Sajda-e-Shukr, Morocco in the World Cup and What We Still Don’t Know About Muslim “Ummah”
18
December 2022
Players of Morocco kneel in Sujood
prayer after their 0-2 loss against France in a World Cup semifinal soccer
match at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha
Pisarenko)
------
• Sajda e Shukr, Morocco in the World Cup and What We
Still Don’t Know About Muslim “Ummah”
• Saint-Chamond Church In France Is Open Every Day - Thanks
To A Muslim Abdelkader Zennaf
• Islamic Relief Canada Prepares Winter Kits For Metro
Vancouver Homeless Population
• Palestine Liberation Organization Warns Of Israeli
Plan To Divide Al-Aqsa Mosque
• Now Madhya Pradesh's Ulema Board Slams Shah Rukh
Khan's Film
Africa
• Supreme Court affirms Sharia law on blasphemy –
MURIC
• Why I Will Never Backs Christian-Christian Or
Muslim-Muslim Ticket – Dogara
-----
Europe
• Dewsbury pub to become Islamic Education Centre and
prayer room
• Kazakh Officials No More Successful than Russian
Ones in Defining ‘Traditional Islam’ Despite that Being the Only Kind They
Like, Experts Say
• Masjid imam killed by gunmen in northern Daraa
governorate
-----
North America
• New Jersey Politicians Show Solidarity With Muslims
After Mosque Harassment
• How A Restaurant In Montalcino Is A Harnessing The
Local Wine Mecca To Redefining Local Cuisine
-----
Mideast
• Scores of Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on
Hanukkah
• Iran Calls UNGA Resolution On Human Rights
Violations 'baseless Accusations, Hypocritical'
• Iran never to back down from its redlines: Envoy
• Turkey’s Courts To Fix Any Errors After Imamoglu
Jailing: Erdogan
• CIA head: Russia looking to support Iran, posing
threat to US allies in Middle East
• Iran Says Enriched Uranium Capacity Hits Record
• Iran central bank governor blames protests for
currency's fall
• War on Iran Out of Question: General
• Turkish jets respond to Greek intervention on joint
NATO drill
-----
India
• Maharashtra: Special Court Grants ATS 30-Day
Extension To File Charge-Sheet Against 5 PFI Members
• Dalit-Muslim Groups, Bhim Army And Moolniwasi Muslim
Manch, Oppose Launch Of Book On Col Purohit
-----
Pakistan
• Islamic Economic System Based On Welfare Of
Humanity, Says Pakistan Religious Affairs Minister
• Pakistan Needs To Take Lead In Recognising Islamic
Emirate Of Afghanistan Govt: Speakers
• 4 cops martyred, as many injured in midnight siege
of police station in KP’s Lakki Marwat
• NA summoned on 20th, likely to pass tweaks to Reko
Diq investment bill
• Bentley probe comes to dead end due to diplomatic
immunity
• Fate of assemblies to be sealed on 23rd: Imran
• NAB initiates inquiry into alleged corruption in
PSQCA
-----
South Asia
• Bangladesh Made Tremendous Progress Under Sheikh
Hasina: Asian Lite International Reports
• Bright prospects for Bangladesh despite short-term
challenges
• Pakistan Summons Afghan Diplomat over Chaman Border
Shelling
• Andrew Quilty’s ‘August in Kabul’ is an incomplete
story of Taliban
• Bangladesh commerce minister Tipu Munshi to visit
India next week
-----
Arab world
• 'Qatar 2022 A Milestone In Football History, And A
Source Of Pride For Arabs, Muslims'
• With World Cup, Qatar sees opportunity to offer visitors
an introduction to Islam
• Saudi sport minister hosts world football leaders at
Saudi House in Qatar
• Muhajir initiative documents Prophet’s journey from
Makkah to Madinah
• Second Emirati-Saudi Productive Families Exhibition
launched
• Saudi leaders congratulate PM Karins after new
Latvian government approved
-----
Southeast Asia
• Muhyiddin Says Did Not Take Single Sen As NRC Chief,
Denies Puad Zarkashi's Claims
• Indonesia firm on becoming Muslim fashion hub
• Serian MP Riot: Give PM Anwar a chance to serve full
term
• Ministry of Local Govt Development to address sick,
abandoned housing projects nationwide, says deputy minister
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/sajda-shukr-morocco-muslim-ummah/d/128655
-----
Sajda e Shukr, Morocco in the World Cup and What We
Still Don’t Know About Muslim “Ummah”
Players of Morocco kneel in Sujood
prayer after their 0-2 loss against France in a World Cup semifinal soccer
match at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha
Pisarenko)
------
December 17, 2022
By Dilshad Ali
(RNS) — To say the Muslim “Ummah” (global community)
has been united under the banner of red and green in supporting and standing
with Morocco’s football team at this year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar doesn’t
begin to properly describe it. Even in their semi-final defeat to France on
Wednesday, the joy, pride and love for Morocco’s footballers never wavered.
Athletes engaging in open forms of prayer or religious
ritual prior to, during or after a game or match is not uncommon — whether an
athlete is crossing herself before a big play, lifting a finger up to
acknowledge God, kneeling on one knee with head bowed in prayer or prostrating
on the ground in Sujood. The latter, a practice done mainly by Muslims during
ritual prayer (and also as a gesture of submission and thanks — called Sajda e
Shukr — to God outside of ritual prayer), has especially ignited the hearts of
Muslims worldwide during this year’s World Cup.
The Muslim Sujood, or prostration, as elegantly
described by Dalia Mogahed, director of research at the Institute for Social
Policy and Understanding, is a five-point floor contact position: Forehead,
nose, hands, knees, toes. “Each of these body parts signifies something that
has been put in surrender to God. The forehead (my will). The nose (my ego). My
hands (my work). My knees and toes (my steadfast forward motion). It means I
surrender all of me to Him.”
She goes on to elaborate, “And what about the heart?
This is the beautiful thing. In the sajdah (or Sujood), the heart is above the
mind, signifying that the heart is king, not the mind. The mind understands
according to the state of the heart. Bitter hearts have minds who suspect
everyone. Pure hearts have minds who see the good. And in this state of
surrender, the heart is superior.”
