of worship in the
city” built around 1839 by public subscription for Rs 15,000.
“The back wall has a niche with a step
against it, and is covered with texts from the Kuran. In front of the mosque is
a well-sanded yard with a fountain in the middle. On one side is a washing
cistern or Hauz. Attached to the mosque is a Persian school, a rest house and
some dwellings whose rent go to the mosque fund. All Muhammadan social and
religious meetings are held in this mosque,” reads the Gazetteer.
puneThe mosque’s imam, says that a few
decades ago, the mosque’s roof was extended by 15 metres to accommodate more
Namazi. (Express Photo)
Presently, the entrance of the mosque in
busy Shukrawar Peth is easy to miss as vintage shops stand shoulder to
shoulder. The narrow entrance opens into a moderately spacious courtyard, 100
feet in width and 15 feet in length, before the enclosed mosque starts. There
is a Wuzukhana, the washing cistern, on the left side with a small
fountain-like structure in the middle and the cistern’s edges lined by stools
for the namazees to sit on as they do the ablutions before prayers.
That the mosque is over 180 years old is
barely recognisable – due to the fresh construction of the front Sahan, the
courtyard where namaz is offered, and several coats of paint on the exteriors –
until one enters the innermost area which reveals its stone build, topped by a
dome.
Maulana Zameeruddin, 64, the mosque’s
imam, says that a few decades ago, the mosque’s roof was extended by 15 metres
to accommodate more namazees. The move, however, shortened the length of the
courtyard and also required the removal of a fountain that was in front of the
mosque.
Zameeruddin has been the imam here for
the last 40 years. “Before me, my elder uncle was the imam. Earlier, people
from far-off areas such as Khadki, Dapodi and Deccan used to come to offer Friday
prayer here as this is a historic place. Now, people have shifted to newer
areas of the city, such as Kondhwa, where bigger mosques have come up and
people prefer to pray there. Still, some people make it a point to come here,
especially for Friday prayer,” he said.
For a long time, the Pune civic body’s
Urdu-medium school (School No 22), operated from inside the rooms constructed
within the courtyard until it shifted to a nearby location later.
Siraj Tamboli, a 65-year-old Namazi who
visits the mosque several times a day, said, “I belong to the third generation
from my family that prays in this mosque. My sons and grandsons also come
here.”
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/cluster-vintage-shops-pune-mosque-prayers-offered-success-1857-mutiny-8866125/
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PM Modi pays tributes to Imam Hussain
July 29, 2023
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid
tributes to Imam Hussain on Saturday, saying his courage and commitment to the
ideals of justice and human dignity are noteworthy.
Muslims across the world, especially
Shias, commemorate the death of Hussain on this day in the battle of Karbala.
Better known as “ashura”, it is the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram.
“We recall the sacrifices made by Hazrat
Imam Hussain (AS). His courage and commitment to the ideals of justice and
human dignity are noteworthy,” Modi said on Twitter.
Source: firstpost.com
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https://www.firstpost.com/india/pm-modi-pays-tributes-to-imam-hussain-12931582.html
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8,330 Indians Are Languishing in Foreign
Prisons UAE, Saudi Arabia Has the Highest Number of Inmates
JULY 28, 2023
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar
(EAM) on Friday informed the Lok Sabha that 8,330 Indians are languishing in
foreign prisons at present, a majority of which are in UAE, Saudi Arabia and
Nepal. In a statement laid on the Table of the House, Jaishankar stated that
India has signed an Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (TSP) with
as many as 31 countries.
Under the provisions of TSP, Indian
prisoners lodged in foreign countries can be transferred to India to serve the
remainder of their sentence and vice-versa. Out of the total Indian prisoners,
including undertrials, 1,611 are in United Arab Emirates (UAE), followed by
1,461 in Saudi Arabia and 1,222 in Nepal.
The minister said due to strong privacy
laws prevailing in many countries, the local authorities do not share
information on prisoners unless the person concerned consents to the disclosure
of such information. “Even countries which share information do not generally
provide detailed information about the foreign nationals imprisoned," he
added.
Jaishankar stressed the government
attaches the highest priority to the safety, security and well-being of Indians
in foreign countries, including those in the foreign jails. “Indian Missions/Posts abroad remain vigilant
and closely monitor the incidents of Indian nationals being put in jail in
foreign countries for violation/ alleged violation of local laws," the
minister informed.
“As soon as the information about the
detention/arrest of an Indian national is received by an Indian Mission/Post,
it immediately gets in touch with the local Foreign Office and other concerned
local authorities to get consular access to the detained/arrested Indian
national to ascertain the facts of the case, confirm his or her Indian
nationality and ensure his or her welfare," he added.
In a separate unstarred question, the
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was also asked whether the Government has
maintained any data on the Indian citizens killed in terror attacks abroad.
In response, the Minister of State for
MEA, Meenakshi Lekhi, said 139 Indian citizens have died in terror attacks
while staying abroad since 1985. “The Government of India accords the highest
priority to safety, security and well being of Indian citizens abroad and
regularly engages with the authorities of other countries in this regard,"
she said.
“In case of incidences of terror attacks
involving death of Indian citizens abroad, the Government suitably requests the
concerned foreign Government to take appropriate action to bring to justice the
perpetrators of such terror attacks," she added.
Source: news18.com
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Uttar Pradesh: 2 Shia groups clash over
venue for religious meeting, 20 booked
Jul 28, 2023
By Press Trust of India: Two Shia groups
clashed here over holding a religious meeting, a police official said on
Friday.
Additional Superintendent of Police
Samar Bahadur Singh said the incident took place on Thursday night in Moonghari
village.
The groups clashed over the venue for
holding a 'majlis' (religious meeting) during the Muharram procession. A video
of the fight went viral on social media.
Singh said both sides lodged a complaint
against each other on Friday, following which, 20 people were booked.
Source: indiatoday.in
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https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/uttar-pradesh-two-shia-groups-clash-religious-meeting-booked-2413290-2023-07-28
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Develop SOPs to probe 'love-jihad' cases:
Himanta tells Assam Police
Jul 28, 2023
By Press Trust of India: Assam Chief
Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday urged the police to develop a standard
operating Procedure (SOP) for probing cases of 'love-jihad' in the state.
The root cause of 'love jihad' is
forceful religious conversions, Sarma claimed in his address to the
superintendents of police at a convention in Bongaigaon.
"Besides, an act will be
implemented soon in the state through which the marriageable age will be
legally fixed for all communities, multiple marriages will be stopped and more
legislative steps will be taken so that when arrests are made for violating the
norms, the accused do not get bail," Sarma said.
The chief minister has been claiming
that the triple murder case in Golaghat where a 25-year old Muslim man killed
his Hindu wife and her parents on Monday was a case of 'love jihad', a term
used by right-wing groups to allege that Muslim men lure Hindu women to convert
through marriage.
He also claimed there have been many
tragic incidents of suicide by girls who have been victims of 'love jihad'.
Sarma had earlier claimed on Thursday
that there will be peace in the country if Hindu and Muslim men marry women of
their respective communities.
The chief minister told the convention
that another operation to combat child marriages in the state will be launched
in September and legislative backing will be given to ensure prosecution of the
accused held for polygamy and child marriages.
Sarma urged all SPs of the state to be
prepared for more arrests in September as there will be another round of action
against child marriage then.
''Whenever a child marriage comes to our
notice we will have to prosecute the accused under POCSO as it is a secular Act
and does not deal with any religion," he said. The POCSO Act applies
equally to all citizens of all religions who commit sexual offences against
children.
''There are some vintage acts that have
come to our notice. We will repeal them as it comes in the way of taking action
against child marriage,'' he said.
Sarma said crime against women in Assam
has drastically come down to 14,030 cases in 2022 as against 29,046 cases in
2021, which is much below the annual average of 27,240 cases between 2017-21.
Crimes against children in the state have also come down to 4,084 as against
5,282 in previous years.
High profile cases must be tried in
special courts, special public prosecutors must be engaged and charge sheets
must be filed within the stipulated period to serve as a deterrent in future,
he added.
Source: indiatoday.in
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https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/develop-sops-to-probe-love-jihad-cases-himanta-tells-assam-police-2413262-2023-07-28
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Pakistan
Pakistan calls for Israel to be held
accountable for Palestine ‘crimes’
JULY 29, 2023
Pakistan has urged the UN Security
Council to “fully and forcefully” implement its resolutions on the Middle East
conflict that give the right of self-determination to the Palestinian people.
Speaking in the 15-member Council,
Ambassador Munir Akram also strongly condemned the recent large-scale Israeli
military operations in Jenin in occupied Palestinian West Bank, and called for
holding Israel accountable for its “grave human rights violations and crimes in
occupied Palestine.”
“Unfortunately,” the Pakistani envoy
said, “the killing of children, women and men continues in occupied Palestine
with complete impunity.”
He added, “The rule of law can be upheld
only if it is applied universally and consistently, without exceptions or
double standards.”
Ambassador Akram regretted that the
Security Council has not been able to exercise its primary responsibility for
the maintenance of international peace and security in occupied Palestine.
“Given the erga-omnes character of the
right of self-determination,” the Pakistani envoy said it is also incumbent on
all States to ensure that any impediment to the exercise of the right to
self-determination by the Palestinian people is immediately terminated.
He said that on 5 July, three Special
Rapporteurs of the United Nations Human Rights Council stated that Israeli
attacks against the Jenin refugee camp may constitute a war crime and had no
justification under international law.
The impunity that Israel has enjoyed for
its acts of violence over decades only fuels and intensifies the recurring
cycle of violence.
The Special Rapporteurs also called for
Israel to be held accountable under international law.
The Pakistani envoy said the continuing
expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and the expulsion
and evictions of Palestinians from their properties are illegal and grave
violations of Council resolutions and international law, including humanitarian
law.
“The international community cannot
accept the fait accompli Israel is seeking to impose with the design to
perpetuate its forcible occupation and destroy Palestinian nationhood,”
Ambassador Akram said.
“There will be no durable peace in the
Holy land until the creation of an independent, viable and contiguous State of
Palestine, established on the basis of pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif
as its capital.”
Opening the debate on the situation in
the troubled region, Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle
East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding
Affairs and Peace Operations, said that from 27 June through 24 July in the
occupied West Bank, 25 Palestinians, including 5 children, were killed, and 249
Palestinians were injured by Israeli security forces. According to Israel, 2
Israeli security forces personnel were killed while another 39 Israelis were
injured by Palestinians.
This deterioration is taking place
alongside ongoing unilateral steps that undermine a two-State solution, the
absence of a peace process and the continuing economic challenges facing
Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority, he stressed.