This is why, as Morocco continued it’s epic advance
into the semi-final match, our Muslim hearts swooned to see them not only win,
but do so while being unapologetically Muslim on the field: from reciting Surah
al Fatiha, to players hugging and dancing with their mothers on the field
(begetting what seemed like a million shared images of son-mother joy with some
form of the caption, “Your mother, your mother, your mother,” invoking a
popular hadith in Islam that pays honour to mothers), to prostrating at the end
of matches.
It was a joyous expression of Muslimness in front of a
world audience on a global sporting stage the likes of which many of us hadn’t
seen in recent memory.
Many media outlets rushed to capture this story and
describe what was unfolding on and off the pitch with breathless descriptions.
But in doing so, mixed in with the haste of churning out constant stories under
tight deadlines, some fell short in understanding what they were writing about,
a problem I’ve certainly faced myself on occasion in my more than two decades
as a religion journalist and editor.
ESPN.com published a story after the semi-final match
in which the first iteration of the story described the Sujood of the Moroccan
players after their loss to France: “Almost as one, they bowed to their
supporters. Not like concert pianists after a performance, but on all fours,
heads down, appearing to kiss the ground of Al Bayt stadium. It felt solemn. It
felt genuine. And the crowd roared mightily in approval.”
Please note that the story, as it is live now, does
not include this description of the prostration because Muslims reacted in
droves to how it was originally written, suggesting that the prostration, which
was for Allah, was instead for the fans.
Nancy A. Khalil, an assistant professor in the
Department of American Culture in the Arab and Muslim Studies program at the
University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, felt the error was egregious enough that
she reached out to the journalist. “It was a good article, and that made me
feel like it was worth reaching out to the journalist. (The erroneous
description of sujood) could’ve easily been avoided and the implication was
very offensive, even to the players who were grieving a loss.”
The journalist enthusiastically responded to Khalil,
thanking her for pointing out the error, and two iterations later, the line now
reads, “Almost as one, they bowed on the pitch in prayer, and then thanked
their supporters. It felt solemn. It felt genuine. And the crowd roared
mightily in approval.”
Mistakes happen all the time in reporting and writing,
despite our best efforts as journalists. By reflecting on this, I don’t mean to
call out or belittle the ESPN journalist. But, as Khalil told me, “It’s an
interesting moment because a lot of people still think this is connected to
Islamophobia. Bias is implicit.”
The journalist, Khalil said, may not think he was
being Islamophobic but may have thought, “‘I’m going to describe it as I see
it, and that’s OK.’ And there wasn’t a push from (his editors) to ensure that
he was correct.”
In all my years of covering and coordinating coverage
of Muslims in America, I’ve questioned numerous times if I need to publish yet
another article on some aspect of hijab or how Muslims pray or how Muslims
condemn terrorism. But time and again, the necessity to do so is proven when I
read reported articles and columns that get wrong things that should be pretty
easy to factually and accurately write.
“What I don’t want to get lost here,” said Khalil, “is
how this whole context of anti-Muslim bias and orientalism is systemic, and
this is how it unfolds.”
For Khalil, it feels all the more insidious when it
comes from allies. “Even someone who is writing a good piece like (the
ESPN.com) one, perpetuates it. The rest of the article was really good, but we
couldn’t focus on that.”
Perhaps the biggest lost opportunity in all this was
for journalists and non-Muslims to understand how even in loss, Muslims will do
sujood, when it is more common to see some Muslim athletes prostrate after a
victory.
“Because this is what victory, real victory is,” said
Mogahed. “It means you thank (God) when you win and when you lose. You thank
him for getting you this far. You thank him for keeping you fighting until the
last moment. You thank him for keeping you hopeful and unapologetically who you
are through a process and a world that steers you away from your truth at every
turn. This is winning.”
Source: Religion News
Please click the following URL to read the ftext of
the original story:
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Saint-Chamond Church In France Is Open Every Day -
Thanks To A Muslim Abdelkader Zennaf
Abdelkader Zennaf in front of St. Ennemond church
(Saint-Chamond, Loire)
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12/17/22
In the town of Saint-Chamond, Abdelkader Zennaf, a
Muslim, is a local celebrity. He has been honoured several times by the press
because of his strong involvement in the life of the city and his impressive
collection of aluminium kitchen utensils: 4,500 pieces, the second largest
collection in France! “I didn’t build it up out of idleness or a passing
fancy,” he explains, “but out of an obsession with passing on tradition. For
me, memory is sacred: preserving heritage seems fundamental.”
Abdelkader Zennaf is one of the oldest inhabitants of
his neighbourhood. Just imagine: he has lived there for 73 years, in the house
where his parents took up residence one year after their arrival from Algeria
in 1948. It happens to be right in front of the neighbourhood church.
He’s always been familiar with the parish, not only
because he can see the church’s massive silhouette from his windows, but also
because he attended activities there as a child. “My parents enrolled me in
youth activities on Thursday afternoons,” he recalls. “After the activities led
by the priest (films, games, hikes…), we all attended catechism classes,
including the Muslims. I remember being very impressed by the miracles of
Jesus. I even participated in processions dedicated to the Virgin Mary.”
Born a Muslim, Abdelkader has never intended to change
his religion. But when one of his relatives fell seriously ill, he went to
church, at the age of 12, to implore God to heal her. God heard his prayer. He
will never forget it.
The years went by, he got married and started a family
(they have 7 children), and he didn’t frequent the familiar church anymore.
However, sometimes he ran into his neighbour Pierrot, who opened and closed it
every day. When Pierrot died in May 2004, St. Ennemond started leaving its
doors closed during the day without Abdelkader noticing. Shortly afterwards,
though, he saw an old woman climbing the steps of the house of God and pushing
the heavy door in vain: “The scene gripped my heart,” says the septuagenarian.
“The Church had opened its arms to me when I needed
them, and now this woman found the door closed! I asked a Catholic friend in
the neighbourhood to suggest to the parish priest that he entrust me with the
keys so that I could volunteer to take over the role formerly held by Pierrot.
He agreed.”
Since then, he has been opening and closing the church
every day of the year, and even gives tours to curious visitors. “When I see a
lit candle,” he says, “it makes me happy: someone thought of God for a moment.
It doesn’t matter which God: I’m not practicing, but faith has a big place in
my life.”
When some of his co-religionists are surprised, he
replies that he owes a debt to this church and that this is his way of paying
it back — to the great satisfaction of the successive parish priests!
“I’m delighted with these links forged between
believers of different faiths,” says Fr. Gilbert Thollet, who was appointed
here two years ago. “Abdelkader even wanted to take charge of the restoration
of a statue damaged by bad weather! I argued that it was the role of the town
hall, but was very touched. In the Holy Land, aren’t Muslims the ones who open
and close the Basilica of the Resurrection?”
Source: Aleteia.Org
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://aleteia.org/2022/12/17/this-church-in-france-is-open-every-day-thanks-to-a-muslim/
-----
Islamic Relief Canada Prepares Winter Kits For Metro
Vancouver Homeless Population
Photo: Flip Board/ Winter
kits for Metro Vancouver homeless population
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Ben Nesbit
Dec. 18, 2022
SURREY, B.C. - Members of Islamic Relief Canada spent
their Saturday afternoon preparing hundreds of winter kits for the Metro
Vancouver homeless population.
The kind gesture comes at a crucial time, as
Environment and Climate Change Canada has predicted that temperatures could
fall five to 10 degrees below the seasonal average in the coming days.
“We know, around the winter months when it gets cold,
how much people are in need out there,” said Tahir Sattar, the organization's
community liaison for B.C.
“They’re living on the streets in horrible conditions,
so we're just here to help lighten it up a little bit and give them what they
need,” added volunteer Soraya Elchehimi.
For the organization, which serves communities
internationally as well as domestically, it’s the sixth annual national Winter
Warmth campaign.
They include gloves, socks and blankets; hygiene
products like soap, shampoo, sanitary pads and deodorant; as well as energy
bars and $10 gift cards to local grocery stores.
In addition to Metro Vancouver, kits will also be
distributed in Kamloops, Prince George, Kelowna, Vancouver Island and the
Fraser Valley.
“In our religion, in Islam, charity is one of the
fundamental aspects for us,” said Elchehimi. “It’s a duty upon each and every
one of us to give back to our community.”
Source: Bc.Ctvnews.Ca
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Palestine Liberation Organization Warns Of Israeli
Plan To Divide Al-Aqsa Mosque
Photo: Dunya Bulletin
-----
December 17, 2022
RAMALLAH, (WAFA) – Secretary-General of the Executive
Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Hussein al-Sheikh,
warned today that calls by far-right Israeli Jewish organizations to break into
the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound en masse during Hanukkah aim at dividing the holy
site between Muslims and Jews.
Al-Sheikh held the Israeli occupation government fully
responsible for the consequences of this development, saying: "The Arab
and Islamic worlds, and the international community, must assume their
responsibilities towards the holy city."
Source: English.Wafa.Ps
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/132388
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Now Madhya Pradesh's Ulema Board Slams Shah Rukh
Khan's Film
‘Pathaan’ Instagram
-----
By Nivedita
18 DEC 2022
Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham's
starrer film 'Pathaan' has been in the middle of multiple controversies since
the release of its song "Besharam Rang'. After the VHP raised strong
objections to the film's release, Madhya Pradesh's Ulema Board expressed its
displeasure and demanded the movie should not be out in theatres. The board's
chief said that 'Pathaans' were a highly respected community and the movie disrespects
Islam.
The board has demanded a boycott of the film Pathaan
and the board's president Syed Anas Ali said that the film should be stopped
from hitting the theatres over the 'obscenity' in the movie, reports India
Today.
Stating that he has received several calls and
complaints about the vulgarity in the movie, Syed Anas Ali said that Islam has
been propagated with an incorrect approach.
"A film named Pathaan has been made in which Shah
Rukh Khan is the hero, people see him and like him. But we have received calls
and complaints and they have expressed anger over the obscenity that has been
spread inside this film and Islam has been propagated wrongly," Syed Anas
Alis said.
"We also appeal to the people of the government,
the jawans, not to watch this film," he said, while stating it was their
right to let anyone compromise on how Islam should be perceived.
"If someone presents the wrong definition of
Islam, then it is our responsibility to present the correct definition of our
religion. I strongly appeal to the censor board and want to tell all the
cinemas across India that they should not let this film be screened anywhere.
Because this will send a wrong message, peace will be disturbed and the
sentiments of all the Muslims in this country will be hurt and we will be made
fun of," Syed Anas Ali said.
He further appealed to 'everyone' not to watch Pathaan
and said, "Such films are made to make fun of Islam and Muslims. They
should be opposed. Pathans are a highly respected community but they have been
portrayed in a very wrong way in the film."
Since the release of the song 'Besharam Rang', several
outfits have raised objections to the 'obscenity and vulgarity' that has been
picturised in the song. Previously, MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra denounced
Deepika Padukone's saffron bikini and admonished the chemistry that has been
depicted between the actors.
Source: Out Look India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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Africa
Supreme Court affirms Sharia law on blasphemy – MURIC
17th December 2022
By Segun Adewole
The Muslim Rights Concern has said that the Supreme
Court affirmed Sharia Law on blasphemy.
MURIC said this while commending the Upper Sharia
Court of Kano for sentencing one Abduljabbar Nasiru to death for committing
blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad of Islam.
The statement read, “MURIC Sokoto chapter commends the
Upper Sharia Court in Kano which sentenced Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara to death
by hanging for his many blasphemous utterances.
Source: Punchng.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://punchng.com/supreme-court-affirms-sharia-law-on-blasphemy-muric/
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Why I Will Never Backs Christian-Christian Or
Muslim-Muslim Ticket – Dogara
18-12-2022
Sir, you led a forum of Northern Christian APC Leaders
that opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC which culminated into the
adoption of the Presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, can you tell
us why you took that step?
Our journey started with the adoption of what is now
popularly known in Nigeria as the same faith ticket by the APC. Before that
happened, the church through CAN, had come out with a position which was later
reinforced by a group of Christians from the 19 northern states and the FCT who
were of the APC. Well, we held meetings upon meetings which led to a summit. At
that summit, we took a crystal clear decision compelled by our vision of a
united Nigeria – involving both men and women of all faiths – Christians,
Muslims, even those who do not subscribe to any creed – uniting to build this
country in a way that guarantees peace and prosperity; we will not support same
faith ticket and same faith voting.
There was no way we could support the position of the
APC and as such, we came up with a communique that addressed the need for us to
do a wider consultation and to reach out to our Muslim brothers and sisters for
us to jointly search for a pan-Nigerian platform to adopt and push across the finish line in
order to better serve our collective interests as Nigerians for peace, unity,
progress and development of this our great country.