On 3 and 4 July in the Jenin refugee
camp in the occupied West Bank, Israeli security forces carried out an operation
marked by multiple drone strikes and over 1,000 ground troops. Twelve
Palestinians, including four children, were killed and over 140 injured – the
most in a single operation in the West Bank since the United Nations began
tracking casualties in 2005. Palestinian Islamic Jihad al-Quds Brigades claimed
8 of the 12 fatalities as members, including children.
Israeli settler violence continues,
albeit not at the scale witnessed in June, he pointed out, reminding Israel of
its responsibility to abide by international humanitarian law when carrying out
security measures.
The funding gap faced by the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
is of grave concern, Khiari went on to say, urging the international community
to contribute the $200 million the Agency
urgently needs to maintain services from
September onwards.
Ambassador Riyad Mansour, the Permanent
Observer for the State of Palestine, said that there are more than 700,000
Israeli settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East
Jerusalem.
“So, let us start by calling things by
their name, he urged, stating that the Israeli occupation is a settler-colonial
occupation and that the only way the international community can end it is to
address its settler-colonial nature.
We need an action plan, with the
necessary resources and the will to implement it, he stressed. The
International Criminal Court investigations must start yielding results by
providing justice for victims and deterring perpetrators. The International
Court of Justice advisory opinion will give the United Nations and all States
guidance on their legal obligations.
Source: dailytimes.com.pk
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People of Balochistan have first right
on province’s resources: PM
JULY 29, 2023
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday
said that the people of Balochistan had the first right to the resources of the
province as the betterment of their lives would make them own the development.
“The people of Balochistan have the
first right to the resources of the province. When their lives and those of
their children change for the better, they will own development and become a
partaker in it,” the PM wrote on social media.
The PM spent an “eventful” day in Gwadar
on Thursday along with federal ministers, army and naval chiefs, the .governor
and chief minister of Balochistan, and the government officials, where he
inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for a series of development,
infrastructural and educational projects that would change the destiny of the
region.
“Despite sporadic attempts here and
there, Balochistan has been a victim of our collective neglect. The province
has not progressed at par with other federating units, which is a shame,” he
remarked.
He recalled that he had toured all the
affected regions of Balochistan during the devastating floods last year and saw
the conditions for himself.
PM Shehbaz said that his idea of
development was rooted in the uplift of the standards of living of the people
as it was their socio-economic well-being and welfare that formed the core of
real development. He reiterated that Pakistan’s progress was linked to that of
Balochistan.
“My meeting with the youth of the
province on the occasion of the distribution of laptops was a high point of my
visit. Their beaming faces reassured me that the future of Balochistan and
Pakistan is in safe and responsible hands. The old guard only needs to do their
bit,” the PM remarked.
Source: dailytimes.com.pk
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CDA urged to focus on better development
of Blue Area Business Centre
JULY 29, 2023
Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (ICCI) President Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, on Friday, urged Capital
Development Authority (CDA) to focus on its better development to facilitate
the growth of trade activities.
The President ICCI said that Blue Area
is the largest commercial centre of Islamabad, which plays an important role in
the development of the economy.
He said that parking is the most serious
issue of the Blue Area, so parking should be allowed on the green area of Fazal
Haq Road until the construction of a parking plaza, said a press release issued
here.
He said this while addressing a
delegation of the Traders Welfare Association, Blue Area, Islamabad that
visited ICCI led by its President Raja Hasan Akhtar and highlighted the key
issues faced by the traders.
Ahsan Bakhtawari further said that ICCI
intends to organize a mega shopping festival in the Blue Area in collaboration
with Association so that trade activities can flourish and customers can also
get a chance of shopping at reasonable rates.
Raja Hassan Akhtar, President Blue Area
Traders Welfare Association highlighted the important issues of traders of his
market.
He said that the non-availability of
parking, the old sewage system and non-functional street lights are the main
issues of the Blue Area, so CDA should solve them on an urgent basis.
He stressed a flower market in Blue Area
besides pruning trees and said that CDA should take steps in this regard. He
assured President ICCI of full support from the traders of Blue Area and said
that the respect given to the traders of Blue Area during his tenure was probably
never given in the history of the Chamber.
He said that during Ahsan Bakhtawari’s
tenure, the problems of traders are being solved and the remaining ones are
expected to be solved soon.
Khalid Iqbal Malik, Group Leader ICCI,
said that the Blue Area Association is very important in trade politics as its
members are more than any market or industrial area association. He said that
ICCI has always given importance to the traders of the Blue Area, and during
his tenure as President of ICCI, the traders of the Blue Area were also given a
red-carpet reception. He assured that ICCI will play an active role in solving
the issues of the traders of Blue Area.
Yousuf Rajput, Group Leader, Blue Area,
said that the traders of his market are standing like a strong wall with Ahsan
Bakhtavari and will continue to cooperate with ICCI to solve the problems of
the traders.
On this occasion, Mian Basharat
Kakakhel, Secretary General of Blue Area Association, announced joining the
Founder Group.
He demanded from the CDA to establish a
food street in the Blue Area, which is the need of the hour for the traders and
citizens.
President Jinnah Supermarket Asad Aziz
said that the traders of the Supermarket, Jinnah Supermarket and Blue Area are
standing with ICCI as a unit.
Amin Pirzada, Raja Humayun Sarwar, Atiq
ur Rehman, Shafqat Gondal, Riaz Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Tehmas Butt, Yusuf Khan,
Chaudhry Wasim, Sheikh Kaleem, Raja Hamid, Adil Barkat, Chaudhry Imran, Naseer
Abbasi, Imran Khan, Azhar Khan, Yusuf Balti and others also spoke on this
occasion.
Source: dailytimes.com.pk
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---------
Ashura processions under way across the
country amid tight security
July 29, 2023
Mourners across the country are taking
out processions to observe Yaum-i-Ashura (Muharram 10) amid tight security
arrangements, with mobile phone services suspended in some areas to prevent any
untoward incident.
Yaum-i-Ashura is observed every year on
Muharram 10 with solemnity to pay homage to Imam Husain — the grandson of Holy
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and other martyrs of Karbala.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the
day reminds us that standing against oppression is the moral duty of a Muslim,
state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
It further quoted the premier as saying,
“Imam Husain’s sacrifice teaches us the priceless lesson of unshakable faith,
righteousness and justice.”
The prime minister urged the public to
learn from the incident “to deal with the challenges and trials that our nation
and the entire Muslim ummah (community) are facing today”.
Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi, in
his message, said that the companions of Imam Husain “taught us the importance
of loyalty, righteousness and supporting those who struggle for truth and
justice”, Radio Pakistan reported.
It further quoted him as saying that we
should “give up personal luxuries and desires for the greater good of society
and [the] betterment of humanity”.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
also shared couplets in remembrance of the historic incident.
To ensure the security of Muharram processions
across the province, the Punjab government has sought the deployment of army
and Rangers troops.
The Karachi police have also issued a
security and traffic management plan for processions, under which 4,698 police
personnel would be deployed across the city.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has imposed Section
144 in all divisions except Malakand, banning the display and brandishing of
arms, pillion riding, use of tinted glass in vehicles and standing of people on
rooftops. The ban will remain in place throughout Muharram.
Lahore
Lahore’s main procession set out from
Nisar Haveli in the Mohalla Chillah Bibian in the morning and is set to
culminate at the Karbala Ghamay Shah Imambargah.
According to a Dawn.com correspondent,
during the procession, the participants will offer the combined Zuhrain prayers
at Sunehri Majid while the combined Maghribain prayers will be offered near
Bhati Gate.
Radio Pakistan said the procession’s
route included Kashmiri Bazaar, Masjid Wazir Khan, Rang Mahal, Paniwala Talab,
Bazaar Hakiman, Taksali and Bhati Gate.
It further said that the Lahore police
have made strict security arrangements for the procession and snipers have been
deployed on the roofs of the buildings along the route.
Meanwhile, the official Twitter account
of Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Bilal Siddique Kamyana shared his
statement, wherein he directed the police to remain alert and ensure the
uninterrupted flow of traffic.
Punjab Inspector General Dr Usman Anwar
also reiterated his directions to the police, which he had issued earlier, and
ordered them to ensure “fool-proof security” on the occasion.
In a tweet, the Punjab government said
that Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, accompanied by the IG, visited Pando Street
last night where he assessed the security arrangements made for today’s
processions.
Quetta
In Quetta, the main procession departed
from the Nasirabad Imambargah and is led by Balochistan Shia Conference
President Jawad Rafi.
It is expected to culminate at Mominabad
Imambargah after passing through Alamdar Road, Toghi Road, Mission Road, Bacha
Khan Chowk, Liaquat Bazaar and Prince Road.
No one will be allowed to participate in
the procession without a security check conducted.
A total of 36 mourning processions would
be carried out by the city’s various Imambargahs while mobile phone services
will remain suspended from 6am to 12am.
The set routes for the processions have
been blocked for traffic with officials from the police, Frontier Constabulary
and other LEAs deployed at various points.
The shops and markets on the
processions’ entrance routes have been sealed as well after conducting a
thorough screening.
Moreover, three battalions of the
Pakistan Army are also on stand-by while control rooms have been established at
the offices of the provincial inspector general and deputy inspector general.
The Ashura possessions would be
monitored via “hidden cameras”, as well as aerially by helicopters.
Separately, Quetta DIG Ghulam Azfar
said, without expanding on the details, that the police arrested four
suspicious individuals from near McConaghey Road,
He added that they have been shifted to
an unidentified location and the forensics of their mobile phones are being
carried out.
The DIG stated that the police are
conducting raids in various areas to find the enablers of the arrested
suspects.
Karachi
The city’s main procession departed from
Nishtar Park and is set to conclude at Hussainiyah Iranian Imambargah in the
Kharadar area in the evening after passing through its traditional route via MA
Jinnah Road, APP reported.
It further said that scouts assisted the
police and Rangers who were deployed for the procession’s security while a team
of the Bomb Disposal Squad had also conducted a check earlier on the route.
The traffic police said that MA Jinnah
Road was closed to traffic at 8:16am due to the Ashura procession.
Referring to a press release it had
issued earlier, the police said the traffic was being diverted to the
alternative routes mentioned therein.
Earlier, it also said that the National
Highway was opened for traffic at 7:56am after it was closed off for three
minutes due to security arrangements for processions.
Gilgit
In Gilgit, the main procession departed
from Central Imamia Mosque and is expected to conclude at the same place in the
afternoon after passing through its traditional routes, Radio Pakistan
reported.
It added that the participants will
offer the Zuhr prayers at Captain Zameer Abbas Chowk in the city while majlis
will be organised at night at various Imambargahs.
Peshawar
Earlier today, the Peshawar Capital City
Police said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Haroonul Rashid
visited various Imambargahs and the procession routes last night.
It further said that the SSP issued
special directives to the police regarding security measures and also
distributed cash prizes to the officials who performed best.
Source: dawn.com
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--------
Mideast
Shia Muslims hold mourning ceremony in
Baqi in Medina
TEHRAN, Jul. 28 (MNA) – Unlike previous
years, the Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia have reportedly been allowed to
commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hossain (AS) in Baqi cemetery in
the city of Medina.
After it was reported earlier this year
that Saudi Arabia had eased some of its restrictions on the pilgrimage by Shia
Muslims to Baqi cemetery in the city of Medina during Hajj rituals, there are
reports now that Shia Muslims have been allowed to hold Ashura and Muharram
mourning ceremony there.
The mourning ceremony of Imam Hossain
(peace be upon him) was held in the Baqi cemetery in a rare move, and a group
of Saudi Shiites mourned near the Baqi while chanting slogans like "Ya
Hossain" and "Labaik Ya Hossain."
Some informed sources have said that,
"The Muharram mourning took place near Baqi cemetery with the permission
of the Saudis."
Accordingly, the Saudi authorities have
not prevented the Shiites from mourning the martyrdom of Imam Hossain (AS) this
year. An informed source has said, "This action was planned a long time
ago when the officials did not allow the presence of Shiites near the Prophet's
holy Shrine and the Baqi cemetery. However, after various rounds of
negotiations, the trustees finally issued the permit for their mourning.
The following video footage shows the
morning ceremony in Baqi:
Source: en.mehrnews.com
Please
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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/203875/Shia-Muslims-hold-mourning-ceremony-in-Baqi-in-Medina
--------
Islamic State Says It Bombed Shiite
Shrine in Syria which Killed 6, Injured 20
JULY 29, 2023
The Islamic State group (IS) said Friday
it was behind a bombing south of the Syrian capital Damascus the day before
that killed at least six people and wounded 20.
Thursday’s explosion was near the Sayeda
Zeinab mausoleum in Damascus, Syria’s most visited Shiite pilgrimage site, and
came on the eve of the annual Shiite Ashura commemoration.
In a statement on the Telegram messaging
app, the jihadist group said some of its fighters breached tight security
imposed by the Syrian regime and militias guarding the mausoleum area.
It said “they were able to park and
detonate a motorcycle bomb … during a gathering of Shia pilgrims".
The authorities had tightened security
measures around the mausoleum for the 10-day Ashura commemoration, among the
most important in Shiite Islam.
In the same message on Friday, IS
claimed “another bomb attack" it said had targeted “a bus transporting
Shiite pilgrims in the same area, wounding at least two and destroying the
vehicle".
On Tuesday, an explosion in a car in the
same area of the Syrian capital had wounded two civilians, official media cited
a security official as saying.
Shiite shrines are a frequent target of
attacks by Sunni Muslim extremists of the IS group, not only in Syria but also
in neighbouring Iraq.
(This story has not been edited by
News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - AFP)
Source: news18.com
Please click
the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.news18.com/world/islamic-state-says-it-bombed-shiite-shrine-in-syria-which-killed-6-injured-20-8452027.html
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Deaths as fire erupts in Iraqi shrine
city during Shia pilgrimage
A fire has killed four people in the
Iraqi shrine city of Karbala as hundreds of thousands of Shia Muslim pilgrims
began gathering to mark Ashura, emergency services said.
The blaze erupted in an alleyway near
the mausoleum of Imam Hussein on Friday, the focal point of commemorations.
"According to preliminary reports,
the fire was sparked by a gas bottle in the kitchen" of a refreshment tent
set up for pilgrims and then spread into an adjacent market, an emergency
services statement said.
Fire crews arrived on the scene and put
out the blaze "in record time, despite the difficulty of moving fire
trucks through the crowds of pilgrims", it added.
Ashura commemoration
Ashura commemorates the martyrdom of
Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), in a seventh-century
battle.
Iraq was set to see the main observance
of the Ashura on Saturday in Karbala, where hundreds of thousands are expected
and many will rush toward the shrine to symbolise their desire to answer
Hussein’s last cries for help in battle.
Source: trtworld.com
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https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/deaths-as-fire-erupts-in-iraqi-shrine-city-during-shia-pilgrimage-14242251
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Muslims in Türkiye commemorate the anniversary
of the Karbala
JUL 28, 2023
The mourning of a tragic episode in
Islamic history was marked in Türkiye on Friday by parades and the serving of
desserts as Shiites and Sunnis remembered the Battle of Karbala where the
Prophet Muhammad's grandson was martyred.
The 10th day of the Islamic month of
Muharram, also known as Ashura, marks the anniversary of the passing of the
prophet's grandson Hussein in the desert plains of Karbala, some 113 kilometers
(70 miles) from modern-day Iraq's capital Baghdad.
The word "ashura" means
"10," referring to the date of the holiday in the Islamic calendar,
the month of Muharram. For Shiite Muslims, Ashura Day is a major occasion,
commemorating the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Hussein ibn
Ali, and all his companions in Karbala.
The Jafari community of Shiite Islam,
concentrated in Istanbul, as well as eastern provinces bordering Iran,
including Kars and Iğdır, held two days of events where they dressed in black
to remember the Battle of Karbala.
They observe morning prayers and rituals
representing martyrdom, while reenactments and plays are performed to keep his
memory alive.
In Iğdır, on the night known as Tasua
Night, which is the ninth night of Muharram preceding "ashura,"
thousands of people gathered to commemorate the martyrs and prayed.
The program started with the recitation
of the Quran in the morning and continued until the evening, with citizens from
the city center, districts, and villages gathering in mosques and then marching
to Zübeyde Hanım Boulevard.
In Kars, in another commemoration
program, thousands of people gathered in front of the Hazreti Ali Çarşı Mosque
and began a march to mark the day.
Along with the women dressed in black
who joined the march, some citizens couldn't hold back their tears during the
recitations and traditional processions.
At the Sümbül Efendi Central Tekke in
Istanbul – a lodge for dervishes run by the "Human and Knowledge
Foundation," a 5,000-person portion of ashura, a traditional Turkish
dessert served specifically for this occasion, was cooked.
The sweet dish was cooked in a
traditional way accompanied by prayers and devotional activities.
During the event, the president of the
foundation, Fatih Çıtlak, emphasized that ashura is not just a regular treat.
Çıtlak explained that it symbolizes unity and diversity, and through this
event, they want to promote love and harmony among people.
Türkiye's president on Friday also
commemorated the historical martyrdom of the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad,
who was killed in the year A.D. 680 during the Battle of Karbala.
"I congratulate our nation and the
Islamic world on the Day of Ashura, and I pray that the month of Muharram will
bring peace and blessings to all humanity," Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on
Twitter/X.
Erdoğan also commemorated Al-Hussein and
all the martyrs of Karbala with mercy.
Al-Hussein, along with 72 loyal
companions, was killed in the infamous Battle of Karbala in year 61 of the
Islamic calendar by the forces of Umayyad Caliph Yazid I on the 10th day of
Muharram.
Source: dailysabah.com
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https://www.dailysabah.com/turkiye/muslims-in-turkiye-commemorate-the-anniversary-of-the-karbala/news
--------
Turkey’s Erdogan: Ashura cause for unity
between Islamic countries
July 28, 2023
During a meeting with Iran’s new
Ambassador to Ankara Mohammad-Hassan Habibollah-Zadeh on Thursday, President
Erdogan said Turkey and Iran should increase cooperation to fight terrorism and
Islamophobia and enhance unity in the Islamic world, according to a report by
ISNA.
Habibollah-Zadeh submitted his credentials
during the same meeting.
Erdogan said Turkey and Iran could
conceivably increase bilateral trade to 30 billion dollars a year, and demanded
that officials from both countries make efforts to remove obstacles in the way
of the realization of that goal.
Habibollah-Zadeh said both countries
planned to boost cooperation, including in regional and international issues.
Meanwhile, millions of Muslims are
mourning Imam Hossein (PBUH)’s martyrdom anniversary across Iran and some other
otheries.
Ashura, or the tenth day of the month of
Muharram on the Islamic calendar, is the peak of the Battle of Karbala, when in
680, Imam Hossein and only 72 of his companions faced off with the forces of
the tyrant ruler of the time, Yazid, the second Umayyad caliph, and were all
martyred.
Source: ifpnews.com
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https://ifpnews.com/turkeys-erdogan-ashura-cause-for-unity-between-islamic-countries/
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Qur'an desecrators fail to stir up
religious conflict
July 28, 2023
TEHRAN, Jul. 28 (MNA) – Tehran's
provisional Friday Prayers leader said those who sought to ignite a religious
war between followers of different divine religions failed to achieve their
goal by the sacrilege of the holy Qur'an in Europe.
"The disgraceful insulting moves
that were done recently against the Holy Qur'an did not get anywhere,"
Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari, during this week's Friday Prayers
sermon in Tehran which coincided with Ashura Day and was attended by President
Ebrahim Raeisi and some other government officials on the campus of Tehran
University.
The senior cleric noted that those who
insulted the holy Muslims book sought to create a division between Muslims and
followers of other divine religions, most notably the Christians, but they did
not succeed because Muslims respect the other religions' holy books.
The temporary imam of Tehran Friday
Prayers also said that by desecrating the holy Qur'an, the enemies might have
wanted to increase Islamophobia with the aim of causing panic in their region
and the rest of the world against Muslims, but again they failed.
Haj Ali Akbari further said the
desecrators might have sought the world to forget the Palestinian people with
their actions, however, they did not get anywhere and failed to achieve their
goal again.
The senior cleric went to point to Imam
Hossain (AS) martyrdom anniversary on the day of Ashura and described Imam
Hosseain and holy Qur'an as two lights from God that will spread to the entire
world one day in the future.
Source: en.mehrnews.com
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/203876/Qur-an-desecrators-fail-to-stir-up-religious-conflict
--------
Europe
Swedish migration agency re-examines residency
permit of Quran burner
(Reuters) -The Swedish migration agency
said late on Friday it is re-examining the residency permit of an Iraqi refugee
who is behind several Quran desecrations in Stockholm in recent weeks, which
have upset Muslims across the world.
The man burnt a copy of the Quran last
month outside of Stockholm’s central mosque and also held a demonstration in
front of the Iraqi embassy in July where he said he would burn the holy book,
but did not do so.