Source: Pleader Ship
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://leadership.ng/why-i-will-never-backs-christian-christian-or-muslim-muslim-ticket-dogara/
-----
Europe
Dewsbury pub to become Islamic Education Centre and
prayer room
By Abigail Marlow
18-12-2022
The Nelson Inn on Slaithwaite Road, Thornhill Lees,
had been on the market for three years before it closed in March 2020.
In February 2021, the council approved an application
to change the buidling’s use to an education centre and prayer room, though
this never materialised. At present, the original building is substantially
demolished with new premises to be built on site.
The new building will have a similar footprint to the
previous pub but will be half a metre taller. Despite this, the new build is
said to have “no adverse impact on residential amenity.” It will also come with
a six-space car park to the side.
Source: Dewsbury Reporter
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
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Kazakh Officials No More Successful than Russian Ones
in Defining ‘Traditional Islam’ Despite that Being the Only Kind They Like,
Experts Say
December 17, 2022
Paul Goble
Staunton, Dec. 15 – Participants in a recent meeting
of experts on the evolving relationship between Islam and secularism in
Kazakhstan were unanimous in saying that most of the problems Astana faces in
the religious realm arise from its failure to define what “traditional Islam”
is despite that variety being the only kind they like and support.
As a result, they say, there is a very low level of
religious literacy among the population and among officials while there is at
the same time an increasing number of conflicts between the faithful and the
government over how each should relate to the other
(paperlab.kz/islam-i-svetskost-v-kazahstane-v-poiskah-novogo-balansa and
qmonitor.kz/society/4637).
According to the experts who took part in the meeting,
the Kazakhstan government acts on the basis of the conviction that any
“’non-traditional’” Islam is by definition extremist, even though evidence for
that is non-existent. And as a result, the state’s actions are producing
exactly the opposite of what they intend, leading those who disagree toward
radicalism.
Source: Windowon Eurasia2
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2022/12/kazakh-officials-no-more-successful.html
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Masjid imam killed by gunmen in northern Daraa
governorate
December 17, 2022
Mohammad Atta Bakkar al-Sa’di, the Imam and Khatib
(orator) of a masjid in Kafr Shams town in the northern suburbs of Daraa
governorate, was shot dead on December 14, 2022, by gunmen we have not been
able to identify yet who raided his home in the town, which is under the
control of Syrian regime forces.
The Syrian Network for human Rights is still trying to
locate eyewitnesses to obtain more information about the incident.
Source: News.Snhr.Org
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
North America
New Jersey politicians show solidarity with Muslims
after mosque harassment
Brooke Anderson
17 December, 2022
New Jersey politicians, including the governor and a
senator, as well as religious leaders of different faiths are showing solidarity
with Muslims over harassment at four mosques in the state.
In the incidents of harassment, a truck drove up to
mosques with a lighted digital billboard with pictures of the 2008 Mumbai
attacks. All the incidents took place on 26 November, the 14th anniversary of
the bombings and shootings committed by extremists from Pakistan that killed
175 people.
Though no one was harmed during the harassment, the
act of a truck bearing inflammatory images and pulling up to crowded mosques
was unsettling for congregants, who were taken by surprise and had no idea what
was going to happen next.
Source: New Arab
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
https://www.newarab.com/news/new-jersey-politicians-stand-muslims-after-harassment
-----
How A Restaurant In Montalcino Is A Harnessing The
Local Wine Mecca To Redefining Local Cuisine
Valentina Di Donato
Dec 16, 2022
To get to the hilltop town of Montalcino in the region
of Tuscany, you have to drive across picturesque rolling hills lined with
Cyprus trees, many still growing since the ancient Roman era. Along the drive,
you will see sprawling vineyards of Sangiovese Grosso that produce ideally on
the sloped terrain. Montalcino is right next to the village of Chianti and
south of the Amiata forest; the perfect microclimate is found thanks to luck or
God, depending on who you speak to. All of this creates the perfect ecosystem
for one of the world's most coveted grapes, the Sangiovese Grosso, to make
Brunello.
What was once known as a simple agricultural province
of Tuscany since the 1980s boomed into a refined wine mecca of both locals of
Montalcino with an international presence. Now, one wine producer is working
with young chefs and sommeliers to help elevate the dining space.
"Brunello's arrival in America changed everything
for Montalcino; their fortune was also to have a beautiful territory. They
exported their product to far away places. Montalcino is very international
despite it having a population of only 5,000," explains chef Matteo
Piscopo, 24, who recently took over the Drogheria Franci restaurant of Fabio
Tassi, wine entrepreneur of Tassi Montalcino.
Source: Forbes.Com
Please click the following URL to read the full text
of the original story:
-----
Mideast
Scores of Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on Hanukkah
18/December/2022
JERUSALEM, Sunday, December 18, 2022 (WAFA) – Scores
of Israeli settlers guarded by police stormed the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa
Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem this morning, under the pretext of
celebrating Hanukkah holiday.
The Islamic Waqf, the Jordan-run authority in charge
of the holy site, said scores of Israeli settlers broke into the holy site in
groups on the first day of the Jewish holiday, and that more groups of settlers
are expected to break into the holy site during the day.
It said the Israeli occupation authorities imposed
strict restrictions on the presence of Muslims in the holy site coinciding with
the incursions by Israeli settlers.
Source: English.Wafa.Ps
Please click the following URL to read the full text of
the original story:
https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/132394
-----
Iran Calls UNGA Resolution On Human Rights Violations
'baseless Accusations, Hypocritical'
By Digital Desk
18th December, 2022
Iran on Saturday criticised the United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA) resolution against its human rights violations by calling it
“hypocritical and devoid of legitimacy”. “The hypocritical approach of sponsors
of this resolution in exploiting international institutes to exert pressure on
the Islamic Republic of Iran is a clear example of abusing sublime human rights
concepts and values to pursue short-sighted political objectives,” said Iranian
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani as per a statement. The UNGA
adopted a series of regulations on Thursday including one condemning the human
rights violations in North Korea as well.
Thirty six countries in the UNGA drafted the
resolution calling out the violations regarding the “promotion and protection
of human rights: human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and
representatives”. The resolution passed by a recorded vote of 80 in favour and
29 against, with 65 abstentions. Kanaani stated that these efforts were part of
the “western countries” agenda to promote the “Iranophobia project” and
“psychological war” against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The resolution was a
mere repetition of “baseless accusations” against Iran drawn based on
“misinformation” and “dishonest generalizations,” Kanaani said while further
calling the resolution “one-sided” and “unrealistic”.