The migration agency said it is re-examining
his immigration status, after it received information from the Swedish
authorities that have given reason to examine whether the man’s status in
Sweden should be revoked.
“It is a statutory measure that is taken
when the Swedish migration agency receives such information and it is too early
to say anything about the outcome of the case,” a spokesperson for the agency
said in a statement to Reuters, adding it was unable to comment further due to
confidentiality.
According to the Swedish news agency TT,
the man has a temporary residency permit in Sweden that is set to expire in
2024.
Sweden has found itself in the
international spotlight in recent weeks following protests where the Quran, the
Muslim holy book, has been damaged and burned.
Attacks on the Quran in Sweden and
Denmark in the past weeks have offended many Muslim countries including Turkey,
whose backing Sweden needs to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a
goal of Stockholm’s after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Stockholm police have also received
applications for demonstrations that included burning other religious books
such as the Christian and the Hebrew Bible, prompting many to criticise Sweden.
Swedish courts have ruled that police
cannot stop burnings of holy scriptures, but Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s
government said earlier in July it would examine if there was reason to change
the Public Order Act to make it possible for police to stop Quran burnings.
The man in question was not immediately
available for comment.
Source: reuters.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.reuters.com/article/sweden-Quran/swedish-migration-agency-re-examines-residency-permit-of-Quran-burner-idUSKBN2Z81TO?rpc=401&
--------
IS claims attack near Damascus Shia
shrine
28 July, 2023
The Islamic State group (IS) said Friday
it was behind a bombing south of the Syrian capital Damascus the day before
that killed at least six people and wounded 20.
Thursday's explosion was near the Sayeda
Zeinab mausoleum in Damascus, Syria's most visited Shia pilgrimage site, and
came on the eve of the annual Shia Ashura commemoration.
In a statement on the Telegram messaging
app, the jihadist group said some of its fighters breached tight security imposed
by the Syrian regime and militias guarding the mausoleum area.
It said "they were able to park and
detonate a motorcycle bomb ... during a gathering of Shia pilgrims".
The authorities had tightened security
measures around the mausoleum for the 10-day Ashura commemoration, among the
most important in Shia Islam.
In the same message on Friday, IS
claimed "another bomb attack" it said had targeted "a bus
transporting Shia pilgrims in the same area, wounding at least two and
destroying the vehicle".
On Tuesday, an explosion in a car in the
same area of the Syrian capital had wounded two civilians, official media cited
a security official as saying.
Shia shrines are a frequent target of
attacks by Sunni Muslim extremists of the IS group, not only in Syria but also
in neighbouring Iraq.
Source: newarab.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.newarab.com/news/fire-kills-four-iraq-shrine-city-pilgrims-gather
--------
Man 'exposes himself and shouts racist
abuse outside Swindon mosque'
28th July
A man has been arrested after he shouted
racist abuse outside a mosque.
The suspect is also alleged to have
exposed himself during the ordeal on Thursday evening.
Officers descended on Jamia Mosque on
Broad Street, at around 8.30pm.
Members of the public had reported that
a man was shouting racist abuse outside the building, and after officers
arrived on the scene, the suspect was pointed out by members of the public.
Wiltshire Police confirmed on Friday
that the man was arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure, outraging public
decency and racially aggravated section 4A public order.
He remains in custody for questioning.
A Wiltshire Police spokesperson said:
“We understand there were several members of the public around at the time and
we are appealing for them to come forward to help us with our enquiries.
“If you saw what happened, please
contact us on 101 quoting reference 54230079138.”
Source: swindonadvertiser.co.uk
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https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23686463.man-exposes-shouts-racist-abuse-outside-swindon-mosque/
--------
Quran burnings fuel endless crisis
between Sweden, Denmark and Arab-Muslim nations
28/07/2023
Stockholm/ Baghdad
The two Nordic countries of Sweden and
Denmark find themselves facing an endless crisis over Quran burnings which
fuels diplomatic tensions with Arab-Islamic nations which nobody wants, except
maybe for radical populists.
Sweden worries the situation is starting
to resemble the fury Denmark faced from Muslim countries in 2006 following the
publication of newspaper caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. Danish consulates
and embassies were burned and the cartoonists faced death threats from radical
Islamists. Attempts by Danish officials to explain how such caricatures were
protected under freedom of speech were widely dismissed in the Muslim world.
The latest episode of the ongoing
provocations came when a small group of anti-Islam activists set fire to Qurans
in front of the Egyptian and Turkish embassies in Copenhagen on Tuesday after
similar protests in Denmark and Sweden over recent weeks that have enraged
Muslims around the world.
Last week, protesters in Iraq set the
Swedish embassy in Baghdad ablaze prodded into action by fiery cleric Moqtada
al Sadr. In Lebanon, Hezbollah chief Hussein Nasrallah said the desecrations
needed “ strong popular and official positions.”
Iraq later withdrew its chargé
d’affaires in Stockholm and Sweden said it had temporarily moved its seconded
embassy staff and operations from Baghdad to Sweden for safety reasons.
The 57-nation Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation introduced a resolution, opposed by most Western nations, that
passed in the United Nations Human Rights Council on July 12, calling for
states to review their laws that prevent prosecution of “religious hatred”.
Much like his Danish counterpart,
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom has been working the phones to
appease tensions. He said on Thursday he had been in touch with the foreign
ministers of Iran, Iraq, Algeria and Lebanon among others as well as the United
Nations secretary-general.
“And just now I will speak to the
secretary-general for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation,” Billstrom said.
Many in the Muslim world accuse Sweden
and Denmark of inconsistency when they vehemently condemn Quran burnings but do
nothing about it, as when the Swedish top diplomat describes the desecration of
holy texts as “offensive and disrespectful” but says the authorities cannot
stop the provocations.
Experts say the crisis could endure
considering the gap between political cultures that underlies it. Billstrom
admits “this is a long-term issue, there are no quick fixes”.
Sweden’s laws, current politics and
social traditions mean such incidents are unlikely to be halted any time soon.
At the same time, large segments of the population in the Arab and Muslim world
see their value systems and sacred symbols facing an onslaught.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain, a research fellow
at the Washington-based Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) takes issue
with the “vengeful” reactions of the Iraqi government and populist agitators.
“Perhaps it is the lack of understanding of liberty among these Iraqis that has
been obstructing the growth of democracy in Iraq, ever since America toppled
the country’s dictator in 2003,” he wrote recently.
But most Arab and Muslim governments
will see it as politically suicidal not to denounce the Quran burnings and
consider retaliatory measures if the incidents continue to occur, analysts say.
The political and legal landscape on the
other side is also prohibitive. Stockholm police tried to stop Quran-burning
protests earlier this year but were overruled by a court that said such actions
were protected by Swedish law.
University of Copenhagen law Professor
Trine Baumbach explained that, “People benefit from an extended freedom of
speech when they demonstrate” and “can express themselves in various ways, such
as through the burning of items.”
While the latest Quran burnings could
still be tested in court for “inciting hate,” it is widely believed the act is
protected by the constitution’s far-reaching freedom of speech laws.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s
government said last week it would examine if there was reason to change the
Public Order Act to make it possible for police to stop Quran burnings, amid
concerns over national security.
Sweden’s security-alert level has not
been changed and is currently at three
on a scale of five, indicating “heightened risk”. Five is the highest
level of threat.
Kristersson said Thursday he is
“extremely worried” that “there is a
clear risk of something serious happening” if more permits are granted for
Quran burnings.
But to change the constitution is a
lengthy process that requires a vote in parliament, then a general election,
and then another vote in parliament.
For now, Sweden is trying to deflect
blame for the tensions, by claiming to be the target of a disinformation
campaign by “Russia-backed actors” who want to hurt the image of Sweden by
implying it supported recent burnings of the Quran, as Minister for Civil
Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin said on Wednesday.
Experts say Russian conspiracy theories
may gain traction in Europe amid the wariness about Moscow’s intent since the
Ukraine war but are only likely to add to the credibility gap that challenges
Swedish and Danish diplomats as they go about trying to control the damage from
Quran burnings.
Source: thearabweekly.com
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://thearabweekly.com/quran-burnings-fuel-endless-crisis-between-sweden-denmark-and-arab-muslim-nations
---------
Africa
United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) applauds Kenya’s efforts to resolve stateless situation of
Pemba community
GENEVA, Switzerland, July 28, 2023/APO
Group/ -- UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, applauds the Government of Kenya for
granting citizenship to members of the Pemba community. This decisive action is
another step in their longstanding commitment to help eliminate statelessness
in the country and improve the lives of thousands of people.
During a ceremony held on 28 July in
Kilifi, on Kenya’s eastern coast, President William Ruto issued identification
cards, birth certificates and passports to individuals from the Pemba community
who have been living in the country for decades. This event marked the
completion of the registration process for all 7,000 members of the Pemba
community, allowing them to fully access key services like education, healthcare,
social protection, financial services and the formal labour market.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees,
Filippo Grandi said, “I applaud the Government of Kenya’s leadership in
addressing many of the challenges facing uprooted people and for taking
significant steps to eradicate statelessness in this country.”
“It is a great example of how States can
put an end to statelessness and open the way for people caught up in this
dreadful situation to come out of the shadows and participate fully in society,”
said Grandi.
In recent years, Kenya has made
important strides in efforts to resolve statelessness by recognizing as
citizens thousands of other previously stateless people, including those from
the Makonde and Shona communities and others of Indian descent. In December
2022, President Ruto announced that the Government would begin to officially
recognize the Pemba as citizens of Kenya.
UNHCR, together with its partners, will
continue providing technical and operational support to the Government as it continues
to tackle statelessness in order to ensure stateless populations are registered
as Kenyan citizens and can swiftly obtain Kenyan identity cards and other civil
documentation.
This latest decision is welcome progress
in the Government of Kenya’s commitment to fulfil its pledges at the High-Level
Segment on Statelessness in October 2019, including accession to the two UN
statelessness conventions. UNHCR remains committed to working with and
providing support to the Government of Kenya and other countries across Africa
and globally to further identify, prevent and resolve statelessness in
accordance with the goals of the #IBelong Campaign to end statelessness by
2024.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Source: africa-newsroom.com
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https://www.africa-newsroom.com/press/united-nations-high-commissioner-for-refugees-unhcr-applauds-kenyas-efforts-to-resolve-stateless-situation-of-pemba-community?lang=en
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Uganda: Tayebwa applauds Natasha on her
NRA documentary
KAMPALA, Uganda, July 28, 2023/APO
Group/ -- The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa has applauded Natasha Museveni
Karugire for her new documentary, “Those from Among You”, that highlights
Uganda’s past, politics, people and the key events that shaped the current
peace and stability.
The Deputy Speaker was on Thursday 27
July 2023 speaking at the official launch of Natasha’s NRA documentary which
premiered at Century Cinemax, Arena Mall in Kampala where he warned that,
‘those who do not remember the past mistakes are condemned to repeat them’.
Tayebwa suggested that deliberate
efforts be made to ensure that the Natasha documentary reaches the young people
to help them understand the context and meaning of war, peace and stability.
“In our generation, we define peace on
whether we have access to social media, whether you can go to a club at 3am,
whether you can drink yourself silly and still find your way home and we also
define peace on whether you can abuse responsible people and get away with it,”
the Deputy Speaker said.
“But from what I have seen in the NRA
documentary, that time (1980-1986) was a matter of survival... just talking
about a mere private soldier wouldn’t guarantee you another day of life. [In
the reign of terror], this is what people were going through that time.”
The film offers deep insights into the
five-year guerilla war that brought President Museveni’s ruling National
Resistance Movement into power.
Former Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki
described the documentary as a befitting tribute to the gallant sons and
daughters of Uganda who have endeavored to make Uganda a better place to live
in than they found it.
“Those who forget history are doomed and
those who learn from history are also doomed to repeat it,” the former CJ said.
He also recalled how he was given the
responsibility of drafting the 1995 Constitution and struggled to write a
preamble, explaining in clear terms why Uganda was making a fresh start after
long years of turmoil.
“The lawyers are fond of saying whereas,
whereas and whereas but I said no, we must recall the tragic history, the
constitutional and political instability, which Uganda has experienced, and we
must recognize the struggle against tyranny and exploitation. We must commit
ourselves to build a better Uganda,” Odoki said.
Security Minister, Hon. Jim Muhwezi, one
of the NRA heroes congratulated Natasha for producing the documentary and asked
the young people to keenly watch it and ensure that the past mistakes are not
repeated.
“Those of us who were there and who are
passing on one by one, we wonder whether the future generation will ever know
what we went through. This documentary is a true record of what happened,”
Muhwezi said.
Natasha Museveni Karugire explained why
she came up with the documentary and in a special way, thanked her parents,
President Museveni, First Lady, Janet
Museveni and others who walked with her throught the journey.
“I have been asked why the story and my
response has been why not the story. If one day you woke up and found yourself
in the middle of an ocean, how would you be able to know your bearing to know
how to continue with your journey?” Natasha said.
Source: africa-newsroom.com
Please
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https://www.africa-newsroom.com/press/uganda-tayebwa-applauds-natasha-on-her-nra-documentary?lang=en
--------
North America
US families sue French firm over
financial aid to Daesh, other terrorist groups in Syria
29 July 2023
French cement giant Lafarge has been
sued by relatives of American soldiers and US aid workers, who were killed or
injured by Daesh and other terrorist groups, over its financial support to the
Takfiri outfits in Iraq and Syria.
The court document lodged on Thursday
with the district court for the Eastern District of New York said the legal
claim came after Lafarge was convicted last year of bribing and admitting to
paying the Takfiri terrorist groups of Daesh and al-Nusra Front to allow the
company to keep operating in northern Syria.
Lafarge, which was merged with Swiss
building material company Holcim (HOLN.S) in 2015, agreed to pay $778 million
in forfeiture and fines as part of a plea agreement in October, and, as the
court documents said, admitted to offering nearly $6 million in cash to the two
terrorist groups.
“Lafarge’s support for ISIS (Daesh) and
ANF ran deep. It operated a lucrative cement plant in northern Syria, and it
decided that bribing Syrian terrorists offered the best way to protect its
profits from the plant,” the court document said.
“Defendants’ payments aided the
terrorist attacks that targeted plaintiffs and their family members,” it added.
As well as Lafarge SA, the defendants
include its former Chairman Bruno Lafont and other executives in the claim
which is seeking punitive damages and compensation.
“In accepting Lafarge’s guilty plea last
year, the court found its crime impacted the victims of terrorist acts,” the
complaint document said.
“Just as Lafarge is guilty of a crime
under the Anti-Terrorism Act, it is civilly liable under the same statute to
the victims of its criminal conspiracy,” it added.
The claimants include the families of US
aid workers and journalists, including Steven Sotloff and James Foley, who were
both beheaded by Daesh on camera in 2014, and 10 military personnel killed or
injured by Daesh and al-Nusra Front attacks in Syria, Iraq, and further afield.
Daesh began a campaign of terror in Iraq
and Syria almost a decade ago, when it began to take control of vast swathes of
land in lightning attacks in both countries.
In the meantime, the US has deployed
forces and military equipment in Syria under the pretext of fighting Daesh, but
without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate.
The US military claims its presence in
Syria is aimed at preventing the oilfields in the area from falling into the
hands of Daesh.
Damascus, however, maintains the illegal
deployment is meant to plunder the Arab country’s natural resources.
Source: presstv.ir
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/07/29/707929/US-families-sue-French-firm-financial-aid-Daesh-terrorist-groups-Syria
---------
U.S. designates Islamic State financier
in Somalia
July 29, 2023
On Thursday, the United States
government sanctioned Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, the financial emir for the
Islamic State’s Somali Province (or Islamic State-Somalia, ISS). In this
capacity, Yusuf was responsible for overseeing the collection and allocation of
millions of dollars flowing through ISS’ coffers.
According to the U.S. Treasury
Department:
“In the first half of 2022, ISIS-Somalia
generated nearly $2 million by collecting extortion payments from local
businesses, related imports, livestock, and agriculture. In 2021, ISIS-Somalia
generated an estimated $2.5 million in revenue. ISIS-Somalia is one of the most
significant ISIS affiliates in Africa, generating revenue for ISIS to disburse
to branches and networks across the continent.”
In his role as financial emir, which he
reportedly took office in 2019, it was Yusuf that oversaw this collection of
money from both northern Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland and in
Mogadishu itself.
And though Treasury describes Yusuf as
Islamic State-Somalia’s financial emir, it seemingly makes a distinction
between the hierarchies of ISS and the Islamic State’s Al-Karrar regional
office, an important node within the Islamic State’s global management system
that itself is based in Somalia.
Interestingly, Treasury states that
“Yusuf, a key senior member of ISIS-Somalia, meets with and reports to other
ISIS leaders in Somalia, including ISIS al-Karrar office emir Abdiqadir Mu’min
and ISIS-Somalia emir Abdirahman Fahiye Isse Mohamud.” It was Mu’min that first
founded ISS in October 2015 after breaking away from al-Qaeda’s Shabaab.
Mu’min was long believed to be ISS’ emir
and the wali [governor] of the Islamic State’s so-called Somali Province, while
Abdirahman Fahiye was considered his long-time deputy. Based on Treasury’s
statement, however, Mu’min was promoted and now reportedly just heads the
aforementioned Al-Karrar office, while Fahiye is now ISS’ emir.
This distinction further implies that
Yusuf was just the financial emir for ISS and not necessarily also acting in
this capacity for Al-Karrar. That role was previously headed by Bilal
al-Sudani, a Sudanese commander in ISS, who was killed by the U.S. military in
a raid in Puntland earlier this year. It is unclear who replaced Sudani in this
capacity.
Funds transferred to other Islamic State
wings by Al-Karrar, however, were most certainly collected by ISS itself. It
would be these collection efforts that were (and likely still are) overseen by
Yusuf. These funds from Somalia are then pooled together by other Islamic State
affiliates and cells, particularly in South Africa, and dispersed to other
Islamic State wings elsewhere.
Al-Karrar thus plays a significant role
in the financing of the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province (ISCAP) in the
Congo and Uganda (which is locally known as the Allied Democratic Forces) and
the Islamic State’s Mozambique Province (known locally as Al-Shabaab, which is
not to be confused with al-Qaeda’s branch in Somalia).
For example, Al-Karrar has sent hundreds
of thousands of dollars (and likely significantly more) to ISCAP and Islamic State
Mozambique. This money has had drastic consequences for both insurgencies.
This so-called “regionally-pooled” model
of financing, of which the regional offices coordinate, is the current favored
financing model of the Islamic State. Leaked Islamic State documents further
detail that each financial office of a province is subordinate to their
designated regional office.
The Al-Karrar office is just one such
regional office around the globe under the Islamic State’s General Directorate
of Provinces (GDP). These offices act as key nodes of middle management in the
Islamic State’s vast global enterprise, offering a degree of decentralized
coordination as the offices oversee and direct various affiliates within their
respective designated areas on behalf of the GDP and the Islamic State’s
central leadership.
Other offices include the Al-Furqan
office (responsible for Nigeria and the Sahel), Al-Saddiq office
(Afghanistan-Pakistan-Central Asia), Al-Faruq office (Turkey and Europe), with
less active offices also based in Yemen, Libya, and Egypt/Sudan.
It is likely, however, that leaders
within such offices also constitute Islamic State ‘central’ leaders. For
instance, the aforementioned Bilal al-Sudani, also oversaw the facilitation of
funds to Afghanistan and the Middle East.
This level of direction implies a bigger
leadership role within the Islamic State’s overall global apparatus. Those
acting within roles of these regional offices are usually trusted individuals
by the Islamic State’s overall leadership.
For instance, promotions from provincial
walis to emirs of such regional offices typically demonstrate a large degree of
trust and confidence in the individual from the Islamic State’s central
leadership, as was the case with Abu Mus’ab al-Barnawi in Nigeria. Barnawi went
from the wali of its West Africa Province to the emir of its Al-Furqan office,
much like Mu’min’s own promotion.
As such, these promotions also indicate
that a leader, such as Mu’min or al-Barnawi, went from a regional Islamic State
leader to being part of its global management – again indicating those in such
offices act within an Islamic State “central” capacity.
Though entirely more centralized and
direct, this is not dissimilar to al-Qaeda’s current globalized leadership
structure, with its own Hattin Committee, or “central” leadership, having
globally dispersed leaders.
The U.S. government’s recent designation
of Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf thus has much wider consequences for a large portion
of the Islamic State’s global operations and not just inside of Somalia.
Source: longwarjournal.org
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https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2023/07/u-s-designates-islamic-state-financier-in-somalia.php
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Shi’ite Muslims commemorate Ashura, amid
heatwave
Thousands of Shi’ite Muslim worshippers
converged at Imam Hussein’s holy shrine in Iraq’s Karbala on Friday to
commemorate Ashura, a religious festival to honor the martyrdom of Imam
Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, amid a heatwave that hit the region.