The resolution expressed serious concern at the
significant increase in use of the death penalty in Iran; disproportionate
application of the death penalty to persons belonging to minorities; and
continuing disregard for protections under Iranian law or internationally
recognised safeguards relating to the death penalty. It also urged Iran to
eliminate all forms of systemic discrimination and other human rights violations
against women and girls; ensure women’s and girls’ equal protection and access
to justice, including by prohibiting so-called honor killings and child, early
and forced marriage. The resolution further called on the regime to lift
restrictions on women’s and girls’ equal access to primary and secondary
education; and remove legal and cultural barriers to women’s equal
participation in the labour market and all aspects of economic, cultural, and
political life.
Source: Republic World
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Iran never to back down from its redlines: Envoy
Dec 18, 2022
In a meeting with several Lebanese media activists,
Amani touched upon Tehran-Beirut relations and the Vienna negotiations on
lifting the illegal sanctions imposed by the West against the Iranian nation.
"We are eager to respect the will of the Lebanese
people and will not interfere in their internal affairs in any way," the
Iranian envoy cited.
Referring to the negotiations to revive the 2015
nuclear deal, Amani stressed that Iran will never give up on its redlines,
which will secure the interests of the Iranian people.
Source: Mehr News
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Turkey’s courts to fix any errors after Imamoglu
jailing: Erdogan
17 Dec 2022
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the
courts would correct any mistakes in an appeal process after a court sentenced
the mayor of Istanbul to more than two-and-a-half years in prison on charges of
insulting members of the Supreme Electoral Council.
Erdogan made his first direct comments after the court
on Wednesday sentenced Ekrem Imamoglu, a key opposition politician and a
potential challenger to Erdogan, to two years and seven months in prison and
handed him a political ban.
Imamoglu was prosecuted for insulting public officials
in 2019 when he criticised a decision to cancel the first round of municipal
elections that he won and became the mayor of Istanbul. His win was seen as a
blow to Erdogan and his AK Party.
Source: Aljazeera
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CIA head: Russia looking to support Iran, posing
threat to US allies in Middle East
By TOI STAFF
17 December 2022
The head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) said
in an interview broadcast Friday that Russia was looking to help Iran, which
would pose a threat to US allies in the region.
“What’s beginning to emerge is at least the beginnings
of a full-fledged defense partnership between Russia and Iran, with the
Iranians supplying drones to the Russians, which are killing Ukrainian
civilians as we speak today,” William Burns told PBS.
“The Russians are beginning to look at ways in which,
technologically or technically, they can support the Iranians, which poses real
threats to Iran’s own neighborhood, to many of our friends and partners in
Iran’s neighborhood as well,” he said, without naming any of the countries.
Source: Times Of Israel
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Iran Says Enriched Uranium Capacity Hits Record
December 17, 2022
TEHRAN, IRAN — Iran said Saturday its uranium
enrichment capacity has increased to record levels, a day before United Nations
nuclear monitors are set to visit the country.
"Currently, the enrichment capacity of the
country has reached more than twice the entire history of this industry,"
Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, was quoted as
saying by state news agency IRNA.
"Nuclear energy and atomic power production have
great economic savings for the country and are effective in reducing fossil and
non-renewable fuel consumption and environmental problems," he added.
Source: Voa News
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Iran central bank governor blames protests for
currency's fall
December 18, 2022
DUBAI, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Iran's central bank governor
on Saturday partly blamed recent anti-government unrest for the fall of the
Iranian currency to record lows, while authorities detained a prominent actress
who had voiced support for protesters.
The unrest, which poses one of the biggest challenges
to theocratic rule in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, also saw groups
of oil workers holding protests on Saturday to demand higher wages, according
to reports on social media.
The wider unrest currently gripping Iran was triggered
by the Sept. 16 death in detention of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was
arrested for wearing "inappropriate attire" under Iran's strict
Islamic dress code for women.
Authorities on Saturday detained Taraneh Alidoosti,
star of "The Salesman" which won an Academy Award for best foreign
language film in 2016, after she voiced support for the protests and posted a
photo of herself without a head scarf with a sign reading "Woman, life,
freedom" - a main slogan of demonstrators.
Source: Reuters
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War on Iran Out of Question: General
December, 17, 2022
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s success in gaining “full
deterrent” power has made military onslaught against the country a non-viable
option for the enemies, the head of the Civil Defense Organization of Iran
said.
Regular war games, measures to strengthen Iran’s
defense power, and achieving the full degree of deterrence have taken the
option for a military war off the enemies’ table, Brigadier General Gholam Reza
Jalali said.
He added that the Islamic Republic has become so
powerful that no enemy would dare to pose a threat to the country considering
the costs of a military strike.
Source: Tasnim News
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Turkish jets respond to Greek intervention on joint
NATO drill
BY DAILY SABAH
DEC 17, 2022
Greek fighter jets tried to intercept NATO's
tactical-level exercise Nexus Ace in the Aegean Sea but Turkish Air Forces
responded and ensured the completion of the exercise, the Defense Ministry said
Saturday.
In a statement, the ministry said Turkish fighter jets
and NATO's AWACS jets were carrying out the Nexus Ace exercise in the
international airspace around the Aegean Sea, but Greek fighter jets attempted
to intercept the exercise.
However, Turkish jets did not let the interception
attempt interrupt the NATO exercise and successfully completed the mission, the
ministry said.
Source: Daily Sabah
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India
Maharashtra: Special Court Grants ATS 30-Day Extension
To File Charge-Sheet Against 5 PFI Members
By: ABP News Bureau
17 Dec 2022
A Mumbai special court on Saturday granted a 30-day
extension to the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) to file a charge sheet
in connection with the arrest of five members of the now-banned Popular Front
of India (PFI) for alleged unlawful activities and waging war against the
country, news agency PTI reported.
The five were among 20 people detained by the ATS
across the state in September as part of a statewide multi-agency raid led by
the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The investigating agency had applied to the special
court for a 90-day extension to file the charge sheet, stating that the
investigation was still ongoing.