With temperatures in Iraq currently
soaring over 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit), but still, worshippers
gathered to run, walk and beat their chests in circles while chanting – all
rituals carried out to celebrate the holy festival.
Volunteers distributed bottles of water
while fans blowing cold air and water were set up to help keep the visitors
cool.
“We are serving in the area between the
two Holy Shrines. We specialize in distributing water and cold drinks to
alleviate the burden of heat for visitors. You know, the temperatures in
Kerbala governorate and all of the central and southern Euphrates governorates
reached 50 degrees Celsius, of course, this constitutes a burden for visitors,”
Sabah Janabi, a resident of Karbala.
“This year, the temperature increased,
but it did not affect the visitors. Thank God, even if the temperature increases,
it does not affect us, if it was hot or cold and if the weather is not
suitable, we come to visit the Shrine,” said Tarmour, Hassan, a worshiper.
Imam Hussein died in the battle of
Kerbala in A.D. 680. The battle cemented a schism in Islam between Shi’ites and
Sunnis.
The entire rite lasts more than a week
and ends on Ashura, or the 10th day of the Muslim month of Muharram – which
marks the moment Hussein was killed and beheaded by his enemies in Kerbala.
Source: amu.tv
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https://amu.tv/58468/
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Australian military copter crash halts
US-led war games, leaves 4 missing
29 July 2023
The crash of an Australian military
helicopter during joint war games with US forces in the Pacific has left all
Aussie crew members missing and feared dead while halting the military
maneuver.
The MRH-90 Taipan went down late Friday
night in sub-tropical waters near Hamilton Island, Queensland, Australia's
Defense Minister Richard Marles declared on Saturday
"As we speak to you now, the four
aircrew are yet to be found," Marles said following an overnight search
and rescue effort amid growing fears that they will not be found alive.
The failed helicopter mission that led
to the crash was a part of large-scale US-led war games, known as Talisman
Sabre, featuring more than 30,000 troops and participants from 11 other
countries, including Japan, France, Germany, and South Korea.
The military maneuvers are meant to
serve as a show of force against China.
Officials have not yet confirmed what
was the cause of the helicopter's crash as the war games entered its second
week.
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin is in
Australia along with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for meetings with the
Australian counterparts and other top officials that coincided with the ongoing
war games.
Austin said Saturday the US will help
Australia produce guided multiple-launch rocket systems by 2025.
"We are pursuing several mutually
beneficial initiatives with Australia's defense industry, and these include a
commitment to help Australia produce guided multiple launch rocket systems...
by 2025," Austin told a press conference.
The US is also accelerating Australia's
access to priority munitions through a streamlined acquisition process, he
said.
It is the first time Australia has
hosted the high-level meeting since 2019 due to the COVID-19 disruption.
Australia's Labor government has been
bolstering military ties with the US, a long-standing ally.
"We are really pleased with the
steps that we are taking in respect of establishing a guided weapons and
explosive ordnance enterprise in this country," Marles said.
He expressed hope that missile
manufacturing could begin in Australia in two years, as part of a collective
industrial base between the two countries.
Marles said there would be an
"increased tempo of visits from American nuclear-powered submarines to our
waters" as part of the bilateral engagement.
The United States commissioned a warship
in Sydney last week. It marked the first time a US Navy vessel has joined
active service at a foreign port.
China has repeatedly warned against
US-led “expanding military alliances,” including the widening of the NATO
military alliance, amid growing concerns about its regional security.
The US and Australia are also part of an
alliance called AUKUS which commits to supply Canberra with nuclear-powered
submarines.
China has also criticized the AUKUS
countries, saying their cooperation “constituted serious nuclear proliferation
risks,” exacerbated the arms race, and undermined stability in the Asia-Pacific
region.
The International Atomic Energy Agency
has warned the AUKUS security pact could trigger a race for nuclear submarines.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/07/29/707926/Australian-military-copter-crash-halts-US-Aussie-war-games-
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US nuclear test’s fallout reached as far
as Canada and Mexico, study finds
27 July 2023
A recent study has exposed the
widespread devastation caused by the US military’s secretive detonation of its
first nuclear bomb in New Mexico with radioactive particles reaching as far as
Canada and Mexico.
The study, released last week ahead of
submission to a scientific journal for peer review, shows that the cloud and
its fallout went farther than anyone in the Manhattan Project had imagined in
1945, The New York Times reported.
The study’s authors used
state-of-the-art modeling software and recently uncovered historical weather
data. They stated that radioactive fallout from the Trinity test reached 46
states, Canada and Mexico within 10 days of detonation.
“It’s a huge finding and, at the same
time, it shouldn’t surprise anyone,” said the study’s lead author, Sébastien
Philippe, who is a researcher and scientist at Princeton University’s Program
on Science and Global Security.
The test, which was carried out in New
Mexico on July 16, 1945, caused widespread environmental contamination and
population exposure.
The study was led by the Program on
Science and Global Security (SGS), at Princeton University.
The research used “high resolution
reanalyzed historical weather fields, US government data, complex atmospheric
modeling” in order to understand the distribution of radioactive fallout in the
days following the historical nuclear test, according to reports.
According to the research, within a span
of 10 days following the nuclear test a mushroom cloud as high as 50,000 –
70,000 feet was formed dispersing radioactive particles up to Canada and
Mexico.
Plutonium carried by wind from the
location of the Trinity test reached Crawford Lake in Canada on July 20, 1945,
the study found.
As a result of the Trinity test, infant
mortality in New Mexico shot by 56 percent between 1944 and 1945.
The Trinity test and other nuclear tests
that followed were a part of the secret Manhattan program, a United States
government project focused on the development of the atomic bomb.
Following Trinity, there were 93 more
atmospheric tests conducted in Nevada which saw nuclear fallout distributed
across the US by radioactive mushroom clouds.
The report confirms that the United
States government also carried 45 “air burst” tests, which involved detonating
nuclear bombs tipped on rockets in the Earth’s upper atmosphere.
As per a shocking detail, the US
government reportedly had volunteers stand under one such air burst explosion
to study the health impacts it would have on the individuals exposed directly
to the deadly nuclear radiations.
From 1945 to 1962, the time period
analyzed by the researchers, there were 101 nuclear tests conducted by the US
military.
Myriad underground nuclear weapons which
have not been included in the study form a significant portion of the US
nuclear arms.
During 1951-1998, Washington blew up
more than 800 subterranean nuclear weapons, the Libertarian Institute reported.
Philippe said, “Our results show the
significant contribution of the Trinity fallout to the total deposition density
across the contiguous U.S….and in New Mexico in particular.”
"How much of Trinity’s fallout
still remains at original deposition sites across the country is difficult to
calculate," said Susan Alzner, an author of the study.
Almost 500,000 people lived within 150
miles of Trinity’s explosion. Some families lived as close as 12 miles away.
Yet no civilians were warned about the test ahead of time, and they weren’t
evacuated before or after the test, the New York Times reported.
The US government lied to the locals
about the explosion saying that it was an accident that occurred at a
neighboring ammunition depot.
The victims were afflicted with various
diseases including cancer and are paying the price ever since.
According to Responsible Statecraft, a US
think tank, “When the initial shock wore off, [locals] returned to their daily
lives. They drank from cisterns full of radioactive debris, ate beef from
cattle that had grazed on the dust for weeks on end, and breathed air full of
tiny plutonium particles. Only later would the real impact become clear.”
The study also documents significant
radioactive deposition in other US states including Nevada, Utah, Wyoming,
Colorado, Arizona, and Idaho, as well as dozens of federally-recognized tribal
lands.
On August 9, 1945, a replica of the
plutonium-239 implosion device tested in Trinity, was dropped on Nagasaki by
the United States. This bomb called "Fat Man" instantly killed about
40,000 people, and at least 30,000 more died due to injuries and radiation
poisoning by the end of that year.
On August 6, 1945, almost a month after
the Trinity test, the US dropped a uranium-235 gun assembly bomb, known as the
"Little Boy," on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The bomb killed
70,000 people immediately, and due to subsequent exposure to nuclear radiation,
the death toll rose to more than 135,000.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/07/27/707844/Trinity-nuclear-test%E2%80%99s-fallout-reached-46-states,-Canada-and-Mexico,-study-finds
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Arab World
Prince Faisal renews Saudi rejection of
Qur’an burnings in call with Swedish FM
July 28, 2023
RIYADH: The Saudi foreign minister spoke
with his Swedish counterpart over the phone on Friday during which he renewed
the Kingdom’s “total rejection” of all attempts to offend the Holy Qur’an,
Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan said repeated
incidents in which the Muslim holy book had been burnt contributed to “fueling
hatred and limiting efforts for dialogue between peoples,” while calling on
Sweden to take measures to stop extremist acts.
Sweden’s Tobias Billstrom condemned and
denounced attempts to burn copies of the Qur’an, stressing that his country
would seek to stop all acts that offend religions and their sacred books.
He expressed his “deep regret” over what
he called “open exploitation” of the Swedish constitution regarding freedom of
opinion and expression, SPA added.
In recent weeks, extremists have burnt
copies of the Qur’an outside embassies of predominantly Muslim countries and
mosques in Sweden and Denmark.
Last Saturday, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry
of Foreign Affairs issued a statement expressing its strong condemnation
towards the recent actions by hate groups.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2346041/saudi-arabia
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Deal signed to empower people with
special needs in Madinah
July 28, 2023
MADINAH: The Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah
Research and Studies Center recently signed a cooperation agreement with the
Hemam Organization for Families with Disabilities at the center’s headquarters
in the holy city.
The signing ceremony was attended by
Fahad Al-Wahbi, director general of the center, and the chairman of Hemam,
Jihan Sheikh.
The agreement covers the training,
rehabilitation and empowerment of people with special needs, as well the
exchange and use of data, to best serve the public interest.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2345991/saudi-arabia
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US ambassador to Sudan returns to Saudi
Arabia to resume dialogue efforts
July 28, 2023
RIYADH: The US Ambassador to Khartoum,
John Godfrey, on Friday arrived in the Saudi city of Jeddah to resume dialogue
efforts between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.
“Pleased to have been back in Saudi
Arabia to consult with partners on efforts related to Sudan,” Godfrey said in a
statement on Twitter
“I was gratified to meet during my visit
with a group of locally engaged staff (LES) from Embassy Khartoum – thank you
again to Saudi Arabia for all its efforts in the evacuation from Port Sudan,
and for hosting our LES,” he added.
Saudi Arabia and the US announced the
suspension of the Jeddah talks between the two parties to the conflict in Sudan
early last month, due to the repeated “grave violations” of the cease-fire by
the Sudanese army and the RSF.
On Thursday, the Sudanese army said that
its delegation to the Jeddah talks had returned to the country on Wednesday for
consultations, with a readiness to continue negotiations after “overcoming the
obstacles.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2345946/saudi-arabia
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Skills development program concludes in
Eastern Province
July 28, 2023
DAMMAM: The Excellence in Planning and
Implementation Program, organized by the Eastern Province Municipality, ended
on Thursday in Dammam.
The scheme was designed to help
participants boost their work skills efficiently and effectively by introducing
them to basic planning concepts and enabling them to compare between strategic,
executive and operational planning.
Students also learned how to use
scientific methods to establish executive plans efficiently and effectively.
The program focused on helping participants
set performance indicators, introduced them to building mechanisms and helped
them to convert strategic goals into executive programs using the RADAR model.
This is an organizational tool and mechanism for converting strategic goals
into operational programs and theoretical executive planning into practical
planning.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2345981/saudi-arabia
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Fennec in Riyadh for comedy, theater
workshops
July 28, 2023
RIYADH: Fennec, a Saudi community
theater space, launched its first event in Riyadh this week, bringing its
Jeddah workshops for performing and theatrical artists to the Saudi capital
from July 26-31.
Fennec is hosting a range of workshops
at the City Hub, including comedy, theatrical and improvization workshops.
“Fennec was a dream of mine for a very
long time, and today that dream has become a reality. We are pleased to present
Fennec to the Saudi arts and culture community,” said Yaser Bakr, Fennec
founder.
The theater space aims to discover,
support and develop Saudi talent in performing and theatrical arts, celebrate
the diverse Saudi culture, and empower members of society to communicate
through art.
The platform enriches quality of life by
making art available to everyone through its programs and workshops.
“The turnout was beautiful. We know that
Riyadh and the Kingdom generally are full of talents; nonetheless, the turnout
surprised us, even the diversity of the people who showed up, from women, men
and people of different ages,” said Majed Al-Amoudi, a comedian and a training
coach at Fennec.
The workshops host sessions accredited
by specialized schools and institutes worldwide, as well as exercises designed
by experienced trainers.
“What I liked most about this workshop
is that the training coaches were specialists and people that we know and have
been following, so they were close to me, and I saw them offering the secrets
of their profession,” said Hossam Al-Zahrani, a Saudi actor.
Fennec launched its event with a comedy
101 workshop, presented by Bakr, Al-Amoudi and Sri Khaled. Trainees learned how
to compose a joke, the elements of humor, the secrets of comedy and writing,
and were offered a chance to practice on stage.
“What is great about this workshop is
that it teaches you the basics of how to compose a joke, which is something I
wanted to learn for a long time, as it helps you tell a joke in a better way,”
said Nahed Nabah, an actor.
Fennec was launched in December 2022. In
less than a year, the Saudi community theater space has become a partner in
major projects in the Saudi arts and culture sector.
On the final day of the Riyadh
workshops, trainees will showcase their work and new skills.
“Everyone is welcome to see their work
and what they have covered, from skills and accomplishments, over the last five
days,” said Rozana Banawi, Fennec program development manager.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2345786/saudi-arabia
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South Asia
Astana To Host Central Asia, USA Meeting
On Afghanistan
July 28, 2023
U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan
Thomas West and Special Envoy for Afghan Women, girls and Human Rights Rina
Amiri will visit Astana, Kazakhstan, to discuss Afghanistan.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan will be represented in the upcoming C5+1 Astana
meeting. According to a statement, the exact date of the event is still
unknown.
The delegates will discuss several
important topics, including humanitarian support for the people of Afghanistan,
economic stabilization, fair and dignified treatment of all Afghans, including
women, girls, security issues, and efforts to counter narcotics production and
trafficking, the statement said.
The delegates will also meet with civil
society members focused on advanced women’s economic empowerment in Afghanistan
and Kazakhstan.
American delegates are scheduled to meet
in Doha next week with the Taliban’s foreign minister and several other group
leaders. Their continuous diplomatic missions to improve the situation in
Afghanistan include this meeting.
In addition, the U.S. State Department
has clarified that these discussions do not signify a change in Washington’s
position on the Taliban or recognition of the Kabul administration, according
to a statement released by the foreign ministry of Afghanistan.
On the other hand, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan said that the top priorities in negotiating with
the American envoy would be the release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets, lifting
sanctions, and violating the country’s airspace.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/astana-to-host-central-asia-usa-meeting-on-afghanistan/
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UN responds to a media outlet report on
a controversial human rights figure
July 28, 2023
The UN Exports, on Friday, responded to
the ‘Afghanistan International’ media outlet report on a controversial Human
Rights Figure, Madina Mahboobi’s participation in a June Meeting at the UN
Headquarters in Geneva.
UN experts today voiced their concern at
disinformation by a media outlet referring to the “Afghanistan International”
media outlet concerning a Human Rights Council event about women’s and girls’
rights in Afghanistan in June.
“We are dismayed that a media outlet
named Afghanistan International has chosen to misuse an essential discussion on
Afghan women’s and girls’ rights at the Human Rights Council in June to launch
a smear campaign against an invited Afghan woman speaker and a UN staff member,
UN said in a statement.
The statement also said, “Such events
should be a safe space for expressing a broad range of views. While criticism
of speakers for positions they take on human rights issues is acceptable, all
participants should be free from intimidation, abuse, threats, or other forms
of retaliation. Personalized attacks, intrusions of privacy, and the spreading
of gendered disinformation can have severe consequences for the safety and
security of affected individuals and gravely damage their reputations.”
The statement followed Afghanistan
International (A Dari Persian language TV Station headquartered in London, UK)
Media’s report on Madina Mahboobi’s participation in a meeting at the UN
Headquarters in Geneva on June 19.
Her attendance at the UN’s human rights
assembly on June 19 has drawn attention and sparked rumours about her
relationship with Naveed Ahmad, a member of the UN staff. Despite Mahboobi’s
lack of expertise in human rights, it is speculated that her relationship with
Ahmad was crucial in her invitation to the meeting, Afghanistan International
reported.
Mahboobi held a prominent position at
the meeting that senior human rights officials often hold. Mahboobi gave an
intriguing statement while wearing a formal uniform and a headscarf in which she
urged the international community to engage with the Taliban.
According to investigations, Mahboobi
has no expertise in human rights. In 2019, she served as the director of the
minister’s office for the Ministry of Urban Development, which is part of her
professional career. Mahboobi, along with several other women, had come under
fire for their comments in support of speaking with the Taliban and for what
has been interpreted as an endorsement of the group’s restrictions on women
when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
The Invitation Madina Mahboobi received
for the meeting on an international stage was faced with massive condemnation
by Afghan women’s rights activists, which raised concerns about the potential
intrusion of Taliban lobbyists into international organizations, including the
UN human rights meeting.
Meanwhile, several social media
activists have chosen different perspectives, as Unity and Solidarity of
Afghanistan Women (USAW) said they are negotiating with them instead of
sanctions. Madina Mahboobi, Siraj, and Diwa love them to come and live with
their families under their rule. However, you people cannot recognize the
Taliban on behalf of Afghanistan women, USAW said.
M Rafi Hottak is another Afghan who
criticized the UN stands and Mahbooba’s statement: “She called the Taliban a
de-facto government and asked the international community to accept their
demands, no matter what. This is deeply troubling, as it legitimizes a
terrorist group and sets a dangerous precedent.”
Khalid Amiri also said, “recent speech
by Madina Mahbobi calling Taliban a de-facto government & urging for
engagement is alarming.”
On the other hand, some social media
critics condemned AFG International’s report on Madian and said in favour of
the UN: the massive scandal of Afghanistan International; UN experts are
concerned and disappointed about the spread of disinformation by the Media’
Afghanistan International.’
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/un-responds-to-a-media-outlet-report-on-a-controversial-human-rights-figure/
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Kazakhstan’s First Deputy FM, US Special
Envoy Discuss Afghanistan
July 28, 2023
Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Foreign
Minister Kairat Umarov at a meeting with US special representative for
Afghanistan, Thomas West, discussed Afghanistan’s complex humanitarian crisis,
said in a statement by the Ministry’s press office.
Both sides argued in favour of
coordinating international assistance to Afghanistan to address the dire
humanitarian crisis in the country.
The US special representative, West,
arrived in Astana, Kazakhstan, on June 27 to participate in the C5+1 special
session on Afghanistan, held on 27 and 28, Astana Times reported.
During the meeting, Kazakhstan, the
Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the U.S. discussed
issues such as providing humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan,
defending human rights, fostering international cooperation, maintaining
security, and combating terrorism.
Umarov outlined the initiative of
Kazakhstan’s president to establish a UN regional centre for sustainable
development goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty to promote
cooperation in socio-economic and trade investment development, the statement
said.
The Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s
ambassador-at-large, Talgat Kaliyev, emphasized the significance of a single,
shared pragmatic strategy to help stabilize the situation in Afghanistan.
The U.S. applauded the Kazakh
government’s efforts to help the Afghan people, particularly its efforts to
improve the social and economic situation in the country.
C5+1, established in 2015, is a regional
diplomatic forum for interaction between five Central Asian nations with the
United States in trade, economics, and other areas of shared interest.
Source: khaama.com
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US Envoys for Afghanistan Meet with
Central Asian Nations' Representatives
Two days before the Doha meeting, US
special envoy Thomas West and US special envoy for Afghan women, girls and
human rights, Rina Amiri, in Astana met with the representatives of five
Central Asian countries -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
and Uzbekistan -- and discussed Afghanistan.
Inclusive governance and women’s rights
were discussed by the participants of the meeting.
“Many agreed that inclusive governance
& women’s rights are integral to economic stability, security & peace.
Counterparts underscored that women’s rights are integral in Islam &
critical to development, as in their countries,” said Amiri.
"For two years, Afghan women have
been far away from the public affairs of the society, and even if they made
personal efforts to provide for their lives, they were not allowed. Afghan
women are a part of Afghan society. The government has the responsibility to
provide ways for their participation in public issues, in education and work,
and their presence in the society," said Surya Paykan, women's rights
activist.
Some political analysts believe that
holding such meetings can be effective in solving the country's problems.
"Such meetings have existed in the
past two years and will continue again, but the contact of Mr. West and senior
officials of the United States never mean recognizing the Islamic
Emirate," said WaisNaseeri, a political analyst.