Source: Abp Live
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Dalit-Muslim Groups, Bhim Army And Moolniwasi Muslim
Manch, Oppose Launch Of Book On Col Purohit
Dec 17, 2022
By HT Correspondent
Two Pune-based Dalit-Muslim organisations-Bhim Army
and Moolniwasi Muslim Manch have opposed the launch of ‘Lt Colonel Purohit: The
Man Betrayed?’, a book on the controversial army officer and an accused in 2008
Malegaon Blasts case scheduled to take place at Lady Ramabai Hall in SP College
at 4 pm on Sunday.
According to the invite, the book penned by author
Smita Mishra will be released by former Pune police commissioner Jayant
Umranikar, BJP MP and former IPS officer Satyapal Singh and former Mumbai CP
Sanjay Barve in presence of publisher Renu Kaul Sharma and event anchor Major
(retd) Gaurav Arya, defence expert and television anchor.
Source: Hindustan Times
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Pakistan
Islamic Economic System Based On Welfare Of Humanity,
Says Pakistan Religious Affairs Minister
Our Staff Reporter
December 18, 2022
LAHORE- Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and
Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor said on Saturday that work on the Hajj
quota for the members and workers of the chambers of commerce and industry was
well under way. He disclosed this in a meeting with businessmen here at Lahore
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), where LCCI President Kashif Anwar
highlighted various issues being faced by the Hajj and Umrah operators. Lahore
Chamber’s Senior Vice President Chaudhry Zafar Mahmood, Evacuee Trust Property
Board (ETPB) Chairman Habib-ur-Rehman Gilani and Convener LCCI Standing
Committee Abdul Jabbar Anjum also spoke. The federal minister said that the
ministry would soon find a way for Hajj and Umrah quota system for the LCCI
members and staff. “Our relations with the business community are very close to
our heart,” he said and added that all suggestions and demands, presented by
the LCCI, would be forwarded to the platforms concerned. He said that the
suggestions related to Ministry of Religious Affairs should be forwarded in
writing so that these could be resolved as soon as possible. He said that
Islamic economic system was based on welfare of humanity. The business in a
right way is also worship and the ranks of righteous businessmen are high in Islam,
he added. He promised to take up all Hajj related matters with Saudi
authorities in consultation with 65 ministers of Muslim countries. LCCI
President Kashif Anwar said that keeping in view the current economic
situation, there is an urgent need for amnesty scheme so that the dollars, that
people have in Pakistan but not declared, could be circulated in economy. By
encouraging people through amnesty scheme, the government could bring a lot of
foreign exchange into the country. He requested the federal minister to raise
this proposal in the National Assembly. Kashif Anwar said that there was a dire
need to revamp the system of monitoring of private Hajj organisers. Apart from
this, while fixing the package of the private Hajj scheme, other expenses inclu
Source: Nation.Com
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Pakistan Needs To Take Lead In Recognising Islamic
Emirate Of Afghanistan Govt: Speakers
Staff Reporter
December 18, 2022
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan should take lead in recognising
the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said experts at a
conference here.
The roundtable ‘Transformation of Taliban from militia
to military: prospects, challenges and implications for regional security’ was
organised by Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).
Apart from academia, the conference was also attended
by diplomats from Saudi Arabia, France, Hungary, Japan, Iran, Azerbaijan,
Romania, Iraq, and Palestine. The speakers discussed the ongoing transition of
the Taliban militia into a regular army.
Source: Dawn.com
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4 cops martyred, as many injured in midnight siege of
police station in KP’s Lakki Marwat
Sirajuddin
December 18, 2022
Suspected militants attacked the Burgi police station
in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat early Sunday morning, leaving four
policemen dead and injuring as many, according to a police official.
“At midnight, militants attacked the police station
and tried to enter the building,” Lakki Police spokesperson Shahid Hameed told
Dawn.com, adding that more than 60 policemen were on duty at that time.
He further said that the policemen engaged the
militants for almost 45 minutes after which the attackers escaped, taking
advantage of the darkness.
Source: Dawn.com
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NA summoned on 20th, likely to pass tweaks to Reko Diq
investment bill
Amir Wasim
December 18, 2022
ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Saturday summoned
the National Assembly session on Dec 20, which will apparently pass the bill
seeking amendment to the Foreign Investment (Promotion and Protection) Act
aimed at pacifying the estranged allies in the ruling coalition.The bill has
already been passed by the Senate.
The joint sitting of parliament is also scheduled to
be held on Dec 20. Sources, however, said the government might delay it yet
again as it had already been delayed many times since its convening in May.
The government had to present the amendment bill
seeking to limit the law’s scope to the Reko Diq project in the Senate despite
getting it approved last week from both houses of parliament after two of its
main allies — the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and Jamiat
Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) — protested over it and there were reports that the
former was even considering an option to quit the eight-month-old coalition.
Source: Dawn.com
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Bentley probe comes to dead end due to diplomatic
immunity
Naeem Sahoutara
December 18, 2022
KARACHI: Mystery shrouds the investigations into a
scam involving import of Bentley Mulsanne, said to have been stolen in the
United Kingdom and registered here in the name of a European diplomat, as
diplomatic immunity has complicated the investigators’ as well as prosecution’s
job, it has emerged.
In early September, Customs authorities recovered the
2014 Bentley Mulsanne V8 (valued Rs41,439,322) from a house in Defence Housing
Authority. The local buyer of the high-end vehicle, Jameel Shafi, along with
Naveed Bilwani, who allegedly illegally facilitated the clearance of the
four-wheeler were taken into custody.
Documents seen by Dawn had suggested that the high-end
vehicle was imported by a European diplomat stationed in Islamabad in 2019. The
vehicle carried the number plate BRS-279 and a quick search of the registration
number on the Sindh excise department’s online vehicle verification portal
reveals that it was registered on May 21, 2020 in the name of “H. E. Aleksandar
Borisov Parashkevov”.
Source: Dawn.com
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Fate of assemblies to be sealed on 23rd: Imran
Mansoor Malik
December 18, 2022
LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran
Khan finally announced the date for the dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa assemblies and disclosed that both houses would be disbanded on Dec
23 (Friday) to force the government for early elections.
During his virtual address from Zaman Park in Lahore,
the former prime minister lashed out at former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and
accused him of toppling the PTI government allegedly in league with “foreign
hands”. Imran Khan claimed that Mr Bajwa did not allow him to hold the
plunderers and corrupt accountable.