"These type of efforts can benefit
the people of Afghanistan because they can have a positive effect on the
stability of Afghanistan, the region and the world," said Tariq Farhadi,
political analyst.
Meanwhile, there are reports that acting
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttagi has gone to Qatar to participate in the Doha
meeting, but so far the Islamic Emirate has not said anything about it.
Earlier, the Islamic Emirate said that
in the meeting to be held in two days with American officials in Doha they will
discuss the lifting of sanctions against the current government officials and
the release of the country’s assets.
Source: tolonews.com
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Ashura Marked in Separate Ceremonies in
Kabul
The residents of Kabul mourned the 10th
day of Muharram, known as Ashura, with separate ceremonies.
However, some of the mourners voiced
criticisms over the restrictions imposed for mourning on Ashura and called on
the interim government to rescind such restrictions.
“Our people complained that there should
be no restrictions in the west of Kabul—There could have been some
miscommunication among security officials,” said Sayed Hassan Fazalzada, head
of the assembly of Shia Ulema of Afghanistan.
“We are proud that we are following
Husayn and ... we have never used the Ashura tribune against others,” said
Asadullah Sadati, former deputy of the High Council for National
Reconciliation.
Ashura is recognized as the day of
martyrdom of the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), Husayn ibn Ali, and
his death is mourned around the world with special ceremonies.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister for
Policy and Strategy of the Ministry of Interior (MoI), Makhdom Abdul Haq, who
also attended a ceremony of Ashura in Kabul, said that all kinds of religious
freedoms of citizens are ensured.
“If he is Hindu, Sikh or anyone else or
even Jogi. All of these people are from the Afghan nation and are my brothers…
we will try day and night for their security,” he said.
“One year includes 12 months and we just
mourn for 10 days which is registered in the history of the Muslims,” said Sher
Mohammad Hossieni, a resident of Kabul.
Meanwhile, residents also reported that
telecommunication services in the city of Kabul were shut down on Friday, but
Islamic Emirate officials have yet to comment.
Source: tolonews.com
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Southeast Asia
Time to unite and move forward, says Kit
Siang over claims of ‘tyrant’ leading DAP
By Opalyn Mok
Saturday, 29 Jul 2023
GEORGE TOWN, July 29 — The allegations
of a “tyrant and emperor” leading DAP are due to a difference in views, said
DAP veteran Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang.
He said the candidates had already been
decided so it was time to unite and move forward.
He also said the allegations were an
open expression of different views.
“Once it’s decided, we move forward,” he
told reporters during a walkabout with DAP candidates at Campbell Street
including state chairman Chow Kon Yeow, Komtar candidate Teh Lai Heng and
Pengkalan Kota candidate Wong YueeHarng.
“We want to impress on the people that
DAP is a disciplined and united party,” he said.
“We have more in common together than
those outside,” he added.
He said the six state elections were not
only important for the states, but also for all Malaysians.
“This is a reset and return to the
original nation-building principles of a plural Malaysia,” he said.
He said this is the time to move forward
for Malaysia to rise again.
Over the last few days, former DAP
assemblyman M. Satees and former councillor David Marshel hurled allegations
that a “tyrant” and “emperor” was trying to take over Penang DAP and the Penang
state government.
They alleged that the “tyrant” was
behaving like an emperor who could do what he liked with Penang.
They also alleged a plot by the “tyrant”
to oust Chow as chief minister and state DAP chairman.
David, who named Lim’s son, Guan Eng, as
the “tyrant”, claimed the Air Putih candidate is plotting his return as chief
minister of Penang.
They claimed Guan Eng had a hand in
selecting 17 out of the 19 candidates who are in his “camp.”
Both Satees and David resigned from the
party and stood as Independent candidates in Bagan Dalam and Perai
respectively.
Both said they are campaigning to reject
Guan Eng and pledged their full support for Chow as chief minister.
Earlier today, when asked to comment on
the duo’s allegations against him, Guan Eng brushed the question off.
“Not worthwhile to comment,” he said
while refusing to say anything further.
DAP, under the Pakatan Harapan and
Barisan Nasional unity front, is fielding 19 candidates while PKR 13, BN six
and Amanah two in Penang.
Other than facing candidates from
another major coalition, Perikatan Nasional, they will also face independent
candidates and candidates from smaller parties like Muda, Parti Rakyat Malaysia
and Penang Front Party in 11 seats.
A total 95 candidates have been
nominated today to vie for 40 state seats in Penang.
The state elections are held
concurrently with Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
Voters will go to the polls on August
12.
Source: malaymail.com
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People need more than empty promises,
Muhyiddin tells Anwar
By Soo Wern Jun
Saturday, 29 Jul 2023
GOMBAK, July 29 — PartiPribumi Bersatu
Malaysia (Bersatu) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has questioned Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s commitment to helping the people on the
ground.
He said in the last few days, the
initiatives announced by Anwar were merely done for the sake of the state
election but were not fulfilling the promises made in the Pakatan Harapan (PH)
manifesto during the last general election.
“You can see for yourself. All these
things (promises) made but not fulfilled have created a feeling of not just
despair, but anger.
“For the last eight months, you can give
a roadmap, but this is not the Budget. It’s just to face the state elections;
that’s about it. They just want to show that they are doing something.
“But I am sceptical about the things
that they have done. The RM100, is that what you have been thinking about over
last eight months — how to dish out money? Or are you thinking seriously about
how to help the people?” he told reporters here at the nomination centre in
Sungai Pusu.
Muhyiddin was responding to questions
from reporters regarding Perikatan Nasional’s chances in the state elections
that will be happening simultaneously in six states — Kedah, Kelantan,
Terengganu, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang — on August 12.
He suggested that Anwar should go to the
ground and talk to the people to find out where the real problems lie.
He also called the Madani economy
flimsy, as it showed no signs of being able to address the people’s problems.
Muhyiddin had also questioned the source
of the government’s finances with regards to the recent initiatives announced.
Among others, on Thursday, Anwar
announced that all Malaysian citizens aged 21 and above earning RM100,000 and
below in annual wages will receive a RM100 e-wallet incentive from the
government.
“One billion, two billion. Suddenly, you
have money. See, this is what Anwar has been doing all the time: Promises after
promises, which leaves the people waiting, but nothing ends up being given,” he
said.
Source: malaymail.com
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State polls: BN's Muhamad Khizri unfazed
to take on Sanusi in Jeneri
Saturday, 29 Jul 2023
SIK, July 29 ― Barisan Nasional’s (BN)
Datuk Muhamad Khizri Abu Kassim said he does not fear challenging caretaker
Kedah menteribesar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for the Jeneri seat in the
state elections on August 12.
Muhammad Khizri is optimistic of putting
up a strong challenge against Muhammad Sanusi although the Perikatan Nasional
(PN) election director is regarded as a heavyweight.
“I have no fear or anxiety about taking
on the menteribesar; it’s not a burden for me. If I lose, it’s normal but if I
win, Malaysians will know me for the next five years,” he told reporters after
the end of nominations at the Sik District and Land Office here today.
Asked on his vision for voters in
Jeneri, Muhamad Khizri said human capital development through education,
especially for youths, would be among his areas of focus.
As such, the Sik Umno division chief
said he wants to reach out to youths in the constituency to explain his vision.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Sanusi said he was
banking on his performance as the Menteri Besar for the past three years in a
bid to retain the seat.
“But going by the current situation, I
am confident that PN will win both seats in Sik (including Belantek). I hope supporters
who backed us at the parliamentary level in the 15th general election (GE15)
will again vote for us,” he said.
Muhamad Khizri and Muhammad Sanusi are
involved in a straight fight for the seat.
In GE14, Muhammad Sanusi won the seat
with a 2,455-vote majority, polling 10,626 votes to beat BN’s Mahadzir Abdul
Hamid and Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan from Pakatan Harapan. ― Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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State polls: GRS declares support for
unity govt candidates, says chairman Hajiji
Saturday, 29 Jul 2023
KOTA KINABALU, July 29 ― Sabahans
involved in the upcoming six state elections are advised to vote for the unity
government to maintain the country’s political dynamics for a better future.
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman
Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, when declaring full support for the government led by
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, described the government as the best
platform for multi-racial Malaysia to move forward.
The Chief Minister also urged every
voter to reject any political party that uses racial sentiments and religious
bigotry as their campaign materials which would be detrimental to Malaysia’s
plural society and would never guarantee the country’s future.
“Stability, one of the important factors
for the country to progress can only be achieved when the people are united and
not blinded by racism and bigotry,” he said in a statement today.
Hajiji said Sabah and its people are a
good example of unity and solidarity in diversity because, regardless of their
races, religions and political ideologies, have co-existed in harmony for so
long, which is what the Unity Government is also promoting at the national
level.
“Therefore, I call upon the people to
support the Unity Government candidates in this state elections,” he said.
Earlier today, Hajiji and Sarawak
Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, accompanied Anwar at the nomination
centre at SekolahMenengahKebangsaan (SMK) Sungai Pusu in Gombak, Selangor.
Both state leaders were making their
first appearance together with federal leaders in showing support for the
ruling coalition candidates in the peninsula.
The Election Commission has set today as
the nomination day and August 12 as the polling date for the polls in six
states, namely Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Pulau Pinang, Selangor and Negeri
Sembilan, and the Kuala Terengganu by-election, with early voting on August 8.
― Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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State polls: PM Anwar says last-minute
changes in candidates a normal process
Saturday, 29 Jul 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim says that the last-minute change in Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidates
contesting in the state polls is a normal process.
The PH chairman said the changes
involving candidates from his party (PKR) would be carried out after seeing
that there is a need to do so.
“We (PH) have three changes (at the last
minute), one in Kota Damansara (Selangor) and also in Kelantan and Terengganu,”
he said when met by reporters after having breakfast at a restaurant in Ampang
Jaya here.
The Prime Minister, who is also the PKR
president, however, did not share the details of which state seats in Kelantan
and Terengganu were involved in the last-minute change.
He said this when asked about the
last-minute change of PKR candidates in the Kota Damansara state seat which was
announced by the party’s vice-president who is also Selangor PKR chairman Datuk
Seri Amirudin Shari, late last night.
Anwar said that for the Kota Damansara
state seat, the change involved Aidi Amin Yazid, who was previously announced
as a candidate, was replaced by the Selangor Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) chief
Muhammad Izuan Ahmad Kasim.
“For Kota Damansara (seat), he (Izuan)
is the Selangor AMK chief, and we (PKR) do not have an AMK candidate in
Selangor, so I think it is appropriate to consider fielding him as a candidate
and I hope he is welcomed by all,” he said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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URL:
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