“Gen Bajwa committed a mistake but he never realised
it, not even after seeing the reaction of the nation [which] sided [with PTI]
soon after the toppling of my government,” the PTI chief said.
Source: Dawn.com
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NAB initiates inquiry into alleged corruption in PSQCA
Kalbe Ali
December 18, 2022
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB)
has initiated inquiry into alleged corruption cases in the Pakistan Standard
and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), worth around Rs1 billion by the officers
who deposited the money in personal accounts to get profit and made improper
investments.
Since the PSQCA is an attached department of Ministry
of Science and Technology (MoST), the accountability watchdog has asked the
ministry to provide required documents and details to complete forensic audit
related to around 55 suspicious transactions worth around Rs1 billion between
2014 to 2017 from various bank accounts.
The NAB report claims that the amount was transferred
to several bank accounts reportedly for PSQCA investment but such transactions
and suspicious investments were in violation of government rules and
directives.
The latest letter has been forwarded by the MoST this
week to the director general of PSQCA on Dec 13, 2022, demanding detailed
information to conduct forensic audit of the PSQCA Investment Fund on an urgent
basis.
Source: Dawn.com
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South Asia
Bangladesh Made Tremendous Progress Under Sheikh
Hasina: Asian Lite International Reports
December 18, 2022
Dhaka [Bangladesh], December 17 (ANI): The last 14
years of the Awami League Government under Sheikh Hasina has been
transformative for Bangladesh, reported Asian Lite International.
Within this relatively short period of time,
Bangladesh has gone from being a low-income and least-developed country to a
lower-middle-income-developing country.
From pulling millions of people out of the clutches of
poverty and exhibiting over 6.6 per cent average economic growth to sheltering
over a million displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar, the days of Bangladesh being
in the headlines only for natural disasters are long gone.
Source: Latestly
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Bright prospects for Bangladesh despite short-term
challenges
Md Fazlur Rahman
Dec 18, 2022
Bangladesh is going through some short-term challenges
like the rest of the world largely for the external factors but the medium-term
prospects for the country remain bright, said Standard Chartered Bank Group
Chairman José Viñals.
"In order to materialise the prospects,
Bangladesh needs to address the short-term challenges," he told The Daily
Star in an interview in Dhaka on Thursday.
Last week, he was in the capital on a four-day visit,
when he met regulators, senior government officials, economists, and clients,
among others.
Source: The Daily Star
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Pakistan Summons Afghan Diplomat over Chaman Border
Shelling
By Arif Ahmadi
December 17, 2022
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Pakistan summoned an Afghan
diplomat over “unprovoked” artillery fire at their border, according to
reports, as tensions have ratcheted up between the South Asian neighbors near
the southern border.
This came days after increased tensions between
Pakistan and Afghanistan near the southern border of Chaman in Balochistan
province, which inflicted injuries to both sides.
“Afghan Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad was called to
the foreign ministry and Pakistan’s strong condemnation was conveyed over
recent incidents of unprovoked cross-border shelling resulting in a loss of
life, injuries and damage to property,” the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign
Affairs said in a statement on Friday, as Aljazeera quoted.
Source: Khaama.Com
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Andrew Quilty’s ‘August in Kabul’ is an incomplete
story of Taliban
Dec 18, 2022
Vivek Katju
ANDREW QUILTY is an Australian photojournalist who
lived in Afghanistan from 2013 till the ignominious end of America’s ‘forever
war’ in August 2021. In this notable work, he examines the calamitous impact of
America’s presence and final failure on the lives of Afghans, especially those
who worked with it.
He does so by focusing on the situation of some,
including women. He looks at the deficiencies of the Afghan Republic’s armed forces.
Without the crutch of American support, they proved simply incapable of
confronting the Taliban. This, too, he does through an account of what happened
in a particular area in Wardak province, close to Kabul. Quilty also looks into
the causes that led some Afghans to join the Taliban. And he gives vivid
accounts of developments at the Presidential Palace in the dying days of the
Republic and also the almost fortnight-long tragic chaos at the Kabul airport
when the Taliban re-captured the city after two decades on August 15.
The collapse of the Afghan Republic was both a
failure, long in the making, of the country’s political elite and that of
America’s persistently confused diplomatic and military policies in
Afghanistan. Quilty notes: “...those who allied with the Americans and the
government they installed under president Karzai… now saw an opportunity not
only to gather wealth and power but to exact revenge.” This was so because
these persons had suffered, as had all sections of Afghan society at one time
or another, after the end of the Afghan monarchy in 1973. What was now needed
was a visionary Afghan leader who would be able to knit the country together
and also carry Washington with himself. Neither Karzai nor his successor Ashraf
Ghani even remotely had such capabilities. It was ironic that America and its
allies put their faith in them as they permitted the rigging of elections to
bring them or let them continue in power. Quilty should have examined these
aspects to enrich his work, but does not.
Source: Tribune India
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Bangladesh commerce minister Tipu Munshi to visit
India next week
By: Sidhant Sibal
Dec 17, 2022
With focus on deciding the negotiation roadmap for
India-Bangladesh Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA),
Bangladesh's commerce minister Tipu Munshi will be on India visit next week. He
will hold talks with Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal on 22nd and 23rd
December during the visit. Both countries have already finalised a Joint
Feasibility Study when it comes to CEPA.
The CEPA pact, when signed, will be the first major
such accord Dhaka has with any big country in Asia. The India-Bangladesh joint
statement issued after Bangladesh PM Hasina's India visit earlier this year and
meeting with PM Modi had a key emphasis on signing of the trade pact. The joint
statement said that the leaders "directed trade officials on both sides to
start negotiations within the calendar year 2022 and to complete these at the
earliest, in time for Bangladesh’s final graduation from LDC status."
Bangladesh is India’s biggest trade partner in South
Asia and India is the second biggest trade partner of Bangladesh in Asia.
Despite the disruptions due to Covid pandemic, bilateral trade grew at almost
44% from US$ 10.78 billion in FY 2020-21 to US$ 18.14 billion in FY 2021-22.
India is also Bangladesh’s largest export destination in Asia.
Source: Wio News
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Arab world
'Qatar 2022 a milestone in football history, and a
source of pride for Arabs, Muslims'
18 Dec 2022
Doha: Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic
of Algeria to the State of Qatar H E Dr. Mustafa Boutoura has said that this
year’s National Day celebrations are special and outstanding as they coincide
with the country’s hosting of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the world’s major
international sporting event.
In a statement to QNA, he extended congratulations to
Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the government and the people of
Qatar on this happy occasion, adding that Algeria, through these celebrations
and associated events and activities, shares the pride and joy of brotherly
Qatari people amid their huge internal and external achievements.
He also noted the great success that distinguished the
World Cup opening ceremony that grabbed the attention of the whole world and
large-scale acclaim over its widely acknowledged dazzling organisation and
smooth movement inside and outside stadiums and arenas and squares that hosted
the World Cup-associated various cultural and artistic events.
Source: The Peninsula Qatar
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With World Cup, Qatar sees opportunity to offer
visitors an introduction to Islam
By LUIS ANDRES HENAO
17 December 2022
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Fatima Garcia donned a headscarf
and a black abaya — a long, loose-fitting robe — over her clothes as she walked
into a mosque in Doha to learn about Islam.
In Qatar to enjoy the World Cup with friends, the
Salvadoran visitor took a day off from soccer to go sightseeing at the Katara
mosque, where preachers have been introducing Islam in multiple languages to
curious fans from around the world.
“Qatar is my first exposure to Islam,” Garcia said
inside the house of prayer, also known as the blue mosque for its beautiful
turquoise tiles. “Qatar has been a life-changing adventure because it gives you
a perspective on different cultures.”
Hundreds of thousands of visitors have come to Qatar
during the World Cup. For many, it’s their first visit to a Muslim country.
Those who don’t venture far beyond the stadiums and Doha’s glitzy hotels will
have only limited exposure to the country’s religion, such as hearing the call
to prayer at a distance or witnessing Muslims prostrate at prayer rooms in
stadiums, airports and hotels. But for those who are curious to find out more
about Islam, Qatari authorities and religious officials are eager to help.
Source: Times Of Israel
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Saudi sport minister hosts world football leaders at
Saudi House in Qatar
SPA
December 17, 2022
DOHA: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sport Prince
Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal on Friday hosted a number of international
football sports federations and Qatari officials at the “Saudi House” zone.
The zone was founded by the Saudi Football Federation
in the Doha Corniche to coincide with the FIFA World Cup 2022 being hosted by
Qatar.
Source: Arab News
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Muhajir initiative documents Prophet’s journey from
Makkah to Madinah
TAREQ AL-THAQAFI
December 17, 2022
MAKKAH: The team behind the Muhajir (Arabic for
‘migrant’) initiative announced that it has documented the Prophet Muhammad’s
journey from Thawr Cave in Makkah to the Quba Mosque in Madinah, including more
than 20 stops.
Mohammed bin Samel Al-Salami, a professor of history
and the Prophet’s biography — and a member of the Muhajir team — told Arab News
that the team had relied heavily on the books of the Prophet’s biography for
research purposes.
Some of the routes the Prophet took on his flight from
the conspiracy against him in Makkah, Al-Salami said, were unknown at the time.
Source: Arab News
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Second Emirati-Saudi Productive Families Exhibition
launched
ARAB NEWS
December 18, 2022
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Social Development Bank
launched the second Emirati-Saudi Productive Families Exhibition, held in
Riyadh from Dec. 15-20.
Inaugurating the exhibition were Hessa bint Essa
Buhumaid, Emirati minister of community development, and SDB CEO Ibrahim bin
Hamad Al-Rashid.
The latter said the expansion of the Productive
Families Support Program has enabled 150,000 Saudi families to enter the labor
market with financing amounting to SR2 billion ($532 million), and has trained
over 50,000 families in all Saudi cities.
Source: Arab News
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Saudi leaders congratulate PM Karins after new Latvian
government approved
ARAB NEWS
December 17, 2022
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins after
a new government was approved by lawmakers this week, the Saudi Press Agency
reported early on Saturday.
A majority in Latvia’s parliament on Wednesday voted
to confirm the country’s proposed coalition government, allowing Karins to stay
in power following his win in the October general election.
Source: Arab News
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Southeast Asia
Muhyiddin says did not take single sen as NRC chief,
denies Puad Zarkashi's claims
By Ida Lim
18 Dec 2022
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 — Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan
Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has denied receiving any money when he was the chairman of
the National Recovery Council (NRC), clarifying that the advisory body does not
receive any government funding.
Muhyiddin, who was chairing the NRC, reportedly took
his lawyer’s advice and resigned from the position before the 15th general
election.
Source: Malay Mail
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Indonesia firm on becoming Muslim fashion hub
18-12-2022
Indonesia has reinforced its goal of becoming the
world’s Muslim fashion center, in line with the growth of the nation's
children's work in the industry these past few years.
Recently, during the opening of the Jakarta Muslim
Fashion Week 2023, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said that he wanted to see
Jakarta or other Indonesian cities rank first in terms of Muslim fashion, like
London, Paris, and New York, which have been global centers of fashion since
long ago.
In the first half of 2022, the contribution of Muslim
fashion to the trade balance was quite significant at US$2.8 billion. The value
reflected an increase of 39.86 percent compared to the same period in 2021,
when it was recorded at US$2.04 billion.
Source: Antara News
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Serian MP Riot: Give PM Anwar a chance to serve full
term
18 Dec 2022
SERIAN, Dec 18 — Malaysians should give a chance to
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to serve his full term, said Serian MP
Datuk Sri Richard Riot Jaem.
“I hope there is no such thing as ‘Sheraton Move’.
Because in order for the country to progress, we have to make sure the unity
government is supported by all,” he said referring to the political manoeuvre
in 2020 that led to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.
Riot also said the formation of the unity government
led by Anwar was decreed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after none of the
political blocs gained a sufficient majority in the 15th General Election
(GE15).
Source: Malay Mail
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Ministry of Local Govt Development to address sick,
abandoned housing projects nationwide, says deputy minister
18 Dec 2022
JOHOR BARU, Dec 18 — Addressing the problem of ’sick’
and abandoned housing projects across the country will be the main focus of the
Ministry of Local Government Development (KPKT), said its Deputy Minister Akmal
Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
According to him, housing issues were already being
studied when he became a Member of Parliament and before he was appointed
deputy minister of KPKT.
“The issue of ‘sick’ projects or houses with problems
should be the focus, even though Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor
Ming himself has stated that he will take the initiative to revamp the National
Housing Policy (NHP).
Source: Malay Mail
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/sajda-shukr-morocco-muslim-ummah/d/128